This invention generally relates to elevator systems. More particularly, this invention relates to a door coupler arrangement for use in elevator systems.
Elevators typically include a car that moves vertically through a hoistway between different levels of a building. At each level or landing, a set of hoistway doors are arranged to close off the hoistway when the elevator car is not at that landing. The hoistway doors open with doors on the car to allow access to or from the elevator car when it is at the landing. It is necessary to have the hoistway doors coupled appropriately with the car doors to open or close them.
Conventional arrangements include a door interlock that typically integrates several functions into a single device. The interlocks lock the hoistway doors, sense that the hoistway doors are locked and couple the hoistway doors to the car doors for opening purposes. While such integration of multiple functions provides lower material costs, there are significant design challenges presented by conventional arrangements. For example, the locking and sensing functions must be precise to satisfy codes. The coupling function, on the other hand, requires a significant amount of tolerance to accommodate variations in the position of the car doors relative to the hoistway doors. While these functions are typically integrated into a single device, their design implications are usually competing with each other.
Conventional door couplers include a vane on the car door and a pair of rollers on a hoistway door. The vane must be received between the rollers so that the hoistway door moves with the car door in two opposing directions (i.e., opening and closing). Common problems associated with such conventional arrangements is that the alignment between the car door vane and the hoistway door rollers must be precisely controlled. This introduces labor and expense during the installation process. Further, any future misalignment results in maintenance request or call backs.
It is believed that elevator door system components account for approximately 50% of elevator maintenance requests and 30% of callbacks. Almost half of the callbacks due to a door system malfunction are related to one of the interlock functions.
Additionally, with conventional arrangements debris build up on the door track and static pressure from the stack effect tend to impede the hoistway doors from fully closing. It is desirable to have hoistway doors driven completely closed by the car doors to avoid call back and maintenance problems. With conventional designs, driving the hoistway door closed causes delays in the door opening and closing times, which can appear to be an inconvenience to passengers.
There is a need in the industry for an improved arrangement that provides a reliable coupling between the car doors and hoistway doors, yet avoids the complexities of conventional arrangements and provides a more reliable arrangement that has reduced need for maintenance. This invention addresses that need with a unique elevator door coupler.
An exemplary elevator door coupler embodiment of this invention includes a vane member that is adapted to be supported on a hoistway door. A magnetic device is adapted to be supported on an elevator car door in a position to contact the vane member when the magnetic device moves in a first direction. A magnetic coupling between the magnetic device and the vane member causes the vane member to move in a second, opposite direction with the magnetic device.
Utilizing a single vane member on a hoistway door provides a simplified arrangement compared to conventional techniques.
In one example, the magnetic device is an electromagnet that is selectively powered for maintaining the vane member in a coupled relationship so that the hoistway and car doors move together. In one example, physical contact between the magnetic device and the vane member allows the magnetic device to urge the vane member and the hoistway door into an open position. As the car door returns to a closed position, the magnetic device ensures that the vane member follows and the hoistway door is moved toward the closed position as the car door moves toward the closed position.
The various features and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the currently preferred embodiment. The drawings that accompany the detailed description can be briefly described as follows.
The example door coupler includes a vane member 32 supported on at least one of the hoistway doors 26. In the example embodiment, a single vane member 32 is associated with a corresponding door. In this example, the car doors 24 are linked in a known manner such that movement of one of the doors 24 as caused by a door operator 30, for example, results in movement of the other door 24. Similarly, the hoistway doors 26 in this example are linked in a manner such that they move at the same time. In another example, a single vane member is associated with each of the doors.
As the door operator 30 causes the car doors 24 to move toward an open position, a magnetic device 36 moves into contact with the vane member 32 for causing the hoistway doors 26 to open, also. When it is time to close the doors, the magnetic device 36 is magnetically coupled with the vane member 32 for moving together so that the hoistway doors 26 move toward a closed position along with the elevator car doors 24.
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In the disclosed example, the control 38 activates or powers the magnetic device 36 responsive to at least one condition being satisfied. In one example, the control 38 receives information (from a conventional sensor, for example) regarding physical contact between the magnetic device 36 and the vane member 32. Responsive to such contact, the control 38 activates or energizes the magnetic device 36 to maintain an appropriate coupling between it and the vane member 32.
In another example, the control detects motor torque of the door operator 30 as an indication that the magnetic device 36 has contacted and is effectively pushing the vane 32 and the hoistway door 26. Another embodiment senses a change in reluctance associated with a DC motor of the door operator 30.
Turning off an electromagnet in the magnetic device in one example is timed to occur precisely when the doors are closed. In one example, the electromagnet current is profiled downward to release the magnetic coupling at the end of the door movement and the fully closed position.
In another example, the control 38 energizes the magnetic device 36 whenever the car 22 reaches an appropriate landing responding to a call, for example. In one example, the magnetic device 36 is selectively powered at various stages of a door moving cycle. For example, the power is turned off in a fully opened position to save energy and to avoid heat build-up. Other control strategies may provide enhanced noise or vibration control. Different control strategies for operating the magnetic device 36 are possible and those skilled in the art who have the benefit of this description will realize what works best for their situation. In one example, the magnetic device 36 is energized whenever the doors are accelerating or decelerating.
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In this example, the magnetic device 36 normally ensures an adequate coupling between it and the vane member 32 to draw the hoistway door 26 toward a closed position (i.e., to the left according to the drawing) as the car door 24 moves. In the illustrated example, the magnetic device 36 keeps the vane member 32 in physical contact with it throughout movement in either direction. The magnetic device 36 may only be powered for a magnetic coupling during a closing movement or during both an opening and closing movement, depending on the particular design of a particular embodiment.
The illustrated example includes a back up vane 50 that can contact the vane member 32 to push the hoistway door closed in the event that the magnetic device 36 were unable to remain coupled with the vane member 32 sufficiently to pull the hoistway door closed.
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In one example, the vane member 32 at least partially comprises a ferromagnetic material such as steel so that the magnetic device 36 can maintain an appropriate coupling with the vane member 32 to cause desired movement of the hoistway door 26. Given this description, those skilled in the art will be able to select appropriate materials and component designs to meet the needs of their particular situation. Further, given this description those skilled in the art will be able to select appropriate performance characteristics of a magnetic device to achieve the desired coupling effect to meet the needs of their particular situation.
In the preceding examples, the magnetic device 36 is supported on a car door 24. In another example, the vane member 32 is supported on the car door 24 and the magnetic device 36 is supported on a hoistway door 26.
The preceding description is exemplary rather than limiting in nature. Variations and modifications to the disclosed examples may become apparent to those skilled in the art that do not necessarily depart from the essence of this invention. The scope of legal protection given to this invention can only be determined by studying the following claims.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/US2004/019530 | 6/21/2004 | WO | 00 | 12/19/2006 |