JP2000198653A - Passenger conveyer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a passenger conveyer improving the safety, by making children, aged persons, and physically handicapped persons possible to ride on and ride off at ease. SOLUTION: When an operation panel 10 is pushed, the second operation speed instruction S2 and an acceleration are selected by a speed setting circuit 9, an instruction is given to a power converter 2 through a time setting circuit 15, to control an inverter circuit 2a, and the conveyer is switched to a low speed operation of 20 m per minute by the second operation speed instruction S2, through an acceleration α1 not more than 0.1 m/S2, and a passenger can ride on a step 8 easily, and since the conveyer continues a low speed operation at 20 m per minute thereafter, he/she can ride off safely and easily.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a passenger conveyor such as an escalator and a moving sidewalk.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, passenger conveyors such as escalators are operated at a high speed of about 30 meters per minute in order to ensure efficient transportation. Such driving speeds
Although it is efficient for ordinary healthy people to get on and off the passenger conveyor, it is difficult for children, the elderly and persons with physical disabilities to get on and off.

[0003] In recent years, a variety of methods for reducing the operating speed of a passenger conveyor have been proposed while equipment friendly to humans has been desired from the barrier-free orientation.
In the passenger conveyor disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2892, the number of revolutions of the electric motor is made variable by a voltage converter, and an operation panel is installed at an elevator of an escalator, and the operation is performed when a passenger using the escalator operates the operation panel. The speed was made lower than usual, and when the passenger got in, the system was configured to return to high-speed operation after a certain time by a timer. In this way, the power converter can be used to change the speed, and by driving at a low speed for a certain period of time to get in according to the passenger, the safety at the time of getting in can be improved and the transportation efficiency can be reduced. Was trying to prevent it.

[0004]

By the way, in the above-mentioned conventional passenger conveyor, after operating the operation panel provided at the entrance / exit of the passenger conveyor, an elderly person is operated within a certain time during which the passenger conveyor operates at a low speed. If I couldn't get in or stopped for a while, I returned to high-speed driving just before getting in, and I couldn't get in safely after all. In addition, even if the driver can get on within the set time, the driver returns to the original driving speed before reaching the next boarding / exiting entrance, and there is a danger that the elderly may fall on the foot when switching the speed.

[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide a passenger conveyor with improved safety by enabling children, the elderly and persons with physical disabilities to get on and off with ease.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a passenger conveyor for driving an endless step by connecting a motor to a three-phase AC power supply. A power supply system connected to a power converter so that at least two different operation speeds can be selected, and a time setting circuit for continuously operating at least one floor at a low speed operation. And

[0007] The passenger conveyor according to the present invention is configured so that the operation speed is variable by the power converter and the low-speed operation is controlled by the time setting circuit so as to be continuous for at least the first floor. One can get in safely after low-speed operation, and can get off safely while driving at low speed, so that safety can be improved.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a passenger conveyor according to an embodiment of the present invention. The plurality of steps 8 are connected endlessly by a step chain 7, and a drive chain 5 is wound around a sprocket 6 around which the step chain 7 is wound so as to rotate in accordance with a drive sprocket of the reduction gear 4. I have. The speed reducer 4 is connected so as to be driven by the electric motor 3, and the electric motor 3 is connected to the three-phase AC power supply 1 via two power supply systems 13A and 13B. The power supply system 13A includes switching means 14A,
14B, the three-phase AC power supply 1 and the motor 3 are directly connected, while the power supply system 13B is connected to the switching means 14B.
A three-phase AC power supply 1 and a motor 3 are connected via a power converter 2 connected between A and 14B. Switching means 14
A and 14B are simultaneously opened and closed by the control circuit 2b. In a steady state, power is supplied from the three-phase AC power supply 1 to the motor 3 by the power supply system 13B having the power converter 2, and the switching operation of the switching means 14A and 14B. At the time, power is directly supplied from the three-phase AC power supply 1 to the electric motor 3 by the power supply system 13A.

The power converter 2 includes an inverter circuit 2a,
It has a control circuit 2b for controlling this,
The input signal to the control circuit 2b includes the inverter circuit 2
a from a power system switching operation switch (not shown) for performing switching operation of the switching means 14A and 14B when a fails, and a speed setting circuit 9 when the operation panel 10 provided near the entrance of the passenger conveyor is operated. And a signal provided through the time setting circuit 15.
A speaker 12 is provided near the passenger conveyor, and when the operation panel 10 is operated, the voice synthesizing circuit 11 operates via the speed setting circuit 9, and a predetermined number of passengers of the passenger conveyor corresponding to the operation panel 10 are provided. Is output.

Next, the operation of the above-described passenger conveyor will be described. Normally, the switching means 14A and 14B are switched to the state shown in FIG. 1, and the three-phase AC power supply 1 is connected to the electric motor 3 via the power supply system 13B having the power converter 2.
Power. Electric motor 8 by power converter 2
, The passenger conveyor is driven down at 30 meters per minute according to the first operation speed command S1 shown as a steady state in FIG. 2 to provide an efficient service.

Here, if the elderly or the like approaches the entrance to use the passenger conveyor and presses a button on the operation panel 10, this signal is input to the speed setting circuit 9 in FIG. The command S2 and the acceleration are selected, and the command is given to the power converter 2 via the voice synthesis circuit 11 and the time setting circuit 15, respectively. In the power converter 2, the control circuit 2b controls the inverter circuit 2a, and from the high-speed operation at 30 meters per minute based on the first operation speed command S1 shown in FIG.
2 is switched to a low speed operation such as 20 meters per minute.

Here, the predetermined acceleration α1 is determined so as not to lose the balance on the steps 8 due to this speed change even if there is already a passenger on the passenger conveyor. It has been found that this can be achieved by setting it to 0.1 m / s2 or less. The voice synthesizing circuit 11 alerts the passengers by sending a message such as "Please note that the speed will slow down" from the speaker 12. 2 per minute based on the second operation speed command S2
When the driving is switched to the low-speed driving of 0 meters, the elderly and the like can easily get on the steps 8. Thereafter, even if the elderly person reaches the lower entry / exit, the low-speed driving of 20 meters per minute continues, so that the elderly person can get off similarly safely and easily. This means that gentle driving has been performed. Normally, passenger conveyors installed in department stores have a floor height of 4 m.
Although the driving time is about 8 seconds, even if the driving speed is switched, it is about 12 seconds, so that there is almost no trouble to other passengers.

A predetermined time T after the operation panel 10 is operated
When s elapses, the time setting circuit 15 gives a command to the control circuit 2b of the power converter 2 to start the first operation speed command from the low speed operation at 20 meters per minute by the second operation speed command S2 via the predetermined acceleration α2. Return to high-speed operation at 30 meters per minute by S1. Here, the predetermined time Ts means that the operation at 20 meters per minute according to the second operation speed command S2 has been continued for at least one floor, and the elderly and the like are required to return to the normal operation speed. Although the passenger has already got off from the lower entrance, the required time varies depending on the floor height of the passenger conveyor. The predetermined acceleration α2 is set to be larger than the above-described predetermined acceleration α1 to improve the driving efficiency because the elderly and the like have already got off the passenger conveyor.
At this time, as in the case described above, the voice synthesizing circuit 11 alerts another passenger by sending a message such as “Please note that we accelerate, please be careful” from the speaker 12. Therefore, thereafter, the operation returns to the high-speed operation of 30 meters per minute according to the first operation speed command S1, and the operation is continued, so that efficient service can be provided.

Before the elderly person gets off the lower entrance, that is, within a predetermined time Ts, another elderly person operates the operation panel 1.
When "0" is operated, the time setting circuit 15 counts a predetermined time Ts from that time and performs speed control in the same manner as described above.

By providing the power converter 2, the above-described speed control can be performed. However, if the inverter circuit 2a of the power converter 2 fails, an unillustrated power system switching operation switch is operated. When the control circuit 2b gives a command to the control circuit 2b, the control circuit 2b switches the switching means 14A and 14B from the state shown in FIG. 1, and the three-phase AC power supply 1 causes the power supply system 13A to bypass the power converter 2.
, The electric power is supplied directly to the electric motor 3. Therefore, the operation of the passenger conveyor can be continued even during the operation of replacing the inverter circuit 2a of the power converter 2, and the service to the passenger is not reduced.

FIG. 3 is a schematic structural view of a passenger conveyor according to another embodiment of the present invention. The same reference numerals are given to the same components as those in the previous embodiment, and the detailed description is omitted. The motor 3 is connected to the three-phase AC power supply 1 via two power supply systems 13A and 13B. The power supply system 13A is directly connected to the three-phase AC power supply 1 via the switching means 14A and 14B.
And the motor 3, while the power supply system 13B connects the three-phase AC power supply 1 and the motor 3 via the power converter 2 connected between the switching means 14A and 14B. The switching means 14A and 14B are simultaneously opened and closed by the control circuit 2b. In a steady state, the switching means 14A and 14B are switched from the three-phase AC power supply 1 to the electric motor 3 by the power supply system 13B having the power converter 2.
When the switching means 14A and 14B perform a switching operation, power is directly supplied from the three-phase AC power supply 1 to the electric motor 3 by the power supply system 13A.

The power converter 2 includes an inverter circuit 2a,
It has a control circuit 2b for controlling this,
The input signal to the control circuit 2b includes the inverter circuit 2
It includes a signal from a power system switching operation switch (not shown) for giving a switching operation command for the switching means 14A and 14B when a fails, and a signal given from the speed setting circuit 9. The time setting circuit 16 for giving a command to the speed setting circuit 9 includes a function of the time setting circuit 15 in the above embodiment, and is a 24-hour timer or the like that manages the entire operation time of the passenger conveyor. A speaker 12 is provided in the vicinity of the passenger conveyor, and when a command is given from the speed setting circuit 9 to the control circuit 2b, the voice synthesizing circuit 11 operates to output a predetermined voice to the passengers of the corresponding passenger conveyor. It is configured so that:

FIG. 4 is a time chart showing an example of time setting by the time setting circuit 16 described above. In the case of a 24-hour timer, the time setting circuit 16 switches between two different operating speeds so that the vertical axis represents the operating speed of the passenger conveyor and the horizontal axis represents the time even when the passenger conveyor is not actually operating. Is set to be performed. Normally, in department stores, the elderly and people with physical disabilities tend to use the passenger conveyor from the opening time of the department store to the off-peak hours during the day to avoid congestion in the evening. Therefore, in accordance with these people, from 10 am to 5 pm, low-speed operation of 20 meters per minute according to the second operation speed command S2 is performed, and at other times, 30 meters per minute according to the first operation speed command S1. The speed is controlled so as to operate at high speed.

Next, the operation of the above-described passenger conveyor will be described. Normally, the switching means 14A and 14B are switched to the state shown in FIG.
Supplies power to the electric motor 3 via a power supply system 13B having the power converter 2. With the power converter 2, the electric motor 8 drives the passenger conveyor at 30 meters per minute according to the first operation speed command S1 shown as a steady state in FIG. The operation speed is managed by the time setting circuit 16 and continues from the start of operation to 10 am.

However, at 10:00 a.m., the time setting circuit 16 gives a command to the speed setting circuit 9, and the speed setting circuit 9 which receives the command gives the commands to the control circuit 2b and the voice synthesizing circuit 11, respectively. In the speed setting circuit 9, the second operation speed command S2 and the acceleration up to the shift are selected and the command is given to the power converter 2. In the power converter 2, the control circuit 2b controls the inverter circuit 2a. , FIG.
Is switched from the high-speed operation at 30 meters per minute according to the first operating speed command S1 to the low-speed operation at 20 meters per minute according to the second operating speed command S2 via a predetermined acceleration α1.

Here, the predetermined acceleration α1 is set at 0. 1 so that even if there is already a passenger of the passenger conveyor, the balance is not lost on the steps 8 due to the speed change, as in the case described with reference to FIG. 1 m / s2 or less.
Further, the voice synthesis circuit 11 alerts the passengers already on the passenger conveyor by sending a message such as “Please note that the vehicle is slowing down” from the speaker 12. When the operation is switched to the low-speed operation of 20 meters per minute according to the second operation speed command S2, the elderly can easily get on the steps 8 and even if the elderly reach the lower entrance / exit. Since the low-speed operation of 20 meters continues, it is possible to get off safely and easily. Thus, gentle driving is performed for the elderly and the like, and power consumption can be suppressed by suppressing the speed.

Thereafter, when a time longer than the predetermined time Ts shown in FIG.
6 is a control circuit 2 for the power converter 2 via a speed setting circuit 9
b, the second operation speed command S2 is set to 20
The operation is returned from the low-speed operation of meters to the high-speed operation of 30 meters per minute by the first operation speed command S1 via the predetermined acceleration α2. Here, the predetermined acceleration α2 is, as described with reference to FIG. 2, because it is considered that the elderly or the like has not already used the passenger conveyor at this time,
It is made larger than 1 to improve the operation efficiency. At this time, as in the case described above, the voice synthesizing circuit 11 alerts the passengers by sending a message such as “Please note that the vehicle accelerates” from the speaker 12. Therefore, after 17:00, 30 minutes per minute based on the first operation speed command S1
It returns to the high-speed operation of meters and continues, and efficient service can be provided.

By providing the power converter 2, the above-described speed control can be performed. However, if the inverter circuit 2a of the power converter 2 fails, an unillustrated power system switching operation switch is operated. Then, when the control circuit 2b gives a command to the control circuit 2b, the control circuit 2b switches the switching means 14A and 14B from the state shown in FIG. 3, and the three-phase AC power supply 1 causes the power supply system 13A to bypass the power converter 2.
, The electric power is supplied directly to the electric motor 3. Therefore, the operation of the passenger conveyor can be continued even during the operation of replacing the inverter circuit 2a of the power converter 2, and the service to the passenger is not reduced.

The time setting circuit 16 shown in FIG. 3 is incorporated in the time setting circuit 15 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 and the operation panel 10 is operated, and the time between 10:00 am and 17:00 am It is also possible to operate at a low speed between the two.

[0025]

As described above, the passenger conveyor according to the present invention is configured such that the operation speed is variable by the power converter and the low-speed operation is controlled by the time setting circuit so as to be continuous for at least one floor. Elderly people and persons with physical disabilities will be able to get on safely after low-speed driving, and will be able to get off safely while driving at low speed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a passenger conveyor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an operation characteristic diagram of the passenger conveyor shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a passenger conveyor according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an operation characteristic diagram of the passenger conveyor shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 three-phase AC power supply 2 power converter 2 a inverter circuit 2 b control circuit 3 motor 9 speed setting circuit 10 operation panel 11 voice synthesis circuit 12 speakers 13 A and 13 B power supply system 14 A and 14 B switching means 15 and 16 time setting circuit

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Makoto Kuroki 1-6-6 Kandanishikicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan Inside the Hitachi Building System Co., Ltd. (72) Koji Yamamoto 1-6-6 Kandanishikicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Ltd. Hitachi Building Systems Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Koji Yamashita 1-6-6 Kanda Nishiki-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Ltd. Hitachi Building Systems Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Takeki 1-6-6 Kanda Nishiki-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Ltd. Hitachi, Ltd. Inside the building system (72) Inventor Tadaaki Chiba 1-6-6 Kandanishikicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo F-term in the Hitachi Building System Co., Ltd. (reference) 3F321 AA04 DA05 DB03 DC01 DD01 FA00 FB08 HA01

Claims (8)

[Claims] In a passenger conveyor for driving an endless step by connecting a motor to a three-phase AC power supply, a power converter is provided so that at least two different operation speeds can be selected between the three-phase AC power supply and the motor. And a time setting circuit for continuously operating at least one floor at a low speed. 2. The passenger conveyor according to claim 1, wherein another power supply system for directly connecting the three-phase AC power supply and the electric motor is formed in parallel with the power converter. 3. A passenger conveyor according to claim 1, wherein said power supply system having said power converter and said another power supply system are connected via switching means, respectively. 4. The passenger conveyor according to claim 1, wherein an operation panel for giving an operation command to said time setting circuit is provided near an entrance. 5. The passenger conveyor according to claim 1, further comprising a voice synthesizing circuit for outputting a voice when the driving speed is changed by the time setting circuit. 6. The passenger conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the time setting circuit is configured to perform low-speed operation in a time zone set in advance. 7. The acceleration control device according to claim 1, wherein the time setting circuit performs acceleration at a low speed by 0.1%.
A passenger conveyor provided with a speed setting circuit for setting the speed to m / s2 or less. 8. The acceleration control system according to claim 1, wherein the acceleration at the time of low-speed operation is set to 0.1 by the time setting circuit.
A passenger conveyor provided with a speed setting circuit which is set to not more than m / s2 and an acceleration for returning to a high-speed operation is set to be larger than an acceleration for performing the low-speed operation.