EP4359340A1

EP4359340A1 - Handrail and method for manufacturing a handrail

Info

Publication number: EP4359340A1
Application number: EP22733978.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Slavi Tanov
Original assignee: Semperit AG Holding
Current assignee: Semperit AG Holding
Priority date: 2021-06-21
Filing date: 2022-06-21
Publication date: 2024-05-01
Also published as: JP2024524184A; US20240279029A1; DE102021116000A1; BR112023025966A2; WO2022268766A1; CA3222913A1; KR20240018616A; CN117480106A

Abstract

The invention relates to a handrail (1) for moving walkways, escalators or the like, which handrail can be mounted on a guide element. The handrail comprises: a base (4) which is located or can be located on the guide element; and a surface structure (5) which has at least one adhesive layer (3) and a top layer (2), wherein the handrail (1) has a substantially consistent cross-section along its profile direction, wherein the materials of the top layer (2) and the adhesive layer (3) differ, and wherein the surface structure (5) having the adhesive layer (3) is attached to the base (4).

Description

Handrail and method of making a handrail

The present invention relates to a handrail for moving walkways, escalators or the like and a method for producing such a handrail.

State-of-the-art handrails are made of SBR (styrene butadiene rubber), CSM (chlorosulfonated polyethylene, for example Hypalon), EPDM (ethylene propylene diene rubber, EPM (ethylene propylene rubber) and CPE (chlorinated polyethylene) known. These materials meet the requirements for a ceiling construction of a handrail, since they have the necessary resistance. However, these materials are very bulky, which is why they are difficult to assemble. Handrails must therefore be assembled manually by hand using solvents and/or adhesives and assembled.In other words, such a handrail needs to be assembled by hand layer by layer.Therefore, the manufacturing cost is very high and increased manufacturing time is detrimental to the manufacturing efficiency.Furthermore, these materials have poor tackiness, so They were applied to a substructure using solvents and adhesives ht must be. The use of solvents poses further problems in terms of occupational safety and structural measures such as ventilation, protective masks and the like. Furthermore, with manual assembly there is a risk of dirt being brought in and the resulting loss of adhesion between a ceiling structure and a substructure. Furthermore, there is a higher susceptibility to errors due to the high proportion of manual work. The present invention is therefore based on the object of providing a handrail that enables machine assembly, has high resistance and can be machine-manufactured without the use of solvents.

The object is achieved with a handrail that can be mounted on a guide element for moving walkways, escalators or the like with the features of claim 1 and a method for producing the handrail with the features of claim 15 . Preferred embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a handrail that can be mounted on a guide element for moving walkways, escalators or the like is provided, the handrail having a substantially constant cross section along its profile direction. The handrail preferably comprises a substructure which is arranged or can be arranged on the guide element. The handrail preferably comprises a cover structure which has at least one adhesive layer and a cover layer, with the materials of the cover layer and the adhesive layer preferably being different. In particular, the ceiling structure can be attached to the substructure by means of the adhesive layer.

Compared to the known state of the art, in the present embodiment the ceiling structure can be formed from at least two different materials. The top layer of the ceiling structure that is exposed to the environment can be made of a very resistant material in order to give the handrail a high level of resistance to environmental influences. The adhesive layer, on the other hand, can be used to connect the top layer (or the ceiling structure) and the substructure to one another. In other words, since the topsheet is difficult to bond to other substructure materials, often requiring the use of adhesion promoters (e.g., solvents and/or glue) and the use of a lot of manual labor, the present invention provides an adhesive layer that covers the topsheet without Adhesion promoter and can connect to the substructure without excessive manual work. The Top layer and the adhesive layer may be connected by a manufacturing process (e.g. coextrusion process) of the ceiling structure. In this way, the efficiency of the manufacturing process for a handrail can be increased significantly. The ceiling structure can thus be a multi-layer ceiling structure.

The cover layer and the adhesive layer can, for example, be cohesively connected to one another by a manufacturing process (e.g. by extrusion, pressing, vulcanization, calendering, etc.), whereas the adhesive layer can be attached/connected to the substructure in a different way . In other words, the cover layer can be a two-layer element. Furthermore, the cover layer can be bonded to the adhesive layer and a textile with a reinforcement/coating. The adhesive layer can have a material that matches the substructure, so that a connection is easily possible. For this purpose, the adhesive layer and the substructure can comprise materials which are inert to one another, ie do not chemically influence one another. This can be achieved in particular in that the substructure and the adhesive layer comprise the same materials or materials that are friendly or compatible with one another. Consequently, an advantageous connection between the ceiling structure and the substructure can be provided. Therefore, the ceiling structure and the substructure can be assembled by machine, as a result of which the production efficiency can be increased. In addition, the use of an adhesion promoter is not necessary, which means that the workload of the work personnel can be reduced. The ceiling structure can be a separately manufactured semi-finished product, which after its completion can be attached to a substructure that is also manufactured as a semi-finished product. In other words, the ceiling structure can be mounted or mountable on the substructure. This increases variability in the manufacture of the handrail, since the substructure and the ceiling structure can be manufactured independently of one another (for example at different locations). The individual layers treated here (e.g. top layer, volume layer, substructure) can represent a volume layer, ie a layer with an extension in all three spatial directions. The ceiling structure can be a separately manufactured element. After the ceiling structure has been prepared, it can be connected to the substructure. Because of the adhesive layer on the deck structure, it is also possible to connect the deck structure to the substructure easily and efficiently at a later date. In particular, this can make it possible to assemble by machine.

The ceiling structure is preferably arranged on the substructure and is connected to it in such a way that the ceiling structure cannot shift relative to the substructure. Furthermore, the ceiling structure (in particular the cover layer) can at least partially surround or cover the substructure and be exposed to the environment and thus protect the substructure from environmental influences. For example, the ceiling structure consists of only two layers, namely the adhesive layer and the top layer. The adhesive layer can have a sticky or adhesive property, so that it can easily be attached to the substructure. Due to the two different materials of the ceiling construction, the variability in the manufacture and planning of the handrail can be increased. For example, the top layer can be selected according to where the handrail is to be used and what environmental influences it is to withstand, i.e. based on the environmental parameters such as flame resistance, efflorescence-free compositions, ozone resistance, UV resistance and/or temperature resistance. On the other hand, the adhesive layer can be selected in such a way that the ceiling structure can be attached to the suitable substructure with sufficient adhesive strength without the use of solvents.

The guide element on which the handrail is mounted or can be mounted can be, for example, a guide rail or a guide rail system which the handrail at least partially encompasses. The handrail can move relative to the guide element in the profile direction. An escalator or a moving walk on which the handrail is provided can have a drive so that the handrail relative to the guide element in the profile direction can be moved. For this purpose, the escalator or the moving walk can have deflection rollers and/or drive rollers that force the flange run in a specific direction and/or shape. It can therefore be advantageous for the flange run to have a top structure and a substructure which are sufficiently firmly connected to one another so that they do not become detached from one another when the flange run is in operation.

A cross section that remains essentially the same—in particular in the profile direction—can mean in the present case that the dimensions of one cross section have essentially remained the same as in another cross section. Dimensional changes may be within manufacturing tolerances while still providing a substantially constant cross-section. In other words, a change in dimensions from one cross-section to the next can be a maximum of 5%.

The base can be a member configured to slide on the guide member and/or hold the flange barrel on the guide member. Furthermore, the base can provide the flange barrel with stability against unwanted deformation. For this purpose, the substructure can be designed as a carcass, which can have at least one reinforcement element. For example, the substructure can have a fabric structure, fibers and/or tensile elements running transversely and/or longitudinally to the direction of the profile. Preferably, the substructure comprises at least one substructure layer (eg, a bulky layer). The carcass layer may include at least one of the reinforcement members. For example, the tension elements can be arranged (eg embedded) in the substructure layer. The substructure can include two to four inserts. Thus, on the one hand, it can be guaranteed that the substructure is sufficiently light and, on the other hand, has sufficient strength. The substructure can be provided in a raw state. Alternatively, the substructure can also be provided in a vulcanized state. After the substructure has been prepared, the ceiling structure can be placed on it. Furthermore, the substructure can Have sliding layer, which is designed to come into contact with the guide element.

Thus, the substructure does not have to have the same high demands on resistance to environmental influences as the top layer, but can be made from a more cost-effective material. Therefore, the manufacturing cost of the handrail can be reduced as a whole. Furthermore, the cover layer can have a constant material thickness (ie a thickness in a direction transverse to the profile direction and in cross section). A desired build strength can be provided by varying a material thickness of the adhesive layer. On the one hand, this simplifies the production of the cover layer (since only a constant thickness has to be produced here) and, on the other hand, a further reduction in costs is achieved.

