Transport device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10597261-B2
Application number	US-201816105131-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 20, 2018
Priority date	Aug 21, 2017
Publication date	Mar 24, 2020
Grant date	Mar 24, 2020

Abstract

A transport device for conveying passengers between first and second landing areas in a conveying direction may include a skirt member and a balustrade, which may include lower and upper sides, extending between the landing areas. The skirt member may be secured to the lower side. An endless moving handrail may form a loop. A first section of the handrail moves along the upper side of the balustrade in the conveying direction, and a second section of the handrail moves within the skirt member opposite the conveying direction. Two turnaround sections are disposed between the first and second sections near the first and second landing areas, respectively. At least one of the turnaround sections includes a cover member that renders part of the turnaround section of the handrail inaccessible to passengers. The cover member may comprise a positioning mechanism for adjustably positioning the cover member relative to the balustrade.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A transport device for conveying passengers in a conveying direction between a first landing area and a second landing area, the transport device comprising:
a balustrade including a lower side and an upper side;
a skirt member, wherein the skirt member and the balustrade extend between the first landing area and the second landing area, the skirt member adapted to secure the balustrade by engagement with the lower side of the balustrade;
an endless moving handrail that forms a loop, wherein a first section of the endless moving handrail is configured to move along the upper side of the balustrade in the conveying direction, wherein a second section of the endless moving handrail is configured to move within the skirt member in a direction opposite the conveying direction, wherein first and second turnaround sections are disposed between the first and second sections of the endless moving handrail, the first turnaround section disposed proximate the first landing area and the second turnaround section disposed proximate the second landing area; and
a cover member disposed at at least one of the turnaround sections, the cover member being adapted to render at least part of the at least one of the turnaround sections of the endless moving handrail inaccessible to passengers, wherein the cover member comprises;
a cover section that follows a curvature of the at least one of the turnaround sections of the endless moving handrail;
an attachment section that is configured to be fixedly attached to at least one of the skirt member or a landing cover plate; and
a positioning mechanism configured to position the cover section relative to the balustrade in an adjustable manner.

2. The transport device of claim 1 wherein the positioning mechanism comprises an adjustable screw mechanism configured to adjust at least one of a distance or an orientation of the cover section relative to the balustrade.

3. The transport device of claim 2 wherein the adjustable screw mechanism comprises a screw that engages a side wall of the cover section, an intermediate threaded bushing or a double threaded bushing, and a support element engaging the balustrade, wherein the screw and the support element are adapted to threadingly engage the intermediate threaded bushing or a double threaded bushing such that the at least one of the distance or the orientation of the cover section relative to the balustrade can be adjustably set.

4. The transport device of claim 1 wherein the positioning mechanism comprises:
a first screw mechanism configured to interact with a first side surface of the balustrade; and
a second screw mechanism configured to interact with a second side surface of the balustrade.

5. The transport device of claim 1 wherein the cover member extends between a newel end cap of the balustrade and a point vertically above a starting point of moving steps of the transport device.

6. The transport device of claim 1 wherein the cover section is fixedly attached to the landing cover plate.

7. The transport device of claim 1 wherein the cover member is comprised of a fiber-reinforced plastic or a fiber-reinforced polycarbonate material.

8. The transport device of claim 1 comprising an anti-entrapment safety device adapted to cooperate with the cover member.

9. The transport device of claim 1 comprising a deactivation system adapted to deactivate the transport device in a case where a passenger enters the transport system in a direction opposite the conveying direction.

10. The transport device of claim 1 wherein the attachment section is fixedly attached to the skirt member.

11. A cover member for a handrail of a transport device, the cover member comprising
a cover section that follows a curvature of a turnaround section of the handrail;
an attachment section that is configured to be fixedly attached to at least one of a skirt member or a landing cover plate of the transport device; and
a positioning mechanism configured to position the cover section relative to a balustrade of the transport device in an adjustable manner.

12. The cover member of claim 11 wherein the positioning mechanism comprises an adjustable screw mechanism configured to adjust at least one of a distance or an orientation of the cover section relative to the balustrade.

13. The cover member of claim 12 wherein the adjustable screw mechanism comprises a screw engaging a side wall of the cover section, an intermediate threaded bushing or a double threaded bushing, and a support element engaging the balustrade, wherein the adjustable screw mechanism and the support element are adapted to threadingly engage the intermediate threaded bushing or the double threaded bushing such that the at least one of the distance or the orientation of the cover section relative to the balustrade can be set.

14. The cover member of claim 11 wherein the positioning mechanism comprises:
a first screw mechanism configured to engage a first side surface of the balustrade; and
a second screw mechanism configured to engage a second side surface of the balustrade.

15. The cover member of claim 11 wherein the attachment section is fixedly attached to the landing cover plate.

16. A method for retrofitting a transport device with a cover member for a handrail of a transport device, the method comprising:
providing the cover member over the handrail, wherein the cover member comprises a positioning mechanism configured to position a cover section of the cover member relative to a balustrade of the transport device in an adjustable manner;
fixedly attaching an attachment section of the cover member to a skirt member or a landing cover plate of the transport device; and
adjusting a position of the cover section relative to the balustrade with the positioning mechanism such that the cover section is positioned at least one of a predetermined distance or a predetermined orientation relative to the balustrade.

17. The method of claim 16 comprising fixedly attaching the attachment section to the landing cover plate.

Assignees

• Thyssenkrupp Elev Innovation
• Thyssenkrupp Ag

Inventors

• González Pantiga Juan Domingo
• González Ruibal Elena
• Hernández Álvarez Jonatan

Classifications

• B66B23/22

  Balustrades · CPC title

• B66B29/04 Primary

  for balustrades or handrails · CPC title

• B66B23/20

  for handrails · CPC title

• B66B31/02

  for handrails · CPC title

• B66B23/14

  Guiding means for carrying surfaces · CPC title