EP2190770B1 - Elevator car for reduced upper ends of elevator shafts - Google Patents

Abstract

This elevator car (10) is characterized by a car roof (9), which is designed to be non-load bearing, so that in the uppermost position of the car (10) the required free space F in the form of a cuboid lying on one of the sides thereof and having the minimum dimensions of 0.5 m×0.6 m×0.8 m is located completely inside the car (10) and extends down to the car floor (8). When a potential load is applied onto the car roof (9), it yields or is lowered due to deformation. In this way, the required free space F of 0.6 m×0.5 m×0.8 m above the surface on which a maintenance technician can stand is ensured in any case as a safety space against the danger of crushing, even if the elevator car moves very close to the ceiling of the shaft.

Description

This invention relates to a lift cab for reduced lift shaft heads. Conventionally, many lift drives are arranged in the upper end of the lift shaft. To maintain these lift drives, a lift fitter must climb onto the cabin roof of the lift cabin to gain access to the lift drive. This is basically dangerous, and even some fitter have been injured in the past while performing such checks and maintenance between the elevator car and the shaft ceiling or even killed by crushing. Therefore, the legislature has issued strict guidelines that are to make crushing impossible.

As a central rule, the danger of crushing in the end positions of the elevator car with free spaces or protective niches must be avoided in new elevators. Due to the wording of point 2.2. in the elevator regulation and the EC elevator directive this means that for the legislature the optimal safety with a compulsory prescribed protection area is achieved. The shaft head, the shaft pit and the shelter are defined by the harmonized standards SN EN 81-1 / 2: 1998. According to this, in point 5.7.1, it is said to be the upper shelter of traction sheave lifts under d): The space above the cabin must be able to accommodate a cuboid lying on one of its sides with minimum dimensions of 0.5mx 0.6mx 0.8m, permanently. An additional free space can be temporarily created, if it is ensured that the lift shaft is only accessible when this space is created. The height of this additional free space with footprint 0.48mx 0.25m depends on the maximum speed of the lift cabin and is calculated in meters to 1 + 0.035 xv ² , where v is used in [m / s]. These regulations apply and must be complied with even if it is not necessary at all to climb onto the cabin roof to maintain the lift.

So far, however, it was hardly necessary to avoid committing the elevator cabin (cab roof). Most lift drives are located in the upper end of the lift shaft head and therefore the lift cabin (cabin roof) must be accessible for maintenance. The situation is different with a lift construction in which the upper end of the shaft head remains completely free. From the architecture comes the increasing desire to be able to do without unsightly light shaft heads on the buildings. However, this presents the lift manufacturers with new challenges, precisely because with every construction, the applicable lift regulations must be met. Latest lift constructions allow a minimum shaft head height of only 280cm. This is the measure of the top floor floor up to the bottom of the lift shaft head, that is to the ceiling of the elevator shaft. For example, a lift to be installed has a cabin of 220cm inside height. Approximately 10cm are needed for crossing above the cabin. For the lift door drive, it also requires a certain amount. This leaves 50cm left in the top normal lift position. These are needed as a safety buffer. If the lift stops at the top floor with a heavy load, exactly at floor level, and then is relieved, the cabin can still lift by a few cm due to the elasticity of the support side. Even then there must still be a gap wide air up to the lift shaft head, so that in no case can strike the elevator car at the same. In this constellation with elevator cabin height of 220cm plus the minimum height of the lying prescribed Quades of 0.50m, which means 220cm + 50cm + 10cm crossing, this headroom height of 280cm results straight. There is a desire to further reduce this measure of the chess head, because the usual floor height in residential buildings is 240cm. Then there is the concrete ceiling and possibly the flat roof construction above. With lift shaft heads of 280cm from the top floor you are in many cases still higher than the corresponding roof construction, so that the lift head always protrudes high out of the roof. But that's just what you want to avoid.
EP 1333000 discloses a lift cab for reduced lift shaft heads.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a lift cage for reduced lift shaft heads, which requires a minimum shaft height at a certain elevator car height and yet is able to meet the requirements of the elevator regulation with respect to the free space against the danger of crushing.

This object is achieved by a lift cage for reduced lift shaft heads, which remains above the lift cage cross-section free of drive elements, wherein the elevator car is characterized in that the canopy is not embarked on, so that the required space in the form of lying on one side cuboid with the Minimum dimensions of 0.5mx 0.6mx 0.8m in the uppermost position of the cabin is completely inside the cabin and extends down to the cabin floor.

