COMPENSATION GUIDE, COUNTERWEIGHT SCREEN, ELEVATOR AND METHOD

Abstract

A compensation guide, counterweight screen, traction elevator and method for guiding a compensation element are disclosed. The compensation guide includes a horizontally directed guide opening through which the compensation guide passes. The guide is mounted vertically movably to the counterweight screen.

Claims

1. A compensation guide for a compensating element of a traction elevator, the compensating element being connected between a counterweight assembly and a car assembly of the elevator, wherein the compensation guide comprises: a body for mounting the compensation guide to a support structure; and a guide portion connected to the body and provided with a guide opening through which the compensating element is mountable; wherein the guide portion has a vertically directed operational position wherein the guide opening is directed horizontally so that a horizontal portion of the compensation element is configured to pass through the guide opening, and wherein the body of the compensation guide comprises bearing elements on opposite vertical sides thereof, whereby the guide is mountable vertically movably relative to the supporting structure.

2. The compensation guide as claimed in claim 1, wherein the guide is freely movable in a vertical direction along a vertical movement range due to the bearing elements, whereby the bearing elements provide the guide with a floating mounting relative to the supporting structure.

3. The compensation guide as claimed in claim 1, wherein the guide portion of the guide consists of at least two separate components connectable to each other.

4. The compensation guide as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bearing elements comprise slide surfaces on opposite vertical sides of the body.

5. The compensation guide as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bearing elements comprise bearing rollers on opposite vertical sides of the body.

6. The compensation guide as claimed in claim 1, wherein the guide portion of the guide comprises a slide bearing ring comprising slide bearing material.

7. A counterweight screen mountable to a pit of an elevator shaft and configured to serve as a partition wall for preventing objects to enter into a vertical movement space of a counterweight of a traction elevator, wherein the screen comprises a panel having a rectangular shape with two vertical side edges, a horizontal top edge and a horizontal bottom edge, wherein the panel is provided with at least one longitudinal opening extending a distance from the bottom edge towards the top edge, wherein the screen is provided with at least a compensating guide mounted vertically movably to the mentioned opening and wherein the compensation guide is in accordance with claim 1.

8. The counterweight screen as claimed in claim 7, wherein longitudinal edges of the opening of the screen are configured to provide support for the guide.

9. The counterweight screen as claimed in claim 7, wherein the compensation guide is connected to at least one spring element configured to effect vertical movements of the guide relative to the screen.

10. A traction elevator comprising: a car assembly provided with an elevator car; a counterweight assembly provided with a counterweight frame and at least one filler element; a first guide assembly provided with first vertical guide rails mountable to an elevator shaft and first guide shoes mountable to the car assembly, and correspondingly a second guide assembly provided with second vertical guide rails and second guide shoes for the counterweight frame, wherein the first and second guide shoes are supportable against the guide rails; a hoisting machinery comprising an electric motor and a traction sheave driven by the electric motor; at least one suspension rope connecting the car assembly and the counterweight assembly and arranged to pass over the traction sheave; at least one compensation element arranged between bottom parts of the counterweight assembly and the car assembly and comprising vertically hanging two vertical parts in the elevator shaft and a loop part connecting the vertical parts; at least one compensation guide for providing support for the compensation element and comprising at least one guide opening through which the compensation element is arranged to pass; and a counterweight screen arranged at a pit of the elevator shaft and configured to serve as a guard structure preventing objects entering on movement path of the counterweight assembly, wherein the compensation guide is arranged at the loop portion of the compensation element, whereby the compensation element is configured to be guided through a horizontally directed guide opening of the guide, and wherein the compensation guide is in accordance with claim 1.

11. The elevator as claimed in claim 10, wherein the elevator shaft comprises at least one counterweight buffer arranged at a bottom of the pit on movement path of the counterweight assembly; and wherein the horizontal compensation guide is located at a horizontal distance from the buffer.

