ELEVATOR SYSTEM, CONTROL UNIT FOR AN ELEVATOR SYSTEM, AND METHOD OF OPERATING AN ELEVATOR SYSTEM

Abstract

An elevator system includes first and second intersecting elevator shafts having respective guide devices disposed therein to guide the elevator car. The intersection area of the shafts includes a third guide device that rotates with respect to the shaft walls between alignment with the first and second elevator shafts, to permit an elevator car to transfer from one elevator shaft to the other. A safety device triggers a blocking signal in a control unit to prevent movement of the third guide device if the extent, or footprint/area, of the elevator car spatially overlaps the intersection extent defined by the area over which the third guide device can be rotated in the intersection area. A method for operating the elevator system includes triggering a blocking signal to prevent movement of the third guide device if there is an overlap between the elevator car extent and the intersection extent.

Claims

1.-11. (canceled)

12. A control unit for controlling actions of an elevator system, the elevator system having at least a first elevator shaft with a first axis and a second elevator shaft with a second axis, which first and second elevator shafts intersect to define an area of a shaft intersection, at which shaft intersection is disposed a rotatable guide device along which elevator cars of the elevator system travel, wherein the guide device is rotatable so as to be selectively oriented in alignment with the first axis of the first elevator shaft or in alignment with the second axis of the second elevator shaft, the control unit comprising: a safety device in operative communication with, and configured to control, each of the elevator car and movement of the moveable guide device, and further configured to: determine a current extent of an elevator car of the elevator system and an intersection extent of the guide device, compare the current extent of the elevator car to the intersection extent to check if there is any spatial overlap between the elevator car extent and the intersection extent, and trigger a blocking signal in the control unit to prevent movement of the guide device out of alignment with either the first or second axis when the comparison indicates the existence of a spatial overlap between the elevator car extent and the intersection extent.

13. The control unit of claim 12, wherein the safety device is further configured to: determine a predicted elevator car extent at a calculated stop position of the elevator car, based on a current position, a current speed, and a calculated braking distance of the elevator car, the calculated stop position and calculated braking distance being generated in an electronic operating model of the elevator car, compare the predicted elevator car extent at the calculated stop position to the determined intersection extent of the guide device to check if there will be a spatial overlap between the elevator car extent and the intersection extent when the elevator car arrives at the calculated stop position, and trigger the blocking signal in the control unit to prevent movement of the guide device out of alignment with either the first or second axis, when the comparison indicates that there will be an expected overlap between the elevator car extent and the intersection extent.

14. An elevator system, comprising: a first elevator shaft having a first guide device affixed thereto and disposed parallel to a first shaft axis, a second elevator shaft having a second guide device affixed thereto and disposed parallel to a second shaft axis, wherein the second elevator shaft and the first elevator shaft intersect to define an area of shaft intersection, a third guide device disposed within the area of the shaft intersection and rotatable about an axis of rotation between alignment with the first shaft axis and alignment with the second shaft axis, wherein the third guide device extends across a full length of the first intersection extent when rotated into alignment with the first shaft axis, and extends across a full length of the second intersection extent when rotated into alignment with the second shaft axis, an elevator car that is movable along any of the first, second, or third guide devices, having a first elevator car dimension defined along the first shaft axis and a second elevator car dimension defined along the second shaft axis, a control unit in operative communication with, and configured to control each of the elevator car and movement of the third guide device, the control unit comprising a safety device configured to: determine a current extent of the elevator car and an intersection extent of the third guide device, compare the current extent of the elevator car to the intersection extent to check if there is any spatial overlap between the elevator car extent and the intersection extent, and trigger a blocking signal in the control unit to prevent a movement of the third guide device out of alignment with either the first or second axis when the comparison indicates the existence of a spatial overlap between the elevator car extent and the intersection extent.

15. The elevator system of claim 14, wherein the safety device is further configured to: determine a current position of the elevator car along the first and/or second shaft axis, determine an elevator car extent along at least one of the first or second shaft axis based on at least one of the respective first elevator car dimension or the second elevator car dimension, starting from the determined current position of the elevator car, compare the determined elevator car extent to the respective first or the second intersection extent to check for any overlap between the determined elevator car extent and respective first or second intersection extent, and trigger a blocking signal in the control unit to prevent movement of the third guide device out of alignment with either the first or second axis when the comparison indicates the existence of a spatial overlap between the elevator car extent and the respective first or second intersection extent.

