Elevator Buffer Lifting Device for Safe Maintenance Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing elevator maintenance systems require specific lifting devices for each installation, which is inefficient and increases design complexity due to varying buffer placements under the counterweight or elevator car, posing safety risks for technicians during maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A modular elevator system with a buffer device and lifting device where the lifting device is positioned between the buffer and counterweight, allowing for adjustable support and activation, ensuring a safe distance between the elevator car and shaft ceiling, and enabling flexible buffer design using elastic components like polyurethane blocks or springs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the buffer is arranged directly under the counterweight to limit travel path, then the counterweight travel is limited, but different constructions of lifting devices are required for different elevator systems
Solution Approach 1:
The lifting device is positioned as an intermediary component between the buffer and the counterweight. This arrangement allows the buffer to limit counterweight travel while the lifting device provides a standardized interface that can be used across different elevator systems, resolving the contradiction between travel limitation and construction variety.
Solution Approach 2:
The lifting device is designed with universal applicability across different elevator systems. By positioning it between the buffer and counterweight, the same lifting device construction can serve multiple functions and different elevator installations, eliminating the need for system-specific variations.
2Length of moving object
If the elevator car is positioned close to the shaft ceiling to maximize travel, then travel distance is increased, but safety of service technicians during maintenance is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The buffer device with the lifting device is positioned to prevent the elevator car from reaching the shaft ceiling during normal operation. This preliminary protective measure ensures that even when the elevator car travels to its uppermost position, a safe distance is maintained, preventing potential harm to service technicians during maintenance activities.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a lifting device is provided specifically for each elevator installation to ensure safety, then technician safety is improved, but design effort and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The lifting device is designed as a universal component that can be used across different elevator installations. By standardizing the lifting device construction and positioning it between the buffer and counterweight, the same design can be applied to multiple systems, significantly reducing design effort while maintaining technician safety.
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 solution allows for a single construction of the lifting device to be used across different elevator systems, simplifying design efforts and ensuring safe maintenance access by maintaining a minimum distance between the elevator car and shaft ceiling, thereby enhancing safety and reducing design complexity.
Implementation Method 1
the buffer may essentially comprise an elastic component, for example a polyurethane block or a spring
Implementation Method 2
the movement of the counterweight or the elevator car is dampened directly by the buffer
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
The invention relates to an elevator system, comprising an elevator shaft (6), an elevator car (2) and a counterweight (4), the elevator car (2) and the counterweight (4) being coupled and being arranged in the elevator shaft (6) for movement in opposite directions, and a buffer device (20) arranged in a shaft pit (6.1) of the elevator shaft (6), which buffer device (20) limits the travel path of the counterweight (4) and which buffer device (20) comprises a buffer (22) and a lifting device (24), wherein in an idle position of the lifting device (24) an overtravel of the elevator car (2) in a shaft head of the elevator shaft (6) is enabled and the lifting device (24) can be activated in such a way that, in an active position of the lifting device (24), the travel path of the counterweight (4) in the shaft pit (6.1) is limited and, between a shaft ceiling (7) of the elevator shaft (6) and the elevator car (2), a minimum distance for maintenance by personnel can be ensured, characterized in that the lifting device (24) is arranged between the buffer (22) and the counterweight (4).