Having Specific Guide Shoe Patents (Class 187/409)
  • Patent number: 11970367
    Abstract: An elevator system includes a guide rail, an elevator car, a safety brake actuator and a safety brake. The safety brake actuator and the safety brake are mounted to the elevator car to move along the guide rail with the elevator car in use. The safety brake actuator includes an actuation mechanism configured in use to actuate the engagement of the safety brake against the guide rail. The safety brake actuator also includes a proximal surface, the safety brake actuator is mounted adjacent to the guide rail with the proximal surface facing the guide rail and spaced from the guide rail to define a clearance gap between the guide rail and the proximal surface of the safety brake actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Manuel García Canales, Jesus Santiago Cañizares
  • Patent number: 11407615
    Abstract: An elevator guide having a bracket and a hub moveable relative to the bracket. A face arm and opposing side arms are connected to a cylindrical portion of the hub each having at least one guide member (e.g., wheel) or a gib assembly connected to the cylindrical portion of the hub. A self-centering hub spring is preferably provided. An adjustable hub spring force adjustment member for independently varying the spring force of the hub spring and an adjustable stop for independently adjusting the distance the hub can move away from an elevator rail are provided. The hub preferably includes one or more lubricant receiving members configured to enhance distribution of a lubricant. One or more components of the guide include one or more initial set-up markings that readily allow a user to position one or more components in an optimal set-up position to significantly reduce assembly time. The hub and hub spring are preferably configured to prevent the hub spring from falling out of the hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: ELEVATOR SAFETY COMPANY
    Inventors: Andrew James Laughton, Jeffrey Lachica Geroso, Tyler Stine, Douglas Hamilton, III, Antonio Alexander Witt
  • Patent number: 11214374
    Abstract: Aircraft, vibration isolation assemblies, and methods of assembling vibration isolation assemblies are provided. An aircraft includes a vibration isolation assembly. The vibration isolation assembly includes a mounting track, a plate, a clamp block, a vibration isolator, and a support fitting. The mounting track defines a cavity and includes flanges that define an opening to the cavity. The plate is configured to be positioned on the flanges outside of the cavity. The clamp block is configured to be fastened to the plate under the flanges of the mounting track within the cavity. The vibration isolator is configured to be laterally constrained by the clamp block within the cavity. The support fitting is configured to be secured to the vibration isolator outside of the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Lucas, Kristopher P. Lynch, Benjamin Frank Wilson, Jeffrey Jonas
  • Patent number: 11214464
    Abstract: An elevator car of an elevator system includes a car body, and a car frame supportive of the car body. The car frame includes two or more opposing upright assemblies, a crosshead assembly located above the car body, and a plank assembly located below the car body. A plurality of seismic retainers are located at each of the upright assemblies. The plurality of seismic retainers are configured for a non-contact relationship with a guide rail of the elevator system during normal operation of the elevator system, and configured to react guide rail loads during a sway event via contact with the guide rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Richard J. Ericson, Bruce P. Swaybill, Meghan Mastriano, Loi Cheng
  • Patent number: 10427911
    Abstract: A damper unit for an elevator for reducing vertical vibrations of an elevator car of the elevator during a standstill includes a stamp-like acting element that acts on an end-face guide surface of a guide rail. The acting element is spaced from the guide rail in an idle position and can be connected slip-free to the guide rail by an eccentric drive in an active position. Force transmitting elements containing a shock damper for damping the motions of the elevator car during a standstill of the car adjoin the acting element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: INVENTIO AG
    Inventors: Stephan Hess, Hubert Steiner
  • Patent number: 10336577
    Abstract: An elevator system including a hoistway, an elevator car disposed in the hoistway, the elevator car including a first braking device configured to engage a first braking surface in a first direction in the event of a guidance occurrence, and a second braking device configured to engage a second braking surface in a second direction in the event of the guidance occurrence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Tadeusz Pawel Witczak, Zbigniew Piech
  • Patent number: 10207897
    Abstract: A sliding guide shoe for an elevator includes a two-part insert that can be inserted into a guide shoe housing for guiding an elevator car along a guide rail. The insert has a carrier element with a recess which is designed as a receiving pocket for receiving a sliding element so that the sliding element can be introduced into the carrier element in a longitudinal direction and then latched in the carrier element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: INVENTIO AG
    Inventors: Stephan Hess, Hubert Steiner
  • Patent number: 9981828
