Lift system

Abstract

The invention relates to a lift system comprising a lift shaft. The lift shaft (12) is provided with a first movement path (14) for a first lift car (16) and a second movement path (26) for a second lift car (30). The first movement path (14) and the second movement path (26) are arranged next to one another in a width direction (32). Between the first movement path (14) and the second movement path (26), there are multiple first intermediate supports (46) spaced apart from one another in the vertical direction (11) and running in a depth direction running perpendicular to the width direction (32). Between the first movement path (14) and the second movement path (26), there are multiple second intermediate supports (48) that are spaced apart from one another in the vertical direction (11). Between the first intermediate supports (46) and the second intermediate supports (48), there is a third movement path (42) for a first counterweight (20) and a fourth movement path (44) for a second counterweight (36) of the lift system (10). According to the invention, at least two guide rails (50) for the first lift car (16), the second lift car (30), the first counterweight (20) and the second counterweight (36) are connected to a connecting element (56) arranged in the vertical direction (11) between two first intermediate supports (46).

Description

[0001] Elevator system

[0002] The invention relates to an elevator system according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0003] Elevator systems are used to transport people and / or goods between floors of buildings. For this purpose, at least one elevator car, which accommodates people and / or goods, is moved in an elevator shaft, particularly vertically between floors. Depending on the transport capacity required in the building, an elevator system can have just one elevator car or several elevator cars, which can be moved independently of one another in adjacent travel paths of the elevator shaft. An elevator system with several travel paths for elevator cars can be referred to as a group elevator. The aforementioned travel paths for the elevator cars of a group elevator are usually not separated from one another by walls, but by intermediate supports to which components of the elevator system, in particular guide rails for guiding the elevator cars, are attached.Guide rails are typically assembled from individual, joined guide rail sections. In the following, a guide rail is defined as a complete guide rail and / or a guide rail section, depending on the context.

[0004] EP 0397064 B1 describes an elevator installation having an elevator shaft with a first travel path for a first elevator car of the elevator installation and a second travel path for a second elevator car of the elevator installation. The first travel path and the second travel path are arranged next to one another in a width direction of the elevator shaft. Between the first and the second travel paths, a plurality of first intermediate supports are arranged, spaced apart from one another in the vertical direction and extending in a depth direction of the elevator shaft at right angles to the width direction. The first elevator car is connected to a first counterweight via a first support means, and the second elevator car is connected to a second counterweight of the elevator installation via a second support means. The elevator shaft has a third travel path for the first counterweight and a fourth travel path for the second counterweight.The third travel path for the first counterweight is arranged between the first travel path for the first elevator car and a shaft wall of the elevator shaft adjacent to the first travel path for the first elevator car in the depth direction. The fourth travel path for the second counterweight is arranged between the second travel path for the second elevator car and the first intermediate supports.

[0005] JPS60178177A and CN107804767A also describe elevator systems, each with an elevator shaft, a first travel path for a first elevator car, a second travel path for a second elevator car, a third travel path for a first counterweight, and a fourth travel path for a second counterweight. JPS6481782A describes a generic elevator system.

[0006] In contrast, the object of the invention is, in particular, to propose an alternative elevator system with an elevator shaft with two adjacent travel paths for elevator cars of the elevator system. According to the invention, this object is achieved with an elevator system having the features of claim 1.

[0007] The elevator system according to the invention has an elevator shaft with a first travel path for a first elevator car of the elevator system and a second travel path for a second elevator car of the elevator system. The first travel path and the second travel path are arranged next to one another in a width direction of the elevator shaft. Between the first travel path and the second travel path, a plurality of first intermediate supports are arranged, spaced apart from one another in the vertical direction and extending in a depth direction of the elevator shaft at right angles to the width direction. Between the first travel path and the second travel path, a plurality of second intermediate supports are arranged, spaced apart from one another in the vertical direction and extending in the depth direction of the elevator shaft. The second intermediate supports are arranged at a width distance from the first intermediate supports.Between the first intermediate supports and the second intermediate supports, a third travel path for a first counterweight of the elevator system connected to the first elevator car via a first support means and a fourth travel path for a second counterweight of the elevator system connected to the second elevator car via a second support means are arranged.

