Conveying apparatus

Abstract

The invention relates to a transporting apparatus for transporting people, characterized by at least one structure-borne-sound-transmission region, which is acted on directly or indirectly by a structure-borne-sound transducer which is intended to generate vibrations which, when the structure-borne-sound-transmission region is touched by a person, are transmitted as structure-borne sound via the person's body and are audible to the person.

Claims

1. A transporting apparatus for transporting people, comprising one structure-borne-sound-transmission region on the transporting apparatus, which is acted on directly or indirectly by a structure-borne-sound transducer which is adapted to generate vibrations which, when the structure-borne-sound-transmission region is touched by a person, are transmitted as structure-borne sound via the person's body and are audible to the person, and wherein the transporting apparatus is in the form of an escalator, moving walkway, elevator system, or boarding bridge.

2. The transporting apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one structure-borne-sound-transmission region is formed in or on a hand-hold device of the transporting apparatus.

3. The transporting apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the at least one structure-borne-sound transducer is fitted in a stationary manner on a handrail guide.

4. The transporting apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the at least one structure-borne-sound transducer is integrated in a moving handrail of the escalator or in the moving walkway.

5. The transporting apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein an intermediate element is formed between the moving handrail and the structure-borne-sound transducer.

6. The transporting apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one structure-borne-sound-transmission region is formed in or on a moving handrail of the escalator or in the moving walkway.

7. The transporting apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transporting apparatus has structure-borne-sound-transmission regions and regions which do not transmit structure-borne-sound, said regions being distinguishable from one another by appropriate markings.

8. The transporting apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the boarding bridge comprises one of a jet bridge and a cruise ship bridge.

9. A transporting apparatus for transporting people, comprising one structure-borne-sound-transmission region, which is acted on directly or indirectly by a structure-borne-sound transducer which is adapted to generate vibrations which, when the structure-borne-sound-transmission region is touched by a person, are transmitted as structure-borne sound via the person's body and are audible to the person, wherein the transporting apparatus is in the form of an elevator system, and the at least one structure-borne-sound-transmission region is formed in a handrail in an elevator car of the elevator system.

10. A transporting apparatus for transporting people, comprising one structure-borne-sound-transmission region on the transporting apparatus, which is acted on directly or indirectly by a structure-borne-sound transducer which is adapted to generate vibrations which, when the structure-borne-sound-transmission region is touched by a person, are transmitted as structure-borne sound via the person's body and are audible to the person, wherein the transporting apparatus is in the form of an elevator system, and the at least one structure-borne-sound-transmission region is formed in a wall of an elevator car of the elevator system.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a schematic, partly sectional plan view of a preferred embodiment of a transporting apparatus according to the invention, and

(2) FIG. 2 shows a schematic sectional view of a further preferred embodiment of a moving handrail which can be used according to the invention.

(3) In FIGS. 1 and 2, like, or similar, elements are provided with like reference signs.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(4) A particularly preferred embodiment of a transporting apparatus according to the invention is illustrated schematically in FIG. 1. The transporting apparatus is designed here in the form of a moving walkway and is designated as a whole by 100. The moving walkway has a belt conveyor 110, on which people 108 who are being transported stand, and two side walls or balustrades 101, 101, on each of which a moving handrail 102, 102 is formed.

(5) The speed of the moving handrails 102, 102 is coordinated during normal operation, that is to say when people are being transported, with the speed of the belt conveyor 110.

(6) Structure-borne-sound transducers 106 are formed at regular intervals on the underside of the respective moving handrails 102, 102 and move along with the moving handrails 102, 102. From a perspective of FIG. 1, just one structure-borne-sound transducer can be illustrated for each moving handrail. It is, for example, possible for the respective structure-borne-sound transducers to be provided at intervals of, for example, 50 cm or 100 cm or 200 cm in relation to one another in or on the moving handrails 102, 102.

(7) The structure-borne-sound transducers 106 generate vibrations at frequencies which can be transmitted in the form of structure-borne sound through the respective moving handrail 102, 102 to a transporting-apparatus user 108, who is touching the moving handrail 102, 102 with a hand or some other suitable part of his body. The regions of the moving handrails 102, 102 in which structure-borne-sound transducers are formed therefore constitute structure-borne-sound-transmission regions 104. These vibrations are depicted in FIG. 1 symbolically in the form of curves between the structure-borne-sound transducers 106 and the moving handrails 102, 102.

(8) A person 108 being transported uses for example his hand or elbow to touch a structure-borne-sound-transmission region 104 of the moving handrail 102. This contact can give rise to vibrations generated by a structure-borne-sound transducer 106 being transmitted in the form of structure-borne sound via the person's body, in particular via his bones or skeleton, to the ear (inner ear), where the structure-borne sound is perceived in the form of sound or tone.

(9) The respective structure-borne-sound-transmission regions of a moving handrail 102, 102 are expediently marked as such and are therefore evident to a person who is using the transporting apparatus. It is, for example, possible for the structure-borne-sound-transmission regions to be identified using color or haptic means, for example by the moving handrail being ribbed. Between the respective structure-borne-sound-transmission regions, it is thus also possible to provide regions which are not assigned any structure-borne-sound transducers, and in which it is not therefore possible for any structure-borne-sound transmission to take place. A person who is using the transporting apparatus can therefore choose whether he would like to use a structure-borne-sound-transmission function or not.

(10) FIG. 2 shows a detailed sectional view of part of a moving walkway according to a second embodiment. The moving handrail 102 and the side wall 101 are evident. In this exemplary embodiment, rather than being connected to the moving handrail 102 directly, the structure-borne-sound transducer 106 is connected thereto with the interposition of a handrail guide 202 and of an intermediate element 204. The structure-borne-sound transducer or transducers and the handrail guide 202 are of static design here, that is to say they do not move with the moving handrail 102. The handrail guide 202 is formed with a W-shaped profile, via which the intermediate element 204 slides. The intermediate element 204 here moves with the moving handrail 102. The vibrations of the stationary structure-borne-sound transducer 106 are transmitted to the upper side of the moving handrail 102 here from the handrail guide 202 and the intermediate element 204. The structure-borne-sound transducer 106 can be fitted directly on the handrail guide 202, for example at a suitable location of the W-shaped profile, and can cause the same to vibrate. The connection 107, as contained in FIG. 2, serves merely to illustrate the structure-borne-sound transducer 106 to better effect. The handrail guide and intermediate element are produced preferably from a material which has good structure-borne-sound-conducting properties, e.g. a suitable metallic material.

(11) In a further configuration, it is also possible, by means of such an intermediate element, to transmit vibrations from a structure-borne-sound transducer 106 to a larger region of the moving handrail 102 than would be possible if the structure-borne-sound transducer 106 were fitted directly on the moving handrail 102. It is possible, by means of the intermediate elements 202, for the structure-borne-sound-transmission regions to be formed and/or dimensioned in a desired manner.

(12) It should be ensured that the intermediate element is flexible to the extent where it can be adapted, at the ends or curved sections of the moving walkway, to the moving-handrail curvature which is present there. This can be ensured, for example, by the metallic material (e.g. metal plate) from which the intermediate element is formed being appropriately thin and/or narrow.

(13) This preferred embodiment allows straightforward retrofitting of structure-borne-sound transducers in existing transporting apparatuses, and also cost-effective and flexible integration options, since for example the structure-borne-sound transducer 106 need not be coordinated with the dimensions of the moving handrail 102.

(14) It is possible for the structure-borne-sound-transmission regions to be designed with microstructured or nanostructured surfaces, this making it possible to provide for self-cleaning effects. This measure makes it possible to ensure that the structure-borne-sound-transmission regions can always be kept clean, so that a person who is using the transporting apparatus is motivated to touch the structure-borne-sound-transmission regions.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(15) 100 Moving walkway according to the invention 101 Side wall, left-hand 101 Side wall, right-hand 102 Moving handrail 102 Moving handrail 106 Structure-borne-sound transducer, left-hand 106 Structure-borne-sound transducer, right-hand 107 Connection 108 People being transported 110 Belt conveyor 202 Handrail guide 204 Intermediate element