Technical field
[0001] The present invention relates to an operation panel for an elevator car having at
least two car doors and an operation method thereof, an elevator control system including
the operation panel and an elevator including the elevator control system.
Background
[0002] The elevator car is usually provided with an operation panel, which includes a floor
button for passengers to register the destination floor and a door opening and closing
button for passengers to open and close the elevator door. In some applications, an
elevator car includes more than one car door, such as two car doors, to provide different
access areas on the same floor. For safety reasons, elevator cars usually only open
one of a plurality of car doors.
[0003] For this application, there is a need for an operation panel, which can register
which car door of the plurality of car doors is to be opened while registering floors,
and prevent more than two car doors from being opened at the same time. Furthermore,
there is a need for an elevator control system including the operation panel and an
elevator including the elevator control system.
Summary
[0004] An object of the present invention is to provide an operation panel for an elevator
car having at least two car doors. According to the operation panel, destination floor
information and car door opening information are registered through at least two confirmation
buttons respectively corresponding to the at least two car doors, thereby providing
a cost-effective and simple operation panel for an elevator car with at least two
car doors. In addition, with only one decimal numeric keypad, passengers can input
any desired floor number, and the operation panel can be relatively cheap and save
panel space to expand other functions, for example, a card reader can be further installed.
[0005] An embodiment of the present invention provides an operation panel for an elevator
car having at least two car doors, the operation panel includes: a numeric keypad
for entering a destination floor number; at least two confirmation buttons respectively
corresponding to the at least two car doors, and the confirmation buttons are configured
to confirm the entered destination floor number and the car door to be opened after
being pressed, so that: by only entering the destination floor number via the numeric
keypad, the elevator car does not start; after entering the destination floor number
via the numeric keypad and pressing one of the at least two confirmation buttons,
the elevator car starts to reach the destination floor, and opens the car door corresponding
to the confirmation button.
[0006] In some examples, the operation panel is configured to store a plurality of confirmed
destination floor numbers, in order to start the elevator car to reach the plurality
of destination floors in sequence, and then open the car doors corresponding to the
pressed confirmation button each time.
[0007] In some examples, the operation panel further includes: a display showing the entered
destination floor numbers and the confirmed destination floor numbers.
[0008] In some examples, the display displays an operation tips prompting the passenger
to press one of the at least two confirmation buttons to confirm the destination floor
when the destination floor number has been entered but the confirmation button has
not been pressed.
[0009] In some examples, the operation panel further includes: a modification button configured
to cancel or re-enter the destination floor number after being pressed.
[0010] In some examples, the operation panel further includes: at least two labels provided
around the at least two confirmation buttons to indicate which of the at least two
car doors each of the at least two confirmation buttons corresponds to.
[0011] In some examples, the numeric keypad is a decimal numeric keypad.
[0012] In some examples, the operation panel further includes: a card reader for reading
an electronic card storing passenger identification information, access floor information,
and/or car door opening information.
[0013] An embodiment of the present invention provides an elevator control system, including
a control box and the operation panel described above, and the control box is configured
to receive instructions input from the operation panel to control the elevator car.
[0014] An embodiment of the present invention provides an elevator, including an elevator
car having at least two car doors and the elevator control system described above.
[0015] An embodiment of the present invention provides an operating method for an operation
panel of an elevator car having at least two car doors, the method including: entering
a destination floor number via a numeric keypad; pressing one of at least two confirmation
buttons to start the elevator car to reach the destination floor, and open the car
door corresponding to the confirmation button, wherein the at least two confirmation
buttons respectively correspond to the at least two car doors.
[0016] In some examples, the method further includes: entering a plurality of destination
floor numbers via the numeric keypad; after the destination floor number being entered
each time, pressing one of the at least two confirmation buttons, in order to start
the elevator car to reach the plurality of destination floors in sequence, and then
open the car doors corresponding to the pressed confirmation button each time.
[0017] In some examples, the method further includes: showing the entered destination floor
numbers and the confirmed destination floor numbers by a display.
[0018] In some examples, the method further includes: displaying on a screen of the display
operation tips prompting the passenger to press one of the at least two confirmation
buttons to confirm the destination floor when the destination floor number has been
entered but the confirmation button has not been pressed.
[0019] In some examples, the method further includes: pressing a modification button to
cancel or re-enter the destination floor number.
[0020] In some examples, the method further includes: reading an electronic card storing
passenger identification information, access floor information, and/or car door opening
information via a card reader.
