# US 10,370,221 B2 · Elevator system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,370,221 B2 - Document ID: US10370221B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/129,071 - Filed: 2015-03-25 - Published: 2017-04-20 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-03-28 - Assignees: Thyssenkrupp Elevator AG - Applicants: ThyssenKrupp Elevator AG - Inventors: Eduard Steinhauer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10370221B2 ## CPC - B66B 9/003: {for lateral transfer of car or frame, e.g. between vertical hoistways or to/from a parking position} - B66B 1/36: Means for stopping the cars, cages, or skips at predetermined levels - B66B 11/0407: {actuated by an electrical linear motor (in the counterweight B66B17/12)} - B66B: ELEVATORS; ESCALATORS OR MOVING WALKWAYS ({apparatus for raising or lowering persons on theatrical stages or the like A63J5/12} ; funicular railbound systems with rigid ground-supported tracks and cable traction, e.g. cliff railways, B61B9/00; arrangements of ammunition handlers in vessels B63G3/00; hoists, lifts, or conveyors for loading or unloading in general B65G; braking or detent devices controlling normal movements of winding drums or barrels B66D; ship-lifting devices E02C; garages for many vehicles with mechanical means for lifting vehicles E04H6/12; hoists for feeding ammunition or projectiles to launching apparatus or to loading mechanisms F41A9/00) ## Abstract An elevator system may include at least two elevator shafts and at least one elevator car. A vertically extending rail may be disposed in each elevator shaft, and the elevator car may travel along the vertically extending rail. Each rail may be formed with a rotatable segment such that the rotatable segments can be aligned relative to one another in a transfer plane. Thereafter, the elevator car may travel between the elevator shafts along the segments. In some cases, the vertically extending rail may form part of a linear drive that causes the elevator car to move without the use of cables. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An elevator system comprising: an elevator car; a first shaft; a second shaft; a vertically extending rail disposed within each of the first and second shafts along which the elevator car can travel, each vertically extending rail comprising a rotatable segment, wherein the rotatable segments are configured to be rotated into alignment with each other such that the elevator car can travel along the rotatable segments between the vertically extending rails disposed in each of the first and second elevator shafts; a linear drive configured to move the elevator car along each of the vertically extending rails, the linear drive comprising: in each of said first and said second shafts, a first element that is a stationary part disposed at a fixed position relative to said respective vertically extending rail, and a second element disposed on the elevator car, wherein the second element is either mounted rotatably on the elevator car or disposed on a chassis unit that is mounted rotatably on a cabin of the elevator car, said second element configured to be in operative communication with and driven by said first element, wherein one of said first element or said second element is a stator, and the other of said first element or said second element is a reaction part; and an arresting apparatus configured to arrest the elevator car relative to the elevator shafts and thereby maintain the elevator car locked in a constant vertical orientation during rotation of the rotatable segment. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The elevator system of claim 1 wherein the chassis unit is disposed on a rear side of the elevator car. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The elevator system of claim 1 wherein the vertically extending rails are guide rails. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The elevator system of claim 1 wherein the apparatus is configured to arrest the cabin of the elevator car on the chassis unit. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The elevator system of claim 1 further comprising a compensation rail element disposed between the rotatable segments of the vertically extending rails. ### Claim 6 An elevator system comprising: an elevator car; a first vertically extending rail along which said elevator car is configured to travel, said first vertically extending rail having a first rotatable rail segment; a second vertically extending rail along which said elevator car is configured to travel, said second vertically extending rail having a second rotatable rail segment, said first and second vertically extending rails being disposed laterally relative to each other, wherein said first and second rotatable rail segments are configured to be rotated into alignment with each other such that said elevator car can travel along said first and second rotatable rail segments between said first and second vertically extending rails; and a linear drive configured to move said elevator car along each of said first and second vertically extending rails, said linear drive comprising: a stator, and a reaction part in operative communication with said stator, wherein, for each of said first and second vertically extending rails, one of said stator or said reaction part is a stationary part that is disposed at a fixed position relative to said respective first or second vertically extending rails, and wherein the other of said stator or said reaction part is either rotatably mounted on the elevator car or disposed on a chassis unit that is rotatably mounted on a cabin of the elevator car, and is configured to be driven with respect to said one of said stator or reaction part; and an arresting apparatus configured to arrest the elevator car relative to the elevator shafts and thereby maintain the elevator car locked in a constant vertical orientation during rotation of the rotatable segment. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The elevator system of claim 6, wherein said chassis unit is disposed on a rear side of the elevator car. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The elevator system of claim 6, wherein each of said first and second vertically extending rails are guide rails. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The elevator system of claim 6, wherein said arresting apparatus is configured to arrest the cabin of said elevator car relative to said respective first and second vertically extending guide rails. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The elevator system of claim 6, further comprising a compensation rail element disposed between said first rotatable rail segment and said second rotatable rail segment. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The elevator system of claim 6, wherein the arresting apparatus is configured to decouple the cabin from the chassis unit to permit the chassis unit to rotate with the rotatable segment. ### Claim 12 An elevator system comprising: an elevator car; a first shaft; a second shaft; a vertically extending rail disposed within each of the first and second shafts along which the elevator car can travel, each vertically extending rail comprising a rotatable segment, wherein the rotatable segments are configured to be rotated into alignment with each other such that the elevator car can travel along the rotatable segments between the vertically extending rails disposed in each of the first and second elevator shafts; a linear drive configured to move the elevator car along each of the vertically extending rails, the linear drive comprising: in each of said first and said second shafts, a first element that is a stationary part disposed at a fixed position relative to said respective vertically extending rail, and a second element disposed on the elevator car, wherein the second element is either mounted rotatably on the elevator car or disposed on a chassis unit that is mounted rotatably on a cabin of the elevator car, said second element configured to be in operative communication with and driven by said first element, wherein one of said first element or said second element is a stator, and the other of said first element or said second element is a reaction part; and an arresting apparatus configured to arrest the cabin on the chassis unit and thereby maintain the elevator car locked in a constant vertical orientation during vertical travel along the rails. ### Claim 13 An elevator system comprising: an elevator car; a first shaft; a second shaft; a vertically extending rail disposed within each of the first and second shafts along which the elevator car can travel, each vertically extending rail comprising a rotatable segment, wherein the rotatable segments are configured to be rotated into alignment with each other such that the elevator car can travel along the rotatable segments between the vertically extending rails disposed in each of the first and second elevator shafts; a linear drive configured to move the elevator car along each of the vertically extending rails, the linear drive comprising: in each of said first and said second shafts, a first element that is a stationary part disposed at a fixed position relative to said respective vertically extending rail, and a second element disposed on the elevator car, wherein the second element is either mounted rotatably on the elevator car or disposed on a chassis unit that is mounted rotatably on a cabin of the elevator car, said second element configured to be in operative communication with and driven by said first element, wherein one of said first element or said second element is a stator, and the other of said first element or said second element is a reaction part; and an arresting apparatus configured to arrest the cabin to the elevator shaft and thereby maintain the elevator car locked in a constant vertical orientation during rotation of the rotatable segment.