Abstract: A current collector for an electrically powered vehicle has an articulated supporting rod supporting a rocker assembly and a lifting drive. The supporting rod is a pantograph with a lower arm and an upper arm and an elbow joint. The rocker assembly has a rocker frame with mutually parallel upper and lower transverse beams. The beams are connected centrally by a center strut and on each end side by a lateral strut on swivel joints. The upper arm is connected on the contact wire side to the center strut via a rocker joint. The contact strips of the two contact poles are supported on the rocker frame symmetrically with respect to the center strut. In this way a current collector is provided by which, with a simpler construction, a consistent contact force can be achieved between contact strips and contact wires of the overhead line system.

Abstract: A current collector for a non-rail-bound, electric traction vehicle has an articulated support linkage, which, on the contact wire side, supports rocker assemblies with contact strips and, on the vehicle side, has a base joint for articulation to the traction vehicle. A pneumatic reciprocating drive is coupled to the support linkage for raising the rocker assemblies from a lower parking position into an upper contact position when the reciprocating drive is pressurized and for lowering into the parking position under its own weight when depressurization occurs. An exhaust air line connects the reciprocating drive to the environment to lower the rocker assemblies. An air accumulator and a downstream throttle valve are connected between the reciprocating drive and an environment opening of the exhaust air line. The rocker assemblies can be quickly lowered and nevertheless brought into the parking position without damage in order to disengage the current collector.

Abstract: A method and a device test whether there is contact between a current collector and a contact wire of an overhead line. The current collector is located on a motor vehicle driven by an electric motor, and the contact wire extends in a direction of travel. The current collector has two contact regions oriented transversely to the direction of travel which are arranged one behind the other in the direction of travel and on each of which an end contact element is located. A pair of end contact elements located on the same side is connected to a measuring device and an electrical state variable is detected by the measuring device. Subsequently, it is determined in accordance with the detected state variable whether the pair of end contact elements is in contact with the overhead line.

Abstract: A charging station charges an electrical energy accumulator of a road vehicle. For energy supply from a two-pole overhead line system, the road vehicle has a pantograph with at least one wearing strip, which can be raised and lowered, for each contact pole. For each contact pole, the charging station contains at least two charging contacts which are arranged above a charging position for the road vehicle and are arranged next to each other so that for each contact pole at least two contact points can be established between the wearing strip and the charging contacts. This makes it possible to transmit higher charging currents, which shortens the charging time for the energy accumulator.

Abstract: A current collector for a non-rail-bound, electric traction vehicle has an articulated support linkage, which, on the contact wire side, supports rocker assemblies with contact strips and, on the vehicle side, has a base joint for articulation to the traction vehicle. A pneumatic reciprocating drive is coupled to the support linkage for raising the rocker assemblies from a lower parking position into an upper contact position when the reciprocating drive is pressurized and for lowering into the parking position under its own weight when depressurization occurs. An exhaust air line connects the reciprocating drive to the environment to lower the rocker assemblies. An air accumulator and a downstream throttle valve are connected between the reciprocating drive and an environment opening of the exhaust air line. The rocker assemblies can be quickly lowered and nevertheless brought into the parking position without damage in order to disengage the current collector.

Abstract: A method for testing whether a current collector of a vehicle, which is preferably not rail-bound and is driven by an electric motor, is in contact with a contact wire of an overhead line which extends in a direction of travel. The current collector, which can be moved along a vertical direction, has a carrier element and a contact strip, resiliently mounted on the carrier element by a primary spring element. The contact strip, upon contacting the contact wire, is deflected relative to the carrier element counter to the vertical direction out of a resting position, wherein the deflection is detected by a sensor unit and it is determined whether the contact strip is in contact with the contact wire. There is also described a corresponding current collector.

Abstract: A motor vehicle has a control device, a first sensor and a global positioning device. The control device has a control unit and a data memory. At least one item of information about an arrangement of an overhead line is stored on the data memory. The control unit is connected to the first sensor and to the global positioning device. The first sensor determines a position of the overhead line relative to the motor vehicle and provides the control unit with the relative position. The global positioning device determines a global position of the motor vehicle and provides the control unit with it. The control unit, on the basis of the established relative position, the established global position and the information about the arrangement of the overhead line, calculates a position of the motor vehicle.

Abstract: A method and a device test whether there is contact between a current collector and a contact wire of an overhead line. The current collector is located on a motor vehicle driven by an electric motor, and the contact wire extends in a direction of travel. The current collector has two contact regions oriented transversely to the direction of travel which are arranged one behind the other in the direction of travel and on each of which an end contact element is located. A pair of end contact elements located on the same side is connected to a measuring device and an electrical state variable is detected by the measuring device. Subsequently, it is determined in accordance with the detected state variable whether the pair of end contact elements is in contact with the overhead line.

Abstract: A method for testing whether a current collector of a vehicle, which is preferably not rail-bound and is driven by an electric motor, is in contact with a contact wire of an overhead line which extends in a direction of travel. The current collector, which can be moved along a vertical direction, has a carrier element and a contact strip, resiliently mounted on the carrier element by a primary spring element. The contact strip, upon contacting the contact wire, is deflected relative to the carrier element counter to the vertical direction out of a resting position, wherein the deflection is detected by a sensor unit and it is determined whether the contact strip is in contact with the contact wire. There is also described a corresponding current collector.

Abstract: An electrified road transport system includes a contact line system having a plurality of masts with support cables and contact wires suspended thereon. The contact line system has structural modifications for reducing the horizontal and/or vertical positional tolerances of the contact wires. In the context of the structural modifications, section separators are fastened directly to masts or to cantilevers of the masts, skewed overhead lines are disposed in straight section segments and/or in curves, and the support cables and/or contact wires have smaller cross-sections and/or higher longitudinal tensile forces. A method for stabilizing a contact line system of an electrified road transport system is also provided.

Abstract: A positioning system for determining the position of a vehicle when driving into a charging station for charging an energy accumulator of the vehicle includes a vehicle-side marking having at least one marking property changing in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. A route-side sensor device measures a distance from the marking to the sensor device when the vehicle passes the sensor device and generates a distance signal indicating a distance from the marking to the sensor device in the transverse direction of the vehicle. The sensor device reads out the marking property in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and generates a longitudinal vehicle direction signal indicating the position of the marking and/or the vehicle relative to the sensor device in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. A charging station, a vehicle and a method for determining the position of a vehicle, are also provided.

Abstract: A charging device includes an electrically chargeable vehicle and a stationary charging station. In order to establish a galvanic connection between the vehicle and the charging station, the vehicle and the charging station each include at least two electrical contacts being in mutual contact for establishing the galvanic connection between the vehicle and the charging station. The contacts are each elongate. The contacts have specified lengths that are less than the width of the vehicle. The contacts of the vehicle are disposed in a fixed manner on the vehicle. The contacts of the charging station are movable at least vertically. The mutually complementary contacts are disposed in such a way that the contacts extend transversely to each other in a predefined charging position of the vehicle for establishing of the galvanic connection.

Abstract: A vehicle control facility for the automated control of an electrical road vehicle for a route system with an energy-supply system that includes a lane-bound energy supply line, in particular an overhead line system. A position-determining unit determines a geographical position of the electrical road vehicle. A specific-lane-determining unit determines position data for a specific lane assigned to the lane-bound energy supply line. A communication interface transmits current relative positions of infrastructure features with respect to the electrical road vehicle to an external central specific-lane-determining facility and receives position data. A vehicle-control unit controls the electrical road vehicle with respect to the determined specific lane in dependence on the determined relative position of the specific lane.

Abstract: A vehicle has an electric or hybrid-electric traction drive supported by an ungrounded vehicle frame. The vehicle also has a current collector, which can be electrically connected to the traction drive and which can be brought in galvanic contact with a contact line of a grounded contact-line system to supply traction energy. The vehicle contains an electrical protection system for avoiding dangerous contact voltages on the vehicle frame or on a vehicle part connected to the vehicle frame in a conductive manner. The protection system has a first protection stage, a second protection stage, and a switching element, by which the protection system can be switched between the first and the second protection stages. The first protection stage provides greater safety from dangerous contact voltages than the second protection stage. Thus, a protection system can be provided which provides sufficient safety in all operating states of the vehicle.

Abstract: A transportation system with a non-rail-bound, electrically or diesel-electrically driven vehicle, has a two-pole overhead conductor system with contact wires forming supply and return conductors. The vehicle has a current collector for the supply of electrical energy through sliding contact with the contact wires. A video detector on the vehicle determines a position of the contact wires relative to the vehicle. Marking elements mark the position of the contact wires. The video detector is oriented for taking video images of the marking elements, and an evaluation unit recognizes from a recorded video image whether contact wires are present above the vehicle and, when they are present, determines their position relative to the vehicle. Through the improved recognition of the position of the vehicle relative to the overhead conductor the operational safety of the transportation system is improved.

Abstract: A motor vehicle has a control device, a first sensor and a global positioning device. The control device has a control unit and a data memory. At least one item of information about an arrangement of an overhead line is stored on the data memory. The control unit is connected to the first sensor and to the global positioning device. The first sensor determines a position of the overhead line relative to the motor vehicle and provides the control unit with the relative position. The global positioning device determines a global position of the motor vehicle and provides the control unit with it. The control unit, on the basis of the established relative position, the established global position and the information about the arrangement of the overhead line, calculates a position of the motor vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle control facility for the automated control of an electrical road vehicle for a route system with an energy-supply system that includes a lane-bound energy supply line, in particular an overhead line system. A position-determining unit determines a geographical position of the electrical road vehicle. A specific-lane-determining unit determines position data for a specific lane assigned to the lane-bound energy supply line. A communication interface transmits current relative positions of infrastructure features with respect to the electrical road vehicle to an external central specific-lane-determining facility and receives position data. A vehicle-control unit controls the electrical road vehicle with respect to the determined specific lane in dependence on the determined relative position of the specific lane.

Abstract: A vehicle charging station charges an energy accumulator in a battery-driven vehicle, namely an electric bus or hybrid vehicle, the vehicle being parked in a pre-defined parking position during the charging process. The charging station contains a base which is arranged in the vicinity of the pre-defined parking position and an articulated arm. One end of which is mounted in a revolute joint on the base and is rotary driven by a rotary drive and the other end is connected to a supply-contact device by a second revolute joint, such that the supply-contact device can be moved, by a pivoting movement of the articulated arm, between an idle position, in which the supply-contact device is positioned above the vehicle roof, and a working position, in which, for charging purposes, electrical contact is made between the supply-contact device and a receiving-contact device arranged in a static manner on the vehicle roof.

Abstract: A vehicle charging station charges an energy accumulator of a battery-driven vehicle. The charging station contains a base disposed in the vicinity of the pre-defined parking position and a two-membered manipulator having a first member, one end of which is mounted in a revolute joint on the base and is rotary driven by a rotary drive and the other end is connected to a first end of a second member by a second revolute joint. The second revolute joint is rotary driven by a second rotary drive. The other end of the second member is connected to a supply-contact device, such that, by a rotary motion of the first member and/or the second member, electrical contact is made between contact elements of the supply-contact device and contact elements of a receiving-contact device. The contact elements are permanently connected to the vehicle roof or a side wall of the vehicle.

Abstract: A positioning system for determining the position of a vehicle when driving into a charging station for charging an energy accumulator of the vehicle includes a vehicle-side marking having at least one marking property changing in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. A route-side sensor device measures a distance from the marking to the sensor device when the vehicle passes the sensor device and generates a distance signal indicating a distance from the marking to the sensor device in the transverse direction of the vehicle. The sensor device reads out the marking property in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and generates a longitudinal vehicle direction signal indicating the position of the marking and/or the vehicle relative to the sensor device in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. A charging station, a vehicle and a method for determining the position of a vehicle, are also provided.