EP1046606A1 - Handrail device for an accelerating walkway - Google Patents

Abstract

Guiding rail (10) carries counter-carriages (9) linked to each other with supple links (6), and approaching carriage-bearing rail (4) of handrail in zone (D) situated between spacing zone (B), and turnaround zone (F). Guiding rail follows cam contour with profile having each wave length (B1) equals to distance between first and third counter-carriages placed on either end of encirc wave.

Description

The present invention relates to a device forming a handrail for an accelerated moving sidewalk.

We know such a device of the kind shown in figure 1 which shows the part of the handrail located at each end of the sidewalk and whose principle is written in patent application FR 2 274 523.

According to this known device, the handrail includes 1 handrail handles mounted respectively on carriages 2 whose rollers 3 are move between running and guide rails 4; a handrail element 6 constituted by a link flexible connecting two successive carriages 2 through two return members 7, such as pulleys or pinions, carried by the axes 8 of the rollers 3 of the carriages 2 of so that the flexible connecting element 6 folds back substantially at right angles to the right of each handle corresponding 1. The two ends of each element flexible 6 are respectively connected to two counter-carriages 9 which can move on rails bearing and guide 10 while being held by it at a variable distance from the guide rails 4 of carriages 2 to allow the spacing to be varied handles 1 and, therefore, their speed, i.e. that the handles 1 can move apart in a acceleration zone B located at one end of the sidewalk (on the side then of the entry of this one) and to approach in another deceleration zone B located at the other end of the sidewalk (on the exit side) and stay equidistant in zone A at speed constant between the two acceleration and deceleration B, thus achieving a handrail whose we would like it to be "synchronous" to the floor sidewalk mobile, which was not the case until the present invention.

Each side of the moving walk is equipped of a handrail and in zone A at speed constant V of it which covers most of the sidewalk, the counter carriages 9 have joined the carriages 2 carrying the handles 1 because the rails of guide 10 are very close to the rails 4 and the elements flexible links 6 are deployed in such a way that the distance between two successive handles 1 is maximum. If we denote by d the distance from a middle of a handle 1 in the middle of another handle next 1, this distance varies in the acceleration and deceleration B. If v is the minimum speed at a time entry into acceleration zone B and exit into the other deceleration zone B, handles 1, and V la maximum speed of these in zone A at speed constant, the ratio V / v being equal to K, the smallest value of the distance between the handles 1 at the entrance or at the exit from zones B of the sidewalk is equal to d / K. AT as an example, if for a moving sidewalk V = 3m / s and v = 0.75 m / s, the ratio K = 4 and for d = 2 meters, the minimum distance between handles will then be d / 4 = 0.5 at the entrance and exit of the sidewalk.

The guide rails 4 of the carriages 2 carrying the handles 1 and the guide rails 10 of the counter-carriages 9 each form a loop with each end of the sidewalk a turning device of the handrail allowing to bring back the handles from one end of the sidewalk to the other. In the area to constant speed A, rails 4 and 10 are parallel to the moving floor P of the sidewalk and the handles 1 as well that the flexible connecting elements 6 constituting the upper strand of the handrail lie at a height determined in relation to this floor. In this zone A, the counter-carriages 9 are engaged in the trolleys 2. In zone B of acceleration or deceleration, the counter-carriages 9 roll on a part of the guide rail 10 in cam profile, the shape governs the relative movement of the handles successive, i.e. the speed law followed by these. The reversal of the strand handrail higher than the lower or return strand of the loop takes place by a circular rotation due to the configuration in an arc of rails 4 and 10, in now hold handles 1 at their relative distance minimum at the exit from the deceleration zone or at the entrance to the acceleration zone.

The disadvantage of such an arrangement is present an excessive size, due to the large diameter  of the circular trajectory of the handles when reversal at each end of the handrail, leading to providing a receiving pit for the game turning end of a depth relatively large. For example, in the case previous, where the distance between handles apart in the area at constant maximum speed is 2 m, and becomes 0.5 when entering or leaving the sidewalk, the distance between the handles and the counter carriages being then 0.75 m in the turning area and, count given the size of the successive counter-carts, the diameter  of the circular trajectory of the handles when turning over is at least 2.5 m, or even 3 m.

The problem posed is, on the one hand, to obtain a true synchronization between the handrails and the moving sidewalk floor in areas acceleration and deceleration which, for problems of comfort, and optimization of efforts on mechanical systems, must be accelerated and constant deceleration, and, on the other hand, to eliminate the disadvantage mentioned above in the areas of reversal in order to decrease to a most low possible turning height of the handles handrail.

