Composite poles with an integral mandrel and methods for making the same

Abstract

The invention is a composite pole with an integral mandrel therein and methods of making the same. A preferred embodiment is a fiberglass reinforced resin composite pole such as a utility pole or a lighting pole. The integral mandrel is preferably an expanded plastic foam such as expanded polystyrene. The integral mandrel is contoured to be in the desired inside configuration of the composite pole and fiber reinforced composite naterial is applied to the mandrel. The pole is used with the mandrel remaining therein, thus strengthening the pole. Passages may be placed into the mandrel for routing conduits and pipes as desired

1 . A composite pole comprising an outer shell of a composite material and an integral mandrel therein, wherein the outer shell is formed about the integral mandrel, wherein the integral mandrel defines at least one longitudinal passage.  
   
   
       2 . The composite pole of claim I wherein the composite material comprises a matrix component and a reinforcing component.  
   
   
       3 . The composite pole of  claim 2  wherein the reinforcing component comprises a material chosen from the group consisting of fiberglass, aramid fibers, and carbon fibers.  
   
   
       4 . The composite pole of  claim 2  wherein the matrix component comprises a resinous material chosen from the group consisting of material chosen from the group consisting of epoxies, polyesters, acrylics, phenolic resins, and urea-formaldehyde resins.  
   
   
       5 . The composite pole of  claim 1  wherein the integral mandrel comprises an expanded or extruded insulating foam.  
   
   
       6 . The composite pole of  claim 5  wherein the expanded or extruded insulating foam comprises polystyrene foam.  
   
   
       7 . The composite pole of  claim 1  wherein the integral mandrel comprises a material chosen from the group consisting of expanded polystyrene, extruded polystyrene, and rigid polyisocyanate.  
   
   
       8 . The composite pole of  claim 1  wherein the integral mandrel comprises a plurality of longitudinal sections.  
   
   
       9 . The composite pole of  claim 1  wherein the horizontal cross section of the integral mandrel is chosen from the group consisting of circles, ellipses, and polygons.  
   
   
       10 . The composite pole of  claim 1  wherein the vertical cross section of the integral mandrel is tapered.  
   
   
       11 . The composite pole of  claim 1  wherein the vertical cross section of the integral mandrel is a right cylinder.  
   
   
       12 . The composite pole of  claim 1  wherein the moment of inertia of the composite pole is greater than the moment of inertia of a hollow pole comprising said outer shell.  
   
   
       13 . The composite pole of  claim 2  wherein the integral mandrel comprises a protective coating for protecting said mandrel from attack by the matrix component.  
   
   
       14 . The composite pole of  claim 1  wherein the pole is made by a filament-winding process, a pultrusion process or a pullwinding process.  
   
   
       15 . The composite pole of  claim 1  with an antenna wire routed through the at least one longitudinal passage.  
   
   
       16 . The composite pole of  claim 1  with a power wire routed through the at least one longitudinal passage.  
   
   
       17 . The composite pole of  claim 1  wherein the at least one longitudinal passage comprises a plurality of longitudinal passages and wherein the plurality of longitudinal passages contain a plurality of conduits, one conduit to a passage, where there are at least two conduits chosen from the group consisting of electrical wires, communication wires, and fluid flows.  
   
   
       18 . A composite pole comprising an outer shell of a composite material and at least one integral mandrel therein, wherein the outer shell is formed about the at least one integral mandrel, wherein the at least one integral mandrel defines at least one longitudinal passage.  
   
   
       19 . The composite pole of  claim 18  wherein the integral mandrel comprises a plurality of longitudinal sections, wherein the at least one longitudinal passage is in alignment relationship among the plurality of longitudinal sections.  
   
   
       20 . The composite pole of  claim 18  wherein the at least one integral mandrel comprises expanded polystyrene foam.