    Abstract: A guide device is operable to be connected to a hoisted object to aid in guiding the hoisted object relative to a guide member. The guide device includes a shoe, a gib, and a wear detector. The shoe is operable to be connected to the hoisted object. The gib is operable to be connected to the shoe. The gib is operable to contact the guide member when the hoisted object is moved relative to the guide member. The gib is operable to experience an amount of wear as a result of the contact between the gib and the guide member. The wear detector is disposed relative to the gib and the guide member. The wear detector is operable to detect when the amount of wear experienced by the gib reaches a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Eric Vaunois, Bruno Quaretti
  • Patent number: 9725281
    Abstract: An exemplary vertically moveable elevator system component includes a top portion, a bottom portion and a plurality of vertically oriented side portions between the top and bottom portions. At least one of the side portions includes a roller guide support sheet. A first roller guide roller is supported by the sheet such that the first roller is at least partially disposed on a first side of the sheet and an axis of the first roller is generally parallel with the sheet. Second and third rollers are supported by the sheet such that the second and third rollers are on a second, oppositely facing side of the sheet. An axis of each of the second and third rollers is generally perpendicular to the axis of the first roller. The axis of each of the second and third roller remains in a fixed position relative to the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Richard N. Fargo, John T. Pitts, James L. Hubbard
  • Patent number: 9546075
    Abstract: A sliding guide shoe includes at least a body part, which includes at least a slide pad space for a slide pad as well as at least one fixing part for fixing the sliding guide shoe to its base. The body part is essentially the same in its cross-sectional profile throughout its whole length. An elevator is also provided with the sliding guide shoe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: KONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Heidi Sederholm, Matti Räsänen, Osmo Björni, Raimo Pelto-Huikko, Jussi Salminen, Veijo Manninen
  • Patent number: 9540215
    Abstract: Gliding means are attached to a side frame of the car sling, said gliding means comprising a gliding part supported through elasticity means on a frame part. The side frame is positioned on a guide rail in an elevator shaft so that the gliding part of the gliding means sets on the guide rail. The gliding means is provided with an installation jig comprising a first branch positioned between the gliding part and the guide rail, and a second branch positioned in an open space between the frame part and the gliding part for bypassing the elasticity means. The installation jig is removed when the installation of the car sling and the car has been completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Giovanni Hawkins, Mikko Vesterinen
  • Patent number: 9493325
    Abstract: A sliding guide shoe for an elevator for conveying persons or goods includes a guide shoe housing and a two-part insert, which insert is inserted in the guide shoe housing for guiding an elevator car along a guide rail extending in a longitudinal direction. The insert includes a slide element connected with a support element and removable laterally from the sliding guide shoe in the longitudinal direction. The slide element is insertable into or removable from the support element only from one longitudinal side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventors: Hans Kocher, Hubert Steiner, Stephan Hess
  • Patent number: 8955649
    Abstract: An elevator according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a guide rail installed in an elevator hoist way in a vertical direction, an elevator car that ascends and descends along the guide rail, an elevator guide device, and a cleaning jig for an elevator guide device. The elevator guide device is fixed to the elevator car, and guides the running elevator car along the guide rail without bringing the elevator car into contact with the guide rail while a predetermined clearance is maintained with the guide rail using magnetic force generated by a magnet guide unit. The cleaning jig for an elevator guide device is installed on the guide rail to come into contact with a magnetic pole of the magnetic guide unit to remove a foreign matter attached to a surface thereof when the elevator car passes the cleaning jig for an elevator guide device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Toshiba Elevator Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Makoto Yokobayashi
  • Publication number: 20140339025
    Abstract: A guide/damper arrangement for an elevator has a sliding guide shoe, which can be moved along on a guide rail and for guiding an elevator car, and a damper unit, for reducing vertical oscillations of the elevator car during standstill, and the two form a structural unit. The damper unit and the guide shoe are fastened on a common carrier, wherein the carrier is fastened on the elevator car. The damper unit is integrated in the guide shoe wherein a sliding surface, which is assigned to a guide surface of the guide rail and belongs to the sliding guide shoe, has arranged in it at least one damping region which is separate from the sliding surface, is configured as a braking surface and can be pressed against the guide rail with the aid of a control device in order to reduce the vertical oscillations of the car.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Inventor: Hans Kocher
  • Patent number: 8684143
