阅读说明：本技术 电梯补偿组件监测器 (Elevator compensation component monitor ) 是由 Y·权 R·罗伯茨 于 2020-12-02 设计创作，主要内容包括：一种电梯补偿组件的说明性示例实施例包括栓系机构和至少一个补偿轮,该至少一个补偿轮具有构造成接合至少一个补偿绳部件的外表面。至少一个阻尼器与栓系机构相关联,以用于抵抗栓系机构沿至少一个方向的移动。至少一个检测器检测栓系机构沿该方向的移动,且提供指示所检测的移动的至少一个特性的输出。(An illustrative example embodiment of an elevator compensation assembly includes a tethering mechanism and at least one compensation sheave having an outer surface configured to engage at least one compensation rope member. At least one damper is associated with the tethering mechanism for resisting movement of the tethering mechanism in at least one direction. At least one detector detects movement of the tethering mechanism in the direction and provides an output indicative of at least one characteristic of the detected movement.)

1. An elevator compensation assembly comprising:

a tethering mechanism including at least one compensating wheel having an outer surface configured to engage at least one compensating rope member;

at least one damper associated with the tethering mechanism for resisting movement of the tethering mechanism in at least one direction; and

at least one detector that detects movement of the tethering mechanism in the at least one direction and provides an output indicative of at least one characteristic of the detected movement.

2. Elevator compensation assembly according to claim 1,

the at least one detector includes an accelerometer that provides an indication of acceleration of the tethering mechanism during the detected movement, an

The output is indicative of at least a magnitude of the acceleration.

3. Elevator compensation assembly according to claim 2,

the at least one detector comprises a processor that receives the indication from the accelerometer,

the processor determines whether the detected movement satisfies a first criterion, an

The output includes an indication that the first criterion is satisfied based on the detected movement.

4. Elevator compensation assembly according to claim 3,

the first criterion includes a threshold amplitude of the detected movement, an

The output corresponds to an alert when the magnitude of the detected movement exceeds the threshold magnitude.

5. Elevator compensation assembly according to claim 4,

the output is indicative of a frequency of the detected movement,

the first criterion includes a threshold frequency, an

The output corresponds to the alert when the frequency of the detected movement exceeds the threshold frequency.

6. Elevator compensation assembly according to claim 3,

the processor determines whether the detected movement satisfies a second criterion, an

The output includes an indication that the second criterion is satisfied based on the detected movement.

7. Elevator compensation assembly according to claim 6,

the second criterion includes a trend in the detected movement over time, an

When the detected movement satisfies the second criterion, the output includes an indication of a potential future need for maintenance.

8. Elevator compensation assembly according to claim 1,

the at least one damper comprises two hydraulic cylinders,

the at least one detector comprises two detectors and,

one of the detectors is associated with each of the hydraulic cylinders, an

The outputs of the detectors together indicate the symmetry between the hydraulic cylinders.

9. Elevator compensation assembly according to claim 1,

the at least one damper includes hydraulic fluid within a cylinder, an

The output indicates whether gas is present within the cylinder.

10. Elevator compensation assembly according to claim 9,

the at least one damper is associated with the hydraulic circuit,

the hydraulic circuit includes a reservoir and at least one conduit between the cylinder and the reservoir, an

The output indicates whether gas is present in the hydraulic circuit.

11. A method of monitoring an elevator compensation assembly including a tie down mechanism having at least one compensation wheel and at least one damper associated with the tie down mechanism for resisting movement of the tie down mechanism in at least one direction, the method comprising:

detecting movement of the tethering mechanism in the direction using at least one detector associated with the tethering mechanism, an

An output indicative of at least one characteristic of the detected movement is generated.

12. The method of claim 11,

the at least one detector comprises an accelerometer,

detecting the movement includes detecting an acceleration of the tethering mechanism, an

The output is indicative of at least a magnitude of the acceleration.

13. The method of claim 11, comprising determining whether the detected movement satisfies a first criterion, and wherein the outputting comprises outputting the indication based on the detected movement satisfying the first criterion.

14. The method of claim 13,

the first criterion includes a threshold amplitude of the detected movement, an

The output corresponds to an alert when the magnitude of the detected movement exceeds the threshold magnitude.

15. The method of claim 14,

the output is indicative of a frequency of the detected movement,

the first criterion includes a threshold frequency, an

The output corresponds to the alert when the frequency of the detected movement exceeds the threshold frequency.

16. The method of claim 13, comprising determining whether the detected movement satisfies a second criterion, and wherein the outputting comprises outputting the indication based on the detected movement satisfying the second criterion.

17. The method of claim 16,

the second criterion includes a trend in the detected movement over time, an

When the detected movement satisfies the second criterion, the output includes an indication of a potential future need for maintenance.

18. The method of claim 11,

the at least one damper comprises two hydraulic cylinders,

the at least one detector comprises two detectors and,

one of the detectors is associated with each of the hydraulic cylinders, an

The outputs of the detectors together indicate the symmetry between the hydraulic cylinders.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one damper comprises hydraulic fluid within a cylinder, and the method comprises determining whether gas is present within the cylinder based on the detected movement.

20. The method of claim 19,

the cylinders are associated with a hydraulic circuit,

the hydraulic circuit includes a reservoir and at least one conduit between the cylinder and the reservoir, an

The method includes determining whether air is present in the hydraulic circuit based on the detected movement.

Background

Elevator systems are useful for transporting passengers and items between different heights in a building. Many elevator systems are traction-based and include a traction rope that suspends an elevator car and a counterweight. The machine causes the traction sheave to move, which in turn causes the traction ropes to move for moving the elevator car as desired. One feature of traction-based elevator systems is a compensating assembly that includes a compensating rope suspended below the car and counterweight, and a tethering mechanism near the bottom of the hoistway. The compensating assembly is useful for preventing counterweight jump (which may otherwise occur during elevator safety engagement). The compensating assembly also facilitates maintaining proper tension on the pull cords to achieve the desired traction and on the compensating cords to ensure that they remain properly engaged in the tethering mechanism.

Certain conditions may arise over time that interfere with or impair the ability of the compensation component to consistently provide the desired performance. For example, hydraulic systems that produce a damping effect to prevent the tie-down mechanism from oscillating or vibrating may be susceptible to air infiltration over time. Air in such systems reduces the damping effect. Time-consuming manual inspection procedures are typically required to diagnose such problems with the compensating assembly.

Disclosure of Invention

An illustrative example embodiment of an elevator compensation assembly includes a tethering mechanism with at least one compensation sheave having an outer surface configured to engage at least one compensation rope member. At least one damper is associated with the tethering mechanism for resisting movement of the tethering mechanism in at least one direction. At least one detector detects movement of the tethering mechanism in the direction and provides an output indicative of at least one characteristic of the detected movement.

In an embodiment having at least one feature of the assembly of the preceding paragraph, the at least one detector includes an accelerometer that provides an indication of acceleration of the tethering mechanism during the detected movement and outputs an output indicative of at least a magnitude of the acceleration.

In an embodiment having at least one feature of the assembly of any of the preceding paragraphs, the at least one detector includes a processor that receives the indication from the accelerometer, the processor determines whether the detected movement satisfies a first criterion, and the output includes an indication that satisfies the first criterion based on the detected movement.

In an embodiment having at least one feature of the assembly of any of the preceding paragraphs, the first criterion includes a threshold magnitude of the detected movement, and the output corresponds to an alert when the magnitude of the detected movement exceeds the threshold magnitude.

In an embodiment having at least one feature of the assembly of any of the preceding paragraphs, the output is indicative of a frequency of the detected movement, the first criterion includes a threshold frequency, and the output corresponds to an alert when the frequency of the detected movement exceeds the threshold frequency.

In an embodiment having at least one feature of a component of any of the preceding paragraphs, the processor determines whether the detected movement satisfies a second criterion, and the output includes an indication that the second criterion is satisfied based on the detected movement.

In an embodiment having at least one feature of the component of any of the preceding paragraphs, the second criterion comprises a trend in the detected movement over time, and the output comprises an indication of a potential future need for maintenance when the detected movement meets the second criterion.

In an embodiment having at least one feature of the assembly of any of the preceding paragraphs, the at least one damper comprises two hydraulic cylinders, the at least one detector comprises two detectors, one of the detectors is associated with each of the hydraulic cylinders, and the outputs of the detectors together indicate symmetry between the hydraulic cylinders.

In an embodiment having at least one feature of the assembly of any of the preceding paragraphs, the at least one damper includes hydraulic fluid within a cylinder and the output indicates whether gas is present within the cylinder.

In an embodiment having at least one feature of the assembly of any of the preceding paragraphs, the at least one damper is associated with a hydraulic circuit that includes a reservoir and at least one conduit between the cylinder and the reservoir, and the output is indicative of whether gas is present in the hydraulic circuit.

An illustrative example embodiment of a method of monitoring an elevator compensation assembly includes detecting movement of a tie-down mechanism in a direction using at least one detector associated with the tie-down mechanism and generating an output indicative of at least one characteristic of the detected movement.

In an embodiment having at least one feature of the method of the preceding paragraph, the at least one detector includes an accelerometer. Detecting movement includes detecting acceleration of the tether and outputting a magnitude indicative of at least the acceleration.

In an embodiment having at least one feature of the method of any of the preceding paragraphs, the method includes determining whether the detected movement satisfies a first criterion, and wherein the outputting includes outputting the indication that the first criterion is satisfied based on the detected movement.

In an embodiment having at least one feature of the method of any of the preceding paragraphs, the first criterion includes a threshold magnitude of the detected movement, and the output corresponds to an alert when the magnitude of the detected movement exceeds the threshold magnitude.

In an embodiment having at least one feature of the method of any of the preceding paragraphs, the output indicates a frequency of the detected movement, the first criterion includes a threshold frequency, and the output corresponds to an alert when the frequency of the detected movement exceeds the threshold frequency.

In an embodiment having at least one feature of the method of any of the preceding paragraphs, the method includes determining whether the detected movement satisfies a second criterion, and wherein the outputting includes outputting the indication based on the detected movement satisfying the second criterion.

In an embodiment having at least one feature of the method of any of the preceding paragraphs, the second criterion includes a trend in the detected movement over time, and the output includes an indication of a potential future need for maintenance when the detected movement satisfies the second criterion.

In an embodiment having at least one feature of the method of any of the preceding paragraphs, the at least one damper includes two hydraulic cylinders, the at least one detector includes two detectors, one of the detectors is associated with each of the hydraulic cylinders, and the outputs of the detectors together indicate symmetry between the hydraulic cylinders.

In an embodiment having at least one feature of the method of any of the preceding paragraphs, the at least one damper includes hydraulic fluid within a cylinder, and the method includes determining whether gas is present within the cylinder based on the detected movement.

In an embodiment having at least one feature of the method of any of the preceding paragraphs, the cylinder is associated with a hydraulic circuit, the hydraulic circuit includes a reservoir and at least one conduit between the cylinder and the reservoir, and the method includes determining whether air is present in the hydraulic circuit based on the detected movement.

The various features and advantages of at least one disclosed example embodiment will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description. The drawings that accompany the detailed description can be briefly described as follows.

Drawings

Fig. 1 schematically illustrates selected portions of an example embodiment of an elevator system.

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates selected portions of an example embodiment of a compensation assembly.

Fig. 3A-3C graphically illustrate speed, acceptable tie-down mechanism movement, and undesirable tie-down mechanism movement, respectively, of an elevator car.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart diagram summarizing an example compensation assembly monitoring method.

Detailed Description

Embodiments of the invention facilitate automatic monitoring of elevator compensation components. Example embodiments include at least one detector that provides information about the movement of the tethering mechanism. Information about such movement is useful to determine whether a damper (such as a hydraulic cylinder) is functioning properly. For example, information from the detector is useful to determine whether air is present in the hydraulic cylinder or hydraulic circuit of the hydraulic damper.

Fig. 1 schematically illustrates selected portions of an elevator system 20. The elevator car 22 is coupled to a counterweight 24 by a traction rope 26. Although not shown in detail, the pull-cord 26 includes a plurality of tension members, such as round cords or flat belts. The pull-cord 26 follows a path defined at least in part by the pulleys 30 and 32. Sheave 30 is a traction sheave associated with machine 34 that selectively causes movement of traction ropes 26 to control movement and position of elevator car 22 for providing elevator service to passengers.

The elevator system 20 includes a compensating assembly 40, the compensating assembly 40 including a compensating rope member 42 suspended below the elevator car 22 and counterweight 24. The compensating rope member 42 follows a path defined at least in part by a compensating wheel 44 that is part of a tie-down mechanism 46. The tethering mechanism 46 maintains sufficient tension on the compensating rope member 42 to ensure that the compensating rope member 42 remains engaged and aligned within the compensating assembly 40.

A damper 50 is associated with the tethering mechanism 46 to allow for controlled, limited movement of the compensation wheels 44 and the tethering mechanism 46. The damper 50 may take various forms depending on the particular elevator system configuration. In the example embodiment shown, the damper 50 includes a hydraulic cylinder that expands or contracts in response to a force on the compensating rope member 42. In the remainder of this description, the damper 50 will be referred to as a hydraulic cylinder. The hydraulic cylinder 50 resists movement of the tie down mechanism 46 and prevents it from oscillating or vibrating to maintain sufficient tension on the compensating rope member 42 and the pull-cord 26 (for example), and to retain the compensating rope member 42 in a corresponding groove (not shown) on the compensating sheave 44.

At least one detector 52 detects movement of the tethering mechanism 46. In the exemplary embodiment, detector 52 includes an accelerometer and a processor, and provides an output corresponding to the detected acceleration of tethering mechanism 46. Other motion detectors are used in some embodiments. For example, some detectors 52 include a set of switches arranged such that timing and movement information can be determined based on switch activation. Other embodiments include hall effect sensors positioned to interact with corresponding features on the tethering mechanism 46 or the damper 50 to detect movement. Other embodiments include optical or vision-based sensors, or proximity and movement sensors, such as ultrasound, RADAR or LIDAR detectors.

For purposes of discussion, the detector 52 is shown in the illustration as a single item or component, but it need not be located entirely at the location of the compensation assembly 40. For example, in some embodiments, a portion of the detector 52 including an accelerometer is positioned on the tethering mechanism 46 when the processor is at another location in the elevator system 20 or remotely located. The processor may be part of a dedicated computing device or a computing device that performs other elevator system monitoring or analysis functions.

Depending on the condition of the compensation assembly 40, the movement of the tethering mechanism 46 detected by the detector 52 will have different characteristics, such as frequency and amplitude. Thus, the characteristics of the detected movement are useful for diagnosing the condition of the compensation assembly 40.

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates selected portions of an example compensation assembly 40. In this example, the hydraulic cylinder 50 resists or inhibits movement of the tie-down mechanism 46 along the vertical axis. Hydraulic cylinder 50 is connected to a hydraulic circuit that includes a reservoir 56 and a conduit 58, with conduit 58 carrying hydraulic fluid between hydraulic cylinder 50 and reservoir 56.

The exemplary embodiment of fig. 2 includes a plurality of detectors 52. One of the detectors 52 is associated with each of the hydraulic cylinders 50 and is positioned above the respective cylinder. With such an arrangement of detectors 52, it is possible to monitor the movement or performance of each hydraulic cylinder 50 and determine whether hydraulic cylinders 50 are operating in a well-balanced manner or whether there is a performance difference between them. Additional detectors 52 are positioned near the ends of the tethering mechanisms 46 to provide additional movement information when needed or of interest.

Fig. 3A is a graphical depiction 60 of an elevator car speed profile shown at 62. During typical operation, the elevator car 22 starts from stopping at a landing, accelerates until it reaches a desired travel speed, and then decelerates as the car 22 approaches and reaches the target landing. During acceleration and deceleration of the elevator car, it is normal or expected that the compensating assembly 40 (and in particular the tie-down mechanism) experiences little movement. Fig. 3B shows the normal or expected amount of movement of the tethering mechanism 46 at 64. An acceleration curve 66 is shown representing the acceleration of the tie-down mechanism 46 during elevator operation as shown in fig. 3A. As can be appreciated from fig. 3B, the acceleration curve 66 of the tethering mechanism includes several peaks (positive and negative) as the tethering mechanism is pulled upward by the force associated with the change in elevator car speed and pushed back downward by the hydraulic cylinder 50. When hydraulic cylinder 50 is operating as desired, the frequency or number of peaks of curve 66 will be below a threshold value, which may be determined empirically for a particular elevator system configuration. When hydraulic cylinder 50 is operating properly, the amplitude of the peak in curve 66 will also be below the threshold.

When the hydraulic cylinder 50 is unable to sufficiently or as desired inhibit movement of the tie-down mechanism 46, the tie-down mechanism 46 will move in a different manner than represented by the acceleration shown in fig. 3B. When air is present in the hydraulic cylinder 50, for example, the hydraulic cylinder 50 will not be able to inhibit movement of the tie-down mechanism 46 in the intended or desired manner. Alternatively, as represented by plot 68 in fig. 3C, the tethering mechanism 46 will move more. Curve 70 shows the type of acceleration that the tie-down mechanism 46 may experience during the same elevator run represented in fig. 3A if the hydraulic cylinder 50 is not operating properly. It is also possible for air to be present in reservoir 56 or conduit 58 and that would also negatively affect the performance of hydraulic cylinder 50.

Curve 70 includes a significantly greater number of peaks compared to the number of peaks on curve 66 in fig. 3B. At least some of the peaks in curve 70 also have a greater amplitude than the peaks in curve 66. The amplitude of the peaks in fig. 3C is also more variable than the relatively uniform amplitude shown in fig. 3B.

The detector 52 provides an output corresponding to the detected movement of the tethering mechanism 46. The processor of detector 52 or another processor in communication with detector 52 determines whether the output indicates that hydraulic cylinder 50 requires maintenance or repair. For example, the output from the detector 52 provides an indication of whether the hydraulic cylinder 50 or another portion of the hydraulic circuit includes air.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart diagram 80 summarizing an example method of monitoring compensation assembly 40 to determine a condition of hydraulic cylinder 50. At 82, movement of the tethering mechanism 46 is detected by the detector 52. At 84, the detected movement is compared to at least one first criterion. In this example, there are several first criteria, such as the number of peaks in the detected acceleration, the amplitude of any peak in the detected acceleration, the variation in the amplitude of the peak, and the frequency of the peak. If the detected movement satisfies any of the first criteria, then a first output is generated or provided at 86.

In the example embodiment shown, the first criterion includes a number of first thresholds corresponding to characteristics of the detected movement. For example, the first criteria includes a threshold acceleration amplitude, a threshold number of peaks, and a threshold frequency. In this embodiment, detector 52 provides a first output at 86 if any of those thresholds are exceeded by the corresponding characteristic of the detected movement. In some embodiments, a combination of thresholds must be exceeded (such as multiple peaks exceeding a threshold amplitude) to trigger the first output at 86.

In some embodiments, the first output is an alarm or alert indicating that the compensating assembly 40 needs immediate maintenance or repair because the tethering mechanism 46 has moved significantly more than desired. Such movement may be the result of significant sway of the compensating rope member 42. It is desirable to detect such movement and address the situation to protect the compensating rope members 42 from becoming tangled with one another or otherwise damaged.

In fig. 4, even if none of the first criteria is met, a determination is made at 88 as to whether the second criteria is met by the detected movement. In this example, the second criterion corresponds to or is based on low-pass filtering. A small movement of the tethering mechanism 46 is expected and, within certain limits, even accidental movement may not indicate any problems. The use of low pass filtering facilitates identification when the movement of the tethering mechanism 46 is significant enough to cause a need to service or repair the compensation assembly 40.

In this embodiment, the second criteria does not indicate an immediate need to provide maintenance or repair of the hydraulic cylinder 50, but instead provides an ongoing monitoring function showing a trend in movement of the tie-down mechanism 46 indicating a future need to inspect or repair the compensating assembly 40. For example, the second criterion includes a second threshold that is lower than the first threshold of the first criterion. When the detected movement has at least one characteristic that exceeds a corresponding second threshold, the detector 52 generates a second output at 90. The second output may be a maintenance reminder or a counter increment that causes a predetermined count to be reached that ultimately results in a maintenance reminder.

In an embodiment like that shown in fig. 2, the detected movement and resulting output indicated by detector 52 provides information indicating that air is present in the hydraulic circuit including hydraulic cylinder 50. For such an arrangement, the first output or the second output corresponds to or causes a determination of the presence of air in the hydraulic fluid (which prevents the hydraulic cylinder 50 from sufficiently inhibiting movement of the tie-down mechanism) to maintain an acceleration curve like curve 66 of fig. 3B. Other determinations may be made regarding different types of hydraulic cylinders 50 or other components of compensation assembly 40 based on the movement detected by detector 52.

The preceding description is exemplary rather than limiting in nature. Variations and modifications to the disclosed examples may become apparent to those skilled in the art that do not necessarily depart from the essence of this invention. The scope of legal protection given to this invention can only be determined by studying the following claims.