Exemplary embodiments pertain to the art of elevator systems. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to health monitoring of tension members of elevator systems, for example, of coated belts or ropes.
Elevator systems utilize one or more tension members operably connected to an elevator car and a counterweight in combination with, for example, a machine and traction sheave, to suspend and drive the elevator car along a hoistway. In some systems, the tension member is a belt having one or more tension elements retained in a jacket. The tension elements may be formed from, for example, steel wires or other materials, such as a carbon fiber composite. The tension elements support the load and the jacket holds the tension elements and transfers shear forces to the traction sheave.
Degradation of the tension members due to, for example, excessive coating wear, coating cracks, foreign objective damage, tension elements protrusion, and other abnormalities, reduces performance of the tension member and the elevator system, and may require the tension member to be repaired and/or replaced. Currently, evaluation of the jacket is performed by manual inspection performed by service personnel, which is very labor intensive and may also be inaccurate due to limited access to the tension member in the hoistway.
In one embodiment, a health monitoring system for a component of an elevator system includes one or more image sensing devices configured to capture images of the component, an analytic system operably connected to the one or more image sensing devices, the analytic system configured to identify one or more abnormal conditions of the component from the captured images, and a warning system configured to produce one or more recommended courses of action based on the identification of the abnormal conditions.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the one or more image sensing devices capture one or more still or video images.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the one or more image sensing devices are disposed at one or more sheaves of the elevator system.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the analytic system utilizes one or more of a convolutional neural network or a recurrent neural network in identifying the one or more abnormal conditions.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the component is a tension member of the elevator system.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the one or more abnormal conditions include one or more of cracks, pitting, excessive wear, foreign object damage or wire protrusion.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the analytic system is configured to identify a tension member location of the one or more abnormal conditions.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the tension member location is obtained via communication between the analytic system and an elevator system control system.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the one or more image sensing devices is connected to the analytic system via a cloud.
In another embodiment, an elevator system includes a hoistway, an elevator car movable along the hoistway, a tension member operably connected to the elevator car to move the elevator car along the hoistway, and a health monitoring system for the tension member. The health monitoring system includes one or more image sensing devices configured to capture images of the tension member, and an analytic system operably connected to the one or more image sensing devices. The analytic system is configured to identify one or more abnormal conditions of the tension member from the captured images, and a warning system is configured to produce one or more recommended courses of action based on the identification of the abnormal conditions.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the one or more image sensing devices capture one or more still or video images.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the one or more image sensing devices are disposed at one or more sheaves of the elevator system.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the one or more abnormal conditions include one or more of cracks, pitting, excessive wear, foreign object damage, or wire protrusion.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the analytic system utilizes one or more of a convolutional neural network or a recurrent neural network in identifying the one or more abnormal conditions.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the analytic system is configured to identify a tension member location of the one or more abnormal conditions.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the tension member location is obtained via communication between the analytic system and an elevator system control system.
In yet another embodiment, a method of health monitoring of a tension member of an elevator system includes capturing one or more images of the tension member, identifying one or more abnormal conditions of the tension member via analysis of the one or more images of the tension member at an analytic system, and recommending one or more courses of action based on the identification of the one or more abnormal conditions at a warning system.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the one or more courses of action include an onsite visual inspection of the tension member.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the method includes feeding back results of the visual inspection to the analytic system and to the warning system to improve the accuracy thereof.
Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the analytic system utilizes one or more of a convolutional neural network or a recurrent neural network in identifying the one or more abnormal conditions.
The following descriptions should not be considered limiting in any way. With reference to the accompanying drawings, like elements are numbered alike:
A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the disclosed apparatus and method are presented herein by way of exemplification and not limitation with reference to the Figures.
Shown in
In some embodiments, the elevator system 10 could use two or more belts 16 for suspending and/or driving the elevator car 14. In addition, the elevator system 10 could have various configurations such that either both sides of the one or more belts 16 engage the sheaves 18, 52 or only one side of the one or more belts 16 engages the sheaves 18, 52. The embodiment of
For example, in another embodiment illustrated in
The belts 16 are constructed to meet belt life requirements and have smooth operation, while being sufficiently strong to be capable of meeting strength requirements for suspending and/or driving the elevator car 14 and counterweight 22.
Exemplary materials for the jacket 28 include the elastomers of thermoplastic and thermosetting polyurethanes, thermoplastic polyester elastomers, ethylene propylene diene elastomer, chloroprene, chlorosulfonyl polyethylene, ethylene vinyl acetate, polyamide, polypropylene, butyl rubber, acrylonitrile butadiene rubber, styrene butadiene rubber, acrylic elastomer, fluoroelastomer, silicone elastomer, polyolefin elastomer, styrene block and diene elastomer, natural rubber, or combinations thereof. Other materials may be used to form the jacket material 28 if they are adequate to meet the required functions of the belt 16.
The belt 16 has a belt width 26 and a belt thickness 32, with an aspect ratio of belt width 26 to belt thickness 32 greater than one. The belt 16 further includes a back side 34 opposite the traction side 30 and belt edges 36 extending between the traction side 30 and the back side 34. While six tension elements 24 are illustrated in the embodiment of
Referring now to
Referring again to
The analytic system 64 is configured to receive video or still images from the image sensing devices 62 of the jacket 28. The analytic system 64 performs image analysis of the images to determine if any abnormal conditions of the jacket 28, such as transverse or longitudinal cracking, extreme wear conditions, foreign object damage or the like are present in the images. In some embodiments, the analytic system 64 utilizes, for example, convolutional neural networks (CNN) or recurrent neural networks (RNN) to build a model of identifiable conditions and to evaluate the received images.
In some embodiments, the analytic system 64 not only identifies abnormal conditions, but identifies locations on the belt 16 of the abnormal conditions. This may be achieved via analyzing car 14 position data at the time the image was captured and correlating the car 14 position with a location on the belt 16. The car position data is acquired by, for example, communication between the analytic system 64 and an elevator system controller 20.
With abnormal conditions identified, a warning system 66 operably connected to the analytic system 64 may communicate a report of abnormal jacket 28 conditions identified and/or a recommended course of action to service personnel, who may be located remotely from the elevator system 10. Such a recommended course of action may be dependent on quantity and/or severity of the abnormal conditions identified and may include a recommended date for onsite inspection of the belt 16 by the service personnel to confirm the indicated jacket conditions.
Referring now to
The system and method disclosed herein allow for continuous monitoring of the condition of the elevator belt 16, with a considerable savings in time and labor relative to a system which relies solely on manual visual inspection of the belt 16.
The term “about” is intended to include the degree of error associated with measurement of the particular quantity based upon the equipment available at the time of filing the application.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, element components, and/or groups thereof.
While the present disclosure has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment or embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the present disclosure without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the present disclosure not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this present disclosure, but that the present disclosure will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims.