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CN-117623046-B - Friction-free safety brake actuator

CN117623046BCN 117623046 BCN117623046 BCN 117623046BCN-117623046-B

Abstract

A frictionless safety brake actuator for use in an elevator system includes at least two stators, a magnet array positioned between the stators, a linkage attached to the magnet array, and a biasing arrangement. The magnet array comprises a first magnet set and a second magnet set comprising at least one magnet each and a total of at least three magnets. The magnets of the first magnet set are alternately arranged in a stack with the magnets of the second magnet set. The magnets in the first magnet group are electromagnets. The magnet array generates a magnetic field. The electromagnets in the first magnet set and the magnets in the second magnet set each have a respective orientation such that when forward current is supplied to the electromagnets, the magnetic field is stronger on a first side of the magnet array than on a second opposite side of the magnet array, and when reverse current is supplied to the electromagnets, the magnetic field is stronger on the second side of the magnet array than on the first side. The stators each include a respective array of discrete magnetic elements having a staggered configuration.

Inventors

  • J. Munos sotoka

Assignees

  • 奥的斯电梯公司

Dates

Publication Date
20260508
Application Date
20221121
Priority Date
20220831

Claims (15)

  1. 1. A frictionless safety brake actuator (100; 200) for use in an elevator system (50), comprising: at least two stators including a first stator (104) and a second stator (106) extending in respective substantially parallel planes; a magnet array (102) positioned between the first and second stators (104, 106); A linkage (108) actuatable to move the safety brake (58; 186) into frictional engagement with the elevator guide rail (56; 188), wherein the linkage (108) is attached to the magnet array (102), and wherein the magnet array (102) is movable along an axis (115) extending substantially parallel to the first and second stators (104, 106) between a first position in which the linkage (108) is actuated and a second position in which the linkage (108) is not actuated, and A biasing arrangement (118) arranged to apply a biasing force to the magnet array (102) to bias the magnet array (102) towards the first position; Wherein the magnet array (102) comprises a first magnet set and a second magnet set, wherein the first magnet set and the second magnet set comprise at least one magnet each and a total of at least three magnets, wherein the one or more magnets (130, 132) of the first magnet set are alternately arranged in a stack with the one or more magnets (134) of the second magnet set, wherein the or each magnet of the first magnet set is an electromagnet (130, 132), and wherein the magnet array (102) generates a magnetic field (158, 168); Wherein the one or more electromagnets (130, 132) of the first magnet set and the one or more magnets (134) of the second magnet set each have a respective orientation (154, 156, 134, 164, 166) such that when a forward current (152) is supplied to the one or more electromagnets (130, 132) of the first magnet set, the magnetic field (158) is stronger on a first side of the magnet array (102) adjacent the first stator (104) than on a second opposite side of the magnet array (102) adjacent the second stator (106), and when a reverse current (162) is supplied to the one or more electromagnets (130, 132) of the first magnet set, the magnetic field (168) is stronger on the second side of the magnet array (102) than on the first side of the magnet array (102); Wherein the first and second stators (104, 106) each comprise a respective array of discrete magnetic elements (126, 128) extending parallel to the axis (115), wherein the discrete magnetic elements (126, 128) have an interleaved configuration in which the discrete magnetic elements (126, 128) on the first stator (104) are displaced in the direction of the axis (115) relative to the discrete magnetic elements (126, 128) on the second stator (106).
  2. 2. The friction-free safety brake actuator (100; 200) of claim 1, wherein -Said respective orientations (154, 156, 134, 164, 166) of said one or more electromagnets (130, 132) of said first magnet set and said one or more magnets (134) of said second magnet set are both in a plane parallel to said axis (115) and perpendicular to said first and second stators (104, 106); The first and second magnet sets include a total of N magnets arranged in N positions marked from n=1 to n=n along the axis (115), wherein the one or more electromagnets (130, 132) of the first magnet set and the one or more magnets (134) of the second magnet set are oriented such that, when a forward current (152) is applied to the one or more electromagnets (130, 132) of the first magnet set, the (n+1) th magnet has an orientation rotated 90 ° in a first rotational direction relative to the orientation of the N th magnet for n=1 to n=n-1, and when a reverse current (162) is applied to the one or more electromagnets (130, 132) of the first magnet set, the (n+1) th magnet has an orientation rotated 90 ° in a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction relative to the N-th magnet.
  3. 3. The friction-free safety brake actuator (100; 200) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein I) The one or more electromagnets (130, 132) of the first magnet set being oriented perpendicular to the axis (115) and the one or more magnets (134) of the second magnet set being oriented parallel to the axis (115), or Ii) the one or more electromagnets (130, 132) of the first magnet set are oriented parallel to the axis (115) and the one or more magnets (134) of the second magnet set are oriented perpendicular to the axis (115).
  4. 4. A frictionless safety brake actuator (100; 200) according to claim 1,2 or 3, wherein the or each magnet of the second set of magnets is a permanent magnet (134).
  5. 5. The friction-free safety brake actuator (100; 200) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first and second stators (104, 106) are made of magnetic material, and wherein the arrays of discrete magnetic elements (126, 128) of the first and second stators (104, 106) each comprise a respective array of protrusions of magnetic material protruding from the respective stator (104, 106) towards the magnet array (102).
  6. 6. The friction-free safety brake actuator (100; 200) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the discrete magnetic elements (126, 128) of the first and second stators (104, 106) are evenly spaced along the axis (115) at a spacing S, wherein the spacing S is measured between corresponding points of adjacent discrete magnetic elements (126, 128), and wherein S is the same for both the first and second stators (104, 106).
  7. 7. The friction-free safety brake actuator (100; 200) of claim 6 wherein the discrete magnetic elements (126, 128) on the first stator (104) are displaced along the axis (115) by a distance X relative to the discrete magnetic elements (126, 128) on the second stator (106), wherein X is less than 50% of S, such as less than 40% of S.
  8. 8. The friction-free safety brake actuator (100; 200) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a guiding arrangement (114) extending along or parallel to the axis (115), wherein the guiding arrangement (114) is configured to constrain the magnet array (102) against movement transverse to the axis (115).
  9. 9. The friction-free safety brake actuator (100; 200) of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the magnet array (102) comprises a plurality of protrusions (146, 148), the plurality of protrusions (146, 148) being arranged to alternately align with one or more of the discrete magnetic elements (126, 128) on the first stator (104) and with one or more of the discrete magnetic elements (126, 128) on the second stator (106) when the magnet array (102) is moved towards the second position during application of alternating current (151) to the one or more electromagnets (130, 132) in the first magnet set.
  10. 10. The frictionless safety brake actuator (100) according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising a limit switch (124), the limit switch (124) being arranged to detect when the magnet array (102) has reached the second position.
  11. 11. The frictionless safety brake actuator (200) according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising a stop arrangement (202) positioned to prevent the magnet array (102) from moving along the axis (115) beyond the second position, wherein the stop arrangement (202) is magnetic.
  12. 12. A method of resetting a frictionless safety brake actuator (100; 200) according to any of the preceding claims, the method comprising: An alternating current (151) is applied to the one or more electromagnets (130, 132) of the first magnet set until the magnet array (102) has been moved to the second position.
  13. 13. The method of claim 12, further comprising interrupting the alternating current (151) and applying a direct current (182) to the one or more electromagnets (130, 132) in the first magnet set after the magnet array (102) has reached the second position.
  14. 14. The method of claim 13, further comprising detecting, by a limit switch (124)/the limit switch (124), that the magnet array (102) has reached the second position, wherein interrupting the alternating current (151) and applying the direct current (182) to the one or more electromagnets (130, 132) in the first magnet set are performed in response to the limit switch (124) detecting that the magnet array (102) has reached the second position.
  15. 15. An elevator system (50) comprising an elevator guide rail, an elevator car, a frictionless safety brake actuator (100; 200) and a safety brake (58; 186), wherein the frictionless safety brake actuator (100; 200) and the safety brake (58; 186) are mounted to the elevator car to move along the guide rail when the elevator car is in use, wherein the safety brake actuator (100; 200) comprises: at least two stators including a first stator (104) and a second stator (106) extending in respective substantially parallel planes; a magnet array (102) positioned between the first and second stators (104, 106); A linkage (108) actuatable to move the safety brake (58; 186) into frictional engagement with the elevator guide rail, wherein the linkage (108) is attached to the magnet array (102), and wherein the magnet array (102) is movable along an axis (115) extending substantially parallel to the first and second stators (104, 106) between a first position in which the linkage (108) is actuated and a second position in which the linkage (108) is not actuated, and A biasing arrangement (118) arranged to apply a biasing force to the magnet array (102) to bias the magnet array (102) towards the first position; Wherein the magnet array (102) comprises a first magnet set and a second magnet set, wherein the first magnet set and the second magnet set comprise at least one magnet each and a total of at least three magnets, wherein the one or more magnets (130, 032) of the first magnet set are alternately arranged in a stack with the one or more magnets (134) of the second magnet set, wherein the or each magnet in the first set is an electromagnet (130, 132), and wherein the magnet array (102) generates a magnetic field (158, 168); Wherein the one or more electromagnets (130, 132) of the first magnet set and the one or more magnets (134) of the second magnet set each have a respective orientation (154, 156, 134, 164, 166) such that when a forward current (152) is supplied to the one or more electromagnets (130, 132) of the first magnet set, the magnetic field (158) is stronger on a first side of the magnet array (102) adjacent the first stator (104) than on a second opposite side of the magnet array (102) adjacent the second stator (106), and when a reverse current (162) is supplied to the one or more electromagnets (130, 132) of the first magnet set, the magnetic field (168) is stronger on the second side of the magnet array (102) than on the first side of the magnet array (102); Wherein the first and second stators (104, 106) each comprise a respective array of discrete magnetic elements (126, 128) extending parallel to the axis (115), wherein the discrete magnetic elements (126, 128) have an interleaved configuration in which the discrete magnetic elements (126, 128) on the first stator (104) are displaced in the direction of the axis (115) relative to the discrete magnetic elements (126, 128) on the second stator (106).

