Patents by Inventor Alfred Thiel

Alfred Thiel has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8627940
    Abstract: A drive system for transport of a passenger transport installation including an escalator or a moving walkway. Steps or pallets of the transport are actively connected to pulling elements which can be moved in the transport direction by at least one electric motor provided with a gear train having a chain wheel. The electric motor containing the gear train is positioned in one of the reversing areas of the transport and a further electric motor exclusively serves for the linear motion of the transport. Bushes/rolls of plate link chains are adjacent to or roll along individual teeth of the chain wheel while only getting into line contact, outside the tooth ground of the chain wheel. A point of force application of the bushes/rolls on the respective tooth of the chain wheel is realized such that only a one-directional force application component is generated at the respective tooth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Winfried Lanzki, Andreas Tautz, Carsten Rolf, Heinrich Zeiger, Alfred Thiel
  • Patent number: 8528716
    Abstract: A device for connecting a chain, which is actively connected to a roller, to a step or a pallet of an escalator or a moving walkway, respectively. The chain has a roller side and a step or pallet side. The device includes a hollow stud disposed on the roller side and a cylindrical shoulder disposed on the step or pallet side. The hollow stud has a clearance to receive the cylindrical shoulder. A slide bearing is arranged at least radially between a circumferential surface of the hollow stud defining the clearance and an outer circumferential surface of the shoulder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Winfried Lanzki, Carsten Rolf, Andreas Tautz, Alfred Thiel, Heinrich Zeiger
  • Patent number: 8469175
    Abstract: A method for controlling an installation for a revolving passenger transport comprised of steps or pallets moving along a transport path that includes a plurality of drives. At least one drive is arranged in a reversing area and at least one further drive is arranged in an area of the transport path. Each drive is actively connected to a frequency converter. All of the frequency converters are monitored by a higher-order control. A defined drive pattern is memorized in the higher-order control. Measured values of the drives are transmitted to the higher-order control by individual frequency converters. The measured values are compared in the higher-order control with respect to each other. In case of divergences from the memorized drive pattern of the respective frequency converter, the respective frequency converter which diverges from a comparative value is corrected with aid of the higher-order control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Winfried Lanzki, Andreas Tautz, Carsten Rolf, Heinrich Zeiger, Alfred Thiel
  • Patent number: 8276737
    Abstract: Device for the passenger transport, in particular an escalator provided with steps or a moving walkway equipped with pallets, wherein the steps or pallets are connected to each other to form a continuous step or pallet belt and can be moved in the direction of transport by means of drive elements, wherein a lower entrance or exit section of the device is connected to an upper exit or entrance section via at least one arched transport section which, seen over the length and height thereof, is formed by different radii which verge into each other, wherein at least the arched transport section is composed of several linear framing sections which are connected to each other in the region of the facing ends thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Winfried Lanzki, Andreas Tautz, Carsten Rolf, Alfred Thiel, Heinrich Zeiger
  • Publication number: 20120186940
    Abstract: A method for controlling an installation for a revolving passenger transport comprised of steps or pallets moving along a transport path that includes a plurality of drives. At least one drive is arranged in a reversing area and at least one further drive is arranged in an area of the transport path. Each drive is actively connected to a frequency converter. All of the frequency converters are monitored by a higher-order control. A defined drive pattern is memorized in the higher-order control. Measured values of the drives are transmitted to the higher-order control by individual frequency converters. The measured values are compared in the higher-order control with respect to each other. In case of divergences from the memorized drive pattern of the respective frequency converter, the respective frequency converter which diverges from a comparative value is corrected with aid of the higher-order control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2012
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Applicant: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Winfried Lanzki, Andreas Tautz, Carsten Rolf, Heinrich Zeiger, Alfred Thiel
  • Publication number: 20120181142
    Abstract: A device for connecting a chain, which is actively connected to a roller, to a step or a pallet of an escalator or a moving walkway, respectively. The chain has a roller side and a step or pallet side. The device includes a hollow stud disposed on the roller side and a cylindrical shoulder disposed on the step or pallet side. The hollow stud has a clearance to receive the cylindrical shoulder. A slide bearing is arranged at least radially between a circumferential surface of the hollow stud defining the clearance and an outer circumferential surface of the shoulder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2012
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: KONE Corporation
    Inventors: Winfried LANZKI, Carsten Rolf, Andreas Tautz, Alfred Thiel, Heinrich Zeiger
  • Publication number: 20120181143
    Abstract: A drive system for transport of a passenger transport installation including an escalator or a moving walkway. Steps or pallets of the transport are actively connected to pulling elements which can be moved in the transport direction by at least one electric motor provided with a gear train having a chain wheel. The electric motor containing the gear train is positioned in one of the reversing areas of the transport and a further electric motor exclusively serves for the linear motion of the transport. Bushes/rolls of plate link chains are adjacent to or roll along individual teeth of the chain wheel while only getting into line contact, outside the tooth ground of the chain wheel. A point of force application of the bushes/rolls on the respective tooth of the chain wheel is realized such that only a one-directional force application component is generated at the respective tooth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2012
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Winfried Lanzki, Andreas Tautz, Carsten Rolf, Heinrich Zeiger, Alfred Thiel
  • Publication number: 20120031729
    Abstract: Device for the passenger transport, in particular an escalator provided with steps or a moving walkway equipped with pallets, wherein the steps or pallets are connected to each other to form a continuous step or pallet belt and can be moved in the direction of transport by means of drive elements, wherein a lower entrance or exit section of the device is connected to an upper exit or entrance section via at least one arched transport section which, seen over the length and height thereof, is formed by different radii which verge into each other, wherein at least the arched transport section is composed of several linear framing sections which are connected to each other in the region of the facing ends thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2011
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Winfried Lanzki, Andreas Tautz, Carsten Rolf, Alfred Thiel, Heinrich Zeiger
  • Patent number: 7992684
    Abstract: The invention relates to an escalator or moving walkway that includes a drive shaft rotating at a relatively low peripheral speed around a horizontal axis and at least one sealing element associated with the drive shaft. Lubricant is supplied to the drive shaft and can escape from leakages at the one sealing element. A device is provided for a permanent recirculation of the lubricant escaping from the leakages. The device includes at least one conveyor element arranged downstream of the sealing element, seen in the direction of the leakage, and at least one recirculation element for the lubricant. The recirculation element cooperates with the conveyor element to return the lubricant into a region upstream of the at least one sealing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventor: Alfred Thiel
  • Publication number: 20070169998
    Abstract: The invention relates to an escalator or moving walkway that includes a drive shaft rotating at a relatively low peripheral speed around a horizontal axis and at least one sealing element associated with the drive shaft. Lubricant is supplied to the drive shaft and can escape from leakages at the one sealing element. A device is provided for a permanent recirculation of the lubricant escaping from the leakages. The device includes at least one conveyor element arranged downstream of the sealing element, seen in the direction of the leakage, and at least one recirculation element for the lubricant. The recirculation element cooperates with the conveyor element to return the lubricant into a region upstream of the at least one sealing element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2006
    Publication date: July 26, 2007
    Applicant: KONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Alfred Thiel
  • Patent number: 6758480
    Abstract: A sealing system for fast-running motors with a directly flanged-on gear unit, used for passenger conveyor systems such as escalators and moving walkways, is provided. The sealing system includes at least one sealing element comprising a radial shaft seal, at least one centrifugal element, at least one cover and suctioning element, and a lubricating oil collection chamber. The lubricating oil collection chamber being provided in a region of the centrifugal element and connected via at least one channel that extends in the direction of the cover and suctioning element to a gear unit chamber of the gear unit, the gear unit chamber being located above an oil level in an intake region of the cover and suctioning element. The cover and suctioning element is arranged between the gear unit and the sealing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventor: Alfred Thiel
  • Patent number: 6247575
    Abstract: A safety device is described for a passenger conveyor system, more particularly an escalator or travelator, that includes a main drive shaft (2) mounting return elements (3) for the transport chains (4) of the steps or pallets, a further shaft containing return elements (3) for the handrails (7) and at least one gear (8, 9, 10) connecting the main drive shaft (2) to the shaft. The drive power of at least one drive unit arranged external to the return elements (3) is translatable via a transport device (12) to the main drive shaft (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2001
    Assignee: O & K Rolltreppen GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Alfred Thiel
  • Patent number: 5398800
    Abstract: A safety device for people movers, particularly for escalators and moving sidewalks, includes at least one carrier plate supporting a comb segment at a first end. The carrier plate is horizontally displaceable relative to at least one carrier element which accommodates the carrier plate, and is pivotable about a horizontal rotational axis which is located at a second end of the carrier plate and cooperates with at least one switch-off device for immobilizing the people mover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1995
    Assignee: O&K Rolltreppen GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Hofling, Klaus Schoneweiss, Alfred Thiel