Offset pallet guidance for passenger conveyor
AssigneeOtis Elevator Company
InventorsWalter SRB-GAFFRON, Alexander TUREK
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A passenger conveyor includes a plurality of pallets arranged to form a travel surface of the passenger conveyor. A first guide member extends from a first longitudinal end of the travel surface and is located at a first lateral side of the plurality of pallets, and a second guide member extends from the first longitudinal end and is located at a second lateral side of the plurality of pallets. A position of the second guide member is offset in a longitudinal direction along the travel surface relative to the first guide member. The first guide member and the second guide member are pivotably connected to the plurality of pallets to guide movement of the plurality of pallets.
Claims17
A passenger conveyor comprising:
- a plurality of pallets arranged to form a travel surface of the passenger conveyor;
- a first guide member extending from a first longitudinal end of the travel surface and disposed at a first lateral side of the plurality of pallets;
- and
- a second guide member extending from the first longitudinal end and disposed at a second lateral side of the plurality of pallets, a position of the second guide member offset in a longitudinal direction along the travel surface relative to the first guide member;
- wherein the first guide member and the second guide member are pivotably connected to the plurality of pallets to guide movement of the plurality of pallets.
A method for operating a passenger conveyor comprising:
- pivotably connecting at least one pallet of a plurality of pallets of the passenger conveyor to a first guide member extending from a first longitudinal end of the passenger conveyor and disposed at a first lateral side of the plurality of pallets;
- pivotably connecting the at least one pallet to a second guide member extending from the first longitudinal end and disposed at a second lateral side of the plurality of pallets, a position of the second guide member offset in a longitudinal direction along the passenger conveyor relative to the first guide member;
- urging the at least one pallet toward a turnaround portion of the passenger conveyor via motion of the first guide member and the second guide member;
- reversing a longitudinal direction of travel of the at least one pallet at the turnaround portion without inverting the at least one pallet via the pivotable connection between the at least one pallet and the first guide member and second guide member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.