Alignment system for an elevator car

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017057784-A1
Application number	US-201615244129-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 23, 2016
Priority date	Aug 25, 2015
Publication date	Mar 2, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

An elevator system includes a lane and at least one rail extending along the lane. The at least one rail includes a first end portion and a second end portion. A transfer station is arranged at one of the first end portion and the second end portion, and an alignment system is arranged at the transfer station. The alignment system includes at least one guide member configured and disposed to establish a desired alignment between an elevator car and the at least one rail.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An elevator system comprising:
a lane; at least one rail extending along the lane, the at least one rail including a first end portion and a second end portion; a transfer station arranged at one of the first end portion and the second end portion; and an alignment system arranged at the transfer station, the alignment system including at least one guide member configured and disposed to establish a desired alignment between an elevator car and the at least one rail.

2 . The elevator system according to claim 1 , further comprising: an elevator car arranged at the transfer station, the elevator car including at least one roller configured and disposed to traverse the at least one guide member and engage the at least one rail.

3 . The elevator system according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one rail includes a first surface, an opposing, second surface, and a third surface extending between the first and second surfaces, the at least one roller including a first roller and a second roller, the first roller being configured and disposed to engage the first surface and the second roller being configured and disposed to engage the third surface.

4 . The elevator system according to claim 3 , wherein the at least one guide member includes a first guide member and a second guide member, the first guide member being configured and disposed to guide the first roller onto the first surface and the second guide member being configured and disposed to guide the second roller onto the third surface.

5 . The elevator system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one guide member includes a tapered surface.

6 . The elevator system according to claim 5 , wherein the tapered surface is curvilinear.

7 . The elevator system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one guide member is arranged at the one of the first and second end portions of the at least one rail.

8 . The elevator system according to claim 7 , wherein the at least one guide member is mounted to the lane at the one of the first and second end portions.

9 . The elevator system according to claim 1 , wherein the elevator car includes a linear motor moveable portion and the lane includes a linear motor fixed portion, the alignment system further establishing a desired alignment of the moveable portion and the fixed portion of the linear motor.

10 . A method of aligning an elevator car with at least one rail in a transfer station, the method comprising:
positioning the elevator car in the transfer station associated with a lane; locating at least one guide element on the elevator car adjacent to at least one guide member provided at one of a first and second end portions of the at least one rail; and shifting the elevator car into the lane causing the at least one guide element to traverse along the at least one guide member to align the elevator car with the at least one rail.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein locating the at least one guide element includes positioning at least one roller mounted on the elevator car at the at least one guide member.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein positioning the at least one roller includes positioning a first roller configured to rotate about a first axis at a first guide member, and a second roller configured to rotate about a second axis, substantially orthogonal relative to the first axis at a second guide member.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein shifting the elevator car includes guiding the first roller onto a first surface of the at least one rail along the first guide member and guiding the second roller onto a second surface of the at least one rail along the second guide member.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising: guiding a third roller configured and disposed to rotate about a third axis that is substantially parallel to the first axis onto a third surface of the at least one rail.

15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein shifting the elevator car includes transitioning the at least one guide element along a tapered surface of the at least one guide member.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein transitioning the at least one guide element along the tapered surface includes transitioning the at least one guide element along a curvilinear surface.

17 . The method of claim 10 , wherein shifting the elevator car into the lane further includes aligning drive components that provide motivational power to shift the elevator car along the lane.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein aligning drive components includes aligning a motor primary of a linear motor with a motor secondary of a linear motor.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein aligning the motor primary with the motor secondary includes positioning the motor primary extending from the lane adjacent at least one motor secondary provided on the car.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein positioning the motor primary includes locating the motor primary between a first motor secondary portion and a second motor secondary portion of the at least one motor secondary.

Assignees

• Otis Elevator Co

Inventors

• Witczak Tadeusz Pawel
• Swaybill Bruce P
• Piech Zbigniew
• Ericson Richard J
• Kulak Richard E

Classifications

• B66B1/40 Primary

  and for correct levelling at landings · CPC title

• B66B11/0407

  actuated by an electrical linear motor (in the counterweight B66B17/12) · CPC title

• B66B9/003

  for lateral transfer of car or frame, e.g. between vertical hoistways or to/from a parking position · CPC title

• B66B7/02 Primary

  Guideways; Guides (arrangements in mine shafts E21D7/02) · CPC title

• B66B7/046

  Rollers · CPC title