FR2822144A1 - Controller for elevator with on-board controls, uses position detectors on cabin communicating with level indicators on side of elevator shaft, with different levels being represented by different analog voltage levels - Google Patents

Abstract

The elevator cabin (C) has position detectors (P0-P5) sensing the position of the cabin in the elevator shaft, using different voltage levels to indicate different levels in the shaft. The controller on the cabin responds to user commands and to the position signal to control the motor on the cabin. The voltage associated with floor levels increases in set increments, typically 2 Volt.

Description

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MANEUVER CONTROLLER FOR ELEVATORS WITH ON-BOARD SENSORS.

The invention relates to the technical field of elevators. To control the movement of an elevator car in a cage or sheath, it is currently necessary to provide an operating cabinet, a selector which communicates with accessories and a fairly complex sheath mechanism to control the movement and stops of the cabin on the upper floors. This weighs heavily on the overall cost of elevator installations.

The invention improves the situation.

The proposed elevator device is of the type comprising: - a mobile or car, provided with a motor member in a cage, - a sensor system for defining stop positions for the car, and - a device for controlling the motor unit, according to user orders and the positioning of the cabin relative to the stop positions.

According to an inventive aspect, the sensor system comprises a position sensor, at least partially mounted on the cabin, and arranged to provide a position quantity, connected to the absolute position of the cabin in the cage; for its part, the control device is arranged to define the stop positions and the motor controls from a predetermined indexing on said position quantity. The control device is at least partially (in principle, essentially) mounted on the cab.

According to another inventive aspect, usable independently of the first, the control device comprises an interface for bringing back into commensurable values the stop positions of the cabin, the user orders, and indications on the position

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 current cabin, and a pilot card for controlling the drive unit, in particular with regulation, as a function of interface data, and of auxiliary state data, in particular on the state of the doors.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on examining the description which follows and the appended drawings, in which: - Figure 1 is a schematic elevational view on the whole of an elevator shaft , and explaining the operating principle of the motor device; - Figure 2 is a more detailed side view of the motor device mounted on the elevator car; - Figure 3 is a schematic elevational view showing different devices installed in an elevator of known type; - Figure 4 is a schematic side view showing a first embodiment of an aspect of the invention; - Figure 5 is a schematic elevational view showing a second embodiment of an aspect of the invention; - Figure 6 is a schematic elevational view showing a third embodiment of an aspect of the invention; - Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating the operating mode of the first aspect of the invention; - Figure 8 is a block diagram relating to a second aspect of the invention; - Figure 9 is a currently preferred variant of the embodiment of Figure 8; - Figure 10 is a partially detailed block diagram of the second aspect of the invention, in an exemplary embodiment; and - Figure 11 is another diagram illustrating the shape of an acceleration / deceleration law currently preferred for the second aspect of the invention.

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The drawings contain elements of a certain character. They can therefore not only serve to better understand the description, but also contribute to the definition of the invention, if necessary.

Patent publication FR-A-2 750 687 describes an elevator system to which the invention can be applied, by way of example. For its part, patent publication FR-A-2 773 142 describes an interesting hydraulic drive system, in particular for the elevator system of FR-A-2 750 687. The contents of these two previous patent applications are to be considered as incorporated by reference into the present description, for all practical purposes, in addition to the brief reminder below.

In FIG. 1, an elevator car is illustrated by a stirrup with two crosspieces 16 and 18 sliding on two vertical guide bars 12 and 14 of the elevator shaft 10. On these bars also slide the ends 20a and 20b d 'an additional cross 20, which is free relative to the cross 16 and 18 linked to the cabin.

The body 24 of a jack 22 is connected to the cross members 16 and 18 of the stirrup, while the end 26a of the jack rod 26 is integral with the independent cross member 20. The axis 33 of a set of pulleys 32 is integral with the upper cross member 18; the axis 35 of a set of pulleys 34 is secured to the independent cross member 20. A cable 36 passes over the pulleys 32 and 34 to form with them a block 30. One end 38 of the cable is secured to the independent cross member 20, while its other end 40 is fixed at 42 at the top of the elevator shaft.

By erecting the rod 26 of the jack 22, the lower cross member 16 and the independent cross member 20 are moved away from one another. Due to the fixed point 42, this spacing causes the joint rise of the stirrup 16,18 and therefore the elevator shaft,

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 of a length which is equal to the stroke of the rod 26 of the jack, multiplied by the number of strands of the cable 36 passing over the pulleys 32 and 34.

The converse holds in reverse. Thus, a relatively limited stroke cylinder is sufficient to cover the total stroke of an elevator. Furthermore, when the elevator, that is to say the stirrup 16,18, occupies its lowest position, the rod 26 of the jack is fully retracted.

FIG. 2 shows the elevator cabin 50, secured to the stirrup formed by the crosspieces 16 and 18, as well as the upper 52 and lower 54 mechanical structures. The body 24 of the jack, substantially vertical, is fixed to its part upper 24a on the mechanical structure 52 and at its lower part 24b on the mechanical structure 54. The upper structure 52 carries the horizontal axis 56 of the upper pulleys 32. In contrast, the independent cross member 20 is associated with a mechanical structure 58 on which is articulated or fixed the end 26a of the rod 26 of the jack. The part 58 also carries a horizontal axis 60, disposed opposite the upper axis 56, and on which the pulleys 34 are freely mounted.

The cable is not shown, for simplicity, except its end 38 and its main part 36.

A hydraulic motor 62, fixed for example on the body 24 of the jack, controls the movements of the rod 26 of the jack relative to the body 24. A mechanical structure 64 for supporting the engine 62 and a pipe 66 connecting the engine have also been shown. 62 at the power supply input to the cylinder body 24. The pump is coupled to an electric motor which drives it, or else brakes it when it is operating in the opposite direction.

These possibilities, and others, are described in more detail in FR-A-2 773 142, as well as in the French patent application.

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 filed on January 19, 2001 under number 01 00712, entitled "On-board motorization under an elevator car". The description of this earlier patent application is to be considered as incorporated by reference into the present description.

The foregoing elements describe only one example of an elevator to which the invention can be applied, of the "muffle jack mounted under cabin" type. It is possible to provide a muffler-type cylinder structure on the ground ", the cross member 16 or 18 of which is fixed at the bottom of the sheath, and the mobile cross member 20 actuates a cable with reference at the top of the cage.

These examples are in no way limiting, unless expressly stated otherwise, or unless the context requires. Generally, the present invention relates not only to hydraulic elevators without machinery, which have just been described, but also those with machinery, as well as existing or installed electrical elevators, in particular with adhesion.

In addition to the car, its cage or sheath, and a drive unit, an elevator installation generally includes a fairly complex sheath mechanism to control the movement and stops of the car on the floors.

d'arrêt du plancher de la cabine au 4'etage (par exemple). P4 est la porte du 4'etage, ou l'une de celles-ci, côté gaine. De part et d'autre de la position N4 sont prévus dans la gaine des détecteurs haut N4H, et bas N4L, coopérant avec des organes homologues portés par la cabine. Ce peuvent être des détecteurs électromagnétiques et/ou des relais, avec ou sans contact. En principe, on prévoit aussi, un peu plus loin de part et d'autre de la position N4, une autre paire de détecteurs N4H1 et N4L1. In Figure 3, there is shown schematically an elevator shaft GA, of known type. The N4 mark designates the position

stopping the cabin floor on the 4th floor (for example). P4 is the door of the 4th floor, or one of these, on the sheath side. On either side of the N4 position are provided in the sheath of the high N4H, and low N4L detectors, cooperating with homologous members carried by the cabin. They can be electromagnetic detectors and / or relays, with or without contact. In principle, there is also provided, a little further on either side of the position N4, another pair of detectors N4H1 and N4L1.

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 To this is added a call button on the BU4e stage, mounted for example on the side of door P4. Of course, inside the cabin, there are also call buttons for each floor served, with other service buttons, if necessary.

In addition, BP4 door blocking is in principle provided. Similarly, in the cabin, there is in principle an internal door (not shown), provided with a BP4i member also forming a door lock, or good closing detector. In recent devices, an operator of cabin doors (for example three-phase) is provided on the cabin, which drives the landing door and closes the doors from the cabin. In this case, there is no landing door blockage in the shaft.

In a known manner, this must be connected to a control cabinet, so that it can only control the elevator if (typically): - all the external doors are locked, - the internal door is closed, - a control from a different floor is validly passed, internally or externally; in the event of a plurality of orders, priority management is generally provided, tending to optimize the service provided to users, and energy consumption, if necessary.

Conversely (always typically), the storey door and the internal door only open if the elevator is exactly stopped at the storey level, for example N4, to within a few centimeters.

Although satisfactory, the known solutions are very cumbersome and expensive, as we have seen.

The control cabinet manages the assembly, and in particular all the power circuits, with contactors and / or a variable speed drive, or equivalent, acting on a motor. For example, the control cabinet must include contactors

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 power, and safety pull-out contactors. The power contactors are systematically doubled, in series, to avoid the frightening effects that would have the "sticking" of such a contactor by self effect.

In known devices, the control cabinet processes calls (from the cabin and from the landings), movement and stopping of the cabin, using what is called a floor selector. To do this, the stages are materialized in sheath at each level by magnetic and / or mechanical passage detectors, such as switches, flags or polarized magnets, as illustrated in the simplified example of FIG. 3. The stage selector uses the floor detections to decide whether to start or stop the cab drive. Some floor selectors are connected from the cabin by an endless perforated metal strip, a cable, or a chain which drives a pulley of a selection device installed in the machinery. In principle, other "retarder" detectors are arranged before the levels and in both directions (ascent and descent).

The complexity and cost of the control cabinet increases for a complete collective installation, with management of external calls up and down, for fast elevators (beyond 1 m / s) and / or when it is necessary to manage several devices in battery. It is also advisable to avoid the factors of breakdowns and noises due to friction and mechanical actions with each passage at the level of the detectors, that the cabin stops or not.

Because it is proven, this system tends to be maintained, due to the high security required of elevators, applicable standards, and also the diversity of trades and tradesmen who work in design offices.

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 The invention starts from a radically different approach. Instead of the usual floor selector, an electrical, digital or analog setpoint is used, subject to an indexing defined at the start, since the floors are immutable. The new setpoint or "address" corresponding to a desired stage can be defined even before the cabin leaves the starting stage. A significant gain is thus achieved mechanically and financially.

Instead of numerous passage detectors mounted in a duct, a position sensor system reduced to a single sensor, associated with the cabin, is used. It is required that the sensor has excellent reproducibility (in itself and by its mounting), and preferably a good linearity.

In short, all of the stage detectors, such as N4H, N4L, N4H1, N4L1 are replaced by a single sensor system, several possible embodiments of which will now be described by way of example.

A first embodiment (FIG. 4) starts from an elevator of the "muffle jack" type, on the ground or on board. We recognize the 24-rod cylinder assembly 26, mounted between the upper cross member 18 secured to the cabin stirrup, and a movable lower cross member 20. A cable fixed at 40 at the top of the sheath passes over mouflon pulleys 32-1 to 32-6, to be fixed at its other end at 48 on the bottom cross member 20. According to the invention, a linear sensor 100 is provided, with rod 105, provided with a walkman or core 110. Although it is possible to consider kinematic inversions, the sensor 100 is very advantageously mounted on the cabin, and the portable player 110 secured to a mobile part located between the crosspieces 18 and 20. The currently preferred solution is to fix the core 110 to the last strand 38 of the cable , near point 48, or even on the crosspiece 20 itself. The sensor 100 is very advantageously a magneto-restrictive sensor; for example, the Temposonics III sensor model sold by the company

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 MTS Sensor Technology, or a similar model sold by the company BALLUF. Such a sensor provides a variable electric voltage from 0 to 10 Volts DC (DC), for a measurement range on the rod from 5 cm to 5 meters, subdividable in steps of 5mm. The resolution is 25 micrometers or 16 bits. The reproducibility is at least +/- 0.001% full scale, closely followed at +/- 2.5 micrometers. Finally, without correction, the non-linearity already remains at least +/- 0.02% full scale, closely followed at +/- 50 micrometers. The hysteresis is less than 4 micrometers. The output refresh rate is 1 kHz.

Such a sensor proves to be satisfactory, taking into account the movement amplification factor to be applied due to the mittens (here x 7), to give an output quantity representative of the absolute position of the elevator in the cage.

A variant consists in using a linear sensor directly integrated into the jack. IDEMECA sells cylinders fitted with various types of such sensors.

Another advantageous embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 5. An additional cable CS is stretched between a high point and a low point CW in the sheath. It passes over two pulleys Pl and P2, the axle frames of which are integral with the cabin C.

An angular encoder CA is coupled in rotation to one of the pulleys, either by friction without sliding, or by coupling on its axis. Suitable angular encoders are sold for example by the company KUBLER. One can obtain here substantially the same performances as previously. This embodiment is suitable for all types of elevator.

FIG. 6 illustrates a third interesting embodiment. We see cabin C with its door P (shown protruding only to be visible). Preferably at the rear of the cabin (opposite the door), an LA laser sends a beam

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 light which is reflected at the bottom of the sheath on a Re reflector, to return to an LDE detector incorporated in the laser. In known manner, the distance from the cabin to the reflector is measured, using a suitable modulation of the laser beam, for example by pulses, with an average of several measurements. If c is the speed of light, and dt the return journey time, the distance x from the elevator to the point PF is: x = 1/2 C dt. The laser is for example a portable model ("laser rangefinder pen") sold by the company ADELIS. Here too, it is possible to obtain substantially the same performance as above, and this embodiment is suitable for all types of elevator.

From the sensors which have just been described, it becomes possible to associate with each stage a value of the output quantity of the sensor, as illustrated in FIG. 7, where C designates the cabin, and PO to P5 of the doors d 'floors, the floor level being at the bottom of each door. Levels "0" to "5" are defined for example by staggered voltages from 2 to 12 volts. Thus, the selection of a given stage results in the setting of a virtual setpoint, for example 10 volts for stage "4".

Thus, several types of sensor systems can be used: magneto-restrictive linear sensor, an absolute or incremental encoder, or laser beam. One of them is enough to calculate the information and transmit it to an interface card 520 (Figure 8) which can be arranged to manage calls and stops on the floors without requiring duct accessories. This card cooperates with a logic controller 515, which provides all the logic and safety functions required to control the elevator, provided that it also has the door status indications, generally denoted StP. The PLC receives from the interface card 520 the indications of the current position of the elevator, to authorize for example the opening of the doors to the floor where the elevator is stopped. More generally, the 515 PLC allows

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 to cross-check the command sequences, and to combine such sequences for an optimization of safety. When these are not consistent, the cabin is immobilized. This avoids the difficulties, in particular of security, encountered when seeking to combine sequences in an electromechanical system. This automaton can be produced on the basis of the materials sold by the company FUJI. Thus, the condition of the cabin door (s), the other accessory elements, such as the inspection box and other internal maneuvers from the cabin, as well as all the safety devices can be managed by a small, programmable programmable controller in a very short time using a computer diskette, or equivalent (CD disk, for example).

On the other hand, the interface card gives orders to the motor, for execution through a variable speed drive 25, as will be seen now.

Functionally (FIG. 9), the interface card 520 comprises, in addition to its input / output and connection adaptation elements (not shown), an indexing member 522, and calculation functions 524, analog and / or digital.

In FIG. 9, one of the above sensors is generically designated by 500, the measured magnitude of which, available at the output, is for example a voltage V ranging from 2 to 12 Volts depending on the position of the elevator in sheath.

By suitable indexing 522, this voltage can be converted into a digital indication of the current stage EtA where the cabin is located (if the cabin is on one floor, to the desired precision). Preferably, one can add a digital indication of the exact position of the elevator, including between stages, for example a linearized voltage Vlin, or better the digital measurement of this. If necessary, non-linearities of the relationship between the voltage are taken into account

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 V and the position of the cabin. These measurements are available in the cabin. A setpoint 510 is obtained either from the cabin control panel or from the outside, in which case it is relayed to the cabin (we know how to exchange signals between the cabin and the outside). The indexing unit 522 converts it into a digital indication of the desired floor (for example an integer). It can be part of the interface card 520.

It is now accepted for simplicity that the quantities Vlin and EtD, possibly also EtA, are expressed in the same unit of measurement. The calculation function 524 in particular develops the Vlin-EtD difference, which represents the distance remaining to be traveled by the cabin.

The 530 motor drives the elevator. As indicated by the dashed line F7, there is a virtual coupling (not directly concretized mechanically) between the action of the motor 530 and the measurement of the sensor 500.

The second aspect of the invention will now be described, relating to engine power control.

Depending on the proximity between the quantities EtA and Etd, and subject to the satisfaction of other conditions which are in principle purely logical (doors, etc.), the interface card 520 controls a variable speed drive 525 which controls the motor 530. The variator speed can be thyristor, in known manner.

Such a variable speed drive can work by receiving analog or digital information to start it up, without contactor. Thus, the power control can be left to the drive, which can be programmed from the factory, and mounted in the cabin.

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 FIG. 10 illustrates the operation of the regulation which can be incorporated into the interface card 520, in its calculation functions 524. We work from a comparator 600 which constructs differences of the form: dxS = Vlin-EtS dxD = Vlin-EtD dxA = Vlin-EtA where EtS is the starting stage EtS, EtD the desired stage, and EtA the current stage, without limitation.

There is also an indication that the cabin is starting or stopping, for example from at least one of the following information: - we have just taken into account a new user command (departure), - we are at neighborhood of the starting stage and the quantity dxS increases (departure), or remains below a threshold, - we are in the vicinity of the desired stage and the quantity dxD decreases (arrival), or becomes less than a threshold.

According to the logic table incorporated in FIG. 10, one can then for example control the motor at full speed if one is more than Q (in distance) from the desired stage, that is: dxD>.

In the other cases, the control is done according to an acceleration ramp Ra, respectively of deceleration RD, depending on whether one is in "start" or "stop" condition. The module 650 performs, according to these values or ramps, a corresponding frequency control of the chopping of the supply of the motor by the thyristor (s). In known manner, several thyristors are necessary for a three-phase motor for example.

We know that a variable speed drive allows you to vary the frequency sent to the motor in order to vary its speed. Thus, for an engine which rotates nominally at 1500 rpm, if it is

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 supplied directly by the network via a contactor, it will start at 1500 revolutions (for 50hz), ie at the maximum of the network frequency, with a sudden start. The role of a variator is therefore to deliver a frequency according to a menu previously configured in order to obtain a variation of frequency assignment to the motor so that it rotates as needed.

Acceleration and deceleration ramps are also recorded according to the direction and the load in the cabin to obtain a comfortable movement behavior and precise stops. The drive alone can only translate orders in hertz. To do this, regulation is necessary.

The interface card which contains the connection to the sensor is preferably arranged to provide information not only on the position, but also, by differentiation, on the speed of movement of the cabin at any time. This information is therefore used by the same card which in turn gives control commands to the drive which therefore becomes an information converter and thus allows the acceleration / high speed / deceleration N phases to be adjusted as desired.

A currently preferred example of an acceleration-deceleration ramp is illustrated on the speed curve in Figure 11. The acceleration is a little sharper than the deceleration, which ends with a brief stop at low speed. Of course, the duration of the upper level is variable.

The assembly described can be made compact enough to be loaded into the elevator car. An automaton is the size of a parallelepiped 10 to 20 cm long. A 120mm x 120mm interface card is used to manage the information between the drive, the controller and the encoder. An encoder is the size of a sphere 4 to 5 cm in diameter.

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While a system as currently known operates with a control cabinet, a selector and a regulation card, the invention is satisfied with a card embedded in the cabin, which communicates with a programmable controller. The whole is very small, very compact, and easily configurable using a floppy disk and / or a laptop and / or by remote transmission or via the Web.

This system is all the more interesting since it can be produced as standard for a wide range of devices, ranging from low speeds to high speeds, at no additional cost.

The management of external calls can be easily brought back to the car, using the usual wired connections between the elevator car and the shaft or cage. We can do the same for the simulation and management of passenger pickup in very short time, for devices in batteries.

The various aspects of the invention combine well with each other, but they can also be used independently. Of course, some of the means described can be omitted in the variants where they are not used.

Claims (10)

Claims 1. Elevator device, of the type comprising: - a mobile or car, provided with a motor member in a cage, - a sensor system for defining stop positions for the car, and - a device for controlling the drive unit, according to user orders and the positioning of the cabin relative to the stop positions, characterized in that the sensor system comprises a position sensor, at least partially mounted on the cabin, and arranged for provide a position variable, linked to the absolute position of the cabin in the cage, and in that the control device, at least partially mounted on the cabin, is arranged to define the stop positions and the engine controls from of said position quantity. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the control device is arranged to define the stop positions from at least one predetermined indexing on said position quantity. 3. Device according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the control device is arranged to drive the motor from a desired stop position and from the current position of the cabin. 4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the sensor means comprise a laser-reflector-receiver assembly mounted between the cabin and a fixed point of the cage. 5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the sensor means comprise a physical position measuring assembly, in particular of the cable / wheel type <Desc / Clms Page number 17>  coder, mounted between two opposite fixed points of the cage and the cabin. 6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, in which the cabin is driven by an actuator / rod assembly with reduction cables, characterized in that the sensor means comprise a magnetostrictive rod sensor, provided with a portable detector position, mounted between the cab and a permanently accessible part of the reduction cable. 7. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, in which the cabin is driven by an actuator / rod assembly, characterized in that the sensor means are integrated into this actuator / rod assembly. 8. Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the control device is arranged to define acceleration / level / deceleration phases by changing the speed of the motor according to a predetermined law between the starting position and the stop position. 9. Device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the control device comprises: - an interface (500,510) for bringing the stop positions of the cabin, user orders, and commensurable values, and indications on the current position of the cabin, - a pilot card (520; 522,524) for controlling the drive unit according to data from the interface. 10. Device according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the control device comprises a logic controller (515) interacting with the pilot card as a function of auxiliary status data.