JP5310071B2 - Passenger conveyor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve reliability in function by diagnosing a failure of a photoelectric sensor even in automatic operation, in a passenger conveyor having the automatic operation function. <P>SOLUTION: In order to detect a user of the passenger conveyor, a photoelectric sensor 2 is arranged in a boarding place of the passenger conveyor, and a photoelectric sensor 3 is arranged in an alighting place. The passenger conveyor is always put in a predetermined standby state by an operation control means 15, and when the user is detected by the photoelectric sensor 2, the passenger conveyor is operated at a predetermined rated speed in the normal direction during a predetermined first operation time. When the user is detected by the photoelectric sensor 2, the failure of the photoelectric sensor 3 is further diagnosed by a failure diagnosing means 16 during the first operation time. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a passenger conveyor having an automatic operation function.

  Escalators are widely used as inter-level transportation means such as department stores and stations. In general, an escalator installed in a place where there are many users is continuously operated during its usage time, and steps and moving handrails are driven in a predetermined direction and at a rated speed. However, not all escalators are in such a situation, and there are many escalators in which there are few users depending on the installation location and time zone.

  Many of such escalators are provided with an automatic operation function for energy saving measures, and this function prevents waste of electric power. Note that the automatic operation function is a function for operating the escalator at the rated speed only when there is a user. In other words, an escalator equipped with an automatic driving function has a photoelectric sensor that detects a user installed at the landing. The escalator is activated only when a user is detected by this sensor, and a step or a moving handrail is operated. The vehicle is running at a rated speed in a predetermined direction. In addition, after the escalator is activated, the escalator is automatically shifted to a standby state if no user is detected by the sensor for a certain period of time.

By the way, in the escalator provided with such a function, if the photoelectric sensor installed in the landing site breaks down, normal switching of operation cannot be performed.
In view of such circumstances, as a conventional technique of an escalator having an automatic driving function, for example, a technique for performing a fault diagnosis of a photoelectric sensor when an automatic driving function is enabled has been proposed (for example, Patent Document 1). reference). In such an escalator, when a failure of the photoelectric sensor is detected in the failure diagnosis, traveling at the rated speed is always continued without enabling the automatic driving function.

JP 2006-151560 A

  In the device described in Patent Document 1, failure diagnosis of the photoelectric sensor is performed only when the automatic operation function is enabled, that is, when automatic operation is started, and the failure diagnosis is performed only during a limited period. There was a problem. That is, in order to perform the failure diagnosis again, it is necessary to cancel the automatic operation once and start the automatic operation again. For this reason, the failure of the photoelectric sensor cannot be grasped during automatic operation, and the reliability of the automatic operation function may be impaired.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems. The purpose of the present invention is to perform photoelectric sensor failure diagnosis even during automatic operation in a passenger conveyor having an automatic operation function. It is providing the passenger conveyor which can improve reliability.

  The passenger conveyor according to the present invention is provided at a landing of the passenger conveyor and detects a user at the landing, and a second photoelectric sensor is provided at a landing of the passenger conveyor and detects a user at the landing. And the operation control means for operating the passenger conveyor in a normal direction at a predetermined speed for a predetermined first operation time when the passenger is detected by the first photoelectric sensor. And a failure diagnosis means for performing a failure diagnosis of the second photoelectric sensor during the first operation time when a user is detected by the first photoelectric sensor.

  According to this invention, in a passenger conveyor having an automatic operation function, failure diagnosis of a photoelectric sensor can be performed even during automatic operation, and the reliability of the above function can be improved.

It is a block diagram which shows the passenger conveyor in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement of the passenger conveyor in Embodiment 1 of this invention.

  In order to explain the present invention in more detail, it will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition, in each figure, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the part which is the same or it corresponds, The duplication description is simplified or abbreviate | omitted suitably.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
1 is a block diagram showing a passenger conveyor according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. In the following, as an example of a passenger conveyor, an intermediate inclined escalator used when moving between upper and lower floors will be described. The present invention can be applied to other examples of passenger conveyors such as a moving sidewalk, but the description thereof is omitted.

  1 is an escalator body spanned between the upper and lower floors, 2 is a photoelectric sensor provided at the escalator landing or near the landing (hereinafter simply referred to as “the landing” including the vicinity of the landing), 3 is the escalator landing or Photoelectric sensors 4 provided in the vicinity of the landing (hereinafter simply referred to as “the landing” including the vicinity of the landing) are control panels for controlling the escalator.

  The photoelectric sensor 2 has a function of detecting a user at the escalator platform. Specifically, the photoelectric sensor 2 includes a transmissive sensor having a projector 5 and a light receiver 6, and is arranged so that the detection light 7 emitted from the projector 5 is received by the light receiver 6. The photoelectric sensor 3 has a function of detecting a user who is getting off the escalator, and has the same configuration as the photoelectric sensor 2. Specifically, the photoelectric sensor 3 is composed of a transmissive sensor having a projector 8 and a light receiver 9, and is arranged such that the detection light 10 emitted from the projector 8 is received by the light receiver 9.

  In the escalator, the traveling direction of the steps and the moving handrail (both not shown) can be easily switched by a changeover switch or the like. That is, the photoelectric sensor arranged on the lower side becomes the photoelectric sensor 2 at the landing in the up escalator, and the photoelectric sensor 3 at the landing in the down escalator.

On the other hand, the control panel 4 includes a driver 11, a receiver 12, and a control device 13.
The driver 11 has a function of transmitting a light projection signal to the photoelectric sensors 2 and 3. That is, by receiving the light projection signal from the driver 11, the photoelectric sensor 2 emits the detection light 7 from the light projector 5 toward the light receiver 6, and the photoelectric sensor 3 detects the detection light 10 from the light projector 8 toward the light receiver 9. Is emitted.
The receiver 12 has a function of receiving light reception signals from the photoelectric sensors 2 and 3. That is, when the light receiver 6 receives the detection light 7, the photoelectric sensor 2 transmits a light reception signal to the receiver 12, and when the light receiver 9 receives the detection light 10, the photoelectric sensor 3 receives the detection light 10. A light reception signal is transmitted to the receiver.

The control device 13 performs various controls based on the control signal for the driver 11 and the detection signal from the receiver 12. The main part of the control device 13 is constituted by, for example, a user determination unit 14, an operation control unit 15, and a failure diagnosis unit 16.
The user determination unit 14 determines the presence / absence of a user based on the detection signal of the receiver 12 when the light reception signal is received from the light receiver 6 or 9. That is, the user determination unit 14 detects the presence of a user at the landing when the detection light 7 emitted from the projector 5 cannot be received by the light receiver 6. Further, when the detection light 10 emitted from the projector 8 cannot be received by the light receiver 9, the presence of a user at the landing is detected.

  The operation control unit 15 appropriately controls the escalator body 1 based on the determination result of the user determination unit 14 and the like. Specifically, the operation control means 15 always places the escalator in a standby state, and stops the step or the moving handrail or travels at a low speed. Further, when a user is detected by the photoelectric sensor 2 on the landing side, the operation control means 15 operates the escalator in a normal direction at a predetermined rated speed (for example, 30 m / min) for a predetermined first operation time. Let That is, the normal direction driving which carries the user detected by the photoelectric sensor 2 at the rated speed from the landing to the landing is controlled.

  In addition, when the user is detected by the photoelectric sensor 3 on the landing side, the operation control means 15 performs a predetermined reverse riding prevention operation on the escalator for a predetermined second operation time.

  The failure diagnosis means 16 has a function of diagnosing whether or not a failure has occurred in the photoelectric sensors 2 and 3 by causing the photoelectric sensors 2 and 3 to perform a predetermined operation. Specifically, when the user is detected by the photoelectric sensor 2 at the landing, the failure diagnosis unit 16 detects the photoelectric sensor 3 on the landing side during the first driving time during which the user is transported by normal driving. Carry out fault diagnosis of When a user is detected by the photoelectric sensor 3 at the landing, a failure diagnosis of the photoelectric sensor 2 on the landing side is performed during the second driving time in which the reverse riding prevention driving is performed.

  Next, a specific operation of the escalator having the above configuration will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the passenger conveyor in the first embodiment of the present invention.

  When automatic operation is started in the escalator, first, the driver signals for the photoelectric sensors 2 and 3 are controlled (S101), and the failure diagnosis of the photoelectric sensors 2 and 3 shown in S102 to S110 is performed. The operations shown in S102 to S110 are basically the same as the operations described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-151560, and thus detailed description thereof is omitted.

  If it is confirmed in S103 or S110 that no failure has occurred in the photoelectric sensors 2 and 3, the escalator continues the automatic operation function and puts the escalator in a standby state while no user is detected ( S111). Thereafter, when a user is detected by the photoelectric sensor 2 or 3 (S112), the user determination means 14 determines whether the user is detected by the photoelectric sensor 2 on the landing side or the photoelectric sensor on the landing side. It is determined whether it is due to the sensor 3 (S113, S114).

If the user detection in S112 is performed by the photoelectric sensor 2 on the landing side (Yes in S113), the failure diagnosis means 16 controls the driver signal for the photoelectric sensor 3 on the landing side to operate in the normal direction. During the timer period (that is, the first operation time), failure diagnosis shown in S102 to S110 is performed on the photoelectric sensor 3 (S115).
On the other hand, if the detection of the user in S112 is by the photoelectric sensor 3 on the landing side (Yes in S114), the failure diagnosis means 16 controls the driver signal for the photoelectric sensor 2 on the landing side to prevent reverse riding. During the operation timer period (that is, the second operation time), failure diagnosis shown in S102 to S110 is performed on the photoelectric sensor 2 (S116).

  In addition, when the detection of the user in S112 is based on the photoelectric sensor 2, the operation control unit 15 performs the normal direction operation for the predetermined first operation time as described above. When the detection of the user in S112 is based on the photoelectric sensor 3, the operation control means 15 controls the reverse riding prevention operation for a predetermined second operation time.

  According to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, in an escalator equipped with an automatic driving function, failure diagnosis of the photoelectric sensors 2 and 3 can be performed even during automatic driving, and the reliability of the above functions is improved. Will be able to.

  That is, when a user is detected by the photoelectric sensor 2 at the landing and normal driving is started, the steps and the moving handrail are driven in the normal direction at a predetermined rated speed. For this reason, the user is not detected by the photoelectric sensor 3 on the landing side until the user detected by the photoelectric sensor 2 arrives at the landing. In addition, if the normal direction driving is started, it is possible to confirm the running of the step from the outside, so that other users do not enter the landing and other users are detected by the photoelectric sensor 3. There is nothing. Therefore, the failure diagnosis of the photoelectric sensor 3 can be performed accurately.

  Further, the same effect as described above can be expected for failure diagnosis on the photoelectric sensor 2. That is, the user is not detected by the photoelectric sensor 2 while the reverse riding operation preventing operation is performed. For this reason, even during automatic operation, failure diagnosis of the photoelectric sensor 2 can be performed accurately.

  The failure diagnosis of the photoelectric sensor 3 needs to be completed before the user detected by the photoelectric sensor 2 arrives at the landing. For this reason, considering that the user walks on the steps, etc., the period during which the failure diagnosis of the photoelectric sensor 3 is performed may be limited to an appropriate range within the first operation time. In this case, for example, a period for performing failure diagnosis of the photoelectric sensor 3 is set based on the distance from the landing to the landing, the travel speed (rated speed) of the step, and the like.

  Further, in an escalator having an automatic driving function, generally, when a user is detected by the photoelectric sensor 2 on the landing side when performing the normal direction driving, the period during which the normal direction driving is performed is only the first driving time. Further extended. For this reason, when the normal direction operation is extended by the detection of the user by the photoelectric sensor 2, the failure diagnosis of the photoelectric sensor 3 is not performed, and the failure of the photoelectric sensor 3 is performed only when switching from the standby state to the normal direction operation You may comprise so that a diagnosis may be implemented. Thereby, it can prevent that the detection light 10 radiate | emitted from the photoelectric sensor 3 during failure diagnosis is interrupted by the user who rides on the escalator before extension of a normal direction driving | operation.

  In the present embodiment, the case where the specific content of the failure diagnosis of the photoelectric sensors 2 and 3 is the same as the content described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-151560 has been described. However, the contents of the failure diagnosis of the photoelectric sensors 2 and 3 are not limited to this, and it goes without saying that other diagnosis contents may be adopted.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Escalator main body 2, 3 Photoelectric sensor 4 Control board 5, 8 Light projector 6, 9 Light receiver 7, 10 Detection light 11 Driver 12 Receiver 13 Control apparatus 14 User determination means 15 Operation control means 16 Failure diagnosis means

Claims (5)

A first photoelectric sensor provided at a landing of a passenger conveyor for detecting a user of the landing;
A second photoelectric sensor that is provided at a landing of the passenger conveyor and detects a user of the landing;
Operation control that always places the passenger conveyor in a predetermined standby state and operates the passenger conveyor in a normal direction at a predetermined speed for a predetermined first operation time when a user is detected by the first photoelectric sensor. Means,
When a user is detected by the first photoelectric sensor, failure diagnosis means for performing a failure diagnosis of the second photoelectric sensor during the first operation time;
A passenger conveyor characterized by comprising:   2. The passenger according to claim 1, wherein the failure diagnosis means ends the failure diagnosis of the second photoelectric sensor in a predetermined period until the user detected by the first photoelectric sensor arrives at the landing. Conveyor.   The failure diagnosis means does not carry out a failure diagnosis of the second photoelectric sensor when a user is detected by the first photoelectric sensor when the passenger conveyor is operating in a normal direction. Item 3. A passenger conveyor according to Item 2. When the user is detected by the second photoelectric sensor, the operation control means performs a predetermined reverse riding prevention operation on the passenger conveyor for a predetermined second operation time,
2. The passenger conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the failure diagnosis unit performs failure diagnosis of the first photoelectric sensor during the second operation time when a user is detected by the second photoelectric sensor. .   The passenger conveyor according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein each of the first photoelectric sensor and the second photoelectric sensor includes a transmission type sensor provided with a projector and a light receiver.

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