Elevator Car Parking Brake With Screw-Lever Rail Clamping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Elevator car positioning during loading and unloading is challenging due to elasticity in hoisting ropes, creating a tripping hazard, and existing solutions like parking brakes require reliability and efficient operation for long-term use.
Innovation Solution
An elevator car parking brake system utilizing brake pads and an actuator with levers and screws that move relative to a guide rail, allowing for precise positioning and force multiplication, along with an electro-mechanical actuator and controller for monitoring wear and alerting when brake pads need replacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If machinery is used for relevelling of the car to prevent tripping hazards, then positioning accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases and the process becomes iterative
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the relevelling function from the main elevator machinery and implements it as a separate, simple parking brake mechanism. This brake mechanism independently adjusts the car position by applying friction to the guide rail, eliminating the need for complex machinery-based relevelling systems while maintaining positioning accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The parking brake uses a simple, wear-resistant friction pad that can be easily replaced. Instead of using complex, expensive machinery components for positioning, the system employs a straightforward friction-based brake with replaceable pads, reducing device complexity while achieving the positioning function.
2Measurement precision
If an electro-mechanical actuator with revolution counting is used to monitor brake pad wear, then maintenance timing is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electro-mechanical actuator incorporates a simple revolution counter that provides feedback on brake pad wear. Each revolution corresponds to a specific amount of pad consumption, allowing the system to monitor wear accumulation and alert operators when maintenance is needed. This feedback mechanism uses basic counting logic rather than complex sensing systems, maintaining simplicity while achieving accurate wear detection.
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 system effectively holds the elevator car in place during loading and unloading, reduces the risk of tripping hazards, and provides a reliable and efficient braking mechanism with remote detection of brake pad wear, allowing for timely maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
at least one screw associated with the actuator and rotatably fixed to at least one lever via at least one attaching member. In a braking operation, the actuator is configured to rotate the at least one screw in a first direction with respect to the at least one attaching member, thus causing the levers with the brake pads to move towards the guide rail.
Implementation Method 2
the levers are pivoted such that the force produced by the actuator is multiplied for the brake pads.
Data Source
AI summary
According to an aspect, there is provided an elevator car parking brake comprising brake pads and an actuator configured to move the brake pads with respect to a guide rail. The elevator car parking brake further comprises levers, each having an associated brake pad; and at least one screw associated with the actuator and rotatably fixed to at least one lever via at least one attaching member. In a braking operation, the actuator is configured to rotate the at least one screw in a first direction with respect to the at least one attaching member, thus causing the levers with the brake pads to move towards the guide rail. In a brake release operation, the actuator is configured to rotate the at least one screw in a second direction with respect to the at least one attaching member, thus causing the levers with the brake pads to move away from the guide rail.