This Application claims priority from a Patent application filed in India having Patent Application No. 202141037314, filed on Aug. 17, 2021, and titled “A STRUCTURE FOR A GUIDE PILLAR SYSTEM OF A PNEUMATIC VACUUM ELEVATOR” and a PCT Application No. PCT/IB2021/059114 filed on Oct. 5, 2021, and titled “A STRUCTURE FOR A GUIDE PILLAR SYSTEM OF A PNEUMATIC VACUUM ELEVATOR”.
Embodiments of a present disclosure relate to guide rails of a pneumatic vacuum elevator, and more particularly to a structure for a guide pillar system of the pneumatic vacuum elevator.
An elevator is a platform or compartment contained in a shaft that is used to raise and lower persons or objects to various levels. Hydraulic elevators, traction elevators, machine-room-less elevators, vacuum pneumatic elevators, shaftless elevators, and others are types of elevators. Various elevators, in general, operate according to different principles. Also, conventionally, different elevators possess different structures for guide rails.
The pneumatic vacuum elevator is one of the many forms of elevators that utilizes air pressure to move a cabin inside a corridor or tubular cylinder that uses air as a working fluid on the cabin's limits. Pneumatic vacuum elevators are commonly employed in countervailing weights to allow the cabin to go up and down between different levels or floors at different heights within the vertical passageways of office buildings, hospitals, industries, and other structures.
Pneumatic vacuum elevators are also provided with the guide rails. However, because the construction of such guide rails is complex, the production process is both hard and time-consuming. Furthermore, due to the intricacy of the structure, such guide rails need extensive maintenance, resulting in a significant maintenance expense. Moreover, such guide rails are heavy, adding weight to the pneumatic vacuum elevators and complicating the installation procedure.
Hence, there is a need for an improved structure for a guide pillar system of a pneumatic vacuum elevator which addresses the aforementioned issues.
In accordance with one embodiment of the disclosure, a structure for a guide pillar system of a pneumatic vacuum elevator is provided. The structure includes a central hollow pillar section positioned in an external cylinder of the pneumatic vacuum elevator. The central hollow pillar section includes at least four sides including a first side, a second side, a third side, and a fourth side. The central hollow pillar section also includes at least three grooved rib profiles adapted to mechanically couple the central hollow pillar section to one or more elevator components using a screwing mechanism. Each of the at least three grooved rib profiles are attached to an inner surface of the first side, the second side, and the third side. The structure also includes at least two curved sections positioned at a first predefined portion of an outer surface of the first side and the third side. Each of the at least two curved sections are adapted to provide structural integrity and one or more radius edges to the fourth side of the central hollow pillar section.
In accordance with another embodiment, a structure for a guide pillar system of a pneumatic vacuum elevator is provided. The structure includes a central hollow pillar section positioned in an external cylinder of the pneumatic vacuum elevator. The central hollow pillar section includes at least four sides including a first side, a second side, a third side, and a fourth side. The central hollow pillar section also includes at least three grooved rib profiles adapted to mechanically couple the central hollow pillar section to one or more elevator components using a screwing mechanism. Each of the at least three grooved rib profiles are attached to an inner surface of the first side, the second side, and the third side. The structure also includes at least one curved section positioned at a first predefined portion of an outer surface of the first side or the third side. The at least one curved section is adapted to provide structural integrity and a radius edge to a first edge of the fourth side of the central hollow pillar section. The fourth side includes a second edge, wherein the second edge is adapted to receive an elevator door of the external cylinder of the elevator.
In accordance with yet another embodiment, a pneumatic vacuum elevator with a structure for a guide pillar system. The pneumatic vacuum elevator includes an elevator cabin adapted to carry a passenger for transiting across one or more floors of a building. The pneumatic vacuum elevator also includes an external cylinder positioned concentrically to the elevator cabin externally. The external cylinder includes an elevator door adapted to allow entry and exit of the passenger corresponding to the elevator cabin. Further, the pneumatic vacuum elevator also includes the structure for the guide pillar system mechanically coupled to the elevator cabin. The structure includes a central hollow pillar section positioned in the external cylinder of the pneumatic vacuum elevator. The central hollow pillar section includes at least four sides including a first side, a second side, a third side, and a fourth side. The central hollow pillar section also includes at least three grooved rib profiles adapted to mechanically couple the central hollow pillar section to one or more elevator components using a screwing mechanism. Each of the at least three grooved rib profiles are attached to an inner surface of the first side, the second side, and the third side. The structure also includes at least one curved section positioned at a first predefined portion of an outer surface of the first side or the third side. The at least one curved section is adapted to provide structural integrity and a radius edge to a first edge of the fourth side of the central hollow pillar section. The fourth side includes a second edge, wherein the second edge is adapted to receive an elevator door of the external cylinder of the pneumatic vacuum elevator.
To further clarify the advantages and features of the present disclosure, a more particular description of the disclosure will follow by reference to specific embodiments thereof, which are illustrated in the appended figures. It is to be appreciated that these figures depict only typical embodiments of the disclosure and are therefore not to be considered limiting in scope. The disclosure will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail with the appended figures.
The disclosure will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail with the accompanying figures in which:
Further, those skilled in the art will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and may not have necessarily been drawn to scale. Furthermore, in terms of the construction of the device, one or more components of the device may have been represented in the figures by conventional symbols, and the figures may show only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present disclosure so as not to obscure the figures with details that will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of the description herein.
For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the disclosure, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the figures and specific language will be used to describe them. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the disclosure is thereby intended. Such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated system, and such further applications of the principles of the disclosure as would normally occur to those skilled in the art are to be construed as being within the scope of the present disclosure.
The terms “comprises”, “comprising”, or any other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process or method that comprises a list of steps does not include only those steps but may include other steps not expressly listed or inherent to such a process or method. Similarly, one or more devices or sub-systems or elements or structures or components preceded by “comprises . . . a” does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of other devices, sub-systems, elements, structures, components, additional devices, additional sub-systems, additional elements, additional structures or additional components. Appearances of the phrase “in an embodiment”, “in another embodiment” and similar language throughout this specification may, but not necessarily do, all refer to the same embodiment.
Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this disclosure belongs. The system, methods, and examples provided herein are only illustrative and not intended to be limiting.
In the following specification and the claims, reference will be made to a number of terms, which shall be defined to have the following meanings. The singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a structure for a guide pillar system of a pneumatic vacuum elevator. As used herein, the term “guide pillar system” is defined as a system that offers a path for an elevator to ascend and descend. The guide pillar system also allows for the safe and precise movement of an elevator cabin and counterweight. Further, as used herein, the term “pneumatic vacuum elevator” is defined as an elevator that uses air pressure to cause the motion of a cabin within a thoroughfare or tubular cylinder that uses the air within it as a working fluid upon the confines of the cabin. In one embodiment, the pneumatic vacuum elevator may include one or more guide pillar systems. Furthermore, the structure described hereafter in
In one embodiment, the one or more elevator components may include at least one of a base ring, a band ring, a top of the external cylinder, a bottom of the external cylinder, and the like. Also, as used herein, the term “screwing mechanism” is defined as a mechanism that involves fixing one or more parts with each other using one or more mechanical coupling means. In one embodiment, the one or more mechanical coupling means may include at least one of one or more screws, one or more bolts, one or more nuts, and the like.
The structure 10 also includes at least two curved sections 80 positioned at a first predefined portion of an outer surface of the first side 30 and the third side 50. Each of the at least two curved sections 80 are adapted to provide structural integrity and one or more radius edges to the fourth side 60 of the central hollow pillar section 20.
In one exemplary embodiment, the structure 10 may also include a rail section 90 extruded at an outer surface of the second side 40. The rail section 90 may be adapted to hold an elevator cabin upon mechanically coupling the rail section 90 with a predefined groove (as shown in
Further, in one embodiment, the structure 10 may also include at least two single lip channeled sections 100 positioned at a second predefined portion of the outer surface of the first side 30 and the third side 50. Each of the at least two single lip channeled sections 100 may include a first wall 110 and a second wall 120. Each of the at least two single lip channeled sections 100 may be adapted to receive and support a covering sheet of the external cylinder of the pneumatic vacuum elevator at the first wall 110. In one embodiment, the covering sheet may be transparent, translucent, colored, or the like. In one exemplary embodiment, the covering sheet may include a polycarbonate sheet. Each of the at least two single lip channeled sections 100 may also be adapted to receive and support a rubber beading at the second wall 120.
In one exemplary embodiment, the at least two single lip channeled sections 100 may possess a lip-like structure 130 on the second wall 120. In one embodiment, the lip-like structure 130 may have a cuboid shape and be perpendicular to the second wall 120. In such embodiment, the lip-like structure 130 may appear rectangular in the cross-section view or a top view of the guide pillar system. In another embodiment, the lip-like structure 130 may have a tetrahedron shape, a triangular prism shape, or the like. In such embodiment, the lip-like structure 130 may appear triangular in the cross-section view or the top view of the guide pillar system.
The structure 10 also includes at least one curved section 200 positioned at a first predefined portion of an outer surface of the first side 30 or the third side 50. The at least one curved section 200 is adapted to provide structural integrity and a radius edge to a first edge of the fourth side 60 of the central hollow pillar section 20. The fourth side 60 includes a second edge, wherein the second edge is adapted to receive the elevator door of the external cylinder 135 of the pneumatic vacuum elevator.
