Patent Description:
More in particular, the present invention concerns an insulating support assembly for a catenary adapted for powering an electrical vehicle, notably a tram or a trolleybus, and a catenary comprising such assembly.

As known, in the field of public transportation there are used power overhead lines for feeding various types of transport vehicles travelling along the service routes, such as tramways, trolleybuses, surface or light metros, and the like.

Basically, these overhead power lines, usually referred to as catenaries, comprise contact wires which carry the electric power transferred to the vehicles via an operative coupling with current collector equipment provided on-board of the vehicles themselves, such as pantographs, bow collectors, trolley poles, or similar devices.

The contact wires are suspended at a certain height above the road level or above the railway tracks by connecting them to supporting poles which are installed along the various service routes of the transportation network.

Further, along a catenary there are provided section insulators, namely devices which are connected to the contact wire and are devised to electrically separate two electrical sections of the catenary, while allowing the smooth passage of pantographs with a continuous collection of current, such as in a crossover between two adjacent tracks, at curves or turnouts, et cetera.

The section insulators are in turn mechanically connected to the supporting poles via the interposition of insulating support assemblies.

At present, although known solutions actually implemented allow a proper connection of the section insulators to the supporting poles, they still present some drawbacks.

For example, once in operations, the contact wires of catenaries are subject to thermal stresses which can lead to variations of their length due to contractions/dilatations; as a consequence, in known solutions, it has been noted that some parts of the whole assembly formed by connecting the various parts, namely the contact wire, the section insulator, the insulating supports and the cantilever beam of a supporting pole, have been subject to mechanical stresses leading to distortions if not to complete breakages, in particular of parts of the insulating support assemblies.

In order to face such issue, some solutions foresee to equip the insulating support assemblies with an additional pulley system mounted on a dedicated frame.

However, such known solutions have only partially mitigated the issue of compensating the thermal variations of the contact wire since they have evidenced reliability problems, and in any case they are rather cumbersome and entail other downsides especially in terms of realization and assembly costs.

To this point, another aspect still not satisfying at present resides in the fact that, when assembling, there are unavoidable and unexpected mechanical tolerances, which render the assembly with section insulators rather difficult if not impossible.

Further, the known supporting insulator assemblies are not easily adaptable to different types of section insulators used along the catenaries, and/or to different types of installing configurations.

<CIT> discloses a section insulator coupled to a trolley, wherein it comprises a support member which is connected to the insulator, an insulation part, and a suspension device which is rigidly fixed to a mine roof.

<CIT> discloses an apparatus for suspending a current-carrying contact wire for current collectors of overhead lines, wherein a connecting element is fixed to a support cable. The connecting element includes a support shoe with a connection eye for an insert which can be fixed therein, for receiving the support element in a pivotable manner, and a clamping cover which can be screwed to the support shoe. The support shoe and clamping cover are provided with a longitudinal groove for receiving the support cable in a non-slip fashion.

<CIT> discloses a section insulator which includes a plurality of runners with associated diodes for preventing current from passing from a first circuit to a second circuit and vice versa of a power line having separate circuits, so as to to prevent arcing when a current collector of an electric vehicle passes along the section insulator.

<CIT> discloses a section insulator coupled to a trolley wire, wherein there are provided: a head piece which is connected to an insulator; a suspension insulator which extends from the head piece along a horizontal axis; and a cross-bar which is connected to the suspension insulator. The cross-bar is engaged with a supporting wire.

Therefore, it is a main aim of the present invention to provide a solution suitable to mitigate at least some of above indicated issues, and in particular to provide an insulating support assembly offering substantial improvements over known solutions, in particular as regard to the capability of coping with mechanical stresses exerted on the assembly, due for example to thermal variations of the contact wire of catenaries, or to others causes.

Within the scope of this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide an insulating support assembly which can be easily installed and allows reducing, with respect to known solutions, the difficulties of assembling with other components of the catenaries, and in particular with section insulators.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide an insulating support assembly which can be used with different types of section insulators and/or different types of installing configurations, which is highly reliable, easy to realize and at competitive costs.

