Abstract
A guide rail for an elevator system may include at least one rail element that is fastened by at least one fastening means to at least one shaft wall of the elevator system. The at least one rail element may be mounted in a movable manner in relation to at least one shaft wall. The at least one rail element can be moved in relation to the at least one shaft wall such that a space behind the at least one rail element and the shaft wall is accessible for inspection purposes. In some cases, the fastening means includes a hinge by which the rail element can swivel relative to the shaft wall.
Claims
1.-12. (canceled)
13. A guide rail for an elevator system comprising a rail element that is fastened by a fastening means to a shaft wall of the elevator system, wherein the rail element is mounted movably relative to the shaft wall such that a space between a rear side of the rail element and the shaft wall is configured to be accessible for inspection.
14. The guide rail of claim 13 wherein the rail element is one of a plurality of rail elements, wherein the plurality of rail elements are disposed one above another in a vertical direction on the shaft wall.
15. The guide rail of claim 13 wherein the rail element is divided into segments in a vertical direction, wherein at least one of the segments is mounted movably relative to the shaft wall.
16. The guide rail of claim 13 wherein the rail element is fastened by the fastening means such that the rail element is configured to swivel or rotate relative to the shaft wall.
17. The guide rail of claim 13 wherein the rail element is fastened by the fastening means such that the rail element is configured to displace or travel relative to the shaft wall.
18. The guide rail of claim 13 wherein the fastening means comprises rails, wherein the rail element comprises rollers by which the rail element is mounted on the rails of the fastening means and is displaceable relative to the shaft wall.
19. The guide rail of claim 13 wherein the fastening means comprises a hinge by which the rail element is swivelably mounted relative to the shaft wall.
20. The guide rail of claim 19 wherein the fastening means comprises an interlock with which the hinge is configured to be connected to the rail element, and is configured to be released from the rail element.
21. The guide rail of claim 19 wherein the fastening means comprises an interlock with which the hinge is configured to be connected to the shaft wall, and is configured to be released from the shaft wall.
22. The guide rail of claim 19 wherein the fastening means comprises an interlock with which the hinge is configured to be connected to the shaft wall and/or the rail element, and is configured to be released from the shaft wall and/or the rail element.
23. The guide rail of claim 13 wherein the fastening means comprises a swivelable arm having joints, wherein the rail element is mounted on the swivelable arm movably relative to the shaft wall.
24. The guide rail of claim 13 wherein the fastening means has a telescopic structure.
25. The guide rail of claim 13 wherein the rail element is rotatable on the fastening means about an axis.
26. The guide rail of claim 13 wherein the rail element is configured to be anchored in a fixed position by way of an interlock disposed at an anchoring point.
27. A guide rail for an elevator system comprising a rail element that is fastened to a shaft wall of the elevator system in an upright position such that the rail element is selectively movable relative to the shaft wall while the rail element remains fastened to the shaft wall in the upright position, wherein a space between the rail element and the shaft wall is accessible by moving the rail element relative to the shaft wall.
28. The guide rail of claim 27 wherein the rail element is divided into segments that are disposed horizontally side-by-side, wherein at least one of the segments is movable horizontally relative to the shaft wall.
29. The guide rail of claim 27 wherein the rail element is configured to swivel or rotate relative to the shaft wall.
30. The guide rail of claim 27 comprising rails, wherein the rail element comprises rollers by which the rail element is mounted on the rails and is displaceable relative to the shaft wall.
31. The guide rail of claim 27 comprising an interlock for selectively fixing the rail element relative to the shaft wall and for selectively releasing the rail element such that the rail element is movable relative to the shaft wall.
32. The guide rail of claim 27 wherein a fastening means that fastens the rail element to the shaft wall is a telescopic.
