Governor assembly and elevator

The present invention provides a governor assembly and an elevator, wherein the governor assembly includes: a support; a first axle rotatably supported by the support; a main pulley rotatably mounted on the first axle relative to the first axle; a first guide pulley near the main pulley; a first safety device actuated by the rotation of the first axle; and a centrifugal tripping mechanism which enables, when a rotating speed of the main pulley exceeds a preset value, the main pulley and the first axle to be coupled and rotate together. The governor assembly according to the present invention is of a compact structure and is applicable to a small mounting space.

FOREIGN PRIORITY

This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 201610620731.5, filed Aug. 2, 2016, and all the benefits accruing therefrom under 35 U.S.C. § 119, the contents of which in its entirety are herein incorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the technical field of an elevator governor, and in particular, to a follower-type governor especially suitable for being arranged in a narrow shaft and an elevator having such a governor.

BACKGROUND

A governor for an elevator is known. When a speed of the elevator exceeds a particular range, the governor starts a switch to power off an elevator motor, so that the elevator slows down or brakes. In a special situation in which the elevator continues to speed up, the governor starts a mechanical retarding mechanism, which is usually a safety gear frictionally engaged with a guide rail, so as to slow down the elevator through friction between the safety gear and the guide rail.

In the prior art, there is a “machine room” type governor or a “machine room-less” type governor. The governors are mounted at the top of the shaft or in a top machine room. Such governors may be used at a car side or a counterweight side of the elevator. However, in some special buildings, such governors are not allowed to be mounted due to limitations of site conditions, for example, the top of the elevator shaft has no space for disposing the governor.

The prior art provides a follower-type governor moving along with the car.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An objective of the present invention is to solve or at least alleviate problems in the prior art.

To solve the foregoing technical problems, the present invention provides a governor assembly and an elevator, wherein the governor assembly includes:

a support;

a first axle rotatably supported by the support;

a main pulley rotatably mounted on the first axle relative to the first axle;

a first guide pulley near the main pulley;

a first safety device actuated by the rotation of the first axle; and

a centrifugal tripping mechanism, which enables, when a rotating speed of the main pulley exceeds a preset value, the main pulley and the first axle to be coupled and rotate together.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

It is easy to understand that, persons of ordinary skill in the art can propose multiple interchangeable structural manners and implementations without changing the essential spirit of the present invention according to the technical solutions of the present invention. Therefore, the following specific embodiments and the accompanying drawings are merely exemplary descriptions of the technical solutions of the present invention, and should not be considered as all of the present invention or restrictions or limitations to the technical solutions of the present invention.

Orientation terms, such as upper, lower, left, right, before, behind, front, back, top, and bottom, mentioned or probably mentioned in the specification are defined according to structures shown in the accompanying drawings and are relative concepts. Therefore, there may be corresponding changes according to different positions and different usages. Hence, these or other orientation terms should not be interpreted as restrictive terms.

First, a governor assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention and its application at a counterweight side of an elevator are described in detail below with reference toFIG. 1toFIG. 4. It should be understood that, although the present invention uses an example in which the governor assembly is used at the counterweight side, the governor assembly according to the present invention may also be used at a car side of the elevator.

First refer toFIG. 1, which illustrates a schematic diagram of a single governor assembly200according to an embodiment of the present invention. The governor assembly200includes a main pulley231rotatably supported by a first axle21, a first guide pulley24, and a second guide pulley25.FIG. 1further illustrates an upper actuation part of a first safety device50related to the first axle21and an upper actuation part of a second safety device60moved jointly with the first safety device50by using a connecting rod system70.

Refer toFIG. 2, which illustrates an application of the governor assembly200inFIG. 1at the counterweight side. It should be understood that, althoughFIG. 2illustrates that the governor assembly200is disposed at the top of a counterweight rack30at the counterweight side, the governor assembly200may also be mounted at the bottom or in the middle of the counterweight rack30in an alternative embodiment. In an elevator, the counterweight side is also referred to as a balanced side, wherein a counterweight block is configured so as to keep balance with the car. Generally speaking, to save space, a shaft at the counterweight side is designed to be relatively narrow; the top, the bottom, and the surrounding space of the counterweight side are all rather narrow. Therefore, to configure a follower-type governor at the counterweight side, challenges from the space and power supply need to be overcome.

The counterweight side generally includes: a first guide rail31and a second guide rail32that are located in a same plane and define a guide rail plane; the counterweight rack30moving along the first guide rail31and the second guide rail32by using multiple guide boots, for example, guide boots91and92shown inFIG. 2; and multiple counterweight blocks90disposed in the counterweight rack30.FIG. 2illustrates the governor assembly200, which is mounted on a support at the top of the counterweight rack30. For example, in the embodiment shown inFIG. 2, the support is a pair of opposite supports at the top of the counterweight rack30, including a first support33and a second support34. The first support33and the second support34substantially extend in a direction parallel to the guide rail plane where the first guide rail31and the second guide rail32are located, and the first support33and the second support34are substantially flush with a long side of the counterweight rack or the counterweight block. In the embodiment shown inFIG. 2, the first support33and the second support34are each in the form of a tablet, but in an alternative embodiment, the support is not limited to the form of a tablet, for example, the support may be a tripod, a rod support, a railing support, or a net support mounted at the top or the bottom of the counterweight rack30. It should be understood that, persons skilled in the art may design various kinds of supports, provided that the support can support the multiple components. The governor assembly200further includes a housing35, wherein the housing35is illustrated to be transparent so that internal components of the governor assembly200are visible. The housing35at least partially covers main components of the governor assembly200, such as the main pulley and/or one or more guide pulleys.

Referring toFIG. 3andFIG. 4in combination, the governor assembly200includes a first axle21, wherein the first axle21is supported by a support. In some embodiments, the support is disposed to be a pair of opposite supports, including a first support33and a second support34. The first support33and the second support34are substantially parallel to each other, are located opposite to each other at two sides of the first and second guide rails31and32or the guide rail plane, and both substantially extend in a direction parallel to the guide rail plane where the first guide rail31and the second guide rail32are located. The first axle21passes through holes in corresponding positions on the first support33and the second support34to be rotatably supported on the first support33and the second support34, for example, the first axle is disposed at a side near the first guide rail31. The first axle21has a middle portion located between the first support33and the second support34, and at least one end portion extending to outer sides of the first support33and the second support34. For example, in some embodiments, the end portion extends from the first support33to the outer side of the first support33. The main pulley231is rotatably supported on the end portion of the first axle21, for example, by using a bearing234. The first guide pulley24is disposed near the main pulley231, specifically, at a position on the right side of the main pulley231and slightly higher than the main pulley231. The first guide pulley24(and the optional second guide pulley25) and the main pulley231are substantially in the same plane; the plane in which the first guide pulley24(and the optional second guide pulley25) and the main pulley231are located is parallel to the guide rail plane. The first guide pulley24is rotatably supported on a first guide pulley axle241, for example, the first guide pulley24is supported on the first guide pulley axle241by using a bearing242. The first guide pulley axle241is mounted only on the first support33, and extends outwardly from the first support33. The second guide pulley25is disposed near the second guide rail32on the other side of the shaft, and may be located at the same side of the main pulley231with the first guide pulley24. The second guide pulley25may be rotatably supported by a second guide pulley axle251mounted on the first support33, for example, the second guide pulley is supported by using a bearing252. Likewise, the second guide pulley axle251extends outwardly only from the first support33. The second guide pulley25is used to guide a rope R to suspend near the second guide rail32, so that the main pulley231and the first guide pulley24can be arranged in more optional positions. Of course, when the second guide pulley24is located near the first guide rail or the second guide rail, the third guide pulley25may be omitted.

The main pulley231, the first guide pulley24, and the second guide pulley25are each provided with a rope groove on the periphery. The rope R is rolled over the main pulley231, the first guide pulley24, and the second guide pulley25successively along the rope grooves. It is known that, an upper end of the rope R is connected to the top of the shaft, and a lower end of the rope R is connected to the bottom of the shaft or is provided with a heavy object to tighten the rope R. The second guide pulley25guides the rope R to suspend near the second guide rail32. When the counterweight rack30moves along the guide rail at a normal speed, the rope R drives, due to friction, the main pulley231, the first guide pulley24, and the second guide pulley25to rotate about respective support axles, wherein the rotation speeds of the main pulley231and the guide pulleys are directly associated with the moving speed of the counterweight rack, and therefore are associated with a moving speed of the car.

In the embodiment of the present invention, a centrifugal tripping mechanism26is provided on the first axle21, and between the main pulley231and the first axle21, so that when a rotating speed of the main pulley231exceeds a preset value, the centrifugal tripping mechanism26enables the main pulley231and the first axle21to trip each other and rotate together. That is, when the counterweight rack, for example, is out of control and moves too fast, the main pulley231speeds up, and the centrifugal tripping mechanism26enables, due to its ever-increasing centrifugal force, the main pulley231and the first axle21to trip each other and rotate together. At this time, the main pulley231drives the first axle21to rotate together, so as to actuate a first safety device50related to the first axle21and further actuate a second safety device60optionally by using a connecting rod mechanism70.

In some embodiments, the first safety device50includes one or two swing arms, such as a first swing arm541and a second swing arm542, which are located between the first support33and the second support34and fixedly connected to the first axle21. First ends of the first swing arm541and the second swing arm542are fixedly connected to the first axle21, and second ends of the first swing arm541and the second swing arm542are connected to corresponding pull rods531and532respectively. The corresponding pull rods531and532suspend from two sides of the guide rail31, and are provided with an engaging device51(shown inFIG. 5) at the bottoms thereof. For example, in one embodiment, the bottoms of the pull rods531and532are connected to engaging members511and512respectively, whereas the engaging members511and512are, for example, in the form of a wedge, and are located at a front side and a rear side of the first guide rail31(the first guide rail31is not drawn inFIG. 5) respectively. The first safety device50is actuated as the first axle21rotates; the first swing arm541and the second swing arm542rotate with the first axle21to pull the first pull rod531and the second pull rod532, so that the engaging members511and512rub against the guide rail31to brake the counterweight rack30. It should be understood that, a safety device of another type may be selected, provided that the safety device can be actuated by the rotation of an axle.

In some embodiments, the governor assembly200further includes a second safety device60, which includes a second axle22. Similar to the first axle21, the second axle22can also be rotatably supported by both the first support33and the second support33. The second axle22includes a middle portion located between the first support33and the second support34, and an end portion extending to an outer side of the first support33. The end portions of the second axle22and the first axle21are coupled by using the connecting rod mechanism70, so that by means of the connecting rod mechanism70, the second axle22is driven to rotate by the rotation of the first axle21. The connecting rod mechanism70may include a first arm71, a connecting rod72, and a second arm73.

The second safety device60includes one or two swing arms, such as a third swing arm641and a fourth swing arm642, which are fixedly connected to the middle portions of the first support33and the second support34of the second axle22. First ends of the third swing arm641and the fourth swing arm642are fixedly connected to the second axle22, and second ends of the third swing arm641and the fourth swing arm642are connected to corresponding third and fourth pull rods631and632respectively. The corresponding pull rods631and632suspend from two sides of the second guide rail32, and are each provided with an engaging member at the bottom. The engaging members are, for example, in the form of a wedge, and are located at a front side and a rear side of the second guide rail32respectively. As the first axle21rotates, the second axle22is driven to rotate to actuate the second safety device60; the third swing arm641and the fourth swing arm642rotate with the second axle22to pull the corresponding third and fourth pull rods631and632, so that the engaging members rub against the second guide rail32to brake the counterweight rack30.

The centrifugal tripping mechanism26in an embodiment is described in detail below with reference toFIG. 6. The centrifugal tripping mechanism26is disposed on a back side of the main pulley231, that is, between the main pulley231and the first support33. The centrifugal tripping mechanism26includes a core ring262which is fixedly connected to the first axle21, for example, by using a key (not shown). The centrifugal tripping mechanism26further includes a centrifugal tripping member261, wherein the centrifugal tripping member261rotates with the main pulley231, enables the main pulley231and the core ring262to trip each other when a rotating speed of the main pulley231exceeds a preset value, and enables the main pulley231, the core ring262, and the first axle21coupled to the core ring262to rotate together. The centrifugal tripping member is known in the art. In some embodiments, the centrifugal tripping member261may use a type recorded in US patent No. US2013/0098711, which is disclosed on Apr. 25, 2013 and granted to OTIS; or reference may be made to a centrifugal tripping member type recorded in US patent No. US2015/0136544, which is disclosed on May 21, 2015 and granted to OTIS. Full texts of the two patents are quoted herein.

Refer toFIG. 7, which illustrates a sectional view of a shaft. The shaft is defined by a boundary4, and is partitioned into a car side and a counterweight side by a partition plate3. Generally speaking, because a car1needs to carry passengers, the shaft at the car side is larger so as to accommodate multiple types of governors. It can be seen fromFIG. 7that, the counterweight side in which a counterweight block2is disposed has a small space, and especially, a distance from the counterweight block2to the partition plate3is generally less than 150 mm. As shown inFIG. 8, the governor assembly200in the embodiment of the present invention may be compactly integrated with the counterweight side of the elevator, and merely the thickness and height of the top of the counterweight rack at the counterweight side are slightly increased, for example, the thickness is increased by about 100 mm and the height is increased by about 90 mm. A follower-type governor can be mounted at the counterweight side or the car side due to such a compact design.

It should be understood that, all of the above preferred embodiments are exemplary rather than restrictive. Various changes or modifications made by persons skilled in the art to the foregoing specific embodiments within the concept of the present invention shall fall within a legal protection scope of the present invention.