[0008] According to the invention, the elevator system comprises guide rails for the first elevator car, the second elevator car, the first counterweight, and the second counterweight, as well as a connecting element arranged vertically between two first intermediate supports arranged directly above one another and connected to two of the aforementioned guide rails, and in particular to all four of the aforementioned guide rails. The connecting element is arranged vertically centrally between the two aforementioned first intermediate supports.

[0009] The connecting element increases the rigidity of the guide rails connected to it. This allows for the use of particularly small guide rails in terms of their cross-section, which would not have the necessary rigidity without the connection to the connecting element. The use of these small guide rails results in particularly lightweight guide rails made from a minimum of material. This enables a particularly cost-effective and resource-efficient implementation of the guide rails and thus the elevator system. In addition, lightweight guide rails can be transported and installed in the elevator shaft more easily and therefore more cost-effectively.

[0010] The connecting element is particularly elongated in the width direction of the elevator shaft and is designed, for example, as a rod or tube with optional attachments. It can be screwed to the guide rails, for example. It is also possible, in particular, for the guide rails to be attached to the connecting element using so-called rail clamps, which are also used with rail brackets to attach guide rails to shaft walls or intermediate beams. For this purpose, the connecting element can have corresponding contact surfaces with threaded pins or threaded holes.

[0011] The arrangement of the travel paths for the counterweights between the first and second intermediate beams requires particularly little space in the cross-section of the elevator shaft. This allows an elevator system with such an elevator shaft to have elevator cars with particularly large cross-sections and thus large floor areas, or, with a given cross-section and thus floor area of ​​the elevator cars, the elevator shaft can have a particularly small cross-section.

[0012] Guide rails can be attached, at least indirectly, to the first and second intermediate supports to guide the first and second counterweights, as well as the first and second elevator cars, during movement in the elevator shaft. The first and second intermediate supports thus fulfill multiple functions, eliminating the need for additional components. This allows the elevator shaft to be constructed using minimal material, particularly metal. This enables a cost-effective and resource-efficient construction of the elevator shaft.

[0013] In order to attach guide rails for the second counterweight and the second elevator car to the first intermediate beams, plates, rods, and bolts are mounted to the first intermediate beams in the elevator shaft according to EP 0397064 B1 using nuts. This assembly is time-consuming and expensive. In the elevator shaft according to the invention, guide rails can be attached directly to the intermediate beams. This makes installing guide rails in the elevator shaft simple, quick, and therefore cost-effective.

[0014] The elevator shaft is typically enclosed by solid shaft walls, which can be made of concrete or wood, for example. However, it is also possible for the elevator shaft to be enclosed by a supporting structure, particularly made of metal.

[0015] The elevator shaft, and thus also the travel paths for the independently movable elevator cars and the counterweights connected to the elevator cars, run primarily vertically, although minor deviations from the vertical are possible. The individual travel paths are thus each designed as primarily cuboid-shaped, non-overlapping spaces, in each of which an elevator car or a counterweight can be moved vertically.

[0016] A vertical extension of the elevator shaft can be referred to as a height of the elevator shaft. A vertical position within the elevator shaft can be referred to as a height in the elevator shaft. In particular, the elevator shaft has a primarily cuboidal basic shape. It thus has a height extending in the vertical direction, a width extending in the width direction, and a depth extending in the depth direction.

[0017] The elevator shaft, in particular, has shaft openings at different heights, with each shaft opening typically being assigned to a floor of the building containing the elevator shaft. When stopping at a floor, a car door of an elevator car and a shaft door located in a shaft opening are aligned with each other in such a way that entering and exiting the elevator car is possible via the car door and the shaft door.

[0018] Shaft openings assigned to a floor are arranged next to each other, particularly in the width direction of the elevator shaft. It is also possible for an elevator car to have two opposite car doors, so that at least on one floor the elevator shaft also has opposite shaft openings.

