System adapted for one or more electrically propellable vehicles (arrangement for metal detection)

• US 8,763,773 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2011
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elways AB
• Original Assignee: Elways AB
• Inventors: Asplund, Gunnar
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Jason C
• Application Number:
  US13/638,872
• Publication Number:
  US 20130020165A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,188 Days
• Field of Search: 191/22.R, 191/29.R, 191/30, 191/31, 191/32, 191/33.R, 246/9, 246/65, 246/67, 246/69
• US Class Current: 191/22.C
• 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 1/36 Single contact pieces along the line for power supply

Abstract

An arrangement for metal detection related to 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. The detecting arrangement, comprises one or more coils arranged for sensing the variation of the magnetic field, based on a horizontal and/or vertical distance between the coils and metal parts belonging to the one or more elongated tracks.

Claims

1. A vehicle-related arrangement for metal detection and using an arm-shaped contact means related to a systems for propelling an electrically propellable vehicle, powered by one or several batteries or a set of batteries, along a roadway comprising a plurality of roadway sections or portions, the system comprising:

“

a”

a plurality of roadway portions for subdividing the roadway, into said roadway sections, wherein each one of these 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 being connectable over a switch to one or more vehicle-external electric power sources, including vehicle-external electric stations, for thereby enabling charging of said set of batteries belonging to the vehicle, but primarily driving the vehicle along the roadway and its 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 a required power and/or speed control, wherein said vehicle is provided on its underneath side with contact means comprising current collectors which are displaceable up and down and sideways, in relation to the direction of transportation of the vehicle,

wherein said elongated track or tracks and its conductors extend 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,

wherein coordination between the conductors put under voltage, belonging to the roadway section, and the contact means of the vehicle occurs via coordinated current collectors, such as in the form of contact springs, adapted for mechanical and electrical cooperation with respective ones of the conductors put under voltage,

wherein the detecting arrangement comprises one or more coils arranged for sensing the variation of the magnetic field, based on a horizontal distance between the coils and metal parts belonging to the one or more elongated tracks and/or a vertical distance between the coils and the one or more elongated tracks, and wherein the coils are coordinated with a control equipment.

2. Detecting arrangement in accordance with claim 1, wherein one, two or more coils, generating a magnetic field, are arranged on the vehicle and said elongated tracks are formed in a rail consisting of metal, the upper portions of which are intended to engage the roadway of the roadway section.

3. Detecting arrangement in accordance with claim 1, wherein two coils arranged on the vehicle are adapted to sense the magnetic field and to act on current collector by means of associated assisting motors and control equipment to bring the current collection into mechanical and electrical contact with the elongated tracks and the conductors.

4. Detecting arrangement in accordance with claim 3, wherein the control equipment is adapted to sense when a generated counter voltage from the coils and from the relevant magnetic field has decreased and begins to increase towards “

0”

-potential and thereafter to control the assisting motors to lower the current collector into contact with conductors, put under voltage.

5. Detecting arrangement in accordance with claim 4, wherein two coils are disposed close to each other and surrounded by a third coil, fed by an alternating voltage.

6. Detecting arrangement in accordance with claim 1, wherein the distance between the roadway and the coils related to the vehicle is below 15 cm, preferable between 10 and 1 cm.

7. Detecting arrangement in accordance with claim 1, wherein said coil comprises two coil sections and one coil for generating the magnetic field and these are positioned adjacent to each other transverse to the driving direction of the vehicle.

8. Detecting arrangement in accordance with claim 7, wherein the control equipment is adapted to discern a minimum value, a maximum value and/or a “

0”

-value valid for identifying a track from false measuring values.

9. Detecting arrangement in accordance with claim 1, wherein the control equipment is adapted to control the assisting motors to lower the current collector into contact with the conductors, put under voltage, when the sensed magnetic field decreases and thereafter begins to increase towards “

0”

-potential.