Diagnostic system

Abstract

The present invention provides a diagnostic system that does not require separate multiple sensors for upward operation and downward operation. Using pre-set sensors, the chain elongation can be measured with high precision in either operation. The diagnostic system of one embodiment includes a conveying device, a first and a second sensor, and a diagnostic device. The conveying device includes an endless chain having a plurality of rollers connected at a certain interval and respectively engaged with bushings, and circulates between a first sprocket and a second sprocket. The first and second sensors are separately arranged at diagonal positions on the moving path of the chain regardless of the operating direction of the conveying device, and detect the passage of the rollers of the chain. When the conveying device is in operation, the diagnostic device measures the elongation of the chain based on a first detection signal output from the first sensor accompanying the movement of the chain and a second detection signal output from the second sensor.

Description

[0001] This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-192562 (filing date: November 19, 2020), the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a diagnostic system used in a conveying device such as an escalator or a moving walkway. Background Art

[0003] Typically, an escalator has three types of chains: a drive chain, a handrail drive chain, and a step chain. In the chain, as the connecting portions of adjacent links slide over time, they gradually wear and stretch.

[0004] Specifically, when measuring the distance between the roller of one connecting rod and the roller of the other, separated connecting rod, this distance increases. If this elongation exceeds a specified amount, the meshing between the sprocket and the chain deteriorates, causing wear on the sprocket teeth and ultimately causing the chain to slip over the sprocket teeth ("tooth jump"). In this case, the entire step on which the passenger is standing slides downward, causing a passenger to fall. Therefore, the chain must be replaced before this happens.

[0005] Therefore, during regular inspections, maintenance personnel check the elongation of these chains, as described below, and replace them when they reach a specified elongation. However, measuring elongation requires removing steps and opening the machinery compartment. This places a significant burden on inspectors. Furthermore, since inspections cannot be performed during normal operation, there are issues such as being unable to respond to unexpected abnormalities that may arise during operation.

[0006] To eliminate this problem, the following technology is considered: two photoelectric sensors are arranged along the moving direction of the chain, and the timing deviation when the rollers at two separated positions on the chain pass through the two sensors is detected. The elongation between the rollers at the two positions is automatically measured based on the timing deviation.

[0007] However, the chain has two parts: a part where tension is applied and a part where tension is not applied and a part where tension is loose. If a photoelectric sensor is placed in the tensioned part, the chain elongation can be accurately measured. However, if a photoelectric sensor is placed in the loose part, the loose part will affect the elongation and cannot accurately measure the elongation.

[0008] To accurately measure chain elongation, the two photoelectric sensors mentioned above must be placed on the chain's travel path, on the side where the chain is tensioned. For example, in a drive chain, the outbound side (upper chain) of the chain's travel path is tensioned during upward movement, while the return side (lower chain) is tensioned during downward movement. Therefore, a photoelectric sensor is required on the outbound side of an escalator traveling upward, and on the return side of a escalator traveling downward.

[0009] Therefore, the photoelectric sensor's placement had to be adjusted according to the escalator's direction of travel, making installation cumbersome. Furthermore, the fixing parts used to secure the sensor to the escalator also required two types: one for the outbound side and the other for the return side.

[0010] Furthermore, the direction of escalator movement can be freely changed at the convenience of the escalator owner. Therefore, if the escalator is initially designed for upward movement and the photoelectric sensor is positioned for upward movement, but the escalator is actually moving downward, the chain stretch cannot be accurately measured because the measurement is performed on the side where the chain is slack. While this problem can be avoided by installing two sensors on the outbound side of the chain's travel path and two on the return side, for a total of four sensors, the number of components increases. Summary of the Invention

[0011] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a diagnostic system that can accurately measure chain elongation in either operation using pre-set sensors, without having to separately set up multiple sensors for upward operation and downward operation.

[0012] A diagnostic system according to one embodiment includes a conveying device, first and second sensors, and a diagnostic device. The conveying device includes an endless chain having a plurality of rollers connected at a predetermined interval and respectively engaged with bushings, and circulates between a first sprocket and a second sprocket. The first and second sensors are separately arranged at diagonal positions on the moving path of the chain, regardless of the direction of operation of the conveying device, to detect the passage of the rollers of the chain. When the conveying device is in operation, the diagnostic device measures the elongation of the chain based on a first detection signal output from the first sensor and a second detection signal output from the second sensor as the chain moves.

[0013] According to the diagnostic system having the above configuration, it is not necessary to separately provide a plurality of sensors for upward movement and downward movement. Instead, the chain elongation can be measured with high accuracy in either operation using the pre-installed sensors. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Figure 1This is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an escalator according to one embodiment.

[0015] Figure 2 It is a perspective view showing the structure of a chain used in the above-mentioned escalator.

[0016] Figure 3A This is a diagram showing the configuration of a diagnostic system for diagnosing the extended state of the chain, and illustrates the state of the chain as viewed from the side.

[0017] Figure 3B The chain is shown as viewed from the side.

[0018] Figure 4 1 and 2 are diagrams showing states of detection signals from two sensors when the chain is not extended.

[0019] Figure 5 1 and 2 are diagrams showing states of detection signals from two sensors when the chain is extended.

[0020] Figure 6 This is a diagram for explaining the method of measuring the chain elongation in the first embodiment, and shows the state of the drive chain during upward movement.

[0021] Figure 7 This is a diagram for explaining the method of measuring the chain elongation in the first embodiment, and shows the state of the drive chain during downward movement.

[0022] Figure 8 This is a diagram showing states of detection signals from two sensors when the drive chain is not extended in the first embodiment.

[0023] Figure 9 This is a diagram showing states of detection signals from two sensors when the drive chain in the first embodiment is extended.

[0024] Figure 10 This is a diagram for explaining a method for measuring chain elongation in the second embodiment, and shows the state of the drive chain during upward movement.

[0025] Figure 11 This is a diagram for explaining the method of measuring the chain elongation in the second embodiment, and shows the state of the drive chain during downward movement.

[0026] Figure 12 This is a diagram for explaining a method for measuring chain elongation in the third embodiment, and shows the state of the drive chain during upward movement.

[0027] Figure 13This is a diagram for explaining the method of measuring the chain elongation in the third embodiment, and shows the state of the drive chain during downward movement.

[0028] Figure 14 This is a diagram showing the signal states of the two sensors during upward operation in the third embodiment, and shows the signal states when the drive chain is not extended.

[0029] Figure 15 This is a diagram showing the signal states of the two sensors during downward movement in the third embodiment, and shows the signal states when the drive chain is extended.

[0030] Figure 16 This is a diagram for explaining a method for measuring chain elongation in the fourth embodiment, and shows the state of the drive chain during upward movement.

[0031] Figure 17 This is a diagram for explaining the method of measuring the chain elongation in the fourth embodiment, and shows the state of the drive chain during downward movement.

[0032] Figure 18 This is a diagram for explaining a method for measuring chain elongation in the fifth embodiment, and shows the state of the drive chain during upward movement.

[0033] Figure 19 It is a diagram showing states of detection signals from two sensors used in the slack side measurement in the fifth embodiment.

[0034] Figure 20 This is a diagram comparing the measured values ​​on the tension side and the measured values ​​on the slack side in the fifth embodiment.

[0035] Figure 21 This is a diagram for explaining the method of measuring the chain elongation in the fifth embodiment, and shows the state of the drive chain during downward movement.

[0036] Figure 22 This is a diagram for explaining a method for measuring chain elongation in the sixth embodiment, and shows the state of the drive chain during upward movement.

[0037] Figure 23 This is a diagram for explaining the method of measuring the chain elongation in the sixth embodiment, and shows the state of the drive chain during downward movement. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0039] In addition, the disclosure is only an example, and the invention is not limited to the contents described in the following embodiments. Of course, variations that can be easily imagined by those skilled in the art are also included in the scope of the disclosure. In order to make the description clearer, the dimensions and shapes of various parts are sometimes changed relative to the actual embodiment to schematically illustrate them in the drawings. In multiple drawings, corresponding elements are sometimes marked with the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions are omitted.

[0040] Figure 1 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an escalator according to one embodiment. Reference numeral 1 in the figure denotes the entire escalator as one type of transport apparatus.

[0041] The escalator 1 circulates a plurality of steps (stairs) 5 connected in an endless shape by driving a step chain 9 wound between a driving sprocket 3 and a driven sprocket 4. Specifically, the escalator 1 includes a plurality of steps 5 within a truss (structural frame) 2.

[0042] The drive sprocket 3 and driven sprocket 4 are arranged in the upper and lower layers of the truss 2. A speed reducer 6 is provided near the drive sprocket 3, and an endless drive chain 7 is wound between a drive sprocket 10 provided on the rotating shaft of the speed reducer 6 and a driven sprocket 11 provided coaxially with the drive sprocket 3.

[0043] The rotational power of the motor 8 is transmitted to the drive sprocket 3 via the drive chain 7 wound around the driven sprocket 11. An endless step chain 9 is wound between the drive sprocket 3 and the driven sprocket 4. When the drive sprocket 3 receives the rotational power of the motor 8 and rotates, the multiple steps 5 connected to the step chain 9 circulate.

[0044] The escalator 1 has a pair of handrails 12 on both sides of the step 5 in the direction of movement. An endless handrail 13 is attached along the outer periphery of the handrails 12. Inside the truss 2, a handrail drive sprocket 15 and a driven sprocket 11 are spaced apart from each other.

[0045] An endless handrail chain 16 is wound between the handrail drive sprocket 15 and the driven sprocket 11. When the drive sprocket 3 receives rotational power from the motor 8 and rotates, the handrail drive sprocket 15 rotates via the handrail chain 16 wound around the driven sprocket 11. As the handrail drive sprocket 15 rotates, the handrail belt 13 circulates in the same direction as the steps 5, in coordination with their movement.

[0046] The operation of the escalator 1 is controlled by a control device 14 installed within the truss 2. For example, the control device 14 comprises an inverter device (not shown) for driving the motor 8 and a microcomputer that controls the inverter device, thereby controlling the inverter device and the motor 8. The microcomputer includes a CPU, RAM, and ROM (not shown). Application programs stored in the ROM are loaded into the RAM and executed by the CPU, thereby operating the various devices that constitute the escalator 1. The CPU also reads and writes various data in the RAM and ROM.

[0047] Here, the drive chain 7 and the handrail chain 16 are usually roller chains. Figure 2 ), the structure of the diagnostic system for diagnosing the elongation state of the chain 21 will be described. In addition, as an example, a conveyor chain is used as the step chain 9. In this embodiment, the case of application to a roller chain is shown, but it can also be applied to a conveyor chain.

[0048] Figure 2 It is a perspective view showing the structure of a chain 21 (roller chain) used as the drive chain 7 and the handrail chain 16 .

[0049] The chain 21 includes a plurality of inner links 22a, each formed by a pair of bushings 231 and an inner plate 222, and a plurality of outer links 22b, each formed by a pair of pins 24 and an outer plate 221. These are alternately connected in a continuous loop. The pins 24 of the outer links 22b slidably fit into the bushings 231 of the inner links 22a, and the rollers 23 slidably engage the outer circumference of the bushings 231. A photoelectric sensor, described later, optically detects the passage of the rollers 23.

[0050] Here, the extension of the chain 21 occurs due to the following phenomenon.

[0051] As escalator 1 operates, the outer circumference of pin 24 of outer link 22b is cut due to sliding, reducing its diameter. This reduction in pin 24 diameter creates a difference between the inner diameter of bushing 231 of inner link 22a, which is manufactured with the same diameter as pin 24, and the outer diameter of pin 24 of outer link 22b, creating a gap between them. Consequently, when tension is applied to chain 21, pin 24 of outer link 22b moves outward of bushing 231 of inner link 22a by the amount of this gap, widening the gap between rollers 23 on links 22a and 22b. This causes each link of chain 21 to stretch.

[0052] In addition, since all the links 22a and 22b slide the same number of times, the extension amounts between the links are substantially equal. In this embodiment, the total extension amount of the plurality of links included between the two photoelectric sensors is detected.

[0053] Figure 3A This is a diagram showing the configuration of the diagnostic system, and illustrates a state where the chain is viewed from the side. Figure 3B The chain is shown as viewed from above.

[0054] like Figure 3A As shown, the diagnostic system 30 includes a chain 21 , two sensors 31 and 32 provided on the upper side or the lower side with respect to the longitudinal direction of the chain 21 , and a diagnostic device 33 connected to the sensors 31 and 32 .

[0055] The sensors 31 and 32 are arranged at a predetermined interval D in the moving direction (direction of arrow a) of the chain 21. The "predetermined interval D" is an interval of length that is an integral multiple of the chain pitch P. Figure 3A 、 Figure 3B In the example, in order to fit the paper size, it is recorded as three times the chain pitch P (in other words, the distance of three links), but it is not limited to three links.

[0056] The sensors 31 and 32 are, for example, diffuse reflection type photoelectric sensors, each having a structure in which a light projector 31a, 32a and a light receiver 31b, 32b are integrated. Figure 3B As shown, sensor 31 detects the passage of roller 23 based on the amount of light output from light projector 31a when it is reflected by roller 23 and received by light receiver 31b. 31c in the figure shows the light of sensor 31. Similarly, sensor 32 detects the passage of roller 23 based on the amount of light output from light projector 32a when it is reflected by roller 23 and received by light receiver 32b. 32c in the figure shows the light of sensor 32.

[0057] The diagnostic device 33 is a device independent of the control device 14 and is installed within the truss 2. The diagnostic device 33 is composed of, for example, a microcomputer and implements the functions of this system by activating a predetermined program. Alternatively, the control device 14 may be equipped with the functions implemented by the diagnostic device 33.

[0058] The diagnostic device 33, as a functional unit for realizing the present system, includes an elongation detection unit 33a and an abnormality determination unit 33b. The elongation detection unit 33a detects the elongation of the chain 21 based on the rising timing of the detection signal S1 output from the sensor 31 and the rising timing of the detection signal S2 output from the sensor 32 as the chain 21 moves. When the elongation of the chain 21 detected by the elongation detection unit 33a is greater than a predetermined reference value, the abnormality determination unit 33b determines that it is abnormal and notifies the control device 14 of this fact. Upon receiving an abnormality notification from the abnormality determination unit 33b, the control device 14 may, for example, light a warning light (not shown) or report the abnormality to the monitoring room of the building where the escalator 1 is installed or an external monitoring center, requesting an inspection of the escalator 1.

[0059] Reference Figure 4 as well as Figure 5 , a method for measuring the elongation of the chain 21 will be described. Figure 4 The states of the detection signal S1 of the sensor 31 and the detection signal S2 of the sensor 32 when the chain 21 is not extended are shown. Figure 5 The states of the detection signal S1 of the sensor 31 and the detection signal S2 of the sensor 32 when the chain 21 is extended are shown.

[0060] Imagine a 21-way chain Figure 2 The sensors 31 and 32 detect the passage of the rollers 23 of the chain 21 at their respective locations and output detection signals S1 and S2. The time difference between the detection signals S1 and S2 is detected at the timing of their initial rises.

[0061] In this case, for example, the number of the roller 23 when the detection signal S1 first rises is set to "1", and the rollers 23 are numbered in ascending order. On the sensor 31 side, the detection signal S1 is output each time the passage of each roller 23, such as "1", "2", "3", etc., is detected. On the other hand, since the sensor 32 is arranged behind the sensor 31 with a predetermined number of links n, the roller number when the detection signal S2 first rises is "1+n". On the sensor 32 side, the detection signal S2 is output each time the passage of each roller 23, such as "1+n", "2+n", "3+n", etc., is detected. In the example of Figure 3, since the sensor 32 is located three links behind the sensor 31, "n" = "3".

[0062] like Figure 4 As shown, when the chain 21 is not extended, the detection signal S1 of the sensor 31 and the detection signal S2 of the sensor 32 rise at the same time, and the time difference Δt1 between the two is substantially zero. Figure 5 As shown, when the chain 21 is stretched, the timing at which roller 23 passes sensor 31 and the timing at which rollers 23 of the n links behind it pass sensor 32 do not coincide. Therefore, a time difference Δt2 occurs between the rise times of detection signal S1 from sensor 31 and detection signal S2 from sensor 32. Therefore, the stretch of the chain 21 can be determined based on this Δt2.

[0063] To accurately measure the elongation of the chain 21, two sensors 31 and 32 are required on the tensioned side of the chain's travel path. Typically, during upward movement, the tension from the drive sprocket acts on the outbound side (upper chain) of the chain 21's travel path, causing the outbound side to be tensioned and the return side (lower chain) to be slack. Meanwhile, during downward movement, the tension from the drive sprocket acts on the return side (lower chain) of the chain 21's travel path, causing the return side to be tensioned and the outbound side (upper chain) to be slack.

[0064] Therefore, generally speaking, the arrangement of the two sensors 31, 32 must be changed to either the outbound side or the return side of the moving path, or two sensors 31, 32 must be arranged on both the outbound side and the return side, depending on the running direction of the escalator 1. However, changing the arrangement of the two sensors 31, 32 makes the installation work cumbersome, and arranging two sensors 31, 32 on both the outbound side and the return side increases the number of components, causing problems in terms of installation space and cost.

[0065] Hereinafter, taking the drive chain 7 as an example, a method for measuring the chain elongation with high accuracy without changing the sensor arrangement during upward and downward movement will be described in detail by way of each embodiment.

[0066] In addition, Figure 1 In the escalator 1 shown, the drive chain 7 and the handrail chain 16 have the same structure, and are prone to slack on the outgoing side or the returning side of the moving path depending on the running direction of the escalator 1.

[0067] (First embodiment)

[0068] Figure 6 as well as Figure 7 This is a diagram for explaining the method for measuring the chain elongation in the first embodiment, showing an enlarged view of Figure 1 The upper side of the drive sprocket 10, the drive chain 7, and the driven sprocket 11. Figure 6 It shows the state of the drive chain when it is running upward. Figure 7 The diagram shows the state of the drive chain during downward operation. In the figure, sensor 31 is referred to as "Sensor 1" to indicate the first sensor, and sensor 32 is referred to as "Sensor 2" to indicate the second sensor. This applies to the other figures. The structure of the drive chain 7 is also schematically shown, with 22 in the figure indicating an inner link 22a and an outer link 22b. This also applies to the other figures.

[0069] The drive chain 7 is annularly mounted between the drive sprocket 10 and the driven sprocket 11, and is moved in a circular motion by the rotational force of the drive sprocket 10. The drive chain 7 is in a relatively elongated state, and slack occurs on one side of the moving path. Figure 6 As shown, during upward movement, the outbound side (upper chain) of the drive chain 7's path moves in the direction of arrow a, while the return side (lower chain) moves in the direction of arrow b. At this time, the outbound side is tensioned due to the tension of the drive sprocket 10. However, since there is no tension on the return side, there is slack.

[0070] On the other hand, Figure 7 As shown in the figure, during downward movement, the outgoing side (upper chain) of the movement path of the drive chain 7 moves in the direction of arrow b, and the returning side (lower chain) moves in the direction of arrow a. At this time, the returning side is in a tensioned state due to the tension of the drive sprocket 10, but since there is no tension on the outgoing side, there is slack.

[0071] In the first embodiment, one of the two sensors 31 and 32 is positioned on the outbound side of the travel path of the drive chain 7, while the other is positioned on the return side of the travel path. In this case, the sensors 31 and 32 are positioned diagonally, separated on the outbound and return sides. Preferably, one sensor is positioned near the drive sprocket 10, while the other is positioned near the driven sprocket 11.

[0072] Specifically, if Figure 6 as well as Figure 7 As shown, sensor 31 is positioned close to drive sprocket 10 on the return side of the travel path, and sensor 32 is positioned close to driven sprocket 11 on the outward side of the travel path. Sensor 31 serves as a first sensor and serves as a starting point for measurement, optically detecting the passage of multiple rollers 23 arranged at regular intervals on drive chain 7. Sensor 32 serves as a second sensor and optically detects the passage of each roller 23 a predetermined number of links behind sensor 31.

[0073] In addition, Figure 6 as well as Figure 7 The sensors 31 and 32 depicted with dotted lines are used for reference only and represent conventional configurations, and do not actually exist. Similarly, the sensors 31 and 32 depicted with dotted lines in other drawings are used for reference only and represent conventional sensor configurations.

[0074] In the sensor arrangement of the first embodiment, the extension of the drive chain 7 is measured during the upward and downward movement of the escalator 1 as follows.

[0075] (When running upward)

[0076] like Figure 6As shown, during upward movement, the outgoing side (upper chain) of the drive chain 7 becomes tensioned, while the returning side (lower chain) becomes relaxed. Sensors 31 and 32 are connected to a diagnostic device 33 shown in FIG3 . The elongation detection unit 33a of the diagnostic device 33 uses sensor 31 as the starting point for measurement and detects the elongation of the drive chain 7 in the measurement interval from sensor 31 to sensor 32. Specifically, the elongation detection unit 33a determines the time difference between the rising timing of the detection signal S1 output from sensor 31 and the rising timing of the detection signal S2 output from sensor 32 as the chain 21 moves, and detects the elongation of the chain 21 based on this time difference.

[0077] The measurement interval at this time is the sum of (1) the interval in which the drive chain 7 is tensioned between the drive sprocket 10 and the driven sprocket 11 on the outgoing side, (2) the interval in which the drive chain 7 is engaged with the drive sprocket 10 and is not stretched, and (3) the interval in which the drive chain 7 is relaxed near the drive sprocket 10 on the returning side.

[0078] The interval (1) is an interval in which the elongation of the drive chain 7 can be accurately measured. The interval (2) is an interval not relevant to the measurement. The interval (3) is an interval in which the elongation of the drive chain 7 can be measured but is affected by slack. However, the interval (3) is shorter than the interval (1). In other words, the majority of the measurement interval is the interval (1), in which measurement accuracy can be accurately measured, and the interval (3), in which measurement accuracy is reduced, accounts for a smaller proportion.

[0079] As can be seen from the above, by adopting the sensor arrangement of the first embodiment, accurate measurement results can be obtained during upward operation. In this case, by arranging the sensor 32 as close as possible to the driven sprocket 11, the interval (1) becomes longer, and more accurate measurement results can be obtained. In addition, by arranging the sensor 31 as close as possible to the drive sprocket 10, the interval (3) becomes shorter, and measurement can be performed with minimal influence of slack.

