EP2931645B1 - Method for driving a handrail of an escalator or moving walkway - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a device for driving a handrail. The handrail can be part of an escalator or a moving walkway. The invention also relates to an escalator or moving walk with such a device.

Escalators or moving walkways comprise a revolving conveyor belt for the transport of persons or objects and a supporting structure. The step band is bounded on both sides by a respective balustrade along its conveying direction, which balustrade is arranged on a balustrade base. At such a balustrade a circumferentially guided handrail is arranged along its upper end. The return of the handrail is usually integrated in the balustrade base or may alternatively be arranged in the supporting structure of the escalator or the moving walk. At the return of the handrail usually a handrail driving handrail drive is arranged.

US 5,295,567 shows such a handrail drive an escalator, the handrail drive is arranged in a truss of the escalator. The handrail drive comprises a drive belt guided circumferentially over two pulleys. A to be driven by the handrail drive handrail is guided by means of a counter-pressure roller on this drive belt. The handrail is moved or driven due to a resulting frictional engagement between the drive belt and the handrail. The escalator also has a baffle mounted on the truss of the escalator, which is needed due to the high dimensions of the truss for further guidance of the handrail.

In the solution shown, however, there is the disadvantage that the escalator due to the high dimension of the framework requires an increased space in their installed state.

In a truss with smaller dimensions of the handrail can be deflected in the immediate vicinity of the handrail drive. Such deflections are exemplary in JP-B-54-34235 or US 3,414,109 shown. The pulley, over which the drive belt is guided, could therefore also be used as a pulley for the handrail. This means that the handrail makes a change of direction adjacent to the drive belt, which is considered necessary in view of the increased space requirements. In the replacement of the handrail from the drive belt in the course of such a joint deflection of the handrail with the drive belt, however, a disturbing effect occurs, which increases the wear of both the drive belt and the handrail. In addition, this effect causes unpleasant, disturbing noises A device according to the preamble of claim 1 is known from US 5 544 730 A known.

The object of the invention is therefore to provide a device for driving a handrail for an escalator or for a moving walkway, which allows a reduced wear of the handrail and the drive belt.

The object is achieved by a device for driving a handrail of an escalator or for driving a handrail of a moving walk, the device comprising: a deflected over a first and a second guide roller and a contact zone forming drive belt, and at least one counter-pressure guide roller, which causes back pressure guide roller that the handrail along the entire contact zone adjacent to the drive belt feasible and drivable by means of friction between the drive belt and handrail of the drive belt "wherein the device tangent to the pulleys tangential parallel to the axis of rotation of the pulleys trained first tangent plane and the at least one counter-pressure roller or one of the pulleys tangent second tangent plane have, wherein the second tangential plane is arranged parallel to the first tangential plane and the first and the second tangential plane are formed such that the deflection rollers and the at least one counter pressure guide roller is disposed between the tangent planes, characterized in that the device comprises a deflector located between the first and second tangent planes distancing the deflecting roller, which deflector ensures that a contact zone limiting lifting point of the handrail from the drive belt in front of the area the deflection of the drive belt is arranged on the deflection roller.

The object is also achieved by modernizing an escalator or moving walk with such a device.

It was recognized that the effect causing the unpleasant noises occurs because both the drive belt and the handrail are elastic. Accordingly, it comes in particular to changes in length of the outer surfaces of the drive belt and the handrail when the handrail is separated from the drive belt in the region of a common bend or deflection. These changes in length are all the more pronounced, the stronger the joint which is under frictional connection or adhesion is immediately before its separation or detachment.

At the point of separation, the lift-off point, thus caused by the changes in length voltages between the two immediately adjacent outer surfaces of the drive belt and the handrail. These stresses are reduced by recurring dissolution of the frictional connection between the handrail and the drive belt in the immediate vicinity of the lifting point. This results in a rubbing of the handrail on the drive belt and correspondingly said disturbing effect.

Consequently, the pulley provided for the drive belt must not be used in addition to the deflection of the handrail, although such use of the pulley would allow a very small footprint for the components for operating the handrail and an additional propulsion for the handrail due to the increased contact surface. That is, in the case of a limited availability of space for installation of the device provided for driving the handrail, it would be obvious to dispense with as many components as possible to guide the handrail.

In order to prevent both the effect causing wear and to save space by a simple deflection, the device for driving the handrail must contain an additional deflecting element. The deflector on the one hand allows the space-saving leadership of the handrail due to its arrangement between the trained by device tangent planes, although the deflector itself takes up additional space. On the other hand, the appropriately placed deflector allows a gentle detachment of the handrail from the drive belt.

In a development of the device, the deflection element is by a deflection roller is formed. Such a low-friction guidance of the handrail is made possible via such a deflecting element, which allows a correspondingly smaller dimensions of other components of the device.

A development of the device comprises a second deflection roller, wherein one of the deflection rollers is adjustably arranged to tension the drive belt and to press it against the handrail. By means of adjustment or adjustability of the pulleys, the drive belt can be tensioned and pressed against the adjacent handrail. In this way, slip between the handrail and the drive belt in the region of the contact zone can be prevented, which slip can lead to a less effective drive of the handrail. By means of such an adjustability, it is thus possible to dispense with additional space-demanding devices that prevent such slippage.

A development of the device comprises a counter-pressure guide roller, which counter-pressure roller causes the handrail in the contact zone on the drive belt fitting feasible and driven by friction between drive belt and handrail from the drive belt or movable. By means of this counter-pressure guide roller, it is possible to press the handrail on the drive belt, whereby a drive movement of the drive belt is transferable to the handrail. In this way, the frictional engagement between the drive belt and the handrail along the contact zone can be maintained. In addition, the device may comprise at least two back pressure guide rollers, wherein the at least two back pressure guide rollers form a roller arch. Such a plurality of counter-pressure guide rollers comprehensive roll bow has the advantage of being able to press the handrail over a relatively long contact zone measured on the drive belt without a single of the counter-pressure guide rollers for the same purpose would have a large space-consuming diameter.

In a further development of the device, the deflection roller are designed as a toothed belt pulley and the drive belt as a toothed belt. By means of such a configuration, it can be prevented that slip occurs between the drive belt and the deflection roller. Alternatively, the drive belt may be a V-belt, preferably a poly-V belt, and the pulley may form a guide surface corresponding to the V-belt. Such can be dispensed with special devices that prevent in turn that the drive belt from the pulley slides.

In a further development of the device, the drive belt is provided to abut against a handle surface of the handrail within the contact zone. Usually, these handle surface and the drive belt materials that can form a particularly good frictional engagement within the contact zone.

Figur 1:

eine Fahrtreppe mit einem Handlauf;

Figur 2:

eine zum Antreiben des Handlaufs vorgesehene Vorrichtung mit einer Führungsrolle;

Figur 3:

eine Vorrichtung zum Antreiben des Handlaufs mit einem Ablenkelement gemäss einer ersten Ausführungsvariante;

Figur 4:

eine Vorrichtung zum Antreiben des Handlaufes mit einem Ablenkelement gemäss einer zweiten Ausführungsvariante;

Figur 5:

eine erste Ausführungsform eines von einer Umlenkrolle geführter Antriebsriemens einer Vorrichtung zum Antreiben des Handlaufes; und

Figur 6:

eine zweite Ausführungsform eines von einer Umlenkrolle geführter Antriebsriemens einer Vorrichtung zum Antreiben des Handlaufes.

In the following the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to figures. Show it:

FIG. 1:

an escalator with a handrail;

FIG. 2:

a device provided for driving the handrail with a guide roller;

FIG. 3:

a device for driving the handrail with a deflection element according to a first embodiment;

FIG. 4:

a device for driving the handrail with a deflection according to a second embodiment;

FIG. 5:

a first embodiment of a guided by a pulley drive belt of a device for driving the handrail; and

FIG. 6:

a second embodiment of a guided by a pulley drive belt of a device for driving the handrail.

FIG. 1 shows an escalator 40. The escalator 40 comprises a supporting structure 25, a balustrade 22, a balustrade base 24 and a handrail 6. The handrail 6 is circumferentially guided and moved. A visible part 41 of the handrail 6 can be guided along an outer edge of the balustrade 22. A return 42 of the handrail 6 usually extends within the balustrade pedestal 24 and / or within the supporting structure 25, wherein the existing in the installed state of the escalator 40 height of the balustrade pedestal 24 and the supporting structure 25 is limited. At the return 42 of the handrail 6, a device 2 for driving the handrail 6 may be arranged. The device 2 is coupled to a drive motor 30. The drive motor 30 causes the circulating, preferably reversible movement B of the handrail 6. The components of the escalator 40 described in the description can also be used as components of a moving walk.

FIG. 2 shows a device 2 for driving a handrail 6. The device. 2 comprises a first deflection roller 7 and a second deflection roller 7.1 and a circumferentially guided drive belt 1. The device 2 has a contact zone 10. The drive belt 1 is guided both over the deflection rollers 7, 7.1 and along the contact zone 10. The drive belt 1 is deflected at this deflection rollers 7, 7.1 in a respective deflection roller 7, 7.1 associated deflection region 26, 26.1.

In installed in the escalator state of the device 2, the handrail 6 is guided or moved along the entire contact zone 10 adjacent to the drive belt 1. An exemplary drive motor 30 is coupled to the drive belt 1, so that the drive belt 1 can be moved circumferentially. Such a drive motor 30 may be formed as an electric motor. By means of frictional engagement, which exists within the contact zone 10 between the drive belt 1 and the handrail 6, the handrail 6 can be driven. The moving by means of the drive motor 30 handrail 6 may have a direction of movement 28.

The contact zone 10 is limited by means of a lift-off point 18. This means that the handrail 6 in its direction of movement 28 away from the lifting point 18 away from the drive belt 1. The in FIG. 2 Lifting point 18 shown is disposed within the deflection region 26 of the drive belt 1, which deflection region 26 is assigned to a first of the deflection rollers 7. Such an arrangement of the lift-off point 18 may be caused by a guide roller 9 for guiding the handrail 6. Such an arrangement of the lift-off point 18 leads to the unwanted effect described above, that both the wear and the abrasion of the drive belt 1 and the handrail 6 amplified and unpleasant noises are caused.

The device 2 has at least one counter-pressure guide roller 4 in order to guide the handrail 6 along the contact zone 10. At least two of these counter-pressure guide rollers 4 may form a roller arch 5.

FIG. 3 shows a second device 2 for driving the handrail 6 of the escalator. In the FIG. 3 shown device 2 has in addition to the in FIG. 2 shown device 2 on a deflector 16. The deflecting element 16 has the effect that the lift-off point 18 is not arranged within the deflection region 26 of the drive belt 1 assigned to the first deflection roller 7. This way you can avoid the handrail 6 rubs in the immediate vicinity of the lifting point 18 on the drive belt 1. The deflecting element 16 may be formed by way of example as a deflecting roller 16.

The device 2 forms a first tangential plane T 'and a second tangential plane T "The first tangential plane T' is arranged parallel to the axes of rotation 7 ', 7.1' of the deflection rollers 7, 7.1 and tangents the first deflection roller 7 and the second deflection roller 7.1 second tangential plane T "is arranged parallel to the first tangential plane T 'and tangents the counterpressure guide roller 4. The tangential planes T', T" are arranged such that the first and second deflection rollers 7, 7.1 and the at least one counterpressure guide roller 4 between these tangential planes T ', T "are arranged. For this purpose, the second tangential plane T "at a FIG. 3 deviating arrangement of the rollers 4, 7, 7.1 instead of the counter-pressure guide roller 4, the first guide roller 7 or the second guide roller 7.1 tangent. The arrangement of the rollers 4, 7, 7.1 between the tangential planes T ', T "allows the device 2 can be integrated to drive the handrail 20 in the balustrade base or in the truss low height.

One of the deflection rollers 7.1 can be arranged adjustable by means of an adjusting device 8, so that, for example, a readjustment of the device 2 during a service or assembly of the escalator is made possible. By means of this possibility for readjustment can be ensured that the drive belt 1 is sufficiently tensioned and / or rests within the intended contact zone 10 on the handrail 6.

The device 2 can moreover be designed such that the handrail 6 can be driven by means of the drive motor 30 both in accordance with the direction of movement 28 and counter to this direction of movement 28 in a counter-movement direction 28 '. In the case of such driveability of the handrail 6 in opposite directions of movement 28, 28 ', a lifting zone 18 limiting the contact zone 10 can be arranged by means of a deflection element, not shown, such that the contact zone 10 does not extend within the deflection region 26.1 associated with a second deflection roller 7.1 ,

The in the Figures 2 and 3 illustrated direction change of the handrail 6 during its deflection on the guide roller 9 and the deflector 16 may be less pronounced done, for example, to suspend the handrail 6 lower loads. In order to further reduce these loads on the handrail 6 or to improve the drivability of the handrail 6 by the drive belt 1, a handle surface 20 of the handrail 6 in the contact zone 10 on the drive belt 1 can be guided fittingly.

FIG. 4 shows a third device 2 for driving the handrail 6 of the escalator. The device 2 comprises a deflection roller 7, a deflection element 16 'designed as a deflection element, a drive belt 1 and a contact zone 10. The drive belt 1 is deflected at this deflection roller 7 in a deflection roller 7 associated deflection region 26. The handrail 6 is provided to be guided adjacent to the drive belt 1 along the contact zone 10. The baffle 16 'causes the handrail 6 is not applied to the drive belt 1 in the deflecting roller 7 associated deflection region 26. The deflecting element is preferably shaped or formed in such a way that there is little friction between this deflecting element and the moving handrail 6. Correspondingly, the deflection piece 16 'may be coated, for example, with low-friction PTFE material and / or with polyoxymethylene (POM) and / or polyamide (PA).

FIG. 5 shows a first embodiment of a guided by a pulley drive belt of a device for driving the handrail. FIG. 5 shows a part of the in FIG. 4 shown device 2 in a sectional view AA. The according to FIG. 4 shown drive belt is as V belt 1a and the according FIG. 4 shown pulley according to a pulley 7a, preferably formed as a poly-V belt. This means that the deflection roller 7a forms a guide surface corresponding to the V-belt 1a. Accordingly, the pulley 7a has a pulley groove section 50 and the V-belt 1a has a V-belt groove cross section 50 '.

FIG. 6 shows a second to FIG. 5 alternative embodiment of a guided by a pulley drive belt of a device for driving the handrail. FIG. 6 shows a section C of in FIG. 4 shown device 2. The according to FIG. 4 shown drive belt is as toothed belt 1b and the according FIG. 4 Corresponding pulley shown as a toothed belt pulley 7b, which means that the toothed belt pulley 7b forms a toothed belt 1b corresponding guide surface.

Claims (9)

1. Device (2) for driving a handrail (6) of an escalator (40) or for driving a handrail (6) of a moving walkway, the device (2) comprising: a drive belt (1), which is deflected by way of a first and a second deflection roller (7, 7.1) and forms a contact zone (10), and at least one counter-pressure guide roller (4), which has the effect that the handrail (6) can be guided along the entire contact zone (10) bearing against the drive belt (1) and is drivable by the drive belt (1) by means of friction couple between drive belt (1) and handrail (6), wherein the device (2) comprises a first tangential plane (T'), which is tangential to the deflection rollers (7, 7.1) and which is formed parallel to the axis of rotation of the deflection rollers (7, 7.1), and a second tangential plane (T"), which is tangential to the at least one counter-pressure guide roller (4) or one of the deflection rollers (7, 7.1), wherein the second tangential plane (T") is arranged parallel to the first tangential plane (T') and the first and second tangential planes (T', T") are so constructed that the deflection rollers (7, 7.1) and the at least one counter-pressure guide roller (4) are arranged between the tangential planes (T', T"), characterised in that the device (2) comprises a deflecting element (16), which is arranged between the first and second tangential planes (T', T") and at a spacing from the deflection roller (7, 7.1) and which ensures that a lift-off point (18), which bounds the contact zone (10), of the handrail (6) from the drive belt (1) is located at the deflection roller (7) ahead of the region of deflection of the drive belt (1).
2. Device (2) according to claim 1, wherein the deflecting element (16) is formed by a deflection roller (16).
3. Device (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein one of the deflection rollers (7.1) is arranged to be adjustable so as to tighten the drive belt (1) and press it against the handrail (6).
4. Device (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, with at least two counter-pressure guide rollers (4), wherein the at least two counter-pressure guide rollers (4) form a roller curve (5).
5. Device (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the deflection roller is constructed as a cogged belt pulley (7b) and the drive belt is constructed as a cogged belt (1b).
6. Device (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the drive belt is a wedge belt (1a), preferably a poly-V-belt, and the deflection roller (7a) forms a guide surface corresponding with the wedge belt (1a).
7. Device (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the drive belt (1) is provided to bear against a handgrip surface (20) of the handrail (6) within the contact zone (10).
8. Escalator or moving walkway with a device (2) for driving a handrail (6) of the escalator according to any one of claims 1 to 7.
9. Method of modernising an escalator (40) or a moving walkway with a device (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the device (2) is installed in the escalator (40) or the moving walkway.

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