Escalator or moving walkway having an illuminating device for illuminating a transition region

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a passenger transport system in the form of an escalator or a moving walkway. The system can include a stationary access region, a transport belt made up of a plurality of tread units, a transition region in which combing structures of the transport belt adjoin static comb structures of the access region, and an illuminating device having at least one light source for emitting light in the visible spectrum. The illuminating device can be configured such that at least a first portion of the light emitted is focused to predominantly illuminate an elongate transition surface which includes the transition region.

Claims

1. A passenger transport system configured as an escalator or a moving walkway, the passenger transport system comprising: a stationary access region; a transport belt comprising a plurality of tread units arranged along a direction of motion, the transport belt configured to be displaced in a circumferential manner relative to the stationary access region; a transition region in which combing structures of the transport belt adjoin static comb structures of the access region; an illuminating device having at least one light source for emitting light in the visible spectrum, wherein the illuminating device is configured such that at least a first portion of the light emitted by the at least one light source is focused such that it predominantly illuminates an elongate transition surface which includes the transition region including the comb structures and the combing structures of the transport belt which mesh therewith in the region of the comb structures, wherein the transition surface extends transversely to a direction of longitudinal extension of the passenger transport system along an entire exposed width of the transport belt, and wherein the illuminating device further comprises a projection device, the projection configured to project a second portion of the light emitted by the at least one light source onto a projection surface such that at least one symbol selected from a plurality of possible symbols is selectively displayed.

2. The passenger transport system of claim 1, wherein the illuminating device is configured such that the first portion of the light emitted by the at least one light source illuminates at least 80% of the elongate transition surface by.

3. The passenger transport system of claim 1, wherein the elongate transition surface is substantially rectangular.

4. The passenger transport system of claim 1, wherein the elongate transition surface has a length dimension which extends along the entire exposed width of the transport belt and a width dimension which extends perpendicularly to the length dimension, wherein the width dimension is less than 20% of the length dimension.

5. The passenger transport system of claim 4, wherein the width dimension is less than 20 cm.

6. The passenger transport system of claim 1, wherein the illuminating device is configured such that the first portion of the light emitted by the at least one light source illuminates the elongate transition surface with a homogeneity of more than 50%.

7. The passenger transport system of claim 1, wherein the illuminating device is configured to emit light selectively with different light spectra.

8. The passenger transport system of claim 1, wherein the at least one light source is a light-emitting diode.

9. The passenger transport system of claim 1, wherein the illuminating device is arranged on a balustrade to the side next to the transition region.

10. The passenger transport system of claim 1, wherein the projection surface is a partial region on a balustrade.

11. The passenger transport system of claim 1, wherein the projection surface is a partial region on the transport belt.

12. The passenger transport system of claim 1, wherein the projection surface is a partial region on the stationary access region.

13. The passenger transport system of claim 1, wherein the projection device comprises a plurality of masks which are configured to be selectively arranged between the at least one light source and the projection surface, wherein each of the masks is configured to project light passing through as one or more symbols selected from the plurality of possible symbols onto the projection surface.

14. The passenger transport system of claim 1, wherein the projection device comprises a variable mask which is arranged between the at least one light source and the projection surface, wherein the variable mask is configured to variably project light passing through as one or more symbols selected from the plurality of possible symbols onto the projection surface.

15. The passenger transport system of claim 1, wherein the projection device has a displacement mechanism which is configured to displace the projection surface.

16. The passenger transport system of claim 1, wherein the projection device has a focusing device which is configured to selectively project the at least one symbol to be displayed onto projection surfaces that are spaced apart at different distances.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Embodiments of the disclosure will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings; neither the drawings nor the description should be interpreted as limiting the disclosure.

(2) FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through partial regions of a passenger transport system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

(3) 15 FIG. 2 is a top view and an enlarged detailed view of partial regions of a passenger transport system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

(4) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an entrance to a passenger transport system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

(5) The drawings are merely schematic and not true to scale. Like reference signs denote like or equivalent features in the various drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(6) FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show, in a longitudinal sectional view and in a top view, partial regions of a passenger transport system 1, on the basis of which features and properties of a passenger transport system 1 designed according to the disclosure can be explained. The figures only show a partial region near an entrance or exit of the passenger transport system 1. Components of the passenger transport system 1 are shown only schematically, and components that do not appear necessary for an understanding of the embodiment of the passenger transport system 1 according to the disclosure are partially not shown for reasons of clarity. The passenger transport system 1 can be designed as an escalator or moving walkway.

(7) The passenger transport system 1 comprises a stationary access region 3, a transport belt and an illuminating device 7. The stationary access region 3 comprises components such as a floor plate 9 and a comb plate 11, which are fixedly connected to a building. The transport belt 5 has a plurality of tread units 15 arranged one behind the other along a direction of motion 13. In the event that the passenger transport system 1 is an escalator, these tread units 15 are designed as steps, whereas in the case of a moving walkway these tread units 15 are designed as pallets. The tread units 15 are coupled to one another via a conveyor such as a chain 17 and can be deflected on a deflection wheel 19. The entire transport belt 5 can be displaced in a circumferential manner and moves relative to the access region 3. The passenger transport system 1 also comprises two balustrades 21, each with a balustrade base 23 and a handrail 25 running along the balustrade 21.

(8) As shown in the enlarged detail view in FIG. 2, the comb plate 11 has a plurality of teeth 27 which together form a static comb structure 29 of the access region 3. Grooves 31 and projections 33 projecting beyond these grooves 31 are formed on the upwardly directed surface of each of the tread units 15 and together form a combing structure 35 of the transport belt 5. A region in which the combing structure 35 adjoins the static comb structures 29, seen in the direction of motion 13, is referred to herein as the transition region 37.

(9) The illuminating device 7 is arranged in the balustrade base 23 and comprises at least one light source 39. This light source 39 emits light in the visible spectrum. Due to a special configuration of the light source 39 used therein and/or due to optics (not shown) specially configured for this purpose, the illuminating device 7 is configured such that at least a first portion of the light emitted by the light source 39 is directed and focused in such a way that it illuminates predominantly an elongate transition surface 41. This transition surface 41 extends along the transition region 37 and covers it, including the static comb structures 29 provided therein and the combing structure 35 adjoining them.

(10) The transition surface 41 extends transversely to the direction of longitudinal extension of the passenger transport system 1 along an entire exposed width B of the transport belt 5. The exposed width B of the transport belt 5 thus substantially corresponds to the length 1 of the transition surface 41. The transition surface 41 should have an elongate geometry in which a width b is substantially smaller than the length 1 of the transition surface 41, e.g., less than 10% of this length 1, for example. For example, the width b is less than 10 cm. Preferably, the transition surface 41 has a substantially rectangular geometry.

(11) The illuminating device 7 is preferably configured in such a way that the first portion of the light it emits is focused on the transition surface 41 so that at least 80% of this light illuminates this transition surface 41. The illuminating device 7 is also configured to illuminate the transition surface 41 as homogeneously as possible.

(12) The illuminating device 7 also has a projection device 43. This projection device 43 is configured to project a second portion of the light emitted by the light source 39 onto a projection surface 45. In this case, the projection surface 45 can, for example, be part of a balustrade 21 lying opposite the illuminating device 7.

(13) The light should be projected in such a way that at least one symbol 47 from a plurality of possible symbols 47 is displayed on the projection surface 45. For this purpose, the projection device 43 can have one or more masks 49, 51 which are arranged between the light source 39 and the projection surface 45 and suitably transmit or absorb light passing through in order to be able to display the symbol 47. If necessary, a variable mask 51 can be configured with the aid of an LCD unit, for example. A symbol 47 can therefore have the most varied forms. For example, a symbol 47 can be a simple line, surface, or contour that is projected. However, a symbol 47 can also be animated and thus have motions, either by means of displacements in a direction of motion or by means of motions in three-dimensional space. A symbol 47 can also be an entire video or film sequence that is projected using the second portion of the light. A symbol 47 can also be a static or animated hologram which is projected into the access region 3, for example.

(14) The projection device 43 can also have a displacement mechanism 53 with the aid of which the projection surface 45 can be displaced. For example, the displacement mechanism 53 can comprise suitable controllable optics in order to project the symbol to be displayed in a different direction and thus onto a projection surface 45 positioned differently. Furthermore, a focusing device 55 can be provided, with the aid of which the projection device 43 can selectively project the symbol 47 to be displayed in a focused manner onto projection surfaces 45 that are spaced apart at different distances. In the figures, the masks 49, 51, the displacement mechanism 53, and the focusing device 55 are only shown extremely schematically.

(15) FIG. 3 shows an entrance to a passenger transport system 1 in the form of an escalator. To use the escalator, a passenger first crosses the stationary access region 3 having the floor plate 9 and the comb plate 11. The illuminating device 7 produces a bright stripe at the transition between the access region 3 and the transport belt 5 running behind it, in that the transition region 37 is illuminated in a focused manner along the elongate transition surface 41. This light stripe attracts the passenger's attention, so that he recognizes the transition from the stationary access region 3 to the moving transport belt 5 and can step onto the transport belt 5 with appropriate attention.

(16) In addition, further information can be made available to the passenger with the aid of the projection device 43. For example, symbols 47 in the form of projected pictograms 59 can be displayed on a projection surface 45 on a surface of a balustrade 21 opposite the illuminating device 7. Alternatively or in addition, symbols 47 can be displayed in the form of projected lines 57 which can guide the passenger and/or which, for example, based on the color used for the lines, can indicate whether the passenger is located at the entrance or exit of the escalator.

(17) For example, green lines can symbolize that access is possible since it is the entrance to the escalator, whereas red lines symbolize that it is an exit of the escalator and the escalator should thus not be entered at this access region 3. The transition surface 41 can also be illuminated in a corresponding color.

(18) As shown in FIG. 3, the lines 57 can be projected onto the balustrades 21 on both sides of the transport belt 5. These second portions of the light emitted from two sides of the illuminating device 7 also allow holographic representations in the space between the balustrades 21 of the access region 3.

(19) Finally, it should be noted that terms such as “comprising,” “having,” etc., do not preclude other elements or steps and terms such as “a” or “an” do not preclude a plurality. Furthermore, it should be noted that features or steps which have been described with reference to one of the above embodiments may also be used in combination with other features or steps of other embodiments described above. Reference signs in the claims should not be considered limiting.