WO2014112926A1

WO2014112926A1 - Device and method for effecting electric drive of heavy trucks

Info

Publication number: WO2014112926A1
Application number: PCT/SE2014/000005
Authority: WO
Inventors: Göran JANSSON
Original assignee: Enega AB
Priority date: 2013-01-18
Filing date: 2014-01-16
Publication date: 2014-07-24
Also published as: SE1300050A1; SE536908C2; EP2945815A4; EP2945815A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device and a method to effect electric drive of heavy trucks, said device comprising on one hand a current transmission means (9; 109) mounted on the vehicle (1) and on the other hand an airborne supporting girder (11) that houses conductor rails (10). It is significant for the device according to the invention that the current transmission means (9) has guiding means (22) that may assume an inactive position and an active position, that the supporting girder (11) has a lower opening (31) through which opening (31) the current transmission means (9) may pass when the guiding means (22) assume inactive position, that the supporting girder (11) has grooves (30), that the guiding means (22) and the grooves (30) cooperate when the guiding means (22) assume active position, and that the current transmission means (9) has means to transfer electric current from the conductor rails (10) to a power source of the vehicle (1).

Description

DEVICE AND METHOD FOR EFFECTING ELECTRIC DRIVE OF HEAVY TRUCKS

Technical field of the invention

The present invention relates to a device for effecting electric drive of heavy trucks, said device comprising on one hand a current transmission means and on the other hand an airborne supporting girder that holds conductor rails, that the current transmission means comprises guiding means that may assume an inactive position and an active position, that the supporting girder comprises a bottom opening through which opening the current transmission means may pass when the guiding means assume an inactive position, that the supporting girder comprises grooves, that the guiding means and the grooves cooperate when the guiding means assume active

position, and that the current transmission means comprises means to transmit electric current from the conductor rails to a power source of the truck. The invention also relates to a method for effecting electric drive of heavy trucks. Prior Art

From WO2012118422 Al a current collector is previously know, said current collector being carried by a vehicle. The current collector may be temporarily connected to a current conductor arranged along the route of the vehicle. However, the temporary connection may only be established at certain locations of the current conductor.

From US 5,293,947 Bl an electric vehicle is previously known, said vehicle comprising a pantograph arm that may be placed in contact with an airborne electric overhead trolley line. How the electrical contact means are designed is not described in detail .

From US 6,805,226 a system for moving electric equipment is previously known. A current transmission means of the system may assume an inactive position and an active position. In the inactive position the current transmission means may be inserted into an airborne supporting girder. In the active position a complete docking of the current transmission means in the supporting girder is effected. From DE 42 05 519 Al a device for current supply to vehicles is previously known, said vehicle being equipped wi current collectors that are brought in contact with current carrying wires that extend transverse to the direction of travel of the vehicle.

Objects and features of the invention

A primary object of the present invention is to present a device and a method of the kind defined in the introductory part of the description, the switching in and the switching out of the electric drive is to be effected in an easy and reliable way during operation.

A further object of the present invention is to

establish, during operation of the vehicle, a proper electric contact between an airborne conductor rail and a current transmission means.

Still an object of the present invention is that the current transmission means comprises guiding means that are adapted to cooperate with the conductor rail and that the guiding means are structurally simple and thus also quite functional .

At least the primary object is realized by a device and a method that have been given the features defined in the appending independent claims. Preferred embodiments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

Brief description of the drawings

Below preferred embodiments of the invention will be described, reference being made to the enclosed drawings, where :

Fig. 1 discloses a schematic side view of a part of a device according to the present invention, a vehicle being connected to the device to effect electric drive of the vehicle;

Fig. 2a discloses a schematic end view of a supporting girder and a current transmission means that is about to dock in the supporting girder; Fig. 2b discloses a corresponding end view as in Fig. 2a where the current transmission means is partly received in the supporting girder;

Fig. 2c discloses a corresponding end view as in Fig. 2a where the current transmission means is completely docked in the supporting girder;

Fig. 3 discloses a schematic side view where the current

transmission means is docked in the supporting girder, and that for clarity reasons certain parts have been omitted;

Fig. 4 discloses a schematic side view of a current

transmission means according to the present invention, and that means for operation of the guiding means also being disclosed;

