passenger conveyor

Abstract

To provide a passenger conveyor capable for alerting a user so that the position on a step is not appropriate.SOLUTION: In a passenger conveyor comprising a plurality of steps circularly moving between an entrance and an exit, an illuminating device for emitting a light beam at an angle relative to the step progression direction is provided on the outer surface of a riser of the step which starts to rise up at the entrance.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] When boarding an ascending passenger conveyor, users stand with their feet (shoes) on the step treads. In this case, users may not be standing in the correct position. Specifically, they may stop with their feet on the boundary between the preceding and following steps. In such cases, when the steps approach, the user may lose their balance, which could lead to a fall. For this reason, demarcations are provided on each step of the passenger conveyor to warn passengers.

[0003] Patent document 1 describes a technology in which a light-transmitting section is formed in the riser of each step, and a light source is arranged within the frame along the direction of step movement, so that light from this light source can be seen from the floor below through the light-transmitting section of the riser. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-131379 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, the technology of providing demarcation to the steps is not necessarily sufficient in terms of alerting users to avoid inappropriate standing positions on the steps. Also, the technology described in Patent Document 1 is a technology for making it easier to check whether users are going up or down the escalator, and does not take into consideration alerting users to avoid inappropriate standing positions on the steps.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a passenger conveyor that can alert users to ensure that they do not stand in an inappropriate position on the steps. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, for example, the configurations described in the claims are adopted. The present application includes a plurality of means for solving the above-mentioned problems. One of them is a lighting device for a passenger conveyor having a plurality of steps that move cyclically between an entrance and an exit, which irradiates a light beam obliquely with respect to the direction of step movement onto the outer surface of a riser of the step that starts to rise on the entrance side. The lighting device comprises a first lighting device provided at one end side of the passenger conveyor in the width direction and a second lighting device provided at the other end side of the passenger conveyor in the width direction, and the first lighting device and the second lighting device irradiate light beams so that they intersect on the step. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to call the user's attention to ensure that they do not stand in an inappropriate position on the step. Problems, configurations, and effects other than those described above will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a passenger conveyor according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the entrance to the passenger conveyor. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of steps provided on the passenger conveyor. [Figure 4] This is a top view of the area around the passenger conveyor entrance. [Figure 5] 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a lighting device provided in a passenger conveyor according to a first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of an illumination unit. [Figure 7] 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating the projection shape of a light beam emitted by an illumination device. [Figure 8] 10A and 10B are perspective views showing specific examples of posture changes of the illumination unit. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which a light beam is emitted from an illumination unit of the illumination device. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a top view showing a state in which a light beam is emitted from an illumination unit of the illumination device. [Figure 11] 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a light beam is emitted from a lighting device provided in the passenger conveyor according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a state in which a light beam is projected onto the outer surface of a riser of a step. [Figure 13] This is a diagram (part 1) that explains how the projected light of a light beam projected onto the outer surface of a step riser moves. [Figure 14] This is a diagram (part 2) that explains how the projected light of a light beam projected onto the outer surface of a step riser moves. [Figure 15] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a case where the projection shape of a light beam is curved. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a control configuration of a passenger conveyor according to the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and if the description is redundant, the description may be omitted. Furthermore, the various components of the present invention do not necessarily have to be independent of each other. It is acceptable for one component to be made up of multiple parts, for multiple components to be made up of one part, for one component to be part of another, or for part of one component to overlap with part of another.

[0011] First Embodiment 1 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a passenger conveyor according to the first embodiment. Note that this embodiment is assumed to be a passenger conveyor that transports users from an entrance on a lower floor to an exit on an upper floor, i.e., a passenger conveyor that operates upward (an upward escalator).

[0012] As shown in Figure 1, the passenger conveyor 10 includes a plurality of steps 14 that move cyclically between an entrance 11 and an exit 12, and a frame 15 that spans between the upper and lower floors. An entrance floor 16 is located at the entrance 11, and an exit floor 17 is located at the exit 12.

[0013] The multiple steps 14 are endlessly connected by a step chain (not shown). The multiple steps 14 move gradually upward on the outbound route from the boarding entrance 11 to the exit entrance 12 in accordance with the inclination of the passenger conveyor 10, and move gradually downward on the return route from the exit entrance 12 to the boarding entrance 11 in accordance with the inclination of the passenger conveyor 10. Note that in Figure 1, only the steps 14 moving on the outbound route from the boarding entrance 11 to the exit entrance 12 are shown, and the steps 14 moving on the return route from the exit entrance 12 to the boarding entrance 11 are not shown.