Description
[0034] The following description of one advantageous embodiment of the invention serves for a more detailed explanation, in conjunction with the drawing. There are shown, specifically:
[0035] FIG. 1: A rail element divided in the vertical direction into two segments, both segments being mounted in a movable manner with hinges
[0036] FIG. 2: A top view of a rail element, whose fastening means have hinges, and which can be swiveled as needed about one of two axes of rotation
[0037] FIG. 3: A top view of the rail element represented in FIG. 2 in a state swiveled out from the shaft wall
[0038] FIG. 4: A rail element outfitted with rollers and able to be shifted sideways along rails
[0039] FIG. 5: A rail element divided in the vertical direction into two segments, both segments being outfitted with rollers and both segments being able to be shifted sideways along rails
[0040] FIG. 6: A rail element outfitted with balls encased in ball cups
[0041] FIG. 7: A rail element divided in the vertical direction into two segments, both segments being outfitted with balls encased in ball cups
[0042] FIG. 8: A sample embodiment of a rail on which a rail element or segments of a rail element as per FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 can travel
[0043] FIG. 9: A rail element having telescopic structures with which the rail element can be moved in the orthogonal direction away from its rear-side shaft wall
[0044] FIG. 10: A top view of the rail element represented in FIG. 9
[0045] FIG. 11: A rail element having telescopic structures with which the rail element can be moved in the parallel direction to its rear-side shaft wall
[0046] FIG. 12: A top view of the rail element represented in FIG. 11
[0047] FIG. 13: A rail element having swivel arms
[0048] FIG. 14: A top view of the rail element represented in FIG. 13
[0049] FIG. 15: A rail element with telescopic structures having anchoring points at its rail element-side ends, on which the rail element can be rotated
[0050] FIG. 16: A rail element divided in the vertical direction into two segments, both segments having telescopic structures which for their part have anchoring points at their rail element-side ends, on which the corresponding segment can be rotated
[0051] The sample embodiment represented in FIG. 1 shows a rail element 1, which is secured in a movable manner by fastening means 2, having hinges 3, on the shaft wall 4, toward which the rear side of the rail element 1 is facing. Each time, two fastening means 2 are arranged here at the right and left of the rail element 1. The number of hinges 3 can vary as need be.
[0052] In the example shown, the rail element 1 is divided at the middle in the vertical direction into two segments 5. As a result, each of the two segments 5 is fastened at one end by two fastening means 2 outfitted with hinges 3 to the shaft wall 4. Thus, the segments 5 of the rail element 1 form a kind of hinged door and can be swiveled away separately from the shaft wall 4.
[0053] FIG. 2 shows a top view of a rail element 1. On its right and left-side the rail element 1 has fastening means 2, having hinges 3 for their part. The rail element 1 is movably fastened by the fastening means 2 to the shaft wall 4, toward which the rear side of the rail element is facing. The hinges 3 form a structural unit with interlocks 6, which are fashioned as pins in the sample embodiment shown. The interlocks 6 join together a shaft wall-side hinge element and a rail element-side hinge element. By removing an interlock 6, one hinge 3 can be removed from operation. In this way, by removing the interlocks 6 fashioned as pins from the hinges 3 of the right-side fastening means 2 of the rail element 1, the rail element 1 can be swiveled out from the shaft wall 4 by means of the hinges 3 of the left-side fastening means 2 of the rail element 1. In this case, the interlocks 6 fashioned as pins of the hinges 3 of the left-side fastening means 2 of the rail element 1 form the axis of rotation about which the rail element 1 can be swiveled. Vice versa, the interlocks 6 fashioned as pins of the hinges 3 of the left-side fastening means 2 of the rail element 1 can also be removed and the rail element 1 swiveled away from the shaft wall 4 by means of the hinges 3 of the right-side fastening means 2, in which case the interlocks 6 fashioned as pins of the hinges 3 of the right-side fastening means 2 of the rail element 1 form the axis of rotation about which the rail element 1 can be swiveled. By reinserting the interlocks 6 into the hinges 3, the rail element can again be firmly connected in its designated position to the shaft wall 4, so that an unintentional swiveling-out of the rail element 1 is prevented.
[0054] FIG. 3 shows the rail element 1 depicted in FIG. 2 in a state swiveled away from the shaft wall 4. In this case, the interlocks 6 have been removed from the hinges 3 of the right-side fastening means 2 of the rail element 1 and the rail element 1 swiveled by means of its left-side fastening means 2, having hinges 3. The interlocks 6 of the hinges 3 of the left-side fastening means 2 of the rail element 1 form the axis of rotation about which the rail element 1 is swiveled.
[0055] FIG. 4 shows a rail element 1 whose fastening means 2 have rollers 7 and rails 8, by which fastening means the rail element 1 is secured movably to a shaft wall 4. The rollers 7 are arranged by means of interlocks 6 at the upper and lower end of the rail element and are guided in the rails 8, which are mounted on the shaft wall 4. The rail element 1 can be shifted sideways parallel to the shaft wall 4.
