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EP 1 215 159 B1 |
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EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION |
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Mention of the grant of the patent: |
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18.11.2009 Bulletin 2009/47 |
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Date of filing: 14.12.2001 |
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International Patent Classification (IPC):
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Below the car retractable apron
Unter dem Fahrkorb einziehbare Schürze
Tablier rétractable sous la cabine
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Designated Contracting States: |
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AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE TR |
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Priority: |
14.12.2000 FI 20002743
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Date of publication of application: |
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19.06.2002 Bulletin 2002/25 |
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Proprietor: Kone Corporation |
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00330 Helsinki (FI) |
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Inventors: |
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- Steen, Marco
02580 Siuntio (FI)
- Laitinen, Jukka
00300 Helsinki (FI)
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Representative: Zipse Habersack Kritzenberger |
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Patentanwälte
Wotanstrasse 64 80639 München 80639 München (DE) |
(56) |
References cited: :
EP-A- 1 118 576
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US-A- 6 095 288
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Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European
patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to
the European patent
granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall
not be deemed to
have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent
Convention).
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[0001] The present invention relates to an apron as defined in the preamble of claim 1,
used as a safety device in an elevator. Such an apron is shown in
EP-A-1118576.
[0002] When an elevator car is stuck between floors in an elevator shaft, the situation
is an emergency in which it is necessary to ensure that passengers will not fall into
the elevator shaft when trying to get away to the floor below. When the elevator stops
in the shaft between floors, there may remain a large gap between the lower edge of
the car and the floor below, in which case it may be difficult for a passenger to
get away from the elevator. In prior art, the lower edge of the car is provided with
a safety device, a so-called tabular apron, to prevent passengers from falling down
into the elevator shaft in a rescue situation. When getting out of the car, passengers
can kick themselves off the apron onto the floor below without falling down into the
shaft. It is also possible to take advantage of the apron in elevator maintenance
work. In prior-art solutions, the apron is always in a position where it extends downward
from the car in a direction perpendicular to the car floor. Therefore, it requires
a large space below the car when the elevator descends to the lowest floor. If a larger
space is to be provided below the elevator car to accommodate the apron, considerable
additional costs will be incurred.
[0003] In elevators in which the shaft bottom space is lower than the height of the required
apron, the apron cannot be mounted in a fixed upright position throughout its height.
In prior art, to solve the problems caused by a low shaft bottom space regarding the
apron, e.g. a telescoping metal panel structure has been used, in which case, when
the elevator comes to the bottom floor, the panel has to be divided horizontally into
a large number of narrow strips. It may be difficult to use if the shaft bottom space
is considerably lower than the panel. Another safeguard used in prior art is a metal
panel that comes off when the elevator is driven onto the buffer provided on the shaft
bottom to stop the elevator when necessary. According to specification
US 6095288, a retractable toe guard has been developed for use in an elevator solution with
a low shaft bottom space. However, when a telescoping solution is used, there may
be the problem that the panel collapses or comes loose when subjected to a vertical
force e.g. as a passenger being rescued from the elevator kicks on the panel.
[0004] The object of the invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks and to
achieve a safety device for use in elevators with a low shaft bottom space.
[0005] As for the features characteristic of the invention, reference is made to the characterization
part of claim 1. As for other preferred embodiments of the invention, reference is
made to the sub-claims.
[0006] By using an apron according to the invention as a safety device, many advantages
will be achieved. When the elevator descends to the bottom floor, the height of the
apron does not constitute an impediment regarding the height of the shaft bottom space.
In a preferred case, when the apron is in a horizontal position under the car, it
may require as little space in the vertical direction as only 20 mm. The apron is
preferably formed from a single panel. During normal operation, the apron is held
in a horizontal position under the car. The apron can be easily and readily used in
a rescue situation. The apron of the invention can also be utilized in connection
with maintenance operations. Associated with the apron is a limit switch placed under
the car to give the elevator control system data indicating a normal operational status
when the apron is in the horizontal position. The elevator can not start moving accidentally
when the apron is in an upright position, thus avoiding "unnecessary" accidents. The
apron of the invention can be used to advantage in elevators in which the shaft bottom
space is lower than the height of the apron, because the apron is held in a locked
position under the car floor during elevator travel. The apron can be easily pulled
out along rails mounted below the car floor, and it is easy to lock in position. According
to an embodiment of the invention, the front edge of the apron is provided with a
beveling that acts as a toe guard at the sill when the apron is in the horizontal
position. The toe guard covers the gap at the sill of the elevator. The apron is easy
to lock in the upright position. A further advantage is that the apron is in the operating
position only when it is needed in a rescue situation.
[0007] In the following, the invention will be described in detail with reference to the
attached drawings.
