Device for removing liquids and dirt

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (31) for removing liquid (99) and dirt from a movable handrail (15) of an escalator (1) or a moving walkway. The device (31) comprises a support (33) and a scraping body (41) with a scraping lip (43), the scraping lip (43) having a wedge-shaped cross section (Q). Furthermore, a collecting channel (45) is formed in the scraping body (41) adjacent to the scraping lip (43).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a device for removing liquids and dirt from a movable handrail of an escalator or a moving walkway. Background Art

[0002] Escalators and moving walkways are used to transport people and their belongings in buildings such as train stations, subway stations, airports, shopping malls, and department stores. Escalators and moving walkways have a conveyor belt that can be moved in a circular or rotating manner and can be stepped on for transportation. In order to prevent people from falling during travel, escalators and moving walkways have guardrails on both sides of the conveyor belt, and handrails are arranged on the guardrails in a rotating manner. According to relevant standards such as EN115, the two handrails must be driven at a speed synchronized with the conveyor belt. The handrail usually has a C-shaped cross-section. The forward section of the handrail is guided by means of a T-shaped guide profile firmly fixed to the guardrail, so that the guide profile is arranged in the inner cross-section of the handrail. The return section is guided in an unnoticeable manner inside the guardrail base.

[0003] For example, as disclosed in EP2931645B1, the handrail is driven by a handrail drive wheel arranged inside the escalator or moving walkway. This handrail drive wheel transmits its driving torque and its driving motion to the inside of the C-shaped handrail by means of friction locking. As long as the escalator or moving walkway is located indoors and protected from the weather, there are almost no problems with traction between the handrail and the handrail drive wheel. For escalators and moving walkways used entirely or partially outdoors, large amounts of liquid, especially water, can also accumulate on the inside of the C-shaped handrail on rainy days, significantly changing the friction between the handrail drive wheel and the handrail. This can lead to a slip-stick effect, resulting in uneven handrail movement and discomfort for the user. In addition, most regulations, such as standard EN115, prohibit handrail speeds from being lower than the conveyor belt speed.

[0004] To solve this problem, JPH0439288A discloses a wedge-shaped plow-like extrusion body for pushing water droplets off the handrail surface. However, this solution is ineffective when there is a lot of water on the inside of the handrail because the pushed water immediately flows back to the handrail surface after passing through the extrusion body. Summary of the Invention

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a reliable mechanism for preventing substantial amounts of liquid from entering between a handrail drive wheel and the surface of the handrail which is in contact with the handrail drive wheel.

[0006] This object is achieved by a device for removing liquids and dirt from a movable handrail of an escalator or moving walkway. The device comprises a support and a scraper body with a scraper lip. The scraper lip has a wedge-shaped cross-section. The scraper body can be made of one or more polymer materials, composite materials, or metal. The scraper lip can be integrally formed on the scraper body. Of course, the scraper lip can also be manufactured as a separate component and fixed to the scraper body. If the scraper lip is made of a material that is more elastic and softer than the scraper body, it can be manufactured, for example, as a multi-component plastic injection molded part.

[0007] According to the present invention, the collecting channel is constructed in the scraping body in a manner adjacent to the scraping lip. Thus, the liquid scraped off by the scraping lip is collected and guided in the collecting channel, so that the liquid no longer flows back to the handrail surface.

[0008] In one embodiment, the collecting channel opens into the device's drainage line, allowing any accumulated liquid to be continuously drained from the aforementioned area of ​​the device. Dirt or dirt particles scraped from the handrail surface by the scraping lip are largely flushed into the drainage line by the liquid. Maintenance personnel must regularly clean the scraping lip and collecting channel, if necessary.

[0009] In another embodiment, the collecting channel opens into a connecting piece formed in the scraper body. This connecting piece is suitably designed to connect to a drainage line. Since the drainage line can be separated from the device in this design, the device can be installed and maintained more easily, and the drainage line can be replaced in the event of a blockage.

[0010] In another embodiment of the device, the device has at least one guide roller rotatably mounted on the scraping body. Depending on the arrangement of the at least one guide roller, when the device is ready for use, the guide roller is in contact with the outer surface of the handrail or the surface of the inner cross section of the handrail.