[0014] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the entrance to the passenger conveyor. As shown in FIG. 2, at the entrance 11 of the passenger conveyor 10, the steps 14 begin to rise after passing under the entrance floor 16 and proceeding to the area enclosed by the dashed line in the figure. The steps 14 stop rising when they reach a predetermined rise (e.g., 20 cm). At this time, a difference in level is created between the preceding step 14a and the following step 14b after passing the entrance floor 16 due to the rising of the steps 14a. Therefore, if a user who boards the passenger conveyor 10 from the entrance floor 16 places their foot on the boundary between the preceding step 14a and the following step 14b, the rising of the steps 14a may cause the user to lose balance, potentially leading to a fall. The passenger conveyor 10 according to this embodiment is designed to alert users to stand in an inappropriate position on the steps 14 (details will be described later).

[0015] Returning to Figure 1 for further explanation, the frame 15 is supported across a boarding entrance floor 16 and an exit entrance floor 17. A lower machinery room is provided at one longitudinal end of the frame 15, and an upper machinery room is provided at the other longitudinal end of the frame 15. The lower machinery room is closed by the boarding entrance floor 16, and the upper machinery room is closed by the exit entrance floor 17.

[0016] Furthermore, the passenger conveyor 10 is equipped with skirt guards 18 erected on both sides of the step 14 in the direction of movement, a balustrade 19 installed on top of the skirt guard 18, and a handrail 20 that moves while being guided by the periphery of the balustrade 19.

[0017] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the configuration of steps provided on the passenger conveyor. As shown in Fig. 3, the step 14 includes a footboard 25, a demarcation 26, a riser 27, a pair of rear wheels 28, and a step guide 29. The footboard 25 is the portion on which passengers using the passenger conveyor 10 stand. The upper surface of the footboard 25 is the tread surface on which passengers place their feet (footwear). The upper surface of the footboard 25 is formed unevenly to prevent slipping and entanglement.

[0018] The demarcation 26 is arranged on the edge of the tread 25 to improve the visibility of the step 14. Generally, the demarcation 26 is made of a colored material, such as yellow or orange, that is easily noticeable to users. The riser 27 is the rise portion of the step 14. The outer surface of the riser 27 is formed unevenly, similar to the upper surface of the tread 25. The pair of rear wheels 28, together with the pair of front wheels (not shown) provided on the step 14, move while being guided by guide rails (not shown). The step guide 29 is a member that guides the movement of the step 14 by moving in the width direction (left-right direction) of the passenger conveyor 10 while making contact with the skirt guard 18.

[0019] 1 and 4, the passenger conveyor 10 according to this embodiment is provided with a lighting device 31 near the entrance 11. The lighting device 31 is a device that irradiates the outer surface of the riser 27 of the step 14, which starts to rise at the entrance 11 side, with a light beam 32 obliquely relative to the step traveling direction F (FIG. 4).

[0020] The outer surface of the riser 27 is the surface of the riser 27 that is exposed to the outside as the steps 14 move up after passing the entrance floor 16 and become visible to users 33 (Fig. 4). As shown in Fig. 4, the step traveling direction F is the direction in which each step 14 moves from the entrance floor 16 toward the exit floor 17 when the passenger conveyor 10 is viewed from directly above (in a plan view). The light beam 32 is highly directional irradiation light.

[0021] The lighting devices 31 are provided at one end and the other end of the width direction W of the passenger conveyor 10. In the following description, as shown in FIG. 4 , the lighting device 31 provided at the left end of the passenger conveyor 10 as seen from a user 33 standing on the entrance floor 16 will be referred to as the "first lighting device 31L," and the lighting device 31 provided at the right end of the passenger conveyor 10 will be referred to as the "second lighting device 31R." Furthermore, the light beam 32 emitted by the first lighting device 31L will be referred to as the "first light beam 32L," and the light beam 32 emitted by the second lighting device 31R will be referred to as the "second light beam 32R." However, when it is not necessary to distinguish between the first lighting device 31L and the second lighting device 31R, they will simply be referred to as the lighting device 31. Similarly, when it is not necessary to distinguish between the first light beam 32L and the second light beam 32R, they will simply be referred to as the light beam 32.

