The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for diagnosing failures and/of malfunctions, in particular for lift doors and/or cars.

In the sector of lift facilities, currently existing diagnostics systems totally lack strategies enabling to identify, or better yet to prevent a failure or malfunction condition of a part of the lift, and in particular in regard to the devices for opening and closing the doors.

Oftentimes, the failure of such devices to operate gives rise to fatal accidents.

This is due to the fact that, currently, maintenance technicians perform periodic inspections and therefore, between two consecutive inspections, any failure can take place, without any chance to intervene. Moreover, failures and malfunctions take place suddenly and therefore do not allow technicians to complete any kind of preventive intervention.

In this context, to enhance the security of the facilities it is extremely important to introduce a system that automatically identifies the failure conditions or, better yet, that is able to prevent it.

The reasons why such systems have not yet been introduced, although the need for them is clear, should be sought in an objective difficulty with their practical implementation, since the parameters to be detected are numerous and hence the types of sensors to be adopted are quite diversified.

Only in the past few years, with the development of"Sensor Fusion"concepts, has it become possible to merge all this diversified information, in order to identify the failure condition, after its occurrence or as it emerges.

The term"Sensor Fusion"means the fusion of information coming from multiple sources.

This information is then processed with various types of logic: natural logic, neural logic or through recursive algorithms (such as the Kalman filter).

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION.

An aim of the present invention is to make available a totally innovative apparatus and method, able to identify and prevent failure conditions or malfunctions of lift doors and/or cars.

Another aim of the present invention is to propose an apparatus and a method for diagnosing failures and/or malfunctions that allow to monitor the operation of a system remotely, for instance via the Internet.

An additional aim of the present invention is to make available an apparatus that allows to perform adjustments from a remote station, for instance on the doors or on the car winch.

Yet another aim of the present invention is to provide an apparatus that allows to monitor the wear of mechanical components, in particular of door actuation mechanisms.

A further aim is to obtain the above results within the context of a simple, rational and reliable constructive solution.

Said aims are fully achieved by the apparatus for diagnosing failures and/or malfunctions, in particular for lift doors and/or cars, and by the related method, of the present invention, which are characterised by the content of the claims set out below and in particular in that the apparatus comprises: at least an accelerometric sensor associated to mechanisms for actuating the doors to detect their condition of motion; and/or at least a sensor of acoustic signals associated with mechanisms for actuating the doors to detect their acoustic emissions; and/or

at least an optical sensor associated with at least a traction cable for doors and/or cars to detect any unravelling of said cable.

The method is characterised in that it comprises the following steps: detecting the acceleration of mechanisms for actuating the doors; and/or detecting acoustic signals emitted by mechanisms for actuating the doors; and/or detecting, with automatic optical means, any unravelling of at least a traction cable associated with the doors or with the car; and/or measuring the electrical voltage that occurs during transients associated with the closure of electrical contacts in doors and/or in the car; and processing the detected signals and comparing them with reference parameters.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION.

These and other characteristics shall become more readily apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment illustrated, purely by way of non limiting example.

The apparatus for diagnosing failures and/or malfunctions, in particular for lift doors and/or cars, originally comprises: at least an accelerometric sensor associated with mechanisms for actuating the doors to detect their condition of motion; and/or at least a sensor of acoustic signals associated with mechanisms for actuating the doors to detect their acoustic emissions; and/or at least an optical sensor associated with at least a traction cable of doors and/or cars to detect any unravelling of the cable.

These sensors are preferably miniaturised and can be buried within mechanical and/or structural components of the doors and/or of the cars.

The use of accelerometric sensors to detect the condition of motion of the doors allows to monitor, in particular, the wear of sliding and rotating components of the mechanisms

for actuating the doors.

In the preferred embodiment, the sensors of acoustic signals to detect the noisiness of the cinematic mechanisms provide for the use of one or more piezoelectric microphones. The optical sensor preferably comprises at least a transmitter of a laser signal, at least a signal receiver situated opposite to the transmitter relative to the cable to be monitored and at least an optical lens interposed between the transmitter and the receiver and intercepting the laser signal.

Any unravelling of the cable is detected, since the unravelling itself constitutes an obstruction to the propagation of the laser signal from the transmitter to the receiver. In particular, said laser signal is in the form of a luminous blade.

Such an optical sensor has the important advantages of having a high response speed and to be more economical of a traditional vision system, for instance with a television camera.

In the preferred embodiment, the apparatus comprises electronic means for controlling the revolutions per minute of a motor for actuating the car and/or a motor for actuating the mechanisms for opening and closing the doors. In particular, said electronic means are preferably constituted by an encoder associated with the aforesaid motors.

The apparatus is provided with sensors for measuring the electrical voltage that is generated during the transients associated with the closure of electrical contacts of doors and/or of the car.

The data and measurements obtained by the sensors are acquired and processed by automatic processors that compare them with reference parameters.

Said processors are based on an algorithm for recognising a"pattern", according to the known concept of"pattern recognition", through which any event can be described.

Specifically, pattern recognition allows to use both continuous variables and discrete

variables, in order to identify a state vector able exhaustively to describe the instantaneous state of the operating condition of the system.

It is possible to use processors based on neural networks, able autonomously to learn and recognise in adaptive fashion new types of failures, without requiring specific calibrations or realignments as a function of new parameters.

The management of processors and sensors, as well as the analysis of any failures can also be conducted remotely, appropriately connecting the apparatus to a computer network with access to the Internet or more simply by means of a modem and the telephone line.

In an alternative embodiment, to enhance the security of the facility it is possible to install a load weighing device on the car, in order to detect the presence of persons inside the car.

The load weighing device is preferably obtained by means of load cell connected to and controlled by the aforesaid processors.

To detect the presence of persons inside the car, it is also possible to use volumetric sensors, for instance a camera in a closed circuit television or connected to the Internet (more properly defined"webcam").

The apparatus of the invention also comprises proximity sensors to measure the distance between the door wing and the threshold and/or between the door wing and the door jamb.

In the preferred embodiment, the apparatus is also provided with magnetic sensors to verify the operation of the pre-end stops and of the end stops of the motion of the doors.

The method of the invention is characterised in that it comprises the following steps: - detecting the acceleration of door actuation mechanisms; and/or - detecting acoustic signals emitted by door actuation mechanisms; and/or - detecting, by means of automatic optical means, any unravelling of at least a traction cable associated with the doors or with the car; and/or - measuring the electrical voltage that is generated during transients associated with the

closure of electrical contacts of the doors and/or of the car; and - processing the measured signals and comparing them with reference parameters.

In particular, the signal processing step is preferably carried out by means of processors that implement pattern recognition algorithms.

The invention achieves important advantages.

First of all, such a diagnostic apparatus allows to monitor all the parts subjected to wear of a lift system of any kind, both electric with cables, and hydraulic (direct and with tackle). In particular, said apparatus allows to conduct preventive maintenance, avoiding to stop the operation of the system because of failures and hence making the lift safer.

In the second place, maintenance operators can monitor every facility directly from their own location, optimising preventive interventions in various geographical areas and reducing maintenance costs. Advantageously, a code can be provided for accessing the processors in order to make adjustments to the system from a remote station, for instance through the Internet.

Another advantage is given by the fact that, in the case of an interruption to the operation of the system, especially at night and/or during holidays, the lift system can be monitored automatically and autonomously by a computer network of the maintenance operators, which network provides the first assistance intervention and notifies technical personnel and/or the fire brigade, if persons are stranded inside the car (the presence of persons in the car is signalled by the load weighing device).