ELEVATOR LEVEL WARNING SYSTEM AND METHODS OF USE THEREOF

An elevator level warning system is provided, along with methods of use thereof. An elevator level warning system may include a controller, a laser, a sensor, and a reflector. The reflector may be a structured reflector. The elevator level warning system may also include a sensor board. The elevator level warning system may also include an indicator. The elevator level warning system may be used with an elevator system. The elevator level warning system may be used to detect that-and/or warn users that-a front cab-floor edge and a landing plane are misaligned and have a drop between them of greater than a threshold distance.

FIELD OF INVENTION

This disclosure relates generally to elevator electronics, in particular, methods and systems for monitoring the leveling of elevators and elevator doors and for warning users of improper levelling. Uses for this apparatus may include, but are not limited to, preventing dangerous conditions due to operation of, ingress to, or egress from an elevator cab when a floor of an elevator is not aligned with a floor of a building.

BACKGROUND

Elevators are a mode of transferring individuals and cargo in multiple-level buildings. Elevator cars are operated either by a hoisting machine or by hydraulic systems, which are configured to move the elevator car (or “cab” or “cabin”) in an elevator shaft (or “hoistway”) between landings. When the elevator car is arriving at a landing, the elevator car decelerates and stops at the assigned landing. To improve the accuracy of stopping the elevator car at the landing, a leveling system is used.

During the leveling operation, the elevator car is allowed to move into an unlocking zone (e.g., an area extending from above and below a floor level of the landing), in which the elevator car floor must be in order to enable the elevator door to be unlocked. Re-leveling of the elevator car is an operation that is performed after the elevator car is stopped, allowing the elevator car to be corrected during loading or unloading (if necessary).

European standards for the speed limits for leveling and re-leveling are defined. For example, in the European Committee for Standardization’s (“CEN”) European Standards EN 81-1 (Safety rules for the construction and installation of lifts - Part 1: Electric lifts) and EN 81-20 (Safety rules for the construction and installation of lifts - Lifts for the transport of persons and goods - Part 20: Passenger and goods passenger lifts), the speed limit: (1) for leveling with door(s) open is 0.8 meters-per-second (“m/s”); and (2) for re-levelling with door(s) open is 0.3 m/s. According to another example, in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers’s (“ASME”) A17.1 / CSA B44 Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators (the “ASME Standard”), the speed limit for leveling and re-leveling with door(s) open is 0.75 m/s. Furthermore, under Section 2.19 of the ASME Standard—i.e., the Unintended Car Movement Protection (“UCMP”) requirement-the elevator car shall be stopped within a predetermined distance from the landing if the elevator car moves away from the unlocking zone with an open door.

A problem with the leveling and re-leveling is that the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) (and its implementing regulations and guidances) allows for up to a 0.5-inch (“in.”) distance in the unlocking zone. In an exchange of accuracy for speed, the common 0.5-in. distance results in a tripping hazard—as evidenced by the many lawsuits that attest to the many existing tripping hazards. Other contributing factors include the stretching of the suspension means (e.g., ropes, belts, and other suspension means). Leveling issues affecting hydraulic elevators include: oil leaks in the operating valves; pipe joints; pipe ruptures due to the wrong types of pipes that might not be able to withstand the high pressures produced by the system (e.g., pipes rated according to the American National Standards Institute’s (“ANSI”) various Schedules 40 and Schedules 80 rupture at different pressures); underground corrosion on piping and cylinders (often due to electrolysis); cylinder corroding due to high water-tables; leaking piston seals at the cylinder head; hydraulic oil temperatures (oil temperature affects the oil viscosity, which affects the leveling of hydraulic elevators); and other issues. Both systems are affected by such things as: the settling of buildings; the heat of day and the cool of night; and rains that cool buildings within seconds. For example, in Florida, it is common for the temperature of building-structures to drop from 120° F. (°F) down to 60° F.

The industry needs a device to warn the public using the elevator when the elevator floor is misleveled.

The background of this invention is further explained in U.S. Provisional Pat. Application Serial No. 63/266,814, titled ELEVATOR LEVEL WARNING SYSTEM and filed on Jan. 14, 2022. The background of this invention is also further explained in U.S. Provisional Pat. Application Serial No. 63/409,366, titled ELEVATOR LEVEL WARNING SYSTEM AND METHODS OF USE THEREOF and filed on Sep. 23, 2022.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates to elevator level warning system that, among other things, checks for misleveling when an elevator door opens. If there is misleveling, then the system warns a user of the misleveling.

