System Adapted For One or More Electrically Propellable Vehicles (Arm-Shaped Contact Means)

• US 20130020162A1
• Filed: 03/31/2011
• Published: 01/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elways AB
• Original Assignee: Elways AB
• Inventors: Asplund, Gunnar
• Granted Patent: US 9,199,541 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 191/49
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 5/40 for collecting current from lines in slotted conduits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 5/42 for collecting current from individual contact pieces connected to the power supply line
• CPC Class Codes: B60M 1/10 Arrangements for energising and de-energising power line sections using magnetic actuation by the passing vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60M 1/34 in slotted conduits
• CPC Class Codes: B60M 1/36 Single contact pieces along the line for power supply
• CPC Class Codes: B60M 7/003 for vehicles using stored power (e.g. charging stations)

Abstract

Contact means (4) related to a vehicle are adapted to comprise an elongated arm (50), one end portion (50a) of which is rotatably attached to the underside (bottom) of the vehicle (1) and the other end portion (50b) of which is adapted to support said contact means (4). One or more sensors (151a, 151b) are disposed at the vehicle (1) and are intended to be able to sense the presence of and the orientation of a track or groove (51) and transfer sensed information to a power control circuit (100), which is adapted to comprise a control circuit (100b), which when sensing the existence of and a sensed orientation of at rack or groove (51), within a covered and restricted area, is to be adapted to actuate means (7) adapted to a sidewise movement and/or a lowering (or raising) movement at the contact means (4).

Claims

1. A vehicle-related arm-shaped contact means (4) related to an arrangement or system (“

S”

) for propelling an electrically, i.a. by one or several batteries or a set of batteries “

II”

, B), propellable vehicle (1) along a stretch of a roadway (2) and its associated roadway sections or portions (2a, 2b), comprising “

a”

a plurality of roadway portions (2a1) for subdividing the stretch of the roadway (2), wherein each one of these roadway portions is allotted one or more elongated tracks, slits or grooves (51, 52) having introduced therein current supplyable and under voltage placeable conductors (4a, 4b), connectable over a switch to one or more power sources (“

III”

) external to the vehicle, such as electric stations (“

s1”

), for thereby i.a. enabling a charging of said set of batteries (“

II”

, B) related to the vehicle (1), but over the battery set up driving the vehicle (1) along the stretch of roadway (2) and its roadway portion (2a1), and “

b”

one or more, by means of an electric motor (5) or motors, powerable vehicles (1), with each of the respective vehicles exhibiting a control circuit (100, “

R2”

) adapted for necessary distribution of power, adapted for creating a required power and/or speed control, wherein said vehicle (1) is on its underneath side provided with an up and down and sideways, counting across the direction of transportation of the vehicle, displaceable contact means (4, 4′

), and with said elongated track or tracks and its conductors (4a, 4b) extending along the stretch of the road and its roadway (2) and in which said contact means (4) is coordinated with a vehicle-related control equipment (100, 10) for creating an adaptation of the contact means (4) so as to at least offer a mechanical and electrical contact with said conductors (4a, 4b), wherein coordination between the conductors (4a, 4b) placed under voltage allotted to the roadway portion (2a1) and the contact means (4) of the vehicle (1) occurs via coordinated current connectors adapted for mechanical and electrical cooperation with respective ones of the conductors (4a, 4b) placed under voltage, the vehicle-related contact means (4) is adapted to be comprised of or be supported by at least one elongated arm (50), the end portion (50a) of which is rotatably attached to an underneath portion or bottom of the vehicle (1) and the other end portion (50b) of which is adapted to support said contact means (4), that one or more sensors (151a, 151b) are allotted to the lower portion of the vehicle (1) and are intended to be able to sense the existence of and the orientation of the track (51) allotted to the road section (2a1) and to transfer sensed information to a control equipment (100) and that the control equipment is adapted to comprise a control circuit (100b) which, in a sensed existence of and sensed orientation within a defined area of coverage, is adapted to actuate a means (7) adapted to horizontally move and/or lowering or elevating the contact means (4).

2. A vehicle related arrangement in accordance with claim 1, wherein one end portion of the elongated arm is oriented in front of a second end portion or area, counted in the momentary direction of motion of the vehicle.

3. A vehicle related arrangement in accordance with claim 1, wherein one end portion of the elongated arm is oriented behind a second end portion or area, counted in the momentary direction of motion of the vehicle.

4. A vehicle related arrangement in accordance with claim 1, wherein said contact means (4) is allotted an elongated extension and is over an axis of rotation (4″

) rotatably attached to the second end portion (50b) of said elongated arm.

5. A vehicle related arrangement in accordance with claim 4, wherein in relation to a vertical plane, allotted to the vehicle such as a plane connecting to a chosen direction of travel, the contact means (4) with its elongated shape is adapted to have an angular value, in relation to said elongated arm, corresponding to the angular value of this arm in relation to a vertical plane allotted to the vehicle.

6. A vehicle related arrangement in accordance with claim 1, wherein the contact means is adapted to support at least two contact members oriented parallel to each other or behind each other.

7. A vehicle related arrangement in accordance with claim 1, wherein conductor lines (60), which may be placed under voltage and current, are adapted to extend along said elongated arm (50) in a direction towards one of its end portions (50a) and over to the vehicle (1) and to a circuit (“

R1”

) distributing to one or more sources of power.

8. A vehicle related arrangement in accordance with claim 1, wherein sensor units (151a, 151b) allotted to the vehicle, such as side-related, are connected to the control equipment (100) and are intended to indicate a maximized limit value of the displacement of the contact means (4a, 4b).

9. A vehicle related arrangement in accordance with claim 1, wherein at an indicated maximized limit value of said contact means, when the latter moves in a direction from its intermediate position, a means is activated for being able to elevate the contact means in cooperation with a groove and its conductors.

10. A vehicle related arrangement in accordance with claim 1, wherein at an indicated maximized limit value of said contact means, when the latter moves in a direction from its intermediate position and towards its end position, a means is activated over the control equipment for being able to raising the contact means out of cooperation with its track or groove and its conductors.

11. A vehicle related arm arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said arm (50) is adapted to be shaped as two parallel arm portions (50, (50)) for orienting said contact means (4) parallel to sensed tracks or grooves (51, 52), allotted to the roadway section.