People conveyor glass bastustrade lighting

Abstract

People conveyor ( 2 ) having an endless people transportation band ( 4 ) and an endless handrail ( 6 ), a glass balustrade ( 8 ) arranged laterally to the transportation band ( 4 ) and supporting the handrail ( 6 ), and a profile ( 10, 12 ) having an U-shaped channel ( 38 ) for engaging the glass balustrade ( 8 ) and comprising an Illumination cavity ( 44 ), wherein a plurality of LEDs is arranged in the illumination cavity ( 44 ).

1 - 19 . (canceled) 
   
   
       20 . A people conveyor, comprising:
 an endless people transportation band;   an endless handrail;   a glass balustrade arranged laterally to the transportation band and supporting the handrail; and   a profile for engaging the glass balustrade and comprising an illumination cavity that is disposed between the profile and the glass balustrade, wherein a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) is arranged in the illumination cavity.   
   
   
       21 . People conveyor according to  claim 20 , wherein the LEDs are arranged to project light through an edge of the glass balustrade. 
   
   
       22 . People conveyor according to  claim 20 , wherein the profile comprises a U-shaped channel for engaging the glass balustrade and wherein the illumination cavity is an extension of the U-shaped channel. 
   
   
       23 . People conveyor according to any  claim 22 , wherein the U-shaped channel has a depth direction which is defined in parallel to lateral walls of the U-shaped channel in a direction from an open mouth to a base of the U, and wherein the illumination cavity is an extension of the U-shaped channel in the depth direction. 
   
   
       24 . People conveyor according to  claim 22 , wherein the U-shaped channel has a depth direction which is defined in parallel to lateral walls of the U-shaped channel in a direction from an open mouth to a base of the U, and wherein the illumination cavity is an extension of the U-shaped channel in one of the lateral walls and perpendicular to the depth direction. 
   
   
       25 . People conveyor according to  claim 22 , comprising an elastic interlayer between the profile and the glass balustrade along lateral walls of the U-shaped channel and wherein the elastic interlayer is also provided between walls of the illumination cavity and the LEDs. 
   
   
       26 . People conveyor according to  claim 20 , comprising a potting material mounting the LEDs into the illumination cavity. 
   
   
       27 . People conveyor according to  claim 26 , wherein the potting material is transparent. 
   
   
       28 . People conveyor according to  claim 26 , wherein the potting material has a good coefficient of thermal conduction. 
   
   
       29 . People conveyor according to  claim 20 , wherein the LEDs are electrically connected with an electrical power source so that the LEDs can be switched to selectively power selected individual LEDs or selected groups of LEDs. 
   
   
       30 . People conveyor according to  claim 29 , comprising a bus system for separately switching the LEDs. 
   
   
       31 . People conveyor according to  claim 20 , comprising a plurality of screws securing the profile to the glass balustrade. 
   
   
       32 . People conveyor according to  claim 20 , wherein the profile is attached on the top of the glass balustrade and forms a guide support for the handrail. 
   
   
       33 . People conveyor according to  claim 20 , wherein the profile is attached to a base structure of the people conveyor and supports the glass balustrade. 
   
   
       34 . People conveyor according to  claim 33 , comprising means for an electrostatic grounding of the handrail. 
   
   
       35 . People conveyor according to  claim 20 , wherein a portion of each LED is supported on a common printed circuit board. 
   
   
       36 . People conveyor according to  claim 20 , wherein the profile is formed of a plurality of profile segments adjoined with each other in a longitudinal direction of the profile and wherein electrical connectors are provided at longitudinal ends of the profile segments for electrically connecting the profile segments with each other. 
   
   
       37 . People conveyor according to  claim 20 , wherein the profile comprises fins or rips for increasing heat dissipation. 
   
   
       38 . People conveyor according to  claim 20 , wherein the profile comprises a U-shaped channel for engaging the glass balustrade and the illumination cavity is an extension of the U-shaped channel in which the plurality of LEDs is arranged.