Escalator having step treads that interengage in the return run

Abstract

An escalator is described that is designed in an installation space-saving manner and can be operated with low wear. The escalator has a plurality of treads and a guide-rail assembly to guide the treads during a return run. Each tread front intermeshing structure and a rear intermeshing structure that are complementarily configured in such a manner that they can meshably engage into one another in the forward run. The escalator is configured such that at least in a central region of the return run moving at an incline, the intermeshing structures of adjacent treads are meshably arranged with each other. As a result, the dimensions of the escalator can be reduced and adjacent treads can mutually guide each other through the meshing engagement.

Claims

1. An escalator comprising: a plurality of treads arranged one after another along a track, each tread of the plurality of treads comprising a tread surface and a riser adjacent to a rear end of the tread surface and running transverse to the tread surface; a guide rail assembly having a chain roller guide rail for guiding chain rollers of the plurality of treads and a idler roller guide rail for guiding idler rollers of the plurality of treads during a forward run of a lower, horizontally running region of the track over a central region of the track that runs at an incline toward an upper, horizontally running region of the track and during a return run moving in the opposite direction; wherein each tread has a front intermeshing structure and a rear intermeshing structure, wherein the front and the rear intermeshing structures are formed complementarily to each other in such a manner that intermeshing structures of adjacent treads oriented toward one another can meshably engage with each other, wherein there is a transition region between the upper, horizontally running region of the track and the central region of the track that runs at an incline, wherein in the transition region of the return run, at least one of the chain roller guide rail and the idler roller guide rail has two curved regions close to the edges of the upper and the central regions of the track having a sharp curvature and an interposed curved region having a gentler curvature, wherein the chain roller guide rail and the idler roller guide rail in the upper horizontally running region of the track are spaced farther apart from each other than in the middle region of the track running at an incline, and wherein the chain-roller guide rail and the idler roller guide rail in the transition region between the upper horizontally running region of the track and the central region of the track running at an incline are designed to run at different curvatures relative to each other, so that adjacent treads guided along the guide rail assembly are guided in such a manner that the front intermeshing structure of a tread is spaced apart from the rear intermeshing structure of the adjacent tread with a gap as long as both treads are moved along the upper horizontally running region of the track, and the front intermeshing structure of the tread is meshably engaged into the rear intermeshing structure of the adjacent tread in a region of the riser in such a manner as to gradually reduce the gap between them in the horizontal direction if the two treads are moved one after another along the transition region in the central region of the track running at an incline.

2. The escalator according to claim 1, wherein each tread comprises a chain roller orthogonally spaced apart from the tread surface close to its front end at a first distance and has a idler roller close to its rear end orthogonally spaced apart from the tread surface at a second distance that is larger than the first distance.

3. The escalator according to claim 1, wherein the chain roller guide rail and the idler roller guide rail in the transition region are designed to run at a different curvatures relative to each other so that a distance between the chain roller guide rail and the idler roller guide rail coming from the upper horizontally running region is first increased and then is gradually reduced further toward the central region running at an incline.

4. The escalator according to claim 1, wherein the chain roller guide rail in the in curved regions has a sharper curvature close to the edge than the idler roller guide rail in the corresponding regions.

5. The escalator according to claim 1, wherein the chain roller guide rail in the interposed curved region has less curvature than the idler roller guide rail in a corresponding region.

6. The escalator according to claim 1 wherein the chain roller guide rail in the interposed curved region is level.

7. The escalator according to claim 1, wherein the chain roller guide rail and the idler roller guide rail in the transition region are designed to run at different curvatures relative to each other, so that a tread, while traversing the transition region coming from the upper horizontally running region, is first moved away with its front intermeshing structure tilted away from the rear intermeshing structure of the adjacent tread and then tilted toward the rear intermeshing structure of the adjacent tread.

8. The escalator according to claim 1, wherein the front intermeshing structure is formed on a forward directed end face of the tread that runs transverse to the tread surface via adjacent ribs and interposed grooves, and the rear intermeshing structure is formed on a rearward directed region of riser via adjacent ribs and interposed grooves.

