Elevator malfunction detection device and elevator malfunction detection method

Abstract

Identify the causes of failure in the water-cooled cooling system used in elevator equipment. [Solution] The elevator abnormality detection device according to the embodiment is an elevator abnormality detection device that detects abnormalities in a water-cooled cooling system that cools the power supply that provides power to the motor that drives the elevator car up and down. The elevator abnormality detection device according to the embodiment has a temperature sensor, a memory unit, and an abnormality detection unit. The temperature sensor measures the temperature of the heat-generating element that constitutes the power supply when the elevator car is operating up and down. The memory unit stores the temperature of the heat-generating element measured by the temperature sensor at predetermined timings from the start of the elevator car's up and down movement to the stop of the up and down movement, when the components constituting the water-cooled cooling system are normal, as a reference value for normal operation. The abnormality detection unit compares the reference value with the temperature of the heat-generating element measured each time the elevator car moves up and down, and detects an abnormality in the water-cooled cooling system when the difference between the two temperatures exceeds a predetermined value.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to an elevator abnormality detection device and an elevator abnormality detection method.

Background Art

[0002] An elevator device includes an inverter power supply for driving a hoist motor that raises and lowers a car and an opening / closing motor that opens and closes a door of the car. When the inverter power supply becomes hot, semiconductors and the like that make up the inverter power supply may be damaged, so the inverter power supply is often cooled by forced air cooling.

[0003] As the elevator device becomes larger, the required output power of the inverter power supply increases, and accordingly, the heat generation amount of the inverter power supply also increases. When the cooling effect of forced air cooling is insufficient, the inverter power supply may be cooled using a water-cooled cooling device.

[0004] The water-cooled cooling device cools the inverter power supply by passing a pipe through a heat sink used to cool a switching element (semiconductor) of the inverter power supply and flowing water through the pipe. The water in the pipe is flowed by a pump and radiatively cooled by a radiator.

[0005] In the case of forced air cooling, the cooling device is only a fan motor for blowing air. When the fan motor for blowing air stops, the temperature of the switching element (semiconductor) of the inverter power supply rises rapidly. Therefore, by providing a temperature sensor near the switching element of the inverter power supply, the cause of damage to the cooling device can be identified.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006]

Patent Document 1

[0007] <On the other hand, water-cooled cooling systems consist of multiple components such as piping, tanks, pumps, and radiators. The causes of failure in water-cooled cooling systems are complex, including, for example, cracks in the piping, failure of the radiator fan, and a decrease in the pump's driving force, and the degree of reduction in cooling efficiency also varies. Therefore, in the case of water-cooled cooling systems, it is difficult to identify the cause of failure. [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] This invention was made in response to the circumstances described above, and aims to identify the factors causing failure of water-cooled cooling devices used in elevator systems. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] An elevator abnormality detection device according to an embodiment for solving the above problems is an elevator abnormality detection device that detects abnormalities in a water-cooled cooling system that cools the power supply that provides power to the motor that drives the elevator car up and down. The elevator abnormality detection device according to the embodiment has a temperature sensor, a memory unit, and an abnormality detection unit. The temperature sensor measures the temperature of the heat-generating element that constitutes the power supply when the elevator car is operating up and down. The memory unit stores the temperature of the heat-generating element measured by the temperature sensor at predetermined timings from the start of the elevator car's up and down movement to the stop of the up and down movement, when the components constituting the water-cooled cooling system are functioning normally, as a reference value for normal operation. The abnormality detection unit compares the reference value with the temperature of the heat-generating element measured each time the elevator car moves up and down, and detects an abnormality in the water-cooled cooling system when the difference between the two temperatures exceeds a predetermined value. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of the elevator system according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram showing the control system of an elevator device according to this embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a block diagram of the drive unit according to this embodiment. [Figure 4]This is an illustrative diagram of the heat sink used in the inverter according to this embodiment. [Figure 5] This is a block diagram of a water-cooled cooling system according to this embodiment. [Figure 6] This is a block diagram of the control unit according to this embodiment. [Figure 7] This figure illustrates the temperature change of the heating element in the inverter according to this embodiment. [Figure 8] This figure illustrates the temperature change of the heating element in the inverter according to this embodiment. [Figure 9] This diagram illustrates the identification of damage causes by the abnormality detection unit according to this embodiment. [Figure 10] This is a flowchart illustrating the abnormality detection process by the elevator abnormality detection device according to this embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] This embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. For the purpose of this description, an XYZ coordinate system consisting of mutually orthogonal X, Y, and Z axes will be used as appropriate. The figures and flowcharts used in this description are examples only.

