ROLLER GUIDE ASSEMBLY AND ELEVATOR SYSTEM

Abstract

A roller guide assembly for an elevator device, the roller guide assembly comprising a base member having a mounting means for mounting to the elevator device, the base member comprising a shaft support member; a roller wheel for engaging a guide rail to be rolled on the guide rail; a shaft on which the roller wheel is bearing-mounted, the shaft being straight and non-rotatably supported by the shaft support member, and a vibration dampening element, the vibration dampening element comprising an elastomer body arranged between the shaft and the shaft support member for dampening vibration of the roller wheel and for isolating the vibration from the base member. The shaft is attached to the shaft support member by the vibration dampening element forming a single attachment point for the shaft. The elastomer body is configured to form an elastically spring-loaded universal joint for the attachment of the shaft to provide a universal degree of freedom of an angular movement of the shaft and the roller wheel in relation to the base member.

Claims

1. A roller guide assembly for an elevator device, the roller guide assembly comprising a base member having a mounting means for mounting to the elevator device, the base member comprising a shaft support member, a roller wheel for engaging a guide rail to be rolled on the guide rail, a shaft on which the roller wheel is bearing-mounted, the shaft being straight and non-rotatably supported by the shaft support member, and a vibration dampening element, the vibration dampening element comprising an elastomer body arranged between the shaft and the shaft support member for dampening vibration of the roller wheel and for isolating the vibration from the base member, when in use, wherein the shaft is attached to the shaft support member by the vibration dampening element forming a single attachment point for the shaft, the elastomer body of the vibration dampening element being configured to form an elastically spring-loaded universal joint for the attachment of the shaft to provide a universal degree of freedom of an angular movement of the shaft and the roller wheel in relation to the base member.

2. A roller guide assembly according to claim 1, wherein the base member and the shaft support member are formed of a single uniform metal plate, the shaft support member being bent at a straight angle from the plane of said metal plate.

3. A roller guide assembly according to claim 1, wherein the shaft support member comprises a mounting hole for receiving the vibration damping element therein.

4. A roller guide assembly according to claim 1, wherein the elastomer body is annular or polygonal, such as square, rectangular, pentagonal or hexagonal in shape.

5. A roller guide assembly according to claim 1, wherein the vibration dampening element comprises a metal tube having a first central through hole through which the shaft extends, the metal tube having an outer surface, and that the elastomer body is concentrically or eccentrically around the metal tube and fixedly attached to the outer surface.

6. A roller guide assembly according to claim 5, wherein the outer surface of the metal tube is cylindrical.

7. A roller guide assembly according to claim 5, wherein the outer surface of the metal tube comprises a conical portion.

8. A roller guide assembly according to claim 1, wherein the elastomer body comprises an annular groove disposed at an outer periphery of the elastomer body, the annular groove having a width and depth adapted to receive an edge of the mounting hole for mounting the elastomer body to the shaft support member.

9. A roller guide assembly according to claim 1, wherein the vibration dampening element is divided into two vibration dampening element halves which are mounted to the mounting hole from opposite sides of the shaft support member.

10. A roller guide assembly according to claim 9, wherein each of the vibration dampening element halves comprises a shoulder having a diameter substantially corresponding to the diameter of the mounting hole; and that the shoulders of the vibration dampening element halves together form an annular groove to receive an edge of the mounting hole for mounting the vibration dampening element to the shaft support member.

11. A roller guide assembly according to claim 8, wherein the vibration dampening element comprises a pair of end caps for covering both sides of the elastomer body, each end cap comprising a second central through hole through which the shaft extends, the second through hole having a smaller diameter than an outer diameter of the metal tube, so that the end caps abut against the ends of the metal tube at both sides of the elastomer body.

12. A roller guide assembly according to claim 11, wherein the end cap is cup-like and comprises an annular flange which extends over a part of the outer periphery of the elastomer body.

13. A roller guide assembly according to claim 1, wherein the vibration dampening element comprises a mounting flange made of metal, the mounting flange being fixedly attached to the elastomer body, the mounting flange having bolt holes for attaching the vibration dampening element to the shaft support member via bolted joints.

