JP7610481B2 - Passenger conveyor and method for controlling passenger conveyor - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to passenger conveyors such as escalators and moving walkways and to methods for controlling such conveyors.

For example, Patent Document 1 describes technology related to passenger conveyors that determines the walking speed of a passenger approaching the entrance of the passenger conveyor, and slows down the moving speed of the steps (moving tread surface) if the determined walking speed is below a predetermined speed, so that even elderly passengers and others can use the passenger conveyor efficiently and safely. According to the technology described in Patent Document 1, when an elderly person or other person with a slow walking speed uses the passenger conveyor, the moving speed of the steps is slowed down, making it easier for even elderly people to step on the steps. This ensures the safety of passengers.

JP 2002-104761 A

However, with the technology described in Patent Document 1, when a passenger whose walking speed is below a certain speed is transported on steps from the boarding entrance to the disembarking entrance of the passenger conveyor, the transport capacity of the passenger conveyor decreases as the moving speed of the steps slows down.

The object of the present invention is to provide a passenger conveyor and a control method thereof that can prevent a decrease in transport capacity while ensuring the safety of passengers.

In order to solve the above problems, for example, the configurations described in the claims are adopted.
The present application includes a number of means for solving the above problems, and one of them is a passenger conveyor including a step moving from a boarding entrance to an unboarding entrance, a walking speed detection unit for detecting the walking speed of a passenger approaching the boarding entrance, a boarding completion detection unit for detecting when the passenger has completed boarding the step at the boarding entrance, and a moving speed control unit for controlling the moving speed of the step in accordance with the walking speed of the passenger detected by the walking speed detection unit. The moving speed control unit decelerates the moving speed of the step from a normal speed when the walking speed of the passenger detected by the walking speed detection unit is slower than a threshold speed, and then accelerates the moving speed of the step to the normal speed when the boarding completion detection unit detects that the passenger has completed boarding the step.

According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress a decrease in transportation capacity while ensuring the safety of passengers.
Problems, configurations and effects other than those described above will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments.

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view showing a configuration example of a passenger conveyor according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a control system of the passenger conveyor according to the embodiment. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling a passenger conveyor according to an embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing changes in the moving speed of steps. 11A and 11B are diagrams for explaining specific examples of a method for controlling the speed of steps and a method for distinguishing passengers. 13A and 13B are diagrams illustrating a specific example of a case where, when the moving speed of the steps is changed, priority is given to a slower moving speed after the change to control the movement of the steps.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In this specification and the drawings, elements having substantially the same functions or configurations are given the same reference numerals, and duplicate descriptions will be omitted.

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing a configuration example of a passenger conveyor according to an embodiment.
As shown in Fig. 1, the passenger conveyor 10 is an inclined passenger conveyor, i.e., an escalator, for transporting passengers 12 between upper and lower floors of a building structure. In this embodiment, the passenger conveyor 10 will be described as an escalator for transporting passengers 12 from a lower floor to an upper floor, i.e., an ascending escalator, but it goes without saying that the present invention can also be applied to a descending escalator or a moving walkway.

The passenger conveyor 10 comprises a frame 14, an endless step chain 16, a lower sprocket 18, an upper sprocket 20, a number of steps 22 for carrying and transporting passengers, and a parapet panel 24.

The frame 14 spans between the lower and upper floors of the building structure. A lower machine room 26 is provided at one longitudinal end of the frame 14, and an upper machine room 27 is provided at the other longitudinal end of the frame 14. The lower machine room 26 is closed by a lower boarding and alighting floor 28, and the upper machine room 27 is closed by an upper boarding and alighting floor 29. In this embodiment, since the passenger conveyor 10 is an upward escalator, the lower boarding and alighting floor 28 is located at the boarding entrance 30, and the upper boarding and alighting floor 29 is located at the alighting entrance 31.

The step chain 16 is a chain for circulating the steps 22. The step chain 16 is wound around the lower sprocket 18 and the upper sprocket 20. The lower sprocket 18 is disposed in the lower machine room 26, and the upper sprocket 20 is disposed in the upper machine room 27. A drive unit 34 and a control device 36 are also disposed in the upper machine room 27. The drive unit 34 is a device that drives the upper sprocket 20 to rotate. The drive unit 34 includes a motor 38, which is a drive source, and a reducer 40 that transmits the driving force of the motor 38 to the upper sprocket 20. The reducer 40 has an output sprocket 42, and a drive chain 44 is wound around the output sprocket 42 and the upper sprocket 20.

Each of the steps 22 is connected to a step chain 16. The steps 22 move while being guided by a pair of left and right rails (not shown). In the range visible to the passengers 12, the steps 22 move from the boarding entrance 30 to the disembarking entrance 31 between the lower boarding/alighting floor 28 and the upper boarding/alighting floor 29. A lower comb plate 35 is provided at one end of the lower boarding/alighting floor 28, located at the boundary between the lower boarding/alighting floor 28 and the steps 22. Passengers 12 boarding the passenger conveyor 10 step over the lower comb plate 35 and get on to the steps 22. Meanwhile, an upper comb plate 37 is provided at one end of the upper boarding/alighting floor 29, located at the boundary between the upper boarding/alighting floor 29 and the steps 22. Passengers 12 disembarking from the passenger conveyor 10 step over the upper comb plate 37 and get off the steps 22. In addition, passengers 12 boarding the passenger conveyor 10 walk on the lower boarding/alighting floor 28 and onto the steps 22, and passengers 12 disembarking from the passenger conveyor 10 step from the steps 22 they were standing on onto the upper boarding/alighting floor 29, and then walk on the upper boarding/alighting floor 29 to leave the passenger conveyor 10.

The balustrade panel 24 is disposed above the frame 14. The balustrade panels 24 are disposed on both sides of the width of the frame 14, one on each side, so as to be located on both sides of the multiple steps 22. A movable handrail 46 is provided on the periphery of the balustrade panel 24. The movable handrail 46 is composed of a handrail, which is an endless belt member. A skirt guard 48 is provided on the lower part of the balustrade panel 24.

In the passenger conveyor 10 configured as described above, when the upper sprocket 20 rotates upon receiving the driving force of the drive unit 34, the driving force is transmitted to the lower sprocket 18 via the step chain 16. As a result, the lower sprocket 18 rotates together with the upper sprocket 20. The step chain 16 also moves cyclically between the lower sprocket 18 and the upper sprocket 20, and the multiple steps 22 move cyclically together with the step chain 16. Meanwhile, the moving handrail 46 moves cyclically at the same speed as the multiple steps 22 by receiving the driving force for movement from the step chain 16.

Here, the passenger conveyor 10 according to this embodiment includes a boarding entrance passenger sensor 51 and an alighting entrance passenger sensor 52. The boarding entrance passenger sensor 51 is a passenger sensor provided on the boarding entrance 30 side. The alighting entrance passenger sensor 52 is a passenger sensor provided on the alighting entrance 31 side. The boarding entrance passenger sensor 51 is a sensor that outputs a signal for detecting the walking speed Vw of the passenger 12 (hereinafter referred to as the "walking speed signal") and a signal for detecting the position of the passenger 12 on the boarding entrance 30 side (hereinafter referred to as the "boarding entrance passenger position signal"). The alighting entrance passenger sensor 52 is a sensor that outputs a signal for detecting the position of the passenger 12 on the alighting entrance 31 side (hereinafter referred to as the "alighting entrance passenger position signal").

