PASSENGER CONVEYOR SYSTEM

Abstract

The invention refers to a Passenger conveyor system comprising a longitudinal conveyor frame having at its longitudinal ends mounting points, a conveyor unit mounted to the conveyor frame and comprising an endless conveyor means comprising an upper conveyor track and a lower return track and turnover means at the conveyor unit ends to turn the conveyor means from the conveyor track to the return track and vice versa, and at least one compensation means comprising a compensation mass which is in transversal direction of the conveyor frame movably mounted to the conveyor frame via a spring means or a swing drive.

Claims

1. Passenger conveyor system comprising a longitudinal conveyor frame having at its longitudinal ends mounting points, a conveyor unit mounted to the conveyor frame and comprising an endless conveyor means comprising an upper conveyor track and a lower return track and turnover means at the conveyor unit ends to turn the conveyor means from the conveyor track to the return track and vice versa, and at least one compensation means comprising a compensation mass which is in transversal direction of the conveyor frame movably mounted to the conveyor frame via a spring means or a swing drive.

2. Passenger conveyor system according to claim 1, wherein at least one damper is mounted between the compensation mass and the conveyor frame.

3. Passenger conveyor system according to claim 2, wherein the damper is mounted parallel to a spring of the spring means.

4. Passenger conveyor system according to claim 2, wherein the compensation means together with the spring means and damper forms a tuned mass damper.

5. Passenger conveyor system according to claim 1, wherein the compensation mass is—in longitudinal direction of the conveyor frame—mounted to the middle of the conveyor frame.

6. Passenger conveyor system according to claim 1, wherein the compensation mass is movably mounted on a transversal guide means.

7. Passenger conveyor system according to claim 6, wherein the compensation mass rests on both sides against a spring which is supported on a stopper mounted to the conveyor frame.

8. Passenger conveyor system according to claim 1, wherein the compensation mass is movable by the spring means or swing drive in horizontal as well as in vertical direction.

9. Passenger conveyor system according to claim 1, being an escalator or moving side walk.

10. Passenger conveyor system according to claim 1, wherein any mounting points of the conveyor frame for the fixing of the frame to a building or environment are located only at its ends.

11. Passenger conveyor system according to claim 1, wherein several compensation means are mounted to the conveyor frame at specified locations in a mutual distance in longitudinal direction of the frame.

12. Passenger conveyor system according to claim 1, wherein the swing drive is controlled by a compensation control configured to control the compensation means, a movement detection means with at least one movement sensor outputting a movement signal to the compensation control, whereby the compensation control is configured to detect a swing of the conveyor frame from the movement signal and to control the compensation means in a way to move the compensation mass with the same swing frequency as the conveyor frame but with a phase offset between 135 and 223 degrees, most preferably of 180 degrees.

13. Passenger conveyor system according to claim 12, wherein the swing drive has an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the amplitude of the movement of the compensation mass.

14. Method for reducing the natural oscillation or vibration of a passenger conveyor comprising a longitudinal conveyor frame having at its longitudinal ends mounting points, and a conveyor unit mounted to the conveyor frame and comprising an endless conveyor means comprising an upper conveyor track and a lower return track and turnover means at the conveyor ends to turn the conveyor means from the conveyor track to the return track and vice versa, whereby at least one compensation means is connected to the conveyor frame comprising at least one compensation mass which is in transversal direction movably connected to the conveyor frame via a spring means or a swing drive.

15. Method according to claim 14, wherein the compensation means forms a tuned mass damper.

16. Method according to claim 14, wherein the swing of the conveyor frame is measured via at least one movement sensor of a movement detection means outputting a movement signal, and the compensation mass is moved via a swing drive with respect to the conveyor frame in dependence of the movement signal according to the actually measured swing frequency of the conveyor frame but with a phase offset, preferably between 135 and 225 degrees, most preferably of 180 degrees.

17. Method according to claim 14, making use of a conveyor system comprising: a longitudinal conveyor frame having at its longitudinal ends mounting points, a conveyor unit mounted to the conveyor frame and comprising an endless conveyor means comprising an upper conveyor track and a lower return track and turnover means at the conveyor unit ends to turn the conveyor means from the conveyor track to the return track and vice versa, and at least one compensation means comprising a compensation mass which is in transversal direction of the conveyor frame movably mounted to the conveyor frame via a spring means or a swing drive.

18. Passenger conveyor system according to claim 3, wherein the compensation means together with the spring means and damper forms a tuned mass damper.

19. Passenger conveyor system according to claim 2, wherein the compensation mass is—in longitudinal direction of the conveyor frame—mounted to the middle of the conveyor frame.

20. Passenger conveyor system according to claim 3, wherein the compensation mass is—in longitudinal direction of the conveyor frame—mounted to the middle of the conveyor frame.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] The invention is now descripted via an exemplary embodiment in connection with the schematic drawings. In these drawings

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a conveyor frame with a passive compensation means acting as a tuned mass damper,

[0035] FIGS. 2 to 5 show different embodiments of passive compensation means acting as a tuned mass damper,

[0036] FIG. 6 shows a conveyor frame with an active compensation means,

[0037] FIG. 7 shows a top view of an active compensation means of FIG. 6, and

[0038] FIG. 8 shows a side view of the active compensation means of FIG. 7.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0039] FIG. 1 shows parts of a passenger conveyor system 10, comprising a conveyor frame 12, on which a conveyor unit (not shown) for example an escalator or moving sidewalk may be installed. The conveyor unit itself is per se known and is therefore not shown for clarity purposes. The conveyor frame has a grid-like with longitudinal beams 14, transversal beams 16 as well as diagonal beams 18. At both ends 20, 22 of the conveyor frame 12 mounting points 24 are located to mount the conveyor frame to an environment, for example to a building. Of course, the conveyor frame 12 also has mounting points for the conveyor unit which are not show for clarity reasons. Further, the conveyor frame 12 has beams extending out of the drawing plane, was the base cross-sectional form so a frame 12 is a U. The drawing shows only the bottom part of said U-frame 12.

[0040] After the first, second and third quarter of the length of the frame 12 passive compensation means 15a to 15c are mounted to the conveyor frame 12, preferably to the transversal beams 16. These compensation means 15a-c form tuned mass dampers and comprise a compensation mass 17a to 17c movingly supported against the frame 12 via a spring means 19 formed by first and second springs 191a-c, 192a-c located on both sides each compensation mass 17a-c. Furthermore, preferably dampers 193a-c are located between the conveyor frame 12 and the corresponding compensation mass 17a-c. While these compensation means 15a-c are shown to extend in horizontal direction they also may extend in vertical direction. In the figure the transversal beams 16 may optionally form horizontal guide means for the movement of the compensation masses 17a-c.

[0041] Of course, separate vertical and horizontal compensation means may be arranged. It is also possible to provide a compensation means which supports a compensation mass via vertical and horizontal springs so that the spring means supports the compensation mass against the frame in horizontal as well as in vertical direction. Of course on each side of the compensation mass several springs may be provided.

[0042] Via a per se known tuning of the compensation mass, the spring means 19 and the dampers 193 the compensation means 15 can be designed so that the compensation mass 17 swings anti-phase to the natural oscillation of the conveyor frame 12, thereby efficiently reducing the natural oscillation of the conveyor 10.

[0043] FIG. 2 shows a passive compensation means 15a-c according to FIG. 1 in greater detail. It shows the transverse beam 16 of the conveyor frame acting as a guide beam for the horizontal movement of the compensation mass. The spring means 19 comprises springs 191, 192 on both sides of the compensation mass, which springs rest against stoppers (not shown) of the conveyor track. Optional dampers are not shown but are located as shown in FIG. 1.

[0044] FIG. 3 shows the compensation means of FIG. 2 but in a vertical arrangement. On this behalf the lower spring 1920 has a higher spring constant than the upper spring 1919. Optionally the upper spring may be left away. The optional dampers are not shown in this figure, but are located vertically above and/or below the compensation mass 17.

[0045] FIG. 4 shows a passive compensation means 150 a rectangular transverse frame 160 instead a transverse beam 16 of FIG. 1. The transverse frame 160 accommodates a heavy compensation mass of e.g. 20 to 200 kg, particularly 50 to 100 kg, which is supported within the frame by a spring means 190 consisting of five springs 1901, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1905, each of them resting against the transverse frame 190. Parallel to each spring 1901-1905 a damper is mounted between the transverse frame 160 and the compensation mass 170. Via the spring means the compensation mass is movably supported within the transverse frame 190 in horizontal as well as in vertical direction. Via tuning of dampers 1906-1910 and springs 1901-1905 it can be achieved that the compensation mass swings anti-cyclic to the natural oscillation of the conveyor track in the location where the compensation means 150 is mounted to the frame 12.

[0046] FIG. 5 shows a further embodiment of a passive compensation means 1500 comprising a circle-cylindrical compensation mass 1700 which is supported via mutually tilted springs 1911, 1912 against tilted flanks of a transverse profile 1600 of the conveyor frame 12. If this system is rotation symmetric the compensation mass is ball shaped and three or four springs 1911, 1912 shall be necessary to support the compensation weight. Also here, optionally dampers 1912, 1913 are located between the transverse profile 1600 and the compensation mass 1700 so that the compensation means can be tuned as a tuned mass damper.

[0047] All the passive compensation means of FIGS. 1 to 5 act preferably as tuned mass dampers to reduce the natural oscillation of the conveyor system, particularly of the conveyor frame 12.

[0048] FIG. 6 shows an conveyor system 100 which is similar to the conveyor system 10 of FIG. 1. In contrast to FIG. 1 the compensation means 27a-c of FIG. 6 are active compensation systems 26a-c having a compensation mass or weight 27 which is actively driven by a swing drive 29, which compensation means 26 is shown in greater detail in FIGS. 7 and 8. In all figures identical or functional similar parts carry the same reference numerals.

[0049] In FIG. 6 three active compensation means 26a to 26c are mounted to the conveyor frame 12 in longitudinal direction after the first, second and third quarter of the length of the frame 12, preferably to corresponding transversal beams 16. Furthermore, at the ends 20, 22 of the conveyor frame first movement sensors 28 are mounted. In a distance to the ends 20,22 second movement sensors 30a to 30c are mounted to the frame 12 in the vicinity of the corresponding compensation means 26a to 26c. Each movement sensor 28, 30a-c is connected via a corresponding connecting line 31 to a movement detection means 32 which again is connected via a connection bus 38 to a compensation control 34. The compensation control 34 is again connected via control lines 36 with each of the compensation means 26. Instead of the connecting line also wireless transmission can be used for the data transfer from the movement sensors 28, 30 to the movement detection means 32.

[0050] The passenger conveyor system according to FIG. 6 works as follows: The movement detection means 32 determines for each location of a second movement sensor 30 the swing frequency of the conveyor frame 12 at this particular location. This is done by subtracting the signal of one of the first movement sensors 28 (or their arithmetic mean value) from the signal of the corresponding second movement sensor 30 a, b, c. Via this measure the swing frequency as well as the swing phase at each of the specific locations of the three second movement sensor 30a, 30b, 30c can be detected by the measurement detection means 32. The corresponding signals are processed and transmitted via a connecting bus 38 to the compensation control 34 which controls via corresponding control lines 36 each of the compensation means 26a to 26c according to the swing frequency and swing phase as measured by the corresponding second moving sensors 30a to 30c. Via this measurement the natural swing or natural resonance or vibration of the conveyor frame 12 can be effectively reduced which is preferable particularly in case of long conveyor frames which are mounted only at their ends to the environment, e.g. different floors of a shopping center.

[0051] FIGS. 7 and 8 show an example of the compensating means 26 which is preferably used in FIG. 1. The compensation means 26 comprises generally at least on compensation mass 27 moved by a swing drive 29 in transversal direction of the conveyor frame 12. The swing drive 29 comprises two tracks 40 mounted to a base plate 43 and extending perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the conveyor frame 12. Between the two tracks 40 a slide 42 with a high mass is guided in the transverse direction of the conveyor frame as indicated by the double arrow aside of the slide 42. The slide 42 consist of a heavy metal plate forming the compensation mass 27. The plate 42 has a drive slot 44 which is arranged perpendicular to the movement direction of the slide 42. The base plate 43 is mounted on carrier beams 41 which are again mounted to the transverse beams 16 of the conveyor frame 12. The compensation means 26a to 26c comprises a motor 46, which is preferably mounted via supports 48 preferably to the carrier beams 41. The motor has an output shaft 50 to which a circular adjustment means 52 is mounted. The adjustment means 52 comprises a wheel 54 having a radial slot 56 in which a carriage 58 carrying a drive pin 60 is movable via a thread threaded rod 62 which can be rotated via an adjustment motor 64. The adjustment motor 64 is contacted for example by a brush 66 co-acting with a contact ring on the wheel 54.

[0052] Via the control of the adjustment motor 64 the distance of the drive pin from the axis of the output shaft 50 of the motor 46 can be adjusted. Thus, the amplitude of the movement of the slide 42 in the tracks 40 can be adjusted. Accordingly, via the frequency of the motor the swing frequency of the slide 42 can be adjusted and via the control of the adjustment motor 64 the amplitude of the movement of the slide 42 can be adjusted to a desired value according to the movement signals of the corresponding movement sensors 30a to 30c.

[0053] It shall be clear for the skilled person that the embodiment shall not restrict the invention. The invention can be carried out within the scope of the appended patent claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0054] 10 passenger conveyor system with passive compensation means [0055] 12 conveyor frame [0056] 14 longitudinal beams [0057] 15 passive compensation means (first embodiment) [0058] 16 transversal beam [0059] 17 compensation mass (first embodiment) [0060] 18 diagonal beams [0061] 19 spring means [0062] 191 first spring [0063] 192 second spring [0064] 20 first end of the conveyor frame [0065] 22 second end of the conveyor frame [0066] 24 mounting point [0067] 26 active compensation means [0068] 27 compensation mass [0069] 28 first movement sensor [0070] 29 swing drive [0071] 30 second movement sensor [0072] 31 connecting line [0073] 32 movement detection means [0074] 34 compensation control [0075] 36 control line [0076] 38 connecting bus [0077] 40 tracks [0078] 41 carrier beams [0079] 42 slide/heavy metal plate [0080] 43 base plate [0081] 44 drive slot [0082] 46 motor [0083] 48 supports [0084] 50 motor output shaft [0085] 52 adjustment means [0086] 54 wheel [0087] 56 radial slot [0088] 58 carriage [0089] 60 drive pin [0090] 62 threaded rod [0091] 64 adjustment motor [0092] 100 passenger conveyor system with active compensation means [0093] 150 passive compensation means (second embodiment) [0094] 160 transversal frame [0095] 170 compensation mass (second embodiment) [0096] 190 spring means (second embodiment) [0097] 192 springs [0098] 193 dampers [0099] 1500 passive compensation means (third embodiment) [0100] 1600 transversal profile [0101] 1700 compensation mass (third embodiment) [0102] 1900 spring means (third embodiment) [0103] 1901 spring [0104] 1902 spring [0105] 1903 spring [0106] 1904 spring [0107] 1905 spring [0108] 1906 damper [0109] 1907 damper [0110] 1908 damper [0111] 1909 damper [0112] 1910 damper [0113] 1919 spring [0114] 1920 spring [0115] 1911 spring [0116] 1912 spring [0117] 1912 damper [0118] 1913 damper