Includes Linking Support Cable (e.g., Rope, Chain) In Drive-means Patents (Class 187/251)
  • Patent number: 11230440
    Abstract: An unloading device includes a loading assembly, an unloading assembly, and an alignment assembly. The loading assembly includes a loading rack and a loading tray. The unloading assembly includes a conveyor belt and a movable rod. The movable rod pushes the loading tray toward the conveyor belt. The alignment assembly includes a sensing member, a processor, and a driving member. The sensing member senses a first distance between different positions of the loading tray and the sensing member. A second distance is defined between the sensing member and the loading rack. The processor calculates a position deviation of the loading tray relative to the conveyor belt and controls the driving member to drive the loading rack to move to compensate for the position deviation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: TRIPLE WIN TECHNOLOGY (SHENZHEN) CO. LTD.
    Inventor: Cong Zhu
  • Patent number: 11130656
    Abstract: An elevator installation wherein damage to a support for an elevator car and a counterweight, in particular damage to a sheath of the support, advantageously can be detected. At the elevator installation, a housing at least partially extending around the support, for example at a deflecting roller arrangement. A surface of the housing facing the support is electrically conductive and is electrically grounded. If the support or a wire coming out of the damaged support comes in contact with the housing, an electrical ground fault results. The ground fault can be detected by a security monitoring unit by monitoring a current flowing through the wires of the support, and the damage to the support can thus be inferred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: INVENTIO AG
    Inventors: Florian Dold, Volker Zapf
  • Patent number: 11059699
    Abstract: An elevator sheave assembly with independently rotating sheaves includes a shaft having a longitudinal axis and a plurality of sheave subassemblies independently rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the shaft. Each of the plurality of sheave subassemblies includes a sheave having a running surface configured for frictional tractive engagement with a tension member, and at least one bearing rotatably connecting the sheave to the shaft. The elevator sheave assembly further includes a bearing spacer arranged between adjacent sheave subassemblies of the plurality of sheave subassemblies on the shaft to isolate rotation of the adjacent sheave subassemblies relative to one another. Each of the plurality of sheave subassemblies is independently rotatable such that the tension member associated with each of the plurality of sheave subassemblies operates on its own independently rotating sheave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: TK Elevator Innovation and Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Jeffrey Duvall, William Delk, Justin Morse
  • Patent number: 11014782
    Abstract: An elevator system includes one or more elevator cars configured to travel along a hoistway. One or more rails extend along the hoistway and are operably connected to the one or more elevator cars to guide the one or more elevator cars along the hoistway. Each rail of the one or more rails includes a plurality of rail segments arranged end to end. Each rail segment is affixed to a hoistway wall to transfer vertical loads from the rail segment to the hoistway wall. Each rail segment is secured to the hoistway wall via a plurality of rail support brackets. The vertical loads are transferred from the rail segment to the hoistway wall via at least one rail support bracket of the plurality of rail support brackets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Richard N. Fargo, Walter Schmidt
  • Patent number: 10894696
    Abstract: A belt for an elevator system including a plurality of tension members arranged along a belt width and a jacket material at least partially encapsulating the plurality of tension members defining a traction surface interactive with a traction sheave of an elevator system and a back surface opposite the traction surface. The back surface includes a belt guide feature extending along a belt length and interactive with a complimentary guide sheave feature of a guide sheave of the elevator system to orient the belt to a selected location during operation of the elevator system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Brad Guilani, Richard N. Fargo, Daniel A. Mosher
  • Patent number: 10865070
    Abstract: A belt-shaped rope of a hoisting device, the rope being substantially larger in its width-direction than thickness-direction, and comprising two or more load bearing members; a coating forming an outer surface of the rope, in which coating the two or more load bearing members are embedded, wherein the two or more load bearing members are oriented to extend parallel with longitudinal direction of the rope adjacent each other in width direction of the rope such that a gap is formed in width direction between load bearing members next to each other, the coating extending into the gap. The coating comprises a first coating portion between load bearing members next to each other, and a second coating portion forming an outer side of the rope facing in thickness direction of the rope, and in that the material of the first coating portion is substantially harder than the material of the second coating portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventor: Juha Helenius
  • Patent number: 10745238
