Description FIELD

The present invention relates to a new method for laying down utility lines and for installing cables, hoses, pipes, troughs and other network lines that are not required to have an increased level of protection when installed. The present invention relates also to a ground structural element to be used when performing the method.

BACKGROUND

All ground structural elements currently in use with the building industry serve the only purpose for which they have been intended for. No solution exists that would meet the original purpose of a ground structural element and at the same time would offer another possible application. For example, road curb elements are laid down during construction works for the only purpose of reinforcing and lining the road side. So far, these structural elements have not been used for any installation of the lines either within or under them. The same applies for other ground structural elements as well.

Several processes have been used for installing telecommunication lines with data leads, in particular optical lines. The most popular process involves excavating a deep trench, laying down the cable, embedding the cable in a relatively thin layer of sand, and backfilling the trench with soil. The line is protected at both the sides and the bottom of the trench with the sand layer. The excavation works are usually performed using heavy construction machines or just a manual labour force. The main drawback of this typical process is a high cost of the excavations and associated time needed for the workplace preparation, the new line installation, and eventually putting the terrain back to the original condition. Another disadvantage of the prior art is a high risk of damage to an existing infrastructure which again requires a careful planning of the construction process. Yet another problem associated with the prior art is that the lines may be attacked by rodents. The repair of thus damaged lines is difficult as the lines may be required to be excavated again.

Also, lawn areas in towns, parks and rest places are usually not irrigated at all for cost reasons, or are watered using potable water which is uneconomical.

SUMMARY

The present invention provides a method for installing a line, in particular telecommunication line, wherein the line is installed in a cavity of a ground construction element, selected from a set of elements including: the elements forming sidewalk paves, in particular the interlocking paves, the elements forming a sidewalk curb, the elements forming a road curb, and the elements forming a road gutter; the cavity being defined within the ground construction element, or immediately under the ground construction element.

The cavity of the ground structural element is preferably defined within a single-piece ground structural element. Alternatively, the cavity of the ground structural element can be defined by a hollow space in-between two components of a two-piece ground structural element comprising a bed and a cover, the cover can, in turn, comprise two cover parts. The cavity under the ground structural element can be preferably defined by a hollow space in-between the bottom side of a single-piece ground structural element and a bedding formed in the underlying material .

The present invention provides also the ground structural element for performing the above installation method selected from a set of elements including: the elements forming sidewalk paves, in particular the interlocking paves, the elements forming a sidewalk curb, the elements forming a road curb, and the elements forming a road gutter; wherein the ground construction element is provided with the cavity for the line installation.

The cavity of the ground structural element is preferably defined within a single-piece ground structural element. Alternatively, the cavity of the ground structural element can be defined by a hollow space in-between two components of a two-piece ground structural element comprising a bed and a cover, the cover can, in turn, comprise two cover parts.

The present invention provides also the application of the above specified ground structural element for installing the lines, in particular the telecommunication lines.

The present invention provides a novel method for the line construction. The method is based on installing the line in the specially formed cavities provided in the ground structural elements which are currently in the use, or in the cavities formed under the ground structural elements that protect the line from any external damage. The present invention can be used in the fields of the civil constructions and the telecommunications which, in this way, are directly linked by the method, however can be applicable also in other fields in which a line of any type is used.

The method of the line installation is not limited to only telecommunication lines but can be used in all fields in which such line installations are safe. The present invention proposes to extend the applicability of existing, or newly fabricated, ground structural elements, and supplements their typical purpose with another functionality of the line housing. The method of the present invention also proposes a modification to a manufacturing process for the ground structural elements such as to assemble them from two components, one forming the bed, the other forming the cover, while maintaining the features of the ground structural element determined by its primary purpose, like are ^: the reinforcement, drainage, etc. When assembled, the two components of the ground structural element define the cavity which can be utilized for the line installation. The one component of the two-piece ground structural element is the base bed for receiving the line. This component will be sized appropriately for the lines intended to be installed. The other component will be designed to removably extend over the first component, and its upper surface will form a typical configuration of a sidewalk or a road (curb, pavement, gutter) .

