EP1842821A1

EP1842821A1 - Balance weight-less elevator apparatus

Info

Publication number: EP1842821A1
Application number: EP04822449A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Hisao Kuraoka
Original assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corp
Current assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corp
Priority date: 2004-11-29
Filing date: 2004-11-29
Publication date: 2007-10-10
Also published as: WO2006057058A1; JPWO2006057058A1; CN1906110A; EP1842821A4; CN100522784C; JP4290731B2

Abstract

There is provided a counterweight-less elevator apparatus capable of minimizing spaces in the top and pit portions of an elevator shaft and thereby reducing the size of the elevator shaft. For this purpose, in a counterweight-less elevator apparatus comprising a car going up and down in an elevator shaft; a driving sheave and a returning sheave provided in a top portion and a pit portion of the shaft, respectively; and a main rope which is caused to pass around the driving sheave and the returning sheave and one end portion of which is provided on the car from the upside of the car and the other end portion of which is provided on the car from the downside of the car, both end portions of the main rope are provided on one side surface of the car, and the one end portion is provided in a lower portion on one side surface of the car from the upside or the other end portion is provided in an upper portion on one side surface of the car from the downside.

Description

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an elevator apparatus provided with no counterweight (a counterweight-less elevator apparatus).

Background Art

A traction type counterweight-less elevator apparatus is usually configured so that the ends of a main rope are connected to an elevator car, and the elevator car goes up and down in an elevator shaft in association with the turning of a driving sheave around which the main rope is caused to pass. Figure 4 is a front view of a conventional counterweight-less elevator apparatus having the above-described configuration, showing a schematic configuration of an elevator apparatus described in Patent Document 1. In Figure 4, a cab 1 in which an elevator user rides at the time of movement is fixed to a car frame 3 via cushioning materials 2 or the like. On the car frame 3, one end of a main rope 6 is provided elastically in a central portion of an upper frame 3c, which is arranged over the cab 1, via a rope hitching device 8a, and the other end of the main rope 6 is provided elastically in a central portion of a lower frame 3a, which is arranged under the cab 1, via a rope hitching device 8b. This main rope 6 that is connected to an upper part and a lower part of a car 5 via the rope hitching devices 8a and 8b is caused to pass around returning sheaves 10 and a driving sheave 9a provided in a top portion and a pit portion of a shaft 7, and is given a predetermined tension by a tensioning device 14 provided in the pit portion of the shaft 7. By this tension given by the tensioning device 14, a frictional force necessary for elevating the car 5 is generated between the main rope 6 and the driving sheave 9a.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-67365

Disclosure of the Invention

Problem to be Solved by the Invention

The conventional counterweight-less elevator apparatus including the elevator apparatus described in Patent Document 1 have a problem in that the size of the shaft 7 increases because the main rope 6 is connected to positions just over and under the cab 1, so that the rope hitching devices 8a and 8b interfere with equipment provided in the top and pit portions of the shaft 7, and therefore the internal space of the shaft 7 cannot be put to effective use. Specifically, in the top portion of the shaft 7, in order to prevent interference of the rope hitching device 8a provided over the cab 1 with the returning sheave 10 provided in the top portion of the shaft 7 when the car 5 reaches the uppermost part of the elevatable range, it is necessary to provide, between the cab 1 and the returning sheave 10, a space (L1 in Figure 4) for a connecting portion in which the main rope 6 is connected to the rope hitching device 8a and a space (L2 in Figure 4) for an adjusting portion in which the length of the main rope 6 is adjusted. On the other hand, in the pit portion of the shaft 7, in order to prevent interference of the rope hitching device 8b provided under the cab 1 with a traction machine 9 provided in the pit portion of the shaft 7 when the car 5 reaches the lowermost part of the elevatable range, it is necessary to provide, between the cab 1 and the traction machine 9, a space (L4 in Figure 4) for a connecting portion and a space (L3 in Figure 4) for an adjusting portion.
Also, in the case where the car 5 is suspended by a plurality of main ropes 6, when the car 5 reaches the uppermost part of the elevatable range, the rope hitching device 8a is tilted as shown in Figure 5. This tilt is produced by a difference between the interval of rope grooves in the returning sheave 10 provided in the top portion of the shaft 7 and the interval of the rope hitching devices 8a provided over the cab 1, so that the tilt increases as the distance between the returning sheave 10 and the rope hitching device 8a decreases. Therefore, in order to keep a tilt angle θ of the rope hitching device 8a within an allowable range, a predetermined distance is needed between the returning sheave 10 and the rope hitching device 8a when the car 5 reaches the uppermost part of the elevatable range. On the other hand, the above-described problem also arises between the traction machine 9 provided in the pit portion of the shaft 7 and the rope hitching device 8b provided under the cab 1, so that the rope hitching device 8b is also tilted when the car 5 reaches the lowermost part of the elevatable range. For the above-described reason, both of the top portion and the pit portion of the shaft 7 each require a space for keeping the tilt angles θ of the rope hitching devices 8a and 8b within allowable ranges.
The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and accordingly an object thereof is to provide a counterweight-less elevator apparatus capable of minimizing spaces in the top and pit portions of an elevator shaft and thereby reducing the size of the elevator shaft.

Means for Solving the Problems

A counterweight-less elevator apparatus related to the present invention comprises a car going up and down in an elevator shaft, a driving sheave or a returning sheave provided in a top portion and a pit portion of the shaft, respectively, and a main rope which is caused to pass around the driving sheave or the returning sheave and one end portion of which is provided on the car from the upside of the car and the other end portion of which is provided on the car from the downside of the car, and both end portions of the main rope are provided on one side surface of the car, and the one end portion is provided in a lower portion on one side surface of the car from the upside or the other end portion is provided in an upper portion on one side surface of the car from the downside.

Effect of the Invention

This invention provides a counterweight-less elevator apparatus comprising a car going up and down in an elevator shaft, a driving sheave or a returning sheave provided in a top portion and a pit portion of the shaft, respectively, and a main rope which is caused to pass around the driving sheave or the returning sheave and one end portion of which is provided on the car from the upside of the car and the other end portion of which is provided on the car from the downside of the car, characterized in that both end portions of the main rope are provided on one side surface of the car, and the one end portion is provided in a lower portion on one side surface of the car from the upside or the other end portion is provided in an upper portion on one side surface of the car from the downside. This arrangement makes it possible to minimize spaces in the top and pit portions of an elevator shaft and thereby reduce the size of the elevator shaft.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 shows a counterweight-less elevator apparatus in Embodiment 1 of the present invention.
Figure 2 shows a counterweight-less elevator apparatus in Embodiment 2 of the present invention.
Figure 3 shows a counterweight-less elevator apparatus in Embodiment 3 of the present invention.
Figure 4 is a front view of a conventional counterweight-less elevator apparatus.
Figure 5 is a partial view of a conventional elevator apparatus.

Description of Symbols

1 cab, 2 cushioning material, 3 car frame, 3a lower frame, 3b vertical frame, 3c upper frame, 4a lower support, 4b upper support, 4c lower support, 4d upper support, 5 car, 6 main rope, 7 shaft, 8a rope hitching device, 8b rope hitching device, 9 traction machine, 9a driving sheave, 10 returning sheave, 11a rope shackle, 11b rope shackle, 12a spring holder, 12b spring holder, 13a shackle spring, 13b shackle spring, 14 tensioning device,

Best Mode of Carrying Out the Invention

To explain the present invention in more detail, the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same symbols are applied to the same or equivalent elements, and the duplicated explanation thereof is simplified or omitted appropriately.

