A current collector for a non-track-bound, electrically driven vehicle for feeding electrical energy from a two-pole overhead line system with two contact wires. Two upper arms are rotatably connected to an adjustable lower arm by toggle joints. Each upper arm carries a contact rocker for contacting the contact wires. Coupling bars are rotatably connected to the upper arms and articulated so that adjustment of the lower arm forces adjustment of the upper arms. A compensating rocker compensates for a height difference between the contact rockers with a rocker stand and a rocker beam. The rocker stand can be rotatably connected to the vehicle and the rocker beam is connected to the coupling bars by way of compensating joints on either side of the rocker joint. At least one stop element limits a rotational movement of the rocker beam about a rocker joint axis of the rocker joint.

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.

A current collector for a non-rail-bound, electric traction vehicle has an articulated support linkage, which, on the contact wire side, supports rocker assemblies with contact strips and, on the vehicle side, has a base joint for articulation to the traction vehicle. A pneumatic reciprocating drive is coupled to the support linkage for raising the rocker assemblies from a lower parking position into an upper contact position when the reciprocating drive is pressurized and for lowering into the parking position under its own weight when depressurization occurs. An exhaust air line connects the reciprocating drive to the environment to lower the rocker assemblies. An air accumulator and a downstream throttle valve are connected between the reciprocating drive and an environment opening of the exhaust air line. The rocker assemblies can be quickly lowered and nevertheless brought into the parking position without damage in order to disengage the current collector.

A current collector for a non-rail-bound, electric traction vehicle has an articulated support linkage, which, on the contact wire side, supports rocker assemblies with contact strips and, on the vehicle side, has a base joint for articulation to the traction vehicle. A pneumatic reciprocating drive is coupled to the support linkage for raising the rocker assemblies from a lower parking position into an upper contact position when the reciprocating drive is pressurized and for lowering into the parking position under its own weight when depressurization occurs. An exhaust air line connects the reciprocating drive to the environment to lower the rocker assemblies. An air accumulator and a downstream throttle valve are connected between the reciprocating drive and an environment opening of the exhaust air line. The rocker assemblies can be quickly lowered and nevertheless brought into the parking position without damage in order to disengage the current collector.

A positioning system for a pantograph includes a manifold. The manifold may have a monolithic body defined by layers of material that are stacked and fused together. The monolithic body may include a housing, a supply pipe, a pantograph pipe, and a valve pipe. The housing may define a chamber to hold a fluid. The supply pipe may project from the housing and be configured for connection to a fluid supply unit. The pantograph pipe may project from the housing and be configured for connection to an expansible device mechanically connected to the pantograph. The valve pipe may have an outlet end projecting from the housing and configured for connection to a main valve that is actuatable to control flow of the fluid through the manifold.

A positioning system for a pantograph includes a manifold. The manifold may have a monolithic body defined by layers of material that are stacked and fused together. The monolithic body may include a housing, a supply pipe, a pantograph pipe, and a valve pipe. The housing may define a chamber to hold a fluid. The supply pipe may project from the housing and be configured for connection to a fluid supply unit. The pantograph pipe may project from the housing and be configured for connection to an expansible device mechanically connected to the pantograph. The valve pipe may have an outlet end projecting from the housing and configured for connection to a main valve that is actuatable to control flow of the fluid through the manifold.

A monitoring system for an electric vehicle that draws current from a conductor by means of a current collector that contacts a conductor in operation of the electric vehicle. The monitoring system includes a plurality of sensor modules throughout the current collector, wherein each sensor module comprises a plurality of FBG (Fibre Bragg Grating) sensors. Sensors of each module are arranged in a geometric pattern that compensates for temperature induced wavelength changes in the FBG sensors of each module. An optical source illuminates each sensor module and an optical coupler optically couples the optical source to each sensor module. An optical signal interpretation module receives optical signals from each sensor module wherein the optical signals are generated by the sensor modules in response to illumination of the sensor modules, wherein the interpretation module is configured to determine from the optical signals, a temperature-independent strain measurement for each sensor module.

A monitoring system for an electric vehicle that draws current from a conductor by means of a current collector that contacts a conductor in operation of the electric vehicle. The monitoring system includes a plurality of sensor modules throughout the current collector, wherein each sensor module comprises a plurality of FBG (Fibre Bragg Grating) sensors. Sensors of each module are arranged in a geometric pattern that compensates for temperature induced wavelength changes in the FBG sensors of each module. An optical source illuminates each sensor module and an optical coupler optically couples the optical source to each sensor module. An optical signal interpretation module receives optical signals from each sensor module wherein the optical signals are generated by the sensor modules in response to illumination of the sensor modules, wherein the interpretation module is configured to determine from the optical signals, a temperature-independent strain measurement for each sensor module.

A current collector for a non-rail-bound, electric traction vehicle has an articulated support linkage, which, on the contact wire side, supports rocker assemblies with contact strips and, on the vehicle side, has a base joint for articulation to the traction vehicle. A pneumatic reciprocating drive is coupled to the support linkage for raising the rocker assemblies from a lower parking position into an upper contact position when the reciprocating drive is pressurized and for lowering into the parking position under its own weight when depressurization occurs. An exhaust air line connects the reciprocating drive to the environment to lower the rocker assemblies. An air accumulator and a downstream throttle valve are connected between the reciprocating drive and an environment opening of the exhaust air line. The rocker assemblies can be quickly lowered and nevertheless brought into the parking position without damage in order to disengage the current collector.