Abstract: An elevator system comprises at least two independently operable elevator cars in each of a plurality of elevator shafts within a building. The elevator system can include at least one first elevator shaft having a first and a second region, with the first region extending from a ground level to sub-ground levels, and with the second region extending from the ground level to a top floor. A first elevator car may move within the first region and a second elevator car may move within the second region, in the same shaft independently of each other.

Abstract: An elevator system includes at least two independently operable elevator cars in an elevator shaft. The elevator system controls loading of one of the car at ground floor level by moving the other car to a level below the ground floor level.

Abstract: An elevator system includes at least two independently operable elevator cars in an elevator shaft. The elevator system includes a virtual landing.

Abstract: The invention provides a system and method for handling power outages in a multiple car elevator system in a building having a plurality of floors. The system includes an energy calculator connected to the elevators, and determines a total energy of the elevator system, a total energy required to handle a power outage, a plan to prepare for a power outage and a plan to handle a power outage. The system also includes a movement controller connected to the elevator(s) and the energy calculator. The movement controller receives the plan to prepare and the plan to handle from the energy calculator, and the movement controller executes the plan to prepare if there is no power outage and the movement controller executes the plan to handle if there is a power outage.

Abstract: The invention provides a system and method for handling power outages in a multiple car elevator system in a building having a plurality of floors. The system includes an energy calculator connected to the elevators, and determines a total energy of the elevator system, a total energy required to handle a power outage, a plan to prepare for a power outage and a plan to handle a power outage. The system also includes a movement controller connected to the elevator(s) and the energy calculator. The movement controller receives the plan to prepare and the plan to handle from the energy calculator, and the movement controller executes the plan to prepare if there is no power outage and the movement controller executes the plan to handle if there is a power outage.

Abstract: The invention comprises a support structure for an elevator system comprising a pit channel module having a first leg and a second leg connected at a corner, a header module having three sides forming a triangle which is disposed in a horizontal plane above the pit channel module, and pairs of car guide rails and counterweight guide rails extending vertically from the pit channel module to the header module. Vertical forces generated within the system are transferred from the rails through the pit channel module and into a foundation so that at least substantially no vertical load forces are imparted on the building structure which the system serves.

Abstract: An improved system of variable speed drives that enhances the energy efficiency of an elevator system by enabling power transfer between the variable speed drives of two or more elevators via a common DC bus. Any combination of regenerative and non-regenerative variable speed drives may be used with the present invention. Energy storage devices may be connected to the common DC bus further improve efficiency.

Abstract: An elevator hall call device inductively receives an electrical signal from an interlock wiring circuit by means of a coupling device. The elevator hall call device comprises a capacitive device which stores electrical charge based on the electrical signal received from the interlock wiring circuit by means of the coupling device. Hall call circuitry sends and receives signaling information between at least one elevator controller over the interlock wiring circuit, where the hall call circuitry is coupled to the capacitive device for receiving electrical power based on the stored electrical charge in the capacitive device.

Abstract: The present invention provides a snap-fit constructible elevator hall fixture assembly having a wall plate, a bezel, and a hall fixture. A snap-fit coupling attaches the wall plate to the bezel, and a snap-fit coupling attaches the hall fixture to the bezel. The fixture can be either a directional lantern indicator or a hall call push-button.

Abstract: Energy saving methods and apparatus for elevator systems having a plurality of elevator cars operating in a plurality of elevator shafts. The present invention provides methods and apparatus for determining which one of the plurality of elevator cars is to be assigned to a new hall call in order to reduce the net energy consumption of the elevator system over time.

Abstract: A synthetic rope for an elevator having improved resistance to compression and abrasion is provided and comprises a plurality of strands forming layers of the rope, each strand formed from a plurality of pre-twisted strands made from high modulus synthetic filaments. One or more of the strands or layers of strands may be impregnated with a lubricant, such as polytetrafluoroethylene, to reduce the abrasion among the strands and substrands, and increase the service life of the rope. The exterior of the rope may be covered by a jacket that provides for traction with the drive sheave. An elevator system comprising the claimed rope is also provided.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for utilizing unused power available in an elevator that is not fully loaded to improve the traffic handling capacity of an elevator system. The present invention can be used to provide an optimized velocity profile for the elevator based on the pre-designed power of the drive motor and the actual load in the elevator. By using the surplus power available the method and apparatus of the invention can achieve velocities higher than the design velocity of the system. The method also utilizes surplus torque available to the motor during a trip to produce an optimized velocity profile that has a short trip time, yet does not exceed the torque deliverable by the motor and does not exceed acceptable discomfort levels to the passengers or mechanical limitations on the system.

Abstract: An autobalancing roping and drive arrangement for elevators which continuously balances the weight of an elevator cab and the weight of a counterweight such that the force on the drive motor necessary to move the cab from floor to floor is minimized. A weighting device connected to a drive sheave imparts a downward force on the drive sheave and creates a tension in a force section, causing traction contact between the drive sheave and the drive rope. The tension in the force section includes a downward vertical component of force. This component and the weight of the counterweight combine to create a downward force on one side of the suspension sheave section. The downward force balances the downward force created by the weight of the cab on the opposite side of the suspension sheave section. The tension in the force section automatically compensates for the difference in weight between the cab and the counterweight and thereby maintains the elevator in balance.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for inspecting and calculating the residual strength of an aramid fiber rope driving an elevator to determine when such rope is in need of replacement. The apparatus comprises a transmitter for introducing an acoustic wave that will travel along the aramid fiber rope and a plurality of receivers for receiving the acoustic wave after its has traversed a designated section of the rope. The transmitter and receiver provide signals indicating the times the wave was sent by the transmitter and thereafter received by the receiver. From these signals, a program calculates the wave velocity, and the modulus and residual strength of the aramid rope.

Abstract: A termination device for an aramid-based elevator rope comprises a socket having a tapered internal passageway adapted to receive a wedge and a rope. The passageway has first and second semi-cylindrical rope engaging surfaces. The wedge has a peripheral groove having a variable radius of curvature. The device clamps the length of rope between linear portions of the wedge and the rope engaging surfaces of the socket with a substantially uniform application of force on the cross-section of the rope.

Abstract: A height adjustment assembly connecting an elevator door to an elevator door hanger comprises a door bracket, a plurality of door clip receiving sections and corresponding number of door clips. Each door clip comprises upper and lower fins, side fins, and an oblique slot disposed centrally between the fins. Each oblique slot is aligned with an aperture in the receiving sections, and the upper and lower fins slidably engage corresponding slots in the receiving sections. A fastener inserted into the oblique slot in the door clip and the aperture in the door bracket holds the clip and the bracket onto the door hanger in a friction hold mode. The height of the door may be adjusted by moving the door clips laterally in the slots.

Abstract: An elevator cab lighting assembly comprising a refractive sheet mounted on the interior of the elevator cab. A light source is mounted at and conducts light into an outer edge of the refractive sheet. The light received at the outer edge of the travels along the refractive sheet and passes out of the planar surface and inner edge of the sheet exposed within the interior of the cab. The refractive sheet may be randomly sanded or sandblasted to provide diffuse light. The sheet may be etched or routed in standard or custom designs to provide accent highlighting. The lighting assembly is housed within a transom assembly that may be accessed from the exterior of the cab.

Abstract: A jacket-assembly is sealed to a hydraulic elevator jack to protect the jack from corrosion. The jacket-assembly is preferably manufactured from a non-galvanic, non-corrosive material. The jacket may be manufactured from any non-galvanic, non-corrosive material that is strong enough and flexible enough to be factory-installed on the jack, i.e., installed on the jack at a location other than the location where the jack is to be installed, and survive shipping and installation of the jack. The jacket is preferably hermetically sealed to the jack. The jacket-assembly may contain a bulkhead mounted on the hydraulic elevator jack having an O-ring groove. An O-ring can be used to effect a hermetic seal between the bulkhead and the jacket. The bulkhead may be mounted on the jack with any conventional means. In one embodiment, a moisture sensor may be placed inside the jacket.

Abstract: An elevator door sill assembly for use in elevator systems that have sliding doors. The door sill assembly comprises a sill plate, a support sill located below the sill plate having a rail that presents an inboard sliding surface and an outboard sliding surface. The assembly also comprises a first guiding surface that engages that inboard sliding surface and a second guiding surface that engages the outboard sliding surface. The assembly prevents that bottom of the elevator door from swinging while the door slides opened and closed. The sill assembly and guide system may be used with either hoistway doors or elevator car doors.

Abstract: An elevator system has a control processor which communicates with numerous I/O devices over a serial communications link. The processor is programmed to generate and receive data packets containing a 2-byte I/O identification field. The first byte is a general category representing the type of function performed by the I/O device, and the second byte represents the identity of the particular I/O device within its general category. The I/O devices similarly generate and receive data packets containing the 2-byte I/O identification field. By way of example, categories may represent such functions as car call inputs, car call outputs, code blue inputs, code blue outputs, fire service, and so on. For a category such as car call inputs, the car call button for each floor would be assigned a separate sub-category designation.