Elevator system having a support structure for holding a drive motor

Abstract

An elevator system (1) is described which comprises a shaft (3), a car (5), at least one drive motor (7), at least two elongate guide rails (9) and a special support structure (11) for holding the drive motor. The support structure has a three-dimensional design comprising: - a mounting bracket (23) having a transverse support (25), which extends in a first horizontal direction and is secured to a shaft wall (27), and two lateral supports (29), each of which extends from opposite ends of the transverse support parallel to a second horizontal direction (21) running transversely to the first horizontal direction, and - two support structures (31), each of which extends upwards in the vertical direction (17) starting from one of the lateral supports (29). The at least one drive motor is secured to the support structure in an upper region (33) of the support structure, and the support structure is structurally designed in such a way and the mounting bracket of the support structure is coupled to a respective guide rail via each of the lateral supports and is coupled to the shaft wall via the transverse support in such a way that a predominant proportion or the totality of forces acting on the at least one drive motor is dissipated to the guide rails and / or the shaft wall via the support structure.

Description

[0001] ELEVATOR SYSTEM WITH SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR SUPPORTING A DRIVE MOTOR

[0002] The present invention relates to an elevator system.

[0003] An elevator system is used to transport people and / or goods between different height levels or floors in buildings. Typically, the elevator system has at least one car, which can be moved along a vertical travel path within an elevator shaft between the different floors. For this purpose, elongated guide rails are generally provided in the shaft, along which the car can be moved. A drive motor is used to move the car. For this purpose, the drive motor can be connected to the car via suspension elements in the form of ropes, belts, straps, or similar, and optionally to a counterweight, also provided in the elevator shaft and moving in the opposite direction to the car.

[0004] In the past, the drive motor was usually housed in a separate machine room above the elevator shaft. In more modern, so-called machine-room-less elevators, relatively small drive motors can be used, which, to save space, can be installed in a shaft head at the very top of the elevator shaft.

[0005] Various designs are known for fixing the drive motor stationary within the elevator shaft.

[0006] EP 2 361 214 B1 describes a support structure formed by a cross member arranged in the shaft and a longitudinal member for supporting the cross member on a supporting element of the shaft.

[0007] US 6,006,865 describes a support structure that can be swung into the shaft for maintenance and repair purposes.

[0008] US 6,446,762 Bl describes a support structure in the form of a two-part frame that can be attached to an upper end of the shaft.

[0009] US 2004 / 0084251 A1 describes a support structure that can be attached to the upper end of a guide rail. WO 2023 / 237592 A1 describes an elevator system with a special mounting bracket for attaching, for example, guide rails within an elevator shaft.

[0010] EP 3 898 483 Bl describes a novel elevator rail and a guide system for an elevator system.

[0011] There may be a need for an alternative elevator system in which, among other things, a drive motor can be mounted in a simple and / or space-saving manner within an elevator shaft.

[0012] This need can be met with the elevator system according to the independent claim. Advantageous embodiments are set forth in the dependent claims, the following description, and the accompanying figures.

[0013] One aspect of the invention relates to an elevator system comprising a shaft, a car, at least one drive motor, at least two elongated guide rails, and a support structure. The shaft connects several floors of a building. The guide rails are arranged in the shaft parallel to one another in a vertical direction and spaced apart from one another in a first horizontal direction. The car can be moved along the guide rails in the shaft between the floors by means of the drive motor. The support structure has a three-dimensional structure with a mounting bracket and two support structures.The mounting bracket comprises a cross member extending in the first horizontal direction and secured to a shaft wall, as well as two side members, each extending from opposite ends of the cross member parallel to a second horizontal direction extending transversely to the first horizontal direction. One of the support structures extends upward in the vertical direction from one of the side members. The at least one drive motor is secured to the support structure in an upper region of the support structure.The support structure is structurally designed in such a way, and the mounting bracket of the support structure is coupled, on the one hand, to one of the guide rails via each of the side supports and, on the other hand, to the shaft wall via the cross support, in such a way that a predominant portion, in particular preferably at least 90% or the entirety, of the forces acting on the at least one drive motor is diverted via the support structure to the guide rails and / or the shaft wall. To begin with, a basic idea for embodiments of the invention described herein will be briefly explained. This explanation is to be interpreted as merely a rough summary and not as limiting the invention.

[0014] As mentioned in the introduction, especially in machine-room-less elevator systems, a drive motor is installed directly in the headroom of the elevator shaft. Traditionally, the drive motor is anchored directly to the shaft wall or a shaft ceiling via suitable support structures. Forces acting on the drive motor, such as those caused in particular by the car interacting with the drive motor and / or the counterweight, can be diverted to the building surrounding the shaft via the support structures.

