Patent Publication Number: US-10759451-B2

Title: Gap filler

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation of International Patent Application No. PCT/JP2016/059337, having an international filing date of Mar. 24, 2016, which designated the United States, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The present invention relates to a gap filler that is installed at a platform in a railroad station to fill the gap between a train and the platform. 
     In recent years, gap fillers have been installed at platforms in an increasing number of stations. The platform gap filler is a device that protrudes a gap filler plate from the platform to reduce the gap between a train and the platform at the time of passengers&#39; getting on and off. The platform gap filler stores the gap filler plate on the platform side at times other than during passengers&#39; getting on and off, and protrudes the same to the railway track side at the time of passengers&#39; getting on and off to narrow the gap between the platform and the train and prevent passengers&#39; falling (for example, refer to JP-A-2005-14805). 
     A conventional platform gap filler includes a brake mechanism and a lock mechanism that prevent displacement of a gap filler plate by reaction force of passengers&#39; treading on the gap filler plate when the gap filler plate protrudes from the platform at the time of passengers&#39; getting on and off. The lock mechanism is operated by electromagnetic force as described in JP-A-2005-14805 and thus changing the locked state requires electric power. This configuration also increases the parts count related to electric control to boost the manufacturing cost. In addition, the electric and electronic parts are not easier to determine the degree of deterioration at a glance than mechanical parts, which leads to increase in man-hour of maintenance checkup. 
     A platform with a gap filler may be located in not only a linear section but also a curve section of a railway track. To install the gap filler in the curve section of the platform, it is necessary to decide the amount of protrusion of the gap filler plate at each of installation positions because the gap between a train and the platform varies depending on the position of the door. Accordingly, it is necessary to design and manufacture the gap filler suited to the installation position. In this case, larger numbers of unique components and devices are used to cause a price increase. In addition, there may occur erroneous orders and wrong assembly at installation sites. 
     The protruding action of the gap filler plate from the fully stored state to the fully protruded state desirably takes place such that the gap filler plate starts to move slowly, increases speed gradually, reaches the maximum speed midway, decreases speed gradually, and then approaches slowly to the fully protruded state. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a gap filler that protrudes a gap filler plate to a track side to prevent passengers&#39; falling from a platform, comprising: 
     a drive mechanism section that moves linearly a linear motion body; 
     a swing body that has a driving end section and a driven end roller section, the driving end section being engaged with the linear motion body and the driven end roller section being engaged with the gap filler plate and changeable in installation position in a predetermined direction; and 
     a driven slider that has a guide groove in which the driven end roller section is capable of rolling to convert swing motion of the swing body into linear motion and move the gap filler plate in forward and backward movement directions, 
     wherein 
     an engagement relationship between the linear motion body and the driving end section constitutes an inverse operation preventive structure that, when the gap filler plate is in either a fully protruded state or a fully stored state, enables only motion transfer from the linear motion body to the driving end section, 
     the guide groove is formed in a direction orthogonal or almost orthogonal to forward and backward movement directions of the gap filler plate, and 
     the predetermined direction and the direction of the guide groove are parallel to each other in the fully stored state. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1 ( 1 ) is a top view of a platform gap filler in an installed state, and  FIG. 1 ( 2 ) is a side view of the same. 
         FIG. 2 ( 1 ) is a top view of an example of internal structure of the platform gap filler in a fully protruded state, and  FIG. 2 ( 2 ) is an enlarged partial view of the same. 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of  FIG. 2 ( 1 ) taken along line A-A. 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram illustrating an example of a swing body. 
         FIG. 5 ( 1 ) is a top view of a configuration example of a track-side stopper, and  FIG. 5 ( 2 ) is a side view of the same. 
         FIGS. 6 ( 1 ) to  6 ( 3 ) are diagrams illustrating the internal structure of the platform gap filler, and  FIG. 6 ( 1 ) illustrates the fully protruded state,  FIG. 6 ( 2 ) illustrates a transition process, and  FIG. 6 ( 3 ) illustrates a fully stored state. 
         FIGS. 7 ( 1 ) to  7 ( 3 ) are diagrams illustrating the internal structure of the platform gap filler, and  FIG. 7 ( 1 ) illustrates a fully protruded state,  FIG. 7 ( 2 ) illustrates a transition process, and  FIG. 7 ( 3 ) illustrates a fully stored state with a change in the protrusion amount. 
