Inventio Ag

Willi Studer Ag

Kurt Heinz

Astrid Sonnenmoser

Ivo Lustenberger

Thomas Hartmann

Adrian Knecht

Philippe Henneau

Martin Hess

David Michel

Frank Olivier Roussel

Urs Lindegger

Vincent P Robibero

Johannes Felber

Amos Schaub

An elevator system controller controls a drive and optionally further elevator components. The controller includes a circuit having a switch to be monitored, the switch having an input and an output, a signal transmitter unit applying an AC voltage input signal to the input of the switch, and a monitoring unit to record an output signal at an output of the switch. On the basis of a comparison of the output signal with the input signal, the circuit generates a monitoring signal that indicates a switching state of the switch. The switch may be, for example, a door switch connected in series with other safety switches to form a safety chain. Applying the AC voltage signal instead of a conventional DC voltage signal makes it possible to avoid electrical corrosion in the switch and also makes it possible to increase a reliability of a detected switching state of the switch.

Elevator system having a circuit with a switch monitored by means of an AC voltage signal

A passenger transport system includes a bus system transferring data between a central control unit and a plurality of field devices. In a failure detection method, the field devices are configured in an unbranched chain configuration and the control unit transmits a test telegram to a first field device to start a monitoring cycle during which each field device receiving the test telegram forwards the test telegram to a next field device in the chain. During the monitoring cycle, the control unit monitors a communication between the field devices occurring via the bus system, in order to detect when a field device does not forward the test telegram. A data volume transmitted via the bus system during the failure detection method is significantly reduced in comparison to conventional failure tests such that failures can be recognized more quickly and/or simpler hardware and/or software can be used.

Passenger transport system having central control unit and multiple field devices having an optimized failure detection method

A passenger conveying system includes a passenger conveyance installation designed as an elevator, escalator or moving walkway, a main energy supply supplying the passenger conveyance installation with electrical energy, a main switch for disconnecting the passenger conveyance installation from the main energy supply, which main switch has an input side connected to the main energy supply and an output side connected to the passenger conveyance installation. The system includes a measuring device with a sensor for measuring an electrical parameter, a converter which has a direct current side and an alternating current side, an energy store electrically connected to the direct current side of the converter, a control device for controlling the converter, wherein the sensor is electrically and/or electromagnetically connected on the input side of the main switch to the main energy supply and the alternating current side of the converter is electrically connected to the main energy supply.

System for conveying passengers, method for optimizing the operation of a system for conveying passengers

An elevator suspension member arrangement includes a monitoring arrangement monitoring an integrity status of suspension members having electrically conductive cords. The monitoring arrangement includes: a generator generating phase shifted first and second alternating voltages; input and output connectors each establishing electrical contacts to cords in one of the suspension members; a voltage analyzer measuring and analyzing a neutral point voltage resulting from applying the first and second alternating voltages to first and second cords of the one suspension member; a supply circuitry having supply lines electrically interconnecting the generator with the input connectors; and a measurement circuitry including measurement lines electrically interconnecting the analyzer with at least one of the input connectors and the output connectors. The supply and measurement lines are separated from each other whereby disturbing influences of impedances through the supply circuitry is minimized due to voltage measurements being performed through the separate measurement circuitry.

Elevator with a monitoring arrangement for monitoring an integrity of suspension members with separated circuitries

A monitoring device for monitoring a passenger transport system includes at least one sensor, a control unit, a bus, and at least one bus node connected to the bus. The bus node has a microprocessor and an inspection unit for data exchange with the control unit. A first program module in the microprocessor detects a state change of the sensor that is connected to an input of the microprocessor via a transmission line and spontaneously transmits a corresponding state message to the control unit. A second program module in the inspection unit, after receiving an instruction from the control unit, transmits an activation signal to a coupling point in the bus node that simulates a state change of the sensor, the activation signal being superimposed on a sensor signal and/or being coupled into a power supply line connected to the sensor.

Monitoring device for a passenger transport system, testing method and passenger transport system

An elevator system has a central control unit for generating control signals and/or processing sensor signals and controlling functions of the system, a plurality of field devices distributed inside a structure accommodating the system, preferably along an elevator shaft, and a field bus system for interchanging the signals between the control unit and the field devices. Each field device outputs sensor signals generated by a sensor and/or receives control signals to be implemented by an actuator. Data packets including the signals are interchanged in a serial manner between the control unit and all field devices in a summation frame method using a closed ring topology. Each field device has a driver to insert the sensor signals into the data packet or to remove the control signals from the data packet. Data and signal transmission is thereby carried out quickly and safely in a safety circuit of the elevator system.