[0019] The elevator shaft may also have more than two travel paths for elevator cars and more than two travel paths for counterweights.

[0020] The first and second intermediate beams run in the depth direction, whereby the depth direction does not have to be exactly perpendicular to the width direction; a small deviation is possible. Furthermore, the first and second intermediate beams run horizontally. In the elevator shaft, a first intermediate beam and a corresponding second intermediate beam are arranged in pairs at different heights. A first intermediate beam and a corresponding second intermediate beam are spaced, for example, between 70 and 100 cm apart. Two first or second intermediate beams arranged vertically one above the other are spaced, for example, between 200 and 400 cm apart.

[0021] The first and second intermediate supports have an elongated shape and are supported, in particular, on opposite shaft walls. In the case of concrete shaft walls, they can, for example, be cast in during the casting of the shaft walls. It is also possible for the shaft walls to be cast first and the intermediate supports to be attached, for example, bolted, to the shaft walls. The shaft walls can also have ledges or niches on which the intermediate supports can rest from above. It is also possible for only one of the two intermediate supports of a first and a corresponding second intermediate support to be supported on opposite shaft walls, while the other intermediate support is attached to the intermediate support supported on the shaft walls.

[0022] The first and second intermediate beams are designed, in particular, as metal beams, for example, as hollow profiles with a rectangular cross-section, T-beams, or double-T beams, with optional attachments. The intermediate beams, in particular, have fastening options for attaching the guide rails of the elevator system to the intermediate beams. The fastening options can be designed, for example, as elongated holes or threaded pins.

[0023] The arrangement of the third travel path for the first counterweight and the fourth travel path between the first and second intermediate supports results in the first intermediate supports and the second intermediate supports being designed and arranged in such a way that the first and second counterweight can be displaced vertically between them.

[0024] In one embodiment of the invention, a first intermediate support and a corresponding second intermediate support of the elevator shaft run parallel to each other and at the same height in the elevator shaft. Guide rails of the elevator system are attached to the intermediate supports. Due to the aforementioned arrangement of the intermediate supports, an installer located on an installation platform can attach guide rails to a first and a second intermediate support during installation of the elevator system without having to change the vertical position of the installation platform. This enables a particularly simple, fast, and therefore cost-effective installation of the elevator system.

[0025] In one embodiment of the invention, the first intermediate beam and the corresponding second intermediate beam of the elevator shaft are connected by a crossbeam. Components of the elevator system, in particular guide rails, can also be attached to the crossbeam. Like the intermediate beams, the crossbeam can have corresponding fastening options. The crossbeam thus enables particularly simple, quick, and therefore cost-effective installation of the elevator system. Furthermore, the crossbeam can contribute to the high stability of a combination of a first intermediate beam and a corresponding second intermediate beam.

[0026] The cross member runs in particular in the width direction of the elevator shaft and horizontally when the intermediate girders are arranged parallel and at the same height. More than one cross member, for example two or three cross members, can be arranged between a first intermediate girder and a corresponding second intermediate girder. A cross member can, for example, be arranged between the third travel path for the first counterweight and the fourth travel path for the second counterweight. It is also possible that, alternatively or additionally, cross members are arranged between the third and / or fourth travel path and a wall bordering the elevator shaft. This allows guide rails for the first and / or second counterweight to be attached to a cross member and do not have to be attached to the aforementioned wall of the elevator shaft.Attaching to a cross beam is usually easier, faster and therefore more cost-effective than attaching to a wall of the elevator shaft, especially if the wall is made of concrete.

[0027] In one embodiment of the invention, a first intermediate beam and a corresponding second intermediate beam of the elevator shaft run at the same height in the elevator shaft. The first intermediate beam and the corresponding second intermediate beam are connected to a crossbeam, and a guide rail for the first counterweight and / or the second counterweight is attached to the crossbeam. The above statements regarding one or more crossbeams of an elevator shaft apply accordingly to this embodiment of the elevator system.

[0028] In an embodiment of the invention, the third travel path for the first counterweight and the fourth travel path for the second counterweight are arranged next to each other in the depth direction of the elevator shaft.

[0029] With this arrangement of the third and fourth counterweight, the third travel path for the first counterweight connected to the first elevator car is arranged next to the second travel path for the second elevator car, and the fourth travel path for the second counterweight connected to the second elevator car is arranged next to the first travel path for the first elevator car. This means that the second counterweight can move past a stationary first elevator car and the first counterweight can move past a stationary second elevator car. In particular, a first protective element extending upwards from a roof of the first elevator car is arranged on the first elevator car. The protective element can be designed, for example, as a protective wall in the form of a sheet metal or a Plexiglas wall, as a grid, or as a net stretched in a frame, for example a textile net or a wire net.The first protective element extends in the depth direction along the fourth travel path for the second counterweight. This protects a fitter or service technician located on the roof of the first elevator car from colliding with the second counterweight. In particular, the first protective element prevents the fitter or service technician from leaning over the edge of the first elevator car and thus from the first travel path of the first elevator car into the fourth travel path of the second counterweight.

[0030] The first protective element extends, in particular, at least over the entire fourth travel path. It has a height of, for example, 150–220 cm from the roof of the first elevator car. It can be designed to be foldable, for example, so that it is only folded up when a mechanic or service technician is on the first elevator car. The position of the first protective element can be monitored, for example, using suitable sensors.

[0031] In particular, the elevator system also has a second protective element on the second elevator car, extending upwards from a roof of the second elevator car and extending in the depth direction along the third travel path for the first counterweight. The statements regarding the first protective element apply accordingly to the second protective element.

[0032] In one embodiment of the invention, the connecting element is connected to a first intermediate support and / or a second intermediate support by means of a strut. This enables high stability and rigidity of the system consisting of the connecting element and two or four guide rails. The described effects and advantages of the connecting element are thus particularly pronounced.

[0033] The strut is designed, for example, as a simple, elongated metal rod, which has, for example, receptacles at its ends for screwing to the connecting element or an intermediate support. The strut can also be designed as a cable, particularly a steel cable with corresponding receptacles. The cable can be tensioned accordingly to achieve the desired stability or rigidity.

[0034] The connecting element is connected, in particular, by means of a strut to a first intermediate support arranged above the connecting element, a second intermediate support arranged above the connecting element, a first intermediate support arranged below the connecting element, and a second intermediate support arranged below the connecting element. This enables particularly high stability and rigidity of the system consisting of the connecting element and two or four guide rails.

[0035] Further advantages, features, and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments and from the drawings, in which identical or functionally identical elements are provided with identical reference numerals. The drawings are merely schematic and not to scale.

[0036] Showing:

[0037] Fig. 1 shows a side view of an elevator system with two elevator cars that can be moved independently of each other in an elevator shaft, Fig. 2 shows the elevator system from Fig. 1 in a view from above, Fig. 3 shows a connecting element connecting guide rails of an elevator system in a view from above and

[0038] Fig. 4 shows the connecting element from Fig. 3 with struts to intermediate supports of an elevator shaft in a side view.

[0039] 1 and 2, an elevator installation 10 has an elevator shaft 12 extending in a vertical direction and thus in a vertical direction 11, with a first travel path 14 for a first elevator car 16. The first elevator car 16 is connected to a first counterweight 20 via a first support means 18 in the form of a cable or a belt. The first support means 18 runs over a first drive pulley 22 arranged above the first elevator car 16 and a first deflection pulley 24 arranged above the first counterweight 20. The first drive pulley 22 can be driven by a first drive machine (not shown), whereby the first support means 18 and thus the first elevator car 16 and the first counterweight 20 can be displaced vertically in the elevator shaft 12.

[0040] The elevator shaft 12 has a second travel path 26 for a second elevator car 30, which is arranged in a width direction 32 of the elevator shaft 12 next to the first travel path 14 for the first elevator car 16. The second elevator car 30 is connected to a second counterweight 36 via a second support means 34 in the form of a cable or a belt. The second support means 34 runs over a second drive pulley 38 arranged above the second elevator car 30 and a second deflection pulley 40 arranged above the second counterweight 36. The second drive pulley 38 can be driven by a second drive machine (not shown), whereby the second support means 34 and thus the second elevator car 30 and the second counterweight 36 can be displaced vertically in the elevator shaft 12.The two drive machines can be controlled independently of each other by an elevator control system (not shown), so that the first elevator car 16 and the second elevator car 30 can be moved independently of each other in the elevator shaft 12.

