Floor cover of a passenger transportation device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10752469-B2
Application number	US-201616063045-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 6, 2016
Priority date	Dec 17, 2015
Publication date	Aug 25, 2020
Grant date	Aug 25, 2020

Abstract

A floor cover of an escalator or a moving walkway is described. The floor cover has a floor cover support and at least one cover element. The opening of a space provided under the floor to the surrounding floor which can be walked on can be closed in a flush manner by at least one cover element which lies on the floor cover support. The floor cover includes at least one device by which one single possible correct installation position of the at least one cover element on the floor cover support is specified. In the correct installation position, the cover element lies flush on the floor cover support, and in an incorrect installation position, the device causes at least one part of the cover element is arranged so as to visibly project beyond the floor cover support.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A floor cover of an entry region of a passenger transportation device that is formed as an escalator or a moving walkway, the floor cover comprising:
a floor cover support and at least one cover element, wherein an opening of a space provided under a floor of the passenger transportation device can be closed in a flush manner to a surrounding floor which can be walked on by the at least one cover element that is laid on the floor cover support,
at least one device that is arranged at least in part between the floor cover support and the at least one cover element, the at least one device transitionable between a first configuration and a second configuration, wherein:
in the first configuration, the at least one cover element lies flush on the floor cover support,
in the second configuration, the at least one device is configured to cause at least one part of the at least one cover element to visibly project beyond the floor cover support, and
the at least one device is biased towards the second configuration, and

a fastener configured to connect the at least one cover element to the floor cover support such that, when fastened, the fastener causes the at least one device to be in the first configuration and secures the at least one cover element flushly to the floor cover support.

2. The floor cover of claim 1 , wherein the at least one device comprises at least one resilient element.

3. The floor cover of claim 2 , wherein the resilient element is a block of resilient material or a spring element and the fastener comprises a screw connection.

4. The floor cover of claim 1 , wherein the device comprises at least one projection on the cover element and a recess on the floor cover support that corresponds to the projection, wherein, in the correct installation position, the projection protrudes into the recess, and in the incorrect installation position the at least one cover element is arranged against the projection so that the cover element is visibly projecting.

5. The floor cover of claim 4 , wherein the projection and the recess extend in parallel with the planar extension of the cover element or in parallel with the floor cover support.

6. The floor cover of claim 5 , wherein the projection comprises a strip and the recess comprises a groove.

7. The floor cover of claim 1 , wherein the device comprises at least one stop piece on the cover element and a notch on the floor cover support that corresponds to the stop piece, wherein, in the correct installation position, the stop piece protrudes into the notch, and in the incorrect installation position the at least one cover element is arranged against the stop piece so that the cover element is visibly projecting.

8. The floor cover of claim 7 , wherein a nose, extending in parallel with the floor cover support, is arranged on the stop piece, and a cap groove that corresponds to the nose is arranged on the cover element, wherein, in the correct installation position of the cover element, the nose engages in the cap groove.

9. The floor cover of claim 7 , wherein the device comprises at least one resilient element that is arranged in a region of an end face of the cover element which is remote from the stop piece or the notch or the cap groove.

10. The floor cover of claim 1 , wherein the device comprises at least one sensor or switch configured to monitor a correct installation position or any other installation positions of the cover element.

11. The floor cover of claim 1 , wherein the cover comprises a plurality of cover elements that are laid on the floor cover support so as to be adjacent to one another, and at least one device is associated with at least one of the cover elements.

12. The floor cover claim 1 , wherein access to the space arranged under the floor can be provided by removing the at least one cover element.

13. The floor cover of claim 1 , wherein at least one side face of the cover element is provided with at least one of a signal color, a reflective element, and a lamp.

14. A method for correctly assembling the at least one cover element of the floor cover of claim 1 , comprising:
during assembly, laying the at least one cover element on the floor cover support such that the at least one device being is arranged at least in part between the floor cover support and the at least one cover element;
bringing the cover element into an intended correct installation position at least by pushing and/or inserting a fastener; and
performing a visual check to determine whether one part of the cover element is visibly projecting from the floor cover support.

15. A method for modernizing a passenger transportation device formed as an escalator or moving walkway, wherein an existing floor cover is supplemented, in at least one of the entry regions of the existing moving walkway or of the existing escalator, with at least one device, which device is arranged at least in part between the floor cover support and the at least one cover element, such that the floor cover of claim 1 is created by this supplementation.

16. The floor cover of claim 1 , wherein the at least one device further comprises:
at least one recess on the cover element, and
a projection on the floor cover support that corresponds to the recess,
wherein, in a correct installation position, the projection protrudes into the recess, and in any other installation positions the at least one cover element is arranged against the projection so that the cover element is visibly projecting.

17. The floor cover of claim 1 , wherein the at least one device comprises:
at least one stop piece on the floor cover support, and
a notch on the cover element that corresponds to the stop piece,
wherein, in an correct installation position, the stop piece protrudes into the notch, and in any other installation positions the at least one cover element is arranged against the stop piece so that the cover element is visibly projecting.

18. The floor cover of claim 2 , wherein the resilient element is a block of resilient material or a spring element and the fastener comprises a locking means.

Assignees

• Inventio Ag

Inventors

• Novacek Thomas
• Gartner Manfred

Classifications

• B66B23/00 Primary

  Component parts of escalators or moving walkways · CPC title