Patent Application
20220177275
This application claims priority to European Patent Application No. 20383050.0, filed Dec. 3, 2020, and all the benefits accruing therefrom under 35 U.S.C. ยง 119, the contents of which in its entirety are herein incorporated by reference.
This disclosure relates to an elevator car enclosure and a method of assembling an elevator car.
Elevator cars often comprise a metal support frame to which a number of sheet metal panels are attached. The sheet metal panels typically define an enclosure in which passengers or goods may be transported. Such elevator cars are suitable for many applications; however, they are relatively expensive to produce and often relatively heavy due to the materials from which they are made. As a result, such elevator cars typically require specialised equipment to transport and install the elevator cars. Additionally, due to the materials from which the elevator cars are made, the elevator cars are relatively expensive to manufacture. Further, assembly of the elevator cars, which often occurs on site, can be time consuming.
It would be advantageous to provide a means which addresses or mitigates at least some of the problems outlined above.
In accordance with a first aspect, the present disclosure provides an elevator car enclosure which defines a volume for receiving a load to be transported, wherein the elevator car enclosure is formed from a single moulded body.
Accordingly, as will be appreciated, forming the elevator car enclosure from a single moulded body may reduce the cost of manufacture of the elevator car enclosure when compared to prior art enclosures which are defined by multiple panels of sheet metal. Additionally, manufacture of the elevator car may be simplified when compared to prior art techniques as it may be easier to produce an elevator car enclosure from a single moulded body. Further, the overall assembly and installation time for an elevator car assembly may be reduced as the single moulded body of the elevator car enclosure may reduce the amount of on-site assembly which is required. The load to be transported may comprise passenger(s) and/or goods and/or any other object which may need to be transported.
The single moulded body may comprise any suitable material that can be moulded to define the elevator car enclosure. In a set of examples, the single moulded body comprises a polymeric material. In other words, the single moulded body is made from a polymeric material. The polymeric material may be any suitable material. For example, the polymeric material may comprise plastic, e.g. high density polyethylene (HDPE). The polymeric material may also comprise at least one of: polyamide, polyvinylchloride, high-impact polystyrene, polycarbonate, polyester and polypropylene. The use of a polymeric material may advantageously minimise the mass of the elevator car enclosure, at least when compared to prior art enclosures which are formed from metal panels. This may mean that the elevator car enclosure is easier to transport and also easier to manoeuvre at an elevator installation site. This may advantageously minimise the number of personnel and/or specialist installation equipment required to install the elevator car enclosure. The single moulded body may be moulded by any suitable technique. For example, the single moulded body may be blow moulded and/or injection moulded.
The single moulded body may also comprise other materials in addition to the polymeric material. For example, other materials may be embedded within the polymeric material. The single moulded body may, for example, comprise other materials which improve the structural rigidity of the elevator car enclosure. As such, the single moulded body may comprise integrally formed structural elements. For example, the single moulded body may comprise a plurality of reinforcing fibres arranged to reinforce at least portions of the single moulded body. The reinforcing fibres may comprise glass fibres, Kevlar fibres, carbon fibres or any other suitable material. The integrally formed structural elements may be positioned in specific portions of the single moulded body where reinforcement is required, e.g. on a floor thereof. Other materials may, for example, include fire prevention additives which are flame resistant and thus act to inhibit fire transmission within the elevator car enclosure.
Elevator cars are typically relatively large, and thus the elevator car enclosure may thus define a relatively large volume. In a set of examples, the elevator car enclosure has a variable volume. The ability to vary, i.e. adjust, the volume of the elevator car enclosure may advantageously mean that the volume of the elevator car enclosure can be minimised for transportation of the elevator car enclosure to an elevator installation site, and subsequently be expanded once on site. This may mean that the elevator car enclosure can be transported to an installation site, and maneuvered on site, more easily. Further, the ability to change the volume of the elevator car enclosure may advantageously mean that the volume, i.e. the size, of the elevator car enclosure can be adapted to suit a particular elevator installation. For example, the volume may be increased for an elevator installation which is designed to incorporate a larger elevator car. Accordingly, the ability to vary the volume of the elevator car enclosure may mean that a single elevator car enclosure can be manufactured which is suitable for a number of different elevator installations. This may minimise the tooling costs required to manufacture elevator car enclosures suitable for a plurality of different elevator installations.
In a further set of examples, the elevator car enclosure is configured to be capable of expanding from a contracted configuration, in which the elevator car enclosure defines a first volume, into an expanded configuration in which the elevator car enclosure defines a second, larger volume. As will be appreciated, the elevator car enclosure may be transported and maneuvered in the contracted configuration, and only expanded into the expanded configuration once at an elevator installation site. Of course, the elevator car enclosure may also be contracted from the expanded configuration into the contracted configuration. The elevator car enclosure may be capable of expanding into at least one further expanded configuration. As such, the size of the elevator car enclosure may be expanded to suit a size of the elevator installation in which it is installed.
The variable volume of the elevator car enclosure, including the ability to expand and contract, may be achieved via any suitable means. For example, walls of the elevator car enclosure may facilitate expansion and contraction of the elevator car enclosure. In a set of examples, the elevator car enclosure comprises a plurality of walls which define the volume and wherein at least one of the plurality of walls comprises a corrugated structure configured to allow the elevator car enclosure to expand from the contracted configuration into the expanded configuration. A corrugated structure may provide a simple and convenient means to facilitate changing the volume of the elevator car enclosure. The corrugated structure may have any suitable form that permits expansion and/or contraction of the elevator car enclosure. The corrugated structure may, for example, have a waved or castellated structure. The corrugated structure may comprise a series of folds which define a plurality of ridges and grooves. In examples wherein multiple of the plurality of walls comprise a corrugated structure, the corrugated structure may effectively define a bellowed structure. The plurality of walls may include side walls of the elevator car enclosure, as well as the walls which define the ceiling and floor if included.
In a set of examples, the elevator car enclosure is configured to be capable of expanding in a horizontal plane and/or a vertical plane. The ability to expand in a horizontal plane may allow the elevator car enclosure to be expanded to suit the dimensions of a particular elevator installation. Expansion in a horizontal plane may increase a floor space of the elevator car enclosure. A single elevator car enclosure may thus be suitable for a range of different sized elevator installations. Additionally, the ability to expand the elevator car enclosure in the horizontal plane may make assembly of the elevator car, which comprises the elevator car enclosure, easier as the elevator car enclosure can quickly and easily be adjusted to the desired shape and size. In a similar manner, the ability to expand in the vertical plane may advantageously mean that a height of the elevator car enclosure can be adjusted to a desired dimension.
An elevator car enclosure which is configured to be capable of expanding in both the horizontal and vertical planes may mean that in a contracted configuration the elevator car enclosure occupies a minimum possible space. As with earlier examples, this may make transportation and maneuvering of the elevator car enclosure easier. The ability to expand in both the vertical and horizontal direction may also provide the maximum degree of variability in the volume of the elevator car enclosure, and thus the elevator car enclosure may be suitable for a larger range of different elevator installations.
When in the contracted configuration, the elevator car enclosure may tend to expand towards the expanded configuration. This may, for example, be due to an inherent resilient bias provided in the material of the single moulded body. For example, it may be due to a resilient bias provided by corrugations which permit the expansion of the elevator car enclosure. Expansion of the elevator car enclosure prior to installation at an elevator installation site may not be desirable. Thus, in a set of examples, the elevator car enclosure further comprises at least one support member arranged to hold the elevator car enclosure in the contracted configuration. The support member may be separate from the single moulded body, and thus be provided by a separate part. The support member may act to hold the elevator car enclosure in the contracted configuration until expansion of the elevator car enclosure is required. This may advantageously mean that the elevator car enclosure can be transported to, and enclosure is on site and ready for installation, the at least one support member may be removed, or released, and the elevator car enclosure may be expanded into the expanded configuration. However, as will be appreciated, it may not always be necessary to hold the elevator car enclosure in the contracted configuration. For example, in examples wherein the elevator car enclosure is configured to expand in a vertical direction, the weight of the elevator car enclosure itself may be sufficient to hold the elevator car enclosure in the contracted configuration.
When in the expanded configuration, the elevator car enclosure may be stable, i.e. it may remain in the expanded configuration, and thus there may not be any need to hold the elevator car enclosure in the expanded configuration. However, in some examples, the elevator car enclosure may tend to contract towards the contracted configuration. This may, for example, be due to gravity or other forces acting on the elevator car enclosure. Thus, in a set of examples, the elevator enclosure further comprises at least one support member arranged to hold the elevator car enclosure in the expanded configuration. As with the support member discussed above, the at least one support member may be a separate part to the single moulded body. The at least one support member may hold the elevator car enclosure in the expanded configuration and prevent it from moving towards the contracted configuration. This may help to ensure that in use the elevator car enclosure has fixed dimensions and does not collapse. The at least one support member may be the same support member as the support member discussed above for holding the elevator car enclosure in the contracted configuration or it may comprise a further support member.
The at least one support member of either of the examples described above may be any support member that is capable of holding the elevator car enclosure in the respective configurations. For example, the at least one support member may comprise an at least partially threaded rod which engages with a corresponding threaded nut, or other suitable locking member. The at least partially threaded rod may be inserted through the elevator car enclosure and the threaded nuts may be secured in an appropriate manner to hold the elevator car enclosure in the respective configurations.
As discussed above, the elevator car enclosure may be easier to install when compared to prior art elevator cars. In a further set of examples, the single moulded body comprises at least one integrally formed mounting feature for mounting an elevator car component to the elevator car enclosure. Integrally moulding a mounting feature of this type, i.e. forming the mounting feature from the same single moulded body, may further simplify manufacture of the elevator car enclosure as well as assembly of an elevator car comprising the elevator car enclosure. As will be appreciated, elevator car components may quickly and easily be mounted to the at least one integrally formed mounting feature and thus the assembly of the elevator car may be simplified. Integrally forming mounting features in this manner may also help to ensure that the elevator car components are mounted at the proper positions in the elevator car enclosure.
The at least one integrally formed mounting feature may be suitable for mounting any suitable elevator car component. For example, the at least one integrally formed mounting feature may comprise a support frame mounting feature for mounting a support frame to the elevator car enclosure. In addition or alternatively, the at least one integrally formed mounting feature may comprise an integrally formed conduit for mounting at least one electrical cable within the elevator car enclosure. Further, the at least one integrally formed mounting feature may comprise a car operation panel mounting feature for mounting a car operation panel in the elevator car enclosure. For example, the car operation panel mounting feature may comprise a recessed portion in a wall of the elevator car enclosure.
In examples comprising support members as discussed above, the elevator car enclosure may comprise integrally formed mounting features for the support members. For example, the elevator car enclosure may comprise integrally formed aperture(s) through which the at least one support member may extend.
Elevator cars typically comprise a door assembly which controls access to the volume within the elevator car. In another set of examples, the single moulded body comprises an opening for allowing the passage of a load into the volume defined by the single moulded body. The opening may, for example, be door-shaped. Integrally forming the opening within the single moulded body may, similarly to the integrally formed mounting features discussed above, further simplify the assembly of an elevator car comprising the elevator car enclosure. For example, with the opening already present in the elevator car enclosure, an installer may simply install an elevator car door to the opening and door functionality may be provided. Including an opening in this manner may also ensure that the opening has the precise dimensions required and is thus capable of receiving the elevator car door. In some examples, the single moulded body may comprise a further opening so that the elevator car enclosure can allow ingress and egress through multiple openings. The opening and further opening may be on opposing sides of the elevator car enclosure.
The elevator car enclosure may have any shape that defines a volume suitable for transporting a load. The shape of the elevator car enclosure may at least partially depend on the shape required for a particular elevator installation. In a set of examples, the single moulded body comprises a plurality of side walls which at least partially define the volume of the elevator car enclosure. For example, the plurality of side walls may comprise four walls arranged to at least partially define a cuboid-shaped volume. In embodiments comprising an opening, the opening may be present in one of the plurality of side walls.
In another set of examples, the single moulded body comprises a floor and/or a ceiling which at least partially define the volume of the elevator car enclosure. Accordingly, the side walls, floor and ceiling may together define the volume of the elevator car enclosure.
The elevator car enclosure may be capable of supporting a load such as passengers and/or goods which are to be transported by an elevator car. In some examples, the elevator car enclosure may be capable of supporting a load which comprises a plurality of objects, e.g. a plurality of passengers. The elevator car enclosure may be capable of supporting any suitable load. In a set of examples, the single moulded body is capable of supporting a mass of up to 1000 kg, e.g. up to 750 kg, e.g. up to 650 kg. The elevator car enclosure may thus be capable of supporting a plurality of passengers and/or a variety of different goods. Advantageously, this may mean that the elevator car enclosure is suitable for a variety of different elevator installations.
In some examples, a first portion of single moulded body may have a first thickness, and a second portion may have a second, different thickness. For example, the floor, i.e. a first portion, of the elevator car enclosure may be thicker than the side walls, i.e. a second portion, of the elevator car enclosure. The increased thickness of the floor, at least compared to the side walls, may ensure that that the floor is capable of supporting a load thereon, whilst having the side walls thinner may help to minimise the weight of the elevator car enclosure. The relative thicknesses of the elevator car enclosure may be integrally formed as part of the moulding of the elevator car enclosure.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure there is provided an elevator car comprising: one or more of the elevator car enclosures according to any of the examples described above; and a support frame configured to support the one or more elevator car enclosures.
The support frame may be any frame that is capable of supporting the elevator car. For example, the support frame may comprise a cantilever support frame.
In a further set of examples, the elevator car comprises at least two elevator car enclosures. Such an elevator car may be considered to have a modular construction with each of the elevator car enclosures being a module. Each of the elevator car enclosures may comprise a respective opening which is aligned with an opening in an adjacent elevator car enclosure so as to allow a load to pass through from one elevator car enclosure to the next. When provided together, the volume of each of the at least two elevator car enclosures may together provide a single, combined, larger volume. An elevator car comprising at least two elevator car enclosures arranged in this manner may be capable of transporting a load having a greater size and/or weight.
In examples comprising at least two elevator car enclosures, each of the elevator car enclosures may be coupled to the other elevator car enclosures by any suitable arrangement. For example, the support frame may act to hold the elevator car enclosures together in a coupled manner. In another set of examples, there may be a coupling arrangement which acts to couple each of the elevator car enclosures to an adjacent elevator car enclosure. For example, each of the plurality of elevator car enclosures may be bolted together.
In another set of examples, at least one of the one or more elevator car enclosures comprises an opening and the elevator car comprises a door arranged to selectively close the opening.
As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, assembly and installation of the elevator car including an elevator car enclosure described above will be quite different to the installation of prior art elevator cars. Therefore, according to a further aspect of the present disclosure there is provided a method of assembling an elevator car comprising a support frame and an elevator car enclosure which defines a volume and which is formed from a single moulded body, wherein the method comprises attaching the support frame to the elevator car enclosure to form the elevator car.
The elevator car enclosure may comprise any of the features of the elevator car enclosure described above with reference to the first aspect of the present disclosure. In a set of examples, the elevator car enclosure has a variable volume and wherein the method comprises changing the volume of the elevator car enclosure to a desired volume at an elevator installation site.
The elevator car enclosure may, for example, be expanded from a contracted configuration into an expanded configuration prior to attaching the support frame to the elevator car enclosure.
In another set of examples, the elevator car enclosure comprises at least one integrally formed mounting feature, and wherein the method further comprises mounting an elevator car component to the at least one integrally formed mounting feature.
In another set of examples, the elevator car enclosure comprises at least one support member configured to hold the elevator car enclosure in a contracted configuration and wherein the method further comprises removing or releasing the at least one support member to allow the elevator car enclosure to be expanded into an expanded configuration.
In another set of examples, the elevator car enclosure comprises at least one support member configured to hold the elevator car enclosure in an expanded configuration and wherein the method further comprises configuring the at least one support member to hold the elevator car enclosure in an expanded configuration.
In another set of examples, the elevator car enclosure comprises at least one opening to allow a load to pass into the volume, and wherein the method comprises securing a door assembly to the opening.
In another set of examples, the method comprises attaching at least one further elevator car enclosure to the support frame. The at least one further elevator car enclosure may comprise any of the features of the elevator car enclosure according to examples of the first aspect of the present disclosure described above. Any of the steps described above with respect to the elevator car enclosure may also be performed on the further elevator car enclosure. In a further set of examples, the method comprises aligning an opening on the elevator car enclosure with an opening on the further elevator car enclosure.
Certain examples of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
The suspension element 108 engages the elevator machine 114, which is part of an overhead structure of the elevator system 102. The elevator machine 114 is configured to control movement between the elevator car 104 and the counterweight 108, and thus control the position of the elevator car 104 within the elevator shaft 120. The encoder 116 may be mounted on a fixed part 122 at the top of the elevator shaft 120, such as on a support or guide rail, and may be configured to provide position signals related to a position of the elevator car 104 within the elevator shaft 120. In other embodiments, the encoder 116 may be directly mounted to a moving component of the elevator machine 114, or may be located in other positions and/or configurations as known in the art. The encoder 116 can be any device or mechanism for monitoring a position of an elevator car and/or counterweight, as known in the art.
The controller 118 is configured to control the operation of the elevator system 102, and particularly the elevator car 104. For example, the controller 118 may provide drive signals to the elevator machine 114 to control the acceleration, deceleration, levelling, stopping, etc. of the elevator car 104. The controller 118 may also be configured to receive position signals from the encoder 116 or any other desired position reference device. When moving up or down within the elevator shaft 120 along guide rail 112, the elevator car 104 may stop at one or more landings as controlled by the controller 118. The controller 118 may be located and/or configured in any suitable location or position within the elevator system 101. In one embodiment, the controller 118 may be located remotely or in the cloud.
The elevator machine 114 may include a motor or similar driving mechanism. The elevator machine 114 may be configured to include an electrically driven motor. The power supply for the motor may be any power source, including a power grid, which, in combination with other components, is supplied to the motor. The elevator machine 114 may include a traction sheave that imparts force to suspension element 110 to move the elevator car 104 within elevator shaft 120.
The elevator car 104 comprises an elevator car enclosure 106 which defines a volume (not visible in this Figure) therein for receiving a load to be transported. The load may comprise any object suitable for transportation by an elevator car. For example, the object may comprise a human, an animal, and/or goods. The elevator car enclosure comprises an opening which is door-shaped (not visible in this Figure) which is closed by an elevator car door 124. The elevator car door 124 may comprise an automatic car door configured to be opened and closed when at respective landings in the elevator shaft 120.
The elevator car enclosure 106 is formed from single moulded body. The elevator car enclosure 106 may be formed from any suitable material, for example a polymeric material, e.g. plastic. The elevator car enclosure 106 comprises a plurality of side walls 126, a ceiling 128 and a floor 130, all of which are integrally formed as a single body. In the example shown in
The corrugated portions 132 may be integrally formed as part of a moulding process. The corrugated portions 132 may have any suitable form that permits expansion and contraction of the elevator car enclosure 106. For example, the corrugated portions 132 need not necessarily comprise sharp ridges and grooves, as depicted in
The elevator car enclosure 106 is supported by a support frame 134. As illustrated, the support frame 134 supports the floor 130 of the elevator car enclosure 106 and also passes around the side walls 126 and over the ceiling 128. Mounting of the support frame 134 may be facilitated by mounting features (not visible in this Figure) which are integrally provided with the elevator car enclosure 106. The support frame 134 comprises a plurality of guide shoes 136 which engage with the guide rail 112 and act to guide the elevator car 104 within the elevator shaft 120.
The elevator car enclosure 106 further comprises a plurality of support members 138, in the form of rods, which are arranged to hold the elevator car enclosure 106 in the expanded configuration shown in
The elevator car enclosure 106 comprises a support frame mounting feature 144 arranged between the two corrugated portions 132. The support frame mounting feature 144 is dimensioned to mount the support frame 134 shown in
In
In addition or alternatively to the support members 138 and locking members 146, straps 148, e.g. in the form of ratchet straps, may be provided to secure the elevator car enclosure 106 in the contracted configuration. The straps 148 may be removed when it is desired to expand the elevator car enclosure into the expanded configuration.
Assembly of the elevator car 104 shown in
The elevator car enclosure 106 may then be inserted into the support frame 134. As can be seen in
The elevator car door 124 may be mounted to the elevator car enclosure 106 before, or after, the support frame 134 has been mounted to the elevator car enclosure 106.
The elevator car enclosure 106 in the example described above is capable of expanding and contracting in the horizontal plane. The vertical dimension of the elevator car enclosure 106 is fixed and the horizontal dimension may be changed. However, in certain instances it may be desirable to be able to expand and/or contract the elevator car in the vertical direction.
Whilst in the various examples described above, the elevator car comprises a single elevator car enclosure, the elevator car may comprise a plurality of elevator car enclosures which may be connected together in a modular manner.
The support frame 434 comprises support members 434A, which extend to both sides of a central frame 434B, so as to be capable of supporting each of the first and second elevator car enclosures 406A, 406B. The first elevator car enclosure 406A comprises a forward opening 440A at its forward end and a rearward opening at its rearward end (not visible in this Figure). The second elevator car enclosure 406B comprises a single opening 440B. When assembled, the rearward opening on the rearward end of the first elevator car enclosure 406A is coupled to the opening 440B on the second elevator car enclosure 406B and thus allows a load to pass between each of the first and second elevator car enclosures 406A, 406B. The forward opening 440A on the first elevator car enclosure is closed by a door assembly 424.
In some examples, particularly in those where the elevator car comprises multiple elevator car enclosures, the elevator car may be capable of transporting a heavier load. Accordingly, it may be necessary to provide additional suspension elements to support the weight of the elevator car and any load therein.
It will be appreciated that any number of elevator car enclosures may be coupled together to form a larger overall elevator car enclosure. Each of the elevator car enclosures may have any number of suitable openings which allow the passage of a load from one elevator car enclosure to an adjacent elevator car enclosure, as well as openings which allow a load to pass from an elevator car enclosure to another part of the elevator system, e.g. a landing thereof.
Whilst not depicted in the examples above, the elevator car enclosures may be capable of expansion and contraction in both horizontal and vertical planes. In this regard, the elevator car enclosure may comprise corrugations that facilitate such expansion. For example, corrugations may be provided on all of the walls of the elevator car enclosure, as well as on the ceiling and floor thereof. Further, whilst the examples described above include a floor and a ceiling, this is not essential and the elevator car enclosure may, for example, be devoid of a ceiling.
Accordingly, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that examples of the present disclosure provide an improved elevator car enclosure which is formed from a single moulded body, as well as an elevator car comprising such an elevator car enclosure. While specific examples of the disclosure have been described in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the examples described in detail are not limiting on the scope of the disclosure.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20383050.0 | Dec 2020 | EP | regional |
