Elevator device

Abstract

An elevator device (1) is provided with: a first beacon (11) provided in a landing (4); a second beacon (13) provided in a pit (10); a portable terminal (12) capable of receiving radio waves from the first beacon (11) and the second beacon (13); and a control device (9) for controlling the lifting of an elevator car (7). When the control device (9) determines that the portable terminal (12) exists at a position closer to the second beacon (13) than to the first beacon (11) on the basis of the radio wave intensity of the first beacon (11) and the radio wave intensity of the second beacon (13) in the portable terminal (12), the control device (9) restricts the lifting of the car (7).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an elevator device for detecting the position of a maintenance worker. Background Art

[0002] During the maintenance and inspection of the elevator, the operation of the elevator car is switched to the maintenance mode and the car is operated manually. During the maintenance and inspection, sometimes the operator goes down to the pit of the hoistway to perform the operation. During the inspection and inspection in the pit, it is necessary to restrict the lifting of the car (prohibit the operation of the car).

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes an elevator device in which a sensor is installed at the end of the lowermost landing sill, and when movement of a landing door from a fully closed position is detected, the raising and lowering of a car is restricted.

[0004] Prior art literature

[0005] Patent Literature

[0006] Patent Document 1: International Publication No. WO2021 / 075048 Summary of the invention

[0007] Problems to be solved by the invention

[0008] The elevator device of Patent Document 1 does not detect the presence of a worker in the pit, so when the lifting and lowering restriction of the car is released when there is a worker in the pit, it is impossible to detect the worker in the pit again. Therefore, it is necessary to detect the state of the worker in the pit and more reliably restrict the lifting and lowering of the car.

[0009] An object of the present invention is to provide an elevator device capable of detecting a worker located in a pit and restricting the raising and lowering of a car more reliably.

[0010] Means for solving problems

[0011] The elevator device of the present invention comprises: a first beacon installed at a landing; a second beacon installed in a pit; a portable terminal capable of receiving radio waves from the first beacon and the second beacon; and a control device for controlling the raising and lowering of an elevator car. The control device restricts the raising and lowering of the car when it is determined based on the radio wave strength of the first beacon and the radio wave strength of the second beacon in the portable terminal that the portable terminal is located closer to the second beacon than to the first beacon.

[0012] Furthermore, the control device of the elevator device of the present invention may be configured to restrict the raising and lowering of the car even when the difference between the radio wave strength of the first beacon and the radio wave strength of the second beacon is within a predetermined value.

[0013] Furthermore, the elevator device of the present invention can also be constructed to have a unit for detecting the opening and closing of the landing door, and the control device limits the rise and fall of the car regardless of the radio wave strength of the first beacon and the radio wave strength of the second beacon in the portable terminal when the landing door is opened.

[0014] Effects of the Invention

[0015] The elevator device of the present invention can more reliably restrict the raising and lowering of the car by detecting the worker located in the pit. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 This is an external view of an elevator apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 2 It is a diagram for explaining the operation of the elevator apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, and is a diagram when an operator is at a landing.

[0018] Figure 3 It is a diagram for explaining the operation of the elevator apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, and is a diagram when an operator is in the pit.

[0019] Figure 4 It is a diagram for explaining the operation of an elevator apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention, and is a diagram when a landing door is open and an operator is at a landing.

[0020] Figure 5 It is a diagram for explaining the operation of the elevator apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention, and is a diagram when the landing door is open and the operator is in the pit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, specific shapes, directions, numerical values, etc. are examples for easy understanding of the present invention and can be appropriately changed according to the use, purpose, specifications, etc. In addition, it is envisioned from the outset that the constituent elements of the embodiments and modified examples described below may be selectively combined.

[0022] <First Embodiment>

[0023] Figure 1 This is an external view of an elevator device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The elevator device 1 includes a shaft 2, a machine room 3 disposed on the uppermost floor of the shaft 2, a traction machine 5 and a control device 9 disposed in the machine room 3, and a car 7 suspended from the traction machine 5 via a main rope 6 and raised and lowered in the shaft 2. The elevator device 1 includes a landing 4 and a landing door 8 on each floor. A landing operating panel 14 for calling the car 7 is disposed at the landing 4. Figure 1 In FIG. 1 , the landing operating panel 14 is shown only in the landing 4 on the lowest level, but the landing 4 on each level is also provided with the landing operating panel 14 .

