JP2013170041A - Safety device for passenger conveyor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a safety device for a passenger conveyor that detects that persons overflow and are retained at a gateway of an escalator as a passenger conveyor when the fact arises, and can avoid a risk by automatically regulating the operation of the escalator.SOLUTION: A passenger conveyor including a step sequence 2 for transporting passengers in one direction by moving in endless circulation, and gateways 4, 5 for making the passengers get on and off includes: a light sensor 17 that detects retention when persons more than a predetermined number are retained at the gateways 4, 5; and a control means for regulating the operation of the step sequence 2 when the light sensor 17 detects the retention. The control means decelerates the moving speed of the step sequence 2 after a prescribed time elapses after the light sensor 17 detects the retention, and performs control for stopping the movement of the step sequence 2.

Description

  Embodiments of the present invention relate to a passenger conveyor such as an escalator or a moving sidewalk, and relates to a passenger conveyor safety device that functions to avoid the danger when a person overflows and stays at a boarding / exiting portion of the passenger conveyor.

  For example, an escalator as a passenger conveyor installed in a building or a station building is provided with an emergency stop button that can be operated by passengers, and the operation of the escalator is stopped in an emergency by operating this emergency stop button. Be able to.

JP 2007-302426 A

  By the way, it is predicted that a large number of people stay and stay at the getting-on / off part of the escalator for some reason. In this case, there are people in the boarding area of the escalator, and passengers who move toward the boarding area in the escalator try to get down to the boarding area in order. If you don't get down well, you may fall and confuse like a crowd avalanche, which may cause unexpected danger. In particular, during upward driving of the escalator, it is difficult to see the state of the upper floor boarding / exiting section from the step on the lower side of the escalator, which increases the risk.

  In such a case, if there are security guards or people who belong to the escalator, notice the escalator abnormalities or abnormalities, stop the escalator operation, or the passenger using the escalator himself can press the emergency stop button attached to the escalator. The operation of the escalator is stopped by operating.

  However, if there are no security guards or no operation by passengers, the escalator will continue to operate, increasing the risk.

  The embodiment of the present invention pays attention to such a problem, and when a person overflows and stays in the escalator's getting-on / off part, it detects it and avoids danger by automatically regulating the operation of the escalator. An object of the present invention is to provide a safety device for an escalator that can be used.

  In order to solve such a problem, the invention of claim 1 includes a step sequence for infinite circulation and transporting passengers in one direction, and a boarding / alighting unit for passengers to get on and off the step sequence. In a passenger conveyor comprising: a detecting means for detecting staying when a predetermined number of people stay in the boarding / alighting section; and control for regulating the operation of the step sequence when the detecting means detects the staying And a control means for performing the above.

  The invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that the detection means detects a stay of a passenger using an optical sensor.

  In the invention of claim 3, the control means decelerates the moving speed of the step sequence until a predetermined time elapses after the detection means detects the stay, and after the predetermined time elapses, It is characterized in that control for stopping the movement of the step sequence is performed.

  The invention according to claim 4 is characterized in that the control means performs a control to drive a sound generation device to send a warning announcement to the boarding / exiting section when the detection means detects the stay.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, when the detecting means detects the stagnation and the operation of the step sequence is restricted, the control means performs control to notify the security room of the restriction information of the step sequence. It is characterized by that.

The side view which shows the whole structure of the escalator which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. The perspective view which expands and shows a part of the escalator. The block diagram which shows the structure of the control circuit of the escalator. The flowchart for demonstrating the effect | action of the escalator. The side view which shows the whole structure of the escalator which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. The perspective view which expands and shows a part of the escalator. The block diagram which shows the structure of the control circuit of the escalator.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  1 to 4 show a first embodiment. FIG. 1 is a side view showing an overall configuration of an escalator as an example of a passenger conveyor, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a part thereof in an enlarged manner. The escalator includes a truss 1 installed between a lower floor and an upper floor of the building. Inside the truss 1, a step train 2 for passenger conveyance is incorporated. The step sequence 2 is formed by connecting a plurality of steps 3 in an endless manner via a chain (not shown).

  The upper part on one end side of the truss 1 is a boarding / alighting part 4 on the lower floor, and the upper part on the other side is a boarding / alighting part 5 on the upper floor, and the step sequence between the boarding / alighting part 4 on the lower floor and the boarding / alighting part 5 on the upper floor. 2 moves infinitely, and the passenger who rides on the step 3 is conveyed in one direction.

