Abstract: A method of operating an elevator system, for example operated by linear motors, wherein the elevator system includes a shaft system including at least one vertical elevator shaft, and a multiplicity of elevator cars which respectively have a plurality of functional components for carrying out different functions. The method provides that in a special operating mode of the elevator system, a first elevator car is assigned at least one auxiliary device, the auxiliary device providing a replacement function for at least one function of one of the functional components of the first elevator car, the corresponding function of a functional component of the first elevator car being replaced with the replacement function provided by the auxiliary device, and the elevator system continuing to be operated by using the replacement function provided. The invention furthermore relates to an elevator system configured for carrying out such a method.

Abstract: An elevator system with a fire protection device includes an elevator shaft having at least two adjacent shaft portions, a guide rail in the elevator shaft, a car displaceable on the guide rail, and a fire protection device having a detector, a control unit connected to the detector, and a closing element that is disposed between two mutually adjacent shaft portions of the elevator shaft and which is movable between an open and closed state to separate the two shaft portions while in the closed state. A method of operating a fire protection device for an elevator system includes detecting smoke and/or a fire via a detector, and transferring a closing element disposed in the elevator shaft from an opened state to a closed state.

Abstract: A braking device may include first and second brake pads disposed opposite one another about a guide rail, for developing braking forces when the brake pads engage the guide rail. The first brake pad has a wedge shape and may taper in a wedge direction. A front side of the first brake pad facing the guide rail is aligned parallel to the guide rail, and a rear side of the first brake pad is angled corresponding to the wedge shape. The rear side of the first brake pad lies in a sliding manner against a contact surface of a first brake pad seat disposed at an angle corresponding to the first brake pad. In a first setting a locking device unblocks a sliding movement of the first brake pad, and in a second setting the locking device blocks the sliding movement of the first brake pad.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a lift system including at least one lift shaft and a plurality of lift cars which can be individually moved. A plurality of the lift cars can be moved in the same lift shaft. The lift system further includes a control system for controlling the lift system. The lift cars of the lift system each have a unique identifier, for example an RFID transponder or a QR code. The disclosure further relates to a method for operating a lift system of this kind.

Abstract: A transportation device such as an elevator installation, an escalator, or a moving walkway may comprise a person conveying unit and an electromagnetic linear drive for driving the person conveying unit. The electromagnetic linear drive may include a stator segment and a runner element. The runner element can be driven by the force of an electromagnetic field of the stator segment in a first drive direction or in an opposite second drive direction. The runner element is movably mounted on the person conveying unit such that a magnetic resistance in an air gap between the stator segment and the runner element is adjustable depending on a drive force acting between the stator segment and the runner element.

Abstract: An elevator system includes first and second intersecting elevator shafts having respective guide devices disposed therein to guide the elevator car. The intersection area of the shafts includes a third guide device that rotates with respect to the shaft walls between alignment with the first and second elevator shafts, to permit an elevator car to transfer from one elevator shaft to the other. A safety device triggers a blocking signal in a control unit to prevent movement of the third guide device if the extent, or footprint/area, of the elevator car spatially overlaps the intersection extent defined by the area over which the third guide device can be rotated in the intersection area. A method for operating the elevator system includes triggering a blocking signal to prevent movement of the third guide device if there is an overlap between the elevator car extent and the intersection extent.

Abstract: A method for operating a lift system includes a lift cage movably housed movably inside a lift shaft. A linear drive is configured to drive the lift cage, the linear drive includes a stator arrangement fixedly attached to the lift shaft with a plurality of stators and a rotor attached to the lift cage. The stator arrangement includes electromagnetic coils, each of the coils configured to be operated by one phase of a polyphase alternating current. The method includes providing the polyphase alternating current to operate the stator arrangement and thereby drive the lift cage to generate an upward force for the lift cage, monitoring a deceleration value of the lift system with sensors that are permanently installed in the lift shaft, and switching the linear drive into a safety operating state when the deceleration value above a predefined threshold value is determined by way of said monitoring.

Abstract: A method for operating an elevator system, include determining an expected stop extent with respect to the shaft axis of one of the two elevator cars, comparing the determined stop extent and the intersection extent of the shaft intersection with respect to the shaft axis of this elevator car, starting from a current position and in accordance with an expected braking distance of this car, and triggering a signal for one of the elevator cars.

Abstract: A shaft changing assembly may be utilized with or in an elevator system. The elevator system may include two vertical elevator shafts, cars that are independently movable in the elevator shafts, a horizontal guide rail connecting the elevator shafts and configured to guide the cars along a movement path during a changing process from a first of the shafts to an end position in a second of the shafts. The shaft changing assembly may comprise an auxiliary brake configured to generate a braking force to brake the car undergoing horizontal travel. Application of the braking force may depend on a velocity profile of the car undergoing horizontal travel.

Abstract: A method of operating an elevator system, for example operated by linear motors, wherein the elevator system includes a shaft system including at least one vertical elevator shaft, and a multiplicity of elevator cars which respectively have a plurality of functional components for carrying out different functions. The method provides that in a special operating mode of the elevator system, a first elevator car is assigned at least one auxiliary device, the auxiliary device providing a replacement function for at least one function of one of the functional components of the first elevator car, the corresponding function of a functional component of the first elevator car being replaced with the replacement function provided by the auxiliary device, and the elevator system continuing to be operated by using the replacement function provided. The invention furthermore relates to an elevator system configured for carrying out such a method.

Abstract: An elevator system including a cab displaceably received within an elevator shaft and a linear drive embodied to drive the cab. A sensor is disposed in the elevator shaft and a signal generation unit is disposed on the cab. The signal generation unit is embodied to generate a measurement signal in the sensor, the measurement signal depending on a displacement speed of the cab in the elevator shaft. Further, the elevator system has a safety control unit configured to ascertain an acceleration of the cab on the basis of the measurement signal and to bring the linear drive into a safety operating state should the ascertained acceleration exceed a limit value.

Abstract: The present disclosure concerns a method for operating an elevator system which comprises a shaft system and at least three cars, which is designed for separately moving the cars in at least a first direction of travel and in a second direction of travel. The at least three cars are moved separately in sequential operation each time and for each car a stop point at which the car can stop if necessary is continuously predicted at least for one direction of travel. The distance of the predicted stop points of neighboring cars from each other is thereby continuously determined. The elevator system is transferred to a safety mode if a negative distance of the stop points is determined.

Abstract: A method for operating a multi-car elevator system having a shaft system with at least one lift shaft, a plurality of elevator cars that can be moved individually in the shaft system, and a control system. Data about the cars is provided at time intervals. When the provision of data relating to a first car fails, a shaft position of said first car is determined. A quarantine section of the shaft system is determined, in which the first car is located by means of the determined shaft position, and the determined quarantine section is blocked for the other cars of the system. The invention further relates to a multi-car elevator system configured for the implementation of such a method.

Abstract: A control system, installation, and methods for an elevator installation includes at least two elevator cars moveable in at least two shaft segments. The system has at least two shaft control units and at least two elevator car control units. Each of the shaft control units is configured to be respectively assigned to one of the shaft segments and each of the elevator car control units is configured to be respectively assigned to one of the elevator cars. The control system is configured to provide a mutual first communication link between the shaft control units. The control system is configured, for each of the shaft segments, to respectively provide a second communication link between the elevator car control units which are assignable to the elevator cars and the shaft control unit which is assignable to the respective shaft segment.

Abstract: A transportation device such as an elevator installation, an escalator, or a moving walkway may comprise a person conveying unit and an electromagnetic linear drive for driving the person conveying unit. The electromagnetic linear drive may include a stator segment and a runner element. The runner element can be driven by the force of an electromagnetic field of the stator segment in a first drive direction or in an opposite second drive direction. The runner element is movably mounted on the person conveying unit such that a magnetic resistance in an air gap between the stator segment and the runner element is adjustable depending on a drive force acting between the stator segment and the runner element.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to an elevator system consisting of a plurality of elevator carriages, a shaft system, a drive system for separately moving the elevator carriages within the shaft system, as well as a safety system having a plurality of safety nodes designed to bring the elevator system into a safe operating mode if an operating mode of the elevator system, which deviates from the normal operation mode, is detected. The elevator carriages, the shaft system and the drive system form a functional unit. One of the safety nodes is always assigned to one of the functional units, wherein the safety nodes are each connected to at least another safety node through an interface for transmitting data. Each safety node includes at least one sensor, which detects an operating parameter of the corresponding assigned functional unit.

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 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: An elevator with a brake device may be configured to provide a variable brake force, from a minimum brake force up to a maximum brake force (Vmax). The brake device may include a first energy store that provides the maximum brake force and a second energy store that provides an adjustable counterforce. The adjustable counterforce may be directed in an opposed manner with respect to the maximum brake force provided from the first energy store. Further, the variable brake force may amount to a difference between the maximum brake force and the adjustable counterforce. In some cases, the first energy store may comprise a compression spring for providing the maximum brake force.

Abstract: A braking device may include first and second brake pads disposed opposite one another about a guide rail, for developing braking forces when the brake pads engage the guide rail. The first brake pad has a wedge shape and may taper in a wedge direction. A front side of the first brake pad facing the guide rail is aligned parallel to the guide rail, and a rear side of the first brake pad is angled corresponding to the wedge shape. The rear side of the first brake pad lies in a sliding manner against a contact surface of a first brake pad seat disposed at an angle corresponding to the first brake pad. In a first setting a locking device unblocks a sliding movement of the first brake pad, and in a second setting the locking device blocks the sliding movement of the first brake pad.