DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above, as well as other advantages of the present invention, will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment when considered in the light of the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-section of an elevator installation according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged detail of the guide rail arrangement shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a schematic elevation view of the elevator installation of FIG. 1 in maintenance operation;
FIG. 4 is a plan view of the elevator installation according to FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the elevator installation of FIG. 1 in normal operation;
FIG. 6 is an alternative arrangement of the support means according to the present invention;
FIG. 7 is a schematic view of an embodiment of the elevator installation according to the present invention with a counterweight arranged laterally of the car access;
FIG. 8 is a schematic view of a second embodiment of the elevator installation according to the present invention with a counterweight arranged laterally of two accesses of the car;
FIG. 9 is a schematic view of a third embodiment of the elevator installation according to the present invention with a counterweight arranged opposite the elevator access; and
FIG. 10 shows an arrangement of further shaft apparatus of the elevator installation according to the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The following detailed description and appended drawings describe and illustrate various exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description and drawings serve to enable one skilled in the art to make and use the invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any manner. In respect of the methods disclosed, the steps presented are exemplary in nature, and thus, the order of the steps is not necessary or critical.
Components which are identical and similar or have equivalent effect are provided in all figures with the same reference numerals.
FIG. 1 shows a cross-section of an elevator installation 1 with a car 2 and with a counterweight 3 in an elevator shaft 4, as well as two guide rails 5 for guidance of the car 2 and the counterweight 3. Each of the two guide rails 5 forms a guidance region for guidance of the car 2 and a further guidance region for guidance of the counterweight 3. The counterweight 3 occupies an associated cross-sectional area which corresponds with the cross-section or a vertical projection of the counterweight 3. In addition, the car 2 occupies an associated cross-sectional area. In this connection the cross-sectional area of the car 2 corresponds with a vertical projection area of this car. The cross-sectional area of the car 2 contains, in this connection, in particular a car space region 35 which is defined substantially by a transport area for the reception of persons or goods and surrounding car walls, as well as support structures 31 and at least one car access region 36. The car 2 and the counterweight 3 are enclosed by the elevator shaft 4. In this connection, the elevator shaft 4 is bounded by shaft walls 6 and shaft doors 7 which at the same time define a cross-section of the elevator installation 1. The car 2 moves at a safety spacing (SW) along the walls 6 and the shaft door 7. In addition, the car 2 has a safety spacing (SKG) from the counterweight 3 and the counterweight 3 is arranged at a safety spacing (SW) from the wall of the elevator shaft 4.
The safety spacings (SW, SKG) are required so as to enable a collision-free movement of the car 2, so as to accept tolerances of elevator material or in the shaft 4, or otherwise to prevent trapping of hands, for example of service personnel. These safety spacings (SW, SKG) define, together with corresponding lateral dimensions, safety areas 11.
According to the present invention the cross-section of the elevator installation 1 substantially corresponds, as illustrated in FIG. 1 by way of example, with a sum of the cross-sectional area of the car 2, the cross-sectional area of the counterweight 3 and the safety areas 11, 12 between the car 2 and the walls 6, the safety area 11, 13 between the counterweight 3 and the wall 6 as well as the safety area 11, 14 between the counterweight 3 and the car 2. The cross-section of the elevator installation 1 is utilized in an optimum manner. The car 2 occupies a maximum possible proportion of the cross-section.
In the illustrated example according to FIG. 1 the safety spacing (SW) in the region of the walls is selected at approximately forty millimeters. Thus, compensation can be provided for usual building tolerances and non-planar areas of the shaft walls. Depending on the form of construction of the walls, the safety spacing (SW) can be reduced to as little as fifteen millimeters. This safety spacing is selected in the present example in the region of the shaft door 7, since this shaft door 7 can be precisely aligned. It is conceivable that the safety spacing in the region of the shaft door could even be reduced to approximately eight millimeters if, for example, very firm guidance systems are used. The safety spacing (SKG) between the car 2 and the counterweight 3 is selected at approximately fifty millimeters. This distance is proposed in standards and prevents, for example, trapping of hands if a service expert is located on the car in maintenance operation. The safety spacing (SKG) could also be reduced with use of additional safety precautions such as, for example, a safety barrier in the region of the car or the car ceiling. However, it is to be noted that a safety barrier 48 (as apparent in FIG. 3) between the car and the counterweight is often arranged in the region of a lower end of the elevator shaft. The safety spacing (SKG) has to take this into consideration. In order to reduce this safety spacing electronic safety barriers 48 would be required, or a safety barrier 48 which is arranged merely during the presence of a service person in the shaft.
