Abstract: A pair of elevator cars (10, 11) traveling in the same hoistway have their positions sensed (20-23, 29-32) to provide for each a position signal (35, 37) from which velocity signals (64, 65) are derived; lookup tables (66, 61) of safe stopping distance (B, S) for braking and safeties are formed as a function of all possible combinations of velocity (V(U), V(L)) of said cars. Comparison of safe stopping distances for contemporaneous velocities of said cars with actual distance between said cars provides signals (85, 98, 99) to drop the brakes (49, 50) of one or more of the cars, and provides signals (82) to engage the safeties (18, 18a, 19, 19a) of all cars if the cars become closer or if acceleration detectors (117, 118) determine a car to be in freefall.

Abstract: An elevator system includes an electronic system capable of triggering a machine room brake and an electromagnetic safety trigger with low hysteresis and with minimal power requirements that can be released to engage safeties, when car over-speed and/or over-acceleration is detected. The electromagnetic trigger may be reset automatically and may be released to engage the safeties, during the reset procedure. The system includes a processing system that is configured to decrease response time and to reduce the occurrence of false triggers caused by conditions unrelated to passenger safety, such as passengers jumping inside the elevator car.

Abstract: An elevator system 40 includes an over-acceleration and over-speed protection system capable of triggering a machine room brake and a safety trigger when over-speed or over-acceleration conditions are detected. The system includes a speed detector 42 and an acceleration detector 44. Based upon sensed speed and sensed acceleration, the controller 48 calculates a filtered speed of an elevator mass such as an elevator car 16 or counterweight, and compares the filtered speed to the threshold speed to determine whether an over-speed condition has been reached. The controller 48 activates a machine room brake when an over-speed condition exists, and engages an elevator safety 70A, 70B when it determines that the elevator mass is still in an over-speed condition after the machine room brake has been activated.

Abstract: An electromagnetic safety trigger 46 includes a link 72 kinematically connected to a safety 70A, 70B of an elevator system mass, such as an elevator car or counterweight. An electromagnet 76 mounted on a linear actuator 74 is magnetically coupled to the link 72, and a spring 78 is connected between the link 72 and the elevator mass. The electromagnet 76 can be triggered to release the link 72, which allows the spring 78 to move the link 72 to engage the safety 70A, 70B.

Abstract: The device for controlling movement of a plurality of elevator cars in a single hoistway includes a door monitor module (46) that facilitates controlling movement of elevator cars (22, 24). The door monitor module (46) is configured to determine when at least one door (30) along a hoistway (26) is open. The door monitor module (46) places a first relay (52) in a selected operative state if a first elevator car (22) is stopped at a landing corresponding to the at least one open door. The door monitor module (46) places a second relay (56) in a selected operative state if a second elevator car (24) is stopped at a landing corresponding to the at least one open door. The door monitor module (46) is also configured to place both relays (52, 56) into the selected operative state if neither of the elevator cars (22, 24) is stopped at a landing corresponding to an open door (30) along a hoistway (26).

Abstract: An elevator system 40 includes an electronic system 48 capable of triggering a machine room brake and an electromagnetic safety trigger 46 with low hysteresis and with minimal power requirements that can be released to engage safeties 70A, 70B when car over-speed and/or over-acceleration is detected. The electromagnetic trigger 46 may be reset automatically and may be released to engage the safeties 70A, 70B during the reset procedure. The system includes an over-speed and over-acceleration detection and processing system that is configured to decrease response time and to reduce the occurrence of false triggers caused by conditions unrelated to passenger safety, such as passengers jumping inside the elevator car 16.

Abstract: An electromagnetic safety trigger 46 includes a link 72 kinematically connected to a safety 70A, 70B of an elevator system mass, such as an elevator car or counterweight. An electromagnet 76 mounted on a linear actuator 74 is magnetically coupled to the link 72, and a spring 78 is connected between the link 72 and the elevator mass. The electromagnet 76 can be triggered to release the link 72, which allows the spring 78 to move the link 72 to engage the safety 70A, 70B.

