Abstract
An elevator system wherein a cab is moved within a shaft by a tractive drive system that transmits torque frictional force on the interior surface of the shaft, enabling the cab to travel without cables and travel for long distances. The tractive drive system automatically regulates these normal forces. A method of controlling a plurality of these cabs disposed within a plurality of shafts by means of electronic systems.
Claims
1. An elevator system comprising: at least one vertical shaft, at least one cab, wherein at least one tractive drive system attached to the cab is transmitting frictional forces to a surface within the vertical shaft; the tractive drive system automatically regulates normal forces applied to a surface within the vertical shaft; and said tractive drive system is controlled by one or more electronic systems wherein there are two or more vertical shafts; and wherein the cab translocates from one vertical shaft to another vertical shaft, by means of a transpositioning system.
2. (canceled)
3. (canceled)
4. An elevator system of claim 1 wherein the tractive drive system permits the cab to rotate 360 degrees within the vertical shaft, the vertical shaft being cylindrical in shape.
5. An elevator system of claim 1 wherein the electronic control system detects and controls the cab's location vertically and circumferentially within the vertical shaft.
6. The elevator system of claim 1 that includes a WiFi wireless communications system to communicate with the shaft controller and adjacent cabs.
7. A method for controlling an elevator system including at least one autonomous self-propelled cab and at least one vertical shaft, comprising: an operating system; at least one cab sensor in communication with a cab controller; at least one drive sensor in communication with a drive controller; at least one shaft sensor in communication with a shaft controller, wherein the operating system receives and processes sensor information from the cab controller, the drive controller, and the shaft controller to dispatch a cab to a pre-determined point within the vertical shaft translocating the cab from one vertical shaft to another vertical shaft, by means of a transpositioning system.
8. The method of claim 8 wherein there are a plurality of cabs in the shaft.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein there are a plurality of shafts connected by a transfer station.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein the operating system dispatch the movement of each of the plurality of cabs to optimize passenger travel between floors of a building.
11. The method of claim 9 wherein each of the plurality of cabs is in communication via a wireless mesh network.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a portion of a cylindrical vertical shaft and an elevator cab;
[0010] FIG. 2 is an orthogonal top view of the cylindrical vertical shaft and the elevator cab showing contact between the tractive drive units within a tractive drive assembly and the interior surface of the containing cylindrical vertical shaft;
[0011] FIG. 3 is an orthogonal top view of one embodiment of the cylindrical vertical shaft and the elevator cab showing an array of brake system components;
[0012] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side view of a plurality of cylindrical vertical shafts, the elevator cab, and a transfer station relocating the cab from one cylindrical vertical shaft to another by means of linear translation of a plurality of cradles;
[0013] FIG. 5 is an illustration of an alternative embodiment of a transfer station, wherein the cab is relocated by means of a revolving plurality of cradles rotated about a central axis parallel to the cylindrical vertical shafts;
[0014] FIG. 6a. is an isometric view of the tractive drive assembly;
[0015] FIG. 6b is an isometric view of the tractive drive assembly showing the tractive drive units rotated about an axis of steering to induce rotation of the cab along with vertical motion;
[0016] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a single tractive drive unit and associated portion of the steering mechanism within the tractive drive assembly, as well as an internal inset view of the tractive drive unit; and
[0017] FIG. 8 is a schematic view of a sensor array operating within each cab.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0018] As shown in FIG. 1, an elevator cab 100 is disposed within a cylindrical vertical shaft 200. In one embodiment, the elevator cab 100 has a plurality of tractive drive assemblies 300. The tractive drive assembly 300 comprises one or more drive wheels 310 held within a wheel brace 330. Each wheel 310 is a rotatable member in a torque transmitting relationship with an interior surface 220 of a cylindrical vertical shaft 200.
[0019] As shown in FIG. 1., the elevator cab 100 surrounds a passenger or freight compartment 110, as defined by a compartment wall 112. The compartment 110, in one embodiment, further defines a cab door 120. In one embodiment, the cab door 120 may open and close. A shaft door 230 may be disposed in the vertical shaft 200. In one embodiment, the shaft door 230 may open and close. In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the cab door 120 may be aligned with the shaft door 230 such that when both the cab door 120 and the shaft door 230 are in an open position, a passenger or freight outside the vertical shaft 200 could pass through both the shaft door 230 and the cab door 120 to enter the compartment 110, or a passenger or freight inside the compartment 110 could exit the compartment 110 by passing through both the cab door 120 and the shaft door 230.
[0020] In one embodiment, the cab door 120 may align with any one of a plurality of shaft doors 230 disposed at different heights in the vertical shaft 200. In another embodiment, elevator cab 100 may be circumferentially rotated within the vertical shaft 200 such that the cab door 120 may align with any one of a plurality of shaft doors 230 disposed at different points around the vertical shaft 200 circumference.
[0021] As shown in FIG. 2, in one embodiment, a plurality of drive wheels 310 are arranged in the tractive drive assembly 300 and in a torque transmitting relationship with the interior surface 220. The tractive drive assembly 300, in one embodiment, is fixably attached to an exterior surface 132 of a cab top 130. In another embodiment, a second tractive drive assembly 300 is fixably attached to an exterior surface 142 of a cab bottom 140. In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, there are 3 equally-spaced wheels 310 disposed around the circumference of the elevator cab 100.
[0022] In one embodiment, the wheels 310 comprise a set of “drive wheels” that have outer diameters 311 nearly one half that of the internal diameter of the shaft interior surface 220. For example, in a 2 meter (inner diameter) shaft interior surface 220, each drive wheel 310 may have an outer diameter 311 as large as 0.4 meters. As shown in FIG. 1, in one embodiment, the cab 100 is driven by a set of six of these drive wheels 310, divided into two sets of three, mounted at equidistant points around the diameter of the cab in two mirrored tractive drive assemblies 300 fixed to the roof 132 and floor 142 of each cab. In this embodiment, each drive wheel 310 may have an internal gear train 351, that may have a two-stage, static gear ratio.
[0023] As shown in FIG. 7, in one embodiment, each drive wheel 310 is drivably connected to an internal drivetrain 350 by means of a central hub 320. The drive train 350 is powered by a drive wheel motor 380. In one embodiment, the drive wheel motor 380 is powered by a cabled connection to an electrical circuit. In another embodiment, the drive wheel motor 380 is powered by wireless transmission through the vertical shaft 200. In one embodiment, the drive wheel motor 380 is controlled wirelessly by a receiver 610 connected to a central operating system 600. In one embodiment the drive wheel motor 380 is a lightweight, alternating current electric motor with a high “power density,” here meaning level of sustained mechanical power output per unit mass, on the order of 1,500 W/kg or greater. In one embodiment, the torque transmitted between each drive wheel 310 and the interior surface 220 is at least 1,765 Nm.
[0024] As shown in FIG. 2, each drive wheel 310 will be connected to an independent suspension unit 360 and mounted within a drive wheel brace 330. As shown in FIG. 7, in one embodiment, the drive wheel brace 330 and independent suspension unit 360 compresses the drive wheel 310 into the interior surface 220 in a direction normal to the internal shaft surface and direction of vertical travel by means of a passive single-axis compressive actuator 362 and an active single-axis compressive actuator 364. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, in one embodiment, for example, a vertical upward direction 202 can be taken by any cab 100 in a shaft 200a while a vertical downward direction 204 can be taken by any cab 100 in a shaft 200b. In one embodiment, the passive single-axis compressive actuator 362 is a mechanical spring. In another embodiment the passive single-axis compressive actuator 362 is a sealed pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder. The active single-axis compressive actuator 364 dynamically maintains the default position of and compressive force applied to the drive wheel 310. In one embodiment, the active single-axis compressive actuator 364 is a linear actuator.
