Elongated structure

Abstract

The invention provides an elongated structure comprising a pole having a wall around a hollow core as a tubular body part extending along a length axis. A base section of the wall of the tubular body part is connected to an H-shaped frame extending from a foot of the pole along the length axis, said H-shaped frame being arranged in the core. The wall at the location of the H-shaped frame is provided with a door, said door in closed position being flush with the wall and in opened position providing access to the core.

Claims

1. An elongated structure having a length axis and comprising: a pole comprising a circular wall around a hollow core that define a tubular body part extending in an axial direction along the length axis; an H-shaped frame arranged in the hollow core and extending in the axial direction and being connected to the circular wall at at least a base section of the tubular body part, wherein the H-shaped frame comprises a cross-bar and stems connected by the cross-bar, wherein ends of said stems are in direct contact with the circular wall circumscribing the H-shaped frame thereby dividing the hollow core into at least two concave portions, wherein at least two doors are provided in the circular wall and arranged on opposite sides of the H-shaped frame, wherein a respective concave portion of the at least two concave portions is formed by the cross bar, respective portions of the stems, and a respective of the circular wall, wherein a respective door of the at least two doors, when in an opened position, provides an access to said respective concave portion of the at least two concave portions and, when in a closed position, closes said respective concave portion of the at least two concave portions, and wherein electronic equipment is concealable in the base section of the tubular body part and mountable to the H-shaped frame in the at least two concave portions.

2. The elongated structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electronic equipment is mountable in a stacked arrangement along the length axis.

3. The elongated structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the circular wall at the base section of the tubular body part is releasably connected to the H-shaped frame.

4. The elongated structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said doors in the closed position are flush with the circular wall and are in a hinged connection to the circular wall.

5. The elongated structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein an outer surface of the circular wall at the base section of the tubular body part is flush with an outer surface of an adjacent wall of an extension section of the tubular body part.

6. The elongated structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein all each of the stems of the H-shaped frame touch the circular wall.

7. The elongated structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the H-shaped frame has in cross section a profile of two of the stems that are identical, curved or parallel, and have a length Lp and are mutually connected at a location in 0.5±0.1*Lp by the cross bar having a length Lt, wherein a ratio of Lp to Lt is in a range of 0.2 to 5.

8. The elongated structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the circular wall is provided with at least one first vent opening and at least one second vent opening that are in the axial direction at opposite sides of the at least two doors.

9. The elongated structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hollow core is sub-divided into at least two compartments by at least one transverse plate.

10. The elongated structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base section has a maximal diameter Db and wherein an extension section of the tubular body part coupled to the base section has a maximal diameter Dp, wherein Dp<=Db<=1.3*Dp.

11. The elongated structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elongated structure decreases in diameter from the base section in the axial direction.

12. The elongated structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elongated structure continuously decreases in diameter from the base section in the axial direction.

13. The elongated structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elongated structure is a street pole.

14. The elongated structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elongated structure is a street light pole and comprises a lamp housing mounted at an end section of the elongated structure.

15. The elongated structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cross-bar and/or the stems comprise at least one of a slot, a threaded end, a transverse plate, a threaded opening, a hook, and a rib for mounting the electronic equipment to the H-shaped frame.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings in which corresponding reference symbols indicate corresponding parts, and in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic overview of an elongated structure according to the invention embodied as a street light pole;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a schematic, exploded view of a base section of the street light pole of FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a portion of an extension section of the street light pole of FIG. 1;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a lamp housing of the street light pole of FIG. 1;

(6) FIGS. 5a-d shows cross-sections of some suitable H-shaped frames;

(7) FIG. 6 shows a schematic overview of an elongated structure according to a second embodiment;

(8) FIG. 7 shows a schematic view of third embodiment of a base section of an elongated structure according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

(9) FIG. 1 schematically depicts an elongated structure 1 comprising a pole 3 having at least a wall 5 around a hollow core 7 as a tubular body part 9 extending along a length axis 11 in axial direction, in this case in the vertical direction of gravity. A base section 13 of the wall of the tubular body part being connected to an H-shaped frame 15 extending from a foot 17 of the pole along the length axis to an extension section 23, said H-shaped frame being arranged in the core. The wall at the location of the H-shaped frame being provided with two doors 19, the door in opened position providing access to electronic equipment 21 mounted onto the H-shaped frame in the core. The door in closed position completes closure of the hollow core, said door in closed position being flush with the wall. In the figure the doors are embodied as complete, round semi-cylinders, but could alternatively be any part of a cylindrical shape, for example it could encompass several faces of a polygonal, cylindrical shape, for example three faces of a hexagonally shaped cylinder or four faces of an irregular octagonally shaped cylinder. The elongated structure is embodied as a modular street light pole 100, and further comprises the extension section 23 and a top section 25 on which a lamp housing 27 is mounted. A first vent opening 29 is present at the foot of the street light pole and a second vent opening 31 is provided in the extension section 23 just below an antenna 33 which is mounted in a further extension section 23 adjacent the top section of the street light pole.

(10) In FIG. 2 a more detailed, exploded schematic depiction of the base section 13 of the street light pole of FIG. 1 is given. It is shown that only the base section has the H-shaped profile 15, having stems 63 and a cross-bar 65, in its hollow core 7 and that the extension section 23 is mounted with a flanged portion 24 on top of the H-shaped profile, said extension section being embodied as a hollow tube with its wall 5 forming the rigid and robust structure. Mounted in a stacked configuration along the length axis 11 and on either side to the H-shaped profile are a converter 35, a driver 37, a radio 39, an electrically motorized ventilator 41 and a filter 43. It is noted that this is just an example, not all equipment shown need to be present, in general a specific selection of these will do, depending on the desired use of the elongated structure. The radio being mounted above the driver and separated therefrom by a transversely mounted heat shield 45, said heat shield has an opening (not visible) to enable convection air flow. Electric cabling 47 or glass fibers enters the street light pole at the foot 17 and extends from the base section through the hollow core and heat shield into the extension section and is connected with an antenna and electrical contacts in the lamp housing. The base section has a diameter Db of about 33 cm which is of the same diameter of the flange portion 24 and which is about 1.3 times a maximum diameter Dp of about 26 cm of the further sections, in the figure Dp is shown for the extension section. The wall at the base section is divided in wall parts 51 which are releasably connected to the H-shaped frame via click connectors 49. Furthermore, a second transverse plate 53 is provided in two parts, which can be used as mounting means for mounting equipment, but which is separating the ventilator and radio from the filter and further subdividing the hollow core into compartments. Furthermore, the H-shaped frame is provided with additional mounting means, i.e. a hook 64 on a stem 63 and a slot 66 on the cross-bar 65.

(11) FIG. 3 shows a portion of a hollow, tubular extension section 23 of the street light pole of FIG. 1 in more detail. The extension section has second vent openings 31 evenly distributed over the annular perimeter of the wall of the extension section.

(12) FIG. 4 shows a lamp housing 27 of the street light pole of FIG. 1 in more detail. The lamp housing is mounted on the top section 25 of the elongated structure, and comprises a light transmissive light exit window 55 and a light reflective top cover 57 which during operation of the light source reflects light originating from the light source 59 mounted at the lamp base 61 of the housing and thus provides indirect light to the ambient.

(13) FIG. 5a-d shows cross-sections of some suitable H-shaped frames. All the H-shaped frame have in cross section a profile of two essentially equal, slightly curved (FIG. 5d) or parallel stems or bars 63 (FIG. 5a-c) having a length Lp and being mutually connected in a range Lc at location in between 0.4*Lp to 0.6*Lp, preferably halfway at 0.5*Lp. A cross-bar or transverse bar 65 having a length Lt, wherein a ratio of Lp to Lt is in the range of 0.2 to 5, preferably 0.5 to 2, more preferably 0.8 to 1.25.

(14) FIG. 6 shows a schematic overview of an erected, elongated structure 1 according to a second embodiment comprising a pole 3 having at least a wall 5 around a hollow core as a tubular body part 9 extending along a length axis 11. A base section 13 of the wall of the tubular body part being connected to a foot 17 of the pole and to an extension section 23 along the length axis. As shown, in the elongated structure the diameter Db from the base section continuously decreases in axial direction to the diameter Dp of the extension section and an outer surface 26 of the wall of the base section is flush with an outer surface 28 of an adjacent wall of the extension section of the tubular body part. The outer surface of extension section on its turn is flush with the outer surface 30 of a top section 25. As shown, the diameter of the elongated structure smoothly, gradually decreases from the base section to the top section. The elongated structure is embodied as a modular street pole 100, and further comprises the extension section 23 and the top section 25 in which an antenna 33 and a GPS module 34 are provided. A first vent opening 29 is present near the foot of the street pole and a second vent opening 31 is provided in the extension section 23 just below the antenna.

(15) FIG. 7 shows a schematic view of third embodiment of a base section 13 of an elongated structure 1 according to the invention with doors 19 in open position. The base section has an outer wall 5 which in the base section are practically completely formed by the doors. The doors are in hinged connection to an axially extending H-shaped frame 15 along a longitudinal axis 11 in a cavity or hollow core 7 in the base section (formed when the doors are in closed position) and lie flush with the wall at a foot 17 of the elongated structure. Mounted on the H-shaped frame is a radio 39 which is connected to a converter 35 mounted at an opposite side of the H-shaped frame and in a lower position than the radio.

(16) It should be noted that the above-mentioned embodiments illustrate rather than limit the invention, and that those skilled in the art will be able to design many alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In the claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the claim. Use of the verb “to comprise” and its conjugations does not exclude the presence of elements or steps other than those stated in a claim. Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words “comprise”, “comprising”, and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of “including, but not limited to”. The article “a” or “an” preceding an element does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements. The invention may be implemented by means of hardware comprising several distinct elements, and by means of a suitably programmed computer. In the device claim enumerating several means, several of these means may be embodied by one and the same item of hardware. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.

(17) The invention further applies to a device comprising one or more of the characterizing features described in the description and/or shown in the attached drawings.

(18) The various aspects discussed in this patent can be combined in order to provide additional advantages. Further, the person skilled in the art will understand that embodiments can be combined, and that also more than two embodiments can be combined. Furthermore, some of the features can form the basis for one or more divisional applications.