阅读说明：本技术 控制楼梯升降机的方法和楼梯升降机 (Method for controlling a stairlift and stairlift ) 是由 科内利斯·博克斯 保罗·卡斯伯根 阿尔伯图斯·布洛克齐尔 于 2018-03-08 设计创作，主要内容包括：一种控制楼梯升降机(1)的方法,所述楼梯升降机(1)包括：轨道(2)；座椅(4)；驱动组件(3),其具有用于沿着轨道(2)驱动座椅(4)的驱动引擎(22),座椅(4)附接到驱动组件(3),座椅(4)具有扶手(5),其中,扶手(5)通过铰链(8)可枢转地支撑在座椅(4)上,铰链(8)允许扶手(5)的转动移动、特别是沿着竖直轴线(R)的转动移动,该方法包括：检测扶手(5)的角度位置(A-D)的步骤；根据所检测的角度位置(A-D)来控制楼梯升降机(1)的至少一个功能、特别是驱动组件(3)的功能的步骤。(A method of controlling a stairlift (1), the stairlift (1) comprising: a track (2); a seat (4); a drive assembly (3) having a drive engine (22) for driving a seat (4) along a track (2), the seat (4) being attached to the drive assembly (3), the seat (4) having an armrest (5), wherein the armrest (5) is pivotably supported on the seat (4) by a hinge (8), the hinge (8) allowing a rotational movement of the armrest (5), in particular a rotational movement along a vertical axis (R), the method comprising: detecting an angular position (A-D) of the armrest (5); a step of controlling at least one function of the stairlift (1), in particular a function of the drive assembly (3), depending on the detected angular position (A-D).)

1. A method of controlling a stairlift (1), the stairlift (1) comprising:

a track (2) is arranged on the inner side of the track,

a seat (4) is provided,

a drive assembly (3) having a drive engine (22) for driving the seat (4) along the track (2),

the seat (4) being attached to the drive assembly (3),

the seat (4) having an armrest (5), wherein the armrest (5) is pivotably supported on the seat (4) by means of a hinge (8), wherein the hinge (8) allows a rotational movement of the armrest (5), in particular a rotational movement along a vertical axis (R),

the method comprises the following steps

A step of detecting the angular position (A-D) of the armrest (5);

-a step of controlling at least one function of the stairlift (1), in particular of the drive assembly (3), as a function of the detected angular position (a-D).

2. The method according to the preceding claim, wherein,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

the at least one function of the stairlift (1) is a function of the drive engine (22), in particular a function of driving the drive engine (22) or stopping the drive engine (22) or changing the drive speed (v) of the drive assembly along the rail (2).

3. The method according to any one of the preceding claims,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

the drive assembly (3) comprising a rotary engine (21) for rotating the seat along a vertical axis (S),

the at least one function of the stairlift (1) is a function of the rotary engine (21) of the drive assembly (3), in particular a function of driving the rotary engine (21) or stopping the rotary engine (21) or changing the angle of rotation (a) of the seat (4).

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

the step of controlling the function of the drive assembly (3) is additionally performed as a function of the position (I-IV) of the seat (4) along the track (2).

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

a checking step of checking whether the angular position of the armrest is fixed by a locking mechanism,

and additionally performing a step of controlling the function of the drive assembly (3) according to the result of the checking step.

6. A stairlift (1), comprising:

a track (2);

a drive assembly (3) for driving along the track (2),

a seat (4) attached to the drive assembly (3),

the seat (4) having an armrest (5), wherein the armrest (5) is connected by a hinge (8), wherein the hinge (8) allows a rotational movement of the armrest (5), in particular a rotational movement along a vertical axis (R),

a control unit (20) for controlling the drive assembly (3),

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

an angle sensor (17) for detecting an angular position of the armrest (5).

7. A stairlift as claimed in claim 6,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

the control unit (20) is adapted to control the drive assembly (3) in dependence of the angular position (A-D) detected by the angle sensor (17).

