Modular elevator systems and methods
AssigneeBuildz, LLC
InventorsMark Joseph BELLISSIMO, Robert Francis KELSCH, Stanley Clark BEARD, Jr., Jason Daryl HUNSINGER
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A modular elevator system has a pit module, one or more shaft modules that are attachable to the pit module and/or to an adjacent shaft module, and a cap module that is attachable to an uppermost shaft module. The pit module, the shaft modules, and the cap module are each pre-fabricated and transported to a site at which a building is under construction for assembly together to form the modular elevator system. During assembly, a first shaft module is secured on top of the pit module, the remaining shaft modules are secured sequentially on top of each other, and the cap module is secured on top of the uppermost shaft module.
Claims21
1-35. (canceled)
A modular elevator system comprising:
- a first elevator component module, the first elevator component module being at least one of a shaft module or a cap module, wherein the first elevator component module includes a self-aligning connector or a retention feature on a bottom surface of the first elevator component module;
- and
- a second elevator component module, the second elevator component module being at least one of a pit module or a shaft module, wherein the second elevator component module includes a retention feature or a self-aligning connector on a top surface of the second elevator component module,
- wherein the first elevator component module is attached to the second elevator component module by stacking the first elevator component module onto the second elevator component module and progressively engaging the self-aligning connector or the retention feature on the bottom surface of the first elevator component module with the retention feature or the self-aligning connector of the second elevator component module for progressive alignment of the self-aligning connector or the retention feature of the first elevator component module and the retention feature or the self-aligning connector of the second elevator component module as the first elevator component module is stacked onto the second elevator component module.
A method of assembling a modular elevator system, the method comprising:
- pre-fabricating a first elevator component module, the first elevator component module being at least one of a shaft module or a cap module, wherein the first elevator component module includes a self-aligning connector or a retention feature on a bottom surface of the first elevator component module;
- pre-fabricating a pit module, the pit module including at least one of a self-aligning connector or a retention feature on a top surface of the pit module;
- pre-fabricating a second elevator component module, the second elevator component module being at least one of a pit module or a shaft module, wherein the second elevator component module includes a retention feature or a self-aligning connector on a top surface of the second elevator component module;
- transporting the first elevator component module and the second elevator component module to a site at which a building is under construction;
- and
- attaching the first elevator component module to the second elevator component module by:
- stacking the first elevator component module onto the second elevator component module;
- and
- progressively engaging the self-aligning connector or the retention feature on the bottom surface of the first elevator component module with the retention feature or the self-aligning connector of the second elevator component module for progressive alignment of the self-aligning connector or the retention feature of the first elevator component module and the retention feature or the self-aligning connector of the second elevator component module as the first elevator component module is stacked onto the second elevator component module.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.