Otis Elevator Company

Dirk Heinrich Tegtmeier

Peter L Herkel

Michael Mann

Pascal Rebillard

Nicolas Fonteneau

Andres Monzon

Frédéric Beauchaud

Gérard Sirigu

Juergen Gewinner

Thomas Coquerelle

Michel Beeuwsaert

Fernando Del Rio

David Pillin

Jean-Noel Cloux

Olivier Stanislas Dukacz

Alain Simonot

Herbert Horbrügger

Dominique Goulet

Kristian Bernhard Wittjen

Florence Picard

Ralph S Stripling

Antonio De Miguel Urquijo

Armando Servia

Herbert K Horbruegger

Fernando Del Rio Sanz

Jean-Noël Cloux

Ingo Engelhard

Burkhard Braasch

Frank Kirchhoff

Julián Cabañas Falcón

Axel S Pfeffer

Ricardo Cano

Andrés Monzón-Simón

Francisco Luis Sanz Delgado

Gianfranco Giannini

Herbert Karl Horbruegger

Peter Leo Herkel

An elevator safety system () configured for monitoring an elevator system () comprises at least one safety node () and an evaluator (). The at least one safety node () is configured for monitoring at least one component of the elevator system () and/or of the elevator safety system () and providing signals representing the current status of the at least one monitored component. The evaluator () configured for receiving the signals from the at least one safety node (); and for determining a safety status of the elevator system () and/or of the elevator safety system () from a combination of the received signals.

Elevator safety system

An elevator system () comprises a hoistway () extending between a plurality of landings (); the hoistway () comprising landing portions (A) and intermediate portions (B), wherein each landing portion (A) extends around a corresponding landing () and each intermediate portion (B) is located between two adjacent landing portions (A); an elevator car (), which is configured for traveling along the hoistway (); a first position determining system (), which is configured for determining the current position of the elevator car () while it is located within one of the landing portions (A); and a second position determining system (), which is configured for determining the current position of the elevator car () while it is located within one of the intermediate portions (B).

Elevator system

An elevator safety system includes: at least two sensors, each of the sensors being configured for monitoring at least a portion of a hoistway of an elevator system and providing monitoring signals; a transformation unit which is configured for transforming the monitoring signals provided by at least one of the sensors and producing transformed signals corresponding to a common direction of vision; a comparison unit which is configured for comparing the at least two transformed signals and for generating a failure signal if a difference between the at least two transformed signals exceeds a predetermined threshold; and a detection unit, which is configured for detecting a person or undesired item in at least one of the two transformed signals and for generating an alarm signal if a person or undesired item is detected.

An elevator safety system comprises: at least one position sensor, which is configured for determining a position value representing the position of the elevator car within the hoistway; at least one door sensor, which is configured for detecting whether the at least one door is closed; a limit setting unit, which is configured for determining an operation status of the elevator car and for setting at least one position limit according to the determined operation status; and a comparison unit, which is configured for comparing the determined position value with the set position limit and for determining an error condition, if the position value is not in compliance with the at least one position limit and the at least one door sensor indicates that at least one door is not closed.

Elevator safety system and method of monitoring an elevator system

An elevator system () comprises: a hoistway () extending between a plurality of landings (); at least one hoistway door () allowing access to the hoistway (); an elevator car (), which is configured to move along the hoistway (); at least one safety (), which is attached to the elevator car () and configured to stop any movement of the elevator car () when activated; an electronic safety actuator (), which is configured to activate and deactivate the at least one safety (); and a door safety switch (), which is configured to monitor the at least one hoistway door () and which is connected with the electronic safety actuator in order to allow activating the at least one safety (), if the door safety switch () detects that the at least one hoistway door () is not closed.

Elevator safety system and method of operating an elevator system

A system for managing elevator power includes a power line connected to a power grid, a motor connected to the power line and configured to receive power from the power line to drive an elevator, an alternative power source connected to the motor, and a power control system configured to control the power line to supply power to the motor to drive the elevator, to detect a predetermined threshold value of power supplied from the power line, and to supply both power from the power line and power from the alternative power source to the motor based on a determination that the predetermined threshold value of power is supplied from the power line.

Elevator power management to augment maximum power line power

An elevator control system includes a control power supply, a computing core in communication with the control power supply, a communication power supply in communication with the computing core, and a sleep monitor in communication with the control power supply, the computing core, and the communication power supply. The sleep monitor is disposed to selectively turn on/off the control power supply and the computing core, and the sleep monitor is disposed to selectively change an operating state of the communication power supply to a low voltage state.

Elevator control system with sleep monitor

An exemplary safety circuit includes a plurality of contacts that are configured to establish a conductive path across the contacts when the contacts are in electrically conductive contact with each other. The contacts selectively interrupt the conductive path across them when the contacts are separated. A controller selectively introduces a voltage pulse across the contacts at a voltage level that is effective to overcome an electrical resistance of any contamination on at least one of the contacts. The controller introduces the voltage pulse at least when the contacts are expected to be in contact to establish the conductive path.

Safety circuit

A device and method for detecting a misaligned or missing step of a conveyor are disclosed. The missing step detector includes various sensors for detecting the drive speed of the conveyor and for detecting the presence of pallets or steps. The sensor output signals are correlated to determine fixed values characteristic of the specific conveyor in question. Using the fixed values as reference, the missing step detector is able to effectively monitor the conveyor for misaligned or missing steps independent of conveyor speed and time.

Signal correlation for missing step detection in conveyors

An elevator car includes a foldable handrail mounted on top of the car. Safety switches are associated with the foldable handrail including a first safety switch and a second safety switch. The first safety switch is closed only when the handrail is folded in a fully retracted position. The second safety switch is closed when the handrail is unfolded in a fully deployed position. A safety chain is associated with the first and second safety switches for supplying power to an elevator drive system in a normal operation or an inspection operation depending on the state of the first and second safety switches.

Foldable handrail and safety switch arrangement on top of an elevator car

The elevator has a car movable vertically within a shaft between lower and upper end positions and a drive system coupled to a traction system for controlling movement of the car. A limit switch which is open when the car is in a selected distance range from one of the end positions. The limit switch forms part of a power line supplying power to the drive system for controlling movement of the car in a direction towards that end position in an inspection operation. Thus movement of the car is prevented only in that direction when the car is in the selected distance range in an inspection operation.

Elevator having a limit switch for controlling power to the drive system as an elevator car approaches a shallow pit or a low overhead

Elevator comprising a car, a drive motor driving the car, a motor drive unit for controlling the drive motor and supplying power thereto, an encoder for sensing movement of the car, and an elevator rescue system for rescue operation in case of an emergency situation, wherein the elevator comprises one single encoder only for normal and rescue operation.

Elevator including elevator rescue system

Method for performing an elevator rescue run in an emergency situation, the elevator comprising and elevator car, a counter weight, a rope suspending the car and the counterweight, a drive motor, an emergency brake for stopping the car in an emergency situation, and a motor drive unit for supplying drive power to and for controlling the drive motor, having the following rescue run sequence steps:

Method for performing an elevator rescue run

Elevator () comprising a car (), a counterweight (), a hoisting rope () for suspending the car () and the counterweight (), a drive motor (), a motor drive unit () for supplying the power to the drive motor (), and a brake () for stopping the movement of the car () in an emergency situation, the elevator () further comprising an elevator rescue system (), comprising an emergency power supply (), an emergency brake switch () for connecting and disconnecting the power of the emergency power supply () to the brake (), and an emergency drive switch () for connecting and disconnecting the power of the emergency power supply () to the drive motor (), characterised in that the elevator rescue system () further comprises the motor drive unit () and a power line () connecting the emergency power supply () with the motor drive unit () and including the emergency drive switch ().

Electrical elevator rescue system

An elevator car () comprises a cover () extending over at least a portion of the top surface of the car (). The cover () is mounted on a resilient support (). The car () further comprises means () for detecting displacement of the cover corresponding to the weight of a person being applied to the cover. If such displacement is detected, normal operation of the car () is prevented.

Growing community of inventors

Berlin, Germany

Dirk Heinrich Tegtmeier