The solution to the problem posed is, according to the invention, a device forming a handrail for an accelerated moving walkway comprising N handles mounted on carriages moving on at least one running and guide rail, flexible connecting elements of the same length L connecting two consecutive carriages, folding up to the right of these by a deflection member, and anchored at their two ends to two counter-carriages moving on at least one other guide and rolling rail located at a variable distance from the rail carrying the carriages in order to accelerate and decelerate them between a given maximum speed and minimum speed, said rails each being formed in a loop whose lower strands on the one hand and upper strands on the other hand are straight and parallel to each other respectively in a lower E and upper A zone corresponding to at least part of their length and their end portions F are short bes and ensure the reversal of the handle assemblies, connecting elements and counter-carriages, the guide and rolling rail of the counter-carriages deviating, beyond zone A, from the guide and rolling rail of the carriages in a zone B situated before each end part F of their upper strands; according to the invention said rail 10 carrying the counter-carriages approaches the carriage-carrying rail in a zone D situated between the spacing zone B and that of the reversal F, and in at least the spacing zone B, follows a cam contour, having an oscillatory profile whose length of each wave B _I is equal to the distance between a first and third consecutive counter-carriages each placed at each end of the wave they frame.

Preferably, at each end of each wave, the slope of the profile of the rail cam outline carrying the counter carriages is parallel to that of the section of the carriage rail located in the same plane transverse cutting the end of the corresponding wave and perpendicular to the two rails; more the number of handles located between the beginning and the end of each zone spacing B is odd, and when a first handle is positioned at one end, the last is positioned at the other end of the same area.

Due to the possibility of using such a fast sidewalk according to the invention, either in one direction traffic, either in the other, zone B which is of acceleration in one direction of course becomes area B deceleration in the other direction and vice versa: for this, according to the present invention, said cam contours of the rail carrying the counter-carriages less in the gap area B are the same at each end of the handrail device.

In a preferred embodiment the upper and lower strands of the rail loop carrying the carriages are parallel and the device has a horizontal safety zone C located between each separation zone B and reconciliation zone D.

The result is a new device forming handrail which responds to the problem posed by providing, on the one hand, all the comfort and security desired for curb users according to the invention and, on the other part, an optimization of the implementation of the means mechanical whose dimensions and forces to which they must resist are minimized.

• la figure 1 représente la partie d'extrémité de retournement d'une main courante pour un trottoir roulant accéléré selon l'art antérieur ;
• la figure 2 représente un premier mode de réalisation du dispositif formant main courante de l'invention : et
• la figure 3 représente un second mode de réalisation du dispositif formant main courante de l'invention.

The invention will be better understood and other objectives, characteristics, details and advantages thereof will appear more clearly during the explanatory description which follows, made with reference to the appended schematic drawings given solely by way of example illustrating two embodiments of the invention and in which:

• Figure 1 shows the end portion of a handrail reversal for an accelerated moving walk according to the prior art;
• FIG. 2 represents a first embodiment of the device forming a handrail of the invention: and
• Figure 3 shows a second embodiment of the handrail device of the invention.

The handrail which will be described in Figures 2 and 3 generally presents the same configuration as that of the handrail previously known shown in Figure 1, so that the elements of the handrail of Figures 2 and 3 common to those of the handrail of figure 1 have the same references.

Besides, the handrail of figure 1 is described in European Patent No. 0 576 353, the content is incorporated into this application as reference.

So, without going into details, we indicate that each flexible connection element 6 can consist of a toothed belt (Figure 1) by which are fixed blocks 1b whose shape allows the reciprocal nesting between two contiguous blocks, each front face of a block comprising a boss and each rear face comprising at least one recess combined with that of the boss so that in the straight part of the link between the two pulleys return, each boss on a front face of a block 1b fits into a conjugate recess on the rear side next to the adjacent block forming a tenon connection mortise capable of withstanding sharp forces applied to the link, the bosses moving away from recesses in the convex parts of this link.

Of course, the flexible connecting element 6 can be constituted differently than described in the patent above mentioned earlier, for example by cable.

• les zones d'accélération ou de décélération B, des zones d'écartement des rails de guidage et de roulement 10 des contre-chariots 9 par rapport aux rails de guidage et de roulement 4 des chariots 2 porte-poignées 1, au-delà des extrémités de la zone A à vitesse constante maximum,
• et les zones D définies précédemment, avant ou dans la partie de retournement F, qui sont des zones, soit de mise en vitesse de la main courante, soit de ralentissement de celle-ci, des zones de rapprochement des rails 10 portant les contre-chariots 9 par rapport aux rails 4 portant les chariots 2.

