System adapted for one or more electrically propellable vehicles (letting water pass by electrical conductors)

• US 8,776,970 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2011
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Evias AB
• Original Assignee: Elways AB
• Inventors: Asplund, Gunnar
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Jason C
• Application Number:
  US13/638,564
• Publication Number:
  US 20130025990A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,202 Days
• Field of Search: 246/9, 246/65, 246/67, 246/69, 191/22.R, 191/29.R, 191/30, 191/31, 191/32, 191/33.R
• US Class Current: 191/29.R
• 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: 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: Y02A 30/30 in transportation, e.g. on roads, waterways or railways

Abstract

An arrangement adapted for letting water pass by electrical conductors and their contact surfaces related to a track of a system adapted for electrically driving a vehicle along a roadway. The vehicle is provided with a current collector which is displaceable up and down and sideways in relation to the direction of transportation, in order to be brought into mechanical and electrical contact with elongated tracks positioned below the roadway and comprising a conductor adapted to be supplied with current and put under voltage. At least two or three tracks are disposed parallel to each other in a common rail structure, with at least two of these tracks being adapted to support and contain individual electrical conductors with contact surfaces put under voltage, and wherein at least one track is disposed closer to the highest point of the roadway and adjacent to a track containing one of said conductors with contact surfaces, which may be put under voltage.

Claims

1. An arrangement adapted for letting water pass by electrical conductors and their contact surfaces related to a rail structure of a system for propelling an electrically propellable vehicle by one or several batteries or a set of batteries along a roadway, comprising a plurality of roadway sections, the system comprising:

“

a”

a plurality of roadway portions for subdividing the roadway into said roadway sections, wherein each one of the roadway sections comprises one or more elongated tracks or slits having conductors introduced therein adapted to be supplied with current and put under voltage and having contact surfaces, wherein the conductors are connectable via a switch to one or more vehicle-external power sources, including vehicle-external electric stations, for thereby enabling a charging of said set of batteries belonging to the vehicle, but primarily driving the vehicle along the roadway and the roadway sections, and

“

b”

one or more driveable or propellable vehicles which may be driven by means of an electric motor or motors, with each of the respective vehicles comprising a control circuit adapted for necessary distribution of power, adapted for creating required power and/or speed control, wherein said vehicle is provided on its underneath side with contact means displaceable up and down and sideways, in relation to the direction of transportation of the vehicle;

wherein said elongated track and the conductors extending along the roadway and the roadway sections and wherein said contact means is coordinated with a vehicle-related control equipment for creating an adaptation of the contact means so as to at least offer a mechanical and electrical contact with said conductors and the contact surfaces thereof;

wherein at least two or three tracks are disposed parallel to each other in a common rail structure, with at least two of these tracks being adapted to support and contain individual electric conductors with contact surfaces put under voltage, and

wherein at least one track is disposed closer to the highest point of the roadway and adjacent to a track containing one of said conductors with contact surfaces which may be put under voltage.

2. Rail structure arrangement in accordance with claim 1, wherein said tracks are disposed within a chosen middle area of a subdivided lane of a roadway.

3. Rail structure arrangement in accordance with claim 1, wherein upper open portions of the tracks are adapted for being connected to a slanting upper surface of the roadway.

4. Rail structure arrangement in accordance with claim 1, wherein the tracks supporting and containing said electric conductors with contact surfaces, which may be put under voltage, are shaped as an elongated rail disposed in a channel in the roadway, with said channel being dimensioned as a track or channel for guiding water to pass underneath and past the rail with the upwardly open tracks and conductors with contact surfaces.

5. Rail structure arrangement in accordance with claim 4, wherein a first edge portion of the channel, facing the highest point of the roadway, is disposed at a higher level than the upper edge portion of an adjacent first track, whereas a second edge portion of the channel, facing towards the edge of the road of the roadway, is disposed at a lower level than the upper portion of an adjacent second track.

6. Rail structure arrangement in accordance with claim 5, wherein the upper edge portion of the first track is angled in the direction of the roadway and adapted to connect to a virtual portion of the roadway, extending between the first edge portion of the channel and the second edge portion of the channel.

7. Rail structure arrangement in accordance with claim 1, wherein three individual tracks are formed in the roadway, with two tracks adapted to support and contain individual conductors with contact surfaces which may be put under voltage and with a track disposed adjacent to said two tracks and facing the highest point of roadway.

8. Rail structure arrangement in accordance with claim 1, wherein said tracks are disposed parallel to each other in a rail structure having wall sections made of metal and an intermediate wall section separating the external wall sections, wherein a first conductor with a contact surface, which may put under voltage, is arranged in a lower portion of a first track, limited by a first external wall section and an intermediate wall section, and wherein a second conductor with a contact surface, which may be put under voltage, is arranged in a lower portion of a second track limited by a second external wall section and said intermediate wall section.

9. Rail structure arrangement in accordance with claim 8, wherein the intermediate wall section is formed of an electrically conductive material.

10. Rail structure arrangement in accordance with claim 8, wherein the first track comprises a first electrically insulating layer, applied to surface portions facing each other of a first wall section and an intermediate wall section, respectively, and wherein this insulating layer is coordinated with a lower portion and intended to support a first conductor with a contact surface which may be put under voltage.

11. Rail structure arrangement in accordance with claim 10, wherein the second track comprises a second electrically insulating layer, applied to surface portions facing each other of a second wall section and an intermediate wall section, respectively, and wherein this insulating layer is coordinated with a lower portion and intended to support a second conductor with a contact surface, which may be put under voltage.

12. Rail structure arrangement in accordance with claim 11, respectively, wherein the first electrically conductive layer is separated from the second electrically insulting layer by the intermediate wall section.

13. Rail structure arrangement in accordance with claim 12, wherein at least one of two or more electrically insulating layers is adapted to form an upper edge section, located below an upper edge portion of its associated track.