Roller guide shoe for guiding an elevator car of a lift

Abstract

Disclosed is an elevator (10) comprising an elevator cab (2) which is guided on two opposite guide rails (3). The guide rails (3) each contain a U-shaped guide channel (11) having a front guide face (12) and lateral guide faces (13). In order to guide an elevator cab (2), roller guide shoes (1) are provided which each comprise two running rollers (4, 5) mounted on a common axis (19) so as to rotate freely about an axis of rotation (R1) for guidance along the front guide face (12) of the U-shaped guide channel (11) and a guide roller (6) that can be accommodated for the lateral guidance between lateral guide faces (13) of the U-shaped guide channel (11). Covers (15) for covering the respective running rollers (4, 5) are mounted upstream of the running rollers (4, 5), wherein the covers (15) form an emergency guide (14).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a roller guide shoe according to the preamble of claim 1. Furthermore, the invention relates to an elevator whose elevator car is equipped with such roller guide shoes.

[0002] Elevators for transporting people and goods contain elevator cars that can move up and down in an elevator shaft. The elevator cars are moved vertically in the shaft by means of a drive unit, using suspension elements such as cables or belts. In addition to the elevator car, the elevator system typically includes at least one counterweight that moves in the opposite direction within the shaft. The elevator car and the counterweight run in guide rails. Guide shoes are usually used to guide the elevator car and counterweight; these guide shoes can be either sliding or roller guide shoes.

[0003] To ensure that the elevator car is guided linearly with sufficient precision, guide rails are used, which are fixed in the elevator shaft. T-shaped metal profiles have long been known and commonly used. The T-profile has a rail foot attached to a shaft wall and a rail web. The rail web has two opposing guide surfaces as well as an end-face guide surface along which a sliding or roller guide shoe can move. In addition to their guiding function, the guide surfaces of the rail web also serve as attachment points for safety devices that can brake the elevator car to a stop. The safety device can also be a safety brake to catch the car. The T-profile guide rail has proven its worth for many years.

[0004] However, guide rails for guiding elevator cars are also known that include a U-shaped guide channel. One such guide rail is known, for example, from WO 2020 / 127787 A1. This guide rail incorporates guide contours for both the elevator car and the counterweight in the same component. The guide contour for the elevator car is designed as a U-shaped guide channel. The elevator car has guide shoes that are received in the U-shaped or groove-like guide channel of the elevator rail.

[0005] It is an object of the present invention to avoid the disadvantages of the known invention and, in particular, to create a roller guide shoe with which the elevator car can be guided safely and reliably. Furthermore, the roller guide shoe should also enable a high level of ride comfort.

[0006] According to the invention, these and other problems are solved with a roller guide shoe according to the features of claim 1. The roller guide shoe for an elevator for passenger or goods transport serves to guide an elevator car along a guide rail extending in the direction of travel or longitudinally. The guide rail has a U-shaped guide channel for receiving the roller guide shoe. The U-shaped guide channel can have two opposing lateral guide surfaces and a frontal guide surface connecting them, wherein the lateral guide surfaces and the frontal guide surface define a "U" in cross-section. The lateral guide surfaces preferably connect to the frontal guide surface at right angles. The two opposing lateral guide surfaces can extend along a first direction with respect to the cross-section.The frontal guide surface can extend along a second direction in cross-section. These two directions, i.e., the first direction on the one hand and the second direction on the other, can be perpendicular to each other in the case of a rectangular "U".

[0007] The roller guide shoe comprises two guide rollers, preferably spaced apart from each other along the axis, mounted on a common axis so as to be freely rotatable about a pivot axis, for guiding along the front guide surface. The guide rollers can run along the front guide surface during car travel. The two paired guide rollers provide optimal front-end guidance of the elevator car. The guide rollers can preferably be mounted or fixed opposite each other at the free ends of the axis so as to be freely rotatable. For lateral guidance, the roller guide shoe includes a guide body that can be accommodated between the lateral guide surfaces. Preferably, the guide body is guided in an oscillating manner between the lateral guide surfaces during car travel. Thus, the guide body does not contact both lateral guide surfaces simultaneously.

[0008] According to the invention, the guide body is a guide roller whose roller axis runs perpendicular to the axis of the two running rollers (or, more precisely, to the axis of rotation of said axis). The axis of rotation of the running rollers can run in the aforementioned first direction; the roller axis of the guide roller can run in the aforementioned second direction.

[0009] For optimal guidance, the guide roller is at least 50% larger in outer diameter than the running rollers and preferably at least twice as large.

[0010] It can also be advantageous if the rollers are spaced far enough apart that they extend close to the outer diameter of the guide roller – as seen in a vertical or longitudinal projection. If a different guide body is used instead of the guide roller, for example, a slide-like guide body to enable sliding guidance, the rollers would extend to the outer dimension of this alternative guide body. "Close" here preferably means a few millimeters.

[0011] The roller guide shoe can have an emergency guide. Thanks to the emergency guide, it is ensured that even if one or more rollers fail, for example due to bearing damage, a guiding function is maintained.

[0012] The roller guide shoe can be equipped with a cover for the rollers. For advantageous coverage, the cover can be positioned upstream of the rollers within the roller guide shoe. Particularly preferably, each roller can have its own cover. The cover, which partially covers the circumference of each roller, prevents unwanted contamination of the roller, especially by dirt particles falling from above. The cover can be located on the front side or, when installed, on the top side of the roller guide shoe.

[0013] The aperture or apertures form the emergency guide particularly advantageously, resulting in a particularly effective and compact roller guide shoe.

[0014] The roller guide shoe can have a guide shoe housing with a support section for carrying the rollers and / or the guide body, and with a mounting section for attaching the roller guide shoe to the elevator car. The support section and the mounting section can be perpendicular to each other. The support section is designed as a flat surface or has a plane, which surface (also called the "support surface") defines a plane. In a preferred embodiment, the axis or axis of rotation of the rollers runs parallel to this support surface, and the axis of rotation of the guide roller runs perpendicular to the support surface. The mounting section can also be designed as a flat surface.

[0015] The support section and the mounting section can preferably be part of an integral structure and thus monolithically connected. This integral structure for forming the guide shoe housing can be made of a high-strength plastic, for example, in the form of an injection-molded part. Alternatively, it can be advantageous if the guide shoe housing, comprising the support section and the mounting section, is manufactured from a single sheet of metal blank, which is formed from a flat position into its final position by means of bending or folding processes. Such a roller guide shoe is easy and cost-effective to manufacture.

[0016] The apertures and / or the emergency guide can be formed by sheet metal segments that are part(s) of the guide shoe housing made from a sheet metal blank.

[0017] Alternatively, the guide shoe housing can be designed in two parts, with the two-part guide shoe housing comprising a base part, a mounting section, and a support section as the first part, and a support part attached to the base part within the support section as the second part. The emergency guide can be assigned to the support part. The support part can be manufactured from a single sheet of metal. The emergency guide can be formed by bending the sheet of metal. The support part can thus be formed from a flat position into a final position by means of bending or folding processes.

[0018] An extension piece with a hook-like engagement element, which interacts with a web-like projection of the guide rail or another spring-like guide section of the guide rail, can be integrally formed or attached to the mounting section to create derailment protection. This web-like projection can form a braking section of the guide rail. The guiding section and the braking section are spatially separated in this guide rail.

[0019] Finally, a further aspect of the invention relates to an elevator with an elevator car equipped with the roller guide shoes described above for guiding the elevator car along guide rails. The elevator further comprises two preferably opposing guide rails for guiding the elevator car, wherein the longitudinally extending guide rails each contain a U-shaped guide channel.

[0020] The elevator with the elevator car can further include at least one counterweight connected to the elevator car via a support element and movable in the opposite direction to the elevator car. The elevator can preferably have one or two counterweights per elevator car. The elevator can include guide rails, each of which serves as a linear guide for both an elevator car and a counterweight.

[0021] The elevator car can have a front with a corresponding car door. Furthermore, the elevator car can have a rear opposite the front and two sides connecting the front and rear. The elevator can, for example, comprise a front-supported car and two opposing counterweights, each connected to the car by means of suspension elements, which are movable in the opposite direction to the car. The counterweights can be guided on opposing counterweight guide rails, which are mounted on opposite sides of the elevator shaft adjacent to the car sides. On each side, the guide rail for the elevator car and the counterweight guide rail are formed by a common guide rail profile.This guide rail thus serves as a linear guide for both the elevator car and the counterweights. Such an elevator with the front-supported elevator car is also known as a "front-loading elevator".

[0022] Further individual features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments and from the drawings. These show: Fig. 1 is a highly simplified top view of an elevator according to the invention with an elevator car equipped with roller guide shoes for guiding the elevator car along longitudinally extending guide rails; Fig. 2 is a partial perspective view of an elevator car with a roller guide shoe and an associated guide rail; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the roller guide shoe for the elevator made of Fig. 2Fig. 4 shows a perspective view of the roller guide shoe in a rear view, and Fig. 5 shows a variant of the roller guide shoe according to Fig. 2 .

[0023] Fig. 1 Figure 10 shows an elevator for a multi-story building. The building has an elevator shaft 22 in which an elevator car 2 can move vertically up and down to individual floors for transporting people or goods.

[0024] The elevator of Figure 1The elevator 10 is designed as a traction elevator system with at least one counterweight 23 that moves in the opposite direction to the elevator car 2. The elevator 10 shown here has two counterweights 23 as well as (not shown) load-bearing elements and drives. The two drives (e.g., traction sheave drives) drive the respective load-bearing elements (e.g., belts, steel cables) and thus move the elevator car 2 and the two counterweights 23 in opposite directions. Each drive is assigned to one of the counterweights 23. Two opposing guide rails 3 are provided on both sides of the elevator car 2 to guide the elevator car 2 and the counterweights 23. The elevator 10 shown in this embodiment is characterized by special guide rails 3 that serve as linear guides for both the elevator car 2 and the respective counterweights 23. The guide rails 3 can be manufactured as one-piece roller profiles.

[0025] The elevator car 2 has a front 24 with a car door 27, a rear 26 opposite the front, and two side walls 25 connecting the front and rear. The elevator car 2 is supported at the front. The guide rails 3 are located on opposite sides of the elevator shaft 22, adjacent to the side walls 25. The guide rails 3 are fixed to the front of the elevator shaft 22 by means of horizontal support structures 29. The elevator system 1 is designed as a so-called "front-loading elevator." Further details on the front-loading elevator and the guidance of the car and the counterweights with common guide rails can be found in WO 2020 / 127303 A1 and WO 2020 / 127787 A1.

[0026] The guide rail 3 comprises a U-shaped guide channel 11 in which a roller guide shoe 1 for guiding the elevator car 2 is accommodated. The roller guide shoe 1 has two rollers 4, 5 for frontal guidance and one guide roller 6 for lateral guidance. The respective axes of rotation of the rollers 4, 5 and the guide roller 6 are designated R1 and R2. Details on the construction and function of the roller guide shoe 1 are given in the following sections. Figures 2 to 5 removable.

[0027] In Fig. 1It is further evident that the respective counterweight 23 is guided along the guide rail 3 by means of guide arrangements that are only indicated. A safety device is designated by reference numeral 20. The safety device 20 can also be a safety brake for catching the car. The safety brake is a device that prevents the elevator car from exceeding its speed in the downward direction. Solutions with safety wedges that can be actuated by force springs are known, for example. The force springs are pre-tensioned by an electromagnet, and the pre-tensioned force springs are released when necessary. However, the safety device 20 could also be a car brake. The car brake secures the elevator car when it comes to a stop. To catch or brake the elevator car 2, the safety device 20 interacts with a web-like projection 21 of the guide rail 3.

[0028] Figure 2Figure 1 shows a roller guide shoe 1, which is arranged on the elevator car 2 in the area of ​​the car floor 28. The direction of travel of the elevator car 2 is indicated by an arrow z. The guide rail 3, shown with dashed lines, is clearly designed as a hollow profile, whereby in the present embodiment the guide rail 3 is manufactured as a one-piece roller profile. The guide channel 11 has two opposing lateral guide surfaces 13 and a frontal guide surface 12 connecting them. The frontal guide surface 12 and the lateral guide surfaces 13 adjoining it at right angles define a "U" shape in cross-section. The rollers 4, 5 run on the frontal guide surface 12. The guide roller 6 is guided in an oscillating manner between the lateral guide surfaces 13. The roller axis R2 runs at right angles to the axis of rotation R1 of the two rollers 4, 5.

[0029] The two rollers 4, 5 are freely rotatable on a common axis 19. The rollers 4, 5, spaced apart from each other via the axis 19, enable end-face guidance, which is characterized, among other things, by high reliability and improved ride comfort.

[0030] As from Figure 3 As can be seen, the guide roller 6 clearly has a significantly larger outer diameter than the track rollers 4 and 5. In this case, the outer diameter of the guide roller 6 is approximately twice that of the track rollers 4 and 5. The track rollers 4 and 5 are spaced so far apart that their outer diameters are close to that of the guide roller 6.

[0031] The roller guide shoe 1 has a guide shoe housing 7 with a support section 8 and a mounting section 9 projecting at a right angle from it. The support section 8 serves to carry the rollers 4, 5 and the guide roller 6. The mounting section 9 serves to attach the roller guide shoe 1 to the elevator car 2. The guide shoe housing 7 with support section 8 and mounting section 9 has an L-shape. Thanks to the L-shape, the roller guide shoe 1 can be mounted on the edge between the horizontal underside of the car floor 28 and the vertical outer surface of the car wall 25 and fastened to the elevator car 2 by means of screws 30.

[0032] Further details of this roller guide shoe 1 are from the Figures 3 and 4Removable. The guide shoe housing 7 with the support section 8 and the mounting section 9 is manufactured from a single sheet metal blank, which is formed from a flat position into the final position shown here by means of bending or folding processes. The flat support section 8 defines a support surface. The axis of rotation R1 of the rollers 4, 5 runs parallel to this support surface, and the axis of rotation R2 of the guide roller runs perpendicular to the support surface of support section 8. The roller guide shoe 1 further includes an emergency guide 14, which is part of the guide shoe housing 7 manufactured from a single sheet metal blank. The emergency guide 14 can be easily formed after appropriate cutting operations during the folding of the sheet metal blank. The emergency guide 14 has two covers 15 for partially covering the rollers 4, 5, with each cover 15 being positioned in front of one roller 4, 5.An extension piece 31 is attached to the fastening section 9. This extension piece 31 has a hook-like engagement element 18, which interacts with the spring-like, web-like projection 21 of the guide rail 3 to form derailment protection. The hook-like engagement element 18 surrounds the guide rail 3 in the area of ​​the projection 21 and thus ensures that derailment can be prevented, for example, in the event of an earthquake.

[0033] Figure 5Figure 1 shows a variant of a roller guide shoe 1 in which the guide shoe housing 7 is designed in two parts. The two-part guide shoe housing 7 has a base part 16 formed from a sheet metal part with a mounting section 8 and a sheet metal section formed at a right angle to it, on which a second part is arranged. The second part forms a support part 17, to which the support section 8 for carrying the running rollers 4, 5 and the guide rollers 6 is assigned. The support part 17 has a bend that forms the emergency guide 14. Another difference between the roller guide shoe 1 of the exemplary embodiment according to Figure 16 is that... Fig. 5 The difference from the previous embodiment lies in a different arrangement of the guide roller 6 and the running rollers 4, 5. Fig. 5 The rollers 4, 5 are arranged at the lower end of the support section 8, or at the end furthest from the fastening section 8.

[0034] The in the Figures 3 to 5The roller guide shoes 1 shown do not necessarily have to be used only in front bag elevators, but can also be used in other elevators in which the elevator cars are guided on guide rails with U-shaped guide channels.

Claims

1. A roller guide shoe (1) for guiding an elevator car (2) of an elevator (10) along a guide rail (3) extending in the longitudinal direction (z) and comprising a U-shaped guide channel (11), wherein the roller guide shoe (1) comprises a guide body which can be received between lateral guide surfaces (13) of the U-shaped guide channel (11) for lateral guidance, characterized in that the roller guide shoe (1) further comprises two rollers (4, 5) mounted on a common axis (19) so as to rotate freely about an axis of rotation (R1) for guiding along a front guide surface (12) of the U-shaped guide (11), wherein the guide body is a guide roller (6) whose roller axis (R2) extends perpendicular to the axis of rotation (R1) of the two running rollers (4, 5), wherein the guide roller (6) is at least 50% larger and preferably at least twice as large as the running rollers (4, 5) in terms of outer diameter.

2. The roller guide shoe (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that a cover (15) for covering the respective rollers (4, 5) is arranged upstream of the rollers (4, 5).

3. The roller guide shoe (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the cover (15) forms an emergency guide (14).

4. The roller guide shoe (1) according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the roller guide shoe (1) has a guide shoe housing (7) with a support section (8) for supporting the rollers (4, 5) and / or the guide body (6) and a fastening section (9) for fastening the roller guide shoe (1) to the elevator car (2), wherein the support section (8) and the fastening section (9) run at right angles to one another.

5. The roller guide shoe (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the guide shoe housing (7) comprising the support section (8) and the fastening section (9) is produced from a single sheet metal blank.

6. The roller guide shoe (1) according to any of claims 2 or 3 and claim 5, characterized in that the covers (15) are formed by sheet metal segments which are part(s) of the guide shoe housing (7) produced from a sheet metal blank.

7. The roller guide shoe (1) according to any of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that an extension piece (31) with a hook-like engagement member (18) which interacts with a profile section (21) forming a spring is integrally formed with or fastened to the fastening section (9) for forming a derailment protection device.

8. An elevator (10) having an elevator car (2) and two guide rails (3) for guiding the elevator car (2), the guide rails (3) extending in the longitudinal direction (z) each containing a U-shaped guide channel (11), the elevator car (2) being equipped with roller guide shoes (1) according to any of claims 1 to 7 for guiding the elevator car on the guide rails (3).

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