With Means For Stopping Vibration Or Bump Start Patents (Class 187/292)
  • Patent number: 11724910
    Abstract: A method of monitoring a conveyance system is provided. The method including: monitoring vibratory signatures along a first axis of a conveyance apparatus of a conveyance system; detecting a vibratory signature along the first axis about equivalent to a vibratory signature of significant event; and examining vibratory signatures for a secondary event along at least one of the first axis and a second axis of the conveyance apparatus for at least one of a selected time period after detection of the significant event and a selected time period before detection of the significant event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Tadeusz Pawel Witczak, Craig Drew Bogli, Ezhil Nanjappan, Yrinee Michaelidis
  • Patent number: 11548758
    Abstract: Methods and systems for monitoring a dynamic compensation control system of an elevator system are provided. The methods and systems include monitoring a first motion state sensor signal generated by a first motion state sensor, the first motion state sensor associated with an elevator machine, monitoring a second motion state sensor signal generated by a second motion state sensor, the second motion state sensor located on an elevator car, determining an operational status of the second motion state sensor based on an analysis of the first motion state sensor signal and the second motion state sensor signal, and when it is determined that a failure status of the second motion state sensor is present, the method further comprises deactivating a dynamic compensation control mode of operation of the elevator system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Randy Roberts, Edward Piedra, Bruce P. Swaybill
  • Patent number: 11518654
    Abstract: An element includes a vibration isolation pad with two opposite substantially planar surfaces, an elastic material layer being permanently attached to a first of the two substantially planar surfaces of the vibration isolation pad, a load sensor arrangement integrated into the combined elevator vibration isolation and load measurement element. A load acting on the combined elevator vibration isolation and load measurement element can be measured with the load sensor arrangement as a function of the compression of the elastic material layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: KONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tapani Talonen, Tapio Siironen, Henri Wenlin, Ville Myyryläinen
  • Patent number: 11286132
    Abstract: An elevator system (2) comprises a hoistway (4) extending between a plurality of landings (8a, 8b, 8c); an elevator car (60) configured for moving along the hoistway (4) between the plurality of landings (8a, 8b, 8c); a load/weight sensor (44) configured for detecting the load of the elevator car (60); a speed detector (34) configured for detecting the speed of the elevator car (60); and an elevator safety system. The elevator safety system comprises a safety gear (20) configured for stopping, upon activation, any movement of the elevator car (60); and an electronic safety controller (30) configured for activating the safety gear (20) when the detected speed of the elevator car (60) exceeds a set speed limit. The electronic safety controller (30) is configured for setting the speed limit as a function of the load detected by the load/weight sensor (44).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Andres Monzon, Fernando Del Rio
  • Patent number: 11232312
    Abstract: A passenger tracking system includes a multiple of sensors for capturing depth map data of objects. A processing module in communication with the multiple of sensors to receive the depth map data, the processing module uses the depth map data to track an object and calculate passenger data associated with the tracked object to generate a passenger tracking list that tracks each individual passenger in the passenger data from an origin lobby to a destination lobby and through an in-car track between the origin lobby and the destination lobby.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Feng Chen, Liu Yu, Xiangyu Wang, Zhen Jia, Hui Fang, Arthur Hsu, Alan Matthew Finn
  • Patent number: 11117782
    Abstract: A braking device may be utilized by an elevator system that has a cabin that is movable within an elevator shaft. The braking device may comprise an actuator and a brake. The actuator may be configured to provide an actuating force for the brake as needed. The braking device may include a force measuring assembly for generating a load state value of the cabin. The force measuring assembly may be mechanically coupled to the actuator such that the actuating force is dependent on the load state value. The actuator may be configured such that the greater the load state value the greater the actuating force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: TK Elevator Innovation and Operations GmbH
    Inventor: Markan Lovric
  • Patent number: 11001476
    Abstract: The present invention provides a compensation chain stabilizing apparatus and method, and an elevator shaft and elevator system having the same. The compensation chain stabilizing apparatus for an elevator includes a magnetic field generating device, which is configured to generate a magnetic field to limit shaking of the compensation chain. The elevator shaft and elevator system according to embodiments of the present invention include the compensation chain stabilizing apparatus according to the embodiments of the present invention. The apparatuses and methods of the present invention can suppress shaking of the compensation chain as much as possible, and avoid other problems related to the shaking of the compensation chain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventor: Xiaokai Gong
  • Patent number: 10934133
    Abstract: 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 of the elevator, which motor drive includes 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 is configured to determine an earth fault of the aforementioned main circuit occurring via the aforementioned conducting part. The monitoring circuit is configured to form a signal indicating the danger of electric shock in the motor drive of the elevator, if the aforementioned earth fault is diagnosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: KONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ari Kattainen, Juha-Matti Aitamurto, Lauri Stolt
