With Specific Electrical Component Patents (Class 187/277)
  • Patent number: 11970363
    Abstract: A double-deck elevator car has first and second vertically spaced cars each accessible via a different floor in a stop position, a car frame with at least one longitudinal support, a first support structure in the frame supporting the first car, a second support structure in the frame supporting the second car, and a linear guide movably coupling the first support structure to the longitudinal support. The linear guide has at least one rail element fastened to the longitudinal support, and at least one coupling element slidably mounted on the rail element and fastened to the first support structure. The coupling element has first and second mounting portions mounting on the rail element and a fastening portion fastening the coupling element to the first support structure. A drive moves the first support structure relative to the second support structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: INVENTIO AG
    Inventors: André Weibel, Stefan Weber
  • Patent number: 11807494
    Abstract: A landing lever assembly of a pneumatic vacuum elevator is disclosed. The assembly includes a landing lever plate coupled on a roof of an elevator cabin. The assembly also includes a locking plate coupled to the landing lever plate using a plurality of support plates. The assembly further includes a solenoid valve disposed on the landing lever plate and mechanically coupled to the locking plate using a guide pin, where the guide pin is configured to actuate the locking plate by sliding within the solenoid valve, in at least one operational mode, based on an activation signal received from a magnetic sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Inventor: Killalathu Ramanathan Babu
  • Patent number: 11738968
    Abstract: A device and a method for controlling an apparatus being an elevator, an escalator or automatic doors are provided, by which it is detected whether a fault is present in the apparatus, it is determined, when the fault is present, whether an automatic fault clearing may be carried out, and if it is determined that the automatic fault clearing may be carried out, the automatic fault clearing is performed by automatically clearing one or more faults.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: KONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Matti Mustonen, Shaun Sequeira
  • Patent number: 11639283
    Abstract: A floor position detection device of an elevator installation, and a method for generating a floor signal, includes a sensor unit and an evaluation unit for generating the floor signal with two states. The states are “in the range of the floor” and “outside the range of the floor”. The sensor unit includes a first Hall effect sensor generating a first floor position characteristic value and a second Hall effect sensor generating a second floor position characteristic value. The evaluation unit generates the floor signal on the basis of a comparison between the first and the second floor position characteristic values. The evaluation unit verifies whether the first and/or second floor position characteristic value is higher than a first threshold value and generates the floor signal on the basis of the result of the verification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: INVENTIO AG
    Inventors: Eric Birrer, Thomas Hartmann
  • Patent number: 11608253
    Abstract: A vertical moving method of a vertical moving unit on which a conveyance target object is mounted includes steps of causing a non-electric biasing unit to generate a biasing force to raise the vertical moving unit, causing an electric motor unit to generate a thrust in a direction to raise the vertical moving unit or a thrust in a direction to lower the vertical moving unit, and causing an electromagnetic brake unit to generate a braking force to resist a movement of the vertical moving unit. Independently of presence/absence of the object and a weight of the object, the thrust and/or the braking force is controlled such that the vertical moving unit stops when an external force of overload more than a predetermined value acts on the vertical moving unit during a vertical movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: HIRATA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Bungo Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 11524875
    Abstract: An elevator includes at least one elevator shaft and at least one elevator car traveling in the elevator shaft. The elevator has at least one elevator motor including at least one linear stator located vertically along the elevator shaft and at least one mover located in connection with the elevator car and co-acting with the stator. The elevator includes a vertical stator beam supporting at least one stator, which stator beam has at least one side face carrying ferromagnetic poles of said stator spaced apart by a pitch. The mover includes at least one counter-face facing the side face(s) of the stator beam, in which electro-magnetic components of the mover are located.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: KONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tero Purosto, Tero Hakala, Jouni Ratia, Ilya Petrov
  • Patent number: 11230456
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a braking apparatus includes a pair of brake shoes, a cam follower connected to at least one of the shoes, a compressible spring connected to the cam follower, and an actuation assembly including a motor, a ball screw and an electromagnetic clutch. The braking apparatus is operative to transition from a brake applied position where the brake shoes are closed and a brake release position where the brake shoes are separated. When the braking apparatus is in the brake release position, a brake application may be commenced to close the shoes by power no longer being supplied to the electromagnetic clutch. Additionally, when the braking apparatus is undergoing a brake release cycle to separate the brake shoes, the brake application cycle may also be commenced prior to completion of the brake release cycle when power is no longer supplied to the electromagnetic clutch and the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: G.A.L. Manufacturing Company, LLC
    Inventors: James Varon, John Curzon, Thomas Wei
  • Patent number: 11203511
    Abstract: An elevator traction system and an elevator system. The elevator traction system includes: a car side wheel train; a transition wheel train; a counter-weight side wheel train; and a rope including a first end and a second end that are fixed to the top of a hoistway, the rope passing through the car side wheel train, the transition wheel train, and the counter-weight side wheel train sequentially, the car side wheel train including a first sheave and a third sheave that are fixed to the top of a car and a second sheave that is fixed to the top of the hoistway, wherein the first sheave and the third sheave are arranged to be parallel to each other and perpendicular to the second sheave. The elevator traction system and the elevator system according to embodiments of the present invention have a compact layout and a high hoistway utilization rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: WeiHua Yuan, Changke Yang, LiuDi Gong
  • Patent number: 11180346
    Abstract: A car for an elevator in an elevator shaft is suspended substantially in the center of gravity thereof at least in a ratio of 2:1 by a carrying apparatus guided via pulleys and is guided through car guides. The car has a car base, a car roof and car walls that define a passenger space. For using the car in a machine room-free elevator, to provide a shaft cross-section as large as possible and to reduce the required shaft pit depth and/or the required shaft head height, at least a first part of one of the pulleys is located between the car base and the car roof and a second part of the pulley is located in the car base or at the same height as the car base or in the car roof or at the same height as the car roof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: INVENTIO AG
    Inventors: Heiko Thomas, Falk Burkhardt, Michael Weigel, Steffen Thon
  • Patent number: 11180343
    Abstract: A device and a method for controlling an apparatus being an elevator, an escalator or automatic doors are provided, by which it is detected whether a fault is present in the apparatus. It is determined, when the fault is present, whether an automatic fault clearing may be carried out, and if it is determined that the automatic fault clearing may be carried out, the automatic fault clearing is performed by automatically clearing one or more faults.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: KONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Matti Mustonen, Shaun Sequeira
  • Patent number: 11084688
    Abstract: A monitoring system for controlling self-testing of a traction elevator includes a self-testing process module in communication with a three-phase AC back-up battery power supply. The self-testing process module includes a processor configured to initiate and control a series of steps for performing measurements of the three-phase AC back-up battery power supply, including measurements of the battery supply during a simulated emergency situation (“rescue/evacuation”). The processor is programmed to initiate testing on a defined schedule and transmit test results to a maintenance system (including remotely-located systems) on a routine basis. The monitoring system also includes a display unit providing visual information regarding the status of self-testing processes and their results and a communications unit for transmitting test results to a remote maintenance controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Reynolds & Reynolds Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: James C. Hall, Werner John Reinartz
  • Patent number: 10776523
    Abstract: The invention refers to a method for accessing an passenger transportation device control means comprising several separated printed circuit boards (PCB), whereby each of these PCBs comprises a unique identifier (ID), and in which method the passenger transportation device control means comprise a matching table which is used by the passenger transportation device control means to perform a matching test to check the identifier of at least two of the PCBs and to put the passenger transportation device control means into normal operation only if their IDs match the IDs of the matching table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Sampo Ahokas, Antti Hovi, Ferenc Staengler
  • Patent number: 10483740
