An illustrative example embodiment of an elevator load bearing member includes a plurality of load bearing cords and a woven fabric including a plurality of warp yarns along a length of the load bearing member and a plurality of weft yarns transverse to the length of the load bearing member. The woven fabric includes a central portion and lateral edge portions extending along the length of the load bearing member. The central portion includes the load bearing cords interlaced with the woven fabric. The lateral edge portions each include terminal ends of the weft yarns. The central portion has a first plurality of warp yarns situated between laterally outermost ones of the cords. The lateral edge portions have a second plurality of warp yarns between the laterally outermost ones of the cords and the terminal ends of the weft yarns.

An illustrative example embodiment of an elevator load bearing member includes a unidirectional weave of a plurality of load bearing fibers including at least a first material and a second material. A melting point of the first material is higher than a melting point of the second material. The plurality of load bearing fibers are bonded together by at least some of the second material that is at least partially melted. A coating covers the plurality of load bearing fibers.

A belt for suspending and/or driving an elevator car includes a plurality of tension elements extending longitudinally along a length of the belt, at least one tension element of the plurality of tension elements having one or more tension element coating layers applied thereto. A plurality of fibers are interlaced with the plurality of tension elements forming a composite belt structure. A belt coating at least partially encapsulates the composite belt structure. A method of forming a belt for suspending and/or driving an elevator car includes forming a plurality of tension elements and applying one or more coating layers to at least one tension element of the plurality of tension elements. A plurality of fibers are interlaced with the plurality of tension elements to form a composite belt structure. A belt coating is applied to the composite belt structure to at least partially encapsulate the composite belt structure.

A load bearing member for a lifting and/or hoisting system includes a plurality of tension members arranged along a width of the load bearing member. Each tension member includes a plurality of load carrying fibers arranged to extend in a direction parallel to a length of the load bearing member and a matrix material in which the plurality of load carrying fibers are arranged. The load bearing member further includes a lateral layer and a jacket material at least partially encapsulating the plurality of tension members.

An illustrative example assembly for making an elevator load bearing member includes a fabric having a plurality of fibers arranged with some of the fibers transverse to others of the fibers. A plurality of cords are configured to support a load associated with an elevator car. The cords are included in the fabric and have respective coatings. The coatings include a first coating material and a second coating material, or include different coating thicknesses such that some of the coatings have a different coating thickness than others of the coatings, or the coatings include the first coating material and the second coating material and some of the coatings have a different coating thickness than others of the coatings.

An elevator load bearing member includes a plurality of load bearing cords and a jacket at least partially surrounding the cords. The jacket includes a layer received against the cords, and a self-healing component. A method of making an elevator load bearing member is also disclosed.

An elevator system includes a car and/or a counterweight connected to a belt having a plurality of ribs. The elevator system further has at least two deflecting elements over which the belt is guided and which each have a plurality of grooves. The grooves of at least one of the deflecting elements are configured with geometries that differ from the grooves of another of the deflecting elements. The belt has longitudinal ribs that cooperate with the grooves.

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 load bearing member (30) for a lifting and/or hoisting system includes a plurality of tension members (32) arranged along a width of the load bearing member. Each tension member includes a plurality of load carrying fibers (34) arranged to extend in a direction parallel to a length of the load bearing member and a matrix material (36) in which the plurality of load carrying fibers are arranged. The load bearing member further includes a lateral layer (40, 42) and a jacket material (50) at least partially encapsulating the plurality of tension members.