Positioning and/or holding a plurality of line sections of electric lines along a drive way of a vehicle

• US 9,038,796 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2010
• Issued: 05/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ENRX IPT GmbH
• Original Assignee: Bombardier Transportation GmbH (Bombardier Incorporated)
• Inventors: Woronowicz, Konrad, Siedmiogrodzki, Kris, Baade, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): MCCARRY JR, ROBERT J
• Application Number:
  US13/516,022
• Publication Number:
  US 20120318625A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,617 Days
• Field of Search: 191/1.R, 191/2, 191/12.R, 191/22.R, 191/22.C, 191/23.R, 238/2, 238/10.R, 238/10.B, 238/10.E, 238/10.F, 238/14.05, 238/14.3
• US Class Current: 191/22.C
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/34 of parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 5/005 without mechanical contact between the collector and the power supply line
• CPC Class Codes: B60M 1/14 Crossings; Points
• CPC Class Codes: B60M 1/34 in slotted conduits
• CPC Class Codes: E01B 21/00 Track superstructure adapted for tramways in paved streets paving E01C9/04, E01C9/06

Abstract

A shaped block for positioning and/or holding a plurality of line sections of one or more electric lines along the track of a vehicle includes a plurality of recesses and/or projections. Edges of the recesses and/or the projections each delimit a space for the line sections into which one of the line sections can be introduced, so that said line section extends through the space in a longitudinal direction of the space. The longitudinal directions of the spaces delimited by the edges of the recesses and/or by the projections extend essentially mutually parallel in a common plane.

Claims

1. An arrangement comprising:

at least one shaped block for positioning and/or holding a plurality of line sections of one or more electric lines along a drive way of a vehicle, wherein the shaped block comprises a plurality of recesses and/or projections, wherein edges of the recesses and/or the projections each delimit a space for the line sections into which one of the line sections can be introduced, so that said line section extends through the space in a longitudinal direction of the space, and wherein the longitudinal directions of the spaces delimited by the edges of the recesses and/or by the projections extend essentially mutually parallel in a common plane, and

the line sections which extend through the spaces,

wherein at least part of the line sections are formed by a continuous electric line so that first line sections extending through the spaces in a transverse direction relative to the drive way of the vehicle are mutually connected via second line sections of the electric line extending along the drive way of the vehicle, and

wherein the second line sections extend alternately at opposing sides of the shaped block, so that the electric line follows a meandering path.

2. The arrangement according to claim 1, the at least one shaped block further comprising an end surface for facing in a direction of travel of the vehicle, wherein the end surface comprises a central region and wherein the end surface when viewed from above—

retreatingly extends on both sides of the central region, so that a further shaped block having a plane or retreatingly extending end surface may abut on the end surface oriented in different directions.

3. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the recesses extend with their longitudinal directions substantially mutually parallel at an upper surface of the shaped block.

4. The arrangement according to claim 1, the at least one shaped block further comprising at least two of the shaped blocks, wherein the at least two shaped blocks are arranged behind one another to be positioned along the drive way.

5. The arrangement according to claim 2, wherein a first shaped block comprises a protrusion in the central region of the end surface, wherein a second shaped block comprises a recess in the central region of an abutting end surface, wherein the protrusion and the recess are correspondingly shaped and arranged so that the protrusion engages the recess in a manner which allows for a variation of the relative orientation of the first and second shaped block.

6. The arrangement of claim 5, wherein the protrusion and the recess—

when viewed from above—

comprise a curved outline.

7. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the shaped blocks is arranged behind one another along the drive way of the vehicle so that the longitudinal directions of the spaces formed by the different shaped blocks for accommodating the line sections extend essentially mutually parallel.

8. The arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the shaped blocks arranged behind one another are situated between the rails of a railway track for railway vehicles, so that the longitudinal direction of the spaces for accommodating the line sections extend in an essentially horizontal plane and transversely to the drive way of the vehicle.

9. A method for positioning and/or holding a plurality of line sections of one or more electric lines along a track of a vehicle, wherein

at least one shaped block having a plurality of recesses and/or projections is provided, wherein edges of the recesses and/or the projections each delimit a space for the line sections into which one of the line sections is introduced, so that said line section extends through the space in a longitudinal direction of the space, and wherein the longitudinal directions of the spaces delimited by the edges of the recesses and/or by the projections extend essentially mutually parallel in a common plane, and

at least one electric line is introduced into the spaces such that first line sections of the electric line extend through the spaces in the longitudinal direction of the spaces,

wherein the line or lines are introduced into the spaces such that at least part of the line sections are formed by a continuous electric line so that the first line sections extending through the spaces in a transverse direction relative to a drive way of the vehicle are mutually connected via other second line sections of the electric line extending along the drive way of the vehicle, and

wherein the second line sections extend alternately at opposing sides of the shaped block, so that the electric line follows a meandering path.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the shaped block comprises an end surface for facing in a direction of travel of the vehicle, wherein the end surface comprises a central region and wherein the end surface—

when viewed from above—

retreatingly extends on both sides of the central region and wherein a further shaped block having a plane or retreatingly extending end surface is oriented in a desired direction—

corresponding to the path of travel of the vehicle—

while the end surfaces of the shaped block and of the further shaped block abutting on each other.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the shaped block comprises a protrusion in the central region of the end surface, wherein the further shaped block comprises a recess in the central region of an abutting end surface, wherein the protrusion and the recess are correspondingly shaped and wherein the shaped block and the further shaped block are arranged so that the protrusion engages the recess in a manner which allows for a variation of the relative orientation of the first and second shaped block.