High speed low noise current collecting equipment and method on collecting current

A current collector for a railway vehicle comprising:

• a driving system to move a collector head carrying a current collecting member;
• a conductive element to conduct electric power collected by said current collecting member to a load, wherein said collector head is connected to said driving system through an insulating element;
• and
• a containing dome to house said driving system, said insulating element and said collector head, said containing dome having a smooth stream-line-shaped outer surface, and an opening sufficiently large to allow said insulating element, said collector head and said conductive element to pass therethrough.

A method of collecting current for a railway vehicle having a current collector, which includes a collector head mounting a current collecting member thereon, a driving system to move said collector head relative to a current supplying body to collect current, an electric conducting system installed between said collector head and the vehicle body, said collector head being connected to said driving system through an insulating element, the method comprising the steps of:

• positioning said collector head so that said current collecting member is disposed in the vicinity of said current supplying body;
• and
• operating said driving system to keep a contacting relationship between said current collecting member and said current supplying body to collect current;
• wherein said positioning of said collector head includes raising said insulating element from a lowered position using a raising and lowering system under a condition where said electric conducting system is opened with a vacuum circuit breaker, and closing said vacuum circuit breaker after said current collecting member contacts said current supplying body.

A method of collecting current for a railway vehicle having a current collector, which includes a collector head mounting a current collecting member thereon, a driving system to move said collector head relative to a current supplying body to collect current, an electric conducting system installed between said collector head and the vehicle body, said collector head being connected to said driving system through an insulating element, the method comprising the steps of:

• positioning said collector head so that said current collecting member is disposed in the vicinity of said current supplying body;
• and
• operating said driving system to keep a contacting relationship between said current collecting member and said current supplying body to collect current;
• further including opening said electric conducting system with a vacuum circuit breaker in advance of disconnecting said current collecting member from said current supplying body using said driving system.

A method of collecting current for a railway vehicle having a current collector, which includes a collector head mounting a current collecting member thereon, a driving system to move said collector head relative to a current supplying body to collect current, an electric conducting system installed between said collector head and the vehicle body, said collector head being connected to said driving system through an insulating element, the method comprising the steps of:

• positioning said collector head so that said current collecting member is disposed in the vicinity of said current supplying body;
• and
• operating said driving system to keep a contacting relationship between said current collecting member and said current supplying body to collect current;
• wherein said step of operating said driving system includes detecting a fluctuating force, including a disturbance, acting on said current collecting member using detecting means installed between said current collecting member and said driving system, producing a contacting force estimated signal which estimates a state using a signal from said detecting means, producing a force difference signal by subtracting a disturbance suppressing force estimated signal and said contact force estimated signal from a contact force target value signal, and controlling said driving system on the basis of said force difference signal.

A method of collecting current for a railway vehicle having a current collector, which includes a collector head mounting a current collecting member thereon, a driving system to move said collector head relative to a current supplying body to collect current, an electric conducting system installed between said collector head and the vehicle body, said collector head being connected to said driving system through an insulating element, the method comprising the steps of:

• positioning said collector head so that said current collecting member is disposed in the vicinity of said current supplying body;
• and
• operating said driving system to keep a contacting relationship between said current collecting member and said current supplying body to collect current;
• further including the steps of opening said electric conducting system under a condition where said collector head is in contact with said current supplying body;
• then
• moving said insulating element away from said supplying body using said driving system;
• opening a shutter covering an opening of a containing dome;
• lowering said insulating element and said collector head into said containing dome through the opening of said containing dome;
• and
• closing said shutter.