Method for elevator safety system and computer-readable medium therefor

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a method for an elevator safety system, and to a computer-readable medium therefor. Provided is an abnormal sign-detecting elevator that can prevent safety-related accidents by means of various sensors, the elevator (20) comprising an elevator car (21), a governor (22), and a rope (23), wherein the elevator car (21) can move vertically along guide rails (25), the governor (22) comprises an upper sheave (22a) and a lower sheave (22b), and the rope (23) winds around the upper sheave (22a) and lower sheave (22b).

Description

Method and computer-readable medium for elevator safety system

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a method and computer-readable medium for an elevator safety system.

[0002]

[0003] Typically, elevators have safety regulations for suspension components, such as ropes or equivalents, and are equipped with safety systems for these. For example, Korean Patent No. 10-250731, a publicly known technology for elevator safety, discloses a suspension system that adjusts the suspension components to have sufficient tension during boarding and disembarking in high-rise elevators with long suspension components to ensure compliance with safety regulations.

[0004] However, in complex elevator systems, elevator failures and safety accidents can occur in various ways, such as not only suspension failures but also governor failures, rope aging, and damage to elevator cars and guide rails. Therefore, a comprehensive elevator safety system is required to prevent these.

[0005]

[0006] The present disclosure aims to provide an elevator safety system that monitors abnormal signs capable of preventing complex safety accidents through sensors including various sensors as a means of solving the above-described problem.

[0007] The technical problems to be achieved in this document are not limited to the technical problems described above, and other technical problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present disclosure belongs from the description below.

[0008]

[0009] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, a method performed in one or more computing devices included in an elevator safety system, wherein an elevator (20) includes an elevator car (21), a governor (22) and a rope (23), wherein the elevator car (21) is capable of moving up and down with respect to a guide rail (25), the governor (22) includes an upper sheave (22a) and a lower sheave (22b), and the rope (23) is wound around the upper sheave (22a) and the lower sheave (22b), the method comprising: identifying an abnormality from a detection value of an elevator car sensor (230) installed in the elevator car (21) and configured to detect a position of the elevator car (21); identifying whether there is an error from each detection value of a sheave sensor (210) configured to detect a rotation amount of one of the upper sheave (22a) and the lower sheave (22b) and a rope sensor (220) configured to detect a movement amount of the rope (23); A method may be provided that is performed on one or more computing devices included in an elevator safety system, including: a step of determining an abnormality sign indicating that there is an abnormality in either the governor (22) or the rope (23) when an error is identified from the detection values ​​of the sheave sensor (210) and the rope sensor (220); and a step of collecting the detection values ​​of the sheave sensor (210), the rope sensor (220), and the elevator car sensor (230) in an abnormal ascending section and another ascending section in which an abnormality sign is identified from the detection values ​​of the elevator car sensor (230) when an error is not identified from the detection values ​​of the sheave sensor (210) and the rope sensor (220), and determining an abnormality sign for each section of either the guide rail (25) and the rope (23) based on the collected detection values.

[0010] In addition, the elevator car sensor (230) includes a car upper sensor (231) installed on the roof of the elevator car (21) and a car lower sensor (232) installed on the bottom surface of the elevator car (21), and the car upper sensor (231) and the car lower sensor (232) are installed to face each other when viewed in the width direction of the elevator car (21), and the method further includes a step of comparing the detection values ​​of the car upper sensor (231) and the car lower sensor (232) to determine whether an imbalance of the elevator car (21) is identified, and when an imbalance of the elevator car (21) is identified, a step of collecting detection values ​​of the sheave sensor, the rope sensor, and the elevator car sensor in an abnormal elevating section and another elevating section in which an abnormality sign is identified from the detection values ​​of the elevator car sensor, and determining an abnormality sign for each section of any one of the guide rail and the rope based on the collected detection values ​​is performed, and when an imbalance of the elevator car (21) is not identified, a step of determining an abnormality sign for each section of the upper sheave and the lower sheave is performed. A method may be provided, performed in one or more computing devices included in an elevator safety system, comprising: a step of identifying whether there is an error from each detection value of a sheave sensor configured to detect a rotation amount and a rope sensor configured to detect a movement amount of the rope.

[0011] In addition, the elevator safety system (10) further includes a scale device (250) that detects the load of the elevator car (21), and the method includes a step of determining whether a passenger is on board the elevator car (21) based on a detection value of the scale device (250) when an imbalance of the elevator car (21) is identified; And when it is determined that a passenger is on board the elevator car (21), a step of collecting detection values ​​of the sheave sensor, the rope sensor, and the elevator car sensor in a different boarding section from the abnormal boarding section after all passengers of the elevator car (21) have disembarked, and determining an abnormality symptom for each section of any one of the guide rail and the rope based on the collected detection values ​​is further included, and when it is determined that no passenger is on board the elevator car (21), a step of identifying whether there is an error from each detection value of a sheave sensor configured to detect a rotation amount of any one of the upper sheave and the lower sheave and a rope sensor configured to detect a movement amount of the rope is performed, a method may be provided in which the detection values ​​of the elevator car sensors are collected, and a step of determining an abnormality symptom for each section of any one of the guide rail and the rope based on the collected detection values ​​is performed, and is performed in one or more computing devices included in the elevator safety system.

[0012] In addition, a method may be provided performed in one or more computing devices included in an elevator safety system, wherein the elevator car sensor (230) further includes another car upper sensor (231) and another car lower sensor (232) that are installed opposite each other when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the elevator car (21).

[0013]

[0014] The present disclosure aims to provide an elevator safety system that monitors abnormal signs capable of preventing complex safety accidents through sensors including various sensors as a means of solving the above-described problem.

[0015] The technical problems to be achieved in this document are not limited to the technical problems described above, and other technical problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present disclosure belongs from the description below.

[0016]

[0017] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an elevator safety system (10) according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0018] FIG. 2 illustrates an elevator (20) to which an elevator safety system (10) according to various embodiments of the present disclosure is applied.

[0019] FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram of an elevator (20) to which an elevator safety system (10) according to various embodiments of the disclosure is applied.

[0020] FIGS. 4 to 6 illustrate processes for monitoring abnormal signs of an elevator performed in an elevator safety system according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0021] FIG. 7 illustrates another example of installing a car upper sensor and a car lower sensor of an elevator car sensor in an elevator according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0022]

[0023] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, a method performed in one or more computing devices included in an elevator safety system, wherein an elevator (20) includes an elevator car (21), a governor (22) and a rope (23), wherein the elevator car (21) is capable of moving up and down with respect to a guide rail (25), the governor (22) includes an upper sheave (22a) and a lower sheave (22b), and the rope (23) is wound around the upper sheave (22a) and the lower sheave (22b), the method comprising: identifying an abnormality from a detection value of an elevator car sensor (230) installed in the elevator car (21) and configured to detect a position of the elevator car (21); identifying whether there is an error from each detection value of a sheave sensor (210) configured to detect a rotation amount of one of the upper sheave (22a) and the lower sheave (22b) and a rope sensor (220) configured to detect a movement amount of the rope (23); A method may be provided that is performed on one or more computing devices included in an elevator safety system, including: a step of determining an abnormality sign indicating that there is an abnormality in either the governor (22) or the rope (23) when an error is identified from the detection values ​​of the sheave sensor (210) and the rope sensor (220); and a step of collecting the detection values ​​of the sheave sensor (210), the rope sensor (220), and the elevator car sensor (230) in an abnormal ascending section and another ascending section in which an abnormality sign is identified from the detection values ​​of the elevator car sensor (230) when an error is not identified from the detection values ​​of the sheave sensor (210) and the rope sensor (220), and determining an abnormality sign for each section of either the guide rail (25) and the rope (23) based on the collected detection values.

[0024] In addition, the elevator car sensor (230) includes a car upper sensor (231) installed on the roof of the elevator car (21) and a car lower sensor (232) installed on the bottom surface of the elevator car (21), and the car upper sensor (231) and the car lower sensor (232) are installed to face each other when viewed in the width direction of the elevator car (21), and the method further includes a step of comparing the detection values ​​of the car upper sensor (231) and the car lower sensor (232) to determine whether an imbalance of the elevator car (21) is identified, and when an imbalance of the elevator car (21) is identified, a step of collecting detection values ​​of the sheave sensor, the rope sensor, and the elevator car sensor in an abnormal elevating section and another elevating section in which an abnormality sign is identified from the detection values ​​of the elevator car sensor, and determining an abnormality sign for each section of any one of the guide rail and the rope based on the collected detection values ​​is performed, and when an imbalance of the elevator car (21) is not identified, a step of determining an abnormality sign for each section of the upper sheave and the lower sheave is performed. A method may be provided, performed in one or more computing devices included in an elevator safety system, comprising: a step of identifying whether there is an error from each detection value of a sheave sensor configured to detect a rotation amount and a rope sensor configured to detect a movement amount of the rope.

[0025] In addition, the elevator safety system (10) further includes a scale device (250) that detects the load of the elevator car (21), and the method includes a step of determining whether a passenger is on board the elevator car (21) based on a detection value of the scale device (250) when an imbalance of the elevator car (21) is identified; And when it is determined that a passenger is on board the elevator car (21), a step of collecting detection values ​​of the sheave sensor, the rope sensor, and the elevator car sensor in a different boarding section from the abnormal boarding section after all passengers of the elevator car (21) have disembarked, and determining an abnormality symptom for each section of any one of the guide rail and the rope based on the collected detection values ​​is further included, and when it is determined that no passenger is on board the elevator car (21), a step of identifying whether there is an error from each detection value of a sheave sensor configured to detect a rotation amount of any one of the upper sheave and the lower sheave and a rope sensor configured to detect a movement amount of the rope is performed, a method may be provided in which the detection values ​​of the elevator car sensors are collected, and a step of determining an abnormality symptom for each section of any one of the guide rail and the rope based on the collected detection values ​​is performed, and is performed in one or more computing devices included in the elevator safety system.

[0026] In addition, a method may be provided performed in one or more computing devices included in an elevator safety system, wherein the elevator car sensor (230) further includes another car upper sensor (231) and another car lower sensor (232) that are installed opposite each other when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the elevator car (21).

