JP2006288496A - Wheel chair - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make armrests of a wheel chair with a rising and falling seat easier to use regardless of the position of the seat. <P>SOLUTION: The wheel chair is provided with the seat 4 which can rise and fall and the armrests 10 which can slide backward. The armrests 10 are sectionalized into front armrest parts and rear armrest parts. Since the front armrest parts are formed higher than the rear armrest parts, the position of a user is stabilized, the user is prevented from falling and the user can transfer to a bed or the like more easily by gripping the front armrest parts even when the seat rises before the user stands up. Also, when the seat descends and the user is seated, the user can rest his or her arms on the rear armrest parts in a natural position and his or her fatigue can be prevented. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a wheelchair including a seat that can be raised and lowered and an armrest that can slide rearward.

  In order to reduce the burden on the user when getting on and off the wheelchair, a device for raising and lowering the seat of the wheelchair has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

  In addition, for the convenience of the user, an armrest device for a wheelchair that allows the armrest to slide backward when the user gets on and off the wheelchair has been proposed (for example, see Patent Document 3).

Utility Model Registration No. 3086541 JP 2002-126008 A Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 53-28931

  In the case of a conventional seat-lifting wheelchair, the seat is raised so that the armrest is also made high. However, if the armrest is high, the user becomes difficult to use when sitting on the seat. In addition, it is difficult for an armrest to enter under a desk or table, which is very inconvenient when working.

  In addition, the conventional wheelchair slide armrest can only be used in two positions, the forward and backward positions, and not in the middle of the slide, so it can be used when the armrest is in the middle position. If a person accidentally grabs the armrest and stands up, the armrest is pushed and slid by the action of the standing up force and may fall. In addition, the cross-sectional shape of the sliding member in the conventional armrest is formed in a cross shape, and the protrusions projecting on both sides are slidably fitted between the curved portion of the guide member and the guide roller, respectively, so that the downward projection Since the strip is inserted and disposed in the gap between both guide rollers, it is easy to wobble and is not suitable for practical use as a sliding support structure. In addition, forming the sliding member in a cross shape and the guide member in a curved shape complicates the shape and leads to an increase in cost.

  Therefore, an object of this invention is to provide the wheelchair which can eliminate the said malfunction.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention according to claim 1 is a wheelchair comprising a seat part (4) that can be raised and lowered and an armrest (10) that can be slid rearward, wherein the armrest (10) is a front armrest. The wheelchair is divided into a part (10a) and a rear armrest part (10b), and the front armrest part (10a) is formed higher than the rear armrest part (10b).

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the wheelchair according to the first aspect, the armrest (10) is slidably attached to the wheelchair frame (1) via the guide rail (16) in the front-rear direction. 16) and the armrest (10) are formed with a plurality of latch grooves (21) arranged in the front-rear direction, and the latch (22) fitted into any one of the latch grooves (21) is provided with the operation portion (20). Adopt a wheelchair attached via).

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the wheelchair includes a seat part (4) that can be raised and lowered and an armrest (10) that can slide rearward, wherein the armrest (10) is a front armrest part (10a). Since it is divided into the rear armrest (10b) and the front armrest (10a) is formed higher than the rear armrest (10b), it can be used even if the seat (4) rises when the user stands up The person stabilizes the posture by grasping the front armrest (10a), prevents falling, makes it easy to transfer to the bed etc., and when the seat (4) descends and the user is seated, The user can put his elbow on the back armrest (10b) in a natural posture, and fatigue is prevented. Even if the front armrest (10a) is formed high, the armrest (10) can be slid rearward, so that the seat can sink under the desk or the like without the armrest (10) hitting the corner of the desk. The user can work on a desk or the like while riding on a wheelchair.

  According to the invention according to claim 2, in the wheelchair according to claim 1, the armrest (10) is slidably attached to the frame (1) of the wheelchair via the guide rail (16) in the front-rear direction. 16) and the armrest (10) are formed with a plurality of latch grooves (21) arranged in the front-rear direction, and the latch (22) fitted into any one of the latch grooves (21) is provided with the operation portion (20). ), When the armrest (10) is slid to the rear of the wheelchair, it can be freely locked at an arbitrary position. Therefore, even if the user stands up in the middle of the slide, there is no risk of falling, and the armrest (10) is fixed at the user's preferred position, and the side surface of the seat (4) has a desired width. The sitting fatigue of the legs and hips can be eliminated by opening the legs or taking out the legs from the side of the seat (4).

  The best mode for carrying out the invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, this wheelchair includes a chair frame 1, a small-diameter front wheel 2 provided at the front portion of the chair frame 1, and a large-diameter rear wheel provided at the rear portion of the chair frame 1. 3, a seat 4 on which a user sits, and an armrest 10.

  The chair frame 1 is made so as to be foldable in the left-right direction of the wheelchair (direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 1), but the folding structure is well-known and will not be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 (A) and 1 (B), a footrest 1a, a handle 1b, and the like are attached to the chair frame 1. The front wheel 2 is attached to the left and right sides of the chair frame 1 as casters. The rear wheel 3 is attached to the left and right sides of the chair frame 1 so that it can be turned by hand.

  As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the seat 4 includes a flexible seat 4a and a seat holding frame 4b that supports the seat 4a from below. The seat holding frame 4b includes a lifting bar 5 (only one is shown) arranged on the left and right sides of the chair frame 1, an arm 6 (only one is shown) connected to the left and right lifting bars 5, respectively. And a hub 7 for holding the arm 6. The left and right lifting bars 5 are connected to the front ends of left and right fixing parts 8 (only one is shown) integral with the chair frame 1 via a hinge 9 so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction. The inner ends of the left and right arms 6 are connected to the left and right edges of the hub 7 through hinges (not shown) so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction, and the outer ends of the left and right arms 6 are shown on the left and right lifting rods 5 and 5. Not connected through a hinge. As a result, the arm 6 can also be folded when the wheelchair is folded in the left-right direction as described above. The seat 4a is stretched between the left and right lifting rods 5 and can be folded when the wheelchair is folded in the left-right direction. Further, the seat 4a is stretched between the lifting rods 5 so as not to come into contact with the arm 6 or the hub 7 even when the user is seated and the weight is applied.

  The seat portion 4 has a seat holding frame 4b connected to the chair frame 1 via an expansion / contraction actuator 11, and the expansion / contraction actuator 11 expands / contracts as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B when the user gets on and off. It is designed to move up and down.

  The telescopic actuator 11 is a device that expands and contracts the rod using electricity, hydraulic pressure, pneumatic pressure, etc., and the lower end of the cylinder-shaped fixed rod portion 11a is rotatably attached to the cylinder mounting tool by a pin, and the cylinder is mounted. The tool is swingably attached to the two X-shaped frames by hinges at the center of the two X-shaped frames, and slides in the fixed rod portion 11a. For example, the upper end of the movable rod portion 11b which is a piston rod. Is connected to the hub 7 via a horizontal pin 12. The telescopic actuator 11 is configured to expand and contract when a user or the like operates an up switch or down switch (not shown). When the user is seated, the telescopic actuator 11 is contracted as shown in FIG. 1 (A), and when the user is going to get down, as shown in FIG. Extends. As a result, the seat portion 4 rises as it pivots upward with the hinge 9 as a fulcrum, so that the user is pushed in the direction of standing up and can easily get off the wheelchair. Further, when the user gets on the wheelchair, the raising switch is turned on to raise the seat 4 as shown in FIG. 1B, and after the user is seated, the lowering switch is turned on to sit as shown in FIG. If the part 4 is lowered, the user can sit comfortably.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the armrests 10 are respectively provided on the left and right sides of the seat portion 4, and each is divided into a front armrest portion 10a and a rear armrest portion 10b, and the front armrest portion 10a is divided into the rear armrest portion 10b. Formed higher than. This height difference is, for example, 5 cm to 10 cm. The difference in height between the front armrest portion 10a and the rear armrest portion 10b is given by bending the armrest frame 14, and the elbow rest 15 is fixed to the height portion and the low portion of the armrest frame 14, respectively. A step portion 10c is formed between the front armrest portion 10a and the rear armrest portion 10b. The front armrest portion 10a is formed to a height that allows the user to reach even when the seat portion 4 is raised as described above, and the rear armrest portion 10b is seated on the seat portion 4 where the user has lowered. It is formed to a height that allows you to hang your elbows in a comfortable posture.

  The armrest 10 is slidable backward on the chair frame 1 by being provided with the slide mechanism and the lock mechanism shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 and can be fixed at a desired position.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the slide mechanism has a guide rail 16 fixed to the left and right portions of the chair frame 1 so as to extend in the front-rear direction, a slider 17 placed on the guide rail 16, and a slider 17 and a cover member 18 fixed on the upper side.

  The guide rail 16 includes an outward flange 16a extending in the front-rear direction of the wheelchair on the left and right sides thereof, and the slider 17 includes an inward flange 17a that contacts the outward flange 16a from below. The slider 17 slides on the guide rail 16 in the front-rear direction of the wheelchair by the sliding contact between the outward flange 16a and the inward flange 17a and the roller 19 that smoothens the movement of the slider 17 between the slider 17 and the guide rail 16. Is possible.

  The cover member 18 is fixed to the upper surface of the slider 17, and forms an empty space for accommodating a lever 20 and the like to be described later between the cover member 18. The armrest frame 14 is fixed to the upper surface of the cover member 18.

  As shown in FIGS. 1B and 2, the left and right armrests 10 can be slid rearward from the seat portion 4 independently through the slide mechanism.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the lock mechanism is fitted into a plurality of (for example, ten) latch grooves 21 formed in the guide rail 16 so as to be aligned in the front-rear direction, and any one of the latch grooves 21. And a latch 22 and an operating portion of the latch 22.

  The latch grooves 21 are, for example, round holes, and a plurality of latch grooves 21 are formed at arbitrary positions on the bottom of the guide rail 16. The latch 22 is formed of a round bar that fits in and out of the latch groove 21.

  The operation unit has a lever 20 inserted into a tunnel-shaped empty space formed so as to extend in the front-rear direction between the guide rail 16 and the cover member 18, and a latch 22 is fixed to the lever 20. . The rear end of the lever 20 is supported by the guide rail 16 via a pivot 23 that extends horizontally near the rear of the wheelchair, and the tip of the lever 20 protrudes from the front end of the guide rail 16 and the cover member 18 to the front of the wheelchair. A knob 24 held by a wheelchair user is attached to the tip of the lever 20. Further, the lever 20 is always urged by a spring which is an elastic body (not shown) so that the latch 22 fits into any one of the latch grooves 21.

  When a wheelchair user holds the knob 24 and pulls up the lever 20, the latch 22 is detached from the latch groove 21, and the armrest 10 can slide on the guide rail 16 together with the slider 17 and the cover member 18. When the lever 20 is released, the lever 20 is rotated downward by the biasing force of the spring (not shown), the latch 22 is fitted into one of the latch grooves 21, and the armrest 10 is locked to the guide rail 16 so as not to move. Is done.

  Next, the operation of the wheelchair having the above configuration will be described.

  When the user is seated on the wheelchair seat 4a, the telescopic actuator 11 is contracted as shown in FIG. 1A, and the seat portion 4 is lowered to a substantially horizontal position.

  When the user tries to get up and down from the wheelchair, when the user turns on a lift switch (not shown), the telescopic actuator 11 extends as shown in FIG. As a result, the seat 4 rises as it pivots upward with the hinge 9 as a fulcrum, and the user is pushed out in the direction of standing up, and can easily get up and down from the wheelchair.

  At that time, the user can get up and get off by grasping the front armrest portion 10a where the armrest 10 is raised. Therefore, the user can smoothly stand up from the wheelchair without being in an unstable posture.

  In addition, when the caregiver raises the care recipient, when the caregiver holds the raised front armrest portion 10a and raises the seat portion 4 to the standing position, the caregiver is informed of the caregiver. You can turn your hand around your neck and grab the waist of the care recipient to stand up. Therefore, even if the seat 4 rises to a high position, the care recipient is not afraid.

  When the user is transferred to the wheelchair again, the user or the caregiver can turn on the lift switch and raise the seat 4 as shown in FIG. Can sit on top.

  When the lowering switch is turned on at the time of sitting, the telescopic actuator 11 is contracted as shown in FIG. 1A, and the seat part 4 is lowered, so that the user can easily get on the wheelchair.

  At that time, since the user only has to hold the front armrest portion 10a and lower the seat, the user can sit on the wheelchair without being in an unstable posture.

  While sitting on the seat, the user can maintain an easy posture by placing an elbow or a hand on the rear armrest portion 10b which is lower than the front armrest portion 10a.

  Further, when the user is in a normal sitting posture, when the lever 20 is pulled up by holding the knob 24, the latch 22 is detached from the latch groove 21, and the armrest 10 is moved to the rear of the wheelchair as shown in FIGS. Can be slid. When the armrest 10 is stopped at a desired position and the lever 20 is released, the latch 22 is fitted into the latch groove 21, and the armrest 10 is fixed at that position. Thereby, the armrest 10 can be fixed to a user's favorite position, the side surface of the seat part 4 can be open | released by desired width, and the tension | tensile_strength of a body can be released. Further, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, the user's knee can be submerged under the desk 25 while sitting on the wheelchair, which is very convenient when working.

  The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. For example, in the embodiment described above, the latch groove is formed in the guide rail, and the latch and its operation portion are attached to the armrest side. However, the latch groove is attached to the armrest side, and the latch and its operation portion are connected to the guide rail. It is also possible to attach to the side, that is, the wheelchair body side.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a seat lift type wheelchair according to the present invention, in which (A) is a front view showing the seat lowered, and (B) is a front view showing the seat raised. It is a front view of the wheelchair shown in the state where the armrest moved backward. It is a perspective view which shows an example of the usage condition of a seat raising / lowering type wheelchair. FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 3. It is a disassembled perspective view of the slide mechanism and lock mechanism of an armrest.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Frame 4 ... Seat part 10 ... Armrest 10a ... Front armrest part 10b ... Rear armrest part 16 ... Guide rail 20 ... Lever 21 ... Latch groove 22 ... Latch

Claims (2)

  A wheelchair having a seat that can be raised and lowered and an armrest that can be slid rearward, wherein the armrest is divided into a front armrest and a rear armrest, and the front armrest is formed higher than the rear armrest. A wheelchair characterized by   The wheelchair according to claim 1, wherein the armrest is attached to the wheelchair frame so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction via the guide rail, and a plurality of latch grooves arranged in the front-rear direction are formed between the guide rail and the armrest. A wheelchair characterized in that a latch that fits into any one of the latch grooves is attached via an operation portion.

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