Elevator Car Leveling Sensor Using Inversion
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing elevator car leveling systems rely on costly wired sensors that require complex installations and indirect measurement methods, necessitating a more cost-effective and easy-to-install solution for accurate leveling detection.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a controller and sensors affixed to the elevator car, utilizing a combination of accelerometer, ultrasonic, and capacitance sensors to collect and analyze horizontal and vertical distance data, determining offset values and enabling autonomous operation with a power supply, such as a battery or energy harvesting circuit, to facilitate accurate leveling without additional reference points.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If wired sensors are used at each landing for leveling detection, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and installation cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of placing sensors at landings (traditional approach), the patent inverts the approach by placing sensors on the elevator car itself. This eliminates the need for complex wiring at each landing while maintaining leveling detection capability through measurements taken from the moving car platform.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces wired mechanical sensor systems with wireless sensor nodes that communicate electronically. This substitution eliminates physical wiring complexity while maintaining measurement precision, using wireless communication protocols to transmit leveling data from the car-mounted sensors to the control system.
2Measurement precision
If wired sensors are installed at each landing, then measurement precision is improved, but installation cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By inverting the sensor placement from landings to the elevator car, the patent eliminates costly wiring infrastructure at each landing. The single car-mounted sensor system reduces material costs and installation labor while achieving the same measurement precision through mobile positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor system on the elevator car serves multiple functions: leveling detection, position monitoring, and alignment verification. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require multiple specialized sensors at different landings, reducing overall system cost while maintaining precision.
3Measurement precision
If sensors continuously monitor leveling data, then measurement precision is maintained, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous monitoring, the patent implements periodic sampling of leveling data at critical moments such as during approach, stopping, and door operation phases. This periodic measurement approach maintains precision when needed while dramatically reducing overall energy consumption during idle periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor system automatically activates based on motion detection or phase-based triggers, eliminating the need for continuous power. The system serves itself by intelligently determining when measurements are necessary, reducing energy waste while maintaining measurement precision during operational phases.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system provides accurate and cost-effective elevator car leveling detection, reducing installation costs and enabling real-time monitoring of leveling accuracy, with the ability to generate alerts and adjust operations based on threshold exceedance, enhancing safety and operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
the at least one sensor comprises an accelerometer and that the at least one sensor is configured to collect horizontal distance data and vertical distance data responsive to a first output of the accelerometer
Implementation Method 2
the at least one sensor comprises at least one of an accelerometer, a hall sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, and a capacitance sensor
Implementation Method 3
the at least one sensor comprises at least one of an accelerometer, a hall sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, and a capacitance sensor
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for elevator car level detection are provided. Aspects includes collecting, by at least one sensor, horizontal distance data and vertical distance data associated with a component of an elevator car in relation to a floor landing in a hoistway of a building, wherein the at least on sensor is affixed to the component of the elevator car and analyzing the horizontal distance data and the vertical distance data to determine one or more offset values associated with the elevator car and the floor landing.