Composite Belt-Like Ropes for Compact Elevator Hoisting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern elevators face challenges in achieving space efficiency while maintaining a large car cross-sectional area and minimizing hoistway space, particularly when the drive machine and sheave are positioned between the hoistway wall and the car, leading to compromised space usage and load capacity.
Innovation Solution
The use of belt-like ropes made from composite materials with carbon fibers in a polymer matrix, having a wide force transmission part with a high width-to-thickness ratio, positioned between the elevator car and counterweight, allows for a compact and efficient hoisting system with minimal non-bearing clearances and high load-bearing capacity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of stationary object
If metallic twisted steel wire ropes with small radius are used to achieve space efficient turning, then the head space is reduced, but the rope bundle width increases to maintain reasonable maximum load
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by replacing traditional metallic twisted steel wire ropes with ropes made of fiber-reinforced plastic composite materials. These composite ropes have higher strength-to-weight ratios and can be manufactured with optimized cross-sectional geometries (such as I-shaped or H-shaped force transmission parts) that improve both load-bearing capacity and spatial efficiency. The composite material allows the ropes to maintain adequate load capacity while potentially reducing the number of ropes needed, thereby reducing the rope bundle width while keeping head space constraints satisfied.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental parameters of the rope system by transitioning from multiple thin metallic ropes to fewer, wider composite ropes with optimized force transmission part geometries. The force transmission parts are designed with specific width-to-thickness ratios and cross-sectional shapes (I-shape, H-shape) that optimize both the mechanical properties for load bearing and the spatial characteristics for compact arrangement. This parameter change allows reducing the overall rope bundle width while maintaining the required load capacity.
2Area of stationary object
If the drive sheave and machinery are positioned between the car and hoistway wall to reduce hoistway cross-sectional area, then the hoistway space is minimized, but the car cross-sectional area is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent addresses this spatial contradiction by optimizing the dimensional characteristics of the roping system. By using composite ropes with optimized cross-sectional geometries and reducing the number of ropes needed, the roping system occupies less space in the hoistway cross-sectional dimension. This creates additional space that can be allocated to the car cross-sectional area while maintaining the compact hoistway configuration. The dimensionality change is achieved by transforming the rope bundle from a wide arrangement of multiple thin ropes to a more compact arrangement of fewer, optimized composite ropes.
3Strength
If a greater number of ropes are used to maintain reasonable maximum load, then the load capacity is sufficient, but the rope bundle width increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials with superior strength-to-weight ratios to reduce the number of ropes required for a given load capacity. The fiber-reinforced plastic composite materials allow each individual rope to bear higher loads, so fewer ropes are needed in the bundle. This directly reduces the rope bundle width while maintaining or even improving the maximum load capacity of the elevator system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameters of individual ropes by designing force transmission parts with optimized cross-sectional geometries (I-shape, H-shape) and appropriate width-to-thickness ratios. These geometric optimizations increase the load-bearing efficiency of each rope, allowing the system to achieve required load capacities with fewer ropes, thereby reducing the overall rope bundle width.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration results in a highly space-efficient elevator with improved load capacity and reduced space requirements between the car and hoistway wall, enabling a more compact and reliable drive sheave and motor setup, while maintaining safety and traction capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
said force transmission part(s) is/are made of composite material comprising reinforcing fibers in a polymer matrix, an in that the reinforcing fibers are carbon fibers
Implementation Method 2
reinforcing fibers in a polymer matrix, an in that the reinforcing fibers are carbon fibers
Data Source
AI summary
An elevator includes a hoistway, an elevator car and a counterweight vertically movable in the hoistway, a drive machine including a drive sheave, a roping including one or more ropes between the elevator car and the counterweight and passing around the drive sheave and suspending the elevator car and the counterweight. The drive sheave is positioned in the hoistway space between a hoistway wall and the vertical projection of the car, the drive sheave rotation plane being at least substantially parallel to the hoistway wall. The rope(s) is/are belt-like, each including at least one force transmission parts for transmitting force in the longitudinal direction of the rope, which force transmission part is made of composite material including reinforcing fibers in a polymer matrix. The reinforcing fibers are carbon fibers, and the force transmission part has width larger than thickness thereof as measured in width-direction of the rope.