Operating elevator doors
By using a combination of a rotatable locking hook assembly and a safety circuit in the elevator door system, the problem of malfunctions caused by wear of the locking mechanism is solved, ensuring that the elevator door opens and closes in the correct position, thus improving the safety and convenience of the elevator system.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202380098748.7
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2023-05-31
- Publication Date
- 2025-12-26
AI Technical Summary
The locking mechanism of elevator doors may malfunction due to factors such as wear and dust accumulation, making it impossible to reliably keep the doors closed or open during transportation, affecting passenger safety and convenience.
The locking mechanism, which employs a rotatable hook assembly and a latch, combined with a safety circuit and a door controller, detects any malfunctions in the locking mechanism by monitoring the current status, ensuring that the elevator door opens and closes in the correct position.
It enables early fault detection of the locking mechanism, ensuring that the elevator doors remain closed during transport and open in the correct position, thus improving passenger safety and convenience.
Smart Images
Figure CN121219221A_ABST
Abstract
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] Exemplary and non-limiting embodiments of the present invention relate to the operation of elevator doors. BACKGROUND
[0002] The correct operation of elevator doors is an important aspect in terms of safety and convenience of elevator passengers. In particular, the timely opening of the doors to enable passengers to enter and exit the elevator car plays an important role in avoiding excessive delays in passenger transportation, while ensuring that the doors are only opened when the elevator car is in a position that enables safe movement between the elevator and the landings of the elevator system, and that the doors remain closed when the elevator car is transporting between the landings is an important aspect of passenger safety.
[0003] In many elevator systems, the elevator doors are automatically operated such that the opening and closing of the elevator doors is performed by using a drive system arranged in the elevator car, which drive system comprises an electric motor arranged to drive the movement of the elevator doors under the control of an elevator door controller. The elevator doors are also typically provided with a locking mechanism that ensures that the elevator doors remain closed when the elevator car is transporting between the landings, and that the elevator doors are allowed to be opened when the elevator car is positioned in a landing area of a landing.
[0004] Thus, the correct and reliable operation of the locking mechanism is of vital importance for the safe operation of the elevator system. The locking mechanism is typically configured or calibrated at manufacturing, installation or when performing maintenance operations on the elevator car such that it ensures that the elevator doors remain closed when the elevator car is transporting between the landings, and that the elevator doors are allowed to be opened when the elevator car is positioned in a landing area. However, prolonged operation of the elevator car can result in impaired operation of the locking mechanism or even failure of the locking mechanism due to wear and tear of the components associated with the elevator doors and due to dust, dirt, etc. that accumulates to the components associated with the elevator doors, which can result in impaired operation of the elevator doors. Since a failure of the locking mechanism such that it cannot ensure that the elevator doors remain closed during transportation and / or such that it cannot allow the elevator doors to be opened when the elevator car is stopped at a landing can severely compromise passenger safety, it would be advantageous to detect a possible impaired operation of the locking system early. SUMMARY
[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide a technique that facilitates detecting impaired operation of a locking mechanism of an elevator door.
[0006] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present application, there is provided a system for operating an elevator door when an elevator car resides at a landing zone of a landing, the system comprising: a locking mechanism comprising a rotatable hook assembly and a latch, wherein the hook assembly comprises a hook portion and an actuation assembly, the hook portion being arranged to selectively engage or disengage the latch via rotation of the hook assembly to set the locking mechanism to a locked state or an unlocked state, respectively, the actuation assembly for rotating the hook assembly; a safety circuit for indicating a state of the locking mechanism, wherein the safety circuit comprises a switch that is closed in the locked state of the locking mechanism and is open in the unlocked state of the locking mechanism; and a door controller arranged to operate a door drive system in dependence on movement of the elevator door to selectively relax the actuation assembly or to exert a force on the actuation assembly to rotate the hook assembly to set the locking mechanism to the locked or unlocked state, to monitor a current in the safety circuit, and to detect a compromised operation of the locking mechanism in response to detecting the current when the actuation assembly is relaxed when the elevator door is closed.
[0007] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present application, there is provided an elevator car for vertical movement within an elevator shaft of an elevator system between a first landing and at least one further landing, the elevator car comprising: a car door movable between an open position and a closed position; a door drive system for driving movement of the car door between the open position and the closed position; a door controller for controlling operation of the door drive system; and a locking mechanism for selectively locking or unlocking the car door, the locking mechanism comprising a rotatable hook assembly and a latch, wherein the hook assembly comprises a hook portion and an actuation assembly, the hook portion being arranged to selectively engage or disengage the latch via rotation of the hook assembly to set the locking mechanism to a locked state or an unlocked state, respectively, the actuation assembly for rotating the hook assembly; and a safety circuit for indicating a state of the locking mechanism, wherein the safety circuit comprises a switch that is closed in the locked state of the locking mechanism and is open in the unlocked state of the locking mechanism, wherein the door controller is further arranged to operate the door drive system in dependence on movement of the elevator door to selectively relax the actuation assembly or to exert a force on the actuation assembly to rotate the hook assembly to set the locking mechanism to the locked or unlocked state, to monitor a current in the safety circuit, and to detect a compromised operation of the locking mechanism in response to detecting the current when the actuation assembly is relaxed when the elevator door is closed.
[0008] The exemplary embodiments of the present application presented in this patent application should not be interpreted as constituting a limitation to the applicability of the appended claims. The verb "comprise" and its derivations are used in this patent application as open-ended limitations that do not exclude the existence of also unrecited features. The features described hereinafter are mutually freely combinable unless otherwise explicitly stated.
[0009] Some features of the application are set forth in the appended claims. However, for full understanding of the application, its con struction and the manner of its operation, reference should be made to the following description of some example embodiments, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0010] Embodiments of the application are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which:
[0011] Figure 1A Some aspects of an elevator system according to an example are schematically illustrated;
[0012] Figure 1B A block diagram of some logical elements of an elevator control system according to an example is shown;
[0013] Figure 2 Some elements of a locking mechanism according to an example are schematically illustrated;
[0014] Figure 3 A safety circuit according to an example is schematically illustrated;
[0015] Figure 4A and 4B Some elements of a safety circuit in the context of a locking mechanism according to an example are schematically illustrated; and
[0016] Figure 5 A block diagram of some elements of an apparatus according to an example is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0017] Figure 1A Some aspects of an elevator system 100 provided with automatic doors according to an example are schematically illustrated, including an elevator car 110 that can be moved in a vertical direction within an elevator shaft 120 to enable transportation of passengers and / or cargo between landings of the elevator system 100. The elevator system 100 can include at least two landings, while Figure 1A The landing 130 shown in the schematic illustration is intended to represent any landing of the elevator system 100. The elevator car 110 is provided with car doors 111, which can include sliding doors that are movable between a closed position and an open position. The landing 130 is provided with landing doors 131, which are likewise movable between a closed position and an open position. In normal operation of the elevator system 100, the landing doors 131 can be opened and closed in unison with the car doors 111, such that they can only be opened when the elevator car 110 is positioned within the landing area of the landing 130, and they remain closed when the elevator car 110 is not within the landing area of the landing 130. Aspects of moving the car doors 110 and the landing doors 131 between the closed position and the open position are described in further detail below.