14. A roller guide assembly according to claim 1, wherein the roller guide assembly comprises two or more roller wheels.

15. An elevator system, comprising a car and/or a counterweight, wherein the elevator system comprises a roller guide assembly according to claim 1 mounted to the car and/or counterweight.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description help to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:

[0024] FIG. 1 shows an axonometric view of a roller guide assembly according to a first embodiment of the invention seen obliquely from above,

[0025] FIG. 2 shows an axonometric view of a roller guide assembly of FIG. 1 seen obliquely from below,

[0026] FIG. 3 shows a cross-section III-III from FIG. 1,

[0027] FIG. 4 shows a cross-section of a vibration dampening element of the embodiment of the roller guide assembly of FIG. 3,

[0028] FIG. 5 shows a cross-section of part of a roller guide assembly according a second embodiment of the invention,

[0029] FIG. 6 shows a cross-section of a vibration dampening element of the embodiment of the roller guide assembly of FIG. 5,

[0030] FIG. 7 shows a cross-section of part of a roller guide assembly according a third embodiment of the invention,

[0031] FIGS. 8 and 9 show cross-sections of two further embodiments of the vibration dampening element which can be used in the roller guide assembly according to the invention,

[0032] FIG. 10 schematically shows a further embodiment of the vibration dampening element wherein the metal tube is eccentric in relation to a square-shaped elastomer body, the vibration dampening element being mounted in different positions a and b to the shaft support member,

[0033] FIG. 11 schematically shows a further embodiment of the vibration dampening element wherein the metal tube is eccentric in relation to a rectangular elastomer body, the vibration dampening element being mounted in different positions a and b to the shaft support member,

[0034] FIG. 12 schematically shows a further embodiment of the vibration dampening element wherein the metal tube is eccentric in relation to a pentagonal elastomer body, the vibration dampening element being mounted in different positions a, b, c, d and e to the shaft support member,

[0035] FIG. 13 schematically shows a further embodiment of the vibration dampening element wherein the metal tube is eccentric in relation to a hexagonal elastomer body, the vibration dampening element being mounted in different positions a, b, c, and d to the shaft support member,

[0036] FIG. 14 shows an elevator system wherein four roller guide assemblies according to the invention are installed to the sling of the elevator car, and

[0037] FIG. 15 shows an elevator system wherein four roller guide assemblies according to the invention are installed to the counterweight.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0038] FIGS. 1 and 2 show a roller guide assembly 1 for an elevator device (not shown). In FIGS. 1 and 2 the roller guide assembly 1 is shown to be engaged with the guide rail R and rolling along the guide rail. The shown embodiment comprises three roller wheels 5 orthogonally engaged with the guide rail R, so that two roller wheels 5 engage with parallel guide surfaces 25, 26 of the guide rail on its both opposite sides. These two roller wheels 5 have their planes of rotation in a common vertical plane. One roller wheel 5 engages with the frontal guide surface 27 of the guide rail. Although, the exemplary embodiments show roller guide assemblies having three roller wheels 5, it should be noted that the roller guide assembly according to the invention may include any number of roller wheels supported to the base member according to the principles of the invention.

[0039] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the roller guide assembly 1 comprises a base member 2. The base member 2 comprises mounting means 3, such has holes for bolted joints, for mounting the base member 2 to an elevator device, such as to a car, sling and/or counterweight, as illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11. The base member 2 comprises a shaft support member 4. The roller guide assembly 1 further comprises a roller wheel 5 for engaging a guide rail R. The roller wheel 5 is bearing-mounted on a shaft 6. The bearing B is built into the hub of the roller wheel. The shaft 6 is straight and non-rotatably supported by the shaft support member 4 via a vibration dampening element 7. The vibration dampening element 7 comprises an elastomer body 8 arranged between the shaft 6 and the shaft support member 4 for dampening vibration of the roller wheel and for isolating the vibration from the base member.

[0040] The shaft 6 is attached to the shaft support member 4 by the vibration dampening element 7. The vibration dampening element 7 forms a single attachment point for the shaft 6. The elastomer body 8 of the vibration dampening element 7 is configured to form an elastically spring-loaded universal joint for the attachment of the shaft 6 to provide a universal degree of freedom of an angular movement of the shaft and the roller wheel 5 in relation to the base member 2.

[0041] The base member 2 and the shaft support member 4 may be formed of a single uniform metal plate. The shaft support member 4 may be bent at a straight angle from the plane of said metal plate.

[0042] Referring to FIG. 3, the shaft support member 4 comprises a mounting hole 9 for receiving the vibration damping element 7 therein.

[0043] The elastomer body 8 has an annular shape. The vibration dampening element 7 comprises a metal tube 10 having a first central through hole 11 through which the shaft 6 extends. The metal tube 10 has a cylindrical outer surface 12. The annular elastomer body 8 is concentrically around the metal tube 10 and may be attached to the outer surface 12 of the metal tube 1.

[0044] As can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the elastomer body 8 comprises an annular groove 14 disposed at an outer periphery 15 of the elastomer body 8. The annular groove 14 has a width and depth adapted to receive an edge portion of the mounting hole 9 for mounting the elastomer body 8 to the shaft support member 4.

