Time-based system and method for determining suspension member elongation
AssigneeOtis Elevator Company
InventorArthur Hsu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method for determining elongation of suspension members in an elevator system that includes an elevator car that is supported for movement within a hoistway by at least one suspension member and a counterweight that is coupled to the elevator car with the at least one suspension member. A first time is determined when the first interactive element detects a presence of the elevator car. A second time is determined when the second interactive element detects a presence of the counterweight. A speed and a direction of the elevator car are also determined. Elongation of the at least one suspension member is then determined by comparing a time difference between the first time and the second time to an elongation threshold.
Claims13
An elevator system, comprising:
- at least one suspension member that supports an elevator car and facilitates movement of the elevator car in a hoistway, wherein the elevator car includes a car interactive element mounted for movement with the elevator car;
- a counterweight coupled to the elevator car with the at least one suspension member, wherein the counterweight includes a counterweight interactive element mounted for movement with the counterweight;
- a first interactive element that detects a presence of the elevator car via the car interactive element;
- a second interactive element that detects a presence of the counterweight via the counterweight interactive element;
- and
- a control system configured to:
- determine a first time when the first interactive element detects a presence of the elevator car,
- determine a second time when the second interactive element detects a presence of the counterweight,
- determine a speed and a direction of the elevator car, and
- determine, based on the speed and direction, elongation of the at least one suspension member by comparing a time difference between the first time and the second time to an elongation threshold.
A method wherein at least one suspension member supports an elevator car and facilitates movement of the elevator car in a hoistway, and a counterweight is coupled to the elevator car with the at least one suspension member, and the method comprises:
- mounting a car interactive element for movement with the elevator car;
- mounting a counterweight interactive element for movement with the counterweight;
- mounting a first interactive element at a fixed location in the hoistway that cooperates with the car interactive element to detect a presence of the elevator car;
- generating a car detection signal when the presence of the elevator car is detected;
- mounting a second interactive element at a fixed location in the hoistway that cooperates with the counterweight interactive element to detect a presence of the counterweight;
- generating a counterweight detection signal when the presence of the counterweight is detected;
- and
- comparing a time difference between a time when the car detection signal is generated and when the counterweight detection signal is generated to determine elongation of the at least one suspension member, wherein
- the method further comprises:
- monitoring a speed and a direction of the elevator car;
- determining a first time when the first interactive element detects a presence of the elevator car;
- determining a second time when the second interactive element detects a presence of the counterweight;
- determining the speed and the direction of the elevator car at the first and second times;
- and
- determining, based on the speed and the direction, the elongation of the at least one suspension member by comparing the time difference between the first time and the second time to an elongation threshold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.