Charging station for trolley vehicles and method of operating a charging system for trolley vehicles

Abstract

The invention relates to a charging station for trolley vehicles, in particular trolley buses, comprising contact means (06) for contacting metallic contact surfaces (07) of a current collector head (02) of a current collector (03), wherein the contact means (06) of the charging station (01) are arranged and designed such that they contact the current collector head (02) on contact surfaces (07) outside a central contact shoe (04) of the current collector head, preferably on outer side surfaces of the current collector head (02). According to the invention, it is provided that the contact means (06) comprise at least one leaf spring element (08) which is arranged and designed such that when the contact surfaces (07) are contacted by the contact means (06), it directly rests on the contact surfaces (07) and at least a part of the leaf spring element (08) is deformed against a restoring force and pressed against the contact surfaces (07).

Description

[0001] Charging station for trolley vehicles and method of operating a charging system for trolley vehicles

[0002] The present invention relates to charging stations for trolley vehicles, in particular trolley buses, according to the preambles of claims 1 and 7, as well as to a method of operating a charging system comprising a charging station for trolley vehicles, preferably trolley buses, according to the preamble of claim 12.

[0003] Various trolley buses are known from the state of the art. In the case of road-bound trolley buses, which are generally used as scheduled buses for passenger transport, the routing was restricted or limited for a long time by the overhead line network. By integrating electrical energy storage devices, such as batteries or accumulators, the routing network of such trolleybuses could in the past also be extended to routes or sections of routes that did not have an overhead line infrastructure.

[0004] In order to make the best possible use of the available charging capacity of the energy storage units, it is particularly desirable for the trolley vehicles or trolley buses to recharge the energy storage units frequently and also during operation. To do this, charging can preferably take place while stationary, for example at charging stations that are spatially assigned to bus stops, in order to be able to use and / or move the vehicles as often and as long as possible even without an overhead line infrastructure.

[0005] When the energy storage devices are charged quickly while stationary, high electrical currents occur, and the current collector shoes of the trolley vehicles , which are used to contact the overhead line when the vehicle is in motion, are not suitable for transporting / transferring them. Conventional overhead lines or overhead line sections are not designed nor suitable for such charging currents, either.

[0006] For this reason, there are already various approaches in the state of the art to be able to handle the necessary charging currents and the electrical energy to be transmitted via corresponding charging stations in the overhead line network. One approach involves not contacting a known current collector head in a central current collector shoe that is recessed or positioned backwards and which contacts and guides an overhead line when traveling along it, but rather contacting the current collector head on contact surfaces outside of a central contact shoe, preferably on the outer side surfaces of the current collector head. A related approach and an associated charging station are described, for example, in EP 3225 452 B1.

[0007] The contact surfaces used in the current collector head, in particular the outer side surfaces of the current collector head, are in principle suitable for contacting charging stations of this type, but the approaches known in the prior art are disadvantageous because they are structurally complex, do not easily enable reliable and safe contact between the charging station and its contacts on the one hand and the current collector head on the other hand, and are also not able to detect / measure or identify the correct relative arrangement between the charging station and the current collector head.

[0008] Based on this, the object of the present invention is to propose a charging station for trolley vehicles, in particular trolley buses, which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art and, in particular, ensures a safe and reliable contact between the charging station and the current collector head with simple design means, and / or which makes this detectable or measurable. This object is achieved with respect to a charging station for trolley vehicles with the features of independent claims 1 and 7. With respect to a method of operating a charging system comprising a charging station for trolley vehicles and at least one trolley vehicle, the said object is achieved with the features of claim 12.

[0009] Advantageous embodiments of the present invention are the subject of the description of the figures, of the figures, and of the subclaims.

[0010] Further, in order to avoid unnecessary repetition, features disclosed below as device-related shall also be deemed to be disclosed and claimable as method-related, and vice versa.

[0011] The charging station according to the invention for trolley vehicles, in particular trolleybuses, comprises contact means for contacting metal contact surfaces of a current collector head of a current collector, in which the contact means of the charging station are arranged and designed such that they contact the current collector head on contact surfaces outside a central contact shoe of the current collector head, preferably on outer side surfaces of the current collector head. According to the invention, it is provided that the contact means comprise at least one leaf spring element that is arranged and designed such that when the contact surfaces of the current collector head are contacted by the contact means, it rests directly on the contact surfaces and at least part of the leaf spring element is deformed against a restoring force and pressed against the contact surfaces.

[0012] The present invention is therefore based on the basic idea of creating a charging station that essentially does not require any moving parts and therefore does not require a contact mechanism or contacting mechanism, as is the case, for example, with the pivotable contact wings in EP 3 225 452 A1. This means that the charging station can be designed almost completely without control mechanisms and / or control technology for physically contacting the current collector head and its contact surfaces, so that not only the bare mechanics with their moving parts, but also the corresponding control and regulation of the mechanics can be omitted, which makes the charging station simpler and less susceptible to faults both in terms of manufacture and production and in terms of operation and maintenance.

[0013] In other words, the basic idea of the present invention is to replace a complex, maintenance-intensive and failure-prone actuating mechanism for contacting the current collector head with long-lasting and largely wear- free leaf spring elements, which are also arranged in such a way and are elastically deformable against a restoring force that a corresponding contact of the charging station with the current collector head of a current collector of the trolley vehicle inevitably or directly leads to the mechanical contact between the contact surfaces and the contact means, so that the mechanical contact between the corresponding transmission partners, which is necessary in order to subsequently transmit the electrical energy and / or carry the electrical currents, is established in the simplest way.

[0014] In a first advantageous embodiment of the charging station, it can be provided that it has at least one pair of opposing leaf spring elements, which, when contacting the contact surfaces, rest on two opposite contact surfaces of the current collector head. This allows the elastically deformable leaf spring elements to create a respective tolerance for the reception / contacting of the current collector head on both sides of the current collector head, so that current collector heads that have different dimensions due to manufacturing and / or wear are still reliably contacted. According to a further, particularly preferred variant of the charging station, it can be provided that the leaf spring element or the leaf spring elements have a slotting which comprises a plurality of slots which run along a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the charging station or which each run along a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the charging station.

[0015] By slitting the leaf spring element or the leaf spring elements located on both sides, it is particularly advantageous to achieve flexibility and / or segmentation of the leaf spring elements in the longitudinal direction. For example, it is possible that when the leaf spring elements are contacted by the current collector head, preferably by approaching them from below or underneath, only those sections or areas of the leaf spring element or leaf spring elements separated from one another by slits are deformed that also come into contact with the current collector head or are pressed against the contact surfaces of the current collector head and are elastically deformed during the process. Therefore, on the one hand, the charging station and the contact means can extend over a relatively large range in the longitudinal direction and thus enable contact to be made with the charging station in different positions of the trolley vehicle, and on the other hand, they enable simpler and safer contact since only those segments or sections need to be contacted, deformed and pressed that are in the area of the current collector head.

[0016] The slots or slottings can be formed equidistantly along the longitudinal direction of the charging station. The slottings can advantageously be arranged at the same height or congruently along the longitudinal direction if two opposing pairs of leaf spring elements are provided.

[0017] In a further, particularly advantageous embodiment of the charging station, it also can be provided that the leaf spring element or the leaf spring elements have two material layers which are preferably differently shaped and / or have different extensions in a height direction. This allows the elasticity and deformability of the leaf spring elements to be adapted particularly well to the use or intended purpose in a particularly advantageous manner.

[0018] For example, a lower section or a lower part of the leaf spring element can be designed as a single layer and thus be correspondingly more flexible or easier to deform. In particular, when the contact surfaces of the current collector head are contacted by the current collector head approaching from below, this leads to the current collector head first coming into contact with the single-layer, more elastic part of the leaf spring element, that means in the function of an insertion section, and only then, with a further upward movement or relative movement with respect to the charging station, penetrating into the area of the two-layer, preferably stiffer section of the leaf spring element, which then causes a larger or stronger contact pressure between the contact surfaces of the current collector head and the leaf spring element. It can advantageously be provided that the previously described slottings in the leaf spring elements or the leaf spring element extend to both single-layer and two-layer areas of the leaf spring elements.

[0019] In a further, particularly advantageous variant of the charging station, it also can be provided that the contact elements and / or the charging station are designed as immovable, apart from the leaf spring elements, and in particular do not comprise any mechanically driven or drivable parts. As already explained in the introduction, the leaf spring elements are not "moving parts" in the classic sense because they only undergo elastic deformation when contacting the current collector head. However, it is advantageous if the charging station and / or the contact elements are designed in such a way that no further moving parts or assemblies have to be provided or are implemented. This is because the charging station as a whole can be implemented in a particularly advantageous manner with particularly low wear and maintenance. The manufacture or production of the charging station in question can also be ensured particularly effectively and easily if no moving parts or components have to be implemented and assembled.

[0020] In a further, particularly preferred embodiment of the charging station, it also can be provided that a central guide bar is provided, which extends along the longitudinal direction of the charging station and is arranged in the area of the contact shoe when the contact surfaces are contacted by the contact means. The guide bar can accordingly be arranged in a position in which an overhead line cable would otherwise be arranged. The contact shoe, which otherwise serves to receive and guide the overhead line cable, can then accommodate or partially accommodate the guide bar and thus serve to provide additional guidance for the current collector head on or in the charging station. The guide bar can preferably form not only a guide but also a stop in the vertical direction and thus ensure that the contact surfaces of the current collector head come into contact with the contact means, in particular the leaf spring elements, in an area in which particularly good and reliable mechanical contact and accordingly also good electrical contact is guaranteed.

[0021] The above-mentioned problem is also solved by a charging station for trolley vehicles, in particular trolley buses, with contact means for contacting metallic surfaces of a current collector head of a current collector, wherein the contact means of the charging station are arranged and designed such that they contact the current collector head on contact surfaces outside a central contact shoe of the current collector head, preferably on outer side surfaces of the current collector head, wherein it is provided according to the invention that the charging station comprises optical measuring means with which the presence and / or position of a current collector head in the charging station can be detected.

[0022] By the optical detection of the presence of a current collector head in or on the charging station as well as by the advantageous determination of a position, it can be made sure that the charging station is only activated and a corresponding current flow and / or electrical power transmission is only initiated if any presence and / or correct, or at least sufficient, positioning of a current collector head has been determined.

[0023] As a result, a particularly effective charging of energy storage devices of trolley vehicles, in particular trolley buses, can be achieved in a particularly advantageous manner, possibly also independently of the actual procedure for contacting the contact surfaces by means of the contact means.

[0024] According to an advantageous embodiment, it can be provided that the optical measuring means have a large number of diode pairs that are evenly distributed over an extension of the charging station in the longitudinal direction and serve as optical transmitters and receivers. Such devices, which are also referred to as diode bars, for example, are well known from industrial measuring and testing processes and can be easily procured and used in a standardized manner, also with respect to the evaluation and further use of the measurement signals. In addition, they allow the presence and / or position of the current collector head to be measured or detected in the longitudinal direction with sufficiently high resolution, so that it can be safely and reliably detected whether a current collector head is contacted and ready to transmit electrical energy.

[0025] In a further, particularly advantageous embodiment of the charging station, it also can be provided that the optical measuring device is arranged on both sides of the charging station in such a way that the presence and / or position of the current collector head can be detected from two opposing or opposite directions. This results in a certain redundancy of the system, since in principle a measurement from one side or one direction would be sufficient, too. At the same time, however, it enables verification of the measurement result and therefore results in an improved safety of the charging station.

[0026] In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the charging station is designed according to one of the configurations described at the beginning, i.e. with contact means which comprise at least one leaf spring element which is arranged and designed such that when the contact means contact the contact surfaces, it rests directly on the contact surfaces and at least a part of the leaf spring element is deformed against a restoring force and pressed against the contact surfaces.

[0027] The optical detection and measurement of the current collector head can be particularly advantageously combined or linked with the static or quasistatic design of the charging station. This ensures that the measurement of the measuring equipment is not impaired or influenced by moving parts of a mechanism.

[0028] In a further, likewise particularly advantageous variant of the charging station, it can be provided that the optical measuring means are arranged transversely to the longitudinal direction of the charging station behind the leaf spring element, wherein the detection of the presence and / or position of a current collector head is ensured by the slotting in the leaf spring element, preferably through the slotting in the leaf spring element.

[0029] The object described above is also achieved by a method of operating a charging system comprising a charging station for trolley vehicles, preferably according to one of the embodiments described above, and a trolley vehicle, particularly preferably a trolley bus with a current collector head arranged on a current collector designed to be movable relative to the trolley vehicle, which method has the following method steps:

[0030] Detecting the presence of the trolley vehicle in close proximity to the charging station, preferably via infrared transmitter and receiver, which are particularly preferably assigned to the charging station and the trolley vehicle, respectively. Deactivating a locking mechanism of the current collector. Moving the current collector for contacting the contact means of the charging station with the current collector head, in particular the contact surfaces, of the current collector of the trolley vehicle. Checking the presence and / or position of a current collector head in the area of contact means of the charging station, preferably via optical measuring means. Transmitting a signal concerning the presence and / or position of a current collector head in the area of contact means of the charging station to the trolley vehicle and / or to a preferably computer-based control unit of the charging system. Activating an electrical energy transfer between the charging station and the trolley vehicle depending on the presence and position of the current collector head in the area of the contact means of the charging station. Advantageously, it can be provided that the contact means are constantly supplied with current / voltage and that the activation of the energy transfer is carried out by the electronics of the trolley vehicle. For this purpose, an enable signal can be sent from the charging station to the trolley vehicle, which then initiates the charging process. Alternatively or additionally, it also could be provided that the contact means of the charging station are switched to active and thus activated when the presence and position of the current collector head in the area of the contact means of the charging station is or has been detected. Particularly preferably, the movement of the current collector of the trolley vehicle for contacting the contact means of the charging station with the current collector head is carried out without any mechanical adjustment or mechanical drive of parts or assemblies of the charging station, but only and / or exclusively by elastically deforming contact means which are at least partially designed as a leaf spring element.

[0031] The method according to the invention also ensures contact between the charging station and the current collector of the trolley vehicle in a particularly safe and effective manner and, moreover, ensures that the contact means are only activated if it also is ensured that a current collector head has correctly or sufficiently contacted the charging station.

[0032] This can be done particularly advantageously without the charging station having to actively perform an adjustment or movement. Instead, it can be particularly advantageous if only the movement and / or driving of the current collector with the current collector head on one end leads to the contact between the charging station and the current collector head being provided.

[0033] In an advantageous embodiment of the method, it can be provided that before the locking mechanism of the current collector is deactivated, a parking brake of the trolley vehicle is activated automatically or semi- automatically or a request to activate the parking brake is issued to a vehicle driver. The automatic activation of the parking brake can, for example, take place in such a way that when the spatial proximity to a charging station is determined and other vehicle sensors signal or detect that the trolley vehicle has stopped, the parking brake is automatically activated. The semi-automatic activation of the parking brake can provide for an input, for example for a confirmation by the vehicle driver, in particular in the form of pressing a button or in the form of operating another switching or operating element. The request to activate the parking brake can, for example, be visual and / or acoustic. In this case, it can, for example, be provided that an operating or switching element must also be operated by the vehicle driver in order to activate the parking brake. In each one of the forms described above, this has the advantage that any subsequent movement of the trolley vehicle, especially during and after contacting the charging station, is avoided or prevented. This further facilitates or improves successful contacting between the charging station and the current collector.

[0034] In a further advantageous embodiment of the method, it can be provided that before the activation of the electrical energy transfer between the charging station and the trolley vehicle, a power throttling of the charging power of the trolley vehicle is deactivated, preferably by a signal from the charging station.

[0035] This makes it possible to charge the electrical storage devices in a relatively short time when stationary and with appropriate contact with the charging station, and thus also within relatively short downtimes, so that after starting off, sufficient electrical power is available again to enable driving beyond routes with overhead lines, at least until the next charging station or other supply or charging infrastructure, including the existing overhead lines.

[0036] In a further advantageous embodiment of the method, it also can be provided that an additional check of the charging station and / or the trolley vehicle is carried out using suitable sensors, in which check measured values are compared with predefined limit values and if the respective limit values are not reached or are exceeded, at least one deactivation of the electrical energy transmission between the charging station and the trolley vehicle is caused. For example, the check can include a temperature measurement with associated thermometers which measure, for example, the temperatures in the area of the charging station and / or the temperature of the electrical storage device and compare them with limit values, for example a maximum temperature. Other physical measured values can also be checked to ensure safe charging of the electrical storage devices.

[0037] If necessary, a time measurement could even be carried out to ensure that the charging processes do not endanger or delay the trolley vehicle's timetable.

[0038] In the following, the present invention is explained by way of example using purely schematic drawings.

[0039] The drawings show:

[0040] Fig. 1 : a schematic perspective view of a charging station according to the invention including a current collector head;

[0041] Fig. 2: a schematic perspective view of a charging station according to the invention in a second embodiment;

[0042] Fig. 3: an enlarged section of the charging station of Fig. 2;

[0043] Fig. 4: an exemplary flow chart of a method of operating a charging system.

[0044] Fig. 1 shows a charging station 01 which is in contact with a current collector head 02 of a current collector 03 of a not shown trolley vehicle. A contact shoe 04 of the current collector head 02 is guided by a central guide bar 05, so that the central guide bar 05 forms a lateral guide for the contact shoe 04 and a stop for the contact shoe 04 in the height direction H. The charging station 01 comprises contact means 06 on both sides of the guide bar 05, which contact the contact surfaces 07 of the current collector head 02 on the outside. The contact surfaces 07 are preferably designed as outer side surfaces of the current collector head 02. The contact means 06 comprise leaf spring elements 08 arranged in the longitudinal direction L of the charging station 01 on opposite sides of the central guide bar 05 and mounted one behind the other. Each one the leaf spring elements 08 has a slotting 09 which runs in planes transverse to the longitudinal direction L. In the example in Fig. 1 , each leaf spring element 08 is divided into four fingers 10 by three slottings.

[0045] The leaf spring elements 08 are formed in an upper section from two material layers, namely an inner material layer 11 and an outer material layer 12. In the lower area, the leaf spring element 08 is formed in a single layer by the inner material layer 11. The leaf spring elements 08 are widened in the lower area and increasingly taper towards the top until they reach an area that is formed in two layers. The lower widened section 13 makes it easier to receive and insert the current collector head 04. The slotting 09 of the leaf spring elements 08 also makes it easier to deform the leaf spring elements 08, in particular when the leaf spring elements 08 and / or their fingers 10 are deflected in sections. It can be seen that when the current collector head 04 is contacted by approaching the charging station 01 from below, the current collector head 04 dips between the leaf spring elements 08 of the contact means 06 and in doing so slightly presses them elastically outwards. In response, the leaf spring elements 08 are partially and / or sectionally pressed against the outer side surfaces of the contact shoe 04 and the corresponding contact surfaces 07.

[0046] The charging station can also have a frame with frame elements 14 and cover elements 15, which essentially provide weather protection for the charging station. Fig. 2 shows an alternative design of the charging station. There, in the width direction B behind the contact means 06, in particular behind the leaf spring elements 08, optical measuring means 16 are arranged on both sides, which can detect and determine the presence and / or position of a current collector head (not shown in Fig. 2), preferably through the slotting 09 of the leaf spring elements 08. The optical measuring means 16 can preferably have a plurality of diode pairs that are evenly distributed over the extension of the charging station 01 in the longitudinal direction L and serve as optical transmitters and receivers.

[0047] As can be seen in the enlarged view of Fig. 3, the optical measuring means 16 are designed as diode bars which comprise a corresponding plurality of diode pairs 17. In Fig. 3, exemplary measuring paths are also shown as arrows along which the optical measurement is carried out and thus the presence and / or position of a current collector head is determined. Accordingly, in Fig. 3, the central guide bar 05 is also designed with a corresponding contour in order to enable or improve the optical measurement. It is also clearly visible in the enlarged view of Fig. 3 that each leaf spring element has two material layers 11 , 12 which are differently shaped and have different lengths.

[0048] Fig. 4 shows a flow chart that illustrates the sequence of a method according to the invention of operating a charging system with a charging station 01 according to the invention and a trolley vehicle. In a first method step S1 , it can be detected, preferably via infrared transmitters and receivers that are assigned to the charging station or stop and the trolley vehicle, whether a trolley vehicle is in close proximity to the charging station. As long as this is not the case, method step S1 is repeated at regular intervals. If the proximity between the charging station and the trolley vehicle is detected, it can be provided that a parking brake of the trolley vehicle is operated or activated in a next method step S2. In a subsequent method step S3, the deactivation of a locking mechanism of the current collector can then be done automatically or semi-automatically. In a further method step S4, the current collector can then be moved and the charging station can be contacted with the current collector head of the trolley vehicle. In this case, it can particularly advantageously be provided that only an elastic deformation of the contact means takes place and that, besides this, the charging station, preferably permanently installed or mounted, does not carry out any mechanical adjustment or movement.

[0049] In a next method step S5, it can be checked, preferably via the optical measuring means, whether and where the current collector head contacts the charging station, in particular the contact means. If it is determined that a current collector head is correctly connected or contacted with the charging station, in a method step S6, the activation of an electrical energy transfer between the charging station and the trolley vehicle can be brought about depending on the presence and / or position of the current collector head in the area of the contact means of the charging station, for which purpose a release or activation signal is preferably transmitted from the charging station to the trolley vehicle. If it is determined during the optical check of the presence and / or position of the current collector head that there is no presence or that the position is not sufficient to activate the electrical energy transfer between the charging station and the trolley vehicle, then, for example, the movement or displacement of the current collector can be partially or completely reversed and the method can be continued again with method step S4 of the movement of the current collector. Alternatively, the charging process can also be aborted. During the transmission of electrical energy, an additional check can take place in process step S7, which monitors the charging process, for example by means of a suitable sensor, by measuring parameters such as charging current, temperatures or other properties and by comparing them with predefined limit values.

[0050] After a predefined time or after reaching a predefined charge level of the electric storage of the trolley vehicle or when other predefined limit values are exceeded or not reached, the electrical energy transfer between the charging station and the trolley vehicle can be deactivated in a further process step S8. The current collector can then be returned to a retracted and secured position. This can take place, for example, in process step S9. This can, for example, end the charging process of the trolley vehicle at the charging station.

[0051] Reference signs

[0052] 01 charging station

[0053] 02 current collector head

[0054] 03 current collector

[0055] 04 contact shoe

[0056] 05 guide bar

[0057] 06 contact means

[0058] 07 contact surfaces

[0059] 08 leaf spring elements

[0060] 09 slotting

[0061] 10 finger

[0062] 11 inner material layer

[0063] 12 outer material layer

[0064] 13 widening section

[0065] 14 frame elements

[0066] 15 cover elements 16 optical measuring means

[0067] 17 diode pairs

Claims

AMENDED CLAIMS received by the International Bureau on 21 July 2025 (21.07.2025)

1. Charging station for trolley vehicles, in particular trolley buses, comprising contact means (06) for contacting metallic contact surfaces (07) of a current collector head (02) of a current collector (03) of the trolley vehicles, wherein the contact means (06) of the charging station (01) are arranged and designed such that they contact the current collector head (02) on contact surfaces (07) of outer side surfaces of a central contact shoe (04) of the current collector head (02), the central contact shoe (04) of the current collector head (02) comprising two opposed contact surfaces (07), the contact means (06) comprise at least one pair of opposed leaf spring element (08) which is arranged and designed such that when the contact surfaces (07) of the central contact shoe (04) of the current collector head (02) are contacted by the contact means (06), the two leaf spring elements (08) of the pair of opposed leaf spring element (08) rests directly on the two opposed contact surfaces (07) and at least a part of each of the leaf spring element (08) is deformed against a restoring force and pressed against the contact surface (07), characterized in that the leaf spring element (08) comprises two material layers (11 , 12), an inner material layer (11) and an outer material layer (12), and in that the leaf spring element (08) comprising the inner material layer (11) and the outer material layer (12) has a slotting (09) which comprises a plurality of slots, each slot being open toward bottom and extending upward along a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal direction (L) of the charging station (01).

2. 2. Charging station according to claim 1 , characterized in that the two material layers (11 , 12) of the leaf spring element (08) are differently shaped and / or have a different extension in a height direction.

3. 3. Charging station according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the contact means (06) and / or the charging station (01) are immovable apart from the leaf spring elements (08) and inparticular do not comprise any mechanically driven or drivable parts.

4. 4. Charging station according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by a central guide bar (05) which extends along the longitudinal direction (L) of the charging station (01) and is located in the region of the contact shoe (04) when the contact surfaces (07) are contacted by the contact means (06).

5. 5. Charging station according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising optical measuring means (16) with which the presence and / or position of a current collector head (02) in the charging station (01) can be detected.

6. 6. Charging station according to claim 5, characterized in that the optical measuring means (16) have a plurality of optical diode pairs (17) which are evenly distributed over a length of the charging station (01) in the longitudinal direction (L) of the charging station (01), each optical diode pair (17) serving as optical transmitter and receiver.

7. Charging station according to any one of claims 5, 6, characterized in that the optical measuring means (16) is arranged so that the detection of the presence and / or position of a current collector head (02) is ensured through the slotting (09) of the leaf spring element (08).

8. 8. Charging station according to claim 6, characterized in that each optical diode pair serving as optical transmitter and receiver of the optical measuring means (16) is arranged transversely to the longitudinal direction (L) of the charging station (01) and facing a slot of the leaf spring element (08), the optical measuring means (16) being arranged laterally to the leaf spring element so that the detection of the presence and / or position of a current collector head (02) is ensured through the slotting (09) of the leaf spring element (08).

9. Charging station according to any one of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that the optical measuring means (16) are arranged on both lateral sides of the at least one pair of opposed leaf spring element (08) of the charging station (01) so that the presence and / or position of the current collector head (02) can be detected from two opposite directions.

10. 10. Method of operating a charging system comprising a charging station for trolley vehicles, according to any one of claims 1 to 9, and a trolley vehicle with a current collector head located on a current collector designed to be movable relative to the trolley vehicle, comprising the method steps :- detecting the presence of the trolley vehicle in spatial proximity to the charging station, preferably via infrared transmitter and receiver;- deactivating a locking mechanism of the current collector;- moving the current collector to contact the contact means of the charging station with the current collector head of the trolley vehicle;- checking the presence and / or position of a current collector head in the area of contact means of the charging station;- transmitting a signal related to the presence and / or position of a current collector head in the area of contact means of the charging station to the trolley vehicle and / or to a, preferably computer-based, control unit of the charging system;- activating an electrical energy transfer between the charging station and the trolley vehicle depending on the presence and / or position of the current collector head in the area of the contact means of the charging station.

11. 11. Method according to claim 10, characterized in that, before the locking mechanism is deactivated, a parking brake of the trolley vehicle is activated automatically or semi-automatically or a request to activate the parking brake is issued to a vehicle driver.

12. 12. Method according to claim 11 , characterized in that, before activating the electrical energy transmission between the charging station and the trolley vehicle, a power throttling of the charging power of the trolley vehicle is deactivated, preferably by a signal from the charging station (01).

13. 13. Method according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that an additional check of the charging station (01) and / or the trolley vehicle with suitable sensors is performed, during which measured values are compared with predefined limit values and, if the limit values are exceeded or not reached, at least a deactivation of the electrical energytransmission between the charging station and the trolley vehicle is done.

14. 14. Method according to any one of claims 10 to 13, characterized in that the checking the presence and / or position of a current collector head in the area of contact means of the charging station is operated with a charging station comprising leaf spring elements (08) having slotting (09) comprising a plurality of slots and optical measuring means (16), the optical measuring means (16) being arranged so that the checking is ensured through the slotting (09) of the leaf spring element (08).

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