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EP-4735369-A1 - STAIRLIFT PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR A USER

EP4735369A1EP 4735369 A1EP4735369 A1EP 4735369A1EP-4735369-A1

Abstract

The invention refers to a stairlift (1), comprising guide means (2), a carriage (6), user interaction means (11) for operating the stairlift (1), at least one loudspeaker (13, 13.1, 13.2, 13.3, 13.4), a control unit (17) and request receiving means (12, 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4, 14), wherein the control unit (17) is configured to output an operation-status of at least one part of the stairlift (1) and/or at least one instruction to the person, respectively as a voice spoken message by the at least one loudspeaker (13, 13.1, 13.2, 13.3, 13.4) before, during and/or after operation of the stairlift (1) upon a request received via the request receiving means (12, 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4, 14). The invention further refers to methods to support a user of the stairlift (1) during boarding or unboarding the carriage (6) or during movement of the carriage (6).

Inventors

  • BOXUM, Cornelis
  • Heijns, Wim

Assignees

  • TK Home Solutions B.V.

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20240621

Claims (13)

  1. 1. A stairlift (1) for transporting a person along a staircase (3), comprising guide means (2) extending along the staircase (3); a carriage (6) being moveable along the guide means (2) and configured to carry the person; user interaction means (11) for operating the stairlift (1) by moving the carriage (6) along the guide means (2); at least one loudspeaker (13, 13.1, 13.2, 13.3, 13.4); a control unit (17); and request receiving means (12, 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4, 14); characterized in that the control unit (17) is configured to output an operationstatus of at least one part of the stairlift (1) and/or at least one instruction to the person, respectively as a voice spoken message by the at least one loudspeaker (13, 13.1, 13.2, 13.3, 13.4) before, during and/or after operation of the stairlift (1) upon a request received via the request receiving means (12, 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4, 14).
  2. 2. Stairlift (1) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one part of the stairlift (1) is the carriage (6), a chair (8), an arm rest (8.1), a foot rest (8.2), a seat (8.3) or a seat belt.
  3. 3. Stairlift (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit (17) is configured to output at least one notice of a fault as a voice spoken message by the at least one loudspeaker (13, 13.1, 13.2, 13.3, 13.4) upon detection of the fault.
  4. 4. Stairlift (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein a first loudspeaker (13.1) is located at the carriage (6), a second loudspeaker (13.2) is located at a lower landing position (15.1), a third loudspeaker (13.3) is located at an upper landing position (15.2) and/or a fourth loudspeaker (13.4) is located at an intermediate landing position (15.3).
  5. 5. Stairlift (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the request receiving means (14) are provided for manual operation, in particular as at least one button, at least one lever or at least one touch-sensitive display.
  6. 6. Stairlift (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the request receiving means (12, 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4) are provided for voice command operation, in particular as at least one microphone.
  7. 7. Stairlift (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein first request receiving means (12.1) are located at the carriage (6), second request receiving means (12.2) are located at a lower landing position (15.1), third request receiving means (12.3) are located at an upper landing position (15.2) and/or fourth request receiving means (12.4) are located at an intermediate landing position (15.3).
  8. 8. Stairlift (1) according to any of the preceding claims, comprising at least one sensor to detect the operation-status of the at least one part of the stairlift (1).
  9. 9. Stairlift (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the control unit (17) is configured to receive an operation-status of the stairlift (1) by interpreting at least one operation parameter.
  10. 10. Stairlift (1) according to any of the preceding claims, comprising a storage unit (18), wherein at least one voice spoken message or a program to generate voice spoken massages is stored in the storage unit (18).
  11. 11. Method (20) to support a user of a stairlift (1) according to any of the preceding claims during boarding or unboarding the carriage (6), wherein at least one operationstatus of at least one part of the stairlift (1) and/or at least one instruction to the user is output as a voice spoken message by the at least one loudspeaker (13, 13.1, 13.2, 13.3, 13.4) upon a request received via the request receiving means (12, 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4, 14).
  12. 12. Method (30) to support a user of a stairlift (1) according to any of claims 1 to 10 during movement of the carriage (6), wherein at least one operation-status of at least one part of the stairlift (1) and/or at least one instruction to the user is output as a voice spoken message by the at least one loudspeaker (13,
  13. 13.1, 13.2, 13.3, 13.4) upon a request received via the request receiving means (12, 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4, 14).

Description

Stairlift providing support for a user Field of the invention The present disclosure generally relates to a stairlift for transporting a person along a staircase, comprising guide means extending along the staircase, a carriage being moveable along the guide means and configured to carry the person, user interaction means for operating the stairlift by moving the carriage along the guide means, at least one loudspeaker (13, 13.1, 13.2, 13.3, 13.4), a control unit (17) and request receiving means. The present disclosure further relates to methods to support a user of the stairlift during boarding or unboarding the carriage and during operation of the carriage. Background of the invention Stairlifts are known from the state of the art. With such, persons unable to use a staircase, e.g. due to disability or certain conditions, are transported along the staircase between a lower and an upper landing position and/or intermediate landing positions, while the staircase is still fully usable for other persons in its usual sense. Such stairlifts have guide means like a rail, on which the carriage is moved, e.g. by a drive unit connected to the guide means. A carriage for a stairlift usually is a chair with a seat, arm rests and/or foot rests, all of which may be foldable to allow other persons to use the staircase without the stairlift. Stairlifts are mostly retrofitted with already existing staircases. As transported persons are mostly restricted in their ability to move and/or may be restricted in the use of some of their senses, a high need for simple, understandable and save operation of the stairlift is given. In particular, movement of the carriage and any other behavior of the stairlift should be expectable and simply understandable for the user. Further, safety relevant conditions like the status of a seat belt or the status of any other safety relevant parts of the carriage/stairlift must be properly monitored. Also, with disabled or otherwise limited users, a situation may occur, in which a certain behavior of the user is required to continue operation of the stairlift, wherein the user does not know and does not understand, what to do, so that the operation is jammed. WO 2020/030899 discloses a stairlift configured to detect a fault and issue to a stairlift user a voice-based output in response to that fault. JP 2010 070341 A further discloses a stairlift with a body being guided on a guide rail and a chair being mounted on the body via raising means. In order to allow for a comfortable boarding of the chair, the chair can be lowered in the landing positions while the chair is raised during travel in order to avoid collision and allow for a low mounting position of the rail. During raise and lowering of the chair, voice guidance is used. Description of the invention Based on the state of art described above, it is an object of the invention to provide a stairlift, which provides improved expectability and understandability of the behavior of the stairlift, wherein interruptions of the operation of the stairlift are avoided. This object is solved by the features of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are indicated in the dependent claims. Where technically possible, the features of the dependent claims may be combined as desired with the features of the independent claims and/or other dependent claims. According to a first aspect of the invention, the object is solved by a stairlift for transporting a person along a staircase, comprising guide means extending along the staircase, a carriage being moveable along the guide means and configured to carry the person, user interaction means for operating the stairlift by moving the carriage along the guide means, at least one loudspeaker, a control unit and request receiving means, wherein the control unit is configured to output an operation-status of at least one part of the stairlift and/or at least one instruction to the person, respectively as a voice spoken message by the at least one loudspeaker before, during and/or after operation of the stairlift upon a request received via the request receiving means. Guide means may for example be rails, tracks or the like and may be integrated or retrofitted to the staircase, e.g. at steps of the staircase, e.g. standing on the tread of a number of steps, at a balustrade of the staircase or a wall next to the staircase. They comprise at least one such rail or track or at least two rails or tracks parallel to each other. The guide means preferably run parallel to the slope of the staircase and extend horizontally into landing positions at the lower end, the upper end, or an intermediate position of the staircase. A carriage preferably is connected to a drive unit which is connected to and guided by the guide means and on which the carriage is mounted in a pivotable manner to allow leveling of the carriage in an upright position when the orientation of the guide means/the drive unit vary. The carriage