JP2006034440A - Walking support apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a walking support apparatus capable of appropriately adjusting hanging force according to the body weight of a user and the function decline state of muscles for standing up and surely supporting the user even in the case that the user loses balance by simple constitution. <P>SOLUTION: The walking support apparatus 10 comprises: a frame-like main body 20 which has a roughly U-shaped horizontal cross section opened at the front and which is provided with a plurality of wheels on a lower end; a swing member 30 supported so as to be swung around a rotary shaft 31 horizontally extended transversely to both sides of the upper end of the main body which has a roughly U-shaped horizontal cross section opened at the front similarly; a mounting fixture 40 hung near the front end on both sides of the swing member and mounted near the waist part of the user; and a body weight reduction means 50 provided on the main body so as to pull the rear end of the swing member downwards with prescribed pulling force. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a walking support device for people who cannot support their weight by themselves, for example.

Conventionally, as such a walking assistance apparatus, the thing as shown to patent documents 1-3 is disclosed.
The walking support device (self-propelled vehicle for walking training) according to Patent Document 1 can be stored in a vehicle body having a frame shape with a plurality of wheels at the lower end, a handle provided on the front upper side of the vehicle body, and the vehicle body. And a driving means for rotating the wheel.

According to the walking support apparatus having such a configuration, the user can perform walking training while supporting his / her body by entering the vehicle body and holding the handle by hand.
When the user is tired from walking training, the user pulls out the seat in the vehicle body, sits on this seat, and rotates the wheel by the driving means to move to the desired place while sitting on the seat. can do.

In addition, the walking support device according to Patent Document 2 can support a substantially gate-shaped frame having wheels at the lower end, a harness installed in an upper part of the frame so as to be movable up and down, and the harness with a constant supporting force. And a support mechanism.
Here, the support mechanism includes an air cylinder disposed on the frame so as to pull the harness upward, and a compressor or a carbon dioxide cartridge that supplies air pressure to the air cylinder via a pressure reducing valve. The supporting force by the air cylinder can be adjusted by adjusting the amount of air supplied into the air cylinder by the pressure reducing valve.

According to the walking support device having such a configuration, the user enters the frame with the harness attached, and adjusts the support force of the support mechanism that supports the harness as necessary to provide a constant support. The user is suspended upward by the force through the harness. Here, the support force is adjusted according to the weight of the user and the reduced function state of the muscular strength for standing up.
As a result, the user appears to be in a state where his / her weight is reduced by the support mechanism, and performs walking training while supporting his / her body reduced by the support mechanism with the handrail provided on the frame. be able to.

Furthermore, the rail-type walking support device according to Patent Document 3 is provided with a rail attached to a ceiling surface, a movable body movable along the rail, and suspended from the movable body via weight reduction means. And a weight-reducing means for applying a predetermined suspending force.
According to the walking support device having such a configuration, the user hangs the mobile device from the moving body via the weight reducing means by attaching the wearing tool attached to his / her body to the moving body via the weight reducing means. Be lowered. Thereby, the user can be in a state where his / her weight is apparently reduced by the suspending force applied by the weight reducing means, and can perform walking training. In that case, the user can walk along the lower part of a rail, when the said mobile body moves along a rail.

Furthermore, in the walking assistance device according to Patent Document 3, the moving body is magnetically attracted to a ceiling plate made of a magnetic body provided over a relatively wide range of the ceiling surface and travels on the ceiling surface. It is also known that a plurality of wheels are provided, and a wide range corresponding to the ceiling plate can be walked.
According to the walking support device having such a configuration, the user hangs the mobile device from the moving body via the weight reducing means by attaching the wearing tool attached to his / her body to the moving body via the weight reducing means. Be lowered. Thereby, the user can be in a state where his / her weight is apparently reduced by the suspending force applied by the weight reducing means, and can perform walking training. In that case, the user can walk the area | region below the ceiling board because the said moving body moves the area | region of the ceiling board provided over the wide range of the ceiling surface.
JP2000-024062 JP 2003-126193 A JP 2003-325601 A

