Elevator Roller Brake Lever Layout for Bounce and Vibration Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing elevator roller systems experience bounce and vibration due to traction rope deformation when passengers or goods are loaded or unloaded, as the prior art's roller brake devices provide insufficient friction to effectively inhibit the rotation of guide wheels, leading to instability.

Innovation Solution

A roller brake device with a first biasing device, such as a coil spring, and an actuation lever mechanism that engages the brake with the roller, providing enhanced static friction through a combination of pivot shafts and inclined surfaces, allowing for reliable braking and reduced vibration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If a roller brake device is used to inhibit rotation of the guide wheel after elevator stops, then bounce and vibration are reduced, but the friction force is insufficient to achieve reliable braking

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecar stabilityVSAvoidbraking friction force
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a lever as an intermediary mechanical element between the actuation device and the brake. The lever amplifies the braking force through mechanical advantage, transforming a small actuation force into a large friction force between the brake and roller. This resolves the contradiction by providing sufficient braking force without requiring a proportionally large actuation force.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The brake is designed to be movable relative to the roller, allowing dynamic adjustment of the braking force. The brake can engage and disengage from the roller based on operational requirements, enabling the system to provide strong braking force when needed while maintaining normal operation when not braking. This dynamic capability resolves the contradiction between needing strong braking force and maintaining system functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If the brake is biased away from the roller using a spring, then the brake can engage and disengage reliably, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebrake engagement reliabilityVSAvoidbrake mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The spring-loaded brake mechanism is designed to automatically engage and disengage based on the presence or absence of actuation force. When actuation force is applied, the brake engages; when released, the spring automatically returns the brake to its disengaged position. This self-service capability improves reliability while keeping the control mechanism simple, resolving the contradiction between reliability and complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The spring provides a counterbalancing force that biases the brake away from the roller, creating a reliable disengaged state. This counterweight principle ensures that the brake only engages when sufficient actuation force overcomes the spring bias, providing reliable and controlled engagement while maintaining simplicity through the use of a single spring element rather than complex control mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #8Anti-weight (Counterweight)

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 effectively reduces bounce and vibration by providing increased static friction between the brake and roller, ensuring stable operation during loading and unloading, and allowing for reliable and efficient braking without relying solely on the actuation mechanism's pulling force.

Implementation Method 1

a first biasing device, the first biasing device is disposed between the body and the brake, and biases the brake in a direction away from the roller. Optionally, the first biasing device is a coil spring connected between the body and the brake

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

providing enhanced static friction through a combination of pivot shafts and inclined surfaces, allowing for reliable braking and reduced vibration

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Data Source

PatentEP3992134B1Roller system, roller brake device and elevator system
Publication Date: 2024.10.02 OTIS ELEVATOR CO
  • EP3992134B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3992134B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3992134B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The invention relates to a roller system, a roller brake device (500) and an elevator system. The roller brake device (500) is used for the roller system. The elevator system includes the roller system. The roller system comprises a roller assembly and a roller brake device (500), the roller brake device (500) includes: a body (501), the roller brake device (500) is mounted to the roller assembly by the body (501); an actuation device mounted to the body (501); and a brake (502) connected to the body (501) in a pivotable manner, and the actuation device can move the brake (502) from a rest position to a brake position, wherein the brake (502) engages and brakes a roller (511) in the roller assembly at the brake position, and the brake (502) is disengaged from the roller (511) at the rest position, and wherein, a part of the brake (502) that is acted by the actuation device and a part of the brake (502) that engages the roller (511) are both located on the same side of the pivot shaft (507, 508) between the body (501) and the brake (502).