Safety device of elevator and its operation testing method

• US 7,575,102 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2004
• Issued: 08/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murolet IP LLC
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsuoka, Tatsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Ro; Bentsu
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chan; Kawing
• Application Number:
  US10/574,602
• Publication Number:
  US 20070007087A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,000 Days
• Field of Search: 187/209, 187/223, 187/287, 187/391, 187/393
• US Class Current: 187/391
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 5/0093 Testing of safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 5/02 responsive to abnormal operating conditions

Abstract

In an elevator safety device, a brake device puts brakes to brake a car through an operation of a safety relay main contact provided to a safety circuit. When the car stops during normal operations, a safety relay instruction signal for operating the relay main contact to such a direction that the brake device puts brakes is generated from a detection circuit. Then, the detection circuit detects whether or not the safety relay main contact is operated in accordance with the safety relay instruction signal.

Claims

1. An elevator safety device, comprising:

a safety circuit including a safety relay main contact for operating a brake device for braking a car, and a bypass relay main contact that is parallel-connected with the safety relay main contact and that opens during a normal operation; and

a detection circuit for generating, while the car is stopped during the normal operation, a safety relay instruction signal for operating the safety relay main contact in a direction that activates the brake device, and for detecting that the safety relay main contact is operated in response to the safety relay instruction signal.

2. The elevator safety device according to claim 1, wherein the detection circuit includes a safety relay monitor contact that opens or closes mechanically in conjunction with the safety relay main contact, and the detection circuit detects a state of the safety relay main contact based on a state of the safety relay monitor contact.

3. The elevator safety device according to claim 1, wherein:

the safety relay main contact closes during the normal operation and opens under an abnormal elevator operation; and

the detection circuit generates, when generating the safety relay instruction signal, a bypass instruction signal for closing the bypass relay main contact prior to the generation of the safety relay instruction signal.

4. The elevator safety device according to claim 3, wherein the detection circuit includes a bypass relay monitor contact that opens or closes mechanically in conjunction with the bypass relay main contact and detects a state of the bypass relay main contact based on a state of the bypass relay monitor contact.

5. The elevator safety device according to claim 3, wherein the detection circuit detects whether or not the bypass relay main contact is operated in response to the bypass instruction signal.

6. The elevator safety device according to claim 1, wherein the detection circuit outputs, when an abnormality of the safety relay main contact is detected, an abnormality detection signal to an elevator controller for controlling an operation of an elevator.

7. A method of testing an operation of an elevator safety device that includes a safety relay main contact for operating a brake device for braking a car, comprising:

detecting a state where the car stops during a normal operation and a bypass relay main contact that is parallel-connected with the safety relay main contact is open;

generating, while the car is stopped, a safety relay instruction signal for operating the safety relay main contact in a direction that that activates the brake device; and

detecting that the safety relay main contact is operated in response to the safety relay instruction signal.

8. The method of testing an operation of an elevator safety device according to claim 7, wherein the generating and the detecting are performed each time the car stops.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

closing the safety relay during the normal operation and opening the safety relay under an abnormal elevator operation; and

outputting a bypass instruction signal for closing the bypass relay main contact prior to the generating.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

detecting whether the bypass relay main contact is operated in response to the bypass instruction signal.

11. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

opening or closing a bypass relay monitor contact in conjunction with the bypass relay main contact; and

detecting a state of the bypass relay main contact based on a state of the bypass relay monitor contact.

12. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

outputting an abnormality detection signal to an elevator controller when an abnormality of the safety relay main contact is detected.