EP-4739609-A1 - ELEVATOR SYSTEM WITH COMPENSATION TRACTION MEANS CONTACT DETECTION, METHOD, AND USE

EP4739609A1EP 4739609 A1EP4739609 A1EP 4739609A1EP-4739609-A1

Abstract

For elevator systems comprising compensation means which act downwards on elevator cars, it is of great importance to be able to inspect the arrangement of the compensating means, in particular in order to prevent damage to components arranged in the elevator shaft. The invention proposes an elevator system comprising elevator cars, each of which comprises at least one compensating traction means that acts in the direction of the gravitational force, wherein the operating state of the elevator system is controlled by means of a controller on the basis of measurement values or signals of a detection unit designed to detect a change in the position of at least one of the compensating traction means. According to the invention, the operating state is controlled on the basis of at least two different types of the current contact of the corresponding compensating traction means against the detection unit, in particular in that at least one of the elevator cars is stopped. In this manner, the functionality or the functional scope can be expanded in connection with the detection of a change in position. The invention also relates to a corresponding detection and control method.

Inventors

SCHÄFER, Juri

Assignees

TK Elevator Innovation and Operations GmbH

Dates

Publication Date: 20260513
Application Date: 20240703

Claims (15)

1. Elevator system (100) comprising at least one first elevator car (101) and at least one second elevator car, wherein the first and second elevator cars (101) are each connected to traction means acting against the gravitational force in a load-bearing manner, wherein the first and second elevator cars (101) are each connected to at least one compensating traction means (1, 2) acting in the direction of the gravitational force, wherein the elevator system (100) has a control device (102) set up to control the operating state of the elevator system (100), wherein the elevator system (100) has a detection unit (10) set up to detect a change in position of at least one of the compensating traction means (1, 2), in particular by contacting the detection unit (10); characterized in that the elevator installation (100) is designed to control the operating state of at least one of the elevator cars (101) depending on at least two different types of momentary contact of a/the second compensating traction means (2) with the detection unit (10), in particular to stop at least one of the elevator cars (101).
2. Elevator system according to claim 1, wherein the elevator system is set up to control the operating state of at least one of the elevator cars depending on a first type of momentary contact of the second compensating traction means with the detection unit according to a first control specification, in particular to stop at least one of the elevator cars; and/or wherein the elevator system is set up to control the operating state of at least one of the elevator cars depending on a second type of momentary contact of the second compensating traction means with the detection unit according to a second control specification, in particular to stop at least one of the elevator cars.
3. Elevator installation according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the detection unit is set up for direction-specific contact detection with respect to at least two (spatial) directions; and/or wherein the detection unit is set up for direction-specific contact detection with respect to at least the vertical upward direction and vertical downward direction, in particular designed for bidirectional vertical detection.
4. Elevator installation according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first elevator car is connected to at least one rope-like compensating traction means, wherein the second elevator car is connected to a chain-like compensating traction means, in particular with the first and second elevator cars in an arrangement one above the other in the same elevator shaft.
5. Elevator system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the detection unit is set up to detect an exceeded upper threshold value of a free length of at least the second compensating traction means; and/or wherein the detection unit is set up to detect a displacement of at least the second compensating traction means below a predefined/predefinable height threshold value; and/or wherein the detection unit provides a detection/contact line or surface on at least two sides of the second compensating traction means.
6. Elevator system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the detection unit has at least two encompassing detection elements mounted in/on one another, in particular in the form of U-shaped brackets, such that the detection elements completely surround the second compensating traction means when arranged as intended, and upon detection/contacting the formed full circumferential contour is interrupted/released by displacement of at least one of the detection elements, in particular on an upper side of the circumferential contour.
7. Elevator system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the detection unit completely surrounds the second compensating traction means, in particular rectangular; and/or wherein the detection unit has at least one kinematically articulated/mounted detection element which is mounted on the detection unit so as to interrupt a circumferential contour around the second compensating traction means, in particular is mounted pivotably, in particular in switching interaction with a switching unit preferably coupled to a safety circuit of the elevator system.
8. Elevator installation according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the elevator installation has a switching unit which is connected to at least one kinematics of the detection unit in switching interaction, in particular with a kinematics which swings out laterally when contact is made vertically upwards, in particular for switching which causes a stopping of the elevator cars initiated by a vertical contact of the detection unit by the at least one second compensating traction means.
