1. A system for condition monitoring of an elevator, said system comprising at least a control unit 104 and a number of sensors of a sensor arrangement 250 for condition monitoring connected to the control unit 104, and said elevator comprising an elevator car 100, an elevator drive machine 109 and an elevator control system 110 including the required safety circuit and actuators, characterized in that the control unit 104 of the system and the sensor arrangement 250 connected to the control unit have been fitted in conjunction with the elevator car and that the sensors of the sensor arrangement 250 are galvanically separated from the elevator control system and from the elevator safety circuit and at least one sensor 260 of the sensor arrangement is connected to the safety circuit 300 without interrupting the safety circuit wiring.
2. A system according to claim 1, characterized in that, in addition to the safety circuit sensor 260, the sensor arrangement 250 comprises one or more of the following sensors:
an acceleration sensor 261 as a means of measuring the acceleration of the door 102,
a current sensor 263 as a means of measuring the current of the motor of the door operator 103,
an acceleration sensor 262 as a means of measuring the acceleration of the elevator car 100,
a microphone 265 as a means of measuring the door noise of the elevator andor the traveling noise of the elevator,
a current sensor 264 as a means of measuring the current of elevator car illumination,
a proximity sensor 266 as a detector of a door zone and the edge of a door zone, and
a temperature sensor 267 as a means of measuring the temperature of the elevator car 100 andor elevator shaft 107
3. A system according to claim 1, characterized in that the system produces one or more of the following derived quantities:
door noise components during a door operation,
traveling noise components when the elevator is moving between floors,
door motion components during a door operation,
door status data,
door motor current components during a door operation,
elevator car motion components when the elevator is moving between floors,
elevator car status data,
safety circuit status data,
stopping accuracy of the elevator car at a landing, and
current components of car illumination.
4. A system according to claim 1, characterized in that, utilizing the derived quantities, the system calculates one or more result quantities, which indicate:
operational condition of car illumination, andor
operational condition of the door mechanism, andor
operational condition of the elevator drive machine, andor
operational condition of the safety circuit of the elevator, andor
performance of the elevator, andor
operating history of the elevator.
5. A system according to claim 1, characterized in that the system further comprises a memory device 210 for the storage of derived quantities andor result quantities for later use.
6. A system according to claim 1, characterized in that the system further comprises a data transfer connection 106 for the transmission of derived quantities andor result quantities andor alarms indicative of the operational condition of the elevator to a remote monitoring system.
7. A system according to claim 6, characterized in that the condition monitoring system has been fitted to send information stored on the memory device 210 to the remote monitoring system 272 at predetermined points of time.
8. A system according to claim 1, characterized in that the system further comprises a memory device 230, on which are stored one or more threshold values andor setting parameters for the detection of failure situations andor a need for preventive maintenance.
9. A system according to claim 1, characterized in that one or more threshold values andor setting parameters have been determined by performing at least one test run of the elevator.
10. A system according to claim 1, characterized in that the system has been fitted to determine threshold values andor setting parameters on the basis of statistical andor other corresponding analyses.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method of designing and manufacturing vehicle bodies comprising:
establishing a common, standardized interface system for attaching vehicle bodies to vehicle chassis wherein connection components are arranged in a predetermined spatial relationship on bodies and chassis to facilitate selective attachment of any of a plurality of different body types to the chassis; and
designing and manufacturing a plurality of different bodies having different body types and configured to conform to said standardized interface system for selective attachment to chassis which also conform to said standardized interface system; wherein said bodies are manufactured to include at least one electrical communication linkage for communicating steering, braking and propulsion control signals to a chassis, and characterized by the absence of mechanical communication linkages for communicating steering, braking and propulsion signals to a chassis.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein said different body types are of at least two body categories taken from the group consisting of sedans, pickup trucks, convertibles, coupes, vans, station wagons, sport-utility vehicles, and other types of transports.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after said step of designing and manufacturing a plurality of bodies, attaching the manufactured bodies to manufactured chassis.
4. The method of claim 3, further comprising, after said attaching step, designing and manufacturing additional bodies having body types different from said attached bodies and configured to conform to said standardized interface system for selective attachment to said manufactured chassis.
5. A method of manufacturing a vehicle comprising:
designing and manufacturing a vehicle body configured to comply with a common, standardized interface system for attaching vehicle bodies to vehicle chassis wherein connection components are arranged in a predetermined spatial relationship on bodies and chassis to facilitate selective attachment of any of a plurality of different body types to the chassis without modification of the respective bodies or chassis;
wherein said body is characterized by having at least one electrical communication linkage for communicating steering, braking and propulsion control signals to a chassis, and further characterized by the absence of mechanical communication linkages for communicating steering, braking and propulsion signals to a chassis.
6. The method of claim 5, further comprising, after said step of designing and manufacturing a body, attaching the manufactured body to a manufactured chassis.
7. The method of claim 6, further comprising, after said attaching step, designing and manufacturing an additional body having a body type different from said attached body and configured to conform to said standardized interface system for selective attachment to said manufactured chassis.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein said additional body is selected from the group of body types consisting of sedans, pickup trucks, convertibles, coupes, vans, station wagons, sport-utility vehicles, and other types of transports.
9. The method of claim 5, wherein the standardized interface system includes no more that one control signal transmitting electrical connector on the body to provide communication signals to a corresponding electrical connector on a chassis.
10. A method of designing and manufacturing vehicles comprising:
predefining a vehicle body-chassis interface system wherein mechanical and electrical connection components are required to be in predetermined spatial positions relative to each other in a body-attachment interface on a chassis and in corresponding predetermined spatial positions relative to each other in a corresponding chassis-attachment interface on any body to be attached to the chassis, thereby enabling a chassis design to receive any of a large number of different body types complying with said predefined body-chassis interface system; and
after said predefining step, designing and manufacturing vehicle bodies conforming to said predefined vehicle body-chassis interface system, wherein different types of said bodies are manufactured at different locations to accommodate local market demands.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein said step of designing and manufacturing different types of vehicle bodies at different locations further comprises using local materials to manufacture said bodies.
12. The method of claim 10, wherein said vehicle bodies comprise different types of bodies selected from the group consisting of sedans, pickup trucks, convertibles, coupes, vans, station wagons, sport-utility vehicles, and other types of transports.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein said vehicle bodies comprise at least two body styles selected from said group.
14. The method of claim 10, further comprising attaching one of said bodies to a chassis and, thereafter, designing and manufacturing different bodies having different body types than said one of the bodies and configured to conform to said predefined body-chassis interface system.
15. The method of claim 10, wherein said bodies are manufactured to include at least one electrical communication linkage (electrical connector) for communicating steering, braking and propulsion control signals to a chassis, and characterized by the absence of mechanical communication linkages for communicating steering, braking and propulsion signals to a chassis.
16. The method of claim 10, wherein said chassis design includes a family of chassis complying with the standardized interface system.
17. A method of designing and manufacturing vehicle bodies comprising:
designing and manufacturing vehicle bodies conforming to a predefined vehicle body-chassis interface system wherein mechanical and electrical connection components are required to be in predetermined spatial positions relative to each other in a body-attachment interface on a chassis and in complementary predetermined spatial positions relative to each other in a corresponding chassis-attachment interface on any body to be attached to the chassis, thereby enabling a variety of different body types to be attached to the chassis; and
wherein said vehicle bodies are designed and manufactured independently of any vehicle chassis to which the bodies may be attached.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein said vehicle bodies comprise different types of bodies selected from the group consisting of sedans, pickup trucks, convertibles, coupes, vans, station wagons, sport-utility vehicles, and other types of transports.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein said vehicle bodies comprise at least three body types selected from said group.
20. The method of claim 19, further comprising, after said step of designing and manufacturing said vehicle bodies, subsequently designing and manufacturing different bodies having different body types than said designed and manufactured bodies and configured to conform to said predefined body-chassis interface system.
21. The method of claim 17, wherein said bodies are manufactured to include at least one electrical communication linkage (electrical connector) for communicating steering, braking and propulsion control signals to a chassis, and characterized by the absence of mechanical communication linkages for communicating steering, braking and propulsion signals to a chassis.
22. The method of claim 17, wherein said predefined vehicle body-chassis interface system includes no more than one control signal transmitting electrical connector on said bodies to provide communication signals to a corresponding electrical connector on a chassis.
23. The method of claim 17, wherein each of said bodies is manufactured to include:
a floor configured to extend substantially the entire length of a chassis to which the respective body will be attached;
a seat assembly supported by the floor; and
a driver interface supported with respect to the floor adjacent the seat assembly to communicate vehicle control signals to a chassis from a seated driver.
24. The method of claim 23, wherein each of said bodies is manufactured to further comprise an enclosure connected to the floor for sheltering occupants within the body, wherein the enclosure is connected to opposing ends of the floor such that the enclosure extends substantially the entire length of the floor so that substantially the entire length of the floor is accessible and usable space for occupants.
25. The method of claim 17, wherein each of said bodies are manufactured to include:
an enclosure configured to shelter a vehicle occupant; and
a driver communication interface positioned within the enclosure to communicate vehicle control signals to a chassis from a vehicle driver.
26. The method of claim 25, wherein each of said bodies is manufactured to include a single umbilical electrical connector through which all electrical communication signals pass from the body to a corresponding single electrical connector on the chassis.
27. The method of claim 25, wherein each of said bodies is manufactured to include a substantially flat floor supporting the enclosure, and at least one seat supported on the floor.
28. The method of claim 25, wherein each of said bodies is manufactured to include a drive-by-wire control input device, and wherein the body is further characterized by the absence of a mechanical steering linkage, such as a steering column.
29. The method of claim 25, wherein the enclosure is selected from the body-style group consisting of sedans, pickup trucks, convertibles, coupes, vans, station wagons, sport-utility vehicles, and other types of transports.
30. A method of manufacturing and selling vehicles comprising:
designing and manufacturing a vehicle body configured to comply with a common, standardized interface system for attaching vehicle bodies to vehicle chassis wherein connection components are arranged in a predetermined spatial relationship on bodies and chassis to facilitate selective attachment of any of a plurality of different body types to the chassis without modification of the respective bodies or chassis, wherein said body is designed in accordance with a perceived local market demand;
purchasing a manufactured chassis complying with said common, standardized interface system;
attaching the body to the chassis to form a vehicle; and
granting possession of the vehicle to a customer in a financial transaction.
31. The method of claim 30, further comprising, after said attaching step, designing and manufacturing an additional body having a body type different from said attached body and configured to conform to said standardized interface system for selective attachment to said manufactured chassis.
32. The method of claim 31, wherein said additional body is selected from the group of body types consisting of sedans, pickup trucks, convertibles, coupes, vans, station wagons, sport-utility vehicles, and other types of transports.
33. The method of claim 30, wherein said body is characterized by having at least one electrical communication linkage (electrical connector) for communicating steering, braking and propulsion control signals to a chassis, and further characterized by the absence of mechanical communication linkages for communicating steering, braking and propulsion signals to the chassis.
34. The method of claim 30, wherein the standardized interface system includes no more that one control signal transmitting electrical connector on the body to provide communication signals to a corresponding coupling on the chassis.
35. The method of claim 30, wherein said body is manufactured to include:
a floor configured to extend substantially the entire length of the chassis to which the respective body will be attached;
a seat assembly supported by the floor; and
a driver interface supported with respect to the floor adjacent the seat assembly to communicate vehicle control signals to the chassis from a seated driver.
36. The method of claim 35, wherein said body is manufactured to further comprise an enclosure connected to the floor for sheltering occupants within the body, wherein the enclosure is connected to opposing ends of the floor such that the enclosure extends substantially the entire length of the floor so that substantially the entire length of the floor is accessible and usable space for occupants.
37. The method of claim 30, wherein said body is manufactured to include:
an enclosure configured to shelter a vehicle occupant; and
a driver communication interface positioned within the enclosure to communicate vehicle control signals electronically to a chassis from a vehicle driver.
38. The method of claim 37, wherein said body is manufactured to include a single umbilical electrical connector through which all electrical communication signals pass from the body to a corresponding single electrical connector on the chassis.
39. The method of claim 37, wherein said body is manufactured to include a substantially flat floor supporting the enclosure, and at least one seat supported on the floor.
40. The method of claim 37, wherein said body is manufactured to include a drive-by-wire control input device, and wherein the body is further characterized by the absence of a mechanical steering linkage, such as a steering column.
41. The method of claim 37, wherein the enclosure is selected from the body-style group consisting of sedans, pickup trucks, convertibles, coupes, vans, station wagons, and sport-utility vehicles.
42. A method of manufacturing and dealing vehicle bodies comprising:
designing and manufacturing a vehicle-body configured to comply with a common, standardized interface system for attaching vehicle bodies to vehicle chassis wherein connection components are arranged in a predetermined spatial relationship on bodies and chassis to facilitate selective attachment of any of a plurality of different body types to the chassis without modification of the respective bodies or chassis;
granting possession of the body to a customer in a financial transaction; and
attaching the body to the customer’s chassis which complies with said common, standardized interface system;
wherein said body is manufactured to include a floor configured to extend substantially the entire length of the chassis to which the respective body will be attached.
43. The method of claim 42, further comprising, after said attaching step, designing and manufacturing an additional body having a body type different from said attached body and configured to conform to said standardized interface system for selective attachment to said manufactured chassis.
44. The method of claim 43, wherein said additional body is selected from the group of body types consisting of sedans, pickup trucks, convertibles, coupes, vans, station wagons, sport-utility vehicles, and other types of transports.
45. The method of claim 42, wherein said body is characterized by having at least one electrical communication linkage (electrical connector) for communicating steering, braking and propulsion control signals to a chassis, and further characterized by the absence of mechanical communication linkages for communicating steering, braking and propulsion signals to the chassis.
46. The method of claim 42, wherein the standardized interface system includes no more that one control signal transmitting electrical connector on the body to provide communication signals to a corresponding coupling on the chassis.
47. The method of claim 42, wherein said body is manufactured to include:
a seat assembly supported by the floor; and
a driver interface supported with respect to the floor adjacent the seat assembly to communicate vehicle control signals to the chassis from a seated driver.
48. The method of claim 42, wherein said body is manufactured to further comprise an enclosure connected to the floor for sheltering occupants within the body, wherein the enclosure is connected to opposing ends of the floor such that the enclosure extends substantially the entire length of the floor so that substantially the entire length of the floor is accessible and usable space for occupants.
49. The method of claim 42, wherein said body is manufactured to include:
an enclosure configured to shelter a vehicle occupant; and
a driver communication interface positioned within the enclosure to communicate vehicle control signals electronically to a chassis from a vehicle driver.
50. The method of claim 49, wherein said body is manufactured to include a single umbilical electrical connector through which all electrical communication signals pass from the body to a corresponding single electrical connector on the chassis.
51. The method of claim 49, wherein said body is manufactured to include a drive-by-wire control input device, and wherein the body is further characterized by the absence of a mechanical steering linkage, such as a steering column.
52. The method of claim 49, wherein the enclosure is selected from the body-style group consisting of sedans, pickup trucks, convertibles, coupes, vans, station wagons, and sport-utility vehicles.