Ropeless high-rise elevator installation approach

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9884744-B2
Application number	US-201315101220-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 5, 2013
Priority date	Dec 5, 2013
Publication date	Feb 6, 2018
Grant date	Feb 6, 2018

Abstract

A method ( 160 ) for constructing a building ( 92 ) with an elevator system ( 20 ) is disclosed. The method ( 160 ) may include forming a first hoistway ( 22 ) for the elevator system ( 20 ) within two adjacent levels ( 82, 84 ) of the building ( 92 ), installing a first stationary part ( 54 ) of a first linear permanent magnet motor within the first hoistway ( 22 ), placing a first elevator car ( 24 ) within the first hoistway ( 22 ), mounting a first moving part ( 52 ) of the first linear permanent magnet motor on the first elevator car ( 24 ), and using the first stationary part ( 54 ) and the first moving part ( 52 ) of the first linear permanent magnet motor to generate a vertical thrust force to move the first elevator car ( 24 ) within the first hoistway ( 22 ), the first elevator car ( 24 ) carrying at least one of passengers, equipment and materials for construction of upper levels of the elevator system ( 20 ) and the building ( 92 ).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for constructing a building with an elevator system, the method comprising:
forming a first hoistway for the elevator system within two adjacent levels of the building;
installing a first stationary part of a first linear permanent magnet motor within the first hoistway;
placing a first elevator car within the first hoistway;
mounting a first moving part of the first linear permanent magnet motor on the first elevator car;
using the first stationary part and the first moving part of the first linear permanent magnet motor to generate a vertical thrust force to move the first elevator car within the first hoistway, the first elevator car carrying at least one of passengers, equipment and materials for construction of upper levels of the elevator system and the building
forming a second hoistway for the elevator system next to, and distinct from, the first hoistway;
installing a second stationary part of a second linear permanent magnet motor within the second hoistway;
mounting a second moving part of the second linear permanent magnet motor on the second elevator car;
placing a second elevator car within the second hoistway; and
coupling the first and second elevator cars together such that they share an interior compartment, wherein the first coupled elevator car is located within the first hoistway and the first coupled elevator car is programed to move upwards and downwards within the first hoistway, and wherein the second coupled elevator car is located within the second hoistway and the second coupled elevator car is programed to move upwards and downwards within the second hoistway.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carrying at least one of passengers, equipment and materials for construction of upper levels of the elevator system and the building is performed prior to a final construction of the elevator system.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising installing an oversized elevator car in the first and second hoistways, and utilizing the first and second linear permanent magnet motors to provide a thrust force to move the oversized elevator car vertically within the first and second hoistways.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising utilizing a plurality of elevator cars within the first hoistway.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising utilizing a top or bottom surface of the first elevator car to transport loads within the first hoistway.

6. A ropeless elevator system, comprising:
a first elevator hoistway;
a second elevator hoistway;
an upper transfer station positioned at or above a top level of the first and second hoistways;
a lower transfer station positioned at or below a bottom level of the first and second hoistways;
a plurality of elevator cars configured to travel in at least one of the first and second elevator hoistways, wherein each of the plurality of elevator cars includes a control unit; and
an elevator propulsion system comprising:
at least one first stationary portion positioned in the first elevator hoistway,
at least one second stationary portion positioned in the second elevator hoistway, and
a plurality of moving portions, the plurality of moving portions being selectively operatively connected to the plurality of elevator cars,
wherein the plurality of moving portions selectively operatively connected to the plurality of elevator cars interact with at least one of the first and second stationary portions to provide a motive force to move the plurality of elevator cars within at least one of the first and second elevator hoistways,
wherein at least two of the plurality of elevator cars are operatively connected to each other such that the moving portions selectively operatively connected to the at least two of the plurality of elevator cars are provided a combined motive force by the moving portions selectively operatively connected thereto,
wherein the control units of the plurality of elevator cars are programmed to operate the plurality of elevator cars within a loop when the plurality of elevator cars are not operatively connected to each other, wherein the loop includes the first hoistway, the upper transfer station, the second hoistway, and the lower transfer station,
wherein the control units of the plurality of elevator cars are programmed to operate the plurality of elevator cars bi-directionally within the first and second hoistways when the at least two of the plurality of elevator cars are operatively connected to each other,
wherein at least a first and second car of the at least two of the plurality of elevator cars are coupled to one and other when the at least two of the plurality of elevator cars are operatively connected to each other,
wherein the control unit of the first car is programed to operate the first car bidirectionally within the first hoistway when the first car is coupled to the second car, and
wherein the control unit of the second car is programed to operate the second car bidirectionally within the second hoistway when the first car is coupled to the second car.

7. The ropeless elevator system of claim 6 , wherein the moving portions selectively operatively connected to the at least two of the plurality of elevator cars operatively connected to each other are synchronized with each other in order to move the elevator cars at a same speed and direction.

8. The ropeless elevator system of claim 6 , further comprising an oversized elevator car that is larger than the first elevator car or the second elevator car, and wherein the elevator propulsion system includes moving portions selectively operatively connected to the oversized elevator car.

9. The ropeless elevator system of claim 8 , wherein the interaction of the moving portions selectively operatively connected to the oversized elevator car and the stationary portions positioned in the first and second hoistways generate a thrust force to move the oversized elevator car in a vertical direction within the first and second hoistways.

10. The ropeless elevator system of claim 6 , further comprising extended moving portions selectively operatively connected to the at least two of the plurality of elevator cars operatively connected to each other, which generate a greater thrust force to support an increased weight load of the elevator cars connected to each other.

11. A method for operating a ropeless elevator system, the ropeless elevator system including a first hoistway, a second hoistway, an upper transfer station positioned above the first and second hoistways, and a lower transfer station positioned below the first and second hoistways, the method comprising:
circulating a plurality of elevator cars in a loop around the first hoistway, the upper transfer station, the second hoistway, and the lower transfer station;
stopping circulation of the plurality of elevator cars in the loop;
coupling two elevator cars together, wherein a first coupled elevator car of the two coupled elevator cars is within the first hoistway, wherein a second coupled elevator car of the two coupled elevator cars is within the second hoistway; and
moving the coupled elevator cars upwards or downwards within the first and second hoistways, wherein the first coupled elevator car moves within the first hoistway, and wherein the second coupled elevator car moves within the second hoistway.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising synchronizing motors of the coupled elevator cars together such that the coupled elevator cars move at a same speed and direction.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising inserting a cargo car within the first and second hoistways, the cargo c

Assignees

• Otis Elevator Co

Inventors

• Witczak Tadeusz
• Hardesty Martin J
• Piech Zbigniew

Classifications

• B66B9/02

  actuated mechanically otherwise than by rope or cable · CPC title

• B66B11/04

  Driving gear {; Details thereof, e.g. seals (braking devices acting on the driving gear B66B5/02; of mining-hoist winding devices B66B15/08)} · CPC title

• B66B9/003 Primary

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

• B66B11/0407

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

• B66B19/00

  Mining-hoist operation · CPC title