8. Stair lift according to any of the preceding claims,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

the seat (4) comprises a latch mechanism (9, 10), in particular spring (12), loaded to lock the armrest (5) in particular discrete angular positions (a-D), and a latch sensor (14) is provided to detect whether the latch mechanism (9, 10) is in a locked state or in an unlocked state.

Technical Field

The invention relates to a method of controlling a stairlift and a stairlift.

Background

WO 2013/129923 a1 discloses a stairlift. The stairlift includes a seat mounted on the drive assembly. The drive assembly travels along at least one guide rail. A leveling mechanism is provided to always maintain the seat in a horizontal orientation even when the inclination of the guide rails changes.

Typically, stairlifts have seats that can be folded to save space on the stairway when the stairlift is not in use. In most cases, the armrest may be folded by partially rotating the armrest about a horizontal axis. When the armrest is deployed, it rotates downward until it reaches a mechanical stop and the armrest remains in that position due to gravity. To support people of different sizes, there are curved handrails for small users and straight handrails for large users. Both types rotate about a horizontal axis.

Disclosure of Invention

It is an object of the present invention to develop an improved stairlift which provides improved safety and comfort. The object of the invention is solved by a method of controlling a stairlift and a stairlift according to the independent claims; preferred embodiments are subject of the dependent claims and the description.

The stair lift of the invention comprises a rail, a seat, a drive assembly with a drive engine for driving the seat along the rail, the seat being attached to the drive assembly, the seat having an armrest, wherein the armrest is pivotably supported at the seat by a hinge, the hinge allowing a rotational movement of the armrest, in particular a rotational movement along a vertical axis. The method of the invention comprises the following steps: detecting an angular position of the armrest; a step of controlling at least one function of the stairlift, in particular a function of the drive assembly, as a function of the detected angular position.

In the stairlift according to the invention, the handrails are used in particular to prevent passengers from falling off the seats. This is only possible at certain positions of the armrest. By the detection step of the present invention, it is possible to check whether the armrest is in a position that is safe for a person. If the armrest is not in a suitable position for personal safety, for example, the engine may not be driven, the swivel mechanism may be deactivated.

In one embodiment, the function may be a function of a drive engine, in particular a function of driving the drive engine or stopping the drive engine or changing the drive speed of the drive assembly along the track.

In one embodiment, the drive assembly includes a rotary engine for rotating the seat along a vertical axis. In this embodiment, the at least one function of the stairlift is a function of a rotary engine of the drive assembly, in particular a function of driving the rotary engine or stopping the rotary engine or changing the angle of rotation of the seat. Here, knowledge of the armrest position may be used to determine, for example, whether the rotary engine is allowed to rotate the seat. Because the armrest may protrude radially at several locations, safety may be improved if the seat is prevented from rotating.

In one embodiment, the step of controlling the function of the drive assembly is performed additionally as a function of the position of the seat along the track. The spatial conditions may vary at different locations along the track. Thus, some limitations in functionality may be limited to certain locations.

The stairlift of the invention has an angle sensor for detecting the angular position of the handrail.

In particular, the armrest may pivot about a vertical axis. This allows the armrest to be used to support a person sitting in or out of the seat in a radially outward armrest position. However, this position of the armrest may be comfortable during entry, and must be changed for the safety reasons described above.

In one embodiment, the control unit is adapted to control the drive assembly in dependence of the angular position detected by the angle sensor. The advantages and improvements described with reference to the method apply generally to the device claims.

In one embodiment, the seat comprises a particularly spring-loaded latch mechanism to lock the armrest in particularly discrete angular positions. A latch sensor is provided to detect whether the latch mechanism is in the locked or unlocked state. The step of controlling the function of the drive assembly may additionally be performed in dependence on the result of the checking step. With this security-required functionality, measurements can be supported by improved security standards.

Drawings

The invention is described in more detail with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which:

fig. 1 shows a side view of a stairlift according to the invention;

fig. 2 shows a top view of the seat of the stairlift of fig. 1;

fig. 3 shows a top view of the seat and the obstacle of the stairlift of fig. 1 in a first rotational position;

fig. 4 shows a top view of the seat and the obstacle of the stairlift of fig. 1 in a second rotational position;

fig. 5 shows a top view of the hinge area of the handrail of the stairlift of fig. 1;

FIG. 6 shows a side view of a portion of the hinge region of FIG. 5;

fig. 7 shows a table showing the allowable conditions with reference to the angular position of the armrest and the rotational position of the seat.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a stairlift 1 according to the invention. The stairlift 1 comprises a rail 2 and a drive assembly 3 with a drive engine 22, the drive assembly 3 travelling along the rail 2. The drive engine 22 drives the drive assembly 3. A seat 4 having a seat portion 7 and a backrest 6 is mounted to the drive assembly 3. The seat 4 has two armrests 5 mounted by a hinge 8, the hinge 8 allowing pivotal movement of the armrests 5 along a vertical axis R. The stairlift 1 further comprises a rotation engine 21, the rotation engine 21 being adapted to rotate the seat 4 along the vertical axis S with respect to the drive assembly 3. By rotating the seat 4, the seat 4 or a person sitting on the seat can be prevented from colliding with an obstacle in the path. A control unit 20 is provided to control the functions of the stairlift 1.

Fig. 2 shows the left armrest 5 in different angular positions a-D. In position a, no one can be accommodated on seat 4. Position a is for storing the seat 4 when the stairlift 1 is not in use. In this armrest position, seat 4 may also be folded to reduce storage space.

In position B, a small or medium sized person can be accommodated on the seat, and in position C, a high sized person can be accommodated. In positions B and C, the armrests also serve to ensure that a person does not fall off the seat.

In position D, the armrest 5 is open to allow a person to enter or leave the seat 4, for example, to get on or off a wheelchair. In position D, movement of the seat is not allowed. In one embodiment, the drive engine 22 may be deactivated when either armrest position a or D is detected. Then, the drive assembly is prevented from moving along the track.

Fig. 3 shows the upper part of the seat 4 in a first angular position α of 0 °. Showing two clearance zones Z₁、Z₂. First zone Z₁Is a small clearance area without any obstructions 11. When the armrest is in position a or B, it allows seat 4 to be rotated along a rotation angle a (in both directions) of even +/-180 ° without colliding with exemplary obstacle 11. In practice, however, the rotational movement is usually stopped at α ═ +/-90 °, since the footrest (not shown) may collide with the rail 2 at the latest at α ═ +/-90 °.

If the armrest 5 is in position C or position D, the armrest 5 may collide with the obstacle 11 in an angular position (fig. 4). Thus, the second clearance zone Z is established₂Compared with the first clearance zone Z₁Second clean zone Z₂With a greater radial extent but with a smaller angular extent. Accordingly, a maximum angular position α of, for example, 60 °_maxIs defined and associated to the armrest position C. These maximum angular positions may be defined for each individual stairlift installation and each handrail position based on the limiting characteristics at the respective individual stairway. In addition, the method can be used for producing a composite materialThe maximum angular position may be defined individually for each position of the travel path. In the rail position without obstacles, no additional restriction on the rotation angle is required. In an embodiment, an obstacle clearance zone may be provided around the obstacle. The obstacle clearance zone cannot encroach on the first and/or second clearance zone.

Fig. 5 shows an armrest locking mechanism. A movable latch 9 is provided in the hinge 8, and the movable latch 9 is rotatably supported on an annular latch plate 16. In this example, the latch 9 is fixed to the armrest; the latch plate 16 is fixed to the seat 5. The latch plate 16 includes a plurality of latch seats 10A-10D in which the movable latches 9 may protrude. When the movable bolt 9 protrudes into one of the bolt seats 10, the bolt 9 is in a locked state (shown in fig. 5), otherwise in an unlocked state. The spring 12 biases the movable latch 9 to the locked state. With the aid of the bowden cable 13 and an actuating lever, not shown, the user can bias the movable latch 9 into the unlocked state against the spring force of the spring 22.

An optocoupler 14 is provided to detect whether the movable latch 9 is in the locked or unlocked state. In the unlocked state, the blade 15 fixed to the latch 9 cuts off the light beam of the optocoupler. The optocoupler cannot detect the current angular position a-D of the armrest 5.

When the movable latch 9 is in an angular position that can project into the latch base 10A, the armrest 5 is in position a. When the movable latch 9 is in an angular position that can project into the latch base 10B, the armrest 5 is in position B. When the movable latch 9 is in an angular position that can project into the latch seat 10C, the armrest 5 is in position C. When the movable latch 9 is in an angular position that can project into the latch seat 10D, the armrest 5 is in position D.

The latch base 10D has a depth less than the other latch bases 10A-10C. In addition, the angle of the flank 23 of the latch seat 10D with respect to the radial direction is larger than the angle of the flanks of the other latch seats 10A-10C with respect to the radial direction. This makes it unnecessary to pull the bowden cable in order to convert the latch from the latch base 10D to the unlocked state. The armrest may be rotated against the spring force with only a certain amount of force. Other latch receivers are shaped to achieve the unlocked state by simply pulling on the bowden cable.

How to detect the angular position of the armrest is described based on fig. 6. The optical probe 17 provides a cone beam or scattered light. A reflective plate surface 19 mounted on ring 18 may reflect light that reaches surface 19. Rotating the armrest along axis R pivots ring 18 relative to probe 17. The reflecting surface 19 has an inclination in the circumferential direction. Each angular position is therefore characterized by a specific distance between the probe 17 and the surface 19. The smaller the distance between the probe 17 and the surface 19, the smaller the amount of reflected light reaching the probe 17. The greater the distance between the probe 17 and the surface 19, the smaller the amount of reflected light reaching the probe 17. The slope of surface 19 is shown as a continuous slope; however, a step tilt is also possible, resulting in a smaller angular resolution of the sensor, which is acceptable in this case, since only the angular resolution of the four positions a-D is required.

With the aid of the optocoupler 14, it is detected whether the latch 9 is locked in any predetermined angular position; the angular position is determined with the aid of the probe 17.

Fig. 7 shows an exemplary table of the permission conditions with respect to the maximum allowable rotation angle. The maximum allowable angle is a function of the armrest position and the track position. For example, the seat may rotate +/-90 degrees when the drive assembly is in the lower stop position (e.g., section I in FIG. 1 b). For example, when the drive assembly is in the middle track section II and the left hand rail is in position D, the maximum rotation angle is 20 °.

In alternative embodiments, the rules may be more stringent. Here, if the handrail is in position D, the rotation mechanism and the drive mechanism are always deactivated. Thus, the handrail must preferably be in one of the positions A, B or at least in position C before rotation and driving is allowed.

Violation of these conditions results in stopping of the drive engine 22 and/or stopping of the rotation engine 21. If the user then turns the armrest back and thus establishes the allowing condition, the engine can be signaled to continue.

List of reference numerals

1 stair lift

2 track

3 drive assembly

4 seat

5 arm rest

6 backrest

7 seat part

8 hinge

9 Movable bolt

10 bolt seat

11 obstacle

12 spring

13 Bowden cable

14-latch sensor/optocoupler

15 blade at the latch

16 ring bolt plate

17 Angle sensor/optical Probe

18 ring

19 reflective surface

20 control unit

21 rotary engine

22 driving engine

S vertical axis of rotation

R vertical armrest axis

Z rotation clearance zone

Drive speed of V drive assembly