Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B66—HOISTING; LIFTING; HAULING
  • B66B—ELEVATORS; ESCALATORS OR MOVING WALKWAYS
  • B66B5/00—Applications of checking, fault-correcting, or safety devices in elevators
  • B66B5/02—Applications of checking, fault-correcting, or safety devices in elevators responsive to abnormal operating conditions
  • B66B5/16—Braking or catch devices operating between cars, cages, or skips and fixed guide elements or surfaces in hoistway or well
  • B66B5/18—Braking or catch devices operating between cars, cages, or skips and fixed guide elements or surfaces in hoistway or well and applying frictional retarding forces
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B66—HOISTING; LIFTING; HAULING
  • B66B—ELEVATORS; ESCALATORS OR MOVING WALKWAYS
  • B66B5/00—Applications of checking, fault-correcting, or safety devices in elevators
  • B66B5/02—Applications of checking, fault-correcting, or safety devices in elevators responsive to abnormal operating conditions
  • B66B5/16—Braking or catch devices operating between cars, cages, or skips and fixed guide elements or surfaces in hoistway or well
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B66—HOISTING; LIFTING; HAULING
  • B66D—CAPSTANS; WINCHES; TACKLES, e.g. PULLEY BLOCKS; HOISTS
  • B66D5/00—Braking or detent devices characterised by application to lifting or hoisting gear, e.g. for controlling the lowering of loads
  • B66D5/02—Crane, lift hoist, or winch brakes operating on drums, barrels, or ropes
  • B66D5/06—Crane, lift hoist, or winch brakes operating on drums, barrels, or ropes with radial effect
  • B66D5/08—Crane, lift hoist, or winch brakes operating on drums, barrels, or ropes with radial effect embodying blocks or shoes
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B66—HOISTING; LIFTING; HAULING
  • B66D—CAPSTANS; WINCHES; TACKLES, e.g. PULLEY BLOCKS; HOISTS
  • B66D5/00—Braking or detent devices characterised by application to lifting or hoisting gear, e.g. for controlling the lowering of loads
  • B66D5/02—Crane, lift hoist, or winch brakes operating on drums, barrels, or ropes
  • B66D5/24—Operating devices
  • B66D5/26—Operating devices pneumatic or hydraulic

Definitions

• Elevator car brake units are known in different embodiments and are necessary for very different purposes of operating an elevator .
• elevator car brake units do not only manage cases of emergency such as overspeed or the free fall of the elevator car. Instead, it should also be possible to use them as a brake, for instance in order to reliably prevent unintended car movement of an elevator car standing in front of a landing from prematurely leaving the landing, for instance under the influence of the changing weight of its loading.
• elevator car brake units are also desired to dispose of a regulation of the brake force itself in the case of emergency. At least the elevator car brake units are to be as
• an elevator with at least one hydraulic elevator car brake unit which allows an effective open or close loop control of the brake force applied by the elevator car brake unit.
• an elevator with an elevator car moving along guide rails up and down preferably in vertical direction is provided.
• an elevator car possesses no incorporated drive itself, but it is hoisted by means of at least on hoist rope and/or a hydraulic cylinder.
• the inventive elevator comprises an open or close loop
• controlled hydraulic brake for decelerating the elevator car, in particular in case or irregular ride conditions as, for example, in case of overspeed.
• the brake comprises at least one hydraulic actuator acting with its piston rod onto a brake pad.
• the words "acting onto” are preferably understood as “directly acting onto”, however, in particular cases a broad sense of this words is
• the piston rod is connected to a piston which, depending on the hydraulic pressure prevalent in a first working chamber assigned to the piston, and, possibly, depending on the hydraulic pressure prevalent in a second working chamber assigned to the piston, completely or partly compensates the force of the main spring unit.
• the speed with which the brake applies, and/or the resulting force with which the brake lining operated by the piston rod is pressed against the rail is open or close loop controlled by means of a hydraulic pressure source.
• the pressure side of the pressure source charges aforementioned first working chamber of the at least one piston with hydraulic fluid.
• the suction side of the pressure source is capable to suck hydraulic fluid from a second working chamber of the at least one piston.
• control valve that is
• the working principle of the control line and the control valve determining the actual flow through it is as follows: If the control valve is fully open, a pressure equalization between the first and the second working chamber can take place. Consequently the piston pre-stressed by at least one main spring unit can displace hydraulic fluid from the first into the second working chamber so that the brake applies. This will take place despite of the fact that the pressure source may (dependent from the hydraulic layout) at the same time still tend to charge the first working chamber with pressurized hydraulic fluid while it tends to draw off (suck) synchronously hydraulic fluid from the second working chamber.
• the fully open control line will provide for pressure
• a very preferred embodiment provides that the said at least one valve is a switching valve for exclusive on-off-service .
• Such a valve is no proportional valve.
• a proportional valve is characterized in that it controls the flow rate through its hydraulic path by bringing its valve body into a stationary position intermediate between “fully closed” and “fully opened” leaving free a defined hydraulically effective cross- section which corresponds to the desired flow rate.
• the aforementioned valve for exclusive on-off-service is characterized in that it possesses a valve body that cannot adopt a stationary intermediate position between "fully closed” and “fully opened”, at least as long as energized.
• the only stationary positions that may be adopted (depending on the particular design) by the valve body are the positions "fully closed” or "fully opened”.
• the flow rate through the hydraulic path is controlled by repeated switching of the valve body back and forth between "open” and “close” - preferably this switching back and forth should take place repeatedly within one second.
• the switching frequency amounts to 15 Hz or more.
• valve for exclusive on-off-service is a seat valve, i.e. a valve having a valve seat that comes into sealing (fluid tight) contact with the valve body if the valve is closed.
• the valve for exclusive on-off-service is preferably
• pulse width modulation or frequency, or a mixture thereof.
• the first mode is to switch that way that the valve body comes at rest on its valve seat before switching over so that the valve body starts to move in opposite direction again. In the same way the valve comes at rest on the stopper that defines its "maximum-open-position" before switching over again. That way the hydraulic resistance of the valve can be controlled by determining how long the valve is fully closed and how long the valve is fully opened per time interval.
• the second mode is called the "ballistic" mode: There is always a switching over from moving the valve body in one direction to moving it in opposite direction before the valve body comes at rest on the valve seat. In the same way there is a switching over again before the valve comes at rest on the stopper that defines its "maximum-open-position".
• this valve In each case one can call this valve a "pulsed" valve.
• An important advantage is that a pulsed valve is clearly more tolerant in regard to solid particles polluting the hydraulic fluid, because the pulsed valve does (different from a slide valve) not stay stationary in a position which forms a narrow gap that may be clogged by small particles carried by the hydraulic fluid.
• the hydraulic system comprises in addition to the pressure control line with the control valve a throttling line with a throttle control valve for noise reduced application of the hydraulic brake during or after landing of the elevator car, and/or a short- circuit line with a short-circuit valve for quick brake application in case of emergency, and/or a brake release line with a brake release valve for releasing the brake without activation of an hydraulic pump to such an extent that a new ride can start.
• the aforementioned throttling line makes a soft application of the brake possible, that way avoiding the emission of audible noise when the elevator car brake applies when the elevator car has come or is coming to a standstill in a landing in order to avoid unintended car movement. That essentially improves the comfort of the ride.
• the throttling line still represents a hydraulic resistance that is preferably bigger than the hydraulic resistance of the control line and/or the short- circuit line when their according valves are fully open.
• an additional short-circuit line with a short-circuit valve for quick brake application provides for redundancy. If the short-circuit valve is a valve that opens when not being energized, the system becomes absolutely fail ⁇ safe - when an emergency happens, the brake will apply even in case of power blackout and/or battery failure.
• the hydraulic resistance of the short-circuit line is preferably very small. That way the hydraulic fluid can be quickly displaced from one of the working chambers to the other working chamber, making the brake apply as fast as possible.
• An additional brake release line with a brake release valve once again improves the comfort of the ride.
• This brake release line interconnects the at least one
• the hydraulic pump is activated to provide for full brake release and/or activated to charge the pressure accumulator or the at least one other brake actuator that has been involved into the silent brake release.
• the hydraulic supply unit comprises a hydraulic pump or a hydraulic pressure generator that is activated at least during performance of the inventive open or close loop control method without being itself speed, torque, or
• the hydraulic pump is preferably completely turned off.
• the variation of the speed with which the pump is operated may be a consequence of the varying load conditions, there should normally be no external influencing or
• the hydraulic cylinder is a double acting cylinder forming a first and a second working chamber. These working chambers are interconnected with one another that way that the same amount of hydraulic fluid as displaced from the first working chamber is taken up by the second working chamber when the piston moves.
• Such a hydraulic cylinder can be called a "double-rod” or “double stroke” cylinder.
• the big advantage of such a "double-rod” or “double stroke” cylinder is that the full amount of hydraulic fluid that is displaced from one working chamber can - preferably directly - be taken up by the other working chamber.
• the natural aging process of the hydraulic fluid is retarded due to the fact that a hydraulic system not always discharging a part of the hydraulic fluid into a tank gives the atmospheric oxygen, atmospheric humidity, and, maybe, particles of soil less detrimental access to the hydraulic fluid. That is important for an elevator car brake that has to be stable over long periods.
