Elevator system
By using acceleration sensors and automatic control panels in the elevator system, the problem of the elevator car being unable to quickly evacuate during an earthquake has been solved, enabling the rapid rescue of trapped passengers and improving the safety of the elevator system and the passenger experience.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202511138426.8
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2024-08-16
- Filing Date
- 2025-08-14
- Publication Date
- 2026-03-03
AI Technical Summary
Existing elevator systems cannot quickly evacuate passengers during an earthquake, causing them to become trapped inside until maintenance personnel arrive or the system waits for a certain period of time, making timely rescue impossible.
An acceleration sensor is used to detect the acceleration of the car during an emergency stop. When the acceleration is less than the restart threshold, the control panel automatically moves the car to the nearest floor and opens the door. Combined with an earthquake detector and a remote monitoring device, automatic diagnosis and restart of operation are achieved.
Quickly rescue trapped passengers, reduce waiting time, improve safety and passenger peace of mind, and ensure that operations are restarted without delay before the shaking subsides.
Smart Images
Figure CN121591071A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This disclosure relates to elevator systems. Background Technology
[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an elevator system. According to this system, during an earthquake, the elevator car retracts to the nearest floor and opens its doors, allowing passengers to evacuate. Then, it automatically performs diagnostic operation, initiating a temporary resumption of operation in response to a call by limiting the car's speed. Furthermore, in cases where the car cannot retract to the nearest floor, trapping passengers inside, maintenance personnel can be dispatched with priority.
[0003] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 7226657
[0004] However, in the elevator system described in Patent Document 1, in the event of entrapment, the car stops immediately until a maintenance worker arrives. Alternatively, the car stops immediately until a predetermined waiting time has elapsed. Therefore, for example, even if the shaking from an earthquake subsides before the waiting time has elapsed, passengers may still be trapped inside the car until a maintenance worker arrives or the waiting time has elapsed. Summary of the Invention
[0005] This disclosure was made to solve the aforementioned problems. The purpose of this disclosure is to provide an elevator system that can quickly eliminate situations where passengers are trapped inside the elevator car.
[0006] The elevator system disclosed herein includes: a car capable of moving up and down within a shaft; a control panel for controlling the operation of the car; and a remote monitoring device located in the shaft or machine room, which transmits operating information obtained from the control panel to an information center. The remote monitoring device has an acceleration sensor capable of measuring acceleration. When the car makes an emergency stop at a location other than a landing, if the acceleration measured by the acceleration sensor becomes less than a restart threshold, the control panel causes the car to move to the nearest landing and open the door.
[0007] Invention Effects
[0008] According to this disclosure, when the car makes an emergency stop at a location that is not a landing, if the acceleration measured by the acceleration sensor becomes less than the restart threshold, the control panel moves the car to the nearest landing and opens the doors. Therefore, the situation of passengers being trapped inside the car can be resolved as quickly as possible. Attached Figure Description
[0009] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of a building that uses the elevator system described in Implementation Method 1.
[0010] Figure 2 This is a functional block diagram of the elevator system in Implementation Method 1.
[0011] Figure 3 This is a flowchart of the actions taken in the elevator system during an earthquake in Implementation Method 1.
[0012] Figure 4 This is a hardware structure diagram of the control panel of the elevator system in Implementation Method 1.
[0013] Label Explanation
[0014] 1: Elevator system; 2: Shaft; 3: Machine room; 4: Landing; 5: Traction machine; 6: Car; 6a: Safety device; 6b: Notifier; 7: Main rope; 8: Seismic detector; 10: Control panel; 11: Operation control unit; 12: Response unit; 13: Judgment unit; 14: Notification unit; 15: Prediction unit; 20: Remote monitoring device; 21: Accelerometer sensor; 30: Information center device; 100a: Processor; 100b: Memory; 200: Hardware; B: Building. Detailed Implementation
[0015] The embodiments for implementing this disclosure are described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, in the drawings, identical or equivalent parts are labeled with the same reference numerals. Repetitive descriptions of these parts are appropriately simplified or omitted.
[0016] Implementation Method 1
[0017] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of a building that uses the elevator system described in Implementation Method 1. Figure 2 This is a functional block diagram of the elevator system in Implementation Method 1. Figure 3 This is a flowchart of the actions taken in the elevator system during an earthquake in Implementation Method 1.
[0018] exist Figure 1 In elevator system 1, shaft 2 runs through all floors of building B. Machine room 3 is located directly above shaft 2. Multiple stops 4 are located on multiple floors of building B.
[0019] The traction machine 5 is located in the machine room 3. The car 6 is suspended inside the hoistway 2 by the main rope 7 wound around the traction machine 5. The car 6 can move up and down inside the hoistway 2 by the drive of the traction machine 5.
[0020] The car 6 is equipped with a safety device 6a and an alarm device 6b. In the event of a dangerous incident in the car 6, the safety device 6a issues an emergency stop signal. For example, the safety device 6a can detect if the door of the car 6 is open while it is moving. When the safety device 6a detects that the door of the car 6 is open while it is moving, it issues an emergency stop signal.
[0021] The announcer 6b is located inside the car 6. The announcer 6b announces information to the interior of the car 6. The announcer 6b includes a display screen that visually displays the information. The announcer 6b may also include a speaker that emits sound.
[0022] For example, seismic detector 8 is located at the bottom of shaft 2. Seismic detector 8 is capable of detecting tremors exceeding a predetermined control threshold. That is, seismic detector 8 detects whether an earthquake has occurred. When seismic detector 8 detects tremors exceeding the control threshold, it issues a detection signal indicating that an earthquake has occurred.
[0023] The control panel 10 is located in the machine room 3. The control panel 10 can communicate with the various devices of the traction machine 5, the car 6, and the seismic detector 8.
[0024] Elevator system 1 also includes a remote monitoring device 20 and an information center device 30. The remote monitoring device 20 is located near the control panel 10. The remote monitoring device 20 can communicate with the control panel 10. The remote monitoring device 20 obtains the car 6's operating information from the control panel 10 and transmits it to the information center device 30 via a network. An acceleration sensor 21 is installed in the remote monitoring device 20. The acceleration sensor 21 can measure acceleration. Below, the absolute value of the measured acceleration is used as the measurement result of the acceleration sensor 21.
[0025] Information center device 30 is located in a different building than building B. Information center device 30 is located in the information center of the maintenance and management company of elevator system 1. For example, in the event of a disaster, maintenance personnel who receive instructions from the information center may sometimes visit building B to perform elevator restoration work. Information center device 30 is capable of communicating with remote monitoring device 20 via a network.
[0026] Upon receiving a detection signal from the seismic detector 8, i.e., upon detecting an earthquake, the control panel 10 initiates controlled operation of the car 6. During controlled operation, the car 6 stops and opens its doors at the nearest retreat floor. Then, when the acceleration measured by the acceleration sensor 21 is less than the diagnostic threshold, the control panel 10 performs automatic diagnostic operation via the car 6 without waiting for maintenance personnel to arrive. Once the automatic diagnostic operation concludes and the recovery conditions are met, the control panel 10 resumes normal operation of the car 6.
[0027] If, when an earthquake is detected by the earthquake detector 8, the car 6 is traveling in an area where it cannot stop, such as an emergency stop zone, and therefore cannot stop at the nearest floor within the prescribed retreat time, the control panel 10 will make the car 6 make an emergency stop at a location other than floor 4 if it is determined that the car 6 cannot stop at floor 4 within the retreat time during an earthquake. In this situation, passengers may sometimes be trapped inside the car 6.
[0028] Furthermore, upon receiving an emergency stop signal from safety device 6a, control panel 10 causes car 6 to make an emergency stop. At this time, car 6 makes an emergency stop at a location other than floor 4. In this situation, passengers may sometimes be trapped inside car 6.
[0029] In the event of an emergency stop of car 6 at a location other than floor 4, the control panel 10 determines whether the acceleration measured by the acceleration sensor 21 is less than a predetermined restart threshold. If the acceleration is less than the restart threshold, the control panel 10 initiates a restart operation. During the restart operation, the control panel 10 moves car 6 to the nearest floor, floor 4, and stops it. Then, the control panel 10 opens the doors of car 6.
[0030] like Figure 2 As shown, the control panel 10 includes an operation control unit 11, a response unit 12, a judgment unit 13, a notification unit 14, and a prediction unit 15. The operation control unit 11 performs overall control of the operation of the car 6. For example, upon receiving an emergency stop signal, the operation control unit 11 causes the car 6 to stop urgently.
[0031] As a function to respond to earthquakes, the response unit 12 controls the operation of the car 6 when an earthquake is detected. Specifically, upon receiving a detection signal, the response unit 12 executes control operations. Then, the response unit 12 performs automatic diagnostic operations.
[0032] The determination unit 13 performs various determinations. For example, if the car 6 is brought to an emergency stop at a location other than floor 4 by an emergency stop signal, the determination unit 13 determines whether the acceleration measured by the acceleration sensor 21 is less than the restart threshold. Then, if it is determined that the acceleration measured by the acceleration sensor 21 is less than the restart threshold, the operation control unit 11 restarts operation. In addition, if the car 6 is brought to an emergency stop by a detection signal, the response unit 12 can also restart operation.
