Projector ceiling lift
First Claim
1. An improved lifting device for suspending and concealing a visual aid projector from within a ceiling structure of an enclosure, said enclosure having a ceiling surface below said ceiling structure and a floor or support surface spaced downwardly from said ceiling surface, said lifting device being capable of being raised and concealed within said ceiling structure and lowered to a position near the floor surface so that the projector can be easily installed, said lifting device being capable of installation and concealment within a minimal overhead clearance available within the ceiling structure, the lifting device comprising:
- a) support framework means having means for attaching the framework means to said ceiling structure whereby the entire lifting device is concealed within said ceiling structure when in a raised position;
b) carriage structure means having a means for mounting said projector in at least a partially recessed position within said carriage structure means;
c) cable drum means mounted on said support framework means and having at least one cable extending from said cable drum means to said carriage structure means so as to support the carriage structure means, said cable drum means including a drive means to controllably rotate the drum means to lower or raise the cable and the carriage structure means between a lowered position near the floor of said enclosure to a raised position whereby the carriage structure means is positioned above said ceiling surface whereby it is concealed within said ceiling structure;
d) stabilizing means mounted between said support framework means and said carriage structure means to restrict the lateral movement of the carriage means when the carriage means and projector are suspended in an intermediate position between said raised and lowered positions, said stabilizing means being arranged to allow the support and carriage means to be closely coupled in the raised position to minimize the overall height of the lifting device; and
e) said cable drum means further includes a drum locking means for arresting the rotation of the cable drum means when the cable drum means rotates uncontrollably in a lowering direction.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A remote control, ceiling mounted lifting device is provided for concealing, supporting and providing floor level access to audio visual objects such as color video/data projectors. The overall height of the lifting device is extremely shallow to allow the device to be mounted and concealed within the ceiling clearance area. The device has an outer frame with an open inner section. A support carriage is provided which is sized to fit and nest with the open inner section of the support framework. The carriage has an inverted U-shaped structure which allows the projector to be recessed upwardly within the confines of the carriage. A scissor-like stabilizer mechanism is mounted on each side of the carriage and support structure. These stabilizer mechanisms are located on the outer edges of the device to minimize the overall height of the device. This double linkage mechanism stabilizes the carriage during movement and use and yet allows the projector to be recessed within the ceiling structure when the carriage is retracted. Cable supports on either side of the carriage are mounted to a motor driven cable drum assembly which is laterally positioned at the top of the support structure. The drum mechanism is positioned to substantially align with the center of gravity of the loaded carriage. An emergency locking brake assembly is provided in conjunction with the cable drum to prevent the carriage from dropping in an emergency situation. A low voltage remote control system which can use infra-red sensors for signal transmission is used for controlling the operation of the lifting device.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. An improved lifting device for suspending and concealing a visual aid projector from within a ceiling structure of an enclosure, said enclosure having a ceiling surface below said ceiling structure and a floor or support surface spaced downwardly from said ceiling surface, said lifting device being capable of being raised and concealed within said ceiling structure and lowered to a position near the floor surface so that the projector can be easily installed, said lifting device being capable of installation and concealment within a minimal overhead clearance available within the ceiling structure, the lifting device comprising:
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a) support framework means having means for attaching the framework means to said ceiling structure whereby the entire lifting device is concealed within said ceiling structure when in a raised position; b) carriage structure means having a means for mounting said projector in at least a partially recessed position within said carriage structure means; c) cable drum means mounted on said support framework means and having at least one cable extending from said cable drum means to said carriage structure means so as to support the carriage structure means, said cable drum means including a drive means to controllably rotate the drum means to lower or raise the cable and the carriage structure means between a lowered position near the floor of said enclosure to a raised position whereby the carriage structure means is positioned above said ceiling surface whereby it is concealed within said ceiling structure; d) stabilizing means mounted between said support framework means and said carriage structure means to restrict the lateral movement of the carriage means when the carriage means and projector are suspended in an intermediate position between said raised and lowered positions, said stabilizing means being arranged to allow the support and carriage means to be closely coupled in the raised position to minimize the overall height of the lifting device; and e) said cable drum means further includes a drum locking means for arresting the rotation of the cable drum means when the cable drum means rotates uncontrollably in a lowering direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A drum safety lock for use in conjunction with a drum type lifting device, said lifting device having a support framework and a carriage structure for supporting an object, the drum type lifting device being mounted on said support framework and connected to the carriage structure by a flexible connecting means, said locking device is arranged to arrest the uncontrolled rotation of the drum and flexible connecting means which can cause the carriage structure to move downward at a speed exceeding a predetermined limit, the drum safety lock comprising:
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a) a rotating drum, said rotating drum having a flexible connecting means expending between said rotating drum and a carriage structure of said lifting device, said drum being arranged to rotate so as to extend or retract said carriage structure of said lifting device; b) a mechanical stop fixedly attached to the surface of said drum; d) an elongated pivotal locking arm suitably mounted to a support framework adjacent to said rotating drum, the pivot for said locking arm being arranged closest to a first end of said locking arm whereby the opposite end will be biased by gravity in a downward direction, holding means being arranged to hold the opposite biased end of the locking arm in a raised position during normal operation and release the arm when the drum rotational speed exceeds a predetermined limit to contact the mechanical stop to immediately stop and hold the drum to prevent further lowering of the lifting device. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A drum safety locking device for use in conjunction with a drum type lifting device wherein a cable is threaded over the surface of the drum for raising or lowering an object at a controlled rate, the drum safety lock device comprising:
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a) a drum stop means fixedly attached to the surface of the drum; b) a locking arm pivotally attached to a suitable support means and positioned so that an end of the locking arm can engage and contact said drum stop means; c) said locking arm being pivotally mounted at a point closer to a first end so that a longer second end will be biased in a downward direction by gravity; and d) solenoid means attached to the first end of said locking arm so that when said solenoid is energized the longer second end of said locking arm will be held in a raised position whereby the drum stop means can rotate without contacting the end of said locking arm and when the solenoid means is deenergized the locking arm will drop and contact the drum stop means to prevent the drum from rotating in the lowering direction. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. An improved lifting device for suspending and concealing an object from within a ceiling structure of an enclosure, the lifting device comprising:
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a) support framework means including means for mounting the framework means within the ceiling structure whereby the lifting device will be completely concealed when in a raised position; b) carriage structure means including an object mounting means whereby the object is at least partially recessed within said carriage structure means; c) drum means mounted on said support framework means having the end of at least one flexible connecting means attached between said drum means and said carriage structure means so as to support the carriage structure means from said support framework means, said drum means includes a drive means to controllably rotate the drum means to move the carriage means between a lowered position where the object can be mounted on said carriage structure means and a raised position wherein the carriage means is in a nested position within said support framework means; d) stabilizing means mounted between the support framework means and the carriage structure means to restrict lateral movement of the carriage means when the carriage means and object are suspended in a position between said lowered position and said raised position, said stabilizing means being arranged to allow the support framework and carriage means to be closely coupled in the raised position to minimize the overall height of the lifting device; and e) said drum means includes a drum safety lock means which is capable of stopping the rotation of the drum means in one direction and holding the drum means in a fixed position to prevent the carriage support means from being uncontrollably lowered upon failure of said drive means.
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23. An improved lifting device for suspending from and concealing an object within a ceiling structure of an enclosure, the lifting device comprising:
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a) support framework means including means for mounting the framework means within the ceiling structure whereby the lifting device will be completely concealed when in a raised position; b) carriage structure means including an object mounting means whereby the object is at least partially recessed within said carriage structure means; c) cable drum means mounted on said support framework means having the end of at least one cable attached to said carriage structure means so as to support the carriage structure means from said support framework means, said cable drum means includes a drive means to controllably rotate the cable drum means to lower or raise the carriage structure means between a lowered position where the object can be mounted on said carriage structure means and a raised position wherein the carriage means is in a nested position within said support framework means; d) stabilizing means mounted between the support framework means and the carriage structure means to restrict lateral movement of the carriage means when the carriage means and the object are suspended in a position between said lowered position and said raised position, said stabilizing means being arranged to allow the support and carriage means to be closely coupled in the raised position to minimize the overall height of the lifting device; e) said carriage structure means includes a pair of spaced parallel side members and said object mounting means is an inverted U-shaped bracket connected between said side members, said U-shaped bracket being adapted to mount and support the object whereby the object will be at least partially recessed between and above the side members of said carriage structure means; and f) said cable drive means includes a drum safety lock means which is capable of stopping the rotation of the drum means and holding the drum means in a fixed position to prevent the carriage support means from being uncontrollably lowered upon failure of said drive means.
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Specification