Cabin, cabin arrangement and lift system having two cars in a lift shaft

Abstract

The following embodiments relate to a car (3.1) for a lift installation (1) with two cars (3.1, 3.2) which can be moved in a lift shaft (2), having an interior space and a walkable roof (12), wherein a receptacle (18) for a spacer (17) for ensuring a minimum distance from a further car (3.2) arranged above the car (3.1) is arranged on an outer side of the roof (12), and wherein a first sensor (24) for setting a safety operation of the lift installation (1) is arranged on the receptacle (18) in such a way that the first sensor (24) is actuated by a spacer (17) which is accommodated in the receptacle (18) in an operating position. The following statements further relate to an elevator installation (1) comprising a vertically extending elevator shaft (2), an upper elevator car (3.2) which can be moved in the elevator shaft (2) and a lower elevator car (3.2) which can be moved in the elevator shaft (2) and is arranged below the upper (3.2) arranged lower car (3.1), wherein the lower car (3.1) is designed as a previously described car (3.1).

Description

Technical field

[0001] The following descriptions concern a car for an elevator system with an elevator shaft and at least two cars that can be moved one above the other in the elevator shaft, the car having an interior and a roof arranged above the interior and accessible from the ground.

[0002] Furthermore, the following statements concern a car arrangement for an elevator system with an elevator shaft and at least two cars that can be moved one above the other in the elevator shaft, the car arrangement comprising a aforementioned car.

[0003] Furthermore, the following descriptions relate to an elevator system comprising at least one vertically extending elevator shaft, an upper car movable in the elevator shaft, and a lower car movable in the elevator shaft and arranged below the upper car.

[0004] Furthermore, the following explanations concern a procedure for operating such an elevator system. Technical background

[0005] Elevator systems for the vertical transport of people and / or goods are an integral part of modern residential and commercial buildings. A typical elevator system comprises one or more elevator shafts in which one or more cars are moved between landing positions by means of drives such as suspension drives or linear drives.

[0006] Elevator systems with multiple cars operating in the same elevator shaft are marketed, for example, by the applicant under the designation "TWIN," where the cars are arranged one above the other, or "MULTI," where the cars can be arranged completely independently of one another. With such systems, a single elevator shaft can be utilized more efficiently compared to a single-car system, thus reducing waiting times.

[0007] A disadvantage of such elevator systems is that maintenance of components located on the underside of an upper car is not possible from a pit, as is the case with a lower car or a single-car system. It is therefore known to temporarily install a platform or similar structure in the elevator shaft for maintenance, from which these components can be serviced. However, this approach is costly and requires corresponding modifications to the elevator system.

[0008] US Patent 6,481,534 B1 discloses a device for maintaining an adequate overhead clearance for a worker located on the roof of an elevator car, wherein the elevator car has a drive mechanism that disengages under a given load. A support is attached to the car and is capable of withstanding a compressive load greater than the disengagement load of the drive mechanism.

[0009] From WO 2018 / 091350 A1, an elevator car is known with a pivoting balustrade mounted on the roof, which can be pivoted between a folded-down position and an upright position. The balustrade has a locking mechanism by which it can be locked during a pivoting movement via a detent connection. The balustrade comprises a two-part post with a lower post section and an upper post section pivotably attached to the lower post section. Description - Technical Solution

[0010] Based on this situation, the task at hand is to simplify the maintenance of components on the underside of an upper elevator car in an elevator system with several cars moving in the same elevator shaft.

[0011] The present problem is solved by the features of the independent main claims.

[0012] Advantageous embodiments are specified in the dependent claims.

[0013] In particular, the problem is solved by a car for an elevator system with an elevator shaft and at least two cars moving one above the other in the elevator shaft, the car having an interior and a walkable roof arranged above the interior, wherein a receptacle for a spacer to ensure a minimum distance to another car arranged above the car is arranged on an outside of the roof, and wherein a first sensor for setting a safety operation of the elevator system is arranged on the car in such a way that the first sensor is actuated by a spacer received in the receptacle in an operating position.

