HK1090345B - Wireless elevator fixtures integral with door frame - Google Patents

Description

Wireless elevator securing device integrated with door frame

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a hall fixture installed in a door frame of a corridor in an integrated manner, so that all necessary devices including a control device, a wireless communication device and a power storage device are wired in advance, and building wiring for supplying power to the hall fixture of an elevator including a call button lamp, a direction indicator lamp and a floor indicator is removed; power is supplied to the hall fixtures by contact devices that draw power from the elevator when the elevator is at landing or by inductive coupling to power from the elevator when the elevator is at landing or by power generated by moving the hoistway doors when the elevator is at landing.

Background

Traditionally, each hallway fixture on each floor is powered by wires running through the hoistway, with additional wires providing signal communication between the floor and a controller that has been typically positioned at the top of the hoistway in the machine room. To reduce the number of wires, modern systems use serial communication buses that may typically require two wires for communication, two wires for providing power, one for each indicator light and call button. In new buildings, the wiring requires a long installation time and makes modernization of existing elevators very difficult. Moreover, working within the hoistway is dangerous and should be avoided if possible.

The communication aspect of hall fixtures has been made wireless by radio frequency (or other) wireless communication devices. However, there is still a need to provide power through lines that must be installed specifically within the building during the initial construction of the elevator system or as a result of modernization.

Disclosure of Invention

The objects of the present invention include: providing a completely wireless elevator hall fixture; to provide an elevator hall fixture that can receive power without requiring building wiring, especially wiring within a hoistway; and substantially no corridor fixtures installed in the building.

The present invention is based on the provision of a hallway fixture that is fully wired at the factory within a hallway door frame that includes a low power communication module, an efficient energy storage device and an energy source that does not require direct connection to building wiring.

According to the invention, the elevator door frame comprises a directional indicator light and a hall call button together with control means, a wireless communication device and an energy storage device together with means for receiving energy from the elevator car, all devices being fully wired together, so that the installation of the hall door frame completes the installation of the hall fixture. The doorway may also include an elevator position indicator.

In further accordance with the present invention, power for the hall fixtures may also be provided by a generator operating in response to hoistway door movement; or may be powered by a magnetic connection with a source on the elevator car; or may be provided by electrical contacts that operate when the elevator is at the associated landing.

The present invention eliminates the need for any wiring at any installation site and allows installation of hallway fixtures to be accomplished by installation of hall door frames alone.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent in view of the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments thereof, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a front view of a hall door frame having a fixing device and using a door-operating generator as a power source according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a rear view of the hallway door frame of fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a rear view of the hallway door frame of fig. 1 with minor modifications.

Fig. 4 is a partial rear view of a hallway door frame of the present invention using a contact device.

Figure 5 is an end view of the doorframe of figure 4.

Figure 6 is a partial, partially cut-away top view of the doorframe of figure 4.

Figure 7 is a rear view of a door frame of the present invention powered by an induction coupler.

Figure 8 is a front view of an alternative form of hall door frame according to the present invention.

Detailed Description

Referring to fig. 1, a doorway 13 at an elevator landing 14 includes a hoistway door opening 16 defined by a door frame 17. The opening 16 is closed by the hoistway doors 19, 20 except when the car is serving the landing 14 (which means stopping and opening the doors). the door frame includes a call module 22 having one or two hall call buttons in a conventional fashion such as an up call button 23 and a down call button 24. The door frame 17 also includes an indicator light fixture 27 having one or two conventional directional arrows, such as an up directional arrow 28 and a down directional arrow 29 that are selectively illuminated to indicate the direction of elevator travel. The arrow may be illuminated by a high intensity light emitting diode or in some other suitable manner to indicate the direction of the car. In the embodiment of fig. 1, the fixtures 22, 27 are powered by a generator 32, which is more clearly seen in fig. 2. The generator 32 is driven by a gear 33 coupled to a pinion 34, and the pinion 34 is rotated by a rack 35 when the opening of the cage door 20 occurs while the elevator serves passengers at the landing. Permanent magnet low voltage dc generators can easily provide about 0.014 watt-hours (50 joules) of power, which is sufficient to provide about four hours of power for typical fixture operation if low power rf technology is utilized. This may apply an additional force of about 11 pounds (about 5 kilograms) on the door operating mechanism, although other generator configurations may be utilized, if desired.

In fig. 2, the generator 32 is shown as being independently connected to the lantern fixture 27 and to the call fixture 22 by lines 38, 39 the lantern fixture 27 may have its own electronics module 42 and its own energy storage device, which may be a battery 43 or a super capacitor, all as is known in the art. Similarly, the call fixture 22 may have its own electronics module 46 and energy storage device such as a battery 47. The electronics module 42 may include monitoring and communication of power, such as via radio frequency electromagnetic radiation, and control of power applied to the directional lights 28, 29. the module 46 may include communication capabilities, monitoring of power from the battery 47, and control of the application to illuminate the up and down hall call buttons 23, 24. The modules 42, 46 may take the form of modules disclosed in co-owned co-pending patent application PCT/US02/32848 that may include modules conforming to the bluetooth specification for use in the manner described in that application other electronic modules that operate with very low power consumption and that may provide adequate control and communication may be utilized, as desired.

Fig. 3 shows that the generator 32 may be connected to only one of the fixtures, such as the lantern fixture 27, by a line 50, and the other fixture, such as the hall call fixture 22, may be powered by a line 51 from the lantern fixture. Fig. 3 also shows that a single electronic module 54 and a single energy storage device 55 may be used to power and control both fixtures 22, 27 or alternatively, an electronic module and an energy storage device may be provided within the call button fixture 22 to power and control both fixtures 22, 27.

In fig. 4-6, a pair of electrical contacts 58 are provided directly on the inner side wall 59 of the door frame 17. The contact set is pre-wired to the indicator light fixture 42 with a line 60. The elevator car door 63 has a bracket 64 on which a complementary electrical contact device 65 powered by the elevator car through a line 66 is mounted. Each time the elevator car doors are opened, the contacting devices 58, 65 are electrically connected, thereby providing power from line 66 to line 60, causing energy to be stored in the energy storage devices 43, 47, 55 (fig. 2 and 3).

Instead of using a generator or a pair of contact devices to receive power from the elevator car when the elevator car is at a landing, an inductive power link as shown in fig. 7 can be utilized. Many inductive coupling mechanisms are available in the art, any of which may be selected for use if desired. However, it may be preferable to use an effective inductive coupling 70, such as disclosed in co-owned pending patent application WO/(attorney docket No. OT-4942) filed concurrently therewith, which effective inductive coupling 70 has few turns of wire 71 but a very large ferrite core 72. On the elevator car, an inductive coupler similar to coupler 70 receives high frequency power from the bridge, rectifies it and applies it to a storage device within the indicator light fixture 27, all in a manner known in the art.

Fig. 8 shows that it is not necessary to locate the hall call fixtures 22 and the indicator light fixtures 27 within the outline of the door frame 17a, but instead the hall call fixtures 22 and the indicator light fixtures 27 may extend outwardly therefrom, thereby enabling the use of a smaller and lighter frame 17a, however, the fixtures 22, 27 may be integrated with the frame 17a, and the fixtures 22, 27 have all of the electronics, energy storage, and wiring and power transfer equipment already described above. Alternatively, the fixture may be shipped as a separate unit with the physically anchored and electrically connected plug-in devices connected to the frame.

If sufficient power is provided, either or both of the fixtures may use a variety of displays to provide the desired indication.

Claims (7)

1. An integrated doorway (13) for a landing (14) of an elevator having a controller and a car with at least one door, comprising:

a door frame (17);

at least one hoistway door;

an indicator light fixture (27) integral with the door frame;

a hall call button fixture (22) integrated with the door frame;

at least one of the fixtures has an electronics module (43, 46, 54) for controlling the fixture and for providing communication between the fixture and the controller;

at least one of the fixtures has an energy storage device (43, 47, 55) for providing operating power to the electronic module and illuminating power to the fixture;

a generator operating in response to the door movement to generate energy from the elevator to at least one energy storage device; and

a wiring disposed within the door frame for interconnecting the generator with at least one electronic module and the at least one energy storage device.

2. A doorway according to claim 1 having at least one energy storage device positioned within at least one of the fixtures.

3. A doorway according to claim 1 having at least one electronic module located within at least one of said fixtures.

4. A doorway according to claim 1 wherein said generator operates in response to a pinion interconnected to a rack provided on one of said doors.

5. A doorway according to claim 1 wherein said fixture is disposed within said door frame.

6. A doorway according to claim 1 wherein said fixture is joined to said door frame and said fixture extends outwardly from said door frame.

7. A doorway according to claim 1 wherein said fixture is integral with said door frame.