Elevator Door Drive with Independent Drivers for Misalignment Tolerance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing elevator door drive systems require time-consuming and precise manual adjustments of coupling elements during installation and maintenance, especially in buildings with multiple floors, to ensure smooth operation and alignment of elevator doors.

Innovation Solution

A door drive device with independently adjustable drive elements that allow for flexible alignment and operation of elevator doors, enabling quick and cost-effective installation and maintenance, even when coupling elements are not perfectly aligned.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual adjustment of coupling elements is performed to achieve precise alignment, then door operation reliability is improved, but installation and maintenance time increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedoor operation reliabilityVSAvoidinstallation and maintenance time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The door drive device is divided into two independently adjustable drive elements instead of a single coupled system. Each drive element can be adjusted separately to compensate for misalignment between coupling elements, eliminating the need for time-consuming manual alignment while maintaining reliable door operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The drive elements are made adjustable and reconfigurable rather than fixed. This dynamic capability allows the system to adapt to different alignment conditions during installation and maintenance, ensuring reliable operation without requiring precise pre-alignment of coupling elements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Stability of the object's composition

If coupled drive elements are used to maintain synchronous door leaf movement, then door synchronization is improved, but adjustment flexibility deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedoor leaf synchronizationVSAvoidadjustment flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The coupled drive system is segmented into two independent drive elements. While they operate on the same door leaf, their independence allows separate adjustment to compensate for misalignment, whereas traditional coupled systems require precise alignment to function properly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The position and orientation parameters of each drive element can be independently changed through adjustment mechanisms. This allows the system to adapt to various coupling element alignments while maintaining synchronous door leaf movement, providing both stability and flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of operation

If precise alignment of coupling elements is required, then door operation smoothness is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional adjustment mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedoor operation smoothnessVSAvoidadjustment mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The drive elements incorporate built-in adjustment capabilities that allow for dynamic positioning. This dynamic feature enables smooth door operation by compensating for alignment variations without requiring complex external adjustment mechanisms or precise pre-alignment procedures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The independent drive elements can be adjusted to automatically compensate for misalignment between coupling elements. This self-adjusting capability ensures smooth door operation without requiring time-consuming manual alignment procedures, simplifying the overall installation and maintenance process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP4587362B1Door driving device with two independently displaceable drivers
Publication Date: 2026.04.01 INVENTIO AG
  • EP4587362B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4587362B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5

AI summary

The invention relates to a door drive device for opening and closing corresponding lift door leaves of lift doors of a lift. The door drive device according to the invention has a first driver (42), which acts on a first coupling element (36) arranged on a first lift door leaf to open the first lift door leaf of a first lift door, and a second driver (48), which acts on a second coupling arrangement (38) arranged on a first lift door leaf to close the first lift door leaf of the first lift door. The first driver (42) and the second driver (48) can be displaced by means of a drive unit (24) in an opening direction (32) and a closing direction (34) of the first lift door. According to the invention, the drive unit (24) has a first drive (40) for displacing the first driver (42) and a second drive (50) for displacing the second driver (48) and the first driver (42) and the second driver (48) can be displaced independently of one another in the opening direction (32) and in the closing direction (34) by means of the drive unit (24).