Elevator installation with several different lifting devices

Abstract

The invention relates to an elevator system (100) having at least one car (102), wherein at least two slings (106, 108) with different physical properties are arranged between the car (102) and at least one counterweight (104) of the car (102).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to an elevator device. Background Art

[0002] The car of the elevator installation and its counterweight are connected to a sling. The sling may be elongated and may be bent transversely to its longitudinal direction. For example, the sling may be a rope, a belt, a sling, etc. Each sling may have a large number of load-bearing cables. For example, a rope-like sling may consist of a plurality of load-bearing cables in the form of a strand, which is usually a steel strand. A belt-like sling may have a plurality of load-bearing cables, which are accommodated in a matrix material.

[0003] On the one hand, the spreader can be designed to hold the weight of the car and the counterweight. On the other hand, the spreader can be displaced by traction with the aid of a drive pulley driven by a drive machine in order to be able to displace the car and the counterweight along the travel path. Therefore, the spreader can also be called a load-carrying and traction mechanism.

[0004] The spreaders can all be of the same type and have the same physical characteristics. By using identical spreaders, the costs of the elevator installation can be optimized, since simple material procurement and warehousing can be achieved. Furthermore, identical spreaders have substantially the same service life, whereby required maintenance or replacement of the spreaders can be easily planned.

[0005] EP3099854B1 introduces a rope composite. Summary of the invention

[0006] Essentially there would be a need for an improved elevator installation.

[0007] This need can be met by an elevator installation according to the invention having at least one car.

[0008] According to one aspect of the invention, an elevator installation with at least one car is proposed, wherein at least two suspension devices with different physical properties are arranged between the car and at least one counterweight of the car.

[0009] The possible features and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention may be considered primarily, but not limitingly, to be based on the concepts and insights described below.

[0010] The elevator device can be a personnel transport device for transporting people. The track system of the elevator device can be arranged in a vertical elevator shaft of a building. At least one car of the elevator device and at least one counterweight of each car can be movably guided in the vertical direction by the track system. The sling of the elevator device can be distributed substantially parallel to the track system. The sling can be deflected 180° at the upper end of the track system. The sling is designed to transfer the weight of the car and the counterweight to the track system or the building. The sling can also be deflected at the car and / or the counterweight.

[0011] The sling can be a rope or a belt or a sling. The rope can be made up of several strands of wire wound together. The strands can consist of a large number of filaments and / or wires. The strands can be wound in a winding direction opposite to the rope. The belt can have several strands or cords embedded next to each other. The strands or cords can be embedded in the matrix material of the belt. The belt or sling can be designed as a smooth belt. Alternatively, the belt or sling can be designed as a belt with profiled surface, such as a wedge-ribbed belt. The strands or cords can transfer the load acting on the sling in the longitudinal direction of the sling.

[0012] The physical properties of a sling may reflect or influence various properties and / or functions of the sling. For example, such physical properties may influence the vibration behavior of a single sling. The physical properties may also influence the load-bearing capacity of a single sling. The physical properties may influence the fracture mechanism or failure mechanism of a single sling. The physical properties may also represent or influence the elongation behavior, bending behavior, weight, material composition, surface structure or other properties of the sling. In a broad sense, the physical properties of a sling may also reflect or influence its chemical reaction performance or other chemical properties. The physical properties of various slings may differ significantly, i.e., for example, differ by more than 10%, preferably more than 20%, more than 50% or even more than 100% relative to each other.

[0013] The slings can be designed redundantly with respect to the maximum load capacity that can be carried in the elevator installation. One of the slings can have a load capacity or bearing capacity sufficient to reliably connect the car and the counterweight without the other sling and to maintain the loads that occur during normal operation of the elevator installation. For example, if one of the slings fails, damage to the other sling can be prevented by arranging the slings mechanically independently of each other. For example, the slings can be fixed separately to the car. The slings can also each have a separate guide or deflection member. The slings can be fixed separately to the counterweight.

[0014] One of the spreaders may have a larger safety margin than the other spreader. The safety margin, for example the minimum value that the spreaders in an elevator installation need to comply with, may be specified by safety standards or regulations, for example European standard EN81. The safety margin may be represented by a safety factor. The safety factor may indicate the extent to which the spreader exceeds the expected load. One of the spreaders may have a larger safety factor than the other spreader. If a break occurs in one of the spreaders or in one of the spreaders, the probability that the spreader with the smaller safety margin is affected is very high. Since the probability that the other spreader is not affected is very high, the car can be stopped safely and evacuated. As a result, the elevator installation can be safely stopped. Based on a given probability of failure, the spreader with a smaller safety margin can be monitored for damage. The elevator installation can be monitored in a targeted manner through the specified probability of damage.

