ILLUMINATED ELEVATOR DOOR SILL

BACKGROUND [0001] Elevator systems include at least one elevator car that is useful for carrying passengers, cargo or both between various levels in a building. At each building level, there is a landing including hoistway doors that facilitate access to the elevator car and the corresponding building level when the elevator car is at the landing. Elevator systems are designed so that the car is precisely positioned relative to the landing when the car doors and hoistway doors open. Ideally, a sill on the elevator car is level with a hoistway door sill on the landing side.

[ooo2] Even with modern day elevator position control systems, there is a possibility that the elevator car door sill and the hoistway door sill will not be exactly level when the elevator car is at the landing. This can be the result of several different factors including building settling over time, changes in the load on the elevator car at the landing and variations in the manufactured components on the car and at the landing, for example.

[ooo3] One example technique of addressing a situation where the sill components are not exactly level with each other is shown in U.S. Patent No. 5,609,224. In that document, a sill provides a visual appearance of an enlarged gap between the hoistway door sill and the elevator car door sill. The appearance of an enlarged gap is believed to cause individuals to exercise additional caution while crossing the threshold between the elevator car and the landing so that any unevenness between the sill components does not interfere with an individual's ability to enter or exit the elevator car. While that arrangement can be useful, those skilled in the art are always striving to make improvements.

SUMMARY

[0004] An example disclosed elevator door sill assembly includes a sill having an exposed surface that is configured to be stepped upon. A light source is at least partially supported by the sill. The light source illuminates at least a portion of the exposed surface.

[0005] A disclosed example method of facilitating crossing a threshold between an elevator car and a landing includes illuminating at least a portion of an

exposed surface of a sill using a source of illumination that is at least partially supported by the sill.

[0006] The various features and advantages of at least one example embodiment will become apparent by considering the following detailed description. The drawings that accompany the detailed description can be briefly described as follows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] Figure 1 schematically shows selected portions of an elevator system. [0008] Figure 2 schematically illustrates an example sill assembly.

[ooo9] Figure 3 is a perspective illustration of selected portions of the example sill assembly from Figure 2.

[00010] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional illustration taken along the lines 4-4 in Figure 3. [00011] Figure 5 schematically illustrates one example control arrangement for an example sill assembly.

[00012] Figure 6 schematically illustrates another example control arrangement.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[00013] Figure 1 shows selected portions of an elevator system 20. An elevator car 22 is moveable within a hoistway (not illustrated) to carry passengers, cargo or both between various building levels. An example landing 24 is shown in Figure 1 at one such building level. The landing 24 includes hoistway doors 26 that remain closed whenever the elevator car 22 is not positioned at the landing 24. A hoistway door sill 28 is associated with the hoistway doors 26. The hoistway door sill 28 provides a portion of a threshold between the elevator car 22 and the floor 29 at the landing 24 when the elevator car 22 is positioned at the landing 24.

[00014] The elevator car 22 includes elevator car doors 30 that are opened and closed by a door mover 32 in a known manner. An elevator car door sill assembly 40 is provided on the elevator car 22. The sill assembly 40 cooperates with the sill 28 to establish the threshold between the elevator car 22 and the floor 29 at the landing 24 when the elevator car 22 is positioned at the landing 24.

[00015] Referring to Figure 2, one example sill assembly 40 includes an exposed surface 42 that is configured to be stepped upon by an individual crossing the threshold between the elevator car 22 and the floor 29 of the landing 24. At least one portion 44 of the exposed surface 42 is illuminated at least when the elevator car doors 30 are open to allow passage between the floor 29 and the interior of the elevator car 22. In the illustrated example, multiple portions 44 of the exposed surface 42 are illuminated. In another example, one portion 44 extends along an entire length of the sill across the entire threshold. Another example includes a single portion 44 that is shorter than the span of the threshold when the doors 26 and 30 arc open.

[00016] Illuminating at least one portion of the exposed surface 42 provides a visual prompting for an individual to pay particular attention while crossing the threshold. The visible illumination draws the individual's attention downward at least momentarily, which is believed to result in an increased level of care as the individual crosses the threshold. Even a moderate increase in the level of care taken by an individual crossing the threshold will facilitate unhindered movement even if there is some vertical misalignment between the hoistway sill 28 and the exposed surface 42 of the sill assembly 40.

[00017] In the example of Figure 2, the sill assembly 40 on the elevator car includes the illuminated portions 44. In another example, the hoistway sill 28 includes illuminated portions. One advantage to the illustrated example is that the light source used for illuminating the portions 44 can be powered using the power available on the elevator car 22. Another advantage to providing an illuminated sill on the elevator car is that only one is required for each hoistway. Those skilled in the art who have the benefit of this description may determine that providing a lighted sill on the landing side of a threshold instead of or in addition to on the car 22 may be useful for their particular situation.

[00018] Figures 3 and 4 show an example construction of one example sill assembly 40. This example includes two sill pieces, which comprise metal bent into a configuration for forming at least the outer portions of the sill assembly 40. In this example, a channel 46 provides an area for at least partially housing a light source 50 within the sill assembly 40. In the illustrated example, a light source 50 is provided at each of the illuminated portions 44 and each light source 50 is supported within the channel 46.

[00019] One of the example sill pieces includes a first portion 52 that establishes the exposed surface 42 in this example. A second portion 54 is generally perpendicular to the first portion 52. Another sill piece includes a third portion 56 that is generally parallel to the first portion 52. A fourth portion 58 is generally parallel to the second portion 54. Assembling such a sill assembly involves manufacturing economies because pieces of metal can be bent into the illustrated shape and then they can be connected together. Another example includes at least one piece of non-metallic material to form the sill.

[00020] In this example, an interface 60 between the first portion 52 and the fourth portion 58 is closed or sealed. An interface 62 between the second portion 54 and the third portion 56 is also closed or sealed. This establishes an at least partially enclosed channel 46, which can advantageously house one or more light sources 50 for illuminating one or more portions 44 of the exposed surface 42.

[00021] In the illustrated example, the second sill piece includes a fifth portion 64 spaced from the second portion 54 between which a channel 66 extends to facilitate guiding an associated elevator door between open and closed positions.

[00022] Figure 5 schematically illustrates one example control arrangement for controlling the illumination of the portions 44 of the sill assembly 40. This example includes a control 70 for controlling when the light sources 50 illuminate the portions 44 of the sill assembly 40. The control 70 operates responsive to operation of the door mover 32. The control 70 uses information from the door mover 32 for determining when the doors 30 are opened or closed. Whenever the doors are open, the control 70 activates the light sources 50 to illuminate the portions 44.

[ooo23] In one example, the control 70 includes a processor that receives an indication that the door mover 32 has received a signal to open the doors 30. Such an indication is used by the control 70 for controlling when the light sources 50 arc activated. In another example, the control 70 includes a processor that receives door position information that is available from the door mover 32. In another example, the control 70 comprises a switch that is activated whenever the door mover 32 causes the doors 30 to be in any position other than a fully closed position.

[00024] In the example of Figure 5, each light source 50 comprises a plurality of sources of illumination 72. In one example, each source of illumination 72 comprises a light emitting diode. In one example, red light emitting diodes are used as the light sources 50. Such a light source provides a low-voltage, relatively low cost

arrangement for sufficiently illuminating a sill assembly to draw an individual's attention in that direction while crossing the threshold. Given this description, those skilled in the art will realize how best to arrange a light source for illuminating at least a portion of an exposed surface on a sill assembly to meet the needs of their particular situation.

[00025] In one example, the control 70 causes the light sources 50 to operate intermittently so that the illuminated portions 44 appear to flash. Providing flashing illuminated portions 44 on the exposed surface 42 enhances the visual indication provided by such an example embodiment. [00026] In the illustrated example, the illuminated portions 44 comprise translucent material that is flush with the exposed surface 42. The light sources are positioned beneath the pieces of translucent material when the sill assembly 40 is installed on an elevator car or at a hoistway landing. In such an example, the light source shines light in an upward direction through the translucent material at each portion 44.

[00027] Another control arrangement is shown schematically in Figure 6. In this example, the control 70 includes a sensor 74 that detects whenever at least one of the doors 30 is in any place other than a closed position. Tn the example of Figure 6, as one of the doors 30 passes over the position sensor 74, the control 70 activates the light sources 50 to illuminate the portions 44. In one example, the position sensor 74 is arranged relative to the doors 30 so that a switch of the control 70 is activated whenever the position sensor 74 indicates that the doors 30 are not in a fully closed position.

[00028] The preceding description is exemplary rather than limiting in nature. Variations and modifications to the disclosed examples may become apparent to those skilled in the art that do not necessarily depart from the essence of this invention. The scope of legal protection given to this invention can only be determined by studying the following claims.