AU2009213068A1

AU2009213068A1 - Chair for chairlift

Info

Publication number: AU2009213068A1
Application number: AU2009213068A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Josef Sutter
Original assignee: Innova Patent GmbH
Current assignee: Innova Patent GmbH
Priority date: 2008-10-09
Filing date: 2009-09-11
Publication date: 2010-04-29
Also published as: RU2009133736A; AT507312A1; NZ579980A; AT507312B1; JP5500920B2; CN101716935A; EP2174854A1; ES2362854T3; KR20100040248A; ATE510742T1; RU2505435C2; US20100089281A1; CA2679207A1; EP2174854B1; JP2010111383A; KR101405506B1; CA2679207C

Description

AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 ORIGINAL COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INVENTION TITLE: CHAIR FOR CHAIRLIFT The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: 09/D9/09,va 18206 covpag speci, I -a The invention relates to a chair of a chair lift with at least one seat, with a protectivc bar which extends transversely over the seat and can be pivoted from an open position into a closed position, and with a 5 footrest. The invention furthermore relates to a chair lift with chairs of this type. Chairs for chair lifts have at least one seat, generally up to eight or more, for example ten, seats 10 located next to one another. In order to prevent the passengers from falling out from or slipping off the chair, said chairs have protective bars which go over the entire width of the chair. Said protective bars can be pivoted from a position in which they are located 15 above the passengers (open position) into a position in which a crossbar extends in front of the passengers over their thighs (closed position). The protective bars are frequently provided with 20 footrests on which the passengers can rest and support their feet, if appropriate with skis or a snowboard fastened thereto (for example AT 411 523 B and AT 411 046 B). The footrests are fastened to the protective bar of the chairs via supporting bars and 25 extend downwards between or in front of the seats from the protective bar. The footrests themselves comprise rods or tubes which protrude laterally away from the supporting bar and are fastened to the lower end of the supporting bars. As a result, the central region below 30 a seat is substantially free, and the passenger can place his feet, if appropriate with the skis or a snowboard fastened thereto, onto the footrests which protrude from the side toward the center of the seat. Since a passenger therefore has to share a supporting 35 bar having the two rods or tubes protruding laterally away therefrom with an adjacently seated passenger, undesirable contact between the sports equipment of the adjacent passengers occurs time and again.

- 2 Since, in accordance with the regulations, the distance between the protective bar and seat surface is dimensioned in such a manner that even tall passengers 5 having longer legs have a comfortable amount of space under the protective bar, said distance is generally too large for shorter people, and therefore said shorter people may slip through under the crossbar, in particular if, due to their shorter legs, they cannot 10 support their feet on the footrests. In order to reduce this slipping-through risk for smaller people, it is known from AT 411 523 B and AT 411 046 B to arrange securing parts, in particular protective panels, on the protective bars, said securing parts, in the closed 15 position of the protective bar, extending in the direction toward the center of the front edge of the respective seat surfaces. After the protective bar has been pivoted into its closed position, said protective panels are located between the passengers' thighs. 20 If, therefore, yet another protective element is located between the passengers' legs, lateral yielding and subsequent depositing of the sports equipment on the footrest becomes all the more difficult. Added to 25 this is the fact that, during the closing of the protective bar, the passengers now have to concentrate on a number of matters. Firstly on spreading the thighs in order to make room for the protective panel and secondly on moving the sports equipment in the opposite 30 direction in order to allow the footrest to close without obstruction, and to do all of this without colliding with the neighbor. The invention is therefore based on the object of 35 providing a chair of the generic type mentioned at the beginning, in which said problems are avoided.

-3 This object is achieved according to the invention in that, in the closed position of the protective bar, the supporting bar extends in the central region in front of the seat downwards from the protective bar to the 5 footrest. Preferred and advantageous embodiments of the transporting means according to the invention are the subject matter of the dependent claims. 10 The invention is therefore based on replacing the protective element by the central supporting bar for the footrest, thus easing the burden on the passenger's concentration during the closing of the protective bar 15 since he now only has to concentrate on the supporting tube with the footrest, said supporting tube moving between his legs. The supporting tube between the legs nevertheless provides security against slipping through under the protective bar, and a footrest permitting 20 comfortable transportation for the passenger on a chair is present. Owing to the fact that each passenger now has his own footrest, undesirable contact between the sports 25 equipment of the adjacent passengers can also be largely avoided. If use is made of a standard footrest appearing, for example, in the manner as illustrated in AT 411 523 B 30 and AT 411 046 B, when the protective bar is closed the feet with the sports equipment have to be moved relatively far apart, which may again cause collisions with the sports equipment of seat neighbors. In order to avoid this, the width of the footrests has to be 35 reduced. Then, however, snowboarders, for example, no longer have a sufficiently sized support for their boards.

- 4 In order to avoid this, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the footrests have a plate-like support. In a preferred development of the invention, the support surface formed by the support extends in the 5 direction of travel upstream and/or downstream of the connection of the footrest to the supporting bar. As mentioned above, the footrest in the prior art is formed by rods or tubes which extend laterally from the 10 supporting bar. This firstly only forms a linear support which secondly only extends to the sides of the supporting bar. By means of the design according to the invention of the footrest with a two-dimensional support which preferably extends upstream and/or 15 downstream of the connection of the footrest to the supporting bar, with the fact that the passengers very rarely keep their skis or snowboards precisely parallel to the direction of travel being taken into consideration, the support surface is enlarged and the 20 passengers are provided with more options and more flexible options of placing their feet and/or sports equipment on the footrests. A wide variety of contour shapes are possible 25 structurally for the footrests. Simple shapes which are preferred within the context of the invention are substantially rectangular or elliptical contour shapes. Of course, rectangular or other "angular" contour shapes are preferably provided with rounded corners. 30 However, for example, V-shaped or kidney-shaped contours are also possible. A preferred embodiment can also consist in the footrest having a rearwardly tapering shape, and in particular being wedge-shaped. As a result, upon contact with the footrest, the feet 35 or sports equipment are gently pushed apart during the closing of the protective bar.

- 5 Within the context of the invention, there are a wide variety of options for producing the footrest. A preferred option consists in that the footrest comprises a frame which has an opening the center. Such 5 a frame may be composed, for example, of an arcuate and/or composite tube or bar. The opening in the center or in the region of the center automatically ensures that snow cannot accumulate on the footrest. 10 An alternative option which is likewise preferred within the context of the invention consists in that the footrest comprises a plate which is preferably provided with one or more apertures. Of course, a grid or the like is also conceivable. 15 The footrest can define a substantially planar support surface or a curved support surface. Within the meaning of the invention, a substantially planar support surface is also defined, for example, by a frame which 20 is composed of an arcuate and/or composite tube or bar and has an opening in the center. The contour formed by the frame or the upper side thereof defines a plane or "support surface" on which the passenger can place his feet or sports equipment. 25 A curved support surface can be formed, for example, by a curved plate which preferably has apertures through which snow can drop. 30 In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the chair according to the invention can have separating elements rising over the seat surfaces between the seat surfaces. The separating elements cause a passenger to notice immediately if he is sitting in the transition 35 region from one seat to an adjacent seat. He will then immediately correct his sitting position even before the protective bar is pivoted into its closed position. The passenger's legs are then automatically in a -6 position in which unpleasant collisions with the supporting bar for the footrests are largely avoided. Further features and advantages of the invention emerge 5 from the description below of a preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention with reference to the drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows a chair according to the invention in a front view, 10 Fig. 2 shows the chair from Fig. 1 in side view, Fig. 3 shows an embodiment of a footrest according to the invention during use by a skier, and Fig. 4 shows the footrest during use by a snowboarder. 15 Figs 1 and 2 illustrate an embodiment of a chair 1 according to the invention which, as known per se, has a frame 2 which is coupled via a joint 3 with a supporting rod 4 and a clamping device 5 to a traction cable 9. The chair 1 has six seats 14 which are located 20 next to one another and have a seat surface 6 and a backrest 7. In order to prevent passengers from falling from the chair 1, a protective bar 8 can be moved from an upper and open position (illustrated in Fig. 1) into a lower and closed position (likewise illustrated in 25 Fig. 1). The protective bar 8 can be closed and opened either automatically with the aid of a mechanism 10, which interacts with a device (not illustrated) provided in the stations, or manually by the passengers. In addition, the chair may also have a 30 hood. With the aid of the closed and encircling supporting cable 9 (merely indicated in Fig. 1), the chairs 1 are conveyed from a valley station (not illustrated in the 35 drawings), if appropriate via one or more intermediate stations, to a mountain station and back again. In this case, the chairs 1 can either be decoupled from the traction cable 9 and coupled again to the latter in the - 7 stations with a clamping device 5, as illustrated by way of example in Fig. 1, or it is also possible for the chairs 1 to be clamped fixedly to the traction cable 9. 5 The chair 1 has a number of footrests 11 corresponding to the number of seats 14, said footrests being connected to the protective bar 8 via supporting bars 12. The supporting bars 12 run downwards from the 10 protective bar 8 centrally in front of the respective seat 14 such that, when the protective bar 8 is closed, a passenger has the supporting bars 12 between his legs. As a result, each passenger is secured by a supporting bar 12 from slipping through between the 15 seat surface 6 and the protective bar 8. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated, the footrests 11 comprise a tube which forms a substantially rectangular, closed frame 13. Of course, instead of a 20 tube, a solid bar or the like may also be used. In order to protect the sports equipment, the tube may be entirely or partially covered with a covering, for example made of plastic. The front side 15 and the rear side 16 of the frame 13 and the edges of the frame 13 25 are rounded in order to avoid injuries to the passengers or damage to the sports equipment. The frame 13 is connected to the supporting bar 12 via a mounting plate 17. The mounting plate 17 is fastened 30 to the frame 13 in such a manner that the frame 13 - as seen in the direction of travel - extends both upstream and also downstream of the supporting bar 12. The length by which the frame 13 extends upstream and downstream of the supporting bar 12 may differ in 35 accordance with the particular requirements. It is also possible for the frame 13 to extend exclusively upstream or downstream of the supporting bar 12. The rear side 16 of the frame may also become narrower in -8 wedge-shaped manner to the rear such that the feet or sports equipment are gently pressed apart upon contact with the footrest 11 during the closing of the protective bar. Of course, said wedge-shaped region may 5 also extend into the front region of the footrest 11 or else may be located only in the front region thereof. By means of the frame 13, an opening 19 through which snow can drop is formed in the center such that, 10 despite the substantially plate-like contour of the frame 13, snow does not accumulate on the footrest. It can be seen in Figs 3 and 4 that, despite its smaller lateral extent in comparison to known 15 footrests, the footrest 11 according to the invention has a sufficiently large support surface for skis or snowboards. This is relevant in particular to snowboards, since the latter, during travel on the chair lift, are generally not oriented parallel to but 20 rather obliquely to the direction of travel, and the region which extends upstream and/or downstream of the supporting bar 12 can serve as a support surface for the sports equipment. 25 Since, in the closed position of the protective bar 8, the supporting bars 12 extend between the passengers' thighs and prevent in particular shorter people, such as children, from slipping through under the protective bar 8, it is important, however, that the supporting 30 bars 12 are arranged between the passengers' thighs, which, in turn, presupposes a correct sitting position of the passengers on the seats 14. In addition, in particular if the protective bar 8 is closed automatically, the supporting bar 12 is to be prevented 35 from pressing against a passenger's leg because the latter is not sitting correctly on his seat 14 and a leg is located entirely or partially under the - 9 supporting bar 12 during the closing of the protective bar 8. In order for the passengers to sit down correctly on 5 the seats 14, separating elements 20 rising over the seat surfaces 6 are arranged between the seats 14, specifically between the seat surfaces 6 of the seats 14. The separating elements 20 cause a passenger to notice immediately if he is not sitting correctly in 10 the center of a seat 14, and therefore he can correct his sitting position even before the protective bar 8 is automatically or manually closed. In'addition, in order to get passengers, in particular 15 children, to spread their legs apart somewhat and to sit down correctly on the seats 14 so that the supporting bar 12 can easily be arranged between the legs, a central region may be arranged in the region of the front edge 21 of each or at least some seats 14, 20 said region differing with regard to its graphical design from the regions arranged laterally next thereto. Said central region may be a marking, for example a graphic, in particular a picture, a pattern, a logo, for example a company logo, or the like. In a 25 simple embodiment, the marking may constitute a geometrical figure with greater or lesser simplicity (for example a circle, cross, triangle, square or line) which already per se identifies the region to be left free. The marking may also be, for example, a picture 30 of a comic figure or of a mascot in order, in particular, to motivate children to leave said region free by their attention being drawn, at least as they get into the chair 1, to the picture and being prompted to sit down correctly on the seat 14 and to spread 35 their legs apart somewhat. In summary, an exemplary embodiment of the invention can be depicted as follows: - 10 A chair of a chair lift has at least one seat 14, a protective bar 8 which extends transversely over the seat 14 and can be pivoted from an open position into a closed position, and a footrest 11 which is arranged on the protective bar 8 by means of a supporting bar 12. In the closed position of the protective bar 8, the 5 supporting bar 12 extends in the central region in front of the seat 14 downwards from the protective bar 8 to the footrest 11. The footrests 1I form a plate-like support for the passengers' feet or sports equipment. Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" and 10 "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps. The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgment or any form or suggestion that the prior art forms part of the 15 common general knowledge in Australia. 09/09/09,va 18206 p10 speci, f O

Claims

1. A chair of a chair lift with at least one seat, with a protective bar which extends transversely over the seat and can be pivoted from an open position into a closed 5 position, and with a footrest which is arranged on the protective bar by means of a supporting bar, wherein, in the closed position of the protective bar, the supporting bar extends in the central region in front of the seat downwards from the protective bar as far as the footrest.

2. Chair according to claim 1, wherein the footrests form a plate-like support. 10

3. Chair according to claim I or 2, wherein the footrest has a substantially rectangular contour.

4. Chair according to claim I or 2, wherein the footrest has a substantially circular or elliptical contour.

5. Chair according to any one of claims I to 4, 30 wherein the footrest has a 15 rearwardly tapering shape and in particular is wedge-shaped.

6. Chair according to any one of claims I to 5, wherein the footrest comprises a frame which has an opening in the center.

7. Chair according to claim 6, wherein the frame comprises an arcuate and/or composite tube or bar. 20

8. Chair according to any one of claims I to 5, wherein the footrest comprises a plate which is preferably provided with apertures.

9. Chair according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the footrest defines a planar support surface.

10. Chair according to any one of claims 2 to 8, wherein the footrest defines a curved 25 support surface.

11/09/09,va 18206 claims,l I - 12 11. Chair according to any one of claims I to 10, wherein the footrest extends in the direction of travel upstream and/or downstream of the connection thereof to the supporting bar.

12. Chair according to any one of claims I to 11, wherein separating elements rising 5 over the seat surfaces are arranged between the seat surfaces.

13. Chair according to any one of claims I to 12, wherein the seat surface has, in the region of the front edge thereof, a central region which differs with regard to its graphical design from the regions arranged laterally next thereto.

14. Chair according to claim 13, wherein the central region of the seat surface, in the 10 region of the front edge thereof, is a graphic, in particular a picture, a pattern, a marking or the like.

1 5. Chair lift with a valley station and a mountain station, a traction cable encircling between the valley station and the mountain station, and with chairs which are connected permanently or such that they can be coupled to the traction cable for 15 the purpose of transporting people from the valley station to the mountain station and, if appropriate, back, characterized in that the chairs are designed according to any one of claims I to 14. 20 I1/09/09,va 18206 claims,12