[0056] The interlocks 6, by which the rollers 7 are secured on the rail element 1, can be individually removed or put back. By removing the interlocks 6 connecting the right-(left-)side rollers 7 to the rail element 1, the rail element 1 can be swiveled when using suitable interlocks 6, such as, for example, pins. The interlocks 6 of the left-(right-)side rollers 7 of the rail element 1 here form the axis of rotation about which the rail element 1 can be swiveled.
[0057] FIG. 5 shows a modification of the sample embodiment of FIG. 4, in which the rail element 1 is divided in the vertical direction into segments 5. The segments 5 are outfitted here with rollers 7 and the segments 5 can be shifted sideways separately from each other along rails 8 which are mounted on a shaft wall 4. The rollers 7 are arranged by means of interlocks 6 at the upper and lower end of the rail element. Exactly as in the sample embodiment of FIG. 4, in this sample embodiment as well the interlocks 6, by which the rollers 7 are secured to the segments 5, can be individually removed or put back, making it possible for the individual segments 5 not only to be shifted along the rails 8, but also to be swiveled from a segment 5 by removing the interlocks 6 on one side. By removing the interlocks 6 which connect the right-(left-)side rollers 7 of a segment 5 to the segment 5, the interlocks 6 of the left-(right-)side rollers 7 of the segment 5 form the axis of rotation about which the segment 5 can be swiveled.
[0058] The sample embodiments represented in FIGS. 6 and 7 are a variation of the sample embodiments from FIGS. 4 and 5, wherein the fastening means 2 have balls 9 instead of rollers 7, which are encased in ball cups 10. With the aid of the balls 9, a rail element 1 (FIG. 6) or a segment 5 of a rail element (FIG. 7) can not only be shifted sideways along rails, as in the sample embodiments of FIGS. 4 and 5, but also travel for example on curved trajectories.
[0059] FIG. 8 shows one possible embodiment (top view and side view) of a rail 8 such as can be used for the guiding of the sample embodiments represented in FIGS. 6 and 7. The rail 8 has joints, in which the balls 9 of the fastening means 2 are guided. In the variant shown, the rail 8 has two joints parallel to each other and extending in the longitudinal direction of the rail 8, which are joined together by additional joints (connection joints). In this way, a rail element 1 or a segment 5 of a rail element 1 can not only be shifted sideways along one of the joints in the longitudinal direction of the rail 8, but also move back and forth by means of the connection joints between them. The connection joints here can either be straight, as shown in FIG. 8, or curved.
[0060] FIGS. 9 and 10 (top view of the sample embodiment of FIG. 9) show a rail element 1 whose fastening means 2 have a telescopic structure 12. With the fastening means 2, the rail element 1 is mounted in a movable manner on the shaft wall 4, toward which the rail element 1 is facing by its rear side. Thus, the rail element 1 can be shifted by extending of the telescopic structures 12 in the orthogonal direction away from the shaft wall 4 and into the interior of the shaft.
[0061] The telescopic structures 12 are secured each time on the rail element 1 and on the shaft wall 4 by detachable interlocks 6. The embodiment shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 can be combined with the embodiment from FIGS. 2 and 3. It is possible for the telescopic structures 12 to have hinges 3 at their shaft wall-side ends and/or at their rail element-side ends. By removing the interlocks 6 on one of the sides of the rail element 1, the rail element 1 can not only be shifted by means of the telescopic structures 12, but also in addition it can still be swiveled by means of hinges 3.
[0062] Accordingly, it would likewise be conceivable for the rail element 1 shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 to be divided in the vertical direction into segments 5. In this case, in analogous fashion, a combination with the sample embodiment of FIG. 1 is possible.
[0063] FIGS. 11 and 12 (top view of the sample embodiment of FIG. 11) show a slight variation of the sample embodiment of FIGS. 9 and 10. Here as well, the fastening means 2 have telescopic structures 12. However, in this case the rail element 1 is not secured to the shaft wall 4 toward which the rear side of the rail element 1 is facing, but instead to the two shaft walls 4 toward which the right and left-side wall of the rail element 1 is facing. The rail element 1 can be shifted parallel in relation to the shaft wall 4 toward which the rear side of the rail element 1 is facing. When the rail element 1 is shifted, the telescopic structures 12 arranged at the left (right)side of the rail element 1 are extended, while the telescopic structures 12 arranged at the right (left) side of the rail element 1 are contracted.
