Mechanics of the hoistway of a sightseeing elevator

Abstract

The present method belongs to the field of vacuum (or pneumatic) elevators, in which the elevator car moves in a vertically placed or vertically tilted and sealed elevator shaft by means of the difference in air pressure above and below the elevator car. This method does not require any ropes, pulleys, chains, gears or hydraulic devices that are traditionally used in conventional elevator systems. More specifically, the present method belongs to the field of panoramic vacuum elevators, in which the elevator shaft is built from panoramic glass panels that extend from the floor to the ceiling of each floor, the elevator car is built from panoramic glass panels that extend from the floor to the ceiling of the car, and this type of elevator does not contain any metal structures - frames, nets, guide rails or tracks, which are traditionally used in each conventional elevator product.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This method belongs to the field of elevators, specifically for transporting people, animals, and goods in elevator cars placed vertically or inclined in elevator shafts. More specifically, this method belongs to the field of vacuum elevators, in which the elevator car moves within a vertically placed or inclined, airtight elevator shaft by means of the air pressure difference between the top and bottom of the elevator car. Background Technology

[0002] The methods described in this section are permissible but not necessarily those previously conceived or employed. Therefore, unless otherwise stated, no method described in this section should be assumed to conform to the prior art simply because it is included in this section.

[0003] Existing elevator designs have significant limitations due to their different operating methods.

[0004] Traction elevators are the most common type of elevator, in which the car is raised and lowered by traction steel cables or belts on a pulley system.

[0005] Because of the use of concrete shafts, guide rails, and counterweights, traction elevators are not space-efficient—they occupy a large amount of space and typically require a separate machine room at the top of the elevator shaft. Furthermore, traction elevators are expensive to install and maintain, making them unsuitable for use in low-rise buildings, private spaces in residential units, or small offices due to their large footprint, high installation and maintenance costs, and health risks associated with the large amounts of lubricating oil containing carcinogens.

[0006] Traction elevators are designed using counterweights to counteract the weight of the car and its occupants. This design eliminates the need for the motor to move such a large weight. Traction elevators can be geared or gearless. In geared elevators, a gearbox is connected to the motor that drives the pulleys and moves the ropes. Geared machines can reach speeds up to 500 feet per minute. These models may have intermediate costs in terms of initial investment, maintenance costs, and energy consumption. In gearless traction elevators, the pulleys are directly connected to the end of the motor. These models can reach speeds up to 2,000 feet per minute. These models have higher initial investment and average maintenance costs. However, gearless traction elevators are more energy-efficient than geared traction elevators.

[0007] Traction elevators are best suited for high-rise buildings located in ventilation shafts outside living spaces, where the large overhead and high installation and maintenance costs are acceptable.

[0008] Hydraulic elevators do not use overhead lifting machinery. Instead, these elevators lift the car by using hydraulic fluid installed in cylinders to drive pistons. Traditionally, the hydraulic fluid is based on synthetic oil, which can have an environmental impact during installation.

[0009] The limitations of hydraulic elevators lie in their low-rise, low-speed operation, high installation and maintenance costs, high energy costs, and high environmental impact, making them unsuitable for installation in private residences. Due to their low operating speeds (typically 150 feet per minute or less), hydraulic elevators are often found in buildings up to five stories high.

[0010] Another reason for the height limitation of hydraulic elevators is that the structure of the hydraulic cylinders and pistons cannot be extended to greater heights due to technological limitations. Furthermore, hydraulic elevators consume more power compared to other types of elevators.

[0011] Hydraulic elevators come in three different types: perforated, non-perforated, and rope-type. Perforated hydraulic elevators have their hydraulic cylinders placed inside a drilled hole, allowing for a stroke of up to 60 feet. Non-perforated hydraulic elevators do not require drilling, making them ideal for existing buildings or areas where drilling is too difficult or expensive. Non-perforated elevators should not be installed anywhere requiring a stroke exceeding 40 feet. Rope-type hydraulic elevators use a combination of ropes and pistons to move the elevator, with a maximum stroke of approximately 60 feet.

[0012] Machine-room-less (MRL) elevators are traction elevators that do not have a dedicated machine room above the elevator shaft. The machine is located in the control space and can be accessed from the top of the elevator car when maintenance or repair is required.

[0013] Due to environmental impact, relatively high noise levels, large footprint, and high installation and maintenance costs, MRL elevators are not well-suited for use in private residences or single-person housing units.

[0014] The control box is located in a control room adjacent to the elevator shaft. MRL elevators can travel up to 250 feet and reach speeds of up to 500 feet per minute. MRL elevators are comparable to geared elevators in terms of initial and maintenance costs, but they are relatively less energy-intensive. Machine-room-less elevators are becoming the most popular choice for mid- to high-rise buildings with travel distances up to 250 feet. MRL elevators are energy efficient, space-saving, and their operation and reliability are comparable to gearless elevators. The main reason for the slow adoption of MRL elevators in the United States is that building codes prohibit motors from being located within the shaft.

[0015] Shaftless elevators are small residential elevators designed to accommodate two-story living with minimal disruption during installation. They are a good alternative to stair lifts or shaft elevators.

[0016] Shaftless elevators have many limitations, including safety concerns. They require the elevator to operate only one floor at a time because they represent a risk of falls due to the "open" shaft structure, resulting in a high risk of injury due to potential limb cuts. Therefore, shaftless elevators are equipped with multiple sensors to stop operation if the car encounters an obstacle during ascent / descent. For safety reasons, this structure features a constant pressure control system, meaning a person can hold down the elevator call button or the destination floor button to keep the car moving. Furthermore, these elevators are noisy, have a negative impact on the environment, and are costly to maintain.

[0017] As the name suggests, this type of elevator has no shaft, representing an "open" structure. The elevator tracks / guide rails are open and exposed, and the car moves up and down on the open elevator tracks. The motor is mounted on top of the elevator car, and ropes / cables are used to pull the car up / down.

[0018] Pneumatic elevators use partial vacuum in the "shaft" at the top of the car to move the car up and down in the sealed shaft.

[0019] Due to technological limitations, pneumatic elevators are slow and have low load capacity; they can typically only lift relatively small loads (the largest models can lift up to 500 pounds) and have significant installation restrictions. Another drawback of pneumatic elevators is that the shafts are made of acrylic material—which wears, scratches, and darkens over time due to friction with the vacuum seals in the car. Among other disadvantages, the cylindrical shape makes the shafts cumbersome in private settings when accommodating wheelchairs and makes retrofitting nearly impossible. Finally, the high noise levels make this unique type of elevator far from being the first choice for private installations.

[0020] In pneumatic elevator design, to keep the car at a constant height, a valve at the top of the shaft closes along with a diaphragm or piston that acts as a brake. The brake is also activated if the pressure above the car suddenly increases. For descent, the pneumatic elevator design uses valves to pressurize the shaft with air, causing the car to descend under its own weight. In the event of a power outage, the car automatically and slowly descends to the bottom floor. The journey is not smooth but rather "bumpy"—for example, to descend, the car first needs to rise slightly so the brake piston can retract, and then descend by reducing the vacuum or allowing outside air into the shaft, allowing the car to descend under its own weight. The same "bumpy" feeling is also noticeable during ascent—when the car needs to stop at a floor, it first needs to rise slightly above the floor to retract the brake piston, then descend to the floor and stop on the retracted piston. Due to the technical limitations of pneumatic elevator design, the shaft is made of acrylic material and is circular.

[0021] The shortcomings of existing solutions that this method aims to overcome can be summarized as follows: - Poor design. Elevators are often associated with bulky structures, bearing concrete and heavy metals. While these elements may seem necessary at first glance, the core architecture of elevators has remained unchanged for over 100 years, requiring significant technological and aesthetic transformation. In fact, the technological means used in elevators over the years have imposed limitations on their size, shape, materials, and aesthetics, posing a considerable challenge to aesthetics. For this reason, elevators in private residences are often concealed to hide unsightly architectural elements such as tracks, guide rails, chains, ropes, counterweights, pulleys, and gears. Consequently, existing elevator systems have become an expensive item in the buyer's budget, where elevators are considered an "essential" solution for people with disabilities, impairments, and injuries in multi-story residential buildings.

[0022] - Unsafe. Ropes and cables can break, posing a risk of freefall, and the system relies on an emergency brake that may activate when a cable breaks. The emergency braking mechanism always requires a track to be present in the structure, as the brake is locked to the track. Vacuum loss in pneumatic elevators also creates a risk of freefall. The safety issue is that any existing elevator design has its own safety features, which typically rely on a single critical mechanism, such as a brake locked to the track; any failure of this mechanism can pose a significant safety hazard. Double and triple safety protection for a single feature is generally considered an expensive expense. Therefore, frequent maintenance and periodic mandatory replacement of safety components (such as cables, ropes, and brakes) are required to ensure that safety functions are always operational, increasing maintenance costs. In pneumatic elevators, malfunctions in electronic devices or valve control mechanisms can also create a risk of freefall. Shaftless elevators also pose a serious risk of injury to children and limb injuries due to their open structure.

[0023] Health Hazards. Most elevators use large amounts of chemical oils to lubricate moving metal parts such as gearboxes, tracks, and guide rails. Additionally, hydraulic elevators use special synthetic hydraulic oils. All of these oils contain harmful fumes that carry carcinogens and leave an unpleasant oily smell. This is not a major problem if the well-ventilated shaft is placed in a public area (as with modern mainstream installations). However, when installed in private residences or enclosed spaces, it exposes residents to harmful fumes and endangers their health.

[0024] -Bulky-- Existing elevators occupy a significant amount of space. Traction, hydraulic, and MRL elevators essentially require a concrete shaft, space for guide rails and guide rails, space for the sliding door mechanism within the shaft, and space for the counterweight, extending the shaft footprint beyond the car's footprint. In fact, traction, hydraulic, and MRL elevators occupy 3-5 times more space than the car, making them "very bulky." Pneumatic elevators are shaped like round tubes and use pre-assembled units, presenting installation challenges. These types of elevators also occupy a much larger footprint than the car. For example, a pneumatic elevator model that can accommodate a wheelchair has a diameter exceeding 5 feet, making it unlikely to fit into any room and become a retrofit exhibit. Conversely, shaftless elevators occupy the least space but are limited to one floor and pose serious safety hazards. The bulky nature of this solution is a major drawback when installing elevators in existing homes and can deter potential retrofitting options.

[0025] - Noise. When considering installing elevators in private homes and apartments, the noise from the running motor, pulleys, guide rails, chains, and, in the case of pneumatic elevators, the high-noise air compressor is an additional challenge.

[0026] - Slow speed. All home elevators are very slow, operating at a speed of 5-8 inches per second. Faster solutions are usually associated with larger, more expensive alternatives.

[0027] - High energy costs. Due to friction in the gearbox, pulleys, tracks, and guide rails of any existing system on the market, elevators use a large amount of power to overcome friction, making the entire system energy inefficient.

[0028] - Expensive. Due to the heavy metal structures such as tracks and guide rails, gearboxes, and concrete shafts, as well as the lengthy installation process, modern elevators incur high product and installation costs. Furthermore, the high maintenance costs due to frequent maintenance and replacement of wear parts make the high cost of elevator installation and maintenance a major deterrent.

[0029] The techniques presented in the current approach below this document overcome the shortcomings outlined above. Attached Figure Description

[0030] The method described herein can be better understood by referring to the accompanying drawings, and its numerous features and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For ease of understanding and simplicity, elements with common numbers are used in the drawings, wherein elements with the same number are identical in different drawings.

[0031] The accompanying drawings listed below are intended to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Each drawing depicts one or more embodiments of the invention and does not limit the scope of the invention in any way. The unique and exclusive indication of the scope of the invention, and what the applicant wishes to be within the scope of the invention, is the literal and equivalent scope of the claims published in this application in such specific form, including any subsequent amendments.

[0032] Figure 1 Front, side and rear views of a two-story Blissera elevator system in one embodiment are depicted.

[0033] Figure 2 A perspective view of a two-story Blissera elevator system with a car in operation is depicted in one embodiment.

[0034] Figure 3 A front-top and rear-bottom perspective view of a two-layer shaft in one embodiment is depicted.

[0035] Figure 4 A front view and a side view of a two-level shaft in one embodiment are depicted.

[0036] Figure 5 A top view and a bottom view of the shaft in one embodiment are depicted.

[0037] Figure 6 A front perspective enlarged view of the wellbore belt connector in one embodiment is depicted.

[0038] Figure 7 An exploded view of the shaft in one implementation scheme is depicted.

[0039] Figure 8 A front view and a side view of the shaft foundation in one embodiment are depicted.

[0040] Figure 9 A bottom view of the shaft foundation in one embodiment is depicted.

[0041] Figure 10 A top view of the shaft foundation in one embodiment is depicted.

[0042] Figure 11 A top perspective view of the shaft foundation in one embodiment is depicted.

[0043] Figure 12 An exploded perspective view of the shaft foundation in one embodiment is depicted.

[0044] Figure 13 A perspective view of the well foundation shell in one embodiment is depicted.

[0045] Figure 14An exploded view of the well foundation shell in one embodiment is depicted.

[0046] Figure 15 A perspective view of the well foundation base in one embodiment is depicted.

[0047] Figure 16 An exploded view of the shaft foundation base in one embodiment is depicted.

[0048] Figure 17 A cross-sectional view depicting the upper and lower profiles of the base frame in one embodiment is shown.

[0049] Figure 18 A front view and a side view of the shaft foundation frame in one embodiment are depicted.

[0050] Figure 19 A bottom view of the shaft foundation frame in one embodiment is depicted.

[0051] Figure 20 A top view of the shaft foundation frame in one embodiment is depicted.

[0052] Figure 21 A perspective view of the shaft foundation frame in one embodiment is depicted.

[0053] Figure 22 An exploded perspective view of the shaft foundation framework in one implementation scheme is depicted.

[0054] Figure 23 A cross-sectional view depicting the outline of the wellbore edge frame in one embodiment is shown.

[0055] Figure 24 A cross-sectional view depicting the rear profile of the base frame in one embodiment is shown.

[0056] Figure 25 A front view and a side view of the well foundation grid frame in one embodiment are depicted.

[0057] Figure 26 A bottom view of the well foundation grid frame in one embodiment is depicted.

[0058] Figure 27 A top view of the well foundation grid frame in one embodiment is depicted.

[0059] Figure 28 An enlarged fragment view of the well foundation grid frame in one embodiment is depicted.

[0060] Figure 29 A perspective view of the well foundation grid frame in one embodiment is depicted.

[0061] Figure 30A front view and a side view of a shaft in one embodiment are depicted.

[0062] Figure 31 A bottom view of the shaft in one embodiment is depicted.

[0063] Figure 32 A top view of the shaft in one embodiment is depicted.

[0064] Figure 33 A front perspective view of a shaft in one embodiment is depicted.

[0065] Figure 34 An exploded view of the shaft in one embodiment is depicted.

[0066] Figure 35 A top view of a shaft door in the closed position is depicted in one embodiment.

[0067] Figure 36 A top view of a shaft door in the open position is depicted in one embodiment.

[0068] Figure 37 A perspective view and exploded view of the shaft body in one implementation scheme are depicted.

[0069] Figure 38 The rear corner glass panel connector of the shaft body in one embodiment is depicted.

[0070] Figure 39 A perspective view of the front corner of the shaft body in one embodiment is depicted.

[0071] Figure 40 A front view and a side view of the shaft door frame in one embodiment are depicted.

[0072] Figure 41 An exploded front view of the shaft door frame in one embodiment is depicted.

[0073] Figure 42 A top view and a bottom view of the shaft door frame in one embodiment are depicted.

[0074] Figure 43 The upper and lower edges of the door frame—the shaft door—in one embodiment are depicted.

[0075] Figure 44 A front view depicting the middle edge connection of the shaft door in one embodiment is shown.

[0076] Figure 45 A rear perspective view of the upper edge of the door frame-shaft door in one embodiment is depicted.

[0077] Figure 46A cross-sectional view of the door frame washer in one embodiment is depicted.

[0078] Figure 47 An exploded rear view of the door frame in one implementation scheme is depicted.

[0079] Figure 48 A perspective view of the shaft door frame-frame side door hinge in one embodiment is depicted.

[0080] Figure 49 A shaft door frame hinge connector with and without vacuum seal is described in one embodiment.

[0081] Figure 50 An exploded view of the shaft door frame-side door hinge in one embodiment is depicted.

[0082] Figure 51 A shaft door frame side hinge connector for an embodiment of the shaft door is described.

[0083] Figure 52 A shaft door frame side hinge with a shaft door center hinge is depicted in one embodiment.

[0084] Figure 53 A doorway frame hinge and a door hinge with a call button housing are depicted in one embodiment.

[0085] Figure 54 A shaft door frame side hinge with a lower shaft door hinge is depicted in one embodiment.

[0086] Figure 55 A top view, front view, bottom view, and side view of the front panel in one embodiment are depicted.

[0087] Figure 56 A front perspective view of the front panel of one embodiment is depicted.

[0088] Figure 57 A rear perspective view of the front panel in one embodiment is depicted.

[0089] Figure 58 An exploded front perspective view of the front panel in one embodiment is depicted.

[0090] Figure 59 A front perspective view of the upper corner of the front panel in one embodiment is depicted.

[0091] Figure 60 A magnified front perspective view of the lower edge of the front panel in one embodiment is depicted.

[0092] Figure 61 A rear perspective magnified view of the lower edge of the front panel in one embodiment is depicted.

[0093] Figure 62 A magnified front perspective view of the upper edge of the front panel in one embodiment is depicted.

[0094] Figure 63 An exploded cross-sectional view of the door frame and front panel connector is depicted.

[0095] Figure 64 An exploded perspective view of the door frame and front panel connectors in one embodiment is depicted.

[0096] Figure 65 A cross-sectional view of the door frame and front panel connector in one embodiment is depicted.

[0097] Figure 66 A cross-sectional view of the door frame and shaft door connector in one embodiment is depicted.

[0098] Figure 67 A middle view, a rear view, and a hinge side view of the shaft door in one embodiment are depicted.

[0099] Figure 68 A top view, front view, and bottom view of the shaft door in one embodiment are depicted.

[0100] Figure 69 A front perspective view of the lower edge of the well door in one embodiment is depicted.

[0101] Figure 70 An exploded front view of the shaft door in one embodiment is depicted.

[0102] Figure 71 An exploded perspective view of the lower and upper edges of the shaft door in one embodiment is depicted.

[0103] Figure 72 A rear perspective view of the lower edge of the shaft door in one embodiment is depicted.

[0104] Figure 73 An exploded rear view of the shaft door in one embodiment is depicted.

[0105] Figure 74 An exploded view of the front and rear top of the hinge on the shaft door in one embodiment is depicted.

[0106] Figure 75 An exploded front view of the top and bottom of the hinge on the shaft door in one embodiment is depicted.

[0107] Figure 76 Exploded front and rear views of the shaft door hinge in one embodiment are depicted.

[0108] Figure 77A perspective view of the central hinge of the shaft door in one embodiment is depicted.

[0109] Figure 78 A perspective view of the intermediate hinge of a hoistway door with a call housing is depicted in one embodiment.

[0110] Figure 79 A bottom perspective view of the central hinge of the shaft door in one embodiment is depicted.

[0111] Figure 80 A perspective view of a wellbore belt connected to a wellbore base is depicted in one embodiment.

[0112] Figure 81 A front view and a side view of the wellbore zone in one embodiment are depicted.

[0113] Figure 82 A front perspective view depicting a shaft strip option at a higher floor in one embodiment is shown.

[0114] Figure 83 A top view of the wellbore zone in one embodiment is depicted.

[0115] Figure 84 A front perspective view of the shaft zone option for the base floor in one embodiment is depicted.

[0116] Figure 85 An exploded front view of the wellbore zone in one embodiment is depicted.

[0117] Figure 86 Various enlarged views of the wellbore with rear corner connector in one embodiment are depicted.

[0118] Figure 87 An internal view of the front and rear corners of the wellbore in one embodiment is depicted.

[0119] Figure 88 The front and back perspective views of the shaft are depicted.

[0120] Figure 89 A cross-sectional view of the shaft strip and shaft glass panel in one embodiment is depicted.

[0121] Figure 90 Various views of the front angle of the wellbore zone in one embodiment are depicted.

[0122] Figure 91 A front view of the shaft base body in one embodiment is depicted.

[0123] Figure 92 A rear view of the shaft base body in one embodiment is depicted.

[0124] Figure 93A top view of the shaft base body in one embodiment is depicted.

[0125] Figure 94 A bottom view of the shaft base body in one embodiment is depicted.

[0126] Figure 95 A front perspective view of the shaft base body in one embodiment is depicted.

[0127] Figure 96 A rear perspective view of the shaft base body in one embodiment is depicted.

[0128] Figure 97 An exploded front perspective view of the shaft base body in one embodiment is depicted.

[0129] Figure 98 An exploded rear perspective view of the main body of the well base in one embodiment is depicted.

[0130] Figure 99 A side view of the shaft base body in one embodiment is depicted.

[0131] Figure 100 A cross-sectional view of the well base body and side cover in one embodiment is depicted.

[0132] Figure 101 An enlarged front view of the shaft base body in one embodiment is depicted.

[0133] Figure 102 An exploded view of the main body of the well base in one embodiment is depicted.

[0134] Figure 103 An enlarged perspective view and cross-sectional view of the well base cover in one embodiment are depicted.

[0135] Figure 104 A front view and a side view of the machine room (MR) in one embodiment are depicted.

[0136] Figure 105 A bottom view of MR in one embodiment is depicted.

[0137] Figure 106 A top view of MR in one embodiment is depicted.

[0138] Figure 107 Top and bottom perspective views of MR in one embodiment are depicted.

[0139] Figure 108 A perspective view of the MR housing in one embodiment is depicted.

[0140] Figure 109 An exploded view of the MR housing in one embodiment is depicted.

[0141] Figure 110 A perspective view of an MR having exposed MR electronics is depicted in one embodiment.

[0142] Figure 111 A perspective view of an MR electronic device in one embodiment is depicted.

[0143] Figure 112 A perspective view of an MR having an exposed vacuum chamber in one embodiment is depicted.

[0144] Figure 113 A perspective view of the MR vacuum chamber and air filter in one embodiment is depicted.

[0145] Figure 114 A front view and a side view of an MR vacuum chamber in one embodiment are depicted.

[0146] Figure 115 A perspective view of an MR vacuum chamber in one embodiment is depicted.

[0147] Figure 116 An exploded view of an MR vacuum chamber in one embodiment is depicted.

[0148] Figure 117 A perspective view of the exposed vacuum compressor and exhaust pipe in one embodiment is depicted.

[0149] Figure 118 A perspective view of the exhaust pipe in one embodiment is depicted.

[0150] Figure 119 An exploded perspective view of the exhaust pipe in one embodiment is depicted.

[0151] Figure 120 An exploded perspective view of the central passage of the exhaust pipe in one embodiment is depicted.

[0152] Figure 121 An exploded view and perspective view of the exhaust pipe air bag in one embodiment are depicted.

[0153] Figure 122 Various views of an MR vacuum compressor (example) with an MR exhaust flange in one embodiment are depicted.

[0154] Figure 123 Various views of an MR vacuum compressor (example) in one embodiment are depicted.

[0155] Figure 124 A perspective view and exploded view of an MR exhaust flange in one embodiment are depicted.

[0156] Figure 125A perspective view of the exposed MR compressor frame in one embodiment is depicted.

[0157] Figure 126 An exploded view of the MR compressor frame and MR base frame in one embodiment is depicted.

[0158] Figure 127 A perspective view of the MR edge frame, MR base frame, and emergency brake in one embodiment is depicted.

[0159] Figure 128 The outline of the MR edge frame in one embodiment is depicted.

[0160] Figure 129 An MR edge frame connector is depicted in one embodiment, which connects the MR base frame and the well body.

[0161] Figure 130 A front view and a side view of the MR base frame in one embodiment are depicted.

[0162] Figure 131 A bottom view of the MR base frame in one embodiment is depicted.

[0163] Figure 132 A top view of the MR base frame in one embodiment is depicted.

[0164] Figure 133 An exploded view of the MR base frame in one embodiment is depicted.

[0165] Figure 134 A front view and a side view of the exhaust grille in one embodiment are depicted.

[0166] Figure 135 A top view and a bottom view of the exhaust grille in one embodiment are depicted.

[0167] Figure 136 A bottom perspective view of the exhaust grille in one embodiment is depicted.

[0168] Figure 137 A fragment of an exhaust grille from one implementation scheme is depicted.

[0169] Figure 138 The outlines of the shaft foundation, body, and head structure are depicted in one embodiment.

[0170] Figure 139 An outline of the shaft door, hinges, and front panel structure in one embodiment is depicted.

[0171] Figure 140 An outline for an elevator shaft strip structure in one embodiment is depicted. Detailed Implementation

[0172] In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth for purposes of explanation in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent that the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, structures and apparatus are shown in block diagram form to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the invention.

[0173] General Overview This method includes a panoramic vacuum elevator system for transporting people, animals, and objects in a vertically placed or vertically inclined elevator shaft, wherein, in one embodiment, a large tempered glass panel serves as the main structural element of the elevator shaft and elevator car.

[0174] In contrast to the common use of glass panels, where glass is traditionally used as filler in structural metal frame skeletons, the glass panels in this technology are the main structural element of the panoramic vacuum lift system and, in one embodiment, the "exoskeleton" of the system that bears the weight of the entire structure.

[0175] In one embodiment, when used in a shaft construction, glass panels are stacked on top of a “shaft strip” assembly made of aluminum alloy, and in another embodiment, the assembly holds the glass panels together tightly, resisting the implosion force of atmospheric pressure under low pressure conditions inside the shaft, as well as the explosive force of high pressure (if any) inside the shaft, thereby forming a robust structural assembly.

[0176] In one embodiment, the combination of the shaft strip and the single-layer glass panel assembly forms a single-layer elevator shaft assembly, wherein the interior of the elevator shaft assembly has a smooth surface. In one embodiment, this exemplary single-layer elevator shaft assembly has a doorway entrance on one side, which "sits" on top of the "shaft strip," allowing people, animals, and objects to enter and exit the elevator car.

[0177] Multiple single-story elevator shaft assemblies (also referred to herein as "shaft sections" or "vertical shaft segments") can be stacked vertically to form an elevator shaft with multiple floor (floor) assemblies. In one embodiment, doorway entrances are located on each floor and have a uniform (and / or flat) surface within the shaft to achieve smooth car operation and proper vacuum operation. For example, the (vertical) uniform, smooth, flat, or uniformly smooth / flat surface of any portion of the shaft's inner surface can be determined by the vertical projection of all inward points of that portion of the surface onto the ground, forming a closed profile of the shaft or at least a portion of the shaft, the width of which is limited to the tolerance range of shaft dimension variations.

[0178] The shaft strips on each floor can be flush with and fixed to the floor slab, thus stabilizing the entire structure. In one embodiment, the shaft strips are located within the thickness of the floor slab, making the glass panels appear to extend from the floor slab to the ceiling.

[0179] In one embodiment, the entire structure rests on multiple pins that are freely resting on the base frame. Therefore, in such an embodiment, the entire structure is separated from the shaft foundation 100, thereby allowing the system to resist seismic vibrations and shocks.

[0180] In one embodiment, the walls of the elevator car are also made of tempered glass and fixed to the car floor and the top of the car (ceiling), and bear the weight of the car and its load.

[0181] The glass car slides in a glass hoistway shaft, supported by a vacuum force generated above the car. In one embodiment, the higher atmospheric pressure below the car allows it to push upwards, overcoming the gravity applied to the car and its load.

[0182] The lower air pressure above the car is generated by a high-flow compressor device that "sucks in" air from the elevator shaft above the car and creates a sufficient pressure difference between the shaft above and below the car to push the car upward.

[0183] Compared to other existing solutions, the advantages of a glass vacuum elevator system include the following: - Elevator systems do not require any tracks, guide rails, hydraulic systems, ropes, belts, pulleys, gears, chains, or counterweights, making installation and maintenance simpler. - It has significant aesthetic advantages because the large, translucent glass panels adapt better to almost any interior environment, even when installed in the center of a room. - Its structure is extremely compact, occupying several times less space compared to any other existing solution. - Safer than traditional elevator models, especially in terms of child safety, fall prevention, fire resistance, shock resistance, shatter resistance, and power outage friendliness. - Lower manufacturing costs due to the use of lower-cost materials. - Due to the small size of the parts, there are inherent advantages in transportation and assembly. - Due to the small number of wear parts and the fact that they do not require lubrication, maintenance costs are low. -Environmentally friendly, requires no lubricant, and can be fully recycled after disassembly.

[0184] In one embodiment, the glass shaft is a triangular shaft comprising three large glass panels extending from the floor to the ceiling and a doorway entrance at each individual unit. In this embodiment, a triangular car is installed in the shaft.

[0185] In an alternative implementation, the glass shaft is a rectangular shaft comprising four large glass panels extending from the floor to the ceiling and a doorway entrance at each individual unit. In this implementation, a rectangular car is installed within the shaft.

[0186] In an alternative implementation, the glass shaft is a pentagonal shaft, comprising five large glass panels extending from the floor to the ceiling and a doorway entrance at each individual unit. In this implementation, a pentagonal car is installed within the shaft.

[0187] In an alternative implementation, the glass shaft can be hexagonal in shape, comprising six large glass panels extending from the floor to the ceiling on each floor. Doorway entrances can be installed within two adjacent shaft glass panels.

[0188] In another embodiment, the glass shaft is octagonal, comprising eight large glass panels extending from the floor to the ceiling on each floor. This embodiment can be visualized as a rectangular shaft where the corner edges of the shaft are "flattened" to form additional panels. These "corner plane edges" allow for a reduction in the width of the other "angleless plane" edges of the shaft. Such an embodiment becomes convenient for large elevator models where the width of the shaft may be much wider than the opening of the shaft door.

[0189] In another embodiment, the glass shaft is cylindrical with a straight vertical axis. In this embodiment, a cylindrical car is placed in the cylindrical shaft. This embodiment is more suitable for larger models that carry more people and heavier loads.

[0190] In different implementations, the glass shaft has an elliptical shape with a straight vertical axis. In such implementations, the elliptical car is placed within the elliptical shaft, making it more suitable for larger models carrying a large number of people and heavy loads.

[0191] In different implementations, the glass shaft has a horseshoe shape with a straight vertical axis. In this implementation, an elliptical car with flat sides is placed within an elliptical shaft with flat sides, and is more suitable for larger models carrying a large number of people and heavy loads.

[0192] As discussed in the above embodiments, the methods described herein include a variety of different shapes for the hoistway and a variety of different shapes for the car.

[0193] In an alternative implementation, the hoistway and / or car includes multiple layers of tempered glass panels, wherein a large number of tempered glass panels are bonded together by a special adhesive to form a “safety glass” panel.

[0194] In another embodiment, one or more panels of the shaft are made of matte tempered glass to conceal the contents of the shaft and / or car—to meet the specific tastes of the elevator users. In an alternative embodiment, one or more panels of the shaft are painted or covered with a translucent or non-translucent film to conceal the contents of the shaft and / or car, thereby meeting the specific tastes of the elevator users.

[0195] In an alternative implementation, one or more panels of the car or components thereof are made of frosted glass to conceal the contents of the car—to meet the taste and comfort of elevator users. In another alternative implementation, one or more panels of the car or components thereof are painted or covered with a translucent or non-translucent film to completely or partially conceal the contents of the car, thereby meeting the taste and comfort of elevator users.

[0196] In one embodiment, the vacuum compressor is located at the top of the elevator shaft, thus forming a machine room (MR) at the top of the shaft.

[0197] In an alternative implementation, the vacuum compressor can be detached and remotely located in an attic, roof, or other location, and the shaft can be connected to a remote vacuum compressor via piping for remote air intake and exhaust.

[0198] Alternative implementations of glass vacuum elevator systems include a feedback pipe from the compressor airflow outlet, connected to the bottom of the shaft, to allow air to circulate from the top of the car to its bottom. Such a system maintains the required pressure difference between the top and bottom of the car for normal lifting operations while minimizing pressure variations on each glass panel relative to atmospheric pressure. For example, in such a system, the shaft glass can have a reduced thickness because the shaft glass panels are exposed to a fraction (e.g., half) of the pressure fluctuations relative to the atmosphere. This implementation may include a complex structure for the shaft doors, as such doors need to withstand inward and outward pressure at different times.

[0199] In one implementation, the car roof incorporates additional mechanisms such as lighting, ventilation systems, and voice communication.

[0200] In an alternative implementation, the car roof is made of translucent glass with a thin frame at its edges. This and other implementations, for example, can leave little or no space for a similar ventilation system. For this purpose, a ventilator can be installed below the car floor, with the air inlet at floor height, pushing air from outside and around the car through air gaps below the floor into the shaft. In one implementation, the drawing of air from the car and a slight increase in air pressure outside and around the car cause air to flow into the car through air gaps in the roof frame, resulting in air flowing from the roof of the car. This implementation provides a constant airflow for the ventilation system in the car, where air flows in from the roof of the car, and there may be no visible means of ventilation or ductwork to guide the airflow. In such an implementation, upper and lower car seals ensure a constant air pressure outside and around the car for the ventilation system to operate.

[0201] In one embodiment, the car has an embedded docking mechanism, allowing the car to dock to the destination floor via a self-guided retractable pin extending from the car floor, and to dock at the hoistway floor after reaching the destination. After docking, the vacuum compressor shuts off, thus keeping the entire system in a low-energy idle mode, awaiting passengers. In another embodiment, the car includes a single docking mechanism, thus having a docking mechanism for multiple floors. In this embodiment, the hoistway is significantly simpler and has lower construction costs, while the car cost may increase slightly.

[0202] In an alternative implementation, the docking mechanism is implemented on each floor of the hoistway, rather than in the car, thus increasing the cost of the hoistway but simplifying the cost and operation of the car.

[0203] In one embodiment, the car has one or more individual extendable and retractable pins that mechanically open and close the cabin door and the hoistway door. The advantage of implementing and operating the door opening / closing mechanism inside the car is that one opening mechanism applies to multiple floors, eliminating the need to replicate the opening mechanism for each floor. Furthermore, this is a safer approach because it eliminates the possibility of the hoistway door accidentally opening when the car is not in use due to electronic control malfunction.

[0204] In an alternative implementation, the door opening / closing mechanism is implemented in the hoistway rather than on each floor in the car, thus increasing the cost of the hoistway and potentially reducing the safety of the system.

[0205] At each level of the shaft belt on each floor, there is a closed shell – the shaft base. One side of the shaft base is connected to the shaft belt, and the other side is connected to the floor of the living space, thus securing the shaft to the house structure of each floor.

[0206] The shaft base is installed within the thickness of the floor and covered with a special rigid and ribbed metal cover, which serves as a passage / entrance to the car. Once the cover is removed, it exposes the shaft base contents used for shaft base servicing works.

[0207] In one embodiment, the shaft base includes one or more of the following mechanisms: - Sensors that detect the car's position in the hoistway. - Sockets for connecting pins and electrical contacts for charging the car battery. - Door opening / closing spring chain mechanism and sensor; sensor detects obstacles in the path of the shaft door and spring chain mechanism malfunctions (if any). - Vertical adjustment mechanism, which adjusts the shaft door for proper vacuum operation. - Locking mechanism for locking the shaft door when there is no elevator car. - Electrical and electronic circuits that ensure power supply for battery charging, sensor operation, and communication with the shaft PLC controller.

[0208] In one implementation, the shaft and car doors open / close during a sliding operation, sitting on and rolling along special tracks. This implementation is more suitable for circular or elliptical elevator shafts. Another advantage of this method is that neither the shaft nor the car doors extend beyond the shaft's footprint, thus adding more flexibility to address space constraints at the car entrance.

[0209] In an alternative implementation, the hoistway and car doors open / close in a parallel swinging manner via levers that keep the doors substantially parallel to their openings as they swing open / close. This implementation is more suitable for hexagonal, octagonal, circular, and elliptical hoistways. It is less space-efficient than the sliding opening mechanism described above.

[0210] In different implementations, the hoistway and car doors open / close via a swinging operation on hinges. This implementation is more suitable for rectangular, hexagonal, and octagonal hoistways, but it can also be used for circular and elliptical hoistways.

[0211] In one implementation, both the hoistway and the car have a single door. This implementation simplifies the construction of the hoistway and car, but due to the large swing of the single door, the hoistway door may require additional clearance. This implementation may be a preferred choice for a low-cost, compact model within the elevator product line.

[0212] In the alternative implementation, both the car and the hoistway feature double doors. These double doors open in an outward swinging (sliding, parallel, or circular) manner, occupying less space compared to a single-door implementation. This type of structure is likely the preferred choice for higher-priced models in the high-end (more luxurious) elevator product line.

[0213] In one implementation, the entrances to the hoistway and car on each floor face the same direction. In this implementation, people need to enter and exit the car from the same side on each floor.

[0214] In an alternative implementation, the entrances on each floor can face different directions, depending on building requirements and the ergonomic layout of the living spaces (different side entrances).

[0215] For rectangular, hexagonal, octagonal, and elliptical shaft implementations, in different side-entry schemes, in addition to the first set of doors, the car may require an additional set of doors and door mechanisms on the other side of the car—opposite to the first set of doors. This approach allows people to enter from one side of the car and exit from the other side when needed. Such implementations complicate the car's construction and increase its cost, but best accommodate building constraints and living space requirements when necessary.

[0216] For circular hoistways, different side-entry implementations can be adapted by having double and opposing door operating mechanisms in the car. Alternatively, the circular car may have only a single door operating mechanism, but this allows the car to rotate about the vertical axis of the hoistway and modify and adjust its position as needed to match the position of the hoistway door on the target floor. This rotation of the car can occur during its vertical movement, resulting in an overall helical motion of the car during ascent or descent, while the car self-orients itself to position the car door at the hoistway entrance. In such an implementation, the rotation of the car can be achieved via rubber wheels attached to the car and pressed against the circular hoistway axis. The rotation of these rubber wheels in the horizontal plane causes the car to rotate horizontally. Precise electronic devices can control the amount of rotation required for the car to be correctly positioned at the target floor.

[0217] In one implementation, the hoistway is equipped with an upper valve located at the top of the hoistway, which can cut off airflow and prevent air from escaping from the top or entering the hoistway. This mechanism is required as part of the emergency brake's safety system, allowing the car to stop mid-air if a fall risk is detected, such as a power outage during car operation or compressor failure due to physical damage and impeller breakage (all of which result in a sudden loss of vacuum operation). Once the upper valve is activated, the car quickly stops freefall, supported by atmospheric pressure at the bottom and "suspended" from the lower air pressure at the top by the car's own weight (injector effect). In other cases, the upper valve can automatically activate even without a detected fall risk, when a malfunction of the lower door mechanism, door locks, and seals that could jeopardize vacuum operation and passenger safety is detected. After the upper valve closes, the car quickly stops moving and gradually and slowly descends to the bottom floor due to natural air leakage in the system.

[0218] In one implementation, the upper valve is actuated by a solenoid powered by a rechargeable battery, which operates both with and without an external power source. As part of a safety mechanism, additionally or alternatively, the upper valve can be activated by an automated mechanical deployment in the event of a circuit failure (one of the following: a fault in the solenoid, the car's accelerometer, the control block, or backup battery power). This mechanical deployment of the upper valve serves as a redundant safety mechanism, thereby enhancing the overall safety of the system.

[0219] Additionally or alternatively, the hoistway may be equipped with a lower valve located at the bottom of the shaft, which cuts off airflow and prevents air from escaping from or entering the hoistway at the bottom. This mechanism is part of a safety mechanism that is activated when one or more safety risk factors are detected. In addition to the fall risk factors defined above, unlikely scenarios such as a failure of the car's vacuum seal, damage to the upper portion of the hoistway leading to a sudden loss of vacuum operation when the upper valve is insufficient to prevent air from escaping from the shaft, may trigger the aforementioned safety mechanism. Once the lower valve is closed, the car will rapidly stop moving under the support of a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure below the car and gradually and slowly descend to the bottom due to natural air leakage in the system. In other words, the car is "sitting" on a high-pressure air cushion and "suspended" in thin air, thus preventing the car from falling.

[0220] The lower valve can be activated by a solenoid (powered by a rechargeable battery that operates with and without an external power source) and can have a redundant mechanical deployment mechanism in case the solenoid mechanism fails, similar to the electromechanical redundancy deployment scheme of the upper valve.

[0221] In one embodiment, the upper and lower valves complement each other and ensure the safety of the car passengers during different risk factors of the system, providing an effective safety mechanism to eliminate any and all risks of falling. If the system detects one of the aforementioned malfunction risks, the system will flag the error situation when the car is stopped at a floor, and the car will remain stopped at that floor until the error situation is resolved in the system, without deploying an emergency brake—in one embodiment, the upper and / or lower valves.

