Abstract
A safety brake includes a first brake element, a first guide element, and an actuating element. The first brake element is mounted in a displaceable manner in a linear bearing on the first guide element. The first guide element can be moved between a rest position and a braking initial position. The actuating element is designed to move the first guide element from the rest position into the braking initial position, more particularly to activate the safety brake. The first brake element can carry out a braking movement from the braking initial position into a braking position. The braking movement returns the first guide element to the rest position. The first guide element is guided on a first parallelogram guide.
Claims
1-15. (canceled)
16. A safety brake for an elevator, the safety brake comprising: a first braking element; a first guide element; an actuating element; wherein the first braking element is displaceably mounted in a linear bearing on the first guide element, the first guide element being movable between a rest position and a braking initial position; wherein the actuating element moves the first guide element from the rest position into the braking initial position to activate the safety brake, the first braking element then performing a braking movement from the braking initial position into a braking position, and the braking movement returning the first guide element into the rest position; and wherein the first guide element is guided during the movement between the rest position and the braking initial position on a first parallelogram guide.
17. The safety brake according to claim 16 wherein the first parallelogram guide guides the first guide element on an actuating slide.
18. The safety brake according to claim 17 including a second parallelogram guide that guides a second guide element on the actuating slide.
19. The safety brake according to claim 17 wherein the actuating element displaces the actuating slide relative to a housing that accommodates the first braking element, the first guide element, the actuating element and the first parallelogram guide.
20. The safety brake according to claim 17 wherein the actuating slide is guided on the housing in another linear bearing.
21. The safety brake according to claim 16 wherein the first parallelogram guide guides the first guide element on a housing.
22. The safety brake according to claim 16 wherein the actuating element moves the first guide element by a parallelogram arm connected between the actuating element and the first guide element.
23. The safety brake according to claim 16 including a counter bearing stop formed on a housing for the first guide element.
24. The safety brake according to claim 16 wherein the first parallelogram guide has an operable parallelogram arm connected to the first guide element and the operable parallelogram arm is operated by the actuating element to move the first guide element.
25. The safety brake according to claim 16 wherein the actuating element is activated by an electrical trigger signal or electronic trigger signal.
26. The safety brake according to claim 25 wherein the actuating element includes an energy storage means, a holding element and an electromagnet, the electromagnet holding the holding element against a force generated by the energy storage means when the electromagnet is energized, and the electromagnet releasing the energy storage means in response to the trigger signal by switching off a current flow to the electromagnet.
27. The safety brake according to claim 26 wherein the energy storage means is a spring.
28. The safety brake according to claim 16 wherein the first parallelogram guide has a parallelogram arm connected to the first guide element, and wherein an acute first angle between an extension direction of the parallelogram arm and a direction perpendicular to a friction surface of the first braking element in the braking initial position is greater than an acute second angle between a direction of the linear bearing on the first guide element and a direction perpendicular to the friction surface of the first braking element in the braking initial position.
29. The safety brake according to claim 28 wherein the first acute angle is at least 10° greater than the second acute angle.
30. An elevator comprising: a car movable along a travel path between different floors; a rail attached along the travel path for guiding the car; and the safety brake according to claim 16 attached to the car for braking the car on the rail.
31. A safety brake for an elevator, the safety brake comprising: a first braking element and a second braking element; a first guide element and a second guide element; an actuating slide; a first parallelogram guide connecting the first guide element to the actuating slide; a second parallelogram guide connecting the second guide element to the actuating slide; an actuating element connected to the actuating slide; wherein the first and second braking elements are displaceably mounted in linear bearings on the first and second guide elements respectively, the first and second guide elements being movable between a rest position and a braking initial position; and wherein the actuating element moves the actuating slide and the first and second parallelogram guides to move the first and second guide elements from the rest position into the braking initial position to activate the safety brake, the first and second braking elements then performing a braking movement from the braking initial position into a braking position, and the braking movement returning the first and second guide elements into the rest position.
32. The safety brake according to claim 31 wherein the actuating element is connected to the actuating slide by an actuating mechanism.