    Abstract: An elevator system has at least one common pair of guide rails for guide shoes of an elevator car, running along the common pair of guide rails, and for guiding elements of a counterweight, running along the same pair of guide rails. The guide shoes of the elevator car follow a straight trajectory and the guiding elements of the counterweight are deflectable by at least one deflecting element within a crossing region for the elevator car and the counterweight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventor: Eric Rossignol
  • Patent number: 8657076
    Abstract: An elevator car sliding guide includes a shoe configured to slide on one or more rails, a first bracket connected to the shoe, a second bracket for connecting to a car assembly, and a plurality of elongated elastomeric members arranged generally from a first end of the sliding guide to a second end of the sliding guide and connected between the first bracket and the second bracket. The shoe and the first bracket are substantially surrounded on three sides by the second bracket. Each of the plurality of elongated elastomeric members is configured for deflection under loads of increasing magnitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventor: Bruce F. Beaudry
  • Patent number: 8528702
    Abstract: A lift cage includes a platform having a plurality of platform sections. The cage includes a front-sided and a rear-sided platform section arranged on a central platform section. The platform sections have connection points which are arranged on parallel, vertical planes, whereon the platform sections can be connected together by connection elements. In order to provide additional stabilization for the cage platform, stable platform edge profiles are connected to the uppersides of all platform sections. Subsystems of the lift cage can be premounted in the platform sections. A method for installing a lift wherein a cage platform is prepared in at least two separate platform sections, and the platform sections of the cage platform, which are delivered separately, are connected together by connection elements during installation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventor: Julien Maury
  • Patent number: 8499896
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system for limiting horizontal movements in a lift for humans or equipment in eg. a wind turbine tower or the like. The lift is to be provided with one or more sliding devices which, during the movement of the lift, guide(s) the lift by cooperating with a cable or the like. The system further includes a securing device for direct or indirect anchoring of the cable to the wind turbine tower. The sliding device and the securing device include tubular units that are adapted to each other to the effect that the tubular unit of the securing device is able to slide within the tubular unit of the sliding device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: AIP APS
    Inventor: Soren Midtgaard
  • Publication number: 20130126278
    Abstract: A sliding guide shoe includes at least a body part, which includes at least a slide pad space for a slide pad as well as at least one fixing part for fixing the sliding guide shoe to its base. The body part is essentially the same in its cross-sectional profile throughout its whole length. An elevator is also provided with the sliding guide shoe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2013
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicant: KONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: KONE Corporation
  • Publication number: 20130098714
    Abstract: A sliding guide shoe for an elevator for conveying persons or goods includes a guide shoe housing and a two-part insert, which insert is inserted in the guide shoe housing for guiding an elevator car along a guide rail extending in a longitudinal direction. The insert includes a slide element connected with a support element and removable laterally from the sliding guide shoe in the longitudinal direction. The slide element is insertable into or removable from the support element only from one longitudinal side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2012
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Applicant: INVENTIO AG
    Inventor: INVENTIO AG
  • Patent number: 8317160
    Abstract: A restraint device is disclosed that limits the movement of the cable or rope relative to the traction, thus reducing or eliminating the popping noise associated with the cable or rope snapping back against the traction sheave. In one embodiment, the restraint device comprises a molded component that is fitted to encompass the region of the sheave where separation of the wire rope from the sheave is most likely to occur. The restraint device may be mounted so that it is removable and replaceable with minimal dismantling of the hoist containing the sheave. The restraint device may be reversible so that one restraint device may by used for at least two cycles before being replaced. Indication of the need for replacement may be provided by including a second color material at the depth where wear reaches the allowable limit, thereby providing a visual signal to initiate replacement as seen during service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Safeworks, LLC
    Inventors: David Arevalo Romo, Christopher Gavin Brickell, John Jerome Haigh
  • Patent number: 8251186
    Abstract: A method and an adapter kit for fastening a first elevator component to a second elevator component. The kit comprises a first bracket having two opposing walls interconnected by a web configured for attachment to the first component wherein a slot extending parallel to the web is provided in each of the opposing walls. A second and a third bracket is provided each having two opposing walls interconnected by a web wherein a slot is provided in the web extending between the two opposing walls. The second and third brackets are mountable to the second component by their respective slots. The first bracket is mountable to the second and third brackets by the slots in its opposing walls when the first bracket is positioned such that its opposing walls lie adjacent to the opposing walls of the second and third brackets, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventors: Robert L. Webster, Alessandro Cercone, Danny William Girgis
  • Patent number: 8240973
    Abstract: A palletizing robot includes at least one rotatable pallet; a crane comprising a rotary base, a lifting frame fixed on the rotary base, and an extensible mechanical hand slidably engaged to the lifting frame to grasp a good; and a controller. The controller controls the crane and the at least one rotatable pallet to cooperatively stack the goods on the rotatable pallet, and control the at least one rotatable pallet to rotate itself to package the stacked goods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Xiao-Ming Xu, Hua Li, Xi-Song Shuai
  • Publication number: 20120043167
    Abstract: An elevator according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a guide rail installed in an elevator hoist way in a vertical direction, an elevator car that ascends and descends slang the guide rail, an elevator guide device, and a cleaning jig for an elevator guide device. The elevator guide device is fixed to the elevator car, and guides the running elevator car along the guide rail without bringing the elevator car into contact with the guide rail while a predetermined clearance is maintained with the guide rail using magnetic force generated by a magnet guide unit. The cleaning jig for an elevator guide device is installed on the guide rail to come into contact with a magnetic pole of the magnetic guide unit to remove a foreign matter attached to a surface thereof when the elevator car passes the cleaning jig for an elevator guide device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2011
    Publication date: February 23, 2012
    Inventor: Makoto YOKOBAYASHI
  • Patent number: 8091686
    Abstract: A signal correction arithmetic unit is provided in a control apparatus to control a magnetic force of a magnetic guide unit. The signal correction arithmetic unit differentiates detection signals of two gap sensors, and integrates and outputs a differential signal with a smallest absolute value. The output signal is used for magnetic control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Toshiba Elevator Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroaki Ito
  • Patent number: 8069959
    Abstract: An elevator includes a car follower associated with each of a pair of guide rails, and carrying electromagnets which are spaced from electromagnets on an elevator car. The electromagnets on the car and car follower create a repulsive force tending to center the car between the car follower electromagnets associated with the two guide rails. Preferably, the car follower electromagnets are interconnected into a single car follower such that they move together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Jae-Hyuk Oh, Pei-Yuan Peng, Howard Winston, Alan Finn
  • Patent number: 8002086
    Abstract: A magnetic guide apparatus includes at least two gap sensors which are disposed with a predetermined interval in a direction of movement of a moving body, and detect a gap between a magnet unit and a guide rail, a signal correction unit which determines variation amounts of detection signals which are output from the gap sensors, relatively varies weight coefficients for the respective detection signals on the basis of the variation amounts, and outputs, as a signal for magnetic control, a signal which is obtained by adding the detection signals which are multiplied by the weight coefficients, and a control unit which controls the magnetic force of the magnet unit on the basis of the signal for magnetic control, which is output from the signal correction unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Toshiba Elevator Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroaki Ito
  • Publication number: 20110162914
    Abstract: A magnet unit includes a first magnetic pole (7a), a second magnetic pole (7b) and a third magnetic pole (7c) at a center between the first magnetic pole (7a) and the second magnetic pole (7b), providing an E-shaped configuration. In the magnet unit, a first magnet is defined between the first magnetic pole (7a) and the third magnetic pole (7c) by connecting two electromagnets (71aa, 73aa) with each other through a permanent magnet (72a), while a second magnet is defined between the second magnetic pole (7b) and the third magnetic pole (7c) by connecting two electromagnets (71ba, 73ba) with each other through a permanent magnet (72b). With this configuration, it is possible to reduce a deviation in the length of respective magnetic paths from the permanent magnets (72a, 72b) up to their respective magnetic poles. By controlling exciting currents to the respective electromagnets (71aa, 73aa, 71ba, 73ba), it is also possible to adjust fluxes (or flux density) in respective directions x, y individually.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Publication date: July 7, 2011
    Inventors: Hiroaki Ito, Mimpei Morishita, Yosuke Tonami
  • Patent number: 7929268
