阅读说明：本技术 电梯安全监控系统、电梯系统、电梯和操作电梯的方法 (Elevator safety monitoring system, elevator and method for operating elevator ) 是由 T.塔洛宁 K.拉科宁 T.西罗宁 M.维尔贾宁 于 2021-05-19 设计创作，主要内容包括：提供了一种电梯安全监控系统、电梯系统(100)、电梯驱动单元(35)以及操作电梯的方法。电梯安全监控系统包括电梯轿厢绝对位置和速度反馈装置(60)、连接到绝对位置和速度反馈装置(60)的安全监控器(40)以及在电梯井道(12)内延伸的安全区域(104)。安全区域(104)与电梯轿厢(10)的允许的最大速度(412)相关联,其中,允许的最大速度(412)低于安全区域(104)外部的电梯轿厢(10)的额定速度(411),其中,安全监控器(40)被配置为确定接近安全区域(104)的电梯轿厢(10)的减速故障,并且在确定减速故障时,命令致动器以使电梯轿厢(10)减速至允许的最大速度(412)。(An elevator safety monitoring system, an elevator system (100), an elevator drive unit (35) and a method of operating an elevator are provided. An elevator safety monitoring system includes an elevator car absolute position and speed feedback device (60), a safety monitor (40) connected to the absolute position and speed feedback device (60), and a safety zone (104) extending within an elevator hoistway (12). The safety zone (104) is associated with an allowed maximum speed (412) of the elevator car (10), wherein the allowed maximum speed (412) is lower than a rated speed (411) of the elevator car (10) outside the safety zone (104), wherein the safety monitor (40) is configured to determine a deceleration fault of the elevator car (10) approaching the safety zone (104) and, upon determining the deceleration fault, command the actuator to decelerate the elevator car (10) to the allowed maximum speed (412).)

1. An elevator safety monitoring system comprising:

an elevator car absolute position and speed feedback device (60);

a safety monitor (40) connected to said absolute position and velocity feedback device (60);

a safety device (55) fixed in the elevator hoistway (12) and fixed relative to the elevator hoistway (12); and

a safety zone (104) extending within an elevator hoistway (12), the safety zone (104) being defined by the safety device (55); it is characterized in that

The safety zone (104) is associated with an allowed maximum speed (412) of the elevator car (10), wherein the allowed maximum speed (412) is lower than a nominal speed (411) of the elevator car (10) outside the safety zone (104);

wherein the safety device (55) in the activated state is arranged to extend to a part of the elevator hoistway (12) in which the elevator car (10) is allowed to move during normal operation of the elevator and to prevent movement of the elevator car (10) into the safety zone (104), thereby establishing a safety space in the safety zone (104) and allowing movement of the elevator car (10) into the safety zone (104) in the deactivated state;

wherein the security monitor (40) is configured to:

-determining a deceleration fault in which the elevator car (10) approaches the safety zone (104), and upon determining a deceleration fault,

-commanding an actuator to decelerate the elevator car (10) to the allowed maximum speed (412).

2. The elevator safety monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the safety zone (104) extends to a portion of the elevator hoistway (12) that is allocated to elevator service during normal elevator operation.

3. The elevator safety monitoring system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the safety device (55) is sized to absorb kinetic energy of the elevator car (10) moving at full load at the maximum permitted speed (412).

4. The elevator safety monitoring system according to any of claims 1-3, wherein the safety device (55) is arranged such that, if in an activated state, the safety device (55) is operated to decelerate the elevator car (10) or the elevator car (10) is at most in contact therewith at the allowed maximum speed (412).

5. The elevator safety monitoring system according to any of claims 1-4, wherein a safety monitor (40) is configured to decelerate the elevator car (10) if the elevator car (10) approaches the safety zone (104) at a speed exceeding a speed limit, wherein the speed monitor (40) is arranged to provide a command to operate the actuator.

6. The elevator safety monitoring system of any of claims 1-5, wherein the safety zone (104) is located at an end of the elevator hoistway (12).

7. The elevator safety monitoring system according to any of claims 1-6, wherein the determination of a deceleration fault includes comparing a speed of the elevator car (10) to a speed limit configured to decrease to a value of the maximum allowed speed (412) as the safety zone (103) is approached from a rated speed zone (102) of the elevator hoistway (12).

