Elevator Door Sill With Hidden Guide Grooves
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern elevator door systems with open guide grooves at the top are prone to dirt accumulation, foreign object interference, and vandalism, leading to operational issues and safety concerns, especially when transporting heavy loads or using trolleys.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a door system where the guide groove is only accessible from the shaft, with a faster door panel guided internally and a slower panel guided by a guide rail that is open towards the floor, ensuring foreign objects cannot enter the guide groove when the doors are open, and using a double U or C profile guide rail for enhanced stability and ease of production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the guide groove is open towards the floor surface, then the door panel can be guided properly, but foreign objects can enter and cause jamming or wear
Solution Approach 1:
The guide system is segmented into two separate guide grooves: one open towards the shaft for the faster door panel, and another open towards the floor for the slower door panel. This segmentation allows each groove to serve a specific function while minimizing contamination risks
Solution Approach 2:
The slower door panel acts as an intermediary element that blocks foreign objects from entering the upwardly open guide groove. When the slower panel moves into position, it covers the guide groove opening, preventing stones, cigarette butts, and other debris from entering while still allowing the guide shoe to function properly
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the guide groove is open towards the shaft, then foreign objects from the floor cannot enter, but the guide shoe may conflict with other panels during telescoping
Solution Approach 1:
The guide system is divided into multiple independent guide grooves, each serving a specific door panel. This segmentation eliminates the need for complex adjustment mechanisms while preventing guide shoe conflicts during telescoping operations
Solution Approach 2:
Each guide groove has its opening directed towards the shaft, creating a localized protective environment for each guide shoe. This local quality approach ensures that no foreign objects from the floor can enter any guide groove, while the telescoping panels can still move smoothly in their designated paths
3Strength
If a robust guide rail design is used, then security against vandalism is improved, but the guide groove may still be accessible from the floor
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of trying to protect the guide groove from the floor side while maintaining floor accessibility, the solution inverts the approach by opening the guide groove towards the shaft and using the door panel itself as the protective barrier. This inversion simultaneously achieves robustness, vandalism resistance, and foreign object exclusion
4Ease of manufacture
If the guide groove is open towards the floor, then installation is simpler, but wear from trolley roles and heavy loads increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide groove opening is inverted from the conventional floor-facing position to a shaft-facing position. This inversion prevents direct access by trolley roles and heavy loads while maintaining simple installation procedures, thereby significantly reducing wear and extending guide shoe durability
Data Source
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AI summary
The system has a door with two movably suspended, relatively telescopic door panels glided at the bottom by several mutually independent covered guides. It has a guide groove that is open only to the shaft that guides the lower end of a faster door panel, whilst another guide groove is open towards the floor of the story or cabin and guides the lower end of a slower door panel. An independent claim is also included for a door sill for an elevator door system.