Abstract
A conveyance element 2 for a belt-driven people conveyor is provided which comprises a first belt connection structure 12 arranged to connect a drive belt 108 to the conveyance element 2, and a second belt connection structure 14 arranged to connect the drive belt 108 to the conveyance element 2. The first and second belt connection structures 12, 14 are arranged such that, when connected, the drive belt 108 passes adjacent to and between the first and second belt connection structures 12, 14.
Claims
1. A conveyance element for a belt-driven people conveyor comprising: a first belt connection structure arranged to connect a drive belt to the conveyance element; and a second belt connection structure arranged to connect the drive belt to the conveyance element; wherein the first and second belt connection structures are arranged such that, when connected, the drive belt passes adjacent to and between the first and second belt connection structures; wherein the first belt connection structure includes a first belt connection member configured to connect the drive belt to the conveyance element; wherein the second belt connection structure includes a second belt connection member configured to connect the drive belt to the conveyance element; wherein the first belt connection member and the second belt connection member are separate elements.
2. The conveyance element of claim 1, wherein the first and/or second belt connection structures are arranged to rotatably connect the drive belt to the conveyance element.
3. The conveyance element of claim 1, wherein the first and/or second belt connection structure extends from a lower edge of the conveyance element.
4. The conveyance element of claim 1, further comprising a first support component arranged to support the conveyance element on a first support track of the people conveyor.
5. The conveyance element of claim 4, wherein the first support component is connected to the first belt connection structure.
6. The conveyance element of claim 4, further comprising a second support component arranged to support the conveyance element on a second support track of the people conveyor.
7. The conveyance element of claim 4, wherein the second support component is connected to the second belt connection structure.
8. The conveyance element of claim 6, wherein the first support component comprises a first belt roller connected to the first belt connection structure via a bearing and the second support component comprises a second belt roller connected to the second belt connection structure via a bushing.
9. A conveyance element for a belt-driven people conveyor comprising: a first belt connection structure arranged to connect a drive belt to the conveyance element; and a second belt connection structure arranged to connect the drive belt to the conveyance element; wherein the first and second belt connection structures are arranged such that, when connected, the drive belt passes adjacent to and between the first and second belt connection structures; the first belt connection structure and the second belt connection structure comprising two pairs of first and second belt connection structures, each pair arranged to connect a drive belt to the conveyance element such that, when connected, each drive belt passes adjacent to and between the first and second belt connection structures with which it is connected to the conveyance element.
10. A belt-driven people conveyor comprising: a plurality of conveyance elements each comprising first and second belt connection structures; and a drive belt connected to the plurality of conveyance elements via the first and second belt connection structures, wherein the drive belt passes adjacent to and between the first and second belt connection structures; wherein the first belt connection structure includes a first belt connection member configured to connect the drive belt to the conveyance element; wherein the second belt connection structure includes a second belt connection member configured to connect the drive belt to the conveyance element; wherein the first belt connection member and the second belt connection member are separate elements.
11. The belt-driven people conveyor of claim 10, further comprising a direct drive system arranged to drive the drive belt so as to propel the plurality of conveyance elements.
12. The belt-driven people conveyor of claim 10, further comprising at least one first support track, wherein each of the plurality of conveyance elements comprises at least one first support component arranged to support the conveyance element on the at least one first support track.
13. The belt-driven people conveyor of claim 12, further comprising at least one second support track, wherein each of the plurality of conveyance elements comprises at least one second support component arranged to support the conveyance element on the at least one second support track.
14. The belt-driven people conveyor of claim 13, with a conveyance path comprising: an inclined region; a landing region; and a transition region between the inclined region and the landing region; wherein the second support track extends substantially in only the transition region.
Description
DRAWING DESCRIPTION
(1) Certain examples of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
(2) FIG. 1 shows a conveyance element in accordance with an example of the present disclosure;
(3) FIG. 2 is a partially exploded view of the conveyance element with belt connection structure;
(4) FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 show various further views of the conveyance element with belt connection structure;
(5) FIG. 6 shows a people conveyor according to an example of the present disclosure;
(6) FIG. 7 is a cross section of the people conveyor;
(7) FIG. 8 shows another view of the people conveyor;
(8) FIGS. 9 and 10 show an inclined region of the people conveyor;
(9) FIGS. 11, 12 and 13 show a transition region of the people conveyor;
(10) and
(11) FIGS. 14 and 15 illustrate a people conveyor with intermediate belt rollers.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
(12) FIG. 1 shows a conveyance element 2 (in this case an escalator step) comprising a tread surface 4 and a front surface 6, which runs from the tread surface 4 to a lower edge 8. Two pairs of belt connection structures, each pair comprising a first belt connection structure 12 and a second belt connection structure 14, extend from the lower edge 8. As explained in more detail below, each pair of first and second belt connection structures 12, 14 is arranged to connect the conveyance element 2 to a drive belt (not shown in FIG. 1). Whilst the conveyance element 2 in FIG. 1 has two pairs of first and second belt connection structures 12, 14 this is not essential. In some (unillustrated) examples, the conveyance element may comprise only one first belt connection structure 12 and one second belt connection structure 14.
(13) The tread surface 4 extends from the front surface 6 to a rear edge 16. Two step rollers 18 are connected to the conveyance element 2 near the rear edge, with one step roller 18 at each side of the rear edge 16 (only one step roller 18 is visible in FIG. 1).
(14) The first and second belt connection structures 12, 14 each comprise a bearing 20 (e.g. a roller bearing). These enable a drive belt (not shown) to be rotatably connected to the conveyance element 2.
(15) FIG. 2 shows a partially exploded view of the conveyance element 2. First belt rollers 24 are connected to the conveyance element 2 via the first belt connection structures 12. Second belt rollers 26 are connected to the second belt connection structures 14. FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 show additional views of the conveyance element 2 with the belt rollers 24, 26 connected.
(16) As can be seen most clearly in FIG. 2, each first belt roller 24 is connected to the first belt connection structure 12 via a first axle 28 (which passes through the bearing 20 of the first connection structure 12) and a belt roller bearing 30 that is positioned between the first belt roller 24 and the axle 28, enabling free rotation of the first support roller 24 and the axle 28. The first belt rollers 24 are held in place with a circlip 32. Similarly, the second belt rollers 26 are connected to the second belt connection structures 14 via second axles 34 and held in place with a circlip 32. The second belt rollers 26 are not, however, connected via a bearing and instead the second belt rollers 26 sit directly on the second axles 34 (i.e. acting as a bushing).
(17) FIG. 2 also shows a belt connection member 36, which is rigidly connected via bolts 38 to the first and second axles 28, 34. An assembled conveyance element 2, with first and second support rollers 24, 26 and belt connection members 36 connected thereto is shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. The belt connection member 36, in conjunction with the first and second belt connection structures 12, 14, may be used to connect the conveyance element 2 to a drive belt (not shown in FIG. 2).
(18) FIG. 6 shows a people conveyor 102 (in this case an escalator) comprising a plurality of conveyance elements 2. The people conveyor 102 comprises a lower landing region 602, an upper landing region 604 and an inclined region 606 located between the landing regions 602, 604. The people conveyor 102 comprises transition regions 608, 610 between the inclined region 606 and the landing regions 602, 604, in which the conveyance elements 2 transition from travelling at an incline to travelling parallel to the ground in the non-inclined landing regions 602, 604.
(19) FIG. 7 shows a side cross-section view of the people conveyor 102. To aid clarity, FIG. 7 shows the people conveyor 102 with only a subset of the conveyance elements 2 connected. Although only one can be seen in the cross section of FIG. 7, the people conveyor 102 comprises two step tracks 104 on which the step rollers 18 of the conveyance elements 2 travel. Similarly, the people conveyor 102 also comprises two first support tracks 106 on which the first belt rollers 24 of the conveyance element 2 travel.
(20) As is shown more clearly in FIG. 8 (described below), each conveyance element 2 is connected to two drive belts 108 (one per pair of first and second belt connection structures 12, 14, with only one belt shown in FIG. 7). Each drive belt 108 is coupled to a drive sprocket 111 of a direct drive system 109, located underneath the upper landing region 604. The drive system 109 comprises one or more drive motors 113 that rotate the drive sprockets 111 (e.g. a shared motor for both sprockets 111 or a separate motor for each sprocket). The rotation of the drive sprockets 111 provides a drive force to the drive belts 108 to propel the conveyance elements 2 along the step and first support tracks 104, 106, thus conveying passengers.
(21) FIG. 8 is another view of the people conveyor 102, showing the front of a conveyance element 2 and a cross section through the step tracks 104 and first support tracks 106. Because each drive belt 108 is connected to the conveyance element 2 via the bearings 20 of the first and second belt connection structures 12, 14, the drive belt 108 is able to rotate relative to the passenger conveyance element 2 about an axis running between the first and second belt connection structures 12, 14 (i.e. perpendicular to the direction of drive but parallel to the tread surface 4).
(22) FIG. 9 provides an alternative view of the people conveyor 102 showing two adjacent conveyance elements 2 connected to drive belts 108. FIG. 10 is a side view of the people conveyor 102 shown in FIG. 9. The step and support tracks are omitted from FIGS. 7 and 8 for clarity. The drive belts 108 each comprise a plurality of teeth 110 (ten per conveyance element 2), for engagement with the drive system 109. The inclined region of the people conveyor 102 is shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. The tread surfaces 4 of the conveyance elements 2 are horizontally oriented.
(23) FIG. 11 shows a front view of the transition region of the people conveyor 102. As in FIG. 8, the conveyance elements 2 are supported on a step track 104 and on first support tracks 106. However, in the transition region the people conveyor 102 further comprises second support tracks 112, on which the second belt rollers 26 of the conveyance element 2 travel. The second support tracks 112 are provided in the transition region to provide additional support to the conveyance elements 2 (via the second belt rollers 26).
(24) FIG. 12 shows an alternative view of the transition region of the people conveyor 102, in this case showing four conveyance elements 2. The conveyance elements are supported on the step tracks 104 and the first and second support tracks 106, 112. FIG. 12 shows how the step tracks 104 and the first and second support tracks 106, 112 curve to provide a smooth transition between the inclined region and the landing region of the people conveyor 102. It can also be seen from FIG. 12 that the second support tracks 112 do not extend beyond the transition region (as the additional support they provide is not required in this example outside of this region).
(25) FIG. 13 is a side view of the transition region of the people conveyor 102. FIG. 13 also shows in more detail the direct drive system 109 comprising the drive motor 113 and the drive sprocket 111. The direct drive system 109 is located beneath the upper landing region 604 of the people conveyor 102 and is thus very space efficient as it does not add to the overall footprint of the people conveyor 102. This is enabled by the use of belts 108 rather than the traditional step chain as the sprocket 111 can be of much reduced size. In this particular example, the sprocket 111 has a diameter of 275 mm and has 22 teeth.
(26) In the examples described above, only one first belt roller 24 and one second belt roller 26 is provided per drive belt 108 per conveyance element 2. However, as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, in some examples intermediate first and second belt rollers 224, 226 may be provided, connected to the drive belt 108 between the first and second belt rollers 24, 26 of adjacent conveyance elements 2 (in this case approximately halfway between first and second belt rollers 24, 26 of adjacent conveyance elements 2). In this example one pair of intermediate first and second belt rollers 224, 226 is provided per conveyance element 2 but further intermediate first and/or second belt rollers may be provided if required. Providing additional belt rollers over which the load of the people conveyor is spread may reduce the forces experienced by each individual belt roller. The intermediate belt rollers 224, 226 may also help to reduce bending forces on the drive belt 108 in the transition regions by reducing the distance between points of support of the drive belt 108. This can be seen when FIG. 15 is compared to FIG. 13, in which no intermediate rollers are provided and the change in direction of the drive belt 108 at each point of support (i.e. each belt roller 24) is more severe.
(27) While the disclosure has been described in detail in connection with only a limited number of examples, it should be readily understood that the disclosure is not limited to such disclosed examples. Rather, the disclosure can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are commensurate with the scope of the disclosure. Additionally, while various examples of the disclosure have been described, it is to be understood that aspects of the disclosure may include only some of the described examples. Accordingly, the disclosure is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.
