GB2372640A

GB2372640A - Duct unit for street furniture

Info

Publication number: GB2372640A
Application number: GB0201565A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Dominic Grice
Original assignee: Simmonsigns Ltd
Current assignee: Simmonsigns Ltd
Priority date: 2001-01-24
Filing date: 2002-01-24
Publication date: 2002-08-28
Anticipated expiration: 2022-01-24
Also published as: GB0101773D0; GB2372640B; GB2372064B; GB2372064A; GB0201568D0; GB0201565D0

Abstract

A ground support 1 for a street bollard has a duct unit 3 through which a cable 44 enters. The duct 3 has four cable entry points 11 and circular male 6 and female 8 connectors either side of the entry points 11, which allow two or more duct units 3 to be connected together. The circular connectors 6,8 allow the ducts to be orientated so that the cable entry points 11 face the incoming cable 44.. The duct 3 has U-shaped restraints which aid in fixing the duct 3 to the ground. A bollard may be fixed to a base unit 5 of the duct 3 which may contain a lense 17 and a lamp 32.

Description

DUCT UNITS

The invention provides a duct unit for use with a base unit for electrically powered street furniture such as an illuminated bollard or a street lamp.

s Illuminated bollards are a familiar sight on roads, particularly at traffic intersections. Typically, a bollard body is attached to a ground unit which contains an electric light fitting connected to an underground electrical power supply via a mains termination cut-out. The ground unit 10 is normally set in concrete in the ground, and has apertures for fasteners which connect the bollard body to the ground unit. The ground unit may be bolted onto a lower duct part of square cross-section, with the electrical supply cable entering the duct via a knock-out in one side and then passing into the ground unit which contains the light fitting and cut 15 out.

One problem that the inventors have identified with the present form of duct unit is that it is not practical for use with a deep electrical supply cable. It can be hard to connect known duct units to such cables because 20 the orientation of the duct unit is determined by the need to orientate the ground unit and bollard relative to the traffic. Thus it can be difficult to arrange for the electrical supply cables to be connected to the ground units of the present bollards because the cable can enter only on one of the four sides, which may not be aligned with the cable. The situation is 25 made worse by the fact that such deep cables are generally high voltage cables of substantial diameter which are not at all flexible. A solution to these problems has been sought.

According to the invention there is provided a duct unit for electrically 30 powered street furniture which duct unit is tubular, having a central portion with at least one aperture through which, in use, an electrical

cable may be inserted into the inside of the duct, and a connector at each end of the central portion, the connectors being arranged to allow two or more duct units to be connected together wherein the connectors are of substantially circular profile.

One advantage with the duct unit according to the invention is that by virtue of the circular cross-section of the connectors, two or more can be connected such that their apertures have any orientation which facilitates connection of an electrical cable.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a kit for connecting an item of electrically powered street furniture to an underground electrical supply cable which kit includes two or more duct units according to the first aspect of the invention.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a ground support for electrically powered street furniture which includes one or more duct units according to the first aspect of the invention and a base unit which is adapted to be connected to the duct unit and to a body 20 of an item of street furniture.

The base unit preferably has at least one upstand to which the body of an item of street furniture may be attached.

25 The base unit has an inlet for an electrical cable. The base unit preferably also has an outlet for an electrical cable where the item of electrically powered street furniture requires an electrical supply in its body. Optionally the inlet and outlet are provided with gland seals so that, in use, the enclosure is protected from ingress of dirt and water.

The base unit generally contains one or more electrical components to enable the item of electrically powered street furniture to function. For example the base unit preferably includes a cut-out to enable the one or more electrical components to be isolated from the electrical supply.

Where the support is to be used with an illuminated bollard, the base unit preferably also includes an electric light fitting and preferably the base unit has an upper part which is transparent. Optionally the upper part of the base unit may be a lens.

The duct unit may be set in the ground, preferably in concrete, and is preferably provided with ground-engaging members. Preferably the ground support according to the third aspect of the invention is also preferably provided with ground-engaging members which also act as part 15 of a fastening means for attaching the duct unit to the base unit.

The ground engaging members are preferably in the form of metal wire restraints, especially stainless steel restraints, as are commonly used in the art. The upper ends of the ground-engaging members pass through the 20 housing, and terminate in screw-threads portions for engagement by nut members forming the other part of the fastening means.

The invention may be used with any electrically powered street furniture, for example, an illuminated bollard, a street lamp, a traffic light, or a 25 supporting pole for a camera.

Aspects of the invention are illustrated by reference to the following drawings which are not intended to limit the scope of the invention claimed:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a ground support according to the invention including a duct unit according to the invention; Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the support and duct 5 unit according to the invention; Figure 3 is a general assembly of a base unit in the open position; and 10 Figure 4 is a cross-section of part of Figure 3.

Figures 1 and 2 show a ground support 1 according to the invention for an illuminated bollard body (not shown). The support 1 includes a duct unit 3 through which an electrical supply cable 44 enters a base unit 5 for 15 a bollard body (not shown). The base unit has a housing 15 to define a sealed enclosure for an electrical cut-out (not shown).

The duct unit 3 is generally tubular, having a central portion with four cable-entry ports 11, and male 6 and female 8 connectors which inter 20 engage to allow two duct units to be stacked together. The male 6 and the female 8 connectors are of substantially circular profile so that when two or more duct units 3 are connected together, each unit may take any orientation to enable the duct unit 3 to be placed such that a cableentry port 11 is adjacent to the position of the supply cable. In use the duct unit 25 3 is embedded in the ground. Once the duct unit 3 has been connected to an electrical cable, it is usually fixed in the ground by concrete. The duct unit 3 also has a pair of stainless steel U-shaped restraints 7, fixed to the male connector 6. The ends of the restraints 7 terminate in screw-

threaded portions. In use, the restraints 7 become embedded in the 30 concrete.

