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US 12,741,849 B2Granted
Elevator power supply
AssigneeOtis Elevator Company
InventorsJames Tilsley Auxier, Randy Roberts
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An illustrative example embodiment of an elevator system includes an elevator car that is configured for movement along a path. An elevator car power supply is supported for movement with the elevator car and includes a plurality of power sources. An exchange station near the path is configured to remove, from the elevator car supply, a selected number of the power sources that have a capacity below a selected level and replace each of the removed number of the power sources with a replacement power source having a capacity above the selected level.
Claims21
An elevator system, comprising:
- an elevator car that is configured for movement along a path;
- an elevator car power supply supported for movement with the elevator car, the power supply including a plurality of power sources supported on a common rack;
- and
- an exchange station including an additional plurality of power sources, the exchange station positioned near the path and configured to:
- remove, from the elevator car power supply, a selected number of the power sources from the plurality of power sources that have a capacity below a selected level;
- and
- replace each of the removed number of the power sources with a replacement power source selected from the additional plurality of power sources where the replacement power source has a capacity above the selected level.
4 more elements
An elevator system, comprising:
- an elevator car that is configured for movement along a path;
- an elevator car power supply supported for movement with the elevator car, the power supply including
- a plurality of power sources;
- a counterweight;
- and
- a load bearing assembly coupling the elevator car to the counterweight, wherein the elevator car power supply is supported on the counterweight, and the elevator system includes at least one electrically conductive connection between the elevator car power supply and the elevator car;
- and
- an exchange station near the path and configured to:
- remove, from the elevator car power supply, a selected number of the power sources that have a capacity below a selected level and
- replace each of the removed number of the power sources with a replacement power source having a capacity above the selected level.
7 more elements
An elevator system, comprising:
- an elevator car that is configured for movement along a path;
- an elevator car power supply supported for movement with the elevator car, the power supply including
- a plurality of power sources;
- an exchange station near the path and configured to:
- remove, from the elevator car power supply, a selected number of the power sources that have a capacity below a selected level;
- and
- replace each of the removed number of the power sources with a replacement power source having a capacity above the selected level;
- a second elevator car;
- and
- a second elevator car power supply supported for movement with the second elevator car, the second elevator car power supply including a plurality of power sources,
- wherein the exchange station is configured to:
- remove, from the second elevator car power supply, a selected number of the power sources that have a capacity below the selected level;
- and
- replace each of the removed number of the power sources with a replacement power source having a capacity above the selected level.
11 more elements
A method, comprising:
- controlling movement of an elevator car along a path, wherein an elevator car power supply moves with the elevator car, the elevator car power supply including a plurality of power sources supported on a common rack;
- determining that at least one of the plurality of power sources has a capacity below a selected level;
- causing the elevator car to move such that the elevator car power supply is adjacent an exchange station;
- removing, from the elevator car power supply, a selected number of the power sources that have the capacity below the selected level;
- and
- replacing each of the removed number of the power sources with a replacement power source having a capacity above the selected level, the replacement power source being selected from an additional plurality of power sources from one exchange station positioned near the path.
3 more elements
A method, comprising:
- controlling movement of an elevator car along a path, wherein an elevator car power supply moves with the elevator car, the power supply including a plurality of power sources;
- supporting the elevator car power supply on a counterweight coupling with the elevator, wherein at least one electrically conductive member connects the elevator car power supply and the elevator car;
- determining that at least one of the plurality of power sources has a capacity below a selected level;
- causing the elevator car to move such that the elevator car power supply is adjacent an exchange station;
- removing, from the elevator car power supply, a selected number of the power sources that have the capacity below the selected level;
- and
- replacing each of the removed number of the power sources with a replacement power source having a capacity above the selected level.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.