Contact apparatus and charging contact unit, and method for electrically connecting a vehicle to a charging station

A method for forming an electrically conductive connection between a bus and a stationary charging station for electrically driven vehicles comprising a contact apparatus and a charging contact unit, wherein the contact apparatus is arranged on the bus, wherein the contact apparatus comprises a contact device, said method comprising:

• stopping the bus at a stopping place, wherein the stationary charging station is located at the stopping place;
• bringing the contact device of the bus into contact with the charging contact unit of the charging station, wherein the charging contact unit is oriented such that the contact device must be positioned vertically below said charging contact unit during formation of said contact therebetween;
• positioning the contact device relative to the charging contact unit using a positioning device, said positioning comprising moving the contact device from a roof of the bus in an upward vertical direction with the positioning device and into contact with the charging contact unit;
• bringing contact elements supported on at least two positioning surfaces formed on the contact device configured to mate with a contact surface in the charging contact unit and forming part of the contact device into contact with charging contact elements of the charging contact unit so as to form contact pairs;
• and
• moving the positioning device in a downward vertical direction and separating the contact device of the bus from the charging contact unit;
• wherein the contact elements are bolt-shaped with a circular cross section and are elastically mounted on a contact element support,
• wherein the charging contact elements comprise conductor strips arranged on the charging contact unit relative to the contact elements;
• wherein at least two of the contact elements protrude at different heights relative to a respective portion of a surface of the contact element support from which each of the respective at least two of the contact elements protrudes;
• wherein the contact elements are arranged on the contact element support so as to be adapted to form the contact pairs between the charging contact elements and the contact elements of the contact device in an inevitable chronological order, said inevitable chronological order being such that a first of the contact pairs is always formed before a second of the contact pairs upon making contact between the charging contact unit and the contact device;
• wherein the contact device is adapted to be inserted into a receiving opening of the charging contact unit, the receiving opening forming a guide for the contact device when the contact device and the charging contact unit are joined;
• wherein a point contact between the contact elements and the charging elements is formed under spring pre-tension.