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 optical system for measuring position and acceleration of the sliding bow of a pantograph, and the contact force between the sliding bow and the catenary suspension line, comprising: at least a camera installed on the ceiling of a railway vehicle and configured so that a region containing at least a portion of said sliding bow is framed; at least a laser focused on a laser sheet arranged on a substantially vertical plane and directed towards said pantograph, said laser sheet intersecting said region framed by said camera, at least a target installed integrally to said sliding bow. The system is characterized in that, in order to increase the intensity of light reflected towards the camera, said target is cylindrical, realized in material reflecting to the frequency of the light emitted by said laser and positioned with its axis parallel to the sliding bow axis, in a position where it is lighted by said laser and framed by said camera.

An optical system for measuring position and acceleration of the sliding bow of a pantograph, and the contact force between the sliding bow and the catenary suspension line, comprising: at least a camera installed on the ceiling of a railway vehicle and configured so that a region containing at least a portion of said sliding bow is framed; at least a laser focused on a laser sheet arranged on a substantially vertical plane and directed towards said pantograph, said laser sheet intersecting said region framed by said camera, at least a target installed integrally to said sliding bow. The system is characterized in that, in order to increase the intensity of light reflected towards the camera, said target is cylindrical, realized in material reflecting to the frequency of the light emitted by said laser and positioned with its axis parallel to the sliding bow axis, in a position where it is lighted by said laser and framed by said camera.

An electric drive vehicle provided with a current collecting device, the current collecting device including: a framework having an underframe, a lower frame that is pivotably linked to the underframe, and an upper frame that is pivotably linked to the lower frame; a current collecting portion that is supported by the upper frame; and a lock mechanism that holds the framework in a predetermined posture, in which the framework is capable of moving up and down between a standing posture in which the current collecting portion is ascended and a folded posture in which the current collecting portion is descended, and the lock mechanism includes an adsorption plate made of a magnetic material provided in the upper frame, and a hook device which is equipped with an electromagnet and adsorbs to hold the adsorption plate by a magnetic force to hold the framework in the folded posture.

A method for monitoring a pantograph. The method includes acquiring an impulse response of the pantograph, extracting a natural frequency and a damping coefficient of the pantograph from the impulse response, obtaining a similarity factor of a plurality of similarity factors, and detecting a fault in the pantograph from the plurality of fault types based on the plurality of the similarity factors. Acquiring an impulse response of the pantograph includes generating the impulse response by tapping the head of the pantograph and recording the impulse response utilizing a recording equipment.

A positioning unit and a method for forming an electrically conductive connection between an electrically driven vehicle, and a stationary charging station using a positioning unit, in which the positioning unit is configured to be disposed on a vehicle roof, a contact device of the positioning unit being configured to be moved relative to a charging contact device of the charging station and to make electrical contact therewith in a contact position, the positioning unit having an articulated arm device for positioning the contact device and a drive device for driving the articulated arm device, the articulated arm device having a pivoting device with a pivoting arm, the pivoting device being configured to pivot the contact device from a storage situation into a contact situation and vice versa. The positioning unit comprises a securing device configured to secure the pivoting arm in the storage situation in a form-fitting manner.

Optical system for measuring position and acceleration of the sliding bow of a pantograph, and the contact force between the sliding bow and the catenary suspension line, comprising: at least a camera installed on the ceiling of a railway vehicle and configured so that a region containing at least a portion of said sliding bow is framed; at least a laser focused on a laser sheet arranged on a substantially vertical plane and directed towards said pantograph, said laser sheet intersecting said region framed by said camera, characterized in that said system funher comprises at least a cylindrical target installed integrally to said sliding bow, with an axis parallel to the one of said sliding bow, in a position in which said target is lighted by said laser and framed by said camera, said target being realized in material reflecting to the frequency of the light emitted by said laser.

A vehicle guidance system and method includes at least one guidance sensor configured to mount on or adjacent to a pantograph along a lateral width of the pantograph. The pantograph installs on a vehicle and conducts electrical energy from a conductive pathway as the vehicle travels along a route. The vehicle guidance system and method includes a controller that receives one or more sensor signals generated by the at least one guidance sensor and determines a lateral position of the conductive pathway relative to the pantograph based on the one or more sensor signals.

An electric drive dump truck travels by contacting, with trolley lines, power collection units configured to be moved up and down by lifting devices and receiving electrical power from the trolley lines. A position detection device is configured to detect a position of the electric drive dump truck; a vehicle speed detection device is configured to detect a vehicle speed of the electric drive dump truck; and a storage section is configured to store a position of the trolley lines and a time (hereinafter referred to as a moving-up time) until the power collection units contact with the trolley lines since the power collection units start moving up. A control device is configured to output a signal indicating that the power collection units can be moved up based on the position and vehicle speed of the electric drive dump truck, the position of the trolley lines, and the moving-up time.

A current collector for an electrically powered vehicle has an articulated supporting rod supporting a rocker assembly and a lifting drive. The supporting rod is a pantograph with a lower arm and an upper arm and an elbow joint. The rocker assembly has a rocker frame with mutually parallel upper and lower transverse beams. The beams are connected centrally by a center strut and on each end side by a lateral strut on swivel joints. The upper arm is connected on the contact wire side to the center strut via a rocker joint. The contact strips of the two contact poles are supported on the rocker frame symmetrically with respect to the center strut. In this way a current collector is provided by which, with a simpler construction, a consistent contact force can be achieved between contact strips and contact wires of the overhead line system.