TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention generally relates to the field of pillar systems, and more specifically to telescopic pillar systems acting as supports of wall panels on a ship or other offshore platforms.

BACKGROUND

It is well known to use partition walls to prevent or reduce view between balconies and hence improve privacy. This may be in buildings of different types, but also on e.g. passenger ships.

The partition walls may be mounted on fixed pillars or on fixed supports. Alternatively, telescopic pillar systems may be used to improve flexibility in terms of tolerances and to allow modules which may fit to different applications.

A known type of a telescopic pillar system comprises a first and a second longitudinally extending member, wherein the two members are slidingly engaged such that the first member is inserted into the second member, thereby allowing a variable distance between the ends of the telescopic pillar. The ends of such a telescopic pillar system typically comprise mounting plates which are fixedly arranged by e.g. welding, to the respective first and second members. This allows no flexibility in case the support surfaces should be provided with different angles. In fact, support surfaces with different angles are very common, especially on ship balconies. Also, it is very common that not only the angles but also the longitudinal distance varies between different balconies of the ship. It goes without saying that this complicates mounting but also the use of, or provision of any modular telescopic pillar systems for these types of applications.

Another complicating factor is that a ship hull is in constant movement when at sea. To accommodate this, and to avoid fatigue, any add-ons, such as partition walls and their pillar systems, must be able to accommodate such movements. Telescopic pillars as such are per definition favorable since they may accommodate longitudinal movements, but in the event their end plates should be fixedly mounted, such fixed connections will constitute weak zones.

Thus, there is a need for an improved telescopic pillar system that allows an improved versatility in terms of installation dimensions to allow provision of a modular system. Also, there is a need for an improved telescopic pillar system which exhibits an improved resistance to fatigue caused by uncontrolled and constant movement of the installation.

SUMMARY

In the light of the above, it is a main object of the invention to provide a telescopic pillar system that allows an improved versatility in terms of installation dimensions.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved resistance to fatigue caused by uncontrolled and constant movement of the installation during its lifetime.

Yet another object is to provide a telescopic pillar system that may be used no matter type of installation, i.e. no matter if it is land based or marine and no matter if the pillar system should be used for any add-ons such as partition walls.

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a telescopic pillar system comprising a male rail portion having at least one protrusion and a female rail portion, said female rail portion having a longitudinal extension and a free end comprising an end plate, said end plate comprising at least one through-going opening having a cross-sectional profile as seen in a geometrical plane extending transverse to the longitudinal extension of the female rail portion, said cross-sectional profile being complementary to an outer cross-sectional profile of the at least one protrusion of the male rail portion, thereby allowing insertion of the at least one protrusion into said at least one through-going opening, wherein, in an inserted position, the male rail portion is allowed to be displaced along the longitudinal extension of the female rail portion, and allowed to be tilted in view of the geometrical plane extending transverse to the longitudinal extension of the female rail portion. The longitudinal displacement and tilting is allowed during mounting of the telescopic pillar system between two supports, and also after mounting. The latter is of importance to allow the installation to accommodate longitudinal and tilting movements during its lifetime.

The invention provides an enhanced telescopic pillar system allowed to be mounted between two separate supports, wherein a mounting of the telescopic pillar system is less sensitive not only in terms of a longitudinal separation between the two supports, but also in terms of the angle between the surfaces of the supports. This effect may at least partly be achieved since the telescopic pillar system does not use any clamping means to longitudinally clamp the male rail portion and the female rail portion. Thus, the male rail portion is longitudinally moveable relative to the female rail portion, before, during, and after mounting. Further, the tiltability of the male rail portion relative to the female rail portion may at least partly be achieved by the formation of a limited contact surface between the protruding portion of the male rail portion and the through-going opening of the end plate of the female rail portion. The contact surface that is formed is substantially restricted to a portion of the material thickness of the circumferential edge which is defined by the through-going opening in the end plate of the female rail portion, which during a tilting of the male rail portion in view of the female rail portion comes in contact with the male rail portion.

Hence, due to such a limited longitudinally extending contact surface, and the exclusion of any clamping means between the protruding portion of the male rail portion and the end plate of the female rail portion, a tiltability may be provided after mounting of the telescopic pillar system between two supports.

Further, manufacturers do not have to individually adapt their production of telescopic pillar systems to each and every specific angle between the supports, thereby reducing time and cost.

A further advantage is that the telescopic pillar system allows for longitudinally and tiltably flexible supports as the telescopic pillar system is not rigid, neither in the longitudinal nor along at least one angular extension. That is, provided the telescopic pillar system is to be mounted between two supports, e.g., a ceiling console and a floor, the longitudinal and transversal flexibility may allow the angle between the attachment plane of the ceiling console and the attachment plane of the floor to vary between different ceiling consoles. The flexibility of the telescopic pillar system may further allow mutual longitudinal and/or transversal movements between the supports.

Such a flexibility may thereby allow accommodation of the frequently occurring movement of, e.g., a ship hull, thereby preventing fatigue of such otherwise weak zones in vicinity of the connections between the attaching points of the telescopic pillar system and the supports. Furthermore, despite the telescopic pillar system being longitudinally and transversally flexible after mounting, respective portion of the male rail portion and the female rail portion may allow attachment of add-ons, such as partition walls.

A further advantage is that the male rail portion and the female rail portion may be substantially prevented from rotating relative to each other, at least in a plane transverse to the longitudinal extension. This applies even though the outer geometries should be circular. The rotation is prevented by through-going opening in the end plate of the female rail portion having a cross-sectional profile which is complementary to an outer cross-sectional profile of the at least one protrusion of the male rail portion.

According to an embodiment, the male rail portion may be allowed to be tilted about a tilting axis extending transverse to the longitudinal extension of the female rail portion, and wherein the outer cross-sectional profile of the at least one protrusion comprises at least one leg extending substantially orthogonally to said tilting axis.

Allowing the male rail portion to be substantially restricted to be tilted about a specific tilting axis enhances a transversely extended stability such that the telescopic pillar system may resist a significant load applied in the extension of the tilting axis. The telescopic pillar system may thereby be load carrying against, e.g., sideways strong wind gusts. However, the male rail portion will still have a certain flexibility in the extension along the tilting axis, thereby preventing fatigue of the articulating connection between the male rail portion and the female rail portion.

The outer cross-sectional profile of the at least one protrusion may have an H-profile, an l-profile or a T-profile.

An H-shaped cross-sectional profile has two legs interconnected by an intermediate web extending substantially perpendicular between the two legs. The legs may preferably be hollow, which further enhances the strength of the protrusion. The tilting axis in the context of the invention, extends along the extension of web of the H-shaped profile as seen in a plane extending transverse to the longitudinal extension of the pillar system.

A similar description is applicable for the I- and T-shaped profile, where the l-shaped profile has two legs and an intermediate web, thereby being substantially similar to the H-shaped profile.

The portions of the T-shaped profile are oriented such that the horizontal portion of the letter “T” constitutes the leg and the vertical portion constitutes the web. Correspondingly, the vertical portion of the letter Ί” constitutes a web. In both embodiments the tilting axis is substantially aligned along the web. The legs of such profiles may substantially restrict rotation of the male rail portion relative to the female rail portion along the tilting axis.

The legs further improve a torsional stiffness of the male rail portion.

The female rail portion may have a length as seen in the longitudinal extension being substantially longer than a length of the at least one protrusion of the male rail portion.

This may assure that an outermost tip of the male rail portion, which during use is to be received in the through-going opening in the end plate of the female rail portion, is prevented from physical interaction between the inserted free end of the male rail portion and an interior wall portion of the female rail portion in the event the tilting angle should be too large. The length ratio between the female rail portion and the male rail portion may be set to allow a tilting angle of up to +/- 45 degrees and more preferred up to +/-30 degrees.

The at least one through-going opening may comprise a bushing. The use of a bushing may prevent water from entering an interior of the female rail portion. Another advantage is that the bushing may contribute to dampen vibrations and thereby reduce unwanted noise that may occur in the interface between the male rail portion and the boundaries of the through- going opening. Another advantage is that the bushing may introduce additional, but controlled, friction between the male rail portion and the through-going opening of the female rail portion, thereby enhancing the longitudinal and transverse stability of the telescopic pillar system while at the same time maintaining its longitudinal and tiltable characteristics.

The bushing may be manufactured by rubber. The rubber may be ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber (EPDM), which is a durable material that has elastic properties and absorption properties that are well suited for vibration damping, as well as having good sealing properties. Alternatively, the rubber may be any other natural or synthetic rubber such as natural rubber (NR), styrene rubber (SBR), chloroprene rubber (CR), butyl rubber (MR), silicone rubber (Q), or a mixture thereof, such as a mixture of natural rubber and styrene rubber (NR/SBR).

An exterior wall portion of the female rail portion may comprise at least one groove configured to allow direct or indirect support of a wall panel or bracket.

The female rail portion may be an extruded profile allowing grooves along at least one of its longitudinally extending sides. A transverse cross- sectional profile of the female rail portion may comprise four sides, wherein the two opposing sides being perpendicular to the tilting axis comprise grooves configured to allow direct or indirect support of wall panels. Indirect support may be allowed by brackets which are used to mount the wall panel to the telescopic pillar system.

These grooves may further comprise additional protrusions/grooves such that a complementary profile of a wall panel or a bracket may be slidingly engaged to the female rail portion, which may reduce mounting time as well as enhanced stability against, for instance substantially horizontal strong wind gusts that oftentimes occur, when mounted, transversely to the longitudinal extension of the female rail portion. Mounting of wall panels without using screws, or similar fastening means, may further allow an enhanced aesthetically pleasing impression.

The female rail portion may comprise, as seen in a direction transverse to the longitudinal extension of the female rail portion, two oppositely protruding flanges, and wherein said at least one protrusion of the male rail portion comprises a cut-out allowing the at least one protrusion to at least partly receive said oppositely protruding flanges.

The interior flanges serve as an interior reinforcement of the female rail portion to thereby improve its torsional stiffness. Thereby a slenderer pillar may be used. A drawback is however that such flanges also may restrict the available tilting angle of the male rail portion. By providing the at least one protrusion for the male rail portion with a cut-out to allow the at least one protrusion to straddle the flanges during tilting thereby not unduly affecting the available tilting angle.

The male rail portion may comprise a support plate, said support plate being configured to be attached to a support. Correspondingly, the female rail portion may comprise a support plate, said support plate being configured to be attached to a support.

As outlined above, the support plates may be tilted relative to the male rail portion and the female rail portion, respectively. In use, the support plate(s) are used to connect the pillar system between, e.g., a ceiling console and a floor. The support plates may preferably be attached to the ceiling console and the floor by a plurality of bolts, thereby allowing for the telescopic pillar system to be rigidly clamped and thereby resist wind gusts and movement of the ship hull.

The support plate may be fixedly or articulately attached to the male rail portion and/or the female rail portion.

The support plate being fixedly attached to the male and/or female rail portions may allow the telescopic pillar system to be mounted in areas where it is desirable to have further rigidity both in the longitudinal extension and in the transverse extension. Allowing the support plates to be articulately attached to the male and/or the female rail portion allows enhanced flexibility in that the telescopic pillar system adjusts itself longitudinally and transversely to an oftentimes occurring movement of the ship hull. Thus, one or both ends of the telescopic pillar system may be provided with a fixed or articulately attached support plate.

According to another aspect, the invention refers to the use of a telescopic pillar system for mounting a partition wall on a ship or on an offshore oil or gas platform.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention, will be better understood through the following illustrative and non-limiting detailed description of preferred embodiments, with reference to the appended drawings, where the same reference numerals will be used for similar elements, wherein:

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of one embodiment of a freestanding telescopic pillar system.

Figs 2A-2C schematically show the telescopic pillar system being disassembled into its male rail portion and its female rail portion.

Fig. 3 discloses one embodiment of a cross section of the female rail portion.

