Detailed Description
Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. Example embodiments may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the concept of example embodiments to those skilled in the art. The same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar parts in the drawings, and thus their repetitive description may sometimes be omitted. The drawings are merely schematic illustrations of the present disclosure and are not necessarily drawn to scale.
The described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided to give a thorough understanding of embodiments of the disclosure. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the embodiments of the disclosure can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other means, components, materials, devices, or steps. In such cases, well-known structures, methods, devices, implementations, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail.
The block diagrams shown in the figures do not necessarily correspond to physically separate entities. These functional entities or parts of functional entities may be implemented in software or in one or more hardware modules and/or programmable modules or in different networks and/or processor devices and/or micro control system devices.
According to the technical concept of the utility model, a walking aid is provided, which is provided with a seat board capable of automatically sliding and retracting, and improves the convenience and the comfort of use.
Hereinafter, a walker according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 shows a schematic structural view of a walker according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 1, a walker 1000 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a frame 1100, a seat plate 1110, and a support housing 1300.
Referring to FIG. 1, a frame 1100 forms the main frame of the walker and provides support for the user.
According to an example embodiment, the vehicle frame 1100 may include a primary strut 1102, a primary lift adjustment mechanism 1104, a secondary strut 1106, a secondary lift adjustment mechanism 1108, a seat plate 1110, an armpit 1112, and the like. It will be readily appreciated that the illustration provided herein is merely exemplary and that other similar configurations for the vehicle frame 1100 may be employed. A plurality of wheels 1200 are provided at a lower portion of the frame 1100. The wheels 1200 support the frame and also serve as a moving mechanism for the walker. According to some embodiments, the walker 1000 may also include two armrests 1112 for providing additional support to the user.
Referring to fig. 1, a support case 1300 is provided on the carriage 1100, and a seat plate 1110 is supported on the support case 1300.
Although not shown in fig. 1, the walker 1000 further includes a seat plate stowing and releasing mechanism 1400, a drive device M, and a control device 3000, as described later with reference to fig. 2 and 3.
A seat plate retracting mechanism 1400 is provided in the seat plate supporting case 1300 for retracting and lowering the seat plate 1110 in a sliding manner. The driving means M may drive the seat plate retracting mechanism 1300. The control device 3000 is electrically connected to the driving device M and includes a seat plate retraction switch 1500, and when the seat plate retraction switch 1500 is triggered, the control device 3000 controls the driving device M to drive the seat plate retraction mechanism 1400.
According to some embodiments, the seat deck retraction switch 1500 may employ a non-self-locking switch. One advantage of using a non-self-locking switch is a low failure rate. When the operation in one direction is finished, the switching to the other direction is controlled, that is, the power supply direction of the driving device such as a motor is switched. In addition, when the machine runs in one direction, if the machine part has the phenomenon of jamming, the reverse switch is pressed, and then the original direction switch is pressed again, so that the jamming phenomenon can be solved.
Thus, in the embodiment, the user can very conveniently control the seat board to be folded and put down through the folding and unfolding switch. Even if the accompanying person is not beside the chair, the user can operate the chair at will to adjust the time and frequency of rehabilitation walking and sitting and resting. In addition, the seat board is folded and put down in a sliding mode instead of a folding mode, so that the seat board accords with the principle of human engineering and is more convenient for users. The rehabilitation walking space is optimized while feeling more convenient and natural.
Referring to fig. 1, in some embodiments, the support housing 1300 includes a first housing 1300A and a second housing 1300B that are L-shaped. The first case 1300A and the second case 1300B are disposed opposite to each other, and the seat plate 1110 is disposed between the first case and the second case. At this time, the seat plate retracting mechanism 1400 may include a first mechanism provided in the first case 1300A and a second mechanism provided in the second case 1300B.
According to some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 1, the walker 1000 further includes a control panel 1114. The control panel 1114 is disposed on the frame 1100, and the seat plate retracting switch 1500 may be disposed on the control panel 1114, but the present invention is not limited thereto.
According to some embodiments, the seat deck stow switch 1500 comprises a seat deck stow switch 1500A and the seat deck lower switch 1500B, as shown in fig. 1.
According to some embodiments, as shown in fig. 1, a plurality of wheels 1200 according to an example embodiment of the present invention may include two first universal wheels 1202 disposed at the front of the frame, two second universal wheels 1204 disposed at the rear of the frame, and two directional electric brake wheels 1206 disposed at the middle of the frame.
The two first universal wheels 1202 arranged at the front of the frame and the two second universal wheels 1204 arranged at the rear of the frame allow the walker to walk freely under the control and drive of the user. Two directional electric braking wheels 1206 provided in the middle of the frame allow the walker to be safely braked under the control of the user. By arranging at least three groups of six wheels and arranging the directional braking wheels between the two groups of universal wheels, the walking aid is prevented from moving irregularly by the combination of the directional wheels and the universal wheels, and the stability and the safety of the walking aid can be improved. In addition, stability and safety during the preparation can be further improved. The walking aid according to this embodiment may give the user a higher safety and a more reassuring psychological expectation.
According to some embodiments, an emergency button may be provided on the control panel 1114. The emergency button, when activated, may provide emergency braking of the walker, or may signal an emergency, or both. For example, emergency braking may be provided via an emergency button in the event of a failure of the pressure trigger device, or a help signal may be provided via the emergency button in the event of an emergency.
According to some embodiments, the control panel 1114 is disposed at the front of the vehicle frame 1100 and is detachable from the vehicle frame 1100 at one end. Thus, the structure of the walking aid can be optimized and the walking aid can be conveniently put in and taken out by a user.
Fig. 2 shows a schematic view of a seat plate retracting mechanism according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to fig. 2, according to an exemplary embodiment, the seat pan stowing mechanism 1400 includes a seat pan front axle 2100 and a seat pan rear axle 2200. The seat plate front axle 2100 is supported by the horizontal portions of the first case 1300A and the second case 1300B, and can be used for supporting the seat plate 1110 and driving the seat plate 1110 to move. The seat plate rear axle 2200 is supported by the vertical portions of the first case 1300A and the second case 1300B, and can be used for supporting the seat plate 1110 and driving the seat plate 1110 to move.
Referring again to fig. 2, according to some embodiments, the seat pan stowing mechanism 1400 may further include a first mechanism disposed within the first case 1300A and a second mechanism disposed within the second case 1300B. As shown in fig. 2, each mechanism may include a limiting groove 2302, a bearing guide 2304, a driving wheel 2306, at least one driven wheel 2308, a driving chain 2310, a first fixing jaw 2312, and a second fixing jaw 2314.
As shown in fig. 2, the seat plate front axle 2100 and the seat plate rear axle 2200 are limited by the limiting groove 2302, so that the seat plate front axle 2100 and the seat plate rear axle 2200 can properly operate under the limitation of the limiting groove 2302. Bearing rail 2304 is used to guide movement of seat plate front axle 2302 and seat plate rear axle 2304, so that seat plate front axle 2100 and seat plate rear axle 2200 can move smoothly to bring seat plate 1110 in or out.
As shown in fig. 2, a drive chain 2310 is provided on the driving pulley 2306 and the at least one driven pulley 2308. When the driving pulley 2306 is driven to rotate, the driving chain 2310 is driven to move, and the first fixing claw 2312 and the second fixing claw 2314 fixed on the driving chain 2310 move accordingly.
Referring to fig. 2, a first fixing jaw 2312 is fixed to the driving chain 2310 and is disposed adjacent to the seat pan front axle 2100. When the driving chain 2310 is driven, for example, in a descending direction after the seat plate 1110 is retracted, the first fixing jaw 2312 acts on the seat plate front shaft 2100 to lower the seat plate 1110. The second fixing jaw 2314 is fixed to the driving chain 2310 and disposed adjacent to the seat plate rear shaft 2200. When the driving chain 2310 is driven, for example, in a lifting direction after the seat plate 1110 is lowered, the second fixing jaw 2314 acts on the seat plate rear shaft 2200 to retract the seat plate 1110.
According to an exemplary embodiment, as shown in fig. 3, the driving means M is a motor, which drives the driving wheel 2306.
According to an exemplary embodiment, the first mechanism and the second mechanism may be driven by the same motor, so that both sides are easily synchronized.
According to an exemplary embodiment, the matching problem of the driving speed is solved by using a chain drive.
Fig. 3 shows a schematic view of a control device for a walking aid according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to fig. 3, a control device 3000 according to an exemplary embodiment includes relays J1 and J2, micro switches S1 and S2, seat plate retraction buttons B1 and B2, and a battery P. The battery P may be a rechargeable lithium battery. Seat pan retraction buttons B1 and B2 are the seat pan retraction switches described previously. The control unit 3000 is electrically connected to the driving unit M, so that the seat plate can be retracted or lowered by controlling the operation direction and start/stop of the driving unit. The driving means M may be a motor. It will be readily appreciated that only one example of a control device is given here. Other ways of implementing the control device of the present application will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the teachings of the present application.
According to an exemplary embodiment, the control device 3000 controls the driving direction of the motor according to the trigger signals of the seat pan retracting buttons B1 and B2 (i.e., seat pan retracting switches).
Referring to fig. 3, when the seat plate retraction button B1 is closed, the relay J1 is turned on, i.e., K1 is closed, and the driving device M (motor) rotates in the first direction. When the seat plate retraction button B1 is turned off and the B2 is turned on, the relay J1 is turned off (K1 is turned off), the relay J2 is turned on (K2 is turned on), and the driving device M (motor) is rotated in the opposite direction. Thus, the seat board can be folded and unfolded by controlling the driving direction of the motor.
