Measuring tape support for elevator system
Technical Field
The invention relates to a measuring tape holder for fastening a position measuring tape of an elevator system on an elevator shaft in a building, and also to a measuring tape guide having a plurality of such measuring tape holders and to an elevator system having at least one such measuring tape guide.
Background
An elevator in a building utilizes a position measuring tape to determine the position of an elevator car in an elevator hoistway serving an elevator system in the building, and from this derives a position signal for an elevator control. The position-specific information is provided at a fixed position, usually in coded form, on the position measuring tape along the main movement axis of the elevator throughout the displacement path of the elevator and can be read out by means of a read-out head fastened to the elevator car by means of a suitable technical embodiment. The control unit of the elevator system is usually designed to control the elevator car, in particular to drive the elevator car, taking into account the read position-specific information.
In the case of standard elevator systems, the position measuring tape is usually arranged in the elevator hoistway in a freely suspended state, wherein the position measuring tape extends from a suspension device at the top of the hoistway to a clamping unit in the hoistway pit. For the purpose of determining the position, the measuring tape is then guided on the elevator car (usually, for example, for determining the position by means of a copy based on magnetic tapes) or read out directly (usually, for example, for determining the position by means of an optical system).
However, in the case of comparatively high transport heights and/or in the case of swaying buildings, free-hanging measuring tapes (for example for magnetic tape-based reproduction) can become jammed in the shaft despite the prestress and be damaged or even tear completely.
In the case of a freely suspended optical system which is not guided on the elevator car and is not fastened on the elevator car rail, the inclination of the building, for example during a storm, can result in the sensor no longer being able to read the measuring tape completely in certain areas of the elevator shaft. Furthermore, in many applications, the limited installation conditions mean that fastening to the elevator car rail is not possible in any case.
Disclosure of Invention
It is therefore an object of the present invention to create an improved measuring tape holder which has the advantage of supporting a position measuring tape, in particular in the event of building sway or building settlement.
This object is achieved by a measuring tape holder having the features of claim 1 and a measuring tape guide having the features of claim 11. Claim 12 relates to an elevator system with a measuring tape guide. Advantageous embodiments of the various aspects of the invention form the subject matter of the dependent claims.
According to one aspect of the invention, a measuring tape holder for fastening a position measuring tape of an elevator system on an elevator hoistway in a building is produced, which measuring tape holder comprises a hoistway holder mounting the hoistway and a measuring tape holder mounting the measuring tape, which measuring tape holder is connected to the hoistway holder by means of a measuring tape holding support. Here, the measuring tape holding support comprises a predetermined amount of vertical support play in the direction of the movement axis of the elevator car of the elevator system, which is in particular macroscopic and can be adapted to the building dimensions.
The measuring tape holding support further comprises a predetermined amount of rotational support play relative to at least one of the support axes, in particular said amount of rotational support play is macroscopic and may be adapted to building dimensions.
In the context of the present application, the measuring tape holding support comprises, as support axes, for example, the elevator car (movement) axis (i.e. the vertical parallel to the hoistway wall), the horizontal parallel to the hoistway wall and the normal to the hoistway wall, wherein these three axes then preferably at least substantially form a cartesian coordinate system if any inclination of the building is neglected (e.g. due to storms).
According to another aspect of the invention, a measuring tape guide for guiding a position measuring tape of an elevator system along an elevator hoistway in a building is created, the measuring tape guide comprising: (a) a measuring tape suspension device located in an upper region of the elevator hoistway, (b) a measuring tape clamping unit located in a lower region of the elevator hoistway, and (c) a plurality of measuring tape supports according to embodiments of the above-described aspect of the invention, spaced apart from one another between the measuring tape suspension device and the measuring tape clamping unit, wherein the measuring tape supports are each arranged to receive a position measuring tape on a measuring tape seat thereof.
According to a further aspect of the invention, an elevator system is produced, which has (i) at least one elevator car which comprises a measuring head for reading out a position measuring tape, and (ii) at least one measuring tape guide according to an embodiment of the above-described aspect of the invention, on which the position measuring tape is guided.
The invention is based in particular on the finding that buildings, in particular high-rise buildings, on the one hand sink to a considerable extent over time and in an absolute sense with respect to the elevator system, and in the case of stormy weather conditions sway or tilt to a considerable extent. In particular, in the case of such swaying motions or in the case of such tilting states, it is not always possible to ensure a constant distance between the position measuring tape, which is fixed only at the top and bottom of the shaft, and the measuring head on the elevator car.
However, said dynamic movement of the building not only makes the distance variable, but also the positioning and/or orientation of the measuring head and the position measuring tape relative to each other.
The invention is then based upon an insight, inter alia, to connect a position measuring tape to a wall of a borehole so as to provide at least one additional translational and/or rotational degree of freedom with respect to self-positioning and/or self-orientation of the tape.
The forces acting on the measuring tape, in particular the pre-stress and the forces caused by the weight of the measuring tape itself, mean additional degrees of freedom which differ according to the application requirements in order to ensure that no stress fluctuations or excessive stress levels occur in the tape when the building moves or settles in the case of measuring tapes supported at a plurality of positions along the wall of the shaft.
In this context, providing one or more rotational degrees of freedom between the measuring tape and the hoistway wall in the measuring tape holding support allows the measuring tape to be guided more freely in the elevator hoistway.
However, in order to allow a reliable positioning of the measuring tape at each position of the elevator shaft, the respective degree of freedom only allows an amount of bearing play to the extent that is predetermined in relation to the corresponding degree of freedom depending on the respective application, rather than allowing all amounts of bearing play. Depending on the degree of freedom, this amount of bearing play can be a few millimeters to a few centimeters or up to a few degrees of 90 degrees.
In order to allow the measuring head to flexibly adapt to the positioning and/or orientation of the measuring tape when the position measuring tape is read out by means of the measuring head, one embodiment of the measuring tape holding support comprises at least one macroscopically elastic support element which is designed to generate an amount of rotational support play by means of reversible macroscopically elastic deformation.
Macroscopic elastic deformation is understood here to mean, in particular, a deformation which not only occurs on the microscopic scale of the material surface, but also brings about a preferably macroscopic reversible deformation of the deformed component. In the context of the present invention, macroscopic elastic deformation includes, for example, a deformation of in particular at least 1mm, alternatively in particular at least 2mm, alternatively in particular at least 5mm, alternatively in particular at least 10mm, in particular viewed in the linear direction or in the circumferential direction, respectively.
To further improve the orientation and/or positioning of the measuring tape, one embodiment of the measuring tape holding support comprises an amount of rotational support play with respect to two support axes or also with respect to all three support axes. In the case of embodiments with an amount of rotational bearing play relative to two bearing axes, these can be the normal of the elevator car axis and the shaft wall, the horizontal parallel of the elevator car axis and the shaft wall, or the horizontal line of the shaft wall and the normal of the shaft wall.
To improve the positioning of the measuring tape, one embodiment of the measuring tape may comprise a predetermined amount of translational normal bearing play with respect to the normal of the hoistway wall, which is in particular macroscopic and may be adapted to the building dimensions.
According to one embodiment, the measuring tape holding support comprises at least one macroelastic support element which is designed to generate an amount of rotational support play and/or an amount of normal support play relative to one or more support axes by means of reversible macroelastic deformation.
Such an elastic support element may comprise, for example, an axial spring which is connected, in particular at one end thereof, directly or indirectly to the hoistway holder and at the other end thereof, directly or indirectly to the measuring tape seat. In this context, the indirect connection can take place, for example, by means of a spring bracket of the measuring tape holding support, respectively.
If the measuring tape holding support comprises such a macroscopically elastic support element, the measuring tape holding support may according to one embodiment also comprise or generate a force compensation position within the amount of normal support play, preferably centrally. This provides for minimizing binding forces during the passage of the measuring head when the measuring tape is read out.
In order to produce a force compensation position for the elastically limited amount of bearing play relative to the normal degree of freedom of translation and all three rotational degrees of freedom of the measuring tape holding support, the measuring tape holding support comprises two axial springs which are oriented opposite one another parallel to the normal of the wall. To this end, the measuring tape holding support in particular also comprises a hoistway holder seat between the axial springs.
Such a force-compensating position, in particular for all envisaged elastically limited amounts of bearing play, enables the position measuring tape guided by a plurality of spaced apart measuring tape holders in the elevator shaft to be held at a certain level of flexibility, although this level of flexibility does not exceed a predetermined tolerance level.
In other words, an imaginary envelope geometry, within which the measuring tape can be moved without impairing the reading process, extends along the elevator car axis in the elevator shaft. According to one embodiment, the maximum envisaged size of this imaginary envelope geometry depends on which position-specific and orientation-specific tolerances of the blade are possible, so that the measuring head can still read out the measuring blade without any risk of damage. Briefly: the measuring tape on the elevator car should be able to orient the position measuring tape from its fastening point in such a way that it is necessary to allow it to read out the tape in an optimal way.
Then, according to one embodiment, the measuring tape seat is arranged on an axial spring remote from the well at the end of said spring remote from the well, and in particular the abutment is arranged on an axial spring close to the well at the end of said spring close to the well, so as to allow to make the construction of the measuring tape holder as simple as possible.
