C-Shaped Profile Embedded in Unreinforced Concrete for Elevator Guide Rail Mounting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for attaching elevator components, such as guide rails, to elevator shaft walls are either labor-intensive, requiring drilling into hardened concrete or involve complex planning and coordination for precise positioning of cast profiles or metal plates, leading to inefficiencies and potential reworking issues.

Innovation Solution

A wall fastening arrangement using a C-shaped profile embedded exclusively in a concrete area without reinforcements, allowing for easy and cost-effective attachment of elevator components by positioning the profile vertically within the elevator shaft, reducing the need for precise pre-planning and minimizing the risk of interference with reinforcement structures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If holes are drilled into finished concrete wall to attach components, then components can be securely fastened to the wall, but the process requires considerable effort and generates dust that endangers personnel and equipment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecure fasteningVSAvoiddrilling effort and safety
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent embeds wall fastening assemblies (profiles with anchoring elements) into the concrete wall during the pouring process, before the concrete hardens. This preliminary action eliminates the need for subsequent drilling operations, thereby reducing effort and avoiding dust generation while ensuring reliable fastening of elevator components

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If cast-in profiles are used to avoid drilling, then subsequent attachment becomes easier, but precise positioning requires considerable planning and coordination work that can lead to reworking costs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveattachment easeVSAvoidplanning and coordination complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the concrete wall into a first concrete area with reinforcements and a second concrete area without reinforcements. The C-shaped profile is embedded exclusively in the second concrete area, separating the fastening function from the reinforcement structure. This segmentation simplifies positioning and reduces planning complexity while maintaining attachment ease

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of manufacture

If C-shaped profile is embedded exclusively in unreinforced concrete area, then positioning is simplified and interference with reinforcement is avoided, but the profile relies on the cover concrete for anchoring

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning easeVSAvoidanchoring strength
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a local quality distinction by embedding the C-shaped profile exclusively in the second concrete area (cover concrete without reinforcements) rather than distributing it throughout the entire wall. This localized embedding simplifies positioning and avoids interference with reinforcement structures, while the profile's anchoring elements extend into the cover concrete to provide sufficient anchoring strength for elevator component attachment

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3513010B1Wall attachment assembly for fixing an elevator component
Publication Date: 2024.07.10 INVENTIO AG
  • EP3513010B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3513010B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3513010B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention relates to a wall (3) of a structure, in particular an elevator shaft wall, comprising a wall securing assembly (24) integrated into the wall for securing an elevator component, in particular a guide rail, to the wall (3). The wall (3) has a first concrete region (37) which is reinforced with reinforcements (35) and a second concrete region (39) which is not reinforced with reinforcements (35), which covers the first concrete region (37), and which comprises a surface (40) that is exposed to the surroundings. The wall securing assembly (24) has an elongated profile (25) which is C-shaped in the cross-section and which is embedded solely into the second concrete region (39) and is oriented in the vertical direction of the structure. It has been shown that the tensile forces acting on a guide rail in an elevator shaft in particular are very low and it is therefore acceptable to secure the guide rail to a C-shaped profile which is cast solely into the second concrete region (39) layer covering a reinforcement (35). The anchor element-free C-shaped profile (25) can be arranged in the wall (3) vertically in a simple manner such that holding consoles which hold the guide rail can be secured to the profile at any height.