EP2045203A1

EP2045203A1 - Passenger conveyor

Info

Publication number: EP2045203A1
Application number: EP06781522A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Tatsuya Yoshikawa
Original assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corp
Current assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corp
Priority date: 2006-07-25
Filing date: 2006-07-25
Publication date: 2009-04-08
Also published as: EP2045203A4; WO2008012866A1; JPWO2008012866A1

Abstract

A passenger conveyor includes: a plurality of steps that have step rollers; guide rails that guide the step rollers; and an abnormality detecting apparatus that detects separation of the step rollers from the guide rails. The steps are moved through an endless cyclic pathway. The cyclic pathway has: a forward pathway; and a return pathway that is positioned below the forward pathway. The return pathway has a return path switchover portion in which adjacent steps are displaced vertically relative to each other while being moved. The abnormality detecting apparatus detects the separation of the step roller from the guide rail as the steps are being moved through the return path switchover portion.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a passenger conveyor such as an escalator or a moving walk, for example.

BACKGROUND ART

Generally, respective steps of an escalator are moved cyclically through a forward path side for conveying passengers, and a return path side that is positioned below the forward path side. In conventional escalators, if a toe of a rubber shoe, etc., is caught between the steps as they are being moved through the forward path side, a front wheel of a step may float up from a guide rail.
Conventionally, escalator safety apparatuses have been proposed that have a movable rail that is disposed above the guide rail, and a shoe intrusion detecting mechanism that is activated by displacement of the movable rail in order to detect floating of the front wheels of the steps. The shoe intrusion detecting mechanism is operated by the movable rail being pushed upward by the front wheels of the steps. The floating of the front wheels of the steps is detected by actuation of the shoe intrusion detecting mechanism.
Since it has been assumed that the toe of a rubber shoe, etc., will be caught between the steps, the movable rail is disposed only above the guide rail that guides the steps as they are moved through the forward path side. Consequently, the floating of the front wheels of the steps can be detected only as the steps are being moved through the forward path side (See Patent Literature 1).

Patent Literature 1
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. SHO 63-46457 (Gazette)

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

Consequently, floating of the front wheels of the steps cannot be detected when the steps are being moved through the return path side. Thus, if foreign matter such as a coin, etc., falls inside a truss of the escalator, for example, and the foreign matter is caught between the steps that are being moved through the return path side, the steps may be moved with the front wheels floating. Thus, there is a risk that the steps may collide with the truss, for example, and damage escalator machinery.
The present invention aims to solve the above problems and an object of the present invention is to provide a passenger conveyor that can more reliably prevent damage to machinery inside a truss.

MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEM

In order to achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a passenger conveyor including: a plurality of steps that have a step roller, and that are moved through an endless cyclic pathway; a guide rail that guides the step roller; and an abnormality detecting apparatus that detects separation of the step roller from the guide rail, the passenger conveyor being characterized in that: the cyclic pathway has: a forward pathway; and a return pathway that is positioned below the forward pathway; the return pathway has a return path switchover portion in which adjacent steps are displaced vertically relative to each other while being moved; and the abnormality detecting apparatus detects the separation of the step roller from the guide rail as the steps are being moved through the return path switchover portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a side elevation that shows an escalator according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;
Figure 2 is an enlargement that shows a portion II from Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a cross section that is taken along line III - III in Figure 2;
Figure 4 is an enlargement that shows a state in which foreign matter has been caught between steps from Figure 2 and a portion of the steps has been lifted up;
Figure 5 is an enlargement that shows a portion V from Figure 1;
Figure 6 is a cross section that is taken along line VI - VI in Figure 5;
Figure 7 is a side elevation that shows a return path lower end switchover portion of an escalator according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention;
Figure 8 is an enlargement that shows a portion VIII from Figure 7;
Figure 9 is a cross section that is taken along line IX - IX in Figure 8;
Figure 10 is a side elevation that shows a return path upper end switchover portion of an escalator according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention;
Figure 11 is an enlargement that shows a portion XI from Figure 10; and
Figure 12 is a cross section that is taken along line XII - XII in Figure 11.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be explained with reference to the drawings.

Embodiment 1

Figure 1 is a side elevation that shows an escalator according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. In the figure, a driving machine 2, and a sprocket body 3 that is rotated by a driving force from the driving machine 2 are disposed on an upper end portion of a truss (a main frame) 1. The sprocket body 3 has a drive sprocket 4 and an upper portion step sprocket 5 that are rotated together with each other. A lower portion step sprocket 6 is disposed on a lower end portion of the truss 1.
A drive chain 7 is wound around the drive sprocket 4. The driving force from the driving machine 2 is transmitted to the drive sprocKet 4 by means of the drive chain 7. The drive sprocket 4 and the upper portion step sprocket 5 are rotated together as a result of the drive sprocket 4 receiving the driving force from the driving machine 2.
A plurality of steps 9 that are linked endlessly by a step chain 8 are supported by the truss 1. The step chain 8 is wound around the upper portion step sprocket 5 and the lower portion step sprocket 6. The steps 9 are moved through an endless cyclic pathway by the rotation of the upper portion step sprocket 5. The endless cyclic pathway is constituted by: a forward pathway 10 for conveying passengers; and a return pathway 11 that is continuous with the forward pathway 10, and that is positioned below the forward pathway 10.
The forward pathway 10 has: a forward path inclined portion in which mutually adjacent steps 9 are moved through an intermediate portion of the truss 1 so as to be continuously lined up in a direction of inclination; a forward path upper end horizontal portion and a forward path lower end horizontal portion in which the mutually adjacent steps 9 are moved through an upper end portion and a lower end portion of the truss 1, respectively, so as to be continuously lined up in a horizontal direction; and a forward path upper end switchover portion and a forward path lower end switchover portion in which mutually adjacent steps 9 are respectively displaced vertically relative to each other while being moved between the forward path upper end horizontal portion and the forward path inclined portion and between the forward path lower end horizontal portion and the forward path inclined portion, respectively.
The return pathway 11 has: a return path inclined portion in which mutually adjacent steps 9 are moved through an intermediate portion of the truss 1 so as to be continuously lined up in a direction of inclination; a return path upper end horizontal portion and a return path lower end horizontal portion in which the mutually adjacent steps 9 are moved through an upper end portion and a lower end portion of the truss 1, respectively, so as to be continuously lined up in a horizontal direction; and a return path upper end switchover portion and a return path lower end switchover portion in which mutually adjacent steps 9 are respectively displaced vertically relative to each other while being moved between the return path upper end horizontal portion and the return path inclined portion and between the return path lower end horizontal portion and the return path inclined portion, respectively.
Figure 2 is an enlargement that shows a portion II from Figure 1. Figure 3 is a cross section that is taken along line III - III in Figure 2. Moreover, the return path lower end switchover portion is shown in portion II of Figure 1. In the figures, each of the steps 9 has: a step main body 12; a step shaft 13 that projects outward from first and second end portions in the width direction of the step main body 12, and to which the step chain 8 is connected; a pair of drive rollers 14 that are rotatably disposed on the step shaft 13; and a pair of trailing rollers (step rollers) 15 that are rotatably disposed on the step main body 12.
A pair of drive roller guide rails 16 that guide the driving rollers 14, and a pair of trailing roller guide rails 17 that guide the trailing roller 15 are disposed on the truss 1 (Figure 1). As the steps 9 are moved through the cyclic pathway, the drive rollers 14 are guided by the drive roller guide rails 16, and the trailing rollers 15 are guided by the trailing roller guide rails 17. In other words, the steps 9 are guided both by the drive roller guide rails 16 and by the trailing roller guide rails 17 while being moved through the cyclic pathway.
Each of the drive roller guide rails 16 has: a lower restricting portion 16a that restricts downward displacement of the drive rollers 14; an upper restricting portion 16b that restricts upward displacement of the drive rollers 14; and a linking portion 16c that joins the lower restricting portion 16a and the upper restricting portion 16b. Consequently, vertical displacement of each of the drive rollers 14 is restricted relative to the drive roller guide rails 16. Each of the drive rollers 14 is placed on and guided by the lower restricting portion 16a during normal operation.
