CN107806829B

CN107806829B - Conveying device

Info

Publication number: CN107806829B
Application number: CN201710368761.6A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 高桥秀生; 石川佳延; 平井正昭
Original assignee: Toshiba Elevator Co Ltd
Current assignee: Toshiba Elevator and Building Systems Corp
Priority date: 2016-09-09
Filing date: 2017-05-23
Publication date: 2020-08-07
Anticipated expiration: 2037-05-23
Also published as: JP6170220B1; CN107806829A; JP2018039636A

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a conveyor device such as an escalator or an automatic loader having an elongation detection unit that detects a local elongation of a chain. Provided is a conveyor device having an elongation detection unit capable of precisely detecting minute local elongation of a chain. An extension detection unit (20) having a chain (21) in which a plurality of links (22) are connected at a constant pitch by rollers (23). The elongation detection unit (20) has two sensors (25, 26), and the two sensors (25, 26) are arranged along the moving direction of the chain (21) at a length interval of an integral multiple of the pitch, and output detection signals each time the roller (23) passes. The chain extension device further comprises an extension determination unit (27), wherein the extension determination unit (27) captures the rising timing of the detection signals of the sensors (25, 26), and compares the magnitude of the deviation of the rising timing with a threshold value to determine the extension of the chain (21).

Description

Conveying device

The present application is based on Japanese patent application 2016-. This application incorporates by reference the entirety of this application.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a conveyor device such as an escalator or an automatic loader (automatic load) having an elongation detection unit for detecting a local elongation of a chain (chain).

Background

Generally, a conveyor such as an escalator or an automatic loader is provided with steps on which passengers and/or articles ride and/or a moving handrail to be gripped by the passengers, and these are cyclically moved in synchronization with an endless chain rotationally driven by a driving device. The chain elongates with time (changes with time) due to wear of roller portions constituting the chain. When the elongation becomes large, the sprocket teeth may not be engaged well and may be disengaged from the sprocket teeth. When the chain is disengaged from the sprocket in this manner, for example, the weight of the passenger during the ascent causes a reverse state in which the steps slip.

It has been proposed to measure and monitor the elongation of the chain so as not to cause such a problem (see, for example, patent document 1).

Patent document 1: japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2000-35326

Disclosure of Invention

In

patent document

1, 1 sensor is provided near the moving path of the chain, and when the chain moves, the passage time from the outer surface to the outer surface of the adjacent roller constituting the chain is measured to determine whether or not the chain is stretched. However, in the method of measuring the transit time by 1 sensor, the resolution is limited, and it is difficult to precisely detect the minute local elongation of the chain.

The invention provides a conveying device with an extension detection unit capable of strictly detecting fine local extension of a chain.

A conveyor device according to an embodiment of the present invention is a conveyor device including an elongation detection unit having a chain in which a plurality of links are connected at a predetermined pitch by rollers, the elongation detection unit including: two sensors arranged at a length interval of an integral multiple of the pitch along a moving direction of the chain, and outputting a detection signal every time the roller passes; and an extension determination unit that receives detection signals from the two sensors, captures a rise timing of the detection signals, and compares a magnitude of a deviation of the rise timing with a threshold value to determine whether or not the chain is extended.

According to the above configuration, the two sensors arranged at a length interval of an integral multiple of the inter-roller pitch of the chain can precisely detect the local elongation of the chain.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is an overall view of a transport apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a deviation detecting unit of a chain as a main part of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a functional block diagram of an extension determination unit used in one embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a chain used in one embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating an attachment structure of the elongation detecting unit in one embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a view for explaining a bracket for mounting a sensor and a mounting state of the sensor in one embodiment of the present invention, wherein (a) is a plan view, (b) is a front view, and (c) is a side view.

Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a relationship between a reflective sensor and a chain used in one embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 8 is a waveform diagram showing a detection signal of a sensor used in one embodiment of the present invention in the case where no chain is extended.

