AU734591B2 - Entraining system for elevator doors - Google Patents

Abstract

An operating system (1) placed on the cabin door (2) shown with a continuous line in rest position and with a dotted line in working position. An arrow marked with a (Y) indicates a horizontal movement undertaken by the operating system (1) in the Y-direction and an arrow marked by (X) indicates a horizontal movement undertaken by the operating system (1) in the X- direction. The X/Y movement of the operating system (1) is produced by means of an actuator and motive mechanics. On a shaft door (3) is placed an operating cam (4) upon which the operating system (1) rests. Operating system (1) sensors measure the distance to the shaft door (3) and the operating cam (4). An electromagnet of the operating system (1) produces the necessary force for coupling of cabin door (2) to shaft door (3).

Description

Entraining System for Elevator Doors The invention relates to entraining systems for elevator doors that incorporate a magnet mounted on a lift car door, the magnetic field of the magnet acting on a magnetisable entrainer cam mounted on a lift hoistway door.

An entrainer device for lift doors, herein also referred to as "an operating device" for lift doors, is known from patent specification US 5487449, wherein the lift car door is magnetically coupled with a lift hoistway door when the lift car door and hoistway door are opened and closed. The magnetic field of an electro magnet or permanent magnet mounted on the car door acts on a coupler mounted on the hoistway door, as a result of which the doors are coupled by magnetic force, and opened and closed together by means of a door drive. To make the coupling smoother, rollers which can be swiveled are mounted on the magnet, the magnetic force acting against spring forces created by springs mounted on the rollers.

From patent specification US 3,913,270 is known a further operating device which has an electro magnet mounted on the lift car door in a vertically moveable manner. Two guides running in a vertical direction give the electro magnet a limited amount of freedom to move in the vertical direction, the electro magnet being held in the correct position by means of springs. When the lift car door couples with the 20 hoistway door, the electro magnet acts on an operating rail which is mounted on the hoistway door in a swiveling manner, the operating rail thereby being drawn toward the electro magnet. When decoupling takes place, the electro magnet is switched off. When this happens, the operating rail, which is supported by swivel arms, is released from the electro magnet and swivels downwards. One 25 disadvantage of the known device is that the operating (or entrainer) system cannot sufficiently compensate for tolerances inherent in the elevator system, and there is therefore a danger that the operating device collides with either the hoistway door sill, or parts of the hoistway door lock, while the elevator car is travelling, which can cause faults in the elevator and damage to parts of the installation.

It is in this respect that the invention aims to provide a remedy and avoid or ameliorate the disadvantages of the known devices. It would be desirable to create an entrainer system for lift doors, which, while the doors are moving, may automatically adjust different positions occurring within the allowed tolerances of operating elements mounted on the lift car door and of operating elements mounted on the hoistway door.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an entrainer system for elevator doors, comprising a magnet which is mounted on a lift car door and which is disposed to act with its magnetic field on a magnetisable entrainer cam mounted on a hoistway door, characterised in that the magnet is mounted at the lift car door in horizontally movable manner with respect thereto.

One potential advantage associated with the invention follows in that the distance between the lift car door sill and the hoistway door sill that is required to ensure jam-free travel of the lift car past a hoistway opening can be minimised, as the entrainer components are less likely to collide with the sills. Consequently, the gap between the sills can be made smaller and vehicles with small wheels can safely be moved past the sill gap. An additional advantage that a lift door entrainer operating) system in accordance with the invention can provide is that horizontal movement within allowed tolerances in the X/Y direction caused by S. loading and unloading of the elevator car, and tolerances arising due to wear of the guides and settlement of the building, can be automatically detected and corrected using appropriate sensors and actuators. A further advantage can be achieved by designing the system such that pre-opening of the elevator doors, while the 20 elevator car is levelling-in to a stop, and travelling in either an upward or downward direction, is possible without certain of the operating elements being subject to S additional wear. This results in a long service life and reduced maintenance of the operating system.

An embodiment of the invention and further advantageous features thereof 25 will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 shows a schematic plan view of an elevator entrance/exit; Figure 2 is a schematic plan view of an operating system according to the invention; Figure 2a is a side view of a motive mechanism of the operating system.

wo 98/14395 3 PCT/CH97/00342 Fig. 2b A plan view of the motive mechanism of the operating system; Fig. 2c A side view of a drive of the motive mechanism; Fig. 2d A plan view of the drive of the motive mechanism; Fig. 2e An elevation A of the drive of the motive mechanism; Fig. 3 Details of the operating system for mounting a magnet carrier; Fig. 3a Details of the magnet carrier; Fig. 3b An elevation of a slide mounted on the magnet carrier; Fig. 3c A plan view of the slide mounted on the magnet carrier; Fig. 3d A side view of the slide mounted on the magnet carrier; Fig. 4 A base plate fastened on the car door; Fig. 4a Details of the fastening of the base plate; Fig. 5 Alternative positions of the operating system on the car door; and Fig. 5a Alternative positions of the operating cam on the hoistway door.

Fig. 1 shows a plan view of an elevator entrance/exit with an elevator car AU standing at a landing. The elevator car AU has a car door 2, which is driven by a door drive (not shown), and which is shown in the drawing in the closed state. The car -door 2 has mounted on it an operating system i, which in its Sest position is shown by a continuous line, and in its WO 98/14395 PCT/CH97/00342 working position by a broken line. An arrow marked Y indicates the direction of horizontal movement of the operating system 1 in the Y direction, and an arrow marked X indicates the direction of horizontal movement of the operating system 1 in the X direction. An opening in a hoistway wall SW is closed by means of a door frame TR and a hoistway door 3. Mounted on the hoistway door 3, which is shown in its closed state, is an operating cam 4 having a section in the form of an for example, against which the operating system 1 rests. An arrow marked SL indicates the direction in which the car door 2 and the hoistway door 3 close, and an arrow marked OE symbolizes the direction in which the car door 2 and the hoistway door 3 open. The car door 2 and the hoistway door 3 are each constructed as a sliding door having at least one door panel.

The gap between a car door sill KS and a hoistway door sill SS is marked Fig. 2 shows a schematic view of the operating system 1. Fig.

2a and Fig. 2b show the motive mechanism of the operating system illustrated schematically in Fig. 2. Fig. 2c, Fig. 2d, and Fig. 2e show the drive of the motive mechanism. The operating system 1 mounted on the car door 2 is movably connected to a linkage rail 1.1.3 at linkage points 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. The linkage points 12, 15 can also be moved on sliding tracks 16 of a sliding-track support rail 1.1.2. The linkage points 10, 11 are movably joined by means of a first connecting rod 18; the linkage points 11, 12 are movably joined by means of a second connecting rod 19; the linkage points 13, 14 are movably joined by means of a third connecting rod 20; and the linkage points 14, 15 are movably joined by means of a fourth connecting rod 21. Mounted on the linkage points 11, 14 is a casing 1.1.1 of the operating system 1. A first actuator 23, consisting, for example, of an alternating current motor with a threaded spindle, engages with a lever 22, which is connected at right angles to the linkage/sliding point 15. The actuator 23 is fastened to the base plate 1.1 at fastening points 23.2, and drives a threaded spindle 23.1 which is connected to a threaded nut 22.1 mounted on the lever 22. The lever 22 carries out a horizontal WO 918/14395 PCT/CH97/00342 movement HB. As a result, the operating system 1 is displaced by a first distance 30 in the X direction, and by a second distance 30.1 in the Y direction, as determined by the lever geometry. While the operating system 1 moves, it does so towards an end position 31, and a first measuring distance 32 from a contact surface 4.1 of the operating cam 4 is measured by means of an X sensor 34, which may be, for example, an infrared, laser, or ultrasonic sensor. If the predefined first measuring distance 32 has been reached, the operating system 1 remains in the working position represented by a continuous line. If the first measuring distance 32 has not been reached, or if a specified tolerance value is fallen below, the first actuator 23 is activated by means of an X sensor and an operating controller (not shown), as a result of which the operating system 1 is adjusted until the specified first measuring distance 32 is reached.

While the first measuring distance 32 is being reached, and during any necessary correction by the X sensor 34, a Y sensor 33 measures a second measuring distance 32.1 from a sliding surface 4.2 of the operating cam 4. The operating controller checks whether the prespecified second measuring distance 32.1 has been reached. If the prespecified second measuring distance 32.1 has been reached, no correction is made.

However, if measurement of the distance detects a deviation, the current value of the second measuring distance 32.1 is stored in the memory of the operating system as the door-edge correction value, and used in the manner described later for positioning the car door edge and hoistway door edge.

Fig. 3 and Fig. 3a show a magnet carrier 5.1, which is mounted in the casing 1.1.1 of the operating system 1, and which has mounted on it a slide 43.1 which can be moved in guides 41, 42. After the second measuring distance 32.1 has been reached, the magnet carrier 5.1 is moved by means of a second actuator in the Y direction in the guides 41, 42 of the casing 1.1.1 until the slide 43.1 rests against a surface 43 on the sliding surface 4.2 of the operating cam 4, the slide 43.1 being /,Slastically supported relative to the magnet carrier 5.1 by IWO 98/14395 PCT/CH97/00342 means of spring elements 46, 47, and the spring elements 46, 47 being pressed together in such a way that a magnet taking the form, for example, of an electromagnet 45, has reached a prespecified first distance 44. By means of the Y sensor 33, the operating system monitors this increase in proximity, and switches off the second actuator 40 as soon as the prespecified first distance 44 is reached. The operating system then switches on the electromagnet 45, which consists of a magnet body 45.1 and a magnetizing coil 5.5, and which links the operating system 1 to the sliding surface 4.2 of the operating cam 4 by means of an adhesive force which is regulated by the operating controller. The sensors 33, 34 are mounted in the slide 43.1 mentioned above.

Fig. 3b, Fig. 3c and Fig. 3d respectively show an elevation, a plan view, and a side view of the slide 43.1, on which there is a recess 43.1.1 for the magnet carrier 5.1, and centering holes 43.1.2 for the springs 46, 47. Fig. 3c shows the respective positions of the Y sensor 33 and the X sensor 34 which are, for example, cast in the slide 43.1.

Following the magnetic coupling of the car door 2 with the hoistway door 3, the door drive is activated and the doors are moved in the direction of opening OE. During the opening movement of the car door 2 and the hoistway door 3, the operating controller checks whether, while the operating system 1 was moving towards the operating cam 4, a second measurement distance 32.1 was stored in the memory of the operating controller as a door-edge correction value, as described earlier. If no door-edge correction value has been stored, the door edges of the car door 2 and the hoistway door 3 correspond, and their respective edges are parallel and abreast. If deviations within allowed tolerances, caused for example by uneven loading of the elevator car AU, have caused a second measuring distance 32.1 to be stored, the second actuator 40 adjusts the magnet carrier 5.1 until the door edges of the car door 2 and the hoistway door 3 are again RA- <parallel and abreast. This correction of deviations within llowed tolerances is necessary so that the respective leading wo '98/14395 PCT/CH97/00342 edges of both the door panel of the car door 2 and of the hoistway door 3 are abreast and move parallel to each other.

During the entire opening process, and while the open doors 2, 3 are parked in the open position, and during the closing process, the electromagnet 45 is switched on, and the doors 2, 3 are coupled by means of magnetic adhesion force. The magnetic force of the electromagnet 45 is designed to be of such an intensity that, even at maximum acceleration of both doors 2, 3 in the direction of opening OE, the adhesive force of the electromagnet 45 is in all cases sufficient to move the hoistway door 3 by means of the door drive.

In Fig. 3 and Fig. 3a, 40.5 indicates the stroke of the second actuator 40, and 44.1 indicates the compression stroke of the slide 43.1, which is essentially determined by the spring elements 46, 47. A threaded spindle 40.0 of the second actuator 40 engages in a spindle nut 40.1 mounted on the magnet carrier 5.1, the rotational motion of the threaded spindle being thereby converted into a linear movement of the magnet carrier 5.1. The spindle nut 40.1 is held movably in place on the magnet carrier 5.1 by means of compression springs 5.3.

