EP1205419B1 - Step for escalator - Google Patents

Abstract

The travel step for an escalator has a tread step (2) with an arc-shaped connected apron (3), both the step and apron having reinforcement ribs (11) and/or reinforcement tracks on an inner surface. Between an edge area of the step arranged at the front in the direction of travel and a removed edge area of the apron, a connecting structure (4) is provided for connection of the step with a drive device.

Description

The invention relates to a driving position for escalators, comprising a Kick and an adjoining arcuate apron, the kick and the skirt on an inner surface arranged reinforcing ribs and / or Reinforcing rafters for amplifying the gear and have between a front in the direction of travel arranged edge region of the tread and a remote edge region of the skirt a connection structure for Connection of the stage is provided with a drive device, wherein the Drive is made of a casting of light metal.

To promote people in public areas escalators are called Alternatives to passenger lift used. To the escalator step various requirements. The level must be light in weight, stable and stable be insensitive to dirt and damage. The individual stages, which are manufactured and used in large numbers, must be with tight dimensional tolerances, even at Temperature fluctuations are produced.

From EP 945 391 A2 an escalator step is known. The stage will be in one first manufacturing step of glass fiber reinforced plastic in one Injection molding process. To give the single stage the necessary stability give, the step in the rear edge of the kick is transverse to the direction of travel the step reinforced with a hollow metal profile. The metal profile is after the Injection molding process in a further process step in a support structure used and captively secured by clamping pins.

From DE 196 51 585 A1 a generic escalator step is known. At the side edges and at the front edge of the step body is by means of Overextrusion a plastic edge strip attached. The step body points a flange portion which is placed in an injection mold and overmolded can be. The injection mold is made of a molded body, a Gegenformkörper and from the flange of the step body composed. For the plastic injection molding process must therefore three Shaped bodies are brought together with a sufficient sealing force.

From US 5 176 239 is an escalator step with billboards mounted thereon made of plastic material. The webs of the escalator stage are through Machining partially removed. It will be between the in the Edge areas protruding ridges formed an area on which a replaceable billboard made of plastic material can be arranged. over the billboard will be a cover plate made of clear plastic material arranged. The cover plate and the billboard are made using Allen screws detachably attached to the escalator step.

From JP 11 292 441 an escalator step is known, wherein the visible Surface of the kick is made of a material that is grippier than the rest the stage. A plate made with a comb-shaped profile, for example Rubber or synthetic resin is manufactured, with the help of screws or Adhesive attached to the tread.

Based on this prior art, it is an object of the invention, a Specify escalator speed, the lowest possible total weight has and without additional installation effort in a simple Manufacturing process can be produced.

This object is achieved by a driving position for escalators, comprising a Kick and an adjoining arcuate apron, the kick and the skirt on an inner surface arranged reinforcing ribs and / or Reinforcing rafters for amplifying the gear and have between a front in the direction of travel arranged edge region of the tread and a remote edge region of the skirt a connection structure for Connection of the stage is provided with a drive device, wherein the Drive is made of a casting of light metal and the Outside surfaces of the kick and the skirt in an injection molding process Plastic are formed.

Preferred developments of the invention will become apparent from the dependent Claims.

It is advantageous that the driving gear is as insensitive as possible Dirt is and can be easily cleaned. this will achieved in that on the outer surface of the tread in the longitudinal direction of the Escalator extending grooves and webs are formed and that on the Outside surface of the skirt further grooves and webs are formed, wherein the Webs have a full-coverage plastic coating.

It is also advantageous that the driving gear as small a total weight having. This is achieved by placing on the outer surface of the kick in Longitudinal direction of the escalator extending grooves and webs are formed and that further grooves and webs are formed on the outer surface of the skirt, wherein the webs in an injection molding process completely made of plastic are formed. The plastic material for the coating can be chosen be that the outer surface, which is exposed to the greatest wear, easily can be cleaned or even dirt-repellent equipped. The plastic material can be colored in different colors be printed later or in color.

It is also beneficial that the driving gear in a simple procedure can be produced. This is achieved by placing in the casting between the outer surfaces and the inner surfaces of the kick and the apron Passages are formed in the injection molding of the outer surface be injected through to the inner surface with the plastic. The driving speed in a first process step as a casting of aluminum in one Die casting is produced, in the subsequent process step completely absorbed in an injection mold and will at least on the Outer surfaces over-molded with the plastic material.

It is also advantageous that the plastic coating of the gear as possible permanently and as well as possible with the aluminum casting is connected. This is achieved by having in the area of the passages on the inner surface Anchors made of a single casting with the plastic coating on the Outer surface are formed.

Figur 1 eine perspektivische Teilansicht einer erfindungsgemässen Fahrstufe,

Figur 2 eine weitere perspektivische Teilansicht der Fahrstufe von Figur 1,

Figur 3 eine Sicht auf die Fahrstufe von Figur 2,

Figur 4 eine weitere Sicht auf die Fahrstufe von Figur 2,

Figur 5 einen Schnitt durch die Fahrstufe entlang der Linie AA von Figur 4,

Figur 6 einen weiteren Schnitt durch die Fahrstufe entlang der Linie AA von Figur 4 und

Figur 7 einen Schnitt durch ein weiteres Ausführungsbeispiel der Fahrstufe entlang der Linie BB von Figur 4.

An embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the figures. Show it:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective partial view of a driving step according to the invention,

FIG. 2 shows a further perspective partial view of the driving gear of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 shows a view of the driving gear of FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 shows a further view of the driving gear of FIG. 2,

FIG. 5 shows a section through the gear stage along the line AA of FIG. 4,

FIG. 6 shows a further section through the driving step along the line AA of FIG. 4 and FIG

7 shows a section through a further exemplary embodiment of the driving stage along the line BB of FIG. 4.

In Figure 1 and Figure 2 is a speed level 1 for escalators perspective shown. In both figures, only half of a gear 1 is shown. The speed level 1 is, seen in the direction of travel of the escalator, left and right formed mirror-symmetrical with respect to the center line. In FIG. 1, the Level 1 with view on the outer surfaces, d. H. the normal Operating state visible surfaces shown. In Figure 2, the gear 1 is with View of the inner surfaces 5,6, i. the normally invisible surfaces shown. The driving gear 1 consists essentially of a kick 2, a Apron 3 and a connection structure 4. The gear 1 is in a first Process step of the manufacturing process in one piece as a casting Alloy, such as an aluminum alloy produced. The kick 2 consists essentially of a horizontally extending plate on which Longitudinal direction of the escalator on the outer surface grooves 7 and webs 8 be formed. At the step 2 the apron 3 closes behind in the direction of travel on. The skirt 3 is essentially an arcuate plate on which also grooves 9 and webs 10 are formed. When operating the Escalators move the ends of the webs 8 of the tread 2 in the grooves 9 of Apron 3 of each subsequent front and rear speed levels. Hereby becomes ensures that the driving levels remain movable towards each other and that at the same time the gap between two consecutive driving steps made as inaccessible to the user of the escalator. Herewith will ensure that the risk of injury to the user of the escalator excluded as possible. The connection structure 4 essentially serves for connecting the gear 1 with the drive device not shown here the escalator. In Figure 2 is particularly clear how the drive level 1 on the Inner surfaces 5,6 reinforcing ribs 11 has. Together with the Connecting structure 4 serve the reinforcing ribs 11 for the increase of Stiffness of the driving step 1. The webs 8,10 on the outer surfaces of the kick 2 and the skirt 3 are not for increasing the rigidity of the 1st speed required and could be omitted. They only increase the Grip of the outer surfaces and formed between the webs grooves make room for impurities.

In Figure 2 5.6 anchorages 12,13 are visible on the inner surfaces. The Anchors 12,13 are made of plastic material, in a second Process step of the manufacturing process of the 1st speed of the Outer surface through passages 14 described below to the Inner surface 5.6 is injected.

In Figure 3, the gear 1, seen from the side of the escalator, shown. Here are the anchors 12,13 made of plastic material on the inner surfaces 5,6 of the kick 2 and the apron 3 also clearly visible. The Connection structure 4 has for connection to a non-illustrated Endless chain, which is connected to the drive motor, also not shown is, a Achsbuchse 15 and a Achsstumpen 16 on. The connection structure 4 of the speed stage 1 can also be connected to the connection structures of other speed levels be coupled together into a chain-like structure.

In Figure 4, the gear 1, seen on the inner surface 6, is shown. Here is clearly visible as the ends of the webs 8 of the kick 2 in the grooves 9 of the skirt 3 fit.

In FIGS. 5 and 6, the speed stage 1 is cut in sections along the Line AA of Figure 4 shown enlarged. In Figure 5 it can be seen how the Passages 14 with the plastic material from the outer surfaces of the apron. 3 and the tread 2 have been injected to the inner surface 5,6. By the Formation of the anchorages 12,13 on the inner surface 5,6 of the drive level is the plastic coating or the over-extruded plastic mass in addition secured. FIG. 6 shows how the plastic material of the coating can be secured at the end of the kick 2. The coating can, depending on Stress of the coated surfaces, a layer thickness of a few Have tenths of a millimeter to several millimeters.

In FIG. 7, the tread surface of the speed stage 1 is along the line BB of FIG. 4 cut and enlarged shown. In the embodiment of Figure 7 is seen as the webs 8 and the outer surface of the tread 2 completely Plastic material can be produced. The more plastic material for the Coating is used, the more metal can be saved for the drive level and the easier it gets. This will reduce energy consumption reduced for the operation of the escalator. The plastic material can be in the Mass be colored or printed on the visible surfaces in color become. The plastic material can be treated dirt-repellent, so that the escalator can be cleaned more easily.

For the production of the driving step, in a first step, a one-piece Casting made of light metal in a metal die casting mold. The production the die casting mold is much simpler than the previous one Die casting molds for speed steps. After the production of the casting are the Outside surfaces of the kick 2 and the apron 3 flat and still have no webs 8,10 on. Only the passages 14 for the plastic material must be in the Production of the metal die casting mold are taken into account. In the next Process step, the casting is introduced into a plastic injection mold. The plastic injection mold is designed such that at least the Outside surfaces of the driving gear are completely absorbed in the form. Herewith is achieved that the plastic injection mold with the simplest possible Sealing surfaces can be produced. The plastic injection mold is such formed that the plastic material on the side of the outer surfaces of the Trittes 2 and the skirt 3 is supplied. The shape is designed such that the grooves and the webs 8,10 completely formed of plastic material become. The plastic material is injected through the passages 14. The plastic injection mold for the inside of the gear is such formed on the inner surfaces 5,6, the anchors 12,13 Plastic material are formed.

Claims (6)

1. Step (1) for escalators, comprising a tread (2) and an arcuate skirt (3) adjoining the tread (2), the tread and the skirt having reinforcing ribs and/or reinforcing spars arranged on an inner surface for reinforcing the step, and a connecting structure being provided between an edge region of the tread, arranged at the front in the travelling direction, and a remote edge region, for connecting the step to a drive device, and the step (1) having outer surfaces (7, 8, 9, 10) which are visible in the normal operating state and inner surfaces (5, 6) which are not visible, and the inner surface (5, 6) being formed in one piece as a lightweight metal casting with apertures (14), characterized in that the visible outer surfaces (7, 8, 9, 10) are formed over their full surface area from a plastics material which has been extruded over, and in that the plastics material has undetachable anchorages (12, 13), the anchorages (12, 13) being arranged in the apertures (14) from the visible outer surfaces (7, 8, 9, 10) to the non-visible inner surfaces (5, 6) .
2. Step for escalators according to Claim 1, characterized in that grooves (7) and ridges (8) running in the longitudinal direction of the escalator are formed on the outer surface of the tread (2) and in that further grooves (9) and ridges (10) are formed on the outer surface of the skirt (3), the ridges (8, 10) having a plastic coating covering the outer surface of the step on all sides.
3. Step for escalators according to Claim 1, characterized in that grooves (7) and ridges (8) running in the longitudinal direction of the escalator are formed on the outer surface of the tread (2) and in that further grooves (9) and ridges (10) are formed on the outer surface of the skirt (3), at least the ridges being formed completely from a plastics material in an injection-moulding process.
4. Step for escalators according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that formed in the casting between the outer surfaces and inner surfaces of the tread (2) and the skirt (3) are apertures (14), through which the plastics material is injected from the outer surface to the inner surface (5, 6) in the injection-moulding process.
5. Step for escalators according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that anchorages (12, 13) are formed in the region of the apertures (14) on the inner surface in the same moulding operation as the plastic coating on the outer surface.
6. Step for escalators according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the plastics material is coloured with dye pigment.

Images