Drive Belt or Support Belt of High Tensile Stiffness

Abstract

A drive system or support system, in particular for elevators, is described, comprising a belt pulley having a diameter of at least 70 mm and a drive belt or support belt which is curved around the belt pulley, wherein the drive belt or support belt comprises a cover layer (1), which is arranged on the lower side of the belt facing toward the belt pulley, and at least one tension layer (2), which is arranged directly above the cover layer; the cover layer is made of a polymeric material having elastic properties, the tension layer contains at least one fiber bundle which is almost unidirectional and which runs in the longitudinal direction of the belt, wherein certain relationships apply between the thickness of the cover layer, the thickness of the tension layer, the diameter of the belt pulley (4) and the Shore A hardness of the cover layer.

Claims

1.-14. (canceled)

15. A drive system comprising a belt pulley having a diameter of at least 70 mm and a drive belt inflected about the belt pulley, wherein the drive belt comprises an outer layer arranged on the lower side of the belt facing the belt pulley and at least one tension element arranged directly above the outer layer, wherein the outer layer is composed of a polymeric material having elastic properties, wherein the tension element comprises at least one virtually unidirectional fiber bundle running in longitudinal direction of the belt, and wherein the following relationships apply: a) when 70 mmd200 mm and Sh>95 Shore A, b1.2h b) when 70 mmd200 mm and 90 Shore ASh95 Shore A, b1.5h c) when 70 mmd200 mm and Sh<90 Shore A, b2h d) when 200 mm<d500 mm, 1.5 mmb e) when d>500 mm, 2.5 mmb, whereby b is the thickness of the outer layer, h is the thickness of the tension element, d is the diameter of the belt pulley and Sh is the Shore A hardness of the outer layer.

16. The drive system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the belt pulley is a traction pulley.

17. The drive system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the drive belt comprises a belt body comprising a belt backing composed of a polymeric material having elastic properties and the outer layer, and wherein the tension element is embedded in the belt body.

18. The drive system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the thickness h of the tension element is in the range from 0.1 to 10 mm.

19. The drive system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the fibers of the fiber bundle are composed of carbon, glass, polybenzoxazole, aramid, basalt, polyamide, polyester, polyether ether ketone, polyethylene terephthalate or polyethylene 2,6-naphthalate or at least two of these fibers.

20. The drive system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the fibers of the fiber bundle comprise carbon fibers.

21. The drive system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the outer layer is formed from a polyurethane material.

22. The drive system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the tension element is a UD belt, a UD scrim, a UD layer or a laminate thereof.

23. The drive system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the tension element is arranged across the entire belt width or part of the belt width in transverse direction of the drive belt or suspension belt, or two or more tension elements are arranged alongside one another in transverse direction of the drive belt.

24. The drive system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the drive belt has a rectangular cross section, and wherein the drive belt has a width in the range from 15 to 80 mm and a thickness in the range from 1.5 to 8 mm.

25. A suspension system comprising a belt pulley having a diameter of at least 70 mm and a suspension belt inflected about the belt pulley, wherein the suspension belt comprises an outer layer arranged on the lower side of the belt facing the belt pulley and at least one tension element arranged directly above the outer layer, wherein the outer layer is composed of a polymeric material having elastic properties, wherein the tension element comprises at least one virtually unidirectional fiber bundle running in longitudinal direction of the belt, and wherein the following relationships apply: a) when 70 mmd200 mm and Sh>95 Shore A, b1.2h b) when 70 mmd200 mm and 90 Shore ASh95 Shore A, b1.5h c) when 70 mmd200 mm and Sh<90 Shore A, b2h d) when 200 mm<d500 mm, 1.5 mmb e) when d>500 mm, 25 mmb, whereby b is the thickness of the outer layer, h is the thickness of the tension element, d is the diameter of the belt pulley and Sh is the Shore A hardness of the outer layer.

26. The suspension system as claimed in claim 25, wherein the belt pulley is a traction pulley.

27. The suspension system as claimed in claim 25, wherein the suspension belt comprises a belt body comprising a belt backing composed of a polymeric material having elastic properties and the outer layer, and wherein the tension element is embedded in the belt body.

28. The suspension system as claimed in claim 25, wherein the thickness h of the tension element is in the range from 0.1 to 10 mm.

29. The suspension system as claimed in claim 25, wherein the fibers of the fiber bundle are composed of carbon, glass, polybenzoxazole, aramid, basalt, polyamide, polyester, polyether ether ketone, polyethylene terephthalate or polyethylene 2,6-naphthalate or at least two of these fibers.

30. The suspension system as claimed in claim 29, wherein the fibers of the fiber bundle comprise carbon fibers.

31. The suspension system as claimed in claim 25, wherein the outer layer is formed from a polyurethane material.

32. The suspension system as claimed in claim 25, wherein the tension element is arranged across the entire belt width or part of the belt width in transverse direction of the suspension belt, or two or more tension elements are arranged alongside one another in transverse direction of the suspension belt.

33. The suspension system as claimed in claim 25, wherein the suspension belt has a rectangular cross section, and wherein the suspension belt has a width in the range from 15 to 80 mm and a thickness in the range from 1.5 to 8 mm.

34. A method comprising: providing a belt comprising an outer layer as a running surface and at least one tension element arranged directly above the outer layer, wherein the outer layer is composed of a polymeric material having elastic properties and the tension element comprises at least one virtually unidirectional fiber bundle running in longitudinal direction of the belt; and, placing the belt on a belt pulley having a diameter of at least 70 mm, wherein the following relationships preferably apply: a) when 70 mmd200 mm and Sh>95 Shore A, b1.2h b) when 70 mmd200 mm and 90 Shore ASh95 Shore A, b1.5h c) when 70 mmd200 mm and Sh<90 Shore A, b2h d) when 200 mm<d500 mm, 1.5 mmb e) when d>500 mm, 2.5 mmb, in which b is the thickness of the outer layer, h is the thickness of the tension element, d is the diameter of the belt pulley and Sh is the Shore A hardness of the outer layer; wherein the belt and the belt pulley are comprised in a drive device and/or a lift device for an elevator system.

Description

[0066] The invention is now elucidated further by working examples with reference to schematic drawings. The drawings show:

[0067] FIG. 1a-c a unidirectional fiber bundle in longitudinal section;

[0068] FIG. 2 an inflected belt according to the invention in longitudinal section;

[0069] FIG. 3 a belt according to the invention inflected about a belt pulley in longitudinal section;

[0070] FIG. 4a-b two embodiments of a belt according to the invention in cross section.

[0071] FIG. 1a shows a unidirectional fiber bundle in longitudinal section under no stress. FIG. 1b shows the unidirectional fiber bundle in longitudinal section under tensile stress in longitudinal direction and the tensile forces that occur. FIG. 1c shows the unidirectional fiber bundle in longitudinal section in the inflected state and the tensile and compressive stresses that occur.

[0072] FIG. 2 shows, in longitudinal section, a belt used in accordance with the invention with an outer layer 1 having a thickness b and a tension element 2 having a thickness h in the inflected state, and the tensile and compressive forces that occur.

[0073] FIG. 3 shows, in longitudinal section, a drive or suspension system of the invention, in which a belt having an outer layer 1 having a thickness b, a tension element 2 having a thickness h and a belt backing 3 is inflected about a belt pulley 4.

[0074] In an exemplary specific embodiment which is not intended to restrict the scope of the invention in any way, according to FIG. 3, the outer layer 1 having a thickness of 1.15 mm and the belt backing 3 as an integral unit form a belt body composed of a polyurethane elastomer having a Shore A hardness of 92 Shore A. The tension element 2 is embedded into the belt body. The tension element 2 is a UD carbon fiber belt having a thickness of 0.7 mm. The belt is a flat belt having a width of about 30 mm and a thickness of about 3 mm. The belt pulley is a traction pulley having a diameter of about 100 mm. This embodiment is suitable, for example, as a traction system for an elevator system.

[0075] FIGS. 4a-b show a belt in cross section in two alternative embodiments in which, respectively, one tension element 2 and three tension elements 2 are embedded in a belt body 5. Each belt body 5 is formed from an outer layer 1 and a belt backing 3. Each of these may be the belt shown in FIG. 3. In FIG. 4a, a tension element 2 is embedded in the belt body 5. FIG. 4b shows an embodiment in which three tension elements 2 are arranged alongside and spaced apart from one another in transverse direction. The space that arises is filled by the belt body 5. The three tension elements are arranged at the same level. FIGS. 4a and 4b show a symmetric embodiment in which both sides of the belt are configured as the outer layer.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0076] 1 Outer layer of the belt [0077] 2 Tension element of the belt [0078] 3 Belt backing of the belt [0079] 4 Belt pulley [0080] 5 Belt body