Passenger conveyor floor cover

Abstract

To provide a floor cover for a passenger conveyor capable of changing displaying of the floor cover without replacing the floor cover at the time of changing an operation direction.SOLUTION: The floor cover for the passenger conveyor, which simultaneously serves as a floor for each of both ends in a conveying direction and as an upper cover of a machine room having a drive device disposed in at least one of both the ends, comprises: a plurality of grooves intersecting each other in an advancing direction; and a plurality of display regions separately in visual line directions with respect to side surfaces of the grooves, wherein slope angles of the side surfaces having the display regions are set in accordance with a visual line direction from a passenger passing through both the ends. Two types of slope angles are set separately in visual line directions with respect to the groove. In each display region, two types of characters are drawn in an erected state where numerals displaying the floor number are set according to the visual line direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a floor cover for a passenger conveyor. [Background technology]

[0002] In conventional passenger conveyor floor covers, floor characters that are easily visible are formed by directly processing the surface of the floor cover like a relief in order to alert passengers, etc. As a similar purpose but different structure, there is also a floor cover with an embedded indicator.

[0003] For example, when the operating direction of a passenger conveyor is reversed depending on the time of day, etc., there is a demand to always display floor number characters in an upright state from either direction, in accordance with the passenger's line of sight according to the operating direction.

[0004] To meet this demand, a display function that can appropriately change floor lettering on the floor cover at the entrance and exit of the passenger conveyor is required. To achieve this, a known system is provided in which an electronic image display is provided on the floor cover for the passenger conveyor and the display content is controlled by an electronic drive circuit (for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2004-99198 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, floor covers with floor characters engraved on the surface require replacement of the floor cover to change the display. In contrast, electronic image displays such as those in Patent Document 1 can instantly change the display content as needed, such as changing the character direction in conjunction with the operating direction of the passenger conveyor, but they have the disadvantage of being less simple. In other words, electronic image displays not only increase the total weight of the floor cover by the amount of the display, but also require a dedicated control device and wiring, and have other issues such as power consumption.

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and its object is to provide a floor cover for a passenger conveyor that allows the display of the floor cover to be changed depending on the driving direction without having to replace the floor cover. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present invention, which solves the above-mentioned problems, is a floor cover for a passenger conveyor that serves both as a floor for each end in the conveying direction and as a top cover for a machine room in which a drive unit is arranged in at least one of the ends, and is provided with a number of grooves that intersect in the direction of travel and a number of display areas according to the line of sight relative to the side of the grooves, and the slope angle of the side having the display areas is set according to the line of sight from passengers passing by both ends. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the present invention, a floor cover for a passenger conveyor can be provided that allows the display of the floor cover to be changed without replacing the floor cover when the operating direction is changed. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram for explaining the application of a passenger conveyor floor cover (hereinafter, "this floor cover") according to this embodiment. [Diagram 2] This is a schematic explanatory diagram showing the difference in the gradient angle (slope angle) of the groove side surface relative to the groove bottom surface of the floor cover shown in Figure 1 depending on whether the boarding or disembarking entrance is up or down in the driving direction. [Diagram 3]FIG. 3 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing the difference in the line of sight of passengers that makes the gradient angle shown in FIG. 2 effective, depending on whether the train is running up or down, at the boarding entrance or the disembarking entrance. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Hereinafter, an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a passenger conveyor for explaining the application of the floor covers 12A and 12B. When the upper floor cover 12A and the lower floor cover 12B are not distinguished from each other, they are collectively referred to as floor covers 12. As shown in FIG. 1, an escalator 1, which is one form of a passenger conveyor device, includes a frame 2, a plurality of steps 4, a machine room 5, a drive unit 6, a pair of left and right balustrades 7, an endless handrail 8, a control unit 9, a drive chain 10, and a terminal gear 11.

[0012] The frame body 2 is installed in a building structure and is installed between one floor and the other floor. The frame body 2 also includes an upper horizontal frame 2A, a lower horizontal frame 2B, and a middle inclined frame 2C. The machine room 5 is provided in the upper horizontal frame 2A.

[0013] The multiple steps 4 are housed within the frame 2 and are endlessly connected to move cyclically between the upper boarding / alighting entrance 3A and the lower boarding / alighting entrance 3B. A drive unit 6 is provided in the machine room 5 and drives the steps 4. Details of the drive unit 6 will be described later. A pair of left and right balustrades 7 are erected on the frame 2 along the movement direction of the steps 4. An end rail 8 is guided along the periphery of the balustrades 7 and driven in synchronization with the steps 4.

[0014] The terminal gear 11 is driven by the drive unit 6 via the drive chain 10. The control unit 9 is installed in the machine room 5 and controls the drive unit 6. When the drive unit 6 is driven under the control of the control unit 9, the output of the drive unit 6 is transmitted to the steps 4 and the handrail 8 via the drive chain 10 and the terminal gear 11, and the steps 4 and the handrail 8 move upward or downward while performing an orbital motion.

[0015] The step 4 moves in synchronization with the handrail 8, and when the elevator is descending, it transports passengers from the upper boarding / alighting entrance 3A to the lower boarding / alighting entrance 3B, and when the elevator is ascending, it transports passengers from the lower boarding / alighting entrance 3B to the upper boarding / alighting entrance 3A.

[0016] Next, the configuration and function of the main floor cover 12 will be explained using Figures 2 and 3. Figure 2 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing the difference in the gradient angle (slope angle) of the groove side surface with respect to the groove bottom surface (see 24 in Figure 3) of the main floor covers 12A, 12B shown in Figure 1 depending on whether the boarding entrance or the exit entrance is located up or down in the operating direction. As shown in Figure 2, the line of sight of passengers looking at the main floor cover 12 differs depending on whether the escalator 1 is operating in an upward (UP) operation or a downward (DN) operation.

[0017] Fig. 3 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing the difference in the passenger's line of sight that makes the gradient angles α, β, and γ shown in Fig. 2 effective for the boarding entrance and the disembarking entrance depending on whether the running direction is ascending or descending. As shown in Fig. 3, the display content drawn on the surface 22 of the floor cover 12 can be changed according to different viewing angles. That is, the content uniformly displayed on only one side of the groove can only be seen on one side depending on the viewing direction.

[0018] Incidentally, when the gradient angles α, β, and γ of the groove side surface with respect to the horizontal plane (here simply referred to as "angles") are applied to the "gradient of the groove slope" as mathematically defined, they are usually expressed as an acute angle α, but they may also be expressed as an obtuse angle 26 which is easier to measure. Note that the acute angle α and the obtuse angle 26 are in a complementary relationship, and the sum of the two is 180°.

[0019] The angles α, β, and γ will be explained in more detail with reference to Figures 2 and 3. Angle α is the angle of the groove side facing the step side at the escalator exit entrance when operating in DN relative to the horizontal plane. Angle β is the angle of the groove side facing away from the step at the escalator entrance, regardless of whether the escalator is operating in UP or DN relative to the horizontal plane.

[0020] On the other hand, angle γ is the angle of the groove side surface facing the step side at the exit of the escalator in UP operation with respect to the horizontal plane, and is closer to 90° than angles α and β. Note that when using obtuse angle 26, which is easy to measure, the angle of the groove side surface (see 25A in Figure 3) with respect to the groove bottom surface (see 24 in Figure 3) may also be used. In that case, the groove bottom surface may be regarded as a horizontal plane, and strictness is not required.

[0021] In these definitions, the magnitude relationship between the angles α, β, and γ is α<β<γ. Here, if α≒β, then it is preferable to set two types of slope angles as shown by the magnitude relationship of α≒β<γ. Because the floor cover 12 is configured in this way, it is possible to change the markings painted on the surface 22 of the floor cover 12 to match the line of sight of passengers getting on and off when the driving direction is changed, without having to replace the floor cover 12.

[0022] As shown in Figure 3, a convex portion 23 and a concave portion 24 are provided on the surface 22 of the base cover 12, and the concave portion 24 extends to form character printed areas 25A, 25B (collectively referred to as the "display area 25") on both side sides of the groove formed.

[0023] The character printed portion 25A is set at a gradient angle α perpendicular to the line of sight 27A from the left in Fig. 3, so that the floor characters 28A can be clearly seen. The character printed portion 25B is set at a gradient angle β perpendicular to the line of sight 27B from the right in Fig. 3, so that the floor characters 28B can be clearly seen.

[0024] As described above, these floor letters 28A, 28B are each viewed as upright letters in the line of sight determined by the direction of travel of the viewer. The floor cover 12 is configured in this way, so that it can display floor number letters that always appear upright from either direction, adapting to the line of sight of the passenger according to the direction of travel.

