Articles and whitepapers

Product Article: The Weibel Projector Lift - Uniqueness Born of Frustration (2/7/2007)

By Hans Weibel, Weibel Lift

I trained as a technical engineer in Switzerland and overseas, and have been working in the AV industry for the past 27 years. During the last ten years, I have installed more then 100 projector lifts. Several years ago, out of sheer frustration with the traditional scissor lift, I decided to either stop installing projector lifts altogether, or develop one without all the technical problems inherent in scissor lifts.

There are a number of problems with installing a traditional scissor projector lift. Firstly, the scissor system will always have small deviations when moving up and down. Eventually, these variations build up, and result in the lift not fitting flush with the ceiling. Secondly, when the projector is taken out for maintenance and replaced, the projection will need to be adjusted again. Thirdly, there are always on-going problems with the cabling, which needs to neatly concertina within the scissor arms. Last but not least, in so many instances, I have found that the space available to build the projector lift into the ceiling is insufficient. Also, when the customer calls the installer to deal with the above issues, more often than not, this incurs costs that are not covered by the customer, as this is seen as all part of the service. Or worse still, it is seen as the correction of the design faults of the scissor lift.

The mechanics of the scissor lift compared with the Weibel Projector Lift

The advantages of the Weibel Projector Lift

I designed and patented the Weibel Projector Lift several years ago. The main advantages of my lift are its precision and its ability to be built in with only 150mm of height needed for a projector of approximately 100mm height. The lift is manufactured in Switzerland to ensure the highest quality and the precision needed. Moreover, the Weibel Projector Lift is fitted with an 'easy access system' comprising a tilting bracket. This system, also patented, allows the projector to be taken within 30 seconds and replaced in exactly the same position in less than a minute.

Installation depth required by the traditional scissor lift compared with the Weibel Projector Lift

How it works

Technically, the Weibel Projector Lift is built around a very simple idea, namely making sure that each of the four corners of the lift move up and down in parallel, without variances. This is achieved by having a spindle guide in each corner.

The spindles are fixed to a steel frame, which is connected to the ceiling. They use bearings and are made of tough steel that offers the highest durability. To ensure that they turn synchronously with each other, the spindles are interconnected via sprockets and a chain. The plate that moves up and down is connected to the spindles via 'NyGuides' - thermoplastic nuts made of a non-wearing material that are maintenance-free after installation.

Spindle guides in each corner are connectd to the frame by NyGuides, and driven by sprockets and a chain

The chain for the NyGuides is driven by a silent drive unit made in Germany. The electronic drive-control unit has several safety features. For example, it is protected against overheating, and also has a safety feature should something block the chain. In addition to electronic sensors, we have built in mechanical devices to make the lift completely safe.

The four-spindle system guarantees a very small deviation at its lower and upper end positions of only 0.1mm - the thickness of two human hairs. This means that the gap in the ceiling can be as small as 1-2mm, which is practically invisible in the ceiling structure. Thus with the Weibel Lift, the ceiling plate is always flush, without any rims or overlapping parts.

The Weibel Projector Lift moves with great precision

The adjustment of the ceiling plate in all directions can easily be achieved by the slot system provided at each corner. The lift can be fitted into any concrete ceiling as the boxing-out height only needs to be as little as 150mm. Otherwise, it will fit into any kind of false or suspended ceiling with a clearance of a minimum of 150mm. Ideally, the ceiling plate would be made of the existing ceiling material, or it can be the original steel plate, or any hard wood plate cut to size.

The Weibel Projector Lift can be controlled by a simple potential-free up/down switch, as well as by IR or RF remote control, or by any bus or media control system via touchscreen. This needs only three thin wires to be connected to the lift, excluding the cabling for the projector.

Controlling the Weibel Projector Lift with an infrared remote

Installation and maintenance

For maintenance of the projector, the easy access system consists of a metal plate, on which the projector is fitted. This plate is fitted during the initial installation using a normal drill and a template.

Projector with plate attached, removed from adjustable tilting bracket

The plate can be removed very easily from the adjustable tilting bracket which can be adjusted in all planes. Once the adjusting screws are locked, the projector can be re-inserted, with the projector plate, onto the tilting bracket, without affecting the original alignment of the picture on the screen.

The installation of a Weibel Projector Lift is much easier than a scissor lift. The main reason is that the cabling is controlled and the accuracy of return is very precise. To make it even simpler, the installation and drill template, as well as the rawl-plugs and screws, are all supplied with the lift, along with a detailed installation manual.

The Weibel Projector Lift is easy to install

Maintenance of the Weibel Projector Lift itself is very low. We have run tests on the lifts where they have been raised and lowered over 40,000 times without any re-lubricating and without the lift showing any vibration or wear and tear. For safety reasons we recommend not to load the lift with more than 75kg, although we have tested them with loads of more than 200kg. Thanks to the excellent results of our rigorous testing, I am happy to personally give a five-year guarantee with each Weibel Projector Lift.

Conclusion

The Weibel Projector Lift meets with all the technical and aesthetic requirements of an in-ceiling projector lift. The main reason for this is that the spindle system is an easy and reliable way for the lift to be brought up and down with the utmost sturdiness, precision and quality.

For the installer, the Weibel Projector Lift offers many advantages. It can be fitted into small spaces, and is easily installed. It fits in perfectly with the ceiling décor, is extremely reliable, requires no re-adjustment or maintenance, and offers easy access to the projector - all in all saving time and money, and ensuring that customers are continually satisfied!

Hans Weibel is the founder of Weibel Lift AG, manufacturer of the Weibel Projector Lift.

www.weibellift.com