Passenger conveyor system and movable body

Abstract

To provide a passenger conveyor system and a movable object that the movable object can stably ride on a moving footstep.SOLUTION: A metal plate 307 is provided on the cleat surface 304 of at least one specific footstep 300 among multiple footsteps 30 of an escalator 10. A movable object 100 has an electromagnetic device 114 provided on the bottom surface of a movable object body 102. A movable object control part 104 attracts the metal plate 307 with an electromagnetic device 114 when the body 102 of the movable object rides on the specific footstep 300, and fixes the movable object body 102 on the specific footstep 300.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to a passenger conveyor system and a moving body. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, regular inspections of passenger conveyors such as escalators and moving walkways are performed by workers standing on the steps to check various items. However, traveling to the passenger conveyor in question each time an inspection is performed places a heavy burden on the workers.

[0003] As a result, technology is being developed to allow autonomous mobile bodies, such as robots, to inspect passenger conveyors instead of workers. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] WO2018 / 10982 publication Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] When a moving body such as that described above performs inspection work, the moving body needs to stand on a step, which poses the risk of the moving body tipping over and falling off the step along which it moves, damaging parts of the passenger conveyor or leading to an accident.

[0006] In view of the above problems, an embodiment of the present invention aims to provide a passenger conveyor system and a moving body that allows a moving body performing inspection work to move stably while riding on moving steps. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A passenger conveyor system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a passenger conveyor and a moving body, the passenger conveyor having a plurality of steps that move in a forward and backward direction from the boarding entrance to the disembarking entrance, a drive device for moving the steps, and a control device for the drive device, and a magnetic body is provided on a cleat surface of at least one specific step among the plurality of steps, the moving body having a moving body main body, a moving device for moving the moving body main body, an electromagnetic device provided on an underside of the moving body main body, and a moving body control unit, and the moving body control unit is characterized in that when the moving body main body is placed on the specific step, the electromagnetic device attracts the magnetic body and fixes the moving body main body onto the specific step.

[0008] In addition, one embodiment of the present invention relates to a moving body having a moving body main body, a moving device for moving the moving body main body, an electromagnetic device provided on the underside of the moving body main body, and a moving body control unit, and the moving body control unit is characterized in that when the moving body main body moves from the boarding entrance to the exit entrance of a passenger conveyor and is standing on a specific step having a magnetic body, the electromagnetic device attracts the magnetic body and fixes the moving body main body onto the specific step. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is an explanatory side view of the escalator of one embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the right side. [Diagram 2] This is a side view from the right side near the entrance on the upper floor. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the vicinity of the entrance of the escalator. [Figure 4] (a) is a schematic diagram when the moving body is on the upper board and the camera detects the identifier of a specific step to descend, and (b) is a schematic diagram when the moving body is on the lower board and the camera detects the identifier of a specific step to ascend. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an escalator and a moving body. [Figure 6] 1 is a flowchart showing a flow from when a moving object gets on an escalator until when it gets off. [Figure 7](a) is a schematic diagram when there is a moving object on the lower platform and the identifier of a specific step is detected, (b) is a schematic diagram when the moving object stands on the specific step, (c) is a schematic diagram when the specific step on which the moving object stands and the preceding step are parallel and in a horizontal position, and (d) is a schematic diagram when the moving object disembarks on the lower platform. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] An escalator 10 and a moving body 100, which are a passenger conveyor system according to one embodiment of the present invention, will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 7.

[0011] (1) Escalator 10 The overall structure of escalator 10 will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is an explanatory diagram of escalator 10 as viewed from the right side. However, in order to make the internal structure of escalator 10 easier to understand, illustration of components on the right side of escalator 10 is omitted. Note that when describing the front-to-rear direction of escalator 10, it is assumed that the viewer is looking down from an upper floor to a lower floor, with the upper floor being the rear side and the lower floor being the front side.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1, a truss 12, which is a framework of an escalator 10, is supported in the front-rear direction by support angles 2 and 3 across the upper and lower floors of a building 1. Inside an upper floor machine room 14 at the upper end of the truss 12, a drive unit 18 for running the steps 30, a pair of left and right step sprockets 24, 24, and a pair of left and right belt sprockets (not shown) are provided. The drive unit 18 has a motor 20, a reducer 21, a small drive sprocket 19 attached to the output shaft of the reducer 21, and a disk-type electromagnetic brake 23 for stopping the rotation of the motor 20 and maintaining the stopped state. A large drive sprocket 17 is attached to the pair of left and right step sprockets 24, 24 on the same shaft, and an endless drive chain 22 is stretched between the large drive sprocket 17 and the small drive sprocket 19. Inside the upper floor machine room 14, a control device 50, which is a main control unit for controlling the motor 20, the electromagnetic brake 23, etc., is provided.

[0013] A pair of left and right driven sprockets 26, 26 are provided inside the lower floor machine room 16 at the lower end of the truss 12. A pair of left and right endless step chains 28, 28 are stretched between the pair of left and right step sprockets 24, 24 on the upper floor side and the pair of left and right driven sprockets 26, 26 on the lower floor side. A pair of left and right first wheels 301, 301 of a plurality of steps 30 are connected at regular intervals between the pair of left and right step chains 28, 28. When the motor 20 rotates, the first wheel 301 of the step 30 runs on a guide rail dedicated to the first wheel fixed to the truss 12 (not shown in FIG. 1 but shown in FIG. 2), and the second wheel 302 of the step 30 runs on a guide rail dedicated to the second wheel fixed to the truss 12.

[0014] A pair of left and right balustrades 36, 36 are erected on both the left and right sides of the upper part of the truss 12. A handrail rail 39 is provided on the upper part of the handrail 36, and an endless handrail belt 38 moves along this handrail rail 39. The pair of left and right handrail belts 38, 38 move in synchronization with the steps 30 as a pair of left and right belt sprockets (not shown) rotate together with the pair of left and right step sprockets 24, 24.

[0015] An upper floor front skirt guard 40 is provided on the lower front part of the upper floor side of the pair of left and right balustrades 36, and a lower floor front skirt guard 42 is provided on the lower front part of the lower floor side. Inlets 46, 48 which are the entrances and exits of the handrail belt 38 protrude from the front skirt guards 40, 42, respectively. Skirt guards 44 are provided on the lower sides of the pair of left and right balustrades 36, respectively, and the steps 30 run between the pair of left and right skirt guards 44, 44.

[0016] An upper floor boarding / alighting plate 32 is provided horizontally on the ceiling surface of the machine room 14, which is the boarding / alighting entrance between the pair of left and right skirt guards 44, 44 on the upper floor. A lower floor boarding / alighting plate 34 is provided horizontally on the ceiling surface of the machine room 16, which is the boarding / alighting entrance between the pair of left and right skirt guards 44, 44 on the lower floor. A comb-tooth-shaped comb 60 is provided at the tip of the upper floor boarding / alighting plate 32, and the steps 30 enter and exit this comb 60. A comb-tooth-shaped comb 62 is also provided at the tip of the lower floor boarding / alighting plate 34.

[0017] (2) Step 30 Next, the structure of the steps 30 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0018] First, the step 30 has a pair of left and right step frames 303, 303 formed in a triangle, a cleat surface 304 provided on the upper surface of the pair of left and right step frames 303, a riser surface 305 provided on the front surface of the pair of left and right step frames 303, 303, a pair of left and right first wheels 301, 301 provided on the rear of the pair of left and right step frames 303, 303, and a pair of left and right second wheels 302, 302 provided on the lower front surface of the pair of left and right step frames 303, 303, i.e., the lower surface of the riser surface 305. The pair of left and right first wheels 301 of the step 30 are integrally formed with the step chain 28. As shown in FIG. 2, the triangular step frame 303 has an opening 306 in its center, and is made of non-magnetic aluminum die-casting to reduce weight while maintaining the strength of the step frame 303.

[0019] The first wheel 301 of the step 30 runs on a guide rail 27 dedicated to the first wheel that is fixed to the truss 12 (see Figure 2), and the second wheel 302 of the step 30 runs on a guide rail 25 dedicated to the second wheel that is fixed to the truss 12 (see Figures 1 and 2).

[0020] Among the multiple steps 30 connected endlessly, one step (hereinafter referred to as a "specific step") 300 has a rectangular metal plate 307 made of a magnetic material attached to the underside of its cleat surface 304. Also, a square identifier 308 is provided at each of the four corners of the cleat surface 304. The identifier 308 is formed by painting the cleat surface 304 with a color such as white or red so that it can be distinguished from the color of the cleat surface 304 or the yellow demarcation line.

[0021] (3) Mobile 100 Next, a mobile unit 100 for inspecting whether the pair of left and right handrail belts 38, 38 of the escalator 10 and the steps 30 are moving in sync and for inspecting the state of damage to the pair of left and right balustrades 36 will be described with reference to Fig. 2. This mobile unit 100 is an autonomously moving robot, and its purpose is to inspect the escalator 10 without any human intervention.

[0022] 2, the mobile object 100 has a roughly cubic mobile object body 102, which is designed to be large enough to stand on the cleat surface 304 of one step 30. The mobile object body 102 is provided with a mobile object control unit 104, which is made up of a computer or the like, a moving motor 108, a rechargeable battery 110, a camera 112, an electromagnetic device 114, and a mobile object communication unit 116. The rechargeable battery 110 is the power source for each device of the mobile object 100.

[0023] Four wheels 106, which are moving devices, are provided on the bottom of the moving body 102, and these four wheels 106 are rotated by a moving motor 108. The moving body control unit 104 can control the rotation, stopping, and rotation direction of the moving motor 108 to make the moving body 100 move forward, backward, or rotate right or left.

[0024] The electromagnetic device 114 is provided on the underside of the moving body 102. When the moving body 102 of the moving body 100 stands on the cleat surface 304 of the specific step 300, the electromagnetic device 114 is activated and attracts the metal plate 307, which is a magnetic body, by magnetic force, thereby fixing the moving body 102 onto the cleat surface 304 of the specific step 300.

[0025] The camera 112 is a detection device that is provided on the front of the mobile body 102, captures an image, which may be a moving image or a still image, and detects an object by analyzing the image. Here, detection of the identifier 308 of the specific step 300 by the camera 112 will be described with reference to Figs. 3 and 4.

[0026] When the step 30 is moving downward, as shown in FIG. 4(a), the mobile body 102 is on the boarding / alighting board 32 on the upper floor side, and the camera 112 is directed obliquely downward toward the front. The camera 112 continues to photograph the cleat surface 304 of the step 30 advancing from the com 60 at the tip of the boarding / alighting board 32, and monitors the pair of left and right identifiers 308, 308. When the camera 112 detects the pair of left and right identifiers 308, 308 at the front of the cleat surface 304 as shown in FIG. 3 from the image photographed by the camera 112, the mobile body control unit 104 transmits a stop signal for the step 30 to the communication unit 64 of the control device 50 via the mobile body communication unit 116, assuming that the specific step 300 has advanced. The reason why the pair of left and right identifiers 308, 308 at the front of the cleat surface 304 are monitored is because the pair of left and right identifiers 308, 308 at the front advance from the com 60 first during the downward operation.

[0027] When the step 30 is moving upward, as shown in FIG. 4(b), the mobile body 102 is on the boarding / alighting board 34 on the lower floor side, and the camera 112 is directed obliquely downward toward the rear. The camera 112 continues to photograph the rear of the cleat surface 304 of the step 30 advancing from the com 62 at the tip of the boarding / alighting board 34, and monitors the pair of left and right identifiers 308, 308. When the pair of left and right identifiers 308, 308 at the rear of the cleat surface 304 are detected from the image photographed by the camera 112, the mobile body control unit 104 transmits a stop signal for the step 30 to the communication unit 64 of the control device 50 via the mobile body communication unit 116, assuming that the specific step 300 has advanced. The reason why the pair of left and right identifiers 308, 308 at the rear of the cleat surface 304 are monitored is because the pair of left and right identifiers 308, 308 at the rear advance first from the com 62 during the upward movement.

[0028] (4) Electrical configuration of the escalator 10 and the moving body 100 Next, the electrical configuration of the escalator 10 and the moving body 100 will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 5, the control device 50 inside the machine room 14 on the upper floor is connected to a communication unit 64 for communicating with a mobile body communication unit 116 of the mobile body 100 described later, and is also connected to a drive circuit 66 for controlling the motor 20 and the electromagnetic brake 23.

[0030] A moving motor 108 , a rechargeable battery 110 , a camera 112 , an electromagnetic device 114 , and a mobile communication unit 116 are connected to the mobile control unit 104 of the mobile unit 100 , and the mobile communication unit 116 communicates with the communication unit 64 in the control device 50 .

[0031] (5) How to get on and off the vehicle 100 Next, a method for moving body 100 to get on and off a specific step 300 of escalator 10 will be described with reference to the flow chart of Fig. 6 and Fig. 7. Here, it is assumed that escalator 10 is in a descending operation. Also, moving body 100 has moved in advance to boarding / alighting board 32 on the upper floor side and is stopped in a state in which camera 112 can capture an image diagonally downward in front of it.

[0032] In step S1, the step 30 advances from the com 60 of the boarding / alighting plate 32 on the upper floor, and the camera 112 photographs the cleat surface 304 of the step 30 as it advances, and monitors the pair of left and right identifiers 308, 308 (see FIG. 7(a)). If the pair of left and right identifiers 308, 308 in front of the cleat surface 304 are detected, it is assumed that the specific step 300 has advanced from the com 60, and the process proceeds to step S2 (in the case of y), but if the pair of left and right identifiers 308, 308 cannot be detected, the operation of step S1 continues (in the case of n).

[0033] In step S2, upon detection of the specific step 300, the moving object control unit 104 transmits a stop signal to the control device 50, and the process proceeds to step S3.

[0034] In step S3, upon receiving the stop signal, the controller 50 uses the electromagnetic brake 23 to stop the motor 20, thereby stopping the movement of the steps 30, i.e., the escalator 10, and then proceeds to step S4.

[0035] In step S4, the specific step 300 stops after advancing from the comb 60 of the boarding / alighting plate 32, and the upper surface of the boarding / alighting plate 32 and the cleat surface 304 of the specific step 300 are on the same horizontal plane. Then, the moving body 100 moves forward using the travel motor 108, and moves from the boarding / alighting plate 32 onto the cleat surface 304 of the specific step 300 (see FIG. 7(b)). Then, the process proceeds to step S5.

[0036] In step S5, the moving object control unit 104 turns on the electromagnetic device 114, which attracts the metal plate 307 of the specific step 300 and fixes the moving object main body 102 onto the cleat surface 304 of the specific step 300. Then, the process proceeds to step S6.

[0037] In step S6, when the mobile body 102 is placed on and fixed to the specific step 300, the mobile body control unit 104 transmits a start signal for the escalator 10 to the control device 50. Then, the process proceeds to step S7.

[0038] In step S7, the control device 50 releases the electromagnetic brake 23 and uses the motor 20 via the drive circuit 66 to lower the step 30. That is, it starts the escalator 10. Even if the escalator 10 starts and the specific step 300 descends, the moving body 102 is fixed to the specific step 300 having the metal plate 307 by the electromagnet device 114, so that the moving body 102 does not fall over and descends stably. Then, the process proceeds to step S8.

[0039] In step S8, while the specific step 300 is descending, the mobile object control unit 104 monitors whether the specific step 300 and the preceding step 30 are parallel and horizontal, by using the camera 112 to continuously capture images of the specific step 300 on which the mobile object is standing and the step moving just before (hereinafter referred to as the "preceding step") 30. More specifically, if there is no step between the specific step 300 and the preceding step 30 in the image captured by the camera 112, and the side edge of the cleat surface of the specific step 300 and the side edge of the cleat surface of the preceding step 30 are in a straight line, it is determined that the specific step 300 and the preceding step 30 are parallel and horizontal (see FIG. 7(c)). If it is detected that the specific step 300 and the preceding step 30 are parallel and horizontal, it is determined that the boarding / alighting board 34 on the lower floor is close, and the process proceeds to step S9 (in the case of y); if it is not detected, it is determined that the specific step 300 has not yet approached the boarding / alighting board 34 on the lower floor and is still descending, and the operation of step S8 continues (in the case of n).

[0040] In step S9, upon detecting that the specific step 300 and the preceding step 30 are parallel to each other in a horizontal state, the moving body control unit 104 transmits a stop signal for the escalator 10 to the control device 50 and proceeds to step S10. At this time, the cleat surfaces of the specific step 300 and the preceding step 30 and the upper surface of the boarding / alighting plate 32 are on the same horizontal plane.

[0041] In step S10, the control device 50 uses the electromagnetic brake 23 to stop the motor 20, thereby stopping the movement of the steps 30, i.e., the escalator 10. When the movement of the steps 30 stops, the preceding step 30 stops in a state in which it is about to enter the comb 62 at the tip of the boarding plate 34 on the lower floor side. Then, the process proceeds to step S11.

[0042] In step S11, since the movement of the specific step 300 has stopped, the moving object control unit 104 turns off the electromagnet device 114, and the process proceeds to step S12.

[0043] In step S12, since the magnetic force of the electromagnet device 114 has disappeared, the moving body control unit 104 uses the moving motor 108 of the moving body main body 102 to move forward, so that the moving body 100 moves over the cleat surface 304 of the specific step 300 and the cleat surface 304 of the preceding step 30, which are on the same horizontal plane, and dismounts onto the boarding and alighting plate 34 (see FIG. 7(d)). Then the process ends.

[0044] (6) Effects According to this embodiment, when the moving body 100 is standing on the specific step 300 along which the moving body 100 moves, the electromagnet device 114 attracts and fixes the metal plate 307, which is a magnetic material, so that the moving body 100 does not tip over or fall off the specific step 300 along which the moving body 100 moves.

[0045] In addition, when the moving body 100 gets on and off the specific step 300, the magnetic force of the electromagnet device 114 is released, so that the moving body 100 can move by the moving motor 108.

[0046] In addition, the moving body 100 on the boarding / alighting board 32 monitors the identifier 308 of the specific step 300 with the camera 112, and when the identifier 308 of the specific step 300 is detected, the movement of the specific step 300 is stopped, so that the passenger can board the vehicle reliably and safely.

[0047] In addition, when the moving body 100 gets off from the specific step 300, the step 30 is stopped when the specific step 300 and the preceding step 30 become parallel in a horizontal state, so that a horizontal path to the boarding and alighting board 34 is secured and the moving body 100 can get off the boarding and alighting board 34 reliably and safely.

[0048] In addition, the identifiers 308 on the specific step 300 are provided at the four corners of the cleat surface 304, so when boarding from the boarding / alighting board 32 on the upper floor, a pair of left and right identifiers 308, 308 on the front are detected, and when boarding the specific step 300 from the boarding / alighting board 34 on the lower floor, a pair of left and right identifiers 308, 308 on the rear are detected.

[0049] Modifications of the above embodiment will now be described.

[0050] In the above embodiment, the camera 112 is provided in the mobile object control unit 104 to detect the identifier 308, but other sensors such as an image sensor may be used instead.

[0051] In the above embodiment, there is one specific step 300, but there may be two or more specific steps 30 among the multiple steps 30 that are endlessly connected.

[0052] In the above embodiment, when the moving body 100 disembarks from the specific step 300, the escalator 10 is stopped and the moving body 100 disembarks when the specific step 300 and the preceding step 30 are parallel to each other in a horizontal state. However, instead of this, the camera 112 of the moving body 100 standing on the specific step 300 may detect the yellow COM 62 on the boarding / alighting board 34 on the lower floor, and when the distance to the COM 62 becomes a predetermined distance, the escalator 10 may be stopped and the moving body 100 may be allowed to disembark.

[0053] In the above embodiment, the invention has been described as being applied to the escalator 10, but it may instead be applied to a moving walkway. Note that on a moving walkway, steps are called "steps".

[0054] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, this embodiment is presented as an example and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents described in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0055] 10 escalator, 18 drive device, 20 motor, 23 electromagnetic brake, 30 steps, 32 upper floor board, 34 lower floor board, 100 moving body, 102 moving body main body, 104 moving body control unit, 112 camera, 114 electromagnetic device, 300 specific step, 307 metal plate, 308 identifier

Claims

1. In a passenger conveyor system including a passenger conveyor and a moving body, The passenger conveyor includes: A number of steps that move back and forth from the boarding entrance to the disembarking entrance; A drive device that moves the steps; A control device for the drive device; having A magnetic body is provided on a cleat surface of at least one specific step among the plurality of steps, The moving body is A mobile body, A moving device that moves the moving body; An electromagnetic device provided on a lower surface of the moving body; A moving object control unit; having the movable body control unit, when the movable body is placed on the specific step, attracts the magnetic body with the electromagnetic device to fix the movable body on the specific step; A passenger conveyor system comprising:

2. An identifier is provided on the cleat surface of the specific step, the mobile unit is provided with a detection device for detecting the identifier; When the moving body is on the boarding / alighting board at the entrance, the moving body control unit transmits a stop signal to the control device to stop the step when the detection device detects the identifier of the specific step that has advanced from the boarding / alighting board, and moves the moving body main body from the boarding / alighting board to the specific step that has stopped, using the moving device.

2. The passenger conveyor system of claim 1.

3. The moving body is provided with a detection device for detecting when the step one step ahead of the specific step and the specific step are parallel to each other in a horizontal state; When the moving object is on the specific step, the moving object control unit When the detection device detects that the step moving one step ahead and the specific step are parallel to a horizontal state, a stop signal for stopping the step is transmitted to the control device, and the moving device is used to move the moving body from the stopped specific step to the boarding board at the exit.

2. The passenger conveyor system of claim 1.

4. The moving body is provided with a detection device that detects a comb at a tip of a boarding board at the exit, When the moving object is on the specific step, the moving object control unit When the detection device detects the COM, the detection device transmits a stop signal to the control device to stop the step, and the moving device is used to move the moving body from the stopped specific step to the boarding plate at the exit.

2. The passenger conveyor system of claim 1.

5. A mobile body, A moving device that moves the moving body; An electromagnetic device provided on a lower surface of the moving body; A moving object control unit; having the movable body control unit, when the movable body body moves from the entrance to the exit of the passenger conveyor and stands on a specific step having a magnetic body, attracts the magnetic body with the electromagnetic device to fix the movable body body on the specific step; A moving object characterized by:

Images