EP2132124B1 - Method for utilisation dependent operation of a lift facility with two cabins moving in the same shaft and corresponding lift facility - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method for operating an elevator system with two elevator cars, which are arranged in the same elevator shaft and can be driven independently of one another, according to the preamble of claim 1 and a correspondingly operable elevator system according to the preamble of claim 8.

There are various elevator systems that have several elevator cars in one elevator shaft. Elevator systems with several elevator cars in the same shaft, which are also referred to as multi-mobile elevator systems, usually each have a drive and brake system for each elevator car.

Depending on the arrangement of the elevator cars, so-called zone operation can thus be implemented, for example, where each elevator car is assigned to a zone and a transfer floor for transferring passengers between the elevator cars in different zones is arranged between the zones. From the patent application EP1526103-A1 describes a method for zone operation of such an elevator system.

Today, there is a great need for transport, especially in tall buildings. As mentioned, a multi-mobile elevator system can be installed in order to satisfy this transport requirement.

Problems and capacity bottlenecks arise, however, especially at peak times, when, for example, hundreds of people enter the entrance area of a building in the morning and want to reach higher floors, or at the end of the day, when a large number of people want to get to the lowest floor in order to reach the building to leave.

There are various solutions for increasing the transport capacity in order to cope with such "peak loads". For example, an increase in the speed or acceleration of the elevator cars or a shortening of the door open times is used. In most cases, however, elevators are not oversized in terms of motor power and power supply, so that increasing the speed / acceleration of the cabins is only possible to a very limited extent. Furthermore, an increase in the acceleration of the cabs has a negative effect on the driving experience of the people, so that here too an increase in the transport capacity can only be achieved to a very limited extent. A shortening or optimization of the door opening times is already implemented as standard in many elevators. Thus, these measures do not lead to a really noticeable increase in transport capacity.

Of course, it is also possible to dimension the entire elevator system in a building in such a way that it is also able to cope with the "peak loads". However, this has the disadvantage that these elevator systems are virtually oversized for normal operation. On the one hand, such oversized elevator systems are more expensive than necessary and, on the other hand, they occupy a relatively large proportion of the building's space.

the GB 2324170 A and U.S. 5,663,538 A describe elevator systems with an upper elevator car and a lower elevator car. The two elevator cars can move vertically up and down independently of one another in a single common elevator shaft of the elevator system. The arrangement of the two elevator cars results in overlapping zones, the lower elevator car not being able to serve the top floor and the upper elevator car not being able to serve the lowest floor. The elevator systems have an up-down control, in which a passenger on a floor outside the elevator car has Direction buttons, by means of which he indicates his desired direction of travel, calls an elevator car. An elevator control then moves the next elevator car moving in the desired direction of travel to the corresponding floor and the passenger selects his desired destination after entering the elevator car using corresponding floor buttons.

• ein Verfahren vorzuschlagen, um bei einer Multimobil-Aufzugsanlage eine Verbessung der Abwärts- und/oder Aufwärtsförderkapazität zu erreichen, ohne überdimensionierte Aufzugsanlagen vorzusehen;
• eine Multimobil-Aufzugsanlage zu schaffen, die gemäss diesem Verfahren betreibbar ist.

The object of the invention is now

• to propose a method to improve the downward and / or upward conveying capacity of a multi-mobile elevator system without providing oversized elevator systems;
• to create a multi-mobile elevator system that can be operated according to this method.

• für das Verfahren durch die Merkmale des Anspruchs 1; und
• für die Aufzugsanlage durch die Merkmale des Anspruchs 8.

The task is solved

• for the method by the features of claim 1; and
• for the elevator system by the features of claim 8.

Advantageous exemplary embodiments and developments of the invention are described by the respective dependent claims.

The new elevator system has at least one upper elevator car and one lower elevator car. The two elevator cars can preferably move vertically up and down in a common elevator shaft of the elevator installation, essentially independently of one another.

The arrangement of the two elevator cars results in overlapping zones. The upper elevator car serves a zone which extends from the uppermost stop of the elevator installation to a lower stop which is located above the lowest stop of the lower elevator car. The lower elevator car however, preferably serves a zone which extends from an upper stop, which is below the uppermost stop of the upper elevator car, to the lowest stop of the elevator installation.

