Elevator Shaft Lighting Device for Safety State Monitoring

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Solution Overview

Problem

Elevator maintenance and safety monitoring require effective visual warnings to prevent collisions and ensure safety, as existing systems lack intuitive and continuous monitoring of safety-relevant components like shaft doors during maintenance and emergency situations.

Innovation Solution

A lighting device with multiple LEDs emitting distinct color signals to indicate different states of the elevator system and safety elements, including a counterweight's position and shaft door status, with an integrated alarm detector and dual power supply for continuous operation during emergencies.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple separate monitoring devices and sensors are used to monitor safety components, then monitoring reliability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesafety monitoring reliabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple monitoring functions (shaft door status, elevator car position, counterweight position) into a single integrated lighting device that provides visual feedback. Instead of using separate sensors and display devices, one lighting device performs multiple safety monitoring functions, reducing system complexity while maintaining comprehensive monitoring capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The lighting device serves multiple functions: it illuminates the shaft for maintenance work, displays elevator car position, indicates counterweight position, and shows shaft door status. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for separate dedicated devices for each function, simplifying the overall system architecture.

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

2Ease of operation

If intuitive visual warnings are provided for safety, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesafety monitoring easeVSAvoidlighting device complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The lighting device uses different light colors (red, yellow, green) to represent different safety states and operational modes. This color-coding system provides intuitive visual warnings that are easily understood by technicians, improving ease of operation without requiring complex display interfaces or multiple separate indicators.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

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 safety by providing clear visual warnings and continuous monitoring of safety components, reducing the risk of collisions and ensuring operational safety during maintenance and emergencies, while maintaining energy efficiency and flexibility.

Implementation Method 1

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) or LED strips are known to be used as shaft lighting

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight-emitting diode (LED): Light Emitting Diode

Implementation Method 2

the light source can generate a first light signal in a first state of the elevator system. For this purpose, it can emit a second light signal in a second state of the elevator system

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectroluminescence: Electroluminescence

Data Source

PatentEP4172089B1Lighting device for an elevator installation and method for illuminating an elevator shaft
Publication Date: 2024.09.18 INVENTIO AG
  • EP4172089B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4172089B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The present invention relates to an illumination device (1) and a method, respectively, for illuminating an elevator shaft (4) of an elevator system (2), and to such an elevator system (2) which is illuminated by the illumination device (1) or the method. The illumination device (1) comprises at least one light source (3) and is able to illuminate an elevator shaft (4) of the elevator system (2) in such a way that the illumination device (1) can indicate at least two states of the elevator system (2), wherein the light source (3) can emit a first light signal (3a) in the case of a first state of the elevator system (2) and a second light signal (3b) in the case of a second state of the elevator system (2), and wherein the difference between the first light signal (3a) and the second light signal (3b) is visually visible.