    Abstract: A method for installing at least one junction box in an elevator hoistway of an elevator includes providing at least one junction box, the junction box including a plurality of knock-out portions, knocking out at least one of the plurality of knock-out portions of the at least one junction box to form a respective aperture, and affixing at least one PCB board to the respective aperture. An elevator includes at least one junction box, including at least one PCB board affixed to an aperture of at least one junction box via holders and an integrated multi-conductor coil wired to each PCB board; a duct connector connected to the at least one junction box; and a plurality of wiring ducts connected to the duct connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: KONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Arvind Kinjarapu, Håkan Bärneman, Areli Borrego, Martti Juurioksa, Rodolfo Jasso
  • Patent number: 10364127
    Abstract: A safety circuit for an elevator system includes a plurality of switch contacts, at least one first switch contact, and a control unit. The at least one first switch contact can be switched electronically and can be bridged using a conductive bridging element, in particular for maintenance or testing purposes. Additionally, the control unit is directly or indirectly connected to the safety circuit. The at least one first switch contact can be switched on the basis of instructions of the control unit in order to change the state of the safety circuit. In the process, the at least one control unit detects the absence of the state change of the safety circuit, in particular when the at least one first switch contact is being bridged by the bridging element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: INVENTIO AG
    Inventors: Rudolf J. Müller, Eric Birrer
  • Patent number: 10207895
    Abstract: A system and method of balancing elevator car emergency power in an elevator system is provided. The method includes switching a first feeder group of elevator cars from building power provided through a first building power feeder to back-up power provided through a back-up power source, switching a second feeder group of elevator cars from the building power provided through a second building power feeder to the back-up power provided through the back-up power source, selecting, using an elevator controller, at least one elevator car from the first feeder group of elevator cars, selecting, using the elevator controller, at least one elevator car from the second feeder group of elevator cars, and powering the selected elevator cars from the first feeder group and the second feeder group using the back-up power from the back-up power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Robert Henry Lefevre, James M. Collins
  • Patent number: 10112802
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an elevator car collision protection system is provided. The collision protection system comprising: a first antenna configured to be worn by a person entering a hoistway; a first trio of transceivers located a first selected distance away from a first impact wall of the hoistway, the first trio of transceivers being configured to detect a first clearance between an elevator car within the hoistway and the first trio of transceivers and a second clearance between the first antenna and the first trio of transceivers; and an alarm configured to activate when a collision risk level exceeds a selected risk level, wherein the collision risk level is determined in response to the first clearance and the second clearance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventor: Randall S. Dube
  • Patent number: 10029888
    Abstract: A method is provided for manufacturing an electrical contact arrangement on an end of a hoisting rope of a hoisting apparatus, which hoisting rope includes a non-conductive coating, and a plurality of adjacent conductive load bearing members for bearing the load exerted on the rope in a longitudinal direction thereof embedded in the coating and extending parallel to each other and to the longitudinal direction of the hoisting rope unbroken throughout the length of the rope, the coating forming the surface of the hoisting rope and extending between adjacent load bearing members thereby isolating them from each other, in which method a conductive plate element is placed beside the end of the hoisting rope; and the conductive plate element is attached immovably beside the end of the hoisting rope with at least one threaded screw member made of conductive material by screwing the threaded screw member into the hoisting rope such that it extends centrally between load bearing members next to each other, and such t
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: KONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hannu Lehtinen, Pekka Hallikainen
  • Patent number: 9981830
    Abstract: A method of providing a support for an elevator car in an elevator installation, wherein the support includes a plurality of tensile carriers arranged parallel to one another and substantially enclosed by a casing, includes pre-preparation of a first support end wherein the tensile carriers are directly electrically contactable at a pre-prepared location by a contacting device, and wherein the pre-preparation is carried out before transport of the support to the elevator installation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: INVENTIO AG
    Inventor: Florian Dold
  • Patent number: 9828216
    Abstract: An electrical inspection system for an elevator load bearing member includes an electrically conductive, low resistance wrap located at the load bearing member, contacting the load bearing member around a circumference of the load bearing member. An inspection unit is configured to apply an electrical current through the load bearing member and determine an electrical resistance of the load bearing member, and is electrically connected to the load bearing member at the wrap to distribute electrical current uniformly therethrough. A method of determining an electrical resistance of a load bearing member of an elevator system includes applying an electrically conductive low electrical resistance wrap entirely around a circumference of the load bearing member. An inspection unit is connected to the load bearing member at the wrap. An electrical current is applied through the wrap into the load bearing member to determine an electrical resistance of the load bearing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Ruth Berben, Richard N. Fargo, Peter Liaskas
  • Patent number: 9637348
    Abstract: In an elevator apparatus, an abnormal acceleration detecting mechanism includes a mass body that operates in connection with movement of the car, the abnormal acceleration detecting mechanism operating a safety device using a force of inertia that is generated by the mass body if an acceleration that exceeds a predetermined set value arises in a car. A breakage detecting means detects breakage of a suspending means that suspends the car. A resistance force applying apparatus applies a resistance force to a mechanism for activating the safety device such that the resistance force is applied when breakage of the suspending means is not detected by the breakage detecting means and the resistance force is reduced if breakage of the suspending means is detected by the breakage detecting means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Mineo Okada
  • Patent number: 9604821
    Abstract: A traction sheave elevator includes a drive machine having an output shaft which is connected to the traction sheave via an endless drive member. An encoder is provided in connection with the traction sheave, and a motor speed detection device is provided. A monitoring unit is provided to which the output signal of the encoder and a speed signal of the motor speed detection device are fed. The monitoring unit includes a comparator which compares the output signal of the encoder with the speed signal of the motor speed detection device, and the monitoring unit initiates an emergency action if the result of the comparison exceeds a threshold value. The solution improves the safety in belt driven traction sheave elevators, particularly if only one belt is used for the transmission between drive machine and traction sheave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: KONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sakari Korvenranta, Martti Juurioksa
  • Patent number: 9556002
    Abstract: A method includes receiving, from a portable recording device, multiple recordings of sounds made by an elevator during operation of the elevator, the multiple recordings generated at different times. The method includes analyzing, by a sound analysis circuit, the multiple recordings generated at the different times to detect changes in an elevator characteristic over time and generating, based on detecting the changes in the elevator characteristic over time, a notification to perform an action on the elevator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael Wilke, George Scott Copeland, Soumitra Borthakur, Kelly Martin Dubois, Juan Jose Fernandez
  • Patent number: 9546074
    Abstract: In an elevator apparatus, a car is suspended by a suspending device. A braking apparatus applies a braking force to the car by the suspending device. An excessive speed detection level that changes in response to car position is set in an excessive speed monitoring portion. The excessive speed monitoring portion makes the braking apparatus perform a braking operation when car speed reaches the excessive speed detection level. An anomalous acceleration detecting mechanism operates a safety device if acceleration that exceeds a preset set value arises in the car.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenichi Okamoto, Yoshikatsu Hayashi, Mineo Okada
  • Patent number: 8996259
    Abstract: An engine control device for a forklift that suppresses an increase in fuel consumption amount and noise by limiting an engine rotation speed when the forklift is driven without the need to increase the engine speed according to the accelerator operation even when the accelerator is depressed hard. Determining means in a controller determines whether all of the following conditions are satisfied: a neutral position of the traveling direction instructing means; a lift raising switch and first, second and third attachment switches are turned off. When all of the above conditions are satisfied, it is determined whether the forklift is driven in any of a plurality of states. An engine control means generates and outputs a control command to obtain the engine speed based on the accelerator pedal depression with the upper limit value of the engine speed set as an upper limit value of the engine speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Kaneko, Yoshitaka Onodera, Jun Hashimoto, Hideyuki Hiraiwa, Kazunori Nishimura
  • Publication number: 20150060210
    Abstract: With regard to the effect of a settling building, a connecting device for connecting a transmission device for transmitting information, wherein the transmission device is attached to a measurement tape for determining the position of a cab in an elevator shaft, wherein the connecting device is designed as a guide bracket for guiding and/or supporting the measurement tape, so that it at least partially surrounds the measurement tape, and wherein the guide bracket has at least one opening for reading out the marking unit, and wherein the connecting device has at least one connection contact for connecting to one of the communication lines and/or supply lines, wherein the at least one connection contact is movably supported in the connecting device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: Beat DE COI, Christian E. THÖNY, Tobias LEUTENEGGER, Jan GIGER