16. The elevator system of claim 14, wherein the safety device is further configured to: determine a velocity of the elevator car along the first and/or the second shaft axis, determine one of a selected braking distance of the elevator car as a function of the determined velocity, determine a stop position of the elevator car as a function of the selected braking distance, trigger a blocking signal in the control unit to prevent movement of the third guide device out of alignment with either the first or second axis when, at the determined stop position, the safety device determines that a spatial overlap will occur between the elevator car extent and respective of the first intersection extent and/or the second intersection extent.

17. The elevator system of claim 16, wherein each of the first, second, and third guide devices comprise guide rails, wherein the third guide device comprises a third guide rail fixedly disposed on a rotating platform, which rotating platform is rotatably attached to a shaft wall within the area of shaft intersection and rotates with respect to the shaft wall.

18. The elevator system of claim 17, wherein the safety device is configured to access an operating model from which the safety device can determine one or more of: the dimensions of the elevator car, the intersection extents of the third guide device and/or the rotating platform, the braking distances of the elevator car as a function of a velocity of the elevator car, a maximum radial distance from the axis of rotation to the farthest extending point on the rotatable third guide device, and an elevator car contour used to determine an extent contour of the elevator car.

19. A method of operating an elevator system, comprising: providing an elevator system as described in claim 14; determining a position of a reference point of the elevator car along the first and/or the second shaft axis, determining an elevator car extent along the first and/or the second shaft axis based on the first elevator car dimension and/or the second elevator car dimension, starting from the determined position of the reference point of the elevator car, comparing the determined elevator car extent with the first and/or the second intersection extent to check if there is any spatial overlap between the elevator car extent and the respective first and/or second intersection extent, triggering a blocking signal in the control unit to prevent a movement of the third guide device out of alignment with either the first or second axis, if the comparison shows that an overlap exists between the elevator car extent and the respective first and/or second intersection extent.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising: determining a velocity of the elevator car along the first and/or the second shaft axis; determining a selected braking distance of the elevator car as a function of the determined velocity; determining a stop position of the elevator car as a function of the selected braking distance; triggering a blocking signal in the control unit to prevent movement of the third guide device if, at the determined stop position, the safety device determines that an overlap will occur between the elevator car extent and respective of the first and/or the second intersection extent.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising: canceling the blocking signal when the elevator car moves to, or comes to a stop at, a designated point in the shaft intersection area.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein at least one of the position of the elevator car, the velocity of the elevator car, or the triggering of the blocking signal is determined based on an operating model of at least one of the elevator system, the third guide device, or the elevator car.

Description

[0046] Further features, advantages and possible uses of the invention result from the following description in conjunction with the figures. In the figures:

[0047] FIG. 1 shows a schematic oblique view of the basic structure of an elevator system with a safety device according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, and;

[0048] FIG. 2 shows, in a schematic side view, the area of the elevator system marked in FIG. 1 with a shaft intersection in a first operating case of the safety device, in which, according to a first exemplary method, no blocking signal for the alignment movement is triggered;

[0049] FIG. 3 shows the schematic side view from FIG. 1 in a second operating case of the safety device, in which a blocking signal is triggered in accordance with the first exemplary method; and

[0050] FIG. 4 shows the schematic side view from FIGS. 1 and 2 in a third operating case of the safety device, in which a blocking signal is triggered in accordance with a second exemplary method.

[0051] FIG. 1 shows parts of an elevator system 10 according to the invention. The elevator system 10 comprises fixed first guide devices 6 embodied as guide rails, along which an elevator car 1 can be guided by means of backpack mounting. The first guide devices 6 are aligned vertically in a first direction z and make it possible for the elevator car 1 to be moved between different floors. Arranged parallel to one another in two parallel first vehicle shafts 2′, 2″ are arrangements of such first guide devices 6, along which the elevator car 1 can be guided using backpack mounting. Elevator cars in one shaft 2′ can move on the respective first guide devices 6, largely independently and unhindered by elevator cars 1 in the other shaft 2″.