  • Patent number: 10829344
    Abstract: According to an aspect, a method of elevator sensor system calibration includes collecting, by a computing system, a plurality of data from one or more sensors of an elevator sensor system while a calibration device applies a known excitation. The computing system compares an actual response to an expected response to the known excitation using a trained model. The computing system performs analytics model calibration to calibrate the trained model based on one or more response changes between the actual response and the expected response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Sudarshan N. Koushik, Paul R. Braunwart, Soumalya Sarkar, Teems E. Lovett, George S. Ekladious
  • Patent number: 10508001
    Abstract: An elevator system includes a car, a main rope, a car, a detector, and a sway detection unit. The car moves vertically. The main rope moves as the car moves. The car moves vertically. The detector is provided on the car. The detector detects the position of the main rope. The sway detection unit detects, on the basis of the position detected by the detector, that abnormal swaying requiring a control operation is occurring in the main rope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Kenta Kitajima
  • Patent number: 10472208
    Abstract: The invention concerns the automatically detection and analysis of jerks arising when an elevator car starts its ride carrying out a determination of an elevator run sequence by an elevator controller, measuring an elevator car movement with a sensor at a predetermined phase of the elevator run sequence, and determining an elevator car sway from the sensor data, further comparing the determination result with a pre-set criteria, and being followed by outputting the comparison result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Ari Kattainen, Kenneth Kronkvist, Giovanni Hawkins
  • Patent number: 10407274
    Abstract: Systems and methods for an elevator. The elevator includes an elevator car to move along a first direction. A transmitter for transmitting a signal having a waveform. A receiver for receiving the waveform. A processor having memory is configured to represent the received waveform as a hybrid sinusoidal frequency modulated (FM)-polynomial phase signal (PPS) model. The hybrid sinusoidal FM-PPS model having PPS phase parameters representing a speed of the elevator car along a first direction and a sinusoidal FM phase parameter representing a vibration of the elevator car along a second direction. The processor solves the hybrid sinusoidal FM-PPS model to produce the speed of the elevator car or the vibration of the elevator car or both. A controller controls an operation of the elevator using the speed of the elevator car or the vibration of the elevator car, or both, to assist in an operational management of the elevator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc., Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Pu Wang, Philip Orlik, Kota Sadamoto, Wataru Tsujita
  • Patent number: 10196247
    Abstract: Provided is an electric winch device including: an electric motor; a winch drum; a brake; an operation lever; and a controller. The controller includes: a first torque derivation unit which derives a value of a first torque applied to the winch drum due to a load of an object; a second torque derivation unit which derives a value of a second torque generated in the winch drum by a drive torque of the electric motor; and a brake control unit which determines a timing for releasing a braking action on the winch drum after the operation lever has been operated, on the basis of a differential between the second torque value and the first torque value, and which causes the brake to release the braking action on the winch drum by transmitting, to the brake, a control signal instructing release of the braking action on the winch drum at the determined timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA KOBE SEIKO SHO (KOBE STEEL, LTD.), KOBELCO CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Hiekata, Hiroaki Kawai, Toshiro Yamashita, Shintaro Sasai, Naoto Hori, Koichi Shimomura
  • Patent number: 9975730
    Abstract: In a method for performing a balance check with an elevator, a power model of the elevator is established, including the motor power fed to the motor (PM) and power parameters of the motor and the moved components in the hoistway (PK, PP, PFr, PCu, PFe), a test run of the elevator is made, mid motor power values for the up and down direction are determined, i.e. the power fed to the motor at the instant when the car is moving through the middle of the travelling path of the elevator in up and down direction with constant velocity, the difference between the mid power value in up and down direction is determined, the balancing weight difference is obtained from said mid power value difference. This method allows an easy determination of the elevator balance preferably in course of modernizations of an elevator system with a new elevator motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: KONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Pekka Perälä, Riku Lampinen, Risto Jokinen, Tapio Tyni
  • Patent number: 9973114
    Abstract: A method and system for reducing rollback in a counterbalancing system as a holding brake is released is disclosed. A limited amount of movement of a drive shaft is present in the holding brake. A motor drive provides current to the motor with the holding brake set such that a torque is applied at the drive shaft. The current is controlled to generate torque in both directions. The limited amount of movement in the brake may be used to determine a direction and magnitude of torque required to support a mechanical load being applied to the motor. The motor drive then provides a current to generate the necessary torque required to support the load prior to releasing the holding brake.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Magnetek, Inc.
    Inventors: Garry Anderson, Mark Kobiske, John Backman, Edward G. Butte
  • Patent number: 9896306
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: ThyssenKrupp Elevator Corporation
    Inventors: Fernando Boschin, Joao Paulo Da Costa Brusque, Marcelo De Fraga Carvalho, Leoci Rudi Galle, Rory S. Smith
  • Patent number: 9828211
    Abstract: A system is provided for damping vertical oscillations of an elevator car stopped at an elevator landing. The system includes an elevator traction sheave that receives a torque, a sensor that provides a sensor signal indicative of the torque, a controller that provides a control signal based on the sensor signal, and a motor that applies the torque to the sheave. Oscillations in the torque correspond to the vertical oscillations of the car stopped at the landing during a first (e.g., position control) mode of operation. The motor drives the sensor signal towards a baseline value in response to receiving the control signal during a second (e.g., constant torque control) mode of operation in order to reduce the vertical oscillations of the car.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventor: Uwe Schonauer
  • Patent number: 9791009
    Abstract: A method for monitoring brake torque of an elevator having a motor is provided. The method may engage an elevator brake for a predefined duration, determine a displacement of an output shaft of the motor during the predefined duration, and generate an alert if the displacement exceeds a predefined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: James L. Hubbard, Michael Garfinkel, Juan Antonio Illan, Robert D. Shepherd
  • Patent number: 9708158
    Abstract: In a multi-car elevator, if two vertically adjacent cars among the cars are designated first and second cars, then: a zone that is a distance in which the second car can be stopped in response to an abnormality, and into which the first car is not permitted to enter is set as an exclusion zone of the second car; a position before which it is necessary for the first car to stop is set as a stopping limit position of the first car; and a plurality of threshold values that progressively detect the abnormal approach are set so as to enable the first car to decelerate and stop before the stopping limit position of the first car.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masayuki Kakio, Takuo Kugiya, Kiyoshi Funai, Eiji Ando
  • Patent number: 9475674
    Abstract: A method reduces a sway of an elevator rope supporting an elevator car by controlling a tension of the elevator rope. The tension is controlled using a movement of the elevator sheave according to a control law of the tension of the elevator rope between two points. 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: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Mouhacine Benosman, Daiki Fukui, Seiji Watanabe, Daisuke Nakazawa
  • Patent number: 9422133
    Abstract: An exemplary method is useful for controlling movement of an elevator car in an elevator system that includes a machine that selectively moves the elevator car and a machine brake that selectively resists movement of the elevator car. The method includes determining whether the elevator car is near a landing and determining whether a door of the elevator car is open. A desired operation includes desired movement of the elevator car while the elevator car is near the landing and the door is open. A determination is made whether the elevator car moves other than according to the desired movement. The machine brake is applied for stopping movement of the elevator car responsive to elevator car movement other than the desired movement while the elevator car is near the landing and the door is open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Pascal Rebillard, Nicolas Fonteneau, Gerard Sirigu, Gregor Stricker, James L. Hubbard, Peter Herkel, Robert Bryan Leach, Guillaume Bonatre, Fabrice Boniface, Stephane Gourjeande
  • Patent number: 8905197
    Abstract: A device (22) for damping vibrations between a first component (16) and a second component (14) includes a receiving member (24) configured to be connected to the first component (16), a first permanent magnet (26) arranged inside the receiving member (24), a second permanent magnet (28) arranged inside the receiving member (24) in series with the first magnet (26), and an engaging member (30) slidably connected to the receiving member (24) and including a first end configured to engage the second component (14) and a second end inside the receiving member (24) adjacent the first magnet (26). The second magnet (28) includes a pole which repels a facing pole of the first magnet (26).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Robin Mihekun Miller, Richard J. Ericson
  • Patent number: 8761947
    Abstract: A system and method reduce lateral movement of a car in an elevator system by detecting vibration of the car as a vibration signal. A damping coefficient for a feedback signal is determined according to the vibration signal and a state of the elevator system. A semi-active actuator is arranged between the car and a roller guide assembly. The semi-active actuator includes a rheological fluid, and flow characteristics of the rheological fluid are actuated according to the feedback signal to reduce the lateral movement of the car.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Yebin Wang
