Elevator BasicsMachine-Room-Less Elevators
Elevators by Operating Principle
The minimal electricity required to drive rope elevators is available with machine-room-less elevators which have their traction machines and controllers made compact and installed inside the hoistway to eliminate the need for a machine room.
This has greatly increased the freedom to design buildings more effectively, and, in 1998, the Toshiba elevator SPACEL became the first machine-room-less elevator to be produced in Japan. Toshiba machine-room-less elevators continue to evolve towards high functionality and compactness based on the concepts of safety, peace of mind, comfort and ecofriendliness.
The traction machine uses a gearless mechanism with a permanent magnet synchronous motor.
Making it thoroughly compact has allowed it to be installed at the top of the hoistway
The strongest point of a Toshiba machine-room-less elevator is the installation of its primary equipment on the top of the hoistway.
Even should water enter the hoistway, through a natural disaster of some sort, high installation of the controller and the traction machine prevent water from coming into direct contact with the drive unit and controller.
The roller guides used in high-speed elevators up to now have been adopted as the latest technology for machine-room-less elevators.
In addition to not requiring lubricant, which is needed for convention guide shoes, they also reduce noise and vibration.
The controller of a machine-room-less elevator is designed compact to be installed flat inside the hoistway. Additionally, the use of an inverter allows for smooth drive control.
In addition to the automatic turning off of lights and the vent fan when the car is not in use, the latest functions also contribute greatly to a reduction in standby power, through the synergistic effects of using LEDs for the ceiling lights and the regenerative power function.
