Elevator system suspension member termination with improved pressure distribution

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10689230-B2
Application number	US-201715829434-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 1, 2017
Priority date	Dec 2, 2016
Publication date	Jun 23, 2020
Grant date	Jun 23, 2020

Abstract

A termination device for a suspension member of an elevator system includes a housing, and a wedge assembly positioned in the housing. The wedge assembly is interactive with the suspension member to apply a clamping force to the suspension member in response to an axial load acting on the suspension member. The wedge assembly includes a compressible cushion configured to increase uniformity of the clamping force applied to the suspension member by the wedge assembly. An elevator system includes a hoistway, an elevator car located in the hoistway, a suspension member operably connected to the elevator car to suspend and/or drive the elevator car along the hoistway, and a termination device located in the hoistway and operably connected to a suspension member end of the suspension member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A termination device for a suspension member of an elevator system comprising:
a housing; and
a wedge assembly disposed in the housing, the wedge assembly interactive with the suspension member to apply a clamping force to the suspension member in response to an axial load acting on the suspension member, the wedge assembly including a compressible cushion configured to increase uniformity of the clamping force applied to the suspension member by the wedge assembly;
wherein the wedge assembly includes:
an interface plate configured to abut the suspension member; and
a wedge abutting an inner housing surface;
wherein the compressible cushion is disposed between the interface plate and the wedge, the compressible cushion abutting both the interface plate and the wedge.

2. The termination device of claim 1 , wherein a distance between the inner housing surface and the suspension member axis varies along its length.

3. The termination device of claim 1 , wherein the wedge and the interface plate are interlocked along a direction parallel to the suspension member axis.

4. The termination device of claim 1 , wherein the cushion includes:
a shell; and
a filler material disposed in the shell.

5. The termination device of claim 4 , wherein the filler material is one or more of a polymer, a rubber, a gel, a liquid, or a free flowing powder or granulate material.

6. The elevator system of claim 5 , wherein the free flowing powder or granulate material is formed from spherical particles of a metal or ceramic material.

7. The termination device of claim 4 , wherein the shell is formed from a metal material.

8. The termination device of claim 1 , comprising two wedge assemblies disposed at opposing sides of the suspension member axis.

9. An elevator system comprising:
a hoistway;
an elevator car disposed in the hoistway;
a suspension member operably connected to the elevator car to suspend and/or drive the elevator car along the hoistway; and
a termination device disposed in the hoistway and operably connected to a suspension member end of the suspension member, the termination device including:
a housing; and
a wedge assembly disposed in the housing, the wedge assembly interactive with the suspension member to apply a clamping force to the suspension member in response to an axial load acting on the suspension member, the wedge assembly including a compressible cushion configured to increase uniformity of the clamping force applied to the suspension member by the wedge assembly;
wherein the wedge assembly includes:
an interface plate configured to abut the suspension member; and
a wedge abutting an inner housing surface;
wherein the compressible cushion is disposed between the interface plate and the wedge, the compressible cushion abutting both the interface plate and the wedge.

10. The elevator system of claim 9 , wherein a distance between the inner housing surface and the suspension member axis varies along its length.

11. The elevator system of claim 9 , wherein the wedge and the interface plate are interlocked along a direction parallel to the suspension member axis.

12. The elevator system of claim 9 , wherein the cushion includes:
a shell; and
a filler material disposed in the shell.

13. The elevator system of claim 12 , wherein the filler material is one or more of a polymer, a rubber, a gel, a liquid, or a free flowing powder or granulate material with spherical particles.

14. The elevator system of claim 13 , wherein the spherical particles are formed from one of a metal or ceramic material.

15. The elevator system of claim 12 , wherein the shell is formed from a metal material.

16. The elevator system of claim 9 , comprising two wedge assemblies disposed at opposing sides of the suspension member axis.

17. The elevator system of claim 9 , wherein the suspension member includes:
a plurality of tension elements extending along a length of the suspension member, each tension element including a plurality of fibers extending along the length of the suspension member bonded into a polymer matrix; and
a jacket substantially retaining the plurality of tension members.

18. The elevator system of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of fibers are formed from one or more of carbon, glass, polyester, nylon, or aramid material.

Assignees

• Otis Elevator Co

Inventors

• Kuczek Andrzej Ernest
• Rampone Joseph C

Classifications

• B66B7/062

  Belts · CPC title

• B66B7/08 Primary

  for connection to the cars or cages, e.g. couplings · 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

• B66B7/085 Primary

  Belt termination devices · CPC title