Device for removing fluids and dirt

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (31) for removing fluids (99) and dirt from a moving handrail (15) of an escalator (1) or a travelator. The device (31) comprises a holder (33) and a scraper body (41) having a scraper lip (43), wherein the scraper lip (43) has a wedge-shaped cross-section (Q). In addition, a collecting channel (45) is formed in the scraper body (41) adjacent to the scraper lip (43).

Description

[0001] Device for removing liquids and dirt

[0002] The present invention relates to a device for removing liquids and dirt from a movable handrail of an escalator or moving walkway.

[0003] Escalators and moving walkways are used to transport people and their belongings in buildings such as train stations, subway stations, airports, shopping centers, department stores, and the like. Escalators and moving walkways utilize a continuously moving, walkable conveyor belt. To protect people from falls during the journey, escalators and moving walkways feature balustrades on either side of the conveyor belt, each with a handrail arranged around it. According to relevant standards such as EN 115, both handrails must be driven at a speed synchronized with that of the conveyor belt. Handrails typically have a C-shaped cross-section. Their leading strand is guided by a T-shaped guide profile rigidly attached to the balustrade, with the guide profile positioned in the inner cross-section of the handrail.The return run of the returning strand is concealed from the people, within a balustrade base of the balustrade.

[0004] As disclosed, for example, in EP 2 931 645 B1, a handrail is driven by a handrail drive wheel located inside the escalator or moving walkway. This wheel transfers its drive torque and drive movement to the inside of the C-shaped handrail by means of a frictional connection. As long as the escalator or moving walkway is located indoors, protected from the elements, there are hardly any problems with traction between the handrail and the handrail drive wheel. In escalators and moving walkways used entirely or partially outdoors, a large amount of liquid, particularly water, can accumulate on the inside of the C-shaped handrail in rainy weather, massively altering the friction conditions between the handrail drive wheel and the handrail. This can result in slip-stick effects, which lead to uneven movement of the handrail, which is unpleasant for the user.In addition, most regulations, such as the ENI 15 standard, prohibit a handrail speed that is slower than the conveyor belt speed.

[0005] To solve this problem, JP H0439288 A discloses a displacement body similar to a wedge plough that pushes the water droplets on the surface of the handrail aside. However, this solution is ineffective for larger amounts of water on the inside of the handrail, as the pushed-aside water immediately flows back onto the surface after passing the displacement body.

[0006] The object of the present invention is therefore to provide reliable means that prevent large quantities of liquid from getting between the handrail drive wheel and the surface of the handrail that is in contact with the handrail drive wheel.

[0007] This problem is solved by a device for removing liquids and dirt from a movable handrail of an escalator or moving walkway. The device comprises a bracket and a wiper body with a wiper lip. The wiper lip has a wedge-shaped cross-section. The wiper body can be made of one or more polymer materials, composite materials, or metal. The wiper lip can be formed integrally with the wiper body. Of course, the wiper lip can also be manufactured as a separate component and attached to the wiper body. If the wiper lip is to be made of a more elastic and softer material than the wiper body, production as a multi-component plastic injection-molded part is a suitable option.

[0008] According to the invention, a collecting channel is formed in the wiper body adjacent to the wiper lip. This collects and channels the fluid scraped off by the wiper lip, preventing it from flowing back onto the handrail surface.

[0009] In one design, the collection channel opens into a drain line of the device to continuously drain the accumulated liquid from the device area. Dirt or dirt particles scraped from the handrail surface by the wiper lip are largely washed into the drain line by the liquid. If necessary, the wiper lip and the collection channel must be cleaned periodically by maintenance personnel.

[0010] In an alternative design, the collecting channel opens into a connection piece formed in the scraper body. The connection piece is designed to be connected to a drain line. Since the drain line can be separated from the device in this design, the device is easier to install and maintain, and the drain line can be replaced more easily in the event of a blockage.

[0011] In a further embodiment of the device, it has at least one guide roller rotatably mounted on the scraper body. Depending on the arrangement of the at least one guide roller, it is in contact with an outer surface of the handrail or with a surface of the inner cross-section of the handrail when the device is ready for use.

[0012] In a further development of the device, the at least one guide roller is arranged on the wiper body in such a way that its rolling surface partially protrudes from the wiper body. The projection of the rolling surface from the wiper body is less than two millimeters, preferably 1.5 mm to 0.1 mm, particularly preferably 0.7 mm to 0.5 mm. The guide roller serves to position and guide the wiper body in the inner cross-section of the handrail and thus to keep the wiper lip constantly at a very small lip distance relative to the surface of the inner cross-section. Due to this lip distance, on the one hand, wear on the wiper lip is minimized and, on the other hand, it ensures that almost all liquid is wiped off the surface present in the inner cross-section. The lip distance can be 0.0 mm to 0.1 mm, preferably 0.001 mm to 0.05 mm.

[0013] In a further embodiment of the device, a first guide roller protrudes from a bottom surface of the wiper body, a second guide roller protrudes from a left side surface of the wiper body, and a third guide roller protrudes from a right side surface of the wiper body. The axes of rotation of the second and third guide rollers are arranged parallel to one another and orthogonal to the axis of rotation of the first guide roller in the wiper body. This embodiment allows the wiper body to be guided precisely and with low wear relative to all inner sides of the inner cross-section of the handrail. The holder of the device has a first holder part which is designed such that it can be fixedly attached to a stationary component of an escalator or moving walkway. The stationary component can, for example, be a supporting structure of the escalator or moving walkway.Furthermore, the bracket has a second bracket part, which is fixedly connected to the first bracket part, floating within a limited travel plane and orthogonal to this plane. This plane is selected such that, when the device is installed in the escalator, it extends orthogonally to the longitudinal extent and thus to the direction of movement of the handrail. The wiper body is attached to the second bracket part. In this document, the term "floating within limited travel" means that the second bracket part can move relative to the first bracket part in this plane and within fixed limits without significant resistance. Orthogonal to this plane, only minimal movements are possible, which are determined by the required guide play between the first and second bracket parts.This floating connection allows the forces on the wiper lip or the guide rollers described above to be minimized and thus their wear to be drastically reduced.

[0014] The device can be used in any escalator or moving walkway having at least one circumferentially arranged, movable handrail with a C-shaped cross-section and a handrail drive with a handrail drive wheel. The handrail drive wheel is usually arranged in the region of a returning run of the handrail, whereby the handrail can be driven by the handrail drive wheel. The escalator or moving walkway preferably has at least one device for removing liquids and dirt for each of its handrails. The device is arranged in an inner cross-section of the handrail formed by the C-shaped cross-section and directly in front of the handrail drive wheel in such a way that its wiper lip is directed opposite to an intended direction of movement of the handrail.Due to a relative movement of the surface to the wiper body, liquid and dirt adhering to the handrail are wiped off the surface of the handrail by the wiper lip.

[0015] In one embodiment, the contour of the wiper lip is matched to the inner cross-section of the movable handrail. Depending on the product specifications, the handrails can have different inner cross-sections. If a device according to the invention is to be used for removing liquids and dirt on an escalator or moving walkway, a correspondingly adapted wiper body must be provided for the inner cross-section or inner contour of the handrail.

[0016] If the moving walk or escalator is to be operated in two directions, a device of the aforementioned type can be installed on either side of the handrail drive wheel. The two devices must be arranged so that one wiper lip faces opposite each of the two directions of movement.

[0017] The device installed in an escalator or moving walkway for removing liquids and dirt is preferably arranged so that the wiper lip of the wiper body is in wiping contact with the same surface of the handrail as the motion-transmitting handrail drive wheel. This optimally ensures traction between the handrail drive wheel and the handrail.

[0018] The liquid scraped off by the device can be sucked off the scraper lip using a pump, for example. However, the device is preferably operated without additional equipment. To achieve this, the scraper body of the device is arranged in an inclined section of the handrail with respect to the direction of gravity such that, due to gravity, the liquid scraped off the handrail by the scraper lip flows from the scraper lip into a collecting channel formed in the scraper body. The collecting channel also has a gravity-oriented incline so that the liquid flows into a drain line connected to the collecting channel. The liquid is guided through the drain line into a collecting container, which can be emptied periodically.

[0019] During installation, the device's bracket is fixed in place in the balustrade base or supporting structure of the escalator or moving walkway. This can be done using common fasteners such as screws or rivets. The bracket can also be glued, soldered, or welded to fixed components of the escalator or moving walkway. Removing liquid and dirt is only sufficient if the wiper lip is intact. The escalator or moving walkway can be equipped with a monitoring sensor aimed at the wiper lip to monitor its physical condition. This can be a camera, TOF camera, laser scanner, LiDAR sensor, and the like.

[0020] The measurement data from the monitoring sensor is transmitted continuously or periodically to a control system of the escalator or moving walkway. This measurement data can be processed in the control system, with status criteria stored in the control system, against which the prepared and processed measurement data is compared. The processing of measurement data to obtain data comparable with status criteria has been known for years, which is why it is not explained in detail in this document. Depending on the result of a comparison of the measurement data with the status criteria, travel stop commands and / or maintenance requests and / or warning messages can be issued.

[0021] 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:

[0022] Figure 1: schematically shows in section side view an escalator with a circumferentially arranged handrail and a device for removing liquids and dirt from this handrail;

[0023] Figure 2: an enlarged, sectional side view of the area designated by “A” in Figure 1 with the device according to the invention;

[0024] Figure 3: a plan view, indicated by «B» in Figure 2, of the device and handrail shown in Figure 2; and

[0025] Figure 4: A section, indicated by "C-C" in Figure 2, through the device shown in Figure 2 and the handrail. Figure 1 shows a schematic, sectional side view of an escalator 1 with a supporting structure 3, in which a conveyor belt 5 with steps 7 (partially indicated) is arranged circumferentially. Furthermore, a balustrade 11 (due to the sectional side view, only one balustrade 11 is visible) is arranged on each side of the conveyor belt 5 by means of a balustrade base 12 on the supporting structure 3. A handrail 15 is arranged circumferentially on each of these balustrades 11, the leading strand 13 of which is intended to move in the same direction and at the same speed as the walkable strand 9 of the conveyor belt 5. The returning strands 17 of the handrails 15 and the returning strand 19 of the conveyor belt 5 are guided within the supporting structure 3 so that they are hidden from users.A drive unit 21 and a control system 23 are also arranged in the supporting structure 3. Furthermore, a handrail drive 29 is housed in the supporting structure 3, which has a handrail drive wheel 25 for each handrail 15. The drive unit 21 is connected to the conveyor belt 5 and the respective handrail drive wheel 25 in a motion-transmitting manner.

[0026] To achieve sufficient traction between the handrail 15 and the handrail drive wheel 25, the handrail 15 is guided in a partial wrap around the handrail drive wheel 25. In the two sections 16 of the handrail 15 adjoining the partial wrap, a device 31 for removing liquids 99 and dirt (see Figure 2) is provided. The provision of two devices 31 per handrail 15 means that the escalator 1 is intended to be operated in two opposing directions of movement Y, Z. If only one direction of movement Y is provided, the device 31 is arranged directly in front of the handrail drive wheel 25, taking into account the direction of movement Y of the handrail 15.

[0027] Figure 2 shows an enlarged, sectional side view of the area designated "A" in Figure 1 with the device 31 according to the invention. Figure 3 shows a plan view of the device 31 and the handrail 15, designated "B" in Figure 2; and Figure 4 shows a section through the device 31 and the handrail 15, designated "C-C" in Figure 2. These three figures are described together below. The device 31 comprises a holder 33 and a scraper body 41 with a scraper lip 43. The scraper lip 43 has a wedge-shaped cross-section (see especially Figure 2). As can be seen from Figures 3 and 4, the contour 47 of the scraper lip 43 is matched to an inner cross-section 51 of the movable handrail 15. Since the wiper lip 43 in Figure 4 is located in front of the indicated section plane C - C, the wiper lip 43 is shown by a double-dotted line.

[0028] As can be seen in particular from Figures 1 and 2, the wiping lip 43 of the wiping body 41 is in wiping contact with the same surface 27 of the handrail 15 as the motion-transmitting handrail drive wheel 25.

[0029] A collecting channel 45 is formed in the scraper body 41, which directly adjoins the scraper lip 43. The collecting channel 45 also opens into a connecting piece 48 formed in the scraper body 41. The connecting piece 48 is designed such that it can be connected to a drain line 97. Of course, the drain line 97 can also be permanently connected to the scraper body 41.

[0030] Furthermore, two first guide rollers 53 are rotatably mounted on or in the stripping body 41, protruding from a bottom surface 61 of the stripping body 41. In addition, two second guide rollers 55 are rotatably mounted on or in the stripping body 41, protruding from a left side surface 63 of the stripping body 41. Similarly, two third guide rollers 57 are rotatably mounted on or in the stripping body 41, protruding from a right side surface 65 of the stripping body 41. As can be seen from Figures 2 to 4, the axes of rotation 67, 69 of the second and third guide rollers 55, 57 are arranged parallel to one another and orthogonal to the axes of rotation 59 of the first guide rollers 53 in the stripping body 41. The guide rollers 53, 55, 57 with their rolling surfaces 58 thus guide the scraper body 41 at a defined distance in the inner cross section 51 of the handrail 15.

[0031] The bracket 33 has a first bracket part 35, which is fixedly attached to a stationary component, such as the supporting structure 3 shown in the present embodiment, by means of screws 39. As Figure 2 shows, two brackets 33 are provided for better guidance properties. Since the handrail 15 is only guided in places within the balustrade base 12, the handrail 15 can move in the region of the device 31 in the lateral direction S and orthogonally thereto in the vertical direction R. In order to avoid excessive forces on the guide rollers 53, 55, 57, the bracket 33 therefore has a second bracket part 37, which is fixedly connected to the first bracket part 35 in a plane E, floating with a limited travel and orthogonally to this plane E.The travel limitation in plane E is achieved by a bore 34 and a pin 36 with a retaining plate 38, with ample clearance between the bore 34 and the pin 36. The scraper body 41 is attached to the second support part 37.

[0032] The device 31 is provided at a location where the handrail 15 has a steep slope. In other words, the scraper body 41 of the device 31 is arranged in an inclined section 16 of the handrail 15 with respect to a direction of gravity G such that, as a result of gravity G, at least the liquid 99 scraped from the handrail 15 by the scraper lip 43 passes from the scraper lip 43 into the collecting channel 45 formed in the scraper body 41.

[0033] To monitor the physical condition of the wiper lip 43, the device 31 has a monitoring sensor 81 (shown only in Figure 2). Various types of sensors, such as a camera, a TOF camera, a laser scanner, a LiDAR sensor, and the like, can be used as the monitoring sensor 81, which can detect the current condition of the contour 47 of the wiper lip 43.

[0034] In the present embodiment, the measurement data 83 from the monitoring sensor 81 is transmitted to the controller 23 of the escalator 1 or the moving walkway. The measurement data 83 is processed in the controller 23 and compared with condition criteria (not shown). If the detected condition no longer corresponds to the specified condition criteria, depending on the detected condition, a travel stop command 85 can be issued to the drive 21 and / or maintenance requests 87 can be issued to a maintenance center (not shown) and / or warning messages 91 can be issued to a communication unit 93.

[0035] 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 the device 31 additionally comprising a warm air blower by means of which the still moist surface 27 of the handrail 15 can be dried after the passage of the scraper body 41.

Claims

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

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

3. Device (31) according to claim 1, wherein the collecting channel (45) opens into a connecting piece (48) formed in the stripping body (41), which connecting piece (48) is designed to be connected to a drain line (97).

4. Device (31) according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein it has at least one guide roller (53, 55, 57) which is rotatably mounted on the stripping body (41).

5. Device (31) according to claim 4, wherein the at least one guide roller (53, 55, 57) is arranged on the stripping body (41) such that its rolling surface (58) partially protrudes from the stripping body (41).

6. Device (31) according to claim 5, wherein a first guide roller (53) protrudes from a bottom surface (61) of the stripping body (41), a second guide roller (55) protrudes from a left side surface (63) of the stripping body (41) and a third guide roller (57) protrudes from a right side surface (65) of the stripping body (41), and wherein the axes of rotation (67, 69) of the second and third guide rollers (55, 57) are arranged parallel to one another and orthogonal to the axis of rotation (59) of the first guide roller (53) in the stripping body (41).

7. Device (31) according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the holder (33) is a first mounting part (35) which is designed to be fixedly attached to a stationary component of an escalator (1) or a moving walkway; the mounting (33) has a second mounting part (37) which is fixedly connected to the first mounting part (35) in a plane (E) in a floating manner and orthogonal to this plane (E), and wherein the stripping body (41) is attached to the second mounting part (37).

8. Escalator (1) or moving walkway with at least one circumferentially arranged, movable handrail (15) with a C-shaped cross-section and with a handrail drive (29) which has a handrail drive wheel (25) which is arranged in the region of a returning run (17) of the handrail (15) and by which handrail drive wheel (25) the handrail (15) can be driven, characterized in that the escalator (1) or moving walkway has for each of its handrails (15) at least one device (31) for removing liquids (99) and dirt according to one of claims 1 to 7, which device (31) is arranged with its wiper lip (43) opposite to an intended direction of movement (Y) of the handrail (15), in an inner cross-section (51) of the handrail (15) provided by the C-shaped cross-section and directly in front of the handrail drive wheel (25).

9. Escalator (1) or moving walkway according to claim 8, wherein a contour (47) of the wiper lip (43) is adapted to the inner cross-section (51) of the movable handrail (15).

10. Escalator (1) or moving walkway according to claim 8 or 9, wherein a device (31) is arranged on both sides of the handrail drive wheel (25) with respect to two possible directions of movement (Y, Z) of the handrail (15).

11. Escalator (1) or moving walkway according to one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the wiping lip (43) of the wiping body (41) is in wiping contact with the same surface (27) of the handrail (15) as the movement-transmitting handrail drive wheel (25).

12. Escalator (1) or moving walkway according to one of claims 8 to 11, wherein with respect to a direction of gravity (G) the stripping body (41) of the device (31) is arranged in an inclined section (16) of the handrail (15) in such a way that, as a result of gravity (G), at least the liquid (99) scraped off the handrail (15) by the scraper lip (43) passes from the scraper lip (43) into a collecting channel (45) formed in the scraper body (41).

13. Escalator (1) or moving walkway according to one of claims 8 to 12, wherein the holder (33) of the device (31) is arranged in a fixed position in the balustrade base (12) of the escalator (1) or moving walkway.

14. Escalator (1) or moving walkway according to one of claims 8 to 13, wherein it has a monitoring sensor (81) directed towards the wiper lip (43) for monitoring the physical condition of the wiper lip (43).

15. Escalator (1) or moving walkway according to claim 14, wherein measurement data (83) of the monitoring sensor (81) can be transmitted to a controller (23) of the escalator (1) or moving walkway, and wherein the measurement data (83) can be processed in the controller (23) in order to output travel stop commands (85) and / or maintenance requests (87) and / or warning messages (91) depending on a result of this processing.

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