IFE ELEVATORS CO., LTD.
IFE ELEVATORS CO., LTD.

What are the Elevators Categories?

The classification of elevators is quite complicated, with different methods of categorization:


Elevators are classified according to international standard ISO4190/1:


  • Type I: Passenger elevators (including residential elevators for apartments) also known as passenger elevators

  • Type II: Passenger and Freight elevators

  • Type III: Medical elevators

  • Type IV: Freight elevators

  • Type V: Dumbwaiter

  • Type VI: High-frequency use elevators


Elevators are classified according to their usage:


  • Passenger elevators: designed for the transportation of passengers. They are suitable for places with high passenger traffic such as airports, hotels, office buildings, and large shopping malls. These elevators are designed to increase transportation efficiency, with high speed and automation levels, as well as complete safety facilities and beautiful decorations.


  • Freight and Passenger elevators: primarily designed for the transportation of goods but also allowed to transport passengers. These elevators do not have much emphasis on decoration.


  • Medical elevators: designed for the transportation of medical beds (including patients) and medical equipment.


  • Freight elevators: primarily designed for the transportation of goods accompanied by people.


  • Medical elevators: designed for the transportation of medical beds (including patients) and medical equipment.


  • Dumbwaiter:   mainly used in libraries, office buildings, and hotels to transport books, documents, food, and other items, and are not allowed to carry passengers. The safety facilities of these elevators are not complete and passengers are not allowed to use them.Freight elevators: primarily designed for the transportation of goods.

  • High-frequency use elevators: specially designed for large traffic and frequent use, such as elevators with speeds of 2.5 m/s and higher.


Elevators are classified according to their running speed:


Elevators do not have strict speed classifications, but in China, they are commonly classified as follows:


  • Low-speed elevators: elevators with speeds lower than 1.0 m/s.

  • Medium-speed elevators: elevators with speeds between 1.0 and 2.0 m/s.

  • High-speed elevators: elevators with speeds higher than 2.0 m/s but lower than 5.0 m/s.

  • Super high-speed elevators: elevators with speeds exceeding 5.0 m/s.


As lift elevator speed series continue to expand and improve, the speed limits between high, medium, and low-speed elevators have correspondingly increased.


Elevator classification by traction method


DC elevator:


The traction motor is a DC motor, and According to gear reduction box it is divided into geared DC elevators and gearless DC elevators.


AC elevator:


When the motor is single-speed, it is called an AC single-speed elevator, with a speed generally not exceeding 0.5m/s. When the motor has a voltage and speed regulating device, it is called an AC speed-regulating elevator, with a speed generally not exceeding 1.75m/s. When the motor has a voltage and frequency regulating device, it is called an AC voltage and frequency regulating elevator, with a speed generally not exceeding 6m/s.


Hydraulic elevator:


An elevator powered by hydraulic pressure. It is divided into two kinds: plunger straight top type and plunger side type. The plunger cylinder plunger directly supports the bottom of the car to make the car lift. Plunger side elevator cylinder plunger is arranged on the side of the car, with the help of the traction rope, through the pulley block and the car connected to make the car up and down.


Gear rack elevator:


In this type of elevator, the rack is fixed on the frame, and the motor and gear transmission mechanism are installed on the car. The car is driven by the gear crawling on the rack, and it is generally used for building elevators.


Screw elevator:


A screw elevator is driven by the rotation of a screw, which drives the nut installed on the car to lift the car.


Linear motor-driven elevator:


The linear motor-driven elevator uses a linear motor as the power source to drive the car to move up and down. It is the latest driving elevator and is currently less used.


Elevators are classified by an attendant or not


Types of passenger elevators with attendants are operated by dedicated drivers. Elevators without attendant have automatic functions and passengers enter the car and press the floor buttons of the control panel to automatically reach the destination floor. These elevators generally have a selective function.


Elevator classification by the presence or absence of gear reducers


Elevators with gear reducers:


  • Worm turbine reducer. Used for elevators with a speed below 2.5m/s.

  • Helical gear reducer. Used for elevators with a speed below 4m/s.

  • Planetary gear reducer. Used for elevators with a speed below 2.5m/s.


Elevators without gear reducers: The power source of the elevator is transmitted directly by the motor output to drive the traction wheel, and then drive the car. The commonly used elevator is the electric wire rope traction type. The low-speed range of the AC motor is the geared reducer type, and the high-speed range is the gearless reducer type. In recent years, the gearless reducer type has gradually covered the low-speed range, and the vector VVVF speed control is widely used.


Elevator classification by gear reducers or not


Elevators with gear reducers:

  • Worm turbine reducer. Used for elevators with a speed below 2.5m/s.

  • Helical gear reducer. Used for elevators with a speed below 4m/s.

  • Planetary gear reducer. Used for elevators with a speed below 2.5m/s.


Elevators without gear reducers: The power source of the elevator is transmitted directly by the motor output to drive the traction wheel, and then drive the car. The commonly used elevator is the electric wire rope traction type. The low-speed range of the AC motor is geared reducer type, and the high-speed range is the gearless reducer type. In recent years, the gearless reducer type has gradually covered the low-speed range, and the vector VVVF speed control is widely used.



Elevator classification by control method

Handle control elevator:

The elevator driver controls the handle switch in the car to start, ascend, descend, level, and stop the elevator. The car door should be equipped with glass or a barrier door to facilitate the driver's observation. This type of elevator includes automatic door and manual door, and is mostly used as a freight elevator.


Button control elevator:

It is an elevator with simple automatic control functions and automatic leveling function. It is divided into outside the car button control and inside the car button control: the former is operated by buttons installed at the entrance of each floor hall and is generally used for cargo elevators with few floors; the latter is a button box in the car and generally only accepts button commands inside the car. The floor call button cannot intercept and control the car, and is generally used for freight elevators. This type of elevator has automatic door and a manual door.


Signal control elevator:

This is a high-automatic elevator with drivers. In addition to the automatic leveling and automatic door opening functions, it also has functions such as car command registration, floor call registration, automatic stop, directional interception, and automatic reversal.


Selective control elevator:

It is a fully automatic control elevator developed on the basis of signal control. The main difference between it and signal control is that it can realize driverless operation. Its main feature is to collect the car's floor signal and various floor outer call signals, automatically determine the up and down running direction, and answer in sequence.


Down collective control elevator:

The down collective control elevator is a type of selective control elevator that can only be intercepted and stopped when the elevator is descending. Its feature is that when passengers want to go from a low floor to a high floor, only the elevator that is descending first can be intercepted and stopped. After it reaches the bottom, it can take the passenger to the destination floor again. This method is generally used for residential elevators, etc.


Parallel control elevator:

The control circuits of 2-3 elevators are parallel for logical control, sharing the floor outer call button, and the elevator itself has a selective function.


Group control elevator:

It is a centralized and parallel multiple elevators controlled by microcomputers. There are program control and intelligent control forms of group control.


Microcomputer control elevator:

It uses a microcomputer as the speed regulating device of the AC speed regulating control system, which undertakes the functions of speed regulation in various links, greatly reducing the number of contact devices in the speed regulation system and improving reliability. At the same time, the microcomputer has strong logic and arithmetic operation functions. Compared with the analog speed regulating device, it is more convenient to solve the comfort problem.

Elevators are classified according to machine room type

Elevators with machine rooms have the main engine and control panel placed in the machine room.

Elevators with machine rooms can be classified into the following types based on the location and type of the machine room:

  • Elevators with machine rooms built according to standard requirements located at the top of the shaft;

  • Small machine room elevators with machine rooms located at the top of the shaft with a net height not exceeding 2300mm and an area equal to the shaft area;

  • Elevators with machine rooms located at the bottom of the shaft.

  • Machine-room-less elevators have the control panel, traction machine, speed governor, and other components either relocated to the shaft or replaced with other technology to eliminate the need for a machine room.


Machine-room-less elevators can be classified into the following types based on the traction machine installation location:


(1)Elevators with the traction machine installed on the upper station car guide rail;

(2)Elevators with the traction machine installed on the upper station counterweight guide rail;

(3)Elevators with the traction machine installed on the bearing beam beneath the upper station roof;

(4)Elevators with the traction machine installed in the pit.


· Other Special Types of Elevators

Inclined Lifts:

Inclined lifts are used in underground or hillside railway stations, where the car moves along a straight inclined line, providing both horizontal and vertical transportation capacity, and serving as a transport and scenic device.



Chairlifts:

Chairlifts have chairs driven by electric motors, with passengers controlling the chair's movement up and down the stair rail via a hand-held button.


Cold Storage Elevators:

Cold storage elevators are designed for transporting frozen goods in large cold storages or refrigeration workshops, withstanding ice sealing, water immersion, and low-temperature environments. These elevators typically require door panels and guide rails that can withstand low temperatures.


Mining Lifts:

Mining lifts are used to transport personnel and goods within mines.


Special-purpose Lifts:

Special-purpose lifts are designed for special working environments, such as anti-explosion, heat-resistant, anti-corrosive, and other specialized purposes.


Construction Lifts (or Elevators):

Construction lifts (or elevators) are used to transport construction personnel and materials and can be raised along with rising floors during building construction.


Airplane Carrier Lifts:

Airplane carrier lifts are used to vertically lift aircraft weighing several tens to hundreds of tons from underground parking garages to the airport runway.


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