# US 2024/0174487 A1 · Frictionless safety brake actuator > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2024/0174487 A1 - Document ID: US20240174487A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/364,075 - Filed: 2023-08-02 - Published: 2024-05-30 - Earliest claimed: 2022-11-29 - Assignees: Otis Elevator Company - Applicants: Otis Elevator Company - Inventors: Manuel García Canales - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20240174487A1 ## CPC - B66B 5/18: and applying frictional retarding forces - H01F 7/20: without armatures (cores H01F3/00; coils H01F5/00 {; shaping metal by applying magnetic forces B21D26/14; electromagnets specially adapted for NMR applications G01R33/381}) - 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) - H01F: MAGNETS; INDUCTANCES; TRANSFORMERS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR MAGNETIC PROPERTIES ## Abstract A frictionless safety brake actuator for use in an elevator system, including a triggering component moveable between a first position and a second position; a reset component movable between a normal operation position and a reset position; a biasing arrangement arranged to apply a biasing force (FB) to the triggering component to bias the triggering component away from the reset component towards the first position; wherein one of the triggering component or the reset component includes a magnetic material, and the other of the triggering component or the reset component includes an electromagnet, wherein the electromagnet is operable to selectively contribute to a magnetic force (FR) which acts upon the magnetic material; and a reset driver arranged to drive movement of the reset component between the normal operation position and the reset position independently of movement of the triggering component. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A frictionless safety brake actuator (100) for use in an elevator system (10), comprising: a triggering component (130) moveable between a first position and a second position; a reset component (110) movable between a normal operation position and a reset position; a biasing arrangement (120) arranged to apply a biasing force (FB) to the triggering component (130) to bias the triggering component (130) away from the reset component (110) towards the first position; wherein one of the triggering component (130) or the reset component (110) comprises a magnetic material (132), and the other of the triggering component (130) or the reset component (110) comprises an electromagnet (112), wherein the electromagnet (112) is operable to selectively contribute to a magnetic force (FH, FR) which acts upon the magnetic material (132); and a reset driver (180) arranged to drive movement of the reset component (110) between the normal operation position and the reset position independently of movement of the triggering component (130); wherein, when the triggering component (130) is in the first position, the reset driver (180) is arranged to drive a first stage of movement of the reset component (110) from the normal operation position towards the triggering component (130) in the first position to reach the reset position; wherein the reset driver (180) is further arranged to drive a second stage of movement of the reset component (110) from the reset position to the normal operation position; and wherein an attractive magnetic force (FR) acts between the magnetic material (132) and the electromagnet (112) at least during the second stage of movement so the second stage of movement of the reset component (110) returns the triggering component (130) to the second position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A frictionless safety brake actuator (100) according to claim 1, wherein, during the first stage of movement or the second stage of movement, the reset component (110) is driven against the biasing force (FB); and wherein an attractive magnetic force (FR) acts between the magnetic material (132) and the electromagnet (112) to oppose the biasing force (FB) at least during the second stage of movement, so the second stage of movement of the reset component (110) returns the triggering component (130) to the second position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A frictionless safety brake actuator (100) according to claim 1, wherein the triggering component (130) is held in the second position by an opposing magnetic force (FH) being greater than the biasing force (FB) and the triggering component (130) is released to move towards the first position by an overall opposing magnetic force (FH) being less than the biasing force (FB). ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A frictionless safety brake actuator (100) according to claim 3, wherein the magnetic material (132) is a permanent magnet which produces the opposing magnetic force (FH); and wherein the electromagnet (112) is operable to selectively produce a repulsive magnetic force to act against the opposing magnetic force (FH), to result in the overall opposing magnetic force being less than the biasing force (FB). ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) A frictionless safety brake actuator (100) according to claim 3, wherein the electromagnet (112) is operable to selectively produce the opposing magnetic force (FH) greater than the biasing force (FB); and optionally wherein the electromagnet (112) is operable to selectively produce a zero overall opposing magnetic force (FH). ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) A frictionless safety brake actuator (100) according to claim 3, wherein the opposing magnetic force (FH) is the same as the attractive magnetic force (FR). ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A frictionless safety brake actuator (100) according to claim 1, wherein the reset component (110) comprises the electromagnet (112) and the triggering component (130) comprises the magnetic material (132). ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A frictionless safety brake actuator (100) according to claim 1, wherein the reset component (110) and the triggering component (130) are stacked along a central axis of the frictionless safety brake actuator (100); and/or wherein the magnetic forces (FH, FR) and the biasing force (FB) all act along the central axis of the frictionless safety brake actuator (100). ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A frictionless safety brake actuator (100) according to claim 8, wherein the reset driver (180) comprises a motor (182) and a threaded shaft (184), and wherein the reset component (110) comprises a threaded core (114) configured to be movable along the threaded shaft (184); and wherein the motor (182) is arranged to rotate the threaded shaft (184) in a first direction to drive the first stage of movement of the reset component (110) from the normal operation position to the reset position, and to rotate the threaded shaft (184) in a second direction to drive the second stage of movement of the reset component (110) from the reset position to the normal operation position. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A frictionless safety brake actuator (100) according to claim 1, wherein the biasing arrangement is a compression spring (120) located between the reset component (110) and the triggering component (130). ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A frictionless safety brake actuator (100) according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic material (132) is a permanent magnet, and preferably a ferromagnetic material; or wherein the magnetic material (132) is not a permanent magnet, and preferably a ferromagnetic material. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A frictionless safety brake actuator (100) according to claim 1, further comprising a housing (190) around the reset component (110), the biasing arrangement (120) and the triggering component (130). ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A frictionless safety brake actuator (100) according to claim 1, further comprising a connection arrangement (150) configured to connect a linkage (300) to the triggering component (130), wherein the linkage (300) is actuatable so as to move a safety brake (24) into frictional engagement with an elevator guide rail (20), and wherein the triggering component (130) is moveable between the first position in which the linkage (300) is actuated and the second position in which the linkage (300) is not actuated; and preferably wherein the connection arrangement (150) is configured to connect the triggering component (130) inside the housing (190) to a linkage (300) outside the housing (190) so the linkage (300) can move outside the housing (190). ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A braking system (200) for use on a movable component (16) in an elevator system (10), comprising: a safety brake (24); a linkage (300) configured to actuate the safety brake; and a frictionless safety brake actuator (100) according to claim 1; wherein, when the triggering component (130) moves to the first position, the linkage (300) is actuated so as to move the safety brake (24) into frictional engagement with an elevator guide rail (20). ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) An elevator system (10) comprising: a guide rail (20); an elevator component (16) movable along the guide rail (20); and the braking system (200) according to claim 14.