PROTECTIVE DEVICE DURING ASSEMBLY WORK ON A PASSENGER TRANSPORT SYSTEM

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a protective device for protecting assembly personnel during assembly work on a passenger transport system designed as an escalator or moving walkway, as well as to an assembly unit with a corresponding protective device and a method with assembly steps for erecting and dismantling the protective device.

[0002] Passenger transport systems designed as escalators or moving walkways are used in public buildings such as train stations, subway stations, airports, shopping malls, cultural centers, and the like. Escalators or moving walkways have a supporting structure known as the framework. This framework is usually a truss construction, which is manufactured by the manufacturer as a whole unit or divided into structural modules. The framework or its structural modules, or truss modules, are installed in a building, whereby the framework connects, for example, two floors of the building. The movable components of the escalator or moving walkway are arranged in this framework, for example, a step belt or a pallet belt, revolving handrail belts, deflection axles, a drive shaft, as well as parts of the drive motor and gearbox, and the like.Furthermore, fixed components such as balustrades, comb plates, bearings, trackways and guide rails, control systems, monitoring systems, safety systems, and more are firmly connected to the supporting structure. Escalators and moving walkways are typically fully assembled at the manufacturer's factory and then transported as a whole or divided into sections using structural modules. These components are then transported from the factory to the building site and installed in designated support points.

[0003] Completely assembled passenger transport systems of the aforementioned type or their sections have a relatively large cross-section, which can sometimes cause significant problems when a new escalator or moving walkway is to be installed in an existing structure. In order to reduce this cross-section for transport from the manufacturer's factory to the support points of the structure that will accommodate the escalator or moving walkway, the balustrades are often not assembled at the manufacturer's factory, but are delivered disassembled into their components. This has the additional advantage that they can be transported with significantly better protection than if they were mounted in their exposed position on the supporting structure. In order to connect the balustrade components to the supporting structure, permanently mounted balustrade clamps are provided on the supporting structure, into which the balustrade components, particularly glass balustrade panels, can be permanently clamped.Since the balustrades have many components that are visible to the user, it is a particular advantage if the balustrades (including those with sheet metal panels) are only installed during the final assembly steps on the construction site.

[0004] However, due to the lack of balustrades, the workstation of the assembly personnel on the supporting structure must be specially secured. For this purpose, WO 2019 / 185573 A1 proposes a protective device designed as a maintenance railing, which can be attached to the upper chord of the supporting structure using tensioning devices arranged on the supports. This protective device is very easy to install and remove. WO 2021 / 175708 A1 also discloses a corresponding maintenance railing, which can be clamped not to parts of the supporting structure but to the balustrade clamps of the passenger transport system. During the installation of the balustrade panels, the protective device is then dismantled support by support, and the resulting gaps are immediately fitted with balustrade panels.

[0005] However, it may happen that the installation personnel do not adhere to the specified instructions and work specifications and install the personnel transport system in the building without erecting the protective device in accordance with the regulations.

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a protective device which prevents these negligences and thus prevents accidents.

[0007] This object is achieved by a protective device for protecting assembly personnel during assembly work on a passenger transport system configured as an escalator or moving walkway. The protective device comprises at least one barrier device and at least one support, which are firmly connected to one another or can be connected to one another by suitable connection points. The barrier device extends, at least during assembly work, transversely to the support and in the longitudinal extension of the passenger transport system, wherein the support has a fastening area at one of its ends, which is configured for attachment to a supporting structure of the passenger transport system.

[0008] According to the invention, the protective device comprises at least one sensor module and a signal connection unit, wherein the signal connection unit is configured to exchange data with the at least one sensor module and with a data transmission module of the passenger transport system. The sensor module is arranged in the fastening area of ​​at least one support, wherein this sensor module can detect data about a fastening state of the fastening area and transmit this data via the signal connection unit to the data transmission module of the passenger transport system.

[0009] In other words, one support, several supports, or all supports of the safety device can have a sensor module in their attachment area. The sensor module detects whether the safety device is attached to the supporting structure or not and transmits the corresponding data via the signal connection unit to a data transmission module of the passenger transport system. The data transmission module can forward this data, for example, to a service and assembly center, which coordinates and monitors the assembly work. Since the safety device must be erected at the beginning of the assembly work, a supervisor in the service and assembly center can retrieve the current data on the attachment status of the safety device and intervene if the safety device has not been erected.As described in more detail below, assembly instructions for the installation personnel can also be withheld until the protective device has been installed according to regulations. It is also conceivable that assembly tools or parts of the passenger transport system's control system can be automatically locked or unlocked based on data reflecting the fastening status.

