Spring useful for elevator safety device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10927915-B2
Application number	US-201715843781-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 15, 2017
Priority date	Dec 15, 2017
Publication date	Feb 23, 2021
Grant date	Feb 23, 2021

Abstract

An illustrative example spring includes a curved shape body having a length. The body includes a cavity that extends along at least a majority of the length. The body has a cross-section across the length that is different at a plurality of locations on the body along the length.

First claim

We claim:

1. A spring comprising a curved C-shape body having a length between two ends of the C-shape, the body including a cavity that extends in a lengthwise direction along at least a majority of the length, the body having a cross-section across the length, the cross-section being different at a plurality of locations on the body along the length, the body having outer surfaces oriented transverse to the length and a plurality of webs between the outer surfaces, wherein the webs and the outer surfaces and the webs form two I-beams along the length joined side-by-side and the cavity is defined between the two I-beams.

2. The spring of claim 1 , wherein the cavity extends along an entirety of the length.

3. The spring of claim 2 , wherein the cavity has a different cross-sectional dimension at the plurality of locations.

4. The spring of claim 1 , wherein
the spring exerts a spring force; and
a ratio of a moment of inertia of the spring to the spring force is essentially constant along the length.

5. The spring of claim 4 , wherein
the body has a height in a direction transverse to the length; and
the height has a maximum near a center of the C-shape between the two ends.

6. The spring of claim 1 , wherein the body comprises a high strength steel.

7. The spring of claim 6 , wherein the body is formed by at least one of casting and three-dimensional printing.

8. The spring of claim 1 , wherein the spring exerts a spring force toward an inside of the C-shape.

9. The spring of claim 1 , wherein the cavity has a different cross-sectional dimension at the plurality of locations.

10. An elevator safety device comprising
a spring comprising a curved C-shape body having a length between two ends of the C-shape, the body including a cavity that extends in a lengthwise direction along at least a majority of the length, the body having a cross-section across the length, the cross-section being different at a plurality of locations on the body along the length, the body having outer surfaces oriented transverse to the length and a plurality of webs between the outer surfaces, wherein the webs and the outer surfaces and the webs form two I-beams along the length joined side-by-side and the cavity is defined between the two I-beams; and
at least one brake member that is configured to engage a surface in a hoistway for stopping an elevator car, wherein the spring urges the at least one brake member in a direction to engage the surface.

11. The elevator safety device of claim 10 , wherein
an inside of the ends are situated to urge a respective brake member toward an inside of the C-shape.

12. The elevator safety device of claim 11 , wherein
the safety device comprises a brake housing;
the respective brake members are supported on the brake housing for movement in a first direction between a disengaged position and a braking position; and
the spring urges the brake members in a second direction that is transverse to the first direction.

13. The elevator safety device of claim 12 , wherein the body flexes outwardly responsive to the brake members moving into the braking position while urging the brake members toward the inside of the C-shape.

Assignees

• Otis Elevator Co

Inventors

• Manes Enrico
• Barth Robert A
• Luo Xiaodong
• Chen Shihemn
• Marvin Daryl J
• Klecka Michael A
• Mishler Luke A

Classifications

• B66B5/22

  by means of linearly-movable wedges (B66B5/24 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B66B5/0031

  for safety reasons · CPC title

• B33Y80/00

  Products made by additive manufacturing · CPC title

• F16F1/187 Primary

  shaped into an open profile, i.e. C- or U-shaped · CPC title

• F16F2224/0208

  Alloys · CPC title