Method for detecting gaps to be bridged in the power supply of an

Abstract

A method for detecting gaps to be bridged in a power supply of an electric rail vehicle includes continuously sensing at least one conductor rail for gaps with at least one contact signal transmitter travelling ahead of a plurality of electrically interconnected real current collectors, as seen in the direction of travel of the rail vehicle, with signal information obtained being stored. An instantaneous contact situation between the real current collectors and the conductor rail is determined from the memory contents. Positions of a virtual current collector travelling in advance are formed for each real current collector from the memory contents, with the distances between the contact signal transmitter and the virtual current collectors being such that a necessity to change over the traction power converter into the regenerative braking mode is indicated as soon as all of the virtual current collectors meet a gap in the conductor rail. The instantaneous contact situation between the virtual current collectors and the conductor rail is determined from the memory contents. Signals which result from the contact situation of the virtual current collectors indicate a start and signals which result from the contact situation of the real current collectors indicate an end, of a gap to be bridged in the conductor rail.