Multi-Car Elevator Inspection Control for Safer Car Switching
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In multi-car elevators, maintenance efficiency is reduced due to the need for maintenance workers to move between cars during maintenance, leading to inefficient work processes.
Innovation Solution
A multi-car elevator system with an inspection work controller that allows selection and operation of an operation target car from multiple cars in the same hoistway, equipped with car-top controllers, pit controllers, and a safety control device to manage safety distances and operation modes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a manually-operated button is provided on each car for manual operation mode, then workers can operate any car independently, but maintenance efficiency decreases when multiple cars need to be serviced due to the need to move between cars
Solution Approach 1:
The controller on each car is designed to serve dual purposes: it can operate the local car and also control other cars in the hoistway. This multi-functionality allows a worker stationed on one car to service multiple cars without physically moving between them, resolving the contradiction between independent operation capability and maintenance efficiency.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple cars are equipped with independent control systems, then each car can be operated independently, but the complexity of the control system increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of creating entirely separate control systems for each car, the patent merges the control functions by enabling each car's controller to access and control multiple cars. This consolidation approach maintains operational flexibility while avoiding the complexity of fully independent control systems for each car.
3Reliability
If workers must move to the top of another car to perform maintenance or move it further upward, then safety is maintained through physical separation, but time consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The control system acts as an intermediary that allows a worker on one car to remotely operate another car. This eliminates the need for the worker to physically move to another car's top, maintaining safety through continued physical separation while dramatically reducing the time required for maintenance operations.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a multi-car elevator system including: a plurality of cars to be raised and lowered in the same hoistway; and an inspection work controller. The inspection work controller is operated by a worker so as to move an operation target car which is one of the plurality of cars. Further, the operation target car is allowed to be selected from two or more of the cars in a work area in which the worker is present.