METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COMMISSIONING AN ELEVATOR INSTALLATION

Abstract

An elevator system includes a control unit, a bus, a plurality of bus-nodes connected via the bus with the control unit, and a plurality of safety-state detection devices connected with the control unit via the bus-nodes. A method of commissioning the elevator system includes the steps: A) verification by the control unit of the safety-state detection means that are connected to the bus; B) checking of the functional capability of the safety-state detection means that are connected; C) checking by the control unit of the safety functions of the elevator system based on a change in state of a safety-state detection means; and D) release of the elevator system for a normal operation only after positive execution by the control unit of the steps A) to C), wherein the release is accompanied by a change in state of the control unit from an unsecured state into a secured state.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A method for commissioning an elevator system having a control unit, a bus, a plurality of bus-nodes being connected via the bus with the control unit, and a plurality of safety-state detection devices each being connected with the control unit via one of the bus-nodes, wherein the method comprises the steps of: A) verification by the control unit of the safety-state detection devices that are connected to the bus; B) checking by the control unit of a functional capability of each of the safety-state detection devices that is connected to the bus; C) checking by the control unit of safety functions of the elevator system based upon a change of state of at least one of the safety-state detection devices by the control unit; and D) release of the elevator system for a normal operation only after positive execution by the control unit of the steps A) to C), wherein the release for the normal operation is accompanied by a change of state of the control unit from an unsecured state to a secured state.

17. The method according to claim 16 wherein the elevator system includes an emergency brake to brake an elevator car, the emergency brake being triggered by the control unit, and wherein the checking of the safety functions in the Step C) includes a triggering of the emergency brake in response to at least one of an inadmissible movement-state of the elevator car and an inadmissible state of a car door or of a hoistway door.

18. The method according to claim 17 wherein the triggering of the emergency brake is in response to at least one of an inadmissible velocity of the elevator car, an unintentional movement of the elevator car with open state of the hoistway door, an overrunning of a final-limit switch by the elevator car, an inadmissible acceleration of the elevator car, an inadmissible open state of the hoistway door, and an inadmissible open state of the car door.

19. The method according to claim 17 wherein at least one of the inadmissible movement-state of the elevator car and the inadmissible state of the car door or of the hoistway door is virtually generated by the control unit and at least one fault signal is transmitted from the control unit to one of the bus-nodes.

20. The method according to claim 17 wherein at least one of the inadmissible movement-state of the elevator car and the inadmissible state of the car door or of the hoistway door is generated by the control unit, wherein the elevator car, the car door or the hoistway door is brought by the control unit into an inadmissible movement state or an inadmissible state.

21. The method according to claim 16 wherein the elevator system includes a safety gear for braking an elevator car, wherein the safety gear is triggered by the control unit, and wherein the checking of the safety functions in the Step C) includes triggering the safety gear in response to at least one of an inadmissible movement state of the elevator car and an inadmissible state of a car door or a hoistway door.

22. The method according to claim 21 wherein the triggering of the safety gear is in response to at least one of an inadmissible velocity of the elevator car, an unintentional movement of the elevator car in open state of the hoistway door, an overrunning of a final-limit switch by the elevator car, an inadmissible acceleration of the elevator car, an inadmissible open state of the hoistway door, and an inadmissible open state of the car door.

23. The method according to claim 21 wherein at least one of the inadmissible movement-state of the elevator car and the inadmissible state of the car door or of the hoistway door is virtually generated by the control unit and at least one fault signal is transmitted from the control unit to one of the bus-nodes.

24. The method according to claim 21 wherein at least one of the inadmissible movement-state of the elevator car and the inadmissible state of the car door or of the hoistway door is generated by the control unit, wherein the elevator car, the car door or the hoistway door is brought by the control unit into an inadmissible movement state or an inadmissible state.

25. The method according to claim 16 wherein the elevator system includes an interface for entering control commands to the control unit and wherein the entry of configuration commands at the interface is only accepted in the unsecured state of the control unit.

26. The method according to claim 16 wherein the elevator system includes an interface for entering control commands to the control unit and wherein, in the secured state, configuration commands entered at the interface are rejected by the control unit.

27. The method according to claim 16 wherein, in the secured mode, only predefinable operating modes are released by the control unit including at least one of a normal operation mode, a maintenance operation mode, and an inspection mode.

28. An apparatus for commissioning an elevator system having a control unit, a bus, a plurality of bus-nodes being connected via the bus with the control unit, and a plurality of safety-state detection devices each being connected with the control unit via one of the bus-nodes, comprising: the control unit being configured to only release the elevator system for a normal operation when the control unit has verified the safety-state detection devices that are connected to the bus, to check a functional capability of the safety-state detection devices that are connected to the bus, and, based on a change in state of any of the safety-state detection devices, checks safety functions of the elevator system, wherein the release of the normal operation is accompanied by a change in state of the control unit from an unsecured state into a secured state.

29. The apparatus according to claim 28 including an emergency brake for braking an elevator car, wherein the emergency brake is triggered by the control unit, wherein the checking of the safety functions, on account of at least one of an inadmissible movement-state of the elevator car and an inadmissible state of a car door or of a hoistway door, causes the control unit to trigger the emergency brake.