    Abstract: An exciting voltage arithmetic portion calculates an exciting voltage of an electromagnet using a signal of a gap sensor. On the other hand, a sensorless exciting voltage arithmetic portion calculates an exciting voltage of the electromagnet using a signal of the current sensor. The exciting voltage adjusting portion adjusts a mixing ratio between an output value of an exciting voltage arithmetic portion and an output value of the sensorless exciting voltage arithmetic portion corresponding to a gap length. The excitation of the electromagnet is controlled according to an output value of the exciting voltage adjusting portion so as to reduce influences of noises on the gap sensors thereby always achieving a stable levitation control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Toshiba Elevator Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Mimpei Morishita
  • Patent number: 7841451
    Abstract: In an elevator including a guide apparatus which levitates the car from a guide rail by an effect of magnetic force and non-contactly runs and guides the car, the guide apparatus is controlled in a manner to generate magnetic force with respect to at least two of movement axes of the car. In this case, control is executed with respect to only some of the movement axes at a time of start of guide, and then control is executed with respect to the other movement axes after passing of a predetermined time from the start of the guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Toshiba Elevator Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroaki Ito
  • Patent number: 7823707
    Abstract: A guide device for an elevator car has a guide shoe that is displaceable by a linear guide that is arranged on the elevator car. Should the elevator car in an extreme situation travel beyond the uppermost floor, the guide shoe is arrested by a projecting console, and the elevator car travels past the console. The linear guide permits the guide shoe to execute a movement relative to the elevator car. Thus, the elevator car, or parts thereof, utilizes the hoistway headroom that is provided for the drive unit or other hoistway equipment. The counterweight can be provided with the displaceable guide shoe for utilizing the hoistway pit in a similar manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventor: Bjarne Lindberg
  • Patent number: 7793760
    Abstract: An elevator includes guide rails laid in an elevator shaft vertically, an elevator car moving up and down along the guide rails, guiding units provided on the elevator car for guiding it, the guiding unit having a magnet unit including cores and coils forming electromagnets to generate a magnetic force against the guide rail through an air gap and a controller for controlling the magnetic force by maneuvering an exciting current for exciting the electromagnets. The controller controls the magnetic force so as to make the guiding units in non-contact with the guide rails when the elevator car is traveling and brings the guiding units into contact with the guide rails when the elevator car is stopped, so that the guiding units attract and fix the guide rails while the elevator car is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Toshiba Elevator Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroaki Ito, Mimpei Morishita
  • Publication number: 20100089707
    Abstract: An elevator system (10) includes at least one non-contacting permanent magnet coupling (22) arranged between two elevator system components (14, 18).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2007
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicant: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventor: Minglun Qiu
  • Publication number: 20100065382
    Abstract: An elevator car sliding guide includes a shoe configured to slide on one or more rails, a first bracket connected to the shoe, a second bracket for connecting to a car assembly, and a plurality of elongated elastomeric members arranged generally from a first end of the sliding guide to a second end of the sliding guide and connected between the first bracket and the second bracket. The shoe and the first bracket are substantially surrounded on three sides by the second bracket. Each of the plurality of elongated elastomeric members is configured for deflection under loads of increasing magnitude.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2007
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Applicant: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventor: Bruce F. Beaudry
  • Publication number: 20100018811
    Abstract: An elevator car assembly (10) comprises at least one runner (40) for engaging a wall (34) of a hoistway (30) such that the car assembly (10) may move within the hoistway (30) with the runner (40) in contact with the hoistway wall (30). The runner is preferably a wheel (40). The wheel (40) counteracts turning moments generated due to an offset between a suspension point of the car assembly (10) and its centre of gravity. Wheels (40) are preferably provided at a lower part of one side of the car assembly and at an upper part of an opposite side of the car assembly (10).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2006
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Inventors: Davide Vaudo, Carlo Mezzadri
  • Publication number: 20090308697
    Abstract: An active guiding and balance system that retains the active control of an elevator system in the presence of displacement. This active control may be maintained via the use of an actuator that tailors Lorentz force relative to the level of displacement along a non-linear continuum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2009
    Publication date: December 17, 2009
    Inventors: Fernando Boschin, Joao Paulo Da Costa Brusque, Marcelo De Fraga Carvalho, Leoci Rudi Galle, Rory S. Smith
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20090173583
    Abstract: A signal correction arithmetic unit is provided in a control apparatus to control a magnetic force of a magnetic guide unit. The signal correction arithmetic unit differentiates detection signals of two gap sensors, and integrates and outputs a differential signal with a smallest absolute value. The output signal is used for magnetic control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2008
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Inventor: Hiroaki ITO
  • Patent number: 7523810
    Abstract: The invention relates to an Elevator car (3) guiding device for an elevator without a machine room and with a drive motor (5) mounted on a top side wall of the shaft, wherein the elevator car (3) is guided by means of opposed top and bottom guide elements (9) integral therewith and sliding or rolling on car guide rails (11), characterized in that at least the top car guide element (9) standing in the vertical projection of the drive motor (5) or of the bracket thereof is attached to the car (3) at a lower height than the opposite guide element (9), so as to enable the translation of the car (3) in the shaft (7) at a higher height where the upper part (29) of the car can stand opposite the drive motor (5) or the bracket thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Jean-Noël Cloux, Thomas Coquerelle, Pascal Rebillard, Frédéric Beauchaud, Michel Beeuwsaert, Loïc Duchamp
  • Publication number: 20080314692
    Abstract: A portable raise climbing system is provided that comprises a starter box for interfacing with an existing raise climb track, a raise climber that is deployed by the system onto the existing track for normal raise excavation operations, and a transporter. The transporter is configured to carry the raise climber from site to site by interfacing with moving equipment. The moving equipment preferably includes a front hydraulic quick connect/disconnect lift system, e.g. front-end loader, forklift, plough, scooptram, etc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2008
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Inventor: Randy E. Grenon
  • Patent number: 7413057
    Abstract: The invention provides for a transport system and method of using the transport system. The transport system may include a transport track; and a platform assembly that transports along the transport track, the platform assembly including (1) a cargo platform; and (2) a pair of drive pinion trucks mounted on opposing sides of the cargo platform, each drive pinion truck engaged with the transport track for movement along the transport track. The drive pinion trucks may be provided with a leveling system to provide leveling of the cargo platform during operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products
    Inventors: Lloyd L. Ellison, Jr., Robert C. Hinkley, Kenneth A. Comeau
  • Patent number: 7314119
    Abstract: Equipment for reducing vibrations of a lift cage guided at rails comprises a plurality of guide elements for guiding the lift cage along the rails, a sensor for detecting positional changes of the lift cage and/or of accelerations occurring at the lift cage, an actuator arranged between the lift cage and the guide elements and a regulating device which, on the basis of the values transmitted by the sensor, controls the actuator for changing the position of the cage relative to the rails. The regulating device has an amplification which is variable in dependence on the vertical speed of the lift cage. The amplification of the regulating device is continuously raised after activation of the regulating device and continuously lowered after switching-off of the regulating device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventors: Josef Husmann, Elena Cortona
  • Patent number: 7314118
    Abstract: An improved equipment and method for reducing vibrations of a lift cage is intended for use in lifts of the type having a lift cage is intended for use in lifts of the type having a lift cage guided along rails in which a sensor for detecting positional changes of the lift cage and/or lift cage accelerations is coupled to a regulator which in turn controls an actuator for changing the position of the lift cage relative to the rails. An output signal developed by the regulator is limited to a maximum value for the setting signal to be sent to the actuator. A difference between the regulator output and the limited output is computed and fed to the regulator as an additional input. The regulator is constructed in such a manner that the difference fed back to the regulator remains as small as possible. This improves response of the vibration inducing equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventors: Josef Husmann, Elena Cortona
  • Patent number: 7258204
    Abstract: A guide device guides a load carrier of an elevator installation along a guide surface and comprises a guide element contacting the guide surface and connected by a connecting element with the load carrier such that the guide element is movable relative to the load carrier in a first and/or a second positional range. The connecting element comprises first and second resilient elements in a serial arrangement, wherein movement of the guide element in the first range deforms both resilient elements and movement of the guide element in the second range exclusively deforms the second resilient element. The overall stiffness of the connecting element is a function of the respective position of the guide element. Stiffness of the second resilient element increases during compression in the second range, wherein the overall stiffness is substantially constant at a transition between the first and the second ranges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventor: Yvan Kurzo
  • Patent number: 7168526
    Abstract: This patent relates to a machine for transporting people and cargo with three-dimensional and infinite movement along properly positioned rails. The main application is for transporting people between two points with different coordinates, for example between one floor of one building and another floor of another building, kilometres away. It is composed essentially of: a set of wheels (1 and 2) that roll on the rails (8 and 9); a cabinet (7) where the people and cargo are transported; a chassis that connects the wheels to a “T” beam (10); this “T” beam (10) connects the chassis to the cabinet (7); electrical engines that move the wheels. The set of parts allows the cabinet to have a non-straight, three-dimensional and infinite movement, the cabinet always being in the vertical position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Inventor: Vasco Alexandre De Sousa Marreiros Alves
  • Patent number: 6991069
    Abstract: A cable elevator includes a car which travels on first parallel guides and a counterweight which travels on second parallel guides, the guides being located in a respective first and second parallel planes. Drive machinery is arranged on an engine mount between the guides, the first guides extending upward past the mount, the second guides ending at the mount. Laterally spaced lower guide elements and laterally spaced upper guide elements are fixed to the car and engage the first guides. A support cable is fixed to the underside of the car so that the car can pass the drive machinery vertically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventor: Ernst Ach
  • Publication number: 20040251089
    Abstract: A guide device guides a load carrier of an elevator installation along a guide surface and comprises a guide element contacting the guide surface and connected by a connecting element with the load carrier such that the guide element is movable relative to the load carrier in a first and/or a second positional range. The connecting element comprises first and second resilient elements in a serial arrangement, wherein movement of the guide element in the first range deforms both resilient elements and movement of the guide element in the second range exclusively deforms the second resilient element. The overall stiffness of the connecting element is a function of the respective position of the guide element. Stiffness of the second resilient element increases during compression in the second range, wherein the overall stiffness is substantially constant at a transition between the first and the second ranges.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2004
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Inventor: Yvan Kurzo
  • Patent number: 6786304
    Abstract: A guide device for an elevator in which a pair of corresponding actuators are controlled by controllers in accordance with information from acceleration sensors, and the force with which guide members are pressed against guide rails is adjusted. Each controller includes a current amplification device and diodes. The diodes selectively output signals from the current amplification device to the pair of actuators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Utsunomiya, Kenichi Okamoto, Takashi Yumura
  • Patent number: 6676233
    Abstract: A storage lift includes two vertically extending tracks mounted to a wall surface such as a garage wall. The tracks guide associated sliding members through vertical motion up and down adjacent the wall. The sliding members are in turn hinged to a platform that serves in alternative embodiments as a storage platform base or a variable-height work surface, and which may also be folded compactly when not in use or during shipping. A full box framework is provided for most applications, and panels are slidable within framework grooves or brackets to fully enclose the platform. A cover may optionally be provided as required. In the preferred embodiment, an electric motor is provided within the storage platform base for motive power, and a key switch control is provided to safely actuate the motor. The electric motor in the preferred embodiment is attached to the tracks through a combination of cables and pulleys, though other techniques are contemplated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Inventors: Paul E. Evans, John S. Titus
  • Patent number: 6510925
    Abstract: Elevator guide shoe for guiding an elevator car along guide rails in an elevator shaft, said guide shoe comprising a supporting frame (2) attached to the elevator car (1) and guides (4) resting against a guide rail (3). According to the invention, the guide shoe comprises an intermediate frame (5), to which the guides (4) are attached. In addition, the supporting frame (2) and the intermediate frame (5) are provided with permanent magnet bars (6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b) arranged to maintain a horizontal distance between the supporting frame and the intermediate frame. Moreover, the guide shoe comprises vertical suspension (9) between the supporting frame and the intermediate frame to damp the propagation of sound in the structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2003
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventor: Johannes De Jong