EP3023378A1 - Loading device for loading vehicles into an elevator cabin - Google Patents

Abstract

A loading device (1) for loading vehicles (5) into an elevator car (3) is described. The loading device (1) has at least one floor conveyor (7), which is arranged outside the elevator car (3) in an access area (9) to the elevator car (3), and a carousel conveyor (11), which is inside the elevator car (3) is arranged on. The conveying devices (7, 11) each have a conveying means (13a, 13b), which is to be driven by a drive (17a, 17b), and at least one conveyor web (15) which is attached to the conveying means (13a, 13b) , The conveying devices (7, 11) are each set up to move the at least one conveyor web (15a, 15b) in a direction of movement (19) parallel to a bottom (21st, 13b) by means of the conveying means (13a, 13b) driven by the drive (17a, 17b) ) of the access area (9) or the elevator car (3) such that the conveyor web (15a, 15b) engage behind a wheel (23, 25) of a vehicle (5) and the vehicle (5) on the floor (21) along a taxiway (39) rolling in the direction of movement (19) can move. In this case, the conveying devices (7, 11) are aligned with one another and closely adjacent to one another such that a vehicle (5) moved from the floor conveyor (7) to the cabin conveyor (11) at least as far into the elevator car (3 ) is moved so that it can be fully promoted by the cabin conveyor (11) in the elevator car (3). The loading device (1) can reliably and quickly automatically load and unload vehicles into the elevator car and can be provided at low cost and low weight.

Description

The present invention relates to a loading device by means of which a vehicle can be loaded into an elevator car.

In order to transport objects and / or persons vertically between floors, for example, within a building, elevator installations are typically used in which an elevator car can be moved vertically by means of a drive. In various scenarios, it may be necessary to transport motor vehicles, in particular passenger cars (PKW), within a building from one floor to another floor. The elevator car can have a sufficient size and permissible load capacity in order to be able to transport entire motor vehicles.

While persons can usually enter and exit the elevator car independently without difficulty, loading and unloading a vehicle into an elevator car can be relatively difficult.

Although it is in principle conceivable that a driver could drive a motor vehicle driven by the engine of the motor vehicle into a sufficiently large elevator car and out again after the vertical movement of the elevator car. However, since the elevator car is usually only slightly larger than the vehicle itself should be maneuvered very accurately in such an extension and retraction of the vehicle to avoid damage to the vehicle and / or the elevator car. Furthermore, it must be taken into account that today's motor vehicles are usually driven by an internal combustion engine, so that exhaust gases are produced during their operation which would preferably have to be extracted from the elevator car when the vehicle enters and leaves the vehicle.

It is therefore preferable not to load and unload a vehicle from the vehicle's own power in the elevator car, but preferably this process largely automated and preferably perform when parked on-board engine.

In the prior art, loading devices for loading vehicles into an elevator car, for example from the field of automated parking garages, are known.

For example, is from the US 5,024,571 A a multi-storey car park known in which a parked vehicle can be parked on a transport pallet and then automatically stored on this transport pallet can be moved within the parking garage to a desired location, optionally with the aid of an elevator system, which the transport pallet together with the vehicle stored thereon can move vertically on different floors. However, such a transport pallet based system is relatively expensive and expensive. In addition, the transport pallets need their own space within the building, since they must be stored when not in use. Furthermore, loading of vehicles using such transport pallets may be relatively slow because the transport pallets may need to be first transported from a warehouse to a loading position where the vehicle is waiting before the vehicle is then stored on the transport pallet to a desired location within the vehicle Parking garage can be transported.

Another approach is in EP 0 445 712 B1 described. In the underground car park proposed there, vehicles are transported automatically by means of load-bearing conveyor belts. The vehicle stands with its wheels and thus with its weight on a conveyor belt. Accordingly, the conveyor belt must be made very robust. Equipment equipped with such conveyor belts is therefore relatively expensive and / or difficult.

There may therefore be a need for a loading device by means of which a vehicle can be automatically loaded and / or unloaded into an elevator car of an elevator installation and which is relatively inexpensive, has a small construction, low maintenance and / or low weight. Furthermore, there may be a need for an elevator installation with such a loading device.

Such needs can be met by the subject matter of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are in the dependent Claims defined.

