PLATFORM LIFT

Abstract

A platform lift, in particular a stairlift, including a rail, a drive unit having a platform, in particular a chair, for driving along the rail, at least one control unit arranged at the drive unit, a speech communication device located at the drive unit, a base station located at a fixed location, and one wireless transmission path connecting the control unit and the speech communication device to the base station.

Claims

1.-6. (canceled)

7. A platform lift, comprising: a rail, a drive unit comprising a platform configured to drive along the rail, at least one control unit arranged at the drive unit, a base station located at a fixed location, one wireless transmission path connecting the control unit and the base station, wherein the base station comprises a telecommunication interface to connect the platform lift with a public telecommunication network, wherein the platform lift comprises a speech communication device located at the drive unit, and wherein the one wireless transmission path connects the control unit and the speech communication device to the base station.

8. The platform lift of claim 7, wherein the platform lift is a stairlift.

9. The platform lift of claim 7, wherein the platform includes a chair.

10. The platform lift of claim 7, wherein the one wireless transmission path is configured to transmit a data signal from the control unit and a speech signal from the speech communication device to the base station using a same transmission protocol.

11. The platform lift of claim 7, wherein the one wireless transmission path is configured to transmit a data signal from the control unit and a speech signal from the speech communication device to the base station using a same transmission frequency or a same transmission frequency band.

12. The platform lift of claim 7, wherein at least one call device is located at a landing area, wherein the call device is wirelessly connected to the control unit via the one wireless transmission path.

13. The platform lift of claim 12, wherein the one wireless transmission path is configured to transmit a data signal from the call device to the control unit using a same transmission frequency and/or a same transmission protocol.

14. (canceled)

15. A platform lift service network, comprising a plurality of platform lifts according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of platform lifts are connected via a telecommunication network to a distant server of a service provider, wherein the telecommunications network is configured such that data signals and speech signals are transmitted from the platform lift to the distant server using the one wireless transmission path and the public telecommunication network.

Description

[0014] The invention is described in more detail by means of the figures, herein shows.

[0015] FIG. 1 two platform lifts in side view;

[0016] FIG. 2 a schematic diagram of an inventive stairlift;

[0017] FIG. 3 a schematic diagram of another inventive stairlift;

[0018] FIG. 4 a schematic diagram of another inventive stairlift;

[0019] FIG. 5 a schematic diagram of an inventive platform lift service network.

[0020] FIG. 1 shows two exemplary embodiments of a generic platform lift 1, to which the invention can be applied. In FIG. 1a a platform lift 1 for the use with a wheelchair is shown. The platform 8 therefore comprises a lifting ramp, which can travel along a direction of travel D from a first landing area 4 to a second landing area 5. The direction of travel D is defined by a rail 2 and is limited in main by the course of an existing stairway 3 in a house. An alternative embodiment is shown in FIG. 1b wherein the platform 8 comprises a seat.

[0021] The rail 2 has a curved shape, which deviates from a straight line; thus the direction of travel will change at least once during the course of the rail 2.

[0022] The platform 8 is part of a drive unit 6, which further comprises a carrier 7. The carrier 7 has non-shown rollers, which roll along the rail 2. For driving the carrier 7 positive engagements means (only shown in detail in FIG. 1b) are provided on the rail 2, which cooperates with driving means, in particular a driven pinion (not shown), of the drive unit 6. A leveling mechanism 9 is provided on the drive unit 6, to keep the platform 8 always in a horizontal orientation, even if the inclination of the rail 2 varies during its course.

[0023] At the landing areas a call button device 10 is provided. By pressing a button of the call button device 10 a user located at the respective landing area can request that the platform 8 to move in certain direction (e.g. up or down or in direction of one of the landing areas 4, 5; Call-and-Park-function).

[0024] At the drive unit 6 a control interface 11 is provided, so that the user moving with the platform 6 can give instructions to the drive on the intended driving direction of the drive unit 6. As an example the control interface 11 can be a button 11 (FIG. 1a) or a joystick 11 (FIG. 1b). A speech communication device 12, in particular a telephone, is provided at the drive unit 8 for establishing a speech connection with a remote technical service, in case a fault occurs during travel.

[0025] The inventive platform lift is now described in more details with the help of FIGS. 2, 3 and 4; the differences in the embodiments of the FIGS. 2 to 4 are described later separately.

[0026] FIG. 2-4 shows a schematic diagram of the electronic components of the lift 1. For the proper operation of the lift 1 several communication connections are provided. So the call device 10 at landing areas 4, 5 need to send and/or receive data to/from a control unit 13 located at the drive unit 6. The speech communication device 12 at the drive unit 6 communicates with a fixed base station 15. Also the control unit 13 at the drive unit 6 communicates with the fixed base station 15 to transmit data signals 19. Also the communication between the control interfaces 11 at the landing areas 4, 5 is performed via the wireless communication path 14. The base station 15 has an interface to a public telecommunication network 16 (e.g. telephone net or broadband data net) to establish a connection between lift and the distant server 17 of a service provider. The connection between the base station 15 and the remote server 17 provides a possibility to exchange data information between the control unit 13 and the server and to exchange speech information between the speech communication 12 and the remote server 17.

[0027] According to the invention all described devices 10, 13, 12 use the same wireless communication path 14, which uses the DECT-technology. Therefore at least one telecommunication interface 18 is provided at the drive unit 6 to establish a communication connection via the wireless transmission path 14 with the base station 15.

[0028] At the drive unit 6 of FIG. 2 the control unit 13 comprises a telecommunication interface 18 and the speech communication device 12 comprises a separate telecommunication interface 18.

[0029] At the drive unit 6 of FIG. 3 the control unit 13 and the speech communication device 12 uses commonly the same telecommunication interface 18.

[0030] At the drive unit 6 of FIG. 4 the control unit 13 and the speech communication device 12 are components of a common telecommunication interface 18.

[0031] A suitable transmission path is wireless technology using the DECT-standard. With the DECT standard only one type of radio device is necessary to establish the path 14. So only one time a certification has to be performed in each country. During a call between the user sitting on the platform with a service technician located near the server 17 the service technician can retrieve data from the control unit 13 via the same data connection.

[0032] FIG. 5 shows a platform lift service network 21, wherein several platform lifts 1 of the described type are connected via a public telecommunication network to the remote server 17.

LIST OR REFERENCE SIGNS

[0033] 1 platform lift [0034] 2 rail [0035] 3 stairs [0036] 4 first landing area [0037] 5 second landing area [0038] 6 drive unit [0039] 7 carrier [0040] 8 platform/seat [0041] 9 leveling mechanism [0042] 10 call device at landing area [0043] 11 control button device/control joystick device at drive unit [0044] 12 speech communication device at drive unit [0045] 13 control unit [0046] 14 wireless transmission path [0047] 15 base station with telecommunication interface public telecommunication network [0048] 16 public telecommunication network [0049] 17 distant server of a service provider [0050] 18 telecommunication interface at drive unit [0051] 19 data signal [0052] 20 speech signal [0053] 21 platform lift network [0054] D path of travel D