Escalator step comprising plug-in parts

{
  "publication_number": "US10737909B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Escalator step comprising plug-in parts",
  "abstract": "The application relates to an escalator step that includes a single-piece tread body, two side cheeks, and at least one supporting profile, which are all formed as plug-in parts and comprise plug-in connections. Owing to this division into plug-in parts, the escalator steps can be transported more effectively in disassembled form and put together in a very simple manner at the assembly site.",
  "claims": [
    "1. An escalator step, comprising: a single-piece tread body having a tread element portion and a riser element portion, the tread element portion and the riser element portion forming an L-shaped cross section of the single-piece tread body; two side cheeks configured to be arranged on both sides of the single-piece tread body; and at least one supporting profile configured to be arranged between the side cheeks, wherein the single-piece tread body, the side cheeks, and the supporting profile are formed as plug-in parts and comprise plug-in connections, wherein the supporting profile is configured to be plugged to the side cheeks using the plug-in connections and the single-piece tread body is configured to be plugged at least to the side cheeks using the plug-in connections to form a load-bearing frame of an escalator step.",
    "2. The escalator step of claim 1, wherein, when the escalator step is assembled, plugged-together plug-in connections are provided between the single-piece tread body and the side cheeks, between the side cheeks and the supporting profile, and between the single-piece tread body and the supporting profile.",
    "3. The escalator step of claim 1, wherein the plug-in connection can be plugged together in only one assembly direction.",
    "4. The escalator step of claim 3, wherein the assembly direction of the individual plug-in connections is arranged orthogonally to a main loading direction of the respective plug-in connection, such that the largest force acting within the plug-in connection can be absorbed by the interlocking of the plug-in connection.",
    "5. The escalator step of claim 3, wherein the assembly direction is curved such that the plug-in connection can be joined together by means of a pivot movement.",
    "6. The escalator step of claim 3, wherein the assembly direction is linear such that the plug-in connection can be joined together by means of a linear movement.",
    "7. The escalator step of claim 1, wherein each of the plug-in connections comprises at least one protrusion and at least one recess matched to said protrusion in an interlocking manner, wherein the recess is formed in one plug-in part of the escalator step and the protrusion to be inserted into said recess is formed on another plug-in part that adjoins the plug-in part having the recess when in the assembled state.",
    "8. The escalator step of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plug-in connections is secured using a bonded or interlocking securing mechanism.",
    "9. The escalator step of claim 1, wherein the plug-in parts comprise light-metal diecast parts.",
    "10. The escalator step of claim 1, wherein at least two plug-in connections are provided between adjacent plug-in parts to be joined together.",
    "11. The escalator step of claim 1, wherein an emergency guide hook is formed on at least one of the side cheeks, wherein the emergency guide hook protrudes beneath an emergency guide rail or a runner rail of an escalator in which the escalator step is used.",
    "12. The escalator step of claim 1, wherein at least one of the following fastening regions is formed on the side cheeks or on the single-piece tread body in order to fasten add-on components: an idling roll fastening region for fastening an idling roll, a step spindle fastening region for fastening a step spindle, or a guide fastening region for fastening a sliding guide element.",
    "13. A step band, comprising: a first tensioning mechanism, a second tensioning mechanism, and a plurality of the escalator steps of claim 1, wherein the escalator steps are arranged between the first and second tensioning mechanisms.",
    "14. An escalator comprising the step band of claim 13 arranged in a circulating manner.",
    "15. A method for producing and assembling an escalator step comprising a single-piece tread body having a tread element portion and a riser element portion, the tread element portion and the riser element portion forming an L-shaped cross section of the single-piece tread body, two side cheeks configured to be arranged on both sides of the single-piece tread body, and at least one supporting profile configured to be arranged between the side cheeks, wherein the single-piece tread body, the side cheeks, and the supporting profile are formed as plug-in parts and comprise plug-in connections, wherein the supporting profile is configured to be plugged to the side cheeks using the plug-in connections and the single-piece tread body is configured to be plugged at least to the side cheeks using the plug-in connections to form an escalator step, the method comprising: producing the single-piece tread body, side cheeks, and supporting profile, including forming recesses and protrusions for the plug-in connections being on the plug-in parts; plugging, using the plug-in connections, the plug-in parts of the escalator step together by firstly arranging the supporting profile between two side cheeks, plugging said profile and cheeks together, and then plugging the single-piece tread body to the side cheeks and to the supporting profile arranged therebetween to forma a load-bearing frame of the escalator step; and securing at least one of the plug-in connections using an interlocking or bonded securing mechanism.",
    "16. A method for transporting escalator steps from a production site to an assembly site and for assembling the escalator steps at the assembly site, the method comprising: producing the escalator steps in the form of plug-in parts at the production site, the plug-in parts of an escalator step comprising at least one single-piece tread body, two side cheeks, and a supporting profile; packing the single-piece tread bodies into transport crates in a manner stacked into each other such that tread element portions and riser element portions of the stacked single-piece tread bodies abut each other; filling spaces present in the transport crates containing the single-piece tread bodies with supporting profiles and side cheeks, and/or filling additional transport crates with supporting profiles and side cheeks; after having been transported to the assembly site, unpacking the plug-in parts and plugging together the escalator steps using the plug-in connections formed on said parts by firstly arranging a supporting profile between two side cheeks, plugging said profile and cheeks together, and then plugging a single-piece tread body to the side cheeks and to the supporting profile arranged therebetween; and securing at least one of the plug-in connections of the escalator step.",
    "17. The method of claim 15, further comprising fastening additional add-on components to the escalator step to complete the escalator step."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "This application relates to an escalator step and to a method for the production thereof.\n\nEscalators are widely known, efficient devices for moving people. Escalator steps are designed as either single-piece or multi-part components and are generally produced by casting, extrusion, or forging processes, but also as deep-drawn parts. In addition, mixed forms comprising both cast parts and sheet metal parts are also known. Escalator steps of the type mentioned at the outset are disclosed in WO2015/032674 A1, for example. The top face of the escalator step comprises a tread pattern in the form of a series of parallel ribs or ridges extending from the front to the back. The ribs thus extend in the intended movement direction of the escalator step. The riser element of said step also comprises ribs, which usually adjoin the ribs of the top face. Furthermore, the ribs are dimensioned so as to engage in the comb structures arranged at the entrance areas of the escalator or moving walkway.\n\nA plurality of steps can be connected by at least one tensioning mechanism to form a step band of an escalator. An escalator generally comprises a load-bearing structure or structural framework comprising two deflection portions, between which the step band is guided in a circulating manner.\n\nIf the pallets or steps are made in one piece from cast or diecast aluminum or another suitable metal or of a metal alloy, this may require an extremely complex mold. Molds of this kind for escalator steps are very expensive.",
  "cpc": [
    "B66B 23/12",
    "B66B 21/04"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B66B 23/12",
    "B66B 23/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Inventio AG"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Manfred Gartner",
    "Reinhard Fukerieder",
    "Thomas Novacek"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2017-08-31",
  "publication_date": "2020-08-11",
  "grant_date": "2020-08-11",
  "priority_date": "2016-08-31",
  "application_number": "US-201716328872-A",
  "family_id": "56851518",
  "cited_by_count": 3,
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}