Machine, lifting system and machine room-less elevator

Abstract

 A machine, lifting system and elevator, wherein the gearless machine comprises a frame (31) and a cylindrical motor (300) having a stator (30) and a rotor (32), wherein:

the stator (30) is a longitudinal shaft;

the rotor (32):

forms the substantially cylindrical outer surface of the motor (300);

is configured to rotate about a rotating shaft parallel to the stator (30);

comprises a traction pulley (321) in a central position configured for hauling a chassis (18, 52, 63) of an elevator car (19) and a counterweight (17, 64) through hauling means (16, 66);

the length of the stator (30) is greater than the length of the rotor (32);

the frame comprises support means (311) spaced a distance coinciding with the first length, configured to carry the motor (300), the motor (300) being rigidly joined to the frame (31) by means of the stator (30).

Description

Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention refers to a machine, a lifting system and a machine room-less elevator with an external rotor permanent magnet machine. The pulley is part of the rotor itself and is centered on the length of said rotor allowing a centered draft.

Background of the Invention

[0002] The invention disclosed in patent document EP 1 216 949 A2 shows an elevator with a gearless machine, fixing said machine to the building in the high portion of the elevator shaft. However, it has the following drawbacks:

• it is necessary that the building constructor provides that the shaft must be able to house the machine support structure, whereupon the requirements of said shaft do not simply obey the dimensions of the elevator to be housed therein, but the constructive members of the shaft must be designed to further resist the loads and vibrations that the machine applies to the walls or ceiling of the shaft;
• the machine has a pulley located at a first end of the motor shaft, which means that the draft carried out on the counterweight and the chassis of the elevator car by means of the hauling cables are not located in the center of gravity thereof; this causes a considerable decrease of the performance due to the increase of losses due to the friction of the counterweight and chassis against the guides.
• at a second end of the motor shaft, the machine has a brake which has the large drawback of being right next to the back wall of the shaft, and therefore difficult to access, even in some cases impossible, for maintenance tasks.

Description of the Invention

[0003] The present invention proposes a machine room-less elevator having the following advantages:

• the gearless permanent magnet machine is installed on the guides of the elevator and the installation of said machine is not linked to the constructive features of the shaft; that is the complete installation for the machine can be carried out without requiring supporting the machine on the building;
• the machine is located in the geometric center of the guides. Since the permanent magnet machine has an external rotor and the pulley is part of the rotor itself and is centered on the length of said rotor, it allows a centered draft on the counterweight and on the chassis of the car, whereupon achieving greater performance and a much lower power consumption;
• all the maintenance tasks are carried out with easy access and hazard-free;
• it can be carried out according to different embodiments so as to be adapted to the application of the elevator depending on the load and on the shaft dimensions.

[0004] The present invention has as an object developing a configuration of a machine room-less elevator, wherein all the machinery for movement of the car is in the shaft itself, however preventing the building from having to bear the support structure of said machine, as previously mentioned.

[0005] A first aspect of the invention refers to a gearless machine comprising a frame and a substantially cylindrical motor having a stator and a rotor, wherein:

the stator is a longitudinal shaft having a first length;

the rotor:

forms the substantially cylindrical outer surface of the motor;

is configured to rotate about a rotating shaft parallel to the stator;

has a second length;

comprises a traction pulley in a central position configured for hauling a chassis of an elevator car and a counterweight through hauling means;

the length of the stator is greater than the length of the rotor;

the frame comprises support means spaced a distance coinciding with the first length, configured to carry the motor in a substantially horizontal direction, the motor being rigidly joined to the frame by means of the stator.

[0006] The machine of the invention can further comprise a plurality of braking portions arranged on the surface of the rotor not occupied by the traction pulley, a braking device acting on said braking portions.

[0007] A second aspect of the invention refers to a lifting system comprising at least one machine such as the one described above, and a first bedframe on which the frame is fixed. Said first bedframe can comprise damping means to prevent vibrations from being transmitted from it.

[0008] The lifting system may also comprise a plurality of guides:

longitudinally running along an elevator shaft so as to define a parallelepiped with smaller dimensions than the shaft;

for guiding an up/down movement of a chassis of a car and a counterweight;

located in a position close to a first wall of the shaft;

wherein the first bedframe is joined to said guides at a top portion of said guides:

so as to locate the traction pulley:

in a position substantially perpendicular to the first wall;

in the center of the distance between the guides;

so as to

prevent transmitting mechanical stresses to the shaft;

allow a centered draft of the chassis of the car and of the counterweight.

[0009] A third aspect of the invention refers to an elevator including a lifting system according to that described above.

[0010] According to a first configuration, in the elevator of the invention the car is fixed to the chassis which slides along the guides, said chassis comprising:

a plurality of first crossmembers in a top portion of the car in a direction substantially perpendicular to the guides;

a plurality of second crossmembers in a bottom portion of the car in a direction substantially perpendicular to the guides;

a plurality of first longitudinal beams in a first side portion of the car in a direction substantially parallel to the guides;

a plurality of tie rods in a second side portion of the car in a direction substantially parallel to the guides;

for the first crossmembers, the second crossmembers, the first longitudinal beams and the tie rods to define a braced C-shaped chassis structure;
wherein the hauling means comprise:

a first end joined to a top portion of the counterweight in a plane perpendicular to the first wall and equidistant from the guides;

a second end joined to a top portion of the chassis in a plane perpendicular to the first wall and equidistant from the guides;

a first stretch comprised between the first end and the second end configured so as to be hauled by the traction pulley.

[0011] According to a second configuration, in the elevator of the invention the car is fixed to the chassis which slides along the guides, said chassis comprising:

a plurality of third crossmembers in a bottom portion of the car in a direction substantially perpendicular to the guides;

a plurality of second longitudinal beams in a first side portion of the car in a direction substantially parallel to the guides;

for the third crossmembers and the second longitudinal beams to define a back-pack chassis structure;
wherein the hauling means comprise:

a first end joined to a top portion of the counterweight in a plane perpendicular to the first wall and equidistant from the guides;

a second end joined to a top portion of the chassis in a plane perpendicular to the first wall and equidistant from the guides;

a first stretch comprised between the first end and the second end configured so as to be hauled by the traction pulley.

[0012] According to a third configuration, in the elevator of the invention the car is fixed to the chassis which slides along the guides, said chassis comprising:

a plurality of fourth crossmembers in a bottom portion of the car in a direction substantially perpendicular to the guides;

a plurality of third longitudinal beams in a first side portion of the car in a direction substantially parallel to the guides;

first return pulleys, one on each end of a fourth crossmember located in a central position, said first return pulleys being in a position substantially perpendicular to the first wall;

second return pulleys located in a top portion of the counterweight, said second return pulleys being in a position substantially parallel to the first wall;

for the fourth crossmembers, the third longitudinal beams and the first return pulleys to define a return chassis structure;
wherein the hauling means comprise:

a first end joined to a second bedframe in a plane parallel to the first wall;

a second end joined to an attachment in a plane perpendicular to the first wall and equidistant from the guides;

a first stretch comprised between the first end and the first return pulleys configured so as to be hauled by the traction pulley and driven by the second return pulleys;

a second stretch comprised between the first return pulleys and the attachment, configured so as to be driven by the first return pulleys.

[0013] The elevator of the invention allows combining a gearless permanent magnet machine placed in the guides of the elevator, without linking the installation to the constructive features of the shaft. The invention also allows the machine to be located in the geometric center of the guides and, since it is a gearless machine, an external rotor can be arranged. The external rotor is machined so as form the rotor and pulley in a single part, which allows the draft to be centered in the counterweight and in the chassis of the car, that the maintenance tasks to be carried out with easy access and risk-free, and to provide at least three elevator configurations with the same drive machine to cover the largest filed of application possible, depending on the load and the dimensions of the shaft.

[0014] Several features of the present invention are indicated below:

• In the traction system of the invention, the machine is located in the geometric center of the guides, and furthermore the pulley is centered on the rotor, and therefore on the counterweight and on the chassis, in either the braced C-shaped chassis, the "back-pack" chassis or the return chassis arrangement.
• The elevator of the invention allows carrying out the assembly without needing to build a machine room and it also allows access from the ceiling of the car to the machine of the elevator in order to carry out maintenance tasks.
• The machine is a permanent magnet synchronous machine.
• The machine is fixed by means of a part to the car and counterweight guides located on the same side of the shaft.
• As a result of the configuration of the machine and the "back-pack" chassis, it allows that, when the car is close to the machine, it exceeds it in height, and thus being able to carry out elevators with a limited last stop.
• When the car uses a C-shaped chassis, very limited dimensions under the car are obtained; this feature is very appropriate for limited pit elevators; the C-shaped chassis can also be used in elevators with a limited last stop.
• As a result of its conception, the machine allows easy maintenance; among other features already highlighted, the height of the machine coincides with the diameter of its pulley, whereby reducing the space required by the machine.
• A great balance of forces and operating stability are obtained as a result of the 2 or 4 brakes.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0015] A series of drawings will be very briefly described below which will aid in better understanding the invention and are expressly related to different embodiments of said invention which are presented as non-limiting examples thereof.

[0016] Figure 1A shows a perspective view of the shaft, guides, machine, counterweight, chassis of the car and car for the first embodiment (i): 1:1 suspension without return pulleys with braced C-shaped chassis.

[0017] Figure 1B shows a detail in which the location of the first bedframe supporting the machine in the guides of the elevator can be seen.

[0018] Figures 2A, 2B and 2C show elevation, profile and plan views of the first embodiment of the elevator.

[0019] Figures 3A, 3B and 3C show perspective, elevational and plan views of the machine of the invention.

[0020] Figure 4 shows a detail of the position of the elevator during maintenance.

[0021] Figure 5a shows a perspective view of the shaft, guides, machine, counterweight, chassis of the car and car for the second embodiment (ii): 1:1 suspension without return pulleys with back-pack chassis.

[0022] Figures 5B, 5C and 5D show elevational, profile and plan views of the second embodiment of the elevator.

[0023] Figure 6A shows a perspective view of the shaft, guides, machine, counterweight, chassis of the car and car for the third embodiment (iii): 2:1 suspension with return pulleys.

[0024] Figures 6B, 6C and 6D show elevational, profile and plan views of the third embodiment of the elevator.

Description of a Preferred Embodiment of the Invention

[0025] The operation of an elevator as well as the embodiments will be explained in detail below through the drawings in the figures of which the most important details of the invention are represented.

[0026] The permanent magnet synchronous machine is fixed to a first bedframe and said first bedframe, through dampers, is in turn fixed to the guides of the elevator by means of parts joining the counterweight and car guides in twos. The dampers are installed for the purpose of reducing the transmission of vibrations between the metal parts and the building.

[0027] The first bedframe where the machine is fixed is installed in the top part of the shaft, supported on the car and counterweight guides; the car and counterweight guides are located close to a first wall of the shaft, the traction pulley of the machine being in a position substantially perpendicular to the first wall and furthermore in the geometric center of the machine, and therefore in the center of the distance between the guides. This pulley location greatly improves the riding comfort, decreases power consumption and as a result, increases the final performance of the elevator.

[0028] The hauling cables pass through the traction pulleys, the counterweight is fixed at a first end of the hauling cables, the one closest to the first wall, and the chassis of the car is fixed at a second end of the hauling cables.

[0029] With the previously mentioned pulley location, it is achieved that the draft is always carried out in the geometric center of the counterweight and in the geometric center of the chassis.

[0030] The arrangement of the machine and the first bedframe is provided so that when the car reaches the last floor, the car exceeds the first bedframe and machine in order to have access to the machine and to be able to perform maintenance or for applications in elevators with a limited last stop. The fact that the car can go past the height of the machine and first bedframe is achieved because the machine and first bedframe are located between the guides of the counterweight and of the car. For maintenance tasks, there are attachments which allow joining the chassis of the car to the first bedframe such that the maintenance tasks from the car ceiling are carried out with no risk for the workers, and regardless of the condition of the walls of the building, as the car is fixed on the very structure formed by the first bedframe of the machine and the guides. In these maintenance tasks, the car roof is used as a working surface.

[0031] The car is fixed in a chassis which slides along the guides, and depending on how this chassis is carried out, the following embodiments exist:

• Embodiment (i) shown in Figures 1A and 2A-2C. 1:1 suspension without return pulleys: the car moves within a braced C-shaped chassis. This first embodiment allows for very limited dimensions under the car and the application in limited pit elevators, that is in elevators having a pit in the shaft that is under the lower floor with a height that is less than usual.
• Embodiment (ii) shown in Figures 5A-5C. 1:1 suspension without return pulleys: the car moves within the back-pack chassis. This manner of carrying out the chassis allows exceeding the machine and thus being able to carry out elevators with a limited last stop, that is elevators in which the height in the shaft between the level of the last floor and the ceiling of the shaft is smaller than usual.
• Embodiment (iii) shown in Figures 6A-6D. 2:1 suspension with two return pulleys under the chassis of the car and with two return pulleys on the counterweight, arranged so that the draft of the hauling cables passes through the center of gravity of the car and of the counterweight.

[0032] When the shaft has normal dimensions and the elevator is in 1:1 suspension, embodiments (i) or (ii) can be used indistinctly.

[0033] The advantage of being able to use different embodiments is that with the same arrangement of the machine, the vast majority of elevator configurations can be resolved, depending on the constructive measurements of the shaft, on the number of passengers in the elevator and on the elevator load capacity.

[0034] Figure 1A shows a representation of the shaft, guides, machine, counterweight, chassis of the car and car. Figure 1B shows a detail of the machine of the invention.

[0035] The car and counterweight guides 11 on which the two parts 12 are screwed can be seen in the elevator shaft. Two dampers 13 are placed on them, and fixed on the dampers 13 is the first bedframe 14 which the machine 15 is fixed to. This configuration prevents having to fix the machine to a wall or to the ceiling of the shaft, therefore not depending on the constructive quality of the walls or their strength, since the forces of the machine in this invention are transmitted through the guides to the elevator pit. The machine is always located in the top portion of the shaft.

[0036] The car and counterweight guides 11 are on the same side of the shaft, the traction pulley 321 of the machine is a position substantially perpendicular to the wall of the shaft close to the guides 11 and furthermore, by means of the external rotor motor and pulley, in the geometric center of the machine.

[0037] The hauling cables 16 pass on one side of the pulley of the machine to the counterweight 17, and to the chassis of the car 18 on the other side; the car 19 moves within the chassis 18 which it is fixed to by the ground and ceiling.

[0038] In Figure 2c the guides 11 of the chassis 18 and car 19 and counterweight 17 which are on the same side of the shaft can be clearly seen, the traction pulley 321 of the machine is in a position substantially perpendicular to the wall of the shaft on which the guides 11 are fixed and furthermore in the geometric center of the machine, which remarkably improves the final performance of elevator with this invention; the hauling cables 16 pass through the pulley of the machine, on one side, the one closest to the wall, the counterweight 17 is fixed, and on the other side the chassis 18 of the car 19, and the draft is always carried out in the geometric center of the two.

[0039] Figures 3A-3C show different views representing the machine 300. The stator 30 of the machine is actually the shaft which is rigidly joined to the frame 31 of the machine; the rotor 32 provided by the invention is the outer rotating portion, made up of a cylinder in the center of which the traction pulley 321 is machined, then attached, and at each end there is a braking area 322 on which the brakes 33 act on each one of them; there is a total of 2 or 4 brakes, according to the application.

