# US 9,434,578 B2 · Sheave assembly and suspension system for an MRL elevator > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,434,578 B2 - Document ID: US9434578B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/968,334 - Filed: 2008-01-02 - Published: 2008-05-01 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2008-01-02 - Assignees: Otis Elevator Company - Applicants: Franck Det; Davy Depee; Jean-Noël Cloux; Michel Beeuwsaert; Raphaël Picard; Pascal Rebillard; Fernando Rico; David Pillin; Hugues Fanielle; Jacobus Benjamin Legez - Inventors: Franck Det; Davy Depee; Jean-Noël Cloux; Michel Beeuwsaert; Raphaël Picard; Pascal Rebillard; Fernando Rico; David Pillin; Hugues Fanielle; Jacobus Benjamin Legez - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9434578B2 ## CPC - B66B 7/027: {for mounting auxiliary devices} - B66B 11/0045: {in the hoistway} - B66B 11/008: {with hoisting rope or cable operated by frictional engagement with a winding drum or sheave} - B66B 15/02: Rope or cable carriers - B66B 11/08: with hoisting rope or cable operated by frictional engagement with a winding drum or sheave {(B66B11/008 takes precedence)} - 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 includes guide rail mounted machine and a sheave assembly that accommodates a guide rail within a hoistway. The inventive sheave assembly includes individual sheave portions rotatable along a common axis. At least two of the sheave portions are spaced apart along the shaft and a portion of the guide rail extends toward the axis beyond a plane formed tangent to the outer diameter of the sheave portions. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A machine room-less elevator system comprising; at least one rail; a car that is selectively movable along the rail; a machine mounted to a surface on top of the at least one rail, the top surface being disposed above an uppermost portion of the car with the car at the an uppermost position on the at least one rail; a sheave assembly supported on the car, the sheave assembly having at least two profiled belt engaging sheave portions rotatable about a common axis, with a spacing between the at least two profiled belt engaging sheave portions, wherein the at least two profiled belt engaging sheave portions each include a first radial dimension and the spacing between the two profiled belt engaging sheave portions includes a second radial dimension smaller than the first radial dimension with the rail extending into the space between the at least two profiled belt engaging sheave portions past the first radial dimension toward the second radial dimension; and a shaft supporting each of the at least two profiled belt engaging sheave portions for rotation about the common axis. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the at least two profiled belt engaging sheave portions each comprises a separate sheave portion on either side of the spacing. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, including a plurality of separate profiled belt engaging sheave portions disposed on either side of the rail. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, including a counterweight having a counterweight sheave assembly having at least two profiled belt engaging sheave portions rotatable about a common axis with a spacing between the at least two profiled belt engaging sheave portions. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, including separate shafts supporting said sheave portions of said counterweight. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, including a combined bracket supporting at least one of the rails for the car and rails for the counterweight. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the car is disposed within a hoistway that includes first and second rails disposed on opposite sides of the car and a first of the at least two profiled belt engaging sheave portions is disposed on one side of the car and a second profiled belt engaging sheave assembly is disposed on an opposite side of the car. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the at least two sheave portions are mounted to a bottom portion of the car. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the at least two sheave portions are mounted to a top portion of the car. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, including a guide assembly mounted to the car and engaged to the rail for guiding the car. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein each of the at least two profiled belt engaging sheave portions are supported for rotation by separate shafts that each rotate about the common axis. ### Claim 12 A machine-room less elevator system comprising: at least one rail; a car that is selectively movable along the rail; a machine mounted atop the at least one rail; a sheave assembly supported on the car, the sheave assembly having at least two belt engaging sheave portions and at least one shaft supporting the at least two belt engaging sheave portions, wherein the at least two belt engaging portions are rotatable about a common axis and have a spacing therebetween; and at least two belts for raising and lowering the car, each belt having a first side engaging a corresponding one of the belt engaging sheave portions of the sheave assembly and a second side opposite the first side; wherein the rail extends past the second side of the at least two belts and into the space between the at least two belt engaging sheave portions of the sheave assembly. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The machine-room less elevator system as recited in claim 12, wherein the sheave assembly includes a common support mounted to the car, the common support supporting the at least one shaft supporting the at least two belt engaging sheave portions. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The machine room less elevator system as recited in claim 13, wherein the at least two shafts comprises two shafts with each of the shafts supported for rotation about the common axis by the common support. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The machine-room less elevator system as recited in claim 12, wherein the rail includes a top surface that is disposed above an uppermost portion of the car when the car is in an uppermost position on the at least one rail. ### Claim 16 A machine-room less elevator system comprising: at least one rail; a car that is selectively movable along the rail; a machine mounted atop the at least one rail; a sheave assembly supported on the car, the sheave assembly having at least two belt engaging sheave portions, wherein the at least two belt engaging portions are rotatable about a common axis and have a spacing therebetween; at least two belts for raising and lowering the car, each belt having a first side engaging a corresponding one of the belt engaging sheave portions of the sheave assembly and a second side opposite the first side; a common support member attached to the car supporting each of the at least two sheave portions; and wherein the rail extends past the second side of the at least two belts and into the space between the at least two belt engaging sheave portions of the sheave assembly. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system as recited in claim 16, wherein each of the at least two belt engaging sheave portion are supported by separate shafts and each of the separate shafts are supported by the common support member. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The system as recited in claim 16, wherein each of the at least two belt engaging sheave portions are spaced from the at least one rail a distance along the common axis less than a distance the at least two belt engaging sheave portions and a side of the car.