JP2011041650A - Waist supporting device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a waist supporting device without becoming an obstacle in folding a wheelchair in the lateral direction. <P>SOLUTION: The waist supporting device is attached to a backrest of the wheelchair which is foldable in the lateral direction. A waist supporting belt 11 laid between left and right side frames can be flipped up. The left and right ends of the waist supporting belt 11 are fixed to L-shaped members 12 pivotally attached to the respective side frames in such away as rotatable, so that the waist supporting belt 11 can be flipped up by the rotation of the L-shaped members 12. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a lumbar support device in which the lumbar support device does not interfere with the folding operation when the wheelchair is folded in the width direction.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a waist support device for a wheelchair, for example, as shown in Patent Document 1, a backrest provided with an adjustment belt for holding a body that can be adjusted according to the body shape of an occupant is known. This waist support device prevents the occurrence of fatigue on the occupant's waist even when sitting for a long time by setting the adjustment belt for holding the body to the optimum position according to the occupant's body shape.

  On the other hand, a wheelchair that is not used in hospitals, etc. can be folded in the width direction so that it can be placed in one corner so that it does not get in the way, or it can be loaded in a car when moving The structure which can be made is widely known. Such a foldable wheelchair generally has a structure in which a pair of left and right side frames are connected by an X-shaped link and can be folded in the width direction (see, for example, Patent Documents 2 and 3).

  Therefore, we tried to develop a new wheelchair with both functions by combining a conventional folding wheelchair and a lumbar support device. Since the upper end portion of the X-shaped link rises and interferes with the waist support device, it cannot be folded any further. As a result, there is a problem in that it is impossible to form a compact shape until the left and right side frames are in close contact with each other. In order to avoid this, the lumbar support belt was removed and folded, but if the lumbar support belt was removed, it would be necessary to adjust the lumbar support belt to the optimum position again when returning to the chair state. There was a problem that it took time and was troublesome.

Japanese Patent No. 3794691 JP 2004-24884 A No. 2007/043268

  The present invention solves the above problems and prevents the waist support device from interfering with the folding operation when the wheelchair is folded in the width direction, so that the left and right side frames are in close contact with each other. The present invention has been completed for the purpose of providing a waist support device that can be folded.

  The lumbar support device of the present invention made to solve the above problems is a lumbar support device mounted on the backrest portion of a wheelchair that can be folded in the width direction, and is supported between the left and right side frames. The belt can be freely raised upward.

  Further, the outer end of the waist support belt is supported by an L-shaped member pivotally attached to the left and right side frames, and can be flipped up by the rotation of the L-shaped member. This is the invention according to claim 2.

  In the present invention, the waist support belt stretched between the left and right side frames can be flipped upward so that it can be prevented from interfering with the waist support device even when the upper end of the X-shaped link rises during folding. Thus, a completely folded state in which the left and right side frames are in close contact with each other can be achieved. In addition, since it is flipped up in the state adjusted to the optimal position, the setting condition of the waist support belt remains intact when it is returned to the chair state again, and it takes time to re-set as before The problem of disappearing.

  In the invention according to claim 2, the outer end of the waist support belt is supported by an L-shaped member pivotally attached to the left and right side frames, and is flipped up by the rotation of the L-shaped member. Since it can be freely configured, it is possible to reliably flip the waist support belt upward with a simple structure.

It is a perspective view of the principal part which shows embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view of the principal part which shows the case where FIG. 1 is seen from the outer side. It is a perspective view which shows the wheelchair which equipped with the waist | hip | lumbar part support apparatus of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the state in the middle of folding the wheelchair of FIG. It is a front view which shows the state which folded the wheelchair of FIG.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a main part showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the main part showing a case where FIG. 1 is viewed from the outside. 3 is a wheelchair equipped with the waist support device of the present invention, and is a perspective view showing a state in which the waist support device is flipped up. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in the middle of folding the wheelchair in FIG. FIG. 5 and FIG. 5 are front views showing the folded state. In addition, in FIG. 1, the backrest sheet | seat which covers the whole backrest part is a state abbreviate | omitted so that the waist | hip | lumbar part support apparatus could be seen well.

First, the overall structure of the wheelchair will be described.
3 to 5, reference numeral 1 denotes a pair of left and right side frames made of metal pipes, and casters 2 and wheels 3 are respectively attached to the outside of the side frame 1 in the front and rear directions. This side frame 1 is composed of a rectangular frame body, and a column 1a is extended at the rear, and a backrest 4 is formed between a pair of left and right columns 1a, 1a. The front end of the column 1a is a handle 5 for a guardian to push the wheelchair, and each side frame 1 has a pivotable armrest 6 attached thereto. In addition, 3a is a brake device of the wheel 3, 4a is a backrest sheet | seat which covers the said backrest part 4 whole, In FIG. 3, the backrest sheet | seat 4a is made into the state raised up.

  A seating portion 7 is formed between the side frames. As shown in FIG. 5, the seating portion 7 rotates around the pivoting portion 9, and seat members 7 a are attached to the left and right upper end portions of the X-shaped link 8 having the lower end portion connected to the lower end portion of the side frame 1. It is constructed so that it can be folded in the width direction. The X-shaped link 8 is set in the illustrated manner in two sets on the front and back, and the upper and lower ends of the X-shaped link 8 are connected by support bars 8a, and the left and right support bars 8a are made of a sheet member 7a made of a cloth material or the like. The side end of the is fixed.

  A back support 4 for a wheelchair is attached to the backrest 4 between the side frames 1 and 1. The lumbar support device 10 supports the occupant's lumbar region from the rear side to prevent the occupant's lumbar region from fatigue as much as possible even when sitting for a long time. In the illustrated example, a waist support belt 11 made of a belt-like cloth is stretched between struts 1a and 1a, and the waist support belt 11 can be flipped upward.

Since the waist support belt 11 supports the occupant's waist, the waist support belt 11 must be held at a position slightly advanced from the backrest 4. Therefore, as shown in FIG. It has a supported structure.
The L-shaped member 12 includes a long side portion 12a and a short side portion 12b. The L-shaped member 12 holds the waist support belt 11 attached to the long side portion 12a on the front side by the distance of the short side portion 12b, and the short side portion 12b. Is attached to the column 1 a of the side frame 1 through the connection bracket 13. Note that the base of the short side portion 12b is pivotally attached to the connection bracket 13 by a shaft 12c, and the waist support belt 11 is in a state of being almost parallel to the column 1a and a state of being almost perpendicular to the column 1a. The structure is rotatable so as to adopt two modes.
The waist support belt 11 is provided with hook and loop fasteners (not shown) at both ends, and is configured to be easily attached to and detached from the L-shaped member 12.

  The connection bracket 13 includes a rod-shaped first member 13a to which the L-shaped member 12 is pivotally attached, and a block-shaped second member 13b that connects the first member 13a and the support column 1a. Then, the first member 13a is adjusted to an arbitrary height and fixed to the second member 13b, and the second member 13b is adjusted to an arbitrary height and fixed to the column 1a. The height position of the L-shaped member 13 can be adjusted in two stages. In this way, the adjustment range is large, and it is possible to adjust the waist support belt 11 to the optimum position according to the occupant's body shape even if a person of any body type is seated.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the waist support belt 11 has a structure that is mounted inside a backrest seat 4a that covers the entire backrest, and the waist support belt 11 is concealed from the outside. It has a good appearance.

  In such a configuration, the waist support belt 11 is set at an optimum position according to the occupant's body shape by adjusting the attachment of the connection bracket 13 and then used. At the time of sitting, the waist support belt 11 presses the occupant's waist appropriately in a state of being substantially parallel to the column 1a, and this support effect can prevent fatigue of the waist as much as possible even when sitting for a long time. Demonstrate the feeling.

On the other hand, when folding an unused wheelchair in the width direction, the X-shaped link 8 is closed in the width direction to form a compact shape. Along with this folding operation, the support bar 8a at the upper end of the X-shaped link 8 rises and interferes with the L-shaped member 12 of the waist support device 10 and cannot be completely folded.
However, in the present invention, since the waist support belt 11 is configured to be able to be flipped upward, as shown in FIG. 4, the folding operation is performed with the waist support belt 11 being lifted upward to a substantially vertical state. Then, the lower end of the L-shaped member 12 does not interfere with the support bar 8a, and the X-shaped link 8 is completely folded. As a result, the wheelchair can be folded into a compact shape to the minimum.
Since the backrest seat 4a, the seat member 7a, and the waist support belt 11 are all wrinkled so as to be bent in a mountain shape at the central portion, the folding operation is not hindered and can be folded smoothly. it can.

  As described above, the lumbar support device of the present invention allows the lumbar support belt stretched between the left and right side frames to be flipped upward so that the lumbar support device can be folded when the wheelchair is folded in the width direction. This prevents the operation from being obstructed, and the left and right side frames can be folded compactly until they are in close contact with each other.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Side frame 1a Post 2 Caster 3 Wheel 3a Brake device 4 Backrest part 4a Backrest seat 5 Handle 6 Armrest part 7 Seating part 7a Seat member 8 X-shaped link 8a Support rod 9 Pivoting part 10 Lumbar support apparatus 11 Lumbar support belt 12 L-shaped member
12a Long side
12b Short side
12c Shaft 13 Connection bracket
13a First member
13b Second member

Claims (2)

  A lumbar support device mounted on a backrest of a wheelchair that can be folded in the width direction, wherein the lumbar support belt stretched between the left and right side frames can be flipped upward. . The outer end of the waist support belt is supported by an L-shaped member pivotally attached to the left and right side frames, and can be flipped up by the rotation of the L-shaped member. The lumbar support device described.

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