ELEVATOR SYSTEM

Abstract

An elevator system (2) comprises at least one elevator car (6) configured for traveling along a hoistway (4) between a plurality of landings (8); a plurality of landing doors (11) with one or more landing door panels (22) located at the landings (8) and providing access to the hoistway (4) from the landings (8); a plurality of landing door switches (10) and at least one landing door sensor (20). Each landing door switch (10) is configured for monitoring the closed/open state of at least one associated landing door panel (22), respectively. Each landing door sensor (20) is attached to the at least one elevator car (6) and configured for monitoring a closed/open state of a landing door panel (22) located opposite to the landing door sensor (20).

Claims

1. Elevator system (2) comprising: at least one elevator car (6) comprising at least one elevator car entrance (12) and configured for traveling along a hoistway (4) between a plurality of landings (8); a plurality of landing doors (11) located at the landings (8) and providing access to the hoistway (4) from the landings (8); a plurality of landing door switches (10); and at least one landing door sensor (20); wherein each landing door switch (10) is configured for monitoring the open/closed state of an associated landing door (11), in particular of at least one associated landing door panel (22); and wherein each landing door sensor (20) is attached to the at least one elevator car (6) and configured for monitoring the open/closed state of a landing door panel (22) currently located opposite to the landing door sensor (20).

2. Elevator system (2) according to claim 1, further comprising an elevator control (16) configured for determining a state of the elevator system (2) based on the states of the landing doors (11) detected by the landing door switches (10) and the at least one landing door sensor (20).

3. Elevator system (2) according to claim 2, wherein the elevator control (16) is configured for determining a safe state of the elevator system (2) if all landing door switches (10) indicate that the associated landing doors (11) are closed or if at least one of the landing door switches (10) indicates that the associated landing door (11) is open and at least one landing door sensor (20) indicates that the opposing landing door (11) is open.

4. Elevator system (2) according to claim 2, wherein the elevator control (16) is configured for determining an unsafe state of the elevator system (2) if at least one of the landing door switches (10) indicates that the associated landing door (11) is open and all landing door sensors (20) indicate that the opposing landing door (11) is closed.

5. Elevator system (2) according to claim 4, wherein the elevator control (16) is configured for stopping any further operation of the elevator system (2) as soon as an unsafe state of the elevator system (2) has been detected.

6. Elevator system (2) according to claim 4, wherein the elevator control (16) is configured for switching into a maintenance state of operation as soon as an unsafe state of the elevator system (2) has been detected.

7. Elevator system (2) according to claim 1, wherein at least some of the plurality of landing door switches (10) are serially connected with each other to form a safety chain (18) which is interrupted when at least one of the landing door switches (10) is open.

8. Elevator system (2) according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of landing door lock switches (9), wherein at least some of the plurality of landing door lock switches (9) are serially connected with each other to form an additional safety chain (19) which is interrupted when at least one of the landing door lock switches (9) is open.

9. Elevator system (2) according to claim 1, wherein each landing door sensor (20) is a proximity sensor configured for detecting the presence of a landing door panel (22) in the proximity of the respective landing door sensor (20).

10. Elevator system (2) according to claim 1, wherein each landing door sensor (20) is at least one of an inductive sensor, a capacitive sensor, an optical sensor, an ultrasonic sensor and a mechanical sensor.

11. Elevator system (2) according to claim 1, wherein the landing doors (11) are manually operated landing doors (11) comprising one or more landing door panels (22) with or without hinge.

12. Elevator system (2) according to claim 1, wherein the landing doors (11) include manually operated landing doors (11) and/or motor driven landing doors (11).

13. Elevator system (2) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one elevator car entrance (12) is provided with at least one elevator car door (13), in particular with at least one manually operated car door (13) or with at least one motor driven car door (13), or wherein the at least one elevator car entrance (12) is not provided with an elevator car door (13) at all.

14. Elevator system (2) according to claim 1, wherein the elevator car (6) is provided with at least two elevator car door entrances (12).

15. Method of monitoring an elevator system (2) comprising: at least one elevator car (6) configured for traveling along a hoistway (4) between a plurality of landings (8); and a plurality of landing doors (11) located at the landings (8) and providing access to the hoistway (4) from the landings (8); wherein the method includes detecting, when the elevator car (6) is positioned at a landing, whether all landing doors (11) are in a defined state, and in case not all landing doors (11) are in the defined state, detecting whether a landing door (11) located at the current position of the elevator car (6) is in the defined state.

Description

DRAWING DESCRIPTION

[0034] In the following, an exemplary embodiment of the invention is described in more detail with respect to the enclosed figures.

[0035] FIG. 1 schematically depicts an elevator system according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

[0036] FIG. 2 schematically depicts a landing door of an elevator system according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] FIG. 1 schematically depicts an elevator system 2 according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

[0038] The elevator system 2 includes an elevator car 6 which is movably arranged within a hoistway 4 extending between a plurality of landings 8. The elevator car 6 in particular is movable along a plurality of car guide members 14, such as guide rails, extending along the vertical direction of the hoistway 4. Only one of said car guide members 14 is visible in FIG. 1. Although only one elevator car 6 is depicted in FIG. 1, the skilled person will understand that exemplary embodiments of the invention may include elevator systems 2 having a plurality of elevator cars 6 moving in one or more hoistways 4.

[0039] The elevator car 6 is movably suspended by means of a tension member 3. The tension member 3, for example a rope or belt, is connected to a drive unit 5, which is configured for driving the tension member 3 in order to move the elevator car 6 along the height of the hoistway 4 between the plurality of landings 8, which are located on different floors.

[0040] Each landing 8 is provided with a landing door 11, and the elevator car 6 is provided with a corresponding elevator car entrance 12 for allowing passengers to transfer between a landing 8 and the interior of the elevator car 6 when the elevator car 6 is positioned at the respective landing 8. Elevator car entrance 12 may not be provided with any doors. Optionally, a motor driven or manually operated elevator car door 13 may be provided at the elevator car entrance 12.

[0041] The landing doors 11 may be motor driven landing doors 11 or manually operated landing doors 11, which are configured for being opened manually by the passengers.

[0042] The landing doors 11 may comprise one or more hinged and pivotable landing door panels 22. FIG. 2 depicts landing doors 11 comprising two pivotable landing door panels 22 with hinge.

[0043] In another configuration, the landing doors 11 may be manually operated landing doors 11 comprising one or more landing door panels 22 without hinge.

[0044] The exemplary embodiment of an elevator system 2 depicted in FIG. 1 uses a 1:1 roping for suspending the elevator car 6. The skilled person, however, easily understands that the type of the roping is not essential for the invention and that different kinds of roping, e.g. a 2:1 roping or a 4:1 roping may be used as well.

[0045] The elevator system 2 includes further a counterweight 21 attached to the tension member 3 opposite to the elevator car 6 and moving concurrently and in opposite direction with respect to the elevator car 6 along at least one counterweight guide member 15. The skilled person will understand that the invention may be applied to elevator systems 2 which do not comprise a counterweight 21 as well.

[0046] The tension member 3 may be a rope, e.g. a steel core, or a belt. The tension member 3 may be uncoated or may have a coating, e.g. in the form of a polymer jacket. In a particular embodiment, the tension member 3 may be a belt comprising a plurality of polymer coated steel cords (not shown). The elevator system 2 may have a traction drive including a traction sheave for driving the tension member 3. In an alternative configuration, which is not shown in the figures, the elevator system 2 may be an elevator system 2 without a tension member 3, comprising e.g. a hydraulic drive or a linear drive. The elevator system 2 may have a machine room (not shown) or may be a machine room-less elevator system.

[0047] The drive unit 5 is controlled by an elevator control 16 configured for moving the elevator car 6 along the hoistway 4 between the different landings 8.

[0048] Input to the elevator control 16 may be provided via landing control panels 7a, which are provided on each landing 8 close to the landing doors 11, and/or via an elevator car control panel 7b, which is provided inside the elevator car 6.

[0049] The landing control panels 7a and the elevator car control panel 7b may be connected to the elevator control 16 by means of electrical wiring, which is not shown in FIG. 1, in particular by an electric bus, or by means of wireless data connections.

[0050] At least one stationary landing door switch 10 is provided at each of the landing doors 11. Each of the landing door switches 10 is configured for detecting whether the respectively associated landing door 11 is open or completely closed. Each of the landing door switches 10 in particular may be configured to be open in case at least one landing door panel 22 of the respectively associated landing door 11 is not completely closed, and all the landing door switches 10 may be configured to be closed in case all landing door panels 22 of the respectively associated landing door 11 are completely closed.

[0051] A landing door 11 is considered open when any one of its landing door panels 22 is open or not completely closed and is considered closed when all its landing door panels 22 are completely closed.

[0052] The landing door switches 10 may be serially connected with each other forming parts of an electric safety chain 18 connected with the elevator control 16.

[0053] The safety chain 18 is completely closed signaling that the elevator system 2 is in a safe state in case all landing door switches 10 are closed. The safety chain 18 is open signaling that at least one of the landing door switches 10 is open indicating that the landing door 11 associated with the at least one open landing door switch 10 is not completely closed.

[0054] At least one stationary landing door lock switch 9 may be provided at each of the landing doors 11. If present, each of the stationary landing door lock switches 9 is configured for detecting whether the respectively associated landing door 11 is locked or unlocked. Each of the stationary landing door lock switches 9 in particular may be configured to be open in case at least one landing door panel 22 of the respectively associated landing door 11 is not locked, and all the landing door lock switches 9 may be configured to be closed in case all the landing panels 22 of the respectively associated landing door 11 are locked.

[0055] The landing door lock switches 9 may be serially connected with each other forming components of an additional electric safety chain 19 connected with the elevator control 16. This additional safety chain 19 may be closed signaling that all landing doors 11 are locked; or it may be open signaling that at least one of the landing doors 11 is unlocked.

[0056] For simplicity and clarity of the description, in the following an elevator system 2 is described which is configured for detecting whether the landing doors 11 are open or (completely) closed. The elevator system 2 additionally may be configured for detecting whether the landing doors 11 are locked or unlocked, as it has been described before.

[0057] After the elevator car 6 has been stopped at one of the landings 8, the landing door 11 at said landing 8 is unlocked and may be opened for allowing passengers to transfer between the elevator car 6 and the respective landing 8.

[0058] Thus opening the landing door 11 located at the landing 8 at which the elevator car 6 has stopped is part of the normal operation of the elevator system 2.

[0059] Opening another landing door 11, i.e. a landing door 11 at a landing 8 at which the elevator car 6 is currently not positioned, however, allows a person to enter the hoistway 4 via said open landing door 11 resulting in an unsafe state of the elevator system 2. Thus, it is desirable that the elevator control 16 stops any further operation of the elevator system 2 or switches the elevator system 2 into a maintenance mode, in case the landing door 11 of a landing 8 at which the elevator car 6 is currently not positioned is opened.

[0060] The safety chain 18, however, allows only detecting whether all landing doors 11 are closed or whether at least one landing door 11 is open, but it does not allow determining the position of an open landing door 11.

[0061] Thus, according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the elevator car 6 is equipped with landing door sensors 20 configured for detecting the state of the landing door panels 22 at the landing 8 at which the elevator car 6 is currently positioned.

[0062] Thus, in case the safety chain 18 is interrupted indicating that one of the landing doors 11 has been opened, and at least one of the landing door sensors 20 mounted to the elevator car 6 indicates that the landing door 11 located opposite to the elevator car entrance 12 is open, the elevator control 16 concludes that the correct landing door 11, i.e. the landing door 11 at the landing 8 at which the elevator car 6 is currently positioned, has been opened in order to allow passengers to transfer between the elevator car 6 and the respective landing 8.

[0063] In case, however, the safety chain 18 is interrupted indicating that one of the landing doors 11 has been opened, and all the landing door sensors 20 mounted to the elevator car 6 indicates that the landing door 11 located opposite to the elevator car entrance 12 is closed, the elevator control 16 concludes that a wrong landing door 11, i.e. a landing door 11 at a landing 8 at which the elevator car 6 is not currently positioned, has been opened providing access to a portion of the hoistway 4 above or below the elevator car 6.

[0064] In consequence, the elevator control 16 may issue an optical and/or acoustical alarm signal indicating a potentially dangerous situation.

[0065] Alternatively or additionally, the elevator control 16 may stop any further operation of the elevator system 2, in particular any further movement of the elevator car 6, in order to prevent a person which has entered the hoistway 4 via the open landing door 11 from being hit or squeezed by a moving elevator car 6. Alternatively to stopping any further operation of the elevator system 2, the elevator control 16 may switch the elevator system into a maintenance mode allowing only a restricted movement of the elevator car 6, e.g. moving the elevator car 6 with reduced speed and/or restricting the uppermost and lowermost positions in the hoistway 4 which may be reached by the elevator car 6.

[0066] Each landing door sensor 20 may be a proximity sensor configured for detecting the presence or absence of a landing door panel 22 in a defined detection zone next to the landing door sensor 20.

[0067] The presence of all the landing door panels 22 within the detection zone indicates that the respective landing door 11 is closed, whereas the absence of at least one of the landing door panels 22 within the detection zone indicates that the respective landing door 11 is open or at least not completely closed.

[0068] Each landing door sensor 20 may be an inductive sensor configured for detecting the presence of metal or a magnet within the detection zone. At least one landing door panel 22 of each landing door 11 may be made of metal, or a piece of metal or a magnet may be attached to at least one landing door panel 22 of each landing door 11 for being detected by the landing door sensor 20 when arranged within the detection zone.

[0069] In another configuration, each landing door sensor 20 may be a capacitive sensor configured for detecting the presence of a non-metal door panel 22 or a metal door panel 22 with a non-metal finish within the detection zone. Additionally, a capacitive sensor may also be suitable to detect a metal door panel 22 as well.

[0070] In another configuration, each landing door sensor 20 may be an optical sensor configured for detecting light reflected by a landing door panel 22 or light which is not blocked in the absence of a landing door panel 22.

[0071] In another configuration, each landing door sensor 20 may be an ultrasonic sensor configured for detecting the sound reflected by a landing door panel 22.

[0072] In yet another configuration, each landing door sensor 20 may be a mechanical sensor configured for detecting the presence and/or absence of a landing door panel 22 based on a mechanical interaction between the landing door panel 22 and the landing door sensor 20.

[0073] Each landing door sensor 20 also may comprise a combination of at least two of an inductive sensor, a capacitive sensor, an optical sensor, an ultrasonic sensor and a mechanical sensor in order to enhance the reliability due to redundancy.

[0074] Although an elevator car 6 comprising only a single elevator car entrance 12 is depicted in FIG. 1, the skilled person understands that the application similarly may be applied to elevator systems 2 comprising elevator cars 6 with more than one elevator car entrances 12. The elevator car entrances 12 in particular may be formed in different sidewalls of the elevator car 12 allowing passengers to enter and leave the elevator car 12 from/in different directions.

[0075] While the invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adopt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention shall not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed, but that the invention includes all embodiments falling within the scope of the dependent claims.

REFERENCES

[0076] 2 elevator system [0077] 3 tension member [0078] 4 hoistway [0079] 5 drive unit [0080] 6 elevator car [0081] 7a landing control panel [0082] 7b elevator car control panel [0083] 8 landing [0084] 9 landing door lock switch [0085] 10 landing door switch [0086] 11 landing door [0087] 12 elevator car entrance [0088] 13 elevator car door [0089] 14 car guide member [0090] 15 counterweight guide member [0091] 16 elevator control [0092] 18 safety chain [0093] 19 additional safety chain [0094] 20 landing door sensor [0095] 21 counterweight [0096] 22 landing door panel