Patent Application
20190308848
Exemplary embodiments pertain to the art of elevator systems. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to inspection and maintenance of elevator system components.
In current, typical elevator systems, technicians or maintenance personnel often enter the hoistway above or underneath of the elevator car to access elevator system components in the hoistway or to perform maintenance in the hoistway, by entering the hoistway through a hoistway door. In order to protect the mechanics or technicians, etc., during those operations, codes and/or regulations have specified a safety volume and clearance for technicians entering the hoistway resulting in a larger overall volume of the elevator systems. Elevator system customers, however, desire that the elevator system occupy a smaller overall volume. Thus, new elevator systems are being developed in which many maintenance activities can be performed from inside the car, alleviating the need to provide such a safety volume in the pit and/or at a top of the hoistway.
In one embodiment, an elevator car includes a car body having a car floor, one or more car sidewalls, and a car ceiling. A movable floor panel is located at the car floor. The movable floor panel is configured to be moved between a stowed position and a raised position, such that access to an elevator system hoistway is gained via the movable floor panel in the raised positon.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments a scissor lift mechanism is operably connected to the movable floor panel to move the movable floor panel between the stowed position and the raised position.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments an actuating mechanism is operably connected to the scissor lift mechanism to drive movement of the scissor lift mechanism.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments movement of the movable floor panel between the stowed position and the raised position is controlled at a car operating panel of the elevator car.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments a sensor is located at the car floor and is configured to detect when the movable floor panel is not in the stowed position.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments a panel edge of the movable floor panel is set back a distance from the one or more car sidewalls.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments a movable ceiling panel provides access to a hoistway area above the elevator car.
In another embodiment, an elevator system includes a hoistway, and an elevator car located in the hoistway and movable along the hoistway. The elevator car includes a car body having a car floor, one or more car sidewalls, and a car ceiling. A movable floor panel is located at the car floor. The movable floor panel is configured to be moved between a stowed position and a raised position, such that access to the hoistway is gained via the movable floor panel in the raised positon.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments a scissor lift mechanism operably is connected to the movable floor panel to move the movable floor panel between the stowed position and the raised position.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments an actuating mechanism is operably connected to the scissor lift mechanism to drive movement of the scissor lift mechanism.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments movement of the movable floor panel between the stowed position and the raised position is controlled at a car operating panel of the elevator car.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments a sensor is located at the car floor and is configured to detect when the movable floor panel is not in the stowed position.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the elevator car is immobilized along the hoistway when the sensor detects that the movable floor panel is not in the stowed position.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments a panel edge of the movable floor panel is set back a distance from the one or more car sidewalls.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments a movable ceiling panel provides access to a hoistway area above the elevator car.
In yet another embodiment, a method of performing maintenance on an elevator system component includes moving an elevator car along a hoistway to a maintenance position, raising a movable floor panel of the elevator car from a stowed position to a raised position, accessing an elevator system component located in the hoistway outside of the elevator car through an opening in the elevator car via the movable floor panel located in the raised position, and performing maintenance on the component from inside of the elevator car.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the movable floor panel is raised via a scissor lift mechanism operably connected to the movable floor panel.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the elevator car is immobilized along the hoistway when the movable floor platform is not in the stowed position.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments a pit area of the hoistway below the elevator car is accessed from inside the elevator car when the movable floor panel is in the raised position.
The following descriptions should not be considered limiting in any way. With reference to the accompanying drawings, like elements are numbered alike:
A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the disclosed apparatus and method are presented herein by way of exemplification and not limitation with reference to the Figures.
Shown in
The elevator system 10 further includes one or more guide rails 28 to guide the elevator car 12 along the hoistway 14. The elevator car 12 includes one or more guide shoes or rollers 30 interactive with the guide rails 28 to guide the elevator car 12. The elevator car 12 also may include safeties 32 interactive with the guide rail 28 to slow and/or stop motion of the elevator car 12 under certain conditions, such as an overspeed condition.
The hoistway 14 includes one or more landing floors 34 at which the elevator car 12 stops to allow ingress and/or egress of passengers from the elevator car 12 through elevator car doors (not shown). A landing floor door 36 is located at each landing floor 34 of the hoistway 14. During elevator system operation, the landing floor door 36 opens when the elevator car 12 is present at the landing floor 34 to allow for passenger ingress and/or egress.
Referring now to
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In some embodiments, such as shown, the floor panel 44 is movable via a scissor lift 54 operably connected to the car floor 38 and the floor panel 44. The scissor lift 54 may utilize a drive mechanism, such as an electromechanical actuator 56 to raise and/or lower the floor panel 44 relative to the car floor 38. It is to be appreciated, however, that in other embodiments the scissor lift 54 may be actuated by other mechanisms, such as a hand crank. Further, mechanisms other than the scissor lift 54 may be utilized to raise and/or lower the floor panel 44.
The electromechanical actuator 56 is connected to a car operating panel 58 of the elevator car 12 so the technician may raise and/or lower the floor panel 44 by activating switch or button, for example, on the car operating panel 58. It is to be appreciated that in other embodiments the electromechanical actuator 56 may be operated by other means. During times when the floor panel 44 is in the raised position, movement of the elevator car 12 along the hoistway 14 may be disabled. For example, a shutoff sensor 60 may be located at the floor panel 44 to detect when the floor panel 44 is in any position other than the stowed position. The shutoff sensor 60 is operably connected to the car operating panel 58 and/or an elevator system controller 62 so that the elevator car 12 cannot be driven along the hoistway 14 when the floor panel 44 is not in the stowed position.
The term “about” is intended to include the degree of error associated with measurement of the particular quantity based upon the equipment available at the time of filing the application.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, element components, and/or groups thereof.
While the present disclosure has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment or embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the present disclosure without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the present disclosure not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this present disclosure, but that the present disclosure will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims.