According to a first aspect of the invention, a loading device for loading vehicles into an elevator car is proposed, wherein the loading device has at least one floor conveyor and a car conveyor. The floor conveyor is located outside the elevator car in an access area to the elevator car. The cabin conveyor is disposed within the elevator car. Both the floor conveyor and the cabin conveyor each have a conveyor, which is to be driven by a drive such as an electric motor, and at least one conveyor bar, which is attached to the conveyor. Both the floor conveyor and the cabin conveyor are each adapted to move the at least one conveyor bar in a direction of movement parallel to a floor of the access area or the elevator car by means of the conveyor driven by the drive such that the conveyor bar is a wheel of a vehicle behind the vehicle and can move on the ground along a taxiway rolling in the direction of movement. The floor conveyor and the cabin conveyor are preferably configured and arranged in particular so as to be aligned and closely adjacent to one another such that a vehicle moved from the floor conveyor to the cabin conveyor is moved at least as far into the elevator car that It can be fully funded by the cabin conveyor in the elevator car.

According to a second aspect of the invention, an elevator installation is proposed which comprises a vertically movable elevator car, at least one access area to the elevator car and a loading device arranged in the elevator car and the access area according to an embodiment of the aforementioned first aspect of the invention.

Possible features and advantages of embodiments of the invention may be considered, inter alia, as being based on ideas and findings described below.

As noted in the introduction, in conventional loading devices for Loading of vehicles in an elevator car considerable costs and / or effort occur because, for example, special transport pallets must be kept ready or load-carrying conveyor belts must be designed sufficiently stable mechanically.

For the loading device specified herein, it is therefore proposed that both inside the elevator car and in an access area of the elevator car outside the same, that is, for example, within a floor of a building and adjacent to an elevator shaft receiving the elevator car, a respective conveyor is provided. Optionally, in each case one or more floors of a building may be provided with a floor conveyor. Each of the cabin and floor conveyors can be designed similarly as conveyors, as used for example in car washes to automatically convey a vehicle through the car wash through and as exemplified in US 4,374,496 are described.

The floor conveyor as well as the cabin conveyor can each have a conveying means for this purpose, which can be driven by a drive. As a drive, for example, motors, in particular in the form of electric motors, in question. The drive can, but need not necessarily, be part of one of the conveyors. The conveying means can be configured, for example, as revolving endless conveying means. In particular, a conveyor may be formed by means of one or more chains, belts, bands or ropes, which may be designed, for example, as a closed ring and extending over deflection rollers. The conveying means can thus be designed, at least in partial areas, such that they can be moved, preferably driven by the drive, in a linear direction of movement.

On a conveyor at least one conveyor bar is attached. Preferably, a plurality of conveyor webs are spaced from each other attached to the conveyor, wherein a distance between adjacent in the direction of movement conveyor webs may be, for example, a few meters. The conveyor webs can be designed using suitably trained arms, mounting areas and possibly attached rollers such that they usually protrude upwards and / or laterally from the conveyor and can be moved along with the conveyor along the direction of movement or parallel to this.

In particular, due to this projecting from the conveyor configuration of the conveyor webs, each individual conveyor web can engage behind a wheel of a vehicle to be transported from below and / or from the side. The wheel engaged behind can stand on a region of the floor of the elevator car or the access area adjacent to the conveyor or its conveyor. By means of the conveyor web engaging behind the wheel of the vehicle, the vehicle can then be moved on the ground, rolling along a taxiway in the direction of travel, by moving the conveyor web engaging behind the wheel in a corresponding direction, preferably parallel to the direction of movement, by the conveying means attached thereto.

The conveyor can thus move using the wheel engaging behind the conveyor web, the entire vehicle in the desired direction of movement, without the conveyor itself would have to withstand the weight of the vehicle. Instead, the conveyor need only apply a force expended to largely horizontal movement of the vehicle and withstand this force. Requirements for mechanical stability of the conveyor can thus remain relatively low.

In addition, in the proposed invention, the driver can sit in the vehicle and leave this only when reaching the floor or when reaching the parking position provided for the vehicle, since the vehicle is on the floor of the floor and not on a transport pallet or a conveyor belt, if necessary the exit height increased significantly.

Since a single conveyor, as described above, is generally only able to move a vehicle along a taxiway which substantially corresponds to a longitudinal extent of the conveyor itself, it may not generally suffice for loading vehicles into an elevator car, only in the elevator car or only in an access area to the elevator car to provide a conveyor. Instead, it is suggested to provide a conveyor both in the elevator car and in the access area. Each of the conveying devices is designed in such a way and arranged relative to the other conveying device in alignment and closely adjacent to it, that a vehicle to be moved, for example, in the access area from the local level conveyor can first be moved towards the elevator car, namely from the floor level. Conveyor can not be fully moved into the elevator car into, but at least so far can be moved into the elevator car that virtually after a transfer to the cabin conveyor this cabin conveyor is then able to fully the vehicle in the elevator car into move.

Also in the opposite direction, the cabin conveyor and the floor conveyor to be designed and aligned in close proximity to each other, that a befindliches in the elevator car vehicle can first be moved from the cabin conveyor partially out of the cabin and then from the Floor conveyor can be taken and completely moved from the elevator car to an access area to the elevator car.

