Elevator virtual aerodynamic shroud

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10246300-B2
Application number	US-201615185571-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 17, 2016
Priority date	Jun 30, 2015
Publication date	Apr 2, 2019
Grant date	Apr 2, 2019

Abstract

An elevator car ( 20 ) comprises: a cab ( 24 ) having a top, a bottom, a left side, a right side, a front, and a back, the front having a door ( 50 ); and a frame ( 22 ) supporting the cab. The cab comprises a perimeter shroud ( 120; 320; 420; 620 ) protruding above a surface of the top and leaving a well ( 130 ) exposing a central portion of an upper surface ( 60 ) of the top; the perimeter shroud protrudes above the upper surface; and the perimeter shroud has, in vertical section, a curved portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An elevator car comprising:
a cab having a top, a bottom, a left side, a right side, a front, and a back, the front having a door, a vertical direction going from the bottom to the top;
a frame supporting the cab; and
a fan,

wherein;
the cab comprises a perimeter shroud protruding above a surface of the top and leaving a well exposing a central portion of an upper surface of the top;
the perimeter shroud protrudes above the upper surface;
the perimeter shroud has, when viewed in vertical section, a curved portion;
the fan is under the perimeter shroud aside the well; and
the perimeter shroud covers the fan.

2. The elevator car of claim 1 wherein:
the perimeter shroud extends at least 250° around the perimeter of the top.

3. The elevator car of claim 1 wherein:
the perimeter shroud extends fully around the perimeter of the top.

4. The elevator car of claim 1 wherein:
the perimeter shroud leaves a door exposed.

5. The elevator car of claim 1 wherein:
the fan is positioned to drive an air flow through ports in the perimeter shroud.

6. The elevator car of claim 1 wherein:
the perimeter shroud encloses a fuse or circuit breaker box.

7. The elevator car of claim 1 wherein:
the perimeter shroud encloses electrical equipment.

8. The elevator car of claim 1 wherein:
the frame comprises: a crosshead ( 28 ), a pair of stiles ( 26 , 27 ), and a bolster ( 30 ).

9. The elevator car of claim 8 wherein:
the crosshead is spaced above the perimeter shroud by a gap of at least 0.5 m.

10. The elevator car of claim 1 wherein:
the perimeter shroud has a depth of 0.2 m to 0.5 m.

11. The elevator car of claim 1 wherein:
the perimeter shroud protrudes above the upper surface by 0.1 m to 0.4 m; and
the curved portion has a radius of curvature of 0.05 m to 0.60 m over an arc of at least 45°.

12. The elevator car of claim 1 wherein:
the curved portion has a radius of curvature of 0.15 to 0.30 m over an arc of at least 80°.

13. The elevator car of claim 12 wherein:
the curved portion has a said radius of curvature over a continuous said arc.

14. The elevator car of claim 1 further comprising:
a toe guard depending from the elevator along at least one side; and
a bottom perimeter shroud along at least two sides.

15. The elevator car of claim 1 wherein:
the perimeter shroud, in vertical section, is continuously curving over said arc.

16. The elevator car of claim 1 wherein:
said arc extends to within 0.05 m of an apex of the perimeter shroud.

17. The elevator car of claim 1 wherein:
said arc is formed along an extruded plastic member or along a bent sheet.

18. The elevator car of claim 1 wherein:
the curved portion is effective to provide at least one of a noise reduction or a drag reduction.

19. A method for retrofitting an elevator car to form the elevator car of claim 1 , the method comprising:
installing the perimeter shroud.

20. An elevator car comprising:
a cab having a top, a bottom, a left side, a right side, a front, and a back, the front having a door, a vertical direction going from the bottom to the top;
a frame supporting the cab; and
electrical equipment atop the cab,

wherein;
the cab comprises a perimeter shroud protruding above a surface of the top and leaving a well exposing a central portion of an upper surface of the top;
the perimeter shroud protrudes above the upper surface;
the perimeter shroud has, when viewed in vertical section, a curved portion; and
the perimeter shroud encloses the electrical equipment aside the well below the curved portion.

Assignees

• Otis Elevator Co

Inventors

• Polak David R
• Lin Ray-Sing
• Parekh David E
• Thompson Mark S

Classifications

• B66B19/007

  method for modernisation of elevators · CPC title

• B66B13/30

  Constructional features of doors or gates (of interest apart from this application E06B) · CPC title

• B66B11/0226 Primary

  Constructional features, e.g. walls assembly, decorative panels, comfort equipment, thermal or sound insulation · CPC title

• B66B11/0206

  Car frames · CPC title

• B66B11/024

  Ventilation systems · CPC title