Passenger conveyor

Abstract

The present invention provides a passenger conveyor that can detect changes in the length of the step chain even when the change is large. [Solution] The passenger conveyor includes an endless step chain stretched between a pair of sprockets 16 and moving in a circular motion, a guide rail arranged along the direction of the circulating movement of the step chain and guiding the steps, a tensioning device 70 that biases one of the sprockets 16 to apply tension to the step chain by the restoring force of a compressed spring 76, an operating piece 82 that moves with the expansion and contraction of the spring 76, and the rotation axis 16a of one of the sprockets 16 that moves with the extension of the spring 76 is located inside the folded part of the guide rail, and the movement of the operating piece 82 in the direction of compressing the spring 76 by a predetermined amount until the spring 76 reaches its minimum length is detected.

Description

Technical Field

[0005] , ,

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a passenger conveyor.

Background Art

[0002] A passenger conveyor such as a moving walkway or escalator includes a plurality of steps on which passengers ride and an endless step chain to which these steps are connected. The step chain is stretched between a drive sprocket and a driven sprocket provided at a turning-back portion thereof, and when a driving force is transmitted from a driving device to the drive sprocket, the step chain circulates between one boarding / alighting opening and the other boarding / alighting opening. Along the moving path of the steps that circulate together with the step chain, guide rails are provided between the pair of boarding / alighting openings, and rollers provided on the steps engage with these guide rails and roll, whereby the steps are guided by the guide rails and move between one boarding / alighting opening and the other boarding / alighting opening.

[0003] The step chain may become longer or shorter than a predetermined length due to changes over time during use or the like. Therefore, in a passenger conveyor, a detection device for detecting the expansion and contraction change of the step chain is provided, and when an expansion and contraction change of a predetermined amount or more occurs in the step chain, the passenger conveyor is stopped or a notification prompting maintenance is performed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, with conventional detection devices, if the length of the step chain changes significantly, such as when the step chain is cut or due to a worker error during maintenance, this change may not be detected, and the passenger conveyor may become operational.

[0006] Therefore, in view of the above circumstances, the present invention aims to provide a passenger conveyor that can detect changes even when the amount of change in the length of the step chain is large. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The passenger conveyor according to this embodiment includes an endless step chain stretched between a pair of sprockets and moving in a circulating manner, a guide rail arranged along the direction of circulating movement of the step chain and guiding the steps, a tensioning device that biases one of the sprockets to apply tension to the step chain by the restoring force of a compressed spring, an operating piece that moves with the expansion and contraction of the spring, and the rotation axis of one of the sprockets that moves with the extension of the spring is located inside the folded part of the guide rail, and the movement of the operating piece in the direction of compressing the spring by a predetermined amount until the spring reaches its minimum length can be detected. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] An overall diagram showing the general outline of a passenger conveyor in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Enlarged view of the main part of Figure 1 showing the tensioning device. [Figure 3] Enlarged view of the main part of the detection device shown in Figure 1. [Figure 4] Block diagram showing the electrical configuration of a passenger conveyor in one embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the drawings may be exaggerated compared to the actual objects for illustrative purposes.

[0010] In this embodiment, the passenger conveyor 1 is described as an escalator in which a large number of steps 30, as illustrated in Figure 1, circulate between an entrance / exit 5 on the upper floor and an entrance / exit 6 on the lower floor. However, the present invention can also be applied to a moving walkway in which the steps 30 move horizontally.

[0011] In the following explanation, the longitudinal direction of truss 2 may be referred to as the front-to-back direction, and the width direction of truss 2 may be referred to as the left-to-right direction. Furthermore, the front-to-back direction and left-to-right direction refer to the direction when viewed from the lower floor to the upper floor, with the upper floor side being the front and the lower floor side being the rear.

[0012] (1) Passenger conveyor 1 As shown in Figure 1, the truss 2, which is the framework of the passenger conveyor 1 and extends in the front-to-back direction (the direction of movement of the steps 30), is supported by support angles 3 and 4, spanning the upper and lower floors of the building.

[0013] The passenger conveyor 1 is located at the entrances and exits 5 and 6 on the upper and lower floors and consists of a horizontal section where the steps 30 move horizontally, an intermediate inclined section where the steps 30 move linearly at a predetermined inclination angle, and a pair of upper and lower curved sections where the steps 30 move in a curved manner, smoothly connecting the horizontal section and the intermediate inclined section. The steps 30 are connected by endless step chains 10 located on both sides and are located within a truss 2 installed beneath the building's floor.

[0014] The step 30 comprises a pair of left and right step frames 303, a cleat surface 304 formed on the upper surface of the step frame 303, and a riser surface 305 formed on the rear surface of the step frame 303. The step frame 303, the cleat surface 304, and the riser surface 305 are integrally formed from die-cast aluminum.

[0015] A support shaft is provided at one end of each pair of left and right step frames 303 in the direction of step movement, projecting outward in the width direction of the step 30. A pair of left and right first rollers 301 are attached to this support shaft via bearings. Mounting portions are provided at the other ends of each pair of left and right step frames 303 in the direction of step movement, and are formed integrally with the step frames 303. A pair of left and right second rollers 302 are provided on the outside of the pair of left and right mounting portions via bearings.

[0016] As shown in Figure 1, a pair of left and right first guide rails 22 and second guide rails 23, fixed to the truss 2, are arranged on both sides of the step 30 in the width direction, along the direction of travel of the step 30.

[0017] The first guide rail 22 has a rolling surface on which the first roller 301, provided on the step 30, rolls, and guides the first roller 301 along the direction of travel of the step 30. The first guide rail 22 includes a forward-side first guide rail 22a that guides the first roller 301 of the step 30 as it moves from one entrance / exit corresponding to the entrance to the other entrance / exit corresponding to the exit, and a return-side first guide rail 22b that guides the first roller 301 of the step 30 as it moves from one entrance / exit corresponding to the exit to the entrance / exit corresponding to the entrance.

[0018] The second guide rail 23 has a rolling surface on which the second roller 302, provided on the step 30, rolls, and guides the second roller 302 along the direction of travel of the step 30. The second guide rail 23 includes a forward-side second guide rail 23a that guides the second roller 302 of the step 30 as it moves from an entrance / exit corresponding to the entrance / exit to an entrance / exit corresponding to the exit, and a return-side second guide rail 23b that guides the second roller 302 of the step 30 as it moves from an entrance / exit corresponding to the exit to an entrance / exit. The upper floor end and lower floor end of the forward-side second guide rail 23a and the return-side second guide rail 23b are connected by an upper reversal guide rail 23c and a lower reversal guide rail 23d, respectively, which are folded back in a U-shape.

[0019] Inside the machine room 7 on the upper floor side, a drive device 11 for running the staircase 30, a pair of left and right drive sprockets 12, and a pair of left and right handrail belt sprockets (not shown) are provided.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 1, the drive device 11 includes a motor 14 composed of an induction motor, a speed reducer, an output sprocket attached to the output shaft of this speed reducer, a drive chain 15 driven by this output sprocket, and a disk brake for stopping the rotation of the motor 14 and holding the stopped state.

[0021] The drive chain 15 is bridged between a drive large sprocket (not shown) coaxially fixed to a pair of left and right drive sprockets 12 and the output sprocket of the speed reducer, and transmits the power from the speed reducer to the pair of left and right drive sprockets 12 via the drive large sprocket to rotate the drive sprockets 12. The pair of left and right drive sprockets 12 and the pair of left and right handrail belt sprockets are connected by a connecting belt (not shown) and rotate synchronously.

[0022] Also, inside the machine room 7 on the upper floor side, a control device 13 for controlling the motor 14, the disk brake, and a detection device described later is provided.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 1, inside the machine room 8 on the lower floor side, a pair of left and right driven sprockets 16 are provided. Also, inside the machine room 8 on the lower floor side, a tension device 70 for applying tension to the staircase chain 10, which will be described in detail later, and a detection device 80 for detecting the expansion and contraction of the staircase chain 10 are provided.

[0024] Between the drive sprockets 12 on the upper floor side and the driven sprockets 16 on the lower floor side, a pair of left and right endless staircase chains 10 are bridged. A plurality of first rollers 301 of the plurality of staircases 30 are attached to the pair of left and right staircase chains 10 at equal intervals.

[0025] As shown in Figure 1, when the drive sprocket 12 rotates due to rotational force from the drive unit 11, the step chain 10 moves in a circular motion between the drive sprocket 12 and the driven sprocket 16. Consequently, the first roller 301 and the second roller 302 provided on the step 30 travel along the first guide rail 22 and the second guide rail 23, causing the step 30 to invert vertically at the drive sprocket 12 and the driven sprocket 16.

[0026] Specifically, the first roller 301 engages with a recess on the outer circumference of the drive sprocket 12 and a recess on the outer circumference of the driven sprocket 16. The drive sprocket 12, which receives rotational force from the drive unit 11, rotates. As a result, the first roller 301 moves along the outer circumference of the drive sprocket 12 and the driven sprocket 16, moving from the forward-side first guide rail 22a to the return-side first guide rail 22b, or from the return-side first guide rail 22b to the forward-side first guide rail 22a. The second roller 302 also moves along the upper reversal guide rail 23c and the lower reversal guide rail 23d, moving from the forward-side second guide rail 23a to the return-side second guide rail 23b, or from the return-side second guide rail 23b to the forward-side second guide rail 23a.

