EP4223685A1 - Sicherheitskupplung für einen treppenlift - Google Patents

Sicherheitskupplung für einen treppenlift Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP4223685A1
EP4223685A1 EP22154983.5A EP22154983A EP4223685A1 EP 4223685 A1 EP4223685 A1 EP 4223685A1 EP 22154983 A EP22154983 A EP 22154983A EP 4223685 A1 EP4223685 A1 EP 4223685A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
shaft
pin
connecting element
groove
soft
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
EP22154983.5A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
Matt REBEL
Laurens Verhulst
Tim VAN LOON
Wim HEIJINS
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
TK Home Solutions BV
Original Assignee
TK Home Solutions BV
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by TK Home Solutions BV filed Critical TK Home Solutions BV
Priority to EP22154983.5A priority Critical patent/EP4223685A1/de
Priority to PCT/EP2023/050329 priority patent/WO2023147963A1/en
Publication of EP4223685A1 publication Critical patent/EP4223685A1/de
Pending legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B66—HOISTING; LIFTING; HAULING
    • B66B—ELEVATORS; ESCALATORS OR MOVING WALKWAYS
    • B66B9/00—Kinds or types of lifts in, or associated with, buildings or other structures
    • B66B9/06—Kinds or types of lifts in, or associated with, buildings or other structures inclined, e.g. serving blast furnaces
    • B66B9/08—Kinds or types of lifts in, or associated with, buildings or other structures inclined, e.g. serving blast furnaces associated with stairways, e.g. for transporting disabled persons

