EP4072987A1

EP4072987A1 - Brake device, e.g. with a wedge-shaped brake element, for braking a travelling body that can be moved in a guided manner along a guide rail in a movement direction

Info

Publication number: EP4072987A1
Application number: EP20812115.2A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Michael Geisshüsler; Faruk Osmanbasic; Adrian Steiner; Julian STÄHLI; Heinz Widmer; Volker Zapf
Original assignee: Inventio AG
Current assignee: Inventio AG
Priority date: 2019-12-12
Filing date: 2020-12-11
Publication date: 2022-10-19
Anticipated expiration: 2040-12-11
Also published as: KR20220110214A; US11897731B2; CN114787064A; JP2023505699A; BR112022009025A2; EP4072987B1; WO2021115845A1; AU2020401242A1; US20230012252A1; ES2967305T3

Abstract

The invention relates to a brake device (1) for braking a travelling body (3) that can be moved in a guided manner along a guide rail (5) in a movement direction (47). The brake device (1) comprises a holder (17), a brake element (19), a pretensioning element (21), a release element (23) and a pressure element (25). The brake element (19) comprises a brake surface (31) directed towards the guide rail (5) and is mounted and retained on the holder (17) in such a way that the brake element (19) can be moved relative to the holder (17) between a freewheel position and a braking position, wherein the brake surface (31) of the brake element (19) is laterally spaced apart from the guide rail (5) in the freewheel position and laterally pressed against the guide rail (5) in the braking position. In a deactivated configuration, the pretensioning element (21) is configured to not exert any of the force moving the brake element (19) towards the braking position on the brake element (19), and in an activated configuration, it is configured to exert a force moving the brake element (19) towards the braking position on the brake element (19). In a retaining state, the release element (23) is configured to retain the pretensioning element (21) in the first configuration, and when activating the release element (23) into a released state, it is configured to change the pretensioning element (21) from the deactivated configuration into the activated configuration. In an unactuated state, the pressure element (25) is configured to not generate any force on the brake element (19) in a direction towards the guide rail (5), and in an actuated state, it is configured to generate a force on the brake element (19) in a direction towards the guide rail (5).

Description

Braking device, for example with an eccentric element, for braking a displaceable guided along a guide rail in a displacement direction

Car body

description

The present invention relates to a braking device for braking a traveling body which can be moved along a guide rail in a direction of displacement. The invention also relates to an elevator system with such a braking device and to a method for releasing a previously activated braking device in such an elevator system.

In elevator systems, elevator cabins are relocated between different floors with the aid of a drive machine. In elevator systems for tall buildings in particular, the drive machine mostly drives rope-like suspension elements which hold and move the elevator car and a counterweight. The elevator car and the counterweight are guided laterally by one or more guide rails during their vertical displacement along a displacement direction.

The elevator car and the counterweight each represent a traveling body that can be displaced along a generally vertical travel path. In the following, such a traveling body is described using the example of the elevator car. However, the braking device described herein can also be used to brake the counterweight.

In order to be able to safely brake a displacement of the elevator car, a braking device is generally provided on the elevator car. This braking device can in particular be designed as a safety brake and set up to be able to brake the elevator car very efficiently and quickly in order to prevent it from falling, for example. The braking device typically has braking elements which, when the braking device is activated, are pressed against one or more surfaces of a guide rail in order to bring about a braking force required to brake the elevator car through the friction that is caused in the process. In the case of a design as a safety brake, the braking device is usually self- Executed in a reinforcing manner, ie a contact pressure with which the braking element is pressed against the guide rail, increases due to the relative movement between the guide rail and the braking device itself.

Conventional braking devices for elevator systems, in particular safety brakes, are described, for example, in WO 2015/047391 A1, WO 2005/044709 A1, WO 2011/078848 A1 and WO 2017/087978 A1.

It has been observed that, particularly in the case of self-energizing brake devices, it can be expensive to bring a brake device that has been activated back into its original, deactivated state.

There may therefore be a need, inter alia, for a braking device which can be brought back to its initial state in a simple manner after a braking process. Furthermore, there may be a need for an elevator system equipped with such a braking device and for a method for releasing a previously activated braking device in such an elevator system.

Such a need can be met by the subject matter according to one of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are defined in the dependent claims and the description below.

According to a first aspect of the invention, a braking device for braking an elevator car that can be displaced along a guide rail in a displacement direction is proposed. The braking device has a holder, a braking element, a preloading element, a triggering element and a friction generating element. The braking element is held and mounted on the holder in such a way that a braking surface of the braking element can be displaced relative to the holder between a free-running position and a braking position, the braking surface being laterally spacable from the guide rail in the free-running position and laterally in the braking position the guide rail can be pressed on. In a deactivated configuration, the pretensioning element does not exert any force on the braking element that shifts the braking element toward the braking position, and in an activated configuration it exerts the braking element to the braking position shifting force on the braking element. In a holding state, the triggering element holds the pretensioning element in the first configuration and, when the triggering element is activated in a released state, configures the pretensioning element from the first to the second configuration. Due to the friction generating element, in an inoperative state, no friction can be generated by contacting the guide rail and the friction generating element thus does not cause any force resulting from such friction on the braking element, and the friction generating element causes friction in an actuated state by contacting the guide rail in one way can be generated that the friction generating element causes a force resulting from this friction on the braking element, which force acts on the braking element in a direction towards the freewheeling position.

According to a second aspect, an elevator system is described which has a guide rail, an elevator car that can be moved along the guide rail in a displacement direction, a drive device for moving the elevator car and a braking device attached to the elevator car with its holder and arranged adjacent to the guide rail according to an embodiment of the having first aspect of the invention.

