Abstract:
The invention relates to a winch ( 6 ) for raising and lowering persons, of the type that comprises a housing with an attachment member ( 16 ), an electric motor ( 39 ) driving a reel ( 27 ), a lifting strap ( 7 ) connected to the reel for winding and unwinding the lifting strap whereby the lifting strap is guided through one of two openings ( 17,19 ) formed in the housing.

Description:
[0001]     The present invention relates to a winch for raising and lowering persons, comprising a housing provided with a first attachment member, a first opening formed in the housing substantially opposite to the first attachment member, an electric motor coupled to the input of a reduction gearing, a reel component coupled to the output of the reduction gearing, and a flexible elongated traction member connected to the reel component for winding and unwinding the traction member for raising and lowering a person. Further, the invention relates to the use of a winch according to the invention as a ceiling lift. The invention also relates to a ceiling lift assembly, comprising an overhead rail with at least one carriage guided therein, the carriage being provided with an attachment member, a winch provided with at least one attachment member on the winch housing and the winch comprising a flexible elongated traction member with an attachment member on its free end and a spreader bar with an attachment member.  
       BACKGROUND ART  
       [0002]     U.S. Pat. No. 6,085,368 discloses a winch of the above type, that is used as a ceiling lift. Ceiling lifts have the advantage with respect to floor lifts with a mast and a lifting arm arrangement that they do not occupy any floor space. In certain rooms the ceiling lift may only be used on relatively few occasions, and it would be inefficient to keep a winch in such a room continually. Installing winches in a room only for periods of time when they are in use is not an attractive alternative because disengaging conventional hoists from a rail in a first room and engaging the hoist to a rail in another room is a cumbersome process, that often requires the use of special tools.  
         [0003]     The rails for ceiling lifts are normally not continuous from one room to another. Moving a lifted person from between rooms that are not joined by a rail, e.g. through a door opening is very complicated or impossible with most conventional hoists. Conventional winches can usually only be operated in one orientation, i.e. the winch can either only be used in the “overhead” orientation where the winch housing is directly suspended from the rail with the spreader bar or other application suspended from the end of the extendable strap or cable, or the winch can only be used in the “upside down” orientation with the winch suspended from the rail via the extendable strap or cable whose free end is connected to the rail and the spreader bar is suspended from the winch housing. The optimum working position and orientation of the winch depends however on circumstances and none of the available prior art winches is flexible in this respect.  
       DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     Against this background, it is an object of the present invention to provide a winch of the kind referred to initially, which overcomes or at least reduces the above mentioned problems by allowing it to operate in a plurality of orientations. This object is achieved in accordance with claim  1  by providing a winch of said kind with the housing having a second opening so that the traction member can be guided through the first opening or through the second opening.  
         [0005]     Thus, it becomes possible to operate the winch in more orientations.  
         [0006]     The second opening can be formed in a face of the housing that is substantially at right angles with the face of the housing in which the first opening is formed.  
         [0007]     Thus, it becomes possible to operate the winch in four distinct orientations, namely: 
        in the overhead orientation with the first attachment member connected to the rail, the traction member guided through the first opening in the housing and the free end of the traction member being connected to the load,     in the upside down orientation with the first attachment member connected to the load, the traction member guided through the first opening in the housing and the free end of the traction member being connected to the rail,     in the overhead orientation with the second attachment member connected to the rail, the traction member guided through the second opening in the housing and the free end of the traction member being connected to the load,     in the upside down orientation with the second attachment member connected to the load, the traction member guided through the second opening in the housing and the free end of the traction member being connected to the rail.        
 
         [0012]     The winch may comprise a second attachment member positioned substantially opposite to the second opening.  
         [0013]     The first and/or second attachment member may form part of a quick release coupling system, preferably a system of the bayonet type.  
         [0014]     The traction member may pass over a spring biased excenter shaft operatively connected with a switch that changes state when the load on the traction member exceeds a given threshold and thereby urges the excenter shaft to rotate against the spring bias.  
