EP2895417B1

EP2895417B1 - Lift

Info

Publication number: EP2895417B1
Application number: EP13759735.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Andrea VALANDRO
Original assignee: Daldoss Elevetronic SpA
Current assignee: Daldoss Elevetronic SpA
Priority date: 2012-09-14
Filing date: 2013-09-09
Publication date: 2016-05-25
Anticipated expiration: 2033-09-09
Also published as: EP2895417A1; WO2014040941A1; ITMI20121531A1

Description

The present invention relates to a lift intended to convey only things of various kinds, e.g. parcels, medicines, food, correspondence.
A lift of this type comprises a weight-bearing structure that has uprights connected by cross members and delimits a vertical shaft where a cab, driven by machinery, moves between two or more levels. Such a lift is also known e.g. WO 2006/131947 A2 .
The installation of the weight-bearing structure often represents a critical aspect that entails the use of highly specialized human resources in order to carry out complicated and delicate operations.
In addition, the large number of different parts to be handled and used on site for the installation of the lift can give rise on the one hand to problems related to logistics, supplies and stock, and on the other hand to the need to have a vast range of equipment for installation available for performing specific operations.
The technical task that the present invention has set itself, therefore, it to realize a lift which enables the technical drawbacks of the prior art to be overcome.
Within the scope of this technical task, one object of the invention is to realize a lift that is easy and rapid to install in any living context without the need to use highly specialized labour.
Another object of the invention is to provide a lift that can be made with standardized parts which simplify the logistics and management of codes and stock, and reduce the equipment necessary for installation.
The technical task, as well as these and other objects according to the present invention are achieved by realizing a lift comprising a weight-bearing structure that internally delimits a vertical shaft for the movement of a cab, said weight-bearing structure comprising uprights rigidly connected to one another by cross members, and characterized in that each cross member has longitudinal walls which delimit a longitudinal cavity that is open toward the inside of the weight-bearing structure, there being provided, at the ends of said cross member, at least one fitting element and at least one flat tab for resting against a first or a second flat longitudinal wall of the uprights, said at least one fitting element and said at least one resting tab being made in one piece together with said longitudinal walls of the cross member, in that the uprights have a plurality of elements for engaging said at least one fitting element provided at a predetermined pitch along said first and second longitudinal walls, in that at the nodes of the weight-bearing structure where two cross members are connected at one of their ends to an upright, the tabs of the adjacent ends of the two cross members are fastened flat against the respective first or second longitudinal wall of the upright, and in that there is provided a first fastening block positioned in the cavity of the two cross members against the tab of the two cross members, a second fastening block positioned in the cavity of the upright against the first and second longitudinal walls of the upright, and at least one fastening screw disposed through the longitudinal opening of the cavity of the upright, said fastening screw connecting said first fastening block and said second fastening block so as to fasten the tab of the two cross members to the respective first or second longitudinal wall of the upright.
Other features of the present invention are defined, moreover, in the subsequent claims.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be more apparent from the description of a preferred, but non-exclusive embodiment of the lift according to the invention, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the appended drawings, in which:

figure 1 shows a perspective view of part of the weight-bearing structure;
figure 2 shows a detailed perspective view of a junction node at which two cross members and an upright are joined;
figure 3 shows a horizontal sectional view of the junction node of figure 2;
figure 4 shows a detailed view of the arrangement of the two cross members at the junction node of figure 2;
figure 5 shows the weight-bearing structure fitted with a sheet metal infill panel;
figure 6 shows a detailed view of the means for fixing the infill panel of figure 5 to the upper cross member and lower cross member of the opening of the weight-bearing structure that delimits it;
figure 7 shows the quick connect means provided to connect two adjacent sections of an upright of the weight-bearing structure;
figure 8 shows a detailed exploded view of the means for fixing glass infill panels to the weight-bearing structure;
figure 9 shows a vertical sectional view of the assembled fixing means of figure 8;
figure 10 shows a perspective view of the assembled fixing means of figure 8, seen from the inner side of the weight-bearing structure; and
figure 11 shows a perspective view of the assembled fixing means of figure 8, seen from the outer side of the weight-bearing structure.

