A method and a safety brake for a lifting device, wherein a solenoid or another electromechanical actuator is used to actuate a pawl, where the position of the pawl is monitored via at least two switches or sensors, where the lowering motion of the load or the lifting device is monitored and the safety brake is triggered in the event of a fault via a safety-oriented controller and at least one sensor, where the solenoid or the pawl is arranged such that, via spring force and/or gravity, the pawl is brought into engagement when the actuator, for example, the solenoid, is deenergized such that it is possible to exactly define and monitor the limit speed and, by using the two sensors, it is also possible to monitor the function and the motion of the pawl and to detect undesired operating states.

A method and a safety brake for a lifting device, wherein a solenoid or another electromechanical actuator is used to actuate a pawl, where the position of the pawl is monitored via at least two switches or sensors, where the lowering motion of the load or the lifting device is monitored and the safety brake is triggered in the event of a fault via a safety-oriented controller and at least one sensor, where the solenoid or the pawl is arranged such that, via spring force and/or gravity, the pawl is brought into engagement when the actuator, for example, the solenoid, is deenergized such that it is possible to exactly define and monitor the limit speed and, by using the two sensors, it is also possible to monitor the function and the motion of the pawl and to detect undesired operating states.

The system for controlling the opening and/or closing of a normally-closed machinery brake opening by means of at least one magnetizing coil and closing by means of at least one closing spring comprises: at least one estimation and control loop according to the invention and at least one measuring and control circuit according to the invention, which are connected or can be connected to each other, and of which a) the estimation and control loop is configured to use an input (I(t)) produced by the measuring and control circuit, and b) the measuring and control circuit is configured to use the modulation reference (U.sub.GE) produced by the estimation and control loop for connecting the voltage (U.sub.9) to be connected over the magnetizing coil.

The system for controlling the opening and/or closing of a normally-closed machinery brake opening by means of at least one magnetizing coil and closing by means of at least one closing spring comprises: at least one estimation and control loop according to the invention and at least one measuring and control circuit according to the invention, which are connected or can be connected to each other, and of which a) the estimation and control loop is configured to use an input (I(t)) produced by the measuring and control circuit, and b) the measuring and control circuit is configured to use the modulation reference (U.sub.GE) produced by the estimation and control loop for connecting the voltage (U.sub.9) to be connected over the magnetizing coil.

An elevator brake (50) comprises at least one first braking element (58, 58a, 58b) and at least one second breaking element (60, 60a) extending parallel to each other orthogonally to a common axial direction and being movable with respect to each other in said axial direction; and at least two actuators (70), which are arranged in a circumferential direction and configured for moving at least one of the first and second braking elements (58, 58a, 58b, 60, 60a) in the axial direction.

An elevator brake (50) comprises at least one first braking element (58, 58a, 58b) and at least one second breaking element (60, 60a) extending parallel to each other orthogonally to a common axial direction and being movable with respect to each other in said axial direction; and at least two actuators (70), which are arranged in a circumferential direction and configured for moving at least one of the first and second braking elements (58, 58a, 58b, 60, 60a) in the axial direction.

In an elevator control apparatus, a DC-DC converter including a first switching element and a second switching element is configured to generate power for driving an elevator brake by alternately operating each of the first switching element and the second switching element. A first photocoupler and a second photocoupler are configured to independently operate the first switching element and the second switching element, respectively. A first calculation unit and a second calculation unit are configured to independently control power supply voltages of the first photocoupler and the second photocoupler, respectively.

In an elevator control apparatus, a DC-DC converter including a first switching element and a second switching element is configured to generate power for driving an elevator brake by alternately operating each of the first switching element and the second switching element. A first photocoupler and a second photocoupler are configured to independently operate the first switching element and the second switching element, respectively. A first calculation unit and a second calculation unit are configured to independently control power supply voltages of the first photocoupler and the second photocoupler, respectively.

An illustrative example embodiment of an elevator brake device includes a brake member configured to move into a braking position to resist movement of an elevator car associated with the brake device. A plurality of actuators are associated with the brake member and selectively controllable to apply a force to cause the brake member to move into the braking position. A brake controller determines a number of the actuators to activate based on a determined load of the elevator car associated with the brake device.

An elevator brake disk assembly is provided. The elevator brake disk assembly includes a brake disk which is keyed to and rotatable with a shaft of an elevator machine, a machine frame and dampers. The dampers are respectively anchored to the machine frame and biased to symmetrically hold the brake disk during rotations thereof.