The object of the invention is a suspension arrangement of an elevator car as defined in the preamble of claim 1.

Known in the art are suspension arrangements of an elevator car, wherein, e.g. for reasons based on the lay-out of the elevator hoistway or on the lifting ratio, there are diverting pulleys below the elevator car for turning the hoisting ropes coming from above back upwards. In this case the diverting pulleys increase the bottom clearance of the elevator car, and at the same time the overall height of the structure, by the amount of their diameter, which correspondingly requires a space deeper by the same amount for the pit of hoistway at the bottom of the elevator hoistway.

A drawback in prior-art structures is also that the diverting pulleys in connection with the elevator car are often disposed in such a position that they increase the overall width of the structure, because the diverting pulleys, or at least a part of their diameter, are disposed farther out than the guide rails of the elevator. In addition, the rope reevings in connection with the elevator car otherwise cause problems in solutions according to prior art.

Yet another drawback in prior-art solutions is the bypassing of the guide rails to be performed with rope reevings, because in order to achieve the most balanced suspension possible the suspension points of the elevator car should be on different sides of the guide rails in the lateral direction of the guide rails. In this case again the guide shoes must be taken farther to the side of the elevator car or of the car sling, which increases, among other things, the overall width of the structure. The aim of this invention is to eliminate the aforementioned drawbacks and to achieve a simple and inexpensive suspension arrangement of an elevator car, in which the rope reevings do not cause problems and in which the bottom clearance of the elevator car can be made as small as possible and consequently the pit of the elevator hoistway can be made to be shallow. Another aim is to get the diverting pulley of the part of the roping that comes down from the traction sheave to be near the guide rail and the guide rail line as well as to roughly the distance of the guide rail from the side of the elevator car. In addition, one aim is to get the distance of the guide rail from the side wall of the elevator car to be as small as possible. The suspension arrangement of an elevator car according to the invention is characterized by what is presented in the characterization part of claim 1. Other embodiments of the invention are characterized by what is disclosed in the other claims.

Some inventive embodiments are also discussed in the descriptive section of the present application. The inventive content of the application can also be defined differently than in the claims presented below. The inventive content may also consist of several separate inventions, especially if the invention is considered in the light of expressions or implicit sub-tasks or from the point of view of advantages or categories of advantages achieved. In this case, some of the attributes contained in the claims below may be superfluous from the point of view of separate inventive concepts. Likewise the different details presented in connection with each embodiment can also be applied in other embodiments. In addition it can be stated that at least some of the subordinate claims can at least in some situations be deemed to be inventive in their own right. One advantage of the suspension arrangement of an elevator car according to the invention is that by means of it the bottom clearance of the elevator car can be made small and consequently the pit of the elevator hoistway shallow. An additional advantage is the space efficiency in the lateral direction of the elevator car and also the fact that the support points of the suspension are symmetrically on both sides of the guide rails in the lateral direction of the guide rails near the side wall of the elevator car. In addition, the support points of the suspension are near the guide rail line, in which case no skewed torsion occurs between the guide rails and the guide shoes. One advantage is also that the guide shoes of the elevator car can be quite close to the plane of the side wall of the elevator car because the elevator ropes do not go between the guide rail and the side wall of the elevator car. The basic concept of the invention extends to traction sheave elevators, in which an elevator car traveling on vertical guide rails in an elevator hoistway is suspended on elevator roping by means of diverting pulleys such that the vertical support forces produced by the suspension that are exerted on the elevator car by the elevator roping are received initially by means of the diverting pulleys disposed on the side of the elevator car near the bottom of the elevator car. The rope loop that travels via these diverting pulleys and suspends the elevator car can be guided with other diverting pulleys in connection with the elevator car such that the space required by the diverting pulleys is reasonable or at least does not essentially limit the use of the space required by the elevator car in critical directions, e.g. on the side or under the elevator car. The invention can be applied e.g. such that the elevator ropes are led from the diverting pulleys that support the elevator car between the guide rails of the elevator from one side to the other side of the elevator car. The invention can be applied e.g. such that the elevator ropes are led from the diverting pulleys that support the elevator car between the guide rails of the elevator inside the car sling of the elevator car. Preferred solutions according to the invention are of the type in which the elevator ropes from one side of the elevator car to the other side above the roof of the elevator car or below the floor of the elevator car.

The basic concept of the invention can be applied also as such that the elevator car is supported in the car sling and the elevator ropes are led via the outside of the elevator car and at least once through the car sling. In this case the elevator ropes suspending the elevator car and the car sling are led to pass guided by diverting pulleys that are fixed to the car sling in a manner allowing rotation.

In the following, the invention will be described in more detail by the aid of an embodiment example with reference to the attached drawings, wherein

Fig. 1 presents an oblique and simplified diagrammatic top view of an elevator car, which comprises one suspension arrangement according to the invention, Fig. 2 presents a simplified and diagrammatic side view of a suspension arrangement according to Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 presents a simplified and diagrammatic top view of a suspension arrangement according to Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 presents a simplified and diagrammatic side view of one other suspension arrangement according to the invention, and

Fig. 5 presents a simplified and diagrammatic bottom view of a suspension arrangement according to Fig. 4.