12. A method for providing guidance for a compensation element of a traction elevator, which the compensation element being arranged between bottom parts of a counterweight assembly and a car assembly of the elevator and comprising vertically hanging two vertical parts in an elevator shaft and a loop part connecting the vertical parts, wherein the method comprises: directing the compensation element through at least one compensation guide provided with a guide opening; and directing the loop part of the compensation element through a horizontally directed guide opening of at least one compensation guide.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising supporting the compensation guide vertically movably to a counterweight screen of the elevator.

14. The method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising providing the compensation guide with a floating mounting and allowing the compensation guide to move vertically upwards from an initial normal position thereof.

15. The method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising allowing the compensation guide to move vertically upwards when the counterweight assembly is moved against a buffer whose vertical length is configured to shorten due to a buffer strike.

16. The compensation guide as claimed in claim 2, wherein the guide portion of the guide consists of at least two separate components connectable to each other.

17. The compensation guide as claimed in claim 2, wherein the bearing elements comprise slide surfaces on opposite vertical sides of the body.

18. The compensation guide as claimed in claim 3, wherein the bearing elements comprise slide surfaces on opposite vertical sides of the body.

19. The compensation guide as claimed in claim 2, wherein the bearing elements comprise bearing rollers on opposite vertical sides of the body.

20. The compensation guide as claimed in claim 3, wherein the bearing elements comprise bearing rollers on opposite vertical sides of the body.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0049] Some embodiments are described in more detail in the accompanying drawings, in which

[0050] FIG. 1 is a schematic and highly simplified side view of a traction elevator,

[0051] FIG. 2 is schematic top view of an elevator car assembly and a counterweight assembly and their guide systems,

[0052] FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of a compensation arrangement,

[0053] FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of a compensation guide,

[0054] FIG. 5 is a schematic side view of a counterweight screen provided with a vertically movable compensation guide and

[0055] FIG. 6 discloses the same in buffer strike situation,

[0056] FIG. 7 is a schematic top view of a compensation guide provided with grooves, and

[0057] FIG. 8 is a schematic side view of a guide provided with bearing rollers.

[0058] For the sake of clarity, the figures show some embodiments of the disclosed solution in a simplified manner. In the figures, like reference numerals identify like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS

[0059] FIG. 1 discloses a traction elevator 1 mounted to an elevator shaft 2 of a building. The elevator 1 comprises an elevator car 3 for receiving load to be transported. The car 3 and a counterweight assembly 4 are suspended form a suspension rope 5 passing via a hoisting machinery 6. The hoisting machinery 6 comprises a traction sheave 7 driven by means of an electric motor M. Between the suspension rope 5 and the traction sheave 7 occurs friction which is utilized for transmitting lifting power to the elevator system. The hoisting machinery 6 may comprise one or more additional pulleys 8 for guiding and controlling the suspension rope 5. Further, different rope schemas and rations may also be implemented. The hoisting machinery 6 may be located at an upper machine room 9, or alternatively the system may be a so called machine room less elevator. The car 3 can be driven to desired levels 10 or floors under control of one or more control units CU. Further, at a bottom of a pit 10 of the shaft 2 are buffers 11a, 11b. The buffer 11 is a device configured to stop the descending car 3 and the counterweight 4 beyond its normal limit. The buffer 11 is arranged to soften the forces with which the elevator 1 runs into the pit 12 during special situations. Further, the bottom of the car 3 and a bottom of the counterweight assembly 4 are connected by means of a compensator element 13, such as a chain, wire or belt. The compensator element 13 may pass via a compensator pulley 14 located at the pit. The compensator element 13 may be supported and guided as it is disclosed in this document. Details of the solution are disclosed in other Figures.

[0060] FIG. 2 shows that a car assembly 17 comprises an elevator car 3 and a support element 18. The car assembly 17 is supported to the elevator shaft 2 by means of a first guide assembly 19 comprising first vertical guide rails 20 mounted to inner surfaces of the elevator shaft 2 and first guide shoes 21 mounted to the support element 18. There may also be breaking shoes 22 or devices as well as security arrangements at the guide assembly 19.

[0061] A counterweight assembly 4 comprises a counterweight frame 15 and filler elements 23. The frame 15 is supported to the elevator shaft 2 by means of a second guide assembly 24 comprising second vertical guide rails 25 and second guide shoes 26. Also the counterweight assembly 4 may be provided with breaking shoes 27 for decelerating movement of the counterweigh assembly 4.

[0062] FIG. 2 furthers shows that the guide assemblies 19 and 24 may be supported to the elevator shaft 2 by means of beam structures 28. The elevator shaft 2 and the car 3 are provided with a door system 29, of course. In FIG. 3 suspension rope and pulleys are nor shown for clarity reasons.

[0063] FIG. 2 also discloses that the counterweight assembly 4 is provided with a counterweight screen 30, which may be mounted to the guide rails 25 or the beam structures 28. The counterweight screen 30 or guard is a protective safety cover which is intended to guard the path of the counterweight 4 and to prevent any object from entering into the path of the counterweight 4. The screen 30 is provided with a compensation guide 31 through which a compensation element 13 passes. The compensation element 13 may be a wire rope or a plastic coated chain installed to obtain suspension rope weight compensation. One end of the counterweight element 13 is fastened to an underside of the elevator car 3 and the other end to the counterweight 4.

[0064] FIG. 3 discloses a compensation element 13 arranged between the bottom parts of a car 3 and the counterweight 4, and comprising two straight vertical portions 13a, 13b and a loop portion 13c. Between movement paths of the car 3 and the counterweight 4 there is a vertically mounted counterweight screen 30 at a pit portion. The screen 30 is provided with a compensation guide 31 which provides support for the loop portion 13c. As can be seen, the loop 13c passes through an opening 32 of the guide, which opening is directed horizontally H. The guide 31 can move from its initial normal position in upward direction relative to the screen 30. The shifted position of the guide 31′ and the loop 13c′ are shown in broken lines.

[0065] FIG. 4 discloses a compensation guide 31 which is mounted to an opening 33 formed to a counterweight screen 30. The opening 33 may have longitudinal shape and comprises opposite vertical edges 34. The guide 31 comprises a body 35 which have two part configuration and may comprise two halves 36 fastened to each other by screws 37. There may be slide bearings 38 for supporting the guide 31 to edges 34 of the opening 33. The slide bearings 38 may be as it is disclosed above in this document. A guide opening 32 receives a compensation element 13. The guide opening 32 may or may not be provided with slide bearing ring 39 or corresponding structure. The guide 31 is provided with a guide portion 46 with a guide opening 32.

[0066] FIG. 5 discloses a compensation guide 31 in a normal operational position. The guide 31 is mounted to an opening 33 of a counterweight screen 30. The opening 33 extends a distance from a bottom edge 40 of the screen 30 towards a top edge 41.

[0067] In FIG. 6 the guide 31 is moved to its extreme upper position. Thus, the guide 31 has a vertical movement range.

[0068] FIG. 7 discloses that a guide 31 may be provided with grooves 42 facing towards edges of an opening 33 of a screen 30. These features are already discussed in more detailed above in this document.

[0069] FIG. 8 discloses an alternative solution for supporting a guide 31 to an opening 33 of a screen 30. The guide may comprises several roller elements 43 and 44 for supporting the guide 31 to edge portions 34 of the opening 33. Further, the opening 33 may be provided with a frame 45 or corresponding support structure for reinforcing the edge portions or providing bearing surfaces.

[0070] FIG. 8 further discloses that the guide 31 may be composed of several pieces between which are joints 47. In this case there are four piece which may be connected to each other by means of quick couplings, for example. Further, the guide 31 may comprise a uniform slide bearing ring 39, or alternatively the ring 39 may also formed of several connectable components. The ring 39 may be made of slide bearing material and it may comprise rounded edges ensuring smooth contact with the compensation element.

[0071] Between the screen 30, or bottom surface, there may be a spring element 48 and a damper 49 which both have effect on vertical movements of the guide 31. Transmission elements 50 have shown in a simplified manner. However, the transmission elements may comprise wire ropes, bars or any other suitable elements.

[0072] The drawings and the related description are only intended to illustrate the idea of the invention. In its details, the invention may vary within the scope of the claims.