Imaging inspection systems and methods for elevator landing doors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10577221-B2
Application number	US-201715593429-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 12, 2017
Priority date	May 12, 2017
Publication date	Mar 3, 2020
Grant date	Mar 3, 2020

Abstract

Elevator systems and methods for inspection having an elevator car within an elevator shaft are described. A plurality of landing doors are located at respective landings within the elevator shaft and a landing door gib is located on one of the landing doors and subject to inspection. The landing door gib includes an indicator element thereon, and an inspection system is arranged with a detector located on an exterior of the elevator car and arranged to detect the presence of the indicator element in an inspection region.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An elevator system comprising:
an elevator car within an elevator shaft;
a plurality of landing doors located at respective landings within the elevator shaft;
a landing door gib located on one of the landing doors and subject to inspection, the landing door gib having an indicator element thereon; and
an inspection system comprising a detector located on an exterior of the elevator car and arranged to detect the presence of the indicator element in an inspection region.

2. The elevator system of claim 1 , further comprising a control unit configured to:
analyze an output of the detector;
determine a state of operation of a landing door gib based on the detection of the indicator element in the inspection region; and
generate a notification regarding the state of operation of the landing door gib.

3. The elevator system of claim 2 , wherein the control unit is located on the exterior of the elevator car and in communication with the detector.

4. The elevator system of claim 1 , wherein the detector captures images of the indicator element for inspection.

5. The elevator system of claim 1 , wherein the indicator element is at least one of a colored paint, a textured surface, or a reflective surface.

6. The elevator system of claim 1 , wherein the detector is located on one of a top or bottom of the elevator car.

7. The elevator system of claim 1 , wherein the detector comprises at least two cameras arranged to inspect multiple landing door gibs of a landing.

8. A method for inspecting a landing door gib of an elevator system comprising:
moving an elevator car to a landing within an elevator shaft;
observing an inspection region using a detector located on an exterior of the elevator car, the inspection region being a region including a landing door gib of the landing, the landing door gib having an indicator element;
determining a state of operation of the landing door gib based on the indicator element within the inspection region; and
generating a notification regarding the state of operation of the landing door gib based on the determination.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising analyzing, with a control unit, an output of the detector.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the control unit is located on the exterior of the elevator car and in communication with the detector.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising capturing images of the indicator element for inspection.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the indicator element is at least one of a colored paint, a textured surface, or a reflective surface.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the detector is located on one of a top or bottom of the elevator car.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the detector comprises at least two cameras arranged to inspect multiple landing door gibs of a landing.

15. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
moving the elevator car to a second landing within the elevator shaft;
observing an inspection region of the second landing using the detector, the inspection region being a region including a landing door gib of the second landing;
determining a state of operation of the landing door gib based on the indicator element within the inspection region of the second landing; and
generating a notification regarding the state of operation of the landing door gib of the second landing based on the determination.

16. The method of claim 8 , wherein the method is performed automatically based on a maintenance schedule.

17. The method of claim 8 , further comprising receiving an instruction to perform the method from a remote computing device.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the remote computing device is a mobile device.

Assignees

• Otis Elevator Co

Inventors

• Sudi Sandeep
• Mahoney Sally Day
• Higgins Frank

Classifications

• B66B5/02

  responsive to abnormal operating conditions · CPC title

• B66B5/0025 Primary

  for maintenance or repair · CPC title

• B66B5/0031

  for safety reasons · 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

• B66B13/30

  Constructional features of doors or gates (of interest apart from this application E06B) · CPC title