Roller guider mounting type elevator monitoring system

Abstract

An elevator system includes an elevator car and a roller guide associated therewith. A roller is supported on the frame of the roller guide and is configured to rotate along the guide rail and limit movement of the elevator car in a first direction. A motion state sensing assembly is mounted to the roller guide and configured to measure a motion state of the elevator car. The motion state sensing assembly comprises an optical target and an optical encoder device located on the roller and an associated processor arranged to direct light energy towards the optical target and detect its response. A sensor housing is mounted to the roller guide with an optical encoder device disposed within the housing. A communication component is in communication with the processor and the elevator controller to communicate therebetween.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to elevator systems and, more particularly, to an elevator monitoring system mounted or otherwise attached to a roller guide of an elevator system. Background Art

[0002] An elevator system typically includes a plurality of belts or ropes (load bearing members) that move an elevator car vertically between a plurality of elevator landings within a hoistway or elevator shaft. When the elevator car stops at a respective one of the elevator landings, changes in the magnitude of the load within the elevator car may result in changes in the vertical motion state (e.g., position, velocity, speed, acceleration, etc.) of the elevator car relative to the landing. The elevator car may move vertically downward relative to the elevator landing, for example, when one or more passengers and / or cargo move from the landing into the elevator car. In another example, the elevator car may move vertically upward relative to the elevator landing when one or more passengers and / or cargo move from the elevator car onto the landing. Such changes in the vertical position of the elevator car may be caused by the extension and / or contraction of the soft hook spring and / or the load bearing members, particularly when the elevator system has a relatively large travel height and / or a relatively small number of load bearing members. In some cases, the extension and / or contraction of the load bearing members and / or the hook spring may cause disruptive oscillations in the vertical position of the elevator car, such as an up and down "bouncing" motion. Such stretching and / or contraction of the load bearing member may also result in position inaccuracies that cannot be controlled by the elevator machine encoder. Summary of the invention

[0003] According to some embodiments, an elevator system is provided. The elevator system includes: an elevator car arranged to travel on a guide rail through an elevator shaft; a roller guide mounted to the exterior of the elevator car; a roller supported on a frame of the roller guide, the roller configured to engage with and rotate along the guide rail and limit the movement of the elevator car in a first direction perpendicular to the travel direction of the elevator car; and a motion state sensing assembly mounted to the roller guide and configured to measure the motion state of the elevator car in the elevator shaft. The motion state sensing assembly includes: an optical target located on the roller; a printed circuit board having an optical encoder device and a processor mounted thereon, wherein the optical encoder device and the processor are electrically connected, and wherein the optical encoder device is arranged to direct light energy toward the optical target and detect a response of the directed light energy; a sensor housing mounted to the roller guide, wherein the optical encoder device is arranged in the sensor housing; and a communication assembly in communication with the processor and the elevator controller, wherein the processor is configured to transmit data from the processor to the elevator controller using the communication assembly.

[0004] In addition to or as an alternative to one or more of the features described herein, further embodiments of the elevator system may include the elevator controller being configured to control operation of the elevator car based on data transmitted from the motion state sensing component.

[0005] In addition to or alternatively to one or more of the features described herein, further embodiments of the elevator system may include an accelerometer mounted to the printed circuit board and electrically connected to the processor.

[0006] In addition to or as an alternative to one or more of the features described herein, further embodiments of the elevator system may include the processor being configured to receive motion state data from each of the optical encoder device and the accelerometer.

[0007] In addition to or alternatively to one or more of the features described herein, further embodiments of the elevator system may include that the sensor housing includes an opening arranged to align with the optical encoder element.

[0008] In addition to or as an alternative to one or more of the features described herein, further embodiments of the elevator system may include that the communication component includes a wireless communication chip.

[0009] In addition to or alternatively to one or more features described herein, further embodiments of the elevator system may include: the communication component includes a cable and a connector, wherein the cable is electrically connected to the printed circuit board and the connector is configured to connect to another device to transmit data from the processor to the elevator controller.

[0010] In addition to or alternatively to one or more features described herein, further embodiments of the elevator system may include that the roller includes a hub, and the optical target is located on a surface of the hub.

[0011] In addition to or alternatively to one or more features described herein, further embodiments of the elevator system may include that the optical target includes a first optical target located at an inner diameter of the hub and a second optical target located at an outer diameter of the hub.

[0012] In addition to or alternatively to one or more features described herein, further embodiments of the elevator system may include: a second roller mounted to the roller guide, wherein the second roller is configured to limit movement of the elevator car in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and a second motion state sensing assembly associated with the second roller.

[0013] In addition to or alternatively to one or more features described herein, further embodiments of the elevator system can include a third roller mounted to the roller guide, wherein the third roller is configured to limit movement of the elevator car in one of the first direction and the second direction.

[0014] In addition to or alternatively to one or more of the features described herein, further embodiments of the elevator system may include at least one of the sensor housing and the printed circuit board being secured to the non-rotating shaft of the roller.

[0015] In addition to or alternatively to one or more features described herein, further embodiments of the elevator system may include: the processor is configured to process data received from the optical encoder device to determine a motion state of the elevator car, wherein the motion state includes at least one of a position, velocity, speed, and acceleration of the elevator car within the elevator shaft.

[0016] In addition to or as an alternative to one or more of the features described herein, further embodiments of the elevator system may include transmitting at least one of the processed data and the determined motion state to an elevator controller using a communication component.

[0017] In addition to or alternatively to one or more of the features described herein, further embodiments of the elevator system may include that the optical target includes a marking pattern surrounding the roller.

[0018] In addition or alternatively to one or more of the features described herein, further embodiments of the elevator system may include that the marking pattern includes a marking concentration of between 10 and 15 lines per millimeter.

[0019] In addition to or as an alternative to one or more of the features described herein, further embodiments of the elevator system may include that the marking pattern includes a pattern of alternating reflective and non-reflective lines.

[0020] In addition to or alternatively to one or more of the features described herein, further embodiments of the elevator system may include that the optical target is configured to generate 2000 or more pulses per revolution (PPR).

[0021] In addition to or as an alternative to one or more of the features described herein, further embodiments of the elevator system may include that the encoder arrangement includes a 2x to 4x interpolation operation resulting in at least 4000 PPR to 8000 PPR.

[0022] In addition or alternatively to one or more of the features described herein, further embodiments of the elevator system may include that the optical encoder device is arranged at a separation distance of 0.5-1.25 millimeters from the optical target.

[0023] Unless otherwise expressly stated, the above features and elements may be combined in various combinations without exclusivity. These features and elements and their operation will become more apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings. However, it should be understood that the following description and accompanying drawings are intended to be illustrative and explanatory in nature and are not restrictive. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The above and other features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0025] Figure 1A is a schematic diagram of an elevator system in which various embodiments of the present disclosure may be employed;

[0026] Figure 1B is attached to the rail track Figure 1A A schematic side view of an elevator car;

[0027] Figure 2A is a partial isometric view of an elevator car frame having a roller guide according to an embodiment of the present disclosure mounted thereto;

[0028] Figure 2B yes Figure 2A A schematic plan view of one of the roller guides;

[0029] Figure 3A is a schematic diagram of an elevator car guide device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0030] Figure 3B yes Figure 3A A schematic diagram of a motion state sensing component of an elevator car guide device;

[0031] Figure 3C yes Figure 3B Alternative views of a motion state sensing component;

[0032] Figure 4A is a schematic diagram of an elevator car guide device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0033] Figure 4B yes Figure 4A a cross-sectional view of a portion of an elevator car guide device including features of a motion state sensing assembly associated therewith;

[0034] Figure 4C yes Figure 4A Another schematic diagram of the features of the motion state sensing assembly and the elevator car guide device;

[0035] Figure 5Ais a schematic diagram of a roller according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0036] Figure 5B yes Figure 5A A side cross-sectional view of the roller in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] Figure 1A 1 is a perspective view of an elevator system 101 including an elevator car 103, a counterweight 105, a load bearing member 107, guide rails 109, an elevator machine 111, a position encoder 113, and a controller 115. The elevator car 103 and the counterweight 105 are interconnected by the load bearing member 107. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the load bearing member 107 may include or be configured as, for example, one or more ropes, cables, coated steel belts, etc. The counterweight 105 is configured to balance the load of the elevator car 103 and is configured to facilitate simultaneous and opposite movement of the elevator car 103 relative to the counterweight 105 within the elevator shaft 117 and along the guide rails 109.

[0038] The load bearing member 107 is engaged with an elevator machine 111, which is part of the top structure of the elevator system 101. The elevator machine 111 is configured to control the movement of the elevator car 103 and the counterweight 105. The position encoder 113 is an optional component that can be mounted on the upper pulley of the governor system 119 and can be configured to provide a position signal related to the position of the elevator car 103 within the elevator shaft 117. In other embodiments, the position encoder 113 can be mounted directly to the moving components of the elevator machine 111, or can be located in other locations and / or configurations as known in the art.

[0039] In this non-limiting schematic diagram, the controller 115 is located in a controller room 121 of the elevator system 101 and is configured to control the operation of the elevator system 101, and in particular the operation of the elevator car 103. For example, the controller 115 can provide drive signals to the elevator machine 111 to control the acceleration, deceleration, leveling, stopping, etc. of the elevator car 103 in and / or along the elevator shaft 117. The controller 115 can also be configured to receive position signals from the position encoder 113 and / or other motion state sensors of the elevator system 101. When moving up and down in the elevator shaft 117 along the guide rails 109, the elevator car 103 can stop at one or more landings 125 as controlled by the controller 115. Although shown in the controller room 121, those skilled in the art will understand that the controller 115 can be located and / or configured in other locations or positions within the elevator system 101 without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0040] The elevator machine 111 may include a motor or similar drive mechanism. For example, in some embodiments and configurations, the elevator machine 111 may be configured to include an electrically driven motor. The power supply for the motor may be any power source supplied to the motor of the elevator machine 111, including the power grid.

[0041] Although shown and described as a roped system, elevator systems that employ other methods and mechanisms for moving an elevator car within an elevator hoistway may employ embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 1A These are non-limiting examples presented for purposes of illustration and explanation only.

[0042] Figure 1B 1 is a side schematic diagram of an elevator car 103 as operably connected to a guide rail 109. As shown, the elevator car 103 is connected to the guide rail 109 by one or more guide devices 127. The guide device 127 can be a guide shoe, a guide roller, etc., as will be understood by those skilled in the art. The guide rail 109 defines a guide rail track having a base 129 and blades 131 extending therefrom. The guide device 127 of the elevator car 103 is configured to run along and / or engage with the blades 131 of the guide rail 109. The guide rail 109 is mounted to the elevator shaft 117 ( Figure 1A 106 and 107. The guide rails 109 are mounted on a wall 133 of an elevator system (shown in FIG. 108 ). Mounting bracket 135 is a structural frame or support that is configured to be fixedly mounted to wall 133, such as by bolts, fasteners, etc., as is known in the art. Base 129 of guide rail 109 is fixedly attached to mounting bracket 135, and thus guide rail 109 can be fixedly and securely mounted to wall 133. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the guide rails of the counterweight of an elevator system (e.g., counterweight 105) can be similarly configured to travel along one or more guide rails.

[0043] Embodiments provided herein relate to devices, systems, and methods related to elevator control during travel and / or at landings. Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to components for motion state sensing arranged together with roller guides. Such a motion state sensing system may include one or more encoders, accelerometers, and / or other sensors and devices to monitor or detect the movement of an elevator car within an elevator shaft. As used herein, the term "motion state" refers to the position, velocity, and / or acceleration of an elevator car within an elevator shaft. For example, embodiments of the present disclosure are configured to provide motion state information about the position and / or movement of an elevator car within and / or along an elevator shaft.

[0044] In some embodiments, the vibration compensation system can be configured to receive information from the motion state sensing system to quickly adjust and resolve bounce, oscillation and / or vibration and / or position inaccuracy relative to the elevator landing level within the elevator system in response to the monitoring and / or sensing system as described herein. One type of compensation system can be an elevator dynamic compensation control mode, which is an operating mode used at the landing when the elevator car may move up or down (e.g., bounce) due to load changes and / or extension / contraction of load-bearing components (e.g., continuous re-leveling features). According to the embodiments provided herein, systems, structures and operating methods are provided to enable improved motion state detection relative to the positioning and / or movement of the elevator car in the elevator shaft. In some embodiments, the integrated and / or mounted motion state sensing components and systems are integrated or arranged relative to the roller guides of the elevator car to provide accurate motion state information of the elevator car in the elevator shaft. As mentioned, the term "motion state" as used herein includes various positions / motion states, including position, velocity, speed and / or acceleration.

[0045] In addition to re-leveling and dynamic compensation control, the embodiments provided herein may be used for normal operation / motion control, automatic recovery options, diagnostics, calibration at installation, elevator car position monitoring, etc. Therefore, the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to one specific application, and any specific application described herein is provided only for illustration and explanation purposes.

[0046] The embodiments described herein are directed to incorporating motion detection elements and / or functionality into roller guides (e.g., Figure 1B That is, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, one or more motion state sensing elements (e.g., encoders, accelerometers, etc.) are incorporated into the guide device so that the accurate motion state of the elevator car in the elevator shaft can be determined. The motion state information can then be used to minimize the vibration, oscillation, and bounce of the elevator car. Such motion state sensing elements may include, but are not limited to, encoders (e.g., optical encoders) and accelerometers and associated components for processing data collected by such devices and transmitting such data (processed or raw) to the elevator controller for feedback to the elevator control operation.

[0047] Now turn to Figure 2A-2B , a schematic diagram of an elevator car guide device according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 2A is a partial isometric view of an elevator car frame 200 having two elevator car guides 202 mounted thereon. Figure 2B2 is a top-down schematic diagram of an elevator car guide 202 as engaged with a guide rail 212 of an elevator system. The elevator car frame 200 includes a top cross beam frame 206 extending between vertical posts 208. The elevator car guide 202 is mounted to at least one of the top cross beam frame 206 and the vertical posts 208 at a mounting base 210, as is known in the art. The mounting base 210 defines at least a portion of a roller guide frame for mounting and supporting rolling members on the elevator car. The top cross beam frame 206 and the vertical posts 208 may define a portion of the elevator car frame and may be disposed outside of the passenger cabin (elevator car chamber). That is, the top cross beam frame 206 and the vertical posts 208 and the components mounted or attached thereto are components exposed to the elevator shaft and may interact with elements (e.g., guide rails, load bearing members, etc.) within the elevator shaft.

[0048] The elevator car guide devices 202 are each configured to be aligned with the guide rails 212 ( Figure 2B 214 and the elevator car guide device 202 are engaged with and move along the guide rail 212. The guide rail 212 has a base 214 and a blade 216, and the elevator car guide device 202 engages with and moves along the blade 216 of the guide rail 212. The base 214 supports the blade 216 and is configured to be fixedly attached to the wall of the elevator shaft or otherwise installed and assembled in the elevator shaft. Figure 2B , the elevator car guide device 202 includes a first roller 218 and two second rollers 220. In the current configuration and arrangement, as understood by those skilled in the art, the first roller 218 is a side-to-side roller, and the second roller 220 is a front-to-rear roller. That is, the rollers are configured to limit or prevent the movement of the elevator car in a direction perpendicular to the direction of travel along the guide rail within the elevator shaft. As shown, each of the first and second rollers 218, 220 includes a roller wheel as is known in the art. The roller wheels are configured to contact and roll along the surface of the blade 216 of the guide rail 212. Although Figure 2A-2B Although specific configurations and arrangements are shown in FIG. 1 , those skilled in the art will appreciate that the embodiments described herein may be applicable to various other elevator car guide device configurations / arrangements.

[0049] The rollers 218, 220 are movably or rotatably mounted to the mounting base 210 by a first support bracket 222 and a second support bracket 224, respectively. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, roller guides typically utilize wheels with rolling element bearings mounted on fixed pins (spindles) that are fixed to pivot arms supported by a roller guide base, which in turn interacts with the car frame, as described above. The pivot arms are retained by fixed pivot pins fixed to the base. Springs are configured to provide a restoring force, and displacement stops (e.g., buffers) are provided to limit the relative displacement of the respective roller elements relative to the guide rails 212. The roller elements (e.g., wheels) contact the guide rails of the elevator system and spin with the vertical movement of the car.

[0050] like Figure 2A-2B As shown in , an embodiment of the present disclosure replaces a pivot arm associated with the roller 218 with an arm, frame, or support that supports a motion state sensing assembly 226 arranged relative to the roller 218. It should be understood that the motion state sensing assembly of the present disclosure can be mounted or attached in other configurations or by other mechanisms, such as by being supported by a roller with a fixed axis positioning or a pivot arm axis positioning. The motion state sensing system 226 can be configured to monitor the rotation of the roller 218 and process the information obtained about the rotation to determine the motion state (e.g., position, velocity, acceleration) of the associated elevator car. Therefore, in order to enable motion state sensing according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in Figure 2A-2B In the illustrated embodiment, one of the support brackets 222 also supports a motion sensing assembly 226. As shown, the motion sensing assembly 226 includes a printed circuit board (PCB) 228 on which are mounted at least a processor 230 and an optical encoder 232. Although shown and described herein with respect to the motion sensing assembly 226 supported on or by one support bracket 222, those skilled in the art will appreciate that a separate and / or dedicated support or other structure may be used to mount the motion sensing assembly 226 to the mounting base 210 or otherwise enable the motion sensing assembly 226 to monitor the movement or rotation of at least one of the rollers 218, 220.

[0051] The motion state sensing component 226 is configured to determine the motion state of the elevator car within the elevator shaft. Figure 2A-2BIn the embodiment shown in ), the motion state sensing component 226 includes a processor 230 and an optical encoder 232 mounted on a PCB 228. The optical encoder 232 is arranged relative to the rollers 218, 220 (shown exemplarily relative to the roller 218) and is configured to detect the rotation of the roller 218. The rotation can be detected by positioning the optical encoder 232 to direct light or other optical signals to one side of the roller 218. The roller 218 may include a coding element 234 on its surface (e.g., a color pattern, a faceted surface, a textured or patterned surface, etc.), wherein the coding element 234 is configured to cause a change in the reflection of an optical signal transmitted from the optical encoder 232 to the coding element 234. For example, the optical encoder 232 can project a light beam to the coding element 234 and monitor the reflected signal.

[0052] The optical encoder 232 and / or the processor 230 may be configured to convert the detected optical signal into an angular position or motion of the roller 218. The angular position and / or motion of the roller 218 may be further converted into an analog or digital code or signal. In some embodiments, the processor 230 may process the code or signal to generate a motion state output, which may be transmitted to an elevator controller, etc. The motion state output may be a digital signal transmitted from the motion state sensing component 226 to the elevator controller.

[0053] In some embodiments, the signal generated by the motion state sensing component 226 can be transmitted to the elevator machine and / or the controller to determine the specific position of the associated elevator car in the elevator shaft. From this position and / or the actively changing position, the motion state of the elevator car to which the motion state sensing component 226 is attached can be obtained. Therefore, the motion state sensing component 226 can include various electrical components, such as memory, additional processor (s) and communication components (e.g., wired and / or wireless communication controllers) to determine the motion state and transmit such information to the controller or elevator machine so that the controller or elevator machine can determine the accurate motion state of the elevator car. Using such information, the controller or elevator machine can perform improved control, such as, for example, during a dynamic compensation control operating mode and / or to prevent vibration, oscillation and / or bounce of the elevator car.

[0054] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the motion state sensing component 226 provides non-contact motion state monitoring. Therefore, fewer components are required to monitor the motion state of the elevator car. For example, since the optical encoder 232 is not mechanically coupled to the roller 218, fewer shafts, connectors and / or supports are required. In addition, the processor 230 of the motion state sensing component 226 can provide on-board processing of data obtained from the optical encoder 232 and / or other components of the motion state sensing component 226 (e.g., accelerometers). Therefore, before such data is transmitted to the elevator controller, the data can be pre-processed at the motion state sensing component 226, thereby reducing bandwidth requirements for data transmission, etc.

[0055] Reference now Figures 3A-3C , shows a schematic diagram of an elevator car guide device 300 and its features according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The elevator car guide device 300 includes a set of rollers 302a-c, which are configured to engage with and rotate along the guide rails of the elevator system, as described above. The first roller 302a is supported on a rotating shaft 304a, which is rotatably mounted in or to a support bracket 306a. The second roller 302b is supported on a corresponding rotating shaft 304b, which is rotatably mounted in or to a corresponding support bracket 306b. The third rotating shaft and support bracket associated with the third roller 302c are not shown. Figure 3A The support brackets (collectively referred to as support brackets 306) can be integrally formed with or attached to a mounting base 308. The mounting base 308 defines at least a portion of a roller guide frame for mounting and supporting a rolling member to an elevator car, as shown and described above.

[0056] To provide motion sensing, as described herein, the elevator car guide device 300 includes a motion sensing assembly 310 mounted thereon. As shown, the motion sensing assembly 310 includes a sensor housing 312 that is mounted to and / or otherwise fixedly attached to the mounting base 308 of the elevator car guide device 300, such as via a sensor mounting bracket 314. Figure 3B-3C, the sensor housing 312 includes a first housing element 312a and a second housing element 312b, which can be attached together to accommodate one or more components of the motion state sensing assembly 310, such as its electronic and / or electrical components (e.g., PCB, optical encoder, accelerometer, processor, etc.). As shown, a cable 316 extends from the sensor housing 310 and provides an electrical and / or communication path through which power and / or data can be transferred to / from the electrical components. At one end of the cable 316 can be a connector 318, which can be electrically connected to the electrical bus of the elevator system or to some other electrical components or connectors.

[0057] In this configuration, the motion state sensing component 310 is arranged relative to the first roller 302a and is configured to monitor the rotation of the first roller 302a. In order to achieve this monitoring, the first roller 302a is provided with an optical target 320. The optical target 320 is a feature applied to or present on the surface of the first roller 320a. In some embodiments, the optical target 320 is a color-coded pattern. In one such example, the optical target 320 can be formed by marks of two or more alternating colors, which are distributed around the circumference or side surface of the first roller 302a. In other embodiments, the optical target 320 can be formed by an angled or faceted surface. The optical target 320 can be configured or selected so that the amount or intensity of reflected light is different between a mark and an adjacent mark around the circumference or surface (e.g., a reflective surface and a non-reflective surface) of the first roller 302a. It should be understood that various different configurations for the arrangement of the optical target 320 are possible without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0058] In order to measure the rotation of the first roller 302a, the motion state sensing component 310 includes an optical encoder element 322, such as Figure 3B . The optical encoder element 322 may include a light energy source and a light energy sensor configured to detect reflected light energy reflected from the optical target 320. As shown, the first housing element 312a includes an opening 324 that is arranged to align with the optical encoder element 322. In some embodiments, the opening 324 may be a hole or aperture formed in the first housing element 312a. In other embodiments, the opening 324 may include a window or other structural element that may seal or prevent debris from entering the opening 324 while allowing light energy (e.g., light) to pass therethrough.

[0059] The optical encoder element 322 is mounted on a PCB 326 contained within the housing 312. Figure 3C, for example, PCB 326 may be attached to first housing element 312a at one or more PCB attachment points 328. Retention of PCB 326 within housing 312 may be achieved by other means, such as interference fit, adhesives, fasteners, etc. PCB 326 is a printed circuit board that includes printed circuits for transmitting power and / or data between elements of motion state sensing assembly 310. For example, although not shown for simplicity, and as will be understood by those skilled in the art, printed wiring and circuits may electrically and communicatively connect optical encoder element 322 to processor 330 mounted to PCB 326 and / or cable 316 and connector 318. PCB 326 may also include other components, such as accelerometer 332.

[0060] The electronic components of the motion state sensing assembly 310 can be configured to measure various motion state characteristics of the elevator car. For example, the optical encoder element 322 can be configured to detect the rotational movement of the first roller 302a by directing light to the optical target 320 and measuring its reflection. In addition, the accelerometer 332 can be arranged on the PCB 326 to detect the movement changes of the elevator car. It will be understood that the information obtained at the optical encoder element 322 and the accelerometer 332 may be similar, and therefore redundancy and / or correction can be provided, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. That is, both devices can generate motion state information (e.g., related to position, rate, speed and / or acceleration).

[0061] In operation, the optical encoder element 322 can detect the rate of change of the optical target 320 to determine the rate of the first roller 302a, and thereby the rate of the elevator car can be obtained. In some embodiments, the optical encoder element 322 may include two channels (e.g., an "A" channel and a "B" channel) that are configured to enable direction information (e.g., whether the elevator car is traveling up or down in the elevator shaft). Therefore, in addition to obtaining rate information, the optical encoder element 322 can also obtain direction information, and thereby obtain the travel speed (rate and direction). In some such configurations, the direction can be obtained based on which channel (e.g., channel "A" or channel "B") leads (e.g., which channel first detects a change in the optical target 320) within a given time period. For example, during the clockwise rotation of the first roller 302a, channel "A" can detect a change from the first optical marker element to the second optical marker element before channel "B" detects the same change from the first optical marker element to the second optical marker element. Conversely, during counterclockwise rotation of the first roller 302a, channel "B" may detect a change from the first optical marker element to the second optical marker element before channel "A" detects the same change from the first optical marker element to the second optical marker element. In other configurations, and as an alternative or in combination with a dual channel configuration, the optical target 320 may be configured to have a feature or element that indicates a direction of travel. Such a configuration may include specific markings (e.g., two special markings that indicate travel based on which special marking is first detected during measurement). In yet further embodiments, the information obtained at the motion state sensing assembly may be combined with information from other sensors or systems (e.g., elevator machine encoders, etc.).

[0062] In e.g. Figures 3A-3C In some embodiments shown in , the optical encoder element 322 and the accelerometer 332 can be arranged to communicate with a processor 330 mounted on the PCB 326. The processor 330 can be configured to receive data signals from the optical encoder element 322 and the accelerometer 332 and perform data processing thereon. For example, in one non-limiting example, the optical encoder element 322 can output an analog signal, which is processed into a digital signal and / or digital data at the processor 330. The processor 330 can also similarly receive data or signals from the accelerometer 332. The processor 330 can perform data and / or signal analysis on the received signal / data. Therefore, the processor 330 can calculate motion state information (e.g., the position, rate, velocity and / or acceleration of the elevator car within the elevator shaft). The processor 330 can transmit the motion state information to the elevator controller 334 ( via the cable 316 and / or a wireless connection). Figure 3A326 and / or the processor 330. The cable 316 and connector 318 and / or the wireless protocol and associated components for communication may generally be referred to as the communication component of the motion state sensing component 310.

[0063] Reference now Figures 4A-4C , shows a schematic diagram of an elevator car guide device 400 and its features according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The elevator car guide device 400 includes a set of rollers, including a roller 402, which is configured to engage with and rotate along the guide rails of the elevator system, as described above. The roller 402 is supported on a non-rotating shaft 411 (e.g., a fixed shaft, etc.), which is mounted in or to a support bracket 404, wherein the roller 402 is rotationally supported on the non-rotating shaft 411 by one or more bearings 413. The support bracket 404 can be integrally formed with or attached to a mounting base 406 of the elevator car guide device 400. The mounting base 406 defines at least a portion of a roller guide frame, which is used to mount and support the rolling member to the elevator car, as shown and described above.

[0064] and Figures 3A-3C Similar to the embodiment of FIG. 4 , the elevator car guide device 400 includes a motion state sensing assembly 408 mounted thereon. In some embodiments, and as shown, the motion state sensing assembly 408 includes a sensor housing 410 mounted and / or otherwise fixedly attached relative to the roller 402. Figure 4B As shown in , the housing 410 can be fixedly attached to the non-rotating shaft 411 of the roller 402. As mentioned above, the roller 402 can be rotatably supported on the non-rotating shaft 411 by one or more bearings 413. By fixing the motion state sensing assembly 408 to the non-rotating shaft 411 about which the roller 402 rotates, the position and accuracy of the motion state sensing assembly 408 can be improved. That is, the motion state sensing assembly 408 can be fixed around the central rotation axis of the roller 402, and thus the components of the motion state sensing assembly 408 can be properly aligned, and the need for supporting brackets, frames, etc. can also be eliminated (for example, the sensor mounting bracket can be eliminated). In other configurations, the sensor housing 410 can be mounted to the mounting base 406 of the elevator car guide device 400 or a frame portion thereof, such as by a sensor mounting bracket, etc. In some embodiments, the motion state sensing assembly 408 can be attached or mounted to a pivot arm and will move with the pivot arm when the arm moves (that is, the motion state sensing assembly 408 is fixedly mounted to the pivot arm).

[0065] like Figures 4A-4C As shown in FIG. 4 , the sensor housing 410 is shaped to fit around a portion of the roller 402, such as a portion of the hub 412 of the roller 402. In this configuration, Figures 3A-3C In contrast to the embodiment of FIG. 4 , the housing 410 is a single-piece housing configured to house one or more components of the motion state sensing assembly 408, such as its electronic and / or electrical components (e.g., PCB, optical encoder, accelerometer, processor, etc.). Although not shown in this particular illustrative embodiment, cables and / or electrical connectors may be arranged to pass through a portion of the housing to electrically and electronically connect to one or more components of the motion state sensing assembly 408.

[0066] As shown, the motion state sensing assembly 408 is arranged relative to the roller 402 and is configured to monitor the rotation of the roller 402. In order to achieve such monitoring, the roller 402 is provided with an optical target 414. The optical target 414 is a feature applied or present on the surface 415 of the roller 402, such as a part of the hub 412 of the roller 402. In some embodiments, the optical target 414 is a color-coded pattern. In one such example, the optical target 414 can be formed by markings of two or more alternating colors distributed around the circumference or side surface of the roller 402. In other embodiments, the optical target 414 can be formed by an angled or faceted surface. The optical target 414 can be configured or selected so that the amount or intensity of reflected light is different between a mark and an adjacent mark around the circumference or surface of the roller 402. It should be understood that various different configurations are possible for the arrangement of the optical target 414 without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0067] To measure the rotation of the roller 402, the motion state sensing assembly 408 includes an optical encoder element 416, such as Figure 4B . The optical encoder element 416 may include a light energy source and a light energy sensor configured to detect reflected light energy reflected from the optical target 414. In this embodiment, rather than including an opening or hole formed in the housing 410 (e.g., Figures 3A-3C402). Instead, the housing 410 is arranged to encapsulate or cover the optical target 414 on the roller 402. That is, the housing 410 can accommodate the components of the motion state sensing assembly 408 and a portion of the roller 402. This arrangement can provide improved interaction of debris or dust with the motion state sensing assembly 408. As shown, the housing 410 includes a housing extension 418, which is configured to engage with a portion of the roller 402. The housing extension 418 can be a complete circle or other shape, which is configured to engage with the roller 402 and provide a blocking wall. In some embodiments, for example, the housing extension 418 may include one or more sealing elements 420. The sealing element 420 may be configured to provide a seal inside the housing 410 to prevent external debris and / or dust. In other embodiments, the sealing element 420 may be a rotating seal that is attached to the hub 412 of the roller 402 and rotates with the rotation of the roller 402. In such an embodiment, the sealing element may engage with the end or edge of the housing extension 418 to provide a sealing engagement.

[0068] The optical encoder element 416 is mounted on a PCB 422 contained within the housing 410. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the retention of the PCB 422 within the housing 410 can be achieved by various means or mechanisms, such as interference fit, adhesives, fasteners, etc. The PCB 422 is a printed circuit board that includes printed circuits for transmitting power and / or data between the elements of the motion state sensing assembly 408. For example, although not shown for simplicity, and as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the printed wiring and circuits can electrically and communicatively connect the optical encoder element 416 to the processor 424 and / or accelerometer 426 mounted to the PCB 422 and / or cables and / or connectors, as shown and described above.

[0069] The electronic components of the motion state sensing assembly 408 can be configured to measure various motion state characteristics of the elevator car. For example, the optical encoder element 416 can be configured to detect the rotational movement of the roller 402 by directing light onto the optical target 414 and measuring its reflection. In addition, the accelerometer 426 can be arranged on the PCB 422 to detect the movement changes of the elevator car. It will be understood that the information obtained at the optical encoder element 416 and the accelerometer 426 may be similar, and therefore redundancy and / or correction can be provided, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. That is, both devices can generate motion state information (e.g., related to position, rate, speed and / or acceleration).

[0070] The optical encoder element 416 and the accelerometer 426 can be arranged to communicate with a processor 424 mounted on the PCB 416. The processor 424 can be configured to receive data signals from the optical encoder element 416 and the accelerometer 426 and perform data processing thereon. For example, in one non-limiting example, the optical encoder element 416 can output an analog signal, which is processed into a digital signal and / or digital data at the processor 424. The processor 424 can also similarly receive data or signals from the accelerometer 426. The processor 424 can perform data and / or signal analysis on the received signal / data. Therefore, the processor 424 can calculate motion state information (e.g., the position, rate, speed and / or acceleration of the elevator car in the elevator shaft). The processor 424 can transmit the motion state information to the elevator controller via a cable and / or wireless connection. In an embodiment using wireless communication, a wireless communication chip and / or related communication protocol may be incorporated into and / or in the PCB 422 and / or the processor 424. Although Figures 4A-4C Not shown, but in a wired connection, cables, etc. (similar to Figures 3A-3C Cables shown in, etc.) may be incorporated into components and systems.

[0071] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the accelerometer can be omitted and the motion state sensing assembly can be configured to monitor the motion state of the elevator car using only the optical encoder device and the associated optical target. In other embodiments, the accelerometer can be provided as an additional motion state sensor that focuses on measuring the acceleration or change in the motion state of the associated elevator car. As mentioned above, the data collected by the optical encoder device and / or the accelerometer can be collected at a central processor and processed directly onboard the motion state sensing assembly, or can be transmitted to a remote processor for processing (e.g., a processor or controller of an elevator machine).

[0072] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the optical encoder device can be an optical encoder device having two channels (e.g., a main encoder and a rescue encoder), an axis interface (e.g., for docking with the axis of the roller), a mounting plate (e.g., for mounting an optical target), and associated seals. In other embodiments, and according to non-limiting examples, the optical encoder device can have fewer components. For example, in some embodiments, the optical encoder device can include a single channel with a relatively small PCB and only a single cable / connector. The reduction of components can reduce the size of the housing and / or supporting elements (e.g., mountings, seals, etc.). In some embodiments, the motion state sensing assembly can include two separate optical encoder devices, each having two channels. The two channels of each optical encoder device can be used to determine the direction of travel (e.g., as described above), and the two optical encoder devices can be used to perform inspections, error corrections, fault detection, confirmations, averages, etc., as will be understood by those skilled in the art.