Definitions

  • the present disclosure refers to a soft-lock system for drive means of a movable part of a stairlift.
  • the present disclosure also refers to a stairlift component damping system for damping movable parts of a stairlift.
  • Stairlifts provide persons with limited mobility the opportunity despite health restrictions to live at their familiar surroundings.
  • a stair lift transports people with limited mobility from a first position to another position, such as from one floor to the next or over differences in height.
  • Stairlifts may be installed indoors or outdoors around the house or in the garden, moving along rails that follow the course of the stairs.
  • the transported persons usually sit comfortably on a seat of the lift and control the lift, for example by means of a control lever to go up or down.
  • movable parts such as the footrest
  • movable parts are manually folded up, corresponding to a vertical position, or down, corresponding to a horizontal position, to rest the feet. This is time-consuming and can be a hurdle for people with limited mobility to use the stairlift at all.
  • the motor can be accidentally triggered if movable parts, for example a seat of the chair, are not yet completely folded down, and yet a switch of a circuit for controlling the motor for moving a stairlift chair component is inadvertently and unintentionally closed. A loose contact can also occur in the switch of the circuit.
  • the motor of the motorised part is sometimes insufficiently protected against overload, for example, when the user motorises the footrest as a movable part into a position of use and, while the footrest is moving, already climbs onto it.
  • the present disclosure aims to improve the current implementations. Especially, it should be ensured accurate control of the motor, only for scenarios in which the stairlift chair is actually used.
  • the motor of the motorized part should be better protected against overstressing.
  • the motor of the motorized part should be sufficiently protected against overload, for example, when the user moves the footrest as a movable part into a position of use and, while the footrest is moving, already climbs onto it. When the user climbs onto the footrest, the footrest must mechanically hold the user and at the same time the motor should be decoupled from the footrest.
  • a soft-lock system for drive means of a movable part of a stairlift According to a special aspect of the disclosure, it is provided a soft-lock system for drive means of a movable part of a stairlift chair.
  • the system comprises:
  • the connector may be a radially protruding pin.
  • the counter connector may be the radially protruding pin.
  • the connector may be a groove.
  • the counter connector may be the groove.
  • the soft-lock system comprises:
  • the soft-lock system comprises:
  • a soft-lock system for drive means of a footrest of a stairlift chair comprising:
  • a stairlift component damping system for damping movable parts of a stairlift.
  • the damping system comprises:
  • a chair damping system for damping movable parts of a stairlift.
  • the damping system comprises:
  • the definition of "when the support portion is about to engage with the contact section of the base portion” means, for example, that a proximity sensor may detect that the support portion approaches the base portion. Accordingly, it must be possible to determine, for example on the basis of a detection by a sensor, that the connecting part of the support portion will engage with the contact section of the base portion when the movement of the connecting part of the support portion/the movement of the support portion is continued towards the base portion.
  • the support portion/the connecting part of the support portion has engaged with the base portion, the support portion has stopped moving.
  • the invention provides a reliable safety mechanism that is independent of a power supply in order to retract and extend the footrest more reliably.
  • the safety mechanism comprises mechanical means, which makes these safety means independent of a power supply.
  • the safety mechanism is suitable for operation of the footrest by an electric motor.
  • the safety mechanism reduces wear and tear on the electric motor.
  • the safety mechanism intervenes on the one hand to protect the electric motor from wear accelerating overload and on the other hand to avoid unnecessary activation of the electric motor or to interrupt an activation of the electric motor.
  • the systems of the safety mechanism of the invention interact to ensure accurate control of the motor, only for scenarios in which the stairlift chair is actually used.
  • the safety mechanism according to the invention thus also increases user comfort and user experience.
  • motorized movable parts support the disabled user of a stairlift. For example, motorizing a swivel movement on top of the rail, armrests and footrest is useful.
  • the safety mechanism provides that the footrest can be motorized while enhancing the user experience.
  • the footrest has to be unfolded before boarding and folded after unboarding to prevent stumbling.
  • a motorized element within a stairlift has to fulfil several requirements from the applicable standard EN 81-40:2020-12.
  • the systems allow that the motorized movement of movable parts have a limited force to prevent entrapment while the systems are robust enough to deal with obstruction.
