Connection element for electrically contacting tension members in a load-bearing belt for an elevator system, and method for assembling the connection element on the belt

Abstract

A connection element for electrically contacting tension members embedded into a matrix material of a load-bearing belt for an elevator system has a frame with an upper part, a lower part and multiple electrically conductive contact elements. The frame is shaped to receive the belt in an interior space delimited at at least two opposite sides. The contact elements are formed as stamped and bent metal parts, and some regions of the contact elements are arranged in the upper part of the frame with other regions protruding from the upper part of the frame into the interior space, for example in the form of piercing tips, in order to contact the tension members embedded in the portion of the belt received in the interior space.

Claims

1. A connection element for electrically contacting tension members embedded in a matrix material of a load-bearing belt for an elevator system, the connection element comprising: a frame having an upper part and multiple electrically conductive contact elements; wherein the frame is shaped to receive the belt in an interior space delimited by the frame at at least two opposite sides; wherein the contact elements are formed as stamped and bent metal parts; and wherein some regions of the contact elements are arranged in the upper part of the frame and other regions of the contact elements protrude from the upper part into the interior space; wherein at least one of the contact elements has a central region and at least one piercing tip protruding away from the central region into the interior space and being adapted to penetrate into the matrix material of the belt; and wherein the central region has at least one leg that extends parallel to a surface of the upper part facing the interior space of the frame, and wherein two of the at least one piercing tip protrude into the interior space from the leg, wherein the piercing tips are spaced apart from one another in a longitudinal direction of the belt when the belt is received by the connection element and the piercing tips are offset from one another in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction by between 0.1 mm and a range of 40% to 70% of a diameter of the tension members in the belt.

2. The connection element according to claim 1 wherein the central region has two legs running parallel to one another, and wherein at least one of the at least one piercing tip protrudes from each of the legs into the interior space.

3. The connection element according to claim 1 wherein the at least one contact element has a connection region for connecting to an electrical line.

4. The connection element according to claim 3 wherein the connection region protrudes from the central region in a direction opposite to the at least one piercing tip.

5. The connection element according to claim 3 wherein the connection region is provided with an insulation displacement terminal.

6. The connection element according to claim 3 including an electrical line having one end connected to the connection region and another end that extends out of the frame for external contacting.

7. The connection element according to claim 1 wherein the contact elements are formed from a stainless steel material.

8. The connection element according to claim 1 wherein the frame includes a lower part and wherein the frame has locking elements for interlocking the upper part and the lower part together.

9. The connection element according to claim 8 wherein the locking elements are double locking elements that engage the upper part and the lower part in a pre-locking state having a first locking position at a distance from the belt received in the interior space and engage the upper part and the lower part in an end-locking state having a second locking position abutting against opposite surfaces of the belt received in the interior space.

10. The connection element according to claim 8 wherein the frame has screw elements adapted to screw the upper part and the lower part together.

11. A belt arrangement for an elevator system comprising: a load-bearing belt having a plurality of electrically conductive tension members embedded in an electrically insulating matrix material, the tension members being spaced apart from one another in an arrangement direction; a connection element according to claim 1; and wherein the belt is arranged in the interior space of the frame of the connection element and each of contact elements of the connection element protrudes into the interior space and contacts one of the tension members of the belt.

12. A method for assembling a connection element according to claim 1 on a load-bearing belt for an elevator system, the method comprising the steps of: arranging the upper part of the frame of the connection element on a first surface of the belt; arranging a counterpart to the upper part on a second surface of the belt opposite the first surface; and pressing the upper part and the counterpart towards each other such that the other regions of the contact elements protruding from the upper part into the interior space are pressed into the belt and contact the tension members embedded in the belt.

13. The method according to claim 12 wherein the counterpart is a lower part of the frame and comprising the steps of: arranging the lower part on the second surface; and pressing the upper part and the lower part towards each other such that the other regions of the contact elements protruding from the upper part into the interior space are pressed into the belt and contact the embedded tension members.

14. The method according to claim 13 including pressing the upper part and the lower part together using a pair of pliers.

15. The method according to claim 14 wherein the pair of pliers is a pair of parallel pliers.

16. The method according to claim 12 wherein the counterpart is part of a pair of parallel pliers and the upper part is pressed into the belt upon actuation of the pliers.

