Abstract: A method for diagnosis and/or maintenance of a brake configured to apply braking force to a hoisting machine of a transportation system includes controlling the brake to start a brake control action, e.g. an opening and/or a closing action of the brake; monitoring the brake to detect a response of the brake to the brake control action, wherein in case of the response the response is detected in a predefined manner; measuring a brake operating time interval from a first point in time of starting of the brake control action until a second point in time of monitoring the brake to detect the response; and, if either the response has not been detected until the brake operating time interval reaches and/or exceeds a predetermined threshold or the response has been detected after the brake operating time interval reaches and/or exceeds the predetermined threshold, establishing an information indicating that an operation of the brake should be modified.

Abstract: According to an aspect, there is provided an elevator car parking brake comprising brake pads and an actuator configured to move the brake pads with respect to a guide rail. The elevator car parking brake further comprises levers, each having an associated brake pad; and at least one screw associated with the actuator and rotatably fixed to at least one lever via at least one attaching member. In a braking operation, the actuator is configured to rotate the at least one screw in a first direction with respect to the at least one attaching member, thus causing the levers with the brake pads to move towards the guide rail. In a brake release operation, the actuator is configured to rotate the at least one screw in a second direction with respect to the at least one attaching member, thus causing the levers with the brake pads to move away from the guide rail.

Abstract: According to an aspect, there is provided an elevator car parking brake comprising a brake carrier having a first plate and a second plate, the plates being spaced from each other and positioned to enable a guide rail to travel within the space between the plates, a caliper movably connected to the brake carrier, brake pads, and an actuator configured to move the brake pads against a guide rail in a braking operation. The elevator car parking brake further comprises at least one first compression spring arranged between the first plate of the brake carrier and a brake pad directly associated with the actuator; and at least one second compression spring arranged between the second plate of the brake carrier and the caliper, the first and second compression springs being configured to keep the brake pads substantially centered with respect to the brake carrier.

Abstract: An elevator safety brake unit, an elevator including at least two of the safety brake units, and a method for testing the safety brake units are disclosed. Each safety brake unit includes a frame part, a movable composition movably supported on the frame part, a compression spring assembly associated with the movable composition, and adapted to activate a braking by pushing the movable composition forward, and a coil assembly of an electromagnet disposed in the frame part and adapted to deactivate the braking by pulling the movable composition backwards. Each movable composition includes at least two movable elements, one compression spring for each movable element, and at least one coil assembly adapted to deactivate the braking by pulling the at least two movable elements backwards.

Abstract: An elevator drive apparatus is described which includes a drive unit for driving an elevator car, a brake device for braking a motion of the elevator car, a detector for detecting an electrical operation amount of the drive unit, and a controller. The controller is configured to release the brake device, to compare the detected electrical operation amount with a threshold, and to apply the brake device when the detected electrical operation amount exceeds the threshold. In this way, it is ensured that a speed of the elevator car in case of a rescue situation is within a safety limit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a conveyor system comprising: a drive machine, a conveyor control unit configured to control operation of a conveyor device, a sensor array comprising at least one sensor mounted to the drive machine and adapted to measure one or more properties of the drive machine, a processing unit associated with the drive machine, wherein the processing unit is connected to the sensor array and configured to obtain and process measurement data from the sensor array to generate in-formation about an operation of the drive machine, and a communication channel between the conveyor control unit and the processing unit. The conveyor system may be an elevator system, an escalator system or a moving walk system.

Abstract: The method for testing safety characteristics of an elevator comprises performing a balance check of the elevator according to a request.

Abstract: An arrangement for detecting bearing failures in an elevator system, which elevator system includes a hoisting machinery with a traction sheave on a rotary shaft, an elevator car, a counterweight and a hoisting element connected between the car and the counterweight and arranged to be moved by the a rotation of the traction sheave, and which arrangement includes at least a motion sensor for measuring rotation of the hoisting motor. The arrangement includes a signal processing unit connected to the motion sensor and arranged to process vibration signals originated in the bearings of the elevator system.

Abstract: An elevator disc brake assembly includes at least two separate operating disc brake units mounted substantially sequentially on the periphery of the brake disc of an elevator driving machinery where the brake disc and a traction sheave are rotated by a drive motor of the driving machinery. At least one of the disc brake units includes two or more separate brake plates to be pressed against the brake disc.

Abstract: According to an aspect, there is provided an elevator parking brake comprising brake pads configured to provide a braking force against a guide rail in a loading and unloading situation of an elevator car; and at least one sensor. The elevator parking brake is configured to allow a predetermined amount of movement within the elevator parking brake in the loading and unloading situation of the elevator car, and the at least one sensor is configured to provide at least one indication associated with the movement within the elevator parking brake in the loading and unloading situation of the elevator car.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a conveyor system comprising: a drive machine, a conveyor control unit configured to control operation of a conveyor device, a sensor array comprising at least one sensor mounted to the drive machine and adapted to measure one or more properties of the drive machine, a processing unit associated with the drive machine, wherein the processing unit is connected to the sensor array and configured to obtain and process measurement data from the sensor array to generate in-formation about an operation of the drive machine, and a communication channel between the conveyor control unit and the processing unit. The conveyor system may be an elevator system, an escalator system or a moving walk system.

Abstract: According to an aspect, there is provided an elevator car parking brake comprising brake pads and an actuator configured to move the brake pads with respect to a guide rail. The elevator car parking brake further comprises levers, each having an associated brake pad; and at least one screw associated with the actuator and rotatably fixed to at least one lever via at least one attaching member. In a braking operation, the actuator is configured to rotate the at least one screw in a first direction with respect to the at least one attaching member, thus causing the levers with the brake pads to move towards the guide rail. In a brake release operation, the actuator is configured to rotate the at least one screw in a second direction with respect to the at least one attaching member, thus causing the levers with the brake pads to move away from the guide rail.

Abstract: According to an aspect, there is provided an elevator car parking brake comprising a brake carrier having a first plate and a second plate, the plates being spaced from each other and positioned to enable a guide rail to travel within the space between the plates, a caliper movably connected to the brake carrier, brake pads, and an actuator configured to move the brake pads against a guide rail in a braking operation. The elevator car parking brake further comprises at least one first compression spring arranged between the first plate of the brake carrier and a brake pad directly associated with the actuator; and at least one second compression spring arranged between the second plate of the brake carrier and the caliper, the first and second compression springs being configured to keep the brake pads substantially centered with respect to the brake carrier.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling movement of two or more elevator cars of a multicar elevator system. The method comprises: selecting manually via a user interface of an operational entity an elevator car from among a plurality of elevator cars to be moved and controlling movement of one or more other elevator cars from among the plurality of the elevator cars away from a driving area of the selected elevator car. The invention relates also to a multicar elevator system and an operational entity implementing at least portions of the method.

Abstract: The invention relates to an operational entity for controlling movement of a plurality of elevator cars of a multicar elevator system. The operational entity has a user interface comprising a first input element and a second input element. The user interface is configured to: generate, on the basis of the first input element, an indication of selection of at least one elevator car from among a plurality of elevator cars to be moved; and generate, on the basis of the second input element, one or more control signals indicative of a request to control the movement of the selected at least one elevator car to a predefined direction. The invention relates also to a multicar elevator system comprising an operational entity.

Abstract: An elevator safety brake unit, an elevator including at least two of the safety brake units, and a method for testing the safety brake units are disclosed. Each safety brake unit includes a frame part, a movable composition movably supported on the frame part, a compression spring assembly associated with the movable composition, and adapted to activate a braking by pushing the movable composition forward, and a coil assembly of an electromagnet disposed in the frame part and adapted to deactivate the braking by pulling the movable composition backwards. Each movable composition includes at least two movable elements, one compression spring for each movable element, and at least one coil assembly adapted to deactivate the braking by pulling the at least two movable elements backwards.

Abstract: A method for diagnosis and/or maintenance of a brake configured to apply braking force to a hoisting machine of a transportation system includes controlling the brake to start a brake control action, e.g. an opening and/or a closing action of the brake; monitoring the brake to detect a response of the brake to the brake control action, wherein in case of the response the response is detected in a predefined manner; measuring a brake operating time interval from a first point in time of starting of the brake control action until a second point in time of monitoring the brake to detect the response; and, if either the response has not been detected until the brake operating time interval reaches and/or exceeds a predetermined threshold or the response has been detected after the brake operating time interval reaches and/or exceeds the predetermined threshold, establishing an information indicating that an operation of the brake should be modified.

Abstract: An elevator drive apparatus is described which includes a drive unit for driving an elevator car, a brake device for braking a motion of the elevator car, a detector for detecting an electrical operation amount of the drive unit, and a controller. The controller is configured to release the brake device, to compare the detected electrical operation amount with a threshold, and to apply the brake device when the detected electrical operation amount exceeds the threshold. In this way, it is ensured that a speed of the elevator car in case of a rescue situation is within a safety limit.

Abstract: An elevator comprising an elevator car; a plurality of belt-shaped ropes connected to the car, each having a width larger than thickness as measured in transverse direction of the rope; and at least one rope wheel, around which the belt-shaped ropes pass; wherein the rope wheel comprises a plurality of circumferential rope contact areas distributed in axial direction thereof, one of said ropes passing against each circumferential rope contact area, the elevator further comprising a sensing arrangement for sensing displacement of one or more of said ropes, comprising a sensing member for sensing displacement of one or more of said ropes radially outwards from the rope wheel, extending in axial direction of the rope wheel along its surface at a radial distance therefrom, whereby a gap is formed between the sensing member and each rope contact area, the height of the gap being more than thickness of the belt-shaped ropes and less than 2.

Abstract: A brake assembly for an elevator includes a brake, a brake operating device and a first brake wire connected to the brake operating device and to the brake, the brake operating device being configured to release the brake by moving the brake operating device and the first brake wire to a first direction. A second brake wire is connected to the brake operating device and to the brake, and the brake operating device is configured to engage the brake by moving the brake operating device and the second brake wire to a second direction.