Elevator Door Buffer Material Catching Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing elevator door systems face challenges in preventing melting buffer materials from dropping onto high-temperature gateway upper frames during fires, which can lead to ignition and increased fire risk in hoistways.

Innovation Solution

A buffer material receiving member is installed between the gateway upper frame and the hanger roller to catch and contain the melting buffer material, preventing it from dropping and igniting.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a gutter-shaped member is installed under the hanger roller to receive and drain melting buffer material toward the center of the opening and closing door, then the melting buffer material can be prevented from dropping into a hoistway, but the melting buffer material may drop over the gateway upper frame and ignite due to high temperature

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefire-resistance performanceVSAvoidignition risk from dropped buffer material
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A buffer material receiving member is introduced as an intermediary component between the hanger roller and the gateway upper frame. This receiving member captures the melting buffer material and prevents it from reaching the high-temperature gateway upper frame, thereby eliminating the ignition risk while maintaining the fire-resistance performance of the elevator door system

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The harmful function of the melting buffer material dropping onto the gateway upper frame is extracted and isolated by introducing a dedicated receiving member. The receiving member specifically targets and contains the melting buffer material, separating it from the gateway upper frame to prevent ignition

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Ease of operation

If buffer material is installed over the rolling surface of the hanger roller to alleviate impact and inhibit shifting sounds, then the opening and closing doors can shift smoothly, but the buffer material may melt and drop into the hoistway when exposed to flames or hot air

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesmooth shifting of opening and closing doorsVSAvoidmelting and dropping of buffer material
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The buffer material receiving member serves as an intermediary that captures the melting buffer material before it can drop into the hoistway. This receiving member is positioned to intercept the melting material while the buffer material continues to perform its shock absorption and noise reduction functions on the hanger roller surface

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The potential harm of melting buffer material is converted into a manageable situation by using the receiving member to contain and redirect the melting material. Instead of allowing uncontrolled dripping into the hoistway, the receiving member channels the melting material in a controlled manner, turning a fire hazard into a contained phenomenon

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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 configuration effectively inhibits the melting buffer material from dropping over high-temperature gateway upper frames, reducing the risk of fire ignition in the hoistway and enhancing the fire-resistance performance of the elevator door system.

Implementation Method 1

a buffer material comprising a synthetic resin such as an urethane resin or a nylon resin is installed over the rolling surfaces of the hanger rollers and the configuration is arranged so as to: alleviate impact between the hanger rollers and the rail surfaces

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectImpact absorption: Deformation

Implementation Method 2

The buffer material may sometimes melt by flames or hot air

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMelting: Melting

Data Source

PatentEP3210927B1Elevator apparatus
Publication Date: 2020.09.16 HITACHI LTD
  • EP3210927B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3210927B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3210927B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention provides an elevator apparatus having novel opening and closing doors (1a, 1b) excellent in fire-resistance performance by inhibiting a melting buffer material (13) from dropping over gateway upper frames (10a, 10b) that come to be high temperatures. Buffer material receiving members (14a, 14b-1, 14b-2) extending in the directions of shifting hanger rollers (5a, 5b, 5c, 5d) are arranged between the upper parts of the gateway upper frames (10a, 10b) and the hanger rollers (5a, 5b, 5c, 5d), the melting buffer material (13) is received by the buffer material receiving members (14a, 14b-1, 14b-2), and the melting buffer material (13) is inhibited from dropping over the gateway upper frames (10a, 10b) of high temperatures. As a result, the danger of generating fire in a hoistway (8) reduces and an excellent fire-resistance performance is obtained.