In Figures 2 and 3 are shown the two ends of a moving sidewalk which are identical to allow reversibility thereof: to avoid any confusion in the definition of the acceleration and deceleration zones which can on the one hand be reversed according to the direction of travel of the sidewalk and on the other hand confused in the zones in which the handles are also accelerated and decelerated before or during the reversal, we will rather call in this description:

• the acceleration or deceleration zones B, zones of separation of the guide and rolling rails 10 of the counter-carriages 9 with respect to the guide and rolling rails 4 of the carriages 2 handle carriers 1, beyond the ends of zone A at maximum constant speed,
• and the zones D defined above, before or in the turning part F, which are zones, either of speeding up of the handrail, or of slowing down of the latter, zones of approximation of the rails 10 carrying the counter carriages 9 with respect to the rails 4 carrying the carriages 2.

According to the invention, the guide rails 10 of the counter-carriages 9 have a contour in zones D cam 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d as it approaches progressively from the guide rail of the handle trolleys 1, from separation zones B to zone lower E in which the handrail handles 1 move spaced a relative distance apart constant which is substantially equal to the distance between the handrails moving in the area A at maximum constant speed.

According to the embodiment of FIG. 2, the rail 10 carrying the counter-carriages 9 approaches that of 4 carriage-holders 2 until said counter-carriages 9 are as close as possible to the corresponding carriages 2, before the zone F for turning and following a convex profile 10 _a2 of the cam contour which extends a concave part 10 _a1, itself in the continuity of the cam profile of the separation zone B then of safety C, and is connected at the start of the shape of an arc 10 _a3 of the turning curve, and the flexible connecting elements 6 located between two consecutive handles 1 are wound on a deflection wheel 5 conforming to the shape of the turning part. In this exemplary embodiment, the re-acceleration for speeding up, or at the other end of the pavement the deceleration for slowing down, handrail handles are carried out before, or respectively after, the reversal thereof, so as efficient as possible with a minimum number of links 6 which is two, which represents a length 1 of the zone D substantially equal to 3 m for an overall diameter  of the circle formed by the guide rails 4 and 10 d 'about 1.30 m.

Figure 2 also shows that the link or the flexible connecting element 6 between two handles of consecutive re-accelerated handrail 1 is wound on a gear wheel forming gypsy 5, which can be drive to ensure the training of the handrail, and comprising two housings substantially diametrically opposite 5a each receiving a set consisting of a carriage 2 carrying a handrail handle 1 and a counter carriage 9 engaged in carriage 2 and, if applicable if applicable, as shown in the embodiment in Figure 3, two intermediate carriages 11. The turning part in the shape of a circular arc guide rails 4 of the carriages 2 embraces in some the return wheel forming a gypsy 5.

The cam contour 10a and the wheel forming gypsy 5 are inaccessible to passengers by the floor P of the moving walkway while being masked by a protective covering 13 shown diagrammatically in line mixed on figure 2 and which starts at the exit of the sidewalk in the vicinity of the landing plate for extend over safety zone C and zone D to the reversal zone F. This safety zone C horizontal differs from that known in sidewalks to current constant speed which does not involve handrail elements of variable length and of which security is ensured only in the lower part of the vertical part of the area F for turning.

As mentioned earlier, the end of the sidewalk corresponding to the entrance to it and the one corresponding to the output as defined above, are identical and the device according to the invention as shown in Figure 2 allows decrease, as we saw previously, the diameter size d'enc of wheel 5 to a value of approximately 1.30 m thus leading to a substantial reduction of the depth of the pit which will then only be about 0.30 m from floor P of the sidewalk rolling which is itself located about 1 m below of the upper side of the handrail 1.

According to the embodiment shown in Figure 3, the rail 10 carrying the counter carriages 9 move closer to that 4 carriage holder until said counter-carriages 9 are as close as possible to 2 corresponding trolleys, in zone F of turning and following a convex contour profile of cam which constitutes at least part of the curve of reversing said rail 10, and the end part turning over the rail carrying the carriages is shaped like an arc of a circle.

According to this embodiment, the shape of the turning cam 10c or 10d of the guide rail, all like that of the approximation cam 10a or 10b of the Figure 2, is achievable by a skilled person following any profile corresponding to the present invention, without that it is necessary to specify more the characteristics in the present description, and to re-accelerate or slow down the handles handrail 1 in a minimum distance: in this zone there is indeed no concern for acceleration and constant deceleration and of low value for the passenger comfort as in zones B, which allows a reduction in diameter size  of the shaped turning part of the arc of the guide rails 4 of the carriages 2: in the embodiment of Figure 3, this diameter  can be around 2 m leading to a pit depth of about 1 m below the floor P of passenger transport, a value which is certainly greater than that of the pit depth of the realization of figure 2 but lower than the pit depth of the prior art device of Figure 1.

The turning end parts of the handrail described above in Figures 2 and 3 are thus arranged according to the invention so on the one hand that the return of the handrail from one end of sidewalk at the other end of it relates to a number of handrail handles as low as possible and on the other hand that relatively to the areas of reversal of the handrail of the prior art of Figure 1, the receiving pit of each zone of reversal located below the movable floor of passenger transportation is substantially decreased.

In at least zones A and E of their part straight line corresponding to the maximum speed drive after acceleration of the carriages 2 and counter-carriages 9, the rails 4, 10 carrying the carriages 2 and the counter-carriages 9 are located at equal distance between them ; moreover the device comprises, above all when the length L of the flexible connections between carriages 2 is important, intermediate carriages 11 located between two successive handrail handles 1 and integral with each flexible connecting element 6; these said intermediate carriages 11 including the support rollers 12 can move on the guide rails and rolling of the carriages 2 supporting the handshakes current 1, can thus better guide it especially in the event of a curve when changing the slope in the fast sidewalk path so the ties flexible 6 better fit the shape of the curve between two trolleys 1.

In the zones B of separation of the guide and rolling rails 10 carrying the counter-carriages 9 with respect to those 4 carrying the carriages 2, as is desired constant acceleration or deceleration over at least a large part of this zone in order to improve passenger comfort and the best mechanical strength of the constituent elements of the device, the cam contour of the rail 10 in this zone is, as indicated above, according to an oscillatory profile the length of each Bi wave (four B waves ₁ to B ₄ are represented in FIG. 3) is equal to the distance between a first and a third consecutive counter-carriages 9 each placed at each end of the wave which frames them: the length of each of these waves, thus decreases as and as the carriages 1 slow down, linked to the progressive spacing of the rails.

In addition, the slope T _I of the profile of the cam outline of the rail 10 carrying the counter-carriages 9 is parallel to that of the section of the rail 4 carriage carrier 2 located in the same transverse plane P _I cutting the end of the wave. corresponding B _I and perpendicular to the two rails 4, 10; and the number of handles 1 located between the start and the end of each spacing zone B is odd, for example, in FIG. 3, new and when a first handle 1 is positioned at one end, the last is positioned at the end other end of the same area.

From the above definitions there are several types of cams according to the present invention making it possible to go from a constant maximum speed V in the zones A and E upstream of the inlet, and downstream of the outlet, of the cam acceleration / deceleration which are at constant speed, at or from a given minimum speed v, following a constant given acceleration / deceleration. Knowing moreover that to any handle 1 must correspond a counter-carriage 9 whose property of static equilibrium in order to reduce the efforts thereof is that the flexible link 6 which connects them must be orthogonal to the profile of the cam of the rail 10, can state that this is the envelope of the circles of centers G _n (t) and of radius R _n (t); t varying between zero and τ which is the period of time between the passage of two consecutive handles in the same place; the value of the radius R _n being the distance between each handle 1 and its associated counter-carriage 9 and the center G _n of each circle being the position of the handle 1 considered.

• k_v= V maximum/v minimum
• k₀= v minimum x V maximum x (k_{v - 1)/2}
• K₁= V maximum - v minimum x (k_{v - 1)/2}

on a alors une valeur d'accélération/décélération γ_(p)= K₀ / (P x L) et une longueur de décélération ou accélération, égale à la longueur de la zone B, d(p)= 2 x P x τ x K₁

soit pour une valeur à titre d'exemple de L = 2 m et une vitesse maximale V = 3 m/s et v mini de 0, 75 m/s, pour P = 4 soit un nombre de poignées M = 9, et une période T = L/V = 2/3 seconde, on a :

une décélération γ = 0,4218 m/s et une longueur de décélération ou de décélération d = 10 m.

If we assimilate the maximum length between two handles 1 to that L of the flexible connecting element 6 which connects them and we take a number of handles M present at the same time in the acceleration / deceleration zone, let d 'spacing B, such that M = 2P + 1 (where P is in fact the number of waves B _i ), constants related to the speeds v mini and V maxi are determined according to the characteristics of the present invention, such as:

• k _v = V maximum / v minimum
• k ₀ = v minimum x V maximum x (k _{v - 1) / 2}
• K ₁ = V maximum - v minimum x (k _{v - 1) / 2}

we then have an acceleration / deceleration value γ _(p) = K ₀ / (P x L) and a deceleration or acceleration length, equal to the length of the area B, d (p) = 2 x P x τ x K ₁

either for an example value of L = 2 m and a maximum speed V = 3 m / s and minimum v of 0.75 m / s, for P = 4 or a number of handles M = 9, and a period T = L / V = 2/3 second, we have:

a deceleration γ = 0.4218 m / s and a deceleration or deceleration length d = 10 m.

Claims (11)

Handrail device for accelerated moving walkway comprising (N) handles (1) mounted on carriages (2) moving on at least one running and guide rail (4), flexible connecting elements (6) of the same length (L) connecting two consecutive carriages (2), folding back to the right of these by a deflection member (7), and anchored at their two ends to two counter-carriages (9) moving on at least one other rail guide and bearing (10) located at a variable distance from the rail (4) carrying the carriages (2) in order to accelerate and decelerate them between a given maximum speed and minimum speed, said rails (4, 10 ) each being shaped into a loop, the lower strands on the one hand and the upper strands on the other hand are rectilinear and parallel to each other respectively in a lower (E) and upper (A) zone corresponding to at least part of their length and their end portions (F) are neck reeds and ensure the reversal of the handle (1), connection elements (6) and counter-carriages (9) assemblies, the guide and rolling rail (10) of the counter-carriages (9) deviating beyond of the zone (A), of the guide and rolling rail (4) of the carriages (2) in a zone (B) situated before each end part (F) of their upper strands, characterized in that said rail ( 10) carrying the counter-carriages (9) approaches the rail (4) carriage-carriers (2) in an area (D) located between the area (B) of spacing and that (F) of reversal, and in at minus the spacing zone (B), follows a cam contour, having an oscillatory profile whose length of each wave (B _I ) is equal to the distance between a first and third consecutive counter-carriages each placed at each end of the wave they frame. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that at each end of each wave, the slope of the profile of the cam outline of the rail (10) carrying the counter-carriages (9) is parallel to that of the section of the rail (4) carriage holder (2) located in the same transverse plane cutting the end of the wave corresponding and perpendicular to the two rails (4, 10). Device according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the number of handles (1) located between the beginning and the end of each spacing zone (B) is odd, and when a first handle (1) is positioned at one end, the last is positioned at the other end of the same area. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the rail (10) carrying the counter-carriages (9) approaches that (4) carriage holder (2) until said counter- carriages (9) are as close as possible to the corresponding carriages (2), before the turning area (F) and along a convex profile (10 _a2 ) of the cam outline which is connected at the start of the arc shape (10 _a3 ) of the turning curve, and the flexible connecting elements (6) located between two consecutive handles (1) are wound on a return wheel (5) conforming to the shape of the turning part. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the idler wheel (5) comprises two substantially diametrically opposite housings (5 _a ) each receiving an assembly constituted by a carriage (2) carrying a handrail handle (1) and a counter - trolley (9). Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the rail (10) carrying the counter-carriages approaches that (4) carriage holder (2) until said counter-carriages (9 ) are as close as possible to the corresponding carriages (2), in the turning area (F) and along a convex profile (10 _c, 10 _d ,) cam outline which constitutes at least part of the turning curve of said rail ( 10), and the end part ensuring the reversal of the rail (4) carrying the carriages (2) is in the form of an arc of a circle. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said rail cam contours (10) carrying the counter-carriages (9) at least in the spacing zone B are the same at each end of the hand device current. Device according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the strands upper and lower of the rail loop (4) bearing the carriages (2) are parallel. Device according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the rails (4, 10) carrying the carriages (2) and the counter carriages (9) are located equidistant from each other at least in the zones (A, E) of their rectilinear part, corresponding to the maximum drive speed, after acceleration, trolleys (2) and counter-trolleys (9). Device according to any one of Claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it comprises at least one intermediate carriage (11) between two successive handrail handles (1) integral with each flexible connecting element (6) and capable of being move on the guide and running rail trolleys (2) supporting the handrail handles (1). Device according to any one of Claims 1 to 10, characterized in that both ends of the upper zone (A), along which the carriages (2) move at speed maximum, it has a safety zone (C) horizontal located between each spacing zone (B) and (D) reconciliation.

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