Elevator Car Floor Hatch Locking for Safe Hoistway Pit Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

Elevator systems pose a safety risk when a person needs to access the hoistway below the elevator car, particularly in low pits, as there is a danger of being hit by the moving elevator car.

Innovation Solution

An elevator car with a floor hatch and a movable fixing element that locks the car in place, allowing safe access to the hoistway by preventing movement when the hatch is open.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a person enters the hoistway below the elevator car for maintenance, then access to the space is enabled, but the safety risk increases due to potential collision with moving elevator car

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess to hoistwayVSAvoidcollision risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The movable fixing element is activated in advance by opening the floor hatch to secure the elevator car position before the maintenance person enters the hoistway, preventing any subsequent movement that could cause collision

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The movable fixing element acts as an intermediary safety mechanism between the floor hatch operation and the maintenance person, mediating the connection by preventing car movement when the hatch is open

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the elevator car is equipped with a movable fixing element to prevent movement, then safety is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecollision riskVSAvoidfixing mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The movable fixing element is self-activating through its coupling with the floor hatch - opening the hatch automatically triggers the fixing mechanism without requiring separate control systems or complex automation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The fixing mechanism is merged with the floor hatch structure through coupling, combining two functions (access control and position fixation) into an integrated system that reduces overall device complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS20260035211A1Elevator car, elevator system and method of accessing a space in a hoistway of an elevator system

Publication Date: 2026.02.05 OTIS ELEVATOR CO

AI summary

An elevator car (6) for moving in a hoistway (4) between a plurality of landings (8a-8d) includes a floor hatch (22) formed at a bottom of the elevator car (6) and allowing a person to access a space (24) in a portion of the hoistway (4) below the elevator car (6) from inside the elevator car (6). The elevator car (6) further includes at least one movable fixing element (34) that is movable between an elevator car fixing position in which it fixes the position of the elevator car (6) in a hoistway (4) at a predefined position above a bottom of the hoistway (4), and a released position, in which it does not fix the position of the elevator car (6) in the hoistway (4).