[0015] The elevator system may have two counterweights. One of the slings may be connected to one counterweight. The other sling may be connected to the other counterweight. By means of a double design of the counterweights, the slings may be spatially separated from one another. One counterweight may be arranged on a first side of the car. The other counterweight may be placed on the other side of the car. Each counterweight may be connected to at least one sling on top of the car, respectively. Thus, the slings run substantially in a vertical direction in the elevator shaft of the elevator system. The slings are systematically distributed substantially parallel to the track for guiding the car and the counterweight in a vertical direction in the elevator shaft. In operation, the counterweight moves in a direction opposite to the car. Each counterweight may be held by at least two slings, respectively, wherein the slings may have different physical properties.

[0016] The slings may be part of different sling structures. One of the sling structures may have a greater number of slings than another sling structure. A sling structure may consist of a plurality of substantially parallel slings. In the case of a sling in the form of a rope, the sling structure may consist of a plurality of individual ropes. Various physical properties may be adjusted by varying the number of individual ropes. In the case of a sling in the form of a belt, the sling structures may have a different number of belts. If the sling structures have the same safety factor, one of the sling structures may have a smaller number of slings, each having a larger individual load capacity, while the other sling structure may have a larger number of slings, each having a smaller individual load capacity.

[0017] One of the spreaders may have a larger size than the other spreader. The ropes may have different rope diameters. The belts may have different belt widths and / or belt thicknesses. Due to the different sizes, the spreaders may have different maximum loads. Due to the different sizes, the spreaders may have different failure mechanisms. Due to the different failure mechanisms, the probability of two spreaders failing at the same time is small.

[0018] Spreaders can have different vibration characteristics. Different vibration characteristics can be achieved by different internal structures. Spreaders can have different resonant frequencies due to different internal structures. Spreaders can have different failure mechanisms due to different internal structures.

[0019] For example, for the same load, the spreaders may have different numbers of strands. The strands may have different stiffnesses. In addition, the strands may have different materials, thicknesses, and / or other physical properties. As a result, the resonant frequency of one of the spreaders may be higher than the resonant frequency of another spreader.

[0020] The ropes can have different winding directions. Due to the different winding directions, the excitation can occur in different excitation planes. Thereby, the vibrations can cancel each other out. In particular, the ropes can have different lay lengths. Different lay lengths lead to different excitation frequencies at the same rolling speed, for example, due to the contact points between the cable and the pulley, since the contact points have different distances due to the different lay lengths. Different excitation frequencies can achieve smooth running of the car or low noise levels in the car by vibration reduction. Thus, the car can move at high speeds.

[0021] The ropes can also have different cores. A rope with a fiber core or a core made of synthetic fibers can have a lower density than a rope with a conventional metal wire core or a metal core. As a result, the resonant frequency of one rope can be higher than the resonant frequency of the other rope. Different resonant frequencies can prevent accumulation into a common resonant vibration.

[0022] Spreaders can be constructed of different materials or different combinations of materials. Different materials or different combinations of materials can lead to different chemical failure mechanisms.

[0023] For example, one material or a combination of materials may be damaged by an unexpectedly present substance, while another material or combination of materials is not attacked by this substance. The safety of elevator installations can be improved by different chemical failure mechanisms. Similarly, different materials or different combinations of materials can lead to different vibration behaviors of the hanger. Different materials or different combinations of materials can affect the density and / or bending behavior of the hanger, resulting in different resonant frequencies. One hanger can have strands or strings made of, for example, one metallic material, while another hanger has strands or strings made of another metallic material or a fiber material such as plastic, glass, Kevlar or carbon.

[0024] The spreaders can have differently shaped cross-sections or be designed as different spreader types. For example, one spreader can have at least one belt. Another spreader can have at least one rope. The belt and the rope have fundamentally different failure mechanisms. This ensures that both spreaders cannot fail at the same time.

[0025] The spreaders may have substantially the same elongation characteristics. Despite having different physical and / or chemical characteristics, the spreaders may be matched to each other so that the spreaders have substantially the same length increment under the same load. Thus, the load acting on the spreaders may be balanced.

