MOVING HANDRAIL FOR PASSENGER CONVEYOR

Abstract

 In a moving handrail for a passenger conveyer, a metallic strip-shaped anti-tension body is provided continuously along a longitudinal direction of a core body made of thermoplastic elastomer. Both ends of the moving handrail are connected to each other at a joint portion. Both ends of strip-shaped anti-tension body are provided 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. The first superposed portion and the second superposed portion are provided at tips thereof with tapered portions, respectively, whose width dimension decreases gradually.

Description

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 1: JP 2000-211872 A

Disclosure of the Invention

Problem to be solved by the Invention

[0004]  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 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. 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] 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.

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

[0009] 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. 1. 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, a metallic strip-shaped anti-tension body 2 provided continuously along a longitudinal direction of the core body 1, and a sailcloth 3 bonded to an inside of the core body 1.

[0010] The core body 1 is made only of thermoplastic elastomer. The core body 1 may assume either a single-layer structure or a multi-layer structure. In addition, the core body 1 does not include any reinforcing cloth or the like as included in a core body of a rubber handrail.

[0011] Used as the strip-shaped anti-tension body 2 is, for example, a strip-shaped steel plate, a stainless steel plate, or the like which continuously extends along an entire length of the moving handrail. The strip-shaped anti-tension body 2 has a width 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.

[0012] 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.

[0013] 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 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.

[0014] 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 4.

[0015] In connecting both ends of the moving handrail constructed as described above to each other at the joint portion 4, 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 4 is molded, and peripheries of the first superposed portion 2a and the second superposed portion 2b are covered with the core body 1.

[0016]  Fig. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a bending rigidity of the joint portion 4 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. 4 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.

[0017] 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.

[0018] 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 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.

[0019] 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.

Claims

1. A moving handrail for a passenger conveyer, comprising:

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 both ends connected to each other at a joint portion to assume an endless shape, wherein:

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.

2. A moving handrail for a passenger conveyer according to Claim 1, wherein the tapered portions are symmetrical with respect to a center in a width direction.

Drawing