METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR INCREASING THE AVAILABILITY OF AN ELEVATOR STANDING UNUSED AT A LANDING

• US 20150175386A1
• Filed: 02/10/2015
• Published: 06/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kone Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kone Corporation
• Inventors: LAAKSONHEIMO, Jyrki, RAASSINA, Pasi
• Granted Patent: US 10,202,257 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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. Method for increasing the availability of an elevator standing unused at a landing, wherein in the method

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.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the conducting of electric current is implemented as a warm-up run of the elevator.

3. Method according to claim 1, wherein the conducting of electric current is implemented in a stationary elevator.

4. Method according to claim 1, wherein the electrical device, or at least one of the electrical devices, is at least one of the following:

an electric drive, most preferably a hoisting machine, or an electricity supply device of a hoisting machine such as more particularly a frequency converter or control card, comprised in an electric drive;

an elevator control unit;

a call-giving device;

an electricity supply device for the holding brakes or a control device of them;

a control device of an automatic door of the elevator.

5. Method according to claim 4, wherein the electrical device, or at least one of the electrical devices, is a hoisting machine comprised in an electric drive and wherein the excitation current that does not form rotating torque is used for warming the windings of the electric motor of the hoisting machine.

6. Method according to claim 4, wherein the electrical device, or at least one of the electrical devices, is a brake resistor in the intermediate circuit of the frequency converter of the hoisting machine comprised in the electric drive, which brake resistor is configured to consume the regenerative braking energy of the elevator motor as heat.

7. The system for increasing the availability of an elevator standing unused at a landing is wherein it comprises a cubicle containing at least one electrical device of the elevator as well as means for supplying electric power to the electrical device. In addition, in the cubicle are means for determining the ambient temperature prevailing inside the cubicle as well as a control unit, which is configured to implement any of the methods according to claim 1.