Escalator skirtboard support and anti-pinch device

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of escalator safety protection technology, and discloses an escalator skirt support and anti-pinch device. The device consists of a switch bracket, a micro switch, a control board, a support frame a, a rotating top rod, a torsion spring, a pin a, an actuating motor, a sliding rod, a pin b, a skirt fixing plate, support frame b, a pin c, diamond bolts, and C-shaped profiles. When a foreign object enters the gap between the escalator step and the skirt, the skirt is slightly displaced by the object, triggering the micro switch and sending a signal to the control board. The control board simultaneously issues a stop command and drives the actuating motor to overcome the torsion spring torque, releasing the sliding rod. The sliding rod moves upward and causes support frame a to rotate relative to support frame b around the pin, thereby increasing the gap between the skirt and the step and quickly releasing the foreign object. This device offers advantages such as "simultaneous dual protection for stopping and increasing gap, modular and efficient installation and maintenance, and tool-free convenient reset," improving the safety and reliability of escalator operation while reducing installation and maintenance costs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of escalator safety protection technology, and discloses a support and anti-pinch device for escalator skirt panels, which aims to solve the safety problem of foreign objects being difficult to escape after being caught in the gap between the steps and the skirt panels, and to improve the safety and reliability of escalator operation. Background Technology

[0002] Escalators are continuous conveying equipment widely used in commercial complexes, transportation hubs, and other places. Fixed skirts are installed on both sides of the steps for lateral protection and boundary guidance. To avoid friction between the steps and the skirts, a gap is often left between them. According to GB 16899-2011 "Safety Code for the Manufacture and Installation of Escalators and Moving Walks," this gap must be ≤4mm on one side.

[0003] To reduce the risk of passengers' clothing, shoelaces, and other flexible items getting caught in escalator skirt panels, existing technologies typically install anti-pinch brushes. However, these devices only reduce the initial probability of entanglement and cannot prevent items that have already broken through the brushes from continuing to get caught in the gap. Statistics show that most escalator injuries are caused by foreign objects getting caught in the gap, with consequences ranging from limb lacerations to life-threatening situations. The underlying mechanism is that when a flexible object enters a narrow gap, it is pulled by the steps and instantly creates high-intensity frictional resistance and squeezing force between the object and the skirt panel. This force continues to increase as the steps move, making it impossible for people to escape on their own. There is an urgent need for a new safety device adapted to escalator skirt panels that can create a controllable expansion effect in the gap area the moment a foreign object enters the gap between the steps and the skirt panel, thereby effectively releasing the trapped object and fundamentally improving the operational safety of escalators. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention discloses an escalator skirt support and anti-pinch device, aiming to solve the high safety risks in existing technologies, such as the difficulty in freeing foreign objects trapped in the gap between the steps and the skirt. Through a coordinated "support-trigger-execution" mechanism, it improves the operational safety and reliability of escalators. The device includes a support mechanism, a triggering mechanism, and an execution mechanism. The support mechanism consists of a skirt fixing plate, support frame a, support frame b, a sliding rod, and a C-shaped profile, used to stably support the skirt and provide an adjustable gap foundation. The triggering mechanism includes a switch bracket, a micro switch, and a control board, used to detect and transmit signals in real time the slight deformation of the skirt caused by foreign object entrapment. The execution mechanism includes a rotating push rod, a torsion spring, and an actuating motor, used to maintain a standard gap under normal conditions and to expand the gap and stop the escalator after triggering.

[0005] Under normal conditions, the torsion spring applies a continuous preload to the rotating push rod, ensuring its stable contact with the sliding rod and limiting its slippage, thus maintaining a standard gap between the steps and the skirt board. When a foreign object enters the gap between the steps and the skirt board, causing a slight deformation of the skirt board, a microswitch on the back of the skirt board is triggered, sending a trigger signal to the control board. The control board simultaneously performs dual protection actions: firstly, it sends a stop command to the drive unit, preventing the steps from continuing to run; secondly, it drives the actuation motor, which, through a push rod, causes the rotating push rod to rotate against the torsion spring preload, releasing the limit on the sliding rod. Subsequently, the sliding rod slides along the track on support frame a, causing support frame a to rotate, resulting in the skirt board deflecting relative to the steps and increasing the gap between them, facilitating the rapid release of the trapped object. After the danger is eliminated, manually pressing or rotating the rotating push rod will automatically reset it, restoring the standard gap limit.

[0006] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0007] 1. Synchronous Dual Protection of Stop and Gap Increase: The device constructs a "stop-gap increase" synchronous response mechanism through the control board. When the microswitch detects a foreign object entanglement signal, the control board can simultaneously output a stop command to the drive host and drive the actuation motor to rotate the top rod to release the sliding rod limit. This design directly solves the pain point of traditional anti-pinch structures that can only provide early warning but cannot actively release objects. It not only protects passengers from pinching injuries but also reduces the damage to the equipment caused by foreign object jamming, significantly improving the safety and reliability of escalator use.

[0008] 2. Modular Design and Efficient Installation and Maintenance: The device is divided into independent modules according to the "support-trigger-execution" principle, allowing for step-by-step installation. First, the skirt plate fixing plate and truss of the support mechanism are fixed. Then, the microswitch spacing of the trigger mechanism is independently adjusted. Finally, the actuator motor of the actuator mechanism is assembled. The installation of a single escalator on one side can be completed in three steps, significantly shortening on-site construction time. At the same time, the modules can be replaced individually, solving the maintenance pain point of "replacing all components when one fails" in existing devices, effectively improving installation efficiency and ease of subsequent maintenance.

[0009] 3. Tool-free and convenient reset: After the danger is eliminated, the operator presses the manual operating part at the rear end of the rotating push rod to keep it deflected, while gently pushing the skirt plate to drive the sliding rod down the slide to the lowest stop; after releasing, the rotating push rod automatically returns to its original position under the action of the torsion spring and restoring the normal limit and standard clearance. No special tools such as wrenches and screwdrivers are required throughout the process, reducing reliance on electronic components, lowering the maintenance threshold and shortening downtime. Attached image description:

[0010] Figure 1 A side view of the overall structure of the escalator skirt support and anti-pinch device;

[0011] Figure 2 This is a partially enlarged schematic diagram of the guide slide and limiting mechanism of the device of the present invention;

[0012] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the working state of the apron board deflection and gap increase.

[0013] In the diagram, 1. Step, 2. Skirt board, 3. Switch bracket, 4. Micro switch, 5. Control board, 6. Support frame a, 7. Rotating top rod, 8. Torsion spring, 9. Pin a, 10. Actuating motor, 11. Sliding rod, 12. Pin b, 13. Skirt board fixing plate, 14. Support frame b, 15. Pin c, 16. Diamond bolt, 17. C-shaped profile. Detailed Implementation

[0014] This device is designed to prevent accidents caused by friction between escalator steps and skirt panels. It is installed entirely inside the escalator truss. The assembly relationship of its components, mechanical linkage logic, and safety protection actions must be considered in conjunction with the attached... Figure 1 (Overall structural diagram), Appendix Figure 2 (Enlarged view of guide slide and limiting mechanism), Appendix Figure 3 (Diagram of the gap-increasing action) illustrates that the device achieves support and anti-pinch protection functions through the coordinated operation of the "support mechanism - triggering mechanism - execution mechanism", as detailed below:

[0015] The support mechanism serves as a structural foundation for stabilizing the apron panel and providing gap adjustment. It includes an apron panel fixing plate 13, support frame a 6, support frame b 14, sliding rod 11, and C-shaped profile 17. The apron panel fixing plate 13 is bolted to the escalator truss, serving as the installation reference for the device. Support frame b 14 is bolted to the apron panel fixing plate 13, forming a bottom support. The lower end of support frame a 6 is hinged to support frame b 14 via pin c 15, allowing it to rotate around pin c 15. Its upper end is fixed to the back of the apron panel 2 via C-shaped profile 17 and diamond bolts 16, driving the apron panel 2 to move synchronously. A longitudinal slide rail is provided inside support frame a 6 (sliding direction see...). Figure 2 (Arrow) The upper end of the sliding rod 11 is connected to the slide rail via pin a 9 (it can slide up and down along the slide rail), and the lower end is pivotally connected to the right end of the support frame b 14 via pin b 12, forming a triangular linkage structure of "support frame a 6 - sliding rod 11 - support frame b 14", which provides guidance for gap adjustment.

[0016] The triggering mechanism is used to detect foreign object entrapment and transmit signals, including a switch bracket 3, a micro switch 4, and a control board 5: the switch bracket 3 is fixed to the rear side of the skirt plate 2, and an elongated hole is opened on it. The micro switch 4 is installed on the switch bracket 3 by bolts, and the distance between it and the back of the skirt plate 2 can be adjusted through the elongated hole to ensure triggering accuracy; the micro switch 4 is electrically connected to the control board 5 through a wire, and the control board 5 is electrically connected to the escalator drive host.

[0017] The actuator is used to maintain gap stability under normal conditions and to perform protective actions after triggering. It includes a rotating push rod 7, a torsion spring 8, an actuating motor 10, and a pivot pin. The rotating push rod 7 is mounted on the right side of the slide rail of support frame a 6 via the pivot pin, and its rear end has a manual operation part (i.e., a pressing part) for manually driving the rotating push rod 7 to deflect and achieve reset. The torsion spring 8 is sleeved on the pivot pin, with both ends acting on support frame a 6 and the rotating push rod 7 respectively, so that the front end of the rotating push rod 7 abuts against the sliding rod 11 under normal conditions, restricting the sliding rod 11 from moving upwards along the slide rail, thereby maintaining the initial single-sided gap between the skirt plate 2 and the step 1 ≤ 4mm. The actuating motor 10 is mounted on support frame b 14, and its output end is driven by the pivot part of the rotating push rod 7, which can drive the rotating push rod 7 to rotate around the pivot pin against the preload of the torsion spring 8. Figure 2 (Switch from solid line position to dashed line position) to release the limit on sliding rod 11; the actuation motor 10 is electrically connected to the control board 5 and receives the drive command from the control board 5.

[0018] This device achieves safety protection through a closed-loop process of "normal stable state - trigger response to stop the escalator and increase the gap protection - manual reset". Each stage is closely connected and relies on the coordinated cooperation of each component. In the normal state, the preload of the torsion spring 8 continuously acts on the rotating top rod 7, causing its front end to press against the pin a9 of the sliding rod 11, restricting the sliding rod 11 from sliding upward along the slide rail of the support frame a6. At this time, the sliding rod 11 is at the lowest stop position of the slide rail, the support frame a6 remains vertical, and the single-sided gap between the skirt plate 2 and the step 1 is stably maintained at a standard gap of ≤4mm. At the same time, the contact of the micro switch 4 lightly touches the back of the skirt plate 2, there is no trigger signal output, the control board 5 does not move, the escalator runs normally, and the step 1 circulates to transport passengers. The entire device is in a stable support and ready-to-trigger state.

[0019] When a passenger's clothing or other foreign objects accidentally enter the gap between the skirt board 2 and the step 1, the continuous operation of the step 1 will cause the foreign object to be pulled deeper into the gap. The foreign object exerts a lateral compressive force on the skirt board 2, causing the skirt board 2 to deform slightly away from the step 1. This deformation directly compresses the trigger contact of the micro switch 4, causing the internal contact of the micro switch 4 to close and output a low-level trigger signal to the control board 5. After receiving the signal, the control board 5 quickly and synchronously executes two core instructions for triggering response to stop the elevator and increase the gap protection: one is through control The circuit sends a stop signal to the escalator drive unit, cutting off the power source and immediately stopping step 1 to prevent foreign objects from being further caught and causing further injury. Secondly, it sends a push rod extension command to the actuator motor 10 in the limit and drive mechanism. After the actuator motor 10 is energized, its push rod extends rapidly at a preset speed. After the push rod extends, it pushes the rear end of the rotating top rod 7 upwards along the axial direction. The rotating top rod 7 deflects around the central pin and overcomes the preload of the torsion spring 8, causing its front end to gradually disengage from the pin a of the sliding rod 11. 9. Completely release the limiting constraint on the sliding rod 11. At this time, the apron 2 still maintains a slight deformation due to the compression of the foreign object. Its lateral force on the support frame a6 is transmitted to the sliding rod 11, pushing the sliding rod 11 to slide upward along the vertical slide of the support frame a6. During the upward movement of the sliding rod 11, the upper pin a9 drives the support frame a6 to rotate around the lower pin c 15 in a direction away from the step 1, thereby causing the C-shaped material 17 fixed to the support frame a6 and the apron 2 to deflect synchronously (the deflection direction is as follows). Figure 3 As indicated by the middle arrow, the gap between the apron board 2 and the step 1 on one side is finally widened to 15-20mm, allowing the clamped foreign object to escape the squeezing state, thus preventing damage to the foreign object and providing sufficient space for its removal. After the foreign object is removed and it is confirmed that there is no safety hazard, the "manual reset" stage begins: press the manual operation part (pressing part) at the rear end of the rotating top rod 7 to keep it in place. Figure 2 The deflection state shown by the dotted line simultaneously pushes the skirt plate 2 towards the step 1, causing the support frame a 6 to rotate in the opposite direction. When the support frame a 6 rotates in the opposite direction, the inner wall of its slide rail exerts a downward thrust on the pin a 9 of the sliding rod 11, causing the sliding rod 11 to slide down the slide rail until it returns to the lowest stop position. Then, the rotating top rod 7 is released, the torsion spring 8 releases its preload and pushes the rotating top rod 7 to reset in the opposite direction. The front end abuts against the pin a 9 of the sliding rod 11 again to form a stable limit. The gap between the skirt plate 2 and the step 1 is restored to the standard gap. The contact of the micro switch 4 lightly touches the skirt plate 2 again. A reset signal is sent to the control board 5 through the escalator's reset button. The control board 5 drives the actuation motor 10 to retract the push rod, the device returns to the normal state, and the escalator can be restarted.

Claims

1. A support and anti-pinch device for the skirt panel of an escalator, characterized in that, This includes supporting mechanisms, triggering mechanisms, and executing mechanisms; The support mechanism includes a skirt board fixing plate, support frame a, support frame b, sliding rod, and C-shaped profile; the skirt board fixing plate is used for fixed connection with the escalator truss; the support frame b is fixedly installed on the skirt board fixing plate by bolts; the lower end of the support frame a is hinged to the support frame b by a pin c, and its upper end is fixedly connected to the back of the skirt board by the C-shaped profile and diamond bolts; a longitudinal slide rail is provided inside the support frame a, the upper end of the sliding rod is slidably engaged with the slide rail by a pin a, and the lower end is pivotally connected to the right end of the support frame b by a pin b; The triggering mechanism includes a switch bracket, a micro switch, and a control board; the micro switch is fixed to the rear side of the apron board by the switch bracket and is electrically connected to the control board. The actuator includes a rotating push rod, a torsion spring, and an actuating motor; the rotating push rod is mounted on the right side of the slide rail of the support frame a via a pivot pin; the torsion spring is sleeved on the pivot pin, and its two ends act on the support frame a and the rotating push rod respectively, so that the front end of the rotating push rod abuts against the sliding rod in the normal state; the actuating motor is mounted on the support frame b, its output end is driven connected to the rotating push rod, and the actuating motor is electrically connected to the control board; The control board is electrically connected to the escalator drive unit and is configured to: upon receiving the trigger signal from the micro switch, synchronously output a stop command to the escalator drive unit and drive the actuation motor to rotate the rotating top rod around its pivot pin to release the limit on the sliding rod, thus simultaneously achieving a dual protection action of stopping the escalator and increasing the clearance; the rotating top rod is also equipped with a manual operation part for manual operation after the danger has been eliminated, which, in conjunction with the sliding of the sliding rod, enables the device to reset.

2. The escalator skirt support and anti-pinch device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The torsion spring is configured to provide a continuous preload, causing the front end of the rotating top rod to abut against the sliding rod, restricting the sliding rod from moving upward along the support frame a slide rail, so that the normal single-sided gap between the apron board and the step is kept ≤4mm.

3. The escalator skirt support and anti-pinch device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The synchronous control logic of the control board is as follows: when a foreign object is caught in the gap between the skirt board and the step and causes a slight displacement of the skirt board, the control board simultaneously executes a stop command and a gap-increasing protection command; the gap-increasing protection command drives the actuation motor, causing the rotating top rod to rotate against the torsion spring preload, releasing the limit on the sliding rod, and the sliding rod then moves upward along the longitudinal slide, driving the support frame a to rotate around the pin c, ultimately expanding the gap between the skirt board and the step to 15-20mm.

4. The escalator skirt support and anti-pinch device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The manual operation part is a pressing part located at the rear end of the rotating top rod; during reset, pressing the pressing part keeps the rotating top rod deflected, while pushing the skirt board towards the step, causing the support frame a to rotate in the opposite direction, and causing the sliding rod to move down the slide rail to reset; after releasing the rotating top rod, it automatically returns to its original position under the action of the torsion spring and abuts against the sliding rod again, restoring the normal gap between the skirt board and the step, and the entire reset process does not require the use of special tools.

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