Patent Publication Number: US-2017355570-A1

Title: Gap protective device

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE DISCLOSED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present disclosure is generally related to transportation systems and, more specifically, a gap protective device. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSED EMBODIMENTS 
     Transportation systems having sliding doors are increasingly common. One particular type of such a system, elevators may be found in office buildings and large apartment buildings, for example. When an elevator cab is disposed in an elevator shaft adjacent to a landing platform for a floor of a building, and any doors between the elevator and the platform are opened, passengers and cargo are permitted access to the elevator through an entrance defined between the cab and the landing platform. The entrance typically includes a small gap between the cab and the landing platform into the elevator shaft. 
     For passengers and cargo using an elevator there is a chance, when passing through the entrance, that an item may be dropped which happens to pass through the gap. In hoistways, the dropped object may interfere with other elevator components or, in elevator systems with more than one car in a hoistway, hit an elevator cab below. In some situations, the dropped object becomes lost down the elevator shaft. Presuming such items survive the fall down to the bottom of the elevator shaft, they are not easily retrieved. This can represent an inconvenience to the owner of the item, as well as the building owner and maintenance staff. 
     Therefore, an improved gap protective device that is capable of retrieving dropped items and reducing the likelihood the dropped object interferes with other elevator components is desired. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSED EMBODIMENTS 
     In one aspect, a transportation system is provided. The transportation system includes at least one shaft including a plurality of landing platforms, at least one transportation vehicle disposed in the at least one shaft, a protective device comprising a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the protective device is operably coupled to at least one of the transportation vehicle and the shaft adjacent to each of the plurality of landing platforms. In an embodiment, each transportation vehicle includes a vehicle floor and each landing platform includes a platform floor such that a gap is created when the vehicle floor is positioned adjacent to the platform floor. 
     In an embodiment, the protective device includes a device width, wherein the device width is greater than or equal to a width of the gap. In an embodiment, the protective device is operably coupled to at least one of an upper exterior portion of the transportation vehicle, a lower exterior portion of the transportation vehicle, and an interior surface of the shaft beneath the platform floor. 
     In an embodiment, the at least one transportation vehicle includes a vehicle door system configured to be placed in an open position and a closed position. In an embodiment, each of the plurality of landing platforms includes a platform door system configured to be placed in an open position and a closed position. 
     In an embodiment, the transportation system further includes an actuation device operably coupled to the protective device and at least one of the vehicle door system and platform door system, wherein the actuation device places the protective device in a first position when at least one of the vehicle door system and platform door system is in the open position and in a second position when at least one of the vehicle door system and platform door system is in the closed position. In an embodiment, the first position includes a position such that the protective device is disposed beneath the gap. 
     In an embodiment, the transportation system further includes a collection vessel positioned adjacent to at least one of the proximal end and the distal end of the protective device. In an embodiment, the proximal end is positioned higher than the distal end. In an embodiment, the collection vessel is configured to be accessible from an exterior of the shaft. 
     In an embodiment, the transportation system further includes a conduit operably coupled to the collection vessel. In an embodiment, a retrieval vessel operably coupled to the conduit. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The embodiments and other features, advantages and disclosures contained herein, and the manner of attaining them, will become apparent and the present disclosure will be better understood by reference to the following description of various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of an exemplary elevator system, constructed in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional diagram of an exemplary elevator system, constructed in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an exemplary elevator system with a protective device, constructed in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure; and 
         FIG. 4  is a front view of an exemplary elevator system with a protective device, constructed in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSED EMBODIMENTS 
     For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the present disclosure, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of this disclosure is thereby intended. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a transportation system  10  is shown in schematic fashion. It is to be understood that the exemplary version of the transportation system  10  includes an elevator system shown in  FIG. 1  for illustrative purposes only and to present background for the various components of a general elevator system. Moreover, it should be understood that the present system is described with respect to an elevator system, the system is equally applicable to any transportation system having sliding doors, a platform, and a gap there between including, but not limited to, a subway, train, or tram. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the transportation system  10  includes a shaft  12 . In the embodiment shown, the shaft  12  includes a first shaft portion  14  and a second shaft portion  16 . The first and second shaft portions  14 ,  16  may each be disposed vertically within a multi-story building. 
     The first and second shaft portions  14 ,  16  may be dedicated to directional travel. In some embodiments, the first and second shaft portions  14 ,  16  may be part of a single open shaft  12 . In other embodiments, the first and second shaft portions  14 ,  16  may be part of a divided shaft  12  that has a wall or other divider between the first and second shaft portions  14 ,  16 . The shaft  12  is not limited to two shaft portions. In some embodiments, the shaft  12  may include a single shaft or more than two shaft portions disposed vertically within a multi-story building. 
     In other embodiments, the shaft  12  may be disposed horizontally, such as in a subway tunnel to name one non-limiting example. The horizontal shaft  12  may or may not include walls or dividers for the entire length of the shaft  12 . 
     In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 , transportation vehicles  18  (e.g. elevator cars) may travel upward in the first shaft portion  14 . Transportation vehicles  18  may travel downward in the second shaft portion  16 . Exemplary transportation system  10  transports transportation vehicles  18  from a first floor to an upper floor in the first shaft portion  14  and transports transportation vehicles  18  from an upper floor to the first floor in the second shaft portion  16 . Above the top floor is an upper transfer station  20  where transportation vehicles  18  from the first shaft portion  14  are moved to the second shaft portion  16  as described in further detail herein. It is understood that the upper transfer station  20  may be located at the top floor, rather than above the top floor. Below the first floor is a lower transfer station  22  where transportation vehicles  18  from the second shaft portion  16  are moved to the first shaft portion  14 . It is understood that lower transfer station  22  may be located at the first floor, rather than below the first floor. Although not shown in  FIG. 1 , transportation vehicles  18  may stop at intermediate floors to allow ingress to and egress from the transportation vehicle  18 . 