Preferably, the top layer comprises CSM (chlorosulfonated polyethylene) and the adhesive layer SBR (styrene butadiene rubber). In this case, the advantages of both materials can complement each other perfectly to provide a highly efficient ceiling structure. More precisely, CSM offers sufficient resistance to environmental influences, whereas SBR is a low-cost material, so that the material costs of the ceiling structure can be reduced. Furthermore, the adhesive layer with SBR can be attached to the substructure simply and without adhesion promoters, which further simplifies manufacture. The top layer and the adhesive layer can be coextruded together in a materially bonded manner.

The cover layer preferably comprises EPDM (ethylene propylene diene rubber), TPE (thermoplastic elastomers), EPM (ethylene propylene rubber), CPE (chlorinated polyethylene), CSM (chlorosulfonated polyethylene), Hypalon, PU (polyurethane) , SBR (styrene butadiene rubber), NBR (acrylonitrile butadiene rubber) and/or NR (natural rubber). The above materials can be an indication of the base polymer, each with additional additives can be expanded. In this way, different properties such as different levels of elasticity and/or resistance can be generated. For example, carbon black can be used as an additive. Thus, the demanding properties of the top layer in terms of resistance to ozone, UV and/or temperature can be provided, while at the same time a flame-resistant top layer is achieved. Due to the presence of the adhesive layer, there is no need to pay attention to any incompatibilities between the materials and the substructure of the top layer. Thus, the degree of freedom in the planning and execution of the top layer can be increased.

The adhesive layer preferably comprises EPDM (ethylene propylene diene rubber), TPE (thermoplastic elastomers), EPM (ethylene propylene rubber), CPE (chlorinated polyethylene), CSM (chlorosulfonated polyethylene), Hypalon, PU (polyurethane), SBR (styrene butadiene rubber), NBR (acrylonitrile butadiene rubber), NR (natural rubber) CR (chloroprene rubber). The above materials can be an indication of the base polymer, which can be expanded by additional supplements. In particular, SBR and/or CR are/is a relatively cheap material (compared to the materials of the cover layer) and have an adhesive or adhesive property, so that the adhesive layer can be fixed to a substructure (e.g. a carcass) without any problems. Thus, no adhesion promoter, in particular no solvent, is necessary in order to attach the ceiling structure with the adhesive layer to the substructure. This makes it easier to process the two semi-finished products. Furthermore, the adhesive layer can be provided in such a way that it can compensate for unevenness in the substructure, so that an even surface of the handrail is ensured (with a constant material thickness of the cover layer). For example, the substructure can include a tension element made of steel strips that are only provided in a central area (further details on this follow below), so that the substructure has a variable material thickness in cross section, which can be compensated for, for example, by the adhesive layer. The cover layer can thus have a flat surface, in particular in a fully vulcanized state. A flat surface is advantageous for a user to grip, which is why the handrail gives the user a good grip can give. The adhesive layer is preferably used as the only layer to compensate for unevenness

In a cross section transverse to the profile direction, the handrail preferably has two, in particular curved, edge regions and a central region connecting the edge regions. The central area can be designed to be flat. In other words, the central area cannot have any curvature. Therefore, manufacturability of the center portion can be simplified. Furthermore, the central area can be designed in such a way that the cover layer, the adhesive layer and the substructure have a constant material thickness in the central area. On the other hand, the material thickness, especially of the substructure, can be reduced in the two edge areas. The material thickness of at least one layer in each of the edge areas preferably decreases in the first third of a total extension of the respective edge area, starting from a connection point between the central area and the edge area. It was found out here that a reduced bending force is required in order to guide the handrail on the guide element and/or deflection rollers. Therefore, power consumption required for driving the handrail can be reduced. By reducing the thickness of the material, it is possible to use the material more efficiently, while still achieving a high resistance of the handrail. Furthermore, the handrail thus remains flexible, so that it can be driven with little energy consumption. Preferably, the edge portions are symmetrical about an axis passing through the center of gravity of the profile of the handrail. Furthermore, the edge regions can have a curved shape in cross section transverse to the profile direction. To put it more precisely, the edge regions can be designed in such a way that they partially grip around the guide element in order to hold the handrail on the guide element. In addition to the possibility of mounting the handrail with the curved edge areas on the guide element, the curved edge areas can be used to prevent a user from getting their fingers caught between the guide element and the handrail. Thus, injuries to a user can be avoided. In particular, they can Edge areas may be bent so that the handrail has a substantially C-shaped cross section.

The adhesive layer preferably has a constant material thickness. In other words, a thickness of the adhesive layer can be constant over the edge areas and the central area. As a result, the adhesive layer can be easier to produce. Overall, the manufacture of the handrail can thus be simplified.

The adhesive layer preferably has a greater material thickness in the central area than in the edge areas. As a result, a necessary structural thickness of the handrail can be achieved inexpensively, since the adhesive layer can be made from inexpensive materials compared to the material of the top layer and/or the substructure. Furthermore, the adhesive layer can have a lower bending resistance compared to the top layer. In this way it can be avoided that the deflection property of the entire handrail is significantly negatively influenced by an adhesive layer with a greater material thickness. In the edge areas, the adhesive layer can have a reduced material thickness that is sufficient to attach the ceiling structure to the substructure. Since the edge areas have an increased resistance to sagging of the handrail due to their curved shape, it is advantageous to keep the material thickness of the adhesive layer low in the area of the edge areas. The substructure preferably has a greater material thickness in the central area than in the edge areas.

The cover layer preferably has a substantially constant material thickness in the central area and in the edge areas. Essentially, this can mean that a material thickness can be constant in the areas of manufacturing tolerance. In other words, a deviation of up to 11% can still be within the manufacturing tolerance. The cover layer can therefore be produced particularly easily, since only a constant volume layer has to be produced. A coextrusion process, for example, is a suitable production process. The cover layer can be extruded three or more times to form a semi-finished product. Preferably, the adhesive layer in one Co-extrusion process produced together with the top layer in one step. In this way, a cohesive connection between the cover layer and the adhesive layer can be achieved. The cover layer can be just thin enough that it has the desired resistance to environmental influences and covers the adhesive layer. It can thus be ensured that a bending resistance of the handrail is kept low and efficient operation of the handrail is thus possible. Furthermore, the lip rigidity of the entire handrail can be improved by coextruding the cover structure. A high lip stiffness of the handrail ensures a good hold of the handrail on the guide element. In other words, in the case of a handrail with high lip rigidity, a great deal of force is required in order to pull the handrail off the guide element orthogonally to the profile direction.

A ratio of the material thickness of the ceiling structure in the central region to the width of the handrail transverse to the profile direction of the handrail is preferably in a range from 0.0012 to 0.08, preferably from 0.01 to 0.065. It has been found that in these areas a particularly low resistance to bending of the handrail is achieved, as a result of which the energy efficiency can be increased when the handrail is operated. More specifically, the handrail is flexed multiple times during operation to follow the shapes of an escalator, for example, so that with a reduction in resistance to deflection, more efficient operation (ie, driving the handrail) can be accomplished. At the same time, however, the handrail has sufficiently high stability so that it is not detached from the guide element even under forces that act transversely to the profile direction. In particular when using rigid materials in the top layer, there is a risk that the flexural resistance of the handrail will increase, which leads to poorer energy efficiency and service life when the handrail is in operation. In the range defined above, it was found that both the energy efficiency when operating the handrail and the resistance of the handrail to environmental influences are advantageously increased. A ratio of the material thickness of the lower chamber to the material thickness of the top layer in the central area is preferably in a range from 1.25 to 50, preferably from 2.5 to 16. The range from 1.25 to 50 is based on the knowledge that the substructure is mainly responsible for ensuring the structural stability, in particular the tensile stability, of the entire handrail. In particular, the top layer is intended primarily as a layer of resistance to environmental stresses (such as ozone, UV and temperature) and at the same time may provide a flame resistant barrier. In the range of 1.25 to 50, a handrail is provided in which an optimal balance of reduced resistance to deflection and sufficient stability is provided. In this way, on the one hand, efficient operation of the handrail and, on the other hand, reliable guidance of the handrail can be ensured by the guide element. Furthermore, the handrail can have increased resistance to external environmental influences. The range of 2.5 to 16, on the other hand, provides the advantage that the ductility of the handrail is minimized, whereby plastic elongation of the handrail can be avoided. Extending the handrail can lead to imprecise guidance of the handrail on the guide element and to the fact that a driving force can no longer be optimally transmitted to the handrail. By avoiding or reducing an elongation of the handrail, a particularly durable handrail can be made available.

The adhesive layer is preferably designed to connect the ceiling structure to the substructure in such a way that an adhesive force of at least 3 N/mm ² , preferably at least 6 N/mm ² , is achieved. The adhesive layer and the substructure preferably have an adhesive force (adhesion force or adhesion force) which is at least 3 N/mm ² , preferably at least 6 N/mm ² . Tack can be defined as peel adhesion or peel force, which is the force required to peel one layer of material from another layer of material, whether flexible, smooth, or rigid. This peeling force is always and only measured across the width of the bonded area, meaning that a higher release force is required. Preferably the peel strength can be determined according to DIN EN ISO 22970:2021-04. In particular, the adhesive layer can have such a stickiness (eg chemical bonding property) that the adhesive strength is reached. In addition, in particular the adhesive layer and/or the side of the substructure that is in contact with the adhesive layer can be structured in such a way that, in addition to a chemical bond (stickiness), a mechanical bond (by increasing the surface roughness) is achieved. An adhesive force of 3 N/mm ² is particularly preferable for handrails that run relatively flat, such as moving walkways, which hardly ever overcome a difference in height. The adhesive force of at least 6 N/mm ² is advantageous for escalators that overcome a large difference in height and therefore require a handrail that is bent over several times during a circulation. The durability of the handrail (ie the connection between the ceiling structure and the substructure) can only be guaranteed if the adhesive strength is sufficiently high.

Preferably the ceiling structure is a co-extrusion product. Accordingly, the ceiling structure can be coextruded separately from the substructure as a semi-finished product. The top layer and the adhesive layer can bond to each other during the coextrusion process due to their flowable state of aggregation. Thus, materials of the cover layer and the adhesive layer can also be connected to one another, which can otherwise only be connected by means of solvents or other adhesion promoters. This offers the advantage that no adhesion promoter is required in the present invention in order to connect the top layer to the adhesive layer. Consequently, the assembly of the ceiling structure can be done by machine, which means that the accuracy of the assembly can be increased. Furthermore, machine assembly can prevent contamination, dirt or grime from getting into the ceiling structure. Consequently, higher durability of the handrail can be provided. A further advantage of a coextruded product is that the material is particularly homogeneously distributed, which ensures that the ceiling structure is very durable. The ceiling structure can also be divided into two be extruded in three or more steps as long as a material connection between the adhesive layer and the cover layer is achieved. This means that even more complex ceiling structures can be machined without the use of adhesion promoters

The ceiling structure preferably has at least one further layer, which preferably comprises the same material as the substructure. The top layer can thus be adapted to other handrail requirements. For example, a damping property of the handrail can be provided by a further layer. The additional layer can, for example, be extruded onto the ceiling structure that has already been created by means of an additional extrusion layer. Furthermore, the further layer can also be extruded simultaneously with the cover layer and the adhesive layer in the coextrusion process. Due to the fact that the further layer preferably comprises the same material as the substructure, the further layer can also be attached to the substructure without any problems. This ensures that the ceiling structure is optimally held to the substructure. Alternatively, a further layer or further layers can be applied to the cover structure by calendering. Thus, for example, desired material strengths and/or other properties of the handrail can be efficiently and easily implemented in the production line of the handrail. Furthermore, it is not necessary to adapt the production of the substructure, since the ceiling structure can be fitted with additional layers accordingly in order to achieve the desired properties. It is therefore not necessary to adjust the substructure, it is sufficient that the ceiling structure is adjusted. Consequently, the manufacturing process of the handrail can be simplified.

Preferably, the base includes a tension member extending along the profile direction of the handrail. Preferably, the purpose of the substructure is to ensure the structural stability of the handrail. In particular, the substructure has the task of providing the tensile strength of the handrail. For this purpose, the substructure can include at least one tension element, for example a steel cable, a fabric layer, a cord band or the like, which extends along the profile direction extends. In other words, the pulling element can extend along the direction of movement of the handrail. The tension element is preferably only arranged in the central area, so that the substructure has a greater material thickness in the central area than in the edge areas. The pulling element can be designed to absorb a pulling force. Thus, the tension element can be responsible for the change in length of the handrail moving within narrow limits. Consequently, reliable operation of the handrail can be ensured over a long period of time.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, a method for producing a handrail for moving walkways, escalators or the like that can be mounted on a guide element is provided, the method comprising the following steps: coextruding a ceiling structure which has at least one adhesive layer and one cover layer, wherein distinguishing the materials of the top layer and the adhesive layer, and attaching the ceiling structure with the adhesive layer to a substructure. In other words, the ceiling structure, consisting of the top layer and the adhesive layer, and the substructure are provided as two semi-finished products that are manufactured separately from one another and are subsequently connected to one another. In this way it can be achieved that the adhesive layer can be matched to the substructure, as a result of which the attachment of the ceiling structure with the adhesive layer to the substructure can be easily accomplished without adhesion promoters (e.g. solvents). This simplifies the manufacture of the handrail and can, for example, be carried out by machine.

The method preferably includes the further following step: applying a first further layer to the cover structure, in particular by calendering, the at least one further layer preferably comprising the same material as the substructure.

Preferably, multiple deck assemblies can be extruded separately from each other and bonded together after extrusion. Thus, there is the possibility of a ceiling structure with the desired properties and a certain dimensions by simply adding more layers without having to change the manufacturing process.

Preferably, the method further includes the step of vulcanizing the substructure, or vulcanizing the substructure with the ceiling structure attached. In other words, the handrail consisting of the ceiling structure and the substructure can be vulcanized as a whole, whereby a solid cohesion of the ceiling structure and the substructure can be achieved. Alternatively, the substructure can be vulcanized before the ceiling structure is attached, which saves energy during vulcanization because the mold for vulcanization does not also have to accommodate the ceiling structure. Consequently, a particularly energy-efficient manufacturing process can be provided.

The advantages and features that have been presented in connection with the device also apply in an analogous manner to the method and vice versa. An individual features and associated advantages can be combined with each other and form new embodiments.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the figures. It shows:

Fig. 1 shows a cross section through a handrail as it is known in the prior art,

Fig. 2 shows a schematic cross section through a ceiling structure according to egg ner embodiment of the present invention, and

3 shows a cross section through a handrail according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 is a schematic view of a cross section of a handrail 10 as is known in the art. Only one side of the handrail 10 is shown in FIG. The side of the handrail 10 that is not shown is sym metric with respect to the drawn axis of symmetry to the part of the handrail 10 shown. The handrail 10 consists of a cover layer 20 and a substructure 30 desired properties for the intended place of use of the handrail 10 has. The base 30 provides structural strength to the handrail 10 . The cover layer 20 is attached to the substructure 30 by means of manual assembly. In this case, the cover layer 20 is built up layer by layer on the substructure 30 with an adhesion promoter.

This has the disadvantage that the use of solvents means that employees who carry out the manual packaging are exposed to an increased pollutant content. In addition, manual assembly provides low efficiency and there is a risk of dirt being introduced, as a result of which the adhesion of the cover layer 20 to the substructure 30 can be insufficient.

Taking this into account, the present invention proposes a ceiling structure 5 consisting of at least one cover layer 2 and one adhesive layer 3 . Figure 2 is a schematic view of the ceiling structure 5 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Only a section of the ceiling structure 5 is shown in FIG. The materials of the adhesive layer 3 and the cover layer 2 differ. In the present embodiment, the cover layer 2 has a constant material thickness. In contrast, the adhesive layer 3 has a varying material thickness. Thus, with the adhesive layer 3, any unevenness units (such as can occur, for example, due to an uneven substructure) can be compensated for in a cost-effective manner. As a result, the material of the cover layer 2 can be saved, so that the ceiling structure 5 can be produced more cost-effectively overall. Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a handrail 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The handrail 1 is shown in sections in FIG. 3 in a cross section transverse to the profile direction. The profile direction is on the sheet surface of Figure 3. More specifically, only one side of the axisymmetric handrail 1 is shown. However, the side that is not shown is symmetrical to the side of the handrail 1 that is shown. The handrail 1 comprises a ceiling structure 5, shown in FIG. The material of the adhesive layer 3 is chosen so that sufficient tack is achieved so that the ceiling structure 5 can advantageously be attached to the substructure 4 without the use of adhesion promoters.

In the present embodiment, the adhesive layer comprises chloroprene rubber (CR), so that the adhesive layer adheres to the base 4 well. Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the cover layer comprises chlorosulfonated polyethylene (CSM), with the cover structure 5 being produced by coextrusion. The cover layer 2 therefore adheres to the adhesive layer 3 in a materially bonded manner. The substructure 4 also includes a tension element 8 made up of several steel strips which run along the profile direction. The tension element 8 can absorb tensile forces and ensures a constant length of the handrail 1 over its service life.

In a further embodiment, the cover layer in the above cover structure 5 comprises ethylene-propylene-diene rubber (EPDM) or polyurethane (PU). The materials of the cover layer can also be combined with the adhesive layer through the extrusion process. Due to the adhesive layer 3, the ceiling structure 5 can be attached to the substructure 4. Thus, the attachment of the ceiling structure 5 to the substructure 4 is independent of the material used for the cover layer 2.

In the present embodiment, the cover layer has a thickness of 0.1 mm to 4 mm, since in this area there is sufficient protection against external influences, such as ozone, UV and temperature loads. The base 4 is about 5 mm in the present embodiment strong. The adhesive layer has a material thickness of 10 mm minus the material thickness of the lower house 4 minus the material thickness of the top layer. In other words, the adhesive layer 3 compensates for fluctuations in the material thickness of the other layers. The cover layer 2 is preferably provided with a constant material thickness, so that the adhesive layer 3 only compensates for fluctuations in the thickness of the substructure 4 .

In the present embodiment, the cross section of the handrail is divided into a central area 6 and two edge areas 7 . In the central area 6, the handrail has a greater thickness than in the edge area 7. Furthermore, the edge area 7 is bent in such a way that the edge area 7 forms a C-shape in cross section.

The adhesive layer represents a connection with the substructure 4, which has an adhesive force in the range of 3-10 N/mm ² . Sufficient stability of the handrail 1 can thus be ensured. All of the layers mentioned in the present invention are volume layers that extend in every spatial direction.

Reference character list

1 handrail

2 top layer

3 adhesive layer

4 substructure

5 ceiling construction

6 central area

7 edge area

8 traction element

10 handrail

20 top layer

30 substructure

Claims

Expectations

1. A handrail (1) that can be mounted on a guide element for moving walkways, escalators or the like, comprising a substructure (4) that is arranged or can be arranged on the guide element, and a cover structure (5) that has at least one adhesive layer (3) and has a cover layer (2), the handrail (1) having a substantially constant cross-section along its profile direction, the materials of the cover layer (2) and the adhesive layer (3) being different, and the ceiling structure (5) having the adhesive layer (3) is brought to the substructure (4).

2. Handrail (1) according to claim 1, wherein the cover layer (2) comprises EPDM, TPE, EPM, CPE, CSM, PU, SBR, NBR and/or NR.

3. Handrail (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the adhesive layer (3) comprises SBR, EPDM, TPE, EPM, CPE, CSM, PU, NBR, NR and/or CR.

4. Handrail (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the adhesive layer has a constant material thickness.

5. Handrail (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the handrail (1) has two, in particular curved, edge regions (7) and a central region (6) connecting the edge regions in a cross section transverse to the profile direction.

6. Handrail (1) according to claim 5, wherein the adhesive layer (3) has a greater material thickness in the central area (6) than in the edge areas (7).

7. Handrail (1) according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the substructure (4) in the central area (6) has a greater material thickness than in the edge areas (6).

8. Handrail (1) according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the cover layer (2) has a substantially constant material thickness in the central area (6) and in the edge areas (7).

9. Handrail (1) according to one of claims 5 to 8, wherein a ratio of the material thickness of the ceiling structure (5) in the central region (6) to the width of the handrail (1) transverse to the profile direction of the handrail (1) in egg nem ranges from 0.0012 to 0.08.

10. Handrail (1) according to one of claims 5 to 9, wherein a ratio of the material thickness of the substructure (4) to the material thickness of the cover layer (2) in the central area is in a range from 1.25 to 50, preferably from 2.5 until 16

11. Handrail (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the adhesive layer (3) is designed to connect the ceiling structure (5) to the substructure (4) so that an adhesive force of at least 3 N / mm ² , preferably of at least 6 N/mm ² is reached.

12. Handrail (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the ceiling structure (5) is a coextrusion product.

13. Handrail (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the ceiling structure (5) has at least one further layer which preferably comprises the same material as the substructure (4).

14. Handrail (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the substructure (4) has a tension element (8) which extends along the profile direction of the handrail (1).

15. A method for producing a mountable on a guide element

Handrail for moving walks, escalators or the like, comprising the following steps:

- Coextruding a ceiling structure (5) which has at least one adhesive layer (3) and one cover layer (2), the materials of the cover layer (2) and the adhesive layer (3) being different, and

- Attaching the ceiling structure (5) with the adhesive layer (3) on a substructure (4).