PASSENGER CONVEYOR SYSTEM

Abstract

A passenger conveyor system has a conveyor belt with a longitudinal extension in the conveying direction and a balustrade on at least one side of the conveyor belt. At least sections of the balustrade extend laterally adjacent the conveyor belt. The balustrade has at least two balustrade sections. At least one opening for entering and leaving the conveyor belt is located between two successive balustrade sections of the balustrade laterally adjacent the conveyor belt.

Claims

1-13. (canceled)

14. A passenger conveyor device, comprising: a conveyor belt extending along a longitudinal extent in a conveying direction; a balustrade laterally on at least one side of said conveyor belt, said balustrade running, at least in sections, laterally adjacent said conveyor belt; said balustrade having at least two balustrade sections and at least one opening formed between two successive balustrade sections laterally next to said conveyor belt for stepping onto and stepping off said conveyor belt.

15. The passenger conveyor device according to claim 14, wherein said opening is delimited by balustrade ends on said at least two balustrade sections.

16. The passenger conveyor device according to claim 15, further comprising a substantially vertical rod protruding upward beyond said balustrade arranged at one of said balustrade ends.

17. The passenger conveyor device according to claim 15, further comprising a substantially vertical rod protruding upward beyond said balustrade ends at each of said two balustrade ends.

18. The passenger conveyor device according to claim 14, further comprising a guide element arranged on the respective balustrade section that lies in front of said opening in the conveying direction, said guide element running in a direction toward said opening and obliquely away from said conveyor belt, and enclosing an angle from >90° to 160° with said respective balustrade section.

19. The passenger conveyor device according to claim 18, the angle between said respective balustrade section and said guide element lies between 100° and 135°.

20. The passenger conveyor device according to claim 18, the angle between said respective balustrade section and said guide element lies between 105° and 120°.

21. The passenger conveyor device according to claim 18, wherein said opening is delimited by balustrade ends on said at least two balustrade sections and said guide element is arranged at a balustrade end of the respective balustrade section that lies in front of said opening in the conveying direction.

22. The passenger conveyor device according to claim 21, wherein said guide element is arranged directly at said balustrade end of the respective balustrade section that lies in front of said opening in the conveying direction.

23. The passenger conveyor device according to claim 18, which comprises a further guide element arranged on the respective balustrade section being a forward balustrade section that lies behind the opening in the conveying direction, said further guide element extending in a direction toward said opening and obliquely away from said conveyor belt, and enclosing an angle of from >90° to 160° with said forward balustrade section.

24. The passenger conveyor device according to claim 23, the angle between said forward balustrade section and said further guide element lies between 100° and 135°.

25. The passenger conveyor device according to claim 23, the angle between said forward balustrade section and said further guide element lies between 105° and 120°.

26. The passenger conveyor device according to claim 25, wherein said further guide element is arranged in a region of a balustrade end of said forward balustrade section that lies behind said opening.

27. The passenger conveyor device according to claim 26, wherein said further guide element is arranged directly at said balustrade end of said forward balustrade section behind said opening.

28. The passenger conveyor device according to claim 23, wherein said guide element or said further guide element has a form of a U-shaped hoop.

29. The passenger conveyor device according to claim 14, wherein said conveyor belt has curved and straight track sections and said opening is arranged in a straight track section.

30. The passenger conveyor device according to claim 14, which comprises a further balustrade on a side of said conveyor belt opposite said balustrade sections, and a handrail guided along an upper edge of said further balustrade.

31. The passenger conveyor device according to claim 14, wherein said conveyor belt is arranged at an elevated level and a platform is arranged along said opening and at the same elevation level as said conveyor belt.

32. The passenger conveyor device according to claim 31, wherein said conveyor belt is supported on a base and said platform lies at the same elevation level as said base.

33. The passenger conveyor device according to claim 14, further comprising a handrail arranged on at least one of said balustrade sections between which said opening is arranged.

Description

[0030] Further details, features and advantages of the invention result from the following description with reference to the appended drawings, in which preferred embodiments are shown and in which:

[0031] FIG. 1 shows an isometric view of a section of a passenger conveyor device according to the invention, and

[0032] FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the section of the passenger conveyor device according to the invention.

[0033] FIG. 1 shows a section of a passenger conveyor device 1 according to the invention with a conveyor belt 3 which is assembled from a multiplicity of segments 2. The conveyor belt 3 and the passenger conveyor device 1 run along a longitudinal extent 4 in the conveying direction 12.

[0034] On both sides along the conveyor belt 3, the passenger conveyor device 1 has balustrades 6, which are in each case assembled from plate-shaped elements 5. An upper edge 7 of the balustrades 6 lies approximately at the hip height of an adult person of average size.

[0035] One of the balustrades 6 has an opening 8 which is formed between balustrade ends 9a, 9b of two balustrade sections 6a, 6b and extends over the entire height of the balustrade 6, that is to say from the conveyor belt 3 to the upper edge 7 of the balustrade 6. Persons can step onto or step off the conveyor belt 3 to the side through the opening 8.

[0036] A handrail which can be displaced in the conveying direction 12 can be arranged on the upper edge 7 of at least one of the balustrades 6, in particular on the left-hand (in the conveying direction 12 in FIG. 2) balustrade 6, which does not have an opening 8.

[0037] A bar 11 which protrudes vertically beyond the upper edge 7 of the balustrade 6 is arranged at each of the balustrade ends 9a, 9b.

[0038] A guide element 13 in the form of a U-shaped hoop is arranged on the bar 11 on the rear (as viewed in the conveying direction 12) balustrade section 6a or at the balustrade end 9a of said balustrade section 6a. The guide element 13 runs obliquely away from the conveyor belt 3 and in the direction of the other balustrade section 6b which delimits the opening 8, or the balustrade end 9b of said balustrade section 6a. The upper limb of the hoop lies approximately at the level of the upper edge 7 of the balustrade section 6b.

[0039] In the embodiment which is shown, the bars 11 are padded in an upper region. In addition to this, the front (as viewed in the conveying direction 12) bar 11 is padded in a region of the balustrade end 9b. Within the context of the invention, however, the bars 11 can also be padded in other regions or not at all.

[0040] The conveyor belt 3 and the balustrades 6 are arranged at an elevated level on a base 14. A platform 15 which is arranged to the side of the balustrade 6 runs along the opening 8 and substantially at the same level as the conveyor belt 3. As a result, a step is formed between the platform 15 and the adjoining ground next to the conveyor device, which step is remote from the conveyor belt 3, affording persons the possibility of separating the time of stepping onto and stepping off the conveyor belt 3 from that of crossing the step.

[0041] FIG. 2 shows the passenger conveyor device 1 according to the invention in a plan view, only a section of the passenger conveyor device 1 being shown, as in FIG. 1.

[0042] The balustrade 6 which is arranged at the bottom in FIG. 2 has an opening 8 which runs between the two balustrade sections 6a, 6b, in particular between the balustrade ends 9a, 9b of said balustrade sections 6a, 6b, and through which it is possible to step onto and to step off the conveyor belt 3.

[0043] The guide element 13 is arranged at the rear (as viewed in the conveying direction 12) balustrade end 9a and encloses an angle α with the adjoining balustrade section 6a. In

[0044] FIG. 2, the angle α has a magnitude of approximately 135°, with the result that the guide element 13 is directed away from the conveyor belt 3 at an angle of approximately 45°.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 2, the segments 2 of the conveyor belt 3 can have ribs on their surface. The segments 2 can also be of smooth configuration, however.

LIST OF DESIGNATIONS

[0046] 1 Passenger conveyor device

[0047] 2 Segment

[0048] 3 Conveyor belt

[0049] 4 Longitudinal extent

[0050] 5 Plate-shaped element

[0051] 6 Balustrade

[0052] 6a/6b Balustrade section

[0053] 7 Upper edge

[0054] 8 Opening

[0055] 9a/9b Balustrade end

[0056] 10

[0057] 11 Bar

[0058] 12 Conveying direction

[0059] 13 Guide element

[0060] 14 Base

[0061] 15 Platform