Elevator car operating panel

• US 6,227,335 B1
• Filed: 12/10/1999
• Issued: 05/08/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Inventio AG (Schindler Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Inventio AG (Schindler Holding AG)
• Inventors: Koeppe, Robert J. Jr., Lamb, Miles P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lillis, Eileen D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, THUY VAN
• Application Number:
  US09/460,328
• Time in Patent Office: 515 Days
• Field of Search: 187/395, 187/396, 187/414, 348/734, 200/520, 200/530, 200/532
• US Class Current: 187/414
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 1/462 Mechanical or piezoelectric input devices

Abstract

An elevator car operating assembly is of a modular construction which allows customization of the assembly for a given installation. An inner frame is provided upon which the car operating controls are mounted. The inner frame is constructed to mount a variety of controls in predetermined positions. The controls are mounted thereon as appropriate for the elevator installation. A circuit board mounts to a rear face of the inner frame, and interfaces with the controls assembled on the inner frame. The circuit board preferably is pre-fabricated to interface with each operating control which can be mounted to the inner frame. An insert is located on a front face of the inner frame. The insert is customized to the installation, and has apertures aligned with the operating controls utilized; the remaining component-mounting apertures on the inner panel are covered by the insert, whereby a finished appearance to the assembly is provided. An outer frame surrounds the inner frame and mounts the assembly to the elevator car wall.

Claims

1. A modular elevator car operating panel assembly adapted to accommodate a variety of operating button orientations and layouts, comprising:

an inner frame;

a plurality of car operating controls, including floor button assemblies, mounted to the inner frame;

a main printed circuit board mounted to a rear face of the inner frame and bearing components to interface with said car operating controls and means for coupling the car operating controls to a remote car control system;

an insert located on a front face of the inner frame and having a plurality of individual apertures through a solid face, each of said apertures being aligned with one of the car operating controls whereby the one car operating control is accessible within the aperture and the locations on the inner frame not occupied by operating controls are covered by the solid face of the insert LOCATIONS; and

an outer frame supporting the inner frame and mountable to an elevator car surface.

2. The elevator car operating panel assembly of claim 1 wherein the inner frame has a plurality of apertures each adapted to accept for independent mounting one of said in a discrete position, said printed circuit board bearing components to interface with the car operating controls located at each of said discrete positions.

3. The elevator car operating panel assembly of claim 2 wherein said floor button assemblies each comprise a button, an actuator spring and a halo, said printed circuit board components interfacing with the button assemblies comprising a switch.

4. The elevator car control panel of claim 2 wherein the front face of the inner frame includes a peripheral recess to accept the insert.

5. An elevator car operating panel assembly, comprising an inner frame adapted to support a plurality of car operating controls, the inner frame having apertures for mounting the car operating controls at predetermined locations upon the inner frame;

at least one car operating control mounted upon the inner frame and extending forwardly thereof;

an insert positioned upon a front face of said inner frame the insert having apertures for acceptance of the at least one car operating control mounted upon the main frame and having an overlying surface covering the vacant apertures of the inner frame;

a circuit board mounted to a rear face of the inner frame and having electrical components positioned to couple at least the at least one car operating control mounted upon the inner frame to an elevator operating system; and

an outer frame surrounding the inner frame for mounting the car operating panel assembly upon an elevator inner wall surface.

6. The elevator car operating panel assembly of claim 5, wherein the electrical components of the circuit board are positioned to couple car operating controls mounted at each of the predetermined locations upon the inner frame.