JP2022093000A - Man conveyor sterilizing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a man conveyor sterilizing apparatus which is capable of being attached to an existing man conveyor easily without requiring a large-scale installation work, and does not need to worry about getting a hand of a user caught in.SOLUTION: A man conveyor sterilizing apparatus according to one embodiment is used for a man conveyor provided with a handrail belt which is provided between a first platform and a second platform and moves together with a plurality of footsteps in a circulating manner. The sterilizing apparatus comprises a light guiding plate, an irradiation part, and a driving part. The light guiding plate is provided in parallel at regular intervals on the surface of the handrail belt moving in an inlet of the man conveyor. The irradiation part is provided on one end part of the light guiding plate in the longitudinal direction, and irradiates the surface of the handrail belt with sterilizing light via the light guiding plate. The driving part drives the irradiation part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

An embodiment of the present invention relates to a sterilizing device used for a man conveyor such as an escalator or a moving walkway.

Normally, a pair of left and right balustrades of an escalator are provided with a handrail belt, which circulates as the steps move. The handrail belt is provided as a safety measure to prevent the user from tipping over. However, the handrail belt is a part that is directly touched by an unspecified number of users, and many users do not grasp the handrail belt.

Therefore, an escalator equipped with a device for cleaning or sterilizing the handrail belt has been considered. However, incorporating a special device for cleaning and sterilization into a new escalator requires a large-scale installation work and is costly.

Jitsukaisho 50-119192 Utility Model Registration No. 3215321 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2017-137158

In recent years, with the epidemic of highly infectious viruses, there is a demand for a sterilizing device that can be easily attached to an existing escalator. In this case, for example, a method of externally attaching a sterilizing device to the curved portion of the handrail belt near the entrance / exit is common. However, if the sterilizer is externally attached, there is a risk that the user's hand will be drawn between the handrail belt and the sterilizer.

The problem to be solved by the present invention is a sterilization device for a man conveyor that does not require a large-scale installation work, can be easily attached to an existing man conveyor, and does not have to be drawn into the user's hands. Is to provide.

The sterilization device for a man conveyor according to an embodiment is used for a man conveyor provided between a first entrance / exit and a second entrance / exit and provided with a handrail belt that circulates and moves with a plurality of steps. .. The sterilization device includes a light guide plate, an irradiation unit, and a drive unit. The light guide plate is provided in parallel on the surface of the handrail belt moving in the inlet of the man conveyor with a certain interval. The irradiation unit is provided at one end in the longitudinal direction of the light guide plate, and sterilizes the surface of the handrail belt via the light guide plate. The driving unit drives the irradiation unit.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view partially showing the configuration of the escalator according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a front sectional view showing the configuration of a sliding belt used in the escalator. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the sterilization device in the same embodiment. FIG. 4 is a side view schematically showing the internal configuration of the inlet of the escalator. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example in which both sides of the light guide plate of the sterilizer are curved as a modified example. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of arrangement of the sterilization device with respect to the escalator. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of arrangement of the sterilization device with respect to the escalator. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of arrangement of the sterilization device with respect to the escalator.

Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings.
In the following, an escalator, which is one of the man conveyors, will be described as an example. In each figure, the same or corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals, and the duplicated description thereof will be appropriately simplified or omitted.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view partially showing the configuration of the escalator according to the embodiment. 11 in the figure shows the whole escalator. The escalator 11 is installed so as to be inclined between the upper floor and the lower floor of the building, for example. FIG. 2 is a front sectional view showing the configuration of a sliding belt used in an escalator.

As shown in FIG. 1, the escalator 11 in the present embodiment includes a plurality of steps 12 and a pair of balustrades 13 erected on both sides of these steps 12. Each step 12 is formed of, for example, aluminum die-cast, and circulates between a first entrance / exit (for example, an upper floor entrance / exit) and a second entrance / exit (for example, a lower floor entrance / exit). At the lower part of the pair of balustrades 13, an outer deck (outer deck) 14 and an inner deck (inner deck) 15 are provided so as to sandwich the balustrade panel 16. The balustrade panel 16 is formed of, for example, transparent glass or acrylic, and a handrail belt 17 whose circumference is covered with rubber or the like is provided on the peripheral edge of the balustrade panel 16. The handrail belt 17 circulates between the entrances and exits in synchronization with each step 12, is extended out from the inlet 24 on the entrance side, and enters the outer deck 14 from the inlet 24 on the entrance side.