9. Elevator system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the elevator system has a compensating traction means guide device which is set up to guide at least the second compensating traction means in particular with respect to at least one horizontal spatial direction, preferably with respect to both horizontal spatial directions; and/or wherein the compensating traction means guide device has a first guide unit and a second guide unit, wherein the first guide unit is arranged on the side of counterweights of the elevator system and wherein the second guide unit is arranged on the side of the second elevator car; and/or wherein the compensating traction means guide device is arranged in a plane defining the desired plane of movement of at least the second compensating traction means; and/or wherein the detection unit spans a detection plane which is aligned at least approximately orthogonal to a desired plane of movement defined by the compensating traction means guide device.
10. Method for controlling the operating state of an elevator system (100) comprising at least one first elevator car (101) connected to at least one first compensating traction means (1) and at least one second elevator car connected to a second compensating traction means (2), wherein the operating state is controlled as a function of a/the current relative position of at least one of the compensating traction means (1, 2), in particular at least the second compensating traction means (2), wherein the relative position or at least a change in the relative position is detected by means of a detection unit (10); characterized in that the operating state is controlled as a function of at least two different types of current contact of the second compensating traction means (2) is controlled by the detection unit (10), in particular by stopping at least one of the elevator cars (101).
11. Method according to the preceding method claim, wherein a direction-specific contact detection takes place with respect to at least two (spatial) directions, in particular with respect to at least the vertical direction upwards and the vertical direction downwards, wherein the operating state of at least one of the elevator cars is controlled as a function of a first type of momentary contact of the second compensating traction means with the detection unit according to a first control specification and/or as a function of a second type of momentary contact of the second compensating traction means with the detection unit according to a second control specification, in particular by stopping at least one of the elevator cars.
12. Method according to one of the preceding method claims, wherein the contact detection takes place by means of at least two detection elements mounted in/on one another, in that the detection elements completely surround the second compensating traction means when arranged as intended, and upon detection/contacting the fully circumferential circumferential contour formed is interrupted/released by displacement of at least one of the detection elements, in particular on an upper side of the circumferential contour; and/or wherein at least one kinematically articulated/mounted detection element of the detection unit pivots a circumferential contour around the second compensating traction means in a bearing of the detection unit upon detection/contacting, interrupting it, in particular when interacting with a switching unit of the elevator system; and/or wherein the contact detection based on at least one (pivoting) kinematics ensures a switching interaction for the mechanically induced triggering of a stopping of the corresponding elevator car at least in the case of contacting that takes place vertically upwards and optionally also in the case of contacting that takes place vertically downwards.
13. Method according to one of the preceding method claims, wherein at least the second compensating traction means is guided in particular with respect to at least one horizontal spatial direction, preferably with respect to both Horizontal spatial directions, in particular by means of a first guide unit on the part of counterweights of the elevator system and a second guide unit on the part of the second elevator car or in a central region of a base area of the elevator car projected onto the shaft pit; and/or wherein the second compensating traction means is guided relative to the detection unit in a desired plane of movement such that the second compensating traction means passes/passes through a detection plane spanned by the detection unit at least approximately orthogonally.
14. Computer program product comprising commands which, when the computer program product is executed on a computer, cause the computer to execute a method according to one of the preceding method claims on the computer, in particular a computer program product configured to generate a control command for stopping at least one elevator car (101) of an elevator system (100) as a function of a direction-dependent contacting of a detection unit (10) of the elevator system surrounding a compensating traction means (1, 2) of the elevator system (100) on one of at least two contact lines or surfaces (11.1, 12.1) of the detection unit (10).
15. Use of at least one pivotally mounted detection element (11) of a detection unit (10) for the kinematically initiated generation of at least one control command for controlling the operating state of at least one elevator car (101) of an elevator system (100) depending on at least two different types of instantaneous contact of a compensating traction means (1, 2) with the detection unit (10) by direction-specific contact detection, in particular by stopping at least one of the elevator cars (101), in particular in an elevator system (100) according to one of claims 1 to 9, in particular in a method according to one of the method claims 10 to 13.

