Elevator Door Synchronization via Sensor-Based Drive Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing elevator systems face challenges in synchronizing the opening and closing movements of car doors and landing-stop doors, particularly in complex configurations with intersecting shafts, where mechanical couplings like cams and cam receivers lead to noise, limited movement, and complex guiding mechanisms, and separate drives struggle to achieve high synchronism.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a guide door and follower door system with a presence sensor and drive coupling that uses sensor technology to monitor and synchronize the movement of doors through a master-slave relationship, allowing active or passive transmission of movement information between the guide and follower doors, enabling synchronized opening and closing even in non-perpendicular orientations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If mechanical coupling by means of cam and cam receiver is used to synchronize door movements, then door synchronization is achieved, but noise is generated and the alignment requirements limit relative movement of the elevator car
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical cam-cam receiver coupling with a sensor-based detection system. The guide door controller uses sensors to detect the position and movement state of the follower door, then controls the guide door accordingly. This substitution eliminates direct mechanical contact between door components, thereby eliminating noise generation while maintaining synchronization through electronic control based on detected positional information.
2Reliability
If mechanical coupling by means of cam and cam receiver is used to synchronize door movements, then door synchronization is achieved, but the alignment requirements limit relative movement of the elevator car in relation to the shaft
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces rigid mechanical coupling with a sensor-based detection and electronic control system. Sensors detect the follower door's position and movement state without requiring precise mechanical alignment. The guide door controller processes this information and adjusts the guide door movement accordingly, enabling the system to accommodate varying relative positions and movements between the elevator car and shaft while maintaining door synchronization.
3Ease of operation
If separate drives are used for guide door and follower door, then door operation flexibility is improved, but achieving high synchronism between doors becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback control system where sensors continuously detect the position and movement state of the follower door, and this information is fed back to the guide door controller. The controller uses this feedback to adjust the guide door's movement in real-time, ensuring synchronized operation. This feedback mechanism maintains high synchronism between independently driven doors while preserving operational flexibility.
4Reliability
If complex mechanical coupling mechanisms are used to synchronize doors in intersecting shaft configurations, then door synchronization is maintained, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical coupling mechanisms with a sensor-based detection and electronic control system. Sensors mounted on the doors detect their respective positions and movement states, and the controller processes this information to coordinate door operations. This electronic control approach eliminates the need for complex mechanical linkages, reducing device complexity while maintaining synchronization reliability in intersecting shaft configurations.
Data Source
AI summary
A method can be used to position a car door and a landing-stop door in a synchronized manner at a landing stop in an elevator shaft of an elevator system. The car door may be configured as a guide door, and the landing-stop door may be configured as a follower door. The method may involve bringing an elevator car close to the landing stop, upon entry of the car door into an unlock zone sensing a presence signal of the follower door by way of a presence sensor of the guide door, actuating the guide-door drive by way of the guide controller and executing an opening movement of the guide door, providing movement information of the guide door, and actuating the follower-door drive of the follower door.