[0024] The control device 9 controls the operation and stop of the car 7 of the elevator device 1. The control device 9 switches between the normal operation of the car 7 (referred to as the normal mode) and the operation of the car 7 during maintenance and inspection (referred to as the maintenance mode) to control the raising and lowering of the car 7. The control device 9 is configured, for example, to switch the operation of the car 7 to the maintenance mode according to the operation of the maintenance controller (not shown) by the operator. In addition, the control device 9 may also be configured to switch the operation of the car 7 to the maintenance mode when the car 7 stops at a location other than the lowest floor and the landing door 8 of the lowest floor is open.

[0025] The control device 9 is composed of a computer including a processor that operates according to a program, a memory, an input / output port, a storage unit storing a control program, etc. The functions of the control device 9 can be realized by, for example, executing the control program stored in the storage unit. The control device 9 is configured to be able to communicate with a portable terminal 12 described later.

[0026] A pit 10 is provided at the lower part of the shaft 2. The pit 10 is from the ground at the lowest level to the bottom of the shaft 2. Safety devices such as buffers (not shown) are provided in the pit 10. During maintenance and inspection, an operator goes down to the pit 10 to perform work.

[0027] The operator working in the pit 10 holds a portable terminal 12. The portable terminal 12 is, for example, a smartphone, a tablet computer, etc. However, the portable terminal 12 can be any device as long as it has the function of receiving radio waves transmitted by beacons (first beacon 11, second beacon 13) described later and exchanging information with the control device 9.

[0028] The first beacon 11 is provided at the landing operating panel 14. The first beacon 11 in the present invention is preferably a beacon provided by the call registration system described later. By using the beacon provided by the existing system, it is easy to construct an elevator device 1 that detects an operator in the pit 10 and restricts the raising and lowering of the car 7.

[0029] The second beacon 13 is installed in the pit 10. The second beacon 13 is a structure unique to the elevator device 1 of the present invention.

[0030] The portable terminal 12 is configured to receive the radio waves of the first beacon 11 and the second beacon 13 and detect the radio wave intensity. The portable terminal 12 transmits the received radio wave intensity to the control device 9 .

[0031] The control device 9 determines that the portable terminal 12 is located closer to the second beacon 13 than to the first beacon 11, based on the radio wave intensity of the first beacon 11 and the radio wave intensity of the second beacon received from the portable terminal 12. When the radio wave intensity of the second beacon is greater than the radio wave intensity of the first beacon, the control device 9 determines that the portable terminal 12 is located closer to the second beacon 13 than to the first beacon 11. Then, when the portable terminal 12 is located near the second beacon, it is determined that the operator is in the pit 10, and the control device 9 restricts the lifting of the car 7. On the other hand, when the radio wave intensity of the first beacon 11 is greater than the radio wave intensity of the second beacon, it is determined that the operator is not in the pit 10, and the control device 9 does not restrict the lifting of the car 7.

[0032] <About the first beacon installed on the landing operation panel>

[0033] Some elevator apparatuses are equipped with a call registration system for automatically calling an elevator car.

[0034] The call registration system is an elevator device including a beacon, a portable terminal, and a control device, wherein the beacon is installed at the elevator landing and transmits a radio wave signal, the portable terminal detects the beacon signal and transmits registration information of the destination floor, and the control device receives the registration information transmitted from the portable terminal and moves the elevator car. When an elevator user approaches the elevator landing with a portable terminal installed with a dedicated application, communication is performed with the beacon installed at the landing, the elevator car is called, and the destination floor set in advance by the application is automatically set.

[0035] The elevator apparatus 1 of the present invention can be configured to use a beacon provided in the call registration system as the first beacon 11 installed in the hall 4. Thus, a device of an existing system can be used as the first beacon 11, and the elevator apparatus 1 of the present invention can be easily configured.

[0036] Reference Figure 2 , 3 , the operation of the elevator device 1 according to the first embodiment will be further described. Figure 2 When the operator is at the lowest landing 4, Figure 3 Indicates that the operator is at pit 10. Figure 2 , 3 In the process, the landing door 8 is closed.

[0037] like Figure 2 As shown, when the operator is at the landing 4, for example, before starting the maintenance work or after completing the maintenance work. Therefore, the control device 9 does not restrict the raising and lowering of the car 7. In this case, the operator can perform operations such as moving the car 7 to a floor above the lowest floor for maintenance work in the pit 10. After moving the car 7 to a floor other than the lowest floor, the operator opens the landing door 8 of the landing 4 at the lowest floor and descends to the pit 10.

[0038] Figure 3 This is a state where the worker goes down to the pit 10. When the worker is in the pit 10, the control device 9 restricts the raising and lowering of the car 7 to keep the car 7 immobile, thereby ensuring the safety of the worker in the pit 10.

[0039] The elevator apparatus 1 of the present embodiment restricts the raising and lowering of the car 7 when a worker is present in the pit 10. Hereinafter, a method of detecting a worker present in the pit 10 will be described.

[0040] like Figure 2 As shown, when the operator is at the landing 4, the first beacon 11 is located closer to the portable terminal 12, so the radio wave intensity from the first beacon 11 is greater than the radio wave intensity from the second beacon received in the portable terminal 12. Therefore, when the radio wave intensity of the first beacon is greater than the radio wave intensity of the second beacon, it can be detected that the portable terminal 12 is at the landing 4. That is, it can be detected that the operator is at the landing 4.

[0041] like Figure 3 As shown in FIG. 1 , when the operator is in the pit 10, the second beacon is located closer to the portable terminal 12, so the radio wave intensity from the second beacon 13 is greater than the radio wave intensity from the first beacon 11 received in the portable terminal 12. Therefore, when the radio wave intensity of the second beacon is greater than the radio wave intensity of the first beacon, it can be detected that the portable terminal 12 is in the pit 10. That is, it can be detected that the operator is in the pit 10.

[0042] The mobile terminal 12 is configured to receive radio waves from a first beacon 11 installed in the landing 4 and a second beacon 13 installed in the pit 10 , and transmit the radio wave intensity of the first beacon 11 and the radio wave intensity of the second beacon 13 to the control device 9 .

[0043] The control device 9 receives the radio wave intensity of the first beacon 11 and the radio wave intensity of the second beacon 13 from the portable terminal 12. The control device 9 determines that the portable terminal 12 is located closer to the second beacon 13 than to the first beacon 11, based on the radio wave intensity of the first beacon 11 and the radio wave intensity of the second beacon in the portable terminal, when the radio wave intensity of the second beacon 13 is greater than the radio wave intensity of the first beacon. In this case, it is determined that the operator holding the portable terminal 12 is located in the pit 10, and the lifting and lowering of the car 7 is restricted.

[0044] On the other hand, when the radio wave intensity of the first beacon 11 is greater than the radio wave intensity of the second beacon 13 , the control device 9 determines that the operator is not in the pit 10 and does not restrict the raising and lowering of the car 7 .

[0045] That is, the elevator device 1 of the present embodiment can detect whether the portable terminal 12 is located near the second beacon or near the first beacon, based on the intensity of the radio waves received by the portable terminal 12, and based on which of the intensity of the radio waves of the first beacon 11 and the intensity of the radio waves of the second beacon 13 is greater. That is, by judging the positional relationship between the portable terminal 12 and the first beacon 11 and the second beacon 13 based on the magnitude of the radio wave intensity, it is possible to judge whether the operator holding the portable terminal 12 is located in the pit 10.

[0046] As described above, the elevator device 1 of the present embodiment can detect a worker present in the pit 10. When a worker is present in the pit 10, the raising and lowering of the car 7 is restricted, thereby ensuring the safety of the worker.

[0047] When the worker's entry into the pit 10 is detected by opening and closing the landing door 8 as in the conventional method, if the lifting and lowering restriction of the car 7 is released while the worker is in the pit 10 , the worker in the pit 10 cannot be detected again.

[0048] The elevator device 1 of this embodiment always detects the radio wave strength of the first beacon 11 and the second beacon 13 through the portable terminal 12 even when the operator is in the pit 10 and the lifting and lowering restriction of the car 7 is released, so it can detect that the operator is in the pit 10, thereby limiting the lifting and lowering of the car 7.

[0049] Alternatively, the portable terminal 12 may be configured to transmit the difference between the radio intensity of the first beacon 11 and the radio intensity of the second beacon 13 instead of transmitting the radio intensity of the first beacon and the radio intensity of the second beacon to the control device 9 .

[0050] Thus, for example, the control device 9 can determine which of the first beacon and the second beacon has a larger radio wave intensity based on the positive or negative value of the difference in radio wave intensity (= radio wave intensity of the first beacon - radio wave intensity of the second beacon) received from the portable terminal 12. The control device 9 operates in a manner that restricts the lifting and lowering of the car 7 and makes the car 7 immobile when the radio wave from the second beacon is large. This is also the same.

[0051] Specifically, when the portable terminal 12 sends (radio wave strength of the first beacon) - (radio wave strength of the second beacon), the control device 9 determines that the radio wave strength of the second beacon is greater than the radio wave strength of the first beacon if the received value is a negative value, and restricts the lifting and lowering of the car 7.

[0052] The elevator device 1 of this embodiment determines the magnitude of the radio wave strength of the first beacon 11 and the radio wave strength of the second beacon 13 by the control device 9. However, it is not limited to which of the control device 9 and the portable terminal 12 performs the determination of the magnitude of the radio wave strength of the first beacon 11 and the radio wave strength of the second beacon. The portable terminal 12 may be configured to compare the radio wave strength of the first beacon and the radio wave strength of the second beacon, and transmit information of the beacon having the larger radio wave strength to the control device 9.

[0053] The elevator device 1 of this embodiment determines the positional relationship between the portable terminal 12 and the first beacon 11 and the second beacon 13 based on the radio wave intensity received by the portable terminal 12, and judges whether the operator is located in the pit 10. That is, when the radio wave intensity of the second beacon received by the portable terminal 12 is greater than the radio wave intensity of the first beacon, it is judged that the portable terminal 12 exists near the second beacon, and it is judged that the operator is located in the pit 10.

[0054] The elevator device 1 of this embodiment determines the position of the operator by detecting the radio wave strength from the first beacon 11 installed at the landing station 4 and the second beacon 13 installed in the pit 10, and restricts the raising and lowering of the car 7 when it is determined that the operator is located in the pit 10.

[0055] <Second Embodiment>

[0056] Figure 4 It is a diagram for explaining the operation of the elevator apparatus 1 according to another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 This is a state where the landing door 8 of the lowest floor is opened in order to start the maintenance work in the pit 10. In the present embodiment, the car 7 also stops outside the lowest floor. The elevator device 1 of the present embodiment is provided with an opening and closing detection unit 15 for detecting the opening and closing of the landing door 8. The opening and closing detection unit 15 of the landing door 8 can be realized by an optical or radio wave sensor, switch, etc.

[0057] When the operator is at the landing 4, it is considered that the radio wave intensity of the first beacon 11 is greater among the radio wave intensities received by the portable terminal 12 from the first beacon 11 and the second beacon 13. However, in this case, it is also preferable to configure the car 7 to be restricted and not move. That is, when the control device 9 detects that the landing door 8 of the lowest floor is opened through the opening and closing detection unit 15, it operates in a manner to restrict the lifting and lowering of the car 7 regardless of the radio wave intensities of the first beacon 11 and the second beacon 13 received by the portable terminal 12.

[0058] As described above, the structure is configured to limit the lifting and lowering of the elevator car 7 not only based on the radio wave strength received by the portable terminal 12 from the first beacon 11 and the second beacon 13, but also when it is detected that the landing door 8 is open and the elevator car 7 descends from the landing 4 to the pit 10, thereby further improving the safety of maintenance and inspection operations.

[0059] <Third Embodiment>

[0060] Figure 5 It is a diagram for explaining the operation of the elevator apparatus 1 according to still another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 This is a case where the operator opens the landing door 8 while being located in the pit 10. In this case as well, it is preferable to configure so as to restrict the raising and lowering of the car 7.

[0061] exist Figure 3 In the case where the operator is located in the pit 10 in the state where the landing door 8 is closed, the radio wave intensity of the second beacon is stronger among the radio wave intensity received by the portable terminal 12 from the first beacon 11 and the second beacon, and it can be determined that the portable terminal 12 is closer to the second beacon in the pit 10. However, when the landing door 8 is open, depending on the arrangement of the second beacon in the pit 10 and the position of the operator, the radio wave intensity of the first beacon may become stronger, or there may be no significant difference between the radio wave intensity of the first beacon 11 and the radio wave intensity of the second beacon 13. In particular, when the operator is located on the wall side close to the landing 4, since the operator is located between the first beacon 11 and the second beacon 13, it is considered that the difference between the radio wave intensity of the first beacon 11 and the second beacon 13 becomes smaller.

