Elevator

Abstract

An elevator includes a car and a counterweight suspended on hoisting ropes which are driven by a drive machine. The counterweight has a first side facing the elevator car path and a second side opposite to the car path. The counterweight includes at least one connecting passage between the first and second side of the counterweight. With this solution, air pressure built between the car and the counterweight when passing in the elevator shaft is reduced and the travel comfort is improved.

Claims

1. An elevator comprising: a car; and a counterweight suspended on hoisting ropes driven by a drive machine, wherein the counterweight comprises: a first side facing an elevator car path and a second side opposite to the first side, at least one connecting passage between the first and second side of the counterweight, and stacks of weight elements arranged one above the other, wherein the at least one connecting passage is a labyrinth passage, wherein the at least one connecting passage is configured to lead air from the first side of the counterweight to the second side of the counterweight, and wherein the at least one connecting passage is provided between the stacks of said weight elements.

2. The elevator according to claim 1, wherein the at least one connecting passage has a cross-sectional area of at least 10% of a cross-sectional area of the first side of the counterweight.

3. The elevator according to claim 2, wherein the counterweight comprises two columns of weight elements arranged side by side and a channel is provided between said columns.

4. The elevator according to claim 2, wherein the counterweight comprises a counterweight top surface and a counterweight bottom surface, wherein a first fairing is provided at the counterweight top surface, and wherein a second fairing is provided at the counterweight bottom surface.

5. The elevator according to claim 1, wherein the counterweight comprises two columns of stacks of weight elements arranged side by side and a channel is provided between said columns.

6. The elevator according to claim 1, wherein the counterweight comprises a counterweight top surface and a counterweight bottom surface, wherein a first fairing is provided at the counterweight top surface, and wherein a second fairing is provided at the counterweight bottom surface.

7. The elevator according to claim 1, wherein the car comprises a car top and a car bottom surface, wherein a third faring is provided at the car top surface, and wherein a fourth faring is provided at the car bottom surface.

8. The elevator according to claim 1, wherein the counterweight further comprises a channel extending in a direction transverse to the at least one connecting passage.

9. The elevator according to claim 1, wherein the counterweight comprises several stacks of weight elements provided in at least one frame of the counterweight and the connecting passages are formed by distance elements keeping the stacks of weight elements spaced apart.

10. The elevator according to claim 1, wherein the at least one connecting passage includes at least one air guide configured to deflect air flow between the first and second sides of the counterweight.

11. The elevator according to claim 1, wherein the at least one connecting passage has a cross-sectional area of at least 5% of a cross-sectional area of the first side of the counterweight.

12. A counterweight comprising: a first side configured to face an elevator car path; a second side configured to be arranged opposite to the first side; at least one connecting passage between the first and second side of the counterweight, and stacks of weight elements arranged one above the other, wherein the at least one connecting passage is a labyrinth passage, wherein the at least one connecting passage is configured to lead air from the first side of the counterweight to the second side of the counterweight, and wherein the at least one connecting passage is provided between the stacks of said weight elements.

13. The counterweight according to claim 12, wherein the counterweight comprises two columns of weight elements arranged side by side and a channel is provided between said columns.

14. The elevator according to claim 12, wherein the counterweight comprises a counterweight top surface and a counterweight bottom surface, wherein a first fairing is provided at the counterweight top surface, and wherein a second fairing is provided at the counterweight bottom surface.

Description

(1) The invention is now described by means of an example in connection with a schematic drawing.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a car and counterweight meeting in an elevator shaft,

(3) FIG. 2 a side view of the counterweight with a side facing the elevator car path, and

(4) FIG. 3 shows an embodiment with three examples of labyrinth passages for the reduction of air noise.

(5) FIG. 1 shows a car 10 and a counterweight 12 of a traction sheave elevator suspended by hoisting ropes. The car and counterweight travel in an elevator shaft (not shown) in opposite directions which are indicated by arrows. The car has upper and lower fairings 14 and the counterweight has upper and lower fairings 16 which serve to reduce the aerodynamic drag. The car and counterweight 10, 12 belong to an elevator travelling with a high travel speed of more than 3 or 5 m/s. When the car and counterweight meet on their paths—as it is shown in the figure—the air is pressurized in the gap between the car and counterweight which is indicated by two small horizontal double arrows. This overpressure in the gap between car and counterweight leads to air noise and vibrations. Further this pressure cushion in the gap between car and counterweight causes load and stress to the guide means and the guide rails guiding the elevator car and the counterweight vertically along the elevator shaft. On that behalf, the counterweight 12 comprises passages for leading away the trapped air from its first side 28 facing the car path to its second side 30 opposite the car path. The passages are shown in FIG. 2.

(6) In FIG. 2 the counterweight is shown from its first side 28 facing the elevator car path. The counterweight 12 is shown here without the fairings 16. The counterweight comprises two columns 18, 20 with stacks 22 of weight elements arranged vertically one above the other. Between the two columns 18, 20, a large longitudinal first passage 24 is provided which serves to guide air from the first side shown in the figure to the opposite second side of the counterweight. Further, second passages 26 are provided between the stacks 22 of weight elements which are also configured to lead air from the area between the car and counterweight to the other side of the counterweight. The counterweight further comprises a frame 27, wherein the frame comprises distance elements 28 keeping the stacks 22 of weight elements spaced apart. Instead of the stacks of weight elements also one piece weight elements 22 may be used. As is may be seen from the figure, the second passages 26 are distributed quite homogeneously over the counterweight area so that the passage of air from the first side 28 of the counterweight to its second side takes 30 place quite homogeneously over the complete counterweight area. In FIG. 2, the first passage 24 as well as the second passages 26 form direct (see-through) through-holes which directly connect the first side to the second side. Via these passages the air can flow laterally away from the gap between car and counterweight without being diverted. This solution offers passages with a low air resistance.

(7) FIG. 3 shows alternative embodiments of passages for a connection between the first side 28 and the second side 30 of the counterweight 12. The figure shows stacks 22 of weight elements (or one-piece weight elements 22) and in between three different types of labyrinth passages 32, 34 and 36. All three embodiments of labyrinth passages 32, 34 and 36 are passages where the first side 28 is not directly (see-through) connected with the second side 30 but so that there are air guides 38 in between. This leads to the fact that one cannot look from the first side to the second side. When air is flowing from the first side to the second side, it is deviated and has to flow around these air guides 38 which leads to a reduction of air noise caused by the passages 32, 34, 36.

(8) These labyrinth passages may also have other geometries than those shown in the examples of the labyrinth passages 32, 34 and 36.

(9) The labyrinth passages can partly or totally replace the second passages 26 shown in FIG. 2.

(10) It shall be clear for the skilled person that the above-mentioned embodiments may be combined with each other arbitrarily as long as this is technically feasible.

(11) The invention can be varied within the scope of the appended patent claims.