[0041] A third travel path 42 for the first counterweight 20 and a fourth travel path 44 for the second counterweight 36 are arranged between the first travel path 14 for the first elevator car 16 and the second travel path 26 for the second elevator car 30, wherein in Fig. 1 the third travel path 42 is arranged in front of the fourth travel path 44. The third travel path 42 and the fourth travel path 44 are thus arranged next to one another in a depth direction 45 running at right angles to the vertical direction 11 and at right angles to the width direction 32. A total of three first intermediate supports 46 run between the third travel path 42 and fourth travel path 44 and the first travel path 14. They run horizontally and in a depth direction 45 running at right angles to the vertical direction 11 and at right angles to the width direction 32 and are spaced from one another in the vertical direction 11. Between the third travel path 42 orA total of three second intermediate supports 48 also run between the fourth travel path 44 and the second travel path 26. They are spaced apart from one another horizontally and in the depth direction 45 in the vertical direction 11, with two corresponding first and second intermediate supports 46, 48 running parallel and at the same height in the elevator shaft 12.

[0042] The elevator cars 16, 30 and the counterweights 20, 36 are each guided by a pair of guide rails 50, wherein the guide rails 50 of the two elevator cars 16, 20 are spaced apart from one another in the width direction 32 and the guide rails 50 of the two counterweights 20, 36 are spaced apart from one another in the depth direction 45. Guide rails 50 of the two elevator cars 16, 30 that are external to the elevator shaft 12 are fastened to shaft walls 52 of the elevator shaft 12 by means of rail brackets and rail clamps (not shown). The second, internal guide rail 50 of the first elevator car 16 is fastened to the first intermediate supports 46 by means of rail brackets and rail clamps (not shown). The second, internal guide rail 50 of the second elevator car 30 is fastened to the second intermediate supports 48 by means of rail brackets and rail clamps (not shown).

[0043] The guide rails 50 of the two counterweights 20, 36 are fastened by means of rail brackets and rail clamps (not shown) to cross beams 54 connecting a first intermediate beam 46 and a corresponding second intermediate beam 48. The elevator system 10 has a total of three cross beams 54 per pair consisting of a first intermediate beam 46 and a second intermediate beam 48, with a middle cross beam 54 being arranged between the third travel path 14 and the fourth travel path 26, and an outer cross beam 54 being arranged on the side of the two travel paths 14, 26 opposite the middle cross beam 54.

[0044] It is also possible for the elevator system to have only one central cross member per pair of corresponding first and second intermediate brackets and for the outer guide rails of the two counterweights to be attached to opposite walls of the elevator shaft.

[0045] In the vertical direction 11, a connecting element 56 is arranged between each of two stacked first intermediate supports 46 and corresponding second intermediate supports 48. The connecting elements 56 are arranged approximately centrally between two stacked first intermediate supports 46. The connecting elements 56 have a cuboid basic shape and are connected to the respective inner guide rails 50 of the first and second elevator cars 16, 30 and the first and second counterweights 20, 36—for example, by means of rail clamps. This is shown in Fig. 3 in an enlarged view from above.

[0046] According to Fig. 4, the connecting elements 56 can each be connected by means of a strut 58 to a first intermediate support 46 arranged above the connecting element 56, a second intermediate support 48 arranged above the connecting element 56, a first intermediate support 46 arranged below the connecting element 56, and a second intermediate support 48 arranged below the connecting element 56. However, the aforementioned connections by means of the struts are not absolutely necessary.

[0047] According to Figs. 1 and 2, a first protective element 62 in the form of a protective wall is arranged on the first elevator car 16, extending upwards from a roof 60 of the first elevator car 16, i.e., in the vertical direction 11. The first protective element 62 extends in the depth direction 45 along the fourth travel path 44 for the second counterweight 36. A corresponding second protective element 66 is arranged on a roof 64 of the second elevator car 30, which extends along the third travel path 42 for the second counterweight 30.

[0048] Finally, it should be noted that terms such as "having," "comprising," etc., do not exclude other elements or steps, and terms such as "a" or "an" do not exclude a plurality. Furthermore, it should be noted that features or steps described with reference to one of the above embodiments may also be used in combination with other features or steps of other embodiments described above. Reference signs in the claims are not to be considered as limitations.

Claims

Patent claims 1. Elevator system with - an elevator shaft (12) - a first elevator car (16), - a second elevator car (30), - a first counterweight (20) connected to the first elevator car (16) via a first support means (18) and - a second counterweight (36) connected to the second elevator car (30) via a second support means (34), wherein the elevator shaft (12) comprises: - a first travel path (114) for the first elevator car (116) and - a second travel path (126) for the second elevator car (130), wherein - the first travel path (14) and the second travel path (26) are arranged next to one another in a width direction (32) of the elevator shaft (12), - between the first travel path (14) and the second travel path (26) there are arranged a plurality of first intermediate supports (46) which are spaced apart from one another in the vertical direction (11) and extend in a depth direction (45) of the elevator shaft (12) extending at right angles to the width direction (32), - between the first travel path (14) and the second travel path (26) a plurality of second intermediate supports (48) are arranged, which are spaced apart from one another in the vertical direction (11) and extend in the depth direction (45) of the elevator shaft (12), - the second intermediate supports (48) are arranged at a distance from the first intermediate supports (46) in the width direction (32) and - between the first intermediate supports (46) and the second intermediate supports (48) a third travel path (42) for a first counterweight (20) of the elevator installation (10) connected to the first elevator car (16) via a first support means (18) and a fourth travel path (44) for a second counterweight (36) of the elevator installation (10) connected to the second elevator car (30) via a second support means (34) are arranged, characterized in that - guide rails (50) for the first elevator car (16), the second elevator car (30), the first counterweight (20) and the second counterweight (36) and - a connecting element (56) arranged in the vertical direction (11) between two first intermediate supports (46) and connected to two of said guide rails (50).

2. Elevator installation according to claim 1, characterized in that a first intermediate support (46) and a corresponding second intermediate support (48) of the elevator shaft (12) run parallel to each other and at the same height in the elevator shaft (12).

3. Elevator installation according to claim 2, characterized in that the first intermediate support (46) and the corresponding second intermediate support (48) of the elevator shaft (12) are connected to a cross member (54).

4. Elevator installation according to claim 3, characterized in that a guide rail (50) for the first counterweight (20) and / or the second counterweight (36) is fastened to the cross member (54).

5. Elevator installation according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the third travel path (42) for the first counterweight (20) and the fourth travel path (44) for the second counterweight (36) are arranged next to one another in the depth direction (45) of the elevator shaft (12).

6. Elevator installation according to claim 5, characterized in that a first protective element (62) extending upwards from a roof (60) of the first elevator car (16) is arranged on the first elevator car (16), which first protective element (62) extends in the depth direction (45) along the fourth travel path (44) for the second counterweight (36).

7. Elevator installation according to claim 6, characterized in that a second protective element (66) extending upwards from a roof (64) of the second elevator car (30) is arranged on the second elevator car (30), which second protective element (66) extends in the depth direction (45) along the third travel path (42) for the first counterweight (20).

8. Elevator installation according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the connecting element (56) is connected to four guide rails (50).

9. Elevator installation according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the connecting element (56) is connected to a first intermediate support (46) and / or to a second intermediate support (48) by means of a strut (58).

10. Lift installation according to claim 9, characterized in that the connecting element (56) is connected by means of a strut (58) with - a first intermediate support (46) arranged above the connecting element (56), - a second intermediate support (48) arranged above the connecting element (56), - a first intermediate support (46) arranged below the connecting element (56) and - a second intermediate support (48) arranged below the connecting element (56).

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