Patent Description:
Generally, the systems that are used for the guidance of elevator automatic doors (telescopic and central opening) use one or more rails according to the number of leaves that form the elevator doors with their corresponding adjustment pulleys that roll on the corresponding rails, guiding the leaf hanger and adjustment pulleys that prevent the hangers from leaving the rail. There are also other systems, like the one disclosed in patent document <CIT>, providing a sliding device for automatic, telescopic and centrally opening doors, wherein rails are formed from the regular section with the material from the lintel elements and from the hangers. In the case of an embodiment having three hangers, the rail made in the lintel carries the first hanger, which includes - like the second hanger - two rails, and the third hanger has one rail.

Elevators are usually provided with an operator or actuation device that is responsible for simultaneously and automatically opening cabin doors and landing doors, when the cabin stops at said landing. These actuation devices are fixed to the cabin by means of a suitable support, the actuating mechanisms usually being arranged above the cabin doors. Said mechanisms are equipped with a laterally moveable driver carriage to which the cabin doors are associated, and with an extendable clutch which, in a certain position, connects the landing doors with the driver carriage, in order to enable the simultaneous and automatic opening or closing of the cabin doors and the landing doors, when the cabin reaches the stop position on said landing.

The driver carriage, which is conveniently guided, is usually associated with a drive belt that is driven by a return pulley which, when rotating in one direction or another, causes the carriage to move towards the opening position or towards the closing position of the doors, respectively. To do so, the required force must be transmitted to the return pulley so that the carriage, in the opening and closing movement thereof, drags the cabin doors of the landing. To do this, the actuation devices include an electric motor for this purpose, generally positioned above the elevator cabin so as not to increase the total width of the actuation device.

The operator supports, which are fixed to the elevator cabin, have considerable dimensions that protrude from the sides of the cabin and therefore define, to a large extent, the width of the elevator shaft required for installation. Thus, it would be desirable to have an operator device that would enable the distance that protrudes laterally from the cabin with the door leaves closed to be reduced, reducing the space required inside the shaft that houses the cabin door during travel of the elevator.

In order to provide a solution to the aforementioned space problem of the elevator shaft, an actuation operator device for opening and closing elevator cabin doors of at least one leaf is disclosed in claim <NUM>.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the driver carriage is fixedly attached to a first telescopic guideway that is moveable with respect to the base guideway through sets of bearings.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a first intermediate telescopic guideway is arranged between the base guideway and the first telescopic guideway (which is fixedly attached to the driver carriage), being coupled through respective sets of bearings.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the base guideway has a substantially C-shaped cross-section inside of which the first intermediate telescopic guideway is coupled, which in turn has a substantially C-shaped cross-section and inside of which the first telescopic guideway is in turn coupled (which is fixedly attached to the driver carriage). The first telescopic guideway has a substantially C-shaped cross-section but arranged with the open side thereof oriented towards the open side of the first intermediate telescopic guideway. First sets of bearings are arranged between the two upper wings of the base guideway and of the first intermediate telescopic guideway, and between the two lower wings of the base guideway and of the first intermediate telescopic guideway. Second sets of bearings are arranged between the two upper wings of the first intermediate telescopic guideway and of the first telescopic guideway that is fixed to the driver carriage, and between the two lower wings of the first intermediate telescopic guideway and of the first telescopic guideway (fixedly attached to the driver carriage).

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, several first intermediate telescopic guideways are arranged between the base guideway and the first telescopic guideway (fixedly attached to the driver carriage), coupled to each other through respective sets of bearings, one of the first intermediate telescopic guideways being coupled to the base guideway through first sets of bearings, and another of the first intermediate telescopic guideways being coupled to the telescopic guideway that is fixed to the driver carriage through respective second sets of bearings.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, indicated for those cases wherein the lift doors have at least two leaves that move away from and towards each other for opening and closing the door, the actuation operator device further comprises:.

the horizontal guide being a telescopic guide formed by a base guideway, fixed to the operator support, at least one first telescopic guideway, capable of moving along and beyond a first end of the base guideway in a door opening position and at least one second telescopic guideway, capable of moving along and beyond a second end of the base guideway in a door opening position, wherein the driver carriage is moveable along the at least first telescopic guideway and the driven carriage is moveable along the at least second telescopic guideway.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, for cabin doors of at least two leaves, the driven carriage is fixedly attached to a second telescopic guideway that is moveable with respect to the base guideway.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a second intermediate telescopic guideway is arranged between the base guideway and the second telescopic guideway (which is fixedly attached to the driven carriage), coupled to the base guideway and to the second telescopic guideway through respective sets of bearings.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the base guideway has a substantially C-shaped cross-section inside of which the second intermediate telescopic guideway is coupled. In turn, the second intermediate telescopic guideway has a substantially C-shaped cross-section inside of which the second telescopic guideway (which is fixedly attached to the driven carriage) is in turn coupled. The second telescopic guideway has a substantially C-shaped cross-section but arranged with the open side thereof oriented towards the open side of the second intermediate telescopic guideway. Third sets of bearings are arranged between the two upper wings of the base guideway and of the second intermediate telescopic guideway, and between the two lower wings of the base guideway and of the second intermediate telescopic guideway. Fourth sets of bearings are arranged between the two upper wings of the second intermediate telescopic guideway and of the second telescopic guideway (fixed to the driven carriage), and between the two lower wings of the second intermediate telescopic guideway and of the second telescopic guideway (fixed to the driven carriage).

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, for cabin doors of at least two leaves, several second intermediate telescopic guideways are arranged between the base guideway and the second telescopic guideway (which is fixedly connected to the driven carriage), coupled to each other through respective sets of bearings. One of the second intermediate telescopic guideways is coupled to the base guideway through third sets of bearings, and another of the second intermediate telescopic guideways is coupled to the telescopic guideway that is fixed to the driven carriage through respective fourth sets of bearings.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, in the closed door position, the operator support protrudes on each side of the closed cabin door by a distance (D) comprised between <NUM>% and <NUM>%, preferably between <NUM>% and <NUM>%, with respect to the total of the distance occupied by the closed door (P).

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, in the open door position, the two clutch arms of the clutch and more than <NUM>% of the total length of the driver carriage are located on one side of the operator support, outside of the same, while in the closed door position, the clutch and the driver carriage are completely located between the vertical sides of the operator support and, particularly, within the free passage distance (PL) of the door.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, valid for any of the variants described, in the open door position, more than <NUM>% of the total length of the driven carriage is located outside the operator support, to one side of the same, on the opposite side to the one wherein the two clutch arms remain, while in the closed door position, the driven carriage is located between the vertical sides of the operator support and, particularly, within the free passage distance (PL) of the door.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the length (L) of the operator support measured between the two vertical sides thereof is between <NUM>% and <NUM>% greater than the free passage distance (PL) of the door.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the length (L) of the operator support measured between the two vertical sides thereof is only <NUM> greater than the free passage distance (PL) of the door. In conventional operator devices, for a central door with two leaves, the usual measurement of the length L of the operator support is 2PL + <NUM> (double PL plus <NUM>). Instead, according to the present invention, the measurement L is PL + <NUM>. Thus, for a PL of <NUM>, L is <NUM>,<NUM> in a conventional operator device, compared to an L of <NUM> (the operator support protrudes <NUM>, <NUM>% with respect to the PL of <NUM>). For a PL of <NUM>, a conventional operator support has a length L of <NUM>,<NUM>, compared to <NUM>,<NUM> for the operator support of the operator device according to the present invention (it protrudes <NUM>% on each side with respect to PL).

Other embodiments are not ruled out wherein the length (L) of the operator support measured between the two vertical sides thereof is only from <NUM> to <NUM> greater than the free passage distance (PL) of the door, which in itself represents a very considerable reduction compared to conventional operator supports.

