Electromechanical safety actuation of elevator governors
Elevator system governors include a traction pulley having an engagement surface and a cable wound about the traction pulley that is configured to travel along the cable. An electromechanical locking mechanism is configured to selectively engage with the traction pulley to cause operation of a safety brake of an elevator system. The locking mechanism includes a hub assembly having inner and outer engagement hubs. The inner hub has an actuator connector connectable to a safety linkage and the outer hub has an engagement surface for selectively engaging with the engagement surface of the traction pulley. An actuator is configured to selectively apply force to the outer engagement hub into engagement such that the engagement surface of the outer engagement hub and the engagement surface of the traction pulley are engaged, and to cause rotation of the inner engagement hub.
1 . An elevator system governor comprising:
a traction pulley having an engagement surface;
a cable wound about the traction pulley, wherein the traction pulley is configured to travel along the cable; and
an electromechanical locking mechanism configured to selectively engage with the traction pulley to cause operation of a safety brake of an elevator system, wherein the electromechanical locking mechanism comprises:
a hub assembly having an inner engagement hub and an outer engagement hub;
the inner engagement hub comprises an actuator connector configured to connect to a safety linkage;
the outer engagement hub comprises an engagement surface configured to selectively engage with the engagement surface of the traction pulley; and
an actuator is configured to selectively apply force to the outer engagement hub to transition the outer engagement hub from a disengaged position to an engaged position wherein the engagement surface of the outer engagement hub and the engagement surface of the traction pulley are engaged, and to cause rotation of the inner engagement hub.
2 . The elevator system governor according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one hub fastener arranged to connect the outer engagement hub to the inner engagement hub, wherein at least one hub fastener is threadedly connected to the inner engagement hub and retains the outer engagement hub to the inner engagement hub.
3 . The elevator system governor according to claim 1 , wherein the engagement surface of the outer engagement hub and the engagement surface of the traction pulley are configured as complimentary sets of teeth or complimentary friction surfaces.
4 . The elevator system governor according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one biasing element arranged between the inner engagement hub and the outer engagement hub, the at least one biasing element configured to bias the outer engagement hub toward the disengaged position.
5 . The elevator system governor according to claim 4 , wherein the actuator is configured to apply a force to overcome a biasing force of the at least one biasing element to urge the outer engagement hub into the engaged position.
6 . The elevator system governor according to claim 1 , further comprising an idler pulley, wherein the cable is wound about the idler pulley.
7 . The elevator system governor according to claim 6 , further comprising:
an encoder operably coupled to the idler pulley; and
a controller configured to receive a signal from the encoder, the controller configured to cause actuation of the actuator in response to detection of an overspeed event determined from the signal from the encoder.
8 . The elevator system governor according to claim 1 , further comprising an actuator bracket, wherein the actuator is mounted on the actuator bracket and positioned in an axial position relative to an axis through the hub assembly.
9 . The elevator system governor according to claim 1 , wherein the actuator is arranged offset from an axis through the hub assembly, the elevator system governor further comprising a pivot arm operably connecting the actuator to the outer engagement hub.
10 . The elevator system governor according to claim 1 , wherein the outer engagement hub comprises a connector opening, wherein the actuator connector of the inner engagement hub extends through the connector opening of the outer engagement hub.
11 . An elevator system comprising:
an elevator car configured to travel within an elevator shaft, the elevator car configured with a safety brake;
a counterweight operably connected to the elevator car and configured to travel within the elevator shaft, the counterweight configured with a safety brake; and
an elevator system governor operably connected to one of the elevator car and the counterweight and connecting said elevator car or counterweight to a respective safety brake, the elevator system governor comprising:
a traction pulley having an engagement surface;
a cable extending along the elevator shaft and wound about the traction pulley, wherein the traction pulley is configured to travel along the cable; and
an electromechanical locking mechanism configured to selectively engage with the traction pulley to cause operation of the respective safety brake, wherein the electromechanical locking mechanism comprises:
a hub assembly having an inner engagement hub and an outer engagement hub;
the inner engagement hub comprises an actuator connector configured to connect to a safety linkage that connects to the respective safety brake;
the outer engagement hub comprises an engagement surface configured to selectively engage with the engagement surface of the traction pulley; and
an actuator is configured to selectively apply force to the outer engagement hub to transition the outer engagement hub from a disengaged position to an engaged position wherein the engagement surface of the outer engagement hub and the engagement surface of the traction pulley are engaged, and to cause rotation of the inner engagement hub to actuate the respective safety brake.
12 . The elevator system according to claim 11 , wherein the elevator system governor is a first elevator system governor operably connected between the elevator car and the safety brake thereof, the elevator system further comprising:
a second elevator system governor operably connected between the counterweight and the safety brake thereof.
13 . The elevator system according to claim 11 , further comprising at least one hub fastener arranged to connect the outer engagement hub to the inner engagement hub, wherein at least one hub fastener is threadedly connected to the inner engagement hub and retains the outer engagement hub to the inner engagement hub.
14 . The elevator system according to claim 11 , wherein the engagement surface of the outer engagement hub and the engagement surface of the traction pulley are configured as complimentary sets of teeth or complimentary friction surfaces.
15 . The elevator system according to claim 11 , further comprising at least one biasing element arranged between the inner engagement hub and the outer engagement hub, the at least one biasing element configured to bias the outer engagement hub toward the disengaged position.
16 . The elevator system according to claim 15 , wherein the actuator is configured to apply a force to overcome a biasing force of the at least one biasing element to urge the outer engagement hub into the engaged position.
17 . The elevator system according to claim 11 , further comprising an idler pulley, wherein the cable is wound about the idler pulley.
18 . The elevator system according to claim 17 , further comprising:
an encoder operably coupled to the idler pulley; and
a controller configured to receive a signal from the encoder, the controller configured to cause actuation of the actuator in response to detection of an overspeed event determined from the signal from the encoder.
19 . The elevator system according to claim 11 , further comprising an actuator bracket, wherein the actuator is mounted on the actuator bracket and positioned in an axial position relative to an axis through the hub assembly.
20 . The elevator system according to claim 11 , wherein the actuator is arranged offset from an axis through the hub assembly, the elevator system governor further comprising a pivot arm operably connecting the actuator to the outer engagement hub.