Elevator cabin

Abstract

 Lifting unit comprising an elevator cabin (11) mobile inside a space (12) equipped with a bottom (13), side walls (14), a not walking roof, and mobile cabin doors (15), said unit also comprising a plurality of mobile storey doors (16) and buttons for automatically controlling the motion of the cabin and of the doors (15, 16) arranged both on the outside at the storey doors (16) and inside of said cabin (11), the unit also foreseeing a motor group (17) for moving said cabin (11) arranged outside of said cabin (11) at the top end of said space (12) and a manual control panel of the unit, in which the roof comprises a manhole (18) for the access from the cabin (11) to the motor group (17), the manhole (18) being kept in closed position through locking and being associated with at least two safety sensors that automatically block the movement of the cabin (11) whenever the manhole (18) is open, with there also being foreseen, associated on top of the roof, a maintenance keypad, said control panel of the elevator unit being arranged entirely outside of the cabin (11) at at least one storey door (16).

Description

[0001] The present invention refers to a lifting unit with facilitated maintenance and to the relative elevator cabin.

[0002] In particular the present invention refers to a lifting unit, both for people and for moving goods, of the type comprising an elevator cabin mobile inside a vertical travel space and equipped with a bottom, side walls, a roof, and mobile cabin doors.

[0003] Together with the cabin, lifting units known today, are provided with a plurality of storey doors and buttons for automatically controlling the motion of the cabin and of the doors arranged both on the outside of the cabin at the storey doors and inside the cabin.

[0004] The moving of the cabin is actuated by a relative motor group arranged outside the cabin at the upper end of the space.

[0005] Such lifting units, by law, must be object of maintenance operations aimed at periodically checking that the components that form the unit itself are in good working order.

[0006] In particular, the aforementioned operations of maintenance consist of both checking, visually, the state of some components and of manually moving the cabin.

[0007] Currently, in order to carry out the necessary maintenance manoeuvres the worker in charge is forced to enter inside the space on top of the cabin in the so called "head" of the space in which the motor group and the manoeuvring panel of the unit are usually arranged. However, disadvantageously, such a last operation is not always easy to carry out due to the fact that often, and in particular in "historical" buildings, it is not possible, in the top of the travel space of the cabin, to form an empty space with dimensions such as to allow the worker to carry out the aforementioned maintenance operations safely on top of the cabin.

[0008] In these cases the worker is forced to carry out the maintenance operations by taking up an unnatural position, for example squatting, and in general that is not safe for the worker himself.

[0009] The purpose of the present invention is that of making a device that is capable of solving the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art in an extremely simple, cost effective and particularly functional manner.

[0010] Another purpose is that of making a lifting unit, and relative elevator cabin, that are capable of allowing the worker in charge to easily carry out the necessary maintenance operations on the unit itself.

[0011] Another purpose is that of making a lifting unit, and relative elevator cabin, without a machine room and in which the maintenance of the unit is carried out exclusively from outside of the space and inside the cabin without requiring the worker in charge to go on top of the cabin roof.

[0012] These purposes according to the present invention are achieved by making a lifting unit and a relative elevator cabin as outlined in claims 1 and 7.

[0013] Further characteristics of the invention are highlighted in the dependent claims.

[0014] The characteristics and the advantages of a lifting unit and of the relative elevator cabin according to the present invention shall become clearer from the following description, given as an example and not for limiting purposes, with reference to the attached schematic drawings, in which:

figure 1 is a partially sectioned schematic view of an embodiment of an elevator cabin of a lifting unit according to the present invention.

[0015] With reference to the figures, an elevator cabin of a lifting unit according to the present invention is shown with reference numeral 11.

[0016] Such a unit comprises an elevator cabin 11 mobile inside a space 12 and equipped with a bottom 13, side walls 14, a not walking roof and mobile cabin doors 15. At each storey, the unit is provided with mobile storey doors 16 and buttons for calling the cabin 11.

[0017] Inside the cabin 11 it is foreseen for there to be buttons for automatically controlling the motion of the doors 15, 16 and of the cabin 11 for moving people or goods from one storey to another.

[0018] The unit according to the present invention does not have a machine room, a motor group 17, and part of the manoeuvring panel, for moving the cabin 11, which comprises an inverter, a speed limiter and relative electronic boards, is arranged outside the cabin 11 at the top end of the travel space 12.

[0019] According to the present invention, the manual control panel of the unit is entirely arranged outside the cabin 11 at a storey door 16, preferably that relative to the highest storey.

[0020] The manoeuvring panel of the unit, which contrarily to what occurs today, is arranged outside the travel space 12, comprises a master switch, a plurality of light deviators, emergency manoeuvring devices, the device for testing the speed limiter, the device for testing for malfunction of the safety chain with relative protection device when going towards the ground, all of the contact points for the insulation test, a plurality of fuses and a failure diagnostic device in the case of malfunction of the unit.

[0021] Preferably, such a manoeuvring panel is enclosed through locking in a column-shaped container fixedly connected at the side of the outside of a storey door 16.

[0022] It should thus be clear that in order to carry out maintenance and manual checking of the control panel of the unit, it is no longer necessary for the worker in charge to penetrate inside the space 12 or to enter in a separate machine room.

[0023] In order to access the motor group 17, and carry out the relative maintenance, according to the invention, the roof of the cabin 11 comprises a manhole 18 kept in closed position through locking.

[0024] In particular, such a manhole 18 is associated with at least two safety sensors; one that automatically blocks the movement of the cabin 11 whenever the manhole 18 itself is open and one for activating the commands inserted in the maintenance keypad that is at the side of the manhole 18 on top of the roof contained in a metal container which can only be opened with a special key.

[0025] According to what has just been described, in order to carry out the maintenance of the motor group, the worker is no longer required to climb on top of the roof in the head of the travel space 12 but can remain inside the cabin 11 only leaning out from the manhole 18.

[0026] It should thus be clear that even in buildings, for example historical buildings, that are equipped with a head that is very small, it is possible to carry out the necessary maintenance without requiring the worker to take up unnatural positions but to only stand on a small working platform 21 as shown in figure 1, in any case keeping the free space at the top of the space as required by regulations.

[0027] Preferably, the maintenance keypad is enclosed through locking in a container fixedly connected on top of the roof of the cabin, said roof being equipped with outer perimeter edges joined with inclined plates 20.

[0028] Such joined plates 20, together with the material of the manhole 18, usually plexiglass, have the purpose of preventing the maintenance worker from having to climb on the roof of the cabin 11, which is an operation that today is always necessary.

[0029] Finally, preferably, the sensors connected to the manhole are of the electromechanical type using a feeler pin that is capable of inhibiting the automatic movement of the cabin 11 but simultaneously allows the movement through the maintenance keypad.

[0030] It has thus been seen that the lifting unit according to the present invention and the relative elevator cabin achieve the previously highlighted purposes. Indeed the lifting unit of the present invention, and the relative elevator cabin, make it possible for the worker in charge to carry out all the maintenance manoeuvres necessary, exclusively from outside the space and inside the cabin without ever having to stay on the roof of the cabin.

[0031] Such an aspect is extremely advantageous in applications, such as historical buildings, in which it is not possible, in the travel spaces of the cabins, to form heads capable of safely receiving the worker.

[0032] The lifting unit of the present invention and the relative elevator cabin thus conceived can undergo numerous modifications and variants, all covered by the same inventive concept; moreover, all the details can be replaced by technically equivalent elements. In practice the materials used, as well as the dimensions, can be any according to the technical requirements.

Claims

1. Lifting unit comprising an elevator cabin (11) mobile inside a space (12) equipped with a bottom (13), side walls (14), a not walking roof, and mobile cabin doors (15), said unit also comprising a plurality of mobile storey doors (16) and buttons for automatically controlling the motion of said cabin (11) and of said doors (15, 16) arranged both on the outside at said storey doors (16) and inside of said cabin (11), the unit also foreseeing a motor group (17) for moving said cabin (11) arranged outside of said cabin (11) at the top end of said space (12), and a manual control panel for said unit, characterised in that said roof comprises a manhole (18) for the access from said cabin (11) to said motor group (17), said manhole (18) being kept in closed position through locking and being associated with at least two safety sensors that automatically block the movement of said cabin (11) whenever said manhole (18) is open, with there also being foreseen, on top of said roof, a maintenance keypad, said manual control panel of said unit being arranged entirely outside of said cabin (11) at at least one storey door (16).

2. Unit according to claim 1, characterised in that said maintenance keypad is enclosed through locking in a container fixedly connected on top of said roof of said cabin (11).

3. Unit according to claim 1, characterised in that the outer perimeter edges of said roof are joined with inclined plates (20).

4. Unit according to claim 1, characterised in that said motor group (17) for moving said cabin (11) comprises an inverter, a speed limiter and relative electronic boards.

5. Unit according to claim 1, characterised in that said manual control panel of said unit is enclosed through locking in a column-shaped container fixedly connected at the side of the outside of a storey door (16).

6. Unit according to claim 5, characterised in that said manual control panel comprises a master switch, a plurality of light deviators, emergency manoeuvring devices, the device for testing the speed limiter, the device for testing for malfunction of the safety chain with relative protection device when going towards the ground, all of the contact points for the insulation test, a plurality of fuses and a failure diagnostic device in the case of malfunction of the unit.

7. Elevator cabin (11) mobile inside a space (12) equipped with a bottom (13), side walls (14), a not walking roof, and mobile cabin doors (15), with there also being foreseen buttons for automatically controlling the motion of said cabin (11) and of said doors (15) arranged inside of said cabin (11), said cabin (11) being moved by a motor group (17) arranged outside of said cabin (11) at the top end of said space (12), characterised in that said roof comprises a manhole (18) for the access from said cabin (11) to said motor group (17), said manhole (18) being kept in closed position through locking and being associated with at least two safety sensors that automatically block the movement of said cabin (11) whenever said manhole (18) is open, a maintenance keypad being associated outside of said roof.

8. Cabin (11) according to claim 7, characterised in that said maintenance keypad is enclosed through locking in a container fixedly connected on top of said roof of said cabin (11).

9. Cabin (11) according to claim 7, characterised in that the outer perimeter edges of said roof are joined with inclined plates (20).

10. Cabin (11) according to claim 7, characterised in that said sensors are of the electromechanical type using a feeler pin.

Drawing