Elevator malfunction detection device and elevator malfunction detection method

Abstract

To improve the accuracy of detecting abnormalities in water-cooled cooling systems 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 elevator. 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 semiconductor that constitutes the power supply when the elevator car is operating up and down. The memory unit stores the temperature measured by the temperature sensor. In the event of an earthquake, the abnormality detection unit operates the elevator car up and down after the earthquake and detects that an abnormality has occurred in the water-cooled cooling system if the temperature measured after the earthquake is higher than the temperature measured before the earthquake.

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. When the inverter power supply becomes hot, the power module that constitutes the inverter power supply is damaged, so the inverter power supply is often cooled by forced air cooling.

[0003] After an earthquake occurs, an inspection is performed to confirm the normal condition of the elevator device. At the time of this inspection, the cooling device may also be inspected for abnormalities. Since the temperature of the power module of the inverter power supply varies depending on component variations, the elevator travel distance, the operation frequency, and the ambient temperature, a temperature threshold for determining whether the cooling device is abnormal includes a margin to prevent incorrect detection of an abnormality even when it is normal. In the case of forced air cooling, when the fan stops, the temperature of the power module that constitutes the inverter power supply rises rapidly, so the temperature of the power module when the cooling device is normal and the temperature of the power module when the cooling device is abnormal differ greatly. Therefore, even if the threshold value includes a large margin, it is possible to determine whether there is an abnormality in the cooling device.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

[0005] As elevator systems become larger, the required output power of the inverter power supply also increases, and consequently, the amount of heat generated by the inverter power supply also increases. When forced air cooling is insufficient, a water-cooled cooling system may be used to cool the inverter power supply. In a water-cooled cooling system, for example, water is circulated through pipes that are used to cool the power modules of the inverter power supply. The water in the pipes is pumped and then cooled by a radiator.

[0006] A water-cooled cooling system consists of multiple components such as piping, pumps, and radiators. For example, if a small crack occurs in a pipe joint due to an earthquake, water will begin to leak from the pipe. If the crack is small, the amount of leaked water may be small when inspected after the earthquake. In this case, the degree of deterioration in cooling effect is small, so the temperature difference between the water-cooled cooling system and the power module under normal conditions is small. Also, if the pump fails, the cooling effect of the water in the pipes remains, so the temperature difference between the water-cooled cooling system and the power module under normal conditions is small. Therefore, if the temperature threshold for determining whether or not there is an abnormality includes a large margin, it may not be possible to detect an abnormality in the water-cooled cooling system.

[0007] However, if even a small crack in the water-cooled cooling system is not detected during inspections after an earthquake, the water in the piping will gradually disappear over time, and the degree of deterioration in cooling efficiency will increase. As the degree of deterioration in cooling efficiency increases, the temperature of the inverter power supply's power module will rise and it will break. If the cooling efficiency deteriorates due to the pump stopping, it will operate at a higher temperature than normal, so the deterioration of the power module will progress faster and it will break down in a short time. If the inverter power supply breaks down, not only will the elevator car be unable to move up or down, but there is also a risk of trapping passengers inside the car. [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] This invention was made in response to the circumstances described above, and aims to improve the accuracy of detecting abnormalities in water-cooled cooling systems 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 elevator. 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 semiconductors that make up the power supply when the elevator car is operating up and down. The memory unit stores the temperature measured by the temperature sensor. In the event of an earthquake, the abnormality detection unit operates the elevator car up and down after the earthquake and detects that an abnormality has occurred in the water-cooled cooling system if the temperature measured after the earthquake is higher than the temperature measured before the earthquake. [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 is a flowchart illustrating the abnormality detection process by the elevator abnormality detection device according to this embodiment. [Figure 8] This figure illustrates how the abnormality detection unit in this embodiment estimates the cause of damage. [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] An opening 31a for entering and exiting the interior is formed on the +X side of the elevator car 31. The opening 31a is closed or opened by a pair of doors 32 that move along the side of the elevator car 31. The doors 32 are opened and closed by opening / closing motors (not shown in Figure 1).

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

[0016] The lifting motor 40 is a motor used to raise and lower the elevator car 31. The lifting motor 40 is positioned at the top of the elevator shaft 11, with its rotation axis 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 elevator car 31, and the other end is fixed to the counterweight 35.

[0017] The control panel 70 is disposed in the hoistway 11. The control panel 70 houses a control device for controlling the hoist motor 40, the devices provided in the car 31, and the like. In the following embodiments, a machine-room-less elevator in which the control panel 70 is disposed in the hoistway 1 will be described as an example, but the present embodiment can also be applied to the case where there is a machine room.

[0018] Although not shown in FIG. 1, a seismic detection sensor 38 for detecting the presence or absence of an earthquake is provided near the control panel 70 (for example, near the water-cooled cooling device).

[0019] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a 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 seismic detection sensor 38.

[0020] The operation panel 36 is provided on the inner wall surface of the car 31. The operation panel 36 is an interface for receiving the destination floor and the like from the users of the car 31. The user can register the destination floor of the car 31 and open and close the door 32 by operating the operation panel 36. The load sensor 37 is a sensor for measuring the load carried by the car 31.

[0021] The seismic detection sensor 38 is a sensor for detecting the occurrence of an earthquake. The seismic detection sensor 38 is disposed, for example, near a water-cooled cooling device 200 that cools an inverter 93 described later. The seismic detection sensor is set to detect, for example, an earthquake of seismic intensity 5s and not to react to seismic intensities lower than that.

[0022] The control unit 80 includes a control unit 801 for the lifting motor and a control unit 802 for the door motor. The drive unit 90 drives the lifting motor 40 and the door motor 41 (not shown in Figure 1) which drives the door 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 801 for the lifting motor. The drive unit 90 also drives the door motor 41 based on instructions from the control unit 802 for the door motor.

[0023] The input / output device 100 consists of a keyboard, display, speaker, printer, and the like.

[0024] 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.

[0025] 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.

[0026] 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 and semiconductor memory. The auxiliary memory stores the program executed by the CPU, and various parameters, etc.

[0027] The interface unit includes serial interfaces, parallel interfaces, and wireless LAN interfaces. The operation panel 36, load sensor 37, earthquake detection sensor 38, and drive unit 90 are connected to the CPU via the interface unit. An input / output device 100, consisting of a keyboard, display, speaker, and printer, is also connected to the interface unit.

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

[0029] In Figure 4, multiple forced-air cooling fans 350 are provided on the +Y side of the heatsink 300. Forced air cooling by the fans 350 blows cool air, for example, 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 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 that acts as a refrigerant 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. An earthquake detection sensor 38 is provided near the water-cooled cooling system 200.

[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 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 when an abnormality occurs in the water-cooled cooling system 200. The abnormality detection device 72 includes an operating status monitoring unit 721, a storage unit 722, a temperature threshold correction unit 723, and an abnormality detection unit 724.

[0034] The operation status monitoring unit 721 monitors the operating status of the elevator car 31, such as the 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 changes in accordance with the operating status of the elevator car 31, such as the load capacity, travel distance, and operating frequency, and can therefore be used as an indicator of the operating status. For example, the operation status monitoring unit 721 monitors the power measured by the power sensor 96 every 10 minutes.

[0035] When the abnormality detection device 72 receives notification from the drive unit control unit 71 that the elevator car 31 has been raised or lowered, it stores the temperature of the heating element 921 of the inverter 93, as measured by the temperature sensor 97, in the storage unit 722. The storage unit 722 stores the temperature of the heating element 921 of the inverter 93, as measured by the temperature sensor 97, regardless of whether or not there has been an earthquake.

[0036] When the abnormality detection device 72 receives notification of an earthquake from the earthquake detection sensor 38, it raises and lowers the elevator car 31 via the drive unit control unit 71 under the same operating conditions as immediately before the earthquake for inspection purposes. This allows the abnormality detection unit 724 to compare the temperature of the heating element 921 of the inverter 93 under the same operating conditions immediately before and immediately after the earthquake. However, since it is difficult to match the load inside the elevator car 31 and the frequency of raising and lowering the elevator car 31, the temperature measurement is performed under the same conditions for the distance traveled (for example, from the 1st floor to the 5th floor). The abnormality detection unit 724 then stores the temperature of the heating element 921 of the inverter 93, measured by the temperature sensor 97 during the raising and lowering operation of the elevator car 31 immediately after the earthquake (during inspection operation), in the memory unit 722.

[0037] During inspection operations immediately following an earthquake, it is difficult to match the load capacity and lifting / lowering frequency inside the elevator car 31 to the conditions immediately before the earthquake. The temperature threshold correction unit 723 corrects the temperature measured immediately before the earthquake, which is used as the temperature threshold, in order to detect abnormalities by making the load capacity and lifting / lowering frequency conditions of the elevator car the same for temperature measurements immediately before and immediately after the earthquake.

[0038] It is assumed that the load on the elevator car 31 during the lifting and lowering operation during inspection operation immediately after an earthquake will differ from the load on the elevator car 31 during lifting and lowering operation immediately before the earthquake. This is because, during inspection operation immediately after an earthquake, passengers are often disembarking from the elevator car 31. If the load on the elevator car is different, the output power of the inverter 93 will also be different, and the degree of temperature rise of the inverter 93 will also be different. The temperature threshold correction unit 723 corrects the temperature threshold to eliminate erroneous judgments caused by this difference in load on the elevator car. Specifically, the abnormality detection unit 724 corrects the temperature threshold so that it determines whether or not an abnormality has occurred by subtracting the temperature decrease corresponding to the difference in load on the temperature measured immediately before the earthquake from the temperature measured immediately before the earthquake.

[0039] The heavier the load on the elevator car 31, the greater the output power of the inverter 93, and the greater the heat generated by the inverter 93. The memory unit 722 stores data (tables, graphs, relational formulas, etc.) showing the relationship between the load and the temperature rise of the inverter 93 due to the output power of the inverter 93. The temperature threshold correction unit 723 corrects the temperature threshold so that it determines whether or not an abnormality has occurred by subtracting the temperature of the inverter 93 immediately before the earthquake from the temperature of the inverter 93 immediately before the earthquake, which corresponds to the temperature drop in the temperature rise corresponding to the difference between the load on the elevator car 31 during its up and down operation immediately before the earthquake and the load on the inspection operation immediately after the earthquake (usually no load). By correcting the temperature threshold for this difference in load, a margin to eliminate misjudgments caused by the difference in load can be removed from the temperature threshold. The elevator abnormality detection device 72 according to this embodiment can detect small temperature differences before and after an earthquake by reducing the margin included in the temperature threshold, thereby improving the accuracy of abnormality detection of the water-cooled cooling system used in the elevator system.

[0040] Furthermore, the degree to which the temperature of the inverter 93 decreases will differ depending on the time elapsed between the occurrence of the earthquake and the inspection immediately following it (e.g., 10 minutes or 30 minutes). This time elapsed between the occurrence of the earthquake and the inspection immediately following it (e.g., 10 minutes or 30 minutes) represents the frequency of ascent and descent of the elevator car 31 immediately following the earthquake. The temperature threshold correction unit 723 corrects the temperature threshold to eliminate erroneous judgments caused by the difference in ascent and descent frequency before and after the earthquake. Specifically, the abnormality detection unit 724 corrects the temperature threshold so that it determines whether or not an abnormality has occurred by subtracting the temperature of the inverter 93 immediately before the earthquake from the temperature of the inverter 93 immediately before the earthquake by the temperature corresponding to the temperature decrease equivalent to the difference in temperature rise between the output power per unit time of the inverter 93 measured immediately before the earthquake and the output power per unit time of the inverter 93 during the inspection operation immediately after the earthquake. For example, it is expected that the temperature threshold will be lowered during morning and evening rush hours compared to the temperature immediately before the earthquake, and raised during late-night hours compared to the temperature immediately before the earthquake. By correcting the temperature threshold for this difference in ascent / descent frequency, a margin for eliminating misjudgments caused by the difference in ascent / descent frequency can be removed from the temperature threshold. The elevator anomaly detection device 72 according to this embodiment can detect small temperature differences before and after an earthquake by reducing the margin included in the temperature threshold, thereby improving the accuracy of anomaly detection of the water-cooled cooling system used in the elevator system.

[0041] The abnormality detection unit 724 detects that an abnormality has occurred in the water-cooled cooling system 200 based on the difference between the temperature measured immediately after the earthquake and the corrected temperature threshold (the temperature measured during the elevator car 31's lifting and lowering operation immediately before the earthquake, corrected). More specifically, the abnormality detection unit 724 detects that an abnormality has occurred in the water-cooled cooling system 200 if the temperature measured immediately after the earthquake is higher than the temperature measured immediately before the earthquake (the temperature after the above-mentioned temperature threshold has been corrected).

[0042] If the abnormality detection device 72 detects an abnormality, it outputs to the input / output device 100 that an abnormality has occurred. The abnormality detection device 72 also notifies the drive unit control unit 71 that an abnormality has occurred. When the drive unit control unit 71 receives notification that an abnormality has occurred, it 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.

[0043] Next, the elevator abnormality detection method will be explained with reference to the flowchart shown in Figure 7. 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).

[0044] During normal elevator operation of the elevator car 31 when no earthquake has occurred (step S11), when the abnormality detection device 72 receives notification from the drive unit control unit 71 that the elevator car 31 has been raised or lowered, it stores the temperature of the heating element 921 of the inverter 93, measured by the temperature sensor 97, in the memory unit 722 (step S12). Step S12 is the temperature measurement process. In addition, the operation status monitoring unit 721 monitors the operation status by monitoring the distance traveled by the elevator car 31 (e.g., from the 1st floor to the 5th floor, or from the 3rd floor to the 4th floor) and the output power of the inverter 93 (for example, output power per 10 minutes) (step S12).

[0045] If the earthquake detection sensor 38 detects an earthquake (step S13: Yes), the abnormality detection unit 724 notifies the drive unit control unit 71 to perform an inspection operation after the earthquake (step S14). During the inspection operation after the earthquake, the elevator car 31 is raised and lowered under the same conditions (travel distance) as immediately before the earthquake. The temperature of the heating element 921 of the inverter 93 immediately after the earthquake is then stored in the memory unit 722 during the inspection operation after the earthquake (step S15). For example, if the elevation immediately before the earthquake was from the 1st floor to the 5th floor, the abnormality detection unit 724 instructs the drive unit control unit 71 to raise and lower the elevator car 31 from the 1st floor to the 5th floor and measures the temperature immediately after the earthquake.

[0046] Next, the abnormality detection unit 724 corrects the temperature threshold (step S16). Step S16 is the temperature threshold correction process. The temperature threshold correction involves corrections related to the load on the elevator car 31 and corrections related to the lifting and lowering frequency of the elevator car 31. Specifically, the abnormality detection unit 724 corrects the temperature threshold so that it determines whether or not an abnormality has occurred by subtracting the temperature difference corresponding to the temperature rise from the temperature measured immediately before the earthquake from the temperature measured immediately before the earthquake. The abnormality detection unit 724 also corrects the temperature threshold so that it determines whether or not an abnormality has occurred by adding (or subtracting) the temperature difference corresponding to the temperature rise from the difference between the output power per unit time of the inverter 93 measured immediately before the earthquake and the output power per unit time of the inverter 93 during the inspection operation immediately after the earthquake.

[0047] The abnormality detection unit 724 compares the temperature of the heating element 921 of the inverter 93 immediately before the earthquake with the temperature of the heating element 921 of the inverter 93 immediately after the earthquake (step S17). If the temperature measured immediately after the earthquake is higher than the temperature measured before the earthquake (the corrected temperature threshold mentioned above) (step S17: Yes), the abnormality detection unit 724 determines that an abnormality has occurred in the water-cooled cooling device 200. Step S17 is a temperature comparison step and an abnormality detection step.

[0048] The anomaly detection unit 724 estimates the cause of damage based on the difference between the temperature measured immediately after the earthquake and the temperature measured immediately before the earthquake (step S18). Step S18 is the damage cause estimation process. Figure 8 is a diagram (information) showing the relationship between the temperature difference between the temperature measured after the earthquake and the temperature measured immediately before the earthquake and the cause of damage to the water-cooled cooling system. When the water-cooled cooling system is damaged, the cooling effect decreases. The degree of decrease in cooling effect differs depending on the cause of damage. Here, we will explain using three damage causes as examples.

[0049] Figure 8 assumes ΔT1 < ΔT2 < ΔT3, where ΔT3 is the case where the temperature difference before and after the earthquake is greatest. ΔT1 is, for example, when the temperature difference is about 5°C. Damage factors when the temperature difference is ΔT1 include, for example, partial shutdown of the radiator or clogging of the radiator. 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. Cladding of the radiator means that the air inlet and outlet parts of the radiator are blocked, etc. ΔT2 is, for example, when the temperature difference is about 10°C. Damage factors when the temperature difference is ΔT2 include, for example, complete shutdown of the radiator or a small amount of water leaking due to a crack in the piping. ΔT3 is, for example, when the temperature difference is 15°C or more. Factors that cause failure due to a temperature difference of ΔT3 include, for example, pump failure or a large amount of water leakage due to a crack in the piping.

[0050] The elevator car 31 is raised and lowered under conditions where a hypothetical damage factor is intentionally created, and the temperature is measured to obtain the value of ΔT shown in the table in Figure 8, which is then stored in the storage unit 722. The value of ΔT will vary depending on the distance traveled by the elevator car 31 and the ambient temperature (for example, the temperature inside the elevator shaft 11). Therefore, using the distance traveled and ambient temperature as parameters, a table shown in Figure 8 is created by changing the combination of parameters and stored in the storage unit 722 in advance.

[0051] The anomaly detection unit 724 extracts a table from the storage unit 722 corresponding to the parameters (mileage traveled and ambient temperature) immediately before the earthquake, and estimates the cause of damage by comparing the temperature difference between immediately before and immediately after the earthquake with the table extracted from the storage unit 722.

[0052] The abnormality detection unit 724 notifies the drive unit control unit 71 and the input / output device 100 of the estimated cause of damage, indicating that an abnormality has occurred (step S19). The input / output device 100 displays that an abnormality has occurred in the water-cooled cooling device 200 and the estimated cause of damage. This notification is also transmitted to the monitoring center of the elevator device 10. The monitoring center is also notified if an earthquake of a predetermined intensity (for example, seismic intensity 5 or higher) has occurred.

[0053] Upon receiving notification, the drive unit control unit 71 controls the drive unit 90 to operate the elevator car in a safety mode with reduced lifting acceleration and lifting speed compared to normal operation (step S20). Operating in safety mode suppresses the amount of heat generated by the inverter 93, reducing the probability of the inverter 93 being damaged before a safety inspection is performed.

[0054] Upon receiving notification in step S18 that an earthquake has occurred and that there is a malfunction in the water-cooled cooling system, a safety inspection is conducted by a maintenance worker (step S21). Repairs are made as necessary, and once it is confirmed that there are no abnormalities in the safety inspection after the repairs, the elevator system 10 is operated in normal operation.

[0055] Conventional safety inspections after an earthquake are generally conducted under the same conditions as regular inspections. If an abnormality is mistakenly detected when no abnormality exists, maintenance personnel will be dispatched to the site, and the elevator system will be shut down until it is confirmed to be normal through maintenance inspection, causing significant inconvenience to users. Therefore, the threshold used to determine whether or not an abnormality exists during regular inspections includes a large margin to prevent misjudgments caused by variations in parts, the distance traveled by the elevator car 31, the frequency of operation, and differences in ambient temperature.

[0056] In the case of forced air cooling, if the fan for blowing air stops, the temperature of the power modules that make up the inverter power supply rises rapidly, so even if there is a large margin in the threshold, it is possible to detect abnormalities in the cooling system. However, in the case of water-cooled cooling systems, for example, even if the pump stops, there is a cooling effect from the water in the piping, so the degree of deterioration of the cooling effect immediately after an earthquake is small, and the temperature rise of the power modules is also small. Also, even if a crack occurs in the piping, water remains in the piping immediately after an earthquake, so the degree of deterioration of the cooling effect immediately after an earthquake is small, and the temperature rise of the power modules is also small. Therefore, if there is a large margin in the temperature threshold for determining whether or not there is an abnormality, it may not be possible to detect abnormalities in water-cooled cooling systems. However, if even a small crack in the water-cooled cooling system is not detected during inspection immediately after an earthquake, the water in the piping will disappear over time, and the cooling effect will be lost. When the cooling effect is lost, the temperature of the power modules of the inverter power supply will rise and be damaged. If the inverter power supply is damaged, not only will the elevator car be unable to move up and down, but there is also a risk of trapping passengers inside the elevator car.

[0057] As described above, the elevator abnormality detection device 72 according to the embodiment detects that an abnormality has occurred in the water-cooled cooling system 200 when the temperature measured immediately after an earthquake is higher than the temperature measured immediately before the earthquake. By determining the presence or absence of an abnormality based on the temperature difference between immediately before and immediately after an earthquake, the elevator abnormality detection device 72 according to the embodiment can eliminate at least the margin related to component variations, which is one of the margins used to prevent misjudgment of the presence or absence of an abnormality due to temperature differences caused by component variations, elevator travel distance, operating frequency, and ambient temperature. If the time interval between temperature measurement before and after the earthquake is short, the margin related to ambient temperature can be eliminated. Therefore, the elevator abnormality detection device 72 according to the embodiment can improve the accuracy of detecting abnormalities in the water-cooled cooling system 200 used in the elevator system 10. In other words, by using the elevator abnormality detection device 72 according to the embodiment, it is possible to detect abnormalities in water-cooled cooling systems that have a small degree of deterioration in cooling effect immediately after an earthquake.

[0058] Furthermore, the elevator abnormality detection device 72 according to the embodiment has a temperature threshold correction unit that corrects the temperature measured immediately before the earthquake, which is used as a temperature threshold, in order to perform abnormality detection by making the conditions of the load on the elevator car 31 and the lifting frequency conditions the same immediately before and immediately after the earthquake.

[0059] By correcting the temperature threshold related to the load, a margin for eliminating misjudgments caused by differences in load can be removed from the temperature threshold. Similarly, by correcting the temperature threshold related to the frequency of ascent and descent, a margin for eliminating misjudgments caused by differences in frequency of ascent and descent can be removed from the temperature threshold. The elevator anomaly detection device 72 according to this embodiment can eliminate margins related to load and ascent and descent from the margin for preventing misjudgments of the presence or absence of an anomaly by correcting the temperature thresholds related to the load and ascent and descent. By reducing the margin included in the temperature threshold, the elevator anomaly detection device 72 according to this embodiment can detect small temperature differences before and after an earthquake, thereby improving the accuracy of anomaly detection of the water-cooled cooling system used in the elevator system.

[0060] The elevator abnormality detection device 72 according to this embodiment can eliminate the margin related to travel distance from the margin used to prevent misjudging the presence or absence of an abnormality by operating the elevator during inspection operation after an earthquake with the same travel distance as the elevator operation immediately before the earthquake. In this way, by reducing the margin included in the temperature threshold for determining abnormalities, the elevator abnormality detection device 72 according to this embodiment can improve the accuracy of detecting abnormalities in the water-cooled cooling device 200 used in the elevator device 10.

[0061] Furthermore, according to the elevator abnormality detection device 72 of the embodiment, the cause of damage can be estimated based on the degree of difference between the temperature measured immediately after the earthquake and the temperature measured immediately before the earthquake.

[0062] Furthermore, the elevator abnormality detection device 72 according to this embodiment estimates the damage cause of the water-cooled cooling system based on information that shows the relationship between the temperature difference between the temperature measured after the earthquake and the temperature measured immediately before the earthquake, and the damage cause, which is set for each ambient temperature. This improves the accuracy of the damage cause estimation.

[0063] Furthermore, when the elevator abnormality detection device 72 according to the embodiment detects that an abnormality has occurred in the water-cooled cooling device 200, it notifies the control unit (drive unit control unit 71) that controls the raising and lowering of the elevator car 31 that an abnormality has occurred in the water-cooled cooling device 200. Upon receiving the notification, the control unit (drive unit control unit 71) controls the raising and lowering of the elevator car 31 in a safety mode, setting the raising and lowering speed and acceleration of the elevator car 31 lower than the normal raising and lowering speed and acceleration. This suppresses damage to the inverter 93 and prevents passengers from being trapped inside the elevator car 31.

[0064] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. For example, in step S17 of Figure 7, if the temperature difference is small, the system may simply notify that there is an abnormality in the input / output device 100, and may not operate in safety mode.

[0065] Furthermore, the above description explained the case in the temperature threshold correction step S16 where the temperature measured immediately before the earthquake occurs is corrected to become the temperature threshold. In another embodiment, the temperature measured immediately after the earthquake may be corrected so as to be compared under the same conditions as the mounted load and operating frequency conditions immediately before the earthquake.

[0066] Furthermore, if an abnormality is detected in the water-cooled cooling device 200, the rotation speed of the fan 350 may be increased to enhance the cooling effect of forced air cooling.

[0067] The above explanation describes the operation in safety mode when an abnormality is detected in the water-cooled cooling system 200. When multiple elevator cars are installed side by side, the safety mode may be defined as operating in zones where the stopping floors are divided for each elevator car in order to reduce the number of ascents and descents and the distance traveled per car.

[0068] In step S13 of Figure 7, if the seismic intensity is above a predetermined level (for example, level 5), the elevator system will perform controlled operation. Controlled operation is an operation in which the elevator car 31 is stopped at the nearest floor to allow passengers to disembark, and after safety checks confirm that there are no abnormalities, the system will return to normal operation. On the other hand, in step S13 of Figure 7, if the seismic intensity is below a predetermined level (for example, between level 3 and level 5), the elevator system will perform automatic recovery operation. Automatic recovery operation is an operation in which, for example, the elevator car 31 is stopped at the nearest floor to allow passengers to disembark, and the system will return to normal operation without performing safety checks. In both controlled operation and automatic recovery operation, it is desirable for the elevator abnormality detection device 72 according to this embodiment to perform an inspection that compares the temperature before and after the earthquake based on the flow shown in Figure 7, but it is also possible to perform the temperature comparison before and after the earthquake only in the case of controlled operation.

[0069] Furthermore, the above explanation described the case where the earthquake detection sensor 38 is installed near the water-cooled cooling device 200. However, it is not necessary to limit the determination of whether or not an earthquake is occurring to this case. For example, earthquake information from the Japan Meteorological Agency can also be used.

[0070] Although not explained above, the ambient temperature can be measured by a temperature sensor installed near the control panel 70.

[0071] In the above explanation, the value of ΔT shown in Figure 8 was described as being determined by actual measurement using driving distance and ambient temperature as parameters, with different combinations of parameters. However, ΔT can also be determined by simulation.

[0072] The above description explains the case where the inverter 93 is cooled by the water-cooled cooling device 200, but the converter 91 may also be cooled by the water-cooled cooling device 200.

[0073] (Variation 1) Embodiment 1 describes the case where the temperature threshold is corrected in step S16 of the anomaly detection process shown in Figure 7. In a simplified embodiment, it is also possible to omit the correction of the temperature threshold related to the mounted load.

[0074] During inspection operations immediately following an earthquake, there are often no passengers on board when the elevator car 31 is being raised or lowered. Therefore, the output power of the inverter 93 during inspection operations immediately following an earthquake will not be higher than that of the elevator car 31 immediately before the earthquake due to an increase in the load. Consequently, if no temperature threshold correction is applied to the load, focusing on the load, if the temperature of the inverter 93 immediately after the earthquake is higher than the temperature immediately before the earthquake, it can be estimated that the water-cooled cooling system 200 is damaged.

[0075] (Modification 2) In another embodiment, it is conceivable to omit the correction of the temperature threshold related to the lifting frequency. For example, if the inspection immediately following an earthquake is set to be performed 15 or 30 minutes after the earthquake, it can be assumed that the lifting frequency will be lower than immediately before the earthquake. In this case, focusing on the lifting frequency of the elevator car 31, the output power of the inverter 93 during the inspection operation immediately following an earthquake will not be higher than that of the elevator car 31 during its lifting operation immediately before the earthquake due to the increase in lifting frequency. Therefore, even without correcting the temperature threshold for the lifting frequency, if the temperature of the inverter 93 immediately following an earthquake is higher than the temperature immediately before the earthquake, it can be estimated that the water-cooled cooling device 200 is damaged.

[0076] (Variation 3) 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.

[0077] 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]

[0078] 10…Elevator equipment 11…Housing 21-24... Guide rails 31... bus car 31a...Opening 32... Door 35... Counterweight 36…Control Panel 38… Earthquake detection sensor 40…Lifting motor 41…Opening / closing motor 42...Pulley 43... Wire 70... Control panel 71…Drive Unit Control Unit 72... Anomaly detection device 722...Storage section 723...Temperature threshold correction unit 724... Anomaly detection unit 80... Control Unit 801... Control unit for lifting motor 802... Control unit for door motor 90…Drive unit 91... Converter 93... Inverter 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… Heat-generating element (power module)

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 an elevator, A temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the semiconductor constituting the power supply when the elevator car is operating in an up-and-down motion, A storage unit that stores the temperature measured by the temperature sensor, In the event of an earthquake, the elevator car is operated to move up and down after the earthquake, and if the temperature measured after the earthquake is higher than the temperature measured before the earthquake, an abnormality detection unit detects that an abnormality has occurred in the water-cooled cooling system. An elevator anomaly detection device having [a specific feature / feature].

2. In order to detect anomalies by making at least one of the conditions of the load on the elevator car or the frequency of ascent and descent the same for temperature measurements before and after an earthquake, the system has a temperature threshold correction unit that corrects the temperature measured before the earthquake, which is used as the temperature threshold. The abnormality detection unit, in the event of an earthquake, operates the elevator car in an upward and downward motion after the earthquake, and detects that an abnormality has occurred in the water-cooled cooling system if the temperature measured after the earthquake is higher than the temperature threshold corrected by the temperature threshold correction unit. The elevator abnormality detection device according to claim 1.

3. When measuring temperature after the earthquake, the elevator operation will be performed using the same travel distance as the elevator operation before the earthquake. The elevator abnormality detection device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The anomaly detection unit estimates the cause of damage to the water-cooled cooling system based on the difference between the temperature measured after the earthquake and the temperature measured before the earthquake. The elevator abnormality detection device according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The abnormality detection unit estimates the cause of damage to the water-cooled cooling system based on information set for each ambient temperature, which shows the relationship between the temperature difference between the temperature measured after the earthquake and the temperature measured before the earthquake, and the cause of damage. The elevator abnormality detection device according to claim 4.

6. When the abnormality detection unit detects that an abnormality has occurred in the water-cooled cooling device, it notifies the control unit that controls the raising and lowering of the elevator car that an abnormality has occurred in the water-cooled cooling device. The control unit controls the elevator car's ascent and descent by setting the elevator car's ascent and descent speed and acceleration to be lower than the normal ascent and descent speed and acceleration. The elevator abnormality detection device according to claim 1 or 2.

7. An elevator malfunction detection method for detecting an abnormality in a water-cooled cooling system that cools the power supply that provides power to an elevator, A temperature measurement step for measuring the temperature of the semiconductor constituting the power supply when the elevator car is operating in an up-and-down position, In the event of an earthquake, the elevator car is raised and lowered after the earthquake, and a temperature comparison step is performed in which the temperature measured after the earthquake is compared with the temperature measured before the earthquake. An abnormality detection step that detects an abnormality in the water-cooled cooling system if the temperature measured after the earthquake is higher than the temperature measured before the earthquake, An elevator anomaly detection method including [specific details omitted].

8. The elevator abnormality detection method according to claim 7, further comprising a damage cause estimation step of estimating the damage cause of the water-cooled cooling device based on the difference between the temperature measured after the earthquake and the temperature measured before the earthquake.

9. The temperature comparison step includes a temperature threshold correction step in which the temperature threshold is corrected to make at least one of the conditions of the load on the elevator car or the frequency of ascent and descent the same before and after the earthquake. The elevator abnormality detection method according to claim 7 or 8.

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