[0045] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the vibration dampening element 7 comprises a pair of end caps 17 for covering both sides of the elastomer body 8. The end cap 17 comprises a second central through-hole 18 through which the shaft 6 extends. The second central through hole 18 has a smaller diameter d than an outer diameter D of the metal tube 10, so that the end caps 17 abut against the ends of the metal tube 10 at both sides of the elastomer body 8. The end cap 17 is cup-like and comprises an annular flange 19 which extends over a part of the outer periphery 14 of the elastomer body 8. The end caps 17 limit the excessive movement of the roller wheels and they also improve safety in case of failure of the elastomer body 8 by preventing the roller wheels from hitting fixing elements of the guide rail.

[0046] In the shown embodiments the shaft 6 is a bolt having a bolt head at one end and an outer thread at the other end onto which a lock nut can be threaded to fix the roller wheel 5 to the vibration dampening element 7. Tightening force of the bolt does not compress the elastomer body 8.

[0047] In another exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 the vibration dampening element 7 is divided into two vibration dampening element halves 7.sup.1, 7.sup.2 which can be mounted to the mounting hole 9 from opposite sides of the shaft support member 4.

[0048] Referring to FIG. 6, each of the two vibration dampening element halves 7.sup.1, 7.sup.2 comprises an elastomer body 8, a metal tube 10 and an end cap 17. Further, each of the two vibration dampening element halves 7.sup.1, 7.sup.2 comprises a shoulder 16 having a diameter that snugly fits to the diameter of the mounting hole 9. The shoulders 16 of the vibration dampening element halves 7.sup.1, 7.sup.2 together form an annular groove 14, likewise as in the one-piece elastomer body 8 of FIG. 4, to receive an edge portion of the mounting hole 9 for mounting the vibration dampening element 7 to the shaft support member 4.

[0049] In a further exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, for the mounting of the roller wheel 5 to the shaft support member 4 the vibration dampening element comprises a mounting flange 20 made of metal. The mounting flange 20 is fixedly attached to the elastomer body 8. FIGS. 7 and 9 show examples of the vibration dampening element 7 in which the mounting flange 20 comprises a collar 28 having an inner surface 29 which is fixedly attached to the outer surface 30 of the elastomer body 8. The inner surface 31 of the elastomer body 8 is fixedly attached to outer surface 12 of the metal tube 10. The outer surface 12 of the metal tube 10 has a conical portion 13. The mounting flange 20 has bolt holes 21 for attaching the vibration dampening element 7 to the shaft support member 4 with bolted joints 22.

[0050] FIG. 8 also shows an embodiment of the vibration dampening element 7 comprising a mounting flange 20 made of metal. This embodiments differs from the embodiments of FIGS. 7 and 9 in that the mounting flange 20 is fixedly attached to the elastomer body 8 so that the collar 28 of the mounting flange is embedded into the material of the elastomer body 8.

[0051] In all shown embodiments the elastomer body 8 may be made of rubber, natural rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, chloroprene, nitrile rubber, silicone rubber, polyurethane or any combination thereof.

[0052] FIGS. 10, 11, 12 and 13 show four examples of the dampening elements 7 wherein the elastomer body 8 has a shape which is other than annular, i.e. polygonal. In FIG. 10 the elastomer body 8 has a square shape providing two distances for adjustment. In FIG. 11 the elastomer body 8 has a rectangular shape, also providing two distances for adjustment. In FIG. 12 the elastomer body 8 has a pentagonal shape. The pentagonal shape provides five unique distances for adjustment. In FIG. 13 the elastomer body 8 has a hexagonal shape providing four distances for adjustment. The metal tube 10 is attached to the elastomer body 8 eccentrically, i.e. the geometric center of the metal tube 10 is at a distance from the geometric center of the elastomer body 8. The position of the metal tube 10 defines the position of the shaft 6 and the shaft 6 defines the position of the outer rim of the roller wheel 5. Therefore, by rotating the vibration dampening element 7 into different angles and mounting to these angles it is possible to adjust the position of the roller wheel 5 in relation to the shaft support member 4 for adaptation of the roller guide assembly to different guide rail sizes. As shown in FIGS. 10-13, the square, rectangular, pentagonal and hexagonal shapes enable stepped adjustment.

[0053] FIGS. 14 and 15 illustrate an elevator system comprising a car 23 (FIG. 14) and a counterweight 24 (FIG. 15). The system comprises a four roller guide assemblies 1 as described above mounted to the car 23 and to the counterweight 24.

[0054] Although the invention has been the described in conjunction with certain types of roller guide assemblies, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to any certain type of roller guide assembly. While the present inventions have been described in connection with a number of exemplary embodiments, and implementations, the present inventions are not so limited, but rather cover various modifications, and equivalent arrangements, which fall within the purview of prospective claims.