EP4126728A1

EP4126728A1 - Device for controlling an elevator system

Info

Publication number: EP4126728A1
Application number: EP21712850.3A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Valerio Villa
Original assignee: Inventio AG
Current assignee: Inventio AG
Priority date: 2020-03-27
Filing date: 2021-03-22
Publication date: 2023-02-08
Also published as: CN115335311B; WO2021191138A1; CN115335311A; US20230146042A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (112) for controlling an elevator system (100). The elevator system (100) comprises an elevator shaft (102) which is delimited by a shaft wall (104), said shaft wall (104) having a wall opening (106), which connects the inner face (108) of the shaft wall (104) to the outer face (110) of the shaft wall (104). The device (112) comprises a housing (114) for receiving a controller (120) for controlling the elevator system (100), wherein the housing (114) has a housing opening (124) which allows access to the controller (120), and the housing is rotatably mounted in the wall opening (106) between a first position and a second position in an operational state of the device (112). The housing opening (124) is accessible from the outer face (110) of the shaft wall (104) in the first position and from the inner face (108) of the shaft wall (104) in the second position.

Description

Device for controlling an elevator system

The present invention relates to a device and a method for controlling an elevator system and a corresponding elevator system.

An elevator system usually includes an evacuation control with which a car z. B. can be controlled manually to a stop in the event of a fire or a power failure. For safety reasons, the evacuation control must be accessible outside an elevator shaft in which the elevator car is moving, since the elevator car can block access to the elevator shaft in such cases.

At the same time, the elevator system should also be manually controllable within the elevator shaft, for example in order to be able to carry out maintenance or inspection work in the elevator shaft.

The object of the invention is to improve the control of an elevator installation.

This object is achieved by a device, a method and an elevator system according to the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are defined in the dependent claims and the description below.

A first aspect of the invention relates to a device for controlling an elevator system, the elevator system comprising an elevator shaft delimited by a shaft wall and the shaft wall having a wall opening which connects an inside of the shaft wall to an outside of the shaft wall. The device comprises a housing for receiving a controller for controlling the elevator installation, the housing having a housing opening which enables access to the controller and is rotatably mounted in the wall opening between a first position and a second position when the device is in an operational state . The housing opening is accessible from the outside of the shaft wall in the first position and from the inside of the shaft wall in the second position. In other words, the housing opening can point to the outside of the shaft wall in the first position, so that the housing opening is accessible from the outside, and in the second position can point to the inside of the shaft wall, so that the housing opening from the inside or from the inside of the elevator shaft is accessible.

The wall opening and the housing can be dimensioned so that an outer surface of the housing together with an inner surface of the wall opening forms a relatively small gap so that, for example, a technician cannot reach past the housing through the wall opening, for example to access the control from the inside operate when the housing is in the first position, d. H. the housing opening is turned outwards, and vice versa.

The housing can be mounted pivotably horizontally or vertically, for example. In particular, the housing can be designed in the shape of a cuboid. However, a cylindrical housing is also possible.

The wall opening can, for example, be closed on one or both sides with a fire-resistant cover. The cover can be removable or pivotable.

It is possible for the controller to provide different types of control for controlling the elevator system, depending on the position of the housing, including, for example, an evacuation control or an inspection control. This is described in more detail below.

It is also conceivable, for example, that the housing can also be rotated into a third position in which the housing opening is accessible neither from the outside of the shaft wall nor from the inside of the shaft wall. The wall opening can be closed on both sides by a housing wall of the housing.

Such a device enables the elevator system to be controlled safely both outside and inside the elevator shaft without separate controls being required for this purpose. A second aspect of the invention relates to an elevator installation which comprises an elevator shaft delimited by a shaft wall and a device as described above and below. The shaft wall has a wall opening which connects an inside of the shaft wall with an outside of the shaft wall. The housing of the device is rotatably mounted in the wall opening between the first position and the second position.

A third aspect of the invention relates to a method for controlling an elevator installation, as described above and below. The method comprises the following steps: recognizing whether the housing is in the first position or the second position by a position recognition device; Activating a first control mode for controlling the elevator system when the

Position detection device detects that the housing is in the first position; Activating a second control mode for controlling the elevator installation when the position detection device detects that the housing is in the second position.

Features of the device, as it is described above and below, can also be features of the method and vice versa.

Possible features and advantages of embodiments of the invention can be viewed, inter alia and without restricting the invention, as being based on the ideas and findings described below.

According to one embodiment, the device further comprises a position detection device which is designed to detect whether the housing is in the first position or the second position, as well as the control, which is accommodated in the housing and is designed for a first control mode to activate to control the elevator installation when the position detection device detects that the housing is in the first position, and to activate a second control mode for controlling the elevator installation when the position detection device detects that the housing is in the second position. The position detection device can, for example, comprise a switch or an arrangement of a plurality of switches which can be actuated by rotating the housing into the first or second position. Additionally or alternatively, the position detection device can comprise one or more sensors for detecting a position of the housing.

The two control modes can differ from each other. In particular, in the second control mode, i.e. when the control is accessible from the inside, certain safety-critical functions of the control can be deactivated, for example a function for manually moving a car or the like in order not to endanger a technician located in the elevator shaft.

According to one embodiment, the control prevents manual activation of the first control mode in the second control mode. In this way it can be avoided that in the second control mode functions of the control are activated which could endanger the safety of the technician located in the elevator shaft.

According to one embodiment, the control prevents manual activation of the second control mode in the first control mode. For example, if the control is only accessible from the outside, i. H. If the technician is outside the elevator shaft - certain functions are excluded from the control system that require visual contact with components inside the elevator shaft.

According to one embodiment, the control in the first control mode enables a safety circuit of the elevator installation to be bridged. A drive of the elevator system can be supplied with power via the safety circuit. If the safety circuit is interrupted under certain operating conditions, it can still be bridged manually, for example by means of an inspection or evacuation control. The control can be designed to enable bridging of this type, provided that it is ensured that the technician is located outside the elevator shaft. This is ensured when the housing opening is in the first position, ie is turned outwards and the first control mode is thus active. According to one embodiment, the control in the second control mode prevents a safety circuit of the elevator system from being bridged. This can prevent the drive of the elevator system from being set in motion by the control, ie a car being moved while the technician is in the elevator shaft.

According to one embodiment, the control in the first control mode enables the elevator installation to be switched over to normal operation.

According to one embodiment, the control in the second control mode prevents the elevator system from being switched over to normal operation.

This can also prevent the technician in the elevator shaft from being endangered by a moving car.

According to one embodiment, the housing opening is not accessible from the inside of the shaft wall in the first position. In this way it can be ruled out that the control is operated from the inside when it should actually only be operated from the outside.

According to one embodiment, the housing opening is not accessible from the outside of the shaft wall in the second position. In this way, it can be ruled out that the control is operated from the outside when it should actually only be operated from the inside.

According to one embodiment, the housing can only be rotated in one direction. In this way, unwanted adjustment of the housing can be avoided. For example, it can also be achieved in this way that the technician has to leave the elevator shaft in order to rotate the housing from the second position back into the first position.

According to one embodiment, the device further comprises a locking mechanism which blocks a movement of the housing between the first position and the second position in a locked state and releases it in an unlocked state. The locking mechanism can be manually adjusted between the locked state and the unlocked state. For example, can the housing can be rotated from both sides of the shaft wall from the first position to the second position, that is to say from the outside to the inside. In order to prevent the housing from being rotated from the second position back into the first position, ie from inside to outside, from the outside of the shaft wall, the device can comprise a latching mechanism which restricts rotation of the housing. Such a latching mechanism can, similar to a cable tie, comprise a latch and a counterpart movable relative to the latch, in which the latch engages in a form-fitting manner, so that the housing can only be rotated in a certain direction. The technician can manually release the latching mechanism, for example by lifting the latch so that the housing can also be rotated in the other direction. The locking mechanism can be designed in such a way that it can only be released within the elevator shaft, for example by the notch being accessible only from the inside of the shaft wall.

According to one embodiment, the device further comprises a lockable housing door for closing the housing opening. The housing door can be movably attached to the housing in order to close the housing opening there. It is also possible that the housing door is movably attached to the outside of the shaft wall in order to close the wall opening there and thus prevent access to the housing opening. For example, the device can also include a first housing door for closing the wall opening on the outside of the shaft wall and a second housing door for closing the wall opening on the inside of the shaft wall.

Embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, neither the drawings nor the description being to be construed as restricting the invention. Show it:

FIG. 1: an elevator installation according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 2: a housing from FIG. 1 in the first position;

FIG. 3: a housing from FIG. 1 in the second position; and

FIG. 4: a flow chart of a method according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. The figures are only schematic and not true to scale. In the various figures, the same reference symbols denote the same or equivalent features.

FIG. 1 shows an elevator system 100 with an elevator shaft 102 which is delimited by a shaft wall 104. The shaft wall 104 has a continuous wall opening 106 which connects an inside 108 of the shaft wall 104 with an outside 110 of the shaft wall 104. Furthermore, the elevator system 100 comprises a device 112 for the manual control of the elevator system 100 by a technician 113.

The wall opening 106 can be located next to a door opening in the shaft wall 104, for example. It is also conceivable that the wall opening 106 is located in the region of a shaft pit or in an upper region of the elevator shaft 102.

The device 112 enables the elevator system 100 to be controlled from the outside 110 on the one hand and from the inside 108 on the other. For this purpose, the device 112 has a housing 114 which is mounted within the wall opening 106 so as to be rotatable about an axis of rotation 116 between a first position and a second position. The axis of rotation 116 can be oriented transversely to a longitudinal axis of the wall opening 106, for example horizontally or vertically. In FIG. 1, the axis of rotation 116 is oriented vertically by way of example.

A controller 120 with various operating elements 122 for operating the elevator installation 100 by the technician 113 is arranged in the housing 114. For example, the operating elements 122 can comprise a rotary switch for switching between normal operation and a special operation such as a maintenance or evacuation operation, a button for releasing a movement of a car 123 and buttons for specifying a direction of travel of the car 123.

The housing 114 has a housing opening 124 through which the technician 113 can access the operating elements 122 in the interior of the housing 114. In order to be able to access the control 120 or the operating elements 122 from the outside 110, the technician 113 rotates the housing 114 into the first position in which the housing opening 124 faces the outside 110, as shown in FIG. In order to be able to access the control 120 or the operating elements 122 from the inside 108, the technician 113, however, rotates the housing 114 into the second position in which the housing opening 124 faces the inside 108.

In addition or as an alternative to the housing 114, the operating elements 122 can be at least partially rotatably mounted between a first position and a second position, the operating elements 122 being accessible from the outside 110 in the first position and from the inside 108 in the second position.

For example, the housing 114 can have a closed housing wall 125 on a side opposite the housing opening 124, which in the first position faces the inside 108 in order to close the wall opening 106 on the inside 108 so that the technician 113 cannot work from the inside 108 comes up to the housing opening 124, or in the second position points to the outside 110 in order to close the wall opening 106 on the outside 110 so that the technician 113 cannot access the housing opening 124 from the outside 110.

In addition, the housing wall 125 can be adapted to an appearance of the shaft wall 104, i. E. H. be adapted to their color or structure. The housing wall 125 can thus be inconspicuously integrated into the shaft wall 104.

It is also possible for the housing wall 125 to end flush with the outer side 110 in the second position. Additionally or alternatively, the housing wall 125 can end flush with the inside 108 in the first position.

The device 112 can comprise a position detection device 126 which is designed to detect whether the housing 114 is in the first position or the second position. For example, the position detection device 126 can have a switch which is actuated by the housing 114 and generates a corresponding switching signal as soon as the housing 114 assumes the first position. Based on the switching signal, the controller 120 can activate a first control mode. For example, the first control mode can be activated as long as the switching signal is applied to the controller 120. If the housing 114 leaves the first position, the switch returns to its rest position and no longer generates a switching signal. Accordingly, the controller 120 deactivates the first control mode and instead activates a second control mode which is used to control the elevator installation 100 from the elevator shaft 102.

The position detection device 126 can also comprise a plurality of such switches, for example a first switch for signaling that the housing 114 is in the first position and a second switch for signaling that the housing 114 is in the second position. In addition or as an alternative to such switches, the position detection device 126 can comprise a suitable sensor for detecting a respective position of the housing 114.

The control modes can differ, for example, in that in the first control mode a safety circuit, which supplies a drive of the elevator system 100 with power in the closed state, can be bridged, while this is not possible in the second control mode (the safety circuit is usually operated under certain, operating conditions that deviate from normal ferry operations are interrupted, for example in the event of a malfunction or when an inspection is carried out). This can prevent the drive from being set in motion while the technician 113 is in the elevator shaft 102.

Furthermore, the controller 120 can be configured in such a way that the elevator system 100 can only be switched to normal operation in the first control mode, i. H. only if the controller 120 is accessible from the outside 110.

The elevator installation 100 can be controlled by a higher-level elevator control which is connected to the safety circuit and performs various functions by interrupting or bridging parts of the safety circuit. The controller 122 can inform the elevator controller which control mode is active at a particular point in time. Depending on the control mode, the elevator control can, for example, set certain current paths in the safety circuit activate or deactivate. For example, the first control mode can be a mode for an electrical emergency operation and the second control mode can be a mode for a shaft pit inspection.

For example, when the housing 114 is rotated into the second position, the elevator control can deactivate a bridging path for the electrical emergency operation. In this way, the safety circuit can only be closed if none of the safety switches in the safety circuit has triggered.

The elevator control or the control 122 can be implemented as a software and / or hardware module.

The housing 114 can be coupled, for example, to a freewheel mechanism 128, which has the effect that the housing 114 can only be rotated in one direction.

Additionally or alternatively, the device 112 can comprise a manually adjustable locking mechanism 130, which blocks a movement of the housing 114 between the first position and the second position in a locked state and releases it in an unlocked state.

For example, the housing 114 can be fixed in the locked state either in the first position or in the second position.

The locking mechanism 130 can only be released with the aid of a special key, for example.

It is possible for the locking mechanism 130 to be integrated into the freewheel mechanism 128.

In order to prevent unauthorized persons from accessing the controller 120, the housing opening 124 can be closable with a housing door 132. For example, the housing door 132 is movably supported here on the shaft wall 104 and covers the entire wall opening 124 in the closed state. The housing door 132 can be lockable. Similar to the housing wall 125, the housing door 132 can have a decoration imitating the shaft wall 104 on its outside.

FIG. 2 shows the wall opening 124 viewed from the outside 110. As already shown in FIG. 1, the housing 114 is in the first position. The individual operating elements 122, which are freely accessible through the housing opening 124, can be seen.

FIG. 3 shows the wall opening 124 in the same view as in FIG. 2, with the difference that the housing 114 is rotated here into the second position. It can be seen how the housing opening 124 is closed by the housing wall 125 in the second position. Furthermore, a lock 300 for a special key for locking or unlocking the housing 114 by means of the locking mechanism 130 is shown.

FIG. 4 shows a flow chart of a method 400 for controlling the elevator system 100, as can be carried out by the device 112 from FIGS. 1 to 3.

In a first step 410, the position detection device 126 detects whether the housing 114 is in the first position or the second position.

If it has been recognized that the housing 114 is in the first position, the first control mode is activated in a second step 420a.

Alternatively, the second control mode is activated in a second step 420b when it has been recognized that the housing 114 is in the second position.

Finally, it is pointed out that terms such as “having”, “comprising” etc. do not exclude any other elements or steps and that terms such as “a” or “an” do not exclude a multitude. It is further pointed out that features or steps that have been described with reference to one of the above exemplary embodiments can also be used in combination with other features or steps of other of the above exemplary embodiments. Reference signs in the claims are not to be regarded as a restriction.

Claims

1. Device (112) for controlling an elevator system (100), wherein the elevator system (100) comprises an elevator shaft (102) delimited by a shaft wall (104), the shaft wall (104) having a wall opening (106) which has an inside (108) connects the shaft wall (104) to an outside (110) of the shaft wall (104), the device (112) comprising: a housing (114) for receiving a controller (120) for controlling the elevator installation (100); wherein the housing (114) has a housing opening (124) that allows access to the controller (120), and wherein the housing (114) is rotatable between a first position and a second position in an operable state of the device (112) the wall opening (106) is supported; wherein the housing opening (124) is accessible from the outside (110) of the shaft wall (104) in the first position and from the inside (108) of the shaft wall (104) in the second position.

2. The device (112) according to claim 1, further comprising: a position detection device (126) which is designed to detect whether the housing (114) is in the first position or the second position; the controller (120), which is accommodated in the housing (114) and is designed to activate a first control mode for controlling the elevator system (100) when the position detection device (126) detects that the housing (114) is in the first position is, and to activate a second control mode for controlling the elevator system (100) when the position detection device (126) detects that the housing (114) is in the second position.

3. Device (112) according to claim 2, wherein in the first control mode bridging of a safety circuit of the elevator installation (100) is made possible.

4. The device (112) according to claim 2 or 3, wherein in the second control mode bridging of a safety circuit of the elevator system (100) is prevented.

5. Device (112) according to one of claims 2 to 4, wherein in the first control mode switching of the elevator system (100) into normal operation is made possible.

6. Device (112) according to one of claims 2 to 5, wherein in the second control mode switching of the elevator system (100) into normal operation is prevented.

7. Device (112) according to one of claims 2 to 6, wherein manual activation of the first control mode is prevented in the second control mode.

8. Device (112) according to one of claims 2 to 7, wherein manual activation of the second control mode is prevented in the first control mode.

9. Device (112) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing opening (124) is not accessible in the first position from the inside (108) of the shaft wall (104).

10. Device (112) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing opening (124) in the second position is not accessible from the outside (110) of the shaft wall (104).

11. Device (112) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing (114) is rotatable in only one direction.

12. The device (112) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising: a locking mechanism (130) that blocks movement of the housing (114) between the first position and the second position in a locked state and releases it in an unlocked state; wherein the locking mechanism (130) is manually adjustable between the locked state and the unlocked state.

13. Device (112) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising: a lockable housing door (132) for closing the housing opening (124).

14. Elevator installation (100), comprising: an elevator shaft (102) delimited by a shaft wall (104), the shaft wall (104) having a wall opening (106) which connects an inside (108) of the shaft wall (104) with an outside ( 110) connects the shaft wall (104); and a device (112) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing (114) is rotatably mounted in the wall opening (106) between the first position and the second position.

15. The method (400) for controlling an elevator installation (100) according to claim 14, wherein the method (400) comprises:

Detecting (410) whether the housing (114) is in the first position or the second position by a position detection device (126);

Activating (420a) a first control mode for controlling the elevator installation (100) when the position detection device (126) detects that the housing (114) is in the first position;

Activation (420b) of a second control mode for controlling the elevator installation (100) when the position detection device (126) detects that the housing (114) is in the second position.