Elevator system assigning cars to floor groups

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10196233-B2
Application number	US-201315101135-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 5, 2013
Priority date	Dec 5, 2013
Publication date	Feb 5, 2019
Grant date	Feb 5, 2019

Abstract

A ropeless elevator system may include a plurality of elevator cars, a first hoistway, a second hoistway, an upper transfer station, and a lower transfer station. Movement of each of the plurality of elevator cars may be controlled according to a predetermined assignment in which: a plurality of floors is divided into a plurality of floor groups, each of the plurality of elevator cars is assigned to at least one of the plurality of floor groups, and each of the plurality of elevator cars is dispatched only to floors within the at least one floor group assigned thereto.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A ropeless elevator system comprising:
a plurality of elevator cars;
a first hoistway configured to allow upward travel of the plurality of elevator cars;
a second hoistway configured to allow downward travel of the plurality of elevator cars;
an upper transfer station proximate a top of the first hoistway and the second hoistway; and
a lower transfer station proximate a bottom of the first hoistway and the second hoistway;
wherein each of the plurality of elevator cars is moveable between the first hoistway and the second hoistway by way of each of the upper transfer station and the lower transfer station; and
wherein movement of each of the plurality of elevator cars is controlled according to a predetermined assignment in which:
a plurality of floors is divided into a plurality of floor groups,
each of the plurality of elevator cars is assigned to at least one of the plurality of floor groups, and
each of the plurality of elevator cars is dispatched only to floors within the at least one floor group assigned thereto.

2. The ropeless elevator system of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined assignment is dynamic.

3. The ropeless elevator system of claim 2 , wherein the predetermined assignment comprises an initial assignment and at least one subsequent assignment.

4. The ropeless elevator system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of elevator cars has a control unit in communication with a control system, the control system programmed to dynamically assign each of the plurality of elevator cars for dispatching.

5. The ropeless elevator system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one indicator that informs passengers which floors each of the plurality of elevator cars is assigned to.

6. The ropeless elevator system of claim 5 , wherein the at least one indicator is selected from the group consisting of a display, a computer screen, a touchscreen, a tablet, a colored LED, an electronic sign, and an audio message.

7. The ropeless elevator system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of elevator cars comprises at least one special purpose car.

8. The ropeless elevator system of claim 1 , wherein each elevator car includes a control unit, in communication with a control system to dispatch the plurality of elevator cars, each of the plurality of elevator cars is statically assigned to the predetermined assignment, and the control unit communicates to the control system the predetermined assignment.

9. The ropeless elevator system of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined assignment includes a first elevator car assigned to stop at upper floors, and a second elevator car assigned to stop at lower floors.

10. A method for dispatching a plurality of elevator cars in an elevator system, the elevator system having a first hoistway configured to allow upward travel of the plurality of elevator cars, a second hoistway configured to allow downward travel of the plurality of elevator cars, an upper transfer station proximate a top of the first hoistway and the second hoistway, a lower transfer station proximate a bottom of the first hoistway and the second hoistway, and a control system communicating with a control unit positioned in each of the plurality of elevator cars, wherein each of the plurality of elevator cars is moveable between the first hoistway and the second hoistway by way of each of the upper transfer station and the lower transfer station, the method comprising:
dividing a plurality of floors into a plurality of floor groups;
assigning each of the plurality of elevator cars to at least one of the plurality of floor groups; and
dispatching each of the plurality of elevator cars only to floors within the at least one floor group assigned thereto.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising indicating to passengers the at least one floor group each of the plurality of elevator cars is assigned to.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein indicating to passengers the at least one floor group each of the plurality of elevator cars is assigned to includes using an indicator selected from the group consisting of a display, a computer screen, a touchscreen, a tablet, a colored LED, an electronic sign, and an audio message.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising changing the at least one floor group assignment for at least one of the plurality of elevator cars.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising assigning an elevator car as a special car for VIP service or cargo service.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising determining an approximate number of passengers using the elevator system at each of the floors.

16. A ropeless elevator system, comprising:
an elevator car circulating in a loop to a plurality of floors, the loop including:
a first hoistway in which the elevator car travels upward,
a second hoistway in which the elevator car travel downward,
an upper transfer station positioned above the first hoistway and the second hoistway, and
a lower transfer station positioned below the first hoistway and the second hoistway, the elevator car moveable between the first hoistway and the second hoistway when disposed in the upper or lower transfer station ( 34 , 36 );
a control unit mounted on the elevator car; and
a control system in communication with the control unit, the control system programmed to:
assign the elevator car to a first group of floors according to a first assignment,
send instructions to the control unit to dispatch the elevator car to the first group of floors,
re-assign the elevator car to a second group of floors according to a second assignment, and
send instructions to the control unit to dispatch the elevator car to the second group of floors.

17. The ropeless elevator system of claim 16 , further comprising an indicator that conveys information to passengers of the group of floors the elevator car is assigned to.

18. The ropeless elevator system of claim 17 , wherein the indicator is in communication with the control system and the control unit, and wherein the indicator changes the information it conveys to passengers when the elevator car is re-assigned to the second group of floors according to the second assignment.

19. The ropeless elevator system of claim 18 , wherein the indicator is mounted on the elevator car or each of the floors.

20. The ropeless elevator system of claim 16 , wherein the control system is further programmed to re-assign elevator car as a special car, dispatch the special car to a floor where it was called, and re-assign the special car back to the second group of floors according to the second assignment when the special car is empty of passengers.

Assignees

• Otis Elevator Co

Inventors

• Witczak Tadeusz
• Piech Zbigniew

Classifications

• B66B9/003

  for lateral transfer of car or frame, e.g. between vertical hoistways or to/from a parking position · CPC title

• B66B1/2491

  For elevator systems with lateral transfers of cars or cabins between hoistways · CPC title

• B66B2201/20

  Details of the evaluation method for the allocation of a call to an elevator car · CPC title

• B66B1/2466 Primary

  For elevator systems with multiple shafts and multiple cars per shaft · CPC title

• B66B2201/301

  Shafts divided into zones · CPC title