       FIG. 2  depicts cross-sectional view of the exemplary embodiment of the transportation system  10 . In this embodiment, the transportation system  10  includes a protective device  24  disposed within the shaft  12 . 
     The protective device  24  includes a proximal end  28  and a distal end  30  (shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 ). In one embodiment, the protective device  24  may be disposed at each landing platform  26  located adjacent to the shaft  12 . In such an embodiment, the protective device  24  is operably coupled to a portion of the landing platform  26 . In this embodiment, as explained below, the protective device  24  provides a means for capturing and retrieving dropped items while the transportation vehicle  18  is stationary at the landing platform  26 . 
     In other embodiments, a protective device  24  may be operably coupled to the transportation vehicle  18 . In an embodiment, the protective device  24  may be disposed on at least one of an upper portion and a lower portion of the transportation vehicle  18 . For example, the protective device  24  may be operably coupled along an exterior perimeter of the roof of an elevator car or the protective device  24  may be operably coupled on the exterior of the transportation vehicle  18  in an area below where a passenger would enter and exit the transportation vehicle  18  (as later described herein). 
     In an exemplary embodiment of the protective device  24 , the proximal end  28  is positioned higher than the distal end  30  causing the protective device  24  to have a decline orientation. It will be appreciated that orientation of the protective device  24  may be opposite such that the distal end  30  may be positioned higher than the proximal end  28 . When a transportation vehicle  18  is positioned adjacent to a landing platform  26 , such that a passenger may exit the transportation vehicle  18  onto the landing platform  26 , a gap  32  is created between a floor of the transportation vehicle  18  and the floor of the landing platform  26 . The protective device  24  is configured to be placed under the gap  32  in order to receive items that may be dropped within the gap  32 . 
     In an embodiment, the protective device  24  includes a protective device width dimension (not shown) that is greater than or equal to the width of the gap  32 ; however, the protective device  24  may not be so wide as to interfere with the movement of the transportation vehicle  18  as it travels within the shaft  12 . In the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the proximal end  28  of the protective device  24  is positioned higher than the distal end  30  creating a decline such that objects (e.g., keys, coins, tools, etc.) that may fall into the gap  32  may be directed away from moving parts of the transportation system  10  to reduce the likelihood of objects damaging components of the transportation system  10 . 
     In other embodiments, the protective device  24  may be operably coupled to an actuation device (not shown), such that the protective device  24  may be deployed into the proper position when the transportation vehicle  18  is positioned at a landing platform  26 . In one such embodiment, the actuation device may be operably coupled to the sliding doors such that when the sliding doors are in an open position, the protective device  24  is deployed in a position to be placed under the gap  32  in order to receive items that may be dropped within the gap  32 . 
     In another embodiment, the actuation device may be operably coupled to a switching device (not shown). For example, service personnel may perform maintenance from the roof of the transportation vehicle  18 . Upon placing the transportation vehicle  18  in a service mode, via actuation of the switching device, the protective device  24  may be deployed from the roof of the transportation vehicle to prevent tools or service components from falling down the shaft  12 ; thus, preventing damage to transportation vehicles  18  located below within the shaft  12 . 
     In another example, where more than one transportation vehicles  18  occupies the same shaft  12 , the protection device  24  operates to deflect objects dropped through the gap  32  from hitting, and perhaps damaging, a transportation vehicle  18  positioned below the landing platform  26  where the object is dropped. 
     In an embodiment, a collection vessel  34  is disposed at the lower of the proximal end  28  or the distal end  30  of the protective device  24 . As shown in the embodiments of  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the collection vessel  30  is positioned such that as the fallen objects are directed down the decline of the protective device  24 , the fallen objects are able to fall off of the distal end  30  into the collection vessel  34  to be retrieved in a safe manner. 
     In an embodiment, the collection vessel  34  may be accessible from an exterior of the shaft  12 . In other embodiments, the collection vessel  34  may also be accessible from a transportation vehicle  18  designated to function as a service/maintenance car. For example, to increase safety of maintenance personnel and/or building operators, fallen objects may be retrieved from the collection vessel  34  by opening a hatch or a door, to name a couple of non-limiting examples, from the interior of the structure in which the transportation system  10  is located; thus, keeping unauthorized personnel from entering the shaft  12 . In other embodiments, a conduit (not shown) may be operably coupled to the collection vessel  34  such that fallen objects may enter the conduit and be directed to a combined retrieval vessel (not shown) operably coupled thereto. 
     It will therefore be appreciated that the present transportation system  10  includes a protective device  24  configured to have a size corresponding to the width of the gap  32  between the floor of the transportation vehicle  18  and the floor of the landing platform  26 , such that dropped objects that fall through the gap  18  may be collected and retrieved from the collection vessel  34  without building personnel entering the shaft  12 . It will further be appreciated that the present transportation system  10  includes a protective device located along the exterior perimeter of the transportation vehicle  18  to collect items that may be dropped from the exterior roof of the transportation vehicle  18  during maintenance. 
     While the disclosure has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only certain embodiments have been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the disclosure are desired to be protected.