Fig. 4 discloses a top view of an end plate forming part of the telescopic pillar system.

Figs 5A and 5B show one embodiment of a bushing, and a cross section thereof, configured to be received in an interface between the male rail portion and the female rail portion.

Fig. 6 schematically discloses one embodiment of a T-shaped protrusion of the male rail portion.

Fig. 7 schematically discloses one embodiment of an l-shaped protrusion of the male rail portion. Fig. 8 schematically discloses a side view of the telescopic pillar system demonstrating how the involved parts may move relative to each other.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Turning to Fig. 1 , one embodiment of a freestanding telescopic pillar system 100 is disclosed. The telescopic pillar system 100 may, as a non limiting example, be configured to be mounted between a ship deck (not shown) and a ceiling console (not shown) or a cantilever (not shown) projecting from a wall or the like. The ceiling console may be tilted relative to the ship deck.

In the disclosed embodiment, the telescopic pillar system comprises a first support plate 11 and a second support plate 27 that are configured to be directly or indirectly attached to the ship deck and the ceiling console, respectively, by one or more bolts (not shown).

The telescopic pillar system 100 comprises a male rail portion 10 and a female rail portion 20. The female rail portion 20 extends along a longitudinal extension E _z. The male rail portion 10 is configured to be inserted into a through-going opening of an end plate of the female rail portion 20, and to be movable relative to the female rail portion 20 along the longitudinal extension E _z. Further, the male rail portion 10 is configured to be tiltable relative to the female rail portion 20 about a tilting axis coinciding with a first transverse extension E _y being transverse to the longitudinal extension E _z. The tilting is allowed not only in a condition when the telescopic pillar system is freestanding as is disclosed in Fig. 1 , but also in a condition when the telescopic pillar system is mounted between the ship deck and the ceiling console. Accordingly, the tilting and movability is allowed not only prior to, and during mounting, but also after mounting.

Turning to Figs 2A and 2B, one embodiment of the male rail portion 10 will be discussed. To facilitate understanding of its design, the male rail portion is disclosed in Fig. 2A as being oriented upside down as compared to its intended ordinary use. The male rail portion 10 comprises a support plate 11 which is configured to be directly or indirectly attached to a non-disclosed support by a plurality of bolts (not shown) extending in holes 18 in the support plate 11.

The support may be a ceiling console or a cantilever projection from a wall. In the event of the support plate 11 being attached to a ceiling console, the plane of the support plate 11 substantially coincides with a horizontal direction. It is to be understood that other extensions may apply depending on the orientation of the support.

Further, the male rail portion comprises a protruding portion 12. The protruding portion 12 extends substantially perpendicular to the plane of the support plate 11. In the disclosed embodiment, the protruding portion 12 has, as seen in the plane of the support plate 11 , a substantially H-shaped outer cross-sectional profile.

The H-shaped cross-sectional profile comprises two substantially parallel elongated leg portions 14 which are interconnected by a, relative to the elongated leg portions 14, perpendicularly oriented web portion 15. The web portion 15 is configured to substantially extend in parallel with a tilting axis 50 of the tiltable male rail portion 10 in a condition when the male rail portion 10 has been inserted into the end plate 40 of the female rail portion 20, see Fig. 8. The tilting axis 50 may intersect the centre of mass of the H- shaped cross-sectional profile.

The leg portions 14 may have substantially equal lengths L1;L2 as seen in Figs 2A and 2B. However, the elongated leg portions 14 may have substantially different lengths L1;L2 with remained function.

The H-shaped cross-sectional profile 70 is disclosed as being hollow. The cross-sectional profile may with remained function be solid.

The protruding portion 12 as such may be formed by an extruded profile. The web 15 comprises, in its free end, a substantially rectangular cut out 16. The cut-out is disclosed as having two substantially parallel sides 17 which are aligned along the extension of the protrusion. A transverse side 19 of the cut-out 16 is aligned substantially perpendicular to the substantially parallel sides. The cut-out 16 may, within the scope of the invention, have other geometries. The cut-out may even be omitted.

