Elevator Guide Rail Fishplate Folded Sheet Design
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The manufacturing of traditional fishplates for elevator guide rails is costly and labor-intensive due to their thickness, weight, and material requirements, which can be challenging to address effectively with existing methods.
Innovation Solution
A fishplate formed from a folded sheet material with two layers connected along a fold line, which reduces material usage and weight while maintaining strength, allowing for secure fastening of guide rails with holes drilled through both layers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a thick steel plate is used to form the fishplate, then the strength and structural integrity are improved, but the weight and manufacturing cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from a single-layer thick plate to a multi-layer folded structure. By folding the sheet material, the fishplate achieves increased effective thickness and strength through layer stacking, while maintaining a lightweight single-sheet construction. The fold line creates multiple layers that provide structural integrity comparable to thick plates without the associated weight and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the fishplate by introducing folds and layers. Instead of increasing thickness through material addition (which increases weight), the design uses folding to create a compact multi-layer structure that achieves the required strength-to-weight ratio. This parameter change allows the fishplate to meet strength requirements while using thinner, lighter sheet material.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a thick steel plate is used to form the fishplate, then the structural integrity is improved, but the manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses folding to transform a simple flat sheet into a complex multi-layer structure. This dimensional transformation achieves the required structural integrity through geometry rather than material thickness, simplifying the manufacturing process. Instead of machining or assembling thick plates, the fishplate is formed by folding a single sheet, reducing manufacturing steps and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention segments the fishplate structure into multiple layers created by folding the sheet material along a fold line. This segmentation provides structural integrity through layered construction while maintaining ease of manufacture, as each layer is formed from the same continuous sheet rather than requiring separate components to be assembled.
3Weight of stationary object
If a folded sheet material structure is used, then the weight and material usage are reduced, but the structural strength may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The invention resolves this contradiction by using the third dimension (folding) to create multiple layers from a single sheet. The folded structure distributes loads across multiple layers and along the fold line, achieving strength comparable to thick plates while using significantly less material and weight. The geometry of the fold creates structural reinforcement without additional material.
4Reliability
If traditional thick steel plates are used, then the fishplate provides sufficient strength, but the cost and material consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the geometric parameters through folding to achieve the required reliability with reduced material consumption. The folded structure creates a multi-layer configuration that provides sufficient strength and reliability for joining guide rails while using less steel material than traditional thick plates, reducing both material cost and consumption.
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 solution provides a cost-effective, lighter, and potentially stronger fishplate that enables continuous guide rail travel without the need for extensive material or complex assembly, enhancing the efficiency and reliability of elevator systems.
Implementation Method 1
the fishplate formed from a sheet material, the fishplate comprising: a first layer; and a second layer extending substantially parallel to the first layer, wherein the first layer and the second layer are connected along a fold line
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A fishplate (1, 1') for joining two lengths of guide rail (2a, 2b, 2a', 2b') of an elevator system (100), the fishplate (1, 1') formed from a sheet material, the fishplate (1, 1') comprising: a first layer (10a, 10a'); and a second layer (10b, 10b') extending substantially parallel to the first layer (10a, 10a'), wherein the first layer (10a, 10a') and the second layer (10b, 10b') are connected along a fold line (12, 12').