GB2554058A

GB2554058A - Electricity collector device

Info

Publication number: GB2554058A
Application number: GB1613128.6A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mathieu Algret Yannick
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2016-07-29
Filing date: 2016-07-29
Publication date: 2018-03-28
Anticipated expiration: 2036-07-29
Also published as: GB2554058B; GB201613128D0

Abstract

An electricity collector device 100 attaches to a vehicle 200 (e.g. EV, HEV, BEV, PHEV) to connect the vehicle to at least one electrical supply rail 308, 309 located in a conduit 304, which forms part of a sub-surface electrical supply system. The collector device includes: a collector system; a wheeled enclosure 101; a vehicle connection; and a power cable 104 for connecting the collector system to the vehicle. The collector system has a retractable collector arm 501, 502 which is manoeuvred and inserted into the conduit and makes electrical contact with the supply rail in the conduit. The wheeled enclosure houses the collector system and has flanged wheels that engage with the conduit. The vehicle connection attaches the device to the vehicle and allows the enclosure to move with at least two degrees of freedom with respect to the vehicle (e.g. via pivoting joints 152-156). The sub-surface electrical supply system may be located in a road surface and includes support walls that define an elongate electrical conduit housing the electricity supply rail(s), wherein an elongate slit 302, 303 in a top wall 305a of the conduit receives the collector arm of the collector device. The slit is adapted to support the flanged wheels of the wheeled enclosure.

Description

(71) Applicant(s):

Yannick Mathieu Algret

Grange Close, Condover, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY5 7AT, United Kingdom (72) Inventor(s):

(56) Documents Cited:

WO 2015/068221 A1 CN 101306650 A US 4238010 A

WO 1994/010020 A1 JP 070336804 A US 4227595 A (58) Field of Search:

INT CL B60L, B60M

Other: ONLINE: WPI, EPODOC

Yannick Mathieu Algret (74) Agent and/or Address for Service:

Barker Brettell LLP

100 Hagley Road, Edgbaston, BIRMINGHAM, B16 8QQ, United Kingdom (54) Title of the Invention: Electricity collector device

Abstract Title: Electricity collector device for a vehicle (57) An electricity collector device 100 attaches to a vehicle 200 (e.g. EV, HEV, BEV, PHEV) to connect the vehicle to at least one electrical supply rail 308, 309 located in a conduit 304, which forms part of a sub-surface electrical supply system. The collector device includes: a collector system; a wheeled enclosure 101; a vehicle connection; and a power cable 104 for connecting the collector system to the vehicle. The collector system has a retractable collector arm 501, 502 which is manoeuvred and inserted into the conduit and makes electrical contact with the supply rail in the conduit. The wheeled enclosure houses the collector system and has flanged wheels that engage with the conduit. The vehicle connection attaches the device to the vehicle and allows the enclosure to move with at least two degrees of freedom with respect to the vehicle (e.g. via pivoting joints 152-156). The subsurface electrical supply system may be located in a road surface and includes support walls that define an elongate electrical conduit housing the electricity supply rail(s), wherein an elongate slit 302, 303 in a top wall 305a of the conduit receives the collector arm of the collector device. The slit is adapted to support the flanged wheels of the wheeled enclosure.

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ELECTRICITY COLLECTOR DEVICE

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an electricity collector device, particularly to an electricity collector device suitable to be attached to an electric vehicle to supply electricity to the vehicle from an electrical supply rail.

BACKGROUND

Electric vehicles such as electric cars and electric lorries are increasingly common on today’s roads. Electric vehicles reduce or eliminate the harmful emissions associated with internal combustion engines, such as carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides, without presenting the engineering complexities of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

In a typical electric vehicle, electricity is supplied from an on-board battery. The battery must be charged before the start of a journey, and the vehicle’s range is limited by how long the battery can supply electricity for. Charging times for batteries can be very long, particularly for the larger batteries used to provide extended range. These impracticalities make electric vehicles undesirable to many people. Batteries can also have high cost relative to the rest of the vehicle, and have limited lifespans. There are also major concerns around disposal or recycling of batteries, their ecological impact, and the depletion of natural resources caused by their production. Furthermore batteries required for vehicles rapidly become unfeasible (due to their cost, size and weight) as the power requirement for them increases, for example, heavy goods vehicles require much more power than a small car.

Rapid charging stations for electric vehicles have started to appear. These charging stations can reduce the time needed to charge a battery from ~8 hours to around 30 minutes. However, a stop of 30 minutes is still much longer than it takes to refuel a petrol or diesel vehicle, limiting the appeal of electric vehicles.

Storing and retrieving energy from electrochemical cells, or any other energy storage means has associated inefficiencies, resulting in energy losses. Weight of the batteries is another additional limitation in terms of designing more energy efficient electric or hybrid electric vehicles.

There is therefore a need to provide an alternative solution for powering of electric vehicles or for charging the batteries of electric vehicles.

It has long been known to power electric trams or trains from overhead cables or from third rails. These solutions provide a constant supply of electricity to the tram or train throughout a journey. However, these solutions have not been applied to private vehicles such as cars and lorries using public roads. For safety reasons, third rails are generally only used on railways where people are not expected to come into contact with the third rail. Overhead cables must be placed high enough for large vehicles to pass under them - requiring an impractically long pole to connect a car to the high overhead cables.

Moreover, both third rails and overhead cables require vehicles to be substantially modified to contain a system for connecting the vehicle to the power source, such as a pantograph for overhead cables. It is difficult to fit such a system into a normal car, without a substantial loss of space available for the passengers. In practice, such a system tends to require the car to be initially designed with an electricity connection system, rather than being able to retrofit a connection system onto a vehicle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the invention there is provided an electricity collector device for connecting a vehicle to electrical supply rails in a conduit, the device comprising: a collector system comprising a retractable collector arm adapted to be inserted into a conduit containing an electrical supply rail, and to make electrical contact with the supply rail; a wheeled enclosure housing the collector system, the wheeled enclosure comprising flanged wheels adapted to be engageable with the conduit; a vehicle connection for attaching the device to a vehicle, the vehicle connection allowing the enclosure to move with least two degrees of freedom with respect to the vehicle; and a power cable for connecting the collector system to a vehicle.

Such a device may be used to connect an electric vehicle to an external electricity source in a conduit on the road, eliminating the need to charge a battery in advance of a journey. Advantageously, the device may be retrofitted to an existing vehicle, for example by trailing the device behind the vehicle. Retrofitting the device to existing vehicles minimises the costs of implementing the supply rail system.

