Otis Elevator Company

Otiscelecator Company

Stefan Spannhake

Reinhard Henkel

Peter L Herkel

Michael Mann

Ralph S Stripling

Uwe Schonauer

Robert Oesterle

Peter Walden

Herbert Horbrugger

Michael Bernhard Kocur

Gunter Blechschmidt

Richard Markus

Herbert Horbr&uuml;gger

J&uuml;rgen Gewinner

Jürgen Gerwinner

Process and device for controlling the drive of a conveyor system ( ), specifically in the form of an escalator or passenger conveyor, which can be switched from load to no-load operation, comprising a drive motor ( ) and a variable frequency converter ( ), which is at least controllable with respect to the frequency of its output voltage, wherein, under load, the drive motor ( ) is supplied with a line voltage with an essentially constant line frequency and, at no-load, is supplied the output voltage of the variable frequency converter's ( ), wherein, prior to a changeover from no-load to load operation, the output frequency of the variable frequency converter ( ) is essentially brought with phase accuracy to the line frequency by means of a PLL device ( ), and wherein this changeover is brought about as soon as this phase conformance has been realized.

Process for switching between mains supply and a frequency inverter and vice versa

Method for controlling the drive of a conveyor device ( ), especially in the form of an escalator or moving sidewalk, switchable between load operation and no-load operation, having a drive motor ( ) and a frequency changer ( ) controllable at least with respect to frequency and phase position of its output voltage, in which the drive motor ( ) in load operation is fed with a line voltage with essentially constant line frequency and in no-load operation with the frequency changer output voltage, the phase difference between the phase position of the line voltage and the phase position of the frequency changer output voltage is determined, the phase position of the frequency changer output voltage is corrected according to the determined phase difference and therefore essentially brought into agreement with the phase position of the line voltage and switching is produced as soon as this agreement is reached.

Switch over from the mains supply to a frequency converter by a phase correction process for an escalator drive

A method of controlling the drive of conveyor installation which includes a drive motor ( ) and a frequency converter ( ) whose output is adjustable, between a load operation and an idle mode, in the form of an escalator ( ) or a moving sidewalk, where: in the load operation mode drive motor ( ) is supplied with a line voltage at an essentially constant line frequency (f ), and in the idle mode with an output voltage of the frequency converter ( ); the line voltage and the frequency converter's output voltage are compared with respect to frequency and phase position; the frequency converter ( ) is set for an output frequency which has a predetermined spacing (&Dgr;f , &Dgr;f ) from the line frequency (f ); a demand to switch modes is signalled by a conveyance signal generator ( ); and at the point in time (t , t ), after a demand to switch modes has been signalled, when the output frequency of the converter ( ) has reached the predetermined frequency spacing (&Dgr;f , &Dgr;f ) from the line frequency (f ), and a predetermined phase spacing has been achieved between the frequency converter's output voltage and the line frequency (f ), a switch-over signal ( ) is emitted to switch the drive motor ( ) between the frequency converter supply and the line supply.

Process for switching between main supply and a frequency inverter and vice versa for an escalator drive

Transport system ( ), comprising a controller, a drive motor and a safety switch ( ) that is connected to a safety-related part ( ) of the transport system ( ) and is able to distinguish between a safe state of the transport system ( ) and an unsafe state of the transport system ( ), where the safety switch is connected to the controller in order to interrupt the power to the drive motor in an unsafe state, characterized by the fact that the safety switch ( ) is realized so that it is able to also detect a warning state in addition to the safe state and the unsafe state.

Use of multi-state sensors

An escalator safety system monitors a variety of sensors, contacts, and switches over an electronic safety bus. A plurality of bus nodes are distributed throughout the escalator system and are in constant communication with the bus master over the safety bus. The bus nodes interface with sensors, switches, contacts, detectors, components, and other safety equipment of the escalator system at each location and provide status information back to the bus master. The bus master preferably includes a microprocessor which upon sensing an unsafe condition, sends control signals to an escalator control and a drive and brake system to arrest the escalator in a safe manner.

Electronic safety system for escalators

A sonic position sensing system for measuring the position of an object, such as an elevator, includes transmitting a sonic signal along a conductor by a transmitter; receiving said sonic signal at a first receiver, located a first distance along said conductor from said transmitter; receiving said sonic signal at a second receiver located a second distance from said transmitter and on an opposite side of said transmitter from said first receiver; calculating a first distance between said transmitter and said first receiver; calculating a second distance between said transmitter and said second receiver; and calculating a total measured distance between said first receiver and said second receiver as the sum of said first distance and said second distance as the sum of said first distances and said second distance. The first or second distances may be scaled by the total measured distance to compensate for temperature effects. The position may also be corrected for velocity and/or acceleration of the object.

Growing community of inventors

Berlin, Germany

Stefan Spannhake