9. The escalator according to claim 8, wherein the adjacent ribs and interposed grooves of the front intermeshing structure and of the rear intermeshing structure have a conical cross-section in order to support the meshing engagement.

10. The escalator according to claim 9, wherein the conical cross-sections of ribs and grooves have a flank angle between 0.5 and 10.

11. The escalator according to claim 9, wherein the conical cross-sections of ribs and grooves have a flank angle between 1 and 5.

12. The escalator according to claim 9, wherein the conical cross-sections of ribs and grooves have a flank angle of about 3.

13. The escalator according to claim 2, wherein: the chain roller guide rail and the idler roller guide rail in the upper horizontally running region of the track are spaced farther apart from each other than in the middle region of the track running at an incline; and the chain-roller guide rail and the idler roller guide rail in the transition region between the upper horizontally running region of the track and the central region of the track running at an incline are designed to run at different curvatures relative to each other, so that adjacent treads guided along the guide rail assembly are guided in such a manner that the front intermeshing structure of a tread is spaced apart from the rear intermeshing structure of the adjacent tread with a gap as long as both treads are moved along the upper horizontally running region of the track, and the front intermeshing structure of the tread is meshably engaged into the rear intermeshing structure of the adjacent tread in a region of the riser in such a manner as to gradually reduce the gap between them in the horizontal direction if the two treads are moved one after another along the transition region in the central region of the track running at an incline.

14. The escalator according to claim 13, wherein the chain roller guide rail and the idler roller guide rail in the transition region are designed to run at a different curvatures relative to each other so that a distance between the chain roller guide rail and the idler roller guide rail coming from the upper horizontally running region is first increased and then is gradually reduced further toward the central region running at an incline.

15. The escalator according to claim 14, wherein the chain roller guide rail in the in curved regions has a sharper curvature close to the edge than the idler roller guide rail in the corresponding regions.

16. The escalator according to claim 15, wherein the chain roller guide rail in the interposed curved region has less curvature than the idler roller guide rail in a corresponding region.

17. The escalator according to claim 16, wherein the chain roller guide rail and the idler roller guide rail in the transition region are designed to run at different curvatures relative to each other, so that a tread, while traversing the transition region coming from the upper horizontally running region, is first moved away with its front intermeshing structure tilted away from the rear intermeshing structure of the adjacent tread and then tilted toward the rear intermeshing structure of the adjacent tread.

18. The escalator according to claim 17, wherein the front intermeshing structure is formed on a forward directed end face of the tread that runs transverse to the tread surface via adjacent ribs and interposed grooves, and the rear intermeshing structure is formed on a rearward directed region of riser via adjacent ribs and interposed grooves.

19. An escalator comprising: a plurality of treads arranged one after another along a track, each tread of the plurality of treads comprising a tread surface and a riser adjacent to a rear end of the tread surface and running transverse to the tread surface; a guide rail assembly having a chain roller guide rail for guiding chain rollers of the plurality of treads and a idler roller guide rail for guiding idler rollers of the plurality of treads during a forward run of a lower, horizontally running region of the track over a central region of the track that runs at an incline toward an upper, horizontally running region of the track and during a return run moving in the opposite direction; wherein each tread has a front intermeshing structure and a rear intermeshing structure, wherein the front and the rear intermeshing structures are formed complementarily to each other in such a manner that intermeshing structures of adjacent treads oriented toward one another can meshably engage with each other, wherein there is a transition region between the upper horizontally running region of the track and the central region of the track that runs at an incline, wherein in the transition region of the return run, at least one of the chain roller guide rail and the idler roller guide rail has two curved regions close to the edges of the upper and the central regions of the track having a sharp curvature and an interposed curved region having a gentler curvature, wherein the chain roller guide rail and the idler roller guide rail in the transition region are designed to run at different curvatures relative to each other, so that a tread, while traversing the transition region coming from the upper horizontally running region, is first moved away with its front intermeshing structure tilted away from the rear intermeshing structure of the adjacent tread and then tilted toward the rear intermeshing structure of the adjacent tread.

20. An escalator comprising: a plurality of treads arranged one after another along a track, each tread of the plurality of treads comprising a tread surface and a riser adjacent to a rear end of the tread surface and running transverse to the tread surface; a guide rail assembly having a chain roller guide rail for guiding chain rollers of the plurality of treads and a idler roller guide rail for guiding idler rollers of the plurality of treads during a forward run of a lower, horizontally running region of the track over a central region of the track that runs at an incline toward an upper, horizontally running region of the track and during a return run moving in the opposite direction; wherein each tread has a front intermeshing structure and a rear intermeshing structure, wherein the front and the rear intermeshing structures are formed complementarily to each other in such a manner that intermeshing structures of adjacent treads oriented toward one another can meshably engage with each other; wherein there is a transition region between the upper horizontally running region of the track and the central region of the track that runs at an incline, wherein in the transition region of the return run, at least one of the chain roller guide rail and the idler roller guide rail has two curved regions close to the edges of the upper and the central regions of the track having a sharp curvature and an interposed curved region having a gentler curvature; wherein the front intermeshing structure is formed on a forward directed end face of the tread that runs transverse to the tread surface via adjacent ribs and interposed grooves, and the rear intermeshing structure is formed on a rearward directed region of riser via adjacent ribs and interposed grooves; and wherein the adjacent ribs and interposed grooves of the front intermeshing structure and of the rear intermeshing structure have a conical cross-section in order to support the meshing engagement, wherein the conical cross-sections of ribs and grooves have a flank angle between 0.5 and 10.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Embodiments of the present disclosure are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein neither the drawings nor the description are to be interpreted as limiting the present disclosure.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic overview of an escalator.

(3) FIGS. 2 (a), (b) and (c) show a side view of a tread and an enlarged view of both a front and a rear intermeshing structure at a tread surface or riser of the tread.

(4) FIG. 3 illustrates a theoretical sequence of movements occurring during a meshing engagement of treads of a conventional escalator.

(5) FIG. 4 illustrates an intended sequence of movements as treads of an escalator according to an embodiment are meshably brought together.

(6) FIG. 5 illustrates a geometrical configuration of the essential components of an escalator according to an embodiment.

(7) FIGS. 6(a) to (d) illustrate a chronological sequence of treads moving along a return run of an escalator according to an embodiment.

(8) The drawings are only schematic and are not true to scale. Like reference signs refer in different drawings to like or analogous features.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(9) FIG. 1 shows an exemplary escalator 1 by which people can be conveyed, for example, between two levels E1, E2. Escalator 1 has a plurality of treads 3 that are arranged one after another and that can be displaced in a direction counter to movement 6 along a travel path using two closed-loop conveyor chains 5 that are parallel to one another in the horizontal direction (only one is visible in FIG. 1) Each tread 3 is thus mounted close to its lateral end on one of conveyor chains 5. In order to be able to displace conveyor chains 5, escalator 1 provides a drive assembly 19 (which is only very schematically indicated in FIG. 1) having at least partially driven deflection or chain wheels 15, 17. The chain or deflecting wheels 15, 17 as well as additional supporting components of escalator 1 are held in a supporting structure (partially shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, but not illustrated in FIG. 1 for reasons of clarity), which is mostly designed in the form of a framework structure. Escalator 1 further provides a hand rail 21.

(10) Treads 3 are thus moved during an upward conveying operation in the forward run from a lower horizontally running region 9 bordering lower level E1 through a central region 11 running at an incline to an upper horizontally running region 13 bordering the upper level E2 and then moved back in the opposite direction in the return run.

(11) As shown in FIG. 2, each tread 3 has a tread surface 23 that is directed upward during the forward run. Seen in a direction of movement 6, in which tread 3 moves up towards level E2 in the forward run, there is a riser 25 at a rear edge of tread 3 that extends downward transverse to tread surface 23. Tread 3 has a chain roller 27 below its front end and an idler roller 29 below its rear end. Chain roller 27 is thus arranged in a direction orthogonal to tread surface 23 at a smaller distance from tread surface 23 than idler roller 29.

(12) As shown in FIG. 2(b) in a top view rotated 90 with respect to FIG. 2(a), a front intermeshing structure 33 having ribs 35 and interposed grooves 37 is formed at a frontward facing end face 31 running transverse to tread surface 23. A rear intermeshing structure 41 complementary to this, also having ribs 43 and interposed grooves 45, is formed at a rearward facing region 39 of riser 25, as can be seen in FIG. 2(c) in a cutaway view rotated 90 with respect to FIG. 2(a).

(13) During a forward run, treads 3 of escalator 1 are typically guided in such a manner that their front and rear intermeshing structures 33, 41 mesh into one another, meaning meshably engage into each other and thus form a minimizing and meandering gap between adjacent treads 3. During a return run, however, treads 3 on conventional escalators 1 are guided at a sufficient distance from each other as to prevent a meshable engagement of adjacent treads 3 previously deemed to be risky at the very least.

(14) It was previously assumed here that during a return run, meaning in a direction of motion 6 down to the lower level E1, as is shown schematically in FIG. 3, a leading tread 3 and a trailing tread 3 adjacent to this could only be brought together with their front and rear intermeshing structures 33, 41 in a manner, in which the front end face 31 of the trailing tread 3 approaches a rear edge region 47 of forward-running tread 3 from below. In this arrangement, as a theoretical conventional approaching motion using arrow 49 shows in FIG. 3, a front edge region 48 of trailing tread 3, which borders front end face 31, would be moved, first approximately horizontally and then approximately vertically, relative to tread surface 23 of leading tread 3 in its rear edge region 47.

(15) Particularly if guiding mechanisms in escalator 1 develop play over the course of time and can no longer precisely guide treads 3, it may happen that front intermeshing structures 33 on end face 31 no longer fit exactly complementarily into rear intermeshing structure 41 on rear edge region 47 of leading tread 3. In this case, collisions between intermeshing structures 33, 41 can occur, which can result in wear and tear or, in the worst case, in damage to intermeshing structures 33, 41. However, damaged intermeshing structures 33, 41 could collide with, for example, comb plates of the escalator and thus provoke further damage and possibly put at risk the operation of the escalator. Damaged intermeshing structures 33, 41 may also constitute a hazard for passengers, for example, a tripping hazard.

(16) For this reason, allowing adjacent treads 3 from meshably engaging into each other during a return run was heretofore avoided. In addition to an increased space requirement for escalator 1, however, this also caused a lack of guidance of adjacent treads 3 in relation to each other. Because individual treads 3 are not guided by engagement in adjacent treads 3, other guidance mechanisms must therefore generally be provided. For example, guiding rollers such as chain rollers 27 or idler rollers 29 are led along guide rails that have elevations or connection pieces along their lateral edges. However, such restraints can lead to undesired friction losses and/or to a significantly increased wear and tear on guided rollers 27, 29.

(17) It has now been recognized, however, that in the case that adjacent treads 3, 3 in an escalator 1 according to the disclosure are guided in a special manner in a modified approaching motion 51 during their convergence toward each other, and in particular are tilted relative to each other, an essentially risk-free meshable engagement of intermeshing structures 33, 41 can also be produced for treads 3 located in the return run.

(18) A corresponding relative motion of adjacent treads 3, 3 is shown in FIG. 4 using arrow 51. Trailing tread 3 is thus appropriately tilted at first as it approaches leading tread 3, so that its front edge region 48 is displaced vertically and is no longer located below tread surface 23 in leading tread 3, but above rear edge region 47 of tread surface 23 and horizontally behind riser 25 of leading tread 3. Only after such a tilting are trailing tread 3 and leading tread 3 then brought together in such a manner that a gap s between them in an essentially horizontal direction gradually becomes smaller until front intermeshing structure 33 of trailing tread 3 meshably engages into rear intermeshing structure 41 of leading tread 3. Horizontal in this context is to be interpreted broadly and can be interpreted as including directions essentially parallel to that of guide rails 57, 59 (see FIGS. 5 and 6), for example, having a tolerance of 30.

(19) A corresponding relative motion of adjacent tread 3 of an escalator 1 according to the disclosure is shown in FIG. 5 as well as in FIG. 6(a) to (d). In order to be able to clearly recognize the motions of treads 3, illustration of additional structures or components of supporting structure 53, such as chain wheel 17 of escalator 1, that are not relevant for understanding these motions has been omitted.

(20) FIG. 5 as well as FIG. 6(a) to (d) thus represent an upper region of a track of escalator 1 in a chronological sequence, while the treads 3 are guided in direction of motion 6 in the return run from upper horizontally running region 13 into the central region 11 running at an incline. Treads 3 arranged one after another are thus numbered consecutively with letters A to F and, starting from the configuration shown in FIG. 5 or FIG. 6(a), move successively farther left in the following FIGS. 6(b) to (d) in direction of motion 6. FIG. 6(a) thus corresponds to FIG. 5, wherein, in the interest of clarity, some of the names registered in FIG. 5 were omitted.

(21) Each of treads 3 is thus guided in its motion along the travel path using a guide-rail assembly 55. Chain rollers 27 attached at the front of a tread 3 thus each run along chain-roller guide rail 57, while idler rollers 29 attached at the rear of tread 3 are each guided along a traction-roller guide rail 59. In each case, one chain-roller guide rail 57 and one traction-roller guide rail 59 are thus arranged laterally bordering the track, meaning adjacent to one of the lateral edges of tread 3.

(22) Chain-roller guide rail 57 and traction-roller guide rail 59 are separated from each other in a vertical direction H, meaning transverse to their longitudinal direction. In extensive parts of upper horizontally running region 13 and central region 11 running at an incline, chain-roller guide rail 57 and traction-roller guide rail 59 run parallel to each other. Distance H.sub.1 between the two guide rails 57, 59 in the upper horizontally running region 13 is thus significantly larger than distance H2 in central region 11 running at an incline, for example, more than 50% larger, preferably more than twice as large. In this manner, inter alia, a height h of supporting structure 53 in central region 11 running at an incline can be smaller than in conventional escalator 1 so that escalator 1 requires a smaller installation space within a building because of its generally smaller configuration and can also have a lesser weight.

(23) In a transition region 61 that stretches between upper horizontally running region 13 and central region 11 running at an incline and that connects these regions 13, 11, chain-roller guide rail 57 and traction-roller guide rail 59 have significantly differently curved courses. While traction-roller guide rail 59 is curved with a uniform curvature radius R.sub.4, or is at least curved in such a manner that its curvature approximately in the center of transition region 61 assumes a maximum curvature radius R.sub.4, chain-roller guide rail 57 has three different partial regions with different curvatures R.sub.1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3.

(24) A first curved region K.sub.R1 close to the border, bordering transition region 61 at horizontally running region 13, has here a first curvature R.sub.1 that is sharper than curvature R.sub.4 in an associated region of traction-roller guide rail 59, meaning it has a smaller curvature radius than this. This first curved region K.sub.R1 close to the border also preferably spans a sharp bend K, at which the horizontal part of the framework, which forms supporting structure 53, transitions into a part of this framework running at an incline.

(25) An opposing second first curved region K.sub.R2 close to the border, at which transition region 61 abuts central region 11 running at an incline, has a second curvature R.sub.2 that can also be sharper than curvature R.sub.4 in an associated region of traction-roller guide rail 59, but which is at least greater than a curvature R.sub.3 in interposed region of curvature K.sub.Z.

(26) In interposed curved region K.sub.Z, the curvature is substantially gentler than in the two adjacent curved regions K.sub.R1 and K.sub.R2 close to the border and in particular gentler than curvature R.sub.4 of the traction-roller guide rail. Specifically, interposed curved region K.sub.Z can be approximately flat, meaning it has no curvature or has a curvature with an infinite radius of curvature.

(27) In the motion sequence illustrated in FIGS. 6(a) to (d), treads 3 in a return run move from right to left. For each of treads 3 there is a tilting motion, marked in the different figures by an arrow, with which the indicated tread 3 is tilted in the corresponding stage of the sequence of motion because of the guidance of the guide-rail assembly 55.

(28) It can be recognized that one tread 3, such as the tread with the designation C, coming from an upper horizontally running region 13 and traveling into transition region 61 is first tilted counter-clockwise, because in curved region K.sub.R1 close to the border the distance between chain-roller guide rail 57 and traction-roller guide rail 59 is initially increased. However, this distance then decreases again in further travel if tread 3 runs through interposed curved region K.sub.Z. Tread 3 is then tilted clockwise by this. Simultaneously tread 3 is guided by guide-rail assembly 55 in such a manner that it approaches a leading tread 3. A gap s between front end face 31 of the one tread 3 and riser 25 of adjacent tread 3 becomes successively smaller so that intermeshing structure 33 of front edge face 31 approaches intermeshing structure 41 at riser 25 in a horizontal direction and finally meshably engages into it.

(29) During the passage through transition region 61, adjacent treads 3 are thus guided and tilted in such a manner relative to one another and relative to supporting structure 53 that, on the one hand, they do not collide with supporting structure 53, in particular in the region of its sharp bend K. On the other hand, treads 3 are brought closer to each other in an essentially horizontal direction in such a manner that end face 31 of a trailing tread is brought closer to the adjacent tread, especially to its riser 25, not from below, but from behind.

(30) Through this essentially horizontal convergence of intermeshing structures 33, 41 of adjacent treads 3, it can on one hand be achieved that intermeshing structures 33, 41 are brought together relatively slowly, and sufficient time thus remains that these can align themselves to one another if necessary. On the other hand, by virtue of trailing tread 3 with its front intermeshing structure 33 being moved not from below abutting tread surface 23, but horizontally from behind toward riser 25 abutting adjacent tread 3, even in the case in which intermeshing structures 33, 41 are not initially aligned to fit exactly together, the exertion of excessive force on intermeshing structures 33, 41, rollers 27, 29 and guide-rail assembly 55 and, in the worst case, damage to them can be avoided.

(31) As is illustrated in FIG. 2, for supporting the meshable engagement, adjacent ribs 35, 43 and interposed grooves 37, 45 of front intermeshing structure 33 and rear intermeshing structure 41 preferably have a conical cross-section. In this manner, engagement is made significantly easier because the groove width of grooves 37, 45 at end face 31 and at the rearward-facing region of riser 39 is greater and the rib width of ribs 35, 43 is correspondingly narrower. The result is at most a contact of the lateral flanks of ribs 35, 43 of two adjacent treads 3 that align to each other because of the lateral forces that arise during the meshable engagement.

(32) The conical cross-section of ribs 35, 43 and grooves 37, 45 have a flank angle , between 0.5 and 10, preferably between 1 and 5, most preferably of 3. Of course, the two flank angles , can be designed different from each other.

(33) Although the disclosure has been described through the illustration of specific exemplary embodiments, it is clear that countless additional embodiment variants can be created within the context of the present disclosure. The sequence of motion shown in FIGS. 5(a) to (d) is made possible by the shape of chain-roller guide rail 57 designed especially for that purpose and matched to the shape of traction-roller guide rail 59. It is clear from this illustration, however, that instead of chain-roller guide rail 57, traction-roller guide rail 59 can have a design with three different curved regions K.sub.R1, K.sub.R2, K.sub.Z. Clearly, chain-roller guide rail 57 as well as traction-roller guide rail 59 can each have a design with three different curved regions K.sub.R1, K.sub.R2, K.sub.Z to thus achieve the arrangement of intermeshing structures 33, 41 of adjacent treads 3 in a meshably engaged manner via the proposed, special design of guide-rail system 55 at least also in central region 11 of the return run running at an incline.

(34) Finally, it should be noted that terms such as comprising and the like do not preclude other elements or steps, and terms such as a or one do not preclude a plurality. Furthermore, it should be noted that features or steps that 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 characters in the claims are not to be interpreted as being limiting.