In some embodiments, the collector arm may comprise a collector rod for contacting a supply rail, and an insertion rod attached to the collector arm, wherein the collector rod and/or the insertion rod is adapted to be rotated to contact a supply rail.

Such a collector arm may be inserted into a conduit, and manoeuvred to contact the supply rail, allowing the supply rail to be located in a position which minimises the risk of external objects contacting the rail.

In some examples the collector rod may be rotatably attached to the insertion rod. The collector arm may for example be adapted to be inserted into a conduit in an insertion direction, and the collector rod may be rotatable about a first rotation direction, the rotation direction being substantially parallel to the insertion direction.

Alternatively the collector arm is adapted to be inserted into a conduit in an insertion direction, and the collector rod may be rotatable about a first rotation direction, the rotation direction being substantially orthogonal to the insertion direction. In such examples the collector arm may further comprise a support beam, the support beam connecting the collector rod to the insertion rod, wherein the collector rod is rotatably connected to the support beam, and the support beam is rotatably connected to the insertion rod. Such a three part collector arm may allow greater manoeuvrability of the collector arm within the conduit.

In some such examples, the support beam may be rotatable with respect to the insertion rod about a second rotation direction, the second rotation direction being substantially orthogonal to the insertion direction, and the collector rod may be rotatable with respect to the support beam about the first rotation direction. For example, the second rotation direction may be substantially orthogonal to the first rotation direction.

In some embodiments, the collector arm may be operable to be translated in a direction opposite to the insertion direction when the insertion rod is rotated away from the insertion direction.

In some embodiments, the collector rod may be operable to be rotated by an angle of at least 90 degrees from the rotation direction, or by an angle of at least 120 degrees from the rotation direction.

In some embodiments, the vehicle connection may comprise a slider rail attachable to a vehicle, the slider rail allowing the wheeled enclosure to move laterally with respect to the vehicle.

In some embodiments, the vehicle connection may allow the enclosure to move with respect to an attached vehicle with five or six degrees of freedom. By allowing such a high degree of relative motion between the enclosure and the vehicle, small movements of the vehicle can be corrected for, so that connection to the supply rail is not interrupted.

In some embodiments, the vehicle connection may comprise a plurality of rotational joints, each joint providing a degree of freedom to the movement of the enclosure with respect to an attached vehicle.

Some embodiments may further comprise a sensor system operable to determine the position of a conduit containing a supply rail, and to direct the collector arm into the conduit. For example, the sensor system may be used to detect a conduit on a road surface, and to automatically deploy the enclosure and/or collector arm to establish an electrical connection with a supply rail in the conduit. The sensor system may for example comprise an optical sensor.

In embodiments with a collector arm, the collector system may comprise at least one actuator operable to translate the collector arm and/or rotate the collector rod.

In some embodiments, the collector system may comprise a second retractable collector arm adapted to be inserted into a second conduit containing a second supplyrail, and to make contact with the second supply rail. For example, one conduit may contain a live rail, and one conduit may contain a neutral rail. The device may have to form an electrical connection to both rails to collect electricity.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided an electric vehicle system comprising an electric vehicle attached to an electricity collector device according to any embodiment of the first aspect.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a sub-surface electrical supply system for providing electricity to an electricity collector device of a vehicle, the system comprising: support walls defining an elongate electrical conduit, the support walls comprising a top wall, a bottom wall, and opposing first and second side walls; an elongate slit in the top wall for receiving a collector arm of an electricity collector device insertable into the conduit, said slit being further adapted to support flanged wheels of a wheeled device; and an electricity supply rail located in the conduit for supplying electricity to a collector arm of an electricity collector device inserted into the conduit.

The slit may be located adjacent to the first side wall, and the supply rail may be attached to the second side wall.

In some embodiments, the system may further comprise at least one insulating bar between the supply rail and the slit, the insulating bar extending from or attached to the top or bottom wall, the insulating bar adapted to limit access to the supply rail from the slit. The supply system may additionally or alternatively comprise a plurality of insulating fins extending from the bottom wall.

The insulating bar and/or fins may limit the number of possible pathways between the slit and the supply rail, minimising the chance of an external object falling into the slit and making contact with the supply rail. The fins may additionally prevent thin, flexible external objects from curling within the conduit towards the supply rail.

In some embodiments, the supply system may further comprise a drainage port for draining the cavity.

In some embodiments, the supply system may be adapted to be placed under a road surface such that the top wall is substantially level with the road surface. Alternatively the supply system may be placed on top of a road system, providing a less costly option for installation of the supply system than under the road surface.

Some embodiments may further comprise second support walls defining a second elongate conduit, and a second electricity supply rail located in the second conduit. For example, the first conduit may contain a live supply rail, and the second conduit may contain a neutral supply rail.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided a method of supplying electricity to an electric vehicle, the method comprising: attaching an electricity collector device to the vehicle, the collector device comprising a collector system housed in a wheeled enclosure, the wheeled enclosure able to move with at least two degrees of freedom with respect to the vehicle; inserting a collector arm of the collector system into a conduit containing an electricity supply rail; and manoeuvring the collector arm inside the conduit until the collector arm contacts the supply rail.

In some embodiments, the collector arm may comprise a collector rod for contacting a supply rail, and an insertion rod rotatably connected to the collector arm. The step of manoeuvring the collector arm inside the conduit may comprise rotating the collector rod about the insertion rod, so that the collector rod contacts the supply rail.

In some embodiments, the collector arm may further comprise a support beam, the support beam connecting the collector rod to the insertion rod, wherein the collector rod is rotatably connector to the support beam, and the support beam is rotatably connected to the insertion rod. Manoeuvring the collector arm inside the conduit comprises may comprise: rotating the support beam about the insertion rod; and rotating the connector rod about the support beam, so that the collector rod contacts the supply rail.

In some embodiments, manoeuvring the collector arm inside the conduit may comprise: rotating the collector rod about the insertion rod, so that the collector rod contacts the supply rail; and partially extracting the collector arm from the conduit with the collector rod rotated, so that the collector rod contacts the supply rail.

In some embodiments, the method may further comprise the step of detecting the conduit with a sensor system of the collector device.

