System and method for detecting the passage of tramcars, in particular for the purposes of coordinating traffic-light cycles for trams and traffic-light cycles for automobiles

摘要

A system for detecting the passage of tramcars, envisaged in particular for the purposes of the coordination between tram traffic-light cycles and motor-vehicle traffic-light cycles, comprises a detection device (10) associated to the overhead line (4) for supplying the tramcars; the device (10) has two sensors (S1, S2) in fixed relative positions and set apart from one another according to the direction of movement of the tramcars; the distance between the two sensors (S1, S2) is substantially equal to the distance existing between two respective excitation elements associated in fixed relative positions to the structure of a respective tramcar. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the sensors are of an optical type, and the excitation elements comprise two sliding contacts of a pantograph of the tramcars.