AU2004100643B4 - Platformramp - Google Patents

Description

PLATFORMRAMP

For people,especially elderly and handicapped, the powered platformramp is convenient solution.Once not required,the piston cylinder(s) are detached and the platformramp folded, requiring small storage place. It is used as a portable chair,wheelchair lifter,foot and leg elevator and flight of stair cover.The portable platformramp is usable for one,or two steps cover.The permanent covers flight of stairs usually up to 10 steps.

Portable platformramp is for any kind of chair placed on the platformramp board, including wheelchair. Converts an ordinary chair into lifter chair.No need for a special big and heavy lifter chair.The usual special lifter chair recliner with built in lifting mechanism requires large space, matching material and colours,with the rest owner's settee. Some elderly 1 0 prefer bed instead recliners,as the recliner chair is a compromise.The reclining back cushioning not always supports head in the angled position and the foot rest is short.The common lifter chairs are electrically powered,usually by a 24V direct current motor.One motor is designed for lighter persons,weighting with the chair up to 115kg. The specially built two el.motors for up to 150kg load.The platformramp with a single 100mm diameter 1 5 piston cylinder lifts 430 kg. For foot and leg elevation is convenient especially for a bed,the powered platformrampis inserted between the base and matrace,with the hand controlled elevation.The platformramp,with the hinge placed up in front,over one,or two steps, enables the elderly,or handicapped to be lifted from the ground floor over the one,or two step to the upper level,with elevation hand controlled.

This invention, a portable platformramp is particularly directed to such method and installation, in which the platform ramp consists of two boards,the upper and lowerjoined together by means of longitudinal hinge.The lower board of the platformram remains positioned on the floor,or ground,to which one,or more piston cylinder flanges are attached,, either flat,wedge,or clevis mounted.The upper board upwards and downwards motion of the platformramp is occurring about the axis,the centre pin of the longitudinal hinge.

The invention relates to a method of,and to an installation of the portable platformramp lifter equipped one,or two double acting, piston cylinders,preferable cushioned,with lift motion accurring about the longitudinal hinge axis,positioned at the opposite side,facing the piston cylinders. The calculated load over the platformramp,comprising the chair and the person's weight determine the diameter of load carrying piston cylinders.A single piston cylinder is of larger diameter,compaired with alternative of two piston cylinders sharing the load and therefore of smaller diameter.Any kind of chairs,the common general purpose chair,high back chair,special care chair,lounge chair,recliner chair, wheelchair, placed on the platformramp board is secured by a stopper at the front,above the hinge and at middle,or back of the upper board with a strap,or cable. The elderly and handicapped users get out of the chair easily,when piston rod lifting the platformramp into the most advanced position and for sit down,the fluid pressure is released gently lowering the piston rod and the platformramp into the resting position,the same applies when lifted over one,or two steps.

The method had a component producing the pressure fluid,either a small air compressor, or compressed air bottles.From this supply source,the fluid liquid flows means tubes,via a hand level valve governing the upwards and downwards stroke of the single,or double cylinder's piston rod,either to advanced,lifting the platformramp,or resting stroke position,lowering the platformramp,or at any level between within the range of their stroke.

