Elevator control and method for independently movable cars in a common shaft

A method of controlling an elevator installation having at least first and second elevator cars movable in a common travel shaft comprising the steps of:

• providing an elevator control apparatus;
• operating the control apparatus to control movement of the first and second elevator cars in a first common travel direction in the common travel shaft;
• and
• operating the control apparatus to reverse movement of the first and second elevator cars to a second common travel direction in response to at least one internal destination floor selection, external transport request and destination call only when all internal destination floor selections, external transport requests and destination calls of the first and second elevator cars in the first common travel direction have been processed.

An elevator control of an elevator installation with at least two elevator cars that move independently of one another in a common travel shaft, comprising:

• a first elevator car movable in the common travel shaft;
• a second elevator car movable in the common travel shaft;
• a control apparatus receiving at least one of internal destination floor selections, external transport requests and destination calls and responding by determining a first common travel direction of the first and second elevator cars in the common travel shaft, and reversing the first common travel direction of the first and second elevator cars in response to at least another one of the internal destination floor selections, external transport requests and destination calls only when all the internal destination floor selections, external transport requests and destination calls being served by the first and second elevator cars in the first common travel direction have been processed;
• and
• wherein the control apparatus maintains the first and second elevator cars at a spacing between a predefined minimum spacing and a predefined maximum spacing and performs any of:
• during a simultaneous transport of passengers in the first and second elevator cars influences at least one travel parameter of a trailing one of the first and second elevator cars for maintenance of the predefined minimum spacing and for maintenance of the predefined maximum spacing;
• during simultaneous transport of passengers in the first and second elevator cars influences at least one travel parameter of a leading one of the first and second elevator cars for maintenance of the predefined minimum spacing and for maintenance of the predefined maximum spacing;
• during simultaneous transport of passengers in the first and second elevator cars moves a trailing one of the first and second elevator cars to a waiting position for maintenance of the predefined minimum spacing and moves a leading one of the first and second elevator cars to the waiting position for maintenance of the predefined maximum spacing;
• during transport of passengers only in a leading one of the first and second elevator cars influences at least one travel parameter of a trailing one of the first and second elevator cars for maintenance of the predefined minimum spacing and for maintenance of the predefined maximum spacing;
• during transport of passengers only in a leading one of the first and second elevator cars moves a trailing one of the first and second elevator cars to a waiting position for maintenance of the predefined minimum spacing and for maintenance of the predefined maximum spacing;
• during transport of passengers only in a trailing one of the first and second elevator cars influences at least one travel parameter of a leading one of the first and second elevator cars for maintenance of the predefined minimum spacing and for maintenance of the predefined maximum spacing;
• and
• during transport of passengers only in a trailing one of the first and second elevator cars moves a leading one of the first and second elevator cars to a waiting position for maintenance of the predefined minimum spacing and for maintenance of the predefined maximum spacing.