Having Computer Control Of Elevator Patents (Class 187/247)
  • Patent number: 8997941
    Abstract: An elevator safety circuit can be used to decelerate an elevator car during an emergency stop in a controlled manner. The safety circuit includes a series chain of safety contacts having an input connected to a power source and a first safety relay deriving electrical power from an output of the series chain of safety contacts. A delay circuit is arranged between the output of the series chain of safety contacts and the first safety relay. Hence, if any of the safety contacts open to initiate an emergency stop, a process controlled by the operation of the first safety relay is delayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventor: Juan Carlos Abad
  • Patent number: 8997938
    Abstract: A method for modernizing an elevator installation includes installing story terminals for input of a destination story on the stories of the building, which terminals are so coupled with an elevator control device connected with an input device in the elevator cage that, at least in a standard mode, after input of the destination story call detected by means of the story terminal, the cage automatically travels to the selected destination story, and in that case a story selection in the cage by use of the input device is no longer possible. The indicating means for representing selected stories of the input device are so incorporated in the control system that the indicating means, after input of a story call by way of the story terminal, are activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventors: Paul Friedli, Dennys Taiana
  • Publication number: 20150075914
    Abstract: An elevator control system including an elevator management system obtaining meeting information from at least one of a calendar system and a user interface; the elevator management system generating a control command in response to the meeting information; and an elevator controller controlling destinations of one or more elevator cars in response to the control command.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2012
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Applicant: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Jason R. Armistead, Theresa M. Christy
  • Publication number: 20150075915
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus. In the method there is determined a speed limit or an acceleration limit for an elevator car based on elevator state information, the elevator state information comprising at least information on whether the elevator car is being driven or whether the elevator car is in a floor. Power supply to the motor is disabled and brakes are applying for braking movement of the elevator car. Speed or acceleration of the elevator car is measured, in response to the applying of the at least one brake and the disabling of the power supply to the motor. It is determined whether the at least one of speed and acceleration of the elevator car exceeds the respective at least one of the speed limit and the acceleration limit. Thereupon, power supply to the motor is enabled for stabilizing movement of the elevator car.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Applicant: KONE CORPORTION
    Inventors: Lauri STOLT, Ari KATTAINEN
  • Patent number: 8967335
    Abstract: An elevator installation has at least one elevator with at least one elevator car and at least one elevator control. A destination call terminal for input of destination calls and/or for recognition of an identification code is installed on at least one input floor. At least one destination call control is also installed. The destination call terminal is, for communication of the destination call signal, connected with the destination call control. The destination call control is connected to the elevator control through an existing serial maintenance interface of the elevator control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventor: Paul Friedli
  • Patent number: 8960374
    Abstract: Provided are a group control method and a group control device capable of efficiently controlling the operation of elevators in diversified traffic situations and under a variety of specification conditions required for a group management system. A plurality of elevators are placed in service for a plurality of floors, an evaluation index for a newly made hall call is calculated, and the best suited car is selected and assigned to the hall call based on the evaluation index in the group control method of elevators. A waiting time expectation value of all passengers on all floors for each direction, either that have already occurred or that are expected to occur within a predetermined time period, is taken as the evaluation index, the waiting time expectation value being the expectation value for the sum or the average of waiting time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Fujitec Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masami Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 8960375
    Abstract: An elevator monitoring and control method which involves indicating the condition of a plurality of elevators in indicators and controlling the plurality of elevators on the basis of a prescribed input. Since in control setting processing, it is possible to set a plurality of control items as a control pattern, in control execution processing, elevator control by a plurality of control items is made possible simply by executing the control pattern, with the result that it becomes possible to improve operability and to reduce the frequency of wrong operations. Furthermore, control execution processing can be performed after isolating part of the control patterns set in the control setting processing, with the result that it becomes possible to take speedy and flexible steps even in an emergency and to improve operability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Masaomi Katsura
  • Patent number: 8960376