[0027]

[0028] The various embodiments of this document and the terminology used herein are not intended to limit the technical features described in this document to a specific embodiment, but should be understood to include various modifications, equivalents, or substitutes of the embodiment. In connection with the description of the drawings, similar reference numerals may be used for similar or related components. The singular form of a noun corresponding to an item may include one or more of the item, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this document, phrases such as "A or B," "at least one of A and B," "at least one of A or B," "A, B, or C," "at least one of A, B, and C," and "at least one of A, B, or C" can each include any one of the items listed together in that phrase, or all possible combinations thereof. Terms such as "first," "second," or "first" or "second" may be used simply to distinguish the corresponding component from other corresponding components, and do not limit the corresponding components in any other respect (e.g., importance or order).

[0029] According to various embodiments, each of the components described above may include a single or multiple entities. According to various embodiments, one or more components or operations of the aforementioned components may be omitted, or one or more other components or operations may be added. Alternatively or additionally, a plurality of components may be integrated into a single component. In such a case, the integrated component may perform one or more functions of each of the plurality of components in a manner identical to or similar to that performed by the corresponding component among the plurality of components prior to the integration.

[0030] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an elevator safety system (10) according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0031] Referring to FIG. 1, the elevator safety system (10) may include a sensor unit (200) and an elevator control system (300).

[0032] In various embodiments of the present disclosure, the elevator abnormality detection unit (100) may include a signal receiving unit (110) and an abnormality determination unit (120).

[0033] The signal receiving unit (110) can receive detection values ​​detected by multiple sensors included in the sensor unit (200).

[0034] The abnormality judgment unit (120) can determine an abnormality in the elevator using the detection value received by the signal reception unit (110). When the abnormality judgment unit (120) determines an abnormality in the elevator, it can transmit a signal indicating this to the elevator control system (300). When the elevator control system (300) receives a signal indicating an abnormality in the elevator from the elevator abnormality detection unit (100) (or the abnormality judgment unit (120)), it can control the elevator based on this. In one embodiment, when the abnormality judgment unit (120) determines an abnormality in the elevator, it can transmit a signal indicating the abnormality to a portable device (e.g., a smart phone) of a manager of the elevator safety system (10).

[0035] The sensor unit (200) may include a sheave sensor (210), a rope sensor (220), an elevator car sensor (230), a thermometer (240), and a scale device (250). The installation positions and detection values ​​of each of the multiple sensors included in the sensor unit (200) will be described with reference to FIG. 2.

[0036] In one embodiment, the operation of the elevator can be controlled based on information sensed by the scale device (250). In one embodiment, the permissible load of the elevator can be set, and the load of the elevator detected by the scale device (250) can be compared with the permissible load to control the operation of the elevator. For example, if the load of the elevator detected by the scale device (250) is greater than the set permissible load, the elevator can be determined to not allow additional objects to board. In this case, even if a call signal is generated from a boarding point located along the elevator's movement path, the elevator can be controlled not to stop at the boarding point.

[0037] In one embodiment, whether or not an elevator stops midway may be determined based on whether there is free space in the boarding space for additional objects to board. For example, the elevator may be controlled to stop at a boarding point where a call signal is input only if there is free space in the boarding space. In one embodiment, the presence of free space in the boarding space may be recognized only when the elevator's load is below the allowable load. In other words, the system may be configured to prioritize whether the elevator's load is below the allowable load before determining whether there is free space in the boarding space for objects to board.

[0038] In one embodiment, the method may be operable to determine whether the elevator stops at a boarding point where a call signal is input based on the size of the free space within the boarding space.

[0039] FIG. 2 illustrates an elevator (20) to which an elevator safety system (10) according to various embodiments of the present disclosure is applied.

[0040] Referring to FIG. 2, the elevator (20) may include an elevator car (21) (or a hoisting room), an overspeed governor (22), a rope (23), and a guide frame (24). Although not shown, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that the elevator (20) may further include a driving mechanism necessary for its operation, such as a motor, a traction machine, a counterweight, a deflector sheave, and a guide rail.

[0041] A pair of guide rails (not shown) extending in the vertical direction along the ascending or descending hoistway of the elevator car (21) may be installed on both sides of the elevator car (21). The elevator car (21) can be raised and lowered by sliding a guide frame (24) connected to the elevator car (21) along the guide rails.

[0042] The governor (22) is a safety device used in an elevator (20). It can function to control the speed of the elevator car (21) and prevent it from moving too quickly or falling freely in the event of a malfunction. For example, if the governor (22) exceeds a certain speed, a safety brake is activated to stop the elevator car (21), which can help prevent the elevator car (21) from colliding with another structure or injuring passengers riding in the elevator car (21).

[0043] The governor (22) may include an upper sheave (22a) and a lower sheave (22b), and a rope (23) may be wound around the upper sheave (22a) and the lower sheave (22b). The rope (23) may have a closed loop or a ring shape. In other words, the rope (23) may have no end.

[0044] The rope (23) may include a cable made of metal. The rope (23) may be fixed to the elevator car (21) at one or more locations. For example, the elevator car (21) may be connected to the rope (23) via a connecting member (24a). In one embodiment, the connecting member (24a) may be installed on the guide frame (24), and the elevator car (21) and the rope (23) may be connected to each other by the connecting member (24a) of the guide frame (24).

[0045] The rope (23) can be moved by the rotation of the upper sheave (22a) and / or the lower sheave (22b). In the present disclosure, the upper sheave (22a) can be rotated by receiving driving force. By controlling the rotational direction and speed of the upper sheave (22a), the speed and the ascent and descent of the elevator car (21) fixed to the rope (23) can be controlled. In addition, the upper sheave (22a) and / or the lower sheave (22b) can be equipped with a brake system to stop the ascent or descent of the elevator car (21) in an emergency situation. In the illustrated example, the upper sheave (22a) can include a brake system.

[0046] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the sheave sensor (210) can obtain one or more of the rotational speed, rotational angle, and rotational amount of the upper sheave (22a) and / or the lower sheave (22b) as detection values. In the illustrated example, the sheave sensor (210) may be an encoder sensor that detects one or more of the rotational speed, rotational angle, and rotational amount of the upper sheave (22a). The encoder may include an optical encoder, a magnetic encoder, or a capacitive encoder. In the illustrated example, the sheave sensor (210) may be an optical encoder installed on the outside of the upper sheave (22a).

[0047] The rope sensor (220) can detect at least one of the amount of movement and the direction of movement of the rope (23) that is wound around the upper sheave (22a) and the lower sheave (22b) of the governor (22). In the illustrated example, the rope sensor (220) may be a linear displacement sensor that is installed, for example, on the upper frame side where the upper sheave (22a) is installed, and detects at least one of the amount of movement and the direction of movement of the rope (23). The linear displacement sensor may include a potentiometer sensor or a magnetostriction sensor, and may be a sensor available to a person skilled in the art.

[0048] The elevator car sensor (230) is a sensor installed in the elevator car (21) and may be a sensor that measures the absolute position (or height) of the elevator car (21). The elevator car sensor (230) may be installed on the outside of the elevator car (21) and may be divided into a car upper sensor (231) and a car lower sensor (232) depending on the installation location. The car upper sensor (231) may be installed on the roof of the elevator car (21), and the car lower sensor (232) may be installed on the bottom of the elevator car (21). The car upper sensor (231) may detect the position of the upper portion of the elevator car (21), and the car lower sensor (232) may detect the position of the lower portion of the elevator car (21).

[0049] The elevator car sensor (230) may include an optical, laser, ultrasonic, or infrared sensor utilizing the time-of-flight (TOF) measurement principle. As another example, the car top sensor (231) may include an electrostatic sensor or an inductive sensor that measures the position of the elevator car (21) through interaction with another sensor member installed on a structure (e.g., a guide rail) installed on the exterior of the elevator car (21).

[0050] The thermometer (240) can measure the temperature of the environment in which the governor (22) and the rope (23) are installed outside the elevator car (21). As a metal cable, the rope (23) may have a decrease in strength and rigidity as the temperature increases, while its ductility and elongation may increase. The scale device (250) can be installed in the elevator car (21). The scale device (250) can detect the loading of the elevator car (21). The detection values ​​detected by the thermometer (240) and the scale device (250) can be used to correct the detection values ​​detected by other sensors of the sensor unit (200), thereby increasing the accuracy of determining whether there is an abnormality.

[0051] The elevator control system (300) may include general and conventional components responsible for elevator operation. For example, the elevator control system (300) may include a control panel, a motor, a gearbox, and a brake system. The control panel of the elevator control system (300) receives input from a passenger regarding the desired floor, and the elevator control system (300) may, in response to the passenger input, operate the gearbox and brake system together to raise or lower the elevator car. A detailed description of the elevator control system (300) will be omitted.

[0052] The elevator anomaly detection unit (100) may include one or more computing devices including one or more processors and memory. The one or more computing devices included in the elevator anomaly detection unit (100) may include an operating system that provides executable program instructions for typical and general management and operation, and may include a computer-readable storage medium (e.g., a hard disk, random access memory, read-only memory, etc.) storing instructions that allow the elevator anomaly detection unit (100) to perform intended functions when typically executed by a processor. Suitable implementations for the operating system and the general functionality of servers are known or commercially available and can be readily implemented by those skilled in the art of the present disclosure.

[0053] Meanwhile, the elevator abnormality detection unit (100), sensor unit (200), and elevator control system (300) included in the elevator safety system (10) can transmit and receive signals, information, and data via a network. The network may include any suitable network, including an intranet, the Internet, a cellular network, a local area network, or any of these networks or combinations thereof. The components used for the elevator safety system (10) of the present disclosure may depend, at least in part, on the type of network and / or the selected environment. Protocols and components for communicating via a network are well known and need not be discussed in detail herein. Communication via a network may be enabled via wired or wireless connections, or combinations thereof.

[0054] Hereinafter, processes for monitoring abnormal signs in an elevator as a service of an elevator safety system (10) according to various embodiments of the present disclosure will be described. The following description will utilize FIG. 3, which schematically illustrates the elevator (20) disclosed in FIG. 2. FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram of an elevator (20) to which an elevator safety system (10) according to various embodiments of the present disclosure is applied.

