A work machine, such as a hauler at a mining site, includes a conductor rod housing concentric metal tubes for receiving electrical power from a contactor sliding on a power rail. Electrical connectivity between conductors within the conductor rod are provided using a conductive liquid. Corrosion barriers are used to protect the conductors while maintaining the electrical connectivity between the conductors.

A method including detecting that a vehicle that may be propelled by an electric drive system having one or more motors disconnects or begins disconnecting from an off-board source of power while the one or more motors are being powered by the off-board source of power. The method may include supplanting a decreasing amount of a first electric energy supplied by the off-board source of power to the electric drive system with an amount of a second electric energy supplied by an onboard source of power to the electric drive system responsive to the detection of the disconnect from the off-board source of power.

An aircraft comprising at least one electric drive system configured to drive a wheel of a landing gear in rotation and at least one energy receiving element configured to power the electric drive system and cooperate with an energy emitting element present on the ground, the energy receiving and emitting elements forming an electrical energy transfer device allowing, when the aircraft is moving on the ground, a transfer of electrical energy from the energy emitting element to the energy receiving element.

An aircraft comprising at least one electric drive system configured to drive a wheel of a landing gear in rotation and at least one energy receiving element configured to power the electric drive system and cooperate with an energy emitting element present on the ground, the energy receiving and emitting elements forming an electrical energy transfer device allowing, when the aircraft is moving on the ground, a transfer of electrical energy from the energy emitting element to the energy receiving element.

In a local cart traveling system, a frame track includes first and second metal rails each with an L-shaped cross section and facing each other. A local cart is within the frame track, and includes a first electricity receiving tire and a second electricity receiving tire to travel on horizontal travel surfaces of the rails. A voltage supplier supplies an AC voltage to the travel surfaces, so that the first metal rail and a first electricity receiving tire define a first capacitor and the second metal rail and the second electricity receiving tire define a second capacitor. The local cart includes a power receiver to receive AC power, and a travel motor that receives power after the AC power is rectified. The frame track includes a connecting plate as an electrical insulator covering portions of the surfaces of vertical walls of the first metal rail and the second metal rail.

In a local cart traveling system, a frame track includes first and second metal rails each with an L-shaped cross section and facing each other. A local cart is within the frame track, and includes a first electricity receiving tire and a second electricity receiving tire to travel on horizontal travel surfaces of the rails. A voltage supplier supplies an AC voltage to the travel surfaces, so that the first metal rail and a first electricity receiving tire define a first capacitor and the second metal rail and the second electricity receiving tire define a second capacitor. The local cart includes a power receiver to receive AC power, and a travel motor that receives power after the AC power is rectified. The frame track includes a connecting plate as an electrical insulator covering portions of the surfaces of vertical walls of the first metal rail and the second metal rail.

An underground mine energy management system includes wireless nodes located at different 3D coordinate positions along travel paths throughout an underground mine, and energy zones are defined between respective pairs of the wireless nodes. A controller is programmed to communicate with a central control office for the mine, a plurality of electric mining vehicles, a plurality of energy storage devices, and a plurality of charging stations operating within the mine, receive data indicative of an energy utilization profile for each of the electric mining vehicles traversing each of the energy zones in one of a loaded or unloaded condition, and an energy storage profile for each of the energy storage devices available to be installed on an associated electric mining vehicle traversing each of the energy zones, determine productivity goals, missions, and prioritized tasks to be performed by each of the electric mining vehicles and each of the energy storage devices, pair each electric mining vehicle with at least one energy storage device based on a determined mission or prioritized task, and generate travel paths made up of a sequence of the energy zones for the paired electric mining vehicles and energy storage devices to complete the determined mission or prioritized task.

According to some embodiments, a rail transport vehicle electric energy storage and charging system is presented. The system may include an energy storage sub-system and a charging system having a charging rail which only charges a vehicle when the rail is covered. The system may also include a battery-powered rail vehicle having a rail-contacting charging shoe.

According to some embodiments, a rail transport vehicle electric energy storage and charging system is presented. The system may include an energy storage sub-system and a charging system having a charging rail which only charges a vehicle when the rail is covered. The system may also include a battery-powered rail vehicle having a rail-contacting charging shoe.

A method for operating a storage and retrieval unit (3) is specified, in which a rail line (1)/power-supply rail (6) is set to a risk-operation voltage when a risk posed by the storage and retrieval unit (3) is detected. In the storage and retrieval unit (3) the level of the voltage applied to the rail line (1)/power-supply rail (6) is measured and a current path between the rail line (1)/power-supply rail (6) and a drive motor (5, 5a . . . 5c) of the storage and retrieval unit (3) disconnected when the voltage measured is below a threshold value associated with a risk situation. Furthermore, a storage and retrieval unit (3) as well as an automated rack storage system for performing the proposed method is specified.