Elevator Door Vibration Monitoring for Predictive Maintenance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing elevator maintenance systems lack efficient methods to predict and optimize maintenance schedules based on real-time vibration data, leading to potential safety risks and increased downtime.

Innovation Solution

An assembly comprising an accelerometer, data collection device, and server system that generates and analyzes vibration profiles to detect deviations from a reference profile, determining maintenance needs and transmitting alerts to a remote server for proactive maintenance decisions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If vibration monitoring and analysis systems are implemented in the elevator car, then passenger safety and maintenance reliability are improved, but device complexity and computing power requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemaintenance reliabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system is segmented into two parts: a data collection device with accelerometer mounted in the elevator car that captures vibration data, and a separate server that performs complex analysis. This segmentation allows safety monitoring to be implemented without burdening the elevator car with complex processing capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A transmission device acts as an intermediary between the elevator car and the remote server, transmitting vibration data for analysis. This intermediary approach enables sophisticated analysis capabilities to be accessed without increasing complexity within the elevator car itself.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If comprehensive vibration analysis is performed locally in the elevator car, then maintenance precision is improved, but computing power requirements and energy consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevibration analysis precisionVSAvoidcomputing power requirements
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The computationally intensive vibration analysis function is extracted from the elevator car and relocated to a remote server. The elevator car retains only the simple function of collecting and transmitting raw vibration data, dramatically reducing local computing power requirements while maintaining analysis precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Productivity

If maintenance intervals are extended to reduce maintenance frequency, then productivity is improved, but reliability may deteriorate if issues are not detected

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelevator availabilityVSAvoidsafety reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection of vibrations and predictive analysis to identify potential issues before they become critical failures. This allows maintenance to be scheduled proactively based on actual condition rather than fixed intervals, ensuring safety while maximizing elevator availability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors vibration patterns and provides feedback about the actual condition of elevator components. This feedback loop enables dynamic adjustment of maintenance timing based on real-time condition data, maintaining reliability while optimizing productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

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

Enhances elevator availability, reduces maintenance intervals, improves passenger safety, and minimizes computing power requirements within the elevator car while enabling remote monitoring and proactive maintenance.

Implementation Method 1

with an accelerometer for detecting the vibration of the car door

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVibration detection: Vibration

Data Source

PatentEP4570730B1Assembly with maintenance planning device for elevator
Publication Date: 2026.04.15 CEDES AG
  • EP4570730B1 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

Apparatus for maintenance planning for a passenger elevator with an elevator car with a car door with an accelerometer for detecting the vibration of the car door, with a collection device which is designed to create a vibration profile from the detection, with a transmission device for transmitting the vibration profile to a server, and with a server for analyzing the vibration profile, wherein the collection device is spatially connected to the elevator car and is designed to determine the deviation of the vibration profile from a reference profile and, depending on the deviation from at least one threshold value or at least one value range, to cause the transmission device to transmit the deviation and/or the vibration profile to the server, and wherein the server is spatially separated from the passenger elevator and is designed toto compare the deviation and/or the vibration profile with at least one threshold value or at least one range of values ​​and, depending on the comparison, to output a signal indicating whether no action should be taken, or whether an action should be taken during the next regular maintenance, or whether an action should be taken before the next regular maintenance.