A longitudinal element produced with a core made of high-strength fibers and at least one metal casing, preferably steel, surrounding this core. In this way, there is the significant advantage that these high-strength fibers, which are very lightweight in relation to their strength, are protected in a number of ways, namely against humidity, moisture, UV light and other environmental influences. In addition, the metal casing provides the fibers with protection against transverse loads. In this way, all the high-strength properties of the traction or suspension means are maintained over a sustained period.

An integrated intelligent cable module for use in a tensile fiber strength member. The module preferably includes an integral instrument package. The instrument package may assume many forms and may serve many purposes. The module preferably includes load-monitoring, recording features, and display features. These features act as a “black box” for the tensile fiber strength member, monitoring its performance and reporting (in real-time or at a later time) any exceedances or any deterioration in performance or structural integrity. These features allow an operator to easily monitor the condition of a tensile fiber strength member—preferably while the tensile fiber strength member remains in service.

A method and device detect non-uniform and uniform deterioration states in an elevator suspension member having first and second groups of electrically conductive cords. First ends of the groups are electrically connected to an alternating voltage generator arrangement and second ends are electrically connected to each other through first and second resistors via a neutral point at which electrical resistances of the groups are the same in a non-deteriorated state of the suspension member. The method includes: applying first and second alternating voltages to the first end of the first and second groups, respectively; determining a neutral point voltage between the neutral point and an electrical reference potential; determining difference voltages between first and second difference measurement points located between the second ends of the groups and the respective resistors; and determining the deterioration state based on both the determined neutral point voltage and the determined difference voltage.

A belt for an elevator system includes a plurality of tension members arranged along a belt width and extending longitudinally along a length of the belt, each tension member including a plurality of fibers. A metallized coating layer is applied to at least a portion of an outer surface of at least one tension member of the plurality of tension members. The metallized coating has a coating electrical conductivity greater than a tension member electrical conductivity of the at least one tension member. A jacket material at least partially encapsulates the plurality of tension members and the metallized coating layer.

A maintenance assistance method for assisting in maintaining a metal cable of a lifting or transport apparatus, the metal cable forming a closed loop and cooperating with a re-tensioning system. The maintenance assistance method implements the following steps: supervising the re-tensioning operations of the metal cable by the re-tensioning system, for each re-tensioning operation of the metal cable, determining of an elongation value of the metal cable, estimating an overall elongation value of the metal cable, which corresponds to the sum of the elongation values of the metal cable determined after each re-tensioning operation, and determining a damage index of the metal cable as a function of the overall elongation value.

Disclosed is a non-steel strength membered high strength cable easily monitored for heat and elongation comprising a length of a core-cable (10), the length of core-cable (10) including at least two fiber-optic conductors (2) that are: (i) disposed in a helical shape; and (ii) completely encased in a solid, flexible material.
One fiber-optic conductor capable of transmitting at least Raman backscattering and the other fiber-optic conductor capable of transmitting at least Brillouin scattering.

A combination of the cable (10): (i) with an interrogator that can read and interpret Raman backscattering coupled to and communicating with the fiber optic conductor that is capable of transmitting at least Raman backscattering; and (ii) another interrogator that can read and interpret Brillouin scattering coupled to and communicating with the fiber optic conductor that is capable of transmitting at least Brillouin scattering;
permits ascertaining the elongation of the cable, without using loose tube fiber-opticplacement.

A steel cord for the reinforcement of elastomer products such as elevator belts, conveyor belts, synchronous or timing belts or hoses or tyres is presented. The steel cord comprises strands and monofilaments made of steel filaments. The strands themselves are also made of steel filaments twisted together. The strands form the outer layer of the steel cord. The monofilaments are twisted into the cord with the same lay length and direction as the strands and are positioned in the valleys between the strands on the radial outer side of the steel cord. The steel cord has the advantage that it has a better fill factor and a rounder aspect. Furthermore the monofilaments may act as an early wear indicator of the elastomer product.

Methods and devices detect a deterioration state of a load bearing capacity in an elevator suspension member arrangement having several suspension members, such as belts, including electrically conductive cords incorporated into an elastomer material. Deterioration is determined by applying alternating electric voltages to the cords included in legs of a circuitry. Phase shifts between the alternating voltages, for example by determining sum voltages and/or differential voltages, provide valuable information about a condition of the belt. A fixation arrangement of the suspension member arrangement is adapted to enable or simplify the proposed measurements. Furthermore, counting a number of performed bending cycles provides further information to be taken into account for determining the current deterioration state of the belts. Overall, deteriorations in a suspension member such as broken cords, shunts between cords, connections between cords and ground potential and/or deterioration due to corrosion of cords may be easily detected.

System and method for determining real-time sag and shape information of an electrical power line based on strain distribution along a length of an optical fiber associated with the power line. An embedded fiber coupled to an overhead transmission line measures strain using the backscatter of an optical signal, the optical signal is then interrogated using an interferometer.

A water safety rope and alarm system, comprising a rope mounted adjacent to a waterline of a marine or aquatic structure; a switch connected to the rope and configured to be triggered when the rope is tensioned; and an alarm connected to the switch and configured to produce an alarm signal when the switch is triggered.