The subject matter disclosed herein generally relates to elevator systems and, more particularly, elevator inspection systems and methods.
Various components and features of elevator systems require inspection to comply with elevator code(s). Such components and features can include brakes, cables, locks, actuators, etc.
For example, elevator systems have landing door locks that are arranged to securely lock landing doors when an elevator car is not present at the specific landing. The landing door locks can also be unlocked by authorized persons to enable elevator maintenance. The landing door locks must be inspected from time to time in order to meet code requirements (e.g., landing door lock engagement length). Such inspections may be performed manually using a gauge. It may be advantageous to enable improved inspection techniques for landing door locks of elevator systems.
According to some embodiments, elevator systems are provided. The elevator systems include an elevator car within an elevator shaft, at least one component subject to inspection, the at least one component having an indicator element thereon, and an inspection system comprising a detector located on the elevator car and arranged to detect the presence of the indicator element in a detection region such that when the indicator element is detected within the detection region, a notification regarding a state of operation of the at least one component is generated.
In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the elevator systems may include that the at least one component subject to inspection is a landing door lock.
In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the elevator systems may include a control unit, the control unit generating a notification when the indicator element is detected within the detection region.
In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the elevator systems may include that the indicator element is at least one of a colored paint, a textured surface, or a reflective surface.
In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the elevator systems may include a landing within the elevator shaft, the landing having a landing door and wherein the at least one component subject to inspection is a landing door lock, the landing door lock having a first body and a second body, wherein the first body and the second body are arranged to lock the landing door, wherein at least one of the first body or the second body includes the indicator element.
In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the elevator systems may include that the first body is fixedly attached to the landing door and is movable with movement of the landing door and the second body is fixedly attached to a landing door frame.
In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the elevator systems may include that the first body comprises a securing element and the second body comprises a locking element, wherein the locking element releasably engages with the locking element to lock the landing door.
In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the elevator systems may include that the first body comprises a locking element and the second body comprises a securing element, wherein the locking element releasably engages with the locking element to lock the landing door.
In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the elevator systems may include that the indicator element is present on a portion of the respective first body or second body such that when the indicator element is detected within the detection region an error of the landing door lock exists.
In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the elevator systems may include that detection of the indicator element within the detection region indicates proper operation of the at least one component.
In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the elevator systems may include that detection of the indicator element within the detection region indicates a malfunction with operation of the at least one component.
According to some embodiments, methods for inspecting components of elevator systems are provided. The methods include moving an elevator car to a landing within an elevator shaft, observing a detection region using a detector located on the elevator car, the detection region being a region of the component to be inspected, determining if an indicator element is present within the detection region, and generating a notification when the indicator element is present within the detection region.
In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the methods may include a landing within the elevator shaft, the landing having a landing door and the component subject to inspection is a landing door lock, the landing door lock having a first body and a second body, wherein the first body and the second body are arranged to lock the landing door, wherein at least one of the first body or the second body includes the indicator element.
In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the methods may include moving the elevator car to a second landing within the elevator shaft, observing a detection region of the second landing using the detector, the detection region being a region of a component to be inspected at the second landing, determining if an indicator element at the second landing is present within the detection region, and generating an error notification when the indicator element is present within the detection region.
In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the methods may include that the method is performed automatically based on at least one of (i) a maintenance schedule, (ii) a predetermined interval, (iii) every time the elevator stops at a landing, (iv) a customer complaint, (v) a request made at an onsite location, (vi) a request made at an offsite location, or (vii) a scheduled maintenance visit.
The foregoing features and elements may be combined in various combinations without exclusivity, unless expressly indicated otherwise. These features and elements as well as the operation thereof will become more apparent in light of the following description and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the following description and drawings are intended to be illustrative and explanatory in nature and non-limiting.
The subject matter is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other features, and advantages of the present disclosure are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
As shown and described herein, various features of the disclosure will be presented. Various embodiments may have the same or similar features and thus the same or similar features may be labeled with the same reference numeral, but preceded by a different first number indicating the figure to which the feature is shown. Although similar reference numbers may be used in a generic sense, various embodiments will be described and various features may include changes, alterations, modifications, etc. as will be appreciated by those of skill in the art, whether explicitly described or otherwise would be appreciated by those of skill in the art.
The roping 107 engages the machine 111, which is part of an overhead structure of the elevator system 101. The machine 111 is configured to control movement between the elevator car 103 and the counterweight 105. The position encoder 113 may be mounted on an upper sheave of a speed-governor system 119 and may be configured to provide position signals related to a position of the elevator car 103 within the elevator shaft 117. In other embodiments, the position encoder 113 may be directly mounted to a moving component of the machine 111, or may be located in other positions and/or configurations as known in the art.