The guide rail 5, as illustrated in FIG. 2, a T-shaped guide rail with two guide webs 16, 17 and a fastening web 18 and the height of the guide rail 5 or a height of the fastening web 18 approximately corresponds with a thickness (TG) of the counterweight 3. As apparent in FIG. 2, advantageously a guide plane 20 of the counterweight 3 is arranged to be laterally offset with respect to a gravitational force line 21 of the counterweight 3. This has the advantage that the fastening web 18 can be selected to be high, which gives an increased strength and stiffness of the guide rail 5. At the same time the car structure 31 can significantly embrace the guide web 16, which enables provision of the structure 31 with high strength. Moreover, it is additionally possible to mount in the region of the fastening web 18 a coding which enables a sensor 24, which is mounted at the car 2 or the car structure 31, to detect a travel speed and/or a travel position in the shaft. Thus, it is possible to dispense with the arrangement of a conventional speed limiter with an associated speed limiter cable. In this example of embodiment the guide rail 5 is fastened by means of a fastening bracket 19 to the same section of the shaft wall 6.
In the illustrated example the first guide web 16 of the guide rail 5 is used for guidance of the car 2 and the second guide web 17 of the guide rail 5 is used for guidance of the counterweight 3. The first and the second guide webs 16, 17 are substantially arranged in one plane, i.e. the guide plane 20. At the same time, in the example according to FIG. 2 the guide web 16 at the car side is thicker, i.e. executed with a higher strength, than the guide web 17 at the counterweight side. Obviously variations are possible here. Thus, the guide webs 16, 17 can also be arranged on different planes. This makes possible, in particular, an efficient matching of the car structure 31 and the guide 5 to one another.
Advantageously, as apparent in FIG. 1, the two guide rails 5 are fastened at the same shaft wall 6. This reduces the number of interface regions relative to the building.
The car 2 is, as apparent in FIG. 3, connected with the counterweight 3 by way of a support means 25. The support means 25 is mounted on the car 2 at the top and on the counterweight 3 at the top and vertical sections of the support means 25 run within the projections of car and counterweight cross-sectional areas. In the illustrated example, the car 2 and the counterweight 3 have a 2:1 suspension. The support means 25 is mounted by its end, which is at the car side, on a ceiling 8 of the elevator shaft 4. For this purpose support beams 28 which enable fastening of the support means 25 are arranged in the region of the shaft ceiling 8. The support means 25 extends from the shaft ceiling 8 or the support beams 28 to the car 2 or to a car ceiling 32. The support means 25 is deflected by means of deflecting rollers 26 at the car side and runs back into the region of the shaft ceiling 8, is guided there over a drive pulley 37 and runs back to a deflecting roller 27 at the counterweight side and is led from there again to the shaft ceiling. The drive pulley 37 drives and supports the support means 25 and thus the car 2 and the counterweight 3. The drive pulley 37 is driven by a drive 38. The drive 38 and the drive pulley 37 are arranged near the shaft ceiling 8 by means of a drive support 39. The drive support 39 is also used, in the example, as a coupling point of the end of the support means 25 at the counterweight side.
Usually, as apparent in FIG. 4, at least two support means 25 are used. In the illustrated example the two support means 25 are arranged at a spacing from one another. The spacing is selected in such a manner that an upper protective space 45 (FIG. 3) can be arranged between the support means 25. The upper protective space 45 is required so that a service engineer during his work in the region of the car roof always has available a minimum space. The deflecting rollers 26 as well as the drive pulleys 37 are also arranged in correspondence with the spacing of the support means 25. The drive 38 for driving the drive pulleys 37 is, in this example, arranged between the drive pulleys 37. Advantageously, the support beams 28 are similarly arranged in correspondence with the spacing of the support means 25. With this arrangement the end of the support means 25 at the car side can be deflected in the support beam 28 into a horizontal position and a support means lock 29 as well as required fastenings 30 can be arranged in the support beam 28. This is space-saving, since only a small vertical installation space is needed. In addition, the protective space 45 can now similarly be arranged between the support beams 28 as well as between the support means 25, which cross the car ceiling 32 along a car ceiling lower surface 34. The illustrated arrangement allows utilization of the shaft cross-section in optimum manner, since no cross-section for arrangement of the support means 25 is required and this arrangement demands little space above the car, since the protective space 45 is arranged between the support means 25 and the fastening structures thereof. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the deflecting rollers 26 are arranged in an edge region 33 of the car ceiling 32. The edge region is thereby increased and this increase at the same time forms a pedestal for preventing walking over the car roof edge.
The support means 25 are substantially (apart from loading, asymmetrical car fitments and car access influences) centrally arranged, i.e. a vertical gravitational force axis 49 of the car lies approximately in a resultant load-bearing force line defined by the support means 25 acting on the car 2. The guide rails 5 and guide shoes 23, which in normal operation guide the car along the guide rails 5, are thereby loaded only insignificantly. This allows the use of lighter guide rails 5 and lighter guide shoes 23.
The elevator car is, as illustrated in FIG. 3, equipped with a car brake 22 or a corresponding blocking device. The car brake 22 is arranged in the upper region of the car structure 31 and is in a position of holding and/or braking the car in every operational position. The car structure 31 with the installed car brake 32 is disposed, in projection, outside the projection of the drive support 39 and the drive 38. Parts of the car structure 31 with car brake 22 can thus travel past the drive 38 at least in part. The car brake 22 is controlled in drive by electrical means and it can be controlled in drive, for example in the case of maintenance operation, by means the sensor 24 (FIG. 2) or other safety apparatus in such a manner that the upper protective space 45, corresponding with an upper safety spacing (HSO), as well as also a lower protective space 46, corresponding with a lower safety spacing (HSU), are safely guaranteed. This car brake 22 makes it possible for no further cross-sectional area, for example for arrangement of a speed limiter cable, to be required. The cross-section of the elevator installation 1 is optimally utilized or a cross-sectional area of the car 2 is maximized.
The elevator installation illustrated in FIG. 3 is disposed in a service setting, i.e. the upper and the lower protective spaces 45, 46 are guaranteed by the car brake 22 in that the brake control with use of the data of the sensor 24 prevents movement into the protective spaces 45, 46. FIG. 5 shows the same installation in a normal operating state. Safety means (not illustrated) prevent a person from being located below or above the car in the normal operating state. The car can now utilize the entire travel path. It is merely necessary to consider operating spacings (HO, HU) which prevent collision of parts. It is conceivable that the car 2 could be moved up to the spacing (HO) of approximately two hundred millimeters from the shaft ceiling 8. This is possible particularly because parts of the car structure 31 with the car brake 22 and the guide shoe 23 can travel partly past the drive 38. Similarly, very small operating spacings are now realized in the lower region of the shaft. All parts serving for movement of the car, such as deflecting rollers, brakes and guide shoes, are located in the upper region of the car or laterally thereof (lower guide shoes). The car 2′ can thus in normal operation be moved very far downwardly so that the lower operating spacing (HU) can approximately approach zero. A construction of that kind is very advantageous, since accordingly no special shaft pits or shaft pit depressions have to be provided. A shaft end buffer 47 could, if required, be completely eliminated or be replaced by end abutments which can similarly be integrated in the thickness of a car floor.
The counterweight 3 is, as illustrated in FIG. 5, less high than the height of the car 2. Compensation for a support means elongation of the support means 25 can thereby be provided in simple manner, since the counterweight 3 includes appropriate travel reserves in its travel path 3, 3′.
