Elevator Hoistway Space Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-rise buildings face inefficiencies in elevator systems due to the need for multiple hoistways and transfer levels, leading to space underutilization, increased costs, and passenger inconvenience, as prior solutions either require excessive space or result in underutilization of transport capacity.
Innovation Solution
An elevator system with at least one shuttle elevator and multiple local elevators operating in the same hoistway, where a control system optimizes route allocation based on passenger calls, ensuring that local elevators do not simultaneously occupy shared transfer floors, allowing for flexible operation and reduced space requirements by eliminating the need for separate machine rooms and escalators.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If local elevators are disposed in separate hoistways, then passenger safety and operational independence are improved, but space usage deteriorates due to the large number of hoistways required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple local elevators into a single shared hoistway, allowing them to operate simultaneously in the same vertical space. This consolidation reduces the total number of hoistways required in the building, thereby improving space utilization while maintaining safety through coordinated control systems that prevent collisions and manage simultaneous operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The shared hoistway serves multiple local elevators simultaneously, making the hoistway a multi-functional infrastructure element. This universal hoistway can accommodate different elevators serving different floor zones, eliminating the need for dedicated hoistways for each elevator and reducing overall space requirements.
2Area of stationary object
If local elevators share the same hoistway, then space usage is improved, but device complexity increases due to coordination requirements and potential conflicts
Solution Approach 1:
The control system implements feedback mechanisms to monitor the positions, speeds, and operational states of all local elevators in the shared hoistway. This real-time information feedback enables the system to coordinate elevator movements, prevent conflicts, and manage simultaneous operations safely, thereby reducing the perceived complexity through intelligent control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts elevator operations based on real-time conditions, allowing elevators to modify their speed, stopping patterns, and scheduling to avoid conflicts. This dynamic coordination enables multiple elevators to share the same hoistway efficiently without requiring overly complex static infrastructure.
3Ease of operation
If local elevators operate in separate zones without shared floor access, then operational simplicity is improved, but transport capacity deteriorates due to underutilization
Solution Approach 1:
The building's vertical space is segmented into different floor zones, each served by specific local elevators. This segmentation allows elevators to have optimized routes for their respective zones while still accessing transfer floors for inter-zone travel, maintaining operational simplicity while enabling flexible transport capacity utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system performs preliminary routing decisions that optimize elevator assignments based on destination floors and current positions. By pre-planning elevator routes and coordinating transfers at shared floors, the system maximizes transport capacity utilization while keeping operational procedures simple for passengers.
4Device complexity
If top clearance is arranged for local elevators to house elevator machines, then structural simplicity is improved, but adaptability deteriorates as elevators cannot serve shared transfer floors
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of arranging elevator machines vertically in top clearance spaces, the system utilizes horizontal wall-mounted machine rooms along the hoistway. This dimensional repositioning allows elevators to access all floors including transfer floors while maintaining structural simplicity through compact wall-mounted machine configurations rather than requiring extensive vertical clearance.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
The invention relates to elevator systems, in which a number of elevators operate in the same hoistway. The elevator system comprises at least one shuttle elevator and at least two local elevators, the elevator cars of which are arranged to travel in the same elevator hoistway such that they can serve at least one shared transfer floor of a transfer level. The control system of the elevator system receives destination calls given from a destination call appliance, forms a plurality of route alternatives and allocates a destination call to one or more elevators by selecting the best route alternative. When allocating a destination call, the control system takes into account that the elevator cars of the local elevators that travel in the same elevator hoistway cannot simultaneously be at a shared transfer floor in cases in which the route alternative comprises a part-trip with a local elevator and a change of elevator at a shared transfer floor.