Elevator system

Abstract

The invention provides an elevator system which can perform response operation aiming at long-period earthquake motion and restrain reduction of operation efficiency. An elevator system is provided with an elevator device, a server device, and a remote monitoring device. The server device receives long-cycle seismic motion data issued from a meteorological hall when an earthquake occurs, and estimates the level of the magnitude of the long-cycle seismic motion occurring in a target building. The control device is provided with: an operation control unit that controls the operation of the car by means of a response operation corresponding to the estimated level; and a determination unit that determines whether or not the absolute value of the acceleration measured by the accelerometer of the remote monitoring device is less than a threshold value corresponding to the current response operation, and the operation control unit controls the remote monitoring device when the absolute value of the acceleration measured by the accelerometer is less than the threshold value corresponding to the current response operation. And starting a coping operation corresponding to the level of the long-period seismic motion smaller than the level corresponding to the current coping operation.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an elevator system that performs operation in response to long-period seismic motion at the time of an earthquake. BACKGROUND

[0002] Patent Literature 1 discloses a long-period seismic motion prediction system. According to the system, in a case where an urgent earthquake report is issued, it is possible to predict occurrence of long-period seismic motion that is likely to occur in a building in which an elevator device is installed, on the basis of the urgent earthquake report and information about the building. Therefore, it is not necessary to install equipment for responding to long-period seismic motion for each building.

[0003] PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS

[0004] PATENT LITERATURE

[0005] Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-040607 SUMMARY

[0006] PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

[0007] In the elevator system described in Patent Literature 1, in a case where it is predicted that long-period seismic motion occurs in a building, a car of an elevator device installed in the building is evacuated to the nearest floor. However, even in a case where the prediction is inaccurate and long-period seismic motion hardly occurs in the building, the car continues to stop at the floor after evacuation. Therefore, the operation efficiency of the elevator device can decrease.

[0008] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above problem. An object of the present disclosure is to provide an elevator system that can perform operation in response to long-period seismic motion and suppress decrease in operation efficiency.

[0009] MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEM

[0010] The elevator system of the present disclosure is provided with: an elevator device provided in a target building, which has a car and a control device that controls operation of the car; a server device provided in a building other than the target building; and a remote monitoring device that has an accelerometer, collects information from the control device, and transmits to the server device. The server device receives long-period seismic motion data issued by the Meteorological Agency at the time of an earthquake occurrence, estimates a level of magnitude of long-period seismic motion that will occur in the target building based on building information of the target building and the long-period seismic motion data, and the control device has: an operation control section that controls operation of the car by a countermeasure operation corresponding to the estimated level of magnitude when the magnitude of long-period seismic motion is estimated by the server device; and a determination section that determines whether an absolute value of acceleration measured by the accelerometer of the remote monitoring device is smaller than a threshold value corresponding to a current countermeasure operation. The operation control section starts a countermeasure operation corresponding to a level smaller than the level corresponding to the current countermeasure operation in a case where the absolute value of the acceleration measured by the accelerometer is smaller than the threshold value corresponding to the current countermeasure operation.

[0011] Effects of the Invention

[0012] According to the present disclosure, the control device controls operation of the car by a countermeasure operation corresponding to a level of magnitude estimated by the server device. Further, the operation control section starts a countermeasure operation corresponding to a level smaller than the level corresponding to the current countermeasure operation in a case where the absolute value of the acceleration measured by the accelerometer is smaller than the threshold value corresponding to the current countermeasure operation. Therefore, it is possible to perform a countermeasure operation against long-period seismic motion, and to suppress a decrease in operation efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0013] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the elevator system in Embodiment 1.

[0014] Figure 2 is a functional block diagram of the elevator system in Embodiment 1.

[0015] Figure 3 is a flowchart showing an example of control performed by the server device of the elevator system in Embodiment 1.

[0016] Figure 4 is a flowchart of a first example of control performed by the control device of the elevator system in Embodiment 1.

[0017] Figure 5 is a flowchart of a second example of control performed by the control device of the elevator system in Embodiment 1.

[0018] Figure 6 is a hardware configuration diagram of the control device of the elevator system in Embodiment 1.

[0019] Reference Signs List

[0020] 1 elevator system, 2 elevator device, 3 control device, 4 drive machine, 5 car, 6 earthquake detector, 7 remote monitoring device, 7a accelerometer, 8 server device, 8a quick report receiving section, 8b estimation section, 8c instruction section, 9 external device, 10 receiving section, 11 operation control section, 12 determination section, 50 building, 51 shaft, 60 building, 100a processor, 100b memory, 200 hardware. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] A mode for carrying out the present disclosure is explained in accordance with the drawings. Also, in each drawing, the same reference signs are annotated for the same or equivalent parts. The repeated explanation of the parts is appropriately simplified or omitted.

[0022] Embodiment 1

[0023] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the elevator system in Embodiment 1. Figure 2 is a functional block diagram of the elevator system in Embodiment 1.

[0024] Figure 1 The elevator system 1 of has a elevator device 2 provided in a building 50 as an object building. A shaft 51 that penetrates each floor is provided in the building 50. The elevator device 2 has a control device 3, a drive machine 4, a car 5, and an earthquake detector 6. The control device 3 controls the entire elevator device 2 to control the operation of the car 5. The drive machine 4 raises and lowers the car 5 inside the shaft 51 via a main rope.

[0025] For example, the earthquake detector 6 is provided at the lowermost portion of the shaft 51. For example, the earthquake detector 6 has a resolution of three levels of an acceleration below that indicating a P wave, an acceleration between that indicating a P wave and that indicating an S wave, and an acceleration above that indicating an S wave. The earthquake detector 6 transmits a signal of detecting a P wave to the control device 3 in a case where a P wave generated by an earthquake is detected. The earthquake detector 6 transmits a signal of detecting an S wave to the control device 3 in a case where an S wave generated by an earthquake is detected. The control device 3 performs an operation of the car 5 corresponding to the signal in a case where the signal of detecting a P wave or the signal of detecting an S wave is received.

[0026] The elevator system 1 further includes a remote monitoring device 7 and a server device 8. The remote monitoring device 7 is installed in the building 50 near the control device 3. The remote monitoring device 7 is electrically connected to the control device 3 and can communicate with the control device 3. The remote monitoring device 7 can communicate with the server device 8 via a network. The remote monitoring device 7 mediates communication between the control device 3 and the server device 8. The remote monitoring device 7 collects information related to the operation and equipment of the elevator system 2 from the control device 3 and transmits it to the server device 8 at predetermined intervals.

[0027] The remote monitoring device 7 includes an accelerometer 7 a. The accelerometer 7 a can measure acceleration. The resolution of the acceleration measured by the accelerometer 7 a is higher than the resolution of the acceleration measured by the earthquake detector 6 .

[0028] The server device 8 is installed in a building 60 that is different from the building 50. The server device 8 is managed by a company that maintains and manages the elevator device 2. The server device 8 performs maintenance and management of the elevator device 2 based on information related to the operation and equipment of the elevator device 2 received from the remote monitoring device 7. The server device 8 can communicate with an external device 9 via a network.

[0029] The external device 9 is a device for publishing information related to earthquakes. For example, the external device 9 is a device for publishing emergency earthquake bulletins installed at the Meteorological Agency. The emergency earthquake bulletin contains long-period earthquake motion data related to long-period earthquake motion. For example, the long-period earthquake motion data contains the latitude, longitude, depth of the earthquake source, the magnitude, the time of the earthquake, and at least one piece of information in the area where the long-period earthquake motion is expected to be above the third level. In addition, the long-period earthquake motion data may also contain the maximum value of the level of long-period earthquake motion in each area, the long-period earthquake motion level of each individual observation point, the level of different periods of long-period earthquake motion, the maximum value in the period band of 1.6 seconds to 7.8 seconds of the absolute velocity response spectrum value, and at least one piece of information of the maximum value of the absolute velocity response spectrum value.

[0030] like Figure 2 As shown in FIG. 1 , the server device 8 includes a rapid warning receiver 8a, an estimation unit 8b, and an instruction unit 8c as functions. The rapid warning receiver 8a receives an emergency earthquake rapid warning including long-period earthquake motion data from an external device 9.

[0031] Estimation unit 8b pre-stores building information related to building 50. For example, the building information may include at least one of the following: the latitude and longitude of the building's location, the building's height, and the building's structural type (S-type, RC-type, SRC-type, etc.). Estimation unit 8b may also calculate the resonant frequency of building 50 based on the building's height and structure.

[0032] The estimation unit 8b estimates a level of long-period seismic motion representing the magnitude of the long-period seismic motion of the building 50 based on the building information and the long-period seismic motion data. For example, the levels include a first level, a second level, and a third level in order of the magnitude of the long-period seismic motion from small to large.

[0033] The first level of the long-period seismic motion corresponds to a slight shaking, and the following phenomena can occur. Almost all people in the room feel the shaking. Some people are startled. Suspended objects such as blinds can shake significantly.

