MODULAR ELEVATOR SYSTEM

Abstract: A modular elevator system comprises a wiring and control mounting module (10) for attachment to an elevator car (11), said wiring and control module (10) including both floor selection (12) and display means (13) accessible from within said car (11) and further including proximity sensing means operable from outside said car and able to interact operatively with complementary sensing means on shaft modules attached to the elevator shaft.

Description: This invention relates to elevators. It has been common practice in the past to pre-assemble elevator cars in the factory, then dismantle the completed cars and re-assemble them in situ. This necessarily involves much double handling and lost time, particularly with separately wired-in units such as the control panel, the indicator lamp assembly and the various proximity switches and controls, all of which may be located at different positions around the car. Similarly, corresponding fixed sensors and switches may be mounted in different positions around the elevator shaft and will require individual positioning and assembly on site. The structural components of the car may also have been designed so they can be specifically assembled to meet particular requirements for door, wall, window or specialized accessory positioning. These may be specified in many different front and back or left and right hand configurations. US-A-3519103 discloses an elevator system in which supervisory control equipment as well as car call buttons and position and direction indicators are housed on a panel that may be mounted as a single unit within a car. It is an object of the invention to provide an improved elevator system which will greatly simplify the construction and installation process. According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a modular elevator system having an elevator car and a wiring and control mounting module for attachment at a preselected location on said elevator car, said wiring and control mounting module including both floor selection and display means accessible from within said car, characterised in that the module further includes proximity sensing means able to interact with complementary sensing means attached to the elevator shaft at aligned and vertically spaced locations corresponding to each floor. Preferably, said proximity sensing means is operable from outside said car by, and able to act operatively on, said complementary sensing means, said complementary sensing means being mounted in use on complementary shaft modules attached to the elevator shaft at aligned and vertically spaced locations corresponding to each floor. Preferably, both the car and shaft modules are removably attachable to their respective locations. Preferably also, the car includes a central structural module including a preselected position for removably accepting the car control module and also including one or more oppositely directed mounting ports symmetrically disposed substantially perpendicular to this preselected position for receiving and supporting preselected door, window, wall or accessory units, each unit being correspondingly dimensioned for selective and interchangeable engagement with the or each of said ports. According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided an elevator car having a wiring and control mounting module attached in a preselected location on said car, said car module including both floor selection and display means accessible from within said car, characterised in that said car module further includes proximity sensing means accessible from outside said car and able, in use, operatively to interact with complementary sensing means on complementary shaft modules attached to the elevator shaft at aligned and vertically spaced locations corresponding to each floor. According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a method of constructing an elevator car that moves in a shaft, characterised by installing in the wall of the car a car operating panel that contains car call buttons facing the interior of the car and means facing a wall of the elevator shaft for sensing car position. According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a control panel for an elevator car in a shaft, having a plurality of car call selection means operable in use from within the car, characterised by having car position means adapted in use to face the shaft for sensing car position. A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a modular elevator car and interchangeable components. Figure 2 is a schematic plan view of the components illustrated in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a sectional plan view of an elevator car illustrating the position of the car and shaft modules. Figure 4 is a side elevation taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3 illustrating the car module. Figure 5 is a schematic perspective view showing three shaft modules located in aligned and vertically spaced locations corresponding to three floors. Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the shaft modules shown in Figure 5. Figure 7 is a sectional plan view taken in direction 7-7 of Figure 6 and illustrating the inter-engagement of a shaft module with the car module. Referring to Figures 1 to 4, the modular elevator system includes a wiring and control mounting module 10 for attachment in a preselected location on the car 11 as shown. The car module 10 includes both floor selection and control means 12 and floor display means 13 as shown in Figure 4 accessible from within the car and further includes proximity sensing means 14 as shown in Figure 7 accessible from outside the car. The proximity sensing means 14 include such components as limit switches 15, trip vanes 16 and magnetic switches 17 able operatively to interact with complementary tripping units 18, magnetic switches 19 and vanes 20 on complementary shaft modules 21 best shown in Figure 6. The shaft modules 21 are attached to the elevator shaft 22 at aligned and vertically spaced locations corresponding to each floor, as best shown in Figure 5. The car and shaft modules are individually assembled in the factory. The bulk of this work need be done only once since the pre-assembled car modules can be removably fitted to the car during a preliminary assembly or fitted permanently to the car on site. Both the car and shaft modules are preferably removably attachable to their respective locations at any time, even following final installation. Preferably also, the car 11 includes a central structural module 25 including a preselected position 26 for removably accepting the car control module 10 and also including oppositely directed mounting ports 27 symmetrically disposed substantially perpendicular to this preselected position for receiving and supporting preselected door 28, wall 29, window 30, accessory or boot and roof extension units 31 (shown in Figures 1 and 2), each correspondingly dimensioned for selective and interchangeable engagement with either of the ports. This greatly reduces the complexity associated with providing a range of alternative combinations.

