Hydraulic elevator system with position or speed based valve control

A method of controlling an elevator system including an elevator car and a valve assembly that selectively directs fluid flow to control movement of the elevator car, the method comprising:

• determining a current status of the elevator car by sensing at least one of a position or a speed of the elevator car;
• and
• adjusting operation of the valve assembly when the current status of the elevator car is different than a predetermined desired status, wherein adjusting operation of the valve assembly comprises
• closing the valve assembly later to bring the elevator car to a stop when the current status includes the speed of the elevator car being below a predetermined desired speed;
• or
• closing the valve assembly sooner to bring the elevator car to a stop when the current status includes the speed of the elevator car being above a predetermined desired speed.

An elevator system, comprising:

• an elevator car;
• a valve assembly that selectively directs fluid flow to control movement of the elevator car;
• at least one sensor that provides an indication of a current status of the elevator car, the current status including at least a position of the elevator car or a speed of the elevator car;
• and
• a processor that receives the indication from the at least one sensor and adjusts operation of the valve assembly when the current status of the elevator car is different than a predetermined desired status;
• wherein
• the current status is a stopped position of the elevator car at a landing;
• the stopped position is a result of a first operation of the valve assembly;
• the processor determines a difference between the stopped position and a predetermined desired position of the elevator car at the landing;
• the processor adjusts operation of the valve assembly to a second operation during a subsequent approach of the elevator car toward the landing;
• the second operation reduces the difference between the predetermined desired position and the stopped position when the elevator car stops at an end of the subsequent approach;
• the second operation includes one of a signal length or a signal timing that is different than the signal length or the signal timing of the first operation,
• the signal controls when or how the valve assembly closes to stop the elevator car, and
• the signal is one of a closing signal and an opening signal.

A method of controlling an elevator system including an elevator car and a valve assembly that selectively directs fluid flow to control movement of the elevator car, the method comprising:

• determining a current status of the elevator car by sensing at least one of a position or a speed of the elevator car;
• and
• adjusting operation of the valve assembly when the current status of the elevator car is different than a predetermined desired status, wherein
• the current status is a stopped position of the elevator car at a landing;
• the stopped position is a result of a first operation of the valve assembly;
• and
• the method comprises
• determining a difference between the stopped position and a predetermined desired position of the elevator car at the landing;
• adjusting operation of the valve assembly to a second operation during a subsequent approach of the elevator car toward the landing, wherein the second operation reduces the difference between the predetermined desired position and the stopped position at an end of the subsequent approach;
• the second operation includes one of a closing signal timing that is different than the closing signal timing of the first operation, and
• the closing signal controls when or how the valve assembly closes to stop the elevator car.