HK1100540B - Method of and apparatus for applying a film to the surface of a handrail for an escalator or moving walkway - Google Patents

Description

Method and apparatus for applying film to handrail surface of escalator or moving walkway

Technical Field

The present invention relates to handrails for escalators and moving walkways and, more particularly, to applying a protective film, optionally including advertising or other visual material, to the surface of such handrails.

Background

Advertisers are constantly looking for new venues to place advertisements. For some time, it has been recognized that various forms of public transportation and similar venues provide good advertising opportunities. Inevitably, public transportation systems provide a large number of potential viewers, but only a relatively small number of well-positioned advertisements can be seen by many people. Traveling in public transportation is often quite time consuming, and thus passengers on these transportation systems often have ample time to view and read advertisements, which also makes such advertisements attractive to businesses. This has been widely recognized in the past, and advertisers have found a wide variety of places to place advertisements.

Escalators and moving walkways are a common component of many mass transit systems and are also used in many other locations where there is a significant amount of pedestrian traffic, such as large office buildings, shopping malls, large stores, etc. While riding an escalator is relatively fast, as compared to, say, riding a subway, it still provides a potential audience for advertisers. While the time to ride an escalator is relatively short, it must also be long enough for the riders to notice and read an advertisement. Moreover, it is not in fact practical for escalator riders to do other things while riding an escalator, such as reading a book or newspaper.

Advertisers have long recognized this, and it is not uncommon to find a variety of advertising panels on escalators that are highly available. Thus, conventional poster advertising is often lined up along the walls of escalator shafts (shades). In addition, advertisers have sought to place smaller poster-like advertisements on smaller panels that are positioned over the lanes separating the balustrades of the up and down escalators. Typically, advertisements are placed on both sides to present the advertisements to passengers on both the up and down escalators.

Creative advertisers have found other methods of advertising on escalators. Thus, some people have come to appreciate that advertisements can be placed on the handrail of an escalator. This is very attractive because the handrail of the escalator provides a surface that is otherwise not utilized. As with any object, a passenger on an escalator instinctively first looks at the handrail to determine its position. This ensures that the armrest is often swept at least at one glance by each user or rider. This makes it attractive for simple advertising, such as famous company logos (logos) and other advertising patterns.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention is based on the idea of providing a film to the surface of the handrail, which film is continuous and removable.

In prior application 09/252,784 and U.S. patent 6,450,228, which was filed as a continuation-in-part hereof, a flexible film with an adhesive layer is applied to a handrail without any pre-stretching or tension. As the handrail advances around the pulleys, for example at the end of an escalator or moving walkway, the handrail flexes and is stretched at its top and compressed at its bottom in a known manner. In effect, the presence of the wire rope or stretch inhibitor serves to define a neutral axis at the top of the handrail. Therefore, the portion of the top of the handrail above the wire rope is stretched or placed in tension, and the lower portion of the top of the handrail and the openings (lips) are compressed. Since the opening extends substantially below the neutral axis, the opening is subject to significant compression as the handrail passes over end pulleys and the like.

When the film is applied to the handrail, this means that the edges of the film at the opening are similarly compressed. In practice, this can lead to wrinkling or puckering of the edges of the film. When the film is subjected to compressive loading caused by flexing of the handrail, the adhesive used does not hold the very edge of the film adhered to the handrail.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a combination of an elongate handrail and a flexible film adhered to the handrail, the film comprising: a first film layer and a first adhesive layer between the first film layer and the handrail, the adhesive layer bonding the first film layer to the handrail, wherein the film is applied to the handrail in tension, whereby the film comprises a desired pre-stretch to at least reduce any tendency of the edges of the film to separate from the handrail when subjected to a compressive strain.

Another aspect of the invention provides a method of applying a flexible film to a moving handrail, the method comprising:

(1) providing a film comprising a first film layer and a first adhesive layer on a bottom surface of the first film layer, the film being generally elongate and having a width corresponding to a width of the handrail;

(2) aligning and bonding a first end of the film to a surface of a handrail;

(3) applying a substantially constant tensile load to the membrane to provide a desired degree of strain to the membrane;

(4) driving the handrail relative to the film to continuously and progressively bond the pre-stretched film to the handrail; and is

(5) Ensuring a uniform, smooth adhesion of the entire width of the film to the surface of the handrail.

A further aspect of the invention provides a method of forming a joint between two ends of a film adhered as a continuous loop to a surface of a handrail, the method comprising:

(1) providing a film sleeve and adhering the film sleeve to the surface of the end part of the film; and

(2) the film sleeve is fused or bonded to the ends of the film to keep the ends of the film in alignment.

The present invention also provides an apparatus for applying an adhesive film to a moving handrail, the apparatus comprising: a securing means for securing the apparatus to a balustrade; a first spool means for mounting a first roll of film; a tensioning device for applying tension to the film to apply a desired amount of strain to the film prior to application to the handrail; and pressure means for applying pressure to the film to cause it to adhere to the handrail, whereby, in use, the handrail can be driven through the apparatus to unwind the film from the first roll whilst the pressure means causes the film to adhere to the handrail, and tension means pre-stretch the film.

In accordance with the present invention, a method is provided for applying a flexible film having a desired degree of pre-stretch or elongation to a moving handrail. Furthermore, references to handrails of an escalator should be understood to include handrails of a moving walkway. The first step is to provide a flexible film comprising a first layer and a first adhesive layer on a bottom surface of the first layer, wherein the film is generally elongated and has a width corresponding to the width of the handrail. The film is then aligned with the handrail and the first end of the film is bonded to the surface of the handrail. The handrail is then driven relative to the film to gradually and continuously bond the film to the handrail. While applying tension to the film to pre-tension or pre-stretch the film.

Drawings

For a better understanding of the present invention and to show more clearly how it may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings which show a preferred embodiment of the invention, and in which:

fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an apparatus according to the present invention applied to a balustrade of an escalator;

figure 2 is a perspective view showing the apparatus, balustrade and handrail of figure 1 in more detail;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view from below of the apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an end perspective view of the rearward end of the apparatus of the present invention;

figures 5 and 5a are views along the axis of the device showing the open and closed positions of the channel-shaped members of the hold-down mechanism of the device;

figures 6 and 6a show the open and closed positions of the roller extension means;

FIG. 6b is a detailed perspective view of the mounting of the roll extension means to the channel member;

fig. 7 is a side view of the apparatus, balustrade and handrail of fig. 1 and 2, showing operation of the apparatus;

figures 8a and 8b schematically show the process of wrapping a handrail with a film;

FIG. 9 shows a cross-section of an exemplary membrane structure;

fig. 10a, 10b and 10c show a plan view of a split joint, a process of applying a film sleeve, and a process of bonding the film sleeve to the end of the film with an iron, respectively.

Detailed Description

Figures 1 and 7 show the basic construction and version of an apparatus for applying a film to a handrail according to the invention, the basic principle of which is the same as that shown and described in detail in us patent 6,450,228, granted on 9, 17/2002, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

The apparatus is designated by reference numeral 10 and is shown in fig. 1 as being attached to a balustrade 198 of an escalator with an actual escalator handrail designated 200, as will be shown in more detail in subsequent figures. The apparatus 10 has first and second support arms 12 connected to suction cups 20 for connection to a railing 198.

Each support arm 12 is a triangular structure comprising a main arm portion 14, an adjustable arm portion 16 and an upper arm portion 18, wherein the main arm portion extends generally vertically. The adjustable arm 16 includes an adjustable threaded member to allow the arm 16 to be adjustable in length. The main arm portion 14 is pivotally mounted to the suction cup 20 and this arrangement can accommodate different configurations of balustrade to ensure that the working portion of the apparatus 10 is correctly positioned relative to the handrail. As shown, each arm 14, 16 and 18 is pivotally connected.

The distal end of the upper arm 18 includes a mounting bracket 22 for connection to a main frame 30 of the apparatus 10. The main frame 30 includes a plurality of spaced apart holes or mounting locations 32 that enable the support arm 12 to be secured in different positions. Two sets or rows of holes 32 are provided at both sides of the frame 30 so that the support arms 12 can be fixed at both sides of the main frame 30, thereby enabling the support arms 12 to be fixed at both sides of the escalator or moving walkway and enabling the support arms 12 to be fixed at both sides of a specific balustrade. This in turn is intended to facilitate accommodation of different railing configurations 198, as many railings do not actually provide a continuous smooth surface to receive the vacuum pan 20, and thus the spacing and position of the arms 12 may be varied as desired. Preferably, the holes 32 or holes in the bracket 22 are threaded for simple attachment of the mounting bracket 22 with screws. The bracket 22 may be U-shaped with a plain bore on one side and a threaded bore on the other side for clamping the bracket 22 to the frame 30.

The main frame 30 includes registration roller devices 34 and 36 at both ends. These roller devices 34, 36 are generally corresponding and, for the sake of simplicity, only the roller device 34 will be described in detail, the details of which are shown in detail in fig. 4.

The roller arrangement 34 includes a central roller 38 mounted to the main frame 30 by brackets 40. The side brackets 42 support transverse guide rods 44, and support brackets 46 for side rollers 48 are mounted on the guide rods 44.

A threaded shaft 50 with operating knobs 52 at both ends is rotatably mounted on the side bracket 42. The threaded shaft includes opposing threads for the ends of the shaft that engage the support bracket 46. Thus, rotation of the knob 52 will cause the two support brackets 46 with their side rollers 48 to move inwardly toward each other or outwardly away from each other.

A first pivot arm 60 (fig. 3 and 7) is provided extending upwardly from the main frame 30. A first spindle 62 is provided on the spindle arm 60 for mounting a roll of film for application to a handrail.

A second vertically extending arm 64 is provided for supporting a second shaft 66. In use, a roll is mounted on the shaft 66 for picking up the release sheet of the film.

A drive mechanism 68, for example a drive belt, which may be a toothed drive belt, is provided to connect the shafts 62 and 66 so that, in use, the shaft 66 for receiving a roll is driven by the shaft 62. A transmission ratio is set between the shafts 62 and 66 so that for any effective diameter roll on the shafts 62, 66, the circumference of the roll on the receiving shaft 66 always attempts to be driven at a higher speed; a slip clutch is then provided in the drive mechanism 68 to eliminate the excess speed applied to the spindle 66, thereby effectively maintaining sufficient tension in the release sheet at all times as the release sheet is wound onto the roll on the spindle 66.

A pair of upwardly extending brackets 70, 72 are also provided on the main frame 30. A release sheet guide roller 74 (fig. 7) is rotatably mounted between the brackets 70, 72 to guide the release sheet toward the roll on the spindle 66. A tension roller 76 is also mounted for rotation between the brackets 70, 72 and is connected to a brake or tension motor 78.

The brake 78 may be a small (lowprofile) electric motor requiring a conventional 110V ac input, which provides a substantially constant torque that is in turn translated into a uniform tension applied to the film passing over the tension roller 76. However, it should be appreciated that any suitable active or passive means of providing a substantially constant torque over the range of membrane speeds encountered in practice may be used. For example, the magnetic clutch has the advantage that it is passive, requiring no external power source. As will be described in more detail below, the actual tension required may vary considerably and the braking device should therefore be variable. For this reason, to prevent the film from slipping, the film should be sufficiently wound around the tension roller 76 to ensure appropriate driving characteristics between the roller 76 and the film.

A toothed drive belt may be provided to connect the brake 78 to the tension roller 76. A common cover plate 114 may be provided for the toothed drive belt and the drive mechanism between the shafts 62, 66.

Between the first roller device 34 and the tension roller 76 there is a pinch roller mechanism 80. The pinch roller mechanism 80 has a pair of upwardly extending guides 82. The pressure roller 76 has an axis and is rotatably mounted in a pair of ball joints that connect the axis to a guide 82. This enables the guide 82 to move independently without binding or pressing against the shaft of the pinch roller 76.

A vertical shaft 84 is slidably mounted within the guide 82 and is connected to the shaft of the pressure roller 86, whereby the pressure roller 86 is free to rotate about its axis. The upper end of the shaft 84 is connected to a cross member 88.

A spring 89 in the upwardly extending guide 82 is disposed on the shaft 84 to provide a downward force to press the pinch rollers 86 downward, toward the handrail as indicated at 200.

Now, generally, in accordance with prior application No.09/252,784 and issued U.S. patent 6,450,228, a wrapping mechanism is provided that first bonds the film to the handrail by the action of pressure rollers 86 and then progressively wraps the film around the handrail to substantially cover the exposed surface of the handrail to the extent desired. This wrapping mechanism is designated by reference numeral 90.

In the disclosed embodiment of the wrapping or pressing mechanism 90, the mechanism includes two main components, namely, a channel member 92 and a roller extension 120, both of which include rollers. This division into two components does have some advantages, as will be explained in more detail below, but it will be appreciated that a single hold-down mechanism could be used, as in the case of the earlier us patent 6,450,228, and that this mechanism has the advantage of being simple.

The wrapping or pressing mechanism 90 has a channel-shaped or shell-shaped member 92 having first and second shell halves 92a, 92 b. As shown in fig. 5 and 5a, two brackets 94 extend downwardly from the two cross members of the frame 30, respectively, and the two shell halves 92a, 92b are pivotally mounted to the two brackets 94.

The two channel halves 92a, 92b are at least partially transparent. In use, this transparency is sufficient to enable visual inspection of the engagement of the roller and handrail, which facilitates installation of the apparatus.

The two channel-shaped member halves 92a, 92b are pivotally mounted on a pair of brackets 94 attached to the main frame 30. An extension arm 96 extends upwardly from the members 92a, 92b, and a handle 98 is provided at the upper end of the extension arm 96. Thus, by squeezing the handles 98 together, the channel members 92a, 92b are opened to the position shown in FIG. 5. To close the channel members 92a, 92b, the handle 98 is released. A locking mechanism 100 is provided at each bracket 94 and includes a simple latch to secure the members 92a, 92b in the closed position as shown in fig. 5A. In the closed position, the rollers are pressed against the surface of the handrail 200 and the film on the handrail.

With particular reference to fig. 3, 5 and 5a, a set of 5 pairs of rollers 101, 102, 103, 104 and 105 are rotatably mounted on roller mounting mechanisms within each component half 92a, 92 b. The rollers 101 and 105 are mounted such that the rollers 101 are relatively close to the centerline of the apparatus and the centerline of the handrail. Rollers 101 are mounted toward the rear of component halves 92a and 92 b. The other rollers 102 and 105 are positioned progressively further from the centerline and progressively closer to the front of the apparatus so that the film progressively wraps around the handrail. Each of the rollers 101 and 105 is fixed to a short arm and has a spring mechanism for pressing the roller against the handrail 200 and the film 160.

The other three pairs of rollers 106, 107 and 108 may be mounted on a roller extension 120 or a lip roller assembly; as noted, it is not necessary to provide these rollers 106 and 108 separately. This does facilitate the separation of the apparatus 10 into sufficiently small parts for easy packaging and transport. In addition, this simplifies the design of the channel-shaped part 92, since then only a small opening of the channel-shaped part 92 is required; in particular, roller 108 requires that open roller assembly 120 be opened further. Thus, in contrast to the previous embodiment of the invention, there are now eight pairs of rollers, reflecting the intent of having the film fully wrap around the handrail, although it will be appreciated that variations, including the use of different numbers of rollers, are possible; for some applications, fewer rollers may be sufficient, while for example, for less common square handrail profiles, it may be necessary to provide more rollers.

Referring primarily to fig. 6, 6a and 6b, the roller extension arrangement includes a first portion 121 and a second portion 122 that are substantially mirror images of each other. The sections 121, 122 are pivotally connected and mounted by a common mounting bolt 124 which is engaged to a mounting bracket 126 (fig. 6b) connected to the main frame 30.

The portions 121, 122 each include a side flange 128. During initial installation, the screw check 124 allows a certain amount of play or axial movement of the parts 121, 122 so that they can rotate freely. As shown in fig. 6a, this enables them to move from an open position (dashed lines) to a fully closed position (solid lines in fig. 6 a), fully engaging around the armrest 200. Once fully engaged, the mounting bolts 124 can be fully tightened, which also engages the side flanges 128 onto the sides of the mounting bracket 126, so that the two parts 121, 122 are aligned at right angles and held in their correct positions.

The first and second portions 121, 122 each comprise a first arm 130 supporting the two roller pairs 106, 107. A second arm 132 is provided for the last roller pair 108.

The roller pairs 106, 107 include short arms and spring mechanisms 134 that are generally similar to the spring mechanisms 110 used for the other roller pairs. However, because the rollers 106, 107 are each intended to engage, at least to some extent, the underside of the handrail 200, they are provided with an extension shaft 136.

Referring to fig. 6a, the last roller pair 108 is mounted on a second arm 132. The rollers 108 are mounted on a stub shaft 140, the stub shaft 140 being fixed to a vertically extending rod 142. A rod 142 is mounted for sliding movement in the second arm 132, and a coil spring 144 is provided to bias the rod 142 upwardly to press the rollers 108 against the bottom surface of the open portion of the handrail 200.

As shown, the upper end of the rod 142 is provided with a small transverse hole into which the pull rod 146 is inserted after the first and second portions 121, 122 are secured in place. The pull rod 146 essentially ensures that the rods 142 move together in a vertical direction and also ensures that the rollers 108 are properly aligned beneath the handrail 200, i.e., the rods 142 do not rotate about their axes to misalign the rollers 108.

All the different rollers may be provided with a surface adapted to their specific function. For example, both the vertical and side rollers 38, 48 may be relatively strong or stiff to provide good guidance and centering; both the pressure roller 86 and the rollers 101 and 107 may be provided with elastic sleeves; for the rollers 106, they may be smaller and their surfaces may be stronger. The tension roller may have a sleeve made of a sponge-like or porous elastic material that provides a high coefficient of friction for the film 160. The rollers may be covered with, for example, a polyurethane material or a silicone material.

