Sign Pole Buckling Prevention via Internal Reinforcement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sign poles are prone to buckling and damage when collided with vehicles, and existing buckling prevention tools increase the outer diameter near the ground, making them difficult to embed and potentially interfere with repair work.
Innovation Solution
A sign pole structure with a constant outer diameter and increased thickness from the ground level to a predetermined distance above, gradually decreasing in thickness upwards, enhancing strength and preventing buckling while maintaining a standard diameter for easy embedding and passage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a buckling prevention tool is disposed at the outside of the outer periphery of the sign pole, then the sign pole can be protected from buckling, but the outer diameter of the sign pole near the ground increases, making it difficult to embed and potentially interfering with passage
Solution Approach 1:
The buckling prevention tool is inserted inside the hollow interior of the sign pole rather than being disposed outside. This nested configuration allows the reinforcement structure to be contained within the existing outer diameter, preventing buckling while maintaining the original external dimensions and embedding space requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The solution moves the buckling prevention structure from the radial dimension (outside the pole) to the longitudinal dimension (inside the pole). By utilizing the internal space along the length of the pole, the invention achieves buckling prevention without increasing the horizontal footprint or outer diameter
2Ease of repair
If the sign pole is raised by a sign raising machine for repair, then the bending can be corrected, but the sign pole may be cracked and additional reinforcement may be needed
Solution Approach 1:
The buckling prevention tool is installed in advance within the sign pole, providing pre-reinforcement that cushions and distributes the stress during the raising and bending correction process. This prevents catastrophic failure or cracking that would otherwise occur when the pole is bent back into position
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the structural parameters of the sign pole by adding internal reinforcement elements (such as spiral wires, bands, or cages) that modify the pole's mechanical properties. These added elements increase the pole's resistance to bending and cracking while maintaining its ability to be raised and repositioned
3Strength
If the outer diameter of the sign pole is increased to prevent buckling, then the buckling resistance improves, but the embedding space requirement increases and passage is hindered
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement is applied locally within the critical zone of the sign pole (typically the lower portion most susceptible to buckling) rather than uniformly increasing the entire pole's diameter. This targeted approach provides maximum buckling resistance where needed while maintaining the original external dimensions
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcement structure is nested within the existing pole structure, utilizing the internal hollow space to house buckling prevention elements such as spiral wires, helical bands, or internal cages. This maintains the original outer diameter while significantly improving buckling resistance through internal structural enhancement
Data Source
AI summary
A structure of a sign pole is provided. The sign pole includes a tubular member that has a predetermined outer diameter, a predetermined inner diameter, and a predetermined thickness. In a state in which the sign pole is embedded in a ground, the sign pole includes a reinforcement portion having a thickness different from the predetermined thickness while maintaining the predetermined outer diameter in a first range from a first position equal to or lower than a level of a ground surface to a second position located a predetermined distance above the level of the ground surface. The reinforcement portion has a thickness larger than the predetermined thickness.