Method for performing an elevator rescue run

• US 7,681,693 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2005
• Issued: 03/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Otis Elevator Company (Otis Worldwide Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Otis Elevator Company (Otis Worldwide Corp.)
• Inventors: Mann, Michael, Wittjen, Kristian Bernhard, Horbruegger, Herbert Karl, Tegtmeier, Dirk Heinrich
• Primary Examiner(s): Salata; Jonathan
• Application Number:
  US11/813,238
• Publication Number:
  US 20080202859A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,897 Days
• Field of Search: 187/247, 187/248, 187/313, 187/284, 187288-291, 187/296, 187/297, 187391-393, 307/66, 307/68, 307/69
• US Class Current: 187/288
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 1/30 effective on driving gear , e.g. acting on power electronics, on inverter or rectifier controlled motor
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 5/02 responsive to abnormal operating conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 5/021 the abnormal operating conditions being independent of the system alarm systems in general G08B
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 5/027 to permit passengers to leave an elevator car in case of failure, e.g. moving the car to a reference floor or unlocking the door

Abstract

Method for performing an elevator rescue run in an emergency situation, the elevator comprising and elevator car, a counter weight, a rope suspending the car and the counterweight, a drive motor, an emergency brake for stopping the car in an emergency situation, and a motor drive unit for supplying drive power to and for controlling the drive motor, having the following rescue run sequence steps:

• • (a) operating the motor drive unit in a zero speed demand mode for holding the car at its present position;
  • (b) lifting the brake, while holding the car in the zero speed demand mode;
  • (c) determining the preferred movement direction of the car based on the power data as obtained by the motor drive unit; and
  • (d) performing the rescue run in the direction of the determined preferred movement direction.

Claims

1. A method for performing an elevator rescue run in an emergency situation, the elevator comprising an elevator car, a counter weight, a rope suspending the car and the counterweight, a drive motor, an emergency break for stopping the car in an emergency situation, and a motor drive unit for supplying drive power to and for controlling the drive motor, comprising the steps of:

(a) operating the motor drive unit in a zero speed demand mode for holding the car at its present position;

(b) lifting the emergency brake, while holding the car in the zero speed demand mode;

(c) determining a preferred movement direction of the car based on the power data as obtained by the motor drive unit; and

(d) performing the rescue run in the direction of the determined preferred movement direction.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of supplying power from an emergency power supply to the motor drive unit.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the motor drive unit controls the performance of the rescue run.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the motor drive unit activates the emergency brake to open after the zero speed demand operation has been established.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the motor drive unit activates the performance of the rescue run, once the preferred movement direction of the car has been determined.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the rescue run sequence is automatically started once an emergency situation is detected.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising the step of surveilling the presence of main power supply to the elevator and automatically starting the rescue run sequence once a main power failure has been detected.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of interrupting the main power supply to the motor drive unit when the rescue run sequence is started and at least until the rescue run is completed.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the motor drive unit supplies power to the drive motor during the step of performing the rescue run.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the elevator comprises a rescue drive separate from the drive motor and wherein the motor drive unit activates said rescue drive once the preferred movement direction of the car has been determined.

11. An elevator comprising:

an elevator car;

a counterweight;

a rope suspending the car and the counterweight;

a drive motor;

an emergency break for stopping the car in an emergency situation; and

a motor drive unit for supplying drive power to and for controlling the drive motor; and

wherein the motor drive unit is adapted to operate in a zero speed demand mode for holding the car at a particular position and to determine the preferred movement direction of the car based on the power data as obtained by the motor drive unit while holding the car in the zero speed demand mode, and wherein the elevator further comprises a means for setting the motor drive unit into the zero speed demand mode in case of an emergency situation in preparation of a rescue run and for subsequently activating performance of the rescue run in the direction of the determined preferred movement direction.

12. The elevator according to claim 11, further comprising and emergency power supply.

13. The elevator according to claim 11, further comprising a means for detecting an emergency situation and a means automatically starting a rescue run sequence once an emergency situation has been detected.

14. The elevator according to claim 13, wherein the detecting means is a main power surveilling means.

15. The elevator according to claim 14, further comprising a main power interrupting means coupled to the main power surveilling means.

16. The elevator according to claim 11, further comprising a rescue drive means separate from the drive motor.