Elevator Guide Rail Support Rotating Bracket

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current elevator systems face challenges in accommodating building settling forces, which can lead to stress on guide rails, necessitating larger or stronger guide rails, increasing costs and design complexities, especially in taller buildings.

Innovation Solution

The guide rail support system includes a guide rail bracket with inclined apertures and an adjustment bracket, along with rotating members that allow for relative movement, enabling the guide rail to adjust and rotate without imposing additional forces on the guide rail, thus accommodating building settling without the need for larger or stronger guide rails.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If larger or stronger guide rails are used to accommodate building settling forces, then the guide rail can withstand greater stress, but the weight and cost of the elevator system increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveguide rail strengthVSAvoidelevator system weight
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The guide rail support system is divided into separate components: a guide rail bracket fixed to the building structure, and a guide rail mounting portion that can rotate relative to the bracket. This segmentation allows the guide rail itself to remain standard size while the support mechanism absorbs settling forces through rotational movement, eliminating the need for oversized guide rails.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The guide rail bracket acts as an intermediary between the building structure and the guide rail. It absorbs the building settling forces through its rotational capability, preventing these forces from being transmitted directly to the guide rail, thereby allowing standard-sized guide rails to be used.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Strength

If larger or stronger guide rails are used to accommodate building settling forces, then the guide rail can withstand greater stress, but the cost of installation increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveguide rail strengthVSAvoidinstallation cost
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the support system into a fixed bracket and a rotatable mounting portion, the invention allows use of standard-sized guide rails, which reduces material costs and simplifies installation compared to custom-engineered oversized guide rails.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the operational parameters of the support system by introducing rotational freedom. This allows standard guide rails to perform the function of stronger guide rails, as the rotational mechanism absorbs the additional stresses from building settling, thereby reducing overall system cost.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Stability of the object's composition

If fixed guide rail mounting is used, then the guide rail is securely attached to the building structure, but building settling creates stress within the guide rail cross-section

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveguide rail attachment stabilityVSAvoidguide rail stress
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSStress or pressure

Solution Approach 1:

The guide rail mounting portion is designed to rotate relative to the guide rail bracket, transforming the static fixed mounting into a dynamic system. This rotational freedom allows the mounting to adapt to building settling movements, maintaining stable attachment while preventing stress buildup in the guide rail cross-section.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the degree of freedom parameter of the mounting system from zero (fixed) to one (rotational). This parameter change allows the system to accommodate building settling while maintaining secure attachment, thereby eliminating the stress problem associated with rigid fixed mounting.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Device complexity

If standard guide rail sections are used across varying building heights, then costs and design complexities are reduced, but the guide rail may not withstand settling forces in taller buildings

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedesign complexityVSAvoidguide rail stress resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The support system is segmented into a fixed bracket and a rotatable mounting portion, allowing standard guide rail sections to be used across different building heights. The rotational mechanism absorbs settling forces, enabling the same standard guide rail design to function reliably in both low-rise and high-rise buildings without increasing design complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The guide rail bracket and mounting portion design creates a universal support system that can accommodate standard guide rail sections across varying building heights and settling conditions. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for different guide rail specifications for different building types, reducing design complexity while maintaining strength.

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

Data Source

PatentEP3231757B1Guide rail support
Publication Date: 2020.04.08 OTIS ELEVATOR CO
  • EP3231757B1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP3231757B1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP3231757B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B

AI summary

A guide rail support (200) of an elevator includes a guide rail bracket (204) having a first side, a second side, a first mounting portion, and a second mounting portion (210). The first mounting portion is attachable to an elevator shaft and the guide rail bracket (204) has inclined apertures (220) in the second mounting portion (210). An adjustment bracket (206) is configured to contact the second side at the second mounting portion (210), the adjustment bracket (206) having inclined apertures (222) configured to align with the inclined apertures (220) of the guide rail bracket (204) to define stem apertures. First and second rotating members (202) are installed through the stem apertures. Each rotating member (220) has (i) a rotating head that movably engages with a guide rail, (ii) an integrally formed stem configured to pass through a respective stem aperture, and (iii) a middle defining a length that is greater than a thickness of the guide rail bracket (204) and the adjustment bracket (206).