Figs. 1-3 present one suspension arrangement of an elevator car 1 according to the invention, as viewed obliquely from the top, from the side and directly from the top. In addition, the figures are simplified and some components are omitted from them for the sake of clarity. In addition, for the sake of clarity, only one rope of the parallel elevator ropes 3 is presented in the figures. The elevator car 1 moves in the elevator hoistway along essentially vertical guide rails 2, which guide rails 2 are disposed on the sides of the elevator car 1, as close as possible to the elevator car 1 or to the car sling that supports the elevator car, which car sling is not shown in Figs. 1-3. There are at least four diverting pulleys 4, 5, 6 and 7 in connection with the elevator car 1, of which the diverting pulleys 4 and 7 that support the elevator car 1 are disposed close to the bottom edge of the elevator car 1 and essentially parallel with the plane of the side wall of the elevator car 1. In addition the diverting pulleys 4 and 7 are disposed such that the support points of the suspension are essentially symmetrically on both sides of the guide rails 2 in the lateral direction of the guide rails near the side wall of the elevator car 1. Likewise the support points of the suspension are near the line between and joining the guide rails 2 of the elevator, i.e. the guide rail line, in which case no skewed torsion occurs between the guide rails 2 and the guide shoes . In addition the diverting pulleys 5 and 6 are disposed on the top edge of the elevator car and preferably on the roof of the elevator car 1. The line joining the diverting pulleys 5 and 6 in the direction of their plane of rotation travels diagonally over the roof of the elevator car 1 such that the line joining the diverting pulleys 5 and 6 crosses the line between and joining the guide rails 2 essentially at the centre of the elevator car 1 as viewed from above . Thus the diverting pulleys 5 and 6 on the roof of the elevator car 1 are on different sides to each other with respect to the line between and joining the guide rails 2. The elevator ropes coming to the elevator car 1 from the top part of the elevator hoistway, from the traction sheave, are led below the diverting pulley 4 disposed on the side of the elevator car 1 on the bottom edge of the elevator car 1 between the guide rail 2 and the diverting pulley 4. Thus the support point of the suspension of the elevator car 1 is as close as possible to the guide rail line joining the guide rails 2. After passing under the first diverting pulley 4 the elevator ropes 3 are led to the second diverting pulley 5 on the roof of the elevator car 1 and to pass over the top of the second diverting pulley 5. Via this the elevator ropes cross the guide rail line between the guide rails 2 above the roof of the elevator car 1 and bend after passing over the third diverting pulley 6 downwards to the fourth diverting pulley 7, which as viewed from above is on the other side of the guide rail line than the first diverting pulley 4. After passing under the diverting pulley 7 the elevator ropes 3 rise up to the fixing point of the second end of the elevator ropes in the top part of the elevator hoistway. Fig. 3 also presents a support beam 8, to which the second diverting pulley 5 and the third diverting pulley 6 are fixed. The support beam 8 is essentially in the direction of the plane of rotation of the diverting pulleys 5 and 6 and it is fixed either to the roof of the elevator car 1 or to the car sling that passes over the roof. The task of the support beam 8 is to receive the rope forces produced from the elevator ropes 3.

In the suspension solution according to Figs. 1-3, all the diverting pulleys 4-7 that are in connection with the elevator car 1 are in a vertical attitude, i.e. the diverting pulleys 4-7 rotate around their essentially horizontal axes of rotation. As mentioned earlier, the diverting pulleys 4 and 7 that are on the bottom edge of the elevator car 1 and support the elevator car are essentially parallel with the side wall of the elevator car 1, i.e. the plane of rotation of the diverting pulleys 4 and 7 is essentially parallel with the side walls of the elevator car 1. In addition, the diverting pulleys 4 and 7 are disposed close as possible to the side wall of the elevator car 1 such that the front edge of the guide rail 2 of the elevator car and/or the edge of the guide shoe on the guide rail 2 side are on the side of the diverting pulleys 4 and 7 that are on the bottom edge of the elevator car 1, essentially on the plane of rotation of the diverting pulleys 4 and 7, i.e. essentially just as far from the side wall of the elevator car 1 as the center line that is in the direction of the plane of rotation of the diverting pulleys.

Figs. 4-5 present one preferred embodiment of the invention. In this solution also the first and the fourth diverting pulley 10 that support the elevator car 1 are on the sides of the elevator car, near the bottom edge of the elevator car 1 and as close as possible to the side wall of the elevator car. In addition a second and third diverting pulley 11 are in connection with the elevator car 1, which diverting pulleys are disposed at least partly or fully under the floor of the elevator car 1. When the diverting pulleys 11 are fully under the floor of the elevator car 1, as in the solution according to Figs. 4 and 5, the axes of the diverting pulleys 10 are rotated in the horizontal direction so that the angle at which the elevator ropes 2 leave the diverting pulleys 10 will not be too steep.