Elevator system having a central control unit and a plurality of field devices which communicate via a summation frame method

A monitoring unit, for monitoring an elevator system, includes a circuit assembly having a power supply unit for dispensing a grid-dependent first operating voltage and at least one processor-controlled monitoring module to actively and/or passively ascertain state data of the elevator system. An energy storage unit, that dispenses a grid-independent second operating voltage, and a first switching device supply the first operating voltage to the monitoring module during a normal operation and supply the second operating voltage to the monitoring module in the event of a power outage. A non-volatile data storage unit that stores a variable operating parameter and a second switching device deactivate parts of the circuit assembly. The monitoring module actuates the second switching device based on the stored operating parameter that has a first value before the monitoring unit is started and has a second value after the monitoring unit is started.

Monitoring unit for an elevator system, and method

Methods and devices detect a deterioration state of a load bearing capacity in an elevator suspension member arrangement having several suspension members, such as belts, including electrically conductive cords incorporated into an elastomer material. Deterioration is determined by applying alternating electric voltages to the cords included in legs of a circuitry. Phase shifts between the alternating voltages, for example by determining sum voltages and/or differential voltages, provide valuable information about a condition of the belt. A fixation arrangement of the suspension member arrangement is adapted to enable or simplify the proposed measurements. Furthermore, counting a number of performed bending cycles provides further information to be taken into account for determining the current deterioration state of the belts. Overall, deteriorations in a suspension member such as broken cords, shunts between cords, connections between cords and ground potential and/or deterioration due to corrosion of cords may be easily detected.

Concepts for detecting a deterioration state of a load bearing capacity in a suspension member arrangement for an elevator

An elevator system drive unit moves an elevator car in an elevator shaft to at least two shaft access doors under control of a control unit. The car does not move or moves only to a limited extent if an individual is in the shaft. A monitoring unit and sensor (switching contact) detect changes in state in at least one of the doors using a sequence of pulses monitoring signal. The monitoring unit has a battery and can be switched to an autonomous mode when the elevator system is entirely or partially disabled. The monitoring unit, in the autonomous mode, records state data from the sensor and is connected to a safeguard unit that reads and evaluates the recorded state data, and prevents the elevator system from being put into the normal mode of operation if a change in the state of one of the monitored doors has been detected.

Method and apparatus for controlling an elevator system

A passenger transport system includes a central control unit for controlling system functions, field devices spatially distributed within the system, and a bus system transmitting data between the unit and the devices. The unit and/or the devices detect a current data transmission and the conclusion of the data transmission, and output different types of data telegrams that differ according to urgency. The unit and/or the devices output data telegrams only when no current data transmission is occurring and after a waiting period has elapsed since the conclusion of a previous data transmission. Each type of data telegram is assigned an individual waiting period on the basis of the respective urgency. Thus, a simple transmission prioritization is implemented during the data transmission, wherein each device can transmit data telegrams with different urgency and data telegrams of higher urgency are effectively transmitted with higher priority than data telegrams of lesser urgency.

Passenger transport system with central control unit and multiple field devices which communicate with data telegrams prioritized by waiting periods

The monitoring method for an elevator installation includes a control unit and at least one bus junction, which bus junction has a receiver, a transmitter and a safety element. The control unit and the bus junction communicate by way of a bus. The monitoring method has the following steps: a digital default signal is transmitted by the control unit to the receiver; the digital default signal is converted by the receiver into an analog signal; the safety element is acted on by the receiver with the analog signal; if the safety element is closed the analog signal is detected by the transmitter; for a detected analog signal, a digital signal of the control unit is provided by the transmitter; wherein on detection of an analog zero signal a digital signal is transmitted by the transmitter to the control unit.

Monitoring method for an elevator installation

An inexpensive and reliable regulating apparatus contains between a regulating unit and an electric motor series-connected therewith a feedback path for a single tachometer signal and including a band-pass filter. The band-pass filter determines the operating range of the electric motor. The regulating unit is constructed such that during operation the electric motor is supplied with power only when a signal from the feedback path arrives at the regulating unit. Under the action of external disturbances the supply of power is interrupted at least for a predetermined duration of time.

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Buchs, Switzerland

Kurt Heinz