JP7734637B2 - Lifting detection device, passenger conveyor system, and lifting detection method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention generally relates to detecting the amount of lift of the step treads of a passenger conveyor.

An escalator comprises a frame installed in a building structure and multiple steps connected endlessly within the frame that move in a circular motion. An endless chain is connected to the multiple steps, and the chain rotates to move the multiple steps in a circular motion. The treads on which people stand can sometimes become loose due to external factors or the installation environment. External factors include pebbles getting caught in the corrugated parts of the treads, or the corrugated parts of the treads being deformed due to improper handling, which causes repeated stress when people stand on them. The installation environment refers, for example, to an outdoor location where rain falls on the treads, causing rust.

A conventional method for inspecting the lift of step treads involves measuring the amount of displacement by contacting a detection rod that detects lift with the step tread, and calculating the amount of lift for each step from the change in brightness between the tread and the demarcation attached to the tread using image data captured by a camera (see Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-66537

The technology described in Patent Document 1 detects each step from the change in brightness between the step and the demarcation attached to the step. However, depending on the work environment, such as an environment with extremely bright illumination, an environment with extremely dark illumination, or an environment with steps without demarcation, it is not possible to detect each individual step.

The present invention was made with the above points in mind, and aims to propose a lift-up detection device that can identify each step regardless of the on-site environment.

To solve this problem, the present invention provides a lift-up detection device for detecting lift-up of step treads on a passenger conveyor having multiple steps connected in an endless circular motion, and includes a contact member that contacts the step treads, a displacement sensor that detects the displacement of the contact member, and a distance sensor that detects the gap between the steps.

With the above configuration, a distance sensor is used to detect gaps between steps, making it possible to identify each step regardless of the site environment, for example.

The present invention makes it possible to realize a highly convenient floating detection device, etc. Other issues, configurations, and advantages will become clear from the description of the embodiments below.

1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of an escalator according to a first embodiment. FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration relating to steps according to the first embodiment. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a lift-up detection device according to a first embodiment; 5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating an example of a detection mechanism for detecting the amount of displacement of a tread according to the first embodiment. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a system configuration of a lift-up detection device according to a first embodiment; 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of an installation state of a lift-up detection device according to a first embodiment. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of an installation state of a lift-up detection device according to a first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of signal data according to the first embodiment. 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating an example of a lift-up detection method according to a first embodiment.

(I) First Embodiment One embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below, although the present invention is not limited to this embodiment.

This embodiment relates to a technology for calculating the amount of lift of the step tread for each step provided on a passenger conveyor. The passenger conveyor may be an escalator, an automatic line, or the like.

The lifting detection device of this embodiment is equipped with a distance measurement sensor for detecting gaps between steps. The distance measurement sensor is an example of a means for detecting gaps between steps. The distance measurement sensor may be an optical sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, or the like. The optical sensor may be, for example, a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) sensor, or more specifically, a ToF (Time of Flight) sensor. The distance measurement sensor may also be a millimeter wave sensor, Radar (Radio Detecting and Ranging), or the like. The lifting detection device identifies (detects) each step using the distance measurement data acquired by the distance measurement sensor.

More specifically, the lift detection device is equipped with a displacement sensor that detects the up and down movement of a contact member that comes into contact (grounds) with the step treads of a passenger conveyor that has multiple steps connected in an endless manner and moves in a circular motion, and a distance measurement sensor that can detect the distance to the step treads.

The distance measurement sensor is installed on the body of the lift detection device facing downward so that it irradiates the step tread with laser light, radio waves, ultrasonic waves, etc. The distance measurement sensor is also installed so that it detects the gap between the steps between the comb plate attached to the comb plate and the contact member of the lift detection device when the passenger conveyor is installed on site.

The lift detection device detects step divisions based on the distance detected by the distance sensor, and calculates the amount of lift of the tread for each step based on the amount of displacement detected by the displacement sensor. With this configuration, it is possible to identify each step individually and calculate the amount of lift of the step tread, regardless of the worksite environment.

The terms "first," "second," "third," etc. used in this specification are used to identify components and do not necessarily limit the number or order. Furthermore, numbers used to identify components are used in different contexts, and numbers used in one context do not necessarily indicate the same configuration in another context. Furthermore, this does not prevent a component identified by a certain number from also serving the function of a component identified by another number.

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The following description and drawings are examples for explaining the present invention, and some omissions and simplifications have been made as appropriate for clarity of explanation. The present invention can also be implemented in various other forms. Unless otherwise specified, each component may be singular or plural.

In Figure 1, 100 generally indicates an escalator according to the first embodiment.

The escalator 100 comprises a frame 101 installed in a building structure, a control panel 102, a balustrade 103, steps 104, handrails 105, and a drive mechanism 106.

The drive mechanism 106 includes an electric motor 107 and a reducer 108. Electric power is supplied to the electric motor 107 from the control panel 102. The operation of the electric motor 107 is controlled by the control panel 102. A belt member (not shown) is wound around the drive pulley of the electric motor 107. The belt member is wound around the driven pulley of the reducer 108. As a result, the rotational force of the electric motor 107 is transmitted to the reducer 108 via the belt member.

A transmission chain 109 is wound around the transmission sprocket of the reducer 108. The transmission chain 109 is wound around the drive sprocket 110. The driving force of the drive mechanism 106 is transmitted to the drive sprocket 110 via the transmission chain 109, causing the drive sprocket 110 to rotate.

A step chain 112 is wound around the drive sprocket 110 and the driven sprocket 111. When the drive sprocket 110 rotates, the driven sprocket 111 and the step chain 112 rotate.

The frame 101 is also provided with a guide member (not shown), and the multiple steps 104 are movably supported by this guide member. The multiple steps 104 are connected endlessly via a step chain 112. The multiple steps 104 are guided by the guide member attached to the frame 101 and move cyclically between the outbound and inbound directions. Passengers are transported aboard the steps 104 moving on the outbound direction.

Next, step 104, which calculates the amount of lift of the tread 202 using the lift detection method, will be explained using Figure 2.

The step 104 is provided with a frame body 201, a tread 202, and a demarcation 203. The tread 202 is the part on which people stand, has a corrugated shape, and is fixed to the frame body 201 by welding at multiple points. The demarcation 203 is a warning part that prevents people from stepping on the step boundary, and is provided on all four sides of the tread 202.

Regarding the demarcation 203, depending on the on-site specifications (moving walkway, etc.), there are escalators 100 that are yellow, black, or do not have a demarcation 203 at all.

Next, the lift-up detection device 300 used to calculate the amount of lift for each tread 202 of the step 104 will be explained using Figure 3.

The lifting detection device 300 includes a detection rod 301, a distance measurement sensor 302, and a main body cover 303. The detection rod 301 follows the tread 202 of the step 104 and displaces up and down in accordance with the lifting state of the tread 202 of the step 104. The distance measurement sensor 302 detects the gap between the steps 104 (between the steps 104).

The main body cover 303 contains a control unit 560 (described below) that controls the displacement sensor 510, camera 520, and distance measurement sensor 302 (described below). The detection rod 301 and main body cover 303 are fixed to the main body 304. The main body 304 is prepared according to the specifications of the escalator 100, and a main body 304 suitable for the escalator 100 may be used. Additionally, the main body 304 may have an adjustment mechanism that can adjust at least one of the installation position and installation angle of the distance measurement sensor 302. The displacement sensor 510 is an example of a means for detecting the amount of lift of the tread 202 of the step 104. The camera 520 is an example of a means for capturing the state during measurement (the movement of the detection rod 301, the installation state of the device, etc.).

Next, the detection mechanism by which the lift detection device 300 detects the amount of displacement of the tread 202 of the step 104 will be explained using Figure 4.

The detection rod 301 is fixed to the tip of a movable arm 401, which is fixed to the main body 304. The detection rod 301 is centered on the axis 402 of the main body 304 and has a mechanism that displaces up and down in accordance with the state of the tread 202 of the step 104. A sensor light receiving plate 403 is provided on the movable arm 401. The sensor light receiving plate 403 displaces up and down in the same way as the detection rod 301. The mechanism detects the amount of displacement of the tread 202 of the step 104 by directing a laser 410 output from a displacement sensor 510 (described below), which is a means for detecting the amount of displacement of the tread 202 of the step 104, onto the sensor light receiving plate 403.