According to a second aspect of the invention, an assembly of an actuation operator device as described above, including all the variants thereof, and a cabin door with one or more leaves is disclosed.

The attached drawings illustrate, by way of non-limiting example, a preferred embodiment of the operator device object of the invention and of an assembly that incorporates it. In said drawings:.

<FIG> show an actuation operator device <NUM> for opening and closing a elevator door with two sliding leaves <NUM> and <NUM>, the operator support <NUM> of which is fixed to the upper front portion of a elevator cabin, the door being represented in a closed, semi-open and fully open door position, respectively.

<FIG> show the components of the actuation operator device <NUM> in greater detail, which, in addition to the operator support <NUM>, comprise:.

As <FIG> and <FIG> especially show, the horizontal guide <NUM> is a telescopic guide that extends beyond the two longitudinal ends of the operator support <NUM>, for the sliding of the driver carriage <NUM> to the left (facing the drawings) and of the driven carriage <NUM> to the right, and with them, the sliding of the corresponding leaves <NUM> and <NUM> of the door.

The telescopic horizontal guide <NUM> is formed by a base guideway <NUM>, fixed to the operator support <NUM>, which preferably goes from the left end to the right end of said support. The telescopic horizontal guide <NUM> further comprises, on the left end, a first intermediate telescopic guideway <NUM> coupled to the base guideway <NUM>, and a first telescopic guideway <NUM> fixedly attached to the driver carriage <NUM> and in turn coupled to the first intermediate telescopic guideway <NUM>. At the right end, the telescopic horizontal guide <NUM> comprises a second intermediate telescopic guideway <NUM> coupled to the base guideway <NUM>, and a second telescopic guideway <NUM> fixedly attached to the driven carriage <NUM>.

<FIG> schematically shows how the first intermediate telescopic guideway <NUM> is arranged coupled between the base guideway <NUM> and the first telescopic guideway <NUM> through respective sets of bearings <NUM> and <NUM>. In this way, the first intermediate telescopic guideway <NUM> moves by the action of the bearings <NUM> and <NUM>, which rotate when the first telescopic guideway <NUM> that is fixed to the driver carriage <NUM> moves. <FIG> also shows the cross sections of the guideways involved. Thus, the base guideway <NUM> has a substantially C-shaped cross section inside of which the first intermediate telescopic guideway <NUM> is coupled, which in turn has a substantially C-shaped cross section and inside of which the first telescopic guideway <NUM> that is fixed to the driver carriage <NUM> is in turn coupled. As can be seen, the first telescopic guideway <NUM> has a substantially C-shaped cross-section but arranged with the open side thereof oriented towards the open side of the first intermediate telescopic guideway <NUM>. The first sets of bearings <NUM> are arranged in particular between the two upper wings of the base guideway <NUM> and of the first intermediate telescopic guideway <NUM>, and between the two lower wings of the base guideway <NUM> and of the first intermediate telescopic guideway <NUM>. The second sets of bearings <NUM> are arranged between the two upper wings of the first intermediate telescopic guideway <NUM> and of the first telescopic guideway <NUM>, and between the two lower wings of the first intermediate telescopic guideway <NUM> and of the first telescopic guideway <NUM>. As can be seen, the wings of the different C-shaped profiles of the guideways are not flat, instead they comprise curvatures, in the form of folds or sinking, that collaborate with each other to retain the sets of bearings <NUM> and <NUM> between them.

At the right end thereof, the horizontal guide <NUM> has a telescopic configuration practically identical to that described in relation to the right end thereof. Thus, the second intermediate telescopic guideway <NUM> is arranged between the base guideway <NUM> and the second telescopic guideway <NUM> fixedly attached to the driven carriage <NUM>, coupled to the base guideway <NUM> and to the second telescopic guideway <NUM> through respective sets of bearings. As regards the shape and orientation of the transverse profiles, the second telescopic guideway <NUM> has the same as the first telescopic guideway <NUM>, and the second intermediate telescopic guideway <NUM> has the same as the first intermediate telescopic guideway <NUM>.

