Abstract
An interface for operating an elevator car includes an interface controller, a foil attached to a wall surface of a wall of the elevator car, the wall surface facing an inside of the elevator car, and at least one pressure-sensitive sensor configured for receiving user requests by an application of a pressure to the at least one sensor. The at least one sensor is connected to the interface controller, the interface controller transmitting the user requests received by the at least one sensor to a car controller of the elevator car, and wherein the at least one sensor is embedded in the foil.
Claims
1-15. (canceled)
16. An interface for operating an elevator car comprising: an interface controller; a foil attached to a wall surface of a wall of the elevator car; at least one pressure-sensitive sensor adapted to receive user requests by an application of a pressure to the at least one sensor; wherein the at least one sensor is connected to the interface controller, the interface controller being adapted for connection to a car controller of the elevator car and for transmitting the user requests received by the at least one sensor to the car controller of the elevator car; and wherein the at least one sensor is embedded in the foil.
17. The interface according to claim 16 wherein the foil includes a protective layer arranged between the at least one sensor and an inside of the elevator car.
18. The interface according to claim 17 wherein the protective layer includes at least one sign indicative of one of the user requests.
19. The interface according to claim 17 wherein the at least one sensor is embedded in an embedding layer of the foil, the embedding layer being arranged between the protective layer and the wall surface.
20. The interface according to claim 19 wherein at least one of the foil, the embedding layer and the protective layer is flexible.
21. The interface according to claim 19 wherein at least one of the foil, the embedding layer and the protective layer is transparent or at least substantially transparent.
22. The interface according to claim 19 wherein at least one of the embedding layer and the protective layer is formed of a polymer material.
23. The interface according to claim 19 including electric circuitry connecting the at least one sensor with the interface controller, wherein the electric circuitry is at least partially embedded in the embedding layer of the foil.
24. The interface according to claim 16 wherein the at least one sensor includes a cavity formed therein and a membrane, and wherein the at least one sensor is adapted to sense of the pressure applied to the at least one sensor based on a bending of the membrane into the cavity.
25. The interface according to claim 16 wherein the foil has a maximum thickness in a range of 3 mm to 5 mm.
26. The interface according to claim 16 wherein the interface controller provides a haptic feedback upon receiving one of the user requests by injecting a charge into the at least one sensor.
27. The interface according to claim 16 including a projector installed in a roof section of the elevator car, the projector projecting information onto a projection surface of the elevator car.
28. An elevator car comprising: the interface according to claim 16 installed in the elevator car; a wall having a wall surface facing an inside of the elevator car; and wherein the foil of the interface is attached to the wall surface.
29. The elevator car according to claim 28 wherein the wall has a recess formed therein, the recess including the wall surface, and wherein the foil is arranged at least partially within the recess.
30. The elevator car according to claim 29 wherein the foil is flush or substantially flush with a further wall surface of the wall, the further wall surface being outside the recess.
31. A method of producing an elevator car, the method comprising the steps of: providing the interface according to claim 16; and attaching the foil of the interface to an interior wall surface of a wall of the elevator car wherein the at least one sensor is available for receiving user requests by an application of pressure to the at least one sensor from a user inside the elevator car.
Description
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0041] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of an interface with a foil attached to a wall according to the invention;
[0042] FIG. 2 shows a schematic sectional view of an interface according to an embodiment;
[0043] FIG. 3 shows a schematic sectional view of an interface according to a further embodiment;
[0044] FIG. 4A shows a schematic sectional view of a sensor of an interface;
[0045] FIG. 4B shows a schematic sectional view of a sensor during an application of a pressure to the sensor;
[0046] FIG. 5 shows a schematic view of an elevator car according to an embodiment; and
[0047] FIG. 6 shows a schematic illustration of a method according to an exemplary embodiment.
[0048] The figures are only schematic and not to scale. Same reference signs refer to same or similar features.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0049] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of an interface 100. The interface 100 comprises a foil 120. The foil 120 is attached to a wall surface 152 of a wall 150 of an elevator car. The wall surface 152 reaches to a top side of the wall 150, in particular to a roof section of the elevator car. The interface 100 comprises at least one sensor, in FIG. 1 exemplarily illustrated as sensors 130. The sensors 130 are connected via an electric circuitry 140 of the interface 100 to an interface controller 110 of the interface 100. The interface controller 110 is configured for installation in a roof section of the elevator car. The electric circuitry 140 is partially embedded in the foil 120 and exits the foil at a top edge of the foil 120. In FIG. 1, each of the sensors 130 is associated with a user request. Each sensor 130 is configured for receiving a user request by an application of a pressure to the sensor 130. The sensors 130 are connected to the interface controller 110, which is configured to detect an application of a pressure to a sensor 130 and to determine the respective user request. The interface controller 110 is configured for transmitting the user request to a car controller of the elevator car.
[0050] FIG. 2 shows a schematic sectional view of a foil 120 of an interface, as illustrated for example in FIG. 1. The foil 120 is attached to the wall surface 152 using an adhesive, for example using epoxy. The sensors 130 are embedded in the foil 120. Each sensor 130 is connected to at least one wire of the electric circuitry 140, the wires being embedded in the foil 120. In FIG. 2, the wires comprise a transparent conductor.
[0051] In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 3, a foil 120 of an interface 100 comprises a protective layer 324 and an embedding layer 322. The protective layer 324 is arranged on an inner side of the foil 120, wherein the inner side faces an inside of the elevator car. The embedding layer 322 is arranged between the protective layer 324 and the wall surface 152 of the wall 150. The sensors 130 and the electric circuitry 140 are embedded in the foil 120, in particular in the embedding layer 322 of the foil 120. In FIG. 3, the sensors are arranged in contact with the protective layer 324. In the exemplary embodiment, the embedding layer 322 is formed prior to attachment of the foil 120 to the wall surface 152 by molding of a polymer around the sensors 130 and the electric circuitry 140, the sensors 130 and the electric circuitry 140 being pre-arranged on the protective layer 324.
[0052] In FIG. 3, the protective layer 324 comprises signs 326 indicative of user requests. In particular, a sign 326 indicative of a first user request is co-localized with a sensor 130 associated with the first user request. In FIG. 3, the signs 326 are printed onto the protective layer 324.
[0053] FIGS. 4A and 4B show a schematic sectional view of an interface 100 with an exemplary pressure-sensitive sensor 130. The sensor 130 is embedded in the foil 120, which is attached to the wall surface 152. The sensor 130 comprises a cavity 436 and a membrane 432. The membrane 432 is suspended over the cavity 436. The sensor 130 is configured for sensing of a pressure 439 applied to the at least one sensor 130 based on a bending of the membrane 432 into the cavity 436, as shown for example in FIG. 4B. The pressure 439 may particularly result from a force 429 or touch applied to the foil 120 from an inside of the elevator car. The force 429 may be applied by a user using a hand or a finger, when providing a user request to the interface 100.
[0054] In the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 4A and 4B, the cavity 436 is provided in a base layer 435 of the sensor 130, in particular in a base insulating layer 437 of the base layer 435. The base layer 435 comprises the base insulating layer 437 and a base electrode layer 438, wherein the base insulating layer 437 is provided between the base electrode layer 438 and the membrane 432 of the sensor 130. The base layer 435 comprises rigid material, in particular transparent rigid material. For example, the base electrode layer 438 comprises a transparent conductive oxide and the base insulating layer 437 comprises a transparent insulating material, e.g. a transparent oxide such as glass. The sensors 130 may be fabricated in a size such that a rigidity of the base layer 435 does not prevent an overall flexibility of the foil 120. In further embodiments, a base layer may be fabricated from flexible material, particularly from material less flexible than the membrane.
[0055] The membrane 432 comprises a supporting membrane layer 433 and a membrane electrode layer 434. The membrane electrode layer 434 is arranged between the supporting membrane layer 433 and the base layer 435. In the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 3, 4A and 4B, the supporting membrane layer 433 comprises a polymer. The membrane electrode layer 434 comprises globular graphene. The membrane electrode layer 434 and the base electrode layer 438 form a capacitor. Upon application of a pressure 439 to the sensor 130, the membrane 432 is bent into the cavity 436 and a capacitance of the capacitor is changed. The change of the capacitance can provide a change of a current or a change of a voltage on at least one of a base connection 442 and a membrane connection 444, wherein the base connection 442 is connected to the base electrode layer 438 and wherein the membrane connection 444 is connected to the membrane electrode layer 434. The connections 442 and 444 are connected to or are part of the electric circuitry 140. Based on the change in current or voltage, the interface controller 110 can detect the application of the pressure 439. Based on the detection of the pressure 439, the interface 100 can receive the user request.
[0056] FIG. 5 shows a schematic view of an elevator car 560. The elevator car 560 comprises a wall 150 and a further wall 568. The wall 150 and the further wall 568 are arranged between an elevator floor section of the elevator car 560, which includes a floor 566 of the elevator car 560, and a roof section of the elevator car 560. The roof section particularly includes a decorative roof 564, a car roof 562 and a space between the decorative roof 564 and the car roof 562.
[0057] The elevator car 560 of FIG. 5 comprises an interface 500. A foil 120 of the interface 500 is attached to a wall surface 152, wherein the wall surface 152 is arranged in a recess 554 of the wall 150. In particular, the foil 120 is flush with a further wall surface 556 of the wall 150, the further wall surface 556 being directly adjacent to the recess 554. In FIG. 5, the foil 120 extends or reaches up to the roof section of the elevator car 560. The electric circuitry 140 exits the foil 120 in the roof section and connects the sensors 130 to the interface controller 110. The interface controller 110 is connected to a car controller 558 of the elevator car 560. For example, the car controller 558 is connected to an elevator controller of an elevator system (not shown), in which the elevator car 560 is arranged.
[0058] In FIG. 5, the interface 500 comprises a projector 570. The projector 570 is arranged in the roof section of the elevator car 560. The projector 570 is configured for projecting information, e.g. a current floor number, via a projector beam 572 onto a projection surface 574 of the elevator car 560. In FIG. 5, the projection surface 574 is arranged on the wall 150, particularly above the sensors 130 and overlaps with the wall surface 152. An embodiment as shown exemplarily in FIG. 5 may particularly provide the advantage that an interface 500 having sensors 130 for user input and a projector 570 for displaying information can be seamlessly integrated into an elevator car 560.
[0059] FIG. 6 schematically illustrates an exemplary method 600 of producing an elevator car, particularly comprising an interface according to embodiments described herein. At a step 610, the method 600 comprises attaching a foil of the interface to a wall surface of a wall of the elevator car. Attaching the foil to the wall surface comprises applying an adhesive layer to at least one of the wall surface or to the foil. At a step 620, the method 600 includes installing a projector in a roof section of the elevator car such that the projector can project information onto a projection surface. At a step 630, an interface controller is installed in the roof section. At a step 640, the foil and the projector are connected to the interface controller. The interface controller is connected to a car controller of the elevator car.
[0060] Even though the invention of the present disclosure has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it should be noted that embodiments may be combined and modified in various ways without departing from the scope of the present invention.
[0061] In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, the present invention has been described in what is considered to represent its preferred embodiment. However, it should be noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope.
