JP2002113049A - Self-travelling wheelchair - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a self-travelling wheelchair steerable while sitting on a seat or walking behind the wheelchair with a wheelchair body as a support, free from an anxiety about traveling in the unintended direction without steering operation and facilitating the changeover of front and rear steering devices. SOLUTION: The wheelchair body 2 is equipped with a seat 3, lateral driving wheels 4a, 4b and a motor for driving the driving wheels 4a, 4b. A first operating device 7 is provided in front of the seat 3, and a second operating device 8 is provided at the rear. The second operating device 8 is provided with a steering handle. The steering handle is pulled out into the operating position to allow the operation of a traveling and steering control system from the second operating device 8 and to cut off a traveling and steering control system from the first operating device 7. By folding the steering handle 20, the traveling and steering control system is from cut off the second operating device 8 and to allow the operation of the traveling and steering control system from the first operating device 7.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a self-propelled wheelchair which carries a disabled person, an elderly person, a sick person or the like and is driven by a motor.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an aging society, it is desired by all that elderly people keep their health and forever carry out their daily lives on their own. 2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, self-propelled wheelchairs that carry an electric vehicle carrying an elderly person or the like have become widespread, and this has made it possible for the elderly or the sick to go out and move without requiring the assistance of others. By the way, a general self-propelled wheelchair is
A steering device such as a switch and a steering wheel is disposed in front of the seat so that an elderly person sitting on the seat can steer. However, walking is the most important exercise in order to prevent the elderly and the disabled from losing their body. However, as in the case of the conventional self-propelled wheelchair, a set of control devices is installed only in front of the seat. With just that, the wheelchair could not be steered from behind and walk, and could not be used as an aid to aid walking.

[0003] Further, a vehicle body provided with a steering portion composed of a steering wheel and a seat can be driven by front steering wheels and driving rear wheels, and an auxiliary steering portion steerable from the rear of the vehicle body is provided. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-145803 discloses a small electric vehicle in which the maximum traveling speed when using a control unit is made slower than the maximum traveling speed when using a control unit. However, even when using the rear auxiliary control unit, the steering operation by the handle of the front control unit
This is possible as long as it is not fixed, so if you forget to fix the steering wheel, the front steering wheel will swing due to unevenness on the road, etc. There is a risk that the car will run.

[0004] Conversely, when the vehicle is driven with the rear auxiliary control unit attached, when something touches the second accelerator lever, there is a concern that the operation is prioritized and the speed of the electric vehicle changes. is there. And, since the front steering wheel and the rear steering wheel are connected so as to interlock with each other, if the front steering wheel or the rear steering wheel is shaken, it is difficult for the weak or elderly to control the other steering wheel. It is. Furthermore, although the rear auxiliary control unit is detachable, the auxiliary control unit must be removed each time the user sits on the seat, and it is not only troublesome to attach this auxiliary control unit when driving while walking, but also the removed parts Also has the disadvantage that it is easily lost.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, it is possible to steer while walking from behind while supporting the vehicle body, or to operate while sitting on a seat, and to worry about running in an unintended direction without steering operation. It is an object of the present invention to provide a self-propelled wheelchair which is easy to switch between front and rear control devices without any problem.

[0006]

A self-propelled wheelchair according to the present invention has a seat and left and right driving wheels installed on a vehicle body, and a motor for driving the driving wheels, and a first steering wheel in front of the seat. A second steering device provided behind the seat, the second steering device having a foldable steering handle, and pulling the steering handle to the operating position, thereby providing the second steering device. The travel steering control system connecting the device and the motor becomes operable, the travel steering control system connecting the first steering device and the motor is disconnected, and the steering handle is folded to the non-operation position. Then, the traveling steering control system that connects the second steering device and the motor is disconnected, and the traveling steering control system that connects the first steering device and the motor becomes operable.

[0007] When sitting on a seat, the vehicle is controlled by the first control device. When walking while grabbing in a self-propelled wheelchair, the vehicle is controlled by the second control device. When the vehicle is controlled by one control device, the other control device is used. If the traveling steering control system is disconnected from the other steering device and the other steering device collides with something, the steering is not affected. The first steering device and the second steering device can be easily switched by pulling out the steering handle of the second steering device to the operating position or folding the steering handle of the second steering device to the non-operating position. Since the steering handle of the second steering device is freely foldable, the steering handle at the rear does not obstruct the surroundings when sitting and steering in the seat.

[0008] The traveling steering control system that connects the first and second steering devices and the motor may perform steering control by changing the rotational speeds of the left and right drive wheels, respectively. The maximum speed when traveling with the second control device can be 40 to 60% of the maximum speed when traveling with the first control device. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent the self-propelled wheelchair from traveling faster than the walking speed when steering while walking from behind.