Claims: A modular elevator system having an elevator car (11) and a wiring and control mounting module (10) for attachment at a preselected location on said elevator car (11), said wiring and control mounting module (10) including both floor selection (12) and display means (13) accessible from within said car (11) and characterised in that the module (10) further includes proximity sensing means (14) able to interact with complementary sensing means (18,19,20) attached to the elevator shaft (22) at aligned and vertically spaced locations corresponding to each floor. A modular elevator system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said proximity sensing means (14) is operable from outside said car (11) by, and able to act operatively on, said complementary sensing means (18,19,20), said complementary sensing means (18,19,20) being mounted in use on complementary shaft modules (21) attached to the elevator shaft (22) at aligned and vertically spaced locations corresponding to each floor. A modular elevator system according to claim 2 wherein both said car (11) and shaft modules (21) are removably attachable to their respective locations. A modular elevator system according to any preceding claim wherein said car (11) includes a central structural module (25) including a preselected position for removably accepting said car module (10) and also including one or more oppositely directed mounting ports (27) symmetrically disposed substantially perpendicular to this preselected position for receiving and supporting preselected door (28), window (30), wall (29) or accessory units (31), each unit being correspondingly dimensioned for selective and interchangeable engagement with the or each of said ports (27). An elevator car (11) having a wiring and control mounting module (10) attached in a preselected location on said car (11), said car module (10) including both floor selection (12) and display means (13) accessible from within said car (11) characterised in that said module (10) further includes proximity sensing means (14) accessible from outside said car (11) and able, in use, operatively to interact with complementary sensing means (18,19,20) on complementary shaft modules (21) attached to the elevator shaft (22) at aligned and vertically spaced locations corresponding to each floor. An elevator car (11) according to claim 5 wherein said car module (10) is removably attachable to said pre-selected location. An elevator car (11) according to claim 5 or 6 wherein said car (11) includes a central structural module (25) including a preselected position for removably accepting said car module (10) and also including one or more oppositely directed mounting ports (27) symmetrically disposed substantially perpendicular to this preselected position for receiving and supporting preselected door (28), window (30), wall (29) or accessory units (31), each unit being correspondingly dimensioned for selective and interchangeable engagement with the or each of said ports (27). A method of constructing an elevator car (11) that moves in a shaft (22), characterised by installing in the wall of the car (11) a car operating panel (10) that contains car call buttons (12) facing the interior of the car, and means (14) facing a wall of the elevator shaft (22) for sensing car position. A control panel (10) for an elevator car (11) in a shaft, having a plurality of car call selection means (12) operable in use from within the car (11), characterised by having car position means (18,19,20) adapted in use to face the shaft (22) for sensing car position.

Inventors: INGLIS, JOHN
Applicants: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
Application year: 1988
Main classification: B66B11
IPC codes: B66B11, B66B7, B66B1, B66B3