Patent Publication Number: US-10787178-B2

Title: Platform screen door with built-in raised sill

Description:
This application claims priority to French patent application No. 1662770 filed on Dec. 19, 2016, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The invention relates to a station platform edge screen door module comprising a built-in sill. The invention also relates to a station platform edge screen comprising such a screen door module. 
     At the present time, the creation of a station platform edge screen requires setting into the finished platform ground level the elements that secure or drive the screen door module or modules that make up the screen. That means that it is necessary to perform extensive and expensive preparation work on the platform that is to be so equipped, this work consisting in making an excavation to the dimensions of the base or of the drive system in the station platform edge. For example, such a screen is described in document FR3002780. In addition, this preparation becomes all the more extensive when, in addition, the finished ground level of the platform must be raised to be at a same level as the floor of a transport vehicle, for example a passenger transport vehicle, intended to come to a standstill alongside the platform being so equipped. 
     SUMMARY 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a screen door module which does not require any preparation of the ground level of the platform, except for possible additional rework to the platform in order to react the load transmitted by the module to the ground, while at the same time making it possible to make up the deficit to the floor level of the vehicle, without impeding actual access itself to the vehicle. 
     To this end, the invention provides a screen door module for a platform edge of a station through which there passes a transport vehicle comprising a floor, the module comprising: 
     at least one leaf able to move between respectively open and closed positions; 
     at least one fixed element to which the leaf is mechanically connected and along which the leaf slides between the open and closed positions; 
     a sill extending under the leaf and under the fixed element, the sill comprising: 
     a raiser having a predetermined height, the raiser extending under the leaf and the fixed element and being arranged in such a way that, when the module is mounted on the station platform edge, it is laid on a finished ground level of the platform and in such a way that the predetermined height corresponds to a difference, that is partially or completely filled, between the finished ground level and the floor of the transport vehicle when the latter comes to a standstill alongside the module; and 
     an access ramp, on the platform side, running along the entire length of the screen door module, notably allowing access for passengers of reduced mobility. 
     Thus, such a structure for the screen door module allows the latter to be simply placed on and fixed to the unmodified ground level of the platform edge without any special preparation of the latter, except for any possible rework required in order to react the load transmitted by the screen door module to the ground. In addition, the choice of the predetermined height of the sill raiser provides a simple way for making up the deficit to the floor level of the vehicle. Finally, the presence of the access ramp makes it easier for passengers, particularly those of reduced mobility, to board and to alight. 
     Advantageously, although optionally, the screen door module according to the invention has at least one of the following additional technical features: 
     the raiser comprises a technical compartment extending longitudinally over a length of the raiser; 
     the sill comprises a floor closing the compartment at the level of an opening created when the leaf is in the open position; 
     the module further comprises an emergency door and/or a fixed panel extending substantially in the continuation of the fixed element, the sill extending also under the emergency door and/or the fixed panel; 
     the raiser and the ramp are made as one piece with one another in the same material; 
     the ramp is made from insulating materials; 
     the ramp is made from electrically conducting materials; and 
     the module comprises visual passenger signaling and/or means of guiding the visually impaired. 
     The invention also provides a station platform edge screen designed to extend all along the platform, and comprising at least one screen door module having at least one of the foregoing technical features. 
     Advantageously, although optionally, the station platform edge screen according to the invention has at least one of the following additional technical features: 
     the sill extends along the entire length of the screen. 
     Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description of one embodiment of the invention. In the attached drawings: 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a three-dimensional view of one embodiment of a screen door module according to the invention, placed on an existing platform edge; 
         FIG. 2  is a partial view in cross section of a detail of the placed module of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a partial side view of an installation in a situation in which a screen according to the invention comprising the module of  FIG. 1  has a transport vehicle at a standstill alongside the platform. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     One embodiment of a station platform screen  100  according to the invention will be described in a situation with reference to  FIG. 3 . The station platform edge screen  100  according to the invention comprises at least one screen door module  1  according to the invention and will be described in greater detail later. The screen door module  1  according to the invention comprises a built-in sill  3 . The screen door module  1  is placed on a station platform  2  edge  22  on the finished ground level  21 .  FIG. 3  depicts a transport vehicle T at a standstill alongside the platform  22 . This transport vehicle T comprises a floor S which, once the vehicle is stationary alongside the platform  2 , is at a height h above the finished ground level  21  of the station platform  2 . The screen door module  1  according to the invention is designed in such a way as to make up the deficit in height between the finished ground level  21  of the station platform  2  and the floor S of the transport vehicle T, while making access to the latter from the platform easier. 
     One embodiment of the screen door module  1  according to the invention will be described in greater detail with reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 . In a way known per se, the screen door module  1  according to the invention comprises at least a first leaf  13  able to move between a closed position and an open position. Here, illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the screen door module comprises first  13  and second  13 ′ leaves of this type of which just one  13  is depicted in the closed position. Furthermore, the screen door module  1  according to the invention comprises at least one first fixed element  12  to which the leaf  13  is mechanically connected and along which it slides in parallel between the opened and closed positions. First  12  and second  12 ′ fixed elements of this type respectively associated with the first  13  and second  13 ′ leaves are illustrated here. What is meant by a fixed element  12  or  12 ′ is a fixed unit, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , extending substantially in a plane, or between two uprights supporting an upper beam in which is housed a system for driving the leaves  13 , 13 ′. Optionally, the screen door module  1  according to the invention comprises at least one emergency door  14  adjacent to the fixed element  12 ′ and extending slightly in the continuation of the said fixed element  12 ′. The emergency door  14  is positioned on an opposite side of the fixed element to the side on which the leaf  13  extends in the closed position. Furthermore, here, in the continuation of the second fixed element  12 , the screen door module  1  according to the invention comprises a fixed panel  11 , adjacent to the said fixed unit. In an alternative form of embodiment, the fixed panel  11  is replaced by a second emergency door  14  or, alternatively, the emergency door  14  is replaced by a second fixed panel  11 . In place on the station platform  2  edge  22 , the screen door module  1  according to the invention (and, therefore, the station platform edge screen  100  according to the invention) separates a platform side Q from a track side V. 
     The screen door module  1  according to the invention further comprises a sill  3  extending at least under all of the aforementioned elements of the screen door module, namely: under the at least first leaf  13  and the at least first fixed unit  12 . In the exemplary embodiment of the screen door module  1  according to the invention illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the sill  3  extends at least under, from left to right in  FIG. 1 , the emergency door  14 , the second fixed element  12 ′, the second leaf  13 ′, the first leaf  13 , the first fixed element  12  and the fixed panel  11 . The sill  3  here comprises two parts made up of a raiser  31  and of an access ramp  32 . 
     The raiser  31  has a predetermined height h which here corresponds to the difference in height between the finished ground level  21  of the platform  2  and the floor S of the transport vehicle T intended to come to a standstill alongside the platform  2  thus equipped with the screen door module  1  according to the invention. The raiser  31  extends under all of the other elements that make up the screen door module  1  according to the invention which are the leaves  13  and  13 ′, the fixed units  12  and  12 ′, the emergency door  14  and/or the fixed panel  11 . According to one embodiment, the raiser  31  further comprises a technical compartment  33  which extends longitudinally over a length of the raiser  31 . This technical compartment  33  may house a drive system  15  for the leaves  13 ,  13 ′ of the screen door module  1  according to the invention, and/or the wiring needed for operation of the said module. Optionally, the screen door module  1  according to the invention is equipped with visual signaling reserved for passengers, which may be static or dynamic or both, the technical compartment  33  being used to run the elements needed for powering and operating the installed signaling. 
     In order to protect the contents of the technical compartment  33 , the raiser comprises a floor  34  allowing the technical compartment  33  to be closed, at least at the level of an opening created when the leaf or leaves  13 ,  13 ′ are in the open position, or when the emergency door is in the open position. 
     The access ramp  32  is positioned laterally with respect to the raiser  31  to extend laterally from the raiser  31  on the platform side Q. The access ramp  32  extends all along the raiser  31 , therefore all along the screen door module  1  according to the invention. The access ramp  32  thus positioned makes it possible, on the platform side Q, to eliminate a step of height h between the finished ground level  21  of the station platform  2  and the top of the raiser  31  once the screen door module  1  according to the invention has been laid on the finished ground level  21 . A width and, therefore, inclination, is chosen to allow individuals of reduced mobility to pass from the finished ground level  21  of the station platform  2  to the level of the floor S of a transport vehicle at a standstill alongside the screen door module  1  according to the invention. In one embodiment, the access ramp  32  and, possibly, the raiser  31 , is made from electrically insulating materials. As an alternative form of embodiment, the access ramp  32 , and possibly the raiser  31 , is made from electrically conducting materials, allowing any electrical equipment in the screen door module  1  according to the invention to be earthed in a simple way. In an alternative form of embodiment, the access ramp  32  is equipped with means for guiding the visually impaired, such as guide strips. 
     In addition, the access ramp  32  and the raiser  31  are formed as one piece with one another from the same material. 
     Furthermore, the arrangement of the sill  3  as has just been described in the foregoing paragraphs offers the advantage of allowing better distribution of the mechanical load generated when the screen door module  1  according to the invention is used in operation: specifically, this load is thus distributed over the entirety of a bearing surface via which the sill  3  rests on the finished ground level  21  of the station platform at the platform edge  22 . 
     This is in addition to the fact that the screen door module  1  according to the invention is simply placed on and fixed to the finished ground level  21  during installation, avoiding platform edge  22  preparation which, because of the excavation, would weaken it. 
     The screen  100  according to the invention comprises one or several screen door modules  1  according to the invention depending on the configuration of the platform  2  that is to be equipped and of the transport vehicles T intended to come to a standstill alongside this screen  100 . Whatever the configuration of the screen door modules  1  according to the invention that make up the screen  100 , the sills  3  of the screen door modules  1  according to the invention are arranged in such a way that a continuous sill extends along the entire length of the screen  100 . 
     Of course, it is possible to modify the invention in numerous ways without departing from the scope thereof.