EP2650247B1

EP2650247B1 - A stairlift device

Info

Publication number: EP2650247B1
Application number: EP20130159687
Authority: EP
Inventors: Fabio MAGRI
Original assignee: Belladelli Nara
Current assignee: Belladelli Nara
Priority date: 2012-04-10
Filing date: 2013-03-18
Publication date: 2014-09-17
Anticipated expiration: 2033-03-18
Also published as: EP2650247A1; ITRE20120027A1

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates in general to stairlift devices. In more detail, the invention relates to a stairlift device having one or more fixed guides for transporting persons having limited mobility, such as disabled people, elderly people or the like.

PRIOR ART

As is known, fixed-guide stairlift devices are used for transporting persons having limited mobility, such as disabled people or elderly people, in order to overcome differences in surface levels (architectural barriers) of any sort, such as steps, staircases, ramps, bridges and the like.
Fixed-guide stairlifts generally comprise a mobile framework which is slidable, by translating parallel to itself, along one or more guide bars which are fixed on steps of a staircase or to a fixed structure located by a side of the level difference to be overcome, for example fixed to a wall or a fence which flanks the staircase.
The mobile framework defines a rest plane that is substantially horizontal on which, by means of interposition of seats of various types, the person to be transported is stably rested.
Three fundamental types of stairlift in fixed guides are known, the first of which, also known as a platform, comprise a lower platform - and generally a safety bar - and enable transport along the level difference to be overcome of the person on-board a wheelchair or the like, without the need for transferring the patient from the wheelchair or simply by loading the wheelchair on which the patient sits onto the lower platform. The second known type of stair lift, also known as a chairlift, provides a seat, for example equipped with a backrest, fixed at the top to the movable frame and on which only the person with limited mobility to be transported enters, such as to rise or descend along the slope.
The third known type of stair lift comprises a suspended fixed guide, for example anchored to the ceiling or to shelves in turn anchored to the walls. By means of descending vertical bars this suspended guide engages a chair or a wheelchair by means of flexible belts.
All these known types of stairlift, however, are not free from drawbacks. In particular, in order to perform their function of patient transport on-board with a wheelchair, platform stairlifts must necessarily exhibit dimensions capable of comfortably containing and surrounding the load.
This fact intrinsically limits the use of this type of stairlift to environments sufficiently large to accommodate the platform and all the equipment for the handling thereof (which necessarily develops at the side thereof, as it cannot be located beneath for obvious reasons of dimensions) and ensure proper manoeuvring clearance for it along the entire route.
In addition, stairlifts of this type require the use of precautions to prevent the wheelchair from moving on the lower platform and, therefore, to ensure the safety of the person being transported.
Seat stairlifts, though much more compact and installable even in cramped spaces that are much steeper compared to those that can accommodate platform stairlifts, however - especially if they are used by people with mobility impairments requiring the use of wheelchairs - still require the transfer of the person from the wheelchair to the seat.
This transfer action, as is easily understood, it is not always smoothly performed and, above all, the disabled person involved is not always able to do it alone due to her or his difficulties in moving.
Moreover, the above-described type of stair lift requires the transportation of the wheelchair from floor to floor of the house, for example manually done by a third person, or also requires the use of a plurality of wheelchairs, for example one for each floor, so that the person with motor disabilities may again be placed on the wheelchair once having reached the desired floor, in order to be able to move on.
Lastly, the stairlifts which translate while hooked to a suspended guide have the drawback that the seat and above all the eventual wheelchair are subject to oscillations during the ascent and/or the descent thereof along the guide. Further, suspended guides are often difficult to fix on the ceiling or on the wall ledges intended for the support of the guide itself. Again, these systems are not only very expensive and difficult to implement, they are often poorly tolerated by users, since they feel overhangingly suspended on the staircase, and are subject to fear of falling.
Document D1: US 2005/214104 shows a stairlift device which comprises a plate-shaped support frame located vertically, provided with hooking means and able to slide along two guide bars.
The stairlift device comprises lift means, moved by a vertical-axis actuator and fixed to the support frame for loading and unloading a wheelchair from the support frame.
