Elevator control device and elevator control method

Abstract

To provide an elevator control device capable of switching an operation mode of an elevator from an inspection mode to a normal mode at an appropriate timing after finishing inspection work of the elevator.SOLUTION: An elevator control device according to an embodiment comprises a mode switching unit that, when an operation mode of an elevator is set to an inspection mode, switches the operation mode of the elevator to a normal mode in response to the recognition of the fact that an operator who performs inspection work moves outside a hoistway after detecting that the operation for switching the operation mode from the inspection mode to the normal mode is performed in the hoistway of the elevator.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] An embodiment of the present invention relates to an elevator control device and an elevator control method. [Background technology]

[0002] Elevators are required to undergo regular maintenance and inspection in order to maintain safe operation. When performing elevator maintenance and inspection work, workers switch the elevator's operation mode from normal mode to inspection mode, and when the maintenance and inspection work is completed, they switch back from inspection mode to normal mode. By switching the operation mode in this way, the elevator can be operated in a manner suitable for the inspection work during the inspection work. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5605833 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Normally, an operating switch for switching the elevator operation mode is installed inside the hoistway, so even if the operating switch is operated after the inspection work is completed, it is not possible to accurately recognize whether the worker has definitely moved out of the hoistway, and there is a problem in that it is not possible to appropriately determine the timing for switching the operation mode.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and aims to provide an elevator control device and an elevator control method that are capable of switching the elevator operation mode from inspection mode to normal mode at an appropriate time after elevator inspection work is completed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to an embodiment for achieving the above object, an elevator control device includes a mode switching unit that switches the elevator operation mode to the normal mode when it detects that an operation to switch from the inspection mode to the normal mode has been performed within the elevator hoistway when the elevator operation mode is set to the inspection mode, and then recognizes that the worker who performed the inspection work has moved outside the hoistway. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 is an overall view showing the configuration of an elevator system using an elevator control device according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] 1 is a diagram showing an example of an operator-only card used to cause a magnetic sensor to transmit information detecting that an operator is at a landing to the elevator control device according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Diagram 3] 3 is a flowchart showing a process executed by the elevator control device according to the first to third embodiments. [Figure 4] FIG. 11 is an overall view showing the configuration of an elevator system using an elevator control device according to a second embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is an overall view showing the configuration of an elevator system using an elevator control device according to a third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] Hereinafter, as one embodiment of the present invention, an elevator system using an elevator control device that switches the operation mode of an elevator between normal operation and inspection work will be described.

[0009] First Embodiment Configuration of an elevator system using the elevator control device according to the first embodiment FIG. 1 is an overall diagram showing the configuration of an elevator system 1A using an elevator control device 7A according to this embodiment.

[0010] The elevator system 1A includes a hoist 3 installed in a hoistway 2 inside a building, a rope 4 hung on the hoist 3, a car 5 suspended from one end of the rope 4, and an elevator control device 7A connected to the car 5 via a tail cord 6. The car 5 has a car door 51 and an on-car inspection switch 52 installed on the top of the car. The on-car inspection switch 52 is a switch operated by a worker performing maintenance and inspection to switch the operation mode in the elevator control device 7A to an inspection mode when starting maintenance work on the top of the car 5, and to return it to the normal mode when the work is finished.

[0011] The elevator control device 7A is connected, via wired or wireless communication, to a door opening / closing sensor 111 installed on the landing door 11 of a specific floor in the building, for example, the first floor landing 10A which is the lowest floor, a pit inspection switch 12 installed near the landing door 11 in the elevator shaft 2, and a magnetic sensor 13 installed at the landing 10A.

[0012] The door opening / closing sensor 111 detects the opening / closing state of the landing door 11. The pit inspection switch 12 is a switch that an operator operates to switch the operation mode in the elevator control device 7A to an inspection mode when starting maintenance work in the pit under the elevator shaft 2, and to switch it back to the normal mode when the work is finished. When the magnetic sensor 13 detects a plurality of magnets arranged to form a predetermined shape pattern, it outputs detection information.

[0013] The elevator control device 7A has a CPU 71A. The CPU 71A is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) provided in a general-purpose microcomputer, and configures one or more information processing units described below by installing and executing a predetermined elevator control program.

[0014] The CPU 71A has an operation control unit 711, an information acquisition unit 712A, and a mode switching unit 713A. The operation control unit 711 controls devices in the elevator system 1A, such as the hoist 3. The information acquisition unit 712A acquires information output from the car-mounted inspection switch 52, the door opening / closing sensor 111, the pit inspection switch 12, and the magnetic sensor 13.

[0015] The mode switching unit 713A switches the operation mode controlled by the operation control unit 711 between a normal mode and an inspection mode based on the information acquired by the information acquisition unit 712A.

[0016] Operation of the elevator system according to the first embodiment In this embodiment, an operator performs maintenance and inspection work in the elevator system 1B while holding an operator-only card for outputting detection information from the magnetic sensor 13. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of an operator-only card C. On the operator-only card C, magnets M1, M2, and M3 are arranged and installed so as to form a predetermined shape pattern.

[0017] 3 is a flow chart showing the process executed by the elevator control device 7A when the elevator system 1A according to this embodiment is in operation. When performing maintenance and inspection work in the pit, the worker stops the car 5 at least one floor above the lowest floor, opens the landing door 11 for inspection work at the landing 10A, which is the lowest floor, and fixes the door open state with a door stopper (not shown). After that, the worker operates the pit inspection switch 12 to switch the operation mode of the elevator control device 7A from the normal mode to the inspection mode. The pit inspection switch 12 outputs information on the operation performed by the worker to the elevator control device 7A.

[0018] In the elevator control device 7A, the information acquisition unit 712A acquires the operation information output from the pit inspection switch 12. The mode switching unit 713A recognizes that an operation to switch the operation mode to the inspection mode has been performed based on the information acquired by the information acquisition unit 712A ("YES" in S1), and switches the operation mode by the operation control unit 711 to the inspection mode (S2).

[0019] After the operation mode is switched to the inspection mode, the worker passes through the open landing door 11 from the landing 10A and descends into the pit using a ladder or the like to perform maintenance and inspection work.

[0020] When the worker finishes the maintenance and inspection work in the pit, he or she climbs out of the pit using a ladder or the like and operates the pit inspection switch 12 to switch the operation mode of the elevator control device 7A from inspection mode to normal mode. The pit inspection switch 12 outputs information on the operation performed by the worker to the elevator control device 7A.

[0021] In the elevator control device 7A, the information acquisition unit 712A acquires the operation information output from the pit inspection switch 12. The mode switching unit 713A recognizes that an operation to switch the operation mode to the normal mode has been performed based on the information acquired by the information acquisition unit 712A ("YES" in S3).

[0022] After operating the pit inspection switch 12, the worker passes through the landing door 11 and moves to the landing 10A outside the elevator shaft 2. When the worker moves to the landing 10A, he or she removes the door stopper and closes the landing door 11. When the landing door 11 closes, the door opening / closing sensor 111 detects the door closing, generates door closing detection information, and transmits it to the elevator control device 7A.

[0023] In the elevator control device 7A, the information acquisition unit 712A acquires the door closing detection information transmitted from the door opening / closing sensor 111. The mode switching unit 713A recognizes that the landing door 11 has been closed based on the information acquired by the information acquisition unit 712A ("YES" in S4).

[0024] After that, the worker holds the worker-only card C held by the worker in a predetermined orientation over the magnetic sensor 13. The magnetic sensor 13 detects the multiple magnets arranged in a predetermined pattern on the held worker-only card C, and outputs the detection information to the elevator control device 7A.

[0025] In the elevator control device 7A, the information acquisition unit 712A acquires the detection information output from the magnetic sensor 13. When the information acquisition unit 712A acquires the detection information, the mode switching unit 713A recognizes that the worker has moved to the landing 10A outside the hoistway 2 ("YES" in S5). As a result, the mode switching unit 713A recognizes that an operation to switch the operation mode to the normal mode has been performed, the landing door 11 has closed, and the worker has moved to the outside of the hoistway 2 and is at the landing 10A, and therefore switches the operation mode by the operation control unit 711 from the inspection mode to the normal mode (S6). When the operation mode is switched to the normal mode, the process returns to step S1.

[0026] Furthermore, when performing maintenance and inspection work on the upper part of the car 5, the worker stops the car 5 so that its upper part is at a height close to the floor of the hall 10A, opens the hall door 11 at the hall 10A, and fixes the door open state with a door stopper (not shown). After that, the worker gets on to the upper part of the car 5 through the open hall door 11 from the hall 10A, and performs an operation to switch the operation mode of the elevator control device 7A from the normal mode to the inspection mode with the on-car inspection switch 52. The on-car inspection switch 52 outputs information on the operation performed by the worker to the elevator control device 7A via the tail code 6.

[0027] In the elevator control device 7A, the information acquisition unit 712A acquires the operation information output from the on-car inspection switch 52. The mode switching unit 713A recognizes that an operation to switch the operation mode to the inspection mode has been performed based on the information acquired by the information acquisition unit 712A ("YES" in S1), and switches the operation mode by the operation control unit 711 to the inspection mode (S2).

[0028] After the operation mode is switched to the inspection mode, the worker performs maintenance and inspection work at the top of the car 5. While the operation mode is set to the inspection mode, for example, the traveling speed of the car 5 is reduced.

[0029] When the worker finishes the maintenance and inspection work on the upper part of the car 5, he or she operates the on-car inspection switch 52 to switch the operation mode of the elevator control device 7A from the inspection mode to the normal mode. The on-car inspection switch 52 outputs information on the operation performed by the worker to the elevator control device 7A.

[0030] In the elevator control device 7A, the information acquisition unit 712A acquires the operation information output from the car-mounted inspection switch 52. The mode switching unit 713A recognizes that an operation to switch the operation mode to the normal mode has been performed based on the information acquired by the information acquisition unit 712A ("YES" in S3).

[0031] After operating the pit inspection switch 12, the worker passes through the landing door 11 and moves to the landing 10A outside the elevator shaft 2. When the worker moves to the landing 10A, he or she removes the door stopper and closes the landing door 11. When the landing door 11 closes, the door opening / closing sensor 111 detects the door closing, generates door closing detection information, and transmits it to the elevator control device 7A.

[0032] In the elevator control device 7A, the information acquisition unit 712A acquires the door closing detection information transmitted from the door opening / closing sensor 111. The mode switching unit 713A recognizes that the landing door 11 has been closed based on the information acquired by the information acquisition unit 712A ("YES" in S4).

[0033] After that, the worker holds the worker-only card C held by the worker in a predetermined orientation over the magnetic sensor 13. The magnetic sensor 13 detects the multiple magnets arranged in a predetermined pattern on the held worker-only card C, and outputs the detection information to the elevator control device 7A.

[0034] In the elevator control device 7A, the information acquisition unit 712A acquires the detection information output from the magnetic sensor 13. When the information acquisition unit 712A acquires the detection information, the mode switching unit 713A recognizes that the worker has moved to the landing 10A outside the hoistway 2 ("YES" in S5). As a result, the mode switching unit 713A recognizes that an operation to switch the operation mode to the normal mode has been performed, the landing door 11 has closed, and the worker has moved to the outside of the hoistway 2 and is at the landing 10A, and therefore switches the operation mode by the operation control unit 711 from the inspection mode to the normal mode (S6). When the operation mode is switched to the normal mode, the process returns to step S1.

[0035] According to the first embodiment described above, the elevator control device can switch the elevator operation mode from the inspection mode to the normal mode when it recognizes using the magnetic sensor that the worker has definitely left the hoistway after the elevator inspection work is completed, thereby ensuring the safety of the worker. By using a dedicated magnetic sensor that forms a predetermined pattern, it becomes possible to switch the operation mode when the worker holding the magnetic sensor has definitely left the hoistway.

[0036] Second Embodiment Configuration of an elevator system using an elevator control device according to the second embodiment FIG. 4 is an overall diagram showing the configuration of an elevator system 1B using an elevator control device 7B according to this embodiment.

[0037] The elevator system 1B further includes a mobile terminal 20 carried by an operator, and a display medium 14 is installed at the hall 10B instead of the magnetic sensor 13. Other than that, the elevator system 1B has the same configuration as the elevator system 1A described in the first embodiment, and therefore detailed descriptions of parts having the same functions will be omitted.

[0038] The display medium 14 is a medium that can be read by the mobile terminal 20 carried by the worker, and displays a two-dimensional code 141 that is display information including identification information of the hall 10B, which is the installation location.

[0039] The mobile terminal 20 is equipped with an application for elevator inspection work, and has a function of reading the identification information of the hall 10B from the two-dimensional code 141 of the display medium 14 and a function of wirelessly transmitting the read information to the elevator control device 7B by using this application.

[0040] The elevator control device 7B has a CPU 71B and a wireless communication unit 72. The wireless communication unit 72 receives the identification information of the hall 10B wirelessly transmitted from the mobile terminal 20, and sends it to the CPU 71B.

[0041] An information acquisition unit 712B of the CPU 71B acquires the identification information of the hall 10B sent from the car-mounted inspection switch 52, the door opening / closing sensor 111, the pit inspection switch 12, and the wireless communication unit 72. A mode switching unit 713B switches the operation mode of the operation control unit 711 between a normal mode and an inspection mode, based on the information acquired by the information acquisition unit 712B.

[0042] Operation of the elevator system according to the second embodiment In this embodiment, a worker carries the mobile terminal 20 and performs maintenance and inspection work inside the elevator system 1B.

[0043] In this embodiment, the processes of steps S1 to S4 executed when an operator performs maintenance and inspection work in the pit or on the upper part of the car 5 are similar to those described in the first embodiment, and therefore detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0044] When the worker moves from inside the elevator shaft 2 to the hall 10B after the maintenance and inspection work, the worker performs an operation to read the identification information of the hall 10B from the two-dimensional code 141 on the display medium 14 of the hall 10B using an application on the mobile terminal 20. The mobile terminal 20 wirelessly transmits the information read by the application to the elevator control device 7B.

[0045] In the elevator control device 7B, the information acquisition unit 712B acquires the identification information transmitted from the mobile terminal 20 via the wireless communication unit 72. When the information acquisition unit 712B acquires the identification information, the mode switching unit 713B recognizes that the worker has moved to the landing 10A outside the hoistway 2 ("YES" in S5). As a result, the mode switching unit 713B recognizes that an operation to switch the operation mode to the normal mode has been performed and that the worker has moved outside the hoistway 2 and is at the landing 10B, and therefore switches the operation mode by the operation control unit 711 from the inspection mode to the normal mode (S6). When the operation mode is switched to the normal mode, the process returns to step S1.

[0046] According to the above second embodiment, after the elevator inspection work is completed, the elevator control device can switch the elevator operation mode from the inspection mode to the normal mode when it recognizes that the worker has definitely left the hoistway using the landing identification information read from the two-dimensional code, thereby ensuring the safety of the worker.

[0047] In the second embodiment described above, the mobile terminal 20 of the worker may wirelessly transmit the identification information of the hall 10B read from the two-dimensional code 141 by an application to a management device in a maintenance center that remotely manages the elevator system 1B, and the management device may transmit the information to the elevator control device 7B. With this configuration, the management device in the maintenance center can recognize the movement of the worker.

[0048] In the above-described second embodiment, the display information displayed on the display medium 14 is not limited to a two-dimensional code, and may be other information, such as barcode information, text information, image information, etc., as long as the display information is capable of reading the identification information of the elevator hall 10A, which is the installation location, by the mobile terminal 20.

[0049] Third Embodiment <Configuration of an elevator system using the elevator control device according to the third embodiment> FIG. 5 is an overall diagram showing the configuration of an elevator system 1C using an elevator control device 7C according to this embodiment.

[0050] The elevator system 1C has a similar configuration to the elevator system 1A described in the first embodiment, except that it further includes a camera device 53 installed on the top of the car door 51 of the car 5, so a detailed description of the parts having the same functions will be omitted.

[0051] When the car door 51 opens at the landing 10C, the camera device 53 captures an image of the area near the landing door 11 of the landing 10C and acquires the identification information of the worker contained in the captured image information. The camera device 53 transmits the identification information of the worker acquired from the captured image information to the elevator control device 7C.

[0052] The elevator control device 7C has a CPU 71C. An information acquisition unit 712C of the CPU 71C acquires identification information of the operator transmitted from the car-mounted inspection switch 52, the door opening / closing sensor 111, the pit inspection switch 12, and the camera device 53. A mode switching unit 713C switches the operation mode of the operation control unit 711 between a normal mode and an inspection mode based on the information acquired by the information acquisition unit 712C.

[0053] Operation of the elevator system according to the third embodiment In this embodiment, when performing maintenance and inspection work, the elevator car 5 is stopped at the landing 10C2 on the floor one floor above the lowest floor landing 10C1, and with the elevator car door 51 open, a worker enters the imaging target area of ​​the camera device 53. The camera device 53 acquires and holds the identification information of the worker contained in the imaging information. The identification information of the worker is acquired based on the facial feature information of the worker, etc., and is information for distinguishing the worker from other people.

[0054] Thereafter, the worker descends to the next lower landing 10C1 via stairs or the like, and performs maintenance and inspection work in the pit and on the upper part of the car 5. The processing of steps S1 to S4 executed by the worker when performing maintenance and inspection work in the pit or on the upper part of the car 5 is similar to that described in the first embodiment, and therefore detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0055] After completing the maintenance and inspection work, the worker moves from inside the elevator 2 to the landing 10C1, and then moves to the next upper landing 10C2 using stairs or the like, and with the car door 51 open, the worker enters the area to be imaged by the camera device 53. The camera device 53 acquires the identification information of the worker contained in the image information, and determines whether or not the worker in the image information is the worker corresponding to the identification information held before the maintenance and inspection work.

[0056] When the camera device 53 determines that the worker in the captured image information is the worker corresponding to the identification information held before the maintenance and inspection work, the camera device 53 generates worker detection information and transmits it to the elevator control device 7C.

[0057] In the elevator control device 7C, the information acquisition unit 712C acquires the worker detection information transmitted from the camera device 53. When the information acquisition unit 712C acquires the worker detection information, the mode switching unit 713C recognizes that the worker has moved to the landing 10C2 outside the hoistway 2 ("YES" in S5). As a result, the mode switching unit 713C recognizes that an operation to switch the operation mode to the normal mode has been performed and that the worker has moved to the outside of the hoistway 2 and is at the landing 10C2, and therefore switches the operation mode by the operation control unit 711 to the normal mode (S6). When the operation mode is switched to the normal mode, the process returns to step S1.

[0058] According to the above third embodiment, after the elevator inspection work is completed, the elevator control device can switch the elevator operation mode from inspection mode to normal mode when it recognizes that the worker has definitely left the hoistway using information detected by a camera device installed on the car door, thereby ensuring the safety of the worker.

[0059] In the above-mentioned first to third embodiments, the information used by the elevator control device 7A, 7B, or 7C in the mode switching process to recognize that the worker has moved to a landing outside the hoistway 2 is not limited to the above-mentioned detection information by the magnetic sensor, the read information of the display medium, and the worker detection information by the camera device 53 of the car 5, and may be other information as long as it is information that can detect the presence of the worker at a position outside the hoistway 2. For example, when the elevator control device 7A, 7B, or 7C acquires input information of information known only to the worker, identification information read from an IC card carried by the worker, biometric authentication information of the worker, or the like via a device at a landing outside the hoistway 2, it may recognize that the worker has moved to a landing outside the hoistway 2 and switch the operation mode of the elevator.

[0060] Although some embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, and are included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents described in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0061] Reference Signs List 1A, 1B, 1C... elevator system, 2... elevator shaft, 3... hoist, 4... rope, 5... car, 6... tail code, 7A, 7B, 7C... elevator control device, 10A, 10B, 10C, 10C1, 10C2... landing, 11... landing door, 12... pit inspection switch, 13... magnetic sensor, 14... display medium, 20... mobile terminal, 51... car door, 52... car-mounted inspection switch, 53... camera device, 71A, 71B, 71C... CPU, 72... wireless communication unit, 111... door opening / closing sensor, 141... two-dimensional code, 711... operation control unit, 712A, 712B, 712C... information acquisition unit, 713A, 713B, 713C... mode switching unit

Claims

1. An elevator control device comprising: a mode switching unit that switches the operation mode of the elevator to the normal mode when it detects that an operation to switch from the inspection mode to the normal mode has been performed within a hoistway of the elevator while the operation mode of the elevator is set to the inspection mode, and then recognizes that a worker who performed the inspection work has moved out of the hoistway.

2. The elevator control device according to claim 1, wherein the mode switching unit recognizes that the worker who performed the inspection work has moved outside the elevator shaft when a predetermined operation is performed by a predetermined worker at the elevator landing.

3. 2. The elevator control device according to claim 1, wherein after setting the operation mode of the elevator to an inspection mode, the mode switching unit acquires and retains information for identifying an operator based on image information captured by a camera device installed in the elevator car before an inspection operation, and when, after the inspection operation, a operator corresponding to the retained information is detected from the image information captured by the camera device, the mode switching unit recognizes that the operator who performed the inspection operation has moved outside the hoistway.

4. 2. The elevator control device according to claim 1, wherein the mode switching unit switches the operation mode of the elevator to the normal mode when it detects that an operation for switching from an inspection mode to a normal mode has been performed, detects that a landing door that was opened for the inspection work has been closed, and recognizes that a worker who performed the inspection work has moved out of the hoistway.

5. The elevator control device An elevator control method for switching an elevator's operation mode from an inspection mode to a normal mode when it is detected that an operation for switching from the inspection mode to a normal mode has been performed within a hoistway of the elevator and then when it is recognized that a worker who performed the inspection work has moved out of the hoistway, the method switches the operation mode of the elevator to the normal mode.

Images