    Abstract: An elevator apparatus including a position determination apparatus for determining the position of an elevator car inside an elevator shaft, the position determining apparatus including a marking unit for marking a position of the elevator car, and a detection unit for detecting the marking unit, the marking unit being arranged on one of the shaft doors and the detection unit being arranged on the associated car door or vice versa for the purpose of improved installation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Cedes AG
    Inventor: Beat De Coi
  • Publication number: 20150041255
    Abstract: An elevator control of a one-shaft multicar system includes: a collision predictor predicting occurrence of a collision of cars against each other in a same shaft in a case a predetermined collision prediction implementation condition is held; a waiting-with-door-open determination mechanism determining whether or not a car is caused to be on standby with the door thereof kept open in a case the collision predictor predicts the collision of cars against each other in the same shaft; a waiting-with-door-open floor determination mechanism determining a waiting-with-door-open floor of the car in a case the waiting-with-door-open determination mechanism determines the car is caused to be on standby with the door thereof kept open; and a controller causing at least either of the cars, for which occurrence of a collision is predicted, to be on standby with the door thereof kept open at the waiting-with-door-open floor determined by the waiting-with-door-open floor determination mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Sakurako Tokura, Shingo Kobori
  • Publication number: 20150041254
    Abstract: A lift system comprises a call input device and at least one touchscreen for inputting a call for a lift. The touchscreen has at least one functional identifier. When a functional identifier is touched, at least one input signal is generated. The call input device converts into a special input mode for a time-specific or location-specific generation of several input signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventor: Lukas FINSCHI
  • Patent number: 8947251
    Abstract: A lifting apparatus for lifting and lowering loads, having a lifting arrangement, on which a load-bearing member is arrangeable, having a drive arrangement which moves the load-bearing member up and down, having a control arrangement which activates the drive arrangement and one or more lighting arrangements, wherein each lighting arrangement has a working-area lighting and an operating-state-display lighting for displaying at least one operating state, and in that each lighting arrangement is activated by the control arrangement in a working-area lighting mode or an operating-state display lighting mode or in both modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Inventor: Gerhard Finkbeiner
  • Publication number: 20150027814
    Abstract: A method controls an operation of an elevator system. The method receives an amplitude of a sway of an elevator rope and a velocity of the sway of the elevator rope determined during the operation of the elevator system. The method modifies a damping coefficient of a semi-active damper actuator connected to the elevator rope according to a function of the amplitude and the velocity of the sway.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Mouhacine Benosman
  • Publication number: 20150014098
    Abstract: A method and control device for monitoring travel movements of an elevator car utilize an electronic control device positioned at the car. Travel movements of the elevator car are travels, speeds or accelerations of the car. At least individual travel movements are subject to redundant detection for the purpose of monitoring. Either the travels or the speeds are redundantly detected and the accelerations singularly detected, or alternatively the accelerations are redundantly detected and the travels or the speeds are singularly detected, or preferably the travels or the speeds and the accelerations are redundantly detected. The electronic control device is preferably arranged at the support rollers of the elevator car.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2013
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Applicant: Inventio AG
    Inventors: Stefan Stölzl, Thomas Schmidt, Michael Degen, Dominik Düchs, Frank Schreiner, Erich Bütler, Michael Geisshüsler, Nicolas Gremaud
  • Publication number: 20150008075
    Abstract: A method reduces a sway of an elevator rope supporting an elevator car within an elevator system using an elevator sheave. The method controls, using a movement of the elevator sheave, a tension of the elevator rope according to a control law of the tension of the elevator rope between a first point and a second point. The first point is associated with a contact of the elevator rope with the elevator sheave. The second point is associated with a contact of the elevator rope with the elevator car or a counterweight of the elevator car. The control law is a function of one or combination of a relative position, a relative velocity and a relative acceleration between the first and the second points.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2013
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Inventors: Mouhacine Benosman, Daiki Fukui, Seiji Watanabe, Daisuke Nakazawa
  • Publication number: 20140374194
    Abstract: The invention relates to a control apparatus of an elevator and also to a method for controlling an elevator motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Applicant: KONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Lauri STOLT
  • Publication number: 20140367203
    Abstract: An elevator group management device includes: an existing car control device controlling an existing car; a newly-installed car control device controlling a newly-installed car; an evaluation value preparing mechanism preparing evaluation values for the existing car and the newly-installed car; an assignment determining mechanism determining a car assigned to a call based on the prepared evaluation values; an existing car storage beforehand storing information concerning which of the cars is the existing car; and a weight storage beforehand storing a weighting factor for the existing car in the evaluation value. The evaluation value preparing mechanism prepares the evaluation value for the existing car by using the existing car storage information and the weighting factor. The elevator group management device can realize proper car assignment while suppressing occurrence of failure and considering operation efficiency when the existing car and newly-installed car are managed and controlled as one group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2012
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Masayuki Mitsuda
  • Publication number: 20140360817
    Abstract: Call information can be used for scheduling runs of elevators in a group of elevators. The scheduling is done so that based on the call allocations a schedule of expected movements, accelerations and decelerations can be computed. Then the movements, accelerations and decelerations may be controlled in order to improve energy efficiency or for controlling the movement in such manner that the energy consumption peaks or duration of these peaks is reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2014
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventor: Esa Putkinen
  • Patent number: 8899383
    Abstract: A safety apparatus for elevator apparatuses which can move a cab by way of a drive, including: a first safety circuit, which has a closed conduction state and an open conduction state, with an interrupting apparatus for interrupting the drive depending on the conduction state of the first safety circuit, a safety device, which includes at least two sensors, which can be switched between at least two switching states depending on the closing state of the elevator door. In order to be able to improve the susceptibility to maintenance, a switching unit is provided which can be switched between at least two switching states by connection to the safety device and is designed to effect the closed and/or open conduction state of the first safety circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Cedes AG
    Inventors: Beat De Coi, Dumeng Hersche, Jürg Hegelbach, Tobias Leutenegger
  • Patent number: 8893858
    Abstract: In accordance with at least some embodiments, a process for determining the safety of an elevator may be implemented to collect, by an acceleration sensor, an operational measurement of the elevator in operation, wherein the operational measurement includes a velocity measurement of the elevator. The process may be implemented to determine, by a processor, an operational status of the elevator by evaluating the operational measurement. The process may further be implemented to generate, by the processor, a warning signal when the operational status indicates that the elevator is operating abnormally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC
    Inventors: Juan Shi, Pei Qing, Yixuan Zou
  • Publication number: 20140339023
    Abstract: Use of an elevator system can be reserved for a passenger based at least in part on an indicated arrival time for a passenger trip. The passenger trip includes a portion that is carried out using the elevator system and an additional portion. The passenger's elevator reservation is scheduled such that time is allotted for the passenger to complete both trip portions by the indicated arrival time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Inventor: Paul Friedli
  • Patent number: 8887873
    Abstract: In an elevator device, a signal diagnosis device includes: a signal input section to which a sensor signal from a sensor is input; a disconnection detecting section for outputting a diagnosis signal for detecting disconnection to the sensor and detecting a state of a signal turned back at the sensor to be input so as to detect whether or not disconnection of the signal from the sensor occurs; a switch for turning ON/OFF an input of the signal to the disconnection detecting section; and a disconnection-detection diagnosis section for operating the switch to diagnose whether or not the disconnection detecting section functions normally. Further, a car is stopped when occurrence of the disconnection is determined by the signal diagnosis device or when an abnormality is detected by the disconnection-detection diagnosis section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Kazunori Washio, Rikio Kondo, Masunori Shibata
  • Patent number: 8880200
    Abstract: A user can be detected and identified at or near an elevator installation. A record for the user can be read from a database, and based on information in the record, a personalized building action can be performed for the user. A portion of the building can thus be “prepared” for the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventor: Edward Nowel
  • Publication number: 20140284143
    Abstract: A system and a method to prevent the use of pirate products in an elevator control are provided. The system includes at least one elevator control, an updating mechanism and a connection between the elevator control and said updating mechanism. The elevator control includes essential electronic components provided with their own ID. An authorization section, which is configured to read the IDs of the essential electronic components, includes a reference list with allowed IDs, a comparator and a switching logic configured to issue an authorization signal for the elevator control to start or prevent operation of the elevator control depending on the comparison result of the comparator. The connection between the elevator control and the updating mechanism is configured to initiate the elevator control to update the IDs of the essential electronic components in the elevator control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: KONE Corporation
    Inventors: Ferenc STAENGLER, Jukka KORPELA, Timo MAKKONEN
  • Publication number: 20140262628
