Method and system for increasing the availability of an elevator standing unused at a landing

• US 10,202,257 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2015
• Issued: 02/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kone Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kone Corporation
• Inventors: Laaksonheimo, Jyrki, Raassina, Pasi
• Primary Examiner(s): Donels, Jeffrey
• Application Number:
  US14/618,640
• Publication Number:
  US 20150175386A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,463 Days
• Field of Search: 187393
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 1/34 Details , e.g. call counting devices, data transmission from car to control system, devices giving information to the control system
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 5/02 responsive to abnormal operating conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 15/125 Heating or drying of machines in operational state, e.g. standstill heating
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0275 Heating of spaces, e.g. rooms, wardrobes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 50/00 Energy efficient technologies in elevators, escalators and moving walkways, e.g. energy saving or recuperation technologies

Abstract

In the method for increasing the availability of an elevator standing unused at a landing

• • the ambient temperature of at least one electrical device of the elevator is measured; and
  • when the ambient temperature falls below a threshold value, electric current is conducted to at least one electrical device of the elevator for warming the electrical device in question.

The patent application also includes an independent claim for a system for increasing the availability of an elevator standing unused at a landing.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an ambient temperature of at least one electrical device of an elevator standing unused at a landing, the method comprising:

measuring the ambient temperature of the at least one electrical device of the elevator, the at least one electrical device being one or more of (i) a frequency converter or control card included in a hoisting machine of the elevator, (ii) an elevator control unit, (iii) a call-giving device, (iv) an electricity supply device for holding brakes, and (v) a control device of an automatic door of the elevator; and

controlling the ambient temperature by supplying power to the at least one electrical device in response to the ambient temperature being below a threshold value.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the controlling comprises:

supplying the power at a level sufficient to drive the elevator without passengers during a warm-up run of the elevator.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the controlling comprises:

supplying the power to the at least one electrical device while the elevator remains stationary.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the at least one electrical device is the frequency converter or control card included in the hoisting machine, and

excitation current that does not form rotating torque is used for warming windings of an electric motor of the hoisting machine.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical device is a brake resistor in an intermediate circuit of the frequency converter of the hoisting machine, the brake resistor being configured to consume regenerative braking energy of an elevator motor of the hoisting machine as heat.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the measuring includes measuring the ambient temperature using at least one sensor such that a same one of the at least one sensor is also configured to instruct a controller to prevent running of the elevator in response to the ambient temperature being below a second threshold.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the controlling comprises:

supplying the power directly to the at least one electrical device to operate same.

6. An elevator comprising:

at least one electrical device, the at least one electrical device being one or more of (i) a frequency converter or control card included in a hoisting machine of the elevator, (ii) an elevator control unit, (iii) a call-giving device, (iv) an electricity supply device for holding brakes, and (v) a control device of an automatic door of the elevator;

at least one sensor configured to measure an ambient temperature of the at least one electrical device; and

a controller configured to control the ambient temperature by supplying power to the at least one electrical device in response to the ambient temperature being below a threshold value.

7. The elevator according to claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to supply the power at a level sufficient to drive the elevator without passengers during a warm-up run of the elevator.

8. The elevator according to claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to supply the power to the at least one electrical device while the elevator remains stationary.

9. The elevator according to claim 6, wherein

the at least one electrical device is the frequency converter or control card included in the hoisting machine, and

excitation current that does not form rotating torque is used for warming windings of an electric motor of the hoisting machine.

10. The elevator according to claim 6, wherein the at least one electrical device is a brake resistor in an intermediate circuit of the frequency converter of the hoisting machine, the brake resistor being configured to consume regenerative braking energy of an elevator motor of the hoisting machine as heat.

12. The elevator according to claim 6, wherein a same one of the at least one sensor is also configured to instruct the controller to prevent running of the elevator in response to the ambient temperature being below a second threshold.

14. The elevator according to claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to supply the power directly to the at least one electrical device to operate same.