WO2003100307A1

WO2003100307A1 - Support beam comprising at least one longitudinal profile which profile forms a longitudinal passage

Info

Publication number: WO2003100307A1
Application number: PCT/DK2003/000347
Authority: WO
Inventors: Tommy BINDESBØL
Original assignee: Bindesboel Tommy
Priority date: 2002-05-24
Filing date: 2003-05-23
Publication date: 2003-12-04
Also published as: AU2003233777A1; EP1511955A1

Abstract

The invention concerns a support beam including at least one first and one second longitudinal section, where reinforcement elements are disposed between the sections, where the reinforcement elements include means for fastening that interact with other means for fastening which are contained in at least one longitudinal section. The purpose of the invention is to provide a support beam which is simple to produce, where the support beam contains cavities for carrying means for energy supply or for communication. This may be achieved if the longitudinal sections contain at least one longitudinal hole, where the longitudinal sections may contain at least one longitudinal slot forming at least one aperture for the longitudinal hole, where each slot at both sides presents projections that include means for the fastening of the reinforcement element. Hereby may be achieved a support beam formed by two identical sections that are both hollow so that these cavities may be used for accommodating e.g. cables. Hereby, the invention becomes applicable in connection with technical installations, e.g. for showrooms, where hidden cabling is desired. The longitudinal slots may be used for branching from the cables running inside the longitudinal sections.

Description

METHOD OF MOUNTING A WIND TURBINE, A WIND TURBINE FOUNDATION AND

A WIND TURBINE ASSEMBLY

The present invention concerns a support beam including at least one first longitudinal section, where at least one section is connected to at least one reinforcement element, where at the reinforcement element includes means for fastening that may interact with other means for fastening which are contained in at least one longitudinal section.

A support beam of this kind is known from DK laid-open publication DK 152 997 B that includes a support beam of the lattice type that is designed with an upper and a lower flange and therebetween oblique struts which are connected to the flanges at joints. The struts go into the recesses in the flanges and are fastened in the recesses with a hardening bonding means, e.g. polyurethane or epoxy glue.

Making a support beam as described here is cumbersome in that a cutting operation of the upper and lower flange are to be performed in order to make space for the struts which are made by bending a wire-like material. Fastening the struts to the flanges is disadvantageous in that a bonding process occurs where hardening of this glue may imply an unnecessary environmental load.

The purpose of the invention is to produce a support beam which is simple to make, where the support beam contains cavities for carrying means for energy supply or for communication.

This may be achieved if the longitudinal section contains at least one longitudinal hole, where the longitudinal section contains at least one longitudinal slot forming at least one aperture for the longitudinal hole, where each slot at both sides may present projections that include means for the fastening of the reinforcement element.

Hereby may be achieved a support beam formed of two identical sections that both are hollow, so that these cavities may be used for accommodating e.g. cables. Hereby, the invention becomes applicable in connection with technical installations, e.g. for showrooms, where hidden cabling is desired. The longitudinal slots may be used for branching from the cables that run longitudinally inside the longitudinal sections. Hereby, branching becomes possible largely at all points, where the support beam may be used in connection with rear wall in a showroom, where in front of the wall there is provided a number of apparatuses requiring cable connection with other units.

The support beam may advantageously contain at least two longitudinal sections that advantageously may contain at least one longitudinal, round hole with at least one longitudinal slot forming a longitudinal aperture. Hereby may be achieved that the support beam is provided great carrying ability as the longitudinal sections are formed of tubes which, however, are slotted, where from the slot there is opening into the longitudinal hole, whereby possible cables or light guides running in the hole may optionally run in longitudinal direction through longitudinal slot. Hereby is achieved very great flexibility with regard to where and how one possibly desires a cable or light guide connection.

The invention may be made so that the reinforcement elements are made of coherent struts that interact with the projections of the slots, where the struts may include first means for fastening in the shape of holes that interact with other means in the foπn of holes for fastening, which are contained in the projections of the slots. Hereby may be achieved that a support beam may be assembled with mechanical joining means without using glue or other chemical compounds. The use of struts means that a support beam can be provided with a large opening area which is only disrupted by the struts where these are appearing. The use of struts provides great strength with a minimum consumption of material.

As alternative embodiment, the reinforcement elements may be formed by plates that interact with the projections of the slots, where the plates contains means in the form of holes for fastening that interact with other means in the form of holes for fastening which are provided in the projections of the slots. Hereby may be achieved that a sup- port beam becomes closed, where the plates of the support beam may be designed with either a decoration or a text, which may be a great advantage if the invention is to be used e.g. in a showroom. By building together several support beams above each other and using plates as reinforcement elements, there may in principle be built a wall consisting of support beams with plates. Due to the longitudinal sections, there may be built a wall having great mechanical strength, as the reinforcement elements efficiently absorb possible forces.

Advantageously, at least one longitudinal hole in the longitudinal section may include means for energy distribution in the shape of electric conductors and/or optical fibres. Hereby may be achieved that energy supply to a number of apparatuses may be provided through cables that are hidden in a longitudinal hole in the longitudinal sections. Thus, it may be energy supply behind apparatuses standing on a wall in e.g. a showroom, but also in connection with building up office environments, the support beam may be used. The longitudinal sections may in extreme cases be developed in a way where conductor rails running longitudinally inside the holes are provided, where sockets developed particularly for the purpose may be used through the longitudinal slots, where the sockets, due to their shape, may be ensured a correct electric comiection to the conductor rails. In that way may be achieved a very flexible comiection of apparatuses requiring an energy supply.

The invention may also be designed so that the longitudinal hole in the longitudinal section contains means for communication in the form of a databus based on electric conduction and/or optical fibres. Hereby may be achieved that cables for e.g. data communication are running in the longitudinal hole. The longitudinal hole may simultaneously contain both communication cables and cables for energy distribution.

The invention may advantageously be made with means for energy distribution and/or means for communication branching through the longitudinal slots by establishing electric or optical connection between the electric and/or optical means of the longitudinal sections for energy distribution and/or data communication with connected units. Hereby may be achieved that all cables are running hidden inside the longitudinal sec- tions to the place where they are to branch from other cables or light guides running in holes in the longitudinal sections. In an alternative embodiment, the longitudinal sections may include a inner tube which is made with at least one hole in their tube wall, the hole communicating with the longitudinal slots in the longitudinal sections. Hereby may be achieved a further strengthening of the longitudinal sections, where inner tube to a certain extent foπn a mechanical connection across the slots formed in the longitudinal sections, where the inner tube only to a limited extent include openings interacting with the longitudinal slots. In that way is achieved a considerable strengthening of the material properties for the longitudinal sections.

The longitudinal sections of the support beam may include a plurality of longitudinal slots running with at least one established angular distance. Hereby may be achieved that the longitudinal sections may be used for support beams connected by reinforcement elements extending in more than two dimensions. With plural longitudinal slots, it will be an advantage if an inner tube as previously mentioned may be used, as sec- tion of the longitudinal sections may be fastened to this inner tube. In principle, hereby may be attained longitudinal sections with a very large number of longitudinal slots, as a part of the material strength properties are acquired from the inner tube.

Advantageously, the reinforcement elements are made of a plate with a thickness adapted to the openings of the slots, where the projections of the slots include opposite holes that interact with corresponding holes in the reinforcement elements, where joining of longitudinal sections and reinforcement elements is effected by through-going joining means. Hereby may be achieved a simple and very efficient joining of the longitudinal sections and the associated reinforcement elements, respectively, as many different joining means may be used. Naturally, joining may be effected by means of screws or bolts, while using rivets will be an alternative. The use of tubular rivets will be preferred in many cases, as an opening will remain in the rivets that may be used for fastening means to be mounted on the support beam itself.

The reinforcement elements of the support beam may advantageously be formed by a plate with a thickness corresponding to the spacing between the projections of the longitudinal sections. Hereby may be achieved an efficient joining if the plate thickness and the aperture between the projections, respectively, are carefully adapted to each other. Joining means used for the final fastening will possibly compress the projections of the sections so that a compressive force against the reinforcement elements will arise, causing the reinforcement elements to be further secured and transmission of forces being possible over a greater area.

In a possible embodiment, the reinforcement elements of the support beam may be formed by a latticework that may be formed in a plate, the latticework having corners that include holes which interact with holes in the projections of the longitudinal sec- tions. Hereby may be achieved a very openly structured support beam with great bending strength, where the consumption of material for the latticework is minimal, as the latticework may be produced by laser cutting in a plate, where the individual lattice structures are carefully adapted to each other. Hereby, the latticework may be produced almost without waste of material, and since no bending of the reinforcement elements occurs it is ensured that no material weakening occurs.

