JP7148458B2 - assistive device - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an assistance device for stably holding the upper body of a person being assisted.

When a person being assisted, such as a disabled person or an elderly person, is unable to maintain a sitting posture by themselves when sitting on a seated toilet (Western-style toilet), it is desirable to stabilize the upper body of the person being assisted. . For this reason, Patent Literature 1 and Patent Literature 2 disclose a seated toilet provided with an auxiliary tool for stabilizing the upper body.

The assisting device described in Patent Document 1 includes a pair of left and right guide tubes extending in the front-rear direction and positioned on the left and right sides of the person being assisted seated on the toilet bowl, and a curved grip bar connecting the front ends of the guide tubes. It is set. Patent document 1 also discloses providing a belt for restraining the lower back of the person being assisted who is seated on the toilet bowl and leaning his/her back on the backrest plate.

In Patent Document 2, a pair of left and right handrails (armrests) extending in the front-rear direction are provided on the left and right sides of the person being assisted seated on the toilet, and the handrails can be swung in the vertical direction. , which can selectively take a use position extending in the longitudinal direction and a retracted position extending in the vertical direction. Patent Document 2 also discloses providing a belt that restrains the upper body of a person being assisted who is seated on a toilet bowl and leaning his or her back against a backrest plate.

Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 6-33919 JP-A-2001-169968

All of the above-mentioned patent documents require the person to be assisted, that is, the arm and fingertips, to the extent that the person being assisted can grasp an assistive tool, etc., unless a belt that restrains the person being assisted is used. It is premised that the person being assisted is a person who can put effort into it. However, some care recipients cannot grasp the aids, etc. In this case, they cannot maintain a sitting posture by their own strength, so there are aids that can be grasped around them. However, the reality is that this aid cannot be used in practice.

Here, in Patent Document 2, a belt is used to fix the upper body of the care receiver to the backrest plate for the care receiver who cannot apply force to the arms or fingertips. However, restraining the upper body with a belt means that the person being assisted is tied up, and the person being assisted suffers a great deal of mental pain and raises ethical problems. .

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and its object is to enable the person to be assisted in a sitting posture to be securely and stably held in the upper half of the body without being restrained by a belt. To provide an assistive device that is

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention adopts the following solutions. i.e.
a base member disposed near a seat on which the person being assisted is seated;
A support portion that is vertically swingably connected to the base member via a swing connection mechanism, and receives the front portion of the upper body of the care recipient seated on the seat portion in a horizontally extending state. a bearing member having
a swing angle changing mechanism for adjusting a swing angle of the support member with respect to the base member;
and
The swing angle changing mechanism is
a locking member provided on the base member and having a plurality of locking portions along a trajectory centered on the pivot center of the support member;
an engaging member displaceably provided on the support member and capable of taking a locking position locked to the locking portion and a retracted position retracted from the locking position;
biasing means provided on the support member for biasing the engaging member toward the locking position;
an operation member provided on the support member for displacing the engagement member toward the retracted position against the biasing means;
and by changing the locking portion at which the engaging member is locked among the plurality of locking portions, the swinging angle of the support member is changed, and the height of the support portion is changed. to be
It is like this.

According to the above solution, the supporting member can reliably support the upper half of the body of the person being assisted who is seated on the seat portion and leans forward. Further, by changing the swinging angle by the swinging angle changing mechanism, the person being assisted can be supported at an appropriate forward tilt angle desired. Of course, since the belt is not used for restraint, the person being assisted does not suffer from mental pain, and there is no ethical problem. In particular, when using a seated toilet bowl, the person being assisted can lean forward to maintain a favorable posture for defecation, and a large space is formed behind the upper half of the body of the person being assisted. Therefore, it is preferable for the caregiver to easily clean up after wiping after using the toilet.

A preferred embodiment based on the above solution method is as follows.

The support member has a side frame portion positioned on the side of the person being assisted seated on the seat portion,
The support portion is configured by a front arm portion extending horizontally from the distal end portion of the side frame portion and positioned in front of the upper body of the care recipient seated on the seat portion.
can be made In this case, it is possible to prevent the upper body of the person being assisted in a seated posture from falling forward by the front arm portion, and to prevent the person being assisted from falling sideways by the side frame portion. can support the upper body of

A portion of the support member in the vicinity of the swing coupling mechanism is configured as a pipe portion having a tip opening,
The engaging member is disposed within the pipe portion and protrudes from the tip opening at least when the engaging position is set to the locking position.
can be made In this case, the pipe member can be used to easily hold the engaging member.

The rocking angle changing mechanism changes the locking portion at which the engaging member is locked without operating the operating member when an external force is applied to rock the support member in a forward upward direction. It is possible to do so. In this case, the support member is prevented from swinging forwardly downwards unless the operation member of the swinging angle changing mechanism is operated in the forward downwards direction, in which the user is likely to be in a cramped posture and feel a sense of restraint. can be reliably prevented. Further, the swinging motion of the support member in the forward upward direction is permitted without operating the operating member of the swinging angle changing mechanism. It is preferable to release the sense of restraint by allowing the member to be easily swung without manipulating it. In particular, even when it is difficult for the person to be assisted to maintain a forward slouching posture due to excessive forward leaning, it is preferable for the person being assisted to quickly return to the desired forward leaning angle.

