EP2855328B1 - Damping unit for a lift - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a damping unit for an elevator. Lifts contain cabs which are movable via suspension means, for example in the form of suspension ropes or carrying straps, by means of a drive unit in an elevator shaft. In the elevator shaft guide rails are fixed, which specify a linear guide for the elevator car. Persons or goods that enter or leave the elevator car during a car standstill cause undesirable vertical vibrations of the car due to the elasticity of the suspension elements. Such vertical vibrations occur in particular on lifts on suspension straps based on suspension, which enjoy in recent times growing popularity. Since belts have a less favorable vibration behavior compared to steel cables, the vertical vibrations increasingly affect the comfort feeling of the passengers and the operational safety.

From the EP 1 067 084 B1 a device for preventing vertical vibrations of the elevator car in standstill phases has become known. The device has a brake caliper, which can be pressed against the guide rail via a toggle mechanism. At the front ends of the lever of the brake caliper brake shoes are arranged. This device causes a frictional caused more or less rigid adherence of the car to the guide rails. In practice, however, it has been found that such retaining devices are demanding in terms of the control technology. In particular, it is difficult or expensive to operate the elevator in such a way that after the cabin stoppage the car can start smoothly.

Instead of retaining devices, a sufficiently comfortable feeling of comfort for the passengers during the cabin stoppage can also be achieved if the vertical vibrations of the cabin are only damped or reduced, for which considerably smaller forces are necessary. A damping unit for the reduction of vertical vibrations of the car in standstill phases shows, for example, the EP 1 424 302 A1 , The damping unit has an approximately half the cabin depth extending lever arm, at the free end of a pivotally mounted brake shoes is arranged. The damping unit is mechanically coupled to a door opening unit of the cabin; this activatable via the door drive damping unit requires a complicated Lever and transmission mechanism, which is why this solution is expensive and prone to failure. The device can not be retrofitted into existing existing older elevator systems. Another disadvantage then is that the damping behavior of the cabin does not meet higher demands in terms of ride comfort and reliability.

From the WO 2011/021064 A1 an arrangement for reducing vertical vibrations of an elevator car during a standstill has become known in which lever arms centrally articulated brake shoe holder by means of an electromotive cylinder against the guide rail are movable, the lever arms in turn at lower ends pivotally mounted on a cabin frame part base plate connect. The transversely mounted electromotive cylinder is pivotally connected to the opposite upper ends of the lever arms. The provided with the brake shoes lever arms must be pivoted by means of the electric motor cylinder to switch between the active position and rest position back and forth. Both lever arms are configured in two parts, wherein the respective Hebelarmteile a spring-supported damping mechanism comprising a respective helical compression spring against each other. Undesirable vertical vibrations during a cabin stoppage are difficult with this arrangement and can only be eliminated with a high level of technical control effort. In addition to the complicated structure, the arrangement is also expensive and heavy. Another disadvantage is that the arrangement requires a lot of space.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to avoid the disadvantages of the known and in particular to provide a damping unit with which vertical vibrations of the elevator car during a standstill can be optimally reduced. The damping unit should also be suitable for installation in existing systems. Such a retrofit of the elevator installation should be possible simply and with comparatively low costs.

These objects are achieved according to the invention with a device having the features of claim 1. The preferably equipped with two brake shoes damping unit includes brake shoe holder, which are operatively connected to move the brake shoes with an actuator. The brake shoes are in a rest position during a cab ride without contact along a guide rail mobile. After activation of the actuator, which is geared to the brake shoe holders, the brake shoes held by the brake shoe holders are pressed against the guide rail during the car stoppage in an active position. The damping unit further comprises a housing or other support structure (for example in the form of a simple support plate) for the brake shoe holder. The fact that the actuator is connected via a gear transmission with the brake shoe holders results in an advantageous geared connection between the brake shoe holders and actuator. Thanks to the gear transmission, the brake shoe holder and thus the associated brake shoes can be activated together in an efficient manner. A single gear transmission thus enables a precise simultaneous movement of the two brake shoe holder.

The gear transmission may be formed, for example, as a spur gear and have a subsequent to a drive shaft of the motor and rotatably connected thereto central drive gear. Further, the gear transmission may have two eccentric gears, each associated with an eccentric gear each having a brake shoes. Depending on the rotational position of the centrally via the drive gear driven eccentric gears, the rest position or active position for the brake shoes can be specified.

