Composite poles and methods for forming the same

Abstract

Poles for supporting electric transmission lines and a method for forming such poles are provided. An exemplary embodiment pole includes multiple interlocking inner panels forming an inner wall of the pole and multiple interlocking outer panels forming an outer wall of the pole. In inner wall interlocks with the outer wall. The method includes simultaneously forming two inner panels and simultaneously forming two outer panels. The method also includes interconnecting each inner panel to an inner panel and an outer panel, and interconnecting each outer panel to an outer panel and an inner panel.

1 . A composite pole for supporting an electric transmission line comprising: 
 a plurality of interlocking outer panels forming an outer wall of the pole; and    a plurality of interlocking inner panels forming an inner wall of the pole surrounded by the outer wall, wherein the inner wall is interconnected with the outer wall forming said pole for supporting the electric transmission line.    
   
   
       2 . The composite pole as recited in  claim 1  wherein the outer panels are formed from a first composite material and wherein the inner panels are formed from a second composite material.  
   
   
       3 . The composite pole as recited in  claim 2  wherein the first and second composite materials are the same material.  
   
   
       4 . The composite material as recited in  claim 3  wherein the material is a non-conductive composite material.  
   
   
       5 . The composite material as recited in  claim 4  wherein the material comprises E-glass and a vinyl ester resin  
   
   
       6 . The composite pole as recited in  claim 1  wherein the plurality of inner panels are identical.  
   
   
       7 . The composite pole as recited in  claim 6  wherein the plurality of outer panels are identical.  
   
   
       8 . The composite pole as recited in  claim 1  wherein the plurality of outer panels are identical.  
   
   
       9 . The composite pole as recited in  claim 1  wherein the inner wall has a cross-section selected from the group of polygonal and circular cross-sections and wherein the outer wall has a cross-section selected from the group of polygonal and circular cross-sections.  
   
   
       10 . The composite pole as recited in  claim 9  wherein the inner wall has a circular cross-section and the outer wall has a polygonal cross-section.  
   
   
       11 . The composite pole as recited in  claim 1  wherein at least one of said inner and outer walls is tapered along its length.  
   
   
       12 . The composite pole as recited in  claim 1  wherein each of said plurality of inner wall panels interconnects with two other of said plurality of inner wall panels and with one of said plurality of outer wall panels.  
   
   
       13 . The composite pole as recited in  claim 1  wherein each of said plurality of outer wall panels interconnects with two other outer wall panels of said plurality of outer wall panels and with one of said plurality of inner wall panels.  
   
   
       14 . The composite pole as recited in  claim 1  wherein the inner wall is interconnected with the outer wall by a plurality of ribs extending radially outward from the inner wall to the outer wall.  
   
   
       15 . The composite pole as recited in  claim 14  wherein each of said plurality of inner panels comprises a rib of said plurality of ribs.  
   
   
       16 . The composite pole as recited in  claim 1  wherein each of said plurality of outer panels is interconnected with another of said plurality of outer panels via a first interconnection and with one of said plurality of inner panels via a second interconnection, wherein said one of said plurality of inner panels is interconnected with another of said plurality of inner panels via a third interconnection, wherein each interconnection is formed by one of said plurality of inner panels and said plurality of outer panels being received in a slot formed in another of said plurality of inner panels and said plurality of outer panels.  
   
   
       17 . A composite pole for supporting an electric transmission line comprising: 
 a plurality of identical interlocking outer panels forming an outer wall of the pole; and    a plurality of identical interlocking inner panels forming an inner wall of the pole surrounded by the outer wall, wherein each of said plurality of outer panels is interconnected with another of said plurality of outer panels and an inner panel of said plurality of inners panels and wherein each of said plurality of inner panels is interconnected with an outer panel of said plurality of outer panels and another inner panel of said plurality of inner panels, and wherein a rib extends from each of the plurality of panels selected from the group consisting of the inner and outer panels, wherein said ribs interconnect the inner wall to the outer wall forming said pole for supporting an electric transmission line.    
   
   
       18 . The composite pole as recited in  claim 17  wherein the inner and outer panels are tapered and wherein the pole tapers from a base to a top, wherein the pole base is wider than the pole top.  
   
   
       19 . A method for forming a composite pole for supporting an electric transmission line, the method comprising: 
 extruding a first composite material comprising a resin through a first die forming a first extruded composite panel;    cutting said first extruded composite panel as it is being extruded forming two identical outer panels;    extruding a second composite material comprising a resin through a second die forming a second extruded composite panel;    cutting said second composite panel as it is being extruded forming two identical inner panels;    interconnecting the inner panels forming an inner pole wall;    interconnecting the outer panels forming an outer pole wall; and    interconnecting each of the inner panels to an outer panel.    
   
   
       20 . The method as recited in  claim 19  wherein cutting said extruded first composite panel comprises placing a first blade proximate an exit of the first die wherein as the first composite material is being extruded forming the first composite panel it is also cut by the first blade, and wherein cutting said extruded second composite panel comprises placing a second blade proximate an exit of the first die wherein as the second composite material is being extruded forming the second composite panel it is also cut by the second blade.  
   
   
       21 . The method as recited in  claim 20  wherein the first composite panel exits the first die along a first path and wherein the second composite panel exits the second die along a second path, wherein the first blade travels along a third path generally perpendicular to the first path as the first composite panel is extruded cutting said first composite panel along a path oblique to the first path forming said two identical outer panels each having a tapered edge and wherein the second blade travels along a fourth path generally perpendicular to the second path as the second composite panel is extruded cutting said second composite panel along a path oblique to the second path forming said two identical inner panels each having a tapered edge.  
   
   
       22 . The method as recited in  claim 21  further comprising routing the tapered edge of each of the outer panels as said outer panels are being extruded and routing the tapered edge of each of the inner panels as said inner panels are being extruded.  
   
   
       23 . The method as recited in  claim 22  wherein routing the tapered edges of the outer panels comprise placing a first routing blade downstream of the first cutting blade, the first routing blade simultaneously routes the tapered edges of both outer panels.  
   
   
       24 . The method as recited in  claim 23  wherein routing the tapered edges of the inner panels comprise placing a second routing blade downstream of the second cutting blade, the second routing blade simultaneously routes the tapered edges of both inner panels.