Corrugated Elevator Belt Jacket for Small-Sheave Bending

Solution Overview

Problem

Elevator belt systems face limitations in material selection due to the need for elastomeric jackets to accommodate bending around small sheaves while maintaining a long service life, restricting the types of materials that can be used and affecting durability and strength.

Innovation Solution

A belt design featuring a jacket with embedded corrugated insert layers made from non-elastomeric materials with a higher melting temperature than the jacket base, allowing for the use of more rigid and fire-resistant materials, and enabling the belt to bend effectively around sheaves while providing enhanced wear resistance and traction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Shape

If elastomeric jacket material is used to enable bending around small sheaves, then the belt can accommodate small diameter sheaves and maintain flexibility, but the material selection is restricted and fire resistance and durability are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebending capabilityVSAvoidmaterial selection

Core Design Contradiction:

ShapeVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The jacket is segmented into multiple functional layers: an inner elastomeric layer that provides bending capability and flexibility, and an outer non-elastomeric layer (such as aramid or PTFE) that provides fire resistance, wear resistance, and expanded material options. This segmentation allows each layer to perform its specialized function without compromising the overall belt performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The jacket utilizes composite material construction combining elastomeric materials (for flexibility and bending) with non-elastomeric materials such as aramid fibers, PTFE, or other high-performance polymers (for fire resistance and durability). This composite approach resolves the contradiction by integrating materials with complementary properties that individually cannot achieve both flexibility and fire resistance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If non-elastomeric materials with higher melting temperature are used in the jacket, then fire resistance and strength are improved, but the belt loses bending capability around small sheaves

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefire resistanceVSAvoidbending capability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The jacket is segmented into multiple functional layers: an inner elastomeric layer that provides bending capability and flexibility, and an outer non-elastomeric layer (such as aramid or PTFE) that provides fire resistance, wear resistance, and expanded material options. This segmentation allows each layer to perform its specialized function without compromising the overall belt performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the jacket have different material properties optimized for their specific functions: the inner layer near the tension elements uses elastomeric material for flexibility and bending, while the outer layer exposed to environmental conditions uses fire-resistant non-elastomeric material for protection and durability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Ease of manufacture

If traditional monolithic jacket construction is used, then manufacturing is simpler, but material options are restricted and service life is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidservice life

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The jacket is segmented into multiple functional layers: an inner elastomeric layer that provides bending capability and flexibility, and an outer non-elastomeric layer (such as aramid or PTFE) that provides fire resistance, wear resistance, and expanded material options. This segmentation allows each layer to perform its specialized function without compromising the overall belt performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The jacket utilizes composite material construction combining elastomeric materials (for flexibility and bending) with non-elastomeric materials such as aramid fibers, PTFE, or other high-performance polymers (for fire resistance and durability). This composite approach resolves the contradiction by integrating materials with complementary properties that individually cannot achieve both flexibility and fire resistance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentEP3584209B1Belt with corrugated material

Publication Date: 2023.01.11 OTIS ELEVATOR CO

Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 2C

AI summary

An elevator system includes a hoistway, an elevator car movable along the hoistway, and one or more belts operably connected to the elevator car to propel the elevator car along the hoistway. A belt (16) of the one or more belts includes one or more tension elements (24) extending along a belt length, and a jacket (28) at least partially encapsulating the one or more tension elements (24). The jacket (28) includes a jacket base formed from a first material and one or more insert layers (48) embedded in the jacket base material. The one or more insert layers (48) have a corrugated shape along the belt length, and may be formed from a second material different from the first material.