[0010] There are a variety of sensor modules that can be used in the protective device according to the invention. What they all have in common is that the sensor module comprises at least one sensor element from the group consisting of a force sensor, bipolar switch, proximity sensor, optical sensor, and the like, and the sensor element is arranged in the fastening area of ​​the support in such a way that it can optimally detect the fastening or lack of fastening of the fastening area. If the sensor element is a force sensor, for example a strain gauge, it must be arranged in the fastening area in such a way that it detects an expansion or compression of the fastening area as a result of a force caused by the fastening means by means of a change in electrical resistance. If necessary, the fastening area must be designed to be optimized for the sensor element used.

[0011] In addition, the sensor element must be supplied with electrical energy so that a physical change in the fastening area can be detected at all. For this purpose, the sensor module can, for example, comprise a battery, a capacitor, or the like, which can be charged with electrical energy and then release it. However, it is also possible to supply electrical energy to the sensor module inductively, for example, while detecting the fastening state.

[0012] Furthermore, a data transmission medium is required, which converts the sensor element's mostly analog signal into electronically processable data and transmits it to the signal connection unit. Active or passive systems such as Bluetooth, RF transmitter units, a passive or active RFID tag (RFID chip with a loop antenna), and the like can be used as data transmission medium. Although wireless, passive data transmission means are preferable for practical reasons, wired systems are of course also possible, with the data transmission medium being a simple plug connection or a network node.

[0013] The use of passive RFID tags, whose chip is coupled, for example, with a strain gauge as a sensor element, is particularly advantageous. The changing resistance of the strain gauge as a result of a force acting on the support equipped with the sensor module changes the output response or the output data of the RFID tag. Such a sensor module also does not require its own power source, as the required electrical energy is fed inductively via the antenna during reading. Such a sensor module is described, for example, in the 2008 report "Force Sensor System for Structural Health Monitoring using Passive RFID Tags for Structural Health Monitoring" by the authors Yusuke Ikemoto, Shingo Suzuki, Hiroyuki Okamoto, Hiroki Murakami, Xin Lin, Hideo Itoh, and Hajime Asama [https: / / ieeexplore.ieee.org / document / 4681264].

[0014] Accordingly, the signal connection unit of the protective device can be an RFID reader, which also has a signal transmission module. The signal transmission module serves to transmit the data read from the sensor module, possibly processed, to the data transmission module of the passenger transport system, which is described in more detail below.

[0015] In one embodiment of the invention, the fastening area of ​​the support is designed as a clamping area. The clamping area is modeled after a panel clamping area of ​​a balustrade panel of the passenger transport system and is intended to be fastened in a clamping device permanently mounted on the supporting structure of the passenger transport system. In other words, this support design utilizes clamping devices that are already present on the supporting structure. When the balustrade panels are installed, this occurs step by step: after removing a support, the clamping device that becomes available is immediately fitted with a balustrade panel. The sensor module can detect whether the clamping area is fastened in a clamping device or not.The term "modeled" here means that the fastening area, like the panel clamping area, is designed in such a way that, on the one hand, it fits into a loosened clamping device and, on the other hand, is securely clamped by the clamping device after it has been tightened.

[0016] In a further embodiment of the invention, the fastening area of ​​the support is designed as a tensioning device. This tensioning device is suitable for fastening to the supporting structure of a passenger transport system and is matched to corresponding components of the supporting structure, for example, to the cross-section of its upper chord steel profile. The tensioning device has a clamping cheek and at least one clamping claw that can be clamped against the clamping cheek. The sensor module is arranged in the clamping claw and / or in the clamping cheek, so that the sensor module can detect whether a region of the supporting structure between the clamping cheek and the clamping claw is fastened or not.

[0017] In a further embodiment of the invention, at least two supports are firmly connected to at least one barrier device, thus forming a rigid railing. This allows them to be more easily mounted and dismounted on the passenger transport system than if the supports and the barrier device were separate components of the protective device.