In a particular embodiment, the longitudinal sections may contain an open slot constituting less than 180° of the circumference of the section, where the section includes an inner tube, where the inner tube is made with projections, where the inner tube may be turned angularly in relation to the longitudinal section. Hereby may be achieved that support beams may be joined at a variable angle.

The longitudinal sections may include means for converting electric energy which on the basis of an electric connection to a source of supply converts electric energy to a low voltage supply that may be connected with longitudinal electric current rails running in the sections. Hereby may be achieved that integrated power supply is provided in the longitudinal sections which may be connected to a number of power consumers.

The longitudinal sections may also include means for converting electric energy into light by means of a light source, where the light is conducted from the source of light through at least one light guide to at least one light terminal. Hereby may be formed terminals for light along the longitudinal sections. By simultaneously letting a databus extend through the longitudinal sections, there may occur data communication between connected units. The data bus may communicate with an integrated processor provided in one of the longitudinal sections. The processor may be connected with detectors, and on the basis of detected signals the processor may control and regulate connected units.

In the following ,the invention is explained with reference to drawings, where:

Fig. 1 shows a possible embodiment of a longitudinal section fitted with a reinforcement element, Fig. 2 shows a possible embodiment for a support beam, Fig. 3 shows an alternative embodiment of a support beam made with a bend, Fig. 4 shows a possible embodiment of a beginning or final reinforcement element, Fig. 5 shows a possible embodiment of a reinforcement element for extending support beams, Fig. 6 shows a possible embodiment of a reinforcement element for a bend on a support beam, Fig. 7 shows sections through possible embodiments for longitudinal sections, Fig. 8 shows examples of possible applications of support beams,

Fig. 9 shows a section through a longitudinal section containing a light guide, and Fig. 10 shows a section through a longitudinal section containing a printed circuit board with connection to a detector and a light source.

On Fig. 1 is shown a support beam 2 consisting of a longitudinal section 4, 6 connected to a reinforcement element 8 which is designed with a hole 10 interacting with holes 12 in the longitudinal section 4, 6, where the longitudinal section 4, 6 has an internal opening 13 which via opening 16 is connected with a slot 14 which is here filled by a reinforcement element 8. The longitudinal section 4, 6 has projections 18, here shown with a hole 12 interacting with the hole 10 in the reinforcement element 8.

The longitudinal hole 13 may contain cables and light guides that may branch out through the hole 16 and the slot at any points where there is space in relation to reinforcement elements 8. Using light guides provided in the longitudinal aperture 13 may mean that a support beam can be designed as an illuminating element, where through one or more open slots light is emitted in the entire length of the support beam. As alternative, individual light guide strings may be drawn out through the slots 14, where these have apertures 16, where the light guides can be drawn out and emit light from their end faces and thereby provide local illumination where this may be desired.

Fig. 2 shows a possible embodiment of a support beam 102 consisting of longitudinal sections 104 and 106. Between the longitudinal sections a reinforcement element 108 is running, where the longitudinal sections 104 and 106 have projections 118, where the projections 118 are designed with holes 112 for fastening reinforcement elements 108. In both ends, the support beam 102 is provided with reinforcement elements 120 for extending with other support beam 102 lengths. The support beam construction may thereby be extended to a considerable length. A support beam as the one shown here on Fig. 2 may thus be made by joining longitudinal sections 104 and 106 and the reinforcement element 108, as in the joints marked under the holes 112, tubular rivet may be inserted. Thereby, a support element 102 with extremely great carrying capacity for possible mechanical load, and the tubular rivets inserted in the holes 102 may be used for fastening possible shelves that are to lie on the support beam or for fastening possible apparatuses that are to suspended from the support beam.

Fig. 3 shows an embodiment for a support beam with bend, where longitudinal sections 104 and 106 are adapted by an angular cutting for a reinforcement element 122 made with the desired angle. Hereby, joining of the longitudinal sections 104 and 106 may lead to formation of an angle on the support beam. The size of the angle is determined by the said cutting off and the angle presented by the reinforcement element 122. Hereby, it becomes possible to provide support beams with widely different shapes. This may advantageously be used if the support beams are to be used in con- nections with show rooms for e.g. formation of wall and/or ceiling, where an artistic design of the support beams may be used optimally. The first end of the support beam is finished with a reinforcement element 124 while the second end of the support beam is finished with a reinforcement element 120 that may form connection to another support beam.

Fig. 4 shows a possible embodiment of a reinforcement element 124 which is de- signed with a hole 110 for fastening, where the reinforcement element 124 is particularly suited for a termination on a support beam.

Fig. 5 correspondingly shows a reinforcement element 120 which is particularly suited for extending support elements where it is desired that the support beam continues linearly.

Fig. 6 correspondingly shows a reinforcement element 122 designed with holes 110, particularly suited if a support beam is to be designed with a bend. It is here implied that variants of reinforcement elements 122 may be produced so that there may be effected adaptation to arbitrary angular displacements on support beams.

Fig. 7 shows sections through possible embodiments of support beams 4, 6, 104, 106.

Section 1 shows the same embodiment for support beams as shown on Figs. 1 and 2.

Section 2 shows a possible embodiment with two sets of projections 18, 118, 130, where between the two sets of projections there is shown an angle of 60 degrees. In the shown section, there is only one of the interspaces between projections aperture to the longitudinal aperture 13, 113.

Section 3 shows a variant of section 2 as the angle between the two sets of projections has been changed to 120°.

Sections 4-9 show different variants with plural sets of projections with other angular differences.

Section 10 shows a possible embodiment of a longitudinal section 134 containing pro- jections 118, while the longitudinal section 134 contains an inner tube 136 that may be turned in relation to the longitudinal section 134. The inner tube 136 includes projections 138. Hereby may be constructed support beams that may be connected with a variable joint. With the great number of sectional variants and with the possibility of arbitrary angular setting, support beams in many different variants may be constructed.

Fig. 8 shows a number of possible combinations for support beams.

Fig. 9 describes an alternative embodiment of a longitudinal section 204, 206, where the longitudinal sections 204, 206 have a slot 214 forming an opening to the inner volume of the longitudinal section. At both sides, the slot 214 is surrounded by projections 218. Internally in the longitudinal section 204, 206, a light guide 220 is shown running coaxially in longitudinal direction with the longitudinal section 204, 206. The light guide 220 is surrounded by reflecting means 222 at top and bottom sides, respectively, whereby the means 222 are externally enclosed by a plastic section 226 having an external shape adapted to the inner aperture in the longitudinal section 204, 206. The slot 214 contains a rubber section 224 in the innermost part that may form a light terminal, if a coupling element is connected in through the slot 214 and is pressed through rubber section 224. Hereby may be achieved that a light terminal will form an optical connection to the reflecting means 222, whereby a connected light guide will absorb some of the amount of light conducted in the central light guide 220. Light terminals may thus be formed along the entire length of the longitudinal sections 204, 206. At one end of the light guide 222 there may be placed a light source producing the light running along the light guide 222. In connection with corners or bends on the support beams there will be possibility of forming the light guide 220 of flexible light guide material, or transitions may be formed by joining surfaces ground in parallel at different angles relative to the longitudinal axis of a light guide, where the plane surfaces are in direct contact with each other. Hereby may be provided a transition that form a turn on a light guide without substantial loss of light energy.

Fig. 10 shows an alternative embodiment, where a longitudinal section 304, 306 con- tains a printed board circuit (PCB) 324 connected to a light source 320 that may be provided in the form of a Ught-emitting diode, where an end socket 322 may form electric connection to the surroundings, where the PCB 324 is fastened in a plastic mould 326 provided inside ύie longitudinal section 304, 306, where the PCB 324 also form connection to a detector 328 that e.g. may be a movement sensor. Between the projections 318 and in slot 314 is provided an acrylic plate which at the centre consists of acrylic glass 330, which is surrounded by a laminate 332 on both sides. Where acrylic glass 330 is acting as light guide, at one side of the laminate a cutout 334 is shown, whereby light 336 conducted through acrylic glass 330 is deflected out through cutout 334.

Hereby may be formed e.g. a luminous sign whereby laminate 322 prevents penetration of light while in cutouts 334 will stand bright shining. In a simple way it hereby becomes possible to provide signs that are e.g. clamped between longitudinal sections 304, 306. Advantageously, the PCB 324 may include various electric functions besides those shown here on the Figure. But other functions may e.g. be a power supply that convert normal network voltage to a supply voltage that may be used in the entire electric circuit, and one may envisage that on the PCB there is simultaneously provided a processor which via a databus communicates with detector or other power consuming components, where the processor on the basis of different variables, either on the base of time signals or on the basis of detected signals, is capable of switching on and off the different apparatuses connected. Hereby it becomes possible to form light that switches on automatically when one approaches a support beam in which the electronics has been incorporated. There is no real limit for the length of a PCB 324 that may extend all the way through a longitudinal section where conducting rails for supplying connected units are provided as a part of the PCB. At the same time there may be provided a databus communicating along the PCB. Also, it will be possible to integrate the databus with conducting rails as data may be sent as overmodulated AC signals superposed on a DC-voltage. Thereby, the wiring is greatly reduced. Simulta- neously, it will be possible through a longitudinal light guide at the same time by modulation of light to transfer data between different connected units. Thereby is provided a long series of possibilities of data communication internally of the longitudi- nal sections.

