Long object monitoring device of passenger conveyor

Abstract

The invention relates to a long object monitoring device of a passenger conveyor. In the embodiment of the invention, in the long object monitoring device of the passenger conveyor, which is provided with a part with the height narrowed to the minimum height from a step to a ceiling between an elevator taking opening and an elevator descending opening, the long object monitoring device is provided with a first sensor which is arranged at the elevator taking opening, and a second sensor which is arranged at the elevator taking opening and is used for detecting the height of the long object when a passenger carries the long object in the longitudinal direction to enter the elevator taking opening. Detecting whether the height up to the upper end of the long object is equal to or greater than the minimum height; the second sensor is arranged on the inner wall frame closer to the elevator boarding opening side than a minimum height point which becomes the minimum height, and detects the height of an object moving from the elevator boarding opening; and a control device for decelerating and stopping the step before the long object reaches the minimum height point when the first sensor detects the long object with the height greater than the minimum height and the second sensor detects the object with the height greater than the minimum height.

Description

[0001] Citation of Priority Base Application and Related Applications: This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-098263 (filing date: June 15, 2023) and claims the benefit of priority from that application. The entire contents of that application are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] An embodiment of the present invention relates to a long object monitoring device for a passenger conveyor. Background Art

[0003] In the past, the following monitoring device has been proposed: in passenger conveyors such as escalators and moving walkways, when passengers are carrying long objects such as fishing rods, musical instruments, weapons, etc. that are long in the up and down direction (vertical direction) on the passenger conveyor, monitoring is performed to prevent the upper end of the long object from colliding with the ceiling.

[0004] The above-mentioned monitoring device is to install a monitoring camera on the ceiling of a building to monitor the upper end of the long object through the monitoring camera. However, if this monitoring device needs to install a monitoring camera on the ceiling of the building, there is a problem that the installation takes time and labor. Summary of the invention

[0005] The embodiments of the present invention are made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and an object thereof is to provide a long object monitoring device for a passenger conveyor, which can monitor whether the long objects carried by passengers collide with the ceiling even if no monitoring camera is installed in the building.

[0006] An embodiment of the present invention is a long object monitoring device for a passenger conveyor, which has a portion between a staircase entrance and a lower staircase entrance where the height from the steps to the ceiling is narrowed to a minimum height. The long object monitoring device for the passenger conveyor is characterized in that it comprises: a first sensor, which is arranged at the staircase entrance, and detects whether the height to the upper end of the long object is above the minimum height when a passenger enters from the staircase entrance carrying the long object longitudinally; a second sensor, which is arranged on an inner wall frame closer to the staircase entrance than a minimum height point where the minimum height is obtained, and detects the height of an object moving from the staircase entrance; and a control device, which decelerates and stops the steps before the long object reaches the minimum height point when the first sensor detects the long object above the minimum height and the second sensor detects the object above the minimum height.

[0007] In the embodiment of the present invention, even if no surveillance camera is installed in the building, it is possible to monitor whether the long object carried by the passenger collides with the ceiling. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Figure 1 This is a side view of the escalator according to Embodiment 1 as seen from the left side.

[0009] Figure 2 It is a block diagram of a long object monitoring device.

[0010] Figure 3 It is a flow chart of the long object monitoring device.

[0011] Figure 4 It is a side view of the escalator of Embodiment 2 as seen from the left side. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] A passenger conveyor according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0013] [Implementation method 1]

[0014] In the first embodiment, an escalator 10 is used as a passenger conveyor. Figure 1 to Figure 3 The escalator 10 is installed between the upper and lower floors of the building 1. The ceiling 4 on the upper floor is horizontal, and the ceiling 5 above the upper half of the escalator 10 is inclined from the horizontal ceiling 4 toward the lower floor, and a step portion 6 is formed at the portion intersecting with the horizontal ceiling 7 of the lower floor. Hereinafter, the height at which the distance in the vertical direction between the ceiling 7 provided with the step portion 6 and the steps 30 of the escalator 10 is the narrowest is referred to as the "minimum height h". In addition, the minimum height h is measured in advance.

[0015] Furthermore, the long object monitoring device of this embodiment is a system for detecting whether the long object R is higher than the minimum height h when a passenger P carries a long object R such as a fishing rod, a musical instrument, or a weapon that is long in the vertical direction (vertical direction) on the escalator 10, so as to prevent the long object R from colliding with the ceiling 5 and the step portion 6 of the ceiling 7. In addition, for example, Figure 1 As shown, the “height” of the long object R refers to the distance from the floor surface where the passenger P stands to the upper end of the long object R when the passenger P carries the long object R on his back.

