GB2303835A - Escalator capable of carrying a wheelchair - Google Patents

Abstract

A wheelchair carrying escalator comprises a wheel stopper 10 which projects above a carrying plane 7f,8f,9f for the wheelchair, under the control of a turning link 15, the stopper 10 being at its greatest projection when the link 15 is in either its bottom or its top dead centre position, depending on whether the link is pivoted to the stopper 10 or the structure 17 of the step 9. The link 15 is turned by a motor 18, which may drive through a rack and pinion mechanism (fig 7 not shown). The carrying plane is made up of two elevating steps 8,9 and a normal step 7, with the stopper mounted on the most elevated step 9.

Description

ESCALATOR CAPABLE OF CARRYING WHEELCHAIR The present invention relates to an escalator capable of carrying a wheelchair. More particularly, it concerns an escalator capable of carrying a wheelchair having a wheel stopper that can be put in or out of a wheelchair mounting plane on which the wheelchair is mounted.

A prior escalator capable of carrying a wheelchair that has a wheel stopper can be put in or out of a wheelchair mounting plane in order to carry the wheelchair safely as disclosed in, for example, the Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-201683.

In the above-mentioned prior art, if a downward load is exerted to the wheel stopper projected through the wheelchair mounting plane, the wheel stopper descends likely without a special locking arrangement, resulting in loosing its function and any special locking arrangement is needed. With such the special locking arrangement, however, it is a problem that the peripheral drive arrangement for the wheel stopper becomes complicated.

In view of solving the foregoing problems of the prior arts, preferably the present invention provides an escalator capable of carrying a wheelchair that can prevent the wheel stopper from descending without complicated construction.

Preferably, the foregoing object is accomplished in accordance with aspects of the present invention by an escalator for carrying a wheelchair comprising a wheelchair mounting plane having a plurality of step plates arranged horizontally, a wheel stopper projected through the wheelchair mounting plane, and a turning link for driving the wheel stopper wherein projection length of the wheel stopper becomes maximum at an upper dead circle of the turning link.

With the above-described construction, the wheel stopper is driven by the turning link and the projection length of the wheel stopper is made maximum at the dead center of the turning link. Even if a downward load is exerted to the wheel stopper, therefore, it is supported at the upper dead center.

This can prevent the wheel stopper from descending.

This means that no arrangement for locking the wheel stopper in synchronization with projection of the wheel stopper is needed.

Fig. 1 is a brief longitudinally sectioned view illustrating a first embodiment according to the present invention for a step having a wheel stopper for an escalator that can carry a wheelchair.

Fig. 2 is a partial front view illustrating a drive arrangement of the wheel stopper in Fig. 1 before operation.

Fig. 3 is a partial front view illustrating a drive arrangement of the wheel stopper in Fig. 1 after operation.

Fig. 4 is a brief side view illustrating an overall construction of an escalator according to the present invention that can carry a wheelchair.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view illustrating wheelchair mounting steps in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a partial front view illustrating a second embodiment according to the present invention for a wheel stopper of an escalator that can carry a wheelchair, corresponding to Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a partial front view illustrating a third embodiment according to the present invention for a wheel stopper of an escalator that can carry a wheelchair, corresponding to Fig. 3.

The following describes a first embodiment of the present invention by reference to Figs. 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.

A main framework 1 is placed between an upper floor and a lower floor. In the main framework 1, a plurality of steps 3 moved as linked endlessly by a step chain 2 is installed, balustrades 4 each of which is placed on an edge of the steps 3 in a moving direction of the steps 3, and moving handrails 5 each of which is moved along the balustrade 4 as synchronized with the steps 3.

The plurality of steps 3 have a specific step group 6 to carry a wheelchair built in thereamong. The specific step group 6 is formed of a first step 7, a second step 8 adjoining a lower side of the first step 7, and a third step 9 adjoining a lower side of the second step 8. Step plates 8F and 9F of the second step 8 and the third step 9 are formed so as to be movable upwards.

In a normal operation, there are level differences between the adjoining steps 7, 8, 9 in a stairway as with the regular steps 3. In an operation having the wheelchair mounted, the step plates 8F and 9F of the second and third steps 8 and 9 are constructed to be always leveled in the stairway in reference to a step plate 7F of the first step 7.

In other words, in the operation having the wheelchair mounted, the three steps 7 to 9 can be made level at an upper landing U.L and a lower landing D.L.

Of course, the step plates 7F, 8F, and 9F also can be leveled. If the three steps 7 to 9 are moved to the stairway by connecting the leveled step plates 7F, 8F, and 9F horizontally in a row, the step plates 8F and 9F of the second and third steps 8 and 9 follow the step plates 7F of the first step 7 to rise to keep level. The step plate 8F of the second step 8 rises up one step, and the step plate 9F of the third step 9 rises up three steps. With the rise of the step plate 9F of the third step 9, a wide opening is made between the step plate 9F and a lower step 3D. For the opening, three riser R1, R2, and R3 are provided.

The wheelchair, say a motor-driven tricycle 19 rides on such a wheelchair mounting plane as formed of the step plates 7F, 8F, and 9F at the upper landing U.L or the lower landing D.L so as to be carried. A higher side of the wheelchair mounting plane faces an upper step 3U so that the motor-driven tricycle 19 cannot move so far. However, a lower side of the wheelchair mounting plane is above the lower step 3D so that the motor-driven tricycle 19 cannot be prevented from moving by any matter. Possible unstable motion of a user on the wheelchair therefore may dangerously cause the motor-driven tricycle 19 to fall down to the lower step 3D.

To prevent the motor-driven tricycle 19 from falling down, a wheel stopper 10 is provided on the step plate 9F of the third step 9. The wheel stopper 10, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, is formed of a base 11 and a plurality of parallel forks 12 supported on the base 11. The plurality of parallel forks 12 is formed to project out among a plurality of cleats 9C formed on a surface of the step plate 9F.

The wheel stopper 10 formed as described above is guided in a direction of the projection to a rear side of the step plate 9F by a guide member (not shown).

Also, the base 11 of the wheel stopper 10 has a pair of parallel cam plates 13A and 13B mounted laterally thereon. The pair of cam plates 13A and 13B has a roller 14 of a little smaller diameter than space of the cam plates 13A and 13B fitted therein.

The roller 14 is turnably fitted at one end of a turning link 15. The other end of the turning link 15 has a shaft 16 fixed thereto. The shaft 16 is turnably supported by a bracket 17 provided on the rear side of the step plate 9F.

To move the shaft 16, a drive motor 18 is coupled with it. The turning link 15 is slanted laterally at maximum with fulcrum of the shaft 16 when ends of the forks 12 of the wheel stopper 10 are below the surface of the step plate 9F.

The following describes operation of the escalator having the wheelchair mounted as described above.

First, the wheelchair 19 should be made to ride on the step plates 7F, 8F, and 9F of the three steps 7, 8, and 9 arranged horizontally at the upper landing U.L or the lower landing D.L. If a start switch (not shown) for carrying the wheelchair is turned on, power is supplied to the drive motor 18 to drive. The drive motor 18 turns the shaft 16. The shaft 16 turns the turning link 15 fixed thereto in an arrow direction in Fig. 2 with flucrum of the shaft 16.

The turning link 15 causes the roller 14 turnably fitted at the end thereof to press the cam plate 13A up to a position indicated by a two-dot-dash line 13A' in Fig. 2. The cam plate 13A moves up the wheel stopper 10 integrated therewith. If the roller 14 comes right above the shaft 16, or if the roller 14 reaches an upper dead center, the turning link 15 is stopped. The forks 12 of the wheel stopper 10 are projected to maximum length from the surface of the step plate 9F as indicated by a two-dot-dash line 12' in Fig. 1 and 2. At this time, the power supply to the drive motor 18 is turned off, and the escalator starts.

In that state, even if a downward load is exerted to the projected forks 12', it can be supported by the shaft 16 so that the forks 12' cannot be moved downward. This keeps the wheel stopping function for the motor-driven tricycle 19.

In turn, to return the forks 12' projected from the surface of the step plate 9F to the original positions, the steps 7 to 9 should be stopped at the upper landing U.L or the lower landing D.L or the motor-driven tricycle 19 should be moved away from the steps 7 to 9. Then, the power is re-supplied to the drive motor 18. The drive motor 18 turns the turning link 15 in an arrow direction in Fig. 3. The turning link 15 causes the roller 14 turnably fitted at the end thereof to press the cam plate 13B down. The cam plate 13B moves the wheel stopper 10 integrated therewith to a position indicated by a two-dot-dash line in Fig. 3. This draws the projected forks 12' out of the surface of the step plate 9F. After this, the escalator should be reset to the ordinary operation.

As described so far, the first embodiment of the present invention is made up in such a simple construction that the turning link 15 is turned and stopped at the upper dead center. The construction can prevent the forks 12 from descending. This means that no special locking arrangement is needed to prevent the forks 12 from descending.

Fig. 6 illustrates a second embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment is the same as the first one in basic construction except that the end of the turning link 15 is turned to a position passing a little by dimension 6 beyond the upper dead center when the wheel stopper 10 rises and a stopper 20 is provided to limit motion of the turning link 15 at that position.

In such a state, if a downward load is exerted to the forks 12' projected from the step plate 9F, the load acts through the cam plate 13A and the roller 14 to make the end of the turning link 15 turn in a direction that the dimension 6 should be made longer.

However, the stopper 20 limits the turning link 15 not to turn more so that the turning link 15 cannot be turned. The wheel stopper 10 therefore does not descend. It should be noted that since the turning link 15 is made to contact the stopper 20 at the position passing by dimension 6 beyond the upper dead center, the turning link 15 cannot be turned reversely to be held stably.

The second embodiment also is the same as the first one in that the turning link 15 can be prevented from descending without special locking arrangement.

The above-described first and second embodiments are constructed to have the pair of cam plates 13A and 13B on the side of wheel stopper 10 and the turning link 15 on the side of bracket 17. Alternatively, the embodiments may have the turning link 15 on the side of wheel stopper 10 and the pair of cam plates 13A and 13B on the side of bracket 17 to provide the same effect.

If the turning link 15 is provided on the side of wheel stopper 10, as shown in Fig. 7, the turning link 15 may have a small gear 21 turnably fitted at the end thereof and the bracket 17 may have a rack 22 that can be engaged with the small gear 21.

With such a drive arrangement constructed as described above, a drive motor (not shown) should be made to drive either the turning link 15 or the small gear 21 to rotate the small gear 21 on the rack 22 to move to a position of two-dot-dash line. The turning link 15 is made to rise vertical at a lower dead center from an inclined state. At this time, projection length of the forks 12' of the wheel stopper 10 from the step plate 9F becomes maximum. In this state, even if a downward load is exerted to the forks 12', it can be supported by the rack 22 through the small gear 21 to prevent the wheel stopper 10 from descending.

As described so far, the present invention can accomplish the escalator that can prevent the wheel stopper from descending in carrying the wheelchair without complicating the construction.

Claims (6)

What is claimed is:

1. An escalator for carrying a wheelchair comprising a wheelchair mounting plane having a plurality of step plates arranged horizontally, and a wheel stopper projected through the wheelchair mounting plane, said escalator further comprising a turning link for driving the wheel stopper, wherein projection length of the wheel stopper becomes maximum at a dead circle of said turning link.

2. An escalator according to claim 1 including a stopper for holding the turning link at a position passing the dead circle.

3. An escalator for carrying the wheelchair according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the turning link is turnably supported by a bracket held on a rear side of one of the step plates forming the wheelchair mounting plane.

4. An escalator for carrying the wheelchair according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the turning link is turnably supported by the wheel stopper.

5. An escalator for carrying the wheelchair according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the turning link has a roller turnably supported at an end thereof and the roller is fitted in between a pair of cam plates provided laterally on the wheel stopper.

6. An escalator substantially as any one embodiment herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.