According to some embodiments, the control device 3000 controls the motor to operate within a predetermined operation range of the seat pan retracting mechanism 1400.
For example, the micro switch S1 or S2 may be fixed to the driving case 1300, and the driving chain 2310 may be provided with a stopper claw (or with a first fixing claw and a second fixing claw). When the seat plate 1110 reaches the end position of retraction or lowering under the driving of the motor, the latch can trigger the microswitch S1 or S2, so that the microswitch S1 or S2 is turned off, and correspondingly the relay J1 or J2 is turned off, namely the relay K1 or K2 is turned off, so that the motor stops running and the driving is terminated. Therefore, when the seat board reaches the preset position, the system automatically stops, the usability is improved, and the use is convenient.
Fig. 4 shows a schematic view of a wheel arrangement of a walking aid according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in fig. 4, two first steerable wheels 1202, two second steerable wheels 1204, and two directional electric brake wheels 1206 are on the same circumference. By the arrangement, the wheel has a large supporting area on the whole, and the stability and the safety of the system are improved. The present invention is not limited thereto and, according to some embodiments, the two first universal wheels 1202, the two second universal wheels 1204, and the two directional electric brake wheels 1206 may be on the same ellipse.
According to an example embodiment, to further increase the stability and safety of the system, the two first universal wheels 1202, the two second universal wheels 1204, and the two directional electric brake wheels 1206 may be evenly distributed over the circumference.
According to some embodiments, the circumference on which the two first universal wheels 1202, the two second universal wheels 1204 and the two directionally electrically braked wheels 1206 may be located may have a diameter in the range of 110cm to 130cm, which may provide a relatively large amount of space for the user and may further prevent toppling of the walker as the user leans forward and curves around.
Fig. 5 shows a schematic structural view of a walking aid according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and fig. 6 shows a schematic wheel arrangement of a walking aid according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
The walker and wheel arrangement shown in fig. 5 and 6 is substantially the same as the walker and wheel arrangement shown in fig. 1 and 4, except that two third universal wheels 5208 are also included.
Referring to fig. 5 and 6, two third universal wheels 5208 are disposed between and in alignment with the two directional electric brake wheels 1206.
In this embodiment, by adding two third universal wheels 5208, support can be added, preventing the two directional electric brake wheels 1206 from taking up excessive pressure.
According to some embodiments, referring to fig. 6, the two third universal wheels 5208 form two rectangles with the two first universal wheels 1202 and the two second universal wheels 1204, respectively. This arrangement maximizes the space available to the user while increasing support and stability.
The above describes a walking aid according to an embodiment of the present invention. From the above detailed description, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the solution according to embodiments of the present invention has one or more of the following advantages.
According to some embodiments, the user can control the seat board to be folded and unfolded very conveniently through the folding and unfolding switch. Even if the accompanying person is not beside the chair, the user can operate the chair at will to adjust the time and frequency of rehabilitation walking and sitting and resting. In addition, the seat board is folded and put down in a sliding mode instead of a folding mode, so that the seat board accords with the principle of human engineering and is more convenient for users. The rehabilitation walking space is optimized while feeling more convenient and natural.
According to some embodiments, by providing at least three sets of six wheels and a directional braking wheel between two sets of universal wheels, the stability and safety of the walker may be improved by the combination of directional wheels and universal wheels.
According to some embodiments, the directional electric brake wheel is normally in a hugging state. When the user triggers the pressure trigger device, the directional electric braking wheel releases the brake, and the walking aid can walk. Therefore, the problems of limited grip strength and slow response of the hands of the patient are solved. In addition, aiming at the problem that the patient easily moves to form danger when standing up and sitting, the device not only solves the problem that the accompanying person forgets to lock the wheels when assisting the patient to go up and down, but also is convenient for the patient to sit and stand by himself and freely control the walking.
According to some embodiments, an emergency button is provided. When the pressure trigger device fails or other emergency braking situations are needed, emergency braking can be carried out through the emergency button.
According to some embodiments, the two groups of universal wheels and the two directional electric braking wheels are arranged on the same circumference, so that the wheels have larger supporting areas on the whole, and the stability and the safety of the system are improved.
The above are only some examples of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the present invention in any way. The exemplary embodiments are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible to those skilled in the art in light of the above teachings. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is not intended to be limited to the foregoing embodiments, but is intended to be defined by the claims and their equivalents.
The present invention is not limited to any particular configuration in this regard. The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the application and is illustrative of the principles of the technology employed. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the scope of the present invention is not limited to the specific combination of the above-mentioned features, but also covers other embodiments formed by any combination of the above-mentioned features or their equivalents without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the above features may be replaced with (but not limited to) features having similar functions disclosed in the present application.