  • Publication number: 20130299283
    Abstract: A method controls a set of semi-active actuators arranged in an elevator system to minimize a vibration of an elevator car. The elevator system is represented with a model of a virtual elevator system having a single virtual semi-active actuator arranged to compensate a virtual disturbance. The virtual disturbance is determined using a motion profile of position of the elevator car during the operation and a disturbance profile of the virtual disturbance. A state of the elevator system is determined using the model of the virtual elevator system, the virtual disturbance and a signal indicative of a horizontal acceleration of the elevator car during the operation. Each actuator of the set of semi-active actuators is controlled based on the state of the elevator system and according to a control policy of the virtual semi-active actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2013
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC RESEARCH LABORATORIES, INC.
    Inventors: Yebin Wang, Scott A. Bortoff
  • Publication number: 20130240302
    Abstract: A system for active control of noise and/or vibration includes an electric machine; at least one sensor for sensing at least one of noise and vibration in the machine and generating at least one of an audio signal representing noise and a vibration signal representing vibration; a controller obtaining at least one of the noise signal and the vibration signal, the controller generating control signals to reduce at least one of noise and vibration in the machine; and power electronics receiving the control signals and generating drive signals for the machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Arthur Blanc, Vladimir Blasko
  • Patent number: 8463462
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided that may he useful for testing braking systems for use in, for example, an aircraft. A system is disclosed that allows for built in testing. For example, a method if provided comprising sending, from a brake controller, a test command set to at least one of an electromechanical actuator (EMAC) and a brake servo valve (BSV) in response to a landing gear retraction, receiving, at the brake controller, feedback from the at least one of the EMAC and the BSV in response to the test command set, and comparing, at the brake controller, the feedback with a predetermined signature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Goodrich Corporation
    Inventor: Eric D. Cahill
  • Patent number: 8418815
    Abstract: An exemplary system for monitoring an elevator arrangement includes a detector arranged to detect conditions or events in, on or near an associated elevator car. A monitoring device monitors a status of the associated elevator car. The monitoring device communicates with the detector for receiving data indicative of any event or condition detected by the detector. The monitoring device provides an output that associates the status of the elevator car at a time of any detected event or condition with an indication of the detected event or condition including a reproduction of the detected event or condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Luis C. Encinas Carreno, George S. Copeland, Juan A. Lence
  • Patent number: 8342293
    Abstract: A guide apparatus includes a pair of guide rails, magnet units, pedestals, a sensor unit, a magnetic guide control apparatus as a control unit, and projected parts. The magnet unit includes electromagnets and permanent magnets and magnetic poles thereof are opposed to a blade of the guide rail from three directions with a gap. The projected parts are formed with side parts of a tip part of a central magnetic pole opposite to a tip surface of the blade of the guide rail among the magnetic poles of the magnet unit being brought closer to the guide rail than a center section thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Toshiba Elevator Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroaki Ito
  • Patent number: 8297412
    Abstract: An elevator system (20) includes an elongated member (30, 32, 34) that may sway under certain conditions. An exemplary method of controlling the elevator system (20) includes selectively controlling an elevator car dispatching schedule when a condition exists that is conducive to sway of one of the elongated members (30, 32, 34). The control over the elevator car dispatching schedule controls the time that the elevator car is in a predetermined critical zone while the condition exists such that the time does not exceed a selected amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Randall Keith Roberts, Richard K. Pulling
  • Publication number: 20120103731
    Abstract: A vibration damping device for suppressing transverse vibrations occurring in an elevating body of an elevator is configured so that a coil provided on the actuator moving part side can be held firmly to a bobbin, and a minute slippage occurring in the coil can be prevented reliably. For this purpose, a groove is formed in the wire direction of the coil in the bobbin of the moving part, and the coil is formed by winding the wire in the groove. The coil is integrated as a whole, and the adjacent wires forming the innermost layer of the coil are brought into contact with each other, and are brought into contact with a part of the groove in the transverse cross section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2009
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoichi Sakuma
  • Patent number: 8141685
    Abstract: In an elevator apparatus, an actuator for generating a vibration-damping force against the lateral vibration of a car is provided in parallel to elastic member for preventing the lateral vibration of the car. The actuator is controlled by a vibration-damping control unit. The vibration-damping control unit estimates a natural frequency of the lateral vibration of the car, determines a gain value on the basis of the estimated natural frequency and a rigidity value of the elastic member, and drives the actuator in accordance with an instruction signal obtained by multiplication of the determined gain value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Kenji Utsunomiya
  • Patent number: 8091686
    Abstract: A signal correction arithmetic unit is provided in a control apparatus to control a magnetic force of a magnetic guide unit. The signal correction arithmetic unit differentiates detection signals of two gap sensors, and integrates and outputs a differential signal with a smallest absolute value. The output signal is used for magnetic control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Toshiba Elevator Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroaki Ito
  • Patent number: 8069959
    Abstract: An elevator includes a car follower associated with each of a pair of guide rails, and carrying electromagnets which are spaced from electromagnets on an elevator car. The electromagnets on the car and car follower create a repulsive force tending to center the car between the car follower electromagnets associated with the two guide rails. Preferably, the car follower electromagnets are interconnected into a single car follower such that they move together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Jae-Hyuk Oh, Pei-Yuan Peng, Howard Winston, Alan Finn
  • Patent number: 8011478
    Abstract: A vibration damping system for an elevator is provided with a damping device (5) that is provided between a cab (1) and a car frame (2) for supporting the cab (1) and whose damping coefficient can be changed. A speed detector detects the traveling speed of a reference elevator car, and a calculation unit (15) receiving the traveling speed detected by the speed detector calculates a control signal for the damping device (5), and outputs the control signal to the damping device. The calculation unit (15) controls the damping device (5) in such a way that, in the case where the traveling speed exceeds a predetermined value, the damping coefficient of the damping device (5) is larger than that in the case where the traveling speed is the same as or smaller than the predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Kenji Utsunomiya
  • Patent number: 8002086
    Abstract: A magnetic guide apparatus includes at least two gap sensors which are disposed with a predetermined interval in a direction of movement of a moving body, and detect a gap between a magnet unit and a guide rail, a signal correction unit which determines variation amounts of detection signals which are output from the gap sensors, relatively varies weight coefficients for the respective detection signals on the basis of the variation amounts, and outputs, as a signal for magnetic control, a signal which is obtained by adding the detection signals which are multiplied by the weight coefficients, and a control unit which controls the magnetic force of the magnet unit on the basis of the signal for magnetic control, which is output from the signal correction unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Toshiba Elevator Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroaki Ito
  • Publication number: 20110132697
    Abstract: A vibration damping system for an elevator is provided with a damping device (5) that is provided between a cab (1) and a car frame (2) for supporting the cab (1) and whose damping coefficient can be changed. A speed detector detects the traveling speed of a reference elevator car, and a calculation unit (15) receiving the traveling speed detected by the speed detector calculates a control signal for the damping device (5), and outputs the control signal to the damping device. The calculation unit (15) controls the damping device (5) in such a way that, in the case where the traveling speed exceeds a predetermined value, the damping coefficient of the damping device (5) is larger than that in the case where the traveling speed is the same as or smaller than the predetermined value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2011
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kenji UTSUNOMIYA
  • Patent number: 7929268
    Abstract: An exciting voltage arithmetic portion calculates an exciting voltage of an electromagnet using a signal of a gap sensor. On the other hand, a sensorless exciting voltage arithmetic portion calculates an exciting voltage of the electromagnet using a signal of the current sensor. The exciting voltage adjusting portion adjusts a mixing ratio between an output value of an exciting voltage arithmetic portion and an output value of the sensorless exciting voltage arithmetic portion corresponding to a gap length. The excitation of the electromagnet is controlled according to an output value of the exciting voltage adjusting portion so as to reduce influences of noises on the gap sensors thereby always achieving a stable levitation control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Toshiba Elevator Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Mimpei Morishita
