2000 Volume 41 Issue 4 Pages 177-181
To reduce aerodynamic noise radiated from pantographs, low noise pantographs have been studied and developed in Japan. The low noise pantograph is characterized by the small number of component members with smoother forms. As the result of repeated tests, its aerodynamic noise is sufficiently lower than that of ordinary pantographs. But changing the forms of members to aerodynamically smooth shapes means to incur increased risk of receiving large aerodynamic force. The aerodynamic lift force of the panhead is particularly problematic. The authors contrived a passive lift suppression mechanism for the panhead to prevent large lift force. A prototype model of low noise pantograph named PEGASUS with this mechanism was produced. By wind tunnel and line tests, it was proved that this mechanism worked effectively.