17. A method for assembling a connection element on a load-bearing belt for an elevator system, the method comprising the steps of: providing the connection element having a frame with an upper part and multiple electrically conductive contact elements, wherein the frame is shaped to receive the belt in an interior space delimited by the frame at at least two opposite sides, wherein the contact elements are formed as stamped and bent metal parts, and wherein some regions of the contact elements are arranged in the upper part of the frame and other regions of the contact elements protrude from the upper part into the interior space; arranging the upper part of the frame of the connection element on a first surface of the belt; arranging a counterpart to the upper part on a second surface of the belt opposite the first surface, wherein the counterpart is a lower part of the frame; pressing the upper part and the lower part towards each other such that the other regions of the contact elements protruding from the upper part into the interior space are pressed into the belt and contact the tension members embedded in the belt; and pressing the upper part and the lower part together using a pair of pliers.

18. The method according to claim 17 wherein the pair of pliers is a pair of parallel pliers or wherein the counterpart is part of a pair of parallel pliers and the upper part is pressed into the belt upon actuation of the pliers.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a belt arrangement having two connection elements according to one embodiment of the present invention.

(2) FIGS. 2(a) and (b) each show a perspective view of an upper part and a lower part of a connection element according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(3) FIGS. 3(a) and (b) each show a perspective view of contact elements of a connection element according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(4) FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of an arrangement of contact elements in an upper part of a measuring connection element according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(5) FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of an arrangement of contact elements in an upper part of a bridging connection element according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(6) FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of an arrangement of contact elements in an upper part of a measuring connection element according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

(7) FIGS. 7(a) and (b) each show a perspective view of contact elements of a connection element according to the alternative embodiment of the present invention from FIG. 6.

(8) FIG. 8 shows a front view of one of the contact elements from FIGS. 7(a) and (b).

(9) FIG. 9(a) to (c) illustrate steps of a method for assembling a connection element according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(10) FIGS. 10(a) and (b) show examples of parallel pliers for use during a method of assembling a connection element according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(11) FIG. 11 shows an exemplary embodiment of the simplified embodiment of the connection element in a cross-sectional view.

(12) The figures are merely schematic and not true to scale. Like reference signs refer to like or equivalent features in the various drawings

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(13) FIG. 1 shows a belt arrangement 1 according to the invention for an elevator system. The belt arrangement 1 has a load-bearing belt 5, to which a connection element 3 is attached in the region of opposite ends of the belt 5.

(14) The load-bearing belt 5 comprises a plurality of tension members 17 which run parallel to one another and to a longitudinal direction of the belt 5 and which are at a distance from one another in an arrangement direction 18. The tension members 17 are embedded in a polymer-like matrix material 19. The contour of the belt 5 formed by the matrix material 19 has a profile 21 on a lower side 57, which is directed downward in the figure, having V-shaped ribs running in the longitudinal direction or grooves arranged between the ribs, whereas an opposite upper side 59 is flat.

(15) The connection elements 3 serve to make electrical contact with the tension members 17 received in the belt 5. Each connection element 3 has a frame 7 made of plastics material, which is composed in two parts from an upper part 9 and a lower part 11. The upper part 9 and the lower part 11 each abut the top 59 and the bottom 57 of the belt 5 respectively. Thus, the frame 7 forms an interior space 23 between the upper part 9 and the lower part 11, through which the belt 5 runs, so that the belt 5 is enclosed by the frame 7.

(16) On the upper part 9, electrical lines 13 are provided which come out of the upper part 9 and which can serve to connect the respective connection element 3 electrically, for example to an external circuit, in particular to an external monitoring device. In the example shown, the upper part 9 has an extension 16 on which the electrical lines 13 can be held to form a tension relief 15, for example with the aid of a cable tie, a tension relief clamp, or a cable grommet.

(17) FIGS. 2(a) and (b) show an upper part 9 and a lower part 11 of a frame 7 of a connection element 3 in a separate view. The upper part 9 has a flat inner surface 33 on its side facing the belt 5, so that this inner surface 33 can lie flat against the likewise flat upper side 59 of the belt 5. The lower part 11 has, on the side thereof facing the belt 5, a profiled inner surface 35, which corresponds in terms of its contour to the profile 21 of the belt 5 and can therefore lie flat on the underside 57 thereof.

