A cargo container loading and unloading system for a transportation system, including a loading zone and at least one opening connecting the loading zone to a transportation tube of the transportation system. The opening is sized to allow passage of cargo containers.

A multicar elevator system includes a group of individually drivable elevator cars and two shafts coupled to each other with at least two transfer channels. The system further includes a control unit configured to operate the system in either of two operating modes, wherein in the first mode the group of elevator cars is arranged to travel to a first vertical direction in the first shaft and to another vertical direction in the second shaft through the transfer channels. In the second mode, a first sub-group of elevator cars are parked in one of the shafts and at least one elevator car belonging to a second sub-group of elevator cars is arranged to travel in the both vertical directions in the other shaft upon a call.

An elevator safety system includes an elevator control unit configured to: monitor an elevator shaft, receive a position, a movement direction, and a speed of at least one elevator car arranged into the elevator shaft, and determine dynamically at least one authorized shaft section based on the monitoring, and on the position, the movement direction, and the speed of at least one elevator car, and to provide an authorization to the at least one elevator car to move, such as by a linear motor, in or into the authorized shaft section of the elevator shaft. The elevator safety system further includes at least one elevator car controller configured to: provide the position, the movement direction, and the speed of the at least one elevator car to the elevator control unit, and receive the authorization. The elevator control unit and the elevator car controller are arranged to be in communication with each other.

An elevator safety system includes an elevator car safety unit arranged on or at least in mechanical connection, preferably in fixed manner, with an elevator car; at least one distance measurement target; and a distance measurement device mounted on the elevator car for determining a distance between the distance measurement target and the distance measurement device. The elevator car safety unit is arranged in connection with the distance measurement device and is configured to generate an output signal based on the determined distance.

A safety arrangement is suitable for a turning station of an elevator system. The safety arrangement includes at least one first blocking position for preventing, by a first mechanical device, an elevator car from entering the turning station, wherein the first mechanical device is arranged to change its position in response to operation of the turning station, and at least one second blocking position for preventing, by a second mechanical device, an elevator car from exiting the turning station.

The invention relates to a multicar elevator system, comprising: a plurality of elevator cars; an elevator shaft system; the plurality of the elevator cars and the elevator shaft system comprising a plurality of elevator components; a controller; the multicar elevator system further comprising: an elevator maintenance system configured to: receive the measurement data; determine the operational condition of the respective elevator component; and generate a maintenance signal for the at least one elevator component, a maintenance is scheduled in accordance with the operational condition of the respective at least one elevator component before a failure of the at least one elevator component. The invention also relates to a method and a computer program product.

A system for moving an elevator car between locations including: a propulsion system configured to move the elevator car through an elevator shaft; and an elevator car mobility system configured to move an elevator car from a first location to a second location, the elevator car mobility system including: an elevator containment slot to receive the elevator car and the propulsion system of the elevator car when the elevator containment slot is aligned with the elevator shaft.

An elevator system with a fire protection device includes an elevator shaft having at least two adjacent shaft portions, a guide rail in the elevator shaft, a car displaceable on the guide rail, and a fire protection device having a detector, a control unit connected to the detector, and a closing element that is disposed between two mutually adjacent shaft portions of the elevator shaft and which is movable between an open and closed state to separate the two shaft portions while in the closed state. A method of operating a fire protection device for an elevator system includes detecting smoke and/or a fire via a detector, and transferring a closing element disposed in the elevator shaft from an opened state to a closed state.

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 that incorporates a framework that allows multiple autonomous mobile lifts to move independently inside and outside a building or a group of buildings in shafts and corridors in such a way that multiple lifts can share a shaft and/or corridor.