Otis Elevator Company

Richard K Pulling

Jared Alden Judson

Gregg Robert Draudt

Frank M Sansevero

Randy Roberts

Vlad Zaharia

Patricia Derwinski

Zuhair S Bahjat

Wade A Montague

George Scott Copeland

Paul A Stranieri

Richard J Mangini

Harry Terry

Daniel Stillion

Kate Schreiber

Richard N Fargo

Randall Keith Roberts

Jannah A Stanley

Daniel S Williams

Gary M Meguerdichian

Daniel James Stillion

Kate M Schreiber

An illustrative example elevator system includes a hoistway that establishes a vertical pathway. The hoistway has an interior border established by a plurality of stationary boundaries. The interior border defines a first area. An elevator car is within the hoistway and has an exterior border that defines a second area that is smaller than the first area. At least one hoistway liner assembly is situated in the hoistway. The hoistway liner assembly includes a plurality of bumpers that collectively establish a protected area that is smaller than the first area and larger than the second area such that the elevator car can move through the protected area. The protected area prevents contact between the load bearing assembly and the interior border of the hoistway.

Elevator system including a protective hoistway liner assembly

An illustrative example elevator system includes a hoistway that establishes a vertical pathway. The hoistway has an interior border established by a plurality of stationary boundaries that each have a height aligned with a vertical length of the hoistway. Each of the stationary boundaries has a width generally perpendicular to the height. An elevator car is within the hoistway. At least one vertically extending load bearing assembly includes a plurality of elongated load bearing members extending along a vertical path and facilitating movement or support of the elevator car. At least one hoistway liner assembly is situated in the hoistway. The hoistway liner assembly includes a plurality of bumpers that each have an axis that is generally perpendicular to the vertical length of the hoistway. The axes of at least two of the bumpers are non-parallel. The bumpers collectively establish a protected area sufficient for preventing contact between the load bearing assembly and the interior border of the hoistway if there is lateral movement of any of the load bearing members relative to the vertical path in at least two generally perpendicular directions.

An elevator system includes a car, a hoist motor for elevating and lowering the car, a brake for limiting car movement, an input device for selecting a destination for a run, and a controller. The controller receives a command from the input device and controls operation of the hoist motor and the brake. The controller has a loss reduction mode wherein the controller selects a velocity profile for the run that varies according to car load, run direction, and run distance to reduce a combined set of energy losses for the run.

Energy savings with optimized motion profiles

An elevator system () includes an elongated member () that may sway under certain conditions. An exemplary method of controlling the elevator system () includes selectively controlling an elevator car dispatching schedule when a condition exists that is conducive to sway of one of the elongated members (). The control over the elevator car dispatching schedule controls the time that the elevator car is in a predetermined critical zone while the condition exists such that the time does not exceed a selected amount.

Elevator dispatching control for sway mitigation

Elevator reassignment information is communicated to passengers in a group elevator system (). The group elevator system () includes a group of elevators (, 14, 14) that is operable to transport each of the passengers to one of a plurality of floors (L, F, F, F, F). A destination entry input device () at each floor permits each passenger to enter destination input information. A dispatch controller () assigns an elevator to each passenger based on the destination input information. When service of a dispatched elevator is terminated, a communication device () communicates elevator reassignment instructions to passengers assigned to or located in the dispatched elevator.

Communication of elevator reassignment information in a group elevator system

Elevator hall call devices have a programmable touch screen which can be programmed to display (a) ten-key destination call buttons, (b) up hall call and down hall call buttons, or (c) N-key destination buttons, as well as buttons which identify utilization of major floors of the building, including functions such as cafeteria, sky lobby, parking, public transport, and lobby, as well as tenants. A controller programs the touch screen in dependence on (d) traffic volume, (e) time of day, (f) floor of the building where the touch screen is disposed or (g) identity of a particular passenger (VIP) in the vicinity of a touch screen.

Elevator hall call system including a programmable adaptable touch screen

A conveyor passenger interface system includes a passenger reception area () having a mechanism () for receiving a voice request from a passenger. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the voice request receiving mechanism () is a sound dome. The system further includes a device () responsive to the voice request for identifying a conveyor for transporting the passenger to a desired location and for identifying the conveyor to the passenger. The system of the present invention has utility in elevator systems as well as other transportation systems.

Conveyor passenger interface system

An elevator system () utilizes destination entry dispatching techniques. A controller () receives an automated destination request that includes a prestored, primary destination. This allows for seamlessly integrating building access and destination entry for the elevator system. A passenger interface () allows a passenger to override a prestored destination. The elevator controller () allows for override or secondary destination requests to be made at various intervals between receipt of the initial request and arrival of an initially assigned car at an appropriate level to let the passenger board the elevator car.

Growing community of inventors

Avon, CT, United States of America

Richard K Pulling