[0018] However, such railings require more transport space for transportation between the passenger transport system's manufacturer's plant and the structure into which it is to be installed. Returning the railings (if provided) for subsequent use is also more complex. For these reasons, a further embodiment of the invention proposes that the at least one support have a receptacle through which the barrier device can be arranged.

[0019] This design can have the disadvantage that the technicians install the supports but not the barriers. To prevent this, a sensor module is installed in the mount, which can record data about the placement or absence of the barriers in the mount. This data is also transmitted via the signal connection unit to the data transmission module of the passenger transport system.

[0020] In a further embodiment of the invention, the support(s) has(have) a hinge arranged between the fastening area and the locking device or its receptacle. This allows the support to be pivoted between a transport position and an assembly position. A sensor module is also arranged in the area of ​​the hinge, which records data on the position of the hinge and transmits this data via the signal connection unit to the data transmission module of the passenger transport system.

[0021] The hinged support can be pivoted between a transport position and an assembly position. This design allows the protective device to be attached to the supporting structure at the manufacturer's factory. The supports attached to the supporting structure, and if necessary, the associated barrier device, are then pivoted into the transport position. The transport position is the position in which the support extends essentially horizontally and transversely to the longitudinal extension of the passenger transport system.

[0022] In other words, the transport position allows the construction height of the passenger transport system to be kept as low as possible for its transport between the manufacturer's factory and the designated support points in the structure, despite the already installed protective device. Once the passenger transport system has been inserted into the designated support points in the structure, the protective device or its supports can be pivoted into the assembly position. The assembly position is essentially understood as the supports being raised vertically. Or, to put it more simply, the protective device leaves the manufacturer's factory in a lying position relative to the passenger transport position and can be unfolded into an upright position and secured on the construction site.

[0023] To prevent the support from accidentally folding back from the assembly position into the transport position, a further embodiment of the support can include a locking device. This locking device is designed to prevent the hinge from pivoting, at least in the assembly position. The position of the locking device can also be detected by a sensor module.

[0024] In a further embodiment of the invention, the barrier device is designed to allow personal protective equipment to be attached to it. The personal protective equipment comprises a harness, which typically has two short pieces of rope (slings) with snap hooks. The technician wears the harness over their clothing, and at least one of the snap hooks is hooked to the barrier device or the support. It is usually specified that both snap hooks must be hooked. If the technician falls, the height from which they fall is limited by the length of the rope of the slings. Their elasticity is also specified in the relevant standards, so that the fall is cushioned.Furthermore, at least one sensor module can be arranged in the support in such a way that a voltage spike caused by a fall and acting on the protective device can be detected by the sensor module, and corresponding data can be transmitted via the signal connection unit to the data transmission module of the passenger transport system. The aforementioned sensor module does not necessarily have to be independent of the sensor module that monitors the attachment area. The sensor module of the attachment area can also be arranged in such a way that it can detect such voltage spikes.

[0025] A passenger transport system and at least one protective device together form an assembly arrangement, which also includes a user interaction module and an assembly script. This assembly arrangement can be used to carry out the subsequent assembly process, with the assembly personnel being forced to comply with the prescribed safety measures through the structured guidance of the assembly script to be executed.

[0026] The procedure for carrying out assembly work on an assembly arrangement comprises the following steps: that the user interaction module, the signal connection unit and the data transmission module are put into operation and a data connection is established between the data transmission module and the user interaction module; that the assembly script is retrieved from a storage medium via the data connection, whereby the assembly script contains the assembly steps to be carried out on the passenger transport system; that the individual assembly steps are processed in chronological order, whereby after the respective assembly step has been carried out, its completion is acknowledged by a user input in order to call up the subsequent assembly step; that the first assembly step is the assembly of the protective device on the supporting structure of the passenger transport system in accordance with the specified sequence of the assembly script;and that upon acknowledgment of the first assembly step, data on the fastening state of the fastening area of ​​at least one support of the protective device is retrieved via the data transmission module and the signal connection unit, wherein the acknowledgment is permitted if the fastening area is fastened and the acknowledgment is rejected if the fastening area is not fastened. ;

[0027] The procedure described above can be supplemented by additional steps. If the monitoring system is configured to detect voltage spikes, the assembly script can require the assembly personnel to secure themselves to the supports and / or the barrier device using personal protective equipment. During the assembly steps, data from a voltage spike detected by a sensor module can be transmitted via the signal connection unit to the data transmission module of the passenger transport system and permanently stored on a storage medium. This makes it possible to determine whether the installer was exposed to excessive forces during the fall and whether the safety concept (for example, the length of the straps of the personal protective equipment or the number and / or location of the available attachment points) needs to be adjusted.