The taxiway along which the floor conveyor may move a wheel of the vehicle over the floor in the access area should preferably be within acceptable tolerances with a corresponding taxiway along which the car conveyor may then move the vehicle across the floor of the elevator car. aligned. For example, a lateral offset between these two taxiways should preferably be less than 15 cm, more preferably less than 5 cm. An angular offset of the two rolling paths should preferably be less than 10 °, more preferably less than 3 °.

In addition, the floor conveyor and the car conveyor should be located sufficiently close to each other so that a vehicle moved from the floor conveyor to the elevator car can be moved at least as far into the elevator car that a wheel of the vehicle is there from the vehicle Engaged cabin conveyor behind and the vehicle can be transported in this way completely in the elevator car. For this purpose, for example, should be directed to the elevator car end of the floor conveyor near one to the output of Elevator cabin directed end of the cabin conveyor be arranged. For example, a distance between these two ends of the floor conveyor on the one hand and the cabin conveyor on the other hand should be significantly smaller than a wheelbase of a typical vehicle to be conveyed, for example less than 2m, preferably less than 1m.

When so aligned and closely adjacent to each other arranged floor and cabin conveyors, for example, when loading a vehicle in an elevator car initially a conveyor web of the floor conveyor behind a rear wheel of the vehicle engage behind and move it in the direction of travel in an open elevator car. The rear wheel is thereby moved until the rear wheel while arriving at the end of the floor conveyor is still arranged in the access area to the elevator car, a front wheel of the same vehicle, however, is already inside the elevator car and there are engaged behind by a conveyor web of the cabin conveyor can. The cabin conveyor can thus move the vehicle then completely on the front wheel into the cabin.

After the elevator car has subsequently been moved, for example, to another floor, the cabin conveyor and a further floor conveyor provided there can interact in the reverse manner and thus unload the vehicle from the elevator car. In this case, the cabin conveyor, for example, the vehicle initially behind the front wheel can easily move out of the elevator car out behind to then engage with the same or another conveyor web, the rear wheel of the vehicle and then move the vehicle further out of the elevator car until finally a conveyor web the local level conveyor can engage behind the front wheel of the vehicle and then can move the vehicle completely out of the elevator car. Of course, instead of moving the vehicle forwards out of the elevator car, the vehicle can also be moved backwards out of the elevator car.

In order to be able to load both a vehicle coming from an access area into the elevator car and to be able to unload from the elevator car to a front access area outside the elevator car, the floor conveyor and the car conveyor should each be used be arranged to move the at least one conveyor web in two directions of movement in parallel and anti-parallel to a floor of the access area or the elevator car by means of the driven by the drive means that the conveyor web engage behind a wheel of the vehicle and rolling the vehicle on the ground along the taxiway can move in the direction of movement and against the direction of movement.

In other words, unlike conveyors, such as are typically used in, for example, car washes, where they always need to move vehicles in one direction only, the deck conveyor and cabin conveyor should be suitable for driving a vehicle in both opposite directions to be able to move along taxiways served by the respective conveyors.

This may, for example, require that a conveyor of a conveyor be moved by an associated drive in opposite directions.

In addition, it may be necessary for a conveyor bar attached to the conveyor to be loaded both in the direction of movement and in the opposite direction of movement, thus allowing a vehicle to move into the elevator car as well as out of the elevator car by engaging one of its wheels. In other words, the conveyor web can be mounted on the conveyor in such a way that it can be loaded in the direction of movement both on train and on pressure.

Of course, the floor conveyor can connect another conveyor, which takes over the vehicle from the floor conveyor and transported in a parking position assigned to the vehicle. Thereby, the area of the floor conveyor is released to unload another vehicle from the elevator car to this floor.

According to one embodiment, the floor conveyor and / or the cabin conveyor is adapted to the at least one conveyor web temporarily in a associated floor of the access area or the cabin to sink.

Under such a "sinking" can be understood in this case that the conveyor web no longer protrudes beyond the ground upwards. In this way, it can be avoided, for example, that during periods in which the loading device is not needed, conveyor webs of the floor conveyor or the cabin conveyor distracting upward from a local soil and hinder, for example, there people or vehicles located in their movements.

According to one embodiment, the floor conveyor and / or the car conveyor has a lateral guide for laterally guiding wheels of a vehicle moved by the respective conveyor along the taxiway.

By a possibility to laterally guide wheels of a vehicle to be moved when loading into the elevator car or out of the elevator car along a corresponding taxiway, automation of the loading process can be simplified. For example, the vehicle may initially be roughly positioned by a driver at a beginning of a floor conveyor. The floor conveyor may then engage behind a wheel of the vehicle and gradually advance the vehicle towards the cabin. In this case, the under-engaged wheel and / or other wheels of the vehicle can be guided laterally by means of the guide, so that the wheels can be aligned along a desired taxiway and thus the entire vehicle can be accurately positioned transversely to its direction of movement along the taxiway. As a result, the vehicle can be transported into the elevator car in a positionally exact position, whereby a risk of damage to the vehicle and / or the elevator car due to lateral collisions between these two components can be minimized.

Optionally, a funnel-like widening of the guide can be provided at one or both outwardly ends of the floor conveyor, to facilitate a retraction of a vehicle in the floor conveyor. Additionally or alternatively, also on the cabin conveyor such be provided funnel-like widening.

The guide device can be configured as a rail projecting upwards beyond a respective floor of the access area or the elevator car and running parallel to the taxiway. Such a rail can be realized easily and inexpensively while having a structural robustness, which can allow sufficient lateral guidance of wheels of a vehicle to be moved. For example, the rail may protrude a few inches, for example less than 20 cm, preferably less than 10 cm or 5 cm, up over the floor over the wheels of the vehicle along the taxiway. The rails, as well as the taxiway, may preferably be linear. Preferably, the rails may extend continuously from a beginning of the taxiway to one end of the taxiway.

The floor conveyor and / or the cabin conveyor may be adapted to sink the guide temporarily in each floor. For this purpose, similar to the retractable conveyor webs described above, suitable recesses may be provided in corresponding areas of a floor in the access area or in the elevator car, in which the guide can be received to temporarily sink them. In the retracted state, the guide device then preferably no longer protrudes upward beyond the respective floor and thus can, for example, no longer obstruct movements by persons or vehicles moving there.

According to one embodiment, the loading device further comprises a synchronization device for synchronized operation of the floor conveyor and the car conveyor.

Under a synchronized operation can be understood that the floor conveyor and the cabin conveyor are operated such that when loading or unloading a vehicle in or out of the elevator car, a kind of transfer of the vehicle between the floor conveyor and the cabin Conveyor can be done as quickly as possible.

For this purpose, respective drives that drive the conveying means of the respective conveyors, be suitably controlled and / or the conveyor bars are attached to the conveyor at appropriate positions, so that as soon as, for example, a vehicle from the floor conveyor has been moved sufficiently far into the elevator car in a timely manner, that is to say within a few seconds, preferably within less than 2 s, a conveyor web of the cabin conveyor engages behind a wheel of the vehicle in order then to move the vehicle completely into the cabin.

In such a synchronized operation of the floor and cabin conveyors, a loading time required to load or unload a vehicle into the elevator car can be minimized. This can also reduce waiting times for loading other vehicles, for example within a parking garage.

In addition, not every conveyor must include its own drive. The loading device can also be designed such that, for example, only the car conveyor has a drive. For driving the floor conveyors, the loading device has a coupling, by means of which the floor conveyor and the cabin conveyor are mechanically coupled with adjacent arrangement. Of course, all floor conveyors may each have a drive which is coupled with adjacent arrangement by means of a coupling with the car conveyor and this drives. An adjacent arrangement is that position of the elevator car to a floor to understand, on which a cabin floor of the elevator car with a floor bottom of the floor is arranged in alignment and can be loaded.

According to one embodiment, the loading device may further comprise an exhaust device for exhausting exhaust gases of the vehicle to be loaded.

The suction device can, for example, have a channel system to be set under negative pressure, with the aid of which exhaust gases emitted by a vehicle can be sucked off and, for example, directed out of a building. The Suction device may have one or more suction openings in the elevator car and / or adjacent to the access area outside the elevator car. By means of the suction device, for example, it is possible to prevent exhaust gases from an accidentally or intentionally not parked internal combustion engine of a vehicle to be transported from accumulating within a building or even within a relatively small-volume elevator car, and in the worst case can damage persons located there. Furthermore, the suction device can effectively remove residual exhaust gases, which can still emerge from the exhaust system of the vehicle despite shut down internal combustion engine.

Preferably, the loading device may be configured to automatically move the vehicle to a position at which an exhaust of the vehicle is located adjacent a suction port of the exhaust device.