[0014] The following sections explain advantageous aspects and subsequently describe preferred modified embodiments. Explanations, particularly regarding advantages and definitions of features, are essentially descriptive and preferred, but not limiting, examples. If an explanation is limiting, this will be explicitly stated.

[0015] Where ordinal numbers ("first", "second", etc.) are used, for example to designate a component, an element, a process step, or a process action, these ordinal numbers are solely for differentiation in the designation and do not indicate any dependencies or sequences. This means, in particular, that a device does not need to have a "first component" to have a "second component." A device can also have a "first component" and a "third component" without necessarily having a "second component." Multiple units with the same ordinal number are also possible, for example, multiple "first components."

[0016] According to the present understanding, an elevator system is designed, for example, with at least one at least partially vertical elevator shaft and at least two carriages that can be moved one above the other in the elevator shaft, but can also have several parallel vertical elevator shafts with additional carriages.

[0017] For example, a car is held and driven by a load-bearing element, with a drive device transmitting a drive torque to the load-bearing element via the drive shaft. The load-bearing element is preferably connected to a counterweight associated with the car or cars. A drive device is located, in particular, in a machine room above the elevator shaft(s) or in an upper section of an elevator shaft, the so-called head of the shaft. A load-bearing element is, in particular, designed as a rope, belt, strap, chain, or the like, and carries tensile loads in the direction of its longitudinal extension.

[0018] Alternatively, an elevator car can be held and driven by a linear actuator. In an elevator system, for example, a linear actuator consists of a primary part extending along the elevator shaft and a secondary part located on the elevator car. The primary part is made up of coils arranged in a line, each with its own converter. When the elevator car passes within the coil, the converter energizes the coil to generate a magnetic field. This magnetic field is generated in such a way that the elevator car is attracted or repelled by the magnetic field according to its intended travel path. The secondary part consists of a permanent or electromagnet that interacts with the magnetic fields of the coil.

[0019] An elevator shaft is a continuous shaft that extends over several floors or along several areas of a building and has a cross-section designed for the passage of the elevator car. An elevator shaft of an elevator system can extend vertically and / or horizontally. In one embodiment, the elevator system has at least one section of the elevator shaft that extends vertically and at least one section that extends horizontally, with the elevator car being able to move from the vertically extending section to the horizontally extending section.

[0020] A receptacle for a spacer is designed to receive it, in particular by positive or non-positive locking, in at least one spatial direction of the spacer and has, for example, recesses into which projections of the spacer or fasteners engage, and / or stops against which the spacer rests. Furthermore, the receptacle includes, in particular, retaining means or is designed to accommodate retaining means. Retaining means are, for example, clamps, clips, screws, hooks, or the like. A spacer held in the receptacle is, in particular, secured therein in such a way that it is held against tilting and against translational movement transversely and orthogonally to the roof. A receptacle can also be formed by a connection point, for example, a weld, at which the spacer is materially bonded or received.

[0021] A spacer is typically designed as a rod extending longitudinally between the roof and the other elevator car. A spacer is understood to be a device that can maintain a distance without being intended to actually adjust that distance regularly. The spacer is not designed to strike the other elevator car to set a specific distance, but merely to ensure that the distance is not unintentionally reduced below the length of the spacer, for example, due to incorrect operation of an elevator car.For example, the spacer is designed to be slightly spaced from the other car in a position that allows maintenance of the other car from the roof, for example by 10-50 millimeters, so that in the event of incorrect operation the upper car only comes to rest on the spacer.

[0022] A safety mode is an operating mode of the elevator system in which standard safety mechanisms are deactivated and / or additional safety mechanisms are activated, compared to normal operation. Normal operation is thus interrupted or replaced by the safety mode and is also prevented. Specifically, safety mechanisms that are relevant during normal operation but would hinder or prevent certain maintenance activities are deactivated. Furthermore, safety mechanisms that are not relevant for normal operation but are relevant during maintenance are activated. The safety mode can be activated and / or deactivated, for example, at a control device, on a car, and / or by the elevator system's primary sensor.The safety operation can also be activated and / or deactivated in several stages, for example in a first stage at a control device and / or a car and in a second stage by the first sensor.

[0023] An operating position of the spacer is defined as a position in which the spacer ensures that the distance between the elevator cars is not unintentionally reduced below the length of the spacer itself. In the operating position, the spacer extends its length between the elevator cars and is in a state where it can absorb the forces upon contact. For example, the spacer may be directly and exclusively attached to the recess in its operating position and is otherwise detached from the elevator car. However, the spacer may also be adjustable between a storage position, in which it remains connected to the elevator car, and the operating position.

[0024] The solution described above for the elevator car now incorporates the teaching that the spacer creates a safety device that allows the roof of the car to be used as a maintenance platform for the car above it. This advantageously eliminates the need to install a temporary platform in the elevator shaft and significantly simplifies the maintenance of components on the underside of an upper car in the elevator system. Furthermore, the spacer prevents the risk of injury to a person standing on the roof if the two cars approach too closely, thus enabling sufficient proximity between the cars for maintenance on the underside of the upper car during safety operation.By installing the first sensor, the system gains the further advantage that the presence of the spacer can be detected by the system itself, enabling the activation and / or release of safety mechanisms. This allows, in particular, safety mechanisms relevant to the approach of the elevator cars to be activated only when the spacer is picked up, or for approach to be released only when the spacer is picked up. Furthermore, and especially advantageously, it allows the system to check whether the spacer is still attached when returning to normal operation, and to only release the return to normal operation once the spacer has been removed. This prevents the spacer from remaining attached to the elevator car during normal operation or outside of safety mode, thus avoiding any interference with normal operation caused by the spacer.A malfunction occurs, for example, if the spacer prevents or hinders the desired approach of the elevator cars to one another, or if the spacer contacts a load-bearing element. Conversely, the spacer should advantageously only be designed for maintenance operations and does not need to be designed to reliably prevent malfunctions during normal operation, so the spacer can be of a simple design.

[0025] The teaching of the present disclosure can readily be transferred to elevator installations with more than two elevator cars in the same elevator shaft, insofar as the accessibility of the lower side of an elevator car with components requiring maintenance located there is restricted by another elevator car.

[0026] As an alternative to features of the above, or in a preferred embodiment of the above, the first sensor has an actuating lever, wherein the actuating lever is deflected by a spacer held in the receptacle in its operating position. In this way, actuation of the first sensor by the spacer is particularly easy when the spacer is inserted into the receptacle, and the first sensor is securely held in the actuated position when the spacer is held in the receptacle. Alternatively, the sensor can, for example, be an optical sensor that detects a spacer held in the receptacle and in its operating position, or a magnetic switch that can be activated by the spacer.

[0027] As an alternative to the features described above, or in a preferred embodiment, the receptacle is arranged on a structural element of the elevator car. The elevator car is formed by several structural elements, such as structural struts and beams, which constitute the car's skeleton and absorb and transmit all forces and moments, as well as cladding elements held between these structural elements. The spacer is then securely held, and a safe force transmission to the elevator car is ensured in the event of load-bearing contact between the spacer and the rest of the elevator car.

[0028] As an alternative to the features described above, or in a preferred embodiment, the spacer can be folded or extended from a storage position to the operating position in such a way that the first sensor is actuated by folding or extending it. Advantageously, the spacer is then stored on the elevator car when not in use and therefore does not need to be taken along for maintenance. For example, the spacer is mounted on a hinge, and the first sensor is positioned on a side of the spacer facing away from the hinge, or a portion of the spacer locks into place when fully extended, thus actuating the first sensor.

[0029] The problem is further solved by a car arrangement for an elevator system with an elevator shaft and at least two cars traveling one above the other in the elevator shaft. The car arrangement comprises a car as described above and a spacer mounted on the support, wherein the first sensor is actuated by the spacer in its operating position. The advantages described with respect to the car as described above are achieved accordingly with this car arrangement. In particular, the car arrangement enables significantly simplified maintenance of components on the underside of an upper car in an elevator system.

[0030] In a preferred embodiment of the foregoing, the spacer is positioned on the elevator car in the operating position by at least one positive locking mechanism and / or held on the elevator car by at least one clamp. The spacer is then securely held in place, particularly against loads in the direction of its longitudinal extension, i.e., in the normal direction of the roof, such as in the event of contact with the rest of the elevator car, as well as against tilting loads, such as when a person on the roof pushes against or falls against the spacer.

[0031] As an alternative to features of the preceding description, or in a preferred embodiment of the preceding description, the car arrangement includes at least one second sensor for detecting the distance between an upper end of the spacer and the other car. This reliably prevents the spacer from contacting the other car. The spacer is designed to approach the other car relatively closely; however, contact is only provided as a safeguard in case of a failure of safety mechanisms. The second sensor can be associated with such a safety mechanism.Advantageously, the spacer does not need to be designed in such a complex way that all components of the elevator system remain undamaged upon contact between the spacer and the other elevator car. Instead, it can be designed more simply, so that a certain degree of component damage is acceptable as long as the distance between the elevator cars is reliably maintained in the event of contact. The second sensor, for example, is a contact sensor, an optical sensor, or a magnetic sensor, and is located, for example, on the spacer or on the elevator car. The second sensor can also be a position sensor of the elevator car, which, for example, uses a position code strip to detect the absolute position of the elevator car in the elevator shaft. In this case, the second sensor interacts with one or more other sensors, such as at least one position sensor of another elevator car.

[0032] As an alternative to features of the preceding description, or in a preferred embodiment of the preceding description, the spacer is provided with a deformable contact element at its upper end. This contact element deforms upon contact between the spacer and the elevator car. Such contact can then be detected, allowing the elevator system to be inspected for hidden damage. In particular, this prevents contact from occurring due to operator error, which could then be ignored and / or concealed by the person responsible. A maintenance routine can be designed to assign the inspection of the contact element to a different person than the person performing the maintenance.

[0033] As an alternative to the features described above, or in a preferred embodiment of the above, the spacer is designed to be adjustable in its length in the operating position. The spacer is then adjustable such that people of different heights can reach the components on the underside of the other car, with the spacer being moved closer to the other car without making contact. In particular, the adjustability can be limited by a minimum length.

[0034] The problem is further solved by an elevator system comprising at least one vertically extending elevator shaft, an upper car movable within the elevator shaft, and a lower car movable within the elevator shaft and arranged below the upper car, wherein the lower car is designed as the car described above and forms a car arrangement described above with a spacer. The elevator system achieves the advantages described with respect to the car and the car arrangement described above. In particular, the elevator system enables significantly simplified maintenance of components on the underside of an upper car.

[0035] In a preferred embodiment of the above-described system, the elevator is configured so that the upper car is locked in place during safety operation. The distance between the lower and upper cars is then determined solely by the movement of the lower car, which can advantageously be controlled and monitored by the person on the roof of the lower car. This prevents any unexpected movement of the upper car, particularly one initiated by another person unaware of the ongoing maintenance work on the underside.

[0036] As an alternative to features of the aforementioned design, or in a preferred embodiment thereof, the elevator system is configured to prevent normal operation of the lower car during safety mode. Specifically, the lower car can only be moved by a person on the roof, for example, by means of an operating device located there. Furthermore, the operation of the lower car is restricted such that it can only approach the upper car to the point where the spacer remains slightly separated from the upper car, for example, based on measurements from a second sensor as described above or on position data from the cars.

[0037] The problem is further solved by a method for operating a previously described elevator system, comprising the steps of detecting an actuation of the first sensor, setting up a safety mode when the actuation of the first sensor is detected, locking the upper car in the safety mode, and optionally preventing normal operation of the lower car in the safety mode.

[0038] It is preferred that the sequence of process steps can be varied, unless a specific sequence is technically required. However, the aforementioned sequence of process steps is particularly preferred.

[0039] Setting the safety mode means, in particular, that the safety mode or a stage of the safety mode is activated when the first sensor is actuated, provided that it was not already activated before the spacer was placed on the mount. If the relevant safety mode or stage is already activated, actuating the first sensor will have no further activation effect. Furthermore, setting the safety mode or a stage of the safety mode is also understood to mean that it remains activated as long as the first sensor is actuated.

[0040] The method described above incorporates the principle that, upon detection of activation of the first sensor, a safety mode is initiated, enabling safe maintenance of components located on the underside of the upper car from the roof of the lower car. The lower car can thus be brought sufficiently close to the upper car without posing a risk of further approach that would be dangerous for a person on the roof. The method therefore achieves the advantages already described with regard to the aforementioned car, car arrangement, and elevator system.

[0041] In a preferred embodiment of the above-described device, the check for a minimum distance between the upper and lower car is omitted during safety operation. Insofar as a minimum distance between the cars is checked for compliance during normal operation, and this distance is too great to allow access to the components on the underside of the upper car from the roof of the lower car, access to the components is advantageously facilitated in this way.

[0042] As an alternative to the features described above, or in a preferred embodiment of the above, it is provided that the safety operation is prevented from being terminated when the first sensor is activated. Advantageously, this prevents the spacer from remaining in place and thus avoids any hazards that might arise when returning to normal operation. The first sensor then serves to monitor that the elevator car is returned to its initial state without the spacer attached after maintenance.

[0043] As an alternative to the features described above, or in a preferred embodiment of the above, it is provided that, after the activation of the first sensor is detected, the distance between an upper end of the spacer and the rest of the elevator car is monitored by means of at least one second sensor. This avoids actual contact and thus potential damage to the spacer.

[0044] In a purely illustrative maintenance process, for example, the upper car is locked at a central control unit, and the lower car is put into maintenance mode so that the lower car can be moved from the roof using a control unit located there. The upper car is preferably locked directly above a shaft door. The lower car, with its spacer in its operating position, is then manually moved towards the upper car using the control unit until the desired distance between the spacer and the upper car is reached. Maintenance is then carried out on the components located on the underside of the upper car. Afterwards, the lower car is moved away from the upper car, and the spacer is removed from its operating position, for example, by being folded down, retracted, or completely removed from its mounting.Only then, i.e., after the activation of the first sensor is lifted, is a return to normal operation of both elevator cars possible. Brief description of the drawings

[0045] A preferred technical solution is explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments. The term "figure" is abbreviated as "Fig." in the drawings.

[0046] The drawings show Fig. 1 a highly schematic view of an elevator system according to an exemplary embodiment; Fig. 2a a side view of an area between a lower car and an upper car in an elevator system in an exemplary embodiment; Fig. 2 an enlarged section of a detail from Figure 2a ; Fig. 3 a detailed view of a recording with a spacer recorded on it in one embodiment; and Fig. 4 a highly schematic process flow diagram of a process according to one embodiment. Detailed description of the drawings

[0047] Figure 1 Figure 1 shows an elevator system 1 in a first embodiment, not drawn to scale. The elevator system 1 has an elevator shaft 2 extending in a vertical direction V. The elevator shaft 2 is closed in the vertical direction V by a pit 2.1 and a head 2.2. A lower car 3.1 and an upper car 3.2 are arranged in the elevator shaft 2 and can move independently of each other in the vertical direction V during normal operation. The cars 3.1 and 3.2 each have an access door 4.1 and 4.2, respectively, and are each held in a structural frame 5.1 and 5.2. The structural frames 5.1 and 5.2 engage with guide rails 6.1 and 6.2 of a pair of guide rails 6 by means of guide elements (not shown) and are guided along the pair of guide rails 6 in the elevator shaft 2. Above the elevator shaft 2 is a machine room 7.

[0048] To move the elevator cars 3.1, 3.2 along the elevator shaft 2 in the vertical direction V, the elevator cars 3.1, 3.2 are driven by suspension elements 8.1, 8.2. The first suspension element 8.1 runs between a suspension, deflection pulleys 9 on the first elevator car 3.1, a first drive unit 10.1 and a first counterweight 11.1. The second suspension element 8.2 is guided between the second elevator car 3.2, a second drive unit 10.2 and a second counterweight 11.2. Between the second drive unit 10.2 and the first counterweight 11.1, the first suspension element 8.1 and the second suspension element 8.2 overlap in the Figure 1 as shown.

[0049] The Figures 2a and 2bFigure 1 shows an area between the lower car 3.1 and the upper car 3.2 in a maintenance situation. A person 14 is standing on the roof 12 of the lower car 3.1, which has side fall protection barriers 13. The lower car 3.1 has been moved so close to the upper car 3.2 that the person 14 can manually reach components on the underside 15 of the upper car 3.2 for maintenance, for example, the rollers 16 located there. A spacer 17, which has a length L that extends beyond the person 14, is mounted on the roof 12 of the lower car 3.1. The spacer 17 is designed to maintain a sufficient distance between the cars 3.1 and 3.2 and is positioned at a small distance A from the upper car 3.2, as shown in Figure 1. Figure 2bThe spacer 17 serves as a fallback safety device to ensure a sufficient distance between the elevator cars 3.1 and 3.2 should an elevator car 3.1 or 3.2 be moved unintentionally. The distance A can also be monitored by a second sensor, which is not shown in detail.

[0050] Figure 3 Figure 18 shows a receptacle 18 of the spacer 17 on the roof 12 of the lower car 3.1. The receptacle 18 is arranged on a structural beam 19 of the lower car 3.1 or the roof 12 and has two opposing recesses 20.1, 20.2 which are located in Figure 3The spacer 17 is shown partially obscured by the spacer 17. The spacer 17 has a base plate 17.1 to which bolts 21.1, 21.2 are attached, by means of which the spacer 17 engages in the recesses 20.1, 20.2. The bolts 21.1, 21.2 already create a positive fit between the base plate 17.1 and the structural beam 19 in the transverse direction. The base plate 17.1 is further held to the structural beam 19 by two clamps 22 (a second clamp is shown partially obscured by the spacer 17). The clamps 22 also create a positive fit in the longitudinal direction of the spacer 17. Furthermore, the bolts 21.1, 21.2 and the clamps 22 also prevent the spacer 17 from rotating or tilting on the structural beam 19. The clamps 22 are held securely to the spacer 17 by wires 23.

[0051] A first sensor 24 is arranged below the structural beam 19. The sensor 24 has a housing 24.1 and an actuating lever 24.2 held on the housing 24.1. The first bolt 21.1 deflects the actuating lever 24.2 as it passes through the first recess 20.1, thus actuating the sensor 24. As long as the spacer 17 is held in the receptacle 18, the sensor 24, or rather the actuating lever 24.2, remains actuated by the first bolt 21.1.

[0052] Figure 4Figure 31 shows a schematic process diagram of a process 30. A first step 31 comprises detecting an actuation of the first sensor 24, for example, by actuating the actuating lever 24.2 by the first bolt 21.1. A second step 32 of the process 30 comprises setting up a safety mode upon detection of actuation of the first sensor 24. In particular, the safety mode includes activating and / or deactivating safety measures that are not provided for in normal operation but are required in the safety mode, or that are provided for in normal operation but are not required in the safety mode. A third step 33 comprises, as a safety measure, locking the upper car 3.2 in the safety mode. An optional fourth step 34 comprises, as a further safety measure, preventing normal operation of the lower car 3.1 in the safety mode. Reference symbol list

[0053] 1 Elevator system 2 Elevator shaft 2.1 Pit 2.2 Head of shaft 3.1 Lower car 3.2 Upper car 4.1 Lower car access door 4.2 Upper car access door 5.1 Lower car structural frame 5.2 Upper car structural frame 6 Guide rail pair 6.1 First guide rail of the guide rail pair 6.2 Second guide rail of the guide rail pair 7 Machine room 8.1 First load-bearing element 8.2 Second load-bearing element 9 Pulley 10.1 First drive unit 10.2 Second drive unit 11.1 First counterweight 11.2 Second counterweight 12 Lower car roof 13 Fall protection 14 Person 15 Underside of the upper car 16 Upper car rollers 17 Spacer 17.1 Spacer base plate 18 Receptacle for the spacer 19 Structural beam of the lower car 20.1 First recess on the structural beam 20.2 Second recess on the structural beam 21.1 First bolt 21.2 Second bolt 22 Clamps 23 Wire 24 First sensor 24.1 Housing of the first sensor 24.2 Actuating lever of the first sensor 30 Procedure for operating an elevator system 31 First step of the procedure - Detecting an actuation of the first sensor 32 Second step of the procedure - Setting a safety mode 33 Third step of the procedure - Locking the upper car 34 Fourth step of the procedure - Preventing normal operation of the lower car A Distance between spacer and second car H Horizontal direction L Length of the spacer V Vertical direction.

Claims

1. Lift installation (1), comprising at least one vertically extending lift shaft (2); an upper car (3.2) movable in the lift shaft (2); and a lower car (3.1) movable in the lift shaft (2) and arranged below the upper car (3.2); wherein the lower car (3.1) comprises: an interior space; and an accessible roof arranged above the interior space (12); wherein a receptacle (18) for a spacer (17) is arranged on an outer side of the roof (12); wherein a spacer (17) is received in the receptacle (18) to ensure a minimum distance from the upper car (3.2); and wherein a first sensor (24) for setting a safety operation of the lift installation (1) is arranged on the lower car (3.1) in such a way that the first sensor (24) is actuated by the spacer (17) received in the receptacle (18) in an operating position; characterized in that the lift installation is designed so that in the safety mode the upper lift car (3.2) is locked and normal operation of the lower lift car (3.1) is prevented.

2. Lift installation (1) according to claim 1, wherein the first sensor (24) has an actuating lever (24.2), wherein the actuating lever (24.2) is deflected by the spacer (17) received in the receptacle (18) in the operating position.

3. Lift installation (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the receptacle (18) is arranged on a structural element (5.1, 5.2, 19) of the lift car (3.1).

4. Lift installation (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the spacer (17) can be folded or extended from a storage position into the operating position in such a way that the first sensor (24) is actuated by folding or extending.

5. Lift installation (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the spacer (17) is positioned in the operating position by at least one positive fit on the lower car (3.1) and / or is held by at least one clamp (22) on the lower car (3.1).

6. Lift installation (1) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising at least a second sensor for detecting the distance (A) between an upper end of the spacer (17) and the upper car (3.2).

7. Lift installation (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the spacer (17) has a deformable contact piece at the upper end for deformation upon contact between the spacer (17) and the upper car (3.2).

8. Lift installation (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the spacer (17) is designed to be adjustable in its length (L) present in the operating position.

9. Method (30) for operating an elevator system (1) according to any of the preceding claims, comprising the steps detecting an actuation of the first sensor (24) (31); setting a safety mode when the first sensor (24) (32) is detected as being actuated; locking the upper car (3.2) in the safety mode (33); preventing normal operation of the lower car (3.1) in the safety mode (34); and optionally, monitoring the distance (A) between an upper end of the spacer (17) and the upper car (3.2) by means of the at least one second sensor.

10. Method (30) according to claim 9, wherein in the safety operation the check of a minimum distance between the upper car (3.2) and the lower car (3.1) is cancelled.

11. Method (30) according to one of claims 9 or 10, wherein termination of safety operation is prevented when the first sensor (24) is actuated.

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