EP3044153B1 - Pallet for a moving walkway or step for an escalator - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a step for an escalator or a pallet for a moving walkway, which stage or pallet comprises a support body and a tread element.

Passenger conveyors such as escalators and moving walks are well-known and efficient means of transporting people. Escalators are typically used for transporting people in a vertical direction, for example, from one floor of a building to another, while moving walkways are mostly used for transporting people in a horizontal or slight incline up to 12 degrees from one point to another become. The length and width of the passenger conveyor are selected depending on the expected passenger traffic in the particular application.

Escalator steps and pallets are designed as one-piece or multi-part components and usually produced by a casting, extrusion or forging process. The upper side of the tread elements of steps and pallets have a tread pattern in the form of a series of parallel ribs or webs extending from the front to the rear side of the tread element. The ribs thus extend in the intended direction of movement of the step or pallet. In escalator stages also have their setting elements ribs, which usually connect to the ribs of the tread elements. Furthermore, the ribs are dimensioned for engagement in comb structures at the entrance areas of the escalator or the moving walkway.

Several steps are connected by means of at least one traction means to a step band of an escalator. In the same way, several pallets are joined together to form a pallet band. A moving walkway or an escalator usually has a supporting structure with two deflection areas, between which the pallet belt or the step belt is guided circumferentially.

If the pallets or steps are made of cast or die-cast aluminum or other suitable metal or metal alloy in one piece, an extensive set of molds must be available since each width of pallet band or step band requires its own forming tool. The molds for pallets and steps are very expensive. Furthermore, the size of these moldings, in particular the tread element with its ribs, can lead to casting-technical problems, namely to blowholes, so that a costly tempering of the molds is required to avoid them.

To solve this problem proposes the WO 0066476 A a modular construction of steps and pallets, so that the different widths of steps or pallets can be produced by means of a few and smaller molds. The step or pallet consists essentially of an extruded aluminum support body and a tread element. The tread element has a plurality of sub-elements. These sub-elements are fastened by means of a tongue and groove connection to the support body. A first disadvantage of this solution is that the mounting of the sub-elements on the support body by lateral insertion of the springs in the grooves can be a difficult and time-consuming process, since tongue-and-groove connections tend to tilt especially at the beginning of insertion. A second disadvantage of this solution is that the proposed tongue and groove connection has a slight play, so that unpleasant noise due to relative movements between the tread plate and the support body may arise due to vibrations, since the springs in the grooves only at the joints between two tread elements spread and therefore only at these points, the game between tongue and groove is canceled.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a step or pallet with a support body and with a tread element, which is simple and inexpensive to produce, which is quick and easy to install and which, despite its simple structure allows a quiet running of the step belt or the pallet band ,

This object is achieved by a step of an escalator or a pallet of a moving walk. This has a tread element and a support body with a base, wherein the tread element comprises at least two sub-elements. Each partial element is in its two-dimensional extent by two parallel, in the intended direction of movement delimiting the step or pallet extending end faces and two to the end faces orthogonally arranged edge sides. The support body may be an extruded forming tube or mold profile, a molded part cut and bent from a sheet metal or a multi-part composite step skeleton or pallet skeleton.

The at least two sub-elements are arranged in a predetermined order on the basis of the support body, wherein juxtaposed sub-elements abut each other with one of their end faces. The simplest possible mounting of the tread element is achieved by securing a partial element which has been arranged on the base in advance, in each case by the partial element subsequently arranged on the base, on the support body. As a result, no additional fastening means are necessary. Due to this design, the tread element is also connected without additional fasteners across the width of the step or pallet at several points with the support body and is located over the entire width of the support body. Furthermore, by dividing into partial elements, the tread plate which is difficult to produce can be produced, for example, by means of smaller die casting machines operating at higher cycle frequency. By dividing into smaller sub-elements all common step widths or pallet widths can be produced using the same sub-elements.

The division into a support body and a tread element has not only manufacturing advantages. By dividing different materials can be used, which complement each other optimally. For example, a support body made of steel has a much higher fatigue strength with respect to swelling and alternating load than a comparable support body made of aluminum. In particular, for higher transport widths or pallet widths or step widths above 1100mm, an aluminum support body with compact cross-sections can hardly be used because its life of the oscillating load changes would be too low.
In order to secure a subelement arranged above on the base in each case by the subelement arranged subsequently on the base on the support body, at least one projection on the subelement is formed in the area of at least one end face. The projections of abutting end faces are arranged such that the at least one projection of the above laid on the base Part of the subordinate subordinate element below unterhakt or engages under and the at least one projection of the subsequently placed on the base sub-element unterhakt the base of the support body.

The feature "under hook" specifies the configuration of the projection, which in the assembled state protrudes below a suitably designed region of another component (subelement or supporting body) such that the subelement can no longer be released from the supporting body counter to its main mounting direction. The main mounting direction is in the present case, the direction as the sub-element is placed on the support body, without taking into account the necessary pivotal movements for inserting the projection into the further component. The main mounting direction is usually directed perpendicular to the base and therefore corresponds substantially to the loading direction of the Trittelements in the ready state.

In order to prevent displacements of the partial element relative to the support body even in a plane containing the base, at least one positioning element may be formed on each partial element, which protrudes when the partial element is laid in a precisely fitting positioning breakthrough of the base. Preferably, the positioning element is formed frusto-conical and the precisely fitting positioning breakthrough a cylindrical bore, so that when placing the sub-element on the base, the conical surface of the positioning element is slightly deformed by the positioning breakthrough and adapts to this.

The sub-elements or their projections may be configured such that the sub-element previously applied is biased against the base by the subsequently applied sub-element. For example, the sub-element may be configured arcuate in its width, so that the adjacent end face is pressed down on the base when placing the subsequent sub-element. Of course, the sub-elements can also be formed in their planar extension Eben and the bias can be generated by means of the projections. This can be achieved, for example, by projecting the at least one projection of the previously placed partial element over the base and pressing this part of the projection, which is referred to as the projection, down to the level of the base when the subsequent partial element is laid on.

Alternatively to the aforementioned bias or in combination with the biasing of the sub-elements and the arrangement of an elastic intermediate layer between the base and the bottom of the Trittelements would be possible, so that this elastic intermediate layer is compressed when placing the sub-elements and the intermediate layer biases the sub-elements against the support body. The elastic intermediate layer may for example be a plastic plate. But an elastic intermediate layer can also be created by the introduction of an adhesive between the base and the underside of the Trittelements, whereby a particularly rigid attachment of the Trittelements can be achieved on the support body. Particularly suitable are pasty or liquid one-component adhesives / sealants based on silane-modified polymers which crosslink by atmospheric moisture to form an elastic product. These are used, for example, in body and vehicle construction, wagon construction and container construction and in metal and apparatus engineering. All of these solutions have the advantage that they can prevent the formation of contact corrosion between the support body and the tread element, when the material of the Trittelements differs from the material of the support body.

In most cases, a tread element has different zones with regard to the configuration of its accessible area. The predominant part of the accessible area has the ribs already mentioned above, while, for example, the two front ends of the tread element can have flat surfaces without ribs.

In order to be able to image such a tread element, this is subdivided into sub-elements which can be differentiated from one another. One of the sub-elements may be an initial element whose left end face has a lateral, parallel to the end edge portion with a mounting area. In the region of the right end side of at least one right projection is formed.

The directional indications "right" and "left" used only to distinguish the two end faces of a sub-element and have no limiting character regarding the direction of movement or viewing position of the components. These directions are also used in conjunction with the protrusions whenever the protrusions are associated with a particular face are.

At least one fastening projection can be formed on the fastening region of the initial element. If the initial element is placed on the base of the support body, the at least one fastening projection hooks the base of the support body. As a result, the fastening region of the initial element is attached to the support body without additional fastening means such as screws, clamps, rivets and the like.