In some embodiments, the method may further comprise the steps of: detecting that the vehicle has moved a pre-determined distance away from the conduit; and retracting the collector arm from the conduit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The invention is described in further detail below by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

figure 1 is a schematic representation of a collector device; figure 2 is an alternative view of the device in figure 1; figure 3 is an alternative view of the device in figure 1;

figure 4 is a schematic representation of the mechanism inside the enclosure of the device of figure 1;

figures 5a-c show representations of one example of a collector arm; figures 6a-d show representations of an alternative example of a collector arm; figures 7a-d show representations of an alternative example of a collector arm; figure 8 is a representation of an alternative supply system;

figure 9 is a representation of an alternative vehicle connector; and figure 10 is a representation of an alternative vehicle connector.

Figures 1 and 2 shows an example of an electricity collector device 100 attached to a vehicle 200 on a road surface 300. Vehicle 200 may be any electric vehicle, for example an electric car or an electric lorry. Figure 1 shows a side view of device 100, whereas figure 2 shows a birds eye view of device 100 on a road surface 300.

Collector device 100 comprises a wheeled enclosure 101. Enclosure 101 houses a collector system for contacting an electricity supply rail. The collector system is described in further detail below. Enclosure 101 comprises pairs of flanged wheels 102, 103. Flanged wheel pairs 102, 103 comprise flanges which are configured to engage with slits 302, 303 in a road surface 300, to keep enclosure 101 fixed relative to an electricity supply rail below the road surface 300.

A power cable 104 connects the enclosure 101, and specifically the collector system in the enclosure 101, to the vehicle. The power cable 104 typically connects to a battery in the vehicle 200, although it may be connected to directly power an engine of the vehicle 200. Power cable 104 may for example connect to an existing socket on the vehicle 200.

The enclosure 101 is removably attached to the vehicle 200 by vehicle connection arm 150. Vehicle connection arm 150 is one example of a possible vehicle connection. In the illustrated example, vehicle connection arm is configured to provide 6 degrees of freedom to the movement of enclosure 101 relative to vehicle 200. By allowing 6 degrees of freedom of relative motion, the enclosure 101 can be maintained optimally aligned with an electricity supply rail, even as the vehicle 200 itself moves around the road.

Vehicle connection arm 150 comprises a connection bar 151, pivoting joints 152, 153, 154, 155, 156 and slider rail 160. The connection bar 151 may be an extendible bar, for example the length of the bar connection 151 may be increased or decreased to optimise the position of the enclosure 101 on the road surface 300. This can help reduce congestion when vehicles are in slow moving traffic by using a shorter length bar at lower speeds.

Slider rail 160 connects the vehicle connection arm 150 to the vehicle 200, and comprises a fixed rail 161 attached to the vehicle 200, and a slider connector 162. Slider connector 162 is slidably attached to the fixed rail 161 such that the slider connector 162 can slide along the fixed rail 161 in a lateral direction compared to the direction of motion of the vehicle 200. Slider rail 160 provides a first degree of freedom to the motion of the enclosure 101 relative to the vehicle 200.

Slider connector 162 is attached to a series of two pivoting joints 152, 153. Pivoting joint 153 is in turn attached to a first end of the connection bar 151. Pivoting joint 152 allows the connection bar 151, and hence the enclosure 101, to rotate relative to a first rotation axis. Pivoting joint 153 allows the connection bar 151, and hence the enclosure 101, to rotate relative to a second rotation axis. The first rotation axis is perpendicular to the second rotation axis. In the illustrated example, the first rotation axis is substantially perpendicular to the road surface 300, whereas the second rotation axis is substantially parallel to the road surface 300.

The second end of connector bar is attached to a second series of pivoting joints 154, 155, 156. Enclosure 101 is attached to pivoting joint 156. Each of pivoting joints 154, 155, 156 allows the enclosure 101 to rotate relative to the connection bar 151 about a rotation axis, each rotation axis being perpendicular to the other rotation axes of the joints 154, 155, 156. In the illustrated example, pivoting joint 154 allows rotation about the second rotation axis - i.e. the same axis as pivoting joint 153. Pivoting joint 155 allows rotation about the first axis, i.e. the same axis as pivoting joint 152. Pivoting joint 156 allows rotation around a third axis that is perpendicular to both the first and the second axes. The third axis is generally aligned with the direction of travel of the vehicle 200.

The combination of slider rail 160 and pivoting joints 152-156 allows the enclosure to move with six degrees of freedom, so that movement of the enclosure 101 in directions other than the direction of travel is independent of the vehicle 200. In particular, the pivoting joints 152-156 can compensate for pitch, roll, yaw, horizontal and vertical movements of vehicle 200, whilst slider rail 160 allows lateral movement.

When enclosure 101 is in position on the road surface 300, each of the pivoting joints 152-156 and slider rail 160 allow free movement of the enclosure 300. Some or all of the pivoting joints may also be associated with one or more actuators (not shown), for example one or more electric motors, to forcibly move the enclosure 101. For example, in an initial position the enclosure 101 may be held above the road surface 300. When it is desired to connect the vehicle 200 to an electricity supply rail, the enclosure may be lowered onto road surface by actuating pivoting joint 153 and/or 154. The lateral position of the enclosure 101 may be controlled by actuating one or both of pivoting joints 152 and 155 and/or the slider rail 160. When connection to the supply rail is no longer needed, the enclosure 101 can be moved away from the road surface 300 by actuating one or both of pivoting joints 153, 154 in an opposite direction to that used to place the enclosure 101 on the road surface 300. Any of the actuators may for example then be actuated to move the enclosure 101 into a storage position. When the enclosure 101 is in position on the road surface 300, the actuators may be disengaged from the pivoting joints 152-156 to allow the joints to move freely. For example, a clutch may be used to disengage an actuator from its associated pivoting joint.

Cables or rods could also be used to actuate the arm without actuating the actual joints directly.

The device 100 also comprises a sensor system 170, such as an optical sensor system. The sensor system detects slits 302, 303 in the road surface 300, and controls the positioning of the enclosure 101 so that the enclosure 101 is positioned correctly on the road surface with the pairs of flanged wheels 102, 103 inserted into slits 302, 303. The sensor system may, for example, comprise a laser or plurality of lasers operable to scan a road surface 300 behind the vehicle 200; and a controller configured to process the location of slits 302, 303 determined by the laser and control actuators of the pivoting joints 152-156 to correction position the enclosure 101. Such a technique can utilise the reflection of the laser by the typically metallic surface, or the geometry, of the slits 302, 303 to detect when the enclosure 101 is correctly aligned relative to the slits.

