JPH07247089A - Control device for escalator with wheelchair step - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To shorten waiting time for the arrival of a wheelchair step at a landing by providing a driving control means for moving the wheelchair step into the position of a get-on side landing in the shorter direction of moving time obtained by a moving time computing means on the basis of the position information of the wheelchair step detected by a position detecting means. CONSTITUTION:Upon sensing any one of objects to be sensed by an optical sensor, the optical sensor detects its identification code and inputs it as a position detection signal (k) to a microcomputer 36 of an operation control circuit 30. The microcomputer 36 indexes the present position of a wheelchair step on the basis of the received position detection signal (k), computes time needed in the case of moving a motor 9 in the normal rotating direction and time needed in the case of moving the motor 9 in the reverse rotating direction to move the wheelchair step from the present position to a landing on the lower floor, and judges the shorter rotating direction to move the wheelchair step into a get-on position. The time needed before a wheelchair gets on the wheelchair step can be thereby shortened.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an escalator control device with a wheelchair step.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, an escalator with a wheelchair step, which allows a wheelchair user to board while using a wheelchair, has been installed on a stairway or the like inside a railway station. Some of the escalator with wheelchair steps reduce the psychological burden on wheelchair users, improve driving efficiency, and improve services for general users.
There is a type in which the escalator, which is being driven in the normal driving mode, is switched to the wheelchair driving mode without stopping, and after the wheelchair user has used, the escalator is returned to the normal driving mode again without stopping and is driven.

FIG. 5 shows the structure of such a conventional escalator with wheelchair steps. Escalator 1 is
A plurality of steps 2 are connected endlessly and are installed so as to be inclined between the entrance 3 of the lower floor and the entrance 4 of the upper floor. In the normal operation mode, each step 2 forms a step to operate. Biasing devices 5 and 6 are provided at the respective entrances and exits 3 and 4 on the upper and lower floors. These urging devices 5 and 6 transform the two steps 2 and 2 into the wheelchair step 7 with the upper surfaces of the two steps 2 and 2 on the same plane in the wheelchair driving mode, and in the normal driving mode, It has a function to restore. In FIG. 5, 8 is a truss and 9 is a three-phase induction motor that drives the escalator 1.

At the entrance / exit 3 on the lower floor, an attendant call button 11 for calling the attendant 10, a wheelchair operation changeover switch 12 provided on the parapet of the escalator 1, a driver boarding confirmation button 13, and an exit confirmation button. 14, a wheelchair driving stop button 15 and a restart button 16 are provided. On the other hand, the entry / exit gate 4 on the upper floor is provided with a driving entry confirmation driving button 17, a descending confirmation button 18, a wheelchair driving stop button 19, and a restart button 20. The buttons 13 to 20 are effective in the wheelchair driving mode.

Deceleration start limit switches 21 and 22 are provided at positions near the upper and lower floor ends of the escalator 1, and a boarding overrun limit switch 24 and a landing overrun limit switch 25 are provided at the lower floor entrance / exit 3. Similarly, the upper floor entrance / exit 4 is provided with a boarding overrun limit switch 27 and a boarding overrun limit switch 28. In addition, these switches 21 to 28 are adapted to be operated by engaging a protruding piece (not shown) provided in the wheelchair step 7 in the wheelchair operation mode.

The deceleration start limit switches 21 and 2 described above
2 detects the deceleration start position for decelerating the wheelchair step 7 at each of the entrances / exits 3 and 4, and the boarding overrun limit switches 24 and 2
Each of the wheelchairs 7 is still traveling at a low speed even when the wheelchair step 7, which is traveling at a slow speed at each of the entrances 3 and 4 when the wheelchair Q is boarded, has passed a predetermined position, for example, the position at which the passenger should complete the riding. Is to detect.

Further, each of the descending overrun limit switches 25 and 28 is provided at a predetermined position of the wheelchair step 7 which is running at a slight speed at each of the entrances and exits 3 and 4 during the descending operation of the wheelchair Q, for example, the position where the descending operation should be completed. It is to detect that the vehicle is still traveling at a very low speed even if it exceeds.

The operation of the control device for the escalator with wheelchair steps having such a configuration will be described with reference to the time chart shown in FIG. First, after confirming that the transportation of ordinary passengers has been completed, the wheelchair operation changeover switch 1
When 2 is operated, driving of the escalator 1 in the wheelchair driving mode is started. When this wheelchair driving mode is started and the wheelchair step 7 approaches the entrance / exit 3 on the lower floor,
The deceleration start limit switch 21 operates to decelerate the escalator 1, and the escalator 1 is operated at a speed of 3.5 m / min, for example. This speed 3.5m / min is wheelchair Q
Is a speed at which the passenger can easily get on the escalator 1 and the attendant 10 can operate the vehicle with a margin.

[0009] At this speed, there is a message such as "Please ride a wheelchair", and when you let the wheelchair Q board the escalator 1, "Please press the boarding confirmation button."
When the attendant operates the boarding confirmation button 13, the escalator 1 is accelerated and the specified speed is 30 m / m.
will be driven in.

Thus, when the wheelchair step 7 reaches the deceleration start limit switch 22 on the upper floor entrance / exit 4 side at the predetermined speed, the switch 22 operates and the escalator 1 is decelerated again to operate at a speed of 7.5 m / min. Then, the information such as "Please get off" is given again. Then, while the escalator 1 is moving at this speed, the wheelchair Q descends from the escalator 1, and the attendant 10 operates the descend confirmation button 18 according to the notification of "please press the descend confirmation button." After that, the vehicle will be operated at a speed of 30 m / min.

[0011]

However, in such a conventional controller for an escalator with a wheelchair step,
It takes time for the wheelchair step 7 to reach one of the entrances 3 and 4 on the upper floor or the lower floor that is on the boarding side after switching to the wheelchair driving mode. Is determined by the point where the wheelchair step 7 is located. That is, when the wheelchair step 7 is switched to the wheelchair operation mode immediately after passing the deceleration start limit switches 21 and 22, it takes time for the wheelchair step to go around the truss 8 and return. There is a problem that the waiting time for the user to get on the escalator is increased, the mental burden is felt, and the flow of general users is obstructed to lower the service.

The present invention has been made in view of such conventional problems, and an escalator with a wheelchair step capable of shortening the waiting time until the wheelchair step reaches the entrance / exit by switching to the wheelchair operation mode. It is an object of the present invention to provide a control device of.

[0013]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, an escalator in which a plurality of steps are connected endlessly is arranged so as to be inclined between the entrances and exits of the upper and lower floors, and the escalator is in a normal operation mode or at a predetermined position. A position detecting means for detecting the position of a wheelchair step when a request for switching from a normal operation mode to a wheelchair operation mode is generated in a control device for an escalator with a wheelchair step that operates in a wheelchair operation mode in which a suitable number of steps are formed in a wheelchair step And, based on the position information of the wheelchair step detected by the position detection means,
Moving time calculating means for calculating the time required to move the wheelchair step to the position of the entrance side on the boarding side of the upper floor or the lower floor in the up direction or the down direction, respectively,
Drive control means for moving the wheelchair step to the position of the entrance / exit on the boarding side in a direction in which the travel time calculated by the travel time calculation means is short.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the control device for an escalator with wheelchair steps according to the first aspect, an optical sensor installed in the wheelchair step as a position detecting means and a skirt guard of the escalator are arranged in a row at a constant interval. A position identifier is provided, and the present position of the wheelchair step is detected by identifying the position identifier to which this optical sensor corresponds.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the control device for an escalator with a wheelchair step according to the first aspect, an electric motor for driving an escalator or a pulse generator attached to a rotating portion thereof is provided as position detecting means, and pulses from the pulse generator are provided. The position of the wheelchair step is detected from the signal count.

[0016]

In the control device for the escalator with wheelchair step according to the present invention, the position detecting means detects the position of the wheelchair step when a request for switching from the normal driving mode to the wheelchair driving mode is issued, and the position information of the wheelchair step is detected. Based on the above, the movement time calculation means calculates the time required for moving the wheelchair step to the position of the boarding side entrance on the upper floor or the lower floor in the ascending direction or the descending direction, respectively, and the drive control means makes this movement. If the direction is shorter, that is, if the forward direction is shorter, the direction is as it is, and if the reverse direction is shorter, move the wheelchair step to the entry / exit position on the boarding side in the opposite direction, and return it to the original direction to move the wheelchair. Enter the operation mode and start operation.

Thus, the time required for the wheelchair step to reach the boarding position is shortened, and the wheelchair operation mode can be efficiently performed.

In the control device for the escalator with wheelchair steps according to the second aspect of the present invention, the position of the wheelchair step is detected by identifying one of the position identifiers arranged on the skirt guard by the optical sensor of the wheelchair step.

In the control device for the escalator with a wheelchair step according to the third aspect of the invention, the position of the wheelchair step is detected from the count number of the pulse signal from the electric motor for driving the escalator or the pulse generator attached to the rotating part thereof.

[0020]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a circuit configuration of a common embodiment of the inventions of claims 1 and 2. A converter device 31, an inverter device 32, and a speech synthesizer 40 are connected to the operation control circuit 30 in the control device of this embodiment. The converter device 31 and the inverter device 32 are connected via a DC bus 33, the converter device 31 is connected to a three-phase AC power source 34, and the inverter device 32 is connected to a three-phase induction motor (IM) 9. Has been done. The DC smoothing capacitor 35 is connected to the DC bus 33.

The converter device 31 converts the three-phase AC power of the three-phase AC power source 34 into DC during the power running operation of the escalator 1, and converts the regenerative power into AC during the regenerative operation of the escalator 1 to regenerate the DC busbar 33. It has a function and is usually constituted by a main circuit element capable of self-extinguishing, for example, a GTO or an IGBT.

The inverter device 32 has a function of operating the three-phase induction motor 9 at a variable speed when switching to a wheelchair operation mode or a normal operation mode, and like the converter device 31, a main circuit capable of self-extinguishing. It is composed of an element, for example, a GTO or an IGBT.

The voice synthesizing device 40 outputs a voice message for guiding the operation procedure while driving in the wheelchair driving mode.

The driving control circuit 30 includes a signal h from the wheelchair driving changeover switch 12 and various confirmation buttons 13 to 16 and 1.
Signal i from 7 to 20, each limit switch 21 to 28
From the voice message output signal s0
Is output to the voice synthesizer 40, and the converter device 31 outputs the driving signal s1 in the normal driving mode or the wheelchair driving mode.
Is output to the inverter device 32, and the feedback signals f1 and f2 are received to control the three-phase induction motor 9 at a variable speed.

The operation control circuit 30 specifically includes a microcomputer 36 (in this case, the microcomputer includes necessary storage devices such as a RAM and an external storage device). The output signal interface 37, the input signal interface 3
8 and ROM 39 are connected. This ROM3
The driving programs for the normal driving mode and the wheelchair driving mode are stored in 9, and the microcomputer 36 controls the driving of the escalator 1 in each driving mode in accordance with this program.

The structure of the position detecting means of the wheelchair step 7 will be described with reference to FIG. 2. An optical sensor 41 such as a bar code reader is embedded in the side surface of the wheelchair step 7, and the escalator facing the optical sensor 41. An optical sensor sensing object 43 incorporating a position identification code such as a bar code is installed in the skirt guard 42 of No. 1 at a certain interval, and the optical sensor 41 detects the optical sensor sensing object 43.
Is detected, the identification code is detected, and the position detection signal k is input to the operation control circuit 30.

Next, the operation of the control device for the escalator with a wheelchair step having the above structure will be described. 3 and 4 are flowcharts of the driving control, in which the microcomputer 36 responds to the input signals h, i, j, k and controls the driving in the normal driving mode and the wheelchair driving mode in accordance with the program stored in the ROM 39. Do. In the following description, operation control in the case where the wheelchair Q is loaded from the entrance / exit 3 on the lower floor and is lowered at the entrance / exit 4 on the upper floor will be described.

At the start of driving, first, a mode judgment is made as to whether it is a normal driving mode or a wheelchair driving mode (step #
1) If the wheelchair driving changeover switch 12 is not operated, it is determined that the normal driving mode is set, the normal driving is executed (step # 2), and if the wheelchair driving changeover switch 12 is operated (this wheelchair driving changeover is performed). The operation of the switch 12 is performed by the driving manager after sufficiently confirming that no user is on the escalator 1) The signal h from the wheelchair driving changeover switch 12 is received through the input signal interface 38, and the wheelchair is operated. When it is determined that the driving mode is set, the wheelchair driving is started (step # 3).

In the wheelchair driving mode, first the optical sensor 41
Illuminates one of the optical sensor sensing objects 43 arranged in a row on the skirt guard 42 of the escalator 1, reads the identification code of the optical sensor sensing object 43 from the reflected light, and uses that signal as the position detection signal k. The signal is input to the microcomputer 36 through the input signal interface 38. The microcomputer 36 determines the current position of the wheelchair step 7 based on the received position detection signal k and moves the wheelchair step 7 from the current position to the entrance / exit 3 on the lower floor. To make the motor 9 rotate in the forward direction (the driving direction in the previous normal operation mode, in this case, the direction from the lower floor to the upper floor)
Calculate the time required to move in the direction of reverse and the time required to move in the reverse direction (direction opposite to the driving direction in the previous normal operation mode, that is, the direction from the upper floor to the lower floor), and calculate the shorter one. The rotation direction of is determined (step # 4).

Here, the wheelchair step 7 is in the forward direction.
If the time required to forward the wheelchair is short, the wheelchair step 7 is moved by the forward rotation operation (step # 5). If the time required to forward the wheelchair step 7 in the reverse rotation direction is shorter, the mode is switched to the reverse rotation operation (step # 6).

When switching to the reverse operation, the wheelchair step 7 once passes through the entrance / exit 3 on the lower floor and is locked by the deceleration start limit switch 21 (step # 7), and the escalator 1 is stopped and the electric motor 9 is turned on again. Switching to the rolling direction (step # 8).

In the normal rotation operation in step # 5 and in the normal rotation operation after being switched in step # 8, the wheelchair step 7 moves the deceleration start limit switch 2 on the lower floor side.
When locked at 1, the signal j from the switch 21 is input to the microcomputer 36 through the input signal interface 38 (step # 9).

Therefore, the microcomputer 36 sends the signal j
In response to this, the operation signal s2 is output to the inverter device 32, the escalator 1 is decelerated to a speed of 3.5 m / min to operate, and the voice message output signal s0 is output to the voice synthesizer 40 to output the voice message " Please let the attendant 10 know that you are in a wheelchair Q
Get into the wheelchair step 7 (step # 10).

After this, after allowing sufficient time for the wheelchair Q to board the escalator 1, for example, 5 seconds, the following guidance message "Please press the boarding confirmation button" is output and attached. If the person 10 is notified, the attendant 10 operates the boarding confirmation button 13, and the microcomputer 36 confirms that the signal i from the boarding confirmation button 13 is input, the operation signal s2 of the acceleration command is converted into an inverter. The escalator 1 is output to the device 32 to accelerate the escalator 1 to a specified speed of 30 m / min to operate at the specified speed (step # 11).

When the escalator 1 approaches the doorway 4 on the upper floor and is locked to the deceleration start limit switch 22 by the operation at the specified speed, the signal j from the deceleration start limit switch 22 is input through the input signal interface 38 to the microcomputer. 36 receives and outputs a driving command s2 for decelerating the escalator 1 to a speed of 7.5 m / min to the inverter device 32 to start deceleration operation (step # 12). Then, the microcomputer 36 outputs the voice message output signal s0 to the voice synthesizer 40 at the same time as the start of the descending deceleration operation to output the voice message “please get off” (step # 12).

After the microcomputer 36 outputs the voice message, the microcomputer 36 outputs a voice message after allowing sufficient time for the attendant 10 to drop the wheelchair Q, for example, 5 seconds. If the signal i is input from the descending confirmation button 18 by outputting the signal s0 and causing the voice synthesizer 40 to output the voice message “please press the descending confirmation button” (step #
13), the operation signal s2 of the acceleration command is sent to the inverter device 32.
To accelerating the escalator 1 to a specified speed of 30m /
Set to min and return to normal operation (step # 1
4).

The above operation control is continuously performed until the operation stop command is input (step # 1).
5).

Although the above operation control has been described for the case of driving in the upward direction from the lower floor to the upper floor, it is similarly performed for the case of driving in the downward direction from the upper floor to the lower floor.

In this way, in the control device for the escalator with wheelchair steps of this embodiment, when the normal driving mode is switched to the wheelchair driving mode, the position where the wheelchair step 7 exists is detected and the wheelchair board is operated from that position. By switching the rotation direction of the electric motor 9 between the forward and reverse directions as necessary in such a direction that the time required to transfer to the entrance / exit 3 on the floor is shortened, the waiting time until the wheelchair Q is loaded can be shortened, and the efficiency can be improved. Wheelchairs can now be boarded, and the waiting time for other passengers waiting until the end of wheelchair operation can be shortened by that much, improving service.

Next, an embodiment of the invention of claim 3 will be described. In the first embodiment described above, the optical sensor 41 is used as the position detecting means of the wheelchair step 7, but as shown by the phantom line in FIG. 1, the position of the rotating shaft of the electric motor 9 and other electric parts of the electric motor 9 are used as the position detecting means. Rotates in synchronization with the rotation of
Using the pulse generator 44 that outputs a pulse signal proportional to the rotation speed, the escalator operation control circuit 30
Then, this pulse signal is received by the input signal interface 38 as the position detection signal k, and the microcomputer 36
Alternatively, the current position of the wheelchair step 7 may be calculated by pulse counting.

[0041]

As described above, according to the invention of claim 1,
The position detecting means detects the position of the wheelchair step at the time of a request for switching from the normal driving mode to the wheelchair driving mode, and based on the position information of this wheelchair step,
The movement time calculation means calculates the time required to move the wheelchair step to the position of the boarding side entrance on the upper floor or the lower floor in the up or down direction, respectively, and the drive control means shortens the movement time. Direction, that is, if the forward direction is shorter, it is the same direction, if the reverse direction is shorter, move the wheelchair step to the boarding position in the opposite direction, return to the original direction and start driving in the wheelchair driving mode Therefore, the time until the wheelchair gets on the wheelchair step can be shortened, the wheelchair boarding work can be performed efficiently, and the waiting time for other users waiting until the wheelchair operation is completed. However, the service can be improved by shortening it accordingly.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the position of the wheelchair step is detected by identifying one of the position identifiers arranged on the skirt guard by the optical sensor of the wheelchair step. The position of the step can be accurately detected.

According to the invention of claim 3, since the position of the wheelchair step is detected from the count number of the pulse signal from the electric motor for driving the escalator or the pulse generator attached to the rotating part thereof, the wheelchair step can be detected. The position can be detected accurately.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a common embodiment of the inventions of claims 1 and 2. FIG.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing the position detecting means of the above embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation control of the above embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation control of the above embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a general wheelchair-equipped escalator.

FIG. 6 is a timing chart showing the operation of the escalator.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Escalator 2 Steps 3, 4 Getting in and out 5, 6 Energizer 7 Wheelchair step 9 Three-phase AC induction motor 12 Wheelchair operation changeover switch 13, 17 Driving entry confirmation operation button 21, 22 Deceleration start limit switch 30 Operation control circuit 31 Converter device 32 Inverter device 34 Three-phase AC power supply 36 Microcomputer 37 Output signal interface 38 Input signal interface 39 ROM 40 Speech synthesizer 41 Optical sensor 42 Skirt guard 43 Optical sensor sensing object 44 Pulse generator

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An escalator in which a plurality of steps are connected endlessly is arranged so as to be inclined between the entrances and exits of the upper and lower floors, and the escalator is formed in a wheelchair step with a suitable number of steps in a normal operation mode or at predetermined positions. In a control device for an escalator with a wheelchair step that operates according to a wheelchair driving mode, position detecting means for detecting the position of the wheelchair step when a request to switch from the normal driving mode to the wheelchair operating mode is generated, and the position detecting means detects the position. Based on the position information of the wheelchair step, moving time calculation means for calculating the time required to move the wheelchair step to the position of the entrance side on the boarding side of the upper floor or the lower floor in the up or down direction, respectively, In the direction in which the travel time obtained by the travel time calculation means is short, the wheelchair step is boarded / unloaded on the boarding side. A control device for an escalator with a wheelchair step, comprising a drive control means for moving the escalator to the position of the mouth. 2. The position detecting means includes an optical sensor installed on a wheelchair step, and position identifiers arranged in a row on the skirt guard of the escalator at regular intervals.
The escalator control device with a wheelchair step according to claim 1, wherein the photosensor detects the current position of the wheelchair step by identifying the corresponding identifier. 3. The position detecting means includes an electric motor for driving an escalator or a pulse generator attached to a rotating portion of the electric motor, and the position of the wheelchair step is detected from the count number of pulse signals from the pulse generator. The control device for the escalator with wheelchair steps according to claim 1.