Pole Assembly

Abstract

A pole assembly comprises a first tubular pole and a second tubular pole, the first pole comprising a central longitudinally extending portion having a first wall thickness and a longitudinally extending coupling portion adjacent the central portion, the coupling portion having a second wall thickness, the second wall thickness being greater than the first wall thickness, the first and second poles capable of being coupled in an end to end configuration with an end portion of one of the first and second poles extending within the other of the first and second poles, the coupling portion of the first pole overlapping the second pole, whereby a coupling between the poles may be formed by applying a radially compressive force around the coupling portion of the first pole.

1 . A pole assembly, the pole assembly comprising a first tubular pole and a second tubular pole, the first pole comprising a central longitudinally extending portion having a first wall thickness and a longitudinally extending coupling portion adjacent the central portion, the coupling portion having a second wall thickness, the second wall thickness being greater than the first wall thickness, the first and second poles capable of being coupled in an end to end configuration with an end portion of one of the first and second poles extending within the other of the first and second poles, the coupling portion of the first pole overlapping the second pole, whereby a coupling between the poles may be formed by applying a radially compressive force around the coupling portion of the first pole. 
     
     
         2 . The pole assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second poles having the same cross-section. 
     
     
         3 . The pole assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein the cross-section is generally circular. 
     
     
         4 . The pole assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the poles are formed from a fibre-reinforced polymer. 
     
     
         5 . The pole assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein the polymer is reinforced with carbon fibres. 
     
     
         6 . The pole assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second poles are of the same length. 
     
     
         7 . The pole assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and/or the second pole is at least 3 metres in length. 
     
     
         8 . The pole assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the total length of the assembly, when extended, is at least 10 metres. 
     
     
         9 . The pole assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the nominal outer diameter of the first and second poles is at least 2 cm. 
     
     
         10 . The pole assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the diameter of the first and second poles is selected such that they can be nested. 
     
     
         11 . The pole assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the central portion of the first pole comprises at least 50% of the length of the first pole. 
     
     
         12 . The pole assembly according to  claim 11 , wherein the central portion of the first pole comprises at least 70% of the length of the first pole. 
     
     
         13 . The pole assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the wall thickness of the central portion of the first pole is uniform along the length of the central portion and/or is uniform circumferentially around the pole. 
     
     
         14 . The pole assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the first wall thickness is at least 0.3 mm. 
     
     
         15 . The pole assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the coupling portion is disposed in an end portion of the first pole. 
     
     
         16 . The pole assembly according to  claim 15 , wherein the coupling portion extends from an end of the pole. 
     
     
         17 . The pole assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the wall thickness of the coupling portion of the first pole is uniform along the length of the coupling portion and/or is uniform circumferentially around the pole. 
     
     
         18 . The pole assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the second wall thickness is at least 0.5 mm. 
     
     
         19 . The pole assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the first wall thickness to the second wall thickness is in the range of from 1:1.1 to 1:3. 
     
     
         20 . The pole assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the coupling portion has the same inner diameter as the central portion. 
     
     
         21 . The pole assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the first pole is provided with a coupling portion adjacent each end of the central portion. 
     
     
         22 . The pole assembly according to  claim 21 , wherein the first pole is provided with a coupling portion extending from each end of the pole. 
     
     
         23 . The pole assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the first pole extends within the second pole. 
     
     
         24 . The pole assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the second pole has the same form as the first pole. 
     
     
         25 . The pole assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein one or both of the first and second poles is provided with means to limit the longitudinal movement of one pole relative to the other. 
     
     
         26 . The pole assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein one or both of the first and second poles is provided with an indicator to indicate the relative position of the two poles. 
     
     
         27 . The pole assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising a third pole. 
     
     
         28 . The pole assembly according to  claim 27 , wherein the third pole has the same form as the first pole. 
     
     
         29 . The pole assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the pole assembly comprises a plurality of first poles and one or more second poles, the or each second pole having a uniform thickness along its length. 
     
     
         30 . A pole for use with other poles in forming a pole assembly, the pole comprising a central longitudinally extending portion having a first wall thickness and a longitudinally extending coupling portion adjacent the central portion, the coupling portion having a second wall thickness, the second wall thickness being greater than the first wall thickness, the pole capable of being coupled to another pole in an end to end configuration with an end portion of one of the poles extending within the other of the poles, the coupling portion of the pole overlapping the other pole, whereby a coupling between the poles may be formed by applying a radially compressive force around the coupling portion of the first pole. 
     
     
         31 . The pole according to  claim 30 , wherein the pole is formed from a fibre-reinforced polymer. 
     
     
         32 . The pole according to  claim 31 , wherein the polymer is reinforced with carbon fibres. 
     
     
         33 . The pole according to  claim 30 , wherein the central portion of the pole comprises at least 50% of the length of the first pole. 
     
     
         34 . The pole according to  claim 33 , wherein the central portion of the pole comprises at least 70% of the length of the pole. 
     
     
         35 . The pole according to  claim 30 , wherein the wall thickness of the central portion of the pole is uniform along the length of the central portion and/or is uniform circumferentially around the pole. 
     
     
         36 . The pole according to  claim 30 , wherein the first wall thickness is at least 0.3 mM. 
     
     
         37 . The pole according to  claim 30 , wherein the coupling portion is disposed in an end portion of the pole. 
     
     
         38 . The pole according to  claim 37 , wherein the coupling portion extends from an end of the pole. 
     
     
         39 . The pole according to  claim 30 , wherein the wall thickness of the coupling portion of the pole is uniform along the length of the coupling portion and/or is uniform circumferentially around the pole. 
     
     
         40 . The pole according to  claim 30 , wherein the second wall thickness is at least 0.5 mm. 
     
     
         41 . The pole according to  claim 30 , wherein the ratio of the first wall thickness to the second wall thickness is in the range of from 1:1.1 to 1:3. 
     
     
         42 . The pole according to  claim 30 , wherein the coupling portion has the same inner diameter as the central portion. 
     
     
         43 . The pole according to  claim 30 , wherein the pole is provided with a coupling portion adjacent each end of the central portion. 
     
     
         44 . The pole according to  claim 43 , wherein the pole is provided with a coupling portion extending from each end of the pole.