  • Publication number: 20130133983
    Abstract: An exemplary elevator system includes a first mass that is moveable within a hoistway. A second mass is moveable within the hoistway. A plurality of elongated members couple the first mass to the second mass. At least one damper is positioned to selectively contact at least one of the elongated members if sway occurs. A sensor is associated with the damper. The sensor detects contact between the damper and the at least one of the elongated members. A controller adjusts at least one aspect of elevator system operation responsive to the detected contact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Applicant: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Richard J. Mangini, Randall Keith Roberts
  • Patent number: 8368330
    Abstract: The invention relates to a variable speed drive comprising a direct-current power bus having a positive line (16) and a negative line (17), and an inverter module (14) supplied by the direct-current bus in order to supply a variable voltage to an electric load (M). The drive comprises an energy-recovery device (10) comprising a first direct-current/direct-current converter (20), the output stage of the first converter (20) being connected in series to the positive line of the direct-current bus, a second direct-current/direct-current converter (30), the input stage of the second converter (30) being connected between the positive line and the negative line of the direct-current bus, and an electric energy storage module (Cs) connected in parallel with the input stage of the first converter (20) and with the output stage of the second converter (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Schneider Toshiba Inverter Europe SAS
    Inventors: Philippe Baudesson, Petar Grbovic, Philippe Le Moigne
  • Patent number: 8122999
    Abstract: An escape and rescue device used in a multistory building during a terrorist threat or a fire to: a) evacuate a person or persons attached to an expandable disc support with an attachment that is lowered from an upper level of a building through a vertical tube, by using a lesser pressure at the top of the tube and a higher pressure at the bottom of the tube, using a door at the top or a door at the bottom to maintain pressure or by artificial air pressure, thereby permitting the fast evacuation of many people in a short time, b) it can be used by firemen in training in its use and benefits, c) also at amusement parks, where there would be a ride that would teach the users about its reliability and safety, and d) to transport firemen in a fast way from the ground to the upper floors without interfering with the evacuation in process at the congested stairways of the building.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Inventor: Manuel Iván Guillermety
  • Patent number: 8104586
    Abstract: An elevator machine (20) assembly useful in an elevator system (10) includes a motor frame (26) that supports a motor (24) for selectively rotating a motor shaft (28). A brake (36) selectively applies a braking force to resist rotation of the motor shaft (28). At least one load sensor (46) resists undesirable movement of the brake (36) and provides an indication of a load that results from applying the braking force. A disclosed example includes using a first resistive member (46) to resist movement of the brake (36) relative to the motor frame (26) when the load is below a threshold load and using a second resistive member (60) to resist movement when the load exceeds the threshold load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Boris Traktovenko, Robin Mihekun Miller, James L. Hubbard, III
  • Publication number: 20120006628
    Abstract: An elevator system in which a controller monitors whether or not a speed of an ascending/descending body reaches a preset overspeed. At a time of maintenance work, a stopper is interposed between a buffer and the ascending/descending body to limit a lowered position of the ascending/descending body. Stopper detection means detects installation of the stopper onto at least one of the buffer and the ascending/descending body. When the stopper is detected by the stopper detection means, the controller lowers a set value of the overspeed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2011
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takaharu Ueda, Eiji Ando
  • Patent number: 8079447
    Abstract: A wheel chair lift device includes a lift car selectively elevated above a base, along with protective skirting covering the region below the lift car. Exposed portions of the protective skirting subject to lateral inward deformation are provided with skirt deformation sensors for detecting abnormal inward deformation of such skirt portions. The skirt deformation sensors include a spring or other elongated deformable member that extends generally parallel and proximate to the portion of the skirt being sensed. A sensor detects that the elongated member has been laterally displaced from its usual longitudinal axis and generates an electrical signal. In response to such electrical signal, the lift device stops further movement of the lift car.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: AGM Container Controls, Inc.