[0028] To ensure that the components of the protective device are not removed from the passenger transport system until the balustrade panels are installed, the installation script can include the following additional steps: that, according to the specified sequence of the assembly script, the dismantling of the protective device on the supporting structure of the passenger transport system is accompanied by the assembly of balustrade panels of the passenger transport system; and that upon acknowledgment of this assembly step, data on the fastening status of the fastening area of ​​at least one support of the protective device is retrieved via the data transmission module and the signal connection unit, whereby the acknowledgment is permitted if the fastening area is not fastened and the acknowledgment is rejected if the fastening area is fastened.

[0029] In other words, at least one safety device is successively replaced by balustrade panels of the passenger transport system. This is achieved by removing the support of the safety device after at least one of the clamping devices of the passenger transport system has been released. Instead of the support, a balustrade panel, for example, is clamped into the clamping device. During this process, the installation personnel should secure themselves to the adjacent safety device (before or after) using personal safety equipment to prevent a possible fall. This ensures a seamless safety chain.

[0030] The above description also indicates that, analogous to the arrangement of balustrade panels, several railings arranged in a longitudinal direction can also form the protective device, rather than simply a single, rigid railing on each side extending the entire length of the passenger transport system. Shorter, consecutively arranged protective devices are also much easier to handle, thus further reducing the risk of accidents.

[0031] Embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, whereby neither the drawings nor the description should be interpreted as limiting the invention. Furthermore, the same reference numerals are used for identical or similarly acting elements. They show: Figure 1: a simplified view of an assembly arrangement with a protective device in a first embodiment variant and with a passenger transport system in the middle section of which no balustrade has yet been installed; Figure 2: a three-dimensional, enlarged view of the Figure 1 specified details A, wherein the fastening area shown has a hinge and a locking mechanism; and Figure 3: in three-dimensional view a second possible design variant of the protective device.

[0032] Figure 1shows a simplified view of an assembly arrangement 1 with a passenger transport system 11 and a protective device 51. The passenger transport system 11 connects a lower level E1 with an upper level E2 of a building 5. The passenger transport system 11, designed as an escalator, has a supporting structure 33 constructed as a truss structure. Arranged in the supporting structure 33 is a circumferential step belt 13, which is deflected in the upper level E2 and in the lower level E1 and thus has a leading section and a returning section. For the sake of clarity, the returning section has been omitted, as have the representation of frames, guide rails, rail blocks, and a drive unit.

[0033] The passenger transport system 11 further comprises two balustrades 15 which extend along each longitudinal side of the step band 13, wherein Figure 1only the balustrade 15, which is located in the foreground in the viewing plane, is visible. A handrail 17 is arranged circumferentially on each balustrade 15, the returning section of which is arranged in a balustrade base 19. The balustrade base 19 also connects the balustrade 15 to the daywork 33. The balustrade 15 has several (optionally transparent) balustrade panels 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, with the uppermost balustrade panels 25, 27 and the lowermost balustrade panels 21, 23 being specially shaped. The middle balustrade panels 29 are essentially rectangular plates. A guide profile 31 for guiding the handrail 17 is arranged on at least one edge region of the balustrade panels 21, 23, 25, 27, 29.

[0034] As from the Figure 1As can be seen, the passenger transport system 11 is not yet fully installed. In particular, the central balustrade panels 29 still need to be mounted. For this reason, the handrail 17 in the central area of ​​the passenger transport system 11 sags down to the balustrade base 19. When assembly personnel are located and working in this central area, they must be secured against falling sideways.

[0035] To protect the assembly personnel, the aforementioned protective device 51 is therefore temporarily installed in place of the missing balustrade panels 29. For this purpose, the protective device 51 has several railings 53, each with three supports 55 and two barrier devices 57, whereby the barrier devices 57, arranged parallel to one another, connect the supports 55 to one another. Specifically, the supports 55 and barrier devices 57 are profile tubes that are firmly welded together. As shown, the barrier devices 57 extend transversely to the supports 55 and in the longitudinal extension of the personnel transport system 11, at least when mounted on the personnel transport system 11 and thus during assembly work. So that the supports 55 can be fastened to the supporting structure 33 of the personnel transport system 11, they have a fastening area 59 at one of their ends.Due to the use of profile tubes, the barrier device 57 is also suitable for attaching personal protective equipment 121 to it, for example with its snap hooks.

