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Stairlift attachments – Do you see the need for them?
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Hello.
I have joined this forum hoping to seek some information from stairlift users.
I am an engineering student, and for my final year project I have been tasked with designing attachments for stairlifts to aid with carrying things up and downstairs.
Having done some research into what is currently available on the market, I have found that very little is available to aid users to carry things upstairs.
This problem was brought to light when my tutors relative was required to carry an oxygen tank up the stairs, but found this to be very difficult when using the stairlift.
I would really appreciate your views on the need for attachments. (These can be for anything, eg. drinks, oxygen tanks, books, food, clothes etc.)
If you see a need:
What would you like to see available?
Would you be willing to pay for additional parts if they were available available?Thanks very much in advance for your help.
Stephen
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You will find that any attachments you design will be classed as a modification to the manufacturers original design and voiding type testing against design standards. I would be very cautious of carrying an oxygen bottle. It does not bear thinking about if the bottle was dropped and landed on its valve or if oxygen tubes became tangled and caught in the lift as motors are mainly DC brushed. There also needs to be consideration of additional weight and trapping, crushing or abrading hazards introduced. Most manufactures at time of handover will instruct end users not to carry anything on the lift (including walking sticks) as part of the safety handover process, drinks also pose a scalding hazard. Sorry if this seems very negative but health and safety and design takes precedence. I would speak with manufacturers for there apporoval before putting anything into mainstream. Good luck on your assignment and look forward to seeing the outcome.
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with regards carrying clothes, there is an engineers rule here when removing and untangling from a stairlift,
One to think about Clean clothes up – Dirty clothes down! -
Hi robbrownstairlift,
Thank you very much for your useful information. That is very helpful to know as these are all things that I will need to consider during my research and development.
If i was to develop a stairlift from scratch rather than modifying existing products, do you or anyone else see a need for optional attachments to aid with the transportation of items up and down stairs?
If so, are there any attachments you would recommend?
Thanks,
Stephen -
[USER=”4158″]StairliftStephen[/USER] a good point of disscusion woiuld be to speak with Occupational Therapists. These are the people who prescribe stairlifts following assesments and feasibility visits although will not be aware of the actual safety standards. with regards attachments i dont beleive one stairlift suits all as there are many variables to be considered to meet an end users needs and many differing variables accross different manufacturers models whether straight or curved.
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