Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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WOUND-IN TENON / WOUND-IN TENON COLLAR FOR ATTACHMENT OF
LUMINAIRE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a modular pole system for receipt
and support of a luminaire. More particularly, the present invention relates
to a
modular pole system which includes a wound-in tenon or wound-in tenon collar
formed from a continuous filament winding process for subsequent support of a
luminaire thereon.
2. Prior Art
[0003] Full length lighting systems usually include an elongated cast iron
or other metalized products in pole shape with a tenon placed or attached to
the
upper end of the elongated pole for receipt of a luminaire or lighting fixture
thereon. These full length "lighting systems are generally used outdoors where
they are either mounted onto concrete bases or embedded into the earth with
the
lighting fixture attached to the upper end thereof. In the construction of
these full
length lighting systems, the metal poles receive one end of a tenon on the
upper
end of the pole and the tenon is provided with an upper portion specifically
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designed for the attachment of a lighting fixture thereon. The generally
accepted
method of attaching a luminaire to a pole is to bond a steel sleeve (tenon) of
a
pre-selected inside diameter over the pole, and then fit the luminarie over
the
outside of the sleeve. The luminaire is generally attached with set screws.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] Embodiments of the invention provide a modular pole system for
receipt of a luminaire or lighting fixture thereon.
[0005] Another embodiment of the invention also provides a modular pole
system for a luminaire which includes an elongated pole section formed from a
continuous filament winding process.
[0006] Another embodiment also provides a fiberglass pole having a tenon
or tenon collar wound directly into the tip end of the pole and held in place
with
continuous glass reinforcement.
[0007] Yet another embodiment provides a modular pole system, as
aforesaid, which utilizes a tenon collar capable of handling applications that
increase the required load capacity of the modular pole system.
[0008] In an even further embodiment, a modular pole system can be
prepared which is an electrical insulator and also has improved impact
resistance.
[0009] More particularly, one embodiment relates to a modular pole system
for a luminaire which includes an elongated pole section formed from a
continuous
filament winding process with a tenon or tenon collar wound into a first or
upper
end of the pole section.
[0010] Even more particularly, another embodiment is directed to a method
of manufacturing a modular pole system wherein a tenon or tenon collar is
placed
over a trunion end of a mandrel and a pre-selected thickness of a filament is
wound along the length of the mandrel up to and including a pre-selected
length of
the tenon or tenon collar to produce a tenon or tenon collar would into a pole
section of the wound-in filament.
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In one broad aspect, there is provided a modular pole system for a
luminaire comprising: a continuous filament pole formed from a continuous
filament winding process; a tenon collar having a first end and a second end,
said
second end integrated with a continuous filament forming said continuous
filament
pole, said second end having a plurality of projections extending outward and
imbedded in said continuous filament; and said first end having a receptacle
for
receiving a light attachment collar having a lower end and an upper end, said
upper end adapted to receive a light fixture.
In another broad aspect, there is provided a method of
manufacturing an integral tenon collar and continuous filament pole system
comprising the steps of: A. placing a tenon collar over a trunion end of a
mandrel;
B. winding a pre-selected thickness of a filament along the length of said
mandrel
up to and including a pre-selected length of said tenon collar to produce a
tenon
collar integrated into a first end of a pole section; C. removing said
resulting tenon
collar and pole section from said mandrel and inserting a lower end of a light
attachment collar into a receptacle of said tenon collar; and, D. placing a
luminaire
onto an upper end of said light attachment collar.
In yet another broad aspect, there is provided an integral tenon
collar and continuous filament pole, comprising: a tenon collar having a first
end
and a second end, said tenon collar first end having a receptacle, said second
end
integrated with a continuous filament forming said continuous filament pole,
said
second end having a plurality of outwardly extending projections, the outside
surface of said second end having a taper extending axially from a proximate
end
at the juncture between said second end and said first end towards a distal
end of
said second end; a light attachment collar with a lower end and an upper end,
said
lower end received within said receptacle of said tenon collar first end, said
upper
end adapted to receive a luminaire; and an exterior of said light attachment
collar
lower end having a plurality of anti rotational protuberances engaging anti
rotational devices on an interior surface of said receptacle of said first end
of said
tenon collar.
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In still yet another broad aspect, there is provided a filament pole
system comprising: a continuous filament pole having an upper end and a lower
end, said upper end of said continuous filament pole enwrapping a second end
of
a tenon collar; said tenon collar having a first end with an open aperture for
receiving a light attachment collar having a first end and a second end, the
exterior of said second end of said light attachment collar having a plurality
of anti
rotational protuberances engaging anti rotational devices in an interior
surface of
said open aperture of said first end of said tenon collar, said first end of
said light
attachment collar extending above said tenon collar and affixable to a light
fixture;
said continuous filament pole having a first taper from said lower end of said
continuous filament pole to said upper end of said continuous filament pole;
said
second end of said tenon collar has a plurality of projections extending
outward
and imbedded in said continuous filament pole; and said second end of said
tenon
collar having a second taper to mate the diameter of said continuous filament
pole
adjacent said tenon collar.
[0011] Other objects and advantages of the embodiments of the present
invention will appear from the following description and appended claims,
reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of the
specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts
into
several views.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 is a schematic construction of a fibrous filament winding
apparatus showing the manufacturing of a wound-in tenon;
[0013] FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a tenon over a trunion end of a mandrel
prior to winding the tenon into a continuous filament wound pole;
[0014] FIG. 2A is a sectional view showing a tenon on a trunion after being
wound into a continuous filament wound pole;
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[0015] FIG. 3 is a side-view of a tip end of a fibrous pole with a tenon
wound into the pole;
[0016] FIG. 4 is a side-view of a tenon for use in one embodiment of the
present invention;
[0017] FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a modular pole system illustrating the
attachment of a luminaire over a tenon.
[0018] FIG. 6 is another embodiment of the schematic construction of a
fibrous filament winding apparatus showing the manufacturing of a wound-in
tenon collar;
[0019] FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a tenon collar over a trunion end of a
mandrel prior to the winding of the tenon collar into a continuous filament
wound
pole;
[0020] FIG. 7A is a sectional view showing a tenon collar on a trunion after
being wound into a continuous filament wound pole;
[0021] FIG. 8 is a side-view of a tip end of a fibrous pole with a tenon
collar wound into the pole;
[0022] FIG. 9 is a side-view of a tenon collar for use in this embodiment of
the present invention;
[0023] FIG. 9A is a top view of the tenon collar as illustrated in FIG. 9;
[0024] FIG. 10 is a side-view of another embodiment of the tenon collar;
[0025] FIG. 10A is a top view of the embodiment of the tenon collar as
illustrated in FIG. 10;
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[0026] FIG. 11 is a side view of a light attachment collar to be used with
the embodiments of the tenon collar;
[0027] FIG. I IA is a cross-sectional view along line AA of the light
attachment collar illustrated in FIG. 11;
[0028] FIG. 12 is an exploded view of a modular pole system incorporating
one embodiment of the tenon collar showing the attachment of a luminaire over
a
light attachment collar.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0029] FIG. 1 illustrates one preferred method for manufacturing a modular
pole system of the present invention. As shown, a mandrel 16 having a trunion
18 at one end thereof, is supported by a vertically extending support 20 at an
opposed end through which the rotating mandrel 16 is mounted. The mandrel 16
is rotated by appropriate winder motors and controls (not shown) well known in
the art. The one end of the mandrel 16 includes a trunion 18 which fits within
a
vertically moveable support 22 which includes rollers 40 upon which the
trunion
18 is received. The vertically moveable support 22 includes appropriate prior
art
means for moving the rollers up and down which enables the removal of a
continuous filament pole, identified by the numeral 10, upon completion of
winding a tenon 12 (FIGS. 2, 2A) therein.