The hooking means are such as to suspendingly and projectingly support the wheelchair along all the pathway thereof along the guide bars.
A further example of chairlift device of known type is disclosed in document D2: EP 564 177 , in which the stairlift device is without the mobile frame and comprises two guide bars located at sides of the staircase and open at ends thereof, such as to be insertable by wheels and pinions located at the sides of a wheelchair, appropriately motorised, which moves along the guide bars, enmeshing by means of the motorised pinions a chain located internally of the guide bars and fixed thereto.
An object of the present invention is to obviate the mentioned drawbacks of the prior art, in the context of a simple, rational and relatively inexpensive solution.
These objects are achieved by the features of the invention set out in the independent claim. The dependent claims outline preferred and/or particularly advantageous aspects of the invention.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The invention in particular makes available a stair lift device comprising a movable support frame provided with a box casing able to slide along at least a guide bar.
According to the invention, the stairlift device includes lifting means fixed to said support frame superiorly of the casing for the loading and unloading a wheelchair, used for example for the transport of persons with reduced mobility, to and from the movable support frame, i.e. to move the chair between a first position, in which the wheelchair is resting on the ground, and a second position, in which it is positioned on-board the frame of the mobile support, in plan view substantially superposed on the casing.
Thanks to this solution, it is possible to transport the person with reduced mobility along the slope without its being necessary to raise the person and remove her or him from the wheelchair, even in confined or steep spaces that would not usually allow use of stair lift platform.
In addition, the handling of the wheelchair, with the user on board, can take place automatically and without the aid of auxiliary personnel.
In an advantageous aspect of the invention, in the second loading position the wheelchair exhibits a centre of gravity that is vertically aligned to the box casing.
Thanks to this solution, the wheelchair or the lifting means are less stressed, for example all the flexion stresses on the wheelchair and the lifters too are eliminated, and the user is not suspended in free space, with undoubted advantages in terms of safety and comfort.
In an aspect of the invention, the lift means comprise gripping means suitable for retaining the wheelchair and means for moving the gripping means, associated to the support frame for the movement of the wheelchair alternatively between the first position and the second position.
In this way, the wheelchair is firmly retained along the transport of the same from the first to the second position (and vice versa) in conditions of maximum safety for the user.
The gripping means advantageously comprise at least a hooking element suitable for engaging, rapidly and swiftly removably, a tubular element associated with the frame of the wheelchair.
In particular, the hooking element comprises a concave portion which is insertably engageable in said tubular element fixed to the frame of the wheelchair.
In a further aspect of the invention the movement means comprise means of lifting the wheelchair, for example from the first position to a raised position, in which at least a pair of wheels of the wheelchair is raised from the ground, and translation means of the raised wheelchair along a substantially horizontal direction such that the wheelchair can be superposed on the support frame.
Thanks to this solution the operations of loading the wheelchair on-board the stairlift device can be facilitated.
The movement means advantageously comprise at least a pair of motorized chains, loop-wound on themselves and supported by respective pinions, at least one of hooking elements being attached to each of said chains. Thanks to this solution the translational motion of the wheelchair can take place in a safe, easy to achieve, controllable and economical way.
In particular, the chains have at least a rectilinear and horizontal upper branch, defining the translating means along the substantially horizontal direction, and at least a curved branch, connecting downward from the upper portion and defining the raising means.
Even more advantageously, the stairlift device comprises guide means for guiding the translation of the carriage along the substantially horizontal direction and fixed to the support frame.
In a further aspect of the invention a transport group is provided for persons with reduced mobility, which comprises a stairlift device as described above and at least a wheelchair for the transport of persons with reduced mobility.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will more fully emerge from a reading of the following description, provided by way of nonlimiting example, with the aid of the figures illustrated in the appended tables of drawings.

