Adhesive-Bonded Support Pole Sidewall Panels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional support poles for outdoor lighting assemblies, such as those made of concrete, wood, or metal tubing, lack aesthetic appeal and are not optimized for various outdoor environments, and there is a need for a more robust and easily manufacturable solution.
Innovation Solution
A support pole design featuring multiple vertically-extending sidewall panels and structural supports secured with adhesive, with optional LED lighting and decorative features, providing a robust and aesthetically appealing structure that is easy to assemble and manufacture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If conventional monolithic support poles made of concrete, wood, or metal tubing are used, then structural strength and stability are achieved, but aesthetic appeal and adaptability to various outdoor environments deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The support pole is divided into multiple sidewall panels that can be separately manufactured and assembled. Each panel can be independently designed with different aesthetic finishes (metal, wood, composite materials) to match various outdoor environments, while maintaining the overall structural integrity through the panel assembly system
Solution Approach 2:
The support pole utilizes composite construction combining different materials (metal, wood, composite panels) with varying aesthetic properties. This allows the pole to achieve both structural requirements and aesthetic goals by selecting appropriate material combinations for different panels and environments
2Strength
If conventional monolithic support poles are used, then structural robustness is achieved, but ease of manufacture and assembly deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the pole into separate sidewall panels and structural supports, each component can be manufactured independently using optimized processes for its specific requirements. The panels can be pre-fabricated with decorative finishes while the structural supports are separately produced, then assembled together, simplifying manufacturing and enabling parallel production
Solution Approach 2:
The assembly system incorporates flexible connection mechanisms that allow for easy assembly and disassembly. The overlapping panels with adhesive bonding provide a dynamic assembly process that is simpler than traditional welding or fastening methods, enabling quick installation while maintaining structural robustness
3Ease of manufacture
If multiple sidewall panels and structural supports are assembled with adhesive, then aesthetic appeal and ease of assembly are improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sidewall panels and structural supports are pre-designed with integrated adhesive application areas and alignment features during the manufacturing stage. This preliminary preparation of the assembly interface simplifies the final assembly process by ensuring proper positioning and bonding without requiring complex alignment procedures or additional fastening operations
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution results in a support pole that is both aesthetically pleasing and robust, with improved wind-loading strength and ease of manufacturing, while maintaining a quadrilateral shape and decorative options like simulated wood grain appearances.
Implementation Method 1
The overlapping portions of the sidewall panels and structural supports are secured together only with adhesive
Data Source
AI summary
A vertically-extending support pole, such as for supporting a luminaire in an outdoor lighting assembly, has three or more vertically-extending sidewall panels arranged adjacent to each other to define external lateral surfaces of the support pole, and a plurality of rigid, vertically-extending structural supports. Each sidewall panel has a width and opposite lateral edges extending between vertically spaced-apart upper and lower ends of said sidewall panels. Each of the structural supports has a width that is less than the width of each of the three or more sidewall panels, and each of the structural supports has opposite lateral edges extending between vertically spaced-apart upper and lower ends of the structural supports. Each of the structural supports is disposed between, and interconnects, two of the three or more sidewall panels, and the sidewall panels overlap the structural supports proximate at least the respective lateral edges thereof. The overlapping portions of the sidewall panels and structural supports are secured together only with adhesive.