[0055] FIGS. 4 to 6 illustrate a process (400), a process (500), and a process (600) for monitoring abnormal signs of an elevator performed in an elevator safety system (10) according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0056] First, referring to FIG. 4, a process (400) according to various embodiments of the present disclosure may start at step 410, where an elevator abnormality detection unit (100) (or a signal receiving unit (110)) identifies an abnormality from a detection value received from an elevator car sensor (230) of a sensor unit (200).

[0057] An abnormality sign identified from the detection value received from the elevator car sensor (230) may be identified, for example, when the position of the elevator car (21) detected by the elevator car sensor (230) is not the designated position. Specifically, the elevator control system (300) may transmit a request signal or a control signal to a driving device such as a governor (22) to move the elevator car (21) to the designated position, and when the elevator car (21) is identified as being located outside the error range from the designated position based on the detection value of the elevator car sensor (230) even after the driving device responds to the control signal, it may be said that an abnormality sign has been identified.

[0058] In a separate embodiment, the elevator control system (300) may control the drive device again to move the elevator car (21) to the target position when, based on the detection value of the elevator car sensor (230), the elevator car (21) is not located at substantially the same position as the target position, in other words, when it is identified as being located outside a predetermined error range from the target position.

[0059] In step 420, the elevator abnormality detection unit (100) (or abnormality judgment unit (120)) can identify whether there is an error in the detection values ​​of the sheave sensor (210) and the rope sensor (220). To this end, the signal receiving unit (110) can receive the detection values ​​from the sheave sensor (210) and the rope sensor (220) of the sensor unit (200).

[0060] An error identified in the detection values ​​of the sheave sensor (210) and the rope sensor (220) can be identified, for example, when the amount of movement (d) of the rope based on the amount of rotation (r) of the upper sheave (22a) detected by the sheave sensor (210) is not substantially the same, or is not the same beyond a predetermined error range.

[0061] If the elevator abnormality detection unit (100) identifies an error in the detection values ​​of the shift sensor (210) and the rope sensor (220) at step 420, the process (400) may proceed to step 440.

[0062] On the other hand, if the elevator abnormality detection unit (100) determines that there is no error in the detection values ​​of the shift sensor (210) and the rope sensor (220) at step 420, the process (400) can proceed to step 430.

[0063] In step 430, the elevator abnormality detection unit (100) can collect detection values ​​of the sheave sensor (210), rope sensor (220), and elevator car sensor (230) when ascending or descending in a different ascending section than the ascending section in which an abnormality was identified from the detection values ​​received from the elevator car sensor (230) in step 410.

[0064] For example, referring to FIG. 4, the elevator abnormality detection unit (100) can collect detection values ​​of the sheave sensor (210), the rope sensor (220), and the elevator car sensor (230) in a different elevation section (P2) other than the abnormal elevation section (P1) in which an abnormality was identified. In one embodiment, at step 430, the elevator car sensor (230) can request the elevator control system (300) to cause the elevator car (21) to ascend or descend in a different elevation section (P2).

[0065] In step 440, the elevator abnormality detection unit (100) (or abnormality judgment unit (120)) can determine the type of abnormality based on the detection value from the sensor unit (200).

[0066] For example, in step 420, if it is determined that there is an error in the detection values ​​of the sheave sensor (210) and the rope sensor (220), it can be determined as an abnormality sign i) an abnormality sign that there is a problem with the upper sheave (22a) (or the governor (22)), ii) an abnormality sign that there is a problem with the rope (23), or an abnormality sign that there is a problem with the relationship between the governor (22) and the rope (23), for example, a problem with the tension.

[0067] Specifically, based on the detection values ​​of the sheave sensor (210) and the rope sensor (220), if the upper sheave (22a) does not rotate by the target rotation amount, it can be determined as an abnormality sign that a problem has occurred in the upper sheave (22a). Or, if the movement amount of the rope (23) does not reach the target value when the upper sheave (22a) rotates by the target rotation amount, it can be determined as an abnormality sign such as insufficient friction with the upper sheave (22a) and / or the lower sheave (22b) due to wear of the rope (23), or abnormal tension between the governor (22) and the rope (23).

[0068] In addition, in step 420, if it is determined that there is no error in the detection values ​​of the shift sensor (210) and the rope sensor (220), the type of abnormality can be determined in step 440 based on the detection values ​​of the sensor unit (200) collected in step 430. For example, if an abnormality is found only in the abnormal ascending and descending section (P1) based on the detection values ​​of the sensor unit (200) collected in step 430, it can be determined that the abnormality is in the section of the guide rail (25) along which the elevator car (21) corresponding to the section slides.

[0069] Conversely, when an abnormality is identified in another ascending section (P2) based on the detection value of the sensor unit (200) collected at step 430, it can be judged that the abnormality indicates a problem with the rope (23) itself, or a problem with the connection between the rope (23) and the elevator car (21) (e.g., deformation or breakage of the connecting member (24a)), rather than a problem with the section in question.