[0080] (When running downward)

[0081] like Figure 7 As shown, during downward movement, the outbound side (upper chain) of the drive chain 7 is slack, while the return side (lower chain) is tensioned. Similar to the upward movement, the extension detection unit 33a of the diagnostic device 33 uses sensor 31 as the starting point for measurement and detects the extension of the drive chain 7 in the measurement interval from sensor 31 to sensor 32.

[0082] The measurement interval at this time is the sum of (1) the interval in which the drive chain 7 is tensioned between the drive sprocket 10 and the driven sprocket 11 on the return side, (2) the interval in which the drive chain 7 is engaged with the driven sprocket 11 and is not stretched, and (3) the interval in which the drive chain 7 is relaxed near the driven sprocket 11 on the outward side.

[0083] The interval (1) is an interval in which the elongation of the drive chain 7 can be accurately measured. The interval (2) is an interval not relevant to the measurement. The interval (3) is an interval in which the elongation of the drive chain 7 can be measured but is affected by slack. However, the interval (3) is shorter than the interval (1). In other words, the majority of the measurement interval is the interval (1), in which measurement accuracy can be accurately measured, and the interval (3), in which measurement accuracy is reduced, accounts for a smaller proportion.

[0084] As can be seen from the above, even during downward movement, the same accurate measurement results as during upward movement can be obtained. In this case, by placing the sensor 31 as close as possible to the drive sprocket 10, the interval (1) becomes longer, allowing for more accurate measurement results. Furthermore, by placing the sensor 32 as close as possible to the driven sprocket 11, the interval (3) becomes shorter, allowing for measurement with minimal slack.

[0085] Figure 8 as well as Figure 9 The signal states of the sensors 31 and 32 in the first embodiment are shown. The signal states of the sensors 31 and 32 are substantially the same when the escalator 1 is moving upward or downward. Figure 8 The states of the detection signal S1 of the sensor 31 and the detection signal S2 of the sensor 32 when the drive chain 7 is not extended are shown. Figure 9 The states of the detection signal S1 of the sensor 31 and the detection signal S2 of the sensor 32 when the drive chain 7 is extended are shown.

[0086] In the figure, m is the number of links from sensor 31 to sensor 32. For example, when sensor 31 detects the passage of roller 23 numbered "1", sensor 32 located at the mth link behind detects the passage of roller 23 numbered "1+m".

[0087] like Figure 8As shown, when the drive chain 7 is not extended, sensors 31 and 32 detect the passage of each roller 23 of the drive chain 7 at approximately the same timing and output detection signals S1 and S2. In this case, whether in upward or downward operation, the slack is affected in the interval (3) above, so there is a tendency for detection signal S2 to be output slightly earlier than detection signal S1, but this is negligible in terms of measurement. Therefore, when the drive chain 7 is not extended, the detection signal S1 of sensor 31 and the detection signal S2 of sensor 32 rise at the same time, and the time difference Δt3 between the two is approximately zero.

[0088] On the other hand, Figure 9 As shown, when the drive chain 7 is extended, the timing at which roller 23 passes sensor 31 is inconsistent with the timing at which roller 23 at the rear m link passes sensor 32. Consequently, a time difference Δt4 occurs between the rise of detection signal S1 from sensor 31 and detection signal S2 from sensor 32. Specifically, the rise of detection signal S2 is delayed by the amount of extension of the drive chain 7, increasing the time difference Δt4 between the two.

[0089] As mentioned above, in Figure 6 as well as Figure 7 In the sensor configuration shown, the measurement is somewhat affected by slack in the interval (3) above, so there is actually a tendency for detection signal S2 to be output slightly earlier than detection signal S1, but this is negligible. Therefore, the above Δt4 is a roughly accurate value reflecting chain elongation.

[0090] As described above, according to the first embodiment, the two sensors 31 and 32 are used, and regardless of upward or downward movement, the influence of the slack side of the drive chain 7 is minimized with the same sensor arrangement, and the chain elongation can be measured with high accuracy.

[0091] (Second embodiment)

[0092] Next, a second embodiment will be described.

[0093] The second embodiment is similar to the first embodiment in that the first sensor and the second sensor are arranged diagonally on the outbound and inbound sides, respectively. However, the arrangement of the first and second sensors is different from that of the first embodiment.

[0094] Figure 10 as well as Figure 11 1 is a diagram for explaining a method for measuring chain elongation in the second embodiment. Figure 10 It shows the state of the drive chain when it is running upward. Figure 11 The state of the drive train when running downward is shown.

[0095] In the second embodiment, a sensor 31 is positioned on the outward side of the travel path, close to the drive sprocket 10, and a sensor 32 is positioned on the return side of the travel path, close to the driven sprocket 11. Sensor 31 serves as the first sensor, serving as the starting point for measurement, and optically detects the passage of each roller 23. Sensor 32 serves as the second sensor, optically detecting the passage of each roller 23 at a predetermined number of links behind sensor 31.

[0096] In the sensor arrangement of the second embodiment, the extension of the drive chain 7 is measured during the upward and downward movement of the escalator 1 as follows.

[0097] (When running upward)

[0098] like Figure 10 As shown, when the drive chain 7 is running upward, the outgoing side (upper chain) of the drive chain 7 becomes tensioned, and the returning side (lower chain) becomes relaxed. Sensors 31 and 32 are connected to the diagnostic device 33 shown in Figure 3. The elongation detection unit 33a of the diagnostic device 33 uses sensor 31 as the starting point of the measurement and detects the elongation of the drive chain 7 in the measurement range from sensor 31 to sensor 32. In detail, the elongation detection unit 33a calculates the time deviation between the rising timing of the detection signal S1 output from sensor 31 and the rising timing of the detection signal S2 output from sensor 32 as the chain 21 moves, and detects the elongation of the chain 21 based on this time deviation.

[0099] The measurement interval at this time is the sum of (1) the interval in which the drive chain 7 is tensioned between the drive sprocket 10 and the driven sprocket 11 on the outgoing side, (2) the interval in which the drive chain 7 is engaged with the driven sprocket 11 and is not stretched, and (3) the interval in which the drive chain 7 is relaxed near the driven sprocket 11 on the returning side.

[0100] The majority of the measurement interval is the interval (1), which can be accurately measured, and the interval (3), where the measurement accuracy decreases, accounts for a relatively small proportion. Therefore, it can be seen that by adopting the sensor configuration of the second embodiment, accurate measurement results can be obtained even during upward operation. In this case, as long as the sensor 31 is configured as close to the drive sprocket 10 as possible, the interval (1) becomes longer, and more accurate measurement results can be obtained. In addition, as long as the sensor 32 is configured as close to the driven sprocket 11 as possible, the interval (3) becomes shorter, and measurement can be performed with minimal influence from slack.

[0101] (When running downward)

[0102] like Figure 11As shown, during downward movement, the outbound side (upper chain) of the drive chain 7 is slack, while the return side (lower chain) is tensioned. Similar to the upward movement, the extension detection unit 33a of the diagnostic device 33 uses sensor 31 as the starting point for measurement and detects the extension of the drive chain 7 in the measurement interval from sensor 31 to sensor 32.

[0103] The measurement interval at this time is the sum of (1) the interval in which the drive chain 7 is tensioned between the drive sprocket 10 and the driven sprocket 11 on the return side, (2) the interval in which the drive chain 7 is engaged with the drive sprocket 10 and is not stretched, and (3) the interval in which the drive chain 7 is relaxed near the drive sprocket 10 on the outward side.