Platformramp a stairlift,covering up about 10 steps,if made from non corrosive 4 5 materials,suitable for outdoors,with few moving parts is of low maintenance.More steps then may be covered if lengths of the platformramp boards are extended. The invention relates to more or less permanent installation of an outdoors platformramp stairlift,designed for stairs of up to 10 steps.The powered platformramp lifts wheel chaired, elderly and handicapped without any difficulties to reach the top level of the stairs. For the wheelchair users,the platformramp starlift maximise the independence of an individual enabling him/her to move from one low stair level to the top stair level,without living the wheelchair.Handrail attached to edge of the platformramp,the non slippery board,the ramp with hand grip, reduces the sometimes unnerving feeling,during the platformramp motion from lower stair level to the upper stair level.For more,or less permanent installation,according to the invention,the one part of the longitudinal hinge is attached to the platformramp board and the other part to the top step of the stairs.During the advanced stroke of the piston rod(s),lifts the 1 0 platformramp and the platformramp is lowered to the low elevation,by the return stroke, elevation motion governed by the hand level valve,enabling the platformramp stop,at any level within the range of the piston rod(s) stroke.The piston cylinder(s) are permanently mounted to the base ground level of flight of stairs.Wheelchair user is easily loaded means a ramp,elderly may sit on a chair,or standing on the platformramp non slippery board(s), 1 5 supported by handrail,positioned along the side of the platformramp board.Once on the angled platformramp board,the loading ramp turns into near vertical position,givin additional security. The piston cylinder(s), the platformrampboard,longitudinal hinges and all of the fasteners are made from rustproof material.The fluid container,being part of the air compressor, stored away,in a wheather protected place, has adequate fluid supply, in the case of mechanisms failure.The safety is emphasized by the simplicity of the system.Released fluid pressure,lowers automatically the platformramp to its resting,lowest position,meaning total safety.The fluid from medium sized pressure bottle last long.The common noise of an air compressor,can be treated.The system is of very low maintenance.The piston cylinder(s), hand level valve and liners are built for harsh conditions and may last lifetime.The dirt and leaves from the platformramp board(s) are just swept aside.

In order that the invention more readily may be understood,description now is directed to the accompanying drawings,in which: FIG. 1 is side view of the double acting piston cylinder 1 at the low level returned stroke position.The platformramp consisting from upper board 9 and lower board together with a longitudinal hinge 1 1.The flange 5 of the piston cylinder 1 is bolted 12 to the lower board 10.The piston cylinder in advance level, lifting the board 9 requires a cut out portion 17 so that the lifted upper board 9 gives no obstruction. The horizontal beam 8 is attached to the threaded piston top, means the nut 26. The connection between the horizontal beam 8 and the upper board 9 is provided by vertical flat bars, attached from each side of the horizontal beam 8 means a bolts and lock nuts 3,ensuring free movement and again with a bolts and lock nuts3 to fixed bracket 4 to the upper board 9. The pressure fluid enters the finger level valve 28,means inlet 27.Having a handle 29 opening and closing the fluid supply ports 5/1 and 5/2 and thus governing the stroke of the piston rod(s).On the upper board 9 is positioned a chair 13,held in position by the stopper 14 and tightening strap,or cable 25,to the point of anchoring,handle 16.The pressure fluid 5/1 for down stroke and 5/2 for up stroke of the piston cylinder(s) 1.

FIG.2 is side view of the advanced piston rod 15 stroke,lifting the upper board 9 with the chair 13, held in the inclined position by the front longitudinal stopper 14 and the strap,or cable 25,tied around the chair to the safety point,handle 16, fixed, to the upper board 9.

The flange of the piston cylinder 6 attached to the lower board means bolts 12.The pressure fluid inlet 5/1 and 5/2 FIG.3 is top view of the upper board 9,the cut out portion 17,the horizontal beam 8,attached to the top of piston rod 15 and hold means the nut 26,at both ends of the beam,the flat bars 2 with bolts and lock nuts 3.

FIG.4 is side view of the stairlift platformramp,board 9, at the low,resting level.The platformramp board 9 with longitudinal hinge 11 attached to the upper step 19 of the flight of stairs.The flange 6 of the piston cylinder 1 is anchored with bolts 12 to the ground level 27 of the flight of stairs 18.The horizontal beam 8 is attaches to the piston rod top means a nut 26.The connection between the horizontal beam 8 and the board 9 is provided by vertical flat bars 2,attached to the bracket 4, firmly attached to the board 9.The vertical flat bars 2 join the horizontal beam 8 and bracket 4 means bolts with locknuts 3,permitting movement of the flat bars 2 around the axis of the bolts3.A handrail 23 is attached to the edge of the board 9.A bar 30 provides an additional support for the stability of piston cylinder 1,attached to the top 1 0 flange 36 of the cylinder(s) 1 and anchored to the ground 33.A ramp 31 with a longitudinal hinge 32 is attached to the board 9.In resting position,the ramp 31 serves for loading and once load on the upper board 9,the ramp 31 is turned into near vertical position and safely locked.

FIG 5 is side view of the stairlift platformramp board 9 extended to the upper level 19 of the 1 5 stairs,means the advanced piston rod stroke 15. Fig. 5 demonstrate the necessity of the free joints movement of the flat bars 2 ,at both sides,during the semicircular lift motion of board 9, around the centre pin of hinge 11 axis..To the edges of the platformramp is attached safe handrail 23.

FIG.6 is top view of the stairlift platformramp powered by single piston cylinder 1.The semicircle motion of lifted platformramp board 9,requires a cut out portion 17,especially when lowered to the low level resting position.The platformramp consists of two parallel planks 9/1 and 9/2,rigidly connected to each other with crossbars 20,21. The longitudinal hinge 11/1 is attached to the board plank 9/1 and the hinge 11/2 to the board plank 9/2.

FIG.7 is top view of the stairlift platformramp powered by two piston cylinders. Piston cylinder 1/1 and piston cylinder 1/2.The semicircular movement of the one piece upper board 9 requires the cut out portion 17/1 and 17/2. .The horizontal beams 8 shortjust over the two piston cylinders 1/1 and 1/2,with the vertical flat bars 2/1 and 2/2,next to the body of cylinders 1/1 and 1/2,fixed to bolts and lock nuts 3.Otherwise the method and installation remain the same,as in FIG 1,2,3,4,5. The gab 34, between the two piston cylinders provides an excellent entrance for persons and wheelchair, A ramp 31 turned around its own longitudinal hinge 32 of ramp 31, provides safety when turned from horizontal to nearly vertical locked position.

Claims (4)

1.A powered platformramp lifter for wheelchair,chair,flight of stair cover and suspend J elevator, comprising upper board liftable means one, two pressure fluid double acting S 5 cushioned piston cylinders hand level controlling cylinder rod(s) stroke having the cylinder tfl bottom flange(s) mounted to the lower board through cut portion of the upper board wherein the stationary lower board joins the upper board means longitudinal hinge wherein a beam attached to the threaded top of piston rod(s) wherein the connection of the piston rod(s) stroke to lift and lower the upper board is provided means flat bars with their top end to said S0o bearn(s) and their bottom end to a bracket fixed to upper board means free unions wherein \O having longitudinal stopper of the upper board above the longitudinal hinge and a handle for o dual purposes as for strapping arnd securing load as as wheelchair placed on the upper board Sand as a carrying handle for the folded portable platformramp. O 1 5

2. A powered platformramp lifter as claimed in claim 1,wberein the liftable upper board edge o having longitudinal hinge with one part of the longitudinal hinge attached to the top of the upper board and the other part of the longitudinal hinge attached to the shortened lower board,with the shortened lower board anchored to the vertical section of the top step of the stairs,wherein said piston cylinder flange(s) are mounted to the ground level,the piston rod(s) stroke in resting,low position causes said upper board to be in the lowest resting position,wherein the piston rod(s) in most advanced stroke position causes the upper board to be horizontal in level with the upper level of said flight stairs,having the upper board extended in lengths reduces the upper board said resting angle wherein the upper board space between said piston cylinder(s) for wheelchair entry means a loading ramp attached means a movable joint attached to the edge of said upper board, allowing circular motion into vertical position for lock security and having handrail attached to the outer edge of the upper board having cylinder(s) support bar(s).

3.The platformramp of claims 1.,or 2.,is powered by identical stroke cylinder(s),of different diameters, one piston cylinder cunying the identical load is of larger diameter, two double acting piston cylinders of smaller diameter,having at the opposite side of said longitudinal hinges two,or more parallel boards joined rigidly together means crossbars.

4.The powered platformramp claim of any one of claims 1-3,wherein the upper board with non slippery grip and all of the platformramp components made from rust proved material. platformramp substantially as herein described with reference to any one of Figures 1-7 of the accompanying drawings. Mirko Riha Signature: April 2005 COMS ID No: SBMI-01206726 Received by IP Australia: Time 08:54 Date 2005-04-15