Elevator boarding assistance method for movable body, movable body control method, elevator control device, and movable body control device

Abstract

To provide an elevator boarding assistance method for a movable body, which assists the movable body so as to be able to safely board a car of an elevator while preventing damaging of an elevator member.SOLUTION: This elevator boarding assistance method is configured such that an elevator control device including a threshold value storage unit for storing an angle threshold value which is a permitted upper limit value of an inclining angle in the entrance direction of a car preset regarding the car of the elevator and a load threshold value indicated by a load amount applied on a car sill of the car and required for inclining the car by an angle amount indicated by the angle threshold value in the entrance direction, acquires information about the weight of a movable body about to board the car, and outputs a load threshold value exceeding notification when the weight of the movable body is equal to or higher than the load threshold value.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] An embodiment of the present invention relates to an elevator boarding assistance method for a moving body, a moving body control method, an elevator control device, and a moving body control device. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, services have become popular in which elevators are linked with self-propelled mobile objects such as robots to transport goods. Some of these mobile objects weigh more than 100 kg, and when such heavy mobile objects load luggage into a car, the rated load capacity of the car may be exceeded.

[0003] For this reason, there is a technology in which a measuring device for measuring load is installed at the landing threshold below the doorway that communicates with the elevator car inside the elevator hall, and when the load of an object moving toward the car measured by the measuring device exceeds a predetermined value, notification information is output (for example, Patent Document 1). By using this technology, it is possible to determine before the moving object gets on whether the load on the car when it gets on will exceed the rated load, and if the rated load is exceeded, the moving object's entry is stopped, thereby taking measures to prevent overloads from being applied to the wire rope, hoist, car floor, etc. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-89941 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] When a heavy moving object gets into a car, in addition to the amount of load that will be placed on the car after the object gets in, as described above, attention must also be paid to the tilt of the car that occurs when the object gets in.

[0006] This is because when a heavy moving object gets into a car, if a large load is applied near the entrance / exit inside the car, the car will tilt toward the entrance / exit, and the car opening / closing device installed above the car door may collide with the opening / closing device on the landing door side, damaging these devices, deforming the roller guide installed above the car, or damaging the car threshold.

[0007] However, the technology described above, which uses the amount of load applied to the elevator car after a moving object has boarded, has the problem that it is not possible to determine whether or not the moving object can board, taking into account the possibility of damage to elevator components due to the degree of tilt of the elevator car.

[0008] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a method for assisting a moving body in getting into an elevator, a method for controlling a moving body, an elevator control device, and a moving body control device, which assist a moving body in safely getting into an elevator car while preventing damage to elevator components. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] According to an embodiment for achieving the above object, a method for assisting a moving body in getting on an elevator includes an elevator control device having a threshold memory unit that stores an angle threshold that is a preset value for the elevator car and is the upper limit of the allowable tilt angle of the car toward the entrance / exit direction, and a load threshold that is indicated by the amount of load to be applied to the car threshold of the car required to tilt the car toward the entrance / exit direction by the angle indicated by the angle threshold, and the elevator control device acquires information on the weight of a moving body attempting to get on the car, and if the weight of the moving body is equal to or greater than the load threshold, outputs a load threshold exceeding notification. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is an overall view showing the configuration of a robot movement system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2]1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an elevator control device 10 in a robot movement system according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] 10 is a flowchart showing an execution sequence of a process for setting an angle threshold and a load threshold in an elevator control device, which is performed by an operator. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which a load is applied to the car sill of the car, causing the car to tilt. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart illustrating a process executed by an elevator control device when a robot device gets into a car in a robot movement system according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] A robot movement system using an elevator control device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

[0012] Configuration of a robot movement system according to an embodiment 1 is an overall view showing the configuration of a robot movement system ST according to one embodiment. The robot movement system ST includes an elevator 1 installed in a building, a robot device 20 which is a self-propelled moving body, and a robot controller 30 which serves as a moving body controller.

[0013] The elevator 1 has a hoist 3 installed above an elevator shaft 2 inside a building, a rope 4 stretched across the hoist 3, a car 5 suspended from one end of the rope 4, and a counterweight 6 suspended from the other end of the rope 4.

[0014] The car 5 has a car door 51, a car sill 52 provided below the car door 51, a car load measuring device 53 that measures the amount of load acting on the car sill 52, a car door opening / closing device 54 installed above the car door 51, a vertical frame 55 that supports the car 5, a roller guide 56 installed above the vertical frame 55, and an angle measuring device 57 installed above the vertical frame 55 that measures the angle of inclination of the car 5 toward the car door 51. The angle measuring device 57 is formed of, for example, a gyro sensor.

[0015] At the landing 7 on each floor in the building, there are installed a landing door 71, a landing threshold 72 below the landing door 71, a landing load measuring device 73 that measures the amount of load applied to the landing threshold 72, a landing door device 74 above the landing door 71, and a landing wireless communication device 75 above the landing 7.

[0016] An elevator control device 10 is installed above the elevator shaft 2. The elevator control device 10 is connected to the hoist 3, the car 5, the landing load measuring device 73, and the robot control device 30 so as to be able to communicate with each other.

[0017] By using devices configured to the same specifications as the landing load measuring device 73 and the landing load measuring device 73, it is possible to minimize measurement errors between the devices.

[0018] 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the elevator control device 10. The elevator control device 10 includes a threshold value storage unit 11, an input unit 12, an output unit 13, and a CPU .

[0019] The threshold storage unit 11 stores an angle threshold, which is a preset value for the car 5 and is the upper limit of the allowable tilt angle of the car 5 toward the car door 51 in the entrance / exit direction, and a load threshold, which is indicated by the amount of load to be applied to the car sill 52 of the car 5, required to tilt the car 5 toward the car door 51 by the angle indicated by this angle threshold. This angle threshold is preset at an angle at which the car door opening / closing device 54 and the landing door device 74 do not come into contact with each other and the roller guide 56 does not deform when the car 5 tilts toward the car door 51. In addition, the load threshold is set at an amount of load at which the car sill 52 does not break.

[0020] The input unit 12 receives operation information from the administrator. The output unit 13 is configured by, for example, a display device, and outputs information processed by the CPU .

[0021] The CPU 14 is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) provided in a general-purpose microcomputer, and by installing and executing a predetermined elevator control program, configures one or more information processing units described below. The CPU 14 has a robot weight acquisition unit 141 as a moving object weight acquisition unit, an inclination angle acquisition unit 142, a robot information processing unit 143 as a moving object information processing unit, a threshold setting unit 144, and an equipment management unit 145.

[0022] The robot weight acquisition unit 141 acquires the amount of load applied to the car load measuring device 53 when the robot device 20 gets into the car 5 as the weight of the robot device 20. The tilt angle acquisition unit 142 measures the tilt angle of the car 5 toward the car door 51 measured by the angle measurement device 57.

[0023] The robot information processing unit 143 outputs a load threshold excess notification when the weight of the robot device 20 acquired by the robot weight acquisition unit 141 is equal to or greater than the load threshold. In addition, the robot information processing unit 143 outputs an angle threshold excess notification when the tilt angle of the car 5 toward the car door 51 acquired by the tilt angle acquisition unit 142 is equal to or greater than the angle threshold.

[0024] The threshold setting unit 144 stores the angle threshold and the load threshold in the threshold storage unit 11, and updates the load threshold at predetermined intervals.

[0025] The equipment management unit 145 determines the deterioration state of the parts in the elevator 1 based on the updated load threshold value, and outputs notification information to prompt part replacement as necessary.

[0026] The robot device 20 has front wheels 21 and rear wheels 22, a drive unit 23 that drives the front wheels 21 and rear wheels 22, and a robot wireless communication device 24. The robot wireless communication device 24 communicates with the robot control device 30 via a hall wireless communication device 75.

[0027] The robot control device 30 is communicably connected to the elevator control device 10 and the hall wireless communication device 75 of each hall 7. The robot control device 30 generates a control signal for controlling the robot device 20 based on notification information acquired from the elevator control device 10, and transmits the control signal to the robot device 20 via the hall wireless communication device 75 of the hall 7 where the robot device 20 is located.

[0028] Operation of the robot movement system according to one embodiment As the operations of the robot movement system according to this embodiment, (1) threshold setting processing and (2) robot entry processing will be described.

[0029] (1) Threshold setting process 3 is a flowchart showing the execution sequence of the process of setting the angle threshold and the load threshold for the elevator control device 10, which is performed by two workers. The first worker first places a predetermined number (for example, one) of inspection weights of a predetermined weight on the car sill 52 of the car 5 (S1). At this time, when a load is applied to the car sill 52, the car 5 tilts toward the car door 51 as shown in FIG. 4, and the clearance D between the car sill 52 and the landing sill 72 increases. The workers measure the distance of the clearance D between the car sill 52 and the landing sill 72 (S2).

[0030] If the first worker determines that the clearance D is equal to or less than a predetermined value, for example, does not exceed 30 mm ("NO" in S3), he / she adds an inspection weight and measures the clearance distance again (S4 → S2). This predetermined value (30 mm) is set in advance as the distance between the car sill 52 and the landing sill 72 such that the car door opening / closing device 54 and the landing door device 74 do not come into contact with each other and the roller guide 56 does not deform when the car 5 tilts toward the car door 51.

[0031] Steps S2 to S4 are repeated until the clearance D between the car threshold 52 and the landing threshold 72 exceeds 30 mm, and when it exceeds 30 mm ("YES" in S3), the first worker calculates the total weight of the stacked inspection weights and obtains it as the load threshold, and communicates this load threshold information to a second worker located near the elevator control device 10.

[0032] The second worker recognizes the tilt angle θ of the car 5 measured by the angle measuring device 57 when the clearance D exceeds 30 mm as the angle threshold value.

[0033] The second worker inputs information about these load thresholds and angle thresholds from the input unit 12. The threshold setting unit 144 sets the information about the load thresholds and angle thresholds input from the input unit 12 by storing them in the threshold storage unit 11 (S5). This completes the threshold setting process.

[0034] At predetermined intervals, for example, during periodic inspection of the elevator 1, the worker executes the above-described steps S1 to S4. If the number of inspection weights when the clearance between the car sill 52 and the landing threshold 72 exceeds 30 mm is different from the previous time, that is, if the measured value of the load amount applied to the car sill 52 required to tilt the car 5 toward the car door 51 by the angle indicated by the angle threshold is different from the previous measurement, the worker measures the total weight of the inspection weights piled up this time and acquires it as a new load threshold.

[0035] The worker inputs new load threshold information from the input unit 12. When the threshold setting unit 144 acquires the new load threshold information, it updates the load threshold information in the threshold storage unit with the acquired information.

[0036] (2) Robot boarding process 5 is a flowchart showing the processing executed by the elevator control device 10 when the robot device 20 gets into the car 5. The elevator riding support method for a moving body and the moving body control method according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

[0037] When the car door 51 and the landing door 71 open, the robot device 20 travels toward the car 5 and stops with the front wheels 21 resting on the landing threshold 72. When the robot device 20 stops ("YES" in S11), the landing load measuring device 73 measures the amount of load acting on the landing threshold 72 and transmits the measurement value to the elevator control device 10.

[0038] In the elevator control device 10, the robot weight acquisition unit 141 acquires information on the measurement value transmitted from the landing load measuring device 73 as the weight of the robot device 20. When the robot information processing unit 143 determines that the weight of the robot device 20 acquired by the robot weight acquisition unit 141 is less than the load threshold value stored in the threshold value storage unit 11 ("YES" in S12), it generates a boarding permission notice and transmits it to the robot control device 30.

[0039] When the robot control device 30 receives the boarding permission notice from the elevator control device 10, it generates an instruction to board the car 5 and transmits it to the robot device 20 via the hall wireless communication device 75 of the hall 7 where the robot device 20 is located. The robot device 20 receives the boarding instruction transmitted from the robot control device 30 via the robot wireless communication device 24, and based on this, the drive device 23 drives the front wheels 21 and rear wheels 22 to move the robot device 20 forward and board the car 5. When the robot device 20 boards the car 5, the robot boarding process when the boarding permission notice is output is completed.

[0040] In step S12, if the robot information processing unit 143 determines that the weight of the robot device 20 acquired by the robot weight acquisition unit 141 is equal to or greater than the load threshold ("NO" in S12), it generates a load threshold exceedance notification and transmits it to the robot control device 30 (S14).

[0041] When the robot control device 30 receives a load threshold excess notification from the elevator control device 10, it identifies the operation content to be performed when the load threshold is exceeded, and generates and transmits an operation instruction based on the identified operation content to the robot device 20. Here, the robot control device 30 is preset with the operation content of the robot device 20 when the weight of the robot device 20 exceeds the load threshold, that is, to move the robot device 20 back to a predetermined position (for example, a robot accumulation point) or to continue boarding the car 5.

[0042] When the robot control device 30 is set to move the robot device 20 back to a predetermined position as the operation content when the weight of the robot device 20 exceeds the load threshold, the robot control device 30 generates an instruction to move the robot device 20 back to the predetermined position and transmits it to the robot device 20. The robot device 20 receives the instruction to move the robot device 20 back to the predetermined position based on the instruction.

[0043] In the elevator control device 10, when the robot device 20 moves backward and the landing load measuring device 73 determines that the load acting on the landing threshold 72 has disappeared ("YES" in S15), the process ends.

[0044] Furthermore, when the operation content when the weight of the robot device 20 exceeds the load threshold is set to continue boarding the car 5, the robot control device 30 generates an instruction to board at a low speed and transmits it to the robot device 20. When the robot device 20 receives the instruction to board at a low speed from the robot control device 30, the robot device 20 causes the robot device 20 to board the car 5 at a low speed based on the instruction.

[0045] When the robot device 20 enters the elevator car 5 at a low speed and the front wheels 21 climb onto the car sill 52, the car load measuring device 53 notifies the elevator control device 10 that a load is applied to the car sill 52.

[0046] In the elevator control device 10, when the car load measuring device 53 notifies that a load is applied to the car threshold 52, the robot information processing unit 143 determines that the robot device 20 has climbed onto the car threshold 52 ("YES" in S16). When the robot information processing unit 143 determines that the robot device 20 has climbed onto the car threshold 52, it acquires the tilt angle of the car 5 toward the car door 51 from the angle measuring device 57 at predetermined time intervals.

[0047] The robot information processing unit 143 continues the operation until the robot device 20 has completely boarded the car 5 while the acquired tilt angle is less than the angle threshold stored in the threshold storage unit 11 ("YES" in S17 → "NO" in S18). In other words, the robot information processing unit 143 does not issue any notification to the robot control device 30. When the robot device 20 has completely boarded the car 5 ("YES" in S18), the processing ends.

[0048] In step S17, if the robot information processing unit 143 determines that the tilt angle acquired during the boarding operation of the robot device 20 is equal to or greater than the angle threshold stored in the threshold memory unit 11 ("NO" in S17), it generates an angle threshold exceedance notification and transmits it to the robot control device 30 (S19).

[0049] When the robot control device 30 receives the angle threshold excess notification from the elevator control device 10, it generates an instruction to retreat to a predetermined position and transmits it to the robot device 20. The robot device 20 receives the retreat instruction transmitted from the robot control device 30 and causes the robot device 20 to retreat to a predetermined position based on the instruction.

[0050] In the elevator control device 10, when the robot device 20 moves backward and the car load measuring device 53 removes the load applied to the car sill 52, the elevator control device 10 recognizes that the robot device 20 has moved backward (S20) and ends the process.

[0051] Furthermore, when generating and transmitting the load threshold excess notification to the robot control device 30 in step S14, the elevator control device 10 may also display information on a hall display device (not shown) installed at the hall 7 or a mobile terminal (not shown) of the manager who manages the robot device 20, instructing the robot device 20 to reduce the amount of luggage loaded on the robot device 20. When the manager of the robot device 20 visually recognizes this display information and reduces the amount of luggage loaded on the robot device 20, and as a result the weight of the robot device 20 acquired by the robot weight acquisition unit 141 becomes less than the load threshold, the robot information processing unit 143 may generate and transmit a boarding permission notification to the robot control device 30.

[0052] In the above-described embodiment, the robot control device 30 is preset with the operation of the robot device 20 when the weight of the robot device 20 exceeds the load threshold, either to move the robot device 20 back to a predetermined position or to continue boarding into the car 5, but the present invention is not limited to this. When the robot control device 30 receives a load threshold excess notification from the elevator control device 10, it may output information to a display device at the hall or a mobile terminal of the manager of the robot device 20, inquiring as to whether to move the robot device 20 back to a predetermined position or to continue boarding into the car 5, and when the manager of the robot device 20 selects one of the operations, it may operate the robot device 20 in accordance with the selection.

[0053] In addition, in the above-described embodiment, when the number of times the load threshold is updated by the threshold setting unit 144 reaches or exceeds a predetermined value, the equipment management unit 145 in the elevator control device 10 may determine that certain parts such as the roller guide 56 have deteriorated, and output notification information to prompt replacement of these parts.

[0054] [Effects of the embodiment] According to the above-described embodiment, the elevator boarding assistance method for a moving body includes an elevator control device having a threshold memory unit that stores an angle threshold that is a preset value for the elevator car and is the upper limit of the allowable tilt angle of the car toward the entrance / exit direction, and a load threshold that is indicated by the amount of load to be applied to the car threshold of the car, which is required to tilt the car toward the entrance / exit direction by the angle indicated by the angle threshold, and obtains information on the weight of a robot device that is about to board the car, and outputs a load threshold exceeding notification if the weight of the robot device is equal to or greater than the load threshold.

[0055] This makes it possible to prevent damage to elevator components, reduce the effort and cost of maintenance, and assist the robot device in safely getting into the elevator car.

[0056] Furthermore, when the robot device climbs onto the threshold of the car, if the elevator control device determines that the tilt angle of the car toward the entrance / exit direction is equal to or greater than the angle threshold, it outputs an angle threshold exceeded notification. This makes it possible to more accurately assist the robot device in safely boarding the elevator car while preventing damage to elevator components.

[0057] The angle threshold is set in advance at an angle at which the car opening / closing device above the car door of the car does not come into contact with the hall door above the hall door of the hall, and the roller guide installed above the car does not deform. This makes it possible to set an appropriate angle threshold so that the elevator components will not be damaged when the robot device climbs over the car threshold of the car.

[0058] Furthermore, the elevator control device periodically acquires a measurement value of the load amount applied to the car threshold of the car, which is required to tilt the car toward the entrance / exit direction by the angle indicated by the angle threshold, and if the acquired measurement value differs from the previous measurement, updates the load threshold value in the threshold memory unit with information on the newly measured load amount, thereby enabling the load threshold value in the threshold memory unit to be maintained with high accuracy.

[0059] Furthermore, when the number of times the load threshold is updated reaches or exceeds a predetermined value, the elevator control device outputs notification information urging the replacement of a predetermined part, thereby enabling the deterioration of a component related to the fluctuation of the load threshold to be determined and elevator maintenance support to be provided.

