Secure elevator installation

Abstract

The invention relates to an elevator installation comprising: a shaft (12) extending along a vertical component in a building between a lower end (15) and an upper end (17), said building having a plurality of landings (20, 22), a plurality of lockable landing doors (28, 30) adapted to respectively close openings in a closed position and to be locked in said closed position; a car (32) having a top and a movable ascent in translation within said shaft in order to be able to dock at each of said landings (20, 22) opposite the corresponding landing door; a plurality of manual unlocking devices (46, 48) for being able to manually release one or the other of said landing doors, so as to be able to enter said shaft through said released landing door.The installation also includes a cabin movement detection device (55, 57; 58, 59); and a device for stopping and holding the cabin in a fixed position (49, 45). Figure to be published with the abbreviation: Fig. 1.

Description

Title of the invention: Secure elevator installation

[0001] The present invention relates to an elevator installation allowing safe maintenance.

[0002] The usual elevator installations in multi-story buildings generally have a landing on each floor, and comprise a vertical shaft inside which a cabin is adapted to be driven in translation in order to serve these floors.

[0003] Also, the shaft has openings leading to each of the floors, and the installation includes landing doors closing these openings. As long as the cabin is not adjusted opposite the landing doors, these remain locked in a closing position.

[0004] On the other hand, as soon as the cabin docks at one of the floors opposite the corresponding landing door, it causes the latter to automatically unlock. The opening can then be released to allow users to enter or exit between the cabin and the landing.

[0005] Furthermore, in addition to the normal operation of the elevator installation, it is necessary to intervene in the shaft in order to be able to carry out maintenance operations.

[0006] To do this, on each floor, and in the vicinity of each landing door, a manual unlocking device with restricted access allows a maintenance operator to unlock the landing door, while the car is not immobilized opposite. For example, a key lock device is installed in the vicinity of the landing door. And a suitable key allows only the maintenance operator to unlock the landing door.

[0007] Usually, the maintenance operator unlocks the landing door of a given floor, when the car is immobilized on the floor immediately below so as to be able to intervene on the top of the car by descending through the opening of the upper floor thus freed.

[0008] Of course, these intervention conditions require that the cabin be kept in a fixed position, or at the very least that its movements be controlled, so that the operator cannot be accidentally drawn in by the cabin and be crushed at the top of the shaft.

[0009] Also, it is known to do this by installing on the key lock device an electrical contact making it possible to detect the unlocking of the landing door and to control the protection and / or immobilization systems of the cabin and possibly the counterweight.

[0010] However, it is not always easy to install such electrical contactors in existing installations, because they are relatively bulky compared to the space available.

[0011] Also, a problem which arises and which the present invention aims to solve is to provide an elevator installation which allows maintenance operators to intervene safely inside the shaft of the elevator installation.

[0012] In order to solve this problem, an elevator installation is proposed comprising: a shaft extending along a vertical component in a building between a lower end and an upper end, said building having a plurality of landings, while said shaft has a plurality of openings opening respectively onto the landings; a plurality of lockable landing doors adapted to respectively close the openings in a closed position and to be locked in said closed position; a cabin having a top and mounted mobile in translation inside said shaft to be able to dock at each of said landings opposite the corresponding landing door;and, a plurality of manual unlocking devices for manually releasing one or other of said landing doors, while said car is moved away from the released landing door, so as to be able to enter the interior of said shaft through said released landing door.;

[0013] The installation further comprises: a cabin movement detection device adapted to provide an alert signal representative of the movement of said cabin after said landing door has been released and said cabin has been moved away from the released landing door; and, a device for stopping and holding said cabin in a fixed position, for stopping and holding said cabin in a fixed position when said detection device provides said alert signal.

[0014] Thus, a characteristic of the invention lies in the implementation of the cabin detection and movement device, which can transmit an alert signal to the stopping and holding device when the cabin is driven into movement after the landing door has been released, so as to stop the cabin in its travel.

[0015] In this way, if an operator descends into the shaft on the top of the cabin, the movement of the latter is then stopped. Thus, the operator is not crushed at the top of the shaft.

[0016] Similarly, if an operator descends into the pit, at the lower end of the shaft, he does not risk being crushed by the descent of the cabin.

[0017] Also, according to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, said cabin is moved away from said released landing door to be brought into an equilibrium position, and said alert signal is representative of the movement of said cabin relative to said equilibrium position.

[0018] According to an advantageous embodiment, said cabin is spaced away from said landing door released towards said lower end of said shaft.

[0019] Thus, the cabin is, for example, moved away from the freed landing door, downwards substantially to the level of the floor below, and it is held there in a fixed position in an equilibrium position. The operator then descends into the shaft, for example by means of a ladder to be able to place his feet on the top of the cabin. He will then have plenty of time to operate on the cabin. However, if for an unknown reason, and not desired by the operator, the cabin is driven in an upward movement for example, it moves away from its equilibrium position, and the detection device then provides a warning signal to the stopping device which then blocks the cabin in translation. The operator is then not crushed at the top of the shaft.

[0020] Conversely, if the cabin were to fall, in the same way, the detection device would provide an alert signal to the stopping device which would lock the cabin in translation.

[0021] According to one embodiment of the invention, said cabin movement detection device comprises a detector of passage of said cabin mounted at a distance from said upper end of said shaft.

[0022] Thus, as a last resort, if the cabin rises incidentally and without control towards the upper end of the cabin, the cabin passage detector then transmits an alert signal to the stopping device to be able to block it in translation.

[0023] Preferably, said cabin movement detection device comprises an electromagnetic sensor. Such a type of sensor includes magnetic sensors, but also optical sensors. Thus, a permanent magnet, for example, is installed on the cabin, at its periphery, while a Hall effect sensor is installed in the shaft at the height of each of the openings. Thus, the movements of the cabin can be detected without contact.

[0024] According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the installation comprises a drive pulley for said cabin and a motor shaft for driving said drive pulley in rotation, and said device for stopping and holding in fixed position engages on said motor shaft.

[0025] For example, the stopping and holding device comprises a jaw member which grips the motor shaft to brake it and lock it in a fixed position.

[0026] According to another embodiment of the invention, said device for stopping and maintaining in a fixed position comprises a speed limiter. This device comprises a cable mounted in a loop inside the sheath from the lower end to the upper end and it is also connected to the cabin. And more precisely, it is integral with a parachute device located in the cabin and the operation of which will be explained below.

[0027] The cable drives a pulley located at the upper end of the sheath, which pulley is locked in rotation as soon as it reaches a certain speed. The cable is thereby locked in translation, while the cabin continues its course. The cable then triggers the parachute which itself causes the braking and stopping of the cabin in translation in the sheath.

[0028] Furthermore, according to a particularly advantageous embodiment, said cabin is equipped with a presence detector located at said top of said cabin. In this way, the presence detector can provide an additional signal representative of the presence of an operator at the top of the cabin. This additional signal can then operate a device for locking the cabin in translation.

[0029] Furthermore, said top of said cabin is preferably equipped with a translation control interface for said cabin inside said shaft. This control interface allows the operator located at the top of the cabin to deactivate all the locking members of the cabin in translation in order to be able to operate the normal vertical movement of the cabin inside the shaft.

[0030] Other features and advantages of the invention will emerge from reading the description given below of particular embodiments of the invention, given for informational but non-limiting purposes, with reference to the appended drawings in which:

[0031] the single [Fig.l] is a schematic side view in cross section of an elevator installation according to the invention

[0032] [Fig. 1] shows an elevator installation 10 according to the invention. It comprises a shaft 12 extending vertically inside a building 14, from a lower end 15 to an upper end 17. The building 14 here has two floors, a first 16 and a second 18, served by the elevator installation 10. The number of floors is obviously not limiting.

[0033] Thus, the first floor 16 has a first landing 20 contiguous to the elevator shaft 12, while the second floor 18, located above the first floor 16, has a second landing 22.

[0034] Furthermore, the sheath 12 has a first opening 24 opening onto the first bearing 20, at the first stage 18 and a second opening 26, at the second stage 18, opening onto the second bearing 22.

[0035] Also, the first opening 24 is closed by a first landing door 28, while the second opening 26 is closed by a second landing door 30.

[0036] The elevator installation 10 comprises a cabin 32 suspended by its top 34 from a traction cable 36. The top of the cabin 34 also has a roof 35 closing the upper part of the cabin 32.

[0037] The traction cable 36 extends in a loop in the upper end 17 of the sheath 12 passing through a traction group 38 and extending back to be suspended from a counterweight 40.

[0038] The traction group 38 comprises a motor shaft 37 on which a drive pulley 42 is mounted, and in which the traction cable 36 engages. The drive pulley 42 is driven by a geared motor 44.

[0039] Also, the traction group 38 comprises a jaw brake 39 adapted to engage the drive shaft 37.

[0040] In addition, the elevator installation 10 comprises an electronic control card 43, located in the upper end 17 of the shaft 12, near the geared motor 44. The electronic control card 43 is electrically connected, on the one hand to the geared motor 44, and on the other hand to the cabin 32 by means of a free electrical cable 4L

[0041] Furthermore, the elevator installation 10 comprises a parachute system 45 secured to the cabin 32 and crossed by a guide rail 47 of the cabin 32.

[0042] Also, the elevator installation 10 comprises a speed limiter 49 located in the upper end 17 of the shaft 12 and a speed limiter cable 51 mounted in a loop on the speed limiter 49 and extending to the lower end 15 of the shaft 12. The speed limiter cable 51 is then secured to the cabin 32 by means of the parachute 45.

[0043] Consequently, the parachute 45 is mechanically controllable via the speed limiter 49 and the speed limiter cable 51 which connects them.

[0044] And when the parachute is commanded, the cabin 32 becomes integral with the guide rail 47 and it is then held in a fixed position inside the sheath 12.

[0045] The elevator installation 10 comprises manual locking devices comprising locking members, a first 46 and a second 48, making it possible to lock the landing doors 28, 30 respectively in the position where they close the openings 24, 26.

[0046] When the cabin 32 docks at one of the floors 16, 18, in other words when it comes into alignment with the corresponding opening 24, 30, it then automatically controls the locking members 46, 48 to unlock the landing doors 28, 30.

[0047] Thus, as shown in [Fig.l], the cabin causes the first locking member 46 to be controlled to unlock the first landing door 28 and thus free the opening 24. It is then possible to access the interior of the cabin 32 from the first landing 20.

[0048] Then, the first landing door 28 closes and again closes the first opening 24, while the first locking member 46 is controlled to automatically lock the first landing door 28 in its closed position.

[0049] Furthermore, the locking members 46, 48 are also controllable ma- only by means of a specific key 50.

[0050] Indeed, when the elevator installation 10 is defective, it is generally necessary to enter the interior of the shaft 12, and in particular the top of the cabin 32. This possibility is offered only to maintenance operators. Also, the specific key 50 is usually a socket wrench of triangular section, and it allows the maintenance operator to unlock the landing door 28, 30 to access the interior of the shaft 12 independently of the position of the cabin 32.

[0051] A safety problem then arises since it is necessary to ensure that the cabin 32 remains stationary when a maintenance operator enters the interior of the shaft 12.

[0052] According to a first embodiment, the cabin 32 is equipped with a permanent magnet 55, and a Hall effect sensor 57 is installed in the shaft at the height of each of the openings. This provides a device for detecting cabin movement. The movements of the cabin can then be detected without contact, as soon as the cabin 32 moves away from its equilibrium position. Indeed, the movement of the permanent magnet 55 with respect to Hall effect sensors 57 generates a signal representative of the movement of the cabin 32. Consequently, the jaw brake 39 is controlled to engage the motor shaft 37. Consequently, the movement of the cabin 32 is stopped over a travel not exceeding, for example, 1.2 m. This travel is predefined by the dimensions of the permanent magnet 55 in particular.

[0053] According to an alternative embodiment, a magnetic strip is extended inside the shaft from the upper end to the lower end, and it passes through a sensor secured to the cabin. The sensor is then adapted to provide an absolute position of the cabin inside the shaft. The sensor can be coupled to a clock making it possible to provide the speed of the cabin. Thus, the movements of the cabin around its equilibrium position can be detected in the same way as previously.

[0054] Thus, it is ensured that, as soon as the maintenance operator is located at the top 34 of the cabin 32, when the latter is accosted on the floor, the operator cannot be dragged over a distance greater than 1.2 m for example, and cannot be injured.

[0055] The installation according to the invention thus makes it possible to stop the cabin whether it is driven towards the lower end 15 of the shaft 12 or towards the upper end 17. Thus, thanks to the object of the invention, the maintenance operator located at the top 34 of the cabin 32 cannot be crushed by the latter at the top 17 of the shaft 12 when it tends to rise. And in the same way, he cannot be crushed in the lower reserve 56, or bowl, when the cabin 32 tends to descend.

[0056] Nevertheless, if the cabin does not remain stationary, due to a malfunction of the previous device, the elevator installation according to the invention also makes it possible to stop the cabin when it is driven towards the upper end 17 of the shaft 12 to avoid crushing the maintenance operator located on the cabin.

[0057] To do this, the sheath 12 comprises a passage detector, for example an optical detector 59, located at a distance from said upper end 17 of said sheath 12. In this way, if the cabin 32 is driven in translation in an uncontrolled manner towards the upper end 17 by the traction cable 36, the optical detector 59 provides a signal representative of the passage of the cabin 32. And consequently, the jaw brake 39 is controlled to engage the drive shaft 37. Consequently, the movement of the cabin 32 is stopped in its travel so as to avoid crushing the maintenance operator located at the top 34 of the cabin.

[0058] According to another embodiment of the invention, the top 34 of the cabin 12 is equipped with a first presence detector 52, for example, a volumetric detector operating in the infrared. In other words, it records the variation of the infrared radiation above the cabin 32. Also, the first presence detector 52 is electrically connected to the parachute 45 by a first control cable 54.

