WO1998051594A1 - Jupe pour bande de transport de personnes - Google Patents

Jupe pour bande de transport de personnes Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO1998051594A1
WO1998051594A1 PCT/US1998/009642 US9809642W WO9851594A1 WO 1998051594 A1 WO1998051594 A1 WO 1998051594A1 US 9809642 W US9809642 W US 9809642W WO 9851594 A1 WO9851594 A1 WO 9851594A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
invention according
bearings
bearing
layer
skirt panel
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US1998/009642
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Cyrus M. Tehrani
Original Assignee
Tehrani Cyrus M
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Tehrani Cyrus M filed Critical Tehrani Cyrus M
Priority to US09/403,911 priority Critical patent/US6257390B1/en
Publication of WO1998051594A1 publication Critical patent/WO1998051594A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B66—HOISTING; LIFTING; HAULING
    • B66B—ELEVATORS; ESCALATORS OR MOVING WALKWAYS
    • B66B29/00—Safety devices of escalators or moving walkways
    • B66B29/02—Safety devices of escalators or moving walkways responsive to, or preventing, jamming by foreign objects
    • B66B29/06—Combplates

Definitions

  • This invention relates to passenger conveyors and, in particular, to a skirt panel for passenger conveyors.
  • Passenger conveyors such as escalators and moving walks typically have a frame that supports a passenger moving portion upon which passengers are situated and a drive for causing the moving portion to travel along the frame.
  • the moving portion has a series of steps for the case of an escalator and a flat platform for the case of a moving walk.
  • a pair of balustrades having handrails, skirt panels and balustrade panels is attached to the frame and is substantially vertically disposed on either side of the moving portion.
  • the skirt panel extends along and adjacent the moving portion, for example escalator steps, and extends vertically upward from the treads of the steps.
  • the skirt panel is generally stationary while the escalator steps are in motion.
  • the skirt panel and moving escalator steps are separated by a skirt/step gap that is usually 1/16 inch or more, but may be smaller.
  • Passenger injuries have occurred by entrapment in the skirt/step gap of objects such as body parts, clothing or accessories.
  • Body parts that have been entrapped include limbs, fingers, feet, toes, hair and the like.
  • Clothing that has been entrapped includes shoes, shoe laces, draw strings, scarves and the like.
  • Accessories that have been entrapped include pocket books, book bags, back packs and the like.
  • Entrapment occurs as a result of the moving object coming in contact with the stationary skirt panel, being slowed or stopped by the fhctional force of the contact and then being forced into the skirt/step gap as the escalator steps continue to move. Entrapment can occur at any point along the skirt/step gap. Any point where entrapment occurs, is known as the pinch point. For example, one point of the skirt/step gap where many entrapments occur is the juncture of the tread of one step and the riser of the next step. Some known skirt panels have deflected away from the moving steps upon heavy contact so that the skirt/step gap and pinch point becomes enlarged, thereby enhancing the chance of an entrapment.
  • U.S. Patent No. 5,695,040 discloses an escalator that has a brush or a wiper disposed in the skirt/step gap as a blocking member. Both the brush and the wiper are flexible so that objects that enter the skirt/step gap are still subject to seizure and entrapment.
  • a side-of-step entrapment product available under the SafetyStripTM trademark from Adams Elevator Company of Niles, Illinois, is a continuous brush that is installed along the length of the skirt panel.
  • the brush is supposed to warn passengers of impending danger when they or their clothing contact it and to present a barrier that must be penetrated to reach the skirt/step gap. This may work for some passengers, but not all. There are some passengers whose limbs (for example, their feet) will miss the brush and contact the skirt panel and be forced into the skirt/step gap. Other passengers will bump hard into the brush, penetrate the brush barrier and contact the skirt panel so as to be exposed to entrapment in the skirt/step gap. Some items of clothing may miss the brush and become entrapped.
  • An escalator step guidance system available under the SureGuideTM trademark from Schindler Elevator Corp. of Morristown, New Jersey, reduces the skirt/step gap size by means of a screw and wiper pad assembly that is mounted below each step tread. Whether the skirt/step gap is 1/16 inch, larger or smaller, there is a skirt/step gap in which objects may be entrapped.
  • An object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved skirt panel for a passenger conveyor.
  • Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a skirt panel that presents a low friction moveable surface to moving objects.
  • a skirt panel having a structure that has a surface facing the moving portion of a passenger conveyor.
  • the moving portion is the escalator steps.
  • One or more moveable elements is mounted in the surface of the skirt panel so as to provide a low friction moveable surface to moving objects.
  • the moveable elements are bearings mounted in the structure so that a portion of each bearing protrudes outwardly from the skirt panel surface so as to provide a sliding action for objects that contact the bearings as the steps travel.
  • the bearings are mounted in holders within the structure. The holders hold the bearings in place and allow the bearings to provide the sliding action.
  • the bearings are ball bearings.
  • the bearings are scattered about the skirt panel surface in an array and are spaced close enough to provide the sliding action and a reduction in surface friction.
  • the array is a honeycomb pattern.
  • the structure includes a first layer whose front surface is the skirt panel surface. This layer has a plurality of apertures through which the bearings protrude.
  • the structure also has a second layer that contains the bearing holders. The second layer is disposed behind the first layer with the bearing holders in registry with the apertures of the first layer.
  • each bearing holder is a cavity that extends through the second layer.
  • a third layer of the structure is disposed behind the second layer for retaining the bearings within the cavities.
  • FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of an escalator
  • FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a skirt panel in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 3 is a top view of a first layer of the skirt panel of FIG. 2;
  • FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the first layer of FIG. 3;
  • FIG. 5 is a top view of a second layer of the skirt panel of FIG. 2;
  • FIG. 6 is a cross section view along the lines 6-6 of FIG. 5;
  • FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another skirt panel embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 8 is a top view of the bearing and plug assembly of FIG. 7;
  • FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view of FIG. 7;
  • FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view of another skirt panel embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 11 is a cross sectional view of yet another skirt panel embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 12 is a cross sectional view of a further skirt panel embodiment of the present invention.
  • skirt panel of the present invention is useful in passenger conveyors of all types. However, by way of example and completeness of description, the skirt panel of the present invention will be described herein for escalator type passenger conveyors.
  • an escalator 20 is generally represented by numeral 20.
  • Escalator 20 has a frame 21 , a drive (not shown), a pair of balustrades 22 and a plurality of steps 23.
  • Each balustrade 22 has a handrail 24, a balustrade panel 25 and a skirt panel 26.
  • At the interface of skirt panel 26 and steps 23 is a skirt/step gap that for many current designs is typically about 1/16 inch, but may be smaller or larger.
  • Steps 23 are driven by the drive in a generally circuitous path in either the up or down direction.
  • Balustrade panels 22 and skirt panels 26 remain stationary as the steps move. Passenger injuries have occurred by entrapment in the aforementioned skirt/step gap of objects such as body parts, clothing or accessories. The entrapment occurs as a result of the moving object coming in contact with stationary skirt panel 26, being slowed or stopped by the frictional force of the contact and then being forced into the skirt/step gap as escalator steps 23 continue to move.
  • Skirt panel 36 has a structure generally represented by numeral 37.
  • Structure 37 has first, second, third and fourth layers 38, 39, 40 and 41 , respectively.
  • First, second, third and fourth layers 38, 39, 40 and 41 are held together in a sandwich fashion by means of any suitable fastening technique as, for example, by bolts 42 that extend downwardly from first layer 38 through layers 39, 40 and 41.
  • the sandwich structure 37 is secured by nuts (not shown) applied to the screw thread portions of bolts 42.
  • Structure 37 contains a plurality of moveable elements 43 that provide a low friction moving surface for moving objects that contact any of the moveable elements.
  • the moveable elements may be any moveable parts such as belts, rotatable cylinders, disks, plates, panels, balls and the like
  • the moveable elements are preferably bearings that protrude above or are flush with the top surface 44 of first layer 38.
  • the bearing protrusions are small enough to fit within the skirt/step gap or can contact the steps.
  • Bearings 43 have one or more directions of rotation and in preferred embodiments are ball bearings that have an infinite number of directions of rotation.
  • Bearings 43 are scattered about top surface 44 in an array that in preferred embodiments is a honeycomb pattern.
  • the spacing of bearings 43 in the array is close enough to impart a sliding and/or deflecting action to moving objects that contact top surface 44 as escalator steps 23 travel by skirt panel 36 so as to provide an effective reduction of surface friction.
  • body parts, clothing accessories or other objects can be pulled away with ease and without panic by sliding or deflecting them away and, thus, eliminating frictional force effect, thereby reducing the risk of entrapment.
  • This action also causes a sensation, making a passenger aware of contact with skirt panel 36 that serves as a warning to pull away the object that has made contact.
  • the protruding ball bearings 43 have the effect of reducing the size of the skirt/step gap by the amount of the protrusions of the ball bearings.
  • First layer 38 contains a plurality of apertures 45 through which bearings 43 protrude.
  • Structure 37 contains a plurality of bearing holders 46 arranged in registry with apertures 45 of first layer 38.
  • Bearing holders 46 are formed by cavities 47 that extend through second layer 39.
  • Bearings 43 reside in respective cavities 47 bounded at the bottom by third layer 40.
  • Third layer 40 has a low coefficient friction so as to provide a smooth low friction surface for bearings 43.
  • Each cavity 47 has a rim portion 48 that is shaped to closely match the bearing contour and dimensioned so as to minimize entry of contaminants into cavities 47 that can cause interference with bearing providing the moving or sliding action.
  • Each rim portion 48 is an annulus that extends upwardly into a corresponding aperture 45 of first layer 38.
  • Skirt panel 36 is preferably made in modular sections that can be fit together to form an entire skirt panel 26 when installed on an escalator. Alternatively, sections of skirt panels 36 can also be disposed in specific problem areas where contact with moving objects is expected. Skirt panel 36 can be dimensioned to fit over the front or back of an existing skirt panel 26 by means of bolts or other fastening techniques such that the bearing surface is the skirt panel surface.
  • first, second, third and fourth layers 38, 39, 40 and 41 are selected to give strength to skirt panel 36 so that it does not deflect away from the steps and widen the skirt step gap upon contact with an object and to give low coefficient of friction surfaces for bearings 43.
  • first and fourth layers 38 and 41 are stainless steel
  • second layer 39 is an acetyl plastic available under the DELRIN® trademark from A. L. Hyde Company of Grenloch, New Jersey
  • third layer is a plastic available under model UHMW from A. L. Hyde Company.
  • Bearings 43 can be made of any low friction coefficient and durable material such as steel, ceramic or plastic.
  • bearings 43 are stainless steel ball bearings.
  • the bearings when spinning and contacting the plastic second and third layers, can emit an audible noise which alerts the passenger to avoid entrapment.
  • FIGS. 7 through 12 show another group of embodiments of the present invention that employ bearing assemblies in the form of plugs that can be plugged into holes closely spaced about a skirt panel either entirely or just in expected problem areas.
  • the plugs can be installed one by one in an installed skirt panel or can be installed in a separate skirt panel section or module that can be placed over the front or back of or replace an installed skirt panel.
  • the protrusions of the ball bearings is low enough to fit in the skirt/step gap. This enables the step sides to pass and even contact the bearings, leaving little or no clearance in the skirt/step gap.
  • a bearing assembly is generally designated by numeral 60.
  • Bearing assembly 60 has a plug 61 that is plugged into an aperture 65 in a skirt panel 66.
  • Plug 61 has a body 62 of durable material such as stainless steel or plastic.
  • body 62 is stainless steel and has a cylindrical shape with screw threads 59.
  • the 62 contains a plastic bearing holder 63 for bearing 43.
  • the region 64 is open and contains air.
  • a rim 67 fits within the cylindrical top of body 62.
  • Rim 67 is designed to the contour of bearing 43 to minimize entry of contaminants into body 62.
  • Rim 67 has holes 68 that serve as grab holes for plug tightening into the skirt panel as well as lube ports for lubricating bearing
  • plug 61 also has a guard ring 69 that serves as a barrier to entry into bearing holder 63 of debris such as dirt, lint and the like.
  • Bearing holder 63 is constructed of two pieces so as to occupy substantially all of the space within plug body 62.
  • FIGS. 11 and 12 show another plug type embodiment that has a cylindrical body 72 that has disposed in its bottom 74 an aperture 75.
  • Body 72 contains a bearing holder 73 for bearing 43. A portion of bearing 43 extends through aperture 75. Aperture 75 serves as an exit for debris and allows bearing 43 to roll freely.
  • rim 67 has separate lube ports 70 connecting to lube channels 71 that provide lubrication to bearing 43 in body 72.
  • the channels 71 surround bearing 43.
  • another plug embodiment of the present invention includes a bearing holder structure of the type shown in Figs. 2 through 6 where the bearing holder is bounded on the bottom by a body with a smooth plastic surface, such as the aforementioned model UHMW.

Landscapes

  • Escalators And Moving Walkways (AREA)

Abstract

On décrit une jupe (36) destinée à une bande de transport de personnes et plus particulièrement destinée à un escalier roulant (20) comprenant une pluralité de marches (23). La jupe comprend une pluralité de billes de roulement (43) qui font suffisamment saillie par rapport à sa surface (44) pour produire un effet de glissement et/ou de déviation sur des objets en déplacement, de manière à réduire le frottement de la surface de la jupe et à réduire au maximum le côté de la marche où il existe un interstice où peuvent s'accrocher des parties corporelles ou des objets qui peuvent également tomber. La jupe peut être installée sous forme d'une jupe ou d'un dispositif de recouvrement sur une jupe déjà installée.
PCT/US1998/009642 1997-05-14 1998-05-11 Jupe pour bande de transport de personnes WO1998051594A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US09/403,911 US6257390B1 (en) 1998-05-11 1998-05-11 Skirt panel for a passenger conveyor

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US4670097P 1997-05-14 1997-05-14
US60/046,700 1997-05-14
US6726697P 1997-12-03 1997-12-03
US60/067,266 1997-12-03

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1998051594A1 true WO1998051594A1 (fr) 1998-11-19

Family

ID=26724209

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/US1998/009642 WO1998051594A1 (fr) 1997-05-14 1998-05-11 Jupe pour bande de transport de personnes

Country Status (1)

Country Link
WO (1) WO1998051594A1 (fr)

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2557226A1 (de) * 1975-12-19 1977-06-23 Man Hansa Fahrtreppen Mit rollen ausgeruestete seitliche stufenbegrenzung fuer fahrtreppen bzw. seitliche palettenbegrenzung fuer fahrsteige

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2557226A1 (de) * 1975-12-19 1977-06-23 Man Hansa Fahrtreppen Mit rollen ausgeruestete seitliche stufenbegrenzung fuer fahrtreppen bzw. seitliche palettenbegrenzung fuer fahrsteige

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