ARRANGEMENT IN THE DOOR STRUCTURE OF AN ELEVATOR

Abstract

An arrangement in the door structure of an elevator includes at least an elevator car with doors and door panels, landing doors of the landing areas with door panels and a hanger carriage of each door panel, as well as a top track for the doors, supported on which top track the doors are suspended. The top track includes a separate frame beam, which is enclosed for essentially its whole length with a reinforcement structure.

Claims

1. An arrangement in the door structure of an elevator, the elevator comprising: at least an elevator car with door panels; landing doors of the landing areas with door panels; a hanger carriage of each door panel; and at least one top track, wherein at least one door panel is suspended on the at least one top track, wherein the at least one top track comprises a separate frame beam, the separate frame beam being enclosed for essentially an entire length thereof with a reinforcement structure.

2. The arrangement in the door structure of an elevator, the elevator comprising: at least an elevator car with door panels; landing doors of the landing areas with door panels; a hanger carriage of each door panel; and at least one top track suspending at least one door panel, wherein the top track comprises a separate frame beam, the separate frame beam being enclosed for essentially an entire length thereof with a reinforcement structure.

3. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the endurance of a reinforcement structure against fire and heat is better than the endurance of a frame beam against fire and heat.

4. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the melting temperature of a reinforcement structure is higher than the melting temperature of the frame beam.

5. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcement structure comprises reinforcement elements situated around the top part and bottom part of the frame beam and tie members connecting the ends of the reinforcement elements, and wherein when the supporting of the frame beam fails, the hanger carriages of the door panels are arranged to rest on the support of at least the lower reinforcement elements of the frame beam.

6. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the frame beam is an essentially elongated profile of a constant cross-section, comprising on a top surface and a bottom surface thereof fixing grooves in the longitudinal direction of the frame beam for the entire length of the frame beam.

7. The arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the reinforcement elements are arranged to be fixed to the frame beam by means of fasteners disposed non-parametrically in the fixing grooves.

8. The arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the top track is arranged to be fixed into position by means of fasteners disposed non-parametrically in the fixing grooves of the frame beam.

9. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the frame beam is fabricated into a one-piece profile from a lightweight and malleable material and is in its entirety of one and the same material.

10. The arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the frame beam is an aluminium profile or a plastic profile fabricated by extrusion.

11. The arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the endurance of a reinforcement structure against fire and heat is better than the endurance of a frame beam against fire and heat.

12. The arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the melting temperature of a reinforcement structure is higher than the melting temperature of the frame beam.

13. The arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the melting temperature of a reinforcement structure is higher than the melting temperature of the frame beam.

14. The arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the reinforcement structure comprises reinforcement elements situated around the top part and bottom part of the frame beam and tie members connecting the ends of the reinforcement elements, and wherein when the supporting of the frame beam fails, the hanger carriages of the door panels are arranged to rest on the support of at least the lower reinforcement elements of the frame beam.

15. The arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the reinforcement structure comprises reinforcement elements situated around the top part and bottom part of the frame beam and tie members connecting the ends of the reinforcement elements, and wherein when the supporting of the frame beam fails, the hanger carriages of the door panels are arranged to rest on the support of at least the lower reinforcement elements of the frame beam.

16. The arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the reinforcement structure comprises reinforcement elements situated around the top part and bottom part of the frame beam and tie members connecting the ends of the reinforcement elements, and wherein when the supporting of the frame beam fails, the hanger carriages of the door panels are arranged to rest on the support of at least the lower reinforcement elements of the frame beam.

17. The arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the frame beam is an essentially elongated profile of a constant cross-section, comprising on a top surface and a bottom surface thereof fixing grooves in the longitudinal direction of the frame beam for the whole length of the frame beam.

18. The arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the frame beam is an essentially elongated profile of a constant cross-section, comprising on a top surface and a bottom surface thereof fixing grooves in the longitudinal direction of the frame beam for the whole length of the frame beam.

