Composite elevator belt

Abstract

A composite elevator belt includes at least one load carrier strand extending in a longitudinal direction, a core layer encasing the at least one load carrier strand, and a first plurality of teeth extending transversely across a top surface of the core layer. The first plurality of teeth includes a root portion associated with the core layer and a tip portion. The composite elevator belt further includes a first jacket layer extending in the longitudinal direction, at least the tip portion of the first plurality of teeth being associated with a bottom surface of the first jacket layer.

1 .- 4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . A composite elevator belt comprising:
 at least one load carrier comprising a plurality of load carrier strands extending in a longitudinal direction, at least a first portion of said load carrier strands being laterally spaced apart from at least a second portion of said load carrier strands to define a lateral space therebetween that is a straight continuous channel extending laterally from a first lateral side of said load carrier to an opposite lateral side of said load carrier;   a core layer encasing said plurality of load carrier strands such that said space is filled with core material that is free of load carrier strands; and   a first jacket layer disposed on at least a first side of said core layer extending in the longitudinal direction.   
     
     
         6 . The composite elevator belt of  claim 5 , wherein said load carrier strands are laterally spaced apart from each other to define a plurality of lateral spaces therebetween that are straight continuous lateral channels filled with core material that are free of load carrier strands, which spaces extend from the first lateral side of said load carrier to the opposite lateral side of said load carrier. 
     
     
         7 . The composite elevator belt of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of load carrier strands are arranged into a plurality of groups. 
     
     
         8 . The composite elevator belt of  claim 7 , wherein each group of load carrier strands is first encased within a first coating of a further material, and said first coating is encased within said core layer. 
     
     
         9 . The composite elevator belt of  claim 8 , wherein the further material is a sizing material, a polymer material, a silicon material, or a combination of any thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The composite elevator belt of  claim 5 , wherein a width of the space that forms a straight continuous channel is between 0 μm to 50 μm. 
     
     
         11 . The composite elevator belt of  claim 5 , wherein said load carrier strands have a diameter of between 2 μm and 20 μm. 
     
     
         12 . The composite elevator belt of  claim 5 , wherein said plurality of load carrier strands are arranged in rows to define a plurality of lateral spaces therebetween that are each straight continuous channels extending laterally from a first lateral side of said load carrier to an opposite lateral side of said load carrier, wherein a width of one space defined between a first pair of adjacent rows is different from a width of a second space defined between a second pair of adjacent rows. 
     
     
         13 . The composite elevator belt of  claim 5 , wherein the core layer comprises a material with a Young's modulus of less than 2 GPa. 
     
     
         14 . The composite elevator belt of  claim 5 , wherein the fiber volume ratio of the load carrier strands within the belt is between 40% and 70%. 
     
     
         15 . The composite elevator belt of  claim 5 , wherein when viewed in a lateral cross section of said belt, said load carrier strands are arranged side-by-side abutting one another to form a plurality of rows of load carrier strands that define lateral spaces between said respective rows of load carrier strands. 
     
     
         16 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The composite elevator belt of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a second jacket layer disposed on a second side of said core layer extending in the longitudinal direction.   
     
     
         22 .- 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . The composite elevator belt of  claim 5 , wherein said core layer and said first jacket layer are of varying composition. 
     
     
         32 . The composite elevator belt of  claim 5 , wherein said core layer comprises a thermoplastic and/or thermoset material. 
     
     
         33 . The composite elevator belt of  claim 5 , wherein said first jacket layer comprises a thermoplastic and/or thermoset material. 
     
     
         34 . The composite elevator belt of  claim 21 , wherein the second jacket layer comprises a thermoplastic and/or thermoset material. 
     
     
         35 .- 41 . (canceled) 
     
     
         42 . The composite elevator belt of  claim 5 , wherein at least one of the plurality of load carrier strands is formed of an electrically conductive material. 
     
     
         43 .- 47 . (canceled) 
     
     
         48 . An elevator system, comprising:
 an elevator shaft having a support frame;   an elevator car movable along a vertical travel path defined by the elevator shaft;   a motor comprising at least one drive sheave that is rotatable via the motor;   at least one elevator sheave connected to one of the elevator car and the support frame; and   at least one composite elevator belt in frictional tractive engagement with the drive sheave of the motor and the at least one elevator sheave, the at least one composite elevator belt comprising:
 at least one load carrier comprising a plurality of load carrier strands extending in a longitudinal direction, at least a first portion of said load carrier strands being laterally spaced apart from at least a second portion of said load carrier strands to define a lateral space therebetween that is a straight continuous channel extending laterally from a first lateral side of said load carrier to an opposite lateral side of said load carrier; 
 a core layer encasing said plurality of load carrier strands such that said lateral space is filled with core material that is free of load carrier strands; and 
 a first jacket layer disposed on at least a first side of said core layer extending in the longitudinal direction. 
   
     
     
         49 .- 50 . (canceled) 
     
     
         51 . The elevator system of  claim 48 , wherein the at least one composite elevator belt further comprises:
 a second jacket layer disposed on a second side of said core layer extending in the longitudinal direction.   
     
     
         52 . (canceled)