- Fig. 1 presents an apron in operating position.
- Fig. 2 illustrates the structure of the apron in a three-dimensional view.
- Fig. 3 illustrates the locking mechanism of the apron.
- Fig. 4 presents an apron not part of the invention.
- Fig. 5 presents an apron according to Fig. 4.
[0008] Fig. 1 presents a partially sectioned view of an elevator safety device, an apron
1 made of a durable material, such as steel, and consisting of a single panel, mounted
below an elevator car 5. The apron can be pulled out along rails 2 fixed to the underside
of the car floor 6 and extending to the sill 4 of the car 5. The rails are provided
with grooves along which the apron can slide. When passengers are to be rescued from
an elevator stuck between floors, rescuers can pull out the apron. Connected to the
apron are locking bars 14 (Fig. 3) which engage the door frame 13 when the apron has
been pulled out from under the car toward the landing. The apron is pulled out by
bringing its end from under the car from the shaft 22 space into the landing 12 space.
When tripped, the locking bars 14 at the end of the apron are pushed outward by the
force exerted by springs provided in them, engaging the door jambs 13 and thus preventing
the apron from turning toward the shaft space. The front edge of the apron is provided
with a beveling 7 which functions as a toe guard covering the gap in front of the
door sill 4 when the apron 1 is in the horizontal position. To release the apron 1
after the passengers have been rescued, it is turned to the horizontal position and
pushed back under the car 5. The locking bars 14 have to be pushed in first to provide
enough room in the width-ways direction of the panel when it is turned back past the
door jambs into its position under the car. After this, a limit switch 3 sends the
elevator control system data indicating that normal elevator travel between floors
is possible.
[0009] Fig. 2 presents a three-dimensional view of the structure of the apron 1. Rails 2
permit the apron 1 to move between the horizontal and upright positions under the
car. At the upper edge of the panel 1, an L-shaped bracket 8 is provided at each corner
to allow the rails to be fastened to the underside of the car bottom using e.g. screws.
[0010] Fig. 3 shows the locking bars 14 mounted on the apron and designed to hold the panel
in an upright position when they engage the door jambs 13. The locking bars are provided
with springs 24 pushing the bars outward. When the apron panel is being pulled from
under the car, the spring 24 forces the handle 23 to move outward so that it projects
out of the apron. Thus they engage the door jambs from the side of the landing and
keep the apron in an upright position at a certain angle. After the rescue operation
has been finished, the locking bars are pressed by their handles 23 back into the
position under the apron and the apron is slid along the rails 2 into the horizontal
position under the car.
[0011] Fig. 4 presents an apron not part of the invention. The figure shows an apron 15
formed from a single panel. The apron is fastened under the floor of the elevator
car by means of a supporting beam 19 provided with locking elements 18 designed to
lock the apron in a horizontal position under the car. When the apron is to be brought
into an upright position in a rescue situation, one grips the apron by its upper edge
16, thereby releasing it from the locking elements 18, whereupon it descends into
an upright position. The apron is provided with supporting bars 20 and a crossbar
21 designed to keep it in an upright position, e.g. in a perpendicular position relative
to the car floor. The juncture of the supporting bars 20 and the crossbar 21 is also
shown in a magnified view. The supporting bars 20 move relative to each other so that
they turn under the car when the apron is returned to the horizontal position. When
the apron is being brought into the horizontal position, the junctures 25 between
the supporting bars 20 and the crossbar 21 move toward the apron and both the supporting
bars 20 and the crossbar 21 assume a horizontal position together with the apron,
whereupon the apron is locked in place by the locking elements 18. The juncture 25
can be moved e.g. by means of a wire going through the apron and connected to the
crossbar 21. After the rescue operation, the supporting bars are turned under the
car by pulling at the wire and the panel is turned to the horizontal position. Another
possibility is to grip the supporting bars 20 by hand and turn them under the car
together with the apron.
[0012] Fig. 5 presents an apron 15 as illustrated in Fig. 4 in its position under the car
during normal elevator operation. Beam 19 together with beams 17 hold the apron under
the car floor.
[0013] It is obvious to the person skilled in the art that different embodiments of the
invention are not restricted to the example described above but may be varied within
the scope of the following claims.
1. Apron for use as a safety device in an elevator, said elevator comprising a landing,
an elevator shaft, a car and a car floor, which apron (1) can be disposed under the
floor (6) of the car (5) in a position parallel to it for normal operation of the
elevator and that the apron (1) can be brought into a position substantially perpendicular
to the floor (6) of the car (5), wherein the apron (1) is movable on rails (2) placed
below the floor (6) of the car (5), wherein the apron (1) can be pulled out from its
position under the car to a position extending into the space over the landing, characterized in that in this situation adjustable locking bars (14) attached to the apron engage the door
jambs (13) and the apron remains in an upright position.