  For example, glass balustrades 7 are arranged on both sides of the step row 2. These balustrades 7 are attached to the truss 1. An endless handrail belt 8 is attached to the edge of each balustrade 7, and these handrail belts 8 move infinitely in synchronization with the step sequence 2. A skirt portion 9 is provided at the bottom of the balustrade 7 to protect passengers' feet, and passenger boarding boards 10 are installed on the floors of the lower and upper floors 4 and 5 respectively. Has been.

  In the lower floor side end portion of the truss 1, that is, in the space below the lower floor entrance / exit section 4, is a machine room 12, and a drive source 13 for driving the step train 2 and the handrail belt 8 in the machine room 12 and this drive. A control panel 14 is installed as a control means for controlling the source 13.

  In the lower and upper floors 4 and 5, there are provided optical sensors 17 as detecting means for detecting the stay when people overflow and stay in these boarding and unloading sections 4 and 5. The optical sensors 17 are installed, for example, at the upper and lower floor ends of the skirt portions 9 on both sides, and these optical sensors 17 emit detection light toward the getting-on / off portions 4, 5. It is designed to detect the stay of people. In other words, the optical sensor 17 is normally in an off state, and when there is a stay of more than a predetermined number of people in the boarding / alighting units 4 and 5 that hinders passengers from getting off, this is detected and an on signal is generated. Output.

  FIG. 3 shows the configuration of the control circuit. A control panel 14 as a control means incorporates a microcomputer having a timer function, and a drive source 13 and an optical sensor 17 are connected to the control panel 14. .

  Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

  During normal operation of the escalator, the drive train 13 drives the step train 2 and the handrail belt 8 upward or downward. For example, when driving in the upward direction, a passenger gets on one step 3 in the moving step train 2 through the boarding board 10 of the lower level boarding section 4 and moves toward the upper floor together with the step 3. . Then, when the passenger reaches the boarding / exiting section 5 on the upper floor, the passenger gets on the boarding board 10 of the boarding / exiting section 5 and leaves the boarding / exiting section 5. In this case, no person stays in the boarding / alighting section 5, and therefore the optical sensor 17 does not detect the person staying, and the normal operation S1 in which the step sequence 2 moves at a normal speed is continued.

  During this normal operation, the presence or absence of a person in the upper floor boarding / exiting section 5 is determined by the optical sensor 17 (S2), and for some reason, the upper floor boarding / unloading section 5 has more than a predetermined number of people staying there. If it occurs and interferes with passengers getting off from step 3, the stay of people at the boarding / exiting section 5 is detected and turned on by the optical sensor 17, the signal is sent to the control panel 14, and the signal Based on the input, the moving speed of step 3 is regulated by the control panel 14.

  That is, for example, first, step 3 is regulated so as to decelerate and move to a low speed slower than the normal speed (S3). Next, it is determined via the control panel 14 whether or not a person stays in the getting-on / off unit 5 for a certain period of time (S4), and whether or not the optical sensor 17 is kept on after a certain period of time has passed. Is determined (S5), and when the optical sensor 17 is kept on, the movement of step 3 is regulated to stop (S6).

  Then, after the stop of step 3, the on / off state of the optical sensor 17 is determined (S7), and when it is switched off, that is, when the stagnation of people in the getting-on / off unit 5 is resolved after the stop of step 3, normal operation is performed. Switching to (S8), step 3 is controlled to move at the normal speed.

  In step S5, when the optical sensor 17 is switched off, that is, when the stagnation of the person at the getting-on / off unit 5 is resolved after the deceleration in step 3, the operation is switched to the normal operation (S1), and step 3 is performed at the normal speed. Controlled to move.

  Thus, when more than a predetermined number of people stay in the boarding / exiting part 5, the moving speed of step 3 is first decelerated. Therefore, the passenger on the step 3 judges the situation of the boarding / exiting part 5 and confirms safety. However, you can get off to the boarding / exiting part 5 slowly. And when a passenger gets down to the boarding / exiting part 5 and a person overflows further into the boarding / exiting part 5, the movement of step 3 stops, Therefore, the passenger who is riding in step 3 may be pushed out to the boarding / exiting part 5 And safety is ensured.

When the stagnation of the person at the boarding / exiting section 5 is resolved after the deceleration in Step 3 or after the stop, the Step 3 returns to the normal operation that moves at the normal speed, so the escalator does not stop for a long time, The fall of property can be prevented.
The above explanation is for the case where the step sequence 2 moves in the upward direction. However, when the step sequence 2 moves in the downward direction, the same operation and action are executed in the getting-on / off unit 4 on the lower floor.

  5 to 7 show a second embodiment. In the second embodiment, the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals in the drawings, and redundant description is omitted.

In the second embodiment, a load sensor 21 is provided as a detecting means for detecting a person's stay on the lower side of each of the boarding / alighting plates 10 installed in the lower and upper floors 4 and 5. ing. The load sensor 21 detects a person's load (for example, about 5 or 6 people's weight or about 300 kg) on the boarding board 10 so as to determine whether or not a person stays at the boarding / exiting units 4 and 5. It has become.
Further, in this embodiment, a speaker 23 and a buzzer 24 are installed at the lower and upper floor ends of the skirt portion 9 as shown in FIG.

  FIG. 7 shows the configuration of the control circuit. The control panel 14 as a control means incorporates a microcomputer having a timer function. The control panel 14 includes a drive source 13, a load sensor 21, and a sound generator 25. The buzzer 24 is connected. A speaker 23 is connected to the sound generator 25. Further, the control panel 14 is connected to a security room 30 where a manager who manages the escalator resides.

  Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

  For example, when a person stays in the upper floor getting on / off unit 5 during the upward driving, when the stay is detected by the load sensor 21, as in the case of the first embodiment, first, in step 3, The moving speed is controlled to decelerate. At this time, the sound generator 25 and the buzzer 24 are driven by the control of the control panel 14 based on the signal from the load sensor 21, and an announcement to alert the boarding / exiting unit 5 through the speaker 23, for example, “Dangerous. Open the boarding area. Do not stop at the boarding area. ] And the buzzer 24 sound.

  Further, when the stagnation of the person is not eliminated even after a certain time has elapsed, the control panel 14 controls the step 3 to stop. And when step 3 stops, the information is notified to the security room 30 through the control panel 14.

  In the second embodiment, as in the case of the first embodiment, when a person stays in the boarding / exiting portion 5, step 3 is decelerated or stopped, so step 3 is taken. The passenger can get off to the boarding / unloading section 5 slowly and safely while grasping the state of the boarding / exiting section 5. Further, in this second embodiment, when a person stays in the boarding / alighting part 5 and is detected by the load sensor 21, a warning announcement prompting the movement from the boarding / alighting part 5 is sent and the buzzer 24 sounds. Therefore, it can be positively expected that the person staying in the getting-on / off part 5 moves and the stay is eliminated, and the safety can be further enhanced.

  In addition, when step 3 stops, the information is reported to the security room 30, so the security guard in the security room 30 goes to the place where the escalator is installed to visually check the situation and confirm the safety. Can do.

  The above description is a case where the step sequence 2 moves upward, but when it moves downward, similar operations and actions are executed in the getting-on / off unit 4 on the lower floor.

  In the first embodiment, as in the second embodiment, it is also possible to add a configuration in which speakers and buzzers are installed and escalator operation information is reported to the security room. Furthermore, in each embodiment, when a person's stay is detected, the movement of the step sequence is decelerated and then restricted to stop. However, when a person's stay is detected, only the deceleration is detected. It may be a case where regulation is performed or a case where regulation is not performed immediately.

  Further, the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the application to an escalator, but can also be applied to a passenger conveyor such as a moving sidewalk where a step on which a passenger rides moves substantially horizontally.

  That is, each said embodiment is shown as an example and is not intending limiting the range of invention. The novel embodiment of the present invention can be in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. The embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalents thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Truss 2 ... Step sequence 3 ... Step 4, 5 ... Boarding / alighting part 10 ... Boarding board 12 ... Machine room 13 ... Drive source 14 ... Control panel (control means)
17 ... Optical sensor (detection means)
21 ... Load sensor (detection means)
23 ... Speaker 24 ... Buzzer

Claims (5)

In a passenger conveyor comprising a step train for infinite circulation and transporting passengers in one direction, and a boarding / alighting section for passengers to get on and off the step train,
Detecting means for detecting staying when a predetermined number of people stay in the boarding / exiting section; and control means for controlling the operation of the step sequence when the detecting means detects the staying. A safety device for a passenger conveyor, comprising:   The safety device for a passenger conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the detecting means detects the stagnation of passengers using an optical sensor.   The control means decelerates the moving speed of the step sequence until a predetermined time elapses after the detection means detects the stay, and stops the movement of the step sequence after the predetermined time elapses. 3. The passenger conveyor safety device according to claim 1, wherein control is performed.   4. The control unit according to claim 1, wherein when the detection unit detects the stay, the control unit performs a control of driving a sound generation device to send a warning announcement to the boarding / alighting unit. 5. Passenger conveyor safety device.   The control means, when the detecting means detects the stagnation and controls the operation of the step sequence, performs control to notify the security room of information on the regulation of the step sequence. The safety device for passenger conveyors according to 1 to 4.

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