Patent Publication Number: US-10759631-B2

Title: Remote triggering device, overspeed governor assembly and elevator

Description:
FOREIGN PRIORITY 
     This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 201610953388.6, filed Oct. 27, 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 speed limiters of elevators, and in particular, to a remote trigger device for a speed limiter assembly, a speed limiter assembly having a remote trigger device and an elevator. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     A speed limiter assembly is configured in an elevator system to prevent the speed of an elevator car from exceeding a predetermined value. Generally, the speed limiter assembly is associated with a rope sheave and a rotating speed of the rope sheave corresponds to the speed of the elevator car. When the rotating speed of the rope sheave exceeds a certain value, a mechanism based on a centrifugal force triggers an over-speed locking mechanism which rotates with the rope sheave, so as to trigger the speed limiter assembly and start a safety device such as a safety gear and the like to brake the car in a guide rail friction mode. This speed limiter assembly further comprises a remote trigger device. The remote trigger device can be actively controlled to act on the over-speed locking mechanism, such that the speed limiter assembly can be triggered when the car has not been over-speed yet for testing purposes, for example. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to solve or at least relieve problems existing in the prior art. 
     In order to realize the above-mentioned technical object, according to one aspect of the present invention, the present invention provides a remote trigger device for a speed limiter assembly, comprising: 
     an actuator; and 
     a rotating component, the rotating component being capable of rotating around a rotating axis in a rotating plane, the rotating component being actuated by the actuator to rotate from an idle position to a working position, wherein at the idle position, the rotating component is kept separated from an over-speed locking mechanism of the speed limiter assembly, and at the working position, the rotating component toggles a trigger member of the over-speed locking mechanism of the speed limiter assembly to trigger the speed limiter assembly. 
     According to other aspects of the present invention, the present invention further provides a speed limiter assembly having the remote trigger device according to the embodiment of the present invention and an elevator. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       By referring to the drawings, the content disclosed by the present invention will be easier to understand. One skilled in the art can easily understand that these drawings are merely used for the purpose of description and are not used for limiting the protection scope of the present invention. Besides, similar numbers in the drawings are used for representing similar components, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a front view of a speed limiter assembly according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a top view of the speed limiter assembly according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates an enlarged view of a rotating component of a remote trigger device of the speed limiter assembly according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates an enlarged view of a tripping bar of the speed limiter assembly according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a partial view of the speed limiter assembly according to a first embodiment of the present invention, with the rotating component being at an idle position; 
         FIGS. 6-8  illustrate partial views of the speed limiter assembly according to a first embodiment of the present invention, with the rotating component being at a working position and gradually acting on the tripping bar of the speed limiter assembly; 
         FIG. 9  illustrates a front view of a speed limiter assembly according to a second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 10  illustrates a top view of a speed limiter assembly according to a second embodiment of the present invention ( 30°); 
         FIG. 11  illustrates an enlarged view of a rotating component of a remote trigger device of the speed limiter assembly according to a second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 12  illustrates an enlarged view of a locking plate of the speed limiter assembly according to a second embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIGS. 13-15  illustrate partial views of the speed limiter assembly according to a second embodiment of the present invention, with the rotating component being at a working position and gradually acting on a tripping bar of the speed limiter assembly. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     It is easy to understand that one skilled in the art may provide various structural forms and implementation modes which are mutually replaceable according to the technical solution of the present invention without changing the essential spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the following specific embodiments and drawings are merely used for exemplarily describing the technical solution of the present invention, and shall not be considered as all of the present invention or considered as a restriction or limitation to the technical solution of the present invention. 
     Orientation terms such as “above”, “below”, “left”, “right”, “front”, “rear”, “front surface”, “back surface”, “top” and “bottom” and the like which are mentioned or possibly mentioned in the description are defined with respect to the configurations illustrated in the drawings, they are relative concepts and thus they may be correspondingly changed according to different positions and different use states. Therefore, these or other orientation terms shall not be explained as restrictive terms. 
     A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 8 . Firstly, reference is made to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , which illustrate a speed limiter assembly according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The speed limiter assembly comprises a rope sheave  70 , an outer side surface of the rope sheave  70  is provided with a rope groove such that a rope can be wound around the rope sheave  70 . Due to this structure, the rope sheave  70  may rotate along the rope such that the rope sheave  70  rotates at an angular speed corresponding to a running speed of a car and in a direction corresponding to a running direction of the car. In all embodiments, it is assumed that an anticlockwise rotating direction of the rope sheave corresponds to a descending direction of an elevator car and a clockwise rotating direction of the rope sheave corresponds to an ascending direction of the elevator car. The speed limiter assembly further comprises an over-speed locking mechanism. For example, the over-speed locking mechanism comprises a shaft  60 , a ratchet wheel  50  fixedly connected with the shaft  60 , a ratchet tooth  30  and a tripping bar  40 . As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the speed limiter assembly is not triggered and the rope sheave  70  can freely rotate. The ratchet tooth  30  and the tripping bar  40  are both rotatably mounted onto the rope sheave  70  so as to rotate with the rope sheave  70 . The ratchet tooth  30  has a tendency to anticlockwise rotate due to traction of a spring  35  at a first end  31  thereof. A tooth groove  321  at a second end  32  of the ratchet tooth  30  is exactly fitted with a tooth  41  of the tripping bar  40 , such that the ratchet tooth  30  and the tripping bar  40  can be kept at a non-trigger position illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The tripping bar  40  is rotatably mounted onto the rope sheave  70  through a pin  44  and a torsion spring  43 , wherein the torsion spring enables the tripping bar  40  to be biased to have a tendency to rotate in the clockwise rotating direction, so as to keep a fitting position between the tooth  41  and the tooth groove  321 . At the non-trigger position, the rope sheave  70  can freely rotate in the clockwise direction corresponding to ascending of the elevator car and the anticlockwise direction corresponding to descending of the elevator car. With the acceleration of the running of the elevator car, a centrifugal force acting on a centrifugal block arranged on a back side of the rope sheave  70  is caused to increase, such that the centrifugal block overcomes a retaining force provided by an elastic device to gradually outwards move in a radial direction, till it toggles a portion of the tripping rod  40  which penetrates through the rope sheave  70 . The tooth  41  of the tripping bar thereby slides out of the tooth groove  321  at the second end  32  of the ratchet tooth  30 . Thereafter, the ratchet tooth  30  anticlockwise rotates relative to the rope sheave  70  under the effect of the spring  35  and is engaged with a tooth  51  of the corresponding ratchet wheel  50 . The tooth  51  of the ratchet wheel  50  abuts against the first end  31  of the ratchet tooth  30 . Due to the special configuration of the tooth  51  of the ratchet wheel  50  and the fixed connection between the ratchet wheel  50  and the shaft  60 , when the speed limiter assembly anticlockwise rotates and the first end  31  of the ratchet tooth  30  abuts against a first side  511  of the tooth  51  of the ratchet wheel, rotation of the rope sheave  70  in the anticlockwise direction is restricted. The speed limiter assembly is thereby triggered and related safety devices are driven to brake the elevator car. 
     Under some circumstances, for example, for the purpose of testing, it is expected to actively trigger the speed limiter assembly under a situation in which the elevator car has not been over-speed. Therefore, under a general circumstance, the speed limiter assembly is further provided with a remote trigger device. The remote trigger device may actively trigger the speed limiter assembly in response to, for example, a control switch located in an elevator control room. The limiter speed assembly according to the present invention is provided with a remote trigger device. The remote trigger device substantially comprises an actuator  11  and a rotating component  20 . The actuator  11  may be any device capable of executing movement in response to remote control, such as an electromagnet capable of executing linear movement. With respect to the rotating component  20 , it can rotate around a rotating axis A-A in a plane, and the plane in which the rotating component rotates is called as a rotating plane. The rotating component is actuated by the actuator  11  to rotate from an idle position illustrated in  FIG. 1  to a working position illustrated in  FIG. 6  to  FIG. 8 . At the idle position, the rotating component  20  is kept separated from the over-speed locking mechanism of the speed limiter assembly, and at the working position, the rotating component toggles a trigger member of the over-speed locking mechanism of the speed limiter assembly to trigger the speed limiter assembly. 
