Apparatus to protect a pneumatic vacuum elevator from an overload condition
An apparatus 10 to protect a pneumatic vacuum elevator 20 from an overload condition is provided. The apparatus includes a vacuum control unit 30 connected to a top cylinder 50 through pipes. The pipes are to function as at least an inlet and an outlet with respect to the top cylinder. The vacuum control unit includes vacuum motors to suck air from the top cylinder through the pipes to move a cabin placed inside the vertically stacked cylinders in an upward direction. The vacuum control unit includes a flow controller to introduce air into the top cylinder through the pipes to move the cabin in a downward direction. The apparatus also includes an overload tripper to isolate the vacuum motors and the flow controller from a power source when weight of the cabin exceeds a predefined threshold.
1 . An apparatus 10 to protect a pneumatic vacuum elevator 20 from an overload condition comprising:
a vacuum control unit 30 positioned adjacent to one or more vertically stacked cylinders 40 of the pneumatic vacuum elevator 20 , wherein the vacuum control unit 30 is connected to a top cylinder 50 of the one or more vertically stacked cylinders 40 through one or more pipes 60 ,
wherein the one or more pipes 60 are adapted to function as at least an inlet and an outlet with respect to the top cylinder 50 , wherein the vacuum control unit 30 comprises:
one or more vacuum motors 70 adapted to suck air from the top cylinder 50 through the one or more pipes 60 to move a cabin 80 placed inside the one or more vertically stacked cylinders 40 in an upward direction by creating a vacuum inside the one or more vertically stacked cylinders 40 ;
a flow controller 90 adapted to introduce air into the top cylinder 50 through the one or more pipes 60 to move the cabin 80 in a downward direction;
characterized in that:
an overload tripper 100 positioned adjacent to the flow controller 90 , wherein the overload tripper 100 is adapted to isolate the one or more vacuum motors 60 and the flow controller 90 from a power source when weight of the cabin 80 exceeds a predefined threshold, thereby protecting the pneumatic vacuum elevator 20 from the overload condition; and
a plurality of cutouts 110 located adjacent to the overload tripper 100 and positioned on the vacuum control unit 30 , wherein the plurality of cutouts 110 are adapted to enable bidirectional flow of the air between the one or more pipes 60 and an external environment to support a motion of the cabin 80 in at least one of the upward direction and the downward direction.
2 . The apparatus 10 as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the vacuum control unit 30 comprises a plurality of connecting pipes 120 located inside the vacuum control unit 30 , wherein the plurality of connecting pipes 120 are adapted to interface the vacuum control unit 30 with the one or more pipes 60 .
3 . The apparatus 10 as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the one or more vacuum motors 70 , and the flow controller 90 are compartmentalized by a plurality of partition structures 130 to reduce noise.
4 . The apparatus 10 as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the plurality of partition structures 130 are covered by one or more layers of an absorption foam to absorb noise.
5 . The apparatus 10 as claimed in claim 1 , comprising at least four legs 140 to mount the apparatus 10 at a location adjacent to the pneumatic vacuum elevator 20 .
6 . The apparatus 10 as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the one or more pipes 60 are connected to the top cylinder 50 through a sealing plate 150 .
7 . The apparatus 10 as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the one or more vacuum motors 70 and the flow controller 90 are adapted to operate in a mutually exclusive order.
8 . The apparatus 10 as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cutouts 110 comprises one or more unidirectional valves positioned above the one or more vacuum motors 70 to restrict the airflow from the external environment towards the one or more vacuum motors 70 .
9 . The apparatus 10 as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the one or more unidirectional valves comprises a hinge valve.
10 . The apparatus 10 as claimed in claim 1 , comprising an absorption foam positioned below the one or more vacuum motors 70 and the flow controller 90 to absorb noise.