Patent Description:
As is known, the walls of an elevator car consist of a plurality of panels side by side and mounted together and on the base platform. In this context, several mounting solutions are known. For example, a first solution includes the lateral fixing between panel and panel together with a direct fixing of the lower side of the panel to the platform by means of screws. A second solution includes mounting a bracket extending outwards on the platform. A lower side of the panel is mounted on such a bracket.

Both solutions have a main drawback: mounting the panel in the lower part requires the presence of more than one installation technician, at least one of whom acts from outside the car. This makes the mounting operations difficult due to accessibility limits, as well as with several risks for the installation technician. All these operations lead to a long installation time. Document <CIT> shows hook-like attachments installed on the bottom of the lateral panel and which are engaged into the cutouts on the baseboard, increasing safety and operation efficiency for cage assembly operation. Document <CIT> discloses an elevator car according to the preamble of claim <NUM>.

Document <CIT> discloses an elevator car in which there are two protrusions on an upper portion of the baseboard that engage respective locking holes arranged in the lower section of the side plate.

In this context, the technical task underpinning the present invention is to propose an elevator car and a method for mounting a plurality of panels on a platform of an elevator car, which obviate the above-cited drawbacks of the prior art.

In particular, it is an object of the present invention to propose an elevator car and a method for mounting a plurality of panels on a platform of an elevator car, which increase the safety for the installation technician relative to the known solutions.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an elevator car and a method for mounting a plurality of panels on a platform of an elevator car, in which the mounting operations are faster relative to the known solutions. The stated technical task and the specified objects are substantially achieved by an elevator car, comprising:.

In accordance with an embodiment, the second portion has an extension on a plane parallel to the platform.

In accordance with an embodiment, the first portion has an extension on a plane orthogonal to the second portion.

In accordance with an embodiment, the first portion has an extension on a plane orthogonal to the platform.

In accordance with an embodiment, the bracket has an L-shaped profile.

In accordance with an embodiment, the plurality of panels is arranged on all sides except for one front side intended to support a door.

In accordance with an embodiment, the first bushings and/or the second bushings are of the mushroom type.

The defined technical task and the specified objects are substantially achieved by a method for mounting a plurality of panels on a platform of an elevator car, said platform having a peripheral edge comprising a plurality of sides, each panel comprising:.

According to an aspect of the invention, the platform comprises a front side intended to support a door and a rear side opposite the front side, the step of mounting the first panel occurring on the rear side.

According to an aspect of the invention, the step of mounting the panels subsequent to the first occurs following two paths originating from respectively opposite parts of the first panel and ending at vertices of the sides shared with the front side.

Further features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the indicative and thus non-limiting description of a preferred but non-exclusive embodiment of an elevator car, as illustrated in the appended drawings, in which:.

With reference to the figures, reference numeral <NUM> indicates an elevator car.

The car <NUM> comprises a platform <NUM> having a peripheral edge 2a. The peripheral edge 2a comprises a plurality of sides <NUM>. Preferably, each side <NUM> extends according to its own longitudinal direction. In the preferred embodiment, the platform <NUM> has a quadrilateral shape, in particular rectangular or square. The platform <NUM> has a planar extension, which in mounted conditions of the car <NUM> corresponds to a horizontal plane.

The car <NUM> comprises a plurality of panels <NUM> arranged near one or more sides <NUM> of the platform <NUM> for defining walls of the car <NUM>. In the preferred embodiment, the panels <NUM> are mounted on all sides <NUM> except for one. In particular, the side <NUM> not affected by the panels <NUM> is the front one, i.e., the one intended to support a door and a movement mechanism thereof.

In particular, each panel <NUM> comprises a first edge <NUM> facing the platform <NUM>. The first edge <NUM> is therefore identifiable as a lower edge.

Each panel <NUM> comprises a second edge <NUM> and a third edge <NUM> originating, respectively, from opposite ends of the first edge <NUM>. They extend away therefrom and from the platform <NUM> according to their own inclined direction. Such edges <NUM>, <NUM> are therefore side edges.

Preferably, the second edge <NUM> is orthogonal to the first edge <NUM>. Preferably, the third edge <NUM> is orthogonal to the first edge <NUM>. Preferably, the second edge <NUM> and the third edge <NUM> extend away according to two directions parallel to each other.