Combs 18 having the same width as the step 12 are arranged at the entrances and exits of the escalator 11. The comb 18 is for preventing dust and the like that have fallen on the step 12 from entering the internal machine room by coming into contact with the step 12 at the feeding / pulling port of the step 12. The boarding / alighting board 19 is laid on the floor in front of the boarding / alighting port within a predetermined range. Below this boarding / alighting plate 19, there is a machine room (not shown). At the time of maintenance, a worker lifts the board 19 and enters the machine room to perform the work.

Here, the handrail belt 17 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 2, the handrail belt 17 is made of rubber or urethane and has a C-shaped cross section. The handrail belt 17 is composed of a central flat surface portion 21 and a pair of left and right side portions 22a and 22b extending from both left and right sides of the flat surface portion 21 so as to be curved. The handrail belt 17 is supported by the handrail rail 23 and circulates between the entrances and exits. The outer deck 14 specifically refers to a portion surrounded by the front skirt guard 25 and the outer skirt guard 26 shown in FIG. When the handrail belt 17 is pulled into the inlet 24 on one side (for example, the lower floor) in the longitudinal direction of the escalator 11, it moves down the central flat surface portion 21 as shown in FIG. 2 and moves inside the outer deck 14. It goes out through the inlet 24 of the other (for example, the upper floor). The handrail belt 17 extended out from the other inlet 24 moves on the balustrade 13 with the central flat surface portion 21 facing up.

Here, since the handrail belt 17 is a portion that is directly touched by an unspecified number of users, there is a possibility that bacteria, viruses, or the like are attached to the handrail belt 17. As will be described later, in the present embodiment, the light guide plate 32 is provided in the inlet 24, and the handrail belt 17 is irradiated with sterilizing light through the light guide plate 32.

Hereinafter, a method of simply attaching a sterilizing device to the existing escalator 11 and sterilizing the handrail belt 17 will be described.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the sterilization device according to the present embodiment. FIG. 4 is a side view schematically showing the internal configuration of the inlet 24 of the escalator 11.

As shown in FIG. 3, the sterilization device 30 in the present embodiment has an L-shaped device main body 31, and the device main body 31 is provided with a light guide plate 32, an irradiation unit 33, a drive unit 34, and a cover member 35. Has been done. The light guide plate 32 is a thin surface light emitting plate that diffuses light input from the side surface to emit uniform light to the surface. Normally, the handrail belt 17 is linear inside the inlet 24, and is curved and moves in the deck via a guide roller (not shown). The light guide plate 32 is arranged in the inlet 24 in which the handrail belt 17 is linear.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, equipment 27 such as an inlet switch (not shown) is provided in the inlet 24, and the space for installing the light guide plate 32 is limited. The light guide plate 32 is arranged in parallel with the handrail belt 17 at a certain interval, avoiding the equipment 27. Here, the length L (size in the longitudinal direction) of the light guide plate 32 is a length that can be effectively sterilized within the range of the above space from the relationship between the moving speed of the handrail belt 17 and the irradiation time of the sterilizing light. Is preferable. It is preferable that the width W (size in the lateral direction) of the light guide plate 32 is equal to or slightly wider than the width of the handrail belt 17.

The surface of the light guide plate 32 (the surface facing the handrail belt 17) is frosted to diffuse the sterilizing light. The sterilizing light includes at least ultraviolet rays. There is also a method of spraying the sterilizing liquid on the handrail belt 17, but since spraying the liquid may deteriorate parts such as the handrail belt 17, sterilize (sterilize) by irradiating light. Is preferable. However, when ultraviolet rays are irradiated as sterilizing light, the resin material such as an inlet switch may deteriorate. Therefore, except for the surface of the light guide plate 32 on which the sterilizing light is incident (the installation surface side of the irradiation unit 33) and the surface (surface) facing the handrail belt 17, it is possible to cover the surface with the cover member 35 that does not allow the sterilizing light to pass through. preferable.

The irradiation unit 33 is provided at one end in the longitudinal direction of the light guide plate 32, and has a plurality of light emitters 33a to 33c. The light emitters 33a to 33c are arranged in the lateral direction of the light guide plate 32, and sterilize light toward one end of the light guide plate 32. In the example of FIG. 3, three illuminants 33a to 33c are shown, but the number of illuminants is not limited to three. As the light emitting bodies 33a to 33c, for example, LEDs (light emitting diodes) are used to irradiate at least sterilizing light containing ultraviolet rays.

