Metal sheet substrate for use in an elevator

Abstract

A sheet metal base plate for use in an elevator is disclosed, wherein the base plate is made from a small thickness of sheet metal by a special edge folding process without compromising its structural integrity. The base plate is constructed from a single sheet metal and incorporates a top head and a bottom head to form a monolithic part. This construction makes it possible to position the heads in any way, thus having rotational symmetry, which makes the installation easier. This is achieved by four special bends of the base plate on all edges of the top and bottom side - a first 90° bend (1a), followed by a second 90° bend (1b), a third 90° bend (1c) and a fourth 180° edge fold (1d) of the open edge formed after the third 90° bend (1c).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention generally belongs to the field of elevators, specifically to the field of elevator door and car construction, and more specifically, to the field of metal sheet substrates used in elevator doors and cars. This invention relates to a metal sheet substrate for use in elevators, the novel feature of which reduces the thickness requirement of the metal sheet without compromising the structural integrity of the sheet, resulting in a low-cost and high-efficiency substrate. Background Technology

[0002] In the elevator industry, base plates made of metal sheets are commonly used in landing doors, car doors, and the car itself.

[0003] Conventionally, elevator doors (landing doors and car doors) consist of the following components: a bottom header, a top header, a base plate, and reinforcements. The base plate is always made of sheet metal of uniform thickness. The thickness of the sheet metal is determined by the strength required at the weakest point of the panel during standard mechanical testing. Therefore, the default thickness of the sheet metal at its weakest point becomes the overall panel thickness. Typically, such elevator door or car panels have a base plate thickness of 0.8 mm or more. For durability and strength, the elevator car, also known as the passenger compartment, is constructed of steel and consists of a top plate, a platform, and a base plate. The sides of the elevator car are also typically made of sheet metal and are decorated with panels inside. Within the elevator car, the base plate connects the top plate and the platform.

[0004] Therefore, substrates are widely used in the elevator industry. However, with the rising price of sheet metal, there is a need for substrates that can reduce elevator manufacturing costs without compromising the structural integrity of the substrate.

[0005] Prior art in the field known to the inventor

[0006] Chinese patent application CN201811591042A discloses an integral elevator door panel structure, wherein a left flange and a right flange are respectively provided at the left and right ends of the panel body. An upper flange and a lower flange are respectively provided at the top and bottom ends of the panel. The inner wall of the hemming is provided with a rolled edge, and a connector is provided on the inner side of the rolled edge. A guide shoe is provided at the bottom of the connector below the lower hemming. There is a mounting cavity, and the mounting cavity is provided with reinforcing ribs fixed to the surface of the panel. The patent document claims that such a panel structure can effectively improve production efficiency and enhance the overall strength of the door panel.

[0007] Chinese patent application CN201620607387U discloses an integrally curved elevator door, comprising a door panel body, an upper end cap, a lower end cap, and a door slider mounted on the lower end cap. In the elevator door body, the sides (left and right sides) are bent into an inward-curving U-shape to form an edge structure. The U-shaped inward-curving portion of the door panel body is bent to form the upper end cap, and the lower side is formed in a stepped inward curve to form the lower end cap. The stepped portion includes at least one vertical surface, on which the door slider is mounted. The stepped shape described in this example is a secondary step shape, which includes a first step directly connected to the door panel body and a second step connected to the end of the first step. The door slider is mounted on the vertical plane of the first step. The patent document discloses that the door is manufactured by one-piece molding, thereby reducing the door manufacturing process and making the process simple and easy to implement, and also reducing the cost of the elevator car door.

[0008] Chinese patent application CN201520720563U discloses an elevator door with a novel integral structure, comprising a main door body, the door body including side edges folded upwards on the left and right sides, an upper folded edge, and a lower folded edge. The lower folded edge is provided with mounting holes for mounting door sliding elements. The lower folded edge is also folded along the edge direction by a first curved edge, a second curved edge, and bends on a third and fourth side, thereby forming four stepped side edges. The lower end of the vertical flange of the rim includes a lower folded edge with a vertical mounting plate. The vertical mounting plate is bent by the first side edge, and the bent second side edge is bent twice in an L-shape, the vertical position corresponding to the lower folded edge of the mounting plate. Mounting holes are located in the vertical mounting plate. The first folded edge, the second folded edge between the first and third folded edges, and grooves are formed for mounting sliders between the fourth curved edges. The novel features mentioned above, especially the use of a four-folded lower folded edge that extends straight through the lower part of the elevator door assembly, not only reduce the manufacturing process of the door assembly but also ensure the rigidity of the door assembly and claim to facilitate the installation of the door slider.

