Tread element for people conveyor comprising a cantilever arm

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10308482-B2
Application number	US-201515571570-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 6, 2015
Priority date	May 6, 2015
Publication date	Jun 4, 2019
Grant date	Jun 4, 2019

Abstract

A tread element ( 12 ) for a passenger conveyor ( 10 ); the tread element ( 12 ) comprising a tread ( 14 ) defined by a front side, a rear side, a first lateral side and a second lateral side;
a riser ( 16 ) comprising a riser panel ( 18 ) adjacent the rear side of the tread ( 14 ) and pivotably connected to the tread ( 14 ); at least one tread chain axle ( 28 ) adapted to connect the tread element ( 12 ) to the at least one tread chain ( 22 ); at least one tread roller ( 42 ) adapted to engage with a guide element ( 36 ) of the passenger conveyor ( 10 ) to adjust the position of the tread ( 14 ) with respect to the riser ( 16 ); and at least one cantilever arm ( 40 ) supported at its one longitudinal side by the tread chain axle ( 28 ) and supporting the tread roller ( 42 ) at its opposite longitudinal side.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A tread element for a passenger conveyor; the tread element comprising
a tread defined by a front side, a rear side, a first lateral side and a second lateral side;
a riser comprising a riser panel adjacent the rear side of the tread and pivotably connected to the tread;
at least one tread chain axle adapted to connect the tread element to at least one tread chain;
at least one tread roller adapted to engage with a guide element of the passenger conveyor to adjust the position of the tread with respect to the riser; and
at least one cantilever arm comprising a hole or recess for connecting to the at least one step chain axle in a torque proof manner so that the at least one cantilever arm is supported at its one longitudinal side by the tread chain axle, the at least one cantilever arm supporting the tread roller at its opposite longitudinal side;
wherein a distance (L) between the tread chain axle supporting the at least one cantilever arm and the tread roller supported by the same cantilever arm is larger than a distance (X) between the tread chain axle of the tread element and the tread chain axle of an adjacent tread element in the endless tread chain of a people conveyor.

2. The tread element according to claim 1 , wherein the riser comprises a first lateral panel extending along the first lateral side of the tread and a second lateral panel extending along the second lateral side of the tread; the first lateral panel supported pivotably with respect to the tread by a first pivot located on the first lateral side of the tread; the second lateral panel supported pivotably with respect to the tread by a second pivot located on the second lateral side of the tread; the first and second pivots located opposite to each other adjacent to the front side of the tread.

3. The tread element according to claim 1 , wherein the riser panel has a concave shape.

4. The tread element according to claim 1 , wherein the riser comprises a bottom panel extending from the riser panel towards the front side of the tread.

5. The tread element according to claim 1 , comprising a pair of cantilever arms, one cantilever arm located on each lateral side of the tread and extending along the lateral side of the tread.

6. The tread element according to claim 1 , wherein the cantilever arm has a cranked shape.

7. The tread element according to claim 6 , wherein the cantilever arm has a first crank between a first longitudinal end section ( 40 a ) of the cantilever arm supported by the tread chain axle and a central section ( 40 b ) of the cantilever arm, and a second crank between the central section ( 40 b ) of the cantilever arm and a second longitudinal end section ( 40 c ) of the cantilever arm supporting the tread roller, the first crank defining a crank in a first direction and the second crank defining a crank in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

8. The tread element according to claim 5 , comprising a pair of tread chain axles, each tread chain axle supporting a respective one of the cantilever arms on opposite lateral sides of the tread element.

9. The tread element according to claim 1 , wherein the tread chain axle is connected to the tread in a torque-proof manner and is connected to the cantilever arm in a torque-proof manner, and wherein the riser is pivotably supported by the tread chain axle.

10. The tread element according to claim 1 , wherein the tread chain comprises tread chain links connected to each other by tread chain pins, the tread chain axle including a section adapted to engage with one of the tread chain pins or forming one of the tread chain pins.

11. The tread element according to claim 2 , wherein the lateral panels of the riser are formed integrally with respective tread chain links ( 24 i ).

12. The tread element according to claim 11 , wherein the tread chain links are made up with pairs of tread chain link plates connected to each other by respective tread chain pins, the laterally inner link plate of each tread chain link being formed by, or integrally with, the respective lateral panel member.

13. The tread element according to claim 12 , wherein the cantilever arm and/or the tread roller is positioned in a gap formed in between the two link plates of a pair of link plates forming a respective tread chain link.

14. The tread element according to claim 1 , wherein the cantilever arm is supported laterally inwardly of the laterally outer side of the tread chain.

15. The tread element according to claim 1 , wherein a tread chain roller is supported on a laterally outer side of the cantilever arm.

16. The tread element according to claim 1 , wherein a tread chain roller is supported laterally inwardly of the laterally outer side of the tread chain.

17. The tread element according to claim 1 , wherein the tread roller is supported on a laterally inner side of the cantilever arm.

18. The tread element according to claim 10 , wherein the tread chain comprises a plurality of tread chain roller supporting elements, each tread chain roller supporting element being connected to a respective one of the tread chain links or tread chain pins and supporting at least two tread chain rollers.

19. A people conveyor, particularly an escalator or a moving walkway, comprising an endless tread band formed by a plurality of the tread elements connected to each other and driven by at least one tread chain between a downstream and an upstream turnaround section, the tread elements having a configuration as set out in claim 1 , said people conveyor further comprising:
a drive configured to engage the drive chain such as to drive the drive chain around a first endless path between the first and second turnaround sections;
a first guide element for guiding movement of the tread chain along the first endless path; and
a second guide element for guiding movement of the tread rollers along a second endless path between the first and second turnaround sections;
the second guide element having a configuration such that the second endless path extends completely inside or completely outside the first endless path in a side elevation view.

20. The people conveyor according to claim 19 , wherein the second endless path extends inside the first endless path in a side elevation view.

Assignees

• Otis Elevator Co
• Michalke Martin

Inventors

• Michalke Martin

Classifications

• B66B23/028

  with separate drive chain or belt that engages directly the carrying surface chain · CPC title

• B66B23/12

  Steps · CPC title

• B66B23/026

  with a drive or carrying sprocket wheel located at end portions · CPC title

• B66B23/024 Primary

  Chains therefor · CPC title