Elevator car

Abstract

The object of the invention is an elevator car intended for transporting people and freight, in an elevator wherein the elevator car is supported resting on suspension members and arranged movably in an elevator hoistway when moved by a hoisting machine. At least the floor and roof of the elevator car are composed of dimensionally precise modular elements fabricated by casting, extruding and/or pressing into their shapes and dimensions.

Claims

1. An elevator car configured to be installed in an elevator, the elevator car comprising: an elevator car floor including a set of coupled elevator car floor modular elements; and an elevator car roof including a set of coupled elevator car roof modular elements; wherein the elevator car is configured to be supported in an elevator hoistway on at least one suspension member; wherein the elevator car is configured to be moved through the elevator hoistway based on operation of a hoisting machine; and wherein at least one modular element of the set of coupled elevator car floor modular elements or the set of coupled elevator car roof modular elements is configured to be directly fixed to the at least one suspension member to directly support the elevator car in the elevator hoistway, such that the elevator car is supported, by the at least one suspension member, directly through the at least one modular element of the set of coupled elevator car floor modular elements or the set of coupled elevator car roof modular elements.

2. The elevator car according to claim 1, wherein, the at least one modular element is configured to couple with a traction member, and the traction member is configured to move the elevator car through the elevator hoistway.

3. The elevator car according to claim 1, wherein, each set of the set of coupled elevator car floor modular elements and the set of coupled elevator car roof modular elements includes a plurality of adjacent modular elements configured to interlock together.

4. The elevator car according to claim 1, wherein, the set of coupled elevator car floor modular elements include two corner elements, two intermediate elements and one center element, and the set of coupled elevator car floor modular elements are configured to be fixed together such that each corner element is fixed to a separate adjacent intermediate element of the two intermediate elements, the center element is fixed between the two intermediate elements, and adjacently fixed modular elements at least partially overlap each other.

5. The elevator car according to claim 1, wherein, the set of coupled elevator car roof modular elements include two corner elements, two intermediate elements and one center element, and the set of coupled elevator car roof modular elements are configured to be fixed together such that each corner element is fixed to a separate adjacent intermediate element of the two intermediate elements, the center element is fixed between the two intermediate elements, and adjacently fixed modular elements at least partially overlap each other.

6. The elevator car according to claim 1, wherein, each given set of modular elements, of the set of coupled elevator car floor modular elements and the set of coupled elevator car roof modular elements, includes two corner elements, a center element, and at least two intermediate elements, the intermediate elements in the given set of modular elements configured to be coupled between separate corner elements of the given set of modular elements and the center element of the given set of modular elements; and the elevator car is configured to be adjusted in width, based on adjustment of at least one of a quantity and a width of the center element and intermediate elements in each set of modular elements.

7. The elevator car according to claim 1, wherein the set of coupled elevator car floor modular elements and the set of coupled elevator car roof modular elements include at least one of a plastic compound and a plastic composite compound.

8. The elevator car according to claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of fabricated wall panels, wherein the plurality of fabricated wall panels are fabricated into their respective shapes from at least one of a plastic compound and a plastic composite compound based on pressing.

9. The elevator car according to claim 8, wherein, each given wall panel includes a top edge and a bottom edge; each of the top edge and the bottom edge includes a batten-shaped fixing edge, the batten-shaped fixing edge being thinner than a thickness of the given wall panel; each of the elevator car floor and the elevator car roof includes separate, respective corner elements; each corner element includes a slot corresponding to a batten-shaped fixing edge of at least one wall panel of the plurality of fabricated wall panels; and each batten-shaped fixing edge of each wall panel is configured to be fixed into a corresponding slot of at least one of the elevator car floor and the elevator car roof.

10. The elevator car according to claim 8, wherein each given wall panel includes sound-damping elements protruding from the given wall panel, and the sound-damping elements are pressed onto the given wall panel in conjunction with fabrication of the given wall panel.

11. The elevator car according to claim 1, wherein, the at least one modular element is configured to couple with at least one of a fixing device or a diverting pulley of the at least one suspension member and a moving device of the elevator car.

12. The elevator car according to claim 1, wherein at least one modular element of the elevator car roof and at least one modular element of the elevator car floor includes at least one fixing point configured to couple with a car sling to support-the elevator car in the elevator hoistway.

13. An elevator car configured to be installed in an elevator, the elevator car comprising: an elevator car floor including a set of coupled elevator car floor modular elements; and an elevator car roof including a set of coupled elevator car roof modular elements; wherein the elevator car is configured to be supported in an elevator hoistway on at least one suspension member; wherein the elevator car is configured to be moved through the elevator hoistway based on operation of a hoisting machine; and wherein each set of the set of coupled elevator car floor modular elements and the set of coupled elevator car roof modular elements includes a plurality of adjacent modular elements configured to interlock together such that the interlocked adjacent modular elements overlap in a direction that is orthogonal to a longitudinal direction extending through the interlocked adjacent modular elements, and the interlocked adjacent modular elements have lower surfaces and upper surfaces that are coplanar at upper surface interfaces and lower surface interfaces between the interlocked adjacent modular elements, respectively, such that the interlocked adjacent modular elements form a structure that includes, on opposite surfaces of the structure, uniform surfaces that extend between the interlocked adjacent modular elements, respectively.

14. The elevator car of claim 13, wherein, at least one plurality of adjacent modular elements includes a first modular element and a second modular element that is adjacent to the first modular element, the first modular element includes a protrusion, the second modular element includes a recess that corresponds to the protrusion of the first modular element, and the first and second modular elements are configured to interlock together such that the protrusion of the first modular element is nested in the recess of the second modular element.

15. The elevator car of claim 14, wherein, the recess is a slot configured to enclose the protrusion of the first modular element in the direction that is orthogonal to the longitudinal direction when the first and second modular elements are interlocked together.

16. An elevator car configured to be installed in an elevator, the elevator car comprising: an elevator car floor including a set of coupled elevator car floor modular elements; and an elevator car roof including a set of coupled elevator car roof modular elements; wherein the elevator car is configured to be supported in an elevator hoistway on at least one suspension member; wherein the elevator car is configured to be moved through the elevator hoistway based on operation of a hoisting machine; and wherein one or more sets of modular elements, of the set of coupled elevator car floor modular elements and the set of coupled elevator car roof modular elements, includes a plurality of modular elements that consists of two corner elements, two intermediate elements, and one center element, wherein the plurality of modular elements are configured to be fixed to each other at respective adjacent overlapping sides that overlap in a direction that is orthogonal to a longitudinal direction extending through the plurality of modular elements, such that each corner element of the plurality of modular elements is adjacent and fixed to a separate intermediate element of the plurality of modular elements, and the one center element of the plurality of modular elements is adjacent and fixed to each of the intermediate elements of the plurality of modular elements.

17. The elevator car according to claim 16, further comprising: a plurality of fabricated wall panels, wherein the plurality of fabricated wall panels are fabricated into their respective shapes from at least one of a plastic compound and a plastic composite compound based on pressing.

18. The elevator car according to claim 17, wherein, each given wall panel includes a top edge and a bottom edge; each of the top edge and the bottom edge includes a batten-shaped fixing edge, the batten-shaped fixing edge being thinner than a thickness of the given wall panel; each of the elevator car floor and the elevator car roof includes separate, respective corner elements; each corner element includes a slot corresponding to a batten-shaped fixing edge of at least one wall panel of the plurality of fabricated wall panels; and each batten-shaped fixing edge of each wall panel is configured to be fixed into a corresponding slot of at least one of the elevator car floor and the elevator car roof.

19. The elevator car according to claim 17, wherein each given wall panel includes sound-damping elements protruding from the given wall panel, and the sound-damping elements are pressed onto the given wall panel in conjunction with fabrication of the given wall panel.

20. The elevator car according to claim 16, wherein, at least one modular element, of the set of coupled elevator car floor modular elements and the set of coupled elevator car roof modular elements, is configured to couple with at least one of a fixing device or a diverting pulley of the at least one suspension member and a moving device of the elevator car.

Description

(1) In the following, the invention will be described in more detail by the aid of some examples of its embodiment with reference to the simplified and diagrammatic drawings attached, wherein

(2) FIG. 1 presents a simplified and diagrammatic side view of one self-supporting elevator car according to the invention in an elevator in which the moving and the supporting of the elevator car have been separated from each other,

(3) FIG. 2 presents a simplified and diagrammatic side view of one elevator car according to the invention, said elevator car being provided with a car sling, in an elevator in which the moving and the supporting of the elevator car have been separated from each other,

(4) FIG. 3 presents a simplified and diagrammatic side view of one self-supporting elevator car according to the invention in an elevator suspended in a different manner, wherein the hoisting machine of the elevator is disposed in the bottom part of the elevator hoistway, or close to it,

(5) FIG. 4 presents a simplified and diagrammatic side view of one self-supporting elevator car according to the invention, in an elevator wherein two hoisting machines of the elevator are disposed in the bottom part of the elevator hoistway, or close to it,

(6) FIG. 5 presents a simplified and diagrammatic sectioned front view of one elevator car according to the invention,

(7) FIG. 6 presents a sectioned end view of a partly truncated edgemost modular roof element and/or floor element, according to the invention, for an elevator car,

(8) FIG. 6a presents a sectioned end view of a magnified detail of a modular roof element and/or floor element according to FIG. 6 as well as of a wall panel fastened into it,

(9) FIG. 7 presents a sectioned end view of one modular roof element and/or floor element, according to the invention, for an elevator car,

(10) FIG. 7a presents a sectioned end view of a modular roof element and/or floor element for an elevator car, said element being wider than the element according to FIG. 7,

(11) FIG. 8 presents a sectioned end view of one second modular roof element and/or floor element, according to the invention, for an elevator car,

(12) FIG. 8a presents a sectioned end view of a modular roof element and/or floor element for an elevator car, said element being wider than the element according to FIG. 8, and

(13) FIG. 9 presents a simplified oblique top view of part of a modular wall element, according to the invention, of an elevator car.

(14) FIG. 1 presents a side view of one elevator arrangement wherein, owing to a non-slip moving arrangement, a lightweight and self-supporting elevator car 1 according to the invention can be used. In the elevator arrangement according to FIG. 1 the hoisting machine 6, plus traction sheave 5, is disposed in the bottom part of the elevator hoistway, or close to it. In this case a compensating weight arrangement is used in which the compensating weight 2 is divided into two parts and disposed, symmetrically in the lateral direction, on both sides of the guide rail of the elevator car 1 between the side wall of the self-supporting elevator car 1 and the wall of the hoistway. The frontmost compensating weight 2 in FIG. 1 is in front of the rearmost compensating weight, so the rearmost compensating weight is not visible. A compensating weight 2 divided into parts is suitably small and narrow and it can be disposed in the elevator hoistway easily in the best possible location from the viewpoint of space and layout.

(15) However, only one compensating weight 2 can just as well be used. The use of a compensating weight differs from a counterweight in that a compensating weight saves energy by balancing the mass of the car and the load, whereas the purpose of a counterweight is to achieve sufficient friction between the traction sheave and the elevator ropes.

(16) The supporting rope 3 between the elevator car 1 and the compensating weights 2 is guided to travel from the compensating weights 2 via the diverting pulleys 4 in the top part of the elevator hoistway downwards to the elevator car 1 to as good a location as possible from the viewpoint of the balance of the car and the forces exerted on the guide rails of the elevator car. Correspondingly, the toothed belts or corresponding means that are the traction member 7 are led from the compensating weights 2 via the diverting pulleys 8 in the bottom part of the elevator hoistway to the traction sheave 5 in the bottom part of the elevator hoistway and from there onwards up to the elevator car 1. The traction members are fixed to the elevator car 1 and to the compensating weights 2 e.g. via a fixing means 9 providing a constant tensioning force.

(17) FIG. 2 presents an elevator arrangement that is otherwise similar to that in FIG. 1, but now the elevator car 1 is fitted into a car sling 11 supporting the elevator car 1, which car sling is arranged to bear the load exerted on the elevator car 1. There can be one, two or a number of compensating weights 2.

(18) FIG. 3 presents a simplified and diagrammatic side view of one second elevator arrangement, wherein, owing to a non-slip moving arrangement, a lightweight and self-supporting elevator car 1, or one supported in a car sling, according to the invention can be used. The elevator arrangement according to FIG. 3 comprises two compensating weights 2a and 2b on different sides of the elevator car 1, both of which compensating weights are connected to the elevator car 1 by the aid of their own suspension members 3. Each suspension member 3 is fixed at its first end to the elevator car 1 and passes over a diverting pulley 4 in the top part of the elevator hoistway or in the machine room and returns downwards, and is fixed at its second end to a compensating weight functioning as a counterweight 2a, 2b. The fixing point of the first end of the support means 3 to the elevator car 1 is adapted in such a way that the elevator car 1 can rise past the diverting pulleys 4 in the top end of the hoistway right to the top end of the hoistway. In this way the most space-efficient layout solution possible is achieved.

(19) A hoisting machine 6 provided with a traction sheave 5 is adapted to move the elevator car 1, which hoisting machine is preferably disposed in the bottom part of the elevator hoistway, e.g. on the base of the elevator hoistway or right in the proximity of the base. In this case installation of the hoisting machine 6 is easy, and long electric cables from the bottom part of the building to the hoisting machine and to the cubicle are not needed.

(20) For each compensating weight separately its own traction member 7a, 7b is disposed between the bottom part of the compensating weights 2a, 2b and the bottom part of the elevator car 1, which traction member receives its movement transmission force from the traction sheave 5 of the hoisting machine 6. The first traction member 7a is fixed at its first end to the first compensating weight 2a, is adapted to leave the compensating weight 2a and go downwards and is led to pass under at least one diverting pulley 8a, after which the traction member 7a is led to a traction sheave 5, which rotates on the vertical plane, of the hoisting machine 6 disposed below the elevator car 1 from the first side of the traction sheave 5, and is adapted to pass around the traction sheave 5 at the first point of the contact surface of the traction sheave 5 from the second side of the traction sheave 5, to return back to the first side of the traction sheave 5 and is led onwards to pass under at least a second diverting pulley 8b and to ascend after this to the elevator car 1, on which is a fixing means 9a maintaining essentially constant tensioning force, to which fixing means the traction member 7a is fixed at its second end.

(21) The second traction member 7b is adapted to travel from the second compensating weight 2b via the traction sheave 5 to the elevator car in essentially the same manner as the first traction member 7a. In this case the second traction member 7b is fixed at its first end to the second compensating weight 2b, is adapted to leave the compensating weight 2b and go downwards and is led to pass under at least one diverting pulley 8d, after which the traction member 7b is led to a traction sheave 5, which rotates on the vertical plane, of the hoisting machine 6 disposed below the elevator car 1 from the second side of the traction sheave 5, and is adapted to pass around the traction sheave 5 at the second point of the contact surface of the traction sheave 5 from the first side of the traction sheave 5, to return back to the second side of the traction sheave 5 and is led onwards to pass under at least a second diverting pulley 8c and to ascend after this to the elevator car 1, on which is a fixing means 9a maintaining essentially constant tensioning force, to which fixing means the traction member 7b is fixed at its second end.

(22) The contact surface of the traction sheave 5 is so wide that both the traction members 7a, 7b fit side-by-side onto the contact surface of the traction sheave without interfering with each other. In this way one and the same hoisting machine 6 gives to both the traction members 7a, 7b a force producing linear movement of the elevator car 1 and of the compensating weights 2a, 2b.

(23) FIG. 4 presents a front view of yet another elevator arrangement wherein, owing to a non-slip moving arrangement, a lightweight and self-supporting elevator car 1, or one supported in a car sling, according to the invention can be used. In the elevator arrangement according to FIG. 4 are two hoisting machines 6 of the elevator, which, with the traction sheaves 5, are disposed in the bottom part of the elevator hoistway, or close to it. The first hoisting machine 6 is fitted between one or more compensating weights 2 and the elevator car 1 on one side of the elevator car 1, and the second hoisting machine 6 is fitted between one or more compensating weights 2 and the elevator car 1 on a second side of the elevator car 1. This solution enables the base of the elevator hoistway to be made level, particularly in its center part, and the lifting mechanics can be made simple.

