Driver system

Abstract

The present invention relates to a drive system (10) for the simultaneous opening and closing of an elevator car door and an elevator shaft door, comprising a base unit (12), a pair of a first (14) and a second engagement element (16) which are displaceable between an open operating position and a closed operating position, at least a first (18) and a second joint arrangement (20) which support the pair of engagement elements (14, 16) in a parallelogram configuration and are rotatable, wherein the first joint arrangement (18) comprises a first joint element (18a) and a second joint element (18b), wherein the first joint element (18a) is driveable to a pivoting movement for a transition between the closed operating position and the open operating position, and wherein the first joint element (18a) and the second joint element (18b) (18c) are pivotably connected relative to each other.wherein the second joint arrangement (20) comprises a third joint element (20a) and a fourth joint element (20b), wherein the third joint element (20a) is pivotable and the third joint element (20a) and the fourth joint element (20b) are pivotably connected relative to each other via a second bearing (20c), a preload arrangement (24) which preloads the engagement elements (14, 16) towards each other, wherein the preload arrangement (24) in an otherwise force-free state transfers the engagement elements (14, 16) into a closed position, a locking element which is pivotable between a closed position and an open position, wherein a release element is assigned to one of the joint elements (14, 16) such that in the second operating position of the engagement elements (14, 16) it interacts with the locking element (26) to transfer it into its open position, while in the locked position it holds the locking element in the remains in a closed position.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a driver system for the joint opening and closing of an elevator car door and an elevator shaft door, which is assigned to the elevator car, comprising a base unit, a pair of a first and a second engagement element, which extend substantially parallel and vertically and which are displaceable between an open operating position in which they have a first horizontal distance from one another, and a closed operating position in which they have a second horizontal distance from one another, wherein the first horizontal distance is greater than the second horizontal distance and the closed operating position corresponds to a state in which the two engagement elements mechanically engage with counter-elements of the elevator shaft door, as well as at least a first and a second joint arrangement,which support the pair of engagement elements in a parallelogram configuration and are rotatable for moving the engagement elements between the open operating position and the closed operating position.,

[0002] Such follower systems are used according to the prior art to be transferred between the closed position, in which the engagement elements, also referred to as "blades," are brought closer together, and the open position. The present invention particularly relates to a follower system of the so-called "clamp type," in which the closed position corresponds to the position in which the engagement elements engage with corresponding counter-elements of the elevator shaft door to enable a joint movement of the two doors for opening and closing, while in the open position, the elevator car door can be moved vertically together with the elevator car in the elevator shaft.Accordingly, in a planned operating sequence, in a state in which the elevator car is stationary relative to an elevator shaft door in a predetermined orientation, the two blades are brought closer together in the plane parallel to the planes of the two doors to finally cooperate with the aforementioned counter-elements provided on the elevator shaft door to allow the joint opening and closing of the elevator car door and the elevator shaft door.

[0003] To drive this movement sequence, a drive device is assigned to the elevator car, which is coupled to the driver system and interacts in such a way that when the two doors are opened, in a first step the engagement elements are first transferred from their open position to their closed position and then a joint displacement of the doors coupled in this way is effected, while when the doors are closed a reverse movement sequence takes place.

[0004] As already mentioned, in this context, the open position corresponds to the state in which the elevator car is vertically movable in the elevator shaft, while the closed position corresponds to the state in which the elevator car door and the elevator shaft door can be opened and closed together, so that the elevator car must be vertically immobile opposite the elevator shaft door in a predetermined orientation.However, the carrier systems used to date for this purpose are relatively complex in design, since in addition to the two engagement elements, a locking mechanism must also be provided for safety reasons, which blocks the elevator car door against manual opening in a power-free state of the drive device for driving the joint opening and closing of the elevator car door and the elevator shaft door as well as for transferring the engagement elements between their open and closed positions or in other conceivable malfunction cases.

[0005] In such a power-free state, the engagement elements, due to their design, move into the closed position and thus manual opening of the elevator car door would be possible. However, this must be prevented in any case in such an operating state, since it must be assumed that the elevator car is not correctly aligned on a floor, but is, for example, located between floors, in which case persons in the elevator car could be injured when attempting to leave the elevator car.

[0006] As a result, the carrier systems used to date generally required a total of three rails and three rollers or counter-elements interacting with them, or similarly complex safety devices, which required a large number of components and complex control of the respective operation of these components.

[0007] It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide carrier systems of the type described above, which are characterized by a simplified design with consistently safe operation and consequently offer savings potential with regard to their manufacture as well as their maintenance and operation.

