JP7488169B2 - Elevators and elevator control methods - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an elevator that raises and lowers a passenger car and a method for controlling the elevator.

A ventilation fan is installed in the elevator car to ventilate the inside of the car. Dust floating in the elevator shaft may accumulate on the surface of the ventilation fan. In response to this, a device for removing dust accumulated on the surface of the ventilation fan has been proposed, for example, which is "installed in an elevator equipped with a ventilation fan 2, and includes a determination unit 72 that determines whether the ventilation fan 2 has been stopped for a predetermined time and whether the car 1 is unoccupied, and a control unit 73 that controls the opening and closing operation of the car door 3 and the rotation speed of the ventilation fan 2 according to the determination result by the determination unit 72, and when the determination unit 72 determines that the ventilation fan 2 is stopped and that the car is unoccupied, the control unit 73 operates the ventilation fan 2 at a rotation speed higher than a predetermined rotation speed with the car door 3 open" (see Patent Document 1).

JP 2014-15282 A

The prior art describes removing dust that has accumulated on the surface of a ventilation fan, but does not describe ventilating the interior of the car depending on the condition inside the car, for example, ventilating the interior of the car when it becomes crowded. In other words, it is desirable to ventilate the interior of the car after it becomes crowded with passengers.

The object of the present invention is to ventilate the inside of a car when ventilation start conditions are met after the car is in operation.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides an elevator including one or more unit controllers, each of which controls a car drive device that drives a car moving along a building elevator shaft to raise and lower the car, a ventilation fan that ventilates the inside of the car, and a door opening and closing device that opens and closes the car door, in a manner corresponding to the number of cars, the elevator further including a group controller that transmits and receives information to and from each of the two or more unit controllers, the unit controller controlling the car drive device to perform an operation to move the car, and then, when it is determined that a ventilation start condition is satisfied, controlling the door opening and closing device to open the car door and controlling the ventilation fan to start a ventilation operation, measuring a ventilation time due to the ventilation operation of the ventilation fan from the time when the ventilation fan starts the ventilation operation, and when the measured value of the ventilation time due to the measurement reaches a ventilation operation completion time, controlling the ventilation fan to start the ventilation operation. and stops the ventilation operation, and sets a ventilation operation completion flag, which is operation record information of the ventilation fan, from off to on, and when the group controller detects a hall call due to the output of a hall button arranged in the hall of the building, retrieves information of the ventilation operation completion flag from each of the unit controllers, and for a unit controller among the unit controllers for which the ventilation operation completion flag is set to on, assigns a car to be operated by that unit controller to the unit responding to the hall call, and when there is no unit controller among the unit controllers for which the ventilation operation completion flag is set to on, retrieves a measured value of the ventilation time from each of the unit controllers, and for a unit controller among the unit controllers for which the measured value of the ventilation time is maximum, assigns a car to be operated by that unit controller to the unit responding to the hall call .

According to the present invention, after the car is operated, the inside of the car can be ventilated if the ventilation start condition is met.

1 is a configuration diagram showing the overall configuration of an elevator according to an embodiment of the present invention. 4 is a flowchart for explaining a process of a unit controller according to an embodiment of the present invention. 11 is a flowchart for explaining the processing of a group controller according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the hardware configuration of a computer that realizes a group controller or an individual unit controller.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing the overall configuration of an elevator according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, an elevator 1 is configured as an elevator system including a group controller 10, a car controller 100, a car controller 200, and a car controller 300. The group controller 10 and each of the car controllers 100 to 300 are disposed in a building (not shown) having a hoistway through which a plurality of cars (not shown) ascend and descend. Each of the car controllers 100 to 300 is connected to the group controller 10 via a network (not shown). The car controller 100 controls the operation of the car of the first car, the car controller 200 controls the operation of the car of the second car, and the car controller 300 controls the operation of the car of the third car. Since each of the car controllers 100 to 300 has the same configuration, the car controller 100 will be mainly described below.

The group controller 10 is a control device that transmits and receives information to and from each of the unit controllers 100-300 to control the unit controllers 100-300 in an integrated manner, and includes a hall call detection unit 11, an allocation determination unit 12, and a standby determination unit 13. The hall call detection unit 11 is connected to a hall button 20 installed in the elevator hall (not shown) of the building. When a passenger operates the hall button 20, the hall call detection unit 11 detects that the hall button 20 has been operated, and outputs a detection signal indicating a hall call to the allocation determination unit 12 and the standby determination unit 13. The allocation determination unit 12 monitors the car operation status and car ventilation status by each of the unit controllers 100-300, determines which of units 1-3 should be assigned to respond to the hall call, and outputs the determination result to each of the unit controllers 100-300. At this time, the allocation determination unit 12 assigns, for example, the car closest to the hall (the car that can respond the fastest) and whose ventilation operation completion flag is on (the car whose ventilation operation has been completed) to respond to the hall call. The standby determination unit 13 monitors the car operation status and car ventilation status by each of the car controllers 100-300, determines which of the cars 1-3 should be placed on standby at the standby floor, and outputs the determination result to each of the car controllers 100-300.

The car controller 100 is a computer device that includes an operation control unit 101, a safety circuit control unit 102, a car call detection unit 103, a load detection unit 104, a door opening/closing control unit 105, a ventilation fan control unit 106, a waiting time measurement timer 107, and a ventilation time measurement timer 108, and is configured as a control device that controls the operation of the car of car No. 1.

The operation control unit 101 is connected to a safety circuit control unit 102, a car call detection unit 103, a load detection unit 104, a door opening/closing control unit 105, a ventilation fan control unit 106, a standby time measurement timer 107, and a ventilation time measurement timer 108, and is also connected to a hoist 121 arranged on the roof of the building, and a display 122 arranged in the car for displaying information. The hoist 121 is configured as a car drive device that drives the car to rise and fall. Furthermore, the operation control unit 101 is connected to an allocation determination unit 12 and a standby determination unit 13 of the group controller 10.

A safety circuit 123 of the car (No. 1) is connected to the safety circuit control unit 102, a destination floor button 124 in the car is connected to the car call detection unit 103, a load sensor 125 that detects a load acting on the car is connected to the load detection unit 104, a door switch 126 that detects the opening and closing of the car door and a door machine 127 that drives the opening and closing of the car door are connected to the door opening and closing control unit 105, and a ventilation fan 128 that ventilates the inside of the car is connected to the ventilation fan control unit 106. The door machine 127 is configured as a door opening and closing device that opens and closes the car door.

The operation control unit 101 controls the operation of the car by transmitting and receiving information to and from the allocation determination unit 12 and standby determination unit 13 of the group controller 10, and also controls the operation of the car in response to a detection signal from the car call detection unit 103, and controls the start and stop of the standby time measurement timer 107 and the ventilation time measurement timer 108. In addition, when controlling the operation of the car, the operation control unit 101 generates various commands based on the detection signal from the car call detection unit 103 and the detection signal from the load detection unit 104, and the judgment results of the allocation determination unit 12 and standby determination unit 13 of the group controller 10, and outputs each generated command to the safety circuit control unit 102, the door opening/closing control unit 105, the ventilation fan control unit 106, or the hoist 121.

The safety circuit control unit 102 controls the safety circuit 123 based on commands from the operation control unit 101 and outputs the control results to the operation control unit 101. The safety circuit 123 is composed of, for example, a cutoff circuit that cuts off the power supply to the motor built into the hoist 121 and a cutoff circuit that cuts off the power supply to the door machine 127.

When a passenger operates the destination floor button 124 in the car, the car call detection unit 103 outputs a car call detection signal indicating the destination floor of the car to the operation control unit 101. At this time, the operation control unit 101 generates a command to move the car to the destination floor, outputs the generated command to the hoist 121, and records the operation history of the hoist 121 (the history of turning on and off the motor built into the hoist 121) in a log as the operation history or running history of the car.

The load detection unit 104 outputs a load detection signal indicating a load detection value from a load sensor 125 that detects the load acting on the car to the operation control unit 101. At this time, if the load detection value from the load detection signal is equal to or greater than a predetermined load detection value, for example, if the load detection value is equal to or greater than the predetermined value = average weight per person (65 kg) x capacity x 0.4, the operation control unit 101 determines that the car is crowded with passengers.

The door opening/closing control unit 105 receives a door opening signal indicating that the door is open or a door closing signal indicating that the door is closed from a door switch 126 that detects the open/closed state of the car door, and outputs the door opening signal or door closing signal to the operation control unit 101. The operation control unit 101 generates a command based on the door opening signal or door closing signal from the door switch 126, and outputs the generated command to the door opening/closing control unit 105. The door opening/closing control unit 105 drives the door machine 127 in response to the command and controls the opening and closing of the car door.

When the ventilation fan control unit 106 receives a command to control the operation of the ventilation fan 128 from the operation control unit 101, it controls the operation of the ventilation fan 126 in response to the received command.

After operating the car in response to a car call or hall call (after the car service is terminated), the operation control unit 101 judges whether the ventilation start condition is satisfied, and generates a command to control the operation of the ventilation fan 128 when the ventilation start condition is satisfied. At this time, the operation control unit 101 checks whether a predetermined time has elapsed in a call-free standby state and whether the safety circuit 123 operates normally. For example, when there is no car call detected by the car call detection unit 103 and no hall call from the group controller 10, the driving of the motor built into the hoist 121 is stopped, and the car is in a stopped state, that is, when there is no car call or hall call and the car is in a stopped call-free standby state, the operation control unit 101 records in a log that the car has entered a call-free standby state and starts the standby time measurement timer 107. Thereafter, if the measurement value of the standby time measurement timer 107 becomes equal to or exceeds a predetermined value and a control result indicating that the safety circuit 123 is operating normally is obtained from the safety circuit control unit 102, the operation control unit 101 determines that all ventilation start conditions are satisfied and generates a command to control the operation of the ventilation fan 128.

When the operation control unit 101 starts the operation of the ventilation fan 128, it sets the ventilation operation completion flag, which is the operation record information of the ventilation fan 128, to OFF, resets the value (timer value) of the ventilation time measurement timer 108, and starts the ventilation time measurement timer 108. At this time, the operation control unit 101 outputs information that the ventilation operation completion flag is OFF and the value (measurement value) of the ventilation time measurement timer 108 to the allocation determination unit 12 and the standby determination unit 13. When the ventilation operation by the ventilation fan 128 is completed and the operation of the ventilation fan 128 is stopped, the operation control unit 101 stops the start of the ventilation time measurement timer 108, sets the ventilation operation completion flag from OFF to ON, and outputs information on the value (measurement value) of the ventilation time measurement timer 108 and information that the ventilation operation completion flag is ON to the allocation determination unit 12 and the standby determination unit 13.

Figure 2 is a flow chart for explaining the processing of the car controller according to an embodiment of the present invention. This processing is executed continuously during the time period when the car is in service. In Figure 2, the operation control unit 101 refers to the log that records the operation history of the hoist 121 and judges whether the car (No. 1) was traveling due to a car call (S201). If the operation control unit 101 obtains a negative (NO) judgment result in step S201, that is, if the car was not traveling due to a car call, it repeats this processing. On the other hand, if the operation control unit 101 obtains a positive (YES) judgment result in step S201, that is, if the car was traveling due to a car call, it takes in a load detection signal from the load detection unit 104 and judges whether the car was traveling at a load equal to or greater than a predetermined load detection value (S202).

If the operation control unit 101 obtains a negative determination result in step S202, i.e., if the car is not traveling with a load equal to or greater than the predetermined load detection value, the operation control unit 101 proceeds to the process of step S201 and repeats the processes of steps S201 to S202. On the other hand, if the operation control unit 101 obtains a positive determination result in step S202, i.e., if the car is traveling with a load equal to or greater than the predetermined load detection value (if the car is traveling with many passengers crowded together), the operation control unit 101 turns off the ventilation operation completion flag and resets the value (measured value) of the ventilation time measurement timer 108 (S203).

Next, the operation control unit 101 refers to a log that records the operating state of the car, and also takes in the measured value of the waiting time measurement timer 107 to determine whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed in a no-call waiting state (S204). If the operation control unit 101 obtains a negative determination result in step S204, that is, until the predetermined time has elapsed in a no-call waiting state, the operation control unit 101 repeats the process of step S204. On the other hand, if the operation control unit 101 obtains a positive determination result in step S204, that is, on the condition that the predetermined time has elapsed in a no-call waiting state, the operation control unit 101 generates a command for performing a fault check of the safety circuit 123 and outputs the generated command to the safety circuit control unit 102 (S205). As a result, the safety circuit control unit 102 controls the safety circuit 123 and outputs the control result to the operation control unit 101. At this time, the safety circuit control unit 102 executes control for the safety circuit 123 to cut off the power supply to the motor built in the hoist 121, for example, and when it is confirmed that the safety circuit 123 has operated reliably, it outputs a control result indicating that the safety circuit 123 has operated reliably to the operation control unit 101. In other words, the safety circuit control unit 102 diagnoses whether or not there is a fault in the safety circuit 123, which stops the drive of the hoist 121 when an abnormality occurs in the car, and confirms whether the diagnosis result is a normal state.

Next, the operation control unit 101 starts (activates) the ventilation time measurement timer 108 on the condition that it has confirmed that the safety circuit 123 has reliably operated (S206). Next, the operation control unit 101 outputs a command to open the door to the door opening/closing control unit 105, and outputs a command to rotate the ventilation fan 128 to the ventilation fan control unit 106, thereby opening the door and rotating the ventilation fan 128 (S207). At this time, the door opening/closing control unit 105 opens the door via the door machine 127 , and the ventilation fan control unit 106 rotates the ventilation fan 128 .

Next, the operation control unit 101 takes in the judgment result from the allocation judgment unit 12 and judges whether or not the car is not assigned to a hall call (S208). If the operation control unit 101 obtains a negative (NO) judgment result in step S208, i.e., if the car is assigned to a hall call, it proceeds to the processing of step S213, and if the operation control unit 101 obtains a positive (YES) judgment result in step S208, i.e., if the car is not assigned to a hall call, it takes in the detection result of the car call detection unit 103 and judges whether or not there is a car call for the car (S209).

If the operation control unit 101 obtains a negative (NO) determination result in step S209, i.e., if there is a car call for the car, it proceeds to the process of step S213, and if the operation control unit 101 obtains a positive (YES) determination result in step S209, i.e., if there is no car call for the car, it takes in the measured value of the ventilation time measurement timer 108 and determines whether the value (measured value) of the ventilation time measurement timer 108 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value (S210). At this time, the operation control unit 101 takes in the measured value of the ventilation time measurement timer 108 and repeats this process until the value (measured value) of the ventilation time measurement timer 108 is equal to or greater than the predetermined value.

When the value (measured value) of the ventilation time measurement timer 108 reaches a predetermined value, for example, when the ventilation time measured by the ventilation time measurement timer 108 reaches the ventilation operation completion time, the operation control unit 101 sets the ventilation operation completion flag from OFF to ON and stops the ventilation time measurement timer 108 (S211). Next, the operation control unit 101 outputs a command to close the door to the door opening/closing control unit 105 and outputs a command to stop the ventilation fan 128 to the ventilation fan control unit 106, closes the door, and stops the ventilation fan 128 (S212). At this time, the door opening/closing control unit 105 closes the door via the door machine 127 , and the ventilation fan control unit 106 stops the ventilation fan 128. After that, the operation control unit 101 proceeds to the process of step S201 and repeats the processes of steps S201 to S212.

On the other hand, when the operation control unit 101 obtains a negative (NO) determination result in step S208 or step S209, it stops the ventilation time measurement timer 108 and resets the value (measurement value) of the ventilation time measurement timer 108 (S213). Next, the operation control unit 101 outputs a command to close the door to the door opening/closing control unit 105 and outputs a command to stop the ventilation fan 128 to the ventilation fan control unit 106, so as to close the door and stop the ventilation fan 128 (S214). At this time, the door opening/closing control unit 105 closes the door via the door machine 127 , and the ventilation fan control unit 106 stops the ventilation fan 128. Furthermore, in step S214, the operation control unit 101 executes a process to respond to a hall call or a car call. For example, the operation control unit 101 executes a process of driving the hoist 121 and moving the car to the hall as a process of responding to a hall call, and executes a process of driving the hoist 121 and moving the car to the destination floor as a process of responding to a car call. After that, the operation control unit 101 proceeds to the process of step S204, and repeats the processes of steps 204 to S214.

As a service provided by the car, after executing the process of responding to a hall call or car call, when a predetermined time has elapsed in a standby state without a call, the car controller 100 rotates the ventilation fan 128 for a predetermined time with the car door open, thereby sufficiently ventilating the inside of the car, which has been crowded with passengers. This makes it possible to provide a safe environment for passengers who subsequently use the elevator car.

Figure 3 is a flow chart for explaining the processing of the group controller according to an embodiment of the present invention. This processing is executed continuously during the hours when car service is available. In Figure 3, the hall call detection unit 11 of the group controller 10 takes in the output of the hall button 20 and determines whether or not a hall call has been detected (S301). If the hall call detection unit 11 determines that a hall call has been detected (YES), it outputs a detection signal indicating that there is a hall call to the allocation determination unit 12, and if it determines that a hall call has not been detected (NO), it outputs a detection signal indicating that there is no hall call to the standby determination unit 13.

When a hall call is detected, the allocation determination unit 12 retrieves ventilation operation completion flag information (on or off) and the measurement value of the ventilation time measurement timer 108 from the operation control unit 101 of each unit controller 100-300, and determines whether there is a unit whose ventilation operation completion flag is on (S302).

When the allocation determination unit 12 obtains a positive (YES) determination result in step S302, i.e., when there is a unit whose ventilation operation completion flag is on, it assigns, for example, the unit that can respond the fastest among the units whose ventilation operation completion flag is on to the unit for the hall call (S303), and then returns to the processing of step S301 and repeats the processing of steps S301 to S303.

On the other hand, if the allocation determination unit 12 obtains a negative (NO) determination result in step S302, i.e., if there is no unit with the ventilation operation completion flag turned on, it assigns the unit with the largest value (measured value) of the ventilation time measurement timer 108 to the unit for the hall call (S304), and then returns to the processing of step S301 and repeats the processing of steps S301 to S304.

Also, if no hall call is detected in step S301, the standby determination unit 13 retrieves ventilation operation completion flag information (on or off information) from the operation control unit 101 of each unit controller 100-300, and determines whether there is a unit whose ventilation operation completion flag is on (S305).

If the standby determination unit 13 obtains a positive (YES) determination result in step S305, i.e., if there is a unit whose ventilation operation completion flag is on, it executes a process to have the unit whose ventilation operation completion flag is on wait at the standby floor (S306), and then returns to the process of step S301 and repeats the processes of steps S301 to S306. On the other hand, if the standby determination unit 13 obtains a negative (NO) determination result in step S305, i.e., if there is no unit whose ventilation operation completion flag is on, it then returns to the process of step S301 and repeats the processes of steps S301 to S306.

When the group controller 10 detects a hall call, it retrieves information on the ventilation operation completion flag from each unit controller, and for each unit controller whose ventilation operation completion flag is set to on, executes a process to assign the car that is the target of operation of that unit controller to the unit that will respond to the hall call. In other words, when the group controller 10 detects a hall call, it assigns the unit with the fastest response among the units whose ventilation operation completion flag is on (units whose ventilation operation has been completed) to the unit that will respond to the hall call.

When the group controller 10 detects a hall call, it retrieves information on the ventilation operation completion flag from each unit controller, and if there is no unit controller with the ventilation operation completion flag set to on, it retrieves the measured value of the ventilation time due to the ventilation fan's ventilation operation from each unit controller, and for the unit controller with the largest measured value of the ventilation time due to the ventilation fan's ventilation operation, it executes a process to assign the car that is the target of operation of this unit controller to the car that will respond to the hall call. In other words, when the group controller 10 detects a hall call, if there is no car with the ventilation operation completion flag set to on, it can assign the car with the largest value (measurement value) of the ventilation time measurement timer to the car that will respond to the hall call.

Furthermore, when the group controller 10 does not detect a hall call, it retrieves information on the ventilation operation completion flag from each unit controller, and for each unit controller whose ventilation operation completion flag is set to on, executes a process of assigning the car that is the target of operation of this unit controller to a unit that is waiting on standby at a waiting floor. In other words, when the group controller 10 does not detect a hall call, it can cause the unit with the fastest response among the units whose ventilation operation completion flag is on (units whose ventilation operation has been completed) to wait on the waiting floor. In this case, when the group controller 10 detects a hall call, it can cause the unit that has been waited on the waiting floor to immediately respond to the hall call as a unit whose ventilation operation has been completed.

Figure 4 is a hardware configuration diagram of a computer that realizes the group controller or each unit controller. In Figure 4, the controller system 5000 that constitutes the group controller 10 or each unit controller 100-300 is composed of a computer device (computer) equipped with, for example, a processor 5100, memory 5200, storage 5300, a network interface 5400, an input device 5500, and an output device 5600, and each part is connected via a bus 5700.

The processor 5100 is, for example, a central processing unit (CPU) that controls the overall operation of the device. The memory 5200 is composed of storage media such as random access memory (RAM) and read only memory (ROM). The storage 5300 is, for example, a storage device including a storage device such as a hard disk device, a semiconductor memory device, an optical disk device, a magneto-optical disk device, a magnetic tape device, and a flexible disk device. The network interface 5400 is composed of a network interface card (NIC) for connecting to a wireless LAN or a wired LAN. The input device 5500 is composed of a keyboard or a mouse, and the output device 5600 is composed of a display or a printer.

The storage 5300 stores various computer programs that the processor 5100 reads into the memory 5200 and executes. For example, the storage 5300 of the group controller 10 stores a hall call detection program that causes the processor 5100 to function as the hall call detection unit 11, an allocation determination program that causes the processor 5100 to function as the allocation determination unit 12, and a standby determination program that causes the processor 5100 to function as the standby determination unit 13. In addition, the storage 5300 of each unit controller 100 to 300 stores an operation control program that causes the processor 5100 to function as the operation control unit 101, a safety circuit control program that causes the processor 5100 to function as the safety circuit control unit 102, a car call detection program that causes the processor 5100 to function as the car call detection unit 103, a load detection program that causes the processor 5100 to function as the load detection unit 104, a door opening/closing control program that causes the processor 5100 to function as the door opening/closing control unit 105, a ventilation fan control program that causes the processor 5100 to function as the ventilation fan control unit 106, a waiting time measurement program that causes the processor 5100 to function as the waiting time measurement timer 107, and a ventilation time measurement program that causes the processor 5100 to function as the ventilation time measurement timer 108. The storage 5300 is configured as a memory unit that stores various information and data, and this memory unit can also store logs that record the operating status of the car and ventilation operation completion flags.

According to the embodiment, after the elevator car is operated, if the ventilation start condition is satisfied, the inside of the elevator car can be ventilated. In other words, after the elevator car operates to respond to hall calls or elevator calls as a service, when a predetermined time has elapsed in a standby state without a call, the ventilation fan 128 is rotated for a predetermined time with the elevator car door open, thereby sufficiently ventilating the inside of the elevator car, which has been crowded with passengers. This makes it possible to provide a safe environment for passengers who use the elevator car thereafter.

The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and various modified examples are included. For example, each car controller can perform ventilation operation of the ventilation fan 128 when, for example, a call-free standby state is reached in which there are at least no car calls and no hall calls and the car is stopped. That is, even if all of the ventilation start conditions consisting of a plurality of items are not satisfied, the ventilation fan 128 can perform ventilation operation. Also, each car controller can perform ventilation operation of the ventilation fan 128 when, for example, at least a call-free standby state is reached and at least one of the following items is satisfied: the measurement value of the standby time measurement timer 107 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the diagnosis result of the safety circuit 123 as to whether or not there is a fault is normal, or the load detection value of the load sensor 125 is equal to or greater than a set value.

In addition, in the group controller 10, the hall call detection unit 111, the allocation determination unit 12, and the standby determination unit 13 can be integrated, and the functions of the integrated group controller 10 can be configured as a program. In addition, in each unit controller 100 to 300, the operation control unit 101, the safety circuit control unit 102, the car call detection unit 103, the load detection unit 104, the door opening/closing control unit 105, the ventilation fan control unit 106, the standby time measurement timer 107, and the ventilation time measurement timer 108 can be integrated, and the functions of the integrated unit controllers 100 to 300 can be configured as a program. It is also possible to configure a door opening/closing device in which the door switch 126 and the door machine 127 are integrated. The above-mentioned embodiment has been described in detail to explain the present invention in an easy-to-understand manner, and is not necessarily limited to having all of the described configurations. In addition, it is possible to replace a part of the configuration of one embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment, and it is also possible to add the configuration of another embodiment to the configuration of one embodiment. In addition, it is possible to add, delete, or replace a part of the configuration of each embodiment with another configuration.

Furthermore, each of the above configurations, functions, etc. may be realized in hardware, for example, by designing some or all of them as an integrated circuit. Furthermore, each of the above configurations, functions, etc. may be realized in software by a processor interpreting and executing a program that realizes each function. Information on the programs, tables, files, etc. that realize each function can be recorded on a recording device such as a memory, a hard disk, or an SSD (Solid State Drive), or on a recording medium such as an IC (Integrated Circuit) card, an SD (Secure Digital) memory card, or a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc).

10 Group controller, 11 Hall call detection unit, 12 Allocation determination unit, 13 Waiting determination unit, 20 Hall button, 100 Unit controller, 101 Operation control unit, 102 Safety circuit control unit, 103 Car call detection unit, 104 Load detection unit, 105 Door opening/closing control unit, 106 Ventilation fan control unit, 107 Waiting time measurement timer, 108 Ventilation time measurement timer, 121 Hoist, 122 Display, 123 Safety circuit, 124 Destination floor button, 125 Load sensor, 126 Door switch, 127 Door machine, 128 Ventilation fan, 200 Unit controller, 300 Unit controller

Claims (8)

In an elevator, the elevator comprises one or more car controllers each controlling a car drive device that drives a car moving along a building elevator shaft to raise and lower the car, a ventilation fan that ventilates the inside of the car, and a door opening and closing device that opens and closes the car door, the number of which corresponds to the number of the cars,
a group controller that transmits and receives information to and from each of the two or more unit controllers,
The unit controller includes:
After controlling the car drive device to perform an operation to move the car, if it is determined that a ventilation start condition is satisfied, control is performed to cause the door opening and closing device to open the car door and to cause the ventilation fan to start a ventilation operation ;
A ventilation time caused by the ventilation operation of the ventilation fan is measured from the time when the ventilation operation of the ventilation fan is started, and when the measured value of the ventilation time by the measurement reaches a ventilation operation completion time, the ventilation fan is stopped from the ventilation operation, and a ventilation operation completion flag, which is operation record information of the ventilation fan, is set from off to on,
The group controller:
When a hall call is detected by the output of a hall button arranged in the hall of the building, information on the ventilation operation completion flag is retrieved from each of the unit controllers, and for a unit controller among the unit controllers whose ventilation operation completion flag is set to on, the elevator car that is the operation target of the unit controller is assigned to the unit that responds to the hall call,
When there is no unit controller in which the ventilation operation completion flag is set to ON among the unit controllers, the measured value of the ventilation time is taken in from each of the unit controllers, and for the unit controller among the unit controllers in which the measured value of the ventilation time is the largest, the elevator allocates the car to be operated by that unit controller to the car responding to the hall call . In the elevator according to claim 1,
The unit controller includes:
This elevator is characterized in that it is determined that the ventilation start condition is satisfied at least when the car drive device is stopped and the car is in a standby state. In the elevator according to claim 1,
The unit controller includes:
This elevator is characterized in that it takes in the output of a load sensor that detects the load acting on the car, and when the load detection value detected by the load sensor is equal to or greater than a set value, and when at least the car drive device is stopped and the car is in a standby state, it is determined that the ventilation start condition is satisfied. In the elevator according to claim 1,
The unit controller includes:
This elevator is characterized in that it performs a diagnosis of a fault on a safety circuit that stops the drive of the car drive device when an abnormality occurs in the car, and when the result of the diagnosis is normal, at least the car drive device is stopped, and the car is in a standby state, it is determined that the ventilation start condition is satisfied. A control method for an elevator having one or more unit controllers that control a car drive device that drives a car moving along a building elevator shaft to raise and lower the car, a ventilation fan that ventilates the inside of the car, and a door opening and closing device that opens and closes the car door, the method comprising the steps of:
The elevator further includes a group controller that transmits and receives information to and from each of the two or more elevator controllers,
The elevator control method includes:
a ventilation step in which the car controller controls the car drive device to move the car, and then, when it is determined that a ventilation start condition is satisfied, controls the door opening and closing device to open the car door and controls the ventilation fan to start a ventilation operation ;
a setting step of measuring a ventilation time caused by the ventilation operation of the ventilation fan from when the unit controller starts the ventilation operation of the ventilation fan, and when the measured value of the ventilation time reaches a ventilation operation completion time, stopping the ventilation operation of the ventilation fan and setting a ventilation operation completion flag, which is operation record information of the ventilation fan, from off to on;
an allocation step in which, when the group controller detects a hall call based on the output of a hall button arranged in the building, information on the ventilation operation completion flag is taken from each of the unit controllers, and for a unit controller among the unit controllers for which the ventilation operation completion flag is set to on, the group controller allocates a car to be operated by that unit controller to the unit that responds to the hall call, and when there is no unit controller among the unit controllers for which the ventilation operation completion flag is set to on, the group controller allocates a measured value of the ventilation time from each of the unit controllers, and for a unit controller among the unit controllers for which the measured value of the ventilation time is the largest, the group controller allocates a car to be operated by that unit controller to the unit that responds to the hall call;
13. An elevator control method comprising the steps of: The elevator control method according to claim 5 ,
The unit controller includes:
An elevator control method, characterized in that in the ventilation step, it is determined that the ventilation start condition is satisfied at least when the car drive device is stopped and the car is in a standby state. The elevator control method according to claim 5 ,
The unit controller includes:
The elevator control method is characterized in that, in the ventilation step, the output of a load sensor which detects the load acting on the car is taken in, and if the load detection value detected by the load sensor is equal to or greater than a set value, and if at least the car drive device is stopped and the car is in a standby state, it is determined that the ventilation start condition is satisfied. The elevator control method according to claim 5 ,
The unit controller includes:
The method for controlling an elevator, characterized in that in the ventilation step, a diagnosis is made for the presence or absence of a fault in a safety circuit that stops the drive of the car drive device when an abnormality occurs in the car, and if the result of the diagnosis is a normal state, and at least the car drive device is in a stopped state and the car is in a standby state, it is determined that the ventilation start condition is satisfied.

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