Method and mounting device for carrying out an installation operation in an elevator shaft

Abstract

A method and a mounting device for carrying out an installation operation in an elevator shaft of an elevator system include introducing a first elongate reference element into the elevator shaft oriented in a main direction of extent of the elevator shaft. The mounting device is introduced into the elevator shaft, which mounting device has a carrier component and a mechatronic installation component held by the carrier component. The mounting device is displaced into a fixing position in the main direction of extent of the elevator shaft. The relative position of the carrier component of the mounting device is determined with respect to the first reference element in the fixing position with a sensor arranged on the installation component. The relative position of the first reference element is determined with respect to at least two different sensor positions and thus positions of the installation component.

Claims

1. A method for performing an installation operation in an elevator shaft of an elevator system comprising the following steps: introducing an elongate first reference element into the elevator shaft, the first reference element being oriented in a main extension direction of the elevator shaft; introducing a mounting device into the elevator shaft, the mounting device including a carrier component and a mechatronic installation component that is held by the carrier component; displacing the mounting device in the main extension direction into a fixing position in the elevator shaft; determining a relative position of the carrier component, in the fixing position, with respect to the first reference element using a sensor arranged on the installation component, the relative position being determined with respect to at least two different sensor positions of the sensor corresponding to two different positions of the installation component mutually spaced in the main extension direction; determining the fixing position of the mounting device in the elevator shaft based on the relative position of the carrier component of the mounting device with respect to the first reference element; determining a mounting position of a mounting step to be carried out by the installation component; and carrying out the mounting step.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the sensor is fixed on the installation component.

3. The method according to claim 1 including using a signal generated by an acceleration sensor arranged on the mounting device to determine the fixing position.

4. The method according to claim 1 including introducing an elongate second reference element into the elevator shaft, the second reference element being oriented in the main extension direction of the elevator shaft, and determining a relative position of the mounting device, in the fixing position, with respect to the second reference element using the sensor arranged on the installation component.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein the installation component is held by the carrier component by a retaining device, and a relative position of the retaining device with respect to at least one of the first reference element and the second reference element is determined.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the installation component is held by the carrier component by a retaining device, and a relative position of the retaining device with respect to the first reference element is determined.

7. The method according to claim 1 including, in order to set the fixing position, fixing the carrier component directly to at least one wall of the elevator shaft.

8. The method according to claim 1 including, in order to set the fixing position, press-fitting the carrier component directly to walls of the elevator shaft.

9. The method according to claim 1 including introducing an elongate second reference element into the elevator shaft, the second reference element being oriented in the main extension direction of the elevator shaft, fastening a first mounting plate in the elevator shaft, and fastening first ends of the first and second reference elements to the first mounting plate.

10. The method according to claim 9 including fastening a second mounting plate in the elevator shaft and fastening second ends of the first and second reference elements to the second mounting plate.

11. The method according to claim 1 including fixing ends of the first reference element to the elevator shaft to reduce oscillations of the first reference element.

12. The method according to claim 1 including introducing an elongate second reference element into the elevator shaft, the second reference element being oriented in the main extension direction of the elevator shaft, and fixing ends of the second reference element to the elevator shaft to reduce oscillations of the second reference element.

13. A mounting device for carrying out an installation operation in an elevator shaft of an elevator system comprising: a carrier component and a mechatronic installation component held by the carrier component, the carrier component being displaceable in a main extension direction of the elevator shaft and adapted to be selectively fixed in a fixing position in the elevator shaft; an electronic control for determining a relative position of the mounting device, in the fixing position, with respect to an elongate first reference element in the elevator shaft, the first reference element being oriented in the main extension direction, using a sensor arranged on the installation component; wherein the electronic control determines a relative position of the first reference element with respect to at least two different sensor positions of the sensor corresponding to two different positions of the installation component mutually spaced in the main extension direction; and determining the fixing position in the elevator shaft based upon the relative position of the mounting device with respect to the first reference element.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an elevator shaft of an elevator system comprising a mounting device according to an embodiment of the present invention received therein,

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a mounting device according to an embodiment of the present invention,

(4) FIG. 3 is a simplified view from above into an elevator shaft comprising two reference elements,

(5) FIG. 4 is a simplified view from the side into an elevator shaft comprising two reference elements, and