The eccentric gears may have eccentrically arranged trunnions (i.e., each eccentric gear each has a journal) which respectively engage in bearing seats of the brake shoes for moving the brake shoe holders. Depending on the rotational position, the journals indicate the rest position or the active position.

The brake shoes can each be resiliently supported on the respective or associated brake shoe holder via at least one spring element, whereby an optimal compression of the brake shoes against the guide rail can be set for the active position for the reduction of the vertical vibrations of the cabin. In the usually vertically extending guide rails thus a precise and well-defined horizontal normal force can be applied and thereby a defined vertical damping force can be achieved. Another advantage of the resilient mounting of the brake shoe on the brake shoe holder is that a robust, durable damping unit created becomes. The wear of the brake shoes has no or little negative effect on the functionality of the damping unit. The embodiment described here with the brake shoes supported resiliently on brake shoe holders via spring elements could also be advantageous for damping units of conventional design, ie for damping units of the type mentioned at the outset. The previously described gear transmission would therefore not necessarily be used in this case.

As spring elements are in particular metallic spring means. In a preferred embodiment, the spring element may be a helical compression spring. The damping unit may have one, two or even a plurality of helical compression springs per brake shoes.

Advantageously, it may be further, if the brake shoes are arranged limitedly displaceable on the brake shoe holders. To limit the displacement of the brake shoe holder may be equipped with appropriate stops.

The brake shoes can be attached to support elements or rest on these. The support elements may be made of a metallic material, for example made of steel. For resilient mounting of the brake shoes, the spring elements can abut the support elements on one side. Thus, the spring elements can abut on one side on the brake shoe holders and on the other side on the support elements.

For optimal adjustment of the damping force, it is advantageous if the actuator comprises a preferably electrically driven motor. This motor can be configured, for example, as a stepping motor with which the desired pressing force for reducing the vertical vibrations of the cabin can be adjusted with high precision.

It may be particularly advantageous if the damping unit for moving both brake shoes has a common motor with which the brake shoe holder are preferably simultaneously, but in the opposite direction movable.

The damping unit may have a carrier structure formed, for example, by a housing, on which the brake shoe holders are arranged and preferably mounted displaceably. In the latter case, the direction of displacement would be transverse to the running or driving direction the cabin run.

The damping unit may comprise an eccentric arrangement, via which the brake shoes are movable back and forth. Thanks to the eccentric arrangement can be adjusted in a particularly simple and efficient way, the rest position and active position of the brake shoe holder. In particular, the eccentric mechanism allows precise and at the same time simple loading of the braking surface with a pressing force with high power transmission to reduce the vertical vibrations of the elevator car in standstill phases, whereby small actuators (for example electric motor) can be used.

The damping unit may further comprise a fixed to the support structure spring means which is attachable to the cabin and which serves the resilient mounting of the support structure, there are a number of advantages. With the spring device can be unwanted lateral deflection of the cabin transverse to the direction of travel in a simple manner and reduce. Next affect manufacturing and assembly-related tolerances between the guide rail and brake shoes not negative.

The spring device could for example contain one or more conical helical compression springs. However, it is particularly advantageous if the spring device is configured as a bending spring made of metal. The spiral spring can be designed such that it can only be deflected in two dimensions. Bending springs also have the advantage that they are easily connectable both to the support structure and to the cab. Bend springs can also be produced easily and inexpensively. Finally, bending springs can be optimally adapted to the desired degrees of freedom.

Particularly advantageously, the spring device is formed by a cross-sectionally approximately C-shaped box-like profile. With such a C-profile, the desired two-dimensionally resilient mounting of the support structure can be achieved in an advantageous manner. The C-shaped profile can be arranged or positioned in the damping unit such that the profile longitudinal direction of the C-profile runs parallel to the braking surfaces of the brake shoes. Another advantage of such a spring device is that the cavity defined by the C can be used to accommodate a guide shoe in whole or in part, whereby compact elevator cars with comparatively low heights can be realized.

The spring device may have a fastening section on or resting on the carrier structure for fastening the carrier structure and two side walls which are opposite each other and preferably adjoin the attachment section approximately at right angles. Next can connect to the side walls in each case parallel to the attachment portion extending end portions through which the damping unit can be attached to the cabin. The end sections can have fastening means for fastening the spring unit to the cabin, for example in the form of holes for receiving screws.

The invention may further be directed to an elevator with a cabin and with at least one damping unit in the manner of the previously described damping unit. The spring unit is arranged between the support structure and the cabin and to a certain extent forms a resilient interface of the damping unit to the cabin.

