A roller guide for an elevator car includes at least one roller rotatably mounted on an axis. The roller guide further includes a support element for supporting the axis, and at least one braking element for the roller for damping vertical oscillations of the elevator car. The brake element is a magneto-rheological fluid.

A device for checking guides of an elevator car that can be moved along guide rails may include means for measuring contact forces of the guides on the guide rails. The device may further include an evaluation unit. The means for measuring contact forces may be configured to make measured values determined by the means for measuring contact forces available to the evaluation unit, either through wired connection or wireless connection. In some cases, the means for measuring contact forces may measure contact forces on the guide rails in at least two different directions. Also disclosed are methods for balancing elevator cars.

Disclosed is a ropeless elevator system having a car mover operationally connected to an elevator car, the car mover configured to operate autonomously and move along a hoistway lane, thereby moving the elevator car along the hoistway lane, wherein the car mover is connected to a top or bottom of the elevator car, via a coupling device.

An elevator car is provided and includes a car frame which translates along a guide rail during ascents or descents, a safety disposed along the car frame to selectively engage with the guide rail to selectively permit vertical elevator car movement, an electronic safety actuator (ESA) and a control system. The ESA actuates the safety and includes an ESA body secured to the car frame with horizontal maneuverability and defining a groove through which the guide rail translates during the vertical elevator car movement, a magnetic guide operably disposed within the groove to exert magnetic force on the guide rail and a sensor disposed within the groove to sense horizontal distance between the guide rail and corresponding portions of the ESA body. The control system controls the magnetic guide to exert a magnetic force in accordance with reading of the sensor to maneuver the ESA body horizontally.

A roller guide for an elevator car includes at least one roller rotatably mounted on an axis. The roller guide further includes a support element for supporting the axis, and at least one braking element for the roller for damping vertical oscillations of the elevator car. The brake element is a magneto-rheological fluid.

An elevator car is provided and includes a car frame which translates along a guide rail during ascents or descents, a safety disposed along the car frame to selectively engage with the guide rail to selectively permit vertical elevator car movement, an electronic safety actuator (ESA) and a control system. The ESA actuates the safety and includes an ESA body secured to the car frame with horizontal maneuverability and defining a groove through which the guide rail translates during the vertical elevator car movement, a magnetic guide operably disposed within the groove to exert magnetic force on the guide rail and a sensor disposed within the groove to sense horizontal distance between the guide rail and corresponding portions of the ESA body. The control system controls the magnetic guide to exert a magnetic force in accordance with reading of the sensor to maneuver the ESA body horizontally.

A hydraulic elevating platform having no guide rails and an elevating method. A hydraulic power pack drives three parallel hydraulic cylinders to work synchronously, thereby implementing the rising and falling of an elevating platform; when the elevating platform reaches a predetermined floor, an upper electric pushrod pushes a pedal assembly out, and then the pedal assembly drives a pedal to rise by means of a pedal elevating system until the pedal is flush with the surface of a loading table of the elevating platform; outward-swinging doors between the elevating platform and a floor open to form pedal guardrails; then sliding doors open and a man can step onto a stair via the pedal assembly. An eccentric loading adjusting means eliminates eccentric loading to achieve balance about the center of gravity, thereby eliminating the eccentric loading of the platform. The elevating platform is simple in structure, safe, reliable, and easy to maintain. The elevating platform, placed within a spiral stair, is convenient for movement of crowds and cargo delivery at certain scenarios and is widely applicable. The elevating method is simple to implement and effectively solves the eccentric loading problem caused by reasons such as outstretching of a pedal of a hydraulic elevating platform and uneven distribution of people on the elevating platform, so that the hydraulic elevating platform is more stable and reliable during operation.

An elevator system includes a first elevator car, a second elevator car, a drive-machine, and a suspension apparatus that passes over a traction sheave of the drive-machine to cause the cars to travel one above the other in a travel space. The suspension apparatus is divided into a first set and a second set. A displacement mechanism fixed in the travel space interacts with the second set between the traction sheave and the second car to vary the distance between the cars. This distance can be adjusted independent of the traction sheave. The displacement mechanism can have a pulley arrangement with a displaceable pulley displaced by a displacement drive to vary a length of a section of the second set between the displacement mechanism and the second car.

A hydraulic elevating platform having no guide rails and an elevating method. A hydraulic power pack drives three parallel hydraulic cylinders to work synchronously, thereby implementing the rising and falling of an elevating platform; when the elevating platform reaches a predetermined floor, an upper electric pushrod pushes a pedal assembly out, and then the pedal assembly drives a pedal to rise by means of a pedal elevating system until the pedal is flush with the surface of a loading table of the elevating platform; outward-swinging doors between the elevating platform and a floor open to form pedal guardrails; then sliding doors open and a man can step onto a stair via the pedal assembly. An eccentric loading adjusting means eliminates eccentric loading to achieve balance about the center of gravity, thereby eliminating the eccentric loading of the platform. The elevating platform is simple in structure, safe, reliable, and easy to maintain. The elevating platform, placed within a spiral stair, is convenient for movement of crowds and cargo delivery at certain scenarios and is widely applicable. The elevating method is simple to implement and effectively solves the eccentric loading problem caused by reasons such as outstretching of a pedal of a hydraulic elevating platform and uneven distribution of people on the elevating platform, so that the hydraulic elevating platform is more stable and reliable during operation.

An elevator system includes a first elevator car, a second elevator car, a drive-machine, and a suspension apparatus that passes over a traction sheave of the drive-machine to cause the cars to travel one above the other in a travel space. The suspension apparatus is divided into a first set and a second set. A displacement mechanism fixed in the travel space interacts with the second set between the traction sheave and the second car to vary the distance between the cars. This distance can be adjusted independent of the traction sheave. The displacement mechanism can have a pulley arrangement with a displaceable pulley displaced by a displacement drive to vary a length of a section of the second set between the displacement mechanism and the second car.