[0009]

1 to 8 show a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the self-propelled wheelchair 1 includes a vehicle body 2, a seat 3, a pair of left and right driving rear wheels 4 a,
4b and the driven front wheels 5, 5, and
motors M1 and M2 for driving a and 4b, respectively (FIG. 4)
, A first control device 7 is provided in front of the seat 3, and a second control device 8 is provided behind the seat 3.

The vehicle body 2 includes a frame 9 and a chassis 10, and a battery 6 (FIG. 8), a charger (not shown), motors M1 and M2, and reduction gears connected to output shafts of the motors M1 and M2, respectively. 11 a and 11 b (FIG. 4) are built in, and a seat 3 is installed on an upper portion of the chassis 10. A footrest 12 serving also as a bumper is mounted on the front end of the frame 9, and a brake pedal 13 projects upward from the footrest 12. This brake pedal 13
Is connected to a stop lever 28 for operating a brake built in the reduction gears 11a and 11b. In addition, seat 3
The support frame 14 is erected upward from the frame 9 at the rear of the vehicle, and a backrest 15 is mounted on the front surface of the support frame 14.

An armrest 16 projects forward from an intermediate portion of the side surface of the support frame 14, and a first control device 7 is installed at a front end of the armrest 16. Also, the support frame 14
A second steering device 8 is installed at the upper end of the rear surface of the vehicle. Further, left and right driven front wheels 5 and 5 are mounted on the front side of the frame 9 via the eccentric support member 17 so as to swing and rotate freely. As shown in FIG. 6, the first steering device 7 is provided with a switch SW1 provided on the upper surface of a base 18 and an upright steering lever 19 capable of tilting forward, backward, left and right.

The self-propelled wheelchair 1 moves forward when the steering lever 19 is tilted forward, retreats when tilted backward, and turns left and right when tilted forward or backward to the left or right. It is designed to run. Also, the steering lever 19
Is urged to stand upright, and when the hand is released from the steering lever 19, the steering lever 19 is automatically upright and the self-propelled wheelchair 1 is turned on.
Stops. In addition, in the case of forward / reverse, the steering lever 1
As the inclination angle of the steering lever 19 increases, the traveling speed increases. Note that the control device 25 (FIG. 8) that drives and controls the motors M1 and M2 has a maximum forward speed of approximately 6 km / h when the first control device 7 is used, and a maximum reverse speed of 1/3 thereof. Limited to a degree. The switch SW1 is a switch for switching between opening and closing of a traveling steering control system that connects the first steering device 7 and the motors M1 and M2.

The second steering device 8 includes a steering handle 20.
And an operation panel 2 attached to the front of the upper surface of the steering handle 20
1 and a gripping rod 22 provided below and in parallel with the distal end of the steering handle 20, as shown in FIG.
On the upper surface of the operation panel 21, the second control device 8 and the motor M
A switch SW2, which is an open / close switch of a traveling steering control system connecting the first and M2, and a speed lever 23 are provided. The steering handle 20, as shown in FIG.
4 and protrudes horizontally and rearward from the upper end of a rotating shaft 24 erected on the rear surface so as to be rotatable left and right, and when the steering handle 20 is rotated, the rotating shaft 24 rotates, The self-propelled wheelchair 1 runs on the rotated side.

Further, the steering handle 20 can be folded from an operation position where it extends horizontally to a non-operation position below, and when the steering handle 20 is pulled out to the operation position, traveling steering from the second steering device is performed. The limit switch LSW (FIG. 8) provided in the control system is closed, and as shown in FIG. 5, the limit switch LSW is opened when the steering handle 20 is put in the non-operation position. The speed lever 23 can move to the left and right along a slit formed in the operation panel 21. As shown in FIG. 7, when the self-propelled wheelchair 1 is at the center neutral position, the self-propelled wheelchair 1 stops, and The traveling speed of the self-propelled wheelchair 1 increases as the speed lever 23 moves farther from the neutral position while the self-propelled wheelchair 1 moves forward and moves leftward. I have. Note that the maximum forward speed when the second control device 8 is used is restricted to 40 to 60% of the maximum speed by the first control device 7, preferably about 3 km / h. Is about 1/3 of that.

The gripping rod 22 is provided so as to be able to contact and separate from the steering handle 20 and is urged in a direction away from the steering handle 20. When the steering is performed by the second steering device 8, the tip of the steering handle 20 and the gripping rod 22
When the gripping rod 22 is brought close to the steering handle 20 by
When the switch SW3 (FIG. 8) provided in the traveling steering control system from the second steering device is closed and the steering handle 20 and the gripping rod 22 are released, the gripping rod 22 is separated from the steering handle 20 and SW3 is released. Is designed to open. As shown in FIGS. 2O and 3, a brake lever 26 is provided on a side surface of the steering handle 20.
Is connected to the stop lever 28 of the speed reducers 11a and 11b.