In one exemplary embodiment, the structure 10 may also include at least one projection 210 positioned on the outer surface of the first side 30 when the at least one curved section 200 is positioned on the third side 50 or the third side 50 when the at least one curved section 200 is positioned on the first side 30. The at least one projection 210 may be adapted to lock the elevator door upon receiving the elevator door at the second edge of the fourth side 60 of the central hollow pillar section 20.
In addition, in one exemplary embodiment, the structure 10 may also include the rail section 90 extruded at the outer surface of the second side 40. The rail section 90 may be adapted to hold the elevator cabin 140 upon mechanically coupling the rail section 90 with the predefined groove 150 on the elevator cabin 140 via the one or more coupling components. The rail section 9X) may also be adapted to guide the elevator cabin 140 in the upward direction and the downward direction based on the predefined criteria.
Subsequently, in an embodiment, the structure 10 may also include at least one single lip channeled section 220 positioned at the second predefined portion of the outer surface of the first side 30 when the at least one curved section 200 is positioned on the third side 50 or the third side 50 when the at least one curved section 200 is positioned on the first side 30. The at least one single lip channeled section 220 may include the first wall 110 and the second wall 120. The at least one single lip channeled section 220 may be adapted to receive and support the covering sheet 190 of the external cylinder 135 of the pneumatic vacuum elevator at the first wall 110. The at least one single lip channeled section 220 may also be adapted to receive and support the rubber beading 180 at the second wall 120.
Further, the pneumatic vacuum elevator 280 also includes the structure 10 for the guide pillar system mechanically coupled to the elevator cabin 140. The structure 10 includes the central hollow pillar section 20 positioned in the external cylinder 135 of the pneumatic vacuum elevator 280. The central hollow pillar section 20 includes the at least four sides including the first side 30, the second side 40, the third side 50, and the fourth side 60. The central hollow pillar section 20 also includes the at least three grooved rib profiles 70 adapted to mechanically couple the central hollow pillar section 20 to the one or more elevator components using the screwing mechanism. Each of the at least three grooved rib profiles 70 is attached to the inner surface of the first side 30, the second side 40, and the third side 50. The structure 10 also includes the at least one curved section 200 positioned at the first predefined portion of the outer surface of the first side 30 or the third side 50. The at least one curved section 200 is adapted to provide structural integrity and the radius edge to the first edge of the fourth side 60 of the central hollow pillar section 20. The fourth side 60 includes the second edge, wherein the second edge is adapted to receive the elevator door 240 of the external cylinder 135 of the pneumatic vacuum elevator 280.
Various embodiments of the present disclosure enable construction or assembling of the pneumatic vacuum elevator easier, as the construction of the guide pillar system is easy because of the structure of the corresponding guide rail system. Also, the structure requires low maintenance, as irregular shaping, welding process, and manual cutting process is avoided because of usage of the aluminum extrusion mechanism. Also, the structure enhances an aesthetic view of the pneumatic vacuum elevator, thereby making the structure a most preferable one. Further, the structure also provides lightweight to the guide pillar system, easing the handling process while installation and loading-unloading process.
While specific language has been used to describe the disclosure, any limitations arising on account of the same are not intended. As would be apparent to a person skilled in the art, various working modifications may be made to the method in order to implement the inventive concept as taught herein.
The figures and the foregoing description give examples of embodiments. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that one or more of the described elements may well be combined into a single functional element. Alternatively, certain elements may be split into multiple functional elements. Elements from one embodiment may be added to another embodiment. For example, order of processes described herein may be changed and are not limited to the manner described herein. Moreover, the actions of any flow diagram need not be implemented in the order shown; nor do all of the acts need to be necessarily performed. Also, those acts that are not dependent on other acts may be performed in parallel with the other acts. The scope of embodiments is by no means limited by these specific examples.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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202141037314 | Aug 2021 | IN | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/IB2021/059114 | 10/5/2021 | WO |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
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WO2023/021322 | 2/23/2023 | WO | A |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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11414302 | De Ledebur | Aug 2022 | B1 |
11780707 | de Ledebur | Oct 2023 | B1 |
12024404 | Babu | Jul 2024 | B2 |
Number | Date | Country |
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104401851 | Mar 2015 | CN |
103863918 | Jul 2016 | CN |
104787645 | Jun 2018 | CN |
3498650 | Nov 2020 | EP |
20180073037 | Feb 2019 | KR |
WO-2022175730 | Aug 2022 | WO |
WO-2023021321 | Feb 2023 | WO |
Entry |
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Machine Translation of CN 103863918. |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20240300779 A1 | Sep 2024 | US |