However, each of the above-described walking support devices according to each patent document has the following problems.
That is, in the walking support device according to Patent Document 1, since the means for reducing the weight of the user is not provided when walking training is performed, the user stands up on the floor and walks inside the vehicle body. It will be.
For this reason, when the user does not have enough muscular strength to stand up and cannot support his / her weight by himself / herself, the walking support device cannot be used.
On the other hand, for example, a walking support device that reduces the user's weight by a spring device or the like is also conceivable, but the degree of reduction is corresponding to the weight of the user and the reduced function state of the muscular strength to rise. It cannot be adjusted. Therefore, when the muscular strength function is restored to some extent by gait training, it is not suitable for gait training that reduces weight reduction and restores muscular strength.

Moreover, in the walking assistance apparatus by patent document 2, when walking training is performed, the user needs to enter the frame and adjust the supporting force of the supporting mechanism while wearing the harness. This adjustment work is performed by adjusting the pressure reducing valve in response to the weight of the user and the reduced function state of muscle strength for standing up.
Therefore, the support mechanism has a complicated structure, is large and heavy, and costs increase, and adjustment with the pressure reducing valve is difficult, and adjustment of the optimum support force for the user is difficult.

On the other hand, according to the walking support device according to Patent Document 3, the user moves from the moving body that moves along the rail attached to the ceiling surface by the wearing tool attached to his / her body through the weight reduction means. Can be hung. As a result, the user can apparently be reduced in weight by the suspension force applied by the weight reduction means, and can easily perform walking training.
However, in this walking support device, it is necessary to attach a rail (and a ceiling board in some cases) to the ceiling surface in advance, and ceiling work is required, and accuracy of the work is required at that time. The cost related to this is greatly increased, and walking training cannot be easily performed anywhere. For this reason, the actual situation is that such a walking support apparatus is not easily introduced.

  In view of the above points, the present invention, in response to the recovery of the muscular strength, when the function of the muscular strength for the user to stand up has been recovered as a result of walking training with a low cost and simple configuration, It is an object of the present invention to provide a walking support device capable of effectively performing walking training by appropriately adjusting the tension of the weight reducing means and performing weight reduction corresponding to the weight and muscle strength of the user. .

  According to the present invention, according to the present invention, a horizontal cross-section with a front opening is formed in a substantially U shape, and a frame-like main body having a plurality of wheels at the lower end and both sides of the upper end of the main body in the lateral direction. A horizontal section that is supported in a swingable manner around a rotating shaft that extends horizontally in the same manner and that has a horizontal section that is open at the front is suspended in a substantially U-shaped swing member and near the front ends on both sides of the swing member. A weight reduction means provided on the main body so as to pull the rear end of the swinging member downward with a predetermined pulling force. This is achieved by the walking support device.

  In the walking assist device according to the present invention, preferably, the weight reducing means is a spring balancer capable of adjusting a tension.

  In the walking assist device according to the present invention, preferably, the wheel includes an MR fluid brake.

  In the walking support device according to the present invention, preferably, the main body supports the swing member so that the height thereof can be adjusted.

  In the walking support device according to the present invention, preferably, the swinging member is configured to be adjustable in the width direction at the front ends on both sides thereof.

  According to the above configuration, as a result of walking training, when the function of muscle strength for the user to stand up has recovered, by appropriately adjusting the tension of the weight reducing means in response to the recovery of the muscle strength, Walking exercise can be effectively performed by performing weight reduction corresponding to the weight and muscle strength of the user.

  The present invention will be described in detail below based on the embodiments shown in the drawings.

1 to 3 show a configuration of an embodiment of a walking support device according to the present invention.
1 to 3, the walking assist device 10 includes a frame-shaped main body 20 that is open at the front, and a swing that is swingably supported around a rotation shaft that extends in the lateral direction near the upper end of the main body 20. It includes a member 30, a mounting tool 40 suspended near the front ends on both sides of the swing member 30, and weight reducing means 50 for pulling the rear end of the swing member 30 downward with a predetermined tensile force.

