Aligning device and method for aligning a guide rail of an elevator system

Abstract

An aligning device for aligning a guide rail of an elevator system has lower and upper rail bracket parts and at least two movement elements. The lower rail bracket part is fixed to an elevator shaft wall and the upper rail bracket part holds a guide rail. The lower and upper rail bracket parts each have a connecting region for fixing to one another. The movement elements move the lower rail bracket part relative to the upper rail bracket part. Each of the movement elements interacts with both of the connecting regions of the rail bracket parts. Each of the movement elements is rotatable about an axis of rotation and interacts, eccentrically with respect to the axis of rotation, with at least one of the rail bracket parts so as to abut laterally opposite contact surfaces of this rail bracket part.

Claims

1. An aligning device for aligning a guide rail of an elevator system, the aligning device comprising: two rail bracket parts being a lower rail bracket part and an upper rail bracket part, wherein the lower rail bracket part is adapted to be fixed to a shaft wall of an elevator shaft of the elevator system and wherein the upper rail bracket part is adapted to hold the guide rail of the elevator system fixed to the upper rail bracket part; at least two movement elements; wherein the lower rail bracket part and the upper rail bracket part each have a connecting region for fixing the two rail bracket parts to one another; wherein the movement elements each interact with the connecting regions to move the lower rail bracket part relative to the upper rail bracket part, each of the movement elements being rotatable about an axis of rotation thereof and interacting eccentrically with respect to the axis of rotation with at least one of the rail bracket parts so as to abut laterally opposite contact surfaces in the connecting region of the at least one rail bracket part; and wherein a first of the movement elements interacts, eccentrically with respect to the axis of rotation thereof, with the at least one rail bracket part so as to abut mutually parallel first contact surfaces of the laterally opposite contact surfaces, and wherein a second of the movement elements interacts, eccentrically with respect to the axis of rotation thereof, with the at least one rail bracket part so as to abut mutually parallel second contact surfaces of the laterally opposite contact surfaces, wherein the first contact surfaces extend in a first direction and the second contact surfaces extend in a second direction, and wherein the first direction and the second direction are not parallel to one another.

2. The aligning device according to claim 1 wherein the connecting region of a first of the rail bracket parts has a round hole formed therein and the connecting region of a second of the rail bracket parts has an elongate hole formed therein, wherein one of the movement elements has a cylindrical first engagement region centered around the axis of rotation and a cylindrical second engagement region arranged eccentrically around the axis of rotation, and wherein the one movement element extends, together with the first engagement region, through the round hole of the first rail bracket part and extends, together with the second engagement region, through the elongate hole of the second rail bracket part.

3. The aligning device according to claim 2 wherein two pluralities of the round hole are formed in the connecting region of the first rail bracket part, and wherein the round holes in each of pluralities are arranged along a straight line for receiving one of the movement elements.

4. The aligning device according to claim 1 wherein the first direction and the second direction are orthogonal to one another.

5. The aligning device according to claim 1 including a third movement element that interacts, eccentrically with respect to an axis of rotation thereof, with the at least one rail bracket part so as to abut mutually parallel third contact surfaces of the laterally opposite contact surfaces, wherein the first contact surfaces and the third contact surfaces extend in mutually parallel directions.

6. The aligning device according to claim 1 wherein the connecting regions are planar.

7. The aligning device according to claim 1 wherein each of the movement elements has a screw head adapted to interact with a tool to rotate the movement element about the axis of rotation.

8. The aligning device according to claim 1 wherein each of the movement elements has a thread centered about the axis of rotation.

9. The aligning device according to claim 1 including an actuator system adapted to rotate the movement elements independently of one another about the respective axes of rotation.

10. The aligning device according to claim 9 wherein the actuator system includes at least one electric motor adapted to rotate the movement elements independently of one another about the respective axes of rotation.

11. The aligning device according to claim 9 wherein the actuator system includes a controller adapted to control rotation of the movement elements such that the upper rail bracket part is moved relative to the lower rail bracket part toward a predetermined reference position.

12. An elevator system having an elevator car guided in a vertical movement by a guide rail, the elevator system including the aligning device according to claim 1, wherein the lower rail bracket part is fastened to a shaft wall and the guide rail is fastened to the upper rail bracket part.

