Third Rail Paddle System

Abstract

To provide a third rail paddle system which inhibits a paddle from moving to an area below a third rail when there are variances in lateral spacing of the third rail.SOLUTION: A system 20 includes: a support assembly 22 configured for attachment to a vehicle 24; a pivot connection 26 attached to the support assembly 22 and defining a range of up and down movement, and a third rail paddle assembly 28 having an arm unit 30 and a paddle 32. The third rail paddle assembly 28 is attached to the pivot connection 26 for the paddle 32 to contact a third rail 34 and move up and down relative to the third rail 34. One of the pivot connection 26, the third rail paddle assembly 28, or the support assembly 22 includes a stop element 36 that limits the range of the up and down movement of the paddle 32 and prevents the third rail paddle assembly 28 from moving downwards to a bottom of the range of movement.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 190,998 (filed May 20, 2021), the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. [Background technology]

[0002] Embodiments of the subject matter described herein relate to vehicles that receive power from or otherwise interact with a third rail.

[0003] Technology Considerations Third rails (also known as electric rails or conductor rails) are used in some transportation systems to provide power to electrically-run vehicles. The third rail extends along a defined or known path of the vehicle (e.g., along a set of rail tracks) and is spaced from the path by a set distance. The third rail includes a metal or other conductive surface along its length to which a voltage is applied from a utility or other off-site source. To transfer power from the third rail to the vehicle, vehicles designated to receive power from the third rail are equipped with a current collector, a device positioned on the vehicle to make electrical contact with the third rail and to slide or track along the third rail as the vehicle travels along the path.

[0004] The third rail may be located outdoors and, thereby, exposed to weather conditions such as ice or snow. Thus, some vehicles are provided with a third rail ice scraper that may mechanically mimic the general function of a current collector in that it tracks along the third rail, but is electrically insulated and does not transfer power to the vehicle. Instead, the ice scraper is configured to remove ice from the third rail as the vehicle travels along the path, for example, with a scraper blade. This improves the degree of electrical contact between the third rail and the vehicle current collector that subsequently tracks along the third rail for power transfer.

[0005] For a given transportation network, the spacing between a third rail and its associated track may vary both vertically and laterally along the length of the track. For example, the third rail and / or track may undulate (due to wear, temperature contraction, erosion or settling of the track surface, etc.), resulting in a non-uniform vertical distance between the track surface and the third rail along the track. Also, different sections or blocks of the track may have third rails with different lateral spacing, or the lateral spacing may vary due to maintenance issues such as bent supports. Both current collectors and ice scrapers are intended to function by traveling on the top surface of the third rail. However, significant vertical variations in spacing may cause the current collector or ice scraper to be unable to track properly, and lateral variations may cause the current collector or ice scraper to impact the third rail and become damaged or completely detached from the vehicle.

[0006] Therefore, it may be desirable to provide a vehicle third rail interface device or system (e.g., a current collector or ice scraper) that differs from existing systems. Short Description

[0007] In one or more embodiments, a system (e.g., a third rail paddle system) includes a support assembly that may be mounted to a vehicle, a pivot connection attached to the support assembly and defining a range of up and down movement, and a third rail paddle assembly having an arm unit and a paddle. The paddle assembly is attached to the pivot connection such that when the support assembly is mounted to the vehicle, the paddle contacts the third rail and moves up and down relative to the third rail. One of the pivot connection, the paddle assembly, or the support assembly includes a stop element that limits the range of up and down movement and prevents the paddle assembly from moving downward to the bottom of its range of movement.

[0008] In another embodiment, a system includes a support assembly configured to mount to a vehicle, a pivot connection attached to the support assembly, and a third rail paddle assembly having an arm unit and a paddle attached to a first end of the arm unit. A second end of the arm unit is attached to the pivot connection such that when the support assembly is mounted to the vehicle, the paddle assembly pivots relative to the support assembly and the paddle contacts the third rail and moves up and down relative to the third rail. The paddle assembly includes a shear element configured to shear when a determined force is applied to a side of the paddle such that the paddle is removed from the arm unit or the arm unit (and thereby the entire paddle assembly) is removed from the pivot connection.

[0009] In another embodiment, a system includes a support assembly configured for mounting to a vehicle, a pivot connection attached to the support assembly, and a third rail paddle assembly having an arm unit and a paddle. The paddle assembly is attached to the pivot connection. The pivot connection includes a vertical pivot assembly and a lateral pivot assembly for pivoting the paddle assembly both laterally and vertically relative to the support assembly. The lateral pivot assembly includes a resilient element that biases the lateral pivot assembly and the paddle assembly toward a center of a range of lateral pivoting of the paddle assembly.

[0010] In another embodiment, a system includes a support assembly configured to mount to a vehicle, a pivot connection attached to the support assembly, and a third rail paddle assembly attached to the pivot connection for the paddle assembly to pivot vertically relative to the support assembly. The paddle assembly includes an arm attached to the pivot connection, a lateral pivot joint attached to the arm, and a paddle attached to the lateral pivot joint. The paddle is configured to move laterally relative to the arm about the lateral pivot joint. The pivot joint includes a resilient element biasing the paddle to a center of the paddle's lateral range of movement about the pivot joint. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] The subject matter of the present invention can be understood from reading the following description of non-limiting embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a first embodiment of a third rail paddle system. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is another side view of the embodiment of FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of a third rail paddle system. [Figure 4]FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of a third rail paddle system. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of a third rail paddle system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Embodiments of the subject matter described herein relate to third rail paddle systems. These paddle systems refer to devices or assemblies that can be mounted on a vehicle to run paddles along a third rail for a designated function. For example, the paddles can be current collectors or scrapers.

[0014] 1 and 2, in one embodiment, the system 20 includes a support assembly 22 that may be mounted to a vehicle 24, a pivot connection 26 that is attached to the support assembly and defines an up / down (vertical) range of movement "R", and a third rail paddle assembly 28 having an arm unit 30 and a paddle 32. The paddle may include a generally flat body. In the illustrated embodiment, it is made of metal and is paddle shaped. The paddle assembly is attached to the pivot connection such that when the support assembly is operably mounted to the vehicle, the paddle contacts a third rail 34 and moves up and down relative to the third rail. One of the pivot connection, the paddle assembly, or the support assembly includes a stop element 36 (e.g., a stop bolt) that limits the up / down range of movement ("R2") and prevents the paddle assembly from moving downward to the bottom of the range of movement ("R3"). This may ensure that the stop element is unlikely or will not move the paddle below the third rail if there is variation in the spacing of the third rails.

[0015] In another embodiment, the pivot connection further includes a flexible torsion element 38. The arm unit of the paddle assembly is attached to the torsion element for up and down movement of the paddle assembly. The torsion element may torsionally flex so that the paddle assembly moves laterally when a lateral force "F" is applied to the paddle assembly and springs back to a center position when the force is removed. For example, the torsion element may include a relatively stiff polymer shaft or a relatively stiff, elongated, helical extension spring about which the paddle assembly pivots vertically, but which includes some flexibility or bendability to allow for some lateral movement of the paddle assembly.

[0016] In another embodiment, referring to FIG. 3, a system 40 includes a support assembly 42 configured to mount to a vehicle 44, a pivot connection 46 attached to the support assembly, and a third rail paddle assembly 48 having an arm unit 50 and a paddle 52 attached to a first end of the arm unit. A second end of the arm unit is attached to the pivot connection of the paddle assembly such that when the support assembly is mounted to the vehicle, the paddle assembly pivots relative to the support assembly such that the paddle contacts the third rail 54 and moves up and down relative to the third rail. The paddle assembly includes a shear element 56 (e.g., a shear bolt or shear pin) configured to shear when a determined force "F" is applied to a side of the paddle such that one of the paddles is removed from the arm unit or the arm unit is removed from the pivot connection. Thus, according to one aspect, instead of a lateral force potentially causing the entire paddle assembly, the pivot connection, and all or part of the support assembly to peel off from the vehicle, the shear element may tend to separate just the paddle or paddle assembly, resulting in less overall damage to the vehicle.

[0017] The system of Figure 3 may include a tether 58 connecting the paddle or arm unit (whichever is detached when the shear element shears) to either the pivot connection or the support assembly, so that when the paddle detaches from the arm unit, or the entire paddle assembly detaches from the pivot connection, it does not fall onto the path surface (e.g., a rail track) but is instead carried by the vehicle on the tether.

[0018] In another embodiment, referring to FIG. 4 (a schematic side view), a system 60 includes a support assembly 62 configured for mounting to a vehicle 64, a pivot connection 66 attached to the support assembly, and a third rail paddle assembly 68 having an arm unit 70 and a paddle 72. The paddle assembly is attached to the pivot connection. The pivot connection includes a vertical pivot assembly 74 and a lateral pivot assembly 76 for the paddle assembly to pivot both laterally and vertically relative to the support assembly (from the perspective of FIG. 4, the lateral pivot is about pivot 76 and the vertical pivot is of the arm unit and paddle about a shaft generally indicated by element 74). The lateral pivot assembly includes a biasing element, such as a resilient element 78 (e.g., a spring), that biases the lateral pivot assembly and the paddle assembly toward the center of the range of lateral pivot of the paddle assembly. In operation, the vertical pivot assembly allows the paddle to freely track and move up and down along the third rail. If a force is applied to the side of the paddle, either by the paddle hitting debris or the third rail itself (e.g., due to variations in third rail spacing, such as hitting a junction where the third rail spacing transitions from one spacing to a different spacing), the paddle assembly will be free to pivot laterally and will bounce back when the force is removed.

[0019] In another embodiment, referring to FIG. 5, a system 80 includes a support assembly 82 that may be mounted to a vehicle 84, a pivot connection 86 attached to the support assembly, and a third rail paddle assembly 88 attached to the pivot connection for the paddle assembly to pivot vertically relative to the support assembly. The paddle assembly includes an arm 90 attached to the pivot connection, a lateral pivot joint 92 attached to the arm, and a paddle 94 attached to the lateral pivot joint. In operation, the paddle may move laterally relative to the arm about the lateral pivot joint. The pivot joint includes a resilient element 96 that biases the paddle toward the center of the paddle's lateral range of movement about the pivot joint. Operation may be similar to that of the system of FIG. 4, except that the lateral pivot point is at the paddle assembly rather than the pivot connection. Suitable resilient elements may include flexible rubber strips, springs, composite materials, and the like.

[0020] In either the embodiment of Figure 4 or Figure 5, according to one aspect, the resilient element may be non-linear such that it only permits lateral movement of the paddle when a force greater than a determined or specified amount of force is applied against the side of the paddle. That is, when a force below the determined or specified amount of force is applied, the resilient element resists, but when a force greater than the determined or specified amount of force is applied, the resistance of the resilient element is partially overcome and lateral movement is permitted. When the force is removed, the resilient element returns the paddle to a center position.

[0021] In any of the embodiments herein, the paddle may be a scraper. A suitable scraper may be a plate having a scraping blade. A suitable blade may be formed from metal, ceramic, or structurally reinforced resin. In one embodiment, the scraper is an ice scraper. The ice scraper may include an ice removal feature attached to its underside that contacts the third rail. Other scrapers may include leaf scrapers, insect scrapers, and mud or debris scrapers. The scraper may include brushes, deflectors, and the like. In one embodiment, the scraper includes features for capturing and extinguishing sparks.

[0022] Additionally, the support assembly may include an electrical isolator to electrically isolate the support assembly from the vehicle when the support assembly is mounted to the vehicle, which may reduce or prevent power being transferred from the third rail to the vehicle. With regard to the scraper, at least ice scrapers are generally not intended for power transfer, which may lead to damage to the vehicle.

[0023] In one embodiment, the vehicle does not receive traction from a third rail at all, such as a third rail maintenance vehicle, high rail inspection vehicle, switcher, etc., and is instead powered by a battery bank and / or a fuel engine.

[0024] In one example, the system includes a support assembly that may be mounted to the vehicle and a pivot connection attached to the support assembly. The pivot connection may define a range of movement. The system also includes a paddle assembly having an arm unit and a paddle. The paddle assembly may be attached to the pivot connection for the paddle to contact a surface and move relative to the third rail while the support assembly is mounted to the vehicle. One of the pivot connection, the paddle assembly, or the support assembly may include a stop element that limits the range of movement and prevents the paddle assembly from moving downward to a bottom of the range of movement.

[0025] The paddle assembly may be a third rail paddle assembly that may contact the third rail and conduct electrical current from the third rail to the vehicle. The paddle assembly may be a scraper that may scrape ice from a portion of a path traveled by the vehicle.

[0026] The pivot connection may include a flexible torsion element to which the arm unit of the paddle assembly is attached for movement of the paddle assembly, the torsion element may be torsionally bent to move laterally when a lateral force is applied to the paddle assembly and spring back to a central position when the force is removed.

[0027] The paddle assembly may include a shear element that may shear when a determined force is applied to a side of the paddle such that the paddle is removed from the arm unit.The paddle assembly may include a shear element that may shear when a determined force is applied to a side of the paddle such that the arm unit is removed from the pivot connection.

[0028] The pivot connection may include a vertical pivot assembly and a lateral pivot assembly for pivoting the paddle assembly both laterally and vertically relative to the support assembly. The lateral pivot assembly may include a resilient element that biases the lateral pivot assembly and the paddle assembly toward a center of the range of lateral pivoting of the paddle assembly.

[0029] In one example, the system includes a support assembly that can be mounted to a vehicle, a pivot connection attached to the support assembly, and a third rail paddle assembly having an arm unit and a paddle attached to a first end of the arm unit. A second end of the arm unit can be attached to the pivot connection such that when the support assembly is mounted to the vehicle, the paddle assembly pivots relative to the support assembly and the paddle contacts the third rail and moves up and down relative to the third rail.

[0030] The paddle assembly may include a shear element that may shear when a determined force is applied to a side of the paddle such that the paddle is detached from the arm unit or the arm unit is detached from the pivot connection. The system may also include a tether connecting one of the paddles or the arm unit to the pivot connection or one of the support assemblies that is detached when the shear element shears.

[0031] The pivot connection may define a range of up and down movement of the paddle assembly. One of the pivot connection, the paddle assembly, or the support assembly may include a stop element that limits the range of movement of the paddle assembly and prevents the paddle assembly from moving downward to the bottom of its range of movement.

[0032] The paddle assembly may be a third rail paddle assembly that contacts the third rail and can conduct electrical current from the third rail to the vehicle. The paddle assembly may be an ice scraper that scrapes ice from the third rail.

[0033] In one example, the system includes a support assembly that may be mounted to a vehicle, a pivot connection attached to the support assembly, and a third rail paddle assembly attached to the pivot connection for the paddle assembly to pivot vertically relative to the support assembly. The paddle assembly may include an arm attached to the pivot connection, a lateral pivot joint attached to the arm, and a paddle attached to the lateral pivot joint. The paddle may move laterally relative to the arm about the lateral pivot joint. The pivot joint may include a resilient element that biases the paddle to a center of the paddle's lateral range of movement about the pivot joint.

[0034] The resilient element may be non-linear to permit lateral movement of the paddle only when a force beyond a determined amount of force is applied against a side of the paddle. The paddle may include an ice scraper. The support assembly may include an electrical isolator for electrically isolating the support assembly from the vehicle when the support assembly is mounted to the vehicle.

[0035] The singular forms "a", "an", and "the" include plural references unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. "Optional" or "optionally" means that the subsequently described event or circumstance may or may not occur, and the description may include cases where the event occurs and does not occur. Approximation language used herein throughout this specification and claims may be applied to modify any quantitative expression that may be permissibly varied without causing a change in the basic function involved. Thus, values ​​modified by terms such as "about", "substantially", and "approximately" or terms may not be limited to the exact value specified. In at least some cases, approximation language may correspond to the precision of an instrument for measuring the value. Throughout this specification and claims, unless the context or language indicates otherwise, range limitations may be combined and / or interchanged, and such ranges are specified and may include all subranges contained therein.

[0036] This written description uses examples to disclose embodiments, including the best mode, and also enables any person skilled in the art to practice the embodiments, including making and using any devices or systems, and performing any incorporated methods. Aspects of the invention are set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. 1. A system comprising: a support assembly configured to be mounted to a vehicle; a pivot connection attached to the support assembly, the pivot connection defining a range of movement; a paddle assembly having an arm unit and a paddle, the paddle attached to a first end of the arm unit and the paddle assembly attached to the pivot connection by a second end of the arm unit, the paddle assembly configured such that a bottom surface of the paddle contacts an upper surface of a third rail and pivots vertically relative to the support assembly while the support assembly is attached to the vehicle and while the vehicle is traveling along a path; a stop element operably attached to one of the pivot connection, the paddle assembly, or the support assembly, the stop element configured to limit the range of movement and prevent the paddle assembly from moving downwardly to a bottom of the range of movement; the pivot connection includes a flexible torsion element to which the arm unit of the paddle assembly is attached for movement of the paddle assembly, the flexible torsion element configured to torsionally flex such that the paddle assembly moves laterally when a lateral force is applied to the paddle assembly and springs back to a central position in response to the force being removed; the paddle assembly includes a shear element configured to shear when a determined force is applied to a side of the paddle such that only the paddle is detached from the arm unit; system.

2. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the paddle assembly is a third rail paddle assembly configured to contact the third rail and to conduct electrical current from the third rail to the vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the paddle assembly is an ice scraper configured to scrape ice from a portion of the path traversed by the vehicle.

4. 1. A system comprising: a support assembly configured to be mounted to a vehicle; a pivot connection attached to the support assembly, the pivot connection including a vertical pivot assembly and a lateral pivot assembly for pivoting the third rail paddle assembly both laterally and vertically relative to the support assembly; the third rail paddle assembly having an arm unit and a paddle attached to a first end of the arm unit; a second end of the arm unit is attached to the pivot connection so that when the support assembly is attached to the vehicle and while the vehicle is traveling along a path, the third rail paddle assembly pivots relative to the support assembly, such that the paddle contacts an upper surface of a third rail and moves up and down relative to the third rail; the lateral pivot assembly is positioned at a position that does not overlap a pivot axis of the vertical pivot assembly in a top view but is spaced apart from the pivot axis.

5. 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the third rail paddle assembly includes a shear element configured to shear when a determined force is applied to a side of the paddle such that one of the paddles is detached from the arm unit or the arm unit is detached from the pivot connection.

6. The third rail paddle assembly includes a shear element configured to shear when a determined force is applied to a side of the paddle such that the paddle is detached from the arm unit, or configured to shear when a determined force is applied to a side of the paddle such that the arm unit is detached from the pivot connection; The system of claim 4 , further comprising a tether connecting one of the paddle or the arm unit to one of the pivot connection or the support assembly that is detached when the shear element shears.

7. The system of claim 4 , wherein the pivot connection defines a range of up and down movement for the third rail paddle assembly.

8. 8. The system of claim 7, wherein one of the pivot connection, the third rail paddle assembly, or the support assembly includes a stop element that limits the vertical range of movement of the third rail paddle assembly and prevents the third rail paddle assembly from moving downwardly to a bottom of the vertical range of movement.

9. The system of claim 4 , wherein the third rail paddle assembly is configured to contact a third rail and to conduct electrical current from the third rail to the vehicle.

10. The system of claim 4 , wherein the third rail paddle assembly is an ice scraper configured to scrape ice from a third rail.

11. 1. A system comprising: a support assembly configured to be mounted to a vehicle; a pivot connection attached to the support assembly; a third rail paddle assembly attached to the pivot connection for pivoting vertically relative to the support assembly, the third rail paddle assembly having a paddle and an arm, the paddle attached to a first end of the arm and the third rail paddle assembly attached to the pivot connection by a second end of the arm, and configured to move vertically relative to the pivot connection while the vehicle travels along a path; the third rail paddle assembly includes a lateral pivot joint attached to the arm, the paddle attached to the lateral pivot joint, the lateral pivot joint including a resilient element, the paddle configured to move laterally relative to the arm about the lateral pivot joint, the resilient element contained within the lateral pivot joint biasing the paddle to a center of the paddle's lateral range of movement about the lateral pivot joint; The system of claim 1, wherein the lateral pivot joints are positioned at a position that does not overlap the pivot axis of the pivot connection in a top view, but is spaced apart from the pivot axis.

12. 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the resilient element is non-linear so as to permit the lateral movement of the paddle only when a force beyond a determined degree of force is applied against a side of the paddle.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the paddle comprises an ice scraper.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the support assembly includes an electrical isolator for electrically isolating the support assembly from the vehicle when the support assembly is mounted to the vehicle.

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