[0052] The elevator system 10 further comprises fixed second guide devices 7, embodied as guide rails, along which the elevator car 1 can be guided using backpack mounting. The second guide devices 7 are aligned horizontally in a second direction y and make it possible for the elevator car 1 to be movable within a floor. The second guide devices 7 also connect the first guide devices 6 of the two shafts 2′, 2″ to one another. Thus, the second guide devices 7 also serve to transfer and relocate the elevator car 1 between the two shafts 2′ and 2″, in order, for example, to implement a modern paternoster operation.

[0053] In the exemplary embodiment, the second guide devices 7 run along a second elevator shaft 9 which intersects the two first elevator shafts 2′ and 2″ at a respective shaft intersection 4′ and 4″. In other exemplary embodiments in the sense of the invention, the shaft intersection can also be embodied in the form of a T junction.

[0054] At these shaft intersections 4′ and 4″, the elevator car 1 can be respectively rotated from the first guide devices 6 onto the second guide devices 7 and vice versa, in each case via third guide devices 8 embodied as guide rails. The third guide devices 8 are rotatable with respect to an axis of rotation A which is perpendicular to a y-z plane (and thus parallel to an x axis of the elevator system) which is spanned by the first and the second guide devices 6, 7.

[0055] All the guide rails 6, 7, 8 are at least indirectly attached to at least one shaft wall of a shaft 2 and/or a shaft 9. The shaft wall defines in particular a stationary reference system for the shaft. The term shaft wall also in particular alternatively includes a stationary frame structure of the shaft which carries the guide rails. The rotatable third guide rails 8 are fastened to a rotary platform 3.

[0056] Such systems are basically described in WO 2015/144781 A1 and in the German patent applications 10 2016 211 997.4 and 10 2015 218 025.5. In this context, 10 2016 205 794.4 describes in detail an arrangement with an integrated platform pivot bearing and a drive unit for rotating the rotating platform 3, which can also be used, for example, as part of the present invention for mounting and as a rotary drive for the rotating platform 3.

[0057] FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 each show the detail I of the elevator system 10 presented by a double-dotted chain line in FIG. 1. While only a single elevator car 1 is shown in FIG. 1 in order to provide a clearer representation, FIGS. 2-4 show a first elevator car 1.1, which is arranged along a first, vertical elevator shaft 2 at the illustrated time of operation, and a second elevator car 1.2, which is arranged along a second, horizontal elevator shaft 9 at the illustrated time of operation.

[0058] FIGS. 2-4 each show a shaft intersection 4 (here the shaft intersection 4″ from FIG. 1) and the surroundings of the elevator system 10, wherein the shaft intersection 4 is formed at an interface of the first elevator shaft 2 and of the second elevator shaft 9. The elevator shafts 2 and 9 are delimited by the shaft walls 12.1, 12.2, 12.3 and 12.4 illustrated in a simplified form.

[0059] In the first elevator shaft 2, first guide devices 6 are arranged, on which, at the illustrated time, the elevator car 1.1 is movably mounted with an elevator car guide (not illustrated). In the second elevator shaft 9, second guide devices 7 are arranged, on which, at the illustrated time, the elevator car 1.2 is movably mounted with an elevator car guide (likewise not illustrated). Within the area of the shaft intersection 4 is disposed a rotating platform 3, on which third guide devices 8 are affixed in a rotationally fixed manner. The rotating platform 3 is configured to be rotated along an alignment path φ between an alignment in the vertical shaft direction z—as it were as a bridge between the upper and lower first guide devices 6 on the one hand—and an alignment in the horizontal shaft direction y—as it were as a bridge between the left and right-hand second guide devices 7 on the other. The safety device 100 is configured to allow an alignment movement of the rotating platform 3 (cf. reference symbol φ[ON]) or to prevent it by means of a blocking signal φ[OFF].

[0060] The first elevator car 1.1 has—starting from a reference point which in the exemplary embodiment corresponds to an axis of rotation of the elevator car guide (not illustrated) and at which a current position z1 of the elevator car 1.1 in the shaft 2 can be determined—a first elevator car dimension of 18 along the vertical shaft axis z, toward the shaft intersection 4 and an elevator car dimension of 19 away from the shaft intersection 4. The same applies to the second elevator car 1.2 with respect to the horizontal shaft axis y, for a current position y1 and for second elevator car dimensions 21 toward the shaft intersection and second elevator car dimensions 22 away from the shaft intersection 4.