Further, the apparatus main body 31 has a built-in drive unit 34 for driving the light emitting bodies 33a to 33c to emit light. The drive unit 34 receives required electric power from a power supply unit (not shown) via the power cable 36, and drives the light emitters 33a to 33c to emit light.

When attaching the sterilizing device 30 to the escalator 11, the inlet cover (not shown) is removed, and the surface (irradiation surface) of the light guide plate 32 of the sterilizing device 30 is placed under the handrail belt 17 moving in the inlet 24. Place it facing up and in parallel with the handrail belt 17. With the distance between the handrail belt 17 and the light guide plate 32 kept constant, the sterilizing device 30 is fixed to a truss or the like (not shown) with the mounting bracket 37.

In this state, when the power cable 36 is connected to the power supply unit (not shown) and power is supplied to the drive unit 34, the light emitters 33a to 33c of the irradiation unit 33 emit light, and the handrail belt 17 passes through the light guide plate 32. The surface of the is irradiated with sterilizing light. As described above, since the surface of the light guide plate 32 is frosted, the sterilizing light is uniformly irradiated from the surface of the light guide plate 32 toward the surface of the sliding belt 17. As a result, bacteria and viruses adhering to the handrail belt 17 can be effectively sterilized.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, by using the light guide plate 32, the sterilizing device 30 can be easily attached to the limited space in the inlet 24. Since the sterilization device 30 is installed inside the inlet 24, it does not interfere with the user's getting on and off operation, and the user's hand is not caught.

While the escalator 11 is in operation, it is preferable to keep the sterilizing device 30 in operation at all times. There is also a method of activating the sterilization device 30 in conjunction with the operation of the escalator 11, but wiring work for connecting the sterilization device 30 and the control device in the machine room (not shown) is required. Therefore, for example, it is preferable to provide a power switch (not shown) on the main body 31 of the device and to start the sterilization device 30 independently by operating the power switch.

The sterilizing device 30 can be installed in the inlet 24 on the upper floor or the lower floor regardless of the operating direction of the escalator 11. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, it is assumed that the sterilizing device 30 is installed in the inlet 24 on the lower floor. In this case, the handrail belt 17 sterilized by the sterilizing device 30 is unwound from the inlet 24 on the lower floor during the ascending operation. Therefore, the user who got on the escalator 11 from the lower floor can go to the upper floor by grasping the handrail belt 17 sterilized by the sterilizing device 30.

On the other hand, during the descending operation, the handrail belt 17 sterilized by the sterilizing device 30 passes through the inside of the outer deck 14 and is fed out from the inlet 24 on the upper floor. In this case, the sterilizing effect is not lost while the handrail belt 17 passes through the outer deck 14 (inside the truss). Therefore, the user who got on the escalator 11 from the upper floor can grab the sterilized handrail belt 17 and go to the lower floor.

(Modification example)
As shown in FIG. 2, the handrail belt 17 moves in the inlet 24 with the central flat surface portion 21 facing down. Here, the surface (irradiation surface) of the light guide plate 32 of the sterilization device 30 faces the flat surface portion 21 of the handrail belt 17. Therefore, the flat surface portion 21 of the handrail belt 17 is uniformly irradiated with the sterilizing light through the light guide plate 32, but the sterilizing light may not be irradiated to both side portions 22a and 22b of the handrail belt 17.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, as the light guide plate 32, for example, a flexible light guide plate that bends flexibly is used, and both side portions 32a and 32b of the light guide plate 32 in the width direction are placed outside the side portions 22a and 22b of the handrail belt 17. It is incorporated into the apparatus main body 31 in a state of being curved toward it. Also in this case, except for the surface of the light guide plate 32 on which the sterilizing light is incident (the installation surface side of the irradiation unit 33) and the surface (surface) facing the handrail belt 17, are covered with a cover member 35 that does not allow the sterilizing light to pass through. Is preferable. By using such a bow-shaped light guide plate 32, sterilizing light can be uniformly applied not only to the flat surface portion 21 of the handrail belt 17 but also to both side portions 22a and 22b.

In the above embodiment, the case where the sterilizing device 30 is mounted in one inlet 24 on both sides of the escalator 11 has been described, but the same sterilizing device 30 is also mounted in the other inlet 24. Then, the other handrail belt 17 moving in the inlet 24 is irradiated with sterilizing light. Therefore, regardless of whether the user rides on one side (for example, the left side) of the escalator 11 or on the other side (for example, the right side), the sterilized handrail belt 17 can be grasped and moved.

Here, when the sterilizing devices 30 are installed on both sides of the escalator 11, considering the efficiency of the installation work, as shown in FIG. 6, the sterilizing devices 30 are installed on both sides of the escalator 11 on the lower floor or the upper floor. It is preferable to install. FIG. 6 shows an example in which sterilizing devices 30 are installed on both sides of the escalator 11 on the lower floor.

Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the sterilizer 30 is installed on one side (for example, the left side) of the escalator 11 on the lower floor, and the sterilizer 30 is installed on the other side (for example, the right side) of the escalator 11 on the upper floor. That's fine. Further, as shown in FIG. 8, four sterilizing devices 30 may be used to install sterilizing devices 30 on both sides of the escalator 11 on the lower floor and on both sides of the escalator 11 on the upper floor.

The present invention is not limited to the escalator, and can be applied to all passenger conveyors including moving walkways and the like as long as it is provided with a handrail belt, and the same effect as that of the above embodiment can be obtained.

According to at least one embodiment described above, it does not require a large-scale installation work, can be easily attached to an existing man-conveyor, and is removed from the man-conveyor without worrying that the user's hands will be drawn in. A fungal device can be provided.

Although some embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other embodiments, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are also included in the scope of the invention described in the claims and the equivalent scope thereof.

11 ... escalator, 12 ... step, 13 ... balustrade, 14 ... outer deck, 15 ... inner deck, 16 ... balustrade panel, 17 ... railing belt, 18 ... com, 19 ... boarding / alighting board, 21 ... flat part of railing belt , 22a, 22b ... Both sides of the handrail belt, 23 ... Handrail rail, 24 ... Inlet, 25 ... Front skirt guard, 26 ... Outer skirt guard, 30 ... Sterilizer, 31 ... Device body, 32 ... Light guide plate, 33 ... Irradiation unit, 33a to 33c ... Luminous body, 34 ... Drive unit, 35 ... Cover member, 36 ... Power cable.

The sterilization device for a man conveyor according to an embodiment is provided between a first entrance / exit and a second entrance / exit, and is used for a man conveyor provided with a handrail belt that circulates and moves with a plurality of steps. .. The sterilization device includes a light guide plate, an irradiation unit, and a drive unit. The light guide plate is provided in parallel on the surface of the handrail belt moving in the inlet of the man conveyor with a certain interval, and both side portions are formed to be curved toward the outside of both side portions of the handrail belt. It has a length determined from the relationship between the moving speed of the handrail belt and the irradiation time of the sterilizing light toward the moving direction of the handrail belt. The irradiation unit is provided at one end in the longitudinal direction of the light guide plate, and sterilizes the surface of the handrail belt via the light guide plate. The driving unit drives the irradiation unit.

The surface of the light guide plate 32 (the surface facing the handrail belt 17) is frosted to diffuse the sterilizing light. The sterilizing light includes at least ultraviolet rays. There is also a method of spraying the sterilizing liquid on the handrail belt 17, but since spraying the liquid may deteriorate parts such as the handrail belt 17, sterilize (sterilize) by irradiating light. Is preferable. However, when ultraviolet rays are irradiated as sterilizing light, the resin material such as an inlet switch may deteriorate. Therefore, except for the surface of the light guide plate 32 on which the sterilizing light is incident (the installation surface side of the irradiation unit 33) and the surface (surface) facing the handrail belt 17, it is possible to cover the surface with the cover member 35 that does not allow the sterilizing light to pass through. preferable.

Claims (5)

It is a sterilization device used for a man conveyor provided between a first entrance / exit and a second entrance / exit and equipped with a handrail belt that circulates and moves with a plurality of steps.
A light guide plate provided in parallel on the surface of the handrail belt moving in the inlet of the man conveyor at regular intervals, and
It is characterized by being provided at one end of the light guide plate in the longitudinal direction, and provided with an irradiation unit that irradiates the surface of the handrail belt with sterilizing light via the light guide plate and a drive unit that drives the irradiation unit. Sterilization device for man conveyors. The light guide plate is
The sterilizing device for a man conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the handrail belt is provided in a linear portion in the inlet. The disinfectant device for a man conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the surface of the light guide plate facing the handrail belt is processed to diffuse the sterilizing light. The man-conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the light guide plate is covered with a cover member that does not allow the sterilizing light to pass through, except for the surface on which the sterilizing light is incident and the surface facing the handrail belt. Sterilizer. The sterilization device for a man conveyor according to claim 1, wherein both side portions of the light guide plate are curved toward the outside of both side portions of the handrail belt.

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