Patent Publication Number: US-11034549-B2

Title: Gap-reducing sill assembly for an elevator car

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Elevators are in widespread use for carrying passengers and items among different levels in buildings, for example. When an elevator car is situated at a landing to allow passengers to enter or exit the car, a sill on the elevator car is aligned with a sill at the landing. Various aspects of elevator systems require some distance or spacing between the landing sill and the elevator car sill. That distance typically results in a gap that is wide enough for an object to fall through the gap and into the hoistway. For example, an individual dropping a key, coin, or credit card at the threshold to the elevator car might drop it through the gap between the sills. Additionally, some shoes include relatively thin, high heels that may at least partially slip into the gap, which is undesirable. 
     While various proposals have been made for reducing the gap between the elevator car sill and the landing sill or filling that gap when an elevator car is at the landing, none of them have been fully satisfactory. 
     SUMMARY 
     An illustrative example elevator sill assembly includes a sill plate and at least one support arm secured to the sill plate. A mounting bracket is configured to be mounted to an elevator car. The support arm is supported on the mounting bracket to allow the support arm to pivot relative to the mounting bracket. At least one actuator arm has a portion configured to be contacted by a door of the elevator car to cause movement of the actuator arm relative to the mounting bracket as the door moves into an open position. The movement of the actuator arm causes the support arm to pivot relative to the mounting bracket to thereby cause the sill plate to pivot from a stored position to an actuated position. 
     In an example embodiment having one or more features of the assembly of the previous paragraph, the at least one support arm pivots about a first pivot axis, the actuator arm is supported on the mounting bracket to allow the actuator arm to pivot relative to the mounting bracket along a second pivot axis and the first pivot axis is perpendicular to the second pivot axis. 
     In an example embodiment having one or more features of the assembly of any of the previous paragraphs, the at least one support arm has one end, a sill plate holder near the one end and a first plurality of gear teeth near an opposite end, the first pivot axis is centered relative to the first plurality of gear teeth, the at least one actuator arm has one end, a door contactor near the one end and a second plurality of gear teeth near an opposite end, the second pivot axis is centered relative to the second plurality of gear teeth and the second plurality of gear teeth engage the first plurality of gear teeth during the movement of the at least one actuator arm to cause the at least one support arm to pivot relative to the mounting bracket and move the sill plate into the actuated position. 
     In an example embodiment having one or more features of the assembly of any of the previous paragraphs, the first plurality of gear teeth matches the second plurality of gear teeth and the one end of the at least one support arm matches the one end of the at least one actuator arm. 
     An example embodiment having one or more features of the assembly of any of the previous paragraphs includes a biasing member near the one end of the at least one support arm, the biasing member biasing the sill plate into the stored position. 
     In an example embodiment having one or more features of the assembly of any of the previous paragraphs, the biasing member comprises a magnet supported on the at least one support arm, the magnet being situated to contact a portion of the mounting bracket when the sill plate is in the stored position. 
     In an example embodiment having one or more features of the assembly of any of the previous paragraphs, the biasing member comprises a spring having one end coupled to the at least one support arm near the one end, the spring having another end coupled to the mounting bracket. 
     In an example embodiment having one or more features of the assembly of any of the previous paragraphs, the at least one support arm comprises a first support arm near one end of the sill plate and a second support arm near an opposite end of the sill plate and the at least one actuator arm comprises a first actuator arm associated with the first support arm and a second actuator arm associated with the second support arm. 
     In an example embodiment having one or more features of the assembly of any of the previous paragraphs, the first and second support arms and the first and second actuator arms all have an identical configuration. 
     In an example embodiment having one or more features of the assembly of any of the previous paragraphs, the sill plate has a mass and the mass of the sill plate and gravity urges the sill plate toward the stored position. 
     In an example embodiment having one or more features of the assembly of any of the previous paragraphs, the at least one actuator arm pivots about a vertical pivot axis and the at least one support arm pivots about a horizontal pivot axis. 
     An illustrative elevator car assembly includes a cab, at least one door that is moveable to open or close an opening into the cab, a sill beneath the at least one door, a sill plate, at least one support arm secured to the sill plate, a mounting bracket mounted to the elevator car near the sill, the at least one support arm being supported on the mounting bracket to allow the at least one support arm to pivot relative to the mounting bracket and at least one actuator arm situated to be contacted by the door as the door moves into the open position to cause movement of the at least one actuator arm relative to the mounting, the movement of the at least one actuator arm causing the at least one support arm to pivot relative to the mounting bracket to thereby cause the sill plate to pivot from a stored position at least partially beneath the sill to an actuated position where the sill plate is aligned with the sill. 
     In an example embodiment having one or more features of the assembly of the previous paragraph, the sill plate is oriented transverse to the sill when the sill plate is in the stored position. 
     In an example embodiment having one or more features of the assembly of any of the previous paragraphs, the at least one support arm comprises a first support arm near one end of the sill plate and a second support arm near an opposite end of the sill plate and the at least one actuator arm comprises a first actuator arm associated with the first support arm and a second actuator arm associated with the second support arm. 
     In an example embodiment having one or more features of the assembly of any of the previous paragraphs, the first and second support arms are identical, the first and second actuator arms are identical, and the actuator arms are identical to the support arms. 
     In an example embodiment having one or more features of the assembly of any of the previous paragraphs, the at least one support arm pivots about a first pivot axis, the actuator arm is supported on the mounting bracket to allow the actuator arm to pivot relative to the mounting bracket along a second pivot axis, and the first pivot axis is perpendicular to the second pivot axis. 
     In an example embodiment having one or more features of the assembly of any of the previous paragraphs, the first pivot axis is horizontal and the second pivot axis is vertical. 
     In an example embodiment having one or more features of the assembly of any of the previous paragraphs, the at least one support arm has one end, a sill plate holder near the one end, and a first plurality of gear teeth near an opposite end, the first pivot axis is centered relative to the first plurality of gear teeth, the at least one actuator arm has one end, a door contactor near the one end, and a second plurality of gear teeth near an opposite end, the second pivot axis is centered relative to the second plurality of gear teeth, and the second plurality of gear teeth engage the first plurality of gear teeth during the movement of the at least one actuator arm to cause the at least one support arm to pivot relative to the mounting bracket and move the sill plate into the actuated position. 
     In an example embodiment having one or more features of the assembly of any of the previous paragraphs, the first plurality of gear teeth matches the second plurality of gear teeth and the one end of the at least one support arm matches the one end of the at least one actuator arm. 
     In an example embodiment having one or more features of the assembly of any of the previous paragraphs, the sill plate has a mass and the mass of the sill plate and gravity urges the sill plate toward the stored position. 
     The various features and advantages of at least one example embodiment will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description. The drawings that accompany the detailed description can be briefly described as follows. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  schematically illustrates selected portions of an elevator system including a sill assembly designed according to an embodiment of this invention with a sill plate in a stored position. 
         FIG. 2  diagrammatically illustrates the portion of  FIG. 1  encircled at  2 . 
         FIG. 3  schematically illustrates the portions of the elevator system shown in  FIG. 1  with the sill plate in an actuated position. 
         FIG. 4  diagrammatically illustrates the portion of  FIG. 3  encircled at  4 . 
         FIG. 5  diagrammatically illustrates selected features of an elevator car including a sill assembly designed according to an embodiment of this invention. 
         FIG. 6  is an elevational view corresponding to the condition of the component shown in  FIG. 5  including the sill plate in a stored position. 
         FIG. 7  diagrammatically illustrates the components encircled at  7  in  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 8  diagrammatically illustrates the components encircled at  8  in  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 9  is an elevational view showing the components illustrated in  FIG. 6  in a condition in which an elevator door is moving toward an open position and the sill plate is moving from the stored position shown in  FIG. 6  toward an actuated position. 
