WO2000076044A1

WO2000076044A1 - Station for mobile telephony and walkway for use therewith

Info

Publication number: WO2000076044A1
Application number: PCT/NL2000/000393
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hendricus Leonards Maria Van Der Mast; Johannes Hendricus Witte; Lucas Johannes Cornelis Kouters
Original assignee: Libertel Netwerk B.V.
Priority date: 1999-06-09
Filing date: 2000-06-08
Publication date: 2000-12-14
Also published as: EP1103093A1; NL1012280C2; AU5432300A

Abstract

Station for mobile telephony, comprising at least two spaced apart components interconnected by cables, wherein the cables are included in a cable duct, said cable duct being built up from substantially loose-laid, linked cable duct elements, the cable duct being arranged for use as walkway between said components.

Description

Title: Station for mobile telephony and walkway for use therewith.

The invention relates to a walkway for use with a station for mobile telephony. More in particular, the present invention relates to a station for mobile telephony, comprising at least two spaced apart components interconnected by cables. These are known from practice. Stations for mobile telephony are typically set up on flat roofs of buildings. For this, different components such as electronics cases, antennae, switching devices and the like are disposed on the roof, at a distance from each other, and interconnected by cables. The cables are laid loose on the roof. When (maintenance) operations are to be performed on the base station, a serviceman will be present on the roof. This entails the danger of the roof being damaged by him, which may cause leakages in the building and necessitate costly repairs. Moreover, as the serviceman walks over the roof, he is in danger of tripping over, stepping on or otherwise contacting the cables, whereby the cables may be damaged and, moreover, the serviceman may be injured.

The object of the invention is to provide a station for mobile telephony of the type described in the preamble, wherein the drawbacks mentioned are avoided and the advantages thereof are maintained. To that end, a station according to the invention is characterized by the features of claim 1. Through the use of cable ducts with a station for mobile telephony, the advantage achieved is that cables included in cable ducts can be laid on, for instance, a roof or a like surface. As a result, the cables no longer lie loose, which makes a well-ordered impression and prevents damage to the cables when operations are performed on said station or the environment thereof. Moreover, this simply prevents the possibility that a serviceman or a like person trips over the cables, steps thereon or contacts them otherwise. This increases the safety of persons present in or adjacent the station. By designing the cable duct as a walkway, the advantage achieved is that persons present in or adjacent the station no longer have to walk on the surface where the station is set up. Thus, damage to the surface on which the station is built is prevented in a simple yet effective manner. Moreover, such cable duct can simply be provided with a safe, for instance slightly rough walking surface, which increases the safety of persons still further. In addition, by positioning the cable duct elements on the surface in a loose-linked manner, said surface need no longer be damaged for arranging fastening elements. Hence, the use of a station according to the present invention offers the advantage that the safety of users is particularly high, while damages to both the base station and the surface on which it is set up are avoided. Moreover, a station having a pleasant appearance is hereby obtained. At least the cables and the self-weight of the cable duct elements provide a good positioning of the cable duct on said roof.

The invention further relates to a walkway for use with a station for mobile telephony according to the present invention, characterized by the features of claim 2.

Such walkway has the advantage that it can be installed in a particularly simple manner, that is provides a particularly good protection of the cables and the surface on which the elements are positioned, and that it moreover provides a continuous walkway. In further elaboration, a walkway according to the present invention is further characterized by the features of claim 5.

By providing a number of support elements coupled to the cable duct elements, a fixed positioning of the cable duct elements on said surface is simplified even further, while the cable duct elements are retained by the support elements in a simple manner. The relatively great weight of the support elements prevents displacement or detachment of the cable duct elements from said surface, also in the case of, for instance, relatively strong wind or the like, without requiring connecting the cable duct elements or the support elements to said surface. In a particularly advantageous embodiment, a walkway according to the present invention is further characterized by the features of claim 7.

By providing at least one longitudinal side of the walkway with a balustrade connected to at least a number of the cable duct elements, the safety for users of the station according to the present invention is increased even further. Moreover, this simply prevents users from leaving said walkway and treading on said surface. In particular when a walkway according to the present invention is used near an edge of a roof or the like, such balustrade may further increase a user's sense of safety. In this respect, it is preferred that substantially all cable duct elements be connected to said balustrade, so that the cable duct elements are held together by said balustrade even more effectively.

In a further advantageous embodiment, a walkway according to the present invention is further characterized by the features of claim 9. For passing obstacles on said surface, such as, for instance, conduits, roof edges and the like, a part of the cable duct can be kept at a slight distance above the surface, thus covering said obstacle, while, preferably, support elements be provided in such a manner that the cable duct elements lie clear of said obstacles. It is further observed that in the same manner, comparable obstacles can be passed when the cable duct is merely used as cable duct.

The invention further relates to the use of a cable duct as walkway for a station for mobile telephony.

Further advantageous embodiments of a station and walkway according to the present invention are given in the subclaims. To clarify the invention, exemplary embodiments of a station and a walkway will hereinafter be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a station according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 shows, in disassembled condition, a portion of a walkway with balustrade according to the present invention; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of an assembly according to the present invention for passing an obstacle; and

Fig. 4 shows a frame, weighted with support elements according to the present invention. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a station 1 for use with mobile telephony, comprising an electronics case 2 and an antenna, of which only an antenna frame 4 is shown. The electronics case 2, comprising, for instance, transmitting and receiving electronics, is disposed on a case frame 6, so that it is free of the surface 8 on which the station 1 is set up, for instance a flat roof of a building. In the further specification, this surface 8 will be referred to as roof 8. The antenna frame 4 is arranged on the roof 8 at a distance from the electronics case 2. A cable duct 10 extends from the electronics case 2 to below the antenna frame 4, for guiding cables. Provided along the cable duct 10, on both sides thereof, is a balustrade 12. The cable duct 10 is designed so that a user can walk over the top face 14 thereof, from the electronics case 2 to the antenna frame 4 or the other way round. The cable duct 10 is built up from cable duct elements 16 which are of relatively flat design and have, for instance, a width of about 48 cm, a length of about 100 cm and a height of about 7 cm. These dimensions apply as an example only and should in no way be regarded as a limitation. It will be understood that the cable duct may also be designed in one piece.

Fig. 2 shows in perspective and in a disassembled condition, a portion of a cable duct element 16, a balustrade pole 18, a support element 20 to be discussed in more detail hereinbelow, and a connecting section 22 to which the support elements 20 and the cable duct elements 16 can be secured, in a manner to be further described hereinbelow.

The cable duct element 16 is, for instance, manufactured from plastic or rubber or a like relatively flexible, resilient material. Thus, use can for instance be made of cable duct elements 16 manufactured from waste material of car tires. Provided in the top face 14 are a series of slots 24 extending parallel to the longitudinal direction of the cable duct element over the full length thereof, which slots are open at their free ends, such that when cable duct elements 16 are slid one against the other, continuous slots are obtained. In these slots, cables can be laid loose, individually or in bundles. The depth of the slots 24 is chosen so that cables laid therein do not project out of the top face 14. At its bottom side 26, the cable duct element 16 is provided with transversely extending second slots 28, open towards both ends, with feet 30 enclosed therebetween. By the slightly flexible feet 30, the cable duct element 16 lies on the roof 8. Due to the flexibility of the cable duct elements 16, these elements connect properly to the roof 8, also when this roof, for instance, slopes slightly or exhibits unevennesses.

The connecting section 22 has a length greater than the width of the cable duct element 16, and has a substantially U-shaped cross section which can be included with a proper fit in the second slots 28, such that on either side of the cable duct element 16, an end 32 projects out of said element 16.

Provided in said end 32 is a hole 34 having internal screw thread. Moreover, in a central area of the connecting section 22, there are provided two second holes 36 having internal screw thread, wherein bolts 38 can be screwed, which bolts extend through holes (not shown) in the bottom of the slots 24, such that by the bolts 38, the cable duct element 16 is secured to the connecting section 22. The support element 20 has a substantially flat, isosceles-triangular shape and, adjacent its corners, has its top face 40 provided with centering projections 42 which can be fittingly received in corresponding recesses (not shown) in the bottom side of an identical support element 20 stacked thereon. Provided adjacent the right-angled corner 4 is a bore 46, stepped, wherein the lower end of the balustrade pole 18 can be received. Provided on the lower end of the balustrade pole 18 is a threaded end 48 which can extend through the bore 46 and be screwed into the hole 34 in the end 32 of the connecting section 22. In the bottom side 50 of the support element 20, at right angles to the hypotenuse, a slot 52 is provided, extending from the hypotenuse to a position beyond the bore 46, in which slot 52 the end 32 of the connecting section 22 can be received with a proper fit. Thus, the support element 20 can be screwed down on the connecting section 22, be supported by the roof 8 and abut against the longitudinal edge of the cable duct element 16. In this manner, a balustrade pole 18 can be arranged on two sides of the cable duct 10, which serves as walkway. As appears from Fig. 1, the balustrade poles 18 are interconnected by joists or cables 54 at a height such that they extend, for instance, at the level of the waist of a person present on the walkway. These joists 54 prevent a user from possibly stepping from the walkway 10 onto the roof 8, or at least getting off the walkway. Thus, both the user and the roof 8 are protected. In addition, the balustrades 12 may serve as a support to the user. The -triangular shape of the support elements 20 and the position of the balustrade poles 18 adjacent the right-angled corners 44 offer the advantage that the space between the balustrade poles 18 is greater than the width of the walkway 10, enabling a user to move easily between the balustrades 12.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the antenna frame 4 is of square design with a central plate 65 on which an antenna (not shown) can be mounted by means of bolt holes 58. In the corners of the antenna frame 4, support plates 60 are provided with which the antenna frame rests on the roof 8, which support plates 60 have a height such that a support frame 62 of the antenna frame 4 extends at a distance above the roof 8 and the cable duct elements 16 can extend therebelow. On the support elements 60, the triangular support elements 20 can be stacked, centered by the centering projections 42. The support elements 20 can be placed with their oblique sides against each other, to form stacks of support elements 20. The support elements 20 are, for instance, manufactured from stone or metal of a relatively great weight and provide, on the antenna frame 4, ballast to prevent displacement thereof.

Fig. 4 shows an alternative embodiment of an antenna frame 104, having a rectangular outer shape. In the top face thereof, triangular recesses are provided, bounded by the sides of the antenna frame and the diagonals. The dimensions of these triangular recesses are chosen so that a number of triangular support elements 20 can be received therein with a proper fit, as ballast, as shown in Fig. 4 on the right-hand side. Fig. 3 shows a solution for passing obstacles 64, for instance conduits, ducts, roof edges of the like, extending over the roof 8. For that purpose, a number of support elements 20 are stacked, with the upper support element 20 being coupled in a manner described hereinabove to a connecting section 22 supporting a cable duct element 16. A foundation mat 66, for instance made of plastic or rubber, may be provided under the lowermost support element 20, to protect the roof. Since the cable duct elements are slightly flexible, they can easily bridge height differences as shown. In this respect, it may be preferred that the slots 24 adjacent a central area of the cable duct elements 16 diverge slightly, viewed in width direction, such that when the cable duct elements are bent slightly hollow, with the slots adjacent said central area being slightly compressed, there remains sufficient width for the cables included therein. The flexibility of the cable duct elements 16 is increased by the second slots 28.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the walkway, i.e. the cable duct 16, is formed from straight cable duct elements 16 only. However, it will be understood that curved or otherwise shaped cable duct elements 16 can be used in a comparable manner. Preferably, the cable duct elements 16 are designed in a material having a rough top face 14, to prevent slipping. However, they may also be manufactured from a different material, possibly provided with an antiskid profile or top layer. The invention is in no way limited to the exemplary embodiments shown in the description and the Figures. Many variations thereof are possible within the framework of the invention set forth by the claims.

Thus, the support elements may be designed differently, for instance such that two parallel extending connecting sections can be coupled thereto. Thus, with the connecting sections, the cable duct elements can also be held together and secured against displacement. Further, the cable duct elements 16 may, of course, be designed in a different manner, for instance with more or fewer slots, with a closed top and/or bottom face and channels for passing cables therethrough, with other lengths, widths and/or thicknesses and the like. Also, a balustrade may be provided on one side only, or several cable ducts may be provided next to each other between two balustrades. In the embodiments shown, the station is disposed on a flat roof 8, yet it is also possible to use such cable duct on, for instance, an inclined roof or with other surfaces. Comparable variations will readily occur to anyone skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A station for mobile telephony, comprising at least two spaced apart components interconnected by cables, wherein the cables are included in a cable duct, said cable duct being built up from substantially loose-laid, linked cable duct elements, the cable duct being arranged for use as walkway between said components.

2. A walkway for use on a substantially horizontal surface with a station for mobile telephony according to claim 1, said walkway being at least substantially composed from cable duct elements laid loose on said surface and substantially joined together.

3. A walkway according to claim 2, wherein the cable duct elements are manufactured from slightly resilient material, in particular plastic or rubber.

4. A walkway according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the cable duct elements are of substantially elongated and flat design and have their top faces provided with a series of longitudinally extending slots for including cables.

5. A walkway according to any one of claims 2-4, wherein a number of support elements are provided on at least one side and preferably on both sides of the cable duct elements, said support elements being connected to the cable duct elements and having a relatively great weight.

6. A walkway according to claim 5, wherein the cable duct elements are provided, adjacent or in the bottom side thereof, with slots intersecting the longitudinal direction of the cable duct elements and preferably extending transversely to said longitudinal direction, in which slots coupling elements can at least be partially included, which coupling elements can be connected on one side to the cable duct elements and on the other to at least one support element.

7. A walkway according to any one of claims 2-6, wherein on at least one longitudinal side of the walkway, there is provided a balustrade coupled to at least a number of cable duct elements.

8. A walkway according to claim 5 or 6 and claim 7, wherein the or each balustrade comprises a number of said support elements, poles of the balustrade being positioned in said support elements.

9. A walkway according to any one of claims 2-8, wherein at least one of the cable duct elements extends at some distance above the surface on which the walkway is provided.