Embodiment 1

Figure 1 shows a counterweight-less elevator apparatus in Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figure 1(a) is a side view thereof, and Figure 1(b) is a front view thereof. In Figure 1, a cab 1 in which an elevator user rides at the time of movement is provided in a car frame 3 of a substantially quadrangular ring shape via cushioning materials 2. This car frame 3 is formed by a lower frame 3a which is arranged under the cab 1 to support the cab 1, vertical frames 3b which are erected in both end portions of the lower frame 3a and are arranged at both sides of the cab 1, and an upper frame 3c which is provided so as to connect the upper parts of the vertical frames 3b and is arranged over the cab 1, and is arranged so as to surround the cab 1 from the upside, downside, and both sides. Also, the car frame 3 is provided with a lower support 4a in a lower portion on one side surface and an upper support 4b in an upper portion on one side surface. The lower and upper supports 4a and 4b are arranged so that portions (hereinafter referred to as "projecting portions") projecting from one side surface of the car frame 3 to the outside do not interfere with each other on a vertical projection plane.
A car 5 of an elevator having the above-described configuration is suspended by a plurality of main ropes 6 so as to go up and down in a shaft 7 by being guided by guide rails (not shown) erected at both sides thereof. Each of the main ropes 6 suspending the car 5 is provided with a rope hitching device 8a in one end portion thereof, and is connected to the lower support 4a elastically from the upside via the rope hitching device 8a. Also, each of the main ropes 6 is caused to pass successively around a driving sheave 9a of a traction machine 9 provided in the top portion of the shaft 7 and around a returning sheave 10 provided in the pit portion of the shaft 7 from one end portion side connected to the lower support 4a, and the other end portion thereof is connected to the upper support 4b elastically from the downside via a rope hitching device 8b.
Next, the configuration and arrangement of the rope hitching devices 8a and 8b provided at the ends of each of the main ropes 6.
The rope hitching device 8a provided in one end portion of each of the main ropes 6 includes a rope shackle 11a which is connected to one end portion of the main rope 6 above the lower support 4a and passes loosely through a through hole (not shown) formed in the projecting portion of the lower support 4a, a spring holder 12a substantially having a disc shape, which is provided in the tip end portion of the rope shackle 11a below the lower support 4a, and a shackle spring 13a which is provided between the upper surface of the spring holder 12a and the lower surface of the lower support 4a to urge the spring holder 12a downward and in which the rope shackle 11a is inserted through the hollow portion thereof. The rope hitching device 8a is configured so that the rope shackles 11a are arranged so as to have predetermined intervals, and the lower part of the shackle spring 13a and the spring holder 12a are positioned slightly below the lower frame 3a of the car frame 3.
On the other hand, the rope hitching device 8b provided in the other end portion of each of the main ropes 6 includes a rope shackle 11b which is connected to the other end portion of the main rope 6 below the upper support 4b and passes loosely through a through hole (not shown) formed in the projecting portion of the upper support 4b, a spring holder 12b substantially having a disc shape, which is provided in the tip end portion of the rope shackle 11b above the upper support 4b, and a shackle spring 13b which is provided between the upper surface of the upper support 4b and the lower surface of the spring holder 12b to urge the spring holder 12b upward and in which the rope shackle 11b is inserted through the hollow portion thereof. The rope hitching device 8b is configured so that the rope shackles 11b are arranged so as to have predetermined intervals, and the upper part of the shackle spring 13b and the spring holder 12b are positioned slightly above the upper frame 3c of the car frame 3.
In the case where the lengths of the main ropes 6 become imbalanced, the installation positions of the spring holder 12a of the rope hitching device 8a and the spring holder 12b of the rope hitching device 8b are changed, by which the lengths of the main ropes 6 can be adjusted individually. For example, in the case where the spring holders 12a and 12b are threadedly engaged with the rope shackles 11a and 11b, the spring holders 12a and 12b are turned and moved vertically, by which the length of the main ropes 6 can be made proper. Also, the shackle spring 13a of the rope hitching device 8a and the shackle spring 13b of the rope hitching device 8b have a floating function of cushioning a shock caused at the time of ordinary operation of elevator, for example, at the time when the car 5 is started or stopped, and of absorbing the tilts of the rope shackles 11a and 11b that change depending on the position of the car 5.
According to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, one end portion of the main rope 6 suspending the car 5 of elevator is connected to the lower support 4a provided in the lower portion on one side surface of the car 5, and the other end portion thereof is connected to the upper support 4b provided in the upper portion on one side surface of the car 5, so that the rope hitching devices 8a and 8b for connecting the main rope 6 to the car 5 are arranged at the side of the car 5. Therefore, the distance between the traction machine 9 and the car 5 at the time when the car 5 reaches the uppermost part of the elevatable range can be minimized, and therefore the size of the shaft 7 can be decreased. In the case where the shaft 7 and the elevatable range of the car 5 in the shaft 7 are not changed, the installation position of the traction machine 9 can be lowered, which improves the installation properties and maintainability of the traction machine 9.
Also, since one end portion of the main rope 6 is connected from the upside to the lower support 4a in the lower portion on one side surface of the car 5, even if the car 5 reaches the uppermost part of the elevatable range, a distance corresponding to the height of the car 5 is always provided between the driving sheave 9a of the traction machine 9 provided in the top portion of the shaft 7 and the rope hitching device 8a. Therefore, unlike the conventional example, a space for keeping the tilt of the rope hitching device 8a within an allowable range need not be provided in the top portion of the shaft 7, so that the space in the top portion of the shaft 7 can be decreased. For the same reason as described above, in the case where the car 5 reaches the lowermost part of the elevatable range as well, the distance between the returning sheave 10 provided in the pit portion of the shaft 7 and the car 5 can be minimized, and also a space for keeping the tilt of the rope hitching device 8b within an allowable range need not be provided in the pit portion of the shaft 7.
Also, the rope hitching device 8a provided in one end portion of the main rope 6 is arranged so that the spring holder 12a, which is the adjusting portion for the rope hitching device 8a, is positioned below the car 5. Therefore, when the worker adjusts the length of the main rope 6, he/she can operate the spring holder 12a easily from the downside of the car 5, which provides high workability. The same is true for the rope hitching device 8b provided in the other end portion of the main rope 6. Since the spring holder 12b, which is the adjusting portion for the rope hitching device 8b, is positioned above the car 5, when the worker adjusts the length of the main rope 6, he/she can operate the spring holder 12b easily from the upside of the car 5.
In Embodiment 1, the traction machine 9 is disposed in the top portion of the shaft 7, and the returning sheave 10 is disposed in the pit portion of the shaft 7. However, it is a matter of course that if turning sheaves are provided in the top and pit portions of the shaft 7, the same effects as those of Embodiment 1 is achieved. For example, the configuration may be such that the traction machine 9 is provided in the pit portion of the shaft 7.

Embodiment 2

Figure 2 shows a counterweight-less elevator apparatus in Embodiment 2 of the present invention. Figure 2(a) is a side view thereof, and Figure 2(b) is a front view thereof. In Figure 2, in a lower portion on one side surface of the car frame 3 supporting the cab 1, a lower support 4c is provided so that a portion thereof projects from one side surface of the car frame 3 to the outside. Also, each of the main ropes 6 suspending the car 5 is provided with the rope hitching device 8a in one end portion thereof, and is connected to the lower support 4c elastically from the upside via the rope hitching device 8a. Also, each of the main ropes 6 is caused to pass successively around the driving sheave 9a of the traction machine 9 provided in the top portion of the shaft 7 and around the returning sheave 10 provided in the pit portion of the shaft 7 from one end portion side connected to the lower support 4c, and the other end portion thereof is connected to the lower support 4c elastically from the downside via the rope hitching device 8b.
The rope hitching device 8a provided in one end portion of each of the main ropes 6 includes the rope shackle 11a which is connected to one end portion of the main rope 6 above the lower support 4c and passes loosely through a through hole (not shown) formed in the projecting portion of the lower support 4c, the spring holder 12a substantially having a disc shape, which is provided in the tip end portion of the rope shackle 11a below the lower support 4c, and the shackle spring 13a which is provided between the upper surface of the spring holder 12a and the lower surface of the lower support 4c to urge the spring holder 12a downward and in which the rope shackle 11a is inserted through the hollow portion thereof. The rope hitching device 8a is configured so that the rope shackles 11a are arranged so as to have predetermined intervals, and the lower part of the shackle spring 13a and the spring holder 12a are positioned slightly below the lower frame 3a of the car frame 3.
On the other hand, the rope hitching device 8b provided in the other end portion of each of the main ropes 6 includes the rope shackle 11b which is connected to the other end portion of the main rope 6 below the lower support 4c and passes loosely through a through hole formed in the projecting portion of the lower support 4c, the spring holder 12b substantially having a disc shape, which is provided in the tip end portion of the rope shackle 11b above the lower support 4c, and the shackle spring 13b which is provided between the upper surface of the lower support 4c and the lower surface of the spring holder 12b to urge the spring holder 12b upward and in which the rope shackle 11b is inserted through the hollow portion thereof.
Other configurations are the same as those of Embodiment 1.
By the above-described configuration, the rope hitching devices 8a and 8b are collected in a lower part of the car 5, so that the construction can be simplified and the number of components can be reduced. Also, since all operations including the connecting work and length adjusting work can be performed from the downside of the car 5, the workability is high. In addition, the same effects as those of Embodiment 1 are achieved. In the case where a sufficient clearance is not provided between one side surface of the car 5 and a shaft wall facing to this one side surface, it is difficult to adjust the length of the main rope 6 by operating the rope hitching device 8b from the downside of the car 5. However, since the lengths of the main ropes 6 can be adjusted individually by operating the spring holder 12a of the rope hitching device 8a, there arises no problem. In such a case, the rope hitching device 8b does not require the mechanism of an adjusting portion for adjusting the length of the main rope 6, so that the construction can further be simplified.

Embodiment 3

Figure 3 shows a counterweight-less elevator apparatus in Embodiment 3 of the present invention. Figure 3(a) is a side view thereof, and Figure 3(b) is a front view thereof. In Figure 3, in an upper portion on one side surface of the car frame 3 supporting the cab 1, an upper support 4d is provided so that a portion thereof projects from one side surface of the car frame 3 to the outside. Also, each of the main ropes 6 suspending the car 5 is provided with the rope hitching device 8a in one end portion thereof, and is connected to the upper support 4d elastically from the upside via the rope hitching device 8a. Also, each of the main ropes 6 is caused to pass successively around the driving sheave 9a of the traction machine 9 provided in the top portion of the shaft 7 and around the returning sheave 10 provided in the pit portion of the shaft 7 from one end portion side connected to the upper support 4d, and the other end portion thereof is connected to the upper support 4d elastically from the downside via the rope hitching device 8b.
The rope hitching device 8a provided in one end portion of each of the main ropes 6 includes the rope shackle 11a which is connected to one end portion of the main rope 6 above the upper support 4d and passes loosely through a through hole (not shown) formed in the projecting portion of the upper support 4d, the spring holder 12a substantially having a disc shape, which is provided in the tip end portion of the rope shackle 11a below the upper support 4d, and the shackle spring 13a which is provided between the upper surface of the spring holder 12a and the lower surface of the upper support 4d to urge the spring holder 12a downward and in which the rope shackle 11a is inserted through the hollow portion thereof.
On the other hand, the rope hitching device 8b provided in the other end portion of each of the main ropes 6 includes the rope shackle 11b which is connected to the other end portion of the main rope 6 below the upper support 4d and passes loosely through a through hole formed in the projecting portion of the upper support 4d, the spring holder 12b substantially having a disc shape, which is provided in the tip end portion of the rope shackle 11b above the upper support 4d, and the shackle spring 13b which is provided between the upper surface of the upper support 4d and the lower surface of the spring holder 12b to urge the spring holder 12b upward and in which the rope shackle 11b is inserted through the hollow portion thereof. The rope hitching device 8b is configured so that the rope shackles 11b are arranged so as to have predetermined intervals, and the upper part of the shackle spring 13b and the spring holder 12b are positioned slightly above the upper frame 3c of the car frame 3.
Other configurations are the same as those of Embodiment 1.
By the above-described configuration, the rope hitching devices 8a and 8b are collected in a upper part of the car 5, so that the construction can be simplified and the number of components can be reduced. Also, since all operations including the connecting work and length adjusting work can be performed from the upside of the car 5, the workability is high. In particular, the above-described work can also be performed while the worker rides on the ceiling of the car 5, so that new scaffolding etc. need not be put up. In addition, the same effects as those of Embodiment 1 are achieved. In the case where a sufficient clearance is not provided between one side surface of the car 5 and a shaft wall facing to this one side surface, it is difficult to adjust the length of the main rope 6 by operating the rope hitching device 8a from the upside of the car 5. However, since the lengths of the main ropes 6 can be adjusted individually by operating the spring holder 12b of the rope hitching device 8b, there arises no problem. In such a case, the rope hitching device 8a does not require the mechanism of an adjusting portion for adjusting the length of the main rope 6, so that the construction can further be simplified.

Industrial Applicability

As described above, according to the counterweight-less elevator apparatus in accordance with the present invention, both end portions of the main rope suspending the car of elevator are connected to one side surface of the car via the rope hitching devices, and therefore there is no fear of interference of the rope hitching device with equipment provided in the top and pit portions of the shaft when the car reaches the uppermost part and the lowermost part of the elevatable range. Therefore, a space necessary for the top and pit portions of the shaft can be minimized, and thereby a counterweight-less elevator apparatus having a small utilized space can be provided.

Claims

A counterweight-less elevator apparatus comprising:
a car going up and down in an elevator shaft;

a driving sheave or a returning sheave provided in a top portion and a pit portion of the shaft, respectively; and

a main rope which is caused to pass around the driving sheave or the returning sheave and one end portion of which is provided on the car from the upside of the car and the other end portion of which is provided on the car from the downside of the car, characterized in that both end portions of the main rope are provided on one side surface of the car, and the one end portion is provided in a lower portion on one side surface of the car from the upside or the other end portion is provided in an upper portion on one side surface of the car from the downside.
The counterweight-less elevator apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of one end portion of the main rope provided in the lower portion on one side surface of the car from the upside and the other end portion of the main rope provided in the upper portion on one side surface of the car from the downside is provided on the car via a rope hitching device having an adjusting portion for adjusting the length of the main rope, and the adjusting portion of the rope hitching device is arranged so that the length of the main rope is adjustable from at least one of the downside and the upside of the car.
A counterweight-less elevator apparatus comprising:
a car going up and down in an elevator shaft;

a driving sheave or a returning sheave provided in a top portion and a pit portion of the shaft, respectively; and

a main rope which is caused to pass around the driving sheave or the returning sheave and one end portion of which is provided on the car from the upside of the car and the other end portion of which is provided on the car from the downside of the car, characterized in that the one end portion of the main rope is provided in a lower portion on one side surface of the car from the upside, and the other end portion thereof is provided in an upper portion on one side surface of the car from the downside.
The counterweight-less elevator apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that both end portions of the main rope are provided on the car via a rope hitching device having an adjusting portion for adjusting the length of the main rope; and the adjusting portion of the rope hitching device provided in one end portion of the main rope is arranged so that the length of the main rope is adjustable from the downside of the car, and the adjusting portion of the rope hitching device provided in the other end portion of the main rope is arranged so that the length of the main rope is adjustable from the upside of the car.
A counterweight-less elevator apparatus comprising:
a car going up and down in an elevator shaft;

a driving sheave or a returning sheave provided in a top portion and a pit portion of the shaft, respectively; and

a main rope which is caused to pass around the driving sheave or the returning sheave and one end portion of which is provided on the car from the upside of the car and the other end portion of which is provided on the car from the downside of the car, characterized in that the elevator apparatus includes a lower support provided in a lower portion on one side surface of the car; and

the one end portion of the main rope is provided on the lower support from the upside, and the other end portion thereof is provided on the lower support from the downside.
The counterweight-less elevator apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the one end portion of the main rope is provided on the car via a rope hitching device having an adjusting portion for adjusting the length of the main rope, and the adjusting portion of the rope hitching device is arranged so that the length of the main rope is adjustable from the downside of the car.
A counterweight-less elevator apparatus comprising:
a car going up and down in an elevator shaft;

a driving sheave or a returning sheave provided in a top portion and a pit portion of the shaft, respectively; and

a main rope which is caused to pass around the driving sheave or the returning sheave and one end portion of which is provided on the car from the upside of the car and the other end portion of which is provided on the car from the downside of the car, characterized in that the elevator apparatus includes an upper support provided in an upper portion on one side surface of the car; and

the one end portion of the main rope is provided on the upper support from the upside, and the other end portion thereof is provided on the upper support from the downside.
The counterweight-less elevator apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the other end portion of the main rope is provided on the car via a rope hitching device having an adjusting portion for adjusting the length of the main rope, and the adjusting portion of the rope hitching device is arranged so that the length of the main rope is adjustable from the upside of the car.