Reference is first made to fig. 9, which schematically shows a cross-section of a membrane for use in the present invention, which membrane is the subject of prior patent 6,682,806 and its related applications. The cross-section is shown transverse to the longitudinal direction of the handrail. The film is shown at 160 and includes a first film layer 162 having a first adhesive layer 164 on a bottom surface thereof. To protect the film until it is applied and to enable it to be rolled onto the sleeve 150, a release sheet 166 is provided in a known manner.

A printed matter, generally indicated at 168, is disposed on top of the first layer 162. The print may be text, logos, images, etc., and it is expected that the print often consists of a repeating pattern (pattern). As schematically shown, the print will have a negligible thickness and therefore will not have a significant effect on the thickness of the other layers. The print 168 is printed directly on top of the first film layer 162.

After printing the print 168, a second film layer 170 with a corresponding second adhesive layer 172 is applied on top of the first sheet to sandwich the print 168 between the two film layers 162, 170. This serves to protect the printed matter.

Each of the film layers 162, 170 is preferably a high gloss, clear flexible film and coated with a clear acrylic pressure sensitive adhesive. These films are provided with release liners. Thus, once the upper side of the first film layer 162 is printed, the release liner or sheet of the second film layer 170 with its associated adhesive 172 is removed and the second film layer 170 is then applied to the upper side of the first film layer 162 to form the combined film 160 shown in FIG. 9.

The width of the currently available films is typically 13 inches. For current practice, it is necessary to tailor the film to the desired width for the particular handrail application.

While it is desirable that both the first and second film layers 162, 170 be transparent, for some applications it may be desirable to color the first film layer 162. In this way, the first film layer 162 may be a uniform solid color to provide a suitable background for advertising material or vendor identification, which may be a color associated with a particular product or vendor. In addition, the second film layer 170 may be colored to some extent, if desired.

Another aspect of the present invention is to protect the handrail of an escalator or moving walkway with only a film. For this purpose, the film 160 may be a single layer. For such applications, the second film layer 170 and its adhesive 172 may be omitted. For the sake of completeness, it should be noted that it is envisaged that in such an application, some kind of printing may still be provided on top of the first film layer 162, but that this printing will then be unprotected and will likely be subjected to excessive wear, marking etc. when passing through the handrail drive mechanism.

The film may also be of a solid color only, optionally with a motion indicator, to quickly revive the handrail.

In other aspects, the films used in the present invention may be the same as those described in the above-mentioned U.S. patent 6,450,228 and claimed in related applications. The film is shown at 160 and includes a first layer with a first adhesive layer on a bottom surface thereof. The film 160 may be made of polyurethane having a thickness in the range of about 0.5 to 3.0 mils with an adhesive layer having a thickness in the range of about 0.25 to 1 mil. In order to protect the film and enable it to be rolled onto a sleeve prior to application of the film, release tabs 166 are provided in a known manner.

The following film thicknesses have been found to be practical: a first film having a thickness of 2 mils and a solid color; a second film that was transparent and had a thickness of 3 mils. The thickness may be reduced or varied to minimize cultural art-disrupting behavior. Also, for some applications, films with a matte finish may be preferred.

The following table gives the preferred properties of the film. As shown in the table, the membrane may be a polyurethane material, although more generally, it is contemplated that many different thermoplastic elastomers may be used.

TABLE 1

Materials: thermoplastic elastomer

Shore hardness (ASTM D-792): 85A +/-3

Tensile strength (ASTM D-412): 36-40MPa

stress/Strain Properties (ASTM D412/D-638)

Tensile stress @ 10% strain: 4-4.5MPa.

Tensile stress @ 50% strain: 6.5-7.5MPa.

Tensile stress @ 100% strain: 10.0-11.5MPa.

Ultimate elongation: (ASTM D412) 400%

Compression set: (ASTM D395)

22 hours @23 ℃ 20%

22 hours @70 ℃ 65%

Abrasion loss: (DIN 53.516) 15-20mm

As will be described in more detail below, the present invention provides pre-stretching of the film in one direction, typically about 6%, i.e., a strain of about 6% is applied in the longitudinal direction of the film. The precise degree of strain will vary depending on the film, the application process, the handrail construction, etc. Nonetheless, it is now recognized that the above-described strain necessarily correspondingly elongates the image applied to the film. For many images or patterns, this small percentage elongation in one direction has no significant effect and may be negligible. For the other image, to ensure that the image is applied in the desired proportion to the film, the image is correspondingly shrunk or reduced in the axial direction so that its length is approximately 94.33% of its original length; then the image will recover to its original predetermined length after being stretched by six percent.

Axial stretching should have little or no effect on the transverse dimension of the image, although it is known that elongation in one direction may cause a corresponding decrease in the perpendicular dimension, which may be compensated for where it occurs.

The use of the apparatus of the present invention will now be described. First, the handrail must be properly prepared before the film is applied to the handrail. Most handrails have a layer of dirt and grease after a period of use that prevents proper adhesion of the adhesive film. If a prior film must be removed first, reference should be made to prior patent 6,450,228 and related applications in which a method of removing an existing film is provided.

Accordingly, the handrail is first cleaned with a suitable solvent to remove any dirt and grease. The handrail is then inspected for scratches (gouge) or defects that prevent application. If there is a deep scratch, the handrail may need to be replaced before the film is applied.

In the case of escalators or moving walkways, the operator is provided with two rolls of matching film, one for each handrail; in the figure, the handrail is shown at 200, its balustrade at 198 and a roll of film at 174.

As shown in fig. 1 and 2, the apparatus 10 is mounted on a balustrade 198, preferably, the apparatus 10 is fixed to the top of the escalator for a down escalator unit and the apparatus 10 is fixed to the bottom of the escalator for an up escalator unit. In installations where there are obstacles preventing the device 10 from being secured in these locations, it may be permissible to secure the device 10 away from the end of the straight inclined portion of the armrest.

Initially, the support arms 12 are assembled and may be broken down into separate pieces for ease of transport. The open-ended roller assembly 120, including the two portions 121, 122, is assembled ready for connection to the main frame 30.

In the initial installation, the pinch rollers 86 are raised so that the spring action on the pinch rollers does not interfere with the proper positioning of the apparatus 10. To this end, the cross member 88 may be lifted and a collar (collar) or the like may be inserted between the cross member 88 and the guide 82 to hold the pinch rollers 86 in the lifted position. The side rollers 48 of each roller arrangement 34, 36 are then moved outward sufficiently to provide sufficient clearance around the handrail 198. By grasping the handle 98, the two shell halves 92a, 92b of the shell-type or channel-shaped member 92 are opened.

When the handle 98 is gripped, the main frame 30 is lowered over the armrest 198. Thereafter, the two halves 92a, 92b of the channel 92 are closed by releasing the handle 98 and engaging the locking element 100, and during this operation, the position of the various rollers 101 and 105 is monitored to ensure that they are in proper and uniform contact with the handrail.

By now the end of the frame 30 is supported on the handrail 200 by the rollers 38. The knobs 52 on both ends are actuated to move the side rollers 48 inward until they contact the handrail 200 to accurately position and center the apparatus 10 relative to the handrail 200.

The suction cup 20 is then adhered to the railing 198 and the length of the adjustable arm 16 is adjusted as necessary to ensure that the suction cup 20 is positioned in the proper location consistent with the desired position of the main frame 30. The motor or brake 78 is connected to a suitable power source (no power source is required for the passive brake 788).

Then, the roller extension device 120 is connected to the main frame 30 by the fitting bolt 124. The two parts 121, 122 are then closed around the armrest 200 and the bolts 124 are tightened to lock the parts 121, 122 in the closed position. At this time, the operation of the rollers thereof can be checked. The rollers can be rotated away from the handrail to simplify closing of the device 120, and then rotated into position, if desired.

At this point, the handrail 200 can be allowed to run for a short period of time, if necessary, to ensure that all of the rollers 101 and 108 used to press the film against the handrail are in the proper position and perform the desired function. Because the two halves of the shell-type or channel-shaped member 92 are transparent, each roller can be inspected for this purpose, and the open configuration of the roller extension arrangement 120 enables the rollers therein to be inspected.

The roll 174 of film 160 on the sleeve 150 is then mounted on the spindle 62 and the receiving roll 178 for receiving the release sheet is mounted on the second spindle 66.

The end of the film 160 is unwound from the first roll and the end of the release sheet 166 is separated from the film and rolled onto the receiving roll 178. The end of the film, indicated by reference numeral 176, is passed around tension rollers 176 to the underside of pressure rollers 86 and then adhered to the upper side of handrail 200. Initially, the side edges of the film ends were manually wrapped onto the handrail.

The handrail 200 is then moved or jogged a short distance to begin the film through the entire mechanism, and the roller and pinch roller mechanism 90 wraps the film 160 around the handrail 200.

Once it is confirmed that the film is properly applied to the handrail, that is, the film properly wraps the handrail, the edges of the film are aligned with the handrail grooves on the underside of the handrail as desired, and there are no undesirable folds, wrinkles, bubbles, etc., the apparatus is ready to cover the entire handrail with the film.

The tension of the film can be checked before moving the film along the entire length of the handrail. Preferably, this is achieved by moving a short length of film and measuring the film on the handrail to check the stress or strain applied to the film. It is expected that most films will have some standard repeating pattern, so the distance between the image on the film or the salient features of the print will be known from the unstretched film on the release sheet, or can be measured in advance. Then, once a short length of film has been applied to the handrail, the corresponding measurement is checked to ensure that the desired degree of stress or strain has been applied to the film. The exact degree of stress or strain has been found to depend on many factors such as the characteristics of the individual handrail, the installation, the temperature and possibly the humidity. Thus, in practice it will likely be necessary to adjust the torque applied by the brake or motor 78.

If the initially running film has an improper tension, it can be removed and the tension adjusted. Once the film is applied with a tension or strain within desired limits, the handrail 200 can be actuated to apply the film along the entire length of the handrail. After one handrail is covered, the same process can be performed on the other handrail.

Typically, the escalator is jogged or run 3 meters to run an inspection belt while ensuring that the edges of the film do not fold over the rollers 101 and 108. The film is inspected for alignment, for any bubbles or wrinkles, or other defects. The position of the roll of film 174 on the spindle 60 can be adjusted to center it and, if necessary, the pressure applied by the pinch rollers 86 can be adjusted.

The stretch of the film can be calculated by re-measuring the repeat length on the film. If the initial unstretched length of the repeat image is X and the post-stretching length is Y, then the stretch is calculated as follows:

percent stretch of ((Y-X)/X) X100

Generally, the desired draw ratio is about six percent. If the stretch ratio is too low, the controller setting of the motor or brake 78 is increased; accordingly, if the stretching ratio is too high, the set value is decreased.

Table 2 below gives exemplary settings for the brake 78, where it is shown that the tension required to provide a constant 6% stress or strain can vary significantly.

TABLE 2

The handrail 200 was then jogged or run for an additional 2 to 3 meters to test the film for stretch. The above measurements or calculations are repeated again to determine the stretch. This process is repeated as many times as necessary until the desired degree of stretch is obtained.

Once the desired stretch has occurred, the film of the test section is pulled up and removed, and the ends of the film are trimmed cleanly with a scissors or knife at an angle of 80-85 degrees to the longitudinal axis of the handrail 200, taking care not to damage or cut the handrail itself. This leaves a first film end 182 with an actual inclined film end (dashed line in fig. 10 a) indicated at 183.

As shown in fig. 8a, when film 160 contacts handrail 200 under the action of pressure rollers 86, it is initially flat. The tension mechanism described above is such as to provide the required strain or pre-stretch to the film. Typically, this is about 6% when measured as a percentage strain of the film, and more typically, is expected to be in the range of 5-8%.

As the film 160 continues to move along the handrail 200, the rollers 101 and 108 progressively wrap the film around the handrail until the film is fully in contact with the handrail 200, as shown in fig. 8 b.

The film is then ready to be applied to the entire handrail. The start button of the escalator or moving walkway is opened to allow one complete revolution of the handrail and closed when the film is approximately 1.5 to 2 meters coincident with the first film end 182 (the entire overlap is not shown in fig. 10). The film is then cut and the escalator or moving walkway is then jogged or run to a position sufficient to move the film end out of the applicator 10.

The applicator 10 may then be removed or removed. First, the roller extension device 120 is detached from the main frame 30 and removed. The support arm 12 and suction cup 20 are removed. The side rollers 48 are unwound. The locking mechanism 100 for the case halves 92a, 92b is opened. The applicator 10 is detached from the railing 198 by the handle 98 holding the housing halves 92a, 92b open. The applicator is then either transferred to another handrail if the handrail also needs to be provided with a film, or simply laid down in preparation for complete disassembly and packaging for shipment. Any black residue left on the balustrade 198 by the suction cups 20 is removed, if necessary.

Thus, as yet another aspect of the invention, a heat seal bond is formed to both ends of the handrail. After the film is finally cut, a second film end 184 is formed having a current film end or edge 185 (FIG. 10).

The second film end 184 is formed in such a manner that: an appropriate amount of excess film is pulled up over the overlapping portions of the film until the print or pattern on the overlapping portions of the film properly matches or all mismatches are less discernable. The end of the upper portion of the film is cut at an angle of 80-85 degrees to the axis of the handrail 200 to form the film end 185 of the second film end 184. The end 184 is then smoothed by hand to ensure that there are no bubbles or wrinkles.

At this point, because the film is subjected to pre-stretching, it has been found that the adhesive securing it to the handrail 200 is insufficient to prevent the film from creeping. Over a short period of time, the tension of the membrane may cause the ends 182, 184 to begin to creep apart.

A heat sealing iron 190 as shown in fig. 10 is used. A film sleeve, as indicated at 192, is provided. The membrane sleeve 192 is generally rectangular and has its own release tab. The membrane sleeve 192 is made of the same material as the membrane 160 itself and preferably has the same thickness as the one layer of membrane 160, although the membrane sleeve 192 may have a different thickness. The membrane sleeve 192 is transparent. For example, the film sleeve 192 may have a thickness in the range of 0.5-3.0 mils and a width in the range of 10-25 mm.

The liner or release sheet of the film sleeve 192 is removed and symmetrically placed over the overlapping film ends 182, 184. That is, the sleeve 192 is adjusted so that the unmasked overlying film tip 185 bisects the sleeve 192.

The membrane sleeve is smoothed evenly to again ensure that there are no wrinkles or bubbles.

The heat sealing iron 190 is then pressed against the film sleeve 192, starting from the middle and working sideways. The iron is slowly and uniformly operated at a uniform pressure to heat seal the film sleeve 192 to the film ends 182, 184, i.e.: fusing or bonding the film sleeve 192 to the top of the film 160.

It has been found desirable to provide the soldering iron 190 with a non-stick surface, such as a Teflon surface, to ensure that it does not stick to the film. The Teflon surface used has a surface pattern or texture that will mark the film sleeve 192, but this has the advantage of being able to confirm that the film sleeve 192 has been properly heat sealed or bonded to the film 160. The bonding of the film cover 192 may also be checked by visual inspection and by the operator pulling the edge of the film cover 192 with his or her finger.

Finally, any excess length of the film sleeve 192 at the edges of the opening of the handrail 200 is cut with scissors.

A final inspection of the film wrapped around the entire length of the handrail was then made. Although great care is taken, air bubbles may occasionally appear. These bubbles can be removed by puncturing them with a hypodermic needle, gradually squeezing the bubbles to force air out of the bubbles and adhere the entire film to the surface of the handrail. For larger bubbles, it may be necessary to needle many times.

Now, as mentioned above, a difficulty with providing a flexible film for a handrail is that the handrail 200 is flexed when in use. Figure 8B shows at 240 the neutral axis of the handrail defined by tensile elements indicated schematically at 242, which are typically a series of coplanar steel cords. As further shown in fig. 8B, this results in the upper surface of handrail 200 being located a distance D1 above neutral axis 240, while the bottom of the opening, labeled 244, is located a distance D2 below neutral axis 240. In other words, since these cables have a much higher modulus of elasticity than the rest of the handrail body, which is typically made of an elastomeric material, the location of the neutral axis is almost entirely defined by the stretch properties of the restraining cables 242. Depth D2 is much greater than depth D1.

As indicated at 246, in applicant's prior application, it was suggested to only partially wrap the film 160 around the opening to a position indicated at about 246, i.e., slightly below the widest point of the handrail indicated by line 248, line 248 representing the middle of the shoulder 250 of the handrail. Nonetheless, in this position, the edge 246 of the membrane 160 is located substantially below the neutral axis 240. Thus, when the handrail 200 passes through rollers at the end of, for example, an escalator, the handrail body below the neutral axis 240 is compressed, and the handrail body above the neutral axis 240 is stretched. Stretching does not cause problems for the film 160. First, the degree of stretching is relatively small, since it has been mentioned that there is only a relatively small distance D1 from the neutral axis to the upper surface. Second, the film is able to withstand the necessary degree of stretching and this stretching does not tend to lift the film from the handrail.

The difficulty is in the edge portion of the film that extends down to the edge 246. The edges 246 themselves are completely below the neutral axis 240 and therefore must be compressed to a considerable extent if they are still to be glued to the handrail 200. In practice, it has been found that edge 246 tends to exhibit a wrinkling or puckering effect after repeated use, that is, edge 246 tends to appear as alternating short sections that remain adhered to handrail 200 with short sections that have puckered away from handrail 200 to accommodate compression of the handrail below neutral axis 240.

Thus, the present invention provides for pre-stretching of the film 160 such that the degree of pre-stretching, when measured as a strain or percentage of stretch of the film 160, is at least greater than the maximum compressive reduction in the length of the film, i.e., the negative stretch that occurs during use. This ensures that all portions of film 160 remain in tension even as handrail 200 flexes. The handrail body itself 200, particularly the portion facing the opening 244, may be subject to significant compressive strain, but the net strain of the film 160 is always tensile. Thus, the film 160 should not have a tendency to lift from the armrest body 200.

Although this pre-stretching of the film will increase the total tensile load applied to the top of the film above handrail 200, the total tensile strain applied to film 160 should still be acceptable because this is only for the shorter distance D1 from the neutral axis. For certain handrail designs, configurations, and film 160 materials of choice, this may result in excessive tensile loads being applied to the film 160. In this case, the pretension applied to the film 160 may be reduced, so that the edge of the film 160 may be applied with a small compressive strain. These compressive strains are selected to be so small that they can be easily tolerated by the adhesive used to adhere film 160 to handrail 200 without any significant wrinkling or wrinkling.

In the prior invention, the edges of the film 160 are located higher up in the body of the handrail 200, as indicated at 246, without a tendency to impart excessive compressive strain on the film 160. For the present invention, it is now contemplated that the membrane 160 can be extended to the position indicated as 252 or 254, since these compressive strains are either completely eliminated or at least reduced to an acceptable level. The edge 252 is located further around the opening 244, while the edge 254 is a little ahead of the film 160 extending almost to the end of the opening 244. This is desirable because the edge that is completely below the body of the handrail is not visible or apparent to the user. Edges that are visible in any manner or detectable by feel when the user grasps the armrest with his or her hands encourage users who have a tendency to pull on these edges with their fingertips. Over time and repeated use, these edges can become damaged, possibly causing the film 160 to separate more or less, and possibly causing the film or portions of the film to be attracted to the handrail drive mechanism.

In particular, the extent to which the film 160 wraps around the handrail is adjustable and depends on various handrail profiles and installations. It is advantageous to have the film wrap the opening of the handrail in a greater part (the armrest way) because this keeps the edge of the film completely away from the user and not easily reached by someone who might try to tear the film off for whatever reason. On the other hand, in the case where the film completely wraps the opening portion, the film may be bent when the handrail passes over an end roller or the like. It is therefore expected that some compromise between these two parameters will generally be required.

Claims (49)

1. In combination, an elongated handrail and a flexible film adhered to the handrail, the film comprising: a first film layer and a first adhesive layer between the first film layer and the handrail, the first adhesive layer bonding the first film layer to the handrail, wherein the film is applied to the handrail in tension, whereby the film comprises the required pre-stretching to at least reduce any tendency of the edges of the film to separate from the handrail when subjected to a compressive strain.

2. A combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein the film extends at least partially around the outer surface of the shoulder of the handrail.

3. A combination as claimed in claim 2, comprising a print on the first film layer.

4. A combination of a handrail and a film as claimed in claim 3, wherein the film comprises a second film layer and a second adhesive layer adhering the second film layer to the first film layer.

5. A combination as claimed in claim 4, comprising printed matter located between the first and second film layers.

6. A combination of a handrail and a film as claimed in claim 3, wherein the printed matter comprises a pattern which is repeated at regular intervals along the length of the film.

7. A combination of a handrail and a film as claimed in claim 4, wherein each film layer comprises polyurethane having a thickness in the range of 0.5 to 3.0 mils and a suitable adhesive having a thickness in the range of 0.25 to 1 mil.

8. A combination as claimed in claim 2, wherein the film extends around the shoulders of the handrail to the ends of the mouth of the handrail.

9. A combination of a handrail and a film as claimed in claim 1, wherein the handrail comprises a continuous handrail loop for being driven when used on an escalator or moving walkway; the film is generally continuous along the length of the handrail and includes ends that overlap one another to form a joint.

10. A combination of a handrail and a film as claimed in claim 9, wherein the film extends around the outside of the handrail and at least partially covers the shoulders of the handrail.

11. A combination as claimed in claim 9 or claim 10, wherein the adhesive allows removal of the film, whereby, in use, the elongate handrail can be used with and without the flexible film and the flexible film can be replaced with a further flexible film.

12. A combination as claimed in claim 1 or 9, wherein the amount of pre-stretch applied to the film is in the range 5-8% when measured as the strain applied to the film.

13. A combination as claimed in claim 12, wherein the amount of pretension is 6% when measured as the strain applied to the film.

14. A combination as claimed in claim 9, including a film sleeve applied over the overlapped end portions and fused thereto to prevent separation of the end portions due to creep.

15. A combination as claimed in claim 14, wherein the film sleeve comprises a strip of transparent material.

16. A combination of a handrail and a film as claimed in claim 15, wherein each film layer and the band of transparent material are made of a thermoplastic elastomer and each has a thickness in the range of 0.5 to 3.0 mils.

17. A combination as claimed in claim 16, wherein the ends of the film and the film sleeve are inclined at an angle of 80-85 ° to the axis of the handrail.

18. A method of applying a flexible film to a moving handrail, the method comprising:

(1) providing a film comprising a first film layer and a first adhesive layer on a bottom surface of the first film layer, the film being generally elongate and having a width corresponding to the width of the handrail;

(2) aligning and adhering a first end of the film to a surface of a handrail;

(3) applying a substantially constant tensile load to the membrane to provide a desired degree of strain to the membrane;

(4) driving the handrail relative to the film to continuously and progressively bond the pre-stretched film to the handrail; and

(5) ensuring a uniform, smooth adhesion of the entire width of the film to the surface of the handrail.

19. A method as claimed in claim 18, including the steps of disposing the film on a first roll and mounting the first roll on a first spindle adjacent the handrail, and in step (4) applying at least one roller to a surface of the handrail to press the film against the handrail.

20. A method as claimed in claim 18, including the step of providing a film of sufficient width to wrap the shoulders of the handrail, the method including progressively wrapping the shoulders of the handrail with the film by a plurality of pairs of rollers, each pair of rollers being mounted sequentially away from and around the outside of the handrail.

21. A method as claimed in claim 20, including the step of providing a film of sufficient width to reach the end of the open portion of the handrail, the film being wrapped in step (5) over the shoulder portion of the handrail to the end of the open portion of the handrail.

22. The method of any one of claims 18 to 21, wherein step (3) comprises applying a strain of 5% -8% to the membrane.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein step (3) comprises applying a strain of 6%.

24. A method as claimed in any one of claims 18 to 21, including the step of overlapping the ends of the film together to form a complete film loop around the handrail.

25. A method as claimed in claim 22, including the step of overlapping the ends of the film together to form a complete film loop around the handrail.

26. A method as claimed in claim 23, including the step of overlapping the ends of the film together to form a complete film loop around the handrail.

27. A method as claimed in claim 24, including the step of providing a film sleeve at the overlapping ends of the film and fusing the film sleeve to the ends of the film to prevent creep of the ends.

28. A method as claimed in claim 25, including the step of providing a film sleeve at the overlapping ends of the film and fusing the film sleeve to the ends of the film to prevent creep of the ends.

29. A method as claimed in claim 26, including the step of providing a film sleeve at the overlapping ends of the film and fusing the film sleeve to the ends of the film to prevent creep of the ends.

30. A method as claimed in claim 27, including the step of forming said ends by cutting the ends of said film at an angle of 80-85 degrees to an axis of the handrail elongate strip, said axis being aligned with the ends of said film.

31. A method as claimed in claim 28, including the step of forming said ends by cutting the ends of said film at an angle of 80-85 degrees to an axis of the handrail elongate strip, said axis being aligned with the ends of said film.

32. A method as claimed in claim 29, including the step of forming said ends by cutting the ends of said film at an angle of 80-85 degrees to an axis of the handrail elongate strip, said axis being aligned with the ends of said film.

33. A method of forming a joint between two ends of a film bonded as a continuous loop to a handrail surface in tension by a desired degree of pretensioning, the method comprising:

(1) providing a film sleeve and adhering the film sleeve to the surface of the end of the film; and

(2) fusing the film sleeve to the ends of the film to keep the ends of the film in line.

34. The method of claim 33, comprising the steps of: the film portion is provided as a base portion and an upper portion, at least the upper portion is provided with an end cut at an angle to a line perpendicular to the handrail axis, the film sleeve is provided as an elongate, substantially transparent strip of uniform width, and the transparent strip is aligned with the cut end of the film.

35. An apparatus for applying an adhesive film to a moving handrail, the apparatus comprising: mounting means for securing the apparatus to a balustrade; a first reel means for mounting a first roll of film; a tensioning device for applying tension to the film to apply a desired amount of strain to the film prior to application of the film to the handrail; and pressure means for applying pressure on the film to cause the film to adhere to the handrail, whereby, in use, the handrail can be driven through the apparatus to unwind film from the first roll whilst the pressure means causes film to adhere to the handrail and the tension means prestretches the film.

36. Apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the mounting means comprises suction cups for vacuum connecting the apparatus to a smooth surface of a balustrade.

37. Apparatus according to claim 35, comprising second spindle means on which, in use, a second roll for receiving the release sheet is mounted; and drive means located between the first and second spindle means, whereby unwinding of the film from the roll on the first spindle means causes the first spindle means to drive the second spindle means so that the second spindle means receives the release sheet separated from the film leaving the first roll.

38. The apparatus of claim 37 wherein the drive means includes a speed ratio between the first shaft and the second shaft such that the second shaft means is always driven at a speed greater than that required to wind up the release sheet, and wherein the apparatus includes a clutch in at least one of the first and second shaft means to eliminate excess speed.

39. An apparatus as claimed in claim 35, wherein the pressure device comprises a pinch mechanism comprising a plurality of pairs of rollers mounted symmetrically about a centerline thereof, the centerline of the pinch mechanism corresponding to the centerline of the handrail, the pairs of rollers extending from a rearward end of the pinch mechanism to a forward end thereof, the forward and rearward ends corresponding to the direction of movement of the handrail, wherein a rearward pair of rollers is mounted adjacent the centerline of the pinch mechanism and successive pairs of rollers are mounted progressively farther toward the forward end of the pinch mechanism, whereby the film progressively wraps around the outside surface of the open portion of the handrail from the centerline of the handrail as the handrail passes over the pinch mechanism, wherein the pinch mechanism is positioned in front of the main roller.

40. A device according to claim 39, wherein the hold-down mechanism comprises a generally channel-shaped member comprising a pair of channel-shaped member halves symmetrical about a centre line of the device, and wherein the device includes a mechanism for opening the channel-shaped member to move the halves laterally to allow the channel-shaped member to be mounted on the handrail and for closing the channel-shaped member to position the channel-shaped member about the handrail with the rollers against the surface of the handrail.

41. Apparatus according to claim 40, wherein said trough-shaped member halves are sufficiently transparent to enable the operation of the rollers to be observed by an operator, whereby, in use, proper engagement and operation of said rollers can be verified by visual inspection.

42. An apparatus as claimed in claim 35, comprising guide rollers at both ends of the apparatus for positioning the apparatus on a handrail.

43. An apparatus as claimed in claim 42, wherein the guide rollers comprise a central roller and side rollers at each end of the apparatus.

44. An apparatus as claimed in claim 43, wherein the side rollers are mounted for lateral movement so that the lateral position of the guide rollers can be adjusted to accommodate handrails of different widths.

45. Apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the apparatus comprises a main frame with pivot means, the tension and pressure means being mounted to the main frame, wherein the mounting means comprises at least one arm which is mountable to the main frame and which includes attachment means for attaching the arm to a balustrade of a handrail, whereby the at least one arm is adjustable to allow adjustment of the relative position between the attachment means and the main frame.

46. The apparatus of claim 45, comprising two mounting arms, wherein the main frame comprises a plurality of mounting locations for the mounting arms to allow the arms to be mounted at different locations of the main frame.

47. Apparatus as claimed in claim 46, wherein each of said mounting arms comprises three arms pivotally combined together to form a triangular structure, and at least one arm is adjustable in length.

48. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the attachment device comprises a suction cup.

49. An apparatus as claimed in claim 40, wherein said hold-down mechanism comprises a roller extension carrying at least one pair of rollers, the roller extension being separable from the remainder of the apparatus.