Tubular mast assembly, related kit, and methods

Abstract

A connector element for a tubular mast assembly, a tubular mast assembly and a kit therefore, methods of assembling and disassembling, a guide device and a spreader are provided. In an aspect, a tubular mast assembly comprises first and second members each comprising a shell resiliently biased in the form of an elongate tube having longitudinal edges defining a slit along its length. A connector element comprising a first socket receives an end of the first member and a second socket receives an end of the second member so as to connect the first and second members into an extended tubular form. Each member can be disconnected from its socket and its shell opened out at the slit to assume a flattened form in which it can be wound into a coiled form for stowing the assembly.

1 . A tubular mast assembly comprising:
 first and second members each comprising a shell resiliently biased in a form of an elongate tube having longitudinal edges defining a slit along its length; and,   a connector element comprising a first socket which receives an end of the first member and a second socket which receives an end of the second member so as to connect the first and second members into an extended tubular form,   wherein each member can be disconnected from its socket and is constructed and arranged such that the shell can be opened out at the slit to assume a flattened form in which it can be wound about an axis extending transversely to its longitudinal direction to assume a coiled form for stowing the tubular mast assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The tubular mast assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each member exhibits bi-stability in its coiled and extended forms. 
     
     
         3 . The tubular mast assembly of  claim 1 , comprising a second connector element comprising a first socket and a second socket, wherein the first socket of the second connector element receives an end of the first member that is opposed to the end of the first member that is received in the first connector element, and wherein the second socket of the second connector element is adapted to provide a first foot element at an end of the second connector element for supporting the tubular mast assembly on an object or on the ground. 
     
     
         4 . The tubular mast assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the second socket of the first connector element further has a second foot element, such that the first connector element and second connector element are interchangeable in the tubular mast assembly in that they are both able to provide a foot element to support the tubular mast assembly and both able to connect the first and second members. 
     
     
         5 . The tubular mast assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the first sockets of the first and second connector elements further provide respective third foot elements. 
     
     
         6 . The tubular mast assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the first foot element comprises a ring shape, castellated surface surrounding the second socket for gripping an object or surface. 
     
     
         7 . The tubular mast assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the first foot element comprises a rubber or high friction material surrounding the second socket for gripping an object or surface and/or for gripping a member inserted in the second socket. 
     
     
         8 . The tubular mast assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least one member is biased in the form of a tube having an external diameter larger than an internal diameter of the corresponding socket in which it is received, wherein when received in the corresponding socket, the tube is compressed against the bias of the tube to fit in the socket. 
     
     
         9 . The tubular mast assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the connector element has projecting features inside each socket for guiding at least one edge portion of its member when it is inserted into the corresponding socket, and/or for interacting with the edge portion when fully inserted into the corresponding socket to help retain its member in place. 
     
     
         10 . The tubular mast assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the connector element comprising a tubular sleeve and at least one stop element fixed within the tubular sleeve, wherein one or both sockets are defined by an open end of the tubular sleeve and the stop element such that a leading edge of the corresponding member when fully inserted into the or each socket abuts the at least one stop element. 
     
     
         11 . The tubular mast assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the tubular sleeve is corrugated in profile, wherein the stop element is engaged with corrugations in the tubular sleeve. 
     
     
         12 . The tubular mast assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the stop element is fixed by at least one fastener that passes through a hole in the tubular sleeve and clips to the stop element. 
     
     
         13 . The tubular mast assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the tubular sleeve comprises a plastics material, and at least one member has a foot element comprising plastics material, wherein the foot element is adhered or welded to the tubular sleeve. 
     
     
         14 . The tubular mast assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the tubular mast assembly comprises three or more members joined by connector elements. 
     
     
         15 . The tubular mast assembly of  claim 1 , comprising a support element fixed to a free end of one of the members that is not inserted into one of sockets of a connector element, the support element being adapted to support a load. 
     
     
         16 . The tubular mast assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the support element comprises a third socket for receiving the free end of one of the members. 
     
     
         17 . The tubular mast assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the support element comprises fixtures for attaching tethers to tether the tubular mast assembly in a deployed position. 
     
     
         18 . The tubular mast assembly of  claim 15 , comprising a flexible sheet or netting supported by the tubular mast assembly, wherein the support element is a spreader element comprising a surface having an increased cross sectional area relative to the members and gripping elements or surface treatment for gripping the flexible sheet or netting. 
     
     
         19 . The tubular mast assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the gripping elements comprise a plurality of blunt cylindrical studs extending from the surface of the spreader element. 
     
     
         20 . The tubular mast assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the members are reversibly received in the sockets permitting disassembly of the tubular mast assembly by withdrawing the members from the sockets. 
     
     
         21 . A tubular mast assembly in a kit form, the kit comprising:
 first and second members each comprising a shell in a coiled form in which the shell has a flattened form and is wound about an axis, wherein each shell is configurable between its coiled form and an extended form in which it is resiliently biased in a form of an elongate tube extending transversely to the axis having longitudinal edges defining a slit along its length; and,   a connector element comprising a first socket for receiving an end of the first member and a second socket for receiving an end of the second member, so as to connect the first and second members into the tubular mast assembly.   
     
     
         22 . The tubular mast assembly in the kit form of  claim 21 , further comprising a guide device, the guide device comprising:
 a base;   a concave portion conforming generally to a curved surface of a coiled portion of the first or second member,   wherein the concave portion has a low friction surface such that with the first or second member being in a partially extended state, having a coiled portion and an extended portion, with the coiled portion received in the concave portion of the guide device, a force applied on the extended portion towards the concave portion causes the coiled portion to rotate against the low friction surface thereby progressively adding the extended portion to the coiled portion.   
     
     
         23 . The tubular mast assembly in the kit form of  claim 21 , comprising a container in which the kit form is stowed, wherein at least one part of the kit form at least partly occupies a space defined inside an interior coil of at least one member. 
     
     
         24 . A connector element, comprising:
 a body comprising first and second sockets constructed and arranged to receive tubular elements so as to connect together the tubular elements into the tubular mast assembly,   wherein at least the first socket is additionally constructed and arranged as a foot element adapted to interface to the ground or another object on which the tubular mast assembly is to be supported, such that where the second socket receives a tubular element and the first socket does not, the foot element is accessible at an end of the tubular mast assembly to provide support to the tubular mast assembly, such that where a plurality of connector elements are supplied in a kit, the connector elements is selectively used to connect together tubular elements and to act as the foot element.   
     
     
         25 . A connector element according to  claim 24 , wherein the foot element comprises one or more of:
 a ring shape encircling the first socket;   projections or an uneven surface arranged to provide increased traction on the ground or the another object;   a fastener for attaching the foot element to an object or surface; and   a rubberized or high grip surface for providing traction on the ground or another object, wherein the rubberized or high grip surface optionally extends to an inner surface of the first socket to help secure a tubular element inserted into the first socket.   
     
     
         26 . A spreader for supporting a flexible sheet or net, comprising:
 a socket for receiving an end of a tubular member;   the spreader having a greater surface area than that of the end of the tubular member; and,   a plurality of blunt, cylindrical studs on a surface of the spreader.   
     
     
         27 . A guide device, comprising:
 a base;   a concave portion conforming to a curved surface of a coiled portion of the first or second member,   wherein the concave portion has a low friction surface such that with the first or second member being in a partially extended state, having the coiled portion and an extended portion, with the coiled portion received in the concave portion of the guide device, a force applied on the extended portion towards the concave portion causes the coiled portion to rotate against the low friction surface thereby progressively adding the extended portion to the coiled portion.