Method for detecting over connected access cover plate

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10023439-B2
Application number	US-201715726557-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 6, 2017
Priority date	Nov 21, 2016
Publication date	Jul 17, 2018
Grant date	Jul 17, 2018

Abstract

An escalator system includes a pit having an access cover plate, a detector indicating when the access cover plate is open and when it is closed, and a user interface which is located in said pit and which in an active state provides the escalator system with control signals controlling the operation of the escalator and which in a passive state does not affect the operation of the escalator. In order to improve the safety of the escalator system the escalator system is configured to stop movement of the escalator if the detector indicates that the access cover plate is closed while the user interface is in the active state.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An escalator system comprising:
a pit in at least a first or a second end of the escalator, said pit having an access cover plate,
a detector indicating when the access cover plate is open and when the access cover plate is closed, and
a user interface which is located in said pit and which in an active state provides the escalator system with control signals controlling the operation of the escalator and which in a passive state does not affect the operation of the escalator, wherein
the escalator system is configured to stop movement of the escalator if the detector indicates that the access cover plate is closed while the user interface is in the active state.

2. The escalator system of claim 1 , wherein the escalator system is configured to maintain the escalator, once stopped, in the stopped position until the detector indicates that the access cover plate is opened while the user interface is in the passive state.

3. The escalator system according to claim 1 , wherein the user interface comprises push buttons or push button areas offering a user a possibility to, via the user interface, provide the escalator with control signals.

4. The escalator system according to claim 1 , wherein the escalator system detects that the user interface is in the active state when the escalator system receives from the user interface control signals indicating stop, movement in a first direction, movement in a second direction or an activation signal indicating that a user has activated the user interface.

5. The escalator system according to claim 1 , wherein the user interface comprises an electric socket and a portable operating panel which is detachably connected to the electric socket.

6. The escalator system according to claim 1 , wherein the detector indicates when the access cover plate is open and when it is closed via a computer bus according to PESSRAE standard.

7. The escalator system according to claim 1 , wherein the user interface is an inspection mode input.

8. The escalator system according to claim 1 , wherein
the escalator system is provided with a control panel for driving the escalator in a normal operation mode, and
the user interface is a user interface for driving the escalator in an inspection mode.

9. The escalator system according to claim 2 , wherein the user interface comprises push buttons or push button areas offering a user a possibility to via the user interface provide the escalator with control signals.

10. The escalator system according to claim 2 , wherein the escalator system detects that the user interface is in the active state when the escalator system receives from the user interface control signals indicating stop, movement in a first direction, movement in a second direction or an activation signal indicating that a user has activated the user interface.

11. The escalator system according to claim 3 , wherein the escalator system detects that the user interface is in the active state when the escalator system receives from the user interface control signals indicating stop, movement in a first direction, movement in a second direction or an activation signal indicating that a user has activated the user interface.

12. The escalator system according to claim 2 , wherein the user interface comprises an electric socket and a portable operating panel which is detachably connected to the electric socket.

13. The escalator system according to claim 3 , wherein the user interface comprises an electric socket and a portable operating panel which is detachably connected to the electric socket.

14. The escalator system according to claim 4 , wherein the user interface comprises an electric socket and a portable operating panel which is detachably connected to the electric socket.

15. The escalator system according to claim 2 , wherein the detector indicates when the access cover plate is open and when it is closed via a computer bus according to PESSRAE standard.

16. The escalator system according to claim 3 , wherein the detector indicates when the access cover plate is open and when it is closed via a computer bus according to PESSRAE standard.

17. The escalator system according to claim 4 , wherein the detector indicates when the access cover plate is open and when it is closed via a computer bus according to PESSRAE standard.

18. The escalator system according to claim 5 , wherein the detector indicates when the access cover plate is open and when it is closed via a computer bus according to PESSRAE standard.

19. A method for operating an escalator system, wherein the method comprises:
activating a user interface located in a pit in a first end or a second end of an escalator to an active state to provide the escalator system with control signals controlling the operation of the escalator,
detecting via a detector if an access cover plate of the pit is open or closed, and
stopping movement of the escalator if the detector indicates that the access cover plate is closed when the user interface is in the active state.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the method comprises:
maintaining the escalator, once stopped, in the stopped position until the detector indicates that the access cover plate is opened while the user interface is in a passive state.

Assignees

• Kone Corp

Inventors

• Jussila Ari
• Hirvonen Toni

Classifications

• B66B23/00

  Component parts of escalators or moving walkways · CPC title

• B66B27/00

  Indicating operating conditions of escalators or moving walkways (of general application G08) · CPC title

• B66B25/00 Primary

  Control of escalators or moving walkways (walkways of variable speed type B66B21/12; handrails of variable speed type B66B23/26; of general application G05) · CPC title

• B66B29/005

  Applications of security monitors · CPC title

• B66B25/006 Primary

  Monitoring for maintenance or repair (for security reasons B66B29/005) · CPC title