Patent Application
20060180402
The present invention relates to an installation with a belt-like drive means.
Such installations are typically elevator installations which are equipped with so-termed hanging cables in order to supply an elevator car with current or in order to transmit signals between the elevator car and a control. Disturbances can occur in such elevator installations when the cables are damaged. Moreover, provision and mounting of the cables is complicated in some circumstances. Hanging cables are also used in other installations, such as, for example, crane installations and the like.
According to German Patent Specification DE 10232965 there is recently a move towards replacing hanging cables in that use is made of drive means which have integrated conductors. In that case, however, contact-making with the integrated conductors is difficult, since the current transfer has to be carried out from a stationary location to the conductors embedded in the drive means, while the drive means are moving past this stationary location. In the above-identified patent specification it is therefore proposed to modify the drive pulley of an elevator installation and provide it with contacts. Use is made of a special cogged belt having conductors accessible between the teeth of the cogged belt. During running around the drive pulley, contact locations at the tooth tips of the drive pulley punctiformly engage the conductors in the region of the tooth gaps of the cogged belt.
A disadvantage of this approach is that it can be used only in the case of cogged belts. A further disadvantage is that the drive pulley, which is already a complex and costly component of an elevator installation, is still more complex due to the mounting of the contacts. Moreover, the drive pulley has a central role concerning the safety of an elevator. In practice, therefore, there has rather been a tendency against modification of a drive pulley. Intervention in the region of the tooth gaps leads to weakening of the cogged belt and in the worst case can even impair the load-bearing capability of the belt.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to offer a reliable and simple installation as well as a method enabling transmission of energy and/or signals by way of different kinds of belt-like drive means. It is regarded as a further object of the present invention that the assembly of such an installation shall be simplified and able to be carried out without problems. A further object resides in providing an economic solution for energy and signal transmission in such an installation.
The present invention substantially consists in that in the case of an installation with a belt-like drive means, which is driven by a drive pulley and has at least one electrically conductive element for transmission of signals and/or energy—the element extending in a longitudinal direction of the drive means and a contact means being provided to produce contact with at least one electrically conductive element in a region of the drive means which in operation of the installation moves—the force transmission from the drive pulley to the belt-like drive means is carried out by a friction couple.
An installation according to the present invention has the following advantages:
The use of belt-like drive means, which are driven by drive pulleys by means of friction couple, permits a predeterminable limitation of the maximum arising traction force by selection of the friction materials and the looping angle at the drive pulley. In installations in which the possibility exists of the object moved by the drive means being blocked, damage and risks to persons can thereby be avoided.
In elevator installations the friction-locking transmission of traction force to the drive means has the effect that, for example, the elevator car is no longer raised when the counterweight in the case of a control failure moves onto its lower travel limitation, whereby a safety risk is eliminated. It is thus also achieved that the drive unit is not abruptly stopped if the car or the counterweight moves onto its travel limitation, whereby overloads of the entire drive are avoided.
Belt-like drive means, which are driven by friction couple by drive pulleys, are generally simpler and more economic to produce than cogged belts.
In the case of, for example, elevator installations the use of drive means, acting by friction couple, with integrated electrical conductors instead of a toothed drive means makes it possible to dispense with installing a hanging cable for transmission of energy and/or signals. Costs for the material outlay are thereby reduced and the assembly of the installation simplified. Moreover, problems which can arise due to unguided suspension cables, which are therefore susceptible to oscillation, are eliminated.
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:
A first embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in
Considered from the counterweight 14, the belt drive comprises the counterweight rollers 11, the drive pulley 15 and the car support rollers 17.1. These rollers are termed guide rollers, since they guide the drive means 12.1, 12.2.
The drive pulley 15, in particular, is mechanically loaded, since here the belt-like drive means 12.1, 12.2 are driven by the drive pulley 15 in order to move the elevator car 13.
According to the present invention at least one of the drive means 12.1, 12.2 comprises at least one electrically conductive element for transmission of signals and/or energy. This transmission can be carried out, for example, from a stationary connecting location 20.2 in the region of the drive means fixing points 19 in the elevator shaft in the region of the drive means end to the elevator car 13 or in an opposite direction. For this purpose the electrically conductive element extends along a longitudinal direction of the drive means 12.1, 12.2. Provided at the elevator car 13 in the region of the drive means 12.1, 12.2 are contact means 20.1 past which at least one of the drive means 12.1, 12.2 moves. A (longitudinal) groove extending parallel to the longitudinal direction of the drive means 12.1, 12.2 is provided at the drive means 12.1, 12.2 with an electrically conductive element. This groove is designed so that it enables the special contact means 20.1 access to the electrically conductive element.
The contact means 20.1 are so constructed and, with respect to at least one of the drive means 12.1, 12.2, so arranged that when the elevator car 13 is moving these drive means 12.1, 12.2 run past the contact means 20.1. In that case the contact means 20.1 produce a permanent contact with the electrically conductive element. In the case of the form of embodiment shown in
A further or second embodiment of the present invention is now described in connection with
At least one groove, which extends parallel to the longitudinal direction of the drive means 32, is provided at the drive means 32. The groove is so formed that it enables access of the contact means 40.2 to the at least one electrically conductive element. The contact means 40.2 are so constructed and, with respect to the drive means 32, so arranged that when the elevator car 33 is moving the drive means 32 run past the contact means 40.2. In that case the contact means 40.2 produce a permanent contact with the at least one electrically conductive element.
In the illustrated form of embodiment a counterweight 34 is fastened by way of fastening means 34.1 to one end of the drive means 32. The elevator car 33 is fastened to the other end of the drive means 32. Considered from the counterweight 34, the drive means 32 loops around the drive pulley 35.1, which can be set in rotation by the drive unit 36. From there, the drive means 32 runs to the elevator car 33. In the illustrated example, the contact means 40.2 are constructed as a presser roller. The presser roller 40.2 is so arranged that it exerts a light pressure on the drive means 32 running past. In the present example the pressure roller 40.2 is seated adjacent to the drive pulley.
Energy, for example, can be fed to the elevator car 33 by way of the contact means 40.2. For this purpose electrical contacts 40.1 which produce permanent electrical connections between the electrical conductors of the drive means and an energy consuming system of the elevator car are preferably provided in the region of the car.
It is regarded as a significant advantage of the present invention that the contact means can be positioned at different locations in an elevator installation. Thus, the stationary location of the contact means can be so selected that it is as favorable as possible for the feed and/or removal of signals and/or energy. Thus, the contact means can, for example, be arranged in the immediate vicinity of the elevator control. Moreover, for example, the contact means can be arranged at locations where they are contaminated as little as possible.
It is even possible to retrofit an existing elevator installation in that a conventional drive means is replaced by a drive means according to the present invention and a contact means is arranged in a region of the drive means which is accessible in every position of the elevator car.
Details of the present invention are explained in the following, wherein reference is made to the figures so far as necessary. The aspects of the present invention which are dealt with can, insofar as not otherwise explicitly mentioned, be used not only in connection with the form of embodiment shown in
In
As belt-like drive means there is denoted, in the present context, a drive means which has a longitudinal direction and a substantially rectangular cross-section and is flexible in itself. Cited as typical examples are the flat belt (cf.
A section through a wedge-rib belt 40 is shown in
According to the embodiment of the present invention shown in
The electrical conductors 47 in the drive means can have any cross-sectional shapes, wherein round or oval cross-sections are preferred. Preferably use is made of conductors which form wire cables produced from fine wires and comprise several strands. Copper alloys with strength characteristics optimized for this application are particularly suitable as wire material.
The electrical conductors can also be metal strips consisting of, for example, spring bronze.
Advantageously the electrical conductors in the case of production of the belt-like drive means are integrated therein. In the case of a preferred production method the electrical conductors go into the drive means in that they—in common with tensile carriers—are embedded in the belt casing during production thereof by means of extrusion. The requisite longitudinal grooves are produced in the same extrusion process.
The electrical conductors in the drive means can also be realized by plating flexible foils of copper alloys, wherein the foils are fixed, for example, by gluing on the rear side of the drive means or at the base of longitudinal grooves in the drive means. In that case the foils should preferably be arranged in the region of the neutral zone of the flexible drive means.
The embodiment shown in
Such a wedge-rib belt can advantageously be used as a friction-locking (adhesion-locking) traction element. The wedge-rib belt enables, in the case of similar running characteristics as a flat belt, a higher cable force ratio by virtue of its shape. A further advantage of the wedge-rib belt is that it is self-centering. Moreover, a wedge-rib belt runs much more quietly than, for example, a cogged belt.
The belt-shaped drive means can, according to the present invention, be equipped with tensile carriers in the form of metallic (for example, steel or copper strands) or non-metallic strands (for example, aramid strands), chemical fibers P.B.O. (called Zylon, a trademark of Toyo Boseki Kabushiki Kaisha, Ta Toyobo Co., Ltd. of Japan) or the like in order to impart an additional tensile strength and/or longitudinal strength to the drive means.
The electrically conductive elements present in the drive means according to the present invention serve for transmission of electrical energy and/or for transmission of signals (analog and/or digital), for example from a stationary location to an elevator car or to a counterweight.
Thus, for example, an energy consuming system in the elevator car, for example the lighting or a fan, can be supplied with power by way of the drive means and the conductors thereof. Such an electrical connection can also serve the purpose of supplying power to an elevator drive arranged in an elevator counterweight or electrically activating a safety brake device mounted thereat. The energy source can, for example, be seated at a suitable location in the elevator shaft. It is conceivable that an electrical conductor in the drive means conducts a positive voltage to the consuming system in the elevator car, wherein the ground path is produced at the elevator car by way of a guide rail of the elevator car.
The drive means with electrical conductors can, however, also be used for signal transmission. Thus, for example, a request call or an emergency call of the elevator car can be passed by way of the electrical conductors of the drive means to a control in the elevator shaft. For this purpose, for example, a form of bus connection between the elevator car and a control or a computer can be realized by way of the drive means.
In a ‘hybrid version’ not only the energy supply, but also the signal transmission can be carried out by way of conductors of the drive means. Thus, for example, in order to reduce the number of necessary conductors the signals to be transmitted can be modulated on the energy-conducting conductors. Thus, for example, in the case of suitable wiring not only the elevator car can be supplied with energy, but also the communication between elevator car and control can be managed.
The tensile carriers, thus present, can be recognized in
In
A further embodiment of an installation according to the present invention with a drive means 80 and a contact means 81, which comprises a presser roller 83, is shown in
As schematically indicated in
A form of the embodiment in which a minimum looping angle is present between the drive means 80 and the contact discs 84 is particularly preferred, for example a looping angle of more than three degrees, in order to thereby obtain a largest possible contact area.
The contact means 81 preferably comprise a housing 82 in order to offer protection against unintended contact with voltage-conducting parts and against contamination.
In the illustrated embodiment three wiper contacts 85.3, which produce an electrically conductive connection with the individual contact discs 84, are provided above the presser roller 83. The wiper contacts 85.3 are connected by way of cables 85.2 with a plug contact 85.1 or the like. The three wiper contacts 85.3 are seated on a rail 85 of insulating construction. A connection, for example with the elevator control, can be produced by way of the plug contact 85.1.
A further embodiment of the present invention is shown in
A contact means 91 is shown, which comprises a presser roller 93 and produces contact with respect to electrical conductors 97 embedded in a drive means 90. The drive means 90 is a wedge-ribbed belt 90 which has four ribs and three rib intermediate spaces as well as a number of tensile carriers 98. In the illustrated example the belt front side runs around the presser roller 93 and the presser roller 93 is appropriately structured at its circumference.
In the illustrated example three (longitudinal) grooves (not recognizable in
As schematically indicated, the presser roller 93 is also a rotatably mounted roller with a rotational axis 93.1 and there results a situation in which a permanent, non-wiping connection arises between the contact discs 94 and the conductors 97.
An embodiment is particularly preferred in which, as apparent from
The contact means 91 preferably comprise a housing 92 in order to provide protection against unintended contact with voltage-conducting parts and against contamination. Also illustrated are three wiper contacts 95.3, which produce an electrically conductive connection with the individual contact discs 94. The wiper contacts 95.3 are connected by way of cables 95.2 with a plug contact 95.1 or the like, and are seated on a rail 95 of insulating construction.
Another embodiment of the present invention is shown in
A contact means 101 is shown, which comprises a presser roller 103 and produces a contact with respect to a drive means 100. The drive means 100 is a flat belt. Three electrical conductors 107 and four tensile carriers 108 are provided in the belt 100. The belt 100 comes into contact, at one side, with contact discs 104 of the presser roller 103. These contact discs 104 engage in the (longitudinal) grooves and produce an electrically conductive contact with respect to the conductors 107.
As schematically indicated the presser roller 103 is also a rotatably mounted roller (wherein this roller is mounted in different manner than in the previous cases) with a rotational axis 103.1, and a situation results in which a permanent, non-wiping connection arises between the contact discs 104 and the conductors 107. Three wiper rings 105.4 are provided at one of the end surfaces of the presser roller 103. Wiper contacts 105.3 are axially pressed against these wiper rings 105.4 in order to produce a contact between the individual contact disc 104 and a plug connection 105.1. Cables 105.2, for example, can be provided between the wiper contacts 105.3 and the plug connection 105.1.
An embodiment in which, as apparent from
The contact means 101 preferably comprises a housing 102 in order to offer protection against unintended contact with voltage-conducting parts and against contamination.
In further embodiments, which are schematically indicated in
In
A current cable 157.2 leads from a terminal box 157.1, which box is installed in the shaft head, to the first fixing point 158 of the supporting and driving means. At this fixing point the electrical conductors of the current cable 157.2 are statically connected with the electrical conductors present in or at the supporting and driving means 152. A contact means 151, the construction of which corresponds with, for example, one of the contact means 91, 101 illustrated in
A current cable 167.2 leads from a terminal box 167.1 installed in a shaft head to the second fixing point 169 of the supporting and driving means 162. The electrical conductors of the current cable 167.2 are statically connected at this fixing point with the electrical conductors present in or at the supporting and drive means. A contact means 161, the construction of which corresponds with, for example, one of the contact means 81, 101 illustrated in
In the case of the elevator installations illustrated in
As described in the foregoing, the various belt-like drive means have a front side and a rear side. Particularly preferred are those embodiments in which the groove is disposed on the rear side of the drive means (see, for example,
The contact means according to the present invention can have a wiping contact element which engages in a groove at the drive means. Examples of that are shown in
Embodiments enabling a non-wiping contact are particularly preferred. An example of that is shown in
The contact means are preferably rotatably mounted in such a manner that they are set in rotation by contact with the drive means. So-termed co-running contact means are thus concerned in this case.
In connection with
Tests have shown that between the contact means and the electrically conductive element there should be ensured a contact region which has a length “A” of at least five millimeters parallel to the longitudinal direction of the drive means (see, for example,
The present invention can be offered as a retrofit kit, the mounting of which is simple.
The present invention can also be realized in combination with a conventional hanging cable.
The present invention can also be supplemented or extended by communication means operating in a wire-free manner. Thus, for example, the energy supply of the elevator car can be effected by way of the drive means and the signal transmission from the car to the elevator control take place by way of infrared or RF (Radio Frequency).
The present invention can also be used in elevator installations in which more than only one elevator car are moved, for example, in elevator installations in which two elevator cars hang at the same supporting and driving means and mutually serve as balancing weight.
Advantageously those rollers of the elevator installation which belong to the belt guide and to the drive are not used for the supply or derivation of signals and/or energy. The electrically effective elements are separately constructed and specially optimized, whereby safety and cost advantages are achieved.
In order to protect persons against risk due to current-conducting conductors in or at the belt-like drive means, two possibilities are given:
The electrical conductors are so embedded in the drive means that on contact with the drive means no risk arises. In that case they are accessible only by way of a narrow groove.
As already mentioned in connection with
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.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 04106977.4 | Dec 2004 | EP | regional |
