Single Rail Elevator Door Guide Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional systems for moving telescopic elevator doors require a double rail configuration, resulting in increased crosswise bulk and reduced space within the elevator cabin.

Innovation Solution

A single rail system with longitudinally bent and curved edges, where carriages with complementary wheel profiles move along the rail, allowing for different stroke lengths and speeds, and the rail is fixed at its ends to minimize interference and optimize space usage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a double rail configuration is used for telescopic doors, then the doors can slide in opposite directions with different speeds, but the crosswise bulk increases and cabin space is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedoor sliding capabilityVSAvoidcabin space
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the function of two separate rails into a single rail structure. The single rail carries both the fast carriage and slow carriage simultaneously, eliminating the need for separate rails and thereby reducing the crosswise bulk and increasing cabin space while maintaining the ability to operate both doors independently at different speeds

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from a two-rail configuration to a one-rail configuration by repositioning one carriage to operate on the same rail as the other carriage. This dimensional change in the guide structure reduces the lateral space requirement while preserving the telescopic door functionality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Area of stationary object

If a single rail system is used, then the crosswise bulk is reduced, but the guide complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecrosswise bulkVSAvoidguide structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The single rail is segmented into distinct guide portions: a first guide portion for the fast carriage and a second guide portion for the slow carriage. This segmentation allows each carriage to have its own dedicated guide path on the same rail, simplifying the overall structure while maintaining functional independence

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different portions of the single rail are designed with different local characteristics - the first guide portion has features optimized for the fast carriage while the second guide portion has features optimized for the slow carriage. This local differentiation reduces overall complexity by allowing each section to be independently optimized

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP2485976B1System for moving on single rail the telescopic doors of an elevator cabin and the floor doors
Publication Date: 2013.06.05 IGV GROUP SPA
  • EP2485976B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2485976B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2485976B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The system for moving the cabin elevator doors and/or the floor doors can be used by two telescopic doors and either four panels center operating doors or asymmetrically operating doors. Each of the two (or four) doors of the cabin is fixed to a respective carriage with two or more wheels sliding along a single horizontal rail mounted on the external frame of the cabin on top of the roof. The system is also utilizable for the floor doors. The rail consists of a longitudinal flat wall disposed horizontally in the direction of its length and vertically in direction of the width. The longitudinal edges of the wall are bent substantially at a right angle, extending for a short length with a varyingly curved crosswise profile suitable for creating on both sides a guide track for the wheels of the carriages. To each load-bearing wheel guided externally to the rail on its upper edge, a respective counter-wheel is associated guided externally to the rail against the wall of the lower edge. The same approach is used for the pairs of wheels and counter- wheels guided inside the rail.