     More specifically, in the first embodiment, a specific shape of the rotating component  20  is illustrated in  FIG. 3 . The rotating component  20  comprises a rotating center or a rotating axis. For example, the rotating component  20  may comprise a mounting hole  231 . A pin  23  can be inserted into the mounting hole  231 , such that the rotating component is capable of rotating along the axis A-A defined by the pin  23 . The rotating component  20  further comprises a first end  21 . The first end  21  is used for being engaged with the actuator  11  to receive a pushing force from the actuator  11 . In some embodiments, the first end  21  is configured as a plane portion perpendicular to the rotating plane, and the actuator  11  may act on the plane portion to actuate the rotating component  20  to rotate towards the working position. The first end  21  which is formed as the plane portion can more easily receive the pushing force from the actuator  11 . The rotating component  20  further comprises a second end  22 . The second end  22  is used for guiding or toggling the trigger member of the over-speed locking mechanism. In some embodiments, the second end  22  of the rotating component  20  is provided with an arc-shaped guide side. Preferably, in some embodiments, the guide side comprises a first guide side  221  and a second guide side  222 . As described below, the arc-shaped guide side, when in contact with the trigger member of the over-speed locking mechanism, can gradually and gently guide or toggle the trigger member. In some embodiments, the second end  22  of the rotating component  20  may be formed in the shape of a disc. Outer arcs at different circumferential positions of the disc-shaped second end define the first guide side  221  and the second guide side  222 , respectively. In some embodiments, the first end  21  and the second end  22  of the rotating component  20  form an angle, for example, any angle between 60 degrees and 120 degrees or any angle between 30 degrees and 150 degrees. In one embodiment, the first end  21  and the second end  22  of the rotating component  20  are substantially perpendicular to each other. In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the second end  22  is used for toggling the tripping bar  40  of the over-speed locking mechanism, specifically, an axial extension portion  42  of the tripping bar  40  of the over-speed locking mechanism, so as to enable the tripping bar  40  to be disengaged from the ratchet tooth  30  to thereby remotely trigger the speed limiter assembly. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates an enlarged view of the tripping bar  40 . The tripping bar  40  is provided with a mounting hole  46  to thereby be rotatably mounted onto the rope sheave  70  through a pin  44 . The torsion spring  43  can be mounted on the pin  44  to enable the tripping bar  40  to have a tendency to clockwise rotate. The tripping bar  40  is provided with the tooth  41  which is used for fitting with the tooth groove  321  of the ratchet tooth  30 . The tripping bar  40  further comprises the axial extension portion  42 . As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the axial extension portion  42  is aligned with the guide side of the second end  22  of the rotating component, so as to be in contact with the second end  22  of the rotating component at the working position. 
     Now, working modes of the speed limiter assembly and the remote trigger device therein are described in detail with reference to  FIGS. 5-8 . It should be noted that for the purposes of clarity, partial components including the actuator are removed in  FIGS. 5-8 .  FIG. 5  illustrates a schematic view of the rotating component  20  at the idle position. At the idle position, the second end  22  of the rotating component  20  and the axial extension portion  42  of the tripping bar  40  are located at different radial positions which are differently distant from a rotating center of the rope sheave. In other words, when the tripping bar  40  goes by the rotating component  20 , the second end  22  of the rotating component  20  is located on a radial inner side of the axial extension portion  42  of the tripping bar  40 , i.e., the second end  22  of the rotating component  20  and the axial extension portion  42  are kept separated from each other and not in contact with each other. At this moment, when the tripping bar  40  anticlockwise rotates with the rope sheave  70  and does not move relative to the rope sheave  70 , the axial extension portion  42  of the tripping bar  40  is allowed to freely pass. 
     In  FIGS. 6-8 , for example, since a remote switch is turned on, the first end  21  of the rotating component  20  rotates by a predetermined angle to the working position under the effect of the actuator (represented by an arrow S). In a state illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the rope sheave  70  anticlockwise rotates in a direction R to a position at which the axial extension portion  42  of the tripping bar  40  just starts to be in contact with the arc-shaped guide side of the second end  22  of the rotating component  20 , more specifically, in contact with the first guide side  221  which anticlockwise rotates corresponding to the speed limiter assembly. As illustrated in  FIG. 7 , with further rotation of the rope sheave in the anticlockwise direction, the first guide side  221  of the second end  22  of the rotating component  20  outwards guides the axial extension portion  42  of the tripping bar  40 , gradually and gently toggles the tripping bar  40  to slightly rotate relative to the rope sheave  70  in the anticlockwise direction shown by an arrow A 1 , and thereby drives the ratchet tooth  30  to overcome a pulling force of the spring  35  at the first end  31  thereof to slightly clockwise rotate relative to the rope sheave  70  in a direction shown by an arrow A 2 , such that the tooth  41  of the tripping bar  40  is disengaged from the tooth groove  321  of the second end  32  of the ratchet tooth  30 . After the tooth  41  of the tripping bar  40  is disengaged from the tooth groove  321  of the second end  32  of the ratchet tooth  30 , as illustrated in  FIG. 8 , due to the pulling force of the spring  35 , the ratchet tooth  30  will anticlockwise rotate relative to the rope sheave  70  and therefore the first end  31  thereof abuts against the tooth  51  of the ratchet wheel  50 , more specifically, abuts against the first side  511  with a negative angle of the tooth  51 , to thereby restrict the further rotation of the rope sheave in the anticlockwise direction. 