    Abstract: An elevator system which utilizes a plurality of independently moving cabs in each elevator shaft. The lower cabs are connected to spatially separated counterweights in order to prevent interference between cables, pulleys and counterweights. The top cab may be connected to one or two counterweights by connection points on the roof of the cab. The cabs are mounted on tracks, to guide each cab through the elevator shaft. The system includes a motor attached to each of the cabs by lift cables to facilitate the independent movement of all cabs. Existing buildings can be retrofit for compatibility with the present invention. A system and method for controlling the motions of all cabs comprising determining and selecting an optimal cab and a best hoistway range to service passenger requests.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: SMART LIFTS, LLC
    Inventor: Justin Jacobs
  • Publication number: 20140251734
    Abstract: A method controls a set of semi-active actuators arranged in an elevator system represented with a model of a virtual elevator system having a single virtual semi-active actuator arranged to compensate a virtual disturbance proportional to a sum of disturbances from the set of disturbances. The method determines the virtual disturbance during an operation of the elevator car using a motion profile of position of the elevator car during the operation and a disturbance profile of the virtual disturbance, and determines amplitude of a virtual force of the virtual semi-active actuator using the model and the virtual disturbance. A gain of a controller for controlling the set of semi-active actuators is adjusted based on the amplitude of the virtual force and a reference force of the virtual semi-active actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC RESEARCH LABORATORIES, INC.
    Inventors: Yebin Wang, Scott A. Bortoff
  • Patent number: 8820482
    Abstract: Safety apparatus for elevator apparatuses which can move a cab via a drive, wherein the drive can be monitored via a monitoring unit for monitoring the drive, including: a first safety circuit, which has a closed conduction state and an open conduction state, with an interruption apparatus for interrupting the drive depending on the conduction state of the first safety circuit, a safety device, which includes at least two sensors, which can be switched between at least two switching states depending on a state to be detected by the sensors. To provide improved maintenance, a switching unit is provided, which can be switched between at least two switching states by connection to the safety device and is designed to effect the closed and/or open conduction state of the first safety circuit, wherein the switching unit includes a transmission device for transmitting data and/or monitoring signals to the monitoring unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Cedes AG
    Inventors: Beat De Coi, Tobias Leutenegger, Dumeng Hersche, Jurg Hegelbach
  • Patent number: 8820486
    Abstract: A method for determining a destination call for use by an elevator installation with a control unit and at least one destination call device includes ascertaining several destination calls and making them known to the user by the destination call device. A destination call is selected by a change in position of the user and/or a data communication is activated between the destination call device and a communications unit, which is carried by the user, within a defined range of a radio link section of the destination call device and thereupon a destination call is selected by a change in position of the communications unit inside or outside the radio link section. The selected destination call is communicated to the control unit for serving the destination call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventors: Bernhard Gerstenkorn, Daniel Ottiger
  • Patent number: 8813917
    Abstract: The present invention presents a solution for limiting access rights in a building, which building contains a conveying system, an access control system connected to the conveying system, which access control system comprises at least one short-range identification point and at least one long-range identification point and in which access control system passengers have a personal terminal device for giving service requests to the conveying system. A terminal device is taken into the operating area of a short-range identification point, the access rights connected to the service requests of the terminal device are activated, the terminal device is taken into the operating area of a long-range identification point and a service request generated with the terminal device is transmitted to the conveying system, if the access right connected to the service request is valid on the basis of the activation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Jukka Salmikuukka, Pertti Mäkinen
  • Publication number: 20140231177
    Abstract: An exemplary method of controlling an elevator system includes determining that a temporary heavy traffic condition exists that includes a plurality of passengers requiring elevator service from an originating floor in the building that is distinct from a lobby floor. At least one elevator car out of a plurality of elevator cars within the building is temporarily dedicated to carry the passengers from the originating floor. A peak travel scheduling strategy is temporarily used for controlling the dedicated elevator car or cars for a selected period of time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Inventors: Michael P. Flynn, Dennis Hanvey, Allen Patenaude, Jannah A. Stanley
  • Publication number: 20140231178
    Abstract: In an elevator system, upon registration of a hall destination call from a call registration device, a group control device determines an assigned car caused to respond to the hall destination call. An assigned car notification device indicates information on the determined assigned car correlating the information to a service floor of the assigned car. The group control device determines whether or not a hall destination call registered from the call registration device meets a prescribed review condition, and if affirmative, the group control device does not perform a final determination of an assigned car immediately after registration. Upon final determination of an assigned car for a hall destination call meeting the review condition by the group control device, the assigned car notification device indicates only information on the assigned car and a service floor corresponding to the hall destination call on the indicator for a prescribed period of time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2011
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshimasa Koba
  • Publication number: 20140224590
    Abstract: An arrangement is provided for damping lateral sways of a rope fixed to a movable elevator unit, such as an elevator car in an elevator hoistway, the bottom end of which rope has an upward opening bottom loop. The arrangement includes a freely hanging damper supported on the top surface of the bottom loop, which damper includes a device for measuring acceleration and/or twisting of said rope.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2014
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: KONE Corporation
    Inventors: Mikko PURANEN, Tuomo ROPPONEN
  • Publication number: 20140216854
    Abstract: An exemplary elevator system includes a hoistway. An elevator car is supported within the hoistway. The hydraulic cylinder is associated with the elevator car for selectively moving the elevator car. A reservoir is within the hoistway. The reservoir is configured to contain fluid for selectively causing extension of the cylinder. A control valve within the hoistway controls communication of the fluid between the reservoir and the cylinder. A controller within the hoistway controls movement of the elevator car. An access panel is on one side of the hoistway for selectively closing and opening into the hoistway near the control value and the controller. The opening provides access to at least the control valve and the controller from outside of the hoistway.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2011
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: John Stofira, Frank M. Sansevero, A. Phillip Winey
  • Publication number: 20140190773
    Abstract: A test method is applied to an elevator system having a control unit and at least one bus node. The bus node has a first microprocessor and a second microprocessor and the control unit and the bus node communicate by a bus. Furthermore, the first microprocessor and the second microprocessor are connected without interruption by a signal line. The test method includes the steps: a specification signal is transmitted by the control unit to the first microprocessor, the first microprocessor transmits the signal to the second microprocessor, and the second microprocessor provides the signal for the control unit. Finally, the control unit verifies whether the provided signal corresponds to a signal expected by the control unit. The elevator system includes a monitoring device for carrying out the test method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2012
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: INVENTIO AG
    Inventors: Astrid Sonnenmoser, David Michel, Martin Hess
  • Patent number: 8770350
    Abstract: An access control system for a people conveyor control system, includes an authentication proving device adapted to communicate with a people conveyor control system. The authentication proving device has a central processor unit and a read protected memory protected from read and write access by external applications. The authentication proving device stores in its read protected memory program code to carry out a verification procedure in response to a verification request from the people conveyor control system, and sends a verification signal to the people conveyor control system. The people conveyor control system in response to the verification signal selectively allows or denies access to at least one of specific sections of said people conveyor control system or specific functions implemented in the people conveyor control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Michael Wilke, Martin Georg Walter Hnida, Hans-Killan Spielbauer, Donald F. Cominelli
  • Publication number: 20140182974
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method in rope condition monitoring of an elevator, in which method at least the following steps are performed: electrical resistance between a first point and a second point of elevator suspension and/or transmission ropes is measured first time, a threshold value is determined based on the measurement, the elevator is used for transporting passengers and/or goods, electrical resistance between the first point and the second point of said suspension and/or transmission ropes is measured second time, and results of said second time measurement are compared with said threshold value, and if said second time measurement meets said threshold value, predetermined actions are carried out. The invention also relates to an arrangement in rope condition monitoring of an elevator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: KONE Corporation
    Inventors: Mikko PURANEN, Riku LAMPINEN, Antti SAARELAINEN
  • Patent number: 8763763
    Abstract: In an elevator apparatus, a speed governor is disposed in an upper portion of a hoistway, and a tensioning sheave is disposed in a lower portion of the hoistway. A speed governor rope that is moved in response to movement of a car is wound around a speed governor sheave of the speed governor and the tensioning sheave. The tensioning sheave is rotated in response to movement of the speed governor rope. A rotation detector that generates a signal that corresponds to rotation of the tensioning sheave is disposed on the tensioning sheave. Information from the rotation detector is sent to a controlling apparatus. The controlling apparatus detects a position of the car based on the information from the rotation detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Shigenobu Kawakami
  • Publication number: 20140131140
    Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment, an elevator assembly for placing an elevator within a structure is provided. The elevator assembly may include elevator housing, such that the elevator housing may have a metal frame to secure a movable elevator cab. The metal frame may be formed using at least one of steel or aluminum or a combination thereof or the like. The metal frame may be reinforced material such that the metal frame is a self-supporting structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2012
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Inventor: Reinaldo Verde
  • Publication number: 20140124300
    Abstract: A method controls an operation of an elevator system using a control law to stabilize a state of the elevator system using a tension of an elevator rope. A derivative of a Lyapunov function along dynamics of the elevator system controlled by the control law is negative definite. The control law is a function of amplitude of a sway of the elevator rope and a velocity of the sway of the elevator rope. The method determines the amplitude of the sway of the elevator rope and the velocity of the sway of the elevator rope during the operation, and determines a magnitude of the tension of the elevator rope based on the control law, and the amplitude and the velocity of the sway of the elevator rope.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2012
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Mouhacine Benosman
  • Patent number: 8708107
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for monitoring a lifting system (11) for lifting loads, particularly vehicles, in which for lifting a load (14), the lifting movement is initiated by a starting phase, and lifting devices (12) are individually driven in the starting phase. Load holding means (18) of the lifting devices (12) are raised until a pre-set minimum load is detected by the pressure sensor (24), and the load holding means (18) are raised by a pre-selectable displacement distance in a load recognition phase of the lifting process following the starting phase, and after the pre-selected displacement distance is passed through, a load inquiry is carried out and the determined load is stored as a reference value for the further lifting process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Walter Finkbeiner GmbH
    Inventor: Gerhard Finkbeiner
  • Publication number: 20140094997
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods are described for moving a patient to and from various locations, care units, etc., within a care facility. For example a transport and support vehicle includes a body structure including a plurality of rotatable members operable to frictionally interface the vehicle to a travel path and to move the vehicle along the travel path, and a surface structured and dimensioned to support an individual subject. A transport and support vehicle can include, for example, an elevator interface module that provides communicate and control of elevator controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2012
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: Elwha LLC
    Inventors: Roderick A. Hyde, Stephen L. Malaska
  • Patent number: 8678143
    Abstract: An elevator installation includes at least one car or floor door and at least one acceleration sensor mounted on the door. The sensor generates measurements that are transmitted wirelessly to a communications module for determining maintenance data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventor: Adrian Bünter
  • Patent number: 8678142
    Abstract: In a destination floor registration device 800, a boarding detection unit 804 detects a boarding of an elevator user; when no button operation by destination floor registration buttons 500 is performed after a predetermined period of time has elapsed since detection of the boarding, a voice destination floor registration unit 805 outputs from a voice output device 400 a message for prompting a passenger to pronounce a destination floor; a voice recognition unit 806 recognizes the destination floor pronounced by the passenger; and a voice destination floor registration unit 805 requests an elevator car control device 200 to register the destination floor recognized by the voice recognition unit 806.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Nobukazu Takeuchi
  • Publication number: 20140076667
    Abstract: An elevator car can be moved in service mode by a control unit in the interior of the car. The control unit can be accommodated behind a part, which is removable, pivotable out or displaceable, in the ceiling or light in the car, or behind a wall part, which is removable, pivotable open or displaceable, of the car. The control unit can hang at a cable and be removable from a storage niche to be actuable from any location in the interior of the car. The control unit can be a wireless transmitter which co-operates with a wireless interface at the car. Since car is movable, controlled from the interior, to any desired point of the travel path and can be stopped at any desired point all maintenance operations can be performed from the car.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2012
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: INVENTIO AG
    Inventor: Markus Henseler
  • Publication number: 20140076666
    Abstract: An elevator electricity feedback device, an elevator electricity feedback method and an elevator thereof are disclosed. The elevator electricity feedback device comprises a sampling unit, a transmitting unit, and a central processing unit. The sampling unit is electrically connected with an energy supply network of the elevator and the CPU, the transmitting unit is electrically connected with a motor driver of the elevator and electrically connected with the energy supply network through an AC resistor; and the CPU is electrically connected with the transmitting unit. The advantages of the present invention are as follows. The transmitting unit is electrically connected with the motor driver of the elevator to feed back an energy of the motor driver to the energy supply network when the motor driver is in an energy generating state so that an effect of conserving energy is achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: DELTA ELECTRO-OPTICS (WUJIANG) LTD.
