Arrangement and a method for testing elevator safety gear

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10399818-B2
Application number	US-201615170344-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 1, 2016
Priority date	Jun 16, 2015
Publication date	Sep 3, 2019
Grant date	Sep 3, 2019

Abstract

A control arrangement of an elevator includes a safety gear, an over speed governor with a rope which is connected to the safety gear, a stopping device for generating an actuating force to the safety gear, and a drive unit for driving the elevator apparatus. In order to facilitate easy and efficient maintenance, the control arrangement includes a controller for controlling a triggered sequence to involve activating of the stopping device for braking with the safety gear, and controlling the drive unit to drive the elevator apparatus during braking with the safety gear until the safety gear stops the elevator apparatus.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A testing arrangement of an elevator, comprising:
at least one safety gear configured to apply a braking force to an elevator apparatus;
an over speed governor with an over speed rope fixed to the elevator apparatus at a mechanism attached to a respective safety gear, the braking force being initiated by an actuating force transferred via the over speed rope to the mechanism;
an actuator configured to prevent movement of the over speed rope for generating the actuating force to each safety gear via the mechanism;
a drive unit configured to pull a hoisting rope connected to the elevator apparatus for driving the elevator apparatus; and
a controller, the controller being configured to perform the following sequence:
activate the actuator to prevent movement of the over speed rope and to cause, via the mechanism, each safety gear to apply a braking force to the apparatus; then
control the drive unit to drive the elevator apparatus while each safety gear is applying the braking force to the elevator apparatus; then
control the drive unit to stop driving the elevator apparatus once the elevator apparatus stops due to the braking force applied from the at least one safety gear; then
measure the distance the elevator apparatus has traveled from the activation of the actuator until the elevator apparatus stopped; and then
compare the measured distanced to a predetermined distance to determine the operating condition of the at least one safety gear,

wherein the at least one safety gear is only activated via the over speed rope.

2. The testing arrangement according to claim 1 ,
wherein the testing arrangement comprises a detector configured to determine whether or not the elevator apparatus is empty, and
wherein the controller is responsive to the detector for performing the sequence only when the elevator apparatus is empty.

3. The testing arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to regularly perform the sequence.

4. The testing arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to perform the sequence in response to a control command received via a communication link.

5. The testing arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the testing arrangement comprises a sensor for determining a height position of the elevator apparatus at different phases of the sequence, and
wherein the controller controls the actuator based on the determined height.

6. The testing arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the over speed rope engages a rotatable pulley, and
wherein the over speed governor is configured to activate the actuator to lock the pulley for preventing movement of the over speed rope and activating the at least one safety gear.

7. The testing arrangement according to claim 6 , wherein the pulley is provided with a sensor for measuring the rotation of the pulley during the sequence to provide first information,
wherein the drive unit is provided with a sensor for measuring a distance the drive unit has moved during the sequence to provide second information, and
wherein controller compares the first information to the second information to determine an amount of slippage of the over speed rope.

8. The testing arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured transmit the measurement results obtained during the sequence via a communication link to a service center.

9. The testing arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein each safety gear applies a braking force to the elevator by gripping a guide rail extending along the travel path of the elevator apparatus.

10. A method for testing an elevator, wherein the elevator comprises at least one safety gear, an over speed governor having an over speed rope fixed to an elevator apparatus at a mechanism, an actuator, a drive unit configured to pull a hoisting rope connected to the elevator apparatus and a controller, the method comprising performing the following sequence, via the controller:
activating the actuator to prevent movement of the over speed rope and to cause, via the mechanism, each safety gear to apply a braking force to the apparatus; then
controlling the drive unit to drive the elevator apparatus while each safety gear is applying the braking force to the elevator apparatus; then
controlling the drive unit to stop driving the elevator apparatus once the elevator apparatus stops due to the braking force applied from the at least one safety gear; then
measuring the distance the elevator apparatus has traveled from the activation of the actuator until the elevator apparatus stopped; and then
comparing the measured distanced to a predetermined distance to determine the operating condition of the at least one safety gear,
wherein the at least one safety gear is only activated via the over speed rope.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the method comprises performing the sequence for the elevator via a communication link.

12. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising the steps of:
obtaining measurement values which indicate movement of the elevator apparatus during the sequence; and
transmitting the obtained measurement values via a communication link to a separate device.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the controller regularly performs the sequence.

14. The testing arrangement according to claim 2 , wherein the controller performs the sequence in response to a control command received via a communication link.

15. The testing arrangement according to claim 2 , wherein the over speed rope runs via a rotatable pulley, and
wherein the activation of the actuator locks the rotatable pulley for preventing movement of the over speed rope and activating the at least one safety gear.

16. The testing arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one safety gear includes two safety gears.

17. The testing arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the mechanism moves two rods, each rod being attached to a shaft of a respective safety gear to initiate the application of the braking force via an actuating force transferred via the over speed rope to the mechanism, wherein the actuator prevents movement of the over speed rope to generate the actuating force to each safety gear via the respective rod.

18. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the over speed rope runs via a rotatable pulley, and
wherein the activation of the actuator locks the rotatable pulley for preventing movement of the over speed rope and activating the at least one safety gear.

19. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the at least one safety gear includes two safety gears.

20. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the mechanism moves two rods, each rod being attached to a shaft of a respective safety gear to initiate the application of the braking force via an actuating force transferred via the over speed rope to the mechanism, wherein the actuator prevents movement of the over speed rope to generate the actuating force to each safety gear via the respective rod.

Assignees

• Kone Corp

Inventors

• Kattainen Ari
• Hovi Antti

Classifications

• B66B5/0093 Primary

  Testing of safety devices · CPC title

• B66B1/32

  effective on braking devices {, e.g. acting on electrically controlled brakes (brake control H02P, lift brakes per se B66B5/02)} · CPC title

• B66B5/02

  responsive to abnormal operating conditions · CPC title

• B66B5/24

  by acting on guide ropes or cables · CPC title

• B66B9/00

  Kinds or types of lifts in, or associated with, buildings or other structures (characterised by control systems B66B1/00; apparatus for raising or lowering persons on stages of theatres A63J5/12) · CPC title