Elevator Rescue Control Using Sensor-Guided Remote Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing elevator rescue operations require significant technical knowledge and on-site presence, making them labor-intensive and inefficient due to varying elevator system layouts and components, especially when dealing with balanced loads.
Innovation Solution
An elevator system with a rescue managing circuit (RMC) that collects and processes data from sensors and components to provide presentation data to technicians, enabling remote or on-site manual/automatic rescue drives without deep knowledge of the system, using integrated or remote displays for guidance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual brake lever operation is used for rescue, then the elevator car can be moved to landing, but the operation becomes slow and labor-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical brake lever operation with an automated electronic brake control system. The rescue device electronically actuates the brake release mechanism, eliminating the need for manual lever manipulation and enabling faster, more consistent brake release during rescue operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The rescue system incorporates automatic car position detection and landing zone identification features. The system automatically determines when the car has reached the appropriate landing zone based on sensor data, reducing the technician's operational burden and enabling faster rescue execution.
2Adaptability or versatility
If separate hoist is added for balanced load rescue, then rescue operation becomes possible, but the system complexity and equipment requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent describes a rescue device that can handle both balanced and unbalanced load conditions using the same basic equipment. The system achieves this by intelligently controlling brake release and utilizing the existing hoisting machinery capabilities, eliminating the need for separate rescue equipment for different load conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system acts as an intermediary that manages the complex interaction between brake release, motor control, and car movement. It processes sensor data about car position and load conditions, then coordinates the appropriate actions to achieve safe rescue operation regardless of load balance status.
3Reliability
If technician must have deep knowledge of various elevator systems, then proper rescue can be performed, but the requirement for specialized training increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rescue device incorporates multiple sensors that provide real-time feedback about car position, brake status, and system conditions. This feedback is presented to the technician through the user interface, guiding the rescue operation and reducing the need for deep system knowledge while maintaining operational reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system serves as an intermediary that handles the complexity of different elevator system configurations. It automatically adapts to various system types and components, managing the technical details while presenting a simplified interface to the technician, thereby maintaining reliability without requiring extensive specialized knowledge.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple different elevator components are used in one system, then system flexibility increases, but the difficulty of handling rescue operations increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rescue device is designed with universal compatibility to work with multiple types of elevator components including different brake systems, motors, and control architectures. It achieves this through adaptive detection capabilities that automatically identify the specific system configuration and adjust its operation accordingly, maintaining simplicity despite system diversity.
Solution Approach 2:
The rescue system dynamically adapts its behavior based on the detected elevator system configuration. It uses sensor data to automatically adjust its control strategy for different component types, enabling the same device to handle various system configurations without requiring complex manual configuration or increasing operational difficulty.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for aiding or managing a rescue operation in an elevator system includes at least one elevator having a car driving in an elevator runway having several floors, and an elevator control which gathers data of components of the elevator system and issues a failure signal in any case of failure situation in the elevator system leading to a stop of the car between the floors. In the method it is checked based on first sensor data, whether a person is trapped in the car, and based on the first data or manually a rescue managing process is started, using a rescue managing circuit connected to the elevator control. The rescue managing process includes a pre-rescue process in which following data is read from sensors and/or components of the elevator system: car position data, status data of the elevator system and of the elevator components, functional data of the elevator system and/or of the elevator components, which functional data is obtained from the elevator control and/or from sensors connected to the elevator system. From these data presentation data are generated and displayed on a display connected to the rescue managing circuit and/or to the elevator control in preparation of a manual or automatic rescue drive.