MEASURING TAPE FOR ELEVATOR INSTALLATIONS

Abstract

A measuring tape (10) for determining the position of an elevator car (42) in an elevator shaft (41), the measuring tape being vertically disposable in the elevator shaft and preferably being disposable so as to extend across at least two building floors, the measuring tape having a tape-shaped base body (11) and a position coding which is capable of being read out by means of a magnetic field sensor and is made of ferromagnetic material, the tape-shaped base body (11) is made of textile material and the position coding is disposed so as to be inserted into the base body or so as to be applied to a surface of the base body (11).

Claims

1. Measuring tape for determining the position of an elevator car (42) in an elevator shaft (41), said measuring tape being vertically disposable in the elevator shaft and being disposable so as to extend across at least two building floors (43, 43b, 43c, 43d), said measuring tape having a tape-shaped base body (11) and a position coding (12) which is capable of being read out by means of a magnetic field sensor and is made of ferromagnetic material, wherein the tape-shaped base body (11) is made of textile material and wherein the position coding (12) is disposed so as to be inserted into the base body or so as to be applied to a surface (11a) of the base body.

2. Measuring tape according to claim 1, wherein the position coding (12) is realized in such a manner that it produces a magnetic field which is temporary and capable of being read out by means of the magnetic field sensor when being externally excited by means of one or several permanent magnet(s).

3. Measuring tape according to claim 1, wherein the tape-shaped base-body (11) is woven or knitted from textile material.

4. Measuring tape according to claim 1, wherein the ferromagnetic material of the position coding (12) is inserted into the base body (11), the ferromagnetic material having a plurality of warp threads (13b) running longitudinally to the direction in which the base body extends and/or weft threads (13a) running transversely to the direction in which the base body extends.

5. Measuring tape according to claim 1, wherein the ferromagnetic material of the position coding (12) is imprinted on a surface (10a) of the base body (10) by means of ferrite powder.

6. Measuring tape according to claim 1, wherein the position coding (12) has a plurality of areas (14a, 14b) which follow one after the other in the longitudinal direction (L) of the base body (10) and are magnetically distinguishable by means of a magnetic sensor, each area having a homogeneous dimension (L1) in the longitudinal direction (L).

7. Measuring tape according to claim 6, wherein the magnetically distinguishable areas (14a, 14b) are realized for the respective interaction with permanent magnets (22a, 22b) which are of different polarity and which are disposed laterally to the measuring tape (10).

8. Measuring tape according to claim 6, wherein the measuring tape (10) has insulating means (15a, 15b) which are made of a material which is not magnetically conductive and which extend transversely to the running direction (L) of the measuring tape and are disposed between the individual magnetic areas (14a, 14b) and/or extend parallel to a lateral edge of the measuring tape.

9. Measuring tape according to claim 6, wherein the magnetically distinguishable areas (14a, 14b) each are realized by a homogeneous meandering design or arrangement of a ferromagnetic material.

10. Measuring tape according to claim 6, wherein the magnetically distinguishable areas (14a, 14b) are disposed in an alternating manner, sequentially or in an absolutely encoded manner in the longitudinal direction (L) of the base body (10).

11. Measuring tape according to claim 1, wherein the base body (10) has function and/or signal lines which are incorporated in the longitudinal direction (L) and which are realized in a non-force-absorbing manner.

12. Measuring tape according to claim 1, wherein the measuring tape (10) has a cover layer which is applied to the base body (11) and covers the position coding (12) and which is made of woven or knitted textile material.

13. Measuring system, comprising a measuring tape (10) according to claim 1 and a sensor arrangement (20) having at least one magnetic field sensor (21) for reading out the position coding (12) of the measuring tape (10).

14. Measuring system according to claim 13, wherein the sensor arrangement (20) has at least one permanent magnet (22) for a temporary magnetization of the ferromagnetic material of the position coding (12) of the measuring tape (10), and wherein the magnetic field sensor (21) is realized for reading out the temporary magnetic field generated in this process.

15. Measuring system according to claim 13, wherein the measuring system has at least one guide rail (25) which is assigned to the measuring tape and which has permanent magnets (22a, 22b) of different polarity disposed laterally to the measuring tape.