Drawings
Other features, advantages and possible applications of the invention can be taken from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which, in part, in schematic form:
FIG. 1 shows an oblique view of a measuring tape holder according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 shows a measuring tape guide having a plurality of measuring tape supports according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and
fig. 3 a-3 c show the measuring tape holder according to fig. 1 in a side view (a) when viewed from the borehole wall, in a side view (b) when viewed perpendicularly to the borehole wall, and in a plan view (c) when viewed parallel to the borehole wall, with enlarged detail a-a.
Detailed Description
Fig. 1 shows an oblique view of a detail of a measuring tape holder 1 and a position measuring tape 2 held thereon according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, from the perspective along the wall of a borehole beside the fastening point of the measuring tape holder, not shown.
The measuring tape support comprises a hoistway holder 4 for mounting the hoistway and a measuring tape holder 6 for mounting the measuring tape, the measuring tape holder 6 being connected to the hoistway holder 4 by means of a measuring tape holding support 8.
The hoistway holder 4 comprises a horizontally extending fastening flange 10 with a slot 12, the slot 12 extending perpendicularly to the wall and being intended for fixing in particular indirectly on the hoistway wall, for example via car guide rails or rail brackets,
and includes a vertically extending support flange 14 having a vertically extending slot 16, the measuring tape holding support being mounted in the slot 16 in a vertically displaceable manner.
On the side of the support collar 14 facing away from the wall, the measuring tape seat 6 is arranged on the support 8. In the exemplary embodiment, which includes two threaded clamping plates 18, the position measuring tape 2 is clamped between the two clamping plates 18.
The measuring tape holding support comprises a central shaft 20, two axial springs being clamped along the length of the central shaft 20 between support discs 26, 28, 30 and 32 in the form of macroscopic elastic support elements 22 and 24 by means of nuts. At the same time, the support discs 28 and 30 are designed in the form of a sliding fit to mount the support 8 vertically in the slot 16.
In particular, the construction of the support 8 according to the exemplary embodiment shown makes it possible, owing to the axial springs 22 and 24, to generate a predetermined amount of macroscopically elastic rotational support play with respect to all three support axes (elevator car axis Z, normal X to the shaft wall and horizontal parallel Y to the shaft wall). In addition, a predetermined amount of macroelastic normal bearing play can be produced along the normal X. The respective amount of bearing play and the amount of force required to take advantage of the bearing play during passage of the measuring head can be predetermined, for example, by selecting the spring characteristics of the axial springs 22 and 24.
The way in which the respective amount of bearing play is produced in the bearing 8 by elastic deformation of the axial springs 22 and/or 24 will be explained in detail in the description relating to fig. 3.
Fig. 2 shows a measuring tape guide 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, with a plurality of measuring tape holders 1.1 to 1.6 according to the exemplary embodiment of fig. 1. Fig. 2 shows in a highly exaggerated form a hoistway wall 101, which hoistway wall 101 belongs to an elevator hoistway of an elevator system 1000 according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention and has been deformed e.g. due to a storm. The position measuring tape 102 extends along the hoistway wall 101 and is subjected to tensile stress between the suspension means 103 and the gripping unit 105 by the tension of the gripping unit and its own weight.
The respective measuring tape holder 1.1 to 1.6 is shown in a plurality of positions z1 to z6 in fig. 2; in practical exemplary embodiments, in some cases, the measuring tape holder 1 is mounted at a considerable number of positions, depending on the height of the building, in order to be able to reliably keep the measuring tape 102 within the desired envelope geometry even in the case of buildings swaying to a relatively significant extent. The suspension device 103, the clamping unit 105 and the measuring tape holder 1.1 to 1.6 together form a measuring tape guide 100.
Fig. 3 a-3 c show the measuring tape holder 1 according to fig. 1 and an enlarged detail a-a, (a) as a side view when viewed from the wall of the shaft, (b) as a side view when viewed perpendicular to (or along a horizontal shaft parallel line Y) the wall of the shaft, and (c) as a plan view when viewed parallel to the wall of the shaft.
Fig. 3a shows the measuring tape holder 1 in a side view when viewed from the borehole wall. The fastening flange 10 of the hoistway holder 4 merges into a vertical flange 14. The support 8 is accommodated in the vertical slot 16 with a vertical support play 40. The vertical support play 40 is used in particular to compensate for thermal effects in the building and/or to compensate for settlement of the building.
In view of the perspective, only the bearing shaft 20 and the bearing plate 32 of the bearing 8 can be seen. A portion of the clamping plate 18 of the measuring tape holder 6 can also be seen, the position measuring tape 2 being accommodated in the clamping plate 18.
The axial springs 22 and 24 of the support 8, which are not shown in fig. 3a in view of perspective, provide a rotational support play 42 around the normal X of the wall. This amount of bearing play 42 allows the shaft holder 4 and the measuring tape seat 6 to be rotated relative to one another, in particular in order to compensate for correspondingly applied guiding forces during the passage of the measuring head (not shown). This guiding force can in turn be generated by a non-optimal positioning and/or orientation of the measuring head (not shown) relative to the measuring tape 2, for example due to building swaying.
Fig. 3b shows the measuring tape holder 1 in a side view when viewed perpendicularly to the borehole wall 101. In this figure it can be seen that the position measuring tape 2 has been clamped between two clamping plates 18.1 and 18.2.
It can also be seen that the axial springs 22 and 24 of the bearing 8 are supported on the hoistway holder 4 by support discs 28 and 30 and on the measuring tape seat 6 via a support disc 26. The support disc 32 forms an abutment 50 for the elastic deformation of the axial springs 22, 24 (see also detail a-a in fig. 3 c).
This exemplary embodiment of the support 8 also makes it possible to generate the normal support play 48 along the normal X of the wall in a reversible and macroscopically elastic manner. The same applies to the amount of rotational bearing play 44 about the horizontal parallel line Y of the wall.
To aid understanding, fig. 3b shows the shaft wall 101 using dashed lines and, as a possible fastening means of the measuring tape holder 1, an anchoring rail 60 for accommodating the shaft holder 4 by means of a threaded connection.
Fig. 3c shows the measuring tape holder 1 in a plan view when viewed parallel to the borehole wall, together with an enlarged detail a-a. The detail specific view a-a particularly shows the various components of the measuring tape holding support 8 as seen along the section a-a shown in figure 3 c.
It can be seen from this view that, in addition to the normal bearing play 48, a rotational bearing play 46 about the elevator car axis Z can also be produced in the bearing 8.
The two dashed lines representing the measuring heads (not shown) depict the tape guide 56 at the envisaged reading position, which belongs to the elevator car and is arranged on either side of the position measuring tape 2.
Detail specific figures a-a also show the precise configuration of the measuring tape holding support 8: the length of the bearing part 8 in the normal direction X is determined by fixedly acting threaded connections 54.1 and 54.2 on the bearing shaft 20, which are each designed in the form of a double nut arrangement. For this purpose, the bearing shaft is provided with an external thread at least at its end. The more far the respective inner nut of the double nut arrangement 54.1, 54.2 is screwed on the shaft 20, the more significant the pre-stressing of the axial springs 22 and 24. At relatively high levels of pre-stress, the force required is increased to take advantage of the normal bearing play amount 48. Also, the maximum amount of normal bearing play 48 available is reduced.
Between the bearing disks 26 and 32, a spacer 52 is arranged around the bearing shaft 20, which spacer extends in the normal direction X along the majority of the distance between the bearing disks 26 and 32, which distance is predetermined by the threaded connections 54.1 and 54.2. For example, the spacer may be arranged such that it prevents any further compression of the axial spring 24 in the vicinity of the wall from when the support 8 makes a certain amount of deflection in the direction of the well wall.
The spacer 52 and the support shaft 20 pass through the slot 16 with a certain amount of play and thus allow the support 8 to deflect relative to the support flange 14 as a result of the axial springs 22 and 24 bending about any desired axis that is perpendicular to the direction of the longitudinal axis of the axial springs. This provides the amount of rotational support play 44 and 46.
Twisting of the axial springs 22 and 24 about their longitudinal axes is also possible, which provides the amount of rotational bearing play 42.
List of reference numerals
1 measuring tape support
2 position measuring tape
4 well retainer
6 measuring scale belt seat
8 measuring tape holding support
10 fastening flange
12-notch
14 support flange
16-notch
18 clamping plate
20 support shaft
22. 24 macroscopic elastic supporting element (axial spring)
26. 28, 30, 32 support disc
40 vertical support play amount
42 amount of rotational bearing play around the normal to the wall
44 amount of rotational bearing play about a horizontal parallel to the wall
46 amount of rotational support play about the axis of the elevator car
48 amount of normal bearing play
50 abutting part
52 spacer
54 fixed-action threaded connection
56 tape guide belonging to an elevator car
60 anchoring rail
100 measuring tape guide
101 well wall
103 suspension device
105 clamping unit
X Elevator Car Axis
Normal of Y well wall
Horizontal parallel lines of Z-well walls