Elevator system hoistway access control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11040853-B2
Application number	US-201515572417-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 7, 2015
Priority date	May 7, 2015
Publication date	Jun 22, 2021
Grant date	Jun 22, 2021

Abstract

A hoistway access system for an elevator includes an access switch positioned at a selected landing floor 34 of an elevator and operably connected to a controller 46. A remote controlled lock 48 is located at landing doors of a landing floor providing access to a hoistway pit 36, and is operably connected to the controller. A safety actuation system is operably connected to an elevator car and operably connected to the controller. The controller is configured to command a drive system to drive the elevator car to an upper location when the access switch is activated, to define a selected safety volume in the hoistway defined by the hoistway pit and the elevator car, command engagement of the safety actuation system to stop and hold the elevator car, and command the lock to unlock when the safety actuation system is engaged, thereby allowing access to the hoistway via the landing doors.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A hoistway access system for an elevator system comprising:
an access switch disposed at a selected landing floor of a hoistway of an elevator system and operably connected to a controller;
a remote controlled lock disposed at landing doors of a landing floor providing access to a hoistway pit, the lock operably connected to the controller; and
a safety actuation system operably connected to an elevator car located in the hoistway and operably connected to the controller;
wherein the controller is configured to:
command a drive system to drive the elevator car to an upper location of the hoistway in response to activation of the access switch, the upper location sufficient to define a selected safety volume in the hoistway defined by the hoistway pit and the elevator car;
command engagement of the safety actuation system to stop and hold the elevator car in the hoistway via a car guide rail; and
command the remote controlled lock to unlock when the safety actuation system is engaged, thereby allowing access to the hoistway via the landing doors providing access to the hoistway pit.

2. The hoistway access system of claim 1 , wherein the access switch is activated by one of a key, a key pad or a magnetic card.

3. The hoistway access system of claim 1 , wherein the upper location of the hoistway is an uppermost landing floor of the elevator system.

4. The hoistway access system of claim 1 , wherein the safety actuation system is one of mechanically or electrically operated.

5. A method for accessing a hoistway of an elevator system comprising:
activating an access switch located at a landing floor of the elevator system;
driving an elevator car disposed in the hoistway to a selected upper location of the hoistway in response to activation of the access switch to define a selected safety volume in the hoistway defined by a hoistway pit and the elevator car;
engaging a safety actuation system disposed at the elevator car to stop and hold the elevator car at the selected upper location in the hoistway; and
opening a landing door providing access to the pit at the landing floor when an elevator car safety is engaged via the safety actuation system, thereby allowing access to the hoistway via the landing door.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising disengaging a remote controlled lock at the landing door automatically when the elevator car safety is engaged, thereby allowing opening of the landing door.

7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising entering the hoistway to clean the hoistway pit and/or retrieve items from the hoistway pit.

8. The method of claim 5 , further comprising closing the landing door after accessing the hoistway and deactivating the access switch.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein deactivating the access switch returns the elevator system to operation.

10. The method of claim 5 , wherein the landing floor is a landing floor providing access to the hoistway pit of the elevator system.

11. The method of claim 5 , wherein the selected upper location is an uppermost landing floor of the elevator system.

12. The method of claim 5 , wherein the safety actuation system is one of electrically or mechanically operated.

13. An elevator system comprising:
a hoistway;
an elevator car disposed in and drivable along the hoistway; and
a hoistway access system including:
an access switch disposed at a selected landing floor of the hoistway and operably connected to a controller;
a remote controlled lock disposed at landing doors of the selected landing floor and operably connected to the controller; and
a safety system located at the elevator car and operably connected to the controller;
wherein the controller is configured to:
command a drive system to drive the elevator car to a selected upper location of the hoistway in response to activation of the access switch;
command engagement of the safety system to stop and hold the elevator car in the hoistway via a guide rail at the selected upper location; and
command the remote controlled lock to unlock when the safety system is engaged, thereby allowing access to the hoistway via the landing doors.

14. The elevator system of claim 13 , wherein the access switch is activated by a one of a key, key pad or magnetic card.

15. The elevator system of claim 13 , wherein the selected upper location of the hoistway is an uppermost landing floor of the elevator system.

16. The elevator system of claim 13 , wherein the selected landing floor provides access to a hoistway pit of the elevator system.

17. The elevator system of claim 13 , wherein the safety system is one of electrically or mechanically operated.

Assignees

• Otis Elevator Co
• Fauconnet Aurelien

Inventors

• Fauconnet Aurélien
• Rebillard Pascal

Classifications

• B66B5/005 Primary

  Safety of maintenance personnel · CPC title

• B66B5/0056 Primary

  by preventing crushing · CPC title

• B66B5/288

  with maintenance features (if not incorporated in the buffer B66B5/0087) · CPC title