DE102022110202A1 - Elevator system and method for operating an elevator system - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an elevator system and a method for operating an elevator system. The elevator system (1) has at least two guide rails (2, 3), at least one elevator car (5), which can be moved over one of the at least two guide rails (2, 3), and at least one maintenance vehicle (6), which can be moved over one of the at least two Guide rails (2, 3) can be moved, and at least one switch (8).

Description

The invention relates to an elevator system and a method for operating an elevator system.

Elevators are often used in buildings to, among other things, transport loads or other objects and especially people between different floors of a building. An elevator car, also known as a car, is usually located within an elevator shaft in which the car can be moved.

Various systems have been established as drives, including cable elevators, hydraulic elevators or ropeless elevators, which are driven by linear motors and held or moved by means of a magnetic field. In this way, movement is not only possible in one dimension, but in two dimensions, so that a car can be moved vertically as well as horizontally during operation.

In particular, ropeless elevator systems also have at least two guide rails, so that elevator cars can switch back and forth between the guide rails using an exchange device. This particularly increases the efficiency of movement in larger buildings where several elevator cars are used.

There are special Rescue & Recovery (R&R) requirements for rope-free elevator systems, since evacuating damaged elevator cars has to be carried out differently compared to rope-bound elevator systems. In this regard, for example, the approach is to tow away damaged elevator cars using a maintenance vehicle (also called a “Field Operations Car” (FOC for short)) in order to transport them to another position within the elevator shaft or elevator system, where, on the one hand, the person ( en) or load(s) can be evacuated from the car and, on the other hand, the car can be made ready for operation again in the event of any problems.

An important aspect in this context is the parking position of the maintenance vehicle and the associated accessibility to the elevator shaft. In the case of R&R, many measures were defined that lead to the successful rescue of passengers and the towing of a damaged car to a maintenance area (so-called maintenance garage). In order to reopen the facility to traffic as quickly as possible, the process should be carried out quickly.

This in 2 The example shown shows a possible scenario if a maintenance vehicle was parked at the end of a first guide rail within the elevator system and at the same time there is a damaged car on another guide rail. The process requires many steps to tow the damaged car.

Furthermore, it must be ensured that a replacement device is functional in order to ensure that the maintenance vehicle can be changed from one guide rail to the other, even in an emergency. This is often only possible to a limited extent, for example in the event of a fire or if there is a power interruption, since the replacement device is usually within the same circuit as the car's means of transport.

An optimization of the evacuation process mentioned could be an increase in the number of maintenance vehicles, so that, for example, a separate maintenance vehicle is provided for each guide rail.

This would significantly reduce the evacuation time as it would no longer be necessary to change between two guide rails. The disadvantage, however, is that the number of maintenance vehicles is cost-intensive, since a separate maintenance vehicle would be necessary for each guide rail. This is particularly financially significant for elevator systems with a large number of guide rails.

Accordingly, the present invention sets itself the task of improving an elevator system. In particular, one object is to provide an elevator system in which a quicker evacuation of a car is possible using only one maintenance vehicle.

A first aspect of the invention therefore relates to an elevator system which has at least one first guide rail, which is aligned in a first, in particular vertical or horizontal, direction and at least one second guide rail, which is aligned in a second, in particular vertical or horizontal, direction .

Furthermore, the elevator system has at least one elevator car, which can be moved over the at least one first and/or at least one second guide rail, and at least one maintenance vehicle, which can be moved over the at least one first and/or at least one second guide rail. The maintenance vehicle is set up to move along the at least one car to move the at least one first guide rail and/or the at least one second guide rail.

In addition, the elevator system has a waiting area which can be accessed by the maintenance vehicle via the at least one first guide rail and/or via the at least one second guide rail. At least one switch is arranged in the waiting area of the elevator system, which is designed to transfer the maintenance vehicle between the at least one first guide rail and/or the at least one second guide rail. The switch only serves to transfer a maintenance vehicle between adjacently arranged first and second guide rails in the waiting area and can therefore have a correspondingly simple structure. In addition, the waiting area can also have a parking area for a maintenance vehicle, which the maintenance vehicle can reach via a switch.

The proposed solution enables a reduction in the number of maintenance vehicles with a comparatively short or, compared to known solutions, almost the same rescue and resumption of normal operation time, in particular due to the lower complexity of driving the maintenance vehicle. Because the maintenance vehicle can already be transferred in the waiting area by means of a switch from a guide rail, which can also represent a parking position, to the guide rail on which a damaged car is also arranged, crucial evacuation time can be saved.

In one embodiment, the maintenance vehicle is set up to couple to the car. This allows a particularly secure connection to be achieved between the maintenance vehicle and the car when the car is towed by the maintenance vehicle. The coupling also reduces and, in particular, minimizes the risk of the connection between the maintenance vehicle and the car becoming detached during an evacuation.

In a further exemplary embodiment, the coupling can be carried out mechanically and/or magnetically. If the coupling is done mechanically, a particularly cost-effective connection between the car and the maintenance vehicle can be made possible. Mechanical couplings form, for example, hook-and-eye connections, couplings from the vehicle sector, such as trailer couplings in particular. These include, for example, pin couplings, which are commonly used in agriculture and forestry. Alternatively or additionally, ball head couplings such as in cars and bicycle trailers with a high drawbar, jaw couplings such as in trucks and tractors and/or fifth wheel couplings such as in semi-trailers can also be used per se or in a modified form. In particular, the coupling is designed in such a way that it can be connected and detached particularly easily.

If it is a magnetic coupling, a permanent magnet can be used, for example, which is arranged on the elevator car and/or on the maintenance vehicle. Alternatively and/or additionally, the magnetic coupling can also be generated by electrical currents, which in particular generate an induction field between the maintenance vehicle and the elevator car.

In a further embodiment, the maintenance vehicle is set up to move the car in the direction in which the maintenance vehicle is moving. This configuration is advantageous because the direction of movement of the car corresponds to the direction of movement of the maintenance vehicle. Furthermore, this design requires less energy to move the car to a predetermined position. In addition, moving the car to a specific target position is easier and more precise, since the maintenance vehicle can move the car much more precisely depending on its own position.

In a further embodiment, the waiting area cannot be accessed by the car. This embodiment of the elevator system can ensure that the waiting area is only provided for the maintenance vehicle. Particularly in an emergency in which a car has to be evacuated, blocking the switch in the waiting area by one or more cars of the elevator system would delay evacuation if not even make it impossible.

In a further embodiment, the position of the maintenance vehicle is dependent on the actual position of the at least one elevator car. This makes it possible for a damaged car to be evacuated quickly and easily at any time. In particular, it can make sense for the maintenance vehicle to always be on the guide rail on which the elevator car is also arranged. This can be done, for example, by changing the maintenance vehicle within the waiting area. It can also be advantageous to link such a change to any trigger points. It is possible for the maintenance vehicle to be transferred from a first guide rail to a second guide rail if it is foreseeable that the The car remains on the second guide rail for a certain period of time.

In a further embodiment, the position of the maintenance vehicle is dependent on a requested target position of the at least one car. In this embodiment, it is envisaged that the maintenance vehicle is transferred from a first guide rail to a second guide rail when it is foreseeable from the requested target position that the elevator car will remain on the second guide rail for a certain period of time.

In a further embodiment, the elevator system additionally has at least one exchange device, which is designed to transfer the elevator car and/or the maintenance vehicle between the at least one first guide rail and/or the at least one second guide rail. This configuration is particularly advantageous in ropeless elevator systems, which allow the car to be moved in several directions.

Using such an exchange device, also called an “exchanger”, the car can be transferred from one guide rail to another. This means that efficient operation in the elevator system can take place depending on the requested target positions of the car.

For example, in an elevator system with several cars and guide rails in a high-rise building, it may make sense not to order the car to a requested target position, which is arranged on a corresponding first guide rail on the top floor of the high-rise building. Rather, it could be more efficient and faster to order a closer car on an adjacent second guide rail, which is then transferred to the first guide rail using such an exchange device.

In a further embodiment, the switch has a different circuit from the replacement device. This configuration is particularly advantageous in emergencies such as local power interruptions or power outages. For example, if a first circuit for moving a car was temporarily interrupted due to an overvoltage or due to another trigger such as a fire alarm, a second circuit for the maintenance vehicle that is independent of the first circuit can still be maintained under emergency operation. This allows a damaged elevator car to be transported by the maintenance vehicle to another position within the elevator system.

In a further embodiment, the at least one first guide rail and the at least one second guide rail are arranged essentially parallel to one another. In this embodiment, the at least one first and the at least one second guide rail can be arranged, for example, in a substantially vertical direction for, for example, high-rise buildings or also in a substantially horizontal direction for, for example, buildings with a greater horizontal than vertical extent.

In a further embodiment, the waiting area is arranged essentially in the area of a first end or a second end of the at least one first guide rail and/or the at least one second guide rail. When using the elevator system in high-rise buildings, it is, for example, advantageous if the first end is arranged in the area of the basement and the second end of the elevator system is arranged in the area of the top floor or floors of the building.

In a further embodiment, the elevator system additionally has a maintenance device which is designed to release the elevator car from the at least one first guide rail or the at least one second guide rail. This maintenance device can also be designed in particular to maintain and/or repair the car or at least to enable easier repairs.

In particular, the maintenance device is arranged in a maintenance area separate from the guide rails. On the one hand, maintenance of the elevator car is difficult if it is arranged on one of the guide rails, and on the other hand, maintenance can limit the operation of the elevator system. The maintenance device thus makes it possible to at least temporarily remove the car from the guide rails and to carry out maintenance and/or servicing or setting without further restricting the operational process.

A second aspect of the invention relates to a method for operating an elevator system, in particular an elevator system according to the first aspect, wherein the elevator system has at least two guide rails, at least one elevator car, which can be moved over one of the at least two guide rails, at least one maintenance vehicle, which has one of the at least two guide rails can be moved, and has at least one switch.

• - Ermitteln eines Ist-Zustands und/ oder einer Soll-Position des Fahrkorbs, welcher das Bewegen des Fahrkorbs durch das Wartungsfahrzeug erfordert;
• - Ermitteln der Ist-Position des Wartungsfahrzeugs und der Ist-Position des Fahrkorbs;
• - Überführen des Wartungsfahrzeugs von einer ersten Führungsschiene, auf welcher sich das Wartungsfahrzeug in der Ist-Position befindet, über eine Weiche zu einer zweiten Führungsschiene, auf welcher sich der Fahrkorb in der Ist-Position befindet;
• - Bewegen des Wartungsfahrzeugs im Wesentlichen in den Bereich der Ist-Position des Fahrkorbs; und
• - Bewegen des Fahrkorbs durch ein Bewegen des Wartungsfahrzeugs zu einer Soll-Position des Fahrkorbs.

The process has at least the following process steps:

• - Determining an actual state and/or a target position of the car, which requires the car to be moved by the maintenance vehicle;
• - Determining the actual position of the maintenance vehicle and the actual position of the elevator car;
• - Transferring the maintenance vehicle from a first guide rail, on which the maintenance vehicle is in the actual position, via a switch to a second guide rail, on which the car is in the actual position;
• - Moving the maintenance vehicle essentially into the area of the actual position of the car; and
• - Moving the car by moving the maintenance vehicle to a target position of the car.

Through the proposed method, the number of maintenance vehicles can be reduced and in particular minimized, with a short rescue and resumption of normal operation time being made possible, in particular due to the lower complexity of driving the maintenance vehicle. Because the maintenance vehicle can already be transferred in the waiting area by means of a switch from a guide rail to the guide rail on which a damaged car is arranged, crucial evacuation time can be saved.

• - Koppeln des Wartungsfahrzeugs mit dem Fahrkorb, insbesondere mechanisch und/ oder magnetisch.

In one embodiment of the method, it additionally has the following step:

• - Coupling the maintenance vehicle with the car, in particular mechanically and/or magnetically.

By coupling, the step of moving the car to a desired position of the car can be implemented particularly easily and precisely.

• - Entkoppeln des Wartungsfahrzeugs von dem Fahrkorb, wenn sich der Fahrkorb in der Soll-Position befindet; und
• - Lösen des Fahrkorbs von der ersten Führungsschiene oder der zweiten Führungsschiene mittels einer Wartungsvorrichtung.

In a further embodiment of the method, it additionally has the following step:

• - Uncoupling the maintenance vehicle from the car when the car is in the target position; and
• - Detaching the car from the first guide rail or the second guide rail using a maintenance device.

By decoupling and releasing the car from one of the guide rails on which the car is arranged, it is possible for the car to be removed during operation of the elevator system. This is particularly helpful for maintenance and/or repair work on the car.

In general, a disclosure about a described method also applies to a corresponding system to carry out the method and vice versa. Furthermore, it is understood that features of the various exemplary aspects and/or embodiments described herein may be combined with one another, unless this is clearly excluded in the context of the disclosure.

In the following portion of the description, reference is made to the figures shown to illustrate specific aspects and embodiments of the present invention. It is to be understood that other aspects may be used and structural or logical changes to the illustrated embodiments are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention. The following description of the figures is therefore not to be understood as limiting.

• 1 ein erstes Ausführungsbeispiel eines Aufzugsystems;
• 2 einen Betriebsablauf eines Aufzugsystems gemäß dem Stand der Technik;
• 3 einen weiteren Betriebsablauf eines beispielhaften Aufzugsystems; und
• 4 ein Ausführungsbeispiel eines Verfahrens zum Betreiben eines Aufzugsystems.

They each show:

• 1 a first embodiment of an elevator system;
• 2 an operating sequence of an elevator system according to the prior art;
• 3 another operating sequence of an exemplary elevator system; and
• 4 an embodiment of a method for operating an elevator system.

In the following, identical reference numbers refer to identical or at least similar features.

1 shows a first exemplary embodiment of an elevator system 1, in particular a rope-free elevator system 1. For example, this is an elevator system that enables multi-dimensional movement within a building. Linear motors in particular are used as drives for this purpose, but are not shown for reasons of clarity.

The elevator system 1 is arranged in a shaft 16 of a building or the like and has a first guide rail 2 and a second guide rail 3. A car 5 is arranged on the second guide rail 3, which in this example can be moved in a substantially vertical direction 4 up or down within the shaft 16 and on the first guide rail 2 and/or the second guide rail 3. As shown, the first guide rail 2 and the second guide rail 3 be arranged essentially parallel to one another.

Within the elevator system 1 there are different target positions 10 of the car 5, which, for example, each correspond to an access area of a respective floor within a building. As can be seen in this example, the car 5 is located on the second guide rail 3 between two target positions 10, and thus an actual position 9. This may be due, for example, to the fact that the car 5 is currently moving between the two target positions 10 or because the car 5 is damaged between the two possible target positions 10 and can no longer be moved.

At a first end 12 of the guide rails 2, 3, a maintenance vehicle 6 is arranged on the first guide rail 2 in a waiting area 7. The waiting area 7 can alternatively and/or additionally also be arranged at a second end 13 of the guide rails 2, 3. In this exemplary embodiment, this would be the case on the upper or one of the upper floors.

Furthermore, a switch 8 is arranged in the waiting area 7, which is set up to transfer the maintenance vehicle 6 from the first guide rail 2 to the second guide rail 3 or from the second guide rail 3 to the first guide rail 2. The switch 8 is in the 1 shown as a double arrow. For example, the waiting area 7 can only be traveled by the maintenance vehicle 6 via the first guide rail 2 or the second guide rail 3 and not by the elevator car 5.

Furthermore, the elevator system 1 has an exchange device 11, which is set up to transfer the elevator car 5 from the first guide rail 2 to the second guide rail 3 or from the second guide rail 3 to the first guide rail 2. In addition, the exchange device 11 can also be set up to transfer the maintenance vehicle from the first guide rail 2 to the second guide rail 3 or from the second guide rail 3 to the first guide rail 2.

For example, at least the switch 8, in particular the switch 8 and the movement device (not shown) of the maintenance vehicle 6, has its own circuit that is separate from the replacement device 11 and in particular the movement device (not shown) of the car 5. In this way, even in emergencies, for example when the electrical circuit for moving the car 5 is interrupted, it is possible to transfer the maintenance vehicle 6 between the first guide rail 2 and the second guide rail 3 and in particular even to move the maintenance vehicle 6 on the first guide rail 2 and/or the second guide rail 3.

Above the waiting area 7, a maintenance area 15 is arranged within the elevator system 1, which has a maintenance device 14. The maintenance device 14 is in particular designed to release the car 5 from the first guide rail 2 or the second guide rail 3 when the car 5 is at the target position 10 and thus adjacent to the maintenance area 15.

In particular, the position of the maintenance vehicle 6 is aligned depending on the actual position 9 and/or a requested target position 10 of the car 5. As shown in this exemplary embodiment, the maintenance vehicle 6 is arranged on the first guide rail 2 and the elevator car 5 on the second guide rail 3. The maintenance vehicle 6 should therefore always be arranged on the guide rail 2, 3, on which the elevator car 5 is also arranged. This can be done immediately when the guide rail 2, 3 on which the car 5 is located is changed or depending on predetermined process parameters and trigger points. For example, only after a predetermined time interval has elapsed can a transfer of the maintenance vehicle 6 from one guide rail 2, 3 to another be initiated and carried out.

2 shows an operating sequence of an elevator system 1 according to the prior art. The operating sequence is represented in six operating states S11-S16.

During the first operating state S11, the maintenance vehicle 6 is located in the waiting area 7 and on the first guide rail 2 of the elevator system 1. The damaged car 5, on the other hand, is located between two possible target positions 10 on the second guide rail 3. The maintenance vehicle 6 is therefore located and the car 5 on two different guide rails 3.

In order to now tow the damaged car 5 and thus move it to a predetermined target position 10 along the second guide rail 3, the operating states S12 to S16 must be run through.

In the operating state S12, the maintenance vehicle 6 is initially outside the waiting area 7 and towards a replacement device 11 of the elevator system 1 via the first guide rail 2 moves. Once there, the maintenance vehicle 6 is transferred by the exchange device 11 from the first guide rail 2 to the second guide rail 3, on which the car 5 is arranged, so that the operating state S13 is reached.

Now the maintenance vehicle 6 can move along the second guide rail 3 towards the car 5 (operating state S14). In order to subsequently move the car 5 to the target position 10 adjacent to the maintenance area 15, the car 5 is moved by moving the maintenance vehicle 6 along the second guide rail 3 in the direction of the waiting area 7 (operating state S15).

As soon as the car 5 is at the target position 10, the maintenance device 14 can detach the car 5 from the second guide rail 3 and transfer it to the maintenance area 15 (operating state S16).

3 shows an exemplary operating sequence according to the invention of an elevator system 1. This differs from that in 2 shown operating sequence in that it requires fewer steps for evacuating the car 5 by the maintenance vehicle 6.

The initial state S21 essentially corresponds to that in 2 S12 shown: During the first operating state S21, the maintenance vehicle 6 is in the waiting area 7 and on the first guide rail 2 of the elevator system 1. The damaged car 5, on the other hand, is located between two possible target positions 10 on the second guide rail 3.

However, the elevator system 1 now has at least one switch 8 in the waiting area 7. This is set up to transfer the maintenance vehicle 6 from the first guide rail 2 to the second guide rail 3 within the waiting area 7 at the first end 12 of the two guide rails 2, 3.

As soon as this transition is completed, the elevator system 1 is in operating state S22. Now the maintenance vehicle 6 is moved on the second guide rail 3 from the waiting area 7 in the direction of the damaged car 5.

If the maintenance vehicle 6 has arrived near the car 5, there is in particular a coupling between the maintenance vehicle 6 and the car 5 (operating state S23). This is done, for example, mechanically and/or magnetically in order to enable the damaged car 5 to be moved particularly efficiently. Now the maintenance vehicle 6 is moved again in the direction of the waiting area 7, the latter being “towed”, so to speak, i.e. moved along the second guide rail 3, by coupling the maintenance vehicle 6 with the car 5.

During the operating state S24, the car 5 is in the target position 10, so that the car 5 can now be reached by the maintenance device 14. The coupling between the car 5 and the maintenance vehicle 6 is released, with the maintenance device 14 also releasing the car 5 from the second guide rail 3 before, in parallel or subsequently, and moving it into the maintenance area 15 (operating state S25).

Thus, despite only one maintenance vehicle 6 within an elevator system 1, a faster, more efficient or quicker evacuation of a damaged car 5 can be achieved compared to that in 2 explained operating sequence can be achieved in accordance with the state of the art. Furthermore, the complexity is also reduced, since in particular fewer steps have to be carried out and an exchange device 11 is not necessary.

The switch 8 can also be used advantageously during an installation process of the elevator system 1, since in particular the replacement device 11 cannot yet be ready for operation during the installation and the switch 8 still makes it possible to use a maintenance vehicle 6 on the first guide rail 2 and the second guide rail 3 is.

The operating sequence shown was shown as an example for only one maintenance vehicle 6 and one elevator car 5. However, several maintenance vehicles 6, several elevator cars 5 and/or more than two guide rails 2, 3 can also be used. Furthermore, it should be noted that any components of the elevator system 1 can also be expanded in such a way that, for example, instead of one switch 8, several are used, which are arranged in particular at the first end 12 and / or at the second end 13 of the guide rails 2, 3.

4 shows an exemplary embodiment of a method 100 for operating an elevator system 1. For this purpose, the elevator system 1 has at least two guide rails 2, 3, at least one elevator car 5, which can be moved over one of the at least two guide rails 2, 3, and at least one maintenance vehicle 6, which has a the at least two guide rails 2, 3 can be moved, and at least one switch 8.

At the beginning, an actual state and/or a target position of the car 5 is determined 101, which requires the car 5 to be moved by the maintenance vehicle 6. An error message, for example, according to which further movement of the car 5 is temporarily restricted or impossible, counts as the current state. Other sources of error such as a control problem or the like can also cause such an actual state.

With regard to the target position 10, it can be that target position 10 which is arranged adjacent to the maintenance area 15 in order to maintain and/or maintain or repair the elevator car 5.

Parallel to the first step 101 or subsequently, a determination 102 of the actual position of the maintenance vehicle 6 and the actual position 9 of the car 5 takes place. This is relevant because a transfer 103 of the maintenance vehicle 6 from a first guide rail 2 on which the Maintenance vehicle 6 is in the actual position, to a second guide rail 3, on which the car 5 is in the actual position 9, through the switch 8.

Now the maintenance vehicle 6 is essentially moved 104 into the area of the actual position 9 of the car 5, whereby, for example, a, in particular mechanical and/or magnetic, coupling 105 of the maintenance vehicle 6 with the car 5 takes place.

Subsequently, by moving the maintenance vehicle 6, the car 5 is moved 106 to a target position 10 of the car 5. If the car 5 is at the target position 10, the maintenance vehicle 6 is in particular decoupled 107 from the car 5 and a Detaching 108 the car 5 from the guide rail 2, 3, on which the car 5 is located, using a maintenance device.

Reference symbol list

1

Elevator system

2

first guide rail

3

second guide rail

4

Direction

5

elevator car

6

Maintenance vehicle

7

waiting room

8th

Soft

9

Actual position

10

Target position

11

Exchange device

12

first ending

13

second ending

14

Maintenance device

15

Maintenance area

16

shaft

100

Proceedings

Claims (15)

Elevator system (1), comprising: - at least one first guide rail (2), which is aligned in a first, in particular vertical or horizontal direction (4); - at least one second guide rail (3), which is aligned in a second, in particular vertical or horizontal direction (4); - at least one car (5), which can be moved over the at least one first guide rail (2) and/or the at least one second guide rail (3); - at least one maintenance vehicle (6), which can be moved over the at least one first guide rail (2) and/or over the at least one second guide rail (3), the maintenance vehicle (6) being set up to move the at least one elevator car (5). to move along the at least one first guide rail (2) and/or the at least one second guide rail (3); and - a waiting area (7) which can be driven by the maintenance vehicle (6) via the at least one first guide rail (2) and/or via the at least one second guide rail (3), - wherein at least one switch (8) is arranged in the waiting area (7), which is designed to transfer the maintenance vehicle (6) between the at least one first guide rail (2) and / or the at least one second guide rail (3). Elevator system (1). Claim 1 , wherein the maintenance vehicle (6) is set up to couple to the car (5). Elevator system (1). Claim 2 , wherein the coupling of the maintenance vehicle (6) to the car (5) can be carried out mechanically and / or magnetically. Elevator system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the maintenance vehicle (6) is set up to move the elevator car (5) in the direction in which the maintenance vehicle (6) moves. Elevator system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the waiting area (7) cannot be accessed by the elevator car (5). Elevator system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the position of the maintenance vehicle (6) is dependent on the actual position (9) of the at least one elevator car (5). Elevator system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the position of the maintenance vehicle (6) is dependent on a requested target position (10) of the at least one elevator car (5). Elevator system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the elevator system (1) additionally has at least one exchange device (11) which is designed to move the elevator car (5) and/or the maintenance vehicle (6) between the at least one first guide rail ( 2) and/or the at least one second guide rail (3). Elevator system (1). Claim 8 , wherein the switch (8) has a different circuit from the exchange device (11). Elevator system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one first guide rail (2) and the at least one second guide rail (3) are arranged substantially parallel to one another. Elevator system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the waiting area (7) essentially in the area of a first end (12) and/or a second end (13) of the at least one first guide rail (2) and/or the at least one second Guide rail (3) is arranged. Elevator system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the elevator system (1) additionally has a maintenance device (14) which is set up to remove the elevator car (5) from the at least one first guide rail (2) or the at least one second guide rail ( 3) to solve. Method (100) for operating an elevator system (1), in particular an elevator system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the elevator system (1) has at least two guide rails (2, 3), at least one elevator car (5), which has one of the at least two guide rails (2, 3) can be moved, at least one maintenance vehicle (6), which can be moved over one of the at least two guide rails (2, 3), and has at least one switch (8); wherein the method (100) has the method steps: - Determining (101) an actual state and/or a target position of the car (5), which requires the car (5) to be moved by the maintenance vehicle (6); - Determining (102) the actual position of the maintenance vehicle (6) and the actual position (9) of the elevator car (5); - Transferring (103) the maintenance vehicle (6) from a first guide rail (2), on which the maintenance vehicle (6) is in the actual position, to a second guide rail (3), on which the elevator car (5) is located the actual position (9) is located through a switch; - Moving (104) the maintenance vehicle (6) essentially into the area of the actual position (9) of the car (5); and - Moving (106) of the car (5) by moving the maintenance vehicle (6) to a target position (10) of the car (5). Procedure (100) according to Claim 13 , additionally comprising the step: - coupling (105) of the maintenance vehicle (6) to the car (5), in particular mechanically and/or magnetically. Procedure (100) according to Claim 14 , additionally comprising the steps: - decoupling (107) of the maintenance vehicle (6) from the car (5) when the car (5) is in the target position (10); and - releasing (108) the car (5) from the first guide rail (2) or the second guide rail (3) by means of a maintenance device (14).

Images