The frame-shaped main body 20 is formed in a substantially U shape in a horizontal section so that the front is opened as a whole.
More specifically, the main body 20 includes a substantially U-shaped horizontally disposed lower frame 21 whose front is open, a substantially U-shaped horizontally disposed upper frame 22 whose front is open, It is comprised from the three connection parts 23a, 23b, and 23c extended in a perpendicular direction so that the lower frame 21 and the upper frame 22 may be connected.

The lower frame 21 is made of, for example, an aluminum pipe or the like, and has a plurality of wheels 21a, 21b, 21c, 21d, 21e at the lower end thereof, and these wheels 21a to 21e roll on the floor surface. By doing so, the whole main body 20 can move on the floor surface.
The two front wheels 21a and 21b are fixedly arranged so that the rotation shafts extend in the lateral direction, and include MR fluid brakes 21f and 21g on the inner side.
Here, the MR fluid brakes 21f and 21g are brakes utilizing the property that they instantly harden when a magnetic field is applied to the MR fluid. For example, the wheels 21a are driven by driving an electromagnet disposed adjacent to the MR fluid. , 21b can be braked.

The two wheels 21c and 21d arranged on both sides behind the wheels 21a and 21b and the one wheel 21e arranged near the rear end are each configured as a caster, and the moving direction of the main body 20 Accordingly, as indicated by an arrow A in FIG. 2, the direction can be freely changed.
The lower frame 21 and the upper frame 22 have substantially the same shape, but the front ends on both sides of the lower frame 21 are formed longer than the front ends on both sides of the upper frame 22, thereby the main body 20. The stability when moving is improved.
For example, the lower frame 21 is selected to have a length of about 850 mm from the rear end to the front, and the upper frame 22 is selected to have a length of about 360 mm from the rear end to the front. Yes.

Similarly, the upper frame 22 is composed of, for example, an aluminum pipe, and is supported substantially parallel to the lower frame 21 by three connecting portions 23a, 23b, and 23c.
These connecting portions 23a to 23c have lower ends and upper ends connected to the lower frame 21 and the upper frame 22, for example, by welding.
Here, each of the three connecting portions 23a to 23c is configured to be telescopically extendable in the longitudinal direction, for example, and configured so that the length thereof can be arbitrarily adjusted. Thus, the height of the upper frame 22 and the main body 20 can be adjusted.

Similarly, the rocking member 30 is made of, for example, an aluminum pipe, and is formed in a substantially U shape with the front open, and is disposed inside the upper frame 22 of the main body 20 described above.
The swing member 30 can swing around a rotation shaft 31 extending in the lateral direction with respect to the front ends on both sides of the upper frame 22 of the main body 20 (as indicated by an arrow B in FIG. 3). It is supported.
More specifically, the swing member 30 is supported so as to be swingable with respect to the inner ends of the fixed shafts 22a and 22b extending inwardly from the front ends on both sides of the upper frame 22 of the main body 20.

The swing member 30 is divided in the vicinity of the center of the rear end thereof, and is configured to be extendable and contractable in the longitudinal direction, that is, the lateral direction. As a result, the tip of both sides 32 and 33 extending forward of the rocking member 30 can be adjusted in the lateral direction, that is, in the width direction (as indicated by an arrow C in FIG. 2).
For example, the front ends of both sides 32 and 33 of the rocking member 30 are usually at intervals of about 400 mm, but the rear end is extended so that the width can be reduced to about 330 mm. .

Here, the rocking member 30 can be adjusted to a height of, for example, about 600 mm to 1100 mm by adjusting the height by extending and contracting the connecting portions 23a to 23c of the main body 20 described above in a horizontal state. .
Further, the rocking member 30 can be rocked in the range of, for example, a height of about 200 mm by rocking around the rotating shaft 31.
Preferably, an upper limit stopper 22c and a lower limit stopper are provided on the upper frame 22 of the main body 20 behind the swing member 30 as shown in FIG. 3 in order to regulate the swing range of the swing member 30. 22d is provided.

  Furthermore, both sides 32 and 33 of the rocking member 30 extend further forward from the support region by the rotating shaft 31, and attachment tools 32a and 33a for suspending the mounting tool 40 described later are respectively provided at the tips thereof. I have.