    Abstract: An elevator power distribution system includes an elevator car (114; 214; 314; 414; 514) configured to travel in a lane (113, 115, 117; 213; 313, 315, 317; 413, 415, 417; 513, 515, 517) of an elevator shaft (111) and a linear propulsion system configured to impart force to the elevator car. The linear propulsion system includes a first portion (216), mounted in the lane and a second portion (218) mounted to the elevator car configured to coact with the first portion (216) to impart movement to the elevator car.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Shashank Krishnamurthy, Daryl J. Marvin, Luis Arnedo
  • Patent number: 10703603
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: THYSSENKRUPP ELEVATOR AG
    Inventors: Qinghua Zheng, Florian Dignath, Erhard Lampersberger, Thomas Beck
  • Patent number: 10556775
    Abstract: A belt for suspending and/or driving an elevator car includes a plurality of tension elements extending longitudinally along a length of the belt, and a jacket at least partially encapsulating the plurality of tension elements. The jacket defines a traction surface of the belt configured to be interactive with a drive sheave and a back surface opposite the traction surface. The jacket is formed from a first material. One or more material strips are located at one or more of the traction surface or the back surface to improve one or more operational characteristics of the belt. The one or more material strips formed from a second material different from the first material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: John P. Wesson, Daniel A. Mosher, Scott Alan Eastman
  • Patent number: 10329121
    Abstract: A belt and a method for manufacturing a belt is provided. The belt includes a plurality of lengthwise-extending tension members and a jacket. The jacket substantially retains the plurality of tension members. The jacket has a first side region, a second side region, and a center region between the first and second side regions. The first and second side regions of the jacket are more fire retardant than the center region of the jacket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Mark F. Orelup, Brad Guilani, Kathryn Rauss Sherrick, Amir Lotfi, Hong Yang
  • Patent number: 10315886
    Abstract: An elevator system including a hoistway, an elevator component disposed in the hoistway, a power generating device disposed within the hoistway and operably coupled to the elevator component, wherein the power generating device is configured to generate power when the elevator component is in motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventor: Guohong Hu
  • Patent number: 10215160
    Abstract: Aspects of the present invention provide an approach for controlling energy generation by an airflow originating from a moving elevator cabin. Wing pressure pads are positioned outside the elevator cabin extending to walls of the elevator shaft for preventing an airflow in the elevator shaft from above the elevator cabin to an area in the shaft below the elevator cabin. The elevator shaft is pressure-tight, and the elevator shaft has, at one end of the elevator shaft, an air conduit in which a first power generator stage having a propeller-driven electrical power generator is positioned. The method further intercepts a floor selection for the cabin and disables the power generators if a floor difference from a current position of the elevator cabin to a target position of the elevator cabin is below a predefined threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Giuseppe Ciano, Gianluca Della Corte, Giuseppe Longobardi, Antonio M. Sgro
  • Patent number: 10160620
    Abstract: A load bearing member is provided including at least one load bearing segment having a plurality of load carrying fibers arranged within a matrix material. At least a portion of the load bearing member has a radius of curvature when the load bearing member is untensioned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Daniel A. Mosher, Richard N. Fargo, John P. Wesson
  • Patent number: 10138091
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to an elevator system having a hoistway, an elevator car to travel in the hoistway, a first motor portion mounted to one of the elevator car and the hoistway, the first motor portion having at least one coil, a second motor portion mounted to the other of the elevator car and the hoistway, the second motor portion having at least one permanent magnet, and a gap between the first motor portion and the second motor portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Walter Thomas Schmidt, Enrico Manes, Beata I. Wawrzyniak, Thomas M. Yun, Shihemn Chen, Jagadeesh Tangudu
  • Patent number: 10106375
    Abstract: A Split Vacuum Elevator System has a channel connecting a vacuum elevator cylinder or thoroughfare to an electric equipment housing having motors and valves for the operation thereof. The channel is attached at a top of the elevator thoroughfare through a raised protrusion (or more raised protrusions if there are more then one channel) in a sealing plate that is itself attached to the support structure of the thoroughfare. The other side of the channel is connected to an air buffer known as a collector. This collector has one or more protrusions to connect to one or more channels. A raised lip on the collector facilitates the attachment of the housing thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Inventors: Carlos M. Ascua, Juan Carlos de Ledebur
  • Patent number: 9957135
    Abstract: An elevator includes an elevator car, a counterweight and suspension roping, which connects the elevator car and counterweight to each other, and which suspension roping includes one or more ropes, which include a load-bearing composite part, which includes reinforcing fibers in a polymer matrix. The elevator car and the counterweight are arranged to be moved by exerting a vertical force on at least the elevator car or on the counterweight. The elevator includes a device separate from the suspension roping for exerting the force on at least the elevator car or on the counterweight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: KONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Pentti Alasentie, Johannes De Jong
  • Patent number: 9850095
    Abstract: Provided is an electricity generating elevator, which includes a cage installed in a shaft formed in a building in order to carry passengers or loads, a drive unit vertically moving the cage along the shaft, and an electricity generation unit including a coil section installed on the cage and a magnetic force generator that is installed in the shaft so as to face the coil section and provides a magnetic force to the coil section so as to generate an induced electromotive force according to a change in a position of the coil section while the cage moves up and down. Thereby, the electricity generating elevator includes the coil section attached to the cage and the magnetic force generator arranged in the shaft at a position facing the coil section, so that electric energy can be produced by the coil section according to a change in a position of the cage while the cage vertically reciprocates in the shaft, and the produced electric energy can be used as a power source for vertically moving the cage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Inventor: Hyeon Cheol Moon
  • Patent number: 9670035
    Abstract: A belt and a method for manufacturing a belt is provided. The belt includes a plurality of lengthwise-extending tension members and a jacket. The jacket substantially retains the plurality of tension members. The jacket has a first side region, a second side region, and a center region between the first and second side regions. The first and second side regions of the jacket are more fire retardant than the center region of the jacket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Mark F. Orelup, Brad Guilani, Kathryn Rauss Sherrick, Amir Lotfi, Hong Yang
  • Patent number: 9487377
    Abstract: An elevator installation is proposed having at least one car which is vertically movable upwardly and downwardly by means of a linear motor, the linear motor having stationary primary parts and a secondary part which is fixed to the car. In order to improve the elevator installation in such a way that it can be installed in a simpler manner, the elevator installation has a multiplicity of support segments on which in each case at least one primary part is mounted, in each case a support segment in combination with the at least one primary part mounted thereon forming a prefabricated drive module which is adapted to be handled independently, and the drive modules being stackable one on top of the other and forming a travel path along which the at least one car is movable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: ThyssenKrupp Transrapid GmbH
    Inventors: Friedrich Loeser, Luipold Miller, Qinghua Zheng
  • Patent number: 9221653
    Abstract: A fire service elevator includes an elevator cage with a cage roof, wherein the elevator cage is at least partly supported and driven by at least one support device, wherein the elevator cage is looped under by the at least one support device, wherein the elevator cage has a protective element, which is arranged at least partly around the at least one support means and disposed substantially on the cage roof. The protective element screens the at least one support device relative to a central region of the cage roof so that extinguishing water falling onto the cage roof in the case of fire is substantially prevented from wetting the at least one support device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventors: Hanspeter Bloch, Roman Lenk, Reto Hugentobler
  • Publication number: 20150101888
    Abstract: A rope for a hoisting device, which rope is belt-shaped and includes several load bearing members spaced apart in the width direction of the belt-shaped rope and embedded in a common coating, each of the load bearing members including several load bearing strings twisted together. The load bearing strings are made of composite material including reinforcing fibers embedded in polymer matrix.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Applicant: KONE Corporation
    Inventor: Raimo PELTO-HUIKKO
  • Patent number: 8939261
    Abstract: A support element system, particularly for elevators, has at least one support element having two load-bearing tensile carriers which are arranged horizontally adjacent to one another and which are enclosed in a common elastomeric casing separating the two tensile carriers. The tensile carriers respectively have an opposite direction of wrap. The system has a drive pulley for transmission of a drive force to the at least one support element, wherein the drive pulley has a contoured traction surface with two support surfaces, which are provided for transmission of the drive force and which co-operate with the support element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventor: Claudio De Angelis
  • Patent number: 8915333
    Abstract: An elevator comprising a cabin (1), vertical guide elements (2, 3) for guiding said cabin, at least one suspension or support belt (4, 5), groups of pulleys associated to the guide elements and the cabin; each of said groups of pulleys is composed of at least two coplanar pulleys arranged on parallel axles and vertically one above the other; each of the groups of pulleys comprises pulleys having a diameter decreasing from a pulley of a maximum diameter to a pulley of a minimum diameter. Preferred embodiments of the belts having one or two concave or convex surfaces and internal reinforcing wires are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: KONE Corporation
    Inventor: Marco Hoerler
  • Publication number: 20140367205
    Abstract: A method in the manufacture of an elevator, in which is formed an elevator arrangement, which includes an elevator hoistway, at least one elevator unit to be moved in the elevator hoistway, said unit(s) including at least an elevator car, a movable supporting structure in the elevator hoistway above the elevator car, roping suspended from the supporting structure for supporting the aforementioned at least one elevator unit to be moved, in which method the following steps are performed: a) the elevator car is used to transport passengers and/or freight, after which b) the supporting structure is lifted in the elevator hoistway, after which c) the elevator car is used to transport passengers and/or freight. In the method, between steps a) and c), additionally a step x) is performed, in which the section of the roping is lifted, separately from the lifting of the supporting structure, higher up in the elevator hoistway.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Inventor: Jussi PERƄLƄ
  • Publication number: 20140318902
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a rope includes providing at least one pre-manufactured elongated load bearing member for the rope and at least one pre-manufactured elongated surface part for the rope, guiding together said at least one pre-manufactured elongated load bearing member and said at least one pre-manufactured elongated surface part such that their sides lean against each other, and fixing said at least one pre-manufactured elongated load bearing member and said at least one pre-manufactured elongated surface part to each other. A rope obtained with the method, and an elevator including the rope obtained with the method are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2014
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: KONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Raimo PELTO-HUIKKO, Petteri VALJUS, Pentti ALASENTIE
  • Patent number: 8863906
    Abstract: A counterweight and an elevator car are suspended on a set of hoisting ropes. The elevator comprises one or more rope pulleys provided with rope grooves, one of said pulleys being a traction sheave driven by a drive machine and moving the set of hoisting ropes. At least one of the rope pulleys has against the hoisting rope a coating adhesively bonded to the rope pulley and containing the rope grooves, said coating having an elasticity that is greater in the edge portions of the rope groove than at the bottom of the rope groove. In a preferred solution, the traction sheave is a rope pulley like this.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Jorma Mustalahti, Esko Aulanko
  • Publication number: 20140299419
    Abstract: The invention refers to an elevator comprising an elevator car and a suspension arrangement for suspending and/or moving an elevator car, which suspension arrangement comprises at least one suspension member, whereby at least one suspension member component is provided which component is to be applied to the suspension member for affecting the physical properties of the suspension member during the operation of the elevator. According to the invention the suspension member component applied to the suspension member comprises an component identifier which is an addition to the suspension member component which component identifier is configured to be identified visibly or via additional tools. The invention allows the unambiguous identification of the suspension member component and also the distribution of the component on the suspension member surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Inventors: Raimo PELTO-HUIKKO, Riku LAMPINEN, Heidi SEDERHOLM
  • Publication number: 20140246274
    Abstract: An elevator installation has at least one elevator car and at least one counterweight which are displaced in opposing directions along at least one guide track in an elevator shaft by a supporting and driving apparatus that is guided by a drive pulley of a drive. The supporting and driving apparatus is fastened directly to the elevator car eccentrically with respect to a center of gravity of the elevator car so that a tilting or load moment results thereby, wherein the tilting or load moment is compensated by a compensation device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2014
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Inventor: Ernst Ach
  • Publication number: 20140231180
    Abstract: An elevator system includes an elongated suspension member, a load-receiving part suspended on the suspension member, a counterweight suspended on the suspension member for supporting the load-receiving part, an elongated traction member for exerting a pulling force on the load-receiving part and on the counterweight, a drive unit, with which the load-receiving part is driven by pulling the traction member and also one or more guide rails, along the path of movement determined by which the load-receiving part is moved. The drive unit is disposed to the side of the path of movement of the load-receiving part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2014
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: KONE Corporation
    Inventors: Antti Kallioniemi, Antti Plathin
  • Publication number: 20140231179
    Abstract: An elevator arrangement, includes an elevator hoistway, an elevator car, which is arranged to travel in the elevator hoistway, a counterweight, a movable supporting platform above the elevator car, suspension roping, which is connected to the elevator car and to the counterweight, and supports them while suspended from the supporting platform, and a hoisting machine, which includes a device configured to move the roping. The elevator arrangement also includes a hoisting machine and traction roping that are separate from the supporting platform, which hoisting machine is in power transmission connection via the traction roping with the elevator car and with the counterweight.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2014
