Slidable current collector and method for contacting conductor rail
A slidable current collector has an array of terminals with carbon brushes for contacting conductor rails to deliver electrical power to a moving work machine. The terminals have upper sections with a conductive post, lower sections that include a reservoir of liquid metal, and bladders that connect the upper sections with the lower sections. Magnets surround outer shells of the terminals. Fluid above a threshold pressure fed into the bladders holds the upper sections apart from the lower sections and forces the magnets away from the conductor rails. Fluid below the threshold pressure allows the magnets to clamp the terminals to the conductor, lowers the conductive post into the liquid metal, and urges the carbon brushes against the conductor rails. The bladders provide a fluid suspension distributed across the array of terminals, enabling consistent electrical contact and wear for the carbon brushes.
1 . A mobile machine power conductor linkage for receiving power from a power conductor rail assembly, comprising:
a movable conductor arm assembly including a proximal end adjacent a frame of a mobile machine and a distal end extendable away from a side of the mobile machine located between front and rear ends of the mobile machine, the movable conductor arm assembly being movable between retracted and extended positions, wherein the movable conductor arm assembly is between a top of a tire wheel of the mobile machine and a top of the mobile machine;
a trailing arm assembly positionable downwardly and rearwardly from the distal end of the movable conductor arm assembly, wherein the trailing arm assembly includes at least two conducting arms arranged parallel to one another; and
a current collector assembly coupled to a distal end of the trailing arm assembly and including at least one electrical contact positionable downwardly for sliding on the power conductor rail assembly, wherein the current collector assembly includes at least two downwardly facing brushes and at least two alignment bumpers.
2 . The mobile machine power conductor linkage of claim 1 , wherein the trailing arm assembly is movable vertically and laterally with respect to the movable conductor arm assembly.
3 . The mobile machine power conductor linkage of claim 1 , wherein the trailing arm assembly includes at least two conducting arms include three conducting arms.
4 . The mobile machine power conductor linkage of claim 1 , wherein the current collector assembly has an upper base configured to be wider than a width of the power conductor rail assembly.
5 . The mobile machine power conductor linkage of claim 1 , wherein the current collector assembly has an upper base that includes a middle portion with lowered flanges on opposite sides of the middle portion, the lowered flanges forming opposite ends of the upper base.
6 . The mobile machine power conductor linkage of claim 1 , wherein the at least two downwardly facing brushes of the current collector assembly includes include at least three downwardly facing brushes.
7 . The mobile machine power conductor linkage of claim 6 , wherein the current collector assembly includes at least two alignment bumpers are located between the at least three downwardly facing brushes.
8 . The mobile machine power conductor linkage of claim 1 , wherein the current collector assembly includes at least one rail coupling magnet.
9 . The mobile machine power conductor linkage of claim 1 , further including a pneumatic control system within the movable conductor arm assembly for regulating fluid to move the at least one electrical contact.
10 . The mobile machine power conductor linkage of claim 1 , wherein the mobile machine includes a plurality of wheels, and the proximal end of the movable conductor arm assembly is located above the plurality of wheels of the mobile machine.
11 . The mobile machine power conductor linkage of claim 1 , where the distal end of the movable conductor arm assembly is extendable away from the side of the mobile machine adjacent the power conductor rail assembly.
12 . A mobile machine power conductor linkage for receiving power from a power conductor rail assembly, comprising:
a conductor arm assembly including a proximal end adjacent a frame of a mobile machine and a distal end extending away from a side of the mobile machine between a front end and a rear end of the mobile machine, the distal end being movable within a single plane that is a generally horizontal plane, from a retracted position adjacent the side of the mobile machine to an extended position offset from the side of the mobile machine, the conductor arm assembly positioned forward of a frontmost wheel of the mobile machine and between a top of the frontmost wheel and a top of the mobile machine in both the retracted and extended positions;
a trailing arm assembly positionable downwardly and rearwardly from the distal end of the conductor arm assembly and movable vertically with respect to the conductor arm assembly; and
a current collector assembly coupled to a distal end of the trailing arm assembly and including at least one electrical contact.
13 . The mobile machine power conductor linkage of claim 12 , further including a pneumatic control system within the conductor arm assembly for regulating fluid to move the at least one electrical contact.
14 . A mobile machine power conductor linkage for receiving power from a power conductor rail assembly, comprising:
a movable conductor arm assembly including a proximal end adjacent a frame of a mobile machine and a distal end extendable away from a side of the mobile machine which is located between front and rear ends of the mobile machine, the movable conductor arm assembly being movable between retracted and extended positions, wherein the distal end of the movable conductor arm assembly is above a wheel of the mobile machine and below an uppermost portion of a dump bed portion of the mobile machine;
a trailing arm assembly positionable downwardly and rearwardly from the distal end of the movable conductor arm assembly;
a current collector assembly coupled to a distal end of the trailing arm assembly and including at least one electrical contact;
a first rotational interface between the movable conductor arm assembly and the trailing arm assembly, wherein the first rotational interface is configured to permit rotation of the trailing arm assembly about at least two axes relative to the movable conductor arm assembly;
a second rotational interface between the trailing arm assembly and the current collector assembly, wherein the second rotational interface is configured to permit rotation of the current collector assembly about at least two axes relative to the trailing arm assembly; and
a fluid control system for regulating fluid delivered to the current collector assembly to move the at least one electrical contact.
15 . The mobile machine power conductor linkage of claim 14 , wherein the mobile machine includes a plurality of wheels, and the proximal end of the movable conductor arm assembly is located above each of the plurality of wheels of the mobile machine.
16 . The mobile machine power conductor linkage of claim 14 , wherein the trailing arm assembly is movable vertically and laterally with respect to the movable conductor arm assembly.
17 . The mobile machine power conductor linkage of claim 14 , wherein the current collector assembly includes at least one rail coupling magnet.
18 . The mobile machine power conductor linkage of claim 14 , where the distal end of the movable conductor arm assembly is extendable away from the side of the mobile machine adjacent the power conductor rail assembly.