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(11) | EP 0 765 836 A2 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Elevator position apparatus |
| (57) An elevator position apparatus (11) configured for a plurality of types of elevator
systems includes an encoded medium (28) disposed in an elevator hoistway, a group
of sensor modules (31) and a universal reader (44) having a group of apertures configured
for each elevator system of the plurality of types of elevator systems. The group
of sensor modules (31) correspond to an elevator system of the plurality of types
of elevator systems such that the group of sensor modules (31) provide sensor signals
to the elevator system in response to said encoded medium (28). The group of apertures
have a subgroup of apertures for receiving the group of sensor modules corresponding
to the elevator system. The group of apertures is configured for receiving other groups
of sensor modules such that the elevator position apparatus is configured for each
of the plurality of types of elevator systems. |
[0001] The present invention relates generally to elevators and, in particular, relates to elevator position detection.
[0002] To stop an elevator smoothly and level with a sill, an elevator system must know when to initiate a stop, when to go into a leveling mode of operation, and when to begin opening the landing doors. The elevator system initiates a leveling mode of operation when the car reaches a leveling zone in the hoistway. Most elevators begin opening the landing doors two to three inches (50-75 mm) before the elevator platform is actually level with the sill to speed-up passenger transfer. This zone is known as a door zone. To perform these functions accurately, it is necessary to know the exact location of the car at all times. As a consequence, elevator position devices are used to monitor elevator car position.
[0003] One existing elevator position device includes steel bars, vanes or magnets attached to a floating steel tape, running the length of the hoistway, and a hoistway position reader box mounted on the car. The steel bars, vanes or magnets are located on the steel tape with respect to their corresponding landing sills to mark the door zone position and the approximate distance from the door zone for deceleration. The reader box contains a fixed number of sensors that sense the location of each steel bar, vane or magnet as the car travels up and down the hoistway such that the elevator system may determine, among other things, if the elevator car is within the door zone corresponding to a particular landing. In response to detecting the steel bars, vanes or magnets, the sensors transmit signals to a shared printed circuit board ("PCB") so that the signals can be processed and transmitted to an elevator controller. The PCBs are designed for a fixed number of signals. Thus, the existing floating tape devices have a shared and fixed configuration to interface with the elevator controller.
[0004] Elevator systems, however, have a variety of sensor configurations that are dependent upon the particular elevator system's requirements and its associated costs. The existing floating tape devices are not interchangeable between many elevator systems without significant modification of the PCB and/or the reader box. Additionally, if the elevator system is upgraded ("modernized") such that additional features are required for the position detection device, the PCB and/or the reader box must be modified or replaced.
[0005] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a cost effective position reference system which can meet the various requirements of different configurations of elevator systems.
[0006] It is another object of the present invention to provide a cost effective position reference system which allows the number of sensor modules to be optimized to each elevator system without altering the physical components of a reader.
[0007] It is yet another object of the present invention to eliminate the PCB which interfaces with the controller so that sensor signals are transmitted directly to the elevator controller.
[0008] According to the present invention, an elevator position apparatus configured for a plurality of elevator systems includes an encoded medium disposed in an elevator hoistway, a group of sensor modules and a universal reader having a group of apertures configured for each elevator system of the plurality of elevator systems. The group of sensor modules correspond to an elevator system of the plurality of elevator systems such that the group of sensor modules provide sensor signals to the elevator system in response to said encoded medium. The group of apertures have a subgroup of apertures for receiving the group of sensor modules corresponding to the elevator system. The group of apertures is configured for receiving other groups of sensor modules such that the elevator position apparatus is configured for each of the plurality of elevator systems.
[0009] Certain embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an elevator system incorporating a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a floating tape system;
Fig. 3 is a magnified view of the floating tape system of Fig. 2;
Fig. 4 is a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of a sensor module;
Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of the sensor module;
Fig. 6 is a front view of a preferred embodiment of a universal reader;
Fig. 7 is a side view of a preferred embodiment of the universal reader;
Fig. 8 is a top view of a preferred embodiment of the universal reader;
Figs. 9A-F are front views of various sensor arrangements disposed in the universal reader.
[0010] Referring to Fig. 1, an elevator system 10 employing a preferred embodiment of an elevator position apparatus 11 is shown. An elevator car 12 is disposed in a hoistway 14 such that the elevator car 12 may travel along elevator guide rails 16 disposed vertically in the hoistway 14. A door operator 18 is disposed on the elevator car 12 so that the door operator 18 may open and close the elevator door(s) 20 as needed. An elevator controller 22 is disposed in a machine room 24 which monitors and provides system control of the elevator system 10. A traveling cable 26 is used to provide an electrical connection between the elevator controller 22 and electrical equipment in the hoistway 14. Of course, it should be realized that the present invention can be used in conjunction with other elevator systems including hydraulic and linear motor systems, among others.
[0011] Referring to Figs. 2, 3, the elevator position apparatus 11 is used in conjunction with the elevator system 10 to accurately determine the position of the elevator car 12 within the hoistway 14. In a preferred embodiment, the elevator position apparatus 11 includes an encoded medium 28, a group of sensor modules 31, and a universal reader 44.
[0012] A preferred embodiment of the encoded medium 28 is shown that includes a steel tape 29, having outer edges 30, disposed vertically in the hoistway 14. The steel tape 29 is attached to upper and lower horizontal supports 32, 34 by upper and lower tape hitches 36, 38 respectively. The upper and lower supports 32, 34 provide vertical support to the steel tape 29 and are attached to the guide rails 16. Additionally, a spring 40 is used in conjunction with the lower hitch 38 for providing tension in the steel tape 29. It should be understood by one skilled in the art that other suitable encoded mediums can be used without departing from the scope of the present invention.
[0013] The encoded medium 28 may be encoded using various methods. For example, optical or mechanical encoding methods can be used. In a preferred embodiment, the encoded medium 28 is encoded by disposing magnets 42 on the steel tape 29 in predetermined positions. For example, magnets 42 are located on the steel tape 29 with respect to their corresponding hoistway landings (not shown) to mark the appropriate door zone. In a preferred embodiment, the steel tape 29 includes one to three discrete vertical planes ("traces") 46 for placing magnets 42. Each magnet 42 is positioned along one of the traces 46 in the steel tape 29. Various changes to the above description of the length and position of the magnets may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention as would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art.
[0014] Referring to Figs. 4, 5, sensor modules 31 are used to detect the encoding embodied in the encoded medium 28. In a preferred embodiment, the sensor modules 31 are hall effect devices which produce electrical sensor signals when placed in close proximity to the magnets 42. Each sensor module 31 of the present invention includes a hall sensor 48, voltage stabilization circuitry 50 and power circuitry 52. The hall sensor 48 provides a sensor signal in response to sensing the magnets 42. The voltage stabilization circuitry 50 stabilizes an unregulated voltage provided by either the controller 22 or a battery (not shown) and provides the stabilized voltage to the hall sensor 48. The power circuitry 52 provides amplification to the sensor signal so that the sensor signal can activate a relay or a lamp located in the controller 22 or the machine room 24. Thus, the sensor signal can be directly transmitted from the sensor module 31 to the machine room 24 without further modification. Suitable designs for the voltage stabilization circuitry 50 and the power circuitry 52 are known to those skilled in the art.
[0015] The sensor modules 31 eliminate the need for a separate PCB because each individual sensor module 31 provides voltage regulation and sensor signal amplification functions previously provided by the PCB. In addition, the sensor modules 31 provide the advantage of improved fault isolation and facilitate replacement of faulty equipment because only faulty sensor modules need to be replaced in the event of a sensor failure; as opposed to additionally testing and replacing the PCB. It also provides the advantage of adaptability as is explained hereinbelow. The sensor modules 31 are disposed in the universal reader 44 as is also described hereinbelow.
[0016] The universal reader 44, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, is attached to an angle bracket 54 which is attached to mounting channels 56 which in turn are attached to the crosshead 58 of the elevator car 12. As a result, the universal reader 44 moves with the elevator car 12 as the elevator car 12 moves up and down the hoistway 14. The universal reader 44 moves the sensor modules 31 along the encoded medium 28 as the elevator car 12 travels in the hoistway 14.
[0017] Referring also to Figs. 6, 7, 8, the universal reader 44 includes guides 60 and a channel 62 having a mounting plate 63 and two supports 65 extending at ninety degrees from the mounting plate 63. The mounting plate 63 has a group of apertures 64 for receiving the sensor modules 31. In a preferred embodiment, four guides 60 are attached to the channel 62 for facilitating movement of the universal reader 44 along the encoded medium 28. Each guide 60 has a longitudinal groove 66 defining an area formed therein such that the groove 66 is adapted to receive and retain the outer edges 30 of the steel tape 29. As the elevator car 12 travels in a direction in the hoistway 14, the universal reader 44 travels in the same direction with the outer edges 30 of the steel tape 29 traversing through the grooves 66 formed in the guides 60. Thus, a constant distance between the sensor modules 31 and the steel tape 29 is maintained as the universal reader 44 travels in the hoistway 14.
[0018] The group of apertures 64 is configured for receiving various groups of sensor modules 31 such that the elevator position apparatus 11 may be used with a plurality of elevator systems. As a result, the channel 62 is interchangeable within any of the plurality of elevator systems without modification. The channel 62 facilitates placement of sensor modules 31 in different elevator systems by including a group of apertures 64 having subgroups of apertures 68 (shown in Fig. 9) corresponding to each group of sensor modules 31 in each of the plurality of elevator systems. The sensor modules 31 are disposed in the apertures such that the sensor modules 31 face the steel tape 29 and are affixed to the channel 62 in a conventional manner by use of a known fastening means such as a threaded nut 70. The sensor modules 31 are disposed in the same trace 46 as their corresponding magnets 42 so that the sensor modules 31 detect the location of their corresponding magnets 42 as the elevator car 12 and the universal reader 44 travel in the hoistway 14. A large variety of sensor module arrangements may be used as is described below.
[0019] Referring to Fig. 9, the sensor module arrangements corresponding to the plurality of elevator systems include six versions according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Each sensor module arrangement corresponds to one subgroup 68 of the group 64 of sensor modules 31. For example, as shown in version 1, a low cost elevator system may only require two leveling sensors modules 1LV, 2LV, one door zone sensor module DZI and one performance monitoring sensor module SAC. The elevator system of version 1 only requires two traces 46 for the placement of two magnets 42 corresponding to the sensor modules 1LV, 2LV, DZI, SAC; one magnet corresponds to the two leveling sensors 1LV, 2LV and the door zone magnet DZI disposed at each landing and the other magnet corresponds to the performance monitoring sensor SAC disposed at a main floor. Existing elevator position apparatuses that use a tape are generally considered too costly to be modified for use in the elevator system of version 1. However, the elevator position apparatus 11 embodying the principles of the present invention is easily and inexpensively modified to version 1 by simply installing the 1LV, 2LV, DZI and SAC sensor modules into the universal reader 44 and properly placing magnets 42 on the steel tape 29 without the need for further modification.
[0020] Version 2 illustrates an elevator system that further includes limit switch sensor modules 1LS, 2LS for determining the top and bottom terminal positions. The ability to determine the top and bottom terminals is useful, for example, in elevator systems which perform correction runs after a power failure. Once again, the elevator position apparatus 11 embodying the principles of the present invention is easily and inexpensively modified to version 2 by simply installing the 1LV, 2LV, DZI 1LS, 2LS and SAC sensor modules into the universal reader 44 and properly placing magnets 42 on the steel tape 29 without the need for further modification.
[0021] Version 3 illustrates a similar elevator system with a larger distance between the leveling sensor modules 1LV, 2LV to provide additional information derived from measurements of level signals produced by the sensor modules 1LV, 2LV.
[0022] Version 4 further includes releveling sensors UIS, DIS for providing a more advanced leveling performance.
[0023] Version 5 further includes a deceleration down sensor module IPD, a deceleration up sensor module IPU, and a delayed releveling sensor module DIS1. The deceleration up and down sensor modules IPU, IPD are required by elevator systems that are not able to derive the position at which to begin a deceleration for stopping at a landing (i.e., an elevator system without a speed encoder). The delayed releveling sensor module DIS1 provides additional information for advanced leveling functions that are required by some elevator systems. For example, hydraulic elevators have different leveling requirements at the bottom terminal and thus require a delayed releveling sensor DIS1.
[0024] Version 6 illustrates a sensor module configuration similar to version 5 with the exception of not including releveling functions and including a different distance between the leveling sensors 1LV, 2LV.
[0025] Each of the aforementioned versions are examples of how the present invention may easily accommodate a wide variety of sensor requirements and it should be understood by one skilled in the art that other suitable sensor module arrangements can be used without departing from the scope of the present invention.
[0026] Thus, the present invention allows the number of sensor modules 31 to be optimized to each elevator system without altering the physical components of the universal reader 44. The only physical change required to adapt the elevator position apparatus of the present invention from one elevator system to another with different sensor requirements consists of adding or subtracting a given number of sensor modules 31 and their associated magnets 42. Therefore, the elevator position apparatus 11 of the present invention provides a significant cost reduction in terms of both physical components and the amount of time spent on installing or modifying the elevator position apparatus.
[0027] Additionally, the present invention eliminates need for the PCB, which interfaces with the controller 22, because each sensor module 31 includes the electrical components required to directly transmit signals between the sensor modules 31 and the elevator controller 22. Thus, each sensor module 31 can provide sensor signals directly to the controller without the need for further signal processing. Elimination of the PCB provides the ability to easily modify the position detection apparatus 11 by adding or subtracting sensor modules 31 and their associated magnets 42 without the need for modifying a controller interface, such as the PCB. Eliminating the PCB also provides the advantage of improved fault detection and system repair because only the malfunctioning sensor modules need to be removed and replaced, as opposed to replacing or repairing the PCB.
1. An elevator position apparatus configured for a plurality of types of elevator systems,
said elevator position apparatus comprising:
an encoded medium disposed in an elevator hoistway;
a group of sensor modules corresponding to an elevator system of the plurality of types of elevator systems, said group of sensor modules providing sensor signals to the elevator system in response to said encoded medium; and
a universal reader having a group of apertures configured for each elevator system of the plurality of types of elevator systems, the group of apertures having a subgroup of apertures selectively for receiving said group of sensor modules corresponding to the elevator system;
wherein, the group of apertures of said universal reader is configured for receiving other groups of sensor modules such that the elevator position apparatus may be selectively configured for each of the plurality of types of elevator systems.
2. An elevator position apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said universal reader
further comprises a guide attached to said universal reader for providing a constant
distance between said encoded medium and said group of sensor modules;
3. An elevator position apparatus as recited in claim 1 or 2, wherein said sensor modules
comprise a compartmentalized hall sensor, voltage stabilization circuitry and power
circuitry.
4. An elevator position apparatus as recited in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said encoded
medium comprises a steel tape disposed vertically in the elevator hoistway.
5. An elevator position apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein said encoded medium
further comprises magnets disposed on said steel tape.
6. An elevator position apparatus as recited in any preceding claim, wherein said encoded
medium is encoded by disposing magnets along discrete traces of said encoded medium.
7. An elevator position apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein said encoded medium
comprises three discrete traces such that said encoded medium is encoded by disposing
magnets along the three discrete traces.
8. An elevator position apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said group
of sensor modules includes a door zone sensor and a leveling sensor.
9. An elevator position apparatus as recited in any preceding claim, wherein the group
of apertures includes at least eleven apertures such that said universal reader is
configured for each elevator system of the plurality of types of elevator systems.
10. An elevator position apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said elevator
system has a controller, said group of sensor modules directly providing sensor signals
to the controller in response to said encoded medium without the need for further
signal processing.