Elevator Safety Gear Triggering Without Overspeed Governor Ropes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing elevator safety gears are complex and difficult to detach due to mechanical overspeed governors with long ropes, making them inefficient and cumbersome.
Innovation Solution
A safety gear arrangement using a torsion spring and electromagnet mechanism, where the electromagnet maintains the actuating member in an untriggered position with minimal energy, allowing for efficient operation and easy detachment from the guide rail using a linear motor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a mechanical overspeed governor with long ropes is used, then the safety gear can be operated mechanically, but the structure becomes complex and detachment becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical overspeed governor system with an electromagnet-based triggering device. The electromagnet uses electromagnetic force to hold the actuating member in the untriggered position, eliminating the need for long mechanical ropes and complex mechanical linkages. This substitution of mechanical systems with electromagnetic actuation directly resolves the contradiction by maintaining safety gear operation reliability while dramatically reducing structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes the unnecessary long ropes and complex mechanical transmission components from the traditional overspeed governor system. By taking out these extraneous mechanical elements and retaining only the essential safety function through electromagnetic actuation, the design achieves simplicity while maintaining operational reliability.
2Device complexity
If electromagnetic actuation is used, then the structure is simplified, but energy consumption is required to maintain the untriggered position
Solution Approach 1:
The electromagnet operates by receiving periodic or intermittent excitation power to maintain the actuating member in the untriggered position. Rather than requiring continuous energy input, the system uses controlled periodic energization of the electromagnet, which significantly reduces overall energy consumption while maintaining the simplified structural design.
3Force
If the safety gear is extended by a spring element, then the wedge portion can act on the guide rail, but the detachment process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a linear motor to replace complex mechanical detachment mechanisms. The linear motor uses electromagnetic force to move the safety gear mechanism from the operated position back to the normal position, effortlessly detaching the wedge portions from the guide rail. This electromagnetic approach simplifies the detachment process while maintaining the necessary wedge force during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically transitions between states: the spring element provides static holding force during normal operation, while the linear motor provides dynamic controlled movement during detachment. This dynamic approach allows the system to optimize for both strong wedge force during operation and simple controlled detachment during reset.
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 simplifies the safety gear structure, eliminates the need for long ropes, and facilitates easier detachment of wedges from the guide rail, enhancing operational efficiency and safety.
Implementation Method 1
a triggering device comprising an electromagnet, a second spring element, such as a compression spring element, an actuating member, and an excitation power input, wherein the electromagnet is arranged, while being supplied with excitation power via the excitation power input, to maintain the actuating member in an untriggered position against the second spring element
Implementation Method 2
a safety gear mechanism comprising at least one wedge portion of the safety gear arrangement, wherein, in a normal position, the at least one wedge portion is retracted and, in an operated position, extended by a first spring element, such as a torsion spring element, for acting on a guide rail of the elevator system
Implementation Method 3
the safety gear arrangement may comprise a linear motor, such as being a part of the safety gear mechanism, wherein the linear motor is arranged to move the safety gear mechanism from the operated position to the normal position
Data Source
AI summary
A safety gear arrangement for an elevator system, comprising a safety gear mechanism comprising at least one wedge portion of the safety gear arrangement, wherein, in a normal position, the at least one wedge portion is retracted and, in an operated position, extended by a first spring element for acting on a guide rail of the elevator system, and a triggering device comprising an electromagnet, a second spring element, an actuating member, and an excitation power input, wherein the electromagnet is arranged, while being supplied with excitation power, to maintain the actuating member in an untriggered position against the second spring element, and the actuating member is arranged to operate the safety gear mechanism in response to moving of the member from the untriggered to a triggered position due to the second spring element.