Description

Elevator system with compensating traction device contact detection and method and use TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an elevator system comprising a plurality of elevator cars, each of which is connected to load-bearing traction means acting against the gravitational force and to at least one compensating traction means acting in the direction of the gravitational force, wherein the elevator system has a control device for controlling the operating state of the elevator system, wherein the elevator system has a detection unit set up to detect a change in position of at least one of the compensating traction means when contact is made with the detection unit. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for controlling the operating state of such an elevator system depending on current measured values or signals from the detection unit. Last but not least, the present invention also relates to the use of at least one displaceably mounted component of a detection unit for the kinematically initiated generation of at least one control command for controlling the operating state of at least one elevator car of such an elevator system. In particular, the invention relates to a device and a method according to the preamble of the respective independent claim. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In lift systems with compensating traction devices acting downwards on lift cars, it is very important to be able to control the arrangement of these compensating traction devices, in particular to avoid damage to components arranged in the lift shaft. Risks of potential snagging, breaking or falling, in particular of compensating traction devices, must be kept as low as possible. This safety requirement also applies in particular to lift systems in which two lift cars (an upper lift car and a lower lift car) are arranged in the same shaft. According to the state of the art, measures are already proposed to monitor a displacement of compensating traction devices, in particular for the purpose of detecting an exceedance of a predefined threshold value of the displacement. An example is publication JP 2015-157663 A, which describes a detection mechanism in which a compensating traction means arranged between the elevator car and the counterweight runs around a rod and can lift or remove the rod from its intended storage during upward movement, in particular for initiating a stopping process relating to the elevator car. Based on the state of the art, there is a need for an improved manner of detecting an undesirable or unforeseen displacement of at least one (compensating) traction means. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The task is to provide an elevator system and a corresponding method with which the detection of a change in position of compensating traction means of the elevator system and the initiation of (safety) measures dependent thereon can be improved, in particular to avoid safety-relevant collisions of the compensating traction means with other components arranged in the elevator shaft. It is also the task to design a detection unit of the elevator system in such a way that a cabin-specific detection of a change in position of at least one compensating traction means of the corresponding elevator car and the measures dependent thereon can be implemented with regard to different situations, in particular with regard to different types of position changes of the corresponding compensating traction means. This object is achieved by an elevator system according to claim 1 and by a method according to the independent method claim. Advantageous further developments of the invention are explained in the respective subclaims. The features of the embodiments described below can be combined with one another, unless this is explicitly denied. Provided is an elevator system comprising at least one first (in particular upper) elevator car and at least one second (in particular lower) elevator car, wherein the first and second elevator cars are each connected to load-bearing traction means acting against the gravitational force, wherein the first and second Elevator cars are each connected to at least one compensating traction means acting in the direction of the gravitational force, wherein the elevator system has a control device configured to control the operating state of the elevator system, wherein the elevator system has a detection unit configured to detect a change in position of at least one of the compensating traction means, in particular at least the second compensating traction means, in particular by contacting with the detection unit; According to the invention, it is proposed that the elevator system is set up to control the operating state of at least one of the elevator cars depending on at least two different types of instantaneous contact of the second compensating traction means with the detection unit, in particular to stop at least one of the elevator cars (in particular initiation of a