Description

Friction-free safety brake actuator Technical Field The present disclosure relates to frictionless safety brake actuators for use in elevator systems, and elevator systems comprising such frictionless safety brake actuators. Background It is known in the art to mount safety brakes to elevator components moving along guide rails in order to bring the elevator components to a quick and safe stop, especially in an emergency. In many elevator systems, the elevator car is lifted by a tension member, wherein its movement is guided by a pair of guide rails. Typically, a governor is used to monitor the speed of the elevator car. According to standard safety regulations, such elevator systems must include emergency braking devices (known as safety brakes, "safety mechanisms" or "safety devices") that are capable of preventing the elevator car from moving up or down by clamping the guide rails even if the tensioning members break. The safety brake may also be mounted on a counterweight or other component that moves along the rail. Instead of using a mechanical governor to trigger a safety brake, for example, using an electronic or electrical controller, an Electronic Safety Actuator (ESA) is now commonly used. ESAs typically activate a safety brake by controlled release of a magnet (permanent or electromagnet) to drag against a rail and pull up a linkage attached to the safety brake with the friction created thereby. The reliance on frictional interaction between the magnets and the guide rail presents a number of potential challenges, particularly in high-rise elevator systems, because the interaction between the magnets and the guide rail causes wear on the guide rail and can cause spalling and debris accumulation. To address these and other issues, frictionless safety brake actuators may be used. In frictionless safety brake actuators, different mechanisms other than frictional interaction between the magnets and the rail are used to actuate the safety brake. For example, in some frictionless safety brake actuators, the spring force is controlled to pull a linkage that engages the safety brake. However, after the safety brake has been engaged, the frictionless safety brake actuator needs to be reset to return the linkage and safety brake to their non-actuated positions. There is a need to provide a reliable and convenient return mechanism for such frictionless safety brake actuators. Disclosure of Invention When viewed from a first aspect, the present disclosure provides a frictionless safety brake actuator for use in an elevator system, comprising: at least two stators including a first stator and a second stator extending in respective substantially parallel planes; a magnet array positioned between the first and second stators; A linkage actuatable to move the safety brake into frictional engagement with the elevator guide rail, wherein the linkage is attached to the magnet array, and wherein the magnet array is movable along an axis extending substantially parallel to the first and second stators between a first position in which the linkage is actuated and a second position in which the linkage is not actuated, and A biasing arrangement arranged to apply a biasing force to the magnet array to bias the magnet array towards the first position; Wherein the magnet array comprises a first magnet set and a second magnet set, wherein the first and second magnet sets comprise at least one magnet each and a total of at least three magnets, wherein the magnet(s) of the first magnet set are arranged in a stack alternately with the magnet(s) of the second magnet set, wherein the or each magnet in the first magnet set is an electromagnet, and wherein the magnet array generates a magnetic field; Wherein the electromagnet(s) in the first magnet set and the electromagnet(s) in the second magnet set each have a respective orientation such that when a forward current is supplied to the electromagnet(s) in the first magnet set, the magnetic field is stronger on a first side of the magnet array adjacent the first stator than on a second opposite side of the magnet array adjacent the second stator, and when a reverse current is supplied to the electromagnet(s) in the first magnet set, the magnetic field is stronger on the second side of the magnet array than on the first side of the magnet array; Wherein the first and second stators each comprise a respective array of discrete magnetic elements extending parallel to the axis, wherein the discrete magnetic elements have an interleaved configuration in which the discrete magnetic elements on the first stator are displaced in the direction of the axis relative to the discrete magnetic elements on the second stator. This aspect of the disclosure extends to an elevator system comprising an elevator guide rail, an elevator car, a frictionless safety brake actuator and a safety brake, wherein the frictionless safety brake actuator and the safety brake are mounted to the elevator car to