Detection method, escalator monitoring system and escalator

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of escalators, in particular to a detection method for detecting the extension condition of a chain of an escalator. A motor of the escalator drives a main shaft of the escalator through a chain. The detection method comprises the following steps that a, the motor is started; b, at least one inductive sensor is used for detecting starting of the motor so as to obtain the starting moment of the motor; c, detecting the vibration of the main shaft by using a vibration sensor so as to obtain the moment when the main shaft starts to rotate; d, calculating the time difference between the moment when the motor is started and the moment when the main shaft starts to rotate; and e, storing the time difference. According to the detection method provided by the invention, an accurate, reliable and low-cost technical scheme is provided for detecting the extension condition of the chain of the escalator. The invention further relates to an escalator monitoring system and an escalator.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the field of escalators, and in particular to a detection method for detecting the elongation condition of a chain of an escalator, an escalator monitoring system and an escalator. Background Art

[0002] Generally speaking, in an escalator, the drive is transmitted between the motor and the main shaft through a chain. For example, the motor is connected to a gear box, which in turn drives the chain through a sprocket, and the chain drives another sprocket connected to the main shaft to drive the rotation of the main shaft.

[0003] During the operation of the escalator, the chain elongates due to wear and tear of the chain components, resulting in a "polygon effect". In other words, the chain elongates over time and vibrates more significantly. This poses a greater risk to the life of the relevant bearings and the reliability of the fixed components in the escalator. In the most serious case, as the chain elongates, it may break, causing the step belt to run in the opposite direction and causing a safety accident. Although some escalators are equipped with some mechanisms to deal with chain breakage, these mechanisms may not be able to solve all problems caused by chain breakage in a timely manner.

[0004] Therefore, it is desirable to be able to timely understand the elongation of the chain in the escalator. For example, in some use environments, maintenance personnel are required to regularly measure the elongation of the chain on site. However, such regulations cause a large workload, and it is still difficult to obtain the elongation of the chain in time and deal with it accordingly.

[0005] Therefore, it is hoped that there will be a solution that can solve the above problems. Summary of the invention

[0006] In view of the above problems, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a detection method for detecting the elongation condition of the chain of an escalator is proposed, wherein the motor of the escalator drives the main shaft of the escalator via the chain, and the detection method comprises the following steps: a. starting the motor; b. using at least one inductive sensor to detect the start of the motor to obtain the moment when the motor starts; c. using a vibration sensor to detect the vibration of the main shaft to obtain the moment when the main shaft starts to rotate; d. calculating the time difference between the moment when the motor starts and the moment when the main shaft starts to rotate; e. storing the time difference.

[0007] The detection method according to the first aspect of the present invention provides an accurate, reliable and cost-effective technical solution for detecting the elongation of the chain of an escalator. On the one hand, by using at least one inductive sensor, the precise time of motor start-up can be obtained, and in some cases, the existing inductive sensors of existing escalators can be used. On the other hand, by using a vibration sensor, the time when the main shaft starts to rotate can be obtained more reliably, and the installation and maintenance costs of the sensor can be reduced compared to the case of using an inductive sensor to detect the rotation of the main shaft.

[0008] The detection method according to the present invention may have one or more of the following features alone or in combination.

[0009] According to one embodiment, preferably, the detection method further comprises: repeating the steps ae to obtain the sequence data of the time difference.

[0010] According to one embodiment, preferably, at least two starts of the motor are in reverse rotation.

[0011] According to one embodiment, preferably, the escalator includes a gear box connected to the motor, the gear box drives the operation of the chain via a sprocket, and wherein detecting the start of the motor using at least one inductive sensor includes detecting at least one of the start of rotation of a rotating part of the motor, the start of rotation of a rotating part of the gear box, and the start of rotation of the sprocket.

[0012] According to one embodiment, preferably, the escalator comprises a flywheel connected to the motor, the at least one inductive sensor is arranged on the housing of the motor and points to the flywheel, and is configured to detect the moment when the flywheel starts to rotate to obtain the moment when the motor starts.

[0013] According to one embodiment, preferably, the flywheel has a plurality of grooves evenly arranged along a circumferential direction on a side facing the motor, and the at least one inductive sensor is arranged to point to the circumference where the plurality of grooves are located.

[0014] According to one embodiment, preferably, the at least one inductive sensor is two inductive sensors.

[0015] According to one embodiment, preferably, the vibration sensor is mounted on the main shaft.

[0016] According to one embodiment, preferably, the vibration sensor is mounted on a bearing or a bearing seat of the main shaft.

[0017] According to one embodiment, preferably, the detection method further comprises: comparing the time difference with a first threshold, and issuing an alarm and / or a maintenance request when the time difference is greater than the first threshold.

[0018] According to one embodiment, preferably, the detection method further comprises: calculating or predicting the time point when the elongation of the chain is greater than a threshold value of the chain elongation through the sequence data of the time difference.

[0019] According to a second aspect of the present invention, an escalator monitoring system is proposed, comprising at least one inductive sensor, a vibration sensor and a data processing system, wherein the at least one inductive sensor is configured to detect the start-up of the motor of the escalator, the vibration sensor is configured to detect the vibration of the main shaft of the escalator, and the data processing system is configured to execute any one of the aforementioned detection methods.

[0020] The escalator monitoring system according to the present invention has the corresponding advantages brought by the aforementioned detection method.

[0021] The escalator monitoring system according to the present invention may have one or more of the following features alone or in combination.

[0022] According to one embodiment, preferably, the data processing system includes a controller, an edge device and a cloud device, the at least one inductive sensor is configured to send a detected signal to the controller, the controller is configured to obtain the moment when the motor starts from the signal and send the moment to the edge device, the vibration sensor is configured to send the detected vibration signal to the edge device, the edge device is configured to calculate the time difference, and the cloud device is configured to store the time difference.

[0023] According to one embodiment, preferably, the cloud device is also configured to form sequence data of the time difference and calculate or predict the time point when the elongation of the chain is greater than a chain elongation threshold value through the sequence data of the time difference.

[0024] According to a third aspect of the present invention, an escalator is provided, comprising any one of the above-mentioned escalator monitoring systems.

[0025] The escalator according to the present invention has the corresponding advantages brought by the aforementioned escalator monitoring system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the following briefly introduces the drawings of the embodiments of the present invention, wherein the drawings are only used to illustrate some embodiments of the present invention, but not to limit all embodiments of the present invention thereto.

[0027] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an escalator monitoring system according to the present invention is shown.

[0028] Figure 2A schematic diagram showing a flywheel connected to a motor of an escalator according to the present invention is shown.

[0029] Figure 3A and Figure 3B Schematic diagrams of an escalator monitoring system according to the present invention are respectively shown, showing the situation when the chain is extended.

[0030] Figure 4A and Figure 4B The diagrams respectively show the vibration signal of the main shaft obtained by the detection method according to the present invention, and also show the time when the motor is started.

[0031] Figure 5 A diagram showing sequence data of time differences obtained by the detection method according to the present invention is shown.

[0032] Reference numerals list

[0033] 1 Motor

[0034] 11First Induction Sensor

[0035] 12 Second induction sensor

[0036] 2 Gearbox

[0037] 3 Flywheel

[0038] 41 First sprocket

[0039] 42 Second sprocket

[0040] 5 Chain

[0041] 51 The first part of the chain

[0042] 52 The second part of the chain

[0043] 6Spindle bearing seat

[0044] 61 Vibration Sensor

[0045] 7 Controller

[0046] 8Edge Devices DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0047] In order to make the purpose, technical solution and advantages of the technical solution of the present invention clearer, the technical solution of the embodiment of the present invention will be clearly and completely described in conjunction with the drawings of specific embodiments of the present invention. The same figure marks in the drawings represent the same parts. It should be noted that the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the described embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without the need for creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0048] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used herein shall have the usual meanings understood by persons of ordinary skill in the field to which the present invention belongs. The words "first", "second" and similar words used in the patent application specification and claims of the present invention do not indicate any order, quantity or importance, but are only used to distinguish different components. Similarly, words such as "one" or "one" do not necessarily indicate a quantity limitation. Words such as "include" or "comprise" mean that the elements or objects appearing before the word include the elements or objects listed after the word and their equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects. Words such as "connect" or "connected" are not limited to mechanical connections, but may include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. "Up", "down", "left", "right" and the like are only used to indicate relative positional relationships. When the absolute position of the described object changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly.

[0049] The present invention is described in detail below by describing exemplary embodiments.

[0050] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an escalator monitoring system according to the present invention is shown, and some relevant components of the corresponding escalator are also shown. Figure 1 In the embodiment, the motor 1 of the escalator is connected to the gear box 2 of the escalator to drive the gear box 2 to work. The gear box 2 is provided with a first sprocket 41. Figure 1 A second sprocket 42 is also shown, which can be fixedly connected to the main shaft of the escalator to drive the main shaft to rotate, and the main shaft in turn drives the step chain of the escalator to operate, for example via the step sprocket. The chain 5 is arranged on the first sprocket 41 and the second sprocket 42. Thus, the rotating component inside the gearbox 2 is configured to drive the first sprocket 41 to rotate, and drive the operation of the chain 5 via the first sprocket 41, and the chain 5 in turn drives the second sprocket 42 to rotate. Hereinafter, the two parts of the chain 5 located between the first sprocket 41 and the second sprocket 42 are respectively referred to as the first part 51 of the chain and the second part 52 of the chain.

[0051] Figure 1 A flywheel 3 connected to the motor 1 is also shown. Two inductive sensors, namely a first inductive sensor 11 and a second inductive sensor 12, are arranged on the housing of the motor 1. The first inductive sensor 11 and the second inductive sensor 12 are further arranged to point to the flywheel 3 and are configured to detect the rotation of the flywheel 3. According to the present invention, the flywheel 3 can rotate synchronously with the output shaft of the motor 1. Accordingly, the moment when the motor 1 is started is substantially the same as the moment when the flywheel 3 starts to rotate. Therefore, by processing the signals output by the first inductive sensor 11 and the second inductive sensor 12, the moment when the motor 1 is started can be obtained.

[0052] like Figure 1 It is further shown that the first inductive sensor 11 and the second inductive sensor 12 are respectively connected to the controller 7 to send the detected signal to the controller 7. The controller 7 is further connected to the edge device 8. Thus, the controller 7 can be configured to obtain the moment when the motor 1 is started from the above-mentioned signal received, and send the moment when the motor 1 is started to the edge device 8. On the other hand, a vibration sensor 61 is provided on the main shaft of the escalator to detect the vibration of the main shaft. For example, the vibration sensor 61 can be installed on the main body of the main shaft. Additionally or alternatively, the vibration sensor 61 can be installed on the bearing or bearing seat 6 of the main shaft to detect the vibration of the main shaft. The vibration sensor 61 is connected to the edge device 8 and is configured to send the detected vibration signal to the edge device 8. According to the present invention, the first inductive sensor 11 and the second inductive sensor 12 can be connected to the controller 7 in a wired or wireless manner, and further, the controller 7 and the vibration sensor 61 can each be connected to the edge device 8 in a wired or wireless manner. The edge device 8 is configured to process information from the controller 7 and the vibration sensor 61 , for example, the edge device 8 is configured to calculate the time difference between the moment when the motor 1 is started and the moment when the main shaft starts to rotate, as described in detail below.

[0053] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of another perspective of a flywheel 3 is shown, and the flywheel 3 can be used in a detection method according to an embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, on the circular side of the flywheel 3 facing the motor 1, a plurality of grooves 31 are evenly arranged along the circumferential direction. The first inductive sensor 11 and the second inductive sensor 12 are specifically arranged to point to the circumference where these grooves 31 are located. When the motor 1 is started, the flywheel 3 starts to rotate, and the first inductive sensor 11 and the second inductive sensor 12 generate pulses when the grooves 31 are detected (for example, by detecting that the corresponding inductive sensor has a distance change to the circular side of the flywheel 3), and send the pulse signal to the controller 7.

[0054] For example, due to the arrangement of the grooves 31, there is a height variation on the side surface of the flywheel 3 facing the motor 1. In other words, along the circumference where the plurality of grooves 31 are located, there is a highly repetitively varying profile on the side surface caused by the arrangement of “groove-no groove-groove-no groove…”, and pulses can be generated based on such a profile. Alternatively, a plurality of protrusions may be evenly arranged along the circumferential direction on the circular side of the flywheel 3 facing the motor 1 to produce a highly repetitively varying profile along the circumference where the plurality of protrusions are located. Alternatively, the grooves and protrusions may also be alternately arranged along the circumferential direction on the circular side of the flywheel 3 facing the motor 1 to produce a highly repetitively varying profile along the circumference where the grooves and protrusions are located.

[0055] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the inductive sensor may be, for example, an optical sensor, a laser sensor or a magnetic sensor, etc. The inductive sensor emits pulses by detecting the change in the height of the flywheel surface caused by the presence of the groove (or protrusion). Thus, the rotation speed of the flywheel 3 can be calculated using a plurality of pulses (such as by using the number of pulses per unit time). In addition, the pulses can also be used to calculate the moment when the flywheel 3 starts to rotate (such as by using the starting point of the pulse signal) to obtain the moment when the motor starts.

[0056] By providing two inductive sensors, the accuracy of detecting the start of the motor 1 can be increased and the robustness of the corresponding escalator monitoring system can be increased. According to other embodiments of the present invention, only one inductive sensor can be provided, or more than two inductive sensors can be provided.

[0057] In addition, for the arrangement of the aforementioned first inductive sensor 11 and the second inductive sensor 12 on the motor 1, in some cases, the inductive sensors (e.g., inductive sensors for detecting the motor speed) already equipped on the existing escalator can be utilized, thereby reducing the cost of implementing the detection method of the present invention. Alternatively, one or more inductive sensors can be arranged at other locations on, for example, the motor 1 or the gearbox 2, and configured to detect at least one of the following: the rotating part of the motor 1 starts to rotate, the rotating part of the gearbox 2 starts to rotate, and the first sprocket 41 starts to rotate. The moment when the above-mentioned parts start to rotate is basically the same as the moment when the motor 1 starts, so the moment when the motor 1 starts can still be detected by the inductive sensor.

[0058] Figure 3A and Figure 3B The specific conditions observed by the applicant when the escalator is in use are shown in FIG. Figure 3A In the embodiment, the elongation of the chain 5 is reflected in that the first portion 51 of the chain is slack and not straightened, while the second portion 52 of the chain is straightened. Figure 3A This situation may occur when the first sprocket 41 is rotating counterclockwise or when the escalator stops after the first sprocket 41 rotates counterclockwise. If the escalator stops after the first sprocket 41 rotates counterclockwise, and the first sprocket 41 rotates clockwise when the motor 1 is started next time, the rotation of the first sprocket 41 first straightens the first portion 51 of the loose chain, and then the chain 5 can drive the second sprocket 42 to rotate, so that the main shaft can start to rotate. Therefore, in the above situation, the time difference between the moment when the motor 1 is started and the moment when the main shaft starts to rotate (i.e., the delay of the main shaft starting to rotate relative to the start of the motor 1) is directly related to the elongation of the chain 5.

[0059] like Figure 3BAs shown, the applicant has found that the elongation of the chain 5 can also be reflected in that the second portion 52 of the chain is slack and not straightened, while the first portion 51 of the chain is straightened. Figure 3B This situation may occur when the first sprocket 41 is rotating clockwise or when the escalator stops after the first sprocket 41 rotates clockwise. If the escalator stops after the first sprocket 41 rotates clockwise, and the first sprocket 41 rotates counterclockwise when the motor 1 is started next time, the rotation of the first sprocket 41 first straightens the second portion 52 of the slack chain, and then the chain 5 can drive the second sprocket 42 to rotate, so that the main shaft can start to rotate. Therefore, in the above case, similarly, the time difference between the moment when the motor 1 is started and the moment when the main shaft starts to rotate (i.e., the delay of the main shaft starting to rotate relative to the start of the motor 1) is directly related to the elongation of the chain 5.

[0060] Thus, according to the present invention, a detection method for detecting the elongation of the chain 5 may include: a. starting the motor 1; b. using at least one inductive sensor to detect the start of the motor 1 to obtain the time T1 when the motor 1 starts; c. using the vibration sensor 61 to detect the vibration of the main shaft to obtain the time T2 when the main shaft starts to rotate; d. calculating the time difference △T between the time T1 when the motor 1 starts and the time T2 when the main shaft starts to rotate; e. storing the time difference △T. The time difference △T obtained by the detection method can be used to detect the elongation of the chain 5.

[0061] Regarding the above step c, the applicant found that, compared with the setting of using an inductive sensor to detect the rotation of the main shaft, by using a vibration sensor to detect the vibration of the main shaft, the time when the main shaft starts to rotate can be obtained more reliably. Specifically, the vibration sensor can be directly arranged on the part to be measured of the main shaft without being easy to fall off, while the inductive sensor needs to be arranged to be separated from the part to be measured of the main shaft, and its normal operation requires that the distance between it and the part to be measured of the main shaft be maintained within a certain range. This requirement will become difficult to meet after the escalator has been used for a long time and the parts near the main shaft have been worn or displaced. In addition, the use of vibration sensors can also significantly reduce the installation and maintenance costs of the sensors.

[0062] In addition, for the above steps ae, the corresponding steps do not need to be executed in sequence (i.e., they do not need to be started and ended in sequence), and the execution of each step only needs to ensure that other steps can be executed smoothly. For example, the inductive sensor and the vibration sensor can start working before the motor is started, and continuously monitor whether the motor is started and the vibration of the spindle accordingly. After the motor is started for a period of time, the inductive sensor and the vibration sensor respectively obtain the time when the motor is started and the time when the spindle starts to rotate.

[0063] Figure 4AA diagram of the vibration signal of the spindle obtained according to the detection method of the present invention is shown, which indicates the time T2 when the spindle starts to rotate. It can be seen that at the time T2, the vibration amplitude of the spindle increases significantly. In addition, Figure 4A The time T1 at which the motor 1 starts is also indicated. Figure 4A In the corresponding case, the start of motor 1 causes the escalator to run in the opposite direction relative to its previous operation. In other words, the start of motor 1 is reversed relative to its previous start (i.e., the rotation direction of motor 1 after this start is opposite to the rotation direction after the previous start). Therefore, the time difference ΔT between the time T1 when motor 1 starts and the time T2 when the main shaft starts to rotate is more significant.

[0064] Figure 4B Another diagram of the vibration signal of the spindle obtained according to the detection method of the present invention is shown, which indicates the time T1 when the motor 1 is started and the time T2 when the spindle starts to rotate. Figure 4B In the corresponding case, the start of motor 1 causes the escalator to run in the same direction as the previous run, in other words, the start of motor 1 has the same rotation direction as the previous start. Therefore, the time difference ΔT between the moment T1 when motor 1 starts and the moment T2 when the main shaft starts to rotate is very small.

[0065] Therefore, a method for detecting the elongation of the chain 5 according to the present invention may further include repeating the aforementioned steps ae, which may be repeated once or multiple times. In addition, according to one embodiment, during the multiple steps ae, the motor 1 may be started in reverse at least twice, so as to generate at least one Figure 4A In other words, in this embodiment, during the multiple executions of steps ae, there are at least two starts, wherein the rotation directions of the motor 1 after the two starts are opposite. Figure 4A The more significant time difference ΔT shown is used to obtain the elongation of the chain 5. For example, according to a further detection method of the present invention, the time difference ΔT can be compared with a first threshold ΔT1. When the time difference ΔT is greater than the first threshold ΔT1, it indicates that the elongation of the chain 5 is greater than the chain elongation threshold, and an alarm and / or a maintenance request can be issued.

[0066] In the process of repeating steps ae, a sequence data of the time difference ΔT can also be obtained, for example, for storage or further processing. For example, in the sequence data of the time difference ΔT, the motor 1 can be started in reverse direction at least twice, so the corresponding time difference ΔT sequence data can be obtained from the sequence data. Figure 4A The time difference ΔT in the illustrated case is used to calculate or predict the time point at which the elongation of the chain 5 is greater than a specific chain elongation threshold value. Figure 5 A graphical representation of the sequence data of the time difference ΔT is shown. Figure 5 In FIG. 1 , only four time differences ΔT which are significantly greater than zero are shown. The time differences ΔT which are significantly greater than zero shown can be obtained in different ways during the use of the escalator.

[0067] For example, in the long-term use of the escalator including multiple operations, the operator may start the escalator to make it run in different running directions, and steps ae may be performed for each start of the motor 1 and the corresponding time difference ΔT may be obtained to form sequence data. Thus, according to one embodiment, the time difference ΔT for judging the chain elongation may be selected in combination with information on whether each start of the motor 1 is reversed relative to the previous start. Alternatively, according to one embodiment, a time difference ΔT whose value is significantly greater than zero may be selected in the sequence data of the time difference ΔT to calculate or predict the time point when the elongation of the chain 5 is greater than a specific chain elongation threshold. For example, a smaller second threshold ΔT2 may be set based on the test or historical operation of the escalator and related sensors, and it is stipulated that only when the time difference ΔT is greater than the second threshold ΔT2, the time difference ΔT is considered to be significantly greater than zero and is selected in the subsequent calculation or prediction of the time point when the elongation of the chain 5 is greater than the chain elongation threshold.

[0068] For another example, according to another embodiment, step ae can be performed at least twice regularly (for example, during routine maintenance of the escalator), wherein the motor 1 is started in reverse at least twice, so as to obtain at least one time difference ΔT that is significantly greater than zero, and the time difference ΔT that is significantly greater than zero is formed into a sequence data of the time difference ΔT, which is used to calculate or predict the time point when the elongation of the chain 5 is greater than a specific chain elongation threshold. In fact, in the above embodiment using the sequence data of the time difference ΔT, the operator of the escalator or related technicians, supervisors, etc. can know the approximate situation of the chain elongation of the escalator at almost any time, and avoid unnecessary on-site inspection of the escalator components by dismantling.

[0069] exist Figure 5 In the example, the ordinate is the value of the time difference ΔT obtained by executing step ae, and the abscissa is the time (e.g., date) when step ae is executed. For example, the abscissa corresponds to the date when a time difference ΔT significantly greater than zero is generated each time during the long-term use of the escalator. For another example, the abscissa corresponds to the date when a time difference ΔT significantly greater than zero is generated each time during routine maintenance of the escalator. Figure 5 As can be seen from the figure, as time goes by, the chain 5 of the escalator stretches, and the corresponding time difference △T becomes larger. If a time difference △T greater than the first threshold △T1 has been observed in the sequence data of the time difference △T, the time point at which the elongation of the chain 5 is greater than the chain elongation threshold can be calculated. If a time difference △T greater than the first threshold △T1 has not been observed in the sequence data of the time difference △T (e.g. Figure 5As shown), the time point when the elongation of the chain 5 is greater than the chain elongation threshold can be predicted by analyzing the growth trend of the time difference △T over time.

[0070] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the elongation condition of the chain 5 can also be classified into different stages according to the latest time difference ΔT, and corresponding prompts or suggestions can be given. For example, for a smaller time difference ΔT, it is prompted that the elongation condition is within an acceptable range, for a time difference ΔT that increases to a value close to the first threshold ΔT1, it is prompted that "next maintenance requires on-site inspection", and for a time difference ΔT that exceeds the first threshold ΔT1, an alarm and / or a maintenance request is issued.

[0071] According to the present invention, the time difference △T can be stored by a cloud device (not shown in the drawings). The cloud device can also be configured to form sequence data of the time difference △T and calculate or predict the time point when the elongation of the chain 5 is greater than a specific chain elongation threshold. The cloud device and the aforementioned controller 7 and edge device 8 can together constitute a data processing system to perform the aforementioned method according to the present invention. Of course, data processing systems of other structures can be used to perform the aforementioned method according to the present invention. In addition, the data processing system that executes the detection method according to the present invention and the aforementioned at least one inductive sensor and vibration sensor can constitute an escalator monitoring system, or form a part of an escalator monitoring system. The escalator according to an embodiment of the present invention includes such an escalator monitoring system.

[0072] Also, refer to Figure 3A and Figure 3B , when the chain 5 is extended, if the motor 1 is stopped urgently from the rotating state, there is also a time difference between the moment when the motor 1 is stopped urgently and the moment when the vibration changes due to the main shaft stopping. Accordingly, the above-mentioned detection method, escalator monitoring system and escalator can also be set corresponding to this situation.

[0073] The detection method, escalator monitoring system and exemplary implementation of the escalator proposed in the present invention are described in detail above with reference to the preferred embodiments. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that, without departing from the concept of the present invention, various modifications and variations can be made to the above-mentioned specific embodiments, and various technical features and structures proposed in the present invention can be combined in various ways without exceeding the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A detection method for detecting the elongation of a chain of an escalator, wherein a motor of the escalator drives a main shaft of the escalator via the chain, the detection method comprising the following steps: a. Start the motor; b. using at least one inductive sensor to detect the start of the motor to obtain the moment when the motor starts; c. using a vibration sensor to detect the vibration of the spindle to obtain the moment when the spindle starts to rotate; d. Calculate the time difference between the moment when the motor starts and the moment when the spindle starts to rotate; e. Storing the time difference.

2. The detection method according to claim 1, further comprising: Repeat steps ae to obtain the sequence data of the time difference.

3. The detection method according to claim 2, wherein: The motor is started in reverse direction at least twice.

4. The detection method according to claim 1, wherein: The escalator comprises a gearbox connected to the motor, the gearbox driving the operation of the chain via a sprocket, and wherein detecting the start of the motor using at least one inductive sensor comprises detecting at least one of the start of rotation of a rotating part of the motor, the start of rotation of a rotating part of the gearbox, and the start of rotation of the sprocket.

5. The detection method according to claim 1, wherein: The escalator comprises a flywheel connected to the motor, the at least one inductive sensor is arranged on a housing of the motor and points to the flywheel, and is configured to detect a moment when the flywheel starts to rotate to obtain a moment when the motor is started.

6. The detection method according to claim 5, wherein: The flywheel has a plurality of grooves uniformly arranged along a circumferential direction on a side surface facing the motor, and the at least one inductive sensor is arranged to point to a circumference where the plurality of grooves are located.

7. The detection method according to claim 1, wherein: The at least one inductive sensor is two inductive sensors.

8. The detection method according to claim 1, wherein: The vibration sensor is mounted on the main shaft.

9. The detection method according to claim 8, wherein: The vibration sensor is mounted on the bearing or bearing seat of the main shaft.

10. The detection method according to claim 1, further comprising: The time difference is compared with a first threshold, and when the time difference is greater than the first threshold, an alarm and / or a maintenance request is issued.

11. The detection method according to claim 2, further comprising: The time point when the elongation of the chain is greater than a threshold value of the chain elongation is calculated or predicted by the sequence data of the time difference.

12. An escalator monitoring system, comprising at least one inductive sensor, a vibration sensor and a data processing system, wherein the at least one inductive sensor is configured to detect the start-up of the motor of the escalator, the vibration sensor is configured to detect the vibration of the main shaft of the escalator, and the data processing system is configured to execute the detection method according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. The escalator monitoring system according to claim 12, wherein: The data processing system includes a controller, an edge device and a cloud device, the at least one inductive sensor is configured to send a detected signal to the controller, the controller is configured to obtain the time when the motor is started from the signal and send the time to the edge device, the vibration sensor is configured to send the detected vibration signal to the edge device, the edge device is configured to calculate the time difference, and the cloud device is configured to store the time difference.

14. The escalator monitoring system according to claim 13, wherein: The cloud device is also configured to form sequence data of the time difference and calculate or predict the time point when the elongation of the chain is greater than a chain elongation threshold value through the sequence data of the time difference.

15. An escalator, comprising the escalator monitoring system according to any one of claims 12 to 14.

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