Passenger conveyor balustrade

Abstract

This invention provides a passenger conveyor railing that prevents light leakage from the gaps between the panels in a railing with a metal panel. In the passenger conveyor railing of this invention, the railing panel (50) has a plate-shaped core material (51), an inner member (52), and an outer member (53). The inner member (52) has a first inner protrusion (52b) and a second inner protrusion (52c) protruding from one end and the other end in the step movement direction toward the outer member side, and the outer member (53) has a first outer protrusion (53b) and a second outer protrusion (53c) protruding from one end and the other end in the step movement direction toward the inner member side. A first outer protrusion (53b) and a second outer protrusion (53c) of a railing panel (50) adjacent to one side of the step movement direction are accommodated between the first inner protrusion (52b) and the core material (51). A second inner protrusion (52c) and a first inner protrusion (52b) of a railing panel (50) adjacent to the other side of the step movement direction are accommodated between the second outer protrusion (53c) and the core material (51).

Description

1. Reference to related applications, including the passenger conveyor handrail application: This application enjoys priority benefits from Japanese Patent Application No. 5 2025-6582 (filed on January 17, 2025). This application incorporates the entire contents of that application by reference. Technical Field Embodiments of the present invention relate to handrails for passenger conveyors. 10. Background Art In passenger conveyors such as escalators and moving walkways, handrails are provided at both ends of the steps in the width direction. These handrails are erected vertically at the upper end of the passenger conveyor body, i.e., the truss, and guide the moving handrail 15, which moves cyclically in the same direction and at the same speed as the steps. The handrail uses a metal handrail panel made of a thin sheet of metal such as stainless steel, which is used as the panel installed between the truss and the moving handrail. In the structure of a passenger conveyor with a handrail structure having metal handrail panels, multiple metal handrail panels are arranged and installed in the direction of step movement via support members. 20 However, if the metal railing panels are arranged along the direction of movement of the steps, light will leak through the gaps between the railing panels. Since the metal railing panels block light, striped light will appear from the gaps between the panels, potentially compromising the design of the passenger conveyor. 25 Summary of the Invention Therefore, in view of the above, the object of the present invention is to provide a passenger conveyor railing that prevents light leakage from the gaps between the panels in a railing with metal railing panels.30 HK 20135848 A 2 The handrail of the passenger conveyor according to the embodiment has a plurality of handrail panels arranged along the moving direction of the steps on both sides of the step width direction. Each handrail panel includes: a plate-shaped core material; an inner member disposed on the step side of the core material; and an outer member disposed on the opposite side of the core material. The inner member includes: an inner covering portion covering the step side surface of the core material; a first inner protrusion protruding from one end of the inner covering portion in the moving direction toward the outer member side; and a second inner protrusion protruding from the other end of the inner covering portion in the moving direction toward the outer member side. The outer member includes: an outer covering portion covering the step side surface of the core material; a first outer protrusion protruding from one end of the outer covering portion in the moving direction toward the inner member side; and a second outer protrusion protruding from the other end of the inner covering portion in the moving direction toward the outer member side. The other end of the covering portion protrudes towards the inner member side in the direction of movement. A first receiving portion is provided between the first inner protrusion and the core material to receive the first outer protrusion and the second outer protrusion of the railing panel adjacent to it on one side in the direction of movement. A second receiving portion is provided between the second outer protrusion and the core material to receive the second inner protrusion and the first inner protrusion of the railing panel 15 adjacent to it on the other side in the direction of movement. FIG1 is an overall view of a passenger conveyor with railings provided according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG2 is a cross-sectional view AA of FIG1. ​​FIG3 is an exploded perspective view of the railing panel. FIG4 is a view of the railing panels arranged along the direction of movement of the steps as viewed from above. FIG5 is a cross-sectional view BB of FIG2. Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the drawings are sometimes exaggerated for illustrative purposes. In this embodiment, the escalator 30 HK 20135848 A 3, illustrated in FIG. 1, which is inclinedly arranged across the upper and lower floors of a building and whose steps 3 move across the upper and lower floors, is described as a passenger conveyor 1. However, the present invention can also be applied to moving walkways where the steps move in the horizontal direction. In addition, in the following description, the direction in which the steps 3 move along the length of the truss 2 is sometimes referred to as the step movement direction.(1) Passenger Conveyor 1 The passenger conveyor 1 includes: a truss 2, which spans between the upper floor and the lower floor and is installed in the building; multiple steps 3, which are arranged along a long elliptical track within the truss 2 and connected in a ring; a pair of left and right railings 4, which are erected on both sides of the steps 3; and a ring-shaped movable handrail 11, which is installed on the periphery of the railings 4. The passenger conveyor 1 uses a drive device to make the steps 3 and the movable handrail 11 move cyclically between the boarding and alighting openings 30 on the upper side and the boarding and alighting openings 31 on the lower side. As shown in FIG2, the railings 4 are provided on the upper side of the main frame member 2a that forms the truss 2 and extends along the direction of step movement. As one of the components of the railings 4, a skirt-type guard plate 5 is provided close to the side end of the steps 3. The skirt-type guard plate 5 is fixed by the fixing member of the truss. An inner wall frame 6 is installed and fixed to the upper end of the skirt-type guard plate 5. The railing 4 has multiple railing panels 50 arranged along the direction of movement of the steps, and a support member 40 that is fixed to the main frame member 2a of the truss 2. The support member 40 functions as a panel support member that supports the railing panels 50 and erects them on the truss. A handrail 8 is installed at the upper end of the railing panel 50 to slide and guide the movable handrail 11. The handrail 8 is fixed to the upper end of the railing panel 50 by being embedded in the upper end of the railing panel 50 through a mounting recess 8a provided on its lower side. (2) Railing Panel 50 Next, the structure of the railing panel 50 will be described with reference to Figures 2, 3 and 4. The railing panel 50 has a plate-shaped core material 51, an inner member 52 disposed on the inner side 51a of the core material 51 facing the step 325, and an outer member 53 disposed on the outer side 51b of the core material 51 facing the opposite side of the step. The inner member 52 and the outer member 53 are fixed to the inner side 51a and the outer side 51b of the core material 51 by known methods such as adhesives. The core material 51 has a base 51c and a reinforcing part 51d. The base 51c is a honeycomb structure material, and can be made of the same stainless steel, aluminum, or resin as the inner member 52 and the outer member 53. The reinforcing part 51d is disposed at the part supported by the support member 40 and at the part where the handrail 8 is installed, and is made of a solid material with higher rigidity than the honeycomb structure of the base 51c. The inner component 52 is a component formed by bending a metal plate such as stainless steel into a specified shape.The outer member 53 is formed by bending a metal plate of the same type as the inner member 52 or another type of metal plate into a predetermined shape. Specifically, the inner member 52 has an inner cover portion 52a that covers the inner surface 51a of the core material 51, a first inner protrusion 52b provided at one end of the inner cover portion 52a in the step movement direction, and a second inner protrusion 52c provided at the other end of the inner cover portion 52a in the step movement direction. The inner cover portion 52a is longer than the core material 51 at least in the step movement direction, and is in the form of a flat plate larger than the core material 51 in order to cover the entire core material 51. The first inner protrusion 52b is formed by bending one end of the inner cover portion 52a in the step movement direction outward in the width direction of the step 3, so as to protrude from one end of the inner cover portion 52a in the step movement direction toward the outer member 53. 15. A first inner protrusion 52b is positioned away from the end face 51e of the core material 51 in the step-moving direction, moving away from the end face 51e in the step-moving direction. A first receiving portion 54 opening to the opposite side of the step is formed by the first inner protrusion 52b, the inner cover portion 52a, and the end face 51e of the core material 51. A second inner protrusion 52c is formed by bending the other end of the inner cover portion 52a in the step-moving direction outward in the width direction of the step 3, protruding towards the outer member 53 from the other end of the inner cover portion 52a in the step-moving direction. The second inner protrusion 52c faces the end face 51f of the core material 51 in the other step-moving direction. The second inner protrusion 52c is positioned away from the end face 51f of the core material 51 in the other step-moving direction, moving away from the other side of the step-moving direction. The distance between the second inner protrusion 52c and the end face 51f is smaller than the distance between the first inner protrusion 52b and the end face 51e of the core material 51 (i.e., the length of the first receiving portion 54 in the step movement direction). The outer member 53 has an outer covering portion 53a that covers the outer surface 51b of the core material 51, a first outer protrusion 53b provided at one end of the outer covering portion 53a in the step movement direction, and a second outer protrusion 53c provided at the other end of the outer covering portion 53a in the step movement direction. The outer covering portion 53a is longer than the core material 51 at least in the step movement direction, and is in the form of a flat plate larger than the core material 51 in order to cover the entire core material 51.The first outer protrusion 53b is formed by bending one end of the outer cover 53a in the step movement direction 5 toward the inner member 52. The first outer protrusion 53b is spaced apart from the end face 51e of the core material 51 in the movement direction. The first outer protrusion 53b is received in a first receiving portion 54 formed between the first inner protrusion 52b of the inner member 52 and the end face 51e of the core material 51. Preferably, the first outer protrusion 53b is positioned closer to the end face 51e than the first inner protrusion 52b. The second outer protrusion 53c is formed by bending the other end of the outer cover 53a in the step-moving direction inward toward the inner member 52, so as to protrude from the other end of the outer cover 53a in the step-moving direction toward the inner member 52. The second outer protrusion 53c is disposed at a position away from the end face 51f on the other end 15 side of the core material 51 in the step-moving direction, and a second receiving portion 55 opening toward the step-moving side is formed by the second outer protrusion 53c, the outer cover 53a, and the end face 51f of the core material 51. The second receiving portion 55 houses the second inner protrusion 52c of the inner member 52. Furthermore, the amount of protrusion of the first inner protrusion 52b and the second inner protrusion 52c from the inner covering 20 portion 52a toward the outer member 53 is preferably more than half and less than the thickness of the core material 51 (the interval between the inner side surface 51a and the outer side surface 51b of the core material 51). Additionally, it is preferable that the amount of protrusion of the first outer protrusion 53b and the second outer protrusion 53c from the outer covering 53a toward the inner member 52 is the same as the aforementioned amount of protrusion of the first inner protrusion 52b and the second inner protrusion 52c. The railing panel 50, composed of the core material 51, the inner member 52, and the outer member 53 as described above, is arranged along the step movement direction. At this time, as shown in Figure 4, the second outer protrusion 53c of the railing panel 50 adjacent to the railing panel 50 on the side of the step movement direction is received in the first receiving portion 54 of the railing panel 50, and the first inner protrusion 52b of the railing panel 50 is received in the second receiving portion 55 of the railing panel 50 adjacent to the railing panel 50 on the side of the step movement direction. Additionally, the first inner protrusion 52b of the railing panel 50 adjacent to the railing panel 50 on the other side of the step movement direction is received in the second receiving portion 55 of the railing panel 50.As shown in Figure 4, the railing panels 50 are arranged on both sides of the width direction of the step 3 along the direction of step movement. Preferably, the inner member 52 of the railing panel 50 on one side of the width direction of the step 3 and the outer member 53 of the railing panel 50 on the other side of the width direction of the step 3 have the same shape and are located at the same position in the direction of step movement. Furthermore, it is preferable that the outer member 53 of the railing panel 50 on one side of the width direction of the step 3 and the inner member 52 of the railing panel 50 on the other side of the width direction of the step 3 have the same shape and are located at the same position in the direction of step movement. By arranging the railing panels 50 on both sides of the width direction of the step 3 in this way, the same railing panel 50 can be used on both sides of the width direction of the step 3, reducing the number of component points. (3) Support Member 40 Next, the support member 40 for fixing the railing panel 50 to the truss 2 will be described with reference to Figures 2 and 5. The support member 40 includes a base 42 with a V-shaped groove 41, a wedge member 43 provided in the groove 41, and a liner 44. One side of the groove 41 (e.g., the groove wall on the step 3 side) 41a is formed as an inclined surface that slopes towards the step 3 side, with the groove width increasing towards the top. The other side of the groove 41, the groove wall 41b, is erected perpendicular to the direction of step movement, forming a facing surface opposite to the railing panel 50. Two liners 44 are provided in the groove 41 of the support member 40. The liners 44 are, for example, made of a resin molded body formed from synthetic resin material into a plate shape. Between these lining plates 44, the lower end of the railing panel 50 is inserted into the groove 41 by being clamped by a spacer plate 46. The wedge member 43 is embedded between one of the inclined groove walls 41a and one of the lining plates 44. An adjusting bolt 45 connected to the wedge member 43 is provided on the base 42. By rotating the adjusting bolt 45, the wedge member 43 is pressed into the groove 41 or pulled out. As shown in FIG5, the support member 40 is fixed to the ends of the multiple railing panels 50 arranged along the step movement direction, and the railing panels 50 are mounted on the truss 2. Specifically, the lining plate 44 of the support member 40 is arranged to span the adjacent railing panels 50 in the step movement direction, and a spacer plate 46 is provided between the lining plate 44 and the railing panel 50.The gasket plate 46 is disposed away from the first receiving portion 54 and the second receiving portion 55 disposed at the ends of the railing panel 50 in the step movement direction, and is disposed opposite to the reinforcing portion 51d of the core material 51, separated by the inner member 52, the outer member 53. Furthermore, the wedge member 43 disposed between the V-shaped groove 41 and the liner plate 44 is also disposed across the adjacent railing panels 50 in the step movement direction. The wedge member 43 has a recess 43a recessed towards the step 3 side at a position opposite to the first receiving portion 54 and the second receiving portion 55 on the inner member 52 of the railing panel 50. Therefore, the wedge member 43 does not press the portion of the inner member 52 that covers the step side of the first receiving portion 54 and the second receiving portion 55, but presses the gasket plate 46 disposed on both sides of the first receiving portion 54 and the second receiving portion 55. 10. Additionally, reference numeral 47 in Figure 2 indicates a receiving member supporting the lower surface of the railing panel 50. The receiving member 47 is a resin molded body made of synthetic resin, disposed between the lower surface of the railing panel 50 and the bottom of the groove 41, supporting the railing panel 50 from below. To install the railing panel 50 onto such a supporting member 40, firstly, the second outer protrusion 53c of the railing panel 15 50 adjacent on the step movement direction side is inserted into the first receiving portion 54 of the railing panel 50, and the first inner protrusion 52b of the railing panel 50 is inserted into the second receiving portion 55 of the railing panel 50 adjacent on the step movement direction side, arranging the two railing panels 50 along the step movement direction. Then, the wedge member 43, which is provided in the groove 41 of the base 42, is inserted between the groove wall 41b of the groove 41 and the lower end of the two railing panels 5020, sandwiched between the liner plate 44 and the gasket plate 46, so that the lower surface of the railing panel 50 abuts against the receiving member 47 provided at the bottom of the groove 41. At this time, the wedge member 43, the liner plate 44, and the gasket plate 25 46 are arranged across the two railing panels 50, with the recess 43a of the wedge member 43 aligned with the first receiving portion 54 and the second receiving portion 55 of the two railing panels 50 in the width direction of the step 3, and the gasket plate 46 avoiding the first receiving portion 54 and the second receiving portion 55. Then, the adjusting bolt 45 is rotated to press the wedge member 43 into the bottom side of the groove 41, generating a pressing force on the wedge member 43, which clamps the two railing panels 50 between the wedge member 43 and the groove wall 41b of the groove 41.(4) Effect 30 HK 20135848 A 8 According to this embodiment, the first outer protrusion 53b and the second outer protrusion 53c of the railing panel 50 are housed in the first receiving portion 54 covered by the inner covering portion 52a on the step side, and the first inner protrusion 52b and the second inner protrusion 52c of the railing panel 50 are housed in the second receiving portion 55 covered by the outer covering portion 53a on the opposite side of the step. Therefore, no gaps penetrating from the step side to the opposite side of the step are generated between adjacent railing panels 50, and no light leaks to the outside. In this embodiment, the support member 40 clamps the railing panel 50 at a position that avoids the first receiving portion 54 and the second receiving portion 55. Therefore, even if the pressing force is increased, the railing panel 50 is not easily deformed or damaged, and the railing panel 50 can be firmly supported. In this embodiment, a gap is formed between the first inner protrusion 52b and the second inner protrusion 52c of the inner side 10 member 52 of the adjacent railing panel 50 in the step movement direction, which opens towards the step 3. However, if the protrusion of the first inner protrusion 52b and the second inner protrusion 52c is more than half the thickness of the core material 51, it is difficult to see the core material 51 through the gap, and the aesthetics are not easily compromised. HK 20135848 A 1 Claim 1: A handrail for a passenger conveyor, comprising a plurality of handrail panels arranged along the movement direction of the steps on both sides of the steps, wherein each handrail panel comprises: a plate-shaped core material; an inner member disposed on the step side of the core material; and an outer member disposed on the opposite side of the core material from the steps, the inner member comprising: an inner covering portion covering the step side surface of the core material; a first inner protrusion protruding from one end of the inner covering portion in the movement direction toward the outer member side; and a second inner protrusion protruding from the other end of the inner covering portion in the movement direction toward the outer member side, the outer member comprising: an outer covering portion covering the opposite side of the core material from the steps; a first outer protrusion protruding from one end of the outer covering portion in the movement direction toward the inner member side; and a second outer protrusion protruding from the other end of the outer covering portion in the movement direction toward the inner member side. A first receiving portion is provided between the first inner protrusion and the core material to receive the first outer protrusion and the second outer protrusion of the railing panel adjacent to it on one side of the moving direction. A second receiving portion is provided between the second outer protrusion and the core material to receive the second inner protrusion and the first inner protrusion of the railing panel adjacent to it on the other side of the moving direction.2. The handrail of the passenger conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the handrail comprises: a support member installed at the lower end of the handrail panel, clamping the handrail panel at a position avoiding the first receiving portion and the second receiving portion and erecting it on a truss. 3. The handrail of the passenger conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the inner member of the handrail panel disposed on one side of the width direction and the outer member of the handrail panel disposed on the other side of the width direction are of the same shape and disposed at the same position in the movement direction; the outer member of the handrail panel disposed on one side of the width direction and the inner member of the handrail panel disposed on the other side of the width direction are of the same shape and disposed at the same position in the movement direction. 4. The handrail of the passenger conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion of the first inner protrusion and the second inner protrusion from the inner covering portion toward the outer member side is more than half the thickness of the core material. HK 20135848 A 1 Instruction Manual Attachments Figure 1 HK 20135848 A 2 Figure 2 HK 20135848 A 3 Figure 3 HK 20135848 A 4 Figure 4 HK 20135848 A 5 Figure 5 HK 20135848 A.

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