The sensor system 170 may also be used to determine if the vehicle has moved too far away from the conduits for an electrical connection to be maintained. If the vehicle has moved further than a pre-determined distance away from the conduits, the controller of system 170 may control a retraction of the collector arm/s of the device 100, and may raise the device 100 above the road surface to disengage its wheels from slits in the road surface. This may particularly be the case if the vehicle changes lanes. The device 100 can then be repositioned over conduits in the new lane, and the collector arm re-inserted into the conduits to provide electricity to the vehicle.

An alternative or complimentary sensor system 170 may correlate the actions of the driver within the car and the enclosure. For example, a sensor may detect a driver indicating a desire to change lane and can then provide a signal to the enclosure to disengage the wheels from the slits in the road surface. Alternatively or additionally, sensors may monitor the input provided to the steering wheel and compare the input to the current position of the wheels relative to the slits to determine whether to disengage the wheels from the slits. Accelerometers can also be employed for a further level of reliability, and to detect emergency scenarios, such as swerving suddenly.

Figure 3 shows a cross section of the enclosure 101 on the road surface 300 to illustrate how pairs of flanged wheels 102 and 103 engage with slits 302, 303 in the road surface 300. Each wheel comprises an inner section which rests on the road surface 300, and a flanged outer section which inserts into a slit 302, 303. Typically slits 302, 303 also define an entrance into conduits containing supply rails, into which a collector system housed by the enclosure 101 can be inserted, as described below.

Figure 4 shows a cross section of the enclosure 101, including a collector system 400. The collector system 400 is configured to collect electricity from supply rails located in conduits below the road surface 300, in order to supply electricity to the vehicle 200.

The collector system 400 includes retractable first and second collector arms 401, 402, and an actuation system 403. In the illustrated example, the actuation system comprises an actuated rack and pinion operable to lower the collector arms 401, 402 (only collector arm 401 is shown in figure 4) under the enclosure 101, and into a first and second conduit containing a first and second supply rail (described below). The dashed lines in figure 4 represent the collector arm 401 in the lowered state. Electricity collected by the collector arms 401, 402 passes into the power cable 104 and power the vehicle 200 (directly or indirectly), as described above.

The particular design of the collector arms 401, 402 as shown is matched to the particular design of the conduits they are to be inserted into. It can be appreciated that different designs may have different conduits. Figures 5-7 show three different alternatives of conductor arms, matched to three different versions of conduits.

Figures 5a to 5c illustrate a first example of collector arms 501, 502 inserted into conduits 304, 306. Conduit 304 is formed by a plurality of walls: top wall 305a, side walls 305b, 305c, and bottom wall 305d. Similarly, conduit 306 is formed by top wall 307a, side walls 307b, 307c, and bottom wall 307d. Conduits 304 and 306 are substantially identical, and are arranged as mirror images of each other. Conduits 304, 306 are located below the road surface 300, with top walls 305a, 307a being substantially flush with the road surface 300. Slits 302, 303 are formed between the top walls 305a, 307a, and respective side walls 305b, 307b, and provide access into conduits 304 and 306 respectively. In alternative examples, the slits 302, 303 may be formed just in the top surfaces 305a, 307a, i.e. in the top surfaces but away from the side surfaces 305b, 307b.

An optional central section 320 connects the conduits 304, 306 together. Central section 320 may help reduce the stress on the top surfaces 305a, 307a, which due to the slits 302, 303, are cantilevered. The central section 320 may also provide maintenance access to the supply system, and may make accidental short-circuiting of the two rails less likely.

Conduits 304, 306 also comprise drainage systems 351, 352, operable to drain water from the conduits.

Each conduit 304, 306 contains one or more electricity supply rail 308, 309 for supplying electricity to the collect system of the collector device 100. For example, one rail 308, 309 may be a live rail, and the other rail 309, 308 may be a neutral rail. For safety, the supply rails 308, 309 are positioned within the conduits 304, 306 as far away from the slit 302, 303 as possible. In the illustrated example, the supply rails 308, 309 are attached to the external side walls 305c, 307c. Keeping the supply rails 308, 309 away from the slits 302, 303 minimises the chances of a foreign object entering the conduits 304, 306 through the slits 302, 303 and making contact with the supply rails 308, 309. For example, the distance between the slits 302, 303 and the respective supply rails 308, 309 may be between 350mm and 500mm, for example 400mm. Typical dimensions of each conduit may be, for example, a width of between 350mm and 450mm and a depth of between 350mm and 450mm. A central section between the two parallel conduits may have a width of between 50mm and 300mm. The width of the slits 302, 303 may ideally be less than 20mm, so that the risk of a wheel of a bicycle entering the conduit is minimised, allowing the conduits to be used on roads also used by cyclists. On roads where cycling is prohibited, such as motorways, the slits 302, 303 may be wider. The collector arms may for example be adapted to be compatible with two different conduit systems, for example by inserting a thicker or thickened collector arm into the conduit, which may be able to conduct a larger current/voltage. Other considerations for determining the dimensions of the conduits include: ensuring it is impossible for someone to insert a hand into the conduit and reach a supply rail; ensuring it is geometrically difficult for the supply rail to be reached by a flexible object; minimising the conduit width to minimise cost and cantilever stress on the top surfaces 305a, 307a; and minimising depth to minimise cost. Alternatively, each conduit may contain two or more nested supply rails, one for high power collection and one for low power collection. For example, the high and low power rails may be separated by an insulating bar. The high power rail may be used, for example, only by high power vehicles such as lorries. The high power vehicles may have collection systems with collector arms adapted to reach the high power rail, whereas low power vehicles may have collection systems with collector arms adapted to reach the low power rail.

The collector arms 501, 502 are adapted to pass across the distance between the slits 302, 303 and supply rails 308, 309. Collector arm 501, which is identical to, but the mirror image of, arm 502, is shown in more detail in figures 5b and 5c.

Collector arm 501 comprises an insertion rod 503. Insertion rod 503 is adapted to be inserted into conduit 304 through slot 302 in an insertion direction substantially perpendicular to the slot. A collector rod 504 is rotatably attached to the insertion rod 503. During initial insertion through slit 302, collector rod 504 is in a non-rotated position, lying flat with the insertion rod 504. In the illustrated example, the collector rod 504 when in its closed position is housed within a portion of the insertion rod 503 when in its non-rotated position .

