Guiding assembly for an elevator

Abstract

A guiding assembly (1) for an elevator for the vertical transport of persons or goods comprises a main rail structure (2) designed as a hollow profile. A secondary rail structure (3) is attached to the main rail structure, along which secondary rail structure a counterweight can be guided, and which secondary rail structure (3) is designed to be wider than the main rail structure (2) in order to adapt to larger counterweights. (Fig.)

Description

[0001] GUIDE ARRANGEMENT FOR AN ELEVATOR

[0002] The invention relates to a guide arrangement for an elevator.

[0003] Elevators for transporting people and goods contain elevator cars that can move up and down in an elevator shaft. The elevator cars can be moved in the vertical elevator shaft using suspension elements, for example in the form of suspension cables or belts, and a drive unit. In addition to the elevator car, the elevator usually includes at least one counterweight that moves in the opposite direction in the elevator shaft. To ensure that the elevator car is guided linearly with sufficient precision, guide rails are used as guide arrangements that are fixed in the elevator shaft. T-shaped metal profiles have been known and in use for a long time. The T-profile has a rail base attached to a shaft wall and a rail web. The rail web has two opposing guide surfaces and a front guide surface, along which a sliding or roller guide shoe can slide or roll.In addition to their guiding function, the guide surfaces of the rail web also serve as engagement surfaces for safety devices that can be used to brake elevator cars to a stop. The safety device can also be a safety brake for catching the car. The guide rail designed as a T-profile has proven itself for many years. However, guide rails for guiding elevator cars are also known that are characterized by a more complex shape. One such guide rail is known, for example, from WO 2020 / 127787 A1. The guide rails consist of individual guide rail sections that are fixed in the elevator shaft by means of mounting brackets. WO 2022 / 117496 A1 discloses an example of such mounting brackets. The guide rail of the type described in WO 2020 / 127787 contains 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 corresponding guide shoes that are accommodated in the U-shaped or groove-like guide channel of the elevator rail. In addition to the U-shaped guide channel, this guide rail includes a guide contour formed by two web-like projections for guiding a counterweight. The two projections are oriented away from each other. For example, sliding guide shoes, such as those shown in WO2022 / 136119 A1, can be used to guide the counterweight.

[0004] It is an object of the present invention to avoid the disadvantages of the known and in particular to provide a guide arrangement for an elevator which allows further applications and, for example, enables retrofitting or conversion of the elevator.

[0005] According to the invention, these and other objects are achieved with a guide arrangement according to the features of claim 1. An elevator may comprise an elevator car, which is movable in the vertical direction (travel direction). The elevator may further comprise a counterweight movable in the opposite direction to the elevator car, which counterweight is movable in the travel direction.The guide arrangement for an elevator for the vertical transport of persons or goods is characterized in that the guide arrangement for guiding an elevator car and / or a counterweight comprises a base rail structure running in a direction of travel, preferably designed as a hollow profile, and a secondary structure attached to the base rail structure and running in the direction of travel, along which secondary rail structure the elevator car and / or the counterweight can be guided, which is widened or otherwise differently designed compared to the base rail structure in order to adapt to different load-carrying devices, in particular to adapt to larger counterweights, and to enlarge the guide arrangement. The base rail structure is formed by a profile extending along the direction of travel. The aforementioned preferred hollow profile therefore extends in the direction of travel.Likewise, the secondary rail structure is formed by a profile extending along the travel direction. The enlargement refers to the profile cross-section.

[0006] Guide arrangement or its outer contour, which is changed; the enlargement of the guide arrangement therefore obviously does not affect the travel path in the vertical direction, which remains the same. The enlargement of the guide arrangement thus results from a dimension of the secondary rail structure assigned to the guide, which is determined transversely to the travel direction and is now larger than the dimension relating to the base rail structure. The base rail structure, in turn, can be a guide rail for a virtual elevator. This virtual elevator can be replaced, if desired, by a different elevator, for example, one with a higher rated load. Since the new or different elevator usually requires larger or heavier counterweights due to an increase in the rated load, the guide rail specified by the base rail structure may no longer be sufficient to guide the counterweight.Thanks to the secondary rail structure, optimal guidance of larger or heavier counterweights can be achieved. This guide arrangement thus enables efficient retrofitting or conversion of the elevator. A further advantage is that the secondary rail structure allows for optimization of the guide arrangement's guidance properties and mechanical load capacity. For example, the secondary rail structure can be designed to allow the counterweight to be equipped with safety brakes.

[0007] An elevator system can only have one counterweight per elevator car. Typically, such elevator systems have only one drive, such as a traction sheave drive, which drives the suspension elements and thus moves the elevator car and the counterweight in opposite directions. The elevator car can be moved vertically up and down in the elevator shaft between two guide arrangements, which act as linear guides. The counterweight can also be guided along two guide rails. However, other elevator variants are also conceivable. The elevator system can also have two counterweights per elevator car.