[0059] Therefore, when the maintenance operator enters the interior of the shaft 12, through the second opening 26, to descend onto the roof 35 of the cabin 12, located on the lower floor 16, the infrared radiation varies so that a signal is emitted by the detector. This signal is, according to a first embodiment, transmitted by a first control cable 54 to the parachute 45, which interacts with the guide rail 47 so as to block the cabin 32 in translation inside the shaft 12. In this way, the maintenance operator can descend onto the roof 35 of the cabin 32 without risk of being crushed by the cabin in the upper end 17 of the shaft 12.

[0060] According to a second embodiment, the signal emitted by the detector controls the jaw brake 39 to engage the drive shaft 37. The cabin 32 is then blocked in translation in the same way.

[0061] In terms of intervention and maintenance of the elevator installation 10, it is also necessary to intervene inside the shaft 12 in its lower end 15.

[0062] The lower end 15 defines the lower reserve 56, inside which a maintenance operator can operate when the cabin 32 is docked at the level of the second landing 22, above the first landing 20. Then, the maintenance operator proceeds to unlock the first landing door 28 by manually acting on the first locking member 46 using the specific key 50. Then, he enters inside the shaft 12 through the first opening 24 to descend into the lower reserve 56.

[0063] Also, with regard to safety, it is appropriate to ensure that the cabin 32 remains motionless so that it does not crush the maintenance operator.

[0064] According to the invention, the lower reserve 56 is equipped with a second presence detector 58 which operates in a similar manner to the first presence detector 52. It is connected by a second control cable 60 to the electronic control card 43 at the upper end 17 of the sheath 12 to then reach the cabin 32 via the free electrical cable 41 then the parachute 45.

[0065] Thus, as soon as the maintenance operator enters the interior of the shaft 12 and descends into the lower reserve 56, the infrared radiation varies and the second detector 58 emits a second signal. This second signal is transmitted to the parachute 45 which makes it possible to block the cabin 32 in translation inside the shaft 12 at the level of the second stage 18.

[0066] In this way, the maintenance operator is assured of being able to intervene without the risk of being crushed by the cabin 32.

[0067] In the same way, according to another embodiment, the second signal can control the jaw brake 39 which engages the drive shaft 37. The cabin 32 is then blocked in translation in the same way.

[0068] Furthermore, the locking members 46, 48 are electrically connected to the electronic control card 43 so as to be able to provide it with a specific signal when the specific key 50 unlocks them manually.

Claims

Claims

1. Elevator installation comprising: - a shaft (12) extending along a vertical component in a building between a lower end (15) and an upper end (17), said building having a plurality of landings (20, 22), while said shaft has a plurality of openings (24, 26) opening respectively onto the landings; - a plurality of lockable landing doors (28, 30) adapted to respectively close the openings (24, 26) in a closed position and to be locked in said closed position; - a cabin (32) having a top (35) and mounted movable in translation inside said shaft (12) to be able to dock at each of said landings (20, 22) opposite the corresponding landing door;- a plurality of manual unlocking devices (46, 48) for manually releasing one or other of said landing doors (28, 30), while said car (32) is moved away from the released landing door, so as to be able to enter the interior of said shaft (12) through said released landing door; characterized in that it further comprises: - a car movement detection device (55, 57; 58, 59) adapted to provide a warning signal representative of the movement of said car (32) after said landing door has been released and said car has been moved away from the released landing door; and, - a device (49, 45) for stopping and holding said car in a fixed position, for stopping and holding said car (32) in a fixed position when said detection device provides said warning signal.;

2. A secure elevator installation according to claim 1, characterized in that said cabin (32) is moved away from said released landing door to be brought into an equilibrium position, and in that said alert signal is representative of the movement of said cabin relative to said equilibrium position.

3. Secure elevator installation according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said cabin (32) is spaced from said released landing door towards said lower end (15) of said shaft (12).

4. Secure elevator installation according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said detection device cabin movement comprises a detector of passage of said cabin (59) mounted at a distance from said upper end (17) of said shaft (12).

5. Secure elevator installation according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said cabin movement detection device (57, 59) comprises an electromagnetic sensor.

6. Secure elevator installation according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it comprises a drive pulley (42) of said cabin and a motor shaft (37) for driving said drive pulley in rotation, and in that said stopping and holding device (39) in a fixed position engages on said motor shaft.

7. Secure elevator installation according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said device for stopping and maintaining in fixed position comprises a speed limiter (49).

8. Secure elevator installation according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said cabin (32) is equipped with a presence detector (52) located at said top (35) of said cabin.

9. Secure elevator installation according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that said top (35) of said cabin is equipped with an interface for controlling the translation of said cabin (32) inside said shaft (12).

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