Elevator Safety Actuator Controller via Electrical Substitution
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Elevator systems face challenges in maintaining safety features while minimizing the overhead and pit dimensions of elevator shafts, as traditional safety components require additional space for access and operation, which is architecturally disadvantageous.
Innovation Solution
The overspeed safety system is integrated within the elevator car's structural members, eliminating the need for external linkages and locating safety brakes and electromechanical actuators within the car's height, allowing for electrical actuation through a control system connected via communication lines, enabling simultaneous triggering of safety brakes without mechanical linkages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional mechanical safety actuation systems with external linkages are used, then safety functionality is achieved, but overhead and pit dimensions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical governor linkage system with an electrical control system. The governor detects overspeed conditions and sends electrical signals through communication lines to actuators mounted on the elevator car, which then trigger the safety brakes. This substitution eliminates the need for extensive mechanical linkages that previously required large overhead and pit spaces, directly resolving the contradiction between maintaining safety functionality and reducing shaft dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent relocates the safety actuation components from external shaft-mounted positions to the elevator car itself. By mounting the safety actuators on the car and using electrical signaling rather than mechanical linkages, the system transforms the spatial arrangement from a three-dimensional shaft-wide configuration to a compact car-mounted configuration, thereby reducing the overhead and pit dimension requirements while maintaining safety effectiveness.
2Reliability
If safety components are mounted on the exterior of the elevator car, then safety actuation is achieved, but maintenance access becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the safety actuation components with the elevator car structure by mounting the safety actuators directly on the car. This integration combines the safety function with the car's existing structure, eliminating the need for separate external mounting arrangements that were previously difficult to access. The components remain externally accessible for maintenance while being structurally integrated with the car, resolving the contradiction between achieving safety actuation and enabling easy maintenance access.
3Reliability
If mechanical linkages are used to trigger safety brakes, then simultaneous activation is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the complex mechanical linkage system with an electrical control system. The governor sends electrical signals through communication lines to multiple actuators simultaneously, eliminating the need for intricate mechanical linkages that coordinated brake activation. This substitution maintains the reliability of simultaneous safety activation while dramatically reducing device complexity by using electrical signaling instead of mechanical coordination mechanisms.
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 solution minimizes the operational space required above and below the elevator car, facilitates easier maintenance, and enhances hoistway efficiency by reducing the need for extensive overhead and pit dimensions, while ensuring responsive safety braking during overspeed events.
Implementation Method 1
a first electromechanical actuator arranged along a first car structural member... a second electromechanical actuator arranged along a second car structural member
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A
AI summary
Elevator systems are described. The elevator systems include an elevator car movable along guide rails along an elevator shaft, the car having a platform, a ceiling, and car structural members, with car panels arranged to define a cab, and a car operating panel therein. An overspeed safety system includes first and second safety brakes and electromechanical actuators, with the brakes operable to engage with the guide rails to stop movement of the elevator car. A control system is operably connected to the electromechanical actuators and configured to trigger the electromechanical actuators due to at least a detected overspeed event. The control system is located on top of the ceiling, within the ceiling, beneath the platform, within the platform, behind a car panel, or within the car operating panel.