Elevator Damper Structure Using Curved Outer Member for Lower Deceleration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional foamed body dampers, such as those using polyurethane foam, experience excessive deceleration due to a sharp increase in reaction force during collision, leading to potential damage and inefficiency in buffering impact.
Innovation Solution
A damper design featuring a foamed body with an outer peripheral member bowed outward, which absorbs impact energy through buckling deformation, reducing the maximum deceleration of the lifting/lowering body by distributing the force more evenly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a foamed body such as polyurethane foam is used to buffer impact, then the damper size can be reduced, but the maximum deceleration becomes excessive due to sharp increase in reaction force
Solution Approach 1:
The outer peripheral member is designed with a bowed outward shape where the center part protrudes relative to the upper and lower end parts. This curvature allows the member to deform in a controlled manner during impact, distributing the reaction force more evenly and preventing the sharp force increase that occurs with straight-sided foam dampers.
Solution Approach 2:
The damper combines a foamed body (polyurethane foam) with an outer peripheral member made of different material properties. This composite structure allows the foam to provide volume reduction while the outer peripheral member controls the deformation characteristics to limit maximum deceleration, resolving the contradiction between size and force.
2Loss of energy
If the foamed body deforms to absorb impact energy, then buffering effectiveness increases, but the reaction force sharply increases causing excessive deceleration
Solution Approach 1:
The bowed outward shape of the outer peripheral member creates a progressive deformation mechanism. As impact occurs, the curved geometry allows the member to bend and absorb energy gradually rather than collapsing suddenly, maintaining effective energy absorption while controlling the rate of reaction force increase.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the outer peripheral member by introducing a bowed shape with specific curvature. This parameter change modifies the deformation characteristics during impact, allowing energy absorption to occur over a longer duration with reduced peak forces, thus resolving the contradiction between energy absorption and reaction force magnitude.
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 effectively reduces the maximum deceleration of the lifting/lowering body by utilizing the buckling deformation of the outer peripheral member to absorb impact energy, thereby preventing excessive deceleration and potential damage.
Implementation Method 1
an outer peripheral member which is attached to an outer side of a side-part surface of the foamed body, the outer peripheral member being bowed outward such that a center part thereof in a height direction on a side facing the side-part surface protrudes outward relative to an upper end part that is on the upper part side and on the side facing the side-part surface, and relative to a lower end part that is on a side opposite to the upper part and on the side facing the side-part surface, wherein impact by collision of the lifting/lowering body is buffered by deformations of the foamed body and the outer peripheral member
Implementation Method 2
impact by collision of the lifting/lowering body is buffered by deformations of the foamed body and the outer peripheral member
Data Source
AI summary
A damper for elevator, and an elevator, that enable reduction of the maximum deceleration of a lifting/lowering body by suppressing deformation of a foamed body for absorbing impact. The damper for elevator includes: urethane foam having a collision surface with which a lifting/lowering body is to collide; and an outer peripheral member attached to the outer side of the side-part surface of the urethane foam and having an inner side surface bowed outward, wherein impact by collision of the lifting/lowering body is buffered by deformations of the urethane foam and the outer peripheral member.