Suitably, each panel <NUM> comprises at least a fourth edge (not illustrated) located on the opposite side relative to the first edge <NUM>.

The edges <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> are folded. In particular, the edges <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> are folded to form a shelf. In the preferred embodiment, illustrated in the figures, the edges <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> are folded towards the outside of the platform <NUM>. In an alternative embodiment (not illustrated), the edges <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> are folded towards the inside of the platform <NUM>.

The panels <NUM> are arranged with the side edges <NUM>, <NUM> flanked two-by-two. Preferably, the panels <NUM> are flanked according to a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the side <NUM>.

The flanked edges <NUM>, <NUM> of two adjacent panels <NUM> are fixed to each other by one or more first bushings <NUM>. Preferably, the first bushings <NUM> are of the mushroom type.

The car <NUM> comprises a bracket <NUM>. The bracket <NUM> comprises a first portion 9a mounted laterally to the side of the platform <NUM>. The bracket <NUM> comprises a second portion 9b originating from one end of the first portion 9a with an extension away therefrom towards the inside of the platform <NUM>. The second portion 9b is suspended shelved above the platform <NUM>.

Preferably, the second portion 9b has an extension on a plane parallel to the platform <NUM>.

Preferably, the first portion 9a has an extension on a plane orthogonal to the second portion 9b. In the preferred embodiment, illustrated in the figures, the bracket <NUM> has an overturned L-shaped profile.

Preferably, the first portion 9a has an extension on a plane orthogonal to the platform <NUM>.

The panels <NUM> have the first edge <NUM> mounted on the second portion 9b of the bracket <NUM> by means of one or more mechanical anchoring elements <NUM>. Preferably, the mechanical anchoring element <NUM> is a screw. At least one of the panels <NUM> has the first edge <NUM> mounted on the second portion 9b of the bracket <NUM> also by means of one or more second bushings <NUM>.

In the preferred embodiment, a single panel <NUM> has the first edge <NUM> mounted on the second portion 9b of the bracket <NUM> also by means of one or more second bushings <NUM>. Preferably, the second bushings <NUM> are of the mushroom type.

Preferably, the first edge <NUM> of such a panel <NUM> is mounted on the second portion 9b of the bracket <NUM> by means of a mechanical anchoring element <NUM> and a second bushing <NUM> at a first end 5a of the first edge <NUM> and a mechanical anchoring element <NUM> and a second bushing <NUM> at a second end 5b of the first edge <NUM>. The first end 5a and the second end 5b are located on opposite sides of the first edge <NUM>. In particular, the first end 5a is located near the second edge <NUM> and the second end 5b is located near the third edge <NUM>.

Such a panel <NUM> is mounted on the platform <NUM> first. For this reason, it has no lateral support and must be integrally fixed to the bracket <NUM> also by means of the second bushings <NUM>. The subsequent panels <NUM> are mounted by fixing one of the side edges <NUM>, <NUM> to the adjacent panel <NUM> already mounted, therefore a fixing to the bracket <NUM> by means of the mechanical anchoring elements <NUM> is sufficient.

It is also possible that more than one panel <NUM> is mounted on the bracket by a combination of mechanical anchoring elements <NUM> and second bushings <NUM>, but this would represent an increase in complexity and in the number of mounting operations necessary, without bringing a real advantage.

A method for mounting a plurality of panels <NUM> on a platform <NUM> of an elevator car <NUM>, object of the present invention, is described below.

The platform <NUM> has a peripheral edge 2a comprising a plurality of sides <NUM>. Preferably, each side <NUM> extends according to its own longitudinal direction. In the preferred embodiment, the platform <NUM> has a quadrilateral shape, in particular rectangular or square. The platform <NUM> has a planar extension, which in mounted conditions of the car <NUM> corresponds to a horizontal plane.

Each panel <NUM> comprises a first lower edge <NUM> which will be facing the platform <NUM>. Each panel <NUM> comprises a second edge <NUM> and a third edge <NUM> originating, respectively, from opposite ends of the first edge <NUM>. They extend away therefrom and from the platform <NUM> according to their own inclined direction. Such edges <NUM>, <NUM> are therefore side edges.

The edges <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> are folded towards the outside of the platform <NUM>.

The method comprises a step of arranging at least one bracket <NUM> on a side <NUM> of the platform <NUM>. The bracket <NUM> comprises a first portion 9a and a second portion 9b originating from the first portion 9a with an extension away therefrom according to an inclined direction. Preferably, the first portion 9a has an extension on a plane orthogonal to the second portion 9b. In the preferred embodiment, illustrated in the figures, the bracket <NUM> has an overturned L-shaped profile.

The method comprises a step of mounting the bracket <NUM> on the corresponding side <NUM> of the platform <NUM> so that the first portion 9a is laterally flanked to the side <NUM> of the platform <NUM> and the second portion 9b is located suspended shelved above the platform <NUM>.

The method then comprises a step of mounting a first panel <NUM> of said plurality of panels <NUM> on the corresponding side <NUM>, fixing its first edge <NUM> to the second portion 9b of the bracket <NUM> by means of one or more second bushings <NUM> and one or more mechanical anchoring elements <NUM>. Preferably, the mechanical anchoring element <NUM> is a screw.

The method comprises a step of mounting the panels <NUM> subsequent to the first, one at a time, on the platform <NUM>. The step of mounting the subsequent panels <NUM> comprises the following steps for each panel <NUM>:.

Preferably, the step of fixing the second edge <NUM> occurs before the step of fixing the first edge <NUM>.

Preferably, the platform <NUM> comprises a front side <NUM> intended to support a door and a rear side <NUM> opposite the front one. The panels <NUM> are not mounted on the front side <NUM>. Preferably, the step of mounting a first panel <NUM> occurs on the rear side <NUM>. Preferably, the first panel <NUM> is mounted centrally on the rear side <NUM>.

Preferably, the step of mounting the panels <NUM> subsequent to the first occurs following two paths originating from opposite parts of the first panel <NUM>, respectively, which extend, respectively, towards one of the two vertices of the rear side <NUM>, then along the lateral sides <NUM>, ending at the vertex of the lateral sides <NUM> shared with the front side <NUM>.

The features of the elevator car and the method for mounting a plurality of panels on a platform of an elevator car are clear from the above description, as are the advantages.

Claim 1:
An elevator car (<NUM>) comprising:
a platform (<NUM>) having a peripheral edge (2a) comprising a plurality of sides (<NUM>);
a plurality of panels (<NUM>) arranged at one or more sides (<NUM>) of the platform (<NUM>) for defining walls of the car (<NUM>), each panel (<NUM>) comprising:
- a first lower edge (<NUM>) facing the platform (<NUM>);
- a second side edge (<NUM>) and a third side edge (<NUM>) originating, respectively, from opposite ends of the first edge (<NUM>) with an extension away therefrom and from the platform (<NUM>) according to two inclined directions,
said edges (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) being folded,
said panels (<NUM>) being arranged with the second and third edges (<NUM>, <NUM>) flanked two-by-two, the flanked edges (<NUM>, <NUM>) of two adjacent panels (<NUM>) being fixed to each other;
at least one bracket (<NUM>) for each side (<NUM>), said bracket (<NUM>) having an extension along a main direction following the side (<NUM>), said bracket (<NUM>) comprising a first portion (9a) mounted on said peripheral edge (2a) and a second portion (9b) originating from one end of the first portion (9a) with an extension away therefrom, said second portion (9b) being located at a first distance above the platform (<NUM>),
said panels (<NUM>) having the first edge (<NUM>) mounted on the second portion (9b) of the respective bracket (<NUM>) by means of one or more mechanical anchoring elements (<NUM>) and at least one of said panels (<NUM>) having the first edge (<NUM>) mounted on the second portion (9b) of the respective bracket (<NUM>),
characterized in that the second portion (9b) has an extension towards the inside of the platform (<NUM>), the flanked edges (<NUM>, <NUM>) of two adjacent panels (<NUM>) being fixed to each other by one or more first bushings (<NUM>) and at least one of said panels (<NUM>) having the first edge (<NUM>) mounted on the second portion (9b) of the respective bracket (<NUM>) also by means of one or more second bushings (<NUM>).