Elevator Door Shock Absorber for Manual Operation Damping

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Solution Overview

Problem

Manually operated vertically sliding elevator doors with counterweights are prone to violent and uncontrolled operation, leading to damage to the door and safety components due to jolting of counterweights, which results in operational issues and maintenance challenges.

Innovation Solution

A shock absorber device is introduced that separates the door's travel into a free phase and a damped phase, using a pivoting abutment member and guide means to automatically control the door's descent and prevent it from hitting the frame, thereby reducing stress on counterweights and safety components.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the door is operated manually without damping control, then the operation is simple and quick, but the leaf knocks against the frame causing damage to safety components and counterweights

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanual operation simplicityVSAvoiddamage to safety components
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The shock absorber device is pre-installed on the door leaf, positioned to engage with the frame before the leaf reaches the closed position. This beforehand cushioning mechanism absorbs the impact energy during the final phase of door closing, preventing damage to the safety electric lock and counterweights while maintaining simple manual operation throughout the door's travel range

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

2Productivity

If the door is operated manually without damping control, then the operation speed is high, but the counterweights experience jolting that damages the door structure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedoor operation speedVSAvoiddoor structure integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The door travel is segmented into two distinct phases: a free fall phase where the leaf descends quickly under gravity and operator force, and a damped phase where the shock absorber engages to control the final approach to the closed position. This segmentation allows high operation speed during the majority of the travel while protecting the structure during the critical closing phase

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of operation

If the safety electric lock is designed to withstand violent operation, then the door can be operated without control, but the lock size and complexity must be increased

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuncontrolled operation toleranceVSAvoidlock oversizing
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The shock absorber device performs preliminary anti-action by counteracting the violent forces before they reach the safety electric lock. By absorbing the impact during the final phase of door closing, the device protects the lock from excessive forces, allowing the lock to be designed with normal dimensions and complexity rather than oversized components

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

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 shock absorber device effectively prevents damage to the door and safety components by absorbing the final part of the door's travel, allowing controlled operation without hindering the operator's workflow and ensuring the door can be opened or closed without causing structural harm.

Implementation Method 1

a shock absorber member (23) associated with the abutment member (22). The shock absorber member (23) is configured to damp the travel of the abutment member (22) in a damping direction

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDamping: Damping

Data Source

PatentEP4357289A1Elevator door with damping device
Publication Date: 2024.04.24 ELECTROELSA SRL
  • EP4357289A1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP4357289A1 patent drawingFigure 4~7
  • EP4357289A1 patent drawingFigure 8a~8d

AI summary

The invention concerns a shock absorber device (20) for damping the travel of a leaf (12) of a door (10) for elevators, comprising an abutment member (22) configured to be struck by an actuation member (56) and a shock absorber member (23) associated with said abutment member (22) in order to damp its travel. The invention also concerns a door for elevators which is equipped with a shock absorber device.