[0060] According to the embodiment, when the elevator control device outputs a load threshold excess notification by the elevator riding assistance method described above, the robot device control device stops the robot device or moves it to a preset position, thereby controlling the robot device so as not to damage elevator components.

[0061] Although several 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 embodied 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 within the scope and spirit of the invention, and are also included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents as defined in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0062] ST...robot movement system, 1...elevator, 2...hoistway, 3...hoisting machine, 4...rope, 5...car, 6...counterweight, 7...landing, 10...elevator control device, 11...threshold memory unit, 12...input unit, 13...output unit, 14...CPU, 20...robot device, 21...front wheel, 22...rear wheel, 23...drive unit, 24...robot wireless communication device, 30...robot control device, 51...car door, 52...car threshold, 53...car load measuring device, 54...car door opening / closing device, 55...vertical frame, 56...roller guide, 57...angle measuring device, 71...landing door, 72...landing threshold, 73...landing load measuring device, 74...landing door device, 75...landing wireless communication device, 141...robot weight acquisition unit, 142...tilt angle acquisition unit, 143...robot information processing unit, 144...threshold setting unit, 145...equipment management unit

Claims

1. an elevator control device having a threshold value storage unit that stores an angle threshold value that is a permissible upper limit value of the tilt angle of the elevator car toward the entrance / exit direction, which is preset for the elevator car, and a load threshold value that is indicated by the amount of load that is applied to a car sill of the elevator car and that is required to tilt the elevator car toward the entrance / exit direction by the angle indicated by the angle threshold value; Acquire information on the weight of a moving object that is about to get into the car; An elevator ride assistance method for a moving body, which outputs a load threshold excess notification when the weight of the moving body is equal to or greater than the load threshold.

2. The elevator control device includes:

2. The elevator boarding assistance method for a moving body according to claim 1, further comprising: outputting a notification that the angle threshold has been exceeded when the moving body runs onto the threshold of the car and the inclination angle of the car toward the entrance / exit direction is determined to be equal to or greater than the angle threshold.

3. 2. The elevator boarding assistance method for a moving body according to claim 1, wherein the angle threshold is preset at an angle at which a car opening / closing device disposed above a car door of the car does not come into contact with a hall door disposed above a hall door of a hall, and at which a roller guide disposed above the car does not deform.

4. The elevator control device includes:

2. An elevator boarding assistance method for a moving body as described in claim 1, wherein a measurement value of the load amount applied to the car threshold of the car required to tilt the car toward the entrance / exit direction by the angle indicated by the angle threshold is obtained at predetermined intervals, and if the obtained measurement value is different from the previous measurement, the load threshold in the threshold memory unit is updated with information on the newly measured load amount.

5. The elevator control device includes:

5. The elevator ride assistance method for a moving body according to claim 4, further comprising the step of outputting notification information urging replacement of a predetermined part when the number of times the load threshold value has been updated reaches a predetermined value or more.

6. The mobile object control device 2. A mobile object control method, comprising: when the load threshold excess notification is output from an elevator control device according to the elevator ride assistance method of claim 1, stopping the mobile object or moving it to a preset position.

7. a threshold value storage unit that stores an angle threshold value that is a preset allowable upper limit value of the tilt angle of the elevator car toward the entrance / exit direction, and a load threshold value that is indicated by the amount of load that is applied to a car sill of the elevator car and that is required to tilt the elevator car toward the entrance / exit direction by the angle indicated by the angle threshold value; a moving object weight acquisition unit that acquires information about the weight of a moving object that is about to get into the elevator; and a mobile object information processing unit that outputs a load threshold excess notification when the weight of the mobile object is equal to or greater than the load threshold.

8. Communicatively connected to the elevator control device of claim 7, When the load threshold exceeding notification is output from the elevator control device, the mobile body control device stops the mobile body or moves it to a preset position.

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