HANDRAIL FOR A PASSENGER TRANSPORT SYSTEM

Abstract

A handrail for a passenger transport system, such as an escalator or a moving walkway, wherein at least one transponder containing at least one piece of information is integrally arranged on the surface or inside the handrail, wherein the transponder is configured such that the at least one piece of information can be transmitted contactlessly from the transponder to a reader, wherein the handrail includes several layers, wherein one of the layers includes a fabric structure, and wherein the transponder is integrated into the fabric structure or rests against or on the fabric structure.

Claims

1.-15. (canceled)

16. A handrail for a passenger transport system, such as an escalator or a moving walkway, comprising: at least one transponder containing at least one piece of information integrally arranged on a surface or inside the handrail; wherein the transponder is configured such that the at least one piece of information can be transmitted contactlessly from the transponder to a reader; wherein the handrail comprises several layers; wherein one of the layers includes a fabric structure; and wherein the transponder is integrated into the fabric structure or rests against or rests on the fabric structure.

17. The handrail according to claim 16, wherein the transponder includes an RFID tag or an NFC tag, and/or wherein the transponder includes a printed circuit board or PCB.

18. The handrail according to claim 16, wherein the at least one piece of information is configured to identify the transponder and/or the handrail.

19. The handrail according to claim 16, wherein the transponder is arranged such that a side of the transponder directed towards an outer side of the handrail is spaced further or by the same distance from the outer side than a side of the fabric structure in which the transponder is embedded, directed towards the outer side upper side of the handrail.

20. The handrail according to claim 19, wherein the outside side of the handrail includes an upper side of the handrail.

21. The handrail according to claim 16, wherein the transponder comprises a data memory or is connected to a data memory; wherein the transponder is configured to receive data and/or commands and to store the data and/or the commands on the data memory; and wherein the transponder is configured to transmit the data contactless from the transponder to the reader.

22. The handrail according to claim 21, wherein the transponder comprises a processing unit or is connected to a processing unit that is adapted to process the received data, and wherein the transponder is configured to allow processed data to be transmitted contactlessly from the transponder to the reader.

23. The handrail according to claim 16, wherein the handrail comprises at least one sensor and/or at least one transducer with evaluation unit, and wherein the sensor and/or the transducer is integrated in the transponder or is connected to the transponder.

24. The handrail according to claim 23, wherein the transducer is analog or digital.

25. The handrail according to claim 16, wherein the transponder has a section of signal-optimizing and/or attenuating material, and wherein the section is arranged adjacent to the transponder and/or is attached to the transponder.

26. A system for monitoring a passenger transport system, comprising: the handrail according to claim 16; wherein the passenger transport system includes an escalator or a moving walkway that includes the handrail; and a data processing device comprising the reader, wherein the data processing device is configured to read the at least one piece of information of the transponder and/or data stored on the transponder via the reader in a contactless manner and to evaluate and/or forward the at least one piece of information.

27. The system according to claim 26, wherein the system further comprises: at least one sensor device configured to detect operational data and/or environmental data, and to forward the data to the transponder and/or the data processing device, and wherein the data processing device is configured to receive and process and/or forward the data from the sensor device.

28. The system according to claim 26, wherein a handrail database is stored on the data processing device or the data processing device is configured to establish a connection to a handrail database, wherein the at least one piece of information includes information about the identity of the handrail, and wherein the data processing device is configured to detect whether the handrail is an original handrail by matching the at least one piece of information about the identity of the handrail with the database.

29. The system according to claim 28, wherein the data processing device is configured to perform or initiate an output of a message and/or a command to prevent the operation of the passenger transport system upon detection of a non-original handrail.

30. A method for monitoring a passenger transport system, comprising: providing the handrail according to claim 16; contactlessly transmitting the at least one piece of information about the identity of the handrail and/or operational data and/or environmental data from the transponder to a data processing device via the reader; and evaluating and/or forwarding the at least one piece of information and/or the operational data by the data processing device.

31. The method according to claim 30, further comprising: acquiring the operational data and/or environmental data by a sensor device; and forwarding the operational data and/or environmental data to the trans-ponder and/or to the data processing device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] Further advantages and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments of the subject matter of the invention with reference to the accompanying figures. The following description serves only to clarify the invention and should not be construed as limiting by it the appended claims to any of the embodiments. Showing

[0044] FIG. 1 is a side view of a system according to the invention with a passenger transport system, a handrail and a data processing device;

[0045] FIG. 2 is a cross-section through a handrail, with an integrated transponder disclosed;

[0046] FIG. 3 is a top view of a section of a cut-open handrail;

[0047] FIG. 4 is a method for monitoring a passenger transport system;

[0048] FIG. 5 is a cross-section through a handrail according to a further embodiment of the invention; and

[0049] FIG. 6 is a section of the handrail from FIG. 5 around the transponder.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0050] FIG. 1 shows a side view of a system according to the invention comprising a passenger transport system 3, a handrail 2 and a data processing device 4. In this embodiment, the passenger transport system 3 comprises two transponders 1, namely an RFID tag 9 and an NFC tag 10. The NFC tag 10 is configured to be able to communicate with a mobile data processing device 8. The data processing devices 4, 8 each comprise a reader with which they can read the transponders 1. Furthermore, it is also conceivable that further data processing devices 4 are provided. In particular, several data processing devices 4 may be connected to each other, in particular contactlessly or by cable, or to mobile data processing devices 8. Furthermore, the data processing devices 4, 8 may send data or commands to the transponders 1 by means of a transmitter. The mobile data processing device 8 may be, for example, a smartphone, a tablet, or a purpose-built device. The RFID tag 9 is configured to communicate with a data processing device 4, which in this case is stationary and attached to the passenger transport system. Further, in this example, the system comprises a sensor device 5 configured to be able to communicate with the data processing device 4. Alternatively, the sensor device 5 may be configured to communicate with one of the transponders 1. In particular, it may be provided that the sensor device 5 communicates with one of the transponders 1 when the transponder 1 is in the vicinity of the sensor device 5 due to the circulation of the handrail 2. Alternatively, it is also conceivable that a sensor is integrated directly into one of the transponders 1. For example, the sensor device 5 may be designed to measure an ambient temperature or a speed of the handrail 2.

[0051] FIG. 2 shows a cross-section of a handrail 2 wherein an integrated transponder 1 disclosed. A top view of a section of the cut-open handrail 2 is shown in FIG. 3. In this illustration, the base body 12 is removed in the area of the transponder 1 to reveal the transponder 1. The transponder 1 is embedded in a fabric structure 7 of the handrail 2, wherein the fabric structure 7 is located below the base body. In this case, the transponder 1 has a dipole antenna 6 whose arms extend laterally from the transponder and are arranged on the surface of the fabric structure 7. Furthermore, a sliding layer 11 is still shown, which serves to slide with low friction on a guide rail of a passenger transport system 3. A reinforcement part 13, preferably a metal strip or a combination of several metal struts, serves to stabilize the handrail, in particular to prevent bending in the transverse direction.

[0052] FIG. 4 shows a method for monitoring a passenger transport system 3. Here, step 101 is the contactless transmission of at least one piece of information about the identity of the handrail 2 and/or of operational data and/or of environmental data from the transponder 1 to a data processing device 4 by means of a reader of the data processing device 4. In step 102, the at least one piece of information and/or the operational data is evaluated and/or forwarded by the data processing device 4. In addition, step 103 includes acquiring operational data and/or environmental data by a sensor device 5. This data is forwarded to the transponder 1 and/or to the data processing device 4 in step 104. If the data is forwarded to the transponder 1, it may be forwarded to the data processing device 4 by performing step 101. The optional step 105 consists of performing an action depending on the operational and/or environmental data.

[0053] FIG. 5 shows a cross-section through a handrail 2 according to a further embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the transponder 1 is embedded in a fabric structure 7, which is arranged between the upper side 14 of the handrail 2 and a reinforcement part 13. The line defined by the dotted reinforcement part 13 corresponds essentially to the neutral axis of the handrail 2. For this purpose, the fabric structure has a punched hole in which the transponder is embedded. An extension of the transponder in a transverse direction Q extending transversely to the longitudinal direction L of the handrail is less than the extension of the reinforcement part in this direction.

[0054] FIG. 6 shows a section of the handrail 2 from FIG. 5 around the transponder 1. Here it can be seen that the transponder 1 has an offset V from the fabric structure 7 towards the top, namely towards the upper side of the handrail 2. This offset V can provide better protection for the transponder 1 and also counteract unraveling of the fabric structure 7 with a layer arranged above the fabric structure.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0055] 1 Transponder [0056] 2 Handrail [0057] 3 Passenger transport system [0058] 4 Data processing device [0059] 5 Sensor device [0060] 6 Dipole antenna [0061] 7 Fabric structure [0062] 8 Mobile data processing device [0063] 9 RFID tag [0064] 10 NFC tag [0065] 11 Sliding layer [0066] 12 Base body [0067] 13 Reinforcement part [0068] 14 Upper side [0069] L Longitudinal direction [0070] Q Transverse direction [0071] V Offset [0072] 101-105 Procedural steps