Route for vehicles and method of building the route

• US 9,067,496 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2011
• Issued: 06/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ENRX IPT GmbH
• Original Assignee: Bombardier Transportation GmbH (Bombardier Incorporated)
• Inventors: Czainski, Robert, Vietzke, Oliver
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Jason C
• Application Number:
  US13/885,479
• Publication Number:
  US 20130233663A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,316 Days
• Field of Search: 191/10
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 5/005 without mechanical contact between the collector and the power supply line
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 9/00 Electric propulsion with power supply external to the vehicle electric propulsion for monorail vehicles, suspension vehicles or rack railways B60L13/00; in combination with batteries or fuel cells within the vehicle B60L50/53
• CPC Class Codes: B60M 1/34 in slotted conduits
• CPC Class Codes: B60M 7/003 for vehicles using stored power (e.g. charging stations)

Abstract

A route for vehicles driving on a surface of the route includes a plurality of shaped blocks adapted to position and/or to hold a plurality of line sections of one or more electric line. Each shaped block comprises recesses forming spaces and/or projections delimiting spaces for receiving at least one of the line sections. The electric line or lines extend(s) through the spaces and extend(s) along the surface of the route in and/or about the travelling direction of vehicles. The shaped blocks and the electric line or lines are supported by a base layer of the route and are covered by a cover layer of the route. The material of the cover layer is also located in regions of the route sideways of the shaped blocks so that the shaped blocks and the cover layer form an integrated layer on top of the base layer.

Claims

1. A route for vehicles driving on a surface of the route, wherein the route comprises:

a plurality of shaped blocks adapted to position and/or to hold a plurality of line sections of one or more electric lines,

each shaped block comprises recesses forming spaces and/or projections delimiting spaces for receiving at least one of the line sections,

the electric line or lines extend(s) through the spaces,

the electric line or lines extend(s) along the surface of the route in and/or about a travelling direction of vehicles which are driving on the route,

the shaped blocks and the electric line or lines are supported by a base layer of the route,

the shaped blocks and the electric line or lines are covered by a cover layer of the route,

a material of the cover layer also covers regions of the base layer that extend sideways of the shaped blocks so that the shaped blocks and the cover layer form an integrated layer on top of the base layer.

2. The route of claim 1, wherein an intermediate layer is located between the base layer and the integrated layer, the intermediate layer decoupling the integrated layer and the base layer from each other.

3. The route of claim 1, wherein the material of the cover layer fills gaps between the line sections and surfaces of the spaces which are formed by the recesses and/or which are delimited by the projections.

4. The route of claim 1, wherein the same type of material is used for the shaped blocks and for the cover layer.

5. The route of claim 1, wherein a boundary surface of the shaped blocks towards the cover layer has been cleaned from foreign material and/or has partly been removed before the material of the cover layer has been placed next to the shaped blocks to form the integrated layer.

6. The route of claim 1, wherein the route comprises first protrusions, which protrude from the surface of at least one of the shaped blocks, and wherein the first protrusions are fully embedded in the material of the cover layer.

7. The route of claim 1, wherein the route comprises second protrusions, which protrude from the surface of at least one of the shaped blocks into a pocket of a neighbouring shaped block.

8. The route of claim 1, wherein a magnetic core material is integrated in the integrated layer.

9. The route of claim 8, wherein the magnetic core material is placed within a core space formed by recesses and/or delimited by projections of the shaped block.

10. The route of claim 9, wherein the core space extends in the driving direction of vehicles driving on the route.

11. The route of claim 1, wherein a shielding layer of electrically conducting material is placed below the shaped blocks.

12. A method of building a route for vehicles driving on a surface of the route, comprising:

providing a base layer of the route for supporting shaped blocks and an electric line or electric lines,

providing a plurality of shaped blocks for positioning and/or holding a plurality of line sections of one or more electric lines, wherein each shaped block comprises recesses forming spaces and/or comprises projections delimiting spaces for receiving at least one of the line sections,

laying the electric line or lines so that it/they extend(s) through the spaces and so that it/they extend(s) along the surface of the route in and/or about a travelling direction of vehicles which are driving on the route,

covering the shaped blocks and the electric line or lines by a cover layer of the route,

placing material of the cover layer also over regions of the base layer that extend sideways of the shaped blocks so that the shaped blocks and the cover layer form an integrated layer on top of the base layer.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein an intermediate layer is placed between the base layer and the integrated layer, the intermediate layer decoupling the integrated layer and the base layer from each other.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein gaps between the line sections and surfaces of the spaces, which are formed by the recesses-and/or which are delimited by the projections, are filled by the material of the cover layer.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the same type of material is used for the shaped blocks and for the cover layer.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein a boundary surface of the shaped blocks towards the cover layer is cleaned from foreign material and/or is partly removed before the material of the cover layer is placed next to the shaped blocks in order to form the integrated layer.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein first protrusions are provided, which protrude from the surface of at least one of the shaped blocks, and wherein the first protrusions are fully enclosed by the material of the cover layer.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein second protrusions are provided so that they protrude from the surface of at least one of the shaped blocks into a pocket of a neighbouring shaped block.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the second protrusions are fixed within the respective pocket of a neighbouring shaped block before the cover layer is placed on the shaped blocks and the electric line or lines.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein a magnetic core material is integrated in the integrated layer.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the magnetic core material is placed within a core space formed by recesses and/or delimited by projections of the shaped block.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the core space extends in the driving direction of vehicles driving on the route.

23. The method of claim 12, wherein a shielding layer of electrically conducting material is placed below the shaped blocks.