         FIG. 8 ( 1 ) is a top view of a modification of the track-side stopper, and  FIG. 8 ( 2 ) is a side view of the same. 
         FIG. 9 ( 1 ) and  FIG. 9 ( 2 ) are diagrams illustrating a modification of the swing body. 
         FIG. 10  is a diagram illustrating a modification of the track-side stopper. 
         FIG. 11  is a diagram illustrating a modification of the track-side stopper. 
         FIG. 12  is a diagram illustrating a modification of a drive mechanism section. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
     According to the embodiment, it is possible to implement a lock mechanism for gap filler that is simple in mechanical structure and is capable of adjusting the protrusion amount of a gap filler plate. In addition, it is possible to provide a gap filler that allows the protrusion action of a gap filler plate from the fully stored state to the fully protruded state such that the gap filler plate starts to move slowly, increases speed gradually, reaches the maximum speed midway, decreases speed gradually, and then approaches slowly to the fully protruded state. 
     According to one embodiment of the invention, there is provided a gap filler that protrudes a gap filler plate to a track side to prevent passengers&#39; falling from a platform, comprising: 
     a drive mechanism section that moves linearly a linear motion body; 
     a swing body that has a driving end section and a driven end roller section, the driving end section being engaged with the linear motion body and the driven end roller section being engaged with the gap filler plate and changeable in installation position in a predetermined direction; and 
     a driven slider that has a guide groove in which the driven end roller section is capable of rolling to convert swing motion of the swing body into linear motion and move the gap filler plate in forward and backward movement directions, 
     wherein 
     an engagement relationship between the linear motion body and the driving end section constitutes an inverse operation preventive structure that, when the gap filler plate is in either a fully protruded state or a fully stored state, enables only motion transfer from the linear motion body to the driving end section, 
     the guide groove is formed in a direction orthogonal or almost orthogonal to forward and backward movement directions of the gap filler plate, and 
     the predetermined direction and the direction of the guide groove are parallel to each other in the fully stored state. 
     In the gap filler, the predetermined direction may be set to avoid a center of a swing shaft of the swing body. 
     In the gap filler, the inverse operation preventive structure may establish an engagement relationship satisfying a geometric condition that, in either the fully protruded state or the fully stored state, a direction of action from the driving end section to the linear motion body is orthogonal or almost orthogonal to a linear motion direction of the linear motion body. 
     In the gap filler, the linear motion body may include a roller for engagement with the driving end section, and 
     the driving end section may have rolling surfaces for the roller including two lock surfaces and a changeover surface, one surface of the two lock surfaces may contact the roller in the fully protruded state and may have a direction of a normal orthogonal or almost orthogonal to the linear motion direction, the other surface of the two lock surfaces may contact the roller in the fully stored state and may have a direction of a normal orthogonal or almost orthogonal to the linear motion direction, and the changeover surface may be an arc-shaped surface contacting the roller during changeover between the fully protruded state and the fully stored state and connecting the two lock surfaces. 
     In the gap filler, the drive mechanism section may have a rack-and-pinion mechanism. 
     A platform gap filler as one embodiment to which the present invention is applied will be described in outline below. 
       FIG. 1 ( 1 ) is a top view of a platform gap filler  10  in an installed state and  FIG. 1 ( 2 ) is a side view of the same. The platform gap filler  10  is fixed in an installation space that is recessed on the top of a side edge of a platform  2  in a station. 
     The platform gap filler  10  defines a thin cuboid internal space opened to the track side by a main frame  14  fixed in the installation space and a top plate  12  acting as a cover of the main frame  14 , and has a gap filler plate  16  supported in an almost horizontally slidable manner in the internal space by a ball-bearing slide rail  18  (see  FIG. 2 ). The platform gap filler  10  can move the gap filler plate  16  forward and backward to the track side and the platform side by a forward/backward movement mechanism section  11 . 
     At times other than during passengers&#39; getting on and out a train  4 , the gap filler plate  16  is stored in the internal space and kept in a movement suppressed state so that the track-side end of the gap filler plate  16  does not protrude to the railway track side beyond a regulated position. This state will be called “fully stored state”. 
