FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to engineered bamboo pipes made of radially split bamboo slats.
BACKGROUND
Bamboo is a non-uniform pipe i.e. its diameter, wall thickness and inter nodal spacing, all vary substantially even in a single bamboo of 2 m to 4 m in length. This makes it generally difficult to design with bamboos and hinders development of standard size clamps to grip the bamboos.
Reference may be made to US 6, 576, 331 relating to shaped load-carrying structures fabricated using bamboo linear fibers with a compatible bonding material and synthetic polymers such as polyesters, epoxies, and polyolefins. The structures are manufactured by coating at least one bamboo culms, split bamboo culms, bamboo fiber tape, or prepared bamboo fibers with a bonding material to produce a core. The core is then combined with a polymer matrix and extruded or molded to form a structure having the desired shape. The structure compared favorably with wood, steel, and concrete regarding strength, longevity, price and ability to withstand earthquakes. The structures may be used as beams, columns, telephone poles, marine piles and pallets.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of the present invention is to provide engineered bamboo pipes made of radially split bamboo slats which retains the characteristic feature of bamboo structure and yet turns the natural non-uniform bamboo into engineered bamboo pipes of uniform cross section like those of steel.
Another object of the present invention is to provide engineered bamboo pipes made of radially split bamboo slats wherein the uniformity of the engineered bamboo pipes of standard sizes is useful in designing the cost effective clamps.
Further object of the present invention is to provide engineered bamboo pipes made of radially split bamboo slats which is weldable to another engineered bamboo pipes.
The inventive features of the present invention are indicated in the principal claim and advantageous features are mentioned in the subsequent claims.
STATEMENT OF INVENTION
According to this invention there is provided engineered bamboo pipes made of radially split bamboo slats comprising of a uniform bamboo of the desired cross section made of atleast a pair of bamboo slats wherein the cross section of the bamboo may be provided with atleast one nodal plate of given thickness at the desired spacing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
Further objects and advantages of this invention will be more apparent from the ensuing description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and wherein:
Fig. 1 and 2 shows exemplary embodiment of cross section of bamboo.
Fig. 3-6 shows pairing of slats of bamboo.
Fig. 7 shows nodal plate provided inside the cross section of bamboo.
Fig. 8 shows arrangement for screwing of bamboo with the nodal plate.
Fig. 9 shows weldable metal clamps around the nodal plate.
Fig. 10 shows provision of nodal plate together with transverse and
diagonal slivers inside the bamboo.
Fig. 11 shows provision of nodal plate with transverse slivers inside the
bamboo.
DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION WITH REFERENCE TO THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
Reference may be made to fig. 1 and 2 wherein bamboos are radially split into slats and the slats are reshaped to a uniform size. Thereafter, the slats are assembled to obtain the desired cross section such as circular and rectangular as shown in the figures. The natural bamboo is having considerable taper from one end to the other. Thus, when radially split, the slats vary in width from one end to another. Therefore, reshaping of

these to have a uniform cross section requires removal of substantial quantity of material.
To save material, these slats can be paired before grouping as shown in fig 3 and 4. This results in reduction of the material going waste leading to cheaper engineered pipes.
Pairing of the slats is done in such a way that, wide end of one slate mates with the narrow end of the other so as to obtain paired slat having nearly uniform width. This is followed by reshaping of the cross section of these slats and regrouping of paired slats to form the bamboo of desired cross section.
Further, reference may be made to fig. 5 wherein only one edge of each of the two slats is trimmed before being joined to make a pair of slats of uniform width. Further, reference may be made to fig. 6 in which four edges of the two slats are trimmed before joining them to make a pair of slats of uniform width.
The synthetic resin or epoxy bonding between the shaped bamboo slats is stronger than the natural bond between the longitudinal fibers in bamboo. Thus, the engineered bamboo is stronger than natural bamboo.
A uniform bamboo of the desired cross section may be provided with nodal plate(s) of given thickness at the desired spacing as shown in fig. 7 over which the reshaped bamboo slats are regrouped and joined with resin at suitable pressure and temperature. The nodal plates are made of

hard wood or wood/bamboo composites or composite of bamboo and metal or plastics to the desired thickness and size.
Now, referring to fig. 8 and 9 wherein nuts can be molded into the nodal plates at suitable locations so that bolts can be driven into these for making joints to the bamboo.
Sheet metal (for example of steel) grips with the desired cross section such as square, circular etc may be fitted around the bamboo slats over the nodal plates optionally with rubber wrap in which the rubber wrap distributes the compressive force of the metal grips around the bamboo surface.
The said metal grips are connected to outer metal grips by means of stiffeners. The assembly of bamboo with the clamp can be joined with other such assembly by clamping.
The stiffened metal clamp is provided for thermal isolation. Therefore, bamboo does not get affected much by heat while welding is done on outer clamp because by the time heat reaches inner clamp, its temperature drops.
The bamboo pipes can be divided into sets of symmetrical peripheral parts like two, three, four, six etc, each of which is made out of several slats. Each of the parts can be further stiffened with the bamboo slivers provided along the transverse and/or diagonal directions on the inside as depicted in fig. 10 and 11.

In another embodiment of the present invention, mat impregnated with resin/epoxy may be provided inside the bamboo. The mat is made of natural/synthetic fibers wherein the natural fibers are such as coir, banana, jute, bamboo etc and synthetic fibers are such as polypropylene, poly vinyl, glass etc.
Such bamboo can be used for transportation of chemical fluid because there is no leakage and bamboo slats provide much strength and thermal insulation.
It is to be noted that the present invention is susceptible to modifications, adaptations and changes by those skilled in the art. Such variant embodiments employing the concepts and features of this invention are intended to be within the scope of the present invention, which is further set forth under the following claims:-

WE CLAIM;
1. Engineered bamboo pipes made of radially split bamboo slats
comprising of a uniform bamboo of the desired cross section
made of atleast a pair of bamboo slats wherein the cross section
of the bamboo may be provided with atleast one nodal plate of
given thickness at the desired spacing.
2. Engineered bamboo pipes as claimed in claim 1 wherein the
pair of bamboo slats involves trimming of atleast one edge of a
slat before joining with the other.
3. Engineered bamboo pipes as claimed in claim 1 wherein the
pair of bamboo slates involves mating of wide end of one slat
with narrow end of the other to obtain a paired slat of nearly
uniform width followed by reshaping of the cross section of the
slats.
4. Engineered bamboo pipes as claimed in any of the preceding
claims wherein the nodal plates can be molded with nut(s) at
suitable locations to accommodate bolt for making joints with
the bamboo.
5. Engineering bamboo pipes as claimed in any of the preceding
claims provided with a suitable metal grip, preferably over the
nodal plate.
6. The metal grip as claimed in claim 5 may be provided after first
wrapping the engineered bamboo pipe surface with a suitable
rubber strip.

7. Engineered bamboo pipes as claimed in claims 5 and/or 6
wherein the said metal grip is connected to an outer metal grip
by means of stiffener, provided for thermal isolation so that
welding can be done to the outer metal grip with out damaging
the bamboo.
8. Engineered bamboo pipes as claimed in claims 5 to 7 wherein
the said outer metal grip can be extended on one or many sides
so that such bamboo pipes can be joined together through the
extended metal grips through welding or other wise.
9. Engineered bamboo pipes as claimed in any of the preceding
claims wherein inside surfaces of the pipes may be stiffened
with suitable bonding of the bamboo slivers or other suitable
strips provided along the transverse and/ or diagonal directions.
10. Engineered bamboo pipes as claimed in any of the preceding
claims wherein the inside surface of the bamboo pipe is covered
by a mat impregnated with resin/epoxy in which the mat is
made of natural/ synthetic fibers.
11 . Engineered bamboo pipes made of radially split bamboo slats substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.