The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 04, 2002
Filed:
Mar. 29, 2000
Jerome P. Fanucci, Woburn, MA (US);
James J. Gorman, Woburn, MA (US);
KaZak Composites, Inc., Woburn, MA (US);
Abstract
Energy-absorbing utility poles and replacement components comprising a composite material laminate are provided. In one embodiment, the poles of the present invention are designed to bring an impacting vehicle to a controlled stop. It is intended that the products of the presently claimed invention be formed using a pultrusion process that results in a pole having low to moderate diametric crush strength, so as to initiate a flattening and then folding response as the vehicle encounter, the pole. One of the critical features of the present invention is the provision of a socket/slip joint enabling connection of a composite lower section with a wooden upper section such that the connection securely joins the two elements during ordinary conditions, but releases when either the upper or lower element experiences force greater than a predetermined value, as where the pole is struck by a vehicle. With a fixed rather than slip joint, a hybrid pole system with safety features between a standard wooden or other conventional pole and the slip-joint system would be created with many of the same cost advantages.