13. A method for aligning a guide rail of an elevator system, wherein the guide rail is fastened to the upper rail bracket part of the aligning device according to claim 1, the method comprising the steps of: mounting the lower rail bracket part of the aligning device on a shaft wall of an elevator shaft of the elevator system; and aligning the guide rail in the elevator shaft by moving the upper rail bracket part relative to the lower rail bracket part by rotating at least one of the movement elements of the aligning device.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows an elevator system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(2) FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of an aligning device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(3) FIG. 3 shows a sectional view through the aligning device from FIG. 2.

(4) FIG. 4 shows a plan view of the aligning device from FIG. 2.

(5) FIG. 5 shows the plan view from FIG. 4 with the movement elements removed.

(6) FIG. 6 (a)-(c) show different views of a movement element for an aligning device according to the invention.

(7) FIG. 7 shows a design of connecting regions of an aligning device according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

(8) FIG. 8 shows an aligning device according to the invention having an actuator system.

(9) FIG. 9 shows a lower rail bracket part having a plurality of round holes formed therein.

(10) The drawings are merely schematic and not to scale. Like reference signs refer to like or equivalent features in the various drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(11) FIG. 1 shows an elevator system 1 having an aligning device 3 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(12) In the elevator system 1, an elevator car 5 can move vertically within an elevator shaft 7. It is moved by means of a rope-like suspension element 9 which is driven by a drive machine 11.

(13) In particular, in order to prevent the elevator car 5 from lateral movements such as for example swinging within the elevator shaft 7, it is guided by guide rails 13 during its vertical movement. The elevator car 5 is supported on the guide rails 13 via guide shoes 14 or the like. The guide rails 13 are each anchored on a shaft wall 15. In order to simplify correct positioning of the guide rails 13 or to be able to change them later, the guide rails 13 are not attached directly to the shaft wall 15, but are connected to it via one of the aligning devices 3.

(14) In FIGS. 2 to 5, an embodiment of an aligning device 3 is shown in different views. The aligning device 3 has two rail bracket parts 17.

(15) One of the rail bracket parts 17 is used as the lower rail bracket part 19 to be fixed to the shaft wall 15. For this purpose, the lower rail bracket part 19 has suitable recesses 21 in the form of elongate holes 23 and/or round holes 25. Fastening elements, such as screws, by means of which the lower rail bracket part 19 can be anchored to the shaft wall 15, can extend through these recesses 21.

(16) The other rail bracket part 17 is used as the upper rail bracket part 27 to hold the guide rail 13 to be fixed thereon. For this purpose, for example, suitable recesses 29 in the form of elongate holes 31 and/or round holes (not shown) can also be provided on the upper rail bracket part 27.

(17) Each of the rail bracket parts 17 can be designed as a component with an L-shaped cross section. For example, the rail bracket parts 17 can be designed as curved and thick steel sheets provided with the recesses 21, 29. The recesses 21, 29 each extend through one of the legs of such an L-shaped component. Each different leg of the component forms a connecting region 33, 35. The lower rail bracket part 19 can be connected by its connecting region 33 to the connecting region 35 of the upper rail bracket part 27 so that the two rail bracket parts 17 are fixed to one another.

(18) A plurality of movement elements 37′, 37″, 37′″ (generically 37) extend between the lower rail bracket part 19 and the upper rail bracket part 27. The movement elements 37′, 37″, 37′″ are configured to move the lower rail bracket part 19 relative to the upper rail bracket part 27 laterally, i.e. in parallel with the planes of extension of their connecting regions 33, 35. Each of the movement elements 37′, 37″, 37′″ interacts both with the connecting region 33 of the lower rail bracket part 19 and with the connecting region 35 of the upper rail bracket part 27. As described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 6, the movement elements 37′, 37″, 37′″ are designed as components which are eccentrically designed at least in partial regions. A movement element 37′, 37″, 37′″ is rotatable about an axis of rotation 39 and interacts, eccentrically with respect to the axis of rotation 39, with at least one of the rail bracket parts 17 so as to abut laterally opposite contact surfaces 41′, 41″, 41′″ in the connecting region 35 of this rail bracket part 27.

(19) In the example shown, a round hole 43′, 43″, 43′″ is provided in the connecting region 33 of the lower rail bracket part 19 for each of three movement elements 37′, 37″, 37′″. At positions corresponding to this, elongate holes 45′, 45″, 45′″ are provided in the connecting region 35 of the upper rail bracket part 27. The round holes 43′, 43″, 43′″ and the elongate holes 45′, 45″, 45′″ are arranged laterally next to one another and laterally spaced apart from one another.

(20) As illustrated in FIGS. 6(a)-(c), each of the movement elements 37 has a cylindrical first engagement region 47 and a preferably likewise cylindrical second engagement region 49. The first engagement region 47 extends centered around the axis of rotation 39, whereas the second engagement region 49 is formed eccentrically with respect to the axis of rotation 39. A diameter of the second engagement region 49 is considerably larger than a diameter of the first engagement region 47. The first engagement region 47 is provided with a thread 51. On a side opposite the first engagement region 47, a stop region 55 is located adjacently to the second engagement region 49. This stop region 55 can also be cylindrical. The stop region 55 can have a significantly larger diameter than the second engagement region 49. The movement element 37 also has a screw head 53 with which a tool can interact in order to be able to rotate the movement element 37 about its axis of rotation 39.

(21) In the assembled state (as shown in FIGS. 2-4), each of the movement elements 37′, 37″, 37′″ is arranged in such a way that its first engagement region 47 extends through an associated round hole 43′, 43″, 43′″ in the connecting region 33 of the lower rail bracket part 19 and its second engagement region 49 extends through an associated elongate hole 45′, 45″, 45′″ in the upper rail bracket part 27. A diameter of the round hole 43′, 43″, 43′″ corresponds substantially to a diameter of the first engagement region 47 so that the movement element 37 engages form-fittingly into the round hole 41′, 41″, 41′″ with its first engagement region 47 in relation to the extension plane of the connecting region 33. A width of the elongate hole 45′, 45″, 45′″ corresponds substantially to a diameter of the second engagement region 49. Inner longitudinal sides of the elongate hole 45′, 45″, 45′″ form the contact surfaces 41′, 41″, 41′″ on which the movement element 37 rests laterally with its second engagement area 49. A length of the elongate hole 45′, 45″, 45′″ is significantly greater than its width so that the second engagement region 49 together with the entire movement element 37′, 37″, 37′″ within the elongate hole 45′, 45″, 45′″ can be moved along each longitudinal extension direction and thus in parallel with the respective contact surfaces 41′, 41″, 41′″.

(22) By rotating one of the movement elements 37′, 37″, 37′″ about its axis of rotation 39, a force can be exerted on the contact surface 41′, 41″, 41′″ that interacts with this second engagement region 49 due to the laterally displaced second engagement region 49 of the associated elongate hole 45′, 45″, 45′″. In other words, by rotating the movement element 37, a laterally acting force between the two connecting regions 33, 35 of the rail bracket parts 17 can be generated by an eccentric effect. Using this force, the rail bracket parts 17 can be moved relative to one another. A direction and a degree of such a relative movement can be influenced, depending on which of the three movement elements 37′, 37″, 37′″ is rotated how much. The rail bracket parts 17 can be moved linearly in different spatial directions parallel to an interface between their connecting regions 33, 35. In addition, the rail bracket parts 17 can be rotated relative to one another by suitable actuation of movement elements 37′, 37″, 37′″.

(23) After the rail bracket parts 17 have been brought into a desired position by suitable rotation of the movement elements 37′, 37″, 37′″, they can be fixed to one another. For this purpose, for example, a nut 57 can be screwed and tightened onto the thread 51 of the movement element 37′, 37″, 37′″. As an alternative or in addition, additional recesses, for example in the form of round holes 59, 61, can be provided in the two connecting regions 33, 35 through which fixing elements such as screws can extend. Using nuts 57 and/or fixing elements, the two connecting regions 33, 35 can be mechanically pressed against one another and thus fixed relative to one another.

(24) In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2-5, the three elongate holes 45′, 45″, 45′″ are aligned in such a way that the contact surfaces 41′, 41″, 41′″ of adjacent elongate holes 45′, 45″, 45′″ extend in directions that are not parallel to one another. For example, the contact surfaces 41′ of the first elongate hole 45′ extend perpendicularly to the contact surfaces 41″ of the adjacent second elongate hole 45″. The contact surfaces 41′, 41′″ of the two outer and therefore not directly adjacent elongate holes 45′, 45′″ extend in mutually parallel directions.

(25) With such an arrangement of elongate holes 45′, 45″, 45′″ and movement elements 37′, 37″, 37′″ extending through them, an alignment of the upper rail bracket part 27 relative to the lower rail bracket part 19 can, for example, be carried out by a technician in particular in an intuitive manner. For example, in order to move the upper rail bracket part 27 to the left or right (with reference to the illustration in FIG. 4), the middle movement element 37″ must be rotated accordingly. If the upper rail bracket part 27 is to be moved upward or downward, both external movement elements 37′, 37′″ should be rotated in the same way. If the upper rail bracket part 27 is to be reoriented, i.e. rotated in its orientation relative to the lower rail bracket part 19, the two external movement elements 37′, 37′″ should be rotated in opposite directions.

(26) FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of connecting regions 33, 35 of an alternative embodiment of an aligning device 3. A plurality of pins 63 are coupled to the connecting region 33 of the lower rail bracket part 19. At least three of these pins 63 are held so as to be rotatable relative to the connecting region 33 of the lower rail bracket part 19. These pins 63 can either interact directly with the connecting region 33 of the lower rail bracket part 19 by, for example, engaging in round holes provided there (not shown in FIG. 7). Alternatively, although the pins 63 cannot themselves engage in the connecting region 33 of the lower rail bracket part 19, they can interact indirectly with this connecting region 33. For example, these pins 63 can interact mechanically with others of the pins 63 which engage in the connecting region 33 of the lower rail bracket part 19.

(27) In the example shown in FIG. 7, two elongate holes 45′, 45″ extend in mutually perpendicular directions, whereas a third elongate hole 45″″ extends obliquely, in particular at a 45° angle, to the other two elongate holes 45′, 45″.

(28) In FIG. 8, an embodiment of an aligning device 3 is shown schematically, which has an actuator system 65. The actuator system 65 has an electric motor 67 which is controlled by a controller 69. The electric motor 67 interacts with a tool 73 via a transmission 71. The tool 73 in turn interacts with the screw head 53 of the movement element 37.

(29) Using the electric motor 67 and controlled by the controller 69, the movement element 37 can thus be rotated automatically by means of the actuator system 65. A separate electric motor 67 can be provided for each of the movement elements 37 so that the movement elements 37 can be rotated about their respective axes of rotation independently of one another. Alternatively, a single electric motor 67 can be sufficient to be able to selectively rotate individual movement elements 37 using a transmission arrangement likewise to be controlled by the controller 69, for example.

(30) Optionally, the controller 69 can have information regarding a reference position to be reached in the course of an aligning process. In this case, the controller can possibly automatically actuate the rotation of the movement elements 37 using the electric motors 67. An aligning process can thus be largely or even completely automatic.

(31) It is possible for more than one aligning device having an actuator system to be arranged on sliding bracket parts at the same time. In particular, an aligning device having an actuator system is arranged on each pair of rail bracket parts of a guide rail. This makes either a simultaneous alignment on different guide rail parts possible or a quick check of the effects of an alignment on one rail bracket part on the previous alignment on another rail bracket part possible. The guide rail is then aligned automatically in an iterative process in which a repeated alignment on different rail bracket parts takes place one after the other.

(32) FIG. 9 shows a lower rail bracket part 19, in the connecting region 33 of which a plurality of round holes 43 are formed. A plurality of round holes 43 are provided for each of the movement elements 37. The round holes 43 provided for a movement element 37 are arranged adjacent to one another along a straight line. The straight lines relating to round holes 43 for adjacent movement elements 37 extend substantially in parallel with one another. In the example shown, the round holes 43 are laterally spaced apart from one another. Alternatively, adjacent round holes 43 could partially overlap one another, i.e. a center-to-center distance between adjacent round holes 43 could be smaller than their diameter. Due to the plurality of available round holes 43, the upper rail bracket part 27 and the lower rail bracket part 19 can be roughly pre-positioned relative to one another at different positions, depending on which of the round holes 43 the associated movement element 37 is guided through.

(33) By way of example only, dimensions of the rail bracket part 17 can be in a range of from a few centimeters or a few decimeters in the lateral direction and a few millimeters in a thickness direction. For example, in the example from FIG. 9, a length of the sheet metal used for the lower rail bracket part 19 can be 250 mm±30 mm and a width can be 110 mm±20 mm and a thickness of the sheet metal can be in the range of 5 mm±2 mm.

(34) 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 that 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.

(35) 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.