BACKGROUND [0001] Elevator systems are well known and in widespread use. There are various configurations of elevator systems. In many cases, an elevator car is associated with a counterweight and the two move in a coordinated fashion within a hoistway. The elevator car and counterweight each follow guide rails as they move within the hoistway. [0002] Installing guide rails in an elevator system presents challenges and difficulties. A guide rail installation process is typically time-consuming and labor- intensive. There typically are many bracket components used for securing the guide rails in desired positions within a hoistway. Additionally, the alignment of the guide rails throughout the hoistway must be ensured to achieve proper ride quality. [0003] For example, current rail fixings are adjustable for all of the rails.

There are as many required alignment measurements as there are rails. This is normally done by dropping individual lines of wire from the top of the hoistway and then adjusting each of the rail blades square to the respective alignment wire.

[0004] If it were possible to streamline the guide rail installation process that would present cost savings in time and materials for elevator system manufacturers and installers.

SUMMARY

[0005] An exemplary door frame assembly that is useful in an elevator system includes a plurality of door frame members including a header, a sill and a plurality of jambs. The door frame members are configured to be secured into a desired position along a hoistway. At least one guide rail bracket is supported by at least one of the door frame members. The guide rail bracket is moveable relative to the door frame member between a handling position in which the guide rail bracket is generally parallel to at least one of the header or the sill and a deployed position in which the guide rail bracket is generally perpendicular to the at least one of the header or sill.

[0006] The various features and advantages of the disclosed example will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description. The drawings that accompany the detailed description can be briefly described as follows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0007] Figure 1 diagrammatically illustrates selected portions of an elevator system including a guide rail bracket designed according to an embodiment of this invention.

[0008] Figure 2 is a side view of selected portions of the example of Figure 1. [0009] Figure 3 is a perspective view of an example guide rail bracket and guide rails.

[00010] Figure 4 is an elevational view of the example bracket of Figure 3. [00011] Figure 5 schematically illustrates an arrangement of elevator system door frames and associated guide rail brackets.

[oooi2] Figure 6 schematically illustrates one example configuration consistent with the example of Figure 5.

[oooi3] Figure 7 schematically illustrates another example configuration consistent with the example of Figure 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION [oooi4] Figure 1 illustrates selected portions of an elevator system 20 including an elevator car 22 that is moveable along car guide rails 24. A counterweight 26 is associated with the elevator car 22 by a roping arrangement (not illustrated) and moves along counterweight guide rails 28 in coordination with movement of the elevator car 22. One of the car guide rails 24 and both of the counterweight guide rails 28 are on one lateral side (i.e., not the front side that includes the doors or the oppositely facing back side) of the elevator car 22. A plurality of brackets 30 secure those guide rails in their desired positions.

[oooi5] As can be appreciated from Figure 2, the elevator car 22 and counterweight 26 are moveable within a hoistway 32 having a front wall 34 (i.e., the wall that includes the door), rear wall 36 and sidewalls 38. The brackets 30 are secured to the sidewall 38 on the lateral side of the elevator car selected for positioning the counterweight 26. As can be appreciated from Figure 2, the counterweight guide rails 28 (and, therefore, the counterweight 26) are between the car guide rail 24 and the front wall 34 of the hoistway 32. In this example, the counterweight 26 has a reduced width compared to conventional counterweight arrangements so that the counterweight 26 and the counterweight guide rails 28 all fit within a front quadrant of the hoistway 32 (i.e., between a mid-point of the wall 38 and the front wall 34). In some examples, only a few brackets 30 are required along the entire length of the hoistway.

[00016] As best appreciated from Figures 3 and 4, the illustrated example bracket 30 includes a base 40 that is secured in a fixed position parallel to the hoistway wall 38. The base 40 is generally planar and has a surface 42 that is received toward and parallel with the hoistway wall 38. In this example, mounting members 44 facilitate making the connection between the bracket 30 and the hoistway wall 38. In another example, the surface 42 is received directly against the surface of the hoistway wall 38.

[oooi7] The example bracket 30 includes support arms for supporting the guide rails in desired vertical and horizontal positions at a selected distance away from the hoistway wall 38 and the other guide rails. A car guide rail support arm 45 comprises a plurality of bent sections in this example. A first section 46, a second section 48 and a third section 50 of the bracket 30 are bent relative to each other and the base 40. The first section 46 and the third section 50 are generally perpendicular to the second section 48 and the surface 42 of the base 40. The second section 48 includes a surface against which the car guide rail 24 is received and held in place using clips 52. In the illustrated example, threaded members such as bolts are used to hold the clips 52 in place for securing the corresponding portion of the car guide rail 24 against the car guide rail support arm 45.

[00018] The car guide rail support arm 45 is near one end 54 of the bracket 30. In one example the sections 46, 48 and 50 are established by bending a metal plate into the configuration shown in the illustrations. In this example, the car guide rail support arm 45 is a part of the same, single piece of material as the base 40.

[oooi9] Another section 56 of the bracket 30 is generally perpendicular to the surface 42 of the base 40. The section 56 establishes a counterweight guide rail support arm. One of the counterweight guide rails 28 is received against a surface on the section 56 and held in place by clips 60 and corresponding threaded fasteners.

[00020] In one example, the section 56 is established by bending the material of the bracket 30 near the second end 58. The illustrated example includes a reinforcing member 62 between the section 56 and the base 40 to maintain a desired alignment between them.

[00021] In one example, the base 40, the section 56 establishing the counterweight guide rail support arm and the sections 46, 48 and 50 establishing the car guide rail support arm are all formed from a single piece of material. In the illustrated example, that single piece of material comprises a metal plate.

[00022] Another counterweight guide rail support arm 64 is provided between the third section 50 and the section 56 of the bracket 30. In this example, the counterweight guide rail support arm 64 comprises a separate piece of material secured to the base 40. In one example, the counterweight guide rail support arm 64 has a portion that is welded to the base 40 of the bracket 30.

[00023] In the illustrated example, the car guide rail arm surface 48 is parallel to the base 40 and the hoistway wall 38. The rail receiving surfaces of the counterweight guide rail support arms 56 and 64 are perpendicular to the base 40 and the hoistway wall 38.

[00024] Utilizing a bracket such as the example bracket 30 facilitates various economies when installing guide rails within an elevator system. One feature is that there are less component pieces for an installer to handle during installation. The integrated bracket is lighter and easier to install compared to the conventional multiplicity of individual brackets. There are fewer alignment issues presented when using the example bracket 30. Further, the desired spacing between the guide rails remains consistent along the length of the hoistway, which reduces alignment adjustments. Having a preset distance between the guide rail support arms automatically establishes the spacing of the corresponding portions of the guide rails at the location of each bracket.

[00025] For example, instead of three individual alignment wires, a single alignment of the car guide rail (or one of the counterweight rails) provides placement of all three guide rails because the bracket 30 controls the position of all three based on the position of at least one of the three. Having the bracket 30 pre-dimensioned and accurately manufactured, therefore simplifies the installation process.

[00026] In some examples, the bracket 30 will have on end that is configured to be connected or placed against an attachment point on the door frame structures at the landings. This arrangement provides accurate front-to-back dimensioning if the door frame structures are appropriately aligned. In such an example, all three guide rails associated with the bracket 30 could be installed without requiring any hanging, alignment wires.

[00027] It is possible to have different strengths and material thicknesses for the support arms. For example, the counterweight rail support arms 56 and 64 may be less rigid than the car guide rail support arm 45. There is no concern of reaction of car safeties on the counterweight guide rails 28. The support arms 56 and 64, therefore, do not need to have the same ability to withstand any lateral forces otherwise introduced by a safety-induced stop of the elevator car 22.

[00028] Additionally, having three rails supported by the single bracket 30 structure provides reinforcement and load sharing properties. If each rail were supported independently using individual brackets, the car rail brackets experience the entirety of any such lateral force. With the integrated bracket design, the combined shear strength of the entire bracket resists the force associated with a safety stop.

[00029] Another feature of the integrated bracket design is that it provides a more stable base when a machine is mounted on a support that rests on one or more of the guide rails. With all three guide rails supported by the single bracket and the distribution of loads across the bracket, the stability of the base upon which the machine is supported is increased.

[00030] The bracket 30 also introduces additional options for elevator system configuration in a hoistway as the bracket facilitates utilizing a smaller sized counterweight that fits between the car guide rail 24 and the front wall 34 of the hoistway.

[00031] Figure 5 illustrates a plurality of door frames 90 in selected positions along a hoistway. The front wall 34 includes the doorways at which the door frames are located. Each of the example door frames 90 includes a plurality of door frame members such as a header 92, a sill 94 and jambs 96. As can be appreciated from the drawing, the door frame members are all generally parallel to the wall 34.

[00032] At least one of the door frame members supports at least one guide rail bracket 30. In the illustration, each jamb 96 supports a guide rail bracket 30. The illustration includes four guide rail brackets 3OA, 3OB, 3OC and 3OD. In one example, the guide rail brackets 3OB and 3OD are configured like the example shown in Figures 1-4. In another example, the guide rail brackets 3OB and 3OD have a configuration as shown in Figures 5 and 6. The guide rail brackets 3OA and 3OC are responsible for positioning and stabilizing only one guide rail for the elevator car 22 in this example and, therefore, have a different configuration compared to the guide rail brackets 3OB and 3OD.

[00033] The guide rail brackets 30 are each moveable relative to the door frame members between a handling position and a deployed position. The guide rail brackets 3OA, 3OB and 3OC are shown in an example handling position. In one example, the handling position is used for shipping, storage and initial installation of the door frames 90. The guide rail brackets 30 are generally parallel to at least one of the header 92 or the sill 94 when they are in the handling position. If the door frames 90 are positioned as shown in Figure 5, the guide rail brackets 30 are generally parallel to the hoistway wall 34.

[00034] As can be appreciated from drawings, the guide rail bracket can include various portions arranged at various angles relative to each other. In the example handling position, at least the base 40 of the guide rail bracket is generally parallel to at least one of the header 92 or the sill 94. As can be appreciated from the drawings, in some examples base 40 is the longest portion of the guide rail bracket.

[00035] In the example handling positions, the base 40 of each guide rail bracket 30 may be at an oblique angle relative to the header 92 or sill 94 and still be considered generally parallel to the header 92 or sill 94. In one example any angular alignment less than 25 degrees is considered generally parallel. [00036] In the illustration, the guide rail 3OD is shown in the deployed position.

In this example, the guide rail brackets 30 are generally perpendicular to at least one of the header 92 or sill 94 when in the deployed position. In the example, deployed position, the base of each guide rail bracket is generally aligned with (e.g., parallel to) a corresponding lateral wall of the hoistway. The term "generally perpendicular" used in this description does not require an exact 90 degree alignment between the relevant components. An oblique angle between 75 degrees and 105 degrees is considered generally perpendicular in one example.

[00037] The guide rail bracket 3OD is shown already moved from a handling position (shown in phantom) to the deployed position. In that position, the guide rail bracket 3OD is generally parallel to the lateral wall 38. The deployed position of the guide rail bracket 3OB is shown at 3OB' (in phantom).

[00038] There are a variety of ways of supporting the guide rail brackets 30 to be moveable relative to the door frame members. In the illustrated example, the guide rail brackets are pivotally moveable relative to the door frame members. Moveable connectors 100 are used in one example to secure one end of each guide rail bracket relative to the associated door frame member. The moveable connectors 100 facilitate moving the guide rail brackets 30 between the handling position and the deployed position as shown by the arrows 102 in Figure 5. In one example, the moveable connectors comprise hinges.

[00039] With the illustrated arrangement, once the door frames 90 are aligned with the hoistway and each other, the placement of the guide rails 24 and 28 is already determined once the guide rail brackets are moved from the handling position to the deployed position. This enhances economies associated with elevator system installation. Once the door frames are set, the task of installing the guide rails 24 and 28 is greatly simplified because the position of each rail supporting portion of the guide rail brackets is controlled by the configuration of the guide rail bracket and its relationship with the door frame.

[00040] Figure 6 illustrates one example installation in which the guide rail bracket 3OB is at least partially supported by the adjacent lateral wall 38 of the hoistway. In this example, a mounting member 102 secures the guide rail bracket to the wall 38 near one end of the bracket. The other end is secured in position relative to the door frame. The guide rail bracket 3OA in this example need not be supported by the adjacent wall. [00041] Figure 7 shows another arrangement in which the guide rail bracket

3OB is maintained spaced from the lateral wall 38. The way in which both guide rail brackets 3OB and 3OA are supported on the door frame is secure enough to maintain the guide rail brackets and corresponding portions of the associated guide rails in desired positions in the hoistway. [00042] In one example, at least one of the guide rail brackets on each side of the elevator car 22 is secured to the associated door frame 90 and the adjacent lateral wall in the hoistway while others are not secured to the lateral walls. Whether a guide rail bracket is received against and secured to an adjacent hoistway wall depends, in part, on a distance between the associated door frame member and that hoistway wall, a position of the guide rail bracket relative to the door frame and a configuration of the guide rail bracket. Eliminating a requirement for securing at least some of the guide rail brackets directly to a lateral wall can further reduce the costs associated with installing an elevator system. [00043] As can be appreciated from Figures 6 and 7, the guide rail brackets 3OB have a modified configuration compared to that shown in Figures 3 and 4. In the example of Figures 6 and 7, the guide rail bracket 3OB still has the counterweight guide rails 28 both supported by a single bracket structure at the corresponding vertical location in the hoistway. The counterweight 26 and the guide rails 28 can all fit within a front quadrant of the hoistway on one side of the elevator car 22 much like that which is possible using the example bracket of Figures 3 and 4. Of course, other guide rail bracket configurations are possible.

[00044] The preceding description is exemplary rather than limiting in nature. Variations and modifications to the disclosed examples may become apparent to those skilled in the art that do not necessarily depart from the essence of this invention. The scope of legal protection given to this invention can only be determined by studying the following claims.