DE10016287A1 - Escalator and moving walk cleaning device - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an improved cleaning device for moving stairways or sidewalks that is characterized in that it comprises in addition to its cleaning head (7) an off-set support leg (13). The cleaning device is further provided with a gripper, guide, steering and/or control device (3) that comes to rest above the support (16) of the support leg (13), and/or the cleaning head can be swiveled by 180 DEG with respect to its operative position and/or the cleaning device is further provided with a strip-shaped broom device (41) that has the function of a sealing strip for a suction strip (23).

Description

The invention relates to an escalator and moving walk Cleaning device according to the preamble of claim 1.

Moving walks are often used to at airports Passengers over long distances in the plane or slightly increasing from one floor to the next other.

The cleaning of such moving walks, but above all also cleaning escalators, however, definitely throws up serious problems.

This is how the escalators and the driving stand out rise of different manufacturers through different Web and groove widths, with the dirt in front all of course in the grooves of the ribbed locomotive Bottom plates accumulated. In addition, the groove depths are also  different sizes for different manufacturers.

So is already a cleaning device for escalators and Moving walks have been proposed, which in particular at an escalator to the start or end area is moved, on which the moving escalator elements still run out horizontally. The device remains in this The situation is fixed, so it is before the actual one Escalator supported on the floor, using of the cleaning and processing head under the same moving escalator is cleaned.

Should an escalator or moving walk be used with the device from another manufacturer must be cleaned Adapter strips are replaced with the above Are provided with fingers that match the groove and web width or Groove depth of the escalator elements of the manufacturer concerned are adapted. Because during the cleaning process by engaging such elements in the grooves of the Escalator elements are guaranteed that when vacuuming a corresponding negative pressure is generated to the Actually suck dirt out of the grooves and grooves to be able to.

In contrast, the object of the present invention is an improved escalator and moving walk cleaning device to accomplish.

The task is according to the invention in the Claims 1, 8, 12 and 15 specified features solved.  

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are in the Un claims specified.

The cleaning device according to the invention has numerous surprising and compared to the prior art Technology features completely new features that are already available for taken, but especially in combination clear There are improvements during the cleaning process.

The cleaning device according to the invention is characterized by one by ver one to the cleaning head sets lying support foot, so that over this Support foot of the cleaning head of the cleaning device Exerting pressure on a handle raised or lowered can be. This training is fiction designed cleaning device so that it is on a Escalator can "go" from step to step.

In an alternative or additional embodiment the cleaning device is also characterized by a special the last brushes, which make it possible to be independent from the manufacturer-specific profile to the escalator or Moving walkway elements have a sealing function for uprighting generating a defined suction flow.

An alternative is a particular advantage and / or additional training of the invention that with the cleaning device according to the invention not only the hori zonal footprints of the escalator elements, but also the substantially vertically oriented forehead  escalator elements until another step surface can also be cleaned. This is invented According to the invention provided that the cleaning head by 180 ° can be rotated, creating the squeegee and the front seen strip brushes according to the invention each on the other side related to the rotating cleaning element ment comes to rest. This allows an optimal suction and cleaning effect can be realized.

The advantages of the device according to the invention or the individual possible implementation variants of the device can be summarized as follows:

• - Specially arranged ledge brushes that make it possible regardless of the profile of the individual escalators manufacturer to produce a sealing function and thus to form a defined suction flow.
• - Suction nozzle and cover of the rotating roller brush are designed by special kinematics so that they yourself regardless of step heights or length of step area or essentially vertical extending front of a step always exactly fit.
• - Design of the support a quick and a Easy ascent and descent on the escalator and enables a lateral procedure and the whole thing little effort.

The advantages over the systems known from the prior art can be summarized as follows:

• - Processing moving walks (conveyor belts) and roll stairs. Step and face are almost 100% detected.
• - Processing of the individual stages individually depending on Degree of pollution (important, as it is usually very heavy Differences in the pollution of the individual stages available.
• - Simple, low-maintenance construction; Service friendliness through good accessibility.
• - In addition to the benefits that come from steam cleaning result (better detachment of the Pollution; there is also no risk that too much Liquids penetrate the escalator and thus Causes damage.
• - Small light unit; no transportation problems.
• - Low price.

A preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention can be briefly described as follows:
The cleaning device according to the invention is a hand-held device for cleaning escalators and moving walks. A so-called drawbar pushes itself on a support with rollers on the treads of the objects to be cleaned in order to enable a rocking movement. At the upper end there is a height and angle adjustable handlebar unit from which the unit is guided, the steam supply metered and the drive motor switched. At the end lying on the ground there are two rotating roller brushes on a shaft which, with the addition of steam, conveys the dirt from the grooves of the steps to the nozzles lying behind the roller brushes in the direction of rotation. The direction of rotation of the roller brushes is selected so that the loosened dirt is transported away from the sensitive open edge (which results in escalators between the individual steps that are movable towards each other). The dirt is sucked through a hose into a "steam suction cleaner" via these nozzles.

By pressing one that can be reached from the handlebar unit The hand lever can be mounted on a central tube Unit can be swiveled through 180 °, so as for the "forehead surfaces "of the stairs to be ready for use now again the need given that the dirt does not get into the open edges.

The mode of operation, which allows the novel solution of the cleaning device according to the Invention, can be described in a preferred embodiment before as follows:
After connecting the cleaning device according to the invention to the mains voltage, plugging in the steam supply and exhaust hose, the cleaning device is simply moved from below onto the standing escalator, where the first stage is tackled. The roller brushes are placed close to the edge of the side walls, switched on and the unit is cleaned by pulling the unit back and forth. In addition to the small rollers attached in the longitudinal direction of the machine, rollers are also attached for lateral movement. By tilting the cleaning device backwards they come into engagement and thus the unit can be moved laterally to treat the surfaces that have not yet been cleaned.

We now only recommend all steps of the stairs clean (from bottom to top) and then all forehead surfaces (from top to bottom).

The cleaning device is now on the steering unit swung far down and pushed forward all the way to go to the next level and continue cleaning. The ascent will be limited after about 12-15 steps, because hose and cable lengths specify the radius of action. Around now clean the end faces and go back to the exit Descending point is now one of the steering The entire cleaning head is made up of accessible levers swiveled by 180 °, then again step by step "to descend". The escalator is now around the ge cleaned area, so that the next 12-15 Levels can be achieved.

The invention is explained below with reference to exemplary embodiments play explained in more detail. The individual shows:

Fig. 1 is a schematic side view of the cleaning device according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of the cleaning device according to the invention (with the same modifications compared to the embodiment of FIG. 1);

Fig. 3 is a front view of the cleaning device according to the Invention;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of the cleaning head in front-side view;

Fig. 5 is a schematic perspective presen- tation of the cleaning head;

Fig. 6 is a side view of the cleaning device according to the invention when working on an escalator during the cleaning of the tread of an escalator element;

Fig. 7 is a view corresponding to the beginning of the cleaning operation of the forward facing, generally vertically rising end wall of a next higher escalator element;

FIG. 7a shows an enlarged detailed illustration according to the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 7;

FIG. 8 shows a representation corresponding to FIG. 7 during the cleaning process shortly before reaching the upper tread surface of a next escalator element;

Fig. 8a is an enlarged detail view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 8.

In the following, reference is made to FIGS. 1 to 4, on the basis of which the essential structure of the cleaning device is explained.

The cleaning device comprises a so-called drawbar 1 with a handle 3 , which is also referred to below as a guiding and / or actuating device 5 .

As can be seen in particular from the side view according to FIG. 1, the cleaning device further comprises a cleaning head 7 which lies in the exemplary embodiment shown and has a zenbürsteneinrichtung 9 rotating about a horizontal axis, which in the exemplary embodiment shown shows two roller brushes 9 sitting next to one another in axial extension 'includes.

Above the actual cleaning head 7 further operating devices and units 11 are accommodated, for example a motor for driving the Walzenbürstenein device 9 , optionally a dirt container for holding the dirt including the dirty water and / or inserted cleaning fluid interspersed with dirt particles.

The drive energy or the cleaning agents or fluids liquids can be accommodated in the handheld device or for example, by connection not shown hoses or lines are fed to a possible To provide the most compact cleaning device. Instead of an integrated dirt collector can also a suction hose can be provided so that from a externally connected pump via the connected Suction hose over a suction to be discussed below create a negative pressure to extract the dirt particles can be generated.

From Fig. 1 it can also be seen that the cleaning device in side view from the cleaning head 7 to the upper hand 3 is designed in an elongated construction or at least substantially elongated construction. The device further comprises a support foot device 13 with a support foot 13 ', via which the tiller-like cleaning device is additionally supported on the floor 15 . The support foot device 13 can be pivoted about a horizontal axis 17 and can be adjusted via a locking device 19 in a different angular position to the longitudinal direction of the cleaning device.

The support foot device 13 also has two lateral rollers 21 lying at the bottom in the exemplary embodiment shown, in order to be able to push the cleaning device into the driving position more easily.

In the area of the cleaning head is in the representation of FIGS. 1 and 2 immediately trailing brush means for the rollers 9 a to suck over the entire width of the cleaning device, so seen over the entire width of the roller brush means 9 extending suction bar 23 steps corresponding dirt particles about this on to be able to.

The slot-shaped outlet opening 23 'also serves as a slider 25 . For this purpose, the outlet opening 23 'on the cleaning head 7 is designed to lie at a height which, as shown in FIG. 2, ensures and allows the bristles of the roller brushes 9 ', 9 "to reach the groove bottom 27 in the longitudinal grooves 29 between the longitudinal ribs 33 reaching to the top of the escalator or moving walk 31 .

If required, alternatively or additionally, a further support device 35 can be provided in order to further absorb and support the weight of the cleaning device in the region of the roller brush device. This additional support device can be, for example, be made of sliders 35 , which are arranged at least on the outside of the end next to the rollers 9 'and can be seen in Fig. 1 in their triangular shape in a side view. These slides 35 are dimensioned so wide that they cannot be immersed in corresponding longitudinal grooves 29 between two longitudinal ribs 33 .

In addition, a further leading slider 37 can be provided if required, for example in the form of a small-sized tubular body 37 ', by means of which the cleaning head rests and supports the top 31 of the longitudinal ribs 33 again on the escalator or moving stairway. Above all with reference to FIG. 2 it can also be seen that a special strip brush arrangement 41 in the exemplary embodiment shown is provided with two different strip brushes 41 'and 41 ", which is arranged opposite the roller brush device 9 for the suction strip 23 .

The strip brushes 41 and 41 "which extend over the entire width of the cleaning device are, for example, equipped with bristles of different lengths. This ensures a sufficiently good sealing function in order to ensure a sufficient negative pressure between the rotating roller brush 9 and the strip brush device 41 in order to to be able to suck up the whirled up dirt via the suction bar 23 .

As will be shown below, the squeegee 23 and / or the strip brush device 41 is still pivotable via a guide and pivoting kinematics.

For this purpose, a pivoting guide 42 is also provided, by means of which the suction strip ( 23 ) and the bristle strip arrangement ( 41 ) are held. From the perspective depicting lung in Fig. 5 it can be seen that these which can pivot guide comprises a sheath section of a cylinder guide 42 'and an inner part-circular front end 42 comprises, "which is penetrated by the shaft 9 a which the respective roller brush 9' bears. In the representation according to Fig. 5, the rotary brush only left-mounted drawn and omitted on the right side, so that the stub shaft 9 a is visible. thus, the suction bar 23 and the brush bar assembly 41 may be around the a axis formed around ver through the stub shaft 9 be pivoted.

Further, according to in the illustration Fig. 5 also ersicht Lich, that between the two axially adjacent sit roller brushes 9 ', a further slider is net angeord 36, which rests on the rib top 31 of the escalator or moving walkway upper side in the normal operating situation.

Finally, it is also apparent from FIG. 5 that the roller brush device 9 is covered and protected at its top by approximately semi-cylindrical covers 44 , which at the same time also represents the pivoting guide 42 .

Below is the further functional and operational received wisely.

To clean moving walks, the device can be moved onto the moving walk as shown in FIG. 1, the device (for example when the moving walk is stationary) being slowly moved over it. The cleaning head rests on one or more sliding devices and is slowly advanced. Subsequently, the device is supported via the support foot device 13 with the rollers 21 provided.

If, for example, the device is to be moved from left to right on a particularly wide moving walk, then the entire device can be gripped by the handle 3 located at the top and pressed down, so that a rocking movement of the entire device while lifting the cleaning head 7 from the floor surface. The rocking movement can be carried out until the trailing rollers 45 shown in FIG. 1, the axis of rotation of which are aligned at 90 ° to the actual rollers 21 , lie on the floor. This allows the device to be pushed back and forth easily in the transverse direction.

During the cleaning process, the roller brush device 9 rotates counterclockwise, so that the dirt parts in the longitudinal grooves 29 in the direction of the suction bar 23 be promoted. At the same time, dirt particles are also moved forward by the trailing ledge brushes and at the same time the desired negative pressure is also maintained to optimize the suction process. If lateral sliding elements are provided adjacent to the end faces of the roller brushes 9 ', 9 ", they can extend so far back that the suction space in front of the suction bar 23 also experiences an additional sealing function to the side.

Below is how to clean a Escalator received.

After connecting the machine to the mains voltage (if no integrated battery is used) and plugging in cleaning supplies such as a steam supply and connecting the exhaust hose (which is connected to the squeegee), the cleaning device is very easily attached to the bottom standing escalator where the first step is tackled. The roller brushes 9 are placed close to the side walls and turned on. The unit is cleaned by pulling the unit back and forth. By tilting the device backwards, the above-mentioned transverse rollers 45 come into engagement with the floor surface, so that the device can be moved from left to right if necessary in order to clean the escalator step over the entire width accordingly.

In order to climb a next stair step, the cleaning device is pivoted again by gripping handle 3 and by pivoting the drawbar-shaped arrangement downward around its support leg until the cleaning head comes to lie above the level of a next escalator step, in order then to roll the entire device over its running path 21 to move forward and lower the cleaning head on the next floor of an escalator element. Then this step is cleaned.

Then the adjacent, forward-facing end wall 47 of a next higher escalator element is cleaned, which is possible for the first time with the device according to the invention.

For this purpose, a pivot lever 49 ( Fig. 4) is actuated, after the processing head 7 was first lifted off the floor surface again by performing a rocking movement. As a result, the entire cleaning head is rotated by 180 ° about a pivot axis carrying it, so that the strip brush and the suction strip are no longer as shown on the right in the side view according to FIG. 2, but on the left as shown in FIGS. 6 to 7a is arranged horizontally. Now the cleaning process begins exactly in the corner area between the underlying escalator step and the adjoining end wall 47 of an escalator step located next up, whereby the tilting movement around the support foot 13 'is carried out while performing a pivoting movement (exerting pressure on the handle 3 ) and the roller brush device 9 the vertical end wall 47 of the higher escalator step over and the dirt located there is sucked off via the suction bar 23 .

After the cleaning process is completed, the cleaning head 7 is in turn moved back to its original position by 180 in order to clean the floor surface of a next higher escalator step. After the cleaning head has been set down, the support foot is then lifted upwards, so that the support foot can be set down again on an escalator step that is also next higher, but always lower for the cleaning head.

This way, all levels can be sorted in sequence be inclined. A limitation is only that Length of the connection cable, in particular the power cable, the any feed lines provided for Reini agent, in particular the steam line mentioned for example, a connected suction line.

Deviating from the embodiment shown, it can at least also be a semi-automatic device, at which the processing head automatically for example can be raised and lowered. This also enables that the machining head, as explained, is raised in the NEN position by 180 ° as required and then as that can be lowered. Such an embodiment like the other examples are neither on a handbe operated device still an escalator or moving walk limited device. All construction described principles can be used alone or together with any Rei cleaning machines are used.

Claims (18)

1. Cleaning device, in particular for escalators and moving walks, brushing with a cleaning head ( 7 ) with a rotating tillage device ( 9 ) preferably in the form of one or two axially adjacent rollers ( 9 ; 9 '; 9 ") and preferably with at least one adjacent to the soil tillage device ( 9 ) arranged suction bar ( 23 ) and preferably an adjacent to this, at least partially to the bottom surface extending shielding device, characterized by the following further features

• - In addition to its cleaning head ( 7 ), the cleaning device has a support foot device ( 13 ) which is offset from it,
• - The cleaning device also has a gripping, guiding, steering and / or control device ( 3 ) which comes to lie above the support ( 16 , 17 ) of the Stützfußein direction ( 13 ).

2. Cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that by introducing compressive forces onto the gripping, guiding, steering and / or control device ( 3 ), the cleaning device can be tilted so that the support base ( 13 ) resting on the floor is tiltable so that the Cleaning head ( 7 ) can be raised and lowered. 3. Cleaning device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the support foot device ( 13 ) lying below is provided with a roller or slide device ( 21 ), preferably with rollers ( 21 ). 4. Cleaning device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the support foot device ( 13 ) has further rollers ( 45 ) which are aligned with their running surface transversely to the cleaning device and which are arranged so that the cleaning device can be moved in the transverse direction is. 5. Cleaning device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that sliding and / or rolling devices are provided in the region of the cleaning head ( 7 ). 6. Cleaning device according to claim 5, characterized in that in the area of the cleaning head ( 7 ) before seen sliding and / or rolling devices are arranged so that the bristles of the rotating brush device ( 9 ) the sliding or rolling surfaces down in protrude from sufficient measure. 7. Cleaning device according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the rolling and / or sliding devices ( 25 , 35 , 37 ) in the region of the cleaning head ( 7 ) in relation to the position and length of the rotating roller brush device ( 9 ) so are arranged that the free ends of the rotating roller brush device ( 9 ) to the Nu tenboden ( 27 ) of the longitudinal grooves ( 29 ) of an escalator or moving walk element ( 31 ). 8. Cleaning device in particular according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the suction strip ( 23 ) has an outlet opening ( 23 ') which is designed as a sliding device. 9. Cleaning device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the outlet opening ( 23 ') of the suction bar ( 23 ) ends in a relative height position relative to the cleaning head ( 7 ) such that the bristles of the roller brush device ( 9 ) in sufficient Extend the dimension in the direction of the floor surface over the squeegee ( 23 ). 10. Cleaning device according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that in the region of the cleaning head ( 7 ) a leading sliding device ( 37 , 37 '; 36 ) is provided which extends at least in sections in the width direction of the cleaning device and from which rotating roller brush device ( 9 ) in the direction of the floor surface. 11. Cleaning device according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that on the opposite end outer sides of the roller brush device ( 9 ) lateral sliding devices ( 35 ) are provided, which is surmounted by the rotating roller brush device ( 9 ) in the direction of the bottom surface. 12. Cleaning device in particular according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that parallel to the suction bar ( 23 ) opposite the rotating roller brush device ( 9 ), a bar brush device ( 41 ) is provided in the manner of a sealing strip, the outlet opening ( 23rd ) of the squeegee ( 23 ) in the direction of the floor area. 13. Cleaning device according to claim 12, characterized in that the strip brush device ( 41 ) has bristles in a length that extend up to the groove bottom ( 27 ) of an escalator or moving element provided with longitudinal ribs ( 29 ). 14. Cleaning device according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that the strip brush device ( 41 ) comprises at least two offset strip brush arrangements ( 41 ', 41 ") which are oriented differently and / or are of different lengths. 15. Cleaning device in particular according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the cleaning head ( 7 ) is rotatable by 180 °. 16. Cleaning device according to claim 15, characterized in that the cleaning head ( 7 ) has at least two machining positions, namely a first, in which the suction strip ( 73 ) and the strip brush device ( 41 ) come to rest after the rotating roller brush device ( 9 ) and a second functional position, in which the suction strip ( 23 ) and the strip brush device ( 41 ) which leads to it again come to lie leading to the rotating roller brush device ( 9 ). 17. Cleaning device according to one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that the orientation and relative position of the suction bar ( 23 ) and / or the brush holder device ( 41 ) the course of the cleaning surface, in particular the end wall side ( 47 ) to be cleaned of a roll Following the stair element is automatically adjustable, in particular pivotable. 18. Cleaning device according to one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that a pivoting guide ( 42 ) is provided, by means of which the suction strip ( 23 ) and / or the strip brush device ( 41 ) can be pivoted about an axis, preferably with the drive axis of the rollers brush device ( 9 ) coincides.