An elevator and an elevator control method are provided. The elevator includes a car (4) and counterweights (10); the elevator includes posts (2), a steel frame structure (13), and a power device (7), where the steel frame structure (13) is fixed on the top of the elevator, and the power device (7) is fixedly installed on the steel frame structure (13); and the counterweights (10) are disposed in the posts (2).

A wireless power transfer system for wirelessly powering a conveyance apparatus of a first conveyance system and a conveyance apparatus of a second conveyance system including: a wireless electrical power transmitter located along a support or a side of the first conveyance system and a support or a side of the second conveyance system; a wireless electrical power receiver of the first conveyance system located along a surface of the conveyance apparatus of the first conveyance system opposite the support or the side of the first conveyance system; a wireless electrical power receiver of the second conveyance system located along a surface of the conveyance apparatus of the second conveyance system opposite the support or the side of the second conveyance system, wherein the wireless electrical power transmitter is configured to wirelessly transmit electric power to the wireless electrical power receiver of the first and second conveyance system.

A wireless power transfer system for wirelessly powering a conveyance apparatus of a first conveyance system and a conveyance apparatus of a second conveyance system including: a wireless electrical power transmitter located along a support or a side of the first conveyance system and a support or a side of the second conveyance system; a wireless electrical power receiver of the first conveyance system located along a surface of the conveyance apparatus of the first conveyance system opposite the support or the side of the first conveyance system; a wireless electrical power receiver of the second conveyance system located along a surface of the conveyance apparatus of the second conveyance system opposite the support or the side of the second conveyance system, wherein the wireless electrical power transmitter is configured to wirelessly transmit electric power to the wireless electrical power receiver of the first and second conveyance system.

A power transmission unit includes a plurality of power transmission coils provided along a hoistway and at least one power transmission device that supplies power to each of a plurality of power transmission coils. A power reception unit includes a plurality of power reception coils provided on a surface of a car opposite to the power transmission coil and at least one power reception device that receives the power from each of power reception coils. The plurality of power transmission coils include at least a first power transmission coil and a second power transmission coil. A length of the second power transmission coil in a traveling direction of the car is longer than a length of the first power transmission coil.

A wireless power supply system for elevators includes a power transmitting device, first and second power receiving devices provided in the first and second elevator cars respectively, and a control device. The power transmitting device includes power transmitting units each having an inverter and two power transmitter coils. The first power receiving device includes first power receiving units each having a rectifier circuit and a power receiver coil that can be coupled with one of the two power transmitter coils. The second power receiving device includes second power receiving units each having a rectifier circuit and a power receiver coil that can be coupled with the other of the two power transmitter coils. The power transmitting device, or the first and second power receiving devices include switches to disconnect the inverter and the first load device as well as the inverter and the second load device.

The invention concerns a wireless power transfer arrangement (1) including a primary side (2) and a secondary side (3) where the primary side includes an input stage (5) for converting an input power to an AC primary output and a primary resonator (6) for receiving the AC primary output and inducing a magnetic field (9) for wireless power transfer through an air gap (8). The secondary side (3) includes a secondary resonator (10) for converting the power received through the magnetic field (9) to an AC secondary output and an output stage (11) for converting the AC secondary output to a DC secondary output. A controller (15) is adapted to control independently of each other a frequency of the AC primary output to be at a resonance frequency of the resonators and the power transferred from the primary side (2) to the secondary side (3) by controlling the voltage or the current of the AC primary output. By locking the frequency of the system to the resonance frequency enables any easy power control simply by controlling the current or the voltage of the primary resonator (5).

An illustrative example embodiment of an elevator system includes an elevator car, a first transceiver supported on the elevator car, and a second transceiver in a preselected location where the first transceiver can wirelessly communicate with the second transceiver when the elevator car is situated in a corresponding location. The first transceiver wirelessly communicates with the second transceiver to transfer at least electrical power between the transceivers. An elevator car power storage device is supported on the elevator car. The elevator car power storage device is configured to store electrical power received by the first transceiver from the second transceiver. The elevator car power storage device is also configured to provide power to the first transceiver to be transferred to the second transceiver.

An elevator counterweight signaling system is provided. The elevator counterweight signaling system includes an actuation assembly configured for contact with an elevator counterweight guide rail. A signaling assembly is configured for electrical communication with the actuation assembly and one or more electrical connectors is configured to electrically connect the actuation assembly with the signaling assembly. The signaling assembly is configured to provide visual and/or audio indications of a moving elevator counterweight assembly.

An elevator counterweight signaling system is provided. The elevator counterweight signaling system includes an actuation assembly configured for contact with an elevator counterweight guide rail. A signaling assembly is configured for electrical communication with the actuation assembly and one or more electrical connectors is configured to electrically connect the actuation assembly with the signaling assembly. The signaling assembly is configured to provide visual and/or audio indications of a moving elevator counterweight assembly.

This invention is directed to a self-propelled elevator system having multiple motors or one motor, and methods for synchronizing said multiple motors. This invention is also directed to an elevator brake system to be used in said self-propelled elevator system or other types of elevators to increase their level of safety.