CN212079865U

CN212079865U - Composite support rod

Info

Publication number: CN212079865U
Application number: CN201890000667.3U
Authority: CN
Inventors: 马克·安东尼·拉索
Original assignee: Global Window Cleaning Products Co ltd
Current assignee: Global Window Cleaning Products Co ltd
Priority date: 2017-03-01
Filing date: 2018-03-01
Publication date: 2020-12-04
Anticipated expiration: 2028-03-01
Also published as: WO2018157209A1; AU2021100579A4; AU2021100579B4; AU2018228275B2; AU2018228275A1

Abstract

A composite support pole for supporting a load above the crown of a head at a free end of the composite support pole and comprising at least one composite support member. The support member includes a tensile wall for bearing tensile loads in use, the tensile wall being formed as a cylindrical section having an arc defining a tensile wall arc length. The support member also includes a compression wall opposite the tension wall for carrying compressive loads in use, the compression wall being formed as a cylindrical section having an arc defining a compression wall arc length greater than the tension wall arc length. The support member also includes an opposing pair of side walls extending between the tension and compression walls, the side walls being flat or having a curvature less than the curvature of the tension and compression walls.

Description

Composite support rod

Cross Reference to Related Applications

This application claims priority from australian provisional patent application serial No. 2017900689 filed on 3/1/2017, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein.

Technical Field

The present invention generally relates to support members formed from composite materials. More particularly, the present invention relates to a composite support pole that may be used for window cleaning in one example. The present invention has been developed for use in overhead cleaning of heightened windows, and it will be convenient hereinafter to describe the invention in the context of this exemplary application. However, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to this application and may be used to support devices or loads above the crown of the head in other applications such as painting, general surface cleaning, landscaping, audio/video recording, or carpentry.

Background

The following discussion of the background of the invention is intended to facilitate an understanding of the invention. However, it should be appreciated that the discussion is not an acknowledgement or admission that any of the material referred to was published, known or part of the common general knowledge as at the priority date of the application.

Cleaning of tall windows or windows raised above the floor level can be problematic. While the use of ladders or raised platforms, such as freestanding or suspended scaffolding, provides access to raised windows, these devices may be associated with safety issues and may also be expensive and may require extended installation time. Therefore, these devices are not suitable in many cases.

For the above reasons, support poles have been developed that facilitate the easy distance from below the window, often from the floor level, to perform economically, safely and efficiently cleaning of raised above-head windows. In situations where increased pole length is required, multiple poles are often connected in a telescopic arrangement to form an extension pole that allows for convenient adjustment of the overall pole length. Conventional window cleaning poles have historically been formed from tubular aluminium and are supplied with water via a hose extending the length of the pole, allowing the cleaning element at the free end of the pole to remain wet and allowing a rinse water supply to be applied to the window during the cleaning process.

In addition to the requirement that the window cleaning pole be strong and stiff enough to resist the load applied by gravity, it is also desirable that the pole be strong and stiff enough when the cleaning element attached to the free end of the pole is pressed against a window above the head. In window cleaning applications, the load applied to the pole by the operator (which is resisted by the window) is typically greater than the load applied by gravity. Thus, the support bar must be able to resist not only the bending load applied by gravity, but also the bending load applied by the operator when pressing the cleaning element against the window, which will generally be applied in the opposite direction to the bending load applied by gravity.

While it is desirable to produce longer poles capable of achieving increased heights, pole length is limited by the maximum weight suitable for safe and effective manual operation. The rod weight can be reduced by reducing the rod diameter or rod wall thickness, at the expense of rod strength. However, the wand requires a specified minimum wand strength to support the weight of the cleaning elements, the water supply and the wand itself above the top of the head. In this respect, the maximum rod length is essentially determined by the compromise between rod strength and rod weight.

For this reason, tubular support rods formed of a composite material such as carbon fiber have been developed, which have an improved strength-to-weight ratio as compared to aluminum. These improvements have allowed the development of window cleaning poles that facilitate floor cleaning of windows up to five floors and sometimes even higher.

Despite these advances, it is desirable to provide a new and alternative support pole that can safely reach higher heights. Furthermore, existing high performance support rods are often expensive due to the relatively high volume of the composite material therein. It is therefore also desirable to provide an improved support pole that can achieve a height at least equivalent to existing high performance (i.e., high length) support poles, but at a reduced production cost.

Before turning to a summary of the invention, it is useful to provide an explanation of some terms that will be used to define the spatial relationships of various parts of the invention. In this regard, spatial reference throughout this specification will be generally based on a window cleaning pole being manually held by an operator standing on the ground and orienting the free end of the pole toward the window. Although the term "ground" is used for convenience, the term will be understood to refer to a surface on which an operator stands, which in some cases may be a raised platform, such as when the operator stands on a scaffold. Based on this environment, terms such as "upper", "upward", "top side", "lower", "downward", and "underside" will be understood with reference to the ground as a whole. Similarly, it will be understood that the support bar always has a longitudinal axis parallel to the length of the bar and a transverse axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The term "composite support pole" will also be generally understood to refer to a support pole formed of a composite material.

SUMMERY OF THE UTILITY MODEL

The utility model provides a composite support pole, this composite support pole are used for supporting the load that is higher than the top of the head in this composite support pole's free end department, and this bracing piece is including the clean pole that is applicable to the clean surface that is higher than the top of the head to this bracing piece includes at least one composite support component that is formed by combined material, and the supporting member includes:

a tensile wall for bearing a tensile load in use, the tensile wall formed as a cylindrical section having an arc defining a tensile wall arc length;

a compression wall opposite the tension wall, the compression wall for bearing a compression load in use, the compression wall formed as a cylindrical section having an arc defining a compression wall arc length greater than the tension wall arc length, and a ratio of the compression wall arc length to the tension wall arc length between 3:1 and 1.5: 1; and

an opposing pair of side walls extending between the tension wall and the compression wall, the side walls being flat or having a curvature less than a curvature of the tension wall and the compression wall.

