HANDRAIL DRIVE FOR AN ESCALATOR OR A MOVING WALKWAY

Abstract

A handrail drive for driving a handrail of a person-transporting device has at least one drive device and at least one counterpressure device. The counterpressure device contains at least one loading device and at least two counterpressure rollers, wherein the handrail can be guided between the drive device and the counterpressure device. The counterpressure rollers load the handrail against the drive device by a pressing force caused by the preloading force of the loading device. At least one flexible pulling element is arranged between the at least one counterpressure roller and the loading device, by which flexible pulling element the preloading force of the loading device can be transferred to the at least one counterpressure roller.

Claims

1-14. (canceled)

15. A handrail drive having at least one drive device and at least one counterpressure device, which counterpressure device contains at least two counterpressure rollers, wherein a handrail of a person transporting device is guided between the drive device and the counterpressure device, and the at least two counterpressure rollers load the handrail against the drive device by applying a pressing force, wherein each of the counterpressure rollers has a roller axle and the handrail drive contains at least one flexible pulling means that is connected to the roller axle by at least one partial looping for transmitting a preloading force of a loading device of the handrail drive to the roller axle, comprising: a transmission ratio of the pressing force of the counterpressure roller acting on the handrail to the preloading force of the loading device is predetermined by a setting of a complementary angle of contact of the looping of the flexible pulling means and associated angles of contact of the at least two counterpressure rollers to be different from one another.

16. The handrail drive according to claim 15 wherein the counterpressure device includes linear guides, the at least two counterpressure rollers being guided by said linear guides at an angle relative to a longitudinal extent or to a central longitudinal axis of the handrail.

17. The handrail drive according to claim 16 wherein the linear guides are arranged at right angles to the longitudinal extent or to the central longitudinal axis of the handrail.

18. The handrail drive according to claim 15 wherein ends of the roller axle protrude over the counterpressure roller on both sides thereof and in a mounted state each of the ends of the roller axle is connected to at least one flexible pulling means.

19. The handrail drive according to claim 18 wherein each of the ends of the roller axle is guided by an associated linear guide of the counterpressure device.

20. The handrail drive according to claim 15 wherein the counterpressure device includes at least one deflection device for deflecting the at least one flexible pulling means.

21. The handrail drive according to claim 15 wherein the handrail is guided between the drive device and the counterpressure device in a travel zone in a linear running direction and the counterpressure device includes at least one spring receiver, the loading device being arranged by the spring receiver at a predetermined angle to the linear running direction.

22. The handrail drive according to claim 15 wherein the counterpressure device includes a guide frame that is rigidly connected to a housing of the drive device.

23. The handrail drive according to claim 15 wherein the drive device includes at least one drive wheel, at least one tensioning wheel, at least one drive belt and a plurality of supporting rollers, and the drive belt is driven by the drive wheel.

24. The handrail drive according to claim 23 wherein the counterpressure rollers of the counterpressure device and the drive wheel, the tensioning wheel and the supporting rollers of the drive device are assigned in pairs to one another.

25. The handrail drive according to claim 24 wherein the at least one flexible pulling means is arranged in a meandering manner between at least one of the counterpressure rollers and the roller axles thereof and a plurality of deflection devices.

26. The handrail drive according to claim 15 wherein the at least one flexible pulling means is a steel cable, a glass fiber cable, a carbon fiber cable, an aramid fiber cable, a textile fiber cable with low elongation, a belt or a chain.

27. A person transporting device, being an escalator or a moving walkway, including at least one movable handrail and at least one handrail drive according to claim 15 for driving the at least one handrail.