  • the systems can be applied in the stairlift chair which provides limited space and has to be offered for a low cost-price, both circumstances usually making it difficult to find an acceptable solution.
  • An available energy source within the stairlift is electricity so that an electric motor may be chosen as the drive means for powering the footrest.
  • a switch may be located beneath a cushion of the seat of the stairlift. The cushion will be unfolded by the user while boarding and folded while unboarding.
  • the soft-lock is integrated in the rotary part of the footrest, wherein the rotary part comprises the shaft.
  • the soft-lock decouples the motor from the footrest when the forces become too high.
  • a balancing spring may be integrated to balance the force between folding and unfolding.
  • the soft-lock is a combination of a pin on the motor-side and a groove on the footrest-side, or vice versa, that means a pin on footrest-side and groove on motor side Due to the means for applying a force to the pin, e. g. a spring, the pin is normally located in the groove and the pin provides a fixed linkage between the motor and the footrest. If the forces in this linkage are higher than the forces applied by the spring, the pin will leave the groove and the motor is decoupled from the connecting means.
  • a force to the pin e. g. a spring
  • the soft-lock system is very compact, cheap, and robust. Furthermore, the soft-lock system provides a solution, which cannot be disturbed by electrical interference, to detect too high forces, which would require intelligent electronics in accordance with IEC 61508 -1:2010 (2010-04) to fulfil the functional safety aspects.
  • the drive means which may be the electric motor
  • a simple and effective circuit may be selected.
  • the movable part of the chair is a seat.
  • This movable part rotates around an imaginary axis in a back of the seat.
  • the movable part activates a switch which initiates the rotation of a footrest powered by the drive means.
  • the damping element slows down and damps the movement of the seat.
  • the dampers of the damping system may be called folding seat dampers.
  • two symmetric foam dampers may be provided at the base portion of the damping system.
  • the dampers may be pressed into the seat with a slight bias.
  • the dampers may be configured to be activated by protruding reaction arms of the folding seat.
  • the damping system is easy and cheap to implement and avoids incorrect triggering of the powered movable part switch, especially the footrest switch. Moreover, it has been noticed that further disadvantages, which appeared without the damping element systems, can be avoided by using the damping system: Previously, releasing the movable part of the chair when in up fold position, created unwanted noise, vibration. It also devaluated the quality impression of the stairlift.
  • a stair lift is a mechanical device for lifting people, typically those with disabilities, up and down stairs.
  • a rail is mounted to the treads of the stairs.
  • a chair or lifting platform is attached to the rail. A person gets onto the chair or platform and is lifted up or down the stairs by the chair which moves along the rail.
  • the movable part may be a seat element, a footrest, or an armrest, for example.
  • the movable part can be a foldable part of the chair.
  • the movable part may be any part of the chair/stairlift which is rotatable about an axis with a limited angle, that means rotatable about an axis with an angle which is smaller than 360 degrees.
  • Such rotations may be swivel rotations.
  • the movable part may be a swivable part.
  • the soft-lock system or the damping system are adapted to swivel-rotations.
  • the rotations refer to rotations of the chair or components of the chair or components of the stairlift.
  • the rotations may be about a vertical axis or about a horizontal axis.
  • the rotations may be chair rotations about a horizontal axis or arm-rest rotations, wherein the arm rest may rotate about a horizontal axis, or it may rotate about a vertical axis.
  • the soft-lock mechanism and the damping system should prevent other unforeseen similar rotations as the previously described rotations. Especially for a seat-rotation or comparable rotations squeeze forces are limited.
  • “swiveling” means moving back and forth or up and down, i. e. pivoting. In other words, it is a movement about a single axis of rotation, the movement being defined by the single axis of rotation, i.e. guided about that axis of rotation.
  • the movement is first guided in one direction around the axis of rotation through a defined angle smaller than 360 degrees and then guided in the opposite direction through the defined angle smaller than 360 degrees.
  • the path of the movement around the axis of rotation has the same arc angle in each case, i.e. the paths of movement around the axis of rotation are the same and are only performed in opposite directions.
  • the support portion of the stairlift may be any component of the stairlift, which is swivable/pivotable with respect to a fixed component of the stairlift, wherein the fixed component is the base portion.
  • the pin may be connected to the connecting element and the groove may be part of the shaft.
  • the shaft has a groove on opposite sides over an arc angle of 180 degrees, wherein, during the linkage between the connecting element and the drive means, the pin is adapted to extend in a radially inward direction on both sides of the connecting element and to be received by the groove on both sides of the shaft.
  • the pin may be connected to the shaft and the groove may be part of the connecting element.
  • the connecting element has a groove on opposite sides, that means with an angular distance, over an arc angle of 180 degrees, wherein, during the linkage between the connecting element and the drive means, the pin is adapted to extend on both sides of the shaft and to be received by the groove on both sides of the shaft.
  • This can favor a linkage that can withstand more forces and reduce the likelihood of the pin tilting. This improves the durability.
  • the shaft is operatively connected to the drive means via three interconnected lever arms, of which an intermediate lever arm comprises a bent end portion, wherein particularly the bent end portion is located in a region of the intermediate lever arm, in which the intermediate lever arm is connected to one of the other lever arms.
  • a further modified embodiment provides that the shaft is operatively connected to the drive means via a plurality of interconnected lever arms.
  • the number and design of the lever arms can be used to advantageously adjust the installation position of the drive means on the chair according to the structural characteristics of the chair.
  • the shaft may be operatively connected to the drive means via three interconnected lever arms, of which an intermediate lever arm comprises a bent end portion which surrounds a shaft of the drive means along an arc angle in a range of 70 degrees to 100 degrees.
  • the intermediate lever arm which is the second lever arm, has the bent end portion at the end region where the intermediate lever arm is connected to the third lever arm.
  • Such embodiment has the advantage that it can be prevented finger-squeezing between the lever arm and the drive-unit.
  • a notch is adapted to receive the pin, wherein the notch is open towards the groove, the notch being part of the means for applying the force or part of a collar, the collar being arranged between the pin and the means for applying the force.
  • the collar is mounted on the shaft between the pin and the means for applying the force.
  • the functionality of the components can be split: the spring is then solely intended and set up to apply a force. The collar then transmits this force evenly to the pin and to the connecting element. The likelihood of the spring slipping can be reduced.
  • the use of a collar also has the advantage that more standard parts can be used, which makes maintenance less expensive. If the spring is designed with a notch for the pin, the number of components can be reduced. For example, during maintenance, the error rate for omitting components/mounting components incorrectly is reduced, because the notch on the spring indicates the orientation in which the spring is to be mounted on the shaft, similar to a plug connection.
  • edges of the groove enclose a triangle with two legs of equal lengths, wherein each of the legs is provided by the edges of the groove.
  • the edges may be joined at a right angle and, respectively, abut an edge of the connecting element at an angle of 130 degrees to 140 degrees, including respectively 130 degrees and 140 degrees, most preferably at an angle of 135 degrees.
  • a right angle between the two legs compared to a more acute angle, provides a small threshold for the pin to slide out of the groove.
  • an obtuse angle between the two legs could be chosen. Of course, this also changes the angle at which the legs meet the edge of the connecting element.
  • the previously-mentioned two modified embodiments have the advantage that a threshold force at which the footrest/connecting element is decoupled from the drive means is the same, regardless of the direction (to move the movable part up/to move the movable part down) in which the shaft of the motor drives the shaft of the soft-lock system.
  • the edges of the groove can have different pitches so that, depending on the direction of rotation of the motor, the threshold force at which the connecting element and the drive means are decoupled from each other is different. In other words, with different pitches, the angles between the edge of the connecting element and the edge of the groove would be different from an angle of 150 degrees.
  • the shaft comprises an elongated hole, which is adapted to receive the pin, and wherein the elongated hole defines a distance over which the shaft is movable with respect to the connecting element.
  • the connecting element comprises an elongated hole on opposite sides over an arc angle of 180 degrees, wherein the elongated hole is adapted to receive the pin on both sides of the shaft, and wherein the elongated hole defines a distance over which the connecting element is movable with respect to the shaft.
  • the elongated hole provides secure mechanical guidance of the shaft on the pin without jamming.
  • the elongated hole is circumferentially enclosed by the material of the shaft, which also provides mechanical stability.
  • a further modified embodiment provides that the connecting element has a cavity for longitudinally and rotationally guiding the shaft along an axis of rotation of the shaft.
  • the elongated hole, shaft, and cavity work together to advantage.
  • the outer circumference of the shaft, in the area in which the shaft is received by the cavity, is preferably cylindrical.
  • the cavity is correspondingly limited by a cylindrical inner wall of the connecting element.
  • the elongated hole defines the distance over which the shaft is movable within the cavity of the connecting element. In this way, a distance or a degree of movement can be easily and precisely adjusted, e.g. after the shaft has been manufactured.
  • the elongated hole may have a length, which corresponds to three times of a width of a cross-section of the pin.
  • the shaft, the means for applying a force and the connecting element extend in a space between the base of the chair and the movable part, especially the footrest. This favors, for example, a space-saving and safe positioning of the lever arms in the chair, which is important in view of the limited installation space available.
  • a further modified embodiment provides that the contact section comprises a recess and/or an insertion opening for receiving the connecting part of the support portion. This facilitates a secure and less wobbly connection between the movable part and the base of the chair.
  • the base portion comprises a switch of an electrical circuit, wherein the electrical circuit is configured to supply power to the drive means when the switch is closed, wherein the switch is configured to be closed only when the support portion has stopped moving or when the support portion is about to engage with the contact section of the base portion.
  • the support portion may be a first part of the switch and the base portion may be a second part of the switch.
  • the support portion may be a first part of the switch and the base portion may be a second part of the switch, functions accordingly, i.e. the switch is configured to be closed only when the support portion has stopped moving.
  • Both alternatives of the modified embodiment favor a safe control of a movable part only when the support portion, i.e. for example the seat, or the armrests are in a horizontal position.
  • the soft-lock-system comprises the chair damping system according to anyone of the previously described modified or optional embodiments.
  • Figure 1 shows a possible positioning of the soft-lock system 1 on the chair 100 of the stairlift.
  • the soft-lock system 1 is shown with further details in Figure 2 .
  • the soft-lock system 1 is located at a footrest 101 of the chair 100 and in a connection part 102, wherein the connection part 102 connects the footrest 101 with a drive and a seat (not shown in Figures 1 and 2 ), wherein the connection part 102 supports the seat.
  • the soft-lock system 1 has a motor M which is operatively connected to a shaft 3 via transmission elements.
  • the shaft 3 rotatably connects the footrest 101 with the connection part 102.
  • the motor M is an electric motor.
  • the shaft 3 is connected at both ends to the footrest 101 and the connection part 102.
  • the footrest 101 and the connection part 102 enclose an intermediate area 103 in which further functional components of the soft-lock system 1 are located.
  • the other functional components of the soft-lock system 1 comprise, and in the present embodiment include a spiral spring 4, the windings 5 of which are wound around the shaft 3.
  • the spiral spring 4 acts as a balancing spring being integrated to balance the force between folding and unfolding of the footrest 101.
  • End sections 6 of the spring 4 which run in a straight line on both sides, are connected to the windings 5. A first of these end sections 6 applies a spring force to the connection part 102 and a second of these end sections 6 applies a spring force to the footrest 101.
  • the spring 4 is in a relaxed state when the footrest 101 is in a vertical orientation, i.e. in a folded state.
  • the spring 4 is in a tensioned state when the footrest 101 is in a horizontal orientation, i.e. in a state of use.
  • a further spring is provided, which is referred to as soft-lock-spring 7 for the purpose of differentiation.
  • This soft-lock-spring 7 interacts with other functional components of the soft-lock system 1.
  • the soft-lock spring 7 is firmly connected to the shaft 3.
  • These components comprise a connecting element 8 which is immovably connected to the footrest 101.
  • these components comprise a pin 9 (not shown in Figures 1 and 2 , for which see Figures 3 and 4 ), the pin 9 being connected to the shaft 3.
  • the pin 9 can be formed integrally with the shaft 3.
  • the pin 9 is movably connected to the shaft 3.
  • the transmission elements comprise several lever arms 10a, 10b, 10c.
  • a first lever arm 10a is connected to a motor shaft 11 of the motor M.
  • a second lever arm 10b is rotatably connected to the first lever arm 10a.
  • a third lever arm 10c is immovably connected to the shaft 3 and rotatably connected to the second lever arm 10b.
  • the second lever arm 10b is longer than the first lever arm 10a and the third lever arm 10c.
  • the second lever arm 10b can be four to five times longer than the first lever arm 10a and/or the second lever arm 10b.
  • the second lever arm 10b is bent at its end region where it is connected to the first lever arm 10a.
  • the bent end portion 10b1 of the second lever arm 10b surrounds the motor shaft 11 along an arc angle in a range of 70 degrees to 100 degrees, including 70 or 100 degrees, respectively.
  • the soft-lock system 1 has a decoupling mechanism, which decouples the motor M from the footrest 101 when forces acting on the motor M become too high.
  • the connecting element 8 has a groove 12.
  • the soft-lock is a combination of a pin 9 on a motor-side and the groove 12 on the footrest-side. Due to spring 7 the pin 9 is normally located in the groove 12 and provides a fixed linkage between motor M and footrest 101. If the forces in this linkage are higher than the forces applied by spring 7, the pin 9 will leave the groove 12 and the motor M is decoupled from the connecting element 8.
  • the groove 12 interacts with the pin 9.
  • the pin 9 is therefore enclosed in the groove 12.
  • the groove 12 is preferably formed by a triangular notch which is arranged on an edge 13 of the connecting element 8 facing the soft lock spring 7.
  • the triangular notch is formed as an isosceles triangle.
  • the edges 12a respectively forming two legs of equal length of the isosceles triangle form the groove 12, a third side of the triangle opposite the two legs of equal length runs along an imaginary line which is formed by the edge 13 of the connecting element 8 running circumferentially around the shaft 3.
  • edges 12a of the groove 12 enclose a triangle with two legs of equal lengths. Each of the legs is provided by the edges 12a of the groove 12.
  • edges 12a are joined at a right angle and, respectively, abut the edge 13 of the connecting element 8 at an angle of 130 to 140 degrees, preferably of 145 degrees.
  • the groove 12 can also be designed with other edge geometries at its edges.
  • the pin 9 is round on its surface cooperating with the groove 12.
  • the pin 9 In the top view of groove 12 and pin 9, in which the groove 12 is formed as an isosceles triangle, the pin 9 has a circular cross-section.
  • the geometry and size of groove 12 and pin 9 are adapted to each other so that groove 12 at least partially encloses the pin 9 in a locked state.
  • the motor M can transmit the torque to the connecting element 8 via the pin 9.
  • the groove encloses the pin 9 along an arc angle in a range of 90 to 140 degrees.
  • the soft-lock spring 7 has a collar 14 at its end facing the connecting part 8.
  • the collar 14 may have a notch, which is not depicted.
  • the pin 9 may be partially enclosed in the notch of the collar.
  • the soft-lock spring 7 may exert a force on the pin 9 via the notch of the collar.
  • the pin 9 is normally, that means in the locked state, located in the groove 12 and the pin 9 acts as a fixed linkage between the motor M and the footrest 101.
  • the soft-lock spring 7 and pin 9 and groove 12 are configured, if the forces in this linkage are higher than the spring 7, the pin 9 will leave the groove 12 and the motor M is decoupled from the connecting part 8.
  • Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the soft-lock system 1.
  • the cross-sectional view shows a cross-section of the soft-lock system 1 along the axis of rotation of the shaft 3.
  • shaft 3 is positively connected to the soft-lock spring 7.
  • a protrusion 16 pointing radially inwards, i.e. towards the shaft 3, is connected to a circumferential slot 17 of the shaft 3.
  • the shaft 3 is movable in a cavity 18 of the connecting element 8 along the axis of rotation of the shaft 3.
  • An elongated hole 19 formed in the shaft 3 defines a distance over which the shaft 3 can be moved in the cavity 18 of the connecting element 8.
  • the pin 9 is guided movably along the path within the elongated hole 19.
  • the elongated hole 19 has a length corresponding to a movement distance of the shaft 3 in the cavity 18, which corresponds to three times the width 3 of the circular cross-section of the pin 9 (from the perspective of Fig. 4 ).
  • the elongated hole 19 limits a spring travel of the spring 7.
  • the connecting element 8 can be hollow along its entire longitudinal axis, which extends along the axis of rotation of the shaft 3.
  • the shaft 3 extends over half the length of the cavity 18 in the connecting element 8.
  • the connecting element 8 is designed with a cylindrical cavity 18, that means, a shape of the walls of the inner cavity 18 corresponds to an outer shape of the portion of the shaft 3, which is within the cavity 18. This allows the shaft 3 to rotate in the cavity 18 around the axis of rotation of the shaft 3 when the shaft 3 is uncoupled from the connecting element 8.
  • the connecting element 8 in the embodiment is shaped like a cup with a cup bottom and a cup opening.
  • the shaft 3 is connected to the third lever arm 10c, via an extension which faces away from the cup bottom.
  • the end of the shaft 3, which faces away from the shaft extension is received by the connecting element 8, namely by the cup opening of the connecting element 8.
  • the connecting element 8 On a side of the connecting element 8 opposite the cup bottom, the connecting element 8 has the cup opening.
  • the collar 14 is placed on or adjacent to the cup opening of the connecting element 8.
  • Other designs of the connecting element 8 are conceivable. However, it should be ensured that the shaft 3 is guided by the connecting element 8 for the purpose of movements along the axis of rotation and is held rotatably by the connecting element 8.
  • Figure 4 comprises exemplary scales which may be chosen for the components of the soft-lock system 1.
  • mK refers to manufacturing tolerance classes, according to the standard ISO 2768-mK, that means ISO 2768-1-1991-06.
  • the mK size means that it is a production tolerance to be an input in the tolerance calculation and the result is therefore the addition of these three measures.
  • This resulting tolerance then forms the input of a calculation on the spring pressure and thus the soft-lock force variation due to these tolerances.
  • the soft-lock force may again be below a set limit value.
  • Fig. 5 shows a schematic exploded view of components of the soft-lock system 1 according to the embodiment.
  • the arrangement of lever arms differs from the arrangement of lever arms 10a, 10b, 10c of the embodiment example according to Figures 1 and 2 .
  • the second lever arm 10b is bent over another arc angle at another of its end region where it is connected to the third lever arm 10c.
  • a bent end portion 10b2 of the second lever arm 10b is bent at an arc angle in a range of 80 degrees to 95 degrees, including 80 or 95 degrees, respectively.
  • the connecting element 8 may have a groove 12 on opposite sides over an arc angle of 180 degrees.
  • the pin 9 then extends on both sides of the shaft 3 and is accommodated by the groove 12 on both sides. This can favor a linkage that can withstand more forces and reduce the likelihood of the pin 9 tilting.
  • Fig. 6 schematically shows a cross-sectional view of the stairlift chair 100 according to an embodiment.
  • Figure 7 comprises many numbers from 1 to 12. These correspond to the respective pins. For the sake of clarity, only the numbers are shown. The numbers 1 to 12 used in Figure 7 therefore do not correspond to the reference signs 1 to 12 in the other Figures 1 to 6 and 8 and 9 . Only the reference sign "M”, corresponding to a motor, is used uniformly in all the Figures. It follows, of course, that the mechanical pin 9 described with reference to Figures 1 to 6 , 8 and 9 does not correspond to pin 9 of the electrical circuit.
  • the Figure 7 shows an exemplary electrical circuit with which the soft-lock mechanism of the soft-lock system 1 can be controlled.
  • the drive means for driving the footrest 101 which is the footrest motor M, is powered by 24V main board power.
  • the direction of rotation of the motor M is determined by a switch.
  • This switch is operated by the seat 22, especially by a cushion 21 of the seat 22 (see Figure 8 ), and this switch is also called seat switch in the following.
  • the footrest motor M is powered until a mechanism in a chairleg of the chair 100 operates an upper limit switch.
  • the footrest motor M is powered again, with inverse polarity, until a lower limit switch is operated by the mechanism.
  • the seat switch connected to connector J7, energizes the relay-coil K2B.
  • Figure 9 shows an embodiment of a chair damping system 40.
  • the chair damping system 40 can be part of the soft-lock system 1 but does not have to be. Both systems 1 and 40 together increase the safety of a stairlift for a user.
  • the structure of the chair damping system 40 is described below with reference to Figure 9 .
  • the chair damping system 40 can be implemented on the footrest 101, for example. An application on the seat surface, below the cushion 21, is also conceivable. In Figure 9 , for the sake of clarity, neither a reference sign for a seat 22 nor for a footrest 101 nor corresponding reference signs are used to improve clarity and comprehensibility.
  • the chair damping system 40 comprises a base portion 41 with at least one recess or at least one insertion opening 43 for respectively receiving a projection 44 and/or a latching means, which is formed on/connected to the end of a support portion 42.
  • the base portion 41 has a receiving area adjacent to the recesses or the insertion opening 43, in which a damping element 45 is received.
  • the receiving area is designed in such a way that it at least partially surrounds the damping element 45.
  • the damping element 45 is designed to absorb forces that are applied via the projection 44 from the support portion 42 (for example as part of the footrest 101 or as part of the seat surface) to the base of the chair 100.
  • the damping element 45 is made of a foam material, for example.
  • the damping elements 45 are designed to slow down the movement of the support portion 42.
  • the switch is closed when the support portion 42 rests on the damping element 45 via its projection 44.
  • the damping element 45 could be designed to hold a movable part of the chair 100 in a horizontal position and such horizontal position of the movable part itself activates the switch which initiates a rotation of the footrest 101 (see also description about Figures 5 and 6 ).
  • two projections 44, and correspondingly two insertion openings 43 and possibly also two support portions 42 are provided. It must be noted that in the present embodiment the number of damping elements 45 corresponds to the number of projections 44.
  • the damping elements 45 are symmetric.
  • a movable part of the chair 100 of a stairlift such as the seat 21 or the footrest 101, is damped by the chair damping system 40.
  • the switch of the electrical circuit can be configured to be closed only when the seat element stops moving and is horizontal, which would correspond to a maximum compression of the damping element(s) 45 by the projections 44.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Transportation (AREA)
  • Automation & Control Theory (AREA)
  • Structural Engineering (AREA)
  • Chairs For Special Purposes, Such As Reclining Chairs (AREA)
EP22154983.5A 2022-02-03 2022-02-03 Sicherheitskupplung für einen treppenlift Pending EP4223685A1 (de)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP22154983.5A EP4223685A1 (de) 2022-02-03 2022-02-03 Sicherheitskupplung für einen treppenlift
PCT/EP2023/050329 WO2023147963A1 (en) 2022-02-03 2023-01-09 Mechanical safety mechanism for stairlift chair

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP22154983.5A EP4223685A1 (de) 2022-02-03 2022-02-03 Sicherheitskupplung für einen treppenlift

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP4223685A1 true EP4223685A1 (de) 2023-08-09

Family

ID=80225540

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP22154983.5A Pending EP4223685A1 (de) 2022-02-03 2022-02-03 Sicherheitskupplung für einen treppenlift

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP4223685A1 (de)
WO (1) WO2023147963A1 (de)

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH07315723A (ja) * 1994-05-20 1995-12-05 Masao Okubo 階段昇降装置
EP0626046B1 (de) * 1992-12-18 1997-04-23 RIGERT, Bernhard Lineare verstelleinrichtung mit einer überlastsicherung, sowie ein treppenlift
CH691773A5 (de) * 1996-10-29 2001-10-15 Rigert Ag Treppenlifte Fahrstuhl eines Treppenliftes.
CN206615896U (zh) * 2017-02-08 2017-11-07 长兴跃辉科技有限公司 楼道代步机的运载平台

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP2986657B2 (ja) * 1993-07-19 1999-12-06 大同工業株式会社 階段昇降機

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0626046B1 (de) * 1992-12-18 1997-04-23 RIGERT, Bernhard Lineare verstelleinrichtung mit einer überlastsicherung, sowie ein treppenlift
JPH07315723A (ja) * 1994-05-20 1995-12-05 Masao Okubo 階段昇降装置
CH691773A5 (de) * 1996-10-29 2001-10-15 Rigert Ag Treppenlifte Fahrstuhl eines Treppenliftes.
CN206615896U (zh) * 2017-02-08 2017-11-07 长兴跃辉科技有限公司 楼道代步机的运载平台

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2023147963A1 (en) 2023-08-10

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US6203266B1 (en) Power safety barrier for wheelchair lift
JP2008503419A (ja) ロック装置付き傾斜昇降ユニット、および、傾斜昇降ユニットのためのロック装置
JP2008519629A (ja) 階段リフト椅子及び階段リフト設備
KR101372262B1 (ko) 휠체어용 승강장치
EP4223685A1 (de) Sicherheitskupplung für einen treppenlift
JPWO2005097034A1 (ja) ベッド
GB2469093A (en) A stairlift chair with inwardly folding arm sections
KR102150594B1 (ko) 휠체어
JP5666670B2 (ja) 補助機構付きチェアー
US8935814B1 (en) Method and apparatus for an automatic patient lift
US9731940B2 (en) Stair lift
US6003171A (en) Two-in-one chair lift and toilet seat
JP4509730B2 (ja) アームレスト付き西洋トイレ
JP2004016739A (ja) いす式階段昇降機の肘掛け構造
US20220315387A1 (en) Staircase mobility system
JP2011019804A (ja) トイレ用手摺り装置
JP7497856B2 (ja) 自走式歯科診療椅子
JP6111446B2 (ja) 昇降椅子
KR102239978B1 (ko) 휠체어용 리프트 승강장치 제어시스템 및 제어방법
US11261061B2 (en) Stairlift
JP4855804B2 (ja) 階段昇降機の着座装置
JP3726915B1 (ja) 入浴介助装置
EP0915052A1 (de) Stuhllift mit Steuerknopf
KR102660429B1 (ko) 앉고서는 것이 불편한 사람을 위한 좌변기 및 휠체어용 승강형 좌대
JP2010207270A (ja) 収納式多目的シート

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: THE APPLICATION HAS BEEN PUBLISHED

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: REQUEST FOR EXAMINATION WAS MADE

17P Request for examination filed

Effective date: 20240201

RBV Designated contracting states (corrected)

Designated state(s): AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR