Elevator Car Lighting Integrated with Decorative Structural Panels

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing elevator car lighting arrangements lack enhanced structural, electrical, optical, and economical characteristics, making them difficult to produce, install, and maintain, while also failing to provide a pleasant and ergonomic illumination of the interior space, especially when exterior light is absent.

Innovation Solution

The elevator car features a vertically extending lighting element integrated with decorative control elements and structural panels, allowing for easy installation and protection of the lighting elements, using LEDs for efficient illumination and a design that tilts and folds metal sheets to create spaces for the lighting, enhancing both aesthetics and safety.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If traditional lighting arrangements are used in elevator cars, then the lighting can illuminate the interior space, but the structural, electrical, optical and economical characteristics are not enhanced, and installation and maintenance are difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of installationVSAvoidstructural characteristics
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The lighting element is integrated with the decorative side element to form a unified component. The housing of the lighting element is formed by the decorative side element itself, eliminating the need for separate mounting structures and simplifying installation while enhancing structural reliability through the protective enclosure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The decorative side element serves multiple functions: it provides aesthetic decoration, structural support, and housing for the lighting element. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed, easing installation while maintaining robust structural and electrical characteristics.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Illumination intensity

If lighting elements are exposed in the elevator car, then illumination is provided, but the lighting elements are vulnerable to damage by passengers or load

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveilluminationVSAvoiddamage risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The decorative side element, which could be seen as an additional structural component, is utilized to provide protective housing for the lighting element. This converts the potential harm of having multiple components into the benefit of integrated protection, shielding the lighting element from damage while maintaining illumination functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The housing formed by the decorative side element acts as an intermediary protective barrier between the lighting element and external hazards (passengers or load). This intermediary structure allows the lighting element to function while being protected from direct exposure to harmful factors.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Volume of moving object

If decorative elements are positioned close to structural panels, then space is maximized, but no protection or mounting space for lighting elements is available

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinterior spaceVSAvoidmounting space for lighting
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The decorative side element is tilted relative to the structural panel, creating a three-dimensional configuration rather than a flat arrangement. This angular positioning generates usable space between the decorative element and structural panel, providing mounting volume for lighting elements while minimizing the projection into the elevator's interior space.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The decorative side element is designed with a tilted configuration rather than a fixed parallel arrangement, dynamically utilizing the available space between the structural panel and interior. This dynamic spatial arrangement creates mounting opportunities for lighting elements without permanently reducing the elevator's interior volume.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

4Illumination intensity

If complex lighting arrangements are installed, then illumination quality improves, but installation and maintenance become more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveergonomic illuminationVSAvoidinstallation and maintenance
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The lighting element is merged with the decorative side element, combining illumination functionality with aesthetic decoration. This integration simplifies installation by reducing the number of separate components and connections required, while maintaining the ability to provide quality ergonomic illumination through the unified design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

This configuration provides a reliable, economical, and ergonomically pleasing lighting solution with improved structural integrity, easy installation, and reduced risk of damage, while ensuring uniform and pleasant illumination within the elevator car.

Implementation Method 1

at least one vertically extending lighting element including at least one light source and configured for illuminating the interior space

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight Emitting Diode: Light Emitting Diode

Data Source

PatentEP3265417B1Elevator car
Publication Date: 2020.09.30 OTIS ELEVATOR CO
  • EP3265417B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3265417B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3265417B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

An elevator car (2), which is configured for moving along a hoistway in a vertical direction, comprises a passenger compartment defining an interior space (4) surrounded by sidewalls and at least one car door, said sidewalls (62, 63, 64) and/or said car door forming at least one vertically extending corner or protrusion (7). At least one vertically extending decorative element (13, 16) is assigned to the at least one vertically extending corner or protrusion (7) and comprises at least one vertically extending lighting element (10) which is configured for illuminating the interior space 4.