Elevator hoisting machine, elevator system, and method for manufacturing elevator hoisting machine

Abstract

An elevator hoisting machine (100) comprising a first body (10) comprising a traction sheave (12) for receiving a hoisting member (206) and a second body (20). The elevator hoisting machine (100) also comprises a transverse flux motor (40) comprising a stator (42) and a rotor (44) that are arranged concentrically relative to each other, and an air gap (46) between the stator (42) and the rotor (44) in a radial direction (101) of the elevator hoisting machine (100), wherein one of the stator (42) or the rotor (44) is attached to the first body (10), whereas the other one of the stator (42) or the rotor (44) is attached to the second body (20), and the transverse flux motor (40) is arranged to rotate the first body (10) and thereby the traction sheave (12) relative to the second body (20) around a rotation axis in an axial direction (102) of the elevator hoisting machine (100).

Description

[0001] ELEVATOR HOISTING MACHINE, ELEVATOR SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING ELEVATOR HOISTING MACHINE

[0002] FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The present invention relates in general to elevator hoisting machines. In particular, however not exclusively, the present invention concerns an elevator hoisting machine comprising a transverse flux motor.

[0004] BACKGROUND

[0005] In a machine room-less elevator, an elevator hoisting machine is usually located at the top portion of an elevator shaft. In some machine room-less elevators, the hoisting machine is fixed to a guide rail such that it resides between the guide rail and a wall of the elevator shaft. These machines have usually been equipped with permanent magnet motors having rotors with permanent magnets and stators with stator windings fitted around stator teeth to form a concentrated winding or an overlapping winding of the hoisting machine. Such motors suffer from relative high losses. There is thus a need to develop more energy-efficient machines.

[0006] SUMMARY

[0007] An objective of the present invention is to provide an elevator hoisting machine, an elevator system, and a method for manufacturing an elevator hoisting machine. Another objective of the present invention is that the elevator hoisting machine, the elevator system, and the method provide a simple and efficient elevator hoisting machine.

[0008] The objectives of the invention are reached by an elevator hoisting machine, an elevator system, and a method for manufacturing an elevator hoisting machine as defined by the respective independent claims.

[0009] According to a first aspect, an elevator hoisting machine is provided. The elevator hoisting machine comprises a first body comprising a traction sheave for receiving a hoisting member, and a second body. The elevator hoisting machine also comprises a transverse flux motor comprising a stator and a rotor that are arranged concentricallyrelative to each other, and an air gap between the stator and the rotor in a radial direction of the elevator hoisting machine. The rotor is attached to the first body, whereas the stator is attached to the second body, and the transverse flux motor is arranged to rotate the first body and thereby the traction sheave relative to the second body around a rotation axis in an axial direction of the elevator hoisting machine.

[0010] The elevator hoisting machine may be flat. Thus, the elevator hoisting machine may have a total axial length in the axial direction shorter than a total radial length in the radial direction.

[0011] The elevator hoisting machine may comprise a stator winding, preferably a multiphase stator winding, and a stator core of ferromagnetic material in the stator, wherein the stator winding is arranged around the axial direction and to be inside stator teeth of the stator core. This can mean that there are no winding overhanging outside of the stator core. Optionally, tips of the stator teeth may be of soft magnetic composite material.

[0012] The elevator hoisting machine may comprise permanent magnets in the rotor. Alternatively, there are no permanent magnets but rotor is of the type as in reluctance motors.

[0013] The second body may comprise a conical portion, preferably in the center of the second body in the radial direction, wherein an apex portion of the conical portion extends towards a central portion of the first body. This can mean that a rigid second body structure may be achieved. This makes it possible to achieve a more silent elevator hoisting machine.

[0014] The second body, preferably, comprises an axle portion, preferably on the apex portion, adapted to extend concentrically into a hollow hub of the first body.

[0015] The elevator hoisting machine may comprise a third body attached to the second body so that the first body is between the third body and the second body. The third body may be attached to the second body at the axle portion of the second body and at outer portions of the second body which are farther away from the axle portion in the radial direction than the stator and the rotor.

[0016] The elevator hoisting machine may comprise a hub bearing arranged into the hollow hub between the axle portion and the first body, wherein the hub bearing comprises a tapered roller bearing, optionally a double row tapered roller bearing.The traction sheave may be non-centered with the hub bearing in the axial direction. This can mean that a shorter hoisting machine in axial direction may be achieved, and / or a wider traction sheave may be used in the hoisting machine. It also stabilizes the forces on the hub bearing.

[0017] One or both of the first body, including the traction sheave, and the second body may be casting parts.

[0018] The rotor may be attached to the first body by attaching members, optionally by bolts. The first body may comprise threaded inserts for the bolts.

[0019] The stator may be attached to the second body by attaching members, optionally by bolts. The second body may comprise threaded inserts for the bolts.

[0020] The one of the rotor or / and the stator may be attached by the attaching members to the first body or / and to the second body, respectively, via a coupling flange or flanges on an outer periphery of the first body or to the second body. The outer periphery refers to a portion of the first body or to the second body that extends around the axial direction in a distance in the radial direction away from the rotation axis. Optionally, the first body and / or the second body may comprise an alignment surface extending around the axial direction, wherein the coupling flange is adapted to abut the alignment surface for aligning and supporting the one of the stator or the rotor in the radial direction.

[0021] According to a second aspect, an elevator system is provided. The elevator system comprises an elevator car, and an elevator hoisting machine in accordance with the first aspect, or any embodiment thereof, coupled to the elevator car via the hoisting member, such as a hoisting rope or belt.

[0022] According to a third aspect, a method for manufacturing an elevator hoisting machine is provided. The method comprises casting a first body of the elevator hoisting machine to comprise an integrated traction sheave and an alignment surface, namely a rotor alignment surface, extending around an axial direction of the elevator hoisting machine for aligning and supporting a rotor of a transverse flux motor in a radial direction of the elevator hoisting machine. The method also comprises attaching the rotor to the first body by attaching members, such as bolts. The method may comprise arranging threaded inserts into the first body, such as during the casting or afterwards, for the bolts.

[0023] Optionally, the method comprises casting a second body of the elevator hoisting machine, preferably, to comprise a conical portion, preferably in the center of the secondbody in the radial direction, and an alignment surface extending around the axial direction of the elevator hoisting machine for aligning and supporting a stator of the transverse flux motor in the radial direction of the elevator hoisting machine.

[0024] Still further, the method may comprise arranging the first body and the second body mutually so that the stator and the rotor are adjacent to each other and have an air gap therebetween in the radial direction.

[0025] The present invention provides an elevator hoisting machine, an elevator system, and a method for manufacturing an elevator hoisting machine. The present invention provides advantages over known solutions in that a simple and efficient hoisting machine is provided.

[0026] Various other advantages will become clear to a skilled person based on the following detailed description.

[0027] The expression "a number of’ may herein refer to any positive integer starting from one (1).

[0028] The expression "a plurality of’ may refer to any positive integer starting from two (2), respectively.

[0029] The terms “first” and “second” etc. are herein used to distinguish one element from another element, and not to specially prioritize or order them, if not otherwise explicitly stated.

[0030] The exemplary embodiments of the present invention presented herein are not to be interpreted to pose limitations to the applicability of the appended claims. The verb "to comprise" is used herein as an open limitation that does not exclude the existence of also unrecited features. The features recited in the appended patent claims are mutually freely combinable unless otherwise explicitly stated.

[0031] The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the present invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The present invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objectives and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

[0032] Some embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings.

[0033] Figure 1 illustrates schematically an elevator hoisting machine as a cross-sectional view.

[0034] Figure 2 illustrates schematically the elevator hoisting machine of Fig. 1 as a cross-sectional view from a perspective.

[0035] Figure 3 illustrates schematically an elevator hoisting machine as a cross-sectional view.

[0036] Figure 4 illustrates schematically the elevator hoisting machine of Fig. 3 as a cross-sectional view from a perspective.

[0037] Figure 5 illustrates schematically some parts of the elevator hoisting machine from a perspective.

[0038] Figure 6 illustrates schematically a portion of a stator of a transverse flux motor of an elevator hoisting machine.

[0039] Figure 7 shows a flow diagram of a method.

[0040] Figure 8 illustrates schematically an elevator system.

[0041] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS

[0042] Figure 1 illustrates schematically an elevator hoisting machine 100 as a cross-sectional view. The elevator hoisting machine 100 comprises a first body 10, such as a first casting of metal material, comprising a traction sheave 12 for receiving a hoisting member, such as a hoisting rope or belt, for instance. Thus, the traction sheave 12 may be attached to the first body 10 or be an integral portion of the first body 10. The elevator hoisting machine 100 also comprises a second body 20, such as a second casting of metal material. Furthermore, the elevator hoisting machine 100 comprises a transverse flux motor 40 comprising a stator 42 and a rotor 44 that are arranged concentrically relative to each other, and an air gap 46 between the stator 42 and the rotor 44 in a radial direction 101 of the elevator hoisting machine 100. The direction of flux in the air gap 46 isshown with three adjacent double-headed arrows. As visible, the direction of the flux in the air gap 46 is parallel with the radial direction 101.

[0043] The transverse flux motor 100 is arranged to rotate the first body 10 and thereby the traction sheave 12 relative to the second body 20 around a rotation axis in an axial direction 102 of the elevator hoisting machine 100.

[0044] The rotor 44 is attached to the first body 10, whereas the stator 42 is attached to the second body 20. Preferably, either the rotor 44 or the stator 42 is on the inner side of the other one of the rotor 44 or the stator 42 in the radial direction 101.

[0045] Figure 1 also illustrates the force direction 103 caused by a loaded hoisting member. In general, the hoisting member extend via the traction sheave 12 in the radial direction 101.

[0046] The elevator hoisting machine 100, preferably, also comprises one or more bearings between the first body 10 and the second body 20 so as to facilitate rotation of the bodies 10, 20 relative to each other.

[0047] The elevator hoisting machine 100 may comprise a hub bearing 50 arranged into the hollow hub 14 between the axle portion 24 and the first body 10, wherein the hub bearing 50 comprises a tapered roller bearing, optionally a double row tapered roller bearing. Tapered roller bearing enables a small airgap to achieve sufficient motor torque.

[0048] The traction sheave 12 may be non-centered with the hub bearing 50 in the axial direction 102 for achieving a rigid structure. This can be seen in Fig. 1 in which the traction sheave 12 is more on the left than the hub bearing 50.

[0049] One or both of the first body 10, including the traction sheave 12, and the second body 20 may be casting parts, preferably, of metal material. Casting provides an easy way to manufacture rigid and robust body or bodies.

[0050] Optionally, the elevator hoisting machine 100 may comprise a third body 30. The third body 30 may be attached to the second body 20 so that the first body 10 is between the third body 30 and the second body 20. Alternatively, the third body 30 may be an integrated part of the first body 10.

[0051] The third body 30 may be attached to the second body 20 at the axle portion 14 of the second body 20 and at outer portions of the second body 20 which are farther away from the axle portion 14 in the radial direction 101 than the stator 42 and the rotor 44.Generally, the third body is such that it does not extend to be in the way of hoisting member.

[0052] The second body 20 may comprise a conical portion 26, preferably in the center of the second body 20 in the radial direction 101, wherein an apex portion of the conical portion 26 extends towards the first body 10. Conical shape of the body provides a rigid structure.

[0053] The second body 20, preferably, comprises an axle portion 24, preferably on the apex portion, adapted to extend concentrically into a hollow hub 14 of the first body 10.

[0054] Figure 2 illustrates schematically an elevator hoisting machine 100 as a cross-sectional view from a perspective. The elevator hoisting machine 100 is similar to the one illustrated in Fig. 1, however, dimensions, for instance, may be different.

[0055] As can be seen, the radial direction 101 is shown with two perpendicular double-headed arrows. This is because the radial direction 101 refers actually to any direction in a plane defined by directions perpendicular to the axial direction 102, as can be understood by a skilled person. What can also be seen is that especially the first body 10 is a disc-like element arranged to rotate relative to the second body 20. The second body 20 may also be disc-like or at least comprises a space for the first body 10 to rotate in.

[0056] Figure 3 illustrates schematically an elevator hoisting machine 100 as a cross-sectional view. The elevator hoisting machine 100 can in many ways be similar to the one illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. However, Fig. 3 illustrates attaching arrangements, that is a stator attaching arrangement or a rotor attaching arrangement, for the stator 42 and the rotor 44, respectively. It is to be noted that an embodiment of elevator hoisting machine 100 may only have either the stator attaching arrangement or the rotor attaching arrangement, or both.

[0057] As illustrated in Fig. 3, the rotor 44 or / and of the stator 42 may be attached by the attaching members, such as bolts and, optionally, threaded inserts, to the first body 10 or / and to the second body 20 via a coupling flange 43; 45 or flanges 43, 45, that is a rotor coupling flange 43 or / and a stator coupling flange 45, on an outer periphery of the first body 10 or to the second body 20.

[0058] The coupling flanges 43, 45 may be integrated portions of the stator 42 and the rotor 44, respectively, or may be attached to the stator 42 and rotor 44 by attaching means, such as welding, bolts, shape interlocking, or otherwise, as can be understood.The first body 10 and / or the second body 20 may comprise an alignment surface 48; 47 or surfaces 48, 47, such as a rotor alignment surface 48 and / or a stator alignment surface 47, extending around the axial direction 102, wherein the coupling flange 45, 43 is adapted to abut the alignment surface 48, 47 for aligning and supporting the rotor 44 or the stator 42 in the radial direction 101.

[0059] Figure 3 illustrates the rotor alignment surface 47 on the first body 10 extending in the axial direction 102 adjacent the rotor coupling flange 45. The stator alignment surface 47 is on the second body 20 extending in the axial direction 102 adjacent the stator coupling flange 43. The first body 10 can, thus, be dimensioned so that by arranging the coupling flanges 43, 45 against the alignment surfaces 47, 48 automatically aligns the rotor 44 with the stator 42, and concentrically relative to each other and with the rotation axis of the elevator hoisting machine 100 in the axial direction 102.

[0060] Figure 4 illustrates schematically the elevator hoisting machine of Fig. 3 as a cross-sectional view from a perspective. As can be seen, the coupling flanges 43, 45 may indeed extend around the rotation axis and can be attached by a plurality of attaching members (such as bolts, as marked with black thicker elements through the flanges 43, 45, and threaded inserts).

[0061] Figure 5 illustrates schematically some parts of the elevator hoisting machine 100 from a perspective. The parts are shown from a first side on the left in the figure and from opposite side in the axial direction 102 on the right. Even though Fig. 5 does not illustrate the second body 20, it can be visualized that the elevator hoisting machine 100 can, preferably, have a total axial length in the axial direction 102 shorter than a total radial length in the radial direction 101. The curved line in Fig. 5 shows the rotation direction of the rotor 44 and, thus, the first body 10 relative to the second body 20 and, thus, the stator 42.

[0062] Figure 6 illustrates schematically a portion of a stator 42, such as a single phase of stator 42, of a transverse flux motor 40 of an elevator hoisting machine 100. The transverse flux motor 40 may comprise a stator winding 61, preferably a multiphase stator winding, and a stator core 62 of ferromagnetic material in the stator 42. The stator winding 61 is, preferably, arranged around the axial direction 102 and to be inside stator teeth 64 of the stator core 62. Preferably, the rotor 44 comprises permanent magnets which are arranged to co-act via magnetic engagement with the stator 42 for rotating the motor 40, when electric current is made to flow in the stator winding 61. The double-headed arrows illustrate flux in the air gap of the motor 40. In some embodiments, permanent magnetsmay be in the stator side of the transverse flux motor 40, preferably at stator tooth tips. It is also possible that there are no permanent magnets at all, but the transverse flux motor 40 is a reluctance motor.

[0063] Tips of the stator teeth 64 may be of soft magnetic composite material to reduce or even minimize torque ripple of the motor 40. In some embodiments, the tips of the stator teeth 64 may be manufactured by additive manufacturing, e.g. 3D printing.

[0064] Furthermore, skewing of the stator core 62 is possible for minimizing the cogging torque.

[0065] The electric current may be supplied to the stator winding 61 by an electric converter device, such as an inverter or a frequency converter, connected to the transverse flux motor 40.

[0066] Figure 7 shows a flow diagram of a method. The method is preferably for manufacturing an elevator hoisting machine 100, such as the ones described hereinabove.

[0067] Item or step 400 refers to an optional start-up phase of the method. For example, suitable equipment and components may be obtained, and systems assembled and configured for operation, if these have not previously been set up.

[0068] Item or method step 410 refers to casting a first body 10 of the elevator hoisting machine 100 to comprise an integrated traction sheave 12 and a rotor alignment surface 48 extending around an axial direction 102 of the elevator hoisting machine 100 for aligning and supporting a rotor 44 of a transverse flux motor 40 in a radial direction 101 of the elevator hoisting machine 100.

[0069] Item or method step 420 refers to attaching the rotor 44 to the first body 10 by attaching members, such as bolts and threaded inserts the first body 10. The attaching 420 may comprise utilizing a coupling flange 45 of the rotor 44 abutting the rotor alignment surface 48.

[0070] The method may be stopped at item 499.

[0071] The method may comprise casting a second body 20 of the elevator hoisting machine 100. Optionally, the casting may comprise casting the second body 20 to comprise a conical portion 26, preferably in the center of the second body 20 in the radial direction 101, wherein an apex portion of the conical portion 26 is adapted to extend towards the first body 10.The method may comprise arranging the first body 10 and the second body 20 adjacent to each other so that the rotor 44 and the stator 42 are disposed to have therebetween an air gap 46 in the radial direction 101, such as described hereinabove and illustrated in Figs. 1-4. This may include arranging an axle portion 24 on the apex portion of the conical portion 26 to extend concentrically into the hollow hub 14 of the first body 10.

[0072] Figure 8 illustrates schematically an elevator system 200. The elevator system 200 comprises an elevator car 201 and an elevator hoisting machine 100 as described hereinabove. The elevator hoisting machine 100 coupled to the elevator car 201 via the hoisting member 206, such as a hoisting rope or belt.

[0073] The elevator system 200 may comprise a motor controller 220, such as including an electric converter (a frequency converter and / or an inverter), in connection with a transverse flux motor 40 of the elevator hoisting machine 100 of the system 200.

[0074] The transverse flux motor 40 may be arranged to rotate a traction sheave 12. The elevator car 201 may be mechanically coupled to the electric motor 202, preferably, by a hoisting rope 206, for example, extending via the traction sheave 208.

[0075] The elevator car 201 may be moved in and / or along an elevator shaft 242. The elevator car 201 may be moved in a normal operation mode to serve landings 240 or landing floors 240 in accordance with elevator calls. Also shown are the elevator doors 280 and the landing floor doors.

[0076] The hoisting member 206 may comprise, for example, steel or carbon fibers. The term ‘hoisting rope’ does not limit the form of the rope anyhow. For example, the hoisting rope 206 may be implemented as a rope or a belt. The elevator system 200 may also comprise a counterweight 234 in connection with the elevator car 201, such as via the hoisting rope 206.

[0077] The elevator system 200 may comprise an elevator control unit 290 for controlling the operation of the elevator system 200, such as various devices thereof. The elevator control unit 290 may be a separate device or may be comprised in the other components of the elevator system 200 such as in or as a part of the motor controller. In various embodiments, the elevator control unit 290 comprises the motor controller. The elevator control unit 290 may be in connection with a brake controller 300 to control the operation thereof.In some embodiments, the elevator control unit 290 may comprise the motor controller 220, however, in other embodiments, they may be separate entities, in which case the elevator control unit 290 may be in communication connection with the motor controller 220, such as providing input signal / data thereto and / or therefrom.

[0078] There may be also a main electrical power supply 225 such as a three-phase or singlephase electrical power grid, an electrical connection 230 between the power supply 225 and the motor controller 220, another electrical connection 235 between the motor controller 220 and the transverse flux motor 40 of the elevator hoisting machine 100.

[0079] It is also noted herein that while the above describes example embodiments, these should not be viewed in a limiting sense. Rather, there are several variations and modifications, which may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as defined in the appended claims.

[0080] The previously presented considerations concerning the various embodiments of the device may be flexibly applied to the embodiments of the method, and vice versa, as being appreciated by a skilled person.

[0081] Some advantageous embodiments according to the invention have been described above. The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but the inventive idea can be applied in numerous ways within the scope of the claims. The features recited in dependent claims are mutually freely combinable unless otherwise explicitly stated.

Claims

CLAIMS1. An elevator hoisting machine (100), comprisinga first body (10) comprising a traction sheave (12) for receiving a hoisting member (206);a second body (20); anda transverse flux motor (40) comprising a stator (42) and a rotor (44) that are arranged concentrically relative to each other, and an air gap (46) between the stator (42) and the rotor (44) in a radial direction (101) of the elevator hoisting machine (100), wherein the rotor (44) is attached to the first body (10), whereas the stator (42) is attached to the second body (20), and the transverse flux motor (40) is arranged to rotate the first body (10) and thereby the traction sheave (12) relative to the second body (20) around a rotation axis in an axial direction (102) of the elevator hoisting machine (100).

2. The elevator hoisting machine (100) of claim 1, having a total axial length in the axial direction (102) shorter than a total radial length in the radial direction (101).

3. The elevator hoisting machine (100) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the second body (20) comprises a conical portion (26), wherein an apex portion of the conical portion (26) extends towards a central portion of the first body (10).

4. The elevator hoisting machine (100) of any of claims 1-3, comprising a third body (30) attached to the second body (20) so that the first body (10) is between the third body (30) and the second body (20).

5. The elevator hoisting machine (100) of any of claims 1-4, wherein the second body (20) comprises an axle portion (24), preferably on the apex portion, adapted to extend concentrically into a hollow hub (14) of the first body (10).

6. The elevator hoisting machine (100) of claim 5, comprising a hub bearing (50) arranged into the hollow hub (14) between the axle portion (24) and the first body (10), wherein the hub bearing (50) comprises a tapered roller bearing, optionally a double row tapered roller bearing.

7. The elevator hoisting machine (100) of claim 6, wherein the traction sheave (12) is non-centered with the hub bearing (50) in the axial direction (102).

8. The elevator hoisting machine (100) of any of claims 1-7, wherein one or both of the first body (10), including the traction sheave (12), and the second body (20) are casting parts.

9. The elevator hoisting machine (100) of any of claims 1-8, whereinthe rotor (44) is attached to the first body (10) by attaching members, optionally by bolts, and / orthe stator (42) is attached to the second body (20) by attaching members, optionally by bolts.

10. The elevator hoisting machine (100) of claim 9, wherein the rotor (44) is attached by the attaching members to the first body (10) or the stator (42) is attached by the attaching members to the second body (20) via a coupling flange (43, 45) on an outer periphery of the first body (10) or to the second body (20), respectively.

11. The elevator hoisting machine (100) of claim 10, wherein the first body (10) and / or the second body (20) comprises an alignment surface (47, 48) extending around the axial direction (102), wherein the coupling flange (43, 45) is adapted to abut the alignment surface (47, 48) for aligning and supporting the one of the rotor (44) or the stator (42) in the radial direction (101).

12. The elevator hoisting machine (100) of any of claims 1-11, comprisinga stator winding (61), preferably a multiphase stator winding, and a stator core (62) of ferromagnetic material in the stator (42), wherein the stator winding (61) arranged around the axial direction (102) and to be inside stator teeth (64) of the stator core (62), andpermanent magnets in the rotor (44).

13. The elevator hoisting machine (100) of claim 12, wherein tips of the stator teeth (100) are of soft magnetic composite material.

14. An elevator system (200), comprisingan elevator car (201); andthe elevator hoisting machine (100) of any of claims 1-13 coupled to the elevator car (201) via the hoisting member (206), such as a hoisting rope or belt.1415. A method for manufacturing an elevator hoisting machine (100), comprisingcasting a first body (10) of the elevator hoisting machine (100) to comprise an integrated traction sheave (12) and a rotor alignment surface (48) extending around an axial direction (102) of the elevator hoisting machine (100) for aligning and supporting a rotor (44) of a transverse flux motor (40) in a radial direction (101) of the elevator hoisting machine (100); andattaching the rotor (44) to the first body (10) by attaching members.

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