Fig. 4 and Fig. 4a show a base plate 1.1 which is mounted on the car door 2 and which carries the operating system 1. To prevent jamming between the movable elevator car AU and car door 2, and the hoistway door 3 and operating system 1, which are fixed in the elevator hoistway, the base plate 1.1 is movably fastened to the car door 2 by means of elastic elements 1.2. These elastic elements are designed in such a way that they can withstand transverse forces in the Y direction without the operating system 1 moving in the X direction by an excessive amount. Futhermore, in the door-open position of the car door 2 and hoistway door 3, the operating controller causes the magnetic force between the electromagnet and the operating cam 4 to be reduced in such a way that Sonly the minimum holding force is produced which prevents the hoistway door 3 from being closed by the closing force 1 WO 98/14395 PCT/CH97/00342 specified by regulations. As a result of this reduction in adhesive force, it then becomes easily possible for the operating system 1, or the surface 43 of the slide 43.1, to move to correspond with the necessary upward or downward movement of the operating cam 4 on the sliding surface 4.2 under different loading conditions, for example.

The base plate 1.1 which may, for example, be rectangularly shaped, rests at its corners on the elastic elements 1.2. As shown in Fig. 4a, an elastic element 1.2 is fastened to the car door 2 by means of a bolt 1.2.4 and a nut 1.2.1. A distance sleeve 1.2.2 which passes through the elastic elementl.2 serves as a spacer, and a lock washer 1.2.3 serves as a bearing surface and lock for the screw 1.2.4.

The door drive initiates the closing procedure of the car door 2 and the hoistway door 3. During the closing movement, the door-edge correction, which was caused by the presence of deviations within allowable tolerances, is returned by the second actuator 40 to the specified value of the second measuring distance 32.1. As a result of the travel curve characteristic of the door drive, the closing speed toward the end of the travel of the doors 2, 3 is reduced toward 0 m/s, so that the doors 2, 3 come to rest in exactly the predefined position. If no deviations between the car door edge and the hoistway door edge have been caused by the loading conditions, the electromagnet 45 is switched off when the door reaches the closed position. Both doors 2, 3 are closed.

If the door edge of the hoistway door 3 lags behind the door edge of the car door 2, then when the electromagnet 45 is turned off, the hoistway door 3 continues to travel further by the amount of the deviation present, and closes. If there is a deviation of the door edges in the opposite direction, so that the hoistway door 3 reaches its end position before the car door 2, the increasing compressive force on the slide 43.1 is absorbed by the compression springs 5.3.

f the magnetically coupled doors 2, 3 are closed again, the o 998/14395 PCT/CH97/00342 electromagnet is switched off again, as a result of which the magnetic force fades. The second actuator 40 pulls the magnet carrier 5.1 into a specified parking position, and the first actuator 23 moves the operating system 1 into a parking position also. In the parking position, the operating system 1 is pulled back against the car door 2, so that the gap between the car door sill and the hoistway door sill is largely free. While the elevator car AU is travelling along the elevator hoistway, contact of the operating system 1 with the hoistway door sill is completely ruled out, even in the presence of dynamic travel movement of the elevator car AU.

The parking position of the operating system 1 is secured by means of a retaining spring 6, so that the operating system 1 cannot leave its parking position even if there is a power failure in the elevator system.

The parking position of the operating system 1, and the operating cam 4 that projects into the gap 5, are adapted to each other in such a way that in an emergency, with the elevator car AU standing in the unlocking zone, the hoistway door 3 can be opened using the emergency interlock release, without the car door 2 also being opened by the operating cam 4. The operating system 1 and the operating cam 4 can be caused to travel past each other without contact occurring.

This characteristic has the consequence that, at a landing with the hoistway door 3 open, the operating system 1 can be easily accessed and maintained without the need to move the elevator car AU to decouple the doors 2, 3 in the manner necessary with conventional operating systems having parallelogram couplers.

Depending on the length of the operating cam 4, pre-opening of the doors 2, 3 can be initiated at any point within the allowable unlocking zone. As described above, the operating system 1 is moved to the measuring distances 32, 32.1 by the actuators 23, 40, the operating system 1 comes to rest against the operating cam 4, the electromagnet 45 is switched on, and the magnetic force acts on, and magnetically couples, the operating system 1 and the operating cam 4. While this process .WO 98/14395 PCT/CH97/00342 takes place in the unlocking zone approximately 12 to 15 cm in advance of the landing position, the elevator car AU moves in the elevator hoistway with decreasing speed. Supported by the force of the spring elements 46, 47, the slide 43.1 rests with its sliding surface 43 against the sliding surface 4.2 of the operating cam 4. By suitably selecting the material of the slide 43.1, for example polyethylene, a noise-free, practically frictionless, non-abrading movement of the operating system 1 on the operating cam 4 is assured.

