JP2018052721A - Passenger conveyor having movable comb plate and riding support function - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a passenger conveyor having a movable comb plate and a riding support function that can automatically perform an operation for transferring a passenger onto a step as required.SOLUTION: A movable comb plate 11 according to the invention includes a plate-like part 12 forming part of a floor plate of a passenger conveyor entrance and a comb part 13 being provided in one end part of the plate-like part 12 in the longitudinal direction and engaged with a groove of a step 8 in which the plate-like part 12 is movable such that an upper end of the comb part 13 is changed to a state lower than the upper end of the step 8 from a state higher than the upper end of the step 8.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

  The present invention relates to a comb plate and a passenger conveyor.

  The following Patent Document 1 describes an escalator that can be operated to automatically transfer passengers on the floor board at the entrance / exit onto the steps.

JP 2006-264851 A

  In the escalator described in Patent Document 1, the above operation is always performed depending on the shape of the rail that guides the step. For this reason, the said escalator cannot implement the operation | movement which transfers a passenger automatically on a step as needed.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above problems. The purpose is to provide a passenger conveyor having a movable comb plate and a boarding support function that can perform an operation of automatically transferring passengers on steps as needed.

  A movable comb plate according to the present invention includes a plate-like portion that forms a part of a floor plate at a passenger entrance of a passenger conveyor, and a comb portion that is provided at one end portion in the front-rear direction of the plate-like portion and meshes with a step groove. The plate-like portion is movable so that the upper end of the comb portion changes from a state where it is higher than the upper end of the step to a state where the upper end of the comb portion is lower than the upper end of the step.

  A passenger conveyor having a boarding support function according to the present invention detects the movable comb plate, a step in which a groove meshing with the comb portion is formed, a comb drive mechanism for moving the plate-like portion, and a passenger present on the comb portion. When the stay sensor and passenger detection by the stay sensor continue for a preset time or longer, the upper end of the comb portion changes from a state higher than the upper end of the step to a state where the upper end of the comb portion is lower than the upper end of the step. And a comb drive control unit for operating the comb drive mechanism.

  In the present invention, the plate-shaped portion of the movable comb plate is movable so that the upper end of the comb portion changes from a state where the upper end of the comb portion is higher than the upper end of the step to a state where the upper end of the comb portion is lower than the upper end of the step. For this reason, according to this invention, the operation | movement which transfers a passenger automatically on a step can be implemented as needed.

3 is a perspective view showing an example of an escalator in Embodiment 1. FIG. 3 is a top view of an entrance / exit of the escalator in Embodiment 1. FIG. 3 is a top view of the movable comb plate in the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a first state of a movable comb plate of the escalator in Embodiment 1. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a second state of the movable comb plate of the escalator in Embodiment 1. FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of an escalator in Embodiment 1. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of operation of the escalator in the first embodiment. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a first state of a movable comb plate according to Embodiment 2. FIG. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a second state of the movable comb plate in the second embodiment. It is a hardware block diagram of a control panel.

  With reference to the accompanying drawings, a passenger conveyor having a movable comb plate and a boarding support function will be described in detail. In each figure, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals. The overlapping description will be simplified or omitted as appropriate.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
In Embodiment 1, an escalator will be specifically described as an example of a passenger conveyor. Description of other passenger conveyors such as moving walkways is omitted.

  1 is a perspective view showing an example of an escalator according to Embodiment 1. FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the escalator includes a truss 1, an upper entrance / exit 2, a lower entrance / exit 3, a drive device 4, and a control panel 5. The truss 1 is spanned between the upper floor and the lower floor. The upper entrance / exit 2 is provided on the upper floor. The lower entrance / exit 3 is provided on the lower floor. The drive device 4 is provided inside the truss 1 below, for example, the upper entrance 2 and above the lower entrance 3. That is, the drive device 4 is provided, for example, on the inclined portion of the truss 1. The control panel 5 is provided on the upper floor side inside the truss 1. The drive device 4 may be provided on the upper floor side of the truss 1, for example.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the escalator includes a skirt guard 6, a handrail 7, and a step 8. The skirt guard 6 and the handrail 7 are provided on the left and right sides of the step 8 along the direction in which the plurality of steps 8 are arranged. The handrail 7 is formed in an endless shape. The lower part of the handrail 7 is located inside the skirt guard 6. The plurality of steps 8 are connected by a connecting member (not shown) so as to be arranged between the lower floor and the upper floor. As the connection member, for example, a step link or a step chain is used. The handrail 7 and the step 8 circulate between the upper floor and the lower floor as the driving device 4 operates.

