NL2014685B1

NL2014685B1 - Chair Stair Lift.

Info

Publication number: NL2014685B1
Application number: NL2014685A
Authority: NL
Inventors: Theodorus Van Der Heiden Arnoldus; Varkevisser Dennis; Boxum Cornelis
Original assignee: Thyssenkrupp Ag; Thyssenkrupp Accessibility B V
Priority date: 2015-04-21
Filing date: 2015-04-21
Publication date: 2017-01-25
Also published as: EP3286123A1; EP3286123B1; ES2794826T3; EP3683180A1; WO2016170038A1; NL2014685A

Abstract

The present invention relates to a chair stair lift, comprising at least one rail extending along a track, a frame part, suspended on the at least one rail, and comprising a drive, for moving the frame part along the rail, a support for a seat, a seat, movable, in particular pi votable with respect to the support, a balancing system, for keeping the seat in a predetermined orientation with respect to a fixed world and a lock for locking the movement of the seat with respect to the support.

Description

Chair Stair Lift

The present invention relates to a chair stair lift. These devices are known in the art, and serve to provide transportation of a person with impaired stairclimbing mobility up and down the stairs. Such chair stair lifts are for instance known from the international patent applications WO2014/098573, WO2014/098574 and WO2014/098575 in the name of the same applicant, but other, less refined equivalents exist too.

These particular stair chair stair lifts in general comprise a rail, which forms the track along a stair, which rail may in numerous situations be curved. The chair of the stair lift follows the curved rail, which may lead to some rocking or inclement of the chair during movement. The chair, or its actual seat may therewith incline too, which causes the risk of a person sliding off the chair. In order to prevent such unwanted occasion, a provision may be present for balancing the seat. Such provision may be an automated balancing system, with elect(on)ic actuators. These systems are known in the art as well, and the European Patent EP 1037846 in the name of the present applicant, which is herewith incorporated by reference, gives a good overview of the state of the art.

However, these actuators may unexpectedly refuse or fail, which leads to dangerous situations. It is therefor a goal of the present invention to provide a solution for the above mentioned disadvantages, or at least to provide a useful alternative to the known prior art.

The invention thereto proposes a chair stair lift, comprising at least one rail extending along a track, a frame part, suspended on the at least one rail, and comprising a drive, for moving the frame part along the rail, a support for a seat, movable, in particular pivotable with respect to the support, a balancing system, for keeping the seat in a predetermined orientation with respect to a fixed world and a lock for locking the movement of the seat with respect to the support.

The locking system prevents the seat to get in undesired angles with respect to the support, and thus indirectly with respect to the fixed world. It is to be understood that the lock is a separate part of the chair stair lift, and not - for instance - just a software routine in the balancing system. In particular, the lock may be a mechanical lock, which, at least in order to activate, does not comprise electronic actuators.

In an embodiment, the lock is configured to lock the movement of the seat with respect to the support when the seat is moved more than a predetermined angle. The lock may comprise detection means for detecting that the predetermined angle was reached. In particular these may be mechanical detection means, such as a hole or protrusion.

The predetermined angle may be defined with respect to the support, or with respect to the fixed world, and may for instance be 5 or in particular 10 degrees.

In an embodiment, the lock comprises a latch. Such latch may be spring-biased , and may comprise an actuator for unlocking the actuator. The spring based latch may engage with a hole, positioned such that the latch locks thanks to the spring when the predetermined angle is reached.

In a preferred embodiment, the lock comprises a brake, which may in particular be a drum brake or a disk brake.

The lock may further be configured for disabling the balancing system when it is locked, or initiate an immediate correction of the balancing system when the predetermined angle was reached, in order to prevent a person positioned in the locked angle for a long time.

The lock may further be configured for disabling a drive, for moving the frame part along the rail when it is locked, so that no person is moved with the lift while sitting under an angle.

The invention will now be elucidated into more detail with reference to the following figures.

Herein:

Figure 1 shows a stair chair lift in a desired uninclined position;

Figure 2 shows a stair chair lift in a desired uninclined position;

Figure 3 shows a first embodiment of a brake for the stair chair lift from figure 1/2;

Figure 4 shows a second embodiment of a brake for the stair chair lift from figure 1/2.

Figure 1 shows a stair chair lift in a desired uninclined position. The chair stair lift comprises a rail 1 extending along a track, a frame part 2, suspended on the rail 1, and a drive (not visible), for moving the frame part 2 along the rail; a support (here integrally formed with the frame part 2) for a seat 3, which is movable, in particular pivotable with respect to the support 2. The chair lift comprises a balancing system 4, for keeping the seat in a predetermined orientation with respect to a fixed world, provided with a lock for locking the movement of the seat with respect to the support 2. Embodiments of the lock are depicted in figures 3 and 4.

Figure 2 shows a the stair chair lift from figure 1 in an undesired inclined position;

Figure 3 shows a first embodiment of a brake for the stair chair lift from figures 1 and 2, wherein the brake comprises a drum brake 5.

Figure 4 shows a second embodiment of a brake for the stair chair lift from figure 1 and 2, wherein the brake comprises a disk brake 6.

Claims

A chair stairlift, comprising: - at least one rail extending along a path, - a frame part hanging from the at least one rail, and comprising: - a drive for moving the frame part over the rail; - a support for a chair; - a chair that is movable, in particular rotatable relative to the support; - a balance system to keep the chair in a predetermined orientation with respect to the fixed world; characterized by - a lock to lock the movement of the chair relative to the support.

A chair stairlift according to claim 1, wherein the lock is adapted to lock the movement of the chair relative to the support if the chair moves more than a predetermined angle.

The chair stairlift of claim 2, wherein the predetermined angle with respect to the support is defined.

The chair stairlift of claim 2, wherein the predetermined angle with respect to the fixed world is defined.

The chair stairlift according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined angle is 5 and in particular 10 degrees.

A chair stairlift according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lock comprises a lock.

The chair stairlift of claim 6, wherein the latch is biased by a spring.

A chair stairlift according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lock comprises a brake which can in particular be a drum brake or a disc brake.

A chair stairlift according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising an actuator for unlocking the actuator.

A chair stairlift according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lock is adapted to block the balance system, if it is locked.

A chair stairlift according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lock is adapted to block a drive for moving the frame part over the rail, if it is locked.