Elevator load bearing member having a jacket with at least one traction-enhancing exterior surface

Abstract

An elevator load bearing member assembly includes at least one traction enhancing surface ( 46 ) on a jacket ( 44 ). In one example, a mechanical removal process is used to strip away at least some of an amide-rich layer from the surface ( 46 ) after the jacket has been extruded onto tension members ( 42 ). In another example, a chemical removal process is used. Another disclosed example includes disrupting the surface.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A load bearing member for use in an elevator system, made by the process, comprising:
 displacing at least some material on at least one surface of a polymer jacket that generally surrounds at least one tension member, wherein the displacing exposes pure polyurethane on a majority of the one surface for achieving a desired traction characteristic of the jacket.   
     
     
         22 . The load bearing member of  claim 21 , wherein the process includes chemically removing the material from the one surface. 
     
     
         23 . The load bearing member of  claim 22 , wherein the process includes applying a chemical to the one surface wherein the chemical comprises a mixture of 2-Butoxyethanol and water. 
     
     
         24 . The load bearing member of  claim 22 , wherein the process includes at least one of chemically etching or chemically washing the one surface. 
     
     
         25 . The load bearing member of  claim 21 , wherein the process includes mechanically removing the material from the one surface. 
     
     
         26 . The load bearing member of  claim 25 , wherein the process includes at least one of rubbing, grinding, abrading or buffing the one surface. 
     
     
         27 . The load bearing member of  claim 21 , wherein the process includes disrupting the one surface. 
     
     
         28 . The load bearing member of  claim 21 , wherein the jacket comprises an inner layer having a first frictional property and a surface layer having a second, different frictional property and the process includes exposing at least some of the inner layer. 
     
     
         29 . The load bearing member of  claim 21 , wherein the process includes removing material from the one surface across an entire width of the one surface. 
     
     
         30 . The load bearing member of  claim 29 , wherein the process includes removing material from the one surface along an entire length of the one surface. 
     
     
         31 . The load bearing member of  claim 21 , wherein the process includes removing material from the one surface along an entire length of the one surface. 
     
     
         32 . The load bearing member of  claim 21 , wherein the exposed pure polyurethane is randomly disbursed across the one surface. 
     
     
         33 . The load bearing member of  claim 21 , wherein the jacket comprises an amide-rich layer on the one surface and the process comprises removing at least some of the amide-rich layer. 
     
     
         34 . A load bearing member for use in an elevator system, comprising:
 at least one tension member; and   a jacket generally surrounding the tension member, the jacket having at least one surface defining at least a portion of an outermost layer of the jacket, the one surface comprising exposed, pure polyurethane on a majority of the one surface.   
     
     
         35 . The load bearing member of  claim 34 , wherein the exposed, pure polyurethane extends across the entire one surface. 
     
     
         36 . The load bearing member of  claim 34 , wherein the one surface is smooth. 
     
     
         37 . The load bearing member of  claim 34 , wherein the one surface is at least partially rough. 
     
     
         38 . The load bearing member of  claim 34 , wherein the jacket comprises an inner layer having a first frictional property and a surface layer having a second, different frictional property and the outermost layer includes at least some of the inner layer exposed at the outermost layer. 
     
     
         39 . The load bearing member of  claim 34 , wherein the exposed pure polyurethane is randomly disbursed across the one surface. 
     
     
         40 . The load bearing member of  claim 34 , wherein the jacket comprises an amide-rich layer on the one surface and at least some of the amide-rich layer has been removed.