[0033] The notification unit 14 controls the notification device 6b to perform a notification operation. The prediction unit 15 predicts the restart time until the acceleration measured by the acceleration sensor 21 becomes less than the restart threshold, based on the acceleration currently measured by the acceleration sensor 21. For example, the prediction unit 15 uses a model representing the decay of sway in building B and the currently measured acceleration to predict the restart time.
[0034] Next, use Figure 3 This describes the actions performed by elevator system 1 during an earthquake. Figure 3 The flowchart can begin at any time.
[0035] In step S1, the response unit 12 determines whether a detection signal has been received from the earthquake detector 8, i.e., whether an earthquake has been detected. If no earthquake is detected in step S1, the operation of step S1 is repeated. Alternatively, the response unit 12 may not always perform the determination, but may assume that an earthquake has been detected and proceed to step S2 when a detection signal is received.
[0036] When a detection signal is received in step S1, in step S2, the determination unit 13 determines whether the car 6 can reach the nearest floor 4 within the retraction time.
[0037] If, in step S2, it is determined that the car 6 cannot reach the nearest floor 4 within the reversal time, in step S3, the response unit 12 causes the car 6 to make an emergency stop on the spot. That is, the response unit 12 causes the car 6 to make an emergency stop at a location that is not any floor 4.
[0038] Then, in step S4, the determination unit 13 determines whether the acceleration measured by the acceleration sensor 21 is less than the restart threshold. That is, the determination unit 13 determines whether the shaking has subsided. Here, the restart threshold can also be set to a value larger than the diagnostic threshold. For example, the restart threshold can be set to 10 gal.
[0039] If the acceleration in step S4 is less than the restart threshold, in step S5, the response unit 12 restarts operation. That is, the response unit 12 begins to move the car 6 to the nearest floor station 4.
[0040] If it is determined in step S2 that the car 6 can reach the nearest floor 4 within the retraction time, or after the action in step S5, the action in step S6 is performed. In step S6, the response unit 12 moves the car 6 to the nearest floor and stops it. Then, the response unit 12 opens and maintains the door of the car 6. In this state, the response unit 12 stops the operation of the car 6.
[0041] Then, in step S7, the determination unit 13 determines whether the diagnostic conditions of the car 6 are met. Specifically, the determination unit 13 determines whether the acceleration measured by the acceleration sensor 21 is less than the diagnostic threshold. If the acceleration measured by the acceleration sensor 21 is less than the diagnostic threshold, the determination unit 13 determines that the diagnostic conditions are met.
[0042] If the acceleration measured by the acceleration sensor 21 in step S7 is above the diagnostic threshold, the operation of step S7 is repeated. That is, the operation of the car 6 is stopped until the acceleration measured by the acceleration sensor 21 becomes less than the diagnostic threshold.
[0043] If the acceleration measured by the acceleration sensor 21 in step S7 is less than the diagnostic threshold, the response unit 12 starts automatic diagnostic operation of the car 6 in step S8. Based on the data obtained from the automatic diagnostic operation, if the recovery conditions are met, the operation control unit 11 restarts normal operation of the car 6. Then, the flowchart operation ends.
[0044] If the acceleration in step S4 exceeds the restart threshold, step S9 is performed. In step S9, the notification unit 14 notifies the notification device 6b to wait until the restart of operation. Furthermore, the notification unit 14 may also notify the notification device 6b of the acceleration currently measured by the accelerometer 21 and the restart threshold. At this time, the waveform of the acceleration measured by the accelerometer 21 after the emergency stop can also be displayed on the screen as the currently measured acceleration. Furthermore, the prediction unit 15 predicts the restart time based on the acceleration currently measured by the accelerometer 21. The notification unit 14 may also notify the notification device 6b of the predicted restart time. After step S9, the actions following step S4 are performed.
[0045] According to Embodiment 1 described above, the elevator system 1 includes a car 6, a control panel 10, and a remote monitoring device 20. An acceleration sensor 21 is installed in the remote monitoring device 20. Conventionally, when the car makes an emergency stop at a location other than a floor, it is necessary to wait for a maintenance worker to arrive or for a standby time to elapse before restarting operation to move to the nearest floor. In this embodiment, in such cases, and when the acceleration measured by the acceleration sensor 21 is less than the restart threshold, the control panel 10 restarts the operation by stopping the car 6 at the nearest floor 4 and opening the doors. Therefore, the situation of passengers being trapped inside the car 6 can be eliminated as quickly as possible.
[0046] Furthermore, elevator system 1 is equipped with an earthquake detector 8. If an earthquake is detected and the car 6 is unable to retreat to the nearest floor and stops urgently, the control panel 10 restarts operation based on the acceleration measured by the acceleration sensor 21. Therefore, during an earthquake, the situation where passengers are trapped inside the car 6 can be resolved as quickly as possible. Moreover, even after the standby time has elapsed, large shaking may continue even if it exceeds the restart threshold. In this case, the control panel 10 does not restart operation, thus improving safety.
[0047] Furthermore, when the acceleration measured by the accelerometer 21 becomes smaller than the diagnostic threshold, the control panel 10 performs automatic diagnostic operation. The restart threshold is set to a value smaller than the diagnostic threshold. Before performing automatic diagnostic operation, the car 6 keeps its doors open at the nearest retreat floor, thus preventing passengers from being trapped inside the car 6. Therefore, automatic diagnostic operation can proceed even if the building's swaying has fully subsided. On the other hand, by setting the restart threshold to a value smaller than the diagnostic threshold, restart operation can be performed at an earlier stage. As a result, the situation of passengers being trapped inside the car 6 can be eliminated as quickly as possible.
[0048] Furthermore, the elevator system 1 also includes an alarm device 6b. The control panel 10 instructs the alarm device 6b to announce that it will wait until restarting. Furthermore, the control panel 10 can also instruct the alarm device 6b to simultaneously announce the currently measured acceleration and the restart threshold. Moreover, the control panel 10 can estimate the restart time and instruct the alarm device 6b to announce the restart time as well. Therefore, the anxiety felt by trapped passengers can be reduced.
[0049] Furthermore, this disclosure can also be applied to so-called machine-room-less elevator systems where the traction machine 5, control panel 10, and remote monitoring device 20 are located inside the hoistway 2 instead of a machine room 3. In this case, the acceleration sensor 21 is installed inside the hoistway 2 together with the remote monitoring device 20. Specifically, the acceleration sensor 21 is installed at the upper or lower end of the hoistway 2.
[0050] In addition, Figure 3 Following step S4 of the flowchart, if a predetermined standby time has elapsed since the emergency stop of the car 6, the operation control unit 11 or the response unit 12 may also begin restarting the car 6. The standby time is, for example, set to 1 minute. Previously, restarting was sometimes initiated when a standby time of approximately 1 minute after an emergency stop was met. In cases where the priority is to eliminate passenger entrapment as quickly as possible, restarting may also be initiated after the standby time has elapsed, following conventional guidelines, without waiting for the acceleration measured by the acceleration sensor 21 to become smaller than the restart threshold.
[0051] In addition, Figure 3 After step S9 in the flowchart, if a standby time has elapsed since the emergency stop, the control panel 10 can reset the restart threshold to a larger value. For example, if both step S9 and the standby time have elapsed, the restart threshold, which was set to 10 gal, can be set to 20 gal. This allows the situation of passengers being trapped to be resolved as quickly as possible.
[0052] Next, use Figure 4 An example of the hardware that constitutes the control panel 10 will be described.
[0053] Figure 4 This is a hardware structure diagram of the control panel of the elevator system in Implementation Method 1.
[0054] The functions of the control panel 10 can be implemented by a processing circuit. For example, the processing circuit has at least one processor 100a and at least one memory 100b. For example, the processing circuit has at least one dedicated hardware 200.
[0055] When the processing circuit has at least one processor 100a and at least one memory 100b, the functions of the control panel 10 are implemented by software, firmware, or a combination of software and firmware. At least one of the software and firmware is described as a program. At least one of the software and firmware is stored in at least one memory 100b. The at least one processor 100a reads and executes the program stored in the at least one memory 100b, thereby implementing the functions of the control panel 10.
[0056] When the processing circuit has at least one dedicated hardware 200, the processing circuit is implemented, for example, by a single circuit, a composite circuit, a programmable processor, a parallel programmable processor, an ASIC, an FPGA, or a combination thereof. For example, each function of the control panel 10 is implemented by a separate processing circuit. For example, each function of the control panel 10 is implemented uniformly by a processing circuit.
[0057] Regarding the various functions of the control panel 10, some can be implemented by dedicated hardware 200, and others by software or firmware. For example, the functions of the prediction unit 15 can be implemented by a processing circuit that is a dedicated hardware 200, and the functions other than those of the prediction unit 15 can be implemented by at least one processor 100a reading and executing a program stored in at least one memory 100b.
[0058] In this way, the processing circuit implements the various functions of the control panel 10 through hardware 200, software, firmware, or a combination thereof.
[0059] To summarize the above description, the preferred structures of this disclosure include the following structures shown as appendices.
