CARBON/CARBON COMPOSITE FRICTION ELECTRIC CONTACT ELEMENT

• Main Authors: BRUNEAU, JEAN-LOUIS, BOMMIER, CHRISTOPHE
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 18.01.2006
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; CURRENT COLLECTORS; ELECTRIC EQUIPMENT OR PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLEDVEHICLES; ELECTRICITY; ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES, IN GENERAL; LINE CONNECTORS; MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING; VEHICLES IN GENERAL

The invention concerns friction contact devices, such as pantographs, used for transferring electric current from a fixed electrical conductor, such as a catenary, to a stopped or moving railway car. More particularly, the invention concerns the friction element ( or friction strip ) of friction contact devices. The inventive friction strip is characterised in that its wear strip (2) comprises, entirely or partially, a carbon/carbon composite material (C/C), optionally impregnated with a metal such as copper or an alloy containing copper. The inventive friction strips are considerably less fragile than those of prior art based on graphite impregnated with copper. They also have a much higher wear resistance than those of prior art.