The current collection performance of multi-segment pantograph head

Toward an advanced speed railway system, there are ongoing extensive studies on each component of railway vehicles. Reducing the aerodynamic noise emitted from the pantograph heads is one of the most important subjects for high-speed railways from the environmental point of view. In order to reduce such aerodynamic noise, a suitable configuration of the pantograph head, which has a smooth cross-sectional profile, has been investigated. Furthermore, high-contact performance is desired in pantographs. Consequently, the contact strips are often supported by springs, to lighten mass which touch the contact wire directly. The pantograph head with a multi-segment slider is a practical example of this design. However, the pantograph head with a smooth cross-sectional profile and the conventional suspension system of the contact strip sometimes cause undesirable lift force characteristics as a result of the variations in the cross-sectional shape due to the operation of the suspension system. For this reason, authors have developed the multi-segment pantograph head, which employ novel suspension systems that prevent the abnormality of the lift force characteristic. This paper describes the mechanism of a multi-segment pantograph head and the validation results of the suspension system by bench test equipment with large current.