Fig. 5a discloses a first view along V-V in Fig. 4; and

Fig. 5b discloses a second view along V-V in Fig. 4.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention

The vehicle shown in Fig. 1 constitutes a long-distance lorry 1 that comprises a truck 3 and a trailer 5. The truck 3 is equipped with a trolley arm that is both articulated and telescopic. The trolley arm 7 is equipped with control means, e.g. pressure medium cylinders, electric motors, that enables the free end of the trolley arm 7 to be displaced vertically but also sidewards. At the free end of the trolley arm 7 a current transmission means 9 is provided, said current

transmission means 9 may be connected with the conductor rails 10 that are provided inside an airborne supporting girder 11 that extends along the route that the vehicle 1 travels. The conductor rails 10 are current carrying.

As is evident from Fig. 1 the supporting girder 11 is supported by poles 12 at suitable mutual distance. Further supporting means may be arranged to achieve proper support of the supporting girder 11.

The structural design of the current transmission means will now be described with reference to Figs. 2a-2c and

Fig. 3. The current transmission means 9 comprises a contact module 15 that at its upper end has a corrugated configuration with projecting ridge portions 16 and first grooves 17 located between the ridge portions 16. The ridge portions 16 and the first grooves 17 generally extend in the travelling direction of the vehicle. At the crest of the ridge portions 16 wear surfaces 18 are provided, said wear surfaces 18 preferably being made out of graphite. These wear surfaces 18 are

connected to electric cables that conduct electric current to a power source in the vehicle 1, said power source may for instance be an electric motor or a battery provided in the vehicle 1. According to the disclosed embodiment the contact module 15 has three ridge portions 16 and two intermediate grooves 17.

The contact module 15 is two-parted with a telescopic function, i.e. an upper part 15a of the contact module 15 is displaceable relative to a lower part of the contact module 15, this displacement takes place in vertical direction when the contact module 15 has assumed the position according to Fig. 2b. The displacement of the upper part 15a is preferably effected by pressure medium operated means, e.g. a pressure medium cylinder (not shown) .

The lower part of the contact module 15 is penetrated by an axle arrangement 20 that also generally extends in the travelling direction of the vehicle. According to the

disclosed embodiment the axle arrangement 20 has an extension on both sides of the contact module 15. Two guiding means are mounted on the axle arrangement 20, each of said guiding means comprising two supporting arms 23, supported by the axle arrangement 20, and rotatable guiding wheels 22 supported by the supporting arms 23 that are pivotally mounted on the axle arrangement 20. The connections of the supporting arms 23 to the axle arrangement 20 are mutually displaced in the

longitudinal direction of the axle arrangement 20 in order to avoid that the supporting arms 23 interfere with each other. This displacement also brings about that the width of the current transmission means 9 is relatively small when the supporting arms are in retracted position. This is beneficial when the current transmission means 9 is inserted into the supporting girder 11. The axle arrangement 20 also comprises some kind of actuator means to pivot the supporting arms 23 relative to the axle arrangement 20. These actuator means are preferably pressure medium activated. In Fig. 2a the

supporting arms 23 are disclosed in retracted positions and in Fig. 2b the supporting arms 23 are disclosed in expanded positions. In this connection it should be pointed out that when the supporting arms 23 are in retracted positions the current transmission means 9 may be inserted into the

supporting girder 11 from below, see especially Fig. 2a.

The current transmission means 9 is also equipped with a GPS-antenna 25 that locates the current transmission means 9 in correct position vis-a-vis the supporting girder 11.

Besides, the current transmission means 9 is equipped with a radar unit 26 that is mounted on a guiding plate 27 that facilitates the docking of the current transmission means 9 in the supporting girder 11. According to the disclosed

embodiment the current transmission means 9 is equipped with a further guiding plate 27, said guiding plates 27 being located in the area of the respective ends of the current transmission means 9.

As is evident from Fig. 3 the contact module 15 is mounted on a supporting plate 28 that is pivotally connected to the trolley arm 7 that in Fig. 3 is represented by two link rods 29 that are pivotally connected to the supporting plate 28.

The supporting girder 11 generally has the shape of a U turned upside down. The shanks of the U are bent inwards in the area of the free ends of the shanks and thereby second, interior grooves 30 are created in the area of the lower, longitudinal edge of the supporting girder 11. Between the shanks of the U a bottom opening 31 of the supporting girder 11 is created. In the upper part of the supporting girder 11 conductor rails 10 are mounted, said counductor rails 10 extending in the longitudinal direction of the supporting girder 11. The conductor rails 10 are provided in a supporting unit 8 that has a corrugated configuration where the conductor rails 10 are provided in third grooves 32. The corrugated configurations of the supporting unit 8 and the contact module are designed in such a way that they match into each other.

The mounting of the current transmission means 9 in the supporting girder 11 will now be described. Initially the vehicle 1 is travelling on a road and a supporting girder 11 with a conductor rail 11 extends along the road. The trolley arm 7 is initially in a lowered inactive position. When the electric drive of the vehicle is to be switched in the trolley arm 7 is activated and it approaches upwards towards the supporting girder 11. By the aid of the GPS antenna 25 the current transmission means 9 is oriented in correct position relative to the supporting girder 11, i.e. the current

transmission means 9 is located directly below the supporting girder 11, see Fig. 2a.

When the current transmission means 9 is raised further, in the direction of the arrow 33 in Fig. 2a, the current transmission means 9 will eventually enter the supporting girder 11 from below. The guiding plates 27 will assist to center the current transmission means 9 in the opening of the supporting girder 11.

In the position disclosed in Fig. 2b the current transmission means 9 has reached so far into the supporting girder 11 that the supporting arms 23 may be pivoted outwards and the guiding wheels 22 are lowered to contact the second grooves 30. Thus, a mutual guiding has been established

between the current transmission means 9 and the supporting girder 11. As is evident from Fig. 2b there is no contact between the conductor rails 10 and the wear surfaces 18.

Fig. 2c shows a mutual position between the current transmission means 9 and the supporting girder 11 where

electric contact is established between the conductor rails 10 and the wear surfaces 18, i.e. the current transmission means 9 is docked in the supporting girder 11 and an upper portion 15a of the contact module 15 is displaced upwards to bring the corrugated configurations of the supporting girder 11 and the upper part 15a of the contact module 15 respectively to be mutually received in each other. Cooperation between de

corrugated configurations guarantees that there is a mutual, lateral guiding between the current transmission means 9 and the supporting girder 11. Of course also the cooperation between the guiding wheels 22 and the second grooves 30 contributes to the lateral guiding. When the current transmission mode depicted in Fig. 2c is to be interrupted a reversed action, compared to what has been described above, is effected. Thus, the upper part 15a of the contact module 15 is lowered and hence the wear surfaces 18 and the conductor rails 10 are no longer in contact with each other. Then the supporting arms 23 are swung inwards to the position depicted in Fig. 2a and the current transmission means 9 is lowered through the opening of the supporting girder 11. Now the trolley arm 7 may be folded to a lowered, inactive position.

In Fig. 4, 5a and 5b it is exemplified how a somewhat modified embodiment of the current transmission means 109 according to the present invention may be equipped with

driving means that moves the supporting arms 23 between

retracted positions and expanded positions. In the disclosed example the driving means constitute pressure medium cylinders 135, preferably pneumatic cylinders. From Fig. 4 it is evident that the pressure medium cylinders 135 are located at a certain distance from each other in the longitudinal direction of the device. The pressure medium cylinders 135 are, via bars 134 at the lower side of the pressure medium cylinders 135, pivotally connected to supporting rods 150 that in their turn are fastened to the current transmission means 109 according to the present invention.

As is evident from Fig. 4 the current transmission means

109 comprises an axle arrangement 120 where one supporting arm 123 is supported by an internal axle 136 of a smaller diameter and the second supporting arm 123 is supported by an external, hollow axle 137 of a larger diameter.

As is evident from Fig. 5a and 5b a first operating arm

138 extends between the internal axle 136 and piston rod 139 of one pressure medium cylinder 135 while a second operating arm 140 extends between the external axle 137 and a piston rod

139 of a further pressure medium cylinder 135. The operating arms 138, 140 are rigidly connected to the axles 136 and 137 respectively while the operating arms 138, 140 are pivotally connected to the piston rods 139. From Fig. 5a and 5b it is evident that a portion of the material in the external axle 137 is removed in the area of the connection of the first operating arm 138 to the internal axle 136. By this arrangement the first operating arm 138 is allowed to move a certain angle during actuation from the adherent pressure medium cylinder 135.