According to a third aspect of the invention, a method for releasing a previously activated braking device in an elevator installation according to an embodiment of the second aspect of the invention is described. When the braking device is activated, the braking element is moved into a fully engaged position by displacing the braking element relative to the bracket against a direction of displacement of the elevator car that is to be braked, in which the braking surface rests against the guide rail and the braking element is clamped between the guide rail and the bracket. In the method, the friction generating element of the braking device is first actuated and then the braking device is displaced by displacing the elevator car by means of the drive device in a release direction opposite to the displacement direction to be braked.

Possible features and advantages of embodiments of the invention can be viewed, inter alia and without restricting the invention, as being based on the ideas and findings described below. To summarize briefly, the braking device described herein has at least a holder, a braking element, a pretensioning element and a triggering element. The components mentioned can be designed similarly to conventional braking devices. The braking device described here differs from conventional braking devices in particular by the additional provision of a friction-generating element. The friction generating element can be used to temporarily selectively generate a friction with the guide rail in order to be able to bring about a force on the braking element, by means of which the braking element, for example during a release process, in which the previously activated braking device is released again and in its The initial state is to be brought, can be held stationary on the guide rail.

The individual components of the braking device and their functions are described in detail below.

The holder serves on the one hand as a bearing in order to hold the braking element and to be able to move or pivot it relative to the holder. In this case, the holder can be designed so that the braking element, when it moves relative to the holder, leads in a desired direction or along a desired path. For example, the holder can support and guide the braking element in such a way that it can move back and forth between the freewheeling position and the braking position. The braking element can be pivoted about an axis, for example, so that its braking surface is spaced from the guide rail as long as the braking element is in its free-running position and the braking surface comes into contact with the guide rail when the braking element is pivoted into its braking position. On the other hand, the holder represents that component of the braking device which is coupled directly or indirectly to the elevator car to be braked and remains stationary relative to the elevator car. Mechanically, the holder can be designed in such a way that it can withstand the forces caused by the braking element during a braking process.

The braking element has a braking surface which is directed towards the guide rail and which is designed such that when the braking surface comes into contact with a Surface of the guide rail strong frictional forces are generated, which counteract any further displacement of the braking element relative to the guide rail. On the one hand, these forces can lead to the braking element being able to shift relative to the holder of the braking device in the course of a braking process and thereby increasing a braking effect in a self-reinforcing manner. On the other hand, a large proportion of these forces can be transmitted to the holder and then to the elevator car in order to efficiently brake its movement relative to the guide rail. As long as the braking device is not actuated, the braking element remains in its freewheeling position, in which its braking surface is spaced laterally, ie in a direction transverse to the opposite surface of the guide rail, from the guide rail. A gap between the braking surface and the surface of the guide rail can be, for example, several millimeters in the freewheeling position. As soon as the braking device is actuated, the braking element is shifted from the freewheeling position into the braking position, with its braking surface being brought to the guide rail and pressed against the guide rail. In its displacement, the braking element can be guided by the bracket. A displacement path can be curved, for example. In particular, the braking element can be pivoted about an axis between its freewheeling position and its braking position, so that the displacement path runs in the shape of an arc of a circle or a spiral and the braking surface gradually approaches the surface of the guide rail against which the braking surface of the braking element is to be pressed.

The pretensioning element is provided in order to displace the braking element from the freewheeling position into the braking position in the event of an actuation of the braking device. As long as the braking device is not actuated, however, the pretensioning element should not displace the braking element. To implement this function, the biasing element is configured to be able to be reconfigured between a deactivated configuration and an activated configuration. In the deactivated configuration, the pretensioning element does not exert any force on the braking element which would displace it towards the braking position. In the activated configuration, however, the pretensioning element exerts a force on the braking element that shifts from the freewheeling position to the braking position. In order to be able to hold the pretensioning element in the deactivated configuration while the braking device is not actuated, the braking device also has a triggering element. The trigger element can also be brought into different states. In a holding state, the release element holds the pretensioning element in its deactivated configuration, so that ultimately the braking element is not displaced by the pretensioning element into its braking position. However, if the release element has been activated in response to actuation of the braking device, it changes to a released state. The release of the release element is therefore accompanied by a reconfiguration of the pre-tensioning element from its initially deactivated configuration into the activated configuration, so that the pre-tensioning element displaces the braking element into its braking position.

While the functionalities explained above and the structural configurations of the braking device used for this purpose are similar to those of conventional braking devices, the braking device described here additionally has the friction-generating element. The friction generating element can also be switched back and forth between at least two different states. In a non-actuated state, the friction generating element does not lie against the guide rail, so that accordingly no friction is caused between the friction generating element and the guide rail. Accordingly, no force resulting from such friction is generated which could be transmitted from the friction-generating element to the braking element. However, as soon as the pressing element is switched into its actuated state, at least one surface of the friction generating element contacts an opposite surface of the guide rail. Because of the friction caused in the process, a force is applied to the friction generating element. This force is directed against a direction of movement with which the elevator car and the braking device attached to it move relative to the guide rail. The friction generating element is mechanically coupled to the braking element, so that said force is transmitted to the braking element. The friction generating element can thus be controllably used to brake the braking element, preferably independently of any influences from other components of the braking device, during a relative movement of the braking device with respect to the guide rail and preferably to hold the braking element stationary on the guide rail. As will be explained in more detail below, the pressure element can thus be advantageously used, in particular during a release process in which the previously activated braking device is to be released again, to hold the braking element in place at least temporarily on the guide rail by releasing it from the friction generating element whose temporary actuation is held stationary on the guide rail. Such a temporary fixing of the braking element on the guide rail can advantageously be used to be able to return the previously activated braking device to its original, non-actuated state in a simple manner and preferably without additional aids and / or interventions, for example by a technician.

According to one embodiment, the braking element is an eccentric element, which is from a freewheeling orientation, in which a partial area of a lateral surface of the eccentric element acting as a braking surface is in the freewheeling position, eccentrically about a pivot axis into a braking orientation in which the partial area of the lateral surface of the eccentric element acting as a braking surface is in the braking position is pivotable.

In other words, the braking element can be designed as an eccentrically mounted component. In the case of such an eccentric element, a pivot axis generally does not run through a geometric center of the eccentric element, but rather is arranged offset from it. Different subregions of the outer surface of the eccentric element are thus at different distances from the pivot axis. Accordingly, depending on the current orientation of the eccentric element, the various subregions are spaced at different distances, for example from an opposite surface of the guide rail.

When the eccentric element is in its freewheeling orientation, a sub-region closest to the guide rail is spaced from the surface of the guide rail by a gap from the surface of the guide rail. If, on the other hand, the eccentric element is in its braking orientation, a sub-area of its lateral surface which is then closest to the guide rail is no longer spaced from the surface of the guide rail, but rests against it. Accordingly, the eccentric in its braking orientation with the partial area acting as the braking surface generate friction with the guide rail and, as a result, a braking force for braking the elevator car. The eccentric element can have a circular cross section, that is to say the lateral surface can be cylindrical. The eccentric element can be pivoted through an operating angle between the freewheeling orientation and the braking orientation. The actuation angle can for example be between 5 ° and 175 °, typically between 10 ° and 90 °, preferably between 10 ° and 50 °.

The braking element is generally described below with reference to its configuration as an eccentric element. It is pointed out, however, that the braking element can also be designed with a different geometry and / or a different type of mounting.

According to one embodiment, the prestressing element is designed as an elastically deformable element, in particular as a spring element. It is arranged in such a way and interacts with the holder on the one hand and the braking element on the other hand in such a way that in its activated configuration it pivots the braking element with its braking surface into mechanical contact with the guide rail.

In other words, the prestressing element can be elastically deformed so that it can be brought into an elastically prestressed state. For example, the prestressing element can be designed as a spring element, for example as a helical spring or the like. The pretensioning element can be coupled, for example, at one end to the holder of the braking device and at an opposite end to interact with the braking element. The pretensioning element should be arranged and configured in such a way that, when it changes from its deactivated configuration to its activated configuration, the braking element is pivoted with its braking surface towards the guide rail until its braking surface comes into mechanical contact with the guide rail.

For example, the prestressing element can be mechanically prestressed in its deactivated state and the mechanical prestressing can be so strong and be directed that the preload element, when it is brought into the activated state, with the aid of this preload, the braking element is pivoted from its freewheeling orientation to its braking orientation and at least slightly presses its braking surface onto the guide rail. Such a pretensioning element can ensure that the braking device can be reliably activated. The prestressing element can be implemented as a passive element, ie it can do without its own energy supply.

According to a specific embodiment, one end of the elastically deformable element can interact eccentrically with the eccentric element and be mechanically pretensioned in its deactivated configuration.

In other words, the deformable element can be coupled to the eccentric element preferably at a distance from the center, that is to say for example a geometric center, of the eccentric element. The deformable element should preferably also interact with the eccentric element at a distance from the pivot axis of the eccentric element. In its deactivated configuration, the deformable element should be resiliently prestressed, i.e. compressed or stretched. Accordingly, the deformable element, when it changes into its activated configuration, can exert a force on the eccentric element at a distance from its center and / or from its pivot axis and in this way effect a torque that pivots the eccentric element. Because of this torque, the eccentric element can then be pivoted from the freewheeling orientation into the braking orientation.

According to a further embodiment, the prestressing element can be designed as an elastically deformable element, in particular as a spring element, and in turn can be arranged and interact with the holder on the one hand and the braking element on the other hand such that it is prestressed in a first direction in the deactivated configuration. In addition, the prestressing element can be arranged and interact with the holder and the braking element in such a way that, in a fully engaged configuration of the braking element, it is prestressed in a second direction directed transversely to the first direction. The braking element is here in the fully engaged configuration by friction on the The guide rail can be displaced counter to the direction of displacement beyond a position in which the braking element with its braking surface, coming from the free-running position, rests against the guide rail for the first time.

In other words, the preloading element can be configured and arranged such that it is mechanically preloaded in a first direction in its deactivated configuration. In its activated configuration, the pretensioning element can then initially pass into a relaxed state and, in the process, move the braking element from its freewheeling orientation to its braking orientation, i.e. with its braking surface towards the guide rail. When the braking surface of the braking element rests on the guide rail, it is typically moved further by the guide rail, i.e. pivoted further about the pivot axis, due to the relative movement still taking place between the guide rail and the braking device. In doing so, the braking element is moved to a fully engaged configuration, in which a partial area of the braking element is increasingly wedged between the holder and the guide rail, so that the overall braking force is self-amplified.

During the movement towards the engaged configuration, the prestressing element is deformed again from an interim relaxed state into a mechanically prestressed state. However, this pre-stressed state does not correspond to the original pre-stressed state in the deactivated configuration of the pre-stressing element. Instead, in this case the prestressing element is prestressed in a different, second direction compared to the original prestressed state. This second direction can be transverse or opposite to the first direction in which the biasing element was biased in its deactivated configuration.

