Abstract: A winch assembly comprising a) a person lowering and raising winch component attached to a carriage component, the carriage component being configured for coupling to a carriage track of an overhead support for displacement thereof along the carriage track and b) a carriage displacement component for inducing displacement of the carriage component along the carriage track, the carriage displacement component comprising an electric motor element and a clutch coupling element the electric motor element being configured for providing driving effort for the displacement of the carriage component along the carriage track the clutch coupling element being configured for coupling and de-coupling the driving effort of the electric motor element such that when the driving effort of the electric motor element is coupled and the electric motor element is energised the carriage component may be urged along the carriage track by the electric motor element and when the driving effort of the electric motor element is de

Abstract: A winch assembly comprising

Abstract: A winch assembly for the displacement of a person between a first vertical position and a second vertical position comprising: a winch for displacing a person in a harness between said first and second vertical positions; a first winch attachment means for realizably engaging said harness, said first winch attachment means being attached to said winch for the displacement of a person between said first and second vertical positions; and a second winch attachment means for realizably attaching the winch to an overhead support, the improvement wherein said first attachment means comprises two opposed support arms and displacement means associated with each said support arms whereby at least part of each arms is displaceable between a working extended position for engaging said harness and a non-working retracted position. The winch has a reduced or more compact aspect during non-working periods as well as in the case of a moving of the winch assembly during non-working periods.

Abstract: The present invention relates to support structures. The present invention in particular relates to a telescopic track as well as a telescopic mast assembly which may for example be exploited in the context of a person (e.g. patient) handling system.

Abstract: A device is provided for a system for displacing (e.g. lifting, transporting, lowering, etc.) persons between various positions or areas such as for example between a bed and a chair, a bed and a bathroom etc. The device comprises a winch assembly whereby a reel component and a motor may be decoupled so as to allow for the manual paying out of an elongated flexible support member to facilitate the attachment thereto of a harness holding a person.