Preventative maintenance by detecting number of switching events of components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9988239-B2
Application number	US-201314779041-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 22, 2013
Priority date	Mar 22, 2013
Publication date	Jun 5, 2018
Grant date	Jun 5, 2018

Abstract

A system for providing preventative maintenance of switchable components includes a load-moving system including one or more switchable components. The system also includes a microcontroller configured to operate the one or more switchable components of the load-moving system, to determine a number of switching events of the one or more switchable components and to perform a preventative maintenance action based on determining that the number of switching events is greater than a threshold number of switching events.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for providing preventative maintenance of switchable components, comprising:
a load-moving structure including one or more switchable components; and
a microcontroller configured to operate the one or more switchable components of the load-moving structure, to determine a usage value including determining a number of switching events of the one or more switchable components and to perform a preventative maintenance action based on determining that the usage value is greater than a threshold value;
wherein the usage value and the threshold value further include, in addition to values corresponding to a number of switching events, algorithms to take into account additional factors that affect life expectancy of the one or more switchable components.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the load-moving structure is one of an elevator and an escalator.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the threshold value is a number corresponding to an expected number of switching events over a lifetime of the one or more switchable components.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more switchable components includes at least one mechanically-activated switch, and
determining the number of switching events includes determining a number of times that the at least one mechanically-activated switch is switched between a first power state corresponding to a first power level flowing through the at least one mechanically-activated switch and a second power state corresponding to a second power level flowing through the at least one mechanically-activated switch, the first power level being greater than the second power level.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the at least one mechanically-driven switch includes at least one of a switch in an elevator safety chain, a door zone detection switch of the elevator and a braking switch for brakes of the elevator.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more switchable components includes at least one solid-state switch, and
determining the number of switching events includes determining a number of times that the at least one solid-state switch is switched between a first power state corresponding to a first power level flowing through the at least one solid-state switch and a second power state corresponding to a second power level flowing through the at least one solid-state switch, the first power level being greater than the second power level.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein determining the number of switching events includes determining a number of times that a switching command is sent to a solid-state switch.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more switchable components includes a sensor, and
determining the number of switching events includes determining a number of times that the sensor is activated.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the switching event includes detecting when the switchable component is switched from a first power state associated with a first power level to a second power state corresponding to a second power level different from the first power level.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
memory having stored therein a list of the one or more switchable components and counters corresponding to the number of switching events of the one or more switchable components.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the preventative maintenance action includes generating a notice that the one or more switchable components should be replaced.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the threshold value is based on a base value corresponding to a type of the switchable component and an adjustment corresponding to environmental conditions in which the switchable component operates.

13. A method comprising:
monitoring, by a microcontroller of a load-moving system, switching events of one or more switchable components of the load-moving structure, the switchable components configured to monitor or control operations of the load-moving structure;
determining, by the microcontroller, whether a usage value including a number of switching events of the one or more switchable components is greater than a predetermined threshold; and
performing, by the microcontroller, a preventative maintenance action based on determining that the usage value is greater than the predetermined threshold;
wherein the usage value and the threshold value further include, in addition to values corresponding to a number of switching events, algorithms to take into account additional factors that affect life expectancy of the one or more switchable components.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the load-moving structure is one of an elevator and an escalator.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the predetermined threshold corresponds to a number of switching events expected over a lifetime of the one or more switchable components.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the preventative maintenance action includes generating a notice that preventative maintenance may be required for the one or more switchable components.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the one or more switchable components includes at least one mechanically-activated switch, and
determining whether the usage value is greater than the predetermined threshold includes determining a number of times that the at least one mechanically-activated switch is switched between a first power state corresponding to a first power level flowing through the at least one mechanically-activated switch and a second power state corresponding to a second power level flowing through the at least one mechanically-activated switch, the first power level being greater than the second power level.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the at least one mechanically-driven switch includes at least one of a switch in an elevator safety chain, a door zone detection switch of the elevator and a braking switch for brakes of the elevator.

19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the one or more switchable components includes at least one solid-state switch, and
determining whether the usage value is greater than the predetermined threshold includes determining a number of times that the at least one solid-state switch is switched between a first power state corresponding to a first power level flowing through the at least one solid-state switch and a second power state corresponding to a second power level flowing through the at least one solid-state switch, the first power level being greater than the second power level.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein determining whether the usage value is greater than the predetermined threshold includes determining whether a number of switching commands issued to the at least one solid-state switch is greater than the predetermined threshold.

21. The method of claim 13 , wherein the one or more switchable components includes a sensor, and
determining whether the usage value is greater than the predetermined threshold includes determining a number of times that the sensor is activated.

Assignees

• Otis Elevator Co

Inventors

• Toutaoui Mustapha

Classifications

• B66B29/00

  Safety devices of escalators or moving walkways (walkways of variable speed type B66B21/12; handrails of variable speed type B66B23/26) · CPC title

• B66B5/0025 Primary

  for maintenance or repair · CPC title