Set of elevators and method for controlling a set of elevators

• US 7,913,819 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2009
• Issued: 03/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kone Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kone Corporation
• Inventors: Sorsa, Janne, Siikonen, Marja-Liisa, Aulanko, Esko
• Primary Examiner(s): SALATA, ANTHONY J
• Application Number:
  US12/457,465
• Publication Number:
  US 20090250298A1
• Time in Patent Office: 656 Days
• Field of Search: 187/247, 187/248, 187/393, 187/396, 187/397, 187380-388, 187/391
• US Class Current: 187/382
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 1/18 with means for storing pulses controlling the movements of several cars or cages B66B1/2458 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 11/007 for counterweightless elevators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 50/00 Energy efficient technologies in elevators, escalators and moving walkways, e.g. energy saving or recuperation technologies

Abstract

A set of elevators includes a plurality of elevators without counterweight, a power supply, and a common control system. The plurality of elevators has a common connection to the power supply. The common control system includes one or more instructions to prevent or delay dispatch of an elevator car stopped at a floor if, at that instant, within a set period of time, or at that instant and within the set period of time, power consumed from an associated electrical network by the set of elevators or fed into the associated electrical network by the set of elevators together exceeds a set value. A method for controlling a set of elevators includes determining whether power consumed together exceeds a set value, and when the power consumed exceeds the set value, then departure of a next elevator car to be dispatched is prevented or delayed.

Claims

1. A set of elevators, comprising:

a plurality of elevators without counterweight;

a power supply; and

a common control system;

wherein the plurality of elevators has a common connection to the power supply, and

wherein the common control system includes one or more instructions to prevent dispatch of an elevator car stopped at a floor if, at that instant, within a set period of time, or at that instant and within the set period of time, power consumed from an associated electrical network by the set of elevators or fed into the associated electrical network by the set of elevators together exceeds a set value.

3. The set of elevators of claim 1, wherein the plurality of elevators includes at least three elevators.

4. The set of elevators of claim 1, wherein the set of elevators is operated as an elevator group.

5. The set of elevators of claim 1, wherein the common control system further includes one or more instructions to delay dispatch of the elevator car stopped at the floor if, at that instant, within a set period of time, or at that instant and within the set period of time, power consumed from the associated electrical network by the set of elevators or fed into the associated electrical network by the set of elevators, together exceed the set value.

6. The set of elevators of claim 1, wherein the common control system further includes one or more instructions to dispatch, at reduced speed, the elevator car stopped at the floor if, at that instant, within a set period of time, or at that instant and within the set period of time, power consumed from the associated electrical network by the set of elevators or fed into the associated electrical network by the set of elevators, together exceed the set value.

7. The set of elevators of claim 1, wherein the common control system further includes one or more instructions to dispatch, at reduced acceleration, the elevator car stopped at the floor if, at that instant, within a set period of time, or at that instant and within the set period of time, power consumed from the associated electrical network by the set of elevators or fed into the associated electrical network by the set of elevators, together exceed the set value.

8. The set of elevators of claim 1, wherein the set value is determined according to a rating of main fuses of the set of elevators.

2. A method for controlling a set of elevators, the set of elevators including a plurality of elevators without counterweight connected to a common power supply, the method comprising:

determining whether at that instant, within a set period of time, or at that instant and within the set period of time, power consumed from an associated electrical network by the set of elevators or fed into the associated electrical network by the set of elevators, together exceeds a set value; and

preventing departure of a next elevator car to be dispatched when the power consumed from the associated electrical network by the set of elevators or fed into the associated electrical network by the set of elevators together exceeds the set value.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the set value is determined according to a rating of main fuses of the set of elevators.

10. A set of elevators, comprising:

a plurality of elevators without counterweight;

a power supply; and

a common control system;

wherein the plurality of elevators has a common connection to the power supply, and

wherein the common control system includes one or more instructions to delay dispatch of an elevator car stopped at a floor if, at that instant, within a set period of time, or at that instant and within the set period of time, power consumed from an associated electrical network by the set of elevators or fed into the associated electrical network by the set of elevators together exceeds a set value.

11. The set of elevators of claim 10, wherein the plurality of elevators includes at least three elevators.

12. The set of elevators of claim 10, wherein the set of elevators is operated as an elevator group.

13. The set of elevators of claim 10, wherein the common control system further includes one or more instructions to dispatch, at reduced speed, the elevator car stopped at the floor if, at that instant, within a set period of time, or at that instant and within the set period of time, power consumed from the associated electrical network by the set of elevators or fed into the associated electrical network by the set of elevators, together exceed the set value.

14. The set of elevators of claim 10, wherein the common control system further includes one or more instructions to dispatch, at reduced acceleration, the elevator car stopped at the floor if, at that instant, within a set period of time, or at that instant and within the set period of time, power consumed from the associated electrical network by the set of elevators or fed into the associated electrical network by the set of elevators, together exceed the set value.

15. The set of elevators of claim 10, wherein the set value is determined according to a rating of main fuses of the set of elevators.

16. A method for controlling a set of elevators, the set of elevators including a plurality of elevators without counterweight connected to a common power supply, the method comprising:

determining whether at that instant, within a set period of time, or at that instant and within the set period of time, power consumed from an associated electrical network by the set of elevators or fed into the associated electrical network by the set of elevators, together exceeds a set value; and

delaying departure of a next elevator car to be dispatched when the power consumed from the associated electrical network by the set of elevators or fed into the associated electrical network by the set of elevators together exceeds the set value.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein when the next elevator car to be dispatched departs, the speed of the elevator car is limited to less than full speed, the acceleration of the elevator car is limited to less than full acceleration, or the speed of the elevator car is limited to less than full speed and the acceleration of the elevator car is limited to less than full acceleration.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein when the next elevator car to be dispatched departs, the speed of the elevator car is limited to less than full speed.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein when the next elevator car to be dispatched departs, the acceleration of the elevator car is limited to less than full acceleration.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the set value is determined according to a rating of main fuses of the set of elevators.