(18) A plurality of piercing tips 37 protrude downward from the inner surface 33 of the upper part 9, i.e. towards the interior 23 to be enclosed by the frame 7. These piercing tips 37 are part of contact elements 39 which are partially received in the upper part 9 and which partially protrude away from the upper part 9 in the form of the piercing tips 37.

(19) Furthermore, two locking elements 31 are formed on the frame 7 on opposite lateral edges of the frame 7. Each of the locking elements 31 has a locking tab 25 which, in the example shown, is attached to the upper part 9 and is integrally formed therewith, and a locking counterpart 27 which is provided on the lower part 11 of the frame 7 and is integrally formed therewith. The locking elements 31 serve to mechanically fix the upper part 9 with the lower part 11 in a state assembled on the belt 5. In the example shown, the locking elements 31 are designed as double locking elements 29, the function of which will be described below.

(20) At this point and with reference to FIG. 2a), reference should again be made to the above-mentioned, simplified embodiment of the connection element, in which the belt is contacted only by means of an upper part. In order to be able to position the upper part precisely with respect to the belt, protruding positioning elements can optionally be provided instead of the locking tabs 25 shown. These can extend along the entire length of the top part to ensure maximum lateral guidance.

(21) Optionally, these positioning elements can each be formed at the free ends having a projection directed towards the interior, which engages behind the belt when the belt is fully pressed in. In the case of the profiled belt, these projections can run at least partially along the outermost oblique flank and thus give the belt additional support when pressed in. These positioning elements are discussed in more detail in the description of FIG. 11 below.

(22) FIGS. 3(a) and (b) show different types of contact elements 39. Each of the contact elements 39 is designed as a stamped and bent part, that is to say was produced from a metal sheet by suitable stamping out and bending.

(23) The contact elements 39 have a central region 41 in the form of a leg 49 which runs horizontally in the figure shown, and also have piercing tips 37 which project away from this central region 41 and which run vertically in the figure shown. The central region 41 may connect several of the piercing tips 37 provided on a contact element 39 to one another both mechanically and electrically.

(24) The contact elements 39 shown in FIG. 3(a) furthermore have a connection region 43, which protrudes in the form of an insulation displacement terminal 45 from the central region 41 in the opposite direction relative to the piercing tips 37. The insulation displacement terminal 45 is formed having two sheet metal regions slightly spaced apart from one another, between which a gap 47 remains. For example, a wire of the electrical lines 13 insulated with a sheathing can be pressed into the gap 47, and the sheathing can be locally stripped.

(25) FIG. 4 shows an arrangement of contact elements 39 in an upper part 9 of a measuring connection element 3′. FIG. 5 shows an arrangement of contact elements 39 in an upper part 9 of a bridging connection element 3″. Since it is only intended to illustrate how the contact elements 39 are arranged in the respective upper part 9 and are oriented relative to the belt 5 and the tension members 17 embedded therein, the upper part 9 has not been shown for reasons of clarity.

(26) In the example shown, the measuring connection element 3′ from FIG. 4 serves to electrically connect at least some of the tension members 17 in the belt 5, for example to a monitoring device (not shown), via electrical lines 13 leading to the outside. For this purpose, two contact elements 39 are provided adjacent to the two lateral edges of the belt 5 in the measuring connection element 3′, which have a connection region 43, in the insulation displacement terminal 45 of which one end of one of the electrical lines 13′, 13″, 13″′, 13″″ was clamped. The piercing tips 37 of these contact elements 39 are pressed into the adjacent tension members 17. Thus, the first and second tension members 17 and the penultimate and last tension members 17 of the belt are each electrically connected to one of the lines 13′, 13″, 13″′, 13″″. Furthermore, in the measuring connection element 3′, some of the tension members 17 in the belt 5 are each electrically connected to adjacent tension members 17 by means of further contact elements 39. In other words, contact elements 39 electrically interconnect odd-numbered adjacent tension members 17 or even-numbered adjacent tension members 17.