The utility model provides a novel composite support pole, this composite support pole can improve the performance when this composite support pole's free tip department supports the load. For example, the present invention may be used to support an elevated cleaning element, such as a window cleaning squeegee, to facilitate cleaning of an elevated cleaning surface, such as a building wall or window. The support bar according to the invention can also be used to support paint rollers in painting applications, microphones or cameras in audio-visual recording applications. Other applications include supporting power tools in woodworking applications or cutting equipment such as hedge trimmers or chain saws in landscaping applications. The present invention may also be applicable to any other application where it is desirable to support a load at the free end of a rod.

In any of the above exemplary applications, it will be appreciated that a load is applied to the support bar, which creates a bending force that is resisted by the tension and compression walls of the support bar. In applications where the load is applied by gravity acting on the mass of the load and on the mass of the rod, the load will be generally downward and thus the tension wall of the support rod will be located on the top side of the support rod while the compression wall is located on the underside of the support rod. In contrast, in certain applications of window cleaning, the free end of the support rod is pressed against the window above the head, so that the top side of the rod is subjected to a compressive load and the underside of the rod is subjected to a tensile load. This load distribution will reverse due to gravity as the primary force when the operator removes the window cleaning element from the window. However, as noted above, the bending load applied to the pole by the operator will typically be greater than that of gravity, and therefore the window cleaning pole needs to be designed to accommodate the particular load applied during the cleaning operation rather than the load applied by gravity.

When designing a support pole to withstand the resistive load applied by a window or when designing a pole purely for supporting a weight above the top of the head (i.e. against gravity), the maximum expected force to be applied to the pole is generally unidirectional and is generally known. Thus, it is possible to identify which of the walls will be under compressive load and which will be under tensile load for a given application. Advantageously, the present invention recognizes unidirectional load distribution and optimizes the distribution of the composite material in view of the material properties of the composite material.

In particular, the present invention advantageously optimizes material distribution by providing a compression wall having a greater arc length than a tension wall. In this regard, the present invention provides for a reduction of composite material at the tensile side of the rod in view of the composite material having significantly higher strength when under tensile load than when under compressive load. Thus, the present invention distributes additional composite material at the compression side of the rod relative to the material distribution required at the tension side, which decreases with a corresponding decrease in total rod mass. In this regard, the cross section of the support bar according to the invention defines a bearing profile optimized for the unidirectional load applied by the window to the bar during the cleaning process.

For example, during a window cleaning application where the maximum load expected to be applied to the rod is applied by the operator when pressing the cleaning element against the window, the operator will orient the rod such that the tensile or narrower side of the rod is toward the window (i.e., generally downward) and the compressive or wider side of the rod is away from the window (i.e., generally upward). In this manner, the brace is configured to resist the maximum load that it is expected to experience. It will be appreciated that the downwardly facing tensile wall will also typically be subjected to compressive loads applied by gravity before and after contact between the cleaning element and the window occurs. However, as mentioned above, the load applied by gravity is typically less than the load applied to the rod during abutment between the cleaning element and the window, and therefore, during window cleaning applications, the support rod will be oriented in this manner to accommodate the maximum load. This orientation (i.e. wider side facing up) would similarly be appropriate in the case of a support rod connected to a paint roller, chain saw, hedge trimmer, etc. and any other application that may require an operator to press the rod down against an object above the overhead.

In contrast, in applications of the invention where the load is supported only overhead, for example supporting an audio-visual recording device, the maximum load expected to be borne by the rod is due to gravity, and thus the rod may be oriented with the wider portion (compression wall) facing downwards.

Each of the tension and compression walls in the rod according to the present invention is formed as a cylindrical section and thus defines an arc of a circle. The use of circular arcs advantageously provides the most efficient material distribution resulting in improved strength-to-weight ratios compared to alternative linear or curvilinear profiles. Furthermore, the cylindrical section is ergonomically advantageous when manually grasping a portion of the support bar. The cylindrical section is also easier to clamp than a linear or curved profile and therefore the cylindrical section is advantageous where two or more telescopic support members are clamped together using a rod clamp to form an extension rod.

The cross-section of the support member described above provides a number of advantages over alternative profiles such as trapezoidal, circular, elliptical or rounded triangular rod profiles. In particular, the support member according to the present invention is easier to be clamped and ergonomically superior compared to trapezoidal, elliptical and radial-angled (triangular) profiles. Further, as noted above, the present invention more efficiently dispenses composite material to provide improved one-way load bearing performance as compared to all of the above alternative profiles, and through this more efficient dispensing, savings in strength, weight and cost can result.

According to the utility model discloses a pair of lateral wall of compound bracing piece extends between the tip of tensile wall and the tip of compression wall to be similar to "web" in the steel I-beam in the function. Thus, the tension and compression walls, similar to the I-beam flanges, resist the bending moment applied to the rod while the side walls resist the shear forces.

In a particular form of the invention, the side wall is linear in cross section and therefore flat in length. In this form of the invention, the cross-section of the support member may thus be described as a trapezoid with a rounded upper or upper end and a lower or lower end. The use of linear side walls is advantageous in that linear side walls reduce the use of material compared to curved or curvilinear walls. In addition, the use of linear side walls minimizes lateral forces applied to the tension and compression walls and directs loads longitudinally along the compression and tension walls. In certain forms of the present invention, the fibers in the composite tension and compression walls will generally lay longitudinally, thus increasing wall strength along the longitudinal axis. In this regard, the use of linear walls helps to carry loads in the direction of the fibers and reduces loads that are undesirably transmitted transverse to the direction of the fibers. Furthermore, the provision of linear sidewalls results in sidewalls that are shorter than if formed by a circular arc. This in turn reduces the amount of material required in the side walls. In some forms of the invention, the cross-sectional profile of the invention may reduce the circumference by about 6% when compared to a circular profile.

While linear sidewalls have the benefits described above, in an alternative form of the invention, the sidewalls may have a relatively small degree of curvature (i.e., have less concavity) than the curvatures of the tension and compression walls. In this regard, the forms of the present invention having curved side walls do not define a circular rod member and may still represent an improvement over existing rod profiles.