[0018] Figure 1B A block diagram showing some logical elements of an elevator control system 200 according to an example is shown. The elevator control system 200 can be used to control various aspects related to the movement and operation of an elevator car 110. In this example, the elevator control system 200 is shown as having an elevator controller 210 for controlling at least some aspects of the movement of the elevator car 110 in an elevator shaft 120, a door drive system 230 for driving movement of a car door 111 of the elevator car 110 between a closed position and an open position, and a door controller 220 for operating the door drive system 230 and for monitoring at least one aspect of the operation of the car door 111 and / or a landing door 131.
[0019] In line with the foregoing, the elevator controller 210 can be arranged to control at least some aspects of the movement of the elevator car 110 in the elevator shaft 120. The elevator controller 210 is typically installed outside the elevator car 110, e.g. in or near a suitable location in the elevator shaft 120, and the elevator controller 210 can comprise or can be provided using one or more computer devices each comprising one or more respective processors and one or more respective memories storing one or more computer programs, wherein the one or more processors are arranged to execute the one or more computer programs to cause the one or more computer devices to operate as the elevator controller 210. Thus, the elevator controller 210 can be provided as an elevator control device (e.g. via use of a single computer device) or as an elevator control system (e.g. via use of two or more computer devices).
[0020] The elevator controller 210 is communicatively coupled to the door controller 220, wherein the communicative coupling between the elevator controller 210 and the door controller 220 can be provided using a wired communication network or communication link, using a wireless communication network or communication link, or using a combination of a wired communication network or communication link and a wireless communication network or communication link. The elevator controller 210 can also be communicatively coupled to one or more further elevator controllers, which can be arranged to control at least some aspects of the movement of respective elevator cars in other elevator shafts, and / or to an elevator group controller arranged to control at least some aspects related to the movement of a plurality of elevator cars in a plurality of elevator shafts.
[0021] The operation of the elevator controller 210 in controlling the movement of the elevator car 110 can involve, for example, controlling the speed of the elevator car 110 via a control arrangement for driving one or more electric motors of the elevator car 110, and a brake system for holding the elevator car 110 in its position when the elevator car 110 is stopped at a landing. However, in the context of the present disclosure, the aspects of particular interest relate to the operation of the door controller 220 in monitoring at least one aspect of the operation of the car door 111 and / or the landing door 131, and thus, any further details relating to the operation of the elevator controller 210 and / or the movement of the elevator car 110 along the elevator shaft 120 are only described herein to the extent that they are necessary for describing examples relating to said monitoring performed via the operation of the door controller 220. In this respect, aspects relating to the general operation of the elevator controller 210 in controlling the movement of the elevator car 110 along the elevator shaft 120 can be provided using techniques known in the art.
[0022] Following the ideas described in the foregoing, the door drive system 230 can be arranged to drive the movement of the car door 111 between the closed position and the open position. In this respect, the door drive system 230 can be operated under the control of the door controller 220, e.g. in accordance with one or more door control signals received from the door controller 220. The door drive system 230 can comprise an electric motor and a motor controller arranged to control the operation of the electric motor, the electric motor being coupled to the car door 111 via a transmission system such that the operation of the electric motor causes a linear movement of the elevator car door 111 in a direction substantially parallel to the opening in the wall of the elevator shaft 120 at the landing 130, thereby enabling the car door 111 to be moved between the closed position and the open position. The transmission system can be arranged to convert the rotational motion provided by the electric motor into linear motion of the car door 111. The features of the transmission system can be selected according to the requirements of the specific implementation of the elevator car 110, the car door 111 and / or the door drive system 230, and the transmission system can involve, for example, one or more of the following: a belt drive, a chain drive, a gear train.
[0023] The door controller 220 is typically installed in the elevator car 110, e.g. in a suitable location inside the elevator car 110 (e.g. in a ceiling structure of the elevator car 110) or on the outside of the elevator car 110 (e.g. on the roof of the elevator car 110). The door controller 220 can comprise or can be provided using a computer device comprising one or more processors and one or more memories storing one or more computer programs, wherein the one or more processors are arranged to execute the one or more computer programs to cause the computer device to operate as the door controller 220. Thus, the door controller 220 can be provided as a door controller device. Along the lines described in the foregoing, the door controller 220 is communicatively coupled to the elevator controller 210, while the door controller 220 is further communicatively coupled to the door drive system 230, wherein the communicative coupling between the door controller 220 and the door drive system 230 can be provided using wired or wireless communication networks and / or communication links.
[0024] Aspects of the door controller 220 controlling movement of the car door 111 between the closed position and the open position can at least include the following operations with respect to moving the elevator car door 111:
[0025] - moving the car door 111 in a first direction to open the car door 111,
[0026] - moving the car door 111 in a second direction opposite to the first direction to close the car door 111.
[0027] Each of these operations can be implemented via the door controller 220 issuing respective control signals to the door drive system 230. The door controller 220 can also implement, e.g. setting and / or adjusting, the speed of movement of the car door 111 by applying respective control signals.
[0028] The elevator car 110 can also include a door coupler 112 attached to the car door 111 for temporarily coupling the landing door 131 of the landing 130 to the car door 111 when the elevator car 110 resides within the landing area of the landing 130. In this regard, the door coupler 112 can be arranged to temporarily couple the landing door 131 to the car door 111 when the elevator car 110 stops at a location within the landing area of the landing 130 and decouple the landing door 131 from the car door 111 prior to the elevator car 110 leaving the landing area. As an example of this, the coupling can be provided via operation of the door drive system 230 (e.g., under control of the door controller 220) and / or via operation of an actuation member included in or coupled to the door coupler 112, while the decoupling can be provided via operation of the door drive system 230. Thus, as the car door 111 is moved between the closed and open positions (via operation of the door drive system 230), the landing door 131 moves with the car door 111. By opening the landing door 131 only when the elevator car 110 is positioned at the landing 130 and closing the landing door 131 prior to the elevator car 110 leaving the landing 130, opening and closing the landing door 131 with the car door 111 facilitates passenger safety.
[0029] The door coupler 112 can include one or more coupling elements for engaging one or more counter elements attached to the landing door 131 when the elevator car 110 resides within the landing area of the landing 130. Thus, the landing door 131 can be coupled to the car door 111 via the one or more coupling elements engaging the one or more counter elements, and the landing door 131 can be decoupled from the car door 111 via the one or more coupling elements disengaging from the one or more counter elements. In this regard, the door coupler 112 can be summarized in the following manner in response to operation of the elevator car 110 stopping at a location within the landing area of the landing 130:
[0030] - the one or more coupling elements can be arranged to engage the one or more counter elements when the elevator car 110 stops at a location within the landing area of the landing 130, thereby coupling the landing door 131 to the car door 111 in preparation for opening the doors 111, 131 to enable passenger movement between the elevator car 111 and the landing 130.
[0031] - the one or more coupling elements can be arranged to remain engaged with the one or more counter elements as the car door 111 is moved between the closed and open positions, thereby causing the landing door 131 to move with the car door 111 as the car door 111 is moved between the open and closed positions.
[0032] One or more coupling elements of the door coupler 112 and one or more counter elements of the landing door 131 are positioned relative to each other such that when the elevator car 110 is stopped at a position within the landing area of the landing 130, the one or more coupling elements are relatively close to the one or more counter elements to enable the one or more coupling elements to engage the one or more counter elements via a first predetermined movement and disengage from the one or more counter elements via a second predetermined movement, which can essentially be the first movement in reverse. In one example, the one or more coupling elements can be attached to a portion of the elevator car 110 above the car door 111 or the top of the car door 111, while the one or more counter elements can be attached to a top frame disposed above the landing door 131 or the top of the landing door 131. The first movement of the one or more coupling elements engaging the one or more counter elements can be triggered by the elevator car 110 stopping at a position within the landing area, while the second movement of the one or more coupling elements disengaging from the one or more counter elements can be triggered by the car door 111 closing.
[0033] The above door opening and closing cycle can be followed by the elevator car 110 leaving the landing 130 to service a subsequent transportation call, or the elevator car 110 waiting at the landing 130 in case no further transportation call is to be serviced. In the latter case, the one or more coupling elements can be arranged to re-engage the one or more counter elements, thereby re-coupling the landing door 131 to the car door 110.
[0034] One or more coupling elements of the door coupler 112 and one or more counter elements of the landing door 131 are positioned relative to each other such that when the elevator car 110 is stopped at a position within the landing area of the landing 130, the one or more coupling elements are relatively close to the one or more counter elements to enable the one or more coupling elements to engage the one or more counter elements via a first predetermined movement and disengage from the one or more counter elements via a second predetermined movement, which can essentially be the first movement in reverse. In one example, the one or more coupling elements can be attached to a portion of the elevator car 110 above the car door 111 or the top of the car door 111, while the one or more counter elements can be attached to a top frame disposed above the landing door 131 or the top of the landing door 131. The first movement of the one or more coupling elements engaging the one or more counter elements can be triggered by the elevator car 110 stopping at a position within the landing area, while the second movement of the one or more coupling elements disengaging from the one or more counter elements can be triggered by the car door 111 closing.
[0035] The first movement can involve a predetermined lateral movement of at least one of the one or more coupling elements in a first direction (e.g. in the direction of the plane of the car door 111), while the second movement can involve a predetermined lateral movement of said at least one of the one or more coupling elements in a second direction opposite to the first direction. The movement of the one or more coupling elements can be provided via exerting a force causing the movement of the one or more coupling elements of the door coupler 112, using the door drive system 230 (e.g. under control of the door controller 220). In this respect, the first movement of the one or more coupling elements when the elevator car 110 is stopped at a position within the landing zone can be provided, e.g. via operating the door drive system 230 to exert a first force to the one or more coupling elements when starting to move the car door 111 from its closed position towards the open position, while the second movement of the one or more coupling elements when closing the car door 111 can be provided, e.g. via operating the door drive system 230 to exert a second force to the one or more coupling elements when closing the car door 111. The first force can be a force exerted via the door coupler 112 to the car door 111 and to the landing door 131 temporarily coupled to the car door 111 for moving the elevator doors 111, 131 towards the open position, while the second force can be a force exerted via the door coupler 112 to the car door 111 and to the landing door 131 temporarily coupled to the car door 111 for moving the elevator doors 111, 131 towards the closed position. The door coupler 112 can be considered to be in an active state when the first or second force is exerted to the door coupler 112.
[0036] In the presence of a further transportation call to be served, the door drive system 230 can be operated to continue to apply the second force to the one or more coupling elements to keep the landing door 131 separated from the car door 111 to ensure that the elevator car departs from the landing 130 undisturbed, while in the absence of a further transportation call to be served, the door coupling 112 can enter a relaxed state in which the door drive system 230 does not apply a force to the one or more coupling elements. When entering the relaxed state, an actuation member comprised in or coupled to the door coupling 112 can be arranged to cause the first movement of the one or more coupling elements to engage the one or more counter elements. In this regard, the actuation member can apply a third force to the one or more coupling elements to cause the first movement thereof. The third force can be sufficient to cause the first movement of the one or more coupling elements when entering the relaxed state, while the third force can be substantially smaller than the first and second forces applied for moving the car door 111 and the landing door 131 temporarily coupled to the car door 111. The second force also needs to be greater than the third force to allow the second movement of the one or more coupling elements when the door drive system 230 is applied for actuating the movement of the coupling elements, regardless of the third force applied by the actuation member. The actuation member can comprise, for example, a spring arranged to push or pull the one or more coupling elements into a direction resulting in the first movement of the one or more coupling elements, thereby keeping the landing door 131 coupled to the car door 111 during the relaxed state of the door coupling 112.
[0037] According to one example, the one or more coupling elements of the door coupling 112 can comprise a pair of coupling blades arranged above the elevator car 110 (or on top of the car door 111) such that they extend in the direction of movement of the elevator car 110 (i.e. in a vertical direction) and protrude towards the landing door 131, thereby forming a vertical “slot” whose open side is directed towards the landing door 131, while the one or more counter elements can comprise two or more rollers mounted on a top rack provided above (or on top of) the landing door 131 and protruding towards the elevator shaft 120 with respective axes of the one or more rollers being substantially perpendicular to the plane of the landing door 131. In this regard, the two or more rollers can be positioned such that, when the elevator car 110 is positioned within the landing area of the landing 130, the two or more rollers are located within the “slot” formed by the pair of coupling blades.
[0038] In particular, the first movement triggered when the elevator car stops at a position within the landing area of the landing 130 can involve the coupling blades moving closer to each other to engage the two or more rollers and thus temporarily couple the landing door 131 to the car door 111. Thus, the landing door 131 can become easily coupled to the car door 111 and it can move together with the car door 111 when the car door 111 is moved via operation of the door drive system 230. Conversely, the second movement triggered when the car door 111 is moved back to its closed position can involve the coupling blades moving away from each other to disengage from the two or more rollers, thereby decoupling the landing door 131 from the car door 111.
[0039] In another example, the positioning of the one or more pairs of coupling blades 112a relative to the two or more rollers can be such that the pair of coupling blades passes between the two or more rollers when the elevator car 110 moves past the landing door 131 along the elevator shaft 120. Thus, the first movement can involve the coupling blades moving away from each other to engage the two or more opposing elements, thereby temporarily coupling the landing door 131 to the car door 111. Conversely, the second movement can involve the coupling blades moving closer to each other to disengage from the two or more rollers, thereby decoupling the landing door 131 from the car door 111.
[0040] To ensure that the car door 111 and the landing door 131 are only opened when the elevator car 110 is stopped at a position within the landing area of the landing 130, each of the car door 111 and the landing door 130 can be provided with a respective locking mechanism that enables locking or unlocking of the respective one of the doors 111, 131. The locking mechanism of the car door 111 can be applied to keep the car door 111 locked when the elevator car 110 moves along the elevator shaft 120 between the landings of the elevator system 100 and unlocked when the elevator car 110 is positioned within the respective landing area of any landing of the elevator system 100. The locking mechanism for the landing door 131 can be applied to keep the landing door 131 locked when the elevator car 110 is not positioned at the landing area and unlocked when the elevator car 110 is positioned within the landing area of the landing 130.
[0041] In various examples in this regard, the locking mechanism for the car door 111 can apply to unlock the car door 111 when the elevator car 110 enters the landing area of the landing 130, when the elevator car 110 stops at a position within the landing area of the landing 130, or during a process for opening the car door 111 via operation of the door drive system 230, while locking the car door 111 can be performed, for example, during a process for closing the car door 111, when the elevator car 110 leaves the landing 130, or when the elevator car 110 leaves the landing area of the landing 130. Along similar lines, the locking mechanism for the landing door 131 can apply to unlock the landing door 131 when the elevator car 110 enters the landing area of the landing 130, when the elevator car 110 stops at a position within the landing area of the landing 130, or during a process for opening the landing door 131 via operation of the door drive system 230, while locking the landing door 131 can be performed, for example, during a process for closing the landing door 131, when the elevator car 110 leaves the landing 130, or when the elevator car 110 leaves the landing area of the landing 130.
[0042] In the following examples, the term elevator door 111, 131 is used, where applicable, to refer to one or both of the car door 111 and the landing door 131 as an editorial choice made in order to ensure clarity and conciseness of the description by avoiding extensive repetition of the terms car door 111 and landing door 131 throughout the examples.
[0043] Figure 2 A locking mechanism 140 according to an example is schematically illustrated, wherein the locking mechanism 140 comprises a hook assembly 141 for arrangement in the elevator door 111, 131 and a latch 145 for arrangement in a structure adjacent to the elevator door 111, 131, such as a frame adjacent to the elevator door 111, 131. The latch 145 can also be referred to as a lock counterpart. The hook assembly 141 can be rotatable about an axis 142 (as indicated by the curved arrow A), and it can comprise a hook portion 141a for engaging the latch 145. The hook assembly 141 and the latch 145 can be mounted relative to each other such that the hook portion 141a can be brought to its position of engaging the latch 145 via a rotational movement of the hook assembly 141 in a first direction (e.g., in a clockwise direction in the illustration of Fig. 1 1 1) when the elevator door 111, 131 is in a closed position, while the latch 145 can be brought to its position of engaging the hook portion 141a via a rotational movement of the hook assembly 141 in a second direction opposite to the first direction (e.g., in a counter-clockwise direction in the illustration of Fig. 1 1 1) when the elevator door 111, 131 is in an open position. Figure 2 Figure 2 The hook assembly 141 disengages from the latch portion 141a by rotating counterclockwise (as shown in the diagram). The position where the hook assembly 141 engages the latch 145 can be referred to as the locked (or closed) state of the locking mechanism 140, while the position where the hook assembly 141 does not engage the latch 145 can be referred to as the unlocked (or open) state of the locking mechanism 140.
[0044] The locking mechanism 140 may also include a locking hook actuation assembly ( Figure 2 (Not shown in the illustration) The locking hook assembly 141 is used to rotate a predetermined amount in a first direction when the elevator doors 111, 131 are to be locked, such that the locking hook portion 141 engages the latch 145, and is used to rotate the locking hook assembly 141 in a second direction by a predetermined amount when the elevator doors 111, 131 are to be unlocked, such that the latch 145 disengages from the locking hook portion 141a. The locking hook actuation assembly can be provided using suitable mechanical or electromechanical arrangements known in the art. As an example in this regard, the door connector 112 can also be used as a latch actuation assembly, such that the operation of the door connector 112 to connect the landing door 131 to the car door 111 is further arranged to rotate the latch assembly 141 in a second direction (so that the latch 145 disengages from the latch portion 141a) to unlock the elevator doors 111, 131, and the operation of the door connector 112 to disengage the landing door 131 from the car door 111 is further arranged to rotate the latch assembly 141 in a first direction (so that the latch portion 141a engages the latch 145) to lock the elevator doors 111, 131.
[0045] As mentioned above, Figure 2 The illustration is a schematic diagram for illustrating the operating principle of an exemplary locking mechanism 140 suitable for locking and unlocking elevator doors 111, 131, wherein the hook portion 141a of the hook assembly 141 can engage or disengage from the latch 145 via rotational movement of the hook assembly 141. In this regard, the respective shapes and dimensions of the hook assembly 141 and the latch 145, their arrangement relative to each other, and their orientation and / or position relative to the elevator doors 111, 131 can be compared with reference to... Figure 2 The illustrations may differ from those described herein, without departing from the scope of this disclosure, provided that their relative positions to each other enable selective locking or unlocking of elevator doors 111, 131 via rotational movement of the hook assembly 141.
[0046] Although the locking mechanism according to the above example involves a relatively simple mechanical structure, which serves as a proven solution for locking elevator doors 111, 131, it requires consideration of the lock gap, i.e., in the lock hook portion 141a and the latch 145 (as shown in the example above). Figure 2The lock gap between the hook portion 141a and the latch 145 is carefully calibrated in terms of the gap between the hook portion 141a and the latch 145 to ensure reliable operation. In this regard, a sufficient lock gap ensures undisturbed movement of the hook portion 141a relative to the latch 145 without contact between the two when rotating the hook assembly 141, while still ensuring that locking of the elevator door 111, 131 from opening without rotating the hook assembly 141 is substantially prevented. By contrast, a lock gap that is less than sufficient when rotating the hook assembly 141 results in contact between the hook portion 141a and the latch 145, which presents the risk that the hook portion 141a gets stuck by the latch 145 and thus prevents unlocking of the elevator door 111, 131 and thus opening of the elevator door 111, 131. This in turn has the risk of preventing passengers from entering or exiting the elevator car 110 when the elevator car 110 reaches the landing 130, with the latter in particular being considered to constitute a serious risk to the convenience and safety of passengers.
[0047] For example, when installing components of the elevator system 100 that have a direct or indirect influence on movement of the elevator doors 111, 131, or when performing maintenance operations that can have an influence on the respective positions of the car door 111 and the landing door 131 relative to each other and / or relative to the elevator car 110, the lock gap can be calibrated to a reference value, thereby ensuring a sufficient lock gap and thus reliable opening and closing of the elevator doors 111, 131 at the landing 130. However, over time, wear of components of the elevator car 110, the car door 111 and / or the landing door 131, as well as sand, dust, dirt and the like that accumulate to the elevator car 110, the car door 111, the landing door 131 and / or the landing 130 can result in a situation in which the lock gap becomes smaller than the reference value set at calibration. This in turn can result in the locking mechanism getting stuck due to contact between the hook portion 141a and the latch 145 upon rotational movement of the hook assembly 141.
[0048] The locking mechanism can further be provided with Figure 3 The safety circuit 150 shown, wherein the safety circuit 150 comprises a switch 152 and a load 153 arranged in series between nodes of a voltage source 151. The switch 152 is closed when the locking mechanism 140 is in the locked state and is open when the locking mechanism 140 is in the unlocked state. Thus, the switch 152 is closed when the elevator door 111, 131 is closed, in setting the locking mechanism 140 to the locked state, and is open when the elevator door 111, 131 is to be opened, in setting the locking mechanism 140 to the unlocked state. Thus, current flows in the safety circuit 150 when the locking mechanism 140 is in the locked state and no current flows in the safety circuit 150 when the locking mechanism 140 is in the unlocked state. This enables observing the state of the locking mechanism via monitoring the current through the safety circuit 150.
[0049] The load 153 of the safety circuit 150 can comprise one or more electrical components. According to an example, the load 153 can comprise, for example, a light emitting diode (LED) and / or an arrangement of components capable of measuring the current in the safety circuit 150. However, in this respect, the concept of the safety circuit 150 should be interpreted broadly, including any circuit or branch of a circuit in which the flow of current can be enabled or disabled via operation of the switch 152, and in which the current through the switch 152 can be monitored via operation of the gate controller 220.
[0050] The switch 152 of the safety circuit 150 can be provided, for example, by a first switch element 152a attached to the shackle assembly 141 and a second switch element 152b arranged in contact with the first switch element 152a when the shackle portion 141a of the shackle assembly 141 engages the counter element 145 in the locked state of the locking mechanism 140, and conversely, when the shackle portion 141a of the shackle assembly 141 is not engaged with the latch 145 in the unlocked state of the locking mechanism 140, there is no contact between the first switch element 151a and the second switch element 152b. As an example, one of the first switch element 151a and the second switch element 152b can comprise one or more pins, and the other of the first switch element 151a and the second switch element 152b can comprise one or more sockets for receiving respective ones of the one or more pins to close the switch 152. Thus, the switch 152 can be closed by inserting the one or more pins into the respective one or more sockets at least a predetermined depth, and conversely, the switch 152 can be opened by fully retracting the one or more pins from the respective one or more sockets or such that they do not reach the predetermined depth. In a specific example, one, two or three pins and a corresponding number of sockets can be applied.
[0051] Figure 4A and Figure 4B Aspects of the provision of the switch 152 via the first switch element 152a and the second switch element 152b are schematically illustrated. In this respect, Figure 4A The shackle assembly 141 is shown in the unlocked position of the locking mechanism 140, with the first switch element 152a mounted to the shackle portion 141a such that the first switch element 152a is in contact with the second switch element 152b when the shackle assembly 141 is rotated to the locked position of the locking mechanism 140. Figure 4B The shackle assembly 141 is shown in the locked position of the locking mechanism 140, with the first switch element 152a in contact with the second switch element 152b. In Figure 4A and Figure 4B In the respective illustrations of Figs. 1 1 and 12, the latch 145 is omitted Figure 2to ensure the clarity of the figures. In a non-limiting example, the second switching element 152 can be attached to the latch 145 or to a structure adjacent to the elevator door 111, 131, for example, to a frame of the elevator door 111, 131.
[0052] As previously mentioned, according to examples, the door coupler 112 can also serve as an actuation assembly for the hook assembly 141 of the rotation locking mechanism 140. This is advantageous because unlocking the elevator door 111, 131 essentially requires coupling the landing door 131 to the car door 111 via operation of the door coupler 112 to enable opening of the elevator door 111, 131, while locking the elevator door 111, 131 essentially requires decoupling the landing door 131 from the car door 111 via operation of the door coupler 112 to prepare the elevator car 110 for departure from the landing 130. However, in other examples, an actuation assembly separate from the door coupler 112 can be applied instead.
[0053] With reference to examples employing the door coupler 112 as an actuation mechanism for the locking mechanism 140, at least one of the one or more counter elements can be coupled to the hook assembly 141,
[0054] such that in response to a first movement of the one or more coupling elements engaging the one or more counter elements, the hook assembly 141 is rotated to the second direction to disengage the latch 145 from the hook portion 141a, and
[0055] such that in response to a second movement of the one or more coupling elements, the hook assembly 141 is rotated to the first direction to disengage the latch 145 from the one or more counter elements.
[0056] In examples where the one or more coupling elements of the door coupler 112 comprise a pair of coupling blades and the one or more counter elements comprise two or more rollers, at least one of the two or more rollers can be coupled to the hook assembly 141 in a manner that causes the above-mentioned movement of the hook assembly 141 in response to the coupling blades engaging or disengaging the two or more rollers.
[0057] As previously mentioned, the door controller 220 can monitor the status of the locking mechanism 140 via monitoring the current passing through the safety circuit 150: when current is flowing through the safety circuit 150 (e.g., through the switch 152), the locking mechanism 140 is in a locked state, and when current is not flowing through the safety circuit 150 (e.g., through the switch 152), the locking mechanism 140 is in an unlocked state. Furthermore, when the door coupler 112 is used as an actuation assembly for rotating the hook assembly 141, the status of the door coupler 112 provides an indirect indication of the assumed status of the locking mechanism:
[0058] When the door drive system 230 is applied to exert the first force or the second force to the door coupler 112 to move the elevator door 111, 131 between the closed position and the open position, it is assumed that the locking mechanism 140 is in the unlocked state.
[0059] When the door drive system 230 is applied to exert the second force to the door coupler 112 after closing the elevator door 111, 131 and separating the landing door 131 from the car door 111, it is assumed that the locking mechanism 140 is in the locked state, and
[0060] When the door coupler 112 is in the relaxed state after separating the landing door 131 from the car door 111 when closing the elevator door 111, 131, it is assumed that the locking mechanism 140 is in the unlocked state.
[0061] In the case where the lock gap gradually decreases during the use of the elevator system 100, and over time, the lock gap can reach a point where the rotational movement of the hook assembly 141 is disturbed due to the contact between the hook portion 141a and the latch 145. In this regard, the smaller contact between the hook portion 141a and the latch 145 can still allow the rotational movement of the hook assembly 141 for setting the locking mechanism 140 to the unlocked or locked state when sufficient force is applied to the door coupler 112 acting as the actuation assembly, while further reduction of the lock gap can result in the hook assembly 141 being unable to rotate in the second direction to the extent that causes the latch 145 to disengage from the hook portion 141a due to the contact between the two, thereby “sticking” the locking mechanism 140 in the locked state.
[0062] Since the first force applied to cause the door coupler 112 to temporarily couple the landing door 131 to the car door 111 and simultaneously rotate the hook assembly 141 is greater than the third force applied to the door coupler 112 in its relaxed state, the smaller contact between the hook portion 141a and the latch 145 can not prevent the rotational movement of the hook assembly 141 when the first force is applied to the door coupler 112, while the third force applied to the door coupler 112 in its relaxed state by the actuation member can not be sufficient to cause the rotational movement. Thus, the locking mechanism 140 can remain in the locked state when the door coupler 112 is relaxed, which can serve as an indication that the lock gap has been reduced to a point where the rotational movement of the hook assembly 141 is at least somewhat disturbed.
[0063] The door controller 220 can be arranged to detect impaired operation of the elevator door 111, 131 in response to observing a situation in which current is flowing in the safety circuit 150, e.g. through the switch 152, while the door coupler 112 functioning as an actuation assembly of the locking mechanism 140 is in a relaxed state after having closed the elevator door 111, 131. The door controller 220 can monitor the state of the door coupler 112, e.g. an active state or a relaxed state, by observing at least one aspect of the operation of the door drive system 230 in moving the elevator door 111, 131. In this regard, the door coupler 112 can be considered to be in an active state when the elevator door 111, 131 is not in a closed position and / or the door drive system 230 is applied to exert a first force or a second force to the door coupler 112 in order to move the elevator door 111, 131, while the door coupler 112 can be considered to be in a relaxed state when the elevator door 111, 131 is closed and neither the first force nor the second force is exerted thereto via operation of the door drive system 230. In order to perform the monitoring of the state of the door coupler 112, the door controller 220 can receive and / or derive one or more parameters describing aspects of the movement and / or position of the elevator door 111, 131, e.g. one or more of the following:
[0064] a position of the elevator door 111, 131, e.g. relative to a (fully) open position and / or relative to a (fully) closed position,
[0065] a speed of movement of the elevator door 111, 131,
[0066] a power consumption of an electric motor of the door drive system 230 for driving movement of the elevator door 111, 131, 131,
[0067] a torque of an electric motor of the door drive system 230 for driving movement of the elevator door 111, 131.
[0068] A position of the elevator door 111, 131 can for example be derived via monitoring a position of a component of a transmission system of the door drive system 230, which position at least indirectly indicates a (relative) position of the elevator door 111, 131 relative to its open and / or closed position. As an example in this regard, in case the transmission system of the door drive system 230 comprises a belt drive assembly, the metric of interest can comprise a position of a drive belt (of a predetermined reference point in) of the belt drive assembly and / or a travel distance of the drive belt relative to a fully closed or fully open position of the elevator door 111, 131. A speed of movement of the elevator door 111, 131 can for example be derived via observing a time sequence of (at least two) positions of the elevator door 111, 131 over a time window.
[0069] The power consumption of the electric motor of the door drive system 230 can be monitored, for example, via a measure directly monitoring the power consumption of the electric motor or via monitoring one or more parameters indirectly describing the power consumption of the electric motor. Examples of the latter include the current and / or voltage supplied to the electric motor of the door drive system 230, e.g. the magnitude and / or phase of the current and / or voltage supplied to the electric motor. A respective indication of the characteristics of the current and / or voltage supplied to the electric motor can be obtained, for example, from the motor controller or from a respective measuring device applied to measure the current and / or voltage supplied to the electric motor. Along similar lines, an indication of the torque of the electric motor can be obtained, for example, from the motor controller or from a monitoring device applied to measure the torque of the electric motor.
[0070] Aspects of the door controller 220 monitoring at least one aspect of the movement of the elevator door 111, 131 can include the door controller 220 reading, receiving or deriving, while opening or closing the elevator door 111, 131 using the door drive system 230, respective values of one or more parameters describing the movement of the elevator door 111, 131 according to a predetermined schedule, e.g. at predetermined time intervals. As an example in this respect, the predetermined time intervals can be selected from the range of 10 to 100 milliseconds, e.g. 50 milliseconds.
[0071] In case the door controller 220 detects impaired operation of the locking mechanism 140, the door controller 220 can proceed to take one or more predefined actions. In this respect, the predefined actions can include, for example, raising an alarm or a maintenance call, e.g. by sending a message in this respect to the elevator controller 210, which can forward the alarm or maintenance call to another entity in order to request performance of necessary maintenance in order to restore proper operation of the locking mechanism. As an example, the alarm or maintenance call can identify the elevator car 110 and / or the landing 130 for which impaired operation of the locking mechanism 140 was identified, thereby enabling the door controller 220 to take further actions in this respect. In another example, additionally or alternatively, in case the impaired operation of the locking mechanism 140 relates to the car door 111, the predefined actions can involve the elevator controller 210 temporarily disabling operation of the elevator car 110.
[0072] In another example, the elevator controller 220 can take further action in response to receiving an alarm or a maintenance call from the door controller 210 of the elevator car 110. In one example, the elevator controller 220 can temporarily disable operation of the elevator car 110 in response to receiving an alarm or a maintenance call indicating impaired operation of the locking mechanism of the car door 111. In another example, where the elevator controller 220 receives an alarm or a maintenance call relating to impaired operation of the locking mechanism 140 of the landing door 131 of the landing 130 (and / or a corresponding landing door of another landing of the elevator system 100), the elevator controller 220 can continue to temporarily disable access to and from the elevator car 110 via the landing 130 (and / or via the other landing) in order to ensure the safety of passengers while allowing operation of the elevator car 110 and access to / from the elevator car 110 via the other landing, thereby minimizing downtime of the elevator car 110 (and thus inconvenience to passengers).
[0073] In the foregoing, the description refers to an elevator door 111, 131 in singular. However, the description is readily generalizable to control and monitor movement of at least one elevator door 111, 131 (e.g. a double door assembly arranged in the elevator car 110 and / or a double door assembly arranged in the landing 130). A double door assembly comprises a first door leaf and a second door leaf movable such that the first door leaf and the second door leaf move away from each other when opened and move towards each other when closed, wherein a door drive system 230 can be applied to drive movement of both door leaves. In such an arrangement, the hook assembly 141 can be arranged in the first door leaf and the latch 145 can be arranged in the second door leaf (rather than arranging one of the hook assembly 141 and the latch 145 to an adjacent structure such as a door frame).
[0074] In the foregoing, the description relates to arranging the hook assembly 141 to the elevator door 111, 131 and arranging the latch 145 to an adjacent structure such as a door frame or another elevator door, while in other non-limiting examples the arrangement of the hook assembly 141 and the latch 145 relative to the elevator door 111, 131 and the door frame can be reversed such that the hook assembly 140 is arranged in the adjacent structure such as the door frame and the latch 145 is arranged in the elevator door 111, 131.
[0075] In light of the foregoing, the door controller 220 can comprise or can be provided using a computer device comprising one or more processors and one or more memories storing one or more computer programs, wherein the one or more processors are arranged to execute the one or more computer programs to operate as the door controller 220. As an example in this regard, Figure 5 A block diagram showing some components of a device 400 that can be used to implement the door controller 220 is shown.
[0076] The device 400 comprises a processor 410 and a memory 420. The memory 420 can store data and computer program code 425. The device 400 can further comprise a communication component 430 for wired or wireless communication with other devices and / or user I / O (input / output) components 440, which can be arranged together with the processor 410 and part of the computer program code 425 to provide a user interface for receiving input from and / or providing output to a user. In particular, the user I / O components can comprise user input means such as one or more keys or buttons, a keyboard, a touch screen or touchpad, etc. The user I / O components can comprise output means such as a display or touch screen. The components of the device 400 are communicatively coupled to each other via a bus 450, which enables transmission of data and control information between the components.
[0077] The memory 420 and part of the computer program code 425 stored therein can be further arranged to, with the processor 410, cause the device 400 to perform at least some aspects of the operations of the door controller 220 described in the foregoing. The processor 410 is configured to read from and write to the memory 420. Although the processor 410 is depicted as a respective single component, it can be implemented as one or more separate processing components in respective. Similarly, although the memory 420 is depicted as a respective single component, it can be implemented as one or more separate components, some or all of which can be integrated / removable and / or can provide persistent / semi-persistent / dynamic / cached storage.
[0078] The computer program code 425 can comprise computer executable instructions to implement at least some aspects of the operations of the door controller 220 described in the foregoing, when loaded into the processor 410. As an example, the computer program code 425 can comprise a computer program consisting of one or more sequences of one or more instructions. The processor 410 is able to load and execute a computer program by reading the one or more sequences of one or more instructions included therein from the memory 420. The one or more sequences of one or more instructions can be structured such that, when executed by the processor 410, they cause the device 400 to perform at least some aspects of the operations of the door controller 220 described in the foregoing. Thus, the apparatus 400 can comprise at least one processor 410 and at least one memory 420 including computer program code 425 for one or more programs, the at least one memory 420 and the computer program code 425 configured to, with the at least one processor 410, cause the apparatus 400 to perform at least some aspects of the operations of the door controller 220 described in the foregoing.
[0079] The computer program code 425 can be provided as, for example, a computer program product including at least one computer-readable non-transitory medium bearing computer program code 425 embodied therein that, when executing on the processor 410, causes the device 400 to perform at least some of the operations of the door controller 220 described in the foregoing. The computer-readable non-transitory medium can include a memory device, a recording medium, or another article of manufacture that tangibly embodies the computer program. As another example, the computer program can be provided as a signal configured to reliably transfer the computer program.
[0080] Reference to a processor herein is not to be understood as only encompassing programmable processors, but also encompasses dedicated circuits, such as field programmable gate arrays (FPGA), application specific circuits (ASIC), signal processors, etc.
Claims
1. A system for operating an elevator car door (111, 131) when the elevator car (110) resides at a landing area of a landing (130), the system comprising: a locking mechanism (140) comprising: a rotatable hook assembly (141) and a latch (145), wherein the hook assembly (141) comprises a hook portion (141a) arranged to selectively engage or disengage the latch (145) via rotation of the hook assembly (141) to set the locking mechanism (140) to a locked state or an unlocked state, respectively, an actuation assembly (112) for rotating the hook assembly (141), a safety circuit (150) for indicating a state of the locking mechanism (140), wherein the safety circuit (150) comprises a switch (152) that is closed in the locked state of the locking mechanism (140) and open in the unlocked state of the locking mechanism (140), and a door controller (220) arranged to: operate a door drive system (230) in dependence of movement of the elevator door (111, 131) to selectively relax the actuation assembly or to exert a force that rotates the hook assembly (141) by the actuation assembly to set the locking mechanism (140) to the locked state or the unlocked state, monitor a flow of the current in the safety circuit (150), and detect a compromised operation of the locking mechanism (140) in response to detecting the flow of the current when the actuation assembly is relaxed when the elevator door (111, 131) is closed.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein, the switch (152) comprises: a first switch element (152a) attached to the hook assembly (141), and a second switch element (152b) arranged in a position that comes into contact with the first switch element (152a) when the hook assembly (141) is rotated to set the locking mechanism to the locked state.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein, one of the first switch element (152a) and the second switch element (152b) comprises one or more pins and the other of the first switch element (152a) and the second switch element (152b) comprises one or more sockets for receiving the one or more pins to close the switch (152).
4. The system of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, the hook assembly (141) comprises an actuation member arranged to exert a force that causes the actuation assembly to rotate the hook assembly (141) towards a locking position of the locking mechanism (140) when the actuation assembly is relaxed.
5. The system of claim 4, wherein, the force exerted by the actuation member is smaller than the force exerted by the actuation assembly.
6. The system of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, the hook assembly (141) is rotatable in a first direction to set the locking mechanism (140) to the unlocked state and rotatable in a second direction opposite to the first direction to set the locking mechanism (140) to the locked state.
7. The system of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein, The actuation assembly comprises a door coupler (112) for selectively coupling the landing door (131) to or decoupling the landing door (131) from the elevator car door (111), wherein the door coupler (112) is arranged to rotate the shackle assembly (141) to set the locking mechanism (140) in an unlocked state when coupling the landing door (131) to the elevator car door (111) and to rotate the shackle (141) to set the locking mechanism (140) in a locked state when decoupling the landing door (131) from the car door (111).
8. The system of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein, The door controller (220) is arranged to operate the door drive system (230) to: apply a first force causing the actuation assembly to rotate the shackle assembly (141) in a first direction to set the locking mechanism (140) in an unlocked state before opening the elevator doors (111, 131) when the elevator car (110) arrives at the landing (130), apply a first force causing the actuation assembly to rotate the shackle assembly (141) in a second direction opposite to the first direction to set the locking mechanism (140) in a locked state after opening and closing the elevator doors (111, 131) in preparation for the elevator car (110) to leave the landing (130), and relax the actuation assembly causing the locking mechanism (140) to be set in an unlocked state in case the elevator car (110) remains at the landing after the elevator doors (110) have been opened and closed.
9. The system of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein, The door controller (220) is arranged to operate the door drive system (230) to relax the actuation assembly causing the locking mechanism (140) to be set in an unlocked state in case the elevator car (110) remains at the landing after the elevator doors (111, 131) have been closed.
10. The system of any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein, The door controller (220) is arranged to take a predetermined action in response to detecting a compromised operation of the locking mechanism (140).
11. The system of any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein, The elevator door comprises an elevator car door (111) driven by a door drive system (230).
12. The system of any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein, The elevator door comprises a landing door (131) of a landing (130) of the elevator system (100), wherein the landing door (131) is temporarily couplable to the elevator car door (111) driven by the door drive system (230) via a door coupler (112) connected to the car door (111), wherein the door coupler (112) is arranged for temporarily coupling the landing door (131) to the car door (111) when the elevator car (110) resides in a landing area of the landing (130) such that the landing door (131) moves together with the car door (111) between an open position and a closed position.
13. An elevator car (110) for vertical movement within an elevator shaft (120) of an elevator system (100) between a first landing (130) and at least one further landing, the elevator car (110) comprising car doors (111) movable between an open position and a closed position; a door drive system (230) for driving the car doors (111) in movement between the open position and the closed position; a door controller (220) for controlling operation of the door drive system (230); a locking mechanism (140) for selectively locking or unlocking the car doors (111), the locking mechanism (140) comprising: a rotatable hook assembly (141) and a latch (145), wherein the hook assembly (141) comprises a hook portion (141a) arranged to selectively engage or disengage the latch (145) via rotation of the hook assembly (141) to set the locking mechanism (140) in a locked state or an unlocked state, respectively, and an actuation assembly (112) for rotating the hook assembly (141); and a safety circuit (150) for indicating a state of the locking mechanism (140), wherein the safety circuit (150) comprises a switch (152) that is closed in the locked state of the locking mechanism (140) and open in the unlocked state of the locking mechanism (140), wherein the door controller (220) is further arranged to: operate the door drive system (230) in dependence of movement of the elevator doors (111, 131) to selectively relax the actuation assembly or to exert a force causing the actuation assembly to rotate the hook assembly (141) to set the locking mechanism (140) to the locked or unlocked state, monitor a current in the safety circuit (150), and detect a compromised operation of the locking mechanism (140) in response to detecting said current when the actuation assembly is relaxed while the elevator doors (111, 131) are closed.
14. The elevator car (110) of claim 13, wherein, the actuation assembly comprises a door coupler (112) for selectively coupling or decoupling the landing door (131) to or from the elevator car door (111), wherein the door coupler (112) is arranged to rotate the hook assembly (141) to set the locking mechanism (140) to the unlocked state when coupling the landing door (131) to the elevator car door (111) and to rotate the hook (141) to set the locking mechanism (140) to the locked state when decoupling the landing door (131) from the car door (111).
15. The elevator car (110) according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the switch (152) comprises: a first switch element (152a) attached to the hook assembly (141), and a second switch element (152b) arranged in a position to come into contact with the first switch element (152a) when rotating the hook assembly (141) to set the locking mechanism to the locked state.
16. The elevator car (110) according to any of claims 13 to 15, wherein, the actuation assembly comprises an actuation member arranged to exert a force causing the actuation assembly to rotate the hook assembly (141) towards the locked position of the locking mechanism (140) when the actuation assembly is relaxed.
17. The elevator car (110) according to any of claims 13 to 16, wherein, The door controller (220) is arranged to operate the door drive system (230) to relax the actuation assembly so that the locking mechanism (140) is set to an unlocked state after the elevator doors (111, 131) are closed in case the elevator car (110) stays at the landing.