elevator

Abstract

An elevator. A car (10) is connected to a counterweight (41) via a lifting member (42) and also to the counterweight (41) via a freefall protection member (110) passing over at least two freefall protection pulleys (120, 130), each freefall protection pulley being equipped with at least one freefall protection brake (140, 150), controlled by a freefall protection controller (260). The pretension of the freefall protection member is at least 50% less than the pretension of the lifting member. The freefall protection member is formed by at least one toothed belt. Each freefall protection pulley is formed by a toothed pulley that engages with the toothed belt.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an elevator. Background Technology

[0002] An elevator typically includes a car, an elevator shaft, a lifting mechanism, a lifting member, and a counterweight. A separate or integrated car frame may enclose and support the car. The lifting mechanism may be located in a machine room or shaft. The lifting mechanism may include a drive unit, an electric motor, a traction wheel, and a mechanism brake. The lifting mechanism can move the car vertically up and down in a vertically extending elevator shaft. The frame may be connected to the counterweight, with the lifting member passing over the traction wheel. The frame may be further supported by guide devices on guide rails extending along the height of the shaft. The guide rails may be supported on the side wall structure of the shaft by fastening brackets. As the car moves up and down in the elevator shaft, the guide devices may engage with the guide rails and hold the car in the appropriate position in a horizontal plane. The counterweight may be supported correspondingly on the guide rails, which are supported on the wall structure of the shaft. The elevator car can transport people and / or goods between floors of a building. The elevator shaft may be configured such that the wall structure is formed by solid walls or by an open steel structure.

[0003] One requirement in elevator safety regulations is that elevators must be equipped with a freefall protection system. Small elevators in low-rise buildings may typically only have a safety device connected to the car. Elevators in high-rise buildings and elevators with accessible spaces below the shaft should be equipped with both a safety device connected to the car and a safety device connected to the counterweight. The overspeed governor sheave, safety device, and the overspeed governor (OSG) rope connecting the overspeed governor sheave and safety device have traditionally been used as the freefall protection system in elevators. The OSG rope extends above the OSG sheave at the top of the shaft and above the lower tension pulley at the bottom of the shaft. Traditionally, the OSG rope is tensioned by the lower tension pulley. However, the inertia of the rotating portion of the OSG and OSG rope can cause problems in high-speed elevators. Sudden emergency stops of the mechanism brakes and the aforementioned inertia can cause the safety device to activate unexpectedly.

[0004] The weight of OSG ropes has already caused problems in high-rise buildings.

[0005] The OSG rope extends close to the fixed structure in the shaft, and its tension is significantly less than that of the hoisting rope. Building swaying and bending can cause the OSG rope to become entangled in the shaft structure. In areas prone to excessive building swaying due to factors such as strong winds or earthquakes, elevator operation is suspended if the building sway exceeds safe limits.

[0006] When determining the guide rail dimensions, the clamping of safety devices on the guide rails must be taken into account. This may increase the guide rail dimensions compared to situations where only ride comfort, horizontal acceleration, and uneven load on the car must be considered.

[0007] In existing solutions, the OSG pulleys and OSG rope loops at the top of the shaft have been replaced with static OSG ropes and OSGs that are integrated with the car and directly operate the safety devices. Static OSG ropes address the problem of rope inertia and partially resolve issues associated with swaying OSG ropes. Alternatively, the safety devices can be electrically activated. Electrically activated safety devices address issues related to OSG ropes. However, such existing solutions require a battery positioned in the car to allow operation of the OSG even during power outages. Furthermore, if the car cables are damaged, the safety devices may not be able to be released electrically. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The purpose of this invention is to provide an elevator with a novel free fall protection system and a method for controlling the elevator.

[0009] The elevator according to the invention is defined in claim 1.

[0010] Claim 12 defines a method for controlling an elevator according to the invention.

[0011] The free-fall protection component does not bear any significant load of the car and counterweight during normal operation. The load of the car and counterweight is borne by the lifting component during normal operation. This can be achieved by having a lower pretension in the free-fall protection component compared to the pretension in the lifting component. The pretension of the free-fall protection component is only required to keep it within its track on the free-fall protection pulley. Only in the event of a failure of the lifting component is the car and counterweight fully supported by the free-fall protection component.

[0012] The freefall protection system eliminates the overspeed regulator rope and related problems.

[0013] The freefall protection system further eliminates the need for safety devices on the car and counterweight. The frame (i.e., the car's slings) can therefore be designed with a deceleration of, for example, 0.5G instead of the normal 1G.

[0014] Since there will be no safety device to clamp the guide rail, the guide rail can also be made lighter.

[0015] Therefore, the problem of the guide rail falling onto the lifting bolts when the safety device is activated is also eliminated in this invention.

[0016] The independent free-fall protection component, connected to the car and counterweight via an independent free-fall protection pulley, eliminates the possibility of slippage on the free-fall protection pulley. The free-fall protection component is formed by at least one toothed belt, and the free-fall protection pulley is equipped with mating teeth. The shape-locking between the free-fall protection component and the free-fall protection pulley makes it possible to achieve protection in both directions of the car using the free-fall protection system.

[0017] Compared to the case where the freefall protection brake acts directly on the freefall protection component, the case where the freefall protection brake acts on the freefall protection pulley makes the braking force easier to control.

[0018] Elevators with a rated speed exceeding 3 m / s typically require anti-jump lock devices. When the car's deceleration is automatically monitored and controlled at the shaft end, the locking device can be completely avoided, eliminating the buffer extension due to overspeed. The dimensions of the mechanism brake and freefall protection brake can be designed to keep the deceleration of the car and / or counterweight within the safety regulations for passenger and elevator safety.

[0019] The car may always move from the machine room to the landing. Since the safety devices cannot be activated, there is no need to rescue people from one car to another, therefore, the situation where the car and / or counterweight cannot move does not need to be considered.

[0020] A free-fall protection system can be used to control unintended car movement at landings. When the doors open, the car may unintentionally move up or down at a landing due to changes in the load within the car. When the mechanical brake is activated, it is difficult to relevel the car at the landing in response to unintended car movement. The activated mechanical brake prevents the car from releveling at the landing. This invention makes it possible to prevent unintentional car movement at landings with a free-fall protection brake. When the car has stopped at the landing, the mechanical brake can be deactivated, and the free-fall protection brake can be activated. The pretension of the free-fall protection member is less than the pretension of the lifting member. Therefore, when the mechanical brake is disengaged and the free-fall protection brake is engaged, the car can be immediately releveled at the landing using the lifting mechanism. The lightly loaded free-fall protection member will stretch during the car's releveling, making releveling possible. The free-fall protection member can also be attached to the car and counterweight via a spring. The springs further contribute to the tension of the free-fall protection components. Therefore, during car releveling, prevention of unintended car movement is maintained. Consequently, the elevator's safety level remains high during car releveling.

