Electrically autonomous elevator system
AssigneeOtis Elevator Company
InventorZbigniew Piech
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electrically autonomous elevator system includes an elevator car configured to move in a hoistway in a first direction of travel. The elevator car is connected to a counterweight assembly operating on a guide rail constructed and arranged to guide the counterweight along a hoistway in a second direction of travel. The counterweight includes a propulsion system configured to propel the counterweight and thereby the elevator car. The elevator also includes a power transfer system configured to transfer power to a power system on the counterweight, the power system configured to power the propulsion system independent of the power transfer system for at least a selected duration.
Claims20
An electrically autonomous elevator system comprising:
- an elevator car configured to move in a hoistway in a first direction of travel;
- a counterweight assembly operably connected to the elevator car;
- a guide rail constructed and arranged to guide the counterweight along a hoistway in a second direction of travel;
- a propulsion system disposed at the counterweight;
- and
- a power transfer system configured to transfer power to a power system disposed at the counterweight, wherein the power system is configured to power at least the propulsion system independent of the power transfer system for at least a selected duration.
A method of powering an electrically autonomous elevator system comprising:
- operably connecting an elevator car configured to move in a hoistway in a first direction of travel with a counterweight assembly configured to travel on a guide rail constructed and arranged to guide the counterweight along a hoistway in a second direction of travel;
- disposing a propulsion system configured to propel the counterweight in the second direction of travel at the counterweight;
- and
- transferring power to a power system disposed at the counterweight, the power system configured to power at least the propulsion system independent of the power transfer system for at least a selected duration.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.