Another of the sub-elements, for example, a central element which has at least one projection on both end faces. The position of the at least one left projection of the left end face is matched to the position of the at least one right projection of the above-described initial element, so that the two sub-elements can be arranged with their front sides adjacent to each other on the basis of the support body. Furthermore, the at least one right-hand projection of the right-hand end side of the central element is offset relative to the at least one left-hand projection of the central element, so that a plurality of central elements can be arranged with their front sides resting against one another on the base of the support body.

Another of the sub-elements may be an end element whose left end face has at least one left-hand projection and whose right-hand end side has a lateral edge section parallel to the end face and having a fastening region. The position of the at least one left projection of the left end face is in turn adapted to the at least one right projection of the right end of the initial element and the at least one right projection of the right end of the central element, so that the end element of both an initial element, and a central element below , Can be arranged on the basis of the support body. The attachment region has suitable attachment points for fastening means, for example through holes for screws, threaded holes, elongated holes, clamping surfaces for clamping claws and the like.

As explained above, can be equipped by dividing the Trittelements into sub-elements by means of the same sub-elements of different width supporting body. The narrowest pallet or step has an initial element, which by means of an end element is secured to the support body. If the support body of a step or pallet is to be provided with a greater width with a tread element, one or more central elements between the initial element and the end element can be arranged. The assembly of a support body always begins with the initial element and ends with the placement of the end member whose attachment region is firmly connected to at least one fastener to the base of the support body.

A particularly stable and compact connection of the Trittelements to the support body can be created by the fact that the base of the support body has at least one L-shaped mounting aperture, which is arranged in the region of abutting end faces of applied sub-elements. When applied sub-elements extend adjacent to each other, each extending a projection of the above-applied sub-element and a projection of the subsequently launched sub-element in the L-shaped mounting aperture. Thus, a precisely defined securing of the previously applied sub-element by the subsequently launched sub-element exactly in the area of L-shaped assembly breakthrough, since the above launched sub-element at this point unterhakt the subsequently launched sub-element and the sub-element subsequently launched unterhakt immediately adjacent the base of the support body. Local unevenness or deformation at the base and on the undersides of the sub-elements thus have no influence on the quality of the connection. Of course, the mounting aperture may also have a different hole cross-section than the L-shaped cross-sectional shape. The mounting aperture may, for example, have a round, oval, square, rectangular T-shaped or U-shaped hole cross-section, if such a configuration is more appropriate.

A step or pallet must have a certain dimensional stability when loaded with the intended load or payload. Furthermore, the widthwise extending cross-section of the pallet or step is limited by adjacent steps or pallets and existing spaces in the deflection areas. If the support body of the step or pallet is tubular and has a triangular or trapezoidal cross-section, it can be easily deflected in the deflection and has a high moment of resistance to bending and torsional.

A plurality of the pallets described above is arranged on at least one traction means, whereby a pallet band for a moving walk can be created. In the same way, a step band of an escalator is constructed, wherein instead of pallets, a plurality of steps are arranged on at least one traction means. Usually, however, two traction means are used for a pallet belt or step belt, wherein the pallets or steps are arranged between the traction means. As traction means, for example, articulated chains, ropes, or belts can be used. Furthermore, low-friction guide elements such as rollers or sliding bodies can be arranged on the support body or on the traction means.

Of course, the invention can not only be used in new escalators or moving walks. For example, an existing moving walkway can be modernized by replacing the existing pallet band with a pallet band according to the invention or an escalator by replacing the existing step band with a step band according to the invention.

Figur 1:

in schematischer Darstellung eine Fahrtreppe mit einem Tragwerk beziehungsweise Fachwerk und zwei Umlenkbereichen, wobei im Tragwerk Laufschienen und zwischen den Umlenkbereichen ein umlaufendes Stufenband angeordnet sind;

Figur 2:

in schematischer Darstellung einen Fahrsteig mit einem Tragwerk und zwei Umlenkbereichen, wobei im Tragwerk Laufschienen und zwischen den Umlenkbereichen ein umlaufendes Palettenband angeordnet sind;

Figur 3:

eine Explosionszeichnung eines Palettenband- Abschnitts, wobei zwei Zugmittel und eine zwischen den Zugmitteln angeordneten Palette dargestellt sind;

Figur 4:

in dreidimensionaler Darstellung das Auflegen eines Teilelements auf einen Tragkörper einer Palette;

Figur 5:

in dreidimensionaler Darstellung eine teilweise Unteransicht der in Figur 3 dargestellten Palette;

Figur 6:

in dreidimensionaler Darstellung einen vergrößerten Ausschnitt der in Figur 5 dargestellten Unteransicht;

Figur 7:

in geschnitten dargestellter Seitenansicht eine Stufe einer Fahrtreppe, welche einen rohrförmigen Stufenkörper aufweist;

Figur 8:

in dreidimensionaler Darstellung eine Stufe einer Fahrtreppe, die ein Stufenskelett aufweist.

The divided into sub-elements tread element and its mounting on a supporting body of a step or pallet are explained in more detail below by way of examples and with reference to the drawings. Show:

FIG. 1:

a schematic representation of an escalator with a supporting structure or framework and two deflection areas, wherein in the supporting structure rails and between the deflection areas a circumferential step band are arranged;

FIG. 2:

a schematic representation of a moving walkway with a supporting structure and two deflection areas, wherein in the supporting structure rails and between the deflection areas a circumferential pallet strip are arranged;

FIG. 3:

an exploded view of a Palettenband- section, wherein two traction means and a arranged between the traction means pallet are shown;

FIG. 4:

in a three-dimensional representation, placing a sub-element on a Supporting body of a pallet;

FIG. 5:

in a three-dimensional representation a partial bottom view of the in FIG. 3 illustrated pallet;

FIG. 6:

in three-dimensional representation an enlarged section of the in FIG. 5 shown bottom view;

FIG. 7:

in section shown side view of a step of an escalator, which has a tubular step body;

FIG. 8:

in three-dimensional representation, a step of an escalator, which has a step skeleton.

FIG. 1 shows schematically in side view an escalator 1, which connects a first floor E1 with a second floor E2. The escalator 1 has a supporting structure 6 or truss 6 with two deflection areas 7, 8, between which a step belt 5 is guided circumferentially. The stepped belt has traction means 9, on which steps 4 are arranged. A handrail 3 is arranged on a balustrade 2. The balustrade 2 is connected at the lower end by means of a balustrade base to the supporting structure 6.

Built up in an analogous way, shows FIG. 2 schematically in side view a moving walkway 11, which also has a balustrade 12 with balustrade base and handrail 13, a supporting structure 16, and two deflection regions 17, 18 has. In contrast to the escalator 1 from the FIG. 1 , Between the deflection areas 17, 18 of the moving walk 11 is not a stepped belt, but a pallet belt 15 arranged circumferentially. The pallet band 15 has traction means 19, on which pallets 14 are arranged. The moving walk 11 connects for example a third floor E3 with a fourth floor E4.

FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of a portion of the in FIG. 2 The pallet strip 15 has a plurality of pallets 14, which are arranged between two traction means 25, 26. For clarity, only one pallet 14 is shown. The two traction means 25, 26 are articulated chains, on which Rollers 27 are arranged. These rollers 27 run on rails, not shown, which are arranged between the deflection of the escalator or the moving walk in the structure.

The pallet 14 has a support body 30 which is tubular and whose trapezoidal pipe cross-section (better in FIG. 5 recognizable) extends along a width B of the pallet 14. The support body 30 may be made of metal, for example aluminum, brass, steel, high-alloy chromium steel, bronze, or copper, but also of plastic, in particular of glass fiber reinforced and / or carbon fiber reinforced composite materials. The support body 30 has a plurality of recesses 32 in order to reduce its weight. Due to the triangular cross-section, a base 31 is present on the support body 30, on which a tread element 40 can be fastened.