    Inventors: Liangyi YEN, Shifeng SHAO
  • Patent number: 8662255
    Abstract: An exemplary method for handling passenger requests during elevator system modernization includes modernizing elevator cars over time. The modernized elevator cars are capable of servicing destination requests placed outside of an elevator car and include an indication of a desired destination. The exemplary method includes assigning an elevator car to respond to a new pending destination request according to a selected criterion for selecting between a modernized elevator car and an elevator car that has not yet been modernized. The method includes automatically updating the selected criterion responsive to a change in a number of modernized elevator cars. A percentage of the elevator cars that are not yet modernized are reserved and new pending requests are assigned to a modernized elevator car if a percentage of modernized cars plus the reserved percentage is greater than a current percentage of pending requests assigned to modernized elevator cars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Michael P. Flynn, Allen Patenaude, Jannah A. Stanley, Daniel S. Williams
  • Patent number: 8646579
    Abstract: An elevator installation has at least one terminal and at least one call control. The terminal communicates data with respect to an input floor and a destination floor to the call control by way of at least one signal bus. The call control is arranged on a first plug-in card. At least one signal-bus adapter for the signal bus is arranged on a second plug-in card. The first plug-in card and the second plug-in card are directly connected together to form a circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventor: Kilian Schuster
  • Publication number: 20140014442
    Abstract: A method of operating an elevator system in a building with at least one building door includes through opening and/or closing the building door the floor of the opened and/or closed building door is defined as the start floor and a destination call for an elevator car to the start floor is actuated. As soon as the elevator car has reached the start floor, an elevator door of the start floor is opened. As soon as at least one user has entered the elevator car, the opened elevator door is closed and the user is conveyed by the elevator car to a destination floor, wherein the destination floor is defined by a destination call stored for a start floor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Inventors: Bernhard Gerstenkorn, Kilian Schuster, Paul Friedli
  • Publication number: 20140014441
    Abstract: A feedback system for a motor of an elevator system is provided. The feedback system may include a first sensor and a processing circuit. The first sensor may be disposed in proximity to a drive component of the elevator system and configured to detect a change in position of the drive component. The processing circuit may be configured to receive a first data signal from the first sensor corresponding to the change in position of the drive component and generate a feedback signal for controlling the motor based on the first data signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2011
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicant: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Keunmo Kang, Timothy D. Devalve, William A. Veronesi, Slade R. Culp, Harold Terry, Daryl J. Marvin, Ismail Agirman
  • Publication number: 20140008152
    Abstract: An elevator installation includes a sensor by which vibrations generated during operation of the elevator installation are detectable and an evaluating circuit, which is connected with the sensor and by which the vibrations detected by the sensor can be evaluated. The detected vibrations can be compared by means of the evaluating circuit with a predeterminable operating value and a predeterminable threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: INVENTIO AG
    Inventor: INVENTIO AG
  • Publication number: 20140000985
    Abstract: An elevator rope sway detection method and a detection device using the same capable of detecting an elevator rope sway, generated by a building shake caused by an earthquake or strong wind, with high accuracy by preventing incorrect detections in detecting the elevator rope sway. A rope detector including a rope sway detector sends detection information detected by the rope detector to a rope determiner. A rope sway determination mechanism includes a detection signal memorization unit, a detection signal calculation unit, and a rope sway determination unit to determine that a rope sway occurs if the detection information sent from the rope detector fulfills a predetermined condition. A result determined by the rope sway determination unit is sent to an elevator controller, which performs an operation corresponding to the determined result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daiki Fukui, Seiji Watanabe, Tsunehiro Higashinaka