Elevator car and elevator system comprising an elevator car

Abstract

An elevator car (6) defining an interior space (12) for accommodating passengers comprises a support frame (22) positioned on a top side of the interior space (12); a support structure (30) pivotably mounted to the support frame (22); and a working platform (28) pivotably mounted to the support structure (30). The support structure (30) is pivotable with respect to the support frame (22) and the working platform (28) is pivotable with respect to the support structure (30) between a retracted position, in which the working platform (28) and the support structure (30) are oriented close to the support frame (22), and a deployed position, in which the support structure (30) extends away from the support frame (22) towards the interior space (12) and the working platform (28) extends away from the support structure (30).

Claims

1. An elevator car defining an interior space for accommodating passengers and comprising a support frame positioned on a top side of the interior space; a support structure pivotably mounted to the support frame; and a working platform pivotably mounted to the support structure; wherein the support structure is pivotable with respect to the support frame and the working platform is pivotable with respect to the support structure between a retracted position and a deployed position, in the deployed position the support structure extends away from the support frame towards the interior space and the working platform extends away from the support structure; a linkage connected to the support frame and to the working platform, wherein a first side of the working platform is connected to the support structure, and an opposing second side of the working platform is pivotably connected to the linkage.

2. The elevator car according to claim 1, wherein the working platform is movable between the retracted storage position and the deployed working position through at least one intermediate position, in which the working platform is inclined with respect to the support frame.

3. The elevator car according to claim 1, wherein the working platform in its deployed position extends orthogonally from the support structure and/or wherein the support structure extends orthogonally from the support frame when the working platform is positioned in its deployed position.

4. The elevator car according to claim 1, wherein a length of the linkage is variable.

5. The elevator car according to claim 4, wherein the linkage comprises a telescopic linkage.

6. The elevator car according to claim 1, wherein the linkage is pivotably connected to the support frame.

7. The elevator car according to claim 1, wherein the linkage comprises two linkage elements.

8. The elevator car according to claim 7, wherein the two linkage elements are attached to two opposite sides of the working platform.

9. The elevator car according to claim 1, wherein the working platform comprises a storage space for accommodating a ladder.

10. The elevator car according to claim 9, wherein the ladder comprises a telescopic ladder.

11. The elevator car according to claim 9, wherein the storage space is formed in a lower portion of the working platform.

12. The elevator car according to claim 1, wherein the support structure and/or the working platform are lockable in at least one of their retracted and deployed positions.

13. The elevator car according to claim 1, further comprising a ceiling element pivotably attached to the support frame.

14. The elevator car according to claim 13, wherein the ceiling element is positionable between the working platform and the interior space, when the working platform is oriented in its retracted position.

15. The elevator car according to claim 14, wherein the ceiling element is lockable when arranged between the working platform and the interior space.

16. An elevator system comprising at least one elevator car according to claim 1.

17. A method of moving the working platform in the elevator car according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises pivoting the support structure with respect to the support frame and pivoting the working platform with respect to the support structure.

Description

(1) In the following an exemplary embodiment of the invention is described with reference to the enclosed figures.

(2) FIG. 1 schematically depicts an elevator system comprising an elevator car according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of an elevator car according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention comprising a working platform arranged in a retracted storage position.

(4) FIGS. 3 and 4 respectively show a perspective view of the elevator car according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention with the working platform being arranged in an intermediate position.

(5) FIGS. 5 and 6 respectively show a perspective view of an elevator car according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention comprising a working platform arranged in a deployed working position.

(6) FIG. 1 schematically depicts an elevator system 2 comprising an elevator car 6 according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

(7) The elevator system 2 comprises a hoistway 4 extending in a longitudinal direction between a plurality of landings 8 located on different floors.

(8) The elevator car 6 comprises a floor 16 and sidewalls 17 extending from the floor 16 and defining an interior space 12 of the elevator car 6. Only one sidewall 17 is depicted in the schematic illustration of FIG. 1.

(9) The elevator car 6 is movably suspended within the hoistway 4 by means of a tension member 3. The tension member 3, for example a rope or belt, is connected to a drive 5, which is configured for driving the tension member 3 in order to move the elevator car 6 along the longitudinal direction/height of the hoistway 4 between the plurality of landings 8.

(10) Each landing 8 is provided with a landing door (elevator hoistway door) 10, and the elevator car 6 is provided with a corresponding elevator car door 11 allowing passengers to transfer between a landing 8 and the interior space 12 of the elevator car 6 when the elevator car 6 is positioned at the respective landing 8.

(11) The exemplary embodiment of the elevator system 2 shown in FIG. 1 employs a 1:1 roping for suspending the elevator car 6. The skilled person, however, easily understands that the type of the roping is not essential for the invention and that different kinds of roping, e.g. a 2:1 roping, may be used as well. The elevator system 2 may further include a counterweight (not shown) moving concurrently and in opposite direction with respect to the elevator car 6. Alternatively, the elevator system 2 may be an elevator system 2 without a counterweight, as it is shown in FIG. 1. The drive 5 may be any form of drive used in the art, e.g. a traction drive, a hydraulic drive or a linear drive. The elevator system 2 may have a machine room or may be a machine room-less elevator system. The elevator system 2 may use a tension member 3, as it is shown in FIG. 1, or it may be an elevator system without a tension member 3, comprising e.g. a hydraulic drive or a linear drive (not shown).

(12) The drive 5 is controlled by an elevator control 18 for moving the elevator car 6 along the hoistway 4 between the different landings 8.

(13) Input to the elevator control 18 may be provided via landing control panels 7a, which are provided on each landing 8 close to the elevator landing doors 10, and/or via a car operation panel 7b provided inside the elevator car 6.

(14) The landing control panels 7a and the car operation panel 7b may be connected to the elevator control 18 by means of electrical lines, which are not shown in FIG. 1, in particular by an electric bus, e.g. a field bus such as a CAN bus, or by means of wireless data connections.

(15) In order to determine the current position of the elevator car 6, the elevator car 6 is provided with a position sensor 19. The position sensor 19 may be arranged at the top of the elevator car 6 as shown in FIG. 1. Alternatively, the position sensor 19 may be provided at a side of the elevator car 6 or at the bottom, e.g. below a floor 16, of the elevator car 6.

(16) FIGS. 2 to 6 show perspective views of an elevator car 6 according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, respectively. In FIGS. 2 to 6 the side walls 17 (cf. FIG. 1) of the elevator car 6 are not shown in order to allow for an unobstructed view into the interior space 12 of the elevator car 6.

(17) The elevator car 6 comprises two structural bars 20a, 20b extending orthogonally, in particular vertically, from the floor 16 of the elevator car 6. A support frame 22 extending parallel to the floor 16 is mounted to the upper ends of the structural bars 20a, 20b, i.e. to the ends of the structural bars 20a, 20b opposite to the floor 16. The skilled person will understand that in alternative configurations, which are not shown in the figures, more than two structural bars 20a, 20b may be used. Alternatively, the support frame 22 may be supported by the side walls 17 of the elevator car 6 instead of or in addition to the structural bars 20a, 20b.

(18) The floor 16 and the support frame 22 both have a rectangular shape and basically the same dimensions in the horizontal directions so that the floor 16, the support frame 22 and the side walls 17 extending between the floor 16 and the support frame 22 constitute an elevator car 6 having the shape of a cuboid.

(19) A ceiling element 24 (see FIGS. 3 to 6) is pivotably attached to the support frame 22. The ceiling element 24 basically has the shape and dimensions of an interior opening defined by the support frame 22, so that the ceiling element 24 covers and closes said interior opening when the ceiling element 24 is arranged in a horizontal position, in which it is oriented parallel to the support frame 22, as it is illustrated in FIG. 2.

(20) The ceiling element 24 may support or include illumination elements (not shown), which are configured for illuminating the interior space 12 of the elevator car 6. The bottom side of the ceiling element 24 facing the interior space 12 in particular may be formed as a decorative element providing a pleasant appearance of the ceiling of the interior space 12 of the elevator car 6.

(21) The ceiling element 24 may comprise a fixing element 26, such as a hook, which is configured for engaging with a complementary fixing structure (not shown) of the support frame 22 in order to fix the ceiling element 24 in its horizontal position as depicted in FIG. 2.

(22) In order to prevent an unauthorized movement of the ceiling element 24, the fixing element 26 may be combined with a locking mechanism. The locking mechanism allows releasing the fixing element 26 for moving the ceiling element 24 out of its horizontal position only after unlocking the locking mechanism.

(23) After the fixing element 26 has been released, the ceiling element 24 may be pivoted from its horizontal position (see FIG. 2) into a vertical access position (see FIGS. 3 to 6), in which it extends basically vertically, parallel to the structural bars 20a, 20b and/or to the side walls 17 of the elevator car 6.

(24) When arranged in said access position, the ceiling element 24 allows accessing a working platform 28, which is movably attached to the support frame 22, from the interior space 12 of the elevator car 6.

(25) The working platform 28 in particular is attached to the support frame 22 by means of a support structure 30. The support structure 30 comprises two rigid bars 30a, 30b extending parallel to each other. Each of the bars 30a, 30b is pivotably attached to a first side (right side in FIGS. 2 to 6) 28a of the working platform 28 and to a first side (right side in FIGS. 2 to 6) 22a of the support frame 22, respectively. The bars 30a, 30b are arranged opposite to each other on two lateral sides of the working platform 28.

(26) An opposite second side (left side in FIGS. 2 to 6) 28b of the working platform 28 is attached to the support frame 22 by means of a linkage 32. The linkage 32 includes two linkage elements 32a, 32b extending parallel to each other between the second side 28b of the working platform 28 and a second side (left side in FIGS. 2 to 6) 22b of the support frame 22, which is opposite to the first side 22a. The linkage elements 32a, 32b are arranged opposite to each other on two lateral sides of the working platform 28.

(27) The linkage elements 32a, 32b are pivotably attached to the working platform 28 and to the support frame 22 by appropriate joints 33.

(28) The length of the linkage elements 32a, 32 is variable. Each of the linkage elements 32a, 32b in particular comprises a first bar 34a, 34b and a second bar 36a, 36b. Each bar 34a, 34b, 36a, 36b is provided with a slot extending in the longitudinal direction. The two bars 34a, 34b, 36a, 36b of each linkage element 32a, 32b are slidably connected to each other by a pin 38a, 38b extending through the slots of the bars 34a, 34b, 36a, 36b.

(29) A skilled person will understand that alternative configurations of the linkage elements 32a, 32 are possible as long as they allow varying the length of the linkage elements 32a, 32b.

(30) After the ceiling element 24 has been moved into its access position, as it is shown in FIGS. 2 to 6, the working platform 28 may be moved from the retracted storage position, in which it is arranged inside and/or above the support frame 22 (see FIG. 2) into the deployed working position (see FIGS. 5 and 6), in which the working platform 28 is positioned in a horizontal orientation within the interior space 12 of the elevator car 6. When the working platform 28 is positioned in the deployed working position, a mechanic may position himself on the working platform 28 in order to access the hoistway 4, in particular components within the hoistway 4, above the elevator car 6 through the opening defined by the support frame 22.

(31) In the following, the movement of the working platform 28 from its retracted storage position shown in FIG. 2 into its deployed working position shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is explained in more detail with reference to FIGS. 3 to 6.

(32) When positioned in its retracted storage position (FIG. 2) the working platform 28, the linkage elements 32a, 32b and the bars 30a, 30b of the support structure 30 are all arranged basically parallel to the (horizontal) plane of the support frame 22.

(33) In a first motion (see FIG. 3), the working platform 28 and the support structure 30 are pivoted together from said retracted storage position into the interior space 12 of the elevator car 6. During said first motion, the working platform 28 is still arranged parallel to the bars 30a, 30b of the support structure 30.

