Method for predicting failures in passenger transportation systems

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for predicting the degradation of a braking system included in a passenger movement system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a method for predicting the degradation of a brake system contained in a passenger movement system and to the use of said method in a passenger movement system. Background Art

[0002] Passenger movement systems, including escalators, moving walks, and elevators, will stop at various times during their service life for various reasons. Once a "stop" signal is registered, the moving panel of an escalator or moving walkway, or the car of an elevator, will first decelerate before stopping. This stopping process generates vibrations and friction between the moving components. At the beginning of a movement system's service life, the "stop" command may be effective for a very short time, and the corresponding stopping distance covers a minimum distance. This distance is typically measured in millimeters (mm). However, over time, due to the normal "wear and tear" of the movement system, this stopping distance gradually increases and continues to increase until safety is compromised. All movement systems include a control unit that is configured to shut down the movement system if the stopping distance is too large and no longer meets safety requirements (e.g., guidelines or regulations EN115, B44).

[0003] The current method of monitoring the health of passenger movement systems and ensuring they comply with safety regulations involves technicians manually inspecting all parts of the system during routine maintenance checks. In this particular case, the technicians will manually inspect the brake shoes of escalators, moving walkways, or elevators.

[0004] Some passenger transfer systems include a display unit that informs technicians of the nature of the fault. Other systems lack such a display unit, forcing technicians to conduct a comprehensive inspection of the passenger transfer system to deduce the fault. Regardless of whether a display is available, this process is time-consuming for the technician, expensive for the customer, and significantly inconvenient for passengers, as the passenger transfer system must appear "out of order."

[0005] EP 3363758 A1 discloses a mechanism for monitoring the operation of a passenger transport device. U.S. Patent 5785165 discloses a data collection and analysis system for a passenger conveyor. However, neither of these documents directly addresses the problem of failures in braking systems, nor the ability to predict failures before they occur. Furthermore, no two passenger transport systems are identical, meaning that predictions for one system may not be the same for a second system.

[0006] In general, the sensor-based braking detection systems disclosed in US 2018 / 0029839 A1 and US 2018 / 0032598 A1 are known for use as passenger transport systems in escalators. To achieve this, the braking detection system includes a sensor positioned above the escalator that detects the escalator's braking distance using an imaging sensor and / or a depth-sensing sensor. However, this detection system can become problematic if, for example, there are many people or obstacles on the braking escalator, or if, for example, plant branches grow between the sensor and the braking escalator to be detected. Consequently, the sensor is no longer able to identify the actual mechanical component whose braking distance is to be detected. In such cases, the proposed detection is impossible according to the prior art. Summary of the Invention

[0007] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to alleviate these problems so that

[0008] - Save technicians’ time;

[0009] - save money for owners of passenger movement systems; and

[0010] - Reduce annoyance to passengers.

[0011] This object is achieved by the following method and the following use.

[0012] The present invention relates to a method for predicting the deterioration of a braking system included in a passenger transportation system. Preferably, the passenger transportation system includes an escalator, an elevator, and a moving walkway. Preferably, the method comprises the following steps:

[0013] a. Place one or more sensors within the system that communicate with any one or more of the following:

[0014] - Main axis of the passenger transfer system;

[0015] - at least one movable panel of a passenger movement system, wherein preferably the at least one movable panel comprises a tray of a moving walkway, a step of an escalator, or a panel of an elevator car;

[0016] -Motors for passenger transport systems;

[0017] - Control unit for the passenger transfer system;

[0018] - Gateway devices, e.g., Internet of Things (IoT) devices, e.g., cloud.

