ELEVATOR SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR OPERATING SAME

Abstract

Lift systems may include a first shaft unit and a second shaft unit, each of which may include a number of lift shafts. One or more single-car systems and/or multi-car systems may be disposed in the first shaft unit, whereas one or more shaft-changing multi-car systems may be disposed in the second shaft unit. A transporting operation may be carried out from an initial floor to a destination floor wherein a control unit determines whether to utilize one or more cars from the single car systems, the multi-car systems, the shaft-changing multi-car systems, or some combination thereof depending on factors such as the destination floors of the passengers, traffic density, energy demand, and/or availability of cars.

Claims

1.-20. (canceled)

21. A lift system comprising: a first shaft unit that includes a plurality of lift shafts; at least one of a single-car system or a multi-car system disposed in the first shaft unit; a second shaft unit that includes a plurality of lift shafts; and a shaft-changing multi-car system disposed in the second shaft unit.

22. The lift system of claim 21 further comprising a control unit that determines whether to transport passengers to destination floors using the single-car system, the multi-car system, the shaft-changing multi-car system, or a combination thereof depending on at least one of the destination floors of the passengers, traffic density, energy demand, or availability of cars.

23. The lift system of claim 21 comprising both the single-car system and the multi-car system disposed in the first shaft unit.

24. The lift system of claim 21 wherein the cars of the shaft-changing multi-car system move over an entire vertical length of the second shaft unit.

25. The lift system of claim 21 further comprising at least one of a plurality of single-car systems or a plurality of multi-car systems disposed in the first shaft, wherein the first and second shaft units are each divided into vertical intervals that each comprise a plurality of floors, with the vertical intervals being the same for the first and second shaft units, the lift system further comprising at least one of: one or more of the single-car systems disposed in individual vertical intervals of the vertical intervals of the first shaft unit, or one or more of the multi-car systems disposed in a plurality of the vertical intervals of the first shaft unit.

26. The lift system of claim 21 wherein the first and second shaft units are each divided into vertical intervals that each comprise a plurality of floors, with the vertical intervals being the same for the first and second shaft units, wherein the multi-car system operates in an upper vertical interval and a lower vertical interval that are vertically adjacent to one another in the first shaft unit, wherein an upper car of the multi-car system operates in the upper vertical interval and a lower car of the multi-car system operates in the lower vertical interval.

27. The lift system of claim 21 wherein the first and second shaft units are each divided into vertical intervals that each comprise a plurality of floors, with the vertical intervals being the same for the first and second shaft units, wherein the vertical intervals partially overlap such that one or more floors within a lower vertical interval are also part of an upper vertical interval directly above the lower vertical interval.

28. The lift system of claim 27 further comprising a transfer stop located on a floor where the vertical intervals partially overlap, wherein a passenger can transfer between the shaft-changing multi-car system of the second shaft unit and the single-car system or the multi-car system of the first shaft unit at the transfer stop.

29. The lift system of claim 28 further comprising a plurality of transfer stops, wherein each of the plurality of transfer stops are spaced apart by between 20-100 meters.

30. The lift system of claim 21 wherein a car of the shaft-changing multi-car system of the second shaft unit is used as a feeder car in a first part-transporting operation where a passenger then changes cars prior to a second part-transporting operation that delivers the passenger to a destination floor.

31. The lift system of claim 30 wherein the feeder car moves between at least two vertical intervals during the first part-transporting operation.

32. The lift system of claim 30 wherein the second part-transporting operation is performed in the first shaft unit, wherein a vertical length traveled during the first part-transporting operation is greater than a vertical length traveled during the second part-transporting operation.

33. The lift system of claim 21 wherein the first and second shaft units are each divided into two, three, four, or five vertical intervals per 100 meters of building height, with each of the vertical intervals comprising a plurality of floors and with the vertical intervals being the same for the first and second shaft units.

34. The lift system of claim 21 wherein the lift system is operated without at least one of destination selection control or call control.

