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DE-102026112946-A1 - Device and method for collision avoidance of a sensor in an elevator system

DE102026112946A1DE 102026112946 A1DE102026112946 A1DE 102026112946A1DE-102026112946-A1

Abstract

The following descriptions relate to an elevator system comprising an elevator shaft extending along a shaft direction, a car movable along the elevator shaft, and a sensor device (1) for reading a reading medium (2) arranged on a shaft component, wherein the sensor device (1) has a sensor (3) attached to the car, wherein the sensor (3) is arranged on a sensor carrier (4) mounted relative to the car, which is held in a normal position by means of at least one compression spring (5), and wherein the sensor carrier (4) has at least one escape means (6). Furthermore, the following descriptions relate to a sensor device (1) for use in a lift system mentioned above. Furthermore, the following descriptions relate to a method for avoiding collisions of a sensor (3) arranged on a car of the above-mentioned elevator system when reading a reading medium arranged on a shaft component.

Inventors

  • Tobias Klaus Wenzelburger
  • Bernd Altenburger

Assignees

  • TK ELEVATOR INNOVATION AND OPERATIONS GMBH

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20260327

Claims (11)

  1. Elevator system comprising an elevator shaft extending along a shaft direction, a car movable along the elevator shaft and a sensor device (1) for reading a reading medium (2) arranged on a shaft component, wherein the sensor device (1) has a sensor (3) attached to the car, wherein the sensor (3) is arranged on a sensor carrier (4) mounted relative to the car, which is held in a normal position by means of at least one compression spring (5) and wherein the sensor carrier (4) has at least one deflection means (6) which can deflect the sensor (3) away from the reading medium (2) in a horizontal direction against the spring force when the car approaches the reading medium (2) due to a horizontal relative movement, so that a collision between sensor (3) and reading medium (2) or between sensor (3) and a holder of the reading medium (2) is prevented.
  2. Elevator system according to Claim 1 , wherein the deflection means (6) of the sensor carrier (4) is designed as a sliding element (7) which, when the sensor (3) approaches the reading medium (2) or the holder of the reading medium (2) in a horizontal direction, enables a sliding contact and guides the sensor carrier (4) in the horizontal deflection direction.
  3. Elevator system according to Claim 1 or 2 , wherein the deflection means (6) of the sensor carrier (4) is designed as a roller (8) which, upon lateral contact with the reading medium (2) or with the holder of the reading medium (2), causes a rolling motion and guides the sensor carrier (4) in the horizontal deflection direction.
  4. Elevator system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a slide track / roller track (9) with at least one approach ramp is provided on the reading medium (2) or on the holder of the reading medium (2), which generates a defined horizontal deflection movement upon contact with a sliding element (7) or a roller (8) of the sensor carrier (4).
  5. Elevator system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the deflection means (6) of the sensor carrier (4) is designed as a permanent magnet (10) which generates a repulsive force towards a magnetically formed reading medium (2) or a magnetically formed section of the holder of the reading medium (2) and thereby causes the horizontal deflection.
  6. Elevator system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the avoidance means (6) of the sensor carrier (4) is designed as an electromagnet (11) which is activated when a predetermined minimum distance between sensor (3) and reading medium (2) is reached and actively pulls the sensor carrier (4) away from the reading medium (2), wherein the minimum distance can be determined in particular by the sensor (3) itself.
  7. Elevator system according to Claim 6 , wherein the electromagnet (11) in a currentless state moves the sensor carrier (4) into a safety position directed away from the reading medium (2) and in normal operation holds it in a reading position by a continuous current.
  8. Elevator system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the reading medium (2) is provided in a continuous course along the elevator shaft or in individual, spaced-apart segments, and the sensor carrier (4) and/or the sensor (3) upon approach to such a segment in accordance with Claim 1 is deflectable.
  9. Elevator system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the sensor carrier (4) comprises a combination of several avoidance means (6), wherein the avoidance means (6) are selected from the mechanical avoidance means (6) according to the Claims 2 until 4 and/or from the magnetic diversion devices (6) according to the Claims 5 until 7 .
  10. Sensor device (1) for use in an elevator system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the sensor device (1) has a sensor carrier (4) with a holding section designed to receive a sensor (3), which is held in a normal position by means of at least one compression spring (5) and can be deflected in a horizontal direction against the spring force when approached by a horizontal relative movement between the elevator car and a reading medium (2) arranged on a shaft component, so that a collision between the sensor (3) and the reading medium (2) or between the sensor (3) and a holder of the reading medium (2) is prevented, and wherein the sensor carrier (4) comprises at least one of the following avoidance means (6): a sliding element (7), a roller (8), a sliding element (7) / a roller (8) with a sliding track / roller track (9) provided on the reading medium (2) or a magnetic avoidance means (6) in the form of a permanent magnet (10) or an electromagnet (11).
  11. Method for avoiding collisions of a sensor (3) arranged on a car of an elevator system when reading a reading medium (2) arranged on a shaft component, wherein the sensor (3) is attached to a sensor carrier (4) which is held in a normal position by means of at least one compression spring (5) and wherein, when the sensor (3) approaches the reading medium (2) due to a horizontal relative movement between the car and the reading medium (2), the sensor carrier (4) is deflected away from the reading medium (2) in a horizontal direction against the spring force, so that mechanical contact between the sensor (3) and the reading medium (2) or between the sensor (3) and a holder of the reading medium (2) is prevented, wherein the horizontal deflection is effected by a deflection means (6) provided on the sensor carrier (4), which is designed as a sliding element (7), roller (8), sliding element (7) / roller (8) with a sliding track / rolling track (9), permanent magnet (10) or electromagnet (11).

Description

Technical field The following descriptions relate to an elevator system comprising an elevator shaft extending along a shaft direction, a car movable along the elevator shaft, and a sensor device for reading a reading medium arranged on a shaft component, wherein the sensor device comprises a sensor attached to the car, the sensor being arranged on a sensor carrier mounted relative to the car, which is held in a normal position by means of at least one compression spring. Furthermore, the following statements concern a sensor carrier for use in the aforementioned elevator system. Furthermore, the following explanations concern a method for avoiding collisions between a sensor arranged on a car of an elevator system when reading a reading medium arranged on a shaft component. Technical background It is known that elevator systems use sensor devices to reliably determine the position of a car in the elevator shaft by reading a reading medium located within the shaft. With unguided sensor designs, where the sensor is fixed to the car and the reading medium is rigidly attached to a shaft component, horizontal relative movements between the sensor and the reading medium can occur due to the car's lateral movements during operation. These relative movements can cause the sensor to temporarily lose detection of the reading medium or to collide with the reading medium or one of its mountings. The risk of damage increases, particularly with reading methods that require small distances between the sensor and the reading medium and at high car speeds. There is a need for a solution that reliably prevents this collision risk without relying on complex tracking mechanisms or movable reading media, and which is also suitable for high travel speeds. Such a solution should both avoid collisions and ensure robust operating conditions, regardless of whether the reading medium is installed continuously along the entire shaft length or only in sections, for example, in the area of shaft doors. Based on this situation, the task at hand is to propose an elevator system, a sensor carrier, and a method in which the risk of collision between a sensor located on the elevator car and a reading medium located in the shaft can be reduced. The DE 10 2022 117 613 A1 This publication discloses an elevator system with a sensor mounted for movement in multiple directions, which is actively and precisely guided by means of guides or actuators to a defined reading position relative to a code tape in order to achieve improved, uninterrupted reading. However, this publication does not address the prevention of collisions between the sensor and the reading medium, particularly at increased cabin speeds. Description - Technical Solution The present problem is solved by the features of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are specified in the dependent claims, the description, and the drawings. Where technically feasible, the teachings of the dependent claims can be combined arbitrarily with those of the main and dependent claims. In particular, the problem is solved by an elevator system comprising an elevator shaft extending along a shaft direction, a car movable along the elevator shaft, and a sensor device for reading a reading medium arranged on a shaft component, wherein the sensor device has a sensor attached to the car, wherein the sensor is arranged on a sensor carrier mounted relative to the car, which is held in a normal position by means of at least one compression spring, and wherein the sensor carrier has at least one deflection means which, in the event of an approach to the reading medium caused by a horizontal relative movement of the car, can deflect the sensor away from the reading medium in a horizontal direction against the spring force, so that a collision between sensor and reading medium or between sensor and a holder of the reading medium is prevented. The following sections explain advantageous aspects and subsequently describe preferred modified embodiments. Explanations, particularly regarding advantages and definitions of features, are essentially descriptive and preferred, but not limiting, examples. If an explanation is limiting, this will be explicitly stated. The intended arrangement of a sensor on a sensor carrier mounted relative to the elevator car, which is held in a defined normal position by at least one compression spring, creates an elastically compliant interface between the elevator car movements and the sensor's position relative to the reading medium. This elastic mounting ensures that lateral movements of the elevator car caused by the car's dynamics do not immediately lead to a rigid approach of the sensor to the reading medium, but are initially absorbed by the spring force. The sensor thus remains in a stable reading position without being rigidly guided against the reading medium. If the sensor is nevertheless displaced towards the reading medium due to a horizontal relative movement, a