[0027] As shown in Figure 1, a pair of left and right skirt cards 24 and a pair of left and right railings 25 are erected on both the left and right sides of the truss 2. The pair of left and right skirt cards 24 are provided on the outside in the width direction of the step 30 from one entrance to the other.

[0028] (2) Tension device 70 As shown in Figure 1, the tensioning device 70 located in the machine room 8 on the lower floor biases the rotating shaft 16a of the driven sprocket 16 to apply tension to the step chain 10.

[0029] Specifically, the tensioning device 70 comprises a trolley 72, a rail 73, a fixing plate 74, a rod 75, a coil spring 76, a first stopper 77, and a second stopper 78.

[0030] The trolley 72 is supported by rails 73 that extend in the front-rear direction and is mounted to be movable in the front-rear direction. The trolley 72 has a bearing 71 that rotatably supports the rotating shaft 16a of the driven sprocket 16, and a fixing plate 74 to which the rod 75 is fixed is erected.

[0031] The rod 75 extends horizontally and away from the driven sprocket 16 (i.e., rearward), and a coil spring 76 that expands and contracts in the axial direction of the rod 75 is attached to the rod 75. The coil spring 76 has a first stopper 77 on its front side (towards the driven sprocket 16) and a second stopper 78 on its rear side. The first stopper 77 is fixed to the truss 2 and restricts the forward movement of the coil spring 76. The second stopper 78 is attached to the rod 75 and restricts the rearward movement of the coil spring 76.

[0032] In this tensioning device 70, a coil spring 76 is compressed between a first stopper 77 and a second stopper 78. The restoring force of this compressed coil spring 76 attempting to extend is transmitted from the rod 75 to the trolley 72, pulling the trolley 72 and thereby applying tension to the step chain 10 via a driven sprocket 16 supported by a bearing 71 on the trolley 72.

[0033] (3) Detection device 80 The detection device 80 is located near the tensioning device 70 and detects the extension and contraction of the step chain 10 from the movement of the rod 75 of the tensioning device 70.

[0034] As shown in Figure 3, the detection device 80 comprises a detection unit 83 consisting of a fixing piece 81 fixed to the rod 75 near the second stopper 78 of the tensioning device 70, an operating piece 82 fixed to the upper end of the fixing piece 81, and a limit switch mounted so as to contact the operating piece 82.

[0035] The actuating piece 82 comprises a recessed portion 82a that is recessed downward, a first protrusion 82b provided at the rear end of the recess 82a, and a second protrusion 82c provided at the front end of the recess 82a. The recess 82a extends horizontally in the front-rear direction, and both ends are connected to the first protrusion 82b and the second protrusion 82c by inclined surfaces.

[0036] The first protrusion 82b is located above the recess 82a and extends horizontally backward from the recess 82a. The second protrusion 82c is located above the recess 82a and extends horizontally forward from the recess 82a.

[0037] As shown in Figure 3, the detection unit 83 is configured such that when the step chain 10 is of the correct length, the lever 83a of the detection unit 83 contacts the operating piece 82 in the recess 82a. In other words, the length L in the front-rear direction of the recess 82a is set to an allowable amount of change with respect to the length of the step chain 10, and can be set to, for example, 1 to 3% of the total length of the step chain 10.

[0038] In a detection device 80 with this configuration, when the length of the step chain 10 shortens, the driven sprocket 16 is pulled forward while compressing and deforming the coil spring 76. Consequently, the rod 75 and the actuating piece 82 fixed to the rod 75 move in the direction that compresses the coil spring 76 (forward). When the length of the step chain 10 becomes shorter than the appropriate length, the lever 83a of the detection unit 83 comes into contact with the first protrusion 82b and is pressed upward, causing the detection unit 83 to detect that the step chain 10 has become shorter than the appropriate range.

[0039] Furthermore, as the length of the step chain 10 increases, the restoring force of the coil spring 76 pulls the driven sprocket 16 in the direction of extension (rearward) of the coil spring 76. Consequently, the rod 75 and the actuating piece 82 fixed to the rod 75 move in the direction of extension of the coil spring 76. When the length of the step chain 10 exceeds the appropriate length, the lever 83a of the detection unit 83 comes into contact with the second protrusion 82c and is pressed upward, causing the detection unit 83 to detect that the step chain 10 has become longer than the appropriate range.

[0040] In a detection device 80 with this configuration, the rear end position 82b1 of the first protrusion 82b of the operating piece 82 is set so that the detection unit 83 can detect the forward movement of the operating piece 82 until the coil spring 76 reaches its minimum length when the step chain 10 becomes shorter than the appropriate length. In other words, the length X from the position P of the lever 83a of the detection unit 83 when the step chain 10 is at the appropriate length to the rear end position 82b1 of the first protrusion 82b is set to be at least the length ΔD (=D-Dmin) obtained by subtracting the minimum length of the coil spring 76 (the length when the coil wires constituting the coil spring 76 are in close contact with each other) Dmin from the length D of the coil spring 76 when the step chain 10 is at the appropriate length.

[0041] Furthermore, the front end position 82c1 of the second protrusion 82c of the actuator 82 is set so that the detection unit 83 can detect when the step chain 10 becomes longer than the appropriate length, and the actuator 82 moves in the extension direction of the coil spring 76 until the rotation axis 16a of the driven sprocket 16 contacts the lower reversal guide rail 23d. In other words, the length Y from the above position P to the front end position 82c1 of the second protrusion 82c is set to be greater than or equal to the length ΔE obtained by subtracting the radius R of the rotation axis 16a of the driven sprocket 16 from the front-rear length Q from the center of the rotation axis 16a of the driven sprocket 16.

[0042] (4) Electrical configuration of passenger conveyor 1 The electrical configuration of passenger conveyor 1 will be explained with reference to Figure 4.

[0043] The control device 13, located inside the machine room 7 on the upper floor, is connected to an inverter circuit 40, a power regeneration unit 41, a reactor 42, and a noise filter 43. The three-phase AC power supplied from a three-phase AC power source (not shown) passes through the noise filter 43 and reactor 42, which are provided as countermeasures against high frequencies, before reaching the power regeneration unit 41. The power regeneration unit 41 regenerates the energy generated when the passenger conveyor 1 is in downward operation back into the three-phase AC power source. The inverter circuit 40 connected to the power regeneration unit 41 controls the motor 14 based on the drive signal from the control device 13, changing the operating speed and the direction of upward or downward movement.

[0044] The control device 13 includes a control unit 51, a storage unit 52, and a communication unit 53. The storage unit 52 stores a program for controlling the operation of the passenger conveyor 1.

[0045] The control unit 51 reads the program stored in the memory unit 52 and controls the operation of the passenger conveyor 1 by switching between operation and stopping, and between upward and downward operation, based on operations from an operation panel (not shown). The control unit 51 is also connected to the detection unit 83 of the detection device 80, which will be described later.

[0046] When the detection unit 83 detects that the step chain 10 has become too short or too long beyond the appropriate range, the control unit 51 stops the operation of the passenger conveyor 1 and outputs a warning signal to an external monitoring panel using the communication unit 53. The control unit 51 prohibits the activation of the step chain 10 until the detection unit 83 detects that the step chain 10 has returned to the appropriate length. Once the malfunction of the step chain 10 is resolved, the control unit 51 makes the passenger conveyor 1 ready to operate.

[0047] (5) Effects In this embodiment, the detection unit 83 can detect the forward movement of the operating piece 82 (in the direction that compresses the coil spring 76) until the coil spring 76 reaches its minimum length. Since the coil spring 76 does not become shorter than its minimum length, once the coil spring 76 reaches its minimum length, the driven sprocket 16 does not move further forward. Therefore, even if the amount of shortening of the step chain 10 is large, the change in the length of the step chain 10 can be detected, and the passenger conveyor will not be started by mistake.

[0048] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the detection unit 83 can detect the rearward movement of the operating piece 82 (in the direction that extends the coil spring 76) until the rotation axis 16a of the driven sprocket 16 contacts the lower reversal guide rail 23d. Therefore, even if the extension amount of the step chain 10 is large, the change in the length of the step chain 10 can be detected, and the passenger conveyor will not be started by mistake. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0049] 1...Passenger conveyor, 2...Truss, 3...Support angle, 4...Support angle, 5...Entrance / exit, 6...Entrance / exit, 10...Step chain, 11...Drive device, 12...Drive sprocket, 13...Control device, 14...Motor, 15...Drive chain, 16...Driven sprocket, 22...First guide rail, 23...Second guide rail, 30...Step, 70...Tensioning device, 80...Detection device

Claims

1. An endless step chain that is stretched between a pair of sprockets and moves in a circulating manner, A guide rail is provided which is arranged along the direction of circulating movement of the aforementioned step chain and guides the steps, A tensioning device that biases one of the sprockets so as to apply tension to the step chain by the restoring force of a compressed spring, An operating piece that moves by the expansion and contraction of the spring, The rotation axis of one sprocket, which moves as the spring extends, is located inside the folded part of the guide rail, and a detection unit is capable of detecting the movement of the operating piece in the direction of compressing the spring for a predetermined amount until the spring reaches its minimum length. A passenger conveyor equipped with a conveyor belt.

2. The passenger conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the detection unit can detect the movement of the operating piece in the direction that extends the spring until the rotation axis of one of the sprockets contacts the guide rail.

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