[0034] The second level of the long-period seismic motion corresponds to a larger shaking, and the following phenomena can occur. A larger shaking is felt in the room, and a feeling of wanting to hold something is felt. If something is not held, it is difficult to walk and the like, and a feeling of an obstacle in action is felt. A wheeled device slightly moves. Tableware on a shelf, books on a bookshelf sometimes fall.

[0035] The third level of the long-period seismic motion corresponds to a very large shaking, and the following phenomena can occur. Standing becomes difficult. A wheeled device moves significantly. Unsecured household goods sometimes move, and unstable articles sometimes fall. A partition wall or the like sometimes cracks or cracks.

[0036] The instruction unit 8c transmits an instruction including the level estimated by the estimation unit 8b to the control device 3 via the remote monitoring device 7, and causes a coping operation corresponding to the level to be performed. At this time, the instruction unit 8c can also determine a coping operation corresponding to the estimated level, and transmit an instruction including the content of the coping operation to the control device 3.

[0037] For example, in a first coping operation corresponding to the first level, the car 5 operates at a low speed slower than the speed in the normal operation. In the first coping operation, control other than the control of the car 5 at a low speed is performed as in the normal operation, and specifically, control such as response to a call of the car 5. In a second coping operation corresponding to the second and third levels, the car 5 continues to be stopped at the landing of an arbitrary floor.

[0038] As a function, the control device 3 has a reception unit 10, an operation control unit 11, and a determination unit 12. The reception unit 10 receives an instruction from the server device 8 via the remote monitoring device 7. The reception unit 10 receives the measured value of the acceleration of the accelerometer 7a at a predetermined cycle.

[0039] The operation control section 11 controls the operation of the car 5. For example, the operation control section 11 controls the content of the normal operation of the car 5. In the operation control section 11, a correspondence relationship between the level of the long-period seismic motion and the countermeasure operation is stored in advance. Upon receiving the instruction from the instruction section 8c, the operation control section 11 starts the countermeasure operation corresponding to the level included in the instruction. Thereafter, the operation control section 11 starts the countermeasure operation based on the content determined by the determination section 12.

[0040] The determination section 12 stores in advance the threshold value of the acceleration corresponding to the level of the long-period seismic motion. The first threshold value corresponding to the first level is smaller than the second threshold value corresponding to the second level. The second threshold value can be smaller than the third threshold value corresponding to the third level, or can be the same as the third threshold value.

[0041] The determination section 12 determines the level of the long-period seismic motion corresponding to the current countermeasure operation, and calls the threshold value corresponding to the determined level. The determination section 12 determines whether the absolute value of the acceleration measured by the accelerometer 7a is smaller than the threshold value corresponding to the current countermeasure operation. Here, with respect to the acceleration measured by the accelerometer 7a, the maximum acceleration or the minimum acceleration detected by the accelerometer 7a during a predetermined determination time is adopted for each determination time. This is because, in the case where the shaking is periodically generated, the measured value of the acceleration as a wave can vary depending on the time.

[0042] In the case where it is determined by the determination section 12 that the absolute value of the acceleration measured by the accelerometer 7a is smaller than the threshold value corresponding to the current countermeasure operation, the operation control section 11 switches to the countermeasure operation corresponding to the level one level smaller than the level corresponding to the countermeasure operation currently executed, and starts the countermeasure operation after the switching.

[0043] Next, the control performed by the elevator system 1 will be described using Figures 3 to 5

[0044] Figure 3 is a flowchart showing an example of the control performed by the server device of the elevator system in Embodiment 1. Figure 4 is a flowchart of the first example of the control performed by the control device of the elevator system in Embodiment 1. Figure 5 is a flowchart of the second example of the control performed by the control device of the elevator system in Embodiment 1.

[0045] For example, Figure 3 The flowchart of

[0046] ​In step S01, the rapid-warning receiving unit 8a receives an emergency earthquake rapid-warning including long-period seismic motion data from the external device 9. Subsequently, in step S02, the estimating unit 8b estimates the level of long-period seismic motion in the building 50 where the elevator system 2 is installed. Subsequently, in step S03, the command unit 8c transmits a command including the estimated level of long-period seismic motion to the control device 3.

[0047] Figure 4 The flowchart starts when a command is sent from the server device 8 to the control device 3.

[0048] In step S11, the receiving unit 10 receives a command from the server device 8. Then, in step S12, the operation control unit 11 starts controlling the operation of the car 5 through a response operation corresponding to the level of the long-period seismic motion included in the command. Then, in step S13, the determination unit 12 waits for a predetermined waiting time.

[0049] Next, in step S14, the determination unit 12 determines whether the absolute value of the acceleration measured by the accelerometer 7a is less than a threshold value corresponding to the current response operation. Specifically, if the first response operation is currently being performed, the determination unit 12 determines whether the absolute value of the measured acceleration is less than the first corresponding threshold value. If the second response operation is currently being performed, the determination unit 12 determines whether the absolute value of the measured acceleration is less than the second corresponding threshold value.

[0050] In step S14, if the absolute value of the measured acceleration is greater than the corresponding threshold, the operations after step S13 are repeated. In addition, the waiting time when step S13 is performed after step S14 may be shorter than the waiting time when step S13 is performed after step S12.

[0051] In step S14, when the absolute value of the measured acceleration is less than the corresponding threshold value, the action of step S15 is performed. In step S15, the operation control unit 11 starts the response operation corresponding to the level of long-period seismic motion smaller than the level corresponding to the current response operation. Specifically, when the absolute value of the acceleration measured when the second response operation is performed is smaller than the second threshold value, the operation control unit 11 starts the first response operation corresponding to the first level in which the long-period seismic motion is one level smaller than the second level. When the absolute value of the acceleration measured when the first response operation is performed is smaller than the first threshold value, the operation control unit 11 starts normal operation as the operation corresponding to the 0th level in which the long-period seismic motion is smaller than the first level.

[0052] After step S15, the operation of the flowchart ends. For example, in a case where the first countermeasure operation is being performed at the end time point of the flowchart, the operation control section 11 can continue the first countermeasure operation until the maintenance person confirms the safety on site.

[0053] In Figure 5 the flowchart, steps Sll to S15 are the same as those of the flowchart of Embodiment 1. Figure 4

[0054] After step S15, in step S16, the operation control section 11 determines whether the current operation is the normal operation corresponding to the 0th level. In step S16, in a case where the normal operation is being performed at present, the operation of the flowchart ends.

[0055] In step S16, in a case where the current operation is not the normal operation, the operation after step S13 is repeated. That is, the control device 3 continues or changes the countermeasure operation in accordance with the absolute value of the acceleration measured by the accelerometer 7a until the normal operation starts. In addition, the waiting time in a case where step S13 is performed after step S16 can be shorter than the waiting time in a case where step S13 is performed after step S12.

[0056] According to Embodiment 1 described above, the elevator system 1 is provided with the elevator device 2, the remote monitoring device 7, and the server device 8. The server device 8 estimates the level of the magnitude of the long-period seismic motion occurring in the building 50 as the target building. The control device 3 is provided with the operation control section 11 and the determination section 12. The operation control section 11 starts the countermeasure operation corresponding to the level smaller than the level of the long-period seismic motion corresponding to the current countermeasure operation in a case where the absolute value of the acceleration measured by the accelerometer 7a is smaller than the threshold value corresponding to the current countermeasure operation. For example, conventionally, even in a case where the long-period seismic motion hardly occurs, the countermeasure operation is continued until the confirmation work by a person ends. According to the elevator system 1 of the present embodiment, in a case where the long-period seismic motion is smaller than the prescribed threshold value, the countermeasure operation corresponding to the level smaller than the long-period seismic motion is started. Therefore, the elevator system 1 can perform the countermeasure operation against the long-period seismic motion and suppress the decrease in the operation efficiency.

[0057] ​Further, the levels include at least a first level, and a second level in which the long-period seismic motion is larger than the first level. In particular, a first threshold value corresponding to the first level is smaller than a second threshold value corresponding to the second level. The operation control section 11 causes the car 5 to move at a lower speed than the normal operation in the first response operation. The operation control section 11 causes the car 5 to stop at an arbitrary landing in the second response operation. While the second response operation is being performed, the elevator device 2 can ensure the safety of the car 5 and start the transportation of passengers by performing the first response operation of a smaller level. As a result, the operation efficiency can be improved. Further, the evacuation of passengers can be facilitated.

[0058] Further, the response operation corresponding to a level smaller than the first level is the normal operation. That is, the operation control section 11 returns to the normal operation of the car 5 in a case where the absolute value of the acceleration measured while the first response operation is being performed is smaller than the first acceleration. Thus, the operation efficiency can be improved.

[0059] Further, the positions of the remote monitoring device 7 and the accelerometer 7a in the building 50 can not be the positions shown in the drawing. Figure 1 Further, the position of the seismic detector 6 can not be the position shown in the drawing, but can be the inside of a machine room in the upper portion of the building 50. Figure 1

[0060] Further, the control device 3 can be a control panel of the elevator device 2, and can also be a group management panel that performs group management of a plurality of elevator devices 2 provided in the building 50.

[0061] Further, the contents of the response operation corresponding to the levels can be arbitrarily changed by an administrator of a company that performs maintenance management, an owner of the elevator device 2, or the like via an unillustrated web server or the like. For example, it can be that the same control as the normal operation is performed in the first response operation corresponding to the first level, the car 5 is caused to operate at a low speed in the second response operation corresponding to the second level, and the control to continuously maintain the state in which the car 5 is stopped at an arbitrary landing is performed in the third response operation corresponding to the third level. Further, the control performed in each response operation can be arbitrarily changed.

[0062] Next, an example of a hardware configuration of the control device 3 will be described with reference to FIG. 8. Figure 6

[0063] Figure 6 is a hardware configuration diagram of the control device of the elevator system in Embodiment 1.

[0064] Each function of the control device 3 can be implemented by a processing circuit. For example, the processing circuit includes at least one processor 100a and at least one memory 100b. For example, the processing circuit includes at least one dedicated hardware 200. ​​

[0065] When the processing circuit includes at least one processor 100a and at least one memory 100b, the various functions of the control device 3 are implemented by software, firmware, or a combination of software and firmware. At least one of the software and firmware is described in the form of a program. At least one of the software and firmware is stored in at least one memory 100b. The at least one processor 100a implements the various functions of the control device 3 by reading and executing the program stored in at least one memory 100b. The at least one processor 100a is also called a central processing unit, a processing unit, an arithmetic unit, a microprocessor, a microcomputer, or a DSP. For example, the at least one memory 100b is a non-volatile or volatile semiconductor memory such as RAM, ROM, flash memory, EPROM, or EEPROM, a magnetic disk, a floppy disk, an optical disk, a high-density disk, a minidisc, or a DVD.

[0066] When the processing circuit includes at least one dedicated hardware 200, the processing circuit may be implemented, for example, as a single circuit, a composite circuit, a programmed processor, a parallel programmed processor, an ASIC, an FPGA, or a combination thereof. For example, each function of the control device 3 may be implemented separately by the processing circuit. For example, each function of the control device 3 may be implemented collectively by the processing circuit.

[0067] The functions of the control device 3 may be partially implemented by dedicated hardware 200, and the remaining functions may be implemented by software or firmware. For example, the functions of the determination unit 12 may be implemented by a processing circuit as dedicated hardware 200, and functions other than the functions of the determination unit 12 may be implemented by at least one processor 100a reading and executing a program stored in at least one memory 100b.

[0068] In this way, the processing circuit implements each function of the control device 3 through hardware 200, software, firmware, or a combination thereof.

[0069] Although not shown, each function of the server device 8 is also realized by a processing circuit equivalent to the processing circuit that realizes each function of the control device 3 .

[0070] Alternatively, at least some of the functions of the control device 3 or server device 8 may be implemented on a cloud server. In this case, the processing circuit is composed of multiple partial circuits. These partial processing circuits are installed in the multiple devices that make up the cloud server. The multiple devices that make up the cloud server may also be installed in different buildings.

Claims

1. An elevator system, wherein: The elevator system comprises: An elevator device including a car and a control device for controlling the operation of the car, and installed in a target building; a server device installed in a building other than the target building; as well as a remote monitoring device having an accelerometer that collects information from the control device and sends it to the server device, The server device receives long-period earthquake motion data released by the Japan Meteorological Agency when an earthquake occurs, and estimates the magnitude of the long-period earthquake motion that will occur in the target building based on the building information of the target building and the long-period earthquake motion data. The control device has: an operation control unit that, when the server device estimates the magnitude of the long-period seismic motion, starts the operation of the car by performing a response operation corresponding to the estimated magnitude; as well as a determination unit for determining whether the absolute value of the acceleration measured by the accelerometer of the remote monitoring device is smaller than a threshold value corresponding to the current response operation, The operation control unit starts an intervention operation corresponding to a level of long-period seismic motion smaller than the level corresponding to the current intervention operation when the absolute value of the acceleration measured by the accelerometer is smaller than a threshold value corresponding to the current intervention operation.

2. The elevator system according to claim 1, wherein: The level estimated by the server device includes a first level and a second level in which the long-period seismic motion is larger than the first level. The operation control unit moves the car at a lower speed than the normal operation in the first response operation corresponding to the first level, In the second response operation corresponding to the second level, the car is stopped at a landing.

3. The elevator system according to claim 2, wherein: The first threshold corresponding to the first countermeasure operation is smaller than the second threshold corresponding to the second countermeasure operation.

4. The elevator system according to claim 2 or 3, wherein: When the absolute value of the acceleration measured by the accelerometer during the first countermeasure operation is smaller than a first threshold value corresponding to the first countermeasure operation, the operation control section returns to the normal operation of the car.

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