[0030] In the manufacturing of a modular pole system of the present
invention, as illustrated in FIG. 1, a mandrel 16 includes a trunion 18 at one
end,
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the trunion 18 being integral with the mandrel 16. The mandrel 16 is rotated
at a
pre-selected rate and receives filaments 42 from a longitudinally moveable
carriage 24 which is disposed above the rotating mandrel 16. Preferably,
filament
42 are fiberglass or other filaments with electrical insulating properties
used in
the manufacturing of a continuous filament pole 10. The mandrel 16 is rotated
at
a pre-selected speed and the carriage 24 moves longitudinally along the
mandrel
16 from a selected location adjacent the support 20 to a pre-selected position
adjacent to the vertically moveable support 22.
[0031] With continued reference to FIG. 1, tenon 12 (FIG. 2) is placed onto
a trunion 18 when the vertically moveable support 22 is in a lowered position.
The vertically moveable support 22 is then moved into a raised position which
is
in horizontal alignment with the mandrel 16 at its mounting position within
the
vertical support system 20. The tenon 12, as best shown in FIG. 2, has an
inside
diameter approximately the same as the outside diameter of the trunion 18 and
the tenon 12 has a trunion receiving or first end 30, and a second end 32
which
abuts a terminating end 44 of the mandrel 16. The outer diameter of the first
end
30 is of a pre-selected diameter substantially the same as the terminating end
diameter of the fiberglass pole 10. The outside diameter of the second end 32
is
substantially the same as the terminating end 44 of the mandrel 16. In the
manufacturing of the fiberglass pole 10 including the wound-in tenon 12, the
mandrel 16 is rotated at a pre-selected speed to receive the fiberglass
filament
42 from a longitudinally moveable carriage 24. The carriage 24 moves
reciprocally along the mandrel at a predetermined linear speed thereby
building
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the pole 10 into a plurality of filament layers thick. In a preferred
embodiment,
the mandrel 16, which is usually from about 4 to 5 inches in diameter, is
tapered
toward the trunion end 18 at a pre-selected constant taper usually from about
0.12 inches per foot to about 0.16 inches per foot. The terminating end of the
mandrel portion will usually be about 2.2 to 2.4 inches in diameter and the
trunion
will be generally from about 1.8 to about 2.2 inches in diameter thereby
providing
a shoulder 46 at the junction of the mandrel 16 and the trunion 18 to which
the
tenon 12 abuts. Thus, the tenon 12 will generally have a first section 30 of
an
outside diameter of between 2.9 and 3.1 inches and an outside diameter of a
second section 32 from about 2.5 to 2.7 inches. The outside diameter of the
second section 32 is approximately the same as the tip end 44 of the mandrel
16.
Thus, the thickness of the fiberglass will be of a continuous taper from about
0.125 to 0.250 inches. The inside diameter of the tenon 12 is substantially
the
same along the entire longitudinal length through the first section 30 and the
second section 32 and is of a pre-selected diameter to fit on the trunion 18
as
best shown in FIGS. 2, 2A.
[0032] Generally, prior to winding the filament 42 to the mandrel 16 a mold
release agent is sprayed along the entire length of the mandrel 16 so that the
release of the fiberglass pole 10 is easily accomplished upon completion of
the
manufacturer of the pole 10. Upon completion of the winding of the filaments
42
around the mandrel 16, the vertically moveable support 22 is lowered and the
rollers 40 disengage from the trunion 18 in a lowered position. The fiberglass
pole 10 is then pushed, by any means known in the art, off of the mandrel 16.
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[0033] In FIG. 2 is shown a tenon 12 mounted onto a trunion 18 and is in
an abutting relationship with a mandrel 16. The tenon's second end 32 abuts
with the shoulder 46 of the tip end 44 of the mandrel 16. As shown in FIG. 2,
the
tenon 12 is in place on the trunion 18 prior to winding. As shown in FIG. 2A
and
FIG. 3, the tenon 12 is wound into the fiberglass pole 10, the fiberglass
circumscribing the second end 32 of the tenon 12.
[0034] In FIG. 4 is shown a preferred tenon 12 for winding into a fiberglass
pole 10 (FIG. 5) wherein the tenon 12 includes a first end 30 and a second end
32 with projections 34 extending along the outer surface of the second end 32
for
securing the fiberglass filaments to the second end 32 upon the winding in of
the
fiberglass pole 10 to the tenon 12. With these projections 34, the tenon being
wound directly into the tip end of the pole 10, the tenon is held in place
with the
projections 34 engaging with the continuous glass reinforcement.
[0035] Tenon 12 used in the present invention may be made from metallic
materials as well as thermo-plastics such as polybutylene, polyethylene
terephthalate, polyamides, glass filled polyamides, and the like. The
continuous
filament pole 10 may be made from, preferably, fiberglass, epoxy resins or any
other fibrous plastic material as well as spun metallic materials which have
good
insulating properties.
[0036] As illustrated in FIG. 5, a completed continuous fibrous pole 10
includes a base mounting end 38 for receipt into a support 36 which may be
concrete, the earth or the like or any other prior art bases upon which an
elongated pole may be mounted. A luminaire, identified by the numeral 26, is
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mountable onto the tenon 12 usually by fitting over the tenon 12 and held in
place with set screws 48.
[0037] Another embodiment of the present invention includes a two piece
tenon assembly included in the modular pole system. The two piece tenon
assembly includes a light attachment collar 60 inserted into a receptacle 51
of
wound-in tenon collar 50, as shown in FIGS. 6-12. The wound-in tenon collar 50
incorporates the winding of the continuous filament just as the aforementioned
wound-in tenon 12 described above. The wound-in tenon collar 50 incorporates,
but is not limited to, a higher load capacity application as compared to the
wound-in tenon 12 application as described above. Generally, the wound-in
tenon collar 50, included in the modular pole system, can be used in street
lighting where there is a luminaire extending parallel to the ground for some
predetermined distance as shown in Fig. 12, thus creating an increased load on
the two piece tenon assembly.
[0038] FIG. 6 illustrates the method for manufacturing the wound-in tenon
collar 50 of the two piece tenon assembly embodiment of the modular pole
system. As shown, a mandrel 16 having a trunion 18 at one end thereof, is
supported by a vertically extending support 20 at an opposed end through which
the rotating mandrel 16 is mounted. The mandrel 16 is rotated by appropriate
winder motors and controls (not shown) well known in the art. One end of the
mandrel 16 includes a trunion 18 which is supported by a vertically moveable
support 22 carrying rollers 40. The vertically moveable support 22 includes
appropriate prior art means for moving the rollers up and down to facilitate
the
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removal of a continuous filament pole 10, upon completion of the winding of a
tenon collar 50 (FIGS. 7A, 8) therein.
[0039] In the manufacturing of a modular pole system with the wound-in
tenon collar, as illustrated in FIG. 6, mandrel 16 including trunion 18 is
rotated at
a pre-selected rate and receives filaments 42 from a longitudinally moveable
carriage 24, which is disposed above the rotating mandrel 16. Filaments 42 are
fiberglass or other types of filaments with electrical insulating properties
which
can be used in the manufacturing of a continuous filament pole 10. As mandrel
16 is rotated the carriage 24 moves longitudinally along the mandrel 16 from a
first position adjacent the support 20 to a second position adjacent to the
vertically moveable support 22.
[0040] With reference to FIGS. 6 and 7, tenon collar 50 is placed onto
trunion 18 while the vertically moveable support 22 is in a lowered position.
The
vertically moveable support 22 is then moved into a raised position which is
in
substantially horizontal alignment with mandrel 16 at its mounting position
within
vertical support system 20. The tenon collar 50, as shown in FIG. 7, has an
inside diameter at a second end 54 which is approximately the same as the
outside diameter of trunion 18. Tenon collar 50 also has a trunion receiving
first
end 52 and second end 54. Second end 54 abuts a shoulder 44 formed where
mandrel 16 is narrowed to form truion 18. The outer diameter of first end 52
is
substantially the same as the terminating end diameter of the fiberglass pole
10.
The outside diameter of the second end 54 of the tenon collar 50 is
substantially
the same as the diameter of mandrel 16 at shoulder 44. In the manufacturing of
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the fiberglass pole 10 including the wound-in tenon collar 50, the mandrel 16
is
rotated at a pre-selected speed to receive the fiberglass filament 42 from a
longitudinally moveable carriage 24. The carriage 24 moves reciprocally along
the mandrel at a predetermined linear speed thereby building the pole 10 on
mandrel 16 by winding on a plurality of filament layers. As shown in FIG. 7A
and
FIG. 8, the tenon collar 50 is also wound into the fiberglass pole 10, the
fiberglass circumscribing the second end 54 of the tenon collar 50. In one
embodiment, the mandrel 16, which is usually from about 4 to 5 inches in
diameter, is tapered toward the shoulder 44 at a pre-selected constant taper
usually from about 0.12 inches per foot to about 0.16 inches per foot. The
diameter of the mandrel 16 at shoulder 44 will usually be greater than the
respective diameter as trunion 18 being chosen so as to provide an
approximately sized shoulder 44 at the junction of end 46 of mandrel 16 and
the
trunion 18 to provide an abutment for collar 50. The thickness of the
fiberglass
forming pole 10 including wound-in tenon collar 50 will be of a continuous
taper
from about 0.125 to 0.250 inches.
[0041] Generally, prior to winding the filament 42 around the mandrel 16, a
mold release agent is sprayed along the entire length of the mandrel 16 so
that
the release of fiberglass pole 10 is easily accomplished upon completion. Also
upon completion of the winding of filaments 42 around the mandrel 16, the
vertically moveable support 22 is lowered to disengage rollers 40 from the
trunion
18. The fiberglass pole 10 is then pushed, by any means known in the art, off
of
the mandrel 16.
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[0042] FIGS. 9 and 9A show one embodiment of tenon collar 50 adapted
for winding into fiberglass pole 10 as shown in FIGS. 7 and 7A. The tenon
collar
50 comprises a first end 52 and a second end 54, with projections 56 extending
along the outer surface of the second end 54. Projections 56 facilitate the
securing of fiberglass filaments 42 to the second end 54 upon the winding of
the
tenon collar 50 to the fiberglass pole 10. As shown in FIG. 7A, tenon collar
50 is
held in place by means of the inter-engagement of projections 56 with the
plurality of filament layers forming pole 10. The first end 52 of the tenon
collar 50
is provided with a locking hole 57 extending radially from the outer surface
to the
inner surface of first end 52. Also as shown in FIGS. 9 and 9A, tenon collar
50
also contains longitudinal channels 58 extending axially along the inner
surface
of receptacle 51, and a positioning key slot 59 formed in one such channel 58.
The positioning key slot 59 prevents misalignment when inserting a light
attachment collar 60 into receptacle 51 of tenon collar 50. Also illustrated
in
FIGS. 9 and 9A, the outer longitudinal surface 58a of second end 54 is an
increased wall thickness of material around each respective channel 58 to
strengthen tenon collar 50 at the longitudinal channels 58.
[0043] Although the tenon collar 50 with its projections 56 is shown in
detail in FIGS. 6-9A, the projections are merely representative of one
embodiment of the present invention. The projections 56 can be arranged in any
number of different patterns, quantities, sizes, shapes, and can be placed in
various positions and still function to allow the windings of the filament 42
to
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inter-engage the projections along the outside of the wound-in tenon 12 (FIG.
2A)
or wound-in tenon collar 50 (FIG. 7A) to hold them in place.
[0044] As shown in FIG. 11 and 11A, a light attachment collar 60, which is
received into wound-in tenon collar receptacle 51, comprises a first end 62
and a
second end 64. Second end 64 of light attachment collar 60 is adapted to be
inserted into receptacle 51 of first end 52 of the tenon collar 50. Light
attachment
collar 60 also has a locking hole 66 radially extending from the outer surface
to
the inner surface of second end 64. Light attachment collar 60 also has
longitudinal ridges 68 or splines that run axially along the outside surface
of the
second end 64 thereof as shown in FIGS. 11 and 11A. One of these longitudinal
ridges 68 is provided with a positioning key 69 that will work in registry
with the
positioning key slot 59 of the tenon collar 50 to ensure that locking hole 57
of
tenon collar 50 will align with locking hole 66 of light attachment collar 60
when
the two are assembled. The two piece tenon assembly may then be secured
together by insertion of a locking pin 74, or other securing device, as shown
in
FIG. 12. Additionally the longitudinal ridges 68 are sized and
circumferentially
spaced to be in registry with the longitudinal channels 58 of the tenon collar
50
when the two piece tenon assembly are assembled by telescopically inserting
light attachment collar 60 into receptacle 51 of tenon collar 50 shown in FIG.
12.
The longitudinal channels 58 and ridges 68 prevent rotational movement and
increase rotational stability between light attachment collar 60 and tenon
collar
50 when they are assembled. Also as can be seen from FIGS. 9, 9A, 11, and 12,
upon insertion of light attachment collar 60 into receptacle 51 of tenon
collar 50
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to form the modular pole system, first end 62 of light attachment collar 60
has
abutment surface 63 which abuts with the top surface 53 of the first end 52 of
tenon collar 50.
[0045] The combination of light attachment collar 60 and tenon collar 50
as shown in detail in FIGS. 9, 9A, 11, and 11A is merely representative of one
embodiment of the present invention. There are other possible functioning
variations of the structural interaction between light attachment collar 60
and
wound-in tenon collar 50 which will present themselves to one skilled in the
art
based on the teachings herein.
[0046] Wound-in tenon 50 and its corresponding light attachment collar 60
as used in this embodiment may be made from metallic materials, as well as
from thermo-plastics such as polybutylene, polyethylene terephthalate,
polyamides, glass filled polyamides, and the like. The continuous filament
pole
may be made from fiberglass, epoxy resins or any other fibrous plastic
materials as well as spun metallic materials which have good insulating
properties.
[0047] As illustrated in FIG. 12, a completed continuous fibrous pole 10
and tenon collar 50 includes a base mounting end 38 for receipt into a support
36
which may be concrete, the earth or other prior art bases of various materials
to
which an elongated pole may be mounted. Also as shown in FIG. 12, luminaire
72 may be mounted onto light attachment collar 60 and held in place with one
or
more set screws 48 or other securing device. It is understood that there are
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many variations of luminaire that can be used with this embodiment of the
present invention.
[0048] Another embodiment of tenon collar 50, illustrated as reference 80
in FIGS. 10 and 10A, allows for filaments 42 to maintain a substantially
continuous taper along the entire length of pole 10 during the winding
process.
On second end 84, a curved taper C extends axially from the junction between
first end 82 and second end 84 and transitions into an axial taper A. Axial
taper
A extends from curved taper C towards a terminating end 81 of second end 84.
Axial taper A of second end 84 may be a pre-selected constant taper of about
one degree. The curved taper C and the axial taper A of second end 84 allows
for the filaments 42 to maintain a substantially continuous taper along pole
10 to
the juncture between first end 82 and second end 84 during the winding
process.
[0049] The detailed description is given primarily for clearness of
understanding and no unnecessary limitations are to be understood therefrom
for
modifications will become obvious to those skilled in the art upon reading
this
disclosure and may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention
and scope of the appended claims.
