WO2008007445A1

WO2008007445A1 - Position detecting device, position detecting device for an elevator, and elevator apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2008007445A1
Application number: PCT/JP2006/314123
Authority: WO
Inventors: Aernoud Brouwers; Kiyoshi Funai
Original assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
Priority date: 2006-07-11
Filing date: 2006-07-11
Publication date: 2008-01-17
Also published as: KR20080111441A; EP2038197A1; JP2009542548A; CN101374748B; KR101022122B1; EP2038197A4; CN101374748A

Abstract

A position detecting device includes a magnetic shield provided a fixed part, and a detecting body which is provided to a movable part which is displaceable with respect to the fixed part and is provided with a detection region into which the magnetic shield is inserted when the movable part reaches a predetermined position. The detecting body includes a reed switch, a permanent magnet for generating a magnetic field which reaches the reed switch through the detection region, and an electromagnet for generating a magnetic field which avoids the detection region and reaches the reed switch. A state of the reed switch is switched between a closed state and an open state by entering and exiting of the magnetic shield with respect to the detection region, or by switching between supplying power and stopping supplying power to the electromagnet.

Description

DESCRIPTION

POSITION DETECTING DEVICE, POSITION DETECTING DEVICE FORAN ELEVATOR, AND ELEVATOR APPARATUS

[Technical Field]

[0001]

The present invention relates to a position detecting device for detecting a position of a movable part which is displaceable with respect to a fixed part, a position detecting device for an elevator, and to an elevator apparatus. [Background Art]

[0002]

Up to now, in order to detect a position of a car which is a movable part, proposed is a position detecting device for an elevator in which a device to be detected including a plurality of permanent magnets is fixed to a landing side of a fixed part within a hoistway, and in which a detector including a reed switch is provided to the car . The permanent magnets are arranged at intervals in a car moving direction. The reed switch is turned on when the reed switch is in a position opposing the permanent magnet, and is turned off when the reed switch is no longer in the position opposing the permanent magnet due to a movement of the car (see WO 03/011734) .

[0003] [Disclosure of the Invention]

[Problem to be solved by the Invention]

[0004]

However, in such the conventional position detecting device for an elevator, it is necessary to move a car for inspecting whether a reed switch operates normally or not. Therefore, an inspection work for the reed switch requires much time and labor.

[0005]

The present invention has been made to solve the above problem, and therefore has an object to obtain a position detecting device, a position detecting device foranelevatorandan elevator apparatus, in which an inspection of the reed switch can be performed with ease and in a short period of time while the movable part is stopped. [Means for solving the Problem] [0006]

A position detecting device according to the present invention includes: a magnetic shield provided one of a fixed part and a movable part which is displaceable with respect to the fixed part, for blocking a magnetic field; and a detecting body provided the other of the fixed part and the movable part, and is provided with a detection region into which the magnetic shield is inserted when the movable part reaches a predetermined position. The detecting body includes a reed switch, a permanent magnet for generating a magnetic field which reaches the reed switch through the detection region, and an electromagnet for generating a magnetic field which avoids the detection region and reaches the reed switch, and a state of the reed switch is switched between a closed state and an open state one of by entering and exiting of the magnetic shield with respect to the detection region, and by switching between supplying power and stopping supplying power to the electromagnet. [Brief Description of the Drawings]

[0007]

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view showing an elevator apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view showing a position detecting device for Fig. 1;

Fig.3 is a plan view showing a substantial part of the position detecting device when a power supply to an electromagnet is stopped in a state where a magnetic shield of Fig. 2 is not inserted into a detection region;

Fig.4isaplanview showing the substantial part of the position detecting device when power is supplied to the electromagnet in a state where the magnetic shield of Fig. 2 is not inserted into the detection region;

Fig.5isaplanviewshowingthesubstantial partofthe position detecting device when the power supply to the electromagnet is stopped in a state where the magnetic shield of Fig. 2 is inserted into the detection region;

Fig. βisaplanviewshowingthe substantialpartofthe position detecting device when power is supplied to the electromagnet in a state where the magnetic shield of Fig. 2 is inserted into the detection region. [Best Mode for carrying out the Invention]

[0008]

Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Embodiment 1

Fig. 1 is a side view showing an elevator apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. In the figure, within a hoistway 1, a car (a movable part) 2 and a couterweight 3 are provided to be capable of being raised/lowered. To be specific, the car 2 and the couterweight 3 are displaceable with respect to the fixed part fixed within the hoistway 1. In addition, provided within the hoistway 1 are a pair of guide rails for guiding the car 2 and a pair of counterweight guide rails for guiding the counterweight 3 (either of which is not shown) . Provided in an upper portion of the hoistway 1 are a hoisting machine (drive machine) 5 including a drive sheave 4, and a deflector sheave 6 arranged at an interval from the drive sheave 4. A plurality of main ropes 7 for suspending the car 2 and the couterweight 3 are wound around the drive sheave 4 and the deflector sheave 6. The car 2 and the couterweight 3 are raised/lowered within the hoistway 1 by a driving force of the hoisting machine 5.

[0009] a plurality of magnetic shields 8 for blocking a magnetic field are fixed on the fixed part fixed within the hoistway 1. The magnetic shields 8 are arranged at intervals along a moving direction of the car 2. Each of the magnetic shields 8 is a plate arranged in parallel to the moving direction of the car. In addition, the magnetic shields 8 are fixed to one of the guide rails.

[0010]

A detecting body 9 for detecting the magnetic shields 8 is provided to the car 2. A detection region 10 which is formed by removing a part of the detecting body 9 is provided in the detecting- body 9. The detecting body 9 is provided to the car 2 in such a manner that the magnetic shield 8 is inserted into the detection region 10 when the car 2 is positioned at a stopping position (predetermined position) of each floor, and the magnetic shield 8 is removed from the detection region 10 when the car 2 is not positioned at the stopping position (predetermined position) of each floor. Further, the detecting body 9 detects the presence/absence of the insertion of the magnetic shield 8 into the detection region 10, thereby detecting whether or not the car 2 has reached the stopping position of each floor. It should be noted that a position detecting device 11 for detecting a position of the car 2 includes the magnetic shield 8 and the detecting body 9.

[0011]

Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the position detecting device 11 of Fig. 1. In the figure, the detecting body 9 includes a reed switch 12, a permanent magnet 13 for generating a magnetic field which reaches the reed switch 12 through the detection region 10, an electromagnet 14 for generating a magnetic field which avoids the detection region 10 and reaches the reed switch 12 by being supplied with power, and a casing 15 for containing the reed switch 12, the permanent magnet 13, and the electromagnet 14.

[0012]

The casing 15 includes a pair of opposing portions 16 and 17 which are opposed to each other through the detection region 10, and a connecting portion 18 for connecting the opposing portions 16 and 17. The permanent magnet 13 is contained in one opposing portion 16, and the reed switch 12 and the electromagnet 14 is contained in the other opposing portion 17. It should be noted that the reed switch 12 is arranged at a side closer to the detection region 10 than the electromagnet 14. The reed switch 12 may be arranged at a side more distant from the detection area 10 than the electromagnet 14.

[0013]

The magnetic field from the permanent magnet 13 to the reed switch 12 is blocked by the magnetic shield 8 when the magnetic shield 8 is inserted into the detection region 10. In other words, the magnetic field received by the reed switch 12 is changed by the entering and exiting of the magnetic shield 8 with respect to the detection region 10.

[0014]

The magnetic field from the electromagnet 14 to the reed switch 12 vanishes when the power supply to the electromagnet 14 is stopped. That is, the magnetic field received by the reed switch 12 is changed by switching between supplying power and stopping supplying power to the electromagnet 14. In addition, the magnetic field from the electromagnet 14 to the reed switch 12 is not blocked by the magnetic shield 8 irrespective of the presence/absence of the insertion of the magnetic shield 8 into the detection region 10. It should be noted that the electromagnet 14 is supplied with power by a feeder system (not shown) . Further, the switching between supplying power and stopping supplying power to the electromagnet 14 from the feeder system is performed by a controller (not shown) for controlling operation of an elevator.

[0015]

The reed switch 12 includes a contact 19. A state of the reed switch 12 can be switched between a closed state (ON state) where the contact 19 is closed and an open state (OFF state) where the contact 19 is opened, by a change of the magnetic field received by the reed switch 12. That is, the state of the reed switch 12 is switched between the closedstateand the open state by theentering and exiting of the magnetic shield 8 with respect to the detection region 10, or by switching between supplying power and stopping supplying power to the electromagnet 14.

