Patents Examined by Anthony Salata
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Patent number: 9963321Abstract: An elevator device automatically setting a current value of an interval between upper and lower cars vertically movable inside a car frame, including: a moving mechanism vertically moving the cars; a memory storing a current interval between the cars; a car interval change quantity detector detecting a change quantity of the interval between the cars; an adjustment mechanism adjusting the interval between the cars based on the stored car interval and the detected change quantity of the interval; an initial car interval detector detecting that the interval between the cars has reached an initial car interval; and a learning mechanism causing the moving mechanism to vertically move the cars until the initial car interval detector detects that the interval between the cars has reached the initial car interval to learn the car interval when the car interval is not stored in the memory, which is then stored in the memory.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2013Date of Patent: May 8, 2018Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric CorporationInventor: Hirokazu Banno
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Patent number: 9957132Abstract: An elevator control system for controlling a plurality of elevators in an elevator bank includes a processor in communication with a non-transitory memory, and a networking device. The processor executes software instructions that cause the elevator control system to receive an elevator call placed by at least one of a user and a mobile device of the user. The elevator control system wirelessly communicates with the mobile device to determine an elevator criteria set by the user on the mobile device via an elevator control application. The elevator criteria comprises a preference and a requirement. The software instructions allow the processor to determine whether an elevator in the elevator bank meets the requirement and the preference, and an elevator that meets at least the requirement is automatically assigned to the user.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2015Date of Patent: May 1, 2018Assignee: THYSSENKRUPP ELEVATOR AGInventor: Jeff D. Berryhill
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Patent number: 9950899Abstract: The invention relates to a position and load measurement system for an elevator which system is going to be installed in an elevator car to obtain car position data and car load data, which position and load measurement system comprises at least one sensor mounted in the elevator car. The position and load measurement system comprises: a passenger sensor scanning the car interior and/or the car door area; a load signal processing unit connected to the passenger sensor for generating car load data, an acceleration sensor and/or magnetometer, a position signal processing unit connected to the acceleration sensor and/or magnetometer for generating car position data, and a data link for transmitting the output signals of the load signal processing unit and the position signal processing unit to an elevator control unit. The invention provides improved car load and car position data, particularly in connection with an overlay modernization of an existing elevator system.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2014Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: Kone CorporationInventors: Veikko Mattsson, Risto Kontturi
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Patent number: 9932203Abstract: A deterioration state of load bearing capacity in an elevator suspension member having a plurality of electrically conductive cords is detected by: providing a multi-phase alternating current circuitry including electrically conductive legs; applying at least one phase of a multi-phase alternating current to at least one of the cords electrically connected to one of the legs; applying at least another phase of the current to at least another cord and at least one resistor electrically connected to at least another leg; measuring an electric indicator current being at least one of a net sum of all phases of the current and an electric bypass current through a neutral wire being connected in parallel to the circuitry, wherein a peak current in each phase is shifted by a phase angle with respect to a peak current in another phase; and determining the deterioration state based on the measured indicator electric current.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2015Date of Patent: April 3, 2018Assignee: INVENTIO AGInventor: Vincent Robibero
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Patent number: 9935494Abstract: A power architecture includes a panel receiving power from a power grid through a breaker, a power supply coupled to the breaker to receive power from the grid, a battery coupled to the power supply through a switch, an elevator motor controller coupled to the power supply, the power supply providing power from at least one of the grid and the battery to the controller, and a charger coupled to the breaker and the battery and configured to receive power from the power grid and provide power to the battery to charge the battery.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2012Date of Patent: April 3, 2018Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANYInventors: Kyle W. Rogers, Daryl J. Marvin, Craig Drew Bogli, Leslie C. Watterson
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Patent number: 9932213Abstract: A lift truck includes a frame, a pair of laterally spaced apart outriggers extending from the frame, and a load handling assembly secured to the frame adjacent to the outriggers. The load handling assembly includes a mast assembly positioned between the outriggers and a carriage assembly including fork structure for supporting a load on the load handling assembly. The carriage assembly is movable vertically along the mast assembly and laterally with respect to the mast assembly. Optical sensor structure of the truck monitors for conditions wherein movement of the carriage assembly would result in contact between the load and the outrigger(s). A vehicle controller receives a signal from the optical sensor structure and prevents movement of the carriage assembly toward the outrigger(s) if the signal from the optical sensor structure indicates that such movement would result in contact between the load and the outrigger(s).Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2015Date of Patent: April 3, 2018Assignee: Crown Equipment CorporationInventors: Jürgen Buchmann, Thomas Gumpp, Andreas Simon
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Patent number: 9914617Abstract: A system for managing elevator power includes a power line connected to a power grid, a motor connected to the power line and configured to receive power from the power line to drive an elevator, an alternative power source connected to the motor, and a power control system configured to control the power line to supply power to the motor to drive the elevator, to detect a predetermined threshold value of power supplied from the power line, and to supply both power from the power line and power from the alternative power source to the motor based on a determination that the predetermined threshold value of power is supplied from the power line.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2012Date of Patent: March 13, 2018Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANYInventors: Herbert Horbrügger, Michael Mann, Dirk H. Tegtmeier
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Patent number: 9914619Abstract: A method of operating an elevator system includes detecting a building sway which causes sway of elevator suspension or compensation members. An elevator control system is switched into a building sway mode, and operation of one or more elevator cars of the elevator system is changed via the building sway mode to mitigate vibratory effects of the building sway on the one or more elevator cars.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2012Date of Patent: March 13, 2018Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANYInventors: Randall Keith Roberts, George Scott Copeland, Theresa M. Christy
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Patent number: 9914620Abstract: An ABS brake control circuit for elevator breaking comprises a brake controller, a backup power supply, a manual rescue instruction circuit, a power grid power-off instruction circuit, a system failure instruction circuit, a signal identification circuit and a brake mode switching circuit. when transport equipments, such as an elevator, an escalator, and so on, encounters a system failure or power grid power-off or needs an emergency rescue, the ABS brake control circuit can allow the transport equipment to transition to a safe brake stop through a previous safe deceleration, thereby eliminating a significant security risk caused by a halt resulted from one-step brake which exists in an elevator brake system, and being capable of ensuring that the manual brake releasing will not cause the phenomena of a stalling of an elevator car and a brake failure of a brake, such that the brake safety of the transport equipments such as an elevator, an escalator, a moving walkway and the like is increased.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2015Date of Patent: March 13, 2018Assignee: SHIJIAZHUANG WULONG BRAKE CORPORATIONInventors: Zhenpu Rui, Wulin Han
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Patent number: 9908743Abstract: A system for managing power in an elevator system, the system including an elevator controller; an elevator car in communication with the controller; a component associated with the elevator car; a power management system in communication with the controller; and a database in communication with the power management system, the database including a power profile; wherein the power management system provides power commands to the elevator controller to enter a power savings mode in response to the power profile, the controller sending a power off signal to the component in response to the power command.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2012Date of Patent: March 6, 2018Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANYInventor: Peter Herkel
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Patent number: 9908764Abstract: An apparatus for operating a vehicle lift comprises at least one lifting assembly, a control unit, and a control pendant. The control pendant is configured to remotely control the motion of the vehicle lift through the control unit. The control pendant is configured to permit the lifting of a vehicle by the push of a single button on the control pendant. To permit lifting of a vehicle with a single button, the control pendant comprises a menu screen and a plurality of menu buttons. The menu screen and the plurality of menu buttons may be used together by a user to select one vehicle profile of a plurality of vehicle profiles. The selected vehicle profile may correspond to the vehicle being lifted. The selected vehicle profile provides specific data with respect to how the at least one lifting assembly should be moved for the particular vehicle being lifted.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2014Date of Patent: March 6, 2018Assignee: Vehicle Service Group, LLCInventor: Robert W. Elliott
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Patent number: 9902591Abstract: A method for giving destination calls to an elevator system using a destination operating panel that includes a keypad for giving the destination calls, including identifying a call giving phase and activating buttons of the keypad on the basis of the call giving phase.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2015Date of Patent: February 27, 2018Assignee: KONE CORPORATIONInventors: Jarmo Parkkinen, Jussi Hiltunen, Kim Bergman
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Patent number: 9896304Abstract: A method of operating an elevator system includes presenting a credential at a security panel disposed at an elevator system landing of a public area of a building. If the presented credential is correct a contact between the security panel and an elevator control system is opened. Opening of the contact allows for placement of a call via the elevator control system for an elevator car to the landing. An elevator system includes one or more elevator cars located in one or more hoistways. An elevator control system controls movement of the elevator cars. A security panel is operably connected to the elevator control system and located at an elevator system landing. Presenting a correct credential at the security panel opens a contact between the security panel and the elevator control system thus initiating a call of an elevator car of the one or more elevator cars to the landing.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2012Date of Patent: February 20, 2018Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANYInventor: Michael P. Flynn
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Patent number: 9896306Abstract: A method and apparatus for dampening oscillations of an elevator car retains the active control of an elevator system in the presence of displacement. This active control may be maintained via the use of an actuator that tailors Lorentz force relative to the level of displacement along a non-linear continuum.Type: GrantFiled: December 26, 2014Date of Patent: February 20, 2018Assignee: ThyssenKrupp Elevator CorporationInventors: Fernando Boschin, Joao Paulo Da Costa Brusque, Marcelo De Fraga Carvalho, Leoci Rudi Galle, Rory S. Smith
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Patent number: 9896303Abstract: A method for controlling elevator cars of an elevator system according to one example includes assigning free elevator cars of the elevator system to one of either general service or express priority service (EPS). A destination dispatch controller receives an express priority service (EPS) call. The EPS call can indicate a request for priority service from an EPS call originating location to an EPS call final destination. The controller can determine whether any active EPS assigned car can service the EPS call. A particular elevator car can be an active EPS car when the particular car is carrying out EPS service. When a specific active EPS car can service the EPS call, the controller assigns the specific EPS car to the EPS call. Upon completion of the EPS call, the controller unassigns the EPS car to a free car.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2014Date of Patent: February 20, 2018Assignee: ThyssenKrupp Elevator CorporationInventors: Mark Freeman, Jennifer L. Gordon, Fabio Speggiorin
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Patent number: 9890015Abstract: A method for controlling an elevator group including at least a first elevator and a second elevator, wherein a counterweight balance of the first elevator differs from a counterweight balance of the second elevator, the method including: controlling the elevator group; determining threshold loads for the first and second elevator separately for up and down direction, a threshold load being dependent of the counterweight balance of the corresponding elevator, wherein the threshold load being a load for which consumed energy per up-down run is approximately zero; and controlling, when allocating an elevator in response to a destination call, route determination for the first and second elevator involves minimizing a load difference from the threshold loads.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 2017Date of Patent: February 13, 2018Assignee: KONE CORPORATIONInventors: Henri Hakonen, Janne Sorsa, Marja-Liisa Siikonen
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Patent number: 9884742Abstract: A safety arrangement of an elevator and a method for monitoring electrical safety in an elevator system is disclosed. The safety arrangement of an elevator includes a motor drive having a main circuit, an accessible conducting part, which is earthed, an insulator, which is adapted to electrically insulate the aforementioned conducting part from the aforementioned main circuit and also a monitoring circuit, which determines an earth fault of the aforementioned main circuit occurring via the conducting part. The monitoring circuit forms a signal indicating the danger of electric shock in the motor drive of the elevator, if the earth fault is diagnosed.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 2015Date of Patent: February 6, 2018Assignee: KONE CORPORATIONInventors: Ari Kattainen, Juha-Matti Aitamurto, Lauri Stolt
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Patent number: 9884751Abstract: A portable vehicle lift with a wireless charging system. The vehicle lift comprises a base, a carriage configured for receiving a wheel of a vehicle, a lift actuator configured to vertically raise and lower the carriage relative to the base, and a battery configured to provide electrical power to the vehicle lift. The vehicle lift additionally includes a receiver electrically coupled with the battery, and a transmitter for transmitting electrical energy to the receiver.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2015Date of Patent: February 6, 2018Assignee: Gray Manufacturing Company, Inc.Inventor: Larry M. Jaipaul
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Patent number: 9884747Abstract: The present invention provides a safety device for preventing a hand from being jammed in an elevator door including a conductive member attached to the surface of the door and the door frame whereby if the conductive member is contacted by the hand, it senses the current of the human body so as to control the elevator door, preventing the hand from being jammed in the door, and directly illuminates the surface of the door so as to enable the person to clearly see the hand contacting the door and to be warned.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2014Date of Patent: February 6, 2018Inventor: Ho Yeon Lee
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Patent number: 9878874Abstract: An elevator-landing device that can register a floor which is daily used as a destination floor without a button operation, and register another floor as a destination floor in accordance with necessity. The elevator-landing device includes a hall operating panel to which a user can input a destination floor, a reading part which reads identification information from an information recording medium carried by a user in the hall, by radio communication, a storage part which stores identification information associated with a destination floor, a temporary registration part which obtains the destination floor associated with the identification information and temporarily registers a call to the obtained destination floor, and a determination part which determines whether or not a predetermined destination floor establishment condition is established, when it is determined that the predetermined destination floor establishment condition is established by the determination part.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2012Date of Patent: January 30, 2018Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric CorporationInventors: Takeharu Kondo, Nobukazu Takeuchi