(6) FIG. 5 is a simplified view from above into an elevator shaft comprising one reference element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) FIG. 1 illustrates an elevator shaft 103 of an elevator system 101, in which a mounting device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is arranged. The mounting device 1 comprises a carrier component 3 and a mechatronic installation component 5. The carrier component 3 is designed as a frame on which the mechatronic installation component 5 is mounted. Said frame has dimensions that permit the carrier component 3 to be displaced within the elevator shaft 103 in a main extension direction 108 of the elevator shaft 103, and thus in this case vertically, i.e. for example to move to different vertical positions on different floors within a building. In the example shown, the mechatronic installation component 5 is designed as an industrial robot 7 that is attached to the frame of the carrier component 3 by means of a retaining device 109 so as to be suspended downwardly. In this case, one arm of the industrial robot 7 may be moved relative to the carrier component 3 and, for example, displaced towards a wall 105 of the elevator shaft 103.

(8) The carrier component 3 is connected, via a steel cable acting as a suspension element 17, to a displacement component 15 in the form of a motor-driven cable winch that is attached at the top of the elevator shaft 103 to a stopping point 107 on the ceiling of the elevator shaft 103. By means of the displacement component 15, the mounting device 1 can be moved vertically within the elevator shaft 103 along the main extension direction 108, i.e. vertically across an entire length of the elevator shaft 103.

(9) Furthermore, the assembly device 1 comprises a fixing component 19, by means of which the carrier component 3 can be fixed within the elevator shaft 103 in the lateral direction, i.e. in the horizontal direction. The carrier component 3 is thus moved into a fixing position in which the carrier component 3 is shown in FIG. 1. The fixing component 19 on the front side of the carrier component 3 and/or the prop (not shown) on a rear side of the carrier component 3, can be displaced outward to the front or the back for this purpose, and thus press-fit the carrier component 3 between walls 105 of the elevator shaft 103. In this case, the fixing component 19 and/or the prop can be anchored outwards, for example by means of hydraulics or the like, in order to fix the carrier component 3 in the elevator shaft 103 in the horizontal direction.

(10) Two elongate reference elements 110 and 111 in the form of cords extend within the elevator shaft 103, which elements are introduced into the elevator shaft 103 before the mounting device 1 is introduced. First, lower ends 112, 113 of the reference elements 110, 111 are fastened to a first, lower mounting plate 114, and second, upper ends 115, 116 of the reference elements 110, 111 are fastened to a second, upper mounting plate 117. The two reference elements 110, 111 are at the same mutual spacing on both mounting plates 114, 117, such that they extend in parallel with one another. The lower mounting plate 114 is fastened to the floor of a bottom door opening 118, and the upper mounting plate 117 is fastened to the floor of a top door opening 119, such that the reference elements 110, 111 extend in the main extension direction 108 within the elevator shaft 103. The position of the reference elements 110, 111 with respect to the walls 105 of the elevator shaft 103 is thus also known.

(11) FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a mounting device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(12) The carrier component 3 is formed as a cage-like frame, in which a plurality of horizontally and vertically extending bars form a mechanically robust structure.

(13) Retaining cables 27 are attached to the top of the cage-like carrier component 3, which cables can be connected to the suspension element 17. By displacing the suspension element 17 within the elevator shaft 103, i.e., for example, by winding and unwinding the flexible suspension element 17 on the cable winch of the displacement component 15, the carrier component 3 can thus be displaced within the elevator shaft 103 in the main extension direction 108 in a suspended manner, and therefore displaced vertically.

(14) The fixing component 19 is provided next to the carrier component 3. In the example shown, the fixing component 19 is formed having an elongate bar extending in the vertical direction, which can be displaced in the horizontal direction with respect to the frame of the carrier component 3. For this purpose, the bar may be attached to the carrier component 3 for example by means of a lockable hydraulic cylinder or a self-locking motor spindle. If the bar of the fixing component 19 is displaced away from the frame of the carrier component 3, said bar moves laterally towards one of the walls 105 of the elevator shaft 103. Alternatively or additionally, props can be displaced backwards on the rear of the carrier component 3 in order to anchor the carrier component 3 in the elevator shaft 103. In this way, the carrier component 3 can be press-fitted within the elevator shaft 103 and can thereby for example fix the carrier component 3 within the elevator shaft 103 in the lateral direction, and thus in the fixing position, when carrying out a mounting step. Forces which are applied to the carrier component 3 can be transferred in this state to the walls 105 of the elevator shaft 103, preferably without the carrier component 3 being able to be displaced within the elevator shaft 103 or starting to vibrate in the process.

