EP3362394A1

EP3362394A1 - Device for adjusting the position of an elevator system, and elevator system

Info

Publication number: EP3362394A1
Application number: EP16790285.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Heiko Essinger
Original assignee: Elgo Electronic GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Elgo Electronic GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 2015-10-13
Filing date: 2016-10-13
Publication date: 2018-08-22
Anticipated expiration: 2036-10-13
Also published as: CN108495801B; EP3362394B1; US20180297813A1; WO2017064191A1; ES2750998T3; CN108495801A; DE202015105420U1

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for adjusting the position of an elevator system, comprising position measuring means (14), which can be paired with an elevator car (2) that can be moved in an elevator shaft (6) and which are designed to generate position data corresponding to a current shaft position of the elevator car, and comprising position control means (34), which interact with the position measuring means (14) and which are paired with configuration means (16) that can be actuated manually and/or by means of data input means such that in response to a manual actuation and/or an actuation of the data input means, a plurality of car stop positions which can be distributed along the elevator shaft can be adjusted and stored. A mobile data processing unit (26) which is wirelessly linked to the configuration means and which has a display unit (28) is paired with the configuration means (16) such that position data corresponding to the plurality of car stop positions can be displayed together on the display, in particular in a tabular form and/or in the form of graphical elements, and the mobile data processing unit has manually actuatable operating means (28) for changing at least one item of position data and for transmitting the changed item of position data to the configuration means.

Description

Device for adjusting the position of an elevator installation

and elevator system

The present invention relates to a device for adjusting the position of an elevator system according to the preamble of the main claim. Furthermore, the present invention relates to an elevator system using such a position adjusting device.

From the prior art, generic devices for adjusting the position of an elevator installation are generally known; These devices are used, in particular, to guide the elevator car movably driven elevator car at provided car stop positions in the shaft in a set-up and maintenance operation of an elevator installation - these usually then correspond to respective floors and thus provided car door opening positions, so that corresponding cabin holding positions are then set and stored can. For this purpose, the elevator car is assigned, in an otherwise known manner, position-measuring means which generate position data in accordance with a current shaft position of the elevator car and typically provide it for computational further processing. Such position measuring means are known, for example, in the form of a magnetic field detector slide unit (as a position sensor) which is fixed to the elevator car and movable relative to a magnetized length coding extending along the elevator shaft by movement of the elevator car. Corresponding to the magnetic coding, magnetic field sensors then read and convert into (current absolute or relative) position data.

This position data functionality is also used for a set-up or configuration operation of the elevator installation. For this purpose, an operator, usually by manual motion control, drives the Elevator car along the elevator shaft and there each predetermined or intended cabin holding positions - ie the corresponding floors of the respective positions - to. Associated position data are then acquired, stored and provided for the later operation provided automated elevator control, such that then the elevator control and positioning performing position control means according to these stored position data can selectively approach the selected or intended floors.

This set-up or configuration operation is generally known and proven, but troublesome in practical implementation, so that, in particular also with regard to relevant safety regulations, considerable configuration time is required for the described setup. Last but not least, the known handling of the configuration means - usually by means of cable attachable control units with numeric displays and mechanical control buttons - cumbersome to use, potentially error prone and requires careful training and training of operating personnel. Added to this is the fact that it is not always possible to generate unique position data from the position-measuring means for the practical configuration and setting operation for the plurality of cabin-holding positions along an elevator shaft. For example, hysteresis effects can be expected in the event that a cabin stop position is approached from two opposite cabin movement directions, just as a cabin speed or cabin acceleration up to the stop position influences position data which are then to be stored in the generic manner. Last but not least, the technology that has been assumed to be generic is, to that extent, not very user-friendly and, in particular, opposite Inaccurate position data is little tolerant, as the operator has no or only limited possibilities to act manually on the position data or to change them. The object of the present invention is therefore to simplify a generic device for position adjustment of an elevator installation with regard to its operability, in particular the configuration and set-up operation for the plurality of cabin holding positions simpler, faster, with less training and monitoring effort and fault-tolerant too in particular to facilitate the scope with potentially inaccurate or incorrect position data.

The object is achieved by the device for adjusting the position of an elevator installation with the features of the main claim; advantageous developments of the invention are described in the subclaims. Additional protection within the scope of the invention is claimed for an elevator system according to independent claim 10, which provides for a lift cage movably provided in the elevator car, the device for position adjustment according to the main claim. In that regard, the invention is not limited to an overall system, in particular is to be understood as a device according to the invention for position adjustment, a device which has neither the elevator shaft, nor moving therein elevator car as inventive features or claimed.

In an advantageous manner according to the invention, a wirelessly connected mobile data processing unit is initially assigned to the configuration means, which not only simplifies the handling and flexibility in the configuration drastically, but also in the context of the invention by means of the display representing the plurality of cabin holding positions together for viewing by the operator allowed. It can This representation preferably takes place in tabular and / or graphical or other suitable manner for illustrating the relationship of the individual items, for instance also by being arranged along a symbolic vertical direction, insofar as corresponding to the elevator shaft, with the purpose of providing the operator with a simple overview to provide for cabin hold positions already set up or yet to be set up, and at the same time to make it possible to check for uniformity of these distances, for example by simple calculations - which can also be provided by the data processing unit through additional calculation functionalities of the position data on the display. This means that the display or the display unit according to the invention should advantageously be a display unit suitable for high-resolution image display, such that the table of all car-holding positions with associated position data, which is preferably to be displayed, is then compared in tabular form, for example, to the respectively associated elevator holding positions or floor numbers , can be represented as a whole, or at least in part, if necessary, an image shift or scroll functionality can also be realized here.

In addition, the invention provides for the mobile data processing unit to assign the manually operable operating means for changing at least one of the position data. In a twofold synergistic manner, this can be realized, for example, by the display unit, which is more preferably in the form of a touch-sensitive display, not only enabling the operator to simply select a position datum to be changed, but also suitable control knobs can then be used Form of conventional buttons of the touch-sensitive display for the change according to the invention be aligned. The synergy according to the invention is also achieved by further functionalities, for example, by the operator the change conditional relative distances to pre- or subordinate positions automatically displays, so that in turn in this respect the ease of use and handling when setting up is greatly facilitated. This then also applies to the post-processing of a plurality of position data for one of the elevator holding positions - this may arise, for example, that the operator the proposed elevator holding position (in the present disclosure also referred to as cabin holding position) multiple and approximately from different directions, with different accelerations or the like. starts and from then resulting different position values either manually selects a suitable value, the data processing unit makes an averaging or other prioritization, or otherwise obtains a favorable optimal position value which is nevertheless available with little effort.

In the practical implementation of the invention and for the wireless connection of the data processing unit to the configuration means within the scope of the invention, radio links are preferred, in which case a Bluetooth connection is still preferred, in particular for the short range to be solved here, but not limited to the scope of the invention.

In order to further increase the ease of operation in the configuration and to improve the information of the operator handling the data processing unit, it is additionally provided according to the training to additionally obtain a car speed signal and / or a car direction signal from the position measuring means; In an otherwise known manner, it is clear to the person skilled in the art that from a sequence of changing position data of the position means, this additional information can readily be generated and then suitably additionally represented on the display unit in the context of preferred further developments. For example, with the above-described purpose of improving the fine adjustment, it is often useful for the operator to obtain this additional information about the current driving operation of the elevator car. In a structurally particularly preferred embodiment, developments of the invention provide for integrating in particular the position-measuring means according to the invention and the configuration means according to the invention in a modular manner, this being done preferably by the respective assemblies being integrated on a common carrier unit and then this carrier unit is then connected to one suitable mounting position on or on an elevator car can be fixed. In view of the need for the position-measuring means to be fixed to the cabin for cooperation with typically stationary length coding means on or in the elevator shaft, the allocation of the configuration means lends itself not least as possibly additionally synergistic common electronic assemblies, such as a microcontroller or micro - Roprozessor-based configuration control unit, can also be used for the position measurement and decoding, or vice versa. In this case, it is additionally advantageous and further provided that this module arrangement (or the configuration means, if these should be provided in isolation, then separately allocate them) configuration enabling means, which are more preferably implemented in the form of an activation switch and must be physically operated by the operator in order to be able to carry out the configuration operation at all then subsequently in the manner described above, for example from an operating position on the elevator roof.

A further advantageous embodiment of the invention, which is also to be regarded as best mode, provides for the position-measuring means as well as the configuration means-ideally provided adjacent to one another, thus - to assign safety switches, which are provided for the controlled interruption of a car door opening functionality of the elevator car. Specifically, these are so controlled by the positioning means and the configuration means, that only a car door opening (such as a closed Rele the circuit breaker) is possible if position data of the position measuring means correspond to the set and stored cabin holding positions or deviate from them by no more than a predetermined tolerance , This measure also significantly increases the safety of the configuration operation in a structurally simple manner.

As a result, an elevator system can be realized with the present invention, which combines drastically simplified configuration with increased ease of use, higher operational reliability in the configuration and significantly reduced configuration times and training times.

Further advantages, features and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments and from the drawings; these show in

1 shows a schematic side view of an elevator system in the form of an embodiment of the invention with an elevator car which can be moved in an elevator shaft to clarify the context of use of the invention and FIG

Fig. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a device for adjusting the position of the elevator installation according to Fig. 1 as a first embodiment of the invention. 1 illustrates in a schematic way - in particular the figure dimensions are not proportional - the basic realization of a elevator system according to the invention for the preferred application context of the present invention. An elevator car 2, driven by schematically represented drive means 4, is mounted so as to be movable in a vertical direction in an elevator shaft 6, the elevator car being suspended on a support cable 8 driven by the device 4 for the purpose of conveyance. The elevator car 2 is additionally movable along a positional coding 12 provided in the vertical extension of the shaft 6 in the form of a (here absolute) coded magnetic tape, such that position detection and adjustment means 10 are secured to an upper roof area of the car 2 during the Move movement of the cabin along the code strip 12 and detect by means of suitable magnetic field detectors of the assembly 10, a current magnetization at a current position of the cabin and then convert this into position or movement and speed data. This technology is known as such, is successfully implemented and utilized by the applicant, among others.

Against this background, FIG. 2 illustrates the schematic detail construction and the functional realization of the position setting and measuring device 10 according to FIG. 1, insofar as a preferred embodiment of the invention. The block diagram first clarifies within the border for the assembly 10 that position measuring means 14, which contrast with the code band, provide a current position by decoding and possibly fine interpolation (by means of additional magnetic field sensors) for further processing by a central control unit 18.

A configuration unit (configuration means) 16 is furthermore connected to the central control unit 18, such that both predetermined position data for cabin holding positions along the chute direction can be detected by means of the assembly 16 (and subsequently assigned in the chute). However, in a later continuous operation of the elevator installation, respectively predetermined or selected specifications, for example floor numbers, can be provided or returned by means of the configuration unit and the data stored in the unit 22 in the same way, that a positioning of the elevator car can be carried out according to the preselected position. This functionality is realized via the position control unit 34 (position control means) connected by means of a data line 32, which may usually be provided separately from the module-like unit 10 either itself on the elevator car, alternatively on a fixed position on or in the elevator shaft. This position control means then in turn cause otherwise in known manner the operation of the drive means 4, 8 for an elevator car 2 so that they can drive to their (according to the configuration 16, 22) predetermined position.

As illustrated in this regard, the block diagram of Fig. 2, provided in the unit 10 communication interface 20 causes the electronic data communication to the position control means 34. In addition, the block diagram of Figure 2 illustrates how the communication interface unit 20, a portable data processing unit 26 is wirelessly connected; the double dot-dash line 30 in FIG. 2 clarifies in this respect a common Bleutooth data connection to this portable data processing unit 26, which in an otherwise known manner, for example in the form of a tablet computer, a PDA, a smartphone or the like. can be realized. In the embodiment shown here, this portable data processing unit is provided with a touch-sensitive screen unit 28, which can not only reproduce graphics or complex representations for an operator with high-resolution quality, also the touch-sensitive display unit 28 serves to form manual user interfaces, such as by suitable and possibly situational provided for this purpose and trained on the display 28 buttons, which can then be selected or operated accordingly by an operator. The block diagram of Fig. 2 additionally illustrates a manually operable switch unit 24 connected to the central control unit 18, which is provided outside a module housing for the module 10 and must be manually activated or actuated by an operator, as will be detailed below descriptive configuration operation of the system of FIG. 1 initiate.

In concrete terms, an operator would activate or activate a configuration operation by activating the switch unit 24 (which, moreover, should also be designed in the manner of an otherwise known emergency switch), so that suitable configuration data are then received, considered and possibly adjusted by means of the wirelessly connected data processing unit 26. changed or manipulated. For this purpose, initially an operator, which may be located within the car 2 or on the roof of the car 2, for instance, by means of manual control (not shown in detail) by means of the position control means 34 positions the car to a position which corresponds to a floor position to be configured. This relative position between car 2 and codestrip 12 caused thereby results in position signal generation by position sensor 14 (unique here on the basis of absolute coding), this position signal suitably converted approximately into a dimension or height indication in the shaft by means of central control unit 18 and the interface unit 20 is transmitted to the data processing unit 26, where a representation, for example in the form of a number pair (floor number, absolute position statement) takes place on the display 28. After that, for example, the operator has confirmed this position and another, alternative posi- tion (approximately corresponding to an alternative floor number) anfährt, here the associated floor and height information is displayed to the user on the display 28, ideally in the form of a table so that about, possibly further additionally graphically or numerically processed, the operator not only It is also possible to visually inspect every single dimension and floor detail, but also to make this review entirely on the basis of the table, for example by additionally calculating and indicating whether the relative distances between individual successive floors are in fact the same or whether Dimension, measurement or position errors are present.

The operator, by appropriate operation of the touch-sensitive display 28, is then allowed to individually access individual position values being displayed, such as by selecting, in an otherwise known manner by touching, a value to be treated and then by means of suitable control surfaces, such as " Plus "or" Minus ", a manual fine adjustment and correction can be done. In this way, the operator is then allowed in a simple, clear, reliable and easy-to-use manner to generate a complete final and configuration-based set of positional data which is then stored for permanent storage in the unit 22 and future use a continuous operation of the elevator system by the unit 34, the positioning may be based.

According to a preferred development of the invention, it is additionally possible to record a plurality of position data for each position (to be approached or to be configured) of the elevator car along the coding path 12; This serves to interpolate or average an optimum value from a plurality of measured values. For example, due to the inherent hysteresis behavior of the positives Onsmessanordnung conceivable that position information vary in that an operator a predetermined elevator position from two directions (ie from above or from below) anfährt, with the result that possibly then a manual user intervention to select or to form an average or the like , final position value. In this regard too, a tabular and visual preparation made possible by means of the graphics-capable display arrangement 28 is the ideal way to solve this complex configuration task simply and reliably.

Regardless of these exemplary operations, it is within the scope of the expert design of the invention, both the user interface further develop and design - so could be selected or approached about "plus" or "minus" control surfaces predetermined elevator positions, as well as about Deletion function can be selected, with the purpose of completely restarting and reconfiguring a faulty operation or an undesired position. In addition, it may be useful in the configuration to additionally display to the operator acceleration and / or speed values of a (current) cabin movement, as well as in an otherwise known manner, an access protection or other security measures can be performed on the configuration. It is within the scope of the practical embodiment of the invention to make these available in particular in the form of customary application software applications via known distribution platforms, so that a permanent updating of this technology is ensured even in the case of widespread use. As a result, the present invention achieves, in a surprisingly simple and elegant manner, the significant improvement in the configuration and set-up operation of an elevator system with the adjustment (teaching) of respective elevator hold positions (floor positions) relative to a position on the length code. Added to this is the advantage that the integration of, in particular, the position measurement and the configuration means in a modular manner in or on a common carrier unit and to provide for the cabin a simple, easy to maintain and easy to use way to implement this technology, not least than in any case more common form Positioning systems corresponding mechanical infrastructure is already available.

Claims

claims

1 . Device for adjusting the position of an elevator installation with

a position measuring means (14) which can be assigned to an elevator car (6) which can be moved in an elevator shaft (6) and which are designed to generate position data corresponding to a current shaft position of the elevator car,

and position-control means (34) cooperating with the position-measuring means (14), to which manual and / or data-actuatable configuration means (16) are associated so that in response to manual operation and / or actuation of the data input means a plurality of along the Elevator shaft can be set and stored providable cabin holding positions,

characterized in that

the configuration means (16) are associated with a mobile data processing unit (26) connected wirelessly to the configuration means and having a display unit (28) in such a way that position data corresponding to the plurality of cabin holding positions, in particular in tabular and / or graphic form, can be displayed together

and the mobile data processing unit has manually operable operating means (28) for changing at least one of the position data and for transmitting the changed position data to the configuration means.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the operating means are designed as at least one touch-sensitive switching or footprint on the touch-sensitive display unit (28).

Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the data processing unit (26) via a bidirectional radio link (30) is connected to the configuration means, in particular realized a radio transmission protocol according to a Bluetooth or WLAN standard.

Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the data processing unit for receiving a plurality of one of the car stop positions corresponding position data and with processing means for selecting one of the position data and / or for prioritizing or averaging the plurality of position data is formed.

Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the position measuring means (14) are designed for additionally generating a car speed signal and on the display unit (28) a current car speed and / or a valid at a predetermined or predeterminable time cabin speed is additionally displayed ,

Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the position-measuring means (14) are designed for additional generation of a car direction direction signal and on the display unit, a current cabin travel direction is additionally displayed.

Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the position-measuring means (14) and the configuration means (16) are designed in a modular manner on a common carrier unit or on adjacent carrier units on an elevator car providable.

8. Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the configuration means for manual operation provided configuration release means (24), in particular in the form of an activation switch, are physically associated.

9. Device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the position measuring means and the configuration means safety switches for the controlled interruption of a Kabinentüröff- tion functionality of an elevator car are assigned so that a car door opening is only possible if position data of the position measuring means the set and stored Cabin stop positions or deviate from them by no more than a predetermined tolerance.

10. Elevator system with an elevator shaft (6) movably provided in an elevator car (2) to which the device for position adjustment, in particular on a roof area of the elevator car, is attached.