Foldable Maintenance Beam for Elevator Shafts
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Maintenance beams in elevators with reduced clearances occupy valuable space within the shaft, hindering normal operation and requiring additional space outside the shaft, and lack easy transition mechanisms for maintenance positions.
Innovation Solution
A foldable maintenance beam that rotates between guide rails, occupying minimal space during normal operation and easily transitions to a maintenance position without additional space requirements, ensuring compliance with safety regulations and smooth elevator operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a maintenance beam is placed under the cabin or counterweight for maintenance work, then maintenance safety and space for maintainers are improved, but space within the shaft is occupied and additional space outside the shaft is required
Solution Approach 1:
The maintenance beam is designed with folding mechanisms that allow it to dynamically change its configuration between a compact stored position within the shaft and an extended maintenance position. The beam can be folded parallel to the guide rails during normal operation, then unfolded to provide the required 1m maintenance space when needed, eliminating the need for permanent external storage space.
Solution Approach 2:
The maintenance beam utilizes the vertical dimension and space between guide rails within the shaft by folding parallel to the rails. This allows the beam to occupy minimal horizontal space during storage while still providing adequate maintenance workspace when deployed, effectively using three-dimensional space optimization.
2Volume of moving object
If a maintenance beam occupies space within the shaft between guide rails, then additional space outside the shaft is saved, but the beam hinders normal elevator operation and requires complex folding mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The maintenance beam is divided into multiple segments connected by folding joints, allowing it to be segmented into collapsible sections. This segmentation enables the beam to fold compactly parallel to the guide rails while maintaining structural integrity, reducing the complexity of requiring a single rigid beam with external storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The maintenance beam serves dual functions: it acts as a structural component within the shaft during normal operation and transforms into a maintenance platform when needed. The same structure provides both space optimization and maintenance functionality, eliminating the need for separate external storage mechanisms.
3Reliability
If the maintenance beam is designed to provide 1m space in pit depth and headroom, then maintenance safety requirements are met, but the beam size hinders smooth operation of other elevator components
Solution Approach 1:
The maintenance beam dynamically transitions between a compact folded position that clears elevator components during normal operation and an extended position that provides the required 1m maintenance space. This dynamic adjustment ensures both smooth elevator operation and compliance with maintenance safety regulations.
Solution Approach 2:
The maintenance beam is deployed periodically only when maintenance work is required, rather than remaining extended continuously. During normal operation, it folds to minimal size, and is unfolded on-demand to provide maintenance space, ensuring both operational smoothness and safety compliance.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3(a)~3(b)
AI summary
The present invention concerns a foldable maintenance beam for elevator, located within the mechanical equipment. Due to its location, it occupies minimal space inside the elevator shaft, while at the same time it is always ready to be placed in a maintenance position, when required. The foldable beam consists of a beam (1) with arms (4a), (4b), which rotate around axes (3a), (3b), (5a), (5b) and (5c) so that they unfold and, on the beam (1), there is a support base (7) for the cabin. In normal operation the beam (1) and arms (4a), (4b) are stored on a fixed base (9), supported by the elevator guide rail (6).