Collapsible Elevator Car Apron for Reduced Pit Depth
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional elevator systems require large overhead and pit dimensions for safety, which is architecturally disadvantageous, and existing retractable car aprons do not adequately address the issue of reducing pit depth while maintaining safety features.
Innovation Solution
A collapsible car apron assembly with a semi-rigid curtain that extends below the elevator car to block open landing doors and collapses when contacting the pit floor, allowing for reduced pit depths and enhanced safety without increasing overhead dimensions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a rigid car apron with fixed height is used, then fall protection is provided, but significant clearance beneath the elevator car is required to avoid damage from contact with the pit floor
Solution Approach 1:
The car apron is designed to be collapsible rather than rigid, allowing it to dynamically change its length. The apron can extend to provide fall protection during normal operation and collapse to a compact state when approaching the pit floor, eliminating the need for excessive clearance while maintaining safety functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The physical state of the car apron is changed from fixed to variable. By implementing a collapsible mechanism, the apron's length parameter can be adjusted based on operational conditions - extended when fall protection is needed, and retracted when approaching the pit floor to prevent damage.
2Reliability
If traditional large pit depths are used, then safety features are maintained, but architectural space is wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The collapsible car apron enables the elevator system to operate safely in reduced pit depths by dynamically adjusting the apron's position and length. This eliminates the need for traditional large safety spaces in the pit, as the apron can be retracted when approaching the pit floor and extended during normal operation for fall protection.
3Volume of stationary object
If retractable car aprons are used to reduce pit depth, then safety is maintained, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The car apron is divided into multiple collapsible sections that can telescope or fold together. This segmentation allows the apron to be compact when retracted and extended when needed, reducing pit depth requirements while maintaining the safety function without requiring overly complex mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
Elevator systems including an elevator car having a car door sill and car apron assembly movable along an elevator shaft having a pit floor, are provided. The car apron assembly includes a collapsible guard with at least one guard element that is moveable from a deployed state to a compressed state. In the compressed state the at least one guard element is positioned within the car door sill. A guard frame is fixedly connected to the at least one guard element by one or more reinforcement elements, a translating member is arranged at each end of the guard frame, and a guide member fixedly connected to the elevator car. The collapsible guard is urged from the deployed state toward the compressed state as the guard element contacts the pit floor, and when transitioning from the deployed state to the compressed state, the translating member translates along the guide member.