[0026] It should be noted that some feasible features and advantages of the present invention are described herein with reference to different embodiments. Those skilled in the art will recognize that these features can be combined, adjusted or exchanged in a suitable manner to implement other embodiments of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] The embodiments of the present invention are described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein the drawings and the description should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0028] Figure 1 The diagram shows an elevator installation according to one exemplary embodiment.

[0029] The figures are only schematic and not true to scale. Identical reference numerals denote identical features or features having the same effect. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] Figure 1 A highly schematic illustration of an elevator installation 100 according to one embodiment is shown. The elevator installation 100 has a car 102 and a counterweight 104 corresponding to the car 102. The car 102 and the counterweight 104 are connected to one another via a first sling 106 and at least one second sling 108. The slings 106, 108 have different physical properties.

[0031] In a conventional elevator installation, the car can be suspended from a large number of standard steel cables. For example, the cables can have a safety factor of 12 in total. Traditionally, cables of the same strength and performance are used to evenly distribute the load and braking forces. Since all the ropes are identical, all can be tensioned equally and brought to the breaking limit together.

[0032] In the method presented here, asymmetries are introduced into the system in a targeted and principled manner. For example, the safety factor can be set significantly higher on one side than on the other side to ensure that after the expected service life, the weaker side always reaches the breaking limit before the stronger side.

[0033] Here, the weaker side can be defined as a predetermined breaking limit and monitored by simple methods. For example, a break on the weaker side can be detected by contact with a slack rope. When a cable break is detected, the brakes of the car can be activated and the elevator system can be stopped and deactivated.

[0034] Since the second side is designed to be much stronger than the weaker side, it can be ruled out that a break on the weaker side would also lead to a break on the stronger side. The elevator installation can therefore be safely evacuated and taken out of service until repairs can be carried out.

[0035] If, when the elevator system is at rest, the stronger side also breaks after the weaker side breaks, it can at least be ensured that the car is empty.

[0036] Alternatively or additionally, the ropes may have different failure mechanisms that do not occur simultaneously. In this case, one side may break, but the elevator machine can be safely moved to a safe position using the second side.

[0037] Another reason for using the embodiments of the method presented here is that when using steel ropes as slings, excitation frequencies often occur due to the rope lay. If the excitation frequencies encounter systems of the elevator installation that can vibrate to resonance with them, there is a common excitation and acoustic and / or vibration disturbance for the elevator user. This can be counteracted by having slings, in particular ropes, with different physical properties. For example, ropes with different numbers of strands can be used to avoid common excitation frequencies. In this case, the rope elongation modulus and the diameter of the two rope types can advantageously be selected to be the same.

[0038] The slings 106, 108 run substantially in the vertical direction in the elevator shaft of the elevator installation 100. The slings 106, 108 are arranged substantially parallel to a rail system for guiding the car 102 and the counterweight 104 in the vertical direction in the elevator installation in the elevator shaft. At the upper end of the elevator shaft, the slings 106, 108 are deflected 180° to connect the car 102 and the counterweight 104 to each other. Therefore, the car 102 and the counterweight 104 are moved in opposite directions by the slings 106, 108, respectively.

[0039] The slings 106, 108 are redundant in terms of their load-bearing capacity. Each sling 106, 108 is designed individually to carry the weight of the car 102 and the passengers as well as the weight of the counterweight 104 and the safety margin. If the first sling 106 is damaged, the second sling 108 can reliably carry and move the car 102 and the counterweight 104. The slings 106, 108 are guided on separate guide rollers. However, the slings 106, 108 can also be guided on common guide rollers to ensure the synchronous movement of the slings 106, 108.

[0040] In one embodiment, the first sling 106 has a greater safety margin than the second sling 108. For example, the first sling 106 has a safety factor of 8, while the second sling 108 has a safety factor of 4. The safety factor is designed by how many times the corresponding sling 106, 108 exceeds the maximum permissible load of the elevator system 100. The slings 106, 108 together have a safety factor of 12. Due to different safety factors, the first sling 106 is highly unlikely to fail. In contrast, the second sling 108 has a significantly higher probability of failure due to the significantly reduced safety factor of 4. Therefore, if one of the slings 106, 108 fails, it is likely to be the second sling 108. In the embodiment shown here, the second sling 108 can be monitored in particular.

[0041] In one embodiment, the elevator installation 100 has a second counterweight 110. The second counterweight 110 is connected to the first lifting device 106 in this case.

[0042] In one embodiment, the first spreader 106 is part of a first spreader structure 112. The first spreader structure 112 has six spreaders 106. The second spreader 108 is part of a second spreader structure 114. The second spreader structure 114 has four spreaders 108. The spreaders 106 of the first spreader structure 112 are all distributed on a common guide roller. Similarly, the spreaders 108 of the second spreader structure 114 are distributed together on a common guide roller. Despite the different numbers of spreaders 106, 108, the spreader structures 112, 114 can also have the same load capacity.

[0043] In one embodiment, the first sling 106 has a larger cross-section than the second sling 108. If the slings 106, 108 are ropes, the slings 106, 108 have different rope diameters. If the slings 106, 108 are belts, the slings 106, 108 have different belt widths. Due to the different sizes, the slings 106, 108 may have different safety factors and may also have different vibration characteristics. For example, the first sling 106 having a larger cross-section may have a lower natural frequency than the second sling 108 having a smaller cross-section.

[0044] In addition, the slings 106, 108 may have different failure mechanisms due to the different cross-sections. For example, due to the smaller cross-section, the second sling 108 may be more flexible than the first sling 106 having a larger cross-section. Due to the greater flexibility, the second sling 108 may be less susceptible to fatigue fracture.

[0045] In one embodiment, both spreaders 106, 108 are ropes. The first spreader 106 has a first internal structure. The second spreader 108 has a second internal structure. The internal structure may affect the vibration characteristics of the spreaders 106, 108. For example, the first spreader 106 has nine strands as the internal structure of the rope, while the second spreader has eight strands as the internal structure. Both spreaders have the same rope diameter and elongation characteristics.

[0046] Alternatively or additionally, the first spreader 106 can have a shorter lay length than the second spreader 108. The lay length indicates the rope length with which the strands are completely wound around the rope at one time or are wound spirally around the rope circumference. Due to the different lay lengths, the contact points with the guide rollers are spaced differently from one another. The different distances between the contact points lead to different excitation frequencies of the load-bearing elements 106, 108 at the same movement speed, and the vibrations generated thereby are transmitted to the car 102 via the load-bearing elements 106, 108, where the vibrations are weakened or even canceled out by destructive interference due to the different excitation frequencies.

[0047] In one embodiment, the hangers 106, 108 have different materials or different material combinations. For example, the core of the first hanger 106 may be composed of a synthetic fiber material and thus have a lower density than the core of the second hanger 108, which is made of a metal material.

[0048] The first sling 106 may also have strands made of a lighter material than the strands of the second sling 108. Due to the different densities, the slings 106, 108 have different weights per meter and therefore different vibration characteristics. The lighter first sling 106 may have a higher natural frequency than the heavier second sling 108.

[0049] In addition, different materials may result in different corrosion characteristics. Due to different corrosion characteristics, one of the spreaders 106, 108 may be insensitive to one substance while the other spreader 106, 108 is corroded by the substance. Different corrosion characteristics may result in different failure mechanisms.

[0050] Finally, it should be noted that terms such as "having", "comprising", etc. do not exclude other elements or steps, and terms such as "a" or "an", etc. do not exclude a plurality. Furthermore, it should be pointed out 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 above-described embodiments. Any reference signs in the claims should not be interpreted as limiting.

Claims

1. An elevator installation (100), the elevator installation comprising at least one car (102), at least two slings (106, 108) having different physical properties being arranged between the car (102) and at least one counterweight (104) of the car (102), wherein: The elevator device (100) is designed with two counterweights (104, 110), one of the slings (106) is connected to one of the counterweights (110), and the other sling (108) is connected to the other counterweight (104), and the slings (106, 108) are redundantly designed with respect to the maximum load capacity that can be carried in the elevator device, wherein one of the slings (106) has a larger safety margin than the other sling (108).

2. The elevator device (100) according to claim 1, wherein: The spreaders (106, 108) are components of different spreader structures (112, 114), one of the spreader structures (112) having a greater number of spreaders (106) than the other spreader structure (114).

3. The elevator device (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: One of the spreaders (106) has a larger size than the other spreader (108).

4. The elevator device (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The hangers (106, 108) have different vibration characteristics.

5. The elevator device (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The slings (106, 108) are made of different materials or a combination of different materials.

6. The elevator device (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The hangers (106, 108) have cross-sections of different shapes.

7. The elevator device (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The spreaders (106, 108) have the same elongation characteristics.

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