In its deactivated configuration and in its fully engaged configuration, the prestressing element can thus be prestressed both times, for example, in tension or both times in compression. However, the direction of the preload can be different in both configurations. For example, the first direction and the second direction can differ from one another by an angle of between 5 ° and 175 °, preferably between 10 ° and 90 ° or between 20 ° and 50 ° distinguish. Alternatively, the biasing element may be tension biased in its deactivated configuration and compression biased in its fully engaged configuration. The directions of this bias can also be different in this case. In the extreme case, the two pre-stresses can be directed opposite one another.

If the braking element is designed to be pivotable, the pretensioning element, due to its pretensioning, can thus initially pivot the braking element, coming from its freewheeling orientation, into the braking orientation. When the braking element then rests against the guide rail and is carried along by the latter, it moves into the fully engaged position or orientation and thereby pretensions the pretensioning element in a different direction. When the braking element finally reaches its fully engaged configuration, the spring is thus greatly stretched and therefore exerts a restoring force on the braking element which, if it were not clamped in the engaged configuration, the braking element away from the fully engaged configuration and towards an orientation at which the braking element, coming from the freewheeling position, first abutted the guide rail, would pull.

Such a configuration and arrangement of the biasing element can, as shown below, be advantageous when releasing the braking device in order to assist the braking element in moving out of the fully engaged configuration and in a direction back towards the original free-wheeling position.

According to one embodiment, the release element can be designed as a pawl that can be displaced between an engaged position and a disengaged position. The pawl can hold the pretensioning element in its deactivated configuration in its locked position and release the pretensioning element into its activated configuration in its disengaged position.

In other words, a pawl can be provided as the release element, which can be displaced between an engaged and a disengaged position. In the locked position, the pawl can block the biasing element so that it remains in its deactivated configuration. The latch itself can, for example be held in their locked position with the aid of an actuator, for example a controllably energized electromagnet. When the pawl is released, ie moved into its disengaged position, it releases the pretensioning element so that it passes into its activated configuration and can then move the braking element from its original freewheeling position to its braking position.

In the following, possible configurations of the friction generating element with which the braking element can be controlled and preferably held as stationary as possible on the guide rail independently of other components of the braking device are described.

According to one embodiment, the friction generating element has a pressing element and an actuator. The actuator is configured to hold the pressing element at a distance from the guide rail when the friction generating element is not actuated. In the actuated state of the friction generating element, the pressing element can be pressed against the guide rail by the actuator.

In other words, the friction generating element can be composed of a plurality of subcomponents. One of the sub-components is the pressure element. The pressure element should be able to be displaced between the non-actuated and the actuated state within the friction-generating element, i.e. relative to other subcomponents of the friction-generating element. The pressing element has a pressing surface which lies opposite a surface of the guide rail. In the non-actuated state, the pressing surface of the pressing element is spaced from the guide rail by a gap. Accordingly, no friction is generated between the pressing element and the guide rail. In the actuated state, however, the actuator moves the pressure element with its pressure surface into mechanical contact with the guide rail. Correspondingly, there is friction between the pressing element and the guide rail.

In order to be able to press the pressing element with the actuator firmly against the guide rail, the friction-generating element can furthermore have further components such as a counter-bearing element. This counter bearing element can For example, engage behind the guide rail from an opposite side so that the friction generating element can be supported with its counter-bearing element on an opposite side of the guide rail in order to then be able to press the pressure element against a surface on the facing side of the guide rail.

In order to be able to generate high frictional forces, the pressing element can have a type of brake lining, for example made of an elastomer material, on its pressing surface.

In general, the friction generating element can be implemented with different types of actuators. For example, the pressing element can be displaced between the non-actuated state and the actuated state with the aid of hydraulics, pneumatics, a mechanical actuator to be actuated, for example, by an electric motor or the like.

According to one embodiment, the friction generating element is advantageously designed with an electromagnet.

An electromagnet can, if it is electrically energized, develop a magnetic field. Because of this magnetic field, the electromagnet can experience an attractive force towards a magnetizable component such as the guide rail in the present case, for example. In this case, there is no need for a counter-bearing element. When the friction generating element designed as an actuator with the electromagnet is activated, its pressing element can thus be pulled towards the guide rail. Thereupon, due to the generated friction with the guide rail, the pressing element causes a force which can be transmitted to the latter by coupling with the braking element in order to brake it or to keep it stationary.

According to one embodiment, the friction generating element has a mechanism which is configured to move the pressing element towards the counter-bearing element, wherein the guide rail can be arranged between the pressing element and the counter-bearing element. Such an embodiment can be made with an electromagnet as an alternative or in addition to the configuration of the friction generating element described above. The mechanism can be operated to activate the friction generating element. For this purpose, the mechanics can have a controllable actuator. Such an actuator can have an electric motor, for example. When the mechanism is actuated, it can move the pressure element towards the counter-bearing element. Since the counter-bearing element is arranged on the opposite side of the guide rail and can, for example, be supported on an opposite surface of the guide rail, the pressing element can thereby be pulled towards the guide rail. Since the friction generating element is mechanically coupled to the braking element, in this way the braking element can be braked relative to the guide rail or held stationary on the guide rail.

According to one embodiment, the friction generating element is pivotably connected to the braking element.

In other words, the friction generating element is mechanically coupled to the braking element in order to be able to transmit braking or holding forces caused by the friction generating element to the braking element. However, the coupling should preferably not be rigid, i.e. it should be designed in such a way that every movement of the friction-generating element necessarily causes a movement of the braking element in the same direction and with the same amount. Instead, the friction generating element can be pivotably coupled to the braking element, so that a force generated by the friction generating element is transmitted to the braking element, but can cause a movement on the braking element that can differ from the movement of the friction generating element.