The entrance passenger sensor 51 and the exit passenger sensor 52 may be configured with the same type of sensor, or may be configured with different types of sensors. The entrance passenger sensor 51 can be configured with, for example, a microwave sensor, a scanner-type range sensor, an image sensor, etc. Similarly, the exit passenger sensor 52 can be configured with, for example, a microwave sensor, a scanner-type range sensor, an image sensor, etc. In FIG. 1, the detection area of the entrance passenger sensor 51 is indicated by the symbol E1, and the detection area of the exit passenger sensor 52 is indicated by the symbol E2.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a control system for the passenger conveyor according to the embodiment.
As shown in Fig. 2, the passenger conveyor 10 includes the drive device 34, the control device 36, the entrance side passenger sensor 51, and the exit side passenger sensor 52, as described above, as well as an inverter 32. The inverter 32 is a device that controls the rotation speed of the motor 38 (see Fig. 1), which is the drive source of the drive device 34, by changing the frequency of the power supplied to the motor 38. The inverter 32 controls the rotation speed of the motor 38 in accordance with a speed command signal provided by the control device 36. The rotation speed of the upper sprocket 20 and the moving speed of the steps 22 described above are determined by the rotation speed of the motor 38.

The control device 36 includes a walking speed detection unit 60, a boarding completion detection unit 61, an arrival detection unit 63, a disembarking completion detection unit 64, and a moving speed control unit 65. The control device 36 can be configured by a computer. The computer includes hardware resources such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and a non-volatile storage device, and the CPU reads out a program stored in the ROM into the RAM and executes it to realize various processes and functions. Below, the functional units of the control device 36 realized by the computer are described.

The walking speed detection unit 60 is a functional unit that detects the walking speed Vm of the passenger 12 heading toward the boarding gate 30. The walking speed detection unit 60 takes in the walking speed signal output from the boarding gate side passenger sensor 51, and detects the walking speed Vw of the passenger 12 based on this walking speed signal. If the boarding gate side passenger sensor 51 is configured as a microwave sensor, the walking speed signal can be generated by transmitting microwaves from the microwave sensor and receiving the reflected waves obtained when the microwaves hit the passenger 12 and are reflected by the microwave sensor.

The boarding completion detection unit 61 is a functional unit that detects when the passenger 12 has completed boarding the steps 22 at the boarding entrance 30, i.e., when the passenger 12 has completed boarding. The boarding completion detection unit 61 receives the boarding side passenger position signal output from the boarding entrance passenger sensor 51, and detects the completion of the boarding of the passenger 12 based on this boarding side passenger position signal. In this embodiment, as an example, the boarding completion detection unit 61 detects the completion of the boarding of the passenger 12 a predetermined time after the passenger 12 who entered the boarding entrance 30 to board the passenger conveyor 10 leaves the detection area E1 of the boarding entrance passenger sensor 51. The predetermined time depends on the position where the boarding entrance passenger sensor 51 is placed, but is set appropriately within a range of, for example, about 2 to 5 seconds. If the entrance passenger sensor 51 is positioned so that the edge of the detection area E1 of the entrance passenger sensor 51 is located directly above the lower comb plate 35, the boarding completion detection unit 61 will detect the completion of boarding of the passenger 12 when the passenger 12 who entered the entrance 30 moves to a position outside the detection area E1 of the entrance passenger sensor 51.

The arrival detection unit 63 is a functional unit that detects that the passenger 12 riding on the step 22 has reached the pre-alight position P (see FIG. 1), that is, that the passenger 12 has reached the pre-alight position. The arrival detection unit 63 takes in the alighting passenger position signal output from the alighting passenger sensor 52, and detects that the passenger 12 has reached the pre-alight position based on the alighting passenger position signal. The pre-alight position P is set on the near side (upstream side) of the position where the passenger 12 riding on the step 22 intends to step onto the upper boarding/alighting floor 29. The pre-alight position P is set at a position a predetermined distance L upstream in the step movement direction from the position where the upper comb plate 37 is disposed. The predetermined distance L is set to a distance equivalent to the dimension of several steps, for example. In this embodiment, as an example, the arrival detection unit 63 detects that the passenger 12 has reached the pre-alight position when the passenger 12 riding on the step 22 enters the detection area E2 of the alighting passenger sensor 52.

The alighting completion detection unit 64 is a functional unit that detects that the passenger 12, whose arrival at the pre-alighting position P is detected by the arrival detection unit 63, has completed alighting from the steps 22, i.e., that the passenger 12 has completed alighting. The alighting completion detection unit 64 takes in the alighting side passenger position signal output from the alighting side passenger sensor 52, and detects the completion of alighting of the passenger 12 based on this alighting side passenger position signal. The completion of alighting of the passenger 12 means that the passenger 12 has completely moved from the steps 22 on which he/she was standing to the upper boarding/alighting floor 29. In this embodiment, as an example, the alighting completion detection unit 64 detects the completion of alighting of the passenger 12 when the passenger 12, who has stepped from the steps 22 to the upper boarding/alighting floor 29 across the upper comb plate 37, walks on the upper boarding/alighting floor 29 to a position outside the detection area E2 of the alighting side passenger sensor 52.

The moving speed control unit 65 is a functional unit that controls the moving speed of the steps 22. The moving speed control unit 65 controls the rotation speed of the motor 38 of the drive unit 34 via the inverter 32. The moving speed of the steps 22 is determined by the rotation speed of the motor 38. Therefore, controlling the rotation speed of the motor 38 is essentially the same as controlling the moving speed of the steps 22. In this embodiment, as a preferred example, the moving speed control unit 65 is capable of changing the moving speed (m/min) of the steps 22 to three stages: a normal speed Vn, a first speed V1, and a second speed V2. The normal speed Vn is set to, for example, 30 (m/min). The first speed V1 is a speed slower than the normal speed Vn, and is set to, for example, 20 (m/min). The second speed V2 is a speed slower than the first speed V1, and is set to, for example, 10 (m/min).

The travel speed control unit 65 includes a speed setting unit 70, a boarding time memory unit 72, a speed information memory unit 74, a passenger discrimination unit 76, and a speed command unit 78.

The speed setting unit 70 is a functional unit that sets the moving speed of the steps 22 to be applied when the passenger 12 boards and disembarks according to the walking speed Vw of the passenger 12 detected by the walking speed detection unit 60. The speed setting unit 70 compares the walking speed Vw of the passenger 12 detected by the walking speed detection unit 60 with a predetermined threshold speed, and sets the moving speed of the steps 22 based on the comparison result. In this embodiment, as described above, the moving speed control unit 65 can change the moving speed of the steps 22 to three stages, so two threshold speeds are set accordingly. One is the first threshold speed Vsh1, and the other is the second threshold speed Vsh2. The second threshold speed is slower than the first threshold speed. The first threshold speed Vsh1 is set to Vsh1 = 1.3 (m/sec), for example, taking into account the average walking speed of elderly people. The second threshold speed Vsh2 is set to, for example, 0.9 (m/sec), taking into account the average walking speed of people with walking difficulties.