     At times of passengers&#39; getting on and out the train  4 , as the forward/backward movement mechanism section  11  is activated, the gap filler plate  16  is automatically shifted to a movable state. The gap filler plate  16  is protruded to the track side to reduce a gap D between the platform and the train  4  and prevent passengers from falling between the platform and the train. This state will be called “fully protruded state”.  FIGS. 1 ( 1 ) and  1 ( 2 ) both illustrate the “fully protruded state”. In the fully protruded state, the gap filler plate  16  is automatically switched from the movable state to the movement suppressed state. The gap filler plate  16  is kept in the current position against an input from the gap filler plate  16  side (for example, reaction force or the like generated during passengers&#39; treading on the gap filler plate  16  and getting on the train). That is, the gap filler plate  16  is brought into a locked state. 
     Then, after passengers&#39; getting on and off, the forward/backward movement mechanism section  11  operates inversely. Even though the gap filler plate  16  is in the movement suppressed state, when the forward transfer of driving force is started by the activation of the forward/backward movement mechanism section  11 , the gap filler plate  16  is automatically switched to the movable state. Then, the gap filler plate  16  is moved to the platform side and returned to the “fully stored state” by the transferred power. The gap filler plate  16  is automatically brought into the movement suppressed state. 
     Next, the internal structure of the platform gap filler  10  will be described in detail. 
       FIGS. 2 and 3  are diagrams illustrating the internal structure of the platform gap filler  10  stored in the internal space according to the present embodiment, which illustrate the fully protruded state. 
       FIG. 2 ( 1 ) is a perspective top view of the top plate  12 , the main frame  14 , and the gap filler plate  16 , and  FIG. 2 ( 2 ) is an enlarged partial view of the forward/backward movement mechanism section  11 .  FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of  FIG. 2 ( 1 ) taken along line A-A. 
     The forward/backward movement mechanism section  11  includes: 
     1) an electric motor  21  that is electrically controlled by a control device not illustrated; 
     2) a deceleration mechanism  22  that decelerates appropriately the rotation of an output shaft of the electric motor  21 ; 
     3) a pinion gear  23  that is coupled to an output shaft of the deceleration mechanism  22 ; 
     4) a driving slider  25  that has a rack  24  to engage with the pinion gear  23  and constitutes a linear motion body slid by the rotation of the pinion gear  23 ; 
     5) a track-side slider guide  26   k  and a platform-side slider guide  26   h  that support the driving slider  25  in such a manner as to be slidable in the forward and backward movement directions of the gap filler plate  16 ; 
     6) a driving end roller  27  that rotates around a vertical shaft on the lower surface of the driving slider  25 ; and 
     7) a swing body  40 . 
     The electric motor  21  contains an absolute-type encoder, for example, that outputs externally the absolute number of rotations (the number of rotations from the fully stored state or the fully protruded state) to the control device of the platform gap filler  10 . The driving slider  25  is installed in such a manner as to be movable along the forward and backward movement directions of the gap filler plate  16 . The track-side slider guide  26   k  is erected on the bottom surface of the main frame  14 . 
     The pinion gear  23  and the driving slider  25  act as a linear motion mechanism with the electric motor  21  as a power source to move linearly the driving end roller  27 . The electric motor  21 , the deceleration mechanism  22 , and the pinion gear  23  constitute a drive mechanism section  20  that moves linearly the driving slider  25  as a linear motion body and the driving end roller  27 . 
     The position of the driving slider  25  can be lowered by setting the pinion gear  23  as a bevel gear and engaging  24  teeth of the rack with the pinion. The linear motion mechanism can be implemented by a ball screw, a chain, a timing belt, or the like, to move linearly the driving end roller  27 . 
       FIG. 4  is an upper perspective plane view of a configuration example of the swing body  40 . 
     The swing body  40  is spanner-like in shape in a top view, and is rotatably pivoted by a swing shaft  44  (see  FIGS. 2 and 3 ) erected almost vertically from the main frame  14 . The swing body  40  has a roller rolling surface  45  to abut with the driving end roller  27  at one end (driving end section) on the forward/backward movement mechanism section  11  side, and has a driven end roller  46  rotating around a vertical axis at the other end (driven end section) on the opposite side with a swing shaft hole  43  passing through the swing shaft  44  therebetween. 
     The roller rolling surface  45  has a changeover surface  45   a  arc-shaped in a top view and a fully protruded state lock surface  45   b  and a fully stored state lock surface  45   c  that run in a line from the both ends of the changeover surface in the rotation direction of the swing body  40 . 
     The fully protruded state lock surface  45   b  is arranged to satisfy a geometric condition that the direction of the normal is orthogonal or almost orthogonal to the linear motion direction of the driving end roller  27  (that is, the linear motion direction of the driving slider  25 ) in the positional relationship between the driving end roller  27  and the swing body  40  in the fully protruded state. In other words, the fully protruded state lock surface  45   b  is formed as a plane or almost plane along or almost along the movement direction of the driving end roller  27  in the fully protruded state. 
     Similarly, the fully stored state lock surface  45   c  is arranged to satisfy a geometric condition that the direction of the normal of the fully stored state lock surface  45   c  is orthogonal or almost orthogonal to the linear motion direction of the driving end roller  27  in the positional relationship between the driving end roller  27  and the swing body  40  in the fully stored state. 
     The driven end roller  46  engages with a guide groove  66  formed in the lower surface of a driven slider  62  (see  FIGS. 2 and 3 ). The driven slider  62  is fixed to the back side of the slide rail  18  fixed by a bolt or the like to the back side of the gap filler plate  16 . The guide groove  66  is provided in a direction orthogonal or almost orthogonal to the forward and backward movement directions of the gap filler plate  16 . The driven end roller  46  engages in the guide groove  66 . 
     The other end of the swing body  40  has a plurality of driven end roller installation holes  49  different in distance from the swing shaft hole  43  along a predetermined displacement installation-capable direction L. The displacement installation-capable direction L is set to avoid the center of the swing shaft  44  of the swing body  40 . The number of the driven end roller installation holes  49  can be set as appropriate. In addition, re-inserting a roller pin  47  of the driven end roller  46  into any of the driven end roller installation holes  49  makes it possible to change the installation position of the driven end roller  46 . That is, the movement distance of the driven end roller  46  can be changed at each swing angle of the swing body  40 , which allows the adjustment of the protrusion amount of the gap filler plate  16 . 
     In correspondence with the capability of adjustment of the protrusion amount of the gap filler plate  16 , in the present embodiment, a movement restriction section is also made adjustable for limiting the forward and backward movable range of the gap filler plate  16 . 
     Specifically, as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , as the movement restriction section, a track-side engagement projection  76   k  and a platform-side engagement projection  76   h  are erected downward on the lower surface of the gap filler plate  16  along the movement directions (forward and backward movement directions) of the gap filler plate  16 . In addition, erected on the bottom surface of the main frame  14  are a track-side stopper  72   k  with which the track-side engagement projection  76   k  abuts in the fully protruded state and a platform-side stopper  72   h  with which the platform-side engagement projection  76   h  abuts in the fully stored state. The distance between the two stoppers constitutes the movement restricted distance of the gap filler plate  16 . 
     Moreover, a spacer  73  is detachably attached to the platform-side surface of the track-side stopper  72   k  to adjust the movement restricted distance. Specifically, as illustrated in  FIG. 5 ( 1 ), the track-side stopper  72   k  has a perpendicular engagement groove  721  in a top view in the platform-side surface. The engagement groove  721  is designed such that an engagement projection  731  of the spacer  73  is insertable and extractable in the perpendicular direction but is not insertable or extractable in the horizontal direction. 
     A plurality of kinds of spacers  73  different in adjustment thickness W (the thickness of the gap filler plate  16  as seen in the movement direction) are prepared. Selecting the kind of the spacer  73  to be attached to the track-side stopper  72   k  (including the case of not attaching) depending on in which of the driven end roller installation holes  49  the driven end roller  46  is to be inserted makes it possible to adjust appropriately the movement restricted distance of the gap filler plate  16 . 
     The protrusion amount of the gap filler plate  16  can be adjusted in step [1] removing the top plate  12 , step [2] detaching the gap filler plate  16  from the slide rail  18 , step [3] detaching the slide rail  18  and the driven slider  62 , step [4] changing the attachment position of the driven end roller  46 , and step [5] changing the spacer  73 . As a matter of the course, for labor saving in steps [1] to [3], a first open/close lid section for changing the attachment position of the driven end roller  46  (also called adjustment window or inspection hole) and a second open/close lid section for changing the spacer  73  may be provided on the top plate  12  and the gap filler plate  16 . 
