IP Library Granted Patent US 12,448,249
Granted Patent B2
US 12,448,249 · App. 18/500,765 · Granted Oct 21, 2025

Method for constructing elevator and such elevator

Inventors: Aki Haikonen (Helsinki, FI); Anssi Venho (Helsinki, FI); Mika Ijas (Helsinki, FI); Kai Prusti (Helsinki, FI); Jukka Laitinen (Helsinki, FI); Tarvo Viita-Aho (Helsinki, FI)
Assignee: Kone Corporation
B66B19/002B66B7/023B66B19/02B66B19/04
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,448,249
App. No.
18/500,765
Granted
Oct 21, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention relates to a method for constructing an elevator, comprising piling plurality of prefabricated modules on top of each other, such that the hoistway spaces of the prefabricated modules are vertically aligned forming a continuous vertically elongated hoistway where the elevator car and the counterweight can be fitted to move; and arranging the elevator car and the counterweight to be vertically movable in the hoistway. The plurality of prefabricated hoistway modules comprise a prefabricated top module comprising a machinery for driving a hoisting roping, and the prefabricated top module comprises one or more car guide rail sections and one or more counterweight guide rail sections, wherein the machinery for driving a hoisting roping is mounted on a support structure, which is mounted on plurality of said guide rail sections of the prefabricated top module. The invention also relates to an elevator obtained with the method.

Claims (26)

1. A method for constructing an elevator, comprising providing an elevator car and a counterweight;

providing plurality of prefabricated hoistway modules to be piled on top of each other, each prefabricated hoistway module bordering a hoistway space; and

piling said plurality of prefabricated hoistway modules on top of each other, such that the hoistway spaces of the prefabricated hoistway modules are vertically aligned forming a continuous vertically elongated hoistway where the elevator car and the counterweight can be fitted to move; and

arranging the elevator car and the counterweight to be vertically movable in the hoistway,

wherein the plurality of prefabricated hoistway modules comprise a prefabricated top module comprising a machinery for driving a hoisting roping, and the prefabricated top module comprises a plurality of guide rail sections, the plurality of guide rail sections include one or more car guide rail sections and one or more counterweight guide rail sections,

wherein the machinery for driving the hoisting roping is mounted on top of a support structure, which is mounted on uppermost portions of at least one of the car guide rail sections and at least one of the counterweight guide rail sections of the prefabricated top module by plurality of brackets, respectively, the plurality of brackets configured to secure the support structure directly above the uppermost portions of at least one of the car guide rail sections and at least one of the counterweight guide rail sections of the prefabricated top module such that the support structure vertically overlaps the at least one of the car guide rail sections and the at least one of the counterweight guide rail sections of the prefabricated top module.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of prefabricated hoistway modules comprises a prefabricated pit module, and one or more prefabricated intermediate modules.

3. A method according to claim 1 , wherein each said prefabricated hoistway module comprises one or more car guide rail sections and one or more counterweight guide rail sections.

4. A method according to claim 1 , wherein

said arranging the elevator car and counterweight to be vertically movable in the hoistway comprises suspending the elevator car and counterweight with the hoisting roping passing around a drive wheel, and

in said suspending said roping is arranged to pass from a first rope terminal downwards to the elevator car, around one or more rope wheels of the elevator car, upwards to the machinery, around the drive wheel thereof, downwards to the counterweight, around one or more rope wheels of the counterweight, upwards to a second rope terminal, the roping comprising plurality of ropes, the plurality of ropes being belt-shaped.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a drive wheel of the machinery is horizontally offset from the plurality of guide rail sections.

6. An elevator, comprising

an elevator car and a counterweight;

plurality of prefabricated hoistway modules piled on top of each other, each hoistway module bordering a hoistway space, the hoistway spaces of the prefabricated hoistway modules being vertically aligned forming a continuous vertically elongated hoistway;

wherein the elevator car and the counterweight are vertically movable in the hoistway; and

wherein the plurality of prefabricated hoistway modules comprises a prefabricated top module comprising a machinery for driving a hoisting roping, and the prefabricated top module comprises a plurality of guide rail sections, the plurality of guide rail sections including one or more car guide rail sections and one or more counterweight guide rail sections,

wherein the machinery for driving the hoisting roping is mounted on a support structure, which is mounted on uppermost portions of at least one of the car guide rail sections and at least one of the counterweight guide rail sections of the prefabricated top module by a plurality of brackets, respectively, the plurality of brackets configured to secure the support structure directly above the uppermost portions of at least one of the car guide rail sections and at least one of the counterweight guide rail sections of the prefabricated top module such that the support structure vertically overlaps the at least one of the car guide rail sections and the at least one of the counterweight guide rail sections of the prefabricated top module.

7. An elevator according to claim 6 , wherein said support structure is a horizontal beam fixed to the uppermost portion of each of the at least one of the car guide rail sections and the at least one of the counterweight guide rail sections.

8. An elevator according to claim 6 , wherein the said plurality of guide rail sections includes three parallel guide rail sections positioned to extend via tips of a triangle such that central axes of the three parallel guide rail sections extend via the tips of the triangle.

9. An elevator according to claim 6 , wherein each guide rail section of the plurality of guide rail sections carries via said support structure at least partly a total weight of the machinery and components suspended by the machinery, said components including the hoisting roping, the elevator car and the counterweight.

10. An elevator according to claim 6 , wherein each guide rail section of the plurality of guide rail sections rests vertically supported by a guide rail section located below the respective guide rail section and the top module.

11. An elevator according to claim 6 , wherein each module comprises a tubular frame around the hoistway space of the module.

12. An elevator according to claim 11 , wherein the tubular frame of each prefabricated hoistway module carries a weight of the tubular frames of all the prefabricated hoistway modules piled on top of it.

13. An elevator according to claim 6 , wherein the elevator car and counterweight are suspended with the hoisting roping passing around a drive wheel of the machinery, and said hoisting roping passes from a first rope terminal downwards to the elevator car, around one or more rope wheels of the elevator car, upwards to the machinery, around the drive wheel thereof, downwards to the counterweight, around one or more rope wheels of the counterweight, and upwards to a second rope terminal.

14. An elevator according to claim 6 , wherein a drive wheel of the machinery is horizontally offset from the plurality of guide rail sections.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 14, 2023
From: HAIKONEN, AKI; VENHO, ANSSI; IJAS, MIKA; PRUSTI, KAI; LAITINEN, JUKKA; VIITA-AHO, TARVO
To: KONE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 065562/0814 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTEP2021063136 · May 18, 2021
Related Publication 20250145416A1 · May 8, 2025
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