Abstract: A method is for maintenance of a ground-level power supply for a transport vehicle. The device includes: a power supply rail, a detector of spatial coordinates of a vehicle; and a power supply shoe. The device and the shoe equip the same vehicle. The supply shoe includes a vibration sensor. The method includes measuring vibrations of the shoe and simultaneously detecting spatial coordinates of the vehicle during the movement of the vehicle along the rail, followed by comparing measured vibrations of the shoe with a threshold value, and determining spatial coordinates corresponding to vibrations above the threshold value.

Abstract: Provided are an external power supply apparatus and a vehicle power supply method, whereby a power reception circuit of an electric vehicle can be projected or a configuration of the electric vehicle can be simplified. An external power supply apparatus is provided with: a power supply unit, which is provided along a traveling path, and which supplies power to a power reception unit of an electric vehicle while the vehicle is traveling; and a voltage applying unit that applies a voltage to the power supply unit. The power supply unit includes a plurality of divided power supply units that are divided along the traveling path. The voltage applying unit applies the voltage such that the voltage to be applied to the divided power supply units becomes higher in the traveling direction of the electric vehicle.

Abstract: A conveyor facility having at least one traveling unit, which has an electrical load, in particular an electric drive, and which can be moved along a conveyor path by means of the drive; and a railbus, which is arranged along the conveyor path and which has at least one supply collector wire via which the traveling unit is supplied with power. In order to reduce the space required by the railbus, a safety device is provided which has only one safety collector wire and yet ensures an emergency stop in a fault-tolerant manner.

Abstract: A technique is provided for determining information about efficiency of an inductive charging system having a primary coil embedded in a road infrastructure and a secondary coil located in a vehicle moving on the road infrastructure. A first inductive coupling efficiency component attributed to the road infrastructure is determined from a total efficiency depending on a second inductive coupling efficiency component attributed to a position of the secondary coil relative to the primary coil and of a third inductive coupling efficiency component attributed to an electric circuit comprising the secondary coil.

Abstract: A conductor arrangement for producing an electromagnetic field and thereby transferring energy to vehicles driving on a surface of a route, in particular for transferring energy to road automobiles is disclosed. The conductor arrangement includes a first, lower coating layer, a second upper coating layer, and at least one electric line which—if arranged as part of the route—extends under the surface of the route in and/or about the travelling direction of the vehicles. The at least one electric line is arranged in between the lower and upper coating layer.

Abstract: A control assembly includes a monitoring module and a switching module. The monitoring module determines a load demand of a first rail vehicle traveling along a track, wherein the first rail vehicle is supplied with electric current from a plurality of power sources over a conductive pathway extending along the track. The switching module is communicatively coupled with the monitoring module and is joined with a switch controller disposed between the power sources and the conductive pathway. The switching module directs the switch controller to change which of the power sources supply the electric current to the first rail vehicle over the conductive pathway based on the load demand.

Abstract: A system and method for powering of a vehicle is disclosed. In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a powering assembly may include an axle, a wheel coupled to the axle, and at least one secondary coil winding affixed to the wheel. The wheel may be configured to rotate about the axle in a plane substantially perpendicular to an axis of the axle. The at least one secondary coil may be configured such that when the wheel is proximate to an embedded conductor embedded in a roadway and carrying a first electrical current, a magnetic field induced by the first electrical current induces a second electrical current in the at least one secondary coil winding.

Abstract: A system and method for powering of a vehicle is disclosed. In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a powering assembly may a carrier having one or more structural elements, an axle coupled to the carrier, a wheel coupled to the axle and configured to rotate about the axle in a plane substantially perpendicular to an axis of the axle and substantially linear rod mechanically coupled to the carrier such that the longitudinal axis of the rod is perpendicular to the axis of the axle. A secondary coil winding may be affixed to the rod and configured such that when the rod is proximate to an embedded conductor embedded in a roadway and carrying a first electrical current, a magnetic field induced by the first electrical current induces a second electrical current in the secondary coil winding.

Abstract: An industrial truck (1) is driven by a friction drive (7) acting on a rail (6). For this purpose, the industrial truck (1) stands on the underlying surface by way of a front steering-roller pair (3) and a rear fixed-roller pair (5) and is kept on track by a guide roller (9) butting against the rail (6). In the region of a curved element (12), the rail (6) has an elevation, with result that there is an increase there in the propulsion force which can be transmitted by a friction wheel (8) of the friction drive (7). An introduction aid (11) allows the guide roller (9) to be aligned without difficulty in relation to the rail (6). The industrial truck (1), rather than being bound to fixed cyclic operation by its friction drive (7), can be specifically accelerated or decelerated. In the event of malfunctioning of the industrial truck (1), the latter can easily be moved manually.

Abstract: A system for supplying current through the ground for an electric vehicle, especially for an electric rail vehicle, includes a succession of conducting segments (16A, 16B, 16C, 16D) which are electrically isolated from each other and together form a conducting supply track against which at least one supply collector shoe (32) on the vehicle is applied, and a set of high-voltage supply devices (20) each connected to a conducting segment and each provided with a detector capable of detecting a collector shoe and with switching devices (45) suitable for selectively causing a corresponding segment to be supplied with current when a collector shoe is present on the segment and causing the said collector shoe to be connected to a zero-potential source (26) when a collector shoe is not present thereon.

Abstract: The invention relates to a ground power supply device for electric vehicles (5), the device including power supply segments (52) insulated from each other and each having a length less than half the length of the footprint of the vehicle (5), and being adapted to apply a supply voltage to a segment (52) only when said segment (52) is within the footprint of the vehicle (5), the vehicle (5) having a power supply rubbing member (80), and the device being adapted to apply the supply voltage to two adjacent segments (52) when the rubbing member (80) is in simultaneous contact with the two segments (52) and to earth one of the two segments (52) a short time after said rubbing member (80) has left that segment (52).

Abstract: A power line (1) wherein a hollow elongated enclosure (4) houses a conducting line (27) and an elastically deformable strip element (60) which is normally in a rest position extending substantially undeformed along the whole of the enclosure when the line is not engaged by an electric vehicle. The strip element (60) interacts with a magnetic field generated by an electric vehicle (80) engaging the line, to attract a portion (60a) of the strip element (60) into a raised contact position in which an electric connection is established between the conducting line (27) and at least one power plate (34) outside the enclosure (4). The line also has a detecting device (52) for detecting the strip element (60) in the rest position and so determining non-engagement of the line.

Abstract: A loosely coupled inductive power transfer system suitable for transferring power to a mobile conveyer platform or a vehicle has pick-up coils wound on flux concentrator(s). One or more large flat horizontal ferrite cores 607, 608 are used to concentrate the horizontal component of magnetic flux from an extended volume into one or more secondary or pick-up coils 613. Each shock-resistant core comprises an array of many individual strips of ferrite held in close contact. One, more usually two, or perhaps more resonant pick-up windings are wound about each core and each winding has a shorting switch (within 602, 603 . . . ) placed across it. A controller 601 connects a controlled output voltage on to an output bus 605, 606 from the best-placed pick-up winding on any one core at any moment, while holding the others in a shorted hence inactive state.

Abstract: Motors 14 and 17 are mounted on a moving member 9 disposed on an upper surface of a track plate 8. The motors 14 and 17 are adapted to move and drive the moving member 9 along the track plate surface. Primary coils 33 and 34 are disposed below the track plate surface. Secondary coils 52c and 55 are mounted on the moving member 9. The secondary coils 52c and 55 are adapted to receive electric power from the primary coils 33 and 34.

Abstract: An inductive energization system for moving vehicles includes wayside inductors under the roadway and pickup inductor circuits in electrically powered vehicles. A pickup power controller has a switching circuit, including a zero-crossing trigger circuit, a current limiting inductor, and a bleed resistor. The controller provides for fast switching, desirable for closed loop control of the inductive energy transfer system, as well as low harmonic distortion of waveforms, low acoustic noise, and low maintenance requirements. The pickup inductor of the preferred embodiment has rigid metal conductors bonded together into a single member, allowing this element to serve as both a current carrying element as well as a primary structural member of the pickup inductor. The roadway inductor is split into many segments.

Abstract: An electric monorail conveyor wherein the vehicles are suspended from and advance along an elongated guide rail. The electric motor of each vehicle receives current from a third rail which is adjacent the guide rail and includes first sections alternating with second sections at locations where the vehicles are to be brought to a halt. The second sections are galvanically separated from the first sections and receive low-frequency current from a frequency converter which can reduce the frequency when the motor of a vehicle is electrically connected with a second section. This renders it possible to arrest the vehicles in predetermined positions with a tolerance of not more than .+-.2 mm.

Abstract: The invention is a conveyor assembly (10) having a vehicle (12) which moves about a track (18). The track (18) includes rails (20) extending therealong for supplying power and command signals to the vehicle (12). The rails (20) are separated into isolated sections separated by buffers (24) with each section supplying electrical signals. The vehicle (12) includes at least two contacting pads (32, 33) for contacting a rail (20) and conducting the electrical signal on the rail (20) to the vehicle (12). The contracting pads are spaced a distance such that at least one contacting pad (32, 33) is in electrical connection with the rail (20) so that the vehicle (12) continuously receives the electrical signals. The receiver (34) of the vehicle (12) receives the signals from both contacting pads (32, 33) and combines the signals while preventing back feeding to the other contact pad (32, 33).

Abstract: A vehicle transportation system which includes a self-propelled vehicle for propulsion along a track through a plurality of predefined sequential track zones. The vehicle receives power and control signals from a plurality of electrical buses which are positioned adjacent to the track and extend through the track zones. The buses for indicating presence of a vehicle within a zone and for arresting vehicle motion, as well as one of the velocity control buses, is segmented or discontinuous between adjacent zones, and bus segments are directly electrically connected or jumpered between adjacent zones for controlling vehicle motion and avoiding collision with a stalled vehicle.

Abstract: A device to detect and control electrical potential polarities between two or more adjacent insulated conductor sections is disclosed. An amplifying circuit monitors the relative state of the polarities of the adjacent conductor sections and actuates a relay to change the same if a difference is sensed. The sensing function of the amplifying circuit is controlled by a switch member.

Abstract: A roadway having at least one lane for traffic moving in one direction and at least one lane for traffic moving in the opposite direction is provided with power conductors for inductively coupling power to vehicles moving along the roadway. The conductors are embedded in the lanes and extend in the direction of vehicular movement. Power sources are provided along the roadway and the conductors are arranged so as to minimize the lengths thereof which are not directly employed for the inductive coupling of power to vehicles.