Patent Publication Number: US-11040854-B2

Title: Resetting governor sub-systems

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The following description relates to elevator or escalator safety systems and, more specifically, to an automated procedure for resetting governor sub-systems. 
     Certain elevator or escalator systems include relatively light components and sometimes experience harsh or fast stops. In some cases, there could be as many as twenty or more such stops each day and each stop could lead to a governor overspeed (OS) condition being in effect that results in the activation of an OS switch. The activation of the OS switch causes an unwanted shutdown of the elevator or escalator system without actuating of safety brakes. To reset the OS switch, a mechanic will need to visit the site and reset the system. This is time consuming and a source of service overhead. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION 
     According to an aspect of the disclosure, a method of operating an elevator or escalator system is provided. The method includes alerting a mechanic of a shutdown of a vehicle of the elevator or escalator system and providing data indicative of an occupancy condition of the vehicle to the mechanic so that the mechanic can execute, in any order, a verification of a no-occupancy condition, a switch of a mode of operation of the elevator or escalator system to a recovery mode and an inspection for faults. The method further includes initiating an overspeed (OS) switch reset routine in an event the mechanic confirms that an actuation of the OS switch is an exclusive cause of the shutdown and remotely triggers the OS switch reset routine accordingly. 
     In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the method includes providing data indicative of fault clearing to the mechanic following OS switch reset routine completion. 
     In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the mechanic is located remotely from the elevator or escalator system and the data indicative of the occupancy condition is provided via a remote connection. 
     In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the inspection for faults includes reviewing readings of sensors of the vehicle and the data indicative of the occupancy condition is generated from readings of detectors of the vehicle. 
     In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the method further includes managing a site visit in an event the mechanic confirms that a fault condition is in effect which is different from the actuation of the OS switch. 
     In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the method further includes determining if the elevator car runs normally following the providing of the data indicative of the fault clearing and managing a site visit in an event it is determined that the elevator car does not run normally following the providing of the data indicative of the fault clearing. 
     According to an aspect of the disclosure, an elevator or escalator system is provided. The elevator or escalator system includes an overspeed (OS) switch which is designed to activate when a vehicle of the elevator or escalator system meets or exceeds a predetermined velocity or acceleration condition, a sensor for detecting a condition of the vehicle, a detector for detecting occupancy of the vehicle and a communication gateway by which a remote mechanic is alerted of a shutdown event of the vehicle, the remote mechanic remotely determines whether activation of the OS switch is the exclusive cause of the shutdown event and whether the vehicle is unoccupied and the remote mechanic remotely resets the OS switch if activation of the OS switch is the exclusive cause of the shutdown event and the vehicle is unoccupied. 
     In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, in an event the vehicle is an elevator car, the elevator or escalator system further includes a structure defining a hoistway in which the elevator car is movably disposed and a governor element to control hoistway movements of the elevator car. 
     In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, a controller is receptive of data from the governor element and the sensor and is configured to determine a shutdown event cause. 
     In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the elevator car and the governor element are operable in a normal and a recovery mode. 
     In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, a remote reset of the OS switch requires current recovery mode operation. 
     In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the sensor includes one or more vibration sensors, and the detector includes one or more cameras. 
     According to an aspect of the disclosure, an elevator or escalator system is provided. The elevator or escalator system includes a structure defining a movement pathway, a vehicle movably disposed in the movement pathway, a governor element to sense movements of the vehicle in the movement pathway and a communication gateway. The governor element includes an overspeed (OS) switch which is activated when the vehicle meets or exceeds a predetermined velocity or acceleration condition, the vehicle includes a sensor for detecting a vehicle condition and a detector for detecting vehicle occupancy and the communication gateway permits a remote mechanic to be alerted to a shutdown event, remotely determine from sensor and detector output whether activation of the OS switch is the exclusive cause of the shutdown event and whether the vehicle is unoccupied, and remotely reset the OS switch if activation of the OS switch is the exclusive cause of the shutdown event and the vehicle is unoccupied. 
     In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the movement pathway, the vehicle and the governor element are plural in number and are independently operable. 
     In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the governor element is a machine room-less (MRL) governor element. 
     In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the vehicle and the governor element are operable in a normal and a recovery mode. 
     In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, a remote reset of the OS switch requires current recovery mode operation. 
     In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the sensor includes one or more vibration sensors and the detector includes one or more cameras. 
     In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, a controller is receptive of data from the governor element, the sensor and the detector. 
     In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the controller is configured to determine a shutdown event cause. 
