Elevator

Abstract

The invention refers to an elevator comprising an elevator car and a suspension arrangement for suspending and/or moving an elevator car, which suspension arrangement comprises at least one suspension member, whereby at least one suspension member component is provided which component is to be applied to the suspension member for affecting the physical properties of the suspension member during the operation of the elevator. According to the invention the suspension member component applied to the suspension member comprises an component identifier which is an addition to the suspension member component which component identifier is configured to be identified visibly or via additional tools. The invention allows the unambiguous identification of the suspension member component and also the distribution of the component on the suspension member surface.

Claims

1. An elevator comprising: an elevator car; and a suspension arrangement for suspending and/or moving the elevator car, wherein the suspension arrangement comprises at least one suspension member, each suspension member comprising a suspension member component for affecting physical properties of the suspension member, wherein the suspension member component is a lubricant, and wherein the suspension member component comprises a component identifier configured to be identified visibly or via additional tools.

2. The elevator according to claim 1, wherein the component identifier is a material with fluorescent properties.

3. The elevator according to claim 2, wherein the component identifier is soluble in the suspension member component.

4. The elevator according to claim 2, wherein the component identifier is dispersible in the suspension member component.

5. The elevator according to claim 1, wherein the component identifier comprises color pigments.

6. The elevator according to claim 5, wherein the component identifier is soluble in the suspension member component.

7. The elevator according to claim 5, wherein the component identifier is dispersible in the suspension member component.

8. The elevator according to claim 1, wherein the component identifier is soluble in the suspension member component.

9. The elevator according to claim 8, wherein the component identifier is dispersible in the suspension member component.

10. The elevator according to claim 1, wherein the component identifier is dispersible in the suspension member component.

11. The elevator according to claim 1, further comprising a suspension member identifier, wherein the suspension member identifier provides information about the type and/or physical properties of the at least one suspension member and/or suspension member component to be used in connection with the at least one suspension member.

12. The elevator according to claim 1, wherein the suspension arrangement comprises a set of separate hoisting ropes as suspension members.

13. A method for matching a suspension member to a suspension member component in an elevator, the elevator comprising an elevator car and a suspension arrangement, the suspension arrangement having at least one of said suspension member for suspending and/or moving the elevator car and a corresponding of said suspension member component for each of said at least one suspension member, where the suspension member component is a lubricant, said method comprising the steps of: first, applying a component identifier to each of the suspension member components; and then, applying each of the suspension member components to the corresponding suspension members, wherein before applying each of the suspension member components to the corresponding suspension members, verifying that the component identifier matches with the corresponding suspension member.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the component identifier is a fluorescent material and wherein the step of verifying comprises detecting emissions of the component identifier.

15. The method according to claim 13, further comprising providing a suspension member identifier to the elevator or providing a database, wherein the suspension member identifier is stored in said database.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein a tag is connected to the suspension arrangement as the suspension member identifier.

17. The method according to claim 13, wherein a table with matching combinations of suspension members and suspension member components is stored in a database.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the method for matching a suspension member to a suspension member component.

(2) The invention also refers to a method for determining matching suspension member/suspension member component combinations in an elevator comprising an elevator car and a suspension arrangement having at least one suspension member for suspending and/or moving the elevator car, in which method for the operation of the elevator a suspension member component is to be applied to the suspension member. According to the inventive method first a component identifier is applied to the suspension member component, then the suspension member component is applied to the suspension member, whereby it is checked beforehand that the identifier of the suspension member component matches with the suspension member.

(3) By the use of a component identifier which can be added to the suspension member component already in the production site of the component it is possible to identify the suspension member component unambiguously which avoids hazardous mistakes in using the wrong component for the suspension member.

(4) The component identifier should be homogenously soluble or dispersible in the suspension member component to indicate clearly the type of the component and the locations to which it is applied.

(5) The invention may be used with new elevator installations but also in course of maintenance routines with lubricating steps or in course of re-roping.

(6) Preferably a fluorescent material is used as component identifier because in this case the emitting characteristics of the fluorescent material are not affected by the natural colour of the component and/or of the suspension member. Furthermore, as in this case the emission of the fluorescent material is instigated only by a auxiliary instigating device there is no emission of the material in normal operation which could affect the normal operation or maintenance of the elevator. With respect to adapted fluorescent materials it is referred to the corresponding passages above. Fluorescent material improves the determination which type of component has been used and also the determination of how good the component is (still) applied to the suspension member. Therefore it can more easily be checked if the component layer on the suspension member is still thick enough or has been worn off during elevator use. Further it can easily be checked whether the component is still provided on all required passages of the suspension member(s).

(7) In a preferred embodiment of the inventive method an identifier of the suspension member is provided at the elevator or in a database comprising elevator data. The suspension member identifier comprises information about the type and/or about physical properties of the suspension member and/or components which may be used in connection with the suspension member. Based on this data the installation staff or maintenance staff is able to derive the correct component for the suspension member in question. In this case the determination of the correct component for the suspension member is facilitated. In this case, the suspension member identifier could be advantageously provided in connection with the suspension arrangement.

(8) In a preferred embodiment a tag is connected to the suspension arrangement, particularly to the suspension member as suspension member identifier. Anyway, the suspension member identifier may also or alternatively be stored in a database of the elevator or of the maintenance company, which makes the necessary suspension member data available without providing any tags or info-material at the elevator site, where it can be lost or soiled.

(9) In order to check up the correct material-pairs of suspension members and suspension member components a table with matching combinations of suspension members and suspension member components may be stored in a database of the elevator or of a maintenance centre and/or may be provided at the elevator site. Preferably these data are provided in a database which is accessible by the maintenance staff to ensure that the correct component is used for the suspension members of the elevator in question.

(10) If the suspension member identifier is available via a database the maintenance staff could care for the correct suspension member components before heading to the elevator site.

(11) Preferably, a table with matching combinations of suspension members and suspension member components is stored in a database of the elevator or of a maintenance centre.