Figur 1

eine vereinfachte Darstellung eines Aufzugs in einer Seitenansicht,

Figur 2

eine Darstellung einer erfindungsgemässen Dämpfungseinheit für den Aufzug,

Figur 3

einen Querschnitt durch die Dämpfungseinheit (Schnittlinie A-A in Figur 2),

Figur 4

ein Zahnradgetriebe für die Dämpfungseinheit gemäss Figur 2,

Figur 5

eine perspektivische Explosionsdarstellung der Dämpfungseinheit,

Figur 6

eine vergrösserte Darstellung einer Baugruppe mit einem Bremsbacken-Halter und einem Bremsbacken für die Dämpfungseinheit gemäss Figur 2, und

Figur 7

eine perspektivische Explosionsdarstellung der Baugruppe aus Figur 6.

Further individual features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of an embodiment and from the drawings. Show it:

FIG. 1

a simplified representation of a lift in a side view,

FIG. 2

a representation of an inventive damping unit for the elevator,

FIG. 3

a cross section through the damping unit (section line AA in FIG. 2 )

FIG. 4

a gear transmission for the damping unit according to FIG. 2 .

FIG. 5

an exploded perspective view of the damping unit,

FIG. 6

an enlarged view of an assembly with a brake shoe holder and a brake shoe for the damping unit according to FIG. 2 , and

FIG. 7

an exploded perspective view of the assembly FIG. 6 ,

FIG. 1 shows an elevator with a vertically movable up and down cabin 2 for the transport of persons or goods. As a support means for moving the car 2 are exemplary configured as a belt or ropes support means 34. For the guidance of the car 2, the elevator system has two in the vertical direction z extending guide rails 3. Each guide rail 3 has three guide surfaces extending in the direction of travel of the car. At the cabin 2 are in FIG. 1 attached as an example as roller guide shoes designed guide shoes. With the damping unit designated 1, unwanted vertical vibrations of the cabin can be reduced during a standstill. Such vertical vibrations occur when people enter or leave the cabin 2. The change in load causes the car 2 to vibrate. This phenomenon is particularly pronounced in sling-based elevators with high shaft heights. With z, the direction is indicated, in which the guide rail extends, the arrow z also indicates the direction of travel of the car 2 at.

To reduce these vertical vibrations, the present elevator installation has damping units 1 arranged on both sides of the cabin 2. The two damping units 1 can be controlled via a (not shown) control device. Often, however, it is sufficient to equip the elevator car with only one damping unit, since the guide rail must be acted upon to achieve a sufficient damping behavior of the cabin with comparatively small forces. In this way you can also save costs. The control device sends a control command to the damping units as soon as the car stops, for example, or when the car door opens. The activation is usually maintained until the doors are closed again and thus no significant load changes are possible. During activation, the controller may continue to send control commands to the damping units.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 1 For example, the damping units 1 are mounted at the top of the car 2, being placed separately from the upper guide shoes 14. Depending on the cabin configuration and space requirements, the guide shoes and damping units can also be combined or arranged with each other in other ways. Thus, the at least one damping unit could also be mounted at the bottom of the cabin. How about from the following FIG. 2 As can be seen, the damping unit be attached to a console that includes the guide shoe 15 in whole or in part. In FIG. 2 the mentioned console is designed as designated 6 and explained in more detail below spring means. The exemplified as a sliding guide shoe and shown with dotted lines guide shoe 15 is evidently enclosed by the "C" forming device 6.

In FIG. 2 a damping unit 1 is shown in a lateral front view. The damping unit 1 includes two opposing brake shoes 7, wherein each brake shoe in each case one of the plane-parallel guide surfaces of the (not shown here) guide rail faces. Each brake shoe 7 is held by a designated 8 brake shoe holder. The brake shoe holders 8 are guided laterally on binding elements 16 and can be moved towards or away from the guide rail. Arrows s indicate the respective directions of movement. The individual guide elements 16 are fastened via screw connections 36 to a housing 20.

The brake shoes 7 are mounted together with support elements 9 resiliently on the brake shoe holders 8. The brake shoes 7 give in contacting the respective guide surfaces of the guide rail and move relative to the brake shoe holder 8 in the b-direction back. Further details are from the FIGS. 6 and 7 removable.

