HK1132032B - Escalator display device - Google Patents

Description

Escalator display device

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an escalator display device which can display an image on a sidewall of an escalator.

Background

In the past, as a display device displayed on a side panel, for example, a liquid crystal panel has been used, which may be, for example, a transparent panel (glass, acrylic, etc.) on an escalator handrail disposed on both sides thereof along steps (treads) of the escalator. However, such displays require expensive backlights. Further, when a bulb or an LED (light emitting diode) is used as a display device, they cannot be embedded in a transparent panel made of glass, acrylic, or the like, and even when they can be embedded in the transparent panel, wires or the like are visible to passengers, which is very unattractive.

Japanese laid-open patent application No.2005-82400 shows a device for displaying an image on a handrail and a side surface of an escalator.

Disclosure of Invention

Exemplary embodiments include an escalator display device including a light emitter disposed on an edge of a sidewall including a transparent medium. The light emitter is arranged to display a display item on a surface of the transparent medium, and the light emitter is a photosensitive material that is in a photosensitive reaction with a luminescent color of the light emitter.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a general block diagram of one embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 depicts one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2(a) is an overall block diagram for red display, 2(b) is a front view of the main portion, and 2(c) is a side view of the main portion.

Fig. 3 depicts one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3(a) is an overall block diagram for green display, 3(b) is a front view of a main portion, and 3(c) is a side view of the main portion.

Fig. 4 depicts another embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 4(a) is a general block diagram of an ascending escalator, and fig. 4(b) is a general block diagram of a descending escalator.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings; however, the present invention is not limited to the following examples. Fig. 1 shows the side surface of the landing position at the bottom of the escalator 10. Escalator 10 includes a handrail side panel 12 formed of a transparent medium, a plurality of steps 14, and a handrail 16. The transparent medium comprises a transparent material including glass or acrylic.

The escalator 10 includes a display device 18, and the display device 18 has a plurality of red LEDs 20R and green LEDs 20G as light emitters, which are disposed on the periphery below the handrail side panels 12. On the surface of handrail side panel 12 facing steps 14, display items 22 are printed with paint of a long wavelength color (red), such as the text "please take care of the steps" and an arrow pointing to the position where steps 14 appear, and other display items are printed with paint of a short wavelength color (green), such as the text "please do not walk on the escalator".

Fig. 2 represents when the red LED20R is lit. Fig. 2(a) shows a side surface of a bottom boarding position of the escalator 10, fig. 2(b) shows a structure of a front surface of the handrail side plate 12, and fig. 2(c) shows a side surface structure of the handrail side plate 12.

In fig. 2, red LEDs 20R are provided at designated intervals at or near the bottom periphery of handrail side panel 12. When red LED20R is turned on, red light is reflected while propagating through handrail side panel 12, the paint reflects light in response to the red wavelength, and arrows indicating the position where step 14 appears and the text "please take care of the step" may be displayed.

Fig. 3 represents when the green LED20G is turned on. Fig. 3(a) shows a side surface of a bottom boarding position of the escalator 10, fig. 3(b) shows a front surface structure of the handrail side plate 12, and fig. 3(c) shows a side surface structure of the handrail side plate 12.

In fig. 3, green LEDs 20G are provided at specified intervals at or near the bottom periphery of handrail side panel 12. When the green LED20G is turned on, green light is reflected while propagating through handrail side panel 12, the paint reflects light in response to the red wavelength, and the text "please do not walk on the escalator" can be displayed.

In addition, when the red LED20R and the green LED20G are turned on simultaneously, the words "please take care of the steps" and the arrow emitting red light and the word "please not walk on the escalator" emitting green light can be displayed as in fig. 1.

Although the embodiments have been described with specific text and arrows, it will be appreciated that any display item may be printed on the handrail side panels. Further, the displayed items 22 are not limited to being printed on the surface of the handrail side panel 12 with the paint mentioned above. Red and green photosensitive films on which letters or arrows can be formed using a coating material that reacts with red or green light may also be adhered to the surface of the handrail side panel 12.

Since the display items such as the words "please take care of steps" or "please do not walk on the escalator" or arrows or the like can be floatingly displayed on the side plates in the handrail portion of the escalator, a warning can be provided to the passenger.

The red LED20R and the green LED20G may be arranged at positions on the periphery of the armrest side panel 12, for example, below it, so that no component is mounted in the thickness direction of the armrest side panel 12, the appearance is not damaged, and neither the wiring nor the LED components are visible to the passenger, and thus it is excellent in terms of design.

Fig. 4 is an embodiment in which display items are displayed by emitting light when a passenger is detected by the human sensor 30. As shown in fig. 4(a), the people sensor 30 may be located at the entrance of the escalator 10 before the steps 14. As shown in fig. 4(b), people sensor 30b may also be located a set distance from the entrance and a set distance above step 14 so that a passenger walking down step 14 will activate the light before exiting escalator 10. In addition, there may be two people sensors 30, 30b located on the escalator 10 to activate the lighting before a person enters the escalator 10 or a person exits the escalator 10. When the human sensor 30, 30b detects a passenger, the red LED20R and the green LED20G arranged in the same manner under the handrail side panel 12a are turned on for the handrail side panel 12, and the letters "please take care of steps", "please do not walk on the escalator", and the arrow pointing to the place where the steps 14 appear, for example, printed on the surface of the handrail side panel 12a (facing the steps 14) are displayed.

The display device 18 is advantageous in that the display device can be made thinner and more compact. A backlight or the like is not necessary, and it can be inexpensively constructed. Further, by, for example, printing a photosensitive material (luminescent paint) on the surface of the transparent medium, a display item can be easily provided. Therefore, a lengthy operation of cutting the surface of the transparent medium such as glass or acrylic can be avoided.

The display items 22 are not limited to text or arrows, but may be other marks, pictures, etc. Further, the display items may include guidance, messages, advertisements, and the like for the respective floors.

This application claims priority from Japanese application 2006-046102, filed on 23/2/2006, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

While the invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (4)

1. An escalator display device comprising:

a multi-color light emitter disposed on an edge of a sidewall, the sidewall comprising a transparent medium, the multi-color light emitter being arranged to display a plurality of display items, characterized in that each display item comprises a photosensitive material disposed on a surface of the transparent medium, wherein the photosensitive material corresponding to a respective display item of the plurality of display items to be displayed is photoreactive to a color emitted by the multi-color light emitter, such that the plurality of display items can be selectively displayed according to said color emitted by the multi-color light emitter.

2. The escalator display device of claim 1, further comprising a people sensor mounted proximate to the display item, the people sensor configured to cause the multi-color light emitter to emit at least one color of light when the people sensor detects the presence of a person.

3. The escalator display device according to claim 1, wherein the display items include pictures, letters, and symbols formed of a photosensitive coating on a photosensitive film adhered to a surface of a transparent medium.

4. An escalator, comprising: a plurality of steps disposed adjacent to a handrail side panel, the handrail side panel having a transparent medium; and a display device provided on an edge of the handrail side panel, the display device comprising a multi-color light emitter arranged to display a plurality of display items, characterized in that each display item comprises a photosensitive material disposed on a surface of the transparent medium, wherein the photosensitive material corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of display items to be displayed is photoreactive to a color emitted by the multi-color light emitter, such that the plurality of display items can be selectively displayed according to the color emitted by the multi-color light emitter.