Brake system for passenger conveyors
AssigneeOtis Elevator Company
InventorChan-Jong Park
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for braking an escalator or moving walkway includes a handrail and passenger support in registration with one another so as to move together. A braking tensioner selectively increases tension in the handrail during operation. The increased tension serves to frictionally brake the handrail and hence the passenger support. The braking tensioner may be located in any of various locations depending upon system design, and may be driven in any suitable manner, e.g., hydraulically, electrically, electromagnetically, and so on. Frictional wear on the handrail is reduced by the fact that the described braking system spreads the frictional load over a large area of the handrail, e.g., the many locations where the handrail contacts the underlying support throughout its length.
Claims26
A passenger conveyor comprising:
- a passenger support configured to support one or more passengers;
- a handrail linked to the passenger support such that the passenger support and the handrail move in registration with one another, the handrail movement guided by an underlying support;
- and
- a brake system for selectively preventing movement of the handrail and the passenger support in registration with the handrail, the brake system including a tensioner for selectively increasing a tension of the handrail, whereby friction between the handrail and the underlying support precludes the handrail and passenger support from moving.
A passenger conveyor comprising:
- a passenger support configured to support one or more passengers;
- a handrail linked to the passenger support such that the passenger support and the handrail move in registration with one another, the handrail movement guided by an underlying support;
- and
- a brake system for selectively preventing movement of the handrail and the passenger support in registration with the handrail, the brake system including a tensioner for selectively increasing a tension of the handrail, whereby friction between the handrail and the underlying support precludes the handrail and passenger support from moving;
- wherein the tensioner for selectively increasing a tension of the handrail against the underlying support includes a tension bow adjacent the handrail and a forcing member associated with the tension bow for forcing the tension bow against the handrail.
A method for braking a passenger conveyor having a passenger support configured to support one or more passengers and a handrail linked to the passenger support such that the passenger support and the handrail move in registration with one another, the handrail movement guided by an underlying support, the method comprising:
- detecting a need to brake the passenger conveyor;
- and
- responsive to detecting a need to brake, selectively increasing a tension in the handrail to increase the friction between the handrail and underlying support until the handrail is precluded from moving, thus also stopping the passenger support.
A method for braking a passenger conveyor having a passenger support configured to support one or more passengers and a handrail linked to the passenger support such that the passenger support and the handrail move in registration with one another, the handrail movement guided by an underlying support, the method comprising:
- detecting a need to brake the passenger conveyor;
- and
- responsive to detecting a need to brake, selectively increasing a tension in the handrail to increase the friction between the handrail and underlying support until the handrail is precluded from moving, thus also stopping the passenger support;
- wherein the passenger conveyor includes a tension bow adjacent the handrail and a forcing member associated with the tension bow, and wherein selectively increasing a tension of the handrail against the underlying support comprises forcing the tension bow against the handrail via the forcing member.
A brake system for application to a passenger conveyor having a movable passenger support portion and a movable passenger handrail linked for concurrent movement to the passenger support portion, the brake system comprising a tension element configured to selectively increase tension in the handrail to provide a braking force for the passenger support portion resulting from increased tension of the handrail.
A brake system for application to a passenger conveyor having a movable passenger support portion and a movable passenger handrail linked for concurrent movement to the passenger support portion, the brake system comprising a tension element configured to selectively increase tension in the handrail to provide a braking force for the passenger support portion resulting from increased tension of the handrail;
- wherein the tension element is one of a roller bow and a sliding bow.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.