[0022] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a lighting device provided in the passenger conveyor according to the first embodiment. 5 is applied to both the first lighting device 31L and the second lighting device 31R described above. That is, the first lighting device 31L and the second lighting device 31R have the same configuration.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 5, the lighting device 31 includes an illumination unit 41 that emits a light beam, a posture change unit 42 that changes the posture (direction) of the illumination unit 41, and a base member 43.

[0024] FIG. 6 is a side cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of the illumination unit. As shown in FIG. 6, the illumination unit 41 includes a light source 45, a lens 46, a projection film 47, a housing 48, and a cover 49. The light source 45 is configured, for example, by a light-emitting diode, a laser (laser light source), or the like. The light source 45 is attached directly or indirectly to the housing 48. The lens 46 is disposed between the light source 45 and the projection film 47 in the optical axis direction of the illumination unit 41 (the left-right direction in FIG. 6). The lens 46 is configured, for example, by a Powell lens, a convex lens, a cylindrical lens, or the like. The lens 46 is attached to the housing 48 or the cover 49.

[0025] Light emitted by the light source 45 passes through the lens 46, the projection film 47, and the cover 49, and is then emitted to the outside of the illumination unit 41. At this time, the light emitted by the light source 45 is converted into a light beam 32 having a predetermined projection shape by the optical properties of the lens 46. The projection shape of the light beam 32 refers to the shape of the projected light 320 that is projected onto the projection surface 50 when the light beam 32 is irradiated onto the projection surface 50 from the illumination unit 41 of the illumination device 31, as shown in FIG. 7. In this embodiment, as an example, the projection shape of the light beam 32 is a straight line that is long in one direction.

[0026] Returning to FIG. 6 , the projection film 47 is attached to the cover 49. The projection film 47 is made of, for example, a colored film or a film on which a predetermined mark is drawn. When the projection film 47 is made of a colored film, the color of the projected light of the light beam 32 can be converted to the color of the colored film. Furthermore, when the projection film 47 is made of a film on which a predetermined mark is drawn, the mark can be projected onto the projected light of the light beam 32.

[0027] The housing 48 is a member that houses the light source 45 and electronic components (circuit board, wiring, etc.) connected to the light source 45. The cover 49 has a front cover portion 491 that is circular when viewed from the front, and side cover portions 492 that are connected to the outer periphery of the front cover portion 491. The front cover portion 491 is made of a resin material that is light-transmitting (for example, transparent resin). The side cover portions 492 are made of a resin material that has light-blocking properties.

[0028] Next, the configuration of the attitude conversion unit 42 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5, the attitude conversion unit 42 includes a first attitude conversion unit 51, a second attitude conversion unit 52, and a third attitude conversion unit 53. The first attitude conversion unit 51 is a rotation attitude conversion unit that converts the rotation attitude of the lighting unit 41. The second attitude conversion unit 52 is a swing attitude conversion unit that converts the swing attitude of the lighting unit 41. The third attitude conversion unit 53 is a rotation attitude conversion unit that converts the rotation attitude of the lighting unit 41.

[0029] 8, the swivel attitude of the illumination unit 41 is the attitude of the illumination unit 41 when it is rotated around a rotation axis (pan axis) J1, which is a first attitude change axis. The oscillating attitude of the illumination unit 41 is the attitude of the illumination unit 41 when it is oscillated around a oscillation axis (tilt axis) J2, which is a second attitude change axis. The rotation attitude of the illumination unit 41 is the attitude of the illumination unit 41 when it is rotated around a rotation axis (roll axis) J3, which is a third attitude change axis.

[0030] The first attitude conversion unit 51 includes a first fixed unit 511 and a first movable unit 512. The first fixed unit 511 is fixed to the upper surface of the base member 43. The first movable unit 512 is connected to the first fixed unit 511 in a state where it can rotate around a rotation axis J1.

[0031] The second attitude conversion part 52 includes a second fixed part 521 and a second movable part 522. The second fixed part 521 is fixed to the upper surface of the first movable part 512. The second movable part 522 is connected to the second fixed part 521 in a state where it can rotate around the swing axis J2.

[0032] The third attitude conversion unit 53 includes a third fixed unit 531 and a third movable unit 532. The third fixed unit 531 is fixed to the second movable unit 522. The third movable unit 532 is connected to the third fixed unit 531 in a state where it can rotate around a rotation axis J3. In addition, the third movable unit 532 has a holder unit 533 that holds the illumination unit 41.

[0033] Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing a state in which a light beam is emitted from an illumination unit of the illumination device, and Fig. 10 is a top view showing a state in which a light beam is emitted from an illumination unit of the illumination device. 9 and 10, the light beam 32 emitted from the illumination unit 41 of the illumination device 31 forms a line beam that spreads one-dimensionally like a fan. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7 above, the projection shape of the light beam 32 irradiated onto the projection surface 50 is linear.

[0034] 7, when the first attitude conversion unit 51 converts the rotational attitude of the illumination unit 41, the position of the projection light 320 of the light beam 32 changes left and right on the projection surface 50. When the second attitude conversion unit 52 converts the oscillating attitude of the illumination unit 41 in the state shown in Fig. 7, the position of the projection light 320 of the light beam 32 changes up and down on the projection surface 50. When the third attitude conversion unit 53 converts the rotational attitude of the illumination unit 41 in the state shown in Fig. 7, the tilt of the projection light 320 of the light beam 32 on the projection surface 50 changes.

[0035] The base member 43 is a plate-like member for mounting the lighting device 31 on the passenger conveyor 10. The base member 43 is provided with elongated holes 54 as position adjustment portions for adjusting the mounting position of the lighting device 31. Two elongated holes 54 are provided on one longitudinal end side of the base member 43 (the side opposite to the mounting position of the first fixing portion 511). The lighting device 31 is mounted, for example, via the base member 43 to a frame 15 near the entrance 11 of the passenger conveyor 10. In this case, by providing two elongated holes (not shown) in the frame 15 corresponding to the mounting positions of the lighting device 31 and arranging the long axes of these elongated holes perpendicular to the long axis of the elongated holes 54, it becomes possible to adjust the mounting position of the lighting device 31 in two orthogonal axial directions.

[0036] The lighting device 31 having the above-described configuration is installed inside the skirt guard 18 near the entrance 11 (entrance floor 16) of the passenger conveyor 10. When the lighting device 31 is installed inside the skirt guard 18, the lighting device 31 is hidden by the skirt guard 18. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, the lighting device 31 is not visible to a user 33 standing on the entrance floor 16. Therefore, the presence of the lighting device 31 does not disturb the user 33 or detract from the design of the passenger conveyor 10.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 11 , the skirt guard 18 is provided with a translucent window 55. The translucent window 55 is provided on the left and right skirt guards 18 of the passenger conveyor 10, corresponding to the mounting positions of the first lighting device 31L and the second lighting device 31R. The translucent window 55 is a window that allows the light beam 32 emitted from the lighting device 31 installed inside the skirt guard 18 to pass outside the skirt guard 18. The translucent window 55 is formed, for example, by attaching a transparent resin plate to an opening provided in the skirt guard 18 so as to cover the opening. Examples of the transparent resin plate that can be used include a polycarbonate plate and an acrylic plate. The translucent window 55 limits the optical path of the light beam 32 ( FIGS. 7 , 9 , and 10 ) emitted by the lighting unit 41 of the lighting device 31, thereby transmitting a portion of the light beam 32. The lighting device 31 may be installed inside the balustrade 19 near the entrance 11. In this case, a light-transmitting window 55 is provided in the parapet 19.

[0038] As shown in Fig. 1, the lighting device 31 installed as described above preferably irradiates the light beam 32 so that the illumination area includes at least a range Lh from the height position of the step 14a before it starts to rise at the entrance 11 side to the height position of the step 14b after it starts to rise. This allows the light beam 32 to be reliably irradiated onto the riser 27 of the step 14 that has started to rise at the entrance 11 side. Incidentally, the step 14a before it starts to rise is the step 14a immediately after it has passed the entrance floor 16, and the tread 25 of this step 14a is positioned at approximately the same height as or slightly lower than the entrance floor 16. In contrast, the step 14b after it has started to rise is the step 14b that moves ahead of the step 14a and has not yet finished rising.

[0039] The lighting device 31 also irradiates a light beam 32 onto the plurality of steps 14 that have passed through the entrance floor 16 and are approaching. The number of the plurality of steps 14 that are the targets of the light beam 32 can be changed as desired. However, the plurality of steps 14 that are the targets of the light beam 32 include the above-mentioned step 14b and at least one step 14 that moves ahead of this step 14b.

[0040] 4 and 11, the first lighting device 31L irradiates a first light beam 32L obliquely toward the skirt guard 18R located on the right side as seen from the user 33 on the entrance floor 16, and the second lighting device 31R irradiates a second light beam 32R obliquely toward the skirt guard 18L located on the left side as seen from the user 33 on the entrance floor 16. As a result, the first light beam 32L and the second light beam 32R are irradiated so as to intersect on the step 14 after passing through the entrance floor 16.

