Device for checking a safety circuit of an elevator

• US 8,552,738 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2009
• Issued: 10/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inventio AG (Schindler Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Inventio AG (Schindler Holding AG)
• Inventors: Quinn, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): NATALINI, JEFF WILLIAM
• Application Number:
  US12/626,090
• Publication Number:
  US 20100141267A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,413 Days
• Field of Search: 324/549, 187/391
• US Class Current: 324/549
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 13/22 Operation of door or gate contacts
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 5/0031 for safety reasons

Abstract

A testing device for checking a safety circuit of an elevator apparatus includes at least one hardware-monitoring unit for monitoring at least one functionally relevant composite resistor in the safety circuit.

Claims

1. A testing device for the purpose of checking an elevator apparatus of an elevator, wherein the testing device comprises:

at least one hardware-monitoring unit for monitoring at least one functionally relevant composite resistance value in the elevator apparatus;

wherein said at least one hardware-monitoring unit contains at least one sensing unit which comprises at least one of a current-measuring unit, a voltage-measuring unit and a resistance-measuring unit; and

wherein the testing device detects a functionally hazardous increase in on-state resistance-values of electric output-switching elements of sensors of a safety circuit of the elevator, said output-switching elements forming said composite resistance value, and wherein said at least one hardware-monitoring unit has at least one output unit for emitting at least one signal representing a need for maintenance in response to the detection of the functionally hazardous increase.

2. The testing device according to claim 1 wherein said at least one sensing unit senses at least one resistor parameter that serves to determine, at certain time intervals or continuously, functionally hazardous changes in properties of said composite resistance value.

3. The testing device according to claim 1 wherein said current-measuring unit is an induction current-measuring unit.

4. The testing unit according to claim 1 wherein said at least one hardware-monitoring unit includes at least one comparison unit for comparing a resistor parameter with at least one reference value.

5. The testing device according to claim 4 including at least one calibration unit for generating the at least one reference value.

6. An elevator apparatus with a testing device and at least one safety circuit having at least two sensors with output-switching elements the output-switching elements being series-connected and the testing device comprising:

at least one hardware-monitoring unit which in at least one operating mode monitors at least one functionally relevant condition of at least one hardware component of the safety circuit;

wherein said at least one hardware-monitoring unit contains at least one sensing unit which comprises at least one of a current-measuring unit, a voltage-measuring unit and a resistance-measuring unit; and

wherein the testing device detects a functionally hazardous increase in on-state resistance-values of the series-connected output-switching elements of the sensors of the safety circuit of the elevator, and said at least one hardware-monitoring unit has at least one output unit for emitting at least one signal representing a need for maintenance in response to the detection of the functionally hazardous increase.

7. The elevator apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said hardware-monitoring unit has at least one sensing unit which in the at-least one operating mode senses at least one resistor parameter which represents a total resistance-value of the safety circuit.

8. The elevator apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said hardware-monitoring unit includes at least one monitoring-voltage source.

9. The elevator apparatus according to claim 6 including at least one triggering unit which, in at least one operating process, after a certain time-period of uninterrupted current-flow in the safety circuit, activates the hardware-monitoring unit.

10. The elevator apparatus according to claim 6 wherein at least one of the series-connected output-switching elements is an electrical output-switching contact.

11. A hardware-monitoring method using a testing device comprising the steps of:

a. providing a hardware-monitoring unit in the testing device;

b. monitoring a relevant composite resistance value of a safety circuit of an elevator control with the hardware-monitoring unit by detecting a functionally hazardous increase in on-state resistance-values of series-connected output-switching elements of the sensors of the safety circuit of the elevator, the output-switching elements forming the composite resistance value; and

c. emitting from the hardware-monitoring unit at least one signal representing a need for maintenance in response to the detection of the functionally hazardous increase.