(15) In the embodiment shown, the mechatronic installation component 5 is formed using an industrial robot 7. It is noted, however, that the mechatronic installation component 5 can also be implemented in other ways, for example using differently designed actuators, manipulators, effectors, etc. In particular, the installation component could comprise mechatronics or robotics specially adapted for use for an installation operation within an elevator shaft 103 of an elevator system 1.

(16) In the example shown, the industrial robot 7 is equipped with a plurality robotic arms that are pivotable about pivot axes. The industrial robots may, for example, have at least six degrees of freedom, i.e. a mounting tool 9 guided by the industrial robot 7 can be moved with six degrees of freedom, i.e., for example, with three degrees of rotational freedom and three degrees of translational freedom. The industrial robot can, for example, be designed as a vertical buckling arm robot, a horizontal buckling arm robot, a SCARA robot or a cartesian robot, or as a portal robot.

(17) The unsupported end of the robot can be coupled to different mounting tools or sensors 9. The mounting tools or sensors 9 may differ in their design and their intended use. The mounting tools or sensors 9 can be held on the carrier component 3 in such a way that the unsupported end of the industrial robot 7 can be brought towards said tools or sensors and be coupled to one thereof.

(18) One of the mounting tools 9 can be designed as a drilling tool similar to a drilling machine. By coupling of the industrial robot 7 to such a drilling tool, the installation component 5 can be designed in such a way that it allows for an at least partially automated controlled drilling of holes, for example in one of the walls 105 of the elevator shaft 103. In this case, the drilling tool may be moved and handled by the industrial robot 7 in such a way that the drilling tool, using a drill, drills holes at a specified position, i.e. a mounting position 120 in FIG. 1, for example in the concrete of the wall 105 of the elevator shaft 103, into which holes fastening screws, for example, can later be screwed in order to fix fastening elements.

(19) Another mounting tool 9 can be designed as a screwing device for screwing screws into previously drilled holes in a wall 105 of the elevator shaft 103 in an at least partially automatic manner.

(20) A magazine component 11 can furthermore be provided on the carrier component 3. The magazine component 11 can serve to store components 13 to be installed and to provide the installation component 5.

(21) In the example shown, the industrial robot 7 can for example automatically grasp a fastening screw from the magazine component 11 and for example screw it into previously drilled fastening holes in the wall 105 using a mounting tool 9 designed as a screwing device.

(22) In the example shown, it can be seen that, by using the mounting device 1, mounting steps of an installation operation in which components 13 are mounted on a wall 105 can be carried out in a completely or at least partially automated manner, in that the installation component 5 first drills holes into the wall 105 and then screws fastening screws into said holes.

(23) In order for it to be possible to determine the position of the carrier component 3 of the mounting device 1 within the elevator shaft 103, the mounting device 1 comprises a control means (electronic control) 23 that is arranged in the lower region of the carrier component 3. The control means 23 is in signal communication with a sensor 121 that is arranged on the unsupported end 122 of the industrial robot 7. The sensor 121 is designed as a laser scanner for example, by means of which a spacing from any desired object can be determined. The control means 23 can thus in particular determine the spacing between the sensor 121 and one of the two reference elements 110, 111. Since the control means 23 knows the position of the industrial robot 7, and thus also the position of the sensor 121, with respect to the retaining device 109 and thus with respect to the carrier component 3, said control means can determine therefrom the position of the carrier component 3 with respect to the reference elements 110, 111, and since the position of the reference elements 110, 111 with respect to the elevator shaft 103 is also known, said control means can thus determine the position of the carrier component 3 in the elevator shaft 103.

(24) The procedure when determining the position of the carrier component 3 with respect to the reference elements 110, 111 is explained in greater detail with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 3 is a view into the elevator shaft 103 from above, only the elevator shaft 103 itself, the two mutually parallel reference elements 110, 111, and two sensor positions 123, 124 being shown. The industrial robot 7, on which the sensor 121 is arranged, is not shown for reasons of clarity. FIG. 4 is a view into the elevator shaft 103 from the side, only the elevator shaft 103 itself, the reference element 110, and two sensor positions 123, 125 being shown.

(25) In order to determine the position of the carrier component 3 with respect to the reference elements 110, 111, the control means 23 initially actuates the industrial robot 7 such that the sensor 121 assumes the first sensor position 123 and then determines the spacing between the sensor 121 and the first reference element 110. Subsequently, the sensor 121 is moved, by means of the industrial robot 7, into the second sensor position 125 which is located below the first sensor position 123, and the spacing between the sensor 121 and the first reference element 110 is determined again. Subsequently, the sensor 121 is moved into the sensor position 124 which is in particular located at the same height as the first sensor position 123, and the spacing between the sensor 121 and the second reference element 111 is determined. Three points on the two reference elements 110, 111 are thus detected, and the control means 23 can determine therefrom the plane spanned by the two reference elements 110, 111 and thus the orientation of the carrier component 3, in the fixing position, relative to said plane. It is also possible for the sensor 121 to be moved into a total of six sensor positions, two of which in each case are in the same location in the main extension direction 108 of the elevator shaft 103. The results of the measurements of the points having the same position in the main extension direction are averaged.

(26) In addition, the position of the carrier component 3 with respect to the walls 105 of the elevator shaft 103, in the fixing position, can be determined by means of the sensor 121.

(27) The position of the carrier component 3 in the main extension direction 108 is determined proceeding from a position at the very bottom of the elevator shaft 103, by means of adding together the displacements of the carrier component 3 carried out by the displacement component 15. For this purpose, a relative position measuring system (not shown) is arranged on the displacement component 15. The position in the main extension direction 108 can also be determined in another manner, for example by means of measuring the spacing between the carrier component and an end of the elevator shaft.

(28) On the basis of the position of the carrier component 3 with respect to the reference elements 110, 111, the known position of the reference elements 110, 111 with respect to the walls 105 of the elevator shaft 103, and the position in the main extension direction 108, the control means 23 can determine a mounting position 120 (see FIG. 1) of a mounting step to be carried out by the installation component 5. The industrial robot 7 can subsequently receive the tool 9 suitable for the mounting step, for example a drill, and carry out the mounting step, for example drilling a hole in the wall 105 of the elevator shaft 103.

(29) FIG. 4 furthermore shows a fixing 126 of the reference element 110, which fixing is arranged between the first, lower mounting plate 114 and the second, upper mounting plate 117. The reference element 110 is fixed to the elevator shaft 103 by means of the fixing 126, as a result of which oscillation of the reference element 110 is prevented. The fixing 126 is designed as a rod that is connected to the reference element 110 at one end and to the wall 105 of the elevator shaft 103 at the other end. Other possible embodiments of the fixing are in addition conceivable. In particular in the case of high elevator shafts, it may be necessary for the reference element not to extend along a single straight line over the entire length thereof, but instead for the course of the reference element to be composed of straight sections. In this case, the fixing may define end points of individual straight sections.

(30) The sensor for determining the spacing from one of the two reference elements 110, 111 does not need to be fixed on the industrial robot 7. It is also possible for the sensor, just like the mounting tool 9, to be received only when it is needed. In this case, the sensor, just like the mounting tool 9, is arranged on the carrier component.

(31) FIG. 5 is a view from above into an elevator shaft comprising just one reference element 210. In this case, the reference element 210 is designed as a rail. In addition, sensor positions 223, 224 are shown, from which the spacing from the two different edges 227, 228 of the reference element 210 is determined. As a result, a rotation of the carrier component 3 with respect to the reference element 210 can be determined. A tilt of the carrier component 3 with respect to the vertical is determined by means of an acceleration sensor 21 that is arranged on the carrier component 3, in the vicinity of the retaining device 109 for the installation component 5.

(32) Finally, it should be noted that terms such as “comprising” and the like do not preclude other elements or steps, and terms such as “a” or “one” do not preclude a plurality. Furthermore, it should be noted that features or steps that have been described with reference to one of the above embodiments may also be used in combination with other features or steps of other embodiments described above.

(33) 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.