Patent Application
20180305178
Embodiments disclosed herein relate to elevator systems, and more particularly to load bearing members to suspend and/or drive elevator cars of an elevator system.
Elevator systems are useful for carrying passengers, cargo, or both, between various levels in a building. Some elevators are traction based and utilize load bearing members such as belts for supporting the elevator car and achieving the desired movement and positioning of the elevator car.
Where a belt is used as a load bearing member, a plurality of tension elements, or cords, are embedded in a common jacket. The jacket retains the cords in desired positions and provide a frictional load path. In an exemplary traction elevator system, a machine drives a traction sheave with which the belts interact to drive the elevator car along a hoistway. Belts typically utilize tension members formed from steel elements, but alternatively may utilize tension members formed from synthetic fibers or other materials, such as carbon fiber composites.
In a carbon fiber composite tension member, the members are typically very stiff in bending, and at cross-sectional areas of tension members desired to provide a selected tensile performance, the tension member may be damaged under bending.
In one embodiment, a belt for an elevator system includes a plurality of tension members arranged along a belt width and extending longitudinally along a length of the belt. Each tension member includes a core member formed from a plurality of load carrying fibers, and a plurality of overwrap members surrounding the core member. A jacket material at least partially encapsulates the plurality of tension members.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the plurality of load carrying fibers are positioned in a matrix material.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the load carrying fibers are one or more of carbon, glass, aramid, nylon, and polymer fibers.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the matrix material is a polyurethane, polyester, vinylester, or epoxy material.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the plurality of overwrap members are synthetic fibers.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the synthetic fibers are one or more of Vectran™ or Dyneema® or Zylon® fibers.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the plurality of overwrap members are metallic wires.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the plurality of overwrap fibers are wrapped or braided around the core member. Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the jacket material is selected from the group consisting of polyurethanes, polyesters, ethylene propylene diene elastomer, chloroprene, chlorosulfonyl polyethylene, ethylene vinyl acetate, polyamide, polypropylene, butyl rubber, acrylonitrile butadiene rubber, styrene butadiene rubber, acrylic elastomer, fluoroelastomer, silicone elastomer, polyolefin elastomer, styrene block and diene elastomer, natural rubber or combinations thereof.
In another embodiment, an elevator system includes a hoistway, an elevator car positioned in the hoistway and movable therein, and a belt operably connected to the elevator car to suspend and/or drive the elevator car along the hoistway. The belt includes a plurality of tension members arranged along a belt width and extending longitudinally along a length of the belt. Each tension member includes a core member formed from a plurality of load carrying fibers, and a plurality of overwrap members surrounding the core member. A jacket material at least partially encapsulates the plurality of tension members.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the plurality of load carrying fibers are positioned in a matrix material.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the load carrying fibers are one or more of carbon, glass, aramid, nylon, and polymer fibers.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the matrix material is a polyurethane, vinylester, polyester, or epoxy material.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the plurality of overwrap members are synthetic fibers.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the plurality of overwrap members are metallic wires.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the plurality of overwrap members are configured to suspend the elevator car in the event of failure of the core member.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the jacket material is selected from the group consisting of polyurethanes, polyesters, ethylene propylene diene elastomer, chloroprene, chlorosulfonyl polyethylene, ethylene vinyl acetate, polyamide, polypropylene, butyl rubber, acrylonitrile butadiene rubber, styrene butadiene rubber, acrylic elastomer, fluoroelastomer, silicone elastomer, polyolefin elastomer, styrene block and diene elastomer, natural rubber, or combinations thereof.
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 sheaves 18 each have a diameter 20, which may be the same or different than the diameters of the other sheaves 18 in the elevator system 10. At least one of the sheaves could be a traction sheave 52. The traction sheave 52 is driven by a machine 50. Movement of drive sheave by the machine 50 drives, moves and/or propels (through traction) the one or more belts 16 that are routed around the traction sheave 52. At least one of the sheaves 18 could be a diverter, deflector or idler sheave. Diverter, deflector or idler sheaves are not driven by a machine 50, but help guide the one or more belts 16 around the various components of the elevator system 10.
In some embodiments, the elevator system 10 could use two or more belts 16 for suspending and/or driving the elevator car 14. In addition, the elevator system 10 could have various configurations such that either both sides of the one or more belts 16 engage the one or more sheaves 18 or only one side of the one or more belts 16 engages the one or more sheaves 18. The embodiment of
The belts 16 are constructed to have sufficient flexibility when passing over the one or more sheaves 18 to provide low bending stresses, meet belt life requirements and have smooth operation, while being sufficiently strong to be capable of meeting strength requirements for suspending and/or driving the elevator car 14.
The belt 16 has a belt width 26 and a belt thickness 32, with an aspect ratio of belt width 26 to belt thickness 32 greater than one. The belt 16 further includes a back side 34 opposite the traction side 30 and belt edges 36 extending between the traction side 30 and the back side 34. While eight tension members 24 are illustrated in the embodiment of
As shown in
Exemplary load carrying fibers 42 include, but are not limited to, carbon, glass, aramid, nylon, and polymer fibers, for example. Each of the load carrying fibers 42 may be substantially identical or may vary. In addition, the matrix material 44 may be formed from any suitable material, such as polyurethane, polyester, vinylester, and epoxy for example. The materials of the load carrying fibers 42 and the matrix material 44 are selected to achieve a desired stiffness and strength of the tension member 24.
The core member 40 may be formed as thin layers, in some embodiments by a pultrusion process. In a standard pultrusion process, the load carrying fibers 42 are impregnated with the matrix material 44 and are pulled through a heated die and additional curing heaters where the matrix material 44 undergoes cross linking. A person having ordinary skill in the art will understand that controlled movement and support of the pulled load carrying fibers 42 may be used to form a desired linear or curved profile of the core member 40. In an exemplary embodiment, the core member 40 has a cross-sectional thickness of about 0.5 millimeters to about 4 millimeters. In another embodiment, the core member 40 has a cross-sectional thickness of 1 millimeter. Further, in some embodiments the core member 40 has a circular cross-section, while in other embodiments the core member 40 may have other cross-sectional shapes, such as rectangular or oval. In other embodiments, the core member 40 may be a single or multi-material, dry fiber core configuration.
The tension member 24 further includes a plurality of overwrap elements 46 disposed at an outer perimeter of the core member 40. The overwrap elements 46 extend in a generally lengthwise direction along the tension member 24, and in some embodiments are wrapped or braided around the core member 40. In some embodiments, the overwrap elements 46 are a plurality of synthetic fibers such as Vectran™ or Dyneema® or Zylon®. One skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the listed materials are merely exemplary and that other materials may be utilized. The overwrap elements 46 are configured with a reduced bending stiffness relative to the core member 40, but with similar tensile strength compared to the load carrying fibers 42. The result is a tension member 24 with decreased bending stiffness when compared to an all-core tension member having a comparable tensile strength.
In an alternative embodiment illustrated in
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. For example, “about” can include a range of ±8% or 5%, or 2% of a given value.
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.
This application claims the benefit of 62/487,822, filed Apr. 20, 2017, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62487822 | Apr 2017 | US |
