Coated sheave

Abstract

An elevator sheave includes a sheave body and a coating on a surface of the sheave body. The coating includes microcracks and a filler in the microcracks. A method of making a sheave for an elevator system is also disclosed.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An elevator sheave, comprising:
 a sheave body;   a coating on a surface of the sheave body, the coating including microcracks; and   a filler in the microcracks.   
     
     
         2 . The elevator sheave of  claim 1 , wherein the filler comprises a wax. 
     
     
         3 . The elevator sheave of  claim 1 , wherein the coating is a hard chrome coating. 
     
     
         4 . The elevator sheave of  claim 3 , wherein the hard chrome coating is plated onto the sheave. 
     
     
         5 . An elevator system comprising the elevator sheave of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         6 . The elevator system of  claim 5 , comprising a load bearing assembly at least partially wrapped around the sheave such that the load bearing assembly is in a friction relationship with the coating on the sheave. 
     
     
         7 . The elevator system of  claim 6 , wherein the filler is inert with respect to an external material of the load bearing assembly. 
     
     
         8 . The elevator system of  claim 6 , wherein the load bearing assembly includes a jacket;
 the jacket comprises a polymer; and   the filler is inert to the polymer.   
     
     
         9 . The elevator system of  claim 8 , wherein the jacket comprises at least one of a thermoplastic elastomer polymer, a thermosetting elastomer polymer, and a rubber polymer. 
     
     
         10 . The elevator system of  claim 8 , wherein the filler comprises a material and the jacket comprises the material. 
     
     
         11 . The elevator system of  claim 10 , wherein the filler comprises a wax and the jacket includes the wax. 
     
     
         12 . The elevator system of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the jacket comprises a polyurethane;   The polyurethane comprises wax additives; and   the filler comprises at least one of the wax additives.   
     
     
         13 . A method of making a sheave for an elevator system, the method comprising:
 applying a filler to a traction sheave having a coating such that the filler infiltrates microcracks in the coating to at least partially fill the microcracks.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the filler comprises a wax. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the applying is done in a vacuum environment. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , comprising mixing the filler with a solvent prior to applying the filler to the microcracks. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the solvent is a surfactant. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the coating is a hard chrome coating. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the traction sheave is configured to receive a load bearing assembly, and the filler is inert with respect to a jacket of the load bearing assembly. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the jacket comprises a polymer material including at least one wax component; and   the filler comprises the at least one component.