Current collector for a rail vehicle

Abstract

A current collector for a rail vehicle intended for international transport includes a support bringing two contact strips into electrically conductive contact with a contact wire on the roof of the rail vehicle. Each contact strip has a first length and a contact strip extension at each end. Each contact strip extension is rotatably mounted and connected to a respective end of the contact strip. In a first position the contact strip extensions are hinged inwards, such that a resulting total length of the contact strip with the associated contact strip extensions corresponds to the first length of the contact strip. In a second position, the contact strip extensions are hinged outwards, such that the resulting total length of the contact strip with the associated contact strip extensions corresponds to a second length of the contact strip which is greater than the first length.

Claims

1. A current collector for a rail vehicle intended for cross-border transport, the current collector comprising: two contact strips each having a first length, ends and contact strip extensions; each of said contact strip extensions being connected to a respective one of said ends and being rotatably mounted about a vertical axis at said respective one of said ends; a support configured to orient said two contact strips on a roof of the rail vehicle transversely relative to a direction of travel of the rail vehicle and said support configured to bring said two contact strips into electrically conductive contact with a contact wire; in a first position, said contact strip extensions each being rotated about a respective vertical axis relative to a respective contact strip resulting in a total length of said contact strip with said respective contact strip extensions corresponding to said first length of said contact strip; and in a second position, said contact strip extensions each being rotated about a respective vertical axis relative to a respective contact strip resulting in a total length of said contact strip with said respective contact strip extensions corresponding to a second length being greater than said first length.

2. The current collector according to claim 1, wherein each of said contact strip extensions has one end with a respective horn, said horns functioning to maintain consistent contact with overhead power lines when said contact strips are extended in said second position of said contact strip extensions.

3. The current collector according to claim 1, which further comprises cylinders each configured to rotate a respective one of said contact strip extensions, each of said cylinders having a first side connected to said support and a second side connected to a respective one of said contact strip extensions.

4. The current collector according to claim 3, wherein said cylinders are hydraulic cylinders or compressed-air cylinders.

5. The current collector according to claim 1, wherein said two contact strips are mounted parallel to one another and at a predetermined distance from one another on said support.

6. The current collector according to claim 1, wherein said support orients and brings said two contact strips into electrically conductive contact with the contact wire being disposed along the direction of travel of the rail vehicle to implement current draw from the contact wire to said contact strips.

7. The current collector according to claim 1, which further comprises conductive layers or graphite layers associated with said contact strips and said contact strip extensions, said conductive layers or graphite layers being disposed in a common plane to ensure a power draw from the contact wire without problems in said first position and in said second position.

8. The current collector according to claim 1, wherein each of said contact strip extensions has one end with a respective horn, and said two contact strips having said first length are connected to one another at said respective ends of said two contact strips by respective connections implementing functionality of said horns to maintain consistent contact with overhead power lines.

9. The current collector according to claim 1, wherein: in said first position, said contact strip extensions are disposed parallel to said respective contact strips resulting in said total length of said contact strip with said respective contact strip extensions corresponding to said first length of said contact strip; and in said second position, said contact strip extensions are disposed parallel to said respective contact strips resulting in said total length of said contact strip with said respective contact strip extensions corresponding to said second length being greater than said first length.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a first refinement of the current collector according to the invention in a folded-closed position,

(2) FIG. 2 shows, with reference to FIG. 1, the current collector according to the invention in a folded-open position,

(3) FIG. 3 shows a plan view of a second refinement of the current collector according to the invention in a virtually folded-closed position, and

(4) FIG. 4 shows, with reference to FIG. 3, the current collector according to the invention in a folded-open position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(5) FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a first refinement of the current collector according to the invention in a folded-closed position.

(6) A support TR has two contact strips SL1, SL2. The two contact strips SL1, SL2 have a first length L1 and are at a predetermined distance from one another. The two contact strips SL1, SL2 are mounted on the support TR substantially parallel to one another.

(7) The support TR is once again formed in such a way that, on the roof of the rail vehicle, it orients the two contact strips SL1, SL2 transversely with respect to the direction of travel of the rail vehicle and brings them into electrically conductive contact with a contact wire which is arranged along the direction of travel of the rail vehicle.

(8) A first contact strip SL1 has a contact strip extension SLV11, SLV12 at each of its two ends SLE11, SLE12.

(9) A second contact strip SL2 has a contact strip extension SLV21, SLV22 at each of its two ends SLE21, SLE22.

(10) These contact strip extensions SLV11, SLV12, SLV21, SLV22 are connected to the respectively associated end SLE11, SLE12, SLE21, SLE22 of the contact strips SL1, SL2 in a rotatably mounted manner.

(11) In the first position POS1 shown here, the contact strip extensions SLV11, SLV12, SLV21, SLV22 are arranged parallel with respect to the contact strips SL1, SL2 in such a way that a resulting total length of the contact strips SL1, SL2 with the associated contact strip extensions SLV11, SLV12, SLV21, SLV22 corresponds to the first length L1 of the contact strips SL1, SL2that is to say, in the first position POS1, the contact strip extensions SLV11, SLV12, SLV21, SLV22 are folded closed here.

(12) Each contact strip extension SLV11, SLV12, SLV21, SLV22 has a horn ALH11, ALH12, ALH21, ALH22 or a correspondingly configured residual contour at one end in each case.

(13) In this example, the contact strip extensions SLV11, SLV12, SLV21, SLV22 are rotatably mounted on the outside of the two contact strips SL1, SL2 with respect to the current collector STA.

(14) The position of the contact strip extensions SLV11, SLV12, SLV21, SLV22 is changed by rotation by means of four cylinders ZYL here.

(15) For this purpose, each cylinder ZYL is connected to the support TR on a first side and to one of the associated contact strip extensions SLV11, SLV12, SLV21, SLV22 on a second side.

(16) The contact strips SL1, SL2 and their contact strip extensions SLV11, SLV12, SLV21, SLV22 are preferably arranged in the first position POS1 and in the second position POS2 described below in such a way that the associated conductive layers or graphite layers (shown hatched here) are arranged in a common plane in order to ensure the power draw from the contact wire without problems.

(17) In the example illustrated here, the two contact strips SL1, SL2 are connected to one another at their respective ends SLE11, SLE12, SLE21, SLE22, so that the connections implement the functionality of a horn ALH1, ALH2, which is to maintain consistent contact with overhead power lines.

(18) The cylinders ZYL are shown in the retracted state here, wherein, for each contact strip extension SLV11, SLV12, SLV21, SLV22, one cylinder is provided for the rotation in each case.

(19) FIG. 2 shows, with reference to FIG. 1, the current collector according to the invention in a folded-open position.

(20) In the second position POS2 shown here, the contact strip extensions SLV11, SLV12, SLV21, SLV22 are arranged parallel with respect to the respective contact strips SL1, SL2 in such a way that the resulting total length of the contact strips SL1, SL2 with the associated contact strip extensions SLV11, SLV12, SLV21, SLV22 corresponds to a second length L2, which is greater than the first length L1.

(21) In other words, the contact strip extensions SLV11, SLV12, SLV21, SLV22 are folded open here and accordingly extend the two contact strips SL1, SL2 from the first length L1 to the second (total) length L2.

(22) Each contact strip extension SLV11, SLV12, SLV21, SLV22 has a horn ALH11, ALH12, ALH21, ALH22 or a correspondingly configured residual contour at one end, so that, in the second position POS2 of the contact strip extension SLV11, SLV12, SLV21, SLV22, the functionality of a horn is ensured for the extended contact strip.

(23) The cylinders ZYL are shown in the extended state here.

(24) FIG. 3 shows a plan view of a second refinement of the current collector according to the invention in a virtually folded-closed position.