[0019] Placing one or more sensors within the system means physically integrating them into the passenger movement system (e.g., an elevator, escalator, or moving walkway). In other words, the sensor or sensors are surrounded by the passenger movement system. This allows monitoring of values ​​at various locations within the passenger movement system and also means that an unobstructed line of sight between external sensors and the system is not required. The integrated placement of each sensor allows for greater application flexibility. Consequently, a passenger movement system can be equipped with sensors that are independent of its environment. For example, external lighting is not required. Similarly, the presence of a large number of people on an escalator, for example, is irrelevant to the sensor's detection capabilities. This is due to the fact that, in the exemplary escalator, detection is performed remotely from the inside, rather than from above. Furthermore, the absence of visible sensors allows for a more harmonious design of the passenger movement system. Sensors can be manufactured more cost-effectively because they do not require the same level of isolation from the external environment as fully external sensors. Furthermore, they require a smaller detection spectrum than remote sensors (e.g., those detecting from above). Furthermore, these features can reduce detection inaccuracies. These advantages apply individually or in combination to all passenger movement systems. Where escalators are mentioned, this applies only as an example.

[0020] Preferably, the one or more sensors communicate with the control unit via a wireless connection or via hardware. Preferably, the control unit communicates with the cloud via a wireless connection or via hardware.

[0021] b. Activate one or more sensors. This is achieved when:

[0022] - each time at least one transport panel passes at least one sensor during its transport; or

[0023] - Number of times per motor revolution; or

[0024] -A few times per spindle revolution.

[0025] Preferably, the one or more sensors are adapted to respond to changes in movement of the passenger movement system.Preferably, the sensor(s) continuously measure speed.

[0026] Data acquisition starts when the (multiple) movable panels start to stop. At this point, the stopping distance is measured within predefined time intervals until the (multiple) movable panels have come to a complete stop. Preferred sensors include magnetic sensors, inductive sensors, optical sensors, capacitive sensors, encoder sensors, such as rotary encoders. Optical sensors are in particular laser sensors, wherein such optical sensors without external light supply are particularly preferred. For example, only one or more inductive sensors can be used, which have proven to be particularly accurate. Even in complete darkness, these sensors can detect independently of any lighting, so that the interior of the passenger transfer system does not require lighting. Preferably, the passenger transfer system is stopped, for example, by a safety switch, a mechanical switch, a button or any other stopping mechanism known in the art. Activating any of these stopping mechanisms will activate at least one sensor.

[0027] c. Data collection is performed each time the passenger mover stops, i.e., data is collected. Data collection begins when the moving panel begins to decelerate and continues until the passenger mover stops.

[0028] d. preferably refining the collected or gathered data by applying one or more predetermined filters, wherein the filters are at least one selected from the group consisting of:

[0029] - When the escalator starts in the wrong direction and must be stopped to restart in the desired direction;

[0030] - The transport system is stopped due to technical maintenance;

[0031] - In the case of a supermarket passenger mover, when it is operating at full capacity and there is no free space on the mover panel. This represents an exceptional situation and will cause anomalies in the average stopping distance calculation.

[0032] Any stop resulting from at least one of these events is considered “abnormal”;

[0033] e. Run the refined collected data through an algorithm to calculate the stopping distance in millimeters (mm). Stopping distances and related regulatory guidelines may vary for different brands of escalators.

[0034] Preferably, method steps c. to d. are repeated over a defined period of time. Preferably, the defined period of time is hours, days, weeks or months. Preferably, the period of time covers at least one month and at most 31 days, so that data can be compared "month by month".

[0035] The command signal to start maintenance operation is triggered in the following cases:

[0036] - when the calculated stopping distance reaches a predetermined threshold, or

[0037] - When the change from one value to another value under similar conditions but within a previous time interval has reached a predetermined threshold.

[0038] When the stopping distance reaches and / or exceeds a predetermined threshold, the control unit is adapted to intercept the passenger movement system, i.e., it causes the passenger movement system to shut down until necessary maintenance work can be performed. This threshold is determined based on regulatory guidelines for the specific passenger movement system. For example, the relevant regulatory guidelines for escalators are EN 115 / B44. This advantageously provides a method tailored to the safety requirements of a specific passenger movement system, allowing for monitoring excessive stopping distances and predicting when the brake system is about to fail.

[0039] Preferably, the maintenance operation includes:

[0040] - notify relevant parties, e.g. the client; building services manager; technician, that an inspection of, e.g., the brakes on an escalator is required; and / or

[0041] - Repair or replacement is then carried out. This can, for example, take the form of displaying an error code on a display unit within the passenger movement system. This advantageously avoids the risk of exceeding an excessive stopping distance and thus avoiding an automatic shutdown of the passenger movement system.

[0042] The method may be performed within a predetermined time period, preferably continuously within the predetermined time period. The method may be adapted to collect data at predefined time intervals within the time period. For example, the method may be performed in the following manner:

[0043] - collecting data over a period of several months, wherein the data is collected, for example, every two or three days; or

[0044] - Collect data over several months, where, for example, data is collected every 5 hours; or

[0045] - Collect data over several months, where, for example, data is collected every 1 to 5 minutes.

[0046] The prescribed time period and the predefined time intervals within said time period can vary between minutes, hours, days and months. This optimizes maintenance efficiency and extends the service life of the transport system.

[0047] Preferably, a filtering operation is applied after step (e) to identify any trends in stopping distances. This advantageously ensures that only useful data is considered and prevents any "outlier" data from skewing the results and negatively impacting excessive stopping distances.

[0048] Preferably, the predetermined threshold is set based on regulatory guidelines relevant to a particular type of passenger movement system. This advantageously provides a "customized" approach that can be applied to any type of passenger movement system. Tables 1 and 2 provide detailed information on excessive stopping distances for escalators and moving walkways, respectively, as per regulatory guidelines EN 115.

[0049] Table 1 – Stopping distances for escalators

[0050]

[0051] Table 2 – Stopping distances for moving walkways

[0052]

[0053] Preferably, the prescribed time period is a time period selected from the group consisting of:

[0054] - any number of months between 1 and 50 months,

[0055] - any number of months between 2 and 36 months,

[0056] - any number of months between 2 and 24 months,

[0057] - Any number of months between 2 and 12 months.

[0058] Preferably, the predefined time interval for collecting data within the prescribed time period may be any one time interval selected from the group consisting of:

[0059] - Every minute; Every minute; Every n minute;

[0060] - every hour; every hour; every n Hour;

[0061] - Every day; Every other day; Every n sky.

[0062] This advantageously allows for flexibility in the method.

[0063] The present invention relates to the use of the above method in a passenger transfer system.

[0064] Preferably, the passenger transfer system is selected from the group consisting of:

[0065] - elevator;

[0066] - escalators;

[0067] - Moving walkways. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0068] The invention is described in more detail with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0069] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a passenger transfer system implementing a method according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0070] Figure 2 shows a schematic step diagram of a method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0071] Figure 3 Shown are schematic graphical representations of selected method steps according to an embodiment of the present invention. Specific embodiments

[0073] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a passenger movement system 10 implementing a method 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. In this particular example, the moving walkway 10 is an escalator, which includes a control unit 100 and at least one movable panel 101. The control unit 100 communicates with a gateway device (not shown) (e.g., a computer or portable laptop), where, for example, the computer is equipped with the software necessary to communicate with the control unit 100, thereby allowing for continuous monitoring of the condition of the escalator 10. While only one sensor is required to perform this method, three sensors are shown in this example. A first sensor 11 is positioned to measure the movement of the at least one movable panel 101 around the exit of the escalator 10. A second sensor 12 is positioned to measure the movement of the at least one movable panel 101 around the middle of the escalator 10, and a third sensor n is positioned to measure the movement of the at least one movable panel 101 around the entrance of the escalator 10. The sensors 11, 12, and n used in this particular example are magnetic sensors. One or more sensors may also be positioned in the motor (not shown) or spindle (not shown) so that the sensor(s) can detect any starts and stops. During the transport cycle, sensors 11, 12, n are activated each time the associated transport panel 101 passes by them. When the transport panel begins to stop, data collection begins and the stopping distance is continuously measured until the panel comes to a complete stop. The stopping maneuver, particularly excessive stopping distances, is analyzed by the control unit 100 to provide a prediction of the condition of the braking system (not shown). This analysis involves the method outlined in steps 101 to 110.

[0074] Steps 101 to 103 are performed at the control unit 100 of the passenger movement system. Step 101 involves collecting data regarding the stopping distance each time the moving walkway 10 stops. Step 101 is initiated upon activation of at least one sensor 11, 12, n. Step 102 involves calculating the corresponding stopping distance. This information is then sent to an interface module in step 103. In this particular example, the interface module is an Internet of Things (IoT) device, such as a cloud-based system. The calculated distance(s) are pre-processed in step 104, which involves basic filtering of the data. The pre-processed data is then transferred to a database in step 105. The database can be hardware (e.g., USB) or located in the cloud. The control unit 100 is adapted to transfer this information to the database for data analysis and processing.

[0075] Once in the database, it is processed in step 106, allowing the data to be filtered in step 107. Filtering involves removing outliers, taking into account the normal or other behavior of the escalator 10. This includes, for example, removing any stop data recorded when the unit was traveling at a speed different from the rated speed, or when the escalator 10 stopped "abnormally," for example,

[0076] - it starts in the wrong direction of travel and stops immediately before reaching its rated speed; or

[0077] - the emergency stop is triggered; or

[0078] - technical maintenance is carried out; or

[0079] - The escalator 10 is running at full capacity, ie there is no room for more passengers to travel on it.

[0080] In such special cases, the stopping distance will be abnormal and therefore not truly reflect normal braking operation. If the escalator stops due to traveling in the wrong direction, the stopping distance will be small due to the escalator's slow speed for a short period of time. If the escalator is moving at a higher speed and the emergency brake is triggered, the stopping distance will be greater. If any of these situations occur, the escalator will stop normally, but the corresponding data reading will be described as "abnormal" and therefore preferably discounted during processing. A stopping distance variation of a few millimeters or less (e.g., 2-20 mm) over a period of, for example, one week is considered "normal." While monitoring the stopping distance over a specified period of time (e.g., 31 days), the stopping distance is expected to increase due to increased brake wear. The data is then analyzed in step 108.

[0081] Analysis 108 may include:

[0082] - Consider the resolution of the signal that produces the point with the smallest change. This depends on the amount of data stored in the database. Reducing the resolution makes it easier to filter the results;

[0083] - Select the maximum or minimum value of the data associated with a specific time period. If necessary, the nature of the selected value can vary between the maximum and minimum values;

[0084] - Analyze selected values ​​to find trends to detect consistency in stopping distances;

[0085] - In addition or as an alternative to the previous point, cross-check the absolute values ​​obtained using predefined threshold values. According to relevant regulatory guidelines, e.g. EN115 / B44, the threshold values ​​may vary depending on the unit type and rated speed.

[0086] Once the analysis is complete, the results are obtained in step 109. When the stopping distance has reached a predetermined threshold, or when the change from one value to another value under similar conditions but within a previous time interval has reached a predetermined threshold, an alarm is generated in step 110 to notify the relevant parties, such as the customer; the building service manager; or the technician, that the brakes of the escalator 10 need to be inspected and, if necessary, repaired, replaced, or adjusted.

[0087] Figure 2 Shown Figure 1 Flowchart of the method steps outlined in .

[0088] Figure 3 The figure shows the difference between the data recorded before and after the analysis between steps 101 and 108. The upper graph corresponds to step 101, where data points were recorded for each day. The x-axis represents the time of each escalator stop. Several points can be recorded per day. The y-axis details the stopping distance in millimeters, ranging from 240 mm to 280 mm.

[0089] The middle graph shows the recorded data after filtering in step 107. The data points with arrows in the first graph depict "abnormal" readings and are disregarded in the filtering step, thereby reducing the number of total data points. The middle graph has an x-axis detailing the date and a y-axis detailing the stopping distance in millimeters, ranging from 255 mm to 280 mm.

