The subject matter disclosed herein generally relates to people conveyors (e.g., moving walkways, escalators, etc.) and, more particularly, to improved sprockets for people conveyors.
Conveyors such as people conveyors (e.g., moving walkways, escalators, etc.) usually comprise a plurality of conveyance elements (e.g., pallets, steps, etc.). The conveyance elements (or at least some of such elements) are typically drivingly coupled to at least one drive element (e.g., belt, chain, etc. driven by a sprocket, gear, etc.). The belt/chain of the drive element is typically operably connected to and driven by the sprocket or similar device that rotates to drive movement of the conveyance elements. In some configurations, the drive element may include a toothed belt that engages with a toothed sprocket.
The sprocket operates in combination with a toothed belt to enable slipless, positive driving of the conveyance elements. Such systems may be subject to or experience relatively high levels of noise and/or vibration. For example, an abnormal noise may be induced when the belt/chain of the drive element engages with or disengages from the sprocket. Such noise may be generated by air that is trapped between the belt/chain and the sprocket which is rapidly expelled from a cavity that exists between the belt/chain and the sprocket (e.g., between meshed teeth of the components). Furthermore, dust particles can attach to surfaces of the sprocket and/or surfaces of the belt/chain through electrostatic and Van der Waals forces, causing wear and deterioration in the meshing conditions between the two components, which may increase noise, and may result in higher costs of maintenance and operation.
According to some embodiments, components for people conveyors are provided. The components include a toothed surface having at least one tooth. The at least one tooth includes an engagement surface and a surface pattern comprising pattern channels formed into the engagement surface.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the components for people conveyors may include that the toothed surface is a surface of at least one of a sprocket and a belt of a people conveyor.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the components for people conveyors may include that the people conveyor is one of a moving walkway and an escalator.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the components for people conveyors may include at least one internal feature formed within the pattern channels.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the components for people conveyors may include that the pattern channels include a channel base and the at least one internal feature extends from the channel base.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the components for people conveyors may include that the pattern channels include a channel base and the at least one internal feature is recessed from the channel base.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the components for people conveyors may include that the surface pattern comprises a chevron pattern.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the components for people conveyors may include that the surface pattern comprises a superimposed bi-direction chevron pattern.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the components for people conveyors may include that the pattern channels include a channel base that is recessed a depth D from the engagement surface.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the components for people conveyors may include that the depth D is between 10−2 mm and 100 mm.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the components for people conveyors may include a coating applied to at least one of the engagement surface and the pattern channels.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the components for people conveyors may include that the coating comprises at least one of a diamond-like carbon coating and a nano-composite coating.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the components for people conveyors may include that the surface pattern comprises at least one debris escape channel.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the components for people conveyors may include a sweeper brush configured to contact the engagement surface.
According to some embodiments, people conveyors are provided. The people conveyors include a conveyance band having a plurality of conveyance elements attached to a belt and a sprocket configured to drive movement of the belt. At least one of the belt and the sprocket include a toothed surface having at least one tooth. The at least one tooth includes an engagement surface and a surface pattern comprising pattern channels formed into the engagement surface.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the people conveyors may include that the people conveyor is one of a moving walkway and an escalator.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the people conveyors may include at least one internal feature formed within the pattern channels.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the people conveyors may include that the pattern channels include a channel base and the at least one internal feature extends from the channel base or is recessed from the channel base.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the people conveyors may include that the surface pattern comprises one of a chevron pattern and a superimposed bi-direction chevron pattern.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the people conveyors may include that the pattern channels include a channel base that is recessed a depth D from the engagement surface.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the people conveyors may include a coating applied to at least one of the engagement surface and the pattern channels.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the people conveyors may include that the coating comprises at least one of a diamond-like carbon coating and a nano-composite coating.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the people conveyors may include that the surface pattern comprises at least one debris escape channel.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the people conveyors may include a sweeper brush configured to contact the engagement surface.
The foregoing features and elements may be combined in various combinations without exclusivity, unless expressly indicated otherwise. These features and elements as well as the operation thereof will become more apparent in light of the following description and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the following description and drawings are intended to be illustrative and explanatory in nature and non-limiting.
The present disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not limited by the accompanying figures in which like reference numerals indicate similar elements.
The conveyance band 104 includes a first turnaround portion 114 at the first landing 108 and a second turnaround portion 116 at the second landing 110. Accordingly, the conveyance band 104 can provide a continuous motion and moving structure from the first landing 108 to the second landing 110. In operation, the conveyance band 104 defines an upper conveyance portion 118 that can convey users from the first landing 108 to the second landing 110 or vice versa, depending on a direction of operation of the conveyance band 104. The conveyance band 104 also defines a lower return portion 120.
The conveyance elements 106 are operably connected to a drive element 122. The drive element 122 may be a belt or chain driven by a sprocket, gear, sheave, or other mechanism. The drive element 122 extends along a closed loop and is configured to drive the conveyance elements 106. The drive element 122, in this embodiment, includes a belt 122a driven by a sheave or sprocket 122b. The sprocket 122b may in turn be driven by a drive system 126, which may include a motor 128 and a drive sheave 128a. The sprocket 122b and the drive sheave 128a forming a driving system 124 of the people conveyor 100. A transmission element 130 may be arranged between the motor 128 and the drive sheave 128a to enable controlled operation and/or driving of the sprocket 122b, and thus operation of the drive element 122 and the attached conveyance elements 106. In some embodiments, and as shown in
Turning now to
The conveyance band 204 includes a first turnaround portion 214 at the first landing 208 and a second turnaround portion 216 at the second landing 210. Accordingly, the conveyance band 204 can provide a continuous motion and moving structure from the first landing 208 to the second landing 210. In operation, the conveyance band 204 defines the upper conveyance portion 218 that can convey users from the first landing 208 to the second landing 210 or vice versa, depending on a direction of operation of the conveyance band 204.
The conveyance elements 206 are operably connected to a drive element 222. The drive element 222 includes a chain or belt 222a that is operably driven by a sprocket, gear, or similar driving element 222b. The drive element 222 extends along a closed loop and is configured to drive the conveyance elements 206. The chain or belt 222a of the drive element 222 is configured to be driven by the sprocket 222b. The sprocket 222b may in turn be driven by a drive system 226 (to form a driving system 224), which may include a motor 228. A transmission element 230 may be arranged between the motor 228 and the sprocket 224 (e.g., to a sheave of the motor) to enable controlled operation and/or driving of the drive element 222. In some embodiments, and as shown in
Although shown in
Turning to
As shown, the sprocket 302 includes a plurality of first teeth 306 and the belt 304 includes a plurality of second teeth 308. That is, the sprocket 302 and the belt 304 may each have a toothed surface. In this illustrative embodiment, the first teeth 306 of the sprocket 302 are configured to engage with the second teeth 308 of the belt 304. In the illustrative embodiment of
As noted above, the engagement of the first teeth 306 with the second teeth 308 may entrap air therebetween. Such entrapped air may generate or cause noise during operation. Further, particulates (e.g., dust, particles, debris, etc.) may adhere to or otherwise be located between the first teeth 306 and the second teeth 308 during operation. Such particulates may cause wear and/or damage to the teeth 306, 308 and/or to the sprocket 302 or belt 304. Accordingly, reduction of such impacts may be advantageous.
Turning now to
The tooth 400 includes a surface pattern 404 on the engagement surface 402. The surface pattern 404 may have a geometric pattern, such as chevrons, overlapping chevrons, grid-pattern, etc. The surface pattern 404 is a recessed pattern that cuts into the material of the tooth 400 and thus is reduced or recessed from the engagement surface 402. The recessed pattern is defined by pattern channels that are arranged in and form the recessed pattern. In some non-limiting embodiments, the surface pattern 404 may be a hierarchical, superimposed bi-direction chevron or hatch texture pattern. As used herein, the term hierarchical means a patterned surface with a tiered or leveled structure (i.e., hierarchical structure). For example, a hierarchical structure or pattern may be a microscale texture pattern embedded onto a higher (larger) scale pattern of similar or different geometric pattern. In some embodiments, the recessed surface pattern 404 may be formed of pattern channels having a depth of between about 10−2 mm to about 100 mm. Furthermore, as described herein and in some embodiments, the surface pattern 404 can include internal features within the pattern channels. The internal features may be raised from or recessed from a base of the pattern channel.