[0036] To ensure that the protective device 51 is actually used, it has at least one sensor module 61 and a signal connection unit 71, wherein the signal connection unit 71 is configured to exchange data with the at least one sensor module 61 (double arrows 75 shown with a broken line) and with a data transmission module 93 (double arrow 75 shown with a dash-dotted line) of the passenger transport system 11.

[0037] A sensor module that would merely indicate the presence of the protective device 51 in building 5 would be insufficiently effective. Therefore, the sensor module 61 is arranged in the fastening area 59 of the support 55. The sensor module 61 can capture data about the fastening state of the fastening area 59 and transmit this data via the signal connection unit 71 to the data transmission module 93 of the passenger transport system 11.

[0038] In other words, the sensors can be used to check whether the protective device 51 is mounted on the supporting structure 33 or not. The following describes possible method steps for how the sensors can contribute to implementing the prescribed safety concept. For this purpose, the mounting arrangement 1 also comprises a user interaction module 95 and an assembly script 101. The user interaction module 95 can be, for example, a laptop, a tablet, or a smartphone. The assembly script 101 is retrieved from the storage medium 97 via a first data connection 77 (dash-double-dotted arrow) between the user interaction module 95 and the data transmission module 93 of the passenger transport system 11 and via a second data connection 79 (dash-three-dotted double arrow) between a storage medium 97 and the data transmission module 93.The storage medium 97 can, for example, be contained in the controller 91 of the passenger transport system 11 or in the data transmission module 93. As shown, the storage medium 97 can also be implemented in a data cloud 99, which is formed from a plurality of interconnected servers. The assembly script 101 displayed on a screen 96 of the user interaction module 95 reproduces, in chronological order, the individual assembly steps 103, ..., 115 that still need to be performed to complete the passenger transport system 11 and make it ready for operation. After each assembly step 103, ..., 115 has been performed, its completion must be acknowledged by a user input 119 in order to be able to call up the subsequent assembly step 103, ..., 115.

[0039] In the present exemplary embodiment, the assembly script 101, after the start sequence 103, requires the assembly of the supports 55 and barrier devices 57 as the first step 105. The next assembly step 107 requires retrieving the fastening states of all fastening areas 59 equipped with a sensor module 61. Since the sensor module 61 is based on RFID technology, the fastening states are read out using the signal connection unit 71, designed as an RFID reader, and this data is forwarded to the data transmission module 93 (dash-dotted double arrow 75) via an integrated signal transmission module 73. The data is transmitted from the data transmission module 93 to the user interaction module 95 (dash-double-dotted double arrow 77) and checked there. Only when all fastening areas 59 are secured or the sensor modules 61 have transmitted corresponding data, the next assembly step 109, ..., 115 of the assembly script 10 are released for processing and the instructions belonging to this assembly step 109, ..., 115 are displayed on the screen 96. If one of the fastening areas 59 is not fastened, it is displayed so that it can be fastened properly.

[0040] The assembly step 109 depicted by a dashed line represents a plurality of assembly steps 109 in chronological order that must be completed to achieve an operational passenger transport system 11. Here, too, after the respective assembly step 109 has been completed, its completion is acknowledged by a user input 119 in order to call up the subsequent assembly step 109.

[0041] The assembly script 101 may also require that the assembly personnel secure themselves with personal protective equipment 121 to the supports 55 and / or the barrier device 57. Due to a suitable arrangement of the sensor modules 61 or by arranging additional sensor modules 61 in the supports 55, voltage spikes caused by excessive force acting on the barrier device 57 or the supports 55 can be detected. During the execution of the assembly steps 103, ..., 115, data of a voltage spike detected by a sensor module 61 can be transmitted via the signal connection unit 71 to the data transmission module 93 of the passenger transport system 11 and permanently stored in a storage medium 97.This makes it possible to check whether the fitter was exposed to excessive forces during a fall and whether the safety concept (e.g. the length of the safety rope or the available attachment points) needs to be adjusted.

[0042] As in the Figure 1 As shown, the assembly script 101 also provides for the disassembly of the protective device 51. During the acknowledgment of this assembly step 111, data on the fastening state of the fastening areas 59 is retrieved via the data transmission module 93 and the signal connection unit 71 (assembly step 113). Acknowledgment by means of a user input 119 is permitted if the fastening area 59 is not fastened and rejected if the fastening area 59 is fastened. This ensures that no part, for example, no support 55 or clamping device (see Figure 3 ) of a support 55 remains on the supporting structure 33.

[0043] The Figure 2 shows a three-dimensional, enlarged view of the Figure 1 specified details A, wherein the fastening area 59 shown here has a hinge 131 and a blocking device 133 which is designed to block pivoting of the hinge 131 at least in an assembly position M. Supports 55 with hinges 131 are preferably used if the protective device 51 is to be fastened in clamping devices 151 of the passenger transport system 11 at the manufacturer's factory. The supports 55 (with or without locking devices 57) can then be folded down into a transport position T and transported from the manufacturer's factory to the building 5. After the passenger transport system 11 has been installed in the building 5, the supports 55 only have to be folded out from the transport position T into the assembly position M and, if necessary, provided with the locking devices 57.

[0044] In order for the fastening area 59 of the support 55 to be fastened in the clamping device 151 permanently mounted on the supporting structure 33 of the passenger transport system 11, it has a clamping area 135 which is modeled on a panel clamping area (not shown) of a balustrade panel 21, 23, 25, 27, 29 of the passenger transport system 11.

[0045] In order to clamp the clamping area 135, the clamping device 151 has a clamping jaw 153 with a keyway 155, as well as a wedge element 157 and a clamping element 159. The clamping area 135 is inserted into the keyway 155, and the wedge element 157 is then clamped together with the clamping area 135 in the keyway 155 by means of the clamping element 159. To ensure truly secure clamping, the clamping area 135 has two parallel clamping surfaces whose thickness distance S is matched to the keyway 155 and the wedge element 157. Preferably, the thickness distance S corresponds to the material thickness of the balustrade panel 21, 23, 25, 27, 29 to be clamped subsequently. If necessary, the clamping area 135 can be supplemented with additional insert plates (not shown) if the thickness distance S is too small.

[0046] Furthermore, a sensor module 61 (shown additionally enlarged) is arranged in the clamping area 135, which can detect whether the clamping area 135 is secured in a clamping device 151 or not. The sensor module 61 has an RFID chip 63 with a ring antenna 65 (RFID tag) and four strain gauges 69 arranged in a bridge circuit 67, which are connected to one another in the manner shown.

[0047] When the ring antenna 65 designed as an induction coil generates electrical energy through the Figure 1When the RFID chip 63 receives the signal from the signal connection unit 71 shown, it measures the resistance value of the bridge circuit 67. The RFID chip sends the measured resistance value R, together with a resistance value RA stored in the RFID chip 63, back to the signal processing unit 71 as a data packet via the ring antenna 65. The resistance value RA stored in the RFID chip 63 represents the electrical resistance of the bridge circuit 67 in the unloaded state. A slightly protruding plunger 137, which is arranged in the clamping area 135, transfers the clamping force of the tightened clamping device 151 to the zone of the sensor module 61 provided with the bridge circuit 67.

[0048] As already mentioned, the support 55 of the Figure 2illustrated embodiment, a blocking device 133 for blocking the hinge 131 in the mounting position M. The blocking device 133 is shown schematically to illustrate its function. Since the sensor module 61 is arranged in the vicinity of the blocking device 133, the blocking device 133 and the position of the hinge 131 are also monitored with it. The blocking device 133 can only be actuated and act on a switching tongue 62 of the sensor module 61 when the support 55 is in the mounting position M. The switching position of the switching tongue 62 can be detected by the RFID chip 63 by the blocking device 133 pressing the switching tongue 62 onto a contact pin 64 and checking, for example by means of a current pulse, whether this circuit is closed.The sensor module 61 transmits corresponding data about the position state of the hinge 131 via the signal connection unit 71 to the data transmission module 93 of the passenger transport system 11.

[0049] The Figure 3shows a three-dimensional view of a second possible design variant of the protective device 51. Its supports 55 are fastened to the supporting structure 33 of a passenger transport system 11 by means of a fastening area 59. Unlike in the first exemplary embodiment, the supports 55 are not each a complete component, but have a support tube 161 and a clamping device 163 serving as the fastening area 59 of the support. The support tube 161 can be inserted into the clamping device 163. The clamping device 163 has a clamping cheek 165 and at least one clamping claw 167 that can be clamped against the clamping cheek 165. The sensor module 61 is arranged in the clamping cheek 165 in the present exemplary embodiment. Of course, it could also be arranged in the clamping claw 167. The sensor module 61 can detect whether a region of the supporting structure 33 between the clamping cheek 165 and the clamping claw 167 is fastened or not fastened.

[0050] The barrier device 57 of the protective device 51 is formed by slats 169 that are inserted into receptacles 171 of the supports 55. The supports 55 are aligned essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal extension of the supporting structure 33. The slats 169 are held essentially parallel to the longitudinal extension of the supporting structure 33 by the receptacles 171 of the supports 55. Here, each support 55 has two receptacles 171 arranged one above the other, and two slats 169 each connect two supports 55 at different heights above the supporting structure 33.

[0051] To ensure the correct arrangement of the barrier device 57 on the supports 55, sensor modules 61 are also arranged in the receptacles 171. The sensor modules 61 record data about the arrangement of the barrier device 57 in the receptacle 171 and transmit this data via the signal connection unit 71 to the data transmission module 93 of the passenger transport system 11.

[0052] Although the Figures 1 to 3 show different aspects of the present invention with reference to a passenger transport system 11 designed as an escalator, which is intended to connect vertically spaced floors E1, E2, it is obvious that the described protective devices 51 can equally be used with moving walkways arranged at an angle or arranged on a horizontal plane.

[0053] Finally, it should be noted that terms such as "having," "comprising," etc., do not exclude other elements or steps, and terms such as "a" or "an" do not exclude a plurality. Furthermore, it should be noted that features or steps described with reference to one of the above embodiments may also be used in combination with other features or steps of other embodiments described above within the scope of the appended claims. Reference signs in the claims are not to be considered as limitations.

Claims

1. A protection device (51) for protecting installation personnel during installation works on a passenger transport system (11) in the form of an escalator or moving walkway, wherein the protection device (51) comprises at least one blocking device (57) and at least one support (55) which are or can be connected to one another, said blocking device (57) extending transversely to the support (55) and along the longitudinal extent of the passenger transport system (11) at least during the installation works, and the support (55) having a fastening region (59) at one of its ends, which fastening region is designed for fastening to a supporting structure (33) of the passenger transport system (11), characterized in that • the protection device (51) has at least one sensor module (61) and a signal connecting unit (71), the signal connecting unit (71) being configured to exchange data with the at least one sensor module (61) and with a data transmission module (93) of the passenger transport system (11); and • a sensor module (61) is arranged in the fastening region (59) of at least one support (55), said sensor module (61) detecting data about a fastening state of the fastening region (59) and transmitting said data via the signal connecting unit (71) to the data transmission module (93) of the passenger transport system (11).

2. The protection device (51) according to claim 1, wherein the fastening region (59) of the support (55) is designed as a clamping region (135), which clamping region (135) is modeled like a panel clamping region (135) of a balustrade panel (21, 23, 25, 27, 29) of the passenger transport system (11) and is provided to be fastened in a clamping device (151) fixedly installed on the supporting structure (33) of the passenger transport system (11), and wherein the sensor module (61) is designed to detect whether or not the clamping region (135) is fastened in a clamping device (151).

3. The protection device (51) according to claim 1, wherein the fastening region (59) of the support (55) is designed as a clamp device (163) for fastening to the supporting structure (33) of a passenger transport system (11), which clamp device (163) has a clamping plate (165) and at least one clamping claw (167) which can be braced toward the clamping plate (165), wherein the sensor module (61) is arranged in the clamping claw (167) and / or in the clamping plate (165), and wherein the sensor module (61) is designed to detect whether or not a region of the supporting structure (33) is fastened between the clamping plate (165) and the clamping claw (167).

4. The protection device (51) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein at least two supports (55) are fixedly connected to at least one blocking device (57) and form a rigid railing (53).

5. The protection device (51) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the at least one support (55) has a receptacle (171), in which the blocking device (57) can be arranged so as to protrude.

6. The protection device (51) according to claim 5, wherein a sensor module (61) is arranged in the receptacle (171), which sensor module (61) detects data about an arrangement of the blocking device (57) in the receptacle (171) and transmits said data via the signal connecting unit (71) to the data transmission module (93) of the passenger transport system (11).

7. The protection device (51) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the support (55) has a hinge (131) arranged between the fastening region (59) and the blocking device (57) or its receptacle (171), so that the support (55) can be pivoted between a transport position (T) and an installation position (M), and wherein a sensor module (61) is arranged in the region of the hinge (131), which sensor module (61) detects data about a position state of the hinge (131) and transmits said data via the signal connecting unit (71) to the data transmission module (93) of the passenger transport system (11).

8. The protection device (51) according to claim 7, wherein the support (55) has a blocking device (133) which is designed to block pivoting of the hinge (131) at least in the installation position (M).

9. The protection device (51) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the blocking device (57) is designed such that personal protective equipment (121) can be fastened thereto and at least one sensor module (61) is arranged in the support (55) such that a stress spike acting on the protection device (51) is detected by the sensor module (61) and corresponding data is transmitted via the signal connecting unit (71) to the data transmission module (93) of the passenger transport system (11).

10. The protection device (51) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the sensor module (61) comprises a passive or active RFID chip (63) and at least one sensor element from the group: force measurement sensor (69), bipolar switch, proximity sensor, optical sensor.

11. The protection device (51) according to claim 10, wherein the signal connecting unit (71) has an RFID reader and a signal transmission module (73).

12. An installation assembly (1) comprising a passenger transport system (11), characterized in that • the installation assembly (1) also comprises a protection device (51) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, a user interaction module (95), and an installation script (101), the installation script (101) being retrievable from a storage medium (97) via a data connection (77) to the data transmission module (93) of the passenger transport system (11); • the installation script (101) displayed on a screen (96) of the user interaction module (95) presents, in chronological order, individual installation steps (105, 107, ...), which can be acknowledged by means of a user input (119) after the installation step (105, 107, ...) in question has been carried out, in order to call up the subsequent installation step (105, 107, ...); and • in the case of at least one of the installation steps (105, 107, ...), data from at least one sensor module (61) regarding a fastening state of the fastening region (59) of the associated support (55) of the protection device (51) is retrieved via the data transmission module (93) and the signal connecting unit (71).

13. A method for carrying out installation works on an installation assembly (1) according to claim 12, characterized in that • the user interaction module (95), the signal connecting unit (71) and the data transmission module (93) are put into operation and a data connection (77) is established between the data transmission module (93) and the user interaction module (95); • an installation script (101) is retrieved from a storage medium (97) via the data connection (77), the installation script (101) containing the installation steps (105, 107, ...) to be carried out on the passenger transport system (11); • the individual installation steps (105, 107, ...) are processed in chronological order, wherein, after the installation step (105, 107, ...) in question has been carried out, its conclusion is acknowledged by means of a user input (119) in order to call up the subsequent installation step (105, 107, ...); • the installation of the protection device (51) on the supporting structure (33) of the passenger transport system (11) is carried out as a first installation step (105) according to the defined sequence of the installation script (101); and • when the first installation step (105) is acknowledged, data about the fastening state of the fastening region (59) of at least one support (55) of the protection device (51) is retrieved via the data transmission module (93) and the signal connecting unit (71), the acknowledgment being permitted if the fastening region (59) is fastened and the acknowledgment being rejected if the fastening region (59) is not fastened.

14. The method according to claim 13, characterized by the additional step that, during the carrying out of the installation steps (105, 107, ...), data about a stress spike, which data was detected by a sensor module (61), is transmitted via the signal connecting unit (71) to the data transmission module (93) of the passenger transport system (11) and permanently stored in a storage medium (97).

15. The method according to claim 13 or 14, characterized by the additional steps: • that, according to the defined sequence of the installation script (101), the removal of the protection device (51) from the supporting structure (33) of the passenger transport system (11) is accompanied by the installation of balustrade panels (21, 23, 25, 27, 29) of the passenger transport system (11); and • that, when said installation step (105, 107, ...) is acknowledged, data about the fastening state of the fastening region (59) of at least one support (55) of the protection device (51) is retrieved via the data transmission module (93) and the signal connecting unit (71), the acknowledgment being permitted if the fastening region (59) is not fastened and the acknowledgment being rejected if the fastening region (59) is fastened.