JP2012019831A - Walking aid - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a walking aid for allowing a user to safely walk in a relaxed posture by freely adjusting the positions of handles.SOLUTION: The walking aid includes: a vehicle base 1 and the handles 2 attached to the upper part of the vehicle base 1, mechanisms for allowing the handles 2 to vertically swing by changing the inclination angles of the handles 2 with respect to the vehicle base 1, and mechanisms for allowing the handles 2 to horizontally swing with respect to the vehicle base 1. Angle adjustment boards 30 constituting the vertical swing mechanisms of the handles 2 include fitting recessed grooves 33 and arranged in the lower parts of the handles 2. The fitting recessed grooves 33 are arranged in a circular arcuate shape on the board surfaces of the angular adjustment boards 30. Connection rods 31 are configured each to allow one end to be rockably pivotally fitted to the angular adjustment boards 30. Fitting projected pieces 38 are attached to positions to be fitted to the fitting recessed grooves 33 in the connection rods 31, so as to regulate the rocking of the connection rods 31 in a state of being fitted to the fitting recessed grooves 33 and also to fix inclination angles θ.

Description

  The present invention relates to a walking aid.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, walking aids as disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1 are known as devices for assisting an elderly person, a disabled person, or a disabled person (such as a disabled person) to walk alone. The walking aid of Patent Document 1 includes a chassis and a handle, and the handle has a pair of armrests and is provided at the top of the chassis.

  By the way, since many users of this type of walking aid are disabled, etc., the position of the handle part can be adjusted freely on the walking aid so that the user can walk in a comfortable and comfortable posture. It must be possible.

  On the other hand, in the walking aid of Patent Document 1, the position of the handle portion cannot be freely adjusted. As a result, when the user walks while gripping the handle part, the elbow or arm slips off from the armrest part, causing a problem that the user is forced to walk while holding the armrest part aside. When forced to walk in such an unreasonable posture, the user's body is burdened and easily fatigued, and unexpected falls and worsening of injuries are caused.

  In addition, since the user of the walking assist device is a handicapped person or the like, the operation for adjusting the position of the handle portion is required to be simple enough to be easily performed with one hand. The request cannot be fully met.

JP 2003-126192 A

An object of the present invention is to provide a walking aid that allows a user to walk in a comfortable posture.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a walking aid that can freely adjust the position of the handle portion.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a walking aid that can easily adjust the position of the handle portion.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, the walking assist device according to the present invention includes a chassis and a handle part attached to the upper part thereof, a mechanism for changing the inclination angle of the handle part relative to the chassis and swinging up and down, And a mechanism for swinging the handle portion from side to side with respect to the chassis.

  The vertical swing mechanism of the handle portion includes an angle adjusting plate, a connecting rod, and a fitting convex piece. The angle adjusting plate has a fitting groove and is provided at the lower portion of the handle portion. The fitting groove is provided in an arc shape on the surface of the angle adjusting plate. One end of the connecting rod in the longitudinal direction is fixed to the angle adjusting plate so as to be swingable. The fitting convex piece is attached to the connecting rod at a position where it can be fitted into the fitting groove, and controls the swinging of the connecting rod while being fitted in the fitting groove, so that the handle portion is tilted with respect to the chassis. Fix the angle.

  As described above, the walking aid according to the present invention includes the vertical swing mechanism of the handle portion and the left and right swing mechanism of the handle portion, and the angle adjusting plate constituting the vertical swing mechanism of the handle portion is the handle. The connecting rod is pivotally fixed to the angle adjusting plate at one end in the longitudinal direction. According to this configuration, the handle portion can be swung up and down by swinging the handle portion around the shaft stop portion of the connecting rod and changing the inclination angle of the handle portion with respect to the chassis. Therefore, it is possible to provide a walking aid that can freely adjust the position of the handle portion.

