Trolley Pole Actuating Mechanism with Air-Driven Compensation

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing trolleybus systems face inefficiencies and safety risks due to manual operation of trolley poles, leading to vibrations and displacement issues that hinder precise capture of power lines, particularly with long trolley poles and distant servo mechanism locations.

Innovation Solution

A trolley pole actuating mechanism featuring a horizontal servo mechanism, a luffing servo mechanism, and an air-driving device, where the air-driving device is positioned near the collector head to minimize vibrations and compensate for displacement, allowing for precise automatic capture of power lines during operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the servo mechanism is arranged at the bottom of the trolley pole far from the collector head, then the structure is simplified and easier to manufacture, but sharp vibration occurs during movement and the collector head cannot capture the power line precisely

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural simplicityVSAvoidcollector head positioning precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the actuating system into two independent parts: a servo mechanism at the bottom for coarse positioning and an air-driving device at the top for fine positioning. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specialized function, with the servo mechanism providing overall control and the air-driving device compensating for positioning errors, thereby resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and positioning precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The air-driving device acts as an intermediary between the servo mechanism and the collector head. It receives control signals and provides fine adjustments to compensate for vibrations and positioning errors, serving as a mediator that enhances precision without requiring the entire system to be complex.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Length of moving object

If the trolley pole is made long to extend the collector head range, then the operating range is increased, but backlash in the servo mechanism is magnified causing greater displacement of the collector head

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetrolley pole lengthVSAvoidcollector head positioning accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of moving objectVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The air-driving device functions as a feedback compensation mechanism. It detects positioning errors caused by backlash in the long trolley pole and actively compensates for them by making fine adjustments to the collector head position, thereby maintaining accuracy despite the increased pole length.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the control parameter from purely mechanical (servo mechanism only) to a hybrid approach by introducing pneumatic control. This allows for continuous fine adjustment of the collector head position to compensate for backlash effects that are magnified by the long trolley pole.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If manual operation of the trolley pole is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the driver burden increases and accident risk rises

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperation system simplicityVSAvoiddriver operation ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The actuating mechanism enables the trolley pole to operate automatically without continuous driver intervention. The servo mechanism and air-driving device work together to autonomously position and capture the power line, making the system self-sufficient and eliminating the need for manual operation while maintaining operational simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual mechanical operation with an automated electromechanical system. The servo mechanism provides automated control, and the air-driving device provides automated fine adjustments, substituting the driver's manual mechanical operations with an automated control system that reduces burden and risk.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Device complexity

If the air-driving device is positioned far from the collector head, then the structural complexity is reduced, but vibration compensation and displacement correction become ineffective

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveactuating mechanism complexityVSAvoidpower line capture reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The air-driving device is positioned locally at the top of the trolley pole near the collector head, where vibration and positioning errors have the greatest impact. This local placement allows the device to effectively compensate for errors at the critical point of power line capture, enhancing reliability without excessive complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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 enables precise and vibration-free capture of power lines, reducing driver burden and accident risks by positioning the air-driving device close to the collector head, thus stabilizing the trolley pole and compensating for backlash-induced displacements.

Implementation Method 1

an air-driving device for pushing out air; the air-driving device is arranged near the top end of the trolley pole

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAir pressure: Pressure Increase

Data Source

PatentEP3686045B1Trolley pole actuating mechanism and trolleybus using the same
Publication Date: 2023.02.22 ZHOU JINBIN
  • EP3686045B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3686045B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3686045B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

A trolley pole actuating mechanism comprises a trolley pole (1) equipped with a collector head (11) at top end thereof, a horizontal servo mechanism (2) for driving the trolley pole (1) to swing, a luffing servo mechanism (3) for driving the trolley pole (1) up or down, and an air-driving device (4) for pushing out air; the horizontal servo mechanism (2) and the luffing servo mechanism (3) are both arranged at bottom end of the trolley pole (1) and are connected to the trolley pole respectively by transmission, and the air-driving device (4) is arranged near the top end of the trolley pole. By the cooperation of the air-driving device together with the horizontal servo mechanism and the luffing servo mechanism, the collector head can therefore capture the power line. The movement of the air-driving device can compensate the displacement of the trolley pole due to the vibrations of the trolley pole caused by the action of the horizontal servo mechanism and the luffing servo mechanism, as well as the displacement of the collector head due to a significantly magnified backlash of the collector head caused by the action of the horizontal servo mechanism and the luffing servo mechanism. In this way, the collector head 11 can be controlled to capture the power line precisely, such that the driver can control the trolley pole to capture the power line automatically during the trolleybus is running.