Passive Elevator Car Hoistway Lighting and Ventilation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ropeless elevator systems face challenges with increased size and cost due to the weight of features like interior lighting, ventilation, and battery power, which necessitate a more efficient propulsion system and reduced electrical power consumption.
Innovation Solution
The elevator system incorporates a hoistway-based light source and ventilation system, using light pipes and phase change material to provide lighting and ventilation to the elevator car, reducing the need for onboard electrical components and relying on a linear motor system for propulsion, with door operation controlled by sensors at the landing floor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If interior lighting, forced ventilation, and automatic doors are provided in the elevator car, then passenger comfort and convenience are improved, but the weight of the car increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts heavy electrical components (lighting fixtures, ventilation units, door operators) from the elevator car and relocates them to the hoistway structure. The car itself retains only essential lightweight components, significantly reducing its weight while maintaining all comfort features through the building's infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The hoistway structure is designed to serve multiple functions: it provides structural support, houses lighting fixtures, contains ventilation systems, and accommodates door operators. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for dedicated heavy components within the car, as the hoistway structure performs all these roles simultaneously.
2Adaptability or versatility
If electrical power is provided to the elevator car by a battery, then the car can operate without a traveling cable, but the size and cost of the propulsion system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the propulsion system with the hoistway structure itself. Linear motor coils are integrated into the hoistway, and the car contains corresponding magnetic components. This merging eliminates the need for separate heavy batteries and complex power management systems, as the propulsion function is distributed throughout the hoistway structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical rope-and-pulley system with an electromagnetic linear motor system. This substitution eliminates the need for heavy ropes and counterweights, allowing the car to be propelled directly by electromagnetic forces generated by coils in the hoistway and magnets in the car.
3Use of energy by moving object
If a traveling cable is used to provide electrical power to the elevator car, then power consumption is reduced, but the system becomes unsuitable for ropeless multi-car operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the electrical power delivery function from the traveling cable and relocates it to the hoistway structure through integrated linear motor coils. These coils serve dual purposes: providing propulsion and delivering electrical power to the car, eliminating the need for a separate traveling cable infrastructure.
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 configuration significantly reduces the weight and cost of the elevator car, enhances system reliability by eliminating the need for traveling cables and batteries, and optimizes power consumption by only activating components when necessary.
Implementation Method 1
a light transmitter is positioned at the elevator car to gather light from the light source and output the light into an interior of the elevator car
Implementation Method 2
a volume of phase change material is located at the elevator car to condition the interior of the elevator car
Implementation Method 3
relying on a linear motor system for propulsion
Data Source
AI summary
An elevator system includes a hoistway and an elevator car positioned in the hoistway and configured to travel along the hoistway. The elevator car includes an elevator car door. A door operator assembly is fixed in the hoistway at a landing floor and includes a sensor to sense presence of the elevator car at the landing floor; and a door operator mechanism to open both the elevator car door and a landing floor door when the sensor senses presence of the elevator car at the landing floor. A light source may be fixed at the hoistway and a light transmitter is positioned at the elevator car to gather light from the light source and output the light into an interior of the elevator car. A ventilation system may be fixed at the hoistway and is interactive with the elevator car to condition an interior of the elevator car.