Elevator machine brake control
AssigneeOtis Elevator Company
InventorWei Wei
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An illustrative example embodiment of an elevator brake device includes a brake member configured to move into a braking position to resist movement of an elevator car associated with the brake device. A plurality of actuators are associated with the brake member and selectively controllable to apply a force to cause the brake member to move into the braking position. A brake controller determines a number of the actuators to activate based on a determined load of the elevator car associated with the brake device.
Claims16
An elevator brake device, comprising:
- a brake member configured to move into a braking position to resist movement of an elevator car associated with the brake device;
- a plurality of actuators associated with the brake member, the actuators being selectively controllable to apply a force to cause the brake member to move into the braking position;
- and
- a brake controller that determines a number of the actuators to activate based on a determined load of the elevator car associated with the brake device;
- wherein
- the brake controller activates a first number of the actuators when the determined load is in a predetermined range;
- the brake controller activates a second, greater number of the actuators when the determined load is above the predetermined range;
- the plurality of actuators consists of four actuators;
- the brake controller activates at least two of the actuators when the determined load is in the predetermined range;
- and
- the brake controller activates at least three of the actuators when the determined load is above the predetermined range.
A method of operating an elevator brake device that includes a plurality of actuators associated with a brake member, the method comprising:
- determining a load of an elevator car associated with the elevator brake device;
- selecting a number of the actuators to operate for moving the brake member into a braking position based on the determined load;
- activating the selected number of actuators to move the brake member into the braking position;
- activating all of the actuators when the determined load is between 50% and 100% of a maximum duty load of the elevator car associated with the brake device;
- activating three-quarters of the actuators when the determined load is between 50% and 25% of the maximum duty load;
- and
- activating one-half of the actuators when the determined load is below 25% of the maximum duty load.
An elevator system, comprising:
- an elevator car;
- an elevator drive machine that provides a force for moving the elevator car, the elevator drive machine including a rotatable member that is associated with the elevator car such that the rotatable member rotates with vertical movement of the elevator car, the elevator drive machine including a brake member that is configured to selectively engage the rotatable member, the elevator drive machine including a plurality of actuators that selectively cause the brake member to move into engagement with the rotatable member;
- and
- a brake controller that determines a number of the actuators to activate based on a determined load of the elevator car;
- wherein
- the brake controller activates all of the actuators when the determined load is between 50% and 100% of a maximum duty load of the elevator car;
- the brake controller activates three-quarters of the actuators when the determined load is between 50% and 25% of the maximum duty load;
- and
- the brake controller activates one-half of the actuators when the determined load is below 25% of the maximum duty load.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.