For example, a force caused by the friction generating element can lead to a braking element designed as an eccentric element pivoting about its pivot axis on the holder. In particular, a force caused by the friction generating element and directed away from the braking element can be transmitted via the pivotable coupling to the braking element in such a way that the braking element is moved away from a previously assumed fully engaged configuration, i.e. towards the braking configuration or ultimately the freewheeling configuration . Embodiments of the braking device described herein can be used in an elevator installation according to the second aspect of the invention. The holder of the braking device is attached to the elevator car, ie attached directly or indirectly to it. Here, the braking device is arranged in such a way that it adjoins the guide rail leading the elevator car and its braking element or its braking elements can be displaced into their braking position when the braking device is actuated and can interact with the guide rail in a braking manner.

According to the third aspect of the invention, a method is described with the aid of which embodiments of the braking device described herein can be released again after they have previously been activated or actuated.

A loosening of the braking device can in particular be understood to mean that the braking device can independently terminate an interaction of its braking element with the guide rail and thus the effect of braking forces, that is, without a technician having to be on site or have to be active and the braking device, for example would have to solve by manual intervention.

The release of the braking device can preferably even be understood to mean that the braking device, after it has previously been activated or actuated, ie after a braking process, can be brought back into an initial configuration in which the elevator system can be operated normally and the braking device at Can be operated again as required. The braking device can be released in a partially or even fully automated manner.

In other words, the method proposed herein according to the third aspect of the invention can make it possible to brake the elevator car with the aid of the braking device and then, preferably without a technician having to intervene on site, to bring the elevator system back into normal operation by releasing the braking device and is reset to its original state, from which it can be activated again. The braking element can after it due to the previous activation of the braking device with its braking surface pressed into contact with the guide rail and then displaced into the fully engaged position, can be released again from the fully engaged position. In addition, the braking element can even be shifted back into its freewheeling position and then the preloading element can be set back into its deactivated configuration and the triggering element can be set into its state holding the preloading element in the deactivated configuration.

In order to be able to achieve this, the friction generating element is first actuated in the case of the previously activated braking device. In this actuated state, the friction-generating element then effects a force caused by friction, which is transmitted to the braking element and on the basis of which the braking element is held stationary on the guide rail. The braking element is fixed on the guide rail in this way. The elevator car is then moved by means of the drive device in a release direction which is opposite to the direction of displacement originally to be braked. That is, if the elevator car has moved downwards when the braking device is activated, it is moved upwards by the drive device in order to release the braking device. By such a movement of the elevator car in the release direction, the holder of the braking device is also moved in the release direction. However, since the braking element is held firmly on the guide rail due to the friction generating element that has already been actuated, the braking element does not move together with the holder, but is moved out of its previously assumed fully engaged position relative to it. A braking effect caused by the braking element can thus be released.

According to one embodiment, the elevator car can be displaced in the release direction until the braking element held stationary on the guide rail by the actuated friction generating element is displaced relative to the holder into a fixing position in which the pretensioning element is in a position corresponding to its deactivated configuration and that Trip element goes from its released state to its holding state to hold the biasing element in its deactivated configuration. In other words, in the method described here, the actuated friction generating element can hold the braking element stationary on the guide rail until it has been displaced so far relative to the holder of the braking device that the pretensioning element is fully pretensioned again, i.e. in its original deactivated configuration is located. The pretensioning element re-tensioned in this way can then be fixed again in its deactivated configuration in that the release element is brought back from a previously released state into its holding state. Overall, the braking device is then again in its original state and can then be operated again during normal operation of the elevator system, ie it can be actuated again.

Concretely with reference to the embodiment described above, this can mean that the braking element designed as an eccentric element, which was rotated into its fully engaged position due to the previous activation and was clamped with a partial area between the bracket and the guide rail, initially out of the fully engaged position is shifted back in that the elevator car together with the holder is moved in the direction of release against the direction of displacement originally to be braked.

In this movement, the braking element can optionally be supported by the spring acting as a pretensioning element, provided that during the preceding engagement of the braking element up to its fully engaged position, it is driven from an interim relaxed state into another transverse or oppositely pretensioned state to the first pretensioned state has been. The preload produced in this way can push the braking element out of the fully engaged position in a supporting manner when the braking device is released.

Without the support of the friction generating element, however, the braking element would only come loose from the fully engaged position, i.e. the eccentric element forming the braking element would only be rotated and reoriented until its braking surface would no longer be pressed against the guide rail.

In addition, the braking element could not be moved back to its original position, in particular because the pretensioning element would already push or pull in the opposite direction. With the aid of the friction generating element, however, the braking element can also be held stationary on the guide rail without a pressing interaction with the holder. If the elevator car together with the holder is therefore moved further in the release direction, the braking element swivels successively towards its original orientation, ie in the vicinity of its free-running orientation, the braking element fixed on the guide rail by means of the friction generating element successively prestressing the spring forming the prestressing element. Ultimately, the biasing element is brought into its deactivated configuration. The pawl forming the release element can then be moved back from its previously released state into its holding state and, for example, the electromagnet provided on it can be activated in order to lock the pawl in the holding state. Overall, the braking device is then back in its initial configuration and is therefore ready to be actuated for a subsequent braking process.

The entire process for releasing the braking device can be carried out in an automated manner. There is no need, as is usually the case with conventional braking devices, for a technician to reset the braking device to its original configuration on site. Instead, this can be brought about solely by a suitable movement of the elevator car in the release direction and by temporarily actuating the pressure element of the braking device.

It is pointed out that some of the possible features and advantages of the invention are described herein with reference to different embodiments of the braking device or the elevator system equipped therewith on the one hand or the method to be carried out with it for releasing the previously activated braking device on the other hand. A person skilled in the art recognizes that the features can be combined, adapted or exchanged in a suitable manner in order to arrive at further embodiments of the invention.