[0011] In a refinement of this device, at least one guide roller is arranged on the scraper body such that its roller surface partially protrudes beyond the scraper body. The protrusion of the roller surface from the scraper body is less than 2 mm, preferably 1.5 mm to 0.1 mm, and particularly preferably 0.7 mm to 0.5 mm. The guide roller serves to position and guide the scraper body in the inner cross-section of the handrail so that a very small lip distance is always maintained between the scraper lip and the surface of the inner cross-section. This lip distance minimizes wear on the scraper lip and ensures that virtually all liquid is scraped off the surface of the inner cross-section. The lip distance can be 0.0 mm to 0.1 mm, preferably 0.001 mm to 0.05 mm.

[0012] In another design of the device, a first guide roller projects from the bottom surface of the scraper body, a second guide roller projects from the left side of the scraper body, and a third guide roller projects from the right side of the scraper body. The rotation axes of the second and third guide rollers are arranged in the scraper body parallel to each other and orthogonal to the rotation axis of the first guide roller. This design enables precise and low-wear guidance of the scraper body relative to all inner sides of the inner cross-section of the handrail.

[0013] The support of the device includes a first support component designed to be fixedly attached to a stationary component of an escalator or moving walkway. The stationary component can be, for example, the supporting structure of the escalator or moving walkway. Furthermore, the support includes a second support component that floats in a limited-travel plane and is fixedly connected to the first support component perpendicular to this plane. This plane is selected so that when the device is installed on the escalator, it extends perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the handrail and, therefore, the direction of movement of the handrail. The scraper body is fixed to the second support component. In this context, "floating in a limited-travel plane" means that the second support component can move relative to the first support component within fixed boundaries in this plane without significant resistance. Movement perpendicular to this plane is minimal, depending on the required guide clearance between the first and second support components. This floating connection minimizes the forces acting on the scraper lip or the guide roller, thereby significantly reducing wear on the scraper lip or the guide roller.

[0014] The device can be used in any escalator or moving walkway that has at least one pivotally arranged movable handrail with a C-shaped cross-section and a handrail drive with a handrail drive wheel. The handrail drive wheel is typically arranged in the return section of the handrail, where the handrail can be driven by the handrail drive wheel. The escalator or moving walkway preferably has at least one device for removing liquids and dirt for each handrail. The device is arranged in the inner cross-section of the handrail defined by the C-shaped cross-section and immediately in front of the handrail drive wheel, with its scraping lip pointing opposite to the set or predetermined direction of movement of the handrail. Liquid and dirt adhering to the surface of the handrail are scraped off by the scraping lip due to the relative movement of the surface and the scraping body.

[0015] In one embodiment, the contour of the scraping lip is adapted to the inner cross-section of the movable handrail. Depending on the product, the handrail can have different inner cross-sections. If the device for removing liquids and dirt according to the invention is to be used on escalators or moving walkways, a scraping body must be provided that is adapted to the inner cross-section or contour of the handrail.

[0016] If a moving walkway or escalator is required to run in both directions, a device of the type described above can be arranged on both sides of the handrail drive wheel. Here, the two devices should be arranged in such a way that the scraping lips point in opposite directions in either direction of movement.

[0017] The device for removing liquids and dirt installed on an escalator or moving walkway is preferably arranged so that the scraping lip of the scraping body maintains contact with the same surface of the handrail that is in contact with the handrail drive wheel that transmits the movement. This ensures optimal traction between the handrail drive wheel and the handrail.

[0018] Liquid scraped by the device can be removed from the scraper lip, for example, by means of a pump. Preferably, the device operates without additional equipment. To achieve this, the scraper body of the device is arranged in an inclined section of the handrail relative to the direction of gravity so that, under the action of gravity, liquid scraped from the handrail by the scraper lip flows from the scraper lip into a collection channel formed in the scraper body. The collection channel also has an inclination aligned with gravity, allowing the liquid to flow into a drainage line connected to the collection channel. The liquid can then flow through the drainage line into a collection container that can be emptied periodically.

[0019] During assembly, the device's bracket is fixedly positioned in the escalator or moving walkway's guardrail base or supporting structure. This can be achieved using conventional fastening mechanisms, such as screws or rivets. The bracket can also be glued, soldered, or welded to a stationary component of the escalator or moving walkway.

[0020] Liquid and dirt removal is only sufficient if the wiper lip is intact. The escalator or moving walkway can have a monitoring sensor directed toward the wiper lip to monitor its physical condition. This can be, for example, a camera, a time-of-flight camera, a laser scanner, a LiDAR sensor, or the like.

[0021] The measurement data from the monitoring sensors is continuously or periodically transmitted to the escalator or moving walk controller. This measurement data can be processed in the controller, which stores status standards and compares the prepared and processed measurement data with these status standards. Methods for processing measurement data to obtain data comparable to status standards are well known and will not be described in detail here. Based on the results of the comparison of the measurement data with the status standards, a stop command, maintenance request, and / or alarm notification can be issued. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] In the following description, preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In all drawings, like elements are given the same reference numerals. Neither the drawings nor the description should be construed as limiting the present invention. In particular:

[0023] Figure 1 An escalator with a revolving handrail and a device for removing liquids and dirt from the handrail is shown schematically in a cutaway side view;

[0024] Figure 2 Shown in an enlarged cutaway side view Figure 1 The area marked "A" has the device according to the present invention;

[0025] Figure 3 Shown in Figure 2 The device and handrail shown in Figure 2 The top view marked as "B" in the figure;

[0026] Figure 4 Shown in Figure 2 The device and handrail shown in Figure 2 The section view marked “CC” in the figure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] Figure 1 The escalator 1 is shown schematically in a cutaway side view with a support structure 3, within which a conveyor belt 5 with steps 7 (partially shown) revolves. Furthermore, on each side of the conveyor belt 5, a guardrail 11 (due to the cutaway side view, only one guardrail 11 is visible) is arranged on the support structure 3 with a guardrail base 12. A handrail 15 is arranged around each guardrail 11, with its forward section 13 intended to move in the same direction and at the same speed as the step-able return section 9 of the conveyor belt 5. The return section 17 of the handrail 15 and the return section 19 of the conveyor belt 5 are guided within the support structure 3 and are therefore concealed from the user. A drive unit 21 and a control unit 23 are also arranged in the support structure 3. Furthermore, a handrail drive 29 is installed in the support structure 3, with a handrail drive wheel 25 for each handrail 15. The drive unit 21 is connected to the conveyor belt 5 and the corresponding handrail drive wheel 25 in a motion-transmittable manner.

[0028] In order to achieve a sufficient degree of traction between the handrail 15 and the handrail drive wheel 25, the handrail 15 is guided in a manner that it is partially wrapped around the handrail drive wheel 25. In the two sections 16 of the handrail 15 adjacent to the partially wrapped portion, a device 31 for removing liquid 99 and dirt is provided (see Figure 2The provision of two devices 31 for each handrail 15 means that the escalator 1 is designed for operation in two opposite directions of movement Y and Z. If only one direction of movement Y is provided, the device 31 should be arranged immediately before the handrail drive wheel 25, taking into account the direction of movement Y of the handrail 15.

[0029] Figure 2 Shown in an enlarged cutaway side view Figure 1 The area marked "A" in FIG. 1 shows the area having the device 31 according to the invention. Figure 3 The device 31 and the armrest 15 are shown in FIG. Figure 2 The top view marked “B” in FIG; and Figure 4 The device 31 and the armrest 15 are shown in FIG. Figure 2 The three figures are described together below.

[0030] The device 31 comprises a support 33 and a scraping body 41 with a scraping lip 43. The scraping lip 43 has a wedge-shaped cross section (see in particular Figure 2 ).from Figure 3 and Figure 4 It can be seen that the contour 47 of the scraping lip 43 is coordinated with the inner cross section 51 of the movable armrest 15. Figure 4 Before the section CC shown in , the scraping lip 43 is therefore shown with a two-dot chain line.

[0031] As from Figure 1 and Figure 2 As can be seen in FIG. 4 , the scraping lip 43 of the scraping body 41 is in contact with the same surface 27 of the handrail 15 that is in contact with the handrail drive wheel 25 that transmits the movement, in a scraping manner.

[0032] A collecting channel 45 is formed in the scraper body 41, which is adjacent to the scraper lip 43. The collecting channel 45 also opens into a connecting pipe socket 48 formed in the scraper body 41. The connecting pipe socket 48 is designed in such a way that it can be connected to a drainage line 97. Of course, the drainage line 97 can also be connected to the scraper body 41 in an inseparable manner.

[0033] Furthermore, two first guide rollers 53 are rotatably supported on or in the scraping body 41, with the first guide rollers protruding from the bottom surface 61 of the scraping body 41. Furthermore, two second guide rollers 55 are rotatably supported on or in the scraping body 41, with the second guide rollers protruding from the left side 63 of the scraping body 41. Similarly, two third guide rollers 57 are rotatably supported on or in the scraping body 41, with the third guide rollers protruding from the right side 65 of the scraping body 41. Figures 2 to 4It can be seen that the rotation axes 67, 69 of the second and third guide rollers 55, 57 are arranged parallel to one another and orthogonally to the rotation axis 59 of the first guide roller 53 in the scraper body 41. The guide rollers 53, 55, 57 are thus guided with their roller surfaces 58 at a defined distance from the scraper body 41 in the inner cross section 51 of the handrail 15.

[0034] The bracket 33 has a first bracket part 35, which is fixed in a positionally fixed manner by means of screws 39 to a stationary component, for example the supporting structure 3 shown in the present embodiment. Figure 2 As shown, two brackets 33 are provided for improved guidance. Since the handrail 15 is guided only at certain positions within the guardrail base 12, it can be moved in the area of ​​the device 31 in the lateral direction S and perpendicularly thereto in the vertical direction R. To prevent excessive forces from acting on the guide rollers 53, 55, and 57, the bracket 33 includes a second bracket part 37, which is fixedly connected to the first bracket part 35 in a positionally fixed manner in a plane E with limited travel. The travel limitation in plane E is achieved by a hole 34 and a pin 36 with a non-return plate 38, with ample clearance between the hole 34 and the pin 36. A scraper body 41 is attached to the second bracket part 37.

[0035] The device 31 is disposed on a portion of the handrail 15 where the slope is greater. In other words, the scraping body 41 of the device 31 is arranged in the inclined section 16 of the handrail 15 relative to the direction of gravity G in such a manner that, under the action of gravity G, at least the liquid 99 scraped from the handrail 15 by the scraping lip 43 flows from the scraping lip 43 into the collecting channel 45 formed in the scraping body 41.

[0036] In order to monitor the physical state of the scraping lip 43, the device 31 has a monitoring sensor 81 (only in Figure 2 Various sensor types, such as cameras, TOF cameras, laser scanners, LiDAR sensors, etc., can be used as the monitoring sensor 81, which can be used to detect the current state of the profile 47 of the scraping lip 43.

[0037] In this embodiment, measurement data 83 from monitoring sensor 81 is transmitted to controller 23 of escalator 1 or moving walkway. Measurement data 83 is processed in controller 23 and compared with status criteria (not shown). If the detected status no longer meets the specified status criteria, a stop command 85 may be issued to drive 21, a maintenance request 87 may be issued to a maintenance center (not shown), and / or an alarm notification 91 may be issued to communication unit 93, depending on the detected status.

[0038] Although the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, it is clear that many other embodiments can be proposed based on the knowledge of the invention, for example in that the device 31 additionally has a heater, by means of which the still wet surface 27 of the armrest 15 can be dried after passing through the scraping body 41.

Claims

1. A device (31) for removing liquids (99) and dirt from a movable handrail (15) of an escalator (1) or a moving walkway, wherein: The device (31) comprises a support (33) and a scraping body (41) with a scraping lip (43), and the scraping lip (43) has a wedge-shaped cross section (Q), It is characterized in that a collecting channel (45) is formed in the scraping body (41) adjacent to the scraping lip (43).

2. The device (31) according to claim 1, wherein The collecting channel (45) opens into a discharge line (97) of the device (31).

3. The device (31) according to claim 1, wherein The collecting channel (45) opens into a connecting pipe socket (48) formed in the scraper body (41), and the connecting pipe socket (48) is adaptively designed to be connected to a discharge line (97).

4. The device (31) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein The device comprises at least one guide roller (53, 55, 57) rotatably supported on the scraping body (41).

5. The device (31) according to claim 4, wherein The at least one guide roller (53, 55, 57) is arranged on the scraping body (41) in such a way that a roller surface (58) of the guide roller partially protrudes from the scraping body (41).

6. The device (31) according to claim 5, wherein A first guide roller (53) protrudes from a bottom surface (61) of the scraping body (41), a second guide roller (55) protrudes from a left side surface (63) of the scraping body (41), and a third guide roller (57) protrudes from a right side surface (65) of the scraping body (41), wherein the rotation axes (67, 69) of the second guide roller and the third guide roller (55, 57) are arranged in the scraping body (41) in a manner parallel to each other and orthogonal to the rotation axis (59) of the first guide roller (53).

7. The device (31) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein The support (33) has a first support part (35) which is designed to be fixed in a fixed position on a stationary component of an escalator (1) or a moving walkway; the support (33) has a second support part (37) which is connected to the first support part (35) in a fixed position in a manner that floats with limited travel in a plane (E) and is orthogonal to the plane (E), and wherein the scraping body (41) is fixed on the second support part (37).

8. An escalator (1) or a moving walkway, comprising at least one rotatably arranged movable handrail (15), the handrail having a C-shaped cross section and a handrail drive (29), the handrail drive having a handrail drive wheel (25), the handrail drive wheel being arranged in the region of a return section (17) of the handrail (15), and the handrail (15) being drivable by means of the handrail drive wheel (25), characterized in that The escalator (1) or moving walkway has, for each of its handrails (15), at least one device (31) for removing liquids (99) and dirt according to any one of claims 1 to 7, said device (31) being arranged with its scraping lip (43) pointing opposite to the provided direction of movement (Y) of the handrail (15) in the inner cross section (51) of the handrail (15) formed by the C-shaped cross section and immediately before the handrail drive wheel (25).

9. The escalator (1) or moving walkway according to claim 8, wherein: The contour (47) of the scraping lip (43) is adapted to the inner cross section (51) of the movable armrest (15).

10. The escalator (1) or moving walk according to claim 8 or 9, wherein: Taking into account the two possible movement directions (Y, Z) of the handrail (15), the device (31) is arranged on both sides of the handrail drive wheel (25).

11. The escalator (1) or moving walk according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein: The scraping lip (43) of the scraping body (41) and the handrail drive wheel (25) that transmits the motion are in contact with the same surface (27) of the handrail (15), wherein the scraping lip of the scraping body maintains contact with the surface in a scraping manner.

12. An escalator (1) or a moving walk according to any one of claims 8 to 11, wherein: Taking into account the direction of gravity (G), the scraping body (41) of the device (31) is arranged in the inclined section (16) of the handrail (15) in such a way that at least the liquid (99) scraped from the handrail (15) by the scraping lip (43) flows from the scraping lip (43) due to gravity (G) into a collecting channel (45) constructed in the scraping body (41).

13. An escalator (1) or a moving walk according to any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein: The support (33) of the device (31) is arranged in a fixed position in the guardrail base (12) of the escalator (1) or moving walkway.

14. An escalator (1) or a moving walk according to any one of claims 8 to 13, wherein: The escalator or moving walkway comprises a monitoring sensor (81) directed toward the scraper lip (43) in order to monitor the physical state of the scraper lip (43).

15. The escalator (1) or moving walk according to claim 14, wherein: The measurement data (83) from the monitoring sensor (81) can be transmitted to the controller (23) of the escalator (1) or the moving walkway, and the measurement data (83) can be processed in the controller (23) to output a stop command (85) and / or a maintenance request (87) and / or an alarm notification (91) based on the processing result.

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