35. The lift system of claim 21 wherein the cars of the shaft-changing multi-car system are synchronized.

36. The lift system of claim 21 further comprising a display device for displaying information related to transportation operations of the lift system.

37. The lift system of claim 21 wherein outside definable time periods, the shaft-changing multi-car system transports a passenger by a direct journey to a destination floor.

38. The lift system of claim 21 wherein a number of cars of the shaft-changing multi-car system is modifiable depending on anticipated or actual transporting operations.

39. A lift system comprising: a first shaft unit including at least one lift shaft; at least one of a single-car system or a multi-car system disposed in the first shaft unit; a second shaft unit that includes a plurality of lift shafts; a shaft-changing multi-car system disposed in the second shaft unit; and a control unit that determines whether to transport passengers to destination floors using the first shaft, the second shaft, or a combination thereof depending on at least one of the destination floors of the passengers, traffic density, energy demand, or availability of cars.

40. A method for operating a lift system having a first shaft unit and a second shaft unit, the method comprising: transporting a passenger to a transfer stop by way of a shaft-changing multi-car system in the second shaft unit; and transporting the passenger from the transfer stop to a destination floor by way of a single-car system or a multi-car system in the first shaft unit.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0070] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a preferred development of an elevator system according to the invention which is set up for carrying out a preferred embodiment of a method according to the invention.

[0071] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a preferred development of an elevator system according to the invention in a building, said elevator system being given the reference 100. The elevator system 100, in this case, comprises a first shaft unit 110 and a second shaft unit 120.

[0072] The shaft units are divided into five vertical intervals I1, I2, I3, I4, I5. A certain number of storeys, in this case, are assembled to form in each case one of the vertical intervals. All five vertical intervals I1, I2, I3, I4, I5 are of the same vertical height in said example. All five vertical intervals I1, I2, I3, I4, I5 additionally include the same number of storeys in said example. The vertical intervals can also each comprise a different expedient number of storeys or vertical height.

[0073] The building in which the elevator system 100 is installed is to comprise a building height of 100 m purely as an example. Each vertical interval consequently extends in said example over 20 m building height. The building includes 25 storeys as an example. Each vertical interval consequently extends over 5 storeys. Storeys at which in each case two vertical intervals adjoin one another are provided as transfer stops or changeover options H1, H2, H3, H4. An entry point H0, in this case, is arranged in particular on a ground level.

[0074] As an example, the second shaft unit 120 comprises four elevator shafts 121, 122, 123, 124 here. A shaft-changing multi-car system is implemented in said four elevator shafts 121, 122, 123, 124 of the second shaft unit 120. Said shaft-changing multi-car system includes in particular 20 cars which are able to change flexibly between the four shafts 121, 122, 123, 124 of the second shaft unit 120.

[0075] The first shaft unit 110 comprises four elevator shafts 111a, 112a, 113a and 114a inside the first interval I1. The first shaft unit 110 comprises a further four elevator shafts 111b, 112b, 113b and 114b inside the second and third intervals I2 and I3. The first shaft unit 110 comprises a further four elevator shafts 111c, 112c, 113c and 114c inside the fourth and fifth intervals I4 and I5. Said elevator shafts of the various vertical intervals are separated from one another in particular by means of vertical physical barriers (e.g. concrete slabs) and in each case have in particular a dedicated machine room.

[0076] One car of a single-car system runs inside the vertical interval I1 in each of the four shafts 111a, 112a, 113a, 114a of the first shaft unit 110. Consequently, a total of five cars run between the entry point H0 and the changeover option H1. Said cars are not shown in detail for reasons of clarity.

[0077] Two cars, which can be moved independently of one another, of a respective multi-car system run each of the four shafts 111b, 112b, 113b, 114b of the vertical intervals I2 and I3 of the first shaft unit 110. Said multi-car systems, in this case, are each developed as two-car systems. A lower car of the respective multi-car system runs, in this case, inside each of the four shafts 111b, 112b, 113b, 114b of the second vertical interval I2. An upper car of the respective multi-car system runs, in this case, inside each of the four shafts 111b, 112b, 113b, 114b of the third vertical interval I3.

[0078] The transfer stop H1 serves in this case in particular as an entry possibility for said lower cars of the respective multi-car system. The transfer stop H2 serves in particular as an entry possibility for said upper cars of the respective multi-car system.

[0079] In an analogous manner, a lower or an upper car of a respective multi-car system runs in each of the four shafts 111c, 112c, 113c, 114c of the vertical intervals I4 or I5 of the first shaft unit 110.

[0080] The transfer stops H3 or H4 serve in an analogous manner in particular as an entry possibility for the lower or upper cars of the respective multi-car system.

[0081] If a transporting operation is to be carried out, an assessment is made as to which of the individual cars of the single-car system, of the multi-car systems and of the shaft-changing multi-car system will be used for said transporting operation.

[0082] An example is described below in which four transporting operations are to be carried out from the ground level H0 to four different destination storeys. A first transporting operation is to be carried out to the fourth storey S4. A second transporting operation is to be carried out to the 10.sup.th storey S10 which provides the second transfer stop H2. A third transporting operation is to be carried out to the 17.sup.th storey S17. A fourth transporting operation is to be carried out to the 22.sup.nd storey S22.

[0083] A decision is made as to which cars are used for the individual transporting operations with regard to said four different destination storeys, to the availability of individual cars, to the current traffic density and to the required energy demand.

[0084] In this case, the first transporting operation to the fourth storey S4 is carried out as a direct journey by means of the car of the single-car system in the elevator shaft 111a of the first shaft unit 110.

[0085] The second transporting operation to the 10.sup.th storey S10 is carried out as a direct journey by means of a car of the shaft-changing multi-car system in the elevator shaft 121 of the second shaft unit 120.

[0086] The third transporting operation to the 17.sup.th storey S17 is carried out in two part-transporting operations. In this case, initially a first part-transporting operation is carried out from the ground level to the transfer stop H3. Said first part-transporting operation is carried out as a feeder journey by means of a car of the shaft-changing multi-car system in the elevator shaft 123 of the second shaft unit 120. A second part-transporting operation is then carried out from the transfer stop H3 to the storey S17. Said second part-transporting operation is carried out with the lower car of the multi-car system in the elevator shaft 114c of the vertical interval I4.

[0087] The fourth transporting operation to the 22.sup.nd storey S22 is also carried out in two part-transporting operations. In this case, initially a first part-transporting operation is carried out from the ground level to the transfer stop H4. Said first part-transporting operation is carried out as a feeder journey by means of the car of the shaft-changing multi-car system in the elevator shaft 121 of the second shaft unit 120. Said car has to make an intermediate stop in this case at the transfer stop H2 in order to carry out the second transporting operation. The car then moves further to the transfer stop H4. A second part-transporting operation is then carried out from the transfer stop H4 to the storey S22. Said second part-transporting operation is carried out with the upper car of the multi-car system in the elevator shaft 113c of the vertical interval I5.

LIST OF REFERENCES

[0088] 100 Elevator system

[0089] 110 First shaft unit

[0090] 111a, b, c Elevator shaft

[0091] 112a, b, c Elevator shaft

[0092] 113a, b, c Elevator shaft

[0093] 114a, b, c Elevator shaft

[0094] 120 Second shaft unit

[0095] 121 Elevator shaft

[0096] 122 Elevator shaft

[0097] 123 Elevator shaft

[0098] 124 Elevator shaft

[0099] I1 Vertical interval

[0100] I2 Vertical interval

[0101] I3 Vertical interval

[0102] I4 Vertical interval

[0103] I5 Vertical interval

[0104] H0 Entry point

[0105] H1 Transfer stop

[0106] H2 Transfer stop

[0107] H3 Transfer stop

[0108] H4 Transfer stop

[0109] S4 Fourth storey, destination storey

[0110] S10 10.sup.th storey, destination storey

[0111] S17 17.sup.th storey, destination storey

[0112] S22 22.sup.nd storey, destination storey