The mounting tool 40 is made of, for example, nylon fabric, and is used to suspend the user's body from the swinging member 30 by being mounted on the user's waist. For example, it is configured as shown in FIG.
That is, in FIG. 4, the wearing tool 40 includes a waist belt 41 wound around the user's waist, and a hip part extending downward from both sides of the waist belt 41 and wound below the user's buttocks. A belt 44; support portions 42a and 42b extending inward and downward from both sides of the buttocks belt 44; and two annular thigh belts connected to the support portions 42a and 42b and wound around both thighs of the user 43a, 43b.
Suspension tools 45 a and 45 b for suspending the swinging member 30 are attached to connecting portions of the two support portions 42 a and 42 b on both sides of the waist belt 41.

In the accessory 40, ring-shaped connecting portions 46a and 46b for connecting the supporting portions 42a and 42b to the collar belt 44 are provided at the tips of the supporting portions 42a and 42b. The collar belt 44 penetrates through the rings of the coupling portions 46 a and 46 b, and the coupling portions 46 a and 46 b are movably coupled along the collar belt 44.
During walking, the support portions 42a and 42b pull the buttocks belt 44 in the walking direction, so that the weight of the user can be easily transmitted to the accessory 40, and the apparent weight of the user can be efficiently reduced.
On the other hand, when the user sits on a chair or the like, the support portions 42a and 42b are relaxed, and the accessory 40 can be easily removed.

  With the configuration as described above, the hanging tools 45a and 45b are respectively attached to the mounting tools 32a and 33b of the swing member 30 while the user wears the wearing tool 40 on the waist, and the user's Since the connecting portions 46a and 46b freely move along the buttocks belt 44 in accordance with walking, the user is supported by the swing member 30 of the walking support device 10 so that the wearing tool 40 prevents the user's walking motion. There is nothing wrong.

The weight reducing means 50 is configured as a spring balancer capable of adjusting the tension. In the illustrated case, the weight reducing means 50 is fixedly disposed near the rear end of the lower frame 21 of the main body 20, and the wire 51 having the tension is directed upward. The front end 51a of the swinging member 30 is locked to the rear end.
Thus, the weight reducing means 50 is biased downward as indicated by an arrow D in FIG.
Here, the spring balancer may be a general constant load spring. For example, the spring balancer EWF series manufactured by Endo Kogyo Co., Ltd. can be used, and the tension can be adjusted within a range of, for example, about 0 to 60 kg. It is configured.

The walking support device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention is configured as described above, and operates in the following manner when used.
That is, the user first puts the wearing tool 40 on his / her waist in advance, and then enters the inside of the main body 20 from the opening direction of the main body 20.
Then, the hanging tools 45 a and 45 b of the mounting tool 40 are attached to the mounting tools 32 a and 33 b of the swing member 30.
Here, the weight reduction means 50 is adjusted in accordance with the weight of the user and the state of reduced muscle strength for standing up before the user starts using.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 1, the user is urged upward by the pulling force by the weight reducing means 50 via the mounting tool 40 and the swinging member 30, and the user's appearance is apparent. Your weight will be reduced.
The user performs walking training by walking with his / her foot in such a state that the weight is reduced. At this time, since the wheels 21a to 21e attached to the lower end of the lower frame 21 of the main body 20 roll on the floor surface, the walking support device 10 can smoothly move on the floor surface. In this case, the walking support device 10 hardly becomes a load, and it is possible to easily perform own walking training.

  Here, as the user walks, the user's lumbar part moves up and down somewhat, but when the mounting tool 40 that supports the user's lumbar part moves up and down, the swinging member 30 corresponds to this. Oscillates around the rotating shaft 31 so that the front ends of both sides of the oscillating member 30 always oscillate following the height of the user's waist, and the user's walking is the oscillating member 30. There will be no hindrance by the height difference.

  In addition, when the user loses balance during walking training, the position of the user's waist suddenly moves downward. Therefore, the mounting tool 40 and the front end of the swinging member 30 are rapidly lowered, but the weight reducing means increases the pulling force in response to the sudden lowering motion, so that the swinging member 30 Oscillation is suppressed. Thereby, since a user is urged | biased upwards with a stronger tensile force with the mounting tool 40, and is supported, a user does not fall down.

  Further, when the user loses balance during walking training and the main body 20 moves suddenly, the MR fluid brakes provided on the wheels 21 a and 21 b among the wheels provided on the lower frame 21 of the main body 20. With regard to the above, since the movement of the main body 20 is similarly suppressed by applying a magnetic field to the MR fluid and operating the MR fluid brake, the user does not fall down.

In this way, according to the walking support device 10 according to the present invention, by using the weight reducing means 50 having a simple configuration such as a spring balancer, for example, it can be carried out anywhere without a large-scale construction at a relatively low cost. It becomes possible to perform walking training easily.
And, as a result of walking training, when the function of muscle strength for the user to stand up has recovered, by adjusting the tension of the weight reduction means 50 appropriately corresponding to the recovery of the muscle strength, Walking exercise can be effectively performed by reducing the weight according to the weight and muscle strength.

In addition, the user attaches the wearing tool 40 to the waist in advance, enters the inside of the main body 20 from the front where the main body is opened backward, and suspends the wearing tool 40 near the front ends on both sides of the swing member 30. . Then, the pulling force of the weight reducing means 50 is adjusted in accordance with the weight of the user and the decrease in function of the muscular strength for standing up.
In this state, when the weight reducing means 50 pulls the rear end of the swinging member 30 downward, the front ends on both sides of the swinging member 30 are biased upward. Accordingly, the user is lifted upward via the mounting tool 40 based on the overall upward biasing of the swinging member 30, so that the weight is apparently reduced.

Thereby, even when the muscular strength for standing up is not enough, the user can stand up reliably by apparent weight reduction by the weight reducing means 50.
Then, the user can easily perform walking training by walking with his / her foot from this state.
At that time, even if the user's waist moves up and down somewhat as the user walks, the swinging member 30 swings when the wearer moves up and down due to the user's waist moving up and down. The front ends on both sides of the swing member 30 always follow the height of the user's waist. Therefore, the user's walking is not hindered by the deviation of the height of the swing member 30.

  In this case, the user is biased upward by the swinging member 30 and the weight reducing means 50 by the tensile force adjusted in accordance with the state of the reduced function of his / her body weight and muscle strength. , Apparent weight is reduced. Therefore, even when the muscular strength for standing up is insufficient, the user can stand up easily and reliably, and can perform walking training according to his / her muscular strength.

Here, since the pulling force of the weight reducing means 50 is adjusted at the start of use in response to the weight of the user and a decrease in the function of the muscular strength for standing up, the function of the muscular strength for standing up of the user is restored. Even when the muscular strength increases, the tensile force corresponding to the muscular strength at that time can be adjusted.
Therefore, compared with a conventional walking support device having a uniform support force, an optimal tensile force can be set according to the time, so that the apparent weight reduction of the user by the weight reduction means 50 can be reduced. It will be set according to the strength of the time, and more optimal walking training can be implemented.

When the weight reducing means 50 is a spring balancer capable of adjusting the tension, as described above, an optimum tensile force can be obtained by adjusting the tension, and the swinging member 30 and the mounting tool 40 can be used. The user's weight is supplementarily supported, and the apparent weight of the user is reduced.
Furthermore, if the user loses balance during walking training, the position of the user's waist will drop rapidly, and accordingly, the front end of the swinging member 30 will drop rapidly and the rear end will suddenly drop. Will rise. In this case, the weight reducing means 50 connected to the rear end of the swing member 30 suppresses the swing of the swing member 30 by increasing the tensile force against this sudden movement. As a result, the user is supported by the mounting tool 40 with a stronger tensile force, so that the user does not fall down.

  When the wheels 21a to 21e are provided with MR fluid brakes 21f and 21g, by applying a magnetic field to the MR fluid, the MR fluid brakes 21f and 21g are operated, and the wheels 21a to 21e are quickly moved. The vehicle can be braked, and the safety of the walking support device can be improved.

