Arrangement of camouflage applicable over support towers of telecommunications antennas or similar structure

Abstract

An arrangement of camouflage for support towers of telecommunications antennas or similar structures, including troncoconical, cylindrical, polygonal or similar shaped bodies, attached to the ground through an anchor plate and equipped with an opening in the lower part for the inlet or outlet of cables communicating with an underground conduit. If weatherproof equipment is used, it would be done through an aerial conduit, the bodies being coated with a plastic coating that has on the outside the form of tree bark, secured by adhesive. The support is capable of being formed by parts encased among themselves or welded together, extensions being attached on the upper part on which main artificial branches are attached, and over them, secondary artificial branches and further a body section that is provided with main artificial branches, and over them secondary artificial branches. Antennas attached over suitable supports will be installed on the top section.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to an arrangement of camouflage applicable over support towers for telecommunications antennas or similar structures, the purpose of which lies in managing to camouflage, or at least minimize the body of the tower or similar element, adapting to the features of the landscape surroundings the tower where it is located, thus obviating, or at least mitigating the possible environmental impact that the installation of the tower could have on the surroundings. The arrangement of the camouflage does not in any way affect the purpose of the camouflaged or minimized element, that is, it allows transmission and reception of signals from telecommunication antennas or similar devices, by a camouflage that is permeable for radio electric waves.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] There is currently no arrangement applicable to the camouflage of support towers for telecommunication antennas or similar elements. Specifically, in rural stations for telephony and in urban stations for building tops and, generally, for a telecommunications station or facility that supports antennas it is not known to camouflage such structures.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] This invention has its application in the industry devoted to the manufacture of support towers of telecommunication antennas, or similar elements, for coupling to the structure ornamental elements that, after they are attached, adapt the final structure to the landscape surroundings where the tower or similar device to be camouflaged is found.

[0004] The arrangement of camouflage applicable over support towers for telecommunication antennas, or similar elements that the invention proposes manages to mitigate the possible environmental impact that these elements cause in many of the points where they are located.

[0005] More specifically, the arrangement of camouflage applicable over support towers for telecommunication antennas or similar structure that is the object of the invention is made up based on the use of metal elements with circular or polygonal cross-section, forming prismatic, troncoconical or tronco-pyramidal hollow elements with little diminution, this type of hollow vertical support being used when it is attempted to configure camouflage over an antenna located at a certain height from the ground or base, other elements adaptable to the environment and to the structure of the element to be hidden being used.

[0006] In the most general case, the metal pole, preferably of steel, divided into several sections that are joined together, is used until the desired height is attained. The pole is coated on the outside with a material made of composites, resins, elastomers or similar materials, resistant to UV rays and to inclement weather, and aesthetically having the configuration of bark consistent with the plant variety that may exist in the surroundings. In order to achieve the most realistic configuration, main and secondary branches, knots and other surface textures similar to tree bark, are used.

[0007] In the last section or upper part of the hollow vertical support pole, anchors or small projections are added that serve to lodge or install the main branches. Over the main branches are placed the secondary branches, to which are attached bundles of needles or leaves that give a final form of the top of a tree.

[0008] The integral use of plastic materials or fiberglass or similar materials ensures absolute radio electric transparency.

[0009] The antennas themselves are attached at the upper part in a small central sphere of steel or on special arms made of steel/zinc or similar material and varnished with the same color as the branches, ensuring the arrangement of camouflage of the elements and radiant elements.

[0010] The RF cables come down through the inside of the artificial “trunk” of the pole, being connected to a cable used as a guide through clamps.

[0011] At the base, an outlet for the cables is provided through an opening made at the base of the trunk. The cable outlet may be buried or be at a small height above the ground if the cable connection is done when weatherproof equipment is installed.

[0012] In order to attach the body of the artificial tree, a die of buried reinforced concrete is used. Anchoring of the pole is done through bolts embedded in the concrete die. Additional cabling passes through an underground conduit for the outlet of service cables and feeders or else without the conduit when weatherproof equipment is installed.

[0013] The installation of the prefabricated trunk is not differentiated from the installation of a normal polygonal pole in its insertion, it being necessary to indicate that the top section is attached to the rest of the tree like another section, that is, through mounting on top of the lower section.

[0014] The complete installation is easy, fast and does not require special or specialized personal equipment. Access to the top part is assured through use of a hydraulic basket or crane.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] In order to complement the description that is being given and for the purpose of helping to better understand the features of the invention, attached to this descriptive report, as an integral part thereof, is a set of drawings in which, by way of illustration, without limitation, the following is shown:

[0016] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the metal tower body applicable for construction of the object of the invention relative to a arrangement of camouflage over support towers for telecommunication antennas or similar devices that, in this specific case, takes on the form of a troncoconical body with little diminution.

[0017] FIG. 2A is a plan view of the cross-section taken along the line 2A-2A of the object shown in figure number 1, in this case being a cylindrical support.

[0018] FIG. 2B is a plan view of the cross-section of the tower shown in FIG. 1, in the polygonal embodiment, regardless of the number of sides that make it up.

[0019] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the tower shown in FIG. 1, on which there is applied an elastomer or a coating or covering of plastic, rubber, composite material, etc. that simulates the bark of the trunk of a tree, manufactured in fiber glass and plastic resins. In this graphical representation, tubes have been added that will serve to attach the main branches, the upper part of the metal support being left free for subsequent installation of the top or upper section of the artificial tree.

[0020] FIG. 4A is a cross-section taken along line 4A-4A of the tower shown in FIG. 3, with the coating of the base tube shown.

[0021] FIG. 4B is an enlarged view of the area encircled in FIG. 4A, illustrating the seam of the coating.

[0022] FIG. 5A is an exploded view of two sections making up a tower having main and secondary artificial branches, with attaching elements for the main and secondary branches.

[0023] FIG. 5B is an enlarged exploded view of the anchoring of main and secondary branches to a sidewall of a tower section.

[0024] FIG. 6 illustrates an assembled communications tower with the camouflage elements of the present invention.

[0025] FIG. 7 illustrates, in enlarged form, the installation in the ground of the tower shown in figure number 6, which, as can be seen, is done over a reinforced concrete die, where the anchor bolts that serve to attach the anchor plate of the object making up the vertical support are embedded. It also being possible to see the conduit for the cables have underground access to the equipment booth.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0026] From FIG. 1, it can be seen how the arrangement of camouflage applicable over support towers for telecommunication antennas or similar structures is made up based on a hollow vertical support tower (1) preferably made of steel, that can have the troncoconical configuration (2), with little diminution, or else a cylindrical shape (2′) as shown in FIG. 2A or a polygonal shape (2″) as shown in figure number 2B.

[0027] Continuing with FIG. 1, over the body (2), there are welded anchors (3) that project out of an upper part of the body (2), or else (with reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B) from the bodies (2′) or (2″). The purpose of these anchors (3) is to attach the main artificial branches (6) and (6′), and over these, the secondary artificial branches which are provided with bundles of needles or leaves (6″), as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B.

[0028] Following FIG. 3, it can be seen that over the troncoconical body (2), (or with reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B) cylindrical body (2′), or polygonal body (2″), there is incorporated a coating or cover (4) of fiber glass and epoxy or any other suitable plastic material which simulates the bark of a trunk of a tree. The particular bark used is dependent on the particular plant species in the area, or as close to these as possible. A longitudinal union line or seam (8), is shown in detail in FIG. 4B.

[0029] The troncoconical body (2), cylindrical body (2′), or polygonal body (2″) has an attachment base (5), leaving free the upper end of the bodies (2), (2′), or (2″), to subsequently be used, as will be described below.

[0030] The coating or covering (4) of fiber glass and plastic resin joined at union line (8) is secured by adhesives, appropriate attachment means or any other form deemed suitable. The coating (4) that simulates the bark of a tree is fire-proof, resistant to atmospheric phenomena, and even UV rays, and, of course, has a radio electric transparency suitable to prevent signal emissions or receptions from being difficult. A similar, though not identical coating, made be made through the projection of elastomers that can give a surface aspect similar to tree bark.

[0031] The poles, supports or towers (2), (2′), or (2″), are preferably be made of galvanized steel and made up of multiple sections that are joined to each other by encasement or any other means considered suitable. A desired overall height can thereby be obtained. In the upper part of each tower will be support means for the antennas, configured as galvanized steel spheres and varnished with a color similar to that of the branches of the trees. Also, other elements that support the antennas may be incorporated into the tower structure. These metal posts or supports are made of galvanized steel and have the pertinent corrosion protection.

[0032] As can be seen in FIG. 5, after installation of the towers (2), (2′), or (2″), an additional section (7) that makes up the top of the “tree” is mounted on the upper part of the tower. The welded element anchors (3) used to attach the main artificial branches (6) are included in the artificial top section (7). Main branches (6) and (6′), will be attached to the anchors (3) and additional secondary branches (6″) are incorporated, making up the tree top.

[0033] In FIG. 6, the antennaes (40) are shown attached to the tree top section (7) through support bodies configured as a small steel central plate 20 or special arms 22 made of steel/zinc or similar material and varnished. The antennas (40), if so required, are matched in color with the color of the branches (6), (6′), or (6″).

[0034] Finally, in FIG. 7, it is seen that the tower (2) (2′), or (2″) is attached to the ground (13) through a reinforced concrete die (14), in which are embedded some anchor bolts. The mounting plate (5) is secured by the anchor bolts. Fill (11) is used to cover an underground conduit (12) leading up to the booth for the cable equipment in the tower. The vertical tower (2), (2′), or (2″) includes an inlet or outlet (10) for the cables in the lower part of the tower to be able to channel the cables that go from the antennas (40) up to the equipment booth (not shown).

[0035] In FIG. 6 is seen that the tower (2), (2′), or (2″) is attached to the ground (13) through a reinforced concrete die (14) in which there are some anchor bolts. The anchor plate (5) is secured by the anchor bolts and covered by fill (11). The tower (2), (2′), or (2″) has a cable inlet or outlet (10) at its lower part in order to be able to channel the cables that run from the antennaes (40) up to weatherproof equipment. This arrangement is capable of being used if the equipment is weatherproof, by using an aerial conduit (15).

[0036] It is not deemed necessary to make this description more extensive for one of ordinary skill in the art to understand the scope of the invention and the advantages derived therefrom. The materials, form, size and arrangement of the elements will be capable of being varied, provided it does not involve an alteration to the essential nature of the invention. The terms in which this invention has been described shall always be taken in a broad and non-limiting sense.

Claims

1. A support for telecommunication antennas, said support comprising a hollow tower having anchors on an upper part projecting from the tower for attaching artificial branches to the tower, the tower being covered on an exterior surface with a coating providing an appearance of artificial bark of a tree trunk, the coating being fireproof and being joined by a longitudinal seam to the tower, the tower including at least one section for stacking of at least two sections of support antennaes.

2. The support according to claim 1, wherein the tower is one of cylindrical and polygonal in shape and made of galvanized steel.

3. The support according to claim 1, wherein a second tower section is mounted on the upper part of the tower and the second tower section includes attachment elements for artificial branches.

4. The support according to claim 3, wherein antennas are mounted on the tower by a central steel plate.

5. The support of claim 3, wherein antennas are mounted on the tower by arms.

6. The support according to claim 1, wherein the tower is attached to the ground by an anchor plate located over a reinforced foundation with fill material located at a lower area of the tower, the tower having an inlet for the inlet or outlet of antenna cables.