[0012] (Embodiment 1) Figure 1 is a perspective view of the elevator system 10 according to this embodiment. The elevator system 10 is located inside a hoistway 11 installed in a building such as a commercial facility or residential facility. As shown in Figure 1, the elevator system 10 includes an elevator car 31, a counterweight 35, a lifting motor 40, a control panel 70 (elevator control device), and the like.

[0013] The elevator car 31 is a unit that accommodates passengers and moves them up and down the elevator shaft 11. The elevator car 31 is positioned between the guide rails and is mounted so as to be movable in the vertical direction relative to the guide rails 21-24.

[0014] On the +X side surface of the car 31, an opening 31a for entering and exiting the interior is formed. The opening 31a is closed or opened by a pair of doors 32 that move along the side surface of the car 31. The doors 32 are opened and closed by an opening and closing motor (not shown in FIG. 1).

[0015] The counterweight 35 is attached to the guide rails 21 to 24 so as to be movable in the vertical direction. The weight of the counterweight 35 is adjusted to a predetermined ratio with respect to the weight of the car 31.

[0016] The lifting motor 40 is a motor for lifting and lowering the car 31. The lifting motor 40 is arranged at the upper part of the hoistway 11 such that the rotation axis is parallel to the Y axis. A pulley 42 is fixed to the rotation axis of the lifting motor 40. A wire 43 is wound around the pulley 42 of the lifting motor 40. One end of the wire 43 is fixed to the car 31 and the other end is fixed to the counterweight 35.

[0017] The control panel 70 is arranged in the hoistway 11. The control panel 70 houses a control device for controlling the lifting motor 40 and the devices provided in the car 31. In the following embodiments, a machine roomless elevator in which the control panel 70 is arranged in the hoistway 11 will be described as an example, but this embodiment can also be applied to the case where there is a machine room.

[0018] In FIG. 1, although not described, a second temperature sensor 38 for measuring the temperature in the hoistway 11 is provided near the control panel 70.

[0019] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the control system of the elevator apparatus 10. The control system includes a control unit 80 and a drive unit 90 housed in the control panel 70, an operation panel 36 provided in the car 31, a load sensor 37, and a second temperature sensor 38.

[0020] The control panel 36 is installed on the inner wall surface of the elevator car 31. The control panel 36 is an interface for receiving destination floor information from the elevator car 31 users. Users can register their destination floor and open and close the doors 32 of the elevator car 31 by operating the control panel 36.

[0021] The load sensor 37 measures the load mounted on the elevator car 31. The second temperature sensor 38 measures the temperature inside the elevator shaft 11 (for example, near the control panel 70).

[0022] The drive unit 90 shown in Figure 2 drives the lifting motor 40 and the opening / closing motor 41 (not shown in Figure 1) that drives the doors 32 of the elevator car 31 by supplying power to them. The drive unit 90 drives the lifting motor 40 based on instructions from the control unit 80. The drive unit 90 also drives the opening / closing motor 41 based on instructions from the control unit 80.

[0023] Figure 3 is a block diagram of the drive unit 90. The drive unit 90 includes a converter 91 and an inverter 93. A smoothing capacitor 92 is provided between the converter 91 and the inverter 93. The converter 91 converts the AC power of the commercial power supply 1 into power suitable for the inverter 93. The inverter 93 is a power supply device that supplies power to the lifting motor 40 and the switching motor 41. Note that the switching motor 41 is not shown in Figure 3. The inverter 93 is composed of a switching regulator. When the lifting motor 40 and the switching motor 41 are formed by three-phase AC motors, the inverter 93 outputs a three-phase AC voltage.

[0024] The inverter 93 is equipped with a power sensor 96 at its output to measure the power supplied to the lifting motor 40. Additionally, a temperature sensor 97 is provided near the heat-generating elements of the inverter 93 (for example, near the switching elements) to measure the temperature of the heat-generating elements. The temperature sensor 97 measures the temperature of the heat-generating elements of the inverter 93 (power supply) when the elevator car 31 is operating in a lifting or lowering position.

[0025] Returning to Figure 2, the control unit 80 is a computer having a CPU, main memory, auxiliary memory, and interface unit. The CPU executes the processes described later according to the program stored in the auxiliary memory. The main memory has RAM, etc. The main memory is used as the CPU's workspace. The auxiliary memory has non-volatile memory such as ROM or semiconductor memory. The auxiliary memory stores the program that the CPU executes.

[0026] Furthermore, the auxiliary storage unit stores various parameters, as well as graphs showing the temperature changes of the heating elements constituting the inverter 93, which change as the elevator car 31 moves up and down. Specifically, the auxiliary storage unit stores the temperature of the heating elements measured by the temperature sensor at predetermined timings from the start of the elevator car 31's movement to its stop, when the components constituting the water-cooled cooling system are functioning normally, as a reference value for normal operation. The auxiliary storage unit also stores a graph showing the temperature changes of the elevator car 31 from the start of the movement to its stop, when the components constituting the water-cooled cooling system are functioning normally, as a graph representing the reference value for normal operation. Furthermore, the auxiliary storage unit stores the temperature of the heating elements at predetermined timings from the start of the elevator car 31's movement to its stop, when the components constituting the water-cooled cooling system are damaged, as a reference value for when the components are damaged. Furthermore, the auxiliary storage unit stores a graph showing the temperature changes of the elevator car 31 from the start of the movement to its stop, when the components constituting the water-cooled cooling system are damaged, as a graph representing the reference value for when the components are damaged.

[0027] The interface unit includes serial interfaces, parallel interfaces, and wireless LAN interfaces. The operation panel 36 and the drive unit 90 are connected to the CPU via the interface unit. An input / output device 100, consisting of a keyboard, display, etc., is also connected to the interface unit.

[0028] Figure 4 is an illustrative diagram of a heat sink 300 used in the inverter 93. The heating elements 921 are switching elements that make up the inverter 93. Here, eight heating elements 921 are arranged as shown in Figure 4. A heat sink 300 is provided to cool the multiple heating elements 921. The heat sink 300 has a heat transfer plate 310 that is in contact with the multiple heating elements 921, and multiple heat dissipation fins 320 arranged on the surface of the heat transfer plate 310 opposite to the surface (-Z side) that is in contact with the heating elements 921 (+Z side). Multiple pipes 210 are provided on the heat transfer plate 310. The inverter 93 may have multiple substrates as shown in Figure 4. A temperature sensor 97 may be provided for each substrate, or for each heating element 921.

[0029] In Figure 4, multiple forced-air cooling fans 350 are provided on the +Y side of the heatsink 300. For example, with forced air cooling, cool air is blown in the Y-axis direction. In the example shown in Figure 4, two cooling systems are used: an air-cooled cooling system using fans 350 and a water-cooled cooling system using piping.

[0030] Figure 5 is a block diagram of the water-cooled cooling system 200. The water-cooled cooling system 200 includes piping 210, a pump 220, a radiator 230, and a tank 240. The piping 210 contains water as a refrigerant and cools the heat sink 300 of the inverter 93. For example, the piping 210 is routed to pass through the heat transfer plate 310 of the heat sink 300, as shown in Figure 4. The pump 220 circulates the water flowing through the piping 210. The radiator 230 cools the water flowing through the piping 210. The radiator 230 is equipped with one or more cooling fans. The tank 240 is a container for storing water. Having a water-storing tank 240 helps to suppress the rise in the temperature of the water in the piping 210. The tank 240 is located, for example, between the radiator 230 and the pump 220.

[0031] Figure 6 is a functional block diagram of the control unit 80. The CPU of the control unit 80 executes a program stored in the auxiliary memory unit to realize the drive unit control unit 71 and the abnormality detection device 72.

[0032] The drive unit control unit 71 controls the drive unit 90 based on input from the operation panel 36 or the call panel on each floor. For example, when the drive unit control unit 71 rotates the lifting motor 40 forward via the drive unit 90, the elevator car 31 rises and the counterweight 35 lowers. When the drive unit control unit 71 rotates the lifting motor 40 backward via the drive unit 90, the elevator car 31 lowers and the counterweight 35 rises. Also, when the drive unit control unit 71 rotates the opening / closing motor 41 forward via the drive unit 90, the doors 32 of the elevator car 31 and the doors provided at each floor landing are opened, and when the opening / closing motor 41 is rotated backward, the doors 32 of the elevator car 31 and the doors provided at each floor landing are closed.

[0033] The abnormality detection device 72 is a device that detects abnormalities in the water-cooled cooling system 200. The abnormality detection device 72 includes an operating status monitoring unit 721, a graph creation unit 722, an abnormality detection unit 723, and a storage unit 724.

[0034] The operation status monitoring unit 721 monitors the operating status of the elevator car 31, including its load capacity, travel distance, and operating frequency. The heavier the load capacity and the longer the travel distance, the greater the output power of the inverter 93. Also, the higher the operating frequency of the elevator car, the more the inverter 93 operates before the temperature of the switching elements constituting the inverter 93 decreases, resulting in a higher temperature of the switching elements. The operation status monitoring unit 721 can acquire load capacity information from the load sensor 37 and information such as travel distance and elevator car operating frequency from the drive unit control unit 71. Here, we will describe the case where the power per unit time supplied by the inverter 93 to the lifting motor 40 that drives the elevator car 31 up and down is used as an indicator of the operating state of the elevator car 31. The power measured by the power sensor 96 provided in the drive unit 90 changes in accordance with the operating status of the elevator car 31, such as its load capacity, travel distance, and operating frequency, and can therefore be used as an indicator of the operating status. For example, the operating status monitoring unit 721 monitors the power measured by the power sensor 96 every hour.

[0035] The graph creation unit 722 creates a graph showing the temperature change of the elevator car 31 from the start of its ascent to the stop of its ascent, based on the temperature data measured by the temperature sensor 97 provided in the inverter 93. The graph creation unit 722 links the information in the created graph with the amount of power indicating the operating status measured by the operating status monitoring unit 721.

[0036] The memory unit 724 stores the graph created by the graph creation unit 722 when the water-cooled cooling device 200 is functioning normally, as a reference value graph for normal operation. The temperature of the heating element of the inverter 93 varies depending on the operating conditions, such as the load capacity of the elevator car 31, the distance traveled, and the frequency of operation. In addition, the temperature of the heating element of the inverter 93 changes depending on the ambient temperature where the inverter 93 is located, depending on the season. For example, even under the same operating conditions, the temperature of the heating element of the inverter 93 will be different in summer and winter, and between daytime and nighttime. The memory unit 724 uses the amount of power per hour measured by the power sensor 96 and the ambient temperature measured by the second temperature sensor 38 as parameters, and stores a reference value graph for normal operation for each combination of parameters. This reference value graph for normal operation is created for each distance traveled by the elevator car 31.

[0037] Furthermore, the reference value graphs stored in the memory unit 724 include graphs showing temperature changes when each component of the water-cooled cooling system 200 (piping 210, pump 220, radiator 230, etc.) is damaged, as well as graphs that serve as thresholds for determining whether the system is normal or abnormal.

[0038] Figure 7 is an illustrative diagram of the temperature change of the heating element 921 of the inverter 93 as the elevator car 31 moves up and down. Figure 7 shows an example where the elevator car 31 moves from the 1st floor to the 10th floor. Figure 7(a) shows the change in speed of the elevator car 31. The elevator car 31 accelerates to a predetermined speed during the period from t0 to t1, and rises at the predetermined speed during the period from t1 to t4. Then, it decelerates just before the destination floor, the 10th floor (t4), and stops at the destination floor, the 10th floor (t5).

[0039] Figure 7(b) is an illustrative diagram of the change in current supplied from the inverter 93 to the elevator motor 40. To accelerate the elevator car 31, a larger current is required than when ascending at a constant speed. Therefore, the current increases from t0 to t1, and decreases slightly from t1 to t2. From t2 to t3, a current corresponding to the elevator car 31's lifting speed is supplied from the inverter 93 to the elevator motor 40. From t3 to t4, the current increases slightly to brake the elevator car 31's lifting speed. From t4 to t5, the current supplied from the inverter 93 to the elevator motor 40 decreases in accordance with the deceleration of the elevator car 31's lifting speed.

[0040] Figure 7(c) is an illustrative diagram of the temperature change of the heating element 921 of the inverter 93 as measured by the temperature sensor 97. The temperature of the heating element 921 changes in proportion to the current value shown in Figure 7(b).

[0041] Figure 8 shows different temperature change patterns corresponding to the failure factors of the water-cooled cooling system 200. The bottom solid line in Figure 8 is the baseline value when the water-cooled cooling system 200 is functioning normally. When the water-cooled cooling system 200 fails, the cooling effect decreases. The degree of decrease in cooling effect varies depending on the failure factor. Here, we will explain using three failure factors as examples. Figure 9 is a table showing the relationship between temperature change patterns and failure factors. The graphs showing temperature changes from Pattern 1 to Pattern 3 in Figure 8 correspond to each failure factor.

[0042] The graph for Pattern 3 shown in Figure 8 shows a slightly larger temperature rise compared to the graph representing the normal baseline value (normal baseline value). The graph for Pattern 3 shows the temperature change when, for example, partial shutdown of the radiator 230 or clogging of the radiator 230 is the cause of damage. Partial shutdown of the radiator 230 means that the radiator 230 is operating, but the fan attached to the radiator 230 has stopped. If the radiator 230 has multiple fans, this also includes the case where any of the fans have stopped. The graph for Pattern 2 shown in Figure 8 shows a larger temperature rise compared to Pattern 3. The graph for Pattern 2 shows the temperature change when, for example, the radiator 230 has completely shut down or a small amount of water has leaked due to a crack in the piping 210 or tank 240 is the cause of damage. The graph for Pattern 1 shown in Figure 8 shows a larger temperature rise than Pattern 2. The graph for Pattern 1 shows the temperature change when, for example, the pump has failed or a large amount of water has leaked due to a crack in the piping 210 or tank 240 is the cause of damage. This also includes cases where a joint in pipe 210 is damaged, preventing chilled water from being supplied to pipe 210 as it passes through the heatsink 300.

[0043] The elevator car 31 is raised and lowered while intentionally creating the anticipated damage factors, and the graph creation unit 722 creates graphs, which are stored in the storage unit 724 as reference values ​​(graphs for Pattern 1, Pattern 2, and Pattern 3) for when damage factors are present. The graphs shown as dashed lines in Figure 8 are threshold graphs for determining whether it is normal or abnormal. The threshold graphs are set to be located between the graph showing the reference value for normal conditions, which is shown as a solid line at the bottom of Figure 8, and the graph for Pattern 3, which shows the least deterioration of the cooling effect.

[0044] The graphs showing the reference values ​​during failure (reference values ​​during failure) and the graph showing the reference values ​​during normal operation (reference values ​​during normal operation) for patterns 1 to 3 shown in Figure 8 are created by changing the combination of parameters, using the load capacity of the elevator car 31, the distance traveled, the operating frequency (total output current of the inverter 93 per hour), and the ambient temperature measured by the second temperature sensor 38. The reference value graphs shown in Figure 8 are created for each combination of parameters and stored in the memory unit 724.

[0045] Returning to Figure 6, the abnormality detection unit 723 detects abnormalities by comparing a reference value graph with a graph created by the graph creation unit 722 each time the elevator car 31 moves up and down. Specifically, the abnormality detection unit 723 uses the amount of electricity per hour measured by the power sensor 96, the ambient temperature measured by the second temperature sensor 38, and the distance traveled, all measured during the elevator car 31's up and down operation, as parameters, and extracts a reference value graph corresponding to these parameters from the storage unit 724. The abnormality detection unit 723 then compares the graph created by the graph creation unit 722 in response to the up and down movement of the elevator car 31 with the reference value (reference value graph) extracted from the storage unit 724. The abnormality detection unit 723 then detects that an abnormality has occurred in the water-cooled cooling device 200 when the temperature difference between the two (the temperature difference in the interval t2 to t3 in Figure 7) exceeds a predetermined value. Specifically, an abnormality is detected when the graph created by the graph generation unit 722 in response to the ascent and descent of the elevator car 31 exceeds the threshold indicated by the dotted line in Figure 8.

[0046] If the abnormality detection unit 723 detects an abnormality, it outputs a message to the input / output device 100 indicating that an abnormality has occurred. The abnormality detection unit 723 also notifies the drive unit control unit 71 that an abnormality has occurred. Upon receiving notification of an abnormality, the drive unit control unit 71 controls the drive unit 90 to operate the elevator car in safety mode. Safety mode is an operation in which the lifting acceleration and lifting speed of the elevator car 31 are reduced compared to normal operation.

[0047] Next, the elevator abnormality detection method will be explained with reference to the flowchart shown in Figure 10. The following control is performed based on a program stored in the auxiliary memory unit, and the main control unit is the control unit 80 (CPU).

[0048] Before operating the elevator system 10, a reference value is obtained (step S11). Specifically, a graph showing the temperature change of the heating element 921 when the components of the water-cooled cooling system 200 are functioning normally is stored in the storage unit 724 as the reference graph for normal operation (the bottom solid line graph in Figure 8). The temperature of the heating element 921 at a predetermined timing from the start of the elevator car 31's ascent to the stop of the ascent when the components of the water-cooled cooling system 200 are functioning normally is the reference temperature for normal operation. In addition, a graph showing the temperature change of the heating element 921 when the components of the water-cooled cooling system 200 are damaged is stored in the storage unit 724 as the reference graph for damaged operation (graphs patterns 1 to 3 in Figure 8). The temperature of the heating element 921 at a predetermined timing from the start of the elevator car 31's ascent to the stop of the ascent when the components of the water-cooled cooling system 200 are damaged is the reference temperature for damaged operation. Step S11 is a storage process.

[0049] The baseline graphs for normal operation and baseline graphs for failure are acquired under conditions where the combination of parameters of the elevator car 31—load capacity, mileage, operating frequency, and ambient temperature measured by the second temperature sensor 38—is varied. Here, the power per unit time supplied by the inverter 93 to the lifting motor 40 that drives the elevator car 31 up and down is used as an indicator of the operating state of the elevator car 31, including the load capacity, mileage, and operating frequency. By using the power per unit time supplied by the inverter 93 to the lifting motor 40 that drives the elevator car 31 up and down as an indicator of the operating state of the elevator car 31, including the load capacity, mileage, and operating frequency, the number of parameter data points to be acquired can be reduced. In addition, since the number of parameter combinations can be reduced, the CPU processing load can be reduced.

[0050] When the elevator system 10 starts operating, the operation status monitoring unit 721 monitors the operation status by monitoring the output power of the inverter 93 (for example, the output power per hour) (step S12).

[0051] The abnormality detection device 72 monitors whether or not the elevator car 31 has been raised or lowered (step S13). The abnormality detection device 72 performs this monitoring by obtaining information from the drive unit control unit 71 indicating whether or not the elevator car 31 has been raised or lowered.

[0052] If the elevator car 31 is being raised or lowered (Step S13: Yes), the operation status monitoring unit 721 obtains information on the load weight of the elevator car 31 from the load sensor 37, information on the distance traveled by the elevator car 31 from the drive unit control unit 71, and information on the ambient temperature from the second temperature sensor 38 (Step S14). As an indicator of the operating status, the power per unit time (for example, per hour) supplied by the inverter 93 to the lifting motor 40 that drives the raising and lowering of the elevator car 31 is used.

[0053] Next, the graph creation unit 722 obtains the temperature of the heating element 921 during the elevator car 31's up and down operation from the temperature sensor 97. The step of obtaining the temperature of the heating element 921 during the elevator car 31's up and down operation from the temperature sensor 97 is a temperature measurement step. Then, the graph creation unit 722 creates a graph (the graph in Figure 7(c)) showing the change in the heating element 921 of the inverter 93 as the elevator car 31 moves up and down (step S15).

[0054] Next, the abnormality detection unit 723 extracts from the storage unit 724 a reference value graph, as shown in Figure 8, corresponding to the parameters of the elevator car 31's load weight, the elevator car 31's travel distance, operating status, and ambient temperature acquired by the operating status monitoring unit 721. Then, by comparing the temperature change graph created in step S15 with the threshold graph of the reference value graph (the graph shown as a dotted line in Figure 8), it determines whether or not there is an abnormality in the water-cooled cooling system 200 (step S16). Step S16 is the abnormality detection process.

[0055] The abnormality detection unit 723 determines that damage has occurred to the water-cooled cooling device 200 if the temperature change graph created by the graph creation unit 722 exceeds the threshold of a reference graph (step S16: Yes). The abnormality detection unit 723 also determines which of the three graphs, from pattern 1 to pattern 3, the temperature change graph created by the graph creation unit 722 in step S14 is closest to, and estimates the cause of damage to the water-cooled cooling device 200 based on the correspondence table shown in Figure 9 (step S17).

[0056] The abnormality detection unit 723 outputs the cause of damage, which it estimates to have occurred, to the drive unit control unit 71 and the input / output device 100 (step S18). The drive unit control unit 71 drives the elevator car 31 in a safety mode corresponding to the cause of damage (step S19). The safety mode is an operation in which the lifting acceleration and lifting speed of the elevator car 31 are reduced compared to normal operation. By operating in safety mode, the amount of heat generated by the inverter 93 can be suppressed, and damage to the inverter 93 can be suppressed.

[0057] As described above, the elevator abnormality detection device 72 according to the embodiment detects abnormalities in the water-cooled cooling device 200 based on the degree of deviation between the temperature measured each time the elevator car 31 moves up and down and a reference value. Specifically, the elevator abnormality detection device 72 according to the embodiment uses the temperature of the water-cooled cooling device 200 under normal conditions, measured by the temperature sensor 97 at predetermined timings from the start of the elevator car 31's movement to the stop of its movement, as the reference value, and detects abnormalities by comparing the reference value with the temperature measured each time the elevator car 31 moves up and down. By determining abnormalities in this way, the elevator abnormality detection device 72 according to the embodiment can accurately detect abnormalities in the water-cooled cooling device 200.

[0058] Furthermore, the elevator abnormality detection device 72 according to the embodiment uses the temperature at a predetermined timing from the start of the elevator car 31's ascent to its stop when a component of the water-cooled cooling device 200 is damaged as a reference value at the time of damage, and estimates the cause of damage to the water-cooled cooling device 200 by comparing the reference value at the time of damage with the temperature measured each time the elevator car 31 is raised or lowered. In this way, the elevator abnormality detection device 72 according to the embodiment can identify the cause of damage to the water-cooled cooling device 200 used in the elevator system.

[0059] Furthermore, the elevator abnormality detection device 72 according to the embodiment has reference values ​​corresponding to combinations of parameters such as the load capacity of the elevator car 31, travel distance, operating frequency, and ambient temperature. By comparing these reference values ​​with the measured values ​​for each up-and-down operation of the elevator car 31, the device detects that an abnormality has occurred in the water-cooled cooling device 200 and estimates the cause of damage to the water-cooled cooling device 200. The elevator abnormality detection device 72 according to the embodiment compares the reference values ​​for normal operation corresponding to the detailed classified parameter conditions (combinations of parameters) with the measured values ​​for each up-and-down operation of the elevator car 31, thereby improving the accuracy of detecting damage to the water-cooled cooling device 200 used in the elevator system. In addition, the elevator abnormality detection device 72 according to the embodiment compares the reference values ​​for damage corresponding to the detailed classified parameter conditions with the measured values ​​for each up-and-down operation of the elevator car 31, thereby improving the accuracy of estimating the cause of damage to the water-cooled cooling device 200.

[0060] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. For example, in the above description, for the sake of ease of understanding, it was stated that the graph creation unit 722 creates a graph as shown in Figure 8. However, the graph creation unit 22 does not need to create a graph as shown in Figure 8, and only needs to record time-series data with (time, temperature) as a set. The anomaly detection unit 723 can determine whether there is an anomaly based on this time-series data and estimate the cause of the damage.

[0061] Furthermore, the time it takes for the elevator car 31 to reach a constant speed after it starts moving up or down is determined by the distance the elevator car 31 moves up or down. Therefore, the time it takes to reach approximately the midpoint between t2 and t3 in Figure 8 is also determined by the distance the elevator car 31 moves up or down. The abnormality detection unit 723 may acquire temperature information from the temperature sensor 97 at this timing and determine whether or not there is an abnormality. In this case, the graph creation unit 722 can be omitted.

[0062] Furthermore, although not explained above, graphs representing the baseline values ​​for normal and damaged conditions, obtained by changing combinations of parameters such as the load capacity, travel distance, operating frequency (total output current of the inverter 93 per hour), and ambient temperature measured by the second temperature sensor 38, can be created by operating the elevator car 31 in the up and down directions while intentionally creating the damage factors shown in Figure 9, and measuring the temperature changes through actual measurements. Alternatively, graphs representing the baseline values ​​for normal and damaged conditions can also be created by simulating different damage factors and parameters.

[0063] Routine periodic inspections of elevator equipment are performed every few months. For example, if a crack occurs in the piping 210 of the water-cooled cooling system 200, the water in the piping 210 and tank 240 will run out before the next periodic inspection, reducing the cooling effect. In this case, the semiconductors that make up the inverter 93 cannot be cooled, increasing the likelihood of damaging the inverter 93. Therefore, it is desirable that inspections by the elevator malfunction detection device 72 be performed, for example, after each ascent or descent of the elevator car 31, or daily, such as at night.

[0064] (Variation 1) The above description explains how to detect an abnormality in the water-cooled cooling device 200 by comparing the temperature between t2 and t3 in Figure 8. In other embodiments, the graphs representing the reference values ​​for normal and damaged conditions shown in Figure 8 may be compared with graphs created for each ascent and descent of the elevator car 31. Although this process requires more processing than comparing the temperature at predetermined timings (1 point) from the start to the stop of the elevator car 31's ascent and descent, a malfunction may cause the temperature graph to have a different waveform than normal, and comparing the graphs may allow for the detection of such abnormalities. Alternatively, the peak temperature value (temperature at time t1 in Figure 8) may be compared.

[0065] (Modification 2) The above explanation described the case where water is passed through the piping 210. However, the cooling medium for the heat sink 300 is not limited to water. For example, various gases such as fluorocarbons used in air conditioning systems may also be used. In this case, the water-cooled cooling system 200 shown in Figure 5 will have an expansion valve instead of a pump 220, and a compressor between the heat sink 300 and the radiator 230.

[0066] (Embodiment 2) Embodiment 2 describes the case in which AI (Artificial Intelligence) is used in the abnormality detection unit 723. When AI is used in the abnormality detection unit 723, the reference values ​​(reference graphs) for the normal and damaged states of the water-cooled cooling device 200, as described in step S11 of Embodiment 1, are stored in the storage unit 724 as supervised data. Specifically, the graph shown in Figure 8 can be used as supervised data. The supervised data for the damaged state is data linked to the damage factors shown in Figure 9. The supervised data for the normal state is linked to information such as "no damage". The supervised data is created using data with different combinations of parameters: the load capacity of the elevator car 31, the distance traveled, the operating frequency, and the ambient temperature measured by the second temperature sensor 38. It is also desirable that the supervised data have a large number of graphs measured under the same conditions. The supervised data may also be created by simulation.

[0067] In step S15, the AI ​​links the information obtained in step S14 regarding the load weight of the elevator car 31, the distance traveled by the elevator car 31, the ambient temperature information from the second temperature sensor 38, and the graph created in step S15 showing the changes in the heat-generating element 921 of the inverter 93 as the elevator car 31 moves up and down. Then, in step S16, the AI ​​compares the supervised data stored in the memory unit 724 with the graph created in step S15 for each movement of the elevator car 31 to determine whether or not there is a problem with the water-cooled cooling device 200.

[0068] If the AI ​​determines that the graph created for each ascent and descent of the 31st elevator car has the highest correlation with the supervised data of "no damage", it concludes that there is no abnormality in the water-cooled cooling system 200 (Step S16: No).

[0069] On the other hand, if the AI ​​determines that the graph created for each ascent and descent of the 31st elevator car has the highest correlation with the graphs of patterns 1 to 3 in Figure 8, it estimates the failure factor indicated by the supervised data at the time of failure with the highest correlation as the failure factor (step S17).

[0070] Alternatively, the supervised data can be replaced with the graph shown in Figure 8, representing the peak temperature at t1 in Figure 8, or the temperature between t2 and t3 in Figure 8.

[0071] While several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in a variety of other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the claims of the invention and its equivalents. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0072] 10…Elevator equipment 11…Housing 21-24... Guide rails 31... bus car 31a...Opening 32... Door 35... Counterweight 36…Control Panel 37... Load sensor 38...Second temperature sensor 40…Lifting motor 41…Opening / closing motor 42...Pulley 43... Wire 70... Control panel 71…Drive Unit Control Unit 72... Anomaly detection device 721... Operation Status Monitoring Department 722...Graph Creation Department 723... Anomaly detection unit 80... Control Unit 90…Drive unit 91... Converter 93…Inverter 96... Power Sensor 97...Temperature sensor 100… Input / Output Devices 200…Water-cooled cooling device 210... Piping 220... Pump 230...Radiator 300... Heatsink 310…Heating plate 320... Heat dissipation fins 350...fan 921... Heating element

Claims

1. An elevator malfunction detection device that detects abnormalities in a water-cooled cooling system that cools the power supply that provides power to the motor that drives the elevator car to move up and down, A temperature sensor that measures the temperature of the heating element constituting the power supply when the elevator car is operating in an up-and-down motion, A storage unit that stores the temperature of the heating element measured by the temperature sensor at a predetermined timing from the start of the elevator car's ascent to its stop, when the components constituting the water-cooled cooling system are functioning normally, as a reference value for normal operation. An abnormality detection unit compares the aforementioned reference value with the temperature of the heating element measured each time the elevator car is raised or lowered, and detects an abnormality in the water-cooled cooling system if the difference between the two temperatures exceeds a predetermined value. An elevator anomaly detection device equipped with [a specific feature / feature].

2. The memory unit stores the temperature of the heating element at a predetermined timing from the start of the elevator car's ascent to its stop, when a component of the water-cooled cooling system is damaged, as a reference value at the time of damage. The abnormality detection unit estimates the cause of the failure of the water-cooled cooling device by comparing the reference value at the time of failure with the temperature of the heating element measured each time the elevator car is raised or lowered. The elevator abnormality detection device according to claim 1.

3. The standard values ​​for normal operation and for damage are set according to the combination of the load capacity, mileage, operating frequency, and ambient temperature of the elevator car. The elevator abnormality detection device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. As an indicator of the operating state of the elevator car, including the load capacity, travel distance, and operating frequency of the elevator car, the power supplied per unit time by the power supply to the motor that drives the elevator car's raising and lowering is used. The elevator abnormality detection device according to claim 3.

5. The system includes a graph generation unit that generates a graph showing the temperature change of the elevator car from the start of its ascent to the stop of its ascent, based on the temperature data measured by the temperature sensor. The storage unit stores the graph created by the graph creation unit when the water-cooled cooling device is functioning normally as a graph representing the reference value for normal operation. The abnormality detection unit detects abnormalities by comparing the graph representing the reference value during normal operation with the graph created by the graph creation unit each time the elevator car ascends or descends. The elevator abnormality detection device according to claim 1.

6. The storage unit stores the graph created by the graph creation unit when a component of the water-cooled cooling system is damaged, as a graph representing the reference value at the time of damage. The abnormality detection unit estimates the cause of damage to the water-cooled cooling system based on a graph that serves as a reference for the time of damage and a graph created by the graph creation unit each time the elevator car is raised or lowered. The elevator abnormality detection device according to claim 5.

7. An elevator malfunction detection method for detecting an abnormality in a water-cooled cooling system that cools a power supply that provides power to a motor that drives the elevator car up and down, A storage step is performed in which, at a predetermined timing from the start of the elevator car's ascent to its stop, the temperature of the heat-generating element constituting the power supply is measured by a temperature sensor, and the temperature of the water-cooled cooling device under normal conditions is stored as the normal reference value. Each time the elevator car is raised or lowered, a temperature measurement step is performed to measure the temperature of the heating element constituting the power supply, An abnormality detection step for detecting an abnormality in the water-cooled cooling system by comparing the normal reference value with the temperature measured each time the elevator car is raised or lowered, An elevator anomaly detection method including [specific details omitted].

8. In the memory step, when a component of the water-cooled cooling system is damaged, the temperature at a predetermined timing from the start of the elevator car's ascent to its stop is stored as a reference value at the time of damage. In the abnormality detection step, the cause of failure of the water-cooled cooling device is estimated by comparing the reference value at the time of failure with the temperature measured each time the elevator car is raised or lowered. The elevator abnormality detection method according to claim 7.

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