ELECTRICAL CONNECTING LINE AND USE THEREOF

Abstract

A rail vehicle includes an electrical connecting line being a rail vehicle earthing line. The electrical connecting line has one end constructed as at least one loop in order to provide the connecting line with a high mechanical load capacity. The at least one loop has two loop ends forming another end of the connecting line. A fastening apparatus is disposed at the one end of the connecting line. A method for earthing a rail vehicle having an electric earthing line is also provided.

Claims

1-34. (canceled)

35. A rail vehicle, comprising: an electrical connecting line being a rail vehicle earthing line, said electrical connecting line having one end constructed as at least one loop; said at least one loop having two loop ends forming another end of said connecting line; and a fastening apparatus disposed at said one end of said connecting line.

36. The vehicle according to claim 35, wherein said electrical connecting line is configured to conduct a current flowing from said other end of said electrical connecting line through said electrical connecting line and through said two loop ends to said fastening apparatus.

37. The vehicle according to claim 35, wherein said at least one loop has a bent region at least one of positioned in or fastened to said fastening apparatus.

38. The vehicle according to claim 34, which further comprises a further fastening apparatus, said two loop ends of said at least one loop being at least one of positioned at said other end of said connecting line in said further fastening apparatus or fastened to said further fastening apparatus.

39. The vehicle according to claim 35, which further comprises a further fastening apparatus, said connecting line forming a further loop at said other end of said connecting line in a region of said further fastening apparatus.

40. The vehicle according to claim 39, wherein said further loop has a bent region being at least one of positioned in said further fastening apparatus or fastened to said further fastening apparatus.

41. The vehicle according to claim 40, wherein said further loop connects said two loop ends of said at least one loop to one another.

42. The vehicle according to claim 40, wherein: said at least one loop includes one loop and an additional loop each having two respective loop ends; said further loop has two loop ends; one of said two loop ends of said further loop adjoins one of said two loop ends of said one loop; and another of said two loop ends of said further loop adjoins one of said two loop ends of said additional loop.

43. The vehicle according to claim 40, wherein said at least one loop includes one loop and an additional loop, and said additional loop has a bent region being at least one of positioned at one end of said connecting line in said fastening apparatus or fastened to said fastening apparatus.

44. The vehicle according to claim 35, which further comprises a further fastening apparatus, said fastening apparatus and said further fastening apparatus each being formed of two respective conductive plates, said loops being fastened between said conductive plates.

45. The vehicle according to claim 44, wherein said conductive plates of said fastening apparatuses have mutually flush bores formed therein for receiving a fastening bolt.

46. The vehicle according to claim 44, wherein: said conductive plates of said fastening apparatuses are each formed contiguously in a U-shape, or said conductive plates of said fastening apparatuses are each formed contiguously in a tubular shape, or each of said conductive plates and said loops respectively received by said conductive plates are crimped, clamped, welded or pressed.

47. The vehicle according to claim 35, wherein: said electrical connecting line is formed of a flat-band conductor, or said electrical connecting line is formed of a round material or a rope.

48. The vehicle according to claim 35, wherein the rail vehicle is an electric locomotive and said earthing line is an earthing rope.

49. The vehicle according to claim 35, wherein said electrical connecting line is configured to conduct a short-circuit current flowing from said other end of said electrical connecting line through said electrical connecting line and through said two loop ends of said at least one loop to said fastening apparatus.

50. The vehicle according to claim 35, wherein said electrical connecting line is configured to conduct a short-circuit current flowing from said one end of said electrical connecting line through said electrical connecting line and through said two loop ends of said at least one loop to said other end of said connecting line.

51. A method for earthing a rail vehicle, the method comprising the following steps: providing an electric earthing line having one end and another end; providing a fastening apparatus at the one end of the earthing line; configuring the earthing line with at least one loop at the one end; and providing the at least one loop with two loop ends forming the other end of the earthing line.

52. The method according to claim 51, which further comprises earthing an electric locomotive as the rail vehicle, and using an earthing rope as earthing line.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

[0031] To further explain the invention, in the figures:

[0032] FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal section of an exemplary embodiment of a basic form of the connecting line provided according to the invention,

[0033] FIG. 2 shows a cross section through the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1, and

[0034] FIG. 3 schematically shows an electrical connecting line having two fastening apparatuses at its ends.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0035] FIGS. 1 and 2 show an electrical connecting line 1, which is guided as a loop 2 around mutually flush bores 3 and 4 in conductive plates 5 and 6 of a fastening apparatus 7; the fastening apparatus 7 forms an end of the electrical connecting line 1. The loop 2 may for example be positioned between the conductive plates 3 and 4 by way of a crimp connection. The bores 3 and 4 are passed through by a fastening bolt, this not being shown in more detail, by way of which the fastening apparatus 7 is able to be fastened to an electrical arrangement, for example as an earthing line, not shown.

[0036] Loop ends 8 and 9 of the loop 2 may be connected to a further part of the arrangement, not shown, in various ways, for example by a crimp, press or clamp connection; the loop ends 8 and 9 form another end of the electrical connecting line 1. It should be highlighted that a current, in particular a short-circuit current, flowing through the connecting line 1 flows through both loop ends 8 and 9 to the one fastening apparatus 7.

[0037] In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 3, an electrical connecting line 10 is shown that extends between a fastening apparatus 11 and a further fastening apparatus 12; each of the two fastening apparatuses 11 and 12 is constructed as described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0038] The electrical connecting line 10 is in this case embodied in the manner of a winding having two turns 13 and 14, in which a loop 15 is guided around the one fastening apparatus 11, which loop has its beginning 16 as the (inner) turn 13 in the region of the further fastening apparatus 12. The loop 15 transitions as a further loop 17 in the region of the further fastening apparatus 12 and then runs to the one fastening apparatus 11. This is adjoined by an additional loop 18 here that runs around in the one fastening apparatus 11, so as then to terminate at its end 19 in the further fastening apparatus 12.

[0039] In other words, the one loop 15 and the additional loop 18, in its bent region, are positioned in the fastening apparatus 11 and/or fastened to the fastening apparatus 11. The further loop 17, in its bent region, is positioned in the further fastening apparatus 12 and/or fastened to the further fastening apparatus 12. One loop end of the further loop 17 adjoins one loop end of the one loop 15 and the other loop end of the further loop 17 adjoins a loop end of the additional loop 18. The loop ends of the two loops are positioned in the further fastening apparatus 12 and/or fastened to the further fastening apparatus 12.

[0040] In the electrical connecting line 10, the number of turns may be selected depending on the respective loading of the electrical connecting line 10. In the event of loading that is not very high, it may be enough to use just one endless turn in whichwith reference to FIG. 3only one loop 15 is used that is closed by the further loop 17.

[0041] In the event of higher loading of the electrical connecting line 10, the embodiment according to FIG. 3 comes into effect. In the event of very high loading of the electrical connecting line, additional turns may also be used.