[0021] The beneficial technical effects of the technical solution of the present invention
are: the operation panel registers the destination floor information and car door
opening information by at least two confirmation buttons respectively corresponding
to the at least two car doors, prevents a plurality of car doors from opening at the
same time, and the destination floor is input by only one numeric keypad, thus the
operation panel having low manufacturing cost, simple operation and saving panel space.
Brief description of the drawings
[0022] In order to explain the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention
more clearly, a brief description about the drawings of the embodiments will be given
below. Obviously, the drawings described below merely concern some of the embodiments
of the present invention, rather than limitation to the present invention.
FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of an operation panel according to an embodiment of
the present disclosure;
FIG. 2 illustrates a plan view of an elevator car having at least two car doors according
to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic diagram that a display displays operation tips when
the confirmation button has not been pressed;
FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic diagram that a display displays operation tips of another
embodiment when the confirmation button has not been pressed;
FIG. 5 illustrates a front view of an operation panel according to another embodiment
of the present disclosure;
FIG. 6 illustrates a schematic diagram of an elevator control system according to
an embodiment of the present disclosure; and
FIGS. 7A-7C illustrate schematic diagrams of a display under different floor registration
conditions.
List of reference numerals
[0023]
- 1,1'
- Operation panel
- 2
- Numeric keypad
- 3
- First confirmation button
- 4
- Second confirmation button
- 5
- First display
- 6
- Second display
- 7
- First label
- 8
- Second label
- 9
- First group of door opening and closing buttons
- 10
- Second group of door opening and closing buttons
- 11
- Modification button
- 12
- Card reader
- 13
- Control box
Detailed description
[0024] In order to make objects, technical details and advantages of the embodiments of
the present disclosure apparent, the technical solutions of the embodiment will be
described in a clearly and fully understandable way in connection with the drawings
related to the embodiments of the present disclosure. It should be noted that the
described embodiments are just a part but not all of the embodiments of the present
disclosure. Based on the described embodiments herein, those skilled in the art can
obtain other embodiment(s), without any inventive work, which should be within the
scope of the present disclosure.
[0025] Unless otherwise defined, all the technical and scientific terms used herein have
the same meanings as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which
the present disclosure belongs. The terms "first," "second," etc., which are used
in the description and the claims of the present application for disclosure, are not
intended to indicate any sequence, amount or importance, but distinguish various components.
Similarly, similar words such as "a", "an" or "the" do not indicate the limitation
of quantity, but indicate the existence of at least one. The terms "comprise," "comprising,"
"include," "including," etc., are intended to specify that the elements or the objects
stated before these terms encompass the elements or the objects and equivalents thereof
listed after these terms, but do not preclude the other elements or objects. The phrases
"connect", "connected", etc., are not intended to define a physical connection or
mechanical connection, but may include an electrical connection, directly or indirectly.
"Upper", "lower", "left", "right", etc. are only used to indicate the relative positional
relationship, and when the absolute position of the object to be described is changed,
the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly.
[0026] The operation panel according to the present disclosure will be described in detail
with reference to the accompanying drawings hereafter.
[0027] FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of an operation panel according to an embodiment
of the present disclosure, FIG. 2 illustrates a plan view of an elevator car having
at least two car doors according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The operation
panel 1 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure is used for an elevator
car having at least two car doors, and the operation panel 1 includes:
a numeric keypad 2 for entering a destination floor number;
at least two confirmation buttons respectively corresponding to the at least two car
doors, and the confirmation buttons are configured to confirm the entered destination
floor number and the car door to be opened after being pressed, so that:
by only entering the destination floor number via the numeric keypad 2, the elevator
car does not start;
after entering the destination floor number via the numeric keypad 2 and pressing
one of the at least two confirmation buttons, the elevator car starts to reach the
destination floor, and opens the car door corresponding to the confirmation button.
[0028] For example, as illustrated in FIG. 2, an elevator car includes two car doors, i.e.,
a left car door and a right car door, which are respectively arranged on side A and
side C of the elevator car for passengers to enter and exit. The operation panel 1
according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can be arranged on the side B,
the side D1 or the side D2. The present invention is not limited to this, and different
numbers of car doors can be selected according to actual application, and adaptively,
the operation panel 1 includes confirmation buttons with the same number as the car
doors or corresponding to the number of car doors.
[0029] The operation panel 1 of the embodiment of the present disclosure will be described
by taking an elevator car with two car doors as an example hereafter.
[0030] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the operation panel 1 includes a numeric keypad 2, a first
confirmation button 3 and a second confirmation button 4. The first confirmation button
3 corresponds to the left car door, and the second confirmation button 4 corresponds
to the right car door. Therefore, by only entering the destination floor number via
the numeric keypad 2, the elevator car does not start. And after entering the destination
floor number via the numeric keypad 2 and pressing one of the first confirmation button
3 and the second confirmation button 4, the elevator car starts and reaches the destination
floor, and the car door corresponding to the confirmation button is opened. For example,
after entering the destination floor number via the numeric keypad 2 and pressing
the first confirmation button 3, the elevator car starts and reaches the destination
floor, and then opens the left car door. Similarly, after entering the destination
floor number via the numeric keypad 2 and pressing the second confirmation button
4, the elevator car starts and reaches the destination floor, and then open the right
car door.
[0031] Optionally, the first confirmation button 3 and the second confirmation button 4
can both be patterned buttons, such as the "☆" button illustrated in FIG. 1.
[0032] Optionally, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the operation panel 1 can also include a first
group of door opening and closing buttons 9 and a second group of door opening and
closing buttons 10, each of which includes a door opening button and a door closing
button for opening or closing the car door.
[0033] Optionally, the operation panel 1 is configured to store a plurality of confirmed
destination floor numbers, so as to start the elevator car to reach a plurality of
destination floors in turn, and open the car door corresponding to the confirmation
button pressed each time.
[0034] For example, when passengers entering the elevator wish to reach a plurality of destination
floors, they can input the confirmed destination floor numbers in the above manner,
that is, input the destination floor numbers via the numeric keypad 2 and press one
of the first confirmation button 3 and the second confirmation button 4. The operation
panel 1 is configured to store a plurality of confirmed destination floor numbers,
and sequentially arrive at a plurality of destination floors according to the order
of destination floor numbers from small to large (when the elevator runs upward) or
from large to small (when the elevator runs downward), and then open the car doors
corresponding to the confirmation buttons pressed each time. For example, passengers
enter the 2nd floor and press the first confirmation button 3, enter the 16th floor
and press the second confirmation button 4, then the elevator starts and reaches the
2nd floor first, and then opens the left car door. After that, the elevator closes
the left car door, continues to run up to the 16th floor, and then opens the right
car door.
[0035] For example, the operation panel 1 can also include displays 5 and 6, the displays
5 and 6 display the input destination floor numbers and the confirmed destination
floor numbers. Specifically, the operation panel 1 can include a first display 5 and
a second display 6, which are respectively used to display information related to
the left car door floor number and information related to the right car door floor
number.
[0036] FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic diagram that a display displays operation tips when
the confirmation button has not been pressed. Further, when the destination floor
number has been input but the confirmation button has not been pressed, the display
displays operation tips, and the operation tips prompt passengers to press one of
the at least two confirmation buttons to confirm the destination floor.
[0037] For example, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the registered floor is displayed on the left
side of the screen of the display. The term "registration" means input or entry, and
the registered floor can be understood as the input and confirmed floor. Operation
tips are displayed on the right side of the screen of the display, prompting passengers
to press OK after registering the floor, that is, enter the floor to be reached and
press the "☆" button (i.e. confirmation button) to confirm.
[0038] FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic diagram that a display displays operation tips of
another embodiment when the confirmation button has not been pressed. Optionally,
as illustrated in FIG. 1, the operation panel 1 can further include a modification
button 11, the modification button 11 is configured to cancel or re-enter the destination
floor number after being pressed. Optionally, the modification button 11 can be a
patterned button, such as the "-" button illustrated in FIG. 1.
[0039] As illustrated in FIG. 4, registered floors (for example, the 24th floor is registered)
are displayed on the left side of the screen of the display, and operation tips are
displayed on the right side of the screen of the display, prompting passengers to
press the "☆" button (i.e. confirmation button) to confirm or press the "-" button
(i.e. modification button) to cancel (minus sign) or re-enter (correct) the destination
floor number.
[0040] Optionally, the operation panel 1 can also include at least two labels arranged around
the at least two confirmation buttons to indicate each of the at least two confirmation
buttons corresponding to which of the at least two car doors.
[0041] For example, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the operation panel 1 includes a first label
7 and a second label 8, the first label 7 is arranged below the first confirmation
button 3 and marked with a prompt word of "left door confirmation", and the second
label 8 is arranged below the second confirmation button 4 and marked with a prompt
word of "right door confirmation". The present invention is not limited to this, and
the person skilled in the art can also set labels at other nearby positions of the
confirmation button, or the labels can have other prompt words, as long as they play
the role of indicating the car door corresponding to the confirmation button.
[0042] For example, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the numeric keypad 2 can be a decimal numeric
keypad. This kind of keypad usually includes at least ten keys or buttons, such as
numeric buttons from 0 to 9. With this decimal keypad, any desired floor number can
be input into the operation panel 1. In addition, in this embodiment, only one decimal
numeric keypad can correspond to at least two confirmation buttons, because the confirmation
buttons can not only confirm the input floor numbers, but also confirm which car door
to open. Therefore, compared with the traditional operation panel with a set of numeric
keypads corresponding to one confirmation button, the operation panel provided by
the present invention can be relatively cheap and space saving.
[0043] FIG. 5 illustrates a front view of an operation panel according to another embodiment
of the present disclosure. Hereinafter, only the differences between this embodiment
and the previous embodiments will be described. For example, an operation panel 1'
according to another embodiment of the present disclosure further includes a card
reader 12, the card reader is used to read electronic cards stored with passenger
identity information, floor access information and/or car door opening information.
In some examples, passengers can swipe their cards directly on the card reader 12,
and the card reader 12 reads corresponding information for subsequent operations.
For example, passenger information, floor access information and/or car door opening
information is confirmed. Further, the passenger's electronic card can carry the floor
access information and car door opening information, and the elevator can run automatically
only by swiping the card through the card reader 12 without inputting the floor number
and pressing the confirmation button.
[0044] FIG. 6 illustrates a schematic diagram of an elevator control system according to
an embodiment of the present disclosure. The embodiment of the present disclosure
further provides an elevator control system, which includes a control box 13 and the
operation panel 1 or 1' as described above, and the control box 13 is configured to
receive instructions input from the operation panel 1 or 1' to control the elevator
car. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the operation panel 1 or 1' is connected to the control
box 13 by cables so as to send and/or receive instructions from the control box 13.
[0045] Embodiments of the present disclosure further provide an elevator, the elevator includes
an elevator car having at least two car doors and the elevator control system as described
above.
[0046] In addition, the embodiment of the disclosure further provides an operation method
for an operation panel of an elevator car with at least two car doors, which includes
the following steps:
entering a destination floor number via a numeric keypad;
pressing one of at least two confirmation buttons to start the elevator car to reach
the destination floor, and open the car door corresponding to the confirmation button,
wherein the at least two confirmation buttons respectively correspond to the at least
two car doors.
[0047] For example, the method further includes:
entering a plurality of destination floor numbers via the numeric keypad;
after the destination floor number being entered each time, pressing one of the at
least two confirmation buttons, in order to start the elevator car to reach the plurality
of destination floors in sequence, and open the car doors corresponding to the pressed
confirmation button each time.
[0048] For example, the method further includes: showing the entered destination floor numbers
and the confirmed destination floor numbers by a display.
[0049] For example, the method further includes: displaying on a screen of the display operation
tips prompting the passenger to press one of the at least two confirmation buttons
to confirm the destination floor when the destination floor number has been entered
but the confirmation button has not been pressed.
[0050] For example, the method further includes: pressing a modification button to cancel
or re-enter the destination floor number.
[0051] For example, the method further includes: reading an electronic card storing passenger
identification information, access floor information, and/or car door opening information
via a card reader.
[0052] FIGS. 7A-7C illustrate schematic diagrams of a display under different floor registration
conditions. In a first case, FIG. 7A illustrates an example of the screen of the display
when registration is successful. It can be seen from FIG. 7A that the registered floors
are floors 1, 8, 12, 18, 20A, 24, 26, 36B and 40 at this time. When the passenger
enters the destination floor number (excluding the above-mentioned registered floors)
via the numeric keypad and presses one of the at least two confirmation buttons, the
right side of the screen displays "registration is successful".
[0053] In a second case, FIG. 7B illustrates an example of the screen of the display when
floors are registered. At this time, the registered floors are floors 1, 8, 12, 18,
20A, 24, 26, 36B and 40. When the destination floor number entered by passengers via
the numeric keypad and confirmed by the confirmation button is included in the above
registered floor numbers, "this floor has been registered" is displayed on the right
side of the screen.
