# US 2018/0022574 A1 · Operational modes for multicar hoistway systems > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0022574 A1 - Document ID: US20180022574A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/547,929 - Filed: 2016-02-02 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2015-02-05 - Assignees: Otis Elevator Company - Applicants: Otis Elevator Company - Inventors: Jose Miguel Pasini; David Ginsberg; Arthur Hsu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180022574A1 ## CPC - B66B 1/2466: {For elevator systems with multiple shafts and multiple cars per shaft} - B66B 1/28: electrical (detecting excessive speed B66B5/04 {; control of electrical motor H02P}) - B66B 9/003: {for lateral transfer of car or frame, e.g. between vertical hoistways or to/from a parking position} - B66B 11/0005: {Constructional features of hoistways} - B66B 11/0045: {in the hoistway} - B66B 11/0407: {actuated by an electrical linear motor (in the counterweight B66B17/12)} - B66B 2201/223: Taking into account the separation of passengers or groups - B66B 2201/405: by input of special passenger or passenger group - B66B: ELEVATORS; ESCALATORS OR MOVING WALKWAYS ({apparatus for raising or lowering persons on theatrical stages or the like A63J5/12} ; funicular railbound systems with rigid ground-supported tracks and cable traction, e.g. cliff railways, B61B9/00; arrangements of ammunition handlers in vessels B63G3/00; hoists, lifts, or conveyors for loading or unloading in general B65G; braking or detent devices controlling normal movements of winding drums or barrels B66D; ship-lifting devices E02C; garages for many vehicles with mechanical means for lifting vehicles E04H6/12; hoists for feeding ammunition or projectiles to launching apparatus or to loading mechanisms F41A9/00) ## Abstract A ropeless elevator system (10) includes a plurality of elevator cars (14) configured to travel in a hoistway having at least one lane (13, 15, 17), a propulsion system (16, 18) to impart force to each elevator car of the plurality of elevator cars, and a controller (46). The controller is configured to operate in an in-group mode where the plurality of elevator cars perform service demands, and to selectively operate in an out-of-group mode where at least one selected elevator car of the plurality of elevator cars performs a predetermined task and is prevented from performing the in-group mode service demands. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A ropeless elevator system comprising: a plurality of elevator cars configured to travel in a hoistway having at least one lane; a propulsion system to impart force to each elevator car of the plurality of elevator cars; and a controller configured to operate in an in-group mode where the plurality of elevator cars perform service demands, and to selectively operate in an out-of-group mode where at least one selected elevator car of the plurality of elevator cars performs a predetermined task and is prevented from performing the in-group mode service demands. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The ropeless elevator system of claim 1, wherein the propulsion system is a linear propulsion system comprising: a primary portion mounted in the hoistway, the primary portion comprising a plurality of motor segments; and a plurality of secondary portions, wherein at least one secondary portion of the plurality of secondary portions is mounted to one elevator car of the plurality of elevator cars. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The ropeless elevator system of claim 1, wherein the hoistway is partially constructed and is configured for use in a building under construction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The ropeless elevator system of claim 1, wherein in the out-of-group mode the controller is programmed to: reserve at least two designated, non-overlapping areas on the hoistway; allow elevator car traffic that must go through the designated area to serve the service demands assigned thereto prior to switching to the out-of-group mode; and direct at least one selected car to each designated area of the at least two designated areas. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The ropeless elevator system of claim 1, wherein in the out-of-group mode the controller is programmed to: receive schedule information for future use of the elevator system; and devise, based on the received schedule information, a predefined path for the at least one selected elevator car such that the at least one selected elevator car meets a demand of the future use with minimal conflict between selected elevator cars. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The ropeless elevator system of claim 5, wherein in the out-of-group mode the controller is further programmed to: announce the beginning of the future use; and move the at least one selected elevator car to a predetermined start position. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The ropeless elevator system of claim 1, wherein in the out-of-group mode the controller is programmed to: assign a specific task to the at least one selected elevator car; receive information regarding operational constraints and capabilities of the at least one selected elevator car assigned to the specific task; and perform the specific task by operating the at least one selected elevator car in a predetermined manner within the received operational constraints and capabilities. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The ropeless elevator system of claim 7, wherein the at least one selected elevator car is at least one of a winch car having a winch configured to pull a load, a container car configured to couple to a load, a long object puller configured move an object hanging beneath the long object puller, and an elevator car having elongated secondaries. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The ropeless elevator system of claim 1, wherein the at least one selected elevator car is at least two selected elevator cars, and wherein in the out-of-group mode the controller is programmed to: assign a specific task to the at least two selected elevator cars; move the at least two selected elevator cars to a preparation area such that the at least two selected elevator cars can be prepared to perform the specific task; and perform the specific task by simultaneously operating the at least two selected elevator cars in collaboration and in a predetermined manner within the received operational constraints and capabilities. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The ropeless elevator system of claim 9, wherein the specific task is moving a load horizontally. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The ropeless elevator system of claim 1, wherein the at least one lane is a plurality of lanes, and wherein in the out-of-group mode the controller is programmed to: define a one-way circulation path around the plurality of lanes, the one-way circulation path configured to move the at least one selected elevator car in an upward direction, a horizontal direction, and a downward direction; and assign the at least one selected elevator car to the one-way circulation path for circulation exclusively therein during at least a portion of the out-of group mode. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The ropeless elevator system of claim 11, wherein in the out-of-group mode the controller is further programmed to: selectively remove the at least one selected elevator car from the one-way circulation path to serve a demand at a location that is not on the one-way circulation path; and return the at least one selected elevator car to the one-way circulation path after the demand has been served. ### Claim 13 A method of controlling a ropeless elevator system comprising a plurality of elevator cars configured to travel in a hoistway having at least one lane and a propulsion system to impart force to each elevator car of the plurality of elevator cars, the method comprising: operating in an in-group mode where the plurality of elevator cars perform service demands; and selectively operating in an out-of-group mode where at least one selected elevator car of the plurality of elevator cars performs a predetermined task and is prevented from performing the in-group mode service demands. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein operating in the out-of-group mode further comprises: reserving at least two designated areas on the hoistway; allowing elevator car traffic that must go through the designated area to serve the service demands assigned thereto prior to switching to the out-of-group mode; and directing at least one selected car to each designated area of the at least two designated areas. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein operating in the out-of-group mode further comprises: receiving schedule information for future use of the elevator system; and devising, based on the received schedule information, a predefined path for the at least one selected elevator car such that the at least one selected elevator car meets a demand of the future use with minimal conflict between selected elevator cars. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein operating in the out-of-group mode further comprises: assigning a specific task to the at least one selected elevator car; receiving information regarding operational constraints and capabilities of the at least one selected elevator car assigned to the specific task; and performing the specific task by operating the at least one selected elevator car in a predetermined manner within the received operational constraints and capabilities. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one selected elevator car is at least two selected elevator cars, and wherein operating in the out-of-group mode comprises: assigning a specific task to the at least two selected elevator cars; moving the at least two selected elevator cars to a preparation area such that the at least two selected elevator cars can be prepared to perform the specific task; and performing the specific task by simultaneously operating the at least two selected elevator cars in collaboration and in a predetermined manner within the received operational constraints and capabilities. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one lane is a plurality of lanes, and wherein operating in the out-of-group mode comprises: defining a one-way circulation path around the plurality of lanes, the one-way circulation path configured to move the at least one selected elevator car in an upward direction, a horizontal direction, and a downward direction; and assigning the at least one selected elevator car to the one-way circulation path for circulation exclusively therein during the out-of group mode. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein operating in the out-of-group mode further comprises: selectively removing the at least one selected elevator car from the one-way circulation path to serve a demand at a location that is not on the one-way circulation path; and returning the at least one selected elevator car to the one-way circulation path after the demand has been served. ### Claim 20 A method of controlling a ropeless elevator system comprising a plurality of elevator cars configured to travel in a hoistway having a plurality of lanes and a propulsion system to impart force to each elevator car of the plurality of elevator cars, the method comprising: operating in an in-group mode where the plurality of elevator cars perform service demands; and selectively operating in a first out-of-group mode, a second out-of-group mode, a third out-of-group mode, a fourth out-of-group mode, and a fifth out-of-group mode where at least one selected elevator car of the plurality of elevator cars performs a predetermined task and is prevented from performing the in-group mode service demands, wherein operating in the first out-of-group mode comprises: reserving at least two designated areas on the hoistway; allowing elevator car traffic that must go through the designated area to serve the service demands assigned thereto prior to switching to the out-of-group mode; and directing at least one selected car to each designated area of the at least two designated areas; wherein operating in the second out-of-group mode comprises: receiving schedule information for future use of the elevator system; and devising, based on the received schedule information, a predefined path for the at least one selected elevator car such that the at least one selected elevator car meets a demand of the future use with minimal conflict between selected elevator cars; wherein operating in the third out-of-group mode comprises: assigning a specific task to the at least one selected elevator car; receiving information regarding operational constraints and capabilities of the at least one selected elevator car assigned to the specific task; and performing the specific task by operating the at least one selected elevator car in a predetermined manner within the received operational constraints and capabilities; wherein operating in the fourth out-of group mode comprises: assigning a specific task to at least two selected elevator cars; moving the at least two selected elevator cars to a preparation area such that the at least two selected elevator cars can be prepared to perform the specific task; and performing the specific task by simultaneously operating the at least two selected elevator cars in collaboration and in a predetermined manner within the received operational constraints and capabilities; wherein operating in the fifth out-of-group mode comprises: defining a one-way circulation path around the plurality of lanes, the one-way circulation path configured to move the at least one selected elevator car in an upward direction, a horizontal direction, and a downward direction; and assigning the at least one selected elevator car to the one-way circulation path for circulation exclusively therein during the out-of group mode. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The ropeless elevator system of claim 1, further comprising: a control terminal in signal communication with the controller, the control terminal configured to enable authorized personnel to switch the elevator system between the in-group mode and the out-of-group mode.