19. The arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the frame beam is an essentially elongated profile of a constant cross-section, comprising on a top surface and a bottom surface thereof fixing grooves in the longitudinal direction of the frame beam for the whole length of the frame beam.

20. The arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the frame beam is an essentially elongated profile of a constant cross-section, comprising on a top surface and a bottom surface thereof fixing grooves in the longitudinal direction of the frame beam for the whole length of the frame beam.

Description

[0012] In the following, the invention will be described in detail by the aid of one example of its embodiment with reference to the simplified and diagrammatic drawings attached, wherein

[0013] FIG. 1 presents an oblique top view of one frame beam, according to the invention, of a top track of a car door or landing door of an elevator,

[0014] FIG. 2 presents an end view of a frame beam, according to FIG. 1, of a top track of a car door or landing door of an elevator,

[0015] FIG. 3 presents an oblique top view of one of a top track, according to the invention, of a car door or landing door of an elevator, in which top track the frame beam is one part,

[0016] FIG. 4 presents an end view of a top track, according to FIG. 3, of a car door or landing door of an elevator, in which top track the frame beam is one part,

[0017] FIG. 5 presents a simplified end view of one top track according to the invention installed into position on the wall of the elevator hoistway, and

[0018] FIG. 6 presents a simplified and sectioned oblique top view of one top track according to the invention, provided with hanger rollers and with a door panel.

[0019] FIGS. 1 and 2 present one frame beam 1a according to the invention supporting the top track of a car door or landing door of an elevator, as viewed obliquely from above and also when magnified and viewed directly from the end. The frame beam 1a is a straight, elongated profile beam, which resembles an I-profile in its cross-section and which is fabricated from an essentially light material, such as aluminium. In the middle of the frame beam 1a is an essentially thin web plate 1b, on the top edge of which is a top flange 2a that is wider than the thickness of the web plate 1b and, correspondingly, on the bottom edge of which is a bottom flange 2b that is wider than the thickness of the web plate 1b. In the horizontal direction the web plate 1b is symmetrically in the center of the flanges 2a, 2b, as viewed from the end, but in different embodiments the web plate 1b can also be in another location than symmetrically in the center of the flanges 2a, 2b.

[0020] In the horizontal direction in the center of the top flange 2a is a fixing groove 2 opening upwards from the center, the bottom part of which fixing groove is in the cross-sectional direction wider than the upwardly-opening top part. Correspondingly, in the horizontal direction in the center of the bottom flange 2b is a fixing groove 2 opening downwards from the center, the top part of which fixing groove is in the cross-sectional direction wider than the downwardly-opening bottom part. The fixing grooves 2 are essentially as long as the flanges 2a, 2b and the web plate 1b of the frame beam. In the fixing grooves 2 it is possible to move fastening means, such as fixing bolts, disposed in the grooves non-parametrically at suitable points.

[0021] Additionally, on the frame beam 1a on both sides of the web plate 1b are a top guide rail 3a, as well as a bottom guide rail 3b, provided with a rolling surface for the hanger rollers of the door panels. The guide rails 3a, 3a are essentially as long as the whole frame beam and are preferably composed of the same material as the frame beam 1a, and are thus integrated into the frame beam 1a. The rolling surface on the top guide rails 3a is essentially downwards and the rolling surface on the bottom guide rails 3b is essentially upwards.

[0022] FIGS. 3-6 present simplified views of one top track 1, according to the invention, of a car door or landing door of an elevator. In FIG. 3 the top track 1 is presented when detached and viewed obliquely and cross-sectioned, and in FIG. 4 when detached and viewed directly from the end. Correspondingly, in FIG. 5 the top track 1 is presented as viewed directly from the end and when fixed into its position on the wall 12 of the elevator hoistway, and also in FIG. 6 as viewed obliquely from above and when fixed into its position on the wall 12 of the elevator hoistway.

[0023] The frame beam 1a of the top track 1 is fixed to the suspension members 7 from its fixing groove 2 with fastening means 10 and 7a, such as with a bolt/nut combination. Since the fixing grooves 2 are of profile type in cross-section and are the length of the whole frame beam 1a, fixing of the frame beam 1a and at the same time of the top track 1 non-parametrically and flexibly to the suspension members 7 will succeed regardless of how the suspension members 7 are positioned on the top part of the door opening. The suspension members 7 are rigidly fixed to the frame of the elevator car and/or to the elevator hoistway wall 12 for the landing with fastening means 7b, such as with fixing bolts, above the door opening of the elevator.

[0024] Between the top guide rail 3a and the bottom guide rail 3b of the frame beam 1a is a hanger roller 4 having a groove for the guide rails 3a, 3b, which groove enables the hanger roller 4 to move linearly on the horizontal plane along the guide rails 3a, 3b and enables the hanger roller 4 to stay between the guide rails 3a, 3b. The hanger carriage 5 for the door panel 6 5 is suspended on the frame beam 1a, by means of hanger rollers 4, fixing bolts 4a functioning as axles, and fixing nuts 4b. A door panel 6 as well as some of the other operating mechanisms, which for the sake of clarity are not presented here, are fastened to the hanger carriage 5.

[0025] The frame beam 1a is protected for essentially its whole length from both above and below as well as from the top part and bottom part of its sides with fire-resistant and heat-resistant reinforcement elements 8, such as with steel profiles having a cross-sectional shape that is e.g. essentially U-shaped. The reinforcement elements 8 can be e.g. profiles bent from steel plate. The reinforcement elements 8 are fixed into the fixing grooves 2 of the frame beam 1a with fastening means 10 and 8a, such as with a bolt/nut combination. At the point of the suspension members 7 the reinforcement elements 8 are attached to the frame beam 1a with the same fastening means 10 and 7a as the whole top track 1. The top and bottom reinforcement elements 8 are connected to each other at their ends with tie members 9, such as steel plates, that are resistant to fire and heat and that are fixed to the reinforcement elements 8 with fastening means 9a, such as steel rivets, that are resistant to fire and heat.

[0026] The above-described enclosure of the frame beam assembled from the reinforcement elements 8 and tie members 9 functions as a reinforcement structure of the top track 1, the reinforcement structure being arranged to strengthen the structure of the top track 1 and to ensure the doors stay in place in a fire scenario, in which the lighter structure of the frame beam 1a has possibly lost its load-bearing capability e.g. due to melting. The melting temperature, i.e. the melting point, of the material of the reinforcement elements 8 and tie members 9 is higher than the melting temperature of the frame beam 1a.

[0027] In this case the endurance of the reinforcement elements 8 and tie members 9 against fire and heat is better than the endurance of the frame beam 1a against fire and heat, so that the reinforcement elements 8 and tie members 9 are arranged to support the door panels 6 in case the frame beam 1a and/or the hanger rollers 4 of the door panels 6 melt from the heat. In this case at least the fixing bolts 4a functioning as axles for the hanger rollers 4 are arranged to rest on the support of the lower reinforcement element 8.

[0028] The different solutions and features presented above can be inventive features together with one or more other features of the invention.

[0029] It is obvious to the person skilled in the art that the invention is not limited solely to the examples described above, but that it may be varied within the scope of the claims presented below. Thus, for example, the frame beam can also be different in shape than what is described. It can have e.g. a roller groove for the hanger roller instead of a top guide rail and bottom guide rail. In addition, the hanger rollers can be e.g. smaller than the hanger rollers presented, in which case some of the rollers can be support rollers which rest on the rolling surface of the top guide rails.

[0030] It is also obvious to the person skilled in the art that the suspension members of the top track of the door panels can also be different in their structure and shape to what is presented above.

[0031] It is additionally obvious to the person skilled in the art that the material of the frame beam can also be of some other material than aluminium that is softer, lighter and more malleable than steel. It can be e.g. of plastic or of plastic composite or of some other suitable material.