WO2014182231A1

WO2014182231A1 - Tower

Info

Publication number: WO2014182231A1
Application number: PCT/SE2014/050559
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bo-Gunnar Dahl; Martin Dahl
Original assignee: Bo-Gunnar Dahl; Martin Dahl
Priority date: 2013-05-08
Filing date: 2014-05-07
Publication date: 2014-11-13
Also published as: SE1300328A1; SE537129C2

Abstract

Tower for housing telecommunications equipment (20) provided for a radio base station, BTS, in a wireless communications network, which tower (10) comprises: - an essentially longitudinally tower body (12) having a hollow cross-section (T) extending from a lower part (12a) to an upper part (12b) of the tower (10), which tower body (12) has an installation chamber (14) provided to in an operational position arrange the communications equipment (20) nearby one or more antennas (22) belonging to the communications equipment (20) in the upper (12a) part of the tower body (12), wherein the tower body (12) is designed of two onto each other stackable, and to each other mountable, tower sections (16n), each having a hollow cross-section (T), wherein each tower section (16n) is provided of a plurality modular units (17), characterised in that to each other adjacent modular units (17a_n, b_n, c_n, d_n) are provided with fastening means (18) for mounting to each other (17a_n, b_n, c_n, d_n) to a section, and wherein the modular parts (17) are made of massive wood material in the form of cross laminated timber. The tower is environmentally friendly and cost-effective, for instance due to the modular units (17a_n, b_n, c_n, d_n) being made of environmentally friendly, relatively light and strong massive wood material.

Description

Tower

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention is related a tower for communications equipment, in particular to a tower for telecommunications equipment for housing a Base Transceiver Station (BTS) for mobile telephony.

BACKGROUND

Conventional antenna carriers (masts, towers, monopod etc.) for telecommunication are normally designed as an open steel structure of framework-type having one or more antennas high up in the antenna carrier and telecommunications equipment for instance the BTS, in a technics house for telecommunications equipment arranged on the ground nearby the antenna mast. Long cables, so called "feeders" are provided between the

antenna/antennas and the BTS in the technics house, which cables imply signal losses for instance and expensive installations due to the long cables. The open structure implies that this type of antenna carrier is vulnerable for vandalism, for instance due to damage on the cables or simply by natural wear, for instance due to surrounding climate.

Because of that, alternatives have been proposed to the above described antenna carriers of open steel structure of framework type.

For instance, in EP-A2-2360777 a modular antenna tower structure is described. The modular tower structure is made of reinforced concrete segment stacked onto each other to an antenna tower structure. In the description of this antenna tower structure of concrete disadvantages with conventional antenna carriers are considered to be overcome. For instance, the disadvantages with long cables between the telecommunications equipment and the antennas, as well as the problems with the open structure are overcome. A disadvantage considered to arise is that the antenna tower structure of concrete has a considerable weight. This weight is likely a problem at least since mounting of the antenna tower structure is to be performed out on a site, which may also be hard to access. Handling the heavy antenna tower structure and the manufacture thereof are most likely not environmentally acceptable, for instance due to high use of raw material.

SUMMARY An object of the present invention is to provide a tower for housing communications equipment, for instance telecommunications equipment provided for a radio base station in a wireless communications network, wherein the tower is lighter, less costly to manufacture and easier to mount on site, not to mention to freight to the site of use.

In this context, the expression "tower" includes all types of tower-like or mast-like structures, provided for communication in a wireless communications system. The expression "tower" also comprises all other types of high buildings provided for communication in a wireless communications system.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a tower for housing communications equipment, for instance telecommunications equipment provided for a BTS in a wireless communications network, wherein the tower has a more environmentally friendly process of manufacturing and a more environmentally friendly handling compared to known technology.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a tower for housing communications equipment, for instance telecommunications equipment provided for a BTS in a wireless communications network, wherein the tower has an appearance being less disturbing to the surrounding environment compared to known technology.

The tower according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a substantially elongate tower body having a hollow cross-section extending from a lower part to an upper part of the tower. The tower body has an installation chamber adapted to in use position arrange the communications equipment nearby one or more antennas belonging to the communications equipment in an upper part of the tower body. The tower body is provided by two onto each other stackable and to each other mountable, tower sections, each having a hollow cross-section. Each tower section is provided by a plurality of modular units. To each other adjacent modular units are provided with fastening means for being mounted to each other to a section. The modular units are made of massive wood material of the type of cross-laminated timber.

The tower according to different embodiments of the present invention made of massive wood material of the type of cross-laminated timber fulfil the objects given above, each alone or combined with each other.

In the following different embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawing figures.

DRAWING FIGURES

Figure 1 illustrates a tower according to an embodiment of the present invention having 8 tower sections in a perspective view having the tower sections slightly separated;

Figure 2a illustrates the same tower as in figure 1 in a cross-sectional view from a side having the tower sections stacked and mounted to each other;

Figure 2b illustrates the same tower as in figure 1 and 2 in a cross-sectional view from above along a cross-sectional line A-A in Figure 2a, wherein two BTS:s are illustrated

schematically;

Figure 3a illustrates an exploded view of a section before mounting having the modular units dismounted;

Figure 3b illustrates the same section as in figure 3a wherein the modular units are mounted to each other;

Figure 3c illustrates the same section as in figure 3a and 3b in a view from above wherein the modular units are mounted to each other; and

Figure 4 illustrates a transporting container containing a tower wherein two sections are joined and mounted to each other and the remaining sections of the tower still are separated and dismounted.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Now is referred to figure 1 and figure 2a illustrating a tower according to an embodiment of the present invention. The tower 10 is provided for housing communications equipment, in particular telecommunications equipment 20, provided for one or more BTS: s, in a wireless communications network. The tower 10 has an essentially elongated tower body 12, in this embodiment having 8 sections, having a hollow cross-section T (illustrated in figure 3c) extending from a lower part 12a to an upper part 2b of the tower 10. The tower body 12 has an installation chamber 14 (see figure 2a) provided for in a use position, i. e. when the tower operates as an antenna tower for instance, arrange the communications equipment 20 (see figure 2a) nearby one or more antennas 22 of the communications equipment 20 in the upper part 12b of the tower body 12. The tower body 12 is provided as onto each other stackable tower sections 16, each having a hollow cross-section T, wherein each tower section 16_n is provided as a plurality of, herein four, modular units 7a_n, b_n, c_n, d_n (see figure 3a). To each other adjacent modular units 17_a, b_n, c_n, d_n are provided with fastening means 18, such as screws and screw plates, for mounting to each other to a section. Preferably, the fastening means 18 are arranged on the inside 18 of the tower body, for instance screws are screwed through holes in fastening plates in the corners of the modular units such that they are mounted to the respective sections 1...n, wherein n herein = 8. The modular units 17_a, b_n, c_n, d_n are made of massive wood material in the form of cross-laminated timber, CLT. Herein, the number n denotes the number of respective section 16 or modular unit 17 seen as a floor in the tower 10, wherein n=1 is the floor being the lowest to the ground onto which the tower stands. A roofing part 12b of the tower 12 can be provided as a covering board and be made of the same material as the tower body or other suitable weather protected material as the tower body or any other suitable weather protected material such as steel plate. On the roofing 12b part, one or more antennas 22 are provided and connected to the

telecommunications equipment 20. The antennas 22 can also be hidden and arranged inside the tower. Typically, an entrance door 15 for service personnel is arranged in one of the sections, herein in the first (wherein n=1) section ^ β₁. The entrance door 15 can be arranged such as described or in some other way. The tower is self-supporting. The tower 10 is illustrated without fundament, but may for instance be provided onto the concrete fundament.

The tower can also comprise a lifting means 19 arranged inside the installation chamber 14, for instance as high up as possible. The lifting means 19 can be arranged to being able to lift the communications equipment 20 up or down in the installations chamber between a service position S provided at the lowest part and a use position b higher up. The lifting means 19 is of winch type, which is considerably less expensive than lifting means of elevator type as is described for instance in EP-A2-2360777. The tower may also comprise a climbing means (not illustrated) onto which service personnel can move for instance to disconnect or connect the communications equipment 20 before or after lifting with the lifting means. The climbing means per se may be arranged as is described for instance in EP-A2-2360777 or in any other way known.

The tower 10 herein is illustrated in a perspective view schematically having the sections 16 slightly separated from each other. This is only intended for illustrating the division of the tower 10 into sections Ι δ^ΐ δη and in use, these sections 16i-16_n are mounted to each other. Figure 2a illustrates the same tower as in figure 1 in a cross-sectional view, in a longitudinal direction through all 8 sections, from the side with the sections mounted to each other. The mounting of the tower sections 16i-16_n can be provided as illustrated in figure 2a in such a way that they overlap each other partly half in half in the junctions, see also figure 3a illustrating an exploded drawing in a perspective view of a section before mounting to the modular units 17a, b, c, d dismounted. Figure 3b illustrates the same section as in figure 3a wherein the modular units 17a, b, c, d are joined to each other. Figure B-B illustrates the same section as in figure 3b in cross-section along line B-B. This provides a strong tower which is also easy to mount, completely or partly in advance or completely or partly on site.

The embodiment of the present invention described above provides a tower which is environmentally friendly and cost-effective, for instance due to the modular units 17a, b, c, d being manufactured of an environmentally friendly, relatively light and strong massive wood material in the form of cross-laminated timber. The massive wood material in the form of cross-laminated timber is adapted to the tower according to the present invention, for instance according to what is described above. This is an essential difference to towers manufactured by conventional methods normally being steel constructions of frame-work type, which are expensive or heavy constructions made of reinforced concrete, which are heavy and difficult to join compared to the tower according to the invention. The towers made of steel construction of framework type normally have the telecommunications equipment arranged in a separate technics house nearby the tower, which implies long cables between the antennas and the telecommunications equipment. This implies unnecessary and normally undesired losses in the cables.

The number of floors 8 illustrated is only an example and can be more or less depending on the height desired of the tower 10. Typically, at least two tower sections 16, for instance the first (n=1) 16i, as well as the second (n=2) 16₂ have the same dimensions. But also all tower sections, herein 8, may have the same dimensions. This for instance provides a tower being 40 m in height if each tower section 16 is 5 meters in length.

A typical design of the tower 10 is one having a square cross-section T and a typical dimension of the tower 10 is approximately 1.6*1.6 meter in cross-section (from outer edge to outer edge), as is illustrated in figure 2a and 2b. Figure 2b illustrates a cross-section along line A-A in figure 2a. If the dimension of the tower is approximately 1.6*1.6 meter, two BTS:s can be arranged side-by-side, which is an advantage. On suitable locations between the sections 16, floor 16a are arranged, see figure 2c wherein a hatch 16b provides for service personnel to move between different sections in the tower. The tower can also be designed in some other way such as a triangle, an octagonal or in any other suitable way.

The modular units 17 typically have a thickness of 50 - 320 mm, but also other thicknesses are possible provided that the strength is the desired. The modular units 17 can also have multiple doubled structures, for instance for increased strength.

According to alternative embodiments of the present invention, the modular units 17a, b, c, d can be provided with different weather protected surfaces, for instance by means of a sheet material 13, such as a high pressure laminate for protection against UV-radiation or the tower can be painted in weather protected colour. Compact high-pressure laminate, typically 1-10 mm, is on one short side, typically slightly longer than a long side of respective modular units 17a, b, c, d such that next adjacent unit below in the tower during mounting is covered by the overlapping plastic film. Typically, the plastic film is then on its free part covered with glue, such as glue to form a weather protected cover. The modular units 17a, b, c, d are typically provided with the sheet material 13 already during manufacturing thereof, which implies the advantage that the appearance of the tower can be finished already in the factory. This implies that the appearance of the tower easily and inexpensive can be decided already in factory and the many possibilities of variations of the sheet material implies that almost any appearance desired can be chosen, which cannot be considered to be possible by means of a tower of prior art. Steel constructions can for instance as most is manufactured in different colours but hardly having different surface structures. Concrete towers probably have still more possibilities of variation, at least those which are economical reasonable. The tower 10 according to the invention can also be provided with an air intake and/or cooling (which is not illustrated explicitly). For instance, the aeration is arranged in the upper part of the tower, in particular in the roof 12b. The cooling can for instance be provided as mechanical aeration, such as a fan having filter arranged in the lower 12a part of the tower 10.

Figure 4 illustrates a transporting container containing a tower, wherein two tower sections 161 , 162 are joined and mounted to each other and the remaining sections 16_n of the tower still are separated and dismounted. Typically, the sections 16 are approximately 5 meters in length such that two sections in length can be contained in a 40 feet standard container. Due to the inventive design of the tower according to the invention such as described in relation to the different embodiments and the drawing figures, there is provided a tower that is easy to transport for telecommunications equipment. Smaller size of towers can by advantage be contained in a smaller container such as a 20 feet standard container.

Even if the invention according to the different embodiments that have been described above mainly relates to telecommunications equipment for mobile telephony, the invention is by no means limited to telecommunication but to all types of communication including data communication are possible without departing from the invention.

Claims

1. Tower for housing telecommunications equipment (20) provided for a radio base station, BTS, in a wireless communications network, which tower (10) comprises: -an essentially longitudinally tower body (12) having a hollow cross-section (T) extending from a lower part (12a) to an upper part (12b) of the tower (10), which tower body (12) has an installation chamber (14) provided to in an use position arrange the communications equipment (20) nearby one or more antennas (22) belonging to the communications equipment (20) in the upper (12a) part of the tower body (12),

wherein the tower body (12) is provided by two onto each other stackable, and to each other mountable, tower sections (16_n), each having a hollow cross-section (T), wherein each tower section (16_n) is provided by a plurality modular units (17), characterised in that to each other adjacent modular parts (17a_n, b_n, c_n, d_n) are provided with fastening means (18) for mounting to each other (17a_n, b_n, c_n, d_n) to a section, and wherein the modular parts (17) are made of massive wood material in the form of cross laminated timber.

2. Tower according to claim 1 , characterised in that the modular units (17) have a

thickness between 50 - 320 mm.

3. Tower according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the modular units (17) have a doubled structure.

4. Tower according to any one of the claims 1 to 3, characterised in that at least two tower sections (16^ 16₂) have approximately the same dimensions.

5. Tower according to any one of the claims 1 to 4, characterised in that a lifting means (199 provided in the installation chamber (14) is arranged for lifting the

communications equipment (20) up or down in the installation chamber (14) between a service position (S) at the lowest position and an use position (B) higher up.

6. Tower according to any one of the claims 1 to 5, characterised in that it is coated with a protecting weatherproof material such as a plastics foil material or a sheet material.

7. Tower according to any one of the claims 1 to 5, characterised in that it is provided with an air intake in an upper part (12b).

8. Tower according to any one of the claims 1 to 5, characterised in that it has a

substantially square cross-section (T).

9. Tower according to any one of the claims 1 to 5, characterised in that it has a self- supporting structure.

10. Tower according to any one of the claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the installation chamber (14) comprises a climbing means onto which service personnel can climb in the tower.