[0008] The guide arrangement can be designed to serve as a linear guide for both the elevator car and a counterweight. The base rail structure can thus form a support for the secondary rail structure. A guide rail in the form of a hollow profile can be considered as the base rail structure. This guide rail can, for example, be manufactured as a one-piece rolling profile. Further details on the design of such special guide rails and on the guidance of the car and the counterweights with shared guide rails can be found in WO 2020 / 127787 A1.

[0009] The two-part, modular design of the guide arrangement increases variability and has the advantage that the guide arrangement can be easily adapted to different load-bearing devices as required. The secondary rail structure can preferably be designed as an open profile part. Such a secondary rail structure can be easily attached to the base rail structure. Detachable fastening means, such as screw connections, are preferably used for attachment. As an alternative to open profile parts, closed profile parts could also be conceivable as a secondary structure, for example in order to obtain a particularly rigid secondary rail structure. The aforementioned profile parts refer to the cross-section of the guide arrangement. Guide rails are generally composed of several rail elements or sections arranged in a row; accordingly, the secondary rail structure would also generally be composed of several sections or sections.Profile elements consist.

[0010] The secondary rail structure can preferably be formed by a hat-shaped profile or a hat-shaped profile section. The hat-shaped profile has the advantage that the guide contour of the secondary rail structure is spaced from the base rail structure, thus ensuring reliable and effective guidance of the counterweight or, if necessary, even another load-bearing device (elevator car).

[0011] The secondary structure, for example the hat profile, can have a fastening section and leg sections adjoining the fastening section at an obtuse angle, wherein guide sections are provided at the outer ends of the leg sections to form the guide contours for the load-bearing means and in particular for the counterweight.

[0012] The wall thickness of the profile for the secondary rail structure is preferably greater than the wall thickness of the profile for the base rail structure, wherein the wall of the profile for the secondary rail structure can particularly preferably be at least 30% thicker than the wall of the profile for the base rail structure.

[0013] The base rail structure and / or the secondary rail structure can each be made of rolled steel sections. Such structures are simple and relatively inexpensive to manufacture. To ensure sufficiently high rigidity, it can be advantageous if the guide sections are formed by U-shaped ends bent from sheet metal.

[0014] The secondary rail structure can be attached to the base rail structure using screw connections. Existing holes in the base rail structure can be used to attach the secondary rail structure, eliminating the need to drill holes on site.

[0015] The base rail structure may have a plurality of holes evenly spaced along the travel direction for optionally attaching the secondary rail structure. Once the guide assembly is fully installed in the elevator shaft, the travel direction corresponds to a vertical direction.

[0016] The invention could then relate to an elevator comprising the guide arrangement described above.

[0017] In terms of the method, a further aspect of the invention is characterized in that, to create a guide arrangement for an elevator for the vertical transport of persons or goods, a base rail structure, preferably designed as a hollow profile, is first provided, which base rail structure forms a guide arrangement for a first elevator. A secondary rail structure is attached to the base rail structure, which is suitable for guiding an alternative second elevator adapted to the elevator, for example, with a different counterweight. A hollow profile is a closed profile.

[0018] Further individual features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of an embodiment and from the drawing.

[0019] The figure shows a cross-sectional view of a guide arrangement according to the invention for an elevator for the vertical transport of people or goods. The guide arrangement, designated overall by 1, essentially consists of a base rail structure 2 and a secondary rail structure 3 attached to the base rail structure. The base rail structure 2 is known per se and corresponds to the guide rail shown in WO 2020 / 127787 A1. Thanks to the secondary rail structure 3, described in detail below, a guide arrangement for an elevator is created which allows for further applications and, in particular, enables retrofitting or conversion of the elevator.

[0020] Base rail structure 2 and secondary rail structure 3 are profiles extending in the direction of travel. The secondary rail structure 3 thus forms, in a sense, a guide rail attached to the former guide rail 2.

[0021] Elevators are used for vertical transport in multi-story buildings. The building has an elevator shaft in which an elevator car can be moved up and down to individual floors. The vertical elevator shaft is limited at its lower end by a shaft floor. The elevator shaft has a shaft door opening for each floor in the form of a wall opening. The shaft door opening provides access from the floor to the elevator car. The elevator car moves via support elements to which the elevator car is attached; the support elements can be one or more suspension ropes or belts. The elevator car can be self-supporting, for example, or arranged in a supporting structure, such as a supporting frame. In simplified terms, the elevator car can have a cuboid-shaped car body and includes a car floor, car walls, and a ceiling.Furthermore, the elevator car usually has a car door (not shown) that closes off the interior of the elevator car and faces the shaft wall on the door side.

[0022] Guide rails are arranged in the elevator shaft to guide the elevator car. One such guide rail is the base rail structure 2 mentioned above and shown in the figure. The base rail structure 2 could be used to guide an elevator (not shown here). This elevator, referred to simply as the "first elevator" below, can be, for example, an elevator of the type shown and described in WO2022 / 136119 A1. This first elevator is designed for a specific nominal load. For larger elevator cars or for elevators with a higher nominal load, the counterweights must be adjusted. Heavy elevator cars require counterweights with a correspondingly adjusted weight. This may make it necessary for the original counterweight guide to no longer meet the higher demands placed on the counterweight guide.Thanks to a secondary rail structure 3 attached to the base rail structure 2, various advantages can be achieved. A counterweight (not shown) for another or second elevator can be guided along the secondary rail structure 3. This heavier second counterweight requires a modified guide compared to the guide of the first counterweight.

[0023] The base rail structure 2 is evidently a hollow profile and can be manufactured as a one-piece rolled profile. The base rail structure 2 has a U-shaped guide channel 12. A guide shoe for guiding the elevator car can be arranged in this guide channel 12. This guide shoe can be a roller guide shoe, with which the elevator car can be guided safely and reliably. The base rail structure 2 further has a mounting area 13, via which the base rail structure 2 is connected to a mounting bracket (not shown) for mounting the base rail structure 2 in the elevator shaft. 10 and 11 designate the guide sections of the base rail structure 2, with which guide sections 10, 11 the counterweight of the first elevator would interact to guide it.However, the two guide sections 10, 11 are now non-functional, as other guide sections are provided for guiding the counterweight of the second elevator, which replaces the first. These guide sections are assigned to the secondary rail structure 3 and are designated 8 and 9 in the figure. As can be seen from the figure, the secondary rail structure 3 is wider than the base rail structure 2 to accommodate the larger counterweight and to enlarge the guide arrangement. The clear distance between the guide sections 8, 9 is designated L2. This distance L2 is significantly greater than the distance LI between the old guide sections 10, 11.

[0024] The secondary rail structure 3 is designed as an open profile part, whereby in this case the secondary rail structure 3 is formed by a hat profile. The hat profile has a central fastening section 5 and leg sections 6, 7 adjoining the fastening section 5 at an obtuse angle, with the aforementioned guide sections 8, 9 being provided at the outer ends of the leg sections 6, 7. The secondary rail structure 3, like the base rail structure 2, can be a rolled steel profile. The guide sections 8, 9 are created by ends bent from sheet metal in a U-shape. The wall thickness of the profile for the secondary rail structure 3 is obviously greater than the wall thickness of the profile for the base rail structure 2. In the present embodiment, the wall of the profile for the secondary rail structure 3 is approximately 50% thicker than the wall of the profile for the base rail structure 2.

[0025] The secondary rail structure 3 rests flat against a flat side wall 14 of the base rail structure 2, which connects the sections 8, 9, and is fastened to the base rail structure 2 by means of screw connections 4. The base rail structure 2 has a plurality of holes 15 distributed at equal intervals along the travel direction. These prefabricated holes 15 can be used for the screw connections 4 for fastening the secondary rail structure, thus eliminating the need for drilling on site.

[0026] The secondary rail structure 3 can preferably be designed as an open profile part. The figure shows a variant with dashed lines, which indicate a closed profile part for the secondary rail structure.

Claims

1. Guide arrangement (1) for an elevator, characterized in that the guide arrangement has a base rail structure (2) running in a direction of travel, preferably designed as a hollow profile, and a secondary rail structure (3) attached to the base rail structure and running in the direction of travel, along which secondary rail structure an elevator car and / or a counterweight can be guided in the direction of travel and which secondary rail structure (3) is widened in comparison to the base rail structure (2) in order to adapt to different load-bearing means and in particular for larger counterweights.

2. Guide arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the secondary rail structure (3) is designed as a preferably open profile part.

3. Guide arrangement according to claim 2, characterized in that the secondary rail structure (3) is formed by a hat profile.

4. Guide arrangement according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the secondary rail structure (3) has a fastening section (5) and leg sections (6, 7) adjoining the fastening section (5) at an obtuse angle, guide sections (8, 9) being provided at the outer ends of the leg sections (6, 7).

5. Guide arrangement according to claim 4, characterized in that the guide sections (8, 9) are created by U-shaped ends bent from sheet metal.

6. Guide arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the base rail structure (2) and the secondary rail structure (3) are each made of rolled steel profiles.

7. Guide arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the secondary rail structure (3) is fastened to the base rail structure (2) by means of screw connections (4).

8. Guide arrangement according to claim 7, characterized in that the Base rail structure (2) has a plurality of holes (15) distributed at equal intervals along the direction of travel for selectively fastening the secondary rail structure (3).

9. Method for producing a guide arrangement (1) for an elevator, wherein a base rail structure (2) running in a direction of travel, preferably designed as a hollow profile, which base rail structure (2) forms a guide arrangement (1') for a first elevator, is provided and wherein a secondary rail structure (3) running in the direction of travel is attached to the base rail structure (2), which secondary rail structure is used to guide an alternative second elevator adapted to the elevator.

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