[0025] The passenger conveyor floor cover (main floor cover) 12 according to the embodiment of the present invention can be summarized as follows. [1] This floor cover 12 is a floor cover 12 for a passenger conveyor that serves as both the floors at both ends in the conveying direction and the top cover of a machine room 5 in which a drive unit 6 is arranged in at least one of the ends, and is provided with a number of grooves that intersect in the direction of travel and a number of display areas 25 according to the line of sight relative to the side of the groove, and the slope angles α, β, γ of the side having the display areas 25 are formed according to the line of sight from passengers at both ends.

[0026] Because the floor cover 12 is configured in this manner, it appears to have different displays depending on the line of sight of passengers moving in front of and behind the floor cover 12 at the entrance and exit of the passenger conveyor. In other words, when the driving direction is changed, the display of the floor cover 12 can be changed without replacing the floor cover 12.

[0027] [2] It is recommended that the passenger conveyor floor cover be set with two different slope angles depending on the line of sight to the groove. For example, the slope gradient angle at the exit during DN operation is α. The slope gradient angle at the entrance during UP / DN operation is β. The slope gradient angle at the exit during UP operation is γ.

[0028] First, at the exit of the DN train, passengers heading down the line of sight are looking down at the floor cover 12B from a high vantage point. In order to make the characters drawn on the side of the groove on the surface of the floor cover clearly and easily visible in accordance with this line of sight, the slope angle α is set.

[0029] In addition, at the entrance of the UP / DN train, the passenger looks down at the floor cover 12B from a viewpoint about the passenger's height. In response to this direction of view, the slope angle β is set so that the characters drawn on the side of the groove on the surface of the floor cover can be clearly and easily seen.

[0030] On the other hand, at the exit during UP operation, passengers heading in the ascending direction look up from a low viewpoint at the floor cover 12A above. In response to this line of sight, the slope gradient angle γ is set so that the characters drawn on the side of the groove on the surface 22 of the floor cover 12 can be clearly and easily seen.

[0031] In these definitions, α<β<γ. If α≒β, then it is preferable to set two types of slope angles as indicated by the magnitude relationship of α≒β<γ. Because this floor cover is configured in this way, it is possible to change the display of the floor cover without replacing the floor cover when changing the driving direction.

[0032] [3] In this passenger conveyor floor cover, it is preferable that the display area has two types of characters that indicate the floor number, written upright according to the line of sight. Since the floor cover 12 is configured in this way, it can display floor number characters that are always displayed upright from either direction, adapting to the line of sight of the passenger according to the driving direction. Therefore, when the driving direction is changed, the display on the floor cover can be changed without replacing the floor cover.

[0033] In this way, the floor cover 12 of the present invention can perform the same function as a passenger conveyor floor cover that has an embedded electric display capable of displaying floor numbers, etc., but in a simplified manner. In other words, in the passenger conveyor, the display can be displayed in an upright state at all times, making it easy to see from either direction, in accordance with the line of sight of the passengers according to the upward / downward / reverse rotation of the running direction. [Explanation of symbols]

[0034] 1 escalator, 2 frame body, 2A upper horizontal frame, 2B lower horizontal frame, 2C intermediate inclined frame, 3A upper boarding entrance, 3B lower boarding entrance, 4 step, 5, 5A machine room, 6 drive unit, 7 balustrade, 8 handrail, 9 control device, 10 drive chain, 11 terminal gear, 12A upper floor cover, 12B lower floor cover, 12, 12A, 12B floor cover, 22 (floor cover 12) surface, 23 (floor cover 12 surface 22) convex portion, 24 (floor cover 12 surface 22) concave portion, 25, 25A, 25B (floor cover 12 surface 22) character printing portion, 27, 27A, 27B line of sight, 28, 28A, 28B floor character

Claims

1. A passenger conveyor floor cover that serves as both a floor at each end in the conveying direction and an upper cover of a machine room in which a drive unit is disposed at at least one of the end portions, A plurality of grooves intersecting in the direction of travel; A plurality of display areas are provided according to the viewing direction with respect to the side surface of the groove, a slope angle of the side surface having the display area is set according to a line of sight of passengers passing through both ends, so that when the passenger conveyor floor cover is disposed at an upper boarding / alighting entrance, the slope angle of the side surface facing the staircase side is larger than the slope angle of the side surface facing away from the staircase; Passenger conveyor floor cover.

2. When the passenger conveyor floor cover is disposed at the lower entrance, the slope angle of the side surface facing the staircase side is smaller than the slope angle of the side surface facing away from the staircase, A floor cover for a passenger conveyor according to claim 1.

3. In the display area, two types of characters are drawn in an upright state according to the line of sight to indicate the floor number, A floor cover for a passenger conveyor according to claim 1 or 2.

Images