  • Patent number: 7909144
    Abstract: Since the elevator type is varied, a set value used for judging car oscillation must be set for each elevator, which requires much time and labor. Also, if the criteria of all elevators are represented by one set value to eliminate the time and labor required for the setting, variations in detection occur. A car oscillation detecting device includes a means in which a set value, which is used as a criterion for judging car oscillation, is stored in advance as a table or a relational expression in which an elevator specification is used as a parameter, and the set value is selected automatically by using the information of the elevator specification, by which the time and the labor for setting are eliminated. Further, since the set value is a value suitable for that elevator, variations in detection can be restrained, and hence the reliability is high.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Daiki Fukui, Kenichi Okamoto
  • Patent number: 7909141
    Abstract: A vibration damping system for an elevator is provided with a damping device (5) that is provided between a cab (1) and a car frame (2) for supporting the cab (1) and whose damping coefficient can be changed. A speed detector detects the traveling speed of a reference elevator car, and a calculation unit (15) receiving the traveling speed detected by the speed detector calculates a control signal for the damping device (5), and outputs the control signal to the damping device. The calculation unit (15) controls the damping device (5) in such a way that, in the case where the traveling speed exceeds a predetermined value, the damping coefficient of the damping device (5) is larger than that in the case where the traveling speed is the same as or smaller than the predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Kenji Utsunomiya
  • Patent number: 7841451
    Abstract: In an elevator including a guide apparatus which levitates the car from a guide rail by an effect of magnetic force and non-contactly runs and guides the car, the guide apparatus is controlled in a manner to generate magnetic force with respect to at least two of movement axes of the car. In this case, control is executed with respect to only some of the movement axes at a time of start of guide, and then control is executed with respect to the other movement axes after passing of a predetermined time from the start of the guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Toshiba Elevator Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroaki Ito
  • Publication number: 20100294598
    Abstract: An exemplary method of controlling elevator car position includes determining that an elevator car required re-leveling. Elevator car dynamics information associated with a current position of the elevator car is determined. A gain for controlling operation of a motor responsible for moving the elevator car for the re-leveling is adjusted based on the determined elevator car dynamics information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2008
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Inventor: Randall Keith Roberts
  • Patent number: 7828122
    Abstract: In a vibration damping device for an elevator, an actuator for generating a vibration damping force acting on an elevator car is provided in parallel with a spring for urging a guide roller against a guide rail. The actuator is controlled by a controller. The controller determines the vibration damping force to be generated by the actuator based on information from a car frame acceleration sensor for detecting horizontal acceleration of a car frame and a car cage acceleration sensor for detecting horizontal acceleration of a car cage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Kenji Utsunomiya
  • Patent number: 7793760
    Abstract: An elevator includes guide rails laid in an elevator shaft vertically, an elevator car moving up and down along the guide rails, guiding units provided on the elevator car for guiding it, the guiding unit having a magnet unit including cores and coils forming electromagnets to generate a magnetic force against the guide rail through an air gap and a controller for controlling the magnetic force by maneuvering an exciting current for exciting the electromagnets. The controller controls the magnetic force so as to make the guiding units in non-contact with the guide rails when the elevator car is traveling and brings the guiding units into contact with the guide rails when the elevator car is stopped, so that the guiding units attract and fix the guide rails while the elevator car is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Toshiba Elevator Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroaki Ito, Mimpei Morishita
  • Publication number: 20100140023
    Abstract: Since there are a variety of models of elevators, it is extremely time consuming to set by each elevator a specified value for judging car sway. Also, when one specified value is made to represent criteria for all elevators in order to save time for the setting, detection results may vary. Specified values as judgment criteria for car sway are prestored as a table or a relational expression that employ elevator specifications as parameters and a means for automatically selecting a specified value by using information on the elevator specifications is provided, which saves time for the setting. Since the set specified value is suitable for that particular elevator, variation in detection results is suppressed to realize a highly reliable car sway detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2005
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Applicant: Mitssubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Daiki Fukui, Kenichi Okamoto
  • Patent number: 7669697
    Abstract: In an elevator apparatus, a brake control device has a first brake control portion, a second brake control portion, and a third brake control portion. The first brake control portion operates a hoisting machine brake to stop a ascending/descending body as an emergency measure when an abnormality is detected. The second brake control portion reduces a braking force of the hoisting machine brake when a deceleration of the ascending/descending body becomes equal to or higher than a predetermined value during an emergency braking operation of the hoisting machine brake. The third brake control portion monitors a slip speed of a main rope with respect to a drive sheave during emergency braking operation of the hoisting machine brake, and reduces a braking force of the hoisting machine brake when the slip speed of the main rope becomes equal to or higher than a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Takaharu Ueda, Masunori Shibata, Ken-Ichi Okamoto, Satoru Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7621377
    Abstract: An elevator has a car traveling along guide rails within a hoistway and a main drive propelling the car. A sensor mounted on the car measures a vertical travel parameter of the car, a comparator compares the sensed car travel parameter with a reference value derived from the main drive, and an auxiliary motor mounted on the car exerts a vertical force on at least one of the guide rails in response to an error signal output from the comparator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventor: Josef Husmann
  • Patent number: 7543686
    Abstract: An elevator system includes a roller (16) having a hardness that varies responsive to a magnetic field (20). The roller (16) rolls along a guide rail (28) to maintain a desired orientation of the elevator car (12). In one example, the roller (16) includes a membrane (30) defining a generally annular chamber (36) containing fluid (22) that changes viscosity responsive to changes in the magnetic field (20). The rollers (16) are associated with at least one magnetic field generator (18) that generates a magnetic field (20) of a selected strength. Varying the magnetic field varies the hardness of each roller (16) to control vibrations of the elevator car (12) to improve ride quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Richard Kulak, Michael Tracey
  • Patent number: 7503433
    Abstract: An elevator having an inner car suspended within an outer car, and which does not require the provision of mechanical room. A drive motor can be provided in one of rear side top, underside, and either side of the car. The invention has the following advantages. The vibration of inner car is reduced within an acceptable level for bringing a degree of comfort to passengers in the inner car while hoisting or lowering. The hoist ropes are prevented from slipping when a load of the car changes suddenly as in a case that many persons steps in or out of the car in a short period of time. An alignment of a bottom of the car with each of a plurality of levels is made possible when the elevator is stopped at each level. A manual escape device is provided for assisting passengers to escape in case of emergency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Inventor: Chiu Nan Wang
  • Patent number: 7493990
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for thermally protecting an electromagnetic actuator used to suppress vibrations in an elevator installation. The apparatus includes a temperature evaluation unit that determines an actual temperature of the actuator on the basis of a signal proportional to a current supplied to the actuator. A limiter restricts the current supplied to the actuator if the actual temperature of the actuator as determined by the temperature evaluation unit is greater than a predetermined temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventors: Elena Cortona, Josef Husmann
  • Patent number: 7424934
    Abstract: A method for designing a regulator uses a predetermined overall model of an elevator car with known structure. The model parameters are known to greater or lesser extent or estimations are present, wherein the parameters for the elevator car used are to be identified. In that case the frequency responses of the model are compared with the measured frequency responses. With the help of an algorithm for optimization of functions with numerous variables the estimated model parameters are changed to achieve the greatest possible agreement. The model with the identified parameters forms the basis for design of an optimum regulator for active vibration damping at the elevator car.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2008
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventors: Josef Husmann, Hans Musch