Conveying system

• US 8,412,373 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2012
• Issued: 04/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kone Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kone Corporation
• Inventors: Kangas, Petteri, Jahkonen, Pekka
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawford, Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jones, Yolanda
• Application Number:
  US13/352,094
• Publication Number:
  US 20120116574A1
• Time in Patent Office: 441 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 700/230
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 25/00 Control of escalators or moving walkways walkways of variable speed type B66B21/12; handrails of variable speed type B66B23/26; of general application G05

Abstract

A conveying system, includes control devices for controlling the operation of the conveying system. The conveying system also includes a central control. The central control is arranged to select from a plurality of the different operating modes of the conveying system the operating mode to be used at any given time. The central control is connected to the control devices with a communications channel for indicating the operating mode selected to the control devices.

Claims

1. A conveying system, comprising:

control devices for controlling operation of the conveying system; and

a central control, wherein the control devices are located outside of the central control;

wherein the central control is arranged to select from a plurality of the different operating modes of the conveying system an operating mode to be used at any given time,

wherein the central control is connected to the control devices via a communications channel for indicating the selected operating mode to the control devices, and at least a portion of the communications channel located between the central control and the control devices is external to the central control, and

wherein at least one of the control devices is arranged to switch from one operational state to another when the operating mode of the conveying system indicated by the central control changes.

2. The conveying system according to claim 1, wherein the central control is arranged to indicate the operating mode of the conveying system as a common message to at least two different control devices;

and

the at least two control devices are arranged to switch from one operational state to another when the operating mode of the conveying system indicated by the central control changes.

3. The conveying system according to claim 2, wherein the operating mode of the conveying system comprises a drive mode of the conveying system.

4. The conveying system according to claim 2, wherein the control device comprises a connection interface, and the conveying system comprises a sensor and/or actuator, which is connected via a connection interface to the control device.

5. The conveying system according to claim 2, wherein the communications channel comprises a first data transfer channel and a second data transfer channel, and the central control is arranged to indicate the operating mode of the conveying system to the control devices via the first data transfer channel, and the control device is arranged to indicate the measuring data of a sensor to the central control via the second data transfer channel.

6. The conveying system according to claim 1, wherein the operating mode of the conveying system comprises a drive mode of the conveying system.

7. The conveying system according to claim 6, wherein the control device comprises a connection interface, and the conveying system comprises a sensor and/or actuator, which is connected via a connection interface to the control device.

8. The conveying system according to claim 1, wherein the control device comprises a connection interface, and the conveying system comprises a sensor and/or actuator, which is connected via a connection interface to the control device.

9. The conveying system according to claim 8, wherein the control device is arranged to indicate the measuring data of the sensor to the central control.

10. The conveying system according to claim 1, wherein the control device is arranged to switch to an individual operational state when the operating mode of the conveying system indicated by the central control changes.

11. The conveying system according to claim 1, wherein the control device comprises an operating program, which operating program comprises at least two run alternatives that at least partly differ from each other, and the control device is arranged to perform the first run alternative in the first operating mode of the conveying system, and the control device is arranged to perform the second run alternative in the second operating mode of the conveying system.

12. The conveying system according to claim 1, wherein at least two control devices are arranged to run a program and/or a run alternative of the program that at least partly differ from each other as a response to the operating mode of the conveying system indicated by the central unit.

13. The conveying system according to claim 1, wherein the control device comprises an input for the status information of the safety sensor of the conveying system.

14. The conveying system according to claim 1, wherein the control device comprises an output for the control signal of the signaling device of the conveying system.

15. The conveying system according to claim 1, wherein the control device comprises an output for the control signal of the machinery brake.

16. The conveying system according to claim 1, wherein the control device comprises a disconnection of a power supply of the drive machinery of the conveying apparatus.

17. The conveying system according to claim 1, wherein the control device comprises an input for the measuring signal of a motion sensor of the conveying apparatus.

18. The conveying system according to claim 1, wherein the control device comprises a memory for saving the operating mode of the conveying system.

19. The conveying system according to claim 1, wherein the operating mode of the conveying system comprises at least one of and/or a combination of the following:

Service drive;

Idle state;

Selected drive direction;

Normal drive; and

Standby mode.

20. The conveying system according to claim 1, wherein one of the operating modes is an emergency mode, and sending of measuring data of non-safety-critical issues from the control devices to the central control via the communications channel ceases in the emergency mode.

21. A conveying system, comprising:

control devices for controlling operation of the conveying system; and

a central control;

wherein the central control is arranged to select from a plurality of the different operating modes of the conveying system an operating mode to be used at any given time,

wherein the central control is connected to the control devices with a communications channel for indicating the selected operating mode to the control devices,

wherein at least one of the control devices is arranged to switch from one operational state to another when the operating mode of the conveying system indicated by the central control changes, and

wherein the communications channel comprises a first data transfer channel and a second data transfer channel, and the central control is arranged to indicate the operating mode of the conveying system to the control devices via the first data transfer channel, and the control device is arranged to indicate the measuring data of a sensor to the central control via the second data transfer channel.