JP2001333940A - Wheelchair - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a wheelchair which can get over a small difference in level and is capable of small turns, and foot board of which can be moved easily by foot so that the user can move one's leg below the board. SOLUTION: The wheelchair can move on the ground (11) with a front wheel 2 and a rear wheel 3. It provides a level-difference absorber part 6 which is designed to freely rotate through a first support 6 around a first shaft 5, which is crossed at the right angles with the wheelchair's moving direction. It also provides a recovery tool 7 which recovers the level-difference absorber part 6 to the initial normal position which is not contact with the ground (11) which is located further in front and lower than the first shift 5 and further in front than the front wheel 2. The level-difference absorber part 6 has a turning locus. The turning locus crosses the outer edge 2c of the front wheel 2 which is located further in front and lower than a front wheel axle 2a which is the axle of the front wheel. A crossing point of the locus and the edge is lower than the initial normal position.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a wheelchair, and more particularly to a wheelchair used for elderly people, physically handicapped persons, persons who have trouble with lower limbs due to traffic accidents and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art People with disabilities in the lower limbs need to live in wheelchairs, which causes various inconveniences in their lives. For example, when moving in a wheelchair, it is difficult to get over even a small step, and when standing up from a wheelchair, a footrest provided under a foot may be an obstacle.

[0003] In view of the above, the following wheelchairs are conventionally known. That is, an extremely large-diameter wheel is attached as a front wheel provided in the traveling direction among a pair of front and rear wheels provided on the wheelchair body, and the footrest plate is made to be able to move under the foot. To
2. Description of the Related Art There is known a wheelchair provided rotatably about an axis substantially parallel to a traveling direction. According to such a wheelchair, since a large-diameter wheel is used for the front wheel, it is possible to easily get over a relatively small step when traveling, and at the time of rising, the footrest plate is rotated around the axis. When the footrest plate is stored along the inner surface of the wheelchair body by rotating, the space between the sole and the ground is opened, and the foot can be stood on the ground as it is.

[0004] As described above, the conventional wheelchair has an advantage that it can easily get over a step, but on the other hand, since the front wheel has a large radius, it is difficult to operate the wheelchair during traveling, that is, poor turning performance is poor. There is a problem that. In addition, since the footrest plate is rotatable only around an axis substantially parallel to the traveling direction, when the footrest is rotated to be stored along the inner side surface of the wheelchair body, the footrest is placed on the footrest plate. It is necessary to put the foot on the back side of the board, rotate the foot rest on the instep of the foot while raising the board to the inner side of the wheelchair body, such a procedure is for people with disabilities It is harder than expected.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a wheelchair which can easily get over a relatively small step and can also have a good turning property.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a wheelchair in which a footrest plate can be easily rotated with a foot and can go under and out of the foot.

[0006]

Means for Solving the Problems As a result of intensive studies, the present inventors have found that the following means can solve the problems. That is, in order to solve the problem, the present invention relates to a wheelchair capable of moving the running surface 11 through the front wheel 2 and the rear wheel 3. A step eliminating member 6 rotatably provided via a first support member 6a, and the step eliminating member 6
And a return means 7 for returning the vehicle to a first steady position at a position below and forward of the first rotating shaft 5 and not in contact with the running surface 11 in front of the front wheels 2. Further, the step elimination member 6 intersects the outer peripheral edge 2c of the front wheel 2 on the front lower side of the front wheel axle 2a which is the axle of the front wheel, and the intersection position is lower than the first steady position. The present invention provides a wheelchair provided to have a rotating locus 6c.

[0007] Further, the present invention provides the above-mentioned step eliminating member 6.
Provides a wheelchair comprising a member having a curved surface portion 6b having substantially the same curvature as the rotation locus 6c, and the curved surface portion 6b being provided so as to rotate along the maximum radius locus of the rotation locus 6c. I do.

The present invention also provides a seat 4 on which a user sits,
In a wheelchair having a footrest member 8 provided under the feet of a user sitting on the seat part 4, the footrest member 8 may be
Provided is a wheelchair provided rotatably around a second rotation axis 9 orthogonal to the traveling direction of the wheelchair.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A preferred embodiment of a wheelchair according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
1 is a side view of a wheelchair according to the present embodiment, FIG. 2 is a front view including an enlarged view of a footrest member of the wheelchair according to the present embodiment, and FIGS. 3A to 3D are wheelchairs according to the present embodiment. 4A to 4D are side views of the footrest member according to the present embodiment viewed from the inside of a wheelchair. For convenience of explanation, the front refers to the direction in which the user turns his / her face when sitting in a wheelchair, and the normal traveling direction of the wheelchair, and the rear refers to the opposite direction to the front.

The wheelchair according to the present invention comprises a wheelchair body 1 having a pair of left and right frames 1a on which wheels, seats and the like are supported as main parts, and a pair of left and right small diameters pivotally supported at the front part of each frame 1a. Front wheel 2, a pair of left and right large-diameter rear wheels 3 pivotally supported at the rear of each frame 1a, a seat 4 provided on the frame 1a, and a user inside each frame 1a. Has a pair of left and right foot rest members 8 provided below the feet when sitting on the seat portion 4.

A rear wheel axle 3a on which the rear wheel 3 is supported is
The front wheel 2 is provided in a direction orthogonal to the traveling direction of the wheelchair.
At a position near and above the front wheel axle 2a on which the front wheel axle is supported, a first rotating shaft 5 parallel to the rear wheel axle 3a is provided as a left and right pair.

A wheelchair is connected to the first rotating shaft 5 by a step 12.
A pair of left and right step-eliminating members 6 that enable the vehicle to easily get over is supported rotatably via a rod-shaped first support member 6a.

The step eliminating member 6 is an arc-shaped member having a curved portion 6b, and is connected to the first support member 6a inside the curved portion 6b.

The curved surface portion 6b which forms the outer surface of the step eliminating member 6 has a maximum radius locus which is the outermost locus of the turning locus 6c drawn in a circle when the step eliminating member 6 rotates. It has substantially the same curvature and is provided so as to rotate along this maximum radius locus. That is, the curved surface portion 6
b is provided in a shape that forms a part of the maximum radius locus.

The step-eliminating member 6 having such a shape is located at a position below and forward of the first rotation shaft 5, and the lower end of the curved surface portion 6 b, which is the lowermost end of the step-eliminating member 6, has a running surface 11.
A higher position (a position not in contact with the running surface 11) is defined as a first steady position (a position obliquely downward and forward of the wheelchair body 1). Usually, the step eliminating member 6 is supported by the return means 7 at its first steady position so as not to rotate to a position directly below the first rotating shaft 5 by gravity.

As the return means 7, a coil spring 7b is used, and each end of the coil spring 7b is provided with two hooks 7a provided on the frame 1a on the fixed side and the first support member 6a on the movable side. It is connected to.

The position of the first rotating shaft 5, the length of the first support member 6a, and the like are determined so that the step eliminating member 6 does not come into contact with the running surface 11 even when rotated. Below the first steady position, the front wheel 2 is adjusted so as to intersect with the outer peripheral edge 2c below the front wheel axle 2a.

The step elimination member 6 and the first support member 6a are formed of a material having a strength capable of supporting the weight of the wheelchair.

On the other hand, as shown in the enlarged view of FIG. 2, the foot rest member 8 for placing the foot 13 when the user sits in a wheelchair.
Is a metal footrest plate 8a formed in a rectangular plate shape.
And a bar-shaped metal second support member 8b for connecting the footrest plate 8a to the frame 1a. The footrest plate 8a is one end of the second support member 8b in the longitudinal direction. And is rotatably supported about a third rotation shaft 8c substantially parallel to the traveling direction provided in the camera.

The foot rest 8 is connected to the frame 1
a around a pair of left and right second rotating shafts 9 (axis parallel to the rear wheel axle 3a) provided in the front part of a and in a direction perpendicular to the traveling direction of the wheelchair via the second support member 8b. It is pivotally supported. That is, the foot rest member 8 is provided so as to rotate in the same direction as the rear wheel 3 at the lower front side of the user sitting on the seat 4.

Further, in order to prevent inadvertent rotation of the rotatable foot rest member 8, the foot rest plate 8a or the second support member 8 is provided.
b, between the wheelchair body 1 and at least one of
A detachable locking means is provided, whereby the footrest member 8 is normally locked at a second steady position, which is directly below the second rotating shaft 9. As this locking means, for example,
Convex part 1 provided inside frame 1a of wheelchair body 1
0a and a concave portion 10 provided outside the second support member 8b.
Means for engaging and disengaging by uneven fitting with b is preferable.

The wheelchair according to the present invention has a wheelchair main body 1, a front wheel 2, a rear wheel 3, and a seat 4, and the lowermost end of the step eliminating member 6, that is, the lower end of the curved surface portion 6b runs. Since the position above the surface 11 is supported as the first steady position, the step eliminating member 6 does not contact the running surface 11 on the flat running surface 11 (for example, the floor). Therefore, the user of the wheelchair can travel on the running surface 11 without any trouble and move to the destination while sitting on the seat 4.

Next, when there is a step 12 in front of the wheelchair, the curved surface portion 6b of the step eliminating member 6 supported at the first steady position in front of the front wheel 2 hits the step 12 (FIG. a)). The step elimination member 6 is rotatable around a first rotation axis 5 orthogonal to the traveling direction of the wheelchair, and is positioned in front of and below the first rotation axis 5 in a first steady state. Since the position is set to the position, the step eliminating member 6 is rotated backward and downward from the steady position against the return means 7 by being pushed down by the step 12 by the propulsive force for moving the wheelchair. By the downward rotation of the step eliminating member 6, the front wheel 2 is pushed up in the opposite direction so that the front surface 2 is pushed up.
The wheelchair advances gradually while being in contact with the running surface 11 only by the step eliminating member 6 and the rear wheel 3 (see FIG. 3B).

When the wheelchair further advances, the step eliminating member 6 has a turning locus 6c intersecting with the front wheel 2 at the outer peripheral edge 2c below the front wheel axle 2a at the front lower side. Contacts the front wheel 2 at the time when the step eliminating member 6 crosses the front wheel 2. Next, when the front wheel 2 rides on the step 12 and the step 12 is transferred from the step eliminating member 6 to the front wheel 2, the step eliminating member 6
The wheelchair comes into contact with the running surface 11 only with the front wheel 2 and the rear wheel 3 (see FIG. 3C). When the wheelchair further advances, the front wheel 2 completely climbs over the step 12 (FIG. 3).
(D)).

At this time, since the step eliminating member 6 is provided so as to intersect the outer peripheral edge 2c of the front wheel 2 at a position lower than the first steady position, substantially when the front wheel 2 comes into contact with the step 12, The height of the typical step 12 is obtained by subtracting the vertical distance (about the height at which the front wheel 2 is lifted) in which the step eliminating member 6 has rotated from the substantially actual height of the step 12.

As described above, the wheelchair according to the present invention has the advantage that the step 12 can be easily overcome because the step removing member 6 is provided. In addition, the wheelchair according to the present invention can easily get over the step 12 by the step eliminating member 6, so that it is not necessary to increase the radius of the front wheel 2, and therefore, it is unlikely that the small turning performance of the wheelchair is deteriorated. Has the advantage of

On the other hand, when the front wheel 2 rides on the step 12, the step removing member 6 separated from the step 12 exerts a force for rotating the step removing member 6 against the return means 7 (step 12).
Is provided so that the force for pressing the step-eliminating member 6 disappears and does not contact the running surface 11 even if the step-eliminating member 6 rotates.
b It is returned to the first steady position again by the elastic force.
Accordingly, the step eliminating member 6 can exert the same step eliminating effect on the next step 12 without applying any special means (see FIG. 3D).

Further, in this wheelchair, since the step eliminating member 6 is formed of an arc-shaped member having a curved surface portion 6b,
A portion where the step removing member 6 can come into contact with the step 12 (the curved surface portion 6).
b) has a long shape. Therefore, it is possible to make contact with the step 12 over the entire area in the longitudinal direction of the surface having the elongated shape (the surface constituting the curved surface portion 6b), and in this wheelchair, the height range of the step 12 that can be easily overcome is widened. And has the advantage.

Further, when the step eliminating member 6 rotates in a state where the curved surface portion 6b is in contact with the step 12, slipping or displacement occurs in the contacted portion, and the point where the curved surface portion 6b and the step 12 come into contact with each other. Even if the contact point moves, the curved surface portion 6b and the step 12 do not separate from each other within the entire range of the curved surface portion 6b. Therefore, even when the step 12 has a slippery shape and / or is made of a slippery material, the step eliminating member 6 can easily get over the step 12 as described above. And has the advantage.

The curved surface portion 6b of the step eliminating member 6 has substantially the same curvature as the turning locus 6c of the step eliminating member 6, and is provided so as to turn along the maximum radius locus of the turning locus 6c. Therefore, regardless of the length of the curved surface portion 6b of the step eliminating member 7, the rotation locus 6c hardly changes. Therefore, regardless of the length of the curved surface portion 6b, the step eliminating member 6
Has an advantage that it has the same step-elimination function as the above.

As described above, after the user advances in a wheelchair while reaching the destination while eliminating the step 12, the user may need to get up from the wheelchair. that time,
It is necessary for the user to secure a space for lowering the foot on the running surface. In general, there is a footrest at that position (FIG. 4C), so that the footrest does not have to be retracted. Not be. Therefore, conventionally, the user puts his or her feet on the back side of the foot rest, and lifts the foot rest with the instep of the foot inward of the wheelchair body, thereby retreating the foot rest, thereby reducing the space. Was secured. On the other hand, in the wheelchair according to the present invention, the footrest member 8 is provided rotatably around the second rotation axis 9 orthogonal to the traveling direction of the wheelchair (FIG. 4).
(See (a) and (b)), the user can retract the footrest plate 8a by rotating the footrest member 8 backward with respect to the traveling direction. Therefore, the wheelchair according to the present invention has an advantage that a space for the user to drop his / her foot can be easily secured (see FIG. 4D).

On the other hand, when the user is sitting on the seat 4, the foot rest member 8 is supported so that the foot rest plate 8a is supported at the second stationary position immediately below the second rotating shaft 9. Is provided, the user can easily put the foot 13 on the foot rest plate 8a as in the case of using a conventional wheelchair (see FIG. 4 (c)).

In the above-described embodiment, an arc-shaped member is used as the member having the curved surface portion 6b as the step eliminating member 6, but the shape of the member is not particularly limited. A boomerang shape is also possible.

The return means 7 for the step elimination member 6
Is not limited to those exemplified in the above embodiment,
An operation of supporting the step eliminating member 6 at the first steady position against the downward rotation of the step eliminating member 6 by gravity, an operation of allowing the step eliminating member 6 to rotate, and a step eliminating member. 6 may be used as long as it has an action of returning the first member 6 to the first steady position. For example, other types of springs such as leaf springs, elastic members such as rubber, oil dampers and air dampers, and elastic members It is also possible to use a member or the like.

Further, the second support member 8b is
The mechanism for facilitating the stationary in the direction directly below is not limited to the example illustrated in the above-described embodiment, and includes, for example, a mechanism for providing the concave and convex portions at the corresponding positions inside the second rotating shaft 9 to easily stop the rotating. Can be

[0036]

As described above, since the wheelchair according to the present invention is provided with the step-eliminating member, a wheelchair which can easily get over a relatively small step and has good turnability is provided. It is also possible. Further, in the wheelchair according to the present invention, since the step-eliminating member is formed of a member having a curved surface portion, it can easily get over a step having a wide range of heights (steps of various heights) and have a slippery shape. And / or a step made of a slippery material can be easily overcome. Furthermore, since the wheelchair according to the present invention is provided with a footrest that can be rotated about an axis perpendicular to the traveling direction, the user can easily rotate the footrest with his / her feet and step You can leave.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a front view including an enlarged view of a footrest member of the wheelchair according to the present invention.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are partially omitted side views showing a state of a front wheel portion of the wheelchair according to the present invention at the time of traveling, wherein FIG. 3A is a state in which a step eliminating member has hit a step, and FIG. (C) is a state where the front wheel has climbed over the step, and (d) is a state where the front wheel has completely climbed over the step.

FIG. 4 is a partially omitted side view showing a state of a footrest member at the time of getting on and off the wheelchair according to the present invention, viewed from the inside of the wheelchair, wherein (a) and (c) show a user sitting. (B) and (d) are states when the user stands up.

[Explanation of symbols]

2 front wheel 2a front wheel axle 2c outer peripheral edge 3 rear wheel
4 ... Seat part, 5 ... First rotating shaft, 6 ... Step difference eliminating member, 6a ...
1st support member, 6b ... curved surface part, 6c ... rotation locus, 7 ... return means, 8 ... footrest member, 9 ... second rotation axis, 11 ... running surface

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A wheelchair capable of advancing a running surface (11) via a front wheel (2) and a rear wheel (3), wherein a first rotating shaft (5) orthogonal to a traveling direction of the wheelchair.
A step eliminating member (6) rotatably provided around the first supporting member (6a) around the step, and the step eliminating member (6).
Is returned to a first steady position at a position below and forward of the first rotation shaft (5) and not in contact with the running surface (11) in front of the front wheel (2). Means (7) are provided, and said step eliminating member (6) is further provided.
Intersects an outer peripheral edge (2c) of the front wheel (2) at a lower front side than a front wheel axle (2a) which is an axle of the front wheel (2), and the intersection position is lower than the first steady position. A wheelchair characterized by having a rotation locus (6c). 2. The step elimination member (6) is made of a member having a curved surface portion (6b) having substantially the same curvature as the rotation locus (6c), and the curved surface portion (6b) is formed by the rotation locus (6c). The wheelchair according to claim 1, wherein the wheelchair is provided so as to rotate along the maximum radius locus. 3. A wheelchair having a seat (4) on which a user sits and a footrest member (8) provided under the feet of the user sitting on the seat (4). A wheelchair, wherein the member (8) is provided rotatably around a second rotation axis (9) orthogonal to the traveling direction of the wheelchair.