[0025] As further shown in FIG. 7, the active single-axis compressive active actuator 364 will precisely regulate the nominal compressive force applied each drive wheel 310 whilst the passive single-axis compressive actuator 362 will allow some deflection in the event of discontinuities or shocks and smooth the vertical motion, improving ride quality. The exact compressive force applied to each drive wheel 310 will be measured in real time by means of instrumentation such as, in one embodiment, a plurality of load cells 510 mounted along the compressive axis of the independent suspension unit 360, whose data will then be fed to an onboard electronic control system 500 than can adjust the active single axis compressive actuator 364 of each independent suspension unit 360 in order to increase or decrease the nominal compressive load and/or normal force and resulting frictional forces on each drive wheel.
[0026] As shown in FIG. 6b, each drive wheel brace 330 may be able to rotate about the axis of applied normal force in order to steer each drive wheel 310, on the order of ±15° from vertical, and produce a net rotation of the cab 100 about the vertical axis of travel within the shaft 200. The steering angle of each drive wheel brace 330 in a tractive drive assembly 300 would be coupled by means of a centralized transmission unit 370.
[0027] In one embodiment, the centralized transmission unit 370 incorporates one beveled output gear to each drive wheel brace 330 driven by a central steering pinion 372 rotating about the axis of vertical travel with torque supplied by an electric steering motor 520. In another embodiment, the electric steering motor 520 may be coupled to the central steering pinion 372 by means of a driving worm gear 374. In another embodiment, the centralized transmission unit 370 includes a central steering gear box 376 coupled to the electric steering motor 520 and drive wheel braces 330. The centralized transmission unit 370 may be in communication with the central operating system 600 in order to ensure synchronous steering orientation of all drive wheels 310 as the cab is made to rotate. This steering mechanism allows the cab 100 to align the cab door 120 with passenger access doors 230 positioned at nearly any location around the circumference of the shaft.
[0028] Each cab 100 may also use dynamic braking to both control descent and recapture some of the kinetic energy of the cab 100 into potential energy stored within an onboard energy reservoir such as, for example, batteries, ultracapacitors, and/or other similar devices), that would then be used to augment the energy required for the cab's 100 ascent. Due to the rapid delivery/removal of energy required for each cab, in one embodiment of this energy storage/delivery system would consist of ultracapacitors to deliver or absorb short-duration power bursts, paired with lithium polymer batteries for larger energy storage that is slower to charge/discharge.
[0029] As shown in FIG. 3, an array of emergency brake shoes 392 may be arranged, in one embodiment, in a circumferential array, serving as an emergency braking system 390. Each cab 100 may incorporate the emergency braking system 390 that would activate in the event of a tractive drive system failure (wherein the cab loses partial/full traction with the shaft in a manner unable to be compensated for with independent suspension unit adjustments) or loss of power. When initiated, the emergency braking system 390 would push a plurality of brake shoes 392 from within the cab 100 against the interior surface of the shaft 220 and the ensuing friction would slow, and eventually stop the cab 100 from descending.
[0030] As shown in FIG. 4, one or more transfer stations 400 connect a plurality of shafts 200. In one embodiment, the transfer station 400 connects two shafts 200 at an intermediate level. In another embodiment, the transfer station 400 connects two shafts 200 at a terminal end thereof. In one embodiment, the transfer station 400 comprises electromechanical assemblies that contain a transpositioning system 410 capable of translating a cradle 420, comprising a discontinuous segment of the shaft 200 large enough to carry a single cab, at a minimum, between two adjacent shafts 200a and 200b. In one embodiment, the cradle 420 is contiguous with the shaft wall 210. In addition to transferring cabs between adjacent shafts, transfer stations 400 may also add or remove cabs 100 from service for maintenance and/or storage, both of which would likely be located at the base of the shaft network of each elevator system.
[0031] In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the transpositioning system 410 is a rail system. In another embodiment, the transpositioning system 410 is a roller system. In another embodiment, the transpositioning system 410 is a belt-driven system. In another embodiment, the transpositioning system 410 is a chain-driven system. In one embodiment, the transpositioning system 410 executes linear translation, that is, perpendicular to the vertical axis of travel of the cab 100.