As described above, the arc length of the tensile wall is smaller than the arc length of the compressive wall in view of the unequal tensile/compressive load bearing properties of the composite material, such as a fiber-based composite material. In a particular form of the invention, the ratio of the arc length of the compression wall to the arc length of the tension wall is between 4:1 and 1.2: 1. More specifically, the ratio of the arc length of the compression wall to the arc length of the tension wall may be between 3:1 and 1.5: 1. In a particular form of the invention, the ratio of the arc length of the compression wall to the arc length of the tension wall is 2: 1. That is, the arc length of the compression wall is twice the arc length of the tension wall. The utility model discloses a this kind of form specially adapted carbon-fibre composite, tensile modulus is about the twice of compression modulus in carbon-fibre composite for tensile wall can be formed by half of the material of compression wall. It will be appreciated that the ratio between the arc length of the tensile wall and the arc length of the compressive wall may vary depending on the type of composite material used and may be optimized for a particular tensile/compressive modulus of that material.

It will be appreciated that the tension and compression walls, when viewed in cross-section, define an arc of a circle that curves around a respective centre point, the distance between the centre point and a point on the arc defining the radius of the arc. In some forms of the invention, the arcs may be concentric such that each arc is curved about a common central point. In a particular form of the invention, the arc of the stretching wall has a radius equal to the radius of the arc defining the compression wall. In a particular form of the invention, the arc of the compression wall and the arc of the tension wall are concentric and have equal radii. It will be appreciated that in this form of the invention, the tension and compression walls thus define discrete sections of a common cylinder.

In a particular embodiment of the invention, the tension wall and the compression wall define sections of a common cylinder when viewed in cross-section, and the arc length of the tension wall is equal to a common radius of the cylinder sections. In this respect, the arc length of the drawing wall, which is proportional to the total circumference of the circular cross-section of the common cylinder, is equal to

(i.e., 1 arc or about 57.3 °). In a form of the invention, the ratio of the arc length of the compression wall to the arc length of the tension wall is 2:1, so the arc length of the compression wall will define an arc equal to 2 radians or about 114.3 °.

In some forms of the invention, the cross-sectional profile of the support member may be generally symmetrical about a central axis extending between respective midpoints of the arc lengths of the compression wall and the tension wall. Advantageously, providing a symmetrical profile facilitates even distribution of the load on the support member. As discussed previously, the support bar defines a longitudinal axis extending along the length of the bar and a transverse axis extending between the opposing side walls perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. It should be understood that the central axis extending between the tension and compression walls is therefore perpendicular to both the longitudinal and transverse axes. It will also be understood that the "midpoints" on the arcs of the tensile and compressive walls may also be the highest or lowest points on the cross-section.

The embodiment of the support member of the present invention that is symmetrical about the central axis is also advantageous in terms of ergonomics and comfort of the pole while being held by the operator. Furthermore, a symmetric profile is generally more convenient to manufacture than an asymmetric profile. However, it will be understood that in some cases an asymmetric profile may be used to carry out the invention. For example, the support member may include opposing sidewalls having non-uniform lengths to provide an asymmetric profile.

The support bar according to the present invention may comprise a single support member. In this case, the implement may be connected to the free end of the support member while the operator manually grips the opposite end. In the case of window cleaning, the squeegee implement can be attached to the free end of the support member while the window cleaner grips the opposite end while raising the shaft and squeegee above the head to clean a raised window.

In an alternative form of the invention, the support bar comprises a plurality of support members. This form of the invention advantageously allows the support bar to be formed with a longer overall length by connecting a plurality of individual support members in series, for example to facilitate cleaning of windows having a height greater than that which can be achieved using a single support member. Furthermore, this form of the invention allows the operator to adjust the length of the strut according to the operating height of the particular application.

In a particular form of the invention, each of the plurality of support members is hollow and each of the plurality of support members is sequentially reduced in size to allow telescopic coupling or engagement between adjacent support members. For example, a support bar according to the present invention may include a first support member and a second support member having a length equal to the first support member but having a smaller width or diameter than the first support member such that the second support member is telescopically nested within the internal channel defined by the first support member. This form of the invention advantageously allows the operator to adjust the extent to which the second support member protrudes from within the first support member and thereby provides an extension pole in which the length of the pole can be conveniently adjusted. A support bar in accordance with the present invention may include a third support member sized for nesting within the second support member, a fourth support member sized for nesting within the third support member, and so on, until a desired potential length of the support bar is achieved. It will be appreciated that the reduction in size of each additional support member in turn also reduces the overall weight of the support bar experienced by the operator during use, as compared to a support bar comprising a single support member of a length equal to the total extended length of the telescopically connected support members.

It will be appreciated that the unique non-circular cross-section of the support members prevents the support members from rotating relative to each other when the support members are telescopically nested together. In this regard, the present invention provides another advantage over existing round telescoping rods.

It should be understood that the term "free end" refers to the distal or outermost end of the support bar at the end opposite the end gripped by the operator. Where the support bar comprises a single support member, the free end of the support bar is located at the end of the support member opposite the end gripped by the operator. In the case of a plurality of support members connected to form a longer support bar, the free end of the support bar is the distal end of the last support member in the series of support members, also opposite the end of the bar gripped by the operator.

Under the circumstances that the bracing piece was provided with a plurality of supporting members, the utility model discloses a bracing piece can also include at least one holder that is used for connecting adjacent supporting member. In the form of the invention in which adjacent support members are telescopically engaged, the clamp may be operable to prevent telescopic movement between adjacent members, thereby allowing the support rod to retract when the clamp is disengaged and allowing the support rod to remain in the extended configuration when the clamp is engaged. In an alternative form of the invention in which the plurality of support members are not configured for telescopic engagement, the clamp may be operable to connect adjacent support members in series. In any alternative, a clamp suitable for use with the present invention may include a pair of opposing curved clamping surfaces shaped for engagement with the tension and compression walls.

It will be appreciated that a composite support rod according to the present invention may be formed from a plurality of layers of fibrous material surrounded by a matrix material such as a resin, such as glass or carbon fibres. In this regard, each of the tensile wall, the side wall, and the compressive wall is formed from a discrete number of fibrous layers. In some forms of the invention, the tensile and compressive walls are formed with the same number of fibrous layers as the side walls. In an alternative form of the invention, each of the tension wall, compression wall and side wall comprises a plurality of fibre layers, and the number of layers in the tension wall and compression wall equals the number of layers in the side wall plus the number of layers of the at least one reinforcing layer. In this respect, the tension and compression walls are formed with additional reinforcing layers to distribute more fibrous material in the tension and compression walls, the compressive and tensile bending forces being absorbed in the tension and compression walls. The tensile wall and the compressive wall may each include at least two reinforcing layers or three, four, five or more reinforcing layers. It will be appreciated that any of the compression, tension or side walls may be provided with reinforcement so that the thickness of the pole wall may be varied to manipulate and optimize the mechanical properties of the pole.

In a particular form of the invention, the side wall is formed from five fibrous layers. For example, in a version of the invention in which the tension and compression walls comprise three reinforcing layers, the tension and compression walls will thus be formed from eight fibrous layers. It will be appreciated that the number of fibre layers in the side wall may vary depending on the intended rod application. The additional fibre layers increase the strength of the pole, however, it will be appreciated that the additional material also increases weight and generally increases cost. Thus, depending on the application, it may be desirable to have a support bar formed from fewer or more than five layers. Similarly, the number of reinforcement layers will vary depending on performance, weight, and cost considerations and may be specific to each particular application.

The support member of the present invention may be formed of glass fiber. Alternatively, the support member may be formed of carbon fiber. In another alternative, a combination of glass/carbon fibers may be used. It should be understood that a variety of other fiber composite materials may be used, with the particular material selection being related to performance requirements and cost. For example, in applications requiring relatively long support rods, carbon fibers may be selected in view of their favorable strength-to-weight ratio. In other applications, glass fiber rods or glass/carbon mixtures may be used to reduce costs, given that carbon fibers are currently more expensive than glass fibers. Regardless of which material is used or what number of fiber layers are used to construct the pole wall, the advantageous unidirectional load bearing profile of the present invention allows for the use of less material than would otherwise be required for a pole formed with an alternative profile such as a circle, triangle, trapezoid, etc. and a pole to achieve the same performance.

In a particular form of the invention, the support bar includes an adapter member connected to a free end of the support bar to facilitate connection between the support bar and the appliance. In this respect, appliances such as cleaning tools, paint rollers or window scrapers can be conveniently connected to the free end of the supporting bar. In one form of the invention, the adapter member has a pair of opposed first and second ends, and the adapter member includes: a hollow circular region at the first end, the hollow circular region defining an aperture for receiving a circular member extending from the appliance; and a connection region at the second end for connection to the free end of the support bar, the connection region having a profile equivalent to the profile of the support bar to facilitate connection to the support bar; and a transition region between the first end and the second end, in which transition region the profile of the second end transitions into the circular profile of the hollow circular region. This form of the invention advantageously allows the circular handles of various appliances to be received within the hollow region of the adapter member to connect the appliance to the support rod via the adapter member.

In a particular form of the invention, the support member defines an internal channel, and the support bar further includes a flexible tube extending through the channel for conveying liquid to a free end of the support bar. In the utility model discloses an in the application for window cleaning, the flexible tube can be carried water, sanitizer or these two mixtures to the scraper that is located the free end department of bracing piece. In an alternative application where an electrical device, such as a microphone, is supported at the free end of the support rod, the internal channel may accommodate wires extending to the electrical device.

Drawings

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 illustrates the operation of a support pole according to the present invention in use in a window cleaning application.

Fig. 2 shows a closer perspective view of the operator and the lower end of the pole as shown in fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of a composite support member according to the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the composite support member shown in fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the composite support member shown in fig. 3 and 4 with geometric markings.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the inner support member telescopically nested within the outer support member.

Figure 7 is a partially exploded view of the composite support pole shown in figure 1.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the adapter member shown in fig. 7.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the other side of the composite support pole shown in figure 7 with a hose extending through an internal channel in the pole.

Figure 10 is a view of the composite support bar shown in figures 1, 7 and 9 and a hinge connecting the upper end of the support bar to the cleaning brush.

Fig. 11 is a closer perspective view of the hinge shown in fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is an exploded view of the hinge shown in fig. 11.

Figure 13 shows a 45 deg. adaptor which may be used as an alternative to the hinge arrangement shown in figures 10 to 12.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative composite support member including four reinforcing layers on the compression and tension walls.

Fig. 15 shows an alternative embodiment of a composite rod cross-section according to the present invention.

FIG. 16 illustrates a specific arc ratio for the composite rod cross-section shown in FIG. 15.

Fig. 17 illustrates another alternative embodiment of the present invention including multiple composite layers.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows an operator 18 standing on the ground outside a building 22 and using the composite support pole 10 to clean an overhead window 20. The composite support pole 10 is manually grasped by the operator 18 at the lower end 24 to support and control the pole 10 during use. In the illustrated window cleaning application, the pole 10 is tilted relative to the ground such that the opposite end of the pole is raised above the operator 18, and thus the pole 10 includes an upper end 26, the upper end 26 also defining the free end of the support pole. The cleaning element 14 is connected to the upper end 26, and during the cleaning process, the cleaning element 14 contacts the overhead window 20 under the control of the operator 18. A hose 28 extends between the lower end 24 and the upper end 26 through an internal passage defined by the wand 10 to provide a water supply to the cleaning element 14 and to facilitate cleaning of the overhead window 20. A hose 28 extends from the lower end 24 and is connected to a suitable water source, such as a mains water supply or an electrically powered water pump (not shown).

During the window cleaning process shown in fig. 1, it will be appreciated that the cleaning element 14 contacts the outside surface of the window 20 such that a force F is applied to the cleaning element by the window 20 and in a direction outward from the window 20. Even in the case where the support bar rests against the window 20, an outward force F is applied to the support bar and is increased in the case where the operator 18 presses the cleaning element against the window 20 while controlling the lower end 24 of the bar.