In the region of an upper side of the housing 20, which is referred to below as the "fastening section" 21, a box-shaped profile, which is C-shaped in cross-section, is arranged ( Fig. 2 ). This C-profile forms a spring device 6, thanks to which the housing 20 with the brake shoes 7 and brake shoe holders 8 arranged thereon is mounted resiliently on the cabin indicated by 2. The spring device 6, which is formed from a metal sheet by bending processes, has a fastening section 21, side walls 22 adjoining it at right angles thereto and end sections 23 connecting at right angles to the side walls. The C-profile for the spring device 6 is preferably made of a blank made of sheet steel. Particular preference is given to using a spring steel. The spring device 6 is thus obviously designed as a metal bending spring. The spring travel created by the spring device 6 resilient mounting is indicated by a double arrow v. The special embodiment of the spring device FIG. 6 shows a parallelogram configuration which permits an approximately linear parallel displacement of the housing 20 to the underside of the car 2 in the v-direction or transversely in the horizontal direction to the direction of travel z.

The end portions 23 of the spring device 6 are flat on a part of the cabin 2 and are fixedly connected thereto via a screw 37. The mentioned cabin part can be formed for example by a cabin floor, a supporting frame of the cabin or by another part associated with the cabin.

From the sectional view according to FIG. 3 Further details of the damping unit 1 can be seen. Furthermore, here the guide rail 3 is shown. In the in FIG. 3 shown rest position, the brake shoes 7 can travel without contact along the guide rail 3 during the cabin ride. During a standstill, the brake shoe holder 8 are pushed together with the brake shoe 7 disposed thereon against the guide rail 3. The pressed against the respective guide surfaces of the guide rails 3 brake shoes 7 cause a limited frictional force, thereby reducing the vertical vibration of the cabin caused by load changes. The activation can be triggered, for example, by the door opening or possibly already before (eg as soon as the car is stationary). As a drive for moving the brake shoe holder 8 is used in the present case a designated 4 electric motor. In principle, however, other actuators such as linear actuators would be conceivable. The electric motor 4 is geared to the brake shoe holders 8. The geared connection comprises a gear transmission 10 and an eccentric arrangement for converting the rotational movement into the linear movement in the s direction.

The gear transmission 10 in this case has a central, with the drive axis of the electric motor 4 connected to the drive gear 11 which drives the 12 and 12 'designated gears. How out FIG. 3 as well as from the following FIG. 4 shows, the gear transmission 10 is designed as a spur gear. Of course, other gear-transmission types would be conceivable. The bearing journals 13 and 13 'are arranged eccentrically to the rotation axes R gears 12, 12', which is why the two gears 12, 12 'are hereinafter referred to as "eccentric gears". The respective eccentric gears 12, 12 'are rotatably connected to axle parts 18, to the end side of the bearing pin 13 are formed.

Details of the arrangement and operation of the gear transmission 10 of the damping unit shows FIG. 4 , The respective eccentric gears 12, 12 'are positively connected via a shaft-hub connection with the rotatable about the axis of rotation R axis part 18. In the rest position shown, the drivers (eg feather keys) are aligned towards each other. The bearing journals 13 and 13 'are accommodated eccentrically rotatably mounted in a bearing opening of the brake shoe holder and cooperate with the respective bearing opening such that upon rotation of the bearing pins 13, 13', the brake shoe holder and thus also the brake shoes in the horizontal direction and are movable forth. Out FIG. 4 is clearly visible that the geometric axis of the bearing pin 13 does not coincide with the axis of rotation R of the eccentric gear 12 and thus is thus arranged eccentrically. To create the active position, the motor is activated. The connected via the gear transmission with the motor bearing pin 13, 13 'then experience each 180 ° turns about the R-axes, whereby the brake shoes are moved against the corresponding guide surfaces of the guide rail and pressed against this.
The brake shoes 7 can take two bistable layers (active position, rest position). Because the damping unit is not intrinsically safety-related, it can be closed or open when de-energized. The fact that the brake shoes press in the active position with a small or limited force against the guide rails, however, in special situations (eg emergency) moving the cabin is possible, so that an evacuation of people from the cabin is still guaranteed.
In FIG. 5 the individual components of the damping unit can be seen. Depending on a brake shoe 7 and a brake shoe holder 8 are part of a module, the laterally to rail-like guide members 16 transversely to the direction or profile longitudinal direction of the guide rails are movable back and forth. A separate assembly is in FIG. 5 recognizable at the bottom right, the brake shoes and brake shoe holders are designated 7 'and 8'. Out FIG. 5 shows then that the support structure is carried out substantially in three parts and consists of a lower housing part 26, a housing upper part 25 and a cross-section or in a plan view U-shaped housing part 27. The guide members 16 'are by means of screws 36.2 and Nuts 36.1 attached to the housing part 27. The gear transmission 10 can be formed on a molded from a sheet metal Pre-assemble rear wall 24, which is installed in the remaining housing during final assembly.

