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.

An elevator installation may include at least one car that is displaceable in an elevator shaft; a first supply unit for supplying the car with energy, material, and/or data; and an interchange arrangement for interchanging the first supply unit to the car whereby the first supply unit is removed from or attached to the car during ongoing operation of the elevator installation. The interchange arrangement may be configured to remove and/or attached one or more supply units from the car during a regular door-opening cycle where the car stops at a floor of a building in which the elevator installation is installed. A duration of time required to remove the first supply unit from the car, or alternatively add the first supply unit to the car, is less than a duration of time required for a regular door-opening cycle.

An elevator installation may include at least one car that is displaceable in an elevator shaft; a first supply unit for supplying the car with energy, material, and/or data; and an interchange arrangement for interchanging the first supply unit to the car whereby the first supply unit is removed from or attached to the car during ongoing operation of the elevator installation. The interchange arrangement may be configured to remove and/or attached one or more supply units from the car during a regular door-opening cycle where the car stops at a floor of a building in which the elevator installation is installed. A duration of time required to remove the first supply unit from the car, or alternatively add the first supply unit to the car, is less than a duration of time required for a regular door-opening cycle.

An electrode unit is used in a power transmitting device or a power receiving device of a wireless power transmission system based on an electric field coupling method. The electrode unit includes: a first electrode to which a first voltage is applied when power is transferred; a second electrode to which a second voltage antiphase to the first voltage is applied when power is transferred; and a third electrode spaced apart from the first and second electrodes, the third electrode having a third voltage whose amplitude is less than amplitudes of the first and second voltages when power is transferred. The first and second electrodes are arranged along an electrode installation plane. At least a portion of the third electrode does not overlap the first and second electrodes as viewed from a direction perpendicular to the electrode installation plane.

A wireless power transfer arrangement for an elevator, an elevator, and a method for transferring power wirelessly in an elevator are presented in this document. The arrangement includes at least one first unit including a first winding, a first alignment unit and a first base. The arrangement further includes at least one second unit comprising a second winding, a second alignment unit, and a second base. One of the at least one first unit and the at least one second unit is adapted for arranging to an elevator shaft and the other to a movable unit of the elevator. The first alignment unit and the second alignment unit are configured to be utilized for indicating when the first winding and the second winding are aligned with respect to each other for transferring power wirelessly therebetween.

Provided is an elevator shaft dimensions measurement device including: a plurality of 3-D distance image sensors which are arranged on a circumference of the same circle, facing the direction of the center of the circle and inclined at an elevation angle with respect to a horizontal plane, and which output measurement data by capturing an image of a pattern irradiated onto the inner walls of an elevator shaft that are imaging objects; and a computer which integrates the measurement data output from the plurality of 3-D distance image sensors at a plurality of height positions in the elevator shaft, generates first integrated measurement data covering 360 degrees in the horizontal direction, aligns the first integrated measurement data to create second integrated measurement data after the alignment, and calculates the dimensions of the elevator shaft on the basis of the second integrated measurement data after the alignment.

Provided is an elevator shaft dimensions measurement device including: a plurality of 3-D distance image sensors which are arranged on a circumference of the same circle, facing the direction of the center of the circle and inclined at an elevation angle with respect to a horizontal plane, and which output measurement data by capturing an image of a pattern irradiated onto the inner walls of an elevator shaft that are imaging objects; and a computer which integrates the measurement data output from the plurality of 3-D distance image sensors at a plurality of height positions in the elevator shaft, generates first integrated measurement data covering 360 degrees in the horizontal direction, aligns the first integrated measurement data to create second integrated measurement data after the alignment, and calculates the dimensions of the elevator shaft on the basis of the second integrated measurement data after the alignment.

In a system for wirelessly transferring power from a primary side across an airgap to a secondary side, the secondary side includes two parallel resonating circuits (27) each including two parallel resonating paths with a series connection of a resonating inductor (28), and a resonating capacitor 29. A rectifier (21) is connected to the output of each resonating path for converting the AC output (12) of the resonating paths to a DC output (13). The outputs of the rectifiers (21) are connected in parallel to provide the AC output power (13) to a load such as a battery or the like. Each resonating path further includes a symmetry inductance connected in series to improve current sharing among the resonating paths and to reduce the higher harmonic portion in the resonating paths. For balancing the flux each resonating circuit 27 includes in a preferred embodiment of the invention a symmetry winding (30) wound on the same core as the resonating inductor 28 of that resonating path where all symmetry windings (3) are connected in parallel to ensure optimal flux sharing.

According to one embodiment, an inductor unit includes a first inductor and a second inductor. The first inductor includes a first magnetic core and a first coil winded around the first magnetic core. The second inductor includes a second magnetic core and a second coil winded around the second magnetic core. The first inductor and the second inductor are placed so that a first angle between a first line and a fifth line is equal to or greater than 0 degrees and is equal to or less than 90 degrees. The cross section of the first coil in the width direction and a cross section of the first coil in the width direction are overlapping at least at direction of the first magnetic flux or direction of the second magnetic flux.

An elevator system includes a hoistway, an elevator car movable along the hoistway, and a power management and transfer system. The power management and transfer system includes an electrical power source, a hoistway contactor secured in the hoistway and operably connected to the electrical power source, and a car contactor disposed at the elevator car, such that when the car contactor is brought into operable contact with the hoistway contactor, electrical power is transferrable between the power source and the elevator car.