Patents by Inventor Volker Zapf

Volker Zapf 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: 12116243
    Abstract: A sliding guide shoe for an elevator includes a guide shoe housing and a two-part insert inserted into the guide shoe housing. The insert includes a damping element and a sliding element for guiding an elevator car or a counterweight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: INVENTIO AG
    Inventors: Patrick Bumann, Volker Zapf
  • Patent number: 12077415
    Abstract: An apparatus for guiding and braking an elevator system traveling body movable along a guide track includes a holder fastened to the body, a guide device and a braking device. The holder transmits guiding forces between the guide device, guided on at least one track surface in the longitudinal direction, and the body. The guide device is held on and is elastically movable relative to the holder transverse to the longitudinal direction by at least a predetermined tolerance distance. The braking device includes a carrier and a braking element movable between a deactivated configuration, in which a braking surface of the braking element is laterally spaced apart from the guide track, and an activated configuration, in which the braking surface abuts the guide track, in a reversible manner by an activation distance transverse to the guide track. The carrier of the braking device is rigidly coupled to the guide device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: INVENTIO AG
    Inventors: Michael Geisshüsler, Faruk Osmanbasic, Adrian Steiner, Julian Stähli, Volker Zapf
  • Publication number: 20240286872
    Abstract: An elevator has an elevator car that is guided on two mutually opposite guide rails in an elevator shaft. The guide rails each contain a U-shaped guide channel with a frontal guide surface and two lateral guide surfaces. Roller guide shoes are provided for guiding the elevator car. Each of the roller guide shoes has two rollers mounted on a common axle so as to rotate freely about an axis of rotation for guiding along the frontal guide surface of the U-shaped guide channel and a guide roller received between the two lateral guide surfaces of the U-shaped guide channel for lateral guidance. Covers are arranged upstream of the two rollers for covering the respective rollers, wherein the covers form an emergency guide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2022
    Publication date: August 29, 2024
    Inventors: Romeo Lo Jacono, Volker Zapf, Alessandro D'Apice
  • Publication number: 20240174489
    Abstract: A roller guide shoe for guiding an elevator car or a counterweight includes a support structure formed as a plastics injection-molded part, guide rollers, and lever elements arranged between the support structure and the guide rollers. The respective lever element is an integral molded body made of a plastics material, and applies a preload for the guide roller as a bending part. The lever elements inserted into associated joint cams of the support structure, wherein each joint cam engages in a recess on the associated lever element to predefine an articulation axis. Each lever element has two lever arms that define a V-shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2022
    Publication date: May 30, 2024
    Inventors: Patrick Bumann, Volker Zapf
  • Patent number: 11952240
    Abstract: A roller for an elevator system has a roller body made of a metal material and a shell made of a POM material forming a running surface of the elevator roller. The shell and the roller body each have a wave profile running in a circumferential direction on a shared contact surface, wherein the shell has, on the running surface, a V-ribbed profile aligned with the wave profile of the roller body that has a rib spacing which substantially corresponds to a wave spacing of the wave profile. The elevator roller is manufactured using a molding process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: INVENTIO AG
    Inventors: Florian Dold, Gian-Reto Petruzzi, Volker Zapf
  • Patent number: 11897731
    Abstract: A brake device for braking an elevator installation traveling body movable along a guide rail includes a holder mounting a brake element having a brake surface movable relative to the holder between a freewheel position and a braking position. In a deactivated configuration, a pretensioning element does not exert any force moving the brake element towards the braking position, and in an activated configuration exerts such force. In a retaining state, a release element retains the pretensioning element in the deactivated configuration, and when activated into a released state, the release element changes the pretensioning element into the activated configuration. In an unactuated state, a friction-generating element does not abut the guide rail and, in an actuated state generates friction by abutting the guide rail to exert a force on the brake element and force the brake element towards the freewheel position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: INVENTIO AG
    Inventors: Michael Geisshüsler, Faruk Osmanbasic, Adrian Steiner, Julian Stähli, Heinz Widmer, Volker Zapf
  • Patent number: 11891274
    Abstract: A method and a catching device are used to catch a traveling body in an elevator system wherein traveling body is movable along a rail. The catching device includes a first braking element, a second braking element, a first guide element, a second guide element and an actuating element. The first braking element and the second braking element are brought into contact with the rail for braking. A first linear bearing is formed between the first braking element and the first guide element and a second linear bearing is formed between the second braking element and the second guide element. Both guide elements are moved between a rest position and a braking initial position, the actuating element moving the two guide elements from the rest position into the braking initial position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: INVENTIO AG
    Inventors: Michael Geisshüsler, Astrid Sonnenmoser, Faruk Osmanbasic, Adrian Steiner, Christian Studer, Julian Stähli, Volker Zapf, Urs Camenzind
  • Patent number: 11891277
    Abstract: An elevator system includes at least one car and at least one counterweight. At least two support means having different physical properties are arranged between the at least one car and the at least one counterweight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: INVENTIO AG
    Inventors: Florian Dold, Andreas Egger, Marcus Junig, Daniel Meierhans, Philipp Müller, Adrian Steiner, Volker Zapf
  • Patent number: 11891275
    Abstract: A brake device for braking a traveling body movable along a guide rail in a movement direction includes a holder mounting a brake element that has a brake surface directed toward the guide rail, the brake element being movable relative to the holder between a free-running position and a braking position. A pretensioning element is activated to exert a force that moves the brake element toward the braking position. A release element holds the pretensioning element in a holding state and is activated into a released state to reconfigure the pretensioning element from a deactivated configuration into the activated configuration. A pressing element in an actuated state generates a force on the brake element in a direction toward the guide rail to enable a reset of the brake device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: INVENTIO AG
    Inventors: Michael Geisshüsler, Faruk Osmanbasic, Adrian Steiner, Julian Stähli, Heinz Widmer, Volker Zapf
  • Patent number: 11840425
    Abstract: A safety brake includes a first brake element, a first guide element, and an actuating element. The first brake element is mounted in a displaceable manner in a linear bearing on the first guide element. The first guide element can be moved between a rest position and a braking initial position. The actuating element is designed to move the first guide element from the rest position into the braking initial position, more particularly to activate the safety brake. The first brake element can carry out a braking movement from the braking initial position into a braking position. The braking movement returns the first guide element to the rest position. The first guide element is guided on a first parallelogram guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: INVENTIO AG
    Inventors: Michael Geisshüsler, Faruk Osmanbasic, Adrian Steiner, Julian Stähli, Volker Zapf
  • Publication number: 20230113353
    Abstract: A sliding guide shoe for an elevator has a guide shoe housing and an insert inserted into the guide shoe housing for guiding an elevator car or a counterweight. In order to positionally secure the insert, the insert has profiled pins that engage in bores in the guide shoe housing. In order to form the profiling, the pins each have radially outwardly directed ribs or projections that are distributed evenly over the circumference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Inventors: Patrick Bumann, Volker Zapf
  • Publication number: 20230111169
    Abstract: A sliding guide shoe for an elevator includes a guide shoe housing and a two-part insert inserted into the guide shoe housing. The insert includes a damping element and a sliding element for guiding an elevator car or a counterweight.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Inventors: Patrick Bumann, Volker Zapf
  • Publication number: 20230059305
    Abstract: A guide shoe for an elevator is formed entirely of plastic materials and includes a guide shoe housing, a damping element and a guide element that are firmly bonded to one another and form a one-piece composite structure. The composite structure is produced by a three-component injection molding process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2022
    Publication date: February 23, 2023
    Inventor: Volker Zapf
  • Publication number: 20230049908
    Abstract: An apparatus for guiding and braking an elevator system traveling body movable along a guide track includes a holder fastened to the body, a guide device and a braking device. The holder transmits guiding forces between the guide device, guided on at least one track surface in the longitudinal direction, and the body. The guide device is held on and is elastically movable relative to the holder transverse to the longitudinal direction by at least a predetermined tolerance distance. The braking device includes a carrier and a braking element movable between a deactivated configuration, in which a braking surface of the braking element is laterally spaced apart from the guide track, and an activated configuration, in which the braking surface abuts the guide track, in a reversible manner by an activation distance transverse to the guide track. The carrier of the braking device is rigidly coupled to the guide device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2020
    Publication date: February 16, 2023
    Inventors: MICHAEL GEISSHÜSLER, FARUK OSMANBASIC, ADRIAN STEINER, JULIAN STÄHLI, VOLKER ZAPF
  • Publication number: 20230011263
    Abstract: A brake device for braking a traveling body movable along a guide rail in a movement direction includes a holder mounting a brake element that has a brake surface directed toward the guide rail, the brake element being movable relative to the holder between a free-running position and a braking position. A pretensioning element is activated to exert a force that moves the brake element toward the braking position. A release element holds the pretensioning element in a holding state and is activated into a released state to reconfigure the pretensioning element from a deactivated configuration into the activated configuration. A pressing element in an actuated state generates a force on the brake element in a direction toward the guide rail to enable a reset of the brake device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2020
    Publication date: January 12, 2023
    Inventors: MICHAEL GEISSHÜSLER, FARUK OSMANBASIC, ADRIAN STEINER, JULIAN STÄHLI, HEINZ WIDMER, VOLKER ZAPF
  • Publication number: 20230012252
    Abstract: A brake device for braking an elevator installation traveling body movable along a guide rail includes a holder mounting a brake element having a brake surface movable relative to the holder between a freewheel position and a braking position. In a deactivated configuration, a pretensioning element does not exert any force moving the brake element towards the braking position, and in an activated configuration exerts such force. In a retaining state, a release element retains the pretensioning element in the deactivated configuration, and when activated into a released state, the release element changes the pretensioning element into the activated configuration. In an unactuated state, a friction-generating element does not abut the guide rail and, in an actuated state generates friction by abutting the guide rail to exert a force on the brake element and force the brake element towards the freewheel position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Publication date: January 12, 2023
    Inventors: MICHAEL GEISSHÜSLER, FARUK OSMANBASIC, ADRIAN STEINER, JULIAN STÄHLI, HEINZ WIDMER, VOLKER ZAPF
  • Publication number: 20230002193
    Abstract: An elevator system includes at least one car and at least one counterweight. At least two support means having different physical properties are arranged between the at least one car and the at least one counterweight.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Publication date: January 5, 2023
    Inventors: Florian Dold, Andreas Egger, Marcus Junig, Daniel Meierhans, Philipp Müller, Adrian Steiner, Volker Zapf
  • Publication number: 20220402726
    Abstract: A method and a catching device are used to catch a traveling body in an elevator system wherein traveling body is movable along a rail. The catching device includes a first braking element, a second braking element, a first guide element, a second guide element and an actuating element. The first braking element and the second braking element are brought into contact with the rail for braking. A first linear bearing is formed between the first braking element and the first guide element and a second linear bearing is formed between the second braking element and the second guide element. Both guide elements are moved between a rest position and a braking initial position, the actuating element moving the two guide elements from the rest position into the braking initial position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Inventors: MICHAEL GEISSHÜSLER, ASTRID SONNENMOSER, FARUK OSMANBASIC, ADRIAN STEINER, CHRISTIAN STUDER, JULIAN STÄHLI, VOLKER ZAPF, URS CAMENZIND
  • Publication number: 20220356044
    Abstract: A safety brake includes a first brake element, a first guide element, and an actuating element. The first brake element is mounted in a displaceable manner in a linear bearing on the first guide element. The first guide element can be moved between a rest position and a braking initial position. The actuating element is designed to move the first guide element from the rest position into the braking initial position, more particularly to activate the safety brake. The first brake element can carry out a braking movement from the braking initial position into a braking position. The braking movement returns the first guide element to the rest position. The first guide element is guided on a first parallelogram guide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Publication date: November 10, 2022
    Inventors: MICHAEL GEISSHÜSLER, FARUK OSMANBASIC, ADRIAN STEINER, JULIAN STÄHLI, VOLKER ZAPF
  • Publication number: 20220219944
    Abstract: A roller for an elevator system has a roller body made of a metal material and a shell made of a POM material forming a running surface of the elevator roller. The shell and the roller body each have a wave profile running in a circumferential direction on a shared contact surface, wherein the shell has, on the running surface, a V-ribbed profile aligned with the wave profile of the roller body that has a rib spacing which substantially corresponds to a wave spacing of the wave profile. The elevator roller is manufactured using a molding process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Inventors: Florian Dold, Gian-Reto Petruzzi, Volker Zapf