28. A method for updating an existing person transporting device comprising the step of replacing at least one existing handrail drive of the person transporting device with at least one handrail drive according to claim 15.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Preferred embodiments of the invention are described in more detail in the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which corresponding elements are provided with the same reference numerals. In the drawings:

[0029] FIG. 1: shows in a schematic view an escalator with a supporting structure and/or chassis and two deflection regions, wherein balustrades with a circulating handrail are arranged on the supporting structure, said handrail being able to be driven by a handrail drive;

[0030] FIG. 2: shows in a schematic view a moving walkway with a supporting structure and two deflection regions, wherein balustrades with a circulating handrail are arranged on the supporting structure, said handrail being able to be driven by a handrail drive;

[0031] FIG. 3: shows the handrail drive shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and a portion of the handrail in a three-dimensional view;

[0032] FIG. 4: shows a view of the cross section X-X of the handrail drive specified in FIG. 3;

[0033] FIG. 5: shows a view of the longitudinal section Y-Y of the handrail drive specified in FIG. 4; and

[0034] FIG. 6: shows a contact profile and/or the pressing forces acting on the handrail of the individual counterpressure rollers of the handrail drive shown in FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] FIG. 1 shows schematically in side view a person transporting device 1 which is designed as an escalator 1 and which connects a first floor E1 to a second floor E2. The escalator 1 has a supporting structure 6 and/or a chassis 6 with two deflection regions 7, 8, a step belt 5 with a plurality of steps 4 being guided in a circulating manner therebetween. A handrail 3 is arranged in a circulating manner on a balustrade 2. The balustrade 2 is connected at the lower end by means of a balustrade base 9 to the supporting structure 6 and/or chassis 6. The path of the handrail 3 runs along the upper edge of the balustrade 2 and the return of the handrail 3 takes place inside the balustrade base 9. In order to drive the circulating handrail 3, a handrail drive 20 is arranged in the interior of the balustrade base 9.

[0036] Due to its low overall height, the handrail drive 20 is fixed to an upper chord of the supporting structure 6. Generally, an escalator 1 has two balustrades 2 each with one respective handrail 3, wherein the step belt 5 is arranged between the two balustrades 2. Accordingly, two handrail drives 20 are also generally required in order to drive the two circulating handrails 3.

[0037] Constructed in a similar manner, FIG. 2 shows schematically in side view a person transporting device 11 designed as a moving walkway 11, which also has a balustrade 12 with a balustrade base 19, a handrail 3, a supporting structure 16 and two deflection regions 17, 18. In contrast to the escalator 1 of FIG. 1, a step belt is not arranged between the deflection regions 17, 18 of the moving walkway 11 but a pallet belt 15 circulating with a plurality of pallets 14. The moving walkway 11 connects, for example, a third floor E3 to a fourth floor E4. The handrail 3 and the handrail drive 20 of the moving walkway 11 correspond to the handrail 3 and the handrail drive 20 of the escalator 1 of FIG. 1 which is why the same reference numerals are used. Also, generally two balustrades 12 with handrails 3 are used in a moving walkway 11, said balustrades extending on both sides of the pallet belt 15.

[0038] As both FIGS. 1 and 2 show, the handrail drives 20 are built into a portion of the escalator 1 or the moving walkway 11 in which the handrail 3 to be driven is guided in a linear direction in the balustrade base 9, 19. Naturally a handrail drive 20 may also be arranged in a region in which the handrail 3 is deflected as, for example, takes place in the region denoted by A. Then, however, the travel zone D (see FIGS. 3 to 5) of the handrail drive 20 which the handrail 3 passes through would also have to be designed to be arcuate. Such a design of the handrail drive 20, however, is able to be implemented in a simple manner as is clearly visible from the following FIGS. 3 to 5 described together.

[0039] FIG. 3 shows the handrail drive 20 of FIGS. 1 and 2 and a part of the handrail 3 in a three-dimensional view. The handrail drive 20 is shown in its installed position provided in the person transporting unit 1, 11 wherein the viewing direction from obliquely below is selected in order to show as many parts as possible of the counterpressure device 30 of the handrail drive 20.

[0040] FIG. 4 shows the cross section X-X of the handrail drive 20 in the region of the counterpressure roller 35 specified in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 shows the longitudinal section Y-Y of the handrail drive 20 specified in FIG. 4.

