Systems and methods for automated elevator component inspection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11440771-B2
Application number	US-201816031039-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 10, 2018
Priority date	Jul 11, 2017
Publication date	Sep 13, 2022
Grant date	Sep 13, 2022

Abstract

Methods and systems for automatically checking an operational status of electrical components of an elevator system, the methods including setting a first power state of all addressed electrical components of the elevator system, measuring a control value power consumption with a power consumption counter, switching a first addressed electrical component into a second power state, monitoring a power consumption associated with the first addressed electrical component, comparing the power consumption associated with the first addressed electrical component with the control value power consumption, and when the power consumption associated with the first addressed electrical component is not greater than the control value power consumption, performing a detected failure operation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of automatically checking an operational status of electrical components of an elevator system, the method comprising:
setting a first power state of all addressed electrical components of the elevator system;
measuring a control value power consumption with a power consumption counter;
switching a first addressed electrical component into a second power state;
monitoring a power consumption associated with the first addressed electrical component;
comparing the power consumption associated with the first addressed electrical component with the control value power consumption; and
when the power consumption associated with the first addressed electrical component is not greater than the control value power consumption, performing a detected failure operation.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, when the power consumption associated with the first addressed electrical component is greater than the control value power consumption, switching the first addressed electrical component to the first power state.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
switching a second addressed electrical component into the second power state;
monitoring a power consumption associated with the second addressed electrical component; and
comparing the power consumption associated with the second addressed electrical component with the control value power consumption.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the detected failure operation comprises at least one of (i) storing data associated with the first addressed electrical component or (ii) generating a notification indicating that the first addressed electrical component has failed.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising performing an elevator use check prior to setting the first power state of all addressed electrical components of the elevator system.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the addressed electrical components comprise at least one of (i) a button of a car operating panel, (ii) a lighting fixture of an elevator car, or (iii) a display located within the elevator car.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first power state is an off-state of the addressed electrical components and the second power state is an on-state of the addressed electrical components.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the addressed electrical components further comprise at least one of (i) a button of a hall or car call panel, or (ii) a display located inside the elevator car at a landing of the elevator system.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is triggered by at least one of (i) a timer, (ii) a predetermined schedule, (iii) a request from a user device, or (iv) a predetermined event.

10. An elevator system comprising:
an elevator car located within an elevator shaft; and
a controller for automatically checking an operational status of electrical components of the elevator system, the controller configured to execute instructions comprising:
setting a first power state of all addressed electrical components of the elevator system;
measuring a control value power consumption with a power consumption counter;
switching a first addressed electrical component into a second power state;
monitoring a power consumption associated with the first addressed electrical component;
comparing the power consumption associated with the first addressed electrical component with the control value power consumption; and
when the power consumption associated with the first addressed electrical component is not greater than the control value power consumption, performing a detected failure operation.

11. The elevator system of claim 10 with the instructions further comprising, when the power consumption associated with the first addressed electrical component is greater than the control value power consumption, switching the first addressed electrical component to the first power state.

12. The elevator system of claim 11 with the instructions further comprising,
switching a second addressed electrical component into the second power state;
monitoring a power consumption associated with the second addressed electrical component; and
comparing the power consumption associated with the second addressed electrical component with the control value power consumption.

13. The elevator system of claim 10 , wherein the detected failure operation comprises at least one of (i) storing data associated with the first addressed electrical component or (ii) generating a notification indicating that the first addressed electrical component has failed.

14. The elevator system of claim 10 , wherein the addressed electrical components comprise at least one of (i) a button of a hall or car call panel, or (ii) a display located inside the elevator car at a landing of the elevator system.

15. The elevator system of claim 10 , wherein the power consumption counter is operably connected to a power wire of the elevator system.

Assignees

• Otis Elevator Co

Inventors

• Fauconnet Aurelien

Classifications

• B66B5/0018 Primary

  Devices monitoring the operating condition of the elevator system · CPC title

• G01R21/1336

  Measuring overconsumption · 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

• G01R11/00

  Electromechanical arrangements for measuring time integral of electric power or current, e.g. of consumption (monitoring electric consumption of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L3/00) · CPC title

• B66B5/0087 Primary

  Devices facilitating maintenance, repair or inspection tasks (devices incorporated in the buffer B66B5/288; railings on top of the car B66B11/0226) · CPC title