A stairlift (12) comprises a carriage (10) moveable along a rail (14) by a drive means (18) and a seat (34) moveably coupled to the carriage. Levelling means are provided for altering the orientation of the seat with respect to the carriage. Further, limiting means (40) are provided for limiting movement of the seat with respect to the carriage so as not to exceed a predetermined angle of inclination of the seat, and comprising locking means (42). When the angle of inclination of the seat reaches the predetermined angle, the limiting means mechanically engages with the seat assembly to prevent further movement of the seat and operates the locking means to secure the seat in position.

A stairlift for conveying a load along a staircase rail includes a rail, a carriage carried by the rail and moveable along the rail, a carriage drive to drive the carriage along the rail, a load carrier support supporting a load carrier, such as a chair or wheelchair platform, which load carrier support is rotatably connected to the carriage to rotate about a horizontal axis, a rotation device to rotate the load carrier support relative to the carriage about the horizontal axis, and a control unit to control the rotation device such that the load carrier support is positioned in a desired orientation relative to a horizontal plane. The rotation device includes a motor and a rotator, where the motor is operatively connected to the load carrier support via the rotator to cause rotation of the load carrier support relative to the carriage about the horizontal axis.

An apparatus for transporting a load, in particular a stairlift, includes a frame displaceable along a rail, a load carrier rotationally mounted on the frame for rotation around a horizontal axis, an adjusting motor for rotating the load carrier relative to the frame around the horizontal axis, a rotation blocking device for blocking of the load carrier with respect to the frame in a braking operation mode, and a decoupling means to decouple the load carrier from the rotation blocking device and/or the frame from the rotation blocking device so that a limited amount of movement of the load carrier and/or the frame with respect to the rotation blocking device is allowed in the braking operation mode of the rotation blocking device. A resilient member resists at least part of said movement of the load carrier and/or the frame with respect to the rotation blocking device.

A stairlift (12) comprises a carriage (10) moveable along a rail (14) by a drive means (18) and a seat (34) moveably coupled to the carriage. Levelling means are provided for altering the orientation of the seat with respect to the carriage. Further, limiting means (40) are provided for limiting movement of the seat with respect to the carriage so as not to exceed a predetermined angle of inclination of the seat, and comprising locking means (42). When the angle of inclination of the seat reaches the predetermined angle, the limiting means mechanically engages with the seat assembly to prevent further movement of the seat and operates the locking means to secure the seat in position.

Embodiments described herein are directed to a method to operate a stairlift, wherein the stairlift includes a guide extending along the staircase, a carriage moveable along the guide and configured to carry a person, and user interaction device for operating the stairlift. At least a first speed profile defining a movement of the carriage at positions along the guide is set. The first speed profile is associated to a first input of the user interaction device and adapted values of the first speed profile or a second speed profile defining a movement of the carriage at positions along the guide different than the first speed profile is associated to a second input of the user interaction device.

Embodiments described herein are directed to a method to determine a speed profile for a stairlift, wherein the stairlift includes a guide device, a carriage, and user interaction device. The carriage is rotatable around a vertical axle by a first drive. A specific mass moment of inertia for a specific person is determined by measuring a correlation between applied torque and resulting rotational acceleration for the first drive or the specific mass moment of inertia for a specific person is determined by measuring the specific persons weight while the specific person is carried on the carriage. An optimal torque is set according to the specific mass moment of inertia. The speed profile is determined applying at the most the optimal torque with the first drive.