(34) The linkage elements 32a, 32b extend, i.e. increase their lengths, and pivot with respect to the support frame 22 and with respect to the working platform 28 in order to adjust for the movement of the working platform 28.

(35) In a second motion (see FIG. 4), the working platform 28 is pivoted with respect to the support structure 30, in order to move the working platform 28 into its final deployed working position, in which the working platform 28 extends basically horizontally parallel to the floor 16 of the elevator car 6 (see FIGS. 5 and 6). Again, the linkage elements 32a, 32b change their lengths and pivot with respect to the support frame 22 and with respect to the working platform 28, respectively, in order to adjust for the changing position of the second side 28b of the working platform 28 with respect to the second side 22b of the support frame 22 to which the linkage elements 32a, 32b are mounted.

(36) Depending on the specific configuration, i.e. depending on the dimensions of the working platform 28, the support structure 30 and the linkage elements 32a, 32b, the second motion, i.e. the motion of the working platform 28 with respect to the support structure 30, may start only after the first motion has been completed, i.e., after the support structure 30 extends basically vertically from the support frame 22 into the interior space 12 of the elevator car 6. In such a configuration, the working platform 28 is oriented basically orthogonally with respect to the support frame 22 and the floor 16 of the elevator car 6, i.e. parallel to the structural bars 20a, 20b and/or to the side walls 17 of the elevator car 6, after the first motion has been completed and before the second motion is started.

(37) In an alternative configuration, the two motions may at least partially overlap, i.e., the second motion may be started before the first motion has been completed, i.e., before the support structure 30 extends basically vertically from the support frame 22 into the interior space 12 of the elevator car 6.

(38) In both configurations, the working platform 28 is moved through an intermediate position, in which it is arranged in an inclined orientation with respect to the support frame 22 and with respect to the floor 16 of the elevator car 6 during the motion (see FIG. 4).

(39) The support structure 30 and/or the linkage elements 32a, 32b may be provided with dampers 35 which are configured for damping their movements in order to allow an easy, smooth and well controlled movement of the working platform 28 between the retracted storage position and the deployed working position.

(40) In the exemplary configuration shown in the figures, a storage space 40 (cf. FIG. 4) is formed within/under the working platform 28. The storage space 40 in particular may be configured for accommodating a ladder 42, which allows a mechanic to climb onto the working platform 28 more easily.

(41) The ladder 42 in particular may be a telescopic ladder 42 comprising two telescopic bars 44a, 44b, which may be selectively compressed in order to allow storing the ladder 42 within the storage space 40 (see FIGS. 4 and 5) and expanded in order to extend the ladder 42 to the distance between the floor 16 of the elevator car 6 and the working platform 28 (see FIG. 6).

(42) While the invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adopt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but that the invention includes all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims.

REFERENCES

(43) 2 elevator system

(44) 3 tension member

(45) 4 hoistway

(46) 5 drive

(47) 6 elevator car

(48) 7a landing control panel

(49) 7b car operation panel

(50) 8 landing

(51) 10 landing door

(52) 11 elevator car door

(53) 12 interior space of the elevator car

(54) 16 floor of the elevator car

(55) 17 sidewall of the elevator car

(56) 18 elevator control

(57) 19 position sensor

(58) 20a, 20b structural bars

(59) 22 support frame

(60) 22a first side of the support frame

(61) 22b second side of the support frame

(62) 24 ceiling element

(63) 26 fixing element

(64) 28 working platform

(65) 28a first side of the working platform

(66) 28b second side of the working platform

(67) 30 support structure

(68) 30a, 30b bars of the support structure

(69) 32 linkage

(70) 32a, 32b linkage elements

(71) 33 joint

(72) 34a, 34b first bar of the linkage element

(73) 35 damper

(74) 36a, 36b second bar of the linkage element

(75) 38a, 38b pins

(76) 40 storage space

(77) 42 ladder

(78) 44a, 44b bars of the ladder