LIFT SYSTEM

Abstract

An elevator installation may include at least one car that is displaceable in an elevator shaft; a first supply unit for supplying the car with energy, material, and/or data; and an interchange arrangement for interchanging the first supply unit to the car whereby the first supply unit is removed from or attached to the car during ongoing operation of the elevator installation. The interchange arrangement may be configured to remove and/or attached one or more supply units from the car during a regular door-opening cycle where the car stops at a floor of a building in which the elevator installation is installed. A duration of time required to remove the first supply unit from the car, or alternatively add the first supply unit to the car, is less than a duration of time required for a regular door-opening cycle.

Claims

1.-11. (canceled)

12. An elevator installation comprising: cars that are displaceable in an elevator shaft; a supply unit for each of the cars, wherein the supply units supply the cars with at least one of energy, material, or data; and an interchange arrangement that performs a procedure for interchanging the supply units with respect to the cars, the procedure comprising at least one of removing the supply units from the cars or attaching the supply units to the cars.

13. The elevator installation of claim 12 wherein the interchange arrangement is configured to perform the procedure during ongoing operation of the cars.

14. The elevator installation of claim 12 wherein the interchange arrangement is configured to remove one of the supply units from one of the cars during a regular door-opening cycle.

15. The elevator installation of claim 12 wherein the interchange arrangement is configured to attach one of the supply units to one of the cars during a regular door-opening cycle.

16. The elevator installation of claim 12 wherein a duration of time required to remove one of the supply units from one of the cars is less than a duration of time required for a regular door-opening cycle.

17. The elevator installation of claim 12 wherein a duration of time required to attach one of the supply units to one of the cars is less than a duration of time required for a regular door-opening cycle.

18. The elevator installation of claim 12 wherein the interchange arrangement is configured to remove a first of the supply units from a first of the cars during a first door-opening cycle, wherein the interchange arrangement is configured to attach a second of the supply units to the first of the cars during a second door-opening cycle, wherein removing the first of the supply units requires less time than the first door-opening cycle, wherein attaching the second of the supply units requires less time than the second door-opening cycle.

19. The elevator installation of claim 12 wherein the interchange arrangement is configured to remove a first of the supply units from a first of the cars and attach a second of the supply units to the first of the cars during a single door-opening cycle of the first of the cars, wherein removing the first of the supply units and attaching the second of the supply units requires less time than the single door-opening cycle.

20. The elevator installation of claim 12 comprising a stationary supply line attached to the elevator shaft, wherein the stationary supply line is configured to supply a first of the cars for a duration of an interchange procedure performed with respect to the first of the cars.

21. The elevator installation of claim 12 wherein the interchange arrangement comprises: a car unit that is attached to a first of the cars; a shaft unit that is attached to the elevator shaft; and a translation unit configured to translate a first of the supply units between a first position on the car unit and a second position on the shaft unit.

22. The elevator installation of claim 21 wherein the translation unit comprises a gripper configured to establish a connection between the translation unit and the supply unit, the gripper being displaceable between a first gripper position and a second gripper position.

23. The elevator installation of claim 22 wherein the interchange arrangement is configured such that transferring the supply unit into the first position or the second position converts the supply unit into a state in which the supply unit can exchange the at least one of energy, material, or data with the car unit or the shaft unit.

24. A method for controlling an elevator installation comprising cars that are displaceable in an elevator shaft; a supply unit for each of the cars, wherein the supply units supply the cars with at least one of energy, material, or data; and an interchange arrangement for interchanging the supply units with respect to the cars, the method comprising: attaching a first of the supply units to a first of the cars; and assigning a destination stop for the first of the cars based on user input and based on a loading state of the first of the supply units.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the assignment of the destination stop is based on free loading capacities of potential destination stops of the elevator installation.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the assignment of the destination stop is based on a free loading capacity of the first of the supply unit.

27. A method for controlling an elevator installation comprising a car that is displaceable in an elevator shaft; a supply unit for the car, wherein the supply unit supplies the car with at least one of energy, material, or data; and an interchange arrangement for attaching the supply unit to the car and removing the supply unit from the car, the method comprising: attaching the supply unit to the car while the car is performing a first door-opening cycle at a floor of a building in which the elevator installation is installed; transferring the at least one of energy, material, or data from the supply unit to the car; and removing the supply unit from the car while the car is performing a second door-opening cycle.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the attaching or the removing of the supply unit occurs while a passenger is entering or exiting the car.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein a time required to attach the supply unit to the car is less than a time required for the first door-opening cycle, wherein a time required to remove the supply unit from the car is less than a time required for the second door-opening cycle.

30. The method of claim 27 wherein the supply unit is a first supply unit, the method comprising attaching a second supply unit to the car during the second door-opening cycle after the first supply unit has been removed.

31. The method of claim 30 comprising supplying the car with at least one of energy, material, or data via a stationary supply line after the first supply unit is removed but before the second supply unit is attached.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The invention will be elucidated in more detail in the following on the basis of the figures, in which:

[0025] FIG. 1 shows an elevator installation according to the invention in a first configuration in the varying situations during the translation of a supply unit;

[0026] FIG. 2 shows an elevator installation according to the invention in a second configuration in the varying situations during the translation of a supply unit;

[0027] FIG. 3 shows alternative translation units, suitable for the elevator installations according to FIGS. 1 and 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0028] FIG. 1a shows a first elevator installation 1 according to the invention. Said elevator installation includes a car 3 which is displaceable in an elevator shaft, represented here by two shaft walls 2, along a vertical travel path F. For the purpose of supplying with electrical energy, a first and a second supply unit 4, 4 have been attached to the car 3. The exchange of electrical energy from the respective supply unit 4, 4 to the car 3 takes place in each instance via a coupling 15. In traveling operation, the electrical energy is used for illumination or for control purposes. The drive of the elevator is brought about via a linear drive which is not represented.

[0029] The energy stored in the supply units is finite. For the purpose of charging the supply units, the latter are removed from the car 3 and transferred in fixed charging stations on the elevator shaft. For this purpose the elevator installation 3 comprises an interchange arrangement 10.

[0030] The interchange arrangement 10 comprises a first and a second car unit 11, 11, which are respectively attached to the car 3 and can respectively receive a supply unit 4, 4. The supply units 4 supply the car 3 with energy via the couplings 15 already mentioned. The first car unit 11 is arranged above the cabin of the car 3; the second car unit 11 is arranged below the cabin of the car 3, other types of arrangement being readily possible.

[0031] The interchange arrangement 10 includes a first and a second translation unit 13, 13 for translating the first and second supply units 4, 4, respectively, from the first and second car units 11, 11, respectively, to a corresponding first and second shaft unit 12, 12, respectively, which are attached to the elevator shaft 2. The shaft units constitute the charging stations; the supply unit 4 is supplied with electrical energy for charging via a coupling 15 to the shaft unit 12, 12.

[0032] The first and second translation units 13, 13 respectively comprise a first and second gripper 14, 14 which are respectively displaceable between a first gripper position, facing toward the car unit 11, and a second gripper position, facing toward the shaft unit 12. FIG. 1a shows the two grippers 14, in each instance in the second gripper position thereof.

[0033] During the operation of the elevator installation 10 a supply unit 4 has been attached to at least one of the car units 11 in each operating state; in FIG. 1a the first supply unit 4 has been attached to the first car unit 11. An interchange procedure is initiated in timely manner before the first supply unit 4 has stored any energy. For this purpose, the car 3 firstly arrives at a stop which is equipped with an interchange arrangement 10 according to the invention. Unnoticed by the passengers who are leaving or entering the car 3, the first supply unit 4 is exchanged for a second supply unit 4. The first gripper 14 now travels into the first gripper position thereof (FIG. 1b) and grips the first supply unit 4 attached to the car unit 11, as a result of which a firm connection between the first gripper 14 of the first supply unit 4 is established. Substantially at the same time, by shifting the second gripper 14 the interchange arrangement 10 brings the second supply unit 4 out of the second position thereof on the second shaft unit 12 into the first position thereof on the second car unit 11. By virtue of linkage with the aid of the coupling 15, an energy-transferred connection between the second supply unit 4 and the second car unit 11 is established, so that the car 3 is now supplied by the second supply unit 4.

[0034] Subsequently the unladen first supply unit 4 is detached from the first car unit 11 and transferred to the first shaft unit 12 (FIG. 1c). The first supply unit 4 is loaded there while the car simultaneously leaves the stopping station, following the travel path F.

[0035] FIG. 2a shows a second elevator installation 1 according to the invention, which largely corresponds to the elevator installation according to FIG. 1; in the following, only the differences will be considered.

[0036] Only one car unit 11 is arranged on the car 3. In addition, interchange arrangement 10 includes only one translation unit 13 with a gripper 14. First of all, the the first supply unit 4 is removed from the car unit 11 by the translation unit 13 and subsequently transferred into the free first shaft unit 12 (FIG. 2b). Subsequently the gripper 14 travels to the second shaft unit 12 and grips the second, loaded supply unit 4 there and takes it to the car unit 11 (FIG. 2c). The translation unit 13 in this case is displaceable along the shaft 2 and can consequently serve both shaft units 12.

[0037] Since only one car unit 11 is provided, in a short intermediate period no supply unit 4 has been attached to the car 3. In this intermediate period the energy supply is ensured via a stationary supply line 16. A contacting can take place, for instance, via a sliding contact.

[0038] In the configurations shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the translation unit 13 comprises a belt conveyor 17 and the gripper 14 attached thereto. In the following figures, alternative translation units will be presented which can be employed in the elevator installations shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0039] FIG. 3a shows a translation unit 13 which includes a multi-jointed robot arm 18, at the end of which the gripper 14 is attached. Shown is an intermediate position of the gripper 14 between the first and the second gripper position.

[0040] FIG. 3b shows a translation unit 13 which includes an extensible telescopic arm 19, at the end of which the gripper 14 is attached. Shown are the first gripper position (FIG. 3b, top) and the second gripper position (FIG. 3b, bottom).

[0041] FIG. 3c shows a translation unit 13 which includes an extensible scissors arm 20, at the end of which the gripper 14 is attached. Shown is an intermediate position of the gripper 14 between the first and the second gripper position.

[0042] FIG. 3d shows a translation unit 13 which includes a rigid-back chain 21, at the end of which the gripper 14 is attached. Such a chain is basically described in DE 20 2012 001 762 U1 and is often employed in connection with the automatic actuation of windows. Shown are the second gripper position (FIG. 3b, top) and the first gripper position (FIG. 3b, bottom).

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0043] 1 elevator installation [0044] 2 elevator shaft/shaft wall [0045] 3 car [0046] 4 supply unit [0047] 10 interchange arrangement [0048] 11 car unit [0049] 12 shaft unit [0050] 13 translation unit [0051] 14 gripper [0052] 15 coupling [0053] 16 supply line [0054] 17 belt conveyor [0055] 18 robot arm [0056] 19 telescopic arm [0057] 20 scissors arm [0058] 21 rigid-back chain [0059] F direction of travel