FIG. 6 shows an alternative embodiment of a suspension. The support means 25 are guided closely adjacent to one another and the resulting load-bearing force line lies approximately on the vertical gravitational force line 49 of the car 2. The protective space 45 is arranged, in the illustrated example, in the rear region of the car 2. The support beam 28 extends parallel to and in the vicinity of the shaft wall 6.
The elevator installation according to FIG. 7 with the car 2 and the car space 35 has a single shaft access region 36. The guide rails 5 and the counterweight 3 are arranged in a region laterally of this car access region 36. The counterweight 3 has, together with the guide rails 5, a width which substantially corresponds with a side dimension (TKR) of the car space 35 and the counterweight 3 has a thickness (TG) which substantially corresponds with a lateral projection (UT), which is required for opening the car access, of the car access space 36 less the safety spacing (SKG) between the car 2 and the counterweight 3 (TG=UT−SKG). In this connection it is to be noted that possible door regions which, during travel of the car 2, are disposed in a pushed-together (closed) state can penetrate during opening of the door, at a stop, entirely into the region of the safety spacing (SW) between the car and the wall. This is possible, since the car 2 is not moved in this state.
FIG. 8 shows an elevator installation as previously described, wherein two mutually opposite car access regions 36, 36′ are used.
FIG. 9 shows a further arrangement possibility of the car access region 36 in which the guide rails 5 and counterweight 3 are arranged in a region opposite the car access region 36, wherein the car 2 together with the guide rails 5 has a width which substantially corresponds with a width dimension BK of the car space 35.
The guide rails 5 and the counterweight 3 can obviously be arranged in a region laterally of the car space and the counterweight can, together with the guide rails 5, have a width which substantially corresponds with a side dimension (TK) of the car. This is useful if the car access region 36 is equal to the width (BK) of the car.
The elevator installation as a rule contains further shaft apparatus which usually require an enlargement of the cross-section of the elevator installation 1. These are, for example, a shaft lighting 41, shaft information parts 43, shaft cabling or hanging cable 44. FIG. 10 shows shaft apparatus 41, 43, 44 of that kind in an elevator installation according to the present invention without the cross-sectional area thereof having to be enlarged. The shaft apparatus 41, 43, 44 are arranged in such a manner that safety spacings between the car and the wall (SW), the counterweight and the wall (SW) as well as the counterweight and the car (SKG) are not affected. The hanging cable 44 for supply of the car with electrical energy and/or signals is, in the illustrated example, arranged in the region of the car/shaft access 36, 7. The shaft lighting 41 is arranged in the region of the access at the shaft side, for example accommodated in the door post at the closure side, and the shaft cable 44 or the information transmitter 42 is arranged in a corner region of the shaft. The regions for arrangement of these apparatus are, in principle, exchangeable. It is obvious that also wireless transmission means can be used for transmission of energy or signals or from case to case apparatus can be arranged in the region of the guide rail or integrated in the rail itself.
A drive control unit or drive parts, such as a converter or an emergency control apparatus, is or are advantageously arranged in a region above an uppermost opening region of the car access space, or arranged in a region of an access, which is at the floor side, to the car or of a door frame region belonging to this access at the floor side.
With knowledge of the present invention the elevator expert can change and combine the set shapes and arrangements as desired. For example, a elevator installation with three car access regions can also be created in that the arrangement shown in FIG. 8 is combined with the arrangement according to FIG. 9 or a drive control for equipping the protective space 46, as explained in conjunction with FIG. 3, can be simultaneously used in order to furnish the temporary safety barrier 48 in the region of the lower shaft end. In addition, the shaft wall is usually solid masonry. It is obvious that the shaft wall or parts thereof can also be of glass or also designed to be open.
The invention is just as suitable for optimization of new elevator installations as for modernization of elevator installations, wherein, especially in the case of modernizations, a transport capacity can be increased by maximization of the cross-sectional area of the car.
In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, the present invention has been described in what is considered to represent its preferred embodiment. However, it should be noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope.
Patent Application
20080053756
