A motor vehicle has a control device, a first sensor and a global positioning device. The control device has a control unit and a data memory. At least one item of information about an arrangement of an overhead line is stored on the data memory. The control unit is connected to the first sensor and to the global positioning device. The first sensor determines a position of the overhead line relative to the motor vehicle and provides the control unit with the relative position. The global positioning device determines a global position of the motor vehicle and provides the control unit with it. The control unit, on the basis of the established relative position, the established global position and the information about the arrangement of the overhead line, calculates a position of the motor vehicle.

An electric rail system includes a current collector mounted for movement along at least one rail of the electric rail system and a monitoring system for detecting a condition indicative of a problem with the rail system or the current collector. The monitoring system includes a detector having one or more of: a camera configured to record images of a portion of the rail system in front of or behind the current collector, at least one vibration sensor on at least one slip contact of the current collector, an optical spark sensor configured to detect sparks in a contact region between the slip contact and the at least one rail, and at least one distance sensor configured to detect a distance between the at least one distance sensor and the at least one rail.

In a drive unit for four-wheel drive vehicle that allows a motor for driving front wheels to be easily installed, a torque of an engine is transmitted to a rear wheel axle via a transmission and a rear propeller shaft, and a torque of a front drive motor is transmitted to a front wheel axle via a front propeller shaft. A front drive unit is disposed between the transmission and the rear wheel axle. A case of the front drive unit houses: a main shaft that transmits to the rear propeller shaft an output torque of the transmission; the front drive motor; and a sub-shaft that is disposed in a position shifted in a vehicle width direction with respect to the main shaft and transmits to the front propeller shaft an output torque of the front drive motor.

In a drive unit for four-wheel drive vehicle that allows a motor for driving front wheels to be easily installed, a torque of an engine is transmitted to a rear wheel axle via a transmission and a rear propeller shaft, and a torque of a front drive motor is transmitted to a front wheel axle via a front propeller shaft. A front drive unit is disposed between the transmission and the rear wheel axle. A case of the front drive unit houses: a main shaft that transmits to the rear propeller shaft an output torque of the transmission; the front drive motor; and a sub-shaft that is disposed in a position shifted in a vehicle width direction with respect to the main shaft and transmits to the front propeller shaft an output torque of the front drive motor.

An electrically driven vehicle contains a current collector for supplying electrical energy from a bipolar overhead line system. The collector has an articulated support rod, which bears, on the contact wire side, a contact collector having a contact strip, and which is coupled, on the vehicle side, to a lift drive for positioning the support rod and for pressing the contact collector to a contact wire of the overhead wire system, a detection device for detecting a lateral position of a contact point of the contact wire on the contact strip and a driver assistance system for executing an automatic steering intervention as a function of the detected lateral position of the contact point. The vehicle has increased availability for a feed of electrical energy from the overhead line system in that the contact strip is supported on the contact collector via at least two spring elements.

An electrically driven vehicle contains a current collector for supplying electrical energy from a bipolar overhead line system. The collector has an articulated support rod, which bears, on the contact wire side, a contact collector having a contact strip, and which is coupled, on the vehicle side, to a lift drive for positioning the support rod and for pressing the contact collector to a contact wire of the overhead wire system, a detection device for detecting a lateral position of a contact point of the contact wire on the contact strip and a driver assistance system for executing an automatic steering intervention as a function of the detected lateral position of the contact point. The vehicle has increased availability for a feed of electrical energy from the overhead line system in that the contact strip is supported on the contact collector via at least two spring elements.

The present invention relates to a support mechanism for a charging cable for electric vehicles. The charging cable comprises, at its distal end, a charging plug connectable to a charging inlet of an electric vehicle. The support mechanism comprises at least one joint and at least one spring element for facilitating movement of the support mechanism at least in vertical dimension between an idle position and an operation position. In the idle position, the entire support mechanism and the charging plug are placed above a space reserved for parking the electric vehicles. In the operation position, the charging plug is provided within the space reserved for the electric vehicles during charging, and the charging plug is approximately at the same horizontal level as the charging inlet of an electric vehicle.

A method for automatically transferring at least one pivotable trolley pole, in particular of a trolleybus, from a start position into an end position which corresponds, in particular, to a contact position on an overhead line. The end position is assigned at least one setpoint position value, at least one actual position value of a current position of the trolley pole is detected, and the trolley pole is pivoted automatically about at least one axis. A setpoint speed is determined from a positional deviation of the detected actual position value from the setpoint position value, and a dynamic limitation to a dynamically limited setpoint speed is carried out in order to avoid overshooting when the end position is reached.

A separate sheet setting forth the replacement Abstract is provided herewith.

A method for automatically transferring at least one pivotable trolley pole, in particular of a trolleybus, from a start position into an end position which corresponds, in particular, to a contact position on an overhead line. The end position is assigned at least one setpoint position value, at least one actual position value of a current position of the trolley pole is detected, and the trolley pole is pivoted automatically about at least one axis. A setpoint speed is determined from a positional deviation of the detected actual position value from the setpoint position value, and a dynamic limitation to a dynamically limited setpoint speed is carried out in order to avoid overshooting when the end position is reached.

A separate sheet setting forth the replacement Abstract is provided herewith.

The present application shows a trolley system for providing electrical power to a vehicle, the trolley system comprising: a trolley line that is at least one out of: a flexible structure to be loosely positioned on a ground surface; and a sealed structure with an insulating housing comprising a sealing arrangement for sealing an opening extending along the trolley line, and a current collector assembly mounted on the vehicle for establishing a sliding electrical contact with a conductor of the trolley line.