The protruding portion 12 may be attached to the support plate 11 by plurality of screws or bolts extending through corresponding holes in the support plate 11. This is best seen in Fig. 1. Alternatively, the protruding portion 12 may be attached to the support plate 10 by, e.g. welding, or the like.

The male rail portion 10 may be manufactured from aluminum, steel or any other durable material such as a composite material.

Turning to Fig. 2C, the female rail portion 20 comprises, as previously given, a support plate 27 located at a support end 24 of the female rail portion 20. In the disclosed embodiment, the support end 24 is arranged at the end of the female rail portion 20 opposite to a free end 26 configured to receive the male rail portion 10. The support end 24 will, in use, typically form the vertically lower end of the telescopic pillar system.

The support plate 27 may be configured to be directly or indirectly attached to a support, such as a floor or a ship deck, by a plurality of bolts (not disclosed). For this purpose, the support plate is provided with a plurality of holes 28. In the event of the support plate 27 being attached to a ship deck, the plane of the support plate 27 will substantially coincide with a horizontal direction.

The female rail portion 20 has a longitudinal extension along an axis E _z ; see Fig. 1.

The female rail portion 20 may be an extruded profile. The female rail portion 20 may be manufactured from aluminum, steel or any other durable material. The female rail portion 20 comprises an end plate 40.

Turning to Fig. 3 there is disclosed one embodiment of a cross section 30 of the female rail portion 20. The cross section 30 discloses, in an interior 33 of the female rail portion 20, two oppositely protruding flanges 39. The flanges 39 contribute to the torsional strength of the female rail portion 20.

The flanges 39 are oriented to extend in a plane extending transverse E _y to the intended tilting axis 50 of the male rail portion 10. The flanges 39 may with remained function be omitted.

The oppositely protruding flanges 39 have a geometry that allows them to be at least partly received in the cut-out 16 of the web 15 of the male rail portion 10. Thus, the web 15 of the male rail portion 10 will not be unduly prevented from tilting by the presence of these flanges 39. Instead, the cut out 16 will allow to straddle the flanges 39.

The cross section 30 discloses two opposing grooves 35 that are configured to at least partly, directly or indirectly, receive wall panels or brackets of any type (not disclosed). The grooves 35 may further comprise additional tracks 37 allowing the wall panels or brackets to be directly or indirectly slidingly engaged with the female rail portion 20.

An outer edge 34 of the cross section 30 substantially constitutes a quadrangular geometry having rounded corners 32. As given above, the geometry of the outer edge 48 of the end plate 40 may substantially correspond to the geometry of an outer edge of the cross-sectional profile 30 of the female rail portion 20. Thereby the two rail portions 10, 20 may be prevented from mutual rotation.

It is to be understood that other profiles may be used with remained function.

Now turning to Fig. 4. As given above, the free end 26 of the female rail portion 20 comprises an end plate 40. The end plate 40 is configured to be attached to the free end 26 of the female rail portion 20 by a plurality of screws (not disclosed) which are configured to extend through through-going holes 43 in the end plate 40 and further to engage threaded channels 31 which are formed in the interior 33 of the female rail portion 20. The end plate 40 may alternatively be attached to the free end 26 by other fastening means, such as welding. The end plate 40 may have a thickness, i.e. , a height in the longitudinal extension as seen in condition when mounted to the female rail portion, being substantially smaller than the square root of the transversal area of the end plate. The end plate 40 comprises a through-going opening 42 that has, as seen in a plane extending transverse to the longitudinal extension, an H- shaped cross-sectional profile. The cross-sectional profile of the through- going opening 42 is complementary to the outer cross-sectional profile of the protruding portion 12 of the male rail portion 10. In an assembled condition, the protruding portion 12 of the male rail portion 10 is configured to be inserted into and be slidingly received in the through-going opening 42. Thus, the male rail portion 10 and the female rail portion 20 are configured to be mutually displaceable in view of each other as seen along the longitudinal extension; see E _z in Fig. 1. In other words, the male rail portion is telescopically received in the through-going opening 42 of the end plate 40 of the female rail portion 20. Furthermore, the relatively small thickness of the end plate 40 may allow, while the protrusion 12 of male rail portion 10 is inserted in the end plate 40, the male rail portion 10 and the female rail portion 20 to be mutually transversally tiltable.