[0041] In this way, when the first lighting device 31L emits the first light beam 32L and the second light beam 32R emits the second light beam 32R, projected light 321L, 322L, 322L by the first light beam 32L and projected light 321R, 322R, 323R by the second light beam 32R are projected onto the outer surfaces of the risers 27 of multiple (three in the example) steps 14 that have passed through the entrance floor 16 and risen up, as shown in Figure 12.

[0042] Furthermore, the projected light beams 321L, 322L, 322L and 321R, 322R, 323R projected onto the risers 27 of each step 14 move in the width direction (left and right direction) of the step 14 as each step 14 moves diagonally upward. For this reason, for example, the positions of the projected light beams 321L, 322L, 322L and 321R, 322R, 323R projected onto the risers 27 of each step 14 at a certain point in time as shown in Figure 13 will change after a short time has passed as shown in Figure 14.

[0043] Specifically, during the upward movement of the passenger conveyor 10, the projected lights 321L, 322L, and 322L emitted by the first light beam 32L from the first lighting device 31L move rightward over time, and the projected lights 321R, 322R, and 323R emitted by the second light beam 32R from the second lighting device 31R move leftward over time. In other words, the projected lights 321L, 322L, and 322L and the projected lights 321R, 322R, and 323R move in opposite directions to each other in the width direction of the step 14.

[0044] As a result, to users 33 walking toward the entrance 11 of the passenger conveyor 10, the projected lights 321L, 322L, 322L and the projected lights 321R, 322R, 323R projected on the risers 27 of each step 14 appear to be constantly moving. This makes it easier to attract the attention of users 33 than if the projected lights were stationary. Therefore, the point where the step 14 begins to rise can be visually emphasized to users 33 who are walking on the entrance floor 16 to get onto the step 14. This makes it possible to alert users 33 to avoid standing in an inappropriate position on the step 14.

[0045] Furthermore, the technology described in Patent Document 1 above has the drawback of being costly because it is necessary to provide light-transmitting sections on the risers of all steps. In contrast, the passenger conveyor 10 according to the first embodiment does not require processing of the risers 27 of the steps 14, making it inexpensive to implement. Furthermore, the technology described in Patent Document 1 has the drawback of being easily affected by stains on the steps (rainwater, stains on the soles of shoes, dust, dirt, etc.) because the light-transmitting sections are provided on the risers of the steps, which increases the frequency of cleaning. In contrast, the passenger conveyor 10 according to the first embodiment has a light-transmitting window 55 in the skirt guard 18, making it less susceptible to stains on the steps 14. This reduces the frequency of cleaning.

[0046] Furthermore, the first lighting device 31L and the second lighting device 31R emit the first light beam 32L and the second light beam 32R so that they intersect on the step 14. This makes the overall movement of the projected lights 321L, 322L, 322L and the projected lights 321R, 322R, 323R projected onto the risers 27 of each step 14 complex. This makes it possible to more strongly attract the attention of the user 33 than when only one of the light beams 32 is emitted.

[0047] Furthermore, the lighting device 31 includes a posture changer that changes the posture of the lighting unit 41. Therefore, the irradiation position of the light beam 32 emitted from the lighting unit 41 can be adjusted by the posture changer .

[0048] Specifically, by changing the rotational attitude of the illumination unit 41 using the first attitude changer 51, the irradiation position of the light beam 32 emitted from the illumination unit 41 can be adjusted in the left-right direction in Fig. 7. This allows the tilt angle of the light beam 32 (32L, 32R) with respect to the stepping direction F to be changed in Fig. 4. When the rotational attitude of the illumination unit 41 is changed so that the tilt angle of the light beam 32 (32L, 32R) with respect to the stepping direction F becomes larger, the moving speed of the projected light projected on the outer surface of the riser 27 can be increased. On the other hand, when the rotational attitude of the illumination unit 41 is changed so that the tilt angle of the light beam 32 (32L, 32R) with respect to the stepping direction F becomes smaller, the moving speed of the projected light projected on the outer surface of the riser 27 can be decreased.

[0049] Furthermore, by changing the oscillating position of the lighting unit 41 using the second position changer 52, the irradiation position of the light beam 32 emitted from the lighting unit 41 can be adjusted in the vertical direction in Fig. 7. This makes it possible to adjust the range where the light beam 32 is irradiated onto the multiple steps 14 moving from the boarding entrance 11 toward the exit entrance 12.

[0050] Furthermore, by changing the rotational attitude of the illumination unit 41 using the third attitude change unit 53, it is possible to adjust the inclination of the light beam 32 emitted from the illumination unit 41. This makes it possible to adjust the direction of the projection light that is projected when the light beam 32 is irradiated onto the riser 27 of the step 14.

[0051] Furthermore, since the projection shape of the light beam 32 emitted by the lighting device 31 is a long straight line in one axial direction, as shown in Figure 7, when the light beam 32 is irradiated onto multiple steps 14 as described above, the projection light 321L, 322L, 322L and the projection light 321R, 322R, 323R can be clearly projected onto the riser 27 of each step 14.

[0052] In the first embodiment, the projection shape of the light beam 32 is described as a straight line elongated in one axial direction, but the projection shape of the light beam 32 is not limited to this, and the projection shape of the light beam 32 may be a curved line elongated in one axial direction or another shape. In other words, the projection shape of the light beam 32 is not limited to a specific shape. When the projection shape of the light beam 32 is a curved line, the shapes of the projection light beams 321La, 322La, 322La and the projection light beams 321Ra, 322Ra, 323Ra projected on the risers 27 of each step 14 are curved, as shown in FIG.

[0053] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the front cover portion 491 of the cover 49 is made of a light-transmitting resin material, but this is not limiting, and the front cover portion 491 of the cover 49 may be made of a light-blocking resin material, and a light-transmitting hole of a predetermined shape (for example, a circle, a triangle, a paw, a heart, etc.) may be provided in this front cover portion 491. This allows light of a predetermined shape to be projected through the light-transmitting hole of the cover 49, thereby improving the design.

[0054] Second Embodiment FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing a control configuration of the passenger conveyor according to the second embodiment. 16, the passenger conveyor 10A includes a lighting device 31A, a lighting control unit 61, a passenger conveyor control unit 62, a conveyor drive unit 63, a usage load detection unit 64, a timer 65, a speaker 66, a first conversion drive unit 71, a second conversion drive unit 72, a third conversion drive unit 73, and a position adjustment drive unit 74. Similar to the lighting device 31 described above, the lighting device 31A is a device that irradiates a light beam 32 onto the outer surface of the riser 27 of the step 14 that begins to rise on the entrance 11 side.

[0055] The lighting control unit 61 controls the lighting device 31A based on control instructions given from the passenger conveyor control unit 62. The passenger conveyor control unit 62 comprehensively controls the operation of the entire passenger conveyor. The passenger conveyor control unit 62 switches the operation mode of the passenger conveyor 10A depending on the time of day or the usage load status of the passenger conveyor 10A.

[0056] The operation modes of the passenger conveyor 10A include, for example, a normal operation mode, a low-speed operation mode, a very slow operation mode, and a stopped mode. The passenger conveyor control unit 62 switches the operation mode of the passenger conveyor 10A so that the normal operation mode is used during commuting hours when there are many users, the low-speed operation mode is used during times before and after those hours, and the very slow operation mode or stopped mode is used during other times (for example, late at night when there are few users). The passenger conveyor control unit 62 also switches the operation mode of the passenger conveyor 10A so that the normal operation mode is used when the usage load of the passenger conveyor 10A is high, the low-speed operation mode is used when the usage load is light, and the very slow operation mode or stopped mode is used when the usage load is close to a minimum.

[0057] The conveyor driving device 63 is a device that rotates and drives sprockets (not shown) for circulating the steps 14 and handrails 20, and includes a motor (not shown) that serves as a driving source.

[0058] The usage load detection unit 64 detects the usage load of the passenger conveyor 10A. The usage load of the passenger conveyor 10A increases as the number of users riding on the passenger conveyor 10A increases. Furthermore, as the number of users riding on the passenger conveyor 10A increases, the current value, etc. supplied to the conveyor drive device 63 increases accordingly. For this reason, the usage load detection unit 64 detects the usage load of the passenger conveyor 10A based on the current value, etc. supplied to the conveyor drive device 63, and notifies the passenger conveyor control unit 62 of a load detection signal indicative of this detection result. As a result, the passenger conveyor control unit 62 switches the operation mode of the passenger conveyor 10A based on the load detection signal provided from the usage load detection unit 64.

[0059] The timer 65 detects the current time and sends a time signal indicating the detection result to the passenger conveyor control unit 62. In response to the time signal provided by the timer 65, the passenger conveyor control unit 62 switches the operation mode of the passenger conveyor 10A.

[0060] The speaker 66 is built into the balustrade 19, for example, so as to be located downstream in the step travel direction F from the installation position of the lighting device 31A. The speaker 66 generates a sound when a sound signal is given from the passenger conveyor control unit 62. In other words, the passenger conveyor control unit 62 functions as a speaker control unit. In this case, the passenger conveyor control unit 62 gives the sound signal at a timing synchronized with the moving speed of light (projected light) projected onto the outer surface of the riser 27 by the irradiation of the light beam 32 from the lighting device 31A. For example, the period from when the light beam 32 hits a certain riser 27 and the projected light becomes visible until the projected light leaves the riser 27 and becomes invisible is defined as one cycle, and the passenger conveyor control unit 62 gives the sound signal to the speaker 66 at the timing of this one cycle. This allows the speaker 66 to generate a sound (e.g., a short electronic tone) once at a timing synchronized with the moving speed of the projected light. As a result, users of the passenger conveyor 10A can be more effectively alerted.

[0061] In addition, as a configuration for generating a sound from the speaker 66 synchronized with the moving speed of the light projected onto the outer surface of the riser 27, a sensor for detecting the projected light may be incorporated into the skirt guard 18, and the passenger conveyor control unit 62 may send a sound signal to the speaker 66 when the sensor receives the projected light.

[0062] On the other hand, the lighting control unit 61 changes the color of the light beam 32 and / or the lighting pattern of the light beam 32 according to the operation mode of the passenger conveyor 10A. As described above, the passenger conveyor control unit 62 switches the operation mode of the passenger conveyor 10A according to the time period or the usage load status. At that time, the passenger conveyor control unit 62 sends a signal notifying the lighting control unit 61 of the operation mode after the switch. This allows the lighting control unit 61 to change the color and lighting pattern of the light beam 32 according to the operation mode of the passenger conveyor 10A.

[0063] As a specific example, the lighting control unit 61 changes the color of the light beam 32 to green when the operation mode of the passenger conveyor 10A is the normal operation mode, to blue when the operation mode is the low-speed operation mode, and to red when the operation mode is the slow-speed operation mode or the stop mode. The color of the light beam 32 for each operation mode can be arbitrarily changed. Furthermore, the lighting control unit 61 changes the lighting pattern of the light beam 32 to constant lighting when the operation mode of the passenger conveyor 10A is the normal operation mode, to flashing when the operation mode is the low-speed operation mode, and to constant off when the operation mode is the slow-speed operation mode or the stop mode. Note that, among the lighting patterns of the light beam 32 exemplified here, the flashing and constant off may be replaced by fast flashing and slow flashing.

[0064] In this way, by changing the color and lighting pattern of the light beam 32 depending on the operation mode of the passenger conveyor 10A, users can visually recognize in which operation mode the passenger conveyor 10A is operating.

[0065] On the other hand, the first conversion drive unit 71, the second conversion drive unit 72, and the third conversion drive unit 73 are drive units (conversion drive units) for converting the attitude of the lighting unit 41. Specifically, the first conversion drive unit 71 is a drive unit for converting the rotational attitude of the lighting unit 41. The second conversion drive unit 72 is a drive unit for converting the oscillating attitude of the lighting unit 41, and the third conversion drive unit 73 is a drive unit for converting the rotational attitude of the lighting unit 41. Although not shown, the first conversion drive unit 71, the second conversion drive unit 72, and the third conversion drive unit 73 each include a drive source such as an electric servo motor and a power conversion mechanism (for example, a gear mechanism, a pulley mechanism, etc.) that converts the drive force of the drive source into power for attitude conversion. In addition, the first conversion drive unit 71, the second conversion drive unit 72, and the third conversion drive unit 73 are individually controlled by the passenger conveyor control unit 62.

[0066] The position adjustment drive unit 74 is a drive unit for adjusting the mounting position of the lighting device 31A. Although not shown, the position adjustment drive unit 74 is configured, for example, by a guide mechanism (linear guide mechanism, XY stage mechanism, etc.) that guides the base member 43 movably in one axial direction or two orthogonal axial directions, and a movement mechanism (ball screw mechanism, etc.) that moves the base member 43 in the direction guided by the guide mechanism. The position adjustment drive unit 74 is controlled by the passenger conveyor control unit 62. Note that, for convenience of explanation, in FIG. 16, the first conversion drive unit 71, the second conversion drive unit 72, the third conversion drive unit 73, and the position adjustment drive unit 74 are shown separately from the lighting device 31A, but these drive units are provided in the lighting device 31A.

[0067] The passenger conveyor control unit 62 may control each of the control targets, namely the first conversion drive unit 71, the second conversion drive unit 72, the third conversion drive unit 73, and the position adjustment drive unit 74, based on predetermined control conditions, or may control them based on an operation signal sent from an operation unit (not shown). The operation unit is operated by a worker who performs installation work or maintenance work on the passenger conveyor 10. Furthermore, the passenger conveyor control unit 62 and the operation unit preferably exchange signals via wireless communication.

[0068] As a result, when switching the operation mode of passenger conveyor A depending on, for example, the time period or the usage load of passenger conveyor A, passenger conveyor control unit 62 can change the attitude of lighting unit 41 in accordance with the switching of the operation mode. To give a specific example, when the operation mode of passenger conveyor 10A is switched from the low-speed operation mode to the normal operation mode, passenger conveyor control unit 62 controls first conversion drive unit 71 to change the pivoting attitude of lighting unit 41 so that the inclination angle of light beam 32 (32L, 32R) with respect to step progression direction F becomes larger. This increases the moving speed of the projected light projected on the outer surface of riser 27, thereby making it possible to promptly draw the user's attention to the point where step 14 begins to approach.

[0069] Furthermore, when performing installation work on the passenger conveyor 10A, after installing the lighting device 31A inside the skirt guard 18, the worker can adjust the irradiation direction of the light beam 32 and the mounting position of the lighting device 31A relative to the translucent window 55 (FIG. 11) of the skirt guard 18 by operating the operating unit, without having to remove the skirt guard 18. This also applies when performing maintenance work on the passenger conveyor 10A.

[0070] <Modifications, etc.> The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and includes various modifications. For example, the above-described embodiments have been described in detail to facilitate understanding of the present invention, but the present invention is not necessarily limited to those including all of the configurations described in the above-described embodiments. Furthermore, it is possible to replace part of the configuration of one embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment. It is also possible to add the configuration of another embodiment to the configuration of one embodiment. It is also possible to delete part of the configuration of each embodiment, add other configurations, or replace it with other configurations.

[0071] For example, in the above embodiment, as a preferred example, a configuration is adopted in which lighting devices 31 (first lighting device 31L, second lighting device 31R) are provided at one end side and the other end side of the width direction W of the passenger conveyor 10, but this is not limited to this, and lighting devices 31 may be provided only at one end side or only at the other end side of the width direction W of the passenger conveyor 10.

[0072] In the above embodiment, the light beam 32 is projected onto the step 14 immediately after it begins to rise from the entrance 11 side (in other words, while it is rising) and onto the two steps 14 preceding this step 14. However, this is not limiting, and the light beam 32 may be projected onto only the step 14 immediately after it begins to rise from the entrance 11 side. This makes it possible to strongly attract the user's attention to the point where the step 14 begins to rise. Alternatively, the light beam 32 may be projected onto one or more steps 14 preceding the step 14, rather than onto the step 14 immediately after it begins to rise from the entrance 11 side. Even with this configuration, the projected light moves on the outer surface of the riser 27, thereby drawing the user's attention to their feet. This makes it possible to alert the user 33 to avoid standing in an inappropriate position on the step 14. [Explanation of symbols]

[0073] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10, 10A... passenger conveyor, 11... entrance, 12... exit, 14... step, 18... skirt guard, 19... handrail, 27... riser, 31, 31A... lighting device, 31L... first lighting device, 31R... second lighting device, 32... light beam, 41... lighting unit, 42... attitude change unit, 51... first attitude change unit (swivel attitude change unit), 52... second attitude change unit (swing attitude change unit), 53... third attitude change unit (rotation attitude change unit), 54... elongated hole (position adjustment unit), 61... lighting control unit, 62... passenger conveyor control unit (speaker control unit), F... step travel direction, W... width direction

Claims

[Claim 1] A passenger conveyor having a plurality of steps that moves cyclically between an entrance and an exit, a lighting device for irradiating an outer surface of the riser of the step, which starts to rise at the entrance side, with a light beam obliquely with respect to the step moving direction; The lighting device includes a first lighting device provided at one end side of the passenger conveyor in a width direction; a second lighting device provided on the other end side of the passenger conveyor in the width direction, The first lighting device and the second lighting device irradiate the light beams so that they intersect on the step. Passenger conveyor.

Images