Ropeless elevator robotic transporters for vehicle parking
AssigneeOtis Elevator Company
InventorsRandy Roberts, Kiron Bhaskar
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A robotic transporter system for elevator cars including: a propulsion system configured to move an elevator car through an elevator shaft; and a robotic transporter configured to move the elevator car within a parking area, the robotic transporter including: an elevator containment slot to receive the elevator car and the propulsion system of the elevator car when the elevator containment slot is aligned with the elevator shaft.
Claims17
A robotic transporter system for elevator cars, the robotic transporter system comprising:
- a first guide beam comprising a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface;
- a propulsion system configured to move an elevator car through an elevator shaft, wherein the propulsion system is a beam climber system comprising:
- a first wheel in contact with the first surface;
- and
- a first electric motor configured to rotate the first wheel;
- and
- a robotic transporter configured to move the elevator car within a parking area, the robotic transporter comprising:
- an elevator containment slot to receive the elevator car and the propulsion system of the elevator car when the elevator containment slot is aligned with the elevator shaft;
- wherein the elevator containment slot comprises a first containment slot guide beam configured to align with the first guide beam,
- wherein the first guide beam extends vertically through the elevator shaft,
- wherein the robotic transporter further comprises a first sensor configured to detect when the first containment slot guide beam is aligned with the first guide beam.
A method of moving an elevator car from an elevator shaft to a parking area that is outside of the elevator shaft, the method comprising:
- moving a robotic transporter to an elevator shaft to pick up the elevator car;
- aligning an elevator car containment slot within the robotic transporter with the elevator shaft;
- moving, using a propulsion system, the elevator car from the elevator shaft into the elevator car containment slot, wherein the moving comprises rotating, using a first electric motor of a beam climber system, a first wheel, the first wheel being in contact with a first surface of a first guide beam;
- and
- moving the robotic transporter with the elevator car within the elevator containment slot to a location within the parking area;
- wherein the first guide beam extends vertically through the elevator shaft,
- wherein the robotic transporter further comprises a first sensor configured to detect when the first containment slot guide beam is aligned with the first guide beam.
A computer program product embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer program product including instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
- moving a robotic transporter to an elevator shaft to pick up the elevator car;
- aligning an elevator car containment slot within the robotic transporter with the elevator shaft;
- moving, using a propulsion system, the elevator car from the elevator shaft into the elevator car containment slot;
- and
- moving the robotic transporter with the elevator car within the elevator containment slot to a location within the parking area;
- rotating, using a first electric motor of a beam climber system, a first wheel, the first wheel being in contact with a first surface of the first guide beam;
- moving the robotic transporter with the elevator car within the elevator containment slot to a location within the parking area,
- wherein the first guide beam extends vertically through the elevator shaft,
- wherein the robotic transporter further comprises a first sensor configured to detect when the first containment slot guide beam is aligned with the first guide beam.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.