Hydraulic elevator system with position or speed based valve control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10611600-B2
Application number	US-201715632635-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 26, 2017
Priority date	Jun 26, 2017
Publication date	Apr 7, 2020
Grant date	Apr 7, 2020

Abstract

An illustrative example elevator system includes an elevator car and a valve assembly that selectively directs fluid flow to control movement of the elevator car. At least one sensor provides an indication of a current status of the elevator car, which includes at least a position of the elevator car or a speed of the elevator car. A processor receives the indication from the at least one sensor and adjusts operation of the valve assembly when the current status of the elevator car is different than a predetermined desired status.

First claim

We claim:

1. An elevator system, comprising:
an elevator car;
a valve assembly that selectively directs fluid flow to control movement of the elevator car;
at least one sensor that provides an indication of a current status of the elevator car, the current status including at least a position of the elevator car or a speed of the elevator car; and
a processor that receives the indication from the at least one sensor and adjusts operation of the valve assembly when the current status of the elevator car is different than a predetermined desired status;
wherein
the processor adjusts the operation of the valve assembly by adjusting a timing of opening or closing of the valve assembly based on a difference between the current status and the predetermined desired status;
the processor delays a time when the valve assembly closes to bring the elevator car to a stop when the current status includes the speed of the elevator car being below a predetermined desired speed; or
the processor causes the valve assembly to close sooner to bring the elevator car to a stop when the current status includes the speed of the elevator car being above a predetermined desired speed.

2. The elevator system of claim 1 , wherein the processor adjusts operation of the valve assembly to alter at least one of the current status of the elevator car and a future status of the elevator car.

3. The elevator system of claim 2 , wherein
the future status of the elevator car includes a target position of the elevator car stopped at a landing.

4. The elevator system of claim 3 , wherein
the processor determines whether the current status will result in the elevator car stopping at an actual position that differs from the target position; and
the processor adjusts the operation of the valve assembly to reduce a difference between the actual position and the target position.

5. The elevator system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor provides an absolute elevator car position.

6. The elevator system of claim 1 , wherein
the current status is a stopped position of the elevator car at a landing;
the stopped position is a result of a first operation of the valve assembly;
the processor determines a difference between the stopped position and a predetermined desired position of the elevator car at the landing;
the processor adjusts operation of the valve assembly to a second operation during a subsequent approach of the elevator car toward the landing; and
the second operation reduces the difference between the predetermined desired position and the stopped position when the elevator car stops at an end of the subsequent approach.

7. The elevator system of claim 6 , wherein
the second operation includes one of a signal length or a signal timing that is different than the signal length or the signal timing of the first operation,
the signal controls when or how the valve assembly closes to stop the elevator car, and
the signal is one of a closing signal and an opening signal.

8. The elevator system of claim 1 , wherein
the current status is a current speed of the elevator car;
the processor determines a difference between the current speed and a predetermined desired speed of the elevator car; and
the processor adjusts operation of the valve assembly to reduce the difference while the elevator car is moving at the current speed.

9. A method of controlling an elevator system including an elevator car and a valve assembly that selectively directs fluid flow to control movement of the elevator car, the method comprising:
determining a current status of the elevator car by sensing at least one of a position or a speed of the elevator car; and
adjusting operation of the valve assembly when the current status of the elevator car is different than a predetermined desired status, wherein adjusting operation of the valve assembly comprises
closing the valve assembly later to bring the elevator car to a stop when the current status includes the speed of the elevator car being below a predetermined desired speed; or
closing the valve assembly sooner to bring the elevator car to a stop when the current status includes the speed of the elevator car being above a predetermined desired speed.

10. The method of claim 9 , comprising adjusting operation of the valve assembly to alter at least one of the current status of the elevator car and a future status of the elevator car.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein
the future status of the elevator car includes a target position of the elevator car stopped at a landing.

12. The method of claim 11 , comprising
determining whether the current status will result in the elevator car stopping at an actual position that differs from the target position; and
adjusting the operation of the valve assembly to reduce a difference between the actual position and the target position.

13. The method of claim 9 , comprising adjusting the operation of the valve assembly by adjusting a timing of opening or closing of the valve assembly based on a difference between the current status and the predetermined desired status.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein
the elevator system includes a sensor that provides an indication of absolute elevator car position; and
the current status includes at least the absolute elevator car position.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein
the current status is a stopped position of the elevator car at a landing;
the stopped position is a result of a first operation of the valve assembly; and
the method comprises
determining a difference between the stopped position and a predetermined desired position of the elevator car at the landing; and
adjusting operation of the valve assembly to a second operation during a subsequent approach of the elevator car toward the landing, wherein the second operation reduces the difference between the predetermined desired position and the stopped position at an end of the subsequent approach.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein
the second operation includes one of a closing signal timing that is different than the closing signal timing of the first operation, and
the closing signal controls when or how the valve assembly closes to stop the elevator car.

17. The method of claim 9 , wherein the current status is a current speed of the elevator car and the method comprises
determining a difference between the current speed and a predetermined desired speed of the elevator car; and
adjusting operation of the valve assembly to reduce the difference while the elevator car is moving at the current speed.

18. An elevator system, comprising:
an elevator car;
a valve assembly that selectively directs fluid flow to control movement of the elevator car;
at least one sensor that provides an indication of a current status of the elevator car, the current status including at least a position of the elevator car or a speed of the elevator car; and
a processor that receives the indication from the at least one sensor and adjusts operation of the valve assembly when the current status of the elevator car is different than a predetermined desired status;
wherein
the current status is a stopped position of the elevator car at a landing;
the stopped position is a result of a first operation of the valve assembly;
the processor determines a difference between the stopped position and a predetermined desired position of the elevator car at the landing;
the processor adjusts operation of the valve assembly to a second operation during a subsequent approach of the elevator c

Assignees

• Otis Elevator Co

Inventors

• Morrison Matthew Sean
• Williams Robert K
• O'Seep Gregory M

Classifications

• F15B2211/665

  Methods of control using electronic components · CPC title

• B66B1/343 Primary

  Fault-tolerant or redundant control system configuration · CPC title

• F15B2211/30525

  Directional control valves, e.g. 4/3-directional control valve · CPC title

• F15B2211/327

  electrically or electronically · CPC title

• B66B5/04

  for detecting excessive speed · CPC title