Safety system for an elevator, elevator system, and method for operating such a safety system

Abstract

A safety system for an elevator that includes at least one control unit, which control unit is operable in at least two different operating modes. The safety system has at least one electronic lock connected with the control unit, and is connectable, or connected, with at least one electronic key. The control unit is programmed, or programmable, in such that, in the presence of a connection between the electronic key and the electronic lock, it is only operable in one operating mode of a first subset of the operating modes and, in the absence of a connection between the electronic key and the electronic lock, it is only operable in one operating mode of a second subset of the operating modes. A maintenance mode is only available in the second subset of the operating modes.

Claims

1. A safety system for an elevator that includes a control unit that is operable in at least two different operating modes, comprising: an electronic lock connected with the control unit; and an electronic key being connectable with the electronic lock, wherein when the electronic key is connected with the electronic lock the control unit only operates in one of the at least two different operating modes of a first subset of the at least two different operating modes, and when the electronic key is not connected with the electronic lock the control unit only operates in another of the at least two different operating modes of a second subset of the at least two different operating modes, and wherein a maintenance mode is only available in the second subset of the at least two different operating modes.

2. The safety system according to claim 1 wherein the control unit is programmed such that, only after establishment of the connection between the electronic key and the electronic lock, and time-coordinated execution of at least one further predefined action, the control unit is operable in the one operating mode of the first subset of the at least two different operating modes.

3. The safety system according to claim 2 wherein the at least one further predefined action is an actuation of a reset button or a touching of a touch-sensitive screen.

4. The safety system according to claim 1 wherein the control unit is programmed such that, only after interruption of the connection between the electronic key and the electronic lock, and a time-coordinated execution of at least one further predefined action, the control unit is operable in the another operating mode of the second subset of the at least two different operating modes.

5. The safety system according to claim 4 wherein the at least one further predefined action is an actuation of a reset button or a touching of a touch-sensitive screen.

6. The safety system according to claim 1 wherein the control unit includes a safety control unit that is operable in the at least two different operating modes, and an elevator control unit connected to the safety control unit for controlling the elevator.

7. The safety system according to claim 1 including a data bus having a plurality of bus nodes, wherein, through the data bus, the control unit receives data from the bus nodes, and the electronic lock is connected with one of the bus nodes.

8. The safety system according to one claim 1 wherein the electronic lock is arranged in, on, or under an elevator car, in or on a wall or a headroom of an elevator hoistway, or in a machine room of the elevator.

9. The safety system according to claim 1 wherein the control unit is programmed such that, only after establishment of the connection between the electronic key and the electronic lock, and with a time-coordinated execution of a predefined action, the control unit is operable in the one of the at least two different operating modes of the first subset of the at least two different operating modes.

10. The safety system according to claim 1 wherein the control unit is programmed such that, only after interruption of the connection between the electronic key and the electronic lock, and with a time-coordinated execution of a predefined condition, the control unit is operable in the another of the at least two different operating modes of the second subset of the at least two different operating modes.

11. The safety system according to claim 1 wherein the at least two different operating modes in which the control unit is operable include at least one operating mode selected from a group consisting of a normal operating mode, the maintenance mode, and a configuration mode.

12. The safety system according to claim 1 wherein the control unit is connected with a sensor that transmits to the control unit sensor data, which sensor data characterizes a state of the elevator, wherein the sensor is one of a position sensor, a velocity sensor, a final-limit switch for detection of a highest permitted position of an elevator car of the elevator, a final-limit switch for detection of a lowest permitted position of the elevator car of the elevator, a balustrade sensor which is temporarily installed during a maintenance service, and a sensor for a bolt which is temporarily installed during a maintenance service for restricting movement of the elevator car.

13. A method for operating a safety system for an elevator comprising the steps of: providing a control unit for operating the elevator in at least two different operating modes; connecting an electronic lock with the control unit; providing an electronic key being connectable with the electronic lock, wherein when the electronic key is connected with the electronic lock the control unit only operates the elevator in one of the at least two different operating modes of a first subset of the at least two different operating modes, and when the electronic key is not connected with the electronic lock the control unit only operates the elevator in another of the at least two different operating modes of a second subset of the at least two different operating modes, and wherein a maintenance mode is only available in the second subset of the at least two different operating modes; and performing a first connection step establishing or interrupting the connection between the electronic key and the electronic lock.

14. The method according to claim 13 including a second connection step of establishing again or interrupting again the connection between the electronic key and the electronic lock.

15. The method according to claim 14 including, time-coordinated with the first connection step or the second connection step, executing at least one predefined action.

16. The method according to claim 15 wherein the at least one predefined action is actuating a reset button or touching a touch-sensitive screen.

17. An elevator system including an elevator and a safety system, the safety system comprising: a control unit for operating the elevator in at least two different operating modes; an electronic lock connected with the control unit; and an electronic key being connectable with the electronic lock, wherein when the electronic key is connected with the electronic lock the control unit only operates the elevator in one of the at least two different operating modes of a first subset of the at least two different operating modes, and when the electronic key is not connected with the electronic lock the control unit only operates the elevator in another of the at least two different operating modes of a second subset of the at least two different operating modes, and wherein a maintenance mode is only available in the second subset of the at least two different operating modes.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention is described in more detail below by reference to a drawing.

(2) FIG. 1 is a block circuit diagram of a safety system for an elevator.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(3) FIG. 1 shows a block circuit diagram of a safety system 1 for an elevator 2. The safety system 1 contains a safety control unit 3 for the purpose of monitoring the elevator 2 as well as a data bus 5 with four bus nodes 6. Also provided is an elevator control unit 4 for the purpose of controlling the elevator 2. In particular, by means of the elevator control unit 4, the position and the velocity of a here not-shown elevator car, or the opening and closing of the doors of this elevator car, can be controlled. Through the data bus 5, the safety control unit 3 can receive data from the bus nodes 6. The safety system 1 further has an electronic lock 7, which is connected with one of the bus nodes 6. The electronic lock 7 contains an RFID reading device 9. It is connectable, or connected, with an electronic key 8, which contains an RFID tag 10, which can be read out by means of the RFID reading device 9.

(4) The safety control unit 3 is programmed in such manner that, in the absence of a connection between the electronic key 7 and the electronic lock 8, it is only operable in a maintenance mode. In this maintenance mode, the elevator 2 can be inspected. For example, in this maintenance mode, doors of the elevator car can also be opened, and/or remain open, when the elevator car is not situated at the height of a floor, without an alarm being issued.

(5) Only after re-establishment of the connection between the electronic key 7 and the electronic lock 8, at least one operating mode that deviates from the maintenance mode is available, in particular a normal operating mode. This effectively prevents the activation of the normal operating mode by unauthorized persons who have no access to the electronic key 7.

(6) Connected with one of the bus nodes 6 is a sensor 11, which, through the data bus 5, can transmit sensor data to the safety control unit 3. The sensor data characterize a state of the elevator, for example its position or its speed. For this purpose, the sensor 11 can be embodied as, for example, position sensor or velocity sensor.

(7) In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, the present invention has been described in what is considered to represent its preferred embodiment. However, it should be noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope.