AU2006252029B2 - Drive engine for a lift installation and method of mounting a drive engine - Google Patents

Description

Pool Section 29 Regulation 3.2(2) AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Application Number: Lodged: Invention Title: Drive engine for a lift installation and method of mounting a drive engine The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: 1 DRIVE ENGINE ARRANGEMENT FOR A LIFT INSTALLATION WITH TWO MUTUALLY SPACED-APART DRIVE ZONES FOR A LIFT CAGE FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to lift installations in general, and more particularly to lift installations in which a drive engine is used to drive at least two lift cage drive belts. BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION The patent specification W099/43593 shows a drive engine with two drive pulleys for belts. The drive pulleys are arranged, when viewed from the top, in the outer regions of the lift cage footprint, at least in the respective outer third of the cage dimension corresponding with the orientation of the drive axis, or outside the cage footprint. The drive pulleys are arranged at both sides at the end of the drive engine. The embodiment illustrated in said WO document has various disadvantages: Space requirement: The drive engine occupies a large amount of space in the lift cage shaft. Force introduction: The bed forces have to be conducted by way of solid sub-constructions into the support structure of the lift. Assembly handling: The assembly and, in particular, the alignment of the drive pulley axis with respect to the running direction of the support means and drive means is costly. An object of the present invention is the provision of a lift installation with a drive engine, locating the lift cage drive train such as to optimise the force flow and thus keeps down the demands on the lift adjoining support construction, as well as minimise the space requirement for the drive engine. A flexible arrangement of the drive engine in the shaft would also be a preferred outcome. The lift cage and counterweight support means and the associated drive train should remain divided into two strands. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a drive engine for a lift installation with cage and counterweight located for travel in a lift shaft. Support means and drive means connect the cage with the counterweight. The support means and drive means 2 are termed drive means in the following. The drive means, typically cables, ropes, belts or the like, are driven by way of the drive engine through a drive shaft. The zones of the drive shaft which transmit the drive force to the drive means are termed drive zones in the following. The cage and the counterweight are guided by means of cage guide rails and counterweight guide rails, respectively. In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a lift installation including a lift cage and a counterweight disposed for travel along respectively associated lift cage guide rails and counterweight guide rails within a lift shaft, a drive engine arranged for driving the lift cage and the counterweight by way of at least two belt, cable or similar drive elements, the drive engine including a motor, a brake and a drive shaft having at least two, mutually spaced-apart drive zones at which the drive elements cooperate with the drive engine in imparting movement to the lift cage and counterweight, wherein the motor is located to one side of both drive zones and the brake is located next to the motor or spaced apart therefrom on an opposite side of both drive zones, and wherein a spacing distance between the two drive zones is predetermined to be (i) no less than and at least the rail foot width of the lift cage guide rails or about 100mm and (ii) no more than three times the width of the lift cage guide rail foot or about 250mm. It will be noted that the drive shaft has two mutually spaced-apart drive zones. The drive zones are matched to the form of the drive means. Also, the number of drive means is distributed symmetrically to the two drive zones, wherein each drive zone offers space for at least one drive means. The utility of this arrangement resides in the fact that the dimensions of the drive engine can be reduced. The spacing of the two drive zones can thereby be reduced in correspondence with a purpose of, for example, arranging the drive means at the smallest possible distance to the left and the right of the guide rails. The space requirement of the drive engine and of the entire drive arrangement is thereby minimised. The compact constructional form enabled by the proposed arrangement moreover allows an optimal introduction of the bed forces into the support structure, which in turn enables simpler shapes of the sub-constructions. The assembly handling and the alignment of the drive engine is significantly improved by the compact constructional shape and the consequently possible 3 pre-assembly of the individual sub-assemblies in an assembly-friendly environment. The invention and preferred/optional features thereof, are explained below by reference to preferred embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig la shows a basic sketch of a drive engine arrangement for a lift installation according to a first embodiment of the invention, with bearings and brackets arranged to the left and right of drive zones present on a drive shaft; driven by a motor; Fig lb shows a basic sketch of a drive engine arrangement according to a second embodiment of the invention, with a central bracket, level setting means and with bearings arranged to the left and right of the drive zones present on the drive shaft; Fig 1c shows a basic sketch of a drive engine arrangement according to a third embodiment of the invention, with a central bearing and with brackets arranged to the left and right of drive zones present on the drive shaft; Fig 1d shows a basic sketch of a drive engine arrangement according to a fourth embodiment of the invention, with a central bearing, central bracket and a level setting means; Fig le shows a basic sketch of a drive engine arrangement according to a fifth embodiment of the invention, with a central bearing, central bracket and a variant of the level setting means; Fig 2 shows a perspective view of a gearless drive engine used in 2:1 suspension and in vertical projection above a counterweight as can be used in a drive engine arrangement according to the present invention; 4 Fig 3 is a longitudinal section of a drive engine arrangement according to Fig 1d; Fig 4 shows a schematic plan view of the drive engine arrangement of Fig 3 within a lift shaft also showing a lift cage; Fig 5 shows a schematic side view of the drive engine arrangement with 2:1 suspension of Fig 2 within a lift shaft; Fig 6 shows a schematic side of view analogous to Fig 4 but wherein the drive engine arrangement with 2:1 suspension is located above and separate from the lift shaft; Fig 7 shows a schematic side view of yet a further way in which the drive engine with 2:1 suspension can be located within the lift shaft; and Fig 8 shows a schematic side view of a further embodiment of a drive engine arrangement in accordance with the invention, but in 1:1 suspension. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A drive engine 20 comprises, as illustrated in Figs. 1a to le and Figs. 2 to Fig. 4, a drive shaft 4 which is provided with two drive zones 3, 3' arranged at a spacing from one another. A motor 1 and a brake 2 act on the drive shaft 4. The drive zones 3, 3' drive drive means 19, 19', which, as illustrated by way of example in Figs. 5 to 8, drive a cage 11 and a counterweight 12. The spacing D is advantageously selected to be as small as possible. It results from the envisaged arrangement of the drive zones or the drive means 19, 19' at both sides of a cage guide rail 5. The motor 1 and/or the brake 2 and/or other components, such as rotational speed sensors, evacuation aids or optical indicators, are arranged, according to the invention, to the left and/or right of the two drive zones 3, 3'. The best combination can be ascertained with utilisation of the arrangement possibilities of the components of the drive engine 20. The use of this arrangement results from the fact that the space requirement for the 5 engine 20 is minimised in correspondence with the requirement of the installation arrangement. The drive engine 20 is executed with a small overall length. This enables a significant degree of pre-assembly of the drive engine in a suitable working environment. The assembly is thereby simplified and sources of error are excluded. Fig 1 a shows the arrangement of the motor 1 and a first bearing 28 on one side of the drive zones 3, 3' and the brake 2 and a second bearing 28' on the other side of the drive zones 3, 3'. Brackets 29, 29' are fastened to a support structure of the lift installation in correspondence with the arrangement of the bearings 28, 28'. This variant is advantageously used when the spacing D between the drive zones 3, 3' is selected to be small, which by way of example is rational in the case of very small guide rail dimensions. In departure from Fig 1a, Fig lb shows the use of a central bracket 22 which guides the bed forces of the drive engine 20 centrally substantially to a position in the support structure of the lift installation. The central bracket 22 is arranged at right angles to the axis of the drive engine 20 to act in a plane S of symmetry of the two drive zones 3, 3'. This enables a particularly economic embodiment of the connecting construction. In addition, this arrangement enables the use of a level setting means 27. The level setting means 27 in that case has only small force differences to overcome, which result substantially from the weight forces of the drive itself and from inaccuracies in the drive means arrangement. The level setting means 27 enables, without special cost, alignment of the axis of the drive shaft 4 to the direction of running of the drive means 19, 19'. This alignment is advantageous particularly in the case of use of belts as drive means, since the wear behaviour and noise behaviour are thereby decisively influenced. In the case of inaccurate alignment of the drive engine the wear of the drive means strongly increases, which leads to early replacement of the drive means and correspondingly to high costs. For example, in this Fig 1 b the brake 2 and the motor 1 are arranged on one side of the drive zones 3, 3'. This arrangement is advantageous if the space on the opposite side of the drive zones is otherwise occupied. Fig 1c shows the arrangement of a central bearing 21 which absorbs the radial force which is produced by the tension forces present in the drive means 6 19, 19', of the drive shaft 4 at a central position. The central bearing 21 is arranged at right angles to the axis of the drive engine to act in a plane S of symmetry of the two drive zones 3, 3'. A support bearing 24 is arranged at the motor end of the drive shaft 4. It takes over the difference forces arising in the drive system. The different forces substantially result from the weight forces of the drive itself and from inaccuracies of the drive means arrangements. The support bearing 24 additionally guarantees an exact maintenance of the air gap between the stator and the rotor of the motor 1. The drive engine 20 is fastened by means of two brackets 29, 29' to the support structure of the lift installation. This arrangement is particularly advantageous when the spacing D between the drive zones 3, 3' allows sufficient space for the arrangement of the central bearing 21 and the demands on alignment accuracy of the drive shaft are low. Fig 1d shows the arrangement of a central bearing 21 and a central bracket 22, which conducts the bed forces of the drive engine 20 centrally substantially to a position in the support structure of the lift installation. The central bracket 22 and the central bearing 12 are arranged at right angles to the axis of the drive engine 20 to act in a plane S of symmetry of the two drive zones 3, 3'. A level setting means 27 is preferably arranged at the motor end of the drive engine. A support bearing 24 is arranged as shown in Fig 1c. The arrangement of the drive engine 20 in correspondence with Fig 1d is particularly advantageous, since small dimensions of the drive engine 20 result, the forces are conducted in optimum manner to the support structure of the lift installation, use of only two bearing positions in the drive engine 20 enables a secure design of the drive shaft 4 and the alignment of the axis of the drive shaft 4 to the direction of running of the drive means 19, 19' can be carried out in simple manner. Fig le shows another possibility of arrangement of a level setting means 27. The level setting means 27 is arranged directly at the bearing housing in this form of embodiment. It is identical in its effect to the form of embodiment shown under Figs 1b, 1d. The expert can define further forms of embodiment best suited for a specific case of use.

