Elevator Operation Panel with Merged Door Confirmation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Elevators with multiple car doors require an operation panel that can register which door to open while preventing simultaneous opening of multiple doors, and existing solutions are either complex or costly.

Innovation Solution

An operation panel with a numeric keypad for entering destination floors and separate confirmation buttons for each car door, allowing passengers to input floor numbers and select which door to open, with optional features like a card reader and display for user guidance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple confirmation buttons are added to specify different car doors, then the ability to control multiple doors is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedoor selection capabilityVSAvoidoperation panel complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the confirmation function for both car doors into a single confirmation button. When pressed, this button works in conjunction with the floor selection to determine which door(s) should open, thereby reducing the number of buttons while maintaining full door control capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The single confirmation button serves multiple functions: it confirms floor selection, determines door opening preferences, and works with both single-door and dual-door configurations. This universal button replaces what would traditionally require separate confirmation buttons for each door.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If separate confirmation buttons for each car door are provided, then door opening control is improved, but the panel space required increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedoor control functionVSAvoidoperation panel area
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the door selection control into the floor selection process. The single confirmation button, when pressed after floor selection, automatically associates the floor destination with the appropriate car door(s), eliminating the need for separate buttons next to each door.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the door selection logic from the physical button layout and integrates it into the control system's processing. The system determines which door to open based on the combination of floor selection and confirmation button press, rather than requiring dedicated physical buttons for each door.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Device complexity

If a single confirmation button is used for multiple car doors, then the operation panel becomes simpler and cheaper, but the ability to prevent simultaneous opening of multiple doors must be ensured

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperation panel simplicityVSAvoiddoor opening control reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The control system provides feedback by monitoring the combination of floor selection and confirmation button press. The system processes this input to determine the intended door(s) and executes only the appropriate door opening, preventing simultaneous opening of multiple doors through intelligent control logic.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The control system automatically determines which door(s) should open based on the floor destination and confirmation input, without requiring the passenger to manually select each door. The system self-regulates to ensure only the appropriate door opens, maintaining reliability while simplifying the interface.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3889089A1Operation panel of elevator car and operation method thereof
Publication Date: 2021.10.06 KONE OYJ
  • EP3889089A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3889089A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3889089A1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The present invention relates to an operation panel for an elevator car having at least two car doors, the operation panel includes: a numeric keypad for entering a destination floor number; at least two confirmation buttons respectively corresponding to the at least two car doors, and the confirmation buttons are configured to confirm the entered destination floor number and the car door to be opened after being pressed, so that: by only entering the destination floor number via the numeric keypad, the elevator car does not start; after entering the destination floor number via the numeric keypad and pressing one of the at least two confirmation buttons, the elevator car starts to reach the destination floor, and opens the car door corresponding to the confirmation button.