Patents by Inventor Thomas Zinken

Thomas Zinken has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9238411
    Abstract: A non-rail-bound vehicle, truck or bus, includes a current collector feeding electrical energy from an overhead line installation having a contact wire. The collector has a contact strip with a working region contacting the contact wire. An actuating device coupled to the collector adjusts the contact strip. The contact strip is horizontal and adjustable transversely to a vehicle longitudinal axis. A sensor senses the position of the vehicle relative to the contact wire. A control device connected to the sensor and the actuating device actuates the actuating device based on the sensed vehicle position, so that the contact strip maintains contact with the contact wire within its working range. The vehicle thus reliably maintains contact with the contact wire through the collector during operation on multilane roadways with an at least partially electrified lane, even at relatively high speeds of, for example, 80 to 100 km/h.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Andrej Dronnik, Goeran Keil, Georg Kinnemann, Stephan Rister, Thomas Sachse, Thomas Zinken
  • Publication number: 20140138200
    Abstract: A non-rail-bound vehicle, truck or bus, includes a current collector feeding electrical energy from an overhead line installation having a contact wire. The collector has a contact strip with a working region contacting the contact wire. An actuating device coupled to the collector adjusts the contact strip. The contact strip is horizontal and adjustable transversely to a vehicle longitudinal axis. A sensor senses the position of the vehicle relative to the contact wire. A control device connected to the sensor and the actuating device actuates the actuating device based on the sensed vehicle position, so that the contact strip maintains contact with the contact wire within its working range. The vehicle thus reliably maintains contact with the contact wire through the collector during operation on multilane roadways with an at least partially electrified lane, even at relatively high speeds of, for example, 80 to 100 km/h.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Inventors: Anderj Dronnik, Goeran Keil, Georg Kinnemann, Stephan Rister, Thomas Sachse, Thomas Zinken