• the elevator comprises an elevator car brake with two or more hydraulic actuators, whereas at least the first working chambers or the second working chambers have a direct fluidal interconnection in the shape of a common rail.
• a first common rail is provided that interconnects all first working chambers and a second common rail that
• a common rail may be divided by a valve into two parts when the valve is closed. That allows to define two, or two groups of actuators that can be operated independently from each other.
• Another important option is to proceed that way that in the beginning of a departure the elevator car brake is opened by means of the pressure stored in a pressure accumulator, while the hydraulic pump starts with a delay.
• the hydraulic pump is not started before the elevator car has reached at least 50 % of its regular travel speed.
• Another possibility is to drive the pump with a speed increasing according to the actual travel speed of the car during
• the brake comprises at least two of the initially defined hydraulic actuators being assigned to at least one brake pad, whereas one of these hydraulic actuators is used under regular operation as a hydraulic pressure accumulator delivering the pressure required for opening the elevator car brake in the beginning of a departure without operating the hydraulic pump.
• a hydraulic pressure accumulator delivering the pressure required for opening the elevator car brake in the beginning of a departure without operating the hydraulic pump.
• valves required for performing such an operation are provided.
• the basis for this approach is the following trick: In order to open a first brake pad belonging to a set of first brake pads applied to the guide rail for blocking against unintended car movement, at least to such an extent that the travel of the elevator car can start again, another, second brake pad of a second set of brake pads is moved in direction onto the guide rail to an extent that does not hinder the start.
• cylinder is used as a pressure accumulator, is preferably a brake pad belonging to an additional brake that is to be applied to the guide rail in case of an emergency only. In this case it is preferred to avoid that this second brake lining comes into dragging contact with the guide rail in other than emergency cases.
• a design and/or steering should be chosen that stops moving this brake lining in direction to the guide rail before it contacts the guide rail in that way that the hydraulic cylinder assigned to this brake lining can be used as a pressure accumulator, too.
• actuators operates the same brake pad: The actuators pressing actually onto the brake pad are released by moving the other, inactive actuators in direction onto the brake pad.
• a brake pad assigned to a brake pad.
• the sole and only purpose of such an actuator may be to form a pressure accumulator that delivers the necessary amount of hydraulic fluid that is required to open the first braking pad as depicted before.
• the hydraulic elevator car brake used for the hydraulic elevator car brake used for the hydraulic elevator car brake
• performing the inventive method comprises an acceleration sensor, the signal of which is used in order to control the brake force, preferably in such a way that it is ⁇ 1 g.
• the elevator car brake comprises several hydraulic actuators acting all onto the same brake lining. Depending on the size of the currently needed brake force, all or individual actuators of one elevator car brake unit are activated. That way it is possible to tune the required brake force.
• the elevator car brake comprises several hydraulic actuators acting onto different brake linings. Depending on the size of the currently needed brake force, all or individual actuators of one elevator car brake unit are activated. That way it is not only possible to tune the required brake force.
• a main advantage is that it is possible that way to completely save one or more brake linings for performing an emergency braking while being sure that these brake linings have not been subject of wear during regular operation of the elevator the time period before.
• the hydraulic pump is switched off while one or more valves are operated in such a way that the elevator car brake applies and develops its full brake force or the brake force necessary to prevent unintended car movement. That way the elevator car can be hold in standby position without any unintended car movement and with a minimum or no expenditure of energy.
• the piston rod is connected to a piston which, depending on the hydraulic pressure applied to it, completely or partly compensates the force of the main spring unit, characterized in that the resulting force with which the brake lining operated by the piston rod is pressed against the rail is open or close loop controlled by means of a speed- controlled and/or torque-controlled and/or multi-quadrant- operated motor which, as first alternative, depending on the actual needs, either drives a hydraulic pump in such a way that the hydraulic pump conveys hydraulic fluid and thus reduces the resulting force acting on the brake lining, or which acts as a generator or a braking motor braking a
• hydraulic pump in such a way that a - preferably close or open loop controlled - stream of the hydraulic fluid flows back via the hydraulic pump driven by the hydraulic fluid in the opposite direction of its actual conveying direction and thus increases the resulting force acting on the brake lining, and which, as second alternative, depending on the actual needs, drives a hydraulic pump in such a way that the hydraulic pump either conveys hydraulic fluid and thus reduces the resulting force acting on the brake lining, or that a leakage flow flows back via the hydraulic pump in the opposite direction of the conveying direction and thus increases the resulting force acting on the brake lining.
• the motor drives a hydraulic pump in such a way that the hydraulic pump either conveys oil and thus reduces the resulting force acting on the brake lining, or that a leakage flow flows back via the hydraulic pump in the opposite direction of the conveying direction and thus increases the resulting force acting on the brake lining.
• the motor holds the hydraulic pump in
• Fig. 1 shows a first basic concept for realizing the elevator in accordance with the invention.
• Fig. 2 shows a second basic concept for realizing the elevator in accordance with the invention.
• Fig. 3a shows a hydraulic piping diagram for a first
• FIG. 3b shows a hydraulic piping diagram for a second embodiment of a car brake unit according to the invention using two separate groups of actuators, a speed variable pump drive, but no control valve for exclusive on-off-service .
• Fig. 3c shows a hydraulic piping diagram for a third
• Fig. 3d shows a hydraulic piping diagram for a fourth
• Fig. 3e shows the same hydraulic piping diagram as Fig. 3d, while Fig. 3e visualizes the direction of flow through the individual hydraulic valves.
• Fig. 3f shows a slight modification of the hydraulic piping diagram according to Fig. 3d, the valve V4 is modified here.
• Fig. 3g shows a slight modification of the hydraulic piping diagram according to Fig. 3d, here the valves V3 and V4 shown by Fig. 3d are replaced by a combined valve V34.
• Fig. 3h shows a hydraulic piping diagram for a seventh
• Fig. 3i shows a hydraulic piping diagram for an eighth
• a car brake unit according to the invention being closely related to the construction according to Fig. 3h - using only one group of actuators, an additional pressure accumulator, different on-off valves and two control valves for exclusive on-off-service arranged in a special fashion.
• Fig. 3j shows a hydraulic piping diagram for a ninth
• Fig. 3k shows a hydraulic piping diagram for a tenth
• Fig. 3L shows the principle of a hydraulic configuration that can be used if the pressure source for open or close loop controlling of one or more actuators 11 is not the hydraulic pump 19 itself, directly, without intermediate means.
• Fig. 4a shows a hydraulic piping diagram for an eleventh embodiment using two separate groups of actuators, a speed variable pump drive and several on-off valves.
• Fig. 4b shows a hydraulic piping diagram for a twelfth
• Fig. 5 shows a view diagonally from the front for a
• Fig. 6 shows a view diagonally from the font, in section along A-A for the constructive execution example of the invention shown in Fig. 5.
• the elevator consists of a preferably gearless designed elevator drive 1 and an elevator car 4 which is led
• the elevator is preferably a rope elevator which is held at a number of support ropes which are not represented figuratively and which are mostly led via a traction sheave driven by the elevator drive which is also not shown.
• the elevator in accordance with the invention preferably dispenses with the so-called drive brake, or uses the latter only for reasons of redundancy.
• a "drive brake” is not the regenerative operation of the drive for reasons of possible energy recovery, but an additional mechanical brake which as a rule affects a brake drum or disc which is coupled with the drive shaft in order to avoid unintended car movement during landing, for example.
• the elevator dispenses with a traditional overspeed governor embodied as a circulating rope which is attached to the elevator car, and thus compulsorily operated by it, and which runs via an overspeed governor which brakes the rope in the case of a certain speed being exceeded, and thus generates a mechanical force which activates the gripping device of the elevator car, and thus brings the elevator car to a
• a traditional overspeed governor embodied as a circulating rope which is attached to the elevator car, and thus compulsorily operated by it, and which runs via an overspeed governor which brakes the rope in the case of a certain speed being exceeded, and thus generates a mechanical force which activates the gripping device of the elevator car, and thus brings the elevator car to a
• the elevator in accordance with the invention is equipped in most cases with a shaft copying device.
• the latter consists of a route reference 5 which is fixedly attached next to the elevator car 4 along the traffic route, and a displacement sensor 6 which is attached to the elevator car and interacts with the route reference 5.
• the shaft copying system cannot only determine the way, but can instead or preferably determine the related speed and/or acceleration information.
• shaft copying system can also or
• installation which gathers information on route, speed, and/or acceleration via one or more wheels rolling at the rails and/or guide rails.
• the shaft copying system can consist of a contact-free working range finder which permanently or close meshedly measures the current distance to a reference fixed point which is preferably located in the shaft pit and/or the shaft head and gathers the necessary rout, speed and/or acceleration information in this way.
• the shaft copying device measures the absolute position via at least one reference point e.g. in the shaft pit .
• Fig. 1 shows the functional concept for an elevator of the type described above which can be used for the realization of a first embodiment of the invention.
• the elevator in accordance with the invention is equipped with a safety brake ESB which preferably consists of at least two electrically operated elevator car brake units 7a, 7b, which are attached to the elevator car at different positions and affect the guide rails.
• a safety brake ESB which preferably consists of at least two electrically operated elevator car brake units 7a, 7b, which are attached to the elevator car at different positions and affect the guide rails.
• each of the elevator car brake units forming the safety brake is designed in such a way and controllable by the control 10 of the elevator car that the speed or force can be influenced with which its brake linings apply.
• the said control 10 of the elevator car can be a control exclusively assigned to the brakes that does not steer other functions like opening or closing of the car doors, for example.
• the elevator car may be equipped with another control, embodied as a separate part and not depicted by Figs. 1 or 2.
• the said control exclusively
• assigned to the brakes may be physically integrated into the brake units.
• the safety brake ESB preferably elevator car brake units are used which will be described in detail later on within the framework of this application.
• the elevator in accordance with the invention is equipped with an electrically operated additional brake ESG which itself preferably consists of at least two electrically operated additional brake units 8a, 8b which are attached to the elevator car at different positions and affect the guide rails.
• the additional brake ESG is also controlled by the control 10 of the elevator car.
• this control 10 of the elevator car may optionally be a control that is exclusively assigned to, and possibly integrated into the car brakes. Then it can be called control 10 Of the elevator car brake. It may be advantageous to design the additional brake in such a way that its response time is always minimal and its response intensity is always maximal - both compared to the safety brake and its preferably variable response times and response intensities.
• brake units in the style of conventional brake mechanisms, safety catches and progressive safety gears can be used.
• control of the safety brake ESB and the control of the additional brake ESG is preferably accomplished by the above-mentioned control of the elevator car, alternatively at least one of these brakes can also be controlled and/or triggered from a central elevator control.
• brake units which can be operated cascadedly and which combine the brake units necessary for the realization of the safety brake and the additional brake to a single elevator car brake unit.
• a power distribution is made between the safety brake ESB and the additional brake ESG, to the effect that one of the two brakes can apply at least 40 %, even better at least 45 % of the brake force which is necessary for the safe control of the free fall with full elevator car load, while the part of the brake force missing for 100 % is applied by the other brake.
• the additional brake ESG is preferably the one which can apply a higher portion of the brake force.
• the brake units 8a, 8b of the stronger responding additional brake ESG are preferably attached in the lower half and ideally in the lower quarter of the elevator car.
• the elevator car brake units 7a, 7b of the softer responding safety brake ESB are preferably attached in the upper half and ideally in the upper quarter of the
• a control 10 of the elevator car can be provided which travels with the elevator car 4.
• This control 10 is of the above-mentioned type.
• the control 10 of the elevator car preferably communicates with the elevator control 9 which carries out the total management of the elevator unit.
• the control 10 of the elevator car is designed in such a way that it can act autonomically, i.e. perform autonomically an open or close loop control.
• the control 10 of the elevator car or the elevator car brake itself (the brake unit itself) is equipped with an emergency power supply so that even in the case of power failure it can at least keep the additional brake ESG open and control it.
• the already mentioned control 10 of the elevator car is directly linked to the shaft copying system, thus constantly receives without detour via or processing by the central elevator control 9 current route, speed and/or
• acceleration information by means of which it can determine the current position and the current movement state of the elevator car.
• control 10 of the elevator car can additionally comprise at least one, better at least two acceleration sensors which independently generate an acceleration signal or use
• acceleration signals of sensors already included in the brake units It is an option to design the brakes that way that they can be directly actuated by the acceleration signal of the aforementioned acceleration sensors.
• control 10 of the elevator car is directly linked to the ESB safety brake 7a, 7b, and the ESG additional brake 8a, 8b, to the effect that the control 10 of the elevator car can activate the safety brake ESB (and, if necessary, the additional brake ESG) autonomously, without involvement of the central elevator control 9.
• control 10 of the elevator car includes two independently acting circuits, one of which controls the ESB safety brake 7a, 7b, taking into consideration the shaft copying system, and the other one controls the ESG additional brake 8a, 8b, taking into consideration the information received from the at least one additional acceleration sensor.
• the control 10 of the elevator car is in combination with the safety brake ESB and the additional brake ESG as well as
• the central elevator control designed in such a way that at least one, better several and preferably all following conditions can be realized:
• the safety brake ESB and the additional brake ESG are activated so that they brake
• the activation of the safety brake ESB is preferably carried out in such a way that it applies with maximum speed.
• the additional brake ESG insofar as the latter is not constructed in such a way that it always applies with maximum speed after its activation .
• the safety brake ESB and the additional brake ESG are designed in such a way that they in collaboration, altogether catch an elevator car allocated with nominal load with a deceleration of 0.2 g to 1 g, while the deceleration with an empty elevator car can rise above 1 g.
• the activation of the safety brake ESB will take place with the help of the signal delivered by the shaft copying system and with the help of at least one first circuit of the elevator car brake.
• the activation of the additional brake ESG can take place via the above-mentioned at least one additional acceleration sensor or with the help of at least one independent further circuit of the control for the
• the safety brake ESB responds due to the power failure unless it has been activated before due to over- acceleration on the basis of the signal delivered by the shaft copying system or the at least one acceleration sensor.
• an inevitable application (closing) of the safety brake ESB in the case of power failure takes place, because the forces keeping it in open position collapse as a result of the power failure.
• the additional brake ESG is different. It is connected to the emergency power supply which actually keeps it open so that the additional brake ESG is still not
• acceleration sensor delivers an acceleration signal which shows the free fall, or the control for the elevator car brake detects insufficient deceleration of the car by the ESB.
• both brakes are designed in such a way that they are in collaboration able to catch an elevator car allocated with nominal load with an deceleration of 0.2 g to 1 g, while the deceleration with an empty elevator car can rise above 1 g-
• the safety brake ESB is activated by the safety circuit, while the additional brake remains inactive.
• the safety brake preferably applies with maximum speed.
• the safety brake is preferably designed in such a way that it causes a deceleration ⁇ 1 g with this kind of
• the safety brake ESB will be activated, while the additional brake ESG is kept open.
• the safety brake preferably applies with maximum speed.
• the safety brake is designed in such a way that it applies a deceleration ⁇ 1 g.
• the activation of the safety brake will take place with the help of the signal delivered by the shaft copying system.
• the safety brake ESB is activated, the additional brake ESG is kept open. The activation of the safety brake ESB takes place
• the safety brake ESB closes completely due to the power failure (unless it has already done so) and remains closed for the time of the power failure. However, the additional brake ESG remains open.
• the safety brake ESB will always be closed in such a way that it keeps the elevator car in a certain position, if the elevator car has stopped in the correct position of the stop, independent from the current weight of the elevator car which changes due to loading and unloading at this stop.
• the hydraulic pump will not be started before the elevator car travels again with a speed that produces a driving noise sufficient for over-sounding the noise emission of the hydraulic pump.
• the additional brake ESG as a pressure accumulator, as already explained in greater detail above. It is an advantage if a speed control device for the hydraulic pump is provided that allows to increase the speed of the hydraulic pump in dependency from the increasing speed of the elevator car when a new ride begins. That way the hydraulic pump is preferably steered that way that its rotational speed, and therefore its noise emission, increases along with the actual speed of the elevator car departing from a landing.
• the safety brake ESB will remain closed, in order to reduce the energy consumption.
• the additional brake ESG is kept open and remains on
• the safety brake ESB and the control assigned to it are perferably designed that way that the safety brake will close as soon as it has been detected that the elevator car
• the safety brake ESB and the control assigned to it are perferably designed that way that an automatic emergency rescue will take place when pressing a button: Upon according activation, the safety brake ESB is partially opened so that the elevator car can move - even without motor power driven by the predominant weight force of the car or the counterweight - with a restricted speed into the adjacent landing. During this operation the motor carrying the traction sheave will be preferably short-circuited in order generate a braking torque.
• the safety brake ESB and the control assigned to it are perferably designed that way that they will automatically provide for a protected space in the pit or the shaft head as soon as it has been detected that a person has entered the pit or the shaft head.
• Fig. 2 shows the functional concept for an elevator of the type described above which can be used for the realization of a second embodiment of the invention.
• the elevator in accordance with the invention is equipped with a safety brake ISB which consists of at least one, preferably two electrically operated elevator car brake units 7 x a, 7 x b which are attached to the elevator car at different positions and affect the guide rails .
• a safety brake ISB which consists of at least one, preferably two electrically operated elevator car brake units 7 x a, 7 x b which are attached to the elevator car at different positions and affect the guide rails .
• the safety brake ISB is designed and controllable in such a way that the speed of its application can be influenced, and that its brake force is also influenceable, preferably by means of a close loop control.
• the safety brake ISB is designed in such a way that it is able to master all possible regular and irregular operating conditions alone.
• each of the elevator car brake units 7 x a, 7 x b is provided with at least one actuator - better several actuators - which preferably consists of several
• piston/cylinder units not least for the purpose of reaching partial redundancy.
• an emergency power supply is provided which feeds the safety brake ISB and mostly the shaft copying system as well.
• An own acceleration sensor 10a, 10b is preferably allocated to each elevator car brake unit 7 x a, 7 x b, the signal of which is the basis for the open or preferably close loop control of the brake force of the corresponding elevator car brake unit 7 x a, 7 x b.
