Patent Publication Number: US-11027944-B2

Title: Climbing elevator transfer system and methods

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     Benefit is claimed of U.S. Patent Application No. 62/555,773, filed Sep. 8, 2017, and entitled “SIMPLY-SUPPORTED RECIRCULATING ELEVATOR SYSTEM”, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety as if set forth at length. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The disclosure relates to elevator systems. More particularly, the disclosure relates to ropeless elevators wherein the elevator cars are propelled by onboard motors. 
     PCT/US2011/036020 of Shu et al., internationally filed May 11, 2011 and entitled “Circulation Transport System” discloses a ropeless elevator system (also known as self-propelled elevator system) with horizontal transfer between hoistways. International Application No. PCT/US2016/046120 of Witczak et al., internationally filed Aug. 9, 2016, and entitled “Configurable Multicar Elevator System” discloses another exemplary ropeless elevator system. US Patent Application Publication 2017/0088395A1 of Roberts et al., filed Sep. 23, 2016 and published Mar. 30, 2017 discloses another ropeless elevator system. 
     In the distinct automotive propulsion field, wheel hub motors have been developed for electric automobiles. A recent example of a wheel hub motor (also known as in-wheel electric motor) is found in PCT/NL2017/050032, internationally filed Jan. 19, 2017 and entitled “Wheel Comprising an In-Wheel Electric Motor”, published Jul. 27, 2017 as WO2017/126963A1. The disclosure of WO2017/126963A1 (the WO &#39;963 publication) is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety as if set forth at length SUMMARY 
     One aspect of the disclosure involves an elevator system comprising a plurality of hoistways, each having at least one rail. At least one car is moveable along and between the plurality of hoistways and has a drive assembly operably connected to the car and including two or more wheels engageable to opposing surfaces of the rail of a hoistway along which the car may move. The drive assembly is configured to apply an engagement force to the rail to both support the car at the rail and drive the car along the rail. At least one shuttle is moveable transverse to the plurality of hoistways for transferring the car between the hoistways. 
     In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, the drive assembly comprises, for at least a first wheel and a second wheel of said two or more wheels, a wheel hub motor. 
     In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, each said wheel comprises a tire mounted to rotate with a rotor of the wheel hub motor. 
     In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, each hoistway has a first said rail and a second said rail. Each said car has at least: a first pair of wheels oppositely engaged to the first rail and comprising said first wheel and a third wheel; and a second pair of wheels oppositely engaged to the second rail and comprising said second wheel and a fourth wheel. 
     In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, the system further comprises at least one device for compressing the first pair of wheels to the first rail and the second pair of wheels to the second rail. 
     In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, at least one of the at least one shuttle comprises at least one rail positionable in registry with the rail of one of the hoistways to receive a car from or transfer a car to that hoistway. 
     In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, the system further comprises a transfer rail, at least one of the at least one shuttle being configured to suspend a car from the transfer rail for movement between the hoistways. 
     In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, the shuttle comprises a wheel hub motor to drive the shuttle along the transfer rail. 
     In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, the system further comprises a track, at least one of the at least one shuttle being supported atop the track. 
     In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, the at least one shuttle comprises: a first shuttle at a first level; and a second shuttle at a second level different from the first level. 
     In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, for each hoistway, the at least one rail comprises a first rail and a second rail. 
     In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, the car has doors only on one side. 
     In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, each hoistway has an electrical contact rail and the car has at least one electrical contact shoe for engaging the electrical contact rail for powering the car. 
     In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, a method for using the system comprises: driving the car along a first of the hoistways; acquiring the car by the shuttle; moving the shuttle transverse to the hoistways to align the car with a second of the hoistways; and driving the car along the second hoistway. 
     In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, the second hoistway comprises a dedicated car maintenance location and the driving along the second hoistway comprises driving to the dedicated maintenance location. 
     In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, the acquiring comprises driving the car so that its wheels disengage the opposing surfaces of the rail of the first hoistway and engage opposing surfaces of a rail of the shuttle. 
     Another aspect of the disclosure involves an elevator system comprising: a first hoistway; a second hoistway; a guide rail including: a first guide rail portion extending along the first hoistway; and a second guide rail portion extending along the second hoistway. A transfer rail spans the first hoistway and second hoistway and supports a transfer carriage. An elevator car is disposed in and movable along the guide rail; and a drive assembly operably connected to the elevator car and including two or more wheels engaged to opposing surfaces of the rail, the drive assembly configured to apply an engagement force to the rail to both support the elevator car at the rail and drive the elevator car along the rail. The elevator car and the drive assembly are configured to allow for travel of the elevator car in a vertical position along the first guide rail portion, and to transfer from the first hoistway to the second hoistway via the transfer carriage. 
     In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, the transfer carriage includes a direct drive prime mover to move the transfer carriage along the transfer rail. 
     In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, the direct drive prime mover is a wheel hub motor. 
     In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, the two or more wheels engage the rail via an engagement force applied by one or more of a spring element, or a mechanical, electrical or hydraulic actuator. 
     In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, the rail includes a rail web connected to rail flanges, the wheels disposed on opposing sides of the rail web. 
     The details of one or more embodiments are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front oblique schematic view of an elevator system. 
         FIG. 2  is a rear oblique schematic view of the elevator system. 
         FIG. 2A  is an enlarged view of an upper portion of a car in the elevator system of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 3  is an aft view of the elevator system. 
         FIG. 4  is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the elevator system taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a downward sectional view of the elevator system taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 6  is a downward sectional view taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 6A  is an enlarged view of an electric shoe/rail area of the upper portion of a car in the elevator system of  FIG. 6 . 
     
    
    
     Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  shows an elevator system  20  having a group or cluster of hoistways  22 A,  22 B,  22 C,  22 D,  22 E. The hoistways may each span multiple floors of a building. The elevator system further includes a plurality of elevator cars  24  movable along and among the hoistways as is discussed below. The exemplary cars are single-door cars (i.e., door(s) at only one end of the car which is defined as a front of the car—the rear end ( FIG. 2 ) being closed). In other embodiments, the cars may have any desired configuration of doors. Thus, a forward direction is shown as  502 A, an aft direction as  502 B, an upward direction as  500 A, a downward direction  500 B, and opposite first and second lateral directions as  504 A and  504 B. 
     Each hoistway includes a pair of vertical rails  26 A,  26 B (e.g., steel). For at least some of the hoistways, the rails extend along a height H R  ( FIG. 3 ). The height H R  may span multiple floors of the building. In the exemplary embodiment, for each of the hoistways  22 A,  22 B,  22 D, and  22 E, H R  is the same and continuous and even (starts and ends at same level). In other embodiments, H R  may be different for some of the hoistways  22 A,  22 B,  22 D, and  22 E. The exemplary hoistway  22 C is segmented with an upper portion  22 C 1  and a lower portion  22 C 2  ( FIG. 3 ) respectively above and below a vacant space  28  which may form part of the occupied space of the building. 
     Other more complex embodiments may do things such as have different heights H R  and/or stagger the heights. For example, different or staggered heights may serve various purposes such as providing a limited number of elevators with access to upper floors while not wasting the space of extending all the hoistways to said upper floors. Similarly, at the bottom end, there may be a limited service to parking garages, basements, and the like. Yet further variations can come into play when dealing with transfer situations such as where passengers take one set of elevators up through a lower portion of a building and then transfer to another set. However, as is discussed below, one advantage of some implementations may be avoiding the need for transfer between cars. 
     As is discussed further below, the cars  24  are self-propelled. This frees the elevator design from constraints of rope systems. Such constraints include height limitations and the association of specific cars with specific corresponding hoistways. Also, ropeless systems are less sensitive to building sway (e.g., wind or seismic). Also, during large seismic events, roped systems may have problems with ropes coming off pulleys and with damage to relatively light duty stabilizing rollers. 
       FIG. 6  shows each rail  26 A,  26 B as having front face  30 A and an aft face  30 B. The exemplary front and aft faces are front and aft faces of a web of an I-beam that, accordingly, has respective inboard and outboard flanges at opposite ends of the web cross-section. Alternate rails may be T-sectioned or may be box-sectioned (hollow). 
     Each car includes a drive assembly  40  ( FIG. 2A ) operably connected to the car and including two or more wheels (wheel assemblies) engagable to the faces  30 A and  30 B to apply an engagement force to the rails to both support the car at the rails and drive the car along the rails. In the exemplary embodiment, there are four wheels: a forward pair of wheels  42 A,  42 B; and an aft pair of wheels  42 C and  42 D (collectively or individually  42 ). The exemplary wheels  42  each comprise a tire  44 , a rim/wheel  46 , and a wheel hub motor  48 . In various embodiment, the wheels  42  may have friction surface such as a tire mounted directly to or integral with the wheel hub motor  48 . The first wheels  42 A,  42 C of each pair engage the first rail  26 A of the hoistway and the second wheels  42 B,  42 D engage the second rail  42 B. Alternatively characterized, the wheels  42 A and  42 C may form a first pair engaging opposite faces of the first rail, while the wheels  42 B and  42 D form a second pair engaging opposite faces of the second rail. 