Each of the trailing roller guide rails 17 has: a lower restricting portion 17a that restricts downward displacement of the trailing rollers 15; and a vertical portion 17b that is disposed vertically on an edge portion of the lower restricting portion 17a. Consequently, only downward displacement of each of the trailing rollers 15 is restricted relative to the trailing roller guide rails 17. Each of the trailing rollers 15 is placed on and guided by the lower restricting portion 17a during normal operation.
Now, as the steps 9 are moved through the return path lower end switchover portion, foreign matter such as a coin, for example, that has fallen inside the truss 1 is easily caught between the steps 9 because mutually adjacent steps 9 are displaced vertically. If foreign matter is caught between the steps 9, a portion of the steps 9 may be lifted up.
Figure 4 is an enlargement that shows a state in which foreign matter has been caught between steps 9 from Figure 2 and a portion of the steps 9 has been lifted up. In the figure, when the foreign matter 18 is caught between the mutually adjacent steps 9, and the steps 9 are lifted up, the trailing rollers 15 are separated upward (floating) from the trailing roller guide rails 17.
If the steps 9 are moved with the foreign matter 18 still caught between the steps 9, the steps 9 will be moved through the return path lower end switchover portion with the trailing rollers 15 still separated from the trailing roller guide rails 17.
Consequently, an abnormality detecting apparatus 21 that detects separation of the trailing rollers 15 from the trailing roller guide rails 17 is disposed on one of the trailing roller guide rails 17 by means of a plate-shaped mounting member 20. The abnormality detecting apparatus 21 detects the separation of the trailing rollers 15 from the trailing roller guide rails 17 as the steps 9 are being moved through the return path lower end switchover portion.
The abnormality detecting apparatus 21 has: a rod-shaped movable segment (a displacing body) 22 that is displaceable relative to the trailing roller guide rail 17; a forcing spring 23 that forces the movable segment 22 toward the trailing roller guide rail 17; a stopper 24 that restricts displacement of the movable segment 22 toward the trailing roller guide rail 17; and a detecting switch 25 that detects displacement of the movable segment 22 away from the trailing roller guide rail 17.
The movable segment 22 is displaceable between a normal position where a distance from the lower restricting portion 17a has a predetermined value, and a detecting position that is farther away from the trailing roller guide rail 17 than the normal position. In this example, the movable segment 22 is displaced between the normal position and the detecting position by being pivoted relative to the mounting member 20. The movable segment 22 is disposed above the trailing roller guide rail 17. Consequently, the movable segment 22 is displaced from the normal position to the detecting position by being displaced upward. In addition, the movable segment 22 is disposed so as to intersect with a longitudinal direction of the trailing roller guide rail 17.
The position of the movable segment 22 relative to the longitudinal direction of the trailing roller guide rail 17 is set to a predetermined position within a section through which the trailing rollers 15 pass as the steps 9 are moved through the return path lower end switchover portion (a return path lower portion detecting position setting section). In other words, when the trailing rollers 15 pass through between the movable segment 22 and the trailing roller guide rail 17, the steps 9 are being moved through the return path lower end switchover portion (Figures 2 and 4).
The distance between the movable segment 22 when in the normal position and the lower restricting portion 17a is greater than an outside diameter of the trailing rollers 15. In other words, when the movable segment 22 is in the normal position, and the trailing rollers 15 are rolling in contact with the trailing roller guide rail 17, the trailing rollers 15 can pass through between the movable segment 22 and the lower restricting portion 17a without contacting the movable segment 22 (i.e., remain separated from the movable segment 22). The movable segment 22 is held at the normal position by coming into contact with the stopper 24.
The detecting switch 25 detects displacement of the movable segment 22 to the detecting position. The detecting switch 25 outputs a detection signal if displacement of the movable segment 22 to the detecting position is detected, and stops outputting a detection signal if the position of the movable segment 22 is outside the detecting position.
If the steps 9 are moved through the return path lower end switchover portion with a trailing roller 15 remaining separated from the trailing roller guide rail 17, the movable segment 22 is displaced away from the trailing roller guide rail 17 (upward) in opposition to the force from the forcing spring 23 as a result of being pushed by the trailing roller 15. In other words, the movable segment 22 is pushed by the trailing roller 15 and is displaced from the normal position to the detecting position as the steps 9 are moved through the return path lower end switchover portion with the trailing roller 15 separated from the trailing roller guide rail 17.
The abnormality detecting apparatus 21 detects the separation of the trailing roller 15 from the trailing roller guide rail 17 as a result of the detecting switch 25 detecting the displacement of the movable segment 22 to the detecting position.
Figure 5 is an enlargement that shows a portion V from Figure 1. Figure 6 is a cross section that is taken along line VI - VI in Figure 5. Moreover, the return path upper end switchover portion is shown in portion V of Figure 1. In the figures, an abnormality detecting apparatus 31 that detects separation of the trailing rollers 15 from the trailing roller guide rails 17 is disposed on one of the trailing roller guide rails 17 by means of a plate-shaped mounting member 30. The abnormality detecting apparatus 31 detects the separation of the trailing rollers 15 from the trailing roller guide rails 17 as the steps 9 are being moved through the return path upper end switchover portion.
The abnormality detecting apparatus 31 has: a rod-shaped movable segment (a displacing body) 32 that is displaceable relative to the trailing roller guide rail 17; a forcing spring 33 that forces the movable segment 32 toward the trailing roller guide rail 17; a stopper 34 that restricts displacement of the movable segment 32 toward the trailing roller guide rail 17; and a detecting switch 35 that detects displacement of the movable segment 32 away from the trailing roller guide rail 17.
Moreover, the respective configurations of the movable segment (the displacing body) 32, the forcing spring 33, the stopper 34, and the detecting switch 35 are similar to the respective configurations of the movable segment (the displacing body) 22, the forcing spring 23, the stopper 24, and the detecting switch 25.
The position of the movable segment 32 relative to the longitudinal direction of the trailing roller guide rail 17 is set to a predetermined position within a section through which the trailing rollers 15 pass as the steps 9 are being moved through the return path upper end switchover portion (a return path upper portion detecting position setting section). In other words, when the trailing rollers 15 pass through between the movable segment 32 and the trailing roller guide rail 17, the steps 9 are being moved through the return path upper end switchover portion (Figure 5).
As the steps 9 are being moved through the return path upper end switchover portion, a portion of the steps 9 may also be lifted up and the trailing rollers 15 separated upward from the trailing roller guide rail 17 (floating) due to foreign matter being caught between mutually adjacent steps 9 in a similar manner to when being moved through the return path lower end switchover portion.
If the steps 9 are moved through the return path upper end switchover portion with a trailing roller 15 remaining separated from the trailing roller guide rail 17, the movable segment 32 is displaced away from the trailing roller guide rail 17 (upward) in opposition to the force from the forcing spring 33 as a result of being pushed by the trailing roller 15. In other words, the movable segment 32 is pushed by the trailing roller 15 and is displaced from the normal position to the detecting position as the steps 9 are moved through the return path upper end switchover portion with the trailing roller 15 separated from the trailing roller guide rail 17.
The abnormality detecting apparatus 31 detects the separation of the trailing roller 15 from the trailing roller guide rail 17 as a result of the detecting switch 35 detecting the displacement of the movable segment 32 to the detecting position.
Information from each of the detecting switches 25 and 35 is transmitted to a control device (not shown). The control device controls operation of the escalator based on the information from the detecting switches 25 and 35. In this example, the control apparatus stops operation of the escalator if a detection signal is received from at least one of the detecting switches 25 and 35, and continues operation of the escalator when reception of detection signals from both of the detecting switches 25 and 35 has stopped.
Next, operation will be explained. During normal operation, when foreign matter 18 is not caught between the steps 9, the steps 9 are guided by the drive roller guide rails 16 and the trailing roller guide rails 17 while being moved through the cyclic pathway. At this time, the trailing rollers 15 do not contact the movable segments 22 and 32, and the movable segments 22 and 32 remain held in the normal position.
When the steps 9 are moved through the return path lower end switchover portion while descending operation of the escalator is being performed, for example, steps 9 that are in front in the direction of movement are displaced upward from steps 9 that are behind in the direction of movement while being moved (Figure 2). Consequently, if foreign matter 18 is caught between a step 9 in front and the step 9 behind at that time, the step behind 9 is lifted up by the upward displacement of the step 9 in front. The trailing rollers 15 of the step 9 behind are thereby separated upward from the trailing roller guide rail 17 (Figure 4).
If the steps 9 are subsequently moved and the trailing rollers 15 reach the position of the movable segment 22 with a trailing roller 15 still separated from the trailing roller guide rail 17, the trailing roller 15 will contact the movable segment 22. The movable segment 22 is thereby pushed upward in opposition to the force of the forcing spring 23. In other words, the movable segment 22 is displaced from the normal position to the detecting position.
If the movable segment 22 is displaced to the detecting position, a detection signal is output from the detecting switch 25 to the control device, and operation of the escalator is stopped by control from the control device.
When the steps 9 are moved through the return path upper end switchover portion while ascending operation of the escalator is being performed, for example, steps 9 that are in front in the direction of movement are displaced downward from steps 9 that are behind in the direction of movement while being moved (Figure 5). Consequently, if foreign matter is caught between a step 9 in front and the step 9 behind at that time, the step in front 9 is lifted up by the downward displacement of the step 9 in front. The trailing rollers 15 of the step 9 in front are thereby separated upward from the trailing roller guide rail 17.
If the steps 9 are subsequently moved and the trailing rollers 15 reach the position of the movable segment 32 with a trailing roller 15 still separated from the trailing roller guide rail 17, the trailing roller 15 will contact the movable segment 32. The movable segment 32 is thereby pushed upward in opposition to the force of the forcing spring 33. In other words, the movable segment 32 is displaced from the normal position to the detecting position.
If the movable segment 32 is displaced to the detecting position, a detection signal is output from the detecting switch 35 to the control device, and operation of the escalator is stopped by control from the control device.
In an escalator of this kind, because the abnormality detecting apparatuses 21 and 31 can detect floating of the trailing rollers 15 as the steps 9 are being moved through the return path upper end switchover portion and the return path lower end switchover portion, respectively, the floating of the trailing rollers 15 can be detected in the return path upper end switchover portion and the return path lower end switchover portion, where floating of the trailing rollers 15 is most likely to occur in the return pathway 11, enabling the occurrence of floating of the trailing rollers 15 to be detected earlier and more reliably. Consequently, problems that occur if the steps 9 are moved through the return pathway 11 with a trailing roller 15 still floating (damage to machinery inside the truss 1 due to collisions with the steps 9, for example) can be prevented more reliably.
Because the abnormality detecting apparatuses 21 and 31 have movable segments 22 and 32 that are pushed by a trailing roller 15 that has separated from the trailing roller guide rail 17 and displaced upward, and detecting switches 25 and 35 that detect the upward displacement of the movable segments 22 and 32, separation of a trailing roller 15 from the trailing roller guide rail 17 can be detected using a simple configuration.
Because the movable segments 22 and 32 are disposed so as to intersect with the longitudinal direction of the trailing roller guide rail 17, when a trailing roller 15 has separated from the trailing roller guide rail 17, the trailing roller 15 can be made to contact the movable segments 22 and 32 more reliably, enabling false detection by the abnormality detecting apparatuses 21 and 31 to be prevented.
Moreover, in the above example, the abnormality detecting apparatus 21 that detects floating of a trailing roller 15 as the steps 9 are moved through the return path lower end switchover portion and the abnormality detecting apparatus 31 that detects floating of a trailing roller 15 as the steps 9 are being moved through the return path upper end switchover portion are both used together in an escalator, but either the abnormality detecting apparatus 21 or the abnormality detecting apparatus 31 may also be used singly in an escalator to detect the floating of a trailing roller 15 only as the steps 9 are being moved through either the return path lower end switchover portion or the return path upper end switchover portion.

Embodiment 2

Figure 7 is a side elevation that shows a return path lower end switchover portion of an escalator according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. In the figure, an abnormality detecting apparatus 41 that detects separation of trailing rollers 15 from trailing roller guide rails 17 is disposed on one trailing roller guide rail 17. The abnormality detecting apparatus 41 detects the separation of the trailing rollers 15 from the trailing roller guide rails 17 as steps 9 are being moved through the return path lower end switchover portion.
Figure 8 is an enlargement that shows a portion VIII from Figure 7. Figure 9 is a cross section that is taken along line IX - IX in Figure 8. In the figures, the abnormality detecting apparatus 41 is mounted to the trailing roller guide rail 17 by means of a plurality of (in this example, two) mounting members 39 and 40. The mounting members 39 and 40 are disposed so as to be spaced apart from each other in a longitudinal direction of the trailing roller guide rail 17.
The abnormality detecting apparatus 41 has: a movable rail (a displacing body) 42 that is displaceable relative to the trailing roller guide rail 17; a pair of forcing springs 43 that force the movable rail 42 toward the trailing roller guide rail 17; a pair of restricting members 44 that restrict displacement of the movable rail 42 toward the trailing roller guide rail 17; and a detecting switch 45 that detects displacement of the movable rail 42 away from the trailing roller guide rail 17.
The movable rail 42 is disposed alongside the trailing roller guide rail 17. The movable rail 42 has a predetermined length that has been preset. The movable rail 42 has: a rail horizontal portion 42a that faces a lower restricting portion 17a; and a rail vertical portion 42b that is disposed vertically on an edge portion of the rail horizontal portion 42a. In addition, the movable rail 42 is displaceable between a normal position where a distance between the lower restricting portion 17a and the rail horizontal portion 42a has a predetermined value, and a detecting position that is farther away from the trailing roller guide rail 17 than the normal position.
The position of the movable rail 42 relative to the longitudinal direction of the trailing roller guide rail 17 is set to a predetermined position within a section through which the trailing rollers 15 pass as the steps 9 are moved through the return path lower end switchover portion (a return path lower portion detecting position setting section). In other words, when the trailing rollers 15 pass through between the movable rail 42 and the trailing roller guide rail 17, the steps 9 are being moved through the return path lower end switchover portion (Figure 7).
One restricting member 44 is fixed to the mounting member 39, and the other restricting member 44 is fixed to the mounting member 40. A pair of contact members 46 that can contact and separate from the respective restricting members 44 are fixed to two end portions of the movable rail 42. The respective contact members 46 are forced by the respective forcing springs 43 in a direction that will place them in contact with the respective restricting members 44. Displacement of the movable rail 42 toward the trailing roller guide rail 17 is restricted by the respective contact members 46 coming into contact with the respective restricting members 44. The movable rail 42 is held at the normal position when the respective contact members 46 come in contact with the respective restricting members 44.
The distance between the rail horizontal portion 42a when the movable rail 42 is in the normal position and the lower restricting portion 17a is greater than an outside diameter of the trailing rollers 15. In other words, when the movable rail 42 is in the normal position, and the trailing rollers 15 are rolling in contact with the trailing roller guide rail 17, the trailing rollers 15 can pass through between the rail horizontal portion 42a and the lower restricting portion 17a without contacting the movable rail 42 (i.e., remain separated from the rail 42).
The detecting switch 45 is fixed to one of the mounting members 39. An operating member 47 that operates the detecting switch 45 by displacement of the movable rail 42 relative to the trailing roller guide rail 17 is also fixed to an intermediate portion of the movable rail 42.
The detecting switch 45 detects the displacement of the movable rail 42 to the detecting position as a result of the operation of the operating member 47. The detecting switch 45 outputs a detection signal if displacement of the movable rail 42 to the detecting position is detected, and stops outputting a detection signal if the position of the movable rail 42 is outside the detecting position.
If the steps 9 are moved through the return path lower end switchover portion with a trailing roller 15 remaining separated from the trailing roller guide rail 17, the movable rail 42 is displaced away from the trailing roller guide rail 17 (upward) in opposition to the forces from the forcing springs 43 as a result of being pushed by the trailing roller 15. In other words, the movable rail 42 is pushed by the trailing roller 15 and is displaced from the normal position to the detecting position as the steps 9 are moved through the return path lower end switchover portion with the trailing roller 15 separated from the trailing roller guide rail 17.
The abnormality detecting apparatus 41 detects the separation of the trailing roller 15 from the trailing roller guide rail 17 as a result of the detecting switch 45 detecting the displacement of the movable rail 42 to the detecting position.
While the movable rail 42 is being pushed by the trailing roller 15, the trailing roller 15 is rolled in contact with the rail horizontal portion 42a. Separation of the trailing roller 15 from the trailing roller guide rail 17 is thereby detected within a range that is equal to the length of the movable rail 42 (within a predetermined range).
Figure 10 is a side elevation that shows a return path upper end switchover portion of an escalator according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. In the figure, an abnormality detecting apparatus 51 that detects separation of trailing rollers 15 from trailing roller guide rails 17 is disposed on one trailing roller guide rail 17. The abnormality detecting apparatus 51 detects the separation of the trailing rollers 15 from the trailing roller guide rails 17 as the steps 9 are being moved through the return path upper end switchover portion.
Figure 11 is an enlargement that shows a portion XI from Figure 10. Figure 12 is a cross section that is taken along line XII - XII in Figure 11. In the figures, the abnormality detecting apparatus 51 is mounted to the trailing roller guide rail 17 by means of a plurality of (in this example, two) mounting members 49 and 50. The mounting members 49 and 50 are disposed so as to be spaced apart from each other in a longitudinal direction of the trailing roller guide rail 17.
The abnormality detecting apparatus 51 has: a movable rail (a displacing body) 52 that is displaceable relative to the trailing roller guide rail 17; a pair of forcing springs 53 that force the movable rail 52 toward the trailing roller guide rail 17; a pair of restricting members 54 that restrict displacement of the movable rail 52 toward the trailing roller guide rail 17; and a detecting switch 55 that detects displacement of the movable rail 52 away from the trailing roller guide rail 17.
The movable rail 52 is disposed alongside the trailing roller guide rail 17. The movable rail 52 has a predetermined length that has been preset. The movable rail 52 has: a rail horizontal portion 52a that faces a lower restricting portion 17a; and a rail vertical portion 52b that is disposed vertically on an edge portion of the rail horizontal portion 52a.
The position of the movable rail 52 relative to the longitudinal direction of the trailing roller guide rail 17 is set to a predetermined position within a section through which the trailing rollers 15 pass as the steps 9 are moved through the return path upper end switchover portion (a return path upper portion detecting position setting section). In other words, when the trailing rollers 15 pass through between the movable rail 52 and the trailing roller guide rail 17, the steps 9 are being moved through the return path upper end switchover portion (Figure 10).
Moreover, the rest of the configuration of the movable rail 52 is similar to the configuration of the movable rail 42. The respective configurations of each of the forcing springs 53, each of the restricting members 54, and the detecting switch 55 are similar to the respective configurations of each of the forcing springs 43, each of the restricting members 44, and the detecting switch 45.
One restricting member 54 and the detecting switch 55 are fixed to the mounting member 49, and the other restricting member 54 is fixed to the mounting member 50. A pair of contact members 56 that can contact and separate from the respective restricting members 54 are fixed to two end portions of the movable rail 52. An operating member 57 that operates the detecting switch 55 by displacement of the movable rail 52 relative to the trailing roller guide rail 17 is also fixed to an intermediate portion of the movable rail 52. The respective configurations of each of the contact members 56 and the operating member 57 are similar to the respective configurations of each of the contact members 46 and the operating member 47.
If the steps 9 are moved through the return path upper end switchover portion with a trailing roller 15 remaining separated from the trailing roller guide rail 17, the movable rail 52 is displaced away from the trailing roller guide rail 17 (upward) in opposition to the forces from the forcing springs 53 as a result of being pushed by the trailing roller 15. In other words, the movable rail 52 is pushed by the trailing roller 15 and is displaced from the normal position to the detecting position as the steps 9 are moved through the return path upper end switchover portion with the trailing roller 15 separated from the trailing roller guide rail 17.
Information from each of the detecting switches 45 and 55 is transmitted to a control device (not shown). The control device controls operation of the escalator based on the information from the detecting switches 45 and 55. In this example, the control apparatus stops operation of the escalator if a detection signal is received from at least one of the detecting switches 45 and 55, and continues operation of the escalator when reception of detection signals from both of the detecting switches 45 and 55 has stopped. The rest of the configuration is similar to that of Embodiment 1.
In an escalator of this kind, because the displacing body that is displaceable relative to the trailing roller guide rail 17 is constituted by the movable rails 42 and 52 that are disposed alongside the trailing roller guide rail 17, separation of a trailing roller 15 from the trailing roller guide rail 17 can be detected continuously within a range that is equal to a length of the movable rail 42 and 52. Floating of the steps 9 that are being moved along the return pathway 11 can thereby be detected even more reliably.
Moreover, in the above example, the abnormality detecting apparatus 41 that detects floating of a trailing roller 15 as the steps 9 are moved through the return path lower end switchover portion and the abnormality detecting apparatus 51 that detects floating of a trailing roller 15 as the steps 9 are being moved through the return path upper end switchover portion are both used together in an escalator, but either the abnormality detecting apparatus 41 or the abnormality detecting apparatus 51 may also be used singly in an escalator to detect the floating of a trailing roller 15 only as the steps 9 are being moved through either the return path lower end switchover portion or the return path upper end switchover portion.

Claims

A passenger conveyor comprising:
a plurality of steps that have a step roller, and that are moved through an endless cyclic pathway;

a guide rail that guides the step roller; and

an abnormality detecting apparatus that detects separation of the step roller from the guide rail,
the passenger conveyor being characterized in that:
the cyclic pathway has:
a forward pathway; and

a return pathway that is positioned below the forward pathway;

the return pathway has a return path switchover portion in which adjacent steps are displaced vertically relative to each other while being moved; and

the abnormality detecting apparatus detects the separation of the step roller from the guide rail as the steps are being moved through the return path switchover portion.
A passenger conveyor according to Claim 1, characterized in that:
the abnormality detecting apparatus has:
a displacing body that is pushed and displaced away from the guide rail by the step roller if the step roller is separated from the guide rail; and

a detecting switch that detects displacement of the displacing body away from the guide rail,

the abnormality detecting apparatus detecting the separation of the step roller from the guide rail by means of the detecting switch detecting the displacement of the displacing body.
A passenger conveyor according to Claim 2, characterized in that the displacing body is a rod-shaped movable segment that is disposed so as to intersect with a longitudinal direction of the guide rail.
A passenger conveyor according to Claim 2, characterized in that the displacing body is a movable rail that is disposed alongside the guide rail.