[0040] Figure 4 shows a detail of the position of the elevator during maintenance. To carry out maintenance tasks, the chassis 18 of the car 19 is suspended with parts 41 to the first bedframe 14 of the machine; these parts 41 allow joining the chassis 18 of the car 19 to the first bedframe 14 in order to keep the car 19 suspended such that maintenance tasks from the roof of the car 19 are carried out with no risk for the workers. In contrast, if maintenance tasks are carried out on the brakes of the machine, the car 19 could ascend, with the subsequent risk of the maintenance technician. In this embodiment of the invention, the roof of the car 19 is used as a working surface. It is important to again highlight that the elevator of the invention allows all these tasks with complete independence from the building and without having to suspend the car 19 from the walls thereof.

[0041] As is shown in Figure 4, the brakes are completely accessible for the technician. Furthermore, the machine can always be installed at a sufficient distance with respect to the ceiling of the shaft in order to have enough space, since, if necessary, the chassis 18 can reach a greater height than the first bedframe 14 of the machine, as can be seen in the plan view of Figure 2C.

[0042] Figures 1A and 2A-2C show the first embodiment (i), 1:1 suspension without return pulleys with a braced C-shaped chassis, which allows very limited dimensions under the car, which is particularly indicated for the application of elevators with a limited pit, that is elevators having a pit in the shaft under the bottom floor with a height that is less than normal.

[0043] Figures 5A-5D show the second embodiment (ii), 1:1 suspension without return pulleys with a back-pack chassis, in which the car 51 moves within the back-pack chassis 52. This manner of carrying out the chassis allows exceeding the machine, that is the chassis 52 reaches a greater height than that of the first bedframe 14. This embodiment allows being able to carry out elevators with a limited last stop, that is elevators in which the height in the shaft between the level of the last floor and the ceiling of the shaft is smaller than normal.

[0044] Figures 6A-6D show the third embodiment (iii), 2:1 suspension with two first return pulleys 611 under the chassis 63 of the car, and with two second return pulleys 621 on the counterweight 64, arranged so that the draft of the hauling cables passes through the center of gravity of the chassis 63 and the counterweight 64. The hauling cables 66 pass through the pulley of the machine. On one side of the traction pulley 321, the one closest to the wall, the hauling cables 66 are re-sent by two pulleys 621 in the counterweight 64 in order to maintain the center of gravity of the counterweight 64 with the vertical of the pulley of the machine. The cables coming out of the pulleys 621 of the counterweight 64 are fixed to the second bedframe 68 under the machine. On the other side of the traction pulley 321 of the machine, they are re-sent with two pulleys 611 under the chassis 63 of the car and go up as is shown in Figures 6A-6D between the wall of the car and the wall of the shaft up to their attachment 65, which can be carried out on the wall or ceiling of the shaft, and the draft is always carried out in the geometric center of the car.

Claims

1. A gearless machine comprising a frame (31) and a substantially cylindrical motor (300) having a stator (30) and a rotor (32), wherein:

the stator (30) is a longitudinal shaft having a first length;

the rotor (32):

forms the substantially cylindrical outer surface of the motor (300);

is configured to rotate about a rotating shaft parallel to the stator (30);

has a second length;

comprises a traction pulley (321) in a central position configured for hauling a chassis (18, 52, 63) of an elevator car (19) and a counterweight (17, 64) through hauling means (16, 66);

the length of the stator (30) is greater than the length of the rotor (32);

the frame comprises support means (311) spaced a distance coinciding with the first length, the support means (311) being configured to bear the motor (300) in a substantially horizontal direction, the motor (300) being rigidly joined to the frame (31) by means of the stator (30).

2. The machine of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of braking portions (322) arranged on the surface of the rotor (32) not occupied by the traction pulley (321), a braking device (33) acting on said braking portions (322).

3. A lifting system comprising at least one machine according to any of claims 1-2, and a first bedframe (14) on which the frame (31) is fixed.

4. The lifting system of claim 3, further comprising damping means (13) in the first bedframe (14) so as to prevent vibrations from being transmitted from the first bedframe (14).

5. The lifting system of any of claims 3-4, further comprising a plurality of guides (11):

longitudinally running along an elevator shaft so as to define a parallelepiped with smaller dimensions than the shaft;

for guiding an up/down movement of a chassis (18, 52, 63) of a car (19) and a counterweight (17, 64);

located in a position close to a first wall of the shaft;

wherein the first bedframe (14) is joined to said guides (11) in a top portion of said guides:

so as to locate the traction pulley (321):

in a position substantially perpendicular to the first wall;

in the center of the distance between the guides (11);

so as to

prevent transmitting mechanical stresses to the shaft;

allow a centered draft of the chassis (18, 52, 63) of the car (19) and of the counterweight (17, 64).

6. An elevator including a lifting system according to any of claims 3-5.

7. The elevator of claim 6, wherein the car (19) is fixed to the chassis (18) which slides along the guides (11), said chassis (18) comprising:

a plurality of first crossmembers (181) in a top portion of the car (19) in a direction substantially perpendicular to the guides (11);

a plurality of second crossmembers (182) in a bottom portion of the car (19) in a direction substantially perpendicular to the guides (11);

a plurality of first longitudinal beams (183) in a first side portion of the car (19) in a direction substantially parallel to the guides (11);

a plurality of tie rods (184) in a second side portion of the car (19) in a direction substantially parallel to the guides (11);

for the first crossmembers (181), the second crossmembers (182), the first longitudinal beams (183) and the tie rods (184) to define a braced C-shaped chassis structure;
wherein the hauling means (16) comprise:

a first end joined to a top portion of the counterweight (17) in a plane perpendicular to the first wall and equidistant from the guides (11);

a second end joined to a top portion of the chassis (18) in a plane perpendicular to the first wall and equidistant from the guides (11);

a first stretch comprised between the first end and the second end configured so as to be hauled by the traction pulley (321).

8. The elevator of claim 6, wherein the car (19) is fixed to the chassis (52) which slides along the guides (11), said chassis (52) comprising:

a plurality of third crossmembers (521) in a bottom portion of the car (19) in a direction substantially perpendicular to the guides (11);

a plurality of second longitudinal beams (522) in a first side portion of the car (19) in a direction substantially parallel to the guides (11);

for the third crossmembers (521) and the second longitudinal beams (522) to define a back-pack chassis structure;
wherein the hauling means (16) comprise:

a first end joined to a top portion of the counterweight (17) in a plane perpendicular to the first wall and equidistant from the guides (11);

a second end joined to a top portion of the chassis (52) in a plane perpendicular to the first wall and equidistant from the guides (11);

a first stretch comprised between the first end and the second end configured so as to be hauled by the traction pulley (321).

9. The elevator of claim 6, wherein the car (19) is fixed to the chassis (63) which slides along the guides (11), said chassis (63) comprising:

a plurality of fourth crossmembers (631) in a bottom portion of the car (19) in a direction substantially perpendicular to the guides (11);

a plurality of third longitudinal beams (632) in a first side portion of the car (19) in a direction substantially parallel to the guides (11);

first return pulleys (611), one on each end of a fourth crossmember (631) located in a central position, said first return pulleys (611) being in a position substantially perpendicular to the first wall;

second return pulleys (621) located in a top portion of the counterweight (64), said second return pulleys (621) being in a position substantially parallel to the first wall;

for the fourth crossmembers (631), the third longitudinal beams (632) and the first return pulleys (611) to define a return chassis structure;
wherein the hauling means (66) comprise:

a first end joined to a second bedframe (68) in a plane parallel to the first wall;

a second end joined to an attachment (65) in a plane perpendicular to the first wall and equidistant from the guides (11);

a first stretch comprised between the first end and the first return pulleys (611), configured so as to be hauled by the traction pulley (321) and driven by the second return pulleys (621);

a second stretch comprised between the first return pulleys (611) and the attachment (65), configured so as to be driven by the first return pulleys (611).

Drawing