The boarding time memory unit 72 is a functional unit that stores the boarding time when the passenger 12 completed boarding on the step 22 at the boarding gate 30 for each passenger. The boarding time memory unit 72 stores the boarding time of the passenger 12 each time the boarding completion detection unit 61 detects that the passenger 12 has completed boarding. For example, when three passengers A, B, and C board the step 22 at different times, the boarding time memory unit 72 stores the boarding time Ta, which is the time when passenger A completed boarding, the boarding time Tb, which is the time when passenger B completed boarding, and the boarding time Tc, which is the time when passenger C completed boarding. At this time, the boarding time memory unit 72 assigns a unique identifier to each of passengers A, B, and C in the order of boarding. This identifier is used to link (associate) the boarding time stored in the boarding time memory unit 72 and the speed information stored in the speed information memory unit 74 as a set for each of passengers A, B, and C. It is also possible to configure the boarding time storage unit 72 and the speed information storage unit 74 as a single storage unit rather than dividing them into two. In that case, the boarding time and speed information for each of passengers A, B, and C can be stored in table format.

The speed information storage unit 74 is a functional unit that stores speed information on the movement speed of the steps 22 set by the speed setting unit 70 for each passenger. For example, for three passengers A, B, and C, if the movement speed of the steps 22 set by the speed setting unit 70 according to the walking speed of passenger A is the second speed V2, the movement speed of the steps 22 set by the speed setting unit 70 according to the walking speed of passenger B is the first speed V1, and the movement speed of the steps 22 set by the speed setting unit 70 according to the walking speed of passenger C is the normal speed Vn, the speed information storage unit 74 stores the second speed V2 to be applied to passenger A, the first speed V1 to be applied to passenger B, and the normal speed Vn to be applied to passenger C for each passenger A, B, and C. At this time, the speed information storage unit 74 assigns unique identifiers to each passenger A, B, and C in the order of boarding, similar to the boarding time storage unit 72 described above. As a result, for example, for passenger A, the boarding time is stored in the boarding time storage unit 72 and the speed information is stored in the speed information storage unit 74 using the same identifier. Note that the speed information storage unit 74 may store speed information not only for all passengers, but also for passengers whose walking speed is slower than the threshold speed.

The passenger discrimination unit 76 is a functional unit that discriminates passengers 12 who have reached pre-disembarkation position P. For example, when three passengers A, B, and C are on different steps 22 spaced apart in the step movement direction and one of the passengers 12 reaches pre-disembarkation position P, the passenger discrimination unit 76 discriminates which of the three passengers A, B, or C the passenger 12 who has reached pre-disembarkation position P is. In addition, when the arrival detection unit 63 detects that a passenger 12 riding on the steps 22 has reached the pre-alight position P, the passenger discrimination unit 76 predicts the range of travel time required for the passenger 12 who has reached the pre-alight position P to move from the boarding entrance 30 to the pre-alight position P based on the movement speed of the steps 22 before the detection time detected by the arrival detection unit 63 and the movement distance of the steps 22 from the boarding entrance 30 to the pre-alight position P, and calculates a time difference, which is the difference between the detection time detected by the arrival detection unit 63 and the boarding time stored in the boarding time storage unit 72, for each passenger, and discriminates the passenger 12 who has reached the pre-alight position P based on whether or not any one of the calculated time differences is within the range of the travel time.

The speed command unit 78 is a functional unit that outputs a speed command signal to the inverter 32. The speed command unit 78 obtains information regarding the moving speed of the steps 22 to be applied when the passengers 12 board by receiving it from the speed setting unit 70, and obtains information regarding the moving speed of the steps 22 to be applied when the passengers 12 disembark by reading (extracting) it from the speed information storage unit 74. In this embodiment, as an example, the speed command unit 78 obtains information regarding the moving speed of the steps 22 to be applied when the passengers 12 board by receiving it from the speed setting unit 70, but is not limited to this, and may obtain information regarding the moving speed of the steps 22 to be applied when the passengers 12 board by reading it from the speed information storage unit 74.

Figure 3 is a flowchart explaining a method for controlling a passenger conveyor according to an embodiment. This flowchart mainly shows the processing procedure when variably controlling the step movement speed.

First, the control device 36 sets the movement speed of the steps 22 to the normal speed Vn and starts operation of the passenger conveyor 10 (step S1).

Next, the control device 36 judges whether the entrance passenger sensor 51 has detected a passenger 12 (step S2). Specifically, if the passenger 12 has not entered the detection area E1 of the entrance passenger sensor 51, the control device 36 judges NO in step S2, and if the passenger 12 has entered the detection area E1 of the entrance passenger sensor 51, the control device 36 judges YES in step S2 and proceeds to step S3. Whether the passenger 12 in the detection area E1 has entered the entrance passenger sensor 51 can be determined, for example, by inputting the boarding side passenger position signal output from the entrance passenger sensor 51 into the boarding completion detection unit 61 and checking whether the position of the passenger 12 indicated by the boarding side passenger position signal is within the detection area E1.

Next, the walking speed detection unit 60 of the control device 36 captures the walking speed signal output from the boarding entrance passenger sensor 51 and detects the walking speed Vw of the passenger 12 based on this walking speed signal (step S3). Information regarding the walking speed Vw of the passenger 12 detected by the walking speed detection unit 60 is provided from the walking speed detection unit 60 to the moving speed control unit 65 and is captured by the speed setting unit 70 of the moving speed control unit 65.

Next, the speed setting unit 70 executes a speed setting process (step S4) to set the moving speed of the steps 22 to be applied when the passenger 12 boards and disembarks, according to the walking speed Vw of the passenger 12 detected by the walking speed detection unit 60. This speed setting process includes the following two steps S4a and S4b.

First, in step S4a, the speed setting unit 70 determines whether the walking speed Vw detected by the walking speed detection unit 60 in step S3 is slower than the second threshold speed Vsh2. If the walking speed Vw is slower than the second threshold speed Vsh2, the speed setting unit 70 sets the moving speed of the steps 22 to be applied when the passenger 12 boards and disembarks to the second speed V2. If the walking speed Vw is equal to or greater than the second threshold speed Vsh2, the speed setting unit 70 proceeds from step S4a to step S4b.

In step S4b, the speed setting unit 70 judges whether the walking speed Vw is slower than the first threshold speed Vsh1. If the walking speed Vw is slower than the first threshold speed Vsh1, the speed setting unit 70 sets the moving speed of the steps 22 to be applied when the passenger 12 boards and disembarks to a first speed V1 that is faster than the second speed V2. If the walking speed Vw is equal to or greater than the first threshold speed Vsh1, the speed setting unit 70 sets the moving speed of the steps 22 to be applied when the passenger 12 boards and disembarks to a normal speed Vn that is faster than the first speed V1.

Next, the speed command unit 78 variably controls the moving speed of the steps 22 by outputting a speed command signal to the inverter 32 according to the moving speed of the steps 22 set by the speed setting unit 70 through the above speed setting process. Specifically, if the speed setting unit 70 sets the moving speed of the steps 22 to the second speed V2 based on the judgment result of step S4a, the speed command unit 78 decelerates the moving speed of the steps 22 from the normal speed Vn to the second speed V2 (step S5a). Also, if the speed setting unit 70 sets the moving speed of the steps 22 to the first speed V1 based on the judgment result of step S4b, the speed command unit 78 decelerates the moving speed of the steps 22 from the normal speed Vn to the first speed V1 (step S5b). In addition, when the speed setting unit 70 sets the moving speed of the step 22 to the normal speed Vn based on the judgment result of step S4b, the speed command unit 78 shifts from step S4b to step S10 to maintain the moving speed of the step 22 at the normal speed Vn. In steps S5a and S5b, the timing for decelerating the moving speed of the step 22 (hereinafter also referred to as "boarding deceleration timing") is at least earlier than the timing when the passenger 12 steps from the lower boarding/alighting floor 28 to the step 22. The boarding deceleration timing is set, for example, to the timing when the passenger 12 steps forward to a position about 60 cm to 80 cm before the position of the lower comb plate 35. The position of the passenger 12 for determining the boarding deceleration timing may be detected based on the boarding side passenger position signal output by the boarding side passenger sensor 51, or may be detected by a sensor (not shown) provided separately from the boarding side passenger sensor 51.

Next, the boarding completion detection unit 61 monitors the position of the passenger 12 based on the boarding side passenger position signal output by the boarding entrance side passenger sensor 51 (step S6).
Next, based on the monitoring result of step S6, the boarding completion detection unit 61 judges whether or not the passenger 12 has completed boarding onto the steps 22 at the boarding entrance 30 (step S7). If the boarding completion detection unit 61 judges that the passenger 12 has not completed boarding onto the steps 22, the boarding completion detection unit 61 returns to step S6 and continues to monitor the position of the passenger 12. If the boarding completion detection unit 61 judges that the passenger 12 has completed boarding onto the steps 22, the boarding completion detection unit 61 proceeds to step S8.

In step S8, the boarding time memory unit 72 stores the boarding time when the passenger 12 completed boarding the steps 22 at the boarding entrance 30, and the speed information memory unit 74 stores speed information related to the moving speed of the steps 22 set by the speed setting unit 70 through the above-mentioned speed setting process. Note that in this embodiment, as an example, the boarding time and the speed information are stored in one step, but this is not limited to this, and the boarding time and the speed information may be stored separately in two steps.

Next, in step S9, the speed command unit 78 accelerates the moving speed of the step 22 to the normal speed Vn. At this time, if the moving speed of the step 22 applied before the acceleration is the first speed V1, the speed command unit 78 accelerates the moving speed of the step 22 from the first speed V1 to the normal speed Vn. Also, if the moving speed of the step 22 applied before the acceleration is the second speed V2, the speed command unit 78 accelerates the moving speed of the step 22 from the second speed V2 to the normal speed Vh. Note that after the moving speed of the step 22 is decelerated in step S5a or step S5b, for example, if the passenger 12 stops getting on the step 22 and turns back, a predetermined time may pass without the boarding completion detection unit 61 detecting the completion of boarding of the passenger 12. In that case, the speed command unit 78 may return the moving speed of the step 22 to the normal speed Vn when a predetermined time has passed after decelerating the moving speed of the step 22.

Then, the control device 36 judges whether the exit side passenger sensor 52 has detected the passenger 12 (step S10). Specifically, if the passenger 12 riding on the step 22 has not entered the detection area E2 of the exit side passenger sensor 52, the control device 36 judges NO in step S10, and if the passenger 12 has entered the detection area E2 of the exit side passenger sensor 52, the control device 36 judges YES in step S10 and proceeds to step S11. In this embodiment, as described above, when the passenger 12 enters the detection area E2 of the exit side passenger sensor 52, the arrival detection unit 63 detects that the passenger 12 has reached the pre-alight position. Therefore, the process of step S10 is also a process of judging whether the arrival detection unit 63 has detected that the passenger 12 has reached the pre-alight position. Whether or not a passenger 12 has entered the detection area E2 of the exit-side passenger sensor 52 can be determined by inputting the exit-side passenger position signal output from the exit-side passenger sensor 52 into the arrival detection unit 63 and checking whether the position of the passenger 12 indicated by the exit-side passenger position signal is within the detection area E2.

Next, the passenger discrimination unit 76 of the travel speed control unit 65 discriminates the passenger 12 who has been detected by the arrival detection unit 63 as having reached the pre-disembarkation position (step S11). Below, a specific example of how the passenger discrimination unit 76 discriminates the passenger 12 is described.

First, as a premise for the explanation, the detection time when the arrival detection unit 63 detects that the passenger 12 has reached the pre-dismount position in step S10 is Td, and the movement distance of the step 22 from the boarding entrance 30 to the pre-dismount position P is Lm. The movement distance Lm is known information defined by the movement distance from when the step 22 passes through the lower comb plate 35 to when it reaches the pre-dismount position P. In such a case, the passenger discrimination unit 76 predicts the range of movement time required for the passenger 12 to move from the boarding entrance 30 to the pre-dismount position P based on the movement speed of the step 22 before the detection time Td and the above-mentioned movement distance Lm of the step 22. Here, for the sake of simplicity, if it is assumed that the movement speed of the step 22 before the detection time Td is constant at the normal speed Vn, the movement time Tm required for the passenger 12 to move from the boarding entrance 30 to the pre-dismount position P can be calculated by the calculation formula "Tm = Lm / Vn". However, the moving speed of the step 22 before the detection time Td may be decelerated to the second speed V2 in step S5a or to the first speed V1 in step S5b. In that case, the moving time Tm may be calculated taking into consideration the deceleration period from when the moving speed of the step 22 is decelerated to the first speed V1 or the second speed V2 until it is returned to the normal speed Vn. After calculating the moving time Tm in this way, the passenger discrimination unit 76 predicts the moving time range as "Tm±α" by adding a predetermined margin time α to the moving time Tm, taking into consideration the mechanical error of the passenger conveyor 10 and the detection error of the boarding entrance passenger sensor 51 and the disembarking entrance passenger sensor 52. The margin time α depends on the moving speed of the step 22, but is set appropriately within the range of 1 to 3 seconds, for example.

On the other hand, the passenger discrimination unit 76 calculates a time difference between the detection time Td at which the arrival detection unit 63 detects arrival at the pre-alight position and the boarding time stored in the boarding time storage unit 72 for each passenger. For example, when the boarding time Ta of passenger A, the boarding time Tb of passenger B, and the boarding time Tc of passenger C are stored in the boarding time storage unit 72 at the time when the arrival detection unit 63 detects arrival at the pre-alight position, the passenger discrimination unit 76 calculates the above-mentioned time difference for each of passengers A, B, and C. Specifically, for passenger A, the time difference ΔTa between the detection time Td and the boarding time Ta is calculated. For passenger B, the time difference ΔTb between the detection time Td and the boarding time Tb is calculated, and for passenger C, the time difference ΔTc between the detection time Td and the boarding time Tc is calculated. Furthermore, the passenger discrimination unit 76 checks whether any one of the time differences ΔTa, ΔTb, and ΔTc calculated as described above is within the travel time range (Tm±α). Then, if the time difference ΔTa is within the travel time range, the passenger discrimination unit 76 determines that the passenger 12 who has reached the pre-disembarkation position P is passenger A. If the time difference ΔTb is within the travel time range, the passenger discrimination unit 76 determines that the passenger 12 who has reached the pre-disembarkation position P is passenger B, and if the time difference ΔTc is within the travel time range, the passenger discrimination unit 76 determines that the passenger 12 who has reached the pre-disembarkation position P is passenger C. The discrimination result of the passenger 12 by the passenger discrimination unit 76 is notified to the speed command unit 78.
By using the above method, it is possible to identify the passenger 12 who has been detected as having reached the pre-disembarkation position by the arrival detection unit 63. Note that the method of identifying the passenger 12 is not limited to the above method, and other methods may be used.

Then, the speed command unit 78 extracts the speed information stored in the speed information storage unit 74 corresponding to the passenger 12 identified by the passenger discrimination unit 76 in step S11 (step S12). For example, if the passenger 12 identified by the passenger discrimination unit 76 in step S11 is passenger A, the speed command unit 78 extracts the speed information stored in the speed information storage unit 74 corresponding to passenger A. At this time, the speed information corresponding to passenger A is information indicating which of the normal speed Vn, the first speed V1, and the second speed V2 is the moving speed of the steps 22 that should be applied when passenger A boards and disembarks. This is also true for the speed information corresponding to passenger B and passenger C.

Next, the speed command unit 78 variably controls the moving speed of the steps 22 by outputting a speed command signal to the inverter 32 according to the moving speed of the steps 22 indicated by the speed information extracted in step S12 (hereinafter referred to as the "extracted speed"). Specifically, the speed command unit 78 determines whether the extracted speed is the second speed V2 (step S13a). If the extracted speed is the second speed V2, the speed command unit 78 decelerates the moving speed of the steps 22 to the second speed V2 (step S14a). If the extracted speed is not the second speed V2, the speed command unit 78 transitions from step S13a to step S13b.

In step S13b, the speed command unit 78 determines whether the extracted speed is the first speed V1. If the extracted speed is the first speed V1, the speed command unit 78 decelerates the moving speed of the steps 22 to the first speed V1 (step S14b). If the extracted speed is not the first speed V1, the speed command unit 78 returns to step S2. In steps S14a and S14b, the timing at which the moving speed of the steps 22 is decelerated (hereinafter also referred to as the "deceleration timing at disembarking") is at least earlier than the timing at which the passenger 12 steps out from the steps 22 onto the upper boarding and alighting floor 29. The deceleration timing at disembarking is set, for example, to the timing immediately after the passenger 12 on the steps 22 passes the pre-disembarking position P. The position of the passenger 12, which determines the timing of deceleration for disembarking, may be detected based on the disembarking passenger position signal output by the disembarking entrance passenger sensor 52, or may be detected by a sensor (not shown) provided separately from the disembarking entrance passenger sensor 52.

Next, the disembarking completion detection unit 64 monitors the position of the passenger 12 based on the disembarking side passenger position detection signal output by the disembarking entrance side passenger sensor 52 (step S15).
Next, the alighting completion detection unit 64 judges whether or not the passenger 12 has completed alighting from the steps 22 at the alighting entrance 31 based on the monitoring result of step S15 (step S16). If the alighting completion detection unit 64 judges that the passenger 12 has not completed alighting from the steps 22, the alighting completion detection unit 64 returns to step S15 and continues to monitor the position of the passenger 12. If the alighting completion detection unit 64 judges that the passenger 12 has completed alighting from the steps 22, the alighting completion detection unit 64 proceeds to step S17.

In step S17, the speed command unit 78 accelerates the movement speed of the steps 22 to the normal speed Vn. At this time, if the movement speed of the steps 22 applied before the acceleration is the first speed V1, the speed command unit 78 accelerates the movement speed of the steps 22 from the first speed V1 to the normal speed Vn. Also, if the movement speed of the steps 22 applied before the acceleration is the second speed V2, the speed command unit 78 accelerates the movement speed of the steps 22 from the second speed V2 to the normal speed Vh. After step S17, the process returns to step S2. Thereafter, the process of FIG. 3 continues until the operation stop button of the passenger conveyor 10 is pressed. Note that, after the movement speed of the steps 22 is decelerated in step S14a or step S14b, if a predetermined time has passed without the disembarking completion detection unit 64 detecting the completion of disembarking of the passenger 12, the movement speed of the steps 22 may be returned to the normal speed Vn at that time. Additionally, the boarding time and speed information for a passenger 12 whose alighting completion has been detected by the alighting completion detection unit 64 may be deleted from the boarding time storage unit 72 and the speed information storage unit 74 after alighting completion is detected.

In the above-described control method of the passenger conveyor, when the moving speed of the steps 22 is accelerated or decelerated, it is preferable to change the moving speed of the steps 22 at a gentle acceleration or deceleration (negative acceleration) that does not cause the passenger 12 standing on the steps 22 to lose his/her balance. Specifically, for example, as shown in Fig. 4, when the moving speed of the steps 22 is decelerated or accelerated between the normal speed Vn and the second speed V2, it is preferable to control the deceleration and acceleration so that they are both constant at 0.1 m/ ^s2 .

Next, a specific example of a method for controlling the speed of steps and a method for distinguishing passengers based on the flowchart of FIG. 3 will be described with reference to FIG.
5, there are provided columns for case number (No.), passenger detection, data processing, and step speed control. In the case number column, numbers are assigned in sequence starting from 1 according to the passage of time. In the passenger detection column, the results of passenger detection using the boarding entrance passenger sensor 51 or the disembarking entrance passenger sensor 52 are recorded. In the data processing column, the processing contents of the movement speed control unit 65 relating to setting the step movement speed are recorded. In the step speed control column, the control contents of the step movement speed by the movement speed control unit 65 are recorded. Cases 1 to 10 will be described in order below.

(Case 1)
The "passenger detection" field states that the entrance-side passenger sensor 51 detected a passenger C approaching the entrance 30 and detected the walking speed of the passenger C. The "data processing" field states that the walking speed of the passenger C is faster than the first threshold speed Vsh1, and therefore the moving speed of the steps 22 is not switched, i.e., is set to the normal speed Vn. The "step speed control" field states that the moving speed of the steps 22 is maintained at the normal speed Vn.