7 The arrangements shown in Figs 1a to 1e can be combined by the expert in suitable form. The brake 2 can, for example, be arranged between the drive zones 3, 3'. Fig 2 and Fig 3 show a more detailed view of the drive arrangement illustrated in Fig 1d. The illustrated drive engine 20 comprises a drive shaft 4 with two spaced-apart drive zones 3, 3'. In this example, the spacing D between the two drive zones is within a range of 100 to 250mm. This allows to accommodate use of currently used guide rail profiles which have a rail foot width of 50 to 140mm. The drive shaft 4 is mounted in a bearing housing 7. A central bracket 22 in this case is integrated in the bearing housing 7. The central bracket 22 is arranged in a plane S of symmetry, which is at right angles to the drive axis and defined by the two drive zones, between the two drive zones 3, 3'. The drive shaft 4 is mounted in the bearing housing 7 by means of a central bearing 21 arranged between the drive zones 3, 3'. The central bearing 21 is similarly arranged to act in the plane S of symmetry. The central bearing 21 accepts the bed forces of the drive means 19, 19' and conducts them by way of the bearing housing 7, the central bracket 22 and by way of an intermediate member to a support (beam) structure of the lift installation. The drive zones 3, 3' are machined directly into the drive shaft 4. The drive zones 3, 3' can alternatively also be mounted by means of separate elements, such as, for example, in the form of discs, on the drive shaft 4. The drive shaft 4 - or the drive zones 3, 3' is connected with the motor 1 and a brake 2 in force-effective manner, preferably integrally and gearlessly, and thus enables drive of the drive means 19, 19' by means of the drive zones 3, 3'. The drive zones 3, 3' are, in the illustrated embodiment, integrated in the drive shaft 4. This is advantageous in the case of use of belts as drive means, since these drive means enable small deflecting or drive radii. Through the arrangement of the central bearing 21 between the drive zones 3, 3' the constructional space available there is utilised efficiently and the external dimensions are reduced. Due to the reduction in the number of varying positions, costs are reduced. The quality of the drive engine 20 is significantly increased by this arrangement, since due to the reduction in the bearing positions an over-determination of the shaft mounting is redundant.