  Furthermore, the vertical swing mechanism of the handle portion has a fitting convex piece as a mechanism for restricting the swing of the handle portion described above. More specifically, the angle adjusting plate has an arcuate fitting groove on the plate surface, and the connecting rod is connected to the fitting groove so as to be swingable. The fitting convex piece is attached to the connecting rod at a position where it can be fitted into the fitting groove, and controls the swinging of the connecting rod while being fitted in the fitting groove, so that the handle portion is tilted with respect to the chassis. Fix the angle. According to this configuration, after the handle portion is swung up and down and arranged at a desired inclination angle, the fitting convex piece can be fitted into the fitting concave groove and fixed at the swinging position. Therefore, it is possible to provide a walking aid that allows the user to walk in a comfortable posture.

  Moreover, according to the vertical swing mechanism of the handle portion according to the present invention, the swinging of the connecting rod is restricted by a simple operation of fitting the fitting convex piece into the fitting concave groove, and the inclination angle of the handle portion with respect to the chassis is Fixed. Therefore, it is possible to provide a walking aid that can easily adjust the position of the handle portion.

  In the left and right swing mechanism of the handle portion, the chassis has a support frame, the support frame has a projecting end that projects to the upper part of the chassis, and the other end of the connecting rod in the longitudinal direction projects from the support frame. The coupling tool is detachably attached to the connecting portion between the other end of the support frame and the projecting end of the connecting rod, and in the attached state, the coupling tool rotates the shaft of the connecting rod. It is also possible to take a configuration of regulating. According to this configuration, the handle portion can be swung left and right by rotating the connecting rod with respect to the support frame. Therefore, the position of the handle portion can be freely adjusted following the posture of the walking assistance user.

  The left and right swing mechanism of the handle portion has a coupling tool, and the coupling tool is detachably attached to a connecting portion between the other end of the support frame and the protruding end of the coupling rod. Since the shaft rotation is restricted, the handle portion can be fixed as it is after the left and right swing positions are adjusted. Therefore, the operation for adjusting the position of the handle portion is simple.

  The walking aid according to the present invention further includes a mechanism for adjusting the height position of the handle portion with respect to the chassis, and the height position adjusting mechanism of the handle portion includes a movable shaft and a fixture, and the movable shaft is a longitudinal portion. One end of the direction is connected to the connecting rod, the handle part is moved up and down along the height direction, and the fixture is detachably coupled to the middle part of the movable shaft, and the vertical movement of the movable shaft is restricted in the coupled state. It is also possible to take a configuration of According to this configuration, the height position of the handle portion can be freely adjusted following the height of the user of the walking aid. Even in this configuration, the handle portion constituting the walking aid according to the present invention can swing up and down and left and right, so that the user can safely walk in a comfortable and comfortable posture.

As described above, according to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) It is possible to provide a walking aid that allows the user to walk in a comfortable posture.
(2) A walking aid that can freely adjust the position of the handle portion can be provided.
(3) It is possible to provide a walking aid that can easily adjust the position of the handle portion.

  Other objects, configurations and advantages of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings are merely examples.

It is a perspective view of the walk auxiliary device concerning one embodiment of the present invention. It is a side view of the walking aid of FIG. It is a side view which expands and shows a part of walking aid of FIG. It is a side view which takes out and shows a part of walking aid of FIG. It is front sectional drawing which expands and shows a part of walking aid of FIG. It is front sectional drawing which expands and shows a part about another state of the walking aid of FIG. It is front sectional drawing which expands and shows a part of walking aid of FIG. It is a perspective view which takes out and shows a part of walking aid of FIG. It is front sectional drawing which expands and shows a part of walking aid of FIG. It is side surface sectional drawing which expands and shows a part of walking aid of FIG. It is side surface sectional drawing which expands and shows a part about another state of the walking aid of FIG. It is side surface sectional drawing which expands and shows a part about another state of the walking aid of FIG. It is a side view of the walking aid which concerns on another embodiment of this invention. It is a side view of the wheelchair for assistance which deform | transformed the walking aid of FIG.

  1 to 14, the same reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts. The walking aid of FIGS. 1 and 2 includes a chassis 1 and a pair of handle portions 2 and 2 provided on the top thereof. The chassis 1 has a pair of body frames 10, 10, a plurality of wheels 15, and a seat 16 that face each other in the width direction W of the walking aid.

  The vehicle body frame 10 has a triangular shape in a side view, and is constituted by a metal pipe having a hollow portion inside from the viewpoint of weight reduction. More specifically, the body frame 10 includes a lower frame 11 and side frames 12. The lower frame 11 is a portion corresponding to the triangular base, and the side frame 12 is a portion corresponding to two sides forming the triangular top. A support frame 120 is formed on the top of the side frame 12. The support frame 120 protrudes from the upper part of the chassis 1 as viewed in the height direction H of the walking aid, and supports the handle portion 2 at the protruding end.

  The plurality of wheels 15 are rotatably provided in the lower part near both ends of the lower frame 11 when viewed in the front-rear direction F of the walking aid. A side brake 17 for restricting the rotation of the rear wheel 15 is provided at the lower part of the side frame 12.

  The seat portion 16 includes a seat surface 160 and a backrest 161, and is provided at the approximate center of the side frame 12 as viewed in the height direction H. The seating surface 160 has a predetermined width in the front-rear direction F and the width direction W, and bridges the pair of side frames 12 in the width direction W. The backrest 161 is detachably provided on the side frame 12, and the attachment / detachment position thereof can be selected at either the front or rear position of the seat surface 160 viewed in the front-rear direction F.

  A pair of left and right handle portions 2, 2 as viewed in the width direction W has an armrest 20, a grip portion 21, and a tubular portion 22. The armrest 20 has a concave surface 201 and is provided behind the grip portion 21 as viewed in the front-rear direction F. The concave surface 201 is disposed so that the opening portion thereof is directed upward in the height direction H.

  The tubular portion 22 is fixed at the lower part of the armrest 20 along a front-rear direction F that coincides with the extending direction of the armrest 20. The grip portion 21 is a cylindrical portion that rises in the height direction H, and a base portion thereof is fixed to one end of the slide rod 23. The other end of the slide rod 23 is guided inside the tubular portion 22 and is slidably inserted into the tubular portion 22. In other words, the tubular portion 22 accommodates the slide rod 23 in the lower part of the armrest 20 so as to be slidable along the front-rear direction F.

  The slide rod 23 is regulated or permitted to slide along the front-rear direction F by an adjusting screw 70 attached to the tubular portion 22. It is preferable that the slide rod 23 can be detached from the tubular portion 22 and separated by loosening the adjusting screw 70.

  1 and 2 includes a mechanism for changing the inclination angle θ of the handle portion 2 relative to the chassis 1 and swinging it up and down (see FIG. 3), in addition to the basic configuration of the above-described walking assistant. One feature is that it includes a mechanism (see FIGS. 7 and 8) that swings the handle portion 2 to the left and right with respect to 1. FIG. Hereinafter, the vertical swing mechanism and the left and right swing mechanisms of the handle portion 2 will be described with reference to the corresponding drawings.

  First, the vertical swing mechanism in FIG. 3 includes an angle adjustment plate 30 (see FIG. 4) and a connecting rod 31. The angle adjustment plate 30 in FIG. 4 includes a substrate portion 32, a fitting groove 33, and a shaft stop hole 34. The substrate portion 32 is a substantially semicircular metal plate body in a side view, and a portion corresponding to a linear edge is provided at the lower portion of the armrest 20, and preferably at the lower portion of the tubular portion 22 in the front-rear direction F It is suspended along.

  The fitting groove 33 functions as a guide groove for setting the inclination angle θ, and is provided so that a line a1 passing through the center of the groove has a substantially arc shape on the plate surface of the substrate portion 32. . The fitting groove 33 has a penetrating structure that penetrates the substrate portion 32 in the plate thickness direction W, and an opening edge thereof is constituted by two edge portions 331 and 332 facing each other in the height direction H. