Current collector

Abstract

The present invention relates in particular to a current collector for supplying electrical energy and / or data to an electric consumer that is mobile along a conductor wire. The present invention addresses the problem of providing a current collector that enables easy, quick, and tool-free replacement or exchange of contacts by a current collector (1) having a base portion (2) and a replaceable portion (4) detachably connected to the base portion (2), wherein the replaceable portion (4) has at least one first conductive contact (14, 14') for electrically contacting a conductive mating contact, the base portion (2) has electrical connection contacts (12, 12'), and the replaceable portion (4) has an electrical connection mating contact (13, 13') that is electrically connectable to the electrical connection contacts (12, 12').

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates in particular to a current collector for supplying electrical energy and / or data to an electrical consumer movable along a conductor line.

Background Art

[0002] The current collector mentioned at the beginning has been known for a long time. Patent Document 1 discloses a current collector for an electrical consumer having at least one sliding contact support or sliding contact for contacting at least one conductive conductor profile of a conductor line, and the sliding contact can be conductively connected to the electrical connection of the electrical consumer. If the sliding contact wears out, it must be replaced by maintenance personnel. Usually, the cable connection must also be cut and reconnected, which requires an experienced technician, takes time, and thus results in a long downtime.

[0003] Patent Document 2 relates to a current collector having a current collector housing made of a single-piece insulating material, in which an elongated recess is formed at the top of the housing for accommodating the lower part of the contact. Two spaced flexible gripping jaws extend upward from the base of the recess and engage the lower part of the contact. On the upper part inside the gripping jaws and on the side wall of the contact, projections and grooves that mesh with each other are formed so that the contact is held in the recess. When the contact is inserted, the gripping jaws move slightly outward until the projections and grooves coincide. The gripping jaws bend inward in this position, and as a result, the contact is fixed in the current collector housing. Thus, since the current collector housing consists of a single piece, it has no metal parts and the contact can be easily replaced. The contact also contacts a current rail on one side and a conductor of the current collector housing on the other side that can be connected to the lower part of the contact by a U-shaped clamping device.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

[0005] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a current collector that enables simple and quick, tool-free replacement or exchange of contacts. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention addresses this problem with a current collector having the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments and appropriate modifications of the present invention are specified in the dependent claims.

[0007] The current collector according to the present invention has a base portion and a replaceable portion that can be detachably connected to the base portion, the replaceable portion having at least one first conductive contact for electrically contacting a conductive mating contact, the base portion having an electrical connection contact, and the replaceable portion having an electrical mating contact that can be electrically connected to the electrical connection contact.

[0008] To detachably connect the base portion to the replaceable portion, a connector, particularly a quick-replacement connector, may be provided, wherein at least one connector element is provided on the base portion and at least one corresponding mating element is provided on the replaceable portion.

[0009] An additional mating element may be advantageously located on the replaceable portion, particularly on the side of the replaceable portion opposite to the first mating element. Alternatively, an additional mating element may be located on the base portion, particularly on the side of the base portion opposite to the first mating element. The connection may be advantageously a plug connection, particularly a dovetail connection (Schwalbenschwanzverbindung, dovetail connection). The connection may preferably extend into the base portion in the insertion direction of the replaceable portion. In an advantageous embodiment, the connection may have a pin located in the base portion that extends through a channel that extends all or at least partially through the replaceable portion.

[0010] A locking device may be provided for locking the replaceable portion to the base portion, preferably manually and releasably. The locking device may advantageously have a locking opening (Arretieroffnung) in the base portion and a locking pin in the replaceable portion that can be inserted into the locking opening, allowing the movable locking lug of one portion to be inserted into the locking stopper of the other portion for locking. The locking pin may also form a connection, and the locking bore (Arretierbohrung) may form a channel for the quick-replacement connection described above and below.

[0011] The first contact can preferably be pressed toward the mating contact by a pressure element disposed in the replaceable portion (Wechselteil).

[0012] In addition, a second contact forming an electrical connection mating contact can be advantageously provided on the side of the replaceable portion opposite to the first contact, particularly on the side opposite to the first contact. The first and second contacts can preferably be formed as separate and independent parts.

[0013] The first contact and the second contact are preferably electrically interconnected.

[0014] When the replaceable part is connected to the base part, it is advantageous that the first contact can be connected to the first protective contact, in particular to the protective contact pin of the base part, and the second contact can be connected to the second protective contact pin of the base part, and the first protective contact pin and the second protective contact pin are electrically connected to each other within or on the base part.

[0015] The second contact can also be advantageously pressed toward the connecting contact of the base portion by an additional pressure element from the replaceable portion. The additional pressure element can also be formed by the pressure elements described above and below. Thus, in this respect, one pressure element has a dual function for both contacts.

[0016] Preferably, an extraction opening can be provided in the base portion to remove worn material from one or more contacts of the replaceable portion, and additional extraction openings corresponding to the replaceable portion can be provided.

[0017] The replaceable portion may also preferably have a housing, in which one or more contacts are disposed within the housing and extend outward through a mating contact opening or contact opening within the housing to contact the mating contact and / or connecting contact of the base portion. Each of the one or more contacts may preferably have at least one stopper that abuts against the housing to prevent one or more contacts from falling out of the corresponding mating contact opening or contact opening.

[0018] Preferably, the connecting contact, mating contact, and / or contact can be aligned in the direction of insertion into the base portion of the replaceable part.

[0019] Preferably, the mating contacts and / or contacts may be disposed within channel-shaped recesses of the replaceable portion that extend along the entire length of the replaceable portion.

[0020] The replaceable part can advantageously be a mating contact and / or a wear indicator connected to the contact, and can have an observation opening for the wear indicator that indicates the degree of wear of the mating contact and / or the contact.

[0021] Preferably, a disconnecting device can be provided that disconnects the connection contact from the voltage when the locking mechanism is opened. Furthermore, when the locking mechanism is opened, the disconnecting device can disconnect the electrical connection between the connection contact and the electrical connection line.

[0022] The current collector can preferably be provided for fixing to a movable electrical consumer. In this case, the connection contact of the base part can be connected or is connected to the electrical connection line of the electrical consumer.

[0023] Preferably, the first contact can be a sliding contact, the second contact can be a second sliding contact, and / or the mating contact can be the conductor line profile of the conductor line, and the consumer can be moved along the longitudinal direction of the conductor line along the conductor line profile.

[0024] The mating contact can also be the charging contact of a fixed charging station, and the current collector can be arranged on a movable electrical consumer. As an alternative, the mating contact can be the charging contact of a movable electrical consumer, and the current collector can be arranged on a fixed charging station.

[0025] An alternative current collector has a base part provided for attachment to a movable electrical consumer movable along the longitudinal direction of the conductor line, and a replaceable part removably connectable to the base part. The replaceable part has at least one first sliding contact for electrically contacting the conductor line profile of the conductor line. The base part has an electrical connection contact, and the replaceable part has an electrical connection mating contact electrically connectable to the electrical connection contact. The connection contact of the base part can be connected to the electrical connection line of the electrical consumer.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0026] Further details and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings. [Figure 1] This is a substantially three-dimensional diagram of the current collector of the present invention, which has a separate base portion and a replaceable portion. [Figure 1a] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the replaceable portion of the current collector in Figure 1, parallel to the sliding contact of the replaceable portion, with the replaceable portion partially retracted. [Figure 1b] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the replaceable part of the current collector in Figure 1a, parallel to the sliding contact of the replaceable part, with the replaceable part in its final installed state. [Figure 2] This is a roughly three-dimensional view of the current collector in Figure 1, seen from the upper right. [Figure 3] Figure 2 is a roughly three-dimensional view of the current collector, showing the replaceable parts from below. [Figure 4] This is a schematic three-dimensional view of the current collector of Figure 1, which has an alternative first quick-replacement connector. [Figure 5] This is a schematic three-dimensional view of the current collector shown in Figure 4, as illustrated in Figure 2, which has an alternative first quick-replacement connector. [Figure 6] Figure 2 is a schematic three-dimensional view of the current collector having an alternative first quick-replacement connector. [Figure 7] Figure 2 is a schematic three-dimensional view of the current collector having an alternative second quick-replacement connector. [Figure 8] Figure 2 is a schematic three-dimensional view of the current collector having an alternative third quick-replacement connector. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0027] Figure 1 shows a current collector 1 having a base portion 2, the base portion 2 can be electrically connected to the electrical connection lines 3, 3' of an electric consumer (not shown), and the base portion 2 is fixed to the electric consumer's electrical connection lines 3, 3'. The current collector 1 can be moved in a known manner along its longitudinal direction L along the conductor wire 100, shown only in Figure 1b, to supply electrical energy from the conductor wire 100 to the electric consumer. Such configurations are well known to those skilled in the art.

[0028] An additional replaceable section 4 is provided for electrically connecting an electrical consumer to the conductor profile of a conductor wire 100 (not shown) via the base section 2. The replaceable section 4 can be quickly connected to the base section 2 via a quick-replaceable connector 5 disposed in the connection section 2a of the replaceable section 4, in the form of a dovetail connector. For this purpose, the connection section 2a of the base section 2 has a connection element 6 of the dovetail connector, where the first mating element 7 of the dovetail connector provided on the replaceable section 4 can be pushed in the insertion direction E. Thus, the replaceable section 4 can be quickly connected to or removed from the base section 2. The configurations of the connection element 6 and the mating element 7 are also interchangeable.

[0029] To allow the replaceable part 4 to be securely and detachably connected to the base part 2 for maintenance and replacement during operation, a lock bore 8, as shown in Figure 2, is provided on the surface 2b of the base part 2, which is angled L-shape with respect to the connection section. Thus, surface 2b also functions as a stopper for the replaceable part 4. When the replaceable part 4 is pushed into the base part 2, a lock pin 9 protruding from surface 4a that crosses the insertion direction of the replaceable part 4 can engage with the lock bore 8. The lock pin 9 is designed to be hollow and has a lock lug 10 at its end that engages with the lock bore 8, and the lock lug 10 can be moved radially outward from its inside into the radial bore of the lock pin 9. Under normal conditions, the lock lug 10 is pressed radially outward by a spring action. The lock lug 10 is wedge-shaped and inclined forward in the direction of insertion into the lock bore 8. Therefore, during insertion, the lock lug 10 is first pressed downward against the spring force and then, upon reaching an undercut provided in the lock bore 8 for this purpose, is fitted into the lock bore 8. To release the locked connection, a lock button 11 is provided on the surface 4b of the replaceable part 4 opposite to the base surface 4a, as shown in Figure 2. When the lock button 11 is pressed, the lock lug 10 descends into the lock pin, and the replaceable part 4 can be removed from the base part 2.

[0030] The locking mechanism formed by the lock bore 8, lock pin 9, lock lug 10, and lock button 11 can also have a different configuration, for example, by providing a pin, which may be disposed on the surface 2b of the surface portion 2 and engage with the lock bore 8 from the top, and then the pin may be inserted into the corresponding bore of the lock pin 9 with the replaceable portion 4 inserted.

[0031] Alternative locking mechanisms and alternative quick-replacement connectors are shown in Figures 4 and 5, which differ in essence from those shown in Figures 1-3, 6, and 7 above in that the locking pin 9 and locking bore 8 are swapped. These differences will be explained below. The same or corresponding parts are used as the locking mechanisms shown in Figures 1-3.

[0032] In the alternative locking mechanism, as is clearly visible in Figure 5, a remarkably long locking pin 9a is provided and positioned on the angled surface 2b of the base portion 2. The locking pin 9a has a movable locking lug 10a at its free end, which functions similarly but is rotated 180° relative to the locking lug 10 shown in Figures 1 to 3 when viewed from above, as described above.

[0033] During the installation of the replaceable part 4, the locking pin 9a is pushed in through the locking channel 8a of the replaceable part 4, which extends in the insertion direction E. The locking pin 9a is long enough so that the locking lug 10a protrudes from the locking channel 8a when the replaceable part 4 is fully inserted, and emerges outward from the base part 2 on the rear surface 4b, thus securely locking the replaceable part 4 to the base part 2. Thus, some play is allowed in the insertion direction E, as electrical connection is still ensured, as will be described in detail below. However, the stopper on the replaceable part 4 required for the locking lug 10a can also be of a different design, for example, provided on the replaceable part 4.

[0034] Since the replaceable portion 4 can be guided in the insertion direction E to its locked final assembly position, the longer locking pin 9a through which the locking channel 8a passes simultaneously forms an alternative quick-replacement connector 5a.

[0035] The alternative embodiment of the quick-replaceable connector 5a shown in Figures 4 and 5 has the advantage that, in the final installed state of the replaceable part 4, there is no need to provide an additional part of the quick-replaceable connector, the lock lug 10a can be operated manually from the outside without tools, and therefore the replacement of the replaceable part 4 is even easier. This alternative quick-replaceable connector 5a is also less susceptible to contamination due to wear of the sliding contacts 14, 14'.

[0036] Here, the base portion 2 has one connection contact 12, 12' on each of the left and right longitudinal directions L of the connection element 6 so that an electrical connection can be established between the electricity consumer and the conductor wire 100. When assembled, the base portion 2 and the replaceable portion 4 form an electrical connection with the mating contacts 13, 13' provided on the replaceable portion 4, as is clearly visible in Figure 3.

[0037] The mating contacts 13 and 13' are each located within channel-shaped recesses 4c and 4c' provided in the bottom 4u of the replaceable portion 4, which extends along the entire length of the replaceable portion 4 from the base side surface 4a to the opposite side surface 4b, as shown in the figure, so that they can be pressed against the mating contacts 12 and 12' which extend slightly above the connection section 2a.

[0038] On the opposite side of the replaceable portion 4 from the mating contacts 13 and 13' (the top 4o of the replaceable portion in the drawing), there are upward-extending sliding contacts 14 and 14' for the purpose of electrical connection to the conductor wire 100. The sliding contacts 14 and 14' are designed to correspond to the mating contacts 13 and 13' and extend into the channel-shaped recesses 4c'' and 4c'''' of the top 4o of the replaceable portion 4, opposite to the recesses 4c and 4c'.

[0039] However, if necessary, the connection contacts 12, 12' can also be optionally incorporated into the connection section 2a so as to be flush with the connection section 2a, as seen in the alternative embodiment shown in Figure 6, which is the only difference from the modified versions shown in Figures 1 to 3, and so as to be able to omit the channel-shaped recesses 4c, 4c', 4c'', 4c'''' of the replaceable portion 4.

[0040] The connecting contacts 12, 12', mating contacts 13, 13', and sliding contacts 14, 14' may preferably extend into the base portion 2 in the insertion direction E of the replaceable portion 4. The sliding contacts 14, 14' may also advantageously extend in the longitudinal direction L of the conductor wire 100. The insertion direction E is preferably in the longitudinal direction L. However, the insertion direction E may also be aligned in a different direction, for example, the replaceable portion 4 may be designed to be pressed into the base portion 2 from the side, i.e., across the longitudinal direction L, preferably across the feed direction Z, or in another alternative embodiment, from the top or bottom in the feed direction Z.

[0041] In a simpler embodiment, the sliding contacts 14, 14' may be directly electrically connected to the mating contacts 13, 13' of the replaceable portion, thereby allowing for direct and permanent contact with the connecting wires 3, 3'. However, this carries the risk that during replacement of the replaceable portion 4, maintenance personnel may come into contact with the sliding contacts 14, 14' that are connected to the electrical consumer and open at the top, and be electrocuted.

[0042] To prevent this, in the advantageous embodiment shown in the drawings, the mating contacts 13, 13' and the sliding contacts 14, 14' are not directly connected to each other, and the connection occurs only when the replaceable part 4 is inserted into the base part 2, as described below.

[0043] For this purpose, first and second protective contact pins 17, 17' are arranged on the base side, vertically positioned above the conductor wire 100, on the surface 2b of the base portion 2, as can be seen in Figures 2 and 3, so as to be electrically connected to each other, while corresponding first and second protective contacts 18, 18' on the replacement side are provided on the replaceable portion 4, as can be clearly seen in Figure 1. The protective contacts 18, 18' are spring-biased within the surface 4a so as to be able to engage the openings of the protective contact pins 17, 17' on the base side and establish electrical contact with them. Then, for example, via the flexible line shown in Figures 1a and 1b, the first protective contact 18 is electrically connected to the mating contact 13, and the second protective contact 18' above it is electrically connected to the sliding contact 14.

[0044] When the replaceable part 4 is inserted into the base part 2, the electrical connection between the electrical connection wire 3 and the sliding contact 14 is established only through the connecting contact 13, the mating contact 14, the first protective contact 18, the first protective contact pin 17, the second protective pin 17', and the second protective contact 18' when the replaceable part 4 is fully inserted into the base part 2.

[0045] The connection between the electrical connection line 3' and the sliding contact 14' via the connecting contact 13' and the mating contact 14 is made as described above, but the corresponding protective contact pins and protective contacts are not described in detail by reference number.

[0046] As is clearly visible in Figure 1, the replaceable part 4 has a substantially box-like structure, with opposing top and bottom sections designed symmetrically. The replaceable part 4 has a second mating element 7' at the top, located at the top of Figure 1, which is opposite the first mating element 7 of the dovetail connection 5 at the bottom.

[0047] The sliding contacts 14, 14' and mating contacts 13, 13', which are arranged for connection to the conductor wire 100, are identical but are positioned in a mirror image manner at the bottom or top of the replaceable portion 4.

[0048] The mating contacts 13, 13' and sliding contacts 14, 14' protrude from mating contact openings 15, 15' and sliding contact openings 16, 16' provided in the replaceable section 4, and are preferably pressed outward by a spring-biased pressure element. As will be described in more detail below, Figures 1a and 1b provide a two-stage acting coil spring 24 for this purpose. The sliding contacts 14, 14' are pressed against the conductor wire 100 in the feed direction Z, and the mating contacts 13, 13' are pressed against the base section's contacts 12, 12' in the opposite direction Z, thus ensuring a reliable and permanent electrical connection. Separate pressure elements, in particular springs, can be provided in the replaceable section for the mating contacts 13, 13' and sliding contacts 14, 14'. Alternatively, one or more pressure elements, such as springs, may be provided only between the mating contacts 13, 13' and the sliding contacts 14, 14', which press the mating contacts 13, 13' and the sliding contacts 14, 14' away from each other parallel to the feed direction Z.

[0049] Furthermore, the mating contacts 13, 13' and sliding contacts 14, 14' also have one or more stoppers (not shown) that press against the edges of the mating contact openings 15, 15' and sliding contact openings 16, 16' to prevent the mating contacts 13, 13' and sliding contacts 14, 14' from falling out of the replaceable portion 4.

[0050] Furthermore, the base portion 2 also has a removal opening 19 on its surface 2b that is flush with the corresponding additional section opening 20 provided on the surface 4a of the replaceable portion 4. Worn material penetrating the replaceable portion 4 can be removed from the outside of the base portion 2 by a removal device (not shown) from the mating contacts 13, 13' and sliding contacts 14, 14'. This prevents the operation of the mating contacts 13, 13' and sliding contacts 14, 14', which are always positioned to face outward, from being hindered by wear.

[0051] Since the replaceable part 4 is designed symmetrically, when the sliding contacts 14, 14' that move along the conductor wire 100 wear out, maintenance personnel can remove the replaceable part 4 from the base part 2, rotate it 180° again, and reinsert it. In this case, the unused mating contacts 13, 13' form the conductor wire contacts provided for connection to the conductor wire 100 and are pressed against the conductor wire 100 again until they wear out. Only when this happens must a new replaceable part 4 with unused mating contacts 13, 13' and sliding contacts 14, 14' be inserted. Because the replacement is simple, this can also be achieved quickly without incurring significant installation costs. The option to change the replaceable part 4 allows for immediate use without the need to immediately procure a new replaceable part 4, and thus greatly improves the availability of the system, especially when combined with the fact that the work can be performed by trained workers without additional technical qualifications. In this case, a new replaceable part 4 can be supplied in a timely manner without any time constraints.

[0052] To facilitate inspection by maintenance personnel of the degree to which the sliding contacts 14, 14' are already worn, the replaceable part 4 has two observation openings 21, 21' formed as elongated holes extending in the feed direction Z on the surface 2a of the base part or the surface 4b of the replaceable part 4, and the two observation openings 21, 21' have wear indicators 22, 22' visible inside that are observable from the outside. The wear indicators 22, 22' are positioned on the sliding contacts 14, 14' or on a holder that houses them inside the replaceable part 4, and move upward within the observation openings 19, 19' as the sliding contacts 14, 14' gradually wear down. If the sliding contacts 14, 14' are completely worn down, this is indicated by the fact that the wear indicators 22, 22' are at the ends of the observation openings 21, 21' in the direction of the contact line 100.

[0053] Corresponding wear indicators 23, 23' are provided for mating contacts 13, 13'.

[0054] Since there is no movement between the connecting contacts 12, 12' and the mating contacts 13, 13' during operation, and therefore no additional wear occurs, this electrical connection can also be ensured by the worn sliding contacts 14, 14'. As a result, the service life of the replaceable part 4 in the base part 2 can be effectively doubled, and when the sliding contacts 14, 14' wear out, the still-unworn mating contacts 13, 13' can be used as sliding contacts for the conductive conductor profile of the conductor wire 100 simply by rotating the replaceable part 4.

[0055] Figures 1a and 1b show cross-sections of the current collector 1 in the insertion direction E parallel to the side walls 2d and 2e, passing through the mating contact 13 and sliding contact 14 of Figure 1. In Figure 1a, the replaceable portion 4 is shown partially inserted, while in Figure 1b, it is fully inserted and locked in the final installation state ready for operation. The portion of the lock pin 9 located outside the cross-section and housed within the base portion 2, and the undercut disposed within surface 2b are indicated by dashed lines.

[0056] As is clearly visible in the figure, the unused mating contact 13 and sliding contact 14 are pressed in the feed direction Z toward the mating contact 13, or toward the sliding contact opening 16, and therefore toward the unengaged conductor wire 100, by a pretensioning device in the form of a coil spring 24 with pre-tension acting between them. The biasing of the coil spring 24 is selected so that the mating contact 13 and sliding contact 14, without the replaceable portion 4 incorporated, are pressed completely outward until the stoppers 25 or 26 of the mating contact 13 and sliding contact 14 strike the inner edge of the mating contact opening 15 of the sliding contact opening 16 and stop. This is clearly visible in Figures 1a and 1b, where the sliding contact 14 is in its fully extended position, while the mating contact 13, which abuts the mating contact 12, is already in a retracted position. During operation, the sliding contact 14 then comes into contact with the conductor wire 100, shown only in Figure 1b, and is then pressed downward in the feed direction Z against the coil spring 24 from that position shown in Figure 1b.

[0057] The stoppers 25 and 26 can also be configured in different ways to restrict the extension of the mating contacts 13 and sliding contacts 14 from the replaceable part 4 or its housing.

[0058] Preferably, the current collector 1 may also have a disconnection device that switches the connection contacts 12, 12', 12a, 12a' to a no-voltage state when the locking mechanism described above is opened. For example, for this purpose, a sensor can be provided on the base portion 2, which detects, for example inductively or optically, whether the lock lug 10 is located within the undercut, and if it is not, the electrical connection between the connection contacts 12, 12', 12a, 12a' and the electrical connection lines 3, 3' is disconnected via a switch provided on the base portion 2. This is advantageous as it allows the electrical system of an electricity consumer supplied by the current collector 1 to be electrically disconnected from the current collector 1, and prevents health hazards to workers replacing replaceable parts.

[0059] Instead of the configuration of the removable quick-replacement connector 5 between the base portion 2 and the replaceable portion 4 shown as a dovetail connector in Figure 1, Figures 7 and 8 show alternative quick-replacement connectors 5b and 5c, which differ mainly from the quick-replacement connector 5 in Figures 1 to 3. The same or corresponding parts are used as in the embodiments shown in Figures 1 to 3.

[0060] The modified versions shown in Figures 7 and 8 both have quick-replaceable connectors 5b and 5c extending in the insertion direction E, which are located on opposing side walls 4d and 4e of the replaceable portion 4.

[0061] In either case, the connection section 2a of the base portion 2 is provided with side walls 2c and 2d that preferably abut against the surface 2b of the base portion 2 and extend toward the free insertion end in the insertion direction E, and that extend upward in the feed direction. The upper ends of the side walls 2c and 2d are provided with inwardly extending connecting protrusions 2e and 2f that form the connecting elements of the quick-replaceable connection portions 5b and 5c.

[0062] In the quick-replacement connector 5b shown in Figure 7, preferably, projections 4f or 4g extending in the insertion direction E are provided on the side walls 4d, 4e of the replaceable portion 4 in the feed direction Z, and their upper edges abut against the connecting projections 2e, 2f when the replaceable portion 4 is inserted into the base portion 2, providing a sliding guide. Thus, projections 4f or 4g form mating elements for the connecting projections 2e, 2f, which function as connecting elements. Advantageously, projections 4f and 4g may be equidistant from the upper and lower sides of the replaceable portion 4, thereby facilitating the rotation of the replaceable portion 4 for replacing the mating contacts 13, 13' and the sliding contacts 14, 14'.

[0063] In the modified example shown in Figure 8, guide grooves 4h or 4i extending in the insertion direction E are provided in the center of the side walls 4d and 4e of the replaceable portion 4 in the feeding direction Z, and are equipped with connecting projections 2e or 2f, and thus function as guides. The connecting projections 2e and 2f are arranged corresponding to the lower side walls 2c and 2d of the base portion 2. Thus, the guide grooves 4h and 4i form mating elements for the connecting projections 2e and 2f, which function as connecting elements.

[0064] If, in the final installed state of the replaceable part 4, the connecting protrusions 2e and 2f are positioned above or below the virtual centerlines of the side walls 4d and 4e in the feed direction Z relative to the top and bottom of the replaceable part 4 on the base part 2, then the side walls 4d and 4e of the replaceable part 4 are provided with two corresponding guide grooves 4h and 4i.

[0065] The embodiments shown in Figures 7 and 8 have the advantage that by pressing the mating contacts 13, 13' of the replaceable portion 4 against the mating contacts 12, 12' of the base portion 2 in the feeding direction Z, the guide grooves 4h, 4i and projections 4f, 4g of the replaceable portion 4 are pressed against the connecting portions 2e, 2f, thereby improving the feeding of the replaceable portion 4 to the base portion 2. These embodiments also have the advantage that the mating contacts 13, 13' of the replaceable portion 4 are further away from and removed, and therefore better protected from wear.

[0066] However, the connecting projections 2e and 2f do not need to be located at the ends of the side walls 2c and 2d, but may be located at other suitable locations on the side walls 2c and 2d. Optionally, only one of the connecting projections 2e and 2f may be provided, with only the side wall 2c or 2d acting as a guide on the other side, or optionally, the side walls 2c and 2d may not be provided at all. Optionally, the connecting projections 2e and 2f may also be formed by rods extending in the insertion direction E and located on the surface 2b of the surface portion 2, which cooperate with projections 4f or 4g or guide grooves 4h or 4i.

[0067] Instead of the single projection 4f or 4g in Figure 7, or the single guide grooves 4h, 4i in Figure 8, several projections and / or guide grooves may be provided, which cooperate with the connecting projections 2e, 2f and additional connecting projections of the base portion 2. Combinations of the two embodiments in Figures 7 and 8 are also advantageously possible. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0068] 1 Current collector 2 Base part 2a Connection section of the base 2b Surface of the base 2c, 2d Side walls of the base section 2e, 2f connecting protrusions 3,3' Connection line for electricity consumers 4 Replaceable parts 4a, 4b Opposing surfaces of replaceable parts 4c, 4c', 4c”, 4c'''' Groove-shaped recess of replaceable part 4d, 4e Side walls of replaceable parts 4f, 4g Replacement part protrusion Guide grooves for replaceable parts on 4h and 4i. 4o, 4u Top and bottom of replaceable parts 5, 5a, 5b, 5c Quick-replaceable connectors (including dovetail connectors) 6. Connecting elements on the base section 7,7' First and second connecting elements of the interchangeable portion 8,8a Lock opening, lock bore, lock channel 9,9a Locking pin 10 Lock Lugs 11 Lock button 12, 12', 12a, 12a' Connection contacts at the base 13,13' Replacement contact points for the interchangeable parts 14,14' Sliding contacts of replaceable parts 15,15' Connection partner contact opening 16,16' Sliding contact opening 17,17' Base-side protective contact pins 18,18' Replacement side protective contact 19. Removal opening for the base section 20,20' Additional removal opening for replaceable parts 21,21' Observation opening, elongated bore 22,22' Wear indicator for sliding contacts 23,23' Wear indicator for mating contacts 24. Pretensioning device, coil spring 25. Stopper for sliding contact 26 Stopper for connecting contact to another party 100 Conductor wire L: Longitudinal direction of the conductor wire, sliding contact E. Insertion direction of the replaceable part into the base part Z sliding contact feed direction

Claims

1. A current collector (1) having a base portion (2) and a replaceable portion (4) that can be detachably connected to the base portion (2), wherein the replaceable portion (4) has at least one first conductive contact (14, 14') for electrically contacting a conductive mating contact, the base portion (2) has electrical connection contacts (12, 12'), and the replaceable portion (4) has electrical mating contacts (13, 13') that can be electrically connected to the electrical connection contacts (12, 12'), the current collector (1).

2. The current collector (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that, for detachably connecting the base portion (2) to the replaceable portion (4), a connection portion, in particular quick connection portions (5; 5a; 5b; 5c) is provided, at least one connection element (6; 2e) is provided on the base portion (2), and at least one corresponding mating element (7; 4f; 4h) is provided on the replaceable portion (4).

3. The current collector (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that further connecting elements (7'; 4g; 4i) are disposed on the replaceable portion (4), particularly on the side opposite to the first connecting elements (7; 4f; 4h) of the replaceable portion (4).

4. The current collector (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that a further connecting element (2f) is disposed on the base portion (2), particularly on the side of the base portion (2) opposite to the first connecting element (2e).

5. The current collector (1) according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the connection portion (5) is a plug connection portion, in particular a dovetail connection portion.

6. The current collector (1) according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the connecting portion (5) extends in the insertion direction (E) of the replaceable portion (4) into the base portion (2).

7. The current collector (1) according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that the connecting portion (5) has a pin (9a) disposed on the base portion (2) that extends through a channel (8a) that completely or at least partially penetrates the replaceable portion (4).

8. The current collector (1) according to any one of claims 2 to 7, characterized in that a locking device is provided for preferably manually releasing the replaceable portion (4) to the base portion (2).

9. The locking device has a locking opening (8; 8a) in the base portion (2) and a locking pin (9; 9a) that can be inserted into the locking opening (8; 8a) in the replaceable portion (4), or the other way around, and in particular a movable locking lug (10; 10a) provided in one portion can be inserted into a locking stopper in the other portion and locked therein, as described in claim 8.

10. The current collector (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that the lock pin (9a) forms the pin of the connection portion (5), and the lock bore (8a) forms the channel of the quick connection portion (5) according to claim 7.

11. The current collector (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the first contact (14, 14') is pressed toward the mating contact (100) by a pressure element (24) disposed in the replaceable portion (4).

12. The current collector (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that a second contact forming the electrical mating contact (13, 13') is provided on a side (4u) of the replaceable portion (4) other than the side of the first contact (14, 14'), preferably on the opposite side of the replaceable portion (4), and the first contact (14, 14) and the second contact (13, 13') are preferably designed as separate portions independent of each other.

13. The current collector (1) according to claim 12, characterized in that the first contacts (14, 14') and the second contacts (13, 13') are electrically connected to each other.

14. The current collector (1) according to claim 12, characterized in that when the replaceable portion (4) is connected to the base portion (2), the first contacts (14, 14') can be connected to the first protective contact of the base portion (2), in particular to the protective contact pin (17'), the second contacts (13, 13') can be connected to the second protective contact of the base portion (2), in particular to the protective contact pin (17), and the first protective contact and the second protective contact, in particular to the protective contact pin (17, 17') are electrically connected to each other within or on the base portion (2).

15. The current collector (1) according to any one of claims 12 to 14, characterized in that the second contacts (13, 13') are pressed by a further pressure element from the replaceable portion (4) toward the connecting contacts (12, 12') of the base portion (2).

16. The current collector (1) according to claim 15, characterized in that the further pressure element is formed by the pressure element (24) according to claim 11.

17. A current collector (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that an extraction opening (19) is provided in the base portion (2) for extracting wear material from the replaceable portion (4) from one or more contacts (14, 14'), and a corresponding further extraction opening (20) is provided in the replaceable portion (4).

18. The current collector (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the replaceable portion (4) has a housing, and the one or more contacts (13, 13', 14, 14') are disposed within the housing and, in particular, protrude outward through the mating contact openings (15, 15') or contact openings (16, 16') within the housing in order to contact the mating contact (100) and / or the connecting contacts (12, 12') of the base portion (2).

19. The current collector (1) according to claim 17 or 18, characterized in that each of the one or more contacts (13, 13', 14, 14') has at least one stopper (25, 26) that abuts against the housing to preferably prevent the one or more contacts (13, 13', 14, 14') from falling out of the respective mating contact openings (15, 15') or contact openings (16, 16').

20. The current collector (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 19, characterized in that the connecting contacts (12, 12'), the mating contacts (13, 13'), and / or the contacts (14, 14') are aligned in the insertion direction (E) of the replaceable portion (4) into the base portion (2).

21. The current collector (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 20, characterized in that the mating contacts (13, 13') and / or the contacts (14, 14') are disposed within channel-shaped recesses (4c, 4c', 4c'', 4c'''') of the replaceable portion (4).

22. The current collector (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 21, wherein the replaceable portion (4) is a wear indicator (22, 22'; 23, 23') connected to the mating contacts (13, 13) and / or contacts (14, 14') 23, 23', and the wear indicator (22, 22'; 23, 23') has an observation opening (21, 21') for the wear indicator (22, 22'; 23, 23') that shows the degree of wear of the mating contacts (13, 13) and / or the contacts (14, 14').

23. The current collector (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 22, characterized in that a cutting device is provided for disconnecting the connection contacts (12, 12', 12a, 12a') from voltage when the locking device is opened.

24. The current collector (1) according to claim 23, characterized in that the cutting device disconnects the electrical connection between the connecting contacts (12, 12', 12a, 12a') and the electrical connection wires (3, 3') when the locking device is opened.

25. The current collector (1) is characterized in that it is intended to be attached to a mobile electricity consumer, as described in any one of claims 1 to 24.

26. The current collector (1) according to claim 25, characterized in that the connection contacts (12, 12') of the base portion (2) can be connected to the electrical connection lines (3, 3') of the electricity consumer.

27. The current collector (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 26, characterized in that the first contact (14, 14') is a sliding contact, the second contact (13, 13') is a second sliding contact, and / or the mating contact is the sliding conductor profile of the sliding conductor (100), and the consumer can move along the sliding conductor profile in the longitudinal direction (L) of the sliding conductor (100).

28. The current collector (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 26, characterized in that the mating contact is a charging contact of a fixed charging station, and the current collector is installed on a mobile electricity consumer.

29. The current collector (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 26, characterized in that the mating contact is a charging contact of a movable electricity consumer, and the current collector is installed in a fixed charging station.

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