8 Advantageously the brake 2 and the motor 1 are arranged, as shown in all examples, bar one that of Fig 1 b at the left and the right of the two drive zones 3, 3'. The motor 1 and the brake 2 are force-effectively connected by way of the bearing housing 7. The drive moments produced by the motor 1 and/or the braking moments produced by the brake 2 are conducted into the bearing housing 7 and by way of the central bracket 22 into the support structure of the lift installation. The illustrated arrangement of the drive zones 3, 3' between the brake 2 and the motor 1 enables, together with the force-effective connection of brake 2, motor 1 and bearing housing 7, a particularly space-saving embodiment. In addition, accessibility with respect to the brake 2 and the motor 1 is ensured in ideal manner. A support bearing 24 is arranged at the motor end of the drive shaft 4. The support bearing 24 accepts the difference forces arising in the drive system. The difference forces substantially result from the weight forces of the drive itself and from inaccuracies in the drive means arrangements. The support bearing 24 additionally ensures an exact maintenance of the air gap between the stator and the rotor of the motor 1. The support bearing 24 conducts the difference forces into the housing of the motor and the bearing housing 7. The resulting support forces are accepted by a level setting means 27 and conducted into the support structure of the lift installation. The level setting means 27 serves at the same time for accurate and simple levelling of the axis of the drive shaft 4 relative to the drive means 19, 19'. This alignment is advantageous particularly in the case of use of belts as drive means, since the wear behaviour and noise behaviour are thereby decisively influenced. Alternatively, the level setting means 27 can be arranged, for example, horizontally as shown in Fig le. The bearing housing 7 illustrated in Figs 2 and 3 partly encloses the drive shaft 4 together with the drive zones 3, 3'. This forms a direct protection of the drive zones 3, 3' against unintended contact and risk of assembly or service personnel being caught, but also prevents damage of the drive zone or the drive means by objects dropping down. At the same time the bearing housing thereby gains the requisite strength in order to accept the forces and moments from the motor and the brake 2.

9 The drive engine 20 is fastened by means of vibration isolation means 23, 26. This enables a significant degree of vibration decoupling of the drive engine 20 from the support structure of the lift installation. Noises in the lift installation and/or in the building are thereby reduced. For simple design of the central bearing the internal diameter of the central bearing 21 is selected to be greater than the diameter of the drive zone 3, 3' in the illustrated embodiment. A drive form optimal in terms of cost and space is offered by the illustrated form of construction. In particular, the assembly and alignment of the drive engine can take place simply and quickly. The layout of the drive components is simplified, since the loading of the drive shaft 4 and the bearing housing 7 is defined in ideal manner by the achieved two-point mounting. The drive engine 20 shown in Fig 2 is a gearless drive engine 20. The drive engine 20 is mounted on a crossbeam 8 arranged substantially horizontally in the shaft 10. The crossbeam 8 is, for example, an elongate square member of proven materials such as steel. In this embodiment, the crossbeam 8 is fastened to counterweight guides 9, 9' and to a cage guide 5 at a lift shaft. Advantageously, the crossbeam is fastened at its two end regions to the counterweight guides 9, 9' and at a centre region to the cage guide. The fastening of the crossbeam 8 to these three guides is carried out in the three fastening regions by way of, for example, screw connections. The illustrated embodiment results in an optimum utilisation of the constructional space and enables a significant degree of preparation of the assembly unit in cost-optimal manner in construction works or in a corresponding environment. A control and/or a transformer 6 of the lift installation is, as shown in Fig 2, fastened in the vicinity of the drive engine, advantageously also on the crossbeam 8. The transformer can be mounted if necessary, using members to isolate against vibration. The drive engine can thus be delivered and assembled together with the associated converter with prefinished cabling. Possible changes in position, which could result from construction contraction, will not affect overall layout and the entire unit can be produced particularly economically. If appropriate, the control and/or transformer can additionally be supported relative to the wall.