[0222] In addition to the upper and lower valves that slow the descent of the car in the event of a sudden loss of vacuum, in one embodiment, the system may be equipped with a suspension mechanism placed at the shaft foundation that catches the car and slows it to a complete stop, similar to the suspension shock absorbers and struts used in automobiles.

[0223] In one embodiment, the hoistway has a group of electromechanical and electronic sensors electrically connected to a hoistway controller device (e.g., a programmable logic controller, hereinafter referred to as a "hoistway controller" or "hoistway PLC"). These sensors detect signals from the sensors and generate signals to control the hoistway actuators and motor inverters to control the operation of the vacuum compressor. Furthermore, the controller can process signals from different floors and from elevator call buttons, and can queue the calls for processing to ensure optimal elevator operation.

[0224] In one embodiment, the car has a set of its own electromechanical and electronic sensors, which in some embodiments are electrically connected to a separate controller device (e.g., a programmable logic controller, hereinafter referred to as the "car controller" or "car PLC") located inside the car and processing signals from the car sensors and sending signals to the car control mechanism, docking mechanism, door opening / closing, control of car lighting and ventilation, emergency communication, and also detecting car call commands and queuing the call commands, thereby ensuring optimal operation of the elevator.

[0225] In other implementations, a single controller can perform the functions of both the car and hoistway controllers.

[0226] In one embodiment, a cable connects the car and the hoistway, providing power to the car and communication between the car PLC and the hoistway PLC.

[0227] In an alternative implementation, the car PLC communicates with the hoistway PLC via a wireless channel (IR, Bluetooth, or Wi-Fi), eliminating the need for cables connecting the car and hoistway. In this implementation, the car incorporates a rechargeable battery to provide local power within the car. When the car is stopped at a floor, the car's rechargeable battery can self-charge (via wires connected to docking pins), ensuring automatic charging of the car battery during stop mode and thus ensuring uninterrupted power supply to the car, whether stopped, in motion, or during brief power outages.

[0228] When the car is in motion, the car's rechargeable battery provides life support for the car: lights, fans, communication between the hoistway and the car's PLC, and emergency communication with global technical support 24 / 7.

[0229] In one implementation, the hoistway is also equipped with a rechargeable battery to provide life support for the hoistway controller and its sensors, upper and lower emergency brake valves and suspension mechanism in case of power failure until the car comes to a complete stop and docks at the bottom floor, awaiting power restoration or clearing of the fault scenario.

[0230] In one embodiment, during vacuum operation, the shaft door is pressed against the shaft by atmospheric pressure with a significant force (approximately 1 ton), thus preventing it from being opened manually without any special tools designed for this purpose. The shaft door may also have no handle, making tampering with the door virtually impossible during vacuum operation.

[0231] In addition, the hoistway door can be equipped with an automatic lock to prevent the door from opening when the elevator car is not present. The hoistway door can be opened by a mechanism installed in the car or hoistway when a car is present at that floor. This mechanism is child-safe and is designed to prevent any possibility of tampering with the system due to misconduct or irresponsible behavior.

[0232] The main vacuum seal is installed at the top of the car to enable vacuum operation and reduce the air pressure above the car while maintaining normal atmospheric pressure inside the car for passenger comfort.

[0233] Additional or alternative secondary or auxiliary vacuum seals are installed at the bottom of the car for the following reasons: - To be used as a backup seal in case the primary vacuum seal fails. - To protect people and animals inside the car from sudden increases in pressure, the lower valve is deployed in the unlikely event of emergency braking. This is done to ensure passenger comfort, as a sudden change in car pressure due to a rapid increase in air pressure below the car could cause air to burst in their ears, leading to air deceleration and preventing falls.

[0234] In one embodiment, the vacuum seal is achieved using HDPE (high-density polyethylene), a material with low friction and excellent long-life properties compared to glass. In this embodiment, the vacuum seal extends slightly from the side of the car and is pressed against the shaft wall by a vacuum damper, which can be made of multiple springs or sponge-like resin tubes that push the vacuum seal against the shaft wall along the entire length of the seal. The vacuum seal can be placed on each side of the car. This structure allows the vacuum seal to float during movement, thus adapting to shaft manufacturing defects while remaining consistently connected to the shaft wall for proper vacuum operation.

[0235] In alternative implementations, the vacuum seal is made of materials other than HDPE, which also have low friction and long life properties, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (also known as Teflon) or aluminum alloys or combinations of other metals coated with Teflon.

[0236] In one implementation, the vacuum seal is implemented in the form of horizontal stripes. This form simplifies the construction of the seal; however, it has the disadvantage of producing intermittent "pop" noise as the seal passes through the edges of the wellbore strip and the wellbore glass panel. For most installations, this "pop" noise is likely tolerable.

[0237] In different implementations, vacuum seals are achieved in wavy, zigzag, sawtooth, or any other shape, allowing the seal shape to "unfold" vertically to stretch the vacuum seal across the shaft seam in time, thus "spreading" the "pop" noise over a longer period and ultimately reducing unwanted noise levels. This complicates the construction of the vacuum seal, increasing its manufacturing cost, and may be more suitable for "luxury" elevator installations for passenger comfort.

[0238] The system's security is guaranteed at multiple levels, as described in one implementation scheme: - Shatterproof. The tempered glass panels of the hoistway and car are unbreakable. - Earthquake resistant. It can even withstand strong earthquakes. - Fall protection. Equipped with multi-redundant suspension and emergency brakes. - Fireproof. It can withstand strong fires because the system is made of non-combustible materials. - Child-safe, no risk of injury. The entire system is designed to prevent children from tampering with it or getting hurt. - Accident prevention. The door is locked during operation, preventing tampering with the shaft door. - Avoid traps. If you get stuck in the elevator, there is a manual operation function to escape from the car. -Environmentally friendly -No hazardous chemicals, all recyclable materials, lifetime lubrication 24 / 7 monitoring. Continuously monitor sensors and report to technicians. Supports TCP / IP. This solution is also an aesthetically pleasing design. The elevator system can include large, translucent glass panels from floor to ceiling, a translucent car with glass walls and a glass ceiling, and thin aluminum profiles. Specifically, the implementation of this system ensures that no visible bolts and nuts are displayed from the outside or inside of the shaft on any floor. Meanwhile, the system is assembled from hundreds of components, held together by bolts, nuts, and other mechanical connections. The entire structure is achieved by concealing these hundreds of bolts and nuts from view through design features (rather than masking tape), resulting in a sleek and stylish design. This challenging task was undertaken to enhance the system's aesthetic appeal and place the current solution within the category of luxury mechanics and luxury properties.

[0239] Furthermore, according to the implementation plan, the car has no visible bolts and nuts or any protruding connectors, either inside or outside—to meet the needs of its passengers for luxury and comfort. The car may also consist of hundreds of parts, which are joined together with classic bolts and nuts invisible to the observer, thanks to the special structure of the system that embodies this unique and luxurious design attribute.

[0240] This boltless and nutless design, further termed "spotless," allows for smooth surfaces throughout the structure. Large glass panels and a smooth aluminum frame from edge to edge are among the unique aesthetic features of this solution.

[0241] Last but not least, the design features, lines, curves, and angles of the metal frame smoothly transition and continue the design pattern at sharp turns in the metal frame (such as the frame on the four different sides of the glass panel), thus complementing the “no-blemish” design style.

[0242] Those skilled in the art can better understand and reproduce this method by referring to the accompanying drawings and a detailed description of the mechanics, operating modes and principles.

[0243] While the written description of the methods above enables those skilled in the art to make and use what is currently considered the best mode of implementation, those skilled in the art will understand and recognize the existence of variations, combinations, and equivalents of the specific embodiments, methods, and examples described herein. Therefore, the present invention should not be limited to the embodiments, methods, and examples described below, but rather to all embodiments and methods within the scope and spirit of the invention.

[0244] For simplicity, the detailed description is divided into several chapters, each representing a specific feature, design, or technical solution.

[0245] Shaft mechanics Chapter 1, Panoramic Vacuum Elevator System This technology relies on vacuum force to move the elevator car vertically within an airtight shaft. In one embodiment, a vacuum compressor located at the top of the shaft pumps air out of the shaft section above the car (further upper shaft chamber), creating low pressure in the upper shaft chamber while maintaining the atmospheric pressure level in the shaft section below the car (further lower shaft chamber). The pressure difference between the lower and upper shaft chambers is called "vacuum," and the percentage of this pressure difference relative to atmospheric pressure is called the "vacuum degree." When the vacuum degree reaches a certain threshold, the higher atmospheric pressure below the car overcomes the gravity acting on the car and pushes it upwards into the shaft, thus enabling the elevator car to move vertically.

[0246] For example, a 0% vacuum level means full atmospheric pressure above and below the car, a 50% vacuum means half atmospheric pressure above the car, and a 100% vacuum means no air pressure above the car.

[0247] A relatively small vacuum level is sufficient to allow a heavily loaded elevator car to move vertically. For example, anywhere, an elevator car carrying four adult passengers might weigh between 1,000 and 1,400 pounds, occupying a car floor space of 12 to 15 square feet. In this example, a vacuum of approximately 5% above the car, while maintaining atmospheric pressure below, would be sufficient to lift such a car and its heavy load into the shaft.

[0248] As long as the elevator car is connected to the shaft via a low-friction vacuum seal, and the vacuum compressor maintains a 5% vacuum threshold—a vacuum level that generates sufficient vertical force to push the elevator car upwards into the shaft—reducing the vacuum level below this 5% threshold will cause the car to descend along the shaft.

[0249] Alternatively, the vacuum level can be reduced to 0%, and the descent of the car can be controlled by the resistance exerted on the compressor impeller by atmospheric pressure. In this case, the compressor motor can function like a generator, generating electricity as the car descends, similar to how electric vehicles like Tesla generate electricity when the car brakes.

[0250] The shaft walls are made smooth to allow the car vacuum seal to slide up and down the shaft unimpeded and with minimal friction—to effectively achieve its purpose. In terms of the technology described, low or minimal friction means that, in addition to lifting the empty car, the extra force required to overcome the friction of the vacuum seal is less than 10% of the empty car's weight.

[0251] In one embodiment, silicate-based glass (also known as “float glass”) panels are used as a material of choice in the wellbore wall composition in this method due to the smooth and uniform surface properties of the glass.

[0252] Furthermore, in one embodiment, the method uses tempered glass panels for the shaft material, which are approximately 5-7 times stronger than ordinary float glass and can withstand pressures equivalent to or exceeding those of steel. These tempered glass panels extend from the floor to the ceiling of each floor (also known as a “single-layer shaft body”), making the building truly panoramic.

[0253] Unlike acrylic glass, tempered glass is a very strong and scratch-resistant material; however, its edges can be brittle. Striking the edge of a tempered glass panel with a hammer can shatter it. If the edges of such a glass panel are protected, even with a thin frame, then the tempered glass panel becomes virtually unbreakable. This technology can be used throughout the shaft structure—all edges of the glass panels used in the shaft structure are covered and protected by a metal frame, thus protecting the glass panels from impact damage.

[0254] For example, using a metal frame (such as aluminum alloy) to protect the edges of the glass panels makes the shaft structure truly shatterproof. The metal edge frame not only protects the glass panels from accidental breakage but also strengthens and supports the entire structure.

[0255] In one embodiment, the entire structure becomes fireproof because the shaft is primarily made of tempered glass and metal edges, since tempered glass has a very high melting point of approximately 1,400-1,700°C (2,550-3,000°F).

[0256] Because elevators may operate over several floors, a single glass panel may not be suitable for the entire height of the shaft due to manufacturing, technological, and other limitations. Therefore, in one embodiment, the maximum height of the shaft glass panel is limited to the height of a single floor of the shaft. In such an embodiment, a mechanism is employed to connect multiple sections of the shaft, wherein a glass panel section of one floor interacts with the glass panel of the shaft section above or below that floor in such a way that a uniformly smooth shaft surface is formed. This allows the car vacuum seal to slide smoothly along the shaft wall, enabling seamless elevator operation.

[0257] To connect the shaft glass panels of adjacent floors, a "strip" structure (also referred to herein as a "shaft strip," "strip frame," or "strip assembly") is used. In one embodiment, this connects the shaft glass panels of one floor to those of adjacent floors, creating a smooth surface in the shaft for proper vacuum operation. The strip keeps the glass panels intact and prevents implosion under vacuum forces during vacuum operation, as well as explosive forces that may form under special circumstances. For example, in the car example above with a 12-15 square foot car floor surface and a load of 1,000-1,200 pounds, each glass panel of the shaft from floor to ceiling might withstand an implosion force of 3,000-4,000 pounds (this force is evenly distributed over the entire area of ​​the glass panel). The shaft glass panels are made of glass thick enough to withstand implosion or explosive forces at the level of several thousand pounds across their surface area.

[0258] Each exemplary single-story shaft on each floor contains a shaft strip at its bottom that holds the shaft panels tightly together, resisting blasts and implosion forces. The shaft strips on each floor are leveled with and secured to the floor slabs, thus stabilizing the overall building. The strips may lie within the thickness of the floor slabs, allowing the glass panels to appear to extend from the floor to the ceiling, creating a truly panoramic view of the entire building. In open-space environments, the strips may also run between floor slabs as a medium to connect vertically running glass panels together.

[0259] The strip is strong enough to support the weight of the shaft body, can withstand implosion and explosive forces, and is specially shaped to form a smooth surface together with the shaft glass panels. These characteristics impose certain limitations on the form and materials used in the strip. In one embodiment, the strip is made of reinforced aluminum alloy, exhibiting particularly good performance characteristics and can be manufactured easily and relatively inexpensively.

