# US 10,766,747 B2 · Abnormality detection apparatus for passenger conveyor

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- Number: US 10,766,747 B2
- Document ID: US10766747B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/617,521
- Filed: 2017-07-19
- Published: 2020-06-11
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2017-07-19
- Assignees: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
- Applicants: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
- Inventors: Kenji Ogura
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10766747B2

## CPC

- B66B 25/006: {Monitoring for maintenance or repair (for security reasons B66B29/005)}
- B66B 29/00: Safety devices of escalators or moving walkways (walkways of variable speed type B66B21/12; handrails of variable speed type B66B23/26)
- B66B 23/12: Steps
- B66B 27/00: Indicating operating conditions of escalators or moving walkways (of general application G08)
- B66B: ELEVATORS; ESCALATORS OR MOVING WALKWAYS ({apparatus for raising or lowering persons on theatrical stages or the like A63J5/12} ; funicular railbound systems with rigid ground-supported tracks and cable traction, e.g. cliff railways, B61B9/00; arrangements of ammunition handlers in vessels B63G3/00; hoists, lifts, or conveyors for loading or unloading in general B65G; braking or detent devices controlling normal movements of winding drums or barrels B66D; ship-lifting devices E02C; garages for many vehicles with mechanical means for lifting vehicles E04H6/12; hoists for feeding ammunition or projectiles to launching apparatus or to loading mechanisms F41A9/00)

## Abstract

Provided is an abnormality detection apparatus for a passenger conveyor, including: a first sensor arranged at an upper horizontal portion; a second sensor arranged at a lower horizontal portion; and a control device configured to receive respective outputs of the first sensor and the second sensor, wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are each configured to measure a distance to a side surface of each of steps along a traveling direction of each of steps, and wherein the control device is configured to detect abnormality of the passenger conveyor based on a change amount of each of measurement values given by the first sensor and the second sensor.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An abnormality detection apparatus for a passenger conveyor, comprising:
a first sensor arranged at an upper horizontal portion;
a second sensor arranged at a lower horizontal portion; and
a control circuit configured to receive respective outputs of the first sensor and the second sensor,
wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are each configured to measure a distance to a side surface of each of a plurality of steps along a traveling direction of the plurality of steps,
wherein the control circuit is configured to detect abnormality of the passenger conveyor based on a change amount of each of measurement values given by the first sensor and the second sensor,
wherein the first sensor includes a pair of upper sensors which are arranged at the upper horizontal portion so as to be apart from each other in the traveling direction of the plurality of steps, and
wherein the second sensor includes a pair of lower sensors which are arranged at the lower horizontal portion so as to be apart from each other in the traveling direction of the plurality of steps.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The abnormality detection apparatus for a passenger conveyor according to claim 1,
wherein the pair of upper sensors are arranged at the upper horizontal portion so as to be apart from each other and be opposed to each other in a direction perpendicular to the traveling direction of the plurality of steps, and
wherein the pair of lower sensors are arranged at the lower horizontal portion so as to be apart from each other and be opposed to each other in the direction perpendicular to the traveling direction of the plurality of steps.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The abnormality detection apparatus for a passenger conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to perform, when the abnormality is detected, at least one of giving notification about the abnormality and stopping an operation.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The abnormality detection apparatus for a passenger conveyor according to claim 2, wherein the control circuit is configured to perform, when the abnormality is detected, at least one of giving notification about the abnormality and stopping an operation.