Fig. 9 is a waveform diagram showing a detection signal in the presence of chain elongation of a sensor used in one embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

Fig. 1 illustrates an escalator as an example of the conveyance device 1, and shows a schematic configuration thereof. In fig. 1, an escalator 1 drives a step chain 9 bridged between a drive pulley (sprocket) 3 and a driven pulley (sprocket) 4 to move a plurality of steps 5 connected in an endless manner around (in a loop).

Specifically, the escalator 1 includes a plurality of steps 5 connected in an endless manner inside a truss (structural frame) 2. The driving pulley 3 and the driven pulley 4 are disposed in upper and lower portions of the truss 2. Rotational power is supplied from a motor 8 to the drive wheel 3 via a speed reducer 6 and a drive chain 7. The step chain 9 stretched between the drive wheel 3 and the driven wheel 4 is driven to be looped therebetween by the rotational power, and the plurality of steps 5 connected to the step chain 9 are circulated between the upper and lower stages.

Further, the escalator 1 is provided with balustrades 12 on both sides in the traveling direction of the steps 5, and an endless handrail belt (moving handrail) 13 is attached along the outer periphery of the balustrade 12. The handrail belt 13 of the balustrade 12 moves around in the same direction as the steps 5 in accordance with the movement of the steps 5.

The operation of the escalator 1 is realized by controlling the inverter device (not shown) and the motor 8 by the control device 14 provided in the truss 2. The control device 14 is a computer having a CPU, a RAM, a ROM, and the like. The functions of the control device 14 are implemented by loading an application program held in the ROM into the RAM and executing the program by the CPU, thereby operating various devices constituting the escalator 1. In addition, the CPU reads and writes various data from and into the RAM and/or the ROM.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the drive chain 7 and/or the step chain 9 constituting the escalator 1 are provided with extension detection means for detecting local extensions thereof. Fig. 2 schematically shows the relationship of the elongation detecting unit 20 to the chain 21 (referred to as the drive chain 7 and/or the step chain 9 described above).

In fig. 2, a chain 21 is formed by connecting a plurality of rollers 23 in series at a constant pitch by links 22. The elongation detecting unit 20 includes: two

sensors

25, 26 arranged along the moving direction (lateral direction in the figure) of the chain 21; and an extension determination unit 27 for receiving detection signals from the two

sensors

25 and 26, and determining whether or not there is a local extension of the chain 21 by the extension determination unit 27.

The two

sensors

25 and 26 are disposed at a length interval of an integral multiple of the above-described pitch between the rollers 23 constituting the chain 21, and output detection signals each time the rollers 23 pass along the chain 21. The extension determination unit 27 captures the rising timings of the detection signals of the two

sensors

25 and 26, and detects the magnitude of the deviation of these rising timings. Then, the magnitude of the deviation of the rise timing is compared with a threshold value, and it is determined whether or not the portion of the chain 21 passing between the

sensors

25 and 26 is stretched.

The internal configuration of the extension determination unit 27 in the case where the microcomputer (hereinafter, referred to as a "microcomputer") is configured will be described with reference to the functional block diagram of fig. 3.

Signals

25P, 26P from the two

sensors

25, 26 are input to the microcomputer 27. In the diagnostic software 271 of the microcomputer 27, edge detection of the signal is performed by the edge detector 2711 in order to capture the rising timing of the

signals

25P and 26P. Determining unit 2712 calculates the edge interval of each of detected

signals

25P and 26P, that is, the magnitude of the shift in the rise timing, and compares the magnitude of the obtained shift with a predetermined threshold value. Then, the determination result 27j is output.

As the

sensors

25 and 26, for example, photoelectric sensors are used. The

photosensors

25 and 26 have

light emitters

25A and 26A and

light receivers

25B and 26B arranged vertically with respect to the moving direction of the chain 21, and generate an optical axis 29 intersecting the roller 23 of the chain 21. In fig. 2,

light projecting portions

25A and 26A are arranged on the upper side, and

light receiving portions

25B and 26B are arranged on the lower side.

Since the chain 21 is coated with the lubricating oil, the constituent members (light receiving

portions

25B and 26B in the drawing) of the

sensors

25 and 26 located below the chain 21 are not arranged directly below the chain 21, but are arranged on the side avoiding the oil 30 dropped from the chain 21, as shown in fig. 2B. That is, the sensor 25 (and likewise the sensor 26) has the light emitter 25A and the light receiver 25B arranged vertically on the chain 21 so that the optical axis 29 obliquely intersects the roller 23 of the chain 21.

In addition, fig. 2 schematically shows the chain 21, and actually, the structure is as shown in fig. 4. That is, the links 22 include outer links 221 and inner links 222, which are alternately connected. The roller 23 has the bushing 231 and the coupling pin 232 inserted therein, and the corresponding outer link 221 and the corresponding inner link 222 are rotatably coupled by the coupling pin 232.

In addition, as shown in fig. 5, the

sensors

25 and 26 are actually attached to the structural members of the truss 2 via the brackets 32 so as to be in the arrangement relationship described in fig. 2 with respect to the corresponding chain 21 (here, the drive chain 7 is the subject). As shown in fig. 6, the bracket 32 includes: the interval support portion 321;

sensor support portions

322, 322; and an attachment portion 323 attached to the truss.

As described above, the spacing support portion 321 positions the

sensors

25 and 26 attached to the sensor support portion 322 at the length intervals of the integral multiple of the constant pitch, which is the installation interval of the rollers 23 in the chain 21. The attachment portion 323 attached to the truss attaches the bracket 32 to the structural member of the truss 2 so that the bracket 32 is along the moving direction of the chain 21 (drive chain 7) as shown in fig. 5. The sensor support 322 arranges the

light emitters

25A and 26A and the

light receivers

25B and 26B of the

sensors

25 and 26 above and below the chain 21 so as to form an optical axis 29 intersecting the roller 23 of the chain 21. In this example, as shown in fig. 6(c), the configuration is: the light emitter 25A and the light receiver 25B are arranged such that the optical axis 29 obliquely intersects the roller 23 of the chain 21, and the oil 30 dripping from the chain 21 is prevented from falling onto the light receiver 25B.

When the

photoelectric sensors

25 and 26 are so-called transmission type sensors, light emitting elements (not shown) that generate the optical axes 29 toward the corresponding

light receiving portions

25B and 26B are provided in the

light projecting portions

25A and 26A. On the other hand, the

light receiving portions

25B and 26B are provided with photoelectric conversion elements (not shown) that receive the optical axes 29 from the corresponding

light projecting portions

25A and 26A and generate electric signals.

When a so-called reflection-type sensor is used for the

photosensors

25 and 26, a light-emitting element (not shown) and a photoelectric conversion element (not shown) that generate the optical axis 29 toward the corresponding light-receiving

portions

25B and 26B are provided in the light-projecting

portions

25A and 26A, and a reflector (not shown) that reflects the optical axis 29 from the light-projecting

portions

25A and 26A toward the corresponding light-projecting

portions

25A and 26A is provided in the light-receiving

portions

25B and 26B.

Further, when the

photosensors

25 and 26 are so-called reflection sensors and the reflection-type

light receiving portions

25B and 26B are located below the chain 21, the reflection-type

light receiving portions

25B and 26B may be provided with prisms 34 to form a dustproof structure as shown in fig. 7. The prism 34 has a reflection function as follows: incident surfaces of the optical axes 29 from the

light projecting portions

25A, 26A are set to be vertical, and the light beams passing through the prism 34 are reflected and emitted to the corresponding

light projecting portions

25A, 26A as indicated by broken lines.

When the prism 34 is used in this way, even if the incident surface of the optical axis 29 is set to be vertical, the prism 34 refracts the optical axis, and therefore, the reflected light can be emitted to the corresponding

light projecting portions

25A and 26A. Therefore, unlike the case where only the reflecting plate is used without using the prism, dust does not accumulate on the upward reflecting surface, and a configuration that is preferable as a measure against dust is provided.

The extension determination unit 27 receives the detection signals of the two

sensors

25 and 26 as described above, captures the rising timings of the detection signals, and detects the magnitude of the deviation of the rising timings. The magnitude of the deviation in the rise timing is proportional to the local elongation of the chain 21, that is, the elongation of the portion passing between the

sensors

25 and 26. Therefore, the presence or absence of the extension of the corresponding link 22 portion and the magnitude thereof are determined by comparing the magnitude of the deviation with a threshold value.

The function of the extension determination unit 27 can be realized as a function of a computer constituting the control device 14. Of course, as shown in fig. 3, a microcomputer dedicated to the extension determination unit 27 and independent of the control device 14 may be used.

In the above configuration, when the chain 21 moves along with the operation of the escalator, the rollers 23 constituting the chain 21 shield the optical axis 29 each time they intersect the optical axis 29 of the

sensors

25 and 26, and therefore the

sensors

25 and 26

output detection signals

25P and 26P having waveforms shown in fig. 8. In fig. 8, the detection signals 25P, 26P are shown in analog waveforms, but are processed as digital signals by subsequent digital processing. In fig. 8 and fig. 9 described below, the analog signal is described as being held.

When the roller 23 passes across the optical axis 29 while the chain 21 is moving, the optical axis 29 is shielded from light, and the electric signals from the

sensors

25 and 26 are turned off, but the detection signals 25P and 26P obtained by inverting the signals are turned on as digital signals, and the optical axis 29 is positioned between the rollers 23 and turned off as digital signals.

As described above, since the

sensors

25 and 26 are arranged along the moving direction of the chain 21 at the length intervals of integral multiples of the pitch between the

adjacent rollers

23 and 23 of the chain 21, when the chain 21 is not stretched at all, the rising timings of the detection signals 25P and 26P coincide with each other and overlap each other as shown in fig. 8.

The extension determination unit 27 receives detection signals 25P and 26P from the

sensors

25 and 26, captures rising edges of the signals, and detects rising times t1 and t 2. Then, the difference between the rising times t1 and t2 is obtained. The difference between the times t1 and t2, that is, the magnitude of the deviation in the rise timing of the detection signals 25P and 26P is proportional to the magnitude of the elongation of the portion of the chain 21 passing through the

sensors

25 and 26.

For example, in fig. 2, when the chain 21 is not stretched, the timing at which the optical axis 29 of the sensor 25 contacts the roller 23 (the rising time t1 of the detection signal 25P) and the timing at which the optical axis 29 of the sensor 26 contacts the other adjacent roller 23 (the rising time t2 of the detection signal 26P) are matched with each other and are not deviated as shown in fig. 8.

On the other hand, when the chain 21 is stretched and the distance between the

adjacent rollers

23, 23 is longer than the predetermined pitch, the left adjacent roller 23 is shown not yet reaching the position of contact with the optical axis 29 of the sensor 25 at the timing when the optical axis 29 of the sensor 26 contacts the roller 23 (the rising time t2 of the detection signal 26P) as the chain 31 moves to the right in the drawing, and the timing when the roller 23 contacts the optical axis 29 of the sensor 25 (the rising time t1 of the detection signal 25P) is delayed by the amount of stretch of the chain 21 as shown in fig. 9.

Therefore, by obtaining the difference between the rising times t1 and t2, that is, the magnitude (time) of the deviation in the rising timing of the detection signals 25P and 26P, the magnitude of the elongation of the portion of the chain 21 passing through the

sensors

25 and 26 can be detected.

The mounting interval of the

sensors

25 and 26 is set to a length that is an integral multiple of the fixed pitch between the rollers 23 of the chain 21 as described above, and when the size cannot be set strictly in terms of structure, the initial offset amount (offset) is set using a non-elongation chain.

The elongation of the chain 21 is obtained by the following equation using the rise times T1 and T2, the initial offset T _ init, and the passage time T1 from the sensors 25 to 26.

(％)＝(t2-t1-t_init)×100/T1

The initial offset t _ init is obtained from the rising times t1 and t2 measured by using a non-extended chain according to the following equation.

t_init＝t2-t1

The extension determination unit 27 compares the magnitude of the deviation thus obtained with a threshold value, thereby determining the presence or absence of extension and the degree of extension of the corresponding portion of the chain 21.

When the rising times t1 and t2 are detected by a microcomputer or the like, if the sampling period DT of the microcomputer is larger than (t2 to t1), the value of (t2 to t1) has an error by ± DT, and therefore the measurement value of the elongation also has an error. In this case, the extension determination unit 27 may be configured to: the magnitude of the deviation of the rise timing of the detection signals from the

sensors

25 and 26 is added for each predetermined amount of the loop of the chain 21, the average value of the loop is obtained for each part of the chain 21, and the average value is compared with a threshold value, thereby capturing the local elongation of the chain 21. By averaging, the measurement errors ± DT of (t2-t1) are averaged for each time and approach to a correct value.

Further, the extension determination unit 27 may be configured to: the magnitude of the deviation of the rise timing of the detection signals from the

sensors

25 and 26 is added for each predetermined amount of the loop of the chain 21, the average value of the loop is obtained for each part of the chain 21, and the average value is compared with a threshold value, thereby capturing the local elongation of the chain 21.

Several embodiments of the present invention have been described, but these embodiments are only proposed as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in other various ways, and various omissions, substitutions, and changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and/or modifications thereof are included in the scope and/or gist of the invention, and are included in the inventions described in the claims and the equivalent scope thereof.

Claims

1. A conveyor device having an elongation detection unit for a chain formed by connecting a plurality of links at a constant pitch by rollers, respectively,

the elongation detection unit has:

two sensors arranged at a length interval of an integral multiple of the pitch along a moving direction of the chain, and outputting a detection signal every time the roller passes; and

an extension determination unit for receiving detection signals from the two sensors, capturing rising timings of the detection signals, and comparing the magnitude of a deviation of the rising timings with a threshold value to determine whether or not the chain is extended,

the sensor is a photoelectric sensor in which a light projecting portion and a light receiving portion are arranged vertically with respect to a moving direction of the chain to generate an optical axis obliquely crossing the roller, and constituent members of the sensor located below the chain are arranged at positions avoiding oil dripping from the chain.

2. The delivery device of claim 1,

the photoelectric sensor is a transmission type sensor in which a light emitting element that generates an optical axis toward the light receiving unit is provided in the light projecting unit, and a photoelectric conversion element that generates an electric signal upon receiving the optical axis from the light projecting unit is provided in the light receiving unit.

3. The delivery device of claim 1,

the photoelectric sensor is a reflection type sensor in which a light emitting element and a photoelectric conversion element that generate an optical axis toward the light receiving unit are provided in the light projecting unit, and a reflector that reflects the optical axis from the light projecting unit toward the light projecting unit is provided in the light receiving unit.

4. The delivery device of claim 3,

a constituent member of the sensor located below the chain of the photosensor is a reflective light receiving section having a prism whose incident surface from an optical axis of the light projecting section is oriented in a vertical direction,

the prism has a reflection function of reflecting an incident optical axis and emitting the optical axis to the light projection section.

5. The conveying device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,

the extension determination unit adds the magnitude of the deviation of the rise timing to a predetermined loop amount of the chain, obtains an average value of the loop amount for each portion of the chain, and compares the average value with a threshold value.