Elevator Damper Unit Using Magnetic Eddy Currents
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing damper units for elevators are inefficient in reducing vertical vibrations during standstill, particularly in elevators using carrying straps, as they require significant effort and can cause excessive wear on guide rails, affecting passenger comfort.
Innovation Solution
A damper unit with an engagement means that forms a slip-free connection with the guide rail using a traction element, such as a rubber coating or nanoparticles, to effectively dampen vertical vibrations during standstill, featuring a force-transmitting mechanism with a ram and shock damper, actuated by an eccentric drive for efficient vibration reduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a braking element is pressed against the guide rail with frictional contact to dampen vibrations, then vibration reduction is achieved, but guide rail wear increases and damping efficiency is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional friction-based mechanical braking system with a magnetic field-based damping system. The magnetic brake generates eddy currents in the guide rail through electromagnetic induction, creating a non-contact braking force that dampens vibrations without mechanical wear. This substitutes mechanical friction contact with an electromagnetic field interaction, eliminating wear while maintaining effective vibration reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a pneumatic actuator system to control the positioning and activation of the magnetic brake. compressed air drives the actuator to move the magnetic brake assembly into or out of the active damping position, providing reliable and responsive control of the vibration reduction function without direct mechanical linkage to the braking element itself.
2Ease of operation
If a damper unit is activated during standstill to reduce vibrations, then passenger comfort is improved, but the complexity of the door-opening unit coupling increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the damper activation function from the door-opening unit coupling and creates an independent control system. The magnetic brake is controlled separately through its own actuator and control logic, decoupling it from the door mechanism. This allows the damping function to be activated independently based on vibration detection or standstill conditions, simplifying the overall system architecture while maintaining passenger comfort benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback control system where sensors detect vertical vibrations and feed this information to the control unit, which then activates or deactivates the magnetic brake accordingly. This closed-loop control allows the damper to respond automatically to vibration conditions, improving passenger comfort while eliminating the need for complex mechanical coupling with door-opening units.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If an acting element makes contact with the guide rail to dampen movements, then vibration reduction is achieved, but the slip-free connection requirement increases design complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical friction-based traction system with an electromagnetic interaction system. The magnetic brake generates braking force through eddy currents induced in the conductive guide rail, eliminating the need for friction-based traction elements. This substitution simplifies the design by removing complex friction surface requirements while achieving effective slip-free connection through electromagnetic forces.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental interaction parameter from mechanical friction to electromagnetic induction. By utilizing the electrical conductivity of the guide rail and generating rotating magnetic fields, the system creates a non-contact braking force that is inherently slip-free. This parameter change from friction coefficient dependence to electrical conductivity dependence simplifies the acting element design while maintaining effective vibration damping.
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 solution provides a simple and efficient method to reduce vertical vibrations during elevator standstill, ensuring a slip-free connection that minimizes guide rail wear and enhances ride comfort by effectively damping car movements.
Implementation Method 1
The acting element has a contact side provided with a traction element to prevent slippage. The traction element can, for example, be a rubber coating. It could also be conceivable to use nanoparticles as a traction element to prevent slippage.
Implementation Method 2
it would be possible to use as the acting element an actively or passively operating magnet that effects a slip-free connection to the metallic, iron-based guide rail of the acting element in the active position by magnetic force
Implementation Method 3
the damper unit has force transmitting elements attaching to the acting element for receiving and damping the movement of the elevator car
Data Source
AI summary
A damper unit for an elevator for reducing vertical vibrations of an elevator car of the elevator during a standstill includes a stamp-like acting element that acts on an end-face guide surface of a guide rail. The acting element is spaced from the guide rail in an idle position and can be connected slip-free to the guide rail by an eccentric drive in an active position. Force transmitting elements containing a shock damper for damping the motions of the elevator car during a standstill of the car adjoin the acting element.