Otis Elevator Company

Chester J Slabinski

Robert B Leach

Frank M Sansevero

Richard Robert Grzybowski

Michael Garfinkel

Jeffrey M Izard

Robert G Morgan

Jean Youla

David Crenella

Michael P Gozzo

Steven M Skolnick

Rudolph Steger

Elevator system hall fixtures such as lanterns, hall call button switches and lights, gongs, and floor position indicators are connected to a controller via wireless transceivers. The controller can be a system, group, and/or car controller. A low power wireless system connects all fixtures on one hallway, with a higher power wireless system connecting each hallway with the appropriate controller.

Two-part wireless communications system for elevator hallway fixtures

An elevator machine and control system includes a drive shaft with a motor and brake. A rope, usually a steel cable or belt, is attached at one end to an elevator car and at the other end to a counterweight. The rope is reeved around a traction sheave connected to the drive shaft. At least one torque sensor is integrated into the machine's drive shaft between the brake and the traction sheave. A controller operates the motor based in part upon a feedback signal received from the torque sensor. Depending on the location of the brake vis a vis the motor and traction sheave, either one sensor or two sensors are required to produce a feedback signal which is indicative of a load in the elevator car.

Integrated shaft sensor for load measurement and torque control in elevators and escalators

A portable device worn by an elevator mechanic when in the pit of the hoistway or on top of a car will activate sensors disposed on the car so as to cause an emergency stop and warn the mechanic of the elevator's presence. The portable device may be disposed with some form of alarm beneath an emblem, or otherwise, on the uniform of a mechanic.

Automatic protection of elevator mechanics

An arrangement for detecting elevator car position relative to a floor landing includes an optical potentiometer associated with both the elevator car and the interior of an elevator hoistway. One portion of the potentiometer is attached to the elevator car, while the other portion of the potentiometer is fixed within the hoistway. Car position is ascertained by illuminating portions of a fluorescent fiber optical cable and then reading electrical signals outputted by photodetectors at either end of the cable. The difference between the electrical signals corresponds to the distance of the elevator car from the landing.

Arrangement for detecting elevator car position

A piezoresistive elevator button assembly comprises a polymer film piezoresistive element sandwiched between a button and a button pressure plate, and circuitry for sensing a change in the resistance of the piezoresistive element. The piezoresistive element is held in place by a high temperature potting compound to create a button less sensitive to fire or heat. A compensating spring is placed between the piezoresistive element and the buttom pressure plate to eliminate the effect on that element due to temperature cycling of the button assembly elements. A frustoconical housing of the button employing catch teeth allows for little movement; the use of the polymer film piezoresistive element allows a signal to be generated though buttom movement is nearly imperceptible.

Piezoresistive elevator button

A solid state touch or control button assembly (10), with no moving button parts and operated by capacitive sensing by monitoring the phase shift of a signal applied to the face of the button, including in a first embodiment (FIGS. 2A & 2B) a auto balancing button and in a second embodiment (FIGS. 3A & 3B) a constant pressure button. If skin or other material comes into contact with the touch surface, the capacitance is changed and sensed, causing the electrical or electronic function controlled by the touch button to be activated (or deactivated, depending on the design, or otherwise altered). LEDs then are activated, providing visual feedback to the button pusher through a light ring (2A) surrounding the button surface (1). False activation of the button by residual impedance and external influences, such as temperature change, cleaner residue build-up and other deposits, are avoided by compensating for them by slowly auto balancing to all such phase shifts, with the rate of auto balance being set to be faster than the rate of change of the steady state phase shift; and, additionally, false activations by noise transients, including those due to EMI, FRI and other environmental fluctuations, are avoided by delaying the activation of the button by an appropriate amount of time, such as, for example, of the order of about one hundred (100 msec.) milliseconds.

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New Hartford, CT, United States of America

Chester J Slabinski