Modular Wood Telecom Tower With Tensegrity for Low-Impact Siting
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing telecommunications tower structures face issues such as high maintenance costs, susceptibility to corrosion, negative visual impact, space consumption, and environmental discordance, while also being costly and difficult to manufacture and maintain.
Innovation Solution
A tower structure composed of modular wood units with a crinoline shape, a tensegrity structure, and laminar covering elements, which includes features like artificial nests and a wind turbine for sustainability, allowing easy assembly and integration into natural environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If lattice towers are used for telecommunications equipment, then multiple devices can be supported and installation is possible in most terrains and weather conditions, but maintenance costs are high and susceptibility to corrosion increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from traditional steel to wood, fundamentally altering the tower's chemical composition and physical properties. This material substitution eliminates corrosion susceptibility while maintaining structural integrity, directly resolving the contradiction between installation versatility and corrosion resistance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite construction by treating wood with protective coatings and preservatives, creating a composite material system that combines the natural advantages of wood (aesthetics, low corrosion) with enhanced durability and weather resistance, thereby resolving the contradiction between material purity and environmental resilience
2Adaptability or versatility
If lattice towers are used, then multiple devices can be supported, but visual impact on the environment is negative
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by using wood material specifically for its aesthetic properties in visible areas, while maintaining structural functionality. The natural wood appearance blends with natural surroundings, reducing visual impact while the structural design continues to support multiple communication devices
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the natural color and texture variations of wood to create visual harmony with the environment. The wood's natural coloring helps the tower blend into natural landscapes, transforming the visual impact from negative to neutral or positive while maintaining device support capacity
3Area of stationary object
If monopole towers are used, then space consumption is reduced and construction time is shortened, but cost is high and strength capacity upgrading is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the tower into modular sections that can be manufactured separately and assembled on-site. This segmentation allows for standardized production reducing costs, while the modular nature enables easy height adjustments and strength upgrades by adding or removing sections, directly addressing both the cost and flexibility limitations of monopole towers
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a dynamic structure where the tower's configuration can be changed over time. The modular design allows height and strength capacity to be upgraded by adding sections, transforming the static monopole limitation into a dynamic, adaptable system that can evolve with increasing requirements while maintaining space efficiency
4Strength
If self-support towers are used, then heavy loads and strong winds can be accommodated, but cost is high compared to guyed towers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs guy wires that provide counterbalancing forces to offset the tower's weight and external loads. This counterweight approach allows the wooden tower to achieve high load-bearing capacity without requiring excessive material, reducing manufacturing cost while maintaining strength to accommodate heavy loads and strong winds
5Shape
If camouflage towers are used, then visual impact on environment is reduced, but special manufacturing methods are required for special parts such as branches
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal wooden tower structure that serves both functional and aesthetic purposes. The natural wood form factor provides camouflage and visual integration without requiring special manufacturing methods for decorative elements, eliminating the need for separate camouflage attachments and reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining environmental harmony
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The tower structure (100) comprises at least one pole (130), and at least two modular tower units (140) each comprising a hollow body surrounding the pole (120) and configured for supporting telecommunications equipment (120). A laminar covering element (160) made of a synthetic material extends between two opposed rings (150) in each modular tower unit (140) for covering the telecommunications equipment (120). A geometry of at least one modular tower unit (140) is defined by rotating part of a curve about an axis providing a hollow body of revolution in the form of conical frustum with a circular base and a curved generatrix. A tensegrity structure (170) is provided comprising a net of continuous wires (180) arranged in tension, crossing each other, and joining rings (150) of different modular tower units (140).