Drive unit for elevators

• US 6,371,248 B1
• Filed: 11/24/1999
• Issued: 04/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Inventio AG (Schindler Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Inventio AG (Schindler Holding AG)
• Inventors: Cholinski, Andrzej
• Primary Examiner(s): Lillis, Eileen D
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, THUY VAN
• Application Number:
  US09/448,672
• Time in Patent Office: 874 Days
• Field of Search: 187/250, 187/251, 187/254, 187/258, 187/277, 187/289, 187/288, 254/362, 254/236, 254/378, 310/258
• US Class Current: 187/254
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 11/0438 with a gearless driving, e.g. integrated sheave, drum or winch in the stator or rotor of the cage motor

Abstract

A drive unit has a traction sheave mounted on an end of a drive shaft supported by a bearing that is mounted on an extension of a bearing plate that is part of the motor casing. The traction sheave has an extension that serves as a brake drum. Mounted between the traction sheave and the casing, the brake drum together with first brake arms, second brake arms, first electromagnets, second electromagnets, first compression springs and second compression springs form the braking device of the drive unit. On a top of the bearing plate is a first arm linkage and at the bottom of the bearing plate is a second arm linkage. The force of the first compression spring is transmitted to the brake drum by the first brake arm, the required friction force on the brake drum being generated by a first brake lining mounted on a first brake shoe. The friction force on the second half of the brake is generated analogously. To release the brake the electromagnets are activated, these overcoming the forces of the compression springs and lifting the brake shoes together with the brake linings off brake drum.

Claims

1. A drive unit for elevators comprising:

a motor having a casing and a drive shaft, said drive shaft being rotatably supported in said casing and having a free end extending from one end of said casing;

a traction sheave mounted on said free end of said drive shaft for rotation with said drive shaft;

a bearing mounted on an exterior of an extension of said one end of said casing and rotatably supporting said traction sheave and said free end of said shaft, said bearing and said traction sheave being axially aligned for supporting a load applied to the traction sheave; and

a braking device for preventing rotation of said traction sheave, said braking device including a portion of said traction sheave encircling said extension between said bearing and said one end of said casing to minimize a length of the drive unit.

2. The drive unit according to claim 1 wherein said traction sheave is supported in a bearing plate of said casing in which said bearing is mounted, said portion of said traction sheave being an extension forming one of a brake drum and a brake disk of said braking device.

3. The drive unit according to claim 1 wherein said braking device includes at least a pair of brake arms pivotally mounted on said casing, actuating means coupled to a first end of each said brake arms for pivoting a second end of each of said brake arms into and out of frictional engagement with said portion of said traction sheave.

4. The drive unit according to claim 3 including a brake shoe carrying a brake lining attached to said second end of each of said brake arms, said actuating means moving said brake linings into frictional engagement with said portion of said traction sheave.

5. The drive unit according to claim 3 wherein one of said brake arms is pivotally mounted on a top of said casing and the other end of said brake arms is pivotally mounted on a bottom of said casing.

6. The drive unit according to claim 3 wherein actuating means includes spring means for pivoting said second end of each of said brake arms into frictional engagement with said portion of said traction sheave.

7. The drive unit according to claim 3 wherein said actuating means includes electromagnet means for pivoting said second end of each of said brake arms out of frictional engagement with said portion of said traction sheave.

8. The drive unit according to claim 1 wherein said casing has a relatively narrow width and said traction sheave has a diameter no larger than the width of said casing.

9. A drive unit for elevators comprising:

a motor having a casing and a drive shaft, said drive shaft being rotatably supported in said casing and having a free end extending from one end of said casing;

a traction sheave mounted on said free end of said drive shaft for rotation with said drive shaft, said traction sheave having an extension portion and a diameter no larger than a width of said casing;

a bearing mounted on an exterior of a reduced diameter extension at said one end of said casing and rotatably supporting said traction sheave;

said extension portion of said traction sheave being positioned between said bearing and said one end of said casing; and

a braking device for preventing of said traction sheave, said braking device including said extension portion of said traction sheave, at least one brake arm pivotally mounted on a top of said casing and at least another brake arms pivotally mounted on a bottom of said casing, and actuating means coupled to a first end of each of said brake arms for pivoting a second end of each of said brake arms into and out of frictional engagement with said extension portion of said traction sheave whereby the drive unit can be mounted in a space between a path of travel of an elevator car and a wall of an elevator hoistway.

10. A drive unit for elevators comprising:

a motor having a casing with a reduced diameter extension at one end;

a drive shaft rotatably supported in said casing and having a free end extending from said extension;

a traction sheave mounted on said free end of said drive shaft for rotation with said drive shaft;

a bearing mounted on an exterior of said extension and rotatably supporting said traction sheave and said free end of said shaft; and

a braking device for preventing rotation of said traction sheave, said braking device including a portion of said traction sheave encircling said extension between said bearing and said one end of said casing.

11. The drive unit according to claim 10 wherein said casing has a relatively narrow width and said traction sheave including said braking device portion has a diameter no larger than the width of said casing.