The invention is now particularly characterized in that the corresponding elevator installation can be operated in a normal mode and in a substitute mode, e.g. a downward substitute mode and / or an upward substitute mode. In the normal mode, the lower elevator car is primarily provided for the passengers who have indicated by means of a destination call that they want to reach the lowest stop or the lowest floor. In the downward substitute mode, however, the upper elevator car is also used for passengers who want to reach the lowest stop or the lowest floor. These passengers are then transported in the upper elevator car, the passengers only being informed during the transportation that this elevator car is currently approaching a stop above the lowest stop or the lowest floor.

In the optional upward substitute mode, however, the lower elevator car is used for passengers who want to reach the top stop or the top floor. These passengers are then transported in the lower elevator car, the passengers only being informed during the transportation that this elevator car is currently approaching a stop below the uppermost stop or the uppermost floor.

In order to determine whether a transition from the normal mode to a substitute mode should take place, a check is made as to whether at least one trigger condition is met.

Fig. 1

eine Multimobil-Aufzugsanlage gemäss Erfindung, in einer stark vereinfachten, schematisierten Darstellung;

Fig. 2A

eine schematische Darstellung einer Situation, wo die Anzahl der Zielrufe für Fahrten zum untersten Halt kleiner ist als eine Abwärtsbeförderungsgrenze LUmax;

Fig. 2B

eine schematische Darstellung einer Situation, wo die Anzahl der Zielrufe für Fahrten zum untersten Halt grösser ist als die Abwärtsbeförderungsgrenze LUmax.

Further details and advantages of the invention are described below using an exemplary embodiment and with reference to the drawing. Show it:

Fig. 1

a multi-mobile elevator system according to the invention, in a greatly simplified, schematic representation;

Figure 2A

a schematic representation of a situation where the number of destination calls for trips to the lowest stop is less than a downward movement limit LUmax;

Figure 2B

a schematic representation of a situation where the number of destination calls for trips to the lowest stop is greater than the downward transport limit LUmax.

Fig. 1 shows an elevator installation 10 in a simplified representation. As mentioned above, such elevator systems are known under the term multi-mobile elevator systems. The elevator installation 10 has an elevator shaft 11 in which an upper elevator car DU and a lower elevator car LU can move vertically.

Due to the arrangement of the two elevator cars LU and DU, for example, overlapping zones A and B. The upper elevator car DU serves a zone B, which extends from the uppermost stop 13.n of the elevator system 10 to a lower stop 13.2, which extends above the lowest stop 13.1 of the lower elevator car LU is located. The lower elevator car LU, on the other hand, serves a zone A which extends from an upper stop 13.n-1, which is below the uppermost stop 13.n of the upper elevator car DU, to the lowest stop 13.1 of the elevator system 10. If, for example, the elevator shaft 11 is 100 floors high, the upper elevator car DU covers floors 1 - 100 and the lower elevator car LU covers floors 0 - 99.

As long as a critical minimum distance is maintained between the two elevator cars DU and LU, the elevator cars DU and LU can move independently of one another in the elevator shaft 11.

The upper elevator car DU has a first drive and brake system which comprises a first holding brake (preferably a motor brake). The lower elevator cage LU has a second drive and brake system that detects a second holding brake (preferably a motor brake). The drives are, for example, traction sheave drives with traction sheaves which connect the elevator cars DU, LU to counterweights via conveying means. For the sake of clarity, neither the drives nor the funding and counterweights are in the Fig. 1 shown.

The elevator installation 10 also preferably has a collision protection system in order to prevent the two elevator cars DU and LU from colliding.

The elevator system 10 advantageously organizes the transport of the passengers with what is known as a destination call control. The elevator car is called from a location in the building (e.g. in the lobby in front of an elevator shaft) where a passenger is located by entering a destination. Such destination calls are entered by the passengers using a destination call input device. A destination call contains at least one piece of information about the location of the destination input and at least one piece of information about the desired destination. The destination call input devices transfer destination call information to the elevator control or to another elevator component which stores and / or processes the incoming destination calls. When the car is called, the elevator control includes at least information about the desired destination, in particular a floor or floor group, and about the location of the building where the passenger is located (e.g. the floor). In particular, it is recorded which destination input device was operated by the passenger. As a result, the destination call control differs significantly from a conventional car call control, which does not have any information about the destination of the passenger when the car is called. With such a conventional control, the destination is entered in the elevator car, that is to say after the elevator car has been assigned to a car call.

For the sake of clarity, the Fig. 1 no destination call input devices shown. The destination call input devices can be permanently installed panels on floors 13.1 to 13.n at entrances 14.n to the elevator system 10, for example with a 10-key keypad and / or touch screen, but they can also be mobile devices carried by the passengers, such as cell phones, cards with RF-ID means, or the like.

An elevator controller 20, which is shown in Fig. 1 is shown in a highly schematic manner, receives information (called destination call information) about the location of the destination call input devices Destination call entry and the destination. This destination call information is in Fig. 1 represented by arrows pointing to the elevator control 20. These arrows are labeled according to the following scheme. A destination call which indicates that a passenger wants to reach the lowest floor 13.1 (lowest stop) is denoted by a Z.1. Z.2 is a destination call for the 2nd lowest floor 13.2, Zn-1 is a destination call for the floor 13.n-1 and Zn is a destination call for the top floor 13.n (top stop).

As already stated, in addition to the destination information, the elevator control 20 also receives information which indicates the current location (e.g. the floor) where the corresponding passenger is located.

This destination call information can be used at any point in time to optimize the transport capacity of the elevator system 10, as is described below with reference to various embodiments.

The target call information is used to determine how many passengers have currently placed a target call, for example in order to reach the lowest stop 13.1 of the building and where in the building these passengers are located. According to the invention, the lower elevator car LU is used in the normal mode to transport passengers to the lowest stop 13.1, since this stop 13.1 cannot be reached through the upper elevator car DU. If the elevator control 20 determines that more destination calls z.1 for the lowest stop have been received than the lower elevator car LU is able to convey at the given time without letting the passengers wait too long, the elevator system 10 switches to one so-called downward replacement mode. In this downward substitute mode, the upper elevator car DU is used as a supplement / support for the transport of passengers who want to go to the lowest stop 13.1.

For this purpose, the upper elevator car DU is provided on the corresponding floors and the passengers are allowed to board. Only after the passengers have entered the upper elevator car DU, or when it has started moving, the passengers are informed that this elevator car DU only travels to a stop 13.2, which is, for example, one floor above the lowest stop 13.1. After leaving the elevator car DU, the passengers can then cover the rest of the downward path to the lowest floor 13.1, e.g. via an (escalator) staircase. In an alternative embodiment, the passengers are informed that this elevator car DU only travels up to a stop 13.n-1 to 13.2 in the zone used by the two elevator cars DU, LU. The passengers leave the elevator car DU on this floor and wait until the lower elevator car DU stops in order to bring the passengers to the lowest floor 13.1. The floor 13.n-1 to 13.2 approached by the upper elevator car DU thus serves as a transfer floor.

By means of this control measure, the downward capacity of the elevator system 10 can be increased significantly, since the passengers who want to get to the lowest stop 13.1 at the same moment are no longer dependent only on the lower elevator car LU.

According to the invention, this downward replacement mode is used in particular temporarily and when there is a particular need. According to the invention, the automatic transition from the normal mode to the downward substitute mode can be triggered when one or more conditions (called the trigger condition) are met.

In a first embodiment of the invention, in which a traffic-dependent elevator control 20 is provided, is based on the destination calls z.1-Zn determines whether the number of destination calls z.1 from passengers who want to reach the lowest stop 13.1 is greater than a downward transport limit LUmax of the lower elevator car LU. If this is the case, the elevator system 10 changes over to the downward substitute mode.

In the first embodiment, the downward conveyance limit LUmax of the lower elevator car LU is used as a trigger condition. The destination calls z.1 - Z.n that were placed by passengers are recorded. Then, by comparing the downward transport limit LUmax with the target calls z.1 currently available for the lowest stop 13.1, it is checked whether the number of target calls z.1 from passengers who want to reach the lowest stop 13.1 is greater than the downward transport limit LUmax. Then the elevator control 20 triggers the change from the normal mode to the downward replacement mode.

In a second embodiment of the invention, in which an automatic elevator control 20 is provided, it is determined on the basis of previously specified information whether the elevator installation 10 should switch to the downward replacement mode. For working days, for example, the elevator system 10 can be programmed in such a way that in the afternoons between 4 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. (called the release time), the system 10 is always operated in downward substitute mode, since a large number of passengers want to leave the building at this time.

In addition or as an alternative to this time-dependent configuration of the invention, the downward substitute mode can also be switched on in emergency situations. If, for example, the building has to be evacuated, the conveying capacity can be increased significantly.

In a further embodiment of the invention, a comes in addition to or as an alternative to the downward substitute mode so-called upward replacement mode is used. In this case the elevator installation can 1.) be operated in normal mode or in upward substitute mode, 2.) in normal mode or in downward substitute mode or 3.) in normal mode or in downward and upward substitute mode.

According to the invention, this upward replacement mode is used in particular temporarily and when there is a particular need. According to the invention, the automatic transition from normal mode to upward substitute mode can be triggered when one or more conditions (called trigger condition) are met.

In a third embodiment of the invention, in which a traffic-dependent elevator control is provided, the destination calls z.1-Zn are used to determine whether the number of destination calls Zn from passengers who want to reach the uppermost stop 13.n is greater than an upward transport limit DUmax of the upper elevator car DU. If this is the case, the elevator system 10 changes over to the upward substitute mode.

In the third embodiment, by comparing the upward transport limit DUmax with the target calls Z.n currently available for the top stop 13.n, it is determined whether the number of existing target calls Z.n is greater than the upward transport limit DUmax, in order to then switch to the upward replacement mode.

In the fourth embodiment of the invention, in which an automatic elevator control 20 is provided, it is determined on the basis of previously specified information whether the elevator installation 10 should switch to the upward replacement mode. For example, the elevator system 10 can be programmed for working days so that the system is always in the morning between 7 and 8 a.m. Upward substitute mode is operated, since at this time a large number of passengers enter the building.

According to the invention, the elevator control 20 and / or the destination call system coordinates all the elevators LU, DU. For this purpose, the destination call control can be linked to the elevator control 20 using known and proven means. The actuation of the drives takes place on the part of the elevator control 20 by appropriate signals or other control variables, as in FIG Fig. 1 indicated by the arrows A1 and B1.

The invention is preferably characterized in that nothing changes in the zone coverage of the individual elevator cars LU, DU. The provision of the respective elevator cars LU, DU, however, takes place in such a way that an increased conveying capacity is achieved downwards and / or upwards in that passengers are made to use the less suitable elevator car, although this elevator car does not quite reach the desired destination.
The method according to the invention obviously works best when the two elevator cars LU, DU look identical, so that the passengers cannot recognize when entering the elevator car LU, DU that this journey will not lead them completely to the destination entered in the destination call control .

Depending on the implementation of the invention, the elevator installation 10 can return to normal mode after what are known as reset conditions have been fulfilled. In the case of the traffic-dependent embodiments, further limit values, e.g. LUmin and / or DUmin, can be used here, and if they are not reached, the transition to normal mode takes place.

In the case of the time-dependent embodiments, a further time can be specified as a reset condition.

This in Fig. 1 The illustrated implementation example of the invention comprises a destination call system (not shown) which is linked to the elevator control 20 in the operating state. This link is designed in such a way that the elevator control 20 is able to receive the destination calls z.1-Zn from the destination call system and to send them to an evaluation.

In Fig. 1 it is indicated schematically that the elevator control 20 can comprise a software and / or hardware module 21 which contains the essential elements for the comparison operations. This software and / or hardware module 21 can, however, also be arranged elsewhere. The software and / or hardware module 21 can also comprise a temporary memory in which the incoming destination calls z.1-Zn are temporarily stored. This memory is then deleted after the passengers have been transported. So-called (shift) registers in which the destination calls are stored and processed in sequence are particularly suitable.
The (sliding) register principle is in the Figures 2A and 2B Explained using two typical situations. In Figure 2A a situation is shown where the number of destination calls z.1 (shown by black horizontal bars) for trips to the lowest stop 13.1 is less than the downward transport limit LUmax. The corresponding destination calls z.1 are stored in a register 22. Since the downward movement limit LUmax in the in Figure 2A The moment shown has not been exceeded, there is no change to the downward substitute mode and the register 23 of the upper elevator car DU remains empty.

In Figure 2B a situation is shown where the number of destination calls z.1 in register 22 for trips to the lowest stop 13.1 is greater than the downward transport limit LUmax. Since the downward conveyance limit LUmax has been exceeded, there is a change to the downward substitute mode and the register 23 of the The upper elevator car DU takes over part of the destination calls Z.1 from the register 22, as indicated with the aid of the arrow 24.

If the elevator system 10 is in the downward or upward substitute mode according to the invention, the passengers are only informed after boarding or during the transport that the elevator car in which the passengers are currently located does not approach the desired destination, but only up to approaching this goal at a stop. The elevator cars DU, LU can be equipped with appropriate means in order to inform the passengers accordingly acoustically and / or visually.

For example, in the case of the downward alternative mode, an announcement shortly before reaching the stop 13.2 can inform the passengers that they should leave the cabin DU on the 1st floor and use a staircase or escalator down to reach the lowest floor 13.1. In the area in front of the corresponding elevator shaft 11, further acoustic and / or visual means can be attached to guide the passengers disembarking on the 1st floor 13.2 to the lowest floor 13.1. to assign. For example, a signal can be sent to a stationary escalator so that the escalator begins to run shortly before the passengers on a replacement journey arrive.

In an alternative embodiment, an announcement shortly before reaching a stop 13.n-1 to 13.2 in the common travel area of the upper and lower elevator cars DU, LU informs the passengers that they need the car DU on the floor approached to reach the lowest floor 13.1 13. Leave n-1 to 13.2 and change to a lower elevator car LU. In the area in front of the corresponding elevator shaft 11, further acoustic and / or visual means can be installed in order to avoid the traffic on the transfer floor 13.n-1 to 13.2 to inform disembarking passengers when a lower elevator car LU is ready for a further journey to the lowest floor 13.1.

The same applies to the use of a staircase or escalator, starting from an uppermost floor 13.n-1 to be served by the lower elevator car LU to a floor 13.n above, also for the upward substitute journey. In addition, what has been described above also applies in the case of the upward substitute trip with regard to changing from a lower elevator car LU to an upper elevator car DU on a transfer floor 13.2 to 13.n-1 of the common travel area of the two elevator cars LU, DU. Finally, acoustic and / or visual means can also be used here analogously to the downward substitute travel

With knowledge of the present invention, the person skilled in the art is free to use more or fewer elevators for the operation according to the invention in the building.

Claims (12)

1. Method for operating an elevator system (10) which comprises at least an upper elevator car (DU) and a lower elevator car (LU) that are arranged in the same elevator shaft (11), characterized by the following steps:

   a1) operating the elevator system (10) in a normal mode, in the normal mode,

   the lower elevator car (LU) being provided for the passengers who have indicated by means of a destination call (Z.1) that they want to reach the lowermost floor (13.1),

   b1) checking whether at least one trigger condition is satisfied, and if this is the case, then switching to a downward alternative mode in order to temporarily provide the upper elevator car (DU) for passengers who want to reach the lowermost floor (13.1), and transporting these passengers in the upper elevator car (DU) to a floor (13.2 to 13.n-1) above the lowermost floor (13.1) and/or

   a2) operating the elevator system (10) in a normal mode, in the normal mode the upper elevator car (DU) being provided for the passengers who have indicated by means of a destination call (Z.n) that they want to reach the uppermost floor (13.n),

   b2) checking whether at least one trigger condition is satisfied, and if this is the case, then switching to an upward alternative mode in order to temporarily provide the lower elevator car (DU) for passengers who want to reach the uppermost floor (13.n), and transporting these passengers in the lower elevator car (LU) to a floor (13.2 to 13.n-1) below the uppermost floor (13.n).
2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that said method is a traffic-dependent method in which a downward transportation limit (LUmax) of the lower elevator car (LU) and/or an upward transportation limit (DUmax) of the upper elevator car (DU) is used as the trigger condition, the method comprising the following sub-steps:

   - detecting a plurality of destination calls (Z. 1-Z.n) from passengers,

   - by comparing the downward transportation limit (LUmax) with the current destination calls (Z.1) for the lowermost floor (13.1), checking whether the number of destination calls (Z.1) from passengers who want to reach the lowermost floor is greater than the downward transportation limit (LUmax) and/or

   - by comparing the upward transportation limit (DUmax) with the current destination calls (Z.n) for the uppermost floor (13.n), checking whether the number of destination calls (Z.n) from passengers who want to reach the uppermost floor is greater than the upward transportation limit (DUmax).
3. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the elevator system (10) automatically changes from the normal mode to the downward alternative mode when a trigger time is reached.
4. Method according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that in the downward alternative mode the upper elevator car (DU) is used to assist the lower elevator car (LU) and the passengers are informed only during the transportation in the upper elevator car (DU) that the downward travel ends on the floor (13.2 to 13.n-1) above the lowermost floor (13.1) and/or
   in the upward alternative mode the lower elevator car (LU) is used to assist the upper elevator car (DU) and the passengers are informed only during the transportation in the lower elevator car (LU) that the upward travel ends on the floor (13.2 to 13.n-1) below the uppermost floor (13.n).
5. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the elevator system (10) automatically returns to the normal mode.
6. Method according to any of claims 1-4, characterized in that the elevator system (10) returns to the normal mode after a reset condition has been satisfied.
7. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the comparison is carried out by central computing means (21) which receive destination call information (Z.1-Z.n) from the elevator system (10).
8. Elevator system (10) comprising

   - an elevator shaft (11),

   - at least an upper elevator car (DU) and a lower elevator car (LU) that are arranged in the elevator shaft (11),

   - an elevator controller (20, 21), and

   - a destination call system which, in the operating state, is linked to the elevator controller (20, 21) such that the elevator controller (20, 21) is able to receive the destination calls (Z.1-Z.n) from the destination call system and to supply said calls to an evaluation means, characterized in that the elevator controller (20, 21) is configured such that the elevator system (10) can be operated in a normal mode and in an upward or downward alterative mode,

   by means of the elevator controller (20, 21):

   a1) in the normal mode, the lower elevator car (LU) being provided for passengers who want to reach the lowermost floor (13.1); and

   b1) in the downward alternative mode, it being possible to use the upper elevator car (DU) and the lower elevator car (LU) for downward travel, it being possible to fill the lower elevator car (LU) up to the downward transportation limit (LUmax) and to use the upper elevator car (DU) for passengers who want to reach the lowermost floor (13.1), in the downward alternative mode the lower elevator car (LU) approaching the lowermost floor (13.1) and the upper elevator car (DU) approaching a floor (13.2 to 13.n-1) above the lowermost floor (13.1); and/or

   a2) in normal mode, the upper elevator car (LU) being provided for passengers who want to reach the uppermost floor (13.n); and

   b2) in the upward alternative mode, it being possible to use the lower elevator car (LU) and the upper elevator car (DU) for upward travel, it being possible to fill the upper elevator car (DU) up to the upward transportation limit (DUmax) and to use the lower elevator car (LU) for passengers who want to reach the uppermost floor (13.n), in the upward alternative mode the upper elevator car (DU) approaching the uppermost floor (13.n) and the lower elevator car (LU) approaching a floor (13.2 to 13.n-1) below the uppermost floor (13.n).
9. Elevator system (10) according to claim 8, characterized in that the destination call system of the elevator controller (20, 21) transmits destination call information that transmits information about the desired destination and the current location of a passenger who has triggered a destination call.
10. Elevator system (10) according to either claim 8 or claim 9, characterized in that the destination call system and/or the elevator controller (20, 21) comprises storage means (22, 23) in order to be able to temporarily store and process incoming destination calls.
11. Elevator system (10) according to claim 8, 9 or 10, characterized in that at least one of the elevator cars (DU, LU) has means to inform passengers of these elevator cars (DU, LU) that an alternative destination is being approached instead of the actual destination.
12. Elevator system (10) according to claim 8, 9 or 10, characterized in that the destination call system and/or the elevator controller (20, 21) is linked to the controller of an escalator in order to set the escalator in motion before a particular floor (13.2) is reached.

Images