For this purpose, the loading device, for example, have provisions that indicate where the exhaust of a vehicle to be transported is located. Such precautions may include, for example, cameras, infrared sensors, gas sensors, or the like. Once it has been detected where the exhaust of the vehicle is located, the loading device may be configured to move the vehicle by means of its conveyors to a position where the exhaust is close to an adjacent suction port of the exhaust device. The suction opening can be statically positioned here. Alternatively, the suction device of the loading device can be designed such that its intake opening can be displaced and moves to a suitable location after detecting the position of the exhaust of the vehicle. A distance between the exhaust of the vehicle and the suction opening of the suction device should preferably be chosen suitably in this case in order to be able to completely remove exhausted exhaust gases as far as possible. For example, the intake opening may be arranged adjacent to the outlet of the exhaust of the vehicle at a distance of less than 1 m, preferably less than 0.5 m, particularly preferably less than 0.2 m. Also, a suction rate at which the exhaust device can exhaust exhaust gases should be selected according to a typical exhaust rate of exhaust gases from the exhaust of a vehicle.

According to one embodiment, a floor of the elevator car is together with the cabin conveyor and a vehicle standing thereon rotatable in a horizontal plane. This may be advantageous, for example, in elevator installations in which several access areas within a floor are arranged in a star shape around an elevator shaft so that vehicles conveyed by the elevator car can be unloaded to one of these access areas, depending on which orientation the floor of the elevator car is horizontal was filmed.

According to a further embodiment, the loading device further comprises a recognition device which is able to recognize features that can uniquely identify a vehicle.

For example, the detection device may have a camera which can receive a license plate of the vehicle, so that can be deduced by appropriate data processing on an identity of the vehicle. Alternatively, the detection device can use other detection means, for example, use other optical, acoustic, electrical, inductive, etc. operating detection means to recognize the identity of the vehicle based on clearly characterizing features.

Once the identity of the vehicle has been detected, the loading device may, for example, automatically include or unload the vehicle suitably into the elevator car, for example, taking into account dimensions of the vehicle or other characteristics of the vehicle. Information about the identity of the vehicle can also be forwarded, for example, to the elevator installation so that it can automatically drive the vehicle, for example, to a desired floor.

It should be understood that some of the possible features and advantages of the invention are described herein with reference to different embodiments. A person skilled in the art will recognize that the features can be suitably combined, adapted or replaced in order to arrive at further embodiments of the invention.

Figur 1

zeigt eine Längsschnittansicht durch eine Aufzuganlage mit einer Beladungsvorrichtung gemäß einer Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung;

Figur 2

zeigt eine Vergrößerung des Bereichs "A" aus Figur 1;

Figur 3

zeigt eine Querschnittansicht auf einen Teilbereich der Beladungsvorrichtung der Aufzuganlage aus Figur 1; und

Figur 4

zeigt eine Draufsicht auf die Beladungsvorrichtung der Aufzuganlage aus Figur 1.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to FIGS accompanying drawings, wherein neither the drawings nor the description are to be construed as limiting the invention.

FIG. 1

shows a longitudinal sectional view through an elevator system with a loading device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2

shows an enlargement of the area "A" FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3

shows a cross-sectional view of a portion of the loading device of the elevator system FIG. 1 ; and

FIG. 4

shows a plan view of the loading device of the elevator system FIG. 1 ,

The figures are only schematic and not to scale. Like reference numerals designate like or equivalent features throughout the several figures.

FIG. 1 shows components of an elevator installation 100, which is equipped with a loading device 1. The elevator system 100 can serve, for example, within a parking garage to transport vehicles in the vertical direction between floors. Alternatively, owners of luxury apartments in high-rise buildings have already expressed their wishes to be able to board or leave their vehicle directly in their apartment, ie to leave their apartment or return to their apartment with the aid of an elevator system 100. For this purpose, the elevator installation 100 has a spacious elevator car 3, in which a vehicle 5 finds sufficient space and which can be moved vertically by means of suspension elements 102, for example in the form of ropes or belts within an elevator shaft 104.

In order to be able to load and unload the vehicle easily, safely and comfortably into the elevator car 3, a loading device 1 is provided for the elevator system 100. By means of the loading device 1, the vehicle 5 can be moved automatically into and out of the elevator car 3, for example collisions between the vehicle 5 and the elevator car 3 can be avoided. In addition, an on-board combustion engine does not need to run during a loading process or if it still runs, its exhaust gases can be specifically sucked.

The loading device 1 has two separate conveyors 7, 11.

A floor conveyor 7 is arranged in an access area 9 to the elevator car 3. The access area 9 can thus be a static area of a building as a rule. Optionally, several access areas 9 may be provided within the building, for example in the area of an entrance into the building towards the elevator car 3 and additionally in other floors, for example, to parking areas or garages of apartments within the building.

A cabin conveyor 11 is arranged inside the elevator car 3. The cabin conveyor 11 can thus be moved vertically together with the elevator car 3 inside the building. In particular, the cabin conveyor 11 can be moved and operated separately from the floor conveyor 7.

Both the floor conveyor 7 and the car conveyor 11 have at least one conveyor 13a, 13b. In the illustrated example, the conveyor 13a, 13b shown as a circulating endless chain, but may also be implemented in the form of other funding such as belts, belts, ropes or the like. Each of the conveying means 13a, 13b can be driven via a drive 17a, 17b to move along or in a direction of movement 19. In the example shown, the conveying means 13a, 13b respectively guided over guide rollers 27 and partially supported by guide plates 29, wherein each one of the guide rollers 27 is driven by a drive 17a, 17b serving as an electric motor.

In the example shown, both the floor conveyor 7 and the car conveyor 11 have their own drive 17a, 17b. However, it is also conceivable that, for example, in the elevator car 3 for the local cabin conveyor 11 provided drive 17a also coupled to a floor conveyor 7 and there drives the conveyor 13b, or vice versa.

On the conveying means 13a, 13b 19 conveyor webs 15a, 15b are attached at certain intervals along the direction of movement. As in the enlarged view FIG. 2 To recognize each conveyor web 15a, 15b via a spar 33 which is fixed to the chain-like conveying means 13a, 13b and from the horizontally extending conveying means 13a, 13b projects vertically upwards. At a free end of the spar 33, a roller 35 is provided. By means of this roller 35, the conveyor web 15a, 15b engage behind a front wheel 23 or a rear wheel 25 of the vehicle 5. When the conveying means 13a, 13b is then moved in the desired direction of movement 19 by means of the drive 17a, 17b and the conveyor web 15a, 15b attached thereto follows this movement, the rear wheel 23, 25 and thus the entire vehicle 5 are moved along the direction of movement 19 ,

The wheel 23, 25 can along a taxiway 39 (see also FIG. 4 ) can be moved from the access area 9 into the car 3 or vice versa, wherein the wheels 23, 25 of the vehicle 5 can roll and load directly on the floor 21 of the access area 9 or the elevator car 3. This can bring a serious advantage to the effect that a weight of the vehicle 5 via the wheels 23, 25 preferably exclusively on the structurally stable enough trained for this purpose floor 21 of the access area 9 or the car 3 can load without this weight the floors Conveyor 7 or the cabin conveyor 11 would be charged substantially. These two conveyors 7, 11 thus need only to carry the forces necessary for the horizontal movement of the vehicle 5, but not to withstand a vertically acting weight load of the vehicle 5. Accordingly, the conveyors 7, 11 structurally relatively simple and thus easy, space-saving and / or cost-effective.

Although the floor conveyor 7 and the cabin conveyor 11 may be provided as separate units and the cabin conveyor 11 can thus be moved spatially separated from the floor conveyor 7 together with the elevator car 3 vertically within the building. As part of the Loading device 1, the floor conveyor 7 and the car conveyor 11, however, cooperate in such a way that together they move a vehicle 5 from a position in which the vehicle 5 is completely in the access area 9 and thus outside the car 3, to a position in which the vehicle 5 is completely received in the car 3, can move.

For this purpose, the floor conveyor 7 and the car conveyor 11 are arranged in such a flush and closely adjacent to each other that a moving from the floor conveyor 7 in the direction of movement 19 toward the car 3 and thus to the car conveyor 11 vehicle 5 at least is moved so far into the elevator car 3 that it is accepted there by the cabin conveyor 11 and moved on and ultimately can be fully promoted in the elevator car 3.

For this purpose, the floor conveyor 7 within the access area 9 and the car conveyor 11 within the elevator car 3 are arranged such that the respective mutually facing ends of their funding 13a, 13b are sufficiently closely spaced from each other that one of, for example, the floor conveyor. 7 towards the elevator car 3 promoted vehicle 5 can be pushed so far into the elevator car 3 from a conveyor web 15b of the floor conveyor 7 engaging, for example, on a rear wheel 25 of the vehicle that its front wheel 23 already by a conveyor web 15a of the local cabin conveyor 11 can be engaged behind and thus the car conveyor 11 can then completely pull the vehicle 5 in the elevator car 3. A distance between the mutually facing ends of the conveying means 13a, 13b of the floor conveyor 7 and the carousel conveyor 11 may for example be less than 2m, preferably less than 1m.

Furthermore, the floor conveyor 7 and the car conveyor 11 should at least sufficiently be aligned with each other that taxiways 39 along which wheels 23, 25 of the vehicle 5 from the floor conveyor 7 along the bottom 21 of the access area 9 on the one hand and moved by the car conveyor 11 along the bottom 21 of the elevator car 3 on the other hand, at least partially overlap transversely to the direction of movement 19, so that at least one of the rollers 23, 25 rolling along the taxiways 39 can be engaged behind by conveyor webs 15a, 15b of the respective conveyor 7, 11. For example, a lateral offset of the aligned level conveyor 7 relative to the car conveyor 11 should be significantly less than a width of a vehicle tire, and thus less than 20cm, preferably less than 10cm, and more preferably less than 5cm.

In a special embodiment of the loading device 1 can be provided, the conveyor webs 15a, 15b of the floor conveyor 7 and / or the cabin conveyor 11 to be able to sink temporarily in the respective adjacent floor 21. In this way it can be avoided that these conveyor webs 15a, 15b protrude disturbingly into the elevator car 3 or the access area 9 during periods in which no vehicle 5 is to be loaded. For this purpose, for example, be provided to attach a conveyor web 15a, 15b respectively via a hinge to the associated conveyor 13a, 13b, so that the conveyor web 15a, 15b, for example, in a direction transverse to the direction of movement 19 folded and provided for openings within the soil 21 can be sunk. Particularly preferably, the openings are arranged within the bottom 21 in relation to the deflection rollers 27, so that the conveyor webs 15a, 15b are pivoted by the deflection rollers 27 into the openings.

As in the FIGS. 3 and 4 Good to recognize, are laterally next to the taxiways 39, along which the wheels 23, 25 of the vehicle 5 to roll, guide means 31 are provided. These guide devices can be formed by means of rails projecting upwards and in each case running parallel to the taxiway 39 there. The rails of the guide devices 31 may, for example, protrude a few centimeters above the bottom 21 upwards and have sufficient stability to be able to guide them laterally over the rolling path 39 rolling wheel 23, 25 with their help. In this way, in particular in the case of automated transport of the vehicle 5, it is possible to prevent its wheels 23, 25 from leaving desired taxiways 39, so that ultimately collisions between the vehicle 5 and, for example, components of the elevator installation 100 can be avoided.

The guide devices 31 may each have at their ends funnel-like widenings 37 which, for example, a retraction of a vehicle 5 in a taxiway 39th can simplify by the wheels 23, 25 are directed out centered on the taxiway 39. Optionally, the rails of such a guide 31 may be temporarily designed retractable in one of the floors 21.

In order to be able to synchronize an operation of the floor conveyor 7 and the cabin conveyor 11 during the loading of a vehicle 5, a synchronization device 41 can additionally be provided. This synchronization device 41 can be configured, for example, such that a current positioning of conveying means 13a, 13b and conveying webs 15a, 15b of the respective conveying device 7, 11 located thereon can be detected and / or influenced or predetermined such that the vehicle 5 is only possible with a short interruption or without such an interruption of the floor conveyor 7 to the cabin conveyor 11 or vice versa can be transferred. As in FIG. 1 illustrated, a synchronization can be done to the effect that the two conveyors 7, 11 are coordinated in their operation so that a conveyor web 15b of the floor conveyor 7, the rear wheel 25 of the vehicle 5 pushes towards the car 3 and already in this State, a conveyor web 15a of the car conveyor 11 behind the front wheel 23 of the vehicle 5 is set to move in this way possible interruption the vehicle 5 further into the elevator car 3, when the floor conveyor 7, the rear wheel 25 of the vehicle. 5 can not push further to the elevator car 3.

By such a synchronized operation loading operations can be accelerated and thus waiting times can be reduced. In addition, mechanical loads on the transported vehicle 5 and on the conveyors 7, 11 can be reduced.

In the elevator car 3 and / or in the access area 9 (not shown), a suction device 43 for exhausting exhaust gases of the vehicle 5 may be further provided. For this purpose, the extraction device 43 can, for example, have a type of ventilation system which can suck in the exhaust gases of the vehicle 5 via a pipe and its intake opening 45 and guide it out of the building, for example.

The loading device 1 can preferably be designed to be suitable for automatically moving the vehicle 5 to a position at which an exhaust of the vehicle 5 is arranged at the smallest possible distance adjacent to the suction opening 45 of the suction device 43 in order to extract the exhaust gases as efficiently as possible can. If appropriate, provision may be made here by means of which it can be recognized where the end of a vehicle to be loaded 5 whose exhaust ends, in order to then position the vehicle 5 by means of the conveyors 7, 11 suitable relative to the suction device 43.

In the loading device 1, a recognition device 47 can also be provided in order to be able to recognize features by means of which a vehicle can be uniquely identified. For example, the recognition device 47 may be designed in the form of a camera, which can receive a license plate of the vehicle 5 in order to be able to conclude the identity of the vehicle by subsequent image processing if necessary. Based on such identified identity of the vehicle 5, for example, a loading operation can be customized vehicle-specific and / or the vehicle 5 are automatically transported by means of the elevator system 100 to a desired floor.