[0021] A free-fall protection system can be used to ensure that the maximum permissible deceleration does not exceed 1G when the car approaches the terminal landing. Elevator safety regulations require that normal car deceleration be monitored to have a reduced buffer travel at the terminal landing of the shaft. The low pit below the lowest landing requires only a short buffer to be used in the pit. It is impossible to travel at the rated speed on the buffer, as the deceleration would exceed the maximum permissible value of 1G. Maximum speed or minimum deceleration is set for the car approaching the lowest landing. The free-fall protection system can be used as a backup system to increase safety when approaching a terminal landing with reduced buffer travel. The free-fall protection controller ensures that the car decelerates as required when approaching the end of the shaft. The free-fall protection controller can assist in car deceleration via a free-fall protection brake. This adds redundancy and / or another layer of protection to the elevator. This further makes it easier to adjust the deceleration rate. Because the toothed belt extends on the toothed pulley in the freefall protection system, there is no belt slippage when the freefall protection brake is used.

[0022] A freefall protection system can be used to control the deceleration of the elevator car. This can be achieved by using the freefall protection brake in parallel with the elevator's mechanism brake. An acceleration sensor positioned in conjunction with the car can be used as an input to control both the mechanism brake and the freefall protection brake. The maximum deceleration of the car used for transporting passengers is 1G. This invention allows for the generation of a constant portion of the deceleration torque using the mechanism brake and an adjustable portion using the freefall protection brake, ensuring that the maximum deceleration of the car is never exceeded under any circumstances. It is difficult to manage all load conditions and / or all imbalance conditions using only the mechanism brake to keep the braking distance and maximum deceleration within safe ranges. The adjustable deceleration torque achieved through the freefall protection brake simplifies the size design of the mechanism brake. The freefall brake is controlled based on an acceleration sensor in the car. The braking torque of the freefall brake can be controlled by generating braking pulses to it. This can be accomplished using pulse width modulation (PWM). A hydraulic system can be used to control the freefall protection brake based on PWM control. The freefall protection brake can be controlled using the anti-lock braking system (ABS). The ABS system operates by preventing the freefall protection pulley from locking during braking. The deceleration of the freefall protection pulley can therefore be adjusted to the desired level.

[0023] A free-fall protection system can be used to move a car when it is stuck between floors. Various reasons can cause a car to become stuck between floors. The elevator power supply may be interrupted and the backup battery may discharge. There may be a bearing failure in the mechanical device or the elevator deflector pulley, causing motor current overload. Therefore, the motor overcurrent protection will be activated, disconnecting the motor power supply. There may be a fault preventing the release of the mechanism brake. The free-fall protection system of this invention provides a solution for situations where the car is stuck between floors. For example, the mechanical interface of the device can be connected to one of the free-fall protection pulleys. Alternatively, the mechanical interface can be connected to the motor used to drive the free-fall protection pulley. Another possibility is to connect the mechanical interface to a simple lever. Thus, the car can be moved to the nearest floor by the motor or lever. The free-fall protection pulley can be positioned in or near the machine room, allowing operation from within the machine room. When the traction wheel is not moving, the traction force of the toothed free-fall protection member on the toothed free-fall protection pulley is sufficient to overcome the traction force of the lifting member on the traction wheel.

[0024] The freefall protection system may be equipped with a rescue brake opening. The bottom of the rescue brake opening can be provided in the maintenance and inspection panel (MAP) or machine room for disconnecting the freefall protection brake and the mechanism brake. An encoder can be used at the freefall protection pulley to monitor speed and / or acceleration and / or distance traveled. The freefall protection controller controls the car's speed and / or acceleration and applies the freefall protection brake in cases of excessive speed or acceleration. A test button for each freefall protection brake can also be configured to be associated with the rescue brake disconnect button. The test button disconnects the mechanism brake and other freefall protection brakes and engages only the freefall protection brake under test. The freefall protection brake can then be tested by applying a test torque to the freefall protection pulley equipped with the freefall protection brake.

[0025] Free-fall protection systems can be used to assist in manual rescue operations of the elevator car. In the case of heavy-duty elevators, rescue operations especially require manual intervention from the machine room. Rescuers need to visually inspect the car's position to ensure it hasn't hit the landing door zone. The smooth back of the free-fall protection component can be marked with upper and lower limits for each landing and corresponding door zone. For example, this marking can be made visible to the operator in the machine room by placing lights at the location where the operator is performing the manual rescue operation. This marking can be installed on the free-fall protection component during elevator commissioning, where the rated load in the car is half-full to eliminate tolerances due to varying loads.

[0026] A freefall protection system can be used to detect slippage of the hoisting component. The hoisting component may slip, for example, due to oil on the traction sheave and / or the hoisting component itself. A toothed freefall protection belt cannot slip on a toothed freefall protection pulley. This fact can be used to detect slippage of the hoisting rope. A first encoder can be positioned on the shaft of the traction sheave. A second encoder can be positioned at the freefall protection pulley. The outputs of the first and second encoders can be compared. Any difference between the output signals of the two encoders will be an indication of hoisting rope slippage. When rope slippage is detected, the car can be driven to the nearest landing, the door can be opened, and the car can be stopped. The fault condition can be stored in memory and sent to the cloud for a maintenance call.

[0027] The speed of the free-fall protection components and / or the car and / or the counterweight and / or any rotating sheaves or pulleys in the system can be measured using a speed detector. Any type of speed detector can be used in this regard. The speed detector can be based on electronic equipment; for example, it can be based on one or more accelerometers or it can be based on encoder data. An encoder can be used to measure the rotational speed of the sheaves or pulleys in the system. Alternatively, the speed detector can be based on mechanical devices, such as rollers acting on the car guide rails.

[0028] The freefall protection system may also include a speed detector that directly or indirectly measures the speed and / or acceleration-deceleration of the car and / or counterweight, thereby activating at least one freefall protection braking device when an abnormal speed and / or acceleration-deceleration is detected.

[0029] Freefall protection systems can be used in conjunction with any type of elevator. Elevator freefall protection systems are particularly suitable for use in high-rise buildings where the removal of OSG ropes, safety devices, and anti-rebound equipment is a significant advantage. There is no universally accepted definition of "high-rise building," but it can generally be considered a building exceeding 50 meters in height. High-rise buildings can reach heights of several hundred meters.

[0030] The lifting components in an elevator can be formed from round or flat ropes. The lifting components can be made of steel and / or polymers. Flat ropes made of carbon fibers sealed in a high-friction polymer can be advantageously used as lifting ropes for elevators in high-rise buildings. Such flat ropes made of carbon fibers sealed in a high-friction polymer are significantly lighter than their counterparts in steel wire ropes. Such flat ropes made of carbon fibers sealed in a high-friction polymer are, for example, sold under the trademark KONE UltraRope®. Attached Figure Description

[0031] The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments, in which...

[0032] Figure 1 A side view of the elevator is shown.

[0033] Figure 2 This illustrates a free-fall protection system in an elevator with a 1:1 suspension ratio.

[0034] Figure 3 This illustrates a free-fall protection system in an elevator with a 2:1 suspension ratio.

[0035] Figure 4 This demonstrates a first additional feature in conjunction with a freefall protection system.

[0036] Figure 5 This demonstrates a second additional feature in conjunction with the freefall protection system.

[0037] Figure 6 This demonstrates a third additional feature in conjunction with a freefall protection system.

[0038] Figure 7 A freefall protection component with markings is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0039] Figure 1 A side view of a prior art elevator is shown.

[0040] The elevator may include a car 10, an elevator shaft 20, a lifting mechanism 30, a lifting component 42, and a counterweight 41. A separate or integrated car frame 11 may surround and support the car 10.

[0041] The lifting mechanism 30 can be located in the machine room or shaft 20. The lifting mechanism may include a drive 31, an electric motor 32, a traction wheel 33, and a mechanism brake 34. The lifting mechanism 30 can move the car 10 vertically upwards and downwards in the vertically extending elevator shaft 20. The mechanism brake 34 can stop the rotation of the traction wheel 33 and thereby stop the movement of the elevator car 10.

[0042] The lifting member 42 may be formed by one or more parallel extending lifting ropes or lifting belts.

[0043] The car frame 11 can be connected to the counterweight 41, and the lifting member 42 passes over the traction wheel 33. The car frame 11 can be further supported by a guide device 27 at a guide rail 25 extending vertically in the shaft 20. As the car 10 moves up and down in the elevator shaft 20, the guide device 27 can include rollers rolling on the guide rail 25 or slippers sliding on the guide rail 25. The guide rail 25 can be attached to the side wall structure 21 in the elevator shaft 20 by a fastening bracket 26. As the car 10 moves up and down in the elevator shaft 20, the guide device 27 holds the car 10 in the proper position in the horizontal plane. The counterweight 41 can be correspondingly supported on the guide rail attached to the wall structure 21 of the shaft 20.

[0044] The elevator car 10 can transport people and / or goods between floors of a building. The elevator shaft 20 can be configured such that the wall structure 21 is formed of a solid wall or such that the wall structure 21 is formed of an open steel structure.

[0045] The figure further illustrates a prior art speed limiter system based on a mechanical pulley and rope system. This system includes, for example, an OSG sheave 52 mounted in the upper part of the elevator shaft 20, a tension pulley 53 mounted in the lower part of the elevator shaft 20, and an OSG rope 51 fitted to extend in a substantially tight closed loop around the OSG sheave 52 and the tension pulley 53. A mechanical linkage system connects the OSG rope 51 to a safety device 60. When the car 10 moves, the OSG rope 51 extends around the OSG sheave 52 and the tension pulley 53. If the elevator car 10 and the OSG rope 51 move at excessive speed, the rotation of the OSG sheave 52 in the upper part of the elevator shaft 20 is stopped by a mechanism activated, for example by centrifugal force, and simultaneously the OSG rope 51 also stops moving. The stationary OSG rope 51 applies tension to the mechanical linkage system at the still-moving car, causing the safety device 60 to grip the car guide rail 25, thereby stopping the car 10.

[0046] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a freefall protection system in an elevator with a 1:1 suspension ratio is shown.

[0047] The left side of the figure shows the lifting member 42 connecting the car 10 to the counterweight 41 above the traction wheel 33. The lifting member 42 extends further from the traction wheel 33 via a first steering pulley 35 to the counterweight 41. The suspension ratio of the lifting member 42 is 1:1. The traction wheel 33 can be positioned vertically above the car 10. The first steering pulley 35 can be positioned vertically above the counterweight 41. The mechanism brake 34 can act on any rotating part of the lifting mechanism 30, including the drive 31, the electric motor 32, and the traction wheel 33 (see [reference]). Figure 1 ).

[0048] The right-hand side of the figure shows the elevator free-fall protection system 100 of the present invention. The elevator free-fall protection system 100 includes a free-fall protection member 110 connecting the car 10 and the counterweight 41. The free-fall protection member 110 extends from the car 10 through two free-fall protection pulleys 120 and 130 to the counterweight 41. The suspension ratio of the free-fall protection member 110 is 1:1. The first free-fall protection pulley 120 can be positioned vertically above the car 10, and the second free-fall protection pulley 130 can be positioned vertically above the counterweight 41.

[0049] The free-fall protection component 110 can be attached to the frame 11 of the car 10 using a first terminal device 160 and to the counterweight 41 using a second terminal device 170. The first terminal device 160 and the second terminal device 170 can be separate and independent from the corresponding terminal devices of the lifting component 42.

[0050] The traction wheel 33 may also be equipped with at least one mechanical brake 34A, 34B. Each of the mechanical brakes 34A, 34B can be individually controlled by the mechanical brake controller 210. The mechanical brake controller 210 can also be controlled by the main controller 300 of the elevator. The traction wheel 33 may also be equipped with a speed detector, such as an encoder 200. The output of the encoder 200 can be connected to the main controller 300 of the elevator.

[0051] One of the free-fall protection pulleys 120 and 130 may be equipped with at least one of the free-fall protection brakes 140 and 150. This at least one free-fall protection brake 140 or 150 may be arranged in conjunction with a first free-fall protection pulley 120 positioned vertically above the car 10. The embodiment shown in the figures includes two free-fall protection brake devices 140 and 150. The free-fall protection brake devices 140 and 150 act on the first free-fall protection pulley 120, but they may also act on the second free-fall protection pulley 130. Each of the free-fall protection brake devices 140 and 150 may be individually controlled by a free-fall protection controller 260. The free-fall protection controller 260 may be further controlled by the elevator's main controller 300. One of the free-fall protection pulleys 120 and 130 may be further equipped with an encoder 250. In this embodiment, the first free-fall protection pulley 120 is equipped with an encoder 250. The output of encoder 250 can be connected to the main controller 300 of the elevator or the free fall protection controller 260 of the elevator, or both.

[0052] Using two free-fall protection brakes 140, 150 is an advantageous embodiment; however, the invention can be implemented using only one free-fall protection brake 140, 150. Using two free-fall protection brakes 140, 150 increases safety compared to using only one. The use of two free-fall protection brakes 140, 150 also makes it easier to control the deceleration of the car 10 in the downward and upward directions by using the delay between the closing of the first free-fall protection brake 140 and the second free-fall protection brake 150.

[0053] The two free fall protection braking devices 140 and 150 are controlled by the free fall protection controller 260.

[0054] The operation of the free fall protection brakes 140 and 150 can be based on an electromagnet and a spring. The spring can press the free fall protection brakes 140 and 150 against the free fall protection pulley 120 to engage them. When energized, the electromagnet can resist the spring and pull the free fall protection brakes 140 and 150 away from the free fall protection pulley 120 to release them.

[0055] An emergency power supply 400 can be further provided to supply power to the free fall protection controller 260 and the free fall protection braking devices 140 and 150. The emergency power supply 400 can provide power to the free fall protection braking devices 140 and 150 during a power outage, thereby deactivating the free fall protection braking devices 140 and 150 during the power outage.

[0056] Free fall protection pulleys 120 and 130, free fall protection braking devices 140 and 150, free fall protection controller 260, and emergency supply equipment 400 can be positioned in the machine room of the elevator, which has a machine room. Traction wheel 33 can also be positioned in the machine room.

[0057] On the other hand, the free fall protection pulleys 120 and 130, the free fall protection braking devices 140 and 150, the free fall protection controller 260, and the emergency supply device 400 can be positioned at the upper end of the shaft 20 of the elevator without a machine room. The traction wheel 33 can also be positioned at the upper end of the shaft 20.

[0058] The car 10 and counterweight 41 are in the normal operating state of the elevator, supported only by the lifting member 42. The free fall protection member 110 can be pre-tensioned so that the car 10 and counterweight 41 are supported only by the free fall protection member 110 in the event of failure of the lifting member 42. For example, the lifting member 42 may fail in the event of breakage or breakage of the rope end of the lifting member 42.

[0059] The dimensions of the lifting component 42 can be designed such that the safety factor of the lifting component 42 is at least 12, thereby meeting the safety regulations of the elevator.

[0060] On the other hand, the dimensions of the free-fall protection member 110 can be designed such that its safety factor is 2 to 8, advantageously 3 to 6. Therefore, the safety factor of the free-fall protection member 110 may be significantly lower than that of the lifting member 42. The safety factor of the free-fall protection member 110 can be in the range of 25% to 50% of the safety factor of the lifting member 42.

[0061] The pretension of the free fall protection component 110 can be less than 50% of the pretension of the lifting component 42, preferably less than 10%. The much lower pretension of the free fall protection component 110 compared to the pretension of the lifting component 42 will ensure that only the lifting component 42 bears the load of the car 10 and the counterweight 41 during normal operation of the elevator.

[0062] The lifting member 42 passes from the car 10 over the traction wheel 33 and the deflection pulley 35 to reach the counterweight 41. Therefore, in this embodiment of the elevator, the suspension ratio of the lifting member 42 is 1:1. In this embodiment, the car 10, the counterweight 41, and the lifting member 42 all move at the same speed.

[0063] The free fall protection member 110 passes from the car 10 over the free fall protection pulleys 120 and 130 to reach the counterweight 41. Therefore, in this embodiment, the suspension ratio of the free fall protection member 110 is 1:1.

[0064] The path of the free fall protection component 110 between the car frame 11 and the counterweight 41 can be independent of the path of the lifting component 42.

[0065] Each of the free-fall protection braking devices 140 and 150 may be formed by a disc brake, drum brake, band brake, wedge brake, or any combination thereof. Each of the free-fall protection braking devices 140 and 150 may further be operated electrically, pneumatically, or hydraulically, or in any combination thereof.

[0066] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a free fall protection system in an elevator with a 2:1 suspension ratio is shown.

[0067] The opposite ends of the lifting member 42 can be attached to the top of the shaft 20 at fastening points F1, F2. The lifting member 42 can first extend vertically downward from the first fastening point F1 on the first side of the car 10 to the bottom of the car 10. Then, the lifting member 42 extends horizontally below the car 10, which is supported by two deflecting pulleys 71, 72 supported on the bottom of the frame 11. The lifting member 42 then extends vertically upward again on the second opposite side of the car 10 to the traction wheel 33 located in the upper end of the shaft 20. The lifting member 42 then extends above the traction wheel 33 and then downward again to the third deflecting pulley 73 and finally vertically upward to the second fastening point F2. The counterweight 41 is supported on the third deflecting pulley 73. The counterweight 41 can be supported on the rotation axis of the third deflecting pulley 73. The mechanism brake 34 can act on any rotating part of the lifting mechanism 30, including the drive 31, the electric motor 32 and the traction wheel 33 (see...). Figure 1 ).

[0068] The traction wheel 33 may also be equipped with at least one mechanical brake 34A, 34B. Each of the mechanical brakes 34A, 34B can be individually controlled by the mechanical brake controller 210. The mechanical brake controller 210 can be further controlled by the main controller 300 of the elevator. The traction wheel 33 may further be equipped with a speed detector, such as an encoder 200. The output of the encoder 200 can be connected to the main controller 300 of the elevator.

[0069] The elevator freefall protection system 100 includes a freefall protection member 110 connecting the car 10 and the counterweight 41. The freefall protection member 110 extends from the car 10 through two freefall protection pulleys 120 and 130 to the counterweight 41. The first freefall protection pulley 120 can be positioned vertically above the car 10, and the second freefall protection pulley 130 can be positioned vertically above the counterweight 41. The two freefall protection pulleys 120 and 130 can be supported on the top of the shaft 20. A traction wheel 33 can also be supported on the top of the shaft 20.

[0070] The free-fall protection component 110 can be attached to the frame 11 of the car 10 using a first terminal device 160 and to the counterweight 41 using a second terminal device 170. The first terminal device 160 and the second terminal device 170 can be separate and independent from the corresponding terminal devices of the lifting component 42.

[0071] One of the free-fall protection pulleys 120 and 130 may be equipped with at least one of the free-fall protection brakes 140 and 150. This at least one free-fall protection brake 140 or 150 may be arranged to connect with a second free-fall protection pulley 130 positioned vertically above the counterweight 41. The embodiment shown in the figure includes two free-fall protection braking devices 140 and 150. In this figure, the free-fall protection braking devices 140 and 150 act on the second free-fall protection pulley 130, but they may also act on the first free-fall protection pulley 120. Each of the free-fall protection braking devices 140 and 150 can be individually controlled by a free-fall protection controller 260. The free-fall protection controller 260 may also be controlled by the main controller 300 of the elevator. One of the free-fall protection pulleys 120 and 130 may also be equipped with a speed detector, such as an encoder 250. In this embodiment, the second free-fall protection pulley 130 is equipped with an encoder 250. The output of the encoder 250 can be connected to the main controller 300 of the elevator.

[0072] Using two free-fall protection brakes 140, 150 is an advantageous embodiment; however, the invention can be implemented using only one free-fall protection brake 140, 150. Using two free-fall protection brakes 140, 150 increases safety compared to using only one. The use of two free-fall protection brakes 140, 150 also makes it easier to control the deceleration of the car 10 in the downward and upward directions by using the delay between the closing of the first free-fall protection brake 140 and the second free-fall protection brake 150.

[0073] The two free fall protection braking devices 140 and 150 are controlled by the free fall protection controller 260.

[0074] An emergency power supply 400 can also be provided to supply power to the free fall protection controller 260 and the free fall protection braking devices 140 and 150. The emergency power supply 400 can provide power to the free fall protection braking devices 140 and 150 during a power outage, thereby deactivating the free fall protection braking devices 140 and 150 during the power outage.

[0075] Free fall protection pulleys 120 and 130, free fall protection braking devices 140 and 150, free fall protection controller 260, and emergency supply equipment 400 can be positioned in the machine room of the elevator, which has a machine room. Traction wheel 33 can also be positioned in the machine room.

[0076] On the other hand, the free fall protection pulleys 120 and 130, the free fall protection braking devices 140 and 150, the free fall protection controller 260, and the emergency supply device 400 can be positioned at the upper end of the shaft 20 of the elevator without a machine room. The traction wheel 33 can also be positioned at the upper end of the shaft 20.

[0077] The car 10 and counterweight 41 are in the normal operating state of the elevator, supported only by the lifting member 42. The free fall protection member 110 can be pre-tensioned so that the car 10 and counterweight 41 are supported only by the free fall protection member 110 in the event of failure of the lifting member 42. For example, the lifting member 42 may fail in the event of breakage or breakage of the rope end of the lifting member 42.

[0078] The dimensions of the lifting component 42 can be designed such that the safety factor of the lifting component 42 is at least 12, thereby meeting the safety regulations of the elevator.

[0079] On the other hand, the dimensions of the free-fall protection member 110 can be designed such that its safety factor is 2 to 8, advantageously 3 to 6. Therefore, the safety factor of the free-fall protection member 110 may be significantly lower than that of the lifting member 42. The safety factor of the free-fall protection member 110 can be in the range of 25% to 50% of the safety factor of the lifting member 42.

[0080] The pretension of the free fall protection component 110 can be less than 50% of the pretension of the lifting component 42, preferably less than 10%. The much lower pretension of the free fall protection component 110 compared to the pretension of the lifting component 42 will ensure that only the lifting component 42 bears the load of the car 10 and the counterweight 41 during normal operation of the elevator.

[0081] The lifting member 42 passes the car 10 from the first fastening point F1, over the traction wheel 33, over the third deflection pulley 73, and reaches the second fastening point F2. Therefore, in this embodiment, the suspension ratio of the lifting member 42 is 2:1. The speed of the car 10 is only half the speed of the traction wheel 33 and the lifting rope 41. Furthermore, the weight suspended on the traction wheel 33 is only... Figure 2 In the embodiment shown, half of the weight is suspended on the traction wheel 33.

[0082] The free fall protection component 110 passes from the car 10 over the free fall protection pulleys 120 and 130 to reach the counterweight 42. Therefore, in this embodiment, the suspension ratio of the free fall protection component 110 is also 1:1.

[0083] Each of the free-fall protection braking devices 140 and 150 may be formed by a disc brake, drum brake, band brake, wedge brake, or any combination thereof. Each of the free-fall protection braking devices 140 and 150 may further be operated electrically, pneumatically, or hydraulically, or in any combination thereof.

[0084] Figure 4 This demonstrates a first additional feature in conjunction with a freefall protection system.

[0085] A mechanical interface 500 can be provided between the free-fall protection system 100 and the lifting mechanism of the elevator. The mechanical interface 500 can be located between the shaft of the free-fall protection pulley 120 and the shaft of the motor 32 driving the traction wheel 33. The mechanical interface 500 can be implemented using a mechanical clutch. The position of the mechanical clutch 500 can be monitored using a proximity switch. When the mechanical clutch 500 is activated, i.e., when the free-fall component 110 is driven by the motor 32, the proximity switch engaged with the mechanical clutch 500 needs to eliminate normal operation of the elevator. Electrical disconnection of the mechanism brakes 34A, 34B and the free-fall protection brakes 140, 150 can be further provided in the system.

[0086] By slowly moving the car up or down, the elevator can operate only in Rescue Drive Mode (RDF) operating mode. RDF operating mode refers to an operating mode in which one or more safety circuits of the elevator are bypassed.

[0087] The car 10 can move without the mechanical clutch 500 and motor 32, but via a mechanical rod attached to the shaft of the free fall protection pulley 120. A mechanical clutch can be used between the mechanical rod and the shaft of the free fall protection pulley 120.

[0088] Another possibility for moving the car 10 is to use a chain-driven trolley 510. A clamp 520 can be attached to the free-fall protection member 110 at a position between the free-fall protection pulleys 120 and 130. The chain-driven trolley 510 can be connected between the trolley and a fixed frame structure near the free-fall protection pulleys 120 and 130. Therefore, the free-fall protection member 110, and thus the car, can move together with the chain-driven trolley 510. The chain-driven trolley 510 is used manually, and operation of the elevator in any mode is prohibited. When the chain-driven trolley 510 is used, the mechanism brakes 34A and 34B and the free-fall protection brakes 140 and 150 can be disengaged. Since the toothed free-fall member 110 is mechanically locked to the toothed free-fall protection pulleys 120 and 130, there is no risk of the car falling freely. However, if the speed and / or acceleration of the car exceeds a predetermined threshold, the free-fall protection brakes 140 and 150 should be activated.

[0089] Figure 5 This demonstrates a second additional feature in conjunction with a freefall protection system.

[0090] The Rescue Brake Disconnection (RBO) system 600 can be implemented in conjunction with the Free Fall Protection System 100. The RBO system 600 may include control switches for controlling the brakes 34A and 34B of the control mechanism, and the free fall protection brakes 140 and 150 may be located in the machine room or maintenance panel (MAP).

[0091] The control switches of the RBO system 600 can be used to disconnect the mechanism brakes 34A, 34B and the freefall protection brakes 140, 150 in a rescue situation where the car is trapped between floors. Operation during a rescue situation electrically disconnects the mechanism brakes 34A, 34B and the freefall protection brakes 140, 160, allowing the car to move up or down in the shaft due to the imbalance between the car 10 and the counterweight 41. The car's speed and / or acceleration can be monitored using an encoder 250 connected to the freefall protection pulley 120. If the car's speed and / or acceleration exceeds a predetermined threshold, the mechanism brakes 34A, 34B and the freefall protection brakes 140, 150 can automatically engage.

[0092] The control switches of the RBO system 600 can also be used when testing brakes. The RBO system may include switches for selecting the brakes 34A and 34B to be tested. The RBO system 600 may also include a button for starting a test cycle. After selecting the brake to be tested and pressing the button to start the test cycle, all other brakes will disengage and the brake to be tested will remain closed. The motor 32 is then driven in both directions to ensure that the brake to be tested remains closed, i.e., to keep the traction wheel 33 from rotating. The results are recorded in local or remote memory and are further displayed as numerical values. If the brake to be tested fails to operate properly, other brakes are closed to ensure safety. Free fall protection brakes 140 and 150 can also be tested in this manner, since the toothed free fall protection member 110 is mechanically locked to the toothed free fall protection pulley 120 and one end of the free fall protection member is connected to the car and the other end is connected to the counterweight. Since the free-fall component prevents the car from moving, if the motor 32 rotates downwards, for example, the car cannot move as long as at least one free-fall protection brake 140, 150 is closed.

[0093] Figure 6 This demonstrates a third additional feature in conjunction with a freefall protection system.

[0094] Large elevators equipped with a large electric motor 32 typically use a hydraulic mechanical braking system. The free-fall protection system 100 of this invention can also be used in conjunction with hydraulic brakes 34A and 34B.

[0095] An oil tank 270 may be located near the lifting mechanism 30. The oil tank 270 may contain hydraulic oil. A pump 271 may be arranged to pump oil from the oil tank 270 to two hydraulic cylinders 272A and 272B via a supply pipe 273. Each of the hydraulic cylinders 272A and 272B is connected to a corresponding mechanism brake 34A and 34B. The hydraulic cylinders 272A and 272B operate the corresponding mechanism brakes 34A and 34B. Each mechanism brake 34A and 34B is equipped with springs 38A and 38B. Springs 38A and 38B keep mechanism brakes 33A and 33B closed, i.e., press the braking surfaces of mechanism brakes 34A and 34B against the traction wheel 33 to prevent rotation of the traction wheel 33. When oil is pumped into the hydraulic cylinders 272A and 272B, the hydraulic cylinders 272A and 272B overcome the spring forces 38A and 38B to open the mechanism brakes 34A and 34B. The return pipe 274 is equipped with a solenoid valve 275, through which oil can return to the oil tank 270. The pump 271 can be an electrically driven pump or a mechanically driven pump.

[0096] The diagram shows two hydraulic cylinders 272A and 272B, but for clarity, only one return pipe 274 and one solenoid valve 275 are shown. In fact, there are two independent return pipes 274, each equipped with a solenoid valve 275. Therefore, each mechanism brake 34A and 34B can be controlled independently.

[0097] If an electric drive pump 271 is used, the testing of brakes 34A and 34B can be fully automated.

[0098] The RBO system 600 may be equipped with corresponding control switches and / or control buttons for testing brakes 34A and 34B. Each of the mechanism brakes 34A and 34B can be disconnected by pumping oil into cylinders 272A and 272B and keeping the return valve 275 of the mechanism brake 34A or 34B to be disconnected closed. Cylinders 272A and 272B with the return valve 275 closed will then open the mechanism brakes 34A and 34B connected to said cylinders 272A and 272B.

[0099] Figure 7 A freefall protection component with markings is shown.

[0100] The smooth rear surface of the toothed free-fall protection member 110 may be provided with markings indicating the location and number of landing 112. The markings may include the location of landing 112 and the positions of door zones 112A and 112B in both directions. An indicator 111 may be further provided, wherein the car is at a landing when the landing marking 112 on the free-fall protection member 110 coincides with the indicator 111. The indicator 111 may be implemented using a line that runs laterally across the free-fall protection member 110.

[0101] When the car load is equivalent to 50% of the car's rated load, the position of the landing 112 can advantageously be marked on the free-fall protection member 110. The error caused by variations in the length of the free-fall protection member 110 will thus be halved. The elevator can be started on-site to check the correct position of the car at each landing, i.e., ensuring that the car sill and the landing sill are at the same vertical height. The car can then be loaded with a load corresponding to 50% of the car's rated load. Information related to the landings can then be marked on the free-fall protection member 110 one landing at a time, starting from the bottom of the shaft. The information to be marked on the free-fall protection member 110 at each landing at the indicator 111 is the landing position, i.e., the position where the sills are at the same vertical height, the landing number, and the boundaries of the door zones above and below the landing position.

[0102] The markings on the rear of the free-fall protection member 110 eliminate the need for service personnel to check which floor the car is on before initiating a rescue operation. Service personnel can determine the car's location and the number of the nearest floor to the rear of the free-fall protection member 110. During car movement, service personnel can also determine from the rear of the free-fall protection member 110 when the car is within the door zone by comparing the position of the indicator 111 with the position of the markings on the rear of the free-fall protection member 110.

[0103] The embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings uses an encoder 200 coupled to the traction wheel 33 to measure the rotational speed of the traction wheel 33 and an encoder 250 coupled to one of the free-fall protection pulleys 120, 130 to measure the speed of the free-fall protection pulley 120, 130. Comparison of the two speed signals will provide valuable information. If the measured speeds correspond to each other, the encoder is functioning correctly and the lifting member 42 is not slipping on the traction wheel 33.

[0104] The lifting system and / or free-fall protection system of the elevator may be equipped with at least one speed detector. The speed detector may be based on electronic equipment, such as one or more acceleration sensors or encoder data. Alternatively, the speed detector may be based on mechanical devices, such as rollers acting on the car guide rail 25. One or more acceleration sensors may be positioned in conjunction with the car 10 and / or with the counterweight 41.

[0105] The free fall protection controller 260 can activate the free fall protection brakes 150 and 160, for example, in the following events:

[0106] The speed of the free fall protection component 110 is too high.

[0107] The speed of car 10 and / or counterweight 41 is too high.

[0108] When car 10 approaches an obstacle in shaft 20 (such as one end of shaft 20) or when another car 10 is moving in shaft 20, car 10 decelerates too quickly.

[0109] During the normal emergency stop of the elevator, the car 10 did not decelerate quickly enough.

[0110] For example, if the mechanical brakes 34A and 34B need to be repaired, the free fall protection brake devices 150 and 160 can also be manually activated.

[0111] When the car 10 moves while the free fall protection controller 260 is not working or is powered off, the free fall protection braking devices 150 and 160 can be manually released.

[0112] The free fall protection controller 260 can be configured to gradually control the free fall protection braking devices 150 and 160.

[0113] In the event of a free fall, the dimensions of the free fall protection brakes 150 and 160 do not need to be determined in the same way as the dimensions of the safety devices must be determined. The dimensions of the free fall protection brakes 150 and 160 are sufficient to stop the elevator from reaching its absolute maximum imbalance. In the event of detachment of the lifting member 42, the free fall protection member 110 will capture the falling car 10.

[0114] Elevators using shortened buffers in the pit must be equipped with an Emergency End Speed ​​Limiting (ETSL) system. When approaching the end of the shaft, if the car's deceleration is insufficient, the ETSL system will disconnect the power to the mechanism brakes and motors. The ETSL system should ensure that the car 10 never impacts the buffer at a speed exceeding 3 m / s. This eliminates the need for anti-jump locking devices in the elevator. The ETSL system may not be able to eliminate overspeed at the end of the shaft in all cases. The friction between the traction wheel and the lifting component may be insufficient, or the torque generated by the mechanism brake may be insufficient to eliminate overspeed at the end of the shaft. The dimensions of the free-fall protection brakes 150, 160 can be designed such that the combined deceleration of the mechanism brakes 34A, 34B and the free-fall protection brakes 150, 160 remains within the safety regulations for passenger and elevator safety. Therefore, the free-fall protection system forms a new, additional layer of protection independent of the ETSL system to prevent excessive speed travel on the buffer. The free-fall protection system decelerates and stops the car in the event of ETSL system failure.

[0115] The lifting member 42 may be formed of at least one belt having a generally flat cross-section or at least one rope having a generally circular cross-section. The lifting member 42 may be formed of several belts or ropes extending in parallel. The belts or ropes may be made of steel and / or fiber-reinforced polymers.

[0116] In another aspect, the lifting member 42 may be formed of at least one flat or round rope or cable made of carbon fiber sealed in a high-friction polymer. The lifting member 42 may also be formed of several parallel, flat or round ropes or cables made of carbon fiber sealed in a high-friction polymer.

[0117] The free-fall protection member 110 may also be formed of at least one strip having a generally flat cross-section, the strip being provided with teeth. The free-fall protection member 110 may be formed of several strips extending in parallel. The material of the strips may be a fiber-reinforced polymer, such as carbon fibers sealed in a high-friction polymer.

[0118] Flat ropes made of carbon fibers sealed in a high-friction polymer, for example, under the trademark KONEUltraRope®.

[0119] The use of this invention is not limited to the elevators disclosed in the accompanying drawings. The drawings illustrate elevators with a 1:1 suspension ratio and elevators with a 2:1 suspension ratio, but the invention can be used in elevators with any suspension ratio. The invention can be used in any type of elevator (e.g., elevators including or without a machine room). The counterweight can be positioned on either or both side walls or the rear wall of the elevator shaft. The drive unit, motor, traction wheel, and mechanism brake can be positioned somewhere in the machine room or elevator shaft. In so-called backpack elevators, the car guide rails can be positioned on opposite side walls or the rear wall of the shaft.

[0120] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the concept of this invention can be implemented in various ways as technology advances. The invention and its embodiments are not limited to the examples described above, but can be varied within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An elevator, comprising: Car (10); counterweight (41); lifting member (42) connecting the car (10) and the counterweight (41); lifting mechanism (30), including motor (32), traction wheel (33) and mechanism brake (34A, 34B); and free fall protection system (100), including: A free-fall protection member (110) connects the car (10) to the counterweight (41) by passing over at least two independent free-fall protection pulleys (120, 130). The free-fall protection member (110) is formed by at least one toothed belt, and each free-fall protection pulley (120, 130) is formed by a toothed pulley that meshes with the toothed belt (110). Its features are, At least one free fall protection brake (140, 150) acts on at least one of the at least two free fall protection pulleys (120, 130). Free fall protection controller (260) for controlling the at least one free fall protection brake (140, 150), wherein The pretension of the free fall protection member (110) is at least 50% less than the pretension of the lifting member (42), such that the car (10) and the counterweight (41) are supported by the lifting member (42) during normal operation and only by the free fall protection member (110) in the event of failure of the lifting member (42). When the car (10) has stopped at a landing, the mechanism brakes (34A, 34B) are arranged to be deactivated and the at least one free fall protection brake (140, 150) is arranged to be activated, and the lifting mechanism (30) is arranged to relevel the car (10) at the landing, wherein the small pretension of the free fall protection member (110) allows the free fall protection member (110) to stretch during the releveling of the car (10), so that the car (10) can be releveled using the lifting mechanism (30).

2. The elevator according to claim 1, wherein speed detectors (200, 250) are arranged to be connected to one of the free fall protection pulleys (120, 130) and / or the car (10) and / or the counterweight (41) for measuring the speed and / or acceleration and / or deceleration of the car (10) and / or the counterweight (41), and the free fall protection controller (260) is arranged to activate the at least one free fall protection brake (140, 150) when an abnormal speed and / or abnormal acceleration and / or abnormal deceleration is detected.

3. The elevator according to claim 1, wherein the at least one free fall protection brake (140, 150) is arranged to support the mechanism brake (34A, 34B) to achieve a desired deceleration of the car (10) when the car (10) approaches one end of the shaft (10).

4. The elevator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the at least one free fall protection brake (140, 150) is arranged to operate in parallel with the mechanism brake (34A, 34B), a constant portion of the deceleration torque is generated by the mechanism brake (34A, 34B) and an adjustable portion of the deceleration torque is generated by the at least one free fall protection brake (140, 150), such that the maximum allowable deceleration of the car (10) is never exceeded under any circumstances.

5. The elevator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a mechanical interface (500) is arranged between the shaft of the free fall protection pulley (120, 130) and the shaft of the motor (32) for connecting and disconnecting the free fall protection pulley (120, 130) from the motor (32), the motor (32) being arranged to rotate the free fall protection pulley (120, 130) for moving the car (10) trapped between floors to the nearest floor.

6. The elevator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the shaft of the free fall protection pulley (120, 130) is arranged to be connected to a mechanical rod, the mechanical rod being arranged to rotate the free fall protection pulley (120, 130) to move the car (10) trapped between landings to the nearest landing.

7. The elevator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a chain-driven trolley (510) is arranged near the free-fall protection pulleys (120, 130), a clamp (520) is attached between the free-fall protection pulleys (120, 130) to the free-fall protection member (110), the chain-driven trolley (510) extends between the clamp (520) and the fixed frame structure of the elevator, and the free-fall protection member (110) moves with the chain-driven trolley (510) to move the car (10) trapped between landings to the nearest landing.

8. The elevator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the rescue brake disconnect switch (600) is provided in the maintenance panel or machine room for disconnecting the at least one free fall protection brake (140, 150) and the mechanism brake (34A, 34B) in the event of a rescue.

9. The elevator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the rear side of the free fall protection member (110) is provided with a mark for each landing (111), and an operator performing a manual rescue operation is able to determine the initial position of the car (10) trapped between landings and the movement of the car (10) from the mark, such that the car (10) can stop at the nearest landing.

10. The elevator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a first speed detector (200) is arranged to measure the speed of the traction wheel (33) and a second speed detector (250) is arranged to measure the speed of the free fall protection pulleys (120, 130), and the difference between the output of the first speed detector (200) and the output of the second speed detector (250) indicates slippage of the lifting member (41) on the traction wheel (33).

11. A method for controlling an elevator, the elevator comprising: Car (10); counterweight (41); lifting member (42) connecting the car (10) and the counterweight (41); lifting mechanism (30), including motor (32), traction wheel (33) and mechanism brake (34A, 34B); and free fall protection system (100), including: A free-fall protection member (110) connects the car (10) to the counterweight (41) by passing over at least two independent free-fall protection pulleys (120, 130). The free-fall protection member (110) is formed by at least one toothed belt, and each free-fall protection pulley (120, 130) is formed by a toothed pulley that meshes with the toothed belt (110). At least one free fall protection brake (140, 150) acts on at least one of the at least two free fall protection pulleys (120, 130). A freefall protection controller (260) is used to control the at least one freefall protection brake (140, 150), wherein... The pretension of the free fall protection member (110) is at least 50% less than the pretension of the lifting member (42), such that the car (10) and the counterweight (41) are supported by the lifting member (42) during normal operation and only by the free fall protection member (110) in the event of failure of the lifting member (42). The method includes: The free fall protection controller (260) activates at least one free fall protection brake (110, 120) to stop the movement of the free fall protection member (110) and thus also stops the movement of the car (10) and / or the counterweight (41) when the support of the lifting member (42) fails. When the car (10) has stopped at the landing, the mechanism brakes (34A, 34B) and the free fall protection brakes (140, 150) are activated, and the lifting mechanism (30) is used to readjust the car (10) at the landing. The small pretension of the free fall protection member (110) allows the free fall protection member (110) to stretch during the readjustment of the car (10), so that the car (10) can be readjusted using the lifting mechanism (30).

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising measuring the speed and / or acceleration and / or deceleration of the car (10) and / or the counterweight (41) using speed detectors (200, 250), the speed detectors being arranged to be connected to one of the freefall protection pulleys (120, 130) and / or the car (10) and / or the counterweight (41), the freefall protection controller (260) being arranged to activate the at least one freefall protection brake (140, 150) when an abnormal speed and / or abnormal acceleration and / or abnormal deceleration is detected.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising using the at least one free fall protection brake (140, 150) as support for the mechanism brake (34A, 34B) to achieve a desired deceleration of the car (10) as the car (10) approaches one end of the shaft (10).

14. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 13, further comprising operating the at least one free-fall protection brake (140, 150) in parallel with the mechanism brakes (34A, 34B), wherein a constant portion of the deceleration torque is generated by the mechanism brakes (34A, 34B) and an adjustable portion of the deceleration torque is generated by the at least one free-fall protection brake (140, 150), such that the maximum allowable deceleration of the car (10) is never exceeded under any circumstances.

15. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 13, further comprising connecting the shaft of the free fall protection pulleys (120, 130) and the shaft of the motor (32) via a mechanical interface (500), the mechanical interface connecting and disconnecting the free fall protection pulleys (120, 130) from the motor (32), the motor (32) being used to rotate the free fall protection pulleys (120, 130) to move the car (10) trapped between landings to the nearest landing.

16. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 13, further comprising connecting the shaft of the free fall protection pulleys (120, 130) to a mechanical rod arranged to rotate the free fall protection pulleys (120, 130) to move the car (10) trapped between landings to the nearest landing.

17. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 13, further comprising arranging a chain-driven trolley (510) near the free-fall protection pulleys (120, 130), attaching a clamp (520) between the free-fall protection pulleys (120, 130) to the free-fall protection member (110), the chain-driven trolley (510) extending between the clamp (520) and the fixed frame structure of the elevator, and using the chain-driven trolley (510) to move the free-fall protection member (110) to move the car (10) trapped between landings to the nearest landing.

18. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 13, further comprising providing a rescue brake disconnect switch (600) in a maintenance panel or machine room for disconnecting the at least one free fall protection brake (140, 150) and the mechanism brake (34A, 34B) in a rescue situation.

19. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 13, further comprising measuring the speed of the traction wheel (33) using a first speed detector (200) and measuring the speed of the free fall protection pulleys (120, 130) using a second speed detector (250), wherein the difference between the output of the first speed detector (200) and the output of the second speed detector (250) indicates slippage of the lifting member (41) on the traction wheel (33).

20. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 13, further comprising providing a mark for each landing station (111) on the rear side of the free fall protection member (110), wherein an operator performing a manual rescue operation is able to determine the initial position of the car (10) trapped between landing stations and the movement of the car (10) from the mark such that the car (10) can stop at the nearest landing station.

Images