# US 12,600,602 B2 · Connecting gear mechanism of a passenger-transporting system designed as an escalator or moving walkway > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,600,602 B2 - Document ID: US12600602B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/832,082 - Filed: 2023-02-15 - Published: 2025-03-27 - Granted: 2026-04-14 - Earliest claimed: 2022-03-31 - Assignees: Inventio AG - Applicants: Inventio AG - Inventors: Peter Sefcsik; Hannes Dragsits; Christoph Makovec; Gerhard Kleewein; Georg Wagenleitner - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12600602B2 ## CPC - B66B 23/02: Driving gear - 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 The present disclosure relates to a connecting gear mechanism of a passenger-transporting system designed as an escalator or moving walkway. The connecting gear mechanism has a first section and a second section. In the first section, an input shaft and a first gearwheel set are arranged so as to be operatively connected to one another. In the second section, an output shaft and a second gearwheel set are arranged so as to be operatively connected to one another. A connecting shaft connects the two gearwheel sets to one another, wherein, with respect to the connecting shaft axis of rotation, the first section can be connected to the second section at any selectable plane intermediate angles. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A connecting gear mechanism of a passenger-transporting system configured as an escalator or moving walkway, wherein the connecting gear mechanism and a motor can be operatively coupled to a drive shaft of the passenger-transporting system, the connecting gear mechanism comprising: a connecting shaft comprising a connecting shaft axis of rotation; a first section comprising: a first section transition; an input shaft comprising an input shaft axis of rotation; and a first gearwheel set arranged in the first section to be operatively coupled to the input shaft, wherein the input shaft axis of rotation and the connecting shaft axis of rotation are positioned in the first section transition and are arranged in a first axis of rotation plane; and a second section comprising: a second section transition; an output shaft configured to drive the drive shaft, the output shaft comprising an output shaft axis of rotation; and a second gearwheel set arranged in the second section to be operatively coupled to the output shaft, wherein the output shaft axis of rotation and the connecting shaft axis of rotation are positioned in the second section transition and are arranged in a second axis of rotation plane, wherein the first section is coupled to the second section via the first section transition and second section transition, and wherein, the connecting shaft is arranged in the connecting gear mechanism so as to protrude through both the first section transition and second section transition in order to couple the first gearwheel set to the second gearwheel set such that the connecting shaft is configured to transmit torque and rotary motion, and wherein the first axis of rotation plane intersects the second axis of rotation plane along the connecting shaft axis of rotation, and wherein the first section is coupled to the second section such that the first axis of rotation plane is at any selectable plane intermediate angle to the second section. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The connecting gear mechanism of claim 1, wherein the first gearwheel set and the second gearwheel set comprise spur gears. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The connecting gear mechanism of claim 1, wherein the first section and the second section comprise a complementary connecting contour in a region of the first section transition and second section transition respectively and by joining the first section and the second section together with at least one connecting element, a connecting gear mechanism can be created which comprises a continuous transmission line. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The connecting gear mechanism of claim 2, wherein the first section and the second section comprise a complementary connecting contour in the region of the first section transition and second section transition respectively and by joining the first section and the second section together with at least one connecting element, a connecting gear mechanism can be created which comprises a continuous transmission line. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The connecting gear mechanism of claim 3, wherein the at least one connecting element is a screw connection, a clamp connection or an integral bond. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The connecting gear mechanism of claim 1, wherein the connecting gear mechanism has a gear ratio of its output shaft to its input shaft in a range of 1:1 to 1:200. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The connecting gear mechanism of claim 2, wherein the connecting gear mechanism has a gear ratio of its output shaft to its input shaft in a range of 1:1 to 1:200. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A passenger-transporting system configured as an escalator or moving walkway; the passenger-transporting system comprising a support structure, a circulating conveyor belt and a drive configured to drive the circulating conveyor belt, wherein the drive comprises at least one motor, at least one connecting gear mechanism of claim 1 and a drive shaft which is operatively coupled to the motor via the connecting gear mechanism, wherein the circulating conveyor belt is movably arranged in the support structure and is guided via the drive shaft and is movable with the drive shaft; wherein the drive shaft is rotatably mounted in the support structure and the motor is arranged on a drive frame separate from the support structure in a region of a first end of the support structure. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The passenger-transporting system of claim 8, wherein the output shaft of the connecting gear mechanism is configured as a hollow shaft and the drive shaft protrudes through the output shaft and the second section of the connecting gear mechanism; the connecting gear mechanism is pivotally mounted in the support structure by the protruding drive shaft and the connecting gear mechanism is supported on the support structure or on the drive frame via a torque support. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The passenger-transporting system according to claim 9, wherein a length of the torque support is adjustable. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The passenger-transporting system of claim 8, wherein a rotary motion- and torque-transmitting intermediate gear is arranged on the drive frame between the motor and the connecting gear mechanism. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The passenger-transporting system of claim 9, wherein a rotary motion- and torque-transmitting intermediate gear is arranged on the drive frame between the motor and the connecting gear mechanism. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The passenger-transporting system of claim 11, wherein the intermediate gear is a hypoid gear, a hypoid spur gear or a worm gear and has a gear ratio of its output shaft to its input shaft in a range of 1:5 to 1:40. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The passenger-transporting system of claim 11, wherein the connecting gear mechanism and the intermediate gear are coupled to one another so as to transmit torque and rotary motion via a resilient coupling. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The passenger-transporting system of claim 11, wherein an auxiliary motor is arranged on the drive frame, which can be coupled with a clutch gear to the input shaft of the intermediate gear or to a motor shaft of the motor. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The passenger-transporting system of claim 9, wherein an auxiliary motor is arranged on the drive frame, which can be coupled with a clutch gear to the input shaft of the intermediate gear or to a motor shaft of the motor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 8) An arrangement of two passenger-transporting systems of claim 8, wherein the support structures of the two passenger-transporting systems are arranged in parallel with one another in a building structure and their drive frames are arranged offset from one another in the longitudinal extension of the passenger-transporting systems. ### Claim 18 (depends on 9) An arrangement of two passenger-transporting systems of claim 9, wherein the support structures of the two passenger-transporting systems are arranged in parallel with one another in a building structure and their drive frames are arranged offset from one another in the longitudinal extension of the passenger-transporting systems. ### Claim 19 (depends on 8) An arrangement of two passenger-transporting systems of claim 8, wherein the support structures of the two passenger-transporting systems and their drive frames are arranged in a building structure offset from one another in the longitudinal extension of the passenger-transporting systems. ### Claim 20 (depends on 9) An arrangement of two passenger-transporting systems of claim 9, wherein the support structures of the two passenger-transporting systems and their drive frames are arranged in a building structure offset from one another in the longitudinal extension of the passenger-transporting systems.