Patent ID: 6401871
Filing Date: 2002-06-11
Classification: B66B,D07B,Y10S

Abstract:
A tension member for providing lifting force to a car of an elevator system, the tension member interconnecting the car and a counterweight, the tension member being engageable with a rotatable traction sheave that is driven by a machine and over which the tension member passes so as to engage the traction sheave between take-up and take-off points on either side of the traction sheave, the tension member comprising:a plurality of individual load carrying ropes; and a common layer of polyurethane coating in which the ropes are embedded, maintaining separation of the individual ropes and resisting longitudinal movement of the ropes relative to one another, the tension member having a width w, a thickness t measured in the bending direction, and an engagement surface that receives force from the traction sheave as a result of traction between the engagement surface and a region of the traction sheave between the take-up and take-off points, which force is transmitted to the ropes of the tension member by the polyurethane coating to thereby move the car, the engagement surface being defined on the polyurethane coating substantially by the width dimension of the tension member, wherein the tension member has an aspect ratio, defined as the ratio of width w relative to thickness t, greater than one.