8. Elevator safety monitoring system according to any of claims 1-7, wherein the actuator is a hoisting machinery brake (16) or an elevator car brake.

9. The elevator safety monitoring system according to any of claims 1-8, wherein the safety device (55) is a movable stop.

10. The elevator safety monitoring system according to any of claims 1-9, wherein the safety device (55) is an automatic pre-triggered safety device.

11. Elevator safety monitoring system according to any of claims 1-10, further comprising a safety switch (50), which safety switch (50) in the activated state causes an emergency stop of the elevator, which safety switch (50) is arranged to an extension of the safety area (104) to bring the elevator to an emergency stop already before the car reaches the safety area (104).

12. An elevator system (100), comprising:

an elevator car (10) movable in an elevator hoistway (12); and

safety device (55) for establishing a temporary safety space in a safety area (104), characterized in that,

the elevator system (100) further comprising an elevator safety monitoring system according to any of claims 1-11.

13. An elevator (100) comprising an elevator car (10), characterized in that the elevator (100) comprises:

elevator drive unit (35), comprising:

an input for receiving absolute position and speed information of an elevator car (10);

a processing unit configured to calculate a motion profile of the elevator car (10); wherein the elevator car (10) is configured to be driven by the elevator drive unit (35) according to the motion profile, the motion profile comprising a nominal speed portion (402) and a safety zone portion (404), wherein a maximum speed of the safety zone portion (404) is lower than a nominal speed of the nominal speed portion (404);

the elevator safety monitoring system of any of claims 1-11.

14. The elevator (100) of claim 13, wherein the elevator drive unit (35) is configured to select the maximum speed of the safety zone portion (404) based on an allowed maximum speed (412) associated with the safety zone (404).

15. A method for operating an elevator (100) according to claim 13 or 14, the method comprising:

-receiving (510), at a control unit of the elevator (100), a request to drive an elevator car (10) to a destination,

-generating (520), at the control unit, an elevator car motion curve of a service request, the motion curve comprising at least an acceleration segment (410), a nominal speed segment (402) and a deceleration segment (403) of an elevator car (10), characterized in that the method comprises:

-determining (530), by the control unit, whether a safety zone (104) is present within the route of the elevator car (10) to the destination, and if so, then

-including (540) a safety zone portion (404) in an elevator car motion profile to cover the safety zone (104), wherein the speed of the safety zone portion (404) is lower than the nominal speed (411) in the motion profile.

Technical Field

This invention generally relates to elevators. However, in particular, but not exclusively, the invention relates to the safe operation of elevators.

Background

The elevator comprises an elevator car and a hoisting machine. The car is driven by the hoisting machine via hoisting ropes running via a traction sheave of the hoisting machine. In order to move the car, a motion profile is determined in the control system of the elevator. Ideally, the motion profile provides a smooth acceleration of the elevator car to a nominal speed and then a smooth deceleration before the elevator car stops at a destination (e.g., at a landing of the elevator).

Typically, the elevator hoistway has safety equipment, such as a pit buffer, sized to absorb the kinetic energy of the impacting elevator car. In the known elevator the safety equipment also defines a safety space within the elevator shaft.

In some cases, the volume of the hoistway covered by the safety equipment may be reduced, such as where a short pit buffer is used. This means that there will not be enough space inside the hoistway to protect personnel. As a remedy, additional safety devices can be used to establish a safety zone that can extend into the part of the hoistway normally (i.e., during normal elevator operation) allocated to elevator service. When activated, it will create a temporary safety space within the safety zone, thereby providing a safe operating environment for maintenance and installation personnel within the hoistway. Such additional safety means may be a pre-triggered safety means or a movable stop, such as a rotatable bumper. In the active state they stop the movement of the elevator car before the terminal landing has been reached. Therefore, during normal elevator operation, they must be in an inactive state so that elevator service can reach the destination landing of the safety zone.

However, faults or errors may result in these safety devices being activated accidentally during normal elevator operation, and therefore they are also dimensioned to absorb kinetic energy in such a situation (i.e. at full load and rated rotational speed of the elevator). Thus, safety devices are large and heavy, and can be expensive, take up a lot of space, and require a lot of manpower to activate and deactivate. This is especially true in elevators with high nominal speeds.

Disclosure of Invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide an elevator safety monitoring system, an elevator drive unit and a method for operating an elevator. It is a further object of the invention that the elevator safety monitoring system, the elevator drive unit and the method alleviate at least some of the disadvantages of the known elevator. Another object is that smaller and cheaper safety devices can be used. Another object is that safety devices of uniform structure and/or size and/or dimensions can be used in different elevators irrespective of their different nominal speeds (if any).

The object of the invention is achieved by an elevator safety monitoring system, an elevator drive unit and a method for operating an elevator as defined in the independent claims.

According to a first aspect, an elevator safety monitoring system is provided. An elevator safety monitoring system includes an elevator car absolute position and speed feedback device, a safety monitor connected to the absolute position and speed feedback device, a safety device, and a safety zone extending within an elevator hoistway, such as at an end of the elevator hoistway. The safety area is preferably delimited by a safety device. The safety zone is associated with an allowed maximum speed of the elevator car, wherein the allowed maximum speed is lower than a nominal speed of the elevator car outside the safety zone. Furthermore, the safety monitor is configured to determine a deceleration fault of the elevator car approaching the safety zone, e.g. by comparing the speed of the elevator car with a speed limit, and to command an actuator, e.g. a hoisting machinery brake or an elevator car brake, to decelerate the elevator car to the allowed maximum speed when the deceleration fault is determined, so that the allowed maximum speed exists before the elevator car enters the safety zone.

Furthermore, the safety zone may extend to a part of the elevator shaft, which part is allocated to elevator service during normal elevator operation.

In various embodiments, the elevator safety monitoring system includes a safety device, such as a movable stop or an automatically pre-triggered safety device, that in an activated state blocks movement of the elevator car within the safety zone, thereby establishing a safety space in the safety zone, and in an inactivated state allows movement of the elevator car in the safety zone. Alternatively, the safety device may be dimensioned to absorb the kinetic energy of the elevator car moving at full load at the maximum speed allowed.

Alternatively or additionally, the safety gear may be arranged such that, if in the activated state, the safety gear is operated to decelerate the elevator car, or the elevator car is at its maximum in contact with the maximum speed allowed.

Alternatively or additionally, the safety monitor may be configured to decelerate the elevator car if the elevator car approaches a safety zone at a speed exceeding a speed limit, wherein, for example, the speed monitor may be arranged to provide a command to operate the actuator, for example a command to operate the hoisting machinery brake.

In various embodiments, the determination of the deceleration fault may include comparing the speed of the elevator car to a speed limit. Alternatively, the speed limit may be configured to decrease to a value of the maximum speed allowed when approaching a safe area from a rated speed area of the elevator hoistway.

In various embodiments, the method may further comprise a safety switch causing an emergency stop of the elevator in the activated state, the safety switch being arranged to an extension of the safety zone to bring the elevator to an emergency stop already before the car reaches the safety zone.

According to a second aspect, an elevator system, e.g. a single elevator or an elevator group, is provided. Elevator system or elevator, comprising an elevator car movable in an elevator hoistway and a safety device for establishing a temporary safety space in a safety area. The elevator system further comprises an elevator safety monitoring system according to the first aspect.

According to a third aspect, an elevator drive unit is provided. The elevator drive unit comprises: an input for receiving absolute position and speed information of the elevator car; and a processing unit configured to calculate a motion profile of the elevator car; wherein the elevator car is configured to be driven by the elevator drive unit according to a motion profile. The motion profile includes a nominal speed portion and a safe area portion, wherein the maximum speed of the safe area portion is lower than the nominal speed, i.e., the maximum speed of the nominal speed portion. Optionally, the maximum speed of the safety zone portion may preferably be selected based on an allowed maximum speed associated with the safety zone.

In various embodiments, the elevator drive unit comprises at least a converter unit.

According to a fourth aspect, a method of operating an elevator e.g. comprised in an elevator system is provided. The method comprises the following steps:

-receiving a request at a control unit of the elevator to drive the elevator car to a destination,

-generating at the control unit an elevator car motion profile of the service request, which motion profile comprises at least an acceleration section, a nominal speed section and a deceleration section of the elevator car, and

-determining by the control unit whether a safety zone is present within the route of the elevator car to the destination and, if so, then

-including a safety zone part in the elevator car motion profile to cover the safety zone, wherein the speed of the safety zone part is lower than the nominal speed in the motion profile.

