Patent Description:
Generally, the elevator (car, sling and counterweight) moves vertically up and down in an elevator shaft, guided either by roller guides or sliding guide shoes. Roller guides are used for higher speeds, and reduced friction. Usually at higher speeds the roller wheels are isolated from the roller body by springs located between swinging roller wheel arms and the roller body. This isolates lower frequency vibration from the imperfections and irregularities of the guide rails in a horizontal direction, and the elastomeric tyres of the roller wheels isolate some noise from the guide rail contact into the roller housing.

<CIT> discloses a roller guide assembly comprising a base member having a mounting means for mounting to the elevator device. The base member comprises a shaft support member. The roller guide assembly comprises a roller wheel for engaging a guide rail to be rolled on the guide rail and a shaft on which the roller wheel is bearing-mounted. The shaft is straight and non-rotatably supported by the shaft support member. Further, the roller guide assembly comprises a vibration dampening element. The vibration dampening element comprises an elastomer body arranged between the shaft and the shaft support member for dampening vibration of the roller wheel and for isolating the vibration from the base member when the roller wheels move along the guide rail across and over the irregularities and stepped portions of the connections portion of the guide rail. Also <CIT> and <CIT> are disclosing elevator roller assemblies in line with the preamble of claim <NUM>.

The objective of the invention is to provide an improved roller guide assembly which has a simple and low-cost structure having a small number of parts. Further, an objective of the invention is to provide a roller guide assembly which can be assembled easily and rapidly. Further, an objective of the invention is to provide a roller guide assembly that provides an improved noise and vibration isolation from roller wheel to the base member and via the base member to an elevator device to which the base member is attached, such as a car or a counterweight of the elevator system.

According to a first aspect, the present invention provides a roller guide assembly for an elevator device. The roller guide assembly comprises a base member having a mounting means for mounting to the elevator device, the base member comprising a shaft support member. The roller guide assembly comprises a roller wheel for engaging a guide rail to be rolled on the guide rail. The roller guide assembly comprises a shaft on which the roller wheel is bearing-mounted, the shaft being straight and non-rotatably supported by the shaft support member. The roller guide assembly comprises a vibration dampening element, the vibration dampening element comprising an elastomer body arranged between the shaft and the shaft support member for dampening vibration of the roller wheel and for isolating the vibration from the base member. According to the invention the shaft is attached to the shaft support member by the vibration dampening element forming a single attachment point for the shaft, the elastomer body of the vibration dampening element being configured to form an elastically spring-loaded universal joint for the attachment of the shaft to provide a universal degree of freedom of an angular movement of the shaft and the roller wheel in relation to the base member.

The advantage of the invention is that the elastomer body providing a single attachment point and an elastically spring-loaded universal joint for the shaft allows an angular movement for the shaft and the roller wheel, thus enabling that the vibration (caused by irregularities of the guide rail and stepped portions of the connections portion of the guide rail) will not be transmitted to the base member, although the irregularities may cause a wide range of movement of the roller wheel and the angular movement may then have a correspondingly large turning angle. Furthermore, the elastomeric body provides higher frequency noise isolation from the roller wheel/guide rail to the car.

In one embodiment of the roller guide assembly the base member and the shaft support member are formed of a single uniform metal plate, the shaft support member being bent at a straight angle from the plane of said metal plate.

In one embodiment of the roller guide assembly the shaft support member comprises a mounting hole for receiving the vibration damping element therein.

In one embodiment of the roller guide assembly the elastomer body is annular or polygonal, such as square, rectangular, pentagonal or hexagonal in shape.

In one embodiment of the roller guide assembly the vibration dampening element comprises a metal tube having a first central through hole through which the shaft extends, the metal tube having an outer surface. The elastomer body is concentrically or eccentrically around the metal tube and fixedly attached to the outer surface. If the geometric center of the elastomer body and the geometric center of the metal tube do not coincide, but are offset in relation to each other, then the position of the metal tube, and thereby the position of the roller wheel in relation to the guide rail, can be changed by rotating the vibration dampening element in relation to the shaft support member. This enables that the same vibration dampening element can be used for different guide rail sizes and dimensions. A stepped adjustment can be achieved by choosing the shape of the elastomer body to be polygonal, i.e. square, rectangular, pentagonal or hexagonal.

In one embodiment of the roller guide assembly the outer surface of the metal tube is cylindrical.

In one embodiment of the roller guide assembly the outer surface of the metal tube comprises a conical portion.

In one embodiment of the roller guide assembly the elastomer body comprises an annular groove disposed at an outer periphery of the elastomer body. The annular groove has a width and depth adapted to receive an edge portion of the mounting hole for mounting the elastomer body to the shaft support member.

In one embodiment of the roller guide assembly the vibration dampening element is divided into two vibration dampening element halves which are mounted to the mounting hole from opposite sides of the shaft support member.

In one embodiment of the roller guide assembly each of the vibration dampening element halves comprises a shoulder having a diameter substantially corresponding to the diameter of the mounting hole. The shoulders of the vibration dampening element halves together form an annular groove to receive an edge of the mounting hole for mounting the vibration dampening element to the shaft support member.

In one embodiment of the roller guide assembly the vibration dampening element comprises a pair of end caps for covering both sides of the elastomer body. Each end cap comprises a second central through hole through which the shaft extends, the second through hole having a smaller diameter than an outer diameter of the metal tube, so that the end caps abut against the ends of the metal tube at both sides of the elastomer body.

In one embodiment of the roller guide assembly the end cap is cup-like and comprises an annular flange which extends over a part of the outer periphery of the elastomer body.

In one embodiment of the roller guide assembly the vibration dampening element comprises a mounting flange made of metal. The mounting flange is fixedly attached to the elastomer body. The mounting flange has bolt holes for attaching the vibration dampening element to the shaft support member with bolted joints.

In one embodiment of the roller guide assembly the roller guide assembly comprises two or more roller wheels.

According to a second aspect, the present invention provides an elevator system, wherein the elevator system comprises a roller guide assembly according to the first aspect.

It is to be understood that the aspects and embodiments of the invention described above may be used in any combination with each other. Several of the aspects and embodiments may be combined together to form a further embodiment of the invention.

<FIG> show a roller guide assembly <NUM> for an elevator device (not shown). In <FIG> the roller guide assembly <NUM> is shown to be engaged with the guide rail R and rolling along the guide rail. The shown embodiment comprises three roller wheels <NUM> orthogonally engaged with the guide rail R, so that two roller wheels <NUM> engage with parallel guide surfaces <NUM>, <NUM> of the guide rail on its both opposite sides. These two roller wheels <NUM> have their planes of rotation in a common vertical plane. One roller wheel <NUM> engages with the frontal guide surface <NUM> of the guide rail. Although, the exemplary embodiments show roller guide assemblies having three roller wheels <NUM>, it should be noted that the roller guide assembly according to the invention may include any number of roller wheels supported to the base member according to the principles of the invention.

Referring to <FIG>, the roller guide assembly <NUM> comprises a base member <NUM>. The base member <NUM> comprises mounting means <NUM>, such has holes for bolted joints, for mounting the base member <NUM> to an elevator device, such as to a car, sling and/or counterweight, as illustrated in <FIG>. The base member <NUM> comprises a shaft support member <NUM>. The roller guide assembly <NUM> further comprises a roller wheel <NUM> for engaging a guide rail R. The roller wheel <NUM> is bearing-mounted on a shaft <NUM>. The bearing B is built into the hub of the roller wheel. The shaft <NUM> is straight and non-rotatably supported by the shaft support member <NUM> via a vibration dampening element <NUM>. The vibration dampening element <NUM> comprises an elastomer body <NUM> arranged between the shaft <NUM> and the shaft support member <NUM> for dampening vibration of the roller wheel and for isolating the vibration from the base member.

The shaft <NUM> is attached to the shaft support member <NUM> by the vibration dampening element <NUM>. The vibration dampening element <NUM> forms a single attachment point for the shaft <NUM>. The elastomer body <NUM> of the vibration dampening element <NUM> is configured to form an elastically spring-loaded universal joint for the attachment of the shaft <NUM> to provide a universal degree of freedom of an angular movement of the shaft and the roller wheel <NUM> in relation to the base member <NUM>.

The base member <NUM> and the shaft support member <NUM> may be formed of a single uniform metal plate. The shaft support member <NUM> may be bent at a straight angle from the plane of said metal plate.

Referring to <FIG>, the shaft support member <NUM> comprises a mounting hole <NUM> for receiving the vibration damping element <NUM> therein.

The elastomer body <NUM> has an annular shape. The vibration dampening element <NUM> comprises a metal tube <NUM> having a first central through hole <NUM> through which the shaft <NUM> extends. The metal tube <NUM> has a cylindrical outer surface <NUM>. The annular elastomer body <NUM> is concentrically around the metal tube <NUM> and may be attached to the outer surface <NUM> of the metal tube <NUM>.

As can be seen in <FIG>, the elastomer body <NUM> comprises an annular groove <NUM> disposed at an outer periphery <NUM> of the elastomer body <NUM>. The annular groove <NUM> has a width and depth adapted to receive an edge portion of the mounting hole <NUM> for mounting the elastomer body <NUM> to the shaft support member <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the vibration dampening element <NUM> comprises a pair of end caps <NUM> for covering both sides of the elastomer body <NUM>. The end cap <NUM> comprises a second central through-hole <NUM> through which the shaft <NUM> extends. The second central through hole <NUM> has a smaller diameter d than an outer diameter D of the metal tube <NUM>, so that the end caps <NUM> abut against the ends of the metal tube <NUM> at both sides of the elastomer body <NUM>. The end cap <NUM> is cup-like and comprises an annular flange <NUM> which extends over a part of the outer periphery <NUM> of the elastomer body <NUM>. The end caps <NUM> limit the excessive movement of the roller wheels and they also improve safety in case of failure of the elastomer body <NUM> by preventing the roller wheels from hitting fixing elements of the guide rail.

In the shown embodiments the shaft <NUM> is a bolt having a bolt head at one end and an outer thread at the other end onto which a lock nut can be threaded to fix the roller wheel <NUM> to the vibration dampening element <NUM>. Tightening force of the bolt does not compress the elastomer body <NUM>.

In another exemplary embodiment shown in <FIG> the vibration dampening element <NUM> is divided into two vibration dampening element halves <NUM><NUM>, <NUM><NUM> which can be mounted to the mounting hole <NUM> from opposite sides of the shaft support member <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, each of the two vibration dampening element halves <NUM><NUM>, <NUM><NUM> comprises an elastomer body <NUM>, a metal tube <NUM> and an end cap <NUM>. Further, each of the two vibration dampening element halves <NUM><NUM>, <NUM><NUM> comprises a shoulder <NUM> having a diameter that snugly fits to the diameter of the mounting hole <NUM>. The shoulders <NUM> of the vibration dampening element halves <NUM><NUM>, <NUM><NUM> together form an annular groove <NUM>, likewise as in the one-piece elastomer body <NUM> of <FIG>, to receive an edge portion of the mounting hole <NUM> for mounting the vibration dampening element <NUM> to the shaft support member <NUM>.

In a further exemplary embodiment shown in <FIG>, for the mounting of the roller wheel <NUM> to the shaft support member <NUM> the vibration dampening element <NUM> comprises a mounting flange <NUM> made of metal. The mounting flange <NUM> is fixedly attached to the elastomer body <NUM>. <FIG> show examples of the vibration dampening element <NUM> in which the mounting flange <NUM> comprises a collar <NUM> having an inner surface <NUM> which is fixedly attached to the outer surface <NUM> of the elastomer body <NUM>. The inner surface <NUM> of the elastomer body <NUM> is fixedly attached to outer surface <NUM> of the metal tube <NUM>. The outer surface <NUM> of the metal tube <NUM> has a conical portion <NUM>. The mounting flange <NUM> has bolt holes <NUM> for attaching the vibration dampening element <NUM> to the shaft support member <NUM> with bolted joints <NUM>.

<FIG> also shows an embodiment of the vibration dampening element <NUM> comprising a mounting flange <NUM> made of metal. This embodiments differs from the embodiments of <FIG> in that the mounting flange <NUM> is fixedly attached to the elastomer body <NUM> so that the collar <NUM> of the mounting flange is embedded into the material of the elastomer body <NUM>.

In all shown embodiments the elastomer body <NUM> may be made of rubber, natural rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, chloroprene, nitrile rubber, silicone rubber, polyurethane or any combination thereof.

<FIG> show four examples of the dampening elements <NUM> wherein the elastomer body <NUM> has a shape which is other than annular, i.e. polygonal. In <FIG> the elastomer body <NUM> has a square shape providing two distances for adjustment. In <FIG> the elastomer body <NUM> has a rectangular shape, also providing two distances for adjustment. In <FIG> the elastomer body <NUM> has a pentagonal shape. The pentagonal shape provides five unique distances for adjustment. In <FIG> the elastomer body <NUM> has a hexagonal shape providing four distances for adjustment. The metal tube <NUM> is attached to the elastomer body <NUM> eccentrically, i.e. the geometric center of the metal tube <NUM> is at a distance from the geometric center of the elastomer body <NUM>. The position of the metal tube <NUM> defines the position of the shaft <NUM> and the shaft <NUM> defines the position of the outer rim of the roller wheel <NUM>. Therefore, by rotating the vibration dampening element <NUM> into different angles and mounting to these angles it is possible to adjust the position of the roller wheel <NUM> in relation to the shaft support member <NUM> for adaptation of the roller guide assembly to different guide rail sizes. As shown in <FIG>, the square, rectangular, pentagonal and hexagonal shapes enable stepped adjustment.

<FIG> illustrate an elevator system comprising a car <NUM> (<FIG>) and a counterweight <NUM> (<FIG>). The system comprises a four roller guide assemblies <NUM> as described above mounted to the car <NUM> and to the counterweight <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A roller guide assembly (<NUM>) for an elevator device, the roller guide assembly comprising
- a base member (<NUM>) having a mounting means (<NUM>) for mounting to the elevator device, the base member comprising a shaft support member (<NUM>),
- a roller wheel (<NUM>) for engaging a guide rail (R) to be rolled on the guide rail,
- a shaft (<NUM>) on which the roller wheel (<NUM>) is bearing-mounted, the shaft being straight and non-rotatably supported by the shaft support member (<NUM>), and
- a vibration dampening element (<NUM>), the vibration dampening element comprising an elastomer body (<NUM>) arranged between the shaft (<NUM>) and the shaft support member (<NUM>) for dampening vibration of the roller wheel and for isolating the vibration from the base member, when in use, characterized in that the shaft (<NUM>) is attached to the shaft support member (<NUM>) by the vibration dampening element (<NUM>) forming a single attachment point for the shaft (<NUM>), the elastomer body (<NUM>) of the vibration dampening element (<NUM>) being configured to form an elastically spring-loaded universal joint for the attachment of the shaft (<NUM>) to provide a universal degree of freedom of an angular movement of the shaft and the roller wheel (<NUM>) in relation to the base member (<NUM>).