16. Measuring system according to claim 13, wherein the magnetic field sensor (21) has a plurality of Hall sensors which are disposed in a row and which are disposed parallel to the running direction (L) of the measuring tape (10).

17. Measuring system according to claim 13, wherein the sensor arrangement (20) has a flux amplifier (23) for the concentration of a magnetic field delivered by the measuring tape (10).

18. Measuring system according to claim 17, wherein the flux amplifier (23) has a metallic element which is disposed parallel to the running direction (L) of the measuring tape (10) and which has a homogeneous cross section.

19. Measuring system according to claim 17, wherein the flux amplifier (23) is disposed on a side of the magnetic field sensor (21) of the sensor arrangement (20) facing away from the measuring tape (10).

20. Elevator system having an elevator shaft (41) and an elevator car (42) movably disposed therein, said elevator system having a measuring system (30) for determining the position of the elevator car (42) in the elevator shaft (41) according to claim 13.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] Further advantageous details of the invention are apparent from the subsequent description of preferred exemplary embodiments and from the figures.

[0039] FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of a preferred exemplary embodiment of an elevator system according to the invention;

[0040] FIG. 2 shows a top view onto a preferred embodiment of the measuring tape according to the invention with an assigned guide rail having permanent magnets;

[0041] FIG. 3a shows a perspective side view of the measuring tape in an assigned guide rail;

[0042] FIG. 3b shows a perspective side view of a yoke element which can be mounted on the guide rail;

[0043] FIG. 4a shows a perspective side view of a sensor arrangement of the measuring system according to the invention;

[0044] FIG. 4b shows a perspective bottom view onto a sensor arrangement according to FIG. 4a;

[0045] FIG. 4c shows a sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the measuring system according to the invention comprising a measuring tape and an assigned sensor arrangement for reading out the position coding; and

[0046] FIGS. 5a, 5b shows lateral views of the magnetic field line course of the position coding of the measuring tape when being scanned by the sensor arrangement.

[0047] In the figures, identical elements and elements having the same function are marked with the same reference numerals.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] FIG. 1 shows an elevator system 40 having an elevator shaft 41 extending across several floors 43a-d, for example of a building, ship, crane boom or high-bay warehouse, and an elevator car 42 movably disposed therein. Furthermore, the system has drive means (not shown) which are essentially known and which enable a selective movement of elevator car 42 in elevator shaft 41. For the position detection of the elevator car in elevator shaft 41, elevator system 40 has a measuring system 30 according to the invention, said measuring system 30 being described in more detail below and comprising a measuring tape 10 disposed in elevator shaft 41 and a sensor arrangement 20 interacting with said measuring tape 10 and disposed at elevator car 42. Measuring tape 10 extends vertically through entire elevator shaft 41 and is held securely in position in the elevator shaft by means of provided fixing means 44a and 44b.

[0049] FIG. 2 shows a schematic top view onto a preferred embodiment of measuring tape 10 according to the invention. Measuring tape 10 comprises a tape-shaped base body 11 made of textile material. Said base body 11 is made into a longitudinally extending tape from a suitable textile yarn consisting of one or several textile fibers, preferably by means of weaving or knitting. In the shown embodiment, the textile tape is a fabric made of a plurality of weft and warp threads. In this case, the warp threads running into the longitudinal direction take up the tape tension. Measuring tape 10 has preferably a homogeneous width b of 8 to 20 mm, more preferably of 8 to 14 mm, perpendicular to longitudinal dimension direction L of measuring tape 10. Length L of measuring tape 10 is adapted to the respective length of elevator shaft 41.

[0050] Measuring tape 10 has a position coding 12 made of ferromagnetic material which is capable of being read out by means of a magnetic field sensor 21 of a sensor arrangement 20 which is assignable to tape 10. Position coding 12 is preferably inserted in textile base body 11 of the measuring tape, in particular interwoven or knitted therewith. In this case, the ferromagnetic material is preferably a metal wire, in particular a steel wire, which is incorporated into base body 11. In this case, position coding 12 has a plurality of warp threads 13b running longitudinally to the direction in which the base body extends and weft threads 13a running transversely to the direction in which the base body extends. Said threads form a predefined pattern in base body 11 with which first and second magnetically distinguishable areas 14a and 14b are formed. In the present context, “magnetically distinguishable” is understood to mean that said areas are magnetically distinguishable by means of an assignable magnetic field sensor.

[0051] As illustrated, magnetically distinguishable areas 14a and 14b are in particular realized by a respective meandering design or arrangement of the ferromagnetic material in base body 11. In this case, magnetically distinguishable areas 14a and 14b are disposed in longitudinal direction L of base body 11 in a predefined arrangement so as to follow one after the other, each area having a preferably homogeneous dimension L1 in the longitudinal direction. Furthermore, respective areas 14a and 14b have a preferably homogenous width b1 perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of base body 11. This results in a preferably square or rectangular area for respective area 14a and 14b in a top view onto measuring tape 10.

[0052] Magnetically distinguishable areas 14a and 14b are preferably realized for the respective interaction with permanent magnets 22a and 22b which are of different polarity and which are disposed laterally to measuring tape 10. In this case, said permanent magnets 22a and 22b extend in longitudinal direction L along a respective side edge S1, S2 of measuring tape 10 across a predefined length. First areas 14a are disposed closer to a side edge S1 of the measuring tape which is assigned to permanent magnet 22a or which runs adjacent to these. Second areas 14b are disposed closer to a side edge S2 of the measuring tape which is assigned to permanent magnet 22b or which runs adjacent to these. When measuring tape 10 passes through the two stationary permanent magnets 22a and 22b, first areas 14a are thus in particular temporarily magnetized by first permanent magnet 22a and second areas 14b are in particular temporarily magnetized by second permanent magnet 22b. In this case, a magnetic field 24a, 24b and 24c (cf. FIGS. 5a and 5b) is produced in each case in the third dimension, i.e. in a direction perpendicular to surface 10a of measuring tape 10 which can be read out by means of an assigned magnetic field sensor 21 (cf. FIGS. 5a and 5b).

[0053] Furthermore, measuring tape 10 can have insulating means 15a and 15b which are made of a material which is not magnetically conductive, in particular plastic material, and which extend transversely to running direction L of measuring tape 10 and are disposed between individual magnetic areas 14a and 14b and/or extend parallel to a lateral edge S1, S2 of the measuring tape. Said material which is not magnetically conductive can preferably be inserted into, for example woven into or knitted into, the textile material of base body 11 by means of plastic thread.

[0054] Insulating means 15a and 15b optimize the respective interaction of first and second areas 14a and 14b with assigned permanent magnets 22a and 22b respectively. In particular in this case, respective areas 14a and 14b can be shielded from the not assigned permanent magnets 22a and 22b, respectively, i.e. the permanent magnet with which they are not to interact, in particular by means of insulating means 15b extending in the longitudinal direction. By an arrangement of insulating means 15a which are in each case disposed between adjacent areas 14a and 14b and preferably run transversely to the longitudinal direction, an optimized magnetic delimitation of the respective adjacent areas is realized.

[0055] Alternatively to the above-described embodiment, magnetically distinguishable areas 14a and 14b can be permanently magnetized, for example by inserting in each case magnetized ferromagnetic material during the production process of measuring tape 10, for example a magnetized steel wire which, in this case, has a different polarity for respective areas 14a and 14b. Alternatively, respective areas 14a and 14b can be correspondingly magnetized after the manufacture of the measuring tape.

[0056] Also alternatively to the aforementioned embodiment, the ferromagnetic material can be imprinted on a surface 10a of measuring tape 10 or applied to it in a different way. For example, the ferromagnetic material can be imprinted as ferrite powder for the formation of corresponding first and second areas 14a and 14b. In the same way, insulating means 15a and 15b can be imprinted or glued on surface 10a.

[0057] Furthermore, measuring tape 10 can have a layer (not shown) which covers position coding 12 and is preferably made of textile material.

[0058] FIG. 3a shows an individual illustration of a guide rail 25 of measuring system 30 (cf. FIG. 4c), said guide rail 25 being assigned to measuring tape 10. Guide rail 25 has an elongated clearance on the long side on the right and left along a guide groove 25a, a bar magnet 22a and 22b of different polarity being placed into each elongated clearance, north on one side and south on the other side of the guide rail. Thus, it is achieved that the respective measuring tape section which is inside guide rail 25 is magnetized as described above. Flux amplifying means (not illustrated) can additionally be provided between respective magnets 22a and 22b and guide groove 25a. Said flux amplifying means can, for example, comprise elongated steel elements running parallel to respective magnets 22a and 22b and guide groove 25a and having an essentially triangular cross section. Thereby, a magnetic flux can be concentrated from the respective magnet toward guide groove 25a.

[0059] FIG. 3b shows a yoke element 26 serving to receive guide rail 25. Said yoke element has an elongated recess 26a adapted to the outer dimensions of guide rail 25. Yoke element 26 is made of metal and serves preferably to short-cut the two permanent magnets 22a and 22b of guide rail 25. Thereby, a concentration of the magnetic flux is achieved, which allows an optimized production of the temporary magnetic fields when magnetic tape 10 passes through in guide rail 25.

[0060] FIGS. 4a and 4b shows a sensor arrangement 20 for the interaction with measuring tape 10. Sensor arrangement 20 is realized to be disposed at an elevator car 42 of an elevator system 40 so as to be secure in position and, for this purpose, has corresponding positioning means 20a, for example an essentially known mounting device with integrated adjusting means. To integrate sensor arrangement 20 into an elevator control it has connection options 27a and 27b.

[0061] Furthermore, sensor arrangement 20 comprises an elongated recess 28 preferably on a bottom of the sensor arrangement, wherein guide rail 25 described above can be received in or inserted into said recess 28. A measuring tape 10 running in guide groove 25a of the guide rail runs between a downward facing surface 28a of recess 28 and guide groove 25a of guide rail 25 and is, thus, disposed in a sandwich-like manner between the aforementioned components. The corresponding distance between surface 28a and guide groove 25a is selected in such a manner that measuring tape 10 can slide in the opening thus generated essentially with no resistance.

[0062] Sensor arrangement 20 has at least one magnetic field sensor 21 on surface 28a which is directed toward measuring tape 20. Said magnetic field sensor 21 has preferably a majority of Hall sensors 21a, 21b and 21c which are disposed in a row and which are designed for reading out measuring tape 10 and are disposed parallel to the running direction of the measuring tape.

[0063] FIG. 4c shows an associated sectional view of measuring system 30 according to the invention comprising a sensor arrangement 20 and measuring tape 10 placed therein. As shown in the figure, a yoke element 26 surrounding guide rail 25 can be provided as described above to optimize the magnetic flux. Alternatively or additionally, sensor arrangement 20 can have a flux amplifier 23 which is designed or disposed for the concentration of a magnetic field delivered by measuring tape 10. Preferably, flux amplifier 23 comprises a metallic element which has a homogeneous cross section, which extends parallel to running direction L of measuring tape 10 and which is disposed on a side of magnetic field sensor 21 facing away from measuring tape 10.

[0064] Due to flux amplifier 23 disposed above and/or on the back of magnetic field sensor 21, compared to the arrangement without a flux amplifier (cf. FIG. 5a), an optimized orientation and/or concentration of the magnetic field 24a′, 24b′ and 24c′ generated in each case by different areas 14a and 14b of measuring tape 10 is achieved in such a manner that the flux flows essentially orthogonally through magnetic field sensor 21 and/or through the respective Hall elements 21a, 21b and 21c and, thus, a stronger magnetic flux with less scattering is produced (cf. FIG. 5b). Thereby, the reading out of the position coding is optimized. In addition, thereby. the distance between measuring tape 10 and magnetic field sensor 21 can be increased, which simplifies the configuration of the system in particular with regard to necessary tolerances.

[0065] The above-described embodiments are only examples, the invention being by no means limited to the embodiments shown in the figures.