[0104] The majority of the measurement interval is the interval (1), which can be accurately measured, and the interval (3), where the measurement accuracy decreases, accounts for a relatively small proportion. Therefore, it can be seen that the same accurate measurement results can be obtained during downward operation as during upward operation. In this case, if the sensor 32 is arranged as close to the driven sprocket 11 as possible, the interval (1) will be longer, and more accurate measurement results can be obtained. In addition, if the sensor 31 is arranged as close to the driving sprocket 10 as possible, the interval (3) will be shortened, and measurement can be performed with minimal influence from slack.

[0105] Thus, according to the second embodiment, similar to the first embodiment, two sensors 31 and 32 are used, and the influence of the slack side of the drive chain 7 is minimized under the same sensor arrangement regardless of upward or downward operation, thereby enabling high-precision measurement of chain elongation.

[0106] Comparison between the first embodiment and the second embodiment

[0107] The second embodiment is superior to the first embodiment in that the sensor 31 (first sensor) which becomes the starting point of measurement is arranged in the section (1) which becomes the tension side of the drive chain 7 during upward operation (see Figure 10 ). The interval (1) is an interval in which the elongation of the drive chain 7 can be accurately measured. In the sensor arrangement of the second embodiment, measurement is started from the interval (1) during upward operation, so it can be expected that the measurement accuracy will be improved compared to the first embodiment. On the other hand, during downward operation, measurement is started from the interval (3) which is affected by slack (see Figure 11 ). Therefore, during downward operation, the sensor arrangement of the first embodiment can be expected to improve measurement accuracy.

[0108] Based on the above, the sensor configuration of the second embodiment is effective for escalators that primarily operate upward, achieving more accurate measurement results than when operating downward. In contrast, the sensor configuration of the first embodiment is effective for escalators that primarily operate downward, achieving more accurate measurement results than when operating up and down. However, both the sensor configuration of the first embodiment and the sensor configuration of the second embodiment can accurately measure chain elongation in both upward and downward operations, and any escalator that switches between upward and downward operations can achieve the same effect.

[0109] (Third embodiment)

[0110] Next, a third embodiment will be described.

[0111] There is no significant difference in chain elongation measurement accuracy between the first and second embodiments. However, measurement accuracy is superior when the sensor serving as the measurement starting point is located on the tensioned chain. Specifically, during upward movement, the second embodiment outperforms the first embodiment because the sensor serving as the measurement starting point is located on the tensioned chain. Therefore, the third embodiment employs the sensor arrangement of the first embodiment, but adds a new sensor to the tensioned chain during upward movement, thereby improving measurement accuracy during upward movement.

[0112] Figure 12 as well as Figure 13 1 is a diagram for explaining a method for measuring chain elongation in a third embodiment. Figure 12 Shows the status of the drive chain when running upwards. Figure 13 Shows the status of the drive train when running downward.

[0113] The arrangement of the sensors 31 and 32 is similar to that of the first embodiment ( Figure 6 as well as Figure 7 That is, the sensor 31 is arranged close to the drive sprocket 10 on the return side of the moving path of the drive chain 7. The sensor 32 is arranged close to the driven sprocket 11 on the outward side of the moving path of the drive chain 7.

[0114] Here, in the third embodiment, as Figure 12 as well as Figure 13 As shown, the sensor 40 is used independently of the sensors 31 and 32. In the figure, the sensor 40 is referred to as "sensor 3" as the third sensor. The same applies to the other figures.

[0115] Sensor 40 is located near the outward drive sprocket 10, which becomes the tensioning side during upward movement, and is positioned opposite sensor 32, separated by a predetermined number of links. Like sensors 31 and 32, sensor 40 is comprised of, for example, a diffuse reflection photoelectric sensor, and optically detects the passage of multiple rollers 23 arranged at regular intervals on the drive chain 7. Sensor 40 is connected to diagnostic device 33 and outputs a detection signal S3 to diagnostic device 33 upon detecting the passage of each roller 23.

[0116] In the sensor arrangement of the third embodiment, the extension of the drive chain 7 is measured during the upward and downward movement of the escalator 1 as follows.

[0117] (When running upward)

[0118] like Figure 12 As shown, when the drive chain 7 is in an upward direction, the outward direction (upper chain) is in a tensioned state, and the return direction (lower chain) is in a slack state. Sensors 31, 32, 40 are connected to a diagnostic device 33 shown in FIG.

[0119] During upward movement, the extension detection unit 33a of the diagnostic device 33 selects sensor 40 and sensor 32 from among sensors 31, 32, and 40, uses sensor 40 as the starting point for measurement, and detects the extension of the drive chain 7 in the measurement interval from sensor 40 to sensor 32. Specifically, the extension detection unit 33a calculates the time difference between the rising timing of the detection signal S3 output from sensor 40 and the rising timing of the detection signal S2 output from sensor 32 as the chain 21 moves, and detects the extension of the detection chain 21 based on this time difference.

[0120] The measurement section in this case is only (1) the section where the drive chain 7 is stretched between the outward drive sprocket 10 and the driven sprocket 11. That is, by measuring only on the side where the drive chain 7 is stretched during upward movement, more accurate measurement results can be obtained than in the first embodiment described above.

[0121] (When running downward)

[0122] like Figure 13 As shown, during downward movement, the outbound side (upper chain) of the drive chain 7 becomes slack, while the return side (lower chain) becomes tensioned. During downward movement, sensor 40 is not used, and, as in the first embodiment described above, sensors 31 and 32 are used instead. Specifically, the elongation detection unit 33a of the diagnostic device 33 uses sensor 31 as the starting point for measurement and detects the elongation of the drive chain 7 during the measurement interval from sensor 31 to sensor 32.

[0123] The measurement interval in this case is the sum of intervals (1), (2), and (3). However, the sensor 31, which serves as the starting point of the measurement, is located in front of the tensioning side of the drive chain 7 and contains a large number of intervals (1), so accurate measurement results can be obtained.

[0124] exist Figure 14 as well as Figure 15 2 shows the signal states of the sensors 40 and 32 during upward operation in the third embodiment. Figure 14 The states of the detection signal S3 of the sensor 40 and the detection signal S2 of the sensor 32 when the drive chain 7 is not extended are shown. Figure 15 The states of the detection signal S3 of the sensor 40 and the detection signal S2 of the sensor 32 when the drive chain 7 is extended are shown.

[0125] m in the figure is the number of links from sensor 40 to sensor 32. For example, when sensor 40 detects the passage of roller 23 number "1", sensor 32 arranged at the rear m links detects the passage of roller 23 number "1+m".

[0126] like Figure 14 As shown, when the drive chain 7 is not extended, the sensors 40 and 32 detect the passage of the rollers 23 of the drive chain 7 at approximately the same timing and output detection signals S3 and S2. In this case, the newly added sensor 40 is used during upward operation and measurement is performed only in the above-mentioned interval (1). Therefore, the rise of the detection signal S3 of the sensor 40 and the detection signal S2 of the sensor 32 are the same, and the time difference Δt5 between the two is zero.

[0127] On the other hand, Figure 15 As shown, when the drive chain 7 is extended, the timing of roller 23 passing sensor 40 and the timing of roller 23 passing sensor 32 at the rear m-link do not coincide. Consequently, a time difference Δt6 occurs between the rise of detection signal S3 from sensor 40 and detection signal S2 from sensor 32. Specifically, the rise of detection signal S2 is delayed by the amount of extension of the drive chain 7, increasing the time difference Δt6 between the two. In the sensor arrangement of the third embodiment, there is no effect of slack during upward movement, so the aforementioned Δt6 accurately reflects the chain extension.

[0128] In addition, in the downward operation, the same as the first embodiment, the sensor 31 and the sensor 32 are used to detect the chain extension. The state of the detection signals S1 and S2 at this time is the same as Figure 8 as well as Figure 9 same.

[0129] Thus, according to the third embodiment, in the sensor arrangement of the first embodiment, a new sensor 40 is added to the chain that becomes the tension side during upward movement, and the chain elongation is measured using the sensor 40 as the starting point for measurement, thereby further improving the measurement accuracy during upward movement.

[0130] (Fourth embodiment)

[0131] Next, a fourth embodiment will be described.

[0132] In the third embodiment, in the sensor arrangement of the first embodiment, a new sensor is added to the chain that becomes tensioned during upward movement, thereby improving measurement accuracy during upward movement. In the fourth embodiment, in the sensor arrangement of the second embodiment, a new sensor is added to the chain that becomes tensioned during downward movement, thereby improving measurement accuracy during downward movement.

[0133] Figure 16 as well as Figure 17 1 is a diagram for explaining a method for measuring chain elongation in a fourth embodiment. Figure 16 It shows the state of the drive chain when it is running upward. Figure 17 The state of the drive train when running downward is shown.

[0134] The arrangement of the sensors 31 and 32 is similar to that of the second embodiment ( Figure 10 as well as Figure 11 That is, the sensor 31 is arranged close to the drive sprocket 10 on the outward side of the moving path of the drive chain 7. The sensor 32 is arranged close to the driven sprocket 11 on the return side of the moving path of the drive chain 7.

[0135] In the fourth embodiment, a sensor 40 is used independently of sensors 31 and 32. During downward operation, sensor 40 is positioned opposite sensor 32 near the return drive sprocket 10, which serves as the tensioning side, and separated by a predetermined number of links. Like sensors 31 and 32, sensor 40 is comprised of, for example, a diffuse reflection photoelectric sensor. It optically detects the passage of multiple rollers 23 arranged at regular intervals on the drive chain 7. Sensor 40 is connected to the diagnostic device 33 and outputs a detection signal S3 to the diagnostic device 33 upon detecting the passage of each roller 23.

[0136] In the sensor arrangement of the fourth embodiment, the extension of the drive chain 7 is measured during the upward and downward movement of the escalator 1 as follows.

[0137] (When running upward)

[0138] like Figure 16As shown, during upward movement, the outgoing side (upper chain) of the drive chain 7 is in a tensioned state, while the returning side (lower chain) is in a slack state. The sensors 31, 32, and 40 are connected to the diagnostic device 33 shown in FIG.

[0139] During upward movement, sensor 40 is not used, and sensors 31 and 32 are used, as in the first embodiment described above. Specifically, the extension detection unit 33a included in the diagnostic device 33 uses sensor 31 as the starting point for measurement and detects the extension of the drive chain 7 in the measurement interval from sensor 31 to sensor 32. Specifically, the extension detection unit 33a calculates the time difference between the rise timing of the detection signal S1 output from sensor 31 and the rise timing of the detection signal S2 output from sensor 32 as the chain 21 moves, and detects the extension of the chain 21 based on this time difference.

[0140] The measurement interval at this time is interval (1) + interval (2) + interval (3). However, since the starting point of the measurement is located in front of the tension side of the drive chain 7, it contains more intervals (1), so accurate measurement results can be obtained.

[0141] (When running downward)

[0142] like Figure 17 As shown, during downward movement, the outbound side (upper chain) of the drive chain 7 becomes slack, while the return side (lower chain) becomes taut. The elongation detection unit 33a of the diagnostic device 33 selects sensor 40 and sensor 32 from among sensors 31, 32, and 40, uses sensor 40 as the starting point for measurement, and detects the elongation of the drive chain 7 in the measurement interval from sensor 40 to sensor 32. Specifically, the elongation detection unit 33a determines the time difference between the rising timing of the detection signal S3 output from sensor 40 and the rising timing of the detection signal S2 output from sensor 32 as the chain 21 moves, and detects the elongation of the chain 21 based on this time difference.

[0143] The measurement section in this case is only (1) the section where the drive chain 7 is tensioned between the drive sprocket 10 and the driven sprocket 11 on the return side. That is, during downward operation, measurement is performed only on the side where the drive chain 7 is tensioned, which can obtain more accurate measurement results than the second embodiment described above.

[0144] Thus, according to the fourth embodiment, in the sensor arrangement of the second embodiment, a new sensor 40 is added to the chain that becomes the tension side during downward movement, and the chain elongation is measured using this sensor 40 as the starting point, thereby further improving the measurement accuracy during downward movement.

[0145] (Fifth embodiment)

[0146] Next, a fifth embodiment will be described.

[0147] In the fifth embodiment, a configuration is adopted in which two of the three sensors are selectively used in the sensor arrangement of the third embodiment to measure the chain elongation on the tension side and the chain elongation on the slack side.

[0148] Figure 18 This is a diagram for explaining a method for measuring chain elongation in the fifth embodiment, and shows the state of the drive chain during upward movement. Figure 21 The state of the drive train when running downward is shown.

[0149] The sensor configuration is the same as that of the third embodiment ( Figure 12 ). That is, sensor 31 is positioned close to the drive sprocket 10 on the return side of the travel path of the drive chain 7. Sensor 32 is positioned close to the driven sprocket 11 on the outward side of the travel path of the drive chain 7. Furthermore, independently of sensors 31 and 32, sensor 40 is positioned opposite sensor 32 near the outward side of the drive sprocket 10, which becomes the tensioning side during upward movement.

[0150] Here, in the fifth embodiment, two of these sensors 31, 32, and 40 are selectively used to perform (a) measurement of the chain extension on the tension side and (b) measurement of the chain extension on the slack side.

[0151] (When running upward)

[0152] like Figure 18 As shown, during upward movement, the outgoing side (upper chain) of the drive chain 7 is in a tensioned state, while the returning side (lower chain) is in a slack state. The sensors 31, 32, and 40 are connected to the diagnostic device 33 shown in FIG.

[0153] (a) Determination of chain elongation on the tensioning side

[0154] The measurement of chain elongation on the tensioning side is similar to the measurement during upward movement in the third embodiment described above. Specifically, the elongation detection unit 33a of the diagnostic device 33 selects sensor 40 and sensor 32 from among sensors 31, 32, and 40, uses sensor 40 as the starting point for measurement, and detects the elongation of the drive chain 7 in the measurement interval from sensor 40 to sensor 32. Specifically, the elongation detection unit 33a calculates the time difference between the rise timing of the detection signal S3 output from sensor 40 and the rise timing of the detection signal S2 output from sensor 32 as the chain 21 moves, and detects the elongation of the chain 21 based on this time difference.

[0155] The measurement section at this time is only (1) the section where the drive chain 7 is stretched between the outward drive sprocket 10 and the driven sprocket 11. That is, during upward movement, measurement can be performed only on the side where the drive chain 7 is stretched.

[0156] (b) Determination of chain elongation on the slack side

[0157] The extension detection unit 33a selects sensor 32 and sensor 31 from among sensors 31, 32, and 40. Furthermore, the extension detection unit 33a switches the measurement starting point to sensor 32 and detects the extension of the drive chain 7 in the measurement interval from sensor 32 to sensor 31. Specifically, the extension detection unit 33a calculates the time difference between the rising timing of the detection signal S2 output from sensor 32 and the rising timing of the detection signal S1 output from sensor 31 as the chain 21 moves, and detects the extension of the chain 21 based on this time difference.

[0158] like Figure 18 As shown, the measurement section here includes (4) the section where the drive chain 7 is slack on the return side. That is, if the sensor 32 is used as the starting point of the measurement, the chain elongation in the slack side measurement section can be measured using the sensor 32 and the sensor 31.

[0159] Figure 19 This is a diagram showing the states of the detection signal S2 of the sensor 32 and the detection signal S1 of the sensor 31 used in the slack side measurement.

[0160] On the slack side of the drive chain 7, the rollers 23 of "1+m" ​​tend to pass the rear sensor 31 before the roller 23 of "1" passes the front sensor 32. In other words, detection signal S1 is output before detection signal S2. Therefore, when detection signal S2 is output from roller 23 of "1", the rise timing of detection signal S2 cannot be compared with the rise timing of detection signal S1 from roller 23 of "1+m".

[0161] Therefore, in the case of measuring the chain elongation on the slack side of the drive chain 7, as Figure 19 As shown, roller 23 "2+m" is used as a comparison target with roller 23 "1." Specifically, the time difference Δt7 between the rising timing of detection signal S2, output when roller 23 "1" passes the front sensor 32, and the rising timing of detection signal S1, output when roller 23 "2+m" passes the rear sensor 31, is detected. The amount of elongation on the slack side is calculated based on this time difference Δt7. In this case, since roller 23 "2+m" is used as a comparison target with roller 23 "1," it is necessary to use a threshold value different from the threshold value used to calculate the elongation on the tension side to calculate the elongation based on Δt7.

[0162] Figure 20The measurement results on the tensioned side and the measurement results on the relaxed side are compared and shown.

[0163] If the slack of the drive chain 7 is small, as in the initial stage, the measured value Y on the slack side is approximately the same as the measured value X on the tensioned side. However, as the drive chain 7 ages, the slack of the drive chain 7 tends to increase, similar to its elongation. In this case, the measurement on the slack side is significantly affected by the slack, making it impossible to obtain accurate measurement results.

[0164] Generally, the slack of the drive chain 7 can be estimated based on the change in the elongation of the drive chain 7. However, if the initial tension of the drive chain 7 is unknown, the change in elongation cannot be known, and therefore the slack cannot be estimated.

[0165] In contrast, in this embodiment, the accurate amount of elongation is measured on the tensioned side using sensor 40 and sensor 32, and the elongation is also measured on the slack side using sensor 32 and sensor 31. Therefore, even if the initial tension of the drive chain 7 is unknown, the amount of slack can be determined based on the difference between the measured value X and the measured value Y obtained on the slack side by comparing them.

[0166] As the drive chain 7 stretches with increasing operating time, the measured value X exhibits a linear characteristic because the stretch can be accurately measured on the tensioned side. On the slack side, on the other hand, the measured stretch is smaller than the actual stretch. In other words, the measured value Y includes the slack and exhibits a nonlinear characteristic. The error between the measured values ​​X and Y indicates the slack; the greater the error, the more slack the drive chain 7 has. The abnormality determination unit 33b shown in Figure 3 calculates the slack based on the error between the measured values ​​X and Y obtained by the stretch detection unit 33a and alerts the control device 14 if the slack exceeds a preset value.

[0167] (When running downward)

[0168] like Figure 21 As shown, during downward movement, the outbound side (upper chain) of the drive chain 7 is in a slack state, while the return side (lower chain) is in a tensioned state. Sensors 31, 32, and 40 are connected to the diagnostic device 33 shown in Figure 3. Similar to the upward movement, the extension detection unit 33a of the diagnostic device 33 selectively uses two of the sensors 31, 32, and 40 to measure (a) the tensioned chain extension and (b) the slack chain extension.

[0169] (a) Determination of chain elongation on the tensioning side

[0170] The measurement is similar to that during downward movement in the third embodiment described above. Specifically, the extension detection unit 33a of the diagnostic device 33 selects sensor 31 and sensor 32 from among sensors 31, 32, and 40, uses sensor 31 as the starting point for measurement, and detects the extension of the drive chain 7 in the measurement section from sensor 31 to sensor 32. The extension at this time is the extension on the tension side and is an accurate value (measured value X).

[0171] (b) Determination of chain elongation on the slack side

[0172] The extension detecting unit 33a selects sensor 40 and sensor 32 from among sensors 31, 32, and 40. The extension detecting unit 33a switches the starting point of measurement to sensor 32 and detects the extension of the drive chain 7 in the measurement section from sensor 32 to sensor 40.

[0173] like Figure 21 As shown, the measurement section here includes (4) the section where the drive chain 7 is slack on the return side. That is, if the sensor 32 is used as the starting point of the measurement, the chain elongation (measured value Y) in the slack side measurement section can be measured using the sensor 32 and the sensor 40.

[0174] As in the upward operation, the slack amount can be determined from the error between the measured values ​​X and Y by comparing them. The abnormality determination unit 33b shown in FIG3 warns the control device 14 when the slack amount exceeds a preset value.

[0175] Thus, according to the fifth embodiment, three sensors are provided, and two of these sensors are selectively used to measure the chain extension on the tension side and the chain extension on the slack side, thereby detecting not only the extension amount but also the slack amount. In this case, regardless of whether the chain is running upward or downward, the chain extension and chain slack can be measured with high accuracy in either operation.

[0176] In addition, in the fifth embodiment, the sensor arrangement of the third embodiment is described as an example, but the same applies to the sensor arrangement of the fourth embodiment. Figure 16 as well as Figure 17 In the sensor configuration shown, two of the three sensors 31, 32, and 40 are selectively used to measure the chain elongation on the tension side and the chain elongation on the slack side, depending on the running direction of the escalator 1, thereby being able to detect not only the elongation but also the slack.

[0177] (Sixth embodiment)

[0178] Next, a sixth embodiment will be described.

[0179] The sixth embodiment adopts a configuration in which, in the sensor arrangement of the first embodiment, two sensors are used to measure the chain elongation on the tension side and the chain elongation on the slack side.

[0180] Figure 22 This is a diagram for explaining a method for measuring chain elongation in the sixth embodiment, and shows the state of the drive chain during upward movement. Figure 23 The state of the drive train when running downward is shown.

[0181] The sensor configuration is the same as the first embodiment ( Figure 6 、 Figure 7 That is, the sensor 31 is arranged close to the drive sprocket 10 on the return side of the moving path of the drive chain 7. The sensor 32 is arranged close to the driven sprocket 11 on the outward side of the moving path of the drive chain 7.

[0182] Here, in the sixth embodiment, the two sensors 31 and 32 are used to measure (a) the chain extension on the tension side and (b) the chain extension on the slack side.

[0183] (When running upward)

[0184] like Figure 22 As shown, during upward movement, the outgoing side (upper chain) of the drive chain 7 is in a tensioned state, while the returning side (lower chain) is in a slack state. The sensors 31 and 32 are connected to a diagnostic device 33 shown in FIG.

[0185] (a) Determination of chain elongation on the tensioning side

[0186] The measurement is the same as that during the upward movement in the first embodiment described above.

[0187] Specifically, the extension detection unit 33a included in the diagnostic device 33 uses the sensor 31 as the starting point for measurement and detects the extension of the drive chain 7 in the measurement interval from the sensor 31 to the sensor 32. Specifically, the extension detection unit 33a calculates the time difference between the rising timing of the detection signal S1 output from the sensor 31 and the rising timing of the detection signal S2 output from the sensor 32 as the chain 21 moves, and detects the extension of the chain 21 based on this time difference.

[0188] The measurement section at this time includes many sections (1) where the drive chain 7 is stretched. Therefore, the chain elongation on the side where the drive chain 7 is stretched can be accurately measured.

[0189] (b) Determination of chain elongation on the slack side

[0190] The extension detection unit 33a switches the measurement starting point to sensor 32 and detects the extension of the drive chain 7 in the measurement interval from sensor 32 to sensor 31. Specifically, the extension detection unit 33a calculates the time difference between the rising timing of the detection signal S2 output from sensor 32 as the chain 21 moves and the rising timing of the detection signal S1 output from sensor 321, and detects the extension of the chain 21 based on this time difference.

[0191] like Figure 22 As shown, the measurement section here includes (4) the section where the drive chain 7 is slack on the return side. That is, if the sensor 32 is used as the starting point of the measurement, the chain elongation in the slack side measurement section can be measured using the sensor 32 and the sensor 31.

[0192] As in the fifth embodiment described above, the accurate measurement value X obtained in the slack-side measurement is compared with the measurement value Y obtained in the slack-side measurement, and the slack amount can be determined based on the difference between the two. In this case, the greater the difference between the measurement value X and the measurement value Y, the greater the slack amount. The abnormality determination unit 33b shown in Figure 3 determines the slack amount based on the difference between the measurement value X and the measurement value Y obtained by the extension detection unit 33a, and alerts the control device 14 when the slack amount exceeds a preset value.

[0193] (When running downward)

[0194] like Figure 23 As shown in FIG3 , during downward movement, the outbound side (upper chain) of the drive chain 7 is in a slack state, while the return side (lower chain) is in a tensioned state. Sensors 31 and 32 are connected to a diagnostic device 33 shown in FIG3 . Similar to the upward movement, the extension detection unit 33a of the diagnostic device 33 uses sensors 31 and 32 to measure (a) the tensioned chain extension and (b) the slack chain extension.

[0195] (a) Determination of chain elongation on the tensioning side

[0196] The measurement is the same as that during the downward movement in the first embodiment described above.

[0197] Specifically, the extension detection unit 33a of the diagnostic device 33 uses the sensor 31 as the starting point for measurement and detects the extension of the drive chain 7 in the measurement section from the sensor 31 to the sensor 32. The extension at this time is the extension on the tension side and is an accurate value (measured value X).

[0198] (b) Determination of chain elongation on the slack side

[0199] The extension detection unit 33 a switches the starting point of measurement to the sensor 32 , and detects the extension amount of the drive chain 7 in the measurement section from the sensor 32 to the sensor 31 .

[0200] like Figure 23 As shown, the measurement section here includes (4) the section where the drive chain 7 is slack on the outward side. That is, if sensor 32 is used as the starting point of measurement, the chain elongation (measured value Y) in the slack side measurement section can be measured using sensor 32 and sensor 31.

[0201] As in the upward operation, the slack amount can be determined from the error between the measured values ​​X and Y by comparing them. The abnormality determination unit 33b shown in FIG3 warns the control device 14 when the slack amount exceeds a preset value.

[0202] Thus, according to the sixth embodiment, two sensors are used to measure the chain extension on the tension side and the chain extension on the slack side, thereby detecting not only the extension amount but also the slack amount. In this case, regardless of whether the chain is running upward or downward, the chain extension and chain slack can be measured with high accuracy in either operation.

[0203] In addition, in the sixth embodiment, the sensor arrangement of the first embodiment is described as an example, but the same applies to the sensor arrangement of the second embodiment. Figure 10 as well as Figure 11 In the illustrated sensor arrangement, by switching the starting point of measurement to sensor 31 or sensor 32 for measurement, the elongation on the tension side and the elongation on the slack side are measured, thereby detecting not only the elongation but also the slack.

[0204] In addition, in each of the above-mentioned embodiments, the drive chain 7 is described as an example, but the methods of each of the above-mentioned embodiments can also be applied to the handrail chain 16 and the step chain 9.

[0205] Moreover, the present invention is not limited to escalators, and can be applied to all passenger conveyors including moving walkways. In addition, it is not limited to conveying people, and can be applied to all conveying devices that convey people and objects by chain drive, and can obtain the same effect as the above-mentioned embodiments.

[0206] According to at least one embodiment described above, a diagnostic system can be provided that can accurately measure chain elongation in either operation using pre-installed sensors, without requiring separate sensors for upward operation and downward operation.

[0207] In addition, although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are provided as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These new embodiments can be implemented in various other ways, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included within the scope and spirit of the invention and are included in the invention described in the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A diagnostic system, characterized in that: The transmission mechanism further comprises a first sensor and a second sensor, each of which is configured to detect the movement of the chain rollers, and a second sensor is configured to detect the movement of the chain rollers. The first sensor and the second sensor are configured to detect the movement of the chain rollers, and the transmission mechanism further comprises a first sensor and a second sensor. The first sensor and the second sensor are configured to detect the movement of the chain rollers, and the transmission mechanism further comprises a first sensor and a second sensor. The second sensor is arranged near the second sprocket on the other side of the chain's moving path, and the diagnostic device is constructed to, according to the running direction of the conveyor device, measure the elongation of the chain in the portion from the first sensor to the first sprocket, the portion where the chain meshes with the first sprocket, and the portion from the first sprocket to the second sensor when the first sensor is arranged on the slack side of the chain; and measure the elongation of the chain in the portion from the first sensor to the second sprocket, the portion where the chain meshes with the second sprocket, and the portion from the second sprocket to the second sensor when the first sensor is arranged on the tensioned side of the chain.

2. The diagnostic system according to claim 1, wherein: The diagnostic device uses the first sensor as a measurement starting point and measures the elongation of the chain in a section from the first sensor to the second sensor on a movement path of the chain.

3. The diagnostic system according to claim 1, wherein: The first sensor is arranged near the first sprocket on the return side of the chain's moving path, and the second sensor is arranged near the second sprocket on the forward side of the chain's moving path.

4. The diagnostic system according to claim 3, wherein: The conveying device has the following functions: through the rotation of the first sprocket, the outgoing side of the chain is operated in a first direction from the second sprocket to the first sprocket, or the outgoing side of the chain is operated in a second direction from the first sprocket to the second sprocket, and the configuration of the first sensor and the second sensor is effectively used in the case where the conveying device mainly operates in the second direction.

5. The diagnostic system according to claim 1, wherein: The first sensor is arranged near the first sprocket on the outward side of the chain's moving path, and the second sensor is arranged near the second sprocket on the return side of the chain's moving path.

6. The diagnostic system according to claim 5, wherein: The conveying device has the following functions: through the rotation of the first sprocket, the outgoing side of the chain is operated in a first direction from the second sprocket to the first sprocket, or the outgoing side of the chain is operated in a second direction from the first sprocket to the second sprocket, and the configuration of the first sensor and the second sensor is effectively used in the case where the conveying device mainly operates in the first direction.

7. The diagnostic system according to claim 1, wherein: A third sensor is further provided, which is arranged to be spaced apart from the first sensor or the second sensor on the moving path of the chain and detects the passage of each roller of the chain. The diagnostic device selectively uses two of the sensors according to the running direction of the conveyor device to measure the elongation of the chain in the tensioned section.

8. The diagnostic system according to claim 7, wherein: The diagnostic device selectively uses two of the sensors according to the running direction of the conveyor device to measure the elongation of the side where the chain is stretched and the elongation of the side where the chain is loose.

9. The diagnostic system according to claim 8, wherein: The diagnostic device measures the slack of the chain based on an error between an elongation on a side where the chain is tightened and an elongation on a side where the chain is loosened.

10. The diagnostic system according to claim 1, wherein: The diagnostic device switches the measurement starting point to the first sensor or the second sensor according to the running direction of the conveyor device, and measures the elongation of the side where the chain is stretched and the elongation of the side where the chain is loose.

11. The diagnostic system according to claim 10, wherein: The diagnostic device measures the slack of the chain based on an error between an elongation on a side where the chain is tightened and an elongation on a side where the chain is loosened.

Images