EP1405294B1 - Information carrier - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an information carrier for the masts of erection cranes, current conductors or similar. Said carrier comprises a sleeve, which is configured to partially or fully encase a mast in the direction of its extension and/or its periphery and to receive designated information or advertising. The aim of the invention is to provide an information carrier of the aforementioned type, which can be fixed in relation to a mast and whose position and/or geometry can be varied, using particularly simple resources. This is achieved by an inventive information carrier, which is characterised in that the sleeve for fixing to the mast has at least one zone, whose volume can be modified, that said sleeve can be fixed to the mast in a force fit and/or positive fit by increasing the volume of the zone that can be modified to a first, greater volume and that the sleeve can be displaced in relation to the mast when the zone whose volume can be modified has a second, reduced volume.

Description

The invention relates to an information carrier for masts of construction cranes, power lines or the like according to the preamble of claim 1.

A generic information carrier has a shell which is designed for the partial or complete sheathing of a mast in the extension and / or circumferential direction and for receiving a desired information or advertising.

In the WO 01/16926 A1 is a Hüllköper information carrier, for example, for masts of construction cranes, described in which an outer shell by means of a rigid inner support spaced from the mast can be arranged. The inner support is adjustably connected by means of a fastening device with the mast, so that the position and / or the geometry of the outer shell can be varied. As a result, it is possible to flexibly respond to different loads on the enveloping body by wind forces and relevant safety standards can be met.

However, in the envelope of the WO 01/16926 A1 a certain constructive effort required to provide the variability of position and / or geometry of the outer shell. For example, the attachment of Rails or rolling devices on the construction crane or the envelope necessary.

From the FR-A-2 779 558 For example, an information carrier for attachment to masts is known, which consists of a transversely and longitudinally extending sheath. The shell is brought by means of an auxiliary device in the form of an extendable rod to the desired height and inflated there, so that it forms a circular ring around the mast. In this case, the inflated state opposite each other, free end portions of the shell body are connected to each other via a Velcro or zipper. In the inflated state, the shell then presses self-holding on the mast.

The object of the invention is to provide an information carrier of the type mentioned, in which on the one hand a fixability of the information carrier to a mast and on the other hand a variability of position and / or geometry of the information carrier is achieved with particularly simple means.

This object is achieved by an information carrier with the features of claim 1.

Advantageous embodiments of the information carrier according to the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

According to the invention, an information carrier of the type specified above is further developed in that at least one volume-variable region is provided between the casing and the mast, that the casing expands upward in the direction of extent by increasing the volume-variable region to a first, larger volume and / or force positively in a certain defined height on the mast is fixed and that the shell is movable relative to the mast at a second, smaller volume of the volume variable range.

A core idea of the invention can be seen in the fact that with the aid of a volume-variable region provided between the casing and the mast, a frictional and / or positive engagement of the casing with the mast and thus fixation of the casing on the mast is achieved.

A significant advantage of the information carrier according to the invention is that, in contrast to the prior art, a rigid inner support, which with the mast movably connected, is no longer necessary. As a result, material can be saved and the weight, the design effort and thus the cost of the information carrier can be considerably reduced.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the variable-volume region has at least one chamber, which can be filled with a fluid, in particular can be inflated. All types of fluids, for example foams, can be used to fill the chamber, but preference is given to using gases, in particular ambient air. The shell, which can also be referred to as an enveloping body, thus directly adjoins the mast with increasing volume directly and / or through possibly provided additional chambers via an inner region facing the mast and obtains its stability by the contact pressure.

Suitably, the information carrier is designed so that the shell is fixable to the mast by a contact pressure of the inflated chamber. In this way, on the one hand, a good connection of the information carrier to the mast can be provided, on the other hand, a reduction in volume of the information carrier in this case is particularly unproblematic since the information carrier can easily slide down the mast.

In this context, it may also be useful that the shell is formed of a flexible, in particular of a stretch-flexible material. In this way, even at not very high pressures within the chamber, already a sufficiently high contact pressure can be achieved.

In further preferred embodiments of the invention, the envelope is annular or partially annular. An annular envelope is advantageous if an information surface formed on the envelope should be visible from all sides. A semi-annular shell may be appropriate be, if it is sufficient that the information surface is visible only from certain pages or if due to the special circumstances on the mast, for example, for reasons of space, a full enclosure of the mast is not possible or desirable. Furthermore, a part-annular shell can be very easily attached to a mast.

A particularly simple and defined compression when venting the air from the chamber can be achieved if the shell is formed in the radial and / or vertical bellows-like collapsible. In this context, however, it may also be advantageous if the casing is designed to be at least partially rollable.

Appropriately, a device for inflating, pumping and / or blowing out the at least one chamber, in particular a blower, an air compressor and / or a pump is provided. This can be used in an advantageous manner on known technologies from the leisure sector. For example, large air-filled cushions in the form of oversized air mattresses for children are known in which air compressors are used for pumping up and down.

Furthermore, a control device for active and / or passive variation of the inflation of the at least one chamber may be provided, which is in operative connection with the means for inflating, pumping and / or blowing. In this way, a particularly simple and convenient variation of the inflation state of the chamber can be achieved.

Particularly preferred in this context is that a measuring device for determining the wind speed and / or the wind direction is provided, which is connected to the control device is in operative connection and that the reduction of transferred via the shell on the mast wind forces, the geometry of the shell is automatically adapted to current wind conditions. Inflating and pumping off the at least one chamber can then take place automatically and such an information carrier can be permanently attached, for example, to a power pole. In principle, however, a control of the volume by hand is possible. Overall, it is thus possible to react very flexibly to wind loads.

In order to make the best possible use of the available space on and around the mast for information or advertising purposes, it can further be provided that the at least one chamber is designed to inflate in the circumferential and / or extension direction of the mast, in particular in the horizontal and / or vertical direction is.

Furthermore, the volume-variable region may have a plurality of additional chambers, in particular for mechanical stabilization. As a result, on the one hand, improved fixation of the information carrier on the mast can be achieved. On the other hand, however, it may also be desirable for the casing to be designed for the three-dimensional representation of bodies or advertising objects, which can likewise be implemented in a simple manner with the aid of additional chambers.

In this regard, it can also be provided, for example, that the information carrier has different geometric outer shapes depending on the filling state of different additional chambers.

In connection with the mechanical stabilization of the information carrier on the mast can also be appropriate be provided when a rigidly connected to the mast support is provided, which supports or carries the shell. Such a carrier can be designed, for example, in the manner of a platform arranged on the mast, on which, after releasing the air, the slackened casing comes to rest. The information carrier can be kept by this simple measure always in a certain defined height on the mast. It is also possible in this context that the envelope with or without a carrier, which can also be referred to as a holding ring, is fastened in an upper region to the mast.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, a plurality of projections is provided for improved fixation of the enveloping body on the mast on an inner region facing the mast, which engage in the mast in the inflated state of the shell. As a result, a twisting or slipping of the shell can be avoided on the mast.

In a low-cost embodiment of the information carrier according to the invention, the outer shell is essentially made of a PVC material or a similar usable material. This material can, on the one hand to protect against environmental influences, on the other hand, for optical reasons, be provided with a coating. In this regard, it can also be advantageous if the envelope is made of a material which can be printed in particular in color.

Very diverse information and advertising possibilities can be achieved if the envelope is designed as a carrier device for further advertising elements, in particular advertising posters and / or advertising transparents. For this purpose, for example, a plurality of fastening devices can be provided on the casing. But the case can also also have variable outer surfaces, in particular in the form of a motion display, or it may be provided inside or outside the envelope lighting devices or the shell may itself have active lighting elements.

A shell which is visible from all sides in the manner of an oversized Littfaß column can be achieved if an outer shape of the shell is rotationally symmetrical in the extension direction. Due to the favorable flow resistance, the wind forces transmitted via the casing to the mast can also be reduced due to this round outer shape.

Further advantages and properties of the information carrier according to the invention are described below with reference to the accompanying schematic figures.

Fig. 1

ein Ausführungsbeispiel des erfindungsgemäßen Informationsträgers;

Fig. 2

eine teilweise geschnittene Ansicht des Informationsträgers aus Fig. 1; und

Fig. 3

eine Querschnittsansicht des Informationsträgers aus Fig. 1 senkrecht zur Erstreckungsrichtung des Mastes.

There show:

Fig. 1

an embodiment of the information carrier according to the invention;

Fig. 2

a partially sectioned view of the information carrier of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3

a cross-sectional view of the information carrier of FIG. 1 perpendicular to the extension direction of the mast.

In the figures 1 to 3, an embodiment of an information carrier 10 according to the invention is shown. Identical components are identified in the figures with the same reference numerals.

The information carrier 10 shown in Fig. 1 in a front view is arranged on a mast 16 shown in part. The information carrier 10 has a shell 12 made of a PVC material, whose outer side 13 is designed to receive information or advertising. The shell 12 encloses together with a voltage applied to the mast 16 inner region 14 a variable volume region 19, which is designed as an inflatable chamber 18.

Furthermore, a support 36 for supporting the shell 12 of the information carrier 10 is provided on the mast 16. Incidentally, according to the invention, the casing 12 is fixed to the mast 16 in a positive and non-positive manner in an inflated state of the chamber 18.

When venting the air from the chamber 18, the shell 12 collapses and comes to lie on the support 36. When re-inflating, the sheath 12, which completely surrounds the mast 16 in its circumferential direction 32, expands upward in the direction of extent 30.

On the mast, an air compressor 20 is further arranged for inflating and pumping out of the chamber 18, which is conductively connected to the chamber 18 via a connecting line 21. The air compressor 20 can be so switched by means of a likewise arranged on the mast 16 control device 28 that both inflation and pumping or blowing out of the chamber 18 is made possible. The control device 28 is connected via a connecting line 23 to the air compressor 20. In principle, the air compressor 20, the control device 28 and / or the measuring device 24 by means of Velcro straps on the shell 12, the mast 16, the carrier 36 and / or connected to each other. For example, the air compressor 20 can be attached by Velcro directly to the shell 12. The connecting line 21 could then be omitted.

For continuous monitoring of the wind conditions in the immediate vicinity of the crane, a measuring device 24 for determining the wind speed and the wind direction is furthermore provided above the information carrier 10. This measuring device 24 is in turn connected to the control device 28 via a line 25.

As soon as the wind speed exceeds a certain limit value to be set, the control device 28 controls the air compressor 20 so that the air is pumped out of the chambers 18 very quickly and the casing 12 consequently comes to lie very quickly on the carrier 36. In this state, the transmitted over the shell 12 on the mast 16 wind forces are extremely low and can be regarded as negligible.

When the wind conditions have calmed, the chamber 18 is inflated by the air compressor 20 again and the information or advertising displayed on the outside 13 of the shell 12 becomes visible again. As a measure of the wind conditions, for example, can be used over a certain period of time averaged wind speed.

FIG. 3 schematically shows a cross section through the information carrier 10 according to the invention. In particular, it is shown there that the information carrier 10 Although the mast 16 completely encased, but at one Junction 27 can be opened, so that the information carrier can be very easily removed from the mast 16 in total.

With the information carrier according to the invention, a cost-effective to produce, easy to install and very uncomplicated in operation envelope body for masts of construction cranes and the like is provided. By the inflatable chamber 18, which completely encloses the mast 16, exerted on the mast 16 contact pressure an excellent non-positive and positive fixation of the information carrier 10 on the mast 16 is achieved.

In addition, through the use of an air compressor, the chamber 18 both filled very quickly and be emptied very quickly, so that can be reacted to wind loads very flexible and very quickly. The pumping and emptying of the chamber 18 can be carried out fully automatically with the aid of the measuring device 24 for determining the wind speed and the wind direction.

Claims (21)

1. Information carrier for masts of construction cranes, electricity lines, or the like,
   having a covering (12) designed for partial or total encasement of a mast (16) in the extension and/or peripheral directions (30, 32), and for reception of a desired information or advertisement,
   characterised in
   that for fixation to the mast (16), the covering (12) has at least one area (19) with variable volume,
   that by increase of the area (19) with variable volume to a first greater volume, the covering (12) expands upwards in the extension direction and is non-positively and/or positively fixable to the mast (16) in a specific defined height, and
   that with a second smaller volume of the area (19) with variable volume, the covering (12) is movable relative to the mast (16).
2. Information carrier according to claim 1,
   characterised in
   that the area (19) with variable volume has at least one chamber (18) that is chargeable, in particular inflatable, with a fluid.
3. Information carrier according to claim 2,
   characterised in
   that the covering (12) is fixable to the mast (16) by a contact pressure of the inflated chamber (18).
4. Information carrier according to one of claims 1 to 3,
   characterised in
   that the covering (12) is formed of a flexible, in particular of an expansion-flexible, material.
5. Information carrier according to one of claims 1 to 4,
   characterised in
   that the covering (12) is designed annularly or partially annularly.
6. Information carrier according to one of claims 1 to 5,
   characterised in
   that the covering (12) is designed to be foldable like bellows in the radial and/or vertical directions.
7. Information carrier according to one of claims 2 to 6,
   characterised in
   that a device (20) for inflating, pumping off and/or blowing out of the at least one chamber (18), in particular a fan, an air compressor and/or a pump, is provided.
8. Information carrier according to claim 7,
   characterised in
   that a control device (28) for active and/or passive variation of the inflation state of said at least one chamber (18) is provided, which is in operative connection with the device for inflating, pumping off and/or blowing out (20).
9. Information carrier according to claim 8,
   characterised in
   that a measuring device (24) for determining the wind speed and/or wind direction is provided, which is in operative connection with the control means (28), and
   that for reduction of wind forces transferred to the mast (16) via the covering (12), the geometry of the covering (12) is automatically adaptable to momentary wind conditions.
10. Information carrier according to one of claims 2 to 9,
    characterised in
    that said at least one chamber (18) for inflating is formed in the peripheral (32) and/or extension directions (30) of the mast (16), in particular in the horizontal and/or vertical directions.
11. Information carrier according to one of claims 1 to 10,
    characterised in
    that the area (19) with variable volume has a plurality of additional chambers, in particular for mechanical stabilisation.
12. Information carrier according to one of claims 1 to 11,
    characterised in
    that a carrier (36) rigidly connected to the mast (16) is provided for mechanical stabilisation.
13. Information carrier according to one of claims 1 to 12,
    characterised in
    that the covering (12) is made of a PVC material or a similarly usable material, in particular with a coating.
14. Information carrier according to one of claims 1 to 13,
    characterised in
    that the covering (12) is designed for three-dimensional illustration of advertising objects.
15. Information carrier according to one of claims 1 to 14,
    characterised in
    that the covering (12) is designed as carrier device for further advertising elements, in particular advertising posters and/or advertising banners.
16. Information carrier according to one of claims 1 to 15,
    characterised in
    that for improved fixation of the covering body (10) to the mast (16), a plurality of projections is provided at an inner area (14) facing the mast (16), which projections engage the mast (16) in the inflated condition of the covering (12).
17. Information carrier according to one of claims 1 to 16,
    characterised in
    that an outer form of the covering (12) is designed rotationally symmetrical in the extension direction (30).
18. Information carrier according to one of claims 1 to 17,
    characterised in
    that the covering (12) has variable outer surfaces, in particular in the form of a motion display.
19. Information carrier according to one of claims 1 to 18,
    characterised in
    that the covering (12) is designed to be at least partially rolled in.
20. Information carrier according to one of claims 1 to 19,
    characterised in
    that internally or externally of the covering (12) at least one illuminating device is provided.
21. Information carrier according to one of claims 1 to 20,
    characterised in
    that the covering (12) has actively illuminating elements.

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