Next, the system configuration of the lift-up detection device 300 will be explained using Figure 5.

The lift-up detection device 300 includes a distance sensor 302 that detects the gap between steps 104, a displacement sensor 510 that detects the detection rod 301, a camera 520 that captures the state during measurement (such as the movement of the detection rod 301 and the device installation state), a signal data processing unit 530, an A/D conversion unit 540, a power supply unit 550, and a control unit 560. The lift-up detection device 300 amplifies and filters the signals detected by the displacement sensor 510, camera 520, and distance sensor 302 in the signal data processing unit 530, performs A/D conversion in the A/D conversion unit 540, outputs the converted signal data to the control unit 560, which then transmits the signal data to an information processing device 570 such as a PC, which calculates the amount of lift of the tread 202 of the step 104. The power supply unit 550 supplies power to the lift-up detection device 300.

More specifically, the control unit 560 includes an arithmetic processing unit 561, a data storage unit 562, and an external communication unit 563. The arithmetic processing unit 561 is a processor such as a CPU, and performs arithmetic processing. The data storage unit 562 is a storage device such as an SD card, and stores signal data acquired from various sensors, measurement programs, etc. The external communication unit 563 connects to the information processing device 570 via Wi-Fi or the like, and sends and receives data.

In addition, the functions of the lift-up detection device 300 may be realized, for example, by a processor reading a program stored in an auxiliary storage device into a main storage device and executing it (software), or by hardware such as a dedicated circuit, or by a combination of software and hardware. One function of the lift-up detection device 300 may be divided into multiple functions, or multiple functions may be combined into one function. Some of the functions of the lift-up detection device 300 may be provided as separate functions, or may be included in other functions. The lift-up detection device 300 may also be realized by including the information processing device 570 or functions of the information processing device 570 (for example, functions related to calculating the amount of lift).

Next, the installation state of the lift-up detection device 300 on the escalator 100 will be explained using Figures 6 and 7.

The escalator system 600 includes an escalator 100, an uplift detection device 300, and an information processing device 570.

In the escalator system 600, for example, the main body 304 of the lift-up detection device 300 is fixed to the comb plate 601 of the upper landing with a fixing member. The fixing member may be a magnet, double-sided tape, or the like. In this case, the lift-up detection device 300 is installed so that the detection rod 301 contacts the tread 202 of the step 104.

The distance measurement sensor 302 is provided with an adjustment mechanism (e.g., main body 304) that allows it to be installed between the detection rod 301 and the comb plate 602 attached to the comb plate 601 at any site. The adjustment mechanism allows the lift detection device 300 to be installed so that the distance measurement sensor 302 is positioned between the detection rod 301 and the comb plate 602 attached to the comb plate 601. This enables the distance measurement sensor 302 to detect gaps between the steps 104.

In this state, the operator operates the escalator 100, and the lift detection device 300 detects the amount of displacement of the tread 202 of the step 104.

Next, we will use Figure 8 to explain how step 104 is divided into individual sheets based on the various signals acquired (measured) by the lift-up detection device 300.

Figure 8 shows an example (graph) of signal data 800 from the displacement sensor 510 and the distance measurement sensor 302. The upper side shows signal data 810 from the displacement sensor 510 (amount of lift of the tread 202), and the lower side shows signal data 820 (distance) from the distance measurement sensor 302.

When an operator operates the escalator 100, the first step 104 moves, and as the next step, the second step 104, moves in, a gap appears between the first step 104 and the second step 104. Therefore, the signal data 820 from the distance measurement sensor 302 remains constant as signal data 821 while the tread 202 of step 104 is being measured. However, when a gap appears between the steps 104, the signal data 820 drops (the distance becomes longer), as shown in step gap section 802.

This series of steps is repeated each time the step 104 moves, so the escalator system 600 detects the step gap section 802 from the signal data 820 of the distance measurement sensor 302, processes the signal data 810 from the displacement sensor 510 based on that signal data 820, detects the tread section 801, and then calculates the amount of lift (e.g., overall undulation) of the tread 202 of the step 104.