    Inventor: Eric Zuercher
  • Patent number: 7997388
    Abstract: Platforms for detecting, identifying and/or designating objects. Platforms according to one embodiment of the invention include an extendable mast connected to a skid via a linkage that allows pivoting of the mast with respect to the skid, and preferably does not permit rotation of the mast; at least two actuators connected to the mast; at least one inclination sensor; at least one detection sensor connected to the mast for detecting presence of an object; and circuitry that receives information from the inclination sensors and plumbs the mast. Coupling and actuator mechanisms are disclosed for connecting the mast to the skid in a manner that allows the mast to be stable for accurate use of the sensors, yet easily and quickly deployable for such use, whether the platform is deployed from the bed of a truck or when the skid is on the ground and the mast is fully extended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: ICx Tactical Platforms Corp.
    Inventors: Christopher J. Nieboer, Josh H. Strange, Brandon T. Harbuck
  • Patent number: 7931127
    Abstract: In an elevator apparatus, a brake device is controlled by a brake control device. The brake control device is capable of performing braking force reduction control for reducing the braking force of the brake device at a time of emergency braking of a car. The brake control device monitors a running state of the car at the time of emergency braking thereof, and makes a switchover between validity and invalidity of braking force reduction control such that the car is stopped within a preset allowable stopping distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Rikio Kondo, Hiroshi Kigawa, Takaharu Ueda
  • Patent number: 7931128
    Abstract: In an elevator device, a drive unit has a drive sheave, a motor for rotating the drive sheave, and a motor driving portion for driving the motor. The motor driving portion is controlled by a control unit. When a car is running, the control unit monitors a load on at least one component within the drive unit, and generates a control command regarding a running speed of the car in accordance with a state of the load, and outputs the control command to the motor driving portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Masaya Sakai, Takaharu Ueda
  • Publication number: 20110048861
    Abstract: A hoist positioning system includes an accelerometer attached to a hoist, a control unit for processing signals from the accelerometer and comparing the processed signals with reference data to determine a position of the hoist, a drive system for moving the hoist up and down, and a relay that is switched ON and OFF by a control signal from the control unit. When the relay is switched ON, power is supplied to the drive system from a high-voltage power source and the hoist is driven up or down. When the relay is switched OFF, power from the high-voltage power source to the drive system is cut off and the hoist stops moving up or down.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2009
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Applicant: Rong Zhi Xin Science and Technology Development (Beijing) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: PENGFEI MA, SHIHAN ZHANG
  • Publication number: 20100300815
    Abstract: A determination of the loading state of an elevator system and also a method for determining the loading state of an elevator system is described. The elevator system includes an elevator car and also a motor drive for moving the elevator car. The loading state of the elevator system is determined on the basis of the position deviation of the elevator motor that occurs during the determination of the loading state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Inventors: Lauri STOLT, Tuukka KAUPPINEN
  • Publication number: 20100219022
    Abstract: The invention relates to a switch arrangement of an electric motor drive (1). The electric motor drive comprises safety switches (3) determined by the safety of the drive, a controlled mechanical brake (4), a power supply circuit (5) of the brake control, a power converter (6), which power converter comprises a network rectifier (7) and a power rectifier (8) of the motor. The power rectifier of the motor is at least partly implemented with controlled semiconductor switches (9, 10) arranged into a bridge. The power converter comprises an intermediate circuit (11, 12) between the network rectifier and the power rectifier of the motor. The switch arrangement comprises normally-open switches (13, 14) in the intermediate circuit of the power converter (6).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2010
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Inventors: Timo Syrman, Ari Kattainen
  • Patent number: 7775329
    Abstract: A method and detection system monitors the speed of an elevator car and, in case of excess speed caused by brake failure of a motor brake or shaft fracture of a drive pulley shaft, a safety circuit is opened and the detection system is transferred from a normal operational state (State 1) to a retardation state (State 2) in which it is monitored whether the elevator car is retarded after defined speed presets. After a successful retardation, the detection system is transferred to a state of standstill monitoring (State 3) in which it is monitored whether the elevator car leaves its standstill position. If the presets of State 2 or State 3 are not fulfilled, the detection system is transferred to a braking state of the brake (State 4) in which a brake which fixes the elevator car is activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventors: Rudolf Eckenstein, Carlos Latorre Marcuz, Eric Birrer, Karsten Gensicke
  • Patent number: 7735609
    Abstract: A traveling operation detecting portion detects traveling operation and non-traveling operation selectively. The traveling operation corresponds to operator operation that involves traveling of an industrial vehicle. The non-traveling operation corresponds to operator operation that does not involve the traveling of the industrial vehicle. An upper setting portion selectively sets a first engine speed upper limit and a second engine speed upper limit, which are different from each other, as an upper limit of an acceptable speed range of an engine in correspondence with a detection result of the traveling operation detecting portion. Thus, maximum advantage of the performance of the engine is ensured in correspondence with operation of the industrial vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
    Inventors: Yoshiharu Ito, Tadashi Yamada, Hidenori Oka, Toshikazu Kamiya
  • Patent number: 7717236
    Abstract: An elevator may include a hoisting machine, a set of hoisting ropes, a traction sheave, an elevator car, elevator car guide rails, and a brake. The hoisting machine may engage the set of hoisting ropes via the traction sheave in order to move the elevator car along the elevator car guide rails. The brake may be configured to affect rotational movement of the traction sheave. The brake may include a brake shoe and a braking surface. In an emergency braking situation in which the elevator car is moving upward, the brake shoe may be configured to move in a direction of rotation of the braking surface. An elevator brake may include a brake frame, a brake plate, a wedge piece, a brake shoe, at least one spring element, and at least one electromagnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: KONE Corporation
    Inventors: Jorma Mustalahti, Esko Aulanko
  • Patent number: 7686139
    Abstract: In an elevator apparatus, a brake device for braking the running of a car is controlled by a brake control device. The brake control device monitors a speed of the car and a degree of deceleration of the car at a time of emergency braking of the car. When the degree of deceleration of the car reaches a preset target deceleration, the brake control device generates a target speed pattern for decelerating the car from a speed of the car at that time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Rikio Kondo, Hiroshi Kigawa, Takaharu Ueda
  • Publication number: 20100072001
    Abstract: Components of an elevator system are cooled using natural convective airflow in conjunction with thermoelectric heating and cooling. Rising air within the hoistway is funneled into a cold air duct (20) and a warm air duct (22). As air flows vertically upward through the cool air duct (20) and the warm air duct (22), a thermoelectric module (14) cools air in the cool air duct (20) and heats air in the warm air duct (22). The cool air stream in the cool air duct (20) is circulated past the elevator component (12), and is drawn upward into a common exhaust duct (28) by the faster flowing warm air stream in the warm air duct (22).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2007
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Applicant: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventor: Lei Chen
  • Patent number: 7681694
    Abstract: An elevator system and a method for reducing total power in an elevator system are provided. The elevator system includes at least one elevator without counterweight for moving people and/or goods. The elevator without counterweight comprises a power converter unit, an elevator motor, a traction sheave, a set of hoisting ropes and an elevator car. The elevator system also includes means for storing mechanical energy and discharging an energy storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Esko Aulanko, Timo Syrman, Sakari Korvenranta, Pekka Jahkonen
  • Patent number: 7677362
    Abstract: An actuator has a driving first coil and a driving second coil. A capacitor is electrically connected to both the first coil and the second coil through a discharge switch using electric power accumulated in a capacitor which can be selectively supplied. An operation portion for operating the discharge switch is electrically connected to the discharge switch. For example, when an electric power supplied to the operation portion is cut due to a power failure, the second coil and the capacitor are electrically connected to each other through the discharge switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Shimohata, Toshie Takeuchi, Tae Hyun Kim, Hiroshi Kigawa, Tatsuo Matsuoka
  • Patent number: 7644807
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for detecting a configuration of a plurality of lifting devices (12, 13) in a lifting system (11), wherein a lifting device (12, 13) is defined as a master lifting device with the node address 1, wherein subsequently a node address n+1 is generated and stored for the subsequent lifting device (12b, 13b) so that the number and assignment of the lifting devices (12, 13) will be detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Walter Finkbeiner GmbH
    Inventor: Gerhard Finkbeiner
  • Patent number: 7628251
    Abstract: An elevator installation has an elevator car and a permanent magnet linear drive system with a stationary part and a movable part, which moves along the stationary part when the permanent magnet linear drive system is controlled in a drive mode. The elevator car is arranged in a rucksack configuration. The stationary part has two inclined interaction surfaces which include an angle between 0° and 180°. The movable part comprises two units which are so arranged in common on a rear side of the elevator car and mechanically positively connected with the elevator car that in the case of drive control each of the two units produces a movement along one of the interaction surfaces in order to thus move the elevator car.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventor: Hans Kocher
  • Publication number: 20090255763
    Abstract: Platforms for detecting, identifying and/or designating objects. Platforms according to one embodiment of the invention include an extendable mast connected to a skid via a linkage that allows pivoting of the mast with respect to the skid, and preferably does not permit rotation of the mast; at least two actuators connected to the mast; at least one inclination sensor; at least one detection sensor connected to the mast for detecting presence of an object; and circuitry that receives information from the inclination sensors and plumbs the mast. Coupling and actuator mechanisms are disclosed for connecting the mast to the skid in a manner that allows the mast to be stable for accurate use of the sensors, yet easily and quickly deployable for such use, whether the platform is deployed from the bed of a truck or when the skid is on the ground and the mast is fully extended.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2008
    Publication date: October 15, 2009
    Inventors: Christopher J. Nieboer, Josh H. Strange, Brandon T. Harbuck
  • Patent number: 7568557
    Abstract: A portion of an elevator car electrical system, such as car computer, terminals, communication apparatus, etc., is mounted in an apparatus space integrated into a car roof. The apparatus space is arranged along a car roof edge and utilizes a constructional height required for stiffening the car roof. The portion of the car electrical system is accessible by a moveable cover for service. When closed, the cover forms a standing surface which can be used for servicing in the elevator shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventor: Eric Rossignol
  • Patent number: 7554278
    Abstract: A load-lifting apparatus has one or more prime power sources, one or more energy storage systems and regenerative braking. Regenerative energy is recovered when the load-lifting apparatus lowers its load. The elements of the prime power sources, energy storage devices and electrical components may be distributed to provide stability for the load-lifting apparatus. The general power architecture and energy recovery method can be applied to cranes, rubber-tired gantry cranes, overhead cranes, mobile cranes, ship-to-shore cranes, container cranes, rail-mounted gantry cranes, straddle carrier cranes and elevators. In such an architecture, the energy storage system helps alleviate the power rating requirement of the prime power source with respect to the peak power requirement for lifting a load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: Railpower Technologies Corp.
    Inventors: Frank Wegner-Donnelly, Raymond Cousineau, Serge Mai
  • Publication number: 20090101449
    Abstract: Disclosed are an elevator drive, a clamping arrangement for an elevator machine, a braking mechanism for an elevator system, and a rotor fixture for an elevator machine. The inventive elevator drive is subdivided into a number of segments, to each of which a converter is assigned.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2007
    Publication date: April 23, 2009
    Inventors: Olaf Breidenstein, Jochen Schulze, Eberhard Vogler, Andreas Wilhelm, Torsten Gessner, Gunther Herrmann, Markus Jetter, Nis-Anton Mollgaard, Uwe Resag