Coded elevator inspection and positioning systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10577222-B2
Application number	US-201715593441-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 having an elevator car within an elevator shaft are described. The systems include a plurality of landing doors located at respective landings within the elevator shaft with at least one landing positioning element installed within the elevator shaft and positioned relative to at least one landing door. An inspection system is configured with a detector located on the elevator car and arranged to detect the presence of the landing positioning element in an inspection region to determine if a position of the elevator car relative to the landing door is within a predetermined range.

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;
at least one landing positioning element installed within the elevator shaft and positioned relative to at least one landing door; and
an inspection system comprising a detector located on the elevator car and arranged to detect the presence of the landing positioning element in an inspection region to determine if a position of the elevator car relative to the landing door is within a predetermined range,
wherein the landing positioning element comprises at least one position detection subelement, wherein the at least one position detection subelement is a coded feature comprising a first region defining a range of position of proper alignment of the elevator car relative to the landing door and a second region that is outside of the first region, wherein, when the second region is detected within the inspection region, an error notification is generated by the inspection system.

2. The elevator system of claim 1 , further comprising a control unit configured to:
analyze an output of the detector;
determine if there is an error in the elevator car position relative to the landing; and
generate an error notification when an error in the elevator position is determined.

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

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

5. The elevator system of claim 1 , wherein the landing positioning element includes 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 positioning element located at a specific landing.

8. A method for inspecting a landing position of an elevator car within an elevator system, the method comprising:
moving an elevator car to a landing within an elevator shaft;
observing an inspection region using a detector located on the elevator car, the inspection region being a region including a landing positioning element positioned relative to a landing door of the landing, wherein the landing positioning element comprises at least one position detection subelement, wherein the at least one position detection subelement is a coded feature comprising a first region defining a range of position of proper alignment of the elevator car relative to the landing door and a second region that is outside of the first region, wherein, when the second region is detected within the inspection region, and error notification is generated by the inspection system;
determining if an error exists with the position of the elevator car relative to the landing based on the landing positioning element within the inspection region; and
generating an error notification when an error in the elevator position is determined, when the second region is detected within the inspection region.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
analyzing an output of the detector with a control unit to determine if the error exits.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the method is performed automatically based on at least one of (i) a maintenance schedule, (ii) a predetermined interval, (iii) every time the elevator stops at a landing, (iv) a customer complaint, (v) a request made at an onsite location, (vi) a request made at an offsite location, or (vii) a scheduled maintenance visit.

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

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

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the detector comprises at least two cameras arranged to inspect multiple landing positioning element located at a specific landing.

14. 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 positioning element at the second landing;
determining if an error exists with a position of the elevator car relative to the second landing based on the landing positioning element detected within the inspection region at the second landing; and
generating an error notification when an error in the elevator position is determined.

Assignees

• Otis Elevator Co

Inventors

• Sudi Sandeep
• Tripp Sr Daniel M
• Mahoney Sally Day
• Higgins Frank

Classifications

• B66B5/0037

  Performance analysers · CPC title

• B66B5/0025

  for maintenance or repair · 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

• B66B3/00

  Applications of devices for indicating or signalling operating conditions of elevators · CPC title

• B66B5/02

  responsive to abnormal operating conditions · CPC title