Abstract:
A novel pole guard for electric utility poles has at least one notch for allowing a portion of the pole guard to provide insulative coverage below a cross arm of a utility pole. Further features include hooks, pins, or other fasteners on the pole guard for attaching insulative blankets.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60/899,980, which was filed on Feb. 6, 2007. This application is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     COPYRIGHT NOTICE AND PERMISSION 
     A portion of this patent document contains material subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyrights whatsoever. The following notice applies to this document: Copyright© 2006, Denton L. Jackson. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Electricity is critical to our modern way of life. A critical component in the systems that distribute electricity from electrical generating stations to our homes and businesses are the utility poles that support the power lines carrying the electricity. Equally critical to the operation of these electrical distribution systems is the work of thousands of electrical lineman across the world who daily face the risk of electrocution while installing, maintaining, and reconnecting power lines and related distribution equipment. 
     Understanding the risk of electrocution and other life-threatening injuries in working on and around electrical utility poles, lineman take safety seriously. One common measure taken to promote safety is wrapping a portion of the utility pole above the cross arm that supports the power lines in an insulative sleeve known as a pole guard to prevent a lineman from inadvertently contacting an electrified (hot) portion of the power line or pole. Conventional pole guards consist of a rolled rectangular sheet of insulation. The rolled sheet, often formed of fiberglass or plastic, forms a tube, which can be manually uncoiled and placed around an upper portion of the utility pole, with the base of the tube resting atop the crossarm. A further measure is to lay insulative blankets on the cross-arms and secure them to the pole guard and/or pole using adhesive tape. 
     The present inventor, a lineman for many years, has recognized at least two problems with usage of conventional pole guards. First, conventional pole guards offer no “cover up,” that is protection, below the crossarm of a utility pole even though in many situations, such as in working on concrete or metal poles, the risk of contacting an electrified surface is significant. Second, using conventional pole guards with insulative blankets entails use of cumbersome and time consuming taping techniques. Applying the tape can cause back strain or lead to inadvertent dropping or detachment of blankets. 
     Accordingly, the present inventor has recognized a need for better pole guards for electric utility poles. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1A  is a back view of an exemplary pole guard assembly corresponding to one or more embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG. 1B  is a front view of the exemplary pole guard assembly in  FIG. 1A   
         FIG. 1C  is a side view of the exemplary pole guard assembly in  FIGS. 1A and 1B . 
         FIGS. 2A and 2B  are top and bottom perspective views of the interior of an exemplary pole guard corresponding to one or more embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a plan view of an unrolled mode of the pole guard in  FIGS. 1A-1C , and therefore corresponds to one or more embodiments of the invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view (black and white photo) of a pole guard and blanket assembly corresponding to one or more embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a front view of an alternative pole guard (pole cap) corresponding to one or more embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a front view of an alternative pole guard (pole cap) corresponding to one or more embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a top view of an insulative clamp with integrated blanket pins or hooks, which corresponds to one or more embodiments of the present invention. (Blankets not shown in this view; multiple clamps can be attached to insulators to facilitate attachment of blankets.) 
         FIG. 8  is a black and white photo of an exemplary phase holding device which corresponds to one or more embodiments of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     This description describes one or more specific embodiments of one or more inventions. These embodiments, offered not to limit but only to exemplify and teach the invention, are shown and described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to implement or practice the invention. Thus, where appropriate to avoid obscuring the invention(s), the description may omit certain information known to or ascertainable without undue experimentation by those of skill in the art. 
       FIG. 1A  is a back view of an exemplary pole guard assembly corresponding to one or more embodiments of the present invention. 
       FIG. 1B  is a front view of the exemplary pole guard assembly in  FIG. 1A   
       FIG. 1C  is a side view of the exemplary pole guard assembly in  FIGS. 1A and 1B . 
       FIGS. 2A and 2B  are top and bottom perspective views of the interior of an exemplary pole guard corresponding to one or more embodiments of the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a plan view of an unrolled mode of the pole guard in  FIGS. 1A-1C , and therefore corresponds to one or more embodiments of the invention. 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view (black and white photo) of a pole guard and blanket assembly corresponding to one or more embodiments of the present invention. 
     Pole guard assembly  100  includes a electrically insulative tube-like structure  110  which is configured for an electric utility pole  120  having a transverse arm structure  122  mounted to one side of the pole using a bolt  124  that extends through the arm structure  122  to the opposite side of the pole. The electrically insulative tube-like structure  110 , which consists essentially of fiberglass and defines a pole guard, encircles or surrounds a section of pole  120  above the arm structure and includes: a first vertical slot  112  configured to fit over an end of bolt  124  on the other side of the pole; and a second vertical slot  116  configured for resting above or in contact with transverse arm structure  122 . One or more of the vertical slots engage portions of the pole, such as the cross arm or the through bolt, and thereby inhibit rotation of the pole guard relative to the pole. 
       FIGS. 2A ,  2 B, and  3  show that in the exemplary embodiment, tube-like structure  110  comprises a rolled sheet of insulative material, such as fiberglass, the sheet having a top edge  111 T and a bottom edge  111 B, with the bottom edge including vertical slot  112  and a corner notch  116  defined by a generally vertical edge portion  116 V and a generally horizontal edge portion  116 H that intersect. Vertical slot  112  has a height measured from a bottom edge  111 B of the rolled sheet in a dimension generally parallel to the pole that is substantially the same as that of the generally vertical edge portion  116 V of the corner notch. 
     In the exemplary embodiment, the tube like structure also includes pins  118 .  FIG. 4  shows that one of pins  118  being used to removably attach an insulative blanket  410  blanket  410  in a coiled and generally fixed position relative to the tube-like structure (pole guard)  110 . 
     The vertical slot positioned between the first vertical edge and a vertical edge of the corner notch, wherein the vertical edge  116 V of the corner notch and a portion of the first vertical edge  111 V cooperate to define another vertical notch  116  when the sheet is rolled around a pole. The width of the vertical notch  116  (between vertical edges  111 V and  116 V, shown best in  FIGS. 1B and 2B ) is variable depending on how tightly the sheet is rolled around a pole. Tube like structure  110  is formed by diecutting a sheet of fiberglass material to include the vertical slot and the corner notch or by molding an insulative material to including the vertical slot and the corner notch. 
       FIG. 5  is a front view of an alternative pole guard (pole cap) corresponding to one or more embodiments of the present invention. 
       FIG. 6  is a front view of an alternative pole guard (pole cap) corresponding to one or more embodiments of the present invention. 
       FIG. 7  is a top view of an insulative clamp with integrated blanket pins or hooks, which corresponds to one or more embodiments of the present invention. (Blankets not shown in this view; multiple clamps can be attached to insulators to facilitate attachment of blankets.) 
       FIG. 8  is a black and white photo of an exemplary phase holding device which corresponds to one or more embodiments of the present invention. 
     CONCLUSION 
     The embodiments described and/or illustrated herein are intended only to illustrate and teach one or more ways of making and using the present invention, not to restrict its breadth or scope. The actual scope of the invention, which embraces all ways of practicing or implementing the teachings of the invention, is defined only by one or more issued patent claims and their equivalents.