As shown in FIG. 8, between the battery 6 and a traveling steering control system for controlling the driving of the motors M1 and M2.
The main switch MSW is interposed. Also, the limit switch LSW and the switch SW2 of the second control device 8
And the relay RLA are connected in series in this order,
The switch SW1 and the buzzer BZ connected in series are connected in parallel with the relay RLA. Then, the main switch MSW, the limit switch LSW and the switch SW
When the switch 2 is closed, the relay A is activated. When the switch SW1 of the first control device 7 is closed in this state, a warning sound by the buzzer BZ is made.

Further, a normally closed contact C1 which opens when the relay RLA is activated, a switch SW1 and the relay RLB are connected in series. Therefore, when the switch SW1 is closed while the relay RLA is not operating and the normally closed contact C1 is closed, the relay RLB is operated. On the other hand, when the relay RLA is activated and the normally closed contact C1 is open, the relay RLB does not operate even if the switch SW1 is closed.

The battery 6 is connected to the control device 25 of the motors M1 and M2 via a normally open contact C2 and a switch SW3 which are closed when the relay RLA is activated, and is normally opened when the relay RLA is activated. Closed contact C3
And a normally open contact C4 that closes when the relay RLB is actuated. Therefore, after the main switch MSW is turned on, the limit switch LS
When the switch W2 and the switch SW2 are closed and the relay RLA is operated, the normally open contact C2 is closed and the switch SW3 is further closed. When the switch SW3 is closed, the control device 25 of the motors M1 and M2 controls the rotation shaft 24 of the second control device 8 Operation is enabled by the speed lever 23.

However, in this state, since the normally closed contact C1 is open, even if the switch SW1 is closed, the relay R
The LB does not operate, and as a result, the operation by the first steering device 7 becomes impossible. Then, only when one of the limit switch LSW and the switch SW2 is open and the relay RLA is not operated, when the switch SW1 is closed, the relay RLB is operated, the normally closed contact C3 and the normally open contact C4 are closed, The control device 25 of the motors M1 and M2 can be operated by the steering lever 19 of the first steering device 7.

The control device 25 is provided with the first control device 7.
When the steering lever 19 of the second steering device 8 is tilted sideways, or the steering handle 20 of the second steering device 8 is rotated sideways,
When the motor 4 is rotated, a difference in rotation is given to the left and right motors M1 and M2 so that the rotational speeds of the left and right driving rear wheels 4a and 4b are different from each other, thereby controlling the steering of the self-propelled wheelchair 1. . Also, the larger the inclination angle of the steering lever 19 and the rotation angle of the steering handle 20, the larger the left and right driving rear wheels 4a, 4b.
The self-propelled wheelchair 1 is turned at a steep angle by increasing the difference in the number of rotations of the wheelchair. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the reduction gears 11a and 11b are provided with manual levers 27 for disconnecting power transmission to the driving rear wheels 4a and 4b, for example, when the self-propelled wheelchair 1 is towed. Can be

When a person sits on the self-propelled wheelchair 1 and the assistant pushes it, or when the self-propelled wheelchair 1 is supported to walk from behind, a main switch MSW installed at an appropriate position is provided. Is closed, the steering handle 20 of the second steering device 8 is raised horizontally, and the limit switch LS
While closing W, the switch SW2 is closed. At this time,
Even if the switch SW1 of the first control device 7 is closed, the control by the first control device 7 cannot be performed, and the buzzer BZ sounds and a warning is issued.

Next, when the forward / backward movement and the traveling speed are determined by adjusting the speed lever 23, the tip of the steering handle 20 and the gripping rod 22 are gripped and the switch SW3 is closed, and the self-propelled wheelchair 1 travels. When the gripping rod 22 is released, the switch SW3 opens and the self-propelled wheelchair 1 stops.
When the steering wheel 20 is rotated left and right during traveling, the traveling direction of the self-propelled wheelchair 1 changes according to the rotation angle. To stop the self-propelled wheelchair 1 suddenly when there is a danger, the brake lever 26 provided on the steering handle 20 may be operated.

When traveling while sitting on the self-propelled wheelchair 1,
When the steering handle 20 of the second control device 8 is folded to the lower non-operation position with the main switch MSW closed, the limit switch LSW is opened, and the control by the second control device 8 becomes impossible. In this state, when the switch SW1 of the first steering device 7 is closed and the steering lever 19 is tilted at an arbitrary angle to an arbitrary side according to the direction and speed at which the driver wants to advance, the self-propelled wheelchair 1 travels and the steering lever When the user 19 stands upright, the self-propelled wheelchair 1 stops. To stop the self-propelled wheelchair 1 and stop it suddenly, the brake pedal 13 may be depressed.

