JP2014009042A - Chain state detection device for passenger conveyor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a chain state detection device for a passenger conveyor capable of reliably detecting a chain coming off a sprocket.SOLUTION: A chain state detection device for a passenger conveyor includes: a sprocket connected to a driving device; an endless driving chain that engages with teeth of the sprocket and transmits driving force to a footstep sprocket around which a footstep chain is wound in association with rotation of the sprocket; and a sensor for detecting the driving chain being placed on the teeth of the sprocket.

Description

  Embodiments described herein relate generally to a chain state detection device for a passenger conveyor.

  In a general passenger conveyor, machine rooms are provided at two distant locations, and a drive device and a small drive sprocket that is directly rotated by the drive device are provided in one machine room. In addition, a rotating shaft parallel to the axis of the driving small sprocket is provided in the same machine room as the driving device. Two sprockets, a driving large sprocket and a step sprocket, are fixed to the rotating shaft. A driven sprocket is provided in the other machine room. A drive chain is wound between the small drive sprocket and the large drive sprocket, and a step chain is wound between the step sprocket and the driven sprocket. A scaffold such as a step is connected to the step chain.

  In this configuration, when the small drive sprocket rotates, the large drive sprocket and the step sprocket rotate via the drive chain. When the step sprocket rotates, the driven sprocket rotates through the step chain. The scaffold connected to the step chain moves between the step sprocket and the driven sprocket.

  At this time, if there is slack in the drive chain, the drive chain may come off the sprocket and the passenger conveyor may stop. In addition, although the driving small sprocket is rotating at a rotational speed corresponding to the set speed of the passenger conveyor, a slip occurs between the driving small sprocket and the driving chain, and the driving chain corresponds to the set speed. The passenger conveyor may move at a speed slower than the set speed without rotating at the speed.

  In addition, when there is such a slack, a so-called “top jump” may occur in which the roller of the drive chain temporarily disengages from the valley between the teeth of the drive small sprocket and rides on the tip of the tooth. The frame skip causes the drive chain to come off from the drive small sprocket and the passenger conveyor to stop, or the passenger conveyor to move at a speed slower than the set speed.

  On the other hand, a method for predicting or detecting the slack has been invented in order to repair the slack of the chain at an early stage. For example, a detector placed close to the chain detects passage of the inner link portion and the outer link portion of the chain, and the pulse width or pulse period of the inner link portion included in the pulse signal output from the detector, and the outer link There is a method of determining chain elongation based on the amount of change in the pulse width or pulse period of a part and predicting the slack of the chain (Patent Document 1).

  However, frame skipping may occur even when the chain is sufficiently extended and not slack. Therefore, the method of Patent Document 1 cannot predict the occurrence of frame skipping. In addition, since the chain is in a stretched state at the moment when the frame skip occurs, there is a case where the frame skip cannot be detected by the method of detecting the slack state of the chain itself.

JP 11-335055 A

  The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a chain state detection device for a passenger conveyor that can reliably detect chain skipping.

  The passenger conveyor chain state detecting method includes a sprocket connected to a driving device, an endless gear that meshes with teeth of the sprocket and transmits a driving force to the step sprocket wound around the step chain as the sprocket rotates. And a sensor for detecting the drive chain riding on the teeth of the sprocket.

The figure which shows the whole escalator structure of embodiment. Sectional drawing of drive sprocket vicinity in 1st Embodiment. (A) when normal, (b) when a frame skip occurs. The disassembled perspective view of the chain of embodiment. Sectional drawing of drive sprocket vicinity in 2nd Embodiment. (A) When normal, (b) When a sign of frame skip occurs, (c) When a frame skip occurs.

(1) 1st Embodiment FIG. 1: is a figure which shows the whole structure of the escalator 1 of 1st Embodiment. The upper floor side machine room 10 is provided on the upper floor side, and the driving device 2 is provided therein. A small driving sprocket 20 that is rotated by the driving device 2 is connected to the driving device 2. In addition, a rotary shaft 34 parallel to the rotary shaft of the small drive sprocket 20 is provided in the upper floor side machine room 10, and the large drive sprocket 3 and the step sprocket 33 are fixed to the rotary shaft 34. An endless drive chain 4 is wound around the drive small sprocket 20 and the drive large sprocket 3. On the other hand, a lower floor machine room 11 is provided on the lower floor side, and a driven sprocket 31 is provided therein. An endless step chain 30 is wound around the driven sprocket 31 and the step sprocket 33. When the drive device 2 rotates the small drive sprocket 20, power is transmitted to the large drive sprocket 3 by the drive chain 4. When the driving large sprocket 3 rotates, the rotating shaft 34 and the step sprocket 33 also rotate at the same time. When the step sprocket 33 rotates, power is transmitted to the driven sprocket 31 by the step chain 30. Steps 32 are connected to the step chain 30 at equal intervals without gaps. As the step chain 30 rotates between the driven sprocket 31 and the step sprocket 33, the step 32 connected thereto circulates between the upper floor side and the lower floor side. Further, a stop device (not shown) for stopping the rotation of the drive chain 4 is provided in the upper floor side machine room 10. In addition, a display device (not shown) for displaying the operating status of the escalator and the occurrence status of various abnormalities is provided in the monitoring room located away from the escalator 1.

  FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the driving small sprocket 20 and its peripheral components in the first embodiment. The driving small sprocket 20 has a disk shape and has a plurality of teeth 21 provided at regular intervals in the circumferential direction on the peripheral edge thereof. As shown in FIG. 3, the drive chain 4 includes an inner plate 40, an outer plate 41, a pin 42, a bush 43, and a roller 44. In a normal state where no frame skipping occurs, the teeth 21 of the small drive sprocket 20 enter between the rollers 44 and 44 of the chain 4, and the rollers 44 are in contact with the tooth bottom 23 formed between the teeth 21 and 21. The drive small sprocket 20 and the drive chain 4 are engaged with each other (FIG. 2A). Then, when the drive small sprocket 20 is driven, the teeth 21 push the roller 44, whereby power is transmitted to the drive chain 4 and the drive chain 4 is driven. A diffuse reflection type photoelectric sensor 5 is provided at a location close to the meshing portion between the small driving sprocket 20 and the driving chain 4. The photoelectric sensor 5 is provided so as to project light in the axial direction of the drive small sprocket 20. The projected light does not hit the small drive sprocket 20 or the drive chain 4 in normal times, and the roller 44 of the drive chain 4 leaves the tooth bottom 23 and rides on the teeth 21 of the small drive sprocket 20 (FIG. 2B). )) Is positioned so as to hit the drive chain 4.

  In the escalator having the above configuration, when the drive chain 4 is slack and a top jump occurs, the drive chain 4 rides on the teeth 21 of the small drive sprocket 20 (FIG. 2B). Then, the light projected from the photoelectric sensor 5 is reflected by the inner plate 40 or the outer plate 41 of the drive chain 4 and enters the detection portion of the photoelectric sensor 5. In this way, the photoelectric sensor 5 can reliably detect frame skipping of the drive chain 4.

  When the photoelectric sensor 5 detects the drive chain 4, a signal is sent from the escalator 1 to the display device so as to display on the display device that the frame skip has occurred. Then, it is displayed on the display device that a frame skip has occurred. As a result, the supervisor can know that the frame skip of the drive chain 4 has occurred, and can take measures such as repair. When the photoelectric sensor 5 detects the drive chain 4, a signal for stopping the drive of the drive chain 4 may be sent to the stop device instead of the display or together with the display. The stop device receives the signal and operates to stop the drive chain 4 and the escalator 1 to stop. As a result, it is possible to prevent a situation in which the drive chain 4 is detached from the drive small sprocket 20 and the escalator stops suddenly.

(2) Second Embodiment FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the small driving sprocket 20 and its peripheral components in the second embodiment. The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that two photoelectric sensors 50 and 51 are provided such that the detection positions are aligned in the radial direction of the small drive sprocket 20 (FIG. 4A )). The first photoelectric sensor 50 whose detection position is inwardly in the radial direction of the small drive sprocket 20 is such that when the roller 44 of the drive chain 4 rides on the teeth 21 of the small drive sprocket 20, the light projected is the drive chain. 4 is arranged so as to hit the inner plate 40 or the outer plate 41 of the fourth. Here, the state in which the roller 44 rides on the tooth 21 refers to a state in which the roller 44 floats from the valley 22 between the teeth 21 but does not reach the tip of the teeth 21 ( FIG. 4 (b)). When the roller 44 of the drive chain 4 rides on the teeth 21 of the drive small sprocket 20 (FIG. 4 (c)), the second photoelectric sensor 51 whose detection position is radially outward of the drive small sprocket 20 It is installed so that the light to shine hits the inner plate 40 or the outer plate 41 of the drive chain 4.

  In the escalator of this configuration, no top jump occurs, but when the drive chain 4 rides on the teeth 21 of the small drive sprocket 20 and a sign of top skip occurs (FIG. 4B), the first photoelectric The light projected from the sensor 50 is reflected by the inner plate 40 or the outer plate 41 of the drive chain 4 and enters the detection portion of the first photoelectric sensor 50. As a result, a sign of frame skipping can be reliably detected. When the drive chain 4 rides on the teeth 21 of the small drive sprocket 20 and a frame jump occurs (FIG. 4 (c)), the light projected from the second photoelectric sensor 51 is reflected on the inner plate 40 of the drive chain 4 or The light is reflected by the outer plate 41 and enters the detection portion of the second photoelectric sensor 51. This makes it possible to reliably detect frame skipping.

  In the second embodiment, a supervisor or the like can take different measures depending on whether the first photoelectric sensor 50 detects a skip of a frame or when the second photoelectric sensor detects a frame skip. For example, when the first photoelectric sensor 50 detects a sign of a frame skip of the drive chain 4, a signal to display that a sign of a frame skip has occurred is transmitted from the escalator 1 to the display device. By displaying on the display device that a sign of frame skipping has occurred, the supervisor can know this and can take measures such as repairs as necessary. When the second photoelectric sensor detects a frame skip of the drive chain 4, a signal for stopping the drive of the drive chain 4 is transmitted to the stop device. When the stop device is activated, the drive of the drive chain 4 is stopped, and the operation of the escalator 1 is stopped. As a result, it is possible to prevent a situation in which the drive chain 4 is detached from the drive small sprocket 20 and the escalator stops suddenly.

(3) Modification Example In the first embodiment, an example using the photoelectric sensor 5 has been described. However, the type of sensor is not limited to this, and the drive chain 4 riding on the teeth 21 of the small drive sprocket 20 is detected. Anything is possible. Examples of other sensors include proximity sensors, limit switches, and micro switches.

  Here, any sensor is provided at a place where the drive chain 4 riding on the teeth 21 of the small drive sprocket 20 can be detected.

  By detecting the drive chain 4 riding on the teeth 21 of the sprocket 20 by the sensor, it is possible to reliably detect the frame skipping of the drive chain 4.

  Also in the second embodiment, the sensor is not limited to the photoelectric sensor as described above. The first sensor at the detection position radially inward of the small drive sprocket and the second sensor at the detection position radially outward of the small drive sprocket may be the same type of sensor or different types of sensors. . If the two sensors are different types of sensors, the two sensors will not break at the same time because they have different lifetimes. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a situation in which the frame cannot be detected despite the occurrence of frame skipping.

  Here, regardless of the type of sensor, the first sensor is provided in a place where the drive chain 4 that has run on the teeth 21 of the small drive sprocket 20 can be detected, and the second sensor rides on the teeth 21 of the small drive sprocket 20. It is provided in a place where the raised drive chain 4 can be detected.

  In the first and second embodiments, the sensor may be provided not only at one place but also at a plurality of places in the circumferential direction of the small driving sprocket 20. By doing so, even when a frame skip occurs only at a certain position on the circumference of the small drive sprocket 20, any sensor can detect it and eliminate omission of detection.

  In the first and second embodiments, an existing device that detects slack in the chain may be used in combination with the sensor. As this device, for example, there is a device that is installed between two sprockets around which the drive chain 4 is wound, and detects a downward displacement amount of the drive chain 4 due to slack. Thus, not only can the frame skipping and slack of the drive chain 4 be detected, but even if one of the detection devices breaks down, the abnormality of the drive chain 4 can be detected by the other detection device.

  Although the escalator has been described as an example in the first and second embodiments, the above chain state detection device can also be used for a passenger conveyor such as a moving sidewalk.

  In the first and second embodiments, the drive device 2, the drive small sprocket 20, and the brake device are provided in the upper floor side machine room 10, but may be provided in the lower floor side machine room 11.

  The above embodiment is an illustration and the scope of the invention is not limited to this. The above embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The above embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the inventions described in the claims and their equivalents.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Escalator, 10 ... Upper floor side machine room, 11 ... Lower floor side machine room, 2 ... Drive apparatus, 20 ... Drive small sprocket, 21 ... Teeth, 22 ... Valley, 23 ... Tooth bottom, 3 ... Drive large sprocket, 30 ... Step chain, 31 ... Drive sprocket, 32 ... Step, 33 ... Step sprocket, 34 ... Rotating shaft, 4 ... Drive chain, 40 ... Inner plate, 41 ... Outer plate, 42 ... Pin, 43 ... Bush, 44 ... Roller 5 ... Photoelectric sensor, 50 ... First photoelectric sensor, 51 ... Second photoelectric sensor

The passenger conveyor chain state detecting method includes a sprocket connected to a driving device, an endless gear that meshes with teeth of the sprocket and transmits a driving force to the step sprocket wound around the step chain as the sprocket rotates. And a first sensor and a second sensor for detecting the drive chain when the roller of the drive chain is lifted from a valley between the teeth of the sprocket. The detection position is inwardly in the radial direction of the sprocket from the detection position of the second sensor, and the first sensor detects the drive chain when a roller of the drive chain rides on the teeth of the sprocket. The second sensor detects the drive chain when a roller of the drive chain rides on the teeth of the sprocket. And detecting the.

Claims (2)

A sprocket connected to a driving device; an endless drive chain that meshes with the sprocket teeth and transmits a driving force to the step sprocket wound around the step chain as the sprocket rotates; and rides on the sprocket teeth A chain state detecting device for a passenger conveyor, comprising a sensor for detecting the drive chain that is raised.   A first sensor and a second sensor for detecting the drive chain riding on the teeth of the sprocket, the detection position of the first sensor being inwardly in the radial direction of the sprocket from the detection position of the second sensor; The chain state detection device for a passenger conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the device is a chain state detection device.

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