Figure 1 is an axonometric view of a stairlift device according to the invention.
Figure 2 is a front view of the stairlift device of figure 1.
Figure 3 is a front view of the stairlift device of figure 2.
Figure 3 is a view from III of a detail of figure 2.
Figure 4 is a plan view of figure 2.
Figure 5 is a rear view of a wheelchair for transport of disabled persons, according to the invention.
Figure 6 is a lateral view of figure 5.
Figure 7 is a lateral view of the transport group composed of the stairlift device, according to the invention, and the wheelchair of figure 6, in a first operating configuration.
Figure 8 is a lateral view of the transport group in a second operating configuration.
Figure 9 is a lateral view of the transport group in a third operating configuration.
Figure 10 is a lateral view of the transport group in a fourth operating configuration.

BEST WAY OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

With particular reference to these figures, reference numeral 10 relates to a stairlift device in its entirety, used for the transport of persons with reduced mobility, such as elderly or disabled persons, for overcoming differences in level (architectural barriers) of any kind, such as steps, stairs, ramps, bridges and the like.
In the illustrated example the stairlift device 10 is used for climbing a staircase S to a side or above which, for example on a vertical wall or using a railing, a guide bar 11 is fixed that, for example, exhibits a slope that is equal to or even smaller or greater than the slope of the tract of staircase on which it is superposed.
The device 10 comprises a mobile support frame 100, which is equipped with a motor placed on-board the frame and arranged in a closed casing 101, from which a vertical shaft 102 emerges at a top thereof on which a plate 103 having a vertical axis of rotation is rotatably associated and substantially horizontally arranged.
The casing 101 also defines, in a zone situated below the horizontal plane defined by the plate 103, a slot 104 insertable on the guide bar 11 such as to define a translation pathway of the support frame 100, as known to the skilled person in the sector.
The guide bar 11, for example, has a circular cross section and exhibits a rack 12 positioned below and enmeshing, as known to the skilled person in the sector, one or more pinions coupled to the motor located inside the casing 101 and destined to move the support frame 100 along the guide bar 11 in a known way.
The guide bar 11 is continuous along its longitudinal development and is destined to connect at least two points situated at different levels.
The guide bar 11 can be realised in several tracts associated continuously with one another and having different slopes or curvatures, and which follow the longitudinal course of the staircase S.
With particular reference to figures 2-4, the device 10 comprises lift means, indicated in their entirety by reference numeral 200, which are associated to the support frame 100 and in particular are fixed to the plate 103 in such a way that they can be variously orientated with respect to the casing 101, being able to rotate with respect to a vertical axis.
The lift means 200 comprise a platform 210 suitable for bolting to the plate 103, and having four lateral lugs 211 rising vertically from the platform 210 and defining respective portions of side plates arranged in pairs facing each other and spaced apart.
Through-holes 212 are afforded in each of the lateral lugs 211, two by two and aligned and destined to rotatingly support a pair of rotation pivots 213. Two pinions are keyed coaxially and parallel on each pivot 213, being a right pinion 214a and a left pinion 214b, spaced along the axis of the pivot 213. Each pair of right and left pinions 214a and 214b is destined to support, substantially in tension, a respective loop-closed chain 215.
An electric motor 216 is fixed on the platform 210, a drive shaft of which, for example (possibly associated to a suitable gear reducer, as known to the skilled person) is arranged parallel to the rotation pivots 213 and supports a drive pinion 217 connected via a further chain 218 (or belt) with a respective driven pinion gear 219 keyed on one of the pivot pins 213 in an intermediate zone between the pinion gear and the right pinion 214a and left pinion 214b, so as to cause rotation of the pivot 213 and therefore the chains 215. In practice, the two chains 215, which are arranged parallel and each lying on a vertical plane, are driven in a synchronized manner and can be selectively operated in both rotation directions by means of the commanded drive of the motor 216.
The chains 215 have at least an upper branch 215a that is straight and parallel to the platform 210, which branch defines an active portion of the chains 215, as will become apparent in the following.
Furthermore, the chains 215 have two descending connecting branches 215b, located on opposite sides of the straight section and positioned at the side of the pinions 214a and 214b. A hooking element 220 is fixed to each chain 215, for example a pawl, with a cradle-shaped concave portion 221 having an axis perpendicular to the lie plane of the chain 215 and placed externally thereof.
The two hooking elements 220 are such as to be arranged substantially aligned along a parallel direction to the axes of the rotation pivots 213; in practice, the concave portions 221 of the hooking elements 220 are mutually coaxial.
In the illustrated example, only one curved branch 215b (front), in which the hooking element 220 is arranged with the concave portion 221 facing upwards, is an active portion of each chain 215, as will more fully emerge in the following, and defines a front hooking area of the device 100, as opposed to a rear area in which the hooking element 220 is located at the opposite upper branch 215a with respect to the curved branch 215b.
Each hooking element 220 is, therefore, destined to travel in both travel directions (driven by the motor 216) along the front curved branch 215b and the upper branch 215a between two endrun positions (for example shown respectively in figure 7 and figure 10 and in the larger-scale details thereof), of which a front endrun stop, in which the concave portion 221 is substantially forward-facing (accessible frontally) and the hooking element 220 is located in the curved branch 215b, and a rear endrun position, in which the concave portion 221 is facing rearwards and is substantially vertically aligned with the pivot 213 positioned in the rear area of the device 100.
In practice, when the coupling element 220 is located in the front endrun position the chains 215 are stationary with the hooking element positioned in the front curved branch 215b in an angular position inclined at a negative angle (e.g. of about 20°) with respect to the horizontal plane, such that the concave portion 221 is frontally accessible (on a horizontal plane).
With particular reference to figures 5 and 6, a wheelchair 300 is described, suitable for lifting and being transported by the stair lift device 100.
The wheelchair 300 comprises a tubular frame 301 defining a seat 302, a footrest 303 and a backrest 304, for example, equipped with handles for operating it.
Two front wheels 305 are rotatably associated with the tubular frame 301, as is known, for example in a pivoting rotational arrangement, and two rear wheels 306 are also associated thereto.
Advantageously, the rear wheels 306 are removably associated to the tubular frame 301, e.g. by a snap mechanism.
The rear wheels 306 further comprise circular handles 307 suitable for manually activating by the user for rotating the rear wheels.
The wheelchair 300 advantageously has also a substantially empty or clear space in the area below the seat 302 and between the two rear wheels 306.
Particularly, the wheelchair 300 includes a rigid first pivot 310, substantially non-deformable, which is fixed to the tubular frame 301, for example at the edge between the seat 302 and the backrest 304 and is arranged posteriorly of the wheelchair with the longitudinal axis thereof substantially horizontal (parallel to the edge between the backrest and the seat).
In the illustrated example, the first pivot 310 is fastened by means of two forks 311 to a horizontal bar of the tubular frame 301, though, however, the pivot could actually be the horizontal bar of the tubular frame 301, or the pivot could be welded or formed in a single piece with the bar.
The wheelchair 300 further comprises a rigid second pivot 312, substantially non-deformable, which is fixed to the tubular frame 301, for example at the edge between the seat 302 and the backrest 304 and arranged posteriorly to the wheelchair with the longitudinal axis thereof substantially horizontal (parallel to the edge of the backrest and the seat).
In practice, the first and the second pivots 310 and 312 are parallel, coplanarly arranged on a substantially horizontal plane and spaced so as to define a cavity 313 interposed between them.
In particular, the first pivot 310 is suitable for arranging within the concave portion 221 of the hooking elements 220, so that the free end (which has a rounded external profile parallel to the concave portion 221) of the hooking elements fits substantially snugly in the cavity 313.
When the hooking element 220 is in the front endrun position the first pivot 210 becomes aligned (in plan view) with the concave portion 221 (on the circular pathway which the concave portion follows along the rotation of the chain 215 along the curved branch 215b) simply by translating the wheelchair in a perpendicular direction to the first pivot.
Further, the wheelchair 300 includes a pair of profiled sections 320, shown in figure 5, which have a longitudinal development that is substantially straight and have a substantially C-shaped cross-section.
The profiled sections 320 are fixed to the tubular frame 301 below the seat 302.
In practice, the profiled sections 320 are fixed to the tubular frame 301 substantially reciprocally parallel and spaced apart, with longitudinal axes perpendicular to the first pivot 310 and lying on a plane that is substantially parallel to the plane of the seat 302, which can be parallel or advantageously slightly inclined, for example by about 3°, to the plane of the seat 302 (as shown in figure 6).
The profiled sections 320 are positioned laterally with respect to the first pivot 310, for example at the lateral sides of the wheelchair 300, and are located in the empty or clear area located below the seat 302.
At least the rear end of the section 320 is open and suitably shaped for facilitating the insertion therein of the guide means 400, described below in detail.
With reference to figures 3 - 4, the device 100 comprises guide means 400 suitable for guiding the wheelchair 300 once it has been received by the lift means 200 destined to define a stable support surface for the wheelchair 300. The guide means 400, for example, cooperate with the profiled sections 320.
The guide means 400 comprise a plurality of casters 401a, 401 b rotatably idly associated to lateral flanks 402 rising from the platform 210 in an external area with respect to the lateral lugs 211 thereof.
The wheels 401 a, 401 b exhibit rotation axes parallel to the rotation axis of the pivots 213 and are sub-divided into a first set of right casters 401 a, mutually aligned and defining a first substantially horizontal upper support surface, and a second series of left casters 401 b aligned with one another and defining a second upper supporting surface, substantially horizontal and coplanar to the first support surface.
The left and right wheels 401 a, 401 b are, for example, respectively, in pairs, coaxial and aligned.
In practice, each set (right or left) of wheels 401 a, 401 b is destined to insert in a profiled section 320 of the wheelchair 300, such as to guide the wheelchair 300 along a perpendicular direction to the rotation axis of the wheels themselves.
The upper internal surface of the sections 320 can rest firmly on the support surfaces defined by the casters 401 a, 401 b, which thus support the weight of the wheelchair 300.
Further, the sections 320 are destined to prevent vertical movement (in both directions) of the wheelchair 300 with respect to the device 100, once the casters 401 a, 401 b are arranged inside the profiled sections 320.
Further, the wheels 401 a, 401 b facilitate the translation of the wheelchair 300 along the same horizontal direction as imparted to the wheelchair by the belts 215, by means of the hooking elements 220.
With reference to figures 7 to 10, the wheelchair 300 is alternately movable between a first position, shown in figure 7, in which the wheelchair is resting on the ground on all of the front wheels 305 and the rear wheels 306, and a second position, shown in figure 10, in which it is placed on said support frame 100 and is completely raised from the ground.
In the present example, the above-described lift means 200 are destined to take the wheelchair 300 and transport it, alternatively, between the first position and the second position.
In practice, to lift the wheelchair 300 from the first position to the second position the procedure is as follows.
With the wheelchair 300 in the first position, the front area of the device 100 is approached (in reverse, as shown in figure 7), so as to near the first pivot 310 as much as possible to the hooking element 220, which presents the concave portion 221 located at the front endrun stop, located substantially below the first pivot 310.
From this position, for example using controls operable by the user of the wheelchair 300, which can be arranged in the vicinity of the armrests of the chair, provided with batteries and suitable for controlling the wireless motor 216, the chains 215 are rotated, so that the concave portion 221 embraces the first pivot 310 and enters into contact therewith; hence the coupling elements 220 raise the first pivot 310, for example by a few centimetres.
In practice, the hooking element 220 - along the curved portion 215b - substantially vertically raises the wheelchair 300 a few centimetres, bringing it into a first raised position, in which at least the rear wheels 306 are raised from the ground, as shown in figure 8.
In this first raised position a temporary limit switch can be set, in which the motor 216 is commanded to stop the rotation of the chains 215 so as to stop the travel of the wheelchair 300 hooked to the hooking elements 220.
For example, between the front endrun stop and the temporary endrun, the hooking element will have travelled an angle of substantially between 30° and 50°.
With the wheelchair 300 in this temporary endrun position, the user of the wheelchair 300 can easily remove the rear wheels 306 and, only once the rear wheels 306 have been removed, can she or he control the resuming of the rotation of the chains 215 via the motor 216.
The removal of the rear wheels 306, in fact, greatly reduces the overall rear and lower dimensions of the wheelchair 300 and this prevents the rear wheels from coming into contact with the guide bar 11 in any orientation of the device 100.
As it continues along the curved branch 215b, the hooking element 220 continues to lift the wheelchair 300 up to a second raised position, shown in figure 9, in which the first pivot 210 in plan view is located substantially aligned with the rotation pivot 213 arranged at the front area of the device 100.
In this position the open end of the section 320 is aligned (horizontally) with the series of casters 401.
After the curved branch 215b has been completed, the hooking element 220 continues its travel along the upper branch 215a and draws the wheelchair 300 with it.
In practice, the wheels 401 are gradually inserted into the profiled sections 320 while maintaining the wheelchair resting thereon, and guiding and facilitating translation thereof.
Further, as the coupling element 220 advances from the front to the rear area of the device 100, the front wheels 305 of the wheelchair 300 are also raised from the ground, so that at the end of the run along the upper branch 215a of the hooking element, i.e. when the first pivot 310 is substantially aligned in plan view with the rotation pivot 213 positioned in the rear area of the device 100 (rear endrun position), the wheelchair 300 is in the second position (shown in figure 10), or is completely on board the device 100. Advantageously, the slight tilt of the profiled sections 320 relative to the plane of the seat 302 is such as to facilitate the lifting of the front wheels 305 from the ground during the travel of the hooking element 220 from the front area to the rear area.
In this position, as in any intermediate position between the first position and second position, the hooking element 220, being inserted substantially snugly in the cavity 313 between the first pivot 310 and the second pivot 312, prevents slippage of the wheelchair 300 from the device 100, in particular preventing the disengaging of the wheels 401 from the profiled sections 320. Further, only when the wheelchair 300 is placed at the edge of the device 100 is it possible to command the translation thereof along the guide bar 11 for the upward or downward movement along the staircase S.
In order to return the carriage 300 from the second position to the first position the user commands are activated to command the motor 216 to reverse the rotating motion of the chains 115 and, therefore, the hooking elements 220 will travel, in succession, through the upper branch 215 and the curved branch 215b, effectively passing through the above-described steps in reverse.
In particular, the external flank of the hooking element 220 is destined to be in contact with the second pivot 312 in the reverse motion from the second position to the first position, pushing the pivot (and therefore the wheelchair 300) from the rear to the front area of the device 100.
Furthermore, it is important to have a temporary endrun subject to be enabled by consent in the first raised position (shown in figure 8 and in the larger-scale detail) including during the execution of the return step, so as to allow the user to remount the rear wheels 306 on the wheelchair 300 before the wheelchair is freed from the hooking elements 220 which have reached the front endrun stop thereof, in the front area of the device 100.
To ensure the halting of the motor 216 in the endruns (front, rear and temporary) the device 100 can comprise a control and command unit operatively connected to the motor 216 and the sensor means, such as microns or other position or proximity sensors, connected to the control and command unit and suitable for detecting the position of the hooking element 220 and/or the presence of the rear wheels 306 in the wheelchair 300, so that the control and command unit can generate a consent signal and the controls located on-board the carriage 300 can control the rotation of the chains 215 if circumstances permit.
Advantageously, the lift means 200 may be of a different and equivalent type with respect to the illustrated means.
For example, the lift means 200 may provide variously-configured gripping means according to requirements, which may be different to the above-described hooking elements 22 but which are still capable of stably gripping a portion of the wheelchair 300.
Moreover, the lifting means may comprise, for example, means for moving the variously-configured gripping means such as to lift and place the wheelchair 300 on-board the device 100 itself, depending on the constructional requirements.
The invention thus conceived is, therefore, susceptible to numerous modifications and variations, all falling within the inventive concept. Moreover all details can be replaced with other technically equivalent elements.
In practice the materials used, as well as the shapes and dimensions, may be any according to requirements without thereby forsaking the protective scope of the appended claims.

Claims

A stairlift device (10) which comprises a support frame (100) provided with a box casing (101) suitable for sliding along at least a guide bar (11) characterised in that it comprises lift means (200) fixed to the support frame (100) superiorly of the casing (101) for loading and unloading a wheelchair (300) from the support frame (100) between a first unloading position therefrom and a second loading position, in which the wheelchair (300) is substantially superposed in plan view on the casing (101).
The device (10) of claim 1, wherein in the second loading position the wheelchair (300) exhibits a centre of gravity aligned vertically with the box casing (101).
The device (10) of claim 1, wherein a shaft (102) exits superiorly from the box casing (101), on which shaft (102) a plate (103) is rotatably associated, with a vertical rotation axis, which plate (103) lies on a horizontal plane, the wheelchair (300) being supported on the plate (103) in the loading position.
The device (10) of claim 1, wherein the lift means (200) comprise gripping means (220) suitable for retaining the wheelchair (300), and movement means (315, 216) of the gripping means (220), associated to the support frame (100) for moving the wheelchair (300), alternatively, for loading and unloading the wheelchair from the support frame.
The device (10) of claim 4, wherein the gripping means comprise at least a hooking element (220) suitable for engaging a tubular element (310) associated to a frame (301) of the wheelchair (300).
The device (10) of claim 5, wherein the hooking element (220) comprises a concave engaging portion (221) in which the tubular element (310) fixed to the frame (310) of the wheelchair (300) is insertable.
The device (10) of claim 4, wherein the movement means comprise lift means (215b) of the wheelchair (300) and translating means (215a) of the lifted wheelchair (300) along a substantially horizontal direction for superposing the wheelchair (300) on the support frame (100).
The device (10) of claim 7, characterised in that it comprises guide means (400) suitable for guiding the translation of the wheelchair (300) along the substantially horizontal direction, which guide means (400) are fixed to the support frame (100).
The device (10) of any one of claims from 5 to 8, wherein the movement means comprise at least a pair of motorised chains (215), loop-closed and borne by respective pinions (214a, 214b), at least one of the hooking elements (220) being fixed to each of the chains (215).
The device (10) of claim 9, wherein the chains (215) exhibit at least an upper branch (215a) that is straight and horizontal, defining the translation means along the substantially horizontal direction, and at least a curved connecting branch (215b) descending from the upper branch (215a) and defining the raising means.
A transport group for persons having limited mobility, characterised in that it comprises a stairlift device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims and at least a wheelchair (300) for transporting persons having limited mobility.