Strain sensors for elevator position measuring tapes

Abstract

To provide an improved sensor device for detecting serious change in length of a suspension type position measuring tape for an elevator having the position measuring tape.SOLUTION: A sensor device includes a carrier 10, a carriage 20 arranged in the carrier 10, a tape holder arranged in the carriage 20, a pulling device arranged between the carrier 10 and the carriage 20 to pull a fixed positioning tape, a detection device 70 for detecting serious displacement of the carriage 20 arranged in the carrier 10 based on serious change in length of an attached position measuring tape 90, and an adjustment device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a sensor device for elevators with a hanging position measuring tape for detecting significant changes in the length of the position measuring tape.

[0002] A sensor device for detecting when a position measuring tape has broken is known, for example, from CN 108249245 A.

[0003] It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved sensor arrangement.

[0004] Starting from a sensor arrangement of the type mentioned at the beginning, this object is achieved by a sensor arrangement according to claim 1 and an elevator according to claim 13. Advantageous refinements are given in the dependent claims of these claims.

[0005] The sensor device according to the invention is for an elevator with a suspended position measuring tape, for detecting significant changes in the length of the position measuring tape, comprising a carrier with mounting elements for mounting the carrier to a fixed part of the elevator, a carriage arranged on the carrier, a tape holder arranged on the carriage and having at least a fixing element for fixing the position measuring tape in a fixed position and for roughly setting the length position of the position measuring tape, a guiding device arranged between the carrier and the carriage, the guiding device having a number of guiding elements on the carrier and the carriage for fixing the carriage to the carrier displaceably in a parallel direction of the attached position measuring tape, a tensioning device arranged between the carrier and the carriage, the guiding device having a number of engagement elements on the carrier and the carriage, and a tensioning element fixed to the number of engagement elements in order to make it possible to move the carriage against the direction of the fixed position measuring tape to tension the fixed position measuring tape. a tensioning device having a tensioning element and a detection device 35 for detecting a significant displacement of a carriage arranged on the carrier based on a significant change in the length of the attached position measuring tape and for outputting a signal when a significant displacement is detected, the detection device having at least one actuation element for determining the position of the significant displacement and a sensor for detecting the actuation element when a significant displacement occurs, the actuation element and the sensor being fixed alternately to the carrier and to the carriage, the detection device having an adjustment device for making it possible to set the distance between the at least one actuation element and the sensor, the adjustment device having at least one adjustment element on the carriage and on the tape holder for setting the position of the tape holder relative to the carriage in the parallel direction of the attached position measuring tape or at least one adjustment element on the carrier and on the carriage for setting the distance between the at least one actuation element and the sensor, in order to make it possible to adjust the length position of the attached position measuring tape relative to the carriage.

[0006] The above sensor arrangement offers the advantage that significant changes in the length of the attached position measuring tape can be detected.

[0007] Therefore, the sensor device according to the invention can be fixed to the floor or lower area of ​​the elevator shaft, receive a position measuring tape fastened and suspended to the ceiling or upper area of ​​the elevator shaft, tension the position measuring tape and detect significant changes in the length of the position measuring tape.

[0008] The position measuring tape may have a number of position codes. The position measuring tape may be provided for the purpose of determining the vertical position of the elevator car in the elevator shaft. For this purpose, the elevator car may have a further sensor device which detects the position codes of the position measuring tape.

[0009] A change in length of the position measuring tape may occur due to temperature changes, aging, or breakage of the position measuring tape. A change in length is significant if it exceeds a certain threshold. The threshold can be selected to ensure that the change in length does not exceed the threshold and can be corrected and processed by the position measuring system.

[0010] The detection device preferably comprises a first actuation element which determines the position of the carriage when a significant elongation occurs in the attached position measuring tape, and a second actuation element which determines the position of the carriage when a significant contraction occurs in the attached position measuring tape.

[0011] This provides the advantage that significant changes in the length of the attached position measuring tape can be detected in both directions.

[0012] The sensor device preferably has marking elements on the carrier or carriage to enable the distance between at least one activation element and the sensor to be set to a particular critical distance which corresponds to a significant change in the length of the position measuring tape to be measured, in particular to enable the sensor to be installed in a central position between the two activation elements if two activation elements are provided.

[0013] This has the advantage that the adjustment of the sensor arrangement can be carried out in a simple manner, in particular can be predefined in a standardized manner.

[0014] The tensioning device preferably constitutes a first setting device and the adjusting device preferably constitutes a second setting device, each setting device for varying the position of the attached position measuring tape relative to a detection device, in particular relative to an actuation element or sensor.

[0015] This has the advantage that adjustments can be made coarsely first and then more finely, making it possible to simplify the adjustment process.

[0016] In the sensor device a position measuring tape is fixed, preferably made of metal, in particular a steel tape, in particular having a row of a plurality of two-dimensional optical codes.

[0017] A significant change in length of the position measuring tape preferably corresponds to an expansion or contraction beyond a particular discrete or common threshold.

[0018] The direction of the attached position measuring tape is preferably a direction toward the top end of the attached position measuring tape, and the parallel direction of the attached position measuring tape is preferably parallel to the direction of the attached position measuring tape and in the opposite direction.

[0019] This has the advantage that the sensor arrangement is optimally adapted to the position measuring tape.

[0020] The mounting elements of the carrier are preferably threaded holes.The carrier is preferably intended to be mounted to the bottom of an elevator, in particular to the floor of the elevator.

[0021] This offers the advantage that the position measuring tape is fully monitored.

[0022] At least one fastening element of the tape holder preferably provides two recesses in the tape holder for the passage of the position measuring tape, which has the advantage that the position measuring tape can be fastened to the tape holder in a simple manner.

[0023] The position measuring tape is preferably intended to be fixed at its lower end, which offers the advantage that the entire position measuring tape is monitored.

[0024] The tape holder is preferably fixed in position on the carriage, which offers the advantage that significant changes in length can be detected accurately.

[0025] The coarse setting of the lengthwise position of the position measuring tape attached to the fastening element of the tape holder and relative to the carriage and the carrier is preferably performed in the parallel direction of the position measuring tape, which has the advantage that a coarse adjustment can be performed as early as when the position measuring tape is fastened to the tape holder.

[0026] The multiple guide elements of the guide device preferably have multiple grooves and multiple support areas on the carrier and multiple protrusions and multiple runners on the carriage, the multiple protrusions engaging with the multiple grooves for guiding purposes and the multiple runners sliding on the multiple support areas for guiding purposes.

[0027] This provides the advantage that the carriage is displaceably guided in a parallel direction of the position measuring tape.

[0028] The plurality of engagement elements of the tensioning device are preferably a plurality of eyelets.The tensioning element of the tensioning device is preferably a spring having a plurality of hook elements hooked onto the plurality of engagement elements of the tensioning device.

[0029] This has the advantage that the position measuring tape remains under tension and any change in length of the position measuring tape translates directly into movement of the carriage.

[0030] The actuation elements of the detection device are preferably button elements, in particular tilt elements, and the sensor is preferably a tactile sensor which is actuated by the tilt elements when a significant displacement of the carriage occurs, preferably caused by a significant change in the length of the attached position measuring tape.

[0031] This has the advantage that the detection of significant changes in length can be carried out in a simple manner, which has the further advantage that the function of the sensor arrangement can be carried out in a simple manner, such as by visual inspection.

[0032] It is preferable that the multiple adjustment elements of the adjustment device have multiple aligned holes in the tape holder and two screw holes and two associated screws in the carriage, and that different multiple holes in the aligned holes can be arbitrarily selected to fix the tape holder to the carriage using multiple screws inserted into the multiple screw holes in the carriage.

[0033] This offers the advantage that the position measuring tape can be fixed to the carriage in steps, This offers the advantage that the detection device can be adjusted in steps.

[0034] It is preferable that the sensor device has a protective element for providing a cover in the direction of the attached position measuring tape, in particular an extensive protrusion provided at the end of the carrier located in the direction of the attached position measuring tape, and for deflecting any object which may fall from the direction of the upper end of the position measuring tape before it hits the carriage.

[0035] This increases the operational reliability of the sensor device.

[0036] An elevator according to the invention is an elevator equipped with a sensor device of the above-mentioned kind, which offers the above-mentioned advantages.

[0037] Further features of the present invention are illustrated in the drawings.

[0038] Each of the above advantages may also be implemented in combination with features not listed. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0039] Drawing Overview Exemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings and will be described in detail below, in which reference characters in the various drawings of the present application indicate corresponding elements. [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view of the sensor device. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the sensor device. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a right perspective view of the sensor device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0040] All figures show the exact same sensor device to scale. [Detailed description of the drawings] FIG. 1 shows a carrier 10, a carriage 20, a tape holder 30, a tensioning device 60 having a spring 63, an upper inclined portion 71 and a lower inclined portion 72 provided on the carrier 10, a tactile sensor 73 disposed on the carriage 20, a detection device 70 having a signal line 74 connected to the tactile sensor 73, and a position measuring tape 90 having a number of two-dimensional position codes 91.

[0041] In the extension of the position measuring tape suspended at the top of the elevator shaft, the sensor device is screwed to the floor of the elevator shaft via the threaded holes 11. The top and bottom orientation of the figure is therefore in accordance with reality. At its top end, the carrier 11 has a deflector plate 12 as a protection element against falling objects.

[0042] In FIG. 2, the carrier 10, the carriage 20, the spring 63, the tape holder 40 having a plurality of recesses 41, and the position measuring tape 90 are shown in their individual parts.

[0043] During operation, the spring 63 is hooked by two hook elements 64 into an eyelet 61 in the carrier 10 and an eyelet 62 in the carriage 20, thus pulling the carriage downwards.

[0044] During operation, the position measuring tape 90 is threaded through the recesses 41 of the tape holder 40 such that the position measuring tape is never completely and firmly fixed to the tape holder when the position measuring tape is under tension. The position of the position measuring tape relative to the tape holder 40 when threaded through the recesses 41, and the position of the position measuring tape relative to the carriage during operation, are roughly adjustable.

[0045] The adjustment device 80 has a number of aligned holes 81 in the tape holder 40. Two screws 83 can be inserted into the holes during operation, and the screws are screwed into the screw holes 82 in the carriage 20. Thus, the position measuring tape is firmly fixed to the carriage during operation. The position of the position measuring tape 90 relative to the carriage can be finely adjusted by selecting the holes to be used for the screws from the number of aligned holes.

[0046] The guiding device 50 has four projections 52 on the carriage that engage in two grooves 51 on the carrier 10, and two runners 54 on the carriage that slide on two support areas 53 on the carrier. These elements ensure that the carriage is guided in the parallel direction of the attached position measuring tape so that it can be displaced in one dimension. Thus, if a change occurs in the length of the position measuring tape, the carriage can move together with the end of the position measuring tape based on the change in position in the carrier.

[0047] FIG. 3. The detection device 70 comprises a tactile sensor 73 rigidly fixed to the carriage 20 and an upper inclined portion 71 and a lower inclined portion 72 provided on the carrier 10. The tactile sensor is connected to the elevator control system via a signal line 74.

[0048] The figure shows an upper ramp 71, a lower ramp 72, a tactile sensor 73 and a marking element 84 on the carrier. The marking element 84 is mounted in such a way that when the sensor device is adjusted so that the tactile sensor is positioned completely opposite the marking element, the two distances from the upper and lower button elements of the tactile sensor are the same length. These distances represent the length of the significant changes allowed in the length of the position measuring tape.

[0049] The above-mentioned adjustment is performed by selecting the position of the carriage with respect to the hanging end of the position measuring tape by means of the adjustment device in such a position that the tactile sensor is located at the same height as the marking element. The sensor device is therefore designed to detect the same critical distance for both the extension and the contraction of the position measuring tape. This state is the initial operating state of the sensor device, as shown in figures 1 and 3.

[0050] If the length of the position measuring tape 90 becomes shorter than the critical change, the position measuring tape pulls the carriage 20 together with the tactile sensor 73 upwards against the force of the spring 63 to the upper ramp 71 which presses the sensing finger of the tactile sensor 73. In this process, the tactile sensor 73 sends a signal via the signal line 74 to an elevator control system connected to the signal line, which can initiate, for example, an emergency stop of the elevator.

[0051] If the length of the position measuring tape becomes longer than a significant change after the initial operating state of the sensor device, the spring 63 pulls the carriage 20 together with the tactile sensor 73 downwards to the lower ramp 72 which pushes the tactile sensor 73. In this process, the tactile sensor 73 sends a signal via the signal line 74 to the elevator control system which is connected to the signal line, which can for example initiate an emergency stop of the elevator. [Explanation of symbols]

[0052] 10...carrier, 11...screw hole, 12...deflector plate, 20...carriage, 40...tape holder, 41...recess, 50...guiding device, 51...groove, 52...projection, 53...support area, 54...runner, 60...tensioning device, 61...eyelet, 62...eyelet, 63...spring, 64...hook element, 70...detection device, 71...upper inclined portion, 72...lower inclined portion, 73...tactile sensor, 74...signal line, 80...adjustment device, 81...multiple holes in a row, 82...screw hole, 83...screw, 84...marking element, 90...position measuring tape, 91...two-dimensional position code

Claims

1. A sensor device for an elevator having a suspended position measuring tape (90) for detecting significant changes in the length of said position measuring tape (90), comprising: a carrier (10) having attachment elements for attaching said carrier (10) to a fixed part of said elevator; a carriage (20) disposed on the carrier (10); a tape holder (8) arranged on the carriage (20) and having at least one fixing element for fixing the position measuring tape (90) in a fixed position and for roughly setting the length position of the position measuring tape (90); a guide device (50) provided between the carrier (10) and the carriage (20), the guide device (50) having a plurality of guide elements on the carrier (10) and on the carriage (20) for fixing the carriage (20) to the carrier (10) so as to be displaceable in a direction parallel to the position measuring tape (90) to which it is attached; a tensioning device (60) provided between the carrier (10) and the carriage (20), the tensioning device (60) having a number of engagement elements provided on the carrier (10) and the carriage (20) and a tensioning element fixed to the engagement elements in order to move the carriage (20) in a direction opposite to that of the fixed position measuring tape to enable tensioning the fixed position measuring tape; a detection device (70) for detecting a significant displacement of the carriage (20) arranged on the carrier (10) based on a significant change in the length of the position measuring tape (90) attached thereto and for outputting a signal when a significant displacement is detected, the detection device (70) having at least one actuating element for identifying a position of the significant displacement and a sensor for detecting said actuating element when a significant displacement occurs, said actuating element and said sensor being fixed alternately to the carrier (10) and to the carriage (20); a sensor arrangement comprising an adjustment device (80) for setting the distance between the at least one actuation element and the sensor, the adjustment device comprising at least one adjustment element on the carriage (20) and on the tape holder (8) for setting the position of the tape holder (8) relative to the carriage (20) in a parallel direction of the attached position measuring tape (90) for making the longitudinal position of the attached position measuring tape (90) relative to the carriage (20) adjustable, or an adjustment device comprising at least one adjustment element on the carrier (10) and on the carriage (20) for setting the distance between the at least one actuation element and the sensor.

2. The detection device (70) a first actuation element that determines the position of the carriage (20) when a significant elongation occurs in the attached position measuring tape (90); a second actuation element for determining the position of the carriage (20) when significant shrinkage occurs in the attached position measuring tape (90); The sensor device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

3. 3. The sensor device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a marking element (84) on the carrier (10) or carriage (20) for enabling the distance between the at least one activation element and the sensor to be set to a specific critical distance corresponding to a significant change in the length of the position measuring tape (90) to be measured.

4. Two activation elements are provided, 3. The sensor arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, comprising a marking element (84) on the carrier (10) or carriage (20) to enable the sensor to be installed in a central position between the two activation elements.

5. The tensioning device (60) constitutes a first setting device, The adjustment device (80) constitutes a second setting device, Sensor device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that each setting device is a setting device for varying the position of the attached position measuring tape (90) relative to the detection device (70).

6. The tensioning device (60) constitutes a first setting device, The adjustment device (80) constitutes a second setting device, Sensor device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that each setting device is a setting device for varying the position of the attached position measuring tape (90) relative to the actuation element or the sensor.

7. In the sensor device, the position measuring tape (90) made of metal is fixed, and / or A significant change in the length of the position measuring tape (90) corresponds to an expansion or contraction beyond a specific discrete or common threshold; and / or The sensor device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the direction of the attached position measuring tape (90) is a direction toward the upper end of the attached position measuring tape (90), and the parallel direction of the attached position measuring tape (90) is parallel in the direction of the attached position measuring tape (90) and in the opposite direction.

8. A sensor device as described in Claim 7, wherein the position measuring tape (90) is made of steel tape and has an array of multiple two-dimensional optical codes (91).

9. the mounting elements of the carrier (10) are screw holes (11); and / or The sensor device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the carrier (10) is mounted at the bottom end of the elevator.

10. The sensor device described in Claim 9, wherein the carrier (10) is attached to the floor of the elevator.

11. the at least one fastening element of the tape holder (8) provides two recesses (41) for the passage of the position measuring tape (90), and / or said position measuring tape (90) is intended to be fixed at its lower end, and / or said tape holder (8) being fixed in position on said carriage (20); and / or The sensor device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the longitudinal position of the position measuring tape (90) attached to the fixing element of the tape holder (8), the longitudinal position of the position measuring tape (90) relative to the carriage (20) and the carrier (10) is roughly set in the parallel direction of the position measuring tape (90).

12. The sensor device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the guide elements of the guide device (50) have a plurality of grooves (51) and a plurality of support areas (53) on the carrier (10) and a plurality of protrusions (52) and a plurality of runners (54) on the carriage (20), the plurality of protrusions engaging in the plurality of grooves (51) for guiding purposes and the plurality of runners (54) sliding on the plurality of support areas (53) for guiding purposes.

13. the plurality of engagement elements of the tensioning device (60) are a plurality of small holes; and / or The sensor device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the tensioning element of the tensioning device (60) is a spring (63) having a plurality of hook elements (64) hooked onto the plurality of engagement elements of the tensioning device (60).

14. the activation elements of the detection device (70) are button elements; and / or Sensor arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the significant displacement of the carriage (20) is caused by a significant change in length of the attached position measuring tape (90).

15. The actuation elements of the detection device (70) are tilting elements and the sensor is a tactile sensor (73) that is actuated by the tilting elements in the event of a significant displacement of the carriage (20); and / or Sensor arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the significant displacement of the carriage (20) is caused by a significant change in length of the attached position measuring tape (90).

16. The sensor device according to any one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the adjustment elements of the adjustment device (80) have a number of aligned holes (81) in the tape holder (8) and two screw holes in the carriage (20) and two associated screws, and it is possible to arbitrarily select different holes from the aligned holes (81) in order to fix the tape holder (8) to the carriage (20) using the screws inserted into the screw holes in the carriage (20).

17. the sensor device having a protective element for providing a cover in the direction of the attached position measuring tape (90), The sensor device according to any one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that an object that may fall from the direction of the upper end of the position measuring tape (90) is changed in course before the object hits the carriage (20).

18. A sensor device as described in Claim 17, wherein the protective element is an extensive protrusion provided at an end of the carrier (10) located in the direction of the position measuring tape (90) to which it is attached.

19. An elevator comprising a sensor device according to any one of claims 1 to 18.

Images