Next, the procedure for calculating the amount of lift of the tread 202 using the lift detection method will be explained using Figure 9.

First, the worker fixes the lift-up detection device 300 to the comb plate 601 using a fixing member. At this time, the worker installs the lift-up detection device 300 so that the detection rod 301 contacts the tread 202 of the step 104 (S901).

After completing installation, the worker connects the uplift detection device 300 to the building power supply (not shown) or a battery (not shown) and turns it on using a power switch (not shown). The worker then wirelessly connects the uplift detection device 300 to the information processing device 570 and inputs necessary information such as local specifications via the information processing device 570 (S902).

The worker inputs the necessary information, and when preparation is complete, sends a command to start measurement to the lift-up detection device 300 via the information processing device 570, and then operates the escalator 100 (S903).

After the escalator 100 has made at least one revolution (minimum one revolution), the worker stops the escalator 100 and sends a command to end measurement to the lift-up detection device 300 via the information processing device 570, thereby ending the measurement. After the measurement is completed, data is transmitted from the lift-up detection device 300 to the information processing device 570 (S904).

The information processing device 570 detects the step gap section 802 from the signal data 820 measured by the distance measurement sensor 302. At this time, since it is possible that the signal data may change at a point other than the gap of the step 104, the information processing device 570 detects as the step gap section 802 the section of the signal data 820 in which the constant value of the signal data 821 has changed by more than a predetermined value (for example, twice) (S905).

Note that because the dimensions of the steps 104 and the speed of the escalator 100 are constant, the number of data points in the step gap section 802 is constant. Therefore, data may be supplemented for sections in the step gap section 802 where there are gaps (S906 to S909).

The information processing device 570 determines whether there is a problem with the step gap section 802 (S906). If the information processing device 570 determines that there is no problem with the step gap section 802, it outputs information indicating that there is no problem (S907). On the other hand, if the information processing device 570 determines that there is a problem with the step gap section 802, it outputs information indicating that there is a problem (S908) and complements the step gap section 802 (S909). For example, the information processing device 570 complements the step gap section 802 based on the speed of the escalator 100 and the depth of the tread 202 of the step 104.

The information processing device 570 separates the steps 104 into individual pieces from the signal data 810 of the displacement sensor 510 based on the tread section 801, and calculates the amount of lift of the tread 202 from the data (S910).

At this time, the information processing device 570 aligns the signal data 810 from the displacement sensor 510 with the signal data 820 from the distance measurement sensor 302. For example, the information processing device 570 identifies at least one of the peaks in the signal data 820 that appeared at the start of constant-speed driving in step 104 and the peak in the signal data 820 that appeared immediately before the end of measurement. The information processing device 570 identifies a displacement point (a point where the direction changes from upward to downward, in other words, a point that protrudes upward) from several pieces of signal data 810 before and after the time when the identified peak was detected, and aligns the data position of the identified displacement point with the peak.

The information processing device 570 may align the data in advance based on the travel speed in step 104, the distance between the displacement sensor 510 and the distance measurement sensor 302, and the response speed of the displacement sensor 510 and the response speed of the distance measurement sensor 302. Additionally, the data alignment may be performed by the operator through operation of the information processing device 570.

The information processing device 570 detects the tread section 801 based on the peak data, median data, etc. of the step gap section 802 from the signal data 810 and signal data 820, whose data positions have been aligned. The information processing device 570 calculates the amount of lift of the tread 202 for each step 104 from the correspondence between the tread section 801 and the amount of displacement.

The information processing device 570 displays the determination result based on the calculated results (S911 to S914). For example, the information processing device 570 determines whether step 104 (abnormality) exists, in which the amount of lift exceeds a specified value, and generates the determination result.

The information processing device 570 determines whether the judgment result is OK or NG (S911). If the information processing device 570 determines that the judgment result is OK, it outputs information indicating that there are no problems to the information processing device 570. If there are no problems with the judgment result, the worker does not need to check it and ends the work (S912).

If the information processing device 570 determines that the judgment result is NG, it outputs information indicating that there is a problem. If the judgment result is problematic, the worker checks the lifting status of the tread 202 of the step 104 that was judged to be NG (S913) and replaces the step 104 if necessary (S914).

In this embodiment, the escalator 100 has been described, but the amount of lift of the tread 202 of the step 104 may also be inspected for automatic lines (including inclined movements) installed in airports, etc.

Furthermore, the lift-up detection device 300 is installed on the comb plate 601, but it may also be installed at the lower landing.

An ultrasonic sensor may also be used for the distance measurement sensor 302, which is a means for detecting gaps between steps 104 and separating the steps 104 into individual pieces. When using an ultrasonic sensor, it is more susceptible to external disturbances than the distance measurement sensor 302, and depending on the installation angle, it may be difficult to detect gaps between steps 104, so care must be taken when installing it. However, an ultrasonic sensor can stably detect gaps between steps 104 without being affected by dust, steam, dirt on the object, the color of the object, etc.

Furthermore, the distance measurement sensor 302 is not limited to being provided on the side of the main body cover 303. For example, the distance measurement sensor 302 may be provided on the bottom surface of the main body cover 303.

(II) Supplementary Notes The above-described embodiment includes, for example, the following contents.

In the above embodiment, the present invention has been described as being applied to an escalator, but the present invention is not limited to this and can be widely applied to a variety of other systems, devices, methods, and programs.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiments, part or all of the program may be installed from a program source into a device such as a computer that realizes the lift-up detection device. The program source may be, for example, a program distribution server connected via a network or a computer-readable recording medium (e.g., a non-transitory recording medium). Furthermore, in the above description, two or more programs may be realized as one program, or one program may be realized as two or more programs.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiments, the output of information is not limited to display on a display. The output of information may be audio output from a speaker, output to a file, printed on paper or the like using a printing device, projected onto a screen or the like using a projector, or in other forms.

In addition, in the above description, information such as programs, tables, and files that realize each function can be stored in a storage device such as memory, a hard disk, or an SSD (Solid State Drive), or in a recording medium such as an IC card, SD card, or DVD.

The above-described embodiment has the following characteristic configurations, for example:

(1)
In a passenger conveyor (e.g., escalator 100) having a plurality of steps (e.g., step 104) connected in an endless manner that moves in a circular manner, a lift-up detection device (e.g., lift-up detection device 300) that detects the lift-up of a tread of the step (e.g., tread 202) comprises a contact member (e.g., detection rod 301) that contacts the tread of the step, a displacement sensor (e.g., displacement sensor 510) that detects the displacement of the contact member, and a ranging sensor (ranging sensor 302, ToF sensor, millimeter wave sensor, radar, ultrasonic sensor, etc.) that detects the gap between the steps.

With the above configuration, a distance sensor is used to detect gaps between steps, making it possible to identify each step regardless of the site environment, for example.

(2)
The distance measuring sensor is arranged to detect the gap between the steps between a comb plate (e.g., comb plate 602) provided on a comb plate (e.g., comb plate 601) at the landing of the passenger conveyor and the contact member.

With the above configuration, for example, it is possible to detect gaps between steps at positions where the steps are moving in parallel, thereby enabling each step to be identified with high accuracy.

(3)
The lift-up detection device is equipped with a data processing unit (information processing device 570, control unit 560, calculation processing unit 561, circuit, etc.) that inputs distance data indicating the distance from the distance measurement sensor detected by the distance measurement sensor, identifies data indicating that the input distance data is greater than a predetermined value, and identifies the tread of the step based on the identified data.

With the above configuration, the distance from the distance sensor is calculated based on the reflected waves of the electromagnetic waves or ultrasonic waves emitted by the distance sensor. Therefore, for example, by regarding areas with a distance greater than a predetermined value as gaps, each step can be easily identified.

(4)
The data processing unit inputs displacement data (e.g., signal data 810) indicating the displacement of the step tread detected by the displacement sensor and distance data (e.g., signal data 820) indicating the distance from the distance measuring sensor detected by the distance measuring sensor, aligns the data positions of the displacement point of the displacement data and the peak of the distance data, and calculates the amount of lift of the step tread based on the displacement data for each step tread (e.g., see S910).

(5)
The lift-up detection device includes an adjustment mechanism (e.g., main body 304) that can adjust at least one of the installation position and installation angle of the distance measurement sensor. Note that the lift-up detection device 300 may also include an adjustment mechanism (slide mechanism, movable arm, etc.) that can move the distance measurement sensor 302 in at least one of the front-rear direction (the running direction of the step 104), the left-right direction (the width direction of the step 104, the longitudinal direction of the detection rod 301), and the up-down direction.

The above adjustment mechanism allows, for example, the lift detection device to be easily installed on passenger conveyors with various specifications.

Furthermore, the above-described configuration may be modified, rearranged, combined, or omitted as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

It should be understood that items included in a list in the format "at least one of A, B, and C" can mean (A), (B), (C), (A and B), (A and C), (B and C), or (A, B, and C). Similarly, items listed in the format "at least one of A, B, or C" can mean (A), (B), (C), (A and B), (A and C), (B and C), or (A, B, and C).

300...floating detection device, 302...distance measurement sensor, 510...displacement sensor.

Claims (4)

1. A passenger conveyor having a plurality of steps connected in an endless manner that moves in a circular motion, comprising: a lift-up detection device that detects lift-up of a tread of the step;
a contact member that contacts the tread of the step;
a displacement sensor that detects a displacement of the contact member;
a distance measuring sensor for detecting the gap between the steps;
a data processing unit that receives distance data indicating a distance from the distance measuring sensor detected by the distance measuring sensor, identifies data indicating that the received distance data is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, and identifies the tread of the step based on the identified data;
Equipped with
the distance measuring sensor is provided to detect the gap between the steps between a comb plate provided on a landing of the passenger conveyor and the contact member,
The data processing unit receives displacement data indicating the displacement of the step tread detected by the displacement sensor and distance data indicating the distance from the distance measuring sensor detected by the distance measuring sensor, aligns the data positions of the displacement points of the displacement data and the peaks of the distance data, and calculates the amount of lift of the step tread based on the displacement data for each step tread.
Floating detection device. an adjustment mechanism capable of adjusting at least one of an installation position of the distance measuring sensor and an installation angle of the distance measuring sensor;
The lift-up detection device according to claim 1 . A passenger conveyor system comprising: a passenger conveyor having a plurality of steps connected in an endless manner and circulating; and a lift-up detection device for detecting lift-up of treads of the steps,
a contact member that contacts the tread of the step;
a displacement sensor that detects a displacement of the contact member;
a distance measuring sensor for detecting the gap between the steps;
a data processing unit that receives distance data indicating a distance from the distance measuring sensor detected by the distance measuring sensor, identifies data indicating that the received distance data is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, and identifies the tread of the step based on the identified data;
Equipped with
the distance measuring sensor is provided to detect the gap between the steps between a comb plate provided on a landing of the passenger conveyor and the contact member,
The data processing unit receives displacement data indicating the displacement of the step tread detected by the displacement sensor and distance data indicating the distance from the distance measuring sensor detected by the distance measuring sensor, aligns the data positions of the displacement points of the displacement data and the peaks of the distance data, and calculates the amount of lift of the step tread based on the displacement data for each step tread.
Passenger conveyor system. 1. A method for detecting lifting of a step tread in a passenger conveyor having a plurality of steps connected in an endless manner and moving in a circular manner, comprising:
a displacement sensor detecting a displacement of a contact member that contacts a tread of the step;
a distance measurement sensor detecting a gap between the steps;
a data processing unit inputs distance data indicating the distance from the distance measuring sensor detected by the distance measuring sensor, identifies data indicating that the input distance data is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, and identifies the tread of the step based on the identified data;
Including,
the distance measuring sensor is provided to detect the gap between the steps between a comb plate provided on a landing of the passenger conveyor and the contact member,
The data processing unit receives displacement data indicating the displacement of the step tread detected by the displacement sensor and distance data indicating the distance from the distance measuring sensor detected by the distance measuring sensor, aligns the data positions of the displacement points of the displacement data and the peaks of the distance data, and calculates the amount of lift of the step tread based on the displacement data for each step tread.
Floating detection method.