[0008] For this purpose and to achieve the above-mentioned object, in a driver system according to the invention of the type described above, the first joint arrangement comprises a first joint element carrying the first engagement element and a second joint element carrying the second engagement element, wherein the first joint element is pivotally connected to the base unit and can be driven to pivot between the closed operating position and the open operating position, wherein the first joint element and the second joint element are further pivotally connected to one another via a first bearing, wherein the second joint arrangement further comprises a third joint element carrying the first engagement element and a fourth joint element carrying the second engagement element,wherein the third joint element is pivotally connected to the base unit, and the third joint element and the fourth joint element are pivotally connected relative to one another via a second bearing, wherein the driver system further comprises a preload arrangement which cooperates with one of the joint arrangements and / or one of the engagement elements such that the engagement elements are preloaded towards one another, wherein the joint arrangements are designed such that the preload arrangement, in an otherwise force-free state, transfers the engagement elements into a locking position with a third horizontal distance which is smaller than the second horizontal distance, wherein the driver system finally comprises a locking element which is pivotable between a closed position in which it prevents opening of the elevator car door and an open position in which it allows opening of the elevator car door,wherein in an unactuated state it is in the closed position, wherein one of the joint elements or the engagement elements is assigned a trigger element such that in the second operating position of the engagement elements it cooperates with the locking element to transfer the latter into its open position, while in the locking position it leaves the locking element in the closed position.

[0009] Thus, according to the invention, by defining the open and closed operating positions together with the locking position, a further degree of freedom with regard to the relative orientation of the two engagement elements and thus of the triggering element is created, so that pivoting of the locking element into the open position is only possible in a state in which, when the engagement elements transition into their closed position, they engage against corresponding counter-elements of the elevator shaft door and consequently fix the engagement elements in the closed operating position.

[0010] Accordingly, in a state in which, for example, in the event of a drive failure between two floors, the engagement elements move beyond the closed operating position into the locked position due to the lack of engagement with the counter-elements, the trigger element is in a position in which it cannot pivot the locking element into its open position, so that the locking element remains in the closed position and manual opening of the elevator car door is prevented in such a state. Accordingly, the term "otherwise force-free state" is to be understood to mean that neither a drive motor for transferring the engagement elements between their closed and open operating positions nor counter-elements associated with an elevator shaft door act on the engagement elements.

[0011] In this way, a clamp-type driver system is created with a reduced number of necessary components and a simplified mechanism, which can nevertheless ensure the same level of operational safety as similar systems currently on the market with a much more complex safety system.

[0012] In this case, the preload arrangement can in particular comprise two elastic elements, in particular springs, wherein one of the elastic elements acts on one of the joint elements and the other of the elastic elements acts between this joint element and the other joint element of the corresponding joint arrangement.

[0013] Furthermore, to ensure the function of the locking element, it can be provided with a guide curve on which the trigger element can run to transfer the joint element into its open position, although alternatively other shapes of the locking element could also be conceivable which enable actuation in the closed operating position of the engagement elements, but prevent it in the locking position of the engagement elements.

[0014] Furthermore, an elastic element, in particular a spring, can be provided, which preloads the locking element into its closed position, so that the action of the trigger element on the locking element must first overcome the corresponding preload force of the elastic element in order to be able to transfer the locking element into its open position and thus allow the elevator car door to open. In alternative variants, the locking element could also be preloaded into the closed position solely by the effect of gravity, provided that its reliable function can be ensured by an appropriate geometry and weight distribution on the locking element.

[0015] Furthermore, in a driver system according to the invention, the locking position can be defined such that the first and second joint elements and / or the third and fourth joint elements come into contact with each other, preventing further approach of the two engagement elements at this point and clearly defining the locking position. Alternatively, however, additional or alternative means could also be provided to determine the minimum distance between the two engagement elements corresponding to the locking position, for example, stop elements permanently installed on the base unit.

[0016] In addition, a toothed belt coupling can be provided to drive the pivoting movement for the transition between the closed operating position and the open operating position of the engagement elements, which constitutes a particularly simple, low-maintenance and reliable embodiment of such a drive or a corresponding coupling to a motor.

[0017] Particularly in embodiments in which the trigger element rolls on a counter surface of the locking element in order to transfer the latter into its open position in a predetermined operating sequence, it can be advantageous if the trigger element is designed as an eccentric bolt, preferably with a ball bearing, in order to keep the wear of the corresponding parts as low as possible and to enable quiet operation of the locking element.

[0018] Furthermore, it should be noted that at least one of the engagement elements can be provided with a hole pattern in order to allow variable positioning with respect to the joint units, for example in order to enable fine adjustment of the driver system to local conditions and geometries or in order to be able to use a single type of driver system together with different designs of elevator cars and / or elevator shaft doors.