Alternatively, the ground structural element can comprise only the top component forming the typical configuration of the sidewalk or the road, while the line will be installed under the top component only. The present invention significantly reduces the time and cost needed for the line installation. It saves the space, especially in a case of the construction area already occupied with existing gas, water, electricity, and/or data lines. The present invention replaces the time consuming and costly deep excavations with a more convenient way of installing the lines within the ground structural elements or immediately under the ground structural elements. The method according to the present invention also allows to route the lines over areas in which it would be otherwise difficult or impossible because of building restrictions, like is a building ban due to excavation depth limits, or for economical reasons. When the old, worn or damaged ground structural elements, like are the sidewalk curbs, needs to be replaced with the new ground structural elements then the ground structural elements according to the present invention, suitable for the line installation, can be used. This would reduce or completely eliminate the procedure for obtaining a building permit. The ground structural elements can be replaced one by one which reduces the risk of damage to the lines or other equipment. The innovative method allows for the faster propagation of the telecommunication services and thus contributes to the art development. It can also improve the quality of digital television and radio, internet, video telephone, camera systems, and other services .

The method of the present invention combines the construction of the telecommunication lines with the construction or repair of the roads and/or the sidewalks.

This motivates both the owner of the road and the owner of the line to co-operate, for example the road rainwater gutters can be paid by the line owner.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other features and advantages of the present invention should be apparent from the following descriptions of the exemplary embodiments read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings on which:

Fig. 1 shows the installation of the line 3_ inside the ground structural element comprising the gutter element 5_;

Fig. 2 shows another alternative of installing the line _3 inside the cavity of the two-piece gutter element comprising the cover 1_ and the bed _2. The line 3_ is embedded in the bedding _4_ (e.g. sand) placed in the bed 2_;

Fig. 3 shows another embodiment of the line _3 installation similar to that of Fig. 2, the two-piece ground structural element is a road curb element;

Fig. 4 shows another embodiment of the line _3 installation in the two-piece road or sidewalk curb element;

Fig. 5 shows the line _4 installed in the three-piece drain gutter element comprising the bed 2_, the first cover Ia. and the second cover Vo_. This embodiment is intended for installation of the lines that require a higher degree of protection. While the first cover lja. is configured as the rainwater gutter, the second cover 3JD adds to the line protection, and its signal colour notifies of the presence of a readily affected line. Additional warning sign can be provided by a signal sheet _6 interposed between the bed 2_ and the second cover Ib .

Fig. 6 shows a typical single-piece gutter element comprising the cover _1 which extends over the bedding 1_ prepared for the line _3; and

Fig. 7 shows an installation similar to that of the Fig. 6, the single-piece ground structural element forming the cover 1 is a road curb element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Using the teaching of the present invention, a telecommunication line running between two inhabited places (e.g. towns) can be provided. The HDP (high density polyethylene) tubes can be installed into the gutter elements lining the road between both places. The gutter element, specially designed for this purpose, consists of two components. The bottom component is laid into the concrete bedding. The troughs for optical cables are placed onto the bottom component and buried with sand or other loose material. Then the bottom element, with the tubes and the sand bedding, is covered with the top component which has a shape of the gutter. This ground structural element serves two purposes: 1) covers and protects the long range communication line which follows the road, and 2) drains rainwater from the road.

The interconnection of these two fields, that of the road construction and that of the telecommunication, is advantageous. At first, it allows for a faster optical network construction as no deep excavations are required any more, secondly the involvement of other parties, e.g. telecommunication companies, in the road modifications brings the added value to the users.

The same principle of the telecommunication line installation, as described above, can be applied when constructing or repairing the sidewalks or the roads, where there the lines can be installed into the curbs and/or other ground structural elements. The line can thus connect every building or house, and can run across the roads, railroads, squares, parks, etc.

The method according to the present invention can be used for installing any line or duct which is not prohibited from this kind of installation by regulations. Another example of the line, which can be installed according to the present invention, is the distribution of the utility water from its source, e.g. river, via a pump to use points of irrigation, e.g. lawn areas in towns, etc.

The lines can be laid down into a hollow concrete element equipped with a cover without any excavation required. Such hollow concrete elements can be located, for example, in the middle of a highway between the hard shoulders or along railroads.

The application of the method according to the present invention can promote the distribution of the irrigation water over the lawn areas. Such distribution networks has not been, so far, viable due to the high cost of excavation.

Another possible application of the method according to the present invention includes free installation of the line into the soil, or the sand, or its embedding into a concrete or other stuff, and subsequent covering of the embedded line with existing ground construction elements, like curb elements or gutter elements.