Figur 1:

Einen Liftschachtkopf mit der Liftkabine in der höchsten Position dargestellt, mit konventionellem Liftantrieb, beim Ausführen von Wartungsarbeiten am Liftmotor, und eingezeichnetem vorschriftsgemässem Freiraum F über der Kabine als Sicherheit gegen die Quetschgefahr;

Figur 2:

Einen Liftschacht mit der Liftkabine in der höchsten Position dargestellt, mit tiefer liegendem Liftmotor, mit eingezeichnetem vorschriftsgemässen Freiraum F über der Kabine als Sicherheit gegen die Quetschgefahr;

Figur 3:

Einen Liftschachtkopf mit der Liftkabine in der höchsten Position dargestellt, wobei die Liftkabine den seitlich angeordneten Liftmotor überfährt, sodass Wartungsarbeiten aus der Liftkabine heraus durchführbar sind;

Figur 4:

Einen Liftschachtkopf mit der Liftkabine in der höchsten Position dargestellt, wobei die Liftkabine den seitlich angeordneten Liftmotor überfährt, mit geöffnetem Wartungsfenster zur Durchführung von Wartungsarbeiten aus der Liftkabine und eingezeichnetem funktionalen Freiraum F.

In the drawings, the principle is shown and will be explained with reference to the same.
It shows:

FIG. 1:

A lift shaft head with the elevator car in the highest position shown, with conventional lift drive, when performing maintenance on the lift engine, and marked proper clearance F above the cab as a safeguard against crushing;

FIG. 2:

A lift shaft with the elevator car in the highest position shown, with lower lying lift engine, with marked proper clearance F above the cabin as protection against crushing;

FIG. 3:

A lift shaft head with the elevator car in the highest position is shown, wherein the elevator car passes over the laterally arranged lift motor, so that maintenance work can be carried out from the elevator car;

FIG. 4:

A lift shaft head with the elevator car in the highest position is shown, wherein the elevator car passes over the laterally arranged lift motor, with opened maintenance window for carrying out maintenance work from the elevator car and marked functional clearance F.

How to get by FIG. 1 recognizes, in such a conventional arrangement of the lift motor maintenance must be performed necessarily from the cab roof. The lift mechanic stands on the cabin roof. On this cabin roof, ie above the area on which the lift mechanic stands, a free space F of 0.5mx 0.6mx 0.8m must always be present, for example as shown. The cuboid with the masses 0.5mx 0.6mx 0.8m, however, can be on another side. Even if the lift motor and all other drive elements were arranged at the bottom of the elevator shaft, then this marked space would have to be present because it would be conceivable that the cabin roof would be accessed by someone. The elevator cab could therefore not be driven with its canopy all the way to the end of the elevator shaft head.

The FIG. 2 shows another conventional lift construction. In this, the lift motor is located further down, not directly above the section of the elevator car, but approximately at the level of the upper cabin edge, when the car is in its uppermost position, as shown here. However, the lift engine still has to be maintained from the outside - it is not accessible from inside the cab. Again, on the cabin roof a clearance F of 0.5mx 0.6mx 0.8m always be present, this example may be as drawn. However, the cuboid 0.5mx 0.6mx 0.8m can be on another side.

The conditions in the execution are quite different FIG. 3 , which shows a lift cabin according to the invention for reduced lift shaft heads. Here, the elevator car, when it has arrived as shown in the uppermost position, run over the laterally arranged lift motor 1 with its upper outer edge 2 completely, so that the lift motor 1 is located laterally of the elevator car 10. The mass ratios are significantly different here. With a lift cabin height of 220 cm, this cabin 10 can be moved almost to the upper end of the lift shaft head 11. Calculated only has the height of about 15 to 20cm to build the door drives for the lift doors, as well as a few centimeters buffer zone in the event that the elevator car is raised by a few inches due to the elasticity of the suspension ropes with the weight relief when leaving the people. In any case and irrespective of the above, the condition must be fulfilled that a free space F of 0.5mx 0.6mx 0.8m above the cab 10 or the area which an assembler can enter is obtained, although never a lift fitter on the roof this lift cabin 10 must climb. The requirement for this clearance F is met now because the ceiling 9 of the elevator car 10 is designed to be inextricably. The elevator car roof is designed in such a way that nobody comes to mind to enter it, because it is by design quite obvious that it is not sustainable. For example, the cabin roof can only consist of a sheet metal plate, which inevitably deforms at the moment of entry and bends down so that everyone immediately recognizes that this may not be because the canopy is not designed to enter. In addition, everywhere clear signs are attached, even on the cabin roof itself, so that entry can be excluded. Similarly, the cabin roof could also consist of a stretched plastic film of transparent or translucent film material. In a further variant, the canopy can be made of a tensioned fabric. In any case, the roof is designed so that everyone immediately recognizes that it is due to lack of carrying capacity is completely unattainable. Nevertheless, someone would step on the roof, this would give something immediately, but still ensure that a person would not fall into the cabin. However, there is no reason ever to want to step on the roof of the canopy, yes, this could even be omitted altogether, which would then have an open-topped cabin, which may not be desirable, but technically to the same thing, what are presented here should.