     In the exemplary embodiment, all four wheels  42  have direct drive prime movers in the form of wheel hub motors  48 . Alternative embodiments may include motors in only two (e.g., the front wheels  42 A,  42 B or the back wheels  42 C,  42 D with the undriven wheels merely serving to stabilize and pinch the rail between the wheels). The exemplary  FIG. 2A  configuration shows the front pair of wheels mounted to a shaft  50 A and the aft pair mounted to a shaft  50 B. 
     The exemplary shafts  50 A,  50 B are non-rotating shafts providing structural support rather than serving as axles. The exemplary shafts are secured against rotation in pillow blocks  52  so that the stator of the wheel hub motor is rigidly non-rotatably connected to the associated shaft. The rotor of the wheel hub motor is connected to (e.g., integrated with) the rim  48 . 
     The exemplary pillow blocks  52  are shown mounted to the top  54  of the car. In one implementation, the pillow blocks are slidably mounted fore and aft along a limited range of movement and a tensioning device  56  links adjacent pillow blocks of the fore and aft shafts to each other to apply tension and, in turn, compress the rail between the associated wheels to provide sufficient normal force to avoid slippage. The tensioning device  56  may comprise a spring, a hydraulic actuator, a pneumatic actuator, or the like. When the tensioning device is a controllable actuator, additional safety mechanisms may be provided such as mechanical locking. For example, the tensioning device may initially tension and compress the wheels against the rail but then be locked out. 
     In other variations, one of the two pillow blocks in each pair (e.g., both pillow blocks of one of the two shafts) are fixed and the other is slidably mounted. Other variations may avoid the wheel hub motors. For example, the shafts may be rotatably mounted to the car with the pillow blocks as bearings. One or both shafts may be integrated with or otherwise driven by the inner rotor of an electric motor (e.g., with the outer stator fixed against rotation)). 
     Exemplary tires include solid rubber or other resilient material or pneumatic tires. 
     The cars may further be movable among/between the hoistways. This may be accomplished by transfer shuttles or carriages  100 ,  102 .  FIGS. 1 and 4  show one or more lower transfer shuttles  100  as carts  100  at the bottom of the cluster for transferring cars between hoistways.  FIG. 1  also shows upper transfer shuttles  102  as hanging shuttles  102  at the top of the cluster for transferring cars between hoistways. The exemplary carts  100  are wheeled carts riding along a pair of rails  104 A,  104 B. The exemplary hanging shuttles  102  are also wheeled, having wheels riding atop rails  106 A,  106 B ( FIGS. 1 and 5 ). Thus, the rails  104 A,  104 B and  106 A,  106 B form tracks (e.g., shown as box channel tracks). The carts  100  and hanging shuttles  102  may be driven by onboard motors or otherwise controlled (e.g., chain or similar drive). Exemplary onboard motors include hub motors such as those described for the wheels  42 . 
     The transfer shuttles  100 ,  102  each have a pair of vertical rails  126 A,  126 B. When a shuttle is in an operative position registered with a given hoistway, these rails align/register with the rails  26 A,  26 B of the hoistway to allow a car to drive between the hoistway rails and the shuttle rails. Accordingly, the cross-section and spacing of the shuttle rails may be the same as that of the hoistway rails. Once a car has fully transferred to a transfer shuttle, the shuttle may move the car from one hoistway to another and then the car may drive itself off the rails of the shuttle and onto the rails of that hoistway, thereby freeing the shuttle for further use. 
     Although the exemplary system shows multiple hanging shuttles  102  and multiple carts  100 , there need not be multiples of each and need not be both types. Additionally, although the transfer shuttle tracks are shown as laterally coextensive with the hoistways, there could be different configurations in which one or both of the sets of transfer shuttle tracks extend laterally past the hoistways or do not extend fully across. As noted above, for example, in a high rise building, it might be possible that there are multiple groups of one or both types of transfer shuttle. For example, the full number of hoistways may extend along the lower portion of the building and a subgroup may extend the full height. There thus could be one set of transfer shuttle tracks and hanging shuttle(s)  102  at the very top covering just the full-height subgroup while another is at the top of the shorter height subgroup that spans just that subgroup. 
     As noted above, the exemplary illustrated configuration shows four full-height hoistways  22 A,  22 B,  22 D, and  22 E. The hoistway  22 C is vertically interrupted. The portions of that hoistway beyond the vacant space (dead area)  28  may service a smaller group of floors or may act as locations for purposes such as car maintenance, car storage, and the like. The exemplary embodiment shows one such location above the dead space and one such location below the dead space merely for purposes of illustration. 
     Although not illustrated, the hoistways may be isolated from each other via walls such as for fire protection or structural purposes. For example, the walls may be load bearing and the rails may be mounted to the walls. Alternatively, the rails may be supported front and back via beams extending to front and back walls of the building structure surrounding the cluster. 
     The elevators may be powered via conductors (discussed below) running along the shaft and engaged by appropriate conductors (e.g., shoes) on the car. One set of possibilities involves embedding the former conductors along the rails. Communication may similarly pass through conductors or may be radio frequency via transmit/receive radios (not shown) in each car communicating with one or more radios (not shown) in the hoistway which, in turn, may be hard wire or radio connected to a central controller  200  ( FIG. 1 ) that interfaces with the cars&#39; local controllers  204 , the building&#39;s control devices (e.g., the elevator buttons and central control console), and the like. The transfer shuttles  100 ,  102  may be similarly powered and controlled. 
     Examples of such powering may be via a power rail  220  ( FIG. 6A ) integrated with or parallel to one or both rails (and tracks for the transfer shuttles). Multipole conductor rails  220  are available from suppliers in the industrial crane and warehousing fields such as Conductix-Wampfler USA, Omaha, Nebr. The multipole rail allows one or more forms of power (e.g., one form for powering the motors and another form for powering lighting, control, communications, climate control, etc.) and control and communication. The cars and transfer shuttles have contact shoes  222  complementary to the power rails. 
     The transfer shuttle vertical rails may have power (and communication/control) rails  220  just as the hoistway rails. These may receive power and communication/control via the transfer shuttle track power and communication/control rails  220  and transfer shuttle shoes  222 . 
     Also, there may be a local battery (charged via the rail power) in each car and shuttle to provide emergency operation and continuous operation despite interruptions (e.g., a loss of electrical contact at some particular location in car travel). 
       FIG. 1  further shows the central controller  200 . As noted above, there may be a combination of a central (main or group) controller  200  and local controllers  204  ( FIG. 6A ) on each car and transfer shuttle. The central controller may receive user inputs from an input device (e.g., switches, keyboard, or the like) and sensors (not shown, e.g., car position sensors, door position sensors, motor condition sensors, power sensors, and temperature sensors at various system locations). The controller may be coupled to the sensors and controllable system components (e.g., transfer shuttle motors, car motors, locking mechanisms, and the like) via control lines  202  (e.g., hardwired or wireless communication paths). The controller may include one or more: processors; memory (e.g., for storing program information for execution by the processor to perform the operational methods and for storing data used or generated by the program(s)); and hardware interface devices (e.g., ports) for interfacing with input/output devices and controllable system components. 
     The system may be implemented using existing or yet-developed self-propelled/ropeless elevator technology. As such, materials and manufacture techniques may be drawn from such technologies. As mentioned above, use of a hub motor and rail systems is one particular implementation. Thus, use of the same hub motors in the transfer shuttles  100 ,  102  as in the cars  24  is an option that facilitates economy of scale in manufacture and repair. However, alternatives are possible. Although shown with two pairs of wheels pinching two rails, other self-propelled configurations are relevant including situations where the wheels might be outwardly biased (e.g., against four respective rails or other surfaces along the periphery of the individual hoistway). 
     Additional features may relate to the cars going to transfer stations. For example, when a car is otherwise to go to a transfer station, there may be a passenger detection override that prevents the car from leaving the main portion of a hoistway until all passengers have left (but optionally with a service or emergency override allowing technicians or emergency personnel to ride the car into engagement with the transfer shuttle, etc.). 
     Control may generally correspond to that set forth in United States Patent Application Publication 20170008729A1, of Ginsberg, et al., Jan. 12, 2017, the disclosure of which in incorporated by reference in its entirety herein as if set forth at length, and International Application No. PCT/US2016/016528, internationally filed Feb. 4, 2016, and entitled “Multi-Car Elevator Control”, published Aug. 11, 2016 as WO2016/126919A1 (the &#39;919 publication) the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein as if set forth at length. 
     The use of “first”, “second”, and the like in the description and following claims is for differentiation within the claim only and does not necessarily indicate relative or absolute importance or temporal order. Similarly, the identification in a claim of one element as “first” (or the like) does not preclude such “first” element from identifying an element that is referred to as “second” (or the like) in another claim or in the description. 
     One or more embodiments have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made. For example, when applied to an existing basic system, details of such configuration or its associated use may influence details of particular implementations. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.