Elevator apparatus for braking control of car according to detected content of failure

• US 8,272,482 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2007
• Issued: 09/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murolet IP LLC
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Takahashi, Satoru, Ueda, Takaharu
• Primary Examiner(s): SALATA, ANTHONY J
• Application Number:
  US12/601,148
• Publication Number:
  US 20100155183A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,930 Days
• Field of Search: 187/277, 187/288, 187391-393, 187/316, 187/354
• US Class Current: 187/393
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 1/32 effective on braking devices , e.g. acting on electrically controlled brakes brake control H02P, lift brakes per se B66B5/02

Abstract

An elevator apparatus performing proper braking control of a car according to a detected content of a failure, and including: a semiconductor switch connected in series to a brake coil, for varying current flowing through the brake coil; an interruption switch connected in series to the brake coil and the semiconductor switch and capable of interrupting current flowing through the brake coil; a braking force control processing mechanism controlling an amount of current flowing through the semiconductor switch according to deceleration of the car when the car stops; a failure detection section detecting failure in the braking force control processing mechanism; a critical event detection mechanism detecting a critical event requiring an urgent stop of the car based on a state detection signal; and a brake power supply interrupting mechanism turning the interruption switch OFF to apply braking when the failure and the critical event is detected.

Claims

1. An elevator apparatus, comprising:

a semiconductor switch connected in series to a brake coil for applying a braking force to a car, the semiconductor switch being for varying a current flowing through the brake coil;

an interruption switch which is connected in series to the brake coil and the semiconductor switch and is capable of interrupting a current flowing through the brake coil;

a braking force control processing means for controlling an amount of a current flowing through the semiconductor switch according to a deceleration of the car when the car stops;

a failure detection section for detecting a failure in the braking force control processing means;

a critical event detection means for detecting a critical event requiring an urgent stop of the car based on a state detection signal; and

a brake power supply interrupting means for turning the interruption switch into an OFF state to apply braking when the failure is detected by the failure detection section and when the critical event is detected by the critical event detection means.

2. The elevator apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the critical event detection means loads an overspeed detection signal of the car, an open-state detection signal of a contactor inserted into a driver circuit section for a hoisting machine for raising and lowering the car, and a door-open detection signal as the state detection signal, and detects occurrence of the critical event by loading at least any one of the detection signals.

3. The elevator apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second interruption switch which is connected in series to the brake coil, the semiconductor switch and the interruption switch and is capable of interrupting the current flowing through the brake coil,

wherein the brake power supply interrupting means turns the second interruption switch into an OFF state to apply the braking when a predetermined time period elapses from the detection of the failure by the failure detection section.

4. The elevator apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a failure signal transmitting section for transmitting a failure signal to a control device for effecting control of raising and lowering of the car when the failure in the braking force control processing means is detected by the failure detection section.

5. The elevator apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a second interruption switch which is connected in series to the brake coil, the semiconductor switch and the interruption switch and is capable of interrupting the current flowing through the brake coil,

wherein the brake power supply interrupting means turns the second interruption switch into an OFF state to apply the braking when a predetermined time period elapses from the detection of the failure by the failure detection section.

6. The elevator apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a failure signal transmitting section for transmitting a failure signal to a control device for effecting control of raising and lowering of the car when the failure in the braking force control processing means is detected by the failure detection section.

7. The elevator apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a failure signal transmitting section for transmitting a failure signal to a control device for effecting control of raising and lowering of the car when the failure in the braking force control processing means is detected by the failure detection section.

8. The elevator apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a failure signal transmitting section for transmitting a failure signal to a control device for effecting control of raising and lowering of the car when the failure in the braking force control processing means is detected by the failure detection section.