The tread elements 40 of steps and pallets 14 have a tread pattern in the form of a series of parallel ribs 49 extending from the front to the rear of the tread element 40 on the tread element upper side. The ribs 49 extend in the intended direction of movement X (forward and backward) of the step or pallet 14. According to the invention, the tread element 40 has a plurality of sub-elements, in the present embodiment an initial element 41, a plurality of central elements 42, and an end element 43. Each partial element 41, 42, 43 is limited in its planar extent by two parallel, in the intended direction of movement X of the step or pallet 14 extending end faces 45, 46 and two to the end faces 45, 46 orthogonally arranged edge sides 47, 48. For better clarity, the end faces 45, 46 and edge sides 47, 48 are provided only on one of the middle elements 42 with reference numerals.

In most cases, a tread element 40 has different zones with regard to the configuration of its accessible area. The predominant part of the accessible area of the tread element 40 is provided with the ribs 49, while, for example, the two end-side edge sections 51, 52 of the tread element 40 can have flat surfaces without ribs 49.

As already mentioned above, the tread element 40 of the present Embodiment divided into three mutually distinguishable sub-elements 41, 42, 43. The first of the sub-elements 41 is the initial element 41, whose left end face 45 has a lateral edge section 51, which is parallel to the left end face 45 and has a fastening region 53. On the mounting portion 53, two fastening projections 54 are further formed. When the initial element 41 is placed on the base 31 of the support body 30, the two attachment projections 54 protrude through rectangular mounting holes 34 of the base 31 and undercut the base 31 of the support body 30. Thus, the attachment portion 53 of the initial member 41 without additional fasteners such as screws, rivets , Springs, clamps and the like attached to the support body 30.
In the area of the right front side 46 of the initial element 41, two right-hand projections 56 are formed, which are only partially visible.
The second of the partial elements 42 is the middle element 42, which has left-hand projections 45 on the left-hand end side 45 and right-hand projections 56 on the right-hand front side 46. The position of the left protrusions 55 of the middle element 42 is matched to the position of the right protrusions 56 of the above-described initial element 41, so that the middle element 42 with its left end 45 of the right end side 46 of the initial element 42 fitting, on the base 31 of the support body 30th can be arranged. Further, the left protrusions 55 of the middle member 42 are staggered to the right protrusions 56 of the middle member 42, so that, as shown in FIG FIG. 3 shown, a plurality of central elements 42 with their end faces 45, 46 can be arranged adjacent to each other on the base 31 of the support body 30.

The third of the sub-elements 43 is the end element 43, whose left end face 45 has two left-hand protrusions 55 and whose right-hand end face 46 has the lateral edge section 52 parallel to the right-hand end face 46 with a fastening region 57. The position of the two left-hand protrusions 55 is in turn matched to the two right-hand protrusions 56 of the right-hand end side 46 of the starting element 41 and the right-hand end side 46 of the middle element 42, so that the end element 43 follows both an initial element 41 and a middle element 42 below the base 31 of the support body 30 can be arranged. So that the sub-elements 41, 42, 43 with their projections 55, 56 are placed and fixed on the support body 30 at all can L-shaped mounting holes 35 are formed in the base 31, in which the projections 55, 56 protrude or protrude.

The attachment portion 57 of the end member 43 has suitable attachment points 58 for fasteners 36, for example, through holes 58 for screws 36. Of course, the attachment points can also threaded holes, slots, clamping surfaces for clamping claws and the like be more. When mounting the end member 43, a threaded plate 37 is arranged in the present embodiment on the underside of the base 31. In the assembled state, the screws 36 protrude through the attachment points 58 and the base 31 of the support body 30 into the threaded holes of the threaded plate 37. Of course, instead of the threaded plate 37 also commercially available nuts can be used. Depending on the design of the base 31, the threads can also be cut directly into the main body 30.

FIG. 3 shows a fairly wide range 14, on the basis 31 of the support body 30 five central elements 42 between the initial element 41 and the end member 43 are arranged. In order to obtain a pallet 14 with the smallest width B, apart from a suitably narrow support body 30, only an initial element 41 is placed on the base 31 of the support body 30 and this secured by means of an end member 43 on the support body 30. If the support body 30 of a step or pallet 14 is to be provided with a greater width B with a tread element 40, one or more middle elements 42 can be arranged between the initial element 41 and the end element 43. The assembly of a support body 30 with sub-elements 41, 42, 43 thus always begins with the initial element 41 and ends with end element 43, the attachment region 57 is firmly connected to at least one fastener 36 with the base 31 of the support body 30.

In the base 31 positioning breakthroughs 38 are further formed with a circular hole cross-section. The interaction of the positioning apertures 38 and the mounting apertures 35 with the sub-elements 41, 42, 43 is described below with reference to FIG FIGS. 4 to 6 described.

FIG. 4 shows in three-dimensional view the placement of a central element 42 on a support body 130 of a pallet 114. Even if the support body 130 in his Design of in the FIG. 3 shown support body 30 differs, also has its base 131 the same mounting apertures 35 and positioning apertures 38. The initial element 41 is already arranged on the basis 131. The middle element 42 is placed in an obliquely held position in a main mounting direction H on the base 131 of the support body 130 until the two left projections 55 protrude through the mounting apertures 35. Subsequently, the middle element 42 is pivoted toward the base 131 or folded down, as indicated by the arrow V. If a partial element 41, 42, 43 is pivoted, positioning elements 59 formed on the underside of the partial element 41, 42, 43 are introduced into the precisely fitting positioning openings 38. The positioning elements 59 prevent relative displacements of the partial element 41, 42, 43 on the support body 130 in a plane containing the base 131. Preferably, the positioning member 59 is frusto-conical shaped and the accurate positioning breakthrough 38 a cylindrical bore, so that when placing the sub-element 41, 42, 43 on the base 131, the conical surface of the positioning member 59 is slightly deformed by the positioning breakthrough 38 and adapts to this. Just as the central element 42 described, all other sub-elements 41, 43 are placed.

Between the positioning apertures 38, an elastic intermediate layer 137 is indicated, which in the present example is subdivided into several sections, arranged on the base 131. The elastic intermediate layer 137 may be, for example, an adhesive layer or an elastic plastic plate or sections of a plastic strip.

FIG. 5 shows in three-dimensional view a partial bottom view of the in FIG. 3 shown pallet 14 with already launched sub-elements. The initial element 41 is secured by the subsequently launched middle element 42 on the support body 30, that the right projections 56 of the adjacent end face 46 of the initial element 41 into the mounting apertures 35 into and under the underside of the central element 42 protrude or undercut the middle element 42. The initial element 41 can thus no longer be pivoted, since the subsequently launched middle element 42 prevents this. The left protrusions 55 of the middle element 42, directed against the initial element 41, undercut the base 31 of the Support body 30 and thereby prevent at this point a lifting of the central element 42 of the base 31st

FIG. 6 shows a three-dimensional view of an enlarged section A of in FIG. 5 shown bottom view. For better clarity, both the support body 30, and the initial element 41 and the central element 42 are shown cut. This section essentially shows a mounting aperture 35 with a left projection 55 of the middle element 42 and a right projection 56 of the initial element 41, which are arranged side by side in the mounting aperture 35 protrude. In particular, it can be seen that the right-hand projection 56 of the initial element 41 does not undercut the base 31, but rather the middle element 42. In particular, the contact point S is important. There should be no play between the right-hand projection 56 and the underside of the middle element 42, so that the partial elements 41, 42, 43 can not lift off the base 31 within this clearance and cause clattering or sounding noises. Preferably, the right-hand projection 56 even has a small projection, so that in each case the previously applied partial element 41, 42 is prestressed by the subsequently applied partial element 42, 43 against the base 31. Also clearly visible is a positioning element 59 of the middle element 42, which protrudes through the positioning opening 38 of the support body 30.

As in FIG. 7 The same concept can also be applied to steps 4 of escalators. FIG. 7 shows in a sectional side view a step 4 with a tubular support body 230, which also has a base 231. The support body 230 is made for example of an aluminum extruded profile. On the side facing away from the base 231 of the support body 230, a step roller receptacle 232 for receiving a stepped roller 227 is arranged. Also in the step 4, the limited by end faces and in the width extending edge sides 247, 248 tread element 240 is divided into sub-elements. These are attached to the support body 230 in an analogous manner to the previously described pallet 14, wherein only the right protrusions 256 of the previously applied subelement and the left protrusions 255 of the subsequently applied subelement are visible in the sectional view.

The step 4 further includes a setting member 280 having lower projections 283 and upper projections 284 disposed in the widthwise extending edge portions 281, 282. The upper projections 284 arranged in the region of the base 231 protrude into upper assembly openings 235 without undercutting the base 231. The arranged in the region of the step foot 232 lower projections 283 project into lower mounting apertures 236 and underside a front wall 239 of the support body 230. The securing of the setting element 280 thus takes place in an analogous manner as the securing of the partial elements of the tread 240, wherein the upper projections 284 of the setting element 280 undershink the adjacent edge region 247 of the Trittelements 240. The assembly concept envisages that first the setting element 280 is placed. Subsequently, the setting element 280 is secured to the tread element 240 on the support body 230 by first the starting element, if present this one or more middle elements and finally the end member placed on the support body 230 and secured by means of fastening elements on the support body 230.

Of course, the divided into sub-elements tread element can be used with the attachment concept of the invention even at a stage with a step skeleton. FIG. 8 3 shows in a three-dimensional representation such a step 304 of an escalator having a step skeleton 330. The tread element 340 is divided into sub-elements 341, 342, 343 and fastened to the step skeleton 330, as in the embodiments described above. However, the setting element 380 is a deep-drawn sheet metal part, which is welded or glued or riveted, for example, with the step skeleton 330.

Although the invention has been described by way of illustrating specific embodiments, it will be apparent that numerous other embodiments can be provided in accordance with the present invention, for example by using a pallet skeleton instead of a tubular support body for pallets. Further, the support body may have a cross section which differs from the trapezoidal or triangular cross-sectional shape, for example by means of further folds a polygonal cross-sectional shape is created. In addition, the sub-elements need not necessarily be an aluminum casting. The partial elements of the Trittelements can also be worked out of a blank or produced by means of a die as a forged part. Of course the sub-elements can also consist of sheet metal parts, in particular deep-drawn sheet metal parts. In addition, the sub-elements may be made of a glass fiber reinforced and / or carbon fiber reinforced plastic or of another composite material. Further, the sub-elements may be at least partially made of a natural stone such as granite or marble or of an amorphous material such as glass.

Claims (15)

1. Step (4, 304) of an escalator (1) or pallet (14, 114) of a moving walkway (11), comprising a tread element (40, 240, 340) and a support body (30, 130, 230, 330) with a base (31, 131, 231), wherein the tread element (40, 240, 340) comprises at least two sub-elements (41, 42, 43) and each sub-element (41, 42, 43) is bounded in the areal extent thereof by two parallel end sides (45, 46) extending in the intended direction (X) of movement of the step (4, 304) or pallet (14, 114) and two edge sides (47, 48, 147, 148) arranged orthogonally to the end sides (45, 46), wherein the at least two sub-elements (41, 42, 43) are arranged in a predetermined sequence on the base (31, 131, 231) of the support body (30, 130, 230, 330) and wherein adjacently arranged sub-elements (41, 42, 43) respectively bear against one another by one of the end sides (45, 46) thereof and a sub-element (41, 42) previously arranged on the base (31, 131, 231) is secured to the support body (30, 130, 230, 330) by the respective sub-element (42, 43) successively arranged on the base (31, 131, 231), characterised in that at least one projection (45, 56) is formed on the sub-element (41, 42, 43) in the region of at least one end side (45, 46) and the projections (55, 56) of end sides (45, 46) bearing against one another are so arranged that the at least one projection (56) of the sub-element (41, 42) previously placed on the base (31, 131, 231) hooks under the subsequently placed sub-element (42, 43) and the at least one projection (55) of the sub-element (41, 42, 43) subsequently placed on the base (31, 131, 231) hooks under the base (31, 131, 231) of the support body (30, 130, 230, 330).
2. Step (4, 304) or pallet (14, 114) according to claim 1, wherein at least one positioning element (59) is formed at each sub-element (41, 42, 43) and when the sub-element (41, 42, 43) is placed protrudes into a precisely fitting positioning passage (38) of the base) 31, 131, 231).
3. Step (4, 304) or pallet (14, 114) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the previously placed sub-element (41, 42) is biased by the successively placed sub-element (42, 43) against the base (31, 131, 231).
4. Step (4, 304) or pallet (14, 114) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a resilient intermediate layer (137) is arranged between the support body (30, 130, 230, 330) and the tread element (40, 240, 340) or between the sub-elements (41, 42, 43) thereof.
5. Step (4, 304) or pallet (14, 114) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein one of the sub-elements (41) is a start element (41), the lefthand end side (45) of which has a lateral edge section (51), which is parallel to the end side (45), with a fastening region (53) and the righthand end side (46) of which has at least one righthand projection (56).
6. Step (4, 304) or pallet (14, 114) according to claim 5, wherein at least one fastening projection (54) is formed at the fastening region (53) and the fastening projection (54) of the start element (41) placed on the base (31, 131, 231) hooks under the base (31, 131, 231) of the support body (30, 130, 230, 330).
7. Step (4, 304) or pallet (14, 114) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein one of the sub-elements (42) is a middle element (42) which has at least one lefthand projection (55) at the lefthand end side (45) and at least one righthand projection (56) at the righthand end side (46).
8. Step (4, 304) or pallet (14, 114) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein one of the sub-elements (43) is an end element (43), the lefthand end side (45) of which has at least one lefthand projection (55) and the righthand end side (46) of which has a lateral edge section (52), which is parallel to the end side (46), with a fastening region (57).
9. Step (4, 304) or pallet (14, 114) according to claim 8, wherein when the end element (43) is placed on the base (31, 131, 231) the fastening region (57) is fixedly connected with the base (31, 131, 231) by at least one fastening element (36, 37).
10. Step (4, 304) or pallet (14, 114) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the base (31, 131, 231) of the support body (30, 130, 230, 330) has at least one mounting passage (35) and, when the sub-elements (41, 42, 43) are placed, in the region of end sides (45, 46) bearing against one another a projection (55, 56) of the previously placed sub-element (41, 42) and a projection (55, 56) of the successively placed sub-element (42, 43) are arranged adjacent to one another and extend in the mounting passage (35).
11. Step (4, 304) or pallet (14, 114) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the support body (30, 130, 230) is of tubular construction and has a triangular or trapeziumshaped cross-section.
12. Pallet belt (15) of a moving walkway (11) with at least one traction means (19, 25, 26) and with a plurality of pallets (14, 114) according to any one of claims 1 to 11 arranged at the traction means (19, 25, 26).
13. Step belt (5) of an escalator (1) with at least one traction means (9, 25, 26) and with a plurality of steps (4, 304) according to any one of claims 1 to 11 arranged at the traction means (9, 25, 26).
14. Moving walkway (11) with a pallet belt (15) according to claim 12 arranged to circulate or escalator (1) with a step belt (5) according to claim 13 arranged to circulate.
15. Modernisation of a moving walkway (11) by replacing the existing pallet belt by a pallet belt (15) according to claim 12 or of an escalator (1) by replacing the existing step belt by a step belt (5) according to claim 13.

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