JP7263457B2 - Passenger conveyor handrail belt disinfection device and handrail belt disinfection method - Google Patents

Description

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a passenger conveyor handrail belt disinfecting device and a handrail belt disinfecting method.

Passenger conveyors, typified by escalators, are used as means for moving people.

The escalator is provided with endless handrail belts that move synchronously with the steps on both sides of the steps on which users stand. In order to use the escalator safely, it is desirable for users to get on the steps while holding the handrail belt with their hands.

However, users may become infected if handrail belts are not properly disinfected during viral epidemics.

Conventionally, there are a method of spraying a disinfectant on the handrail belt and a method of irradiating the handrail belt with ultraviolet rays for disinfection.

JP 2011-121664 A JP 2019-052021 A JP 2016-132569 A JP 2016-141551 A

However, the method of spraying the handrail belt with the disinfectant has a problem that the user hesitates to grasp the wet handrail belt.

Moreover, in the method of constantly irradiating the handrail belt with ultraviolet rays, there is a problem that deterioration of the handrail belt is hastened by ultraviolet irradiation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a passenger conveyor handrail belt disinfecting device and a handrail belt disinfecting method capable of efficiently disinfecting a handrail belt while suppressing deterioration of the handrail belt.

An embodiment for achieving the above object is installed on a boarding plate near an inlet serving as an entrance for a handrail belt that circulates in conjunction with the running of a passenger conveyor, and irradiates ultraviolet rays toward the handrail belt. 1 is a handrail belt disinfection device with one light source.

In another embodiment, when a user is detected by a user detection sensor installed at the entrance/exit, the first light source installed on the entrance/exit plate near the entrance of the handrail belt detects the handrail. While irradiating ultraviolet rays toward the belt, a second light source installed inside the deck near the inlet portion irradiates ultraviolet rays to the return portion on the back side of the handrail belt, and the user detection sensor detects the user. In this handrail belt disinfection method, the UV irradiation by the first light source and the second light source is stopped when the time from the detection to the time when the user grips the handrail belt elapses.

Explanatory drawing which shows the whole structure of the escalator which concerns on embodiment. FIG. 2 is a side view showing installation positions of a first light source and a second light source in the escalator according to the embodiment; Sectional drawing which shows the installation position of the 2nd light source in the escalator which concerns on embodiment. 2 is a block diagram showing the control configuration of the escalator according to the embodiment; FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the escalator according to the embodiment;

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the overall configuration of the escalator according to the embodiment.

An escalator 1 has a plurality of steps 4 that cyclically move between a lower floor entrance 2 and an upper floor entrance 3. - 特許庁Further, a handrail belt 5 is installed to be gripped by the user, and the handrail belt 5 circulates between the entrance 2 and the entrance 3 in conjunction with the step 4. - 特許庁

The handrail belt 5 moves while being supported by balustrade panels 6 erected on both sides of the step 4. - 特許庁In addition, although the balustrade panel 6 is assumed to be a stainless panel in the embodiment, it may be a glass panel.

An infrared type user detection sensor 7 is installed near the boarding plate F of the boarding gates 2 and 3 . When a user detection sensor 7 detects a user getting on the escalator 1 from the entrances 2 and 3, the escalator 1 starts running and the steps 4 move.

In the embodiment, first light sources 10 are embedded on the right and left sides of the step 4 in the boarding plate F below the inlet portion 8 serving as the doorway of the handrail belt 5 . This first light source 10 and the surface of the boarding plate F are flush with each other, so that they do not interfere with the boarding and alighting of the user. Further, since ultraviolet rays are emitted in the direction of the handrail belt 5 below the inlet portion 8, the user is not exposed to the ultraviolet rays.

Inside the skirt portion 9, a second light source 11 is arranged parallel to the balustrade panels 6 arranged on the left and right sides, and is arranged directly below the handrail belt 5 that moves along the balustrade panel 6. , the return portion 14 on the back side of the handrail belt 5 is irradiated with ultraviolet rays.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the second light source 11 is composed of an inner second light source 11a and an outer second light source 11b. The inner second light source 11a is located in the space S inside the handrail deck supporting the handrail belt 5. As shown in FIG. Also, the panel mounting plate 12a constituting the handrail deck is provided with a light-transmitting hole 13, and the light emitted from the second light source 11a inside the handrail belt 5 passes through the light-transmitting hole 13. 14).

The second light source 11b on the outside is a light source for illuminating the handrail belt back jaw (return portion 14) on the opposite side to the second light source 11a on the inside, and the handrail deck that supports the handrail belt 5. (panel mounting plate 12b).

The first light source 10 and the second light sources 11a and 11b are light sources that emit ultraviolet rays, and emit ultraviolet rays having a wavelength of about 222 nm. Ultraviolet rays with a wavelength of around 222 nm can be used for disinfection (viricidal, sterilizing) without causing abnormalities in the human body.

As a result, the handrail belt 5 can be disinfected by irradiating the handrail belt 5 with ultraviolet light emitted from the first light source 10 and the second light sources 11a and 11b.

Also, the first light source 10 and the second light sources 11a and 11b start irradiating ultraviolet rays when the user detection sensor 7 provided for starting the operation of the escalator 1 detects a user.

Also, the moving distance of the handrail belt 5 from the inlet portion 8 to the position where the passenger grabs the handrail belt 5 is about 1000 mm to 1200 mm. Also, the time from when the user is detected until the user grabs the handrail belt 5 is about 2 seconds, considering the walking speed of the user. In about 2 seconds, the handrail belt 5 moves 1000 mm when the running speed of the escalator 1 is 30 m/min, because the speed is 500 mm per second. If the escalator 1 is running at 30 m/min, the first light source 10 and the second light sources 11a and 11b irradiate ultraviolet rays for one second. The range in which the handrail belt 5 can be irradiated with ultraviolet rays is a value obtained by adding the length of the light source to 500 mm. According to such calculation results, irradiation is started when the user detection sensor 7 detects the user, and the position where the user grips the handrail belt 5 can be disinfected by irradiation for one second.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to irradiate UV rays with a pinpoint toward the position where the user grabs the handrail belt 5 when getting on the escalator 1 .

Next, the handrail belt disinfecting device and disinfecting method of the embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG.

As shown in FIG. 4, the handrail belt disinfecting device of the present embodiment is composed of an escalator control device 20. As shown in FIG.

The escalator control device 20 includes a control section 21 , a drive command output section 22 and a timer 23 .

The control unit 21 is composed of a computer that controls the escalator 1 in an integrated manner. When the user detection sensor 7 detects a user, the drive command output unit 22 outputs a run command to the drive device 30 to start running the escalator 1. outputs an ultraviolet irradiation command to irradiate the handrail belt 5 with ultraviolet rays from the first light source 10 and the second light source 11. The timer 23 sets the irradiation time of the ultraviolet rays in advance based on the calculation result described above. It should be noted that the irradiation time set in the timer 23 can be changed according to the usage status of the escalator 1 .

In the flowchart of FIG. 5, when the user detection sensor 7 detects the user (step S1 YES), the escalator 1 starts running, and the steps 4 and the handrail belt 5 circulate between the entrance 2 and the entrance 3. (step S2).

As the user detection sensor 7 detects the user, the drive command output unit 22 outputs an ultraviolet irradiation command to the light source control circuit 40 . As a result, ultraviolet light is emitted from the first light source 10 and the second light source 11 toward the handrail belt 5 (step S3).

Based on the time counted by the timer 23, the UV irradiation continues until the user grips the handrail belt 5 (step S4). When the user grips the handrail belt 5, the ultraviolet irradiation from the first light source 10 and the second light source 11 is stopped (step S5).

Further, when the user detection sensor 7 continuously detects the user, the ultraviolet irradiation is continued until the user is not detected.

<Modification>
"This escalator has been disinfected. You can use it with confidence. ] or the like may be displayed near the entrance. In that case, when a user is detected by the user detection sensor 7, a display such as "disinfected" or "disinfecting" may be displayed in a place visible to the user. As a result, the user can grip the handrail belt 5 with peace of mind and use the escalator 1 with peace of mind.

Further, the first light source and the second light source 11a, 11b may always illuminate by changing the setting of the timer 23 according to the usage situation of the escalator 1, such as when the escalator 1 is crowded.

Although the escalator 1 has been described as an example in the above embodiment, it goes without saying that the present invention can be widely applied to passenger conveyors such as moving walkways.

Although several embodiments of the invention have been described above, these embodiments are presented by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the scope of the invention described in the claims and equivalents thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Escalator (passenger conveyor), 2, 3... Entrance/exit, 4... Step, 5... Handrail belt, 6... Balustrade panel, 7... User detection sensor, 8... Inlet part, 9... Skirt part, 10... 1st 11 second light source 11a second light source (inner side) 11b second light source (outer side) 12a panel mounting plate (inner deck) 12b panel mounting plate (outer deck) DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 13... Translucent hole 20... Escalator control apparatus 21... Control part 22... Drive command output part 23... Timer 30... Driving apparatus 40... Light source control circuit F... Boarding board S... Space

Claims (4)

A first light source that is installed on a boarding plate near an inlet portion that serves as an entrance and exit for a handrail belt that circulates in conjunction with the running of the passenger conveyor and that irradiates ultraviolet rays toward the handrail belt,
The handrail belt disinfecting device, wherein the irradiation time of the first light source is the time from when the user is detected at the entrance/exit until the user grips the handrail belt. A second light source installed inside the deck near the inlet portion and irradiating the return portion on the back side of the handrail belt with ultraviolet rays,
The handrail belt disinfecting device according to claim 1, wherein the irradiation time of the second light source is the time from when the user is detected at the entrance to when the user grips the handrail belt. 3. The handrail belt disinfection device according to claim 2, wherein the second light source is installed at two locations inside the deck, an inner deck and an outer deck. When a user is detected by a user detection sensor installed at the entrance/exit, the handrail belt is irradiated with ultraviolet rays from a first light source installed on the entrance/exit plate near the inlet of the handrail belt. with
irradiating ultraviolet rays from a second light source installed inside the deck near the inlet to the return portion on the back side of the handrail belt;
Disinfection of the handrail belt by stopping irradiation of ultraviolet rays from the first light source and the second light source when the time elapses from when the user is detected by the user detection sensor until the user grips the handrail belt. Method.

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