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US 4,904,916 AGranted
Electrical control system for stairway wheelchair lift
AssigneeThe Cheney Company
InventorsEdward T. Gisske, John F. Prendergast, Sr.
Life of this patent
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AssigneeThe Cheney Company
InventorsEdward T. Gisske, John F. Prendergast, Sr.
Estimating the term…
A stairway wheelchair lift includes a stationary motor drive unit, a mobile platform movable along a stairway and a user interface for receiving user-generated input commands. The mobile platform communicates with the motor drive unit through a continuously maintained broadbeam infrared communications link, while the motor drive unit communicates with the mobile platform through an intermittently established short range infrared link. The user interface communicates with the motor drive through a hard wired four conductor communicates link. The use of infrared communications links, together with the four conductor hard wired link, reduces overall system wiring, enhances ease of installation and improves overall system flexibility and economy. Microprocessor based micro-controllers, within the motor drive unit, the mobile platform and the user interface, permit system operation to be tailored in accordance with the operating constraints and requirements imposed by a particular stairway configuration.
An electrical control system for controlling the operation of a wheelchair lift of the type adapted for carrying a wheelchair and a wheelchair occupant along a stairway between upper and lower landings, and having a stationary motor drive unit, a mobile platform operated by the motor drive unit and a remote call button station adapted to receive user-generated control instructions, said electrical control system comprising:
A control system for controlling the operation of a wheelchair lift of the type adapted for carrying a passenger along a stairway between upper and lower landings and including a rail mounted along the stairway, a passenger lift platform mounted for movement along the rail, and a motor drive unit having a motor adapted to drive the passenger lift platform along the rail, said control system comprising:
A wheelchair lift comprising:
A wheelchair lift of the type adapted for carrying a passenger along a stairway between upper and lower landings, said lift comprising a rail mounted along the stairway, a passenger lift platform mounted for movement along the rail, and a motor drive unit having a motor adapted to drive said passenger lift platform along said rail, and a control system including remote call button means for generating system control instructions in response to user-applied control inputs, motor controller means for controlling operation of said motor in response to applied motor control instructions, first communicating means for communicating said system control instructions from said remote call button means to said motor controller means, platform controller means for controlling operation of said passenger lift platform in response to application of said system control instructions, and second communicating means including a bi-directional infrared link for sensing the position of said passenger lift platform relative to the stairway, for communicating the system control instructions from said motor controller means to said passenger lift platform, and for communicating the motor control instructions from said passenger lift platform to said motor controller means in accordance with the location of said passenger lift platform along the stairway.
A wheelchair lift comprising a stationary motor, a mobile platform driven by the stationary motor, and adapted for carrying a wheelchair and its occupant along a stairway, between upper and lower landings, and a control system including a wireless transmitter on the mobile platform and movable with said platform, a receiver on the stairway, separate from said platform, and adapted to receive a command from said wireless transmitter, and a controller in direct wired communication with said stationary motor and said receiver and adapted to control the operation of said stationary motor in response to receipt of the command by said receiver from said wireless transmitter.
A wheelchair lift comprising a stationary motor, a mobile platform driven by the stationary motor and adapted for carrying a wheelchair and its occupant along a stairway between upper and lower landings, and a control system including a receiver located on one of said platform and the stairway, a wireless transmitter located on the other of said platform and the stairway and adapted to communicate with said receiver only when said receiver is in close proximity with said transmitter, and a controller adapted to control the operation of said stationary motor in response to communication between said receiver and said transmitter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.