Brake device, a test method for the brake device and an elevator system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020180906-A1
Application number	US-201916707983-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 9, 2019
Priority date	Dec 10, 2018
Publication date	Jun 11, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A brake device includes: a fixed member; a moving member which is movable between a retracted position in which the moving member is adjacent to the fixed member and separate from a braking member, and a braking position in which a friction plate of the moving member contacts the braking member and provides a braking force to the braking member; an elastic member connected between the moving member and the fixed member; a coil disposed in the fixed member; and a controller which provides an operating current to the coil when the elevator is in normal operation, wherein the controller is configured to implement a test mode in which the controller provides a test current less than the operating current to the coil and determines whether the moving member has been attracted to the retracted position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A brake device, the brake device being used for an elevator and comprising.
a fixed member; a moving member which is movable between a retracted position in which the moving member is adjacent to the fixed member and separate from a braking member, and a braking position in which a friction plate of the moving member contacts the braking member and provides a braking force to the braking member; an elastic member connected between the moving member and the fixed member, the elastic member tending to urge the moving member toward the braking position; a coil disposed in the fixed member, the coil generating a magnetic field when being energized to attract the moving member to move toward the retracted position; and a controller which provides an operating current to the coil when the elevator is in normal operation, wherein the controller is configured to implement a test mode in which the controller provides a test current less than the operating current to the coil and determines whether the moving member has been attracted to the retracted position.

2 . The brake device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to implement the test mode periodically.

3 . The brake device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller confirms that an elevator car has stopped and unloaded before implementing the test mode.

4 . The brake device according to claim 1 , wherein in the test mode, the controller resumes normal operation of the elevator in a case that the moving member has been attracted to the retracted position, and sends prompt information and/or controls the elevator to stop operating in a case that the moving member fails to be attracted to the retracted position.

5 . The brake device according to claim 1 , wherein the test current is 50%-95% of the operating current.

6 . The brake device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller provides the test current less than the operating current in the test mode by lowering a supply voltage.

7 . The brake device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller provides a first test current less than the operating current to the coil in the test mode and determines whether the moving member has been attracted to the retracted position; in a case that the moving member has been attracted to the retracted position, the controller resumes normal operation of the elevator, and in a case that the moving member fails to be attracted to the retracted position, the controller sends prompt information and provides a second test current to the coil, wherein the first test current <the second test current <the operating current, and the controller determines whether the moving member has been attracted to the retracted position; in a case that the moving member has been attracted to the retracted position, the controller resumes normal operation of the elevator, and in a case that the moving member fails to be attracted to the retracted position, the controller controls the elevator to stop operating.

8 . An elevator system, comprising the brake device according to claim 1 .

9 . A method for testing a brake device, comprising:
implementing a test mode when a moving member is in a braking position; providing a test current to a coil in a fixed member, the test current being less than an operating current provided to the coil when the elevator is in normal operation; and determining whether the moving member is capable of being attracted to a retracted position.

10 . The method according to claim 9 , further comprising implementing the test mode in a case that an elevator car has stopped and is unloaded.

11 . The method according to claim 9 , further comprising resuming normal operation of the elevator in a case that the moving member has been attracted to the retracted position, and sending prompt information and/or controlling the elevator to stop operating in a case that the moving member fails to be attracted to the retracted position.

12 . The method according to claim 9 , further comprising setting the test current to be 50%-95% of the operating current.

13 . The method according to claim 9 , further comprising providing the test current less than the operating current in the test mode by lowering a supply voltage.

14 . The method according to claim 9 , further comprising: providing a first test current less than the operating current to the coil in the test mode and determining whether the moving member has been attracted to the retracted position; resuming normal operation of the elevator in a case that the moving member has been attracted to the retracted position; sending prompt information in a case that the moving member fails to be attracted to the retracted position, providing a second test current to the coil by the controller, wherein the first test current <the second test current <the operating current, and determining whether the moving member has been attracted to the retracted position; resuming normal operation of the elevator in a case that the moving member has been attracted to the retracted position, and controlling the elevator to stop operating in a case that the moving member fails to be attracted to the retracted position.

Assignees

• Otis Elevator Co

Inventors

• Li Guosong
• Zhou Hua
• Zhang Zixu

Classifications

• F16D66/028

  with non-electrical sensors or signal transmission, e.g. magnetic, optical · CPC title

• B66B5/00

  Applications of checking, fault-correcting, or safety devices in elevators · CPC title

• F16D66/022 Primary

  indicating that a lining is worn to minimum allowable thickness · CPC title

• B66B5/0037 Primary

  Performance analysers · CPC title

• F16D2066/003

  Position, angle or speed · CPC title