[0019] Furthermore, according to a second aspect, the present invention relates to an elevator car door, comprising a driver system according to the invention of the type just described and a drive device which is designed to trigger a pivoting of the joint elements, wherein said drive device can act in particular on the toothed belt coupling already mentioned above.

[0020] Further features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of an embodiment thereof, when considered together with the accompanying figures. These show in detail: Fig. 1 a driver system according to the invention in open operating position in front view; Fig. 2 a detailed view corresponding Fig. 1 without the corresponding engagement elements; Fig. 3 a rear view of the driver system according to the conditions from the Figures 1 and 2 ; Fig. 4the driver system from the Figures 1 to 3 in a closed operating position in front view; Fig. 5 a rear view corresponding to the state of Fig. 4 ; and Fig. 6 a rear view of the driver system from the Figures 1 to 5 in locked position.

[0021] In the Figures 1 to 6In each case, in different views or different operating states, an embodiment of a driver system according to the invention for the joint opening and closing of a lift car door and lift shaft door (not shown) which is assigned to the lift car is shown, wherein the driver system is designated very generally by the reference numeral 10.

[0022] The carrier system 10 comprises a base unit 12, in particular in the form of several mounting plates, to which the components described below are mounted or hinged directly or indirectly in the manner described. Furthermore, for example, in Fig. 1 a pair of a first or left engagement element 14 and a second or right engagement element 16 are shown, which in Fig. 1 initially in an open operating position with a first horizontal distance A1.

[0023] It can be seen that the left engagement element 14 is provided with a hole pattern 14a, which enables variable mounting thereof in different relative orientations with respect to the joint assemblies 18 and 20 described below. With regard to the hole pattern 14a, the embodiment shown in the present figures represents only an example; in alternative variants, for example, the right engagement element 16 or both engagement elements 14 and 16 could also be provided in a similar manner with hole patterns for variable mounting thereof, in order to be able to adapt the driver system 10 to compensate for tolerances on the one hand, and to enable use of a single type of driver system with different elevator car doors and elevator shaft doors on the other.

[0024] As particularly in the Fig. 2can be seen, in which the illustration of the two engagement elements 14 and 16 has been omitted for reasons of clarity, the driver system 10 comprises a first or upper joint arrangement 18 and a second or lower joint arrangement 20, which carry the pair of engagement elements 14, 16 in a parallelogram configuration and are each pivotally mounted on the base unit 12 in order to be able to adjust the distance between the two engagement elements 14 and 16.

[0025] Here, the first joint arrangement 18 comprises a first joint element 18a, which carries the first engagement element 14, and a second joint element 18b, which carries the second engagement element 16. In the embodiment shown here, the first joint element 18a and the second joint element 18b are connected to one another via a first bearing 18c, which allows the two joint elements 18a and 18b to perform a pivoting movement relative to one another. Furthermore, the first joint element 18a is coupled to a toothed belt coupling 22 for driving a pivoting movement thereof, which enables the transition between the open operating position of the engagement elements 14, 16 from Fig. 1 and the closed operating position discussed below Fig. 4The connection of the first joint element 18a to the base unit 12 is again effected via a pivot bearing 18d, so that a pivoting transition of the engagement elements 14, 16 carried by the joint unit 18 between the positions shown in the present figures is enabled.

[0026] In a similar manner to the first joint arrangement 18, the second joint arrangement 20 also comprises two joint elements, namely a third joint element 20a and a fourth joint element 20b, which are pivotally coupled to one another via a second bearing 20c. The third joint element 20a and the fourth joint element 20b are further preloaded in the direction of movement of the two engagement elements 14, 16 towards one another via a preloading arrangement 24 in the form of a first spring 24a acting on the third joint element and supported on the base unit 12, and a second spring 24b acting between the third joint element 20a and the fourth joint element 20b. The pivoting of the third joint element 20a is made possible by a mounted coupling to the base unit 12 by means of a further pivot bearing 20d, which is aligned in the vertical direction with the above-mentioned pivot bearing 18d of the first joint unit 18.

[0027] In this case, the Figures 1 and 2 The open operating position of the engagement elements 14 and 16 shown in FIG. 1 corresponds to a state in which travel of the corresponding elevator car in an associated elevator shaft is possible, since the engagement elements 14 and 16 are aligned such that they do not engage with external elements. To transfer the driver system 10 to this state, a force is required that counteracts the action of the preload arrangement 24, which is effected by a motor (not shown) via the toothed belt coupling 22, whereby the joint arrangements 18 and 20 and thus the engagement elements 14 and 16 are pivoted into a so-called "zero-degree position." This case corresponds to the Fig. 1 indicated and already mentioned above maximum distance A1 of the engagement elements 14 and 16.

[0028] As now in Fig. 3can be seen, which shows a rear view of the driver system 10 in the operating state from the Figures 1 and 2 the driver system 10 further comprises a locking element 26, which in the Fig. 3In the configuration shown, the opening of the elevator car door is prevented by a suitable engagement with a counter element (not shown here), wherein it is preloaded into this closed position by an elastic element 28, in this case a spring. Furthermore, it can be seen that the locking element 26 further comprises a guide curve 26a, which is shaped such that, upon a suitable force acting on the guide curve 26a, a pivoting of the locking element 26 relative to the base unit 12 about its pivot axis 26b is triggered, which corresponds to a transition of the locking element 26 from the aforementioned closed position to an open position, in which opening of the elevator car door is permitted and enabled. For this purpose, a trigger element 30 is also suitably assigned to the first joint arrangement 18, in the embodiment shown here an eccentric bolt with a ball bearing, which, however, in the operating state from the Figures 1 to 3 initially spaced from the locking element 26 and in particular the guide curve 26a, so that the locking element in this state, which in the manner mentioned corresponds to the driving state of the elevator car, remains in its closed position and thus prevents the elevator car door from opening in the desired manner.

[0029] In contrast, the Fig. 4 in a similar view as the Fig. 1 the driver system 10 in a closed operating position of the engagement elements 14 and 16, in which they are brought closer to each other by pivoting the joint assemblies 18 and 20 to a distance A2, which is smaller than the distance A1 described above. At this distance A2, the two engagement elements 14 and 16 engage with counter-elements 32, which are assigned to the elevator shaft door. The deflection angle of the joint units 18 and 20 relative to their position in Fig. 1can, for example, be in the range of about 50°.

[0030] In this configuration, the counter elements 32 act in such a way that, on the one hand, the clamping thereof by means of the engagement elements 14 and 16 enables a joint opening of the elevator car door and the elevator shaft door, and, on the other hand, further approach of the two engagement elements 14 and 16 beyond the second horizontal distance A2 is prevented. This state therefore corresponds to a deactivation of the motor acting on the toothed belt coupling 22, wherein the transition from the open to the closed position was caused by the action of the preload arrangement 24 and is limited by the counter elements 32 with regard to the approach of the two engagement elements 14 and 16 to the second horizontal distance A2.

[0031] As seen from the rear Fig. 5 which corresponds to the operating mode Fig. 4corresponds, at the present second horizontal distance A2 between the two engagement elements 14 and 16, the trigger element 30 on the first joint arrangement 18 is located precisely in the area of ​​the guide curve 26a of the locking element 26 due to the pivoting movement carried out and by this mechanical engagement such a lever force is exerted on the locking element 26 that it pivots against the action of the spring 28 about the pivot axis 26b into its open position, in which the opening of the elevator car door is permitted and enabled. Thus, the operating position from the Figures 4 and 5in each case a state in which the elevator car door is aligned in the desired manner with an elevator shaft door and consequently the engagement elements 14 and 16 come into contact with the counter-elements 32 and interact in such a way that at the same time a transfer of the locking element 26 into its open position is brought about and thus a joint opening of the elevator car door and the elevator shaft door is made possible.

[0032] Finally, Fig. 6 , which shows a state in which the drive motor acting on the toothed belt coupling 22 is de-energized, but the elevator car is outside the unlocking zone, i.e., not in the desired alignment with an elevator shaft door. In such a case, it must be ensured that the locking element 26 prevents the elevator car door from opening and accordingly remains in its closed position.

[0033] Since in this state the counter elements 32 cannot limit the folding of the two engagement elements 14 and 16 inwards triggered by the preload arrangement 24, the two engagement elements 14 and 16 pivot towards each other up to a distance A3, which is referred to here as the locking position and, for example, prevents the joint units 18, 20 from pivoting relative to the position from Fig. 1 by approximately 57°. This locking position is ultimately determined by the first and second joint elements 18a, 18b and / or the third and fourth joint elements 20a, 20b abutting against each other in pairs, thus preventing further pivoting.

[0034] This is Fig. 6 compared with Fig. 5It can be seen that due to the third horizontal distance A3 being smaller than the second horizontal distance A2, the trigger element 30 is not in the area of ​​the guide curve 26a of the locking element 26, but is located further in the direction of the spring 28, where a corresponding guide curve is not present and consequently no force can be exerted by the trigger element 30 on the locking element 26. Accordingly, in the Fig. 6 shown locking position, the locking element 26 remains in its closed position, into which it is preloaded by the spring 28, and consequently, in the state described here, opening of the elevator car door is prevented, which represents a safety measure in states in which the drive motor has lost power or fails for other reasons, but the elevator car is not in a designated position relative to an elevator shaft door.

[0035] However, if, for example, in the context of a manual intervention, the car subsequently returns to a floor, ie enters the area of ​​a lift shaft door, the engagement elements 14 and 16 are in the Fig. 4 come into contact again with the corresponding counter elements 32 as shown, whereby they return to the second horizontal distance A2 from Fig. 5 This will cause the Fig. 5 In the manner shown, an engagement between the trigger element 30 and the locking element 26 takes place, so that the locking element 26 is moved into its open position and the elevator car door and the elevator shaft door can be unlocked together and any persons in the elevator car can leave the elevator car.

Claims

1. A driver system (10) for the joint opening and closing of an elevator car door and an elevator shaft door assigned to the elevator car, comprising: - a base unit (12); - a pair of first (14) and second engagement elements (16) which extend substantially parallel and vertically and which are displaceable between an open operating position, in which they are spaced a first horizontal distance (A1) from one another, and a closed operating position, in which they are spaced a second horizontal distance (A2) from one another; wherein the first horizontal distance (A1) is greater than the second horizontal distance (A2), and the closed operating position corresponds to a state in which the two engagement elements (14, 16) mechanically engage with counter-elements (32) of the elevator shaft door;- at least a first (18) and a second joint arrangement (20) which support the pair of engagement elements (14, 16) in a parallelogram configuration and are rotatable for displacing the engagement elements (14, 16) between the open operating position and the closed operating position; wherein the first joint arrangement (18) comprises a first joint element (18a) supporting the first engagement element (14) and a second joint element (18b) supporting the second engagement element (16), wherein the first joint element (18a) is pivotally connected to the base unit (12) and can be driven to pivot for a transition between the closed operating position and the open operating position, wherein the first joint element (18a) and the second joint element (18b) are further pivotally connected to one another via a first bearing (18c);wherein the second joint arrangement (20) comprises a third joint element (20a) carrying the first engagement element (14) and a fourth joint element (20b) carrying the second engagement element (16), wherein the third joint element (20a) is pivotally connected to the base unit (12) and the third joint element (20a) and the fourth joint element (20b) are pivotally connected to one another via a second bearing (20c);- a preloading arrangement (24) which cooperates with one of the joint assemblies (18, 20) and / or one of the engagement elements (14, 16) in such a way that the engagement elements (14, 16) are preloaded towards one another, wherein the joint assemblies (18, 20) are designed in such a way that the preloading arrangement (24), in an otherwise force-free state, transfers the engagement elements (14, 16) into a locking position with a third horizontal distance (A3) which is smaller than the second horizontal distance (A2) - a locking element (26) which is pivotable between a closed position in which it prevents the elevator car door from opening and an open position in which it allows the elevator car door to be opened, wherein it is in the closed position in an unactuated state;wherein one of the joint elements (18, 20) or the engagement elements (14, 16) is assigned a trigger element (30) such that, in the second operating position of the engagement elements (14, 16), it cooperates with the locking element (26) to transfer the latter into its open position, while in the blocking position it leaves the locking element (26) in the closed position; 2. Driver system (10) according to claim 1, wherein the preload arrangement (24) comprises two elastic elements (24a, 24b), in particular springs, wherein one of the elastic elements (24a) acts on one of the joint elements (18a, 18b, 20a, 20b) and the other of the elastic elements (24b) acts between this joint element (18a, 18b, 20a, 20b) and the other joint element (18b, 18a, 20b, 20a) of the corresponding joint arrangement (18, 20).

3. Driver system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the locking element (26) is provided with a guide curve (26a) on which the trigger element (30) runs for transferring the joint element (26) into its open position.

4. Driver system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the locking element (26) is preloaded into its closed position by an elastic element (28), in particular a spring.

5. Driver system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein in the locking position the first and the second joint element (18a, 18b) and / or the third and the fourth joint element (20a, 20b) come into contact with one another.

6. Driver system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a toothed belt coupling (22) is provided for driving the pivoting movement for the transition between the closed operating position and the open operating position of the engagement elements.

7. Driver system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the trigger element (30) is designed as an eccentric bolt, preferably with a ball bearing.

8. A driver system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the engagement elements (14, 16) is provided with a hole pattern (14a) to allow variable positioning thereof with respect to the joint units (18, 20).

9. Elevator car door, comprising a driver system (10) according to one of the preceding claims and a drive device which is designed to trigger pivoting of the joint elements (18, 20).

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