(25) In this example, the contact strip extensions SLV11, SLV12, SLV21, SLV22 are rotatably mounted on the inside of the two contact strips SL1, SL2 with respect to the current collector STA.

(26) A support TR has two contact strips SL1, SL2. The two contact strips SL1, SL2 have a first length L1 and are at a predetermined distance from one another. The two contact strips SL1, SL2 are mounted on the support TR substantially parallel to one another.

(27) The support TR is once again formed in such a way that, on the roof of the rail vehicle, it orients the two contact strips SL1, SL2 transversely with respect to the direction of travel of the rail vehicle and brings them into electrically conductive contact with a contact wire. The contact wire is arranged along the direction of travel of the rail vehicle.

(28) A first contact strip SL1 has a contact strip extension SLV11, SLV12 at each of its two ends SLE11, SLE12.

(29) A second contact strip SL2 has a contact strip extension SLV21, SLV22 at each of its two ends SLE21, SLE22.

(30) These contact strip extensions SLV11, SLV12, SLV21, SLV22 are connected to the respectively associated end SLE11, SLE12, SLE21, SLE22 of the contact strips SL1, SL2 in a rotatably mounted manner.

(31) In the first position POS1 shown here, the contact strip extensions SLV11, SLV12, SLV21, SLV22 are arranged with respect to the contact strips SL1, SL2 in such a way that a resulting total length of the contact strips SL1, SL2 with the associated contact strip extensions SLV11, SLV12, SLV21, SLV22 corresponds to the first length L1 of the contact strips SL1, SL2.

(32) Each contact strip extension SLV11, SLV12, SLV21, SLV22 has a horn ALH11, ALH12, ALH21, ALH22 or a correspondingly configured residual contour at one end in each case.

(33) The position of the contact strip extensions SLV11, SLV12, SLV21, SLV22 is changed by rotation by means of just two cylinders ZYL here.

(34) For this purpose, each cylinder ZYL is connected to the support TR on a first side and to the respectively associated contact strip extension SLV11, SLV12 and, respectively, SLV21, SLV22 on a second side via coupling rods KS.

(35) The cylinders ZYL are shown in a virtually retracted state here.

(36) The contact strips SL1, SL2 and their contact strip extensions SLV11, SLV12, SLV21, SLV22 are preferably arranged in the first position POS1 and in the second position POS2 described below in such a way that the associated conductive layers or graphite layers (shown hatched here) are arranged in a common plane in order to ensure the power draw from the contact wire without problems.

(37) In the example illustrated here, the two contact strips SL1, SL2 are not connected to one another at their respective ends SLE11, SLE12, SLE21, SLE22, but rather have respective horns ALH31, ALH32, ALH33, ALH34 or a correspondingly configured residual contour.

(38) FIG. 4 shows, with reference to FIG. 3, the current collector according to the invention in a folded-open position.

(39) In the second position POS2 shown here, the contact strip extensions SLV11, SLV12, SLV21, SLV22 are arranged parallel with respect to the respective contact strips SL1, SL2 in such a way that the resulting total length of the contact strips SL1, SL2 with the associated contact strip extensions SLV11, SLV12, SLV21, SLV22 corresponds to a second length L2, which is greater than the first length L1.

(40) In other words, the contact strip extensions SLV11, SLV12, SLV21, SLV22 are folded open here and accordingly extend the two contact strips SL1, SL2 from the first length L1 to the second (total) length L2.

(41) Each contact strip extension SLV11, SLV12, SLV21, SLV22 has a horn ALH11, ALH12, ALH21, ALH22 or a correspondingly configured residual contour at one end, so that, in the second position POS2 of the contact strip extension SLV11, SLV12, SLV21, SLV22, the functionality of a horn is ensured for the extended contact strip.

(42) The two cylinders ZYL are shown in the extended state here, wherein, for in each case two contact strip extensions SLV11, SLV12, SLV21, SLV22, one cylinder ZYL is provided for the rotation in each case.