Drive system for passenger conveyor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9573794-B2
Application number	US-201214409269-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 10, 2012
Priority date	Jul 10, 2012
Publication date	Feb 21, 2017
Grant date	Feb 21, 2017

Abstract

A drive chain band for a chain drive device having chain links and pins is provided. The drive chain band may include one or more drive bands, and a plurality of connectors disposed on the one or more drive bands. Each connector may have a toothed profile configured to directly receive and engage the pins.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A drive assembly for a chain drive device having pallet chain links, pallet chain rollers and extension pins, comprising:
a drive chain band having a first drive band and a second drive band;
a plurality of intermediate connectors disposed between the first and second drive bands, each intermediate connector having a first toothed profile coupled to the first drive band and a second toothed profile coupled to the second drive band, the first and second toothed profiles being configured to receive the extension pins;
at least one sprocket wheel having a first sprocket and a second sprocket, the first sprocket being configured to engage the first drive band, the second sprocket being configured to engage the second drive band;
wherein the sprocket wheel includes a leading wheel having a first leading sprocket and a second leading sprocket, and a trailing wheel having a first trailing sprocket and a second trailing sprocket, the first drive band being engaged about the first leading sprocket and the first trailing sprocket, the second drive band being engaged about the second leading sprocket and the second trailing sprocket; and

at least one drive sprocket coaxially coupled to the leading wheel, the drive sprocket being configured to receive a rotational torque from a drive machine.

2. The drive assembly of claim 1 , wherein each intermediate connector includes a recessed midsection configured to provide sufficient clearance for the chain rollers and the chain links traveling therethrough.

3. The drive assembly of claim 1 , wherein each toothed profile of the intermediate connectors includes one of a single-tooth profile, a duplex-tooth profile and a multi-tooth profile.

4. The drive assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least one toothed profile is disposed at an exterior side of the drive bands and configured to engagably receive any pins outer-axially positioned relative to the drive bands.

5. The drive assembly of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate connectors are coupled to the chain links by one or more of screwing, snapping and pressing thereon.

6. The drive assembly of claim 1 , wherein the drive bands are comprised of one of roller chains, toothed belts and inverted tooth chains.

7. The drive assembly of claim 1 , wherein the drive bands and the intermediate connectors form two or more sections that are simultaneously engaged.

8. The drive assembly of claim 1 , further comprising pallet connectors directly coupled to the pallet chain links.

9. The drive assembly of claim 1 , wherein the extension pins are axially coupled directly to the pallets.

10. The drive assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first and second drive bands are of equal lengths and have an equal number of drive chain the first and second drive bands being oriented such that each drive chain link of the first drive band is in direct rotational alignment with the corresponding drive chain link of the second drive band, the first and second sprockets being oriented such that each sprocket tooth of the first sprocket is in direct rotational alignment with a corresponding sprocket tooth of the second sprocket.

11. The drive assembly of claim 10 , wherein adjacent intermediate connectors are distanced according to the pitch of an associated pallet chain band and not all extension pins are seated within an intermediate connector.

12. The drive assembly of claim 10 , wherein not all toothed profiles of the intermediate connectors engage an extension pin.

13. The drive assembly of claim 10 , wherein adjacent drive chain links in each of the first and second drive bands are pivotally joined by drive chain link pins having drive chain rollers coaxially disposed thereabout, the intermediate connectors being configured to engage the extension pins such that the center axis of each engaged extension pin remains substantially aligned with the drive chain link pins and the drive chain rollers, and the direction of force applied onto the extension pins is in substantial alignment with the direction of travel of the drive chain link pins.

14. The drive assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least one toothed profile is disposed at an exterior side of the first and second drive bands and configured to engagably receive any pins outer-axially positioned relative to the first and second drive bands.

15. The drive assembly of claim 1 , further comprising drive chain guides disposed between the leading and trailing sprocket wheels and configured to guide travel of each of the first and second drive bands thereacross, each drive chain guide being disposed in substantial alignment with each of the first and second corresponding sprocket wheels and the first and second corresponding drive bands associated therewith.

16. The drive assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the leading and trailing wheels is biased by a tensioning mechanism in a direction configured to maintain tension in the drive chain band between the leading and trailing wheels.

17. The drive assembly of claim 1 being configured for a passenger conveyor.

18. The drive assembly of claim 1 forming two or more sections which simultaneously engage two or more runs of an associated pallet chain band.

19. A drive assembly for a chain drive device having pallet chain links, pallet chain rollers and extension pins, comprising:
a drive chain band having a first drive band and a second drive band;
a plurality of intermediate connectors disposed between the first and second drive bands, each intermediate connector having a first toothed profile coupled to the first drive band and a second toothed profile coupled to the second drive band, the first and second toothed profiles being configured to receive the extension pins;
at least one sprocket wheel having a first sprocket and a second sprocket, the first sprocket being configured to engage the first drive band, the second sprocket being configured to engage the second drive band; and
at least one drive sprocket coaxially coupled to the leading wheel, the drive sprocket being configured to receive a rotational torque from a drive machine;
wherein the sprocket wheel includes a leading wheel having a first leading sprocket and a second leading sprocket, and a trailing wheel having a first trailing sprocket and a second trailing sprocket, the first drive band being engaged about the first leading sprocket and the first trailing sprocket, the second drive band being engaged about the second leading sprocket and the second trailing sprocket;
wherein a drive shaft is axially disposed between the leading wheel and a second leading wheel of a second drive system, the drive sprocket being configured to receive a rotational torque from a drive machine in the drive shaft.

Assignees

• Park Chan-Jong
• Turek Alexander
• Otis Elevator Co

Inventors

• Park Chan-Jong
• Turek Alexander

Classifications

• B66B23/028 Primary

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

• B65G23/16

  with dogs engaging abutments on belts or chains · CPC title