Procedure and apparatus for controlling a hydraulic elevator during approach to a landing

Abstract: Procedure and apparatus for controlling a hydraulic elevator during approach to a landing, in which the speed of the elevator and the temperature of the hydraulic fluid are measured. The deceleration point is corrected on the basis of the speed and temperature information. The elevator passes a deceleration flag (13a, 13b) while approaching a landing. At temperatures exceeding a given reference temperature, the normal deceleration point is shifted from the leading edge of the deceleration flag (13a,13b) to its trailing edge and the actual deceleration point is delayed in relation to the trailing edge of the flag depending on the elevator speed and oil temperature. At temperatures below the given reference temperature, deceleration occurs from the leading edge without delay.

Description: The present invention relates to a procedure and an apparatus for controlling a hydraulic elevator during approach to a landing, as defined in the introductory part of claim 1. At present, hydraulic elevators with an on-off type hydraulic control system (open system) have the drawback that the length of the creeping distance during approach to a landing varies essentially with the load (pressure) and oil temperature (change in viscosity). In certain operational circumstances, this variation may become excessively large and have a negative effect on the capacity of the elevator. A long creep distance usually also involves an accelerating rise in the oil temperature and may necessitate extra cooling. In practice, the variations in the creep distance mean that in normal operating temperature this distance must be quite long to ensure that, e.g. during its first drives in the morning (low oil temperature), the elevator will not move past the landing when stopping. When the oil temperature is high, the creep distance usually becomes considerably longer, resulting in a reduced elevator capacity and an increased rate of rise of the oil temperature. The effect of the load means e.g. that, during up-travel at a given temperature, the creep distance for a car with full load is substantially longer than for an empty car. Correction of the deceleration point to achieve a shorter and more constant creep distance for varying loads and temperatures has been known for a long time. One way to accomplish this is as proposed in US patent 4 534 452, in which a suitable delay at the next decelaration point is selected before start on the basis of load and temperature information. What happens from start to deceleration point regarding changes in oil temperature or load variations due e.g. to variations in guide friction is not taken into account at all. Besides, producing the load information requires a weighing device, which is often expensive if it is to give a sufficient accuracy. DE 37 20 437 A proposes a control method for hydraulic elevators whereby the speed and position of the elevator car is measured by means of a speed sensing tachometer, which requires space and is expensive. The object of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks by obtaining temperature and speed information immediately before the deceleration point without an extra tachometer, and to control the elevator during approach to a landing with the aid of speed and temperature information. This object is solved by the features of claims 1 and 3. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are subject matter of the subclaims. This invention enables the elevator's travel time to the landing to be shortened and rendered practically independent of the load and temperature variations. In the following, the invention is described in detail by the aid of an example by referring to the drawings attached, in which Fig. 1 presents a hydraulic elevator system. Figs. 2a and 2b present deceleration distances for different oil temperatures. Fig. 3 shows a circuit diagram according to the invention. Figs. 4a and 4b present deceleration and creep distances for elevators with and without the control system of the invention. Fig. 5 presents the output voltage of an operational amplifier. In Fig. 1, the control system is designated by reference number 1, the three-phase squirrel-cage motor by 2, the hydraulic pump connected to the motor by 3, the lifting cylinder by 4 and the elevator car by 5. In addition, the system comprises an oil tank 6, an openable check valve 7, its actuator (magnetic valve) 8, a pressure limiting safety valve 9 and its switch 10, a safety valve 11 sensing the velocity of flow (in case of pipe damage), an impulse coupling 12 fitted to the top of the elevator car, and two metal vanes 13a, 13b attached to a wall of the elevator shaft. Immersed in the oil is an NTC resistor 14. The impulse coupling and the NTC resistor are connected to the control system 1. During upward motion of the elevator, the hydraulic pump 3 pumps hydraulic fluid via the check valve 7 into the lifting cylinder 4 at a rate determined by the electric motor 2. When the elevator is to move downwards, the check valve 7 is opened by means of the magnetic valve 8 so that the hydraulic fluid can flow from the lifting cylinder 4 back into the hydraulic pump 