Articulated Utility Pole Structure for Rapid Section Repair
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional utility poles require laborious and time-intensive replacement when damaged, as existing solutions do not facilitate quick repair or reinstallation in the face of wind loading, tree strikes, collisions, or other forms of damage.
Innovation Solution
An articulated utility pole design featuring multiple sections connected by a pivot point and a sleeve that fails under stress, allowing sections to articulate and preventing the pole from fracturing, enabling quick repair by replacing the sleeve and reinserting a shear pin.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If conventional utility poles are used, then structural strength is maintained, but repair time and labor costs increase significantly when damage occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The utility pole is divided into multiple sections (first section, second section, third section) that can articulate relative to each other through pivot points. This segmentation allows the pole to bend under stress rather than fracture, and enables repair by replacing only the damaged section rather than the entire pole, directly addressing the contradiction between repair ease and structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The pole incorporates dynamic articulation capabilities through pivot points with shear pins that allow controlled movement between sections. Under excessive stress, the shear pin fails and the sections articulate, preventing catastrophic failure. This dynamic behavior transforms the rigid conventional pole into a flexible structure that can withstand and recover from damage, improving ease of repair while maintaining structural strength.
2Reliability
If the entire pole is replaced when damaged, then structural integrity is restored, but labor costs and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pole is segmented into replaceable sections connected by articulation mechanisms. When damage occurs, only the affected section needs to be replaced rather than the entire pole, significantly reducing replacement time while maintaining structural integrity through the modular design that allows straightforward reassembly of sections.
Solution Approach 2:
The design enables selective replacement of damaged pole sections while recovering and reusing undamaged sections. The articulation mechanisms and connection systems allow damaged portions to be discarded and replaced, while intact sections remain in service, reducing both time and material costs associated with full pole replacement.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If rigid pole structure is used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but resistance to wind loading and impact damage decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The pole transitions from a rigid structure to a dynamic articulated system that can flex and articulate under wind loading and impact forces. The pivot points with shear pins allow controlled movement that dissipates energy from harmful factors like storms and collisions, significantly improving damage resistance while the modular nature keeps configuration manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The pole system changes its structural parameters dynamically - under normal conditions it maintains a rigid configuration for stability, but under excessive stress the shear pins fail and the sections articulate, changing the structural behavior from rigid to flexible. This parameter change allows the pole to withstand harmful factors like wind loading and impacts that would damage a purely rigid structure.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed and described herein are embodiments of an articulated utility pole that facilitates repair and/or reinstallation in the event of damage to the pole caused by wind loading (e.g., storms), trees or other items striking the utility lines, collisions with the poles, and the like. Also disclosed herein are methods of repairing and/or re-installing the articulated utility pole. Further disclosed herein are components for fabricating an articulated utility pole.