PROTECTIVE ROOF WITH AN ADJUSTABLE WIDTH AND DEPTH FOR INSTALLING IN AN ELEVATOR SHAFT

Abstract

A protective roof device for installation in an elevator shaft includes: a protective roof support that can be installed in the elevator shaft at different longitudinal positions; a protective roof supported by the support for catching falling objects and having at least two protective roof parts at least partly overlapping in an overlap region, the width of which can be modified by moving the roof parts relative to one another in an x-direction; each of the roof parts being foldable along a folding line and arranged such that the folding lines of different roof parts form a common folding line that is parallel to the x-direction; the width of the protective roof being variable in the x direction by modifying the width of the overlap region; and the depth of the protective roof being variable modified in a y direction by folding the protective roof along the common folding line.

Claims

1-13. (canceled)

14. A protective roof device for installation in an elevator shaft of an elevator system, the protective roof device comprising: a protective roof support adapted to be installed in the elevator shaft in different positions in a longitudinal direction of the elevator shaft; a protective roof supported by the protective roof support and adapted to catch objects falling down the elevator shaft from above when the protective roof device is installed in the elevator shaft; wherein the protective roof includes a first protective roof part and a second protective roof part, the first and second protective roof parts overlapping at least partially in an overlap region, and wherein the first and second protective roof parts are moveable relative to one another in a displacement direction to change a width of the overlap region; wherein the first and second protective roof parts are each foldable along an associated fold line and are arranged such that the fold lines form a common fold line that is parallel to the displacement direction; wherein a width of the protective roof can be changed in the displacement direction by changing the width of the overlap region to adapt the width of the protective roof to a width of the elevator shaft; and wherein a depth of the protective roof can be changed and adapted to a depth of the elevator shaft in a direction orthogonal to the displacement direction by folding the protective roof along the common fold line.

15. The protective roof device according to claim 14 including: wherein the first protective roof part is a central protective roof part, the second protective roof part is a first outer protective roof part and including a second outer protective roof part, the central protective roof part being arranged between the first and second outer protective roof parts; and wherein the second outer protective roof part overlaps the central protective roof part at least partially in another overlap region, the second outer protective roof part and the central protective roof part being moveable relative to one another in the displacement direction to change a width of the another overlap region.

16. The protective roof device according to claim 15 including: wherein the common fold line is a first common fold line and the second outer protective roof part is foldable along an associated fold line that is included in the first common fold line; wherein the central protective roof part and the first and second outer protective roof parts are each foldable along two additional associated fold lines that form a second common fold line and a third common fold line, the second common fold line and the third common fold line extending parallel to the displacement direction; and wherein the depth of the protective roof can be changed by folding the protective roof along at least one of the first, second and third common fold lines.

17. The protective roof device according to claim 16 wherein the protective roof support is adapted to be displaceably mounted in a rail system in the elevator shaft in the longitudinal direction of the elevator shaft.

18. The protective roof device according to claim 17 wherein the protective roof support includes two guide shoes adapted for displaceable mounting of the protective roof support in the rail system, and wherein the protective roof covers at least an interspace between the guide shoes.

19. The protective roof device according to claim 18 wherein the first common fold line, the second common fold line and the third common fold line each run through the interspace between the guide shoes.

20. The protective roof device according to claim 18 wherein the guide shoes are connected to one another via at least one cross member, and the at least one cross member supports a protective roof platform and the protective roof rests on the protective roof platform.

21. The protective roof device according to claim 18 including: wherein the central protective roof part and the first and second outer protective roof parts are each foldable along two further associated fold lines that form a fourth common fold line and a fifth common fold line that are parallel to the displacement direction on opposite sides of the protective roof, the fourth and fifth common fold lines delimiting collapsible roof edges that are adapted to be folded and supported on side walls of the elevator shaft to adjust the depth of the protective roof to the depth of the elevator shaft; and wherein the guide shoes are arranged in an interspace between the fourth common fold line and the fifth common fold line.

22. The protective roof device according to claim 18 wherein the protective roof has guide shoe openings through each of which one of the guide shoes is guided.

23. The protective roof device according to claim 22 wherein the central protective roof part has the guide shoe openings formed therein.

24. The protective roof device according to claim 14 wherein each of the first and second protective roof parts has at least two separate segments that are movably connected to one another via a collapse mechanism, and wherein each of the first and second protective roof parts are foldable along the associated fold lines by activating the collapse mechanism.

25. The protective roof device according to claim 24 wherein the segments are metal sheets and/or composite boards.

26. An elevator system comprising: the protective roof device according to claim 14; an elevator shaft; wherein the protective roof support of the protective roof device is installed in the elevator shaft in a predetermined positions in a longitudinal direction of the elevator shaft; and wherein the width and/or the depth of the protective roof of the protective roof device is adjusted to a width and/or a depth of the elevator shaft such that objects falling down the elevator shaft from above the protective roof device are caught by the protective roof.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] FIG. 1 shows a side view of a portion of an elevator system with an installed protective roof device according to one embodiment of the invention.

[0031] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a portion of an elevator system with an installed protective roof device according to one embodiment of the invention.

[0032] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a protective roof support of the protective roof device of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2.

[0033] The drawings are merely schematic, and not to scale. Like reference signs refer in different drawings to like or analogous features.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a portion of an elevator system 1. The elevator system 1 comprises an elevator shaft 3 for receiving one or more elevator cars which are to be moved between the floors of a building, for example in order to transport people or goods.

[0035] The elevator system 1 can, for example, be designed as a so-called climbing elevator system which enables operation of the elevator system 1 still during the construction phase of the elevator shaft 3 or of the building. The elevator system 1 can be expanded toward the top in a z-direction with increasing length of the elevator shaft 3.

[0036] For this purpose, the elevator system 1 can comprise, for example, a rail system 5 which is installed in an already completed portion of the elevator shaft 3 and serves to guide the elevator car(s).

[0037] Additionally or alternatively, the rail system 5 can be designed to support and/or fix a protective roof device 7.

[0038] The protective roof device 7 comprises a protective roof support 9 which can be installed in different position in the z-direction, i.e., in the longitudinal direction of the elevator shaft 3.

[0039] A protective roof 11 is installed on the protective roof support 9 and is intended to catch objects falling down from above, i.e., to protect people or (construction) material located below the protective roof 11 in the already completed portion of the elevator shaft 3 from objects falling down.

[0040] The protective roof 11 is designed in at least two parts. In this example, the protective roof 11 comprises three protective roof parts 13, namely a central protective roof part 13a and two outer protective roof parts 13b, wherein the central protective roof part 13a is arranged between the outer protective roof parts 13b as seen in an x-direction.

[0041] The three protective roof parts 13 can be arranged such that each outer protective roof part 13b overlaps the central protective roof part 13a in an overlap region 15 (see FIG. 2).

[0042] The protective roof parts 13 can be displaceable relative to one another in the x-direction, for example can be pushed into one another and/or one over the other.

[0043] Accordingly, a width 17 (see FIG. 2) of the overlap region 15, hereinafter referred to as overlap width 17, can be modifiable by displacing the respective outer protective roof part 13b relative to the central protective roof part 13a.

[0044] The central protective roof part 13a can, for example, be fixed in the x-direction.

[0045] By changing the overlap width 17, a width 21 (see FIG. 2) of the protective roof 11 changes to a corresponding degree in the x-direction, hereinafter also referred to as protective roof width 21. The protective roof width 21 can thus be adapted very easily to different widths of the elevator shaft 3 in the x-direction. The protective roof 11 is adaptable to the elevator shaft 3 relative to the x-direction such that it rests against the corresponding opposite side walls of the elevator shaft 3.

[0046] Furthermore, each protective roof part 13 can be folded along at least one fold line 25, wherein the fold line 25 runs substantially parallel to the x-direction or substantially orthogonal to a y-direction.

[0047] The protective roof parts 13 are arranged such that the protective roof 11 can be folded as a whole along at least one common fold line 27 that is substantially parallel to the x-direction. This can be achieved in that the individual fold lines 25 are aligned substantially collinearly with respect to one another during installation of the protective roof 11. The depth 28 of the protective roof 11 in the y-direction can thus be changed by corresponding folding (hereinafter referred to as protective roof depth 28) and adapted to the elevator shaft 3. The protective roof depth 28 can thus be adapted very easily to different depths of the elevator shaft 3 in the y-direction. The protective roof 11 is adaptable to the elevator shaft 3 relative to the y-direction such that it rests against the corresponding opposite side walls of the elevator shaft 3.

[0048] For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the protective roof parts 13 can each be foldable along a first fold line 25a, a second fold line 25b, a third fold line 25c, a fourth fold line 25d and a fifth fold line 25e and arranged such that the first fold lines 25a form a first common fold line 27a, the second fold lines 25b form a second common fold line 27b, the third fold lines 25c form a third common fold line 27c, the fourth fold lines 25d form a fourth common fold line 27d, and the fifth fold lines 25e form a fifth common fold line 27e. Each fold line 25a to 25e and each common fold line 27a to 27e can be substantially parallel to the x-direction. The protective roof depth 28 can thus be adapted by folding the protective roof 11 up to five times, which allows for a very flexible depth adjustment.

[0049] The protective roof 11 or the protective roof parts 13 can be folded, for example, by activating a suitable collapse mechanism which movably couples individual segments 29 of the protective roof parts 13 to one another.

[0050] The segments 29 can be designed to be comparatively rigid and should be sufficiently stable in order to also be able to reliably catch heavier objects, i.e., without the segments 29 being damaged or even penetrated by the objects. For example, each segment 29 can be a sheet metal part or a composite board made of several layers of the same material or different materials, for example a chipboard composite reinforced with metal sheet and/or plastic.

[0051] The collapse mechanism can, for example, be formed by hinges 31 (see FIG. 2) which connect adjacent segments 29 of the same protective roof part 13 to one another. However, other embodiments of the collapse mechanism are also feasible.

[0052] As shown by way of example in FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the protective roof support 9 can have guide shoes 32 via which the protective roof support 9 can be displaceably mounted in the z-direction in the rail system 5.

[0053] In this example, the protective roof support 9 has two guide shoes 32 which are each displaceably mounted in the z-direction on one of two parallel guide rails 33 of the rail system 5.

[0054] The two guide shoes 32 can be rigidly connected to one another via a cross made of one or more cross members 35.

[0055] A protective roof platform 37 can be installed on the cross member(s) 35, for example in the form of a grid made of several parallel longitudinal members 39 or in the form of a frame. The protective roof 11 can be installed on the protective roof platform 37.

[0056] It is possible for an interspace 41 between the two guide shoes 32 or the two guide rails 33 to be completely or for the most part covered by the central protective roof part 13a.

[0057] For example, the central protective roof part 13a can have two guide shoe openings 43, through which one of the guide shoes 32 and, in addition, the associated guide rail 33 can be guided in each case.

[0058] The guide shoe openings 43 can be the only larger openings of the central protective roof part 13a and/or of the protective roof 11.

[0059] The first common fold line 27a, the second common fold line 27b, and the third common fold line 27c can each run through the interspace 41, as can be seen in FIG. 1.

[0060] For example, by folding the protective roof 11 accordingly within the interspace 41, a change in track width, i.e., a change in the distance between the two guide rails 33, can be compensated without having to remove the protective roof 11 from the protective roof support 9.

[0061] The fourth common fold line 27d and the fifth common fold line 27e, on the other hand, can run outside the interspace 41 on opposite sides of the protective roof 11 (see FIG. 1 and FIG. 2).

[0062] The protective roof 11 can thus have collapsible roof edges 45 which, in the installed state of the protective roof 11, can be supported on opposite side walls of the elevator shaft 3. The protective roof obviously has a trough-shaped cross section. This type of support allows for implementing the protective roof device 7 with substantially smaller dimensioned components, for example smaller profiles or metal sheets with a smaller sheet thickness.

[0063] Alternatively, a protective roof 11 is feasible which can be folded only along the fourth common fold line 27d and the fifth common fold line 27e, as shown in FIG. 2.

[0064] The protective roof 11 should expediently be adapted in terms of its width and depth such that its outer edges abut or rest against the respective side walls of the elevator shaft 3 in the x- and y-direction.

[0065] Finally, it should be noted that terms such as having, comprising, etc. do not exclude other elements or steps, and indefinite articles such as a or an do not exclude a plurality. Furthermore, it is noted that features or steps described with reference to one of the preceding embodiments can also be used in combination with features or steps described with reference to other of the above embodiments.

[0066] 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.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0067] 1 Elevator system [0068] 3 Elevator shaft [0069] 5 Rail system [0070] 7 Protective roof device [0071] 9 Protective roof support [0072] 11 Protective roof [0073] 13 Protective roof part [0074] 13a Central protective roof part [0075] 13b Outer protective roof part [0076] 15 Overlap region [0077] 17 Width of the overlap region [0078] 21 Width of the protective roof [0079] 25 Fold line [0080] 25a First fold line [0081] 25b Second fold line [0082] 25c Third fold line [0083] 25d Fourth fold line [0084] 25e Fifth fold line [0085] 27 Common fold line [0086] 27a First common fold line [0087] 27b Second common fold line [0088] 27c Third common fold line [0089] 27d Fourth common fold line [0090] 27e Fifth common fold line [0091] 28 Depth of the protective roof [0092] 29 Segment [0093] 31 Collapse mechanism, hinge [0094] 32 Guide shoe [0095] 33 Guide rail [0096] 35 Cross member [0097] 37 Protective roof platform [0098] 39 Longitudinal member [0099] 41 Interspace [0100] 43 Guide shoe opening [0101] 45 Roof edge [0102] x x-direction [0103] y y-direction [0104] z z-direction, longitudinal direction of the elevator shaft