In such a roof structure of the cabin, which can not be accessed by a priori, when the elevator cabin assumes its highest imaginable position in the elevator shaft, the free space F is located entirely inside the cabin, but still above the cabin in the sense of above the area on which the maintenance technician is located stands, or above the top conceivable surface on the cabin, on which a person can stand at all. Thus, the free space F extends in any case at least over the entire cabin interior height, so at least over 200cm or more. The base of the free space F, or the side surface of the required cuboid, which rests on the surface on which someone can stand, measures in any case at least 0.5mx 0.6m, but usually much more, because this footprint in their dimensions almost yes corresponds to the floor of the cabin, which is always greater than 0.5mx 0.6m.

A human body can never be "on" the canopy, because it is not sustainable, but would give way immediately and be deformed. These are, however, theoretical considerations that are irrelevant to the practice, because the cabin will never enter, just as for the same reason the roof of a glass or greenhouse is never entered. In FIG. 4 It shows how the maintenance work on this lift construction can be carried out. For this purpose, a part 3 of the side wall of the car 10 is removed inwards into the cabin 10 and parked in front of the lower part 6 of the side wall. In this case, this removable side wall part 3 is placed at a certain distance in front of the lower side wall part 6. The distance is maintained by spacers 12 or by a handrail on the lower side wall part 6. How to use the FIGS. 3 and 4 sees, run namely the suspension cables 7 very close to the Lift cabin 10 over, because it seeks to keep the depth of the drive equipment as low as possible, so as not to unnecessarily give space in the elevator shaft at the expense of the cabin width. A regulation requires that the distance from parapet 4, on which the lift mechanic works, to the moving parts to be serviced and checked is at least 10cm. By placing the upper side wall part 3 at a distance, it is ensured that this distance of 10 cm to the next moving parts, namely to the carrying cables but also to the guide rails, where yes is passed by the cabin for maintenance purposes, is maintained. The provision with the free space F of 0.5mx 0.6mx 0.8m above the cabin 10 or above that area that can enter a fitter, is therefore respected here, because this space F under the conditions shown here with the non-accessible cab roof like drawn down to the floor of the cabin!

In a first variant, the non-accessible roof 9 of the elevator cabin 10 as in FIGS. 3 and 4 be made of a sheer sheet metal. As soon as the roof is loaded, the metal plate bends and creates a large, downward pointing bulge. Furthermore, the non-accessible roof piece may also consist of foil material, for example made of rubber-elastic foil material, either of plastic or of a textile material. Finally, it can also be designed as a rigid plate which is attached to cables, which are, for example, spring-loaded extendable. This can for example be realized as in FIG. 4 shown, namely that the corners of the roof piece hang on wire trains 13, which are guided over guide rollers 14,15 along the outside of the elevator car and there are attached to tension springs 16. Of course, other guides of the wire cables are conceivable, so that they run only on the cabin roof. As soon as the spring forces are exceeded due to a load on the roof, the roof 9 lowers, while the springs 16 stretch, downwards, at least to the extent that the required free space F is available.

With these optional different measures is in any case the required space F available, although he technically even at all no longer needed. But the requirement has been met and this now allows the construction of lifts with significantly reduced lift shaft heights. In practice, with cabin interior heights of 220cm, the minimum height of the lift shaft head is 255cm. This 45cm difference is needed by the cab design and especially by the motor drives for the lift doors as well as by a buffer zone. With even more compact electric motors for the door drives, the shaft head height can be further reduced by a few cm to approx. 240cm.

Claims (6)

1. An elevator car for reduced elevator shaft tops, which remains free of drive elements above the elevator car cross-section, characterized in that the car roof (9) is designed to be non-load bearing, so that in the uppermost position of the car (10) the required free space F in the form of a cuboid lying on one of the sides thereof and having the minimum dimensions of 0.5 m x 0.6 m x 0.8 m is located completely inside the car (10) and extends down to the car floor (8).
2. The elevator car for reduced elevator shaft tops according to claim 1, characterized in that the non-load bearing car roof (9) is designed such that it is undoubtedly obvious that a person cannot step on it because the design thereof is obviously such that it would yield by deformation.
3. An elevator car for reduced tops of elevator shafts according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the non-load bearing car roof (9) comprises such a thin metal sheet that this metal sheet yields when a person steps on it, allowing sufficient free space as that required by the safety standards to be created in the elevator car.
4. An elevator car for reduced tops of elevator shafts according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the car roof (9) comprises a rubber-elastic plastic film.
5. An elevator car for reduced tops of elevator shafts according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the car roof (9) comprises a rubber-elastic textile fabric.
6. An elevator car for reduced tops of elevator shafts according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the car roof (9) is designed to be non-load bearing in that it is held at the upper end of the car (10) by spring-loaded cable pulls (13) using deflection rollers (14) against the force of a tension spring (16) at the upper car edge and is lowered in the event a load is applied until the required free space F is present above the roof lowered in this way and is located entirely inside the car (10) and extends down to the car floor (8).

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