Patent ID: 11940004
Assignee: ADKINS ENERGY CONCEPTS LLC
Field: Civil engineering (Other fields)
Classification: CPC F  E  H | IPC E  F  H

Claim 19:
20. An articulated utility pole comprising:
a first pole section;
a second pole section;
a pivot point, wherein the pivot point connects the first pole section and the second pole section together, allowing one of the first pole section or second pole section to move relative to one another, or for the first pole section and the second pole section to move independently of each other; and
a sleeve having a shape that conforms to an exterior of the first pole section and the exterior of the second pole section proximate the pivot point, wherein the sleeve bridges the first pole section and the second pole section at the pivot point preventing one section of the pole from moving relative to the other section and preventing the two connected pole sections to move independently of the other, wherein the sleeve is configured such that it will fail before the first pole section or second pole section based on a force applied to any of the first pole section, the second pole section and/or to the sleeve,
wherein at least one of the first pole section or the second pole section are comprised of plastic with one or more reinforcement sections, wherein the one or more reinforcement sections run vertically in the first pole section or the second pole section and is held in place by one or more braces,
wherein the sleeve is configured such that it will fail before the first pole section or second pole section based on one or more of a thickness of the sleeve, its length (how far it extends along the first pole section and the second pole section from the pivot point), its shape, or a material or materials that it is comprised of, and
wherein the sleeve is a flanged sleeve comprised of a plurality of sections bolted together, or the sleeve is comprised of a plurality of sections that are internally connected together.