Abstract: Disclosed is a linear synchronous motor comprising an elongate stator extending in a longitudinal direction and having a plurality of coil windings, and a runner having a multiplicity of successive magnets disposed along the length thereof the longitudinal direction. The elongate stator has a plurality of elongate-stator segments arranged successively in the longitudinal direction, with each elongate-stator segment separated from the next successive elongate-stator segment by a gap. A total section length of one elongate-stator segment and an adjacent gap is a constant value over a plurality of successive elongate-stator segments, wherein a runner length measured in the longitudinal direction across all magnets successively disposed on the runner, is an integer multiple of the total section length.

Abstract: An elevator installation includes a shaft in which at least two elevator cars are arranged one above the other and are capable of travel upward and downward in a vertical direction separately from one another, wherein each elevator car is assigned a travel drive. The elevator cars are capable of travel with large and small spacings to one another without the risk of collision by coupling at least two elevator cars together by way of a variable-length, releasable coupling device, wherein the spacing between the coupled-together elevator cars can be varied, in a manner dependent on the relative speed between the two elevator cars, with the aid of at least one of the travel drives.

Abstract: An elevator arrangement includes two or more hoistways, at least one more elevator car than a total number of hoistways, and at least one more belt system than the total number of hoistways. At least one belt system may be provided between each pair of hoistways. At least one elevator car may be provided in each hoistway. Each elevator car may be connected to at least one belt system. The belt systems may provide a direct transfer of mechanical energy between the elevator cars. As a first elevator car moves downward in a first hoistway, mechanical energy may be generated via the belt systems to lift a second elevator car upwardly in a second hoistway.

Abstract: An elevator system may include a plurality of cars that are disposed vertically one above another in a common shaft. The plurality of cars may be independently movable. Further, the plurality of cars may include evacuation devices that permit the passage of passengers from a car to be evacuated into an adjacent car that is disposed vertically above or below the car to be evacuated. In some cases, an evacuation device of an uppermost car of the plurality of cars includes an opening floor hatch, and an evacuation device of a lowermost car of the plurality of cars includes an opening roof hatch.

Abstract: A hydraulic-boosted rail brake is provided for use with an elevator having a guide rail. The rail brake includes a braking plate having friction material, a spring package in communication with the braking plate, a hydraulic cylinder, a piston housed at least partially inside the hydraulic cylinder, and a brake controller. The braking plate is selectively movable relative to the guide rail, and the spring package biases the friction material to interact with the guide rail to cause braking. The piston is in communication with the braking plate and is selectively: (a) movable in a release direction to diminish or overcome force from the spring package; and (b) movable in an engage direction to supplement the force from the spring package. The brake controller selectively causes the piston to move in the release direction and in the engage direction.

Abstract: A transport system may include at least two conveyor sections and at least three cars that are moved individually in a cyclical operation. Each car may pass through a first conveyor section starting from a first start position and subsequently pass through a second conveyor section back to the first start position. At least one stopping point may be provided at least along a conveyor section, and one or more subsequent stopping points may respectively be assigned to a block. Travel of the cars may be controlled such that the cars successively approach a respective previously-specified block, and an equal cycle time is predefined for every car to pass through the first and second conveyor sections. A method for operating a transport system in this manner is also disclosed.

Abstract: An elevator system may include an elevator car that can be moved in an elevator shaft. The elevator car may comprise a chassis element. A rail, which in some cases is arranged as a guide rail, may be arranged in the elevator shaft. The elevator system may further comprise a linear motor with a primary part and a secondary part. The primary part of the linear motor may be arranged on the rail. The secondary part of the linear motor may be arranged on the chassis element, and the secondary part may at least partially enclose the primary part of the linear motor.

Abstract: A method for controlling a lift installation having a plurality of cabins that can each stop at a number of floors may involve assigning calls placed outside the cabins to the cabins by way of a lift controller based on at least one assignment criterion. The method may involve considering a current traffic situation of the lift installation during the assignment. The method may further involve generating and considering a forecast of a future traffic situation of the lift installation during the assignment. The forecast may account for personal information of at least one of a person who is in a predetermined environment of the lift installation, a person who is in a section of the lift installation, a person who enters a predetermined environment of the lift installation, or a person who leaves a predetermined environment of the lift installation.

Abstract: An elevator system may have a vertical shaft and at least two cars that are arranged above one another in the shaft and can each be moved upwards and downwards. A first car may be coupled via first suspension means to a first drive and a first counterweight, and a second car may be coupled via second suspension means to a second drive and to a second counterweight, and to a machine room adjacent to the shaft which is spatially separate from the shaft. The first drive is disposed outside the shaft and the second drive is disposed at least partially within the shaft.