FIG. 9 shows a second embodiment of the present invention.
One motor M3 is mounted on the vehicle body 2, and the motor M3 is connected to the left and right drive wheels 4 via a speed reducer 11c with a differential.
a, 4b. A brake 29 is provided between the speed reducer 11c and the left and right drive wheels 4a, 4b.
a, 29b are interposed. Then, the left and right brakes 29a and 29b are electrically operated by tilting the steering lever 19 of the first steering device 7 to the side or rotating the steering handle 20 of the second steering device 8 left and right. Alternatively, the steering control is performed by increasing or decreasing the rotational speed of the left and right drive wheels 4a and 4b by mechanically operating the drive wheels.

When the self-propelled wheelchair 1 is towed or the like, the drive wheels 4 are moved by the manual lever 27 provided on the speed reducer 11c.
a, 4b. Other configurations are
Since the second embodiment is almost the same as the first embodiment, the same reference numerals are given to the same portions, and the detailed description is omitted. In the first and second embodiments, the shapes and forms of the operating devices such as switches, handles, and levers can be appropriately changed. Further, the structures of the vehicle body and the seat are not limited to those illustrated.

[0026]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to walk from behind while grasping and manipulating the second maneuvering device, and if tired, sit down on the seat and maneuver with the first maneuvering device. The elderly and the sick can go out with peace of mind and can exercise by walking. Also,
When maneuvering with the second maneuvering device behind while walking, it is not possible to maneuver with the first maneuvering device in front, and conversely, the user is sitting on a seat and maneuvering with the first maneuvering device. At that time, since it is not possible to steer by the first steering device at the rear, there is no fear that the wheelchair will run out of control or the traveling direction will change even if something hits the unused steering device.

Furthermore, when steering while sitting on the seat, unnecessary steering handles are folded to the non-operation position, so that they do not obstruct the surroundings. Further, it is not necessary to attach / detach the second control device each time the user sits on the seat or pushes from behind, so that it is possible to save the user's labor and prevent loss of parts. According to the second aspect of the invention,
Deflection in the traveling direction due to wheel deflection is unlikely to occur, and stable steering characteristics can be obtained. According to the invention according to claim 3,
When maneuvering with the second maneuvering device, the vehicle self-runs at a low speed corresponding to the walking speed, so that there is no fear that the elderly or the like while walking is dragged.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a self-propelled wheelchair according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the same.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the above.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a driving rear wheel and a motor.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the self-propelled wheelchair when operating the first control device.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a first control device.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of an operation panel of the second control device.

FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram of the self-propelled wheelchair according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a driving rear wheel and a motor according to a second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Self-propelled wheelchair 2 Body 3 Seat 4a, 4b Rear driving wheel 5 Following front wheel 6 Battery 7 First steering device 8 Second steering device 9 Frame 10 Chassis 11a, 11b, 11c Reduction gear 12 Footrest 13 Brake pedal Reference Signs List 14 support frame 15 backrest 16 armrest 17 support member 18 base 19 steering lever 20 steering handle 21 operation panel 22 gripping rod 23 speed lever 24 rotation axis 25 controller 26 brake lever 27 manual lever 28 stop lever 29a, 29b brake M1, M2, M3 Motor MSW Main switch LSW Limit switch SW1, SW2, SW3 Switch BZ Buzzer RLA Relay RLB Relay C1 Normally closed contact C2 Normally open contact C3 Normally closed contact C4 Normally open contact

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A seat and left and right driving wheels are installed on a vehicle body, a motor for driving the driving wheels is mounted, a first steering device is provided in front of the seat, and a second steering device is provided behind the seat. In a self-propelled wheelchair provided with a control device, the second
The steering device includes a steering handle, and by pulling the steering handle to the operating position, the traveling steering control system that connects the second steering device and the motor can be operated,
A travel steering control system that connects the first steering device and the motor is disconnected, and the steering handle is folded to a non-operating position, thereby providing travel steering control that connects the second steering device and the motor. A self-propelled wheelchair, wherein a system is disconnected, and a traveling steering control system that connects the first steering device and a motor can be operated. 2. A driving steering control system for connecting said first and second steering devices and a motor, wherein the steering control is performed by changing the rotation speed of each of said left and right driving wheels. Item 2. A self-propelled wheelchair according to item 1. 3. The self-propelled type according to claim 1, wherein a maximum speed when traveling by the second control device is 40 to 60% of a maximum speed when traveling by the first control device. wheelchair.