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(11) | EP 1 604 937 B1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION |
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| (54) |
ELEVATOR ROPE HOLDING STRUCTURE AUFZUGSSEILHALTEKONSTRUKTION STRUCTURE DE SOUTIEN D'UN CABLE D'ASCENSEUR |
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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). |
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to a gripping structure of elevator ropes. Embodiments of the present invention may be used in a traction-type elevator.
Background Art
[0002] In a conventional elevator, the ends of the ropes that suspend the elevator car or the counterweight are gripped by a plurality of rope grippers. The rope grippers are parallelly arranged, and supported by a supporting part provided on, for example, the machineroom floor, via elastic bodies such as coil springs or the like.
[0003] Here, in such a case where the elevator car is stopped at the lowest floor, that is, in the case where there is ample distance between the rope grippers and the suspension sheave for the car mounted on the elevator car, the rope grippers are supported almost vertically by the supporting part. However, when the rope grippers and the suspension sheave for the car get close to each other according to the ascent or descent of the elevator car, the distances between the elevator ropes in the vicinity of the rope grippers become short, and there is the fear of mutual interference of the rope grippers. For this reason, in order to solve this problem, it is necessary to widen the arrangement interval between the rope grippers at the supporting part, or to enlarge the clearance in the top part of the hoistway, i.e., the distance between the suspension sheave for the car and the rope grippers in the case where the elevator car becomes the closest to the rope grippers. As a result of this, the problem that the space occupied by the elevator becomes large arises.
[0004] Furthermore, in Japanese unexamined laid-open utility model publication No. Sho 52-27052, there is disclosed a rope-holding device wherein vibration in the horizontal direction and rotation around the axis line of the rope grippers are prevented by providing a vibration-proof block which fits the rope grippers with a little gap. However, since the rope grippers, which are rigid bodies, are held by fixation, when vibration in the horizontal direction or rotation around the axis line occur, load is applied to the rope grippers, and this brings concern of damage to the rope grippers.
[0005] The present invention has as its object the prevention of mutual interference of the rope grippers without widening the arrangement interval between the rope grippers at the supporting part or enlarging the clearance in the top part of the hoistway, as in the conventional way.
[0006] Reference is also made to JP 2003 002558 A. The two-part form adopted in the independent claim below is based on this document.
Summary of the Invention
[0007] The invention is defined by the independent claim below. Dependent claims are directed to optional features and preferred embodiments.
[0008] Disclosed is a gripping structure of elevator ropes which comprises a plurality of rope grippers which grip an end of each rope of a plurality of parallel elevator ropes, and a supporting part which supports the plurality of rope grippers. A rope regulator with through holes corresponding to each rope of the plurality of elevator ropes is arranged in the vicinity of the rope grippers, and each rope of the plurality of elevator ropes is passed with a gap through the through holes of the rope regulator and gripped by a rope gripper.
[0009] Furthermore, the rope regulator is suspended by a flexible member, and the flexible member is fastened to the rope grippers or to the supporting part.
[0010] Moreover, at least around the inner wall of the through holes of the rope regulator is formed of a material softer than the material of the outer layer of the elevator rope.
[0011] According to the aforementioned configuration, it is possible to prevent mutual interference of the rope grippers without widening the arrangement interval between the rope grippers at the supporting part or enlarging the clearance in the top part of the hoistway, and to secure the original durability of the rope grippers. Moreover, since the elevator ropes are passed with a gap through the rope regulator, and more preferably, the rope regulator is formed of a material softer than the material of the outer layer of elevator rope, damage to the elevator ropes may be prevented, and the original durability of the elevator rope may be secured.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0012]
Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating a gripping structure of elevator ropes in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line A-A;
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the rope regulator in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention; and
Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating a gripping structure of elevator ropes in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention.
Detailed Description
[0013] To describe the present invention in more detail, the invention will be described referring to the accompanying drawings. In each of the drawings, the same numerals are given to the same parts or the corresponding parts, and repeated explanation will be appropriately simplified or omitted.
First Embodiment
[0014] Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating a gripping structure of elevator ropes in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line A-A.
[0015] In Figure 1, the elevator ropes 5, which are arranged in parallel, have one end passed around a suspension sheave 4 that is provided at an upper part of the elevator car 3 that ascends and descends through the hoistway 1. Each of the elevator ropes 5 has an end gripped by a plurality of rope grippers 6. The rope grippers 6 are arranged in parallel, and are fastened with nuts 9 to a supporting part 7 which is provided on the machineroom floor 2 via elastic bodies formed of coil springs 8.
[0016] Next: a rope regulator 10 is arranged in the vicinity of the rope grippers 6. As shown in Figure 2, the rope regulator 10 has a plurality of through holes 15 which are formed by assembling two outer plates 11 and an inner plate 12 which all have semicircle-shaped grooves. The outer plates 11 and the inner plate 12 are fixed with throughbolts 13 and nuts 14. These through holes 15 are formed so as to correspond to each rope 5 of the plurality of elevator ropes 5, and the elevator ropes 5 are passed with a gap through the through holes 15. That is, the diameter of the through holes 15 of the rope regulator 10 is formed to be larger than the diameter of the elevator ropes 5. Furthermore, the through holes 15 are provided at an interval in which the rope grippers 6 do not interfere with each other in the case where the elevator car 3 is stopped at the highest floor, i.e., in the case where the rope grippers 6 and the suspension sheave 4 on the upper part of the car 3 become the closest.
[0017] Moreover, the rope regulator 10 is formed of a material softer than the material of the outer layer of the steel elevator ropes 5, for example, synthetic resin such as polyethylene or wood. That is, the material used for the rope regulator 10 is a material that does not damage the elevator ropes 5 when touched by the ropes 5.
[0018] Furthermore, since the elevator ropes 5 is passed with a gap through the rope regulator 10, in order to maintain the rope regulator 10 in the vicinity of the rope grippers 6, the rope regulator 10 is suspended by a flexible member 17. Both ends of the flexible member 17 are fastened to the rope grippers 6. The rope grippers 6 are in positions near the rope regulator 10, thus they are suitable as locations to which the flexible member 17 is to be fastened. As the flexible member 17, a wire, for example, is used; however, other objects may also be used as long as they are capable of supporting the weight of the rope regulator 10 without problems.
[0019] According to the above-described first embodiment, the elevator ropes 5, which have an end gripped by a plurality of rope grippers 6 arranged in parallel, are passed through through holes 15 that are formed in the rope regulator 10 and maintained at a designated interval. For this reason, even in the case where the suspension sheave 4 becomes close to the rope grippers 6 due to the ascent and descent of the elevator car 3, although the elevator ropes 5 in the vicinity of the rope grippers 6 tend to approach each other, mutual interference of the rope grippers 6 is avoided since the positions of the ropes 5 are maintained because the ropes 5 touch the through holes 15.
[0020] Moreover, the elevator ropes 5 are passed with a gap through the rope regulator 10, thus the elevator ropes 5 may rotate in the circumferential direction against the through holes 15. For this reason, even in the case where untwisting of the elevator ropes 5 occurs, no load is applied to the ropes since the elevator ropes 5 are not caught by the rope regulator 10. Accordingly, the durability of the elevator ropes 5 is not damaged.
[0021] Furthermore, since the elevator ropes 5 are movable also in the longitudinal direction of the ropes 5, in the case where the tension of the elevator ropes 5 is to be adjusted at maintenance, it is possible to adjust the tension of each of the elevator ropes 5 without removing the rope regulator 10.
[0022] Moreover, since the rope regulator 10 is formed of a material softer than the material of the outer layer of the elevator ropes 5, even in the case where the elevator ropes 5 touch the rope regulator 10, it is possible to avoid damage to the elevator ropes 5.
Second Embodiment
[0023] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the rope regulator in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention.
[0024] Also in the second embodiment, a rope regulator 10 is arranged in the vicinity of rope grippers 6 and the rope regulator 10 is suspended by a flexible member 17 in accordance with Figure 1, as in the first embodiment. Further, both ends of the flexible member 17 are fastened to the rope grippers 6.
[0025] Here, as shown in Figure 3, also in the second embodiment, the rope regulator 10 is formed by assembling two outer plates 11 and an inner plate 12. However, only around the inner wall 16 of the through holes 15 of the rope regulator 10, through which the elevator ropes 5 are passed, is formed of a material softer than the material of the outer layer of the elevator ropes 5 such as a synthetic resin material such as polyethylene or the like. Also by this type of formation, it is possible to avoid damage to the elevator ropes 5 in the case where the elevator ropes 5 touch the rope regulator 10. The other structures are the same as the first embodiment, so the same numerals are given to the same parts or the corresponding parts, and repeated explanation will be omitted.
[0026] According to the aforementioned second embodiment, elevator ropes 5 which have an end gripped by the rope grippers 6, are passed through through holes 15 that are formed in the rope regulator 10 and maintained at a designated interval. For this reason, even in the case where the suspension sheave 4 becomes close to the rope grippers 6 due to the ascent and descent of the elevator car 3, although the elevator ropes 5 in the vicinity of the rope grippers 6 tend to approach each other, mutual interference of the rope grippers 6 is avoided since the positions of the ropes 5 are maintained because the ropes 5 touch the through holes 15.
[0027] Moreover, since only around the inner wall 16 of the through holes 15 of the rope regulator 10 is formed of a material softer than the outer layer of the elevator ropes 5, even in the case where the necessity for replacement of the rope regulator 10 arises in the future, it is not necessary to replace the whole rope regulator 10, but only around the inner wall 16 of the through holes 15 of the rope regulator 10.
Third Embodiment
[0029] Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating a gripping structure of elevator ropes in accordance with the third embodiment of the present invention.
[0030] Also in the third embodiment, a rope regulator 10 is arranged in the vicinity of rope grippers 6 , and the rope regulator 10 is suspended by a flexible member 17.
[0031] Here, as shown in Figure 4, unlike in the first embodiment, both ends of the flexible member 17 are fastened to a supporting part 7. It is also possible to have the rope regulator 10 held in this kind of manner; and to which of the rope grippers 6 or the supporting part 7 the flexible member 17 is to be fastened may be suitably decided taking the workability at installation of the equipment into consideration.
[0032] Next: as shown in Figure 2, the whole rope regulator 10 may be formed of a material softer than the material of the outer layer of the elevator ropes 5. It is also possible to form only around the inner wall 16 of the through holes 15 of the rope regulator 10 of a material softer than the material of the outer layer of the elevator ropes 5. The other structures are the same as the first and second embodiments, so the same numerals are given to the same parts or the corresponding parts, and repeated explanation will be omitted.
[0033] According to the aforementioned third embodiment, the elevator ropes 5, which have an end gripped by a plurality of rope grippers 6 arranged in parallel, are passed through through holes 15 that are formed in the rope regulator 10 and maintained at a designated interval. For this reason, even in the case where the suspension sheave 4 becomes close to the rope grippers 6 due to the ascent and descent of the elevator car 3, although the elevator ropes 5 in the vicinity of the rope grippers 6 tend to approach each other, mutual interference of the rope grippers 6 is avoided since the positions of the ropes 5 are maintained because the ropes touch the through holes 15.
[0034] In addition to the above, the same effects as the first and second embodiments may be attained.
[0035] In the above-described embodiments, explanation on the end of the elevator ropes 5 at the side of the elevator car 3 is given; however, since the other end of the elevator ropes 5 that extend from the elevator car 3 and are passed around the suspension sheave of the counterweight via the hoisting machine is of the same formation, explanation will be omitted.
[0036] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiments, an example wherein the supporting part 7 is provided on the machineroom floor 2 is given. However, there are cases in which the supporting part 7 is provided at an upper part of the hoistway via a support bench, or on the upper surface of the elevator car or of the counterweight via a beam. In these cases and also in other cases, the gripping structure of elevator ropes in accordance with the present invention may be applied.
Industrial Applicability
[0037] As aforementioned, in the gripping structure of elevator ropes in accordance with the present invention, elevator ropes are passed with a gap through a rope regulator in the vicinity of rope grippers. Thus, it is possible to prevent mutual interference of the rope grippers and to secure the original durability of the rope grippers without widening the arrangement interval between the rope grippers at the supporting part or enlarging the clearance at the top part of the hoistway. Furthermore, since the elevator ropes are passed with a gap through the rope regulator, and preferably the rope regulator is formed of a material softer than the outer layer of the elevator ropes, damage to the elevator ropes may be prevented, and the original durability of the elevator ropes may be secured.
1. A gripping structure of elevator ropes comprising:
a plurality of rope grippers (6) which grip an end of each rope (5) of a plurality of parallel elevator ropes (5);
a supporting part (7) for supporting said plurality of rope grippers (6); and
a rope regulator (10) having through holes (15) corresponding to each rope (5) of said plurality of elevator ropes (5) and provided in the vicinity of said plurality of rope grippers (6),
characterized in that said plurality of elevator ropes (5) are passed with a gap through said through holes (15) of said rope regulator (10) and gripped by said rope grippers (6); and
said rope regulator (10) is suspended by a flexible member (17) which is either fastened to said rope grippers (6) or fastened to said supporting part (7).
2. The gripping structure of elevator ropes according to claim 1, further characterized in that the rope regulator (10) is formed of a material softer than the material of the outer
layer of the elevator ropes (5).
3. The gripping structure of elevator ropes according to claim 1, further characterized in that at least the inner wall (16) of said through holes (15) of said rope regulator (10)
are formed of a material softer than the material of the outer layer of said elevator
ropes (5).
1. Greifstruktur von Aufzugsseilen mit:
mehreren Seilgreifern (6), die ein Ende jedes Seils (5) von mehreren parallelen Aufzugseilen (5) greifen,
einem Abstützteil (7) zum Abstützen der mehreren Seilgreifer (6) und
einem Seilregulierer (10) mit Durchgangslöchern (15), die jedem Seil (5) der mehreren Aufzugsseile (5) entsprechen, und der benachbart zu den mehreren Seilgreifern (6) vorgesehen ist,
dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass
die mehreren Aufzugsseile (5) mit einer Lücke durch die Durchgangslöcher (15) des Seilregulierers (10) hindurch geleitet und durch die Seilgreifer (6) gegriffen werden und
dass der Seilregulierer (10) an einem flexiblen Element (17) hängt, welches entweder an den Seilgreifern (6) befestigt ist oder an dem Abstützteil (7) befestigt ist.
2. Greifstruktur von Aufzugsseilen nach Anspruch 1, ferner dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Seilregulierer (10) aus einem Material ausgebildet ist, welches weicher als das
Material der äußeren Schicht der Aufzugsseile (5) ist.
3. Greifstruktur von Aufzugsseilen nach Anspruch 1, ferner dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass wenigstens die innere Wand (16) der Durchgangslöcher (15) des Seilregulierers (10)
aus einem Material ausgebildet ist, das weicher ist als das Material der äußeren Schicht
der Aufzugsseile (5).
1. Structure d'accrochage de câbles d'ascenseur comprenant :
une pluralité de dispositifs d'accrochage de câble (6) qui agrippent une extrémité de chaque câble (5) d'une pluralité de câbles d'ascenseur parallèles (5) ;
une partie de support (7) pour supporter ladite pluralité de dispositifs d'accrochage de câble (6) ; et
un régulateur de câble (10) ayant des trous traversants (15) correspondant à chaque câble (5) de ladite pluralité de câbles d'ascenseur (5) et disposé au voisinage de ladite pluralité de dispositifs d'accrochage de câble (6),
caractérisée en ce que ladite pluralité de câbles d'ascenseur (5) est passée avec un espacement à travers lesdits trous traversants (15) dudit régulateur de câble (10) et accrochée par lesdits dispositifs d'accrochage de câble (6) ; et
ledit régulateur de câble (10) est suspendu par un élément souple (17) qui est soit attaché auxdits dispositifs d'accrochage de câble (6) soit attaché à ladite partie de support (7).
2. Structure d'accrochage de câbles d'ascenseur selon la revendication 1, caractérisée en outre en ce que le régulateur de câble (10) est formé d'une matière plus molle que la matière de
la couche extérieure des câbles d'ascenseur (5).
3. Structure d'accrochage de câbles d'ascenseur selon la revendication 1, caractérisée en outre en ce qu'au moins la paroi intérieure (16) desdits trous traversants (15) dudit régulateur
de câble (10) est formée d'une matière plus molle que la matière de la couche extérieure
desdits câbles d'ascenseur (5).
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