PASSENGER CONVEYOR AND METHOD FOR PROTECTING TERMINAL INLET SECTION OF PASSENGER CONVEYOR

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To properly protect a terminal inlet section from impact.SOLUTION: A protection section 9 is provided in a prescribed region located in the direction of an entrance of a terminal inlet section of a passenger conveyor. The protection section 9 includes a strength member 92 formed of an elastic material and a pair of support devices 91 provided in the terminal inlet section 6 so as to support both ends 921 of the strength member 92. At least one of the pair of support devices 91 includes a holding support section 911 which holds the ends 921 of the strength member 92 so as to slidably support the ends and a movable space 912 for permitting displacement of the end 921 of the strength member 92. When impact is applied from the direction of arrow F, the vicinity of a center portion of the strength member 92 is deformed like a two-dot chain line 92A and the ends 921 are deformed in the directions of arrows d1 and d2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4 【課題】ターミナルインレット部を衝撃から適切に保護できるようにすること。【解決手段】乗客コンベアのターミナルインレット部のうち乗降口の方向に位置する所定領域には、保護部９が設けられる。保護部９は、弾性材料から形成される強度部材９２と、強度部材９２の両端部９２１を支持するためにターミナルインレット部６に設けられる一対の支持装置９１とを備える。一対の支持装置９１の少なくとも一方は、強度部材９２の端部９２１を挟持することで摺動可能に支持する挟持支持部９１１と、強度部材９２の端部９２１の変位を許可する可動空間９１２とを備える。矢示Ｆ方向から衝撃が加わると、強度部材９２の中央部付近が二点鎖線９２Ａのように変形したり、端部９２１が矢示ｄ１，ｄ２方向へ変位したりする。【選択図】図４