[0070] That is, the elevator safety system (10) according to various embodiments of the present disclosure utilizes a plurality of sensors included in the sensor unit (200) as described above to categorize errors that may occur in the elevator (20) and easily identify the cause of the problem. Such abnormality symptom diagnosis has the effect of preventing major accidents and enabling rapid response.

[0071] Meanwhile, in one embodiment, the process (400) may optionally perform step 450, which transmits a signal indicating the type of abnormality determined in step 440. For example, in step 450, the abnormality determination unit (120) may transmit a signal indicating the abnormality to a portable device (e.g., a smart phone) of a manager of the elevator safety system (10). Alternatively, the abnormality determination unit (120) may transmit a signal indicating the type of abnormality to a display (not shown) for notifying an abnormality installed in the elevator safety system (10), so that the abnormality can be notified through the display.

[0072] Referring to FIG. 5, a process (500) according to various embodiments of the present disclosure may start at step 510, where an elevator abnormality detection unit (100) (or an abnormality judgment unit (120)) identifies an abnormality from detection values ​​received from an upper car sensor (231) and a lower car sensor (232) included in an elevator car sensor (230).

[0073] An abnormality sign identified from the detection values ​​received from the car upper sensor (231) and the car lower sensor (232) may be identified, for example, when the position of the elevator car (21) detected by one or more of the detection values ​​from the car upper sensor (231) and / or the car lower sensor (232) is not the designated position. Specifically, the elevator control system (300) may transmit a request signal or a control signal to a driving device such as a governor (22) to move the elevator car (21) to the designated position, and when the elevator car (21) is identified as being located outside the error range from the designated position based on the detection values ​​of the elevator car sensor (230) even after the driving device responds to the control signal, it may be said that an abnormality sign has been identified.

[0074] Next, in step 520, the elevator abnormality detection unit (100) can compare the detection values ​​of the car upper sensor (231) and the car lower sensor (232) to determine whether an imbalance in the elevator car (21) is identified. Referring to FIG. 3, the car upper sensor (231) and the car lower sensor (232) can be installed to face each other in the width direction (w) of the elevator car (21). Therefore, by comparing the values ​​of the car upper sensor (231) and the car lower sensor (232), it can be determined whether the elevator car (21) is tilted or unbalanced. Specifically, even if the detection value of the car lower sensor (232) matches the target position, if the detection value of the car upper sensor (231) does not match the target position, it can be determined that there is an imbalance in the elevator car (21).

[0075] In step 520, if it is determined that there is an imbalance in the elevator car (21), the process can proceed to step 540, which collects detection values ​​from other ascending and descending sections. In this case, in step 550, the process (500) can determine an abnormality sign indicating that there is an abnormality in the elevator car (21), the guide rail (25) along which the elevator car (21) slides when ascending and descending, or the connection structure between the elevator car (21) and the guide rail (25).

[0076] In step 520, if it is determined that there is no imbalance in the elevator car (21), the process may proceed to step 530, and step 530 may perform substantially the same operation as step 420 of the process (400) of FIG. 4, so a duplicate description will be omitted.

[0077] That is, the elevator safety system (10) according to various embodiments of the present disclosure uses a plurality of sensors included in the sensor unit (200) as described above to categorize errors that may occur in the elevator (20), and in particular, preliminarily diagnoses abnormal signs of imbalance in the elevator car (21), thereby preventing major accidents and enabling quick response.

[0078] Referring to FIG. 6, a process (600) according to various embodiments of the present disclosure may start at step 610, where an elevator abnormality detection unit (100) (or an abnormality judgment unit (120)) identifies an abnormality from detection values ​​received from a car upper sensor (231) and a car lower sensor (232) included in an elevator car sensor (230). The following step 620 is substantially the same as step 520 described in the process (500) of FIG. 5, and therefore, a redundant description will be omitted.

[0079] In step 630, the elevator abnormality detection unit (100) (or abnormality judgment unit (120)) can determine whether a passenger has boarded the elevator car (21) based on the detection value of the scale device (250). If it is determined in step 630 that a passenger has boarded the elevator car (21), the process can proceed to step 640, in which a test operation is performed in a different elevator section other than the abnormal elevator section after the passenger has disembarked. The disembarkation of a passenger in the elevator car (21) can be determined based on the detection value of the scale device (250).

[0080] However, if it is determined that no passenger is on board the elevator car (21) at step 630, the process may proceed to step 530 of the process (500).

[0081] That is, the elevator safety system (10) according to various embodiments of the present disclosure categorizes errors that may occur in an elevator (20) by using a plurality of sensors included in the sensor unit (200) as described above, and in particular, determines whether an abnormality in the imbalance of an elevator car (21) is caused by a passenger boarding, thereby preventing a major accident and enabling a quick response by preliminarily diagnosing an abnormality sign.

[0082] FIG. 7 illustrates another example in which the car upper sensor (231) and the car lower sensor (232) of the elevator car sensor (230) are installed in an elevator (20) according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0083] Referring to FIG. 7, the elevator car (21) may include a first car upper sensor (231a), a second car upper sensor (231b), a first car lower sensor (232a), and a second car lower sensor (232b).

[0084] The first car upper sensor (231a) and the first car lower sensor (232a) may be installed to face each other when viewed in the width direction (w) of the elevator car (21), and the second car upper sensor (231b) and the second car lower sensor (232b) may be installed to face each other when viewed in the length direction (d) of the elevator car (21). Through this, the elevator abnormality detection unit (100) (or abnormality judgment unit (120)) of the present disclosure can monitor not only the inclination of the elevator car (21) in the width direction (w) but also the imbalance of the elevator car (21) due to the inclination in the length direction (d) based on the detection values ​​of the first car upper sensor (231a), the second car upper sensor (231b), the first car lower sensor (232a), and the second car lower sensor (232b), respectively.

[0085] The processes (400) to (600) described above may be performed by one or more of the computing devices included in the elevator safety system (10) illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, or by the cooperation of one or more of them. The processes (400) to (600) may include one or more operations, functions, or actions as illustrated by the blocks for describing the processes. Meanwhile, the schematic operations illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 6 are provided only as examples, and some of the operations may be optional, may be combined into fewer operations, or may be expanded into additional operations without departing from the essence of the disclosed embodiments. The methods according to the embodiments described in the claims or specification of the present disclosure may be implemented in the form of hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software.

[0086] When implemented in software, a computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs (software modules) may be provided. The one or more programs stored in the computer-readable storage medium are configured for execution by one or more processors within an electronic device. The one or more programs include instructions that cause the electronic device to execute methods according to the embodiments described in the claims or specification of the present disclosure.

[0087] These one or more programs (software modules, software) may be stored in a memory formed by a random access memory, a non-volatile memory including a flash memory, a read only memory (ROM), an electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM), a magnetic disc storage device, an optical storage device (e.g., a compact disc ROM (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disc (DVD)), a magnetic cassette, or a combination thereof. Or, the memory may be stored in a memory formed by a combination of some or all of these. Additionally, the program may be stored in an attachable storage device that is accessible via a communication network such as the Internet, an intranet, a local area network (LAN), a wide local area network (WLAN), a storage area network (SAN), or a combination thereof. Such a storage device may be connected to a device implementing an embodiment of the present disclosure via an external port. Additionally, a separate storage device on the communication network may be connected to a device implementing an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0088] In the specific embodiments of the present disclosure described above, components of the electronic device included in the present disclosure are expressed singularly or plurally, depending on the specific embodiment presented. However, the singular or plural expressions for the components are selected to suit the presented situation for convenience of explanation, and the present disclosure is not limited to singular or plural components. Components expressed in plural may be composed of singular elements, or components expressed in singular may be composed of plural elements.

[0089] While the detailed description of this disclosure has described specific embodiments, it should be understood that various modifications are possible without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Therefore, the scope of this disclosure should not be limited to the described embodiments, but should be determined not only by the scope of the claims described below, but also by equivalents thereof.

[0090] The above description of the present invention is for illustrative purposes only, and those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the present invention can be readily modified into other specific forms without altering the technical spirit or essential characteristics of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments described above should be understood as illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. For example, each component described as a single entity may be implemented in a distributed manner, and similarly, components described as distributed may be implemented in a combined manner.

[0091] Here, the subject matter claimed in the present disclosure has been specifically described. The subject matter claimed in the present disclosure is not limited in scope to the specific implementation examples described above. For example, in some implementation examples, it may be in the form of hardware that can be operably used on a device or combination of devices, in other implementation examples, it may be implemented in the form of software and / or firmware, and in still other implementation examples, it may include one or more articles such as a signal bearing medium, a storage medium, etc. Here, a storage medium such as a CD-ROM, a computer disk, a flash memory, etc., may store instructions that, when executed by a computing device such as a computing system, a computing platform, or other system, may cause the execution of the corresponding processor according to the implementation examples described above. Such a computing device may include one or more processing units or processors, one or more input / output devices such as a display, a keyboard, and / or a mouse, and one or more memories such as a static random access memory, a dynamic random access memory, a flash memory, and / or a hard drive.

[0092] The detailed description above has described various embodiments of devices and / or processes through block diagrams, flowcharts, and / or other illustrations. Such block diagrams, flowcharts, and / or other illustrations may include one or more functions and / or operations, and those skilled in the art will understand that each function and / or operation within the block diagrams, flowcharts, and / or other illustrations may be implemented individually or collectively by hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof. In one embodiment, some portions of the subject matter described in the present disclosure may be implemented via an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), or other integrated form. Alternatively, some aspects of the embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented, in whole or in part, equally on an integrated circuit as one or more computer programs running on one or more computers (e.g., one or more programs running on one or more computer systems), one or more programs running on one or more processors (e.g., one or more programs running on one or more microprocessors), firmware, or substantially any combination thereof, the writing of code and / or design of circuitry for software and / or firmware being within the skill of those skilled in the art in light of the present disclosure. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the mechanisms of the subject matter of the present disclosure can be distributed as program products in various forms, and that examples of the subject matter of the present disclosure apply regardless of the particular type of signal bearing medium used to actually perform the distribution.

[0093] While specific exemplary techniques have been described and illustrated herein using various methods and systems, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various other modifications or equivalents are possible without departing from the claimed subject matter. Additionally, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation to the teachings of the claimed subject matter without departing from the central concepts described herein. Therefore, it is intended that the claimed subject matter not be limited to the specific examples disclosed, but that such claimed subject matter also include all implementations falling within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0094] The scope of the present disclosure is indicated by the claims described below rather than the detailed description above, and all changes or modifications derived from the meaning and scope of the claims and their equivalent concepts should be interpreted as being included in the scope of the present application.

[0095]

[0096]

[0097]

Claims

1. A method performed in one or more computing devices included in an elevator safety system for monitoring abnormal signs in an elevator, An elevator includes an elevator car, a governor, and a rope, wherein the elevator car can be raised and lowered relative to a guide rail, the governor includes an upper sheave and a lower sheave, and the rope is wound around the upper sheave and the lower sheave. The above method is: A step of identifying an abnormality from a detection value of an elevator car sensor installed in the elevator car and configured to detect the position of the elevator car; A step of identifying whether there is an error from each detection value of a sheave sensor configured to detect the rotation amount of one of the upper sheave and the lower sheave and a rope sensor configured to detect the movement amount of the rope; A step of determining an abnormality sign indicating that there is an abnormality in either the governor or the rope when an error is identified from the detection values ​​of the above shift sensor and the above rope sensor; and In a case where an error is not identified from the detection values ​​of the sheave sensor and the rope sensor, a step of collecting the detection values ​​of the sheave sensor, the rope sensor and the elevator car sensor in an abnormal ascending section and another ascending section in which an abnormality is identified from the detection values ​​of the elevator car sensor, and determining an abnormality in each section of any one of the guide rail and the rope based on the collected detection values, A method performed by one or more computing devices included in an elevator safety system.

2. In paragraph 1, The above elevator car sensor includes a car upper sensor installed on the roof of the elevator car and a car lower sensor installed on the floor surface of the elevator car, The above car upper sensor and car lower sensor are installed opposite to each other when viewed in the width direction of the elevator car, The method further includes a step of comparing detection values ​​of the upper car sensor and the lower car sensor to determine whether an imbalance in the elevator car is identified. When the imbalance of the elevator car is identified, a step is performed in which the detection values ​​of the sheave sensor, the rope sensor, and the elevator car sensor in the abnormal ascent section and other ascent sections in which the abnormality is identified from the detection values ​​of the elevator car sensor are collected, and the abnormality symptom for each section of any one of the guide rail and the rope is determined based on the collected detection values. In a case where the imbalance of the elevator car is not identified, a step of identifying whether there is an error is performed from each detection value of a sheave sensor configured to detect the rotation amount of one of the upper sheave and the lower sheave and a rope sensor configured to detect the movement amount of the rope. A method performed by one or more computing devices included in an elevator safety system.

3. In paragraph 1, The above elevator safety system further includes a scale device for detecting the load of the elevator car, The method comprises the steps of: determining whether a passenger is on board the elevator car based on a detection value of the scale device when an imbalance of the elevator car is identified; and In a case where it is determined that a passenger is on board the elevator car, a step of collecting detection values ​​of the shift sensor, the rope sensor and the elevator car sensor in a different elevation section from the abnormal elevation section after all passengers of the elevator car have disembarked is further included, and determining an abnormality sign in each section of any one of the guide rail and the rope based on the collected detection values. In a case where it is determined that no passenger is on board the elevator car, a step is performed to identify whether there is an error from each detection value of a sheave sensor configured to detect the rotation amount of one of the upper sheave and the lower sheave and a rope sensor configured to detect the movement amount of the rope. A step is performed to collect detection values ​​of an elevator car sensor and determine an abnormality sign in each section of one of the guide rail and the rope based on the collected detection values. A method performed by one or more computing devices included in an elevator safety system.

4. In paragraph 2, The above elevator car sensor further includes another car upper sensor and another car lower sensor which are installed opposite each other when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the elevator car. A method performed by one or more computing devices included in an elevator safety system.

5. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for monitoring abnormal signs in an elevator, wherein the elevator includes an elevator car, a governor, and a rope, the elevator car is capable of moving up and down with respect to a guide rail, the governor includes an upper sheave and a lower sheave, and the rope is configured to be wound around the upper sheave and the lower sheave. When the above program is executed on one or more computing devices included in the elevator safety system: An operation of identifying an abnormality from a detection value of an elevator car sensor installed in the elevator car and configured to detect the position of the elevator car; An operation of identifying whether there is an error from each detection value of a sheave sensor configured to detect the rotation amount of one of the upper sheave and the lower sheave and a rope sensor configured to detect the movement amount of the rope; When an error is identified from the detection values ​​of the above shift sensor and the above rope sensor, an operation for determining an abnormality sign indicating that there is an abnormality in either the governor or the rope; and Including one or more commands for performing an operation of collecting detection values ​​of the sheave sensor, rope sensor and elevator car sensor in an abnormality section and another elevation section in which an abnormality sign is identified from the detection values ​​of the elevator car sensor when an error is not identified from the detection values ​​of the sheave sensor and the rope sensor, and determining an abnormality sign for each section of any one of the guide rail and the rope based on the collected detection values. Computer readable storage medium.

Images