• the corresponding acceleration sensor 10a, 10b is preferably integrated into and/or attached to the
• each elevator car brake unit 7 x a and/or 7 x b also take place directly in and/or at the corresponding elevator car brake unit.
• each elevator car brake unit is designed in such a way that it works hydraulically
• each elevator car brake unit has an own hydraulic pump 19, an own equalizing tank or pressure
• the several elevator car brake units are connected to each other - preferably directly, however, at least via the control of the elevator car brake. Hence their corresponding signals and/or activities can be compared to each other in order to detect possible faults at an early stage. Ideally there is even a double connection: Between the several elevator car brake units there is both a direct information exchange via the signal line 10c and an indirect information exchange via the control of the elevator car brake.
• the system is designed in such a way that at least one, better several and preferably all of the following conditions can be realized.
• the brake applies with maximum speed and is preferably close loop controlled in such a way that a deceleration ⁇ 1 g is set, ideally in the form of a medium deceleration between 0.5 g and 0.7 g.
• an acceleration sensor 10a, 10b is allocated to each elevator car brake unit, the signal of which is used for adjusting. Since there is a close loop control, it is not important with which load the elevator car is assigned, the deceleration as requested is adjusted in any case.
• the safety brake ISB is activated by the safety circuit.
• the safety brake preferably applies with maximum speed.
• the safety brake is then preferably close loop controlled in such a way that it causes a deceleration ⁇ 1 g, ideally in the form of a medium deceleration between 0.5 g and 0.7 g.
• the safety brake preferably applies with maximum speed and is then preferably controlled in such a way that a deceleration ⁇ 1 g is set, ideally in the form of a medium deceleration between 0.5 g and 0.7 g .
• the safety brake ISB is activated.
• the activation of the safety brake preferably takes place by means of a throttled valve or by open or close loop control, to the effect that the speed with which the safety brake applies is influenced and/or reduced by the throttle or the open or close loop control in order not to create disturbing noises. This can mean that the safety brake closes with full force, however, it takes some time until the full force is available .
• the safety brake ISB closes completely due to the power failure (unless it has already done so) and remains closed for the time of the power failure.
• the safety brake will always be closed in such a way that it keeps the elevator car in a certain position, if the elevator car has stopped in the correct position of the stop,
• the elevator car brake ISB and the control assigned to it are perferably designed that way that the safety brake will close as soon as it has been detected that the elevator car
• the elevator car brake ISB and the control assigned to it are perferably designed that way that an automatic emergency rescue will take place when pressing a button: Upon according activation, the elevator car brake ISB is partially opened so that the elevator car can move - even without motor power driven by the predominant weight force of the car or the counterweight - with a restricted speed into the adjacent landing. During this operation the motor carrying the traction sheave will be preferably short-circuited in order generate a braking torque.
• the elevator car brake ISB and the control assigned to it are perferably designed that way that they will automatically provide for a protected space in the pit or the shaft head as soon as it has been detected that a person has entered the pit or the shaft head.
• an elevator car is equipped with at least two of the inventive car brake units that interact with different rails.
• Valves hereinafter referenced as VI are the so called short- circuit valves that block or open a so called short-circuit line which directly interconnects a first working chamber 14 and a second working chamber 15 of a hydraulic actuator. This valve will be opened in case if an emergency braking is necessary for putting an end to irregular running conditions.
• This valve VI is for making the brake fail-safe, because it guarantees quick brake application, even if other valves do not work properly.
• valves hereinafter referenced as V2 are the so-called control valves that open or close loop control the instantaneous braking power during braking.
• valves of the type V2 are realized as so-called valves for exclusive on-off-service, as explained in greater detail before.
• Valves hereinafter referenced as V3 are so-called throttle control valves for opening or closing a throttling line for noise reduced application of the hydraulic brake during or after landing of the elevator car.
• the throttle control valves may themselves produce a throttling effect, and/or the
• throttling line may itself produce the required throttling effect, as explained in greater detail before.
• Valves hereinafter referenced as V23 are combined valves that realize both, the function of the aforementioned valve V2 and the function of the aforementioned valve V3.
• Valves hereinafter referenced as V4 are brake release valves opening or closing a brake release line for releasing the brake without activation of an hydraulic pump at least
• Valves hereinafter referenced as V34 are combined valves that realize both, the function of the aforementioned valve V3 and the function of the aforementioned valve V4.
• a valve is a proportional valve and no switching valve in the sense of the invention .
• valves are valves that are opened, i.e. that allow passage of hydraulic fluid when being de-energized.
• FIG. 3a shows a hydraulic piping diagram of an inventive car brake unit to be used in the claimed elevator.
• the car brake unit comprises a first group of hydraulic actuators 11.1.1 up to 11.1.x and a second group of hydraulic actuators 11.2.1 up to 11.2.x. Each of these actuators
• each of these actuators comprises a piston rod 31 acting onto a brake lining 16 and a spring element 17 that is part of the main spring unit responsible for producing the required brake force even in case of breakdown of hydraulic pressure .
• Each of the two or several actuators can affect (press upon) one single brake lining or a common brake lining.
• all first working chambers 14 of the actuators 11.1.1 to 11.1.x are in direct hydraulic interconnection, they are connected in series along one hydraulic loop 114.
• all second working chambers 15 of the actuators 11.1.1 to 11.1.x are in direct hydraulic interconnection, in series along a hydraulic loop 115 that forms a "common rail". If the valve V4 is open, the first working chambers 14 of all existing hydraulic actuators are connected in series as all the second working chambers 15 are.
• the hydraulic pump and the control valve V23 are positioned upstream in front of the working chambers 14.
• the expression "upstream” is used here and everywhere in this application related to the pumping direction of the hydraulic pump 19 under single-quadrant operation. That means that the pressure side D of the pump 19 is upstream of the first working
• the short-circuit valve VI is positioned downstream behind the working chambers 14. Only the valve V4 is positioned between two functionally identical working chambers, in this
• the hydraulic pump runs during braking down the elevator car to standstill continuously without speed-, power-, torque- or frequency-control under single-quadrant operation.
• the pressure side D of the hydraulic pump runs during braking down the elevator car to standstill continuously without speed-, power-, torque- or frequency-control under single-quadrant operation.
• hydraulic pump 19 feeds the first working chambers 14, while the suction side S of the hydraulic pump 19 is connected to the second working chambers 15 so that it can draw-off
• a check-valve CV is provided in order to make sure that there is no backflow of hydraulic fluid via the pump 19 when the pump is shut off and when the valve V23 is closed.
• a control line 39 is provided that directly interconnects the hydraulic loop 115 of the second working chambers 15 with the hydraulic loop 114 of the first working chambers 14.
• the control line 39 is operated by the control valve V23.
• controller assigned to the valve V23 for example by tuning the frequency with which the valve body moves back and forth.
• valve V23 is able to realize a throttling effect, that way providing for a slow brake
• a short-circuit line 40 is provided that directly interconnects the hydraulic loop 114 of the first working chambers 14 with the hydraulic loop 115 of the second working chambers 15.
• the short-circuit line 40 is operated by the short-circuit valve VI .
• the valve VI In case of emergency braking, the valve VI is opened as well as the valve V23 in order to produce quickest possible braking action of the hydraulic actuators 11.2.1 to 11.2.x. Even if all other valves should jam, the valve VI makes the actuators 11.2.1 to 11.2.x braking. Normally all valves are opened for emergency braking so that the hydraulic fluid can be displaced as fast as possible from the first working chambers 14 into the second working chambers 15.
• the valve V4 has several functions.
• valve V4 makes it possible to actuate actuators 11.1.1 to 11.1.x and 11.2.1 to 11.2.x separately from each other. That way it is possible to realize the above mentioned concept "ESB and separated ESG" with one of these brake units. As long as the valve V4 is kept closed, only the ESB-function is realized by means of the actuators 11.1.1 to 11.1.x. Upon additional opening of the valve V4 and/or the valve VI, the actuators 11.2.1 to 11.2.x perform the ESG-function .
• valve V4 makes it possible to release the actuators 11.1.1 to 11.1.x when the car is on train to start a new ride, while the hydraulic pump 19 is still shut down in order to avoid audible noise emission, while the elevator car stands still at a landing.
• valve V4 is opened so that via the loops 114 and 115 a pressure compensation between the first working chambers and the second working chambers of the actuators 11.1.1 to 11.1.x and 11.2.1 to 11.2.x will take place.
• the actuators 11.2.1 to 11.2.x close partially, releasing the actuators 11.1.1 to 11.1.x that way partially.
• the braking forces are now at least to such an extent lowered that the elevator car can start a new ride - without starting the hydraulic pump 19 during standstill of the elevator car in the landing.
• the hydraulic pump 19 will be started after the new ride has begun, preferably not before the riding-noise of the elevator car is at least as loud as the noise emitted by the hydraulic pump so that the noise of the hydraulic pump does not impart the comfort of the ride.
• the valve V4 provides for a throttled hydraulic interconnection of the actuators 11.1.1 to 11.1.x with the actuators 11.2.1 to 11.2.x. That way the pressure compensation between said groups of actuators will not take place suddenly and therefore audibly upon opening of the valve V4, but retarded without emitting an acoustic pulse.
