Double deck elevator with linear actuator adjustment mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11117786-B2
Application number	US-201815871220-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 15, 2018
Priority date	Jan 15, 2018
Publication date	Sep 14, 2021
Grant date	Sep 14, 2021

Abstract

An illustrative example elevator assembly includes a header beam and a first elevator cab supported by the header beam. A plurality of vertically oriented rods extend beneath the first elevator cab. A horizontally oriented mid-beam is coupled to a first one of the rods near a first end of the mid-beam and coupled to a second one of the rods near a second end of the mid-beam. A second elevator cab is situated beneath the first elevator cab and beneath the mid-beam. At least one linear actuator is supported at least partially on the mid-beam. The linear actuator selectively causes vertical movement of the second elevator cab relative to the rods.

First claim

We claim:

1. An elevator assembly, comprising:
a single cab frame including a header beam and vertically oriented side frame members secured to the header beam;
a first elevator cab supported by the single cab frame such that the first elevator cab remains in a set position relative to the single cab frame;
a plurality of vertically oriented rods extending beneath the first elevator cab and the single cab frame;
a horizontally oriented mid-beam coupled to a first one of the rods near a first end of the mid-beam and coupled to a second one of the rods near a second end of the mid-beam;
a second elevator cab suspended beneath the first elevator cab and situated beneath the mid-beam, a portion of each of the vertically oriented rods being the only vertically oriented support members supporting a load of the second elevator cab; and
at least one linear actuator supported at least partially on the mid-beam, the linear actuator selectively causing vertical movement of the second elevator cab relative to the rods and relative to the first elevator cab that remains in the set position relative to the header beam.

2. The elevator assembly of claim 1 , wherein
the at least one linear actuator comprises at least one rotatable shaft aligned with the mid-beam.

3. The elevator assembly of claim 2 , wherein the at least one linear actuator comprises at least one of
a worm gear device,
a ball screw device,
a roller screw device,
a lead screw device, and
a jack screw device.

4. The elevator assembly of claim 1 , wherein
the rods are threaded;
the second elevator cab includes a plurality of nuts secured in a fixed position relative to the second elevator cab;
the plurality of nuts are received on the rods; and
the at least one linear actuator selectively causes rotation of the rods to cause the vertical movement of the second elevator cab relative to the rods.

5. The elevator assembly of claim 1 , wherein
the single cab frame includes a plurality of rod supports secured in a fixed position relative to the first elevator cab; and
the rods are supported by the rod supports to allow rotation of the rods relative to the first elevator cab.

6. The elevator assembly of claim 5 , wherein
the rod supports comprise nuts; and
the rods move vertically relative to the first elevator cab as the rods rotate.

7. The elevator assembly of claim 1 , wherein
the at least one linear actuator comprises at least one rotatable shaft aligned with the mid-beam; and
the at least one linear actuator comprises at least one gear that translates rotation of the at least one rotatable shaft into rotation of the rods.

8. The elevator assembly of claim 7 , wherein the at least one gear is supported on the mid-beam.

9. The elevator assembly of claim 1 , comprising
a roping arrangement secured to the header beam, and wherein
the roping arrangement is configured to support a load of the first elevator cab and a load of the second elevator cab.

Assignees

• Otis Elevator Co

Inventors

• Chaudhry Zaffir A
• Manes Enrico
• Schmidt Walter Thomas

Classifications

• B66B11/0213 Primary

  for multi-deck cars · CPC title

• B66B11/022 Primary

  with changeable inter-deck distances · CPC title

• B66F7/0666

  Multiple scissor linkages vertically arranged · CPC title