Once the collector arm 501 has been lowered into conduit 304 far enough that all of the collector rod 504 is inside the conduit 304, the collector rod 504 can be rotated out of the plane defined by the insertion rod 503 (i.e. rotated about a rotation direction perpendicular to the insertion direction) in order to contact the supply rail 308. For example, the collector rod 504 may be rotated by substantially 90 degrees to contact the supply rail 308. The rotation of the collector rod 504 may be actuated by an actuator housed in the enclosure 101. For example, an actuator connector 505 may connect the actuator to the collector rod 504. For example, a flexible drive shaft may be used to actuate the collector rod 504.

The collector rod 504 comprises a conductive tip or brush 506 that can collect electricity from the supply rail 308, and transmit it back through the collector rod 504, through a power cable 507 and back to the enclosure 101. In the illustrated example, the tip 506 is pivotably connected to the remainder of the collector rod 504. In this case, the total length of collector rod 504, including the tip 506, is slightly larger than the distance between the insertion rod 503 and supply rail 308. As the collector rod 504 rotates to contact the supply rail 308, the tip 506 will come into contact with the supply rail 308 before the collector rod has rotated the full 90 degrees. Further rotation of the collector rod 504 forces the tip 506 to pivot in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the remainder of the collector rod 504. As shown in figure 5c, when rotation is complete the tip 506 has pivoted by substantially 90 degrees relative to the remainder of the collector rod 504, so that a long side of the tip 506 lies flat against the supply rail 308. This arrangement may provide an optimal electrical connection between the supply rail 308 and the connector rod 504. In alternative examples, the tip 506 may be rigidly attached to the rest of the collector rod 504, rather than pivotably attached.

Figures 6a-6d show an alternative conduit 304, and matching alternative collector arm 601. A corresponding conduit 306 and collector arm 602, identical to but mirror images of conduit 304 and arm 601, are not shown for clarity.

In this example, conduit 304 comprises a wedge-shaped bar of insulting material 350. Insulting bar 350 extends through the full length of conduit 304. The insulating bar is positioned between the slit 302 and supply rail 308, and is attached to the underside of top wall 305a. The insulating bar provides a physical barrier between the supply rail 308 and slit 302, to further limit the chance of foreign objects entering the conduit 304 and being able to contact the supply rail 308. Although in this example the insulating bar 350 is a wedge-shaped bar, any other shapes may be used, for example shapes with a rectangular cross-section.

In this example, the supply rail 308 is attached at the corner of the top surface 305a and side wall 305c. This ensures a maximal distance between the slit 302 and rail 308, as an object entering the slit 302 must pass around the wedge-shaped insulating bar 350 to reach the rail 308. Compared to the conduit shown in figure 5a, the conduit of figure 6a may advantageously be designed with a smaller cross-sectional area, without compromising on the distance between the slot 302 and supply rail 308 - -i.e. the dead space within the conduit of figure 6a may be less than that within the conduit of figure 5a. Furthermore, in the conduit of figure 6a an object must follow a more complicated path to reach the supply rail 308 than in the conduit of figure 5a, further reducing the likelihood of foreign objects being able to fall into the slit 302 and contact the supply rail 308.

In order to manoeuvre around the insulating bar 350, the collector arm 601 unfolds within the conduit 308 in two stages. This process is illustrated in figures 6b-6d.

Collector arm 601 comprises an insertion rod 603 and a collector rod 604, similar to insertion rod 503 and collector rod 504 respectively. However, unlike insertion rod 503 and collector rod 504, collector rod 604 and insertion rod 603 are not directly attached to each other. Instead, a support bar 607 is rotatably attached to insertion rod 603. Collector rod 604 is in turn rotatably attached to the support bar 607. In the illustrated example, the collector rod 604 is housed within a portion of the support bar 607 when in the unfolded position. In alternative examples the collector rod may not be housed within the support bar - i.e. the support bar and collector rod may be adjacent to each other. Rotation of the support rod 607 and insertion rod 604 may be driven by an actuator housed in enclosure 101, via an actuator connector (not shown) similar to actuator connector 505. The actuator may for example be a flexible drive shaft.

Figure 6b shows the collector arm 601 in the unfolded position. In this position, collector arm 601 may be inserted through a slit 302 into a conduit 304, in particular into a conduit 304 as shown in figure 6a.

Once the unfolded collector arm 601 has been fully inserted into the conduit 604, for example deep enough into conduit 604 for the bottom of the insertion rod to be approximately level with the bottom of the insulating bar 350, the support bar 607 and collector rod 604 can be unfolded. In a first stage, shown in figure 6b, the support bar 607 is rotated out of the plane defined by the insertion rod 603 (i.e. about a rotation direction that is perpendicular to the insertion direction). The support bar may for example be rotated by between 45 degrees and 90 degrees, depending upon the design of the conduit 304. The collector rod 604, housed within the support bar 607, also rotates as the support bar 607 is rotated.

Figure 6d shows the second unfolding stage. With the support bar 607 in the rotated position, the collector rod 604 is rotated out of the plane defined by the support bar

607 (i.e. collector rod 604 is rotated about a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the insertion direction and to the rotation direction of the support bar 607). The collector rod 604 may for example be rotated by between 30 and 150 degrees, until contact is made with the supply rail 308.

In alternative examples, the collector rod 604 may be rotated about a direction that is substantially parallel to the to the rotation direction of the support bar 607. For example, the collector rod 604 may be attached along its long edge to the support bar 607, rather than at a short edge as shown in figures 6b-6d.

Similar to collector rod 504, collector rod 604 comprises a conductive tip 606 that is pivotably attached to the remainder of the collector rod 604. Tip 606 acts in the same way as tip 506, pivoting upon contact with the supply rail 308 to increase the contact area between the collector rod 604 and the supply rail 308. Electricity collected from the supply rail 308 may be transmitted to the enclosure 101 via a power cable (not shown), similar to power cable 507.

Another alternative conduit 304 and matching collector arm 701 is shown in figures 7a-7d.

Figure 7a shows a collector arm 701 inserted into a conduit 304. A corresponding conduit 306 and collector arm 702, identical to but mirror images of conduit 304 and arm 601, are not shown for clarity.

In this example, the conduit 304 again comprises an insulating bar 350 extending from the top wall 305a. In this example, insulating (or earthed non-insulating) bar 350 is an elongate bar with a thin rectangular cross section, located adjacent to the slit 302. Insulating bar 350 separates the slit 302 from the supply rail 308, similar to the insulating bar 350 of the conduit shown in figure 6a. In this example, the supply rail 308 is attached to the underside of top wall 305a.