  Hereinafter, the front / rear / left / right of step 8 as viewed from the up / down direction is designated with the traveling direction of step 8 outside the truss 1 as the front. That is, for example, when the escalator is running up, the upper floor side is the front and the lower floor side is the rear.

  FIG. 2 is a top view of the entrance / exit of the escalator in the first embodiment. FIG. 2 shows, as an example, a lower entrance / exit 3 of an escalator that is operating uphill. The upper side in FIG. 2 is the front, and the lower side in FIG. 2 is the rear.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the floor board of the lower entrance / exit 3 is formed of, for example, a manhole cover 9, a landing plate 10, and a movable comb plate 11. The floor board is supported by, for example, a member provided inside the truss 1. The landing plate 10 is adjacent to the front side of the manhole cover 9. The movable comb plate 11 is adjacent to the front side of the landing plate 10. The movable comb plate 11 is located between the skirt guards 6 on both sides in the left-right direction.

  The movable comb plate 11 has a plate-like portion 12 and a comb portion 13. The comb part 13 is a member fixed to the front end part of the plate-like part 12, for example. The comb part 13 may be formed integrally with the plate-like part 12, for example. The comb portion 13 is provided so as to mesh with the groove of the moving step 8. That is, at least the lower end portion of the comb teeth of the comb portion 13 is located between the grooves in Step 8.

  The comb portion 13 of the movable comb plate 11 is formed longer in the front-rear direction than the comb portion of a normal comb plate. For example, the length of the comb portion 13 may occupy one third or more of the entire length of the movable comb plate 11 in the front-rear direction. The length of the comb portion 13 may occupy, for example, half or more of the entire length of the movable comb plate 11 in the front-rear direction.

  FIG. 3 is a top view of the movable comb plate in the first embodiment. The right side in FIG. 3 is the front, and the left side in FIG. 3 is the back.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the skirt guard 6 is provided with a stay sensor 14. The stay sensor 14 is, for example, a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit of a photoelectric sensor. The stay sensor 14 is provided at a position corresponding to a range where the comb portion 13 exists in the front-rear direction, for example.

  As shown in FIG. 3, a part of the landing plate 10 and an end portion in the left-right direction of the movable comb plate 11 are located below the skirt guard 6. A spring 15 is provided below the left end and the right end of the movable comb plate 11. For example, at least one spring 15 is provided corresponding to each of the left end portion and the right end portion of the movable comb plate 11. The lower end of the spring 15 is attached to, for example, a member that supports the floor board inside the truss 1. The upper end of the spring 15 is attached to the lower surface of the movable comb plate 11, for example.

  FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a first state of the movable comb plate of the escalator in the first embodiment. The right side in FIG. 4 is the front, and the left side in FIG. 4 is the back.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the escalator includes a rotation shaft 16. The rotating shaft 16 is provided along the left-right direction. The rotary shaft 16 is supported by, for example, a member provided inside the skirt guard 6 or the truss 1. The rotating shaft 16 may be a hinge or the like, for example. The rear end portion of the plate-like portion 12 is supported via a rotating shaft 16. That is, the movable comb plate 11 is not fixed to the landing plate 10, for example. The plate-like part 12 is rotatable around a rotation axis 16 within a certain angle range. For example, the upper end of the rear end portion of the plate-like portion 12 is located at the same height as the upper end of the landing plate 10. As shown in FIG. 4, the first state of the movable comb plate 11 is a state in which the upper end of the comb portion 13 is higher than the upper end of Step 8.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the escalator includes a break sensor 17. The break sensor 17 is, for example, a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit of a photoelectric sensor. The break sensor 17 is provided inside the truss 1, for example. The break sensor 17 is provided, for example, at a position overlapping the movement path of Step 8 when viewed from the left-right direction. The light emitted by the break sensor 17 is not blocked by the movable comb plate 11 which is at least in the first state.

  FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a second state of the movable comb plate of the escalator in the first embodiment. The right side in FIG. 5 is the front, and the left side in FIG. 5 is the back.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the second state of the movable comb plate 11 is a state where the upper end of the comb portion 13 is lower than the upper end of Step 8. That is, the second state is, for example, a state where the comb teeth of the comb portion 13 are deeper than usual in the groove of the step 8 by rotating the plate-like portion 12 so that the front end portion moves downward. . Although not shown in FIG. 5, when the movable comb plate 11 is in the second state, the spring 15 is contracted more than when the movable comb plate 11 is in the first state.

  FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of the escalator in the first embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the escalator includes a drive device 4, a control panel 5, a stay sensor 14, a break sensor 17, a notification unit 18, and a comb drive mechanism 19. The control panel 5 includes an operation control unit 20, a determination unit 21, a comb drive control unit 22, and a notification control unit 23. The control panel 5 is electrically connected to the drive device 4, the stay sensor 14, the break sensor 17, the notification unit 18, and the comb drive mechanism 19.

  The stay sensor 14 detects an object on the comb portion 13. That is, the stay sensor 14 detects, for example, passengers present on the comb portion 13. The break sensor 17 detects, for example, step 8 that passes under the entrance / exit. That is, the break sensor 17 does not detect step 8 at the moment when it overlaps the break of step 8 when viewed from the left-right direction, for example.

  The notification unit 18 is provided, for example, in the skirt guard 6 near the entrance / exit. The notification unit 18 is, for example, a speaker that broadcasts audio information. The notification unit 18 may have a function of displaying visual information, for example.

  The comb drive mechanism 19 is a mechanism for changing the state of the movable comb plate 11 between the first state and the second state. The comb drive mechanism 19 has, for example, a first lock function that maintains the movable comb plate 11 in the first state and a second lock function that maintains the movable comb plate 11 in the second state. For example, when the first lock function is released when a load larger than a certain value is applied to the movable comb plate 11, the state of the movable comb plate 11 changes to the second state. The constant value is, for example, a load that balances the force with which the spring 15 pushes up the movable comb plate 11. Thereafter, for example, when the load applied to the movable comb plate 11 becomes equal to or less than the predetermined value and the second lock function is released, the state of the movable comb plate 11 returns to the first state by the force of the spring 15.

  The operation control unit 20 controls the operation of the escalator by controlling the drive device 4. That is, the operation control unit 20 controls the movement in step 8.

  The determination unit 21 determines, for example, whether or not passenger detection by the stay sensor 14 has continued for a preset time or more. The said time is set to 5 seconds or more, for example. Accordingly, the determination unit 21 determines whether or not the passenger stays on the comb unit 13 based on the detection result of the stay sensor 14, for example, hesitating to get into the step 8 at the entrance / exit.

  The comb drive control unit 22 controls the comb drive mechanism 19. The comb drive control unit 22 changes the state of the movable comb plate 11 from the first state to the second state when the determination unit 21 determines that the passenger remains on the comb unit 13 at the entrance / exit, for example. Thus, the comb drive mechanism 19 is operated.

  When the state of the movable comb plate 11 changes from the first state to the second state, at least a part of the soles of the passengers standing on the comb portion 13 is supported by the upper end of step 8. That is, when the movable comb plate 11 is in the second state, the passenger automatically shifts to the moving step 8. Hereinafter, the change of the state of the movable comb plate 11 from the first state to the second state is also referred to as a “boarding support operation”.

  The comb drive control unit 22 operates the comb drive mechanism 19 at a timing based on the detection result by the break sensor 17 when performing the boarding support operation. For example, the comb drive control unit 22 operates the comb drive mechanism 19 so that the movable comb plate 11 is in the second state when the cut of step 8 is not positioned under the comb unit 13. That is, for example, the comb drive control unit 22 adjusts the timing of the boarding support operation so that the passenger who is stopped on the comb unit 13 does not move to the break of step 8 based on the detection result by the break sensor 17. To do. The comb drive control unit 22 may also adjust the timing for returning the movable comb plate 11 to the first state based on the detection result by the break sensor 17.

  The notification control unit 23 notifies information from the notification unit 18. For example, when the determination unit 21 determines that the passenger stays on the comb unit 13 at the entrance / exit, the notification control unit 23 notifies that the boarding support operation is performed before the boarding support operation is performed. 18 is notified.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an operation example of the escalator in the first embodiment.

  The control panel 5 determines whether or not the passenger stays on the comb portion 13 based on the detection result of the stay sensor 14 (step S101). If it is determined in step S101 that the passenger does not remain on the comb portion 13, the process of step S101 is repeated.

  When it determines with a passenger staying on the comb part 13 by step S101, the control panel 5 alert | reports boarding assistance operation | movement from the alerting | reporting part 18 (step S102). Subsequent to step S102, the control panel 5 adjusts the timing of the boarding support operation based on the detection result by the break sensor 17 (step S103). Subsequent to step S103, the control panel 5 performs a boarding support operation (step S104). Subsequent to step S104, the comb portion 13 returns to the original position (step S105). After step S105, the process of step S101 is performed.

  In the first embodiment, the movable comb plate 11 includes a plate-like portion 12 and a comb portion 13. The plate-like part 12 forms a part of the floor board at the entrance / exit of the passenger conveyor. The comb portion 13 is provided at one end portion in the front-rear direction of the plate-like portion 12 and meshes with the groove of step 8. The plate-like portion 12 is movable so that the upper end of the comb portion 13 changes from a state where the upper end of the comb portion 13 is higher than the upper end of Step 8 to a state where the upper end of the comb portion 13 is lower than the upper end of Step 8. The passenger standing on the comb portion 13 automatically transfers to the moving step 8 when the upper end of the comb portion 13 is lower than the upper end of step 8. For this reason, according to Embodiment 1, the operation | movement which transfers a passenger automatically on a step can be implemented as needed. As a result, a passenger such as an elderly person or an injured person can automatically get on the passenger conveyor.

  In the first embodiment, the other end portion in the front-rear direction of the plate-like portion 12 is supported via the rotation shaft 16 along the left-right direction. When the plate portion 12 rotates so that the other end portion of the plate portion 12 moves downward, the upper end of the comb portion 13 is lower than the upper end of step 8. That is, even if the upper end of the comb portion 13 is lower than the upper end of Step 8, the position of the other end portion of the plate-like portion 12 with respect to the landing plate 10 does not change. For this reason, according to the first embodiment, there is no step between the landing plate 10 and the movable comb plate 11. As a result, it is possible to prevent the passenger safety from being lowered.

  In the first embodiment, the comb drive control unit 22 starts from a state in which the upper end of the comb unit 13 is higher than the upper end of step 8 when the passenger detection by the stay sensor 14 continues for a preset time or longer. The comb drive mechanism 19 is operated so that the upper end of the comb portion 13 changes to a state lower than the upper end of step 8. That is, the passenger conveyor in Embodiment 1 has a boarding support function. The boarding support function operates only when a passenger such as an elderly person or an injured person is hesitant to board the passenger conveyor. As a result, it is possible to prevent the boarding support operation from being performed even for passengers who do not need the boarding support function.

  In Embodiment 1, the comb drive control part 22 operates the comb drive mechanism 19 at the timing based on the detection result by the break sensor 17, for example. Therefore, according to the first embodiment, for example, it is possible to prevent the passenger from changing to the break at step 8. As a result, it is possible to prevent the passenger safety from being lowered.

  In the first embodiment, when the passenger detection by the stay sensor 14 continues for a preset time or longer, the notification control unit 23 operates the comb drive mechanism 19 to execute the boarding support operation, for example. The notification unit 18 is notified before. For this reason, according to the first embodiment, it is possible to alert the passenger so as not to lose balance in the boarding support operation. As a result, it is possible to prevent the passenger safety from being lowered.

Embodiment 2. FIG.
Hereinafter, the configuration of the passenger conveyor having the movable comb plate and the boarding support function will be described focusing on the differences from the first embodiment. Parts that are the same as or equivalent to those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and a part of the description is omitted.

  FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a first state of the movable comb plate of the escalator in the second embodiment. The right side in FIG. 8 is the front, and the left side in FIG. 8 is the back.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the comb portion 13 in the second embodiment includes a front end comb portion 13a, a horizontal comb portion 13b, and a bent comb portion 13c. The front end comb portion 13a has, for example, the same shape as the front end portion of the comb portion 13 in the first embodiment. The horizontal comb portion 13b is continuous with the rear end of the front end comb portion 13a. The upper end of the horizontal comb part 13b is formed horizontally at a position lower than the plate-like part 12, for example. The bent comb portion 13c is continuous with the rear end of the horizontal comb portion 13b. The bent comb portion 13c connects the front end portion of the plate-like portion 12 and the horizontal comb portion 13b. Thus, in the movable comb plate 11 in Embodiment 2, the level | step difference is formed between the plate-shaped part 12 and the horizontal comb part 13b.

  In the second embodiment, the escalator does not include the rotating shaft 16. The movable comb plate 11 is supported by a member provided inside the skirt guard 6 or the truss 1. The movable comb plate 11 is supported so as to be movable within a certain range along the vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 8, the first state of the movable comb plate 11 is a state in which the upper end of the horizontal comb portion 13 b is higher than the upper end of Step 8.

  FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing a second state of the movable comb plate of the escalator in the second embodiment. The right side in FIG. 9 is the front, and the left side in FIG. 9 is the rear.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the second state of the movable comb plate 11 is a state in which the upper end of the horizontal comb portion 13 b is lower than the upper end of Step 8. That is, the second state is, for example, a state in which the front comb portion 13a and the horizontal comb portion 13b are deeper than usual in the step 8 groove because the entire movable comb plate 11 sinks. Although not shown in FIG. 9, when the movable comb plate 11 is in the second state, the spring 15 is contracted more than when the movable comb plate 11 is in the first state.

  In the second embodiment, the plate-like portion 12 is supported so as to be movable along the vertical direction. The comb portion 13 has a horizontal comb portion 13b located at a position lower than the plate-like portion 12, and a bent comb portion that connects one end portion of the plate-like portion 12 and the horizontal comb portion 13b. The horizontal comb portion 13 b is in a state where the upper end is lower than the upper end of Step 8 when the plate-like portion 12 moves downward. That is, the horizontal comb portion 13b does not tilt when the upper end height is lower than the upper end of step 8. For this reason, according to the second embodiment, the entire soles of the passengers riding on the horizontal comb portion 13b can be simultaneously brought into contact with step 8. As a result, it is possible to prevent a passenger who automatically moves on the step from being out of balance.

  In Embodiment 1 and 2, the residence sensor 14 should just be what can detect that the passenger is staying at the entrance / exit. The stay sensor 14 may be a weight sensor that detects a load applied to the movable comb plate 11, for example. The stay sensor 14 may be, for example, a camera that captures an entrance / exit.

  In Embodiments 1 and 2, the movable comb plate 11 is applicable to at least a boarding / exiting gate used as a boarding gate for passenger conveyors. That is, the movable comb plate 11 may be provided, for example, at the upper entrance / exit 2 of the escalator that is running down.

  FIG. 10 is a hardware configuration diagram of the control panel.

  The functions of the operation control unit 20, the determination unit 21, the comb drive control unit 22, and the notification control unit 23 of the control panel 5 are realized by a processing circuit. The processing circuit may be dedicated hardware 50. The processing circuit may include a processor 51 and a memory 52. A part of the processing circuit is formed as dedicated hardware 50, and may further include a processor 51 and a memory 52. FIG. 10 shows an example in which the processing circuit is partly formed as dedicated hardware 50 and includes a processor 51 and a memory 52.

  When at least a part of the processing circuit is at least one dedicated hardware 50, the processing circuit may be, for example, a single circuit, a composite circuit, a programmed processor, a parallel programmed processor, an ASIC, an FPGA, or the like. The combination is applicable.

  When the processing circuit includes at least one processor 51 and at least one memory 52, the functions of the operation control unit 20, the determination unit 21, the comb drive control unit 22, and the notification control unit 23 are software, firmware, or software and firmware. It is realized by the combination. Software and firmware are described as programs and stored in the memory 52. The processor 51 reads out and executes the program stored in the memory 52, thereby realizing the function of each unit. The processor 51 is also referred to as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a central processing unit, a processing unit, an arithmetic unit, a microprocessor, a microcomputer, and a DSP. The memory 52 corresponds to, for example, a nonvolatile or volatile semiconductor memory such as a RAM, a ROM, a flash memory, an EPROM, and an EEPROM, a magnetic disk, a flexible disk, an optical disk, a compact disk, a mini disk, and a DVD.

  Thus, the processing circuit can realize each function of the control panel 5 by hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Truss 2 Upper entrance / exit 3 Lower entrance 4 Drive device 5 Control board 6 Skirt guard 7 Handrail 8 Step 9 Manhole cover 10 Landing plate 11 Movable comb plate 12 Plate-like part 13 Comb part 13a Front end comb part 13b Horizontal comb part 13c Bending comb part 14 Stay Sensor 15 Spring 16 Rotating shaft 17 Break sensor 18 Notification unit 19 Comb drive mechanism 20 Operation control unit 21 Determination unit 22 Comb drive control unit 23 Notification control unit 50 Dedicated hardware 51 Processor 52 Memory

Claims (6)

A plate-like portion that forms part of the floor board at the entrance of the passenger conveyor;
A comb portion provided at one end portion in the front-rear direction of the plate-like portion, and meshing with a step groove;
With
The plate-like portion is a movable comb plate that is movable so that the upper end of the comb portion changes from a state where the upper end of the comb portion is higher than the upper end of the step to a state where the upper end of the comb portion is lower than the upper end of the step. The other end portion in the front-rear direction of the plate-like portion is supported via a rotation axis along the left-right direction,
2. The movable comb plate according to claim 1, wherein an upper end of the comb portion is lower than an upper end of a step when the plate-like portion rotates such that the other end portion of the plate-like portion moves downward. . The plate-like portion is supported so as to be movable along the vertical direction,
The comb portion is
A horizontal comb portion at a position lower than the plate-like portion;
A bent comb part connecting the one end part of the plate-like part and the horizontal comb part;
Have
2. The movable comb plate according to claim 1, wherein the horizontal comb portion has an upper end lower than an upper end of the step when the plate-like portion moves downward. The movable comb plate according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A step in which a groove engaging with the comb portion is formed;
A comb drive mechanism for moving the plate-like portion;
A residence sensor for detecting passengers present on the comb portion;
When detection of passengers by the stay sensor continues for a preset time or longer, the upper end of the comb portion changes from a state higher than the upper end of the step to a state where the upper end of the comb portion is lower than the upper end of the step. A comb drive control unit for operating the comb drive mechanism;
A passenger conveyor having a boarding support function. A break sensor for detecting a step passing under the entrance / exit,
The passenger comb having a boarding support function according to claim 4, wherein the comb drive control unit operates the comb drive mechanism at a timing based on a detection result by the break sensor. An informing unit provided in the vicinity of the entrance and exit for informing information;
When the detection of passengers by the stay sensor continues for a preset time or longer, a notification control unit that notifies the notification unit that a boarding support operation is to be performed;
A passenger conveyor having a boarding support function according to claim 4 or 5.

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