This aim, these objects and others which may become apparent from the following description are achieved by an insulating support assembly for a catenary adapted for powering an electrical vehicle, notably a tram or a trolleybus, according to claim <NUM>.

According to some embodiments, the insulating support assembly according to the invention may comprise one or more of the following features, which may be combined according to the appended claims.

The above indicated aim and objects, as well as others which may become apparent from the following description, are also achieved by a catenary adapted for powering an electrical vehicle, characterized in that it comprises at least one insulating support assembly as above indicated, and in particular as described hereinafter and defined by the relevant appended claims.

In particular, the catenary is notably a catenary of a tramway line or of a trolleybus line, but it can be also a catenary for powering any other suitable electrical vehicle on any type of suitable road, such as electrified road or highways and the like for supplying electrical cars, trucks, buses et cetera.

Further characteristics and advantages will become apparent from the description of some preferred but not exclusive exemplary embodiments of an insulating support assembly according to the invention, illustrated only by way of non-limitative examples with the accompanying drawings, wherein:.

It should be noted that in the detailed description that follows, identical or similar components, either from a structural and/or functional point of view, have the same reference numerals, regardless of whether they are shown in different embodiments of the present disclosure.

It should be also noted that in order to clearly and concisely describe the present disclosure, the drawings may not necessarily be to scale and certain features of the disclosure may be shown in somewhat schematic form.

Further, when the term "adapted" or "arranged" or "configured" or "shaped", is used herein while referring to any component as a whole, or to any part of a component, or to a combination of components, it has to be understood that it means and encompasses correspondingly either the structure, and/or configuration, and/or form, and/or positioning.

When the terms transversal or transversally are hereby used, they have to be understood as encompassing a direction non-parallel to the part(s) they refer to, and perpendicularity has to be considered a specific case of a transverse direction.

Finally, when the terms substantial or substantially are used with reference to moving parts, e.g. two parts moving substantially solidly to each other, it has to be understood that they move together apart from unavoidable mechanical inertia, while when referring to relative positioning, e.g. one part substantially parallel to another part or to an axis, it has to be understood as encompassing a tolerance of plus or minus <NUM>° with respect to that reference part or reference axis.

<FIG> illustrates an exemplary embodiment of an insulating support assembly according to the invention, therein indicated by the overall reference number <NUM>.

The insulating support assembly <NUM> comprises a base part, indicated in <FIG> by the cumulative reference number <NUM>, which is adapted to connect the insulating support assembly <NUM> to a section insulator of a catenary.

In particular, in <FIG> there is illustrated an exemplary embodiment of a section insulator, therein indicated by the reference number <NUM>, which is connected to a contact wire <NUM> of a catenary <NUM>, according to solutions per se known in the art or readily available to those skilled in the art.

Clearly, various types of section insulators different from the one illustrated, can be used along a railway line and in function of the specific railway line.

As previously mentioned, the catenary <NUM> is an aerial system used for feeding electric power to transiting electrical vehicles, for examples in railway lines, and comprises, among others, and according to solutions well known in the art and therefore also not described herein in details, the above indicated contact wire <NUM>, a plurality of section insulators <NUM> connected to the wire <NUM> at different positions along the line, and a plurality of supporting poles which are installed along the line, spaced apart from each other.

These poles are usually provided with a cantilever beam for suspending the contact wire <NUM> over the tracks or the road service routes; in the example depicted in <FIG>, there is schematically illustrated a portion of a supporting pole, and in particular of its cantilever beam, indicated by the reference number <NUM>.

The insulating support assembly <NUM> further comprises at least:.

The suspension plate <NUM> is destined to be connected, namely hung, to a supporting pole <NUM>, via suitable connecting means.

To this end, the assembly <NUM> further comprises for example at least one arm, indicated in <FIG> by the overall number <NUM>, which has a lower portion <NUM> connected to the suspension plate <NUM>, and an opposite upper portion <NUM> which is adapted to connect the whole insulating support assembly <NUM> to a supporting pole <NUM> of the catenary <NUM>, and in particular to its cantilever beam <NUM>.

Usefully, in the insulating support assembly <NUM> according to the present invention, the suspension plate <NUM> is connected to an upper part of and is movable relative to the suspension insulator <NUM>.

In particular, according to one embodiment, the suspension plate <NUM> is connected to an upper part of and is mounted rotatable around the reference axis Y relative to the suspension insulator <NUM>.

Preferably, in the insulating support assembly <NUM> according to the present invention, the base part <NUM> is configured to connect the insulating support assembly <NUM> to the section insulator <NUM> in such a manner that the section insulator <NUM> is movable relative to at least part of the insulating support assembly <NUM> itself.

In particular, the base part <NUM> is configured to connect the insulating support assembly <NUM> to the section insulator <NUM> with the section insulator <NUM> which is allowed to translate relative to at least part of the insulating support assembly <NUM> along an axis X transversal with respect to the reference axis Y.

In the embodiment illustrated in the <FIG> and <FIG>, the base part <NUM> comprises at least one connection organ or means <NUM> which is adapted to be fixedly connected to the section insulator <NUM> and comprises a slot <NUM> having at least a straight portion extending along the transversal axis X; in particular, in the example illustrated, the slot <NUM> is completely straight.

<FIG> better illustrates the support assembly <NUM> with its base part <NUM> assembled with a section insulator <NUM> equipped with a plate having a buttonhole <NUM>, thus allowing an horizontal movement.

Further, the base part <NUM> comprises an extension portion <NUM> which is solidly connected at a lower part of the suspension insulator <NUM>, and first connecting means <NUM>, passing through the slot <NUM> and connecting the extension portion <NUM> with the connection plate <NUM>.

In the embodiment illustrated, the extension portion <NUM> is in particular U-shaped.

For example, the first connecting means <NUM> comprise for example a screw and an associated nut; clearly, other equivalent connecting means can be used.

In practice, according to the embodiment illustrated, the connection plate <NUM> is inserted, at least partially, inside the U-shaped portion <NUM> fixed to the suspension insulator <NUM>, with the connecting means <NUM> realizing their mutual sliding mechanical coupling; in case of a dimensional variations of the length of the contact wire <NUM>, the section insulator <NUM> which is connected on one side with the contact wire <NUM> and on the other side with the connection plate <NUM>, can translate, together with the connection plate <NUM>, along the axis X in one direction or in the opposite direction relative to the remaining parts of the assembly <NUM>.

Clearly, it is possible to use more than one connection plate <NUM>, for example two plates which are fixedly connected to the section insulator <NUM> positioned side by side to each other, and both connected to the same U-shaped portion <NUM> as above described; and/or it is possible to use one or more extension portions <NUM> having a different shape.

Further, as better visible in <FIG>, the insulating support assembly <NUM> comprises: a bushing <NUM> which is fixed to an upper part of the suspension insulator <NUM> and passes through a central portion 2a of the suspension plate <NUM>; a spacer <NUM> which is positioned around the bushing <NUM> and is interposed between an upper part of the suspension insulator <NUM> and the suspension plate <NUM>; and second connecting means <NUM> which close the bushing <NUM> against the suspension insulator <NUM>. The rotation of the suspension plate <NUM> is allowed thanks to the the fact that the thickness formed by the spacer <NUM> plus the central portion 2a is less than the connection seat of the bushing <NUM> so that there is a clearance for free rotation.

According to the exemplary embodiment illustrated in the <FIG> and <FIG>, the at least one arm <NUM> is connected at its lower portion <NUM> to the suspension plate <NUM> in an articulated manner, and in particular with the arm <NUM> which can rotate around an axis <NUM> transversal with respect to the suspension plate <NUM>.

In one possible embodiment, the at least one arm <NUM> comprises adjusting means for adjusting its overall length.

In particular, in the insulating support assembly <NUM> according to the invention, the at least one arm <NUM> comprises a first arm <NUM> and a second arm <NUM>, substantially identical to each other, which are disposed substantially symmetric to each other with respect to the reference axis Y.

More in details, the first and second arms <NUM> are connected, each at a respective lower portion <NUM>, to a corresponding extremity 2b, 2c of the suspension plate <NUM> and are both rotatable around an axis <NUM> transversal with respect to the suspension plate <NUM>.

Conveniently, in the exemplary embodiment illustrated, each arm <NUM> comprises a hook or hook-shaped portion <NUM> which is configured to be connected to the supporting pole <NUM>, e.g. its cantilever beam, and a turnbuckle <NUM> which comprises the lower portion <NUM> connected to the corresponding extremity 2b or 2c of the suspension plate <NUM>, and an opposite upper portion <NUM> connected to the respective hook <NUM>.

In turn, according to this embodiment, the adjusting means comprises a first threaded connection <NUM> at the connection between each turnbuckle <NUM> with the suspension plate <NUM>, and a second threaded connection at the connection between each turnbuckle <NUM> and the corresponding hook <NUM>.

As above indicated, the insulating supporting assembly <NUM> according to the invention is suitable to be used in catenaries for feeding different types of electrical vehicles, travelling along different types of railway lines, in particular tramways or trolleybus lines, with different types of section insulators and/or with different installing configurations. Hence, the present invention encompasses also a catenary <NUM> adapted for powering an electrical vehicle, notably of a tramway or trolleybus line, characterized in that it comprises at least one insulating support assembly <NUM> as previously described, and in particular as defined in one or more of the appended claims.

It is evident from the foregoing description that the insulating supporting assembly <NUM>, and the related catenary <NUM> including such assembly <NUM> according to the present invention, allow achieving the intended aim and objects.

Indeed, the assembly <NUM> according to the invention incorporates some degrees of freedom among parts of its own whole structure and also relative to the section insulator, thus avoiding, or at least properly mitigating, the undesired consequences of unexpected efforts caused by the thermal variations of the contact wire and/or by other external factors, such as the action of winds that can subject some parts of the assembly <NUM> to over stresses, e.g. fatigue stresses.

In particular, the fact that the section insulator is allowed to freely translate along the reference axis X allows to properly face and adequately compensate the thermal variations of the contact wire <NUM>; this positive effects is further enhanced by the fact that the supporting plate <NUM> can freely rotate around the axis Y, thus preventing or at least mitigating also the negative effects of a possible torque shearing exerted on the assembly <NUM>. The mobility of the arms <NUM> relative to the suspension plate <NUM>, their adjustable length, and the presence of the hooks <NUM>, in addition to contributing to the above effects, and in synergy with the indicated freedom of translation along the axis X and rotation around the reference axis Y, allow to adapt easily the whole assembly <NUM> to different types of sections insulators, to different types of installing configurations, e.g. in curves and turnouts, and to quite easily absorb constructive mechanical tolerances and installing variations. Hence, also installation time and difficulties are reduced.

These results are achieved according to a solution which is simpler, less cumbersome and lighter with respect to known solutions which do not offer all the degrees of freedom together.

The assembly <NUM> and related catenary <NUM> thus conceived are susceptible of modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the inventive concept as defined in particular by the appended claims; for example, some of the parts described can be differently shaped and/or connected in a way different from what above described, provided that such modifications would anyhow allow to carry the functionalities such parts are conceived to perform within the frame of the present invention.

Claim 1:
An insulating support assembly (<NUM>) for a catenary (<NUM>) adapted for powering an electrical vehicle, notably a tram or a trolleybus, comprising at least:
- a base part (<NUM>) which is adapted to connect the insulating support assembly (<NUM>) to a section insulator (<NUM>) of the catenary (<NUM>);
- a suspension insulator (<NUM>) which extends from the base part (<NUM>) along a reference axis (Y); and
- a suspension device (<NUM>);
characterized in that the suspension device (<NUM>) is suitable to be hung to a supporting pole (<NUM>) of the catenary (<NUM>), and wherein the suspension device (<NUM>) is connected to an upper part of and is movable relative to the suspension insulator (<NUM>).