Acorn Stairlifts and Typical Features

Acorn Stairlifts is a worldwide manufacturer of stair lift chairs and other devices for those who are unable to freely move about.  Though they sell exclusively through dealers who will not offer information without a real time commitment from a prospect, this introduction can serve as a guide to some common features and nomenclature.  Also, the reader should be informed of other stairlift manufacturers; although Acorn is one of the most well-known, they are by no means the only players in the game.Here are some features that have helped Acorn stay competitive, but are now common to many stair lift chairs:Braking Systems - Redundancy is important in a mechanical aid that, if it were to malfunction, would reflect very poorly on its manufacturer.  For that reason, there are both electric and mechanical breaking systems.  The electrical system uses an electric motor, varying the electric current in order to break or reverse direction.  If one of many sensory systems are tripped, including a system that detects electrical outages, the mechanical breaking system kicks in.  In such an event, the chair will very slowly glide back down to its starting position, so as not to leave the rider stranded.Infrared Controls - Though ubiquitous for TV sets, these controllers have been slow to be adopted by stairlift manufacturers.  But as of the last six or seven years, they have been available, if not standard, on most models; not only those by Acorn, but other companies as well.  Again, there is redundancy, so if the controller is dropped - as quite commonly happens - there are paddle shifters that can be used to control the stairlift.Swivel Seat - Before the incorporation of this feature, some individuals were still unable to use stairlifts, not having the required dexterity to move from wheel-chair to stair lift chair.  While stair lift chairs are not as functional and feature-rich as office chairs have become, they are slowly adapting to the needs of the market.  All chair movements have to be locked-in to the set "riding position" in order that the chair can operate.These are some of the standard features for stair lift chairs.  Hopefully this introduction has proved informative.  For more, the reader is encouraged to visit the Stair Lift Chair site, which aims to be one of the most informative sites on the subject, with detailed information on the various manufacturers' offerings forthcoming.