Patents by Inventor Jorma Mustalahti

Jorma Mustalahti has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8020670
    Abstract: An arrangement for equalizing rope force of an elevator may include: a hoisting machine, set of hoisting ropes, traction sheave, elevator car, guide rails, and compensating device. The hoisting machine may engage the hoisting ropes via the traction sheave. The elevator car may be at least partially supported by the hoisting ropes to move the elevator car. The elevator car may move along the guide rails. The compensating device may include first and second tensioning devices. The first tensioning device may be spaced apart from the second tensioning device. The first and second tensioning devices may be interconnected via a transmission device that transmits rotary motion. A first end of the set of hoisting ropes may be secured to a point in conjunction with the first tensioning device. A second end of the set of hoisting ropes may be secured to a point in conjunction with the second tensioning device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Jorma Mustalahti, Esko Aulanko, Pekka Rantanen
  • Publication number: 20110220455
    Abstract: A people mover comprising a plurality of steps or palettes to carry and move people. A transmission chain formed into an endless loop is connected to the steps or palettes via which the steps or palettes are moved. The transmission chain comprises consecutive chain links connected in a hinged manner to each other such that the chain links are bendable in relation to each other in a first direction (I) and in a second direction (II). Two turning elements are provided around which the transmission chain is arranged to pass. The consecutive chain links of the transmission chain bend in relation to each other in the first direction (I) when passing around the respective turning elements. A bending limitation mechanism is arranged to limit bending of the transmission chain occurring in the second direction (II).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Applicant: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: JORMA MUSTALAHTI, Arttu Hult, Nithil Karimpanackal Natarajan, Raimo Pelto-Huikko, Aki Metsänen
  • Publication number: 20110017551
    Abstract: An elevator may include an elevator car, a set of hoisting ropes, a traction sheave, and a compensating device. The set of hoisting ropes may include first and second rope portions. The elevator car may include one or more first diverting pulleys from which the first rope portions extend upward. The elevator car may include one or more second diverting pulleys from which the second rope portions extend downward. The first rope portions may be under a first rope tension. The second rope portions may be under a second rope tension that is different from the first rope tension. The compensating device may act in substantially opposite directions on the first and second rope portions. The compensating device may produce an auxiliary force acting substantially in a same direction as the first rope tension.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2010
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Inventors: Esko Aulanko, Jorma Mustalahti, Johannes De Jong
  • Patent number: 7861843
    Abstract: Travelator, the conveyor of which comprises a frame, which comprises a stationary first frame part and a second frame part that moves in relation to it. The drive wheel is mounted on a bearing allowing rotation onto the first frame part. The power unit rotates the drive wheel. The diverting wheel is mounted on a bearing allowing free rotation onto the second frame part. The transport surfaces are connected to a traction element which is formed as an endless loop, and which is led to pass over the drive wheel and the diverting wheel. The tightening device is arranged to act between the first frame part and the second frame part to move the diverting wheel linearly away from the drive wheel in order to exert tightening force on the traction element. The travelator comprises identification means for identifying the drive status of the conveyor, and adjustment means for adjusting the tightening force of the tightening device to different force levels based on the drive status identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Esko Aulanko, Jorma Mustalahti, Marc Ossendorf
  • Patent number: 7832543
    Abstract: A travelator system for conveying a passenger, comprising a main conveyor and a branch conveyor. The main conveyor includes a first plurality of shafts each having a first plurality of belt pulleys disposed side by side thereon. The main conveyor also includes a plurality of mutually parallel endless belt loops which define a moving conveying surface of the main conveyor, each belt loop being passed over a belt pulley on two different shafts. Adjacent belt loops on the same common shaft are passed over different belt pulleys such that a first belt loop is passed over a belt pulley on a previous shaft relative to the common shaft in a transport direction of the main conveyor, while a second belt loop is passed over a belt pulley on a following shaft relative to the common shaft in a transport direction of the main conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Jorma Mustalahti, Esko Aulanko
  • Patent number: 7806237
    Abstract: An elevator may include an elevator car, a plurality of diverting pulleys on the elevator car, one or more hoisting ropes, a traction sheave, and a compensating system. The elevator car may be suspended by the plurality of diverting pulleys on the one or more hoisting ropes. The one or more hoisting ropes may have rope portions going upwards from a first set of the diverting pulleys and downwards from a second set. The rope portions going upwards may be under a first rope tension. The rope portions going downwards may be under a second rope tension. The compensating system may act on the one or more hoisting ropes to perform one or more of equalizing tension, compensating tension, equalizing elongation, and compensating elongation in the one or more hoisting ropes, and keeping a ratio of the first rope tension to the second rope tension substantially constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Esko Aulanko, Jorma Mustalahti, Johannes De Jong
  • Patent number: 7802658
    Abstract: An elevator may include an elevator car, two or more diverting pulleys on the elevator car, one or more hoisting ropes, a traction sheave, and a compensating device. The hoisting ropes may include first, second, third, and fourth rope portions. The first rope portions may extend upward from at least one diverting pulley and the second rope portions may extend downward from at least one diverting pulley. The first rope portions may be under a first tension caused by the compensating device acting on the third rope portion and the second rope portions may be under a second tension caused by the compensating device acting on the fourth rope portion. The first tension to the second rope tension may be maintained substantially constant and may be independent of a load of the elevator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Esko Aulanko, Jorma Mustalahti
  • Patent number: 7798290
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an arrangement in an elevator without counterweight, which comprises at least a control unit (5), a hoisting machine (3) and a traction sheave (4) connected to it, and an elevator car (1) suspended on hoisting ropes (2) fixed to an essentially immovable place at their first ends and adjustably at their second ends, which elevator car (1) is fitted to travel backwards and forwards in an essentially vertical direction, and which elevator also comprises a tightening element (15) acting on the second end of the hoisting ropes (2). An actively operating actuator (17, 21, 24, 29) is in connection with the tightening element (15), which is fitted by means of feedback to keep the rope tension essentially at a predetermined level either by lightening or tightening the rope tension according to changes in the loading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Jorma Mustalahti, Esko Aulanko
  • Publication number: 20100200337
    Abstract: Elevator, preferably an elevator without machine room. In the elevator, a hoisting machine engages a set of hoisting ropes by means of a traction sheave. The set of hoisting ropes comprises hoisting ropes of substantially circular cross-section. The hoisting ropes support a counterweight and an elevator car moving on their respective tracks. The hoisting rope has a thickness below 8 mm and/or the diameter of the traction sheave is smaller than 320 mm. The contact angle between the hoisting rope or hoisting ropes and the traction sheave is larger than 180°.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2010
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Inventors: Jorma Mustalahti, Esko Aulanko
  • Patent number: 7762381
    Abstract: The conveyor of a travelator comprises a number of shafts and a number of mutually parallel endless belts. The conveyor comprises a number of conveyor modules successively connected to each other with a connecting section between them. The belts in the connecting section are arranged to be loosenable so that at least one shaft over which the belts to be loosened are passed is detachable so as to allow the conveyor modules to be released from each other. To release a conveyor module, at least one shaft on which the belt loops in the connecting section turn over is moved in relation to another shaft to slacken the belt loops. The shaft over which the loosened belt loops are passed is detached and removed from the belt loops. The detached conveyor module is removed for maintenance and/or replaced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Jorma Mustalahti, Esko Aulanko
  • Patent number: 7731009
    Abstract: An arrangement in drive machinery of a travelator, moving walkway, escalator or similar apparatus, includes at least a drive motor, at least one handrail with a handrail belt, a support element supporting the handrail and a drive belt connecting rotational movement of the drive motor to the support element. The support element comprises a supporting wheel, having a rim and adapted for use by the drive belt which is fitted to the rim of the support element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Esko Aulanko, Jorma Mustalahti, Marc Ossendorf
  • Patent number: 7717236
    Abstract: An elevator may include a hoisting machine, a set of hoisting ropes, a traction sheave, an elevator car, elevator car guide rails, and a brake. The hoisting machine may engage the set of hoisting ropes via the traction sheave in order to move the elevator car along the elevator car guide rails. The brake may be configured to affect rotational movement of the traction sheave. The brake may include a brake shoe and a braking surface. In an emergency braking situation in which the elevator car is moving upward, the brake shoe may be configured to move in a direction of rotation of the braking surface. An elevator brake may include a brake frame, a brake plate, a wedge piece, a brake shoe, at least one spring element, and at least one electromagnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: KONE Corporation
    Inventors: Jorma Mustalahti, Esko Aulanko
  • Patent number: 7712584
    Abstract: An elevator without counterweight may Include an elevator car suspended by a hoisting rope, a traction sheave operatively connected to the elevator car by the hoisting rope, and a brake structure configured to engage with the traction sheave in a braking operation in an upward motion and a downward motion of the elevator car. The brake structure may include first and second brake elements. The first brake element may include a surface engageable with the traction sheave, and first contact and sliding surfaces. The second brake element may include second contact and sliding surfaces. The first sliding surface may slide along the second sliding surface relative to the second brake element when the elevator car moves with the upward motion. The second contact surface may contact the first contact surface to stop a sliding motion of the first brake element when the elevator car moves with the downward motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: KONE Corporation
    Inventors: Esko Aulanko, Jorma Mustalahti, Johannes De Jong, Pekka Rantanen
  • Patent number: 7650972
    Abstract: An elevator may include an elevator car, hoisting ropes, traction sheave, and compensating device. The hoisting ropes may support the elevator car. The traction sheave may move the elevator car using the hoisting ropes. The elevator may include rope portions of the hoisting ropes going upwards and downwards from the elevator car. A rope portion going from the traction sheave in a direction of the rope portions going upwards from the elevator car may be under a first rope tension. A rope portion going from the traction sheave in a direction of the rope portions going downwards from the elevator car may be under a second rope tension. The compensating device may do one or more of the following: equalize rope tension, compensate the rope tension, equalize rope elongation, compensate the rope elongation, and render a ratio of the first rope tension to the second rope tension substantially constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Esko Aulanko, Jorma Mustalahti
  • Patent number: 7624845
    Abstract: A method and apparatus adjust the inter-car distance in a double-deck elevator provided with hoisting ropes, in which elevator the hoisting ropes move a car frame supporting the elevator cars along guide rails. The vertical inter-car distance between the elevator cars is adjusted by moving at least one of the elevator cars in relation to the car frame by pulling the elevator car to be moved upwards and lowering the elevator car to be moved downwards by an adjusting rope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Jorma Mustalahti, Esko Aulanko
  • Publication number: 20090223748
    Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement for stopping an elevator car in an emergency braking situation, the elevator according to said arrangement comprising at least a hoisting machine (5) which has a traction sheave (6) fitted on its axle (10) and a brake (19) for braking the rotary motion of the axle (10), and an elevator car (1) suspended on a set of hoisting ropes (3) and adapted to be moved in a substantially vertical direction along guide rails (4) by means of the traction sheave (6) and the hoisting ropes (3). The traction sheave (6) is adapted to be rotated via a one-way clutch (26) or a corresponding element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Publication date: September 10, 2009
    Inventors: Jorma Mustalahti, Esko Aulanko
  • Patent number: 7581631
    Abstract: A travelator, moving ramp or escalator for transporting passengers, comprises a conveyor mounted on a frame that is supported on a fixed structure. The frame comprises a number of mutually identical profiled metallic bodies joined together end to end one after the other and containing coupling, supporting and/or guide elements integrated in the profiled metallic body of solid material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Esko Aulanko, Jorma Mustalahti, Marc Ossendorf
  • Patent number: 7562744
    Abstract: An elevator is provided comprising a number of diverting pulleys in the upper part of an elevator shaft or equivalent, a number of diverting pulleys in the lower part of the elevator shaft and a number of diverting pulleys on the elevator car. In various embodiments, at least some of the diverting pulleys are pre-rigged and brought into the elevator shaft together with the car, and the hoisting ropes are stretched to their proper length when the diverting pulleys in the upper and lower parts of the shaft are mounted in place. In various embodiments, the elevator may be an elevator without counterweight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Jorma Mustalahti, Esko Aulanko
  • Patent number: 7543696
    Abstract: A handrail for a travelator, moving ramp or escalator, wherein the handrail frame (5) of the handrail comprises a first handrail frame part (9) fixedly mounted on the frame of the travelator and a second handrail frame part (10) with a turn-around guide (7) connected to it, the second handrail frame part (10) being guided to be movable in the direction of the handrail with respect to the first handrail frame part (9) between a mounting position (I) and a tensioning position (II), in which mounting position (I) the handrail belt can be removed from the handrail and/or mounted on the handrail, and in which tensioning position (II) the handrail belt is in a tensioned state; and that a tensioning device (8) has been fitted to move the second handrail frame part (10) and to lock it in position relative to the first handrail frame part (9).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Esko Aulanko, Jorma Mustalahti, Marc Ossendorf
  • Publication number: 20090139831
    Abstract: An arrangement in drive machinery of a travelator, moving walkway, escalator or similar apparatus, includes at least a drive motor, at least one handrail with a handrail belt, a support element supporting the handrail and a drive belt connecting rotational movement of the drive motor to the support element. The support element comprises a supporting wheel, having a rim and adapted for use by the drive belt which is fitted to the rim of the support element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2008
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Applicant: KONE Corporation
    Inventors: Esko Aulanko, Jorma Mustalahti, Marc Ossendorf