It is also pointed out that the applicant of the present patent application, on the same day as the present patent application, has filed a further patent application with the title “Braking device, for example with a wedge-shaped braking element, for braking a traveling body that can be moved along a guide rail in a direction of displacement ”. In this further patent application, embodiments are described that can also be implemented for the present patent application. In particular, embodiments are described therein in which the braking element is not designed as an eccentric element, but rather wedge-shaped. The further patent application is fully incorporated herein by reference.

Embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein neither the drawings nor the description are to be interpreted as restricting the invention.

1 shows an elevator installation according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figs. 2a-f show a braking device according to an embodiment of the present invention in different stages during the activation and subsequent release of the braking device.

The figures are only schematic and not true to scale. In the various figures, the same reference symbols denote the same or equivalent features

1 shows an elevator installation 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, only components are shown that enable an understanding of the present invention. The elevator installation 1 can have further components, which, however, are not shown for reasons of clarity.

The elevator installation 1 comprises a traveling body in the form of an elevator car 3, which can be displaced vertically within an elevator shaft 7. During its vertical displacement, the elevator car 3 is laterally guided by guide rails 5 which are attached to the side walls 9 of the elevator shaft 7 and run along an entire travel path of the elevator car 3. The elevator car 3 is held by rope-like suspension means 13, which can be displaced by means of a drive device 11. Two braking devices 15 are attached to the elevator car 3. The braking devices 15 are each arranged adjacent to one of the guide rails 5 and can interact with them to generate a braking force.

2a shows in cross section a braking device 15 according to an embodiment of the invention. The braking device 15 comprises a holder 17, a braking element 19, a preloading element 21, a triggering element 23 and a friction generating element 25.

In the example shown, the holder 17 is implemented with the aid of a frame 27. This frame 27 can be attached to the elevator car 3. The frame 27 is designed to transmit the forces generated by the braking device 15 to the elevator car 3, in particular to brake the elevator car. Furthermore, the frame 27 serves to hold or store other components such as the braking element 19, the pretensioning element 21 and the release element 23, among others.

The braking element 19 has on its lateral surface a braking surface 31 directed towards the guide rail 5. Due to its material and / or its structure, the braking surface 31 can be adapted to bring about high frictional forces when it comes into contact with the guide rail 5.

The braking element 19 is designed as an eccentric element 29 in the present case. In the example shown, the eccentric element 29 has a circular cross section and can be pivoted about an eccentrically arranged axis 30. The axis 30 is coupled to the frame 27 of the holder 17. Accordingly, the eccentric element 29 can be pivoted into different orientations relative to the holder 17.

As long as the braking device 15 is not actuated, the eccentric element 29 forming the braking element 19 is pivoted into a freewheeling orientation shown in FIG. 1, in which the braking surface 31 is laterally spaced from an opposite surface of the guide rail 5. Accordingly, no friction is caused between the braking element 19 and the guide rail 5 in this non-actuated state. When the braking device 15 is actuated, the eccentric element 29 is pivoted from its freewheeling orientation into a braking orientation. In this braking orientation, the braking surface 31 comes into contact with the opposite surface of the guide rail 5, as shown in FIG. 2b. This mechanical contact results in considerable friction between the braking element 19 and the guide rail 5 in the actuated state.

In order to be able to pivot the braking element 19 from its freewheeling orientation in the direction of its braking orientation, the braking device 15 has the prestressing element 21. The prestressing element 21 is an elastically deformable element such as a spring 33. In the example shown, this spring 33 is between a first fastening point 35 arranged on the frame 27 of the holder 17 and a second fastening point 37 on the braking element 19. The second fastening point 37 is arranged eccentrically on the eccentric element 29, in particular at a distance from the axis 30 and preferably near an outer circumference of the eccentric element 29.

As long as the braking device 15 is not actuated, the pretensioning element 21 remains in a deactivated configuration, as is illustrated in FIG. 2a. In this deactivated configuration, the biasing element 21 is mechanically biased in a first direction. In the example shown, the spring 33 used for this is mechanically stretched.

In order to keep the pretensioning element 21 in this deactivated configuration as long as the braking device 15 is not actuated, the braking device 15 has the release element 23. In the example shown, this release element 23 is designed with a pawl 39. This pawl 39 can be held in a holding state with the aid of an electromagnet 41, in which the release element 23 holds the pretensioning element 21 in its first configuration.

If the braking device 15 is to be actuated, the release element 23 can be activated in a released state for this purpose, for example by no longer energizing the electromagnet 41 in the embodiment shown as an example and thus releasing the pawl 39. The pawl 39 can then from its in Fig. 2a shown engaged position, in which it blocks a movement of the spring 33 used as a biasing element 21, can be moved into the disengaged position shown in FIG. 2b, in which it releases the biasing element 21. In the example shown, the pawl 39 can be pivoted for this purpose.

The pretensioning element 21 released in this way can then pivot the eccentric element 29 from its freewheeling orientation into its braking orientation due to its predominant mechanical pretensioning, as is illustrated in FIG. 2b. Because of its eccentric mounting about the axis 30, the braking surface 31 comes into lateral contact with the guide rail 5.

In order to be able to counteract the force exerted on the braking element 19 and via this on the holder 17, the braking device 15 has a counterpressure element 43 which is also attached to the holder 17 and which is supported with respect to the frame 27 of the holder 17 via counterpressure springs 45 is.

As soon as the braking surface 31 of the braking element 19 rests on the guide rail 5, the braking element 19 is pivoted further in the direction of displacement 47 against this direction of displacement 47 due to the relative movement between the braking device 15 and the guide rail 5. Due to the design of the braking element 19 as an eccentric element 29, the contact pressure exerted by the braking element 19 on the guide rail 5 via its braking surface 31 increases. The overall braking effect achieved by the braking device 15 is thus self-reinforcing.

Ultimately, the braking element 19 is pivoted up to a fully engaged configuration shown in FIG. 2c. In this configuration, the braking device 15 produces high braking forces with the aid of which the elevator car 3 attached to it can be braked effectively and quickly to a standstill.

During the pivoting movement of the braking element 19 from the position or orientation in which it reaches its braking position and first rests with its braking surface 31 on the guide rail 5, to the position or orientation in which the braking element 19 is in its fully engaged configuration has reached, the braking element 19 is pivoted further relative to the frame 27 of the holder 17. As a result of this, the prestressing element 21, which is fastened at one end to the second fastening point 37, is also stretched beyond its temporarily relaxed or at least less stressed configuration into a further tension-prestressed configuration. However, the spring 33 forming the pretensioning element 21 runs in a different direction in this case than was originally the case in the freewheeling orientation. Accordingly, the force exerted by the pretensioned pretensioning element 21 on the braking element 19 in the freewheeling orientation on the one hand and in the fully engaged configuration on the other hand effects opposite torques on the braking element 19.

In other words, in the fully engaged configuration, the pretensioned pretensioning element 21 tries to pivot the braking element 19 in a direction back to the braking orientation or ultimately to the freewheeling orientation. However, in the fully engaged configuration the forces clamping the eccentric braking element 19 on the guide rail 5 predominate, so that the braking element 19 remains in its fully engaged configuration despite the restoring forces caused by the pretensioning element 21 as long as no further measures are taken.

In conventional braking devices, it was difficult to release a braking device once actuated, in which the braking element was displaced to its fully engaged configuration, again, that is to say to return it to its original configuration.

With reference to FIGS. 2d to 2f it is described below how, with the braking device 15 presented here, such a release of the braking device 15 can be carried out simply and, as a rule, without the need for intervention by a technician, that is to say at best fully automated.

To release the braking device 15, its friction generating element 25 is first actuated. In the example shown, an actuator 49 of a mechanism 48 of the friction generating element 25 is activated for this purpose. The actuator 49 then displaces a pressure element 51 which was previously caused by a spacer spring 55 Bias was kept spaced from the guide rail 5, towards the guide rail 5. A counter-bearing element 53 can engage behind the guide rail 5 on an opposite side. As the pressure element 51 is pressed against the guide rail 5 and is supported on the counter-bearing element 53, the friction generating element 25 can generate considerable friction with the guide rail 5, which causes a braking force opposite to a displacement direction 47 of the braking device 15 relative to the guide rail 5 can.

This braking force can be transmitted from the friction generating element 25 to the braking element 19 with the aid of a coupling rod 57, for example. A force transmission can take place in such a way that the force causes a torque on the eccentric element 29. For this purpose, for example, the coupling rod 57 can act eccentrically on the eccentric element 29, in particular at a distance from its axis 30. The coupling rod 57 can be pivotable relative to the eccentric element 29.

After the friction generating element 25 has been actuated in this way, as illustrated in Fig. 2d, the elevator car 3 is moved with the aid of the drive device 11 counter to the original displacement direction 47 in a release direction 59, i.e. upwards in the example shown. Together with the elevator car 3, the holder 17 is also displaced as a result. Since the braking element 19 is pressed against the guide rail 5 and is thus held stationary on the latter, the braking element 19 is thereby moved out of its previously fully engaged configuration, i.e. pivoted back in the direction of the freewheeling orientation.

Without the braking effect of the friction generating element 25, however, the braking element 19 would soon lose the contact pressure of its braking surface 31 against the guide rail 5, since it would come into an orientation in which the braking surface 31 no longer rests on the guide rail 5. Accordingly, the braking element 19 would then begin to move together with the holder 17 without being pivoted any further. Thus, the braking element 19 could no longer be reset back to its original configuration. The braking effect of the actuated friction generating element 25, or the effect being fixed on the guide rail 5, causes the braking element 19 to experience a torque even without it being in contact with the guide rail 5 itself. The force causing the torque is transmitted from the friction generating element 25 to the braking element 19 via the coupling rod 57. Correspondingly, as illustrated in FIG. 2e, the braking element 19 can be pivoted further relative to the holder 17 by moving the elevator car 3 together with the holder 17 further in the release direction 59.

The pretensioning element 21 is gradually tensioned until it has finally reached its deactivated configuration again. In this constellation, as shown in FIG. 2f, the release element 23 can be reconfigured again in its holding state. For this purpose, the electromagnet 41 can be energized and thereby the pawl 39 can be moved back into its locked position.

Ultimately, through the braking effect that can be generated with the aid of the friction generating element 25, the braking element 19 can be pivoted until it has reached its starting position relative to the holder 17, and the entire braking device 15 can be automatically returned to its original configuration in this way.

It is pointed out that the specific configuration of the components of the braking device 15 in FIG. 2 is only an example. As an alternative to the embodiment shown, the braking element 19 could for example also be implemented with the aid of a displaceable brake wedge instead of an eccentric element 29. Instead of using the spring 33, the pretensioning element 21 can also be implemented, for example, with other components that are suitable for exerting forces suitably directed onto the braking element 19. The release element 23 can, for example, instead of being implemented as a pawl 39, also in the form of other components which controllably block a movement of the braking element 19. The friction generating element 25 can have components other than those shown in order to be able to generate friction with the guide rail 5 in a controllable manner. For example, the friction generating element 25 can be designed with an electromagnet which, when energized, can pull a brake body against the guide rail 5. Finally, it should be pointed out that terms such as “having”, “comprising”, etc. do not exclude any other elements or steps and that terms such as “a” or “an” do not exclude a plurality. It should also be pointed out that features or steps that have been described with reference to one of the above exemplary embodiments can also be used in combination with other features or steps of other exemplary embodiments described above. Reference signs in the claims are not to be regarded as a restriction.

Claims

1. Braking device (15) for braking a traveling body (3) of an elevator system (1) that can be displaced along a guide rail (5) in a displacement direction (47), the braking device (15) having: a holder (17), a braking element ( 19), a biasing element (21), a release element (23), and a friction generating element (25), the braking element (19) being held and mounted on the holder (17) in such a way that a braking surface (31) of the braking element (19 ) is displaceable relative to the holder (17) between a freewheeling position and a braking position, the braking element (19) with its braking surface (31) being laterally spacable from the guide rail (5) in the freewheeling position and laterally from the guide rail (5) in the braking position. 5) can be pressed on, the biasing element (21) in a deactivated configuration not exerting any force on the braking element (19) that shifts the braking element (19) towards the braking position, and in an activated configuration guration exerts a force on the braking element (19) which shifts the braking element (19) towards the braking position, the triggering element (23) holding the pretensioning element (21) in the first configuration in a holding state and in a In the released state, the pretensioning element (21) is reconfigured from the first to the second configuration, with the friction-generating element (25) in a non-actuated state being able to generate no friction by resting on the guide rail (5) and the friction-generating element (25) therefore not generating any friction Friction-resulting force on the braking element (19) and the friction-generating element (25) in an actuated state can generate friction by resting against the guide rail (5) in such a way that the friction-generating element (25) exerts a force resulting from this friction the braking element (19) causes the braking element (19) to force in a direction towards the freewheeling position serves.

2. Braking device according to claim 1, wherein the braking element (19) is an eccentric element (29) which is from a freewheeling orientation, in which a braking surface (31) acting sub-region of a lateral surface of the eccentric element (29) is in the freewheeling position, eccentrically by a The pivot axis (30) can be pivoted into a braking orientation in which the partial area of the lateral surface of the eccentric element (29) acting as the braking surface (31) is in the braking position.

3. Braking device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the biasing element (21) is designed as an elastically deformable element, in particular as a spring (33), and is arranged in such a way and cooperates with the holder (17) on the one hand and the braking element (19) on the other hand, that in its activated configuration it pivots the braking element (19) with its braking surface (31) into mechanical contact with the guide rail (5).

4. Braking device according to claim 3 dependent on claim 2, wherein one end of the elastically deformable element cooperates eccentrically with the eccentric element (29) and is mechanically biased in its deactivated configuration.

5. Braking device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the biasing element (21) is designed as an elastically deformable element, in particular as a spring (33), and is arranged in such a way and cooperates with the holder (17) on the one hand and the braking element (19) on the other hand, that it is biased in a first direction in the deactivated configuration and that in a fully engaged configuration of the braking element (19) it is biased in a second direction transverse or opposite to the first direction, the braking element (19) in the fully engaged The configuration can be displaced by friction on the guide rail (5) opposite to the direction of displacement (47) beyond a position in which the braking element (19), coming from the free-running position, rests with its braking surface (31) on the guide rail (5) for the first time.

6. Braking device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the release element (23) is designed as a pawl (39) displaceable between an engaged position and a disengaged position, and wherein the pawl (39) in its engaged position deactivated the pretensioning element (21) in its deactivated position Holds the configuration and, in its disengaged position, releases the biasing element (21) into its activated configuration.

7. Braking device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the friction generating element (25) has a pressing element (51) and an actuator (49), the actuator (49) being configured to activate the pressing element (51) when the friction generating element (25) is not actuated ) to be kept at a distance from the guide rail (5) and wherein, in the actuated state of the friction generating element (25), the pressing element (51) can be pressed against the guide rail (5) by the actuator (49).

8. Braking device according to claim 7, wherein the friction generating element (25) has a mechanism (48) which is configured to move the pressing element (51) towards an arranged counter-bearing element (53), the guide rail (5) between the pressing element (51) and the counter-bearing element (53) can be arranged.

9. Braking device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the friction generating element (25) is formed with an electromagnet.

10. Braking device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the friction generating element (25) is pivotably connected to the braking element (19).

11. Elevator system (1) comprising: a guide rail (5), a traveling body (3) that can be moved along the guide rail (5) in a displacement direction (47), a drive device (11) for moving the traveling body (3), and one with Braking device (15) according to one of Claims 1 to 10, attached to its holder (17) on the traveling body (3) and arranged adjacent to the guide rail (5).

12. A method for releasing a previously activated braking device (15) in an elevator system (1) according to claim 11, wherein in the activated braking device (15) the braking element (19) is counteracted by displacing the braking element (19) relative to the holder (17) In a direction of displacement (47) of the traveling body (3) to be braked, a fully engaged position is engaged, in which the braking surface (31) rests against the guide rail (5) and the braking element (19) lies between the guide rail (5) and the bracket (17 ) is tight, the method comprising:

- actuation of the friction generating element (25) of the braking device (19), and

- Displacing the braking device (19) by displacing the traveling body (3) by means of the drive device (11) in a release direction (59) opposite to the displacement direction (47) to be braked.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the traveling body (3) is displaced in the release direction (59) until the braking element (19) held in a stationary braked manner on the guide rail (5) by the actuated friction generating element (25) relative to the holder (17) ) is displaced into a fixing position in which the pretensioning element (21) is in a position corresponding to its deactivated configuration and the release element (23) changes from its released state to its holding state in order to close the pretensioning element (21) in its deactivated configuration hold.