The controller 115 is located, as shown, in a controller room 121 of the elevator shaft 117 and is configured to control the operation of the elevator system 101, and particularly the elevator car 103. For example, the controller 115 may provide drive signals to the machine 111 to control the acceleration, deceleration, leveling, stopping, etc. of the elevator car 103. The controller 115 may also be configured to receive position signals from the position encoder 113. When moving up or down within the elevator shaft 117 along guide rail 109, the elevator car 103 may stop at one or more landings 125 as controlled by the controller 115. Although shown in a controller room 121, those of skill in the art will appreciate that the controller 115 can be located and/or configured in other locations or positions within the elevator system 101.
The machine 111 may include a motor or similar driving mechanism. In accordance with embodiments of the disclosure, the machine 111 is configured to include an electrically driven motor. The power supply for the motor may be any power source, including a power grid, which, in combination with other components, is supplied to the motor.
Although shown and described with a roping system, elevator systems that employ other methods and mechanisms of moving an elevator car within an elevator shaft may employ embodiments of the present disclosure.
Elevators are subject to inspection and monitoring to satisfy code requirements. However, inspection, monitoring, associated repairs, etc. can be time consuming. Accordingly, it may be advantageous to develop systems, devices, and processes to improve the efficiency of inspection and monitoring of various components, features, operations, etc. of elevator systems. For example, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, systems and processes are provided to reduce the time needed to inspect and/or maintain elevators and/or to automatically perform inspections and/or monitoring operations.
One component of note for inspection and ensuring proper operation is a landing door lock. A landing door lock is a lock on a landing door that ensures that the landing doors do not open when an elevator car is not present. That is, landing door locks are provided to prevent unauthorized access to an elevator shaft and/or inadvertent access to the elevator shaft. For example, according to some specifications, a locking element must engage with a securing element of a landing door lock with a specific tolerance or amount of engagement. In a non-limiting example, the locking element must engage with an engaging length that is 7 mm or greater. This engaging length may be inspected (for each and every landing door lock within an elevator shaft) regularly, such as bi-weekly, or at any other desired interval. Such inspection, when performed by a technician or mechanic, can be time consuming and costly. Accordingly, having an automated inspection system for checking landing door lock engagement may be beneficial.
Although shown and described herein with respect to landing door lock inspection, those of skill in the art will appreciate that inspection systems as described herein can be employed for inspection of various different elevator components and features, including, but not limited to, brakes, safety devices, cables/ropes/etc., elevator car door mechanisms, etc. Thus, the present disclosure is not to be limiting but rather is provided as an example of inspection systems contemplated herein
Turning now to
To monitor the operation of the landing door lock 208, the landing door lock inspection system 200 includes a detector 210 positioned on the elevator car 203. The detector 210 and/or other detectors can be positioned at one or more locations on the exterior of the elevator car 203 (e.g., top, bottom, sides) and/or mounted within the elevator car 203. If mounted on the exterior, the detector may have direct line of sight to one or more features within the elevator shaft. However, in embodiments with the detector installed on an interior portion of the elevator car, a window, opening, or other mechanism can be provided to enable the detector to be able to view features within the elevator shaft (e.g., external from the elevator car).
In the embodiment schematically shown in
The first body 214 includes various components to enable operation of the landing door lock 208. For example, as shown in
The second body 216 includes a second body bracket 228 and a locking element 230. The second body bracket 228 securely and fixedly attaches the second body 216 to the landing door frame 206. The locking element 230 extends from the second body bracket 228. In the embodiment of
Turning now to
As shown in
As noted,
In contrast, as shown in
Turning now to
The portion of the landing door lock inspection system 400 on the elevator car 403 includes the detector 410, a control unit 436, and a communication connection 438 enabling communication between the detector 410 and the control unit 436. The control unit 436 can be a computer or other electronic device that can send commands to and receive data from the detector 410. The communication connection 438 can be a physical line or wire or can be a wireless communication connection, as will be appreciated by those of skill in the art. Further, although shown with the control unit 436 located on the top 412 of the elevator car 403, such arrangement is not to be limiting. For example, in some embodiments, the control unit can be part of an elevator controller or other electronics associated with other parts or components of the elevator system. In some embodiments, the control unit may be located remote from the elevator car. Further, in some embodiments, the control unit may be part of a general purpose computer that is configured to enable maintenance, inspection, and/or monitoring of the elevator system.
The detector 410 is arranged to view the state (e.g., relative position of an indicator element 432) of the landing door lock 408. As shown in
The detector 410 is positioned and calibrated such that the detector 410 can detect the presence of the indicator element 432 within a detection region 434. As shown, the detection region 434 is defined as a space or zone that is on one side of the securing element 426 can is selected to be able to determine if the locking element 430 does not sufficiently engage within and to the securing element 426. The control unit 436 (or a portion of the detector 410 depending on electronic configuration) will perform image analysis of the detection region 434 to determine if a portion of the indicator element 432 is present. If no portion of the indicator element 432 is detected within the detection region 434, the control unit 436 will determine that the landing door lock 408 is properly functioning and in compliance with present conditions and/or requirements. However, if a portion of the indicator element 432 is detected within the detection region 434, the control unit 436 will determine that the landing door lock 408 is malfunctioning and/or not in compliance with present conditions and/or requirements. In such an instance, the control unit 436 can generate a notification or other message that can be used to indicate that maintenance is required on the particular landing door lock 408.
The indicator element of embodiments of the present disclosure can take various forms. For example, in some embodiments, the indicator element can be a colored paint that has contrast with the color or texture of the locking element. In such embodiments, the detector can be an optical sensor (e.g., a camera) that is arranged to detect, at least, the presence of the colored paint of the indicator element. In other embodiments, the indicator element can be a reflective or refractive surface, texture, or coating that is applied to or part of the locking element and the detector can be appropriately configured. For example, with a reflective surface indicator element, the detector can include a light source that projects light toward the reflective indicator element. The detector further includes, in such arrangements, a sensor that can detect if any light is reflected from the reflective indicator element. In some embodiments, the indicator element can be a textured surface or other surface feature of the locking element that can be detected by the detector. Further still, in some embodiments, the indicator element can be a coating that is applied and detectable by the detector of the landing door lock inspection system. Moreover, in some embodiments, the detector and/or the indicator element can be selected to operate at (and/or react to) a specific wavelength or range of wavelengths. Those of skill in the art will appreciate that various other types of detectors and/or indicator elements can be employed without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
Further, in some embodiments, the opposite of the above description may be employed. For example, an error can be indicated by the absence of the indicator element. In such embodiments, the detector and system is configured to monitor for a detection of the indicator element, and such detection can be a confirmation of proper operation of the landing door lock.
Turning now to
Turning now to
To allow for inspection and monitoring of the state of the locking element 630 (and the landing door lock), the locking element 630 has an indicator element 632 that is applied to or part of the locking element 630 that engages with and/or extends through the securing element 626. The indicator element 632 is arranged such that when the locking element 630 is properly engaged with the securing element 626 (and the minimum distance D0 is satisfied) no amount or portion of the indicator element 632 is detectable within the detection region 634, such as shown in
However, as shown in
In some embodiments, the indicator element 632 is arranged such that when the locking element 630 is properly engaged with the securing element 626 (and the minimum distance D0 is satisfied) at least a portion of the indicator element 632 is detectable within the detection region 634 (e.g., a confirmation region). In such embodiments, when the indicator element 632 is detected a confirmation signal regarding operation can be generated. However, if no portion of the indicator element 632 is detected, then an error signal can be generated.
Turning now to
For example, the inspection could be automatically performed in an inspection run of the elevator through the elevator shaft on an hourly basis, daily basis, weekly basis, monthly basis, or at any other predetermined interval. In some embodiments, the inspection may be automatically performed every time the elevator stops at a landing. In some embodiments, the inspection may be automatically triggered by a customer complaint. In some embodiments, the inspection may be triggered remotely (e.g., by a remote computer system) or onsite by a mechanic. In one embodiment, the inspection may be triggered automatically in advance of a scheduled maintenance visit by a mechanic to the elevator installation and the results may be sent automatically to the mechanic in advance or saved in the elevator controller for the mechanic to download.
At block 702, the elevator system can be operated in a maintenance mode of operation. The operation within maintenance mode can be optional and in some embodiments, the flow process 700 (omitting block 702) can be performed during normal operation of the elevator system. In embodiments wherein the maintenance mode is activated, such activation can be manual or automatic. For example, in an example of manual operation, a mechanic or technician can use a control element to run the elevator system in maintenance mode to perform inspection or other maintenance operations while the mechanic or technician is present. In other embodiments, the maintenance mode of operation can be automatically activated, such as through an elevator controller or control unit that is programmed to perform automatic inspection and monitoring of various components of the elevator system.