[0090] The bottom chart shows the data recorded after the final analysis has been performed in step 108 and the results are provided (step 109). Average data points are recorded to represent the readings for a particular week. The x-axis details the "number of weeks", in this particular example the time period is 6 weeks. The y-axis details the stopping distance in millimeters, now ranging from 268 mm to 276 mm. In this particular example, if the predetermined threshold for the stopping distance is 280 mm, no alarm will be triggered because the maximum stopping distance recorded is 276 mm. Therefore, the escalator 10 will be allowed to continue normal operation. However, if the predetermined threshold is 275 mm or 276 mm, the highest recorded value of 276 mm reaches or exceeds this threshold, so an alarm signal is generated to initiate a maintenance action, i.e. to notify the relevant parties, such as the customer; the building services manager; the technician, that the brakes of the escalator 10 need to be inspected and, if necessary, repaired, replaced or adjusted. If the data is processed in the cloud, it can be Figure 2 Any step in the method shown triggers an alarm signal. The control unit 100 transmits the measured value of the stopping distance to the cloud based on the input of the sensors 11, 12, n.

[0091] Reference Signs List

[0092] 10 Passenger Transfer System

[0093] 11 Sensors

[0094] 12 Sensors

[0095] Sensor

[0096] 101 Transfer Panel

[0097] 100 Methods and Steps

[0098] 101 Methods and Steps

[0099] 102 Methods and Steps

[0100] 103 Methods and Steps

[0101] 104 Methods and Steps

[0102] 105 Methods and Steps

[0103] 106 Methods and Steps

[0104] 107 Methods and Steps

[0105] 108 Methods and Steps

[0106] 109 Methods and Steps

[0107] 110 Methods and Steps

Claims

1. A method for predicting the deterioration of a braking system included in a passenger transport system (10), the method comprising the following method steps: a. placing one or more sensors (11, 12, n) within the system (10), the one or more sensors being physically integrated into and surrounded by the passenger movement system (10) so as to communicate with any one or more of: - the main shaft of the passenger transfer system (10); - at least one movable panel (101) of the passenger transfer system (10); - a motor of the passenger transfer system (10); - a control unit (100) of the passenger transfer system (10); - Gateway device; b. activating the at least one sensor (11, 12, n) in the following situations: - each time at least one mobile panel passes by at least one sensor (11, 12, n) during its transport; - a few times per motor revolution; or - Number of spindle revolutions; c. collecting data each time the passenger transport system (10) stops, data collection begins when the movable panel begins to decelerate and continues until the passenger transport system stops; d. Refining the collected data by applying one or more predetermined filters, wherein the filters are selected from the group consisting of at least one event selected from the group consisting of the following events, any stop caused by at least one of these events being considered an "abnormal" event: - When the escalator starts in the wrong direction and must be stopped to restart in the desired direction; - The passenger transfer system is stopped for technical maintenance; - in the case of a supermarket passenger transfer system, when it is operating at full capacity and there is no free space on the transfer panel; e. Calculate stopping distance by running an algorithm to refine the collected data; wherein steps c. to d. of the method are repeated within a prescribed time period; A command signal for starting a maintenance operation is triggered when the calculated stopping distance reaches a predetermined threshold.

2. The method according to claim 1, It is characterized by: One or more of the sensors (11, 12, n) are one or more of the following: - Magnetic sensors; - Inductive sensors; - Optical sensors; - Capacitive sensors; - Encoder sensor.

3. The method according to claim 2, It is characterized by: The encoder sensor is a rotary encoder.

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, It is characterized by: A filtering operation is applied after step (e) to identify any trends in the stopping distances.

5. The method according to claim 1, It is characterized by: The predetermined threshold is set according to regulatory guidelines related to the passenger movement system.

6. The method according to claim 1, It is characterized by: The prescribed time period is one selected from the group consisting of any number of months between 1 month and 50 months.

7. The method according to claim 1, It is characterized by: The threshold is determined according to regulatory guidelines for the particular passenger movement system.

8. The method according to claim 7, It is characterized by: The passenger movement system is an escalator, and the regulatory guideline for escalators is EN115 / B44, so that the threshold value can be derived from the regulatory guideline.

9. Use of the method according to any of the preceding claims in a passenger movement system (10).

10. The use according to claim 9, wherein The passenger transfer system (10) is selected from the group consisting of: - elevator; - escalators; - Moving walkways.

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