In an embodiment, the speed of the safe zone portion is less than or equal to the maximum speed allowed.

In some embodiments, the safe zone portion comprises a constant speed portion, wherein the constant speed is not higher than the maximum speed allowed.

According to a fifth aspect, an elevator or an elevator system is provided. The elevator comprises an elevator car according to the third aspect of the invention and an elevator drive unit.

The invention provides an elevator safety monitoring system, an elevator drive unit and a method for operating an elevator. The invention provides an advantage over the known solutions because it allows the use of smaller safety devices even if the nominal speed of the elevator is high.

Various other advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art based on the following detailed description.

The terms "first," "second," and the like, if not explicitly stated otherwise, are used herein to distinguish one element from another and do not particularly prioritize or order them.

The exemplary embodiments of the invention set forth herein should not be construed as limiting the applicability of the appended claims. The verb "to comprise" is used herein as an open limitation that does not exclude the presence of also unrecited features. The features recited in the dependent claims may be freely combined with each other, unless explicitly stated otherwise.

The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to organization and method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Drawings

In the drawings, some embodiments of the invention are shown by way of example and not limitation.

Fig. 1 schematically shows an elevator system or elevator according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 schematically shows an elevator system according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 3 schematically shows an elevator system according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 4A and 4B show motion profiles according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 5 shows a flow diagram of a method according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 6A and 6B illustrate movement of an elevator car according to a motion profile according to some embodiments of the present invention.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 schematically shows an elevator system 100 according to an embodiment of the invention. The elevator system 100, or elevator 100 as seen in the figure, may include an elevator car 10 arranged to move or be movable in an elevator hoistway 12. Movement of the elevator car 10 can preferably be implemented by means of hoisting ropes or belts 13 connected to traction sheaves 14 or the like. Furthermore, the elevator 100 comprises an electric motor 20, which electric motor 20 is arranged to operate the traction sheave 14, e.g. rotated by its rotor, to move the elevator car 10 even if the traction sheave is not substantially directly coupled to the hoisting ropes 13. The traction sheave 14 may be connected to the shaft of the motor 20 via a mechanical connection 22, either directly or indirectly via gears. The elevator 100 may include a machine room or may be machine room-less, such as having an electric motor 20 in the elevator hoistway 12.

The elevator 100 preferably comprises landings 19 or landing floors, and e.g. landing floor doors and/or openings, between which landings 19 the elevator car 10 is arranged to move during normal elevator operation, e.g. to move people and/or goods between said landings 19.

In various embodiments, the elevator hoistway 12 may be such that there is substantially no space in the hoistway 12 for, for example, service personnel when the elevator car 10 is at the bottom and/or top landings 19. Such an elevator 100 may be referred to as a low pit, low headroom elevator. In some embodiments, the height of the pit, i.e., the bottom of the hoistway 12, and/or the headroom, i.e., the top of the hoistway 12, may be, for example, less than or equal to 2.5 meters, or less than 1.5 meters, or even less than 1 meter.

The elevator 100 may preferably comprise at least one or at least two hoisting machinery brakes 16 configured to resist or preferably prevent the movement of the motor 20 (i.e. its rotor) directly or via the traction sheave 14 or parts thereof and/or parts between them. Furthermore, the elevator 100 may comprise a brake controller 25, which brake controller 25 is configured to operate at least one of the at least one hoisting machinery brake 16. The brake controller 25 may further be connected to other elements of the elevator 100, such as the elevator controller 1000. The brake controller 25 may comprise an actuator (not shown) for operating the brake 16, or at least be connected with such an actuator.

In at least some embodiments, there may additionally be a counterweight 18 disposed in connection with the elevator car 10, such as is known to those skilled in the elevator art. Further, the elevator 100 may additionally include one or more guide rails 17 disposed in the elevator hoistway 12 for guiding movement of the elevator car 10. The elevator car 10 may include guide shoes, rollers, etc. that move in contact with the guide rails 17.

The elevator 100 of fig. 1 also comprises an elevator drive unit 35, e.g. at least a converter unit 30, and preferably an elevator motor 20. The elevator drive unit 35, e.g. its converter unit 30, may comprise an input for receiving absolute position and speed information of the elevator car 10, e.g. from an encoder mounted on the elevator car 10 or on the elevator motor 20, and a processing unit configured to calculate the motion profile of the elevator car 10. The elevator car can be configured to be driven by the elevator drive unit 35 according to a motion profile. Further, the motion profile may include a nominal speed portion and a safe zone portion. The maximum speed of the safe-zone part may be lower than the rated speed of the rated-speed part.

Further, the converter unit 30 may comprise or substantially be an inverter or frequency converter for connecting to the electric motor 20 and controlling the operation of the electric motor 20, and a controller connected to the converter unit 30, wherein the controller is configured to operate the converter unit 30 to provide electric power (signals) to the windings of the electric motor 20, e.g. with variable voltage and variable frequency. The controller may be a separate controller device or may for example be comprised in the converter unit 30.

Still further, the converter unit 30 may be arranged to be fed by a power supply 150, e.g. of the elevator 100, e.g. from an external grid or a mains supply (e.g. a battery system). In addition, the power supply 150 may draw power from the converter unit 30.

In various embodiments, the elevator 100 includes an elevator controller 1000. The elevator control 1000 can be provided in the landing 19 door frame or in the landing door frame. The converter unit 30 may be disposed in the elevator shaft 12 or hoistway 12. The converter unit 30 supplies power from a main power source to the motor 20 of the hoisting machine to drive the elevator car 10. The elevator controller 1000 may be configured to receive a service request from an elevator passenger, e.g. via an elevator call request system, and to calculate a motion profile for the elevator car 10 to serve the service request. The converter unit 30 controls the elevator hoisting machine so that the speed of the elevator car coincides with the motion profile.

Fig. 2 schematically shows an elevator system 100 according to an embodiment of the invention. In fig. 2, various zones of the elevator hoistway 12 are shown. The first zone 101 refers to the total travel height of the elevator car 10. The ends of this region mechanically and/or otherwise provide a limit to the total travel of the elevator car 10 in the elevator hoistway 12.

There may also be a nominal speed zone 102 or a second zone in which or in at least a portion of which the elevator car 10 may be configured to move at a nominal speed. The nominal speed may be, for example, in the range of 1 to 25 meters per second or more, or preferably in the range of 1.25 to 5 meters per second, or most preferably in the range of 1.5 to 2 meters per second. Naturally, for example, a landing 19 may be present in this nominal speed region 102, such that the elevator car 10 may be configured to move slower than nominal speed when arriving at or leaving the landing 19. There may be other reasons for deviations from the nominal speed in this region 102. For example, near the end landing of the hoistway 12, the elevator car 10 may be configured to gradually slow as it approaches the end landing.

The elevator of fig. 2 may comprise a short pit buffer, e.g. a polyurethane buffer, for normal elevator operation. Alternatively, it is possible that no such buffer is provided for normal elevator operation.

Furthermore, there may be at least one safety zone 104, such as one or two, in the elevator hoistway 12. One or more safety zones 104 may be at one or more ends of the elevator hoistway 12. The safe area 104 may be associated with a maximum speed allowed. Thus, the elevator car 10, when approaching the safety zone 104, is preferably arranged to decelerate to the allowed maximum speed before entering the safety zone 104 if moving at a speed higher than the allowed maximum speed. The maximum speed allowed is arranged to be below the rated speed and in certain embodiments it may alternatively be in the range of 0.1 meters per second or less but greater than zero to five meters per second, or preferably two meters per second, or more preferably one meter per second. In some embodiments, the maximum speed allowed may preferably be associated with a rated speed of the safety device related to providing a safety space at the top or head space, bottom or pit of the elevator hoistway 12.

The third zone 103 or zones 103 refer to zones where the elevator car 10 may be configured to decelerate when approaching one end (e.g., the top or bottom end) of the elevator hoistway 12. As known to those skilled in the art, there may be limits and/or devices arranged to perform the deceleration, or the motion profile may be configured to account for the deceleration of the elevator car 10 to the top or bottom of the elevator hoistway 12.

In some embodiments, the third zone 103 may form part of the safety zone 104, as the elevator car 10 may, for example, move at most at the maximum speed allowed during the first part of the safety zone 104 and then begin decelerating in accordance with the movement requirements of the elevator car in relation to the third zone 103 etc.

In various embodiments, the elevator car 10 may be arranged to decelerate from the nominal speed to the maximum allowed speed before entering the safety zone 104.

It is noted that even though the dimensions of the regions 101-104 relative to each other in fig. 2 do not constitute a limitation on the scope of the present invention, in many cases the total length of the rated speed region 102 or parts thereof is significantly longer than the safety region 104 and/or the third region 103. In many cases, the length of the rated speed region 102 or the total length of its components may exceed half of the first region 101.

Safety zone 104 provides the advantage that safety zone 104 allows the use of smaller safety devices even if the rated speed of the elevator is high. In addition, car bounce can also be reduced as the speed is reduced and controlled before the end of the elevator hoistway 12 below the safe zone 104 associated with the rated speed.

Fig. 3 schematically shows an elevator system 100 according to an embodiment of the invention. The elevator system 100 includes an elevator car 10 movable in an elevator hoistway 12 and a safety device 55 preferably used, for example, to establish a temporary safety space within a safety zone 104. The elevator system 100 may include an elevator safety monitoring system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The elevator safety monitoring system may include an absolute position and speed feedback device 60 of the elevator car, including, for example, an absolute position sensor. In various embodiments the elevator car absolute position and speed feedback device 60 can be e.g. a magnetic encoder in the elevator car diverting pulleys or in the overspeed governor. Preferably, the information of the magnetic encoder is verified and, if necessary, corrected with information from a door zone sensor (i.e. a sensor providing accurate information of the door zone position, wherein the elevator car floor is level with the landing floor).

Further, in fig. 3, the elevator safety monitoring system may include a safety monitor 40 connected to an absolute position and velocity feedback device 60. Still further, the elevator safety monitoring system may include a safety zone 104 extending within the elevator hoistway 12, wherein the safety zone 104 may be associated with an allowed maximum speed of the elevator car 10. The maximum speed allowed is preferably below the rated speed of the elevator car 10 outside of the safety zone 104, e.g., the rated speed in the rated speed zone 102. Further, the safety monitor 40 may be configured to determine a deceleration fault of the elevator car 10 approaching the safety zone 104 and, upon determining the deceleration fault, command an actuator, such as the hoisting machinery brake 16 or the elevator car brake, to decelerate the elevator car 10 to the maximum speed allowed. The safety monitor 40 may include an absolute speed and position control unit. In various embodiments, the safety monitor 40 is optionally at least partially a SIL3 (safety integrity level 3) electrical safety control system.

In some embodiments the safety monitor 40 may be integrated with some other control entity, e.g. the elevator control unit 1000 or the drive unit 35.

In various embodiments, the safety device 55 is a movable stop or an automatic pre-triggered safety device. The movable stop may be a rotatable or cockable bumper. The pre-triggered safety device may be a stop mounted to the hoistway 12 that is shiftable between an activated position and an inactivated position. In the active position, when the elevator car 10 reaches the stop, it triggers the elevator car safety device. In the inactive position, it allows the elevator car 10 to pass the stop and enter the safety zone 104.

In some embodiments, the elevator safety monitoring system may include a safety switch 50. The safety switch 50 may be based on a bistable magnetic reader and a position magnet (on the right side of fig. 3), or on an electromechanical limit switch and a ramp (on the left side of fig. 3). The safety switch 50 may be connected to the operation of the safety device 55 such that the safety switch 50 is activated and deactivated in cooperation with the safety device. The safety switch 50 may be connected to an elevator safety chain such that operation of the safety switch in the activated state causes an emergency stop of the elevator 100. In the inactive state (e.g., during normal elevator operation), the safety switch 50 allows the elevator car to pass without causing an emergency stop. In an emergency stop situation the hoisting machinery brake is engaged and the power supply to the elevator hoisting motor is interrupted. The safety switch 50 may be arranged to an extension of the safety area 104 such that in the activated state it will already cause an emergency stop of the elevator 100 before the car reaches the safety area (104). In other words, it will provide extended safety space for maintenance personnel working in the elevator hoistway 12.

In some embodiments, the elevator car may have a movable or rotatable or liftable top or top hatch so that maintenance personnel can work in the safe space via the top/top hatch which is only partially located outside the car 10.