[0062] In this case, when the opening and closing detection means 15 detects that the landing door 8 is opened, the mobile terminal 12 operates to restrict the raising and lowering of the car 7 regardless of the radio wave strength of the first beacon and the radio wave strength of the second beacon received by the mobile terminal 12 .

[0063] Regarding the case where the operator is in the pit 10 and opens the landing door 8, consider the case where the maintenance work in the pit 10 is completed and the landing 4 is boarded, or the case where the work is performed with the landing door 8 opened. In either case, the lifting and lowering of the car 7 is restricted, thereby further improving safety.

[0064] <Configuration of the Second Beacon>

[0065] In the first to third embodiments, the second beacon 13 is arranged on the wall of the pit 10 on the opposite side of the landing door 8, but the arrangement of the second beacon 13 is not limited to the position shown in the figure. The second beacon 13 may also be arranged on the wall of the pit 10 on the side where the landing door 8 is provided. By arranging in this way, even when the worker is located at a position close to the landing 4 in the pit 10, the radio wave intensity of the second beacon 13 is greater than the radio wave intensity of the first beacon 11. Therefore, the presence of the worker in the pit 10 can be reliably detected. In addition, the height at which the second beacon 13 is arranged in the pit 10 is preferably lower than the height of the floor of the lowest landing 4. The first beacon 11 is arranged at the landing operation panel 14 of the landing 4, so by arranging the second beacon 13 at a position lower than the floor of the landing 4, the second beacon 13 is arranged at a height close to the worker in the pit 10. Therefore, at the position of the worker, the radio wave intensity of the second beacon 13 can be made greater than the radio wave intensity of the first beacon 11.

[0066] <Other Implementation Methods>

[0067] The third embodiment is a case where the radio wave intensity of the first beacon and the radio wave intensity of the second beacon received by the portable terminal 12 are equal to each other according to the arrangement of the second beacon 13 in the pit 10 and the position of the operator when the landing door 8 is open. In addition, the following case is also considered: regardless of the opening and closing state of the landing door 8, the radio wave intensity of the first beacon and the radio wave intensity of the second beacon received by the portable terminal 12 are not much different according to the arrangement of the second beacon in the pit 10 and the position of the operator. That is, the difference in the radio wave intensity received by the portable terminal 12 is only a difference of the degree of reception error.

[0068] In this case, it is difficult to determine the position of the portable terminal 12 based on the intensity of the radio waves received by the portable terminal 12. Due to false detection, even if there is an operator in the pit 10, the lifting and lowering restriction of the car 7 may be released. Therefore, in this case, it is preferable to prioritize safety and restrict the lifting and lowering of the car 7. In this way, the possibility of false detection can be eliminated, and safety can be further improved.

[0069] As described above, when the difference between the radio wave strength of the first beacon and the radio wave strength of the second beacon is small and it is difficult to determine whether the operator is in the pit 10, the raising and lowering of the car 7 is restricted, thereby achieving maintenance mode control with improved safety.

[0070] In addition, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment and its modified examples, and various changes and improvements can be made within the scope of the matters described in the claims of the present application.

[0071] Description of symbols

[0072] 1: Elevator device, 2: Hoistway, 3: Machine room, 4: Landing, 5: Traction machine, 6: Main rope, 7: Car, 8: Landing door, 9: Control device, 10: Pit, 11: First beacon, 12: Portable terminal, 13: Second beacon, 14: Landing operation panel, 15: Opening and closing detection unit.

Claims

1. An elevator device, comprising: A first beacon, which is arranged at a landing station; a second beacon, which is disposed in the pit; a portable terminal capable of receiving radio waves from the first beacon and the second beacon; as well as A control device that controls the raising and lowering of the elevator car, The control device restricts the raising and lowering of the car when it is determined based on the radio wave strength of the first beacon and the radio wave strength of the second beacon in the portable terminal that the portable terminal is located closer to the second beacon than to the first beacon.

2. The elevator device according to claim 1, wherein: The control device also restricts the raising and lowering of the car when the difference between the radio wave intensity of the first beacon and the radio wave intensity of the second beacon is within a prescribed value.

3. The elevator device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The elevator device further comprises a unit for detecting the opening and closing of a landing door. The control device restricts the raising and lowering of the car regardless of the radio wave intensity of the first beacon and the radio wave intensity of the second beacon in the portable terminal when the landing door is opened.

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