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: KONE Corporation
    Inventor: Pentti ALASENTIE
  • Publication number: 20140224591
    Abstract: An elevator arrangement for an elevator includes a hoisting machine and a maintenance panel. The hoisting machine is arranged in an elevator hoistway, and configured to move an elevator car within the elevator hoistway via a hoisting rope arrangement. The maintenance panel includes components for at least one of control and service of at least one operation of the elevator arrangement. The maintenance panel is configured to slide out from a landing wall into a landing doorway of the elevator arrangement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2013
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Inventor: Edy Christian Encinas GARCIA
  • Publication number: 20140224590
    Abstract: An arrangement is provided for damping lateral sways of a rope fixed to a movable elevator unit, such as an elevator car in an elevator hoistway, the bottom end of which rope has an upward opening bottom loop. The arrangement includes a freely hanging damper supported on the top surface of the bottom loop, which damper includes a device for measuring acceleration and/or twisting of said rope.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2014
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: KONE Corporation
    Inventors: Mikko PURANEN, Tuomo ROPPONEN
  • Publication number: 20140182974
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method in rope condition monitoring of an elevator, in which method at least the following steps are performed: electrical resistance between a first point and a second point of elevator suspension and/or transmission ropes is measured first time, a threshold value is determined based on the measurement, the elevator is used for transporting passengers and/or goods, electrical resistance between the first point and the second point of said suspension and/or transmission ropes is measured second time, and results of said second time measurement are compared with said threshold value, and if said second time measurement meets said threshold value, predetermined actions are carried out. The invention also relates to an arrangement in rope condition monitoring of an elevator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: KONE Corporation
    Inventors: Mikko PURANEN, Riku LAMPINEN, Antti SAARELAINEN
  • Publication number: 20140182975
    Abstract: A rope terminal assembly of an elevator fixing an elevator rope to a fixing base such as an elevator unit, the elevator being suitable for transporting passengers and/or goods, includes an elevator rope, whose width is larger than its thickness in a rope transverse direction, with at least one end having an end face, a rope end block attached to the rope end, one or more wedge elements, a wedge housing, where the terminal assembly includes a rope gap through which the elevator rope passes and the wedge element is arranged to wedge between the rope and the wedge housing thus locking the elevator rope in the gap, and the rope end block is attached on the end face side of the elevator rope with respect to the wedge element, and an elevator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: KONE Corporation
    Inventors: Antti IKONEN, Jani LUOMA, Pekka HALLIKAINEN, Raimo PELTO-HUIKKO
  • Patent number: 8734203
    Abstract: An illustrative method of making a load bearing member for use in an elevator system includes mechanically roughening at least one surface on an exterior of a jacket of the load bearing member to establish a friction characteristic that facilitates engagement between an elevator system sheave and the roughened surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: John T. Pitts, Ary O. Mello, Hugh J. O'Donnell, John P. Wesson, William A. Veronesi, Douglas E. Logan, Mark Steven Thompson, Kathryn Rauss Sherrick, Bill Perron
  • Patent number: 8718352
    Abstract: A computer-aided method, system and computer program product are provided for optical testing of a rope. Such method includes: providing an image data set for at least one portion of the rope; providing target values of a pictorial longitudinal extension of the representation of wires relative to a pictorial longitudinal extension of the rope in the image data set; determining a pictorial longitudinal extension of the wires in the image data set, including adapting an estimated longitudinal extension to the image data set; determining at least one quality value using a quality norm as a function of the determined pictorial longitudinal extension of the wires and the target values of the pictorial longitudinal extension of the wires; discriminating pictorial positions within the image data set of the rope, where at least one quality value exceeds or falls below a predetermined, assigned quality threshold value; and providing the discriminated pictorial positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Winspect GmbH
    Inventors: Sven Winter, Dirk Moll, Ralf Eisinger, Konstantin Kuehner, Egon Guttengeber, Andreas Proehl, Markus Eichinger
  • Patent number: 8678139
    Abstract: The object of the invention is a traction sheave elevator and a rope (3) that contains metal as a load-bearing material, such as the suspension rope of an elevator, which rope comprises at least one or more strands (7) laid from metal wires (9) and which rope (3) is lubricated with a lubricant (8). Another object is the use of the aforementioned lubricant for lubricating the rope (3). The lubricant (8) comprises at least oil and thickener, which thickener in the lubricant (8) comprises at least 10% or more of the mass of the lubricant (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Esko Aulanko, Raimo Pelto-Huikko, Sakari Korvenranta, Jarmo Myllynen, Pekka Torenius
