Overhead power grid for mobile mining machines

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9623755-B2
Application number	US-201615070899-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2016
Priority date	Jan 31, 2012
Publication date	Apr 18, 2017
Grant date	Apr 18, 2017

Abstract

A vehicle is provided that connects to an power structure for powering and guiding the vehicle. The power structure includes a trolley, a track along which the trolley runs, a power source connected to the track, and a cable connected to the trolley and configured to attach to the vehicle moving on a surface. The vehicle includes a chassis and a cable connected to the chassis and configured to mechanically and electrically connect the vehicle to the power structure. The chassis includes a connector rotatable 360 degrees, and the cable connects to the chassis through the connector.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for providing electrical power to a vehicle, the system comprising:
a first track including a first conducting portion carrying a current having a first phase configuration;
a second track including a second conducting portion carrying a current having a second phase configuration different from the first phase configuration;
a trolley movable sequentially along the first track and the second track, the trolley including a contact, the contact in electrical communication with the first conducting portion while the trolley moves along the first track, the contact in electrical communication with the second conducting portion while the trolley moves along the second track, the contact conditioned to receive current having the first phase configuration while the contact is in electrical communication with the first conducting portion; and
a connector positioned between the first conducting portion and the second conducting portion, wherein when the contact of the trolley engages the connector, the contact is conditioned to receive current having the second phase configuration when the contact is positioned in electrical communication with the second conducting portion.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second track is removably coupled to the first track by a switch device.

3. The system of claim 2 , further comprising a third track supported on the switch device, the third track including a third conducting portion, wherein the first track is selectively coupled to the third track.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the connector is formed from an electrically non-conductive material.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the connector is secured to an end of the first conducting portion.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein when the contact of the trolley engages the connector, the contact is reset such that the contact is conditioned to receive electrical current from the second conducting portion when the contact subsequently engages the second conducting portion.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first conducting portion includes a first conductor, a second conductor, and a third conductor, the first conductor carrying current having a first phase, the second conductor carrying current having a second phase, the third conductor carrying current having a third phase,
wherein the trolley includes a first contact engaging the first conductor, a second contact engaging the second conductor, and a third contact engaging the third conductor,
wherein the second conducting portion includes a first conductor, a second conductor, and a third conductor.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the connector includes a first member, a second member, and a third member, the first member positioned between the first conductor of the first conducting portion and the first conductor of the second conducting portion, the second member positioned between the second conductor of the first conducting portion and the second conductor of the second conducting portion, the third member positioned between the third conductor of the first conducting portion and the third conductor of the second conducting portion.

9. A power structure for a vehicle, the power structure comprising:
a first track portion including a plurality of first electrical conductors, each of the plurality of first electrical conductors including a first end;
a second track portion including a plurality of second electrical conductors, each of the plurality of second electrical conductors including a second end; and
a plurality of connectors, each of the plurality of connectors disposed on at least one of the first end of the first electrical conductors and the second end of the second electrical conductors, each of the plurality of connectors being electrically non-conductive such that the connectors form a dead zone between the first electrical conductors and the second electrical conductors.

10. The power structure of claim 9 , further comprising an actuator for moving the second track portion relative to the first track portion to selectively form a continuous path between the first track portion and the second track portion.

11. The power structure of claim 10 , further comprising a third track portion including a plurality of third electrical conductors, each of the plurality of third electrical conductors including a third end;
a second actuator for moving the third track portion to selectively form a continuous path between the third track portion and one of the first track portion and the second track portion; and
a plurality of connectors, each of the plurality of connectors disposed on third end of the third electrical conductors, each of the plurality of connectors being electrically non-conductive.

12. The power structure of claim 10 , wherein the actuator displaces the segments along a generally linear path.

13. The power structure of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of first electrical conductors receive a first electrical current from a first three-phase alternating current source, the first electrical conductors including three conduits, the first electrical current having a first phase configuration such that a current in each of the three conduits is approximately 120 degrees out of phase with the current in each of the other conduits.

14. The power structure of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of second electrical conductors receive a second electrical current from a second three-phase alternating current source, the second electrical conductors including three conduits, the second electrical current having a second phase configuration that is different from the first phase configuration, wherein a current in each of the three conduits of the second electrical conductors is out of phase with the current in the associated conduits of the first electrical conductors.

15. The power structure of claim 9 , wherein the first track portion and the second track portion are aligned with one another in an end-to-end relationship, wherein each of the plurality of connectors is positioned directly between the first end of one of the plurality of first conductors and the second end of one of the plurality of second conductors.

16. A power structure for a vehicle, the power structure comprising:
a first track portion including a plurality of first electrical conductors, each of the plurality of first electrical conductors including a first end;
a second track portion including a plurality of second electrical conductors, each of the plurality of second electrical conductors including a second end; and
a plurality of connectors, each of the plurality of connectors disposed on at least one of the first end of the first electrical conductors and the second end of the second electrical conductors, each of the plurality of connectors being electrically non-conductive such that the connectors form a dead zone between the first electrical conductors and the second electrical conductors,
wherein the plurality of first electrical conductors receive a first electrical current from a first three-phase alternating current source, the first electrical conductors including three conduits, the first electrical current having a first phase configuration such that a current in each of the three conduits is approximately 120 degrees out of phase with the current in each of the other conduits.

17. The power structure of claim 16 , further comprising an actuator for moving the second track portion relative to the first track portion to selectively form a continuous path between the first track portion and the

Assignees

• Joy Mm Delaware Inc

Inventors

• Zimmerman Joseph J
• Lowman Garrett L
• Struthers Andrew W

Classifications

• B60L2200/40

  Working vehicles · CPC title

• B60L2200/26

  Rail vehicles · CPC title

• B60M1/12

  Trolley lines; Accessories therefor · CPC title

• B60L5/04

  using rollers or sliding shoes in contact with trolley wire (B60L5/40 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60M1/02

  Details · CPC title