At block 704, the elevator car is moved a landing door for inspection. The landing door can be of any landing within an elevator shaft, but may be preselected based on a maintenance routine (e.g., automated and/or programmed) or based on a selection or instruction from a mechanic or technician (e.g., manual). The movement of the elevator car can be controlled by a control unit to move within the elevator shaft at a maintenance speed of operation that may be slower than a normal operation speed. Such reduced speed can be beneficial for performing landing door lock inspections in accordance with the present disclosure, although such reduced speeds are not required in all embodiments.
At block 706, a detector is used to observe a detection region, such as shown and described above. The detector can be an optical detector or other sensor or device that can detect an indicator element of a landing door lock, as shown and described above. The observation can be a picture or snapshot that is taken at a predetermined position to enable proper detection of the indicator element in the detection region (if present). In some embodiments, the observation can be a video, continuous image capture/detection, and/or a series of image captures or detections. In some embodiments, in addition to a pass/fail determination, an image of the landing door lock may be saved and sent to a mechanic.
At block 708, the detector and/or a control unit analyze the observation made at block 706 to determine if the indicator element (or a portion thereof) is present in the detection region.
If no indicator element is detected, the flow process 700 can end, can continue to a different landing door (i.e., loop back to block 704), or can proceed to block 710 and generate a notification (e.g., no error notification, confirmation notification, etc.). Such notification can be provided to inform a mechanic or technician that the current landing door lock is in compliance with desired operation and/or can be used for generating an inspection history. Accordingly, if no error is detected, a landing door lock inspection system can be configured to operate in various predetermined ways, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
In an alternative configuration (e.g., as described above), if the indicator element is detected, the flow process 700 can end, can continue to a different landing door (i.e., loop back to block 704), or can proceed to block 710 and generate a notification or confirmation regarding operation of the landing door lock. Such notification can be provided to inform a mechanic or technician that the current landing door lock is in compliance with desired operation and/or can be used for generating an inspection history. Accordingly, if no error is detected, a landing door lock inspection system can be configured to operate in various predetermined ways, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
If, at block 708, it is determined that the indicator element is present in the detection region, the flow process 700 continues to block 712. At block 712, the control unit (or other component) generates an indicator to indicate that there is an error with the specific landing door lock. In some embodiments, if an error message or error notification is generated, the control unit can limit the operation of the elevator system such that a specific elevator speed of travel cannot be exceeded until a “no error” is achieved. Further, upon receiving an error notification or indication, a mechanic can perform a maintenance operation to fix and/or replace the specific landing door lock. After completing the maintenance operation, the system can run the flow process 700 again to determine if the maintenance operation corrected the error with the specific landing door lock.
In some embodiments, if at block 708, it is determined that the indicator element is not present in the detection region, the flow process 700 continues to block 712. At block 712, the control unit (or other component) generates an indicator to indicate that there is an error with the specific landing door lock. In some embodiments, if an error message or error notification is generated, the control unit can limit the operation of the elevator system such that a specific elevator speed of travel cannot be exceeded until a “no error” is achieved. Further, upon receiving an error notification or indication, a mechanic can perform a maintenance operation to fix and/or replace the specific landing door lock. After completing the maintenance operation, the system can run the flow process 700 again to determine if the maintenance operation corrected the error with the specific landing door lock.
In some embodiments, as schematically shown, the flow process 700 can perform a loop with inspection performed at multiple landings in a single instance. For example, if a weekly maintenance inspection operation is performed, the elevator system can perform flow process 700 to inspect every landing door lock within an elevator shaft. When the system detects an error, such error can be noted (e.g., notification at block 712), and the flow process 700 continues until all landing door locks are inspected. At the end of all landing door locks being inspected, a single report can be generated that aggregates the error notifications and no error notifications of the repeated flow process 700. The transmission of the notification can be made using an internet gateway or other similar communication connection and a request for maintenance can be made.
Those of skill in the art will appreciate that various example embodiments are shown and described herein, each having certain features in the particular embodiments, but the present disclosure is not thus limited. That is, features of the various embodiments can be exchanged, altered, or otherwise combined in different combinations without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
Advantageously, embodiments described herein provide automated inspection of elevator landing door locks. The automation can be manually implemented and yet not require a technician to enter an elevator shaft, or can be fully automated as described herein.
While the present disclosure has been described in detail in connection with only a limited number of embodiments, it should be readily understood that the present disclosure is not limited to such disclosed embodiments. Rather, the present disclosure can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions, combinations, sub-combinations, or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are commensurate with the scope of the present disclosure. Additionally, while various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described, it is to be understood that aspects of the present disclosure may include only some of the described embodiments.
Accordingly, the present disclosure is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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17305542.7 | May 2017 | EP | regional |