         FIG. 10  diagrammatically illustrates selected portions of an elevator car with the doors opened and the sill plate in an actuated position. 
         FIG. 11  is an elevational view corresponding to the condition shown in  FIG. 10 . 
         FIG. 12  diagrammatically illustrates the portions of  FIG. 10  encircled at  12 . 
         FIG. 13  diagrammatically illustrates selected components from  FIG. 12 . 
         FIG. 14  diagrammatically illustrates another example embodiment with the sill plate in the actuated position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Embodiments of this invention are useful for reducing the gap between the sills on an elevator car and a landing. A sill plate pivots from a stored position into an actuated positon where the sill plate at least partially blocks or covers the gap. Movement of the sill plate into an actuated position is based upon movement of the elevator car doors into an open position. 
       FIG. 1  schematically illustrates selected portions of an elevator system  20 . An elevator car  22  includes at least one elevator car door  24  and a sill assembly  26  positioned beneath the elevator car door  24 . The sill assembly  26  includes a sill plate  28  shown in a stored position in  FIG. 1 . At least one landing door  30  at a landing  32  moves relative to a landing sill  34  beneath the landing door  30 . The elevator car door  24  and landing door  30  move together using known coupling techniques. 
       FIG. 2  provides more detail regarding the components of the sill assembly  26  in the condition shown in  FIG. 1 , which corresponds to the elevator car door  24  being in a closed position. 
       FIGS. 3 and 4  show the components illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2  with the sill plates  28  in an actuated position where the sill plate  28  is aligned with a sill  40  of the elevator car  22  and the landing sill  34 . As can be appreciated from  FIG. 4  for example, in this embodiment, when the sill plate  28  is aligned with the elevator car sill  40 , the upward facing surfaces of the sill plate  28  and the elevator car sill  40  are essentially parallel with each other but they are not necessarily at the same exact vertical position. In this embodiment, the sill plate  28  remains slightly beneath or recessed relative to the highest surface on the elevator car sill  40 . 
       FIGS. 5 and 6  show the elevator car doors  24  in a closed position. Under these conditions, the sill plate  28  is in the stored position where the sill plate  28  is transverse to the elevator car sill  40 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , the sill assembly  26  includes a mounting bracket  42  that is configured to be connected with the elevator car  22 . At last one support arm  44  is supported by the mounting bracket  42  so that the support arm  44  can pivot relative to the mounting bracket  42  about a pivot axis  46 . In the illustrated example, the pivot axis  46  is horizontal and parallel with the elevator car sill  40 . The sill plate  28  pivots about the pivot axis  46  to move between the stored and actuated positions. 
     At least one actuator arm  48  is supported by the mounting bracket  42  so that the actuator arm  48  can pivot about a pivot axis  50 . In the illustrated example, the pivot axis  50  is vertical. The pivot axes  46  and  50  are perpendicular to each other. 
     As can be appreciated from  FIGS. 5, 7 and 8 , the illustrated example sill assembly  26  includes a mounting bracket  42 , support arm  44  and actuator arm  48  near each end of the sill plate  28 . The support arms  44  each include a sill plate connector  52  near one end  54  of the support arm  44 . In this example, the sill plate connector  52  is configured to be at least partially received within a correspondingly shaped groove or slot on the sill plate  28  as can be appreciated, for example, from  FIGS. 2 and 4 . 
     The support arms  44  include a plurality of teeth  56  near an opposite end  58  of the support arms  44 . In this example, the pivot axis  46  is centered relative to the gear teeth  56 . 
     The actuator arms  48  include one end  64  that is configured to be contacted by a portion of the elevator car doors  24  as the car doors move toward an open position. The actuator arms  48  include gear teeth  66  near an opposite end  68  that are situated to engage or mesh with the gear teeth  56  on the support arms  44 . 
     As the elevator car doors  24  move from the closed position shown in  FIG. 5  toward an open position, a portion of each door  24  contacts a corresponding one of the actuator arms  48  causing the actuator arm to pivot relative to the mounting bracket  42 . Such contact is shown in  FIG. 9 , for example. As the actuator arms  48  pivot relative to the mounting bracket  42 , the gear teeth  66  cause movement of the gear teeth  56  resulting in pivotal movement of the support arms  44 . Such pivotal movement of the support arms  44  results in the sill plate  28  pivoting from the stored position toward the actuated position. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 10-12 , when the car doors  24  reach a fully opened position, the actuator arms  48  have pivoted sufficiently to cause pivotal movement of the support arms  44  to bring the sill plate  28  fully into the actuated position where the sill plate  28  is aligned with the elevator car sill  40 . The sill plate  28  is held in the actuated position by the presence of the car doors  24  preventing movement of the actuator arms  48 , which prevents movement of the support arms  44 . Once the elevator car doors  24  move back toward the closed position far enough to be spaced away from the actuator arms  48 , the mass of the sill plate  28  and gravity pull the sill plate  28  back into the stored position. 
     As can be appreciated from  FIGS. 7, 8 and 2 , the sill assembly  26  includes a biasing member  70  that biases the sill plate  28  into the stored position. In this example embodiment, the biasing member  70  comprises a magnet that is secured to the support arm  44 . The magnet is magnetically attracted to the metal of the mounting bracket  42  and tends to bias or hold the sill plate  28  in the stored position during elevator car movement. 
       FIG. 13  shows a support arm  44  and actuator arm  48  in the positions also shown in  FIG. 12 . As can be appreciated from  FIG. 13 , the configuration or structure of the support arm  44  and the actuator arm  48  are identical in the illustrated example embodiment. When used as a support arm, the one end  54  serves as a connector for connecting the support arm  44  with the sill plate  28 . When used as an actuator arm  48 , the one end  64  serves as a contact portion for making contact with an elevator car door for purposes of moving the sill plate  28  between the stored and actuated positions. The ends  54  and  64  each include an opening or receiver  72  for receiving a magnet  70  depending on whether the particular arm is being used as a support arm. The geared teeth  56  and  66  on the respective ends  58  and  68  are also identical in this embodiment. The configuration of the example support arms  44  and actuator arms  48  also allow for the same component to be used on either end of the sill plate  28  by simply reversing the orientation of the actuator arm  48 . Other embodiments include support arms  44  and actuator arms  48  that are configured differently than the illustrated examples and in some embodiments the support arms  44  and actuator arms  48  are not identical. 
     In an example embodiment, the arms  44  and  48  comprises a plastic material, such as an ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene. Such materials are cost efficient, reduce or avoid friction and do not tend to introduce noise during movement of the sill plate  28 . 
       FIG. 14  illustrates another example embodiment in which a biasing member  80  that comprises a spring urges the sill plate  28  into the stored position. When in the actuated position as shown in  FIG. 14 , the spring biasing member  80  in this example is extended. The spring biasing member  80  tends to retract for holding the sill plate  28  in the stored position during elevator car movement. 
     Embodiments of this invention improve the aesthetics of an elevator system by reducing a visible gap between the elevator car sill  40  and the landing sill  34 . In the actuated position, the sill plate  28  reduces the possibility of elevator passengers inadvertently dropping small items into the hoistway. The illustrated example embodiments can be used in elevator systems that include advance door opening techniques without interfering with the efficiencies provided by such techniques. The design of the components of the illustrated examples reduces the number of parts that have to be maintained in inventory and facilitates easier assembly. 
     The preceding description is exemplary rather than limiting in nature. Variations and modifications to the disclosed examples may become apparent to those skilled in the art that do not necessarily depart from the essence of this invention. The scope of legal protection given to this invention can only be determined by studying the following claims.