30. The apparatus according to claim 29 wherein the triggering is in response to at least one of an inadmissible velocity of the elevator car, an unintentional movement of the elevator car in an open state of the hoistway door, an overrunning of a final-limit switch by the elevator car, an inadmissible acceleration of the elevator car, an inadmissible open state of the hoistway door, and an inadmissible open state of the car door.

31. The apparatus according to claim 28 including a safety gear for braking an elevator car, wherein the safety gear is triggered by the control unit, wherein the checking of the safety functions, on account of at least one of an inadmissible movement-state of the elevator car and an inadmissible state of a car door or a hoistway door, causes the control unit to trigger the safety gear.

32. The apparatus according to claim 31 wherein the triggering is in response to at least one of an inadmissible velocity of the elevator car, an unintentional movement of the elevator car in an open state of the hoistway door, an overrunning of a final-limit switch by the elevator car, an inadmissible acceleration of the elevator car, an inadmissible open state of the hoistway door, and an inadmissible open state of the car door.

33. The apparatus according to claim 28 including an interface for entry of control commands to the control unit, wherein the control unit only accepts the entry of configuration commands at the interface in the unsecured state.

34. The apparatus according to claim 28 including an interface for entry of control commands to the control unit, wherein, in the secured state, the control unit rejects entry of configuration commands at the interface.

35. The apparatus according to claim 28 wherein, in the secured mode, the control unit only releases predefinable operating modes that include at least one of a normal operation mode, a maintenance operation mode, and an inspection mode.

36. An elevator system including the apparatus according to claim 28.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] The invention is described more fully below by reference to exemplary embodiments. Shown are in

[0031] FIG. 1 schematically, an exemplary arrangement of an elevator system according to the invention; and in

[0032] FIG. 2 a flow-chart of the process-steps of the method according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] The elevator system 1 which is depicted schematically in FIG. 1 comprises a control unit 2, which, through a bus 3, is connected with a plurality of bus-nodes 41 to 48 and 49a, 49b. As shown in FIG. 1, the control unit 2 can be arranged in a separate drive-room 8. In a preferred embodiment, the control unit 2 is arranged in the hoistway 6.

[0034] Indicated with reference number 6, and depicted schematically, is a hoistway 6 of a building, into which the elevator system 1 is built. Exemplarily, the building has three floors and each floor is equipped with a hoistway door 61, 62, 63. Assigned to the bus-node 41 is the hoistway door 61, to the bus-node 42 the hoistway door 62, and to the bus-node 43 the hoistway door 63.

[0035] Assigned to the respective bus-nodes 41, 42 or 43 is a safety-state detection means or device, here, for example, a switch-contact 61a, 62a, 63a, which registers information about the state of the assigned hoistway door 61, 62 or 63 (open, closed, locked) and, if necessary, can generate a fault message for the control unit 2.

[0036] The elevator system 1 further has an elevator car 7. The elevator car 7 is equipped with an elevator door 74, which is also connected with a bus-node 44. Assigned to the bus node 44 is a further safety-state detection means or device, for example a further switch-contact 74a, which detects items of information about the state of the assigned elevator door 74 (open, closed, locked) and can, if necessary, generate a fault message for the control unit 2.

[0037] The elevator system 1 can further have a bus-node 45 and a bus-node 46, which are assigned to a safety gear 75 and an emergency switch 76 respectively, which are here arranged in the elevator car 7. The safety gear 75 serves to safely brake the elevator car 7, for example in the event of an overspeed of the latter being attained.

[0038] In an emergency situation, through actuation of the emergency switch 76, the elevator system 1 can be brought to an immediate standstill.

[0039] Further, arranged in a drive-room 8 is a drive unit which is equipped with an emergency brake 87 and a further safety-state detection means or device, for example a rotational-speed sensor 88, which are assigned to a bus-node 47 and 48 respectively. In a preferred embodiment, the drive unit is arranged in the hoistway 6, whereby a separate drive-room is obviated.

[0040] Provided in the hoistway 6 are further safety-state detection means or device, here two final-limit switches 89a, 89b, which limit a travel of the elevator car 7 at the ends of the hoistway 6. For reasons of clarity, in FIG. 1 the final-limit switches 89a, 89b are depicted together. One of the final-limit switches 89a, 89b may be arranged in the pit area of the hoistway 6, while the other final-limit switch 89a, 89b may be arranged in the hoistway-headroom area of the hoistway 6. Each of the final-limit switches 89a, 89b is connected via a bus-node 49a, 49b with the bus 3. Should the elevator car 7 overrun one of the final-limit switches 89a, 89b, the respective final-limit switch 89a, 89b changes its state and a fault message is sent to the control unit 2. In response to this fault message, by means of the emergency brake 75, the control unit 2 brings the elevator car 7 to a standstill.

[0041] In a commissioning of an elevator system 1, the control unit 2 verifies according to the process-step A of FIG. 2 the bus-nodes 41 to 48 and 49a, 49b which are built into the elevator system and are active, and/or the connected safety-state detection means 61a, 62a, 63a, 74a, 88, 89a, 89b, and the node-specific data of each bus-node 41 to 48 and 49a, 49b. Here, “node-specific data” are to be understood as data about the bus-node addresses or data of the state-detection means that are connected to the bus-nodes. The data that are detected are stored by the control unit.

[0042] Then, by means of the control unit 2, the detected node-specific data are automatically compared with a participant list 5, which in this exemplary embodiment is empty. For this reason, in the absence of a match with the participant list 5, for each detected bus-node 41 to 48 and 49a, 49b, an inquiry is sent to a technician who is responsible for the commissioning of the elevator system 1, as to whether or not the respective detected bus-node 41 to 48 and 49a, 49b should be saved in the participant list.

[0043] In the event that the detected bus-node 41 is confirmed, the technician receives a new message to save a further detected bus-node, for example the bus-node 42. In the event of a termination, the technician can restart the commissioning or edit the participant list.

[0044] Here, the registering of node-specific data and its comparison with a list is referred to as “verification”.

[0045] Subsequently, the bus-node 41 and/or the safety-state detection means 61a that are attached thereto, which are stored in such manner in the participant list 5, can be subjected to a check of the functional capability according to the process-step B of FIG. 2. The control unit 2 controls the hoistway door 61 and leaves the latter open. The safety-state detection means 61a that is assigned to the bus-node 41 registers the opening of the hoistway door 61 and notifies this change of state to the control unit 2. Through the notified change of state, the functional capability of the bus-node 41 and of the assigned safety-state detection means 61a is thereby checked.

[0046] The control unit 2 can, for example, also instruct the drive unit to cause the elevator car 7 to travel to the second floor. During the travel to the second floor, the control unit 2 receives from the bus-node 48 node-specific data from the rotational-speed sensor 88 about the rotational speed of the motor, which indicate a movement of the elevator car 7.

[0047] When the elevator car 7 has reached the desired floor, the elevator door 74 opens simultaneous with the hoistway door 62. The respective bus-nodes 44, 42 and/or the respective safety-state detection means 74a, 62a, notify to the control unit 2 the change of state, which confirms the functional capability of the two bus-nodes 42 and 44 and of the assigned safety-state detection means 62a, 74a. The other floors proceed correspondingly.

[0048] In similar manner, in order to test the functional capability of the bus-node 49a, 49b and/or of the safety-detection means 89a, 89b, the control unit 2 can instruct the drive unit to cause the elevator car 7 to travel beyond one of the final-limit switches 89a, 89b.

[0049] To test the safety function according to the process-step C of FIG. 2, for example, an actuation of the emergency switch 76 by the control unit 2 is simulated and, through a corresponding notification of node-specific data of the bus-nodes 47 and 48, it is determined whether the emergency brake 87 immediately brings the elevator car 7 to a standstill.

[0050] Further, the control unit 2 can simulate the detection by the rotational-speed sensor 88 of an overspeed of the elevator car 7 and provoke a triggering of the safety gear 75. Correspondingly, from the assigned bus-node 45 a notification of the state of the safety gear 75 is transmitted to the control unit 2. The triggering of the safety gear 75 is hereby confirmed.

[0051] After successful completion of the three process-steps A, B, C, namely “Verification of the safety-state detection means”, “Checking of the functional capability”, and “Checking of the safety functions”, a message is issued to release the elevator system 1 for normal operation according to Process Step D of FIG. 2. This release is accompanied by a change of state of the control unit 2 from an unsecured state to a secured state.

[0052] The previously described three process-steps A, B, C, which precede the release D of the elevator system 1, take place in an unsecured state of the control unit 2. By contrast, in the secured state of the control unit 2, the control unit 2 can no longer be manipulated. In the latter state, the control unit 2 only accepts control commands to change the operating mode. Thereby, for example, the control unit 2 can be brought from a normal mode into a maintenance mode and vice versa.

[0053] In the event of a modernization of the elevator system 1, modifications to the configuration of the control unit 2 can again be enabled. For this purpose, by means of the entry of a special command, the control unit 2 is again brought into the unsecured state. In the course of a modernization, the number of bus-nodes, and/or the type of the state-detection means, can be adapted within a predefined range. For example, in addition to the rotational-speed sensor 88, or as replacement thereof, an absolute-positioning sensor could be provided, which is arranged on the elevator car 7. After the installation of the absolute-positioning sensor and the creation of the connection with the bus 3, the control unit 2 verifies its node-specific data, checks its functional capability, and checks the safety functions in conjunction with the absolute-positioning sensor. Only after execution of the three process-steps A, B, C is a message again sent to release the elevator system 1 for a normal operation according to Process Step D. The control unit 2 is hereby returned to its secured state.

[0054] Self-evidently, depending on the design of the elevator system 1, a plurality of control units or additional state-detection means can be provided. If the spatial arrangement of the state-detection means permits, also a plurality of state-detection means can be connected to a common bus-node with the bus 3. The concept of the invention is not restricted to the exemplary embodiments.

[0055] 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.