The embodiments herein relate to elevator systems and, more particularly, to a sound reducing assembly for such elevator systems, as well as a method of reducing sound in an elevator system.
Elevator systems include an elevator car, a counterweight and a tension member (e.g., rope, belt, cable, etc.) that connects the hoisted structure and the counterweight. During operation, the elevator car and the counterweight pass each other in an elevator shaft. During this passage, a turbulent airflow is generated which leads to noise and/or vibration that are detected by passengers within the elevator car. This undesirable aspect is often referred to as “bypass noise.”
Efforts to reduce bypass noise have included the use of counterweight shrouds, for example, which are coupled to the counterweight and move therewith. Shrouds require a streamlined and aerodynamic design, thereby leading to a high manufacturing cost. In addition to the costliness noted above, bypass noise is still typically present to some degree with the use of shrouds. It would be desirable for elevator system manufacturers and operators to reduce or eliminate bypass noise.
According to one embodiment, an elevator system sound reducing assembly includes an elevator car moveably disposed in an elevator shaft. Also included is a counterweight moveably disposed in the elevator shaft, the counterweight operatively coupled to and guided along a counterweight frame. Further included is a barrier located at a height of the elevator shaft that corresponds to passage of the elevator car and the counterweight relative to each other, the barrier disposed between the counterweight and the elevator car upon passage of the elevator car and the counterweight.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include that the barrier is operatively coupled to the counterweight frame.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include that the barrier is directly coupled to the counterweight frame.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include that the elevator car comprises a car height, the counterweight comprises a counterweight height, and the barrier comprises a minimum barrier height of at least half of the difference of the car height and the counterweight height.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include that the minimum barrier height is at least half of the difference of the car height and the counterweight height plus a tolerance dimension.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include that the barrier comprises a maximum barrier height of less than or equal to half of the sum of the car height and the counterweight height.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include that the maximum barrier height is at least half of the sum of the car height and the counterweight height plus a tolerance dimension.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include that the barrier comprises a dampening material.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include that the barrier comprises a sound absorbing material.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include that the barrier is at least partially formed of sheet metal.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include that the barrier comprises a planar main region, a first end region and a second end region, at least one of the end regions being oriented at an angle from the planar main region.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include that the angle ranges from 30 degrees to 150 degrees.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include that the at least one end region is angled toward the counterweight.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include that at least one of the end regions comprises a plurality of apertures.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include that the end regions each comprise one of a rectangular geometry and a triangular geometry.
According to one embodiment, a method of reducing sound in an elevator system is provided. The method includes translating an elevator car within an elevator shaft. The method also includes translating a counterweight within the elevator shaft along a counterweight frame that the counterweight is operatively coupled to. The method further includes operatively coupling a barrier to the counterweight frame at a height of the elevator shaft that prevents an exposed passage of the elevator car and the counterweight, wherein the barrier height ranges from a minimum height of half of the difference between a car height and a counterweight height to a maximum height of half of the sum of the car height and the counterweight height plus a tolerance dimension.
The subject matter which is regarded as the disclosure is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other features and advantages of the disclosure are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
Referring to
A counterweight 24 is also disposed within the elevator shaft 14 and is moveable therein. The counterweight 24 moves in a direction that opposes the elevator car 16 during operation of the system to provide a balancing force for the elevator system 10. As shown, a certain region of the elevator shaft 14 is a bypass region where at least a portion of the elevator car 16 and the counterweight 24 are located at the same height in the elevator shaft 14. Overlapping travel of these components results in generation of a turbulent airflow which leads to noise and/or vibration detected by passengers within the elevator car 16. This undesirable aspect is often referred to as “bypass noise.” To reduce or eliminate bypass noise, the embodiments described herein incorporate a barrier 30 that is located in the bypass region and between the elevator car 16 and the counterweight 24 during passage of the components within the bypass region. As will be appreciated from the description herein, the barrier 30 is dimensioned and shaped to avoid a direct and unimpeded sight line between the elevator car 16 and the counterweight 24. While the barrier 30 is primarily described below as being operatively coupled to the counterweight 24, it is to be understood that some embodiments include the barrier 30 being operatively coupled to a different structural feature. For example, the barrier 30 may be coupled to the elevator car, an elevator guide rail structure, a suspension, etc. As will be appreciated from the description herein, regardless of the structural feature that the barrier 30 is coupled to, the barrier is located between the counterweight 24 and the elevator car 16 during passage of the structures within the elevator shaft.
Referring now to
The barrier 30 comprises a barrier height 34 and a barrier width 36. The barrier width 36 is equal to or greater than the horizontal distance between two counter weight frames to completely block potential paths of the components during movement through the bypass region. The height of the barrier 30 will be discussed in detail below.
Referring to
The barrier height 34 is sized to ensure the above-described condition. In particular, the barrier height 34 ranges from minimum barrier height to a maximum barrier height. The maximum height of the barrier 30 is defined in a manner that the enables the barrier to reach the maximum performance of bypass noise reduction while minimizing material cost. However, it is to be understood that the height of barrier may be longer than the above defined maximum height of the barrier if the cost of material is not an issue. In one embodiment, the minimum barrier height is at least half of the difference of the elevator car height and the counterweight height and is represented by the following equation:
where Hb=height of the barrier 30, Hcar=height of the elevator car 16, and Hcwt=height of the counterweight 24.
In another embodiment, the minimum barrier height includes a tolerance dimension and is represented by the following equation:
where Δ is a tolerance dimension.
The tolerance dimension Δ may correspond to an angled end region of the barrier 30. The barrier 30 includes a first end region 42 and a second end region 44 that are on opposite ends of a planar region 46. The first and second end regions 42, 44 may be of the same or distinct dimensions and/or geometries. In the illustrated embodiment of
In the illustrated embodiments, the first and second end regions 42, 44 are angled toward the counterweight 24, but it is to be understood that angling toward the elevator car 16 is contemplated. The extent of angling of the first and second end regions 42, 44 may vary depending upon the particular application. In one embodiment, the angle ∂ ranges from about 30 degrees to about 150 degrees.
Returning to the height ranges of the barrier 30, in one embodiment the maximum height of the barrier 30 is less than or equal to about half of the sum of the elevator car height and the counterweight height and is represented by the following equation:
In another embodiment, the tolerance dimension A is factored into the maximum height of the barrier 30 and is represented by the following equation:
To reiterate, it is to be understood that the height of barrier may be longer than the above defined maximum height if the cost of material is not an issue.
The position, dimensions and geometry of the barrier 30 advantageously reduce or eliminate bypass noise felt by passengers in the elevator car 16. The benefits of the embodiments described herein include the bypass noise reduction, as well as cost savings over alternative sound reducing assemblies. In particular, the barrier 30 has a low manufacturing cost associated with it and a low assembly cost, when compared to alternative assemblies, such as a shroud, for example.
While the disclosure has been described in detail in connection with only a limited number of embodiments, it should be readily understood that the disclosure is not limited to such disclosed embodiments. Rather, the disclosure can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are commensurate with the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Additionally, while various embodiments of the disclosure have been described, it is to be understood that aspects of the disclosure may include only some of the described embodiments. Accordingly, the disclosure is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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201510408568.1 | Jul 2015 | CN | national |