[0009] Document EP 2008958 A1 discloses an elevator doorway that is opened / closed by an elevator door. The door for the elevator has a panel member and a back member disposed behind the panel member. The panel member and the back member are continuous with each other at each end in the width direction of the door panel. The panel member and the back member are continuous with each other in the area formed by bending the panel. The back member has a back-side overlapping portion superimposed on the back surface of the panel member. Therefore, the door panel can be easily manufactured simply by bending the panel. The strength of the door panel can also be ensured by the reinforcement generated by bending the panel and the reinforcement generated by the back member. Furthermore, even in the case, for example, if a passenger's hand is inserted into the back of the door panel, it can prevent the passenger's hand from being cut by the door panel.

[0010] Document CN 107840229 A discloses a metal plate substrate according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0011] However, the aforementioned inventions do not completely solve the problems in the prior art. In particular, they do not provide an effective mechanism to reduce the thickness requirements of the metal sheet substrate used in elevator landing doors, car doors, and the car itself without compromising the structural integrity of the substrate. Patents disclosed in prior art literature are also inconvenient for installation because the holes for fixing the substrate are asymmetrical. Therefore, there is a need in the art for a low-cost metal sheet substrate for use in elevators that is easy to install and assemble.

[0012] The information disclosed in the Background section is intended only to enhance the understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be construed as an endorsement of prior art known to those skilled in the art or any form of implication.

[0013] Furthermore, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the object of the present invention has been achieved by providing a metal sheet substrate for use in elevators, which is inherently unique and different from existing systems or systems described in the prior art in the fields known to the inventors. Various modifications can be made within and without departing from the concept of the invention. Additional features of the invention that form the subject matter of the claims will be described below. Those skilled in the art should understand that they can readily use the disclosed concepts and specific embodiments as a basis for designing and modifying other methods and structures for achieving the same object of the invention. Furthermore, features of some stages disclosed in this application can be used in conjunction with features of other stages. Therefore, the scope of the invention will be determined by the terminology of the appended claims and their legal equivalents.

[0014] The purpose of this invention

[0015] Various embodiments of the present invention can overcome one or more problems of conventional prior art.

[0016] The main objective of this invention is to provide a metal sheet substrate for use in elevators, which reduces the manufacturing cost of elevators compared to existing metal sheet substrates.

[0017] Another object of the present invention is to provide a metal sheet substrate for use in elevators, wherein the thickness of the substrate is minimized as much as possible, while the structural integrity of the substrate is not compromised.

[0018] Another object of the present invention is to provide a metal sheet substrate for use in elevators, wherein the substrate is easy to install and assemble.

[0019] Another object of the present invention is to provide a metal sheet substrate for use in elevators, wherein the improved structure does not affect the aesthetics of the elevator doors and car.

[0020] Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing a metal sheet substrate for use in elevators.

[0021] These objects and advantages of the subject matter, as well as other objects and advantages, will be apparent to those skilled in the art after considering the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the subject matter are illustrated. Summary of the Invention

[0022] The following disclosure provides a brief overview of the invention to offer a basic understanding of some aspects of it. This overview is not a comprehensive summary of the invention. It is not intended to identify key / essential elements of the invention or to define its scope. Its sole purpose is to present some of the concepts of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description of the invention that follows.

[0023] This invention embodies a metal sheet substrate for use in elevators, the metal sheet substrate comprising:

[0024] (i) A single body (1) having a top side, a bottom side, a left side, and a right side, wherein the body

[0025] (1) The edges of the top and bottom sides are respectively bent at a first 90° (1a), followed by a second 90° bend (1b) and a subsequent third 90° bend (1c), which forms an open edge, and the open edge is then folded 180° (1d).

[0026] (ii) At least one pair of holes symmetrical to each other on the top and bottom sides of the body (1), respectively.

[0027] (1e, 1f);

[0028] (iii) at least one pair of reinforcing members (2) attached to the rear side of the main body (1); and,

[0029] (iv) A bracket (3) and a slipper (4) are arranged to be fixed to the body (1) at the pair of holes (1f) at one end of the body (1), the end forming a bottom end cap.

[0030] The present invention also provides a method for manufacturing a metal sheet substrate for use in elevators, the method comprising the following steps:

[0031] (i) A first 90° bend (1a) is made at the edges of both the top and bottom sides of the body (1) of the metal sheet substrate using a standard bending machine;

[0032] (ii) A second 90° bend (1b) is performed after the first 90° bend (1a);

[0033] (iii) A third 90° bend (1c) is performed after the second 90° bend (1b); and,

[0034] (iv) Using the standard bending machine, form a 180° fold (1d) at the opening edge formed after the third 90° bend (1c); and

[0035] (v) After folding the edge of the opening at 180°, at least one pair of reinforcing members (2) are attached to the rear side of the body (1).

[0036] The various advantages of this invention include:

[0037] 1. The substrate becomes at least 50% lighter. Therefore, the cost of basic input materials is reduced.

[0038] 2. Because the door panel is lightweight, its assembly becomes easier.

[0039] 3. The door panels are symmetrical in the assembly direction (left, right, top and bottom).

[0040] 4. All four folded edges are welded to the back of the substrate, so as not to affect the appearance of the front.

[0041] 5. The segmented folded edges increase the structural strength of the elevator door.

[0042] 6. Usually, two workers are needed to install the door. However, due to the door panel's light weight, such an installation can be completed by one worker.

[0043] 7. The door constructed using the improved substrate structure is 180° symmetrical. Therefore, installation is easier because the end cap can be positioned in any way. Attached Figure Description

[0044] The advantages and features of the invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art when considered with reference to the following description and in conjunction with the accompanying drawings listed below.

[0045] Figure 1 This is a rear view of an embodiment of the metal sheet substrate used in elevators disclosed in this invention.

[0046] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of the metal sheet substrate used in elevators disclosed in this invention.

[0047] Figure 3 This is an enlarged cross-sectional view (section XX and section YY) of the top and bottom edges of a single body (1) of the metal sheet substrate for elevators disclosed in this invention, with the edges bent.

[0048] Figure 4A This refers to the metal sheet substrate prior to implementing the structure disclosed in this invention.

[0049] Figure 4B This refers to a metal sheet substrate after bending on all sides as disclosed in this invention.

[0050] Figure 5A The top interface of an elevator door panel and a lifting mechanism, according to an embodiment of the metal sheet substrate disclosed in this invention, is shown, wherein the substrate is used in an elevator door.

[0051] Figure 5B The bottom interface of an elevator door panel and a threshold is shown in an embodiment of the metal sheet substrate disclosed in this invention, wherein the substrate is used in an elevator door. Detailed Implementation

[0052] The following description is presented to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention, and is provided in the context of a particular application and requirement of the invention. The invention can be configured as follows:

[0053] structure

[0054] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, such as Figures 1 to 5B As shown, the present invention provides a metal sheet substrate for use in elevators, the metal sheet substrate comprising:

[0055] (i) A single body (1) having a top side, a bottom side, a left side, and a right side, wherein the body

[0056] (1) The edges of the top and bottom sides are respectively bent at a first 90° (1a), followed by a second 90° bend (1b) and a subsequent third 90° bend (1c), which forms an open edge, which is then folded 180° (1d).

[0057] (ii) At least one pair of holes (1e, 1e, 1e) symmetrical to each other on the top and bottom sides of the body (1), respectively.

[0058] 1f);

[0059] (iii) at least one pair of reinforcing members (2) attached to the rear side of the main body (1); and,

[0060] (iv) A bracket (3) and a slipper (4) are arranged to be fixed to the body (1) at the pair of holes (1f) at one end of the body (1), the end forming a bottom end cap.

[0061] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the reinforcing member (2) is arranged in a cross shape on the rear side of the main body (1) to reinforce the middle segment of the substrate.

[0062] In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the thickness of the reinforcing member (2) is greater than the thickness of the substrate, which is the opposite of the arrangement in existing elevators.

[0063] In one embodiment of the present invention, the metal sheet substrate disclosed herein is used in elevator landing doors.

[0064] In another embodiment of the invention, the metal sheet substrate disclosed herein is used in elevator car doors.

[0065] In one embodiment of the present invention, the metal sheet substrate disclosed herein is used in elevator car doors or landing doors, wherein the doors are center-opening.

[0066] In another embodiment of the invention, the metal sheet substrate disclosed herein is used in elevator car doors or landing doors, wherein the doors are telescopic opening type.

[0067] In yet another embodiment of the invention, the metal sheet substrate disclosed herein is used in the passenger cabin / car panel of an elevator.

[0068] In embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 5A As shown, in the case of the metal sheet substrate disclosed herein used in elevator landing doors, the substrate is mounted by fastening the top of the body (1) to a truckplate (6) via two L-shaped brackets (7), which are fasteners riveted together with brackets passing through paired holes (1e) present on the substrate. The truckplate is then fastened to the top mechanism of the elevator by rollers to move to the side when the door is opened. In the same embodiment, as Figure 5BAs shown, the substrate is mounted by fastening the top of the body (1) through a pair of holes (1f) to the bracket (3), and a slip shoe (4) is arranged and inserted into the threshold slot (5) for sliding.

[0069] The specific embodiments provided herein are for illustrative purposes only. Those skilled in the art will be able to reproduce and / or apply the described construction in various other ways not expressly mentioned herein, for example, by employing the metal sheet substrate disclosed herein as the cabin / cabin panel. Such a construction will be within the spirit and scope of this patent specification.

[0070] Work

[0071] It is a well-known practice to any person skilled in the art that the substrate is always made of a sheet of metal with a uniform thickness throughout the panel. The thickness of the sheet metal is determined by the strength required at the weakest point of the panel when performing standard mechanical tests. Therefore, the default thickness of the sheet at the weakest point becomes the thickness of the entire panel. Typically, elevator door / car panels have a substrate thickness of 0.8 mm or more.

[0072] The novel and inventive structure disclosed in this invention reinforces the weakest part of the panel through a process called folding. This allows the weakest part of the panel to have a higher thickness, while the rest of the panel will have half the thickness. Therefore, this novel and inventive aspect of the invention allows for the manufacture of sheet metal-based components for elevators using very thin sheet metal ranging from 0.5 mm to 0.7 mm in thickness. Consequently, this unique aspect results in a significant reduction in cost while meeting the required structural strength for sheet metal components used in elevators.

[0073] The two longitudinal sides of the substrate disclosed in this invention are used as top and bottom end caps, so there is no need to attach top and bottom end caps separately as with conventional substrates.

[0074] The novel features disclosed in this invention allow the use of metal sheets with thicknesses as low as ≥0.5 mm to ≤0.7 mm in the substrate. The improvement over existing structures is due to the use of a 180° folding process on all open edges of the substrate sides. Since these edges bear the greatest loads in the door, this folding arrangement ensures double wall thickness in the edge cross-section despite the metal sheet thickness being only ≥0.5 mm to ≤0.7 mm. Such folding exists on all four sides of the substrate. The selective reinforcement of weak points (i.e., substrate edges) is the reason why metal sheets with a thickness of ≥0.5 mm to ≤0.7 mm can be used as a structural input. Since the center of the door panel has a thickness of only ≥0.5 mm to ≤0.7 mm, a 0.8 mm thick reinforcing member is used to increase the structural support at the center to resist deformation during mechanical testing.

[0075] Using a folding process, the bottom and top end cap components can be incorporated into the substrate structure to create a unit component comprising three parts. The elevator substrate structure retains the functionality of the substrate, combining the functions of the top and bottom end caps within the same substrate, while increasing strength by 10%. Conventionally, three different metal sheet thicknesses are used to manufacture the door panel—the top and bottom end caps, the substrate, and the reinforcing member. The metal sheet thicknesses used for the end caps and substrate are different. This invention utilizes only one metal sheet of one thickness to manufacture the unit component serving as the substrate, top end cap, and bottom end cap.

[0076] This invention achieves the objectives stated in the above specification by creatively designing the structure of the elevator metal sheet substrate used for landing doors, car doors, and the car itself. The uniqueness of the substrate structure disclosed in this invention lies in the following features:

[0077] (i) Reduction in the number of components: Conventional elevator doors include a base plate (thickness ≥ 0.8 mm) attached to a top end cap and a bottom end cap, where the top and bottom end caps were originally separate components. However, the structure of the present invention uses a single base plate, eliminating two additional components while retaining their functionality. The same logic applies to car panels, especially those that meet a load requirement of ≤ 680 kg.

[0078] (ii) Reduce the thickness of the sheet metal (for the base plate of the elevator door and car) to ≥0.5 mm to ≤0.7 mm while maintaining the same structural integrity so as to pass the mechanical tests specified in the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) or any other local or international standards.

[0079] Invention evaluation and test results

[0080] Mechanical tests were performed on the metal sheet substrates disclosed herein according to IS 14665 (Part 4, Section 6). The dimensions of the test samples are as follows:

[0081] Panel thickness: 0.5 mm

[0082] Reinforcing component thickness: 0.8 mm

[0083] Top frame: 70×40 mm

[0084] Side frame: 90×40 mm

[0085] Clear opening × Clear height: Central opening 2 panels - (700×2000 and 800×2000)

[0086] The following two samples were tested:

[0087] Sample 1 - Center-opening 2-panel - 700×2000 all-steel metal sheet (0.5 mm)

[0088] Sample 2 - Center Opening 2 Panel - 800×2000 All-Steel Metal Sheet (0.5 mm)

[0089] According to IS 14665 (Part 4, Section 6), a force of 345 Newtons shall be applied perpendicular to a 5 square centimeter area using a dial indicator with a plunger (deformation measuring tool).

[0090] The test standard is that there should be no plastic deformation, and the test should not cause the door to pop out of the guide rail.

[0091] The following test results were obtained:

[0092]

[0093] Therefore, the novel and inventive structure for improving metal sheet substrates disclosed in this invention has demonstrated compliance with the mechanical requirements of IS 14665 (Part 4, Section 6).

[0094] While preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it should be understood that various modifications and variations in form and detail can be readily made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not limited to the exact forms described and shown, but should be configured to cover all modifications that may fall within the scope of the appended claims. Further embodiments can also be obtained by combining two or more dependent claims.

[0095] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the objectives of this invention have been achieved by providing the above-described invention. However, various modifications can be made to the structure of this invention without departing from the concept of the invention. Therefore, the scope of this invention will be determined by the terminology of the appended claims and their legal equivalents.

Claims

1. A sheet metal base plate for use in an elevator, the sheet metal base plate comprising a single sheet metal having a uniform thickness, forming a top head, a bottom head and a single main body (1) having a top side, a bottom side, a left side and a right side, wherein, By performing a first 90° bend (1a), followed by a second 90° bend (1b) and a subsequent third 90° bend (1c), the edges of the single sheet of metal form the top head and the bottom head, respectively, on the top side and the bottom side of the main body (1), the third 90° bend forming an open edge, wherein the sheet metal base plate comprises at least one pair of stiffeners (2) attached to the back side of the main body (1), wherein the open edges of the top head and the bottom head are hemmed 180° (1d) and the stiffeners (2) are arranged in a cross shape on the back side of the main body (1), thereby stiffening the middle section of the base plate.

2. The sheet metal substrate for use in an elevator according to claim 1, wherein The sheet metal base plate comprises at least one pair of holes (1e, 1f) on the top head and the bottom head, respectively, which are symmetrical to each other.

3. The sheet metal substrate for use in an elevator according to claim 2, wherein The sheet metal base plate comprises a bracket (3) and a shoe (4) arrangement fixed to the bottom head at the pair of holes (1f) of the bottom head.

4. The sheet metal substrate for use in an elevator according to claim 1, wherein, The thickness of the stiffeners (2) is greater than the thickness of the base plate.

5. The sheet metal substrate for use in an elevator according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The material of the base plate is stainless steel.

6. The sheet metal substrate for use in an elevator according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein The material of the base plate is low carbon steel.

7. The sheet metal substrate for use in an elevator according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The base plate is used for a landing door, a car door and a passenger compartment plate of an elevator, the landing door being center-opening or telescopic opening.

8. An elevator comprising the sheet metal base plate of any one of claims 1 to 7.

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