Safety brake system

A safety brake system for use in a conveyance system including a guide rail and a conveyance component moveable along the guide rail, the safety brake system comprising:

• a safety brake moveable between a non-braking position where the safety brake is not in engagement with the guide rail and a braking position where the safety brake is engaged with the guide rail;
• a linkage mechanism;
• and
• an actuator for the safety brake, the actuator being configured to be mounted to the conveyance component and positioned between first and second ferromagnetic components, the actuator comprising:
• an array of magnetic components comprising a first magnetic component adjacent to and arranged between two second magnetic components, wherein the first magnetic component comprises one of a permanent magnet and an electromagnet and wherein the second magnetic components each comprise the other of a permanent magnet and a electromagnet,
• wherein the two second magnetic components each include a first pole having a first polarity and a second pole having a second polarity, the first pole of a first of the second magnetic components faces a first pole of a second of the second magnetic components and the second pole of the first of the second magnetic components faces away from the first magnetic component and the second pole of the second of the second magnetic components faces away from the first magnetic component, such that the magnetic fields of the two second magnetic components are opposite in direction to each other,
• wherein the magnetic components of the array are arranged such that when the electromagnet of the first or second magnetic components is in a first state, the actuator is held in a first position against the first ferromagnetic component,
• wherein when the electromagnet of the first or second magnetic components is switched from the first state to a second state, the magnetic field between the array and the first ferromagnetic component is reduced to a value less than when the electromagnet is in the first state and the magnetic field between the array and the second ferromagnetic component is augmented to a value greater than when the electromagnet is in the first state so as to move the actuator from the first position to a second position against the second ferromagnetic component, and
• wherein the linkage mechanism is coupled between the safety brake and the actuator such that movement of the actuator from the first position to the second position when the electromagnet is switched from the first state to the second state causes the safety brake to move into the braking position;
• wherein the actuator further comprises a ferromagnetic support structure housing the magnetic components of the array so as to guide the magnetic flux produced by the magnetic components of the array to flow through the ferromagnetic support structure;
• wherein the ferromagnetic support structure includes a first outer component, a middle component and a second outer component, the first outer component, the middle component and the second outer component each extending in a first direction parallel to a the direction of travel of the movement of the actuator from the first position to the second position;
• wherein the first outer component, the middle component and the second outer component are spaced apart from one another along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the first magnetic component supported on the middle component, one of the second magnetic components being positioned between the first magnetic component and the first outer component along the second direction and another of the second magnetic components being positioned between the first magnetic component and the second outer component along the second direction.