Glossary
HIRO stair lifts, inclined wheelchair lifts and platform lifts are equipped with an intelligent battery charging system using a maintenance-free rechargeable gel battery that recharges automatically at the stops. This guarantees that the lift always continues safely to its destination in the event of a sudden power failure and still remains operational for several hours thereafter.
The CE identification mark indicates that the system complies with the basic requirements of all the relevant European regulations. This is confirmed with an EC declaration of conformity and the labelling of the equipment with the CE identification mark when the system is handed over.
Lift control that save, or collect, all incoming drive commands in a predetermined order. The commands are automatically processed in the most appropriate way according to the current location and direction of travel of the car.
Central unit in which all operating states and user commands are processed. HIRO inclined lifts have processor controls (4-quadrant control), which ensure a soft start and soft braking as well as continuously variable acceleration/braking out of curves and when starting from landings.
A weight that is connected to the car via ropes laid over a diverting pulley. Its purpose is to balance the weight of the car and reduce the energy consumption of rope lifts. In some HIRO vertical lifts, the drive is attached to the counterweight to save space.
Control principle, whereby the system only keeps moving if the control device (e.g. control lever or button) is continuously activated.
All HIRO stair lifts and inclined wheelchair lifts are equipped with a diagnostic display. This enables the visualisation of all the operating states. Faults can thus be quickly and simply corrected. Since faults are automatically shown in the display, the customer can easily read them off and the faults can be remedied via telephone. Unnecessary visits from service personnel are avoided in many cases and the user can continue to operate his lift immediately and without incurring further costs.
doors are divided into two categories: landing doors and car doors. Landing doors prevent unintentional access to the lift shaft when the lift is not positioned at the landing. car doors protect the passengers in the lift during travel by preventing contact with the lift shaft.
See also telescopic sliding door
See also hinged doors
Various devices, depending on the type of lift, that enable the user and/or another person to lower the lift in an emergency to one of the landings, where the user can exit the lift.
The HIRO stair lift offers a fully automatic folding rail which allows doorways and corridors to remain completely accessible: there is often a door or corridor at the bottom of the stairs that must remain accessible and free of fixed rail sections. This is where the fully automatic folding rail (special accessory) comes into its own. The last section of rail is folded down towards the floor on a hinge before the chair travels down to the bottom. After the seat has been vacated, it travels back to its park position; the folding rail then folds back out of the way leaving the doorway unblocked. The folding rail is operated conveniently via the usual control elements of the lift, so that the area of the folding elements is always within view of the user. HIRO stair lifts have no separate control units that have to be used additionally before or during transport.
For vertical lifts, frequency-regulated drive controls ensure the exact, load-independent positioning of the car as well as gentle acceleration and braking.
Lift designed primarily for transporting goods. As a rule, persons may travel with the goods.
A safety device for recognising excess speed, which activates the safety gear that in turn brings the lift to an immediate halt.
Vertical guide rails in the lift shaft of a vertical lift that guide the car and the counterweight.
The space in the shaft between the upper edge of the floor at the uppermost landing and the underside of the shaft ceiling slab. The space between the car roof and the shaft ceiling slab provides for overtravel and safety space. The safety space enables maintenance works to be carried out safely from the car roof. The shaft head also houses the pulley frame with the diverting pulleys for the ropes. For many lifts, the drive is also located here. Most of the lifts made by HIRO LIFT, however, have the drive installed in the counterweight to save space.
A lift driven via a hydraulic cylinder. The pump is usually installed in a separate machine room. In comparison to other types of lift, higher construction, operation and energy costs are incurred. Regular oil changes, the installation of a grease separator and the possibility of offensive odours from the oil must be taken into consideration. Not so well suited for outdoor lifts due to temperature differences (oil viscosity) in summer and winter.
Stair lifts and inclined wheelchair lifts, whose rails are attached on the inner side of the stairs. inner guide lifts enable access to several floors.
Controls on the lift that enable the user to give commands during transport: the control lever on the armrest of a stair lift, for example, or the control panels in the car of a vertical lift.
The space in which the car moves up and down. It is secured by means of landing doors (also known as hoistway doors).
Conventional lifts that meet specific requirements regarding car size, door size, control elements, etc., to enable disabled persons to use them independently or with an escort. The design of handicapped-accessible lifts is regulated by German standard DIN 18024/25 and European standard EN 81-70.
Lifts for the disabled are intended exclusively for transporting disabled persons. They must be manufactured in accordance with the Machinery Directive. In future, the technical regulations will be described in the EN 81-40/41 standard. The systems are equipped with a load-carrying device that is suited to the type of disability, a coding system and deadman controls. These lifts are divided into two categories: vertical Lifts for the disabled and inclined Lifts for the disabled. The speed of both types of lift is restricted to 0.15 m/s.
A locking system ensures that the lift can only be set in operation via a key switch. The locking system is provided essentially for safety purposes and is intended to ensure that only authorised persons use the lift.
See also Lifts for the disabled
Room in which the drive unit for the lift is installed. HIRO LIFT’s patented and exclusively used traction drive makes the machine room superfluous.
See also machineroom-less lift
A vertical lift that requires no additional machine room. The drive unit is installed on the car itself or in the requisite counterweight of the lift. This allows flexible design possibilities for the lift shaft and the car, which can be integrated more easily into the overall architectural concept of the building.
Modern stair lifts and inclined wheelchair lifts are modified to suit each particular staircase, like made-to-measure suits. The precise, quick and error-free survey is carried out with the help of a camera and using what is known as the photogrammetry method. Irrespective of the type of stairs or the stair surroundings, all the relevant data, such as the necessary incline or the required curve radius, is digitally determined and passed on to the design and manufacturing programme, free of errors.
Collective name for all command units operated by the user for the purpose of controlling the lift.
For vertical lifts, a control panel that is installed at the stations or in the car. All commands can be made by the user via the control panel. All the buttons and indicator elements are incorporated here.
Stair lifts and inclined wheelchair lifts, whose rails are fixed to the outside of the stairs.
The space in the shaft between the upper edge of the floor at the lowest landing and the bottom of the shaft. The stop buffers for the car and the counterweight are located in the pit, as is a folding support, which can be raised and secured in a vertical position during maintenance works for the protection of the service personnel (safety space).
Lift that is fitted with a load-carrying unit in the form of a platform that can be driven on to. It is primarily used for transporting disabled persons in wheelchairs and possibly another person. These lifts are divided into two groups: inclined platform lifts and vertical platform lifts.
There are several types of rail for stair lifts and inclined wheelchair lifts. The lift travels up and down on the rail. HIRO LIFT uses mostly circular tube rails made of ground stainless steel. The double rail and the traction drive ensure curve stability and increase the ride comfort with gliding, jolt-free movement. The rail does not need to be lubricated. It has no sharp edges and thus no contact areas that could cause injuries.
HIRO LIFT does not install any prefabricated curved rail sections, since these do not usually allow for an optimal fit to the ideal rail route.
Spatial stair lifts and inclined wheelchair lifts have guide rails that curve to the right or to the left.
A mechanical safety device that is activated by the governor if the speed limit is exceeded and brings the lift to a halt.
Control equipment that is located outside the system and is used to call or send the lift. As a battery-powered radio remote control it can either be permanently installed (on the wall, for example) or included as a hand-held remote.
A contract between the customer and the company to agree the servicing arrangements. The customer can negotiate guarantee services, which are then provided fee of charge within the scope of a service contract.
A lift that is used exclusively for transporting goods. In contrast to a goods lift, it may not transport persons.
Service inspection of the lift, similar to the regular main inspections required for cars. This is carried out to prevent faults from occurring and to maintain the safe, reliable and flawless condition of the system. Different servicing intervals are recommended depending on the type of lift.
shaft through which the car and the counterweight move. It is limited at the top by the headroom and at the bottom by the pit.
A shaft frame is often used for lifts in stairwells or for lifts constructed in existing buildings. Lifts on the outside wall of buildings are also often installed in a shaft frame.
Die Bewegung des Aufzugs erfolgt über eine Spindel (Schraube), die über einen Antrieb gedreht werden kann. Der Fahrkorb bzw. das Lastaufnahmemittel ist fest mit einer Mutter verbunden. Dreht sich die Spindel in der Mutter, bewegt sich der Aufzug. Geeignet ist diese Antriebsart für Aufzüge mit geringer Geschwindigkeit. Bei Senkrechtaufzügen häufig eingesetzt, gilt diese Antriebsart für Schrägaufzüge als veraltet.
The HIRO stair lift offers a fully automatic swivel guide rail which allows doorways and corridors to remain completely accessible: there is often a door or corridor at the bottom of the stairs that must remain accessible and free of fixed rail sections. This is where the fully automatic swivel rail (special accessory) comes into its own. During the descent, the lower guide rail section, including seat and passenger, is brought safely onto the floor in the hallway. After the seat has been vacated, it travels back to its park position leaving the doorway open. The swivel rail is operated conveniently via the usual control elements of the lift, so that the area of the swivelling elements is always within view of the user. HIRO stair lifts have no separate control units that have to be used additionally before or during transport.
Fully automatic swivelling seat, which comes as standard with the HIRO stair lift. The seat swivels into a safe position for dismounting without the need to press any further operating elements. In contrast, many conventional stair lifts only have a manually operated swivel seat that usually involves a lever having to be pulled, pushed or locked into place, requiring a greater or lesser amount of effort.
A door that opens out and closes like a telescope. Telescopic sliding doors normally have two to three flexibly connected elements. There are right, left and centrally opening doors. Nowadays, telescopic sliding doors are fitted as standard in passenger lifts. Their main advantage is that they save space.
In lift construction, the term traction principle refers to the contact pressure, i.e. the automatically self-adjusting, backlash-free, mechanical connection, of the drive rollers and pulleys on the guide rail. The following analogy helps to illustrate how it works: in a motorcar, the traction force allows the tyres to transfer the driving force to the road surface. The traction is dependent on the strength, surface area and characteristics of the traction materials (the rubber of the tyres, the road surfacing).
HIRO LIFT uses traction drives (European patent no. 0525141) in its stair lifts, inclined wheelchair lifts and passenger lifts.
The traction drive is notable for its extremely smooth running and good cornering stability; less vibration and less material fatigue occur in comparison with conventional drives. Furthermore, the traction drive is practically maintenance-free. No part of the guide rail system requires oiling or greasing, or the use of lubricants with which the user could come into contact. No noisy, greasy chains or cog-wheels are used, so there are no abrasion-related metal filings to be found on the stairs. Clothes and staircases are always kept clean. It goes without saying that the entire drive system, including all its components, has been type-examination tested by the German inspection authority (TÜV).
See also Vulkollan
Examination that simplifies the acceptance procedure before the lift is put into operation. The approach is similar to that used in the car industry. A manufacturer has a lift checked with regard to technical reliability and safety by the inspection authority, which in Germany would be the TÜV (Technical Inspection Agency). The inspection authority awards a type examination certificate for all lifts of the same series with the same construction.
Most of HIRO’s stair lifts, inclined wheelchair lifts and vertical lifts are fitted with rollers that run along the stainless steel tubes or in the guide rails. These rollers are coated with Vulkollan. This material was developed by Bayer AG and has established itself in many areas of application. Simply put, it is a high-quality rubber with non-slip and abrasion-resistant properties.
The low wear rate of Vulkollan and therefore a significant benefit can be illustrated most effectively by an analogy: the rubber tyres of a car driving at 100 km/h on a rough road surface will last for approximately 50,000 km. The Vulkollan rollers of a lift travelling at only 0.36 km/h along smoothly ground stainless steel tubes will last correspondingly longer, due to the much lower loading alone. Then the fact that Vulkollan is three times more wear-resistant than the rubber in the car tyres must also be added to the equation.
See also traction drive