• Fig. 3b shows a hydraulic piping diagram of an inventive car brake unit to be used in the claimed elevator that is closely related to the car brake unit shown by Fig. 3a and explained before .
• valve V2 is preferably no valve for exclusive on-off-service . Its only function is to prevent a small leakage through the hydraulic pump that causes an unwanted pressure equalization between the first and second working chambers, for example upon longer standby of the elevator car during nighttime.
• the valve V3 serves for slow application of the brake at landing without noise emission, as explained above.
• Figure 3c shows a hydraulic piping diagram of an inventive car brake unit to be used in the claimed elevator that is modified compared to the embodiment according to Fig. 3a.
• the pressure accumulator 111 is constructed identical to the actuators 11.1.1 et al . , except for the fact that the piston rod 31 of the pressure accumulator is not assigned to a brake pad. It has the advantage that even if the piston rod 31 of the pressure accumulator moves when the first working chamber is emptied in order to release the actuators 11.1.1 up to 11.1.x, this does not lead to a dragging contact between a brake pad assigned to its piston rod and the braking rail .
• the second working chamber 15 - all the actuators 11.1.1 to 11.1.x and the pressure accumulator are permanently in direct hydraulic interconnection. That means that their second working
• actuator are connected in series along one hydraulic loop 115 that forms a permanent "common rail" for these hydraulic working chambers .
• the first working chamber 14 - all the actuators 11.1.1 to 11.1.x are in direct hydraulic interconnection. That means that the first working chambers 14 are connected in series along one
• a hydraulic pump 19 is provided that directly connects the upstream end of the hydraulic loop 114 (pressure side of the pump) with the downstream end of the hydraulic loop 115
• the pump is subject of single- quadrant operation, as explained above. Moreover, a pressure equalizing vessel 20 can be provided.
• valves VI and V3 are here not provided at the ends of the hydraulic loops 114 and 115. Instead, the hydraulic loops or lines connecting the valves VI to V3 with the hydraulic loops 114 and 115 branch off in the middle of the hydraulic loops 114 and 115 between two neighbouring hydraulic actuators. That means that this embodiment possesses more than one valve that controls a hydraulic line or loop which is branching off between two adjacent, functionally identical working chambers. In this embodiment, such valves are at least the valves V2 and V3.
• the control line 39 of the valve V2 branches off from the
• the throttled line 41 that is controlled by the valve V3 is arranged according to the same principle as the control line 39.
• Another advantage of this hydraulic design is the fact that it is not necessary to energize any valve during stay of the elevator car in front of a floor. Nevertheless, the full braking power is available.
• valve V4 will be opened. That way a part of the hydraulic fluid accumulated in the first working chamber 14 of the pressure accumulator 111 will be pressed into the first working chambers of the actuators 11.1.1 to 11.1.x so that these actuators are released at least to such an extent that the new ride can begin.
• Fig. 3d shows the hydraulic piping diagram of another type of the inventive car brake unit to be used in the claimed
• the hydraulic car brake unit comprises, as explained before in regard to Fig. 3c, one group of hydraulic actuators 11.1.1 up to 11.1.x and another group of hydraulic actuators 11.2.1 to 11.2.x.
• the actuators 11.1.1 to 11.2.x are in direct hydraulic
• the actuators are divided into two groups by means of the valve V4 : As long as this valve V4 is closed, there is one group of actuators 11.1.1 to 11.1.x having such working chambers (chambers 14, for example) that are
• chambers are permanently in direct hydraulic interconnection, too .
• a hydraulic pump 19 is provided that directly connects the upstream end of the hydraulic loop 114 (pressure side of the pump) with the downstream end of the hydraulic loop 115
• the pump is subject of single- quadrant operation, as explained above. Moreover, a pressure equalizing vessel 20 can be provided.
• valves V2 and VI that are themselves arranged in
• valve V4 In order to release the brake without operating the hydraulic pump when the elevator car is going to start another ride, the valve V4 will be opened. That way a part of the hydraulic fluid accumulated in the first working chambers 14 of the second group of actuators 11.2.1 to 11.2.x will be pressed into the first working chambers 14 of the first group of actuators 11.1.1 to 11.1.x so that these actuators are
• the valve V2 open or close loop controls the braking power generated by the actuators 11.1.1 to 11.2.x.
• the hydraulic pump conveys hydraulic fluid into the first working chambers 14 of the actuators 11.1.1 to 11.1.x, and via the loops 118, 119, and the check valve CV2 in
• the check valve CV2 allows charging of the group of actuators 11.2.1 to 11.2.x, which served before for opening the brake without operating the hydraulic pump 19: If the pump feeds pressurized hydraulic fluid into the upstream end of the hydraulic loop 114, this fluid can reach the working chambers 14 of the actuators 11.2.1 to 11.2.x via the check valve CV2.
• the check valve CV1 prevents that during standstill of the hydraulic pump a detrimental leakage can flow via the
• Fig. 3e does not show an independent embodiment. Instead, the embodiment shown by Fig. 3e is the same as shown by Fig. 3d. Fig. 3e serves only to make the direction of the hydraulic flow through the valves visible by means of an according arrow within the picture of the valve body. That way it becomes visible that the valves VI and V2 use a common hydraulic loop in order to conduct the hydraulic fluid leaving said valves into the hydraulic loop 115 connecting all second working chambers 15 in line.
• Fig. 3f shows a slightly different embodiment compared to Fig. 3e, these both embodiments are closely related. For that reason, all the things explained for the embodiments 3d and 3e apply to the embodiment according to Fig. 3f accordingly.
• valve V4 is designed that way that it is closed when not energized, while in the other, aforementioned embodiments the valve V4 is opened when not energized. This modification of design serves to save energy, if the elevator car is waiting in front of a landing.
• Fig. 3g shows a hydraulic piping diagram of an inventive brake unit to be used in the claimed elevator that is closely related to the brake units as shown before by Figs. 3d and 3e as well as 3f. For that reason, the things explained above for these Figures apply here accordingly.
• valves V3 and V4 have been merged now. These two valves are replaced by a combination valve V34. This replacement is possible without problems, because the valves V4 and V3 used before must always be operated in adverse direction that means if the valve V3 has been closed, the valve V4 has been opened and vice versa.
• valve V34 is switched that way that it performs the hydraulic function that was performed before by valve V3.
• valve V34 In order to perform the function of the previous valve V3, the valve V34 is switched that way that it directly interconnects, via a throttled passage, the hydraulic loop 114 downstream behind the actuator 11.1.x with the hydraulic loop 115 that forms the aforementioned "common rail" for the second working chambers 15, as directly shown by Fig. 3g. That way the hydraulic fluid can be displaced from the first working chambers 14 of the hydraulic actuators 11.1.1 to 11.1.x into the second working chambers 15 of these hydraulic actuators 11.1.1 to 11.1.x. Consequently, these hydraulic actuators close (due to throttling) without noise emission and generate braking action which hinders unintended car movement.
• valve V34 switches over into its other working position. In this position (shown as active or ernergized position by Fig. 3g) the valve V34 interconnects the working chambers 14 of the actuators 11.2.1 to 11.2.x with the working chambers 14 of the hydraulic actuators 11.1.x to 11.1.x so that all working chambers 14 of all actuators are now interconnected by a
• combination valve V34 is that one separate valve can be emitted, that reduces the costs.
• a disadvantage is that to some extent "a pressure loss” will take place for a little moment when the valve V34 is switching over between its both positions, because during the switching over a hydraulic short-circuit occurs for a very short moment.
• This disadvantage could be compensated by designing the valve V34 as a slider valve.
• slider valves are sensitive in regard to dirt, and show normally a certain internal leakage that is disturbing here, too.
• Figure 3h shows a hydraulic piping diagram of another
• actuator 11.1.1 In this Figure only one actuator 11.1.1 is shown. However, this embodiment is not restricted to the use of one actuator. Instead, a set of actuators 11.1.1 up to 11.1.x can be used. The only thing that has to be done is to interconnect all working chambers 14 and all working chambers 15 of these actuators by means of loops 114 and 115 that are embodied as common rails. In this embodiment downstream below the working chamber 14 the valves VI, V2 and V3 are provided. These valves are arranged in a hydraulic parallel manner. Parallel loops comprising these valves lead into a common loop 116 that goes directly to the suction side of the hydraulic pump 19.
• valve V4 Upstream in the hydraulic loop 114 going to the first working chamber 14 of the actuator, the valve V4 is provided.
• the input side of the valve V4 is interconnected with the pressure side of the hydraulic pump 19.
• the special thing here is the pressure accumulator 111 that is directly interconnected with the suction side of the hydraulic pump 19 as well as with the pressure side of the hydraulic pump 19.
• interconnection loop 117 that provides for a direct passage from the loop 116 to the second working chamber 15 of the hydraulic actuator.
• the valve V2 is used for open or close loop control of the braking force in case of an emergency braking.
• the valve V4 is energized that way that it fully opens the hydraulic loop comprising this valve V4.
• the hydraulic pump is constantly operated as described in greater detail above. Having that in mind, it is clear that the actual hydraulic resistance of the control valve V2 (depending on the switching operation
• a fully opened valve V2 produces via the first working chamber 14 a direct short- circuiting between the pressure side of the hydraulic pump 19 and its suctions side. It allows a displacement of hydraulic fluid out of the first working chamber 14 via the hydraulic loops 116 and 117 into the second working chamber 15, that way making the brake applying.
• the valve V3 commands a throttle passage or is throttled itself. As explained above, the valve V3 serves for silent application of the brake during landing in order to avoid unintended car movement.
• valve V4 An interesting point here is the valve V4. If, during landing, the hydraulic pump is shut down, the release of the brake for starting a new ride again is accomplished by means of the pressure accumulator 111 and the valve V4. The valve V4 opens. That way the pressure accumulator displaces via the throttle 21 hydraulic fluid out of its first working chamber 14 through the valve V4 into the first working chamber 14 of the
• this hydraulic pump 19 is energized again. It may provide at first for full release of the brake.
• the valve V4 may be closed.
• Figure 3i shows a slightly different embodiment compared to Figure 3h. Nevertheless, these both embodiments are closely related. For that reason, all the things explained for the embodiment 3h apply to the embodiment according to Figure 3i accordingly .
• FIG. 3i and the embodiment according to Figure 3h is that the throttle 21 has been omitted. This omission is possible, because also the valve V4 has been exchanged against the valve V5.
• the valve V5 is a controllable valve like the valve V2 is. That means that the valve V5 is identical to the valve V2, or it works at least according to the same basic principle as the valve V2.
• valve V5 is used together with the Valve V2 for open or close loop control of the braking force in case of an
• valve V5 In case of an emergency braking, the valve V5 is energized that way that the actual hydraulic resistance of the control valve V5 determines how much of the hydraulic fluid pressed by the pressure side (first working chamber 14 of the pressure accumulator 111 and / or pressure side of the hydraulic pump 19) into the first working chamber 14 of the hydraulic actuator and thereby release the brake, because all the pressurized hydraulic fluid pressed by the hydraulic pressure side of the hydraulic accumulator 111 (resp. pump) into the first working chamber 14 moves the piston of the hydraulic actuator in direction to the second working chamber 15.
• An advantage of this embodiment is that it is not necessary to energize valves during standby of the elevator car in a landing .
• Another advantage is that the hydraulic pressure accumulator 111 can be charged completely independent from the working of the actuators being responsible for braking.
• FIG. 3h shows the hydraulic piping diagram of another embodiment of the inventive car brake unit to be used in the claimed elevator.
• the hydraulic car brake unit comprises a first group of hydraulic actuators 11.1.1 up to 11.1.x. and a second group of hydraulic actuators 11.2.x while x can be “1" or a value between "1" and "n".
• one chamber of these hydraulic actuators preferably the second working chamber 15, is in direct
• the first working chamber 14 - only a first group of the hydraulic actuators 11.1.1 to 11.1.x is in direct hydraulic
• This embodiment is characterized by the fact that all its valves are arranged together with the hydraulic pump arranged upstream of the first working chambers.
• the pressure side D of the hydraulic pump 19 is connected to the loop 114 upstream in regard to the first working chamber of the first group actuators 11.1.1 to 11.1.x.
• the suction side of the hydraulic pump 19 is directly interconnected to the hydraulic loop 115 forming the common rail for all actuators 11.1.1 to 11.1.x and 11.2.x. That way the valve V2 allows an open or close loop controlled application of brake force by the first group of actuators 11.1.1 to 11.1.x. If the valve V2 is completely closed, then the hydraulic pump 19 pressurizes with full power the first working chambers 14 of the said first group of hydraulic actuators. At the same time there is a maximum of suction by the hydraulic pump 19 via the loop 115 out of the second working chambers 15. That means that the hydraulic actuators are released with maximum speed.
• valve V2 If, on the other hand, the valve V2 is fully opened, then the hydraulic pump 19 is completely short-circuited so that it cannot influence the first group of hydraulic actuators 11.1.1 to 11.1.x. On the contrary, the first working chambers 14 of the said first group of hydraulic actuators, and the second working chambers 15 of the said first group of hydraulic actuators, and the first working chambers 14 of the second group of hydraulic actuators, and the second working chambers 15 of the said second group of hydraulic actuators (via the check valve) are short-circuited, too, via the fully opened valve V2. That means that maximum of braking force is applied. If the status of the valve V2 is somewhere between fully closed and fully opened, it is clear that an accordingly low or high braking force will be applied.
• valve V3 serves for silently closing the brake during landing in order to realize protection against
• valve V3 interconnects, as described already before, via a throttled path the first working
• valve V4 has the same function as already explained before.
• the valve V4 allows interconnecting the first working chambers 14 of the first group of actuators with the first working chambers 14 of the second group of actuators, making the actuators of the second group releasing that way.
• this embodiment cannot be used in order to realize the ESB/ESG function.
• the cascading application of different parts of the brake is not possible. In order to keep the elevator car in safe stand while in front of a landing, two valves have to be energized.
• Figure 3k shows an embodiment that is closely related to the embodiment according to Figure 3j .
• the only difference is that the brake has been simplified in Fig. 3k.
• the valves V3 and V4 have been omitted. The consequence is that neither a silent closing nor a silent releasing of the brake during landing end before departure from the landing is possible.
• This embodiment is reduced to an emergency brake being capable of performing a close or open loop controlled braking.
• Fig. 3L shows the principle of a hydraulic configuration that can be used if the pressure source for open or close loop controlling of one or more actuators 11 is not the hydraulic pump 19 itself, directly, without intermediate means.
• the pressure source is realized here in the shape of a
• the valve V2 open or close loop controls with its hydraulic resistance whether and how much hydraulic fluid will be pressed by the pressure
• accumulator is able to take up hydraulic fluid displaced out of the second working chamber 15 and / or hydraulic fluid short circuited by the control valve V2.
• the pressure accumulator is preferably a "double stroke", “double rod” cylinder with the piston therein forming a first accumulator chamber and a second accumulator chamber, whereas the cylinder is designed that way that the equal amount of hydraulic fluid displaced from the first accumulator chamber is taken up by the second accumulator chamber when the piston, preferably driven by a spring, moves.
• the hydraulic pump 19 is only operated when recharging of the pressure accumulator 111 is required.
• Fig. 4a shows the hydraulic piping diagram of one of the elevator car brake units which can be used for the realization of one of the two presented concepts. This embodiment comes close to the embodiment of Fig. 3b, because here, too, the control over the brake force applied is not exerted by means of a control valve V2, but by means of the hydraulic pump itself .
• the brake does not consist of a single, but of several hydraulic actuators which are again constructed similarly, preferably two or more pieces.
• Fig. 4a schematically shows three hydraulic actuators 11.1 to 11.3, each of which consists of a cylinder 12 with a piston 13, preferably separating the corresponding cylinder in a first working chamber 14 and a second working chamber 15 located opposite each other on both sides of the piston 13 - for reasons of a better overview the reference numbers 12, 13, 14 and 15 are only marked for the first actuator 11.1.
• Each hydraulic actuator interacts with two brake linings 16 which affect a rail and/or an elevator car guide rail 2.
• the hydraulic actuator keeps its piston and/or the connected piston rod against the tension of its corresponding spring element 17 in ventilated position, where no compressive force is applied to the
• the spring elements 17 commonly form the so-called main spring element.
• a hydraulic pump 19 is preferably driven by an electric motor 18 to ensure the supply with hydraulic pressure.
• a pressure equalizing vessel 20 is provided, which balances the bulk volume and the thermal expansion of the hydraulic fluid and possible micro-leakages.
• the hydraulic pump 19 With one side, which is the pressure side D during normal operation ("Opened brake/reduced brake action"), the hydraulic pump 19 is connected to the first working chambers 14 of the hydraulic actuators, and with the other side, which is the suction side S during normal operation, it is connected to the second working chambers 15 of the hydraulic actuators.
• hydraulic pump 19 preferably a pump/motor with a
• a dual-quadrant-operation is understood here as a mode, wherein the pump is one time operated as a pump that presses hydraulic fluid into the working chamber, and wherein the pump is another time operated as a hydraulic motor which is driven by the hydraulic fluid that leaves the aforementioned working chamber, whereas the hydraulic motor is charged by the electric motor with a braking torque determining the speed of the hydraulic fluid flowing out of the working chamber.
• this embodiment is preferably characterized by the fact that it is operated as a closed system. That means that the hydraulic pump does not pump hydraulic fluid from a storage tank into the working chamber of a hydraulic cylinder, which will be discharged, when the time has come, back into the storage tank. Instead, the hydraulic pump circulates the hydraulic fluid from a working chamber 14 located at a first side of the respective hydraulic piston to a working chamber 15 that is located on the opposite side of the hydraulic piston. That enables a particularly quick and sensitively responding open or close loop control of the speed inherent to the hydraulic fluid that leaves the working chamber that is provided for holding open the brake, or that flows into aforementioned working chamber. This is because the closed system allows the two-quadrant-operation without time lag (that may otherwise be caused by the
• An externally controllable valve V2 (can be an ordinary slider valve here) is provided. If the latter is closed, it separates the working chambers 14 from the branch of the hydraulic system where the hydraulic pump 19 and the second work
• This valve facilitates to keep the brake open almost without energy expenditure - if the valve V2 is closed, the first working chambers which are under pressure and ensure the overcoming of the force acting from the springs 17 in the direction of closing the brake will be separated from the remaining hydraulic circuit, and the pressure inside will be "locked” so that only the little power for keeping the valve closed has to be applied.
• a second externally controllable hydraulic valve VI which hydraulically short-circuits the first work chambers 14 and the second work chambers 15 of the hydraulic actuators in its opened condition, i.e. which ensures a hydraulic interconnection that presents no essential obstruction for the pressure equalization between the first and the second working chambers, and where especially no throttle element is arranged, i.e. no element which
• a third externally controllable hydraulic valve V3 is provided, which ensures a throttled fluid passage between the first working chambers 14 and the second working chambers 15.
• the throttle effect can be based on the valve V3 itself, or a narrower piping and/or from regular piping with a built-in throttle 21 connected in series with the valve.
• the first working chambers 14 are filled with hydraulic fluid under pressure, all valves are closed, and the hydraulic pump stands preferably still.
• the brake linings 16 are thus kept in their opened position, without special energy expenditure being necessary, for there is no need for more than an energization of the valves keeping the valves in their closed position.
• the control 10 of the elevator car opens the valve VI and V4 so that the hydraulic pressure collapses in the working chambers 14 by means of a pressure equalization between the working chambers 14 and 15, taking place via the valve VI and V4 (hydraulic actuators 11.1) .
• the brake lining or linings 16 are pressed against the rail and/or an elevator car guide rail 2 with maximum force given by the spring element or elements 17, thus the brake responds in a very short period of time with its nominal brake force, i.e. with its maximum brake force .
• the control 10 of the elevator car In order to cause a delayed application of the brake (for example to arrest the car when being landed without generating audible noise) , the control 10 of the elevator car only opens the valve V3. Therefore the pressure between the first and the second working chambers 14, 15 is released only in a delayed manner, the time course of the pressure reduction is specified here by throttle 21. This results in the fact that the brake applies in a delayed manner without producing audible noise.
• valve V2 can be used to further influence the speed with which the brake applies, if necessary:
• valves VI and V3 (if available) remain closed.
• the valve V2 is opened, the hydraulic pump 19 is activated
• the hydraulic pump 19 can, among other things, also be used in such a way that it develops a certain pumping effect in the direction of the working chambers 14 which, however, is only so big that the leakage flow of the hydraulic fluid which has been displaced by the effect of a spring element 17 from the corresponding working chamber 14 is bigger than the pumping effect so that the speed with which the hydraulic fluid is displaced from the corresponding working chamber 14 can be controlled or regulated via the current delivery rate of the hydraulic pump in order to influence the speed or force which the brake applies.
• the hydraulic pump is then preferably operated oscillatingly around the area where the leakage flow of the hydraulic fluid, which the
• Precondition for such an operation mode is the use of a pump that shows a non-neglectable leakage when being not driven or when being driven with reduced power.
• the leakage flow will be too little in order to be able to let the hydraulic pump influence the speed with which the hydraulic fluid is displaced from the corresponding working chamber 14 in the described manner.
• the hydraulic pump is then alternately used as a pump driven by the electric motor in conveying direction, or as a
• hydraulics motor which drives the electric motor - maybe in generator mode - that means in the opposite direction of the conveying direction during pump operation.
• the torque can be set against which the "hydraulic motor” has to work and/or the revolutions per minute of the "hydraulic motor” can be set. All this influences the speed with which the brake applies.
• a speed-controlled, or better speed- regulated motor is used for driving the hydraulic pump.
• the hydraulic pump is preferably operated oscillatingly around the area where the leakage flow of the hydraulic fluid which the corresponding spring element tries to push back via the pump is in balance with the flow of the hydraulic fluid so that the pump speed only has to be reduced a little bit for the current reduction of the brake force, and has to be increased a little bit for the current increase of the brake force.
• the force with which the spring element or elements 17 press the brake lining or linings 16 against the rail can be
• valve V2 can furthermore dispense with the valve V3. This can take place either actively by means of the hydraulic pump being specifically controlled in the described manner in such a way that the pressure balance between the chambers is slower. Where appropriate, in the case of corresponding design of the hydraulic pump, this can also take place passively, by means of the leakage flowing via the pump .
• Fig. 4a is especially suited to realize the first concept presented above by means of Fig. 1. This is the fact, because another valve V4 can be provided with the help of which one or several actuators (in the case shown in Fig. 4a actuator 11.1) can be optionally switched on or off.
• Two of the elevator car brake units shown in Fig. 4a are sufficient in order to realize the above mentioned concept made of two safety brakes ESB and two additional brakes ESG, because a first part of the actuators (in the case of the embodiment shown in Fig. 4a the actuators 11.2 and 11.3) realizes all functions allocated to the safety brake, while one or several actuators (in the case of the example shown in Fig. 4a the actuator 11.1) is or are switched on with the help of the valve V4.
• the valve V4 is activated, if it is necessary to realize the function allocated to the additional brake and to apply the maximum brake force in order to control e.g. the free fall.
• Fig. 4b shows the hydraulics' wiring diagram of another, simplified version of the brake units which can especially be used for the realization of the above mentioned second basic concept by using the motor and the hydraulic pump in order to open or close loop control the brake force.
• synchronously operated actuators 11.1 and 11.2 are used here.
• the possibility of a cascaded operation of the actuators 11.1 and 11.2 is not provided here, where it is especially about an efficient manufacturing for large series, but can be useful, if necessary.
• valve VI which hydraulically short-circuits the first working chambers 14 and the second working chambers 15 of the hydraulic actuators in its open condition, i.e. ensures a hydraulic connection which does not considerably impedes the pressure between the first and the second working chambers.
• the valve VI will always be operated, if the brake is to apply more quickly.
• the valve V2 is responsible for the slower application of the brake.
• the forces of the spring element or elements 17 press hydraulic fluid as leakage flow along the pump organ of the hydraulic pump 19, or via the pump which is alternatively currently operated as "hydraulic motor” in the direction of the chamber 15.
• hydraulic motor which is alternatively currently operated as "hydraulic motor” in the direction of the chamber 15.
• the speed of brake application and, where applicable, the current brake force can be regulated or controlled in the same way as described above.
• Figs. 5 and 6 show a practical embodiment of one of the brake units which are preferably used within the framework of the invention .
• the elevator car brake unit comprises a hydraulic control block 22.
• control block 22 all hydraulic components are located in control block 22 and/or are directly flanged to it without using a hose. It is best, if also the brake calliper is an integral part of the control block at least essentially or completely (not
• the hydraulic actuators 11.1 to 11.3 are flanged to one side of the control block 22, in the present case three actuators. They are hydraulically connected directly to the corresponding borings in the complementary contact surfaces of the hydraulic control block 22, preferably via borings in their contact surfaces.
• the pressure springs 33 which are reached through by the piston rods 31 of the actuators (which cannot be recognized as such in Fig. 5), can also be clearly seen.
• the pressure springs 33 commonly form the main spring unit, from a functional point of view they correspond to the springs 17, which are shown in the Figs. 3a to 4b.
• a fixing bracket 23 is preferably flanged to the adjacent side at an angle of the control block, which carries the actual brake calliper 24 in which the brake linings 16 attached to the brake lining carriers 25 are kept in such a moveable way that they can be placed or pressed against the surface of a rail from two sides.
• control block 22 forms a self-contained hydraulic system, i.e. it carries the hydraulic pump 19 and its drive, and/or motor 18, the valves VI, V2 and, if available, also V3 and V4 (or V23/V34) as well as the pressure equalizing vessel 20.
• a separate piping is superfluous insofar as all lines necessary for the connection of the individual hydraulic components are shown in the control block by means of suitable borings with the exception of the lines directly leading to the hydraulic pump 19, or directly exiting from it by means of suitable borings.
• This kind of execution has the advantage that the hydraulic line system is very rigid, unnecessary elasticities, as normally almost inevitably play a role, are mainly avoided.
• an own electronic control and at least one
• acceleration sensor are allocated to the control block 22 which, however, is not represented figuratively here.
• the current brake force of the elevator car brake unit can be determined and open loop or preferably close loop controlled with the help of the acceleration sensor.
• the elevator car brake unit comprising the mentioned
• components is preferably designed in such a way that it is capable of plug&play at least on the hydraulic side, i.e. only needs a connection to the power supply and to the signaling network, but no installation works on the hydraulic side anymore .
• the brake calliper 24 is preferably designed as a box with a baseplate all around the main side of which preferably
• boundary elements R protrude, cf. Fig. 5.
• the brake unit is not least characterized in that the brake linings 16 are not mounted slidingly in the brake calliper 24, but are kept flexibly with play to the brake calliper 24.
• a brake lining carrier 25 preferably screwed.
• each of the brake lining carriers 25 is reached through by a leaf spring package 27 for this purpose, which protrudes on both sides from the
• the leaf spring package 27 of the one brake lining carrier 25 is screwed to a leg of the u- shaped passages 26, while the leaf spring package 27 of the other brake lining carrier 25 is screwed to the other, opposite leg of the u-shaped passages 26. It should be
• leaf spring packages 27 only have a guiding function and are thus functionally not related to the main spring unit or the auxiliary spring unit, and especially cannot be regarded as a part of the same. They especially do not provide any noticeable resistance to the engaging of the brake .
• each leaf spring package 27 is designed differently.
• the eye leading in the direction of the downwards movement is designed in such a way that it picks up the retaining screw 29 allocated to it virtually free of play. Therefore big tensile forces can be transferred via this eye, which occur when catching the elevator car.
• the lagging eye in the direction of the downwards movement is designed in such a way that it creates a floating bearing together with the allocated retaining screw 29 in such a way that the leaf spring package 27 can basically deform unhinderedly, while being pressed to the rail without hindering tensile stresses in the direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the individual leaf springs preventing this, as would be the case with leaf springs which are firmly clamped on both sides by means of retaining screws 29 positioned in the eyes without play .
• each of the two brake lining carriers 25 is pinned or - as is the case here - screwed with the help of spring anchoring screws 30 to the leaf spring package
• this screwing also absorbs the transverse brake forces, i.e. the forces which occur as a reaction to the braking friction acting between the rail surface and the brake linings .
• each of the brake lining carriers is partly overlapped at its upper and lower front-end margin in the overlap area marked with "0" from the brake calliper 24 and/or the boundary element R of the brake calliper 24, cf. Fig. 5.
• This increases the safety, since even in the case of failure of the supporting effect of a leaf spring package, the corresponding brake lining carrier 25 cannot be pushed out of the brake calliper 24, but instead still transfers brake forces, now, however, in direct contact between the brake calliper 24 and the brake lining carrier 25, which is not present in the case of proper function.
• a fundamental difference is the fact that only one of the opposite brake lining carriers 25 is directly impinged with force from the hydraulic actuators 11.1 to 11.3. This brake lining carrier holds the so-called active brake linings.
• the three actuators 11.1 to 11.3 can be easily recognized in Fig. 6, which show a cylinder 12 and a piston 13 connected to the piston rod 31, whereas the piston 13 divides the cylinder 12 in a first working chamber 14 and a second working chamber 15, as shown in Figs. 3a, b and 4a, b - whereby, for reasons of a better overview, the reference numbers 12, 13, 14, 15 are only marked in the first actuator in Fig. 6, but also
• the brake lining carrier 25 which is to be impinged directly with the force of the actuators 11 is preferably not connected to the piston rods 31 of the actuators 11.
• the piston rods 31 can preferably transfer exclusively compressive forces to the rear side of the brake lining carrier 25 not facing the brake linings 16, and the brake lining carrier basically does not transfer any shear forces to the piston rods 31 due to its special position at the leaf spring package 27.
• actuators commonly affect one single brake lining carrier 25, this allows for operating the brake lining carrier depending on the size of the currently necessary brake force with the aid of all actuators 11.1 to 11.3 together, or only with the aid of one or a reduced number of actuators. Furthermore, such a design helps to protect the piston rod sealings and the piston rod guidances .
• each of the piston rods 31 bears a pressure spring 33 which is preferably designed as a coil spring. It is positioned between the piston rod 31 and the brake calliper 24 in such a way that it forces the piston rod 31 in closing direction as long as there is no hydraulic pressure at the piston 13 connected to it.
• These pressure springs 33 define the nominal force with which the brake lining carrier 25 is pressed against the rail e.g. in the case of power failure and thus the nominal brake force.
• the whole of the pressure springs is also called main spring unit here.
• the piston rods 31 will be forced in open position against the action of force of the pressure springs 33, if there is corresponding hydraulic pressure in the first working chambers 14.
• the brake lining carrier 25 can be brought from the applied position to the ventilation position together with the brake linings 16 held by it by means of the leaf spring package allocated to it.
• each piston rod 31 reaches through the pressure spring 33 allocated to it which leans against the brake calliper 24 and/or its boundary element which has been
• the opposite brake lining carrier 25 which is not to be impinged directly with the force of the actuators holds the so-called passive brake linings here. It is preferably not rigid, but mounted in the brake calliper 24 (more than just irrelevantly) flexibly with the help of another spring element which has the form of plate spring packages 36.
• the auxiliary spring unit is dimensioned in such a way that the spring force developed by it keeps the balance with the spring force applied by the main spring unit in a certain position.
• auxiliary spring unit The reason for the installation of the auxiliary spring unit is that a rigid mounting of this brake lining carrier would cause the brake to response in such a strong manner that no delayed application ("brake force increasing over a certain, elongated period until reaching the maximum brake force") of the brake force, and certainly no close loop control of the brake force would be possible.
• a rigid mounting of the opposite brake lining carrier to the calliper it would be the case that the volume of the working chamber 14 would practically no longer change from the moment when the brake linings start to touch the rail so that each further increase or reduction of pressure in the working chamber 14 would immediately lead to an external change of the brake force which is not sensibly controllable.
• the second brake lining carrier 25 In order to ensure the flexibility of the second brake lining carrier 25, several guide pins are anchored and/or adjustment screws 35 are screwed in its rear side, which reach through the brake calliper 24 and/or its above mentioned boundary element with the side not facing the brake lining carrier. In between there are further pressure spring elements, here in the form of a plate spring package 36 which is slipped onto the adjustment screw 35 allocated to it. Like this the second brake lining carrier can evade against (by overcoming) the increasing tension of the auxiliary spring unit which is preferably created by plate spring packages here. That makes the characteristic line much softer, since little changes in pressure do not longer result in extremely big changes of the brake force.
• the second brake lining carrier 25 is basically attached to a leaf spring package 27, and the forces occurring while braking are transferred
• the function of the adjustment screws 35 is basically limited to the fact of keeping the plate spring packages 36 in place and of avoiding with its heads protruding from the brake calliper on the side not facing the brake lining carrier and/or the underlying lock nuts 37 that the brake lining carrier shifts too far with regard to the brake calliper in the direction of the rail and/or guide rail 2 under the influence of the plate spring packages and possibly lugs.
• adjustable stops 38 which are designed here as stop screws which are preferably to be tightened by means of locking.
• the distance can be limited by which the second brake lining carrier can evade.
• the brake unit shows a sharply rising characteristic line from a certain point on, thus creates a sharply rising brake force with each further
• the brake which has just been described by means of the figures can also be used as service brake.
• the motor brake which has been necessary so far mostly in the form of a disc or drum brake which brakes the motor or the drive sheave shaft, is no longer necessary - which at least compensates for a good part of the costs due for the brake provided according to the invention.
• Protection is sought for a method for open or close loop control of an elevator with an elevator car brake
• a hydraulic pressure source - preferably in the shape of a hydraulic pump - whose pressure side is in fluidic connection with a first working chamber 14 of the at least one hydraulic actuator 11 and whose suction side is in fluidic connection with a second working chamber 15 and by means of at least one control valve
• control valve V2 or V23 is preferably a valve for exclusive on/off service as disclosed before.
• Protection is sought for a method for open or close loop control of an elevator with an elevator car brake
• the pressure accumulator is favorably at least one actuator being able to contribute to the generation of brake force in case of an emergency, or at least one actuator carrying no brake pads, but being designed corresponding to the actuators carrying or activating brake pads and contributing to the braking action.
• the hydraulic elevator car brake comprises at least one hydraulic actuator which has at least one piston rod which is pre-stressed in closing direction of the brake by a main spring unit with that force that is for generating the provided brake force, whereas the at least one piston rod is connected to a piston which compensates the force of the spring element under hydraulic pressure, characterized in that the pressure stressing the piston in the opposite closing direction will be released in a throttled manner, if the elevator car has reached the stop or is about to reach it, and thus the brake force which is necessary for holding the elevator car in the stop is applied in a delayed manner, and the pressure stressing the piston in the opposite closing direction will be released acceleratedly by bypassing the throttled fluid passage, if the free fall or overspeed of the elevator car is detected.
• sealing gap of a hydraulic pump allowing a leakage flow is also used or only used for realizing a throttle or a throttled fluid passage, and/or for open or close loop control of the braking power.
• Aforementioned sealing gap is the gap between movable and stationary parts of the pump that is accessible for the hydraulic fluid.
• Hydraulic actuator (individualized as 11.1.1 to 11.1.x and/or 11.2.1 to 11.2.x and/or 11.2, 11.2 and 11.3)
• CV Check valve (individualized as CVl, CV2 , CV3)

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• 2015
  • 2015-05-20 EP EP15723248.9A patent/EP3145848B1/de active Active
  • 2015-05-20 ES ES15723246T patent/ES2902845T3/es active Active
  • 2015-05-20 WO PCT/EP2015/061143 patent/WO2015177228A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2015-05-20 HU HUE15723246A patent/HUE057026T2/hu unknown
  • 2015-05-20 CN CN201580039425.6A patent/CN106536395B/zh active Active
  • 2015-05-20 CN CN201580039535.2A patent/CN106660743B/zh active Active
  • 2015-05-20 EP EP15723246.3A patent/EP3145847B1/de active Active
  • 2015-05-20 WO PCT/EP2015/061155 patent/WO2015177234A1/en active Application Filing
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