If the second and third diverting pulley 11 are disposed such that a part of their outer rim extends to outside the side walls of the elevator car 1, the diverting pulleys 10 do not need to be rotated in the horizontal direction. In this case the diverting pulleys are parallel with the side walls of the elevator car 1 and the plane of rotation of the diverting pulleys 10 is likewise parallel with the side walls of the elevator car. Likewise, the diverting pulleys 10 can be just as close to the side walls of the elevator car 1 as the diverting pulleys 4 and 7. In this case the elevator ropes 3 are led to cross the guide rail line between the elevator car 1 and the car sling 9 on the side of the elevator car or, if so desired, also below the elevator car. The axis of rotation of the first and the fourth diverting pulley 10 is essentially horizontal, so that their plane of rotation is correspondingly essentially vertical. The axis of rotation of the second and the third diverting pulley 11 is on essentially vertical, so that their plane of rotation is correspondingly essentially horizontal.

In the solution presented the bottom edge of the outer rim of the diverting pulleys 10 is below the bottom edge of the elevator car 1 but above the bottom beam 9a of the car sling 9 that is around the elevator car such that the elevator ropes are led to travel from above the bottom beam 9a of the car sling 9 between the floor of the elevator car 1 and the bottom beam 9a of the car sling 9. For the sake of clarity the elevator ropes 3 that travel between the bottom beam 9a of the car sling and the floor of the elevator car 1 are drawn in the figure as a rope mat, from which it is seen how the ropes must rotate as they change their direction. Correspondingly, elsewhere in the figures the elevator ropes 3 are presented as only one rope. In addition, the rope mat has not been drawn on the rim of the diverting pulleys 10 and 11.

In the solution according to Figs. 4-5, the elevator ropes 3 coming to the elevator car 1 from the top part of the elevator hoistway, from the traction sheave, are led below the first diverting pulley 10 disposed on the first side of the elevator car 1 on the bottom edge of the elevator car 1 from behind the diverting pulley 10 with respect to the guide rail 2, below the diverting pulley 10 and onwards from the diverting pulley 10 between the bottom beam 9a of the car sling and the floor of the elevator car 1 to the diverting pulley 11 that is on the horizontal plane and is disposed below the floor of the elevator car, from where onwards to the third diverting pulley 11 that is on the horizontal plane and is disposed below the floor of the elevator car but on the second side edge of the elevator car 1. After passing around the third diverting pulley 11 the elevator ropes are led farther to the fourth diverting pulley 10, which is disposed on the bottom edge of the second side wall of the elevator car 1, and after passing under the fourth diverting pulley 10 from behind with respect to the guide rail 2 the elevator ropes 3 are led onwards to the fixing point of the second end of the elevator ropes 3 that is in the top part of the elevator hoistway.

In this solution also the bottom clearance of the elevator car 1 is essentially small and the diverting pulleys 10 on the sides of the elevator car are very close to the side wall of the elevator car 1 such that the front edge of the guide rail 2 of the elevator car and/or the edge of the guide shoe on the guide rail 2 side are on the side of the diverting pulleys. In this case the width required outside the elevator car by the elevator car is, as necessary, small.

What the presented solutions according to the invention have in common is that the elevator ropes 3 are led from the diverting pulleys 4, 7, 10 that support the elevator car 1 over the line between and joining the guide rails 2 of the elevator, i.e. over the guide rail line, as seen from above, inside the cross-sectional area of the elevator car 1 and/or of the car sling 9. In the solution according to Figs. 1-3 the guide rail line crossed the cross-sectional area of the elevator car 1 at the center and in the solution of Figs. 4-5 the guide rail line crossed either inside the cross-sectional area of the elevator car 1, or at least inside the cross- sectional area of the car sling 9, depending on the positioning of the diverting pulleys 11 below the elevator car 1.

It is obvious to the person skilled in the art that the invention is not limited solely to the example described above, but that it may be varied within the scope of the claims presented below. Thus, for example, the individual suspension solutions can also be different to what is described above. For example, one suspension solution can be a solution reminiscent of the solution presented by Figs. 4- 5, wherein the diverting pulleys on the sides of the elevator car, essentially parallel with the side walls of the elevator car, are as viewed from above between the guide rails and the essentially horizontal diverting pulleys that are under the floor of the elevator car. In this case the elevator ropes coming from above from the traction sheave go down between the diverting pulley that is on the bottom edge of the elevator car on the first side of the elevator car and the guide rail of the elevator, and turn under the diverting pulley away from the guide rail. After this the elevator ropes pass via the diverting pulleys that are under the floor of the elevator car to the diverting pulleys that are on the other side of the elevator car, and after passing under it between the diverting pulley and the guide rail upwards to the fixing of the second end of the elevator ropes in the top part of the elevator hoistway. An advantage of this solution is that the support points of the suspension are near the guide rail line.