         [0015]     It is another object of the present invention to provide a winch of the kind referred to initially, which is more flexible in use. This object is achieved in accordance with claim  6  by providing a winch of said kind in which the one or more attachment members form part of a quick release fastening system, preferably a system of the bayonet type.  
         [0016]     Thus, the winch can be connected conveniently to rails, spreader bars, lifting straps and other suspension members.  
         [0017]     Preferably, the one or more attachment members are provided with an electronic safety switch that is activated when a complementary part of the quick release fastening system is properly engaged with the attachment member concerned.  
         [0018]     The free end of the traction member preferably comprises an attachment member, and the winch preferably comprises two attachment members.  
         [0019]     It is another object of the present invention to provide a ceiling lift assembly of the kind referred to that is more flexible in use. This object is achieved in accordance with claim  9  by providing a winch assembly of said kind in which the attachment members are part of an interchangeably quick release coupling system. Thus the complete ceiling lift assembly can be quickly assembled and disassembled to move location, or to change operating position and orientation as different circumstances may require.  
         [0020]     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a winch of the kind referred to initially, with an improved mechanism for preventing operation of the electric motor when the traction member is not tensioned by a load. This object is achieved in accordance with claim  13  by providing a winch of said kind in which the traction member passes over a spring biased excenter shaft operatively connected with a switch that changes state when the load on the traction member exceeds a given threshold and thereby urges the excenter shaft to rotate against the spring bias.  
         [0021]     The excenter shaft is preferably provided with an arm extending substantially perpendicular to the excenter shaft with the free end of the arm acting on the switch.  
         [0022]     Further objects, features, advantages and properties of the mobile winch and use of the winch according to the invention will become apparent from the detailed description. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0023]     In the following detailed portion of the present description, the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings, in which  
         [0024]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a winch according to the invention just before attaching it to an overhead rail,  
         [0025]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a winch according to the invention while attaching it to an overhead rail,  
         [0026]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a winch according to the invention when it is securely attached an overhead rail,  
         [0027]      FIG. 4  is a detailed perspective view from below on an upside down mounted winch according to the invention with a spreader bar directly attached to it,  
         [0028]      FIG. 5  is a detailed perspective cut-open view from above of an upside down mounted winch of  FIG. 5 ,  
         [0029]      FIG. 6  is a view of a spreader bar and a free end of a strap with a quick coupling system according to the invention,  
         [0030]      FIG. 7  is a view of a ceiling lift according to the invention with an overhead mounted winch in a horizontal orientation,  
         [0031]      FIG. 8  is a view of a ceiling lift according to the invention with an overhead mounted winch in a vertical orientation,  
         [0032]      FIG. 9  is a view of a ceiling lift according to the invention with an upside down mounted winch in a horizontal orientation,  
         [0033]      FIG. 10  is a view of a ceiling lift according to the invention with an upside down mounted winch in a vertical orientation,  
         [0034]     FIGS.  11  to  14  illustrate step by step the procedure of passing though a door opening with the winch assembly according to the invention where the rail is interrupted,  
         [0035]      FIG. 15  is a detailed view of the bayonet type quick coupling of the winch and ceiling lift according to the invention,  
         [0036]      FIGS. 16 and 17  illustrate the engagement procedure of the quick coupling,  
         [0037]      FIG. 18  is a view of a load detection system according to the invention, and  
         [0038]      FIGS. 19 and 20  are detailed views of the load detection system. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0039]     A ceiling lift  1  according to a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The ceiling lift  1  incorporates an overhead rail  2  that is mounted adjacent to the ceiling. The rail  2  can be mounted on a lift structure or alternatively be mounted to the ceiling. A carriage (not shown) with a downward projection  5  is guided in the overhead rail  2 .  
         [0040]     A discus shaped winch  6  is ready to be attached to the downward projection  5  at a connection point formed by first female seat  16 . The first female seat  16  and the downward projection  5  form a quick coupling of the bayonet type that will be described in more detail further below.  
         [0041]     The housing of the winch  6  is formed by a first convex side panel  20  and a second convex side panel  21  that are interconnected by a rim  22 . Two recesses in the winch housing allow two diametrically opposite parts of the circumference of the rim  22  serve as handles  23 .  
         [0042]     A lifting strap  7  projects from a first opening  17  ( FIG. 5 ) in the first convex side panel  20 . A second opening  19  through which the strap  7  can leave the housing is provided in the rim  22 . The free end  9  of the lifting strap  7  is attached to a spreader bar  10 . The extremities of the spreader bar  10  are provided with hooks for attaching a sling or the like (not shown) holding the patient to be lifted.  
         [0043]      FIG. 2  shows the winch  6  with the first female seat  16  placed over the downward projection  5 .  FIG. 3  shows the winch secured by rotating it 90° relative to the orientation in  FIG. 2  about the vertical axis to engage the bayonet coupling. A second female seat  18 , disposed diametrically opposite to the second opening  19  can now be seen. The operating position of the winch  6  to the carriage in the rail as in FIGS.  1  to  3  will in the following be referred to as “overhead mounted”.  
         [0044]      FIG. 4  shows the winch  6  from below. The free end of the strap  7  is connected to the projection  5  of the carriage in the rail  2 . The winch  6  is thus suspended from the strap  7 . The spreader bar  10  is directly connected to the winch  6  at the first female seat  16 . The operating position of the winch as in  FIG. 4  will in the following be referred to as “upside down mounted”.  
         [0045]      FIG. 5  shows the winch  6  from above with the first convex side panel  20  removed. The strap  7  is guided through the first opening  17  which is provided with a lug  25  on each side. Inside the housing the winch  6  is provided with a support structure with two parallel transverse plates  26 . A reel  27  for winding and unwinding the strap  7  is rotably engaged between the transverse plates  26 . The reel  27  is connected to the output of a straight reduction gearing  28  which is in turn connected to the output of a worm drive  29 . The worm drive  29  is driven by an battery powered electric motor  30 . The electric motor  30 , the worm gear  29  and the reduction gearing  38  are arranged in a compartment  31  next to the support structure. The batteries (not shown) are received in a compartment  32  on the opposite side of the support structure, thus giving the winch  6  a substantially equal weight distribution. The strap  7  can be completely rolled up onto the reel and paid out through the second opening  19 , so that the winch may be used in another orientation. When the strap  7  extends though the first opening  17  the winch can be used in the “horizontal” position as illustrated in FIGS.  1  to  7 . When the strap  7  extends though the second opening  19  the winch  6  can be used in the “vertical” position as illustrated in  FIGS. 9 and 10 . Each of these orientations has its advantages, and the optimum choice of operating position depends on circumstances.  
         [0046]      FIG. 6  shows a detail of the quick coupling system of the spreader bar  10  and the free end  9  of the strap  7 . A male part  33  the bayonet type quick coupling system extends upward from the spreader bar  10 . The free end  9  of the strap is provided with a seat  35  that incorporates the female part of the bayonet type quick coupling system. Connecting the spreader bar  10  to the free end  9  of the strap  7  is thus merely a matter of inserting the male part  33  into the female seat  35  and turning the seat  35  and the spreader bar 90° relative to one another. The quick coupling system is interchangeable throughout the ceiling lift, i.e. the male parts  5  and  33  fit to all female seats  16 ,  18  and  35 .  
         [0047]     FIGS.  7  to  10  show the ceiling lift  1  in different operating positions and orientations. In  FIG. 7  the winch  6  is overhead mounted and the housing is in the horizontal orientation. This operating position gives a high maximum lifting height and the winch  6  itself is always far from the head of the patient. The winch  6  has however to be lifted up to the ceiling for mounting it with the first female seat  16  to the projection  5  of the carriage in the rail  2 .  
         [0048]     In  FIG. 8  the winch  6  is mounted upside down and the housing is in the horizontal orientation. This operating position gives also a high maximum lifting height. The winch  6  can be mounted to the rail  2  by extending the strap  7  and engaging the female seat  35  on the free end  9  of the strap to the projection  5  of the carriage in the rail  2 . Then the winch  6  is activated to wind the strap  7  to lift the winch with the spreader bar  10  attached thereto. In this operating position the winch  6  itself is however always close to the head of the patient which could be experienced as an inconvenience. This operating position is particularly suitable for transfer between rooms that are not joined by a rail, as will be set out in detail below  
         [0049]     In  FIG. 9  the winch  6  is overhead mounted and the housing is in a vertical orientation. This operating position gives a somewhat reduced maximum lifting height but the winch  6  itself is always far from the head of the patient. The winch  6  has however to be lifted up to the ceiling for mounting it with the first female seat  16  to the projection  5  of the carriage in the rail  2 .  
         [0050]     In  FIG. 10  the winch  6  is upside down mounted and the housing is in a vertical orientation. This operating position gives a somewhat reduced maximum lifting height. The winch  6  can be mounted to the rail  2  by extending the strap  7  and engaging the female seat  35  on the free end  9  of the strap to the projection  5  of the carriage in the rail  2 . Then the winch  6  is activated to wind the strap  7  to lift the winch with the spreader bar  10  attached thereto. In this operating position the winch itself is always near to the head of the patient but since it extends mainly vertically this is usually not experienced as an inconvenience.  
         [0051]     FIGS.  11  to  14  illustrate step by step the procedure of passing though a door opening. The lift is to be transferred from the rail  2  to a second rail  102  in an adjacent room. In  FIG. 11  the operating position at the start of the procedure is the same as in  FIG. 8 . The free end  9  of the strap  7  is attached to the carriage in the rail  2  left to the wall  34  separating the two adjacent rooms. The door opening through which the lift with or without a patient should pass is below the wall  34 . A second non-windable strap  107  has one of its ends hooked to one of the a lugs  25 , and its other end connected to a carriage in the rail  102 . In the next step ( FIG. 12 ) the strap  7  is carefully unwound and the load gradually transfers to strap  107 . Next ( FIG. 13 ), the free end  9  of the strap  7  is detached from the carriage in rail  2  and reconnected to a carriage in rail  102 . Then, strap  7  is wound until the load transfers back to it and when the strap  107  is no longer carrying any load it is removed ( FIG. 14 ) and the procedure is complete. The procedure is facilitated by the use of the quick coupling system.  
         [0052]     FIGS.  15  to  17  illustrate in detail the bayonet type quick coupling system according to a preferred embodiment of the invention and its operation. In  FIG. 15  the male part  5 , 34  provided with two diametrically opposite redial protrusions  37  is placed just in front of the female seat  16 , 18 , 35  for insertion. The female seat  16 , 18 , 35  is provided with a slot  36  suited for receiving the male part  5 , 33  in the orientation shown. To engage the coupling, the male part  5 , 33  is fully inserted into the slot  36  ( FIG. 16 ) and turned 90° relative to the female seat  16 , 18 , 35  ( FIG. 17 ) and then released. The female seat is provided with two abutment blocks  38  that allow rotation in only one direction when the male part  5 , 34  has just been inserted into the slot  36 . A notch  39  in the female seat for receiving the protrusions  37  extends to both sides of the slot  36 . The protrusions  37  are securely locked into the notch  39  when a load is applied to the male part  5 ,  34 . In order to further improve safety, a micro switch  40  is arranged partially in the notch  39  such that it changes state when the protrusions  37  engage properly into the notch  39 . The micro switch  40  is connected to an electronic control unit  60  ( FIG. 18 ) that controls operation of the electric motor  30 . When the switch is not actuated by a protrusion  37  the control unit prevents any winding or unwinding for safety reasons.  
         [0053]     FIGS.  18  to  20  show the details of the system in the winch  6  that prevents inadvertedly winding or unwinding of the strap  7  when there is no load on the strap  7 .  FIG. 18  shows a cut open side view on the interior of the winch. The strap  7  extends from the reel  27 , passes over an excenter shaft  50  and leaves the winch  6  through the first opening  17 . The excenter shaft  50  is spring biased and provided with a radially extending arm  51  that actuates a micro switch  55 . Tension in the strap  7  urges the excenter shaft  50  to rotate against the spring bias and the radial arm rotates in unison with the excenter shaft. Thus, the switch changes state when a load above a preset threshold is applied to the strap  7 . The micro switch  55  is connected to the electronic control unit  60 . The electronic control unit  60  prevents winding and unwinding of the strap when no load on the strap  7  can be detected. Thus, inadvertedly winding or unwinding an unloaded strap is avoided. The winch  6  is also provided with an excenter shaft  50 , radial arm  51  and micro switch  55  at the second opening  19  from which the strap can leave the winch ( FIG. 19,20 ).  
         [0054]     Although the present invention has been described in detail for purpose of illustration, it is understood that such detail is solely for that purpose, and variations can be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention.  
         [0055]     Thus, while the preferred embodiments of the devices and methods have been described in reference to the environment in which they were developed, they are merely illustrative of the principles of the inventions. Other embodiments and configurations may be devised without departing from the scope of the appended claims. ?  
         [0056]      FIG. 5  shows the winch  6  from above with the first convex side panel  20  removed. The strap  7  is guided through the first opening  17  which is provided with a lug  25  on each side. Inside the housing the winch  6  is provided with a support structure with two parallel transverse plates  26 . A reel  27  for winding and unwinding the strap  7  is rotatably rotably engaged between the transverse plates  26 . The reel  27  is connected to the output of a straight reduction gearing  28  which is in turn connected to the output of a worm drive  29 . The worm drive  29  is driven by a an battery powered electric motor  30 . The electric motor  30 , the worm gear  29  and the reduction gearing  28  are arranged in a compartment  31  next to the support structure. The batteries (not shown) are received in a compartment  32  on the opposite side of the support structure, thus giving the winch  6  a substantially equal weight distribution. The strap  7  can be completely rolled up onto the reel and paid out through the second opening  19 , so that the winch may be used in another orientation. When the strap  7  extends though the first opening  17  the winch can be used in the “horizontal” position as illustrated in FIGS.  1  to  7 . When the strap  7  extends though the second opening  19  the winch  6  can be used in the “vertical” position as illustrated in  FIGS. 9 and 10 . Each of these orientations has its advantages, and the optimum choice of operating position depends on circumstances.  
         [0057]     Please replace the paragraph starting at Page  11 , line  30 , with the following paragraph:  
         [0058]     FIGS.  18  to  20  show the details of the system in the winch  6  that prevents inadvertently winding or unwinding of the strap  7  when there is no load on the strap  7 .  FIG. 18  shows a cut open side view on the interior of the winch. The strap  7  extends from the reel  27 , passes over an excenter shaft  50  and leaves the winch  6  through the first opening  17 . The excenter shaft  50  is spring biased and provided with a radially extending arm  51  that actuates a micro switch  55 . Tension in the strap  7  urges the excenter shaft  50  to rotate against the spring bias and the radial arm rotates in unison with the excenter shaft. Thus, the switch changes state when a load above a preset threshold is applied to the strap  7 . The micro switch  55  is connected to the electronic control unit  60 . The electronic control unit  60  prevents winding and unwinding of the strap when no load on the strap  7  can be detected. Thus, inadvertently winding or unwinding an unloaded strap is avoided. The winch  6  is also provided with an excenter shaft  50 , radial arm  51  and micro switch  55  at the second opening  19  from which the strap can leave the winch ( FIG. 19,20 ).