[0260] The vertical edges of the shaft glass panel are covered by a thin metal frame, and the horizontal edges are covered by a strip. Both the metal frame and the strip are secured to the shaft glass panel using silicone-based adhesives or other adhesives that provide good adhesion to glass and aluminum or other metal alloys.

[0261] Now refer to this method in more detail. Figure 1 and Figure 2 Different views of the Blissera elevator system in one implementation scheme are depicted. Figures 3-7 Different views and sections of the Blissera elevator system shaft are depicted.

[0262] The hoistway consists of a hoistway foundation 100, multiple hoistway vertical shaft components 200, multiple hoistway belt components 300, and a hoistway head 400, such as... Figures 3-5 , Figure 7 As shown in the attached diagram. For the sake of simplicity, the shaft strip 300 is incorporated into the shaft shaft 200.

[0263] In one embodiment, the shaft foundation 100 includes the following main components: - In one embodiment, the well foundation housing 110, such as Figure 12 , Figure 13 and Figure 14 It includes: Shaft foundation shell base plate 111, such as Figure 14 As shown • Shaft foundation outer shell left plate 112, such as Figure 14 As shown • Shaft foundation outer shell right plate 113, such as Figure 14 As shown • Shaft foundation shell backplate 114, such as Figure 14 As shown • Shaft foundation shell front panel 115, such as Figure 14 As shown • Bottom screws of the shaft foundation casing, number 116, such as Figure 14 As shown • Shaft foundation housing side screw 117, such as Figure 14 As shown - In one embodiment, the shaft foundation base 120, such as Figure 12 , Figure 15 and Figure 16 As shown, and including: • The shaft foundation base front arm 121 has a profile cross-sectional shape 711, such as Figure 16 and Figure 17 As shown • The left arm 122 of the shaft foundation base has a profile cross-sectional shape 711, such as Figure 16 and Figure 17 As shown • The right arm 123 of the shaft foundation base has a profile cross-sectional shape 711, such as Figure 16 and Figure 17 As shown • The rear arm 124 of the shaft foundation base has a profile cross-sectional shape 711, such as Figure 16 and Figure 17 As shown • The front plate 125 of the shaft foundation base has a profile cross-sectional shape 712, such as Figure 16 and Figure 17 As shown • The left plate 126 of the shaft foundation base has a profile cross-sectional shape 712, such as Figure 16 and Figure 17 As shown • The right plate 127 of the shaft foundation base has a profile cross-sectional shape 712, such as Figure 16 and Figure 17 As shown • Shaft foundation base back plate 128, which has a profile cross-sectional shape 712, such as Figure 16 and Figure 17 As shown • Shaft foundation base fixing bolts 129, such as Figure 16 As shown - In one implementation scheme, the shaft foundation frame 130, such as Figure 12 , Figures 18-22 As shown, and including: • Shaft suspension platform 131, such as Figures 20-22 As shown • Front edge frame 132, which has a cross-sectional shape 715 and retains channels 718 for wiring, such as Figures 20-22 , Figure 23 As shown • Washer 133, which has a cross-sectional shape 738, such as Figures 20-22 As shown • The left and right edge frames 134 have a cross-sectional shape 713, such as Figures 20-22 , Figure 24 As shown • Front outsole edge frame 135, such as Figures 21-22 As shown • Rear edge frame 136, which has a cross-sectional shape 713, such as Figures 20-22 , Figure 24 As shown • Seismic bolt 137, such as Figure 18 , Figure 19 , Figure 21 , Figure 22 As shown • Knee-type connector 138, such as Figure 18 , Figure 19 , Figure 22 As shown • Bolt 139, which connects knee-shaped connector 138 to left and right edge frames 134 and rear edge frame 136, as shown Figure 19 , Figure 22 As shown • Bolt 145 connects the front bottom edge frame 135 to the left and right edge frames 134, as shown Figure 18 , Figure 21 , Figure 22 As shown - In one embodiment, the shaft foundation grid frame 140, such as Figure 12 , Figures 27-29 As shown, it includes: • Left grille frame 141, as Figures 25-29 As shown • Right grille frame 142, as Figures 25-29 As shown • Rear grille frame 143, such as Figures 25-29 As shown -Suspension mechanism 800, such as Figure 12 As shown - Emergency brake 880, such as Figure 12 As shown In one embodiment, the shaft 300 includes the following main components: -In one embodiment, the shaft base body 320, such as Figure 80 , Figure 88 , Figures 91-103 As shown, and including: • The main frame 301 of the shaft base has a cross-sectional shape 733, such as Figure 97 , Figure 98 , Figure 100 , Figure 102 and Figure 140 As shown • The shaft base side plate 321 has a cross-sectional shape 734, such as Figures 95-99 , Figure 101 , Figure 102 and Figure 140 As shown • The shaft base cover plate 322 has a cross-sectional shape 735, such as Figures 95-99 , Figures 101-103 and Figure 140 As shown • Shaft body bolts 324, 326, 327, 328, such as Figures 96-98 As shown - Shaft with frame 309 and 310, such as Figures 80-86 , Figures 88-90 As shown exist Figure 80 , Figures 82-85 In the middle, frames 309 and 310 have three arms (sides) serving as the base for each glass panel of the single-layer shaft body—left arm 311, right arm 312, and rear arm 313. For example... Figure 33 , Figure 34 and Figure 37 As shown, glass panels 211 and 213 rest against the left and rear arms 311 / 313 of the frame 309 or 310, thus transferring their weight, and in some cases the weight of the machine room, to the left and rear arms 311 / 313 of the frame 309 or 310 respectively. Their mating vertical edges are protected by an edge frame 214 having a profile cross-section 716, as shown. Figure 38 and Figure 138 As shown. Similarly, glass panels 212 and 213 are respectively resting on the right and rear arms 312 / 313 of the frame 309 or 310, and their mating vertical edges are protected by an edge frame 215 having a profiled cross-section 716, as shown. Figure 38 and Figure 138 As shown.

[0264] In one embodiment, the interface between glass panels 211, 212, 213 and arms 311, 312, 313 is slots 3111, 3121, 3131. Slots 3112, 3122, and 3132 can similarly provide interfaces to glass panels placed below band 309. Each slot is a housing (e.g., a cavity) that extends longitudinally along the top and / or bottom edges of arms 311 / 312 / 313 for inserting the corresponding glass panel, such as... Figure 85 , 86 As shown in Figure 89. In such an arrangement, adhesive materials can be used to bond the glass panels to the corresponding grooves.

[0265] In one embodiment, the groove may include a recess for collecting excess adhesive material from the adhesive material used to secure the glass panel to the groove. This recess collects excess adhesive material and prevents it from forming a serrated surface on the inner surface of the band 309 or 310. This technique maintains the airtightness of the shaft. For example, in Figure 89 In the process, glass panels 211 and 212 are bonded to grooves 3111, 3112, 3121 and 3122, where excess adhesive is allowed to flow into grooves 3113 and 3114.

[0266] Additionally or alternatively, the edges of the glass panel are chamfered to match the grooves on the arm with 309 or 310. For example, in Figure 89 In the middle, glass panels 211 and 212 have chamfered edges that are inserted into grooves 3111, 3112, 3121 and 3122.

[0267] In one embodiment, the frame 309 or 310 is closed on three sides and has an opening on the front side. Figure 82 , Figure 84 In one embodiment, the opening side is connected to the shaft base 320, such as... Figure 80 As shown. The shaft base 320 also serves as the foundation for the entrance doors for entering and exiting the car, as... Figure 33 As shown in the example. In Figure 3 and Figure 6 In the example, the top and bottom edges of the left, right, and rear glass panels 211, 212, and 213 are protected by arms 311, 312, and 313, respectively. The rear vertical edges of the glass panels 211, 212, and 213 are protected by thin metal frames 214 and 215. The front vertical edge of the glass panel 211 is protected by the left frame 221 of the door frame 220, while the front vertical edge of the glass panel 212 is protected by the right frame 222 of the door frame 220, as shown. Figure 41 , Figure 47 , Figure 63 and Figure 65 As shown. Door frames 221 and 222 have the following features: Figure 63 , Figure 65 and Figure 138 The cross-section shown is 715.

[0268] In one embodiment, the door frame 220 also serves as a medium for attaching shaft hinges 226 and 227 during swing-type operation. Figure 138 As shown, the door frame 220 (frames 221 and 222) has a cross-section 715 and a hollow structure inside the system, which reduces the weight and cost of the system because the frame does not need to bear the heavy load of the shaft structure.

[0269] As mentioned above, the edges of the large glass panel are protected by a protective frame, such as an aluminum alloy frame.

[0270] In the above description, the vacuum compressor is located in a machine room, at the top of the machine room shaft 200, within the machine room head 400. In an alternative embodiment, the machine room is located at a distance and connected to the shaft 200 via inlet and outlet pipes for exhausting air from or releasing air into the shaft 200, respectively, for vacuum operation. For the purposes of this description, an embodiment with the machine room located within the shaft head is further described, and machine room and shaft head are interchangeable terms.

[0271] In one implementation, the data center (MR) includes the following main components: -MR housing 410, such as Figures 104-107 and Figures 108-109 As shown -MR electronic equipment 420, such as Figure 110 and Figure 111 As shown -A vacuum chamber 430 having a front panel 432, a left panel 433, a right panel 434, a rear panel 435, and an air filter 431, such as Figure 110 , Figures 112-116 As shown -Exhaust pipe 440 has a central exhaust pipe channel 440 and air bags 444 and 445, such as Figure 110 , Figure 112 , Figures 117-121 As shown • Central exhaust pipe channel 440, which includes a rear panel 441, a top panel 442, a bottom panel 442, and a front panel 443. • Airbags 444 and 445, including airbag mainboard 447, airbag upper and lower plates 448, airbag front and back plates 449 - Vacuum compressor assembly 450, which includes a vacuum compressor 456 and an MR exhaust flange 455, such as Figure 122 and Figure 123 As shown -MR exhaust flange 455, such as Figure 110 , Figure 123 and Figure 124 As shown, it includes a flexible flange 451, bolts 452 connecting the flange 451 to the MR compressor 450, bolts 453 connecting the flange 451 to the exhaust pipe 440, and a washer 454. -MR compressor frame 460, such as Figure 125 and Figure 126 As shown, it includes: • Bolt 461, which secures the vacuum compressor 450 to the MR compressor frame 460 • Rubber gasket 462 protects the MR vacuum compressor frame 460 from vertical vibrations of the MR vacuum compressor. • Rubber insert 463 protects the MR vacuum compressor frame 460 from horizontal vibrations of the MR vacuum compressor. • The primary edge frame 464 is made of a robust metal material (e.g., steel) derived from a profile with a cross-sectional shape 717, such as... Figure 138 As shown. Serves as the base of the MR vacuum compressor frame 460 and the anchor of the MR emergency brake 890.

[0272] • Rubber end cap 465, which supports the primary edge frame 464 • Bolt 466, used to secure the rubber end cap 465 to the secondary edge frame 467 using nut 459. • Secondary edge frame 467, which is made of a robust metal material (e.g., steel) derived from a profile with a cross-sectional shape 717, such as Figure 138 As shown. It supports the primary edge frame 464 via rubber end caps 465. • Rubber end cap 468, which supports the secondary edge frame 467 • Bolt 469 for securing the rubber end cap 468 to the MR base frame 480 -MR edge frame 470 and left edge frame 471, right edge frame 472 and rear edge frame 473 all have a cross-sectional shape 714, in which air pockets 719 are reserved for wiring. -Wash left edge frame 474, washer right edge frame 475 and washer rear edge frame 476 -MR base frame 480 and MR base frame plate 481 and bolts 482, which fix plate 481 to MR edge frame 470 and upper floor shaft front panel 230. -MR exhaust grille 490 In one embodiment, the MR electronic device 420 includes the following main components, such as Figure 110 and Figure 111 As shown: -MR PLC controller 421 with controller extension 422 -MR PLC controller display unit 423 -MR Electronic PCB Board 424 -MR Vacuum Compressor Inverter Unit 425 -MR uninterruptible power supply unit 426 with rechargeable battery In the above description, the strip frame 309 or 310 is made of aluminum alloy. In alternative embodiments, the strip is made of other metals and alloys, including but not limited to steel; however, certain aluminum alloys are chosen due to their low cost and good performance characteristics.

[0273] In the description above, the glass shaft is rectangular and consists of three glass panels extending from the floor to the ceiling and a doorway entrance on each floor.

[0274] In an alternative implementation, the glass shaft is hexagonal in shape, comprising six glass panels extending from the floor to the ceiling on each floor and doorways installed within two adjacent shaft glass panels. In this implementation, a hexagonal car is used.

[0275] In another embodiment, the hoistway is octagonal, comprising eight glass panels extending from the floor to the ceiling on each floor. This can be visualized as a rectangular hoistway, where the corner edges are flattened to form additional panels. These "cornering plane edges" allow for a reduction in the width of the hoistway's "angleless plane edges." Such an embodiment is convenient for large elevator models where the hoistway width is wider than the hoistway door opening. This embodiment uses an octagonal car within the hoistway.

[0276] In another embodiment, the glass shaft is cylindrical, with a straight vertical or inclined axis and a cylindrical car. This embodiment is more suitable for larger models carrying six or more people and heavy loads.

[0277] In different implementations, the glass shaft has an elliptical shape, with a straight vertical or inclined axis and an elliptical car. This implementation is more suitable for larger models that carry a dozen people and heavy loads.

[0278] In another embodiment, one or more panels of the shaft are made of matte tempered glass to conceal the contents of the shaft and / or car—to meet the specific tastes of the elevator users. In an alternative embodiment, one or more panels of the shaft are painted or covered with a translucent or non-translucent film to conceal the contents of the shaft and / or car—to meet the specific tastes of the elevator users.

[0279] Furthermore, the document provides a detailed description of rectangular elevator systems using large, semi-transparent tempered glass panels. The concepts outlined in these methods are applicable to hexagonal, octagonal, cylindrical, and elliptical shapes or any other shape, including the use of matte and / or painted and / or tinted glass.

[0280] Chapter 2, Tempered Glass as an Exoskeleton for the Well. This method claims the beneficial effects of the panoramic vacuum elevator system described in Chapter 1. It describes the size of tempered glass panels that can be used in the construction of the panoramic vacuum elevator shaft. It demonstrates how the edges of the glass panels are protected by thin metal frames, which are fixed to the edges of the glass panels using silicone-based or other adhesives, thus collectively forming a uniform, smooth surface of the shaft. However, it is not clear from this description how the glass panels (shaft walls) and the metal frames are combined to form a robust shaft structure.

[0281] Large glass panels are very beautiful and are used in many applications, such as large displays in stores, large windows, and panoramic displays for buildings (collectively referred to as "displays"). However, all of these applications use a rigid metal "frame" as the skeleton of the "display", and the glass panels are inserted into such a metal frame as "filler".

[0282] Referring now to this method, since the glass panels of the shaft are stacked together with the shaft belt to a height of several stories, the total weight of a shaft with glass panels (e.g., ½" or ¾" thick) could reach several tons. In this example, if the glass panels of the shaft are used as "fill material," then the metal "frame" skeleton structure that houses and secures the shaft glass panels is strong enough to reach a height of several stories and bear the weight of several tons of shaft glass panels. In addition to the cumulative weight of the shaft glass, this metal frame skeleton structure itself can be very heavy.

[0283] The current method employs a radical new approach in the construction of the shaft—the glass panels constituting the shaft are not "filler" within the shaft's metal "skeleton frame," but rather the shaft's structure itself, bearing the weight of the entire shaft. Therefore, the current method eliminates the need for a metal skeleton frame in the shaft structure, replacing it with a glass "exoskeleton" that supports the entire shaft's weight.

[0284] This glass exoskeleton approach uses vertical metal edge frames to protect the edges of the glass panels, rather than for the purpose of a skeletal framework. Therefore, these edge frames can be very thin and decorative, significantly reducing the system's weight and cost while improving its appearance and ergonomics.

[0285] In one embodiment, the shaft wall includes a shaft body 210, which includes left, right, and rear glass panels 211, 212, and 213, a front panel 230, shaft doors 240 and 250, and a metal frame that surrounds the edges of large glass panel elements, such as... Figure 33 , Figure 34 , Figures 37-39 , Figure 40 , Figure 41 and Figure 47 As shown.

[0286] In one embodiment, band 310 covers and protects the horizontal edges of glass panels 211, 212, and 213, such as Figure 33 , Figure 34 As shown.

[0287] In one embodiment, vertical metal edge frames 214 and 215 (which are used on the rear side of the shaft, such as...) Figure 37 As shown, it has a profile cross-section of 716, as... Figure 138 (As shown) It is very thin, thanks to the glass exoskeleton of the shaft, and is used for the following purposes: - Protect the vertical edges of the shaft glass panels 211, 212, and 213 on the back of the shaft body 210. - The adjacent glass panels are arranged to form a uniform and smooth rectangular corner at the rear corner of the inner surface of the shaft body 210. - To cover unevenness and potentially shattered edges of glass panels caused by minor damage due to manufacturing defects, transportation, and handling - for decorative purposes.

[0288] Similarly, in one embodiment, the vertical metal edge frames 221 and 222 of the door frame 220 for the front side of the shaft and facing the entrance side of the shaft door can also be made of thin profiles, thus eliminating the need for a support skeleton-like structure due to the glass exoskeleton shaft. Figure 41 , Figure 45 , Figure 47 and Figure 66 As shown, frames 221 and 222 do not need to be thick enough to form the skeleton of the shaft, but are thick enough to accommodate the following uses of these frames: - Protect the vertical edge of the glass panel of the shaft connecting to the front of the shaft. - Align with the left and right glass panels 211 and 212 to form a uniform and smooth surface on the left and right shaft walls. - To cover unevenness and potentially shatterable front edges of the shaft glass panel caused by minor damage due to manufacturing defects, transportation, and handling, thus serving a decorative purpose. - Conduit used for electrical wiring in shafts - Door frame used as a shaft door The glass exoskeleton design of the shaft allows for the use of large glass panels and thin metal edge frames within the shaft structure, enabling a truly panoramic design without the need for a metal mesh frame and heavy metal structures. This differs from other existing elevator systems, where heavy metal structures are traditionally part of any such elevator solution.

[0289] Chapter 3, Vacuum-operated Smooth Shafts This method claims the beneficial effects of the panoramic vacuum elevator system described in Chapter 1 and the tempered glass described in Chapter 2 as a shaft exoskeleton. It describes how large tempered glass panels can be used as exoskeletons and structural elements in the structure of a panoramic vacuum elevator. It demonstrates how the edges of the glass panels are protected by thin aluminum frames, which are fixed to the edges of the glass panels by silicone-based or other adhesives. However, according to this description, how these glass panels (shaft walls) and the metal frames are combined to form a smooth shaft 200 for vacuum operation is not apparent. This method details the shapes of the glass panels and metal edge frames used, and how these structures are joined together to form the smooth surface of the shaft 200.

[0290] In one implementation, the frame 310 (e.g. Figure 33 , Figure 34 , Figure 80 , Figure 82 - Figure 85 (As shown) It has three belt arms—left belt arm 311, right belt arm 312, and rear belt arm 313. For example... Figure 33 and Figure 37 As shown, the left glass panel 211 rests on the left arm 311 of the frame 310, the right glass panel 212 rests on the right arm 312 of the frame 310, and the rear glass panel 213 rests on the rear arm 313 of the frame 309 or 310.

[0291] Figure 82 The illustration shows a front perspective view of an implementation scheme with a framed hoistway on the upper floor. Figure 84 A front perspective view of the shaft with frame options on the foundation floor is shown, while Figure 89 A cross-sectional view is shown of the shaft band and shaft glass plate used for connecting the left and right glass panels 211 / 212. Similarly, in one embodiment, the cross-section depicts the connection also used for connecting the rear glass panel 213 to the rear band arm 313. In one embodiment, the cross-section 731 of the band frame 309 or 310 profile is as follows... Figure 140 As shown. Figure 89 As shown, the frame 309 or 310, together with the upper and lower glass panels, forms a uniform and smooth surface within the shaft 200 at the horizontal edge of the shaft strip and shaft glass panel, which is necessary for proper vacuum sealing operation. In one embodiment, the channel 736 is reserved for lightweight construction and electrical wiring.

[0292] In one embodiment, the vertical edges of the interconnected shaft glass panels 211 and 213 are protected by an aluminum alloy or other metal frame 214 having a cross-sectional profile 716, such as Figure 38 and Figure 138As shown. Similarly, in one embodiment, the vertical edges of the interconnected shaft glass panels 212 and 213 are protected by means of an aluminum alloy or other metal frame 215 having a cross-sectional profile 716, such as Figure 38 and Figure 138 As shown. The V-shaped ends on the cross-sections of frames 214 and 215 fill the gaps between the glass panels and coincide with the inner surfaces of glass panels 211, 212 and 213 and the inner surfaces of arms 311, 312 and 313, respectively, thereby forming the continuity required for a smooth surface and forming a perfect rectangular shape at the left, rear and right edges of the shaft 200, which is necessary for proper vacuum sealing operation.

[0293] In one embodiment, the frame 309 or 310 is closed on three sides and has an opening on the front, such as Figure 82 and Figure 84 As shown. Figure 80 As shown, this opening side connects to the hoistway base 320. The hoistway base 320 also serves as a doorway entrance for entering and exiting the car, as... Figure 33 As shown.

[0294] In one embodiment, the front vertical edge of the glass panel 211 is protected by the left frame 221 of the door frame 220, while the front vertical edge of the glass panel 212 is protected by the right frame 222 of the door frame 220, as shown below. Figure 41 , Figure 47 and Figure 65 As shown. Door frames 221 and 222 have a cross-section 715 with a wiring channel 718, as... Figure 63 , Figure 65 and Figure 138 As shown. In one embodiment, Figure 65 The cross-section of the door frame 221 is shown, with one side connected to the glass panel 211 and the other side connected to the front panel frame 233 and the cover frame 237 via a gasket 223, thereby forming a uniform and smooth surface of the shaft 200 on the front left and right sides of the frame 309 or 310.

[0295] As described above, the left, right, and rear sides of the frame 309 or 310, together with the single-layer shaft glass body 210, form a smooth surface for the shaft, which is necessary for vacuum sealing operations. However, the front side of the shaft 200 also needs to have a smooth surface. In one embodiment, this front side (door frame 220) of the shaft 200 accommodates a front panel 230 ( Figure 34 , Figure 41 , Figure 47 , Figures 55-65 ), shaft doors 240 and 250 ( Figure 30 , Figure 33 , Figure 34, Figure 41 , Figure 66 and Figures 67-79 ), and shaft base 320 ( Figure 80 , Figures 91-103 This is the structure.

[0296] Now refer to this method in more detail, such as Figure 33 , Figure 34 , Figure 40 , Figure 41 , Figure 47 , Figure 45 , Figures 56-65 As shown, the front panel 230 is constructed in such a way that the glass element 231 of the front panel 230 is chamfered on four sides, and the thin metal edge frames 232, 233, 234, and 235 are connected in such a way that they also cover frames 237 and 238, to form a uniform and smooth surface on the inner side of the shaft 200, such as... Figures 55-65 As shown. Figure 63 and Figure 65 A cross-sectional view of the door frame 220 is shown, and the front panel 230 with glass panel 231 connects to the left frame 233 and the left cover frame 237 of the shaft front panel 230. In a similar manner, the glass panel 231 connects to the right frame 234 and the right cover frame 238 of the shaft front panel 230.

[0297] The left shaft door frame 252 connects to the glass panel 251 of the door in such a way that a smooth surface is formed inside the shaft, such as... Figure 66 As shown, it depicts a cross-sectional view of the door frame and the shaft door.

[0298] In a similar way, such as Figure 33 , Figure 34 , Figures 40-45 , Figures 68-73 As shown, shaft doors 240 and 250 are constructed in such a way that the door glass panel 251 is chamfered on all four sides and is connected to the thin door edge frames 252, 253, 254, and 255 in such a way that they together form a uniform and smooth surface on the inner side of the shaft 200.

[0299] In one embodiment, door edge frame 252 is made of a metal frame having a cross-section 721, door edge frame 253 is made of a metal frame having a cross-section 724, and door edge frames 254 and 255 are made of metal frames having a cross-section 722, as shown below. Figure 70 and Figure 139 As shown.

[0300] As described above, the glass panels of the shaft are protected at the edges by frames made of aluminum alloy or other metals. These frames share a common feature—L-shaped openings for securing the glass, which hold the glass in place on both sides to resist explosive and implosion forces, while simultaneously creating a smooth surface inside the shaft for proper vacuum operation, such as... Figure 65 , Figure 66 and Figure 89 The cross-section showing the connection between these frames and the shaft glass panel is shown.

[0301] Conversely, the glass panel of the connecting edge frame of the shaft has a chamfered edge facing the lock of the metal edge frame, which faces the shaft. This alignment of the glass chamfered edge and the lock of the metal edge frame ensures a smooth transition between the glass panel and the edge frame for proper vacuum sealing operation, while locking the glass panel to prevent movement, thus forming a robust shaft structure.

[0302] Chapter 4, Spotless Shaft Design This method utilizes the advantages of the panoramic vacuum elevator system described in Chapter 1, the tempered glass as the exoskeleton of the shaft described in Chapter 2, and the smooth shaft for vacuum operation described in Chapter 3. It demonstrates the size of the tempered glass panel that can be used as the exoskeleton and structural element in the shaft structure of a panoramic vacuum elevator. It shows how the edges of the glass panel are protected by a thin aluminum frame, and the shape of the edges of the glass panel and the protective metal frame, to form a smooth surface in the shaft for proper vacuum operation.

[0303] This method describes how to attach a metal frame to a glass panel and how to connect the metal frames to each other to form a robust well structure.

[0304] There are two methods for attaching a metal frame to a glass panel: -Use bolts and nuts -Use adhesive The use of bolts and nuts to connect adjacent glass panels is widely used in industry. The most common method involves using special tapered bolts and nuts, along with metal corner connectors to join tempered glass panels together. The tapered nuts allow the shaft glass panels to be leveled from the inside, maintaining a smooth surface in the shaft. The metal corner connectors must be placed from the outside of the shaft and can hold the glass panels at any given angle: 90 degrees for rectangular shaft shapes and higher angles for hexagonal or octagonal shapes. However, this method has several drawbacks: Tapered nuts and bolts, as well as metal corner connectors, are expensive. - The glass panel may require additional processing - drilling tapered holes along the edges of the glass panel, which will increase the cost of the glass panel. Due to the requirements of tempering technology, the tapered holes in the glass are positioned at a considerable distance from the edge of the glass, which necessitates bulky and even more expensive metal corner connectors. - Poor design due to numerous protruding metal corner connectors and tapered bolts and nuts.

[0305] Considering all these drawbacks, this option is the least popular choice.

[0306] Silicone-based adhesives or other composite adhesives with good glass-metal bonding properties are better alternative solutions and can be used whenever possible. In many cases, silicone-based adhesives are preferred because of their tackiness; even after curing, they remain “soft,” complementing the flexible structure along with the flexible tempered glass panels, thus providing better resistance to seismic impacts. Furthermore, due to the “soft” components of silicone, it does not develop microcracks over time. However, adhesives alone are insufficient to support multi-tonnage structures in place. From the descriptions outlined in the previous chapters, it is not immediately apparent how the metal frames are interconnected to form a stable shaft structure.

[0307] There are few reasonable and obvious methods to assemble metal frames together to form a stable shaft structure: - Welding components that connect the metal frames together - Bolts and nuts connecting the metal frame By employing either of these methods, metal frames can be joined together and then fixed to the glass panel to form a stable structure.

[0308] The weldment may be impractical for the following reasons: The welded metal frames form an inflexible, locked structure that can develop microcracks under mechanical stress, such as from minor impacts like an earthquake or uneven heat generation from sunlight. Over time, these microcracks can represent major problems and lead to structural instability. Microcracks may appear when exposed to uneven heating (such as sunlight). Welding is prohibited inside the shaft to avoid damaging the smooth surface of the shaft shaft, and it also violates some building codes. - The welded component is likely to damage the adhesive layer at nearby joints. Welding may damage the anodized coating on the aluminum frame, resulting in a deterioration in appearance. - It can only be used on-site, which makes the installation process complicated.

[0309] Bolts and nuts connecting the metal frame are a practical choice because they do not have all the aforementioned disadvantages; however, they leave a problem—appearance and feel. Imagine a large number of protruding bolts and nuts throughout the structure. In one implementation, these bolts and nuts can be specifically emphasized to make them a "design feature" and part of the design signature line. In an alternative implementation, the bolts and nuts can be hidden and kept out of sight. Current technology takes the latter approach and employs entirely new techniques where bolts and nuts are used to connect the metal frame together to build a panoramic vacuum elevator, where, despite the use of hundreds of bolts and nuts, screws, fasteners, connectors, these components can be hidden relative to the naked eye. Such techniques become even more challenging given the panoramic semi-transparent nature of the entire design. This means that, due to the semi-transparent design, the large number of bolts and nuts in the system are preferably not visible from either the outside of the shaft or the inside of the shaft. As shown in the following description, by employing a special form of metal frame combined with special connection techniques, the large number of bolts and nuts used in the proposed design are completely hidden from the observer's naked eye, whether the elevator is viewed from the outside of the shaft or the inside of the shaft. It also indicates that these special design techniques are not only used for decorative purposes to hide bolts and nuts to prevent them from being seen by the naked eye, but that these techniques are part of the structure itself.

[0310] In one implementation scheme, several subsystems are defined in the construction of the shaft, in which the metal frame will be connected together: - Shaft foundation 100 - Shaft body 200 - Hoistway 300 - Wellhead 400 Each of these subsystems employs a special solution to connect the frames to each other in a specific way using bolts and nuts, such that all these connections are concealed and hidden from the naked eye of the observer, whether viewing the system from outside the shaft system or from inside the shaft while riding the elevator, thus forming the unique “spotless” design feature pattern of the current approach.

[0311] In one implementation, the overall ergonomics of the design is achieved in such a way that all edges of the inter-attached metal frames include straight, smooth lines and / or curves that smoothly transition from one metal frame to another, even at sharp turns at the edges (sides) of the shaft, thus complementing the unique “spotless” design feature pattern of the current approach, which is further referred to as the “spotless” design style.

[0312] In one implementation scheme, Figure 11 The top perspective view of shaft foundation 1 is shown, while Figure 12An exploded perspective view of the shaft foundation 1 is shown. In one embodiment, the shaft foundation comprises several modules, each examined individually: - Shaft foundation shell 110 - Shaft foundation base 120 - Shaft foundation frame 130 -Suspension mechanism 800 -Emergency Braking 880 - Shaft foundation grid 140 In more detail, Figure 13 A perspective view of the shaft foundation casing 110 is shown, while Figure 14 An exploded view of the shaft foundation housing 110 is shown, which includes: the foundation housing base plate 111, the foundation housing left plate 112, the foundation housing right plate 113, the foundation housing rear plate 114, and the foundation housing front plate 115.

[0313] Screws 116 connect the base shell plates 111, 112, 113, 114, and 115 together. These screws 116 are attached from the outside of the base shell 110, which is located below the floor layer. In shallow recesses, these screws are naturally hidden in the floor layer, conforming to the spotless design style.

[0314] also, Figure 15 A perspective view of the shaft foundation base 120 is shown, while Figure 16 An exploded view of the shaft foundation base 120 is shown. Bolts 129 connect foundation plates 125, 126, 127, and 128 to foundation base frames 121, 122, 123, and 124, respectively. Bolts 129 are obstructed from external view by the foundation housing 110 and from internal view by the suspended platform 131, as shown. Figure 11 and Figure 12 As shown, the shaft foundation base 120 also conforms to the spotless design style.

[0315] In one embodiment, the base frames 121, 122, 123, and 124 are made of metal profiles with a cross-section 711, such as... Figure 17 and Figure 138 As shown. In one embodiment, base plates 125, 126, 127, and 128 are made of metal profiles with a cross-section 712, such as... Figure 17 and Figure 138 As shown.

[0316] Figure 21 A perspective view of the shaft foundation frame 130 is shown, while Figure 22 An exploded perspective view of the shaft foundation frame 130 is shown, which includes a left edge frame 134, a right edge frame 134, and a rear edge frame 136, and is made of a metal profile with a cross-sectional shape 713, such as... Figure 24 and Figure 138 As shown. Bolts 137 are secured to edge frames 134 and 136, which are interconnected via knee-shaped connectors 138 with bolts 139. Bolts 145 connect the front edge frame 132 to the left and right edge frames 134 via the front base edge frame 135, thus forming the shaft foundation frame 130, which is stacked on top of the shaft foundation base 120. This subsystem may contain dozens of bolts; however, they are likely to be concealed by the shaft foundation housing to avoid obstructing external views and by the suspended platform 131 to avoid obstructing internal views, thus conforming to the system's minimalist design.

[0317] also, Figure 12 An exploded perspective view of a shaft foundation having a suspension mechanism 80 as part of the foundation in one embodiment is shown. Screws and bolts, along with the entire suspension mechanism, are concealed relative to an external observer by foundation housing panels 111, 112, 113, 114, and 115, and relative to an internal observer by suspension platform 131. The latter has two large circular openings, which are obscured by a foundation emergency brake 880, as shown... Figure 11 and Figure 12 As shown. The bolts, screws, fasteners and other small mechanical parts of the emergency brake 880 are not visible from the top because they are blocked by the emergency brake plate, and are not visible from the sides and bottom because they are blocked by the base housing 110, thus conforming to the spotless design style.

[0318] also, Figure 11 , Figure 12 and Figures 26-29 Various views of the shaft foundation grating are shown, in which grating frames 141, 142 and 143 are connected together by plastic locks embedded in the grating profiles, so no screws and bolts are visible here.

[0319] At the top of the base 100, in one embodiment, the shaft is erected, comprising stacked single-layer shaft bodies 200 separated by shaft belts 300, as shown. Figures 30-34 As shown. The shaft body 200 is secured to the shaft strip 300 from the top or bottom using a silicone-based or other adhesive. The shaft body 200 further comprises several modules, each individually inspected in one embodiment: - Shaft 210 - Door frame 220 - Hoistway doors 240 and 250 - Shaft front panel 230 Furthermore, in one implementation scheme, Figure 37Perspective and exploded views are shown. In one embodiment, the shaft 210 includes shaft glass panels 211, 212, and 213, which are connected to the shaft back frame 214 and 215 by a silicone sealant (e.g., silicone resin) and are not connected using bolts and nuts or other fasteners, such as... Figure 38 and Figure 39 As shown.

[0320] Furthermore, in one embodiment, the shaft 210 rests against the shaft strip 309 or 310 and is attached to the shaft strip 309 or 310 by a silicone-based adhesive or another adhesive. On the front side, the shaft 210 is also attached to the door frame 220 by a silicone-based or other adhesive. The top of the shaft 210 connects to the shaft strip 309 or 310 or shaft head 400 on the upper floor, again using a silicone-based or other adhesive in one embodiment. Therefore, in one embodiment, all connections of the shaft 210 do not use any bolts or nuts; the fasteners used are silicone-based or other adhesive materials.

[0321] Furthermore, in one embodiment, the shaft door frame 220, having edge frames 221 and 222, serves as a medium for connecting the shaft 210, the shaft front panel 230, and the shaft doors 240 and 250 together, such as Figure 33 , Figure 34 , Figure 40 , Figure 41 and Figure 47 As shown.

[0322] In one embodiment, the hoistway front panel 230 includes a hoistway front glass panel 231, a lower edge frame 232 having a cross-sectional shape 723, a left edge frame 233 having a cross-sectional shape 725, a right edge frame 234 having a cross-sectional shape 725, an upper edge frame 235 having a cross-sectional shape 721, a gasket 236 having a cross-sectional shape 737, and a left cover plate 237 and a right cover plate 238 having cross-sectional shapes 726, respectively. Figure 58 , Figures 61-65 and Figure 139 As shown.

[0323] In one embodiment, the shaft front panel 230 is connected to the edge frames 221 and 222 of the door frame 220 via bolts 239, the bolts 239 being fastened to the left edge 233 and right edge 234 of the front panel 230, as shown. Figure 41 , Figure 47 , Figure 58 , Figure 57 , Figures 63-65As shown. Bolt 239 is completely located within the hoistway door frame 220, which has edge frames 221 and 222 and hoistway front panel edge frames 233 and 234, and is concealed by cover edge frames 237 and 238, as shown. Figures 63-65 As shown.

[0324] Hydraulic hinges 226 and 227 are connected to the edge frames 221 and 222 of the door frame 220 via bolts 225, as shown. Figure 41 , Figure 47 , Figure 49 and Figure 64 As shown. For this purpose, a special knee-shaped component 229 is bolted to the shaft hinges 226 and 227 with bolts 218, as shown. Figures 48-50 As shown. The shaft hinge 226 is then inserted into a specially cut hole 219, thereby concealing the knee-shaped component 229 and its bolts 218 to obstruct the view. (See diagram) Figure 41 , Figure 47 and Figure 64 As shown. The knee-shaped component 229 is further bolted to the edge frames 221 and 222 of the shaft entrance by bolts 225, as... Figure 49 and Figure 64 As shown. At this point, the "protruding" bolts of the door frame are Figure 49 The bolt 225 shown is concealed by a vacuum seal 224 with a cross-sectional shape 739 on the shaft door frame, as... Figure 49 As shown, the bolts that fasten the shaft hinges 226 and 227 to the door frame 220 are therefore concealed.

[0325] In one embodiment, the shaft hinges 226 and 227 are made of metal profiles having a cross-sectional shape 728, such as... Figure 139 As shown.

[0326] In one embodiment, the knee-shaped component 229 is made of a metal profile having a cross-sectional shape 729, such as Figure 139 As shown.

[0327] Furthermore, in one embodiment, the shaft doors 240 and 250 have the following bolts that hold the door structure together, such as... Figures 67-79 As shown: - Bolts 258 connect the inner frame 253 of the door to the lower frame 254 and the upper frame 255. These bolts are concealed by a vacuum seal 257 with a cross-sectional shape 739 and are not visible from any angle, such as... Figures 71-73 As shown.

[0328] - Bolts 248 connect the lower door hinge 241 to the lower door frame 254 and the upper door hinge 242 to the upper door frame 255. These bolts are concealed by a vacuum seal 256, which has a cross-sectional shape 739, located at the bottom and top frames of the shaft door and is not visible from any angle, such as... Figures 74-76 As shown.

[0329] - Bolts 249 connect the three hinges 241, 242, and 243 to the door hinge frame 252. These bolts are hidden when the door is closed, as they face the door frame, and are visible when the door is open. In fact, this may be the only place in the entire structure where the bolts are visible—in the shaft door open position, such as... Figure 72 and Figure 77 As shown.

[0330] As can be seen from the diagram, the bolts used in the design are not visible from the outside because they are contained within the frame structure and are also obscured by the shaft door frame when closed. Some bolts (on edge frame 252) are visible when the shaft door is open and when an observer is positioned somewhere between the shaft doors.

[0331] In one embodiment, shaft hinges 226 and 227 employ door pivots 228 that enter shaft housings 245 of shaft door hinges 242 and 243 or shaft housings 246 of shaft door hinges 241 of shaft doors 240 and 250. The lower shaft door hinge 241 employs a lever 247 inserted from the bottom of the hinge 241 and resting against a shaft door pivot mechanism 820, which opens and closes shaft doors 240 and 250 by rotating the lever 247.

[0332] In one embodiment, the shaft door hinges 242 and 243 are made of metal profiles having a cross-sectional shape 727, such as... Figure 139 As shown.

[0333] Furthermore, the shaft 210 rests on the shaft belt 300, which includes shaft belt 309 or 310 and shaft base 320. In one embodiment, Figure 7 and Figure 34 The shaft belt 309 or 310 is shown relative to the shaft 210 and the shaft base 320. Figure 80 , Figures 81-86 Different sections of shaft strip 309 or 310 are shown, wherein the three edge frames 311, 312, and 313 of shaft strip 309 or 310 are cut at a 45-degree angle (this angle may differ for hexagonal and octagonal shafts) at the corner edges in a manner that, when aligned together, the strip edges 311, 312, and 313 form a perfect 90-degree angle, thereby aligning with the shape of the shaft 210, as shown. Figure 33 , Figure 34 , Figures 87-88 As shown, this demonstrates a smooth transition from the outside along the strip-shaped outline of the outer pattern, and a smooth, uniform shaft with a 90-degree surface turn from the inside of the shaft.

[0334] In one embodiment, both edges of frame 313 are sculpted in a manner to provide space for the connecting knee 314, which is secured to frame 313 by bolts 315. Similarly, the rear edges of frames 311 and 312 are sculpted in a manner to provide space for the remaining ends of the connecting knee 314, such that when the left frame 311 and right frame 312 are aligned with the rear frame 313 to form a 90-degree angle, the connecting knee 314, along with the connecting bolts 315, is completely submerged within frames 311, 312, and 313 at both ends, thereby concealing the connecting knee 314 and bolts 315 at both ends of frame 313.

[0335] Using bolts 316 on the top and bottom sides of the belt frame 311, the left frame 311 is fastened to the belt connecting knee 314 at the left end of the rear frame 313, and the right frame 312 is fastened to the belt connecting knee 314 at the right end of the rear frame 313 using bolts 316 on the top and bottom sides of the belt frame 311, thus forming a robust shaft belt 309 or 310. At this point, the left and right belt connecting knees 314 and their connecting bolts 315 are hidden and embedded in the structure of the belt 309 or 310, exposing the bolts 316, which are then hidden by the glass panels 211 and 212 and the underlying sealant material (e.g., silicone). Once the belt is connected to the shaft glass body 210, all bolts used to construct the shaft belt structure are concealed.

[0336] In one embodiment, the connecting knee 314 is made of a metal profile having a cross-sectional shape 732, such as... Figure 140 As shown.

[0337] In one embodiment, the shaft base 320 includes: - The shaft base body 320 has a cross-sectional shape 733, such as Figure 100 and Figure 140 As shown - The shaft base side plate 321 has a cross-sectional shape 734, such as Figure 100 and Figure 140 As shown - The shaft base cover plate 322 has a cross-sectional shape 735, such as Figures 101-103 and Figure 140 As shown like Figures 96-98As shown, in one embodiment, the hoistway base 320 is secured to the hoistway band 309 or 310 by bolts 324. The bolts 324 are completely hidden from view because they are inserted from the interior of the hoistway base 320 and exit from a hole 323, and are fastened to the hoistway band 309 or 310 by corresponding threads. Therefore, the sides of the hoistway band 309 or 310 conform to a spotless design style—there are no visible bolts or nuts.

[0338] Additionally, in one embodiment, the shaft base 320 has several sets of bolts extending from the shaft base body 320, such as... Figures 95-98 and Figure 102 As shown: Bolt 324, which emerges from hole 323 on the rear side, faces the shaft and connects to shaft belt 309 or 310, as described in the previous paragraph. Bolt 331, which emerges from hole 319 on the rear side, faces the shaft, and connects to shaft door frame 221 and 222 on the lower floor (on the upper floor), or connects to left and right edge frame 134 of shaft foundation frame (on the foundation floor). Bolt 326, which emerges from hole 325 on the front side, faces the shaft entrance, and connects to the floor material of each floor. These bolts are concealed by being embedded in the floor material. - Bolt 328, which comes out from the bottom side of the shaft base body 320 and is connected to the front panel 230 (of the lower floor) via washer 236 or to the frame 132 of the shaft foundation frame 130 (on the bottom floor) via washer 133.

[0339] The heads of the aforementioned bolts are embedded within the main body 320 of the shaft base, and their ends are hidden within the structural body connected to the bolts, thereby concealing all bolts that emerge from the shaft base 320 and conform to a spotless design style.

[0340] Note that holes 323, 318, and 319 in the shaft base 320 are concealed by shaft strip 309 or 310 and shaft door frame 220. Hole 318 serves as a cable conduit for entering and exiting the shaft base 320.

[0341] In one embodiment, different sets of bolts also enter the wellbore base 320 from the outside, such as Figure 97 and Figure 98 As shown: Bolts 327 connect the left and right shaft base side plates 321 to the shaft base body 320. The top bolts 327 are covered by the shaft base cover plate 322, while the bottom bolts 327 are embedded in the floor material and are therefore hidden and not visible to the naked eye. Other bolts that fasten various mechanisms, which are part of the small machinery of the shaft, are located within the shaft base body 320. These bolts are inserted from the front or bottom side of the frame 320 and their heads are embedded in the thickness of the floor material, thus concealing them from the naked eye.

[0342] Furthermore, still following current methods, the machine room 400 (MR) is constructed in such a way that there are no external bolts holding the machine room structure together, although everything is assembled primarily using bolts and some glue. The MR may require maintenance of its internal mechanisms, therefore bolts and screws are used to open its compartments for technical maintenance and support. The shaft glass body 210 is adhered to the MR base frame 370, similar to the technique used to adhere the shaft glass body 210 to the shaft strip 310, thus attaching the MR to the shaft body with glue; therefore, there are no screws or bolts here either. Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 7 , Figure 33 , Figure 34 , Figure 107 , Figures 127-129 As shown.

[0343] In one embodiment, at the top of the shaft, the top-level shaft 210 is connected to the machine room (MR) 400 via a silicone-based or other adhesive material. Furthermore, the front side of the MR 400 is bolted to the top-level front panel 230 via bolts 482 located on the MR base frame 480, as... Figures 127-129 , Figure 133 As shown. The head of the front bolt 482 is hidden by the MR housing 410, as... Figure 107 , Figure 108 , Figure 109 As shown. The body of the front bolt 482 is embedded in the top edge 235 of the top front panel 230, thus attaching the front panel 230 to the MR without any bolts visible from the outside or inside of the well.

[0344] In one embodiment, the remaining sides (left, right, and rear) of the MR base frame 480 have bolts 482 along the edges of the MR base frame 480, which connect the MR base frame 480 to the MR edge frame 470. The bodies of these bolts 482 are embedded in the body of the MR edge frame 470, while the heads of these bolts 482 are hidden by the MR housing 410, thus concealing all bolts in the housing that connect the MR to the "outside world." All other bolts of the MR are located inside the MR and are not exposed to observers located inside or outside the hoistway.

[0345] In one embodiment, the MR housing 410 includes: a top panel 411, a front panel 412, a rear panel 413, a left panel 414, and a right panel 415, as shown below. Figure 108 and Figure 109 As shown.

[0346] As described above, when metal components are fixed to glass components or when two non-glass components are bolted together, the wellbore components of this method can be secured together using silicone-based or other adhesives. In the case of these bolts used in the wellbore structure, the bolts are hidden from the observer's view, whether viewed from inside or outside the wellbore, complementing the panoramic view and thus forming the unique spotless design characteristic of this method.

[0347] Furthermore, metal edges joined at 90-degree angles or other angular relationships are pre-cut at a 45-degree angle (in the case of rectangular shafts) on the joining edges, thus forming angled chamfers. Aligning these metal frames through the chamfered edges results in precise alignment of the contour curves and design features, as shown in the example below. Figure 80 , Figure 86 , Figure 88 As shown, this complements the unique spotless feature design feature of the current method.

Claims

1. An elevator shaft assembly, comprising: A multi-section shaft, which is an airtight vertical shaft, includes a lower section and an upper section of the multi-section shaft, the lower section including a first or more glass panels, and the upper section including a second or more glass panels; The first or more glass panels and the second or more glass panels, each having a corresponding vertical uniform inner panel surface, form at least a portion of the airtight shaft of the elevator shaft device. The first or more glass panels of the multi-section shaft are load-bearing panels that transmit at least their own weight and the weight of the second or more glass panels of the upper section of the multi-section shaft to one or more lower support structures of the elevator shaft device.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: Shaft foundation equipment and shaft machine room equipment; The shaft foundation device is one of the one or more underlying support structures; The multi-section shaft is located on top of the shaft foundation; and The hoistway equipment room is located at the top of the multi-segment hoistway, so that the first one or more glass panels of the multi-segment hoistway transmit at least part of the weight of the hoistway equipment room to the one or more underlying support structures.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the multi-section shaft comprises: Multiple shaft sections are vertically stacked to form one or more vertically uniform inner shaft surfaces of the multiple shaft sections; Each of the plurality of shaft sections includes a shaft door frame having one or more shaft doors; The one or more shaft doors of the multiple shaft sections form one of the one or more vertically uniform inner shaft surfaces of the multiple shaft sections.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: A belt frame, the belt frame including a plurality of belt arms, a particular belt arm having an inner vertical uniform belt arm surface and a belt arm groove located at the top belt arm edge of the particular belt arm; The frame is one of the one or more underlying support structures; Wherein, a particular glass panel having a chamfered bottom panel edge in the first one or more glass panels is coupled to the belt frame by placing the chamfered bottom panel edge in the belt arm groove of the particular belt arm, thereby forming a portion of the uniform inner surface of the device, including the inner vertical uniform belt arm surface and the inner panel surface of the particular glass panel.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: A belt frame, the belt frame including a plurality of belt arms, a particular belt arm having an inner belt arm vertical uniform surface, an outer belt arm surface and a belt arm groove located at the top belt arm edge of the particular belt arm; The frame is one of the one or more lower support structures; In this embodiment, a particular glass panel of the first one or more glass panels is coupled to the belt frame, thereby transmitting at least a portion of the weight of the particular glass panel through the belt frame.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: A belt frame, the belt frame including a plurality of belt arms, a particular belt arm having an inner belt arm vertical uniform surface, an outer belt arm surface and a belt arm groove located at the top belt arm edge of the particular belt arm; The frame is one of the one or more lower support structures; In this embodiment, a specific glass panel of the first one or more glass panels is coupled to the belt frame by an adhesive material placed between the specific glass panel and the belt arm groove of the specific belt arm, thereby securing the specific glass panel to the specific belt arm.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: A belt frame, the belt frame including a plurality of belt arms, a particular belt arm having an inner belt arm vertical uniform surface, an outer belt arm surface and a belt arm groove located at the top belt arm edge of the particular belt arm; The frame is one of the one or more underlying support structures; Wherein, a particular glass panel having a chamfered bottom panel edge in the first one or more glass panels is coupled to the belt frame by placing the chamfered bottom panel edge in the belt arm groove of the particular belt arm, thereby forming a portion of the vertical uniform inner surface of the device including the inner vertical uniform belt arm surface and the inner vertical uniform panel surface. An adhesive material is placed between the chamfered bottom panel edge of the particular glass panel and the arm groove of the particular arm, thereby securing the particular glass panel to the particular arm; Along at least one groove of the band arm, the at least one groove collects excess adhesive material in the adhesive material that secures the particular glass panel to the particular band arm, thereby: To prevent excessive adhesive material from forming serrations on the surface of the inner vertical uniform belt arm and the surface of the inner vertical uniform panel. The formation of the portion comprising the inner vertical uniform band arm surface and the inner vertical uniform panel surface of the device, and Maintain the airtightness of the multi-section shaft.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: A frame, wherein the first or more glass panels are coupled to the second or more glass panels via the frame, and the frame is one of the one or more under-support structures for the upper section of the multi-segment shaft.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, The first specific glass panel of the first one or more glass panels includes a first bottom panel edge, a first top panel edge, and a first inner vertical uniform panel surface; in, The second specific glass panel in the second or more glass panels includes a second inner panel having a vertically uniform surface, a second outer panel having a vertically uniform surface, and a second top panel edge; The belt frame includes multiple belt arms, and a specific belt arm among the multiple belt arms has a vertically uniform inner belt arm surface, a top belt arm groove located at the top edge of the specific belt arm, and a bottom belt arm groove located at the bottom edge of the specific belt arm. The specific first glass panel with a chamfered bottom panel edge is coupled to the belt frame by placing the chamfered bottom panel edge in the top belt arm groove of the specific belt arm, thereby forming a portion of the inner vertical uniform surface of the device, including the inner vertical uniform belt arm surface and the first inner vertical uniform panel surface. The specific second glass panel with a chamfered second top panel edge is coupled to the belt frame by placing the chamfered second top panel edge in the bottom belt arm groove of the specific belt arm, thereby forming a portion of the inner vertical uniform surface of the device, including the first inner vertical uniform panel surface of the first specific glass panel, the second inner vertical uniform panel surface of the second specific glass panel, and the inner vertical uniform belt arm surface of the specific belt arm.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the multi-segment shaft comprises one or more shaft segments, the one or more shaft segments comprising a shaft door frame having one or more shaft doors and the first one or more glass panels; in, The one or more shaft sections are uniform in the vertical direction and have the following cross-sectional shape: A triangle, which leads to a triangular shaft. A rectangle, which results in a rectangular shaft. The pentagon, which leads to the pentagonal well, Hexagonal shape, which leads to hexagonal shaft. The octagonal shape results in an octagonal wellbore. The circular shape results in the wellbore being tubular in shape. The shape is elliptical, which results in the wellbore being elliptical in shape, or The horseshoe shape causes the elliptical tubular shape of the wellbore to flatten on one side.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a particular glass panel in the first or more glass panels is made of tempered glass.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the tempered glass of the particular glass panel is formed from silicate glass, borosilicate glass, low-iron glass, lead glass, or colored glass by a process comprising: Hot tempering processes, including both heating and rapid cooling, The chemical tempering process includes ion exchange between sodium and potassium ions on the glass surface of the specific glass panel. Laminated glass is formed by laminating the specific glass panel with a thin film, or The tempered glass of the specific glass panel is formed from multiple glass sub-panels, which are bonded together with a laminating film or adhesive material to form laminated glass.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, in, The first or more glass panels include: A specific glass panel having multiple panel edges, including a specific panel left edge, a specific panel right edge, a specific panel bottom edge, and a specific panel top edge; A first adjacent glass panel having a first adjacent panel side edge; The second adjacent glass panel has a second adjacent panel side edge; Wherein, the right edge of the specific panel is coupled to the side edge of the first adjacent panel, and the left edge of the specific panel is coupled to the side edge of the second adjacent panel, thereby forming at least the portion of the airtight shaft of the elevator shaft device including the specific glass panel, the first adjacent glass panel, and the second adjacent glass panel.

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