JP2000060902A - Wheelchair device with foot driving unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make a wheelchair device with foot drive unit properly utilizable also as a wheelchair at the same degree of freedom as that of a conventional wheelchair, and to unnecessitate the removal of a foot driving unit. SOLUTION: When the wheel chair device is brought into a wheelchair traveling state in which the drive wheel 52 of the foot driving unit 14 is isolated from a floor by making the foot driving unit 14 and a wheelchair 12 mutually approached by a connecting device 16, the removal of the foot driving unit 14 and searching of a storing place become unnecessary because the foot driving unit 14 is approached to the wheelchair 12 and is made a housing state, and this wheelchair device 10 can be utilized as a wheelchair operatable at the same degree of freedom as that of a conventional wheelchair by operating a pair of rear wheels 26a, 26b. When a pedal traveling state in which front wheels 28a, 28b of the wheelchair 12 are isolated from the floor is made because the foot driving unit 14 and the wheelchair 12 are isolated by a prescribed distance by the connecting device 16, the wheelchair device with foot driving unit 10 is simply and easily moved by operating a foot step pedal 48 of the foot driving unit 14 by an assisting person seating on the saddle 40.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention can be used as a normal wheelchair when a foot drive unit is brought close to a wheelchair, and when the foot drive unit is separated from a wheelchair by a predetermined distance, the wheelchair is used by the foot drive unit. The present invention relates to a wheelchair device with a foot drive unit that is movable.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Wheelchairs are known which have a pair of front wheels provided at the front of the chair and a pair of rear wheels having a larger diameter than the front wheels provided at the rear of the chair. The front wheels of this wheelchair are provided so as to be rotatable around a substantially vertical axis located in front of the ground contact point, so that the so-called caster (JIS D0109) is positive, and the rear wheel is operated in accordance with the rotation operation of the hand. By providing a difference in driving strength of the wheels, the wheels can be moved in a desired direction.

Usually, movement by a person using a wheelchair (disabled person) as described above requires a relatively large amount of labor, so in the case of a relatively long distance movement or a relatively time-consuming movement. , The wheelchair user is moved by an assistant pushing the wheelchair. However, the work of pushing a wheelchair by a caregiver is not so easy when it takes a long time, and there is a disadvantage that it is possible to move only at a moving speed lower than the walking speed.

[0004]

In contrast to the above, there has been proposed a three-wheel bicycle specification in which a foot drive unit is attached to a normal type wheelchair. The three-wheeled bicycle of this type is useful as a means of transportation by a caregiver, but when it is attempted to move in a narrow passage, such as an indoor space, such as a public facility, a normal wheelchair is used. With the same degree of freedom, the user alone could not move freely. Therefore, it is troublesome to remove the foot drive unit from the ordinary wheelchair and to search for a storage place such as a bicycle parking lot for storing the removed foot drive unit.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and the object thereof is to appropriately use a wheelchair with the same degree of freedom as that of the conventional one, and to eliminate the need for removing the foot drive unit. It is to provide a wheelchair device with a drive unit.

[0006]

Means for Solving the Problems The gist of a wheelchair device with a foot drive unit according to the present invention for achieving the above-mentioned object is (a) a pair of front wheels and its chair provided in the front part of a chair. A wheelchair having a pair of rear wheels having a diameter larger than that of the front wheels provided at the rear part of the wheelchair, (b) a foot drive unit having drive wheels rotationally driven by a foot pedal, and (c)
The foot drive unit and the wheelchair are connected to each other so that they can approach and separate, and the foot drive unit and the wheelchair are brought closer to each other to bring the wheel of the foot drive unit into a wheelchair running state in which it is separated from the floor. The foot drive unit and the wheelchair are separated from each other by a predetermined distance to thereby bring the front wheel of the wheelchair away from the floor into a pedal traveling state.

[0007]

According to this structure, when the foot drive unit and the wheelchair are brought close to each other by the connecting device, the wheel drive mode of the foot drive unit is set to the wheelchair traveling state in which the drive wheels are separated from the floor. Since the foot drive unit is brought close to the wheelchair and stored, it is not necessary to remove the foot drive unit or search for a storage location, and the user operates the pair of rear wheels, as in the conventional case. It can be used as a wheelchair that can be operated with various degrees of freedom.
Further, when the foot drive unit and the wheelchair are separated by a predetermined distance by the coupling device to bring the front wheel of the wheelchair into a pedal traveling state in which the front wheel is separated from the floor, the wheelchair device with the foot drive unit is operated by a caregiver. It can be moved easily and at high speed by operating the foot pedal of the drive unit.

[0008]

Another aspect of the present invention is preferably such that the connecting device contacts a pair of front wheels provided at a front portion of the wheelchair and a pair of rear wheels provided at a rear portion of the wheelchair. The wheelchair and the foot drive unit are connected to each other so that the drive wheels of the foot drive unit are always separated upward from the tangent line on the floor side. The foot drive unit is connected by the connecting device. In a wheelchair traveling state in which the wheelchair and the wheelchair are brought close to each other, the center of gravity is located between the front wheel and the rear wheel of the wheelchair, and the foot drive unit and the wheelchair are separated by a predetermined distance by the connecting device. Then, the center of gravity is located between the drive wheels of the foot drive unit and the rear wheels of the wheelchair. With this configuration, in the wheelchair traveling state in which the foot drive unit and the wheelchair are brought close to each other by the coupling device, the center of gravity is located between the front wheel and the rear wheel of the wheelchair, so that the user does not have to sit down. , The front and rear wheels of the wheelchair are in contact with the floor, and the drive wheels move away from the floor. Further, in a pedal traveling state in which the foot drive unit and the wheelchair are separated by a predetermined distance by the connecting device, the center of gravity is located between the drive wheel of the foot drive unit and the rear wheel of the wheelchair, so that the helper does not have to sit down. Also, the rear wheels of the wheelchair and the drive wheels are in contact with the floor, and the front wheels of the wheelchair move away from the floor.

Also, preferably, in the pedal traveling state in which the foot drive unit and the wheelchair are separated from each other by a predetermined distance by the connection device, the wheelchair and the foot drive unit are forward with respect to a vertical line. It is connected so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis that is tilted toward. With this configuration, when the pedal travel is performed by the three wheels of the pair of rear wheels of the wheelchair and the driving wheel, the wheelchair can be rotated.
The wheelchair can be used for steering, and at the same time, the foot drive unit is tilted toward the inner peripheral side when steering using the wheelchair, so that drivability is enhanced.

Further, preferably, the foot drive unit is
The connecting device has a main frame extending linearly forward, and the connecting device includes a guide member slidably guided by the main frame, and a rotary shaft tilted forward of the guide member with respect to the vertical line. And a mounting member rotatably provided around a pin provided along the wheelchair and connected to the frame of the wheelchair. In this way, the wheelchair can be rotated with respect to the foot drive unit, so that the wheelchair can be used for steering in the pedal traveling state.

Further, preferably, the connecting device is provided on the attachment member, and in a wheelchair traveling state in which the foot drive unit and the wheelchair are close to each other, the connecting device is located in front of the guide member of the main frame. While engaging with both sides of the portion located at the position to prevent the mounting member from rotating with respect to the main frame, the foot drive unit and the wheelchair are separated by a predetermined distance so that the front end of the main frame is brought closer to the guide member. In addition, the engaging device includes an engaging device that disengages from the main frame in the pedal traveling state and allows the mounting member to rotate with respect to the main frame. With this configuration, in the wheelchair traveling state in which the foot drive unit and the wheelchair are brought close to each other by the coupling device, the main frame engages with both sides of the portion of the main frame located in front of the guide member, and the mounting member Since the rotation with respect to the main frame is prevented, the rotation of the foot drive unit is prevented and the rattling thereof is prevented when traveling as a wheelchair.

Further, preferably, a fixing device for fixing the guide member of the connecting device and the main frame to each other in a pedal traveling state in which the foot drive unit and the wheelchair are separated by a predetermined distance. It is a thing. With this configuration, the relative distance between the foot drive unit and the wheelchair is fixed in the pedal traveling state, so that the safety during traveling is enhanced.

[0013]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of a wheelchair device 10 with a foot drive unit to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied. In the figure, a wheelchair device 10 with a foot drive unit
Is the same wheelchair 12 and foot drive unit 14 as the conventional one.
And a connecting device 16 for connecting them. Note that, in FIG. 1, a brake device and the like not directly related to the description of the present invention are omitted.

The wheelchair 12 has a pair of left and right chair frames 18 connected to each other by a connecting frame (not shown).
a, 18b and the pair of chair frames 18a, 18
back seat 20, seat seat 2 hung between b
2 and a leg support sheet (not shown) 24
Is provided as a basic configuration. At the rear of the chair 24, a pair of relatively large rear wheels 2 rotatably supported on the chair frames 18a and 18b around a horizontal axis.
6a and 26b are provided, and the rear wheel 26a is provided at the front portion of the chair 24 so as to be rotatable around a substantially vertical axis located forward of the ground contact point in the chair frames 18a and 18b. A pair of front wheels 28a, 28b each having a diameter that is about 1/4 smaller than that of 26b is rotatably provided around a horizontal axis. That is, the front wheels 28a, 28
The front wheel 28a, 28b is rotatably supported by a rotating member 30a, 30b located in front of the ground contact point and rotatable about a substantially vertical axis.
It is a positive caster indicating that the above-mentioned vertical axis is located in front of the grounding point of b. As a result, in a wheelchair traveling state in which the front wheels 28a, 28b and the rear wheels 26a, 26b are in contact with the ground, the user sitting on the wheelchair 12 operates the pair of rear wheels 26a, 26b to operate the rear wheels 26a, 26b. By providing a difference in the operation force applied to the, it is possible to freely move in a desired direction.

In the wheelchair 12, the handle pipes 32 are appropriately provided at the grips at the upper ends of the chair frames 18a and 18b according to the physique of the caregiver.

The foot drive unit 14 has a structure similar to that of the bicycle in which the front wheels are removed. The saddle 40 on which the caregiver sits down, the linear main frame 42, and the main frame 42 are provided in parallel. A foot drive side frame 46 integrally provided with a guide rod 44 having a diameter smaller than that of the main frame 42, and a drive wheel 52 rotationally driven by a foot pedal 48 via an endless annular chain 50 are provided.

The connecting device 16 is provided between the main frame 42 and the guide rod 44 and the wheelchair frames 18a and 18b of the wheelchair 12 to allow the foot drive unit 14 and the wheelchair 12 to approach and separate from each other. It is to connect. That is, the drive wheel 52 is movable between the position shown by the broken line and the position shown by the solid line in FIG. The dashed-dotted line in FIG. 2 indicates a movement line (trajectory) 54 of the center of rotation of the rear wheels 26a and 26b which can be moved toward and away from each other by the connecting device 16. As is apparent from FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 described later, the rear wheels 26a and 26b and the drive wheel 5 are
The tangent line on the floor 56 side between the two and the tangent line on the floor 56 side between the rear wheels 26a, 26b and the front wheels 28a, 28b are configured to intersect each other at the approaching position and the distant position, respectively. There is.

The foot drive unit 1 is provided by the connecting device 16.
When the wheelchair 12 is separated from the wheelchair 4 by a predetermined distance, the center of gravity of the wheelchair device 10 with the foot drive unit is set to the rear wheels 26a, 26.
By being positioned between the wheel b and the drive wheel 52, the rear wheels 26a, 26b and the drive wheel 52 are brought into contact with the floor 56, and at the same time, the front wheel 2 of the wheelchair 12 is moved as shown in FIG.
The pedals 8a and 28b are separated from the floor 56 and are in a pedaling state. On the contrary, when the foot drive unit 14 and the wheelchair 12 are brought close to each other by the connecting device 16, the center of gravity of the wheelchair device 10 with the foot drive unit is moved to the rear wheels 26a, 2 and 2.
6b and the front wheels 28a, 28b, the rear wheels 26a, 26b and the front wheels 28a, 28b are brought into contact with the floor 56 at the same time as shown in FIG.
The wheelchair running state in which the drive wheels 52 of the foot drive unit 14 are separated from the floor 56 is set.

FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 explain the construction of the connecting device 16 in detail, and FIG. 4 shows the connecting device 16.
Shows a state in which the wheelchair 12 is attached to the chair frames 18a and 18b of the wheelchair 12, and FIG. 5 shows that the connecting device 16 has the main frame 42 and the guide rod 44 of the foot drive unit 14.
It is shown attached to the. Note that, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the front shaft ends of the main frame 42 and the guide rod 44 are mutually separated with a predetermined gap D by a fixing plate 58 fixed to their end faces. It is fixed.