3. According to the invention, control of the elevator during approach to a landing is based on two different information channels. Partly information about the elevator speed before the deceleration point, obtained by measuring the time required for the impulse coupling 12 to pass the deceleration flag (two metal vanes 13a and 13b), partly information about the oil temperature, obtained by measuring the change of resistance in the NTC resistor 14. In both cases, the information is processed and combined in an executive unit in the control system 1, which actively delays the deceleration point so that the distance for decelerated approach to the landing will vary but minimally with varying load and oil temperature. The basic principle is as follows (see Fig. 2a and 2b): The normal deceleration point at the leading edge of the deceleration flag (deceleration flag up FU and deceleration flag down FN) is shifted to its trailing edge when the oil temperature exceeds a given reference temperature, e.g. +25°C. The actual deceleration point is then delayed more or less (in relation to the trailing edge of the flag) depending on the load (speed) and temperature. For example, at oil temperatures below +25°C, deceleration occurs from the leading edge of the flag without delay. S1U and S1N represent the deceleration distances up and down for oil temperatures below +25°C, and S2U, S2N, S3U and S3N the deceleration distances for oil temperatures above +25°C for different loads and oil temperatures. Fig. 3 shows a simplified circuit diagram for implementing the control system. Deceleration is controlled by means of a relay Re1, which is connected in series with a LED L2 and a transistor T1. The transistor T1 is controlled by a series-connection of a resistor R1, a diode D2, a transistor T2 (conducting up/down) and another transistor T3. Connected between resistor R1 and diode D2 is a transistor Tô, which conducts when the elevator is not on the deceleration flag (the oscillator sensor 12 is not active when the sensor is on the deceleration flag). The signal from the NTC resistor 14 is passed via diode D3 and resistor R2 to an operational amplifier OP1, in which feedback occurs via resistor R3. One input (+) is connected to a positive voltage V+ via resistors R4 - R6. This voltage can be blocked with a contact X2. The output of the operational amplifier OP1 is connected to two variable resistors R3U (up) and R3N (down), whose outputs are connected to corresponding transistors T3U (up) and T3N (down). Temperature compensation is adjusted by means of these variable resistors. Both transistors are connected via resistor R7 to an operational amplifier OP2. The signal from the NTC resistor 14 is also connected to an operational amplifier OP3 via a series connection of resistors R8 and R9. Their other terminals have the positive voltage V+. The other input of the operational amplifier OP3 is connected to the positive voltage V+ via resistors R10 and R11. Connected between these resistors is another resistor R12. By changing this resistor, the reference temperature can be changed. The output of operational amplifier OP3 is connected to the control electrode of transistor T3 via LED L3 and diode D4. The delay can be prevented by means of the signal BLOCK, which is connected to transistor T3 via diode D5 and resistor R13. For up-travel, the 0-setting of the delay at the reference temperature is effected by means of resistors R11U (variable) and R12U, connected in series between the V+ voltage and zero, and transistor T1U (up), connected to the output of the variable resistor, and for down-travel by means of resistors R11N and R12N and transistor T1N (down). Both transistors are connected to transistor To, which conducts when the elevator is on the deceleration flag (the oscillator sensor 12 is active when the sensor is on the deceleration flag), and via resistor R14 to an integrating circuit consisting of an operational amplifier OP4, a capacitor C1, diodes D6, D7 and Z1 (Zener) and resistors R15-R17. Load compensation is adjusted by means of a corresponding circuit, consisting of resistors R21U and R22U (variable) and transistor T2U for up-travel, and resistors R21N and R22N, transistor T2N and resistors R2U and R2N, which are connected to the integrating circuit via transistor Tô', which conducts when the elevator is not on the deceleration flag (the oscillator sensor 12 is not active when the sensor is on the deceleration flag). The output of the integrating circuit is connected via a resistor R19 to the operational amplifier OP2. Resistors R2U and R2N are also connected via diodes D8 and D9 and resistors R18 and R20 to the control electrode of a transistor T4, which is connected in series with a LED L1 and a resistor R21. The output of operational amplifier OP2 is connected via contact X1 and diode D10 to a point between diode D2 and transistor T2. The positive voltage V+ is connected via resistors R22 - R24 to this operational amplifier. At temperatures exceeding the reference temperature, the signal from the NTC resistor 14 is passed via operational amplifier OP1 and transistor T3U or T3N to operational amplifier OP2. The load compensation and 0-setting signal is also passed to OP2 via the integrating circuit. The deceleration point is shifted in accordance with the comparation between these two signals by applying the output signal to the control electrode of transistor T1 so that relay Re1 is activated. At temperatures below the reference temperature, the output of operational amplifier OP3 is high and the signal is passed via LED L3 and diode D4 to the control electrode of transistor T3, which starts to conduct. Transistor T1 is turned off (non-conducting) and relay Re1 is not activated at the deceleration flag and after it. In Figs. 2a and 2b, the relay Re1 is not activated while the elevator is passing through the deceleration distances S1U and S1N, operational amplifier OP3 is high, transistor T3 conducts and transistor T1 is off. During deceleration through distances S2U, S3U, S2N and S3N, the relay Re1 is activated (bolder arrow). Figs. 4a and 4b illustrate the deceleration and creep distance in the case of an elevator with the control system of the invention (Fig. 4a) and an elevator without it. The arrow indicates the deceleration point. The load is assumed to be 0 and the oil temperature +40°C. As shown by the figures, the system of the invention achieves a significant reduction in the creep distance (speed 0.05 m/s for 1s in Fig. 4a and 6s in Fig. 4b). Fig. 5 represents the voltage A at the flag in Fig. 3 and the delay. The delay ends at a voltage determined at point B. It is obvious to a person skilled in the art that the invention is not restricted to the example described above, but that it may instead be varied within the scope of the following claims.

Claims: Method for controlling a hydraulic elevator during approach to a landing, in which the speed of the elevator and the temperature of the hydraulic fluid are measured, in which the deceleration point is corrected on the basis of the speed and temperature information, and in which the elevator passes a deceleration flag (13a,13b) while approaching a landing, characterized in that, at temperatures exceeding a given reference temperature, the normal deceleration point is shifted from the leading edge of the deceleration flag (13a,13b) to its trailing edge and the actual deceleration point is delayed in relation to the trailing edge of the flag depending on the elevator speed and the oil temperature, and at temperatures below the given reference temperature deceleration occurs from the leading edge of the flag without delay, and in that the elevator speed is measured by measuring the time required for a sensor mounted on the elevator car to pass the deceleration flag (13a,13b). Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the speed of the elevator and the temperature of the hydraulic fluid are measured essentially just before the deceleration point. Apparatus designed to implement the procedure of claim 1 for controlling a hydraulic elevator during approach to a landing, said apparatus comprising means (14) for measuring the temperature of the hydraulic fluid, a control unit (1) for correcting the deceleration point on the basis of speed and temperature information, and a sensor (12) attached to the elevator car and passing a deceleration flag (13a,13b) during approach to a landing, characterized in that, at temperatures exceeding a given reference temperature, the control unit shifts the normal deceleration point from the leading edge of the deceleration flag (13a, 13b) to its trailing edge and delays the actual deceleration point in relation to the trailing edge of the flag depending on the elevator speed and the oil temperature, and at temperatures below the given reference temperature controls the deceleration so that it occurs from the leading edge of the flag without delay, the control unit obtaining the elevator speed by measuring the time required for the sensor attached to the elevator car to pass the deceleration flag. Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the control unit comprises a relay (Re1) or equivalent for the control of deceleration, a semiconductor device (T1) connected in series with the relay, said device being controlled, to allow adjustment of temperature compensation, by means of an operational amplifier circuit (OP1) connected to the means (14) measuring the temperature of the hydraulic fluid, a circuit for load compensation and a circuit for 0-setting of the delay, the two last-mentioned circuits being connected to an integrating operational amplifier (OP4), and that the outputs of the operational amplifier circuit as well as the integrating amplifier are connected to a comparator circuit (OP2), which controls the semiconductor device (T1) at temperatures exceeding the given reference temperature. Apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the operational amplifier circuit (OP1), the circuit for adjustment of load compensation and the circuit for 0-setting of the delay comprise separate elements for up-travel and down-travel of the elevator. Apparatus according to claim 3, 4 or 5, characterized in that the control unit comprises means for controlling deceleration at temperatures below the given reference temperature.

Inventors: ERIKSSON ARVID, ERIKSSON, ARVID
Applicants: KONE ELEVATOR GMBH
Application year: 1991
Main classification: B66B1
IPC codes: B66B1