Passenger Conveyor Interlocking Control for Startup Sequence Safety

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing passenger transportation systems face safety hazards due to sudden stoppages of devices, leading to potential stampedes or collisions, as upstream devices may continue operating while downstream devices are faulty, causing passengers to gather and increasing the risk of accidents.

Innovation Solution

A startup and shutdown control method where the downstream passenger transportation device is started before the upstream device, and vice versa during stopping, utilizing an electrical interlocking assembly to coordinate the sequence of operations and prevent simultaneous movement or stopping of adjacent devices, ensuring safe and reliable operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the upstream passenger transportation device continues operating while the downstream device is faulty, then the productivity is maintained, but the safety deteriorates causing passenger congestion and potential stampedes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperation continuityVSAvoidsafety
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The control system performs preliminary action by detecting faults in the downstream device and automatically stopping the upstream device before passengers can accumulate. The interlocking control mechanism pre-establishes the safety protocol where upstream device operation is conditional on downstream device normal operation, preventing passenger congestion before it occurs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the upstream passenger transportation device is stopped immediately when downstream device fails, then the safety is improved, but the productivity deteriorates due to system-wide shutdown

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesafetyVSAvoidtransportation efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The control system segments the passenger transportation system into independent controllable units with hierarchical control logic. When a downstream device fails, only the affected upstream device is stopped through localized interlocking control, while other independent segments of the system can continue operating, maintaining partial productivity while ensuring safety.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of operation

If multiple passenger transportation devices operate independently without coordination, then the ease of operation is improved, but the safety deteriorates due to lack of coordinated control

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveindependent controlVSAvoidcoordinated safety
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The control system introduces an intermediary interlocking control mechanism that mediates between independently operated devices. The downstream device's operational status acts as an intermediary signal that automatically controls the upstream device's operation, providing coordinated safety control without requiring complex manual coordination while maintaining operational simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3348512B1Passenger conveyor system and starting/stopping control method thereof
Publication Date: 2022.04.27 OTIS ELEVATOR CO
  • EP3348512B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3348512B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3348512B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention provides a passenger transportation system and a startup and shutdown control methodA passenger transportation system comprises: a plurality of series-connected passenger transportation devices (100, 200); an electrical control system (300) comprising a plurality of startup and shutdown circuits which are respectively used for controlling startup and shutdown of each of the passenger transportation devices; and an electrical interlocking assembly coupled between each of the startup and shutdown circuits, wherein the electrical interlocking assembly controls a startup and shutdown sequence of a low-position passenger transportation device and a high-position passenger transportation device by controlling closing and opening of each of the startup and shutdown circuits. With such a passenger transportation system and the startup and shutdown control method thereof, the startup and shutdown reliability of each of the passenger transportation devices in the system is improved, the problem of gathering or crowding of various people due to a sudden stop caused by system startup and shutdown or by a system fault is avoided, thereby avoiding safety incidents.