The lift comprises a weight-bearing structure which has uprights 1 connected by cross members 2 and delimits a vertical shaft 6 along which a cab (not shown) driven by machinery (not shown) can move.
The weight-bearing structure in particular has four identical uprights 1 vertically disposed at the vertices of a rectangle and each composed of one or more longitudinal sections 3, in this particular case a first lower longitudinal section 3 and at least a second upper longitudinal section 3, depending on the required height of the weight-bearing structure. A foot 4 is applied to the lower section 3 of the uprights 1 in order to anchor the weight-bearing structure to the ground. Each section 3 preferably consists of a steel profile.
The uprights 1 are connected by means of various series of cross members 2 disposed horizontally at varying distances from the ground.
Each cross member 2 is preferably formed from a single steel profile.
The cross members 2 are identical, except perhaps in length, as the weight-bearing structure can have a different proportion in its front and rear faces relative to its side faces.
Each series of cross members 2 comprises four cross members 2 disposed coplanarly, which create a loop connecting the four uprights 1. For each series of cross members 2, therefore, there are four connection nodes, at each of which an upright 1 is joined orthogonally to two adjacent cross members 2, which are in turn orthogonal to each other.
The upright 1 has a cavity 4 having a longitudinal opening 5 turned toward the shaft 6.
Analogously, the cross member 2 has a cavity 7 having a longitudinal opening 8 turned toward the shaft 6.
The upright 1 more precisely comprises a first flat longitudinal wall 9, a second flat longitudinal wall 10 coplanar with the first flat longitudinal wall 9, from which it is separated by means of the longitudinal opening 5, a third flat longitudinal wall 11 and a fourth longitudinal wall 12.
The upright 1 has the configuration of a right prism with a right-angled cross section having the shape of a rectangular triangle. The right-angled cross section of the prism in particular is open where its hypotenuse lies. The first longitudinal wall 9, the second longitudinal wall 10 and the longitudinal opening 5 of the cavity 4 of the upright 1 define a first lateral face of the prism which comprises the hypotenuse of the right-angled triangular cross section of the prism, the third longitudinal wall 11 of the upright 1 defines a second lateral face of the prism which comprises a first cathetus of the right-angled triangular cross section of the prism, and the fourth longitudinal wall 12 of the upright 1 defines a third lateral face of the prism which comprises a second cathetus of the right-angled triangular cross section of the prism.
The cross member 2 comprises a first flat longitudinal wall 13, a second and respectively a third flat longitudinal wall 14, 15 which extend orthogonally from a respective longitudinal edge of the first longitudinal wall 13, with which they delimit the open cavity 7, and a fourth and respectively a fifth flat coplanar longitudinal wall 16, 17 which extend orthogonally from the longitudinal edge of the third longitudinal wall 14 and respectively the fourth longitudinal wall 15 on the side thereof which is opposite the one turned toward the first longitudinal wall 13.
The cross member 3 has a tab 18 and fitting elements 19 at each of its ends.
The fitting elements 19 are flat and comprise teeth 20 that project coplanarly from the extension respectively of the second and third longitudinal walls 14, 15, whereas the tab 18 is flat and projects from the first longitudinal wall 13 with an angle of inclination toward the inside of the cavity 7.
In each cross member 2 the resting tabs 18 and the fitting elements 19 are made in one piece together with the longitudinal walls 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, as shown in the figures.
Each cross member 2 in particular is made from bent sheet metal, in which the longitudinal walls 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, resting tabs 18 and fitting elements 19 are obtained by appropriately bending the sheet metal itself.
The cross member 2, like the upright 3, is a structural element dimensioned so as to also support vertical loads.
The upright 1 has a plurality of elements 21 for engaging the fitting elements 19, provided at a predetermined pitch along the first and second longitudinal walls 9, 10.
The engaging elements 21 comprise slots 22 that are orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the upright 1 and open along the longitudinal edge of the longitudinal wall 9, 10 to which they belong.
For each connection node there is provided a first fastening block 23 positionable in the cavity 7 of the two cross members 2 against the tab 18 of the adjacent ends thereof, a second fastening block 24 positionable in the cavity 4 of the upright 1 against the first and second longitudinal walls 9 10 thereof, and a fastening screw 25 that can be disposed through the longitudinal opening 5 of the cavity 4 of the upright 1 so as to connect the first fastening block 23 and the second fastening block 24 and can be adjusted to fasten the tabs 18 of the adjacent ends of the two cross members 2 and the first and second longitudinal walls 9, 10 between the first and second fastening blocks 23, 24.
The fastening screw 25 has a head 26 positionable in abutment against a flange 27 provided on the first fastening block 23 and a threaded rod 28 which can be freely disposed through a hole 29 in the first fastening block 23 and screwed into a threaded hole 30 in the second fastening block 24.
The first fastening block 23 has a wedge shape that can be fitted between the first longitudinal wall 13 of a cross member 2 and the first longitudinal wall 13 of the other cross member 2 so as to create a deformation thereof, necessary in order to make up for constructive tolerances and strengthen the fit of the teeth 20. Basically, the junction node is created by fitting the teeth 20 of the two adjacent ends of the two cross members 2 into the respective slots 22 in a bayonet-type fashion. At the end of the fitting operation, the tabs 18 are disposed flat in contact respectively with the first longitudinal wall 9 of the upright 1 and the second longitudinal wall 10 of the upright 1, whereas the first wall 13 of a cross member 2 is disposed complanarly with the third longitudinal wall 11 of the upright 1 and the first wall of the other cross member 2 is disposed complanarly with the fourth longitudinal wall 12 of the upright 1. The first fastening block 23 is positioned in the cavity 7 of the two cross members 2, the second fastening block 24, connected to the first fastening block 23 by means of the fastening screw 25, is disposed with its longitudinal axis initially oriented orthogonally to the longitudinal axis of the first block 23 and is introduced into the cavity 4 of the upright 1 through the opening 5. At this point the second block 24, being rotated by 90°, passes behind the teeth 20 and is then brought back against the walls 9 and 10 as a result of the rotation of the fastening screw 25. In fact, since the further rotation of the second fastening block 24 is impeded by the friction against the walls 9 and 10, the second block 24 translates toward the first fastening block 23. The wedge effect is achieved since the angle of the inclined plane 31 provided by the first fastening block 23 is slightly different from the bending angle of the tab 18 relative to the first longitudinal wall 13 of the cross member 2.
Naturally, the connection node is created in the desired position along the upright 1 by appropriately selecting the slots 22 for the connection of the teeth 20 of the two cross members 2.
All of the connection nodes present in the weight-bearing structure are made in a manner analogous to the one just described.
The connection system makes it possible to install the cross members with preestablished distances between centres.
Fixing by means of the wedge-shaped block 23, which secures the two cross members 2 to the upright 1, advantageously requires only one screw 26.
The snap-fit connection system is also entirely confined within the weight-bearing structure and consequently does not increase its overall dimensions and improves its aesthetic appearance.
In particular, the teeth 19 of the cross members 2 are always fitted within the triangular shape of the upright 3 without generating projections outside the structure itself.
The connection of the cross members with a snap-fit system does not require systematic checking with a bubble level.
Thanks to the robustness of the mechanical snap-fit system and of the cross members, it is possible to use the weight-bearing structure to support scaffolding during the installation of the lift.
In particular, for specific applications the cross members can be fitted with special reinforcement profiles.
The hollow shape of the uprights 1 permits cables to be passed through them without the use of cable ties, contributing to improving the aesthetic appearance of the weight-bearing structure.
As noted, the upright 1 has a length that can be modulated by connecting a series of sections 3, as many as are necessary to obtain the desired height for the weight-bearing structure.
For the connection of two adjacent sections 3, there are provided quick connect means comprising a longitudinal insert 32, positionable in part inside the open cavity 4 of a section 3 and in part inside the open cavity 4 of the other section 3. The insert 32 comprises a longitudinal profile 37, preferably Ω-shaped, fixed flat against the base of which there is a flat longitudinal plate 33 which can in turn be positioned flat against the inner side of the first and second longitudinal walls 9, 10 of the two sections 3, and associated with a flat longitudinal counter plate 34 that can be positioned flat against the outer side of the first and second longitudinal walls 9, 10 of the two sections 3.
The longitudinal insert 32, in an intermediate position, has laterally protruding interfering members 35 engageable with respective striking seats 36 provided at the ends of the sections 3.
The interfering members 35 comprise in particular teeth 38, 39 which are set one above the other and extend coplanarly from the sides of the base of the profile 37 and the sides of the plate 33.
The striking seats 36 in contrast comprise grooves 40 that start from the end of the upright 1 and extend along the corner between the first wall 9 and third wall 11 and along the corner between the second wall 10 and fourth wall 12.
The width of the grooves 40 is substantially equal to the sum of the thicknesses of the plate 33 and of the base of the profile 37.
The counter plate 34 has at least one fin 41 for coupling to a seat (not shown) provided on the plate 33, for the temporary positioning thereof prior to the final fastening to the plate 33 with the screws 42.
The fastening screws 42 are positioned through holes (not shown) of the counter plate 34, the first and second longitudinal walls 9, 10 of the two sections 3, the plate 33 and the base of the profile 37, which are aligned when the interfering members 35 engage with the respective striking seats 36 and the fin 41 is engaged in the corresponding seat.
The particular construction of the quick connect means enables the length of the upright 1 to be extended using symmetrical sections which facilitate installation, as they do not have a "top" and a "bottom" coupling side and do not make it necessary to provide special starting sections at the base of the weight-bearing structure and end sections at the top of the weight-bearing structure.
The progressive assembly of the upright can also be carried out by a single installer, who will always have his hands free.
The support structure preferably includes panels to fill in the openings created between the uprights 1 and cross members 2.
An infill panel can be made in particular of sheet metal, and in such a case preferably comprises a main flat wall 44 positionable flush with the first longitudinal wall 13 of the upper and lower cross members 2 it is disposed between, a first flat resting wall 45 that extends orthogonally from the upper edge of the main wall 44 and can be rested flat against the third longitudinal wall 15 of the upper cross member 2, a second flat resting wall 46 that extends orthogonally from an edge of the first flat resting wall 45 and can be rested flat against the fifth longitudinal wall 17 of the upper cross member 2, a third flat resting wall 47 that extends orthogonally from the lower edge of the main wall 44 and can be rested flat against the second longitudinal wall 14 of the lower cross member 2, and a fourth flat resting wall 48 that extends orthogonally from an edge of the third flat resting wall 47 and can be rested flat against the fourth longitudinal wall 16 of the lower cross member 2.
The sheet metal infill panel 43 can be fixed from the inside of the weight-bearing structure by means of special clips 49 which join the wall 46 of the infill panel 43 to the wall 17 of the upper cross member 2 and the wall 48 of the infill panel 43 to the wall 16 of the lower cross member 2.
The infill panel 43 may also have ribbing to ensure adequate rigidity.
This construction of the sheet metal infill panel 43 has various advantages. The infill panel can in fact be mounted from both the inside and outside of the weight-bearing structure, but fixed only on the inside of the weight-bearing structure. Installation is fast and simple thanks to the shape of the cross members and the uprights and above all thanks to the method of fixing without the use of screws, but only of clips. The overall dimensions of the weight-bearing structure remains unchanged since the infill panel is fitted flush with the weight-bearing structure itself.
In particular, it should be highlighted that the infill panel 43 is not provided with any additional parts for the anchorage thereof to the cross members 2 and uprights 3.
The infill panel can otherwise be made of glass and in such a case special means for fixing it to the cross member 2 can be provided; these comprise a longitudinal bracket 50 centrally exhibiting a transverse recess 51 with a shape mating that of the side of the cross member 2 turned toward the outside of the weight-bearing structure.
The bracket 50 can be directly fixed by means of bolts 53 to a fastening flange 52 positionable on the side of the cross member 2 turned toward the inside of the weight-bearing structure.
The bracket 50 comprises, at one of its longitudinal ends, a polygonal through hole 55 for a bolt 56 with a locknut, with which a first glass infill panel 57 can be fixed to the bracket 50, and at the other longitudinal end, a polygonal through hole 59 for a bolt 60 with a locknut, with which a second glass infill panel 57 can be fixed to the bracket 50.
The face of the bracket 50 with which the infill panel 57 can be associated is flat and in the position of the holes 55 and 59 it has bosses 63, 64 for supporting spacer bushings 61, 62 made of soft material in order to assure that the panel 57 rests planarly.
For the precise positioning of the bracket 50 at a preset distance from the upright 1, there is provided an L-shaped plate 65 having holes 66 in both of its wings for engaging buttons 67 provided in a groove 68 at the bottom of the recess 51, preferably having a depth equal to the thickness of the plate 65.
In order to fix an infill panel 57, a first wing of the plate 65 is associated with the bracket 50 by engaging the buttons 67 in the respective holes 66, the bracket 50 is fitted on the outer side of the cross member 2 by mating the recess 51 with the outer side of the cross member 2, the bracket 50 is made to slide along the cross member 2 until the second wing of the plate 65 comes up against the cross member 2, the threaded part of the bolt 56, 60 is inserted through the hole 69 of the infill panel 57 and is tightened with the nut of the bolt 56, 60 wedged inside the hole 55, 59.
Each bracket 50 can support two infill panels 57, one below and one above the cross member 2.
The advantage of the means for fixing the glass infill panel 57 consists in the fact that they enable it to be fixed to the cross member 2 without there being a need to drill any holes in it.
In particular it should be noted that the bracket 50 has a recessed shape that mates perfectly with the shape of the cross member 2. This mating enables vertical loads to be supported.
It should moreover be noted that the bracket 50 is fixed to the cross member 2 by means of a specific sheet metal fastening flange 52 without there being a need to drill any hole in the cross member 2 itself.
The lift thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variants, all falling within the scope of the inventive concept; moreover, all the details may be replaced with technically equivalent elements.
In practice, the materials used, as well as the dimensions, can be any whatsoever according to need and the state of the art.

Claims

A lift comprising a weight-bearing structure that internally delimits a vertical shaft for the movement of a cab, said weight-bearing structure comprising uprights (1) rigidly connected to one another by cross members (2), characterized in that each cross member (2) has longitudinal walls (13, 14, 15, 16, 17) which delimit a longitudinal cavity (7) open toward the inside of the weight-bearing structure, there being provided at the ends of said cross member (2) at least one fitting element (19) and at least one flat tab (18) for resting against a first or a second flat longitudinal wall (9, 10) of the uprights (1), said at least one fitting element (19) and said at least one resting tab (18) being made in one piece together with said longitudinal walls (13, 14, 15, 16, 17) of the cross member (2), in that the uprights (1) have a plurality of elements (21) for engaging said at least one fitting element (19) provided at a predetermined pitch along said first and second longitudinal wall (9, 10), in that at the nodes of the weight-bearing structure, where two cross members (2) are connected at one of their ends to an upright (1), the tabs (18) of the adjacent ends of the two cross members (2) are fastened flat against the respective first or second longitudinal wall (9, 10) of the upright (4), and in that there is provided a first fastening block (23) positioned in the cavity (7) of the two cross members (2) against the tab (18) of the two cross members (2), a second fastening block (24) positioned in the cavity (4) of the upright (1) against the first and second longitudinal walls (9, 10) of the upright (1), and at least one fastening screw (25) disposed through the longitudinal opening (5) of the cavity (4) of the upright (1), said fastening screw (25) connecting said first fastening block (23) and said second fastening block (24) so as to fasten the tab (18) of the two cross members (2) to the respective first or second longitudinal wall (9, 10) of the upright (1).
The lift according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the uprights (1) have the configuration of a right prism with a right-angled cross section having the shape of a rectangular triangle, said right-angled section being open in the hypotenuse thereof, and in that said first longitudinal wall (9), said second longitudinal wall (10) and said longitudinal opening (5) of the cavity (4) of the uprights (1) define a first lateral face of the prism which comprises said hypotenuse of said right-angled triangular section, a third longitudinal wall (11) of the uprights (1) defines a second lateral face of the prism which comprises a first cathetus of said right-angled triangular section, and a fourth longitudinal wall (12) of the uprights (1) defines a third lateral face of the prism which comprises a second cathetus of said right-angled triangular section.
The lift according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said cross members (2) comprise a first flat longitudinal wall (13) coplanar with the third or fourth longitudinal wall (10, 11) of the uprights (1), second and third flat longitudinal walls (14, 15) which extend orthogonally from the longitudinal edges of their first longitudinal wall (13) with which they delimit their open cavity (7), and fourth and respectively fifth flat coplanar longitudinal walls (16, 17) which extend orthogonally from the longitudinal edge of their second and respectively third longitudinal walls (14, 15) on the side thereof which is opposite the one turned toward their first longitudinal wall (13).
The lift according to any preceding claim, characterized in that said at least one fitting element (19) is flat and projects complanarly from the extension of a flat longitudinal wall (14, 15) of the cross members (2).
The lift according to any preceding claim, characterized in that said at least one tab (18) projects with a bending angle from the extension of a flat longitudinal wall (13) of the cross members (2).
The lift according to either of claims 4 and 5, characterized in that said first block (23) has a wedge shape which is operative on the first longitudinal wall (13) of the two cross members (2) so as to generate a deformation thereof, useful for recovering constructive tolerances and strengthening the fit of said teeth (20).
The lift according to any one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that it comprises at least one sheet metal panel (43) for filling in at least one opening of the weight-bearing structure and having a flat main wall (44) positioned flush with the first longitudinal wall (13) of the two cross members (2) it is inserted between, at least one first flat resting wall (45, 47) that extends orthogonally from an edge of the main wall (44) and rests respectively against the second or third longitudinal wall (14, 15) of one of the two cross members (2), and at least one second flat resting wall (46, 48) that extends orthogonally from an edge of the first flat resting wall (45, 47) and rests against said fourth or fifth longitudinal wall (16, 17) of said one of the two cross members (2).
The lift according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it comprises at least one clip (49) for fixing said sheet metal infill panel (43), said clip (49) fastening said second flat resting wall (46, 48) against said fourth or fifth longitudinal wall (16, 17) of said one of the two cross members (2).
The lift according to any one of claims 3 to 8, characterized in that said uprights (1) are made in sections (3) that can be assembled so as to modulate the length of the uprights (1), there being provided quick connect means between sections (3) of uprights (1), and comprise an insert (32), in turn comprising a flat longitudinal plate (33) positioned flat against the inner side of the first and second longitudinal wall (9, 10) of the sections (3), and associated with a flat longitudinal counter plate (34) positioned flat against the outer side of the first and second longitudinal wall (9, 10) of the sections (3).
The lift according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said insert (32) comprises a Ω-shaped profile (37) to whose base said plate (33) is fixed.
The lift according to any one of claims 9 and 10, characterized in that said insert (32), in an intermediate position, has laterally protruding interfering members (35) engageable with respective striking seats (36) provided at the ends of the two sections (3).
The lift according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said striking seats (36) comprise grooves (40) along the corners of the sections (3).
The lift according to any one of claims 4 to 12, characterized in that it comprises at least one glass panel (57) for filling in at least one opening of the weight-bearing structure, and means for fixing said glass infill panel (57) to a cross member (2), said means comprising a longitudinal bracket (50) centrally exhibiting an engagement seat (51) on the side of the cross member (2) turned toward the outside of the weight-bearing structure, said bracket (50) being directly fixed to a fastening flange (52) positioned on the side of the cross member (2) turned toward the inside of the weight-bearing structure.
The lift according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said bracket (50), at each longitudinal end thereof, has a polygonal through hole (55, 59) for a bolt (56, 60) with a locknut, with which at least one glass infill panel (57) can be fixed to the bracket (50).
The lift according to any one of claims 13 and 14, characterized in that for adjusting the distance at which said bracket (50) is positioned from the upright (1) there is provided an L-shaped plate (65) having holes (66) for engaging buttons (67) provided in a groove (68) at the bottom of the recess (51).