Elevator Caliper Brake Linkage for Fast Closing Without Dragging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing caliper brakes for elevator systems face challenges in achieving a short closing time and preventing dragging, especially in emergency situations, due to limitations in response behavior and ventilation clearance design.
Innovation Solution
A caliper brake design featuring a first and second brake lever with tension elements and a linear spindle drive, allowing for quick closure and incorporating pretensioning rollers to maintain a small ventilation clearance, ensuring effective braking without dragging and maintaining a safety function even in power outages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If the ventilation clearance between brake pad and braking track is reduced to achieve rapid closing, then the closing time is improved, but the brake may drag during operation
Solution Approach 1:
The brake lever mounting points are designed to be movable relative to the housing rather than fixed, allowing the brake system to dynamically adjust its position and ventilation clearance based on operational conditions. This dynamic mounting enables rapid closing by minimizing initial clearance while preventing dragging through automatic position adjustment during operation
Solution Approach 2:
The tension element (draw shackle) changes the geometric parameters of the brake lever mounting points during operation. By altering the distance and position of mounting points, the system dynamically adjusts the ventilation clearance and brake pad tracking, enabling both rapid response and drag prevention
2Speed
If a tension element (draw shackle) is used to allow floating mounting of brake levers, then the response behavior and closing speed are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tension element (draw shackle) serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a mounting connector for the brake lever, provides a floating adjustment mechanism, maintains proper geometric relationships, and enables dynamic tracking of the brake pad. This multi-functionality achieves rapid closing without proportionally increasing complexity
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
The design enables rapid closing and opening times between 0.1 and 0.3 seconds, prevents dragging, and maintains a low noise level, with a braking force of 10 kN and a mass of 10 kg, capable of 10 million cycles, and ensures reliable operation during power failures.
Implementation Method 1
at least one closing spring is provided and at least indirectly moves the first brake lever and the second brake lever relative to one another in order to decrease the distance between the first brake pad and the second brake pad
Implementation Method 2
a linear spindle drive is provided and makes it possible to move the first brake lever and the second brake lever relative to one another in order to change a distance between the first brake pad and the second brake pad along the actuation axis
Implementation Method 3
A distance between the first tension element mounting point and the second tension element mounting point along the actuation axis, which is defined by the tension element, remains constant in this case
Implementation Method 4
a first brake pad and a second brake pad can be moved relative to one another along an actuation axis by means of the first brake lever and the second brake lever
Data Source
AI summary
An elevator system caliper brake includes first and second brake levers each with a brake pad wherein the brake levers move the brake pads relative to one another along an actuation axis. The first brake lever is rotatably mounted at a stationary first mounting point at a housing of the brake, and the second brake lever is rotatably mounted at a second mounting point on an intermediate lever that is rotatably mounted at the brake housing. A tension element can be moved approximately parallel to an actuation axis and is connected to the brake levers at mounting points between the respective brake pads and the brake lever mounting points. A closing spring moves the first and second brake levers to decrease the distance between the brake pads and a linear spindle drive connected to the intermediate lever selectively counteracts the closing spring to increase the distance between the brake pads.