Active control of elevator platform

Apparatus for reducing horizontal acceleration of an elevator car, comprising:

• sensing means, responsive to said acceleration, for providing an acceleration signal having a magnitude indicative thereof;
• and
• sensing means, responsive to a horizontal position of said car, for providing a position signal having a magnitude indicative thereof;
• control means responsive to said position signal for integrating or lag filtering said position signal for providing an integrated or lag filtered position signal having a magnitude indicative thereof;
• actuator means responsive to said acceleration signal and to said integrated or lag filtered position signal for exerting counterforces against said car in a direction opposite that of said acceleration for effectively adding mass to said car in proportion to said magnitude of said acceleration signal and for horizontally centering or levelling said car in proportion to said magnitude of said integrated or lag filtered position signal.

Apparatus for counteracting a horizontal disturbing force acting on an elevator platform comprising:

• means for sensing a first horizontal effect of the disturbing force and for providing a first sensed signal having a magnitude indicative thereof;
• means for sensing a second horizontal effect of the disturbing force and for providing a second sensed signal having a magnitude indicative thereof;
• and
• means responsive to said first sensed signal for exerting horizontal counterforces against said platform in a direction opposite that of the disturbing force in proportion to said magnitude thereof and responsive to said second sensed signal for exerting against said platform in proportion to its integral.

Apparatus for stabilizing a suspended elevator platform, comprising:

• first sensor means, responsive to a first selected parameter associated with the suspended platform, for providing a sensed signal having a magnitude indicative thereof;
• second sensor means, responsive to a second selected parameter associated with the suspended platform, for providing a second sensed signal having a magnitude indicative thereof;
• control means, responsive to said first and second sensed signals, for providing a control signal having a magnitude proportional to said first sensed signal and to the integral of said second sensed signal;
• and
• actuator means, responsive to said control signal, for stabilizing said platform.

A method for horizontally stabilizing an elevator platform, comprising the steps of:

• sensing an acceleration of the platform and providing a sensed signal indicative thereof;
• sensing a position of the platform and providing a sensed signal indicative thereof;
• lag filtering said sensed position signal and providing a filtered position signal;
• providing a control signal in response to said sensed acceleration signal and said filtered position signal;
• and
• actuating the platform in response to said control signal.

A method for horizontally suspending an elevator cab assembly having roller guides mounted thereon for guiding said cab assembly along guide rails, comprising the steps of:

• sensing the horizontal position of said cab assembly relative to said guide's rollers and providing sensed signals having magnitudes indicative thereof;
• comparing said sensed signals and providing a difference signal having a magnitude indicative of a difference in magnitudes therebetween;
• and
• moving said cab assembly horizontally by means of said roller guides which are actuable in response to said difference signal.