[0064] The sample embodiment shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 can also be used for a rail element 1 divided in the vertical direction into two segments 5. The two segments 5 can be pushed out separately from each other from their guide rail position. The segments 5 can be shifted by means of the telescopic structures 12 toward each other in the same direction or apart from each other in the opposite direction.
[0065] FIGS. 13 and 14 (top view of the sample embodiment of FIG. 13) show another embodiment with which a rail element 1 can be mounted on a shaft wall 4 in a movable manner. Here, the rail element 1 is mounted in a movable manner by fastening means 2, having swivel arms 13, on the rear shaft wall 4 from the rail element 1. The joints of the swivel arms 13 here can have hinges 3 and/or balls 9 and ball cups 10. The swivel arms 13 can have any given number of joints.
[0066] Instead of being fastened to the rear shaft wall 4 from the rail element, the fastening means 2 having swivel arms 13 can also be fastened, analogously to the sample embodiment of FIGS. 11 and 12, to the two shaft walls 4 toward which the right and left-side wall of the rail element 1 are facing.
[0067] By using releasable interlocks 6 at the shaft-side and/or the rail element-side ends of the fastening means 2, the rail element 1 can be swiveled even further, analogously to the sample embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.
[0068] When the rail element 1 is divided in the vertical direction, the individual segments 5 of the rail element 1 can be moved separately.
[0069] In FIG. 15, the fastening means 2, by which a rail element 1 is mounted in a movable manner on the shaft wall 4, toward which the rail element 1 faces by its rear side, comprise telescopic structures 12, at which rail element-side ends the rail element 1 can be rotated. The telescopic structures 12 have connection elements 14 at their rail element-side ends, the main direction of extension of the connection elements 14 being orthogonal to the main direction of extension of the telescopic structures 12. The connection pieces 14 positioned between the rail element-side ends of the telescopic structures 12 and the rail element 1 form the axis of rotation about which the rail element 1 can be rotated.
[0070] Accordingly, by extending the telescopic structures 12, the rail element 1 can at first be moved into the interior of the shaft and then be rotated about the axis of rotation formed by the connection elements 14. In this way, a better access is afforded to the space between the rail element 1 and the shaft wall 4, toward which the rear side of the rail element 1 is facing, when the rail element 1 is in its fixed position as part of the guide rail.
[0071] FIG. 16 shows a modification of the sample embodiment shown in FIG. 15, in which the rail element 1 is divided in the vertical direction into segments 5. Each segment 5 is mounted in a movable manner by fastening means 2, having telescopic structures 12, to the shaft wall 4, toward which the rear sides of the segments 5 are facing in their designated position as part of the guide rail. The individual segments 5 are mounted by means of connection elements 14 in a rotational manner on the telescopic structures 12. The connection elements 14 are arranged here in the orthogonal direction to the extending direction of the telescopic structures 12 between the latter and the segments 5.
[0072] With fastening means 2 designed in this manner, each segment 5 of the rail element 1 can be pushed separately into the interior of the shaft by the telescopic structures 12 and then be rotated about the axis of rotation formed by the connection elements 14.
[0073] In addition, the fastening means 2 in the sample embodiments of FIGS. 15 and 16 can have hinges 3 on their shaft wall-side ends, which can be placed into operation individually as required by means of releasable interlocks 6. By removing the interlocks 6, the rail element 1 or the segments 5 of the rail element 1 can not only be shifted and rotated, but also swiveled by means of the hinges 3.
[0074] In the sample embodiments represented in FIGS. 15 and 16, the fastening means 2 can likewise be arranged with their shaft wall-side ends on the shaft walls 4 toward which the right and left-side wall of the rail element 1 are facing (as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12).
REFERENCE SYMBOLS
[0075] 1 Rail element
[0076] 2 Fastening means
[0077] 3 Hinge
[0078] 4 Shaft wall
[0079] 5 Segment of a rail element
[0080] 6 Interlock
[0081] 7 Rollers
[0082] 8 Rail
[0083] 9 Balls
[0084] 10 Ball cup
[0085] 11 Joints
[0086] 12 Telescopic structure
[0087] 13 Swivel arm
[0088] 14 Connection element
