Honeycomb Utility Pole Structure With Rubber Coating for Low Weight
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for lightweight, long-lasting, low-cost, and fire-resistant utility and marine poles, as well as railroad crossing sections that meet these criteria.
Innovation Solution
The use of a honeycomb core with a rubber coating, optionally made from recycled crumb rubber and high-density polyethylene, and a fire retardant like antimony aluminate hydrate, along with a bracket for supporting wires, and a method of extrusion without vulcanizing to form environmentally friendly and sustainable products.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional solid poles are used, then strength and durability are improved, but weight increases and fire resistance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The pole is divided into a honeycomb core structure with multiple hexagonal cells, creating a lightweight yet strong framework. This segmentation provides high strength-to-weight ratio while maintaining structural integrity through the distributed cell geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The pole combines rubber coating material with honeycomb core structure to create a composite pole that achieves both strength and fire resistance. The rubber coating provides fire retardancy while the honeycomb core provides structural strength with reduced weight.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional solid poles are used, then fire resistance is improved, but weight increases and environmental friendliness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The pole incorporates fire retardant additives into the rubber coating material, changing the chemical composition parameters to achieve fire resistance. This allows the lightweight hollow structure to gain fire protective properties without adding significant weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The combination of rubber coating with fire retardant additives and honeycomb core creates a composite structure that achieves fire resistance through material composition rather than solid density, maintaining lightweight properties.
3Ease of manufacture
If recycled rubber materials are used, then environmental friendliness and cost are improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pole utilizes recycled rubber materials (crumb rubber from tires) as the primary coating material, recovering valuable material from waste streams. This reduces raw material costs and environmental impact while the extrusion process efficiently handles the recycled material.
Solution Approach 2:
The manufacturing process replaces traditional vulcanization with a heat-curing extrusion process, substituting complex mechanical vulcanization equipment with a simpler continuous extrusion and heating system that achieves equivalent material bonding.
4Strength
If vulcanization process is used, then material strength is improved, but environmental friendliness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The process replaces traditional sulfur-based vulcanization with a heat-curing extrusion process that achieves material bonding and strength development without releasing harmful vulcanization byproducts into the environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the traditionally harmful vulcanization process into a beneficial environmental outcome by using heat-curing that avoids toxic emissions, while still achieving the necessary material strength and bonding.
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 provides poles and crossing sections that are lightweight, durable, cost-effective, and fire-resistant, while being environmentally friendly and recyclable, addressing the requirements for utility, marine, and railroad applications.
Implementation Method 1
The coating is allowed to cure for a period of time, and the pole is then removed from the mold.
Data Source
AI summary
A utility or marine pole comprises a honeycomb core having an outer surface and a rubber coating on substantially all of the outer surface of the core. The core has a length of from about 12 feet to about 30 feet and a circumference of from about 5 inches to about 15 inches. A bracket for a pole used for supporting wires, the bracket comprising a body being circular in horizontal cross section, means for adjusting the diameter of the body, and a lateral extension having a first end portion supported by the body and an opposed second end portion, wherein the second end portion has an opening for receiving a wire. A railroad crossing section comprising a honeycomb core has a circumferential outer surface and being rectangular in vertical cross section and a rubber coating on substantially all of the outer surface of the core.