Person lifting apparatuses including lifting straps and methods of operation
AssigneeLiko Research & Development AB
InventorChristopher Yeckel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A person lifting apparatus includes a strap movement system. The person lifting device includes a housing and a lifting strap feeding device located in the housing. The lifting strap feeding device includes a motor connected to a drum and a lifting strap wound on the drum. A sensor provides a signal indicative of force on the lifting strap. A controller receives the signal from the sensor. The controller controls operation of the motor based on the signal. A user input is used to place the strap movement system in a fast mode during which the controller speeds up operation of the motor from a normal operating speed.
Claims20
A person lifting apparatus comprising:
- an outer housing
- a first lifting strap feeding device in the outer housing, the first lifting strap feeding device comprising a first drum and a first lifting strap wound on the first drum and having a first drum release location;
- a second lifting strap feeding device in the outer housing, the second lifting strap feeding device comprising a second drum and a second lifting strap wound on the second drum and having a second drum release location;
- a first spacing roller offset horizontally from the first drum, the first lifting strap directed over the first spacing roller providing a first roller release location offset horizontally from the first drum release location;
- and
- a second spacing roller offset horizontally from the second drum, the second lifting strap directed over the second spacing roller providing a second roller release location offset horizontally from the second drum release location.
A method of controlling a person lifting apparatus, the method comprising:
- instructing a first lifting strap feeding device located in a housing to pay out a first lifting strap, the first lifting strap being wound on a first drum and directed over a first spacing roller that is offset horizontally from the first drum;
- and
- instructing a second lifting strap feeding device located in the housing to wind up a second lifting strap, the second lifting strap being wound on a second drum and directed over a second spacing roller that is offset horizontally from the second drum.
A person lifting apparatus comprising a strap movement system, the person lifting device comprising:
- a housing;
- a lifting strap feeding device located in the housing, the lifting strap feeding device comprising a motor connected to a drum and a lifting strap wound on the drum;
- a sensor configured to provide a signal indicative of force on the lifting strap;
- a controller configured to receive the signal from the sensor, the controller controlling operation of the motor based on the signal;
- and
- wherein the controller includes logic that, based on the signal from the sensor, is configured to speed up operation of the motor if an unoccupied force on the lifting strap is above a predetermined threshold value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.