Moving walkway comprising a cleaning device

Abstract

The invention relates to a moving walkway (1) which comprises a support structure (3) and a pallet belt (11) which is arranged so as to be movable revolvingly and is guided by means of guide rails (5, 7) in the support structure (3). The pallet belt (11) comprises two annularly closed conveyor chains (13) and, arranged therebetween, pallets (21) which interconnect the two conveyor chains (13). Each of the pallets comprises a tread surface (23), the pallet belt (11) having an advance portion (25) which users (99) can step on, and a return portion (27) which is hidden from users (99), due to the arrangement of the pallet belt so as to be movable revolvingly. The moving walkway (1) also comprises at least one brush assembly (41) for each of the conveyor chains (13), which brush assembly has a brush (43) which, when the pallet belt (11) is in the intended-use position, is arranged positionally fixedly in the support structure (3) in the return portion (27) and underneath the conveyor chain (13). The brush (43) is in contact with those lateral edge regions (49) of the tread surfaces (23) that adjoin the conveyor chain (13) associated with this brush (43).

Description

[0001] Moving walkway with a cleaning device

[0002] The present invention relates to a moving walkway comprising a supporting structure and a pallet belt arranged to be movable in a rotating manner in the supporting structure.

[0003] Moving walkways of the aforementioned type are well-known and efficient devices for transporting people. They are typically used for transporting people horizontally or at a slight incline of up to 12° from one point within a building to another. The pallet belt used to transport users is guided by guide rails arranged in the supporting structure and comprises two closed-loop conveyor chains with pallets arranged between them, connecting the two conveyor chains. Each of the pallets includes a tread surface, and the pallet belt, due to its circulatingly movable arrangement, has a forward section accessible by users and a return section concealed from users.

[0004] To keep energy losses and operating noise to a minimum, the conveyor chains must be lubricated. Excess lubricating oil is collected in oil collection channels that run parallel to the conveyor chains and are positioned below each conveyor chain, depending on the intended operating position of the pallet belt. However, due to the specific design of the moving walkway (the pallets are returned with the tread facing downwards during the return run), the continuous lubrication of the conveyor chain inevitably leads to the lubricating oil flowing to the tread visible in the forward run during the moving walkway's operation. This makes the pallet belt very unsightly and implies to the user that it is poorly maintained. In addition, the lubricating oil can stain expensive footwear or luggage, or lubricating oil adhering to soles can cause accidents due to slipping on smooth floors adjacent to the moving walkway.

[0005] A cleaning device for cleaning tread surfaces is known from WÖ2010 / 121331A1. Since there is no space in moving walks to install such cleaning devices, the cleaning device is periodically installed in the forward direction by maintenance personnel, and its brush mechanically cleans the entire tread surface. However, the moving walk cannot be used during this time, and periodic installation and removal is time-consuming and expensive. Furthermore, due to the periodic use, it is impossible to reliably prevent lubricating oil from spreading to the tread surfaces.

[0006] From JP Hl 1 217177 A a brush arrangement for an escalator is known, which is used to clean the edge areas on the treads with contrasting colours.

[0007] JP H0873172 A discloses a device for removing lubricating oil adhering to the step shafts of an escalator. For this purpose, each step shaft has a drip ring on each side, where the lubricating oil collects and is then scraped off by a stationary brush.

[0008] The object of the present invention is to propose a cleaning device which can be produced and used cost-effectively and which reliably prevents the distribution of lubricating oil on the treads.

[0009] This task is solved by a moving walkway that has at least one brush arrangement with a brush for each of the conveyor chains of its pallet belt. This brush arrangement is arranged in a fixed position in the supporting structure with respect to the intended use position of the pallet belt in the return run and below the conveyor chain. Each of these brushes is in contact with the lateral edge areas of the treads. The lateral edge areas are strip-shaped partial areas of the tread that border the conveyor chains. Furthermore, the brush arrangement has a receiving element with at least one guide element, with the brush being attached to the receiving element. The guide element directs any lubricating oil reaching the receiving element in a predetermined direction.

[0010] In other words, the bristles of the brush arrangement do not cover the entire tread surface, but only a lateral edge area of ​​the tread surface that borders each conveyor chain. Extensive tests have confirmed that the arrangement of the brush in the lateral edge area is excellent in effectively preventing the lubricating oil film from spreading over the tread surface. On the one hand, this is because accumulations of lubricating oil are continuously removed from the edge area, and on the other hand, because lubricating oil adhering to the bristles of the brush is not picked up by adjacent bristles and applied to dry areas of the tread surface. In addition, due to their small dimensions, the brush arrangements can be easily accommodated in the return line on both sides of the pallet conveyor, meaning they are in continuous rather than just intermittent use. Furthermore, ferry operations are not affected in any way.Since no lubricating oil film can spread, dirt and dust adhere much less to the treads, so that they fall off the treads due to gravity during the return run. This also minimizes the cleaning effort for the entire tread. It should be noted at this point that the terms "brush and bristles" should not be viewed as limiting the invention. Instead of a brush with synthetic and / or metallic bristles, elastic scrapers, sponge-like blocks of material, absorbent pads, bundled wick material, and the like can also be used to remove lubricating oil from the side edge areas of the pallets. The guide element prevents the removed lubricating oil from spreading uncontrollably to other components within the moving walkway and instead directs it to a location within the moving walkway where lubricating oil and dirt would otherwise collect.

[0011] In one embodiment, the brush assembly comprises a holder whose first end is firmly connected to the supporting structure and to whose second end the receiving element with the brush is attached. Furthermore, the holder has a telescopic device arranged between the first and second ends. The distance between the brush and the treads of the pallet belt can be adjusted by the telescopic device. This provides the brush assembly with greater flexibility in selecting suitable attachment points in the supporting structure, and the bristle pressure of the brush on the tread can be continuously adjusted. Furthermore, wear on the bristles can be compensated for by periodically adjusting the telescopic device.

[0012] The telescopic device can be implemented, for example, by a screw connection arranged between two components of the bracket. In this case, at least one slot-shaped hole is formed in one of the two components, through which a screw of the screw connection protrudes when installed.

[0013] In a further embodiment, at least one slot-shaped fastening hole is formed at the first end of the bracket, through which at least one fastening screw connectable to the supporting structure is arranged. This allows the position of the bracket relative to the supporting structure to be adjusted within a range defined by the slot-shaped fastening hole. Preferably, the slot-shaped hole of the telescopic device extends in a plane that is orthogonal to the plane in which the slot-shaped fastening hole extends.

[0014] Preferably, the receiving element in the moving walkway is arranged in its intended installation position at an angle toward an oil collection channel of the moving walkway. This supports the outflow of lubricating oil scraped off the brush into the oil collection channel, so that only small amounts of lubricating oil remain on the brush.

[0015] In a further embodiment, the brush assembly has a clamping device that releasably connects the brush to the receiving element. This allows a worn brush to be removed and a new one installed in just a few simple steps.

[0016] To lubricate the conveyor chain, the moving walkway includes at least one lubricant dispenser for each conveyor chain. The lubricant dispenser is preferably fixedly mounted in the support structure in the return line above the conveyor chain and dispenses the lubricating oil to the conveyor chain via bristles. Due to gravity, the lubricating oil flows to the lower edge of the conveyor chain, with excess lubricating oil forming droplets at the lower edge and dripping into the oil collection channel.

[0017] To prevent the lubricating oil droplets forming on the lower edge from becoming too large and then spreading across the treads, the brush arrangement assigned to the conveyor chain is preferably arranged in the area of ​​the lubricant dispenser. The conveyor chain is thus routed between the lubricant dispenser and the brush arrangement. "In the area" does not necessarily mean that the brush of the brush arrangement has to be arranged exactly vertically below the lubricant dispenser. The brush arrangement can also be arranged with an offset in the direction of travel of the conveyor chain, whereby the length of the offset can be adjusted to the flow velocity (viscosity) of the lubricating oil, the distance to be covered (height of the conveyor chain) and the conveyor speed of the conveyor chain. Of course, a moving walkway can also have more than one brush arrangement per conveyor chain.

[0018] Embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, whereby neither the drawings nor the description are to be interpreted as limiting the invention. Identical or equivalent features have the same reference numerals. They show:

[0019] Figure 1: schematically, a partial cross-section of a moving walkway with a pallet belt with pallets that can be moved all around and is guided by guide rails, wherein a brush arrangement is provided for cleaning edge areas of the pallets;

[0020] Figure 2: enlarged, section A shown in Figure 1;

[0021] Figure 3: the brush arrangement shown in Figures 1 and 2 in three-dimensional view.

[0022] The figures are merely schematic and not to scale. The same reference numerals designate identical or equivalent features in the various figures.

[0023] Figure 1 schematically shows a partial cross-section of a moving walkway 1. Its basic structure corresponds to known moving walkway designs, which is why the partial cross-section only shows just under a quarter of the actual cross-section of the moving walkway 1. Figure 2 shows the section A designated in Figure 1 in an enlarged view, which is why the two figures are described together below.

[0024] The moving walkway 1 has a supporting structure 3 in which guide rails 5, 7 are mounted. The guide rails 5, 7 guide a pallet belt 11 which is arranged so as to be movable in a circumferential manner within the supporting structure 3. This conveyor belt has two ring-shaped, closed conveyor chains 13 (only one of the two conveyor chains 13 is shown due to the partial cross-section), which are arranged parallel to and spaced from one another in the supporting structure 3. The conveyor chains 13 are link chains made of steel, with rollers 17 rotatably mounted on their chain joint pins 15. The rollers 17 run on the guide rails 5, 7 and support the pallet belt 11 thereon. In the present exemplary embodiment, the rollers 17 are arranged between the chain links 19 of the conveyor chain 13. However, conveyor chains 13 in which the rollers 17 are arranged to the side of the chain links 19 can also be used.

[0025] Furthermore, the pallet belt 11 has a plurality of pallets 21 arranged one behind the other, which are arranged between the conveyor chains 13 and connect the two conveyor chains 13. Each of the pallets 21 comprises a tread surface 23. Due to its circumferentially movable arrangement, the pallet belt 11 has a forward run 25 accessible by users 99 and a return run 27 hidden from users 99.

[0026] For each of the conveyor chains 13, at least one lubricant dispensing device 31 for lubricating the conveyor chain 13 is provided in the moving walkway 1. The lubricant dispensing device 31 is mounted in the return line 27 of the pallet belt 11 and, with respect to the intended operating position of the pallet belt 11, above the conveyor chain 13 in the supporting structure 3.

[0027] The moving walkway 1 also has at least one brush assembly 41 with a brush 43 for each of the conveyor chains 13. The brush assembly 41 is arranged in a fixed position in the supporting structure 3, with respect to the intended operating position of the pallet belt 11, in the return path 27 and below the conveyor chain 13. The brush 43 is in contact with those lateral edge regions 45 of the tread surfaces 23 that border the conveyor chain 13 assigned to this brush 43. For example, on both sides of a pallet 21, only a three-centimeter-wide strip of the tread surface 23 is swept over by the bristles 44 of the brush 43. Since the accumulating lubricating oil 91 (see in particular Figure 2) in these edge regions 45 is continuously removed by the brush assembly 41, it cannot spread to the remaining tread surface 23.

[0028] The brush assembly 41 is arranged in the region of the lubricant dispenser 31, with the conveyor chain 13 passing between the lubricant dispenser 31 and the brush assembly 41. The brush assembly 41 comprises a holder 47, the first end 48 of which is firmly connected to the supporting structure 3 and to the second end 49 of which the brush 43 is attached. The holder 47 has a telescopic device 51 arranged between the first end 48 and the second end 49. The telescopic device 51 allows a distance S between the brush 43 and the treads 23 of the pallet belt 11 to be adjusted.

[0029] Strictly speaking, the distance S between a brush body 46 of the brush 43 and the tread 23 is to be adjusted, since the bristles 44 of the brush 43 should have a predefined contact pressure and thus, theoretically, a predefined overlap (indicated accordingly in Figure 2). In reality, the bristles 44 do not, of course, protrude into the body of the pallets 21, but rather bend according to the direction of movement of the pallet belt 11.

[0030] An oil collection channel 53 is arranged below the conveyor chain 13 and partially also below the brush arrangement 41, which extends in the return line 27 parallel to the longitudinal direction of the conveyor chain 13. The oil collection channel 53 is made of thin sheet metal and is held in place in the supporting structure 3 by spring clamps 55.

[0031] Figure 3, which shows the brush arrangement 41 shown in Figures 1 and 2 in three-dimensional view, shows further details of the same. A receiving element 61 for the brush 43 is arranged at the second end 49 of the holder 47. In its intended installation position, the receiving element 61 is inclined toward the oil collection channel 53 of the moving walkway 1 (see also Figures 1 and 2) to assist the outflow of the lubricating oil 91 wiped off by the brush 43 into the oil collection channel 53. Due to this arrangement, the receiving element 61 has a higher edge 63 and a lower edge 65 with respect to its installation position. The brush 43 can have flow channels 42 in its brush body 46, so that the lubricating oil 91 can flow even better from the direction of the higher edge 63 to the lower edge 65 of the receiving element 61 and drip there into the oil collection channel 53.The receiving element 61 also has guide elements 67, 68, which direct the lubricating oil 91 in a predetermined direction toward the lower edge 65 of the receiving element 61. Furthermore, the brush assembly 43 has a clamping device 69, with which the brush 43 or its brush body 46 is detachably connected to the receiving element 61. This allows a brush 43 with worn bristles 44 to be easily replaced with a new brush 43 during maintenance work.

[0032] The telescopic device 51 mentioned above is formed by a screw connection 71 arranged between two components 77, 78 of the holder 47. For this purpose, at least one slot-shaped hole 73 is formed in one of the two components 77, through which a screw of the screw connection 71 protrudes in the assembled state.

[0033] Furthermore, at least one slot-shaped fastening hole 75 is formed at the first end 48 of the holder 47, through which at least one fastening screw 76 (see Figures 1 and 2) that can be connected to the supporting structure 3 is arranged so as to project. This allows the position of the holder 43 relative to the supporting structure 3 to be adjusted within a range predetermined by the slot-shaped fastening hole 75. So that the position of the brush 43 relative to the pallet 21 can be adjusted in at least two dimensions of three-dimensional space, the slot-shaped hole 73 of the telescopic device 51 extends in a plane that is arranged orthogonal to the plane in which the slot-shaped fastening hole 75 extends. As can be seen in Figure 2, the width of the 45 can be varied through the slot-shaped fastening hole 75.

[0034] Furthermore, the brush arrangement 41 can also be arranged offset in the running direction of the conveyor chain 13 (in Figures 1 and 2, this runs orthogonally to the plane of the drawing), whereby the length of the offset can be adjusted to the flow rate (viscosity) of the lubricating oil, the distance to be covered (height of the conveyor chain 13), and the conveying speed of the conveyor chain 13. If the moving walkway 1 is designed for two running directions, for example, two brush arrangements 41 per conveyor chain 13 can be provided, which are arranged with a corresponding offset with respect to the two running directions of the conveyor chain 13, upstream and downstream of the lubricant dispensing device 31.

[0035] Although in Figures 1 to 3 only screw connections 71, 76 and slotted holes

[0036] 73, 75, it is obvious that for the present invention, additional mounting structures that can be fixed in defined positions, such as blockable linear guides, rod frames with lockable joint nodes, and the like, can be used to adjust the correct position of the brush 43 relative to the treads 23 of the pallets 21. Of course, rigid mountings 47 that do not offer any adjustment options at all can also be used. Furthermore, more than one brush arrangement 41 can be provided for each conveyor chain 13, arranged one behind the other along the guide rails 5, 7.In addition, instead of brushes 43 with synthetic and / or metallic bristles 44, elastic scrapers, sponge-like blocks of material, absorbent pads, bundled wick material and the like can also be used to remove lubricating oil 91 from the lateral edge regions 45 (usually two per pallet 21) of the pallets 21.

[0037] Finally, it should be noted that terms such as "comprising," "having," etc., do not exclude other elements or steps, and terms such as "a" or "an" do not exclude a plurality. Reference signs in the claims are not to be considered limiting.

Claims

Patent claims 1. Moving walkway (1), comprising a supporting structure (3) and a pallet belt (11) arranged so as to be movable in a circumferential manner in the supporting structure (3), which pallet belt (11) comprises two annularly closed conveyor chains (13) and pallets (21) arranged therebetween, connecting the two conveyor chains (13) to one another, each pallet having a tread surface (23), wherein the pallet belt (11) has, due to its circumferentially movable arrangement, a forward run (25) accessible by users (99) and a return run (27) hidden from users (99), wherein the moving walkway (1) has for each of the conveyor chains (13) at least one brush arrangement (41) with a brush (43), which brush arrangement (41) is arranged in a stationary manner in the supporting structure (3) with regard to the intended operating position of the pallet belt (11) in the return run (27) and below the conveyor chain (13), and wherein the brush (43) is connected to those lateral edge regions (49) of the treads (23) is in contact,which adjoin the conveyor chain (13) assigned to this brush (43), characterized in that the brush arrangement has a receiving element (61) with at least one guide element (67, 68), wherein the brush is fastened to the receiving element and the guide element (67, 68) guides lubricating oil (91) reaching the receiving element (61) in a predetermined direction.

2. Moving walkway (1) according to claim 1, wherein the brush arrangement (41) comprises a holder (41), the first end (48) of which is fixedly connected to the supporting structure (3) and to the second end (49) of which the receiving element (61) with the brush (43) is fastened, wherein the holder (41) has a telescopic device (51) between the first end (48) and second end (49) so that a distance (S) between the brush (43) and the tread surface (23) of the pallet (21) is adjustable.

3. Moving walkway (1) according to claim 2, wherein the telescopic device (51) is formed by a screw connection (71) between two components (77, 78) of the holder (41), wherein in one of the two components (77) at least one slot-shaped hole (73) is formed, through which a screw of the screw connection (71) projects in the assembled state.

4. Moving walkway (1) according to claim 2 or 3, wherein at least one slot-shaped fastening hole (75) is formed at the first end (48) of the holder (41), in which at least one fastening screw (76) connectable to the supporting structure (3) is arranged so as to project through, so that the position of the holder (41) relative to the supporting structure (3) can be adjusted within a range predetermined by the slot-shaped fastening hole (75).

5. Moving walkway (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the receiving element (61) is arranged in the moving walkway (1) in its intended installation position inclined towards an oil collecting channel (53) of the moving walkway (1).

6. Moving walkway (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the brush arrangement (41) has a clamping device (69) with which the brush (43) is detachably connected to the receiving element (61).

7. Moving walkway (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein it comprises at least one lubricant dispensing device (31) for lubricating the conveyor chain (13) for each conveyor chain (13), wherein the lubricant dispensing device (31) is arranged in a fixed position in the supporting structure (3) above the conveyor chain (13).

8. Moving walkway (1) according to claim 7, wherein the brush arrangement (41) is arranged in the region of the lubricant dispensing device (31) and the conveyor chain (13) is guided between the lubricant dispensing device (31) and the brush arrangement (41).

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