[0073] Reference now Figure 5A-5B , shows a schematic diagram of a roller 500 for an embodiment of the present disclosure. The roller 500 is configured to be mounted to a frame or the like and supported on an elevator car. The roller 500 is configured to roll along or against a guide rail to guide the elevator car along an elevator shaft. For example, the roller 500 can be part of an elevator car guide device similar to the elevator car guide device shown and described above. In this embodiment, the roller 500 includes a hub 502 having two optical targets 504, 506 applied thereto. In this configuration, the first optical target 504 is arranged at the inner diameter of the hub 502, and the second optical target 506 is arranged at the outer diameter of the hub 502. In some embodiments, only a single optical target (target 504 or target 506) may be employed.

[0074] Each of the first optical target 504 and the second optical target is formed by a series of marks or patterns of marks that are selected to change incident light energy (e.g., reflect, absorb, deflect, block, scatter, etc.). For example, in this non-limiting embodiment, the first optical target 504 includes an alternating pattern of marks 508a, 508b, and the second optical target 506 includes an alternating pattern of marks 510a, 510b. On each optical target 504, 506, the first set of marks 508a, 510a can be a set of non-reflective marks, and the second set of marks 508b, 510b can be a set of reflective marks. Therefore, when the roller 500 rotates, incident light energy, such as incident light energy from an optical encoder device (as described above), will be reflected or not reflected based on the presence of the first marks 508a, 510a (non-reflective) or the second marks 508b, 510b (reflective). Based on the alternating pattern and the detected reflected light (or absence of reflected light), the optical encoder device and / or associated computer processing element can measure the rotation speed of the roller 500, and thus the velocity can be obtained. When there is a known starting position of the roller (e.g., in or along the elevator shaft), the system can determine the position based on the number of rotations of the roller 500. In addition, by monitoring the change in rotation speed, acceleration can be measured. Therefore, by incorporating optical targets 504, 506 on the roller 500, in combination with the associated optical encoder device, the system as described herein is configured to measure various motion state data of the associated elevator car.

[0075] In a non-limiting example, the optical targets 504, 506 can be provided with a particular resolution (e.g., marks per unit distance) to enable accurate measurement of the rotation of the roller 500. For example, but not limited to, in one example embodiment, the optical targets 504, 506 can have a concentration of marks (e.g., lines) of approximately 10-15 lines per mm (e.g., in one example, and based on the size of the roller, the concentration can be 11.579 lines per mm). In one such example, the first optical target 504 can have approximately 2000 PPR (pulses per revolution) or greater, resulting in a car motion resolution of approximately 0.25 mm, while the second optical target 506 can have approximately 5000 PPR, resulting in a car motion resolution of approximately 0.10 mm. In some such configurations, the optical encoder device can include a built-in interpolation of 2x or 4x, resulting in the above PPR resolution being improved by 2x or 4x. Additionally, in some embodiments that include built-in interpolation (e.g., 2x or 4x), only a single optical encoder element (e.g., only the first / inner optical target 504) may be employed, resulting in a resolution of about 4000 PPR (for 2x interpolation) or about 8000 (for 4x interpolation). In some examples that employ 4x interpolation, the resulting car motion resolution may be 0.05 mm to 0.10 mm per pulse.

[0076] like Figure 5B , the first optical target 504 may have an associated first optical encoder element 512 disposed opposite thereto. Similarly, the second optical target 506 may have an associated second optical encoder element 514 disposed opposite thereto. Each of the optical encoder elements 512, 514 may be separated or spaced apart from the corresponding optical target 504, 506 by a separation gap 516 to prevent contact therebetween, but disposed close enough to provide accurate motion state sensing operations. In some embodiments, the separation distance 516 between the optical encoder devices 512, 514 (their light sources and associated detectors) and the associated optical targets 504, 506 may be a separation distance of 0.5-1.25 millimeters. It should be understood that in Figure 5A-5B In the configuration of , the motion state sensing assembly may include two optical encoder devices 512, 514, which are either housed in a single housing or in two separate housings. In embodiments having two optical encoder devices and corresponding optical targets, data obtained from each optical encoder device may be used to correct calculations and / or provide measurement redundancy. Although Figure 5B Two optical encoder devices and two associated optical targets are shown in , but the separation distance 516 described can be employed in a single device configuration (eg, one optical encoder device and one optical target on a roller).

[0077] Advantageously, the embodiments provided herein provide an integrated motion state sensing assembly into the roller guide of the elevator car, thereby providing accurate motion state information of the elevator car in the elevator shaft. Thus, advantageously, for example, a direct measurement of the distance between the elevator car and the landing can be obtained to enhance the control of re-leveling (e.g., dynamic compensation control operation mode). In addition, advantageously, the motion state sensing assembly provided herein can be used, for example, to determine the car motion state, car position and / or speed relative to the door zone for motion control, overspeed detection and / or unexpected car motion detection. In some embodiments, the motion state sensing assembly described herein can be used as the main position system of the elevator car. In some such embodiments, the elevator motor or machine may not include a motion state encoder, or if such an encoder is present, a machine-based encoder can be used as a redundancy or for correction or for checking to identify system problems. In some embodiments, the motion state sensing assembly can be used for improved continuous re-leveling control by providing highly accurate and precise motion state information to a re-leveling controller, etc. In addition, in some configurations, the motion state information obtained by the motion state sensing assembly described herein can be used for feedback or data associated with the operation or function of electronic safety actuators, normal terminal speed limiting devices (NTSD), emergency terminal speed limiting devices (ETSD), rope slip and traction monitoring, etc.

[0078] Although the present disclosure has been described in detail in conjunction with only a limited number of embodiments, it should be readily understood that the present disclosure is not limited to these disclosed embodiments. Rather, the present disclosure may be modified to include any number of variations, alterations, substitutions, combinations, sub-combinations, or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described but commensurate with the scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, although various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described, it should be understood that aspects of the present disclosure may include only some of the described embodiments.

[0079] For example, various configurations and / or designs may be employed without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In some non-limiting embodiments, the motion state sensing assembly may be arranged relative to the roller wheels of the side-to-side rollers, such as shown and described above (e.g., Figure 3A In another non-limiting embodiment, the motion state sensing component can be operably connected to the front and rear rollers (e.g., Figure 3A 302b, 302c shown in FIG. 30). In such embodiments, the structure, arrangement and configuration of the motion state sensing assembly can be similar to that shown and described above. It will be further understood that, as described herein, multiple motion state sensing assemblies can be combined with multiple rollers of the elevator car guide device. In some such embodiments, various different motion state sensing assemblies can be used for redundancy, checking, correction, etc., as will be understood by those skilled in the art.

[0080] In addition, although the above is shown and described with respect to an elevator car guide device positioned at the top of the elevator car, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments provided herein can be applied to any elevator car guide device (e.g., roller guide) of an elevator system. For example, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that a conventional elevator car will be equipped with four roller guides. The embodiments provided herein can be applied to one or more roller guides to provide motion state sensing at one or more roller guides of the elevator car. In a configuration with multiple motion state sensing components (e.g., one for each roller guide on the elevator car), the system may include an average operation. For example, when the elevator car has an uneven load distribution, one or more roller guides may be out of contact with the corresponding guide rail, and thus the measurement value based thereon may change with a period of non-rotation or non-driven rotation. By averaging the measurement values ​​from multiple different elevator car guide devices, such changes can be eliminated compared to using a single component. Such a system may include detection of rollers that may be out of contact with the guide rail, and thus may allow data from a non-contact elevator car guide device to be ignored or provide some other corrective action or correction processing of its data.

[0081] Furthermore, although shown and described with respect to a single motion state sensor (e.g., encoder) on an elevator car guide device, those skilled in the art will appreciate that in some embodiments, multiple motion state sensors may be part of a single elevator car guide device. In such embodiments, multiple motion state sensors may measure based on one or more rollers, such that each sensor is configured relative to a different roller, or two or more sensors are configured relative to a single (same) roller. Therefore, various alternative configurations and / or arrangements are contemplated herein without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0082] Accordingly, the disclosure is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. An elevator system, comprising: an elevator car arranged to travel on guide rails through the elevator shaft; a roller guide mounted to the exterior of the elevator car; a roller supported on a frame of the roller guide, the roller being configured to engage with and rotate along the guide rail and to limit movement of the elevator car in a first direction perpendicular to a direction of travel of the elevator car; as well as a motion state sensing assembly mounted to the roller guide and configured to measure the motion state of the elevator car within the elevator shaft, wherein the motion state sensing assembly comprises: an optical target located on the roller; a printed circuit board having an optical encoder device and a processor mounted thereon, wherein the optical encoder device and the processor are electrically connected, and wherein the optical encoder device is arranged to direct optical energy toward the optical target and detect a response of the directed optical energy; a sensor housing mounted to the roller guide, wherein the optical encoder device is disposed within the sensor housing; and A communication component is in communication with the processor and the elevator controller, wherein the processor is configured to transmit data from the processor to the elevator controller using the communication component.

2. The elevator system of claim 1, wherein the elevator controller is configured to control the operation of the elevator car based on data transmitted from the motion state sensing component. 3 . The elevator system of claim 1 , further comprising an accelerometer mounted to the printed circuit board and electrically connected to the processor.

4. The elevator system of claim 3, wherein the processor is configured to receive motion state data from each of the optical encoder device and the accelerometer.

5. The elevator system according to claim 1, wherein: The sensor housing includes an opening arranged to align with the optical encoder element.

6. The elevator system according to claim 1, wherein: The communication component includes a wireless communication chip.

7. The elevator system of claim 1, wherein the communication component comprises a cable and a connector, wherein the cable is electrically connected to the printed circuit board and the connector is configured to connect to another device to transmit data from the processor to the elevator controller.

8. The elevator system of claim 1, wherein the roller includes a hub and the optical target is located on a surface of the hub.

9. The elevator system of claim 8, wherein the optical target comprises a first optical target located at an inner diameter of the hub and a second optical target located at an outer diameter of the hub.

10. The elevator system according to claim 1, further comprising: a second roller mounted to the roller guide, wherein the second roller is configured to limit movement of the elevator car in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and A second motion state sensing component is associated with the second roller.

11. The elevator system of claim 10, further comprising a third roller mounted to the roller guide, wherein the third roller is configured to limit movement of the elevator car in one of the first direction and the second direction.

12. The elevator system according to claim 1, wherein: At least one of the sensor housing and the printed circuit board is secured to the non-rotating shaft of the roller.

13. An elevator system according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to process data received from the optical encoder device to determine a motion state of the elevator car, wherein the motion state includes at least one of a position, velocity, speed, and acceleration of the elevator car within the elevator shaft.

14. The elevator system according to claim 13, wherein: At least one of the processed data and the determined motion state is transmitted to the elevator controller using the communication component.

15. The elevator system of claim 1, wherein the optical target comprises a marking pattern surrounding the roller.

16. The elevator system of claim 15, wherein the marking pattern includes a marking concentration of between 10 and 15 lines per millimeter.

17. The elevator system of claim 15, wherein the indicia pattern comprises a pattern of alternating reflective and non-reflective lines.

18. The elevator system of claim 1, wherein the optical target is configured to generate 2000 pulses per revolution (PPR) or more.

19. The elevator system of claim 18, wherein the encoder means comprises a 2x to 4x interpolation operation, thereby obtaining at least 4000 PPR to 8000 PPR.

20. The elevator system of claim 1, wherein the optical encoder device is arranged to be spaced apart from the optical target by a distance of 0.5-1.25 mm.

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