Patent Publication Number: US-11046555-B2

Title: Frame for an elevator system

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a U.S. National Stage Entry of International Patent Application Serial Number PCT/EP2016/075599, filed Oct. 25, 2016, which claims priority to German Patent Application No. DE 10 2015 221 653.5, filed Nov. 4, 2015, the entire contents of both of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     FIELD 
     The present disclosure generally relates to elevator systems, including frames for elevator systems having cars that are movable in elevator shafts. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Elevator systems serve for conveying passengers between different storeys of a building. To this end, a car is moved inside an elevator shaft between the storeys. To this end, the car is conventionally connected by a cable to a counterweight, wherein the cable runs via a drive plate which is driven. Alternative elevator systems, however, no longer use counterweights and are driven by linear motors which are integrated in the rails and cars. For example, such an elevator system which is provided with a linear motor is disclosed in EP 1507329. Since a counterweight is not used in these elevator systems, the weight of the car is not able to be compensated by the counterweight. As a result, it is advantageous to reduce the weight of the car as far as possible. However, the car has to be sufficiently stable in order to be able to take up drive forces and braking forces. Moreover, the use of linear motors results in the point of action of the drive forces not being located on the car ceiling, as in conventional cable-guided elevator systems, but in the lateral region of the car in which the linear drive extends. As a result, the known car constructions for cable-guided elevator systems are not able to be used here. 
     Thus a need exists for a car construction which that is adapted to the for use with of a linear drive. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of an example elevator system. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an example drive beam with connecting segments. 
         FIG. 3 a    is a side view of an example connecting segment. 
         FIG. 3 b    is another side view of an example connecting segment. 
         FIG. 4  is a sectional view through a first drive beam and a first connecting segment in a first connecting region. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Although certain example methods and apparatus have been described herein, the scope of coverage of this patent is not limited thereto. On the contrary, this patent covers all methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture fairly falling within the scope of the appended claims either literally or under the doctrine of equivalents. Moreover, those having ordinary skill in the art will understand that reciting ‘a’ element or ‘an’ element in the appended claims does not restrict those claims to articles, apparatuses, systems, methods, or the like having only one of that element, even where other elements in the same claim or different claims are preceded by ‘at least one’ or similar language. Similarly, it should be understood that the steps of any method claims need not necessarily be performed in the order in which they are recited, unless so required by the context of the claims. In addition, all references to one skilled in the art shall be understood to refer to one having ordinary skill in the art. 
     In some examples, an elevator system may comprise a car that which is movable in an elevator shaft. The car may comprise a frame and a cabin. The elevator system may comprise a first linear motor with a first primary part and a first secondary part. Moreover, a first rail may be arranged in the elevator shaft, with the first primary part of a first linear motor being arranged thereon. The frame may comprise a first drive beam, with the first secondary part being arranged thereon. The first secondary part of the first linear motor in some examples at least partially encloses the first primary part of the first linear motor. Moreover, the frame may comprise a first lower beam for supporting the cabin and the frame may comprise a first connecting segment that connects the first lower beam to the first drive beam. 
     This construction has the advantage that the drive forces are introduced in a uniformly distributed manner over the entire drive beam into the car and diverted to the cabin via the first connecting segment and the first lower beam. Moreover, this modular construction has the result that different cars may be produced from the same basic components. For example, the length of the lower beam may be cut to length according to the width of the desired cabin. The length of the drive beam, on the one hand, may be adapted to the desired cabin height and, on the other hand, it is also possible to use a longer drive beam in order to obtain a greater drive force when, for example, the car is to be designed for greater loads. In this case, if required, the drive beam would be longer than the cabin height. 
     The modular construction, therefore, permits a particularly efficient production process, since the same basic components may be used for different cars. The storage is thus significantly reduced. For example, only hollow profiles with a specific cross section have to be stored in order to provide lower beams and upper beams (see below) of different lengths for different cabin widths. 
     In a developed variant of the invention, a second rail is arranged in the elevator shaft. The elevator system then comprises a second linear motor with a second primary part and a second secondary part, wherein the second primary part of the second linear motor is arranged on the second rail. In this case, the frame comprises a second drive beam, the second secondary part being arranged thereon and a second connecting segment which connects the first lower beam to the second drive beam. This has the technical advantage that the car comprises only two drive beams, the drive force being transmitted thereby to the car. Thus the acting forces may be designed, in particular, to be symmetrical so that the acting torques are reduced and/or in particular mutually cancel one another out. 
     For simplifying the storage during the production of the cars according to the invention, the first drive beam and the second drive beam are advantageously of the same construction. 
     In one variant of the invention, the frame comprises a first upper beam for stabilizing the frame. The frame then also comprises a third connecting segment which connects the first upper beam to the first drive beam and a fourth connecting segment which connects the first upper beam to the second drive beam. This results, therefore, in a closed frame which in this case is formed from the two drive beams, the upper beam and the lower beam on the sides and the four connecting segments on the corners. Such a configuration is particularly stable relative to any type of torsion. 
     In particular, in this case the first connecting segment, the second connecting segment, the third connecting segment and the fourth connecting segment are of the same construction relative to one another. This simplifies the storage even further since only one type of connecting element has to be kept in stock. 
     The connecting segments are designed, in particular, as an integral component, i.e. in one piece. This significantly increases the stability relative to connecting segments which are made up of individual components. In this manner, a particularly lightweight and stable connecting segment may be achieved at the same time. 
     In a development of the invention, one or more, in particular all, components from the following list are produced at least partially from a fiber-reinforced plastics: the first drive beam, the second drive beam, the first upper beam, the first lower beam, the first connecting segment, the second connecting segment, the third connecting segment, the fourth connecting segment. This means that the first drive beam, the second drive beam, the first upper beam, the first lower beam, the first connecting segment, the second connecting segment, the third connecting segment and/or the fourth connecting segment are produced at least partially from a fiber-reinforced plastics. 
     If the frame comprises further upper beams or lower beams, as described below, these are preferably also produced at least partially from fiber-reinforced plastics. 
     The fiber-reinforced plastics may be carbon fiber plastics (CFP), glass fiber plastics (GFP) or aramid fiber plastics (AFP). Fiber-reinforced plastics comprising natural fibers are also possible. The plastics material is typically polyurethane, epoxy resin, polyester, vinylester or a hybrid resin. The plastics may additionally be mixed with additives such as flame retardants (for example based on aluminum trihydrate, aluminum oxihydrate or phosphorous), carbon nanotubes for improving the conductivity, core-shell particles for hardening or reactive diluents. This embodiment has the advantage that the frame is particularly lightweight and at the same time sufficiently stable to support the load of the elevator cabin even in extreme situations (for example emergency braking). 
     In a developed embodiment of the invention, the frame comprises a second lower beam. Moreover, the first connecting segment is of fork-shaped design and comprises a fork base and two fork ends. In this case the fork base is connected to the first drive beam and the two fork ends in each case are connected to the first and second lower beam. In this manner, an effective support of the cabin may be achieved by the load being evenly distributed to the two lower beams. Moreover, the number of production steps may still be kept low since the same first connecting segment is used for connecting the first lower beam to the first drive beam and the second lower beam to the first drive beam. 
     In a developed embodiment of the invention, the frame comprises a second upper beam. Moreover, the third connecting segment is of fork-shaped design and comprises a fork base and two fork ends. In this case the fork base is connected to the first drive beam and the two fork ends are in each case connected to the first and the second upper beam. In this manner, a stability which is improved even further may be achieved. Moreover, the number of production steps may still be kept low since the same third connecting segment is used for connecting the first upper beam to the first drive beam and the second upper beam to the first drive beam. 
     Naturally, the embodiment may be extended to more than two upper beams and lower beams by more than two fork ends being provided on the connecting segments. 
     Naturally, the number of upper beams does not necessarily have to be identical to the number of lower beams. 
     In a variant of the invention, the cross section of the first drive beam comprises a fastening portion with a tapering outer contour. At the same time, the cross section of the first connecting segment in a first connecting region to the first drive beam comprises a recess with a corresponding inner contour in order to receive positively the fastening portion of the first drive beam. The first drive beam and the first connecting segment may therefore be inserted into one another, wherein a positive connection is produced perpendicular to the insertion direction. The insertion direction in this case corresponds to a main direction of extent of the first drive beam. In this manner, a particularly efficient production process may be achieved. Moreover, the first drive beam and the first connecting segment lie against one another over a large surface, whereby the force transmission is distributed over a large contact surface. This ensures that temporary material overloads do not occur in the connecting region. In order to fix the first connecting segment in the insertion direction relative to the drive beam, fastening means which fix the first connecting segment to the drive beam are also arranged in the first connecting region of the first connecting segment. During the production process, therefore, the first drive beam and the first connecting segment merely have to be inserted into one another and fixed by means of the connecting means so that a relative movement in the insertion direction is also prevented. The connecting means may, in particular, be screw connections which prevent the relative movement by a positive connection. 
     In a development of the invention, the first lower beam has a rectangular cross section over its entire length. Within the meaning of this application, “rectangular” is also understood as a shape where the opposing edges thereof are substantially parallel to one another but the corners thereof are not sharp-edged but rounded. The cross section of the first connecting segment in a second connecting region to the first lower beam thus comprises a U-shaped recess with a corresponding inner contour in order to receive the first lower beam. The first lower beam may be mounted in a simple manner, therefore, by being inserted into the U-shaped recess in the second connecting region. The fixing may be carried out by any fastening means, such as for example screw connections. 
     In a development of the invention, the first drive beam comprises a U-shaped receiver, the first secondary part being arranged therein. The U-shaped receiver extends in this case over the entire length of the first drive beam. The first secondary part comprises, in particular, a first anchor plate with an adjacent first permanent magnet and a second anchor plate with an adjacent second permanent magnet. The first anchor plate extends in this case along a first limb of the U-shaped receiver and the second anchor plate extends along a second limb of the U-shaped receiver. This construction leads to an elongated gap along the first drive beam which is defined on both sides by the anchor plates with the adjacent permanent magnets. Therefore, the first primary part of the first linear motor which is arranged on the first rail extends inside this gap, so that the first secondary part of the first linear motor at least partially encloses the first primary part of the first linear motor. 
     In one specific embodiment, the first anchor plate comprises at least one connecting means which acts on the first drive beam in order to secure positively the first anchor plate against a movement in the direction of the second anchor plate. Accordingly, the second anchor plate also comprises at least one connecting means which acts on the first drive beam in order to secure positively the second anchor plate against a movement in the direction of the first anchor plate. In this manner, the two anchor plates with the adjacent permanent magnets are prevented from moving toward one another due to the magnetic forces and leaving their desired position. The connecting means may, for example, be one or more hook-shaped portions of the anchor plates which engage behind the first drive beam. This simplifies the mounting of the drive beam since the anchor plates with the adjacent permanent magnets only have to be inserted until the hook-shaped portions engage behind the drive beam and thus positively secure the anchor plates against the magnetic forces. 
     Additionally, a pole support may be arranged in the interior of the U-shaped receiver, said pole support holding the first anchor plate with the first permanent magnet and the second anchor plate with the second permanent magnet apart, counter to the magnetic forces. The pole support may be designed as a separate component or even as an integral component of the first drive beam. 
     In the above embodiments, for the sake of simplicity, in many cases only the first drive beam with its adjacent components and the first connecting segment have been described in detail. Therefore, it should be mentioned once again that the drive beams and the connecting segments, in particular, are of the same construction relative to one another, so that the above embodiments also refer to the further connecting segments and the second drive beam, as well as the connections thereof to one another. Similarly, the lower beams are preferably of the same construction relative to one another and also of the same construction relative to the upper beams. 
     Moreover, the first secondary part of the first linear motor and the second secondary part of the second linear motor, in particular, are of the same construction relative to one another and are arranged in an identical manner on the respective drive beam thereof. All of the embodiments which refer to the first secondary part of the first linear motor also accordingly apply to the second secondary part of the second linear motor. 
     All of the embodiments which refer to the connection of the lower beams to the connecting segments also accordingly apply to the connections of the upper beams to the connecting segments and vice-versa. 
       FIG. 1  shows an elevator system  11  according to the invention comprising a car  15  which is movable in an elevator shaft  13 . In this case the car  15  comprises a frame  17  and a cabin  19 . A first rail  21  and a second rail  23  are located on opposing sides of the elevator shaft  13 . The car  15  is movable in the elevator shaft  13  along the two rails  21  and  23 . The guidance of the car  15  in this case takes place via the rollers  16  which are connected to the frame and roll on the rails  21  and  23 . The car  15  is driven by means of two linear motors  25  and  31 . The first linear motor  25  comprises a first primary part  27  which is arranged on the first rail  21  and a first secondary part  29  which is arranged on the frame  17 . Accordingly, the second linear motor  31  comprises a second primary part  33  which is arranged on the second rail  23  and a second secondary part  35  which is arranged on the frame  17 . 
     The frame  17  itself is of modular construction and comprises a first drive beam  37 , the first secondary part  29  being arranged thereon, and a second drive beam  39 , the second secondary part  35  being arranged thereon. For supporting the cabin  19 , the frame  17  comprises a first lower beam  41 . Moreover, the frame  17  comprises a first connecting segment  43  which connects the first lower beam  41  to the first drive beam  37 . The first connecting segment  43  is in this case placed onto the drive beam  37  and fixed by means of the fastening means  45 . In detail, this fastening is described with reference to  FIG. 4 . The first lower beam  41  extends substantially perpendicular to the first drive beam  37 . Opposite the first connecting segment  43 , a second connecting segment  47  is arranged on the lower beam  41 , said second connecting segment connecting the first lower beam  41  to the second drive beam  39 . The second connecting segment  43  in this case is placed onto the second drive beam  39  and fixed by means of the fastening means  45 . 
     Above the cabin  19  the frame  17  comprises a first upper beam  49  for stabilizing the frame  17 . The first upper beam  49  is connected to the first drive beam  37  by means of a third connecting segment  51 . Similarly, the first upper beam  49  is connected to the second drive beam  39  by means of a fourth connecting segment  53 . The third connecting segment  51  and the fourth connecting segment  53  in this case are accordingly placed onto the first drive beam  37  and/or the second drive beam  39  and fixed by means of the fastening means  45 . 
     The four connecting segments  43 ,  47 ,  51  and  53  in each case are designed to have the same construction. Similarly, the two drive beams  37  and  39  and the lower beam  41  and the upper beam  49  are of the same construction relative to one another. This modular construction consisting of only a few different components has the advantage that the size of the frame  17  may be adapted in a simple manner to the requirements of the respective elevator system. For example, the first lower beam  41  and the first upper beam  49  are designed as simple hollow profiles with a substantially rectangular cross section. For producing the frame  17  these hollow profiles are then stored in a standard size and cut to length according to the width of the required frame  17 . Similarly, the drive beams  37  and  39  may also be stored in a standard size and then correspondingly cut to length, according to the specification of the height, during the production of the frame  17 . From the connecting segments  43 ,  47 ,  51  and  53  which are arranged at the corners of the frame, depending on the size of the required frame  17  only one variant has to be stored during production. The same connecting segments may be used irrespective of the size of the required frame  17 . 
     In the preferred variant shown, the first drive beam  37 , the second drive beam  39 , the first lower beam  41 , the first upper beam  49  and all four connecting segments  43 ,  47 ,  51  and  53  are produced at least partially from fiber-reinforced plastics. In this case it may be carbon fiber plastics (CFP), glass fiber plastics (GFP) or aramid fiber plastics (AFP). Fiber-reinforced plastics comprising natural fibers are also possible. The plastics material is typically polyurethane, epoxy resin, polyester, vinylester or a hybrid resin. The plastics may additionally be mixed with additives such as flame retardants (for example based on aluminum trihydrate, aluminum oxyhydrate or phosphorous), carbon nanotubes for improving the conductivity, core-shell particles for hardening or reactive diluents. This embodiment has the advantage that the frame is particularly lightweight and at the same time sufficiently stable to bear the load of the cabin even in extreme situations (for example emergency braking). 
       FIG. 2  shows a three-dimensional view of a first drive beam  37  with a first connecting segment  43  and a third connecting segment  51 . Both connecting segments  43  and  51  are of fork-shaped design and have a fork base  55  and two fork ends  57 . The fork base  55  of the first connecting segment is placed onto the drive beam  37 . The two fork ends  57  of the first connecting segment are connected to a first lower beam  41  and a second lower beam  59 . To this end, the two fork ends  57  of the first connecting segment  43  in a second connecting region  69  in each case have a U-shaped recess  71 . In each case the first lower beam  41  and the second lower beam  59  are received in the U-shaped recess  71 . The two lower beams  41  and  59  have over their entire length a rectangular cross section, the inner contour of the U-shaped recess  71  being adapted thereto. The third connecting segment  51  is of similar design, so that the fork base  55  of the third connecting segment  51  is connected to the drive beam  37  and the two fork ends  57  of the third connecting segment  51  in the second connecting region  69  in each case have a U-shaped recess  71  with an inner contour in order to receive a first upper beam and a second upper beam. For improved clarity, the two upper beams are not shown. The entire design of the upper beams, however, is identical to the lower beams  41  and  59  shown. The variant with two upper beams and two lower beams provides the entire frame with increased stability. Naturally, the design may be extended to more than two upper beams and lower beams, by more than two fork ends being provided on the connecting segments. Naturally, the number of upper beams does not necessarily have to be identical to the number of lower beams. Since the number of lower beams corresponds to the number of fork ends of the first and second connecting segments, in such a case only the first connecting segment  43  and the second connecting segment  47  which are connected to the lower beams would be of the same construction relative to one another. Accordingly, therefore, the third connecting segment  51  and the fourth connecting segment  53 , the number of fork ends thereof corresponding to the number of upper beams, are of the same construction relative to one another. 
       FIG. 3 a    shows a first side view of a first connecting element  43  with two fork ends  57 . The view in this case is in the main direction of extent of the first drive beam  37 . From the view in  FIG. 3 a   , it is clear that the drive beam  37  is inserted into the first connecting segment  43 . The exact method of this fastening is described hereinafter with reference to  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 3 b    shows a second side view of a first connecting element  43  with the connected first drive beam  37 . From the view it is clear that the first connecting segment  43  is connected to the first drive beam  37  in a first connecting region  61 . A cutting line which indicates the position of the cross section shown in  FIG. 4  is denoted by  63 . 
       FIG. 4  shows a section through the first drive beam  37  and the first connecting segment  43  in the first connecting region  61 . The cross section of the first drive beam  37  comprises a fastening portion  65  with a tapering outer contour. Accordingly, the cross section of the first connecting segment  43  in the first connecting region to the first drive beam  37  shown comprises a recess  67  with a corresponding inner contour in order to receive positively the fastening portion  65  of the first drive beam  37 . By this geometric design, the first drive beam  37  and the first connecting segment  43  may be inserted into one another, wherein a positive connection is produced perpendicular to the direction of insertion. In  FIG. 4 , the insertion direction extends perpendicular to the drawing plane. In order to fix the first connecting segment  43  to the first drive beam  37  additionally in the insertion direction, fastening means  45  are arranged in the connecting region  61  of the first connecting segment  43 . Since the first drive beam  37  and the first connecting segment  43  are produced at least partially from fiber-reinforced plastics, the fastening means  45  are preferably designed in the form of screw connections with inserted threaded plates. In this manner, it is possible to ensure that a force is introduced over a large surface area. 
     On the side opposing the first connecting segment  43 , the first drive beam  37  comprises a U-shaped receiver  73 , the first secondary part  29  being arranged therein. The first secondary part  29  comprises a first anchor plate  75  with an adjacent first permanent magnet  77  and a second anchor plate  79  with an adjacent second permanent magnet  81 . The first primary part  91  of the first linear motor  25  is arranged between the first permanent magnet  77  and the second permanent magnet  81 . The first secondary part  29  of the first linear motor  25  thus encloses at least partially the first primary part  91  of the first linear motor  25 . The first anchor plate  75  extends along a first limb  83  of the U-shaped receiver  73 . The second anchor plate  79  extends along a second limb  85  of the U-shaped receiver  73 . The first anchor plate  75  comprises a connecting means  87  which acts on the first drive beam  37  in order to secure positively the first anchor plate  75  against a movement in the direction of the second anchor plate  79 . Accordingly, the second anchor plate  79  comprises a connecting means  87  which acts on the first drive beam  37  in order to secure positively the second anchor plate  79  against a movement in the direction of the first anchor plate  75 . In the present case, the connecting means  87  are designed as hook-shaped portions which engage behind the drive beam and thus block a movement in the direction of the respective other anchor plate. A pole support  89  is arranged in the interior of the U-shaped receiver  73 , said pole support holding the first anchor plate  75  with the first permanent magnet and the second anchor plate  79  with the second permanent magnet  81  apart, counter to the magnetic forces. The pole support  89  may be designed as a separate component, as in the view shown, or even as an integral component of the first drive beam  37 . 
     In the previous embodiments, for the sake of simplicity, in many cases only the first drive beam with its adjacent components and the first connecting segment are described in detail. Therefore, it should be mentioned again that the drive beams and the connecting segments, in particular, are of the same construction relative to one another so that the above embodiments also refer to the further connecting segments and the second drive beam and the connections thereof to one another. Similarly, the lower beams are preferably of the same construction relative to one another and also the same construction relative to the upper beams. 
     Moreover, the first secondary part of the first linear motor and the second secondary part of the second linear motor, in particular, are of the same construction relative to one another and identically arranged on their respective drive beam. All of the embodiments which refer to the first secondary part of the first linear motor accordingly apply to the second secondary part of the second linear motor. 
     All of the embodiments which refer to the connection of the lower beams to the connecting segments accordingly apply to the connections of the upper beams to the connecting segments and vice-versa. 
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
     
         
         Elevator system  11   
         Elevator shaft  13   
         Car  15   
         Rollers  16   
         Frame  17   
         Cabin  19   
         First rail  21   
         Second rail  23   
         First linear motor  25   
         First primary part  27   
         First secondary part  29   
         Second linear motor  31   
         Second primary part  33   
         Second secondary part  35   
         First drive beam  37   
         Second drive beam  39   
         First lower beam  41   
         First connecting segment  43   
         Fastening means  45   
         Second connecting segment  47   
         First upper beam  49   
         Third connecting segment  51   
         Fourth connecting segment  53   
         Fork base  55   
         Fork ends  57   
         Second lower beam  59   
         First connecting region  61   
         Cutting line  63   
         Fastening portion  65   
         Recess  67   
         Second connecting region  69   
         Recess (U-shaped) 
         First anchor plate  75   
         First permanent magnet  77   
         Second anchor plate  79   
         Second permanent magnet  81   
         First limb  83   
         Second limb  85   
         Connecting means  87   
         Pole support  89   
         First primary part  91