Elevator Drive Machine with Parallel Axes for Compact Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing elevator drive machines are not adequately adaptable to various installation environments, often requiring spacious machine rooms and complex modifications, which complicates their installation and modernization, especially in tight spaces, and fail to meet requirements for energy-efficiency, space-efficiency, noise reduction, maintenance, safety, and cost-effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A compact drive machine design featuring a motor module and traction module with parallel rotational axes, an endless drive member, and a brake system, allowing for efficient space utilization and easy maintenance, with the motor and traction wheels positioned side by side to facilitate adaptable hoisting capacity and reduced space requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the drive machine uses a conventional configuration with motor and traction wheel on the same axis, then the power transmission is simple, but the machine requires a large machine room and is difficult to adapt to tight spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a conventional single-axis configuration to a two-axis configuration where the motor shaft and traction wheel shaft are positioned at right angles to each other. This dimensional change allows the drive machine to fit into compact machine rooms and tight spaces while maintaining all necessary functions, directly resolving the contradiction between adaptability and space requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The patent positions the motor within the loop formed by the hoisting ropes, with the motor shaft passing through the center of the traction wheel. This nesting arrangement allows components to occupy overlapping spatial volumes, reducing the overall footprint and enabling installation in confined spaces without compromising adaptability
2Power
If the drive machine is designed for high load capacity, then the rated load is adequate, but the size of motor and power-transmitting components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical power transmission components (gears, belts, chains) with a direct two-axis shaft configuration where power is transmitted through the spatial relationship between the motor shaft and traction wheel shaft. This substitution eliminates bulky intermediate components while maintaining the ability to transmit high loads, resolving the contradiction between power capacity and drive machine size
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the drive machine by positioning the motor shaft and traction wheel shaft at right angles and optimizing their relative positions. This parameter optimization allows the drive machine to achieve high load capacity with compact dimensions, as the efficient spatial arrangement maximizes the leverage and force transmission without increasing component size
3Volume of stationary object
If the drive machine components are positioned for compact arrangement, then space efficiency is improved, but maintenance access becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the drive machine into distinct functional modules: the motor module, the traction wheel module, and the brake module. Each module can be independently accessed and serviced. The motor is positioned within the rope loop but remains separately mountable and removable, allowing maintenance personnel to access and service components without disassembling the entire drive machine, thus resolving the contradiction between compactness and maintenance ease
Data Source
AI summary
A drive machine for an elevator includes a motor module including at least a motor, a drive shaft, and a first transmission wheel, which are provided with a common rotational axis and connected coaxially to each other. The drive machine further includes a traction module including at least a traction wheel engageable with elevator hoisting ropes, and a second transmission wheel, which are provided with a common rotational axis and connected coaxially to each other. The motor module and the traction module are positioned side by side with their rotational axes parallel, such that the traction wheel and the drive shaft are side by side, and the first and second transmission wheels are side by side. The drive machine further includes an endless drive member passing around the first and second transmission wheels. An elevator comprising said drive machine is also disclosed.