Elevator

Abstract

The invention relates to an elevator comprising an elevator motor and an elevator drive comprising a backup power supply and an emergency drive module to enable release of trapped passengers in case of a power fault, based on the energy of the backup power supply, whereby the elevator drive comprises a drive housing and the backup power supply is located in a separate backup module which is releasably supported in a mounting position at the drive housing of the elevator drive, which backup module comprises an insulated backup module housing and an electric interface which connects to a complementary interface of the elevator drive located at the drive housing.

Claims

1. An elevator comprising: an elevator motor; and an elevator drive including, a drive housing including a recess therein, and a backup module housing selectively secured within the recess in the drive housing, the backup module housing including a backup module, the backup module including, a backup power supply, an emergency drive module configured to enable release of trapped passengers in case of a power fault based on energy stored in the backup power supply, and a backup module electric interface configured to detachably connect to an elevator drive electronic interface of the elevator drive located at the drive housing.

2. The elevator according to claim 1, wherein one or more of the backup module housing or drive housing is a plastic housing or an insulated aluminium housing.

3. The elevator according to claim 1, wherein the backup module is selectively releasable from the drive housing.

4. The elevator according to claim 1, wherein the recess is in an edge of the drive housing.

5. The elevator according to claim 4, wherein outer surfaces of the backup module housing are aligned with corresponding outer surfaces of the drive housing, when the backup module housing is mounted to the drive housing.

6. The elevator according to claim 1, wherein the backup module housing is fixed to the drive housing via a snap-lock connection.

7. The elevator according to claim 1, wherein the backup module electrical interface and the elevator drive electronic interface are located at areas of the backup module housing and the drive housing, respectively, which do not form outer surfaces after the backup module is mounted to the drive housing.

8. The elevator according to claim 1, wherein the backup module electrical interface is selectively covered by a first movable isolation, and the elevator drive electronic interface is selectively covered by a second movable isolation.

9. The elevator according to claim 8, wherein the first movable isolation is movable in response to pressure applied thereto from the elevator drive electrical interface, and the second movable isolation is movable in response to pressure applied thereto from the backup module electrical interface.

10. The elevator according to claim 1, wherein the elevator drive comprises: a charging circuit configured to recharge the backup power supply.

11. The elevator according to claim 1, wherein the backup power supply comprises: a battery and/or a supercapacitor.

12. The elevator according to claim 1, wherein the drive housing and the backup module housing comprise complementary guides which are configured to define a linear movement of the backup module housing with respect to the drive housing such that the linear movement is limited by stop faces, which enable a reliable connection of the backup module electric interface with the elevator drive electric interface.

13. The elevator according to claim 1, wherein the drive housing is installed in an elevator shaft in the vicinity of an elevator landing door or access opening.

14. The elevator according to claim 1, wherein the elevator drive further comprises: a frequency converter with a rectifier bridge, an inverter bridge, and a DC link in between the rectifier bridge and the inverter bridge, and wherein the backup power supply is connected to the DC link of the elevator drive.

15. The elevator according to claim 1, wherein a main switch contactor is located at an interface between the backup module housing and drive housing to automatically interrupt main voltage when the backup module is detached from the elevator drive.

16. The elevator according to claim 11, wherein the drive housing and the backup module housing comprise complementary guides which are configured to define a linear movement of the backup module housing with respect to the drive housing.

17. An elevator drive, comprising: a drive housing including a recess therein; and a backup module housing selectively secured within the recess in the drive housing, the backup module housing including a backup module, the backup module including, a backup power supply, an emergency drive module configured to enable release of trapped passengers in case of a power fault based on energy stored in the backup power supply, and a backup module electric interface configured to detachably connect to an elevator drive electronic interface of the elevator drive located at the drive housing.

18. The elevator drive according to claim 17, wherein the drive housing and the backup module housing comprise complementary guides which are configured to define a linear movement of the backup module housing with respect to the drive housing.

Description

(1) The invention is now described via an example in connection with the enclosed drawings.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a part of an elevator in the upper end of an elevator shaft,

(3) FIG. 2 an elevator drive including an elevator drive housing with an integrated detachable backup module,

(4) FIG. 3 a perspective view of the backup module.

(5) FIG. 1 shows an elevator 10 in the upper part of an elevator shaft 12 having landing doors 14. The figure shows the upper part of a car guide rail 16 for an elevator car and two counterweight guide rails 18a, 18b for a counterweight. At the upper end of the car guide rail 16 an elevator motor 20 is mounted comprising two elevator brakes 22a, 22b. The elevator brakes 22a, 22b are acting on brake faces of a traction sheave 24 which is connected to the rotor of the elevator motor 20. The elevator motor 20 is operated via an elevator drive 26 located above the landing door 14 so that it can be reached by a maintenance person from the landing door or standing on top of the elevator car.

(6) The elevator drive 26 preferably comprises a per se known frequency converter with a DC link between a rectifier bridge and an inverter bridge. The elevator drive 26 is located in an electrically isolated cubic drive housing 28 made of plastics which is shown in more detail in FIG. 2. Preferably, the elevator drive 26 comprises an emergency drive module to enable the release of trapped passengers in case of a power fault of the mains AC network. In the area of one edge 30 of the drive housing 28 an accommodation recess 32 is provided in which a backup module 34 is releasably mounted, preferably plugged, whereby the mounting position as shown in FIG. 2 is secured preferably with a snap-lock connection. The backup module 34 has a backup module housing 36 which is preferably made of plastics like the drive housing 28 and thus protects the enclosed electric components against access and dirt. The backup module has two outer surfaces 38a, 38b which are aligned with corresponding outer surfaces 40a, 40b of the drive housing 28. Via this measure, there are no edges or corners of the backup module housing 36 protruding from the corresponding outer surfaces 40a, 40b of the drive housing 28. Thus, the complete arrangement is less susceptible for dirt and mechanical damage.

(7) The elevator drive combined with the emergency drive module and an optional backup power supply charging circuit requires a minimum amount of additional electronics. Therefore, the entire drive system 26 with all battery related hardware is fitting into the drive housing 28 and does not need additional room or additional wiring in the elevator shaft 12.

(8) The backup module 34 comprises preferably a release button 42 with which the snap-lock connection of the backup module 34 to the drive housing 28 can be released. Thus, the backup module can easily be detached, e.g. for maintenance or replacement.

(9) FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the backup module 34 with its backup module housing 36. The backup module 34 has at one end side an electric interface 44 which automatically connects with a complementary electric interface in the drive housing 28 so that an automatic electric connection of the backup module 34 with the elevator drive 26 takes place when the backup module 34 is plugged into its mounting position in the drive housing 28. The linear movement of the plugging may be guided by guide components which are not shown in the figure.

(10) Furthermore, the electric interface as well as the complementary interface may preferably comprise a movable isolation which prevents an access to the electric contacts thereof when the backup module 34 is unplugged.

(11) The elevator drive 26 may also comprise the brake controller for both elevator brakes 22a, 22b.

(12) The invention is not restricted to the disclosed embodiment but may be varied within the scope of the attached patent claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBER

(13) 10 elevator 12 elevator shaft 14 landing door 16 car guide rail 18a,b counterweight guide rails 20 elevator motor 22a,b elevator brakes 24 traction sheave 26 elevator drive 28 drive housing 30 edge with the accommodation recess for the backup module 32 accommodation recess for the backup module 34 backup module 36 backup module housing 38a,b outer surfaces of the backup module housing 40a,b outer surfaces of the drive housing 42 release button of the snap-lock connection 44 electric interface of the backup module