The spring device 6 designed as a spiral spring in C-shape has end sections 23 directed toward one another, which have holes 30 for screw connections for fastening the spring device 6 to the cabin (not shown here). Using screws 33, the spring device 6 is screwed in the region of the upper side 25 with the housing of the damping unit and fixed so.

The FIGS. 6 and 7 show an assembly (or brake shoe unit) with brake shoe holder 8 and brake shoe 7. The brake shoe can be made of a metallic material. The brake shoe can also consist of a plastic material or a material mixture. Advantageous braking surfaces for the desired reduction of the vertical vibrations of the cabin arise, for example, when the known at least in the automotive industry under the names "semi-metallic", "Organic" or "low-metallic" brake pads for the brake shoes.

The brake shoe 7 rests on a comparatively rigid support element 9 made of steel. Supported on the support member 9 brake shoes 7 is resiliently supported by two helical compression springs 5 on the brake shoe holder 8. The arrow w indicates the direction of movement in which the brake shoes 7 are moved back when the guide rail is acted on. The brake shoe 7 is arranged limitedly displaceable on the brake shoe holder 8 together with the associated support member by means of screws 31 and nuts 32. Depending on requirements, the inner and front nuts 32 can be tightened so far that the brake shoe 7 is biased. The outer and rear nuts serve as counter nuts. To ensure a linear movement of the brake shoe 7 when the guide rail is acted upon, a cylindrical guide pin 28 is arranged on the brake shoe holder and a guide receptacle 29 complementary to the guide pin is arranged in the support element 9.

Claims (12)

1. Damping unit for a lift for reducing vertical oscillations of a cage (2) during standstill, with mutually opposite brake shoe holders (8, 8'), which are movable between a rest setting and an active setting by means of an actuator and which are provided with brake shoes (7, 7'), wherein the brake shoes (7, 7') in the rest setting are movable contactlessly along a guide rail (3) during cage travel and in the active setting are pressable against the guide rail (3) during standstill, and wherein the brake shoe holders (8, 8') are connected with the actuator (14) by a transmission, characterised in that the actuator (4) is connected with the brake shoe holders (8, 8') by way of a gearwheel transmission (10).
2. Damping unit according to claim 1, characterised in that the gearwheel transmission comprises a central drive gearwheel (11), which is connected with a drive shaft (17) of the motor (4), and eccentric gearwheels (12, 12'), which are each associated with a respective one of the brake shoes (7, 7') and which are in operative connection with the drive gearwheel (11).
3. Damping unit according to claim 2, characterised in that the eccentric gearwheels (12, 12') each comprise an eccentrically arranged bearing pin (13), which pins engage in respective bearing mounts of the brake shoe holders (8, 8') for movement of the brake shoe holders.
4. Damping unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the brake shoe holders (8, 8') are movable by way of an eccentric arrangement for setting the rest setting or the active setting.
5. Damping unit according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the damping unit has, for movement of the brake shoes, a common, preferably electrically drivable, motor (4) by which the two brake shoe holders (8, 8') are movable.
6. Damping unit according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the damping unit comprises a brake shoe holder (8, 8'), which is connected with the actuator by a transmission or which for movement of the brake shoes (7, 7') is in operative connection with the actuator, and a housing or other support structure (20) for the brake shoe holders (8, 8'), and that for resilient mounting of the brake shoes the damping unit comprises a spring device (6) preferably in the form of a bending spring of metal, which device is attached to the support structure (20) and mountable on the cage (2).
7. Damping unit according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the brake shoes (7, 7') are each resiliently supported at the respective brake shoe holder (8, 8') by way of at least one spring element (5).
8. Damping unit according to claim 7, characterised in that the at least one spring element (5) is, for each brake shoe (7, 7'), a helical compression spring.
9. Damping unit according to claim 7 or 8, characterised in that the brake shoes (7, 7') are arranged at the brake shoe holders (8, 8') to be capable of limited displacement.
10. Damping unit according to claim 8 or 9, characterised in that the brake shoes (7, 7') are fastened to and/or rest on support elements (9) against which, for resilient mounting of the brake shoes, the spring elements (5) bear on one side.
11. Damping unit according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterised in that it comprises a support structure which, for example, is formed by a housing and on which the brake shoe holders (8, 8') are mounted.
12. Lift with a cage (2) and at least one damping unit (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 11 arranged at the cage.

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