Synchronized electronic safety actuator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10562739-B2
Application number	US-201715686358-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 25, 2017
Priority date	Aug 25, 2017
Publication date	Feb 18, 2020
Grant date	Feb 18, 2020

Abstract

A selectively operable braking device for an elevator system. The braking device includes a safety brake adapted to be wedged against a guide rail when moved from a non-braking state into a braking state. Also included is an engagement mechanism moveable between an engaged position and a non-engaged position, the engagement mechanism comprising bar pinions each having teeth and connected to at least one of the other bar pinions with a meshed engagement of the teeth, the engagement mechanism configured to move the safety brake between the non-braking state and braking state when the engagement mechanism moves between the non-engaged position and the engaged position. Further included is a plurality of magnetic brake pads, each of the brake pads coupled to one of the bar pinions, wherein movement of one of the brake pads into the engaged position causes movement of the other magnetic brake pads into the engaged position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A selectively operable braking device for an elevator system including a car and a guide rail, comprising:
a safety brake disposed on the car and adapted to be wedged against the guide rail when moved from a non-braking state into a braking state;
an engagement mechanism moveable between an engaged position and a non-engaged position, the engagement mechanism comprising a plurality of bar pinions each having a plurality of teeth and operatively connected to at least one of the other plurality of bar pinions with a meshed engagement of the plurality of teeth, the engagement mechanism operatively coupled to the safety brake and configured to move the safety brake between the non-braking state and braking state when the engagement mechanism moves between the non-engaged position and the engaged position; and
a plurality of magnetic brake pads, each of the brake pads operatively coupled to one of the plurality of bar pinions, wherein movement of one of the magnetic brake pads into the engaged position causes movement of the other magnetic brake pads into the engaged position.

2. The braking device of claim 1 , wherein each of the bar pinions are operatively coupled to one of the magnetic brake pads at a first location of each bar pinion and operatively coupled to a connector plate at a second location of each bar pinion, the connector plate coupled to a linkage operatively coupled to the safety brake.

3. The braking device of claim 2 , wherein the engagement mechanism includes four bar pinions, two of the bar pinions disposed on a first side of the guide rail and two of the bar pinions disposed on a second side of the guide rail.

4. The braking device of claim 3 , wherein each of the bar pinions is in toothed engagement with two other bar pinions.

5. The braking device of claim 2 , wherein the engagement mechanism includes two bar pinions, one of the bar pinions disposed on a first side of the guide rail and the other bar pinion disposed on a second side of the guide rail.

6. The braking device of claim 2 , wherein the engagement mechanism includes two bar pinions, both of the bar pinions disposed on the same side of the guide rail.

7. The braking device of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of electromagnetic actuators, each of the electromagnetic actuators positioned to electromagnetically drive one of the plurality of magnetic brake pads between the non-engaged position and engaged position.

8. The braking device of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the electromagnetic actuators is in operable communication with a controller, the controller configured to control the electricity supplied to the at least one of the electromagnetic actuators.

9. The braking device of claim 8 , wherein the at least one of the electromagnetic actuators is configured to move the respective magnetic brake pad into the engaged position upon at least one of a reduction, an elimination, and an application of the electricity supplied by the controller.

10. The braking device of claim 8 , wherein the at least one of the electromagnetic actuators is configured to return each of the plurality of magnetic brake pads into the non-engaged position upon reversal of the electricity supplied by the controller.

11. The braking device of claim 1 , wherein the engagement mechanism is configured to synchronize the movement of the plurality of magnetic brake pads between the non-engaged position and the engaged position.

12. An elevator system comprising:
a hoistway;
a guide rail disposed in the hoistway;
a car operably coupled to the guide rail by a car frame for upward and downward travel in the hoistway;
a safety brake disposed on the car and adapted to be wedged against the guide rail when moved from a non-braking state into a braking state;
an engagement mechanism moveable between an engaged position and a non-engaged position, the engagement mechanism comprising a plurality of bar pinions each having a plurality of teeth and operatively connected to at least one of the other plurality of bar pinions with a meshed engagement of the plurality of teeth, the engagement mechanism operatively coupled to the safety brake and configured to move the safety brake between the non-braking state and braking state when the engagement mechanism moves between the non-engaged position and the engaged position; and
a plurality of magnetic brake pads, each of the brake pads operatively coupled to one of the plurality of bar pinions, wherein movement of one of the magnetic brake pads into the engaged position causes movement of the other magnetic brake pads into the engaged position.

13. The elevator system of claim 12 , wherein each of the bar pinions are operatively coupled to one of the magnetic brake pads at a first location of each bar pinion and operatively coupled to a connector plate at a second location of each bar pinion, the connector plate coupled to a linkage operatively coupled to the safety brake.

14. The elevator system of claim 13 , wherein the engagement mechanism includes four bar pinions, two of the bar pinions disposed on a first side of the guide rail and two of the bar pinions disposed on a second side of the guide rail.

15. The elevator system of claim 14 , wherein each of the bar pinions is in toothed engagement with two other bar pinions.

16. The elevator system of claim 13 , wherein the engagement mechanism includes two bar pinions, one of the bar pinions disposed on a first side of the guide rail and the other bar pinion disposed on a second side of the guide rail.

17. The elevator system of claim 13 , wherein the engagement mechanism includes two bar pinions, both of the bar pinions disposed on the same side of the guide rail.

18. A selectively operable braking device for an elevator system including a car and a guide rail, comprising:
a safety brake disposed on the car and adapted to be wedged against the guide rail when moved from a non-braking state into a braking state;
a first magnetic brake pad moveable between an engaged condition and a non-engaged condition with the guide rail;
a second magnetic brake pad moveable between the engaged condition and the non-engaged condition with the guide rail;
a first toothed rack operatively coupled to the first magnetic brake pad and moveable therewith;
a second toothed rack operatively coupled to the second magnetic brake pad and moveable therewith; and
a pinion in toothed engagement with the first toothed rack and the second toothed rack, wherein the operative connection between the toothed racks with the pinion imparts movement of one of the magnetic brake pads upon movement of the other magnetic brake pad.

Assignees

• Otis Elevator Co

Inventors

• Hu Guohong

Classifications

• F16H19/04

  comprising a rack · CPC title

• F16H19/02

  for interconverting rotary {or oscillating} motion and reciprocating motion · CPC title

• B66B5/18

  and applying frictional retarding forces · CPC title

• B66B5/16 Primary

  Braking or catch devices operating between cars, cages, or skips and fixed guide elements or surfaces in hoistway or well · CPC title

• B66B9/00

  Kinds or types of lifts in, or associated with, buildings or other structures (characterised by control systems B66B1/00; apparatus for raising or lowering persons on stages of theatres A63J5/12) · CPC title