# US 5,348,273 A · Lifting appliance, especially for a patient lifting device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,348,273 A - Document ID: US5348273A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/093,631 - Filed: 1993-07-20 - Granted: 1994-09-20 - Earliest claimed: 1989-10-17 - Assignees: Arjo Hospital Equipment AB - Inventors: Anders L. Sandell; Leif B. Sonesson; Bo G. Persson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5348273A ## CPC - A61G 7/1019: {Vertical extending columns or mechanisms} - A61G 7/1063: {Safety means} - A61G 7/1065: {with electronic monitoring} - B66F 7/025: {screw operated} - A61G: TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS (appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk A61H3/00); OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES (embalming corpses A01N1/00) - B66F: HOISTING, LIFTING, HAULING OR PUSHING, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, e.g. DEVICES WHICH APPLY A LIFTING OR PUSHING FORCE DIRECTLY TO THE SURFACE OF A LOAD ({invalid lifting devices A61G7/10; } mounting artificial islands on piles or like supports E02B17/00; scaffolding combined with lifting devices E04G1/22; lifting devices for sliding forms E04G11/24; lifting of buildings E04G23/06; shores or struts E04G25/00; lifts or other hoisting devices on ladders E06C7/12; props for mining E21D15/00) ## Abstract A lifting appliance, especially for a patient lifting device, comprises a telescopic column (10) having a carriage (22) which is reciprocable in the longitudinal direction of the column under the action of the telescopic extension and retraction motions of the column. The appliance comprises safety means (37) which are adapted to stop the telescopic motions of the column, in case of defects in the power transmission between a driving motor (15) producing the telescopic motions of the column, and the carriage (22), or if the carriage (22) or a lifting means connected therewith should be stopped by some object in its downward motion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Lifting appliance, especially for a patient lifting device, said lifting appliance comprising: a column made up of two telescopically cooperating column elements, means for adjusting the position of said column elements relative to each other in order to change the length of said column, said adjusting means including a driving motor mounted on one of said column elements, a carriage movably mounted on one of said column elements, moving means for moving said carriage, said moving means including two belts each having a first end and a second end, said belts being attached to said carriage at said first ends, two belt attachments located on one of said column elements, said second ends of said belts attached to one of said belt attachments, belt tension sensing means for stopping said driving motor in case of insufficient belt tension in at least one of the belts, said belt tension sensing means comprises a belt tensioning element yieldably mounted on one of said column elements to yieldably engage both of said belts between said first ends and said second ends, and driving motor control means for controlling said driving motor in response to the position of said belt tensioning element of said belt tension sensing means, the belt tension sensing means further comprising a connecting arm operatively connected to both of the belts, the connecting arm being shifted in response to sufficient belt tension and the driving motor control means being responsive to shifting of the connecting arm to thereby stop driving of the driving motor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) Lifting appliance according to claim 1, wherein said belt tensioning element is at least one deflecting roller over which said belt runs. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) Lifting appliance according to claim 2, wherein said belt tension sensing means further includes at least one guide, at least one shaft, said at least one shaft movably mounted on said at least one guide, and spring means for biasing said at least one shaft in a belt-tensioning direction along said at least one guide. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) Lifting appliance according to claim 2, wherein two deflecting rollers are provided, each of the belts running over one of the deflecting rollers, both of said belts being connected to said carriage and to one belt attachment on the other of said column elements, and each said deflecting roller connected to said driving motor control means. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) Lifting appliance according to claim 1, wherein the same column element of said column elements supports said driving motor and said carriage, said driving motor connected to an adjusting screw to drive and rotate said adjusting screw, and a nut means on the other of said column elements engaging said adjusting screw. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) Lifting appliance according to claim 1, wherein the belt tensioning element comprises one deflecting roller for each of the two belts and wherein the belt tension sensing means further comprises two shafts and two guides, each of the deflecting rollers having one of the two shafts connected thereto and each of the shafts being connected to one of the two guides, the connecting arm being pivotally connected to both of the shafts and the driving motor control means being mounted on the connecting arm. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) Lifting appliance according to claim 6, wherein said guides are interconnected at one end by an end plate, the driving motor control means comprises a microswitch with a sensing arm engageable with the end plate, the sensing arm being movable with the connecting arm toward and away from the end plate, the sensing arm being disengaged from the end plate in response to insufficient belt tension, the driving motor being operable when the sensing arm is engaged with the end plate and being stopped when the sensing arm disengages from the end plate. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) Lifting appliance according to claim 7, wherein the sensing arm pivots relative to the shafts in response to insufficient belt tension in one of the belts and the connecting arm moves away from the end plate in response to insufficient belt tension in both of the belts, the driving motor control means stopping the motor in response to pivoting of the connecting arm or movement of the connecting arm away from the end plate. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) Lifting appliance according to claim 7, further comprising spring means for biasing both of the shafts in a belt tensioning direction, the spring means being mounted around the guides. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) Lifting appliance according to claim 1, wherein the driving motor control means comprises a microswitch mounted on the belt tension sensing means and wherein the connecting arm is moved in a belt tensioning direction in response to insufficient belt tension in at least one of the belts and the microswitch stops the driving motor upon pivoting or movement of the connecting arm in the belt tensioning direction. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) Lifting appliance according to claim 1, wherein the arm moves in a belt tensioning direction in response to insufficient belt tension in both of the belts. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) Lifting appliance according to claim 1, wherein the connecting arm pivots in a belt tensioning direction in response to insufficient belt tension in at least one of the belts.