WO2023117353A1

WO2023117353A1 - An elevator landing door assembly for limiting opening of an elevator landing door

Info

Publication number: WO2023117353A1
Application number: PCT/EP2022/083978
Authority: WO
Inventors: Navin KASLIWAL; Deepak Varma
Original assignee: Inventio Ag
Priority date: 2021-12-21
Filing date: 2022-12-01
Publication date: 2023-06-29

Abstract

An elevator landing door assembly (100) to limit opening of the elevator landing door (110), comprising: at least one panel (105) of the elevator landing door (110); an elevator landing door header (106) of the elevator landing door (110); a blocking mechanism (101) mechanically coupled to the at least one panel (105) of the elevator landing door (110) such that, the blocking mechanism (101) moves together with movement of the at least one panel (105); and a stopper (104) rigidly fixed to the elevator landing door header (106); wherein, the blocking mechanism (101) is actuated from a non-limiting position to a limiting position upon manual unlocking of the elevator landing door (110), and while in the limiting position, the blocking mechanism (101) abuts the stopper (104) to limit opening of the elevator landing door (110).

Description

AN ELEVATOR LANDING DOOR ASSEMBLY FOR LIMITING OPENING OF AN ELEVATOR LANDING DOOR

The present invention relates to a field of elevators, and particularly, it relates to an elevator landing door assembly for limiting opening of an elevator landing door. Further, the present invention also relates to an elevator installation and a method for refurbishing the elevator landing door assembly.

Elevator are used commonly by people as a mode of transport from one floor of a building to another, be it in multistorey apartments, commercial complexes, hospitals, malls, restaurants, and the like. Generally, elevators broadly include an elevator car, which is movable within an elevator shaft, and an elevator landing door assembly which is arranged in each floor of a building. The elevator landing door provide access to the elevator car at respective floors and also facilitate access for technicians or operators to carry out maintenance of the elevator installation. For maintenance or for emergency purposes, the elevator landing doors are operated manually using a key to access the hoistway for performing maintenance of the elevator car and other associated components of the elevator. However, once the elevator landing door is opened, the operator needs to check position of the elevator car in the hoistway, to determine if the elevator is at accessible position to perform the maintenance. Performing this task by the operator solely depends on judgement of the operator and there is risk that, in some instances the elevator car may be far away from the elevator landing door.

Such an approach for determining position of the elevator car and opening the landing doors upon determining safe position of the elevator car door is provided in W02014191380A1. In the elevator system a door latch is provided in each shaft door, which is actuated by an actuator. Further, the elevator system includes a position detection unit for determining positioning of the elevator car. When the position detection unit determines safe position of the elevator cage, the actuator operate the door latch for opening of the shaft door. However, safe access of hoistway relies on the elevator system being equipped with an additional position detection unit, which is relatively expensive component. In addition, equipping an existing elevator system with such a position detection unit is a quite complex action.

Also the JP 2003 104 669 A shows an elevator landing door blocking mechanism. Therefore, there is a need for designing a simple and economic assembly ensuring safe hoistway access for operators. Further, there is also a need for an assembly that can be incorporated with an existing elevator landing door with minimal or no hardware modifications.

Such needs may be met with the subject-matter of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are defined in the dependent claims and in the following specification.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, an elevator landing door assembly for limiting opening of an elevator landing door is disclosed. The elevator landing door assembly includes at least one panel of the elevator landing door and an elevator landing door header of the elevator landing door. Further, elevator landing door assembly includes a blocking mechanism mechanically coupled to at least one panel of the elevator landing door such that, the blocking mechanism moves together with movement of the at least one panel, and a stopper rigidly fixed to the elevator landing door header. The blocking mechanism is actuated from a non-limiting position to a limiting position upon manual unlocking of the elevator landing door, and while in the limiting position, the blocking mechanism abuts the stopper to limit opening of the elevator landing door. The manually unlocking of the landing door may require rotation of a key.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, an elevator installation is disclosed. The elevator installation includes an elevator shaft, an elevator car movable within the elevator shaft, an elevator landing door assembly described in the first aspect of the present invention, installed in each of the plurality of floors for limiting opening of an elevator landing door.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, a method of refurbishing an elevator landing door assembly of an elevator installation is disclosed. The method includes providing the elevator landing door assembly as described in the first aspect of the present invention such that, the blocking mechanism is coupled to at least one panel of the elevator landing door assembly. The blocking mechanism actuates to a limiting position, upon manual unlocking of the elevator landing door. Further, the stopper is rigidly connected to the elevator landing door header, to which the blocking mechanism member abuts for limiting opening of the elevator landing door. Ideas underlying embodiments of the present invention may be interpreted as being based, inter alia, on the following observations and recognitions.

The elevator landing door assembly proposed herein may be installed in new elevator installation or may be installed or retrofitted in existing elevator installation with minimal hardware inclusions. Elevator landing doors are operated manually using a key to access the hoistway for performing maintenance of the elevator car and other components of the elevator. Once the elevator landing door is opened, the operator inspects safe operating position of the elevator car in the hoistway, to determine if the elevator car is at accessible position.

It is the manual unlocking of the elevator landing door, which causes the actuation of the blocking mechanism from the non-limiting position to the limiting position. Therefore, whenever the landing door is unlocked manually, the blocking mechanism is activated inevitably. The nonlimiting position of the blocking mechanism allows, that the landing door moves freely from the closed to the completely open position of the landing doors. In the limiting position, the opening movement is limited to a predetermined width, which is smaller than the width of the completely opened landing door.

The elevator landing door assembly of the present invention limits opening of the elevator landing door for a predetermined width during a first opening of the elevator landing door after manual unlocking of the elevator landing door, such that, the operator may inspect safe operating position of the elevator car without the risk of slipping or falling into the hoistway. Further, the elevator landing door assembly allows complete opening of the elevator landing door for accessing into the hoistway, during a second opening of the elevator landing door.

In a favorable embodiment of the assembly, the blocking mechanism includes a blocking member and the blocking member is positioned by a bistable holding element in either the non-limiting position or the limiting position. The bistable holding element is a resilient member, configured to provide a mechanical biasing force for positioning the blocking member in either the non-limiting position or the limiting position.

The blocking member abuts the stopper during the first opening of the elevator landing door, upon manually unlocking the elevator landing door. The blocking member abutting the stopper limits opening of the elevator landing door at a first opening position, for a predetermined width, which will be used for inspecting safe operating position of the elevator car.

In a favorable embodiment of the elevator landing door assembly, includes a reset mechanism coupled to the elevator landing door header, wherein the reset mechanism repositions the blocking member from the limiting position to a non-limiting position, during a following closing of the elevator landing door, from the first opening position. Further, the reset mechanism allows unobstructed movement of the blocking mechanism in the limiting position during first opening of the elevator landing door after unlocking the door manually and repositions the blocking member to a non-limiting position during the following closing of the elevator landing door from the first opening position.

Upon inspecting safe position of the elevator car in the hoistway, the elevator landing door is substantially closed from a first opening position. During closing of the elevator landing door, the reset mechanism repositions the blocking mechanism to the non-liming position from the limiting position such that, the blocking mechanism in its non-limiting position bypasses the stopper during a second opening of the elevator landing door from the substantially closed positioned, for complete opening of the elevator landing door.

In a favorable embodiment of the system, the blocking member is coupled to the at least one panel of the elevator landing door through a mounting bracket.

In the following portions, embodiments of the elevator landing door assembly proposed herein will be described. The proposed elevator landing door assembly is utilized for limiting opening of the elevator landing door. The elevator landing door assembly include various components that are operatively coupled with the blocking mechanism for limiting opening of the elevator landing door.

It shall be noted that possible features and advantages of embodiments of the invention are described herein partly with respect to an elevator landing door assembly for limiting opening of the elevator landing door and partly with respect to a method for refurbishing an elevator car installation in order to incorporate the elevator landing door assembly to limit opening of the elevator landing door. One skilled in the art will recognize that the features may be suitably transferred from one embodiment to another and features may be modified, adapted, combined and/or replaced, etc. in order to come to further embodiments of the invention.

In the following, advantageous embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the enclosed drawings. However, neither the drawings nor the description shall be interpreted as limiting the invention.

Figure. 1 illustrates a front view of an elevator landing door, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Figure. 2 illustrates a magnified view of portion ‘A’ of Figure. 1, depicting an assembly installed on the elevator landing door, for limiting opening of the elevator landing door, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Figures. 3a to 3d illustrates front view of the assembly depicting operational sequence of the assembly, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure; and

Figures. 4a and 4b illustrates front view of the elevator landing door depicting different opening positions of the elevator landing door, corresponding to operational sequence of the assembly as depicted in Figures. 3a to 3d, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

The figures are only schematic and not to scale. Same reference signs refer to the same or similar features.