The connecting device 16 has a large-diameter through hole 62 and a small-diameter through hole 64 which are slidably fitted in the main frame 42 and the guide rod 44 of the foot drive unit 14, thereby forming the foot drive unit. A guide member 68 that guides the main frame 42 and the guide rod 44 of the wheelchair 14 in the front-rear direction of the wheelchair 12, and a mounting member 70 that is rotatable about an axis that is substantially vertical when the pedal is running. Is equipped with. This mounting member 70
Is a pair of connecting members 72U, 72L, which are horizontal tubular members parallel to each other, and L-shaped members in the vertical direction, which are substantially parallel to each other by being connected to the connecting members 72U, 72L. A pair of connecting brackets 7
4a and 74b are formed in a rectangular frame shape, and the four mounting bolts 76 pass through the mounting holes 78 formed in the connecting brackets 74a and 74b to form a pair of chair frames 18.
By being respectively fastened to a pair of mounting brackets 80a and 80b provided on a and 18b, respectively, they are fixed to the pair of chair frames 18a and 18b.

Of the pair of connecting members 72U and 72L forming the mounting member 70, the connecting member 72 located at the upper side.
A front bracket 82 protruding forward is formed on U, and a rear bracket 84 protruding rearward is formed on the connecting member 72L located below. The front bracket 82 and the rear bracket 84 are provided so as to be substantially horizontal when the mounting member 70 is fixed to the wheelchair 12, and also have fitting holes 86 formed so as to vertically penetrate therethrough. Has been done. On the other hand, the guide member 68 has a vertical line E in the assembled state.
A fitting pin 90U projecting upward and a fitting pin 90L projecting downward are provided along a rotation axis K inclined forward by a predetermined angle θ with respect to the fitting pins 90U and 90L. Are fitted into fitting holes 86 formed in the front bracket 82 and the rear bracket 84, respectively, so that the mounting member 70 is slightly inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction of the main frame 42 and the guide rod 44. And the mounting member 70 and the guide member 68 are rotatable relative to each other about the axis of the fitting pins 90U and 90L, that is, about the axis that is substantially vertical in the pedal traveling state. ing.

Further, of the pair of connecting members 72U and 72L constituting the mounting member 70, the connecting member 7 located below
The 2L is fixedly provided with a curved pipe 94 that protrudes forward in a curved shape as a whole. The curved pipe 94 substantially contacts both side surfaces of the main frame 42 with respect to the guide member 68 of the mounting member 70. A pair of hourglass-shaped rollers 96a and 96b for preventing rotation are rotatably provided around a pair of vertical axes. The distance between the pair of shaft centers is set to a value at which the pair of hourglass-shaped rollers 96a and 96b substantially contact both side surfaces of the main frame 42. In addition, the pair of drum-shaped rollers 96a and 96b
Is the foot drive unit 1 in order to bring the pedal into the traveling state.
When the wheelchair 4 and the wheelchair 4 are separated from each other by a predetermined distance, they are separated from the shaft end of the main frame 42 toward the front side, and the rotation of the mounting member 70 with respect to the guide member 68 is allowed.

Further, the pair of connecting members 72U, 72L constituting the mounting member 70 are provided with a pair of U-shaped bent handle members 98a, 98b for connecting them to each other. The grip members 98a and 98b are the attachment members 7
It functions as a handle for facilitating attachment / detachment of the 0 chair frame 18a, 18b, and also as a reinforcing member for the mounting member 70.

An engaging hole 100 is provided in the side surface of the main frame 42 in order to maintain the state in which the foot drive unit 14 and the wheelchair 12 are separated from each other by a predetermined distance in order to bring the pedal into the traveling state. At the same time, the guide member 68 is provided with a fixing device 102 for fixing the main frame 42 and the guide member 68 to each other by using the engaging hole 100 to prevent relative movement between the main frame 42 and the guide member 68.
This fixing device 102, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8,
A cylindrical member 106 protruding so as to be concentric with the through hole 104 formed on the side of the guide member 68, and an axial end of an engagement pin 108 inserted into the through hole 104 and the cylindrical member 106. And a cap-shaped operating member 110 that is fixed to the shaft end of the cylindrical member 106 and a notch 112 formed in the peripheral portion of the operating member 110 and protruding from the side surface of the cylindrical member 106. A stopper pin 114 that can be fitted is provided, and the stopper pin 114 has a notch 11
When the operation member 110 is operated in the axial direction with a rotation phase that can be fitted into the stopper pin 2, as shown in FIG.
14 is fitted in the engagement hole 100 to prevent the main frame 42 and the guide member 68 from moving relative to each other, and the foot drive unit 14 and the wheelchair 12 for keeping the pedal running state.
A predetermined distance between and is maintained. However, when the operating member 110 is in a rotation phase in which the stopper pin 114 cannot be fitted into the notch 112, as shown in FIG.
14 is pulled out from the engagement hole 100, the relative movement of the main frame 42 and the guide member 68 is allowed, the foot drive unit 14 and the wheelchair 12 can be brought close to each other, and the wheelchair is in a traveling state.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the foot drive unit 14 and the wheelchair 12 are brought close to each other by the connecting device 16, so that the foot drive unit 14 is moved.
In the wheelchair running state of FIG. 2 in which the driving wheels 52 of the vehicle are separated from the floor 56, the foot drive unit 14 is brought close to the wheelchair 12 and put in the stored state.
It is not necessary to remove 4 or search for a storage place, and it can be used as a wheelchair that can be operated with the same degree of freedom as before by operating the pair of rear wheels 26a, 26b. Further, the foot drive unit 1 is provided by the connection device 16.
When the front wheels 28a, 28b of the wheelchair 12 are separated from the floor 56 by the predetermined distance between the wheelchair 4 and the wheelchair 12, the foot drive unit-equipped wheelchair device 10 moves to the saddle 40. By operating the foot pedal 48 of the foot drive unit 14 by a seated assistant, the foot drive unit 14 can be moved easily and at high speed.

Further, according to the present embodiment, the connecting device 16
Is a pair of front wheels 28a provided at the front of the wheelchair 12,
28b and a pair of rear wheels 26a, 26b provided at the rear of the wheelchair 12 from the tangents on the floor 56 side (corresponding to the floor surface in FIG. 2), respectively, from the drive wheels 5 of the foot drive unit 14.
The wheelchair 12 and the foot drive unit 14 are connected to each other so that the vehicle 2 is always separated upward, and the foot drive unit 14 is connected by the connecting device 16.
In a wheelchair running state in which the wheelchair 12 and the wheelchair 12 are brought close to each other, the front wheels 28a, 28b and the rear wheels 26a, 2 of the wheelchair 12 are
In the pedal traveling state in which the center of gravity is located between the foot drive unit 14 and the wheelchair 12 and the foot drive unit 14 and the wheelchair 12 are separated by a predetermined distance by the connecting device 16, the drive wheel 52 of the foot drive unit 14 is driven.
Since the center of gravity is located between the rear wheel 26a and the rear wheel 26b of the wheelchair 12, the wheelchair user is in a wheelchair traveling state in which the foot drive unit 14 and the wheelchair 12 are brought close to each other by the connecting device 16. Even if you don't sit in chair 24,
Front wheels 28a, 28b and rear wheels 26a, 2 of the wheelchair 12
There is an advantage that 6b is grounded on the floor 56 and the drive wheels 52 are separated from the floor 56 upward. Further, in a pedal traveling state in which the foot drive unit 14 and the wheelchair 12 are separated from each other by the connecting device 16 by a predetermined distance, the drive wheel 52 of the foot drive unit 14 and the rear wheel 26 of the wheelchair 12 can be used without the helper sitting on the saddle 40.
a and 26b are in contact with the floor 56 and the front wheel 28 of the wheelchair 12
There is an advantage that a and 28b are separated from the floor 56 upward.

Further, according to this embodiment, the coupling device 16
In the pedal traveling state in which the foot drive unit 14 and the wheelchair 12 are thereby separated by a predetermined distance, the wheelchair 12
And foot drive unit 14 with respect to the vertical line E by a predetermined angle θ
When the pedal travels with the three wheels of the pair of rear wheels 26a and 26b of the wheelchair 12 and the drive wheel 52, the wheel is coupled to the wheel wheel 12 so as to be rotatable about the rotation axis K that is inclined forward. , The wheelchair 12 can be used for steering by rotating the wheelchair 12 instead of the steering wheel, and at the same time, when the wheelchair 12 is used for steering, the foot drive unit 14 tilts toward the inner peripheral side, which improves the drivability. To be Incidentally, in the present embodiment, when the wheelchair 12 is steered by 15 °, the foot drive unit 1
4 is tilted inward by 3 °.

