Resetting a safety actuator in an elevator system

1 . A method of resetting a safety actuator ( 52 ) in an elevator system ( 100 ), wherein:

the elevator system ( 100 ) comprises an elevator car ( 102 ) driven to move along a guide rail ( 106 a , 106 b ), a safety brake ( 48 ) mounted to the elevator car ( 102 ) and operable to prevent movement of the elevator car ( 102 ) along the guide rail ( 106 a , 106 b ), and a safety actuator ( 52 ) mounted to the elevator car ( 102 ), the safety actuator ( 52 ) comprising a magnetic actuator pad ( 54 , 54 ′) moveable laterally relative to the guide rail ( 106 a , 106 b );

the safety actuator ( 52 ) is mechanically coupled to the safety brake ( 48 ) and configured to trigger the safety brake ( 48 ) when a magnetic actuator pad ( 54 , 54 ′) is pushed laterally against the guide rail ( 106 a , 106 b ) to create relative movement between the safety brake ( 48 ) and the elevator car ( 102 ); and

the safety actuator ( 52 ) comprises an electromagnet ( 62 ) operable to pull the magnetic actuator pad ( 54 , 54 ′) laterally away from the guide rail ( 106 a , 106 b ) when the electromagnet ( 62 ) is aligned with the magnetic actuator pad ( 54 , 54 ′) during a reset operation;

the method comprising:

upon receiving a signal to reset the safety actuator ( 52 ), moving the elevator car ( 102 ) upwards relative to the guide rail ( 106 a , 106 b ) so as to release the safety brake ( 48 ); and

operating the electromagnet ( 62 ) to pull the magnetic actuator pad ( 54 , 54 ′) laterally away from the guide rail ( 106 a , 106 b ) to a reset position while the elevator car ( 102 ) is moving upwards during the reset operation.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

monitoring the vertical position of the elevator car ( 102 ) while moving the elevator car ( 102 ) upwards relative to the guide rail ( 106 a , 106 b ) so as to determine an alignment position where the electromagnet ( 62 ) is aligned with the magnetic actuator pad ( 54 , 54 ′).

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

after the elevator car ( 102 ) has reached the alignment position, continuing to move the elevator car ( 102 ) upwards relative to the guide rail ( 106 a , 106 b ) while operating the electromagnet ( 62 ) to pull the magnetic actuator pad ( 54 , 54 ′) laterally away from the guide rail ( 106 a , 106 b ).

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the safety actuator ( 52 ) comprises a stop ( 63 ) configured to prevent relative movement between the electromagnet ( 62 ) and the magnetic actuator pad ( 54 , 54 ′) once the electromagnet ( 62 ) is aligned with the magnetic actuator pad ( 54 , 54 ′) during upwards movement of the elevator car ( 102 ), the method comprising:

operating the electromagnet ( 62 ) to pull the magnetic actuator pad ( 54 , 54 ′) laterally away from the guide rail ( 106 a , 106 b ) after the magnetic actuator pad ( 54 , 54 ′) has reached the stop ( 63 ).

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the elevator system ( 100 ) comprises an elevator controller ( 120 ) arranged to drive movement of the elevator car ( 102 ) along the guide rail ( 106 a , 106 b ) and the safety actuator ( 52 ) comprises a safety board controller ( 126 ) in communication with the elevator controller ( 120 );

the elevator controller ( 120 ) being arranged to receive a signal to reset the safety actuator ( 52 ) and to first drive movement of the elevator car ( 102 ) upwards relative to the guide rail ( 106 a , 106 b ) so as to release the safety brake ( 48 ); and

the elevator controller ( 120 ) then sending a reset signal to the safety board controller ( 126 ) to operate the electromagnet ( 62 ) to pull the magnetic actuator pad ( 54 , 54 ′) away from the guide rail ( 106 a , 106 b ) while the elevator car ( 102 ) is still moving upwards during the reset operation.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the elevator car ( 102 ) is driven to move along a pair of guide rails ( 106 a , 106 b ), the elevator system ( 100 ) comprising a pair of the safety brakes ( 48 ) mounted either side of the elevator car ( 102 ) with corresponding first and second safety actuators ( 52 ) mechanically coupled to the pair of the safety brakes ( 48 ), the method comprising:

operating a first electromagnet ( 62 ) of the first safety actuator ( 52 ) to pull the magnetic actuator pad ( 54 , 54 ′) away from a first guide rail ( 106 a , 106 b ) of the pair while the elevator car ( 102 ) is moving upwards during the reset operation; and

subsequently operating a second electromagnet ( 62 ) of the second safety actuator ( 52 ) to pull the magnetic actuator pad ( 54 , 54 ′) away from a second guide rail ( 106 a , 106 b ) of the pair while the elevator car ( 102 ) is still moving upwards during the reset operation.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the safety brake ( 48 ) is arranged to be moveable between a non-braking position where the safety brake ( 48 ) is not in engagement with the guide rail ( 106 a , 106 b ) and a braking position where the safety brake ( 48 ) is engaged with the guide rail ( 106 a , 106 b ) to prevent movement of the elevator car ( 102 ) along the guide rail ( 106 a , 106 b ).

8 . An elevator system ( 100 ) comprising:

an elevator car ( 102 ) moveable along a guide rail ( 106 a , 106 b );

an elevator controller ( 120 ) arranged to drive movement of the elevator car ( 102 ) along the guide rail ( 106 a , 106 b );

a safety brake ( 48 ) mounted to the elevator car ( 102 ) and operable to prevent movement of the elevator car ( 102 ) along the guide rail ( 106 a , 106 b ); and

a safety actuator ( 52 ) mounted to the elevator car ( 102 ), the safety actuator ( 52 ) comprising a magnetic actuator pad ( 54 , 54 ′) moveable laterally relative to the guide rail ( 106 a , 106 b );

wherein the safety actuator ( 52 ) is mechanically coupled to the safety brake ( 48 ) and configured to trigger the safety brake ( 48 ) when a magnetic actuator pad ( 54 , 54 ′) is pushed laterally against the guide rail ( 106 a , 106 b ) to create relative movement between the safety brake ( 48 ) and the elevator car ( 102 );

wherein the safety actuator ( 52 ) comprises an electromagnet ( 62 ) operable to pull the magnetic actuator pad ( 54 , 54 ′) laterally away from the guide rail ( 106 a , 106 b ) when the electromagnet ( 62 ) is aligned with the magnetic actuator pad ( 54 , 54 ′) during a reset operation;

wherein the elevator controller ( 120 ) is arranged, upon receiving a signal to reset the safety actuator ( 52 ), to move the elevator car ( 102 ) upwards relative to the guide rail ( 106 a , 106 b ) so as to release the safety brake ( 48 ); and

wherein the elevator controller ( 120 ) is arranged to send a signal to operate the electromagnet ( 62 ) to pull the magnetic actuator pad ( 54 , 54 ′) laterally away from the guide rail ( 106 a , 106 b ) to a reset position while the elevator car ( 102 ) is moving upwards during the reset operation.

9 . The elevator system ( 100 ) of claim 8 , further comprising a position monitoring system ( 128 ) arranged to monitor the vertical position of the elevator car ( 102 ), wherein the elevator controller ( 120 ) is in communication with the position monitoring system ( 128 ) and arranged to determine an alignment position where the electromagnet ( 62 ) is aligned with the magnetic actuator pad ( 54 , 54 ′).

10 . The elevator system ( 100 ) of claim 9 , wherein the elevator controller ( 120 ) is arranged to send the signal to operate the electromagnet ( 62 ) after the elevator car ( 102 ) has reached the alignment position, while continuing to drive movement of the elevator car ( 102 ) upwards relative to the guide rail ( 106 a , 106 b ).

11 . The elevator system ( 100 ) of claim 8 , wherein the safety actuator ( 52 ) comprises a stop ( 63 ) configured to prevent relative movement between the electromagnet ( 62 ) and the magnetic actuator pad ( 54 , 54 ′) once the electromagnet ( 62 ) is aligned with the magnetic actuator pad ( 54 , 54 ′) during upwards movement of the elevator car ( 102 ).

12 . The elevator system ( 100 ) of claim 11 , wherein the elevator controller ( 120 ) is arranged to send the signal to operate the electromagnet ( 62 ) after the magnetic actuator pad ( 54 , 54 ′) has reached the stop ( 63 ).

13 . The elevator system ( 100 ) of claim 8 , wherein the safety actuator ( 52 ) comprises a safety board controller ( 126 ) in communication with the elevator controller ( 120 );

wherein the elevator controller ( 120 ) is arranged to receive a signal to reset the safety actuator ( 52 ) and to first drive movement of the elevator car ( 102 ) upwards relative to the guide rail ( 106 a , 106 b ) so as to release the safety brake ( 48 ); and

wherein the elevator controller ( 120 ) is arranged to then send a reset signal to the safety board controller ( 126 ) to operate the electromagnet ( 62 ) to pull the magnetic actuator pad ( 54 , 54 ′) away from the guide rail ( 106 a , 106 b ) while the elevator car ( 102 ) is still moving upwards during the reset operation.

14 . The elevator system ( 100 ) of claim 8 , comprising a pair of guide rails ( 106 a , 106 b ) along which the elevator car ( 102 ) is driven to move, a pair of the safety brakes ( 48 ) mounted either side of the elevator car ( 102 ), and corresponding first and second safety actuators ( 52 ) mechanically coupled to the pair of the safety brakes ( 48 ), wherein the elevator controller ( 120 ) is arranged to:

send a first signal to operate a first electromagnet ( 62 ) of the first safety actuator ( 52 ) to pull the magnetic actuator pad ( 54 , 54 ′) away from a first guide rail ( 106 a , 106 b ) of the pair while the elevator car ( 102 ) is moving upwards during the reset operation; and

subsequently send a second signal to operate a second electromagnet ( 62 ) of the second safety actuator ( 52 ) to pull the magnetic actuator pad ( 54 , 54 ′) away from a second guide rail ( 106 a , 106 b ) of the pair while the elevator car ( 102 ) is still moving upwards during the reset operation.