Turning now to
In some embodiments, and as shown in
Also shown in
Turning now to
Turning now to
Turning now to
As shown and similar to that described above, the sprocket 802 includes a plurality of first teeth 806 and the belt 804 includes a plurality of second teeth 808. That is, the sprocket 802 and the belt 804 may each have a toothed surface. In this illustrative embodiment, the first teeth 806 of the sprocket 802 are configured to engage with the second teeth 808 of the belt 804. In the illustrative embodiment of
In this embodiment, one or both of the first and second teeth 806, 808 may include patterned surfaces, as described above. The system shown in
The internal features within the surface pattern described above provide for a multi-level texturing on the surfaces of the teeth of a sprocket, belt, or other toothed component of a people conveyor (i.e., hierarchical texturing/patterning). The surface patterns may be formed through honing, grinding, etching, or other processes. The internal features, which may be dimples, divots, column-like, or even secondary cross-hatch textures, can be superimposed on the first level textures by laser texturing, etching, additive processes, or other processes.
Further, in some embodiments, the tooth surface pattern can be coated with a material coating. For example, the surface pattern (and internal features thereof) may be protected with a friction-reducing and/or debris-repellent coating. The characteristics of the coated surface may be optimized with respect adhesion between the material of the textured sprocket surface (e.g., metal) and with the drive element (e.g., belt formed from thermoplastic polyurethane) and/or the difference between the static and dynamic coefficients of friction of the contact pair (i.e., a pair is a tooth of the sprocket and a tooth or receiving element of the driving element). In some embodiments, the coating may be a diamond-like carbon coating or a nano-composite coating.
Advantageously, embodiments described herein provide for improved teeth for use with components of people conveyors (e.g., escalators, moving walkways, etc.). Embodiments provided herein can enable noise reduction, robust performance and improved reliability, durability, and can lower maintenance costs.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure. The term “about” is intended to include the degree of error associated with measurement of the particular quantity and/or manufacturing tolerances based upon the equipment available at the time of filing the application. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, element components, and/or groups thereof.
Those of skill in the art will appreciate that various example embodiments are shown and described herein, each having certain features in the particular embodiments, but the present disclosure is not thus limited. Rather, the present disclosure can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions, combinations, sub-combinations, or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are commensurate with the scope of the present disclosure. Additionally, while various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described, it is to be understood that aspects of the present disclosure may include only some of the described embodiments. Accordingly, the present disclosure is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
3142192 | Edberg | Jul 1964 | A |
4439173 | Fokos | Mar 1984 | A |
4553951 | Pavone | Nov 1985 | A |
5117968 | Rivera | Jun 1992 | A |
5119924 | Kaminski | Jun 1992 | A |
5593366 | Puzik | Jan 1997 | A |
6168544 | Barnes | Jan 2001 | B1 |
6447225 | Green | Sep 2002 | B1 |
6938754 | Kanaris | Sep 2005 | B2 |
7810637 | Gundlach | Oct 2010 | B2 |
8196738 | Wolf | Jun 2012 | B1 |
8240453 | Miyaji | Aug 2012 | B2 |
8579774 | Derscheid | Nov 2013 | B2 |
9151357 | Degroot | Oct 2015 | B2 |
9382995 | Osborne et al. | Jul 2016 | B2 |
20020046929 | Finnegan | Apr 2002 | A1 |
20080257690 | Ozaki | Oct 2008 | A1 |
20090127067 | Guo | May 2009 | A1 |
20130206550 | Gibbs | Aug 2013 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
102966723 | Mar 2013 | CN |
102010027112 | Jan 2012 | DE |
202014100830 | May 2014 | DE |
2272320 | Nov 2012 | EP |
2017140635 | Aug 2017 | WO |