During leveling at a landing, within the allowable door unlocking zone, the magnetic force of the electromagnet can also be slowly adjusted to increase, so that during this phase of upward or downward movement optimal sliding of the slide 43.1 on the sliding surface 4.1 of the operating cam 4 is possible.

Fig. 5 and Fig. 5a show alternative ways of arranging the operating system 1, and the operating cam 4, on the car door 2, and the hoistway door 3, respectively. The doors 2, 3 are, for example, constructed as two-panel doors opening from the center. In arrangement a, the operating system 1 and the operating cam 4 are mounted in the area of the upper carrier LW. In arrangement b, the operating system 1 and the operating cam 4 are fastened on the door panels at the height of the center of gravity S, so as to avoid unnecessary momentary stresses on the door guides. In arrangement c, the operating system 1 and the operating cam 4 are mounted in the area of the door sills KS and SS respectively.

Claims (11)

1. Entrainer system for elevator doors, comprising a magnet which is mounted on a lift car door and which is disposed to act with its magnetic field on a magnetisable entrainer cam mounted on a hoistway door, characterised in that the magnet is mounted at the lift car door in horizontally moveable manner with respect thereto.

2. Entrainer system according to claim 1, characterised in that it further comprises a drivable motive mechanism arranged to move the magnet horizontally in orthogonally extending directions X and Y.

3. Entrainer system according to claim 2, characterised in that it further comprises sensors which are disposed to measure the distance of the magnet •II in the X direction from the operating cam and the distance of the magnet in the Y direction from the operating cam, respectively. e

4. Entrainer system according to any one of the foregoing claims, 20 characterised in that it further comprises two pairs of connecting rods arranged to be driven by a first actuator, a casing mounted at a linkage point of each connecting rod pair disposed to carry out the movement in the X/Y direction, and in that the connecting rod pairs are mounted by means of a linkage rail and a sliding-track support rail on a base plate which is connected 25 in an elastically isolated manner with the lift car door. Entrainer system according to claim 4, characterised in that a magnet carrier is located in the casing, the magnet carrier carrying the magnet and being disposed for movement by a second actuator.

6. Entrainer system according to claim 5, characterised in that the first and second actuators are spindle motors, a threaded spindle of the first actuator being connected by means of a threaded nut to a lever mounted on a linkage point to one of said connecting rods and a threaded spindle of the second actuator being connected to a threaded nut mounted on the magnet carrier.

7. Entrainer system according to claim 5, characterised in that the magnet carrier has a slide moveably mounted on it, the arrangement being such that when the lift car and hoistway doors are in a coupled state, a surface of the slide rests against a sliding surface of the operating cam, and in that the sensors are mounted on the slide.

8. Entrainer system according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterised in further comprising an operating controller arranged to receive signals from the sensors and in response thereto control the first and second actuators and move the magnet carrier with the magnet to a predefined first measuring distance in the X direction and a predefined second measuring distance in the Ydirection.

9. Entrainer system according to claim 8, characterised in that the S: operating system is arranged to register deviations and correct the second measuring distance by means of the second actuator to the predefined second 20 measuring distance, thereby bringing the edges of the lift car and hoistway doors abreast. ooooo

10. Entrainer system according to claim 9, characterised in that the S operating controller is arranged to adjust the magnet force of the electro 0 25 magnet while the lift car is levelling-in to a landing and within an allowable unlocking zone, so that during such phase of upward or downward lift car movement it is possible for the slide to slide on the sliding surface of the operating cam. 13

11. Entrainer system for operatively coupling a lift car door with hoistway doors disposed along the travel path of a lift car, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 4 t h day of April, 2001 Inventio AG Watermark Patent Trade Mark Attorneys Unit 1, the Village Riverside Corporate Park

39-117 Delhi Road S: North Ryde NSW 2113 2