JPH0420495A - Device for detecting abnormality of foot step of escalator - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent falling accident of other passengers due to frequent emergency stops of an escalator, and to secure their safety by providing a stepped portion, which lifts a rear wheel and gives downward impulsive reaction force to the rear wheel through colliding with it when the rear wheel has lifted by a certain amount, at the position before a lifting-up detecting zone of a rear wheel guide rail. CONSTITUTION:When a foreign object such as a shoe toe and the like comes in contact with a riser 7 of an adjacent foot step 2, a rear wheel 10 is forced to move upward owing to frictional force due to the contact. When the rear wheel 10 travels along a rear wheel guide rail 13, the rear wheel 10 is lifted up momentarily at the stepped portion 18 provided at the position before a lifting-up detecting zone K during the travel. At that time, the frictional resistance due to the contact of the foreign object against the riser 7 is relaxed. When the rear wheel 10 is lifted up by a certain amount, the rear wheel 10 comes into collision with a lower surface of the stepped portion 18, and downward impulsive reaction force is applied on it. Consequently, the rear wheel 10 is knocked down and returned to a normal state prior to arrival to the lifting-up detecting zone K. Accordingly, the rear wheel 10 passes through the lifting-up detecting zone K without lifting up a lever 14. Thus, a limit switch 15 does not operate, and the escalator does not stop unnecessarily.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to an escalator step abnormality detection device that stops an escalator when a foreign object is caught between the escalator steps.

(Prior Art) Generally, as shown in FIG. 4, an escalator has a frame 1 called a truss, etc., and a large number of steps 2 arranged in an endless concave shape. It is designed to transport passengers by rotating.

As shown in FIG. 5, the step 2 consists of a frame 5, a step 6 mounted and supported on the upper surface of the frame 5, and a liesurf mounted and supported on the raised rear surface. A pair of left and right front wheels 9 are provided at the lower front end of the frame 5 of the step 2 via a front wheel shaft 8, and a pair of left and right rear wheels 10 are provided at the lower rear end of the frame 5.

A large number of such steps 2 are connected with each front wheel shaft 8 engaged with a pair of left and right step chains 11. The step chain 11 is rotated by a step sprocket provided at the upper and lower end of the frame 1, so that each step
rotates continuously like an endless conveyor.

The rotation of the steps 2 is controlled by a pair of front wheel guide rails 12 and a pair of rear wheel guide rails 12 and 13 provided in the frame 1.
This is done while guiding the left and right front wheels 9 and rear wheels 10. By the guidance of the front and rear wheel guide rails 12 and 1B, for example, during uphill operation, each step 2 moves horizontally at the same height front and rear on the lower horizontal part of the escalator (not shown), and on this lower floor side, From the horizontal part to the lower curved part, the front and rear steps 2, 2 gradually become step-like according to the difference in level, and continue to move obliquely up the intermediate inclined part while maintaining the step-like shape, and from this intermediate inclined part to the upper curved part. Gradually, the front and rear steps 2.2 move horizontally on the upper floor side horizontally at the same height, reducing the difference in steps.
At the end of the upper floor, it is reversed downward and returns within the frame 1 to the lower floor side.

FIG. 5 shows the upper curved portion of the step 2 described above when it transitions from the intermediate inclined portion to the upper horizontal portion.

From this figure, it can be seen that each step 2 that has moved in a stairway state on the intermediate slope section moves vertically relative to the front and rear wheel guide rails 1213 at the upper curved section, and there is a difference in level between the front and rear steps 2, 2. It can be seen that the G is gradually decreasing and the vehicle is moving horizontally at the same height.

By the way, if a passenger riding on the tread 6 of such a step 2 contacts a foreign object such as the tip A of a shoe with the riser 7 of the step 2 adjacent to the front (upper side) as shown in FIG. .2 moves to the upper curved part and moves relative to each other to reduce the step G between them as described above.
There is a danger that the foreign object will be drawn in and caught between the front and rear steps 2, 2.

Therefore, due to the frictional resistance when a foreign object such as a shoe tip A is caught between the front and rear steps 2, 2, the relative movement between the front and rear steps 2, 2 is inhibited, and as a result, the front step 2 The escalator is pushed up and rotated using the escalator as a fulcrum, and the rear wheel 10 is lifted off the rear wheel guide rail 13 as shown in FIG. An anomaly detection device is provided.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, this escalator step detection device is constructed by cutting the upper surface plate portion 13a of the rear wheel guide rail 13, which has a U-shaped cross section, over an appropriate distance at a midway point of the above-mentioned upper curved portion of the escalator. When opened, a floating detection area K is set in which the rear wheel 10 of the step 2 can float, and a lever 14 such as a leaf spring is installed above this floating detection area as a detector for detecting lifting of the rear wheel 10. and,
The configuration includes a limit switch 15 that detects when this lever 14 is pushed up due to the lifting of the rear wheel 10 of the step 2. When the limit switch 5 detects and operates, a step abnormality signal is issued and the escalator is in emergency. It is designed to stop automatically.

(Problem to be solved by the invention) However, recently, including jogging shoes, etc.
Shoes with soft rubber attached to the tips of the shoes have become popular, and even if they are not wedged between the steps 2 and 2, the tip A of the shoe can be attached to the riser 7 of the front step 2, as shown in Figure 6. 8, the step 2 is pushed upward by the frictional resistance, and the rear wheel 10 rises in the detection area K as shown in FIG. 8, pushing the lever 14 upward. For this reason, even if a foreign object is not caught between the steps 2 and 2 and a dangerous situation does not occur immediately, the step abnormality detection device is activated and the escalator is frequently brought to an emergency stop.

If such emergency stops occur frequently, there is a risk that other passengers may fall over.

The present invention was developed in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to avoid the step abnormality detection operation even if the rear step wheel lifts up due to the mere contact frictional resistance force of a foreign object to the riser. The escalator does not have to make an emergency stop unless a foreign object such as a tip gets caught between the steps, resulting in a truly dangerous situation, which prevents other passengers from falling over due to frequent emergency stops and improves safety. It is an object of the present invention to provide an escalator step abnormality detection device that can detect abnormalities in escalator steps.

[Structure of the invention]

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a system in which the rear wheels of the steps float up within a floating detection area set in the middle of the rear wheel guide rail due to a foreign object being caught between the steps while driving. The escalator step abnormality detection device detects this with a detector and stops the escalator. It is characterized by providing a stepped portion that hits the rear wheel when it lifts up a certain amount and applies a downward impact reaction force to the rear wheel.

(Function) With this configuration, foreign objects such as the tip of a shoe come into contact with the riser of an adjacent step, and the rear step wheel does not try to lift up due to the frictional resistance force, and instead runs along the rear wheel guide rail. When the rear wheel lifts up for a moment at the step provided in front of the floating detection area during the run, the contact friction resistance force against the riser of the foreign object weakens, and when the rear wheel lifts up a certain amount, it rises to the step. It hits and receives a downward impact reaction force. In this way, the rear wheel is knocked off and returned to its normal state before it reaches the levitation detection area, so that the detector is not activated within the levitation detection area and the escalator is not stopped unnecessarily.

On the other hand, if a foreign object really gets caught between the riser and the tread of the adjacent step, the rear wheel will float up and hit the step in front of the levitation detection area in the middle of the rear wheel guide rail, receiving a downward impact reaction force. However, due to the strong frictional resistance caused by the trapped foreign object, the escalator moves along the step with the rear wheels floating, reaches the floating detection area, activates the detector, and brings the escalator to an emergency stop. It becomes like this.

(Example) An example of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. In the drawings, the same reference numerals are given to the same parts as those of the prior art shown in FIGS. 4 to 8 to simplify the explanation.

First, Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the escalator step abnormality detection device of the present invention, in which a cross-sectional view is shown in the middle of the upper □ curved part between the intermediate inclined part of the escalator and the horizontal part on the upper floor side, as in the conventional case. By opening the upper surface plate part 13a of the letter-shaped rear wheel guide rail 13 over an appropriate distance, a floating detection area K in which the rear wheel 10 of the step 2 can float is set.

A lever 14 such as a leaf spring is provided on the upper side of this levitation detection area as a detector for detecting the levitation of the rear wheel 10, and a limit that operates to detect when this lever 14 is pushed up due to the levitation of the rear wheel 10 of the step 2. A switch 15 is provided. When the limit switch 15 detects and operates, a step abnormality signal is issued and the escalator is automatically stopped in an emergency.

Here, the rear wheel 10 is allowed to float in front of the floating detection area, and the rear wheel 10 is raised by a certain amount (approximately 5
A step portion 18 is provided which hits the rear wheel 10 and applies a downward impact reaction force to the rear wheel 10 when it lifts up. This stepped portion 18 is formed by cutting out the upper surface plate portion 13a of the rear wheel guide rail 13 to a point further in front of the floating detection area K, and overhanging the upper surface plate portion 13a by welding a plate material such as a steel plate to the upper surface portion 13a. It consists of

With this configuration, foreign objects such as the toes of shoes can
The rear wheel 10 contacts the riser 7 of the rear wheel 10 due to its frictional resistance.
When the rear wheel 10 runs along the rear wheel guide rail 13 while trying to float up, the rear wheel 10 comes to a step 18 provided in front of the floating detection area in the middle of the run, as shown in FIG. As the foreign object floats up for a moment, the contact frictional force against the riser 7 weakens, and when the rear wheel 10 lifts up a certain amount, it hits the lower surface of the stepped portion 18 and receives a downward impact reaction force. This causes the rear wheel 10 to be knocked off and returned to the normal state before reaching the levitation detection area K, allowing the vehicle to pass through the levitation detection area without pushing up the lever 14. As a result, the limit switch 15 will not operate and the escalator will not stop suddenly.

On the other hand, if a foreign object such as the tip of a shoe is really caught between the riser 7 and the tread 6 of the adjacent step 2.2, the rear wheel will be placed in the floating detection area in the middle of the rear wheel guide rail 13. 10 momentarily floats up and receives a downward impact reaction force, but due to the strong frictional resistance caused by the trapped foreign object, the rear wheel 10 moves along the step 18 while floating, and enters the floating detection area. , and push up the lever 14. This activates the limit switch 15 and brings the escalator to an emergency stop.

Another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. In this case, the plate material 19 is attached in front of the levitation detection area set in the middle of the rear wheel guide rail 13 to form the stepped part 18, as described above, and the tip of the stepped part 18 (side to the levitation detection area) End part) Attach another plate 20 to the bottom surface and remove the stepped part 2.
1 is provided.

As a result, as described above, the rear wheel 10 of the step 2 momentarily lifts up and hits the step 18, receiving a downward impact reaction force, and the rear wheel 10, which does not fall even after this, then hits the kick-off step 21. He will be forced to kick down. In this way, by applying impact force in two stages, it is possible to truly
It is possible to further clarify whether a foreign object is caught in between.

In the above embodiment, the upper curved portion of the escalator was described during the ascending operation, but the present invention can be similarly applied to the lower curved portion of the escalator during the machining operation.

Also, a lever 14 and a limit switch 15 are used as detectors.
is used, but other than this, for example, a proximity switch or a light sensor may be used.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, the escalator step abnormality detection device of the present invention enables the rear wheel of the step to float before the floating detection area in the middle of the rear wheel guide rail, and when the rear wheel lifts up a certain amount, it collides with the rear wheel. By providing a step that provides a downward impact reaction force, even if the rear wheel of the step lifts due to the frictional resistance of a foreign object coming into contact with the riser, the step abnormality detection operation can be avoided, and the foreign object such as the tip of a shoe can be detected. The escalator does not have to make an emergency stop unless the escalator is caught between the steps and there is a truly dangerous situation, and it is possible to prevent other passengers from falling over due to frequent emergency stops and improve safety.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 and 2 show one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an escalator step abnormality detection device, and FIG.
The figure is a cross-sectional view showing the floating state of the step in front of the floating detection area of the rear wheel of the step, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a step abnormality detection device showing another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a general Fig. 5 is a schematic side view showing the row of steps at the upper curved part of the escalator, and Fig. 6 is a side view showing the raised state of the rear wheels of the steps at the upper curved part of the escalator. 7 is a sectional view showing a conventional escalator step abnormality detection device, and FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing the detection operation state of the conventional step abnormality detection device. 2... Step, 10... Rear wheel, 13... Rear wheel guide rail, 14.15... Detector (14... Lever 15... Limit switch) 18.21... Step part, A...・
・Foreign object (shoe tip), K.・Floating detection area. Applicant's agent Patent attorney Takehiko Suzue 4vlJ

Claims (1)

[Claims] If the rear wheel of the step lifts up within the floating detection area set in the middle of the rear wheel guide rail due to a foreign object getting caught between the steps while driving, the detector detects this and stops the escalator. Escalator step abnormality detection In the device, a stepped part is provided in front of the floating detection area in the middle of the rear wheel guide rail, which enables the rear wheel to float, and when the rear wheel lifts up a certain amount, it hits and applies a downward impact reaction force to the rear wheel. An escalator step abnormality detection device characterized by being provided.