     Operations of the platform gap filler  10  will be described below.  FIGS. 6 ( 1 ) to  6 ( 3 ) are enlarged views of a principle mechanism for moving the gap filler plate  16 , and  FIG. 6 ( 1 ) illustrates the fully protruded state,  FIG. 6 ( 2 ) illustrates the transition process, and  FIG. 6 ( 3 ) illustrates the fully stored state. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 6 ( 1 ), in the platform gap filler  10  in the fully protruded state, the driving end roller  27  is in abutment with the fully protruded state lock surface  45   b  of the roller rolling surface  45  (see  FIG. 4 ). 
     In the fully protruded state, the forward/backward movement mechanism section  11  can lock the gap filler plate  16  in the movement suppressed state. The lock state can be maintained due to a mechanical and dynamic structure without the need for electric power. Specifically, when there occurs acting force F 1  (outline arrow) for moving the gap filler plate  16  in the storage direction, the driven slider  62  presses the driven end roller  46  in the storage direction (platform direction). Accordingly, the swing body  40  develops a counterclockwise torque, and the roller rolling surface  45  presses the driving end roller  27  by acting force F 2  (solid arrow). At this time, the driving end roller  27  is in abutment with the fully protruded state lock surface  45   b  (see  FIG. 4 ), and thus the direction of the acting force F 2  is orthogonal or almost orthogonal to the direction in which the driving end roller  27  is linearly moved by the drive mechanism section  20 , under a geometric condition. As a result, the acting force F 2  is borne by the driving end roller  27  and is insufficient to move the driving slider  25 , and thus the swing body  40  is not rotated. This constitutes an inverse operation preventive structure that interferes with the inverse power transfer from the swing body  40  to the driving end roller  27 . Even in the event of inverse power transfer, the swing body  40  is not rotated so that the gap filler plate  16  is locked and is unmovable in the storage direction. 
     In addition, in the fully protruded state, if an attempt is made to further protrude the gap filler plate  16  toward the track side, the track-side engagement projection  76   k  erected on the lower surface of the gap filler plate  16  is in abutment with the track-side stopper  72   k , and thus the gap filler plate  16  does not protrude any more to the track side. 
     When the electric motor  21  is rotationally driven in a predetermined direction to store the gap filler plate  16 , the driving slider  25  is moved to the track side (the left side in  FIGS. 6 ( 1 ) to  6 ( 3 )) and the driving end roller  27  is also moved to the track side. Accordingly, the swing body  40  rotates counterclockwise, and the driving end roller  27  moves from the fully protruded state lock surface  45   b  to the changeover surface  45   a  as illustrated in  FIG. 6 ( 2 ) (see  FIG. 4 ). That is, in the case of forward motion transfer, the fully protruded state is unlocked automatically and smoothly. 
     When the driving end roller  27  moves to the changeover surface  45   a , the driving end roller  27  fits in the inner space arc-shaped in a top view formed by the changeover surface  45   a , and the swing body  40  further rotates counterclockwise along with the linear motion of the driving end roller  27 . When the swing body  40  rotates counterclockwise due to the forward power transfer from the driving end roller  27  to the swing body  40 , the driven end roller  46  moves relatively to the platform side to move the driven slider  62  and the gap filler plate  16  to the platform side. 
     As the rotational driving of the electric motor  21  continues, the gap filler plate  16  finally reaches the fully stored state illustrated in  FIG. 6 ( 3 ). In the fully stored state, the driving end roller  27  comes out of the changeover surface  45   a  and moves to the fully stored state lock surface  45   c  (see  FIG. 4 ). After making a predetermined number of rotations necessary for moving the driving slider  25  to a predetermined fully stored position, the electric motor  21  is stopped. 
     In the fully stored state, the displacement installation-capable direction L is orthogonal or almost orthogonal to the forward and backward movement directions (movement directions) of the gap filler plate  16 . In other words, the displacement installation-capable direction L in the fully stored state is made along the guide groove  66 , which is parallel or almost parallel to the guide groove  66 . 
     Then, the gap filler plate  16  is brought into the movement suppressed state. Specifically, when there occurs acting force F 3  (open arrow) for moving the gap filler plate  16  to a protrusion direction (track direction: leftward in  FIGS. 6 ( 1 ) to  6 ( 3 )), the driven slider  62  presses the driven end roller  46  in the protrusion direction. The swing body  40  develops a torque for clockwise rotation, and the fully stored state lock surface  45   c  presses the driving end roller  27  by acting force F 4  (solid arrow). However, due to the geometric relationship between the two, the direction of the acting force F 4  is orthogonal or almost orthogonal to the direction in which the driving end roller  27  is linearly moved by the drive mechanism section  20 . As a result, the acting force F 4  is borne by the driving end roller  27  and is insufficient to move the driving slider  25 , and thus the swing body  40  is not rotated. This constitutes an inverse operation preventive structure that interferes with the inverse power transfer from the swing body  40  to the driving end roller  27 . Even in the event of inverse power transfer, the swing body  40  is not rotated so that the gap filler plate  16  is locked and is unmovable in the protrusion direction. 
     In addition, in the fully stored state, if an attempt is made to further press the gap filler plate  16  into the platform side, the platform-side engagement projection  76   h  erected on the lower surface of the gap filler plate  16  is in abutment with the platform-side stopper  72   h , and thus the gap filler plate  16  does not move any more to the platform side. 
     When the electric motor  21  is rotationally driven in the direction opposite to the foregoing direction to protrude the gap filler plate  16 , the driving slider  25  is moved to the platform side (the right side in  FIGS. 6 ( 1 ) to  6 ( 3 )) and the driving end roller  27  is also moved to the same direction. Accordingly, the driving end roller  27  is moved from the fully stored state lock surface  45   c  to the changeover surface  45   a . That is, in the case of forward motion transfer, the link mechanism in the fully stored state is unlocked automatically and smoothly, and the gap filler plate  16  returns to the fully protruded state illustrated in  FIG. 6 ( 1 ) through the state illustrated in  FIG. 6 ( 2 ). 
     Focusing on the movement velocity of the gap filler plate  16  from the fully stored state to the fully protruded state, the direction of the guide groove  66  in the driven slider  62  in the fully stored state is orthogonal or almost orthogonal to the movement directions of the gap filler plate  16 . Accordingly, the gap filler plate  16  starts to move slowly, increases speed gradually, reaches the maximum speed midway, decreases speed gradually, and then approaches slowly to the fully protruded state. This makes it possible to perform the protruding operation more efficiently than in the configuration in which the direction of the guide groove  66  in the driven slider  62  in the fully stored state is inclined with respect to the movement direction of the gap filler plate  16 . 
       FIGS. 7 ( 1 ) to  7 ( 3 ) are enlarged views of a principle mechanism for moving the gap filler plate  16  when the attachment position of the driven end roller  46  is changed from the example illustrated in  FIGS. 6 ( 1 ) to  6 ( 3 ), that is, when the protrusion amount is changed.  FIG. 7 ( 1 ) illustrates the fully protruded state,  FIG. 7 ( 2 ) illustrates the transition process, and  FIG. 7 ( 3 ) illustrates the fully stored state. 
     In a comparison between  FIG. 6 ( 1 ) and  FIG. 7 ( 1 ), the protrusion amount of the gap filler plate  16  illustrated in  FIGS. 7 ( 1 ) to  7 ( 3 ) is smaller due to the change of the attachment position of the driven end roller  46 . Along with this, the spacer  73  is attached to the track-side stopper  72   k . The posture of the swing body  40  in the fully protruded state is the same between  FIG. 6 ( 1 ) and  FIG. 7 ( 1 ). 
     On the other hand, in a comparison between  FIG. 6 ( 3 ) and  FIG. 7 ( 3 ), the posture of the swing body  40  in the fully stored state is the same. That is, in the fully stored state as described above, the alignment direction of the plurality of driven end roller installation holes  49  in the swing body  40  (the displacement installation-capable direction L) and the direction of the guide groove  66  in the driven slider  62  are parallel or almost parallel to each other. Thus, even when the attachment position of the driven end roller  46  is changed, the storage position of the driven slider  62  in the fully stored state remains unchanged. Accordingly, the platform-side engagement projection  76   h  remains in the fixed position and restricts the storage limit position of the gap filler plate  16  together with the platform-side stopper  72   h.    
     That is, even when the installation position of the driven end roller  46  is changed, the operating principle and movement velocity trend of the gap filler plate  16  from the fully stored state to the fully protruded state are basically unchanged. 
