IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,539,762
Granted Patent B2
US 12,539,762 · App. 17/640,184 · Granted Feb 3, 2026

Current collector and conductor line system

Inventors: Moritz Hagin (Weil am Rhein, DE); Matthias Wenk (Efringen-Kirchen, DE)
Assignee: Conductix-Wampfler GmbH
B60L5/08B60L5/12B60L5/18B60L5/22B60L5/38B60L5/40B60L9/00B60L2200/26
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,539,762
App. No.
17/640,184
Granted
Feb 3, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A current collector for electrically supplying an electrical load which is movable along a conductor line. The current collector has a fastening element and at least one sliding contact with an elongate sliding contact surface, which extends in a longitudinal direction, for sliding contact with an electrically conducting line profile, which extends in the longitudinal direction, of the conductor line. The sliding contact is articulated on the fastening element at spaced apart fastening regions, so as to be movable in a feeding plane extending parallel to the longitudinal direction by means of two articulated lever arrangements. A resetting device acting on the articulated lever arrangements and on the fastening element is provided which, when the sliding contact is deflected from an inoperative position, in which the sliding contact surface preferably extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction, moves the sliding contact back into the inoperative position.

Claims (19)

1. A current collector for electrically supplying an electrical load which is movable along a conductor line, with the current collector having a fastening element and at least one sliding contact with an elongate sliding contact surface, which extends in a longitudinal direction, for making sliding contact with an electrically conducting line profile of the conductor line which extends in the longitudinal direction,

wherein the sliding contact is articulated on the fastening element at fastening regions spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction so as to be movable in a feed plane extending parallel to the longitudinal direction by means of two articulated lever arrangements,

wherein a reset device acting on the articulated lever arrangements and on the fastening element is provided,

wherein the reset device moves the sliding contact back into an inoperative position when the sliding contact is deflected from the inoperative position in which the sliding contact surface preferably extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction, and

wherein each of the articulated lever arrangements has an articulated lever, which is rotatably articulated to the fastening element, and a lever arm which is rotatably arranged on the articulated lever and roatably arranged on the sliding contact.

2. The current collector of claim 1 , wherein the lever arms are configured in the form of an angled lever.

3. The current collector of claim 1 , wherein the reset device connects the each of the lever arms elastically to the fastening element.

4. The current collector of claim 3 , wherein the reset device comprises an elastic tension/pressure arrangement with a first tension/compression region and a second tension/compression region, with the first tension/compression region being connected to the lever arm of the first articulated lever arrangement and to the fastening element and with the second tension/compression region being connected to the lever arm of the second articulated lever arrangement and to the fastening element.

5. The current collector of claim 4 , wherein the tension/compression arrangement comprises a first tension/compression element for creating the first tension/compression region and spaced-apart second separate tension/compression element for creating the second tension/compression region.

6. The current collector of claim 4 , wherein the tension/compression arrangement has a single tension/compression element which is arranged between the two tension/compression regions on the fastening element so as to create the first tension/compression region and the second tension/compression region.

7. The current collector of claim 4 , wherein at least one of the first tension/compression region and the second tension/compression region is aligned parallel to the longitudinal direction.

8. The current collector of claim 4 , wherein at least one of the first tension/compression region and the second tension/compression region is aligned at a maximum angle of 45° relative to the longitudinal direction.

9. The current collector of claim 4 , wherein the tension/compression arrangement is a spring arrangement, and the first tension/compression region is a first spring region, and the second tension/compression region is a second spring region.

10. The current collector of claim 1 , wherein the reset device comprises a damping element.

11. The current collector of claim 1 , wherein one or a plurality of axes of rotation, about which parts of the articulated lever arrangements are rotatable, is disposed perpendicular to the feed plane.

12. The current collector of claim 1 , wherein one or a plurality of axes of rotation, about which parts of the articulated lever arrangements are rotatable, is inclined relative to a perpendicular to the feed plane.

13. The current collector of claim 1 , wherein the feed plane is generated by the longitudinal direction and a feed direction of the sliding contact extending perpendicular to the longitudinal direction from and to the conductor line.

14. The current collector of claim 1 , wherein the sliding contact is arranged on the current collector in an electrically insulated manner.

15. A conductor line system comprising a conductor line and the current collector of claim 1 .

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 30, 2022
From: HAGIN, MORITZ; WENK, MATTHIAS
To: CONDUCTIX-WAMPFLER GMBH
Reel/Frame 059442/0077 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2019 132 567.6 · Nov 30, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220314808A1 · Oct 6, 2022
References Cited (29)
US 4108288A · Manabe · 1978 [cited by examiner]
US 5464082A · Young · 1995 [cited by examiner]
US 8915341B2 · Schmiedle · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 9643495B2 · Kanazawa · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 10583742B2 · Lang · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 11018469B2 · Lang · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20190001823A1 · Duprat · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20210316613A1 · Lu · 2021 [cited by examiner]
CN 201872623U · 2011 [cited by applicant]
CN 108725218A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
DE 2352102A1 · 1975 [cited by applicant]
DE 202015100622U1 · 2016 [cited by applicant]
DE 102017215338A1 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
EP 3495190A1 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
FR 2817203A1 · 2002 [cited by applicant]
GB 335263A · 1930 [cited by examiner]
GB 2369336A · 2002 [cited by examiner]
WO 2020029713A1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
Decision of Refusal dated Mar. 14, 2023, for Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-542167 (2 pages). [cited by applicant]
Examination Report dated Jul. 8, 2022 for Indian Application No. 202137027489 (5 pages). [cited by applicant]
Communication dated Feb. 7, 2023, from European Patent Office for Registration No. 20 811 283.0 (18 pages). [cited by applicant]
Communication dated Dec. 2, 2022, from European Patent Office for Registration No. 20 811 283.9 (16 pages). [cited by applicant]
Communication dated Mar. 23, 2023, from European Patent Office for Registration No. 20 811 283.9 (60 pages). [cited by applicant]
International Search Report dated Jan. 27, 2021, with Written Opinion for PCT/EP2020/082852, filed Nov. 20, 2020. [cited by applicant]
Result of Examination Report for German Patent Application No. 10 2019 132 567.6, filed Nov. 30, 2019. [cited by applicant]
Written Opinion dated Feb. 5, 2021, for PCT/EP2020/082852 (English translation). [cited by applicant]
Notification of Reasons for Refusal (Office Action) dated Sep. 6, 2022, for Japanese Application No. 2021-542167. [cited by applicant]
Second Office Action dated Apr. 20, 2024 for Chinese Patent Application No. 202080013537.5. [cited by applicant]
International Preliminary Report on Patentability dated May 17, 2022, for PCT/EP2020/082852 (English translation). [cited by applicant]