[0016] (1) Escalator 10

[0017] Reference Figure 1 The overall structure of the escalator 10 will be described. Figure 1 This is an explanatory diagram of the escalator 10 viewed from the left side. However, in order to make the internal structure of the escalator 10 easier to understand, the illustration of the components on one side (left side) of the escalator 10 is omitted. In addition, although the escalator 10 is in descending operation in this embodiment, it is not related to the direction of its operation. When describing the front and rear direction of the escalator 10, the upper floor is set as the rear side and the lower floor is set as the front side when viewing the lower floor from the upper floor.

[0018] A truss 12 which is a frame of the escalator 10 spans the upper and lower floors of the building 1 and is supported in the front-rear direction using support angles 2 and 3 .

[0019] A drive device 18 for moving the steps 30 and a pair of left and right step sprockets 24, 24 are provided inside the machine room 14 on the upper layer side at the upper end of the truss 12. The drive device 18 includes a motor 20, a small drive sprocket 19 mounted on the output shaft of the motor 20 via a speed reducer, and a disc-type electromagnetic brake 23 for stopping the rotation of the motor 20 and keeping it stopped. A large drive sprocket 17 is coaxially mounted on the pair of left and right step sprockets 24, 24, and an endless drive chain 22 is laid between the small drive sprocket 19. In addition, a control device 50 for controlling the motor 20, the electromagnetic brake 23, etc. is provided inside the machine room 14 on the upper layer side.

[0020] A pair of left and right driven sprockets 26, 26 are provided inside the machine room 16 on the lower layer side at the lower end of the truss 12. A pair of left and right endless step chains 28, 28 are laid between the pair of left and right step sprockets 24, 24 on the upper layer side and the pair of left and right driven sprockets 26, 26 on the lower layer side. A pair of left and right first wheels 301, 301 of a plurality of steps 30 are connected at regular intervals between the pair of left and right step chains 28, 28. When the motor 20 rotates, the first wheels 301 of the steps 30 run along a first wheel-only guide rail (not shown) fixed to the truss 12, and the second wheels 302 of the steps 30 run along a second wheel-only guide rail 25 fixed to the truss 12.

[0021] A pair of left and right handrails 36, 36 are erected on both sides of the upper part of the truss 12. A handrail track 39 is provided on the upper part of the handrail 36, and an endless handrail belt 38 moves along the handrail track 39. The handrail belt 38 rotates together with the step sprocket 24 through a belt sprocket not shown in the figure, and moves synchronously with the steps 30.

[0022] A front skirt guard plate 40 of the upper layer is provided at the lower front part of the upper layer side of the pair of left and right handrails 36, and a front skirt guard plate 42 of the lower layer side is provided at the lower front part of the lower layer side. Entrances 46 and 48 of the handrail 38 protrude from the front skirt guard plates 40 and 42, respectively. Skirt guard plates (inner wall frames) 44 are provided at the lower side parts of the pair of left and right handrails 36, respectively, and the steps 30 travel between the pair of left and right skirt guard plates 44 and 44. The upper part of the skirt guard plate 44 also serves as the inner wall frame.

[0023] The upper-level boarding board 32 is horizontally arranged at the boarding and alighting opening between the left and right pair of skirt-type guard plates 44, 44 on the upper level, i.e., the ceiling of the machine room 14. The lower-level boarding and alighting board 34 is horizontally arranged at the boarding and alighting opening between the left and right pair of skirt-type guard plates 44, 44 on the lower level, i.e., the ceiling of the machine room 16. A comb-tooth-shaped comb plate 60 is arranged at the front end of the boarding and alighting board 32 on the upper level, and the steps 30 are moved in or out relative to the comb-tooth plate 60. In addition, the upper-level speaker 54 is arranged at the skirt-type guard plate 44 near the comb-tooth plate 60. A comb-tooth-shaped comb plate 62 is also arranged at the front end of the boarding and alighting board 34 on the lower level. In addition, the lower-level speaker 56 is arranged at the skirt-type guard plate 44 near the comb-tooth plate 62.

[0024] (2) Long object monitoring device

[0025] Next, a long object monitoring device for preventing a long object R carried longitudinally by a passenger P from colliding with the step portion 6 between the ceiling 5 and the ceiling 7 will be described. The long object monitoring device includes a control device 50, and an upper first sensor 70, an upper second sensor 72, a lower first sensor 74, and a lower second sensor 76 connected thereto. The upper first sensor 70 and the upper second sensor 72 are used when the escalator 10 is descending from the upper floor side to the lower floor side, at which time the upper floor side is the entrance to the escalator and the lower floor side is the exit to the escalator. In addition, the lower first sensor 74 and the lower second sensor 76 are used when the escalator 10 is ascending from the lower floor side to the upper floor side, at which time the lower floor side is the entrance to the escalator and the upper floor side is the exit to the escalator.

[0026] The upper first sensor 70 is a TOF camera sensor as an image sensor provided on one of the pair of left and right front skirt guards 40, 40, and its monitoring range is oriented rearward and obliquely upward. The TOF camera as the upper first sensor 70 is a 3D-TOF, which captures the image observed by the upper first sensor 70 and can detect the distance from the upper first sensor 70 to the object captured in the image. The upper first sensor 70 is connected to the control device 50.

[0027] The control device 50 first performs image analysis on whether the passenger P is captured in the image including the distance parameter input from the upper first sensor 70. Next, if the passenger P is captured, the image analysis is performed on whether the passenger P is carrying the long object R in the longitudinal direction. Next, if the passenger P is carrying the long object R in the longitudinal direction, the height L from the boarding and landing platform 32 to the upper end of the long object R is detected based on the parameter of the distance to the upper end of the long object R.

[0028] The control device 50 does not set a warning sign when the height L from the boarding and landing platform 32 to the upper end of the long object R is less than the minimum height h, and sets a warning sign when it is greater than the minimum height h. In addition, when the control device 50 sets a warning sign through the detection of the upper first sensor 70, the control device 50 voice broadcasts the content such as "There is a risk of collision between the cargo and the ceiling, please lower the cargo" to the passenger P through the speaker 54 on the upper layer side.

[0029] The upper second sensor 72 is provided at the upper part (inner ledge) of the skirt guard plate 44 on the upper floor side than the minimum height point. However, the "minimum height point" refers to the place of the escalator 10 where the step portion 6 exists and the distance between the step 30 and the ceiling 7 is the minimum height h. The upper second sensor 72 is an ultrasonic sensor, which transmits ultrasonic waves toward the upper floor side to detect the height of the long object R of the passenger P sitting on the step 30 moving on the upper floor side than the upper second sensor 72. As a detection method, for example, the time from the moment when the upper first sensor 70 detects the long object R to the moment when it enters the detection range of the upper second sensor 72 is calculated in advance according to the moving speed of the step 30, and at the moment when the calculated time has passed since the moment when the upper first sensor 70 detects the longitudinal long object R, the upper second sensor 72 transmits ultrasonic waves toward the oblique upper direction to detect whether there is a reflection from the object (long object R). If there is no reflection, the above-mentioned warning sign is cancelled, and if there is a reflection, the warning sign is still set.

[0030] The control device 50 does not perform any action when the warning sign is set by the upper first sensor 70 and the warning sign is cancelled by the upper second sensor 72. On the other hand, when the upper second sensor 72 continues to set the warning sign, the control device 50 determines that the passenger P is still carrying the long object R in the vertical direction, and again broadcasts a voice message "There is a danger of collision between the cargo and the ceiling, please lower the cargo as soon as possible" through the upper speaker 54, and controls the moving speed of the step 30 through the drive circuit 52 to decelerate it, and stops the step 30 before the long object R in the vertical direction reaches the step portion 6 between the ceiling 5 and the ceiling 7. The control device 50 uses the electromagnetic brake 23 to make the step 30 stop in an emergency when necessary.

[0031] The lower first sensor 74 is provided on the front skirt guard plate 42 on the lower floor side of the escalator 10. The lower second sensor 76 is provided on the upper portion (inner ledge) of the skirt guard plate 44 on the lower floor side relative to the minimum height point. The configuration and operation of the lower first sensor 74 and the lower second sensor 76 are the same as those of the upper first sensor 70 and the upper second sensor 72.

[0032] In addition, the upper second sensor 72 and the lower second sensor 76 use windowless ultrasonic sensors, i.e., sealed ultrasonic sensors, so as not to be exposed from the surface of the inner wall frame, to prevent women and the like from suspecting that they are being secretly photographed from below by the upper second sensor 72 and the lower first sensor 74.

[0033] (3) Electrical Configuration of Escalator 10

[0034] Reference Figure 2 The electrical structure of the escalator 10 is described with reference to the block diagram.

[0035] The escalator 10 includes a drive circuit 52 that performs inverter control on the motor 20 for moving the steps 30 at a predetermined speed. The drive circuit 52 is connected to an electromagnetic brake 23 for stopping the rotation of the motor 20 .

[0036] A driving circuit 52 , a speaker 54 on the upper floor side, a speaker 56 on the lower floor side, an upper first sensor 70 , an upper second sensor 72 , a lower first sensor 74 , and a lower second sensor 76 are connected to the control device 50 that controls the escalator 10 .

[0037] (4) Operation status of the long object monitoring device

[0038] Next, refer to Figure 3 The flowchart of the embodiment of the present invention illustrates the operation status of the long object monitoring device.

[0039] In step S1, the escalator 10 starts to operate, and the process proceeds to step S2.

[0040] In step S2, if the upper first sensor 70 detects a passenger P carrying a long object R that is higher than the minimum height h in the longitudinal direction, the process proceeds to step S3 (if yes); if no detection is made, the process continues with step S2 (if no).

[0041] In step S3, the control device 50 uses the upper-level speaker 54 to make a voice announcement to the passenger P carrying the long object R in a longitudinal direction, such as "There is a risk of the cargo colliding with the ceiling, please lower the cargo." Then, the process proceeds to step S4.

[0042] In step S4, when the second sensor 72 detects the passenger P carrying the long object R longitudinally again, the process proceeds to step S5 (if yes); if no detection is made, the process returns to step S2 (if no).

[0043] In step S5, since the passenger P is still carrying the long object R that may collide with the ceiling, the control device 50 slows down the moving speed of the steps 30 and uses the upper speaker 54 to make a voice announcement to the passenger P again, saying "There is a danger of the cargo colliding with the ceiling, please lower the cargo as soon as possible." Then, the process proceeds to step S6.

[0044] In step S6, the control device 50 stops the steps 30 before the longitudinal long object R reaches the minimum height point, and then proceeds to step S7.

[0045] In step S7, the control device 50 stops the escalator 10 for a specified time (for example, 30 seconds) in order to give the passenger P time to change the carrying method and lower the height of the longitudinal long object R, and returns to step S1 after the specified time. In step S1, the operation of the escalator 10 is started again.

[0046] In addition, when the escalator 10 is in an ascending operation, in addition to using the lower first sensor 74 and the lower second sensor 76, the passenger P carrying the long object R coming up from the lower side is monitored in accordance with the above-mentioned steps S1 to S7, and warnings based on voice broadcasts, and the operation of the escalator 10 is stopped and restarted as needed.

[0047] (5) Effect

[0048] According to the present embodiment, when the long object R carried by the passenger P in the vertical direction is higher than the minimum height h, a warning is given through voice broadcasting at the boarding and alighting entrance on the upper level. When the passenger P continues to ride the steps 30 carrying the long object R in the vertical direction and the upper second sensor 72 detects the long object R again, the passenger P is warned again through voice broadcasting, and the steps 30 are decelerated and stopped before reaching the minimum height point, so that the long object R does not collide with the step portion 6 between the ceiling 5 and the ceiling 7.

[0049] In addition, the upper first sensor 70 , the upper second sensor 72 , the lower first sensor 74 , and the lower second sensor 76 are installed on the escalator 10 , so the long object R can be monitored without installing cameras on the ceilings 4 , 5 , 7 of the building 1 .

[0050] [Implementation method 2]

[0051] Next, refer to Figure 4 Implementation method 2 is described. Figure 4 This is a side view of the escalator 10 as viewed from the left side, but the structure inside the truss 12 is the same as that of the escalator 10 in Embodiment 1, so the description of the structure is omitted. Figure 4As shown, a step portion 6 is formed at the intersection of the horizontal ceiling 4 at the upper level and the horizontal ceiling 7 at the lower level. The vertical distance between the ceiling 7 provided with the step portion 6 and the steps 30 of the escalator 10 is the narrowest height, that is, the minimum height h.

[0052] The difference between this embodiment and embodiment 1 lies in the positions of the upper first sensor 70 and the lower first sensor 74. In embodiment 1, the front skirt guard plate 40 on the upper layer side and the front skirt guard plate 42 on the lower layer side are provided, but in this embodiment, the upper first sensor 70 is provided at the upper end of the column 78 of the boarding and alighting entrance on the upper layer side, and the lower first sensor 74 is provided at the column 80 of the boarding and alighting entrance on the lower layer side.

[0053] In this embodiment as well, when the escalator 10 is descending, the upper first sensor 70 provided on the column 78 detects whether the upper end of the long object R carried by the passenger P in the longitudinal direction is higher than the minimum height h. When the escalator 10 is ascending, the lower first sensor 74 provided on the column 80 detects whether the upper end of the long object R carried by the passenger P is higher than the minimum height h.

[0054] Thus, when the long object R carried by the passenger P in the vertical direction is higher than the minimum height h, a warning is given by voice broadcast at the entrance of the upper floor, and when the passenger P continues to carry the long object R even after the warning, the warning is repeated to prevent the long object R from colliding with the ceiling. In addition, when the upper second sensor 72 detects the long object R again, the passenger P is warned again by voice broadcast, and the step 30 is decelerated and stopped before reaching the minimum height point, so that the long object R does not collide with the ceiling 7.

[0055] [Change example]

[0056] Next, modified examples of the above-described embodiment will be described.

[0057] (1) Modification Example 1

[0058] In the above-described first and second embodiments, TOF cameras are used as the upper first sensor 70 and the lower first sensor 74 . However, the following configuration may be adopted instead.

[0059] A left camera and a right camera are respectively provided on the left and right front skirt guard plates 40, 40 on the upper layer side, and these cameras are used as the upper first sensor 70. The depth of the passenger P and the like is calculated using the stereoscopic image composed of the left image captured by the left camera and the right image captured by the right camera, and the parallax between the left camera and the right camera, and the height of the long object R carried by the passenger P is detected.

[0060] In addition, a left camera and a right camera are provided on a pair of left and right front skirt guard plates 42 , 42 on the lower layer side, and these cameras are used as the lower first sensor 74 .

[0061] (2) Modification Example 2

[0062] In the first embodiment, the step 30 is stopped when the passenger P carrying the long object R reaches the minimum height point, and then the step 30 is moved again after a predetermined time has passed (step S7), but the step 30 may be kept stopped instead. In addition, after the passenger P carrying the long object R reaches the minimum height point, the upper second sensor 72 or the lower second sensor 76 may detect the height of the long object R at the minimum height point, and the step 30 may be moved again when the height becomes lower than the minimum height h.

[0063] (3) Modification Example 3

[0064] In addition, in the above embodiment, the escalator 10 is applied as a passenger conveyor, but it can also be applied to a moving walkway instead of this. In addition, it is suitable for the case where the height of the ceiling above the moving walkway changes in the middle.

[0065] (4) Modification Example 4

[0066] The structure of the ceiling of the building 1 in the above-mentioned embodiments is an example, and the present embodiment can be applied as long as the height from the steps 30 to the ceiling is narrowed to the minimum height h between the entrance and the exit.

[0067] (5) Others

[0068] An embodiment of the present invention has been described above, but the embodiment is presented as an example and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These new embodiments can be implemented in various other ways, and various omissions, substitutions and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the subject matter of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and subject matter of the invention, and are included in the invention described in the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A long object monitoring device for a passenger conveyor, wherein the passenger conveyor has a portion between a stair entrance and a stair exit where the height from the step to the ceiling is narrowed to a minimum height, and the long object monitoring device for the passenger conveyor is characterized in that it has: A first sensor is disposed at the entrance to the escalator, and detects whether the height to the upper end of the long object is above the minimum height when a passenger enters the escalator from the entrance carrying a long object in a longitudinal direction; A second sensor is provided on an inner wall frame closer to the entrance than the minimum height point where the minimum height is reached, and detects the height of an object moving from the entrance; and The control device decelerates and stops the step before the elongated object reaches the minimum height point when the first sensor detects the elongated object above the minimum height and the second sensor detects the object above the minimum height.

2. The long object monitoring device for a passenger conveyor according to claim 1, wherein: The control device is: When the first sensor detects the long object above the minimum height, the passenger is warned through voice broadcasting.

3. The long object monitoring device for a passenger conveyor according to claim 2, wherein: The control device is: After the first sensor detects the long object above the minimum height, when the second sensor detects the object above the minimum height, the passenger is warned again through voice broadcasting.

4. The long object monitoring device for a passenger conveyor according to claim 1, wherein: The first sensor is arranged on the front skirt guard plate at the elevator entrance.

5. The long object monitoring device for a passenger conveyor according to claim 1, wherein: The first sensor is disposed on a column at the entrance to the elevator.

6. The long object monitoring device for a passenger conveyor according to claim 1, wherein: The first sensor is an image sensor.

7. The long object monitoring device for a passenger conveyor according to claim 1, wherein: The second sensor is an ultrasonic sensor.

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