During application of the force F to the cleaning element 14, it will be understood that a unidirectional load is applied to the rod 10. It will be appreciated that the application of force F causes the upper side (non-window-facing) of rod 10 to carry a compressive load and the lower (window-facing) side of rod 10 to carry a tensile load. In this regard, and as shown in fig. 2, the support pole 10 includes a compression wall 30 and a tension wall 32, the compression wall 30 and the tension wall 32 will be discussed in more detail with reference to fig. 3-5.

The support bar 10 comprises a plurality of support members 11, said plurality of support members 11 allowing the length of the bar 10 to be adjusted as necessary by the operator, for example according to the height of the particular window to be cleaned. A portion of one support member 11 is shown in fig. 3, with fig. 3 showing a compression wall 30, a tension wall 32, and a pair of straight side walls 34 extending between the tension wall 32 and the compression wall 30. The tension wall 32 and the compression wall 30 are each formed as a cylindrical section (i.e., a portion of a cylinder) that thereby defines an arc when viewed in cross-section.

With reference to fig. 3 or 4, it will be appreciated that the cross-sectional profile of the support member according to the present invention has a unique non-circular or rounded trapezoidal profile which conveys a number of advantages over existing support bar profiles, which will be discussed in more detail below.

Fig. 4 shows a cross-section of the support member 11, wherein the respective cylindrical sections define a compression wall arc 38 and a tension wall arc 36. Each of the

arcs

36, 38 has a respective arc length. As shown in fig. 4, the length of the compression wall arc 38 is greater than the length of the tension wall arc 36. In this regard, the compression walls 30 comprise a greater volume of composite material than the tension walls 32. Advantageously, such a profile recognises the material properties of the composite material and optimizes the material distribution. In particular, the cross-sectional profile provides a reduced material distribution at the tensile side of the support member 11 in view of the composite material having greater strength when under tensile load than when under compressive load. The selective distribution of composite material represents a significant advantage over existing composite rods, such as round rods, which are more prone to failure on the side of the rod that is subjected to compressive loads. In this regard, the present invention increases the compressive strength of the rod while increasing the distribution of the composite material on the side of the rod that is intended to bear the compressive load. In this regard, the present invention advantageously reduces the difference between the tensile and compressive limits of the rod (or in some cases equalizes the tensile and compressive limits of the rod).

Turning now to fig. 5, the dimensions of the cross-section shown in fig. 4 will be described in more detail. As shown in fig. 5, the compression wall arc 38 and the tension wall arc 36 are concentric, sharing a common center point C. The distance between a point on the compression wall arc 38 to the center point C defines a compression wall arc radius Rc. Similarly, the distance between a point on stretched wall arc 36 and center point C defines stretched wall arc radius Rt. In the illustrated embodiment, compression wall arc 38 and tension wall arc 36 are concentric and radii Rc and Rt are equal such that wall arcs 38, 36 define a portion of a common circle. Thus, referring to FIG. 3, the compression wall 30 and the tension wall 32 define a portion of a common cylinder. Relative to center point C, compression wall arc 38 and tension wall arc 36 define arc angles θ C and θ t, respectively. In the illustrated embodiment, the length of compression wall arc 38 is twice the length of tension wall arc 36, such that thetac is twice thetat. Further, in the illustrated embodiment, radii Rc and Rt are equal to the arc length of the stretching wall arc 36. Therefore, θ t is equal to

(i.e., 1 radian or about 57.3 °), and θ c is twice that angle and thus equals 2 radians or about 114.6 °. The distance between the midpoint of the compression wall arc 38 and the midpoint of the tension wall arc 36 defines the diameter of the support member 11

Still referring to fig. 5, it will be appreciated that the cross-sectional profile of the support member 11 is symmetrical about a central axis X extending between a midpoint on the compression wall arc 38 and a midpoint on the tension wall arc 36. Advantageously, the symmetrical profile contributes to an even distribution of the load on the profile of the support member.

It will be understood that the diameter of the support member

Will vary and the support pole 10 may include a plurality of support members 11 each having a different diameter. However, in the following geometrical example of the illustrated embodiment, a diameter is assumed

22.60 mm. In this example, radii Rc and Rt are thus 11.3mm and the length of stretched wall arc 36 is 11.3 mm. As described above, the length of the compression wall arc is twice the length of the tension wall arc, so that the length of the compression wall arc 38 is 22.6 mm. Further, according to this particular geometry, the length L of the sidewall is approximately equal to 1.46 times the radius (11.3mm), and thus L is approximately equal to 16.5 mm.

It should be understood that only one possible geometric arrangement of the support members 11 is illustrated above. In alternative configurations, radii Rc and Rt may not be equal. Similarly, in an alternative arrangement, arcs 36 and 38 may be non-concentric.

As described above, the ratio of the compressed wall arc length to the stretched wall arc length is 2: 1. Providing compression walls 30 having an arc length that is twice the arc length of the tension walls 32 advantageously optimizes the distribution of the composite material as long as the strength of a particular composite material, such as carbon fiber, under tension is approximately twice the strength of the particular composite material under compression. It will be appreciated that the use of alternative composite materials such as glass fibre may guide the skilled person in the art to select alternative arc length ratios which are deemed appropriate for the particular properties of the composite material used. Despite these variations in arc length ratios, it will be appreciated that all fiber composites are generally stronger in tension than in compression. Thus, the variation in arc length ratio is uniform under the inventive concept of providing a compressed wall arc length that is greater than a stretched wall arc length.

As described above, the composite support pole 10 includes a plurality of composite support members. Turning now to fig. 6, a pair of support members including a first support member 40 and a second support member 42 is shown. The second support member 42 is sized slightly smaller than the first support member 40 such that the second support member 42 can fit within the opening defined by the first support member 40. Thus, the cross-sectional profile of the second support member 42 is scaled down in size but otherwise equivalent to the cross-sectional profile of the first support member 40. In this regard, telescopic engagement between the first support member 40 and the second support member 42 is permitted.

The telescoping engagement described above with reference to figure 6 will be further described with reference to figure 7, which shows a cut-away perspective view of the composite support pole 10. As shown in fig. 7, the support bar 10 includes five support members including: a first support member 64, the first support member 64 being the outermost support member in the series; a second support member 66, the second support member 66 telescopically fitting within the first support member 64; a third support member 68, the third support member 68 telescopically fitting within the second support member 66; a fourth support member 70, the fourth support member 70 telescopically nesting within the third support member 66; and a fifth support member 72, the fifth support member 72 also being the innermost support member and telescopically received within the fourth support member 66.

As shown in fig. 7, the five

support members

64, 66, 68, 70, 72 are sequentially reduced in size to allow telescopic or nesting engagement between adjacent support members and thus allow the length of the pole 10 to be adjusted by the operator. The four clamps 44 are connected to the edges of each support member, i.e., all support members except the fifth support member 72, into which another support member is inserted. Each clamp 44 is associated with a pair of support members including an outer support member and an inner support member telescopingly nested within the outer support member. Each clip 44 includes a collar portion 46 for engaging an outer support member and a clip portion 48 for engaging an inner support member.

The collar portion 46 and the gripping portion 48 of each clamp 44 are similar to conventional pipe clamps in that the collar portion 46 and the gripping portion 48 comprise a pair of flexibly deformable arms defining apertures into which the respective support members are inserted. During operation, the ends of each arm are drawn together by, for example, a bolt that operates to reduce the size of the bore and thereby clamp the support member within the bore. However, in contrast to conventional tube grippers, the gripping arms in the collar portion 46 and gripping portion 48 are shaped to correspond to the unique non-circular profile of the support member.

For purposes of describing the function of the clamps 44, reference will be made in particular to the second clamp 44 shown in fig. 7, the second clamp 44 being a clamp associated with the second and

third support members

66, 68, but it will be understood that each of the clamps 44 operates in a similar manner. With the clamp 44 between the second and

third support members

66, 68, the second support member 66 will comprise an outer support member and the third support member 68 will comprise an inner support member.

Still referring to fig. 7, the collar portion 46 includes a pair of clip arms that extend generally around the periphery of the outer support member, i.e., the second support member 66. A pair of bolts 50 connect the ends 60 of the clamping arms of the collar portion and when tightened flexibly deform the arms of the collar portion 46 to secure the collar portion 46 to the edge of the second support member 66. The clamp portion 48 is connected to the collar portion 46 via the connection portion 52, and the clamp portion 48 is generally similar in profile and function to the collar portion 46 except scaled down in size to correspond to the reduced size of the inner support member (i.e., the third support member 68) nested within the outer support member (i.e., the second support member 66). In this regard, the clamp portion 48, when tightened, operates to clamp the inner support member (the third support member 68) and thereby hold the inner support member immovable relative to the collar member 46 and thus immovable relative to the second support member 66 to which the collar portion 46 is fixed. Although the ends 60 of the arms of the collar portion are fixed by the collar bolts 50, the ends 62 of the arms of the clamp portion are associated with cam levers 54, the cam levers 54 allowing manual adjustment between a clamping mode in which the inner support member is clamped by the clamp portion 48 and a non-clamping mode in which the inner support member is released and is therefore allowed to telescopically slide within the outer support member. The clamping bolt 58 extends through the end 62 of the arm of the clamp portion 48 and also through an opening in the cam lever 54. When manually actuated to the clamping mode, the cam 56 is compressed between the head of the bolt 58 and one of the ends 62 of the arm, thereby applying a clamping load on the inner support member.

When in the clamping mode, telescoping movement between the second support member 66 and the third support member 68 is prevented. In this regard, manipulation of the four clamps 44 by the operator allows the length of the support pole 10 to be extended or retracted as needed depending on the particular height of the overhead window. Referring again to fig. 1, it will be understood that the support pole 10 is shown with each of the support members in a retracted position. In applications requiring cleaning of tall windows, an operator may switch one or more of the clamps 44 to its undamped mode position to extend one or more of the inner support members from the retracted position to the extended or partially extended position. Once in the desired position, the operator switches the clamp to its clamping mode to hold the particular support member in the desired extended/partially extended position.

Having discussed the profile and operation of the brace above, it will be appreciated that the brace 10 provides a number of additional advantages in its user-friendliness, in addition to the improvement in strength-to-weight ratio provided by the unique dimensions of the compression and tension walls. Still referring to fig. 1, it will be understood that the support member manually grasped by the operator 18 is the outermost support member. In view of the unique non-circular profile of the support member 11 as discussed above, it will now also be appreciated that the support pole 10 is ergonomically advantageous and easier to grasp than conventional circular poles. In addition to making the operator more comfortable to hold, the unique profile of the support member is less likely to rotate in the operator's hand and provides the operator with more control during use. Further, when multiple support members are nested together to form a support bar having an adjustable length, the unique profile of the present invention inherently prevents relative rotation between the nested support members.

Referring again to fig. 7, it should be noted that the innermost support member or fifth support member 72 in this embodiment comprises an adaptor member 72, which adaptor member 72 facilitates the connection of a utility device such as a cleaning element to the free end of the wand 10. Fig. 8 shows the adapter member 72 in the form of a truncated apex (truncated), as shown in fig. 7, the adapter member 72 may have a length equal or similar to the length of the other support members. However, in an alternative embodiment of the invention, the adaptor member may be formed as a relatively short member as shown in fig. 8, to allow for easy replacement of the adaptor member depending on the type of appliance that is required to be connected to the rod 10.

The adapter member 72 includes a hollow circular region 76 at a first end that defines a circular aperture 74 for receiving a circular member, such as a handle of a cleaning squeegee or paint brush, extending from an appliance (not shown). At a second end opposite the first end, the adapter member 72 comprises a connection region 73, the connection region 73 having a non-circular or rounded trapezoidal profile equivalent to the support bar 10. Thus, the connecting region 73 is configured to telescopically fit within the fourth support member 70 and for engagement with the clip 44, as shown in fig. 7. A transition region 80 is located between the first and second ends, in which transition region 80 the contour of the connecting region 73 transitions into the contour of the hollow circular region 76.

Turning now to figure 9, there is shown an inverted perspective view of the support pole 10 shown in figure 7, with the addition of a hose 28 extending through the internal channel defined by the support pole 10. As mentioned above, and as shown in fig. 1, in cleaning applications it is often desirable to provide a water supply to the cleaning elements connected to the free end of the wand to facilitate the cleaning process. The function of the hose 28 is best illustrated with reference to figure 10, which shows the support pole 10 in a retracted state of the support pole 10 in figure 10. The hose 28 projects from the lower end 24 of the pole, extends through the length of the support pole 10 and emerges from the upper end 26 of the pole. A forked hose 82 is provided to divert the hose fluid to both sides of the cleaning brush 84.

In contrast to fig. 1, which shows the cleaning element 14 directly connected to the adapter member, fig. 10 shows the hinge mechanism provided at the upper end 26 of the lever. The hinge 86 is connected to the adapter member 72 and helps to adjust the angle between the support bar 10 and the cleaning brush 84. Fig. 11 provides a closer perspective view of the hinge 86, the hinge 86 including an adjustment knob 88. Turning to fig. 12, an exploded view of the hinge 86 is shown, the hinge 86 including a pair of outer discs 90 secured to a square female connector 94. The square male connector 96 is fixed to the adapter member 72. The male connector 96 is sized to fit within the female connector 96 and is secured to the female connector 96 by bolts or pins or other equivalent fasteners (not shown) extending through corresponding holes 98 in the male and

female connectors

96, 94. The hinge 86 also includes a pair of inner disks 92, the pair of inner disks 92 being positioned between the outer disks 90 and secured to an implement support 100, as shown in fig. 11, the implement support 100 being connected to the cleaning brush 84 via a mounting bracket 102. Referring again to fig. 12, the inner disc 92 is sandwiched between the outer discs 90. A bolt 104 extends through central apertures in the outer disc 90, inner disc 92 and knob 88. The head 106 of the bolt 104 is hexagonal and seats within a corresponding hexagonal recess 108 in the outer surface of one of the outer discs 90. The bolt 106 engages a nut 110, the nut 110 also being hexagonal and similarly seated within a hexagonal recess in the outer surface of the knob 88. Thus, rotation of the nut 106 is controlled by rotation of the knob 88, and the bolt 104 is fixed against rotation relative to the outer disc 90. In this regard, rotation of the knob 88 tightens the nut 88 onto the bolt 106 and operates to compress the outer disc 90 onto the inner disc 92 to prevent relative rotation between the outer disc 90 and the inner disc 92. The inner surface of the outer disc 90 and the outer surface of the inner disc 92 are corrugated to provide a series of radial snap teeth which facilitate engagement between the inner disc 92 and the outer disc 90. In this manner, the operator may release the knob 88 to adjust the angle between the implement support 100 and the brace 10. Once the desired angle is achieved, the operator may tighten the knob 88 to engage the medial side 92 and the lateral side 90 and fix the support member 100 at the desired angle relative to the support rod.

Figure 13 shows a 45 adaptor 120 which 45 adaptor 120 may be used as an alternative to the hinge arrangement shown in figures 10 to 12 to connect the free end of the support bar to the cleaning element. The adapter 120 includes a female connector for insertion onto a cleaning element, such as a square male connector 122 in the female connector 102 shown in FIG. 11. The male connector 122 includes a pair of opposing holes 122 that facilitate the attachment of the pin to the cleaning element. The adapter 120 further includes a stem 124, the stem 124 having a longitudinal axis that is at a 45 ° angle to the longitudinal axis of the male connector 122. The rods 124 are formed with a non-circular profile identical to each of the support members. The rod 124 is shaped and sized for insertion into the innermost support member of the support rod and may be held in place by a suitably sized rod clamp. The adapter 120 may replace the adapter member 72 shown in fig. 8. Advantageously, the 45 ° adaptor 120 may be connected to the support bar in only one orientation, and in this orientation the cleaning elements will be angled towards the drawn wall of the support bar. In this regard, the use of the 45 adapter 120 may prevent the operator from accidentally operating the support bar in an undesirable reverse orientation (with the smaller tension wall facing upward) as this would cause the cleaning elements to face away from the cleaning surface above the crown of the head, which would alert the operator that the support bar has been reversed from the desired orientation. Thus, using a 45 adapter 120 helps ensure that the support rod operates in the desired orientation, i.e., with the smaller tension wall facing down and the larger compression wall facing up, for above-head window cleaning.

Turning now to fig. 14, a cross-section of a support member according to the present invention is shown, wherein four reinforcing layers 112 are provided on the inner side of each of the tension walls 32 and compression walls 30. In certain embodiments of the present invention, the compression wall 30 and the tension wall 32 may be formed with additional composite material layers including reinforcing layers 112 to provide greater strength, stiffness, or other performance improvements. In the embodiment shown in fig. 14, four reinforcing layers are provided such that the compression wall 30 and the tension wall 32 are four layers thicker than the side wall 34. In a particular form of the invention, the side wall 34 may be formed from 5 composite layers. When four reinforcing layers 112 are included, the interior of each of the tensile wall 32 and the compressive wall 30 will therefore include a total of nine composite layers. In alternative forms of the invention, a different number of reinforcement layers may be used, for example 2, 3, 4, 5 or more reinforcement layers may be used. Alternatively, the support member of the present invention may be provided without a reinforcing layer, in which case the compression wall 30 and the tension wall 32 would be formed with the same number of layers as the side wall 34.