     In processes illustrated in  FIGS. 6-8 , due to rotational movement of the rotating component, the second end of the rotating component  20  outwards moves in a radial direction to get close to the axial extension portion  42  of the tripping bar  40 . When the tripping bar  40  continuously anticlockwise rotates with the rope sheave  70 , the axial extension portion  42  of the tripping bar  40  moves along the first guide side  221  of the second end  22  of the rotating component  20 . The first guide side  221  of the rotating component  20  may be in an arc shape as illustrated in the figure, or in an alternative embodiment, the first guide side  221  of the rotating component  20  may also be planar or in other shapes. A rotating angle of the rotating component  20  and the shape of the first guide side  221  may be configured to enable the axial extension portion  42  of the tripping bar  40  to anticlockwise rotate relative to the rope sheave  70  in the direction A 1  such that the tooth  41  of the tripping bar  40  is capable of being disengaged from the tooth groove  321  of the second end  32  of the ratchet tooth  30 . 
     The second end  22  of the rotating component  20  further comprises a second guide side  222 . The second guide side  222  acts when the rope sheave  70  clockwise rotates. When the rope sheave clockwise rotates, i.e., corresponding to ascending of the elevator car, the rotating component  20  may be enabled at the working position due to misoperation, for example. At this moment, the second guide side  222  enables the axial extension portion  42  of the tripping bar  40  to be capable of smoothly passing. Although the tooth  41  of the tripping bar  40  will be also disengaged from the tooth groove  321  of the ratchet tooth  30  when the axial extension portion  42  of the tripping bar  40  goes by the second guide side  222 , the first end  31  of the ratchet tooth  30  will be guided by a second side  512  with a gentle positive angle of the tooth  51  of the ratchet wheel  50 . The second side  512  of the tooth  51  of the ratchet wheel  50  will guide the ratchet tooth  30  and the tripping bar  40  to be restored to a mutually restricted state illustrated in  FIG. 5  while the speed limiter assembly is not triggered. 
     Now, a second embodiment of a speed limiter assembly and a remote trigger device therein is described with reference to  FIGS. 9-15 . The speed limiter assembly illustrated in  FIG. 9  and  FIG. 10  is substantially the same as the speed limiter assembly illustrated in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , except that an improved tripping bar  400 , a wing member  410  and a rotating component  200  are used therein. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 11 , the rotating component  200 , actuated by actuator  110 , comprises a rotating center or a rotating axis. For example, the rotating component  200  may be provided with a mounting hole  2031 , and the rotating component  200  may be rotatably mounted onto a support through a pin  203  and a torsion spring  206 . The rotating component  200  can rotate around the pin  203  and the pin  203  defines a rotating axis B-B. The torsion spring  206  acts on the rotating component  200  such that the rotating component  200  tends to be restored to an idle position. The rotating component  200  further comprises a first end  201  used for fitting with an actuator to receive a pushing force of the actuator. In some embodiments, the first end  201  is formed as a plane portion perpendicular to a rotating plane. The first end  201  is connected with a transition section  205  such that the actuator and the other portions of the rotating component  200  are staggered in an axial direction. The rotating component  200  further comprises a second end  202  used for toggling a trigger member of an over-speed locking mechanism. In this embodiment, the second end is formed to have an axial extension portion, e.g., a pillar  204  which extends in the axial direction. 
     In the second embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 9 , in comparison with the tripping bar  40  in the first embodiment, the axial extension portion  42  is removed from the improved tripping bar  400 . The improved trigger member is a wing member  410  illustrated in  FIG. 12 . The wing member  410  is provided with a mounting portion  411  for connection with the tripping bar  400 . The mounting portion  411 , for example, comprises several mounting holes  412  which allow bolts to penetrate. The wing member  410  further comprises a wing portion, and an outer side of the wing portion at least defines a first guide side  413 . In some embodiments, the wing portion further defines a second guide side  414 . An inner side of the wing portion defines a profile  415  which encloses the tripping bar  400 . As illustrated in  FIG. 10 , the wing member  410  is aligned with the pillar  204 , which extends in the axial direction, of the second end  202  of the rotating component  200 , such that the pillar  204 , at the working position, which extends in the axial direction can interact with the wing member  410 . 
     Now, a working mode of the remote trigger device according to the second embodiment is introduced in detail with reference to  FIGS. 13-15 . Although not illustrated, when the rotating component  200  is at the idle position, the pillar  204 , which extends in the axial direction, of the second end of the rotating component and the wing member  410  of the tripping bar are located at different radial positions which are differently distant from a rotating center of the rope sheave, in a manner similar to that shown in  FIG. 9 . In other words, the pillar  204  which extends in the axial direction is located at a radial outer side of the wing member  410 , such that the tripping bar  400  can freely pass when the tripping bar  400  rotates with the rope sheave  70  to go by a position near the rotating component  200 . 
     At the working position illustrated in  FIG. 13  to  FIG. 15 , the rotating component  200  is pushed by the actuator at the first end  201  to clockwise rotate by a predetermined angle along the rotating axis defined by the pin  203  in a rotating plane which is substantially in parallel with the rope sheave  70 . With the rotation, the pillar  204 , which extends in the axial direction, of the second end of the rotating component  200  inwards moves in a radial direction to get close to the wing member  410  of the tripping bar  400 . In a state illustrated in  FIG. 13 , the first guide side  413  of the wing member  410  of the tripping bar  400  just starts to be in contact with the pillar  204 , which extends in the axial direction, of the second end  202  of the rotating component  200 . As illustrated in  FIG. 14 , with further rotation of the rope sheave in the anticlockwise direction, the pillar  204 , which extends in the axial direction, of the second end  202  of the rotating component  200  inwards guides the wing member  410  of the tripping bar  400 , gradually and gently enables the tripping bar  400  to slightly rotate relative to the rope sheave  70  in an anticlockwise direction shown by an arrow B 1 , and drives the ratchet tooth  30  to overcome a pulling force of the spring  35  at the first end  31  thereof to slightly clockwise rotate in a direction shown by an arrow B 2 , such that the tooth  401  of the tripping bar  400  is disengaged from the tooth groove  321  at the second end  32  of the ratchet tooth  30 . After the tooth  401  of the tripping bar  400  is disengaged from the tooth groove  321  at the second end  32  of the ratchet tooth  30 , as illustrated in  FIG. 15 , due to the pulling force of the spring  35 , the ratchet tooth  30  anticlockwise rotates relative to the rope sheave  70  and the first end  31  thereof abuts against the tooth  51  of the ratchet wheel  50 , to thereby restrict the further rotation of the rope sheave  70  in the anticlockwise direction. 
     The wing member  410  further defines a second guide side  414 . Similar to the first embodiment, the second guide side  414  acts when the rope sheave  70  clockwise rotates. The existence of the second guide side  414  guarantees that the wing member  410  is capable of smoothly passing. Although this also causes the tripping bar  400  to be disengaged from the ratchet tooth  30 , the forward second guide side  512  of the ratchet wheel guides the ratchet tooth  30  back to a non-trigger position when the rope sheave clockwise moves, while the speed limiter assembly is not triggered. 
     Although the embodiments of the present invention are described aiming at specific speed limiter assemblies, it should be understood that the remote trigger devices according to the embodiments of the present invention may be applied to other various types of speed limiter assemblies, wherein the rotating component rotates to radially inwards or outwards get close to the trigger member of the over-speed locking mechanism to trigger the speed limiter assembly. 
     The present invention further aims at protecting an elevator comprising the remote trigger device or the speed limiter assembly according to the embodiments of the present invention. 
     The specific embodiments described above are merely used for more clearly describing the principle of the present invention. Various components are clearly illustrated or described herein such that the principle of the present invention is easier to understand. One skilled in the art may easily make various modifications or variations to the present invention without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, it should be understood that these modifications or variations are all included in the patent protection scope of the present invention.