JP2000126240A - Wheelchair with suspension - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide comfortable traveling of a wheelchair by easily moving on any small level difference at a sidewalk, a general road, or the like. SOLUTION: Suspensions 1, 12 are fitted respectively, to four supporter frames 2, 19 supporting respectively front/rear pairs of front wheels 6 and rear wheels 11 at the wheelchair. Thus, it is possible to absorb a shock when moving on the level difference with respect to a small level difference, a slope at a sidewalk and projection/recess at a road, to obtain stability by keeping a seat surface to be horizontal on a slope and to reduce vibration made by projection/ recess to travel comfortably.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a handicapped person or a person using a wheelchair, such as a manual, electric or nursing wheelchair.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional wheelchair, four wheels (two pairs of a front wheel and a rear wheel) are used in a manual, electric, and nursing wheelchair.
No suspension is used for the frame support supporting the vehicle, and in the electric wheelchair, a spring or the like is only partially used for the rear wheel because a motor and a battery are mounted. Most of the manual and nursing wheelchairs have no suspension, and the front and rear wheels are attached directly to steel or steel pipes. Therefore, when a user (a passenger or a person pushing a wheelchair for nursing care) is running in a wheelchair, the front wheel is caught on a slight step such as a sidewalk or a threshold at home, and the user (a wheelchair for the passenger or nursing care) The person who pushes) leans forward or receives an impact on the body as he steps down a step, and feels discomfort and sometimes fear. In addition, not only on the front and rear slopes, but also on the left and right slopes, the wheelchair itself tilts, and the passenger is likely to fall off the wheelchair when tilting, and the person pushing the wheelchair can successfully push the wheelchair because of the slope. There were many inconvenient, dangerous, and unpleasant aspects.

[0003]

A user such as a manual wheelchair, an electric wheelchair, or a wheelchair for nursing care (passenger or person pushing a wheelchair for nursing care) can travel comfortably indoors or outdoors, on a sidewalk or on a general road. It is an object of the present invention to provide a wheelchair that can travel without worrying about small steps or inclined surfaces.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A suspension (or cushion, spring, spring) (1) (12) is mounted on four frame columns respectively supporting a pair of front and rear wheels (casters) and rear wheels (drive wheels) in a wheelchair. ) Makes it possible to absorb shocks and easily climb over bumps and bumps on small steps and sidewalks, and bumps on roads. In addition, vibrations against irregularities and the like are alleviated to enable comfortable traveling.

Further, this wheelchair has four wheels (a front wheel,
By attaching suspensions (or cushions, springs, springs, etc.) (1) (12) to the four frame supports (2) (19) supporting the rear wheels), each wheel moves up and down according to the road surface condition. Therefore, the main body may be twisted, and the suspension (8) is attached to the crossbars (17) and (18) to cope with the torsion, and the tipping lever frame is adapted to cope with the upward movement of the rear wheel (11). The joint mechanism (7) is attached to (20).

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The wheelchair of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 4 to 6 show an embodiment of the wheelchair of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a side view when the vehicle gets over a step, and FIG. 5 is a side view when the vehicle gets off the step. FIG.
It is a rear view of the wheelchair main body in the inclined road surface in right and left.

In this wheelchair, suspensions (or cushions, springs, springs, etc.) (1) (1) are provided on four frame supports (2) (19) for supporting front wheels and rear wheels, respectively.
2) is attached. In addition, the tipping lever frame (20) is newly provided with a joint mechanism (7) to cope with upward movement by the function of the suspension (12) of the rear wheel (11). In order to perform vertical movement according to the road surface according to (12), a suspension (8) is attached to crossbars (17) and (18) at the lower part of the vehicle body so as to cope with distortion and torsion of the vehicle body. is there.

First, the structure of the main wheelchair will be described with reference to FIG.

In this wheelchair, suspensions (or cushions, springs, springs, etc.) (1) (12) are mounted on frame supports (2) (19) supporting four wheels for supporting the vehicle body. Further, the front wheel is installed perpendicular to the road surface in the conventional wheelchair, but the front wheel of the wheelchair according to the present invention has the front frame (1) because the suspension (1) function responds best to shocks from the front and below. (Or a vertical line to the floor) in a range of 20 degrees to 35 degrees forward. For this purpose, the foot plate is attached to the front wheel frame reinforcing frame (4) so that the foot plate does not contact the front wheel support frame support (2). In addition, since the front wheel (6) is moved forward, force is concentrated on the joint between the main body and the front wheel support frame column (2) due to an impact from the front or below, which is likely to cause breakage. (4) is provided.

Also, four wheel supporting frame supports (2)
Since the vertical movement between the front wheel (6) and the rear wheel (11) is caused by attaching the suspensions (1) and (12) to (19), a joint mechanism (7) is provided on the tipping lever frame (20). The front wheel (6) and the rear wheel (11) separate and move up and down. With respect to the vertical movement of each wheel in the left and right rows, a suspension (8) is attached to the crossbars (17) and (18) at the lower part of the vehicle body so as to cope with distortion and torsion of the vehicle body.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the suspension (1) of the front wheel (6) and the suspension (12) of the rear wheel (11) absorb and absorb shocks when the vehicle gets over or gets off a small step, and is smooth and easy. It is possible to get on and off the bumps. On a left-right inclined surface as shown in FIG. 6, the suspensions (1) and (12) having a higher inclination are shortened and work to keep the seat surface horizontal.

The suspension (1) (1)
Wheelchairs fitted with 2) can be used for small steps, slopes and uneven road surfaces indoors, outdoors, sidewalks and general roads.
The impact can be reduced, and the inconvenience, discomfort and fear of the wheelchair user can be eliminated.

[0014]

As described above, the wheelchair of the present invention has the following effects.

The wheelchair of the present invention can be manually operated by attaching suspensions (springs, cushions, springs, etc.) (1) (12) to frame supports (2) (19) supporting four front wheels and rear wheels. It is possible for a user of a type, an electric type, a wheelchair for a nursing care, etc. to travel comfortably without feeling a shock or danger when getting on or off a small step. In addition, the seating surface of the wheelchair can be kept horizontal even on the left and right inclined road surfaces, so that the user does not lean or the pushing person feels the pushing feeling due to the inclination. Also, crossbars (17) (18)
By installing a suspension (8) on the wheelchair and by providing a joint mechanism (7) on the tipping lever frame (20), it can cope with torsion and distortion of the wheelchair body,
Stability can be maintained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall side view of a wheelchair according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view thereof.

FIG. 3 is a rear view

FIG. 4 is a view when the front wheel is over a step.

FIG. 5 is a side view of when descending a step;

FIG. 6 is a rear view of an inclined road surface on the left and right sides.

FIG. 7 is a diagram of a joint mechanism of the tipping bar frame.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Front wheel suspension 2 Front wheel support frame 3 Front frame 4 Front wheel frame reinforcement frame 5 Leg pipe 6 Front wheel (freewheel / caster) 7 Joint (tipping bar frame) 8 Crossbar suspension 9 Hand rim 10 Tipping lever 11 Rear wheel (drive wheel) 12 Rear wheel suspension 13 Seat pipe 14 Back pipe 15 Elbow support (Arm pipe) 16 Upper front pipe 17 Crossbar (front) 18 Crossbar (rear) 19 Rear wheel support frame 20 Tipping lever frame

Claims (4)

[Claims] A suspension (or cushion, cushion, etc.) is provided on four pillar frames (2) (19) for supporting a pair of front and rear wheels (6) and a rear wheel (11) respectively in a manual, electric or nursing wheelchair. Spring, spring, etc.)
(1) It is characterized by attaching (12). 2. A front wheel (6) is provided with suspensions (or cushions, springs, springs, etc.) (1) and (12), and is used when riding on a road, a house, or a step in a building.
The angle of the front frame (3) (or the vertical line to the floor) as the angle at which the bumps can be smoothed and the shock can be eased.
It is characterized by being installed in a range of 20 degrees to 35 degrees. 3. The tipping lever frame (20)
In order to cope with the case where the rear wheel (drive wheel) (11) moves upward by the suspension function, a joint mechanism (7) is provided so as to bend behind the intermediate portion. 4. A suspension (8) is attached to one or two pairs of crossbars (17) and (18) in front and rear, and four movements (up and down movement) of a front wheel (6) and a rear wheel (11) respectively. To flexibly respond to the torsion of the frame below the wheelchair.