2. Apron as defined in claim 1, characterized in that it consists of a single panel.
3. Apron (1) as defined in claim 1, or 2, characterized in that the locking bars (14) can be pushed under the apron and the apron is moved along
the rails into a horizontal position.
4. Apron as defined in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the elevator comprises a limit switch (3) which gives the elevator control system
data indicating the position of the apron (1).
5. Apron as defined in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the limit switch (3) gives the elevator control system data indicating normal operation
when the apron (1) is in the horizontal position.
6. Apron as defined in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the front edge of the apron (1, 15) can be provided with a beveling (7) acting as
a toe guard at the sill (4) when the apron (1) in is in the horizontal position.
1. Schürze zur Verwendung als Sicherheitseinrichtung in einem Aufzug, welcher Aufzug
ein Stockwerk, einen Aufzugschacht, eine Kabine und einen Kabinenboden umfasst, welche
Schürze (1) unter dem Boden (6) der Kabine (15) für den normalen Betrieb des Aufzugs
in einer Position parallel dazu angeordnet werden kann, welche Schürze (1) in eine
Position im wesentlichen senkrecht zum Boden (6) der Kabine (5) gebracht werden kann,
wobei die Schürze (1) auf Schienen (2) bewegbar ist, die unter dem Boden (6) der Kabine
angeordnet sind, wobei die Schürze (1) von ihrer Position unter der Kabine in eine
Position gezogen werden kann, in der sie sich in den Raum über dem Stockwerk erstreckt,
dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass in dieser Situation einstellbare Verriegelungsstangen (14), die an der Schürze befestigt
sind, mit den Türpfosten (13) in Wechselwirkung treten, und dass die Schürze in einer
aufrechten Stellung verbleibt.
2. Schürze nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass sie aus einer einzelnen Tafel besteht.
3. Schürze (1) nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Verriegelungsstangen (14) unter die Schürze gedrückt werden können, und dass
die Schürze entlang der Schienen in eine horizontale Position bewegt wird.
4. Schürze nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Aufzug einen Grenzwertschalter (3) aufweist, welcher dem Aufzugsteuerungssystem
Daten über die Position der Schürze bereitstellt.
5. Schürze nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Grenzwertschalter (3) dem Aufzugskontrollsystem Daten bereitstellt, welche die
normale Tätigkeit anzeigen, wenn sich die Schürze (1) in der horizontalen Position
befindet.
6. Schürze nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Vorderkante der Schürze (1, 15) mit einer Abfasung (7) versehen ist, welche als
Zehenschutz an der Schwelle (4) dient, wenn sich die Schürze (1) in der horizontalen
Position befindet.
1. Tablier destiné à être utilisé comme un dispositif de sécurité dans un ascenseur,
ledit ascenseur comprenant un palier, une cage d'ascenseur, une cabine et un plancher
de cabine, dont le tablier (1) peut être disposé sous le plancher (6) de la cabine
(5) dans une position parallèle à ce dernier pour un fonctionnement normal de l'ascenseur
et dans une position telle que le tablier (1) peut être amené à une position substantiellement
perpendiculaire au plancher (6) de la cabine (5), dans lequel le tablier (1) peut
se déplacer sur des rails (2) placés sous le plancher (6) de la cabine (5), dans lequel
le tablier (1) peut être tiré hors de sa position sous la cabine vers une position
s'étendant dans l'espace situé au-dessus du palier,
caractérisé par le fait que dans cette situation des barres de verrouillage réglables (14) fixées au tablier
viennent en prise avec les chambranles de porte (13) et le tablier reste en position
verticale.
2. Tablier selon la revendication 1,
caractérisé par le fait qu'il consiste en un panneau unique.
3. Tablier (1) selon la revendication 1 ou 2,
caractérisé par le fait que les barres de verrouillage (14) peuvent être poussées sous le tablier et le tablier
peut être déplacé le long des rails en position horizontale.
4. Tablier selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes,
caractérisé par le fait que l'ascenseur comprend un interrupteur de fin de course (3) donnant au système de commande
de l'ascenseur des données indiquant la position du tablier (1).
5. Tablier selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes,
caractérisé par le fait que l'interrupteur de fin de course (3) donne au système de commande de l'ascenseur des
données indiquant le fonctionnement normal quand le tablier (1) est en position horizontale.
6. Tablier selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes,
caractérisé par le fait que le bord avant du tablier (1, 15) peut être muni d'un biseau (7) servant de chasse-pieds
sur le seuil (4) quand le tablier (1) est en position ho
REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION
This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only.
It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has
been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and
the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.
Patent documents cited in the description