(24) In the arrangements according to FIGS. 1-4, the traction member 7, 7a, 7b can be either a plurality of parallel hoisting ropes, a chain or a belt, e.g. a toothed belt. What all the arrangements presented have in common is that the traction members 7, 7a, 7b are fixed at one of their ends, e.g. their ends on the elevator car 1 side, with fixing means 9, 9a, 9b providing a constant tensioning force in such a way that the traction member 7, 7a, 7b always remains sufficiently taut on the rim of the traction sheave 5 and that when the support members 3 of the elevator car 1 stretch and loosen, the fixing means 9, 9a, 9b remove via the traction members 7, 7a, 7b the elongation produced.

(25) In an elevator arrangement using an elevator car according to the invention, the supporting of the elevator car 1 is preferably separated from the moving means of the elevator car and smart materials, such as toothed belts, in which traction is not based on friction but instead on shape-locking, suited to the purpose are preferably used as the moving means, i.e. as the traction members 7, 7a, 7b. Since the traction is not based on friction, the elevator car 1 can be made as lightweight as is for other reasons possible.

(26) FIG. 5 presents a simplified, sectioned and diagrammatic front view of a minimized detail of one elevator car 1 according to the invention. The modular elevator car 1 is assembled mainly from dimensionally precise modules, i.e. elements 10a-10c, 13, 14a-14c, which are fabricated by casting, extruding or pressing and at the latest in the installation phase cut to their correct dimensions and are also joined and fixed to each other in various ways. Different sorts of plastics, such as polyurethane, polyacrylic, polyethylene, or combinations of these, are used as the raw material of the elements. The elements 10a-10c, 13, 14a-14c can also contain various reinforcements and can be partly or wholly plastic composite elements or laminated elements. In addition, the elements 10a-10c, 13, 14a-14c can, if necessary, be covered with some suitable coating, such as e.g. with a thin metal sheet. The elements 10a-10c intended for the floor 10 and the elements 14a-14c intended for the roof 14 are fabricated e.g. by dimensionally precise extruding from the desired sort of plastic.

(27) In the solution according to FIG. 5 the floor elements and roof elements 10a-10c, 14a-14c are, except for the corner elements 10a, 14a, different to each other, but all the elements can just as well be similar to each other e.g. in such a way that the intermediate elements 10b, 14b are similar to each other and likewise the center elements 10c, 14c are correspondingly similar to each other.

(28) In the installation phase each modular floor element and roof element 10a-10c, 14a-14c is cut to its correct length e.g. in the depth direction of the elevator car 1. Correspondingly, when adjusting the width of the elevator car 1, pieces of the necessary width are cut away to precise measurement from the long sides of the floor elements and roof elements 10a-10c, 14a-14c in such a way that adjacent elements again fit to be connected to each other according to their purpose. Alternatively also standard elements of different widths are used, from which elevator cars of standard dimensions and different widths can be quickly assembled. The use of standard elements of different widths is explained in more detail in connection with FIGS. 7-8a.

(29) The frame structure of the floor 10 of the elevator car 1 is composed e.g. of three elements 10a-10c that are different to each other in their cross-sections, which elements are e.g. two corner elements 10a, two intermediate elements 10b and one center element 10c. As viewed from the front of the elevator car 1, the corner elements 10a are situated on opposite edges of the elevator car 1 and face-to-face with respect to each other. To one of the long sides of each corner element 10a an intermediate element 10b is fixed at its first long side, and between the intermediate elements 10b a center element 10c essentially symmetrical in its cross-section in the width direction is fitted, which center element 10c is fixed at both its long sides to one long side of one intermediate element 10b. The elements are fixed to each other with various fixing methods, e.g. by gluing and/or with screw fastenings.

(30) The frame structure of the roof 14 of the elevator car 1 is essentially similar to the frame structure of the floor 10 and is composed of the same type, and even of similar, modular elements 14a-14c to those of the floor 10 of the elevator car 1. In FIG. 5 the elements 10b-10c and 14b-14c are different to each other, but they can therefore also be similar to each other. The roof 14 of the elevator car is assembled on the same principle as the floor 10 and the elements 14a-14c are fastened to each other in essentially the same manner as the elements 10a-10c of the floor 10.

(31) In/on the long side edges of the floor elements and roof elements 10a-10c and 14a-14c are slots or recesses in the longitudinal direction of the elements and protrusions corresponding to them, which are dimensioned in such a way that the intermediate elements and center elements 10b-10c, 14b-14c situated side-by-side between corner elements 10a, 14a form, together with the corner elements 10a, 14a, a durable and robust slab-like structure having, e.g. at least on the inside of the elevator car, a uniform and essentially smooth surface.

(32) In addition, in the corner elements 10a, 14a are slots and fixing holes for the fixing of a wall element 13 and slots for the fixing of a shallow wall skirting 12a, which wall skirting simultaneously functions as a skirting board. The aforementioned slots are explained in more detail later in connection with FIGS. 6 and 6a.

(33) A fire prevention plate 12b is disposed on top of the floor elements 10a-10c, which simultaneously stiffens the floor structure and consequently increases the load carrying capacity of the floor 10. Correspondingly, the actual floor surface board 12, which forms the wearing surface of the floor 10, is fastened on top of the fire prevention plate 12b. The fixing is implemented e.g. by gluing.

(34) The wall elements 13 are fabricated by pressing from molding compound basic plates comprising one module, from which plates wall panels of the size needed are cut in the installation phase, which wall panels are fixed at their bottom part to the corner elements 10a of the floor 10 of the elevator car 1 and at their top part to the corner elements 14a of the roof 14 of the elevator car 1, e.g. with snap-on fasteners or with a screw fitting. The structure and fixing of the wall elements 13 are presented in more detail in FIGS. 6a and 9.

(35) FIGS. 6, 6a and 7, 7a and also 8, 8a present a cross-section of modular roof elements and floor elements according to the invention, when viewed from the end and sectioned. FIGS. 6 and 6a present the corner elements 10a, 14a used in the floor 10 or roof 14 of an elevator car, and FIGS. 7-8a present two modular elements of an elevator car 1 as two versions having different widths. The elements presented are the center element 14c and intermediate element 14b of the roof of the elevator car, but the elements could just as well be the corresponding elements 10c and 10b of the floor 10 of the elevator car.

(36) In the cross-section of each element 10a-10c and 14a-14c in the width direction of each element are parts of different thicknesses and shapes, such as protrusions, slots and recesses, which are consequently formed in such a way that elements placed side-by-side next to each other can be situated in a partly nested or overlapping manner. In this case e.g. the protrusion of an adjacent element is situated in the slot or recess of a second element and the adjacent elements support each other at the point of connection.

(37) The corner element 10a, 14a presented in FIG. 6 comprises a frame part 15a essentially corresponding in its thickness to the largest thickness of the other elements, from which frame part a protrusion 15b extends in the lateral direction of the element, the thickness of which protrusion is smaller than the thickness of the frame part 15a. The thickness difference between the frame part 15a and the protrusion 15b is filled by a recess 15c, which is intended to receive the corresponding protrusion 15b of the intermediate element. In addition, extending from the frame part 15a on the outer edge of the frame part is a wall fixing protrusion 15d, which is perpendicular to the width direction of the corner element. In the wall fixing protrusion 15d is a slot 15e the length of the whole element for the fixing of a wall panel 13, a second parallel but narrower slot 15f for the fixing of the wall skirting 12a, as stated earlier. In addition, in the frame part 15a is a plurality of fixing holes 15g for a wall panel 13, which fixing holes extend through the mounting slot 15e for a wall panel.

(38) FIG. 6a presents the outer corner of a corner element 10a, 14a magnified and sectioned in such a way that the wall panel 13 is fixed into its position in the corner element. On the top edge and bottom edge of a wall panel 13 is a batten-shaped fixing edge 13a that is thinner than the rest of the wall panel and is provided with fixing holes 13c, which fixing edge is arranged to fit into the slot 15e of a corner element 10a, 14a, and which is fixed into position by means of fixing means 16, such as snap-in fasteners or fixing screws.

(39) The joints of a wall and the roof or of a wall and the floor, particularly if the elevator car is self-supporting, are preferably made to be such that a force between the parts travels via a large surface. For example, the fixing means 16 preferably presses the fixing edge 13a between the walls of the mounting slot 15e. This type of joint is more secure than if the forces between the fixing edge 13a and the mounting slot 15e were arranged to travel just as shearing force via the fixing means 16.

(40) FIG. 7 presents a sectioned end view of the center element 14c, presented in FIG. 5, of the roof 14 of the elevator car 1, said element comprising a frame part 17a essentially corresponding in its thickness to the largest thickness of the other elements in the roof, from which frame part a protrusion 17b extends in both lateral directions of the element, the thickness of which protrusion is smaller than the thickness of the frame part 17a.

(41) Correspondingly, FIG. 7a presents a center element 14c of the roof 14, which differs from the center element 14c presented by FIG. 7 only in that the frame part 17a of the latter is wider than the frame part 17a of the center element 14c presented by FIG. 7.

(42) FIG. 8 presents a sectioned end view of the intermediate element 14b, presented in FIG. 5, of the roof 14 of the elevator car 1, said element comprising a frame part 18a essentially corresponding in its thickness to the largest thickness of the other elements in the roof, in the one long edge of which is a slot 18b the length of the element, which slot is intended to receive the corresponding protrusion 17b of the center element 14c, and on the second long edge of which is a protrusion 18c. The thickness difference between the frame part 18a and the protrusion 18c is filled by a recess 18d, which is intended to receive the corresponding protrusion 15b of the corner element 14a.

(43) Correspondingly, FIG. 8a presents an intermediate element 14b of the roof 14, which differs from the intermediate element 14b presented by FIG. 8 only in that the frame part 18a of the latter is wider than the frame part 18a of the intermediate element 14b presented by FIG. 8.

(44) It is advantageous to vary the width of the roof elements 14b-14c, and correspondingly of the floor elements 10b-10c, of the elevator car 1 by varying the width of only a part of the element, which part is as thick as the whole element, i.e. the width of the center parts 17a and 18a in roof elements. The width of the elevator car 1 is easy to adjust with roof elements and floor elements of different widths, in which case just the use of center elements 14c of a certain width might be sufficient for certain widths. There can also be more standard widths than the two widths presented in FIGS. 7-8a, e.g. 3, 4, 5, 6 pieces, et cetera.

(45) FIG. 9 presents a simplified oblique top view of part of a modular wall panel 13, according to the invention, of an elevator car 1. Sound-damping damping means 19, such as cylindrical or conical nodules protruding from the wall surface, are formed on a fabricated wall panel 13 in the manufacturing phase of the wall panel 13 by extruding, which nodules are situated e.g. on the outer surface of a wall panel 13 to essentially fill most of the outer surface. The nodular or corresponding sound-damping board can also be a separate element that is fixed to a wall panel by means of some suitable fastening means. Perforations, with which possible impact noise resulting e.g. from tapping a wall surface in the elevator car is damped, can be in a part of a wall panel. Preferably also a plurality of cable channels for the electrification of the elevator car is made on the surface of a wall panel 13 in conjunction with the fabrication of the wall panel. The interior wall coating of a wall panel 13 of the elevator car 1 is e.g. laminate, wood veneer, metal, et cetera.

(46) In addition, reinforcements are fixed to the roof structure and floor structure for the door of the elevator car, by means of which reinforcements the door operator and sill can be reliably and securely fixed to the elevator car. Correspondingly, separate fasteners for the front wall on the side of the door of the elevator car are preferably fitted to the wall panels 13 of the elevator car. Likewise, in the elevator car are means for supporting the front walls at their bottom end on the door sill of the car and at their top end on the support means of the door operator.

(47) The different solutions and features presented above can be inventive features together with one or more other features of the invention.

(48) 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, at least the corner elements of the floor of the elevator car can also be fabricated from aluminium, instead of from plastic material, by extruding in which case heat resistance improves.

(49) It is also obvious to the person skilled in the art that the shape, size and number of the modular elements used in the floor and roof of the elevator car can differ to what is presented above. There can be 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9 or even more parallel elements, instead of the five elements presented.

(50) It is further obvious to the person skilled in the art that a so-called honeycomb structure, wherein the material of the honeycomb board is steel or aluminium, can be used as the floor of the elevator car instead of, or in addition to, the modular plastic structure. The same structure can also be used in the roof of the elevator car.

(51) A person skilled in the art will also understand that the suspension of the elevator car can differ from that presented in the embodiments. A suspension member and/or traction member can be connected to the elevator car by means of one or more diverting pulleys, in which case the advantages provided by a higher suspension ratio are gained.