(27) The bridging connection element 3′ from FIG. 5 also has contact elements 39, by means of which some of the tension members 17 in the belt 5 are each electrically connected to adjacent tension members 17. The arrangement of the contact elements 39 in the bridging connection element 3″ is complementary to that in the measuring connection element 3′.

(28) Accordingly, with the measuring connection element 3′ and the bridging connection element 3″, all odd-numbered tension members 17 in the belt 5 can be interconnected in series and a voltage, in particular a first AC voltage, generated by the monitoring device can be applied to this series connection via two of the electrical lines 13′, 3′″. Furthermore, all even-numbered tension members 17 in the belt 5 can also be interconnected in series and a further voltage, in particular a second AC voltage which is phase-shifted by 180° relative to the first AC voltage, generated by the monitoring device can be applied to this series connection via two other of the electrical lines 13″, 3″″. By monitoring the voltages applied to the tension members 17 of the belt 5, it is then possible to draw conclusions as to their electrical properties and thereby the mechanical properties of the belt 5.

(29) It is pointed out that the connection elements 3, 3′, 3″ shown and discussed here and in particular the electrical contacting or interconnection of tension members 17 in the belt 5 to be achieved therewith are only intended as examples. In addition to the illustrated and discussed circuits, that is, for example, the series connection of odd-numbered or even-numbered tension members 17 of a belt 5 described above, there are various other options for interconnecting tension members 17 within a belt 5 or also tension members 17 of a belt 5 with tension members 17 of another belt 5. For example, some or all of the tension members 17 provided in one or more belts 5 can be interconnected in series or interconnected in parallel. For this purpose, different configurations of contact elements 39 can be provided, each of which can be provided as stamped and bent parts having a correspondingly suitable geometry, or a plurality of contact elements 39 can be received in a suitable manner arranged relative to one another in a connection element 3.

(30) For example, FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of a circuit implemented by a parallel connection element 3″′, in which all eight tension members 17 are interconnected in parallel within a belt 5 and are connected to an electrical line 13 by means of six contact elements 39.

(31) In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, specially designed contact elements 39 are used. Similar to the configurations shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, each contact element 39 has an essentially U-shaped shape in plan view, i.e. the central region 41 comprises two legs 49, which are interconnected by a transverse web 51 running therebetween.

(32) As shown in FIG. 7 in a perspective view and in FIG. 8 in a detailed view from the front, however, the two legs 49 do not run continuously in a straight line in this case. Instead, each leg 49 has a curvature, in particular an S-shaped curvature, approximately in its center, so that a first straight leg part 53 and a second straight leg part 55 run along lines which are parallel but offset from one another.

(33) The entire leg 49 is received in the upper part 9 of the frame 7 such that it extends in a plane parallel to the inner surface 33 of the upper part 9 directed towards the interior 23. A piercing tip 37 protrudes from each of the leg parts 53, 55 transversely downwards, that is, into the interior 23. Due to the parallel offset of the leg parts 53, 55 relative to one another, the two piercing tips 37 arranged on one leg 49 in the longitudinal direction one behind the other and at a distance from one another are offset by an offset S from one another in a transverse direction relative to the longitudinal direction, i.e. parallel to the arrangement direction 18. The offset S can be of a similar magnitude as, for example, manufacturing-related positioning tolerances of the tension members 17 within the belt 5. Typically, such positioning tolerances can range from 0.3 mm to 0.7 mm.

(34) Due to the staggered piercing tips 37 on one and the same leg 49 of a contact element 39, it can be ensured that, in the assembled state of the connection element 3, at least one of these piercing tips 37 mechanically and electrically contacts an associated tension member 17 of the belt 5 in the desired manner.

(35) With reference to FIG. 9(a) to (c), details regarding an inventive method for assembling a connection element 3 on a belt 5 will now be described.

(36) As shown in FIG. 9(a), the lower part 11 of the frame 7 is first applied to a surface 57 of the belt 5 which is directed downward in the figure. The lower part 11 has on its surface facing the belt 5 a contour that is essentially complementary to the profile 21 of the belt 5. The downward surface 57 of the belt 5 can thus lie largely flat on the upward surface of the lower part 11.

(37) FIG. 9(a) shows the locking counterpart 27 of the double locking element 29. In this case, two pins 61, 63 are formed in a depression 65 on the lateral edge of the lower part 11 at different distances from an upwardly directed surface 67 of the lower part 11 in this edge region.

(38) Then, as shown in FIG. 9(b), the upper part 9 is placed on a surface 59 of the belt 5 which is directed upward in the figure. A surface of the upper part 9 directed towards the belt 5 is flat, as is the opposite surface 59 of the belt 5, so that the upper part 9 can lie essentially flatly against the belt 5.

(39) However, regions of the contact elements 39 received therein, that is to say in particular their piercing tips 37, protrude from the upper part 9 in the direction of the upwardly directed surface 59 of the belt 5. In this preassembled state, therefore, only the tips of these protruding regions of the contact elements 39 initially rest on the surface 59 of the belt 5, whereas the surface of the upper part 9 still remains at a distance from the surface 59 of the belt 5.

(40) In order to be able to fix the frame 7 to the belt 5 in this preassembled state at least temporarily, a locking tab 25 directed towards the lower part 11 is provided on the lateral edges of the upper part 9 (see enlarged partial view from FIG. 9(b)). With a lateral projection 69, this locking tab 25 engages behind the first pin 61 protruding laterally on the lower part 11, such that the upper part 9 is held on the lower part 11 in a first locking position, i.e. in a pre-locking state, using the double locking element 29.

(41) It is pointed out that, in principle, the upper part 9 can also first be arranged on the belt 5 and only then can the lower part 11 be arranged on an opposite side of the belt 5 and, if necessary, can be pre-locked with the upper part 9.

(42) After the upper part 9 and the lower part 11 have been arranged in the preassembled state on opposite sides of the belt 5, the upper part 9 and the lower part 11 are then pressed against one another with a considerable force in the range from a few hundred Newtons to several Kilonewtons. This is shown in FIG. 9(c) by means of arrows 71 illustrating the compressive force.

(43) Due to this application of force, the piercing tips 37 of the contact elements 39 protruding from the upper part 9 are pressed into the matrix material 19 of the belt 5 and ultimately into one of the tension members 17 in the belt 5.

(44) Simultaneously with the pressing of the piercing tips 37 into the belt 5, the locking tab 25 of the upper part 9 is pushed further downward towards the lower part 11 until it engages behind the second pin 63 with the projection 69 thereof, said second pin protruding laterally on the lower part 11. After being pressed together, the upper part 9 is thus finally assembled on the lower part 11 by means of the double locking elements 29 in a second locking position, that is to say in an end-locking state.

(45) In order to additionally secure the upper part 9 and the lower part 11 to one another, one or more screwing elements 83 (shown only schematically in FIG. 9(c)) can additionally be provided on the frame 7. The screwing elements 83 can be designed as screws, optionally supplemented with washers or bearing plates, which for example extend through through holes 85 in the upper part 9 and/or the lower part 11 and screw them together.

(46) In order to be able to keep the upper part 9 and the lower part 11 of the frame 7 as parallel as possible to one another during said pressing together, the pressing together can be carried out using parallel pliers 73, 75, as shown in FIGS. 10(a) and (b) by way of example. Such parallel pliers 73, 75 can be actuated by manual displacement of levers 77, whereupon a jaw mechanism 79 presses two pressing surfaces 81 running parallel to one another while remaining parallel to one another.

(47) FIG. 11 shows an exemplary embodiment of a simplified embodiment of the connection element having an upper part 9 in cross section. A lower part is missing in this embodiment. In this exemplary embodiment, the upper part 9 has securing means in the form of a clip 87 having an inwardly extending projection 89 which partially engages from behind, i.e. below the belt 5. This fixes the belt 5 on the upper part 9.

(48) Finally, it should be noted that terms such as “having,” “comprising,” etc. do not preclude other elements or steps and terms such as “a” or “an” do not preclude a plurality. Furthermore, it should be noted that features or steps that have been described with reference to one of the above embodiments can also be used in combination with other features or steps of other embodiments described above.

(49) In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, the present invention has been described in what is considered to represent its preferred embodiment. However, it should be noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope.