Elevator horizontal suspensions and controls

A control for providing control signals for controlling the horizontal position of an elevator car by mean of an actuable horizontal suspension between said car and a hoistway rail, comprising:

• car position sensing means, responsive to the distance between a pair of reference positions indicative of the position of said car with respect to a primary part of said suspension, for providing a position signal having a magnitude indicative thereof;
• control means, alternately responsive to said position signal and the absence thereof, for respectively (a) controlling said distance between said reference positions by means of an actuable secondary part of said suspension and (b) restoring said actuable secondary part to maintain a selected force on said primary part;
• an accelerometer, responsive to horizontal acceleration of said elevator car, for providing an acceleration signal having a magnitude indicative thereof;
• and
• second control means, responsive to said acceleration signal, for providing a control signal for controlling motion of said elevator car.

A control for providing control signals for controlling the horizontal position of an elevator car by means of an actuable horizontal suspension between said car and a hoistway rail, comprising:

• car position sensing means, responsive to the distance between a pair of reference positions indicative of the position of said car with respect to a primary part of said suspension, for providing a position signal having a magnitude indicative thereof;
• and
• control means, alternately responsive to said position signal and the absence thereof, for respectively (a) controlling said distance between said reference positions by means of an actuable secondary part of said suspension and (b) restoring said actuable secondary part to maintain a selected force on said primary part, wherein said position sensing means comprises:
• a ferromagnetic tube having a Hall cell positioned at one end thereof for sensing flux and for providing a sensed flux signal;
• a ferromagnetic cup having a depression for receiving said end of said tube;
• and
• a magnet positioned in said cup for providing said flux to be sensed by said Hall cell wherein the magnitude of the sensed flux will increase with closer proximity of said Hall cell to said magnet.

A hoistway rail guide for an elevator, comprising:

• a primary suspension for guiding said elevator with respect to said hoistway rail;
• and
• a secondary suspension, comprising:
• a first actuator attached between said primary suspension and said elevator, responsive to a position control signal, for actuating said primary suspension with respect to said elevator;
• position control means, responsive to a sensed position signal, for providing said position control signal;
• position sensing means, responsive to the position of said primary suspension with respect to said elevator, for providing said sensed position signal having a magnitude indicative thereof;
• a second actuator, only capable of exerting forces less than those of said first actuator, attached between said primary suspension and said elevator, responsive to an acceleration control signal, for actuating said primary suspension with respect to said elevator;
• acceleration sensing means, responsive to acceleration of said elevator, for providing a sensed acceleration signal having a magnitude indicative of the magnitude of said acceleration of said elevator;
• and
• vibration control means, responsive to said sensed acceleration signal, for providing said acceleration control signal.

A second horizontal suspension having a pair of secondary suspensions, each for connection to an elevator car and to an associated one of a pair of opposed primary suspensions for guiding said car with respect to an associated pair of opposed hoistway rails, comprising:

• first and second gap sensors for respectively providing first and second gap signals having magnitudes indicative of the distance of said car from said rails;
• means responsive to said first and second gap signals for providing a first difference signal having a magnitude and sign indicative of the difference therebetween;
• steering means, responsive to said first difference signal for providing said first difference signal and a return to zero signal, respectively, at first and second output signal ports in the presence of a positive difference signal and for providing said return to zero signal and said difference signal, respectively at said first and second output signal ports in the presence of a negative difference signal;
• first and second position sensors, respectively responsive to the positions of first and second actuators for providing first and second position signals having magnitudes indicative thereof;
• first and second summing means, respectively responsive to output signals from said first and second output ports and respectively responsive to said first and second position signals for respectively providing first and second actuation signals;
• and wherein said
• first and second actuators are respectively responsive to said first and second actuation signals for alternately being positioned for actuation or being restored to a selected position for maintaining at least a selected force on an associated one of said primary suspensions.

A horizontal suspension for suspending an elevator car between a pair of opposite hoistway rails, comprising:

• first and second primary suspensions on opposite sides of said car for guiding said car along said rails;
• and
• first and second secondary suspensions, comprising:
• first and second actuable springs, respectively connected between said first and second primary suspensions and said elevator car, respectively responsive to first and second control signals, for controlling the position of said actuable springs within positional ranges thereof;
• sensor means, responsive to the position of said car with respect to one or both of said primary suspensions, for providing one or a corresponding pair of sensed position signals having magnitudes indicative thereof;
• and
• control means, responsive to said one or said pair of sensed position signals for providing said first and second control signals having magnitudes within control ranges corresponding to said positional ranges of said actuable springs;
• said horizontal suspension further comprising:
• means responsive to a sensed acceleration signal having a magnitude indicative of the horizontal acceleration of said car wherein said control means is responsive to said acceleration signal for controlling motion between said car and one or both of said primary suspensions.

A horizontal suspension for suspending an elevator car between a pair of opposite hoistway rails, comprising:

• first and second primary suspensions on opposite sides of said car for guiding said car along said rails;
• and
• first and second secondary suspensions, comprising:
• first and second actuable springs, respectively connected between said first and second primary suspensions and said elevator car, respectively responsive to first and second control signals, for controlling the position of said actuable springs within positional ranges thereof;
• sensor means, responsive to the position of said car with respect to one or both of said primary suspensions, for providing one or a corresponding pair of sensed position signals having magnitudes indicative thereof;
• and
• control means, responsive to said one or said pair of sensed position signals for providing said first and second control signals having magnitudes within control ranges corresponding to said positional ranges of said actuable springs;
• said horizontal suspension further comprising third and fourth sensors, respectively responsive to the positions of said actuable springs with respect to one or more reference positions, for providing corresponding third and fourth position signals having magnitudes indicative thereof, and wherein said control means is responsive to said third and fourth position signals for controlling said positions of said actuable springs of said secondary suspensions with respect to said one or more reference positions.

A horizontal suspension for suspending an elevator car between a pair of opposite hoistway rails, comprising:

• first and second primary suspensions on opposite sides of said car for guiding said car along said rails;
• and
• first and second secondary suspensions, comprising:
• first and second actuable springs, respectively connected between said first and second primary suspensions and said elevator car, respectively responsive to said first and second control signals, for controlling the position of said actuable springs within positional ranges thereof;
• sensor means, responsive to the position of said car with respect to one or both of said primary suspensions, for providing one or a corresponding pair of sensed position signals having magnitudes indicative thereof;
• and
• control means, responsive to said one or said pair of sensed position signals for providing said first and second control signals having magnitudes within control ranges corresponding to said positional ranges of said actuable springs, wherein said sensor means comprises:
• a ferromagnetic tube having a Hall cell positioned at one end thereof for sensing flux and for providing a sensed flux signal;
• a ferromagnetic cup having a depression for receiving said end of said tube;
• and
• a magnet positioned in said cup for providing said flux to be sensed by said Hall cell wherein the magnitude of the sensed flux will increase with closer proximity of said Hall cell to said magnet.

A secondary horizontal suspension connected to a primary suspension for guiding an elevator car along a hoistway rail, comprising:

• spring means connected between said primary suspension and said car;
• actuator means connected to said spring means and between said elevator car and said primary suspension, responsive to a control signal, for controlling the position of said car with respect to said primary suspension;
• control means, responsive to a car position error signal, for providing said control signal;
• summing means, responsive to a sensed car position signal and a reference position signal, for providing said car position error signal;
• first sensor means, responsive to said position of said primary suspension with respect to said car, for providing said sensed car position signal;
• and
• second sensor means, responsive to the position of said actuator with respect to a referent for providing a sensed actuator position signal having a magnitude indicative thereof, and wherein said control means is responsive to said sensed actuator position signal for providing said control signal for controlling said position of said actuator with respect to said referent.

A horizontal suspension for suspending an elevator car between a pair of opposite hoistway rails, comprising:

• first and second primary suspensions on opposite sides of said car for guiding said car along said rails;
• and
• first and second secondary suspensions, comprising:
• first and second actuable springs, respectively connected between said first and said second primary suspensions and said elevator car, respectively responsive to first and second control signals, for controlling the position of said actuable springs within positional ranges thereof;
• sensor means, responsive to the position of said car with respect to one or both of said primary suspensions, for providing one or a corresponding pair of sensed position signals having magnitudes indicative thereof;
• and
• control means, responsive to said one or said pair of sensed position signals for providing said first and second control signals having magnitudes within control ranges corresponding to said positional ranges of said actuable springs, wherein only one at a time of said first and second control signals is effective for controlling the position of said respective actuable spring.