Pantograph Current Collector Simplified Rocker Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current collectors for electrically or hybrid electrically driven road vehicles have high weight and a complex structure, leading to adverse vibration behavior and increased error susceptibility in operation and assembly due to their numerous components.
Innovation Solution
A simplified current collector design with a retractable support linkage and a rocker assembly featuring a single grinding strip per contact pole, which reduces moving mass and improves contact force stability, combined with features like linear joints and spring elastic bearings to adapt to slope changes and enhance contact quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple contact strips are mounted on each rocker frame, then the contact coverage with the overhead line is improved, but the moving mass increases and vibration behavior deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates redundant contact strips from the rocker frame, reducing from multiple contact strips to a single contact strip per rocker frame. This extraction removes unnecessary mass while maintaining adequate contact coverage through the widened single contact strip and proper rocker frame geometry.
2Reliability
If multiple contact strips are mounted on each rocker frame, then the contact coverage with the overhead line is improved, but the number of components increases and error susceptibility increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple contact strips into a single widened contact strip on each rocker frame. This consolidation reduces the number of components from multiple strips to one per rocker frame, simplifying the assembly and reducing error susceptibility while maintaining contact quality through the combined contact surface area.
3Speed
If the moving mass of the rocker assembly is reduced, then the contact force fluctuations can be compensated more quickly, but the contact strip width must be optimized
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the dimensional parameters of the contact strip, specifically widening it to at least 6 cm while reducing the number of strips. This parameter change compensates for the reduced number of contact strips and maintains adequate contact surface area, ensuring proper contact force distribution while allowing faster response to vibrations due to reduced moving mass.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution reduces weight, simplifies construction, improves contact force stability, and reduces wear on grinding strips, while increasing the reliability and efficiency of energy transfer from the overhead line system.
Implementation Method 1
The linear joints can, for example, be designed as a spring element or as a spring damper in the guide rods
Implementation Method 2
The linear joints can, for example, be designed as a spring element or as a spring damper in the guide rods
Implementation Method 3
the contact strips are each mounted on the rocker frame in a spring-elastic manner such that a tilting movement of the contact strip relative to the rocker frame about a transverse axis of the vehicle is permitted
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a pantograph (2) for an electrically or hybrid-electrically powered road vehicle (1) for supplying traction energy from a two-pole overhead contact line system, each contact pole having a contact wire (3). It comprises an erectable support frame (4) which is articulatedly supported on a frame base (5) on the vehicle side and carries a rocker arm assembly on the contact wire side. The rocker arm assembly has a rocker frame (6) for each contact pole, which is articulated to the support frame (4) so as to be rotatable about a transverse axis (7) of the vehicle. By mounting exactly one contact strip (8) on each of the rocker frames (6), arranged parallel to the transverse axis (7) of the vehicle, for electrically contacting a contact wire (3), a pantograph (2) with a simpler design and improved contact characteristics with the overhead contact line system can be provided. The invention further relates to a road vehicle (1) with such a pantograph (2).