Arrangement and a method for measuring the position of an installation platform in an elevator shaft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9828212-B2
Application number	US-201615087185-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 31, 2016
Priority date	Apr 23, 2015
Publication date	Nov 28, 2017
Grant date	Nov 28, 2017

Abstract

The arrangement comprises an installation platform movable upwards and downwards in the elevator shaft, at least one light source arranged at a predetermined position in the elevator shaft below the installation platform and producing a vertically upwards directed collimated light beam, at least one primary digital imaging device positioned on the installation platform and being arranged to take electronic images of the light beam hitting the photosensitive sensor of the at least one primary digital imaging device or of a pattern created by the light beam on a reflective or transparent screen positioned at a distance in front of the photosensitive sensor of the at least one primary digital imaging device, whereby the horizontal position of the installation platform in relation to the elevator shaft can be measured from the electronic images taken by the at least one primary digital imaging device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for measuring a horizontal position of an installation platform in an elevator shaft, the installation platform being movable in a first direction in the elevator shaft, the system comprising:
at least one light source at a position in the elevator shaft below the installation platform, the at least one light source configured to emit a vertically upwards directed collimated light beam; and
at least one primary digital imaging device on the installation platform, the at least one primary digital imaging device configured to capture electronic images of one of (i) the light beam hitting a photosensitive sensor of the at least one primary digital imaging device, and (ii) a pattern created by the light beam on a reflective or transparent screen positioned at a distance in front of the photosensitive sensor, wherein
the horizontal position of the installation platform in relation to the elevator shaft is measurable from the electronic images.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one secondary digital imaging device at a position on a vertical line above the at least one light source in the elevator shaft, wherein
at least one beam splitter is at a position on the vertical line, the at least one beam splitter configured to divide the light beam into a first portion and a second portion such that the first portion of the light beam passes directly vertically upwards through the at least one beam splitter to the at least one secondary digital imaging device and the second portion of the light beam is turned 90 degrees towards the at least one primary digital imaging device,
the at least one primary digital imaging device is configured to capture the electronic images such that the electronic images are of one of (i) the second portion of the light beam hitting the photosensitive sensor of the at least one primary digital imaging device and (ii) a pattern created by the light beam on a reflective or transparent screen positioned at a distance in front of the photosensitive sensor of the at least one primary digital imaging device, the electronic images captured by the at least one primary digital imaging device providing an indication of the horizontal position of the installation platform in relation to the elevator shaft, and
the at least one secondary digital imaging device is configured to capture the electronic images such that the electronic images are of one of (i) the first portion of the light beam hitting the photosensitive sensor of the at least one secondary digital imaging device and (ii) a pattern created by the first portion of the light beam on a reflective or transparent screen positioned at a distance in front of the photosensitive sensor of the at least one secondary digital imaging device, the electronic images taken by the at least one secondary digital imaging device providing an indication of an amount of bending of the elevator shaft.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one light source includes two light sources including a first light source and a second light source at positions in the elevator shaft below the installation platform, the first light source configured to produce a vertically upwards directed collimated first light beam and second light source configured to produce a vertically upwards directed collimated second light beam, the at least one primary digital imaging device includes three primary digital imaging devices on the installation platform, and the system further comprises:
a beam splitter on the installation platform in a position on a vertical line above the second light source, the beam splitter configured to divide the second light beam into a first portion and a second portion such that the first portion passes directly vertically upwards through the beam splitter to a third of the three primary digital imaging devices and the second portion is turned 90 degrees towards a second of the three primary digital imaging devices, wherein
a first of the three primary digital imaging device is configured to capture the electronic images of one of (i) the first light beam hitting the photosensitive sensor of the first of the three primary digital imaging devices and (ii) a pattern created by the first light beam on a reflective or transparent screen positioned at a distance in front of the photosensitive sensor of the first of the three primary digital imaging devices,
a second of the three primary digital imaging device is configured to capture the electronic images of one of (i) the second portion of the second light beam hitting the photosensitive sensor of the second of the three primary digital imaging devices and (ii) a pattern created by the second portion of the second light beam on a reflective or transparent screen positioned at a distance in front of the photosensitive sensor of the second of the three primary digital imaging devices,
a third of the three primary digital imaging device is configured to capture the electronic images of one of (i) the first portion of the second light beam hitting the photosensitive sensor of the third of the three primary digital imaging devices and (ii) a pattern created by the first portion of the second light beam on a reflective or transparent screen positioned in front of the photosensitive sensor of the third of the three primary digital imaging devices,
the electronic images captured by the first and the second of the three primary digital imaging devices, which are on a same horizontal level as the installation platform, providing an indication of the horizontal position of the installation platform in relation to the elevator shaft, and
the electronic images captured by the second and the third of the three primary digital imaging devices, which are above each other on the installation platform, providing an indication of a tilt of the installation platform in relation to the elevator shaft.

4. The system of claim 3 , further comprising:
two secondary digital imaging devices each at a position on a vertical line above the respective light source in the elevator shaft and above the installation platform; and
three beam splitters including a first beam splitter, a second beam splitter, and a third beam splitter, the first beam splitter being on the installation platform in a position on the vertical line above the first light source, the first beam splitter configured to divide the first light beam into a first portion and a second portion such that the first portion passes directly vertically upwards through the first beam splitter to the first of the two secondary digital imaging devices and the second portion is turned 90 degrees towards the first of the three primary digital imaging devices, the second beam splitter being the beam splitter above the second light source, and the third beam splitter being on the installation platform on a vertical line above the second beam splitter, the third beam splitter configured to divide the portion of the second light beam that passes directly vertically upwards through the second beam splitter into a first portion and a second portion such that first portion passes directly vertically upwards through the third beam splitter to the second of the two secondary digital imaging devices and the second portion is turned 90 degrees towards the second of the three primary digital imaging devices, wherein
a first of the two secondary digital imaging devices is configured to capture electronic images of one of (i) the first portion of the first light beam hitting the photosensitive sensor of the first of the two secondary digital imaging devices and (ii) a pattern created by the first portion of the first light beam on a reflective or transparent screen positioned at a distance in front of the photosensitive sensor of the first of the two secondary di

Assignees

• Vaarala Tapio
• Kilpelainen Pekka
• Kone Corp

Inventors

• Vaarala Tapio
• Kilpelainen Pekka

Classifications

• B66B19/00

  Mining-hoist operation · CPC title

• B66B19/002 Primary

  installing or exchanging guide rails (details of rails B66B7/02) · CPC title

• G01S17/46

  Indirect determination of position data · CPC title

• B66B5/00 Primary

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

• B66B7/1246 Primary

  specially adapted for guides · CPC title