[0060] (Postscript 1)
[0061] An elevator system having:
[0062] The car, which can move up and down inside the shaft;
[0063] A control panel that controls the operation of the car; and
[0064] A remote monitoring device, installed in the shaft or machine room, transmits the operational information obtained from the control panel to the information center.
[0065] The remote monitoring device has an acceleration sensor capable of measuring acceleration.
[0066] When the car makes an emergency stop at a location that is not a landing, the control panel moves the car to the nearest landing and opens the door when the acceleration measured by the acceleration sensor becomes smaller than the restart threshold.
[0067] (Postscript 2)
[0068] According to the elevator system described in Appendix 1, wherein,
[0069] The elevator system also includes a seismic detector installed in the shaft to detect earthquakes when the shaking caused by an earthquake exceeds a controlled threshold.
[0070] If the car is able to reach the nearest floor within the avoidance time when the earthquake detector detects an earthquake, the control panel will stop the car at the nearest floor and open the door.
[0071] If the car is unable to reach the nearest floor within the specified retreat time when the earthquake detector detects an earthquake, the control panel causes the car to make an emergency stop at a location that is not a floor.
[0072] (Note 3)
[0073] According to the elevator system described in Appendix 2, wherein,
[0074] If, after the car retreats to the nearest floor due to an earthquake detected by the seismic detector, the acceleration measured by the accelerometer becomes less than the diagnostic threshold, the control panel causes the car to perform automatic diagnostic operation during an earthquake. Based on the result of the automatic diagnostic operation, the car resumes normal operation.
[0075] The restart threshold is set to a value greater than the diagnostic threshold.
[0076] (Postscript 4)
[0077] According to any one of the appendices 1 to 3, the elevator system wherein,
[0078] The elevator system also includes an alarm device that alerts the interior of the elevator car.
[0079] When the car makes an emergency stop in a location other than a landing, the control panel causes the alarm device to notify the driver to wait until the car restarts.
[0080] (Note 5)
[0081] According to the elevator system described in Appendix 4, wherein...
[0082] When the car makes an emergency stop in a location other than a landing, the control panel causes the alarm device to report the acceleration currently measured by the acceleration sensor and the restart threshold.
[0083] (Note 6)
[0084] According to the elevator system described in Appendix 4 or 5, wherein...
[0085] When the car makes an emergency stop in a location other than a landing, the control panel estimates the restart time until the acceleration measured by the acceleration sensor becomes less than the restart threshold based on the current acceleration measured by the acceleration sensor, and then the alarm device reports the estimated restart time.
Claims
1. An elevator system, the elevator system having: The car, which can move up and down inside the shaft; A control panel that controls the operation of the car; and A remote monitoring device, installed in the shaft or machine room, transmits the operational information obtained from the control panel to the information center. The remote monitoring device has an acceleration sensor capable of measuring acceleration. When the car makes an emergency stop at a location that is not a landing, the control panel moves the car to the nearest landing and opens the door when the acceleration measured by the acceleration sensor becomes smaller than the restart threshold.
2. The elevator system according to claim 1, wherein, The elevator system also includes a seismic detector installed in the shaft to detect earthquakes when the shaking caused by an earthquake exceeds a controlled threshold. If the car is able to reach the nearest floor within the avoidance time when the earthquake detector detects an earthquake, the control panel will stop the car at the nearest floor and open the door. If the car is unable to reach the nearest floor within the specified retreat time when the earthquake detector detects an earthquake, the control panel causes the car to make an emergency stop at a location that is not a floor.
3. The elevator system according to claim 2, wherein, If, after the car retreats to the nearest floor due to an earthquake detected by the seismic detector, the acceleration measured by the accelerometer becomes less than the diagnostic threshold, the control panel causes the car to perform automatic diagnostic operation during an earthquake. Based on the result of the automatic diagnostic operation, the car resumes normal operation. The restart threshold is set to a value greater than the diagnostic threshold.
4. The elevator system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The elevator system also includes an alarm device that alerts the interior of the elevator car. When the car makes an emergency stop in a location other than a landing, the control panel causes the alarm device to notify the driver to wait until the car restarts.
5. The elevator system according to claim 4, wherein, When the car makes an emergency stop in a location other than a landing, the control panel causes the alarm device to report the acceleration currently measured by the acceleration sensor and the restart threshold.
6. The elevator system according to claim 4, wherein, When the car makes an emergency stop in a location other than a landing, the control panel estimates the restart time until the acceleration measured by the acceleration sensor becomes less than the restart threshold based on the current acceleration measured by the acceleration sensor, and then the alarm device reports the estimated restart time.