Elevator apparatus including main and auxiliary sensors

• US 7,540,358 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2004
• Issued: 06/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Kigawa, Hiroshi, Okamoto, Kenichi, Yumura, Takashi, Matsuoka, Tatsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): SALATA, ANTHONY J
• Application Number:
  US10/573,588
• Publication Number:
  US 20060289241A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,828 Days
• Field of Search: 187/283, 187/284, 187/291, 187/293, 187/390, 187/391, 187/393, 187/394
• US Class Current: 187/394
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 1/3492 Position or motion detectors or driving means for the detector B66B1/40, B66B1/50 take precedence; length measuring G01B; speed measuring G01P
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 5/04 for detecting excessive speed
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 5/18 and applying frictional retarding forces

Abstract

In an elevator apparatus, a control device obtains car information including at least one of car position information and car speed information based on a main detection signal from a main sensor unit. An auxiliary sensor unit detects arrival of a car at a preset reference position with in a hoistway to generate an auxiliary detection signal. The control device makes corrections to the car information based on the auxiliary detection signal.

Claims

1. An elevator apparatus comprising:

a car raised and lowered within a hoistway;

a main sensor unit configured to generate a main detection signal corresponding to a movement amount of the car;

a control device configured to obtain car information including at least one of car position information and car speed information based on the main detection signal, and control operation of the car in accordance with the car information;

an auxiliary sensor unit configured to generate an auxiliary detection signal upon detecting an arrival of the car at a preset reference position within the hoistway; and

the control device is further configured to make a correction to the car information based on the auxiliary detection signal, determine a threshold speed for the car, and monitor the car speed information in the car information to determine whether the car has reached the threshold speed.

3. An elevator apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary sensor unit is mounted to the car.

4. An elevator apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

a car guide rail for guiding raising and lowering of the car, the car guide rail having a plurality of rail members that are jointed together in a raising and lowering direction of the car; and

the auxiliary sensor unit detects a joint of the rail members as the reference position.

5. An elevator apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary sensor unit is disposed at the preset reference position within the hoistway.

7. An elevator apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the main sensor unit includes a plurality of main sensors; and

the control device compares main detection signals from the respective main sensors, and when a difference between the main detection signals is equal to or larger than a set value that is set in advance, the control device judges that there is a failure in the main sensors to generate a failure detection signal.

9. An elevator apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control device makes corrections to the car speed information in the car information based on the auxiliary detection signal.

10. An elevator apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the main sensor includes two sensors disposed across a guiderail in the hoistway and each configured to generate an independent detection signal.

2. An elevator apparatus comprising:

a car raised and lowered within a hoistway;

a main sensor unit mounted to the car and configured to generate a main detection signal corresponding to a movement amount of the car;

a control device configured to obtain car information including at least one of car position information and car speed information based on the main detection signal, and control operation of the car in accordance with the car information;

an auxiliary sensor unit configured to generate an auxiliary detection signal upon detecting an arrival of the car at a preset reference position within the hoistway;

the control device is further configured to make a correction to the car information based on the auxiliary detection signal;

a car guide rail configured to guide raising and lowering of the car, wherein the main sensor unit has a detection roller that is rolled along the car guide rail as the car is raised and lowered; and

a signal generator configured to generate the main detection signal in accordance with a rotation of the detection roller.

11. An elevator apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control device is further configured to determine a threshold speed for the car and monitor the car speed information in the car information to determine whether the car has reached the threshold speed.

12. An elevator apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the auxiliary sensor unit is mounted to the car.

13. An elevator apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

a car guide rail for guiding raising and lowering of the car, the car guide rail having a plurality of rail members that are jointed together in a raising and lowering direction of the car; and

the auxiliary sensor unit detects a joint of the rail members as the reference position.

14. An elevator apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the auxiliary sensor unit is disposed at the preset reference position within the hoistway.

15. An elevator apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

the main sensor unit includes a plurality of main sensors; and

the control device compares main detection signals from the respective main sensors, and when a difference between the main detection signals is equal to or larger than a set value that is set in advance, the control device judges that there is a failure in the main sensors to generate a failure detection signal.

16. An elevator apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control device makes corrections to the car speed information in the car information based on the auxiliary detection signal.

17. An elevator apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the main sensor includes two sensors disposed across a guiderail in the hoistway and each configured to generate an independent detection signal.

6. An elevator apparatus comprising:

a car raised and lowered within a hoistway;

a main sensor unit mounted to the car and configured to generate a main detection signal corresponding to a movement amount of the car;

a control device configured to obtain car information including at least one of car position information and car speed information based on the main detection signal, and control operation of the car in accordance with the car information;

an auxiliary sensor unit configured to generate an auxiliary detection signal upon detecting an arrival of the car at a preset reference position within the hoistway; and

the control device is further configured to make a correction to the car information based on the auxiliary detection signal, and when an amount of the correction is equal to or larger than a set value that is set in advance, the control device judges that there is a failure in at least one of the main sensor unit and the auxiliary sensor unit to generate a failure detection signal.

18. An elevator apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the control device makes corrections to the car speed information in the car information based on the auxiliary detection signal.

19. An elevator apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the main sensor includes two sensors disposed across a guiderail in the hoistway and each configured to generate an independent detection signal.

20. An elevator apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

a car guide rail for guiding raising and lowering of the car, the car guide rail having a plurality of rail members that are jointed together in a raising and lowering direction of the car; and

the auxiliary sensor unit is mounted to the car and configured to detect a joint of the rail members as the reference position.

8. An elevator apparatus comprising:

a car raised and lowered within a hoistway;

a main sensor unit configured to generate a main detection signal corresponding to a movement amount of the car;

a control device configured to obtain car information including at least one of car position information and car speed information based on the main detection signal, and control operation of the car in accordance with the car information

an auxiliary sensor unit configured to generate an auxiliary detection signal upon detecting an arrival of the car at a preset reference position within the hoistway; and

the control device monitors an error in the car information based on the auxiliary detection, and when an amount of the error is greater than a predetermined value, the control device judges that there is a failure in one of the main sensor unit and the auxiliary sensor unit to generate a failure detection signal.