Passenger conveyor handrail drive control strategy
AssigneeOtis Elevator Company
InventorDirk Winkelhake
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A passenger conveyor assembly (20) includes a moveable stepping surface (22). A first drive (50) is operative to move the stepping surface (22). A handrail (30) and a second drive (40) is provided as part of the passenger conveyor assembly (20). A controller (70) controls the second drive (40) independent of the first drive (50) to allow for movement of the stepping surface (22) or the handrail (30) when the other of the handrail (30) or the stepping surface (22) is stationary.
Claims20
A passenger conveyor assembly, comprising:
- a moveable stepping surface;
- a first drive that is operative to move the stepping surface;
- a handrail;
- a second drive that is operative to move the handrail, the second drive comprising a motor that is dedicated to moving only the handrail;
- and
- a controller that controls the second drive independent of the first drive to allow for movement of the stepping surface or the handrail when the other of the handrail or the stepping surface is stationary.
A method of controlling operation of a passenger conveyor comprising a moveable stepping surface and a handrail, the method comprising:
- independently controlling movement of the handrail and the stepping surface to allow for movement of the stepping surface or the handrail when the other of the handrail or the stepping surface is stationary, the movement of the handrail occurring responsive to operation of a motor that is dedicated to moving only the handrail.
A passenger conveyor assembly, comprising
- a moveable stepping surface;
- a first drive that is operative to move the stepping surface;
- a handrail;
- a second drive that is operative to move the handrail;
- and
- a controller that controls the second drive independent of the first drive to
- (i) stop the handrail while allowing the stepping surface to continue moving when there are no passengers on the stepping surface;
- or
- (ii) stop the handrail sooner than the stepping surface responsive to a switch activation that indicates a need to stop at least one of the handrail or the stepping surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.