Abstract: A lift system may include a car and a counterweight that can be moved on a shaft-side counterweight guide. The car and the counterweight may be connected to one another by way of a balance rope. The balance rope can be tensioned by a balance rope tensioning apparatus. The balance rope tensioning apparatus may have a tensioning roller that is mounted on the shaft-side counterweight guide and can be moved along the shaft-side counterweight guide.

Abstract: A jumper has a connector and a housing. The housing at least partially encloses a processor in data communication with a non-transitory memory, a global positioning system, a rechargeable battery, and a networking device. The memory comprises software instructions that, when executed by the processor, perform steps for wirelessly transmitting data to a mobile device over a network. The data indicates a jumper identification number, a location of the jumper, and a duration after which the jumper will automatically deactivate. The steps performed include the step of wirelessly outputting an alert to the mobile device when the mobile device is at a first distance from the jumper. The first distance is settable using the mobile device. The alert causes the mobile device to at least one of vibrate and ring.

Abstract: A method for positioning counter entraining means which are provided on a shaft door of a lift installation, with respect to entraining means provided on a lift cage door of a lift cage of the lift installation, wherein the shaft door and the lift cage door can be coupled to each other by the entraining means acting upon the counter entraining means.

Abstract: A lift system may include at least two cars that can be moved in a lift shaft, at least two drives each of which is configured to drive one of the cars for movement within the lift shaft, and a frame device. The at least two cars may be positioned within the frame device that is movable in the lift shaft. The at least two cars can be moved relative to one another within the frame device by way of their respective drives.

Abstract: An elevator system may include at least two elevator shafts and at least one elevator car. A vertically extending rail may be disposed in each elevator shaft, and the elevator car may travel along the vertically extending rail. Each rail may be formed with a rotatable segment such that the rotatable segments can be aligned relative to one another in a transfer plane. Thereafter, the elevator car may travel between the elevator shafts along the segments. In some cases, the vertically extending rail may form part of a linear drive that causes the elevator car to move without the use of cables.

Abstract: A control system for an elevator system may comprise elevator cars and an elevator control for assigning elevator cars to destination calls. In a first mode of operation, the elevator control may be adapted to determine and assign an elevator car to transport a passenger based on at least one elevator car determination criterion. The elevator control may wait to provide information identifying the elevator car assigned to the passenger until the assigned elevator car approaches or arrives at a floor on which the passenger is located. Waiting to provide such information permits the elevator control to modify which elevator car ultimately transports the passenger based on intervening factors such as a door being held on an elevator car that was initially assigned to transport the passenger. In a second mode of operation, the passenger may be provided with the information that identifies the assigned elevator car immediately after the destination call is placed.

Abstract: An elevator may include a brake apparatus such as a safety apparatus or a service brake, for example. The brake apparatus may be designed to generate a stepped braking force for braking an elevator car of the elevator. A plurality of brake cylinder assemblies may be configured so as to supply different braking forces. The brake cylinder assemblies may in some cases include a piston, a spring, and a brake pad. Moreover, a valve assembly may be utilized by one or more of the brake cylinder assemblies. Additional features of the brake apparatus may involve a compressor, a pressure accumulator, a pressure regulating valve.

Abstract: An elevator may include a braking device such as a safety gear system or a service brake, for instance. The braking device may include a hydraulically-acting brake for braking an elevator car of the elevator. The braking device may further include a hydraulic unit with a pump assembly, a brake cylinder assembly, and a valve assembly for ventilating the brake. Further, the hydraulic unit may be fastened to the braking device.

Abstract: Lift systems may include a first shaft unit and a second shaft unit, each of which may include a number of lift shafts. One or more single-car systems and/or multi-car systems may be disposed in the first shaft unit, whereas one or more shaft-changing multi-car systems may be disposed in the second shaft unit. A transporting operation may be carried out from an initial floor to a destination floor wherein a control unit determines whether to utilize one or more cars from the single car systems, the multi-car systems, the shaft-changing multi-car systems, or some combination thereof depending on factors such as the destination floors of the passengers, traffic density, energy demand, and/or availability of cars.

Abstract: An elevator installation includes a shaft in which a first elevator car and a second elevator car arranged below the first elevator car are movable upward and downward in the vertical direction separately from each other. Each elevator car is coupled to a counterweight via a rope or belt arrangement. At least one rope or belt arrangement has two rope or belt sections via which one of the elevator cars is coupled to a counterweight and which extend laterally along the other elevator car. In order to avoid impairment of an elevator car by rope or belt oscillations, the elevator car has at least one limiting member which is held in a predetermined position in the shaft and is assigned to a rope or belt section and has at least one limiting element which is movable between a limiting position and a release position depending on the position of the elevator car which is coupled to the counterweight via the associated rope or belt section.

Abstract: Safety related information for an elevator installation can be transmitted via a serial connection using serialization and deserialization modules. These serialization and deserialization modules can comprise redundant components, such as processors and interfaces, and can be configured to cross check various data inputs and outputs to identify data corruption, component failures, or inconsistencies in data.