Elevator brake force and distance sensor

An elevator brake comprising:

• a fixed part;
• a moving part being movable relative to the fixed part;
• a first element having a first friction surface;
• a second element having a second friction surface;
• a controlling and evaluation unit;
• wherein a fixed part element, being one of the first element and the second element, is movably mounted to the fixed part and a moving part element, being another of the first element and the second element, is mounted to the moving part, wherein the fixed part element is configured to move the first friction surface toward and into contact with the second friction surface;
• wherein at least one of the first element and the second element comprises:
• a wearing layer having an associated one of the first and second friction surfaces,
• a magnetic field generating arrangement,
• a magnetic field sensing arrangement,
• wherein the controlling and evaluating unit is adapted to drive the magnetic field generating arrangement to generate a magnetic flux in the wearing layer, and the controlling and evaluating unit is adapted to determine a mechanical force applied between the wearing layer and the other of the first and second friction surfaces based on a signal received from the magnetic field sensing arrangement, and
• wherein at least one of a driving wire of the magnetic field generating arrangement and a signal wire of the magnetic field sensing arrangement is arranged within the wearing layer, such that when arriving at a maximum abrasion of the wearing layer, the at least one of a driving wire of the magnetic field generating arrangement and a signal wire of the magnetic field sensing arrangement is interrupted by abrasion.