     These and other advantages and features will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The subject matter, which is regarded as the disclosure, is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other features and advantages of the disclosure are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an elevator system in accordance with embodiments; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of a governor element of the elevator system of  FIG. 1  in accordance with embodiments; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of a controller of the elevator system of  FIG. 1  in accordance with embodiments; and 
         FIG. 4  is a flow diagram illustrating a method of operating an elevator or escalator system in accordance with embodiments. 
     
    
    
     These and other advantages and features will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As will be described below, an approach to reset the overspeed (OS) switch on elevator or escalator systems without requiring a technician&#39;s jobsite visit is provided. The approach makes use of sensors for smart service and a connected elevator or escalator system whereby a remote mechanic is empowered with tools to reset the OS switch. The approach includes alerting of a mechanic of a shutdown, a mechanic confirming shutdown remotely and using a camera or a motion detector/load weighing information to check for occupancy. The approach further includes the mechanic checking controller fault logs and confirming that only the OS switch has actuated and the mechanic using sensor data to verify that the OS switch trip was because of an OS condition or any other reason. When it is determined that the car is empty and if the OS switch trip was due to any reason other than an OS condition, the approach also includes the mechanic sending a signal to a controller to reset the OS switch. The logic to reset the OS switch either can be automated in the controller or it could be processed in a remote system and/or on a mechanic&#39;s phone. 
     While the description provided herein can relate to any passenger movement system, such as an elevator system or an escalator system, the following description will relate only to the case of the elevator system. This is done for purposes of clarity and brevity and should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the description in any manner. 
     With reference to  FIG. 1 , an elevator system  10  is provided and includes a structure  11  defining a movement pathway or hoistway  12 , a vehicle or an elevator car  13  that is movably disposed in the hoistway  12 , a governor element  14  to control movements of the elevator car  13  in the hoistway  12  and a communication gateway  15 . 
     While the governor element  14  is shown as a traditional roped top of the hoistway governor, embodiments of the invention are not so limited. The governor element  14  may be located at any desired location in the hoistway  12  including the bottom, on the elevator car  13  or elsewhere. Moreover, the invention is not limited to roped governors and may also apply to electronic governor assemblies as well as all other known governor assemblies. In one embodiment, the governor element  14  may be a machine room-less (MRL) governor. 
     With reference to  FIG. 2 , the exemplary governor element  14  includes a governor  140  which is coupled to the elevator car  13  and configured to monitor upward and downward movements of the elevator car  13  in the hoistway  12  and an overspeed (OS) switch  141 . The OS switch  141  is trippable by excessively fast upward or downward movements and/or accelerations of the elevator car  13  in the hoistway  12 . 
     The elevator car  13  is a generally rectangular body  130  with doors that open and close to permit passenger entry and exit at each floor of the structure  11  that is serviced by the elevator system  10  and a user interface by which the passengers can indicate which floors to which they want to move. The elevator car  13  further includes a sensor  131  and a detector  132 . The sensor  131  may be provided as one or more sensors  131 , such as vibration sensors or accelerometers configured for detecting vibration of the elevator car  13  during normal and abnormal operations of the elevator system  10 . In particular, the sensor  131  may be provided as a vibration sensor that is configured to detect vibration of the elevator car  13  before, during or after a shutdown event with respect to the elevator car  13 . The detector  132  may be provided as one or more detectors, such as one or more cameras, microphones, pressure mats or other known sensors for detecting an occupancy condition of the elevator car  13 . 
     In accordance with embodiments, the elevator system  10  or, more particularly, the elevator car  13  may include a controller  16 . The controller  16  is receptive of data from at least one of the governor element  14 , the sensor  131  and the detector  132  and is configured to determine a cause of a shutdown event. For example, in an event of a shutdown event of the elevator car  13  where the OS switch  141  is tripped and the governor element  14  sends a corresponding OS switch trip signal to the controller  16  but the sensor  131  does not report any unusual vibration, the controller  16  may determine that the OS switch trip was the sole or exclusive cause of the shutdown event of the elevator car  13 . By contrast, in an event of a shutdown event of the elevator car  13  where the OS switch  141  is tripped and the governor element  14  sends a corresponding OS switch trip signal to the controller  16 . The controller  16  may determine that the OS switch trip was not the sole or exclusive cause of the shutdown event of the elevator car  13  in an event the sensor  131  also reported that unusual or abnormal vibrations levels were experienced by the elevator car  13  (i.e., due to the elevator car  13  falling unusually fast for a moment and then stopping quickly). 
     With reference to  FIG. 3 , the controller  16  may include a processing unit  160 , a memory unit  161  and a networking unit  162  which is disposed in signal communication with at least the governor element  14 , the sensor  131  and the communication gateway  15 . The memory unit  161  has executable instructions stored thereon, which are readable and executable by the processing unit  160 . When read and executed by the processing unit  160 , the executable instructions cause the processing unit  160  to operate substantially as described herein. 
     In accordance with embodiments, the elevator car  13  and the governor element  14  are operable in normal and recovery modes. 
     Although  FIG. 1  illustrates the elevator system  10  with a single hoistway  12 , a single elevator car  13  and a single governor element  14 , it is to be understood that this is not required and that the elevator system  10  may include multiple independently controllable or operable hoistways  12 , elevator cars  13  and governor elements  14 . 
     The communication gateway  15  may be provided as a transmission/reception module which is communicative with various components of the elevator system  10  as described above and with an external communication device of a remote mechanic (e.g., a smartphone or computing device). The communication gateway  15  permits the remote mechanic to be alerted to a shutdown event of the elevator car  13  and to remotely determine from output of the sensor  131  and the controller  16  whether the OS switch  141  is or has been actuated as an exclusive cause of the shutdown event and from output of the detector  132  whether the elevator car  13  is unoccupied. The communication gateway  15  is further configured to permit the remote mechanic to remotely engage the recovery mode of operation of the elevator system  10  and/or the elevator car  13  and to remotely reset the OS switch  141  if the OS switch  141  is actuated as the exclusive cause of the shutdown event of the elevator car  13  and if the elevator car  13  is unoccupied. 
     With reference to  FIG. 4 , a method of operating the elevator system  10  will now be described. As shown in  FIG. 4 , the method includes alerting a remote mechanic of a shutdown event of the elevator car  13  of the elevator system  10  (block  401 ) whereupon the remote mechanic can initiate a remote connection by way of the communication gateway  15  (block  402 ) and determine from an output of the detector  132  or, in some cases, the sensor  131  whether the elevator car  13  is unoccupied (block  403 ). Here, the output of the detector  132  (and the sensor  131 ) may be provided upon request as data indicative of an occupancy condition of the elevator car  13  to the remote mechanic so that the remote mechanic can verify a no-occupancy condition. In addition, by way of the communication gateway  15 , once the remote mechanic verifies or confirms the no-occupancy condition, the remote mechanic can cause the elevator system  10  and/or the elevator car  13  to switch to the recovery mode (block  404 ). In addition, the remote mechanic can then determine with or without the use or input of the controller  16  the cause of the shutdown event from an output of the sensor  131  (block  405 ). 
     In an event the cause of the shutdown event is determined to be exclusively a tripping of the OS switch  141  and the elevator car  13  is determined to be unoccupied (block  406 ), the remote mechanic can then cause the elevator system  10  and/or the elevator car  13  to remotely initiate an OS switch reset routine (block  407 ). At this point, following OS switch reset routine completion, the method further includes providing data indicative of fault clearing from the controller  16  and to the remote mechanic by way of the communication gateway  15  (block  408 ). Next, it is determined whether the elevator car  13  returns to normal operations (block  409 ). Such determining may be based, for example, on additional data being generated by the sensor  131  and the detector  132  and then forwarded or transmitted to the remote mechanic by way of the remote gateway  15 . Then, in an event the elevator car  13  is determined to have returned to normal operation, an incident descriptive alert is generated and issued (block  410 ). 
     In an event the cause of the shutdown event is determined to be not exclusively based on the tripping of the OS switch  141  or in an event the elevator car  13  does not return to normal operation as determined during block  409  following the provision of data indicative of the fault clearing of block  408 , the method may also include managing a site visit. Such management of the site visit may be characterized by, for example, preparation for and scheduling of the site visit, notifying a building manager of the elevator car  13  being out of service, etc. (block  411 ). 
     Benefits of the features described herein are that remote mechanics do not have to visit job sites for OS resets and that safety systems can be monitored remotely with remote intervention capability. 
     While the disclosure is provided in detail in connection with only a limited number of embodiments, it should be readily understood that the disclosure is not limited to such disclosed embodiments. Rather, the disclosure can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are commensurate with the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Additionally, while various embodiments of the disclosure have been described, it is to be understood that the exemplary embodiment(s) may include only some of the described exemplary aspects. Accordingly, the disclosure is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.