The loading device 1 proposed herein may be much less expensive than, for example, systems operating with transport pallets or load-bearing conveyors. A lack of transport pallets can also increase the availability of the elevator installation 100, as these transport pallets may not need to be fetched first at a storage location. An elevator installation 100 equipped with the loading device 1 can thus work faster, as a result of which inter alia waiting times can be shortened. Furthermore, the loading device 1, compared to conventional loading devices, which use transport pallets or load-bearing conveyor belts, have a substantially lower weight. As a result, components of the elevator installation 100 such as, for example, its suspension elements 102, guides of an elevator drive unit and / or a load-bearing structure of the elevator car 3 can also be loaded less, so that these components can be designed to be lighter, less expensive and / or less robust.

Finally, it should be noted that terms such as "comprising," "comprising," etc., do not exclude other elements or steps, and terms such as "a" or "an" do not exclude a multitude. It should also be appreciated that features or steps described with reference to any of the above embodiments may also be used in combination with other features or steps of other embodiments described above. Reference signs in the claims are not to be considered as limiting.

Claims (15)

Loading device (1) for loading vehicles (5) into an elevator car (3), the loading device (1) comprising: at least one floor conveying device (7) which is arranged outside the elevator car (3) in an access area (9) to the elevator car (3); and a carousel conveyor (11) disposed inside the elevator car (3); wherein the floor conveyor (7) and the carousel conveyor (11) each comprise: a conveyor (13a, 13b) to be driven by a drive (17a, 17b); and at least one conveyor bar (15a, 15b) attached to the conveyor (13a, 13b); wherein the floor conveyor (7) and the car conveyor (11) are each adapted to drive the at least one conveyor bar (15a, 15b) in a direction of movement by means of the conveyor (13a, 13b) driven by the drive (17a, 17b) (19) parallel to a bottom (21) of the access area (9) or the elevator car (3) to move such that the conveyor web (15a, 15b) engage behind a wheel (23, 25) of a vehicle (5) and the vehicle (5) can move on the floor (21) along a taxiway (39) rolling in the direction of movement (19); wherein the floor conveyor (7) and the car conveyor (11) are aligned with each other and closely adjacent to each other such that a vehicle (5) moved from the floor conveyor (7) to the car conveyor (11). at least so far into the elevator car (3) is moved that it can be fully promoted by the cabin conveyor (11) in the elevator car (3). Loading device according to claim 1, wherein the floor conveyor (7) and the car conveyor (11) are each adapted to move the at least one conveyor bar (15a, 13b, 13b) by means of the conveyor (13a, 13b) driven by the drive (17a, 17b). 15b) in two directions of movement (19) parallel and anti-parallel to a bottom (21) of the access area (9) or the elevator car (3) to move such that the conveyor web (15a, 15b) a wheel (23, 25) of the vehicle (5) behind and the vehicle (5) on the floor (21) along the rolling path (39) rolling in the direction of movement (19) and against the direction of movement (19) can move. Loading device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one conveyor web (15a, 15b) of at least one of the conveyors (7, 11) is temporarily retractable in the ground. Loading device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the floor conveyor (7) and the car conveyor (11) has a lateral guide (31) for guiding wheels (23, 25) of one of the respective conveyor (7, 11). along the taxiway (39) moving vehicle (5) to guide laterally. Loading device according to claim 4, wherein the guide device (31) is designed as a rail projecting upwards beyond a respective floor (21) of the access area (9) or the elevator car (3) and running parallel to the taxiway (39). Loading device according to claim 4 or 5, wherein at least one of the floor conveyor (7) and the cabin conveyor (11) is adapted to sink the guide (31) temporarily in the bottom (21). Loading device according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising a synchronization device (41) for synchronously operating the floor conveyor (7) and the car conveyor (11). Loading device according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising a coupling, by means of which the floor conveyor (7) and the cabin conveyor (11) are mechanically coupled with adjacent arrangement, whereby both conveyors (7, 11) by means of the same drive (17a) are drivable. Loading device according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising an exhaust device (45) for exhausting exhaust gases of the vehicle (5). A loading device according to claim 9, wherein the loading device (1) is adapted to automatically move the vehicle (5) to a position where an exhaust of the (5) vehicle is disposed adjacent to a suction port (47) of the exhaust device (45) , Loading device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a floor (21) of the elevator car (3) together with the car conveyor (11) and a vehicle (5) standing thereon can be rotated in a horizontal plane. Loading device according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising a recognition device (47) for recognizing characteristics which are unique to a vehicle (5). Loading device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the conveying means (13a, 13b) are circulating endless conveying means. Loading device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the conveying means (13a, 13b) are formed with at least one of chains, belts, belts and ropes. Elevator installation (100), comprising: a vertically movable elevator car (3); at least one access area (9); in the elevator car (3) and the access area (9) arranged loading device (1) according to one of the preceding claims.

Images