INSPECTION CONTROL SYSTEM FOR AN ELEVATOR SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SWITCHING AN ELEVATOR SYSTEM BETWEEN A NORMAL MODE AND AN INSPECTION MODE

Abstract

Inspection control system switches elevator system between normal and inspection modes and includes: operating device and at least one emergency stop switch in elevator shaft for deactivating normal and/or inspection mode, for preventing and/or interrupting movement of car. In inspection mode, car is manually controlled by operating device via electric motor, wherein elevator system is switched to normal mode or inspection mode by switch of operating device. Inspection control system also includes: detection device for detecting open and/or closed shaft door, alarm generator, operating switch for activating and/or blocking electric motor, control unit that monitors switching state and actuation sequence of switch and emergency stop switch and compares both with reference switching state and reference sequence with regard to detected state of shaft door. Alarm generator generates alarm signal and operating switch blocks electric motor if switching state deviates from reference switching state or actuation sequence deviates from reference sequence.

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. An inspection control system of an elevator system, the elevator system including an elevator car and an electric motor, wherein the electric motor moves the elevator car in a shaft in response to an elevator controller in a normal mode of the elevator system, and wherein the shaft has a shaft door, the inspection control system comprising: an operating device in the shaft for controlling the electric motor in an inspection mode of the elevator system for moving the elevator car, wherein the operating device includes a mode switch for switching the elevator system between the normal mode and the inspection mode; an emergency stop switch in the shaft for deactivating at least one of the normal mode and inspection mode thereby preventing or interrupting a movement of the elevator car; a detection means for detecting at least one of an open state and a closed state of the shaft door; an alarm generator; an operating switch for at least one of activating and blocking the electric motor; a control unit monitoring a switching state and an actuation sequence of the mode switch and the emergency stop switch and which, with regard to a state of the shaft door detected by the detection means, compares the switching state and the actuation sequence with a predetermined reference switching state and a predetermined reference sequence respectively; and wherein the control unit controls the alarm generator and the operating switch such that at least one of the alarm generator generates an alarm signal and the operating switch blocks the electric motor when the monitored switching state deviates from the reference switching state or the monitored actuation sequence deviates from the reference sequence.

12. The inspection control system according to claim 11 wherein the control unit switches off the alarm generator and activates the electric motor via the operating switch when the monitored switching state matches the reference switching state and the monitored actuation sequence corresponds to the reference sequence or when the elevator system returns to the normal mode.

13. The inspection control system according to claim 11 wherein the operating device is arranged on a roof of the elevator car or in a shaft pit of the shaft.

14. The inspection control system according to claim 13 wherein the operating device is arranged on the roof of the elevator car and including another of the operating device is arranged in the shaft pit of the shaft.

15. The inspection control system according to claim 11 wherein the emergency stop switch is provided at the operating device or arranged on a wall of the shaft.

16. The inspection control system according to claim 15 wherein the emergency stop switch is provided at the operating device and including another of the emergency stop switch arranged on the wall of the shaft.

17. The inspection control system according to claim 11 wherein the alarm signal generated by the alarm generator is at least one of an acoustic signal and an optical signal.

18. An elevator system comprising: an elevator car; an electric motor, wherein the electric motor moves the elevator car in a shaft in response to an elevator controller in a normal mode of the elevator system, and wherein the shaft has a shaft door; and an inspection control system according to claim 11.

19. A method for switching an elevator system between a normal mode and an inspection mode, the elevator system including an elevator car and an electric motor, wherein the electric motor in response to an elevator controller during the normal mode moves the elevator car in a shaft, the method comprising the steps of: controlling the electric motor with an operating device located in the shaft to move the elevator car in the inspection mode of the elevator system after switching a mode switch of the control unit between the normal mode and the inspection mode; providing at least one emergency stop switch in the shaft to deactivate the normal mode and the inspection mode and to prevent or interrupt a movement of the elevator car; detecting at least one of an open state and a closed state of a shaft door of the shaft with a detection means; monitoring a switching state and an actuation sequence of the mode switch and the at least one emergency stop switch and comparing the monitored switching state and actuation sequence with a predetermined reference switching state and a predetermined reference sequence respectively with regard to a state of the shaft door detected by the detection means; and at least one of generating an alarm signal from an alarm generator and blocking the electric motor when the monitored switching state deviates from the reference switching state or the monitored actuation sequence deviates from the reference sequence.

20. The method according to claim 19 including switching off the alarm generator and activating the electric motor when the monitored switching state matches the reference switching state and the monitored actuation sequence corresponds to the reference sequence or when the elevator system is in the normal mode.

21. The method according to claim 19 wherein the operating device is arranged on a roof of the elevator car or in a shaft pit of the shaft.

22. The method according to claim 21 wherein the operating device is arranged on a roof of the elevator car and including another of the operating device arranged in the shaft pit of the shaft.

23. The method according to claim 19 wherein the at least one emergency stop switch is provided at the operating device or arranged on a wall of the shaft.

24. The method according to claim 23 wherein the at least one emergency stop switch is provided at the operating device and including another of the emergency stop switch arranged on the wall of the shaft.

25. An elevator system comprising: an elevator car: an electric motor, wherein the electric motor moves the elevator car in a shaft in response to an elevator controller in a normal mode of the elevator system, and wherein the shaft has a shaft door; and an inspection control system adapted to perform the method according to claim 19.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] In the drawings:

[0026] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an inspection control system according to the invention of an elevator system,

[0027] FIG. 2 is a top view of an operating device of an inspection control system according to the invention, and

[0028] FIGS. 3a and 3b are a flowchart for the illustration of a method according to the invention for switching an elevator system between a normal mode and an inspection mode.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] FIG. 1 illustrates details of an inspection control system 2 according to the invention of an elevator system 1, wherein a schematic illustration of a circuit for the inspection control system 2 is shown accordingly. An electric motor 12 drives an elevator car 8 in an elevator shaft 5 between different floors for movement. A shaft door 11 is provided on each floor and a car door (not shown) is provided on the elevator car 8. The shaft door 11 can be opened or closed alone or together with the car door.

[0030] An operating device 3 shown in FIG. 2 is provided in the shaft 5 in order to control the elevator car 8 in the inspection mode. Depending on what elevator standard (e.g. EN 81-20) has to be met, two operating devices 3 can also be arranged on the roof of the elevator car 8 and in the shaft pit 5a of the shaft 5, which are at least substantially identical. Each operating device 3 can be used to control the electric motor 12 in the inspection mode of the elevator system 1 in order to move the elevator car 8.

[0031] The operating device 3 comprises a mode switch 4 for switching the elevator system 1 into normal mode or into inspection mode. For the elevator car 8 to be able to initiate an inspection trip, the operating mode of the elevator system 1 must first be switched from “normal mode” to “inspection mode” by means of the switch 4, as a result of which the operating device 3 is switched on or activated. The switch 4 can be configured in different ways. For example, the switch 4 can be a simple rotary switch. A combined rotary and pressure switch, a pressure switch, or a toggle switch are also possible, which are connected in series. The elevator car 8 can be controlled in the appropriate direction by actuating two direction buttons 16 each for the upward and downward direction, or additionally an inspection trip of the operating device 3 by actuating a travel button 17.

[0032] At least one emergency stop switch 6 is provided in the shaft 5, which is fastened, for example, to a wall of the shaft 5 and close to the shaft door 11 or on the roof of the elevator car 8 in order to deactivate the normal mode and/or the inspection mode, to prevent and/or keep the elevator car 8 from moving. In this exemplary embodiment, the emergency stop switch 6 is configured, for example, with two separate emergency stop switches 6a, 6b. That is, the operating device 3 is provided with a second emergency stop switch 6b, while a first emergency stop switch 6a is arranged on the wall of the shaft 5. In addition to the same functions as the first emergency stop switch 6a, an immediate remedy can be provided by operating the emergency stop switch 6b if the control element 3 fails and a hazard could arise. In order to meet the high safety requirements applicable to an elevator system 1, the switch 4 and the emergency stop switches 6a, 6b are to be switched in a specific sequence.

[0033] The inspection control system 2 is configured such that it is ascertained in each case with an open and/or closed state of the shaft door 11. Door switches 15 are provided on each of the shaft doors 11 and on the car door, using which it can be monitored whether the relevant shaft door or car door is currently correctly closed or at least partially open. In particular, the door switches 15 can be connected in series, so that the part of the safety chain formed thereby is only closed as a whole when all door switches 15 are closed. If a door switch 15 is open, i.e. one of the physical switches is not closed, the movement of the elevator car is considered unsafe and is shut down by the elevator controller 14. In order to ascertain or monitor an open and/or closed state of the shaft door 11, a detection means 13 is provided within the inspection control system 2, whereby a safety-relevant state of the safety chain can also be detected whether the safety chain is closed or open. The detection means 13 is, for example, an electromechanical switch. As an alternative to this, the detection means 13 can be a current meter or a voltage meter, which can measure a current through the safety chain or a voltage on that door switch 15.

[0034] A control unit 10 is provided for monitoring a switching state and an actuation sequence of the switch 4 and the emergency stop switch 6 or the emergency stop switches 6a and 6b. With regard to a state of the shaft door 11, the control unit 10 compares the actuations or the switching states of the switch 4 and the emergency stop switches 6a and/or 6b with a predefined reference switching state and a predefined reference sequence. Normally, maintenance/inspection work on the roof of an elevator car 8 requires only one emergency stop switch 6b and work in a shaft pit 5a both emergency stop switches 6a and 6b. Such a reference value can be pre-stored in the control unit 10, for example. The control unit 10 further controls an alarm generator 7 and an operating switch 9 such that the alarm generator 7 generates, for example, an acoustic alarm signal and the operating switch 9 is opened in order to interrupt the electrical connection to the electric motor 12 and consequently to be able to prevent the elevator car 8 from moving if the monitored switching state or switching sequence deviates from the reference value.

