Elevator Cable Damping via Roller Loop Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-rise buildings and high-speed elevators experience undesirable lateral swaying of trailing cables due to air resistance, building movements, and wind, leading to increased stress, noise, and potential damage to hoistway structures, with existing solutions being either complex, expensive, or prone to mechanical wear.
Innovation Solution
A damping arrangement featuring freely hanging roller-like means supported by the top surface of the bottom loop of the cable, with rollers mounted on horizontal and vertical shafts, forming a ring structure around the loop to absorb lateral movements without mechanical contact with guide rails, allowing for adjustable mass addition for optimal damping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If guide means with movable retainer arms are used to prevent cable swaying, then lateral stability is improved, but mechanical wear increases and reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical retainer arm system with a pneumatic or hydraulic damping mechanism. The damping mechanism uses gas or liquid pressure to resist cable sway without direct mechanical contact, eliminating wear between moving parts while maintaining lateral stability control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs pneumatic or hydraulic elements within the damping mechanism to provide lateral support and stability. The fluid pressure absorbs and dissipates sway energy, replacing the worn mechanical retainer arm system with a non-contacting fluid-based solution that maintains reliability.
2Stability of the object's composition
If complex guide devices with multiple components are used to control cable movement, then cable path control is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential damping function from the complex guide device, isolating it into a separate, standalone damping mechanism attached to the cable. This removes unnecessary guide components while preserving cable path control through the specialized damping element.
Solution Approach 2:
The damping mechanism is designed to perform multiple functions: it provides lateral stability, controls cable movement, and absorbs vibrations all through a single integrated component, replacing the need for multiple separate guide devices and reducing overall system complexity.
3Stability of the object's composition
If mechanical guide arms with frequent contact are used to dampen cable sway, then lateral movement control is improved, but maintenance requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical guide arm system with a pneumatic or hydraulic damping mechanism that uses fluid pressure instead of mechanical contact. This substitution eliminates wear between moving parts, significantly reducing maintenance frequency while maintaining effective lateral movement control.
4Stability of the object's composition
If heavy guide structures are used to prevent cable sway, then lateral stability is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses pneumatic or hydraulic damping mechanisms that provide lateral stability through fluid pressure rather than heavy mechanical structures. The gas or liquid in the damping mechanism provides the necessary resistive force with minimal weight, replacing bulky guide structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and properties of the damping medium (using compressed gas or liquid under pressure) to achieve high stability with low weight. By adjusting pressure and fluid properties, the damping mechanism provides substantial lateral support without the mass of traditional mechanical guide structures.
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 effectively reduces lateral sways, enhances ride comfort and safety by preventing cable entanglement with hoistway structures, and is simple, cost-effective, and easy to maintain, with adjustable damping for various conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a roller-like means (9-11), supported by which the damping means is arranged to move freely in relation to the top surface of the bottom loop in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the rope-like means
Implementation Method 2
a freely hanging damping means supported on the top surface of the bottom loop
Data Source
AI summary
The object of the invention is an arrangement for damping lateral sways of a rope-like means (6) fixed to an elevator car (1) in an elevator hoistway, the bottom end of which rope-like means (6) comprises an upward opening bottom loop (6a). A detachable damping means (8) producing a mass effect is disposed to be supported by the top surface of the bottom loop (6a).