Abstract: In the method of the present invention, a procedure and an apparatus for the entry of calls in an elevator system are described. In the method, a destination call is entered outside the elevator car if the starting floor is a floor with intensive departing traffic. On other floors, the customer first enters a collective-control up or down call in the traditional manner and then a destination call in the elevator car. In an example of the method, the above procedure additionally comprises a function whereby the elevator customer is identified and an identified regular customer is allowed to select and confirm his/her destination floor from among one or more preprogrammed alternatives. As preprogrammed floors, the destination floors most frequently used by the regular customer in question are stored, the starting floor being fixed. Preprogrammed floors can be set for several different starting floors separately.

Abstract: A drive system for escalators having steps or moving walkways having pallets includes at least one drive motor. A drive chain is driven by the drive motor and is comprised of a plate link chain. The drive chain has such a pitch that a maximum of two links are used for each step or pallet. A mechanism for minimizing a polygon effect which occurs during entry and reversing of the chain at a reversing element includes at least one device for actuating one of the drive motor, the reversing elements or the drive chain with a non-constant rotational speed or velocity.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a system for executing elevator control actions from a remote terminal in a remote control system. The remote control system comprises a remote terminal, one or more monitoring cameras as well as interface and data transfer means for the transmission of camera information, elevator status data and/or control commands between the elevator and the remote control system. The monitoring cameras are so directed that their combined image area substantially covers the operating area of the elevator. The remote terminal comprises a display device for the display of image information and elevator status data and means for starting elevator control functions. In the method, the operating area of the elevator is imaged by a monitoring camera or cameras, whose image information as well as the elevator status information is displayed on the display device of the remote terminal.

Abstract: A travelator and method for transporting passengers on a travelator. The travelator includes a plurality of successive conveyors arranged to form an acceleration section, a constant speed section including at least one conveyor having a constant transport speed, and a deceleration section. The acceleration section includes successive conveyors having constant speeds stepwise increasing in the transport direction for accelerating a passenger. The deceleration section includes successive conveyors having constant speeds stepwise decreasing in the transport direction for decelerating the passenger. The speeds of the conveyors in the acceleration section and the deceleration section are arranged such that the average acceleration experienced by the passenger over the entire length of the acceleration and deceleration sections is constant.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for handling the PIN code of the SIM card of a GSM terminal of a remote monitoring device used for remote monitoring of elevators and/or escalators and/or moving walkways. According to the present invention, when the aforesaid remote monitoring device and GSM terminal are to be taken in use, the aforesaid SIM card is assigned a public default PIN code and a randomly generated PIN code. By applying the present invention, the data security of the handling of the PIN code of the SIM card of the GSM terminal of the remote monitoring device is substantially improved.

Abstract: A method for allocating an elevator in a destination floor elevator system. An elevator group includes several elevators, a passenger data terminal for reserving elevators for use by passengers, and an elevator group control system for controlling the elevators in response to signals from the passenger data terminal. The method includes inputting the size and destination floor of the group of passengers into the control system of the elevator group, allocating one or more elevators to the group of passengers by utilizing the size and destination floor of the group, and informing the members of the group of passengers about the allocation.

Abstract: A conveyor for use in a travelator for transporting passengers in a transport direction. The conveyor comprises a frame; a plurality of shafts mounted on the frame substantially transversely to the transport direction, each of the plurality of shafts being substantially parallel to one another and spaced apart from one another. A belt pulley pack is mounted on each of the shafts, each belt pulley pack comprising a plurality of belt pulleys mounted adjacent to one another. Each belt pulley comprises a mold-cast object comprising: a first side having a first aligning and coupling element formed therein; a second side opposite to the first side, the second side having a second aligning and coupling element fitted to match the first aligning and coupling element, so that the first and second aligning and coupling elements of adjacent belt pulleys align and couple the adjacent belt pulleys together in a shape-locking manner.

Abstract: An elevator group control method for the allocation of calls, in which method a given service time of the elevator group is assigned a target value. The service time may be passenger waiting time, call time, traveling time, riding time or an average value of one of these quantities. The method aims at fulfilling the assigned target value in such a way that the energy consumption of the elevator system is minimized. Optimization is implemented using a model of the elevator system, by means of which the desired service time can be predicted. This prediction is utilized in a controller controlling the optimizer. This makes it possible to improve the construction and operation of the controller and optimizer so that the energy consumption of the elevator system can be reduced while the condition regarding the target service time is fulfilled at the same time.

Abstract: The invention relates to a condition monitoring method and a corresponding system for measuring the stopping accuracy of an elevator car. In the invention, a door zone is defined for each floor, a door zone detector is mounted on the elevator car, the elevator car is moved towards a destination floor, acceleration values of the elevator car are measured during its travel towards the destination floor by means of an acceleration sensor attached to the elevator car and the distance of the stopped elevator from the edge of the door zone is calculated on the basis of the measured acceleration values.

Abstract: An elevator with an elevator car, guide rails, a counterweight and counterweight guide rails is arranged to minimize shaft space requirements. This elevator has a plurality of diverting pulleys mounted in an upper part of the shaft. A drive motor with a traction sheave is also mounted in the upper part of the shaft. There is at least one diverting pulley on both the elevator car and the counterweight. The car guide rails, the diverting pulleys in the upper part of the shaft and the drive motor and traction sheave are all on the same side of the elevator car. The elevator will take up as little space as possible in a transverse direction of the shaft and can be installed in a confined space.

Abstract: Method and system of controlling a counterweightless elevator system provided with an elevator car and a variable speed drive with an electric motor. The elevator car load is weighed, and the elevator system is controlled in order to reduce the physical/electrical dimensions of the system. The total mass of the elevator is defined by the equation Mtotal=Mcar (mass of the car)+A*Maxpayload, wherein Mcar is the mass of the car, A is a coefficient and Maxpayload is the maximal payload. If the payload supercedes A*Maxpayload the elevator is controlled so that the speed and/or acceleration of the motor is reduced, and/or the idle time of the elevator is increased.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for controlling the elevators of an elevator group in a building divided into zones comprising different floors in such manner that, at the passenger's departure floor, the elevators are given calls to floors beyond the zone limits of the departure zone. According to the invention, the aforesaid call is divided into two or more calls.

Abstract: The invention relates to a safety device arrangement for an elevator door opening, said safety device arrangement comprising at least a toe guard (3) placed substantially at the lower edge of the elevator car and a safety circuit (21) connected to the elevator system. The safety device arrangement comprises a safety circuit switch (16) placed on the toe guard (3) and a bypass switch (17) connected to the safety circuit (21), said bypass switch being fitted to bypass the safety circuit switch (16) at least when the elevator is at or close to the lowest landing floor.

Abstract: A travelator, moving ramp or escalator for transporting passengers comprises a conveyor mounted on a first frame adapted to be supported on a fixed structure The first frame comprises two elongated first frame parts which include guide tracks for guiding the conveyor. The first frame parts comprise profiled metallic bodies of solid material joined together end to end one after the other. The profiled metallic bodies comprise one or more extruded profiles. A handrail comprises a handrail frame and an endless handrail belt mounted on the handrail frame and arranged as a loop having an upper handhold portion that a passenger can grip with a hand for support and a lower return portion disposed inside the first frame. A number of suspenders are fastened to the first frame at a distance from each other to support the return portion of the handrail belt inside the profiled metallic bodies.

Abstract: The invention relates to an escalator or moving walkway that includes a drive shaft rotating at a relatively low peripheral speed around a horizontal axis and at least one sealing element associated with the drive shaft. Lubricant is supplied to the drive shaft and can escape from leakages at the one sealing element. A device is provided for a permanent recirculation of the lubricant escaping from the leakages. The device includes at least one conveyor element arranged downstream of the sealing element, seen in the direction of the leakage, and at least one recirculation element for the lubricant. The recirculation element cooperates with the conveyor element to return the lubricant into a region upstream of the at least one sealing element.

Abstract: The present invention describes a method and an apparatus for storing electric energy needed in an elevator system into a supercapacitor. Furthermore, the invention can be used as a source of reserve power in emergency situations, such as power failures. The supercapacitor is connected together with three switching branches to a rectified signal of the power supply of the motor. By closing and opening the switches, the supercapacitor can be charged when the motor load is small. When the motor load is large or when the power supply fails, the electric energy contained in the supercapacitor can be discharged for use by the motor. In an emergency, the motor drives the elevator at a speed lower than normal, and therefore a supply voltage lower than normal is sufficient. Also, energy obtained from braking of the elevator can be stored in the supercapacitor, which has a storage capacity of considerable magnitude as compared to an ordinary capacitor.

Abstract: The present invention deals with a method and an apparatus for the input call needed in an elevator system by means of a wireless call input device. The call input device may be a device provided with a display and a keypad, designed especially for this use. In a preferred embodiment, the call input device is the user's mobile telephone and the system utilizes technology consistent with the Bluetooth standard. RFID technology or the use of bar codes is also possible. For the user a profile is created which contains the user's name, statistical information regarding the destination floors most frequently selected by the user, and possible additional services. The user can input a call from an elevator lobby before arriving to the elevator. After the system has allocated the most suitable elevator to the user, corresponding information is presented on the display of the call input device. This information can be accompanied by guidance information and information about an estimated waiting time.

Abstract: The present invention describes a method and a system for generating a request for elevator service. In the system of the invention, the elevator user receives with his/her terminal (11) a general transmission of information about the elevator system from base stations (10) placed in the elevator lobby of the building. By means of the terminal (11), a service request is generated on the basis of the goal and the information provided by the general transmission. The service request is transmitted further to an elevator group controller (14) via an edge server (12) and a local server (13). The edge server (12) checks the request for correctness and the local server (13) functions as a point of connection between the elevator group and the external world.

Abstract: An elevator, preferably an elevator without machine room, in which the hoisting machine (10) engages the hoisting ropes (3) by means of a traction sheave (11), the elevator car (1) being at least partially supported by the hoisting ropes serving as a means of moving the elevator car (1). The elevator car is suspended on the hoisting ropes (3) by means of at least one diverting pulley (13,14) from whose rim the hoisting ropes go upwards from both sides and at least one diverting pulley (7,5) from whose rim the hoisting ropes go downwards from both sides of the diverting pulley. The traction sheave (11) engages the rope portion between these diverting pulleys (13,5).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a system for testing the condition of the brakes of an elevator. In the method, a test weight is set to apply to the drive machine of the elevator, by means of which weight a first torque required for driving the elevator car in the upward direction is measured. At least one of the brakes of the elevator is closed. Next, the empty elevator car is driven in the upward direction with the force of the aforesaid first torque and a check is carried out to detect movement of the elevator car. If a movement of the elevator car is detected, then the aforesaid at least one brake of the elevator is regarded as defective. The method of the present invention makes it possible to check the operativeness of the brakes of the elevator without separate maintenance visits.