JP2776902B2 - Belt sidewalk equipment - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a mobile sidewalk used for moving pedestrians and articles, and more particularly to a belt sidewalk device having at least one sidewalk section having an endless sliding belt. .

[Problems to be solved by conventional technology and invention]

 Conventional belt sidewalk devices have various disadvantages.

For a constant speed belt walkway, the moving surface is
It will have very heavy belts or metal treads to be placed on the carrier frame, requiring a roller of considerable diameter as their radius increases as they flip. As a result, each component becomes expensive and causes mechanical problems. In addition, holes for receiving the rollers must be provided at both ends of the belt sidewalk device.

Other major issues with belt walkers, especially when they are of variable speed or long sidewalk distances, are used between the stationary part and the moving belt and between adjacent members in the walkway. Occurs with regard to the migration of passers-by (passers-by). This challenge is considered most important for two reasons. First, such transitions are effective when the belt sidewalk device has a variable speed and thus transitions at a higher speed than when getting on and off a standard belt sidewalk device traveling at a lower speed. Is required.

In such a situation, the relative speed between two adjacent members of the belt sidewalk device is relatively small, and the belt portion constituting the main surface of the belt sidewalk device is relatively close to the surrounding ground or the side wall of the sidewalk device. It means moving at a high speed.

Thus, for example, if a passer-by falls or a passer-by accessory such as a part of a shoe or a tip of clothes is pinched between a belt, a plate at a transition position, a comb, or the like, they may be damaged. Sex is much greater than in the slow sidewalk section.

Various methods have already been proposed to address such problems, but they have all been unsatisfactory and have not been adopted commercially.

For example, using a transition plate section that is movable in a plane perpendicular to the belt sidewalk, using short, narrow belts that overlap in the direction of travel, allowing passers-by to move from one belt to another adjacent belt. Or, it has been proposed to use a plurality of belts of different heights, such as having to step down and transfer over. Also, in the proposal using a belt with a plurality of ribs, a plurality of combs must be arranged in the transition area. It was difficult, if not impossible, to precisely maintain the narrow space between the belt and the ribs of the belt.

A first object of the present invention is to provide a belt sidewalk device which can solve the above-mentioned various problems and can be used for both a constant speed type and a variable speed type.

A second object of the invention is that between two sidewalk sections,
Or, in the transition between the end plate installed as a stationary part and the sidewalk section, it is effective to make sure that the passerby or the clothes and decorations of the passerby on the belt sidewalk device are trapped by the components of the belt sidewalk device. An object of the present invention is to provide a belt sidewalk device that can prevent the belt sidewalk.

[Means for solving the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention comprises a plurality of sidewalk sections arranged in parallel to each other in the direction of transport so as to automatically transport a pedestrian in a standing position over a desired distance,
The sidewalk sections are first and second rollers of small diameter spaced apart from each other to form a passing end and a receiving end of the sidewalk section, respectively, and supporting a pedestrian over the first and second rollers. A first sidewalk section and a first sidewalk section, each comprising a flexible flat thin endless sliding belt for transferring and driving means for driving the endless sliding belt in the same direction for all sidewalk sections; The second sidewalk section disposed on the downstream side in the transport direction of the first sidewalk section includes an endless sliding belt passing over a first roller of the first sidewalk section and an endless sliding belt passing over a second roller of the second sidewalk section. In a belt sidewalk device which is disposed so as to be opposed to each other with an air gap therebetween, each of the first and second rollers of each sidewalk section has a diameter of 70 mm or less, and Means act on the endless sliding belt independently of the first and second rollers, the speed and orbital radius of the endless sliding belt of the first sidewalk section as it passes over the first roller, the endlessness of the second sidewalk section The speed and orbital radius of the sliding belt as it passes over the second roller, and the endless sliding belt passing over the first roller of the first sidewalk section and the endless sliding belt passing over the second roller of the second sidewalk section; The distance between (i) even the smallest child's upright pedestrian of the pedestrians transitioning from the crossing end of the first sidewalk section to the receiving end of the second sidewalk section, has the footwear Contacting the endless sliding belt of the second sidewalk section before losing contact with the endless sliding belt of the first sidewalk section; and (ii) substantially endless from the endless sliding belt of the first sidewalk section. The object delivered at the speed of the moving belt and descending due to gravity is located in the first sidewalk section more than the endless sliding belt of the first sidewalk section and the endless sliding belt of the second sidewalk section. Passed to the endless sliding belt of the second sidewalk section at a position high enough to ensure safe automatic transfer of objects from the second sidewalk section to the second sidewalk section;
Automatically moving a pedestrian in a standing position directly from the first sidewalk section to the second sidewalk section without stepping on the sidewalk, which is set based on such a predetermined relative relationship. Provide equipment.

At the horizontal ends of the endless sliding belt, when the endless sliding belt passes around the beginning or end roller of its track,
A plate having an edge configured to be close enough to contact the belt can be provided. Preferably the upper surface of the plate is smoothed to facilitate movement thereon, and the gap between the edge of the plate and the upper surface of the belt is small (typically 1 m).
m or less) to prevent objects from entering the gap.

The belt sidewalk device can be comprised of a number of sidewalk sections that are located close enough to each contact adjacent sidewalk sections. Such a belt sidewalk device can be configured such that the moving speed in the extension direction is variable.

Such a belt sidewalk device may have a long central sidewalk section moving at a constant speed, with short sidewalk sections at both ends.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Although the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 relates to a belt sidewalk device in which the speed is changed stepwise along the extension direction, the belt sidewalk device having a constant speed as a whole will be described later.
The present invention can be applied.

The belt sidewalk device is configured with a number of independent modules or sidewalk sections 2. These sidewalk sections are individually replaceable, so if a particular sidewalk section is defective, the defective section can be easily replaced with minimal downtime of the belt sidewalk device.

Referring to FIG. 1, each of the multiple sidewalk sections 2 includes rollers 15 disposed at both ends thereof, and an endless sliding belt 20 wound on the rollers.

For convenience and as needed, regarding the description of adjacent sidewalk sections, each section will be "received" from its function as appropriate.
And the term "handover".

The endless sliding belt 20 having flexibility passes under a pair of idler rollers 25 and is driven by a driving roller 31a. The idler roller 25 can be adjustable to apply tension to the belt 20.

As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of sidewalk section belts
All twenty upward tracks are usually in the same plane. Second
As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 3, the gap between the adjacent belts 20 is set to a minimum.

If a change in slope is required, the upper track surfaces of the belts in each sidewalk section can be arranged at an angle to one another.

The endless sliding belt in the first or last sidewalk section of the belt sidewalk device is relatively short, its upper track is 300-1000m
m can be set. In the present invention, the belt 20
Is relatively thin so that it can run on rollers of much smaller diameter. For example, the diameter of the roller 15 can be set in a range of 30 to 70 mm.

Thereby, the gap between adjacent portions of the upper track of each belt 20 will be in the range of 20-40 mm, much smaller than any passerby shoe, including significantly smaller shoes such as children's shoes. The lower surface of the upper track of each belt 20 is supported by a sliding plate (slider) 26.

As is evident from the embodiment of FIG. 1, the belt sidewalk device according to the present invention uses a thin, flat endless sliding belt 20 which is itself slidable and uses rollers 15 at both ends of each sidewalk section 2 to have a diameter. By using a small-diameter roller of 70 mm or less, the pedestrian can be automatically and safely transported without forcing the pedestrian to step over from the first sidewalk section to the second sidewalk section.

In the above configuration, for example, the adjacent sidewalk section 2
A substantially T-shaped transition plate 10 can be installed at the connection portion between the two. In this case, the upper surface 11 of the transition plate 10 is polished to provide a low-friction surface to the shoes of passers-by of the belt walker.
Thereby, even when a pedestrian stands on the sidewalk with the feet arranged substantially parallel to the direction of movement of the sidewalk, it is very easy to transfer from one sidewalk section to another sidewalk section. The stem 13 forming the T-leg extends downward between adjacent sidewalk sections 2 and is securely connected to the rollers 15 so as to maintain a certain tolerance for each sidewalk section.

As clearly shown in FIG. 3, the edge 14 of the transition plate 10
When the thin belt 20 passes over the small-diameter roller 15, the belt 20
It is extended to approach.

The thickness tolerance of the belt 20 is such that the gap between the outer circumference of the roller 15 and the edge 14 of the transition plate 10 is
As it passes under 14, the gap between the edge 14 and the belt 20 is adjusted so as to form a path slightly wider than the thickness of the belt 20 such that the object is not so small that objects are entangled therein.

This tolerance is preferably set so that accessories of the object, such as the edge of a coat or a dress or a band, do not pass through the gap.

It is also preferable to provide a sensor at the connection site so that the belt sidewalk device stops if an object enters this gap.

In the fastest sidewalk section 2, one end can be a free end and a long belt 27 can be extended adjacent to the free end to be the center of the belt sidewalk device.

Although not shown, the drive rollers 31a are all driven by the same one drive source, or a plurality of drive sources are centralized so that all sidewalk sections can be uniformly and simultaneously controlled in the event of an accident during driving of the apparatus. It is preferable to control. This allows the pedestrian to transition from the moving sidewalk section to the stationary sidewalk section without any difficulty.

By providing different combinations of pulleys or gear trains between each sidewalk section and each drive, the initial speed (e.g., permissible for passers-by) to enter the sidewalk over the entire length of the belt sidewalk. From 0.4 to 0.9 m / s), gradually increasing speed through multiple sidewalk sections (eg 3.5 m
/ S), and again through multiple sidewalk sections, can be reduced to the exit speed (eg, 0.4-0.9 m / s).

Rows of sidewalk sections consisting of short belts operate such that each belt moves slightly faster or slower than its neighbors. In this way, the pedestrian on the sidewalk device is accelerated in the acceleration part on the starting end side of the sidewalk device and decelerated on the end side of the sidewalk device. Also, before multiple passers reach the long center of constant speed, the distance between passers increases from the initial interval, corresponding to the ratio of constant speed belt speed to initial low speed belt speed. Is done. Thus, the belt will experience a lower load than would be the case if it were the only belt in the device, and would not need to address the lower belt acceleration forces. This allows for a constant speed sidewalk section,
As with short belts, thin sliding belts can be used that can be inverted around a 30-70 mm diameter roller. Also, rollers with diameters in the range of 20 to 40 mm can be used for the last acceleration belt or the first deceleration belt divided by the transition plate 10 as well as the plates between sidewalk sections.

The running length of the endless sliding belt of a constant speed sidewalk section is determined by its vertical cross-sectional shape, relative speed, and effective space for the drive motor.

A longer travel distance is achieved by arranging sliding belts of the same speed divided by the transition plate 10 adjacent to each other.

In order to change the slope, a plurality of belts divided by the transition plate 10 passing around the small diameter roller 15 are arranged in the tangential direction of the theoretical curve connecting the horizontal belt and the belt having a positive inclination. This is achieved by introducing one or more short sidewalk sections. At the top of the slope, the sliding plate has a vertical shape that can guide a long thin belt.

Thus, it has been described that by using a thin belt that can pass over closely spaced rollers, the gap between two adjacent sidewalk sections of the belt sidewalk device can be limited. Also described in this configuration is a relatively narrow transition plate with a smooth top surface through which a portion of the user's shoe or other object in contact with the belt passes as it moves from belt to belt.

It is difficult to minimize the tolerance between the belt and the transition plate so that objects such as thin pieces of clothing cannot pass between them. When such a flexible object is pressed into the gap by a rigid object, the weight of the rigid object eliminates the irregularities of the flexible object in contact with the gap and, of course, if this occurs. There is a problem that hurt passers-by. One way to overcome this drawback is to provide a sensor as described above.

This problem is also significantly reduced by making the upper surface of the transition plate lower than the height of the belt.

The transition plate has a width of about 30 mm. In most cases, passers-by will cross the transition plate while the heel or sole portion of the shoe remains on the transfer belt even after the shoe tip is received by the receiving belt, minimizing contact with the transition plate. Can be suppressed.

As shown in FIG. 4, the belt 20 has a thickness of about 3 mm.
The top surface of the transition plate 50 can be located below the height of the upper track. In this case, any part of the passer-by or any solid object carried by the passer- er may be between the transition plate and the belt, even if their height difference is of the order of 3 mm and the belt speed is 0.6 m / s. Contact with the gap between them can be effectively prevented.

As can be seen from FIG. 4, the horizontal distance from the roller contact on the upper track of the belt to the belt section adjacent the edge 14 of the transition plate 50 is 12 mm. At a belt speed of 0.6 m / s, the object travels approximately 15 mm before descending 3 mm vertically, so that any object leaving the transfer belt does not contact the transition plate 50 until it has passed the gap.

However, this is what is obtained at the lowest speeds associated with the belt walker of the present invention.

If the belt moves at 0.9m / s, the object will advance 23mm before descending 3mm, and at 1.2m / s (lowest order value expected from the fastest belt), the advance distance will be 30mm
Will be. These distances are usually calculated using a vertical acceleration of 1 G (9.81 m / sec ² ), which is a downward acceleration of a rigid body, and in the case of an elastic body, the situation must be considered.

At a slightly faster speed, the object approaching the gap between the edge 14 of the transition plate 50 and the belt 20 should have a speed of about 3 G (29.43 m /
A downward acceleration of ² ) is required.

For example, an elastic body such as a piece of fabric compressed and compressed in a ball shape may accelerate at 1 G or more.
It tends to extend to a standstill at accelerations of substantially 3G or less in all directions.

Objects accelerating in this manner tend to bend or wrinkle, creating a rugged edge that passes between the belt 20 and the edge 14 of the transition plate 50 unless squeezed by a rigid object. I can't imagine.

In the above example, the actual surface of the transition plate 50 has not been mentioned, but it works in the same way as described above, but with the form shown in FIG. Can be provided.

In a variant of the shape, the edge of the transition plate close to the preceding belt can be formed so as to further lower the proximity of the transition plate edge to the belt. Thereby, a space in which the elastic body does not bend is added. The rigid body will span the gap and contact the center of the transition plate, which is higher than both edges.

It is also possible to provide additional means which act to prevent objects from entering the gap between the belt and the transition plate.

This is because a relatively strong airflow flows upward from the lower side of the upper track of the belt through the gap between the belt and the edge of the transition plate.

Needless to say, this air blast prevents any light elastic body from approaching the gap without affecting the rigid body.

When the belt sidewalk operates at high speed, the transition plate can be eliminated depending on the size of the gap between the belts.

The rigid body passes through the gap without any contact, and the elastic body is unlikely to come into contact for the reasons described above.

Even if the elastic body approaches the belt surface, the two belts move in opposite directions at the connection part of the adjacent sidewalk section, so that the elastic body does not get caught in the gap and the elastic body moves forward beyond the gap. As it is carried, it comes into contact with the belt moving in a direction away from the gap.

Such a small modification significantly improves the safety of the belt walker, which is divided into a plurality of independent belts by stationary transition plates. The stationary transition plate provides transport security and effectively eliminates the potential for damage due to the passage of some of the passerby's clothing or other objects into the gap between the transition plate edge and the belt.

Such a form is difficult to apply for a low-speed belt. In low-speed belts, rigid bodies such as children's bodies and shoes descend at an acceleration of 1G, causing the elastic material to follow close to it,
This is because there is a fear that the elastic material may be pressed into the gap to be involved. This concern is even more pronounced at the end of the belt walker where objects may stop on the transition plate.

While it is unlikely that the stoppage of the belt sidewalk device performed by the sensor will prevent more than a slight damage, some national codes require other solutions using ribs or combs. Might be.

Therefore, at the connection of the low-speed section,
Other means would be required so that the object would not get caught between the transition plate, the edge and the belt. One particular way to ensure safety at low speeds is a ribbed belt often used in belt walkers.

The ribbed belt, at each end thereof, cooperates with the comb inserted in the groove between the ribs, preferably to bring anything on the belt closer to the transition plate or belt end beyond the upper surface of the comb. Move to a stationary member.

While this arrangement is generally satisfactory, objects worn by passers-by may be trapped in the comb or between the belt and the comb, causing injuries to the passer-by. In addition, the comb often breaks, and the risk of damage is great.

In another embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the teeth of the comb are:
It forms a longitudinal member that effectively extends along the entire length of the ribbed belt 62 between two adjacent combs.

These elongate members are rods or bars having a width smaller than the spacing between adjacent ribs 61 and a lower height than the ribs.
Can be configured as 60. Therefore, the rods 60 lie below the surface of the ribbed belt 62.

These rods 60 have a certain degree of flexibility, but when made of a material such as chrome-plated steel, the frictional resistance at the part in contact with the belt is reduced, and when the object is placed on it, Acts as a plate.

Under typical conditions, when a passerby stands on the ribbed belt, no contact with the rod occurs because any part of the ordinary shoe is wider than the spacing between the set of ribs.

However, there may be a case where a thinner object such as a heel of a shoe with a thinner heel or an edge of an object such as a briefcase fits between two adjacent ribs.

In such a case, the object rests on the top surface of the rod and slides along it, but is automatically moved onto the transition plate when it reaches the transition plate 70, so that it gets caught between the transition plate and the belt It will not be.

The most preferred mechanism for a high-speed belt sidewalk device is to arrange a ribbed belt as shown in FIG. 5 and a plurality of rods inserted between the ribs in the initial device (for example, two or three) of the sidewalk device. In the center part, a flat belt group as shown in FIG. 4 and a transition plate arranged between the belts and lower than the belt height are used, and a ribbed belt and a plurality of rods are provided at the end part. Is to be arranged.

In an extreme case such as at the highest speed, the transfer plate may not be provided.

With this configuration, security can be ensured in a low-speed portion as well as in a high-speed portion.

If a belt is used that passes inverting along a very small radius at the end of the sidewalk section, the end of the sidewalk section may be formed by the curved end of the sliding plate so that the belt passes over the curved end. it can.

Normally, the belt passes through the section ends at an angle slightly greater than the angle perpendicular to its upper track, so that the belt spacing of adjacent sidewalk sections spreads slightly downward, so that the lower track starts at the beginning. Pass around the roller forming

Although a transition plate located between adjacent sidewalk sections has been described above, the belt sidewalk device according to the present invention provides a thin, flat, endless slide having its own sliding properties without using such a transition plate. By using belts, the rollers at both ends of each sidewalk section are small-diameter rollers with a diameter of 70 mm or less, so that passers-by are not forced to step from the first sidewalk section to the second sidewalk section. In this way, it is possible to safely and automatically transfer pedestrians.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partial external view of a belt sidewalk device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of a sidewalk section of another belt sidewalk device, and FIG. FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view showing a transition plate installed at a connection portion of a sidewalk section, FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of FIG. 3, showing another form of the transition plate, FIG. FIG. 6 shows a high speed flat belt and a transition plate with a plurality of rods installed between them and inserted between the ribs of the ribbed belt, and FIG. 6 is a line 6-6 in FIG. FIG. 2 ... sidewalk section, 10, 50, 70 ... transition plate, 15 ... small-diameter roller, 20 ... endless sliding belt, 31a ... driving means.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) B66B 1/00-21/12

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A vehicle comprising: a plurality of sidewalk sections arranged in parallel to each other in a direction of movement for automatically transferring a pedestrian in a standing position over a desired distance, the sidewalk sections being spaced apart from each other; A first roller and a second roller having small diameters respectively forming a passing end portion and a receiving end portion of the sidewalk section, and having flexibility for supporting and transporting a pedestrian over the first and second rollers. And a driving means for driving the endless sliding belt in the same direction with respect to all the sidewalk sections, the first sidewalk section and the downstream side of the first sidewalk section in the transport direction. A second sidewalk section disposed on the side of the first sidewalk section, the endless sliding belt passing over the first roller and the endless sliding belt passing over the second roller of the second sidewalk section bell Wherein the first and second rollers of each of the sidewalk sections each have a diameter of 70 mm or less, and wherein the driving means includes 1
And acting independently of the second roller on the endless sliding belt, the speed and orbital radius of the endless sliding belt of the first sidewalk section as it passes over the first roller; The speed and orbital radius of the endless sliding belt as it passes over the second roller;
The distance between the endless sliding belt passing over the first roller of the sidewalk section and the endless sliding belt passing over the second roller of the second sidewalk section is: (i) the first sidewalk section Even the smallest child upright passer of the passer-by transitioning from the crossover end to the receiving end of the second sidewalk section has the footwear of the endless sliding belt of the first sidewalk section. Contacting the endless sliding belt of the second sidewalk section before losing contact with the endless sliding belt of the first sidewalk section; and (ii) being delivered at substantially the speed of the endless sliding belt from the endless sliding belt of the first sidewalk section. And the object descending due to gravity is located closer to the first sidewalk section than to the endless sliding belt of the first sidewalk section and the endless sliding belt of the second sidewalk section. In a predetermined relationship such that the object is passed to the endless sliding belt of the second sidewalk section at a position high enough to ensure safe automatic transfer of the object from the second sidewalk section to the second sidewalk section. The belt sidewalk device according to claim 1, wherein a pedestrian in a standing position is automatically transferred directly from the first sidewalk section to the second sidewalk section without stepping. 2. The belt sidewalk device according to claim 1, wherein the endless sliding belts of the adjacent sidewalk sections move at different speeds to transfer the pedestrian while accelerating or decelerating. 3. The belt sidewalk device according to claim 1, wherein the endless sliding belts of the adjacent sidewalk sections move at the same speed.