Abstract:

Is there anything else that can be improved in lift technology? This question was asked to university students. Students have developed a procedure for possible innovations in lift technology:
1) to define possibilities for improvement in collaboration with lift companies,
2) specify the technical problem,
3) find a solution to a technical problem,
4) patent this solution.

The collaboration of lift companies with university students resulted in a list of technical problems that should be solved. Using the criterion method, a technical problem was chosen, which was to ensure uniform tension in the elevator ropes at various operating conditions. Using the design methods and the brain storming method, three ways of solving the uniform tension in elevator ropes were specified. An important result of the cooperation was granted Czech patent no.306797 named A tension equalizer in lift carrying rope (see www.upv.cz). Currently, the patent granted is offered to lift companies for use under licenses. In this simple example, it can be demonstrated that through appropriate collaboration between university and industry, technical solutions can also be found in an industry such as elevator technology.

Keywords:

Lift, Innovation, Patent, Collaboration, Simulation.