Description
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0047] In the drawings:
[0048] FIG. 1a is a safety brake according to the first alternative embodiment in the rest position;
[0049] FIG. 1b is a safety brake according to the first alternative embodiment in the braking initial position;
[0050] FIG. 1c is a safety brake according to the first alternative embodiment in the braking position;
[0051] FIG. 2a is a safety brake according to the second alternative embodiment in the rest position;
[0052] FIG. 2b is a safety brake according to the second alternative embodiment in the braking initial position;
[0053] FIG. 2c is a safety brake according to the second alternative embodiment in the braking position;
[0054] FIG. 3 is a safety brake having an operable parallelogram arm:
[0055] FIG. 4 is a safety brake having an actuating element which is partially integrated into the counter stop;
[0056] FIG. 5 is an actuating element, as a modular component;
[0057] FIG. 6 is an elevator having safety brakes.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0058] FIGS. 1a to 1c show a safety brake 1 according to the first alternative embodiment. The safety brake 1 is designed to clamp a rail 6 if necessary, and thereby achieve a braking effect.
[0059] In the rest position, shown in FIG. 1 a, the actuating mechanism 19, which is a sub-component of the actuating element 15, holds the actuating slide 18. In the rest position, the two guide elements 12a, 12b are spaced apart from one another, so that the braking elements 11a, 11b guided on the guide elements 12a, 12b are spaced sufficiently far apart from the rail 6. The braking elements 11a, 11b are guided in first and second linear bearings 20a, 20b respectively. The guide elements 12a, 12b rest against the counter bearing stops 27 of the counter bearing 25. The counter bearings 25 are part of the housing 13. The parallelogram arms 17 connect the two guide elements 12a, 12b to the actuating slide 18. The actuating slide 18 is guided on the housing 13 by a third linear bearing 20c.
[0060] In order to activate the safety brake 1, the actuating element 15 is prompted via a signal to displace the actuating mechanism 19 in the triggering direction 35, and thereby to displace the actuating slide 18 in the direction of the triggering movement 37. As a result, the braking initial position, as shown in FIG. 1b, is reached. Since the guide elements 12a, 12b can only be displaced perpendicularly relative to the direction of the triggering movement 37, the guide elements move closer to one another and away from the relevant counter bearing stop 27. As soon as the braking elements 11a, 11b are pressed against the rail 6 with a sufficiently large normal force, the brake elements move along the guide elements 12a, 12b in the direction of the braking position, as shown in FIG. 1c. The guide elements 12a, 12b are pushed away from the rail 6 by the wedge shape of the guide elements 12a, 12b and the braking elements 11a, 11b. The guide elements 12a, 12b are pressed up to the counter bearing stops 27. As soon as the counter bearing stops 27 are touched, further movement of the braking elements 11a, 11b causes a sharp increase in the normal force on the braking elements 11a, 11b. The braking elements 11a, 11b are further displaced until they reach the two brake stops 21.
[0061] The housing 13 of the safety braking means is designed in such a way that the counter bearing stops 27 yield slightly under the load of the normal forces, thereby keeping a required normal force substantially constant, even if the braking elements 11a, 11b are worn down during the braking process or over multiple braking processes.
[0062] The braking position is shown in FIG. 1c. The advantage of the invention is shown by the fact that the actuating mechanism 19 and thus also the actuating element 15 are also displaced as a result of the movement from the braking initial position into the braking position. In the braking position, the actuating mechanism 19 and thus also the actuating element 15 are again in the same position as in the original rest position. In particular, the energy storage means in the actuating element 15 is also tensioned again. No further supply of energy is necessary in order to tension the energy storage means in the actuating element 15 again.
[0063] FIGS. 2a to 2c show a safety brake 1 according to the second alternative embodiment. The basic functionality is the same as in the first alternative embodiment. The actuating element 15 is not shown in FIGS. 2a to 2c. Possible configurations for a suitable actuating element 15 are shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5.
[0064] FIG. 2a shows the rest position of the safety brake 1. In order to be transferred into the braking initial position, as shown in FIG. 2b, the guide element 12a is moved into the braking initial position by the actuating element (not shown). As soon as the braking element 11a is pressed against the rail 6 with a sufficiently large normal force, it moves along the guide element 12a in the direction of the braking position. As a result, the braking element 11a of the safety brake 1 presses so hard on the rail 6 that the safety brake 1, together with the entire traveling body, is displaced laterally until the stationary braking element 41 also touches the rail 6. In addition, the guide element 12a is displaced up to the counter bearing stop 27 of the counter bearing 25. The counter bearing 25 is rigidly connected to the housing 13. As soon as the counter bearing stop 27 is touched, a further movement of the braking element 11a causes a sharp increase in the normal force on the braking element 11a. The braking element 11a is further displaced until it reaches the brake stop 21. The housing 13 of the safety braking means is designed in such a way that the counter bearing stop 27 and the stationary braking element 41 yield slightly under the load of the normal forces, thereby keeping a required normal force substantially constant, even if the braking elements 11a, 41 were worn down during the braking process or over multiple braking processes.
[0065] FIG. 2b shows an example of a first angle α and a second angle β. The force that is transmitted on the linear bearing between the guide element 12a and the braking element 11a acts perpendicularly relative to the direction of the linear bearing, since the linear bearing is substantially frictionless. Because the first angle a is greater than the second angle β, it is ensured that the force that is transmitted on the linear bearing between the guide element 12a and the braking element 11a presses on the guide element 12a at an angle, so that the guide element 12a, which is mounted by the parallelogram, is pressed back in the direction of the rest position.
[0066] FIG. 3 shows a safety brake 1 according to the second alternative embodiment, with a first embodiment of the actuating element 15. In this case, the actuating element acts on an operable parallelogram arm 81. The operable parallelogram arm 81 is elongate compared to a conventional parallelogram arm 17 which is just long enough to connect the two joints. An electromagnet 101 is designed to hold a holding element 102. The holding element 102 is placed under tensile stress by a spring 103. The spring 103 is therefore a tension spring. In order to trigger the safety braking means, the current supply to the electromagnet 101 is interrupted as a trigger signal. The holding element 102 detaches from the electromagnet 101, and the spring 103 moves the guide element 12a into the braking initial position by means of the operable parallelogram arm 81. In the braking position, the guide element 12a is then again in contact with the counter bearing stop 27 of the counter bearing 25. As a result, the operable parallelogram arm 81 and the holding element 102 are also in the same position as in the original rest position. The electromagnet 101 thus holds the holding element 102 again as soon as it is supplied with current again.
[0067] FIG. 4 shows a safety brake 1 according to the second alternative embodiment, with a second embodiment of the actuating element 15. The electromagnet 101 is designed to hold the holding element 102. In this case, the holding element 102 is formed on the guide element 12a. The guide element 12a is placed under tensile stress by the spring 103. The spring 103 is therefore a tension spring. Alternatively, a spring could be attached around the electromagnet 101; such a spring would then act as a compression spring. In order to trigger the safety braking means, the current supply to the electromagnet 101 is interrupted as a trigger signal. The holding element 102 detaches from the electromagnet 101, and the spring 103 moves the guide element 12a into the braking initial position. In the braking position, the guide element 12a is then again in contact with the counter bearing stop 27 of the counter bearing 25. As a result, the holding element 102 is also in the same position as in the original rest position. The electromagnet 101 thus holds the holding element 102 again as soon as it is supplied with current again.
[0068] FIG. 5 shows an actuating element 15 which can be easily replaced as a modular component for a safety brake 1 if necessary. In particular, this actuating element 15 is suitable for use in the safety brake 1 according to the first alternative embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1a to 1c. This actuating element 15 is also suitable for use in the safety brake 1 according to the second alternative embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2a to 2c. The electromagnet 101 is designed to hold the holding element 102. The electromagnet 101 is fastened to the actuating element 15, and the holding element 102 is movably mounted together with the actuating mechanism 19. Alternatively, the holding element 102 could also be fastened to the actuating element 15, and the electromagnet 101 could be movably mounted on the actuating element guide 104 together with the actuating mechanism 19. The guide element 12a is placed under tensile stress by the spring 103. The spring 103 is therefore a tension spring. In order to trigger the safety braking means, the current supply to the electromagnet 101 is interrupted as a trigger signal. The holding element 102 detaches from the electromagnet 101 and the spring 103 moves the actuating mechanism 19. By reaching the braking position, the actuating mechanism 19 is moved back again, so that the electromagnet 101 can hold the holding element 102 as soon as it is supplied with current again.
[0069] FIG. 6 shows an elevator 201 having a traveling body 202. By means of a drive 204, to which the traveling body 202 is connected to a suspension means 203, the traveling body 202 is displaced along a travel path. Rails 6 are attached along the travel path. The traveling body is guided by guide shoes 205 on the rails. The two safety brakes 1 are designed to be able to brake the traveling body 202 on the rails 6.
[0070] Finally, it should be noted that terms such as “comprising,” “having,” 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 which have been described with reference to one of the above embodiments may also be used in combination with other features or steps of other embodiments described above.
[0071] 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.