The rocking angle changing mechanism rocks the support member in the forward upward direction and the forward downward direction only when the operating member is operated to release the locking of the engaging member by the locking portion. can be adapted to allow for rocking and In this case, the swinging of the support member in both the upward and downward directions is prohibited unless the operation member of the swing angle changing mechanism is operated, so that the swing angle of the support member can be adjusted to a desired angle. It is preferable to maintain it reliably.

The plurality of engaging portions may be formed by a plurality of recesses formed with a protrusion sandwiched therebetween. In this case, the locking portion can be easily configured by the concave portion and the convex portion.

Each of the plurality of protrusions has a predetermined one side surface in the arrangement direction of the plurality of recesses formed as an inclined surface, and when an external force is applied to swing the support member in a forward upward direction, the engaging member is engaged. It is possible for the member to be able to climb over the convex portion along the inclined surface. In this case, the support member is prevented from swinging forwardly downwards unless the operation member of the swinging angle changing mechanism is operated in the forward downwards direction, in which the user is likely to be in a cramped posture and feel a sense of restraint. can be reliably prevented. Further, the swinging motion of the support member in the forward upward direction is permitted without operating the operating member of the swinging angle changing mechanism. It is preferable to release the sense of restraint by allowing the member to be easily swung without manipulating it. In particular, even when it is difficult for the person to be assisted to maintain a forward slouching posture due to excessive forward leaning, it is preferable for the person being assisted to quickly return to the desired forward leaning angle.

The plurality of locking portions may be configured as a plurality of locking holes into which tip portions of the engaging members are inserted. In this case, the locking portion can be easily configured in the form of a locking hole.

A state in which a predetermined one side surface in the arrangement direction of the plurality of locking holes is formed as an inclined surface at the distal end portion of the engaging member, and the distal end portion of the engaging member is inserted into the locking hole. When an external force is applied to swing the support member in a forward upward direction, the engaging member can be pulled out of the locking hole while the inclined surface follows the inner peripheral edge of the locking hole. you have, you can do it.
In this case, the support member is prevented from swinging forwardly downwards unless the operation member of the swinging angle changing mechanism is operated in the forward downwards direction, in which the user is likely to be in a cramped posture and feel a sense of restraint. can be reliably prevented. Further, the swinging motion of the support member in the forward upward direction is permitted without operating the operating member of the swinging angle changing mechanism. It is preferable to release the sense of restraint by allowing the member to be easily swung without manipulating it. In particular, even when it is difficult for the person to be assisted to maintain a forward slouching posture due to excessive forward leaning, it is preferable for the person to be assisted to quickly return to the desired forward leaning angle.

A pair of left and right support members are provided on both sides of the person being assisted,
The pair of left and right support members are connected to each other by a connection member positioned behind the person being assisted, and are configured to swing integrally with each other.
can be made In this case, by connecting the pair of left and right support members with the connecting member, the rigidity as a whole can be sufficiently increased, which is preferable for stably holding the upper body of the care recipient. In addition, the connecting member can prevent the person being assisted from falling backward. Further, only by swinging one of the left and right support members, the other support member can be oscillated in conjunction with the other. Note that the swing angle changing mechanism can be provided only for one of the left and right support members, and in this case, the operation of changing the swing angle is facilitated. Also, the swing angle changing mechanism can be provided for both the left and right support members, and in this case, it is preferable to firmly maintain the desired swing angle.

A cushion member that can swing vertically may be attached to the support portion of the support member. In this case, the cushion member can flexibly support the upper body of the person being assisted in a sitting position, which is preferable for supporting the person being assisted without inflicting pain or the like. In addition, the cushion member supporting the upper body of the care receiver is appropriately swung according to changes in the swinging angle of the support member, differences in the physique of the care receiver, etc., so that the cushion member is always in a favorable posture. It is possible to support the person being assisted.

According to the present invention, the upper body of a person being assisted in a sitting posture can be reliably and stably supported without being restrained by a belt. In addition, the swing angle changing mechanism allows the patient to support the upper half of the body at a desired forward slouching angle.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention and is a front view when installed in a seated toilet. FIG. 2 is a right side view of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a side view showing a state in which the side frame portion is tilted forward from the state shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a side view of a main portion showing a swing angle changing mechanism portion; FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of a main portion showing a swing angle changing mechanism portion; FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view of a main part showing details around an engaging member; FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to line X7-X7 of FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing details of a cushion member provided on the support member; FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 8, showing that the cushion member of FIG. 8 can swing within a predetermined angular range; The figure which looked at the cushion member shown in FIG. 8 from the side used as the attachment surface to a support member. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the lock mechanism locks the front arm from swinging toward the use position when the front arm is in the vertically extending retracted position; FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 11, showing a state in which the front arm is at the use position; The perspective view which shows the principal part relevant to a lock mechanism among front arm parts. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a main part showing a lock mechanism that locks the front arm; The side view corresponding to FIG. 5 which shows the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. The side view corresponding to FIG. 5 which shows the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. The perspective view which shows the 4th Embodiment of this invention. The perspective view which shows the 5th Embodiment of this invention.

1 to 3 show an example of an assistance device K according to the invention. 1 to 3 show a state in which the assistance device K is arranged with respect to the seated toilet bowl 1. FIG.

The assistance device K is roughly divided into a base member 10 , a pair of left and right side frame portions 20 , a pair of left and right front arm portions 30 , a rear frame portion 40 , and a swing coupling mechanism 50 . A support member is configured by the side frame portion 20 and the front arm portion 30 .

The base member 10 includes a pair of left and right vertical rod-shaped members 11 extending in the vertical direction, a horizontal rod-shaped member 12 extending in the horizontal direction and connecting upper ends of the pair of left and right vertical rod-shaped members to each other, and a lower end of the vertical rod-shaped members 11 connected to each other. , and the mounting plate portion 13 is formed into a gate shape as a whole. A rear portion of the seated toilet bowl 1 is arranged in a space below the horizontal bar member 12 between the pair of left and right vertical bar members 11 . The base member 10 is of a floor type that is not affected by the structure of the seated toilet bowl 1 (flush valve and low tank). The base member 10 (the mounting plate portion 13 thereof) may be arranged in the vicinity of the seated toilet bowl 1, and may be fixed to the seated toilet bowl 1 or fixed to the floor surface. can.

A pair of left and right side frame portions 20 are provided and formed by bending a pipe material. The pipe material described below is composed of, for example, a metal core material such as SUS and a synthetic resin covering material, but is not limited to this. Each side frame portion 20 is roughly divided into an upper frame portion 21 extending in the front-rear direction and a lower frame portion 22 once extending downward from the front end of the upper frame portion 21 and then extending rearward. A rear end portion of the lower frame portion 22 is attached to the vertical rod-like member 11 via a swing coupling mechanism 50 so as to be swingable, as will be described later.

Rear end portions of the upper frame portion 21 of the pair of left and right side frame portions 20 are connected to each other by a rear frame portion 40 extending in the left-right direction in a horizontal state. In the embodiment, the side frame portion 20 and the rear frame portion 40 are integrally formed of the same pipe material. By connecting the pair of left and right side frame portions 20 by the rear frame portion 40, the rigidity as a whole is improved. The side frame portion 20 is also swung.

The swing coupling mechanism 50 and the associated swing angle changing mechanism 60 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5 as well. First, the rocking coupling mechanism 50 has a coupling bracket 51 fixed to the vertical rod-shaped member 11 of the base portion 10 . The side frame portion 20 (the rear end portion of the lower frame portion 22 thereof) is connected to the connection bracket 51 by a connection portion 52 so as to be vertically swingable. Note that the connecting portion 52 can be configured by an appropriate method such as, for example, a threaded connecting pin and a nut screwed thereon.

A plate-like upper stopper portion 53 and a pin-like lower stopper portion 54 are formed in the connecting bracket 51 to constitute the end of the swing stroke of the side frame portion 20 . Each of the stopper portions 53 and 54 is set to form an angle of approximately 45 degrees with the connecting portion 52 as the center. The side frame portion 20 can be swung about the connecting portion 52 to change the forward-downward angle (forward tilt angle). However, since the rear end portion of the lower frame portion 22 abuts on the upper and lower stopper portions 53 and 54, the rocking movement beyond the stopper portions 53 and 54 is restricted. When the lower frame portion 22 is in contact with the lower stopper portion 54, the upper frame portion 21 is in a basic posture state in which the upper frame portion 21 is horizontally extended in the front-rear direction.

A swing angle changing mechanism 60 for changing the swing angle of the side frame portions 20 is provided only for one side frame portion 20 . The swing angle changing mechanism 60 has a locking member 61 integrated with the connecting bracket 51, as shown in FIGS. The locking member 61 is made of, for example, metal such as SUS or synthetic resin, and is fixed to the connection bracket 51 by a fixture 62 .

The locking member 61 has an arcuate surface centered on the connecting portion 52, and a plurality of locking recesses 63 are formed along the circumferential direction of the arcuate surface at equal angular increments. there is A locking projection 64 is positioned between adjacent locking recesses 63 .

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 , an engaging member 65 is slidably held inside the rear end portion of the lower frame portion 22 of the side frame portion 20 . The engaging member 65 has a plate-like shape, and includes a main body portion 65a that slides against the inner surface of the lower frame portion 22, and a main body portion 65a that extends rearward (backward of the lower frame portion 22) from the main body portion 65a. and an extended portion 65b. An elongated guide hole 65c extending in the sliding direction of the engaging member 65 is formed in the extension portion 65b. An engagement protrusion 65d extending toward the locking member 61 is formed from the main body 65a. As the engaging member 65 slides, the engaging protrusion 65 d can be fitted (locked) or disengaged (unlocked) from the locking recess 63 .

A guide pin 66 is fixed to the lower frame portion 22 so as to pass through the guide hole 65c. The engaging member 65 is displaceable within the range in which the guide pin 66 slides within the guide hole 65c. FIGS. 6 and 7 show a state in which the engaging member 65 protrudes most from the lower frame portion 22 at the locking position. The guide pin 66 penetrates the guide hole 65c without rattling, thereby preventing the plate-shaped engaging member 65 from rotating in the circumferential direction of the lower frame portion 22. As shown in FIG.

A return spring 67 made of a coil spring is arranged in the lower frame portion 22 as an urging means. The return spring 67 is positioned between the guide pin 66 and the body portion 65a, and is arranged so as to surround the extension portion 65b. The return spring 67 constantly urges the engaging member 65 in the direction of protruding from the lower frame portion 22 (the direction of fitting into the engaging recess 64).

An operating member 68 is held vertically slidably at a vertically extending portion of the lower frame portion 22 . The operating member 68 has a tubular portion 68a slidably fitted to a vertically extending portion of the side frame portion 20, and an operating portion 68b integrated with the tubular portion 68a. A guide pin 69 integrated with the cylindrical portion 68a is slidably fitted in a guide hole 70 formed in the side frame portion 20 and extending short in the vertical direction.

The guide pin 69 and the extended portion 65b of the engaging member 65 are connected by a connecting wire 71 disposed inside the lower frame portion 22. As shown in FIG. As a result, by gripping the operating portion 68b of the operating member 68 and sliding it upward, the engaging member 65 is displaced in the unlocking direction in which the engaging member 65 is pulled into the lower frame portion 22 against the return spring 67. .

Among the plurality of engaging protrusions 64, the upper side surface is formed as an inclined surface 64a gradually downward toward the tip. On the other hand, the lower side surface of the engaging projection 64 has a substantially right-angled shape (no inclined surface is formed).

4 and 5, and the engaging projection 65d of the engaging member 65 is fitted and locked in the locking recess 63. assume. In this state, even if a large external force is applied to swing the side frame portions 20 forward and downward (counterclockwise in FIGS. 4 and 5), the engagement projections 64 prevent the swing. strongly regulated.

On the other hand, when an appropriate external force is applied to swing the side frame portions 20 in the forward upward direction (clockwise direction in FIGS. 4 and 5), the engaging protrusions 65d of the engaging members 65 are engaged. It is possible to get over the locking convex portion 64 while following the inclined surface 64 a of the locking convex portion 64 . As described above, in the present embodiment, the swinging motion of the side frame portion 20 in the downward forward direction is strictly restricted, while the swinging motion in the forward upward direction is permitted.

Next, the relationship between the side frame portion 20 and the front arm portion 30 will be described. First, the front arm portion 30 is formed into a substantially L shape by bending a pipe material. That is, the front arm portion 30 has a main body portion 31 along the upper frame portion 21 of the side frame portion 20 and a support arm portion 32 extending from the main body portion 31 by bending approximately 90 degrees. Such front arm portions 30 are provided for the left and right side frame portions 20, respectively.

A body portion 31 is attached to the upper frame portion 21 so as to be able to swing. As a result, the front arm portion 30 can be positioned at a use position (a position indicated by a solid line in FIGS. 1 and 2) in which the support arm portion 32 extends in the horizontal direction, and a retracted position (FIGS. 1 and 2) in which the distal end faces upward. ) can be selectively taken. The swinging of the front arm portion 30 can be locked at the retracted position by a locking mechanism 90, which will be described later.

The distance between the pair of left and right vertical bar members 11 in the base member 10 is set considerably larger than the width of the seated toilet bowl 1 from the viewpoint of versatility. For this reason, the pair of left and right side frame portions 20 are slightly inclined so that the width thereof gradually narrows upward in the front view shown in FIG. A gap adjusting member 14 is attached to the pair of left and right vertical rod-shaped members 11 to fill the gap between the seated toilet bowl 1 and the seated toilet bowl 1 .

Here, a cushion member 80 is attached to the pair of left and right support arm portions 32 (see FIGS. 1 to 3). The mounting structure of this cushion member 80 will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 to 10. FIG.

First, the cushion member 80 includes a substrate 81 made of, for example, an aluminum alloy or synthetic resin, and an elastic member (an elastic member such as rubber or urethane) 82 integrated with the substrate 81 so as to cover one side of the substrate 81 . and have The substrate 81 has a curved portion 81a curved in an arc shape and a pair of flange portions 81b extending from each end of the curved portion 81a. Note that the substrate 81 can be formed by, for example, injection molding a synthetic resin.

The curved portion 81 a is curved over 180 degrees, and its opening width is smaller than the outer diameter of the support arm portion 32 . The cushion member 80 is attached to the support arm portion 32 by fitting the curved portion 81a to the support arm portion 32 in a state in which the curved portion 81a is elastically deformed to widen the opening width. The elastic member 82 of the cushion member 80 is arranged so as to face the person being assisted P seated on the seated toilet bowl 1 .

The base plate 81 can swing by a predetermined angle with respect to the support arm portion 32 . That is, a guide pin 83 made of a bolt is fixed to the support arm portion 32 , and a portion of the guide pin 83 protrudes from the outer surface of the support arm portion 32 . On the other hand, a guide hole 81c extending in the circumferential direction is formed in the inner surface of the curved portion 81a of the substrate 81. As shown in FIG. The guide pin 83 protrudes into the guide hole 81c. The cushion member 80 can swing with respect to the support arm portion 32 within a range in which the guide pin 83 can move within the guide hole 81c. In FIG. 9, the cushion member 80 at the end of the swing stroke is indicated by a chain double-dashed line. Since the guide pin 83 protrudes into the guide hole 81c, the displacement of the cushion member 80 in the axial direction of the support arm portion 32 is restricted.

The cushion member 80 (the elastic member 82 thereof) attached to the support arm portion 32 softly supports the upper body of the person being assisted, thereby preventing the person being assisted from suffering pain or the like. The cushion member 80 attached to the support arm portion 32 is appropriately swung according to a change in the swinging angle of the side frame portion 20, a difference in the physique of the person being assisted, etc., and the elastic member 82 is always kept in a posture suitable for the support. can be

A cushion member 80 is attached to the rear frame portion 40 in the same manner as shown in FIGS. The cushion member 80 attached to the rear frame portion 40 is vertically swingable. When the care receiver leans against the rear frame portion 40, the care receiver's upper body is softly supported by the cushion member 80 attached to the rear frame portion 40, which may cause the care receiver to feel pain. prevented. In addition, the cushion member 80 attached to the rear frame portion 40 is appropriately swung according to a change in the angle of leaning on the rear frame portion 40, a difference in the physique of the person being assisted, etc., and the elastic member 82 is always preferable for supporting. Posture state.

Further, the cushion member 80 is attached to the upper frame portion 21 (more specifically, a connection bracket 100 which is fitted to the upper frame portion 21 and will be described later) of the side frame portions 20 (FIGS. 11 and 12). 12). However, the cushion member 80 for the upper frame portion 21 is of a fixed type that does not swing vertically. As a result, the cushion member 80 attached to the upper frame portion 21 gently supports the person being assisted when he or she is about to fall sideways.

Next, focusing on the lock mechanism 90 for locking the front arm portion 30 at the retracted position, the attachment of the front arm portion 30 to the side frame portion 20 will be described with reference to FIGS. do.

First, the rear end portion of the main body portion 31 of the front arm portion 30 is configured by a connecting member 33 . The connecting member 33 is formed by, for example, extruding an aluminum alloy, and is fixed to the main body 31 made of a pipe material by means of fasteners 34 such as bolts.

A cross-sectional shape of the connecting member 33 is shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. FIG. As shown in its cross-sectional shape, the connecting member 33 has a locking groove 33a, and a first stopper portion 33b and a second stopper portion 33c, each of which is a protrusion.

The front arm portion 30 (the main body portion 31 thereof) and the side frame portion 20 (the upper frame portion 21 thereof) are connected using a connection bracket 100 . That is, the connection bracket 100 includes a first tubular portion 101 to which the body portion 31 of the front arm portion 30 is rotatably fitted, and a second tubular portion to which the upper frame portion 21 of the side frame portion 20 is fitted. 102 and .

The connection bracket 100 has a two-piece structure of a first member 100A and a second member 100B at the portion of the second tubular portion 102 . The two members 100A and 100B are fastened together by a bolt 103 and a nut 104 passing through the upper frame portion 21. As shown in FIG. Also, the bolt 103 and the nut 104 integrate the upper frame portion 21 and the connection bracket 100 .

A swing lever 110 is swingably attached to the connection bracket 100 by a pin member 111 . One end of the rocking lever 110 serves as a locking pawl portion 110 a that can be fitted (locked) into the locking groove 33 a of the connecting member 33 . The rocking lever 110 is biased by a spring 112 as biasing means in a direction in which the locking claw portion 110a is fitted into the locking groove 33a. In the embodiment, the spring 112 is composed of a leaf spring and interposed between the swing lever 110 and the connecting bracket 100 .

The swing lever 110 has an operation portion 110b. By operating the operating portion 110b in the clockwise direction in FIG. 11, the engagement of the engaging claw portion 110a with the engaging groove 33a is released (unlocking).

A first stepped portion 101a and a second stepped portion 101b are formed on the inner surface of the first cylindrical portion 101 of the connecting bracket 100 with a space therebetween in the circumferential direction. As shown in FIG. 11, the position where the first stopper portion 33b of the connecting member 33 contacts the first stepped portion 101a corresponds to the retracted position. Further, as shown in FIG. 12, the position where the second stopper portion 33c of the connecting member 33 contacts the second stepped portion 101b corresponds to the use position.

In order to change the front arm portion 30 from the retracted position to the use position, the operation portion 110b of the swing lever 110 is operated to disengage the locking claw portion 110a from the locking groove 33a of the connecting member 33. It can be done by

The tip surface of the locking claw portion 110a is a flat surface. A predetermined position of the outer peripheral surface of the connecting member 33 is a flat surface 33d. In FIG. 12 corresponding to the use position, the front end surface of the locking claw portion 110a is brought into contact with the flat surface 33d of the connecting member 33, and the front arm portion 30 is stably held at the use position. However, by applying an appropriate external force toward the shunting position to the forearm 30 at the use position, the fore arm 30 can be easily brought to the shunting position.

The connection bracket 100 is restricted from displacing in the axial direction with respect to the connection member 33 . That is, although not shown in the drawings, a restricting member is attached to the tip of the connecting member 33 so as to abut against the side surface of the connecting bracket 100 , thereby restricting one end face of the connecting bracket 100 from coming off the connecting member 33 . ing. The other end surface of the connecting bracket 100 is in contact with the end surface of the rotating portion 31 made of pipe material.

Next, how to use the assistance device K provided for the seated toilet bowl 1 will be described. First, before use, the front arm portion 30 is in the retracted position (the state indicated by the dashed line in FIGS. 1 and 2), and the front of the seated toilet 1 is widely opened. Further, the side frame portions 20 are in a basic posture state (for example, the state shown in FIG. 2) in which they are not tilted forward. In this state, the person being assisted P is seated on the seat portion 1a of the seated toilet bowl 1 with the assistance of a caregiver.

After the person being assisted P is seated on the seat portion 1a, the front arm portion 30 is set to the use position. At the use position, (the cushion member 80 attached to) the support arm portion 32 of the front arm portion 30 is positioned immediately in front of the front portion of the upper body of the person being assisted P (see FIG. 3). As a result, the upper body of the person being assisted P is supported by the front arm portion 30 and is prevented from falling forward when the person being assisted P tries to fall forward.

When the upper half of the body of the person being assisted P seated on the seat portion 1a tries to fall backward, the upper half of the body is supported by the rear frame portion 40 and prevented from falling backward. In addition, the pair of left and right side frame portions 20 prevents the person being assisted P seated on the seat portion 1a from falling sideways.

In order to encourage defecation (especially defecation), it is preferable that the person being assisted P is in a state of bending forward to some extent. At this time, the caregiver operates the operating member 68 to release the locking action of the swing angle changing mechanism 60, and the side frame portion 20 (and the front arm portion 30 and the rear frame portion 40 integral therewith) is moved. ) to the desired anteversion angle. By releasing the operation of the operating member 68 after the desired forward tilt angle is reached, the swinging of the side frame portion 20 is restricted at that position.

FIG. 3 shows a state in which the side frame portion 20 is tilted forward about 20 degrees from the basic posture state. The person to be assisted P is supported by the front arm portion 30 while bending forward. When the person being assisted P leans forward, the posture is particularly favorable for encouraging defecation. It is possible to easily clean up the wipes and the like.

Since the front arm portion 30 at the use position is not locked from swinging toward the shunting position, the caregiver or the care recipient P whose arms are free can smoothly move the front arm portion 30 to the shunting position. can do. In particular, when the person being assisted P can use his/her arms, the front arm portion 30 can be smoothly swung to the shunting position by the intention of the person being assisted P, and the feeling of being restrained can be relieved. This is also preferable in terms of preventing or suppressing giving to person P.

When the side frame portion 20 is tilted forward as shown in FIG. 3, when the person being assisted P voluntarily puts his or her weight on the rear frame portion 40, the rocking angle changing mechanism 60 is automatically locked. is released (by the action of the inclined surface 64a of the locking projection 64), the side frame portion 20 can be moved in the direction of decreasing the forward tilting angle, and the frame portion 20 returns to the basic posture shown in FIG. You can also let The fact that the forward tilting angle of the side frame portion 20 can be easily reduced based on the intention of the person being assisted P prevents or suppresses the feeling that the person being assisted P is being restrained. above is preferable. In addition, even if it is difficult for the person to be assisted P to maintain the forward slouching posture due to excessive forward leaning, the person to be assisted P can quickly return to the desired forward leaning angle.

After urinating, the side frames 20 are in a basic posture (the state shown in FIG. 2) in which they are not tilted forward, and the front arm 30 is in the retracted position (for example, the state shown in FIG. 1). After that, the person being assisted P leaves the seated toilet bowl 1 while being assisted by the caregiver.

FIG. 15 shows a second embodiment of the present invention, and the same reference numerals are given to the same components as in the above embodiment (this is the same for the third embodiment and subsequent embodiments below). ). This embodiment shows a modification of the swing angle changing mechanism. That is, in the swing angle changing mechanism 60B (corresponding to the swing angle changing mechanism 60 in the above embodiment) in this embodiment, the engaging member 72 (corresponding to the engaging member 65 in the above embodiment) is cylindrical. there is The engagement member 72 is slidably fitted to the lower frame portion 22 via a cylindrical guide member 73 .

A locking member 74 (corresponding to the locking member 61 in the above-described embodiment) is formed of a plate material having an arc shape. The locking member 74 is formed with locking holes 74a (corresponding to the locking recesses 63 in the above-described embodiment) at equal angular intervals around the connecting portion 52 . The lower stopper portion 54B (corresponding to the pin-shaped lower stopper portion 54 in the above-described embodiment) is plate-shaped.

The lower surface of the engaging protrusion 72a formed at the tip of the engaging member 72 is an inclined surface 72b. The inclined surface 72b corresponds to the inclined surface 64a of the locking protrusion 64 in the above embodiment. That is, in a state in which the engaging protrusion 72a is fitted (locked) in the locking hole 74a, the side frame portion 20 (the front arm portion 30) is strongly restricted from swinging forward and downward. . On the other hand, when a moderate external force is applied to swing the side frame portion 20 (front arm portion 30) forward and upward, the inclined surface 72b moves along the inner peripheral edge of the locking hole 74a. It is possible to get out of 74a (swing in the forward upward direction is allowed).

FIG. 16 shows a third embodiment of the invention, which is a modification of the second embodiment. In this embodiment, the engaging protrusion 72a formed on the engaging member 72B (corresponding to 72) does not have the inclined surface 72b. As a result, the side frame portions 20 are firmly locked in both the forward-lowering direction and the forward-upward direction (in both directions, it is necessary to operate the operation member 68 to release the locking).

FIG. 17 shows a fourth embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the base member 10D (corresponding to the base member 10) is fixed to the wall surface located behind the seated toilet bowl 1. As shown in FIG. That is, the base member 10D includes a pair of left and right mounting plate portions 121 that serve as mounting portions to the wall surface, a pair of left and right rod-shaped members 122 extending forward from each mounting plate portion 121, and tip portions of the pair of left and right rod-shaped members 122. and a connecting rod-shaped member 123 that connects them. Further, in this embodiment, each cushion member 80 is of a fixed type that does not swing. 17, the portion of the connection bracket 100 is simply shown (the operation lever of the lock mechanism 90 is not shown).

FIG. 18 shows a fifth embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the base member 10E is substantially formed by the mounting plate portion 131 fixed to the wall surface located behind the seated toilet 1. As shown in FIG. Further, a support member consisting of the side frame portion 20 and the front arm portion 30 is arranged only on the left side of the person being assisted. It is also possible to have a support member only on the right side (symmetrical to the structure shown in FIG. 18), or to provide a pair of left and right support members independently.

Although the embodiments have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments, and can be appropriately modified within the scope of the claims. The front arm portion 30 may be swung (swung in a horizontal plane) about an axis extending in the vertical direction to change the position between the use position and the retracted position. The front arm portion 30 at the shunting position is in a vertically extending posture or, for example, in a horizontally extending posture toward the front or outside of the seat, and the front arm portion 30 is locked at this shunting position. It is preferable that the front arm portion 30 in the retracted position can be used as a handrail by the caregiver or the care recipient. The front arm portion 30 may be provided only for one side frame portion 20 of the pair of left and right side frame portions 20 . At least one of the support arm portion 32 or the cushion member 80 provided on the rear frame portion 40 may be of a fixed type that does not swing, or may have a shape that covers the entire circumference of the support arm portion 32 or the rear frame portion 40 . can.

The swing angle changing mechanism 60 can be provided only on one side frame portion 20 of the pair of left and right side frame portions 20 (to improve the convenience of locking and unlocking), or both of the side frames. It can also be provided in the portion 20 (ensuring a more reliable locking action). Instead of providing a pair of left and right side frame portions 20, only one of the left and right side frame portions 20 may be provided. The front arm portion 30 may be of a stationary type that is always in the use position. In the embodiment, there are a plurality of swing angles that the support member can take between swing stroke ends.

The side frame portion 20 and the rear frame portion 40 can adopt an appropriate structure, and can be configured to form a plane (form into a plane), for example. When it is configured to form a surface, it can be configured only by a plate material, or it can be configured by a combination of a plate material and a pipe material. As the plate material to be used, a metal plate or a plastic plate (especially a fiber-reinforced plastic plate) can be used, and a perforated plate can also be used.

The device having a seat to which the present invention is applied is not limited to a seated toilet, and includes, for example, a fixed chair for resting, a fixed chair at a viewing position, and other suitable devices. The rocking coupling mechanism 50 is not limited to the one in the embodiment, and may adopt any suitable structure. can be adopted. Of course, the purpose of the present invention is not limited to those stated, but implicitly to provide those which are substantially preferred or expressed as advantages.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is suitable as an assistance device for handicapped persons and elderly persons who cannot maintain a sitting posture by themselves.

P: Person to be assisted K: Assistance device 1: Seated toilet bowl 1a: Seat
10: Base member
10D: Base member (Fig. 17)
10E: Base member (Fig. 18)
11 : vertical rod-shaped member 12: horizontal rod-shaped member 13: mounting plate portion 20: side frame portion 21: upper frame portion 22: lower frame portion 30: front arm portion 31: body portion 32: bearing arm portion 33: connecting member 33a: Locking groove 40: Rear frame portion 50: Pivot connection mechanism 51: Connection bracket 52: Connection portion (pivot center)
60: Swing angle changing mechanism 61: Locking member 63: Locking recess 64: Locking projection 64a: Inclined surface 65: Engagement member 65d: Engagement projection 67: Return spring 68: Operation member 71: Connection wire 72: Engagement member (Fig. 15)
72a: engaging protrusion 72b: inclined surface 74: locking member (FIGS. 15 and 16)
74a: locking hole 80: cushion member 81: substrate 82: elastic member 83: guide pin 90: locking mechanism 100: connecting bracket 101: first cylindrical portion 102: second cylindrical portion 110: rocking lever 110a: locking claw Part 110b: Operation part 111: Pin member
112: Spring

Claims (11)

a base member disposed near a seat on which the person being assisted is seated;
A support portion that is vertically swingably connected to the base member via a swing connection mechanism, and receives the front portion of the upper body of the care recipient seated on the seat portion in a horizontally extending state. a bearing member having
a swing angle changing mechanism for adjusting a swing angle of the support member with respect to the base member;
and
The swing angle changing mechanism is
a locking member provided on the base member and having a plurality of locking portions along a trajectory centered on the pivot center of the support member;
an engaging member displaceably provided on the support member and capable of taking a locking position locked to the locking portion and a retracted position retracted from the locking position;
biasing means provided on the support member for biasing the engaging member toward the locking position;
an operation member provided on the support member for displacing the engagement member toward the retracted position against the biasing means;
and by changing the locking portion at which the engaging member is locked among the plurality of locking portions, the swinging angle of the support member is changed, and the height of the support portion is changed. is,
A portion of the support member in the vicinity of the swing coupling mechanism is configured as a pipe portion having a tip opening,
The engaging member is disposed within the pipe portion and protrudes from the tip opening at least when the engaging position is set to the locking position.
An assistive device characterized by: The support member has a side frame portion positioned on the side of the person being assisted seated on the seat portion,
The support portion is configured by a front arm portion extending horizontally from the distal end portion of the side frame portion and positioned in front of the upper body of the care recipient seated on the seat portion.
The assistive device according to claim 1, characterized in that: A portion of the support member from the tip opening to the operation member is configured as a pipe portion,
The biasing means is disposed within the pipe portion, and a connecting member that connects the engaging member and the operating member is disposed within the pipe portion,
3. The assistance device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The rocking angle changing mechanism changes the locking portion at which the engaging member is locked without operating the operating member when an external force is applied to rock the support member in a forward upward direction. 4. An assistance device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is enabled. The rocking angle changing mechanism rocks the support member in the forward upward direction and the forward downward direction only when the operating member is operated to release the locking of the engaging member by the locking portion. 4. An assistive device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it is adapted to allow a rocking motion of 4. The assisting device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the plurality of locking portions are formed by a plurality of recesses formed so as to sandwich a protrusion therebetween. . Each of the plurality of protrusions has a predetermined one side surface in the arrangement direction of the plurality of recesses formed as an inclined surface, and when an external force is applied to swing the support member in a forward upward direction, the engaging member is engaged. It is possible for the member to climb over the convex portion along the inclined surface,
7. The assistive device according to claim 6, characterized in that: 4. The assistance according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the plurality of locking portions are a plurality of locking holes into which the distal ends of the engaging members are inserted. Device. A state in which a predetermined one side surface in the arrangement direction of the plurality of locking holes is formed as an inclined surface at the distal end portion of the engaging member, and the distal end portion of the engaging member is inserted into the locking hole. When an external force is applied to swing the support member in a forward upward direction, the engaging member can be pulled out of the locking hole while the inclined surface follows the inner peripheral edge of the locking hole. ing,
9. An assistive device according to claim 8, characterized in that: A pair of left and right support members are provided on both sides of the person being assisted,
The pair of left and right support members are connected to each other by a connection member positioned behind the person being assisted, and are configured to swing integrally with each other.
10. The assistance device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: 11. The assistance device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein a cushion member that is vertically swingable is attached to the support portion of the support member.

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