Figures 7b and 7c show a collector arm 701 that may be used to contact the supply rail

308 shown in figure 7a. Collector arm 701 comprises an insertion rod 703 and a collector rod 704. The collector rod is rotatably attached to the insertion rod. The collector rod comprises a first section 708 that extends outwards from the insertion rod 703, in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the length of the insertion rod 703. The collector rod 704 further comprises a tip section 706 that is fixedly attached to the end of the first section 708. The tip section extends upwards from the first section 708, in a direction that is substantially parallel to the length of the insertion rod 703. The tip section 706 comprises a contact brush for contacting the supply rail 308.

The collector arm 701 may be inserted into a conduit 304 through a slit 302. Initially, the collector rod 704 is not rotated, so lies in the same plane as the insertion rod 703. This allows the collector rod 704 to be inserted through a narrow slit 302. The collector arm is inserted into the conduit 304 to at least a depth where the uppermost edge of the tip 706 of the collector rod 704 lies below the lowermost part of insulating bar 350.

After the collector arm 701 has been inserted into the conduit 304 to the desired depth, the collector rod 704 can be rotated to extend under the insulating bar 350, as shown in figure 7c. The collector rod 704 is rotated about a rotation direction that is parallel to the insertion direction. The collector rod 704 is rotated by between 45 and 135 degrees, for example by 90 degrees.

After rotation of the collection rod 704, the collector arm 701 is partially retracted from the conduit 304, so that the tip 706 of the collector rod 704 is drawn upwards and makes contact with the supply rail 308, as shown in figure 7a.

One example of how the collector arm 701 can be inserted into a conduit 304 is shown in figure 7d. When not in use, the collector arm is housed within enclosure 101. The end of the insertion rod 703 that is not attached to the collector rod 703 is rotatably attached to the enclosure 101 at a rotation point 710. To insert the collector arm 701 into a slit 402, the collector arm is rotated about the rotation point 710, rotating the collector arm 701 down into the slit 302. The rotation may be actuated by an actuator within the enclosure, or a clutch or brake may be disengaged and the collector arm allowed to swing down under its own weight.

In an alternative example similar to collector arm 701, the insertion rod 703 and collector arm 704 may be fixedly attached to each other. Instead of rotating just the collector arm 704 to contact the supply rail 308, as in figure 7a, both the insertion rod 703 and the collector arm 704 may be rotated after insertion into a conduit 304. For example the insertion rod 703 and the collector arm 704 may be rotated by an actuator in the enclosure 101.

In any of the above examples, the collector arm may for example be actuated by a flexible drive shaft. Rotating the flexible drive shaft may cause the collector rod, and where applicable, support bar, to rotate. The rate of rotation of the joints may be optimised to keep the conduit small, and ensure that the supply rail is hard to access.

In any of the above examples of conduits comprising an insulating bar 350, the conduits may further comprise rollers to aid movement of a collector arm along the conduit. For example, the bottom side of an insulating bar 350 may comprise rollers that allow motion along the conduit. The support bar 607 or part 708, of a collector bar 704 may slide along the rollers. Alternatively rollers may be included on the collector arm to facilitate sliding along a flat surface of the conduit.

In any of the above examples of conduits, additional features may be used to further limit the chance of foreign objects making contact with the supply rails. One example is shown in figure 8. Figure 8 shows a pair of conduits 304, 306. Conduits 304, 306 may be any of the conduits described above. In particular, the features of figure 8 may be useful when matched with conduits comprising an insulating bar 350 extending from the underside of the top wall 305a.

In figure 8, the conduit 304 comprises a plurality of fins 360a-c extending from the bottom wall 305d. Any number of fins may be used, including only one fin. The fins 360a-c limit the vertical space under the insulating bar 350 through which an object must pass to reach the supply rail 308. Further, the fins 360a-c may prevent flat objects such as leaves that have fallen through slit 302 from curling upwards and making contact with the supply rail 308. The fins 360a-c may therefore increase the safety of the supply system.

In any of the examples described above of a pair of conduits, the conduits in the pair do not need to be symmetrical. Some features may be included in only one of the pair of conduits. For example, in figure 8, only the conduit 304 comprises fins 360a, 360b, 360c and only that conduit is shaped to fit the fins 360a-360c in. The second conduit 306 does not have fins 360a-c, and is has a smaller cross-section area. This arrangement may be used, for example, where conduit 304 contains a live supply rail, and conduit 306 contains a neutral supply rail, the neutral supply rail requiring fewer safety precautions.

Any conduits 304, 306 may also comprise a foreign object detection system to detect any object other than a collector arm that enters the conduit 304, 306. The detection system may be configured to cut of the supply of electricity to all of, or a section of, a supply rail 308, 309, when a foreign object is detected in a conduit 304, 306. For example, the detection system may comprise an infra-red optical system for detecting foreign objects in the conduits 304, 306. More complicated systems can include for example: a wired connection (communication through the mains rails, or otherwise), wireless (e.g. radio, internet of things network) communication, and/or camera traffic monitoring (integratable with a smart motorway), to authorise a vehicles use of the conduit and therefore detect foreign objects.

The foreign object detection system may also comprise a vehicle detection sensor in the road surface, such as inductive loops in the road surface. For example, a vehicle detection sensor may be used in addition to an optical sensor in the conduit. If the optical sensor detects an object in the conduit, but the vehicle detection sensor does not detect a vehicle on the road surface above the conduit, then it can be determined that the object in the conduit is a foreign object, which may be hazardous. A section of the supply line around the object may be shut down to prevent current flowing through the object and out of the conduit. Such a system may advantageously reduce the number of switches and use of switching required compared to conventional safety systems.

Any conduits 304, 306 may also comprise an earth rail, for example located close to the supply rail 308, 309. If a foreign object does make contact with the supply rail, it is likely to also make contact with the close earth rail, so that electricity safely flows to earth. The earth rail may also be part of the walls forming the conduit such as the top surface near the slits.

All of the above examples comprise a pair of conduits 304, 306, containing a pair of supply rails 308, 309. However, some examples may comprise only a single conduit. For example, two supply rails may be located in one conduit. A single collector arm with two collection rods, or two collector arms inserted into the same conduit, may be used to contact the supply rails. Alternatively the system may comprise only a single supply rail in a single conduit. For example the collector device may be connected to an alternative return/neutral line. A plurality (i.e. two or more) of supply rails within each conduit is may also be used. In this case, the collector rods may be adapted to contact the plurality of supply rails, or further collector rods may be added to the collector system to contact the additional supply rail. Alternatively, further parallel conduits containing one or more supply rails may be used. Such examples may be used to produce a three-phase electricity supply for three-phase AC motors. In a further example, multiple supply rails with (and matching multiple collector rods) may be used in tandem to increase the total current drawn from the system. This may be particularly useful if, for example, the geometry of the system limits the current that can be carried in a single collection arm.

Figure 9 shows an alternative vehicle connection 950 that may be used to connect an enclosure 101 to a vehicle 200.

Vehicle connection 950 comprises a slider rail 960, similar to slider rail 160. Slider rail 960 comprises a fixed rail 961 attached to the vehicle 200, and a slider connector 962. Slider connector 962 is slidably attached to the fixed rail 961 such that the slider connector 962 can slide along the fixed rail 961 in a lateral direction compared to the direction of motion of the vehicle 200. Slider rail 960 provides a first degree of freedom to the motion of the enclosure 101 relative to the vehicle 200.

A vertical connector 951 is pivotably attached to the slider connector 962 by pivoting joint 952. Vertical connector comprises a means to raise and lower the enclosure 101 vertically relative to the road surface 300. For example, the vertical connector may comprise one or more linear actuators and/or resilience means such as a spring, as in the illustrated examples. The resilience means may for example act as a shock absorber for vertical motion. Pivoting joint 952 allows the vertical connector 950, and hence also enclosure 101, to rotate relative to a first rotation axis.

The enclosure 101 is attached to the vertical connector 951 via a universal joint 953. Universal joint 953 comprises a pair of hinges 954a, 954b located close together, which are oriented at 90° to each other, and connected by a cross shaft. Universal joint 953 allows enclosure 101 to pivot relative to the vertical connector 951 about a second and/or third rotation axis. In the illustrated example, both the second and third rotation axes are substantially orthogonal to the first rotation axis. Universal joint 953 may be connected to one or more actuators, so that the position of the enclosure 101 relative to the vertical connector 951 can be controlled.

As shown in figure 9, the pairs of wheels 102, 103 of the enclosure 101 may comprise a suspension system 902 to cushion the impact of contacting the road surface. For example, the wheels 102, 103 may be sprung wheels comprising a spring to absorb the impact. A suspension system may also be used in the enclosure 101 shown in figure 1.

Figure 10 shows an alternative example of the vehicle connector 950, which uses cables lOOla-d to lock the position of the universal joint 953, for use for example when the enclosure 1010 is being deployed or is stored. Cables lOOla-d are attached to the enclosure 101 with an angular separation of approximately 90 degrees (for example between 80 degrees and 100 degrees) between each cable connection. The cables lOOla-d are fed through corresponding pulleys 1002a-d on the vertical connector 951, and are attached to a linear actuator. When the linear actuator 1003 pulls the cables upwards - i.e. away from the enclosure 101, the cables are pulled tight, holding the position of the enclosure 101 fixed relative to the vertical connector 951. When the linear actuator 1003 moves down towards the enclosure, the cables slacken, and the universal joint 953 allows the enclosure 101 to move relative to the vertical connector 951.

In alternative examples of vehicle connector 950, one or more resilience means may be used in place of the universal joint 953. For example, one or more springs or rubber/polymer cushions could be used to allow limited motion of the enclosure along or about the second and third rotation axes. Alternatively, resilience means may be incorporated into the universal joint 953, to provide a restoring force to reposition the enclosure 101 relative to the vertical connector 951.

The above examples of vehicle connections 950 may advantageously provide a more compact collector device, without a long connection arm such as arm 151. The vehicle connections 950 may be particularly suited to situations where the vehicle travels substantially parallel to the slits in the road surface 300.

In any of the above examples of a collector device, the enclosure 101 may comprise an actuated wheel or wheels which can steer the enclosure 101. For example, the actuated wheel may be located at the back of the enclosure (i.e. the other side of the enclosure 101 from the vehicle). Alternatively or additionally the enclosure 101 may comprise one or more coasting wheels located at the back of the enclosure, the coasting wheels being free to rotate around an axis perpendicular to the road surface to follow any path on the road surface. The actuated or coasting wheel/s may comprise a tyre.

In a further example of a collector device, the collector arm/s may be fixedly attached to the enclosure. The enclosure may be much thinner, as retraction means for the collector arms is not necessary. To form a connection to a supply rail, the enclosure and collector arms may be lowered from a raised position to a lowered position in which the collector arms enter the conduits. The collector arms may be of any type described above.

The collector device described herein may be used to retrofit an existing elective vehicle. The device can be easily attached to an existing vehicle, similarly to attaching a trailer to a vehicle. The power cable 104 can then be connected to the vehicle’s existing charging port. This may for example be compatible with existing electric car systems, with or without manufacturer compliance as the original battery (or the electric power generation means in a hybrid vehicle) can be mimicked by the conduits’ energy source. Compatible vehicle types can include full electric, hybrid electric, fuel cell and supplementary generated hydrogen or HHO burning combustion engines.

The collector device can also be fitted and replace overhead wires in tram systems.

The systems for detecting the slit, deploying the collector arm, and allowing free movement of the enclosure may be simplified, as rail guided trams will deviate only small amounts from the conduit slit path. However the automated insertion and removal of the collector device described herein will offer advantages over the conduit systems that have been in public use. A transport system could also be devised that can act as both a tram and a tyred road vehicle.

Vehicles can be built for this system to have much smaller batteries, or none at all. The vehicle may for example rely on capacitor based energy storage and/or combustion engines for road sections not containing the necessary conduits.

It is possible for the collector device to be implemented within a vehicle’s footprint, particularly where that vehicle has a large ground clearance. Lorries in particular may be able to easily integrate the collector device in the space between the truck and the trailer. A passenger vehicle may for example be redesigned with a cavity (which could replace the engine bay) underneath for housing a collector device within the vehicle footprint. Implementing with vehicles of lower ground clearance can still be possible without modifications if the enclosure and connector system is made to sufficiently small dimensions. Many vehicles also have sufficient space behind the rear wheels which a retrofitted device can fit under.

The conduits described herein may also be placed on top of a road surface, rather than under it. This may enable existing roads to be upgraded to include an electricity supply system more cheaply and easily than if the conduits are embedded within the road. Other embodiments are intentionally within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An electricity collector device for connecting a vehicle to electrical supply rails in a conduit, the device comprising:

a collector system comprising a retractable collector arm adapted to be inserted into a conduit containing an electrical supply rail, and to make electrical contact with the supply rail;

a wheeled enclosure housing the collector system, the wheeled enclosure comprising flanged wheels adapted to be engageable with the conduit;

a vehicle connection for attaching the device to a vehicle, the vehicle connection allowing the enclosure to move with least two degrees of freedom with respect to the vehicle; and a power cable for connecting the collector system to a vehicle.

2. The collector device of claim 1, wherein the collector arm comprises a collector rod for contacting a supply rail, and an insertion rod attached to the collector arm, wherein the collector rod and/or the insertion rod is adapted to be rotated to contact a supply rail.

3. The collector device of claim 2, wherein the collector rod is rotatably attached to the insertion rod.

4. The collector device of claim 3, wherein the collector arm is adapted to be inserted into a conduit in an insertion direction, and wherein the collector rod is rotatable about a first rotation direction, the rotation direction being substantially parallel to the insertion direction.

5. The collector device of claim 3, wherein the collector arm is adapted to be inserted into a conduit in an insertion direction, and wherein the collector rod is rotatable about a first rotation direction, the rotation direction being substantially orthogonal to the insertion direction.

6. The collector device of claim 5, wherein the collector arm further comprises a support beam, the support beam connecting the collector rod to the insertion rod, wherein the collector rod is rotatably connected to the support beam, and the support beam is rotatably connected to the insertion rod.

7. The collector device of claim 6, wherein the support beam is rotatable with respect to the insertion rod about a second rotation direction, the second rotation direction being substantially orthogonal to the insertion direction, and wherein the collector rod is rotatable with respect to the support beam about the first rotation direction.

8. The collector device of claim 7, wherein the second rotation direction is substantially orthogonal to the first rotation direction.

9. The collector device of claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the collector arm is operable to be translated in a direction opposite to the insertion direction when the insertion rod is rotated away from the insertion direction.

10. The collector device of claims any of claims 3 to 9, wherein the collector rod is operable to be rotated by an angle of at least 90 degrees from the rotation direction, or by an angle of at least 120 degrees from the rotation direction.

11. The collector device of any preceding claim, wherein the vehicle connection comprises a slider rail attachable to a vehicle, the slider rail allowing the wheeled enclosure to move laterally with respect to the vehicle.

12. The collector device of any preceding claim, wherein the vehicle connection allows the enclosure to move with respect to an attached vehicle with five or six degrees of freedom.

13. The collector device of any preceding claim, wherein the vehicle connection comprises a plurality of rotational joints, each joint providing a degree of freedom to the movement of the enclosure with respect to an attached vehicle.

14. The collector device of any preceding claim, further comprising a sensor system operable to determine the position of a conduit containing a supply rail, and to direct the collector arm into the conduit.

15. The collector device of claim 14, wherein the sensor system comprises an optical sensor.

16. The collector device of claim 2, or any claim dependent directly or indirectly upon claim 2, wherein the collector system comprises at least one actuator operable to translate the collector arm and/or rotate the collector rod.

17. The collector device of any preceding claim, wherein the collector system comprises a second retractable collector arm adapted to be inserted into a second conduit containing a second supply-rail, and to make contact with the second supply rail.

18. An electric vehicle system comprising an electric vehicle attached to an electricity collector device according to any of claims 1 to 17.

19. A sub-surface electrical supply system for providing electricity to an electricity collector device of a vehicle, the system comprising:

support walls defining an elongate electrical conduit, the support walls comprising a top wall, a bottom wall, and opposing first and second side walls;

an elongate slit in the top wall for receiving a collector arm of an electricity collector device insertable into the conduit, said slit being further adapted to support flanged wheels of a wheeled device; and an electricity supply rail located in the conduit for supplying electricity to a collector arm of an electricity collector device inserted into the conduit.

20. The supply system of claim 19, wherein the slit is located adjacent to the first side wall, and wherein the supply rail is attached to the second side wall.

21. The supply system of claims 19 or 20, further comprising at least one insulating bar between the supply rail and the slit, the insulating bar extending from or attached to the top or bottom wall, the insulating bar adapted to limit access to the supply rail from the slit.

22. The supply system of claim 21, comprising a plurality of insulating fins extending from the bottom wall.

23. The supply system of any of claims 19 to 22, further comprising a drainage port for draining the cavity.

24. The supply system of any of claims 19 to 23, wherein the supply system is adapted to be placed under a road surface such that the top wall is substantially level with the road surface.

25. The supply system of any of claims 19 to 24, further comprising second support walls defining a second elongate conduit, and a second electricity supply rail located in the second conduit.

26. A method of supplying electricity to an electric vehicle, the method comprising:

attaching an electricity collector device to the vehicle, the collector device comprising a collector system housed in a wheeled enclosure, the wheeled enclosure able to move with at least two degrees of freedom with respect to the vehicle;

inserting a collector arm of the collector system into a conduit containing an electricity supply rail; and manoeuvring the collector arm inside the conduit until the collector arm contacts the supply rail.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the collector arm comprises a collector rod for contacting a supply rail, and an insertion rod rotatably connected to the collector arm; and wherein the step of manoeuvring the collector arm inside the conduit comprises rotating the collector rod about the insertion rod, so that the collector rod contacts the supply rail.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the collector arm further comprises a support beam, the support beam connecting the collector rod to the insertion rod, wherein the collector rod is rotatably connector to the support beam, and the support beam is rotatably connected to the insertion rod; and wherein manoeuvring the collector arm inside the conduit comprises:

rotating the support beam about the insertion rod; and rotating the connector rod about the support beam, so that the collector rod contacts the supply rail.

29. The method claim 27, wherein manoeuvring the collector arm inside the conduit comprises:

rotating the collector rod about the insertion rod, so that the collector rod contacts the supply rail; and partially extracting the collector arm from the conduit with the collector rod rotated, so that the collector rod contacts the supply rail.

30. The method of any of claims 26 to 29, further comprising the step of detecting the conduit with a sensor system of the collector device.

31. The method of any of claims 26 to 30, further comprising the steps of: detecting that the vehicle has moved a pre-determined distance away from the conduit; and retracting the collector arm from the conduit.

Intellectual

Property

Office

Application No: GB1613128.6 Examiner: Mr Gareth John