The present disclosure describes an elevator level warning system and methods of use thereof. In one embodiment, an elevator level warning system is disclosed including: a controller coupled to and powered by a power source; a sensor board coupled to the controller and having at least one sensor mount connected both to a laser that is capable of producing a laser beam and to a sensor that is capable of sensing the laser beam; and a reflector capable of reflecting the laser beam to the sensor, wherein the reflector is oriented with respect to the laser and sensor such that: (A) when a drop between the reflector and the sensor is less than a threshold distance, (1) the reflector substantially reflects the laser beam to the sensor and (2) the sensor senses the laser beam; and, (B) when the drop is not less than the threshold distance, (1) the reflector does not substantially reflect the laser beam to the sensor and (2) the sensor does not sense the laser beam.

In another embodiment, an elevator level warning system, for use with an elevator system having a landing (which defines a landing plane and has a landing front edge) and a front cab-floor edge, is disclosed including: a controller coupled to and powered by a power source; a sensor board coupled to the controller and having at least one sensor mount connected both to a laser that is capable of producing a laser beam and to a sensor that is capable of sensing the laser beam; and a reflector capable of reflecting the laser beam to the sensor; wherein (1) the laser and sensor are positioned with respect to the front cab-floor edge, (2) the reflector is positioned with respect to the landing front edge, and (3) the reflector is oriented with respect to the laser and sensor, such that: (i) when a drop between the front cab-floor edge and the landing plane is less than a threshold distance, (A) the reflector substantially reflects the laser beam to the sensor and (B) the sensor senses the laser beam; and, (ii) when the drop is not less than the threshold distance, (A) the reflector does not substantially reflect the laser beam to the sensor and (B) the sensor does not sense the laser beam.

In another embodiment, a structured reflector, for use in an elevator level warning system, is disclosed including: a reflecting surface having a height and capable of reflecting a laser beam; a first oblique surface; and a first front non-reflecting surface connected to the reflecting surface by the first oblique surface.

DEFINITIONS

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) in this disclosure have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art of this disclosure. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the specification and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly defined otherwise in this disclosure. For brevity or clarity, well known functions or constructions may not be described in detail.

The terms “about” and “approximately” shall generally mean an acceptable degree of error or variation for the quantity measured in light of the nature or precision of the measurements. Numerical quantities given in this description are approximate unless stated otherwise, meaning that the term “about” or “approximately” can be inferred when not expressly stated.

The terminology used throughout the disclosure is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. The singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

The terms “first,” “second,” and the like are used to describe various features or elements, but these features or elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one feature or element from another feature or element. Thus, a first feature or element discussed below could be termed a second feature or element, and similarly, a second feature or element discussed below could be termed a first feature or element without departing from the teachings of the disclosure. Likewise, terms like “top” and “bottom”; “front” and “back”; and “left” and “right” are used to distinguish certain features or elements from each other, but it is expressly contemplated that a top could be a bottom, and vice versa.

The terms “connected to,” “in connection with,” “in communication with,” or “connecting” one or more other parts refer to any suitable connection or communication, including mechanical connection, electrical connection (e.g., one or more wires), or signal-conducting channel (e.g., Bluetooth®, Near-Field Communication (NFC), or other inductive coupling or radio-frequency (RF) link).

The term “processor” may include one or more processors having processing capability necessary to perform the processing functions described herein, including but not limited to hardware logic, computer readable instructions running on a processor, or any suitable combination thereof. A processor may run software to perform the operations described herein, including software accessed in machine readable form on a tangible non-transitory computer readable storage medium, as well as software that describes the configuration of hardware such as hardware description language (HDL) software used for designing chips.

The term “memory” may refer to a tangible or non-transitory storage medium. Examples of tangible (or non-transitory) storage media include disks, thumb drives, and memory, etc., but do not include propagated signals. Tangible computer readable storage media include volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media, such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. Examples of such media include RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, SRAM, flash memory, disks or optical storage, magnetic storage, or any other non-transitory medium that stores information that is accessed by a processor or computing device.

It is to be understood that any given elements of the disclosed embodiments of the invention may be embodied in a single structure, a single step, or the like. Similarly, a given element of the disclosed embodiment may be embodied in multiple structures, steps, or the like.

The following description illustrates and describes the processes, machines, manufactures, and other teachings of the present disclosure. The disclosure shows and describes only certain embodiments of the processes, machines, manufactures, and other teachings disclosed; but as mentioned above, it is to be understood that the teachings of the present disclosure are capable of use in various other combinations, modifications, and environments and are capable of changes or modifications within the scope of the teachings of this disclosure, commensurate with the skill and knowledge of a person having ordinary skill in the relevant art. The embodiments described are further intended to explain certain best modes known of practicing the processes, machines, manufactures, and other teachings of the disclosure and to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the teachings of the disclosure in such, or other, embodiments and with the various modifications required by the particular applications or uses. Accordingly, the processes, machines, manufactures, and other teachings of the present disclosure are not intended to limit the exact embodiments and examples disclosed herein. Any section headings herein are provided only for consistency with the suggestions of 37 C.F.R. § 1.77 or otherwise to provide organizational cues. These headings shall not limit or characterize the invention(s) set forth herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As described in more detail below, elevator level warning systems and methods for using elevator level warning systems have been developed by the inventors. In addition to the description herein and in the accompanying drawings, further detail is contained in U.S. Provisional Pat. Application Serial No. 63/266,814, titled ELEVATOR LEVEL WARNING SYSTEM and filed on Jan. 14, 2022; the specifications, drawings, claims, and appendixes thereof are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. In addition to the description herein and therein and in the accompanying drawings, still further detail is contained in U.S. Provisional Pat. Application Serial No.63/409,366, titled ELEVATOR LEVEL WARNING SYSTEM AND METHODS OF USE THEREOF and filed on Sep. 23, 2022; the specifications, drawings, claims, and appendixes thereof are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. While embodiments of the elevator level warning system and methods for using an elevator level warning system for use with elevators are generally discussed and illustrated, variations could be advantageously used in many types of environments or vehicles. In other words, the teachings of this disclosure may be advantageous in other classes of transport, including other modes of cable transportation and modes of rail transportation.

FIG.1is a view of an elevator system1, as leveled. The elevator system has a cab2(or “car”) in a hoistway3(or “shaft”). The cab2has a cab door4. The cab2has a cab floor9. The cab floor9has a front cab-floor edge11. The elevator system1has a hallway door5located at each story6of the building7in which the elevator system1is installed.

The hallway door5opens onto a landing8. In some embodiments, as shown inFIG.1, the landing8is a floor of a hallway or foyer in the building7. In other embodiments, the landing8might be a raised platform or the floor of a second elevator cab. The landing has a landing front edge27. The landing defines a landing plane10. The landing plane10is a horizontal plane (i.e., a plane to which the local pull of gravity is substantially normal). Specifically, the landing front edge27is substantially within the landing plane10.

In the state shown inFIG.1, the elevator system1is “leveled”-i.e., the front cab-floor edge11is positioned in the landing plane10. This is an idealized status, rarely achieved in reality, but nominally approximated by most properly function elevators most of the time.

FIG.2Ais a view of an elevator system1, as misleveled. In this disclosure, the term “misleveled” means that the front cab-floor edge11is not positioned in the landing plane10. InFIG.2Athe front cab-floor edge11is above the landing plane10. This might create a tripping hazard for a user entering the cab2and a misstep hazard for a user exiting the cab2. The absolute value of the vertical (i.e., in the local direction of gravity) distance between the front cab-floor edge11and the landing plane is the drop38. The drop38is one effective measure of the degree of misleveling of the elevator system1.

FIG.2Bis a view of an elevator system1, as misleveled. InFIG.2Bthe front cab-floor edge11is below the landing plane10. This might create a tripping hazard for a user exiting the cab2and a misstep hazard for a user entering the cab2.

FIG.3is a schematic view of an elevator level warning system12. The elevator level warning system12has a power source13. The power source13is any suitable source of electrical power. The elevator level warning system12has a controller14. The controller14is a central processing unit (“CPU”) of the elevator level warning system12and is coupled to and powered by the power source13.

The controller14is coupled to a sensor board15. The sensor board15has at least one sensor mount16. In the embodiment shown inFIG.1, the sensor board has one sensor mount16. In other embodiments, the sensor board15has other numbers of sensor mounts-e.g., two sensor mounts, three sensor mounts, four sensor mounts, five sensor mounts, or six sensor mounts.

To each sensor mount16is connected a laser17and a sensor18. The laser17produces a laser beam19. The laser17produces a suitable laser beam—for example, a frequency-modulated laser beam, an amplitude-modulated laser beam, a continuous-wave laser beam, or a pulsed laser beam. In some embodiments, the laser beam19is unique—for example, by its modulations—to the laser17. In some embodiments, instead of a laser and a sensor, the sensor mount is connected to an emitter (e.g., an infrared emitter) and a detector (e.g., an infrared detector). While this specification generally describes elevator level warning systems having a laser and a sensor, elevator level warning systems having any suitable emitter and/or any suitable detector could be advantageously used according to the disclosures herein.

The elevator level warning system12has at least one reflector20. The reflector20is any suitable reflector of the laser beam19. The reflector20is placed such that the laser beam19will fall on the reflector20. (That is, the reflector is optically coupled to the laser17.) The reflector20is oriented such that, when the laser beam19falls on the reflector20, the reflector20reflects the laser beam19to the sensor18. (That is, the sensor18is optically coupled to the reflector20and thus to the laser17.) In some embodiments, the reflector20is a structured reflector (described in detail below with reference toFIGS.8A,8B,8C, and8D).

The sensor18is any suitable sensor of the laser beam19. The sensor18detects the laser beam19. In some embodiments, the sensor18is specifically tuned to sense the laser beam19substantially to the exclusion of other light sources (e.g., of other lasers or of sunlight). That can be accomplished by tuning the sensor18to sense a laser beam having the specific modulations of laser beam19. In some embodiments, the sensor18detects an amplitude21of the laser beam.

While the sensor18senses the laser beam19, the elevator level warning system12does not indicate that an elevator system (not specifically shown inFIG.3) is misleveled. If the sensor18stops sensing the laser beam19—or if the sensed amplitude of the laser beam19falls below a pre-determined threshold (e.g., 90%, 75%, 50%, or 25%)—then the sensor board15relays a NOT SENSING signal39to the controller14, and the elevator level warning system12indicates that an elevator system (not specifically shown inFIG.3) is misleveled.

The controller14is coupled to and controls an indicator24—e.g., a visual indicator22, an audio indicator23, or both (or any combination of multiples of either or both). In the embodiment shown inFIG.3, the elevator level warning system has one visual indicator22and one audio indicator23. But other embodiments have other combinations of visual indicators and audio indicators (or of either).

The audio indicator23may be any suitable audio indicator. For example, the audio indicator23might be a speaker, an annunciator (e.g., a voice annunciator), a horn, a klaxon, a buzzer, a bell, a whistle, or a siren. In some embodiments, the audio indicator23is a voice annunciator configured to deliver a message to a user (which message the voice annunciator might be configured to repeat at regular intervals). The message may be any suitable message. In addition, the message may be in any suitable language or code. One nonlimiting example of such a message is “Warning: watch your step; a trip hazard exists.” Another nonlimiting example of such a message is: “Warning: misleveling event.” In some embodiments, the voice annunciator might store the message in electric, magnetic, or electronic memory—for example, in a memory configured to store up to approximately 256 kilobytes of digital information or in a memory configured to store up to approximately 512 kilobytes of digital information.

The indicator24—including the audio indicator23and/or the visual indicator22—may be positioned in any suitable location. In some embodiments, the indicator24is wholly, substantially, or partially remote from the elevator system—e.g., in a control room. In some embodiments, the indicator24is positioned wholly, substantially, or partially within the cab2-e.g., in a ceiling of the cab2. In some embodiments, the indicator24is positioned wholly, substantially, or partially within a hallway or foyer in the building—e.g., near the landing8.

If the controller14receives a NOT SENSING signal39while the cab door4is open, then the controller14activates the indicator24(e.g., the visual indicator22and the audio indicator23). The indicator24(e.g., the visual indicator22and the audio indicator23) remain activated until the cab door4closes; the closing of the cab door4deactivates the indicator24(e.g., the visual indicator22and the audio indicator23).

FIG.4is a partial side view of an elevator level warning system25and an elevator system26, as leveled. The sensor board15is positioned on the cab floor4. The reflector20is positioned on the wall28of the hoistway3. The reflector20is fastened to the wall28using any suitable fastener (not specifically shown inFIG.4)—for example double-sided tape. One example of double sided tape is 3M™ VHB™ tape (available from 3M at <https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/vhb-tapes-us/> [accessed on Sep. 19, 2022; archived at <https://web.archive.org/web/20220831223235/https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/vhb-tapes-us/>]). The reflector20is positioned proximate the landing front edge27. The laser17, reflector20, and sensor18are positioned and oriented such that the laser17produces the laser beam19which is reflected by the reflector20onto the sensor18.

FIG.5is a partial side view of an elevator level warning system25and an elevator system26, as misleveled. InFIG.5the front cab-floor edge11is above the landing plane10. The drop38is large enough that the laser beam19is not reflected by the reflector20onto the sensor18; thus the sensor18stops sensing the laser beam19, and then the sensor board15relays a NOT SENSING signal (e.g., the NOT SENSING signal39shown inFIG.3) to the controller14.

FIG.6is a partial side view of an elevator level warning system25and an elevator system26, as misleveled. InFIG.6the front cab-floor edge11is below the landing plane10. The drop38is large enough that the laser beam19is not reflected by the reflector20onto the sensor18; thus the sensor18stops sensing the laser beam19, and then the sensor board15relays a NOT SENSING signal (e.g., the NOT SENSING signal39shown inFIG.3) to the controller14.

FIG.7is a partial side view of an elevator level warning system25and an elevator system26, as misleveled. InFIG.7the front cab-floor edge11is above the landing plane10. The drop38is small enough that the laser beam19is yet reflected by the reflector20onto the sensor18; thus the sensor18yet senses the laser beam19, and the sensor board15does not relay any NOT SENSING signal to the controller14.

Similarly, it can happen that, when the front cab-floor edge11is below the landing plane10, the drop38is small enough that the laser beam19is yet reflected by the reflector20onto the sensor18; thus the sensor18would yet sense the laser beam19, and the sensor board15would not relay any NOT SENSING signal to the controller14. But this scenario is not specifically shown inFIG.7.

FIG.8Ais a perspective view of a structured reflector29. A structured reflector29is made of a substantially rigid material (e.g., metal or plastic). A structured reflector29has a reflecting surface30that is configured to reflect a laser beam (e.g., laser beam19[not specifically shown inFIG.8A])—for example, by being wholly, substantially, or partially covered with reflective tape (not specifically shown inFIG.8A).

The reflecting surface30has a height40. The height40determines the size of the drop38that causes the sensor board15to send a NOT SENSING signal39to the controller14. In one exemplary embodiment, the height40may be approximately 1.0 inch; thus a drop38of greater than approximately 0.50 inches would cause the sensor board15to send a NOT SENSING signal39to the controller14. In another exemplary embodiment, the height40may be approximately 0.50 inches; thus a drop38of greater than approximately 0.25 inches would cause the sensor board15to send a NOT SENSING signal39to the controller14. In another exemplary embodiment, the height40may be approximately 0.25 inch; thus a drop38of greater than approximately 0.13 inches would cause the sensor board15to send a NOT SENSING signal39to the controller14. In another exemplary embodiment, the height40may be approximately 0.13 inch; thus a drop38of greater than approximately 0.07 inches would cause the sensor board15to send a NOT SENSING signal39to the controller14. In general, a drop38of greater than approximately half the height40would cause the sensor board15to send a NOT SENSING signal39to the controller14.

The structured reflector29may have any suitable shape. In the embodiment shown inFIG.8A, the structured reflector29has a back surface31, a first front non-reflecting surface32, the reflecting surface30, and a second front non-reflecting surface33. The first front non-reflecting surface32and the second front non-reflecting surface33are positioned in one plane which is different from—and parallel to—the plane of the reflecting surface30. In some embodiments, the first front non-reflecting surface32and the second front non-reflecting surface33are less reflective of the laser beam19than is the reflecting surface30; in some embodiments, the first front non-reflecting surface32and the second front non-reflecting surface33are wholly, substantially, or partially non-reflective of the laser beam19. In some embodiments the first front non-reflecting surface32and the second front non-reflecting surface33are less reflective—or wholly, substantially, or partially non-reflective—of the laser beam19because they wholly, substantially, or partially absorb the laser beam19; in some embodiments the first front non-reflecting surface32and the second front non-reflecting surface33are less reflective—or wholly, substantially, or partially non-reflective—of the laser beam19because they wholly, substantially, or partially scatter the laser beam19. The first front non-reflecting surface32is connected to the reflecting surface by a first oblique surface34. The second front non-reflecting surface32is connected to the reflecting surface by a second oblique surface35. The structured reflector29has a left face36and a right face37. The structured reflector29is shaped substantially as a right prism having the left face36and the right face37as its bases.

FIG.8Bis a top view of a structured reflector29.

FIG.8Cis a front view of structured reflector29.

FIG.8Dis a side view of a structured reflector29.

While the foregoing specification has described specific embodiments of this invention and many details have been put forth for the purpose of illustration or example, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the invention is susceptible to additional embodiments and that certain of the details described herein can be varied considerably without departing from the basic principles of the invention.