[0041] The handrail drive 20 may be produced and sold independently of the other components of the person transporting device 1, 11. The counterpressure device 30 has a plurality of counterpressure rollers 31 to 36. Each of the counterpressure rollers 31 to 36 has a roller axle 43 (only one provided with reference numerals). The roller axles 43 of the counterpressure rollers 31 to 36 are all arranged in a plane parallel to the central longitudinal axis M-M of the handrail 3 and adjacent to one another in a guide frame 37 of the counterpressure device 30.

[0042] The guide frame 37 has two cheeks 38, 39 which are configured mirror-symmetrically to the central longitudinal axis M-M of the handrail 3 and which are connected together by means of two spacer bolts 40, 41. Linear guides 42 which are configured as slots are present in the two cheeks 38, 39, wherein due to the perspective view only the linear guides 42 of one of the two cheeks 38, 39 may be seen.

[0043] The ends of each roller axle 43 extend through two linear guides 42 and/or slots 42 of the guide frame 37 opposing one another, so that the counterpressure rollers 31 to 36 are guided by means of the linear guides 42 in a linear manner. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the linear guides 42 and/or slots 42 extend to their greatest extent at right angles to the central longitudinal axis M-M.

[0044] The central longitudinal axis M-M also denotes the longitudinal extent and the linear running direction of the handrail 3 in the travel zone D and/or conveying zone D of the handrail drive 20. However, it is also possible to select an angled arrangement of the linear guides 42, deviating from a right angle relative to the central longitudinal axis M-M of the handrail 3. Logically, the linear guide 42 should be not arranged parallel to the central longitudinal axis M-M.

[0045] Additionally a spring receiver 44 is configured on the guide frame 37 of the counterpressure device 30, through which spring receiver 44 a loading device 45 is able to be arranged at a predetermined angle to the linear running direction and/or to the central longitudinal axis M-M of the handrail 3. In the present exemplary embodiment, the loading device 45 has a helical compression spring as a loading element 46. Naturally, also a gas compression spring, a disc spring unit, a block of resilient material, such as for example rubber and the like, may be used as a loading element 46. In the present exemplary embodiment, the loading device 45 and/or the central longitudinal axis of the loading element 46 thereof are arranged parallel to the running direction of the handrail 3.

[0046] Additionally it may be seen that the first ends 47 of the flexible pulling means 48 are fastened to the spacer bolts 40, 41. The second ends 49 thereof are connected to the loading device 45. The flexible pulling means 48 are mainly arranged between the cheeks 38, 39 and the front faces 52 of the counterpressure rollers 31 to 36 and are partially looped around the roller axles 43 of the counterpressure rollers 31 to 36 and deflection devices 50 fastened to the cheeks 38, 39. The arrangement of the flexible pulling means 48 is described in more detail below in connection with FIGS. 4 and 5.

[0047] Naturally, further possibilities for arranging the flexible pulling means 48 in the counterpressure device 30 are conceivable. For example, the counterpressure rollers 31 to 36 in each case may be divided into two narrow counterpressure rollers, arranged spaced apart from one another on their assigned roller axles 43. By the intermediate space thus produced, which makes the center of the roller axle 43 accessible, the flexible pulling means 48 may be arranged between the two narrow counterpressure rollers and connected to the roller axle 43.

[0048] The handrail drive 20 further comprises a drive unit 70, the housing 71 and a drive belt disk 72 thereof being substantially visible. The drive belt disc 72 may be connected to a motor, not shown. The drive torque transmitted from the motor to the drive belt disk 72 is transmitted by means of a shaft 73 to a drive wheel 74 shown in FIG. 5.

[0049] Connecting lugs 51, 75 are configured both on the housing 71 of the drive unit 70 and on the guide frame 37 of the counterpressure device 30, the drive unit 70 being able to be connected thereby to the counterpressure device 30 by means of a few screws 76. This significantly facilitates the replacement of the handrail 3 in the case of maintenance, since the counterpressure device 30 may be easily detached from the drive unit 70, the old handrail 3 removed from the travel zone D, the new handrail 3 inserted into the travel zone D and the counterpressure device 30 again tightly screwed to the drive unit 70. Instead of the screws 76, naturally other fastening means may also be used.

[0050] The cross section X-X of the counterpressure device shown in FIG. 4 shows a further outstanding advantage of the present handrail drive 20. Since the two ends of the roller axles 43 of the counterpressure rollers 31 to 36 on both sides are guided in a linear manner by means of linear guides 42 in the guide frame 37, said ends of the roller axles may oscillate and/or pivot due to the low clearance in the linear guides 42 transversely to the central longitudinal axis M-M (see FIG. 3), as is illustrated in FIG. 4 by the stated angle ε-ε. As a result, the counterpressure rollers 31 to 36 follow every unevenness and/or every difference in thickness of the handrail 3, whereby said handrail does not flex and dirt adhering to the handrail 3 is rolled in to a lesser degree. This has the result that the handrail 3 may be cleaned more easily and the service life thereof is increased.

[0051] In the cross section X-X of the counterpressure device 30 the arrangement of the flexible pulling means 48 between the cheeks 38, 39 and the front faces 52 of the counterpressure rollers 31 to 36 is also visible. The deflection devices 50 arranged on the cheeks 38, 39 protrude only sufficiently far into this intermediate space that they do not come into contact with the front faces 52 of the counterpressure rollers 31 to 36.

[0052] In FIGS. 4 and 5, further parts of the drive unit 70 are also visible. In the housing 71, as shown in FIG. 5, a drive wheel 74 and a tensioning wheel 82 are arranged, a drive belt 77 being arranged thereon in a circulating manner. The drive wheel 74 is rotatably mounted by means of the shaft 73, wherein by means of a wedge 87 the torque of the shaft 73 is positively transmitted to the drive wheel 74. The tensioning wheel 82 is connected to a belt loading device 88, which in the present exemplary embodiment has a disc spring unit as a loading element 89. Naturally in the belt loading device 88 other loading elements 89, such as helical compression springs, tension springs, gas compression springs and the like may also be used.

[0053] Moreover, a plurality of supporting rollers 78 to 81 which support the drive belt 77 are arranged in the housing 71. In FIG. 4, due to the cutting plane X-X, only one supporting roller 81 is shown. In the present exemplary embodiment a V-rib belt 77 and/or poly V-belt 77 is used as the drive belt 77.

[0054] Additionally, the simple and stable construction of the housing 71 of the drive unit 70 by means of two housing cheeks 83, 84 and spacer bolts 85 is visible. The housing 71 is additionally reinforced by the mounted supporting roller axles 86 of the supporting rollers 78 to 81, since these supporting roller axles 86 are fixedly connected to the housing cheeks 83, 84. The supporting rollers 78 to 81 support the drive belt 77 and the part of the handrail 3 located in the travel zone D against the pressing forces F.sub.1 to F.sub.6 of the counterpressure rollers 31 to 36 shown in FIG. 6. FIG. 6 is described in more detail below.

[0055] The present exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 of the handrail drive 20 has a linear travel zone D, i.e. the handrail 3 is not deflected in this travel zone D. As already mentioned above, however, the travel zone D does not necessarily have to be linear. An arcuate travel zone D and thus a deflection of the handrail 3 is achievable in a very simple manner by the rotational axes 86 of the supporting rollers 78 to 81 between the drive wheel 74 and the tensioning wheel 82 not being arranged on a straight line G and/or plane but on an arcuate line B in the housing 71 of the drive unit 70. If required, the local position of the individual linear guides 42 of the counterpressure rollers 31 to 36 also have to be accordingly adapted.

[0056] As already described in connection with FIG. 3, the first ends 47 of flexible pulling means 48 are fastened to the spacer bolts 40, 41. The second ends 49 thereof are connected to the loading device 45. In the present exemplary embodiment, a total of four flexible pulling means 48 (only two visible in FIG. 5) are present, wherein in each case two flexible pulling means 48 are assigned to a first group of counterpressure rollers 31 to 33 and to a second group of counterpressure rollers 34 to 36. By the four flexible pulling means 48, the preloading force FS of the loading device 45 is transmitted to the counterpressure rollers 31 to 36. Naturally, with a corresponding design, the preloading force FS may also be transmitted to all counterpressure rollers 31 to 36 by means of a single flexible pulling means 48. It is also possible that one or two flexible pulling means 48 are assigned to each counterpressure roller 31 to 36.

[0057] The flexible pulling means 48 are arranged in a meandering manner between the first group of counterpressure rollers 31 to 33 and/or the roller axles thereof 43 and the second group of counterpressure rollers 34 to 36 and/or the roller axles thereof 43 and a plurality of deflection devices 50. In this case, the flexible pulling means 48 are partially looped around the roller axles 43 of the counterpressure rollers 31 to 36 and the deflection devices 50. Depending on the positioning of the deflection devices on the cheeks 38, 39 of the guide frame 37, different complementary angles of contact α, β, γ may be produced for the individual roller axles 43. The angle between the two portions of pulling means 48 of the flexible pulling means which lead away from the roller axle 43, around which the flexible pulling means is looped, is denoted as the complementary angle of contact α, β, γ. As may be clearly derived from FIG. 5, the three denoted complementary angles of contact α, β, γ of the counterpressure rollers 34 to 36 differ from one another. By means of these complementary angles of contact α, β, γ a transmission ratio may be fixed for each of the counterpressure rollers 34 to 36, by means of which the preloading force FS is transmitted into a pressing force F.sub.A acting on the handrail 3 from the associated counterpressure roller 34 to 36.

[0058] In order to show this even more clearly, FIG. 6 shows a contact profile, the reference numerals of the individual counterpressure rollers 31 to 36 being plotted on the abscissa F.sub.N thereof. The pressing forces F.sub.A of the individual counterpressure rollers 34 to 36 of the handrail drive 20 acting on the handrail 3 shown in FIG. 5 are plotted schematically on the ordinate thereof. In order to be able to assign the pressing forces F.sub.A to the individual counterpressure rollers 31 to 36, said forces are denoted in FIG. 6 as specific pressing forces F.sub.1 to F.sub.6.

[0059] In the exemplary embodiment shown of FIGS. 3 to 6 the greatest complementary angle of contact α of the counterpressure roller 34 produces the smallest transmission ratio in order to transmit the preloading force FS into the pressing force F.sub.4. Accordingly, the smallest complementary angle of contact γ of the counterpressure roller 36 produces the greatest transmission ratio in order to transmit the preloading force FS into the pressing force F.sub.6. As a result, an ideal contact profile of the counterpressure device 30 may be fixed and/or produced over the entire series of adjacently arranged counterpressure rollers 31 to 36, so that, for example, the pressing force F.sub.A reduces toward the center of the series from one counterpressure roller to another counterpressure roller. Naturally, the pressing force F.sub.A may also increase toward the center of the series.

[0060] The specific pressing forces F.sub.1 to F.sub.6 shown schematically in FIG. 6 are naturally subjected to the frictional forces in the deflection devices 50 and the roller axles 43, around which the flexible pulling means are looped. Due to the present invention, however, these maybe considered together when dimensioning the different angles of contact α, β, γ.

[0061] Although the invention has been described by the illustration of specific exemplary embodiments, it is obvious that numerous further variants may be provided within the knowledge of the present invention, i.e. instead of a plurality of flexible pulling means 48 only one flexible pulling means 48 being used, for example, wherein the two ends thereof are fastened to the guide frame 37 and the center of this flexible pulling means 48 is connected to the loading device 45. The handrail drive 20 according to the invention may be used both in an escalator 1 and in a moving walkway 11. Additionally, a plurality of handrail drives 20 may be arranged in the balustrade base 9, 19 for driving each handrail 3 of the escalator 1 or the moving walkway 11. If the counterpressure device 30 has counterpressure rollers 31 to 36 arranged in an arcuate manner, it may also be combined with a drive device which has an individual large drive wheel, the handrail 3 to be driven being deflected on the circumference thereof.

[0062] In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, the present invention has been described in what is considered to represent its preferred embodiment. However, it should be noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope.