Patents Examined by Eric Pico
  • Patent number: 7681692
    Abstract: An elevator installation includes a drive unit moving a car and a counterweight in an elevator shaft. The drive unit has a drive motor and a brake coupled to a drive shaft and mounted on a crossbeam in the elevator shaft or on the shaft ceiling. The drive unit has two spaced-apart drive zones and the drive motor is arranged to the left or the right of the two drive zones with the brake on the same side or the opposite side of the drive zones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventor: Daniel Fischer
  • Patent number: 7665580
    Abstract: Equipment for suspension of a car or a counterweight in an elevator installation and methods for mounting and for maintenance of the suspension apparatus includes deflecting roller units. The car or the counterweight hangs at support belts that are each connected with the car or the counterweight by an associated one of the deflecting roller units. Each roller unit provides space for one of the support belts. The roller unit provides compensation for different elongations of the several support belts and it enables simple mounting of the support belts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventors: Ruedi Stocker, Christoph Liebetrau, Miriam Schmid
  • 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: 7635049
    Abstract: The invention also relates to a method for installing an elevator provided with a machine room and suspended by hoisting ropes (15) and moving along guide rails (2) during the construction stage of building. The elevator is provided with a hoisting device (17), by means of which the machine room (4), which is initially placed in the lower part of the elevator shaft (1), is lifted through one or more floor-to-floor distances at a time in the shaft in such manner that at least the vertical forces resulting from the lifting are transmitted to the bottom structures of the building substantially via the guide rails (2) already secured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2009
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Gert Van Der Meijden, Jos Van Den Heuvel
  • Patent number: 7624847
    Abstract: A modular drive for an elevator installation with a car and a counterweight includes a drive pulley driven by a motor and a self-supporting deflecting module with a deflecting roller, wherein the motor and the drive pulley are combined to form a self-supporting drive module. Interfaces for attachment of connecting parts are provided at the drive module or the deflecting module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventors: Christoph Liebetrau, Ruedi Stocker
  • Patent number: 7621379
    Abstract: An elevator (20) includes a sill (38) that extends out from underneath an elevator car (30) to bridge an operating gap (26) between the car (30) and a landing (24). When an elevator door (34) is aligned with a landing door (36), the sill (38) extends outwardly from the car (30) until the sill (38) makes contact with a landing structure (40). A locking mechanism (52) securely locks the sill (38) to the landing structure (40). In one example, once proper sill alignment and locking engagement occurs, a door moving mechanism (50) is released and the elevator (34) and landing (36) doors open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Robin Mihekun Miller, Timothy P. Galante
  • Patent number: 7607518
    Abstract: According to an emergency brake device for an elevator, a brake body is capable of coming into and out of contact with an outer periphery of a sheave which is rotatable, and is capable of being displaced to a rotation direction of the sheave while maintaining a contact with the outer periphery of the sheave. Further, the brake body is arranged between the sheave and a gripper metal. The gripper metal includes an inclined portion which is caused to incline with respect to the outer periphery of the sheave. When the brake body is displaced in the rotation direction of the sheave, the brake body is meshed between the outer periphery of the sheave and the inclined portion. To the brake body, a connecting portion capable of being displaced with respect to the sheave is connected. The connecting body is displaced in a direction in which the brake body comes into and out of contact with the outer periphery of the sheave by a brake drive device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Kazumasa Ito
  • Patent number: 7607517
    Abstract: A door coupler provided with coupling elements actuated by means of a linkage so as to engage a counter element provided on the landing door and a locking hook that has a closed position and a released position. The release of the locking hook from the closed position to the released position is allowed when the coupling element meets the counter element. The locking hook and the coupling elements are disposed at a distance from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Franz Josef Karner, Franz Mittermayr, Rupert Oberleitner
  • Patent number: 7600611
    Abstract: The invention provides a stairlift having a rail which terminates, at its lower end, on or closely adjacent the lower step of a staircase. This rail is combined with a carriage and footrest which allows the footrest to be positioned below the level of the first step. The arrangement obviates the need for a hinge in the rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: Stannah Stairlifts Limited
    Inventors: Max D. Woodhams, Konrad J Higgins
  • Patent number: 7584825
    Abstract: A sealing device for an elevator door includes a doorway member, doors, a movable member, a push-down mechanism and a sealing mechanism. The doorway member is provided for a gate. The doors open or close along the doorway member. The movable member is set horizontally and provided to be movable in a vertical direction in the doorway member, and it is urged upwards by an urging unit. The push-down mechanism pushes down the movable member against the force of the urging unit just before the doors are closed. The sealing mechanism is kept non-contact with the doors while they are moving, and seals the gap between the doors and the doorway member as it is brought into contact with upper section of the doors when the movable member is pushed down by the push-down mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Toshiba Elevator Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shin Murakami, Toru Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 7568555
    Abstract: The invention relates to a guide along a staircase, along which a carriage of for instance, a stair walking aid or a stair lift is displaceable. This can herein comprise at least one elongate tube and engaging means for the carriage, wherein the tube comprises a stationary segment and at least one tiltable segment which are connected by means of a tilting mechanism in order to tilt the tiltable segment selectively away from and to a position lying in the line of the stationary segment, wherein the tilting mechanism is situated substantially in the interior of at least one of the tiltable segment and the stationary segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Freelift B.V.
    Inventors: Dennis Vroegindeweij, Martinus J. Hester
  • Patent number: 7562749
    Abstract: A roller guide for guiding the movement of an elevator car along guide rails disposed in a shaft or hoistway. The roller guide includes a base, a plurality of rollers and a plurality of support arms that rotatably support the rollers. An isolation assembly may be provided to reduce the transmission of undesired forces to the elevator car through the rollers, support arms and the base of the roller guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: Elevator Safety Company
    Inventors: Timothy Theodore Race, Sr., Richard Alan Ruskey, William Paul Sturm, III
  • Patent number: 7556126
    Abstract: An elevator escape arrangement includes a hinged window on a car; an escape rope passed by the window; a spring biased linking mechanism interconnected the window and a door; and a drive assembly including a first shaft, a detent block on the first shaft and between two brake bars, a cam-like member engaged with a drive sheave, a pulley on the first shaft with the escape rope run, a first gear on the first shaft, a second gear meshed with the first gear, and a second shaft passed through the second gear and the cam-like member. In case of emergency with the car stuck between two floors, the car and a counterweight balanced, and the brake activated, opening the window will cause the linking mechanism to lock the door, pulling the escape rope will unbalance and move the car, and closing the window will unlock the door for escape therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Inventor: Chiu Nan Wang
  • Patent number: 7549516
    Abstract: An elevator door interlock incorporates cast parts thereby drastically reducing the number of parts required for assembly. Other elements are also incorporated to further reduce complexity in manufacturing, servicing, and configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Gary W Eisenhower, Jr., David E Falcon, Michael T. Bunyer, Jeffrey S Hall, Richard A Bear
  • Patent number: 7549514
    Abstract: An elevator with a 4:1 cable guidance includes a drive unit and a first deflecting roller arranged at a carrier supported at one end on a first car guide rail and a first counterweight guide rail and at the other end on a second counterweight guide rail. The guide rails are connected with the shaft wall by means of yokes, whereby the vertical rail forces are conducted into the shaft pit. A drive bracket arranged at the carrier carries the drive unit and the drive pulley. A roller bracket arranged at the carrier carries the first deflecting roller. In addition, a first cable fixing point and a second cable fixing point for opposite ends of a cable are arranged at the carrier. The second deflecting roller is supported on a second car guide rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventors: Mario Heggli, Reto Rothenbühler, Kaspar Schindler
  • Patent number: 7546904
    Abstract: A safety closing system for a shaft door panel of an elevator installation brings the shaft door panel into a closed setting in the absence of an opening force. The safety closing system includes a spring which is stressed in the open setting of the shaft door panel and a drive mass which is subject to gravitational force, the spring and mass being coupled by a flexible tension element with the shaft door panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2009
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventor: Nijs Wernas
  • Patent number: 7533762
    Abstract: A lift has a lift cage movable in a lift shaft and is connected with a counterweight by means of at least one support means. The lift cage or counterweight moves by means of at least one drive means separate from the support means. One end of the drive means engages the upper end of the counterweight, is guided by way of a drive pulley and by way of a deflecting roller, and engages at its other end with the lower end of the counterweight. A drive unit drives the drive pulley. The drive means consists of a drive part and a tension part of different characteristics, wherein the drive and tension parts are connected by means of a drive means connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventors: Heinrich Kuttel, Danilo Peric
  • Patent number: 7523808
    Abstract: A mast assembly of a forklift truck has outer and inner masts, a lift cylinder, a rearward projection and a cylinder support. The outer mast is supported by the truck body at the front thereof. The inner mast is movable upward and downward relative to the outer mast. The lift cylinder moves the inner mast relative to the outer mast. The rearward projection extending toward the truck body is mounted to the outer mast. The cylinder support is mounted to the rearward projection for supporting the lift cylinder at the bottom end thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
    Inventor: Tomonori Futamura
  • Patent number: 7523807
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for transport along a staircase of persons and/or goods, which staircase extends between two platforms, and wherein the device includes: a guide which in the arranged situation extends at least along the staircase, a stationary segment and at least one tiltable segment; a tilting mechanism between the segments so as to selectively tilt the tiltable segment between a position lying in line with the stationary segment and a position substantially folded out of the space above one of the platforms; a carriage with transport means for persons and/or goods and a drive for advancing movement along the guide; and a transmission to selectively engage the carriage in the vicinity of the tilting mechanism to transmit movement of the carriage along the guide onto the tiltable segment for a tilting movement thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: Freelift B.V.
    Inventors: Dennis Vroegindeweij, Martinus Josephus Hester
  • Patent number: 7510055
    Abstract: In an elevator comprising an entrance frame provided on an entrance leading from a landing hall to a hoistway and having an upper frame (103) and a vertical frame (102, 102), and landing doors (110, 110) arranged on the entrance frame with a gap and to be guided by a sill (104) for opening-closing an opening of the entrance frame, the landing doors (110, 110) have smoke shielding members (120, 130, 111) which are provided on a top portion, side portion, and a bottom portion of the landing doors (110, 110) for preventing the infiltration of smoke. The smoke shielding member (130) on the side portion is in contact with the smoke shielding member (111) on the bottom portion at a lower position, and is in contact with the smoke shielding member (120) on the top portion at an upper position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignees: Toyo Shutter Co., Ltd., Fujitec Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuru Morotome, Hiroyuki Yoshida, Atsushi Irie, Mizuki Yamauchi