Patent Grant
7360629
The invention relates to an elevator installation for zonal operation in a building with several elevators for the transport of persons/goods in cages, wherein the building is divided into zones. A zone is allocated to each elevator and at least one changeover storey for the changing over of persons/goods between cages of different zones is arranged between the zones. The invention also relates to a method for zonal operation of such an elevator installation and it relates to a method for modernization of an elevator installation.
A high transport requirement exists today in large or high buildings. In order to satisfy this transport requirement, a building is frequently vertically divided into several zones or storey regions. At least one elevator or group of elevators is provided in each zone. A changeover of persons/goods from an elevator bringing up to a first zone to an elevator taking away to a second zone takes place between the zones. The changeover storey is also termed sky lobby.
It is disadvantageous that due to unequal transport capacities of the elevators of the different zones, queues can form in the changeover storey when there is a high incidence of transport. In addition, it is disadvantageous that the elevator installations in high buildings demand a significant proportion of the building cross-section. Finally, the space available in the changeover storey is limited and cannot be increased without substantial constructional and financial outlay.
Known solutions for preventing or limiting overfilling of the changeover storey are targeted either towards a reduction in the transport capacity of the elevator bringing up, which has a counterproductive effect with respect to main load times at transport peaks, or towards measures for increasing the transport capacity of the elevator taking away, which in practice can be realized only to a limited extent. Thus, for example, an increase in the speed/acceleration of the cages or a shortening of door opening times is employed. However, elevators are usually not over-dimensioned with respect to motor power and current supply, so that an increase in speed/acceleration of the cages comes into consideration only to a very limited scope. Moreover, an increase in acceleration of the cages has a negative effect on travel sensation of persons, so that here, too, an increase in transport capacity can be achieved only to a very limited extent. In addition, a shortening or optimization of the door opening times is already implemented as standard practice in many elevators. Thus, these measures do not lead to any actually noticeable increase in transport capacity.
The object of the present invention thus consists in avoiding the above-mentioned disadvantages by creating an elevator installation for zonal operation in a building which enables an increase in the transport capacity of the entire elevator installation without in that case reducing the transport capacity of an elevator arriving or an elevator taking away. The object is also directed to a method for zonal operation of an elevator installation. The object shall be realized by known and proven means of elevator construction.
The invention relates to an elevator installation for zonal operation in a building and to a method for zonal operation of such an elevator installation. The building is divided into several zones. The elevator installation comprises several elevators for the transport of persons/goods in cages. A zone is associated with each elevator. At least one changeover storey for the changing over of persons/goods between cages of different zones is arranged between the zones. At least one elevator comprises two cages which are arranged one above the other and which are movable independently of one another at a pair of guide rails.
According to the invention, an increase in transport capacity of the elevator installation is effected in that at least one elevator has two cages movable independently of one another instead, as usual, of a single cage. The overall number of movable cages of the elevator installation is thereby increased, while the demand of the elevator installation on space in the building cross-section is kept the same. Due to the increase in the number of movable cages in the building, the changeover storey can be moved to more frequently and queues are thus avoided or limited in targeted manner. In addition, existing elevator installations can thus be modernized simply, quickly and favorably.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the invention which refers to the accompanying drawings.
The invention is explained in detail in the following on the basis of several embodiments by way of example, wherein:
Building:
Shafts: The elevator installation 10 comprises at least one elevator 11, 12, 13, 14, but advantageously several elevators 11, 12, 13, 14, which elevators 11, 12, 13, 14 are advantageously installed in shafts 34 of the building 30. Numerous possibilities of variation of the installation of the elevators 11, 12, 13, 14 in the building 30 are freely available to the expert. Thus, the shafts 34 can extend only partly through the building 30 or an elevator is installed without a shaft in an inner courtyard of the building 30 or outside the building 30.
Zones: The elevators 11, 12, 13, 14 transport persons/goods in the building 30. In that case the elevators 11, 12, 13, 14 are allocated to the zones 31, 32. Elevators 11, 12 of the first zone 31 are denoted as takers-to and elevators 13, 14 of the second zone 32 as takers-away. In the embodiments according to
Cages: Each of the elevators 11, 12, 13 comprises at least one cage 1, 2, 3, 4, 4′, which cages 1, 2, 3, 4′ are moved as single cages or multi-cages in the vertical travel direction at a pair of guide rails 5, 5′. The cages 1, 2, 3, 4, 4′ are conventional and proven elevator cages which are moved by way of the guide shoes at the guide rails 5, 5′.
Drives: The elevator installation 10 has a drive 6, 6′ per cage 1, 2, 3, 4, 4′. The drives are, for example, drive pulley drives with drive pulleys which connect the cages 1, 2, 3, 4, 4′ by way of conveying means with counterweights. For reasons of clarity the conveying means and counterweights are not illustrated in the figures. Advantageously each cage 1, 2, 3, 4′ is connected by way of at least one conveying means with a counterweight, which conveying means are driven by drive pulleys by friction couple. The conveying means can have any desired form, and it can also be of any desired materials. For example, the conveying means can be a round cable, a double cable or a belt. For example, the conveying means can also be at least partly of steel or aramide fibers. With knowledge of the present invention the expert can use all known and proven drives 6, 6′. For example, gearless drives can be used or drives with gears. In addition, drives 6, 6′ with permanent magnets, synchronous motors or asynchronous motors can be used. The drives 6, 6′ can be arranged in separate engine rooms 35 or directly in the shaft 34. Here, too, the expert with knowledge of the present invention has free selection of the arrangement of the drives. For example, the drives 6, 6′ can, as illustrated in the embodiment according to
Destination call control: Advantageously the elevator installation 10 transports persons/goods with a destination call control. In that case travel destinations are registered by way of a destination call input apparatus. In the case of the destination call control there is carried out not a prior cage call, but a destination call from a location of the building 30. For reasons of clarity, no destination call input apparatus are illustrated in the figures. The destination call input apparatus can be panels, for example with a decade keyboard, and/or touch-screens fixedly installed on the storeys 30.1 to 30.10 at the entrances to the elevator installation 10, but they can be mobile apparatus, such as mobile telephones, carried by the persons/goods. The destination call control obtains communication, by way of the destination call input apparatus, data about the location of the destination call input and the travel destination. These data can be used at any point in time of the zonal operation for optimization of the transport capacity of the elevator installation 10. Thus, the total number of elevators 11, 12, 13, 14 for transporting persons/goods can be ascertained from the data. In addition, the exact number of persons/goods changing over at the changeover storey 33, 33′ is ascertained from the data. The destination call control controls all elevators 11, 12, 13, 14 in common and co-ordinated as a group. For that purpose the destination call control is connected by way of known and proven means with the drives 6, 6′ and the cages 1, 2, 3, 4, 4′. Advantageously, the elevators 11, 12, 13, 14 are controlled in dependence on the number of persons/goods changing over in the changeover storey 33, 33′, whereby an overfilling of the changeover storey 33, 33′ is avoided or limited.
Advantageously the destination call control controls the elevators 11, 12, 13, 14 co-ordinated in such a manner that persons/goods are transported bunched. By bunched is understood a bunching in terms of time and location, i.e. persons/goods are transported at predetermined departure points in time by cages 1, 2, 3, 4, 4′, which provide further transport in a further zone, and with consideration of the transport capacities of these cages 1, 2, 3, 4, 4′, which provide further transport, to the changeover storey 33, 33′. Advantageously, the elevator 11, 12, 13, 14 for taking away waits with opened doors for the persons/goods changing over. The destination call control also makes it possible to communicate to every person, who is changing over, the elevator 11, 12, 13, 14 allocated to him or her as well as the cage 1, 2, 3, 4, 4′ allocated to him or her, this also being able to be carried out before arrival at the changeover storey 33, 33′. With knowledge of the present invention the expert can, for example, employ indicating means which indicates to every person, who is changing over and who is located in front of entrances to the elevators 11, 12, 13, 14 and/or in a cage 1, 2, 3, 4, 4′ taking to the changeover storey 33, 33′ and/or located in the changeover storey 33, 33′ itself, the elevator 11, 12, 13, 14 allocated to him or her as well as the cage 1, 2, 3, 4, 4′ allocated to him or her. The indicating means can be arranged at different locations. They can be parts of panels arranged in stationary position in the cages 1, 2, 3, 4, 4′ and/or in front of the entrances to the elevators 11, 12, 13, 14 and/or in the changeover storey 33, 33′. The display means can, however, also be parts of mobile apparatus, such as mobile telephones, carried by the persons. Such an indication can be, for example “Please take elevator B and wait at the second cage”.
Statistical unit: The destination call control recognizes how many persons/goods have to change over in the changeover storey 33, 33′ and advantageously comprises a statistical unit. The statistical unit obtains from the destination call control, even at the first destination call input of each person or item of goods changing over, a statement of the approximate arrival time at the changeover storey 33, 33′. As soon as the exact disembarkation time of the person/goods making the changeover in the changeover storey 33, 33′ is known, this is communicated to the statistical unit together with the approximate boarding time in a cage 1, 2, 3, 4, 4′ providing further transport. As soon as the exact arrival time of the cage 1, 2, 3, 4, 4′ providing further transport is known, the destination call control reports this exact boarding time to the statistical unit. The statistical unit can thus record a future-oriented occupancy statistic for the changeover storey 33, 33′, which is constantly refined by reports about the exact arrival and departure times per person/goods. In addition, an occupancy trend is detected by the statistical unit in that the positive or negative increase in the number of persons/goods in the changeover storey 33, 33′ is ascertained per time interval. The statistic about the occupancy trend supplements the statement about the passenger number in the changeover storey 33, 33′ in order to thus draw correct conclusions about the development of future occupancy of the occupancy storey 33, 33′.
In the statistical units, two parameters “maximum number of passengers in the changeover storey; switch on increased transport capacity” and “maximum number of passengers/goods in changeover storey; switch off increased transport capacity” are used. These two parameters are provided with threshold values individually per building 30 and changeover storey 33, 33′ since they are dependent on the respective architectonic solution of the elevator foyers and on the possible non-uniformity of the transport capacities between cages 1, 2, 3, 4, 4′ taking to and taking away. If the occupancy statistic recorded by the statistical unit has reached a threshold value for the parameter “maximum number of passengers in the changeover storey; switch on the increased transport capacity” and the instantaneous occupancy trend indicates a correspondingly positive increase, automatic destination call control parameters of the cages 1, 2, 3, 4, 4′ taking away are so adapted by means of the destination call control that the maximum transport capacity of the cages 1, 2, 3, 4, 4′ taking away is activated. This is also termed peak traffic mode of the elevator installation 10. The transport capacity of the cages 1, 2, 3, 4, 4′ taking to is maintained and the building 30 is filled in optimum manner, but not overfilled. For example, cages 1, 2, 3, 4, 4′ taking away are preferably sent to the changeover storey 33, 33′ and/or the arrival time of the cages 1, 2, 3, 4, 4′ taking away is adapted to the heavily filled cages 1, 2, 3, 4, 4′ taking to.
If a threshold value for the parameter “maximum number of passengers/goods in the changeover storey; switch off increased transport capacity” is reached and the occupancy trend points downwardly, the elevator installation 10 is again operated in normal traffic mode in which passenger comfort is optimal with sufficient transport capacity.
First form of embodiment: In the first embodiment of an elevator installation according to
Persons/goods with a travel destination in the lower region of the second zone 32 are transported in cages 1, 2 of the elevators 11, 12, which take to, of the first zone 31 to the changeover storey 33 and thereupon are further transported in the lower cage 4 of the elevator 14, which takes away, with two cages 4, 4′, which are movable independently of one another, in the lower region of the second zone 32. The lower region of the second zone 32 comprises the storeys 30.6 to 30.8. The upper region of the second zone 32 comprises the storeys 30.8 to 30.10. In analogous manner, persons/goods with a travel destination in the upper region of the second zone 32 are transported in cages 1, 2 of the elevators 11, 12, which take to, to the changeover storey 33 and thereupon further transported in the upper cage 4 of the elevator 14, which takes away, with two cages 4, 4′, which are movable independently of one another, in the upper region of the second zone 32. Conversely, persons/goods with a travel destination in the first zone 31 are transported in cages 4, 4′ of the elevator 14, which takes to, with two cages 4, 4′, which are movable independently of one another, of the second zone 32 to the changeover storey 33 and thereupon further transported in cages 1, 2 of the elevators 11, 12, which take away, in the first zone 31.
Second embodiment: In the second embodiment of an elevator installation according to
Persons/goods with a destination storey in a second zone 32 are transported by a lower cage 2 of the elevator 12 with two cages 2, 2′, which are movable independently of one another, in a first zone 31 to the changeover storey 33 and thereupon further transported in an upper cage 2′ of the same elevator 12 in the second zone 32. Conversely, persons/goods with a travel destination in a first zone 31 are transported by an upper cage 2′ of the elevator cage 12 with two cages 2, 2′, which are movable independently of one another in a second zone 32 to the changeover storey 33 and thereupon further transported in a lower cage 2 of the same elevator 12 in the first zone 31.
Third embodiment: In the third embodiment of an elevator installation according to
Advantageously, the multi-cage 2 transports persons/goods by a first cage 2″ and by a second cage 2′″. The storey 30.7 forms a lower changeover storey 33 and is served by the first cage 2″. The storey 30.8 forms an upper changeover storey 33′ and is served by the second cage 2′″. With knowledge of the present invention it is obviously entirely possible to serve the two changeover storeys 33, 33′ successively by the first cage 2″ and by the second cage 2′″. In addition, the expert can employ more than one elevator with a multi-cage and the expert can also use a triple cage or a quadruple cage. Finally, the expert can also provide only one changeover storey per multi-cage or more than two changeover storeys per multi-cage.
Persons/goods with a travel destination in a lower region of a second zone 32 are transported in the first cage 2″ of the multi-cage 2 of the first zone 31 to the lower changeover storey 33 and thereupon further transported in the lower cage 4 of the elevator 14 with two cages 4, 4′, which are movable independently of one another, in the lower region of the second zone 32. In analogous manner, persons/goods with a travel destination in the upper region of the second zone 32 are transported in the second cage 2′″ of the multi-cage 2 of the first zone 31 to the upper changeover storey 33′ and thereupon further transported in the upper cage 4′ of the elevator 14 with two cages 4, 4′, which are movable independently of one another, in the upper region of the second zone 32. The lower region of the second zone 32 comprises the storeys 30.6 to 30.8. The upper region of the second zone 32 comprises the storeys 30.8 to 30.10. Conversely, persons/goods with a travel destination in the first zone 31 are transported in two cages 4, 4′, which are movable independently of one another, of an elevator 14 of the second zone 32 to the changeover storeys 33, 33′ and thereupon are further transported in the multi-cage 2 in the first zone 31.
With knowledge of the present invention it is free to the expert to realize combinations of the illustrated embodiments. For reasons of time and space, these are not explained here in more detail.
Modernization: With the zonal operation according to the invention the transport capacity of an existing elevator installation can be increased by installation of an elevator 12, 14 with at least two cages 2, 2′, 4, 4′ movable independently of one another at a pair of guide rails 5, 5′. For this purpose an existing elevator simply has to be replaced by an additional cage. For example, the two drives 6, 6′, as illustrated in the embodiments according to
Although the present invention has been described in relation to particular embodiments thereof, many other variations and modifications and other uses will become apparent to those skilled in the art. It is preferred, therefore, that the present invention be limited not by the specific disclosure herein, but only by the appended claims.
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