Hydraulically Actuated Shutoff Valve for Elevator Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in hydraulic elevator systems is to provide a safe and accessible means to control elevator car movement during maintenance, especially in installations where a manually actuated shutoff valve is not accessible, and electrically operated valves lack visual indication and are costly, with power requirements that may not be met in all situations.
Innovation Solution
A hydraulically actuated valve assembly using a shutoff valve with a manually operable handle and a valve actuator driven by pressure, incorporating a ram and control valve system that allows visual confirmation of the valve position, and powered by low voltage solenoids for situations without main power, enabling selective control of elevator car movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If an electrically operated valve is used, then remote control capability is provided, but additional expense and power requirements are introduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses hydraulic actuation instead of direct electrical actuation of the valve. The hydraulic actuator converts hydraulic pressure into mechanical motion to operate the valve. This approach provides remote control capability through solenoid-controlled hydraulic flow, while avoiding the need for high-power electrical actuators directly on the valve, thus reducing power requirements and complexity compared to fully electrically operated valves.
2Adaptability or versatility
If an electrically operated valve is used, then remote control capability is provided, but cost increases compared to manual valve
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the simplicity of a manual shutoff valve with the remote control capability of hydraulic actuation. The existing manual valve body and handle are retained (avoiding the cost of a completely new electrically operated valve design), while a relatively simple hydraulic actuator with piston, rod, and solenoid control is added. This combination achieves remote control functionality at lower cost than a fully electrically operated valve while maintaining the proven reliability of the manual valve design.
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
Enables safe and accessible control of elevator car movement without manual valve manipulation, providing visual confirmation of the valve position and operating within installations without direct access or power availability, thus addressing the limitations of existing solutions.
Implementation Method 1
The valve actuator operates based on pressure in at least the hydraulic plunger
Implementation Method 2
The control valve includes a solenoid that controls whether the control valve directs fluid toward one of the sides of the piston and the solenoid is powered by a battery
Data Source
AI summary
An illustrative example hydraulic elevator system includes an elevator car, a hydraulic plunger associated with the elevator car, a fluid reservoir and a conduit coupling the fluid reservoir and the hydraulic plunger. A pump causes fluid movement through the conduit between the fluid reservoir and the hydraulic plunger to cause selective movement of the elevator car. A shutoff valve is associated with the conduit, the shutoff valve being between the pump and the hydraulic plunger. The shutoff valve has a closed position in which the shutoff valve prevents fluid movement between the hydraulic plunger and at least one of the reservoir and the pump to prevent movement of the elevator car. The shutoff valve has an open position in which the shutoff valve permits fluid movement between the pump and the hydraulic plunger to permit movement of the elevator car. A valve actuator operates based on pressure in at least the hydraulic plunger. The valve actuator selectively causes the shutoff valve to be in the open position or the closed position.