It is preferred that the cross-sectional profile of the through-going portion 42 is complementary to the outer cross-sectional profile of the protruding portion 12 of the male rail portion 10. By way of example, in the case of the protruding portion 10 instead has a T-shape or l-shape, the through-going opening 42 is provided with a complementary T-shape or I- shape. It is however to be understood that a protruding portion having a T- shaped or l-shaped cross-sectional profile may be received in a through- going opening having an FI-shaped cross-sectional profile.

The outer edge 48 of the end plate 40 may have a quadrangular geometry with rounded corners 41. The geometry of the outer edge 48 of the end plate 40 may substantially correspond to the geometry of an outer edge of the cross-sectional profile 30 of the female rail portion 20.

The end plate 40 may be manufactured from aluminum, steel or any other durable material such as a composite material.

Figs. 5A and 5B disclose one embodiment of a bushing 60 and a cross section thereof. The bushing 60 is configured to fitted in the through-going opening 42 of the end plate 40 and hence to extend along an edge 46 of the through-going opening 42, see Fig. 4.

The bushing 60 may be manufactured by rubber, where the rubber is ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber (EPDM), but other natural or synthetic rubbers such as natural rubber (NR), styrene rubber (SBR), chloroprene rubber (CR), butyl rubber (MR), silicone rubber (Q) or a mixture thereof, such as a mixture of natural rubber and styrene rubber (NR/SBR) are also possible.

Fig. 5A discloses a perspective view of the bushing 60. The bushing 60 is preferably elastically fastened along the edge 46 of the through-going opening 42 of the end plate 40. The fastening may be provided by the bushing 60 preferably at least partly receiving an edge portion of the through- going opening 42 of the end plate 40. For this purpose, a circumferential waist-portion of the bushing 60 is provided with an opening 62 forming a gap G which is configured to grasp around the edge 46 of the through-going opening 42.

Fig. 5B shows a cross section of the bushing 60 as seen in a plane perpendicular to an elongated web portion 63 of the bushing 60.

The web 15 of the male rail portion 10 is configured to be received in a through-going interspace 68 of the web portion 63 of the bushing 60. As seen in the interspace 68, a proximal surface 67 of the bushing 60 constitute a surface portion of the bushing 60 that may be in sealing contact with the protruding portion 12 of the male rail portion 10. The orientation of the proximal surface 67 as seen in view of the longitudinal extension, may preferably be slanted. The orientation of the slanted surfaces may, to a certain extent affect a tilting angle b of the male rail portion 10 relative to the female rail portion 20, see Fig. 8. With the same reasoning, the edge 46 of the through-going opening 42 may be chamfered to allow other tilting angles b. The minimal distance D between a first and a second bushing portion 69, separated by the interface region 68 may substantially be similar to the thickness T of the web 15 of the male rail potion 10. It is to be understood that other cross sections and designs of the bushing 60 are available with remained function.

Turning to Fig. 6 there is schematically disclosed an alternative embodiment of a protruding portion of a male rail portion having a T-shaped cross-sectional profile 80. The definitions used in the description of the IH- shaped cross-sectional profile are, unless nothing else is stated, reused when describing the T-shaped cross-sectional profile 80.

In the context of the invention, a T-shaped cross-sectional profile 80 may be described as a one-legged version of the above described FI-shaped cross-sectional profile. Again, a web portion 82 extends substantially perpendicular to the extension of a leg portion 84. The T-shaped cross- sectional profile 80 is disclosed as being solid. Flowever, it is to be understood that it with remained function may be hollow. In use, the tilting axis 50 is configured to be substantially aligned with the web portion 82. The tilting axis 50 may substantially intersect the centre of mass of the T-shaped cross-sectional profile 80.

Turning to Fig. 7 there is schematically disclosed one embodiment of a protruding portion of the male rail portion 10 having an l-shaped cross- sectional profile 90. The definitions that were used when describing the FI shaped cross-sectional profile are, unless nothing else is stated, reused when describing the l-shaped cross-sectional profile 70.

The l-shaped cross-sectional profile 90 basically differs from the above described FI-shaped cross-sectional profile 70 in the height of the legs 94. It is to be understood that the leg 94 with remained function may be omitted in an l-shaped cross-sectional profile.

A web portion 92 extends substantially perpendicular to the extension of two substantially parallel leg portions 94. The cross-sectional profile 90 is disclosed as being solid, although it with remained function may be hollow. In use, the tilting axis 50 is configured to be substantially aligned along the web portion 92. The tilting axis 50 may substantially intersect the centre of mass of the l-shaped cross-sectional profile 90. It is to be understood that any cross-sectional profile having features similar to the embodiments described above may be configured to achieve the tilting function of the telescopic pillar system 100. For instance, the protruding portion may have an H-shaped cross-sectional profile comprising an additional intermediate leg parallel to the legs 14. In fact, it would also be possible to solely use profiles comprising two or more substantially parallel legs with no interconnecting web.

Turning to Fig. 8 there is disclosed a schematic sideview of a freestanding telescopic pillar system 100 demonstrating how the involved parts may move relative to each other. To facilitate understanding, the pillar system 100 is illustrated as standing on a horizontal ground with the male and female rail portions 10;20 extending in the vertical direction.

The male rail portion 10 is disclosed as being substantially tiltable, see arrow A, relative to the female rail portion 20 about a tilting axis 50. The tilting axis 50 is disclosed as extending along axis E _y, i.e. , along the viewing direction of Fig. 8, i.e., into or outwards from the screen/paper. When tilted, the plane of the support plate 11 spans an angle b relative to a horizontal plane 54. In a preferred embodiment this angle b may lie within a range of angles from -45 to +45 degrees and more preferred -30 to +30 degrees.

The telescopic pillar system 100 may be configured to allow a larger angular range, for instance, using an end plate 40 having a wider through- going opening 42. The angular range may also be changed by chamfering the edge portion 46 of the through-going opening 42 in the end plate 40 or by reducing the thickness of the end plate 40.

The male rail portion 10 may also, to a certain extent, be tiltable in an extension perpendicular to the tilting axis 50.

When tilted, the male rail portion 10 is movable relative to the female rail portion 20 substantially along a longitudinal extension of the protruding portion 12; see arrow B.

Also, in a non-tilted position, the male rail portion 10 is displaceable along the longitudinal extension of the female rail portion 20, i.e. along axis Ez, see arrow C. As may be seen from Fig. 8, the tiltability of the male rail portion 10 relative to the female rail portion 20 is at least partly achieved by the formation of a limited contacting surface between the protruding portion 12 of the male rail portion 10 and the through-going opening of the end plate 40 of the female rail portion 20. The contacting surface that is formed is substantially restricted to a portion of the material thickness of the circumferential edge which is defined by the through-going opening 42 in the end plate 40 of the female rail portion, which during tilting of the male rail portion 10 in view of the female rail portion 20 comes in contact with the male rail portion 10. Hence, due to such a limited longitudinally extending contacting surface, and an exclusion of any clamping means between the protruding portion 12 of the male rail portion 10 and the end plate 40 of the female rail portion 20, a tiltability and longitudinal displacement is allowed after mounting of the telescopic pillar system between two supports. The above-mentioned movability and tiltability is applicable both when the telescopic pillar system 100 is freestanding as of Fig. 8, as well as when the telescopic pillar system is mounted between e.g. a ship deck and a ceiling console. Accordingly, the tilting and movability is allowed not only prior to, and during mounting, but also after mounting.

Although the telescopic pillar system 100 has been disclosed as being arranged with the male rail portion 10 received in the upper end of the female rail portion 20, it is to be understood that the male rail portion 10 with remained function may be arranged in the lower end of the female portion 20. Correspondingly, it is to be understood that the female rail portion 20 may be provided with one male rail portion 10 in each end.