Sliding Contact Collector With Transverse Spring Guidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing current collectors for conductor rails are complex in design, prone to uneven wear, and struggle with lateral misalignment, leading to potential jamming and breakage, especially at rail joints, due to inadequate compensation for movements perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.
Innovation Solution
A current collector design featuring a spiral spring element between the sliding contact and mounting, allowing deflection and return in the transverse direction, combined with a guide element for precise longitudinal guidance, compensating for lateral and longitudinal movements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid mounting is used to securely hold the sliding contact, then the sliding contact is firmly positioned in the longitudinal direction, but it cannot compensate for movements in the transverse direction leading to uneven wear and potential breakage
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting is designed with transverse movement capability, allowing the sliding contact to dynamically adjust its position in the transverse direction while maintaining longitudinal stability. This dynamic mounting absorbs lateral misalignments and prevents the sliding contact from being forced against the rail profile, eliminating uneven wear and breakage risks.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting system is segmented into independent directional freedoms: longitudinal position is fixed for stable contact pressure, while transverse position is free for compensation. This segmentation allows each degree of freedom to be optimized independently - rigid in the longitudinal direction for stability, compliant in the transverse direction for reliability.
2Manufacturing precision
If precise positioning is required when threading the sliding contact into the conductor rail, then lateral misalignment is minimized during installation, but the system cannot compensate for misalignment during operation
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting allows the sliding contact to dynamically move in the transverse direction during operation, compensating for misalignments that occur during use. This dynamic adjustment capability ensures reliable contact even when installation precision varies, as the system adapts to actual operating conditions rather than relying solely on precise initial positioning.
3Reliability
If the sliding contact is pressed against one side of the conductor rail profile, then contact is maintained, but uneven wear occurs and breakage may result
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting enables the sliding contact to dynamically center itself on the conductor rail by moving transversely. This dynamic centering ensures the sliding contact engages the rail profile evenly on both sides, distributing wear uniformly and preventing the localized excessive wear that leads to breakage, while maintaining continuous contact for reliability.
4Adaptability or versatility
If three individual springs are used to provide give in approach and transverse directions, then the sliding contact has multi-directional compliance, but the construction becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple spring elements are merged into a single integrated mounting structure that provides compliance in both approach and transverse directions simultaneously. This unified mounting design achieves the same multi-directional compliance as three separate springs but with significantly reduced complexity, as the combined structure distributes the compliance functions across its geometry rather than requiring three independent components.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting is designed as a multi-functional component that simultaneously provides approach compliance, transverse compliance, and longitudinal positioning. This universal mounting structure replaces multiple specialized springs with a single element that performs all necessary compliance functions, simplifying the overall construction while maintaining adaptability.
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 design provides improved guidance and safer operation by minimizing wear and preventing jamming, ensuring consistent contact with the conductor rail while simplifying the construction and compensating for deviations from the intended path.
Implementation Method 1
a spring element designed as a spiral spring is provided between the sliding contact and the mounting
Implementation Method 2
the spring element both allows the sliding contact to deflect in the transverse direction from the normal position and pulls the sliding contact back towards the normal position
Implementation Method 3
The guide element can be designed to engage with a corresponding guide structure on the current collector bracket, providing precise guidance in the longitudinal direction
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
Figure 6
AI summary
The invention relates to a current collector (7, 7') for supplying an electrical load (6) movable along a conductor rail (2, 2') in its longitudinal direction (L), with a holder (12) and a sliding contact (8) arranged in a sliding contact carrier (9) which is movable relative to the holder (12) in a feed direction (Z) to and from the conductor rail (2, 2'), and to a conductor rail system (1) with a conductor rail (2, 2') and at least one current collector (7, 7') movable along the conductor rail (2, 2') in its longitudinal direction (L) with at least one sliding contact (8, 8') for contacting at least one electrically conductive conductor profile of the conductor rail (2, 2') for supplying an electrical load (6) movable along the conductor rail (2, 2'), wherein the sliding contact (8) is movable in a feed direction (Z) to and from the conductor rail (2, 2').The invention solves the problem of achieving better and safer guidance of the sliding contact (8) on the conductor rail (2, 2') and a simpler design of the current collector (7, 7') with a current collector (7, 7') in which the sliding contact (8) is additionally movable in a transverse direction (Q) running substantially transversely to the longitudinal direction (L), wherein a spring element (17) is provided between the sliding contact (8) and the holder (12), and by means of a conductor rail system (1) with such a current collector (7, 7').