Fig. 4A and 4B show motion profiles according to an embodiment of the invention. In fig. 4A and 4B, the vertical axis 410 represents speed, the horizontal axis 420 represents position in the hoistway 12, the left side is the bottom end, and the right side is the top end. In fig. 4A, the motion curve is for the case where the elevator car 10 travels up the elevator hoistway 12. The acceleration portion 401 is typical, from zero to the nominal speed 411. The elevator car 10 is then arranged to travel according to the motion curve in the nominal speed portion 402. In the case of fig. 4A, the route of the elevator car 10 is such that it includes or is to include the safety zone 104, as described above. Thus, the deceleration portion 403 decelerates the elevator car 10 from the rated speed 411 to the maximum speed 412 allowed associated with the safety zone 104. The elevator car 10 can then be moved at the safety zone part 404 at the maximum speed 412 allowed, e.g. by the safety gear 55 intended to be in its inactive state. Finally, the terminal deceleration portion 405 refers to stopping at a terminal end of the elevator hoistway 12, such as at the top or bottom of the hoistway 12.

In fig. 4b, the motion profile is shown as it travels down the elevator hoistway 12. It can be seen that the motion profile may include corresponding portions as shown in fig. 4A.

Even though the motion curves are identical in fig. 4A and 4B, although mirror images of each other and asymmetric, they may have various shapes within the scope of the present invention. For example, the maximum speed allowed may be configured to be different, for example, at the top and bottom ends. Alternatively, the lengths of the secure areas 104 may be different relative to each other.

In various embodiments, as described above, the determination of the deceleration fault may include comparing the speed of the elevator car to a speed limit. Optionally, the speed limit is configured to decrease as the car 10 approaches the safe zone 104, so that when the brake has been activated, the speed of the car 10 may be reduced to the value of the maximum speed allowed before entering the safe zone 104. Thus, the speed of the elevator car 10 at the deceleration portion 403 can be monitored and preferably compared with the current speed of the elevator car 10 with a speed limit adapted to be reduced.

Fig. 5 shows a flow diagram of a method according to an embodiment of the invention.

Step 500 refers to the start-up phase of the method. Suitable devices and components are obtained and assembled into a system and used for operation.

Step 510 refers to receiving a request at a control unit of the elevator, e.g., an elevator controller 1000, to drive the elevator car 10 to a destination (e.g., optionally to a landing at the top or bottom of the elevator hoistway 12).

Step 520 refers to the generation of an elevator car motion profile of the service request at the control unit, which comprises at least an acceleration section 401, a nominal speed section 402 and a deceleration section 403 of the elevator car.

Step 530 refers to determining by the control unit whether a safety zone 104 exists within the route of the elevator car 10 to the destination and, if so, performing step 540.

Step 540 refers to including the safety zone portion 404 in the motion profile of the elevator car to cover the safety zone 104, wherein the speed of the safety zone portion 404 (i.e., the allowed maximum speed 412) is lower than the nominal speed 411 in the motion profile.

Method execution stops at step 599. The method can be performed each time the elevator car 10 moves.

Fig. 6A and 6B illustrate movement of an elevator car according to a motion profile according to some embodiments of the present invention. The motion profile associated with fig. 6A is intended for normal driving of the elevator car 10. Thus, the safety device 55 according to various embodiments is in an inactive state. In fig. 6A, a normal safety device 54 is disposed at the bottom of the hoistway 12. The normal safety device 54 does not extend to the elevator car route during normal driving, but the safety device 54 provides safety if the car 10 collides with the bottom of the hoistway 12 for some reason.

At 601, when the deceleration portion 403 begins, the elevator car 10 is located at a position or distance from the bottom or top floor. At 602, when the safety zone portion 404 begins, the elevator car 10 is located at a position or distance from the bottom or top floor. At 603, when the terminal deceleration portion 405 begins, the elevator car 10 is located at a position or distance from the bottom or top floor. Eventually, at 604, the elevator car 10 has stopped at the top or bottom of the hoistway 12.

The motion profile associated with fig. 6B is intended for maintenance drive of the elevator car 10. In the case of fig. 6B, the safety device 55 is a movable stop or an extension of the service drive, already arranged to provide a safety space in the top or bottom of the hoistway 12. In various embodiments, since the elevator safety monitoring system is configured to control movement of the elevator car 10, the safety device 55 may be sized for the maximum speed 412 allowed so that the elevator car 10 may collide with the safety device 55 at most at the maximum speed 412 allowed.