Fig. 15-17 show alternative rod cross-sections according to embodiments of the present invention, wherein the compression wall and the tension wall are longer, i.e. more rounded, than the rod cross-sections previously described and shown. Fig. 16 includes a particular arc ratio for an alternative cross-section, and fig. 17 shows another alternative in which the rod structure includes multiple layers. The improved profiles shown in fig. 15-17 provide a smaller bend at the interface between the side wall 340 and the compression and

tension walls

300, 320 as compared to the cross-sections shown in fig. 3 and 4. Such a modified cross-section may aid and simplify the manufacturing process as long as the additional curvature may improve the tensile and compressive strength such that less reinforcement is required at the tensile and compressive walls 320, 240. As shown in fig. 16, it will be understood that the radius C of the arc of the compression wall in the cross-sections shown in fig. 15-17_WGreater than radius T of the stretched wall arc_W. However, as discussed and illustrated in the foregoing, in an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the arc of the tensile wall may have a radius equal to the radius of the arc of the circle defining the compression wall.

The above description of the present invention has been presented in the context of a window cleaning pole, wherein, as shown in fig. 1, the maximum operating load applied to the pole is the outward force of the window 20. In this case, the upper surface of the rod receives a compressive load, while the lower side of the rod receives a tensile load. For this reason, in a window cleaning application, the operator would orient the larger compression wall 30 to face upward and the smaller tension wall 32 to face downward. However, it will be appreciated that in an alternative application where the support pole 10 may be used to support a load that is freely suspended overhead, the maximum force applied to the pole will be a gravitational force acting downwardly on the mass of the load and on the mass of the pole. In such applications, the maximum force applied to the rod is downward, and thus the lower side of the rod will be in compression and the upper side of the rod will be in tension. Thus, for these types of applications (e.g., supporting a recording device above the overhead, such as a camera), the operator may reverse the orientation of the lever such that the compression wall 30 faces downward and the tension wall 32 faces upward to correspond to the load profile of the particular application.

The invention described herein is susceptible to variations, modifications and/or additions other than those specifically described and it is to be understood that the invention includes all such variations, modifications and/or additions which fall within the spirit and scope of the above description.

Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the word "comprise" and variations of the word, such as "comprises" and "comprising", are not intended to exclude other additives, components, integers or steps.

Claims

1. A composite support pole for supporting overhead loads at a free end of the composite support pole, the composite support pole including a cleaning pole adapted to clean overhead surfaces and the composite support pole including at least one composite support member formed of a composite material, the support member comprising:

a tension wall for carrying a tension load in use, the tension wall being formed as a cylindrical section having an arc defining a tension wall arc length;

a compression wall opposite the tension wall, the compression wall for carrying compressive loads in use, the compression wall being formed as a cylindrical section having an arc defining a compression wall arc length greater than the tension wall arc length, and the ratio of the compression wall arc length to the tension wall arc length being between 3:1 and 1.5: 1; and

an opposed pair of side walls extending between the tension wall and the compression wall, the side walls being flat or having a curvature less than the curvature of the tension wall and the compression wall.

2. The composite brace of claim 1, wherein the pair of side walls are linear.

3. The composite support pole of any of the preceding claims wherein the ratio of the compressive wall arc length to the tensile wall arc length is 2: 1.

4. The composite support bar of claim 1, wherein the radius of the arc of the tension wall is equal to the radius of the arc defining the compression wall.

5. The composite brace of claim 4, wherein the arc of the tension wall and the arc of the compression wall are concentric.

6. A composite support rod as defined in claim 4 or 5, wherein the stretched wall arc length is equal to a radius of the cylindrical section.

7. The composite brace of claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional profile of the brace member is symmetrical about a central axis extending between a midpoint on the arc of the compression wall and a midpoint on the arc of the tension wall.

8. The composite support pole of claim 1, wherein the composite support pole comprises a single composite support member.

9. The composite support pole of claim 1 or 2, wherein the composite support pole comprises a plurality of composite support members.

10. The composite support pole of claim 9 wherein the plurality of composite support members are sequentially reduced in size to allow for telescoping engagement between adjacent support members.

11. The composite support pole of claim 10 including a plurality of clamps for connecting adjacent support members.

12. The composite support pole of claim 11 wherein the plurality of clips facilitate adjustment of the telescopic engagement between adjacent support members to allow an operator to adjust the support pole length.

13. A composite support bar as set forth in claim 11 or 12, wherein each clip includes a pair of curved clip faces for engaging said tension and compression walls of said support member.

14. The composite support bar of claim 1 wherein each of the tensile wall, the compressive wall, and the side wall includes a plurality of fiber layers, the number of layers in the tensile wall and the compressive wall being equal to the number of layers in the side wall plus the number of layers of at least one reinforcing layer.

15. A composite support bar as set forth in claim 14 wherein said tension and compression walls include at least two reinforcing layers.

16. A composite support bar as set forth in claim 14 wherein said tension and compression walls include at least three reinforcing layers.

17. The composite support rod of claim 14 wherein the tension wall and the compression wall include at least four reinforcing layers.

18. A composite support bar as set forth in claim 14 wherein said tension and compression walls include at least five reinforcing layers.

19. The composite support pole of claim 14, wherein the side wall is formed from five fiber layers.

20. The composite support pole of claim 1 wherein the support member is formed from a carbon and fiberglass composite material.

21. The composite support pole of claim 1 wherein the support member is formed from a carbon fiber composite material.

22. The composite support pole of claim 21 wherein the composite support pole includes an adapter member connected to the free end of the composite support pole to facilitate connection between the composite support pole and an appliance.

23. The composite support pole of claim 22 wherein the adapter member has a pair of opposed first and second ends and includes:

a hollow circular region at the first end, the hollow circular region defining an aperture for receiving a circular member extending from the appliance; and

a connecting region at the second end for connection to the free end of the composite support rod, the connecting region having a profile identical to that of the composite support rod for connection to the composite support rod; and

a transition region between the first end and the second end in which the profile of the second end transitions into a circular profile of the hollow circular region.

24. The composite support pole of claim 23 wherein the implement is a cleaning tool.

25. The composite support pole of claim 1, wherein the support member defines an internal channel, and further comprising a flexible tube extending through the channel for conveying a liquid to the free end of the composite support pole.