JP3367922B2 - Walking assistance vehicle - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a walking assistance vehicle for assisting walking of an elderly person or a physically handicapped person. More specifically, the present invention relates to an improvement in the structure of the frame, seat, etc. of a walking assistance vehicle that can take various forms of use not only as a walking assistance vehicle but also as a walking vehicle or a walking trainer. In the present specification, the term “walking assist vehicle” is a general term for a vehicle that includes at least a frame, casters, and a handle to facilitate walking especially by an elderly person or a physically handicapped person. The concept includes all so-called pedestrians, walking trainers, and silver cars.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a walking assist vehicle 200 of this type, as shown in FIGS. 28 and 29, a first frame 201 and a second frame 202 are foldable with each other around a connecting shaft 208. It is known to have a so-called X-cross type leg connected in a letter shape. This walking assist vehicle 200 includes either one of the frames 201, 20
A handle (not shown) extending upward from 2 and a seat 205 are provided, and the user can sit on the seat 205 between the left and right handles simply by changing the body direction when tired while walking. Each of the frames 201 and 202 has a front wheel 203 which is a turning caster and a rear wheel 204 which is a fixed caster at the lower end thereof, and connects the vertical pipe portions arranged on the left and right with the vertical pipe portions 1 It is composed of a book or a plurality of horizontal pipe parts.

When using this walking assistance vehicle 200,
As shown in FIG. 28, the legs are expanded by rotating the frames 201 and 202 around the connecting shaft 208. At this time,
For example, the hooks 206 attached to the horizontal pipe portion 209 of the second frame 202 are engaged with the horizontal pipe portion 207 of the first frame 201 so that the frames 201, 201
A fixed chain is formed with No. 02 and the open leg state is maintained. That is, the hook 206 and the horizontal pipe portion 207 with which the hook 206 engages constitute frame fixing means.
Here, the hook 206 is arranged in front of the seat 205 so as not to interfere with the seat 205.

The walking assistance vehicle 200 allows a user to walk while grasping a handle and sitting on the seat 205 when tired, so that the walking assistance vehicle 200 can be used as a chair. The seat 205 is provided such that it can be raised so as not to get in the way when walking with the legs of the body placed in front of the rear wheel 204.

When the walking assist vehicle 200 is not used, the frames 201 and 202 are rotated inwardly about the connecting shaft 208 as shown in FIG. 29 to close the legs and fold compactly. You can

[0006]

However, in the above-described walking assistance vehicle 200, the frames 201 and 202 cannot be maintained in the folded state, so the frame 20
Even if the front wheels 203 and 204 are supported by the front wheels 203 and the rear wheels 204 to be self-supporting, the front and rear wheels 203 and 204 are spaced apart by their own weight. For this reason, when it is not in use, it cannot be made to stand by itself in a folded state, and it has to be laid down sideways, which is inconvenient to save space. In particular, since a turning caster is adopted on the front wheel side, the turning axis must be taken in the vertical direction,
When the legs are closed, the positions of the front wheels are directed toward the rear wheels to narrow the ground contact distance X between the wheels, and the positions of the front wheels are increased, so that the vehicle body leans forward as a whole, which makes it easy to fall. For this reason,
It was difficult to close the frame and make it self-supporting.

A hook 206 for fixing the relationship between the first and second frames 201 and 202 with the legs open.
Can be hung on the lateral pipe portion 207 by a direct operation by the user, so that when the large seat 205 that covers the hook 206 is adopted, the operation of the hook 206 becomes bad and difficult. Here, it is considered to extend the operation lever of the hook 206 to the outside of the seat 205, but this causes a problem that the operation lever interferes when the seat 205 is flipped up from the horizontal position on which the seat 205 is seated.

[0008] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a walking assistance vehicle that can be folded up to be self-supporting when not in use and can improve operability when the legs are opened.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 connects a first frame supported by a front caster and a second frame supported by a rear caster with a connecting shaft. In a walking assistance vehicle having a leg that is foldably connected to each other and a handle that is provided on either one of the frames, the first frame and the second frame are rotated around a connecting shaft and folded to close the leg. At this time, the first frame and the second frame are connected to each other so as to be provided with the closed leg fixing means that enables the frame to be self-supporting.

Therefore, when the first frame and the second frame are folded when the walking assist vehicle is not used, each frame is fixed in the closed state by the closed leg fixing means. As a result, even if the walking assistance vehicle is folded and is made to stand on its own while it is closed, the relationship between the first frame and the second frame does not change, so the legs do not easily open. The invention according to claim 1
Drive the front caster forward of the caster turning axis.
Can be fixed in a rotated state at the position where the wheel center is located
The reverse fixing means is provided. Therefore,
When turning the walking assistance vehicle forward, turn the front wheel caster forward.
Widen the ground contact distance between the front and rear wheels by fixing
Also, lower the height of the front wheels to prevent the entire body from leaning forward.
Therefore, it is difficult to fall and can be stable and independent.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the walking assist vehicle according to the first aspect, the front caster is capable of turning around a caster turning axis, and the turnable caster is the front-rear direction of the walking assist vehicle. A straight-movement fixing means that can be fixed toward

Therefore, since all casters can be fixed in the front-rear direction, the straightness of the walking assist vehicle can be ensured. That is, when the front caster is capable of turning when walking on an inclined surface, the wheels tend to face downward and it is difficult to walk straight, but by fixing all casters in the front-rear direction, turning of the wheels can be prevented and walking ease can be ensured.

[0013]

[0014]

Further, the invention according to claim 3 is the same as claim 1.
Or In 2 walking assist vehicle according to, the open leg of the first frame and the second frame connects the first and second frames when in the open leg state to fix the mutual relationship A fixing means is provided.

Therefore, since the frame is fixed to the use state by the leg fixing means, the walking assist vehicle is inadvertently folded when the walking assist vehicle moves, for example, when the front caster hits an obstacle. Can be prevented.

The invention according to claim 4 is the same as claim 1.
The walking assistance vehicle according to any one of items 1 to 3 is provided with a seat that is rotatably supported by a lateral pipe portion of a frame on the front side when walking and that is rotatable between a sitting position and a retracted position. .

Therefore, by raising the seat, the body and legs can be put into the vehicle body, and it can be used as a walking vehicle. Moreover, if the flip-up position is parallel to the frame including the handle, the seat is lifted to the flip-up position and the frame and the seat overlap each other when viewed from the side, so that the appearance can be improved.

Further, the invention according to claim 5 is the walking assist vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the flare is a front side when walking.
It is rotatably supported by the horizontal pipe part of the mu
A position rotatable with respect to the seat and an opening leg fixing means provided on the lower side of the seat, and the opening leg fixing means projects outward from the seat so that the opening leg fixing means can be released and operated. A release lever is provided that is rotatable between a position where the seat and the seat do not interfere with each other.

Therefore, since the release lever of the spread leg fixing means projects outward from the seat, it is possible to improve the operability when releasing the spread leg fixing means. Also,
Since the release lever can be rotationally moved to the position where it does not interfere with the seat, it is possible to prevent the release lever from interfering with the release lever even when the seat is raised.

The invention according to claim 6 is the same as claim 4.
Alternatively, the walking assist vehicle according to the fifth aspect is provided with a backrest belt that projects toward the front of the steering wheel.

Therefore, since the open end of the handle can be formed in a shape that faces rearward, the appearance of the walking assist vehicle can be improved. In addition, depending on the physical constitution of the user, for example, even a fat person or a thin person can adjust the position by adjusting the backrest belt, and the backrest belt improves the stability when the user sits down on the seat. Can be higher.

[0023] The invention of claim 7, wherein either claim 1
The walking assist vehicle according to any one of items 1 to 3 is provided with a front seat that is rotatably supported by a lateral pipe portion of a frame on the rear side during walking and that can be opened and closed upward. In this case, a so-called silver car can be folded and can stand on its own.

Further, the invention of claim 8 is the same as claim 1.
In the walking assist vehicle according to any one of a pressurized et al 7, and to have a detachable bag to the frame.

Therefore, the user can carry the luggage in the bag. Moreover, since the bag body is removable, the user can remove the bag body from the frame and carry it when the user leaves the walking assistance vehicle, so that luggage is not stolen, stability is excellent and good usability is obtained. be able to.

The invention according to claim 9 is the same as that of claim 4,
In the walking assist vehicle according to any one of 5 and 7, the portion surrounding the buttocks of the seated occupant has a shape that is raised above the seating surface. Therefore, the buttocks of the seated person are supported so as to be wrapped from the surroundings, so that the sitting comfort can be improved.

Further, the invention of claim 10 is the same as claim 1.
In the walking assist vehicle according to any one of the pressurized et 5, the armrest portion provided on the frame having a handle, so that it can be used as a walking training device. In this case, the walking trainer can be folded and can stand on its own.

[0028] In this walking training device, as in the invention of claim 11 wherein the rear caster it is preferable to include always grantable loading mechanism loads the rotation of the wheel.
Therefore, by adjusting the rear caster so that it always has a load, it is possible to prevent the walking trainer from moving with a light force. Can be prevented from progressing to. Further, by constantly applying a load, a walking person tries to move the walking training device, which leads to walking training.

[0029]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The structure of the present invention will be described below in detail based on the embodiments shown in the drawings.

1 to 16 show an embodiment of the walking assist vehicle 1 of the present invention. This walking assist vehicle 1 has a front caster 2
It has a first frame 3 supported by and a second frame 5 supported by a rear caster 4, and each frame 3, 5 is foldably connected to each other by a connecting shaft 6. That is, this walking assistance vehicle 1
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, each of the frames 3 and 5 is provided with an X-cross type leg that is foldably connected to each other in an X-shape. In addition, the walking assist vehicle 1 connects the front side of the left and right handles 7 to the handle 7 provided on the upper end of the handle support frame 91 that is attached to the first frame 3 and extends obliquely rearward and upward so as to project rearward. Back belt 8 stretched over so as to project forward, and a brake operating device 9 provided under the handle 7.
And a provocative seat 10 mounted on the second frame 5. The front casters 2 and the rear casters 4 are respectively provided at the lower ends of the left and right first and second frames 3 and 5.

The walking assistance vehicle 1 is self-supporting by connecting the first frame 3 and the second frame 5 when the first frame 3 and the second frame 5 are folded around the connecting shaft 6. It is provided with a closing leg fixing means 11 which enables it. Further, when the first frame 3 and the second frame 5 are folded and closed, the front caster 2 can be fixed in a state of being swung to a position where the wheel center WF is arranged forward of the caster turning axis CF. The reverse fixing means 34 is provided. Therefore, when the first frame 3 and the second frame 5 are folded when the walking assist vehicle 1 is not in use, the frames 3 and 5 are fixed by the closed leg fixing means 11 in a closed state as shown in FIG. At the same time, the ground contact distance X between the front and rear wheels is wider than that when the front wheel is facing backward, and the wheel height is also low to prevent forward leaning of the vehicle body.
The center of gravity of the vehicle body can be arranged (between the wheel centers WF and WR). The walking assist vehicle 1 can be made to stand on its own without being tumbled while it is closed. Therefore, it is more convenient because the walking assist vehicle 1 can be left standing by itself in a place of a small size without lying down or leaning against a wall when not in use. The rear caster 4 is mounted so that the caster shaft CR is arranged and the wheel center WR is arranged rearward thereof.

The reverse fixing means 34 of this embodiment is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 3, the self-standing lock recess 107 is formed on the caster main body 35 that can swivel, and the lock member 51 fixed to the first frame 3 so as not to swivel. The front caster 2 is fixed to the front side so as not to turn by being fitted into 107.

As shown in FIG. 3, the first frame 3 has vertical pipe portions 12, 12 arranged on both left and right sides, and two horizontal pipe portions 13 for connecting the vertical pipe portions 12, 12 to each other. , 14 and an elevating part 15 provided in each vertical pipe part 12 for supporting the handle 7 and the handle support frame 91 so as to be able to elevate. The upper portion of each vertical pipe portion 12 is bent rearward, and the connecting shaft 6 is attached to the tip thereof. Further, the lower end of each vertical pipe portion 12 is slightly bent so as to be vertical when used, and the front caster 2 is attached so that the turning axis CF is vertical.

The second frame 5 is formed by bending, for example, one pipe into a substantially U-shape, and the vertical pipe portions 16 and 16 arranged on both left and right sides and each vertical pipe portion 1 are formed.
The horizontal pipe portion 17 connecting the upper ends of the pipes 6 and 16 is provided. Each of the vertical pipe portions 16 is bent such that the front half is horizontal and the rear half is inclined at a steep angle. The rear casters 4 are attached to the lower ends of the vertical pipe portions 16. As shown in FIG. 4, the first frame 3 and the second frame 5 are rotatably connected to each other by a connecting shaft 6 made of, for example, a bolt having the widthwise direction as a rotation center.

In the case of this embodiment, the closed leg fixing means 11 is
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the engagement mechanism 18 attached to the first frame 3 and the arm 19 attached to the second frame 5 are provided. The engagement mechanism 18 is, for example, a plunger having a hemispherical protrusion at its tip,
It is attached to the side cover 20 provided on the vertical pipe portion 12 of the frame 3. This engagement mechanism 18
Is a protrusion 21 that is slidable in the width direction of the walking assistance vehicle 1,
An urging means 22 (hereinafter, referred to as an urging spring) including a compression coil spring that presses the protrusion 21 toward the inner side in the width direction of the auxiliary walking vehicle 1 is provided.

The arm 19 engageable with the engaging mechanism 18 is
It is screwed to the vertical pipe portion 16 of the second frame 5. A concave portion 23 that engages with a protrusion 21 of the engaging mechanism 18 at the time of closing the legs of the frames 3 and 5 is provided at the tip of the arm 19.
Are formed. Therefore, when the first frame 3 and the second frame 5 are folded when the walking assist vehicle 1 is not used, the recess 23 of the arm 19 engages with the protrusion 21 of the engaging mechanism 18 as shown in FIG. Since it is fixed by the biasing spring 22, the frames 3 and 5 can be kept closed. Also, when expanding each frame 3,5,
A force for separating the protrusion 21 from the recess 23 against the biasing spring 22 may be applied between the frames 3 and 5. Therefore, since the closed legs of the frames 3 and 5 can be maintained and released by a one-touch operation, good operability can be obtained.

Further, the walking assist vehicle 1 connects the first frame 3 and the second frame 5 to each other by connecting them when the first frame 3 and the second frame 5 are in the opened state. An open leg fixing means 24 for fixing the above relationship is provided.
For this reason, since the frames 3 and 5 are opened and fixed in the use state, when the walking assist vehicle 1 is used, for example, the front caster 2
It is possible to prevent the walking assistance vehicle 1 from being inadvertently folded when the vehicle hits an obstacle.

The open leg fixing means 24 is a release lever 25 attached to the lower side of the seat 10 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.
Is equipped with. The release lever 25 has a shape projecting outward from the seat 10 and is rotatable between a position P at which the opening leg fixing means 24 can be released and a position Q at which the seat 10 does not interfere even when the seat 10 is raised. . For this reason, since the release lever 25 of the open leg fixing means 24 projects to the outside of the seat 10, the operability when releasing the open leg fixing means 24 can be improved. Further, since the release lever 25 can be rotationally moved to the position Q that does not interfere with the seat 10, the seat 10 can be raised without interfering with the release lever 25.

The open leg fixing means 24 is a biasing means composed of a claw portion 26 attached to the lateral pipe portion 17 of the second frame 5 and a torsion coil spring for biasing a twist on the claw portion 26 (hereinafter referred to as a biasing means). , Referred to as a torsion biasing spring) 27. The claw portion 26 is rotatably attached to the central portion of the horizontal pipe portion 17, and is provided so as to be engageable with the upper horizontal pipe portion (hereinafter, referred to as a lock pipe portion) 13 of the first frame 3. In addition, the biasing spring 27 has the claw portion 26.
Urges the lock pipe portion 13 in a direction to be engaged with the lock pipe portion 13. The other end of the torsion biasing spring 27 is fixed to the lateral pipe portion 17 by a fixing tool 28. The claw portion 26 has a guide surface 29 that generates a force that rotates the claw portion 26 against the force of the spring 27 so that the claw portion 26 passes through the lock pipe portion 13 when the lock pipe portion 13 abuts from the outside. Has been formed. Therefore, when the lock pipe portion 13 hits the guide surface 29 by opening the frames 3 and 5, the pawl portion 26 is opened to allow the lock pipe portion 13 to pass therethrough, and then the pawl portion 26.
When the lock pipe portion 13 enters the inside of, the claw portion 26 is closed and locked by the torsion biasing spring 27.

The release lever 25 is rotatably attached to the claw portion 26 and is constantly pressed in a fixed direction with an urging means (hereinafter referred to as a torsion urging spring) 31 formed of a torsion coil spring interposed. . When no external force is applied to the release lever 25, the top surface of the release lever 25 contacts the stopper surface 30 of the claw portion 26. Therefore,
When the release lever 25 is pulled up from this state, the claw portion 26
Can be integrally rotated in the direction of removing the lock pipe portion 13. The position of the release lever 25 is the position P at which the release operation is possible.
Becomes Further, the release lever 25 is at a position P where the release operation is possible.
It is biased by a torsion biasing spring 31. Therefore, when no external force is applied to the release lever 25, the release lever 25 is in contact with the stopper surface 30 of the claw portion 26. When the release lever 25 is pulled up in this state, the claw portion 26 rotates clockwise around the lateral pipe portion 17 in FIG. 6 and disengages from the lock pipe portion 13, and the fixed relationship between the frames 3 and 5 (opened state). ) Is canceled. Here, since the operation of pulling up the release lever 25 is to lift up the lateral pipe portion 17 of the second frame 5, the frames 3 and 5 can be continuously folded around the connecting shaft 6 and the opened state Unlocking and folding can be done with one-touch operation.

When the seat 10 is raised in the open leg state, the rear end of the seat 10 pushes the release lever 25 against the torsional biasing spring 31. As a result, the release lever 25 retreats to the position Q where it does not interfere with the seat 10, so that the seat 10 can be raised.

The seat 10 is rotatably supported by one of the frames, for example, the second frame 5. Further, holding members 32 for rotatably holding the seat 10 are attached to both sides of the leg fixing means 24 so that the seat 10 does not come off from the lateral pipe portion 17 of the second frame 5.

As shown in FIG. 8, the seat 10 is rotatable between a use position (sitting position) S which is horizontal for seating and a retracted position T which is flipped up for walking.
The seat 10 in the use position S is placed and supported on the second frame 5 and the upper part of the leg fixing means 24. For this reason,
The weight of the seated person can be reliably supported. A lock claw portion 33 that engages with the lock pipe portion 13 and locks the position of the seat 10 when the seat 10 is in the retracted position T is formed in a part of the sandwiching member 32. Therefore, the seat 10 can be maintained at the retracted position T. Also, this seat 10
Is a handle support frame 91 when in the retracted position T.
It is locked with a tilt that is parallel to. For this reason, when the seat 10 is rotated upward and positioned at the retracted position T for walking, the first frame 3 and the seat 10 appear to overlap sideways, so that the appearance can be improved.

Further, the seat 10 is made of, for example, plastic, and the portion 10b surrounding the buttocks of the seated person has a seating surface 1
It is formed so as to have a shape higher than 0a. Therefore, the buttocks of the seated person are supported so as to be wrapped from the surroundings, so that the sitting comfort can be improved. Further, although the seat 10 is made of plastic in the present embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this, and a cushion may be attached to the upper surface of a hard core material, or the core material and the cushion may be covered with upholstery. You can Further, the seating surface 10a is provided with a small protrusion for preventing slippage.

As shown in FIG. 9, the rotatable front caster 2 includes a caster body 35, a first caster body 35 and a first caster body 35.
Connecting portion 36 for connecting the vertical pipe portion 12 of the frame 3 of
And a straight advancing fixing means 106 capable of fixing the front caster 2 in the front-rear direction of the walking assistance vehicle 1. The caster body 35 includes wheels 37, tires 38, and wheels 37.
A rotatably supporting yoke 39. The yoke 39 is formed so as to offset the wheel center WF with respect to the turning center CF. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, by fixing the front caster 2 and the rear caster 4 so as to face each other, the ground contact distance (equal to the distance between the wheel centers WF, WR) X of the front and rear wheels is set to the turning axis. C
It can be made wider than the distance between F and CR without fail, and the stability when the frames 3 and 5 are closed and self-standing can be further improved.

The connecting portion 36 is fitted with the lower end of the vertical pipe portion 12 and fixed to the base cap 40, and the bearing 4.
1 and a bolt (hereinafter, referred to as a turn bolt) 42 that constitutes the turning shaft. The bearing 41 has a cylindrical shape and is fitted in a fitting hole 43 formed in the upper portion of the yoke 39. The turn bolt 42 includes a head portion 44 fixed to the first frame 3 and a base cap 4 having a rectangular cross section.
Rotation lock part 45 fitted so as not to turn with respect to 0
And a rotating part 46 that fits in the bearing 41 with a circular cross section.
And a threaded portion 47 penetrating the yoke 39.
The vertical pipe portion 12, the turn bolt 42, and the base cap 40 are fixed by a set screw 48.
Further, the turn bolt 42 penetrates the base cap 40, the bearing 41 and the yoke 39 and is screwed by a nut 49. Therefore, when the bearing 41 rotates, the caster body 35 can swivel with respect to the first frame 3.

The straight advancing fixing means 106 enables the front caster 2 to be fixed in the front-rear direction of the walking assistance vehicle 1, and in the case of the present embodiment, the caster main body 35 which can be turned.
A pair of lock recesses 52 and 107 formed at an interval of 180 °, and at least one lock member 51 non-rotatably attached to the first frame 3. Either lock recess 52,
By fitting with 107, the front caster 2 is fixed so as not to turn toward the front or the rear. Therefore,
By fixing all the casters 2 and 4, it is possible to secure the straightness of the walking assist vehicle 1, and it is possible to walk straight even when walking on an inclined surface, for example. In the case of the present embodiment, the pair of lock recesses 52 and 107 are provided at intervals of 180 ° so as to serve as the original straight-movement fixing means 106 and the reverse fixing means 34. Originally, as the straight-moving fixing means 106, since the front caster 2 which can turn is inevitably turned backward (the wheel center WF is behind the turning axis CF) while the turnable front caster 2 is moving, only the lock recess 52 is sufficient. .

The base cap 40 is provided with a mounting portion 50 having a shape projecting outward. A lock member 51 that locks turning is rotatably attached to the attachment portion 50. The lock member 51 is provided with a protrusion 53 that can be engaged over both of the two lock recesses 52, 107 formed on the outer periphery of the yoke 39 and the engagement groove 55 formed on the outer periphery of the base cap 40. An operation unit 54 that can be operated by a person using a foot, for example.

The lock member 51 is attached to the attachment portion 50 with a certain degree of frictional resistance, and the protrusion 5
3 can be maintained at a position (indicated by a chain double-dashed line in FIG. 9) engaged with the lock recesses 52, 107 and the engagement groove 55 and a position (indicated by a solid line in FIG. 9) disengaged. In the present embodiment, frictional resistance is used to maintain the position of the lock member 51, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a position locking spring, a concave and convex engaging means, or the like may be used.

By engaging the convex portion 53 across the lock concave portions 52 and 107 and the engaging groove 55, the turning of the front caster 2 is locked. At this time, since the convex portion 53 straddles the lock concave portions 52, 107 and the engaging groove 55, the lock member 51 causes the lock concave portions 52, 107 of the caster main body 35 to move.
The locking force can be increased as compared with the case of engaging only with.

The lock recesses 52 and 107 are formed in the front and rear portions of the yoke 39, and the protrusions 53 of the lock member 51 are formed in the lock recesses 52 and 107 when the wheel 37 is oriented in the front-rear direction.
It is arranged at a position for fitting with 107. The concave portion into which the convex portion 53 fits when the yoke 39 is fixed so as to warp backward (that is, in the state shown by the solid line in FIG. 1) is the straight-movement lock concave portion 52, and the yoke 39 is forward. The concave portion into which the convex portion 53 fits when being fixed so as to be warped (that is, the state shown by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. 1) is the self-standing lock concave portion 10.
7 is set. Here, the projection 53 is replaced by any of the recesses 52,
Since the front caster 2 can be fixed in the front-rear direction even when it is fitted in the 107, the straightness of the walking assist vehicle 1 can be ensured.

The rear caster 4 is, as shown in FIG.
The fixed caster includes wheels 37 and tires 38, a yoke 56 that rotatably supports the wheels 37, and a lock bolt 57 that connects the rear caster 4 to the vertical pipe portion 16 of the second frame 5. The yoke 56, like the yoke 39 of the front caster 2, has the wheel center WR with respect to the turning center (here, the rear caster 4 does not turn, so the center line of the vertical pipe portion 16 of the second frame 5 here) CR. It is formed so as to be offset. Therefore, by directing the front casters 2 and the rear casters 4 to face each other, it is possible to improve the stability when the frames 3 and 5 are closed and made to stand by themselves.

The lock bolt 57 has a head portion 58 fixed to the vertical pipe portion 16, a rotation lock portion 59 having a rectangular cross section and fitted to the yoke 56 so as not to rotate, and a screw portion penetrating the yoke 56. And 60. And
The second frame 5 and the lock bolt 57 have a set screw 6
It is fixed by 1. Also, this lock bolt 57
Are pierced through the yoke 56 and screwed by a nut 62. Therefore, the second frame 5, the lock bolt 57, and the yoke 56 cannot rotate with respect to each other, so that the rear caster 4 cannot rotate.

Further, on the upper portion of the yoke 56, a mounting portion 63 having a shape projecting outward is formed. An outer tube 68 of a cable 64 for brake operation is screwed to the mounting portion 63. A brake shoe 65 is rotatably attached to the yoke 56. The brake shoe 65 rotates with respect to the yoke 56 and the braking surface 66 presses the tire 38, whereby the tire 38
Can be suppressed from rotating. The wire 69 of the cable 64 for remotely operating the brake shoe 65 is provided at the end of the brake shoe 65 opposite to the braking surface 66.
Are connected. A return spring 67, which is a compression coil spring that urges the braking surface 66 in a direction away from the tire 38, is sandwiched between the mounting portion 63 and the brake shoe 65. Therefore, when the wire 69 is not tensioned, the brake shoe 65 is maintained by the return spring 67 so as not to be braked. Then, by applying tension to the wire 69, the brake shoe 65 presses the tire 38 with a pressing force corresponding to the tension to apply the brake.

On the other hand, in this walking assist vehicle 1, FIGS.
As shown in, a handle support frame 91 extending upward is attached to the first frame 3. The handle support frame 91 is provided with a backrest belt 8 projecting forward and a handle 7 projecting rearward. As a result, the open end of the handle 7 can be formed in a shape that faces rearward, so that the body can be inserted between the handles 7. In addition, the handle 7 has a structure shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1, a grip 105 having a so-called ergonomic design that fits the shape of a human hand is fitted. For this reason, the user can get a feeling of close contact with the hand by gripping the grip 105 of the handle 7, and can obtain comfortable operability.

Since the backrest belt 8 is provided,
When the user sits down on the seat 10, he can lean his back. Therefore, it is possible to rest more effectively. Further, the central portion of the backrest belt 8 is wider than the other portions. With this, when the seated person leans, the back can be supported in a large area,
The sitting comfort can be improved.

Here, as shown in FIG. 1, a handle cover 70 for covering the pipe is provided on the upper portion of the handle support frame 91.
Is attached. And this handle cover 7
A backrest belt 8 and a brake operating device 9 are attached to the 0. Backrest belt 8 and handle cover 70
And are connected by a connecting member 71.

As shown in FIG. 12, the connecting member 71 is provided with a mounting groove 72 in which the backrest belt 8 is mounted, and an insertion portion 73 which is inserted into and supported by the handle cover 70. Then, with the end portion of the backrest belt 8 accommodated in the mounting groove 72, the backrest belt 8 is sandwiched by the lid member 74, and the connecting member 71, the backrest belt 8 and the lid member 74 are penetrated by bolts or the like. Screw it in. As a result, the backrest belt 8 and the connecting member 71 are connected. A plurality of through holes 75 of the backrest belt 8 are formed. Therefore, since the length of the backrest belt 8 can be changed by changing the through hole 75 to be screwed, the sitting comfort can be optimized according to the body shape of the user.

Further, protrusions 76 are formed on the upper and lower surfaces of the inner wall of the mounting groove 72. Further, recesses 77 are formed on both edges of the end of the backrest belt 8. These mounting grooves 7
The second protrusion 76 and the recess 77 of the backrest belt 8 are engaged with each other to prevent the backrest belt 8 from coming off.
Therefore, it is possible to reduce the load applied to the through hole 75 of the backrest belt 8. Then, the connecting member 71 and the backrest belt 8 are fixed by bolts or the like and the unevenness 76,
It is firmly connected by the engagement of 77.

A plurality of through holes 78 are formed in the insertion portion 73 of the connecting member 71. And any through hole 7
8 is aligned with the through hole formed in the handle cover 70, and a bolt or the like is passed through and fixed. Thereby, the connecting member 71 and the handle cover 70 can be connected. Moreover, since the length of the backrest belt 8 can be changed by changing the through hole 78 of the insertion portion 73 to be screwed, it is possible to adjust the length according to the body shape of the user.

The brake operating device 9 provided below the handle 7 is provided with an operating lever 79 rotatably attached to the handle 7 and operable in the vertical direction, as shown in FIGS. 13 to 15. The operation lever 79 is operated to pull the wire 69 for brake operation. The brake operating device 9 includes a cam member 80 that is rotatably supported with respect to the handle 7 and to which the wire 69 is fixed, and a lock mechanism 85 that locks a state in which the operating lever 79 is rotated in the downward direction D. Have

The operating lever 79 has a first pressing portion 81 and a second pressing portion 82. The first pressing portion 81 rotates the cam member 80 in the direction of pulling the wire 69 when the operation lever 79 is operated in the upward direction U. Second
The pressing portion 82 rotates the cam member 80 in the direction of pulling the wire 69 when the operation lever 79 is operated in the downward direction D. Further, the cam member 80 includes a first receiving portion 83 that is pressed by the first pressing portion 81 of the operation lever 79 and a second receiving portion 84 that is pressed by the second pressing portion 82 of the operation lever 79. Is equipped with. In this embodiment, the operation lever 79 is rotatably supported by the lever support shaft 111 with respect to the handle cover 70 fixed to the frame 91 of the handle 7. Therefore, since the center of rotation of the operating lever 79 is always constant regardless of the operating directions U and D,
A stable operation feeling can be obtained.

Further, the wire 69 is connected to the brake shoe 65 of the rear caster 4. Therefore, when the wire 69 is pulled up by operating the operation lever 79, the brake shoe 65 can be operated and the brake can be applied.

Further, as shown in FIG. 14, the operating lever 7
9 from the neutral position M (indicated by a chain double-dashed line in the figure) to the upward direction U
When gradually pulled up (shown by a solid line) to the first pressing portion 8
1 presses the first receiving portion 83 to rotate the cam member 80 and gradually pull up the wire 69. Then, when the external force to the operation lever 79 is removed, the wire 69 is pulled down by the return spring 67 of the rear caster 4 and the operation lever 7 is released.
9 is returned to the neutral position M.

Further, as shown in FIG. 15, the operating lever 7
9 downward from the neutral position M (indicated by a chain double-dashed line in the figure)
When pushed down to the push-down position N (shown by the solid line), the second pushing portion 82 pushes the second receiving portion 84 to rotate the cam member 80 and pull up the wire 69. At this time, the lock mechanism 85 operates to operate the operation lever 7
9 is fixed at the depressed position N.

The lock mechanism 85 is provided with a lock protrusion 86 formed on the operating lever 79, a lock pin 87 which the lock protrusion 86 abuts and rides over, and a collar 88 which is rotatably fitted around the lock pin 87. The lock pin 87 and the collar 88 are attached to the handle cover 70, and the operation lever 79 moves the neutral position M and the depressed position N.
When moving between and, the lock protrusion 86 hits and gets over.

The magnitude of the force required for the lock projection 86 to get over the collar 88 is larger than the spring force of the return spring 67 of the rear caster 4. For this reason,
A click feeling can be obtained when the operating lever 79 is changed between the neutral position M and the push-down position N, and the push-down position N can be locked against the return spring 67. This allows you to keep the brakes on,
It can function as a parking brake for the walking assistance vehicle 1. Further, since the rotatable collar 88 is attached to the lock pin 87, friction between the lock protrusion 86 and the lock pin 87 can be reduced.

Therefore, by changing the operation direction of the operation lever 79 up and down, it is possible to switch between the operation of gradually applying the brake and the operation of locking the brake while it is applied. Obtainable.

The operating lever 79 has an annular operating portion 89.
have. For this reason, the user walks with the handle 7 in a state where, for example, four fingers from the index finger to the little finger are put in the operation unit 89. Then, when the brake is applied, the handle 7 and the operation portion 89 are grasped and the operation lever 79 is pulled up. Further, when the parking brake is applied, for example, the thumb is removed from the handle 7 and the operating lever 79 is pushed down and locked by the four fingers. For this reason, it is not necessary to re-grip the handle 7 each time the operating lever 79 is pulled up and pushed down, and good operability can be obtained.

On the other hand, the elevating part 15 provided on the upper part of the first frame 3 and supporting the handle 7 so as to be able to elevate and lower is shown in FIG.
16, the outer pipe 90 attached to the vertical pipe portion 12 of the first frame 3 and the outer pipe 9 are attached.
A pipe-shaped handle support frame (hereinafter referred to as an inner pipe) 91 slidably fitted to 0, and an operating screw 92 capable of fixing the outer pipe 90 and the inner pipe 91.
It has and. The outer pipe 90 is integrated with the vertical pipe portion 12 of the first frame 3 by welding or the like. The operation screw 92 penetrates the outer pipe 90 and the inner pipe 91 and is screwed to the outer pipe 90, and the tip of the operation screw 92 pushes the inner peripheral surface of the inner pipe 91 outward. The handle 7 is formed on the upper end of the inner pipe 91. Further, the inner pipe 91 has a stop hole 93 through which the operation screw 92 is passed.
Are formed in several places.

Then, the operating screw 92 is loosened and the inner pipe 9
The inner pipe 91 can be moved up and down by removing the inner pipe 91. Further, the operation screw 92 is attached to the stopper hole 9 of the inner pipe 91.
3 so that the inner peripheral surface of the inner pipe 91 is pressed against the outer pipe 90.
The position of 1 can be fixed. According to the elevating part 15, since the tip of the operating screw 92 contacts the inner surface of the inner pipe 91, even if the contact portion between the operating screw 92 and the inner pipe 91 is damaged, it is not exposed to the outside and does not look bad. You can Further, even if the operation screw 92 is loosened due to vibration during walking, the inner pipe 91 does not fall, so that high safety can be obtained. Moreover, since the plurality of stop holes 93 are formed in the inner pipe 91, the height of the handle 7 can be changed stepwise, and the height can be adjusted to an appropriate height according to the height of the user. . Moreover, since the height is gradual, it can be discriminated at a glance if the right handle and the left handle are set to different heights and used, and such use can be prevented.

Further, the walking assist vehicle 1 has a bag body 94 which can be attached to and detached from the first frame 3, as shown in FIG. Therefore, the user can carry the luggage in the bag 94. Moreover, since the bag body 94 is removable, the user can
When separated from the bag, the bag body 94 can be detached and carried, and safety and usability against theft and the like can be improved.

The bag body 94 has mounting belts 95 made of so-called magic tape (a surface fastener) on the top and bottom. Each attachment belt 95 has two
Each of the horizontal pipe portions 13 and 14 of the book is wound and fixed. In the present embodiment, the attachment belts 95 are attached to the left and right at the upper and lower sides, and are fixed to each of the lateral pipe portions 13 and 14 at two locations, respectively, for a total of four locations. Further, a velcro tape is also used for opening and closing the lid of the bag body 94. Furthermore, a handle 96 is provided on the upper portion of the bag body 94.
Is attached. Therefore, when the bag body 94 is detached from the walking assistance vehicle 1, the user can easily carry the grip 96 by gripping it.

When using the above-mentioned walking assistance vehicle 1,
The height of the handle 7 and the length of the backrest belt 8 are set in advance to suitable amounts. Then, as shown in FIG. 1, each frame 3, 5 is opened. At this time, the open leg fixing means 24 can maintain the open state of the frames 3 and 5. At this time, if the seat 10 is raised to the retracted position T and this state is fixed by the lock claw portion 33 of the holding member 32, both feet of the user can enter the front side of the rear caster 4, so that the walking vehicle can be used. Can also be used. The user can hold the handle 7 and enter the inside of the second frame 5 to walk between the rear casters 4 and the front side thereof.

At this time, the lock member 5 of the front caster 2
Remove 1 and make it turnable. Thereby, the walking direction can be easily changed. Also, when walking on an inclined surface or the like, the lock member 51 is operated to fix the front caster 2 in the same direction as the rear caster 4. As a result, it is possible to prevent the front caster 2 from turning and falling down the inclined surface even on the inclined surface, and it is possible to ensure straightness.

By operating the brake operating device 9 during walking, it is possible to apply a braking force according to the gripped force or to operate the parking brake. Therefore, for example, the parking brake can be applied in front of the target store, the walking assist vehicle 1 can be placed, and the bag 94 can be removed to enter the store. Further, when the user rests, the seat 10 is returned to the horizontal use position S. This allows the user to sit down.

When the walking assist vehicle 1 is stored, the front caster 2 is fixed forward. Then, the spread leg fixing means 24
Remove and fold each frame 3, 5. In this folded state, the closed leg fixing means 11 is operated and locked. As a result, the walking assist vehicle 1 can be made independent while being folded.

The above-described embodiment is an example of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to this, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. For example, in the present embodiment, the engaging mechanism 18 of the closed leg fixing means 11 is attached to the first frame 3 and the arm 19 is attached to the second frame 5, but the engaging mechanism 18 is not limited to this. Is the second frame 5
And the arm 19 is attached to the first frame 3
It may be attached to the. In this case as well, the engagement between the engagement mechanism 18 and the arm 19 allows the frames 3 and 5 to be maintained in the closed state.

Further, in this embodiment, the closed leg fixing means 11
Is provided with the engagement mechanism 18 and the arm 19, but the invention is not limited to this and is fixed to the upper part of one vertical pipe portion 16 of the second frame 5 as shown in FIG. You may make it have the nail | claw part 97 which can be engaged with the lock pipe part 13 of the 1st frame 3 when 3 and 5 are closed. In this case, when the frames 3 and 5 are closed, the claw portions 97 of the closed leg fixing means 11 fixed to the second frame 5 are engaged with the lock pipe portions 13 of the first frame 3 so that the respective frames are closed. The folded state of 3 and 5 can be maintained.

Further, in the present embodiment, the detachable bag body 94 is provided, but the invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 19, a cage 98 made of a wire material may be detachably attached. good. In this case, the user can carry luggage by putting it in the basket 98,
The basket 98 can be removed and carried around. The cage 98 here is, for example, each of the horizontal pipe portions 1 of the first frame.
Attach it to 3, 14 so that it can be detached. Further, in each of the above-described embodiments, the bag body 94 and the car 98 are detachable, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the bag body 94 and the car 98 may be fixed while being attached to the walking auxiliary vehicle 1. In this case also, the bag 94 and the basket 98 can be loaded with luggage and carried together with the walking assistance vehicle 1.

Further, the backrest belt 8 in this embodiment.
Is provided so that the length can be changed by using the connecting member 71, but the present invention is not particularly limited to this, and the backrest belt 8, the connecting member 71, and the handle cover 70 are integrally formed so that the lengths thereof cannot be adjusted. It may be assembled. In this case, the shape of the parts can be simplified.

In this embodiment, the closed leg fixing means 1
1 and the reverse fixing means 34 are used together to fold the walking assistance vehicle 1 to make it self-supporting, but the invention is not limited to this, and when the walking assistance vehicle 1 is folded, the center of gravity is between the front and rear casters 2, 4. If it enters, it can be made independent by using only the closed leg fixing means 11.

Further, in this embodiment, the front caster 2
The rear casters 4 are formed by using members other than the wheels 37 and the tires 38 as dedicated products having different shapes, but the present invention is not limited to this, and as shown in FIGS. 20 and 21, the front casters 2 and the rear casters 4 are formed. Is provided with the caster body 35 and the connecting portion 36, and the entire caster body 35 and the connecting portion 3 are provided.
A part of 6 may be shared. As a result, the number of necessary parts can be reduced, and the cost of parts can be reduced.

In this case, the caster body 35 has wheels 37
Also, the tire 38 and the yoke 39 that rotatably supports the wheels 37 are provided. Since the caster body 35 is connected to the frames 3 and 5 via the connecting portion 36, the caster body 35 can be shared by the front and rear casters 2 and 4. Further, as shown in FIG. 22, a fitting hole 43 for attaching the connecting portion 36 is formed in the upper portion of the yoke 39.
The fitting hole 43 has a shape in which a square concentric with a circular hole is overlapped so that only its corner 43a is larger than the circular hole 43b.

As shown in FIG. 20, the connecting portion 36 of the front caster 2 has the base cap 40 fitted and fixed to the lower end of the first frame 3 and the caster body 35 with respect to the first frame 3. It is provided with a bearing 41 and a turn bolt 42 that allow it to turn. The base cap 40 can also be shared by the connecting portion 36 of the rear caster 4. The other members of the front caster 2 have the same configurations as those of the above-described embodiment shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 21, the connecting portion 36 of the rear caster 4 has the base cap 40 fitted and fixed to the lower end of the second frame 5 and the caster main body 35 on the second frame 5. It is provided with a collar 99 and a lock bolt 57 which are fixed so as not to turn relative to each other. Color 99
As shown in FIG. 23, has a corner portion 99 a and a circular portion 99 b having the same shape and size as the fitting hole 43, and is fitted into the fitting hole 43. Therefore, the collar 99 and the corner portions 99a, 43a of the fitting hole 43 are caught by each other, so that the collar 99 is non-rotatably fixed to the yoke 39. A fixing hole 100 formed of a through hole having a square cross section is formed in the center of the collar 99. This fixing hole 1
Since the rotation lock portion 59 of the lock bolt 57 is fitted to 00, the collar 99 and the lock bolt 57 cannot rotate with respect to each other.

The lock bolt 57 is fixed to the second frame 5 with a set screw 61, and the base cap 40
It penetrates through the collar 99 and the yoke 39 and is screwed by a nut 62. Since the collar 99 is fixed so as not to rotate with respect to either the yoke 39 or the lock bolt 57, the caster main body 35 is fixed so as not to rotate with respect to the second frame 5.

Further, the mounting portion 50 of the base cap 40
The outer tube 68 of the cable 64 is screwed to the.
A brake shoe 65 is rotatably attached to the yoke 39 of the caster body 35. The other members of the rear caster 4 have the same configurations as those of the above-described embodiment shown in FIG.

On the other hand, in each of the above-described embodiments, the case where the front caster 2 and the rear caster 4 are both single wheels has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this and may be a two-wheel structure. In this case, straight walking stability can be further obtained.

Further, in each of the above-described embodiments, the user is seated on the walking assist vehicle 1 from the rear side to the rear side, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the vehicle is a so-called silver car seated on the front side from the front side. It may be configured. For example, as shown in FIG. 24, the back support rod 101 is integrated with the upper portion of the vertical pipe portion 16 of the second frame 5 by welding or the like. This back support rod 101 has a backrest 102 at the top.
And the seat 10 is rotatably attached to the central portion. In this walking assistance vehicle 1, unlike the walking assistance vehicle 1 shown in FIG. 1 or the like, the backrest belt 8 is not adopted, and the user is allowed to move between the left and right lifting portions 15 of the first frame 3 from the front side. I put it in. Accordingly, the user can sit forward on the walking assist vehicle 1 from the front side and lean on the backrest 102. Here, a cushion is included inside the backrest 102 and the seat 10. Therefore, the sitting comfort can be improved.

Further, in such a forward seating case, the support structure of the seat 10 may be the same as that of the embodiment shown in FIGS. In this case, if the backrest 102 can be bent forward with respect to the seat 10, the backrest 10
The seat 10 can be lifted at the same time when the seat 2 is bent forward.

Further, in this embodiment, the bag body 94 is provided below the seat 10, and the seat 10 also serves as the lid of the bag body 94. Therefore, the lid of the bag body 94 is closed by horizontally positioning the seat 10. Further, as shown by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. 24, by rotating the seat 10 upward, the bag 94 is opened and the luggage can be taken in and out.

Further, in this embodiment, since the walking auxiliary vehicle 1 does not sit from the rear, the left and right handles 7, 7 are connected by the connecting portion 103. Further, the operating portions 89, 89 of the left and right brake operating devices 9, 9 are also connected by the connecting portion 104. Therefore, the user can grip the connecting portion 103 of the handle 7 with a width that is easy to hold without opening both hands to the left and right, and thus a good feeling of use can be obtained. Moreover, since the connecting portion 104 of the operating portion 89 exists below the connecting portion 103 of the handle 7, the brake operation can be easily performed.

In each of the above-described embodiments, the operating screw 92 penetrates the inner pipe 91 in the elevating part 15 of the first frame 3, but the invention is not limited to this. The outer surface may be pressed without penetrating. In this case, it is preferable to form a rotation preventing groove that is warped in the longitudinal direction so that the inner pipe 91 does not rotate with respect to the outer pipe 90. The elevating part 15 allows the height of the inner pipe 91 to be adjusted steplessly. Further, when the height adjustment is unnecessary, the handle support frame 91 can be provided integrally with the first frame 3 or the second frame 5.

Further, as shown in FIG. 25, the walking assist vehicle of the present invention can be configured as a walking training device. In this case, the handle 7 and the handle support frame 9
Instead of 1, the frame 109 having the elbow rest 108 is fitted into and supported by the outer pipe 90 of the elevating part 15. The height of the elbow rest 108 can be adjusted by loosening the operating screw 92 of the elevating unit 15 and moving the frame 109 in and out.

The rear caster 4 of this walking trainer is provided with a load mechanism 112 capable of constantly applying a load to the rotation of the wheels 37. For this reason, it is possible to prevent the walking trainer from moving with a light force.For example, when the walking trainer is used by a person with a disability, it is possible to prevent the walking trainer from moving forward and improve safety. it can. Further, by constantly applying a load, a walking person tries to move the walking training device, which leads to walking training. In addition,
In FIG. 25, the other members are the same as those of the above-described walking auxiliary vehicle 1, and therefore the same reference numerals are given and the description thereof is omitted.

As shown in FIG. 26, the load mechanism 112 has a brake shoe 65 which is swingable with respect to the yoke 56.
And a tension applying member 114 attached to the end of the brake shoe 65 on the opposite side of the braking surface 66.
The braking surface 66 of the brake shoe 65 is an uneven surface. Therefore, the friction with the tire 38 can be increased and the load can be effectively applied.

As shown in FIG. 27, the tension applying member 114 includes an operating portion 119, an adjusting screw portion 115, a wire portion 116 integrated with the adjusting screw portion 115, and a wire portion 11.
6 and an engaging ball portion 117 formed at the tip of
The adjusting screw portion 115 is screwed to the mounting portion 63 of the yoke 56 by a nut 118 so that the position can be adjusted. Further, the engaging ball portion 117 is locked to the brake shoe 65. Therefore, the tension applying member 114 can always apply the tension to the brake shoe 65, so that the load can always be applied to move the walking trainer.

Then, the operating portion 119 and the adjusting screw portion 1
The tension of the wire portion 116 can be adjusted by adjusting the position of the tension applying member 114 in the longitudinal direction by the operation of 15. As a result, the tension on the brake shoe 65 can be changed to adjust the pressing force of the braking surface 66 on the tire 38, that is, the magnitude of the load. Also,
By significantly loosening the tension applying member 114, the pressing force of the braking surface 66 on the tire 38 can be eliminated.

Further, in this embodiment, the biasing spring 113 is provided around the wire portion 116. The urging spring 113 is composed of, for example, a compression coil spring, and urges the braking surface 66 of the brake shoe 65 away from the tire 38. Therefore, when the tension applying member 114 is moved to the brake shoe 65 side and the wire portion 116 is loosened so that the brake shoe 65 does not apply a load to the tire 38, the braking surface 66 is kept away from the tire 38. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the brake shoe 65 from becoming free.

Further, the operating portion 119 is composed of a head portion of a bolt. For this reason, the operation unit 119 does not easily rotate, so that it is possible to prevent the user from putting his / her foot on the operation unit 119 and changing the magnitude of the load.

According to the load mechanism 112, the tension applying member 114 can constantly press the braking surface 66 of the brake shoe 65 against the tire 38, so that a load can be applied to the movement of the walking trainer. And the operation unit 1
Since the magnitude of the load can be adjusted by adjusting 19 and the nut 118, it is possible to obtain an optimal magnitude of load according to the walking ability of the user and the degree of training, for example.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 26, the operation unit 119 is used.
Is composed of the head of a bolt, but the invention is not limited to this, and may be, for example, an operating lever. In this case, the nut 118 is fixed to the mounting portion 63. Further, the free end of the operation lever is directed to the outside of the walking training device so that the user does not put his / her foot on the operation lever. According to such an operation unit, since the magnitude of the load can be easily adjusted, the operability can be improved.

[0104]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the walking assist vehicle according to the first aspect, since the frames can be fixed in the closed state by the leg fixing means, the walking assist vehicle is folded. It can be left as it is. For this reason, it becomes possible to stand by itself even in a small space when the walking assist vehicle is not used. In addition, according to claim 1.
According to the walking assist vehicle, the front and rear casters face each other.
When turning the casters to increase the ground contact distance of the wheels,
It is possible to prevent the body from leaning forward by lowering the wheel height of
Because it is possible, it is hard to fall down when you fold the walking assistance vehicle and it is safe.
It is possible to achieve a certain independence.

According to the walking auxiliary vehicle of the second aspect, all casters can be fixed in the front-rear direction, so that the straightness of the walking auxiliary vehicle can be secured even on a slope.

[0106]

Further, according to the walking auxiliary vehicle of the third aspect, since the frame is fixed in the open state by the leg fixing means, when the walking auxiliary vehicle moves, for example, when the front caster hits an obstacle. It is possible to prevent the walking assistance vehicle from being accidentally folded.

Further, according to the walking assist vehicle of the fourth aspect , when the seat is rotated upward and flipped up, the feet and legs come in front of the rear wheels, so that it can be used as a walking vehicle. it can. Furthermore, if you want to sit down due to fatigue while walking, you can simply sit on the seat by changing the direction of your body. Moreover, since the frame and the seat overlap each other when viewed from the side, the appearance can be improved.

[0109] Also, according to the walking assist vehicle according to claim 5, the release lever of the open leg fixing means so protrudes outward from the seat, thereby improving the operability at the time of release operation of the open leg fixing means be able to. Further, since the release lever can be rotationally moved to the position where it does not interfere with the seat, it is possible to prevent the release lever from interfering with the release lever even when the seat is raised.

On the other hand, according to the walking assist vehicle of the sixth aspect , the backrest belt can enhance the stability when the user sits down on the seat.

Further, according to the walking assist vehicle of the seventh aspect , it is possible to provide a silver car which is foldable and can stand by itself in the folded state.

Further, according to the walking assist vehicle of the eighth aspect , the user can carry the luggage in the bag. Moreover, since the bag body is detachable, the user can remove and carry the bag body containing valuables and the like when leaving the walking assistance vehicle, which is safe and easy to use.

[0113] Also, according to the walking assist vehicle according to claim 9, since the portion surrounding the hip of the seated person in the seat is to be a raised shape than the seating surface, buttocks of the seated person is wrapped from the periphery Since it is supported like that, it is possible to improve the sitting comfort.

Further, according to the walking assist vehicle of the tenth aspect , it can be used as a walking training device that is foldable and can stand on its own in the folded state.

According to the walking assist vehicle of the eleventh aspect , it is possible to prevent the walking training device from moving with a light force. Therefore, for example, when the walking training device is used by a person with a disability, only the walking training device is used. It is possible to prevent progress and improve safety. Further, since the load is constantly applied, the user has to push forward to move the walking training device, and walking training can be performed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a usage state of a walking assistance vehicle of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing a state in which the walking assistance vehicle is folded to be self-supporting.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing a usage state of a walking assistance vehicle.

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state cut along line IV-IV in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a side view showing a closed leg fixing means.

FIG. 6 is a side view showing an open leg fixing means.

FIG. 7 is a front view showing an open leg fixing means.

FIG. 8 is a side view showing a seat.

FIG. 9 is a side view showing a front caster.

FIG. 10 is a side view showing a rear caster.

11A and 11B are diagrams showing a right-hand grip of a handle, in which FIG. 11A is a plan view and FIG. 11B is a side view.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a connecting member of a backrest belt.

FIG. 13 is a side view showing when the operation lever of the brake operating device is in the neutral position.

FIG. 14 is a side view showing when the operation lever of the brake operation device is pulled up.

FIG. 15 is a side view showing when the operation lever of the brake operating device is in the depressed position.

FIG. 16 is a side view of the central vertical cross section showing the elevating part.

FIG. 17 is a side view showing a bag body.

FIG. 18 is a side view showing another embodiment of the closed leg fixing means.

FIG. 19 is a side view showing a car.

FIG. 20 is a side view showing another embodiment of the front caster.

FIG. 21 is a side view showing another embodiment of the rear caster.

FIG. 22 is a plan view showing another embodiment of the yoke.

FIG. 23 is a plan view showing a collar.

FIG. 24 is a side view showing another embodiment of the seat and the handle.

FIG. 25 is a side view showing an embodiment configured as a walking trainer.

FIG. 26 is a side view showing a rear caster when configured as a walking trainer.

FIG. 27 is a side view showing a tension applying member.

FIG. 28 is a side view showing a state in which a frame of a conventional walking assistance vehicle is opened.

FIG. 29 is a side view showing a state in which a frame of a conventional walking assistance vehicle is closed.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Walking assistance vehicle 2 Front caster 3 First frame 4 Rear caster 5 Second frame 6 Connecting shaft 7 Handle 8 Backrest belt 10 Seat 10a Seating surface 10b Part raised from the seating surface 11 Closure fixing means 24 Open leg fixing Means 25 Release lever 34 Reverse fixing means 51 Locking members 52, 107 constituting straight-moving fixing means and reverse fixing means Locking recess 91 constituting straight-moving fixing means and reverse fixing means 91 Handle support frame 94 Bag body 106 Straight-moving fixing means

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── --- Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-8-57005 (JP, A) JP-A-8-57004 (JP, A) JP-A-8-57006 (JP, A) JP-A-8- 84756 (JP, A) JP-A-11-147470 (JP, A) Actual opening 7-35242 (JP, U) Actual opening 63-109131 (JP, U) Actual opening 6-38973 (JP, U) 57-123137 (JP, U) Registered utility model 3047562 (JP, U) Registered utility model 3047022 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A61H 3/04 B62B 3/02

Claims (11)

(57) [Claims] 1. A leg formed by foldably connecting a first frame supported by a front caster and a second frame supported by a rear caster to each other by a connecting shaft, and one of the frames. In a walking assistance vehicle having a handle, the first frame and the second frame are rotated about the connecting shaft and folded to close the legs. And the front-side casters are connected to the front side of the caster turning axis.
Fixed in a state in which it is turned to a position where the wheel center is placed toward
A walking assistance vehicle characterized by being provided with possible reverse fixing means . 2. The front caster is capable of turning about a caster turning axis, and straight forward fixing means for fixing the turnable caster in the front-rear direction of the walking assistance vehicle. The walking assist vehicle according to claim 1. 3. An open leg fixing for connecting the first frame and the second frame to fix a mutual relationship when the first frame and the second frame are in an open leg state. The walking assist vehicle according to claim 1 or 2 , further comprising means. 4. The method of claim 1 or et 3, characterized in that it comprises a rotatable seat between the rotatably supported by the seating position and the retracted position beside the pipe portion of the frame as a front side when walking
The walking assistance vehicle according to any one of 1. 5. A lateral pie on a frame that is on the front side when walking.
It is rotatably supported by the push-up section between the sitting position and the retracted position.
A position at which a rotatable seat is provided and the opening leg fixing means is provided on the lower side of the seat, and the opening leg fixing means projects outward from the seat so that the opening leg fixing means can be released and operated. The walking assist vehicle according to claim 3, further comprising a release lever rotatable between a position where the seat and the seat do not interfere with each other when the seat is raised. 6. Also claim 4, characterized in that it comprises a backrest belt protruding forward than the handle
Is the walking assistance vehicle described in 5 . 7. according to any one of claims 1 or et 3, characterized in that it comprises a rotatably supported forward of the seat can be opened and closed rotation onto the horizontal pipe portion of the frame as a rear side when walking Walking assistance vehicle. 8. walking assist vehicle according to claim 1 or et 7, characterized in that it comprises a removable bag relative to the frame. 9. The seat surrounding the buttocks of the seated person is raised above the seating surface.
The walking assist vehicle according to any one of 4, 5, and 7 . 10. A walking assist vehicle according to claim 1, 4, and 5, wherein the armrest portion provided on the frame having a handle, characterized in that it also can be used as a walking training device. 11. The walking assist vehicle according to claim 10 , wherein the rear caster of the walking trainer is provided with a load mechanism capable of constantly applying a load to rotation of wheels.