Street Pole Overlap Design for Impact Energy Absorption

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Solution Overview

Problem

Street poles with inwardly bent flanges face difficulties in edge interconnection, aesthetics, and safety, as well as limited fastening options due to zinc coating, and existing impact-absorbing designs fail to adequately absorb kinetic energy during vehicle collisions, increasing risk of injury or mortality.

Innovation Solution

A street pole design featuring an overlap of edges extending substantially along the circumferential direction, allowing for various fastening methods beyond welding and enabling energy absorption through edge movement and shear effect upon impact, with rivets providing easy interconnection and enhanced safety.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If flanges are bent perpendicularly towards the outside to create overlapping flanges, then edges can be interconnected, but the flanges protrude from the cylindrical hollow body causing aesthetic issues and potential injuries

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveedge interconnectionVSAvoidprotruding flange causing injuries

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of bending flanges outward as in conventional designs, the patent inverts the approach by bending flanges inward toward the interior of the hollow cylindrical body. This inversion allows the flanges to be positioned inside the cylinder, eliminating protrusions that cause aesthetic issues and injuries, while still enabling edge interconnection through the overlapping flange structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If flanges are provided on the inside of the hollow cylindrical body, then aesthetic appearance is improved, but the flanges become difficult to reach and interconnect with fastening means

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaesthetic appearanceVSAvoidflange interconnection

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a radial dimension component to the flange configuration by bending flanges inward at an angle that creates both radial and tangential overlap. This dimensional approach allows flanges to be positioned inside the cylinder for aesthetic purposes while the overlapping geometry provides accessible surfaces for fastening means to engage from the exterior

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Reliability

If metal sheets are coated with zinc before bending and interconnection, then corrosion resistance is improved, but welding becomes difficult or impossible

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecorrosion resistanceVSAvoidwelding capability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies zinc coating to the metal sheets before bending and interconnection operations. This preliminary coating action ensures corrosion resistance is established early in the manufacturing process, while the design accommodates this by using mechanical fastening methods that do not require welding the coated surfaces

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Device complexity

If adjacent edges are bent to become collinearly touching, then interconnection is simplified, but fastening means are limited to welding only

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveedge configurationVSAvoidfastening method options

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the edge interconnection into two distinct functional zones: the collinearly touching portions provide a simplified base configuration, while the overlapping flange portions create additional engagement surfaces. This segmentation allows multiple fastening methods to be applied at different locations, maintaining versatility despite the simplified overall geometry

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

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 design improves edge interconnection, enhances aesthetic appeal, and significantly reduces mortality and injury risks by effectively absorbing kinetic energy during vehicle impacts, maintaining rigidity before and after impact.

Implementation Method 1

enabling energy absorption through edge movement and shear effect upon impact

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectShear effect: Shear Stress

Data Source

PatentUS8782998B2Street pole and method for placing the street pole

Publication Date: 2014.07.22 SAFETY PROD

AI summary

A street pole (1) extending substantially along a longitudinal direction (8) and comprising a hollow cylindrical body (6) extending around the longitudinal direction (8) along a circumferential direction (9), the hollow cylindrical body (6) comprising at least one overlap (2) of a first (3) and a second edge (4) of a circumferential side wall (7) forming the hollow cylindrical body (6), the hollow cylindrical body (6) comprising fastening means (5) for interconnecting the first and the second edge (3, 4), the overlap (2) having a length (10) extending substantially parallel along the longitudinal direction (8), wherein the overlap (2) has a width (11) extending substantially along the circumferential direction (9).