Method for failure control in elevator system, method for classifying overtemperature failures OF an actuator in an elevator system, and elevator system

Abstract

To improve failure control in elevator systems, a method for classifying overtemperature failures of an actuator in an elevator system is suggested. It comprises the steps of: - measuring an actuator temperature (Tact) at an electric actuator (120, 300); - measuring a shaft temperature (Tsha) at the elevator shaft (101); - measuring a reference temperature (Tref) outside of the elevator shaft (101), such as, at a landing platform door (202); and - comparing the actuator temperature (Tact) with the shaft temperature (Tsha) and the reference temperature (Tref), and if each is within a predetermined measure from each other, and also the reference temperature (Tref) and the shaft temperature (Tsha) are larger than normal reference temperature (TrefNORMAL), determining failure due to high external temperature.

Description

[0001] Method for failure control in elevator system, method for classifying overtemperature failures of an actuator in an elevator system, and elevator system

[0002] Field of the invention

[0003] The invention relates to a method for failure control in elevator system, to a method for classifying overtemperature failures of an actuator in an elevator system, and an elevator system.

[0004] Background art

[0005] US 2019 / 0152744 Al of the present applicant discloses systems and method for failure control in elevator systems. In some of the systems and methods, condition data of the system from physical sensors is weighted with environmental data, and state of the equipment is determined based on the weighted condition data.

[0006] US 2003 / 0111306 Al discloses a method for detecting elevator brake problems. The system measures air temperature T inside elevator shaft and then magnetic brake temperature Z. If Z - T > criterion, trouble information is transmitted.

[0007] Objective of the invention

[0008] An objective of the invention is to improve failure control in elevator systems.

[0009] This objective can be met with the method according to claim 1, with the parallel method according to claim 6 and with the system according to claim 9.

[0010] Other claims describe advantageous aspects of the methods and system.

[0011] Advantages of the invention

[0012] In the method for fault control in an elevator system an actuator temperature at an electric actuator is measured. Furthermore, a reference temperature is measured. An actuator limit temperature is selected reflective to the reference temperature. In other words, the actuator limit temperature TactUIM is selected dependent on the reference temperature Tref. The actuator temperature is compared with the actuator limit temperature, and if the actuator temperature is larger than the actuator limit temperature, a fault of the actuator is indicated. This enables a more dynamic approach for determining actuator fault: by suitably selecting the actuator limit temperature as a function of the reference temperature, the temperature range in which the actuator may safely be operated may be increased. . 2025 / OF The reference temperature is preferably measured outside of the elevator shaft, such as, at a landing platform door. This enables improving the control to pay regard to external circumstances, such as, for the principle that during a particularly hot or cold period, an actuator’s running temperature may be respectively hotter or colder than normally without there being any trouble in the actuator. Particularly simply this can be implemented if the actuator limit temperature is a function of the reference temperature such that, the actuator limit temperature increases for increasing reference temperature. The function may be a step function, or a linear function.

[0013] Furthermore, the temperature in the elevator shaft (i.e. a shaft temperature) may be measured at the elevator shaft and used to select the actuator limit temperature. Thus, it may be required that the temperature in the elevator shaft must be higher than a threshold, before an actuator limit temperature may be increased.

[0014] In the method for classifying overtemperature failures of an actuator in an elevator system, an actuator temperature at an electric actuator is measured. Furthermore, a shaft temperature is measured at the elevator shaft. A reference temperature is also measured outside of the elevator shaft, such as, at a landing platform door. The actuator temperature is compared with the shaft temperature and the reference temperature (Tsha), and if each is within a predetermined measure from each other, and also the reference temperature and the shaft temperature are larger than normal reference temperature, failure due to high external temperature is determined.

[0015] In both methods, the electric actuator may be a door motor. Alternatively, it may be a main drive of the elevator system.

[0016] An elevator system comprises a control system configured to carry out the method for fault control in an elevator system and / or the method for classifying overtemperature failures of an actuator in an elevator system.

[0017] The normal reference temperature is preferably a computed or measured temperature. It may be collected, for example, from stored weather data or weather forecasts available in the internet. Examples of suitable normal reference temperature may be the temperature expected or historical temperature for the actual date, week, and / or month. The normal reference temperature may be the average or the maximal temperature forecasted or measured in the past, such as in the respective period in last year, in the respective period in the last five or ten years, . 2025 / OF or last fifty or hundred years, for example, for the same location or region, or nation-wide, for example. The normal reference temperature may be stored in the elevator system control system and updated from time to time, preferably automatically and via the communication interface.

[0018] List of drawings

[0019] In the following, the methods and the system are explained in more detail with reference to the preferred embodiment that is disclosed in the attached drawing.

[0020] FIG 1 is a schematic illustration of an exemplary elevator system comprising a control system.

[0021] Detailed description

[0022] FIG 1 shows an exemplary elevator system 100, which can usually be found in this form in buildings, but also in ships or other vertically extending structures. The elevator system includes an elevator car 110, often also referred to as a car, and a counterweight 102 in a shaft 101.

[0023] The shaft 101 usually extends predominantly vertically, preferably with an inclination of less than 15°.

[0024] Car 110 and counterweight 102 are suspended from a suspension element 103, which is guided over one or more deflection rollers 104.

[0025] The design chosen for illustration corresponds to a 1: 1 suspension with 50% weight compensation; It is known to those skilled in the art that there are numerous types of suspension with a different number or configuration of deflection rollers, counterweights and suspension elements are possible.

[0026] The suspension element 103 is guided over a traction sheave 105 which is driven by drive machine 120. For this purpose, the traction sheave 105 is mechanically connected to the drive machine 120, so that the drive machine 120 can transmit mechanical energy to it.

[0027] The drive machine 120 may include a transmission. The temperature of the drive machine 120 may be measured with a temperature sensor 302

[0028] Instead of a traction sheave 105, a drive drum or a direct drive may also be possible. Other possibilities to drive an elevator car are known to the person skilled in the art such as a hydraulic drive. . 2025 / OF In the example shown, the drive machine 120 and traction sheave 105 are installed at the top of the elevator system 100.

[0029] Typically, these and other parts of the drive are provided in a separate engine room (not shown), but the elevator system 100 can also be designed without an engine room.

[0030] Alternatively, the engine room or the location where the drive components are accommodated can also be located in other positions that do not necessarily have to be in close proximity to the elevator shaft 101.

[0031] The drive components can form a unit with the elevator car 110.

[0032] The drive machine 120 typically also functions as a brake in order to enable controlled travel of the elevator car 110 even in the event of mechanical energy being released.

[0033] The braking function can be guaranteed by the drive machine 120 in various ways, for example by a mechanical brake, which can also act as a parking brake, or by an electromotive brake, also known as a dynamo brake, as well as a direct current or countercurrent brake.

[0034] The drive machine 120 is connected to the energy supply system 121 via electrical conductors 122. The number of conductors depends on the type of drive machine 120. For example, in the case of a separately excited synchronous motor, it may be necessary to provide an excitation current in addition to the rotating field, while this is not the case for asynchronous motors, direct current motors with commutators or permanent magnet synchronous motors.

[0035] The wiring of the motor also influences the number of conductors required, e.g. in contrast to a star connection, a delta connection, eliminates the need for a neutral conductor.

[0036] In addition, the electrical conductors 122 can also be sensor lines or data connections that provide the energy supply system 121 with information about corresponding operating states of the drive machine 120. Numerous other drive forms and wiring options are known to those skilled in the art, so they will not be discussed in more detail here.

[0037] The energy supply system 121 is connected to the electrical conductors 123 to a network connection 124, which is, for example, a building power network. The network connection provides electrical energy to the energy supply system 121. The network connection 124 can, . 2025 / OF for example, also be powered alone by a dedicated generator, for example an emergency generator.

[0038] Preferably, the network connection 124 (which preferably is the mains connection) feeds the energy supply system 121 with a substantially constant nominal voltage and frequency. Depending on how the energy supply system 121 is designed, different designs are also possible for the electrical conductors 123, for example with one or more, for example three, external conductors.

[0039] In an advantageous embodiment, the mains connection is three-phase.

[0040] In a further embodiment, the mains connection additionally comprises a neutral conductor.

[0041] The energy supply system 121 supplies the drive machine 120 with the energy necessary for operation.

[0042] The design depends on the way in which the drive machine 120 is operated.

[0043] In a typical embodiment, the drive machine 120 includes a permanent magnet synchronous motor.

[0044] In this case, the energy supply system 121 is typically a frequency converter, which feeds the drive machine 120 in a multi -phase manner with a variable frequency, which is ideally dependent on the current operating state of the drive machine 120 and is coordinated therewith.

[0045] Other versions are particularly known from older elevator systems, for example the motor of the drive machine 120 can be a direct current motor that is fed by a rectifier, for example a converter, this rectifier forming the energy supply system 121 or part of it.

[0046] A particularly simple design of the energy supply system 121 is possible if the drive machine 120 comprises an asynchronous motor since the supply system 121 only has the task of providing the correct coil wiring with a suitable supply through the mains connection 124.

[0047] Further combinations of drive machine 120 and energy supply system 121 are possible, so that the options mentioned are just examples.

[0048] The elevator system 100 further comprises at least one landing platform door 202 in each platform 203, and a car door 201 in the elevator car. Each landing platform comprises at least . 2025 / OF one landing operating panel LOP and the car 110 comprises at least one car operating panel COP. The landing operating panels LOP and the car operating panels COP are used to control movement of the elevator car 110 such that the landing operating panels LOP and the car operating panels COP signal the depressing of any buttons to elevator control system 150.

[0049] In the method for fault control in an elevator system 100, an actuator temperature Tact at an electric actuator is measured. Also a reference temperature Tref is measured. An actuator limit temperature TactLIM is selected reflective to the reference temperature Tref. In other words, the actuator limit temperature TactLIM is selected dependent on the reference temperature Tref. The actuator temperature Tact is compared with the actuator limit temperature TactLIM, and if the actuator temperature Tact is larger than the actuator limit temperature TactLIM, a fault of the actuator is indicated.

[0050] The electric actuator is preferably located in the elevator shaft 101, while the reference temperature Tref is measured outside of the elevator shaft 101, such as, at a landing platform door 202. Therefore, there is preferably at least one temperature sensor 303 which advantageously is installed in the platform door 202 in the highest floor. Usually, it can be expected the temperature to be at highest in the highest floor.

[0051] The actuator limit temperature TactLIM is preferably a function of the reference temperature Tref such that, the actuator limit temperature TactLIM increases for increasing reference temperature Tref. The function may be a step function, or a linear function.

[0052] A shaft temperature Tsha can be measured at the elevator shaft 101 and also used to select the actuator limit temperature.

[0053] In the method for classifying overtemperature failures of an actuator in an elevator system 100,

[0054] - an actuator temperature Tact at an electric actuator is measured;

[0055] - a shaft temperature Tsha is measured at the elevator shaft 101;

[0056] - a reference temperature Tref is measured outside of the elevator shaft 101, such as, at a landing platform door 202;

[0057] - the actuator temperature Tact is compared with the shaft temperature Tsha and the reference temperature Tref, and if each is within a predetermined measure from each other, and also the reference temperature Tref and the shaft temperature Tsha are larger than normal reference temperature TrefNORMAL, failure due to high external temperature is determined. . 2025 / OF The electric actuator may be a door motor 300, especially of elevator car door 202 or landing platform door 201. Alternatively, the electric actuator may be the main drive 120 of the elevator system 100. The door motor 300 temperature may be measured with temperature sensor 301.

[0058] The elevator system 100 comprises a control system 150 configured to carry out the method for classifying overtemperature failures of an actuator in the elevator system 100 and / or the method for fault control in the elevator system 100. The determined failure due to high external temperature and / or a fault of the actuator may be indicated by the communication unit 151.

[0059] Instead of detecting a failure due to high external temperature, also other causes for failures might be detected by comparing different temperatures. For example, in case the actuator temperature Tact is higher than the shaft temperature Tsha, the failure might be due to an over usage of the actuator. In case the actuator is a door motor, a high number of door cycles might be the reason for the high door motor temperature. Further, in case the actuator temperature Tact is comparable to shaft temperature Tsha, and both, the actuator temperature Tact and the shaft temperature Tsha, are higher than the reference temperature, the failure might be due do a too high shaft temperature caused by insufficient shaft air conditioning or ventilation, a failure of the shaft air conditioning or ventilation, or due to a fire in the shaft.

[0060] The invention should not be understood to be limited only by the below claims, but the invention is to be understood to include all their legal equivalents and the combinations of the embodiments presented. . 2025 / OF

Claims

- 8 -Claims1. Method for fault control in an elevator system (100), comprising the steps of:- an actuator temperature (Tact) at an electric actuator (120, 300) is measured;- a reference temperature (Tref) is measured;- an actuator limit temperature (TactLIM) is selected reflective to the reference temperature (Tref);- the actuator temperature (Tact) is compared with the actuator limit temperature (TactLIM), and if the actuator temperature (Tact) is larger than the actuator limit temperature (TactLIM), a fault of the actuator (120, 300) is indicated.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: the electric actuator (120, 300) is located in the elevator shaft (101), while the reference temperature (Tref) is measured outside of the elevator shaft, such as, at a landing platform door (202).

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: the actuator limit temperature (TactLIM) is a function of the reference temperature (Tref) such that, the actuator limit temperature (TactLIM) increases for increasing reference temperature (Tref).

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein: the function is a step function, or a linear function.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: a shaft temperature (Tsha) is measured at the elevator shaft (101) and also used to select the actuator limit temperature.

6. A method for classifying overtemperature failures of an actuator in an elevator system, comprising the steps of:- an actuator temperature (Tact) at an electric actuator (120, 300) is measured;- a shaft temperature (Tsha) is measured at the elevator shaft (101);- a reference temperature (Tref) is measured outside of the elevator shaft (101), such as, at a landing platform door (202);- the actuator temperature (Tact) is compared with the shaft temperature (Tsha) and the reference temperature (Tref), and if each is within a predetermined measure from each 10 . 2025 / OF- 9 - other, and also the reference temperature (Tref) and the shaft temperature (Tsha) are larger than normal reference temperature (TrefNORMAL), failure due to high external temperature is determined.

7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: the electric actuator(300) is a door motor, especially of elevator car door (202) or landing platform door (201).

8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: the electric actuator (120) is a main drive of the elevator system (100).

9. An elevator system (100), comprising: a control system (150) configured to carry out the method according to any one of the preceding claims i.e. the method for classifying overtemperature failures of an actuator (120, 300) in the elevator system (100) and / or the method for fault control in the elevator system (100). 10 . 2025 / OF

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