Abstract: An elevator system 40 includes an over-acceleration and over-speed protection system capable of triggering a machine room brake and a safety trigger when over-speed or over-acceleration conditions are detected. The system includes a speed detector 42 and an acceleration detector 44. Based upon sensed speed and sensed acceleration, the controller 48 calculates a filtered speed of an elevator mass such as an elevator car 16 or counterweight, and compares the filtered speed to the threshold speed to determine whether an over-speed condition has been reached. The controller 48 activates a machine room brake when an over-speed condition exists, and engages an elevator safety 70A, 70B when it determines that the elevator mass is still in an over-speed condition after the machine room brake has been activated.

Abstract: An exemplary elevator system includes an elevator car. A (22,42) car status indicator (60) provides information indicative of every position of the car and the velocity of the car. A controller (70) controls elevator car movement responsive to an indication from the car status indicator (60) that the elevator car is moving too fast near a landing corresponding to a scheduled stop of the elevator car.

Abstract: The device for controlling movement of a plurality of elevator cars in a single hoistway includes a door monitor module (46) that facilitates controlling movement of elevator cars (22, 24). The door monitor module (46) is configured to determine when at least one door (30) along a hoistway (26) is open. The door monitor module (46) places a first relay (52) in a selected operative state if a first elevator car (22) is stopped at a landing corresponding to the at least one open door. The door monitor module (46) places a second relay (56) in a selected operative state if a second elevator car (24) is stopped at a landing corresponding to the at least one open door. The door monitor module (46) is also configured to place both relays (52, 56) into the selected operative state if neither of the elevator cars (22, 24) is stopped at a landing corresponding to an open door (30) along a hoistway (26).

Abstract: An elevator system (8) includes a hoistway (9) having a plurality of cars (10, 11) traveling therein, the hoistway includes a steel tape (14), each car having two tape readers (20, 21; 22, 23) which feed corresponding position detectors (29, 30: 31, 32) to provide independent position signals (35, 26: 37, 38). A group controller (52) assigns calls in a fashion to avoid collisions. Controllers (45, 46) for each car communicate with each other and when deemed necessary, either lower the speed, acceleration, deceleration of one or both of the cars, or stop (with or without reversing) one or both of the cars. Independent processors (41, 42) will drop the brake (49, 50) of either or both cars if they come within a first distance of each other, or will engage the safeties (18, 19) of either or both cars if they come within a lesser distance of each other.

Abstract: A pair of elevator cars (10, 11) traveling in the same hoistway have their positions sensed (20-23, 29-32) to provide for each a position signal (35, 37) from which velocity signals (64, 65) are derived; lookup tables (66, 61) of safe stopping distance (B, S) for braking and safeties are formed as a function of all possible combinations of velocity (V(U), V(L)) of said cars. Comparison of safe stopping distances for contemporaneous velocities of said cars with actual distance between said cars provides signals (85, 98, 99) to drop the brakes (49, 50) of one or more of the cars, and provides signals (82) to engage the safeties (18, 18a, 19, 19a) of all cars if the cars become closer or if acceleration detectors (117, 118) determine a car to be in freefall.

Abstract: An elevator system (8) includes a hoistway (9) having a plurality of cars (10, 11) traveling therein, the hoistway includes a steel tape (14), each car having two tape readers (20, 21; 22, 23) which feed corresponding position detectors (29, 30: 31, 32) to provide independent position signals (35, 26: 37, 38). A group controller (52) assigns calls in a fashion to avoid collisions. Controllers (45, 46) for each car communicate with each other and when deemed necessary, either lower the speed, acceleration, deceleration of one or both of the cars, or stop (with or without reversing) one or both of the cars. Independent processors (41, 42) will drop the brake (49, 50) of either or both cars if they come within a first distance of each other, or will engage the safeties (18, 19) of either or both cars if they come within a lesser distance of each other.