[0035] FIGS. 3a and 3b show a method according to the invention for moving an elevator system between a normal mode and an inspection mode by means of a flow chart.

[0036] It is assumed that an inspection work for an elevator system 1, which is shown in FIG. 1, is to be carried out in a shaft 5, wherein two emergency stop switches 6a and 6b are each located on a wall next to a shaft door 11 and in the shaft pit 5a. Therefore, the following steps are to be performed as shown in FIG. 3a: [0037] Step 1: Opening a shaft door 11 on the ground floor, such that the safety chain of the elevator system 1 is interrupted; [0038] Step 2: Depending on whether an inspection work is to be carried out in a shaft pit 5a or on the roof of an elevator car 8, activating or releasing an emergency stop switch 6 (6a or 6b) which is fastened close to the shaft door 11 on a wall of the shaft 5 or on an operating device 3 on the roof of the elevator car 8; [0039] Step 3: Entering the shaft pit 5a and closing the shaft door 11. Although the safety chain is closed, a possible movement of the elevator car 8 due to the activation of the emergency stop switch 6 is prevented; [0040] Step 4: Switching the switch 4 of the operating device 3 into a switching position which corresponds to an inspection operating mode, and at the same time switching off the emergency stop switch 6 (6a and 6b) in order to activate the elevator system 1 into the inspection mode.

[0041] Then the elevator system 1 or the elevator car 8 can be controlled by the operating device 3 in the inspection mode.

[0042] After the inspection work, if the service technician wants to get out of the shaft 5, he should proceed with the following steps as in FIG. 3b. In order to illustrate more clearly compared to the steps for inspection work listed above, the steps for completing the inspection work are designated here with letters. [0043] Step a: Turning on the emergency stop switch 6a or 6b to block the elevator car 8 from moving; [0044] Step b: Switching the switch 4 to a different switching position, which corresponds to a normal operating mode; [0045] Step c: Opening a shaft door 11 to interrupt the safety chain; [0046] Step d: Emerging from the shaft pit 5a and switching off the emergency stop switch 6a and/or 6b; [0047] Step e: Closing the shaft door 11 to close the safety chain.

[0048] Finally, a representation of the states of the switches and their switching sequence is given in the tables below. For a simple overview, the states are represented by binary values “1” and “0”, namely shaft door closed with “1”, shaft door open with “0”, normal mode with “0”, inspection mode with “1”, emergency stop switch switched on/activated with “1”, emergency stop switch switched off/deactivated with “0”, safety chain closed with “1” and safety chain interrupted with “0”.

[0049] In Table 1 are the states of the switches, the shaft door, and the safety chain for preparation of an inspection work in case two emergency stop switches are used. And Table 2 relates to the completion of an inspection work, namely for commissioning the elevator system 1 in normal mode.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 States of the switches for starting inspection work Emergency Step Shaft door stop switch Switch Safety chain 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 3 1 1 0 0 4 1 1 1 0 5 1 0 1 1

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 States of the switches for completion of inspection work Emergency Step Shaft door stop switch Switch Safety chain a 1 1 1 0 b 1 1 0 0 c 0 1 0 0 d 0 0 0 0 e 1 0 0 1

[0050] It can be clearly seen that not only the respective states, but also their sequence must fulfill a specific rule if all steps 1 to 5 or a to e have been carried out correctly. The control unit 10 can check such states or their changing sequence accordingly, for example by means of a digital data processing method with predetermined reference switching states and reference sequences. Depending on which switch is not switched correctly, a fault can be determined by a service technician either for a specific defective switch or for an operation that is contrary to safety rules or in violation of standards.

[0051] In summary, embodiments of the inspection control system or method presented here allow an early detection of a safety hazard in an elevator shaft, for example if a switch cannot be switched correctly, a shaft door or a safety chain is not in a correct state, or a service technician did not perform a task according to standards. Even in the case of the slightest damage or a violation of a criterion of a standard or rule that is highly relevant for safety, the inspection control system will determine this error and generate an alarm signal.

[0052] Finally, it should be noted that terms such as “having,” “comprising,” etc. do not preclude other elements or steps and terms such as “a” or “an” 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 can also be used in combination with other features or steps of other embodiments described above.

[0053] It is pointed out that possible features and advantages of embodiments of the invention are described here partly with reference to a method according to the invention and partly with reference to a device according to the invention. A person skilled in the art will recognize that the individual features can be combined, modified, or exchanged in a suitable manner and that features described in particular for the method can be transferred analogously to the device and vice versa in order to arrive at further embodiments of the invention.

[0054] 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.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0055] 1 elevator system
2 inspection control system
3 operating device
4 mode switch
5 shaft
5a shaft pit
6emergency stop switch
6a the first emergency stop switch
6b the second emergency stop switch
7 alarm generator
8 elevator car
9 operating switch
10 control unit
11 shaft door
12 electric motor
13 detection means
14 elevator controller
15 door switch
16 direction button
17 travel button