GB2567153A

GB2567153A - Improvements in or relating to stairlifts

Info

Publication number: GB2567153A
Application number: GB1716039.1A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Daniel Woodhams Max; James Legg Mark
Original assignee: Stannah Stairlifts Ltd
Current assignee: Stannah Stairlifts Ltd
Priority date: 2017-10-02
Filing date: 2017-10-02
Publication date: 2019-04-10
Also published as: GB201716039D0; WO2019069049A1

Abstract

A stairlift chair may be configured either with a manual swivel or a powered swivel mechanism, the mechanisms being configured as modules or sub-assemblies having common fixing points which may be mounted to a chair chassis 5 in a left-handed or right-handed manner. The swivel mechanism may comprise a swivel boss 17 engageable with a swivel actuator 23 or 27

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO STAIRLIFTS

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to stairlifts and, in particular, to a method of providing a swivelling stairlift chair and/or a kit of parts for a swivelling stairlift chair.

Background to the Invention

Stairlift chairs invariably include a swivel mechanism to enable the chair to be swivelled at the top and bottom of the staircase to ease entry onto, and exit from, the chair. In some applications the swivel is manually controlled and in others a powered mechanism is provided. In each case individual parts are assembled on to the chair chassis and these parts may vary according to whether the stairlift is intended to be used in a left-hand configuration or a right-hand configuration.

It follows from the afore-going that assembling a stairlift chair involves significant labour input. Further, if the chair is to be re-used on a different site, re-configuring the chair can require significant reassembly of the swivel mechanism.

It is an object of the invention to provide parts and/or methods that will go at least some way in addressing the aforementioned problems; or which will at least provide a novel and useful choice.

Summary of the Invention

Accordingly, in a first aspect, the invention provides a kit of parts for the provision of a swivelling stairlift chair, said kit of parts including: a chair chassis;

a manual swivel mechanism; and a powered swivel mechanism, said kit of parts being characterised in that said manual swivel mechanism and said powered swivel mechanism are provided as separate sub-assemblies provided with common swivel fixing points for attachment to said chair chassis.

Preferably each said swivel mechanism comprises a swivel boss and a swivel actuator engageable with said swivel boss.

Preferably said chair chassis includes at least two chassis fixing points, there being a left-hand chassis fixing point and a right-hand chassis fixing point.

Preferably said chair chassis fixing points are configured for swivelling engagement either with a said manual swivel mechanism or with a said powered swivel mechanism.

In a second aspect the invention provides a stairlift chair having a manual swivel mechanism when formed from the kit of parts as set forth above.

In a third aspect the invention provides a stairlift chair having a powered swivel mechanism when formed from the kit of parts as set forth above.

In a fourth aspect the invention provides a method of providing a stairlift chair with a swivel mechanism, said method including selecting a chair chassis having predetermined chassis fixing points to receive a swivel mechanism;

selecting either a manual swivel sub-assembly or a powered swivel sub-assembly, each being engageable with said pre-determined chassis fixing points; and fixing the selected swivel sub-assembly to said chair chassis.

In a fifth aspect the invention provides a stairlift chair having a chair chassis and being characterised in that it includes a swivel mechanism formed as a separate sub-assembly unit engageable with said chair chassis.

In a sixth aspect the invention provides a manual swivel sub-assembly or a powered swivel sub-assembly forming part of the kit of parts as set forth above.

Many variations in the way the present invention can be performed will present themselves to those skilled in the art. The description which follows is intended as an illustration only of one means of performing the invention and the lack of description of variants or equivalents should not be regarded as limiting. Wherever possible, a description of a specific element should be deemed to include any and all equivalents thereof whether in existence now or in the future.

Brief Description of the Drawings

One working embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1:	shows an exploded isometric view of components forming a stairlift chair;
Figure 2:	shows a plan view of a manual swivel mechanism mounted on a chair chassis; and
Figure 3:	shows a plan view of a powered swivel mechanism mounted on a chair chassis

Detailed Description of Working Embodiment

The invention provides a method of, and components for, providing a swivelling stairlift chair. One particular benefit is that a stairlift chair can be readily configured either with a manual swivel mechanism or a powered swivel mechanism. A further benefit is that the swivel mechanism can be readily swapped between opposite hands.

Referring to Figure 1, a stairlift chair chassis 5 is shown which, in use, is mounted on a stairlift carriage or chair interface indicated schematically at 7 by way of a swivel mechanism that will be described in detail below. In the normal manner upholstered components such as a seat base 8 and seat back 9 are attached to the chassis.

In the form shown the chassis comprises a central base part 10, upwardly extending side members 11 and a back loop 12. Two armrests 13 are shown pivotally attached to the upper ends of the side members 11.

The central base part 10 of the chassis has a pair of circular apertures 15 arranged on either side of a central line 16 extending through the base, one of the apertures being visible in the drawings while the other is obscured by part of the swivel mechanism. The apertures 15 comprise alternative left and right-hand mounting points for a swivel boss 17 which, in combination with a swivel actuator 18, provides the swivel function. Whilst the precise form of the swivel boss does not form part of the invention, in the example depicted the boss 17 is fixed to one of hole sets 20 in the carriage or interface 7 in either a left-hand or right hand position, and is formed in two parts so that, when combined, the two parts sandwich the chassis base 10 with suitable bearing surfaces (not shown), in the region of the selected aperture 15 and in a manner such that the chassis 5 can pivot about the boss 17.

It follows that, whether the boss 17 is configured for manual swivelling or powered swivelling, both are configured to engage with apertures 15 in the same manner.

It will thus be appreciated that a right-handed or left-handed swivel mechanism can be readily effected using the same components and a chair of one hand can be readily re-configured into a chair of the opposite hand.

The benefits of the invention are achieved by forming manual and powered swivel sub-assemblies that have common fixing points. Thus, when configuring a chair, the assembly operative simply selects the appropriate assembly and fixes it in place. This significantly reduces the number of parts handled in an assembly cell and avoids the labour intensive task of assembling a larger number of individual swivel components into a chair chassis.

In the examples described herein, two forms of swivel boss 17 are provided, one for a manual swivel being shown in Figure 2 having indents 21 to receive a displaceable docking lever 22 forming part of a manual swivel actuator subassembly 23; and one for a powered swivel being shown in Figure 3 having an arcuate geared surface 25 for engagement with a drive gear 26 forming part of a powered actuator sub-assembly 27.

It will be seen from the drawings that not only do the swivel bosses 17 for both manual and powered swivels have identical fixing configurations for engagement with the chair chassis 5 and with the carriage or interface 7, but the manual and powered actuator sub-assemblies 23 and 27 respectively also have identical fixing hole configurations indicated at 28 for engagement with the chassis 5. Thus it is a simple and straightforward task to configure a chair with either a manual or a powered swivel, or to re-configure a swivel of one form into the other.

The chair chassis 5 also provides a mount for a manual lever mechanism 30 which is engageable with both sub-assemblies 23 and 27. In the case of the manual swivel the mechanism 30 effects the displacement of docking lever 22 from an indent 21 to allow the chair to be pivoted manually while, in the case of a powered swivel, the mechanism allows disengagement of the geared surfaces 25 and 26 to permit manual displacement in the event of a fault within the powered mechanism. In other respects the precise configurations of the manual and powered assemblies do not form part of this invention.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that the invention provides modular forms of swivel mechanism that allow a stairlift chair to be configured and reconfigured with considerable ease and with significant increases in efficiency over what has gone before.

Claims

1. A kit of parts for the provision of a swivelling stairlift chair, said kit of parts including:

a chair chassis;

a manual swivel mechanism; and a powered swivel mechanism said kit of parts being characterised in that said manual swivel mechanism and said powered swivel mechanism are provided as separate subassemblies provided with common swivel fixing points for attachment to said chair chassis.

2. A kit of parts as claimed in claim 1 wherein each said swivel mechanism comprises a swivel boss and a swivel actuator engageable with said swivel boss.

3. A kit of parts as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said chair chassis includes at least two chassis fixing points, there being a left-hand chassis fixing point and a right-hand chassis fixing point.

4. A kit of parts as claimed in claim 3 wherein said chair chassis fixing points are configured for swivelling engagement either with a said manual swivel mechanism or with a said powered swivel mechanism.

5. A stairlift chair having a manual swivel mechanism when formed from the kit of parts claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. A stairlift chair having a powered swivel mechanism when formed from the kit of parts claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4.

7. A method of providing a stairlift chair with a swivel mechanism, said method including selecting a chair chassis having predetermined chassis fixing points to receive a swivel mechanism;

selecting either a manual swivel sub-assembly or a powered swivel subassembly, each being engageable with said pre-determined chassis fixing points; and fixing the selected swivel sub-assembly to said chair chassis.

8. A stairlift chair having a chair chassis and being characterised in that it includes a swivel mechanism formed as a separate sub-assembly unit engageable with said chair chassis.

9. A manual swivel sub-assembly or a powered swivel sub-assembly forming part of the kit of parts claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3.