Escalator Emergency Button with Contrasting Stripe Plate

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing emergency buttons on escalators and moving sidewalks are difficult to quickly locate and access in emergency situations due to their small size and unfavorable positioning, leading to increased risk for pedestrians during abnormal operations.

Innovation Solution

An improved emergency button design featuring a button main body mounted on a contrasting color stripe plate embedded between supporting side plates, allowing pedestrians to easily reach it without bending, with a large size and visual markings for quick identification, and mounted on both inner and outer sides for accessibility.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the emergency button is mounted on the cover at the entrance or exit of the escalator, then the button is positioned in a standard location, but the pedestrian cannot quickly and accurately locate it in an emergency situation due to its small size and the pedestrian's unfamiliarity with the construction

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveemergency stop reliabilityVSAvoidtime to locate emergency button
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies color contrast by mounting the emergency button on a stripe plate with a color different from the supporting side plates. This visual differentiation makes the emergency button more conspicuous and easier to locate quickly in emergency situations, directly addressing the problem of slow detection time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

2Ease of operation

If the emergency button is mounted on the cover near the pedestrian pedal, then the button is positioned close to the pedestrian, but the pedestrian must bend over or squat to reach it, increasing the risk of injury during emergency stop

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccessibility of emergency buttonVSAvoidrisk of injury to pedestrian
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent relocates the emergency button from a low position near the pedestrian pedal to a higher position on the stripe plate that is embedded between supporting side plates. This dimensional change in vertical positioning allows pedestrians to reach the button without bending or squatting, eliminating the injury risk while maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Loss of time

If the emergency button is mounted on a stripe plate with contrasting color, then the button becomes more visible and accessible, but the structure becomes more complex with additional components

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetime to detect emergency buttonVSAvoidstructure of emergency button mounting
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent integrates the emergency button mounting structure with the existing stripe plate and supporting side plates of the escalator. By embedding the stripe plate between the supporting side plates and mounting the button on it, the design combines multiple functions into a unified structure that enhances visibility without requiring completely separate mounting systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3248927B1Escalator or moving sidewalk with emergency button
Publication Date: 2020.06.03 KONE OYJ
  • EP3248927B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3248927B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3248927B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An emergency button for an escalator or a moving sidewalk, wherein the emergency button comprises a button main body and a stripe plate; the button main body is mounted in a stripe plate hole of the stripe plate; the stripe plate is embedded between two adjacent supporting side plates of the escalator or the moving sidewalk; the stripe plate and the button main body have a color different from that of the supporting side plates.