[0015] However, situations may arise in which it is complex or even impossible to attach support structures of sufficient mechanical strength directly to a wall or ceiling of the shaft head. For example, an elevator shaft may be designed in such a way that its walls and / or ceiling in the area of ​​the shaft head, i.e., typically above the top floor served by the elevator system, are not sufficiently mechanically strong enough to dissipate the larger forces needed to support the drive motor.

[0016] Therefore, the concept described herein proposes supporting at least one drive machine of an elevator system using a support structure configured with a special three-dimensional geometry. The support structure is to be designed and arranged such that, on the one hand, it is supported on the guide rails provided anyway in the elevator shaft and, on the other hand, is fastened to an area of ​​the shaft wall below the shaft head, i.e., in particular, in a lower area of ​​a door cutout in the elevator shaft adjacent to an uppermost floor, using a mounting bracket provided at its lower end. The drive motor is to be attached to the top of the support structure.

[0017] The support structure is structurally designed to be sufficiently mechanically resilient and is coupled to the guide rails and the shaft wall in such a way that at least a predominant proportion, i.e. more than 50%, preferably more than 70%, more than 90%, more than 95% or even more than 99% or preferably all of the forces acting on the drive motor during operation of the elevator system are diverted via the support structure to the guide rails and / or the shaft wall. Accordingly, the drive motor can be held in the shaft head without necessarily requiring a direct mechanical connection of the drive motor to a wall or ceiling in the area of ​​the shaft head. Rather, the drive motor can be supported by the special support structure on the guide rails and at a position on the shaft wall well below the shaft head.

[0018] This can simplify the assembly of the elevator system and in particular of its drive machine and / or take into account the structural properties of the elevator shaft in the area of ​​its shaft head.

[0019] Below, possible designs and advantages of embodiments of the elevator system are described in more detail.

[0020] The elevator system described herein has at least one car which can be moved vertically within an elevator shaft along guide rails running therewith by means of a drive motor. The car is connected to the drive motor via rope or belt-like support means, wherein the support means run, for example, over a traction sheave to be driven by the drive motor and from there extend with one end downwards to the elevator car and with an opposite end to a counterweight. The drive motor is arranged in a shaft head at the uppermost end of the elevator shaft and is fastened there to a support structure. The support structure is preferably three-dimensional and thus stable and is supported on the guide rails and on a region of the shaft wall below the shaft head in such a way that forces acting on the drive motor are transmitted via the support structure downwards into the guide rails orthe shaft wall can be diverted.

[0021] The elevator shaft, also referred to herein as the "shaft," extends vertically across multiple floors in or on a building. Accordingly, the shaft connects the floors so that the elevator car, which can be moved within the shaft, can be relocated along the shaft to the various height levels of the different floors. The height of the shaft corresponds at least to the total height of all floors connected by the shaft. The shaft typically has a rectangular floor plan or cross-section. At one lower end, the shaft has a shaft pit. At the opposite upper end, the shaft has a shaft head.The shaft head can be defined as the uppermost area of ​​the shaft above a height level corresponding to a level of a floor surface of the uppermost floor served by the elevator system or even above a height level corresponding to a level of a ceiling surface of the uppermost floor.

[0022] The elevator car, which is also referred to herein as the "car", is used to accommodate and transport one or more people or objects. The car has an interior volume enclosed by a car floor, a car ceiling and laterally surrounding car walls. An opening is provided on at least one car wall through which passengers can enter and exit the car and which can usually be closed with a car door. The weight of the car is held by the support members connected to the drive motor, so that the entire car can be moved within the shaft by moving the support members. The car is supported laterally on guide rails, for example by means of guide shoes.

[0023] The guide rails extend vertically along at least a portion of the elevator shaft. Typically, the guide rails extend at least from the floor level of the lowest floor to the ceiling level of the top floor. Typically, several guide rails are provided within the elevator shaft, with the guide rails arranged parallel to one another and spaced horizontally apart. The guide rails generally run continuously. Guide rails are typically fixed or supported on one or more of the shaft walls. For example, the guide rails can be attached at regular intervals to mounting brackets (sometimes also called "brackets") that are mounted on the shaft wall. Additionally, the guide rails can rest or be supported at a lower end on the floor of the shaft.The guide rails are structurally and functionally designed to divert forces acting on the car, particularly in horizontal directions, to the building, so that the car can be guided along the guide rails as it moves within the elevator shaft. Additionally, the guide rails can be designed to provide a braking surface for a brake attached to the car. The guide rails can also be designed to absorb braking forces acting in a vertical direction and divert them to the building. Typically, the guide rails are made of a material with high mechanical strength, such as metal. For example, the guide rails can be designed as elongated solid metal profiles, hollow sheet metal profiles, or similar.The drive motor is designed and sufficiently powerful to move the car vertically within the shaft. The term "drive motor" is to be interpreted broadly and can include both the actual motor, for example in the form of an electric motor, and additional components such as a gearbox, a clutch, a brake, a control system, a power supply, etc. In particular, drive motors with a small installation space can preferably be used for the elevator system described herein. For example, the dimensions of the drive motor can be so small that the total volume of the drive motor is less than 30 l, preferably less than 20 l, less than 15 l, or even less than 10 l. The height of the drive motor can be less than 30 cm, less than 20 cm, or even less than 15 cm. The dead weight of the drive motor can preferably be less than 50 kg, less than 30 kg, or even less than 15 kg.The drive motor can be constructed to be sufficiently stable to withstand a permissible total load of often several hundred kilograms or more, for which the elevator system is designed.

[0024] The elevator system described herein differs from conventional elevator systems in particular with regard to the way in which the drive motor is held and supported by means of a special support structure.

[0025] For this purpose, the support structure has a three-dimensional design that can withstand high mechanical loads. A mounting bracket running in a lower area of ​​the support structure interacts with at least two support structures extending above it. The mounting bracket is designed to be mechanically coupled to the guide rails and / or the shaft wall in an area below the shaft head, so that considerable forces can be diverted to the guide rails or the shaft wall via the mounting bracket. The support structures are braced on the mounting bracket in a lower area and extend upwards from there. The support structures preferably protrude to a level with the shaft head. The support structures are designed to absorb forces acting on the drive motor to be attached to the support structure and divert them to the mounting bracket.

[0026] The mounting bracket is made up of several components or areas. In particular, the mounting bracket has a cross member and two side members. The cross member is elongated and extends in a first horizontal direction. The side members are also elongated and extend parallel to a second horizontal direction, which runs transversely, in particular perpendicularly, to the first horizontal direction. In this case, one of the side members extends from one of the opposite ends of the cross member. Overall, the mounting bracket therefore has a substantially U-shaped form. The cross member and / or the side members can be made of a material that can withstand high mechanical loads. In particular, metal components can be used for this purpose, for example in the form of stamped and bent components, profiles, etc. The various components orComponents of the mounting bracket can be permanently or reversibly connected to one another, for example, welded, screwed, riveted, or coupled in another way that can withstand mechanical loads. Alternatively, it is conceivable to design the mounting bracket in one piece, i.e. as an integral component with several sub-regions that form the cross member and the side members. Dimensions of the mounting bracket, such as in particular a length of the cross member or a length of the side members, can essentially correspond to or be slightly smaller than the cross-sectional dimensions of the elevator shaft in which the mounting bracket is to be mounted. Such lengths can, for example, typically be between 50 cm and 10 m, usually between 1 m and 4 m. For example, the mounting bracket can have the same or similar properties as those specified for the mounting bracket disclosed in WO 2023 / 237592 A1.

[0027] The support structures can be designed as elongated components or parts extending in the vertical direction. For example, the support structures can be configured as elongated posts, profiles, or other rod-shaped elements, whereby these elements can be made, for example, from sheet metal, stamped and bent components, or the like. The support structures can be permanently or reversibly coupled to the retaining bracket, for example via welded connections, screw connections, riveted connections, or the like. One of the support structures extends vertically or at least approximately vertically upwards from a lower end, which is supported by one of the side supports of the mounting bracket.The two support structures projecting upwards on the two side girders of the mounting bracket thus preferably run parallel to one another and are spaced from one another in the first horizontal direction by a distance that approximately corresponds to the distance between the side girders, which in turn approximately corresponds to the length of the cross girder. The length of the support structures can preferably be greater than the height of the top floor served by the elevator system. For example, depending on the floor height, the support structures can be longer than 2 m, longer than 2.5 m, or longer than 3 m. The length of the support structures essentially corresponds to the height of the entire support structure. Accordingly, the support structure with the support structures can project beyond the height of a ceiling of the top floor into the shaft head above.The drive motor can be attached to the support structure in an upper region of the support structure, preferably adjacent to an upper end of the support structures. For this purpose, the drive motor can be attached directly to the top of one or more of the support structures. Alternatively, as explained in more detail below, one or more further components can be attached to the top of one or more of the support structures and the drive motor can be attached to one or more of these components. In both cases, the dead weight of the drive motor as well as forces acting on the drive motor during operation are to be diverted via the support structures to the mounting bracket and ultimately to the guide rails or an area of ​​the shaft wall located below the shaft head.

[0028] According to one embodiment, the support structure is coupled to the shaft wall exclusively via the mounting bracket.

[0029] Alternatively or additionally, according to one embodiment, a part of the support structure arranged above the mounting bracket is self-supporting.

[0030] In other words, a connection between the support structure and the shaft wall preferably exists exclusively in the area of ​​the mounting bracket, but not in the area of ​​the support structures or other components attached to the support structures. Accordingly, the support structure is preferably attached and supported to the shaft wall exclusively in its lower area by means of the mounting bracket, whereas its upper area, in particular an upper area extending into the shaft head, is mechanically connected neither to the shaft wall nor to the shaft ceiling, but is arranged at a spatial distance from them. In other words, there is a gap between the support structures of the support structure on the one hand and the walls and ceiling of the elevator shaft on the other. A connection of the support structure and, via this, the drive motor to wall or ceiling areas of the shaft head is thus avoided.This can simplify the installation of the elevator system and / or allow areas of the elevator shaft that cannot bear sufficient load, particularly at the shaft head, to remain unloaded.

[0031] According to one embodiment, the mounting bracket is fastened to a floor in a door area of ​​the shaft adjacent to an uppermost floor in a mechanically load-bearing manner. In other words, the mounting bracket of the support structure is designed such that it can be attached to a floor in order to be able to divert considerable forces to the floor via the mounting bracket. The support structure is arranged with its mounting bracket in such a way that the mounting bracket can be connected to the floor of an uppermost floor served by the elevator system. The floor can be accessible in a door area of ​​the shaft, i.e. where a door can close and open access to the shaft and the car located therein, so that the mounting bracket can be fixed to it.For example, the mounting bracket can be supported at least partially on the floor of the building with a horizontally running section, such as a sheet metal. The floor of the building is generally highly mechanically resilient and can easily absorb the forces transmitted by the supporting structure. The level of the floor is located significantly below the shaft head.

[0032] According to one embodiment, each of the support structures has at least two support posts extending upwards and spaced apart from one another in the second horizontal direction.

[0033] The support posts can be designed as mechanically highly resilient components, for example in the form of profiles, in particular hollow profiles, pipes, angled sheets, etc. The support posts are coupled to the mounting bracket for force transmission. Typically, the support posts extend upwards from the mounting bracket, preferably in the vertical direction. At least two support posts extend upwards from each of the side supports of the mounting bracket. The support posts preferably run parallel to one another, but can also run diagonally to one another at a small angle of, for example, less than 20°, preferably less than 10°. The support posts are spaced from one another in the second horizontal direction. For example, this distance can correspond approximately to the length of the side supports of the mounting bracket or at least half or more of this length.Due to this horizontal spacing between the support posts forming the support structures, the support structure as a whole can achieve a very high mechanical load capacity.

[0034] According to one embodiment, the support structure further comprises at least two upper longitudinal beams, which are arranged in an upper region of the support structure so as to run substantially parallel to one another and spaced from one another in the first horizontal direction. The longitudinal beams can be designed similarly to the support posts, but typically have a shorter length and, unlike the support posts, are oriented horizontally rather than vertically. The longitudinal beams preferably extend parallel to the second horizontal direction or possibly slightly obliquely thereto at an angle of, for example, less than 20°, preferably less than 10° or less than 5°, and are thus aligned substantially parallel to one another. The longitudinal beams can thus extend parallel to the side supports of the mounting bracket.The longitudinal beams can be of a similar length to the side supports or slightly longer or shorter than them, for example by less than 30%, preferably less than 10%. The longitudinal beams can be connected to an upper end of the support structures or the support posts in a mechanically load-bearing manner, for example permanently or reversibly, in particular by means of welded joints, screw connections, riveted joints, etc. If the support structures are designed with at least two support posts, each of the longitudinal beams can be coupled to the upper ends of the support posts forming the associated support structure. The longitudinal beams can provide further mechanical stabilization of the entire support structure.

[0035] According to one embodiment, the support structure further comprises at least one upper cross member which runs parallel to the first horizontal direction and is arranged in an upper region of the support structure.

[0036] The elongated cross member can extend between the upper ends of the two laterally spaced support structures and connect them to each other in a mechanically load-bearing manner, for example, permanently or reversibly, in particular using welded joints, screwed joints, riveted joints, etc. The cross member can be designed similarly to the longitudinal members and extend in the same plane as them, but with a longitudinal direction of the cross member running transversely, preferably perpendicularly, to a longitudinal direction of the longitudinal members. The cross member can further mechanically stabilize the support structure.

[0037] According to one embodiment, the at least one drive motor is attached to one of the longitudinal beams and / or the transverse beam.

[0038] In other words, the drive motor can be mounted at an upper end of the support structure on one or more of the longitudinal beams and / or transverse beams located there, in order to transmit the forces acting on it, first to the adjacent support structures and ultimately, via the mounting bracket, to the guide rails and / or the shaft wall. For this purpose, a corresponding mount, coupling piece, or similar device can be provided on the respective longitudinal beam or transverse beam, to which the drive motor can be attached.

[0039] According to one embodiment, the elevator system has two drive motors, each of which is attached to the support structure at a distance from one another in the first horizontal direction.

[0040] In other words, two or more drive motors can be provided in the elevator system in order to be able to move one or more cars and / or one or more counterweights. In particular, a configuration may be preferred in which two drive motors jointly move one elevator car and two counterweights assigned to this elevator car. In this case, the drive motors can be designed to be particularly small and can thus be accommodated in the shaft head in a space-saving manner. The two drive motors can both be attached to the support structure, but at a lateral distance from one another relative to the first horizontal direction. In other words, the two drive motors can be arranged on opposite sides at the top of the support structure. A lateral distance between the two drive motors corresponds approximately to the width of the support structure, i.e. approximately to the length of its cross member.

[0041] According to one embodiment, the drive motor or the two drive motors are mounted projecting beyond the support structure in a direction away from the shaft wall.

[0042] In other words, the motor or the two motors can be mounted on the support structure in such a way that at least a portion of the motor protrudes laterally beyond an edge of the support structure in the direction away from the shaft wall to which the mounting bracket is attached. Optionally, the entire motor can be mounted on the support structure in such a way that it protrudes laterally from the support structure in the direction away from the shaft wall. The drive motor arranged in this way can then, for example, drive the support means coupled to the car with the aid of a traction sheave driven by the drive motor, in particular without there being any risk of the support means colliding with the support structure.

[0043] According to one embodiment, an upper part of each of the guide rails is integrated into the support structure. In other words, partial regions of the guide rails preferably form part of the support structure. The guide rails can thus serve to guide the car in a typically lower region and form at least part of the support structure holding the drive motor in an upper region. For example, a guide rail can form one of the support posts of the support structure in its upper region or be provided in addition to it and support its load-bearing and stabilizing function. Overall, this makes it possible to achieve a very efficient and resilient force transmission between the support structure on the one hand and the guide rails, as well as a mechanical coupling of the guide rails, for example to a shaft wall on the other.

[0044] According to one embodiment, the support structure has at least one reinforcement post extending in the vertical direction. The reinforcement post can be assigned to a respective support structure. The or one of the reinforcement posts can preferably be coupled to one of the guide rails in a mechanically load-bearing manner. The reinforcement post can be designed as an angled profile, in particular as a hollow profile, U-profile, or L-profile. However, the reinforcement post can also be constructed in several parts and, for example, be composed of a U-profile and an L-profile.

[0045] The reinforcement post can, for example, be a component of a support post for reinforcing or stiffening the support structure, or it can be formed by one of the support posts of the support structure. The reinforcement post can preferably be connected to an associated guide rail in such a way that high forces, such as those transmitted in particular from the drive motor to the support structure, can be transmitted at least partially or preferably largely from the reinforcement post to the guide rail. For example, the reinforcement post can be connected to the guide rail permanently or reversibly, in particular via a welded connection, screw connection, rivet connection, or the like. The reinforcement post preferably runs in one direction aligned with the associated guide rail. If the guide rail is designed as a hollow profile, the reinforcement post can be received or arranged in the cavity of the hollow rail.However, it is also conceivable to arrange the reinforcement post on an outer side of the guide rail. The guide rail and reinforcement post can be adjacent to each other, butt-jointed, or they can overlap vertically. According to one embodiment, the guide rails can each be designed as an angled profile, in particular as a hollow profile. However, guide rails designed as T-shaped profiles would also be conceivable.

[0046] Guide rails in the form of elongated, angled profiles can, on the one hand, exhibit very high mechanical strength. On the other hand, such guide rails can form multiple lateral surfaces that extend in the longitudinal direction of the guide rails and can fulfill different functions. For example, one of these surfaces can serve as a guide surface for guiding a guide shoe attached to the elevator car, whereas another surface can serve as a braking surface for a brake attached to the elevator car. In a guide rail in the form of a hollow profile, side walls formed by the profile can surround an elongated interior volume on all sides. A cross-section of the hollow profile has a closed-ring shape, for example a circular ring shape. In a guide rail in the form of an L-profile or a U-profile, side walls surround an elongated interior volume on at least two or three sides.The cross-section of the profile has an L-shape or a U-shape. In particular, the guide rails can be designed in the same or similar manner as described in EP 3 898 483 B1.

[0047] According to one embodiment, in such a design of the guide rails as angled profiles, a reinforcing post accommodated in the support structure can engage in an inner region of the angled profile surrounded by at least two side walls and can be coupled to at least one of the side walls in a mechanically loadable manner.

[0048] In particular, the support structure can have one or more reinforcing posts, at least a portion of which engage in an interior volume of the angled profile of an associated guide rail. Depending on the type of angled profile, i.e., depending on whether an L-profile, a U-profile, or a hollow profile is used as the guide rail, the interior volume can be surrounded on two, three, or more sides by walls of the angled profile. The reinforcing post engaging in the angled profile of the guide rail can be supported, at least in part, on the adjacent walls of the guide rail and / or can be permanently or reversibly connected to them in a way that can withstand mechanical loads, for example by means of a welded connection, a screw connection, a riveted connection, or the like.This can result in a particularly efficient, strong and / or long-lasting mechanical connection between the guide rails on the one hand and the support structure on the other.

[0049] It should be noted that some of the possible features and advantages of the invention are described herein with reference to different embodiments of the elevator system described herein. A person skilled in the art will recognize that the features can be combined, transferred, adapted, or exchanged as appropriate to achieve further embodiments of the invention.

[0050] Embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein neither the drawings nor the description are to be construed as limiting the invention.

[0051] Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of an elevator system according to an embodiment of the invention in a side view.

[0052] Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of a support structure of an elevator installation according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0053] Fig. 3 shows a sectional view of a reinforcing post for a support structure of the carrier structure of an elevator installation according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0054] Fig. 4 shows a sectional view of a support structure designed as a guide rail of the carrier structure of an elevator installation according to an embodiment of the invention, wherein the reinforcing post from Fig. 3 is accommodated in the support structure.

[0055] If the same reference symbols are used in different drawings, these reference symbols designate identical or equivalent features.

[0056] Fig. 1 shows an elevator system 1 with a shaft 3 in which a car 5 can move in a vertical direction 17. The shaft 3 extends between several floors 13 within a building 15. The car 5 is held by cable-like support means 67. A drive motor 7, which is arranged in an overhead shaft head 59 within the elevator shaft 3, can displace the support means 67 and, via these, the car 5. The car 5 is guided vertically along the shaft 3 by guide rails 9, on which guide shoes 69 are supported. The guide rails 9 are designed as elongated metal profiles, in particular as hollow profiles, run along the shaft 3 in the vertical direction 17 and parallel to one another at a distance from one another in a first horizontal direction 19.

[0057] The drive motor 7 is not directly connected to a shaft wall 27 in the area of ​​the shaft head 59 or to a shaft ceiling 71. Instead, the drive motor 7 is mounted on a special support structure 11, as additionally shown in Fig. 2.

[0058] The support structure 11 has a three-dimensional structure capable of withstanding high mechanical loads. The support structure 11 has a U-shaped mounting bracket 23 located below and two elongated support structures 31 arranged above it. The mounting bracket 23 is composed of an elongated cross member 25 and two elongated side members 29. The cross member 25 extends in the first horizontal direction 19, whereas the side members 29 each extend from one of the opposite ends of the cross member 25 in a second horizontal direction 21 and are spaced from one another with respect to the first horizontal direction 19. In the example shown, the support structures 31 are composed of elongated support posts 37, each of which extends from one of the side members 29 in the vertical direction 17 and is also spaced from one another in the first horizontal direction 19.The vertical direction 17 can also be referred to as the Z direction, the first horizontal direction 19 can be referred to as the X direction and the second horizontal direction 21 can be referred to as the Y direction.

[0059] In the example shown, the cross member 25 is designed as an L-shaped cross member profile 75, in which a horizontally extending support plate 73 rests on a floor 65 located at a door area 35 of the shaft 3 adjacent to an uppermost one of the floors 13, and above which the mounting bracket 23 is fastened to the floor 65 in a mechanically load-bearing manner. The side members 29 are designed as box-shaped profiles and are connected to the cross member profile 75 in a mechanically load-bearing manner, for example by welding, screwing, or riveting. The support posts 37 of the support structure 31 each rest on one of the side members 29 at the bottom and are likewise connected to this in a mechanically load-bearing manner. In the example shown, two upwardly extending support posts 37 are provided on each of the two side members 29.A support post 37 extending closer to the shaft wall 27 is designed, for example, as an elongated box profile. A support post 37 extending further from the shaft wall 27 is formed by an upper part 43 of one of the guide rails 9, which is mechanically reinforced by means of a reinforcing post 45 extending therein.

[0060] The length of the support structures 31 is thus evidently greater than the height of the highest floor served by the elevator system. For example, depending on the floor height, the support structures 31 can be longer than 2 m, longer than 2.5 m, or longer than 3 m.

[0061] In the embodiment shown in the figures, the support structure 11 is further reinforced by two upper longitudinal beams 39 and two transverse beams 41. The longitudinal beams 39 run in the second horizontal direction 21 and parallel to one another as well as parallel to the side beams 29 and are spaced from one another in the first horizontal direction 19 by a distance that approximately corresponds to the length of the cross member 25. The longitudinal beams 39 are designed as elongated box profiles. The transverse beams 41 run in the first horizontal direction 19. In the example shown, a transverse beam 41 located closer to the shaft wall 27 is designed as an angled sheet with a relatively large width, whereas a transverse beam 41 further away from the shaft wall 27 is designed as a relatively narrow bar.

[0062] In the example illustrated in the figures, two drive motors 7 with a small installation space are provided to drive the cabin 5. Both drive motors 7 are fastened to the support structure 11 in an upper region 33 of the support structure 11. Specifically, the drive motors 7 are each mounted on one of the longitudinal beams 39 at the upper end of the support structure 11 and are spaced apart from one another in the first horizontal direction 19. In an alternative example (not illustrated), however, only a single drive motor 7 or more than two drive motors 7 may be provided. The drive motors may be fixed at different positions in the upper region 33 of the support structure 11, for example, each on the longitudinal beams 39 and / or on one or more of the transverse beams 41.

[0063] The drive motor or drive motors 7 are preferably mounted on the support structure 11 in such a way that they project beyond the support structure 11 in a direction parallel to the second horizontal direction 21 and away from the shaft wall 27. Accordingly, the support means 67 to be driven by the drive motor 7 can extend vertically downwards from the drive motor 7 to the car 5 without running the risk of coming into contact with the support structure 11. Due to its three-dimensional design, the support structure 11 is structurally designed to be so stable that forces, such as those acting on the drive motor 7, in particular from the elevator car 5 to be held by the drive motor 7 and / or the counterweight (not shown), are absorbed by the support structure 11 and can be diverted via the latter to the guide rails 9 and / or the shaft wall 27 in a region below the shaft head 59.

[0064] The forces are initially transmitted from the drive motor 7 to the longitudinal beam 39 and from there, at least for the most part, downwards via the support posts 37 of the support structure 31 to the side supports 29. Part of the forces is then transmitted from the side supports 29 to the guide rails 9, which in turn are fixed to one or more of the shaft walls 27 via bracket-like holders (not shown). Another part of the forces is transmitted from the side supports 29 to the cross member 25 and, via this, is diverted to the floor 65 in the door area 35.

[0065] The support structure 11 can preferably be designed such that it is connected to the shaft wall 27 exclusively via its mounting bracket 23, wherein the mounting bracket 23 is located at the very bottom of the support structure 11 and is thus arranged in a region of the shaft 3 significantly below its shaft head 59. A part of the support structure 11 arranged above the mounting bracket 23 can thus be described as self-supporting and is therefore preferably not mechanically connected at any point to the shaft walls 27 or the shaft ceiling 71 in the region of the shaft head 59.

[0066] In an alternative embodiment (not shown), although there may be a mechanical connection between the support structure 11 and one or more of the shaft walls 27 and / or the shaft ceiling 71, this connection may be designed in such a way that only a minor part, in particular less than 10%, of the forces exerted by the drive motor 7 on the support structure 11 is diverted via this mechanical connection, whereas a predominant part of the forces is diverted via the support structure 11 downwards to the guide rails 9 and / or a region of the shaft wall 27 below the shaft head 59.

[0067] In this way, it can be avoided that forces acting on the drive motor 7 could potentially damage the shaft head 59. Figures 3 and 4 show sectional views through a portion of the support structure 11, in which an upper part 43 of a guide rail 9 is mechanically reinforced by means of a reinforcing post 45 and can thus act as part of the support structure 31 of the support structure 11. The reinforcing post 45 is coupled to the guide rail 9 in a mechanically load-bearing manner. In the example shown, a screw connection 61 is used for this purpose.

[0068] In the example shown in Figures 3 and 4, the guide rail 9 is designed as an angled profile 47 in the form of a hollow profile 51. This hollow profile 51 forms various functional surfaces 53, which can serve, for example, as guide surfaces for a guide shoe 69 on the cabin 5 or as a braking surface for a brake (not shown) provided on the cabin. The hollow profile 51 is formed by side walls 55 running in different planes, which surround an inner region 57 of the hollow profile 51. In the example shown, the reinforcing post 45 is formed by a first reinforcing profile 63 designed as a U-profile 49 and by a second reinforcing profile 64 designed as an L-profile 50. The multi-part reinforcing post 45 is received as a whole in the inner region 57 of the angled profile 47 of the guide rails 9 and is coupled to the side walls 55 thereof in a mechanically load-bearing manner.

[0069] Overall, this allows a mechanically very stable connection of the support structure 11 to the guide rails 9 as well as a high mechanical load capacity of the support structure 11 to be achieved.

[0070] As an alternative to the configuration shown in Figures 3 and 4, the guide rails 9 can also have a different profile shape, in particular a U-profile or an L-profile. The reinforcing posts 45 can also have different profile shapes than those shown in the figures. The guide rails 9 can be coupled to the support structure 11 in different ways. The guide rails 9 can be at least partially integrated into the support structure 11 and / or mechanically connected to components of the support structure 11, such as in particular its support posts 37 and / or the reinforcing posts 45.

[0071] Finally, it should be noted that terms such as "comprising," "including," "including," "having," etc., do not exclude other elements or steps, and indefinite articles 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 features or steps described with reference to other of the above embodiments. Reference signs in the claims are not to be understood as limiting the scope of the subject matter defined by the claims.

Claims

Claims 1. Elevator system (1) comprising: a shaft (3), a car (5), at least one drive motor (7), at least two elongated guide rails (9), and a support structure (11), wherein the shaft (3) connects several floors (13) of a building (15) to one another, wherein the guide rails (9) in the shaft (3) are arranged parallel to one another in a vertical direction (17) and are spaced from one another in a first horizontal direction (19), wherein the car (5) is movable in the shaft (3) between the floors (13) by means of the at least one drive motor (7) along the guide rails (9), wherein the support structure (11) has a three-dimensional structure with: - a mounting bracket (23) comprising a cross member (25) extending in the first horizontal direction (19) and fastened to a shaft wall (27), and two side members (29) each extending from opposite ends of the cross member (25) parallel to a second horizontal direction (21) extending transversely to the first horizontal direction (19), and - two support structures (31), wherein each of the support structures (31) extends upwards in the vertical direction (17) starting from one of the side supports (29), wherein the at least one drive motor (7) is fastened to the support structure (11) in an upper region (33) of the support structure (11), and wherein the support structure (11) is structurally designed in such a way and the mounting bracket (23) of the support structure (11) is coupled on the one hand via each of the side supports (29) to one of the guide rails (9) and on the other hand via the cross member (25) to the shaft wall (27) in such a way that a predominant portion, in particular preferably at least 90% or a totality, of forces acting on the at least one drive motor (7) via the support structure (11) to the guide rails (9) and / or the shaft wall (27).

2. Elevator installation (1) according to claim 1, wherein the support structure (11) is coupled to the shaft wall (27) exclusively via the mounting bracket (23).

3. Elevator installation (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a part of the support structure (11) arranged above the mounting bracket (23) is self-supporting.

4. Elevator installation (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the mounting bracket (23) is fastened to a door area (35) of the shaft (3) adjacent to an uppermost one of the floors (13) on a floor floor (65) in a mechanically loadable manner.

5. Elevator installation (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein each of the support structures (31) has two support posts (37) extending upwards and spaced apart from one another in the second horizontal direction (21).

6. Elevator installation (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the support structure (11) further comprises two upper longitudinal beams (39) which are arranged substantially parallel to one another and spaced apart from one another in the first horizontal direction (19) in an upper region of the support structure (11).

7. Elevator installation (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the support structure (11) further comprises an upper cross member (41) which runs parallel to the first horizontal direction (19) and is arranged in an upper region of the support structure (11).

8. Elevator installation (1) according to one of claims 5 and 6, wherein the at least one drive motor (7) is fastened to one of the longitudinal beams (39) and / or the transverse beam (41).

9. Lift installation (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the lift installation (1) has two drive motors (7), each of which is arranged in the first horizontal direction (19) are attached to the support structure (11) at a distance from one another.

10. Elevator installation (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the drive motor (7) is mounted projecting beyond the support structure (11) in a direction away from the shaft wall (27).

11. Elevator installation (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein an upper part (43) of each of the guide rails (9) is integrated into the support structure (11).

12. Elevator installation (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the support structure (11) has at least one reinforcing post (45) extending in the vertical direction (17), and wherein the reinforcing post (45) is coupled to one of the guide rails (9) in a mechanically loadable manner.

13. Elevator installation (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the guide rails (9) are each designed as an angled profile (47), in particular as a hollow profile (51).

14. Elevator installation (1) according to claim 13, wherein a reinforcing post (45) received in the support structure (11) engages in an inner region (57) of the angled profile (47) surrounded by at least two side walls (55) and is coupled to at least one of the side walls (55) in a mechanically loadable manner.

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