In the example of the actuation operator device <NUM> shown in the figures, the telescopic horizontal guide <NUM> has, on each side, an intermediate telescopic guideway profile <NUM>, <NUM> located between the base guideway <NUM> that is fixed to the operator support <NUM> and the respective telescopic guideway <NUM>, <NUM> fixedly connected to the driver carriage <NUM> or to the driven carriage <NUM>. However, it is contemplated that in other embodiments of the actuation operator device <NUM>, there will be several intermediate telescopic guideways coupled together, not just one.

In this way, on the left side, several first intermediate telescopic guideways are arranged between the base guideway <NUM> and the first telescopic guideway <NUM> (fixedly attached to the driver carriage <NUM>), coupled to each other through respective sets of bearings. Obviously, one of the several first intermediate telescopic guideways will continue to be coupled to the base guideway <NUM> through first sets of bearings <NUM>, and another of the first intermediate telescopic guideways will continue to be coupled to the telescopic guideway <NUM> that is fixed to the driver carriage <NUM> through respective second sets of bearings <NUM>. The same applies on the right side, so that several second intermediate telescopic guideways are arranged between the base guideway <NUM> and the second telescopic guideway <NUM> (fixedly attached to the driven carriage <NUM>), coupled to each other through respective sets of bearings.

The sequence of the opening movement of the door with two leaves <NUM> and <NUM> that is carried out in the actuation operator device <NUM> represented in the figures is explained below.

Having detected that the elevator has reached a landing, the motor that causes the rotation axle <NUM> to rotate is activated, which causes the belt that is part of the transmission system <NUM> to move. The belt is arranged between the rotation axle <NUM> and a pulley <NUM> that is fixed to the operator support <NUM> at the opposite end of the rotation axle <NUM> (see <FIG>). A belt clamp <NUM> (belt clamp in English) is fixed to the belt of the transmission system <NUM> and to the clutch <NUM>, so that when the belt moves, the clutch <NUM> moves. As <FIG> shows, the clutch <NUM> comprises a portion with an essentially right-angled triangle shape at the right vertex of which is the attachment with the belt clamp <NUM>. The clutch arm <NUM> is located just to the left of said triangular portion and below said portion the locking means <NUM> for locking the cabin door are arranged.

When the clutch <NUM> moves, its main function is to drag the driver carriage <NUM> therewith, to which it is attached by a fixing <NUM> or fixing points, in the opening direction. For its part, the driver carriage <NUM> is fixedly attached to the first telescopic guideway <NUM> through the fixing points <NUM>, transmitting the movement and starting the opening. Moreover, as a secondary function, the clutch <NUM> causes the locking means <NUM> to rotate, unlocking and moving the clutch arms <NUM> and <NUM> to their opening position.

At the same time, as the driver carriage <NUM> moves, a fixing support <NUM> that is fixed to the driver carriage <NUM> transmits this movement to a tape or thin tubular duct that forms part of an additional transmission system <NUM> together with two pulleys between which it moves. To transmit the movement to the driven carriage <NUM>, another support <NUM> is fixed to the driven carriage <NUM> and to the tape or to the fine tubular duct of the additional transmission system <NUM>. The movement of the driven carriage <NUM> will thus be in the opposite direction to that of the driver carriage <NUM>.

It is important to point out that the elements that make up the rotation axle <NUM>, the pulley <NUM>, the triangular portion of the clutch <NUM>, the two pulleys of the additional transmission system <NUM> and the support <NUM>, have been designed so that they do not protrude laterally from the vertical sides of the operator support <NUM>, not even when the operator device is in the fully opened position of the door, that is, so that they are contained in the dotted lines marking the limits of the length L of the operator support <NUM> in <FIG>. This design enables all these elements to be kept within these lateral limits of the operator support <NUM>, while in conventional designs a much longer operator support is required that reaches the outer vertical sides of the leaves <NUM> and <NUM> of the door in the open position.

This allows the space required when the cabin door travels between landings to be reduced, since the operator support <NUM> only protrudes a little more than the leaves <NUM> and <NUM> of the door in the closed position, as seen in <FIG> comparing the small distance D that separates the length L of the operator support <NUM> with respect to the distance P that the closed door occupies. In the case represented in <FIG>, the distance D is about <NUM>, which has to do with the number of telescopic guideways on each side of the horizontal guide <NUM>. The more telescopic guideways there are between the operator support <NUM> and the driver carriage <NUM>, or between the operator support <NUM> and the driven carriage <NUM>, to make the door leaves <NUM>, <NUM> of the elevator cabin slide, the smaller the distance D will be.

According to embodiments, the length L of the operator support <NUM> measured between the two vertical sides thereof is only <NUM>% to <NUM>% greater than the free passage distance PL of the door. Preferably, the L of the operator support <NUM> measured between the two vertical sides thereof is only <NUM> greater than the free passage distance PL. Thus, for a PL of <NUM>, L is <NUM>, which is considerably reduced compared to the L of <NUM>,<NUM> for conventional operator supports, wherein L is usually equal to 2PL + <NUM> (twice the PL plus <NUM>). Similarly, for a PL of <NUM>, the length L of the operator support <NUM> is only <NUM>,<NUM>, which is very short compared to <NUM>,<NUM> for a conventional operator support.

<FIG> also shows that in the closed door position, the operator support <NUM> protrudes on each side of the closed cabin door by a distance D comprised between <NUM>% and <NUM>%, preferably between <NUM>% and <NUM>%, with respect to the total distance occupied by the closed door P. In one embodiment of the invention, the leaves <NUM> and <NUM> of the closed door have a measurement P of <NUM>, a free passage distance PL of <NUM>, and the operator support <NUM> has an L of <NUM>, such that the distance D that protrudes is <NUM>, <NUM>% with respect to the distance occupied by the closed door P.

Another advantage, which can be seen in <FIG> and <FIG>, is that in the open door position, the two clutch arms <NUM> and <NUM> of the clutch <NUM> and more than <NUM>% of the total length of the driver carriage <NUM> are located on one side of the operator support <NUM>, outside the same (to the left when facing the drawings), while in the closed door position represented in <FIG> and <FIG>, the clutch <NUM> and the driver carriage <NUM> are completely located between the vertical sides of the operator support <NUM> and, particularly, within the free passage distance PL of the door.

Claim 1:
An actuation operator device (<NUM>) for opening and closing elevator cabin doors with at least one leaf (<NUM>), comprising:
- an operator support (<NUM>) fixable to an elevator cabin,
- a driver carriage (<NUM>) to which at least one door leaf (<NUM>) of the elevator cabin is associatable,
- a horizontal guide (<NUM>) along which, or along a first section of which, the driver carriage (<NUM>) is moveable;
- a clutch (<NUM>), fixedly attached to the driver carriage (<NUM>), comprising locking means (<NUM>) for locking the cabin door and a male group of those formed by two clutch arms (<NUM>, <NUM>) which is configured to, in a certain position, connect the landing doors with the driver carriage (<NUM>) in order to enable the simultaneous and automatic opening or closing of the cabin door and a landing door, when the cabin stops at a landing,
- a rotation axle (<NUM>) provided in the operator support (<NUM>), actuated by a motor and connected to a transmission system (<NUM>) comprised in the operator support (<NUM>), the transmission system (<NUM>) to which the clutch (<NUM>) is attached such that the rotation of the axle (<NUM>) causes the horizontal movement of the clutch (<NUM>) and the driver carriage (<NUM>) in one direction or another depending on the direction of rotation of the axle (<NUM>),
characterised in that the horizontal guide (<NUM>) along which the driver carriage (<NUM>) is moveable is a telescopic guide formed by a base guideway (<NUM>) that is fixed to the operator support (<NUM>), and at least one first telescopic guideway (<NUM>, <NUM>) that is capable of moving along and beyond the base guideway (<NUM>) in a door opening position.