[0054] In a third case, FIG. 7C illustrates an example of the screen of the display when
the floor is unavailable. When the destination floor number entered by the passenger
via the numeric keypad and confirmed by the confirmation button is that the elevator
cannot reach or exceed the elevator running floor range, "this floor is unavailable"
is displayed on the right side of the screen, and the passenger cannot register the
floor.
[0055] To sum up, the embodiments of the present invention provide an operation panel for
an elevator car having at least two car doors. According to the operation panel, destination
floor information and car door opening information are registered through at least
two confirmation buttons respectively corresponding to the at least two car doors,
thereby providing an operation panel which is cost-effective and simple to operate
and prevents a plurality of car doors from opening at the same time for elevator car
applications with at least two car doors. In addition, with only one decimal numeric
keypad, passengers can input any desired floor number, and the operation panel can
be relatively cheap and save panel space to expand other functions, for example, a
card reader can be further installed. In addition, the embodiments of the invention
further provide an operation method of the operation panel, an elevator control system
including the operation panel and an elevator including the elevator control system.
[0056] What have been described above are only specific implementations of the present disclosure,
the protection scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Any changes,
substitutions or combinations easily occur to those skilled in the art within the
technical scope or the principle of the present disclosure should be covered in the
protection scope of the present disclosure.
1. An operation panel for an elevator car having at least two car doors, the operation
panel comprising:
a numeric keypad for entering a destination floor number;
at least two confirmation buttons respectively corresponding to the at least two car
doors, and the confirmation buttons are configured to confirm the entered destination
floor number and the car door to be opened after being pressed, so that:
by only entering the destination floor number via the numeric keypad, the elevator
car does not start;
after entering the destination floor number via the numeric keypad and pressing one
of the at least two confirmation buttons, the elevator car starts to reach the destination
floor, and opens the car door corresponding to the confirmation button.
2. The operation panel according to claim 1, wherein the operation panel is configured
to store a plurality of confirmed destination floor numbers, in order to start the
elevator car to reach the plurality of destination floors in sequence, and then open
the car doors corresponding to the pressed confirmation button each time.
3. The operation panel according to claim 2, further comprising: a display showing the
entered destination floor numbers and the confirmed destination floor numbers.
4. The operation panel according to claim 3, wherein the display displays operation tips
prompting the passenger to press one of the at least two confirmation buttons to confirm
the destination floor when the destination floor number has been entered but the confirmation
button has not been pressed.
5. The operation panel according to claim 1, further comprising:
a modification button configured to cancel or re-enter the destination floor number
after being pressed.
6. The operation panel according to claim 1, further comprising:
at least two labels provided around the at least two confirmation buttons to indicate
which of the at least two car doors each of the at least two confirmation buttons
corresponds to.
7. The operation panel according to claim 1, wherein the numeric keypad is a decimal
numeric keypad.
8. The operation panel according to any of claims 1 to 7, further comprising:
a card reader for reading an electronic card storing passenger identification information,
access floor information, and/or car door opening information.
9. An elevator control system, comprising a control box and the operation panel according
to any one of claims 1 to 8, and the control box being configured to receive instructions
input from the operation panel to control the elevator car.
10. An elevator, comprising an elevator car having at least two car doors and the elevator
control system according to claim 9.
11. An operating method for an operation panel of an elevator car having at least two
car doors, the method comprising:
entering a destination floor number via a numeric keypad;
pressing one of at least two confirmation buttons to start the elevator car to reach
the destination floor, and open the car door corresponding to the confirmation button,
wherein the at least two confirmation buttons respectively correspond to the at least
two car doors.
12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:
entering a plurality of destination floor numbers via the numeric keypad;
after the destination floor number being entered each time, pressing one of the at
least two confirmation buttons, in order to start the elevator car to reach the plurality
of destination floors in sequence, and then open the car doors corresponding to the
pressed confirmation button each time.
13. The method according to claim 11 or 12, further comprising:
showing the entered destination floor numbers and the confirmed destination floor
numbers by a display.
14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:
displaying on a screen of the display operation tips prompting the passenger to press
one of the at least two confirmation buttons to confirm the destination floor when
the destination floor number has been entered but the confirmation button has not
been pressed.
15. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:
pressing a modification button to cancel or re-enter the destination floor number.