According to one aspect, there is provided a method for controlling an elevator group including at least a first elevator and a second elevator, wherein a counterweight balance of the first elevator differs from a counterweight balance of the second elevator, the method including: controlling the elevator group comprising at least the first elevator and the second elevator; determining threshold loads for the first and second elevator separately for up and down direction, a threshold load being dependent of the counterweight balance of the corresponding elevator, wherein the threshold load being a load for which consumed energy per up-down run is approximately zero; and controlling, when allocating an elevator in response to a destination call, route determination for the first and second elevator comprises minimizing a load difference from the threshold loads.

An emergency power supply for a traction elevator system utilizes a microprocessor-based control arrangement with pulse-width modulator technology to create an efficient, cost-effective back-up power system for a traction elevator. The microprocessor-based control arrangement is used to sense a power loss, or any type of irregularity in the power supply. Upon sensing some type of power malfunction, the microprocessor-based control arrangement disconnects the elevator system from the main power source and then generates a control signal to initiate the supply of back-up power. Once the elevator electrical system has been recharged and stabilized, the elevator control system will sense that recovery has occurred and will then provide an appropriate speed and direction command to the traction motor drive system.

An energy storage system is provided including: an elevator; an elevator motor; a power system coupled to the elevator motor. The power system including at least one capacitor operable to store energy received form the elevator motor and to supply stored energy to the elevator motor; and at least one flywheel operable to store energy received from the elevator motor and to supply stored energy to the elevator motor.

The present invention provides a variable mass elevator apparatus and method of operation, wherein the apparatus comprises an electronic scale, an elevator car, a traction sheave, a control computer, a mass storage area, a mass, a mass conveyor, a floor control panel outside of the elevator. When a passenger desires to operate the elevator, the passenger steps on the electronic scale and chooses a floor on the floor control panel, wherein the floor control panel has buttons for each floor. The electronic scale relays the weight of the passenger to the control computer, and the floor control panel relays the desired floor to the control computer. The control computer instructs a mass conveyer to couple a mass corresponding to the weight of the passenger to the elevator cable to act as a counterweight and equalize the potential energy of the elevator according to the desired floor of the passenger and the weight of the passenger.

In a method of driving a hydraulic system, a contracting force is applied to a hydraulic actuator, thereby causing hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic actuator to flow through a first hydraulic pump motor into a first accumulator, thereby causing the first hydraulic pump motor to apply rotational energy to a shaft. The rotational energy from the shaft is applied to a second hydraulic pump motor, thereby causing hydraulic fluid to be pumped from a second accumulator to a third accumulator so as to store energy in the third accumulator. Once energy is stored in the third accumulator, the second hydraulic pump motor is driven with hydraulic fluid stored in the third accumulator so as to apply rotational energy to the shaft, thereby driving the first hydraulic pump motor to pump hydraulic fluid from the first accumulator to the hydraulic actuator, thereby applying an expanding force to the hydraulic actuator.

The invention relates to a method for controlling a passenger transport system, which transport system comprises at least two passenger conveyors, as e.g. escalators or elevators, which transport system comprises a control for the passenger conveyors and for controlling passenger flow in the transport system. The control is connected to a passenger flow determination device for establishing a passenger flow reference value of the actual passenger flow to be expected in the passenger transport system, and which control further comprises a passenger guide system for controlling passenger flow in the transport system, which passenger guide system uses a cost function considering a set of system control parameters as passenger riding time, energy consumption, passenger waiting time, passenger transport capacity, maintenance demand, etc. The control uses a transport model simulating the function of the hardware components of the transport system under consideration of correlated system operating parameters as e.g. number of active passenger conveyors, passenger conveyor speed, still-stand times, door opening times etc. in connection with passenger flow,

whereby the passenger flow reference value is input to the transport model and in an optimization process the system operating parameters are optimized under use of the transport model to meet the passenger flow reference value under consideration of at least one significant system control parameter from said set of system control parameters to achieve a best set of system operating parameters. The best set of system operating parameters is applied to the control of the passenger transport system.

An emergency power supply for a traction elevator system utilizes a microprocessor-based control arrangement with pulse-width modulator technology to create an efficient, cost-effective back-up power system for a traction elevator. The microprocessor-based control arrangement is used to sense a power loss, or any type of irregularity in the power supply. Upon sensing some type of power malfunction, the microprocessor-based control arrangement disconnects the elevator system from the main power source and then generates a control signal to initiate the supply of back-up power. Once the elevator electrical system has been recharged and stabilized, the elevator control system will sense that recovery has occurred and will then provide an appropriate speed and direction command to the traction motor drive system.

Elevator system passengers are transported in one or more of a plurality of elevator cars. The elevator cars can require different amounts of energy to operate. Passenger trips can be allocated to one car or another car based on the expected energy consumption for the trips in one or the other car.

A counterweight adjusting apparatus for weight-lifting equipment includes a connection assembly and a limiting assembly for sleeving counterweight sheets. The limiting assembly includes a limiting plate, a sleeve rod is provided on the limiting plate, the sleeve rod is inserted into the connection assembly, a clamping member is provided in the connection assembly, at least one clamping groove is provided on the sleeve rod, the clamping member is matched with the at least one clamping groove, and the clamping member is adjustably clamped with the at least one clamping groove. The connection assembly includes a main body, a detachable connection structure is provided on an end of the main body, and the detachable connection structure is a threaded structure.

An apparatus for controlling a position of an elevator in a hoistway includes a fixed belt and a dynamic leveling control module adapted for attachment to the elevator and coupled to the fixed belt. The control module includes a position encoder coupled to the fixed belt, a processor electrically connected to the position encoder, and a communications interface electrically connected to the processor and adapted for communication with an elevator controller for the elevator. The control module determines a velocity, a position, and an acceleration of the elevator in response to a count signal output from the position encoder, and calculates a dynamic slowdown distance relative to an elevator landing for each elevator stop. The control module communicates the dynamic slowdown distance to the elevator controller to initiate slowdown of the elevator. The control module determines a new value of said dynamic slowdown distance for each elevator stop.