Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02559706 2006-09-12
DESCRIPTION
MOVING HANDRAIL FOR PASSENGER CONVEYER
Technical Field
[0001]
The present invention relates to a moving handrail used for
a passenger conveyer such as an escalator, a moving pavement, or
the like.
Background Art
[0002]
In a conventional moving handrail for a passenger conveyer,
a core body of the moving handrail is made of thermoplastic elastomer.
To prevent the moving handrail from being extended, a metallic
strip-shaped anti-tension body is embedded in the core body. In
a joint portion of the moving handrail, moreover, both ends of the
strip-shaped anti-tension body are superposed on each other in a
thickness direction thereof (e.g., see Patent Document 1).
[0003]
Patent Document l: JP 2000-211872 A
Disclosure of the Invention
Problem to be solved by the Invention
[0004]
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In the conventional moving handrail described above, there
is caused a substantial difference in bending rigidity between
superposed portions of a strip-shaped anti-tension body and a
non-superposed portion thereof. Therefore, a stress concentrates
on both ends of a superposed section of the strip-shaped anti-tension
body when a joint portion is bent past a newel portion or the like.
Thus, the moving handrail is bent into a distorted shape, so a guide
member for guiding the moving handrail is sandwiched from above
and below. As a result, a sliding resistance of the moving handrail
increases partially, or abnormal noise is produced in some cases.
[0005]
The present invention has been made to solve the problem
discussed above, and it is therefore an object of the invention
to obtain a moving handrail for a passenger conveyer which can prevent
an occurrence of stress concentration on a joint portion thereof
when being bent.
Means for solving the Problem
[0006]
A moving handrail for a passenger conveyer according to the
present invention includes: a core body made of thermoplastic
elastomer and having a C-shaped cross-section; and a metallic
strip-shaped anti-tension body provided continuously along a
longitudinal direction of the core body, the moving handrail having
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both ends connected to each other at a joint portion to assume an
endless shape, in which the strip-shaped anti-tension body is
provided at both ends thereof with a first superposed portion and
a second superposed portion, respectively, which are superposed
on each other in a thickness direction at the joint portion, and
the first superposed portion and the second superposed portion are
provided at tips thereof with tapered portions, respectively, whose
width dimension decreases gradually.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0007]
[ Fig . I ] Fig . 1 is a plan view showing a moving handrail f or
a passenger conveyer according to Embodiment 1 of the present
invention.
[Fig. 2] Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line
II-II of Fig. 1.
[Fig. 3] Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line
III-III of Fig. 1.
[ Fig . 4 ] Fig . 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a bending
rigidity of a joint portion of Fig. 1.
[Fig. 5] Fig. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a bending
rigidity of the joint portion in a case where no tapered portion
is provided.
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Best Mode for carrying out the Invention
[0008]
A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be
described hereinafter with reference to the drawings.
Embodiment 1
Fig. 1 is a plan view showing a moving handrail for a passenger
conveyer according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Fig.
2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II of Fig. I.
Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line III-III of
Fig. 1.
Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, the moving handrail assumes an endless
shape with both ends thereof connected to each other at a joint
portion 4. The moving handrail has a core body 1 having a C-shaped
cross-section, ametallicstrip-shaped anti-tension body2provided
continuously along a longitudinal direction of the core body I,
and a sailcloth 3 bonded to an inside of the core body 1.
[0009]
The core body 1 is made only of thermoplastic elastomer. The
core body I may assume either a single-layer structure or a multi-layer
structure. Tn addition, the core body I does not include any
reinforcing cloth or the like as included in a core body of a rubber
handrail.
[0010]
Used as the strip-shaped anti-tension body 2 is, for example,
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a strip-shaped steel plate, a stainless steel plate, or the like
which continuously extends along an entire length of the moving
handrail_ Thestrip-shaped anti-tension body2hasawidth dimension
of, for example, about 35 to 50 mm, and a thickness dimension of,
for example, about 0.5 mm. That is, the strip-shaped anti-tension
body 2 is constructed as a thin metallic plate (a metallic sheet)
exhibiting flexibility. Furthermore, the strip-shaped
anti-tension body 2 is embedded in a flat portion of the cross-section
of the core body 1.
[0011]
Both ends of the strip-shaped anti-tension body 2 are provided
with a first superposed portion 2a and a second superposed portion
2b, respectively, which are superposed on each other in a thickness
direction at the joint portion 4. The first superposed portion 2a
and the second superposed portion 2b are bonded to each other via
an adhesive.
[0012]
Tapered portions 2c and 2d, whose width dimension gradually
decreases toward each end face thereof, are provided at tips of
the first superposed portion 2a and the second superposed portion
2b, respectively. In other words, both ends of the strip-shaped
anti-tension body 2 are subjected to taper rolling. Each of the
tapered portions 2c and 2d has a planar shape of a trapezoid that
is symmetrical with respect to the center of the moving handrail
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in a width direction thereof . The end faces of the tapered portions
2c and 2d are perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the moving
handrail.
[0013]
The sailcloth 3 is in contact with the guide member for guiding
the moving handrail to reduce sliding friction, and is in contact
with a driving roller for driving the moving handrail to ensure
a driving frictional force. Used as the sailcloth 3 is, for example,
a cotton cloth or a synthetic fiber cloth that continuously extends
along the entire length of the moving handrail. Both ends of the
sailcloth 3 are butted or superposed on each other to be joined
together in the vicinity of the joint portion 9.
[0019)
In connecting both ends of the moving handrail constructed
as described above to each other at the joint portion 9, the first
superposed portion 2a and the second superposed portion 2b are
superposed on each other and bonded to each other by the adhesive.
After that, the first superposed portion 2a and the second superposed
portion 2b are set in a dedicated mold, and thermoplastic elastomer
is thrown into the mold and heated. Thus, the core body 1 of the
joint portion 9 is molded, and peripheries of the first superposed
portion 2a and the second superposed portion 2b are covered with
the core body 1.
[0015]
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Fig. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a bending rigidity
of the joint portion 9 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an explanatory diagram
showing a bending rigidity of the joint portion 4 in a case where
the tapered portions 2c and 2d are not provided. As is apparent
from a comparison between Figs. 9 and 5, the rigidity of the joint
portion 4 changes more moderately in the case where the tapered
portions 2c and 2d are provided than in the case where the tapered
portions 2c and 2d are not provided.
[0016]
Accordingly, the moving handrail according to Embodiment 1
of the present invention can prevent an occurrence of stress
concentration on the joint portion 4 when being bent at a newel
portion or the like, and can also prevent a partial increase in
sliding resistance and an occurrence of abnormal noise.
The moving handrail assumes a curved shape close to a smooth
arc when it is bent at the newel portion thereof or the like, so
an improvement in design can be achieved.
[0017)
In addition, the tapered portions 2c and 2d are symmetrical
with respect to the center of the moving handrail in the width
direction thereof. In molding the core body 1 of the joint portion
4, therefore, the fused elastomer flows within the mold symmetrically
in the width direction of the moving handrail. As a result, the
joint portion 4 can be ensured of a perfectly symmetrical
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cross-section after the core body 1 has been molded.
Still further, the tapered portions 2c and 2d are provided
only at the tips of the first superposed portion 2a and the second
superposed portion 2b, respectively, instead of being provided
entirely on the first superposed portion 2a and the second superposed
portion 2b, respectively. Therefore, the first superposed portion
2a and the second superposed portion 2b can be ensured of a sufficient
joining area except the tapered portions 2c and 2d.
[0018]
Although the tapered portions 2c and 2d assume the shape of
a trapezoid in the foregoing example, the present invention should
not be limited thereto . For instance, corner portions of the tapered
portions 2c and 2d may be rounded so that they assume the shape
of a semicircle or a semiellipse.
However, if the width dimension of the tips of the tapered
portions is made too small, it is conceivable that a stress will
concentrate on the tips of the tapered portions and the first
superposed portion and the second superposed portion will separate
from each other due to deteriorated adhesiveness when the moving
handrail is bent. Accordingly, it is desirable to avoid setting
the width dimension of the tips of the tapered portions too small.
To be more specific, it is desirable to set the width dimension
of the tips of the tapered portions equal to or larger than one-third
of that of the anti-tension body.
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