Terminal slowdown control for elevator system

Claim 2

A control system comprising: a structure having a hatchway and a plurality of landings, an elevator car mounted for movement in said hatchway, a plurality of spaced marker means, detector means, said spaced marker means and said detector means being mounted for relative movement in response to movement of the elevator car as it approaches a terminal landing, said marker means being spaced such that as the marker means and detector means move relative to one another, the elapsed time from marker to marker is substantially constant when the elevator car is decelerating according to a predetermined deceleration schedule, means responsive to said detector means providing a first signal responsive to said elapsed time from marker to marker, directly indicating the magnitude of speed error, means providing a first reference signal responsive to a minimum acceptable elapsed time, and first comparator means comparing said first signal and said first reference signal, said first comparator means providing an overspeed signal when the relationship between said first signal and said first reference signal indicates an overspeed condition exists.

Claim 3

The control system of claim 1 wherein the spaced marker means are mounted in the hatchway, and the detector means is mounted on the elevator car.

Claim 4

The control system of claim 1 including means providing a second reference signal responsive to an elapsed time which is less than the minimum acceptable elapsed time, and second comparator means for comparing the first signal with said second reference signal, said second comparator means providing an emergency overspeed signal when the relationship between said first signal and said second reference signal indicates an emergency overspeed condition exists.

Claim 5

A control system comprising: a structure having a hatchway and a plurality of landings, an elevator car mounted for movement in said hatchway, a plurality of spaced marker means, said spaced marker means including an elongated blade member having spaced openings therein, detector means, said spaced marker means and said detector means being mounted for relative movement in response to movement of the elevator car as it approaches a terminal landing, said marker means being spaced such that as the marker means and detector means move relative to one another, the elapsed time from marker to marker is substantially constant when the elevator car is decelerating at a substantially constant rate, means responsive to said detector means providing a first signal responsive to said elapsed time from marker to marker, means providing a first reference signal responsive to a minimum acceptable elapsed time, and first comparator means comparing said first signal and said first reference signal, said first comparator means providing an overspeed signal when the relationship between said first signal and said first reference signal indicates an overspeed conditions exists.

Claim 6

A control system comprising: a structure having a hatchway and a plurality of landings, an elevator car mounted for movement in said hatchway, a plurality of spaced marker means, said spaced marker means including an elongated blade member having spaced openings therein, detector means, said spaced marker means and said detector means being mounted for relative movement in response to movement of the elevator car as it approaches a terminal landing, said marker means being spaced such that as the marker means and detector means move relative to one another, the elapsed time from marker to marker is substantially constant when the elevator car is decelerating at a substantially constant rate, means responsive to said detector means providing a first signal responsive to said elapsed time from marker to marker, means providing a first reference signal responsive to a minimum acceptable elapsed time, and first comparator means comparing said first signal and said first reference signal, said first comparator means providing an overspeed signal when the relationship between said first signal and said first reference signal indicates an overspeed conditions exists.

Claim 7

A control system comprising: a structure having a hatchway and a plurality of landings, an elevator car mounted for movement in said hatchway, a plurality of spaced marker means, said spaced marker means including teeth formed on the edge of an elongated blade, detector means, said spaced marker means and said detector means being mounted for relative movement in response to movement of the elevator car as it approaches a terminal landing, said marker means being spaced such that as the marker means and detector means move relative to one another, the elapsed time from marker to marker is substantially constant when the elevator car is decelerating at a substantially constant rate, means responsive to said detector means providing a first signal responsive to said elapsed time from marker to marker, means providing a first reference signal responsive to a minimum acceptable elapsed time, and first comparator means comparing said first signal and said first reference signal, said first comparator means providing an overspeed signal when the relationship between said first signal and said first reference signal indicates an overspeed condition exists.

Claim 8

A control system comprising: a structure having a hatchway and a plurality of landings, an elevator car mounted for movement in said hatchway, a plurality of spaced marker means, said spaced marker means including teeth formed on the edge of an elongated blade, detector means, said spaced marker means and said detector means being mounted for relative movement in response to movement of the elevator car as it approaches a terminal landing, said marker means being spaced such that as the marker means and detector means move relative to one another, the elapsed time from marker to marker is substantially constant when the elevator car is decelerating at a substantially constant rate, means responsive to said detector means providing a first signal responsive to said elapsed time from marker to marker, means providing a first reference signal responsive to a minimum acceptable elapsed time, and first comparator means comparing said first signal and said first reference signal, said first comparator means providing an overspeed signal when the relationship between said first signal and said first reference signal indicates an overspeed condition exists.

Claim 9

A control system comprising: a structure having a hatchway and a plurality of landings, an elevator car mounted for movement in said hatchway, a plurality of spaced marker means, detector means, said detector means providing pulse signals in response to the marker means, said spaced marker means and said detector means being mounted for relative movement in response to movement of the elevator car as it approaches a terminal landing, said marker means being spaced such that as the marker means and detector means move relative to one another, the elapsed time from marker to marker is substantially constant when the elevator car is decelerating at a substantially constant rate, means responsive to said detector means providing a first signal responsive to said elapsed time from marker to marker, said first signal being a unidirectional signal which increases in magnitude as the elapsed time decreases. means providing a first reference signal responsive to a minimum acceptable elapsed time, and first comparator means comparing said first signal and said first reference signal, said first comparator means providing an overspeed signal when the relationship between said first signal and said first reference signal indicates an overspeed condition exists.

Claim 10

A control system comprising: a structure having a hatchway and a plurality of landings, an elevator car mounted for movement in said hatchway, a plurality of spaced marker means, detector means, said detector means providing pulse signals in response to the marker means, said spaced marker means and said detector means being mounted for relative movement in response to movement of the elevator car as it approaches a terminal landing, said marker means being spaced such that as the marker means and detector means move relative to one another, the elapsed time from marker to marker is substantially constant when the elevator car is decelerating at a substantially constant rate, means responsive to said detector means providing a first signal responsive to said elapsed time from marker to marker, said first signal being a unidirectional signal which increases in magnitude as the elapsed time decreases. means providing a first reference signal responsive to a minimum acceptable elapsed time, and first comparator means comparing said first signal and said first reference signal, said first comparator means providing an overspeed signal when the relationship between said first signal and said first reference signal indicates an overspeed condition exists.

Claim 11

The control system of claim 6 wherein the first signal is substantially zero when the elapsed time indicates the desired deceleration rate.

Claim 12

A control system comprising: a structure having a hatchway and a plurality of landings, an elevator car mounted for movement in said hatchway, a plurality of spaced marker means, detector means, said spaced marker means and said detector means being mounted for relative movement in response to movement of the elevator car as it approaches a terminal landing, said marker means being spaced such that as the marker means and detector means more relative to one another, the elapsed time from marker to marker is substantially constant when the elevator car is decelerating at a substantially constant rate, said detector means providing first pulse signals in response to the marker means, means responsive to the detector means providing second pulse signals of predetermined duration in response to said first pulse signals, means responsive to said second pulse signals providing a first signal responsive to the elapsed time from marker to marker, with the magnitude of the first signal being directly proportional to the rate of the second pulse signals, means providing a first reference signal responsive to a minimum acceptable elapsed time, and first comparator means comparing said first signal and said first reference signal, said first comparator means providing an overspeEd signal when the relationship between said first signal and said first reference signal indicates an overspeed condition exists.

Claim 13

A control system comprising: a structure having a hatchway and a plurality of landings, an elevator car mounted for movement in said hatchway, a plurality of spaced marker means, detector means, said spaced marker means and said detector means being mounted for relative movement in response to movement of the elevator car as it approaches a terminal landing, said marker means being spaced such that as the marker means and detector means more relative to one another, the elapsed time from marker to marker is substantially constant when the elevator car is decelerating at a substantially constant rate, said detector means providing first pulse signals in response to the marker means, means responsive to the detector means providing second pulse signals of predetermined duration in response to said first pulse signals, means responsive to said second pulse signals providing a first signal responsive to the elapsed time from marker to marker, with the magnitude of the first signal being directly proportional to the rate of the second pulse signals, means providing a first reference signal responsive to a minimum acceptable elapsed time, and first comparator means comparing said first signal and said first reference signal, said first comparator means providing an overspeEd signal when the relationship between said first signal and said first reference signal indicates an overspeed condition exists.

Claim 14

A control system comprising: a structure having a hatchway and a plurality of landings, an elevator car mounted for movement in said hatchway, a plurality of spaced marker means, detector means, said spaced marker means and said detector means being mounted for relative movement in response to movement of the elevator car as it approaches a terminal landing, said marker means being spaced such that as the marker means and detector means move relative to one another, the elapsed time from marker to marker is substantially constant when the elevator car is decelerating at a substantially constant rate, means responsive to said detector means providing a first signal responsive to said elapsed time from marker to marker, said first signal being a speed error signal having a predetermined magnitude when the elapsed time indicates the desired deceleration rate, means providing a first reference signal responsive to a minimum acceptable elapsed time, first comparator means comparing said first signal and said first reference signal, said first comparator means providing an overspeed signal when the relationship between said first signal and said first reference signal indicates an overspeed condition exists, means providing a speed signal responsive to the speed of the elevator car, and means summing the speed signal with the first signal to provide a terminal slowdown speed pattern signal which may be used to bring the elevator car to a stop when an overspeed condition is detected.

Claim 15

A control system comprising: a structure having a hatchway and a plurality of landings, an elevator car mounted for movement in said hatchway, a plurality of spaced marker means, detector means, said spaced marker means and said detector means being mounted for relative movement in response to movement of the elevator car as it approaches a terminal landing, said marker means being spaced such that as the marker means and detector means move relative to one another, the elapsed time from marker to marker is substantially constant when the elevator car is decelerating at a substantially constant rate, means responsive to said detector means providing a first signal responsive to said elapsed time from marker to marker, said first signal being a speed error signal having a predetermined magnitude when the elapsed time indicates the desired deceleration rate, means providing a first reference signal responsive to a minimum acceptable elapsed time, first comparator means comparing said first signal and said first reference signal, said first comparator means providing an overspeed signal when the relationship between said first signal and said first reference signal indicates an overspeed condition exists, means providing a speed signal responsive to the speed of the elevator car, and means summing the speed signal with the first signal to provide a terminal slowdown speed pattern signal which may be used to bring the elevator car to a stop when an overspeed condition is detected.

Claim 16

The control system of claim 9 including a motor for moving the elevator car in the hatchway, and wherein the means providing the speed signal responsive to the speed of the elevator car is provided by a tachometer responsive to the speed of the motor.