Figure. 1 illustrates a front view of elevator landing door assembly (100) which include elevator door (110). The elevator landing doors (110) may be adapted to move (i.e., slide) for opening and closing thereby providing access into an elevator car [not shown in Figures] and a hoistway [not shown in Figures], In an embodiment, the elevator landing door assembly (100) may include at least one panel (105) of the elevator landing door (110), and an elevator landing door header (106) of the elevator landing door (110), which may be configured to accommodate a drive mechanism for automatic opening and closing of the elevator landing door (110), when the elevator car reaches a floor in a building. Further, the elevator landing door assembly (100) may be configured to limit opening of the elevator landing door (110) beyond a predetermined width, upon manual unlocking of the elevator landing door (110). Further, the elevator landing door assembly (100) may also be configured to allow complete opening of the elevator landing door (110). In an illustrated embodiment, the elevator landing door assembly (100) include two elevator landing doors and the same should not be construed as a limitation, since the elevator landing door assembly (100) may be installed in the elevators having single elevator landing door configuration. In another embodiment, the elevator landing door assembly (100) may be installed in new elevator installation or may be installed or retrofitted to the existing elevator installations with minimal hardware modifications. It must be understood to a person skilled in the art that the elevator landing door assembly (100) [hereinafter referred as assembly (100)] may also be implemented in various environments, other than as shown in Figures.

Referring to Figure. 2, the assembly (100) may include a blocking mechanism (101), mechanically coupled to the at least one panel (105) of the elevator landing door (110). In an embodiment, the blocking mechanism (101) may be configured to move along with at least one panel (105), which in turn moves corresponding to movement (thus, sliding) of the elevator landing door (110). The blocking mechanism (101) may be configured to actuate between a limiting position and a nonlimiting position, for limiting opening of the elevator landing door (110) and allow complete opening of the landing door (110), respectively. In an embodiment, the blocking mechanism (101) may be actuated to be positioned in any of an intermediate position between the limiting position and the non-limiting position. Figure. 2 shows the blocking mechanism (101) in the non-limiting position. In an embodiment, the blocking mechanism (101) may include a blocking member (102) which is coupled to the at least one panel (105) in vicinity to an unlock mechanism (112) disposed on the elevator landing door header (106) of the elevator landing door (110). The blocking member (102) is positioned by a bistable holding element (103) in either the non-limiting position or the limiting position. In an embodiment, the blocking member (102) may be but not limiting to a lever, a shaft and the like, which may be pivotally coupled to the at least one panel (105) through a mounting bracket (111) and may be configured to actuate between the limiting position and the non-limiting position. As an example, the blocking member (102) may be defined with a substantially L-shaped configuration. In an embodiment, the bistable holding element (103) may be a resilient member, where one end of the resilient member is coupled to the blocking member (102) and other end, opposite to the one end may be coupled to the at least one panel (105). The resilient member may be configured provide mechanical biasing force to the blocking member (102) for positioning the blocking member (102) in one of the limiting position [as seen in Figure. 3a] and the non-limiting position. As an example, the resilient member may be a torsional spring provided around a pivotal portion of the blocking member (102) such that one leg is biased on the blocking member (102) and other leg is biased on the at least one panel (105) and the blocking member (102). In other example, the resilient member may be a compression or tension spring connected between the blocking member (102) and the at least one panel (105). The bistable holding element (103) being configured to position the blocking member (102) in the limiting position and the non-limiting position may not be construed as a limitation since, the bistable holding element (103) may be configured to position the blocking member (102) in any of intermediate positions between the limiting position and the non-limiting position.

As apparent from Figure. 2, the assembly (100) may include a stopper (104) which is rigidly connectable to the elevator landing door header (106). As an example, the stopper (104) may be rigidly connected to the elevator landing door header (106) through but not limiting to one of a mechanical joining process and a thermal joining process. In an embodiment, the stopper (104) may be connectable to the elevator landing door header (106) at a distance away from the blocking mechanism (101) (thus, the blocking member (102)) based on width at which the opening of the elevator landing door (110) is to be limited, when the elevator landing door (110) is unlocked manually. Further, the assembly (100) may include a reset mechanism (107) which is coupled to the elevator landing door header (106). In an embodiment, the reset mechanism (107) may be positioned between the blocking mechanism (101) and the stopper (104). The reset mechanism (107) may be configured to reposition the blocking mechanism (101) [thus, the blocking member (102)] from the limiting position to the non-limiting position for complete opening of the elevator landing door (110) and allow unobstructed movement of the blocking mechanism (101) in the limiting position for limiting movement of the elevator landing door (110). In an embodiment, the reset mechanism (107) may include a catch (114). The catch (114) may include a platform (108) and a pad (109) flexibly disposed on the platform (108). The pad (109) may be configured to displace corresponding to contact of the blocking member (102) of the blocking mechanism (101). In an embodiment, during contact of the blocking member (102) in its limiting position with the pad (109) during first opening of the elevator landing door (110), the pad (109) may displace freely from the platform (108) thus allow unobstructed movement of the blocking member (102). Further, during contact of the blocking member (102) in its limiting position with the pad (109) during substantial closing of the elevator landing door (110), the pad (109) may displace and abut to the platform (108), thereby repositions the blocking member (102) from the limiting position to the non-limiting position. As an example, the pad (109) may be made of one of flexible material such as but not limiting to polymers or metals.

Turning to Figure. 3a, in order to perform maintenance of elevator car and associated components of an elevator installation, a key (113) may be inserted through a key slot [not shown in Figures] provided in the floor wall, for manually unlocking the elevator landing door (110). Unlocking the elevator landing door (110) aids in opening the elevator landing door (110) to inspect safe operating position of the elevator car and for accessing the hoistway. As seen in Figure. 3a, upon insertion of the key (113) and corresponding to rotation of the key (113) in any one of a clockwise and a counter-clockwise direction, a rotating component (115) of the unlock mechanism (112) may rotate in one of clockwise direction or counter-clockwise direction under the action of spring force. Such rotation of the rotating component (115) of the unlock mechanism (112) during its manual unlocking, may contact the blocking member (102) and may actuate the blocking member (102) from the non-limiting position (as seen in Figure. 2) to the limiting position (as seen in Figure. 3b. Upon manual unlocking the elevator landing door (110), as seen in Figure. 4a, the elevator landing door (110) may be moved (thus, slided) manually for opening. In an embodiment, corresponding to movement of the elevator landing door (110) i.e., during a first opening of the elevator landing door (110), the blocking member (102) in its limiting position also displaces. As seen in Figure. 3b, the blocking member (102) may contact the catch (114) of the reset mechanism (107) during displacement corresponding to the first opening of the elevator landing door (110), where the pad (109) of the catch (114) displaces or flexes and allow unobstructed movement of the blocking member (102) in its limiting position. Further, as seen in Figure. 3c, the blocking member (102) further displace beyond the catch (114) and abuts the stopper (104), thereby limiting the opening of the elevator landing door (110) to a predefined width at a first opening position. As an example, the predefined width may be in the range of about 5 inches to 10 inches, which may provide the space for the operator to visually inspect the hoistway and safe operating position of the elevator car. In a preferred embodiment, the predefined width may be 6 inches. Further, limiting the opening of the elevator landing door (110) within the predefined width mitigates the chances of operator slipping into hoistway during inspecting the safe operating position of the elevator car, in case of unbalance. Now referring to Figure. 3d and Figure. 4b, upon inspecting the safe position of the elevator car and to completely open the elevator landing door (110) for accessing the hoistway, as seen in Figure. 4b, the elevator landing door (110) may be displaced from the first opening position towards a closed position. In an embodiment, closed position of the elevator landing door (110) may be inferred as closing of the elevator landing door (110) with a pre-defined gap maintained between the elevator landing doors (110). In another embodiment, closed position of the elevator landing door (110) may be inferred as complete closing of the elevator landing door (110). Corresponding to displacement of the elevator landing door (110) towards the closed position, the blocking member (102) also displaces, where the blocking member (102) as seen in Figure. 3d, may contact the catch (114) such that, the pad (109) of the catch (114) displaces and actuates the blocking member (102) from the limiting position to the non-limiting position. Once, the blocking member (102) is actuated to the non-limiting position, the elevator landing door (110) may be displaced for a second opening from the closed position. During the second opening of the elevator landing door (110), the blocking member (102) in its non-limiting position bypasses the stopper (104) and thus, allow complete opening of the elevator landing door (110), thereby providing access to the hoistway.

In an embodiment, the assembly (100) is simple, modular and can be easily installed on to the elevator landing door (110). The assembly (100) aids in both limiting the opening of the elevator landing door (110) during first opening of the elevator landing door (110) upon manual unlocking and complete opening of the elevator landing door (110) during second opening of the elevator landing door (110).

In an embodiment, the assembly (100) may be retrofitted into the existing elevator landing door without substantial modification to the elevator landing door (110).

A description of an embodiment with several components operatively coupled with each other does not imply that all such components are required. On the contrary, a variety of optional components are described to illustrate the wide variety of possible embodiments of the invention.

When a single device or article is described herein, it will be clear that more than one device/article (whether they cooperate) may be used in place of a single device/article. Similarly, where more than one device or article is described herein (whether they cooperate), it will be clear that a single device/article may be used in place of the more than one device or article or a different number of devices/articles may be used instead of the shown number of devices or programs. The functionality and/or the features of a device may be alternatively embodied by one or more other devices which are not explicitly described as having such functionality/features. Thus, other embodiments of the invention need not include the device itself.

Finally, the language used in the specification has been principally selected for readability and instructional purposes, and it may not have been selected to delineate or circumscribe the inventive subject matter. It is therefore intended that the scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by any claims that issue on an application based here on. Accordingly, the embodiments of the present invention are intended to be illustrative, but not limiting, of the scope of the invention, which is set forth in the following claims.

While various aspects and embodiments have been disclosed herein is related to elevators, aspects of this disclosure may also be applied in connection with other types of conveyance or transportation devices, such as a dumbwaiter, an escalator, a moving sidewalk, a wheelchair lift and the like which will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be limiting, with the true scope being indicated by the following claims.

Claims

We Claim:

1. An elevator landing door assembly (100) for limiting opening of the elevator landing door (110), comprising: at least one panel (105) of the elevator landing door (110); an elevator landing door header (106) of the elevator landing door (110); a blocking mechanism (101) mechanically coupled to the at least one panel (105) of the elevator landing door (110) such that, the blocking mechanism (101) moves together with movement of the at least one panel (105); and a stopper (104) rigidly fixed to the elevator landing door header (106); characterized in that, the blocking mechanism (101) is actuatable from a non-limiting position to a limiting position upon manual unlocking of the elevator landing door (110), and while in the limiting position, the blocking mechanism (101) abuts the stopper (104) to limit opening of the elevator landing door (110).

2. The elevator landing door assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the blocking mechanism (101) is actuated to the limiting position from the non-limiting position by rotation of a key (113) for manual unlocking the elevator landing door (110).

3. The elevator landing door assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the blocking mechanism (101) comprises a blocking member (102) and the blocking member (102) is positioned by a bistable holding element (103) in either the non-limiting position or the limiting position.

4. The elevator landing door assembly (100) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the bistable holding element (103) is a resilient member, configured to provide a mechanical biasing force for positioning the blocking member (102) in either the non-limiting position or the limiting position.

5. The elevator landing door assembly (100) as claimed in one of the claims 1 to 4, wherein the blocking mechanism (101) abuts the stopper (104) at a first opening position during a first opening of the elevator landing door (110) from a closed position, after manual unlocking of the elevator landing door (110). The elevator landing door assembly (100) as claimed in claim 3, comprises a reset mechanism (107) coupled to the elevator landing door header (106), wherein the reset mechanism (107) repositions the blocking member (102) from the limiting position to the non-limiting position, during a following closing of the elevator landing door (110), from the first opening position. The elevator landing door assembly (100) as claimed in the claim 6, wherein the reset mechanism (107) allows unobstructed movement of the blocking mechanism (101) in the limiting position during first opening of the elevator landing door (110) after unlocking the door manually, and repositions the blocking member (102) to the non-limiting position during the following closing of the elevator landing door (110) from the first opening position. The elevator landing door assembly (100) as claimed in claim 6, wherein the reset mechanism (107) comprises a catch (114) coupled to the elevator landing door header (106), the catch (114) is structured to reposition the blocking member (102) from the limiting position to the non-limiting position, during the following closing of the elevator landing door (110), from the first opening position. The elevator landing door assembly (100) as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the blocking mechanism (101) in the non-limiting position bypasses the stopper (104) during a second opening of the elevator landing door (110) for complete opening of the elevator landing door (110). The elevator landing door assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the blocking mechanism (101) is coupled to the at least one panel (105) through a mounting bracket (H l). An elevator installation comprising: an elevator shaft; an elevator car movable within the elevator shaft; a plurality of elevator landing doors (110), through which the elevator car is accessed from a plurality of floors arranged above one another; and characterised in that the elevator installation further comprises an elevator landing door assembly (100) to limit opening of the elevator landing door (110) as claimed in claims 1 to 10. A method of refurbishing an elevator landing door assembly (100) of an elevator installation, the method comprising: providing an elevator landing door assembly (100) as claimed in claims 1 to 10, for limiting opening of an elevator landing door (110), wherein: the blocking mechanism (101) is coupled to at least one panel (105) of the elevator landing door (110), such that the blocking mechanism (101) actuates to a limiting position, upon manual unlocking of the elevator landing door (110); and the stopper (104) is rigidly connected to the elevator landing an elevator landing door header (106), to which the blocking mechanism (101) abuts for limiting opening of the elevator landing door (110). The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprises positioning the reset mechanism (107) on the elevator landing door header (106), wherein the reset mechanism (107) for repositioning the blocking mechanism (101) from the limiting position to the non-limiting position. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the blocking mechanism (101) is actuated to the limiting position from the non-limiting position by rotation of a key (113) for manual unlocking the elevator landing door (110).