WO2022218763A1

WO2022218763A1 - Spiral staircase with pivoting central mast

Info

Publication number: WO2022218763A1
Application number: PCT/EP2022/059002
Authority: WO
Inventors: Georges Boyer
Original assignee: Boyer Georges-Emmanuel Ingenieur Conseil
Priority date: 2021-04-12
Filing date: 2022-04-05
Publication date: 2022-10-20
Also published as: EP4074916A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a spiral staircase (100) comprising: - a central mast (120) intended to be arranged vertically between a lower floor (12) and an upper floor (14) provided with a shaft (19) and supporting a series of steps (101-113), preferably in the form of circular sectors, each of the steps (101-113) extending in a horizontal plane and said steps (101-113) being spaced apart angularly about a longitudinal axis (X) defined by the central mast (120) and being spaced apart, preferably regularly, along said longitudinal axis (X), and - means (130) for rotating the central mast (120) about the longitudinal axis (X), said rotation means (130) being capable of positioning the central mast (120) in at least two positions, respectively: - a first position, referred to as the initial position, in which at least one step (108-110) is not axially aligned with the shaft (19) of the upper floor (14), and - a second position, referred to as the final position, in which said at least one step (108-110) is axially aligned with the shaft (19) of the upper floor (14).

Description

Helical staircase with pivoting central mast

The invention relates to spiral staircases, in particular to spiral staircases comprising a central mast intended to be arranged vertically and supporting a series of steps each extending in a horizontal plane.

Helical staircases, or spiral staircases, are conventionally arranged between a low floor and a high floor located at different levels of a dwelling, for example between the ground floor and the cellar. To access the stairs, a hopper is generally fitted in the high floor.

A disadvantage of such a staircase is that it does not always allow an adult person of normal height to stand straight when moving inside the staircase due to the small space available between the low floor and the high floor. In particular, the person must bend when positioned inside the stairs so that their feet are less than their normal height from the high floor. To avoid this drawback, one solution may in particular consist in providing a hopper large enough to allow a person to stand regardless of their position inside the stairs, their head protruding in this case from the hopper. However, this solution has the disadvantage of greatly reducing the living space above the high floor.

The object of the invention is therefore to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks, and, in particular, to provide a spiral staircase which allows an adult person of normal height to move around inside the staircase without having to bend over and which does not does not require a large hopper.

The invention also aims, according to at least one embodiment, to provide a spiral staircase which ensures a satisfactory level of safety for users.

To this end, the invention relates to a spiral staircase comprising:

- a central mast intended to be arranged vertically between a low floor and a high floor provided with a hopper and supporting a series of steps, preferably in the form of circular sectors, each of the steps extending in a horizontal plane and said steps being spaced angularly around a longitudinal axis defined by the central mast and being spaced, preferably evenly, along said longitudinal axis, and

- means for moving the central mast in rotation about the longitudinal axis, said moving means being capable of positioning the central mast according to at least two positions, respectively:

• a first position, called the starting position, in which at least one step is not aligned axially with the opening of the upper floor, and

• a second position, called arrival position, in which said at least one step is axially aligned with the hopper of the high floor. Thus configured, the staircase according to the invention will allow a person of normal height to move around inside the staircase without having to bend down. Indeed, the person will be able, regardless of the step on which they are positioned, to take advantage of the space freed up by the hopper to stand up. In particular, during his descent from the high floor to the low floor, the central mast being in its starting position, the person will walk, initially, on steps which are aligned axially with the hopper, his head being able to pass through the hopper. Subsequently, if it wishes to continue its descent without stooping, it will suffice to rotate the central mast to its position of arrival so that the steps, which were initially not aligned axially with the hopper, find themselves in axial alignment with the hopper. The person can therefore, again, take advantage of the space freed up by the hopper to stand up.

The invention also relates to a housing unit comprising a low floor, a high floor provided with a hopper, and a staircase, as defined previously, connecting the low and high floors.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly on reading the following description of a preferred embodiment, given by way of a simple illustrative and non-limiting example, and the appended drawings, among which:

- Figure 1 is a schematic view of a housing unit incorporating a staircase according to the invention;

- Figures 2A and 2B are top views of the staircase of the invention according to a first operating position and a second operating position respectively.

Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a staircase according to a particular embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the staircase 100 comprises a central mast 120 consisting of a tubular column extending vertically along a longitudinal axis X between a low floor 12 and a high floor 14 of a dwelling unit 10 The central mast 120 has a lower end 122 fixed in a rotatable manner in a lower bearing 13 integral with the lower floor 12 and an upper end 124 fixed in a rotatable manner in an upper bearing 15 integral with the upper floor 14. Ball bearings 16 will be provided between the lower end 122, respectively upper 124, and the lower bearing 13, respectively upper 15, so as to ensure the rotation of the central mast 120 around the longitudinal axis X. The central mast 120 supports a set of steps 101 to 113 in the form of circular sectors, a railing 118 in the shape of a helix surrounding and being fixed to the curved outer peripheral edge of each of the steps 101-113. Each of the steps 101-113 extends in a horizontal plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X and the steps 101-113 are regularly spaced along said longitudinal axis X so that two directly consecutive steps 101-102, 102-103 , ...112-113 are separated by the same height hO along the X axis, the step 101 being distant from a first step 18 integrated into the high floor 14 by this same height hO and the step 113 being distant from the low floor 12 by this same height hO. The steps 101-114 are also angularly spaced around the longitudinal axis X such that all of the angular sectors defined by the steps 101-113 and by the step 18 cover an angle of 360° (see Figure 2A) .

Moving means are provided to rotate the central mast 120 around the axis X. In the configuration shown in Figure 1, these moving means are arranged at least partially in a cavity 17 of the bottom floor 12 and consist of a motor 130 capable of supplying a rotary torque to an output shaft, said output shaft being mechanically coupled to a gear 132 via a bevel gear device 131. The gear 132 is formed by a series of several successive toothed wheels mutually meshing, at least a first toothed wheel being driven in rotation by the bevel gear device 131 and at least a last toothed wheel being integral in rotation with the central mast 120. Thus configured, these displacement means will be able to rotate the central mast 120 around the axis X and, in particular, positioning the central mast 120 according to at least two positions, respectively a first position, called the starting position, shown in FIG. re 2A, and a second position, called the arrival position, shown in Figure 2B. These moving means may be replaced, in another alternative embodiment (not shown) of the invention, by a maneuvering member, of the crank type for example, fixed to the central mast 120, the maneuvering member being able to be actuated manually by a person so as to produce a rotation of a shaft, said shaft acting via an angle transmission device and/or a gear on the central mast 120 so as to cause its rotation around of the longitudinal axis X.

As illustrated in Figure 1, the electric motor 130 may advantageously be controlled by a control unit 129 electrically connected to the latter, said control unit 129 being capable of varying the torque generated by said electric motor 120. This control unit 129 may in particular receive signals from control devices or sensors (not shown) and cause the torque generated by the electric motor 130 to vary as a function of said signals. In particular, in a variant embodiment of the invention, a button-type control device can be integrated into the central mast 120 or into a handrail of the staircase 100. By pressing this button, a user can cause the opening or closing of an electric circuit intended to supply the electric motor 130 with electric current. send a command signal to the control unit 129 when the user presses certain buttons on this remote control. One of the buttons could, for example, produce the operation of the electric motor 130 according to a first direction of rotation and another button could, for example, produce the operation of the electric motor 120 according to a second direction of rotation. In addition to or instead of its control devices, at least one position sensor may be provided to detect the position of a person inside the staircase 100 and send a corresponding position signal to the control unit 129. In response to the position signal received, the control unit 129 will thus be able to control the electric motor 130, so as to, for example, automatically produce a rotation of the central mast 120 around the axis X so that the person is moved relative to a hopper 19 formed in the top floor 14 (see FIGS. 2A, 2B) either in a direction of rotation R1, or in a direction of rotation R2 opposite to the direction of rotation R1. As explained in detail further on, the direction of rotation R1 or R2 will depend on the position of the person and the position of the central mast 120. The position sensor could for example consist of an optical sensor arranged facing a light source and configured to detect when a light beam emitted by said light source is interrupted when a person moves through the path followed by the beam. Another example of a possible position sensor could consist of a pressure sensor integrated in at least one of the steps 101-113 and configured to detect a pressure exerted on said step.

Referring to Figures 2A and 2B, there is shown a particular mode of implementation of the staircase 100. In this mode of implementation, a user wanting to access the staircase 100 from the upper floor 14 of the unit 10 must first open an access door 21 pivotally attached to a guardrail 20 arranged around the hopper 19 of the upper floor 14. This guardrail 20 in particular prevents access to the hopper 19 , and therefore to the staircase 100, along part of the peripheral edge of the hopper 19. The part of the peripheral edge of the hopper 19 not surrounded by the guardrail 20 is closed by the access door 21 in the closed position shown in Figure 2A. In its open position, the access door 21 has pivoted relative to the guardrail around a vertical axis so that it no longer blocks access to the hopper 19. The user can therefore begin to descend the steps of the staircase 100 starting with the step 18 which is integral with the upper floor 14, then successively by walking on the steps 101 to 106 of the staircase 100 according to the direction of movement R2. When he reaches the step 106, his head in principle protrudes from the hopper 19 above the high floor 14 due to the low height separating the step 106 from the high floor which is less than the height H of a person of size normal. This height H has been represented in FIG. 1. It must therefore be noted that, if the user continues to descend, he will have to bend to be able to walk on the steps 108 to 110. Indeed, the steps 108 to 110 not being more axially aligned with the hopper 19, the user will no longer be able to take advantage of the hopper 19 to stand up. To avoid this drawback, the solution proposed by the invention consists in rotating the central mast 120 around the axis X in the direction of rotation R1 so as to move at least the steps 108 to 110 into an offset position in which they will be aligned axially with the hopper 19, thus allowing the person to continue his descent along the stairs 100 without having to bend over, his head again protruding through the hopper 19 when he stands upright.

A possible offset position is shown in Figure 2B. In this offset position, the central mast 120 has rotated approximately 128° relative to its starting position shown in FIG. 2A so that the step 105 is now aligned axially with the step 18. As explained previously , this movement can be carried out by means of the electric motor 130, either automatically, if the staircase 100 is equipped with position sensors, or via a control device operable by the user. To avoid any risk of the user falling or possible other problems resulting from poor positioning of the user within the staircase 100 during the rotation of the central mast 120, it is planned to equip the staircase 100 of a security gate 22. This security gate 22 comprises in particular a first transverse bar 221 pivotally fixed to the central mast 120 and a second transverse bar 222 pivotally fixed to the guardrail 118. The gate security 22 can thus pass from a closed state (shown in Figures 2A and 2B), in which the transverse bars 221, 222 are aligned in a radial direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X, the free ends of said transverse bars 221 , 222 facing each other and being sufficiently close to prevent the passage of a person, to an open state, in which the transverse bars 221, 222 have pivoted about a horizontal axis so that the Their free ends are sufficiently far apart to allow the passage of a person. In the embodiment shown in Figures 2A and 2B, the crossbars 221, 222 are, in the closed state of the safety gate 22, substantially aligned in a vertical plane separating the two consecutive steps 106, 107. For to be able to access step 107 from step 106, the user must therefore open the safety gate 22, for example by pressing on the crossbars 221, 222, so that their free ends are oriented downwards , thus allowing the passage of a person through the security gate 22. Sensors integrated in the security gate 22 will be able to detect whether the security gate 22 is in its closed or open state and to send a signal to state corresponding to the control unit 129. In response to the status signal received, the control unit 129 will thus be able to control the electric motor 130 so as to authorize the operation of the electric motor 130 only when the po security gate 22 will be opened. The rotation of the central mast 120 will therefore not be able to take place if the user does not press constantly on the crossbars 221, 222 during the transition from the position shown in FIG. 2A to that shown in FIG. 2B. This safety gate 22 therefore prevents the user from moving up the stairs 100 when the central mast 120 rotates. Once the staircase 100 is in the position represented in FIG. 2B, the user can access the step 107, then the following steps 108 to 110, his head protruding in principle from the hopper 19, then the steps 111 to 113, his head being positioned under the high floor 14, and finally on the low floor 12. He can then access the high floor 14 again from the low floor 12 by carrying out the reverse movement in the staircase 100 according to the direction of displacement R1. Arriving on the step 107, he will have to open the safety gate 22, then order, as the case may be, the rotation of the central mast 120 according to the direction of rotation R2 to return to the starting position shown in FIG. 2A. He can then continue his climb until he reaches step 18, from which he can easily access the high floor 14.

The invention is obviously not limited to the configuration of the invention as described above.

Claims

1. Helical staircase (100) comprising:

- a central mast (120) intended to be arranged vertically between a low floor (12) and a high floor (14) provided with a hopper (19) and supporting a series of steps (101-

113), preferably in the form of circular sectors, each of the steps (101-113) extending in a horizontal plane and said steps (101-113) being angularly spaced around a longitudinal axis (X) defined by the mast center (120) and being spaced apart, preferably regularly, along said longitudinal axis (X), and - means for moving (130) in rotation the central mast (120) around the longitudinal axis (X), said means movement (130) being capable of positioning the central mast (120) according to at least two positions, respectively:

• a first position, called the starting position, in which at least one step (108-110) is not aligned axially with the hopper (19) of the high floor (14), and

• a second position, called arrival position, in which said at least one step (108-110) is axially aligned with the hopper (19) of the upper floor (14). 2. Staircase (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the moving means comprise an electric motor (130) capable of rotating the central mast (120) around the longitudinal axis (X).

3. Staircase (100) according to claim 2, characterized in that the electric motor (130) has an output shaft pivotable about an output axis, said output shaft being mechanically coupled to a gear (132) formed several toothed wheels, at least one of said toothed wheels being fixed in rotation to the central mast (120).

4. Staircase (100) according to claim 2 or claim 3, characterized in that it further comprises a control unit (129) electrically connected with the electric motor (130) and able to control the electric motor (130) so as to vary a torque generated by said electric motor (130).

5. Staircase (100) according to claim 4, characterized in that it further comprises a control member operable by a user and configured to cause the starting and / or stopping of the electric motor (130).

6. Staircase (100) according to claim 5, characterized in that the control member is an integrated button in the central mast (120) or in a handrail of the staircase (100), pressing said button causing the opening or closing of an electric circuit intended to supply electric current to the electric motor (130).

7. Staircase (100) according to claim 5, characterized in that the control member is formed by a remote control remotely connected to the control unit (129) and configured to send a control signal to the control unit. command (129). 8. Staircase (100) according to claim 4, characterized in that it further comprises a sensor able to detect the position of a person inside the staircase (100) and to send a position signal to the control unit (129), said control unit (129) being able to control the electric motor (130) as a function of said position signal. 9. Staircase (100) according to claim 8, characterized in that the sensor is an optical sensor configured to detect when a light beam emitted by a light source is interrupted when a person moves through the path followed by the beam . 10. Staircase (100) according to claim 8, characterized in that the sensor is a pressure sensor configured to detect a pressure exerted on one of the steps of the staircase (100).

11. Staircase (100) according to one of claims 4 to 10, characterized in that it further comprises a safety gate (22) comprising a first transverse bar

(221) pivotally attached to the central mast (120) and a second crossbar

(222) fixed in a pivoting manner on a guardrail (118) arranged in a helix around the central mast (120), the safety gate (22) being able to pass from a closed state, in which the transverse bars (221, 222 ) are aligned in a radial direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (X), the free ends of said transverse bars (221, 222) facing each other and being sufficiently close to prevent the passage of a person, in an open state, in which the free ends of said crossbars (221, 222) are far enough apart to allow the passage of a person. 12. Staircase (100) according to claim 11, characterized in that it further comprises sensors able to detect the state of the safety gate (22) and to send a status signal to the control unit ( 129), said control unit (129) being able to control the electric motor (130) as a function of said status signal, in particular to prevent operation of the electric motor (130) when the status signal received by the control unit (129) indicates the closed state of the safety gate (22) and to authorize the operation of the electric motor (130) when the signal of state received by the control unit (129) indicates the open state of the security gate (22).

13. Staircase (100) according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that, in the closed state of the safety gate (22), the transverse bars (221, 222) are aligned in a vertical plane separating two consecutive steps ( 106, 107). 14. Staircase (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the central mast (120) has a lower end (122) rotatably fixed in a lower bearing (13) integral with the lower floor (12) and a top end (124) rotatably fixed in a top bearing (15) integral with the top floor (14). 15. Staircase (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the moving means comprise an operating member fixed to the central mast (120), the operating member comprising a crank operable by hand of a person so as to produce a rotation of a shaft, said shaft acting via an angle transmission device and/or a gear on the central mast (120) so as to cause its rotation around the longitudinal axis (X).

16. Housing unit (10) comprising a low floor (12), a high floor

(14) provided with a hopper (19), and a staircase (100) according to one of the preceding claims connecting the low and high floors (12, 14).

17. Housing unit (10) according to claim 16, characterized in that it further comprises a guardrail (20) arranged at least partially around the hopper (19) of the upper floor (14) so as to preventing access to the hopper (19), and therefore to the staircase (100), at least along part of the peripheral edge of the hopper (19).

18. Housing unit (10) according to claim 17, characterized in that it further comprises an access door (21) pivotally fixed to the guardrail (20), said access door (21 ) pivotable between a closed position, in which it is aligned with a part of the peripheral edge of the hopper (19) which is not surrounded by the guardrail (20), and an open position, in which it is not aligned with said part and allows a person access to the hopper (19), and therefore to the staircase (100).