[0016]

In other words, Fig. 3 is a plan view showing a substantial part of the position detecting device 11 when a power supply to the electromagnet 14 is stopped in a state where the magnetic shield 8 of Fig. 2 is not inserted into the detection region 10. As shown in the figure, in this case, the magnetic field 20 from the permanent magnet 13 is not blocked by the magnetic shield 8, and reaches the reed switch 12 as it is . In addition, the generation of the magnetic field from the electromagnet 14 is stopped. Therefore, in a case where the magnetic shield 8 is not inserted into the detection region 10, and when the power supply to the electromagnet 14 is stopped, the reed switch 12 directly receives the magnetic field 20 from the permanent magnet 13, whereby the contact 19 is closed.

[0017]

Fig.4 isaplanview showing the substantial part of the position detecting device 11 when power is supplied to the electromagnet 14 in a state where the magnetic shield 8 of Fig. 2 is not inserted into the detection region 10. As shown in the figure, in this case, the magnetic field from the permanent magnet 13 is not blocked by the magnetic shield 8, and reaches the reed switch 12 side. In addition, a magnetic field is generated from the electromagnet 14, thereby combining the magnetic fields from the permanent magnet 13 and the electromagnet 14, respectively. As a result, a magnetic field 21 is formed for the detecting body 9 such that the magnetic field at the reed switch 12 is weakened. Therefore, in a case where the magnetic shield 8 is not inserted into the detection region 10, and when the electromagnet 14 is supplied with power, the magnetic field received by the reed switch 12 is weakened, whereby the contact 19 is opened.

[0018]

Fig.5 isaplanviewshowingthesubstantial part of the position detecting device 11 when a power supply to the electromagnet 14 is stopped in a state where the magnetic shield 8 of Fig.2 is inserted into the detection region 10. As shown in the figure, in this case, the magnetic field 20 from the permanent magnet 13 to the reed switch 12 is blocked by the magnetic shield 8. In addition, the generation of the magnetic field fromthe electromagnet 14 is stopped. Therefore, in a case where the magnetic shield 8 is inserted into the detection region 10, and the power supply to the electromagnet 14 is stopped, the magnetic field received by the reed switch 12 is weakened, whereby the contact 19 is opened.

[0019]

Fig.6 is a plan view showing the substantial part of the position detecting device 11 when power is supplied to the electromagnet 14 in a state where the magnetic shield 8 of Fig. 2 is inserted into the detection region 10. As shown in the figure, in this case, the magnetic field 20 from the permanent magnet 13 to the reed switch 12 is blocked by the magnetic shield 8. In addition, the magnetic field 22 is generated from the electromagnet 14. Therefore, in a case where the magnetic shield 8 is inserted into the detection region 10, when the electromagnet 14 is supplied with power, the reed switch 12 directly receives the magnetic field 22 from the electromagnet 14, whereby the contact 19 is closed.

[0020]

As described above, in a case where the car 2 is stopped, the state of the reed switch 12 is switched between the closed state and the open state by switching between supplying power and stopping supplying power to the electromagnet 14. In a case where switching between supplying power and stopping supplying power to the electromagnet 14 is not performed, the state of the reed switch 12 is switched between the closed state and the open state by the entering and exiting of the magnetic shield 8 with respect to the detection region 10.

[0021]

Next, an operation of the position detecting device 11 will be described. During a normal operation of an elevator, the power supply to the electromagnet 14 is stopped. At this time, the reed switch 12 is in a closed state by receiving the magnetic field from the permanent magnet 13 (Fig. 3) . In such the state, the car 2 is moved.

[0022]

After that, when the car 2 reaches a predetermined stopping position, the magnetic shield 8 is inserted into the detection region 10 of the detecting body 9, whereby the magnetic field from the permanent magnet 13 to the reed switch 12 is blocked by the magnetic shield 8. As a result, the state of the reed switch 12 is switched from the closed state to the open state (Fig. 5) . Then, information from the reed switch 12 is transmitted to the controller, and the controller detects that the car 2 has reached the predetermined stopping position.

[0023]

Next, an operation of performing when an inspection of the position detecting device 11 will be described. The inspection of the position detecting device 11 is performed while the car 2 is stopped. First, a state of the reed switch 12 when the power supply to the electromagnet 14 is stopped is detected by the controller. After that, power is supplied to the electromagnet 14 from the feeder system by a control of the controller. In this case, the controller determines whether or not the state of the reed switch 12 is switched between the closed state and the open state. As a result, in a case where the state of the reed switch 12 is switched, the controller makes a normal determination that the position detecting device 11 is normal, and in a case where the state of the reed switch 12 is maintained (that is, not switched), the controller makes an abnormal determination that the position detecting device 11 is abnormal . It should be noted that switching between supplying power and stopping supplying power to the electromagnet 14 is repeatedly performed.

[0024]

For example, in the inspection of the position detecting device 11 in a case where the magnetic shield 8 is not inserted into the detection region 10, when the position detecting device 11 is normal, the state of the reed switch 12 is switched from the closed state (Fig. 3) to the open state (Fig. 4) by supplying power to the electromagnet 14. When the position detecting device 11 is abnormal, the reed switch 12 is maintained in the closed state (Fig. 3) and is not switched even when the power is supplied to the electromagnet 14. Thus, the presence/absence of the abnormality of the position detecting device 11 is detected.

[0025]

In such the position detecting device 11 for the elevator, the detecting body 9 is provided with the reed switch 12, the permanent magnet 13 for generating the magnetic field which reaches the reed switch 12 through the detection region 10, and the electromagnet 14 for generating themagnetic field which reaches the reed switch 12 while avoiding the detection region 10. Therefore, it is possible to detect the presence/absence of the abnormality of the reed switch 12 only by switching between supplying power and stopping supplying power to the electromagnet 14 while the car 2 is stopped. As a result, the inspection of the position detecting device 11 can be performed with ease and in a short period of time.

[0026]

Further, in such the elevator device, the inspection of the position detecting device 11 can be performed with ease and in a short period of time, thereby making it possible to enhance operational efficiency of the elevator.

[0027]

Further, the controller performs switching between supplying power and stopping supplying power to the electromagnet 14 while the car 2 is stopped, and determines the presence/absence of the abnormality of the reed switch 12, thereby making it possible to automatically perform the inspection of the position detecting device 11. As a result, the position detecting device 11 has a self-checking function, thereby making it possible to enhance the reliability of the motion of the position detecting device 11. Accordingly, the position detecting device 11 may be used for, for example, a safety system.

[0028]

It should be noted that, in the above example, the detecting body 9 is provided to the car 2, and the magnetic shield 8 is provided within the hoistway 1, but the magnetic shield 8 may be provided to the car 2, and the detecting body 9 may be provided within the hoistway 1.

Claims

1. A position detecting device, characterized by comprising : a magnetic shield provided to one of a fixed part and a movable part which is displaceable with respect to the fixed part, for blocking a magnetic field; and a detecting body provided to the other of the fixed part and the movable part, and provided with a detection region into which the magnetic shield is inserted when the movable part reaches a predetermined position, characterized in that: the detecting body comprises a reed switch, a permanent magnet for generating a magnetic field which reaches the reed switch through the detection region, and an electromagnet for generating a magnetic field which avoids the detection region and reaches the reed switch; and a state of the reed switch is switched between a closed state and an open state one of by entering and exiting of the magnetic shield with respect to the detection region, and by switching between supplying power and stopping supplying power to the electromagnet.

2. A position detecting device for an elevator, characterized by comprising: a magnetic shield provided one of within a hoistway and to a car which is raised/lowered within the hoistway, for blocking a magnetic field; and a detecting body provided the other of within the hoistway and to the car, and is provided with a detection region into which the magnetic shield is inserted when the car reaches a predetermined position, characterized in that: the detecting body comprises a reed switch, a permanent magnet for generating a magnetic field which reaches the reed switch through the detection region, and an electromagnet for generating a magnetic field which avoids the detection region and reaches the reed switch; and a state of the reed switch is switched between a closed state and an open state one of by entering and exiting of the magnetic shield with respect to the detection region, and by switching between supplying power and stopping supplying power to the electromagnet.

3. An elevator apparatus, characterized by comprising: a car being raised/lowered within a hoistway; and a position detecting device comprising: a magnetic shield provided one of within the hoistway and to the car, for blocking a magnetic field; and a detecting body provided the other of within the hoistway and to the car, and is provided with a detection region into which the magnetic shield is inserted when the car reaches a predetermined position, characterized in that: the detecting body comprises a reed switch, a permanent magnet for generating a magnetic field which reaches the reed switch through the detection region, and an electromagnet for generating a magnetic field which avoids the detection region and reaches the reed switch; and a state of the reed switch is switched between a closed state and a open state one of by entering and exiting of the magnetic shield with respect to the detection region, and by switching between supplying power and stopping supplying power to the electromagnet.

4. An elevator apparatus according to claim 3, characterized by further comprising a controller for determining presence/absence of an abnormality of the reed switch by switching between supplying power and stopping supplying power to the electromagnet while the car is stopped.