Further, according to this embodiment, the foot drive unit 14 has the main frame 42 linearly extending forward, and the connecting device 16 is slidably fitted to the main frame 42. The guide member 68 and the fitting pins 90U and 90L of the guide member 68, which are rotatably provided around the rotation axis K in the pedal traveling state, are connected to the wheelchair frames 18a and 18b of the wheelchair 12. Since it includes the mounting member 70,
Since the wheelchair 12 can be rotated with respect to the foot drive unit 14, the wheelchair 1 can be operated while the pedal is running.
2 can be used for steering.

Further, according to the present embodiment, the connecting device 16
Is provided on the attachment member 70, and is attached by engaging with both sides of a portion of the main frame 42 located in front of the guide member 68 in the wheelchair traveling state in which the foot drive unit 14 and the wheelchair 12 are close to each other. Although the rotation of the member 70 with respect to the main frame 42 is blocked, the foot drive unit 14 and the wheelchair 12 are separated from each other by a predetermined distance and the front end of the main frame 42 is brought closer to the guide member 68 in the pedal traveling state. The foot drive unit 14 and the wheelchair 12 are connected to each other by the connecting device 16 because they include the engaging devices (the hourglass rollers 96a and 96b) that disengage from the main frame 42 and disengage. In a wheelchair traveling state in which they are brought close to each other, both sides of the portion of the main frame 42 located in front of the guide member 68 Since engaging rotated with respect to the main frame 42 of the mounting member 70 is prevented, the rattling can be prevented by rotation of the leg driving unit 14 is prevented when traveling as a wheelchair.

Further, according to this embodiment, in the pedal traveling state in which the foot drive unit 14 and the wheelchair 12 are separated from each other by a predetermined distance, the guide member 68 of the connecting device 16 and the main frame 42 are fixed to each other. Since the device 102 is provided, since the relative distance between the foot drive unit 14 and the wheelchair 12 is fixed in the pedal traveling state, safety during traveling is enhanced.

Further, according to the present embodiment, the mounting member 70 of the connecting device 16 can be easily attached to and detached from the chair frames 18a and 18b by the four mounting bolts 76. The foot drive unit 14 can be easily attached to and detached from the wheelchair 12. Therefore, there is an advantage that it is possible to go out to a relatively distant place with one's own wheelchair without purchasing a wheelchair dedicated to going out, and to be able to act with one's own wheelchair that is familiar even when going out.

Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the drawings, the present invention can be implemented in still another mode.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, the main frame 42 of the mounting member 70 is in the wheelchair traveling state in which the foot drive unit 14 is brought close to the wheelchair 12 and housed.
Although the engagement device (the hourglass-shaped rollers 96a and 96b) that engages with and prevents the rotation thereof is provided in the attachment member 70, it may not be necessarily provided.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the drive wheel 52 of the foot drive unit 14 is one wheel, but it may be two wheels.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the drive wheel 52 of the foot drive unit 14 is directly driven by the foot pedal 48, but in order to assist the rotation of the drive wheel 52, the pedal force of the foot pedal 48 is used. An electric drive torque assisting device that outputs a corresponding drive torque to the drive wheels 52 may be provided.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the fixing device 102 for fixing the main frame 42 of the foot drive unit 14 and the guide member 68 fitted to the main frame 42 to each other was provided, but the wheelchair user can move the wheelchair 12 to the wheelchair 12. When a sufficiently large frictional force is generated between the main frame 42 and the guide member 68 due to the load when sitting down, the fixing device 102 does not necessarily have to be provided.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, a fixing device for appropriately fixing the position of the guide member 68 with respect to the main frame 42 of the foot drive unit 14 may be provided. This has the advantage that the distance of the saddle 40 from the wheelchair 12 can be changed according to the physique of the caregiver.

Although not specifically exemplified, the present invention is
Various changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view for explaining the overall configuration of a wheelchair device with a foot drive unit that is an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating wheel positions when the wheelchair device with a foot drive unit according to the embodiment of FIG. 1 is in a wheelchair traveling state.

FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically illustrating wheel positions when the wheelchair device with a foot drive unit according to the embodiment of FIG. 1 is in a pedal travel state.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which the connecting device is attached to a pair of left and right chair frames of a wheelchair for explaining the configuration of the connecting device of the embodiment of FIG.

5 is a perspective view showing a state in which the coupling device is attached to a main frame of a foot drive unit in order to explain a configuration of the coupling device of the embodiment of FIG. 1. FIG.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the guide member of the coupling device shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is fitted to the main frame and the guide rod of the foot drive unit.

7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of a fixing device provided in the guide member of FIG. 6, showing a state in which relative movement between a main frame of a foot drive unit and a coupling device attached to the main frame is prevented. Is.

8 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of a fixing device provided on the guide member of FIG. 6, showing a state in which relative movement between a main frame of a foot drive unit and a coupling device attached to the main frame is allowed. Is.

[Explanation of symbols]

10: Wheelchair device with foot drive unit 12: Wheelchair 14: Foot drive unit 16: Connection device 24: Chair 26a, 26b: rear wheels 28a, 28b: front wheels 42: Main frame 48: Foot pedal 52: Drive wheel 56: floor 68: Guide member 70: Mounting member 90U, 90L: Mating pin 96a, 96b: Hourglass roller (engagement device) 102: Fixing device

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Shu Kimura             1-6 Shinkawa, Inuyama City, Aichi Prefecture             Inside the Technical Institute of Rolling Stock Industry Promotion Association (72) Inventor Katsuhiko Yamaguchi             1-6 Shinkawa, Inuyama City, Aichi Prefecture             Inside the Technical Institute of Rolling Stock Industry Promotion Association F-term (reference) 3D012 BB04

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A wheelchair having a pair of front wheels provided at a front portion of a chair and a pair of rear wheels provided at a rear portion of the chair and having a diameter larger than that of the front wheel, the wheelchair being rotationally driven by a foot pedal. A foot drive unit having a drive wheel for driving the foot drive unit and the wheelchair so that the foot drive unit and the wheelchair are close to each other, and the drive wheel of the foot drive unit is placed on the floor. A wheelchair running state in which the front wheel of the wheelchair is separated from the floor by a predetermined distance, and a coupling device is included. Wheelchair device with foot drive unit. 2. The foot drive system according to claim 2, wherein the connecting device is connected to a pair of front wheels provided at a front portion of the wheelchair and a pair of rear wheels provided at a rear portion of the wheelchair from tangents on a floor side. The wheelchair and the foot drive unit are connected to each other so that the drive wheels of the unit are always separated upward, and the foot drive unit and the wheelchair are mutually connected by the connecting device. In the wheelchair running state in which the wheelchair is approached, the center of gravity is located between the front wheel and the rear wheel of the wheelchair, and in the pedal running state in which the foot drive unit and the wheelchair are separated by a predetermined distance by the connecting device, The wheelchair device with a foot drive unit according to claim 1, wherein the center of gravity is located between the drive wheels of the foot drive unit and the rear wheels of the wheelchair. 3. The connection device connects the wheelchair and the foot drive unit so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis inclined forward of a vertical line.
Wheelchair device with foot drive unit. 4. The foot drive unit has a main frame extending forward, and the connecting device includes a guide member slidably fitted to the main frame and a vertical line on the guide member. The wheelchair device with a foot drive unit according to claim 3, further comprising: an attachment member that is rotatably provided around a pin that is provided along a rotation axis that is tilted forward and that is attached to the frame of the wheelchair. 5. The portion provided on the mounting member, the connecting device being located in front of the guide member of the main frame in a wheelchair traveling state in which the foot drive unit and the wheelchair are close to each other. Of the mounting member is prevented from rotating with respect to the main frame, but the foot drive unit and the wheelchair are separated by a predetermined distance so that the front end of the main frame is brought closer to the guide member. The wheelchair device with a foot drive unit according to claim 4, further comprising: an engagement device that does not engage with the main frame in a pedal traveling state and allows the mounting member to rotate with respect to the main frame. 6. A fixing device for fixing the guide member of the coupling device and the main frame to each other in a pedal traveling state in which the foot drive unit and the wheelchair are separated by a predetermined distance. A wheelchair device with a foot drive unit according to claim 4 or 5.