10 A levelling balance 25 is advantageously arranged at the drive engine 20 as shown in Fig 3. The levelling balance 25 is, for example, realised as a water balance, which indicates the horizontal position of the drive engine 20. The levelling balance 25 allows a simple check of correct levelling and accordingly enables a quick correction of the alignment of the drive engine 20. The use of the drive engine 20 shown by way of example is universally possible for many types of installation. Fig 2 (and Figs 5, 7 and 8) illustrate how the lift drive arrangement can be located (installed) in a lift shaft without a separate engine room. However, the use is not limited to lift installations without an engine room. If an engine room is present, the drive arrangement can, for example, be equally mounted on the shaft roof as shown in Fig 6. With the illustrated possibilities, the arrangement of the drive engine can be flexibly adapted, for example in the case of modernisations, to predetermined shaft conditions, which flexibility thus enables use of standard parts and avoids costly special solutions. Different possibilities of arrangement are illustrated, by way of example, in the following. Figs 4 and 5 show a preferred use of the drive engine according to the invention as is used, for example, in the case of new installations. Figure 4, which is a top plan view, effectively illustrates the triangular arrangement of two counterweight guides 9, 9' and one of the lift cage guide rails 5 of a lift installation (the other lift cage guide rail 5' is located on the other side of lift cage , opposite the drive arrangement. The lift installation is arranged in, for example, a substantially vertical shaft 10. The shaft 10 has, for example, a rectangular cross-section with four walls. The installation has a pair of substantially vertically arranged cage guides 5, 5' and a pair of counterweight guides 9, 9'. The two cage guides guide the lift cage 11 and the two counterweight guides guide a counterweight 12. The guides are fastened to adjacent walls. The two counterweight guides 9, 9' and a first cage guide 5 are fastened to a first wall. The second cage guide 5' is fastened to a second wall. The second wall is disposed opposite the first wall. The first cage guide 5 is arranged substantially centrally between the two counterweight guides 9, 9'. The guides are made of known materials, such as steel. The fastening of guides to the walls takes place 11 by way of, for example, screw connections. With knowledge of the present invention, also other shaft geometries with square, oval or round cross-section can be realised. As noted above, the two counterweight guides 9, 9' and one of the two cage guides 5, 5' are located, when viewed in plan view along the lift shaft, at apexes of a substantially horizontal (imaginary) triangle T in the shaft 10. A horizontal connector between the two counterweight guides 9, 9' forms a first side of the triangle T, and horizontal connectors between counterweight guide 9, 9', respectively, and the one cage guide 5 form second and third sides of the triangle T. Advantageously, a horizontal connector H of the cage guides 5, 5' intersects the horizontal connector of the counterweight guides 9, 9' (not shown) substantially centrally so that the triangle T is substantially equilateral. Advantageously, the two drive zones 3, 3' of the drive engine 20 are arranged symmetrically to the left and right of the horizontal connector H of the cage guides 5, 5'. The drive engine 20, which is arranged substantially horizontally in the shaft, moves the cage and counterweight, which are connected together by means of at least two drive means 19, 19' in the shaft. The drive means have two ends 18, 18'. The drive means is a cable and/or a belt of a type known in the lift installation field. The load-bearing regions of the drive means usually consist of metal, such as steel, and/or plastics material, such as aramide. The cable can be a single cable or multiple cable and the cable can also have an external protective casing of plastics material. The belt can be flat and externally unstructured to be smooth or, for example, structured in wedge ribs or as a cogged belt. The force transmission takes place, in correspondence with the chosen embodiment of the drive means, by way of friction couple or mechanically positive connection. According to the invention at least two drive means are used. The individual drive means can in case of need also be provided with several drive means. Each of the ends of the drive means is fixed to a shaft wall or shaft roof, to a cage guide, to a counterweight guide, to a crossbeam 8, to the cage and/or to the counterweight. Advantageously the ends of the drive means are fixed by way 12 of resilient intermediate elements for the damping of solid-borne sound. The intermediate elements are, for example, spring elements which prevent transmission of oscillations, which are perceived as unpleasant, from the drive means to the shaft wall or shaft roof, to cage guide, to counterweight guide, to crossbeam, to cage and/or to counterweight. Several forms of embodiment, by way of example, of fixings of the ends of the drive means are possible: In the forms of the embodiment according to Figs 5, 6 and 7 one or both of the ends 18, 18' of the drive means is or are fastened to the shaft wall or shaft ceiling, to the cage guide and/or to the crossbeam. In the form of the embodiment according to Fig 8 a first end 18 of the drive means is fastened to the cage 11 and a second end 18 of the drive means is fastened to the counterweight 12. In the illustrated embodiment, two drive zones move at least two drive means by way of static friction. With knowledge of the present invention, the expert can also use drive methods different to those illustrated in the example. Thus, the expert can use a drive engine with more than two drive zones. The expert can also use a drive pinion, which drive pinion is disposed in mechanically positive engagement with a cogged belt as drive means. The method of mounting components necessary in a lift installation is significantly simplified by use of a drive engine arrangement as illustrated and, in particular, by the characterising arrangement of a central bracket 22 between the drive zones, in the axis of symmetry of the resultant force traction of the drive means 19, 19', and the arrangement of a level setting means 27 at the motor end of the drive engine 20. The orientation of the drive axis relative to the traction axis of the drive means can be carried out in simple, rapid and precise manner by means of the provided level setting means 27. Otherwise-usual, costly methods such as placement underneath of underlying members, wedges, etc., can be eliminated. With knowledge of the present invention the expert in the field of lifts can vary the set forms and arrangements as desired. For example, he or she can construct the central bracket 22 separately from the bearing housing 7.

Claims (10)

1. Lift installation including a lift cage and a counterweight disposed for travel along respectively associated lift cage guide rails and counterweight guide rails within a lift shaft, a drive engine arranged for driving the lift cage and the counterweight by way of at least two belt, cable or likewise drive elements, the drive engine including a motor, a brake and a drive shaft having at least two, mutually spaced-apart drive zones at which the drive elements cooperate with the drive engine in imparting movement to the lift cage and counterweight, wherein the motor is located to one side of both drive zones and the brake is located next to the motor or spaced-apart therefrom on an opposite side of both drive zones, and wherein a spacing distance between the two drive zones is predetermined to be (i) no less than and at least the rail foot width of the lift cage guide rails or about 100mm and (ii) (ii) no more than three times the width of the lift cage guide rail foot or about 250mm.

2. Lift installation according to claim 1, characterised in that the drive zones are integrated in the drive shaft and machined directly therein.

3. Lift installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the drive zones are arranged symmetrical on the left and right side of a vertical plane of symmetry extending between the cage guide rails of the installation.

4. Lift installation according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the drive shaft is supported by way of at least one central bearing which acts in a plane of symmetry of the two drive zones.

5. Lift installation according to claim 4, characterised in that an inner diameter of the central bearing is greater than an outer diameter of the drive zones. 14

6. Lift installation according to claim 4 or 5, characterised in that the central bearing is arranged in a bearing housing and the bearing housing encloses the majority of the drive shaft with the drive zones.

7. Lift installation according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterised in that the drive means is a belt.

8. Lift installation according to claim 7, characterised in that the belt is a wedge ribbed belt.

9. Lift installation according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterised in that the drive engine is fastened to a cross beam within the lift shaft by means of vibration isolation means, and in that the crossbeam is fastened respectively to counterweight guides and to one of the cage guides.

10. Lift installation substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of Figures 1a to 1e, 2, 3 or 4.