Claims

1. Support beam (2) including at least one first longitudinal section (4, 6), where in comiection with at least one section (4, 6) there is provided at least one reinforcement element (8), where at least one reinforcement element includes first means for fastening (10) that interact with other means for fastening (12) which are contained in at least one longitudinal section (4, 6), characterised in that at least one longitudinal section (4, 6) contains at least one longitudinal hole (13), where the longitudinal section conatains at least one longitudinal slot (14) forming at least one aperture (16) for the longitudinal hole (13), where each slot at both sides presents projections (18) that include means for the fastening (12) of the reinforcement element.

2. Support beam according to claim 1, characterised in that the support beam includes at least two longitudinal sections (4, 6) that include at least one longitudinal, round hole (13) with at least one longitudinal slot (14) forming a longitudinal aperture

(16).

3. Support beam according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the reinforcement elements (8) are formed by coherent struts that interact with the projections (18) of the slots, where the struts include first means for fastening in the shape of holes (10) that interact with other means in the form of holes (12) for fastening, which are contained in the proj ections ( 18) of the slots .

4. Support beam according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the reinforcement elements (8) are formed by plates that interact with the projections (18) of the slots, where the plates contains means in the form of holes (10) for fastening that interact with other means in the form of holes (12) for fastening which are provided in the projections (18) of the slots.

5. Support beam according to one of claims 1 - 4, characterised in that at least one longitudinal hole (13) in the longitudinal sections (4, 6) include means for energy distribution in the form of electric conductors and/or optical fibres.

6. Support beam according to one of claims 1 - 5, characterised in that at least one longitudinal hole (13) in the longitudinal sections include means for communication in the form of a databus based on electric conductors and/or optical fibres.

7. Support beam according to one of claims 1 - 6, characterised in that means for energy distribution and/or means for communication are branching through the longitudinal slots (14) by establishing electric or optical connection between the electric and/or optical means of the longitudinal sections for energy distribution and/or data communication with connected units.

8. Support beam according to one of the claims 1 - 7, characterised in that the longitudinal sections include an inner pipe which is made with at least one hole communicating with the longitudinal slots (14) in the longitudinal sections.

9. Support beam according to one of the claims 1 - 8, characterised in that the longitudinal sections of the support beam include a plurality of longitudinal slots (14) running with at least one determined angular spacing.

10. Support beam according to one of claims 1 - 9, characterised in that the reinforcement elements (8) have a thickness corresponding to the openings (16) of the slots, where the projections of the slots (18) include opposite holes (12) that interact with corresponding holes (10) in the reinforcement elements (8), where joining of longitudinal sections (4, 6) and reinforcement elements (8) is effected by through-going joining means.

11. Support beam according to one of claims 1 - 10, characterised in that the reinforcement elements (8) of the support beam are formed by a plate with a thickness adapted to the spacing between the projections (18) of the longitudinal sections.

12. Support beam according to one of claims 1 - 11, characterised in that the reinforcement elements (8) of the support beam are formed by a latticework formed in a plate, the latticework having corners that include holes (10) which interact with holes (12) in the projections of the longitudinal sections.

13. Support beam according to one of claims 1 - 12, characterised in that the longi- tudinal sections (134) contain an open slot that constitute less than 180° of the circumference of the section (134), where the section (134) includes an inner tube (136), where the inner tube (136) is made with projections (138), where the inner tube (136) may be turned angularly in relation to the longitudinal section (134).

14. Support beam according to one of claims 1 - 13, characterised in that the longitudinal sections include means for converting electric energy which on the basis of an electric connection to a source of supply converts electric energy to a low voltage supply that may be connected with longitudinal electric current rails running in the sections.

15. Support beam according to one of claims 1 - 14, characterised in that the longitudinal sections include means for converting electric energy into light by means of a light source, where the light is conducted from the source of light through at least one light guide to at least one light terminal.