Method for condition monitoring of elevator ropes and arrangement for the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9714155-B2
Application number	US-201414531539-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 3, 2014
Priority date	Nov 13, 2013
Publication date	Jul 25, 2017
Grant date	Jul 25, 2017

Abstract

A method is provided for condition monitoring of a rope of an elevator including an elevator car and a rope wheel arrangement, which rope is connected to the elevator car and passes around at least one rope wheel included in the rope wheel arrangement. The method includes obtaining travel data of the elevator car, the travel data including information describing occurrence(s) of car start(s) and/or bypass(es); and determining based on the travel data a total number of car visits at a predetermined landing in the path of the elevator car, which total number is the sum of the number of starts of the elevator car away from said predetermined landing so as to travel to any other landing irrespective of the traveling direction, and the number of times the elevator car has bypassed said predetermined landing without stopping irrespective of the traveling direction; and comparing the total number or a multifold of the total number with a first predetermined limit value, wherein said multifold equals to the total number multiplied with factor n wherein n equals the number of said at least one rope wheel; and performing one or more predetermined action if said total number or the multifold of the total number meets the first predetermined limit value, said one or more action including one or more of indicating a weakened rope condition, indicating a need for maintenance or replacement of elevator rope(s), calculating an estimated moment of maintenance or replacement of elevator rope(s), sending a specific or general warning signal, sending a fault signal, sending a signal to a service center the signal indicating weakened rope condition or a need for maintenance or a need for replacement of elevator rope(s). An arrangement implements the method.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for condition monitoring of a rope of an elevator comprising an elevator car and a rope wheel arrangement, which rope is connected to the elevator car and passes around at least one rope wheel comprised in the rope wheel arrangement, the method comprising the steps of:
obtaining travel data of the elevator car;
determining based on the travel data a total number of car visits at a predetermined landing in the path of the elevator car, which total number is the sum of the number of starts of the elevator car away from said predetermined landing so as to travel to any other landing irrespective of the traveling direction, and the number of times the elevator car has bypassed said predetermined landing without stopping irrespective of the traveling direction; and
comparing the total number or a multifold of the total number with a first predetermined limit value, wherein said multifold equals to the total number multiplied with factor n wherein n equals the number of said at least one rope wheel; and
performing one or more predetermined actions if said total number or the multifold of the total number meets the first predetermined limit value, said one or more actions including one or more of indicating a weakened rope condition, indicating a need for maintenance or replacement of elevator rope(s), calculating an estimated moment of maintenance or replacement of elevator rope(s), sending a specific or general warning signal, sending a fault signal, sending a signal to a service center the signal indicating weakened rope condition or a need for maintenance or a need for replacement of elevator rope(s).

2. The method according claim 1 , wherein the total number of car visits at a predetermined landing in the path of the elevator car consists of the sum of the number of starts of the elevator car away from said predetermined landing so as to travel to any other landing irrespective of the traveling direction, and the number of times the elevator car has bypassed said predetermined landing without stopping irrespective of the traveling direction.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined landing is a lobby landing of the building.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined landing is a lobby landing of the building on which a destination call device is installed.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined landing is an intermediate landing positioned between the lowermost and uppermost landings of the elevator.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said predetermined landing is the entrance lobby landing of the building.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said travel data includes information describing occurrence(s) of car start(s) and/or bypass(es).

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the travel data is obtained at least partly from car position data.

9. The method according to claim 1 , said method further comprising the step of monitoring car position so as to obtain car position data.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the car position is monitored by means of a car position sensing arrangement.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein if said total number meets a second predetermined limit value, which is higher than the first predetermined limit value, the elevator is removed from passenger use.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said obtaining, determining and comparing are each performed repeatedly during use of the elevator.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a cycle of said obtaining, determining and comparing is performed repeatedly, repeating of this cycle being triggered every time either the car start from said predetermined landing or a bypassing of said predetermined landing is realized.

14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said sum is determined by counting the starts of the elevator car away from said predetermined landing so as to travel to any other landing irrespective of the traveling direction, and the number of times the elevator car has bypassed irrespective of the traveling direction said predetermined landing without stopping, by increasing the sum by one each time said start or bypass occurs.

15. An arrangement for condition monitoring of a rope of an elevator, which rope is connected to an elevator car and passes around at least one rope wheel of a rope wheel arrangement, the arrangement comprising:
a processing unit arranged to:
obtain travel data of the elevator car, and to determine based on the travel data a total number of car visits at a predetermined landing in the path of the elevator car, which total number is the sum of the number of starts of the elevator car away from said predetermined landing so as to travel to any other landing irrespective of the traveling direction, and the number of times the elevator car has bypassed said predetermined landing without stopping irrespective of the traveling direction;
to compare the total number of car visits obtained by said determining or a multifold of the total number obtained by said determining with a first predetermined limit value, wherein said multifold equals to the total number multiplied with factor n wherein n equals the number of said at least one rope wheel; and
to perform one or more predetermined action if said total number or the multifold of the total number meets the first predetermined limit value, said one or more action including one or more of indicating a weakened rope condition, indicating a need for maintenance or replacement of elevator rope(s), calculating an estimated moment of maintenance or replacement of elevator rope(s), sending a specific or general warning signal, sending a fault signal, sending a signal to a service center the signal indicating weakened rope condition or a need for maintenance or a need for replacement of elevator rope(s).

16. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a cycle of said obtaining, determining and comparing is performed repeatedly.

17. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said sum is determined by counting the starts of the elevator car away from said predetermined landing so as to travel to any other landing irrespective of the traveling direction, and the number of times the elevator car has bypassed irrespective of the traveling direction said predetermined landing without stopping.

18. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the predetermined landing is a lobby landing of the building.

19. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the predetermined landing is a lobby landing of the building on which a destination call device is installed.

20. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the predetermined landing is a lobby landing of the building on which a destination call device is installed.

Assignees

• Kone Corp

Inventors

• Tyni Tapio
• Lehtinen Hannu
• Lampinen Riku

Classifications

• B66B7/1215 Primary

  specially adapted for ropes or cables · CPC title

• B66B3/00 Primary

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