JP2007524549A - Elevator tension member assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

An elevator belt ( 20 ) or rope ( 25 ) includes a plurality of tension members ( 22, 26, 46 ) encased within a polyurethane jacket ( 24, 28 ). Each tension member includes a plurality of strands ( 42 ), which are each made up of a plurality of wires ( 40 ). During the manufacturing process, broken wire ( 44, 54 ) ends are recaptured so that they do not protrude outward from the strands ( 42 ) or cords ( 46 ). A variety of recapture techniques are disclosed.

Description

  The present invention generally relates to an elevator tension member used in belts, ropes, and the like. In particular, the invention relates to the handling and placement of tension member components within an assembly.

  Elevator devices often include a car supported by a rope or belt and a counterweight. Conventional hoisting machines, for example, move ropes and belts to provide the desired movement of an elevator car between floors in a building. Conventionally, steel ropes have been used. Recently, a method using a flat belt has been adopted. Flat belts offer advantages in traction and bending fatigue.

  An example of the flat belt structure includes a plurality of steel tension members covered with a polyurethane jacket. A steel tension member may comprise a plurality of wires that are wound together to form a cord supplied as a tension member. During the process of assembling the belt, one or more wires may break at different times. Broken wire ends cause wire entanglement in the assembly machine during wire wrapping or subsequent processes, and damage to the assembly machine or at least significant belt damage when the jacket is attached to the tension member Cause problems such as production interruption.

  Similar problems exist in the manufacture of circular jacket ropes. There is a need for a method of handling such broken wires.

  If the stocked wire is simply cut at each break, the length of the stocked wire is uneven and unnecessarily limited. Most elevator installations require very long and continuous tension members.

  One proposed means is to cut the entire strand or cord (ie, all the constituent wires) at the broken portion of the wire, and then weld the two cut ends together. This proposal has serious drawbacks. The tensile strength and resistance to bending fatigue required for the tension members in the elevator belt are significantly impaired when cutting-welding techniques are employed. In some situations, the service life based on bending fatigue is reduced by more than 50 percent.

  The present invention provides another approach in situations where one or more wires are broken during the process of assembling the elevator tension members, ie belts and ropes.

  Broadly speaking, the present invention is a method for effectively handling broken wires during the process of assembling elevator tension members, ie ropes and belts.

  One example method of manufacturing an elevator tension member includes treating a plurality of wires into at least one strand. Thereafter, the plurality of strands are processed into at least one cord. In this method, it is determined during a corresponding processing step whether there is at least one strand or at least one broken wire end protruding from at least one cord. If there is at least one broken wire, the end of this wire is treated so that it does not protrude away from the corresponding strand or cord.

  In one embodiment, the detected broken wire ends are inserted into corresponding strands or cords. In one embodiment, a wire cut is twisted around at least one adjacent uncut wire. In another embodiment, wire cuts are woven between uncut wires.

  In another embodiment, the end of the broken wire is secured to the outer surface of the corresponding strand or cord. In one embodiment, the broken wire ends are welded or brazed into place. In another embodiment, the end of the cut wire is glued and secured in place.

  Various features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the embodiments.

  FIG. 1A schematically shows a portion of an elevator belt 20. A plurality of tension members 22 are covered with a polyurethane jacket 24. In one embodiment, the tension member 22 is a cord consisting of seven strands, each strand consisting of seven single wires. The wire is wound in a known manner to form a strand, and the strand is wound in a known manner to form a cord. In the illustrated embodiment, there are 12 tension members 22 (ie, 12 cords). In another embodiment, there are eight tension members across the width of the belt 20.

  FIG. 1B shows the end of a jacket rope 25 having a plurality of tension members 26 manufactured similar to the tension member 22 of the embodiment of FIG. 1A. A tension member 26 wound around each other as a rope is covered with a polyurethane jacket 28.

  FIG. 2 schematically illustrates an elevator belt assembly process 30 in which a wire stock 32 comprising a single wire is provided in a cord wrapping machine 34. The cord winding machine 34 first winds a plurality of wires into individual strands, and then winds the plurality of strands into a cord. The completed cord is placed on the spool and finally supplied to the jacket mounting machine 36. The cord is properly positioned and positioned within the jackets 24, 28 to form a belt or rope, and finally the belt or rope is routed to a suitable storage location 38. Well-known methods can be used at each stage shown schematically in FIG.

  Referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, a plurality of wires 40 of wire stock 32 are twisted in a known manner to obtain strands 42. In this embodiment, seven single wires 40 are present in each strand 42. As shown in FIG. 3A, one of the wires 40 has a portion that is cut off as two end portions 44 protruding away from the outside of the strand 42. This state is detected by, for example, a detector 50 that is a known device used in a high-speed winding machine. When the cut 44 is detected, the wrapping machine 34 is preferably stopped so that the broken wire 40 condition can be addressed. If the winding process of the wire 40 continues, the broken wire 40 may become entangled inside the winding machine 34, causing this serious problem as well as the stopping of the winding machine.

  In this embodiment, the cut 44 shown in FIG. 3A is such that the cut 44 does not protrude away from the strand 42 so that there is a risk of wire entanglement in the elevator belt manufacturing machine. Re-incorporated as part of the strand 42 in the form. In one embodiment, the cut 44 is manually processed and inserted between other wires 40 around the cut 44. In another embodiment, the method includes weaving a cut portion of wire 40 within strand 42 and twisting the cut wire 40 around at least one adjacent uncut wire. By pushing the cut 44, the cut 44 is effectively taken into the strand 42 in a way that does not protrude outwards and does not cause problems in the winding machine.

  In another embodiment, the end of the broken wire is processed and placed against the strand 42. Adhesive is applied to the strands 42 around the cuts 44 so that the cuts 44 are fixed in place as part of the strands 42 and do not protrude outwards. In yet another embodiment, cuts 44 are welded or brazed in place to adjacent wires at appropriate locations along strand 42. Brazing and welding materials preferably avoid protrusions that can interfere with the manufacturing process.

  Another example includes welding or brazing the wire cuts 44 together.

  In another embodiment, a portion of the outwardly protruding wire is cut so that the remaining portion of the wire is flush with the other strands 42.

  When the winding machine 34 detects and stops the broken wire, the tension of the wire 40 is loosened and manual operation of the broken wire end 44 to retake the cut 44 using the selected method. Can be processed.

  FIG. 3B schematically illustrates the latter half of the process of cording, where individual strands 42 are wound together to form a cord 46. As shown in the embodiment of FIG. 3B, another detector 52 inspects the cord 46, for example, to detect a broken wire protruding away from the outside of the cord 46. In the illustrated embodiment, a broken wire end 54 is detected and the wrap 34 is stopped so that the broken wire end 54 can be reintroduced into the cord 46. . Any of the methods in the above-described embodiments is used again at this stage so that the wire 40 does not get tangled during the latter half of the cord 46 forming the elevator belt 20 and the rope 25. The detector 52 includes a known detection device.

  When the cord 46 passes inspection by the detector 52, the cord 46 is applied to a jacket attachment machine 36, for example, equipped with an extruder, to attach the polyurethane jackets 24, 28 to form the belt 20 or rope 25. Can be supplied.

  FIG. 4 schematically shows a method for manufacturing the belt assembly 20 according to an embodiment. In this embodiment, the jackets 24, 28 are extruded over the cord 46 so that the outer sides of the jackets 24, 28 are smooth, continuous, and not blocked by the grooves. A code 46 is supplied by the code supply source 50. In one embodiment, the cord supply 50 comprises a plurality of spools with strands 42 wound with steel wire forming the cord 46. The cord 46 may be formed in the same factory as the equipment to which the jacket 24 is mounted, or the cord 46 may be pre-formed and wound up in advance as needed in a particular situation.

  The positioning device 52 aligns the cord 46 in the desired arrangement so that the cord 46 extends parallel to the longitudinal direction of the belt assembly 20. A tensioning device 54 controls the tension of the cord 46 during the process of installing the jackets 24, 28. Although a single tensioning device 54 is schematically illustrated, multiple tensioning devices 54 may be used along the assembly line of the belt assembly 20. For example, the same tension is applied to the cord 46, preferably on both sides of the jacket loader 56. The tensioning device 54 preferably comprises a suitable program controller that monitors and controls the tension within a desired range.

  In particular, the tension in the individual cords 46 is preferably maintained at a desired level throughout the manufacturing process of the belt assembly 20, thereby adjusting the configuration and shape of the belt 20 as much as possible. The tension in an individual cord 46 can be different compared to another cord 46. In one embodiment, a reference tension of about 50 Newtons is applied to each cord 46 to produce a sample belt assembly 20. The sample belt assembly 20 is then preferably inspected to confirm that the belt 20 is in the desired shape. If there is an undesirable shape variation, such as a shape that is slightly curved in the longitudinal direction, the tension on one or more single cords 46 is adjusted to accommodate the undesirable shape variation of the belt 20. The By producing some samples and correcting for these variations while taking steps, the required tension of the individual cords 46 resulting in the desired belt 20 shape can be determined.

  The tension of each cord 46 is sufficient so that the horizontal posture of the cord 46 remains the same throughout the entire installation process of the jackets 24,28. Since this embodiment includes the elimination of cord support in the jacket mounting process in the manufacturing process of the belt 20, the tension used during the process of the embodiment is higher than the tension used in the method of supporting the cord 46. May need to be.

  Although not specifically shown, a tension feedback device (known in the prior art) is preferably provided in the belt manufacturing apparatus, whereby the tension of the individual cords 46 can be adjusted as needed throughout the belt 20 assembly process. Can be monitored and adjusted.

  The jacket mounting machine 56 preferably comprises a suitable molding device or other device for mounting the jacket material on the cord 46. Jacket supply source 58 supplies the selected material to jacket mounter 56 in a conventional manner. The jacket material is attached to the cord 46 by pressure molding, extrusion molding, or other methods.

  In one embodiment, a roller 59 is provided on a portion of the jacket mounter 56 or immediately thereafter. The roller 59 is preferably processed with Teflon (trademark). Immediately after mounting the jacket material, the roller 59 applies a surface treatment to the sheave contact surface of the belt assembly 20. In this embodiment, the roller 59 forms a smooth, smooth and parallel belt surface. The roller 59 may be embossed on the jacket surface, for example. Since further dimensional adjustment is required by eliminating the cord support used in the conventional apparatus, it is preferable that the roller 59 is provided. Further dimensional adjustment is performed by the roller 59.

  In the illustrated embodiment, the rollers 59 are located on either side of the belt assembly 20 (although only one roller can be recognized in FIG. 4). Roller 59 preferably extends across the entire width of belt assembly 20 to provide the best dimensional adjustment at the belt surface.

  In one embodiment, the roller 59 is idle, and rotates as the belt assembly 20 moves as the belt assembly 20 passes the roller 59. In another embodiment, roller 59 is motorized, which causes roller 59 to rotate at a controlled speed.

  Thereafter, the formed belt assembly 20 is processed in a finishing device 60. In one embodiment, the finishing device 60 comprises a forming device, a dimensional inspection device, and a curing water bath that cools the jacket material and cord 46 to an appropriate temperature.

  Whether or not a desired shape is obtained is determined by an inspection device such as a known laser triangulation device.

  The resulting belt assembly 20 is then preferably stored on a spool for transporting the assembly 20 to a storage location 62, for example, to various locations for mounting the assembly 20 in an elevator installation. The belt assembly 20 may be pre-cut to a specific length or supplied in large quantities. At the time of installation, the technician selects the appropriate amount of belt material for a particular application.

  FIG. 5 schematically shows a molding apparatus 70 according to an embodiment for attaching the jacket 24 to the cord 46. Conventional devices include a plurality of cord supports that create a groove in at least one outer surface on the belt assembly 20. Since the present invention includes eliminating these grooves, conventional cord support devices having such cord support portions are preferably not used.

  The molding apparatus 70 of the embodiment of FIG. 5 includes a mold housing 72 having an inlet side 74. The code positioning device 76 is preferably arranged on the inlet side 74. The code positioning device 76 includes a plurality of openings 78 through which the code 46 is fed into the molding apparatus 70. The opening 78 is preferably precisely machined or otherwise formed so that precise tolerances are maintained between the outside of the cord 46 and the inside of the opening 78. The close contact between the opening 78 and the cord 46 prevents back flow of the jacket material during the molding process.

  As can be seen from FIG. 5, for example, when the cord 46 passes through the opening 78 in the cord positioning device 76, the end of the raised broken wire may not pass through the opening 78. This problem can cause twisting of the cord 46 and interruption of the belt manufacturing process.

  In one embodiment, the state of the cord 46 is checked as part of the jacket mounting process to avoid problems caused by the lifting of the end of the wire 40. Another detector as described above may be coupled to the forming device 70 at an appropriate location to properly attach the wire 40 during the belt manufacturing process.

  The mold housing 72 includes one or more openings 79 through which the jacket material is attached to the cord 46 using pressurized injection. As is well known in the prior art, jacket materials such as polyurethane are appropriately heated and pressure injection can be used for molding the material. Given this description, one of ordinary skill in the art will be able to select appropriate conditions to achieve the desired result.

  The molding apparatus 70 includes an opening 80 on the outlet side 82 of the mold housing 72. The opening 80 is preferably formed to adjust the profile of the belt assembly 20 and the surface of the assembly 20.

  The opening 80 in the molding apparatus 70 in the embodiment of FIG. 6 has a non-linear shape along a portion of the opening that forms the belt surface that contacts the sheave. This non-linear shape results in a difference in thickness of the belt assembly 20 as seen across the entire width of the belt 20. As can be seen from the figure, the portion of the belt assembly 20 corresponding to the location of the cord 46 is thinner than the portion of the assembly 20 where the cord 46 is not present.

  The non-linear shape of the non-uniform belt surfaces 86, 88 is designed to accommodate the amount of shrinkage across the width of the belt 20 that occurs during the finishing and curing of the belt assembly 20. The contraction amount of the belt 20 is considered to correspond to the cross section of the urethane jacket material. In the portion where the cord 46 is present, the amount of contraction of the belt 20 is reduced by the presence of cord material made of steel in some embodiments. The portions of the belt assembly 20 where the cord 46 is not present are temporarily thicker as they are more contracted in those portions of the assembly 20.

  By providing a change in thickness across the entire width of the belt assembly 20, it is finally easier to flatten the belt 20 and the surfaces 86 and 88 are aligned in parallel. The shape shown in FIG. 6 is unique in the method in the embodiment of manufacturing the belt assembly 20. In the conventional method, a forming wheel is provided as a part of the jacket mounting machine. Such a forming wheel operated to press the jacket material into a flatter shape as part of the initial cooling process. Therefore, the non-linear method of changing belt thickness, which is part of one embodiment of the present invention, corresponds to the change in shrinkage that occurs during the process of curing the belt in a special way.

  In one embodiment, the variation in jacket thickness provided by the opening 80 of the molding apparatus shown in FIG. 6 is approximately 0.05 to 0.10 mm. The overall dimensions of a particular belt assembly, the cord dimensions, and the jacket material selected will affect the specific thickness changes required in a particular situation. Given this description, one of ordinary skill in the art will be able to select appropriate dimensions to address the needs in a particular situation.

  In the present invention, the length of the belt or rope stock and the length of the cord stock are significantly increased. A simple cut of the strand or cord portion each time the wire breaks can result in an undesirable amount of material waste that can be of a length that cannot be used in most elevator installations. By using the method of the embodiment described above, the length of the cord and belt stock is significantly increased. In one embodiment, the length of the belt without a cut-weld joint in the tension member can be about 13 km. Therefore, the method of the embodiment makes the manufacturing process of the tension member much more economical and efficient.

  Embodiments of the present invention may include one or more broken wires at a point. In an embodiment where each strand is formed with seven wires and each cord is formed with seven strands, a single piece of wire reduces the tensile support performance of the continuous wire by about 2 percent. This slight difference does not significantly affect the strength of the cord because many wires are not degraded and there are multiple cords and some or most of the wires are not cut.

  According to the method of the embodiment, the cut wire can be treated to improve the production efficiency and economy associated with the manufacture and installation of elevator belts and ropes.

  The above description is illustrative rather than limiting. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and improvements can be made to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the spirit of the invention. The scope of legal protection afforded this invention can be determined by studying the following claims.

1 is a schematic diagram showing a portion of a belt assembly of an elevator. Schematic which shows the edge part of a jacket rope assembly. Schematic which shows the assembly process of an elevator belt. Schematic highlighting the situation where there is one or more broken wires in a belt assembly process that is somewhat detailed. Schematic highlighting the situation where there is one or more broken wires in a belt assembly process that is somewhat detailed. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a method of manufacturing a belt assembly designed according to an embodiment of the present invention. Schematic which shows the tool of the Example which implements the method in this invention. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating preferred features of the embodiment tool shown in FIG.

Claims (18)

(A) treating the plurality of wires (40) into at least one strand (42);
(B) processing the plurality of strands (42) into at least one cord (46);
(C) While performing steps (A) and (B), there is at least one broken wire end protruding from at least one strand (42) or at least one cord (46). Determining whether or not,
And (D) a step of processing the ends (44, 54) of the wires so that the ends (44, 54) of the cut wires do not protrude. A method for manufacturing the tension member used.   Step (D) is characterized by inserting the ends (44, 54) of the broken wire into the strands (42) or cords (46) corresponding to these ends (44, 54). The manufacturing method of the tension member used with the elevator apparatus of Claim 1.   Step (D) secures the ends (44, 54) of the broken wire to the outer surface of the strand (42) or cord (46) corresponding to these ends (44, 54). The manufacturing method of the tension member used with the elevator apparatus of Claim 1 characterized by the above-mentioned.   4. Elevator according to claim 3, characterized in that said step (D) brazes the end (44, 54) of said broken wire to a part of at least one adjacent unbroken wire. A method of manufacturing a tension member used in an apparatus.   4. Elevator apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said step (D) welds the end (44, 54) of said broken wire to a portion of at least one adjacent unbroken wire. The manufacturing method of the tension member used in.   4. The step (D) according to claim 3, characterized in that said broken wire ends (44, 54) are glued and fixed to a part of at least one adjacent unbroken wire. Method of manufacturing a tension member used in the elevator apparatus.   2. Elevator according to claim 1, characterized in that said step (D) twists the end (44, 54) of said broken wire around a portion of at least one adjacent unbroken wire. A method of manufacturing a tension member used in an apparatus.   The said step (D) cut | disconnects the protrusion part of the said wire, The manufacturing method of the tension member used with the elevator apparatus of Claim 1 characterized by the above-mentioned.   A jacket (24) mounted so as to cover at least one cord (46), and steps (C) and (D) are executed in relation to the step of mounting the jacket (24). The manufacturing method of the tension member used with the elevator apparatus of Claim 1 characterized by the above-mentioned. An elevator tension member assembly having a plurality of cords (46) covered by a jacket (24), the tension members comprising:
(A) treating the plurality of wires (40) into at least one strand (42);
(B) processing the plurality of strands (42) into at least one cord (46);
(C) attaching the jacket (24) so as to cover at least one cord (46);
(D) During at least step (A), step (B), at least one end of the cut wire protruding from at least one strand (42) or at least one cord (46) Determining whether it exists,
And (E) treating the ends (44, 54) of these wires so that the ends (44, 54) of the cut wires do not protrude, and are manufactured by a method comprising: Elevator tension member assembly.   The method of step (E) involves inserting the broken wire ends (44, 54) into strands (42) or cords (46) corresponding to these ends (44, 54). The elevator tension member assembly of claim 10.   In the method of step (E), the broken wire ends (44, 54) are placed on the outer surface of the strand (42) or cord (46) corresponding to these ends (44, 54). The elevator tension member assembly according to claim 10, wherein the tension member assembly is fixed.   Fixing the end (44, 54) of the cut wire comprises brazing the end (44, 54) to a portion of at least one adjacent uncut wire. The elevator tension member assembly according to claim 12.   Fixing the end (44, 54) of the cut wire comprises welding the end (44, 54) to a portion of at least one adjacent uncut wire. The elevator tension member assembly according to claim 1.   The fixing of the ends (44, 54) of the broken wire is characterized in that the ends (44, 54) are bonded and fixed to a part of at least one adjacent uncut wire. The elevator tension member assembly of claim 12.   11. The elevator tension member assembly of claim 10 wherein the method of step (E) cuts the protruding portion of the broken wire.   11. The method of step (E), characterized in that the ends (44, 54) of the broken wire are twisted around a portion of at least one adjacent unbroken wire. Elevator tension member assembly. 11. The elevator tension member assembly according to claim 10, wherein step (D) and step (E) are performed by the above method in connection with performing step (C).

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