IP Library Granted Patent US 12673555
Granted Patent B2
US 12673555 · App. 17/894,594 · Granted Jul 7, 2026

Charge receiving system

Inventor: Sidarta Fornari Beltramin (Curitiba, BR)
Assignee: Progress Rail Locomotive Inc.
B60L5/18B60L2200/26
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12673555
App. No.
17/894,594
Granted
Jul 7, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A charge receiving system comprises a first charge receiving rail and a second charge receiving rail attached to a roof of a compartment of a locomotive. The first charge receiving rail is disposed at a first angle relative to a center line of the roof in a longitudinal direction of the locomotive and extends beyond a first edge of the roof, and is configured to electrically contact a first charging contact of an external charging unit and electrically connect to a first polarity terminal of one or more batteries. The second charge receiving rail is disposed at a second angle relative to the center line of the roof and extends beyond the first edge of the roof, and is configured to electrically contact a second charging contact of the external charging unit and electrically connect to a second polarity terminal of the one or more batteries.

Claims (92)

1 . A charge receiving system, comprising:

a first charge receiving rail attached to a roof of a compartment of a locomotive at a first angle relative to a center line of the roof in a longitudinal direction of the locomotive, the first charge receiving rail comprising a first removable segment and a first primary segment, the first removable segment electrically coupled to the first primary segment and extending beyond a first edge of the roof, wherein:

the first charge receiving rail is configured to electrically connect to a first charging contact of an external charging unit and to a first polarity terminal of one or more batteries, and

the first removable segment is removable from the first primary segment and the roof, the first removable segment being configured to electrically connect to a first primary segment of an adjacent compartment adjacent to the compartment; and

a second charge receiving rail attached to the roof at a second angle relative to the center line of the roof, the second charge receiving rail comprising a second removable segment and a second primary segment, the second removable segment electrically coupled to the second primary segment and extending beyond the first edge of the roof, wherein:

the second charge receiving rail is configured to electrically connect to a second charging contact of the external charging unit and to a second polarity terminal of the one or more batteries, and

the second removable segment is removable from the second primary segment and the roof, the second removable segment being configured to electrically connect to a second primary segment of the adjacent compartment.

2 . The charge receiving system of claim 1 , wherein:

the first charge receiving rail is further configured to:

electrically contact the second charging contact of the external charging unit, and

electrically connect to the second polarity terminal of the one or more batteries; and

the second charge receiving rail is further configured to:

electrically contact the first charging contact of the external charging unit, and

electrically connect to the first polarity terminal of the one or more batteries.

3 . The charge receiving system of claim 2 , wherein:

the roof comprises a first area and a second area separated by a center line of the roof,

the first charge receiving rail is disposed in the first area, and

the second charge receiving rail is disposed in the second area.

4 . The charge receiving system of claim 3 , wherein:

the first charge receiving rail has a first length and the first angle is selected to span a first predetermined width over the first length, and

the second charge receiving rail has a second length and the second angle is selected to span a second predetermined width over the second length.

5 . The charge receiving system of claim 4 , wherein:

the first predetermined width is greater than or equal to a width of the first charge receiving rail, and

the second predetermined width is greater than or equal to a width of the second charge receiving rail.

6 . The charge receiving system of claim 4 , wherein:

the first predetermined width is less than or equal to a width of the first charging contact, and

the second predetermined width is less than or equal to a width of the second charging contact.

7 . The charge receiving system of claim 4 , wherein:

the first length is equal to the second length,

the first charge receiving rail is disposed parallel to the second charge receiving rail, and

the first predetermined width is equal to the second predetermined width.

8 . The charge receiving system of claim 4 , wherein:

the first length is equal to the second length,

the first charge receiving rail and the second charge receiving rail are disposed equidistant from the center line, and

the first predetermined width is equal to the second predetermined width.

9 . A charging station comprising:

a plurality of charging units disposed along a track for a train in the charging station, the plurality of charging units spaced apart by a preselected distance, each charging unit comprising:

a first charging contact having a first polarity configured to:

electrically contact a first charge receiving rail attached to a roof of a compartment of a locomotive of the train, the first charge receiving rail comprising a first removable segment and a first primary segment, the first removable segment electrically coupled to the first primary segment and extending beyond a first edge of the roof, the first removable segment being removable from the first primary segment and the roof, and

a second charging contact having a second polarity configured to:

electrically contact a second charge receiving rail attached to the roof of the compartment of the locomotive of the train, the second charge receiving rail comprising a second removable segment and a second primary segment, the second removable segment electrically coupled to the second primary segment and extending beyond the first edge of the roof, the second removable segment being removable from the second primary segment and the roof; and

a control center operational to:

communicate with the train,

receive, from the train, information associated with the train, and

direct the train to an appropriate parking space in the charging station based on the information.

10 . The charging station of claim 9 , wherein the control center is further operational to activate one or more charging units of the plurality of charging units based on the information.

11 . A charging system comprising:

a charging station including a plurality of charging units disposed along a track for a train in the charging station, the plurality of charging units spaced apart with a preselected distance, each charging unit comprising:

a first charging contact having a first polarity, and

a second charging contact having a second polarity; and

a train comprising at least one locomotive, the at least one locomotive including one or more compartments having a charge receiving system, the charge receiving system comprising:

a first charge receiving rail attached to a roof of the one or more compartments at a first angle relative to a center line of the roof in a longitudinal direction of the locomotive, the first charge receiving rail comprising a first removable segment and a first primary segment, the first removable segment electrically coupled to the first primary segment and extending beyond a first edge of the roof, wherein:

the first charge receiving rail is configured to electrically connect to the first charging contact and to a first polarity terminal of one or more batteries, and

the first removable segment is removable from the first primary segment and the roof, the first removable segment being configured to electrically connect to a first primary segment of an adjacent compartment adjacent to the one or more compartments; and

a second charge receiving rail attached to the roof at a second angle relative to the center line of the roof, the second charge receiving rail comprising a second removable segment and a second primary segment, the second removable segment electrically coupled to the second primary segment and extending beyond the first edge of the roof, wherein:

the second charge receiving rail is configured to electrically connect to the second charging contact and to a second polarity terminal of the one or more batteries, and

the second removable segment is removable from the second primary segment and the roof, the second removable segment being configured to electrically connect to a second primary segment of the adjacent compartment.

12 . The charging system of claim 11 , further comprising a control center, the control center operational to:

communicate with the train;

receive, from the train, information associated with the train; and

direct the train to an appropriate parking space in the charging station based on the information.

13 . The charging system of claim 12 , wherein the control center is further operational to:

activate one or more charging units of the plurality of charging units based on the information.

14 . The charging system of claim 11 , wherein:

the first charge receiving rail is further configured to:

electrically contact the second charging contact of the charging unit, and

electrically connect to the second polarity terminal of the one or more batteries; and

the second charge receiving rail is further configured to:

electrically contact the first charging contact of the charging unit, and

electrically connect to the first polarity terminal of the one or more batteries.

15 . The charging system of claim 14 , wherein:

the roof comprises a first area and a second area separated by a center line of the roof,

the first charge receiving rail is disposed in the first area, and

the second charge receiving rail is disposed in the second area.

16 . The charging system of claim 15 , wherein:

the first charge receiving rail has a first length and the first angle is selected to span a first predetermined width over the first length, and

the second charge receiving rail has a second length and the second angle is selected to span a second predetermined width over the second length.

17 . The charging system of claim 16 , wherein:

the first predetermined width is greater than or equal to a width of the first charge receiving rail, and

the second predetermined width is greater than or equal to a width of the second charge receiving rail.

18 . The charging system of claim 16 , wherein:

the first length is equal to the second length,

the first predetermined width is equal to the second predetermined width; and

one of:

the first charge receiving rail is disposed parallel to the second charge receiving rail, or

the first charge receiving rail and the second charge receiving rail are disposed equidistant from the center line.

19 . The charging system of claim 16 , wherein:

the first predetermined width is less than or equal to a width of the first charging contact, and

the second predetermined width is less than or equal to a width of the second charging contact.

20 . The charging station of claim 9 , wherein:

the first charge receiving rail is attached to the roof at a first angle relative to a center line of the roof in a longitudinal direction of the locomotive, and

the second charge receiving rail is attached to the roof at a second angle relative to the center line of the roof.