When the main body supports the rocking member 30 so that the height can be adjusted, the height adjustment allows the user to wear the waist mounted on the user's waist corresponding to the height and waist of the user. The height of the front end of the swing member 30 can be optimally adjusted with respect to the height of the tool 40.
Accordingly, regardless of whether the user is an adult or a child, the mounting tool 40 mounted on the waist of the user can be reliably suspended from the front ends on both sides of the swing member 30, so that walking training is performed by the walking support device. Is possible.

When the swing member 30 is configured to be adjustable in the width direction at the front ends on both sides thereof, the front ends on both sides of the swing member 30 are adjusted in the width direction according to the lateral width of the waist of the user. And can be optimally adjusted for the user.
Accordingly, even when the user is relatively wide or relatively narrow, the mounting tool 40 mounted on the user's waist is reliably suspended from the front ends on both sides of the swing member 30. Therefore, walking training can be performed by the walking support device.

In this way, according to the present invention, by reducing the apparent weight of the user by the weight reducing means 50 according to the weight reduction of the user and the function of the muscle strength for standing up with a simple configuration, The user can reliably perform walking training.
At that time, a large-scale device such as an air cylinder in the conventional walking support device is unnecessary, and the ceiling surface work is not required like the suspended walking support device. Walking training can be easily performed anywhere.

  In addition, according to the present invention, the lower frame 21, the upper frame 22, and the swing member 30 are provided to be opened in a U shape in the same direction, so that compared to a conventional closed circular frame walking support device. The user can easily go in and out of the frame and attach / detach the accessory 40. For example, when the user stands up from a wheelchair and uses the walking support device, the effect is particularly remarkable when the user walks on a chair, a toilet bowl, or the like after using the walking support device.

  In addition, it cannot be overemphasized that the walk assistance apparatus of this embodiment is good also considering the open direction of a flame | frame as a advancing direction, and using the reverse direction of the open direction as a advancing direction.

In the embodiment described above, the wearing device 40 is configured in a belt type including the waist belt 41, the support portions 42a and 42b, the thigh belts 43a and 43b, and the buttocks belt 44. Obviously, various types of mounting devices can be used.
In this way, according to the present invention, the suspension force can be adjusted as appropriate according to the weight of the user and the reduced function state of the muscular strength for standing up with a simple configuration, and the user can balance. A walking support device is provided that can reliably support the user even if it breaks down.

It is a schematic front view which shows the structure of one Embodiment of the walk assistance apparatus by this invention. It is a schematic plan view which shows the walking assistance apparatus of FIG. It is a schematic side view which shows the walking assistance apparatus of FIG. It is a schematic perspective view which shows the structure of the mounting tool in the walk assistance apparatus of FIG. It is a side view which shows the mounting state of the mounting tool of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Walking assistance apparatus 20 Frame-shaped main body 21 Lower frame 21a thru | or 21e Wheel 21f, 21g MR fluid brake 22 Upper frame 22a, 22b Fixed shaft 22c, 22d Stopper 23a thru 23c Connection part 30 Swing member 31 Rotating shaft 32, 33 Both sides 32a, 33a Attaching tool 40 Attaching tool 41 Waist belt 42a, 42b Support part 43a, 43b Thigh belt 44 Buttocks belt 45a, 45b Hanging tool 46a, 46b Connecting part 50 Weight reducing means 51 Wire 51a Tip

Claims (5)

A frame-shaped main body having a horizontal section with a front open and substantially U-shaped, and having a plurality of wheels at the lower end;
A swing member that is supported so as to be swingable around a rotating shaft that extends horizontally in the horizontal direction with respect to both sides of the upper end of the main body, and has a substantially U-shaped horizontal section with the front open.
A mounting tool that is hung near the front end on both sides of the swing member and is mounted near the waist of the user,
Weight reducing means provided in the main body so as to pull the rear end of the swing member downward with a predetermined tensile force;
A walking support device comprising:   The walking support device according to claim 1, wherein the weight reducing means is a spring balancer capable of adjusting a tension.   The walking assist device according to claim 1, wherein the wheel includes an MR fluid brake.   The walking support device according to claim 1, wherein the main body supports the swinging member so that the height of the swinging member can be adjusted.   The walking support device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the swinging member is configured to be adjustable in a width direction at front ends on both sides thereof.

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