A comparative examination of Fig. 5a and 5b brings about that by activation of the pressure medium cylinders 135 the axles 136 and 137 are performing a mutual rotation. Since the supporting arms 123 are rigidly connected to the axles 136 and 137 the supporting arms 123 will be transferred between folded position and expanded position during this mutual rotation of the axles 136 and 137.

Feasible modifications of the invention

In the embodiment described above the current

transmission means is equipped with guiding wheels 22 that abuts second grooves 30 of the supporting girder 11. Within the scope of the invention it is feasible to use guiding means that do not rotate, said guiding means cooperating with the second grooves 30. In such a case the friction between the non-rotating guiding means and the second grooves 30 is kept extremely low. This is achieved by suitable selection of material in the surfaces that contact each other.

In the embodiment described above the current

transmission means 9 is equipped with a GPS-antenna 25 and a radar unit 36 to take care of correct entering of the current transmission means 9 in the supporting girder 11. This is only an example of a suitable combination of entering means. Within the scope of the present invention it is feasible that the current transmission means 9 is equipped with a GPS-antenna 25 only or with a radar unit 26 only. Also other types of

entering means are feasible within the scope of the present invention .

As regards the above described driving means to displace the supporting means 123, said means should only be regarded as a possible example of such driving means. Within the scope of the invention said means could be designed in a number of different ways.

Claims

1. Device for effecting electric drive of heavy trucks, said device comprising on one hand a current transmission means (9; 109) mounted on the vehicle (1) and on the other hand an airborne supporting girder (11) that houses conductor rails

(10) , that the current transmission means (9; 109) has guiding means (22; 122) that may assume an inactive position and an active position, that the supporting girder (11) has a bottom opening (31) through which opening (31) the current

transmission means (9; 109) may pass when the guiding means (22; 122) assume inactive position, that the supporting girder

(11) has grooves (30), that the guiding means (22; 122) and the grooves (30) cooperate when the guiding means (22; 122) assume active position, and that the current transmission means (9; 109) has means to transfer electric current from the conductor rails (10) to a power source of the vehicle (1) , c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the guiding means (22; 122) are supported by supporting arms (23; 123) that are pivotally supported by an axle arrangement (9; 109) that is a part of the current transmission means (9; 109) , and that the device comprises means (135, 138, 140) to transfer the guiding means (22; 122) between inactive and active position.

2. Device according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the guiding means comprises rotatable guiding wheels (22; 122) and supporting arms (23; 123) that support the guiding wheels (22 ; 122) .

3. Device according to claim 1 or 2 , c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the supporting girder (11) generally takes the shape of a U turned upside down, and that the free ends of the shanks are bent inwards to create grooves (30) .

4. Device according to claim 2 or 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the guiding wheels (22; 122) are received in the grooves (30) when a complete docking of the current

transmission means is effected in the supporting girder (11) .

5. Device according to any of the previous claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the current transmission means (9; 109) is supported by a trolley arm (7) mounted on the vehicle (1) .

6. Device according to any of the previous claims,

c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the current transmission means (9; 109) comprises a contact module (15; 115), that the contact module (15; 115) is two-parted and has a telescopic function.

7. Device according to claim 6, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the upper part (15a) of the contact module (15) has means (18) intended to be in contact with the conductor rails (10) when the current transmission means (9) is docked in the supporting girder (11) .

8. Device according to claim 7, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the means that are intended to contact the conductor rails (10) constitute wear surfaces (18) .

9. Device according to any of the previous claims,

c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the means to transfer the guiding means (22; 122) between inactive and active position comprise pressure medium cylinders (135) and operating arms extending between the pressure medium cylinders (135) and the axle arrangement .

10. Method to effect electric drive of heavy trucks, that during the advancing of a heavy truck along a road a current transmission means (9) is entered in a lower opening (31) of an airborne supporting girder (11) , the current transmission means being mounted on the heavy truck,

c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that guiding means (22) of the current transmission means (9) are brought to cooperate with grooves (30) of the supporting girder (11) , and that

subsequently a contact module (15) of the current transmission means (9) is brought to contact conductor rails (10) of the supporting girder (11) .