[0032] As further shown in FIG. 4, in one embodiment, the transpositioning system 410 provides a linear force in a direction 436 on the cradle 420, which has an upper cradle end 242 and a lower cradle end 246. In one embodiment, the cab 100 is aligned with the upper cradle end 242 and lower cradle end 246 such that the entire compartment wall 112 and the tractive drive assembly 300 are contiguous within the cradle 420 and an interior cradle wall surface 440. The cradle 420 is sized so that a cradle height 450 exceeds a total cab height 150 by at least 3 inches, such that the entirety of the cab 100 and each of the tractive drive components 300 are fully enclosed in the cradle 420. Each of the drive wheels 310 exert enough force on the interior cradle wall surface 440 to hold the cab 100 static in position fully enclosed in the cradle 420.
[0033] In one embodiment, the static shaft 200 has a static wall lower edge 240. When the cab 100 is in motion within the static shaft 200, the static wall lower end 240 and the upper cradle end 242 are seamlessly tessellated. In this embodiment, the lower cradle end 246 is seamlessly tessellated with a static wall upper end 248, such that the drive wheels 310 may smoothly roll across the interior shaft wall surface 220 and the interior cradle wall surface 440.
[0034] As further shown in FIG. 4, the transpositioning system 410 causes the cradle 420a, in which is disposed the cab 100, to laterally move, separating from vertical shaft 200a and becoming aligned with vertical shaft 200b. When the occupied cradle 420a is aligned with a shaft 200b, the cab 100 may smoothly travel by means of its tractive drive 300. In this way, a cab 100 may be removed from the cylindrical vertical shaft 200 to another, or to a holding cradle, without disrupting the path of travel along the interior shaft wall surface 220 of any other cab 100 that may be disposed in the cylindrical vertical shaft 200. As shown in FIG. 4, in one embodiment, an second occupied or empty cradle 420b is also transposed by the transpositioning system 410 to seamlessly tessellate with shaft 200a such that another cab, not shown, may travel through the transfer station 400.
[0035] In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, a cradle 420a disengages from a first static shaft 200a and travels revolvably in direction of cradle rotation 432 about the axis of the transpositioning system 434, carrying the cab 100 towards a second static shaft 200b. As shown in FIG. 5, the direction of cradle rotation 432 is counterclockwise. In another embodiment, the direction of cradle rotation 432 is clockwise. In this embodiment, the cab 100 inclusive of any tractive drive assembly 300 is fully disposed within the cradle 420 between the upper cradle end 242 and the lower cradle end 246.
[0036] As shown in FIG. 5, in another embodiment, the transpositioning system 410 executes a rotational motion, akin to the rotating chambers in a revolver magazine. The transfer station 400 replaces the removed occupied cradle 420a with another cradle 420b, which may be occupied or empty. Once the translated cradles 420 are aligned with the rest of each shaft 200, any stored cab(s) 100 may exit and continue motion within the adjacent shaft 200.
[0037] In one embodiment, the transpositioning system 410 can open such that a cab 100 can be placed at rest outside of alignment of any vertical shaft 200. In one embodiment, the cab 100 may be removed or accessed by a user for maintenance, storage, repair, or replacement.
[0038] As shown in FIG. 6a, in one embodiment, the tractive drive assembly 300 has three drive wheels 310 fixed to equidistant triangular points around the tractive drive assembly 300, each secured within a drive wheel brace 330. In one embodiment, a basal platform 302 secures the tractive drive assembly 300 to the cab top 130.
[0039] Because a plurality of cabs 100 may travel within the same shaft 200, in one embodiment, one shaft 200a would be allocated to upward-traveling cabs 100 and another shaft 200b downward-traveling cabs 100. The operating system 600 processes a plurality of inputs to determine optimal allocation of cabs 100 to each directional shaft 200, such as, for example, upward-traveling or downward-traveling. In one embodiment, anticipated user activity at a given time of day will inform that more shafts would be allocated to upward traveling cabs during peak up-demand periods (e.g., beginning of the workday) and more shafts to cabs traveling downward during peak down-demand periods (e.g., end of the work day), thereby optimizing the overall system's vertical transport efficiency of the elevator system.
[0040] Optimized cab traffic scheduling and/or destination dispatch may be accomplished with the operating system 600 that, in one embodiment, includes an artificially intelligent operating system in dynamic communication with a plurality of cabs 100 via a private secured wireless network 630. In another embodiment, the operating system 600 is controlled by a central processing unit. As shown in FIG. 1, one or more shaft sensors 222 are disposed proximate to any shaft door 230 and are in communication with the operating system 600. Each cab 100 further has one or more sensors 232 in communication with the operating system 600 via a cab controller module 234. As shown in FIG. 8, in one embodiment, the shaft sensors 222 are in communication with a shaft controller 231.
[0041] As shown in FIG. 8, in one embodiment, the sensors 232 comprise RFID sensors that determine where the cab 100 is along the shaft 200, inertial measurement units that measure speed, rotation, and acceleration of the cab 100, and imaging sensors that measure alignment with the doors 230. The cab sensors 232 are in communication with a cab controller 234. As further shown in FIG. 8, in one embodiment, there is a tractive drive controller 238 in communication with the cab controller 234. The tractive drive controller 238 is in communication with a plurality of drive sensors 236. In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, the drive sensors 236 comprise steering angle sensors that detect the degree to which the wheels 310 may be rotated, speed encoders that detect motion of the wheels 310, one or more load cells 510 that detect the load borne by the independent suspension units 360, temperature sensors, voltage sensors, and current sensors.
[0042] The operating system is in communication with this plurality of sensors and control algorithms that use the sensor inputs to measure and control the speed, position, and rotation of the cab to facilitate alignment with floor level door openings that vary from floor to floor. Rotational sensors may include accelerometers, gyroscopes and magnetometers, combined within an inertial measurement unit, and provide the precise rotational position of the cab. A steering angle sensor and a wheel speed encoder for each drive wheel 310 may be used in a closed loop control algorithm to position the cab in the correct rotational position. Image sensors can provide further alignment accuracy. The sensors may include radar and ultrasonic ranging sensors that measure the distance to another cab that is above or below the cab. In one embodiment, a barometric sensor measures the absolute altitude to determine the height above ground level to determine the corresponding building floor level. Additionally, optical sensors detect the floor level by reading QR codes applied to the shaft wall, where each QR code is associated with a specific floor level. In another embodiment, Radio Frequency Identification sensors are used to further determine the cab's present floor location. In another embodiment, each of these sensors are combined using sensor fusion to increase the position accuracy of the cab.
[0043] In another embodiment, the operating system 600 is decentralized, with software and processing distributed amongst multiple cabs 100 within the network, all connected by means of a secure wireless cab-to-cab mesh network or similar local private wireless communication network topology.
[0044] In another embodiment, the operating system 600 is also in communication with passengers via their mobile devices. In one embodiment, passengers may communicate with the elevator system, such as for example to hail an elevator cab 100, using installed consoles at each door 230. In another embodiment, passengers may communicate with the elevator system via a mobile device 650. In another embodiment, the mobile device 650 device may join a wireless communications network 630 by communicating with a receiver 610. In another embodiment, the mobile device 650 is in communication with the operating system 600 by means of encrypted communications through the public internet.
[0045] It is understood that in other embodiments of the present invention the arrangement of drive wheels 310 may be any combination of the types described above. It is understood that in other embodiments of the present invention, the cab 100 may be composed of any combination of materials. It is understood that in other embodiments of the present invention any number or type of cab sensors 232 and/or drive sensors 236 may be used. It is understood that in other embodiments of the present invention, the power sources for any of the tractive drive system 300, the transpositioning system 410, and/or the shaft doors 230 and cab doors 120 may be wired, wireless, battery powered, or otherwise powered by any reasonable means. It is understood that in other embodiments of the present invention shafts may run in directions other than vertical. It is understood that in other embodiments of the present invention shafts may be of shapes other than cylindrical.
[0046] A number of embodiments of the invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.
