Support structure comprising an alignment device for support structure section connection regions

Abstract

The invention relates to a support structure (11) of a passenger transport system (1) which is in the form of an escalator or moving walkway and has an alignment device (40) for two support structure sections (13, 15) of the support structure (11) to be connected to one another. The alignment device (40) has: a first alignment part (41) having a fastening region (43) and a recess (45); and a second alignment part (42) having a fastening region (43) and a projection (44), a contour (47) of the projection (44) being complementary to a contour (47) of the recess (45). The projection and / or the recess also has a V-shape.

Description

[0001] STRUCTURE WITH AN ALIGNMENT DEVICE FOR STRUCTURE SECTION CONNECTION AREAS

[0002] The present invention relates to a passenger transport system designed as an escalator or moving walkway, which can be divided into sections for transport and assembly. In particular, the present invention relates to the design of a connecting area between supporting structure sections of a supporting structure of such a passenger transport system.

[0003] Passenger transport systems of the aforementioned type are used, for example, to transport people between different height levels within buildings or within a constant height level. Escalators, also known as moving walkways, are used, for example, to transport people from one floor to another within a building. Moving walkways can be used to transport people within a floor on a horizontal plane or between two floors on a moderately inclined plane.

[0004] These passenger transport systems generally have a supporting structure that serves as a load-bearing structure. Such structures are usually designed as truss structures with steel profiles. Thanks to the availability of modern manufacturing equipment such as laser cutting machines and large bending presses, the structures can also be manufactured as sheet metal structures. The supporting structure is designed to absorb static and dynamic forces acting on the passenger transport system, such as the weight of transported persons, forces generated by a drive of the passenger transport system, and the like, and to support them on structures of the building housing the passenger transport system. For this purpose, the passenger transport system can be mounted and secured to suitably designed support points on the structure.Depending on the area of ​​application, the supporting structure can, for example, extend over two or more levels or floors of the building and / or over shorter or longer distances within a constant floor in the building.

[0005] A support structure in assembled condition supported at the bearing points of the structure

[0006] The supporting structure can accommodate both movable and stationary components of the passenger transport system. Depending on the design of the passenger transport system, whether as an escalator or moving walkway, such components can be designed as step belts, pallet belts, deflection axles, drive shafts, drive motors, gears, control systems, monitoring systems, safety systems, balustrades, comb plates, bearing points, conveyor belts, and / or guide rails.

[0007] A supporting structure generally consists of a multitude of interconnected, load-bearing structural components. Such structural components may include, for example, so-called top chords and bottom chords, as well as connecting struts that interconnect these chords, such as cross braces, diagonal braces, uprights, and the like. Furthermore, additional structures such as gussets, angle plates, retaining plates, base plates, soffit plates, etc. may be provided.

[0008] To ensure sufficient stability and load-bearing capacity of the structure, the individual structural components must be connected to one another in a sufficiently stable manner. Typically, the structural components are welded or riveted together for this purpose.

[0009] Depending on the location, an escalator or moving walkway can have a considerable travel length of 30 meters or more. However, these long passenger transport systems, and in particular their supporting structures, can no longer be transported in one piece from the place of manufacture to the place of use. Such a supporting structure therefore usually consists of at least two supporting structure sections that can be connected to one another via a connecting area. The connecting area disclosed in WO 2020 173753 A2 has connecting plates welded to the end faces of the upper and lower chords of a supporting structure section, which are provided with screw holes. These supporting structure sections are usually already equipped with all other components of the passenger transport system at the manufacturer's factory. The sections thus created are then packaged for transport and transported to the intended installation location in a building.At the installation site, the sections only need to be connected together in the correct order to create a ready-to-use passenger transport system. Installing the sectioned passenger transport system into a structure requires qualified assembly personnel who work with precision. JP 2006232489 A describes a corresponding assembly process for an escalator in a subway shaft. This involves inserting the escalator section by section into the subway shaft, connecting them together and anchoring them in the structure. Due to the considerable weight of the individual sections and the structural conditions of the shaft, joining two sections together is very time-consuming and labor-intensive, as the connecting areas of adjacent sections to be joined must be precisely aligned before they can be connected, for example with connecting screws.

[0010] JP2013193843A features structural sections whose connecting area is equipped with alignment devices in the area of ​​the supporting walls. These alignment devices are formed by plates welded to the end faces, with one of the plates having a hole and the other plate having a conical bolt that can engage in the hole. A particular disadvantage of this solution is that, due to the limited space and required strength, the conical bolt can only have a low conicity and therefore only allows for automatic fine adjustment during assembly. Furthermore, the bolt and hole are difficult to see when joining the structural sections, so that considerable time, personnel, and skill are still required to align the structural sections.

[0011] The object of the present invention is to minimize the alignment work required during the assembly of a passenger transport system divided into sections and to simplify the assembly to such an extent that it can also be carried out by less qualified assembly personnel.

[0012] This object is achieved by a supporting structure of a passenger transport system designed as an escalator or moving walkway, wherein the supporting structure has at least a first supporting structure section and a second supporting structure section. The two supporting structure sections can be connected to one another by means of a connecting region formed on their end faces. At least one alignment device is arranged permanently or at least temporarily during the assembly process in the connecting region. The alignment device has a first alignment part with a fastening region and a recess, and a second alignment part with a fastening region and a projection. A contour of the projection is designed to be complementary to a contour of the recess, wherein the contour of the projection and / or the recess has a V-shape. The supporting structure sections each have two supporting walls arranged in parallel planes and at least two cross struts.The load-bearing walls are firmly connected to each other by cross braces, resulting in an H-shaped cross-section for the structural sections. The structural sections can also be supplemented with a floor structure, transforming their H-shaped cross-section into a U-shaped cross-section.

[0013] As assembly experience has shown, the lateral alignment of the supporting structure sections repeatedly leads to considerable difficulties. To overcome these difficulties, the V-shaped projection or recess of at least one alignment device is arranged in a directional plane that extends orthogonally to the supporting walls and between these supporting walls.

[0014] In other words, the alignment device is installed permanently or temporarily in a supporting structure of a passenger transport system designed as an escalator or moving walkway, before the passenger transport system is installed in the structure. At least one alignment device is arranged in at least one of the connecting areas, preferably in each connecting area, with the two alignment parts of an alignment device logically being divided between the two supporting structure sections to be connected.

[0015] As already mentioned, the V-shape of the projection and / or recess is arranged in a directional plane that extends orthogonally to the load-bearing walls and between these load-bearing walls. Due to this configuration, the structural sections are "automatically" aligned laterally with each other by the alignment device when joined, so that there is no longer any offset between the structural sections in this direction. If necessary, only alignment work vertical to the directional plane between the two structural sections needs to be carried out. In other words, the position of the V-shape or the directional plane within the structural sections determines the direction in which the structural sections are aligned by the alignment device. This direction always lies in the aforementioned directional plane and always runs orthogonally to the axis of symmetry of the V-shape.

[0016] In preparation for assembly, at least one first alignment part is fixedly arranged in the connection area on the first supporting structure section by means of its fastening area. The axis of symmetry of the recess extends parallel to the central longitudinal axis of the supporting structure section. In the connection area of ​​the second supporting structure section, at least one second alignment part is fixedly arranged by means of its fastening area, wherein the axis of symmetry of the projection also extends parallel to the central longitudinal axis of the supporting structure section. According to the invention, the first and second alignment parts are arranged sufficiently close to one another in the connection area that, when assembled, the supporting walls of the supporting structure sections are precisely aligned with one another due to the engagement of the projection and recess.

[0017] A preferred arrangement, in which the alignment device is clearly visible to assembly personnel, is to have it distributed across cross braces located in the connecting area of ​​two supporting structure sections. Depending on the space requirements, the alignment device can easily remain in the supporting structure. However, the alignment devices can also be removed again after the two supporting structure sections have been connected, for example, if they are in the way of movable components of the passenger transport system.

[0018] When two structural sections equipped with an alignment device are pushed against each other during installation of the passenger transport system into the structure, the projection increasingly engages the recess. Due to the design of the recess and projection, the two structural sections align with each other with high precision in the directional plane. This is important because the rail joints of the guide rails of the step conveyor or pallet conveyor, which are factory-attached to the sections, must be precisely aligned. Once the structural modules are arranged adjacent to each other in the structure, fastening devices such as connecting screws, rivets, and the like can be easily installed in the designated holes in the connection area without the need for lengthy alignment work.