[0061] The rotating platform 3 with the third guide devices 8 has a first intersection extent 24 with respect to the vertical shaft axis z, which intersection extent 24 is composed of an upper part 25 and a lower part 26. With regard to the horizontal shaft axis y, the rotating platform 3 with the third guide devices 8 has a second intersection extent 27, which is composed of a right-hand part 28 and a left-hand part 29. The two intersection extents 24 and 27 delimit an, in the example, rectangular intersection area 31 which in the present case as a rectangular envelope surface of all the points in the illustrated sheet plane, for the alignable components 3, 8, which can be reached by the aligning movement.

[0062] In FIGS. 2-4, the rotating platform 3 is aligned with the third guide devices 8 in the vertical shaft axis z. The elevator car 1.2 in the horizontal shaft 9 is accordingly subject to a stop signal from the control unit 16 at the point in time shown, because entry into the shaft intersection 4 is in any case not possible or permitted owing to the alignment of the rotating platform 3. This is respectably indicated in FIGS. 2-4 by the symbol denoted by v2=0.

[0063] The elevator car 1.1 in the vertical shaft 2 is not subject to this stop signal because the rotating platform 3 has been aligned with the first guide devices 6. Entry into the shaft intersection 4 is therefore possible per se. At the illustrated point in time, the elevator car 1.1 moves from its current position z1 at a speed v1 down along the shaft axis z. In the various operating cases in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the movement optionally takes place at different speeds v1.

[0064] In FIGS. 2-4, different operating cases of an exemplary safety device 100 of an exemplary elevator device 10 according to FIG. 1 are explained in more detail below using partly different exemplary operating methods. FIGS. 2 and 3 show different operating cases in the same exemplary method; FIG. 4 shows an operating case of another exemplary method. The control unit 16 and/or the safety device 100 can determine required influencing and/or state variables of the elevator system 10 by means of suitable access to an operating model 17, in particular to a control model and/or a state model.

[0065] The aim of all of the exemplary methods presented is to determine in each case whether—regardless of other collision risks in the elevator system 10—a collision between a third guide device 8 (and/or possibly the rotating platform 3 connected to it in a rotationally fixed manner) on the one hand and the elevator car 1.1 (or one of its components) on the other and/or derailment of the elevator car 1 are/is to be feared if an alignment movement of the rotating platform 3 with the third guide devices 8 were to take place at or after the illustrated point in time. Accordingly, the implementation of each of the methods enables a decision to be made as to whether a blocking signal φ[OFF] for the alignment movement of the third guide devices 8 has to be triggered, in order to prevent such a risk, or not (φ[ON]).

[0066] In the first operating case according to FIG. 2, i) a position z1 of the elevator car 1.1 along the first and/or the second shaft axis z is first determined by means of the safety device 100 (possibly using the required functionality of the control unit 16). ii) Starting from the determined position of the elevator car 1.1, an elevator car extent 20 along the first shaft axis z is then determined on the basis of the first elevator car dimensions 18 and 19. iii) The determined elevator car extent is compared with the first intersection extent 24, it being determined in the comparison iv) whether there is an overlap between the elevator car extent 20 on the one hand and the first intersection extent 24 on the other, along the vertical shaft axis z. In the illustrated operating case, this is not the case at the illustrated point in time. For this reason, no blocking signal φ[OFF] for the alignment movement is triggered on the basis of this examination; φ[ON] still applies for the alignment movement.

[0067] In a second part of the method, an additional check is carried out to determine whether such an overlap can no longer be prevented, in particular avoided, owing to the present velocity v1 of the elevator car 1.1, even though it is not yet present.

[0068] For this purpose v) first the current velocity v1 of the elevator car 1.1 along the first shaft axis z is determined. vi) Depending on the determined velocity, either a minimum braking distance 30 of the elevator car 1.1 or a braking distance 30 of the elevator car 1.1, which is possibly provided for the current operating case, is determined. vii) Depending on the determined braking distance, a stop position z1* of the elevator car 1.1 is determined. In particular, analogously to step ii) from the first method part i)-iv), an expected location of elevator car extent 20* is determined on the basis of the determined stop position z1*. vii) At the determined stop position z1*, a comparison is carried out for the elevator car 1.1* to determine whether an overlap is expected to occur between the elevator car extent s* on the one hand and the first intersection extent 24 on the other. In the illustrated operating case, this is not the case at the illustrated point in time. For this reason, no blocking signal φ[OFF] for the alignment movement is triggered on the basis of this examination; φ[ON] still applies for the alignment movement.

[0069] The first part of the process i)-iv) and the second part of the process v)-viii) are repeated many times per second, so that the possibility of aligning the third guide devices 8 on the rotating platform 3 can be maintained for as long as possible until a risk of collision owing to an alignment movement can no longer be excluded.

[0070] In the second operating case according to FIG. 3, the same exemplary method as for the first operating case (according to FIG. 2) is carried out. The second operating case differs from the first operating case at least by a speed v1′ of the elevator car 1.1, which is higher in comparison to speed v1 from the first operating case.

[0071] Accordingly, the check according to the first method part i)-iv) does not produce a different result for the second operating case, because the speed v is not taken into account here.

[0072] However, the check according to the second method part v)-viii) results in a longer braking distance 30′ (step vi) due to the higher speed v1′. This results in a predicted stop position z1′ of the elevator car 1.1** which is closer to the shaft intersection 4 (step vii). Correspondingly, in the comparison according to step viii), an overlap 14 (see hatched area) is determined between the elevator car extent s′ and the intersection extent 24.

[0073] Accordingly, a blocking signal φ[OFF] for the alignment movement or the alignment path φ of the third guide device is triggered in order to prevent the potential collision between a moving guide device 8 and the elevator car 1.1 which inevitably enters the viewing area.

[0074] In the third operating case according to FIG. 4, an exemplary method is carried out which only contains the first method part i)-iv). In the third operating case, this is also sufficient because the implementation of these method steps is already sufficient to determine an overlap 14 between the elevator car extent 20 and the intersection extent 24.

[0075] The third operating case differs from the first two operating cases in particular by a position z1″ of the elevator car 1.1 closer to the shaft intersection 4 at the examined time. Regardless of the speed v1″ at which the elevator car 1.1 is moving at this point in time, the result of this position is that there is already an overlap 14 at the current point in time, and consequently the blocking signal φ[OFF] for the alignment movement φ of the third guide device 8 is triggered.

[0076] In this case there is no need to carry out the second part of the method v)-viii). Such a method will probably be carried out in particular as an initial test for a recording, then in the normal case probably with the elevator car stationary.

[0077] The described methods and operating cases can of course also be applied analogously to movements of the other elevator car 1.2 along the horizontal guide devices 7 if the rotating platform 3 is aligned accordingly. In this case, the reference variables used include, inter alia, the position y2 of the elevator car 1.2, its speed v2, the elevator car extent 23 and the intersection extent 27, each along the horizontal shaft axis y.

[0078] For all of the operating cases described, it can be provided in the exemplary embodiment that the corresponding method continues to be carried out many times per second and the blocking signal is released (φ[OFF].fwdarw.φ[ON]), as soon as there is either no longer any overlap or an alignment axis of the elevator car 1 and the axis of rotation A of the rotating platform 3 are congruent, in particular for common alignment.

LIST OF REFERENCE DESIGNATIONS

[0079] 1 Elevator car [0080] 2 First elevator shaft (for example vertical) [0081] 3 Rotating platform [0082] 4 Shaft intersection [0083] 6 First guide device (for example guide rail) [0084] 7 Second guide device (for example guide rail) [0085] 8 Third guide device (for example guide rail) [0086] 9 Second elevator shaft (for example horizontal) [0087] 10 Elevator system [0088] 12 Shaft wall [0089] 14 Overlap between elevator car extent and intersection extent [0090] 16 Control unit [0091] 17 Operating model [0092] 18, 19 First elevator car dimensions [0093] 20 Elevator car extent along the vertical shaft axis [0094] 21, 22 Second elevator car dimensions [0095] 23 Elevator car extent along the horizontal shaft axis [0096] 24 First intersection extent [0097] 25, 26 Parts of the first intersection extent [0098] 27 Second intersection extent [0099] 28, 29 Parts of the second intersection extent [0100] 30 Braking distance of the elevator car [0101] 31 Intersection area [0102] 100 Safety device [0103] φ Alignment path [0104] φ[OFF] blocking signal for the alignment movement [0105] v Speed of an elevator car [0106] x; A Depth axis of the elevator car; axis of rotation of the third guide device [0107] y Extent axis of a second elevator shaft [0108] z Extent axis of a first elevator shaft [0109] z1, y2 position of an elevator car