(Case 2)
The "passenger detection" field indicates that the entrance-side passenger sensor 51 has detected passenger A approaching the entrance 30 and has also detected the walking speed of passenger A. The "data processing" field indicates that the walking speed of passenger A is slower than the second threshold speed Vsh2, and therefore the moving speed of the steps 22 has been set to the second speed V2. The "step speed control" field indicates that the moving speed of the steps 22 has been decelerated from the normal speed Vn to the second speed V2.

(Case 3)
The passenger detection column indicates that the boarding completion of passenger A was detected at time Ta by the entrance passenger sensor 51. The data processing column indicates that the boarding time Ta of passenger A and the second speed V2, which is the moving speed of the steps 22 applied to passenger A in the above case 2, have been stored. The data processing column also indicates that the moving speed of the steps 22 was set to the normal speed Vn upon completion of boarding of passenger A. Therefore, the step speed control column indicates that the moving speed of the steps 22 was accelerated from the second speed V2 to the normal speed Vn.

(Case 4)
The "passenger detection" field states that the entrance-side passenger sensor 51 has detected passenger B approaching the entrance 30 and has detected the walking speed of passenger B. The "data processing" field states that the walking speed of passenger B is faster than the second threshold speed Vsh2 and slower than the first threshold speed Vsh1, and therefore the moving speed of the steps 22 has been set to the first speed V1. The "step speed control" field states that the moving speed of the steps 22 has been decelerated from the normal speed Vn to the first speed V1.

(Case 5)
The passenger detection column indicates that the boarding completion of passenger B was detected at time Tb by the entrance passenger sensor 51. The data processing column indicates that the boarding time Tb of passenger B and the first speed V1, which is the moving speed of the steps 22 applied to passenger B in the above case 4, have been stored. The data processing column also indicates that the moving speed of the steps 22 was set to the normal speed Vn upon completion of boarding of passenger B. Therefore, the step speed control column indicates that the moving speed of the steps 22 was accelerated from the first speed V1 to the normal speed Vn.

(Case 6)
The passenger detection column indicates that the passenger sensor 52 at the exit side detected the arrival of passenger C at the pre-exit position at time Td1. The data processing column indicates that the travel time range (Tm1+α) was predicted based on the travel speed of the step 22 before the detection time Td1 and the travel distance Lm of the step 22 from the entrance 30 to the pre-exit position P. The data processing column also indicates that the difference between the detection time Td1 and the boarding time Ta, and the difference between the detection time Td1 and the boarding time Tb are both outside the travel time range (Tm1+α), and therefore it was determined that there was no corresponding low-speed passenger. The step speed control column therefore indicates that the travel speed of the step 22 was maintained at the normal speed Vn.

(Case 7)
The passenger detection column indicates that the arrival of passenger A at the pre-alight position was detected by the exit side passenger sensor 52 at time Td2. The data processing column indicates that the travel time range (Tm2+α) was predicted based on the travel speed of the step 22 before the detection time Td2 and the travel distance Lm of the step 22 from the boarding entrance 30 to the pre-alight position P. The data processing column also indicates that the difference between the detection time Td2 and the boarding time Ta falls within the travel time range (Tm2+α), so that the passenger 12 who arrived at the pre-alight position was determined to be passenger A, and the travel speed of the step 22 was set to the second speed V2. Therefore, the step speed control column indicates that the travel speed of the step 22 was decelerated from the normal speed Vn to the second speed V2.

(Case 8)
The passenger detection column indicates that the exit-side passenger sensor 52 has detected that passenger A has finished disembarking. The data processing column indicates that the movement speed of the steps 22 has been set to the normal speed Vn as passenger A has finished disembarking. Therefore, the step speed control column indicates that the movement speed of the steps 22 has been accelerated from the second speed V2 to the normal speed Vn.

(Case 9)
The passenger detection column indicates that the arrival of passenger B at the pre-alight position was detected by the exit side passenger sensor 52 at time Td3. The data processing column indicates that the travel time range (Tm3+α) was predicted based on the travel speed of the step 22 before the detection time Td3 and the travel distance Lm of the step 22 from the boarding entrance 30 to the pre-alight position P. The data processing column also indicates that the difference between the detection time Td3 and the boarding time Tb falls within the travel time range (Tm3+α), so that the passenger 12 who arrived at the pre-alight position was determined to be passenger B, and the travel speed of the step 22 was set to the first speed V1. Therefore, the step speed control column indicates that the travel speed of the step 22 was decelerated from the normal speed Vn to the first speed V1.

(Case 10)
The passenger detection column indicates that the exit-side passenger sensor 52 has detected that passenger B has completed disembarking. The data processing column indicates that the movement speed of the steps 22 has been set to the normal speed Vn as passenger B has completed disembarking. Therefore, the step speed control column indicates that the movement speed of the steps 22 has been accelerated from the first speed V1 to the normal speed Vn.

When multiple passengers 12 use the passenger conveyor 10, it is possible that two passengers step onto the steps 22 at the same time, that the entrance passenger sensor 51 detects a passenger 12 at the same time as the exit passenger sensor 52 detects a passenger 12, or that a passenger 12 steps onto the steps 22 at the entrance 30 and another passenger 12 steps off the steps 22 at the exit 31. In such cases, when changing the moving speed of the steps 22 according to the flowchart of FIG. 3, the moving speed control unit 65 controls the moving speed of the steps 22 by giving priority to the slower moving speed after the change. A specific explanation will be given below with reference to FIG. 6.

6, there are provided columns for case number (No.), passenger detection conditions, speed setting candidates, priority processing, and step speed control. The case number column is numbered in order starting from 11 to distinguish each case. The passenger detection conditions column lists the detection results of passengers 12 using the boarding entrance passenger sensor 51 or the disembarking entrance passenger sensor 52 and the detection results of the walking speed of passengers 12. The speed setting candidates column lists setting candidates for the movement speed of the steps 22 based on the processing contents of the movement speed control unit 65. The priority processing column lists which passenger is to be prioritized when the movement speed control unit 65 changes the movement speed of the steps 22. The step speed control column lists the control contents of the movement speed of the steps by the movement speed control unit 65. Cases 11 to 14 will be described in order below.

(Case 11)
The column for passenger detection conditions indicates that the timing when passenger A, detected at the entrance 30 side by the entrance passenger sensor 51, steps on the step 22 at a walking speed less than the second threshold speed Vsh2, and the timing when passenger B, detected at the entrance 30 side by the entrance passenger sensor 51, steps on the step 22 at a walking speed less than the first threshold speed Vsh1 and equal to or greater than the second threshold speed Vsh2, overlap. That is, case 11 assumes a case in which two passengers A and B, who have different walking speeds, step on the step 22 side by side and almost simultaneously. For this reason, the column for speed setting candidates indicates that the moving speed of the step 22 is decelerated from the normal speed Vn to the second speed V2 as a first setting candidate, and that the moving speed of the step 22 is decelerated from the normal speed Vn to the first speed V1 as a second setting candidate. In contrast, the column for priority processing indicates that the one of passengers A and B, whose moving speed after the change is slower, i.e., passenger A, is given priority. Therefore, the step speed control column indicates that the moving speed of the steps 22 has been decelerated from the normal speed Vn to the second speed V2.

(Case 12)
The column "passenger detection condition" indicates that the timing at which passenger A, who entered the steps 22 at a walking speed less than the second threshold speed Vsh2, is detected by the exit-side passenger sensor 52 at the exit 31 side and the timing at which passenger B, who is detected by the entrance-side passenger sensor 51 at the entrance 30 side, enters the steps 22 at a walking speed equal to or greater than the second threshold speed Vsh2 and less than the first threshold speed Vsh1, are coincident. Therefore, the column "speed setting candidate" indicates that the moving speed of the steps 22 is decelerated from the normal speed Vn to the second speed V2 as a first setting candidate, and that the moving speed of the steps 22 is decelerated from the normal speed Vn to the first speed V1 as a second setting candidate. In contrast, the column "priority processing" indicates that the one of passengers A and B, whose moving speed after the change is slower, i.e., passenger A, is given priority. Therefore, the step speed control column indicates that the moving speed of the steps 22 has been decelerated from the normal speed Vn to the second speed V2.

(Case 13)
The column for passenger detection conditions indicates that the timing of passenger A, detected at the entrance 30 side by the entrance passenger sensor 51, stepping on the steps 22 at a walking speed equal to or higher than the second threshold speed Vsh2 and lower than the first threshold speed Vsh1, and the timing of detecting the completion of boarding of passenger B, who has stepped on the steps 22 before passenger A at a walking speed lower than the second threshold speed Vsh2, are overlapped. Therefore, the column for speed setting candidates indicates that the moving speed of the steps 22 is accelerated from the second speed V2 to the first speed V1 as a first setting candidate, and that the moving speed of the steps 22 is accelerated from the second speed V2 to the normal speed Vn as a second setting candidate. On the other hand, the column for priority processing indicates that the one of passenger A and passenger B, whose moving speed after the change is slower, i.e., passenger A, is given priority. Therefore, the column for step speed control indicates that the moving speed of the steps 22 is accelerated from the second speed V2 to the first speed V1. The reason why the speed is accelerated from the second speed V2 in any of the setting candidates is that the moving speed of the steps 22 before acceleration is set to the second speed V2 in accordance with the walking speed (less than the second threshold speed Vsh2) of the passenger B. This point is the same in case 14 described next.

(Case 14)
The column for passenger detection conditions indicates that the timing of passenger A, detected at the entrance 30 side by the entrance passenger sensor 51, stepping on the steps 22 at a walking speed equal to or higher than the second threshold speed Vsh2 and lower than the first threshold speed Vsh1, and the timing of detecting the completion of disembarking of passenger B, who has stepped on the steps 22 before passenger A at a walking speed lower than the second threshold speed Vsh2, are overlapped. Therefore, the column for speed setting candidates indicates that the moving speed of the steps 22 is accelerated from the second speed V2 to the first speed V1 as a first setting candidate, and that the moving speed of the steps 22 is accelerated from the second speed V2 to the normal speed Vn as a second setting candidate. On the other hand, the column for priority processing indicates that the one of passenger A and passenger B, whose moving speed after the change is slower, i.e., passenger A, is given priority. Therefore, the column for step speed control indicates that the moving speed of the steps 22 is accelerated from the second speed V2 to the first speed V1.

Effects of the embodiment
As described above, the passenger conveyor and the control method thereof according to this embodiment provide the following advantages.

In this embodiment, when the walking speed of a passenger 12 approaching the boarding entrance 30 is slower than the threshold speed (first threshold speed Vsh1, second threshold speed Vsh2), the moving speed of the steps 22 is decelerated from the normal speed Vn to a slower speed (first speed V1, second speed V2) before the passenger 12 steps onto the steps 22. This makes it easier for even a passenger with a slow walking speed to step onto the steps 22 at the boarding entrance 30. In addition, in this embodiment, when a passenger 12 whose walking speed is slower than the threshold speed has completed boarding the steps 22, the moving speed of the steps 22 is accelerated to the normal speed. This allows the passenger 12 with a slow walking speed to be transported at the normal speed. As a result, the safety of the passenger 12 can be ensured while suppressing a decrease in transportation capacity.

In addition, the technology described in the above Patent Document 1 does not take into consideration the ease with which passengers can dismount from the steps. In contrast, in this embodiment, when a passenger 12 whose walking speed is slower than the threshold speed gets on the steps 22 and reaches the pre-disembarkation position P, the moving speed of the steps 22 is decelerated from the normal speed Vn to a slower speed (first speed V1, second speed V2) before the passenger 12 disembarks from the steps 22. This makes it easier for even passengers with a slow walking speed to disembark from the steps 22 at the disembarkation entrance 31. Therefore, the safety of the passenger 12 can be ensured not only when the passenger 12 gets on the steps 22, but also when the passenger 12 disembarks from the steps 22.

In addition, in this embodiment, when a passenger 12 whose walking speed is slower than the threshold speed has completed disembarking from the steps 22, the moving speed of the steps 22 is accelerated to a normal speed. This makes it possible to prevent a decrease in transportation capacity while ensuring the safety of passengers 12 whose walking speed is slow when disembarking from the steps 22.

In addition, in this embodiment, when a passenger 12 riding on the steps 22 reaches the pre-disembarkation position P, the movement speed of the steps 22 is controlled according to the speed information stored in the speed information storage unit 74 corresponding to the passenger 12 who has reached the pre-disembarkation position P. Therefore, even if multiple passengers 12 are riding on the passenger conveyor 10, the movement speed of the steps 22 at the time of disembarkation can be appropriately controlled according to the walking speed of each passenger 12.

In addition, in this embodiment, when it is detected that a passenger 12 riding on the steps 22 has reached the pre-alight position P, the range of travel time required for the passenger 12 to move from the boarding entrance 30 to the pre-alight position P is predicted based on the movement speed of the steps 22 before the detection time and the movement distance of the steps 22 from the boarding entrance 30 to the pre-alight position P. Then, a time difference, which is the difference between the detection time at which it is detected that the passenger 12 has reached the pre-alight position P and the boarding time stored in the boarding time memory unit 72, is calculated for each passenger, and the passenger who has reached the pre-alight position P is identified based on whether or not any one of the calculated time differences is within the travel time range. This makes it possible to accurately identify each passenger 12 even when there are multiple passengers 12 who have boarded the steps 22 at different times.

In addition, in this embodiment, when the walking speed Vw of the passenger 12 is less than the first threshold speed Vsh1 and is equal to or greater than the second threshold speed Vsh2, the moving speed of the steps 22 is decelerated from the normal speed Vn to the first speed V1, and when the walking speed Vw of the passenger 12 is less than the second threshold speed Vsh2, the moving speed of the steps 22 is decelerated from the normal speed Vn to the second speed V2. This allows the moving speed of the steps 22 to be controlled more precisely according to the walking speed Vw of the passenger 12.

In addition, in this embodiment, when the moving speed of the steps 22 is changed, the moving speed of the steps 22 is controlled by giving priority to the slower moving speed after the change. This can further increase the safety of the passengers 12.

<Modifications, etc.>
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but includes various modified examples. For example, the above-described embodiment has been described in detail to facilitate understanding of the contents of the present invention, but the present invention is not necessarily limited to having all the configurations described in the above-described embodiment. It is also possible to replace a part of the configuration of one embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment. It is also possible to add the configuration of another embodiment to the configuration of one embodiment. It is also possible to delete a part of the configuration of each embodiment, add another configuration, or replace it with another configuration.

For example, in the above embodiment, the moving speed of the steps 22 is described as being changeable in three stages, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the moving speed of the steps 22 may be changeable in two stages or four or more stages. In addition, if the moving speed of the steps 22 is changeable in four or more stages, the number of threshold speeds may be increased accordingly.

In the above embodiment, the arrival of the passenger 12 on the step 22 at the pre-alight position P is detected using the exit side passenger sensor 52, but the present invention is not limited to this, and it is also possible to detect the arrival of the passenger 12 at the pre-alight position P without using the exit side passenger sensor 52. Specifically, for example, the boarding completion of the passenger 12 may be detected using the boarding side passenger sensor 51, and the arrival of the passenger 12 at the pre-alight position P may be detected at the time when the expected movement time required for the passenger 12 to move to the pre-alight position P from the detection time has elapsed. In this case, the expected movement time can be calculated based on the movement speed of the step 22 after the time when the completion of the boarding of the passenger 12 is detected and the movement distance of the step 22 from the boarding entrance 30 to the pre-alight position P.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the passenger conveyor 10 is an upward escalator, but the present invention is not limited to this and can also be applied to downward escalators, moving walkways, etc.

10... passenger conveyor, 12... passenger, 22... step, 30... boarding entrance, 31... disembarking entrance, 51... passenger sensor at boarding entrance, 52... passenger sensor at disembarking entrance, 60... walking speed detection unit, 61... boarding completion detection unit, 63... arrival detection unit, 64... disembarking completion detection unit, 65... moving speed control unit, 70... speed setting unit, 72... boarding time storage unit, 74... speed information storage unit, 76... passenger discrimination unit, P... position before disembarking, V1... first speed, V2... second speed, Vn... normal speed, Vsh1... first threshold speed, Vsh2... second threshold speed, Vw... walking speed

Claims (6)

The steps that move from the boarding gate to the disembarking gate,
a walking speed detection unit that detects the walking speed of a passenger approaching the boarding gate;
a boarding completion detection unit that detects when a passenger has completed boarding onto the steps at the boarding entrance;
a movement speed control unit that controls a movement speed of the steps in response to the walking speed of the passenger detected by the walking speed detection unit;
and an arrival detection unit that detects when a passenger riding on the step reaches a pre-boarding position,
the moving speed control unit decelerates the moving speed of the steps from a normal speed when the walking speed of the passenger detected by the walking speed detection unit is slower than a threshold speed and when the arrival detection unit detects that the passenger standing on the steps has reached the pre-disembarkation position, and thereafter, when the boarding completion detection unit detects that the passenger has completed boarding the steps, accelerates the moving speed of the steps to the normal speed ;
The moving speed control unit is
a speed setting unit that sets a step movement speed to be applied when the passenger gets on and off the train in accordance with the walking speed of the passenger detected by the walking speed detection unit;
a speed information storage unit that stores speed information related to the step movement speed set by the speed setting unit for each passenger,
When the arrival detection unit detects that the passenger riding on the step has reached the pre-alight position, the moving speed of the step is controlled according to the speed information stored in the speed information storage unit in response to the passenger who has reached the pre-alight position.
Passenger conveyor. The steps that move from the boarding gate to the disembarking gate,
a walking speed detection unit that detects the walking speed of a passenger approaching the boarding gate;
a boarding completion detection unit that detects when a passenger has completed boarding onto the steps at the boarding entrance;
a movement speed control unit that controls a movement speed of the steps in response to the walking speed of the passenger detected by the walking speed detection unit;
and an arrival detection unit that detects when a passenger riding on the step reaches a pre-boarding position,
the moving speed control unit decelerates the moving speed of the steps from a normal speed when the walking speed of the passenger detected by the walking speed detection unit is slower than a threshold speed and when the arrival detection unit detects that the passenger standing on the steps has reached the pre-disembarkation position, and thereafter, when the boarding completion detection unit detects that the passenger has completed boarding the steps, accelerates the moving speed of the steps to the normal speed;
The moving speed control unit is
a boarding time storage unit that stores, for each passenger, a boarding time at which the passenger completed boarding onto the steps at the boarding entrance;
a passenger discrimination unit which, when the arrival detection unit detects that a passenger riding on the steps has reached the pre-drop-off position, predicts a range of travel time required for the passenger to move from the boarding entrance to the pre-drop-off position based on the step movement speed before the detection time detected by the arrival detection unit and the step movement distance from the boarding entrance to the pre-drop-off position, calculates a time difference, which is the difference between the detection time detected by the arrival detection unit and the boarding time stored in the boarding time storage unit, for each passenger, and discriminates passengers who have reached the pre-drop-off position based on whether or not any one of the calculated time differences is within the range of travel time;
Further equipped
Passenger conveyor. a disembarkation completion detection unit that detects that the passenger, whose arrival at the pre-disembarkation position has been detected by the arrival detection unit, has completed disembarking from the step,
3. The passenger conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the moving speed control unit decelerates the moving speed of the steps from the normal speed when the walking speed of the passenger detected by the walking speed detection unit is slower than the threshold speed and when the arrival detection unit detects that the passenger standing on the steps has reached the pre-disembarkation position, and thereafter, when the disembarkation completion detection unit detects that the passenger has completed disembarking from the steps , the moving speed control unit accelerates the moving speed of the steps to the normal speed. The threshold speeds include at least a first threshold speed and a second threshold speed that is slower than the first threshold speed;
3. The passenger conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the moving speed control unit decelerates the moving speed of the steps from a normal speed to a first speed when the walking speed of the passenger detected by the walking speed detection unit is less than the first threshold speed and equal to or greater than the second threshold speed, and decelerates the moving speed of the steps from the normal speed to a second speed slower than the first speed when the walking speed of the passenger detected by the walking speed detection unit is less than the second threshold speed. The passenger conveyor according to claim 1 , 2 or 3 , wherein, when the moving speed of the steps is changed, the moving speed control unit controls the moving speed of the steps by giving priority to a step having a slower moving speed after the change. A method for controlling a passenger conveyor having steps moving from a boarding entrance to an alighting entrance, comprising:
When the walking speed of a passenger approaching the boarding entrance is slower than a threshold speed and when the passenger riding on the step reaches a pre-disembarkation position, the moving speed of the step is decelerated from a normal speed, and thereafter, when the passenger has completed riding on the step, the moving speed of the step is accelerated to the normal speed;
When a passenger riding on the step reaches the pre-drop-off position, the moving speed of the step is controlled according to speed information stored in a speed information storage unit corresponding to the passenger who has reached the pre-drop-off position.
A method for controlling a passenger conveyor.

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