[0019] The aforementioned observations during assembly have also shown that, due to the lifting equipment and assembly tools used, a lateral offset of up to 5% of the structure's width is typically to be expected when joining structural sections. Therefore, the alignment device preferably has a ratio of the width of a base of the V-shape to the width of the structure intended for it that is in the range of 1:20 to 1:40.

[0020] Preferably, the V-shape is mirror-symmetrical to a central longitudinal axis of the alignment part, since the offset that occurs when joining structural modules is arbitrary and therefore does not always occur in the same direction. The fastening area of ​​the respective alignment part can be designed according to application requirements and, for example, can have holes for accommodating screws, rivets, pins, and the like. Contours of the fastening area can also be designed such that the alignment part can be easily welded, soldered, or glued to a component of the structural section. The fastening area can also have clamping devices such as clamping claws, clamping brackets, and the like to securely fasten the alignment part to parts of the structural section.

[0021] The first alignment part and the second alignment part are machined from a single sheet material. Due to their plate-shaped design, they require very little space, which is why alignment parts arranged on cross struts can be left in place in the installed, ready-to-use escalator or moving walkway. The projection or recess is formed by the machined contour of the respective alignment part. The production of such an alignment device is particularly economical and saves material if the two alignment parts are cut from the sheet material in a single operation using a laser cutting system or waterjet cutting system. Of course, other processing methods such as milling or sawing can also be used. Various shape combinations are conceivable within one alignment device.For example, both the projection and the recess can have a V-shape. Another possibility is for the recess to be prism-shaped and thus have the V shape, and the projection to be semi-cylindrical. Complementary contours here mean that the semi-cylinder of the projection fits precisely into the prism of the recess, so that after the supporting structure sections equipped with it are joined, the surfaces of the projection touch the surfaces of the recess but are not pressed against each other with great force. It is also conceivable for the projection to have a V-shape and the recess to be designed as a rectangular groove. However, this solution can cause problems during assembly because the sharp corners of the groove mean that there is only linear contact between the projection and the recess.

[0022] The V-shape of the projection or recess has flanks arranged at a predetermined flank angle to each other. The flank angle should be selected in the range between 10° and 140°, preferably between 60° and 100°, and particularly preferably between 60° and 90°.

[0023] The supporting structure sections can each be provided with a base plate to retain lubricant and dirt deposits that may occur within the passenger transport system. In the connecting area between two supporting structure sections, an edge area of ​​one of the two adjacent base plates protrudes beyond the two supporting walls. This projecting edge area is provided with a double bevel with a sloped flank surface to ensure an overlap of the two base plates. The sloped flank surface can also be matched to the alignment device and interact with it, so that when two supporting structure sections are connected, the lateral offset is aligned by the alignment device and the vertical offset is aligned by the sloped flank surface.

[0024] Preferred embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail in the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein similar elements are provided with identical reference numerals throughout the figures. Neither the drawings nor the description should be construed as limiting the invention. They show:

[0025] Figure 1: schematic side view of a passenger transport system with a supporting structure composed of two supporting structure sections that are firmly connected to each other by a connecting area; and

[0026] Figure 2: in an enlarged, three-dimensional representation, the point A of the connection area indicated in Figure 1 with two alignment devices arranged in the connection area.

[0027] Figure 1 shows a schematic side view of a passenger transport system 1 designed as an escalator or moving walkway, which connects a first floor E1 with a second floor E2 of a building 3. The passenger transport system 1 has a supporting structure 11 composed of two supporting structure sections 13, 15. The supporting structure 11 is supported on the floors 5, 7 of the floors E1, E2 of the building 3 via two end-mounted support brackets 17 and spans the gap 9 between the floors E1, E2 like a bridge.

[0028] The two structural sections 13, 15 of the supporting structure 11 are connected to each other at point A by a connecting area 21. Typically, detachable fasteners such as high-strength connecting bolts are used to connect two structural sections 13, 15. It is of course possible to divide the supporting structure 11 into more than two structural sections 13, 15, thereby increasing the number of connecting areas 21. As indicated, the supporting structure 11 shown is a truss structure consisting either of welded steel profiles or of sheet metal panels.

[0029] As schematically illustrated by the balustrade 19, the supporting structure 11 supports all other components of the passenger transport system 1 and supports them on the structure 3. The passenger transport system 1 is usually completely assembled and tested at the manufacturer's factory, and then separated at the connecting areas 21. The sections 14, 16 thus created are then packaged for transport and transported to the intended installation site. At the installation site, the sections 14, 16 only need to be connected in the correct order to create a ready-to-use passenger transport system 1.

[0030] Figure 2 shows an enlarged, three-dimensional view of point A of the connecting region 21 of the two supporting structure sections 13, 15, as indicated in Figure 1. Each of the supporting structure sections 13, 15 has two supporting walls 23 arranged in mutually parallel planes. In Figure 2, only one of the two supporting walls 23 is shown for each supporting structure section 13, 15 in order to better show an interior space 25 of the supporting structure sections delimited by these walls. A central longitudinal axis ML of the supporting structure sections 13, 15 is intended to additionally illustrate that each supporting structure section 13, 15 has a second supporting wall 23 that is mirror-symmetrical to the first supporting wall 23. These two supporting walls 23 are firmly connected to one another at their central height Hm by cross struts 27, so that each of the supporting structure sections 13, 15 has an H-shaped cross-section.The two supporting structure sections 13, 15 are firmly connected to each other in the connecting area 21 by fastening means such as the connecting screws 31 and connecting plates 33 shown.

[0031] Furthermore, two alignment devices 40 are arranged in the connecting region 21. Each of the alignment devices 40 has a first alignment part 41 with a fastening region 43 and a recess 45, as well as a second alignment part 42 with a fastening region 43 and a projection 44. A contour 47 of the projection 44 is complementary to a contour 47 of the recess 45, with both contours having a V-shape.

[0032] As shown by way of example in Figure 2, the two first alignment parts 41 are arranged in a fixed position in the connecting region 21 on a cross strut 27 of the first supporting structure section 13 by means of their fastening region 43. An axis of symmetry SA of the V-shaped recess 45 extends parallel to the central longitudinal axis LM or to the longitudinal extent of the first supporting structure section 13. In an analogous manner, the two second alignment parts 42 are arranged in a fixed position in the connecting region 21 on a cross strut 27 of the second supporting structure section 15 by means of their fastening region 43. Here, the first alignment parts 41 and the second alignment parts 42 are aligned with each other in the connecting area 21 in such a way that, in the assembled state, the supporting walls 23 of the supporting structure sections 13, 15 are precisely aligned with each other as a result of the interlocking of the V-shaped projection 44 and the V-shaped recess 45.The V-shape of the projection 44 and the recess 45 is arranged in a directional plane RE, which extends orthogonally to the supporting walls 23 and between these supporting walls 23. Due to this arrangement, the supporting walls 23 align themselves "automatically" with each other when the supporting structure sections 13, 15 are joined together. However, this is only possible if the projection 44 also meets the recess 45. Experience shows that a lateral offset of the supporting walls 23 of two supporting structure sections 13, 15 when joined using conventional assembly means such as hoists, cable pulleys, and the like is not particularly large, but is always present. Preferably, a width B of a base of the V-shape to a supporting structure width Y of the supporting structure 11 should be in the range of 1:20 to 1:40.

[0033] The two alignment devices 40 shown in Figure 2 are made of a sheet material. The alignment parts 41, 42 of the alignment device 40 can be cut out of a steel plate, for example, using a laser cutting system or from a high-strength polymer plate using a waterjet cutting system. The fastening areas 43 are provided with through holes, which are concealed by screws 48 in Figure 2. Threaded holes (not visible) are provided in the cross struts 27, into which the screws 48 are tightened.

[0034] To achieve precise alignment of the alignment parts 41, 42 on the cross struts 27, the alignment devices 40 are mounted in the connecting areas 21 after the passenger transport system 1 has been completely assembled at the manufacturer's factory. For this purpose, the alignment devices 40 are fastened to the cross struts 27 with screws 48, ensuring that the projection 44 is precisely positioned in the recess 45. This is the case when the flanks 51, 52, which form the V-shape of the V-shaped projection 44 and the V-shaped recess 45, respectively, abut one another. In the present exemplary embodiment, the flanks 51, 52 are arranged at a flank angle a of 90° to one another, but this angle can also be selected to be more obtuse or acute. After tightening the screws 48, through holes are drilled for dowel pins 49 and dowel pins 49 are pressed into the holes.The completed passenger transport system 1 can then be disassembled into sections at the manufacturer's plant by removing the connecting screws 31 and connecting plates 33 in the connecting areas 21.

[0035] As Figure 2 also shows, the supporting structure sections 13, 15 are each provided with a base plate 61, 63, wherein in the connecting region 21 of two supporting structure sections 13, 15, an edge region 65 of one of the two adjacent base plates 13, 15 protrudes beyond the two supporting walls 23. This projecting edge region 65 is provided with a double bevel 67 with an inclined flank surface 69 to ensure an overlap of the two base plates 61, 63.

[0036] Although the invention has been described by illustrating specific embodiments, it is obvious that numerous further embodiments can be created with knowledge of the present invention, for example, by arranging several alignment devices 40 on the cross struts 27, which, due to their specific arrangement, enable not only lateral but also vertical alignment. Here, the V-shape of some alignment parts 41, 42 is arranged in the directional plane RE, and the V-shape of further alignment parts 41, 42 is arranged in a plane parallel to the supporting walls 23.

Claims

Patent claims 1. Supporting structure (11) of a passenger transport system (1) designed as an escalator or moving walkway, comprising at least a first supporting structure section (13) and a second supporting structure section (15), wherein the two supporting structure sections (13, 15) can be connected to one another by means of a connecting region (21) formed on their end faces, wherein at least one alignment device (40) is arranged in the connecting region (21), which has a first alignment part (41) with a fastening region (43) and a recess (45), as well as a second alignment part (42) with a fastening region (43) and a projection (44), wherein a contour (47) of the projection (44) is designed to be complementary to a contour (47) of the recess (45), wherein the contour (47) of the projection (44) and / or the recess (45) has a V-shape, wherein the supporting structure sections (13, 15) each have two supporting walls (23) arranged in parallel planes and at least two cross struts (27),and wherein the supporting walls (23) are firmly connected to one another by the transverse struts, characterized in that the V-shape of the projection (44) or the recess (45) of at least one alignment device (40) is arranged lying in a directional plane (RE) which extends orthogonally to the supporting walls (23) and between these supporting walls (23).

2. Supporting structure (11) according to claim 1, wherein in the connecting region (21) on the first supporting structure section (13) at least one first alignment part (41) is arranged in a stationary manner by means of its fastening region (43) and an axis of symmetry (SA) of the recess (45) extends parallel to a central longitudinal axis (ML) of the supporting structure sections (13, 15), and in the connecting region (21) on the second supporting structure section (15) at least one second alignment part (42) is arranged in a stationary manner by means of its fastening region (43) and an axis of symmetry (SA) of the projection (44) extends parallel to the central longitudinal axis (ML) of the supporting structure section (13, 15), and wherein the first and the second alignment part (41, 42) are arranged sufficiently close to one another in the connecting region (21) such that in the assembled state of the supporting structure (11) as a result of the Interlocking of projection (44) and recess (45) the supporting walls (23) of the supporting structure sections (13, 15) are precisely aligned with each other.

3. Supporting structure (11) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one alignment device (40) is arranged on cross struts (27) arranged in the connecting region (21) of two supporting structure sections (13, 15).

4. Supporting structure (11) according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein each adjoining supporting structure section (13, 15) is firmly connected to one another in the connecting region (21) by fastening means (31, 33).

5. Supporting structure (11) according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a ratio of the width (B) of a base of the V-shape to a supporting structure width (Y) is in the range of 1:20 to 1:

40.

6. Supporting structure (11) according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the supporting structure sections (13, 15) are each provided with a base plate (61, 63) and in the connecting region (21) of two supporting structure sections (13, 15) an edge region (65) of one of the two adjacent base plates (61, 63) projects beyond the two supporting walls (23), wherein this projecting edge region (65) is provided with a double fold (67) with an inclined flank surface (69) in order to ensure an overlap of the two base plates (61, 63).

7. Supporting structure (11) according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the first alignment part (41) and the second alignment part (42) are machined from a plate material and wherein the projection (44) or the recess (45) is formed by the machined contour (47) of the respective alignment part (41, 42).

8. Supporting structure (11) according to claim 7, wherein the V-shape of the projection (44) or the recess (45) has flanks (51, 51) which are arranged at a flank angle (α) to one another, wherein the flank angle (α) is in the range between 10° to 140°, preferably between 30° to 100° and particularly preferably between 60° to 90°.

9. Passenger transport system (1) which is designed as an escalator or moving walkway and can be divided into sections (14, 16), characterized in that it has a supporting structure (11) according to one of claims 1 to 8.

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