  • Publication number: 20140075729
    Abstract: An elevator arrangement includes first and second movable elevator units, the first unit being an elevator car and the second unit being a counterweight, and a roping system including a first roping portion suspending the first and second elevator units, and being locked at least to the second elevator unit, a second roping portion being suspended by the first elevator unit and the second elevator unit, and being locked at least to the second elevator unit. The first and the second roping portions are successive portions of a roping passing unbroken via a locking arrangement provided at the second elevator unit, the locking arrangement locking the roping to the second elevator unit between the first and the second portions. In a method in constructing an elevator, the locking arrangement is unlocked and thereafter the roping is repositioned with respect to the locking arrangement and thereafter the locking arrangement is relocked.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2013
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: KONE Corporation
    Inventor: Jaakko KalliomƤki
  • Patent number: 8673433
    Abstract: A load-pulling system includes a least one belt to which a tensile load is applied. The belt is formed of a matrix and a load-bearing fiber structure embedded in the matrix and having a plurality of fibers. The belt is guided around a least one deflection device in such a way that it forms a curved section in the region of the deflection device. A dimensioning of the belt and the applied tensile load are matched to each other in such a way that, in the curved section of the belt, a zero stress line of the belt is displaced radially inward in the direction of curvature with respect to a center line of the load-bearing fiber structure by an amount of at least 25% of the thickness of the load-bearing fiber structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: SGL Carbon SE
    Inventors: Bernd Reif, Florian Gojny, Tobias Schmidt
  • Patent number: 8640828
    Abstract: A supporting belt for a transport device, such as an elevator system, includes at least one stranded wire made of an electrically conducting material for absorbing the forces absorbed by the supporting belt and an electrically insulating jacket that encloses the wire. In order to determine the state of the wire, the wire can be contacted by a contact element securely and reliably and in an exact manner. To achieve this, the jacket is at least partially removed in the area of an opening of the supporting belt and the wire is at least partially exposed in the area of the opening. The wire thus does not include a jacket substantially perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis formed by a center point of a cross-section of the wire. The wire can be contacted by a contact element without the jacket being pierced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventors: Mirco Annen, Stephan Jans, Hans Kocher
  • Publication number: 20140027207
    Abstract: An exemplary elevator system includes an elevator car. A plurality of belts are situated relative to the elevator car such that movement of the belts for causing movement of the elevator car is approximately four times a corresponding movement of the elevator car. First, second, third and fourth sheaves are supported for vertical movement with the elevator car and rotational movement relative to the elevator car. Each belt has a portion extending across the elevator car between the first and second sheaves that is vertically aligned with another portion of the same belt extending across the elevator car between the third and fourth sheaves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2011
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Inventor: Cemal Selcuk Yapar
  • Patent number: 8632432
    Abstract: A supporting and drive belt including a belt body or sheathing which encloses tensile carriers. The running surface of the belt can be flat and parallel to the belt back or have trapezium-shaped or semicircular ribs and grooves, wherein the profile of a drive pulley or of a deflecting pulley is approximately complementary to the running surface of the belt. One or more tensile carriers are provided for each rib, wherein the tensile carriers are laid or stranded alternately in the ā€œZā€ direction and the ā€œSā€ direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventors: Adolf Bissig, Alessandro D'Apice, Herbert Bachmann, Manfred Wirth, Roland Lorenz, Tobias Noseda, Florian Dold, Claudio De Angelis
  • Publication number: 20140008153
    Abstract: A load bearing member for supporting an elevator car has a plurality of tension members that bear the weight of the elevator car. The plurality of tension members extends along a length. An outer cover at least partially covers the plurality of tension members and has a first surface and a second surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Richard N. FARGO, Jun MA, Mark R. GURVICH, Martin J. HARDESTY
  • Patent number: 8617325
    Abstract: A system and method for actively damping tension members modulates the natural frequency of shape memory alloys incorporated into tension members, such as suspension ropes or cables. The frequency of the tension member can be modulated by heating the shape memory alloy, such modulation preventing potentially destructive resonance with natural exciting forces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: ThyssenKrupp Elevator Corporation
    Inventors: Rory S. Smith, Stefan Kaczmarczyk
  • Publication number: 20130284543
    Abstract: Method and arrangement in the manufacture of an elevator, which includes during construction time an elevator hoistway, an elevator car, hoisting roping, a supporting structure including a plurality of support elements movable between a position extended from the supporting structure towards the side and a position retracted towards the supporting structure, and a platform. A plurality of lifts are performed, in each of which lifts the supporting structure is lifted higher up in the elevator hoistway, while the support elements are in the retracted position, after which the support elements are displaced into the extended position and the supporting structure is lowered to rest on top of the structures of the building supported by the support elements in the extended position for the vertical support of the supporting structure in the elevator hoistway, and between lifts the elevator car is used for transporting passengers and/or freight between floors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Inventor: Johannes DE JONG
  • Publication number: 20130277152
    Abstract: An exemplary device for use in an elevator system includes at least one friction member that is selectively moveable into a damping position in which the friction member is useful to damp movement of an elevator car associated with the device. A solenoid actuator has an armature that is situated for vertical movement. The armature moves upward when the solenoid is energized to move the friction member into the damping position. The armature mass urges the armature in a downward vertical direction causing the friction member to move out of the damping position when the solenoid is not energized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Richard N. Fargo, Daniel S. Young, Jason K. Romain, Harold Terry, Randall Keith Roberts, Leandre Adifon
  • Publication number: 20130270043
    Abstract: A belt for suspending and/or driving an elevator car includes a plurality of wires arranged into one or more cords and a jacket substantially retaining the one or more cords. Each cord includes a plurality of wires arranged around at least one non load-bearing core. An elevator system includes an elevator car and one or more sheaves. One or more belts are operably connected to the car and interactive with the one or more sheaves for suspending and/or driving the elevator car. Each belt of the one or more belts includes a plurality of wires arranged into one or more cords and a jacket substantially retaining the one or more cords. Each cord includes a plurality of wires arranged around at least one non load-bearing core.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicant: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: John P. Wesson, Gopal R. Krishnan, Huan Zhang, Timothy Devalve, David Wayne McKee
  • Publication number: 20130270042
    Abstract: A state of at least one support component in an elevator installation can be determined by; determining a characteristic value of the support component, wherein the support component supports a cage and is guided over at least one roller; determining a characteristic value of a reference element, wherein the reference element does not support a cage, wherein the support component and the reference element each comprise at least one tensile carrier and a casing, wherein the at least one tensile carrier is respectively arranged substantially in the casing; determining the state of the support component with consideration of the determined characteristic value of the support component and the determined characteristic value of the reference element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2013
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Inventor: Philippe Henneau
  • Patent number: 8556040
    Abstract: A load bearing member (34) for supporting an elevator car (10) has a plurality of tension members (38) that bear the weight and counterweight of the elevator car (10). The plurality of tension members extends along a length. An outer cover (42) envelopes the plurality of tension members and has a first surface and a second surface. The plurality of tension members are sandwiched between the first surface (46) and the second surf ace (48). The first surface is for traction on a sheave (22). The first surface and the second surface define a cross-section (52) transverse to the length of the load bearing member. The cross-section has a first end portion (56), a middle portion (60) and a second end portion (64). The middle portion has a first width (w1) between the first surface and the second surface which is smaller than a second width (w2) between the first surface and the second surface of one of the first end portion and the second end portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Richard N. Fargo, Jun Ma, Mark R. Gurvich, Martin J. Hardesty
  • Patent number: 8550216
    Abstract: An elevator installation is provided that includes an elevator cage, a drive pulley, at least one support means formed as a flat belt, and a drive engine which drives the at least one support means, which carries the elevator cage, by way of the drive pulley. In the elevator installation, the support means has, at least on a running surface facing the drive pulley, several ribs of wedge-shaped or trapezium-shaped cross-section which extend parallel in a longitudinal direction of the support means and further has several tensile carriers oriented in the longitudinal direction of the support means. The tensile carriers are sized so that a total cross-sectional area of all the tensile carriers amounts to 30%-40% of a cross-sectional area of the support means. The tensile carriers may be distributed in a transverse direction of the support means so that exactly two tensile carriers are associated with each of the ribs, the tensile carriers having an outer diameter equal to 35%-40% of a rib spacing (T).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventor: Ernst Ach