Elevator system and method for implementing a sound system for an elevator

Abstract

Improvement to a sound system for an elevator system and method for implementing the sound system for an elevator. The elevator sound system is improved by replacing at least one loudspeaker to be used in the sound system with a plate-like electrostatic actuator producing a directed sound field. The patent application also contains an independent claim for a method for implementing a sound system for an elevator.

Claims

1. A sound system for an elevator, comprising: a plurality of plate-like electrostatic actuators configured to produce a directed sound field near or inside of an elevator car, the plurality of plate-like electrostatic actuators including a first electrostatic actuator installed on a wall of the elevator car, a second electrostatic actuator on a door of the elevator car, and a third electrostatic actuator on a ceiling of the elevator car, wherein the first electrostatic actuator configured to produce a directed sound field in a first listening area in front of the first electrostatic actuator, the second electrostatic actuator configured to produce a directed sound field in a second listening area in front of the second electrostatic actuator, and the third electrostatic actuator configured to produce a sound field in a third listening area in front of the third electrostatic actuator, the first listening area, the second listening area and the third listening area intersecting within the elevator car such that the directed sound field in front of the plurality of plate-like electrostatic actuators is constant in an entire listening area within the elevator car, and the plurality of plate-like electrostatic actuators are covered with a steel netting, in which the steel netting is able to withstand a dynamic impact force of at least 4 J.

2. The sound system according to claim 1, wherein at least one plate-like electrostatic actuator is configured to be installed outside of the elevator above or beside a door of the elevator car.

3. The sound system according to claim 2, wherein at least two plate-like electrostatic actuators are used to divide an area outside the elevator car into at least two listening areas.

4. The sound system according to claim 1, further comprising: an elevator gong, a lift announcer, and a destination operation panel.

5. A method for implementing a sound system for an elevator, comprising: replacing a plurality of loudspeakers in the elevator with a plurality of plate-like electrostatic actuators to produce a directed sound field near or inside of an elevator car; installing a first electrostatic actuator on a wall of the elevator car, a second electrostatic actuator on a door of the elevator car, and a third electrostatic actuator on a ceiling of the elevator car, the first electrostatic actuator configured to produce a directed sound field in a first listening area in front of the first electrostatic actuator, the second electrostatic actuator configured to produce a directed sound field in a second listening area in front of the second electrostatic actuator, and the third electrostatic actuator configured to produce a sound field in a third listening area in front of the third electrostatic actuator, the first listening area, the second listening area and the third listening area intersecting within the elevator car such that the directed sound field in front of the plurality of plate-like electrostatic actuators is constant in an entire listening area within the elevator car; and covering the plurality of plate-like electrostatic actuators with a steel netting, wherein the steel netting is able to withstand a dynamic impact force of at least 4 J.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising: installing at least one plate-like electrostatic actuator outside of the elevator above or beside a door of the elevator car.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein at least two plate-like electrostatic actuators are used to divide an area outside the elevator car into at least two listening areas.

Description

LIST OF DRAWINGS

(1) The invention is disclosed in the following in more detail by the aid of illustrative embodiments presented in the appended FIGS. 1-4.

(2) FIG. 1 presents the distribution of sound coming from a plate-like electrostatic actuator producing a directed sound field as viewed from above;

(3) FIG. 2 presents the distribution of sound coming from a plate-like electrostatic actuator producing a directed sound field as viewed from the side;

(4) FIG. 3 presents an improvement to an elevator sound system in the waiting areas of an elevator; and

(5) FIG. 4 presents an improvement to an elevator sound system in an elevator car.

(6) In all the FIGs the same reference numbers refer to the same technical features.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) Known from Panphonics Oy's international patent publication WO 2009/127787 is a plate-like electrostatic actuator producing a directed sound field. The plate-like electrostatic actuator producing a directed sound field presented in our present application can be more particularly the actuator described in the aforementioned patent application publication or an actuator of similar type, more particularly we use the Sound Shower arrangement as defined in Panphonics Oy's Company and technology presentation (August 2011).

(8) The directivity of the sound field in the actuator described in patent application publication WO 2009/127787 is based on a delay directing a sound field being formed with an RC circuit, which is at least partly composed of components of the electrostatic actuator. The electrostatic actuator itself functions as the capacitor of the RC circuit, because the stators are so close to each other that the capacitance of the electrostatic actuator forms to be quite high. In embodiment types having only one stator, capacitance forms between the stator and the diaphragm.

(9) FIG. 1 presents the distribution of sound coming from a plate-like electrostatic actuator producing a directed sound field as viewed from above, and FIG. 2 as viewed from the side. It is characteristic to the direction distribution of the sound that the sound is audible in front of the actuator but not at the side of it. The sound volume in front of the actuator is almost constant in the whole listening area.

(10) FIG. 3 presents an elevator door 5 in a corridor 4, which is a corridor or lobby at the operating site of an elevator. According to a first aspect of the present invention, above the door 5, e.g. on the ceiling, is a first plate-like electrostatic actuator 1 producing a directed sound field, a second plate-like electrostatic actuator 2 producing a directed sound field, and a third plate-like electrostatic actuator 3 producing a directed sound field.

(11) The second 2 actuator can be situated e.g. above the elevator door itself.

(12) The third actuator 3 can be disposed in the car operating panel of the elevator, or in connection with it. Buttons for ordering an elevator and/or lights or other identifiers indicating the state of the elevator, or the door 5 of it, for example, are generally arranged in the operating panel or in connection with it.

(13) FIG. 4 presents a view in an elevator car, which for the sake of clarity is presented at the same floor level as the floor 4 of FIG. 3. The elevator car can be moved in relation to the floor 4 up and down in the elevator hoistway.

(14) According to the second aspect of the invention, in the elevator car is a first plate-like electrostatic actuator 7 producing a directed sound field, a second plate-like electrostatic actuator 12 producing a directed sound field, and a third plate-like electrostatic actuator 8 producing a directed sound field.

(15) The first actuator 7 is disposed on the wall 6 of the elevator. The second actuator 12 is disposed on the door 5 of the elevator car. The third actuator 8 is disposed on the ceiling of the elevator.

(16) The first actuator 7 forms a first listening area 10, the second actuator 12 forms a second listening area 9, and the third actuator 8 forms a third listening area 11.

(17) The arrangement according to FIG. 4 (FIG. 4) can be applied in the waiting lobby of an elevator, e.g. in such a way that the actuator 8 of FIG. 4 corresponds to the actuator 1 of FIG. 3, the actuator 7 corresponds to the actuator 2 of FIG. 3 and the actuator 12 corresponds to the actuator 12.

(18) According to what is presented above, by means of the improvement according to the invention a delimited area for sound can be formed in an elevator car and in an elevator waiting area. At the same time amplification of the sound is possible. It is possible to keep the intensity of the sound essentially the same throughout the listening area.

(19) Installation of the arrangement is easy, because recesses for loudspeaker cones do not need to be made in the elevator car. It is sufficient that a hole is made for the lead and for the fixing in the wall of the elevator car or in the corridor.

(20) The invention must not be regarded as being limited only to the claims below but instead should be understood to include all legal equivalents of said claims.