     According to the present embodiment, the movement suppressed state (locked state) of the gap filler plate  16  can be implemented by the simple mechanical structure. This eliminates the need for an electromagnetic brake and electric power for maintaining the locked state. Implementing the lock/unlock mechanism makes it possible to identify the degree of parts deterioration at a glance, thereby achieving improvement in the correctness of maintenance checkup and reduction in the man-hours. 
     Even when the gap between a train and the platform varies depending on the position of the door in the curve section of the platform with the gap fillers, setting the installation position of the driven end roller  46  and selecting the spacer  73  (including the case of not attaching the spacer  73 ) appropriately makes it easy to set the proper protrusion amount of the gap filler plate  16  for each of the platform gap filler  10 . In addition, the setting of the protrusion amount can be changed without the need for adjustment of the platform-side stopper  72   h  and the platform-side engagement projection  76   h.    
     The protruding action of the gap filler plate  16  from the fully stored state to the fully protruded state takes place such that the gap filler plate  16  starts to move slowly, increases speed gradually, reaches the maximum speed midway, decreases speed gradually, and then approaches slowly to the fully protruded state. 
     [Modifications] 
     The mode to which the present invention is applicable is not limited to the present embodiment but constituent elements can be added, omitted, and changed as appropriate. 
     [1] 
     The form of engagement between the track-side stopper  72   k  and the spacer  73  is not limited to the example of  FIG. 5  but may be another form such as using a spacer  73 B illustrated in  FIG. 8 . 
     [2] 
     The structure for adjusting the attachment position of the driven end roller  46  is not limited to the scheme based on the number and position of the driven end roller installation holes  49 . For example, as illustrated in  FIG. 9 , a swing body  40 B is provided with a long hole  42  into which a through bolt  461  of the driven end roller  46  can be inserted, in the installation range of the driven end roller  46  along the displacement installation-capable direction L. In addition, the swing body  40 B has a fitting concave-convex section  48  provided around the long hole  42 . The through bolt  461  is inserted into the long hole  42  via a roller body  462  and a roller seat  463 . The roller seat  463  also has projections  464  to fit with the concave and convex portions in the fitting concave-convex section  48 . According to this configuration, the position of the driven end roller  46  can be adjusted more finely than in the foregoing embodiment, depending on the pitch of the concave and convex portions in the fitting concave-convex section  48 . 
     In correspondence with this configuration, the track-side stopper  72   k  is preferably made capable of fine adjustment. 
     Specifically, as illustrated in  FIG. 10 , the track-side stopper  72   k  has a base  722  and an engagement body  723 . The base  722  is fixed to the bottom surface of the main frame  14 . The engagement body  723  includes integrally an adjustment bolt  725 . The base  722  and the spacer  73  have an insertion hole for the adjustment bolt  725 . The spacer  73  is sandwiched between the base  722  and the engagement body  723  and fixed integrally by the adjustment bolt  725  and a nut  727 . 
     Alternatively, as illustrated in  FIG. 11 , the spacer  73  may be omitted from the configuration illustrated in  FIG. 10  so that the engagement body  723  is fixed to the base  722  by two nuts  727 . 
     [3] 
     For example, as in a forward/backward movement mechanism section  11 C illustrated in  FIG. 12 , a hand-turned handle  90  is further preferably attached to the deceleration mechanism  22  to provide a manually rotatable gear mechanism  92 . When power supply to the platform gap filler  10  is shut off, inserting and coupling the hand-turned handle  90  into a coupling hole  94  in the gear mechanism  92  allows the pinion gear  23  (see  FIG. 2 ) to be rotated without electric power. Further preferably, a small door is installed in the top plate  12  (see  FIG. 1 ) to provide an access to the coupling hole  94  without having to remove the top plate  12 . 
     [4] 
     The linear motion mechanism of the driving end roller  27  formed from the pinion gear  23  and the rack  24  in the foregoing embodiment may be a ball screw-type linear motion mechanism such as the forward/backward movement mechanism section  11 C illustrated in  FIG. 12  in which a guide block  81  with the driving end roller  27  is slidably supported by a guide rail  82  and is linearly moved by a ball screw  84  obtaining rotational force from the output shaft of the deceleration mechanism  22  via a bevel gear  83 . Alternatively, the linear motion mechanism may be a belt-driven linear motion mechanism. 
     Although only some embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within scope of this invention.