The base unit 5 is shown in more detail in Figure 3. The base unit includes upper and lower members 19, 20 which are hinged together and a lens 17. The upper member 19 is connected to the lower member 20 by means of hinge pin 25, and the two members can be secured by a fastener 5 18. The lower member 20 also has an aperture 9 through which the screwthreaded portions of the restraints pass for the attachment of nuts 30. The upper member 19 has a square upstand 22 to which the bollard body is adapted to be attached. The upper and lower members 19 and 20 are of cast aluminium. The lower member 20 has a central circular 10 upstanding flange 21, whose profile is best seen in Figure 4. The lens 17 fits over the top of the flange 21, and has a seal (not shown) for engagement with the top face of the flange 21. The underside of the flange 21 has a substantially V-shaped groove, into which fits sealingly a complementary projection 28 on the housing 15. Illumination means 32 15 rests on ledge 34 in the base unit 5 and is connected by supply cables (not shown) to the cut-out (not shown) in the housing.

The housing 15 is of glass reinforced polypropylene plastics material, and is best seen in Figure 3. Inwardly of the projection 28 is a depending 20 portion 46 of stepped diameter, with a cable gland 23 in the base for entry of the electrical supply cable. The entry of the cable is sealed by gland 23, and is connected to a cut-out (not shown). Outwardly of the projection 28, the housing 15 has a flange 26 corresponding to the shape of the lower member 20 and with apertures 40 allowing passage of the 25 restraints 7. With the lens 17 sealing on the flange 21, the housing projection 28 sealing to O-ring 36 in the groove of the lower member 20, and the cable gland in place, these members define a sealed enclosure for the cut-out (not shown) and the illumination means 32, preventing the ingress of dust and water. The depending portion 46 is generally circular 30 in form except for flat portions 42.

If, in use, the bollard body is hit, e.g. by a vehicle, the destructive forces are transmitted to the restraints 7 such that the restraints absorb the impact by tensile loading thereby protecting the rest of the support. As the upstand 22 and the apertures 9 are provided around the periphery of 5 the lower and upper members 20 and 19, the enclosure 15, which accommodates the cut out, is insulated from the destructive forces. The damaged bollard body can be detached from the base unit 5 and replaced without disconnecting the mains termination cut-out. If the base unit 5 itself is damaged, it can easily be removed, again without needing to 10 operate the cut-out to disconnect the electricity supply. It is only the connection between the illumination means and the cut-out which needs to be disconnected. A new base unit 5 can then be put on instead, and the electricity supply re-connected. This operation does not require the attendance of an electrician from the utility company.

Figure 4 is a detailed cross-section of the part of the housing between X' and X as marked on Figure 3 and shows how the lid 19 seals the enclosure 15 by means of sealing surfaces 27 and O-ring 36.

20 It is to be understood that the figures are included by way of example only and that the invention covers any variants of the embodiments portrayed. For example the duct unit could be provided with more ports or the electric light fitting 32 and lens 17 could be replaced by an electrical connector where the support is used for a street lamp, or 25 another form of electrically powered street furniture which does not require illumination from the support. The base unit could be formed from galvanised steel or stainless steel. The housing could be formed from metal, e.g. aluminium, galvanised steel or stainless, or another plastics material. The ingress protection for the housing 15 may 30 optionally be augmented by semi-permanently bonding the lower member 20 to the housing 15 at sealing surfaces 27 (e.g. using a silicon sealant).

Claims

1. A duct unit for electrically powered street furniture which duct unit is tubular, having a central portion with at least one aperture through which, 5 in use, an electrical cable may be inserted into the inside of the duct, and a connector at each end of the central portion, the connectors being arranged to allow two or more duct units to be connected together wherein the connectors are of substantially circular profile.

10

2. A duct unit as claimed in claim 1 which has ground-engaging members.

3. A duct unit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings.

4. A kit for connecting an item of electrically powered street furniture to an underground electrical supply cable which kit includes two or more duct units as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3.

20

5. A ground support for electrically powered street furniture which includes one or more duct units as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 and a base unit which is adapted to be connected to the duct unit, to an electrical supply and to a body of an item of street furniture.

25

6. A ground support as claimed in claim 5 wherein the base unit has at least one upstand to which the body of an item of street furniture may be attached.

7. A ground support as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6 wherein the base 30 unit has an outlet for an electrical cable.

8. A ground support as claimed in any of claims 5 to 7 wherein the base unit includes a cut-out to enable the one or more electrical components to be isolated from the electrical supply.

5

9. A ground support as claimed in any of claims 5 to 8 wherein the base unit includes an electric light fitting.

10. A ground support as claimed in claim 9 wherein the base unit has an upper part which is transparent.

11. A ground support as claimed in claim 10 wherein the upper part of the base unit is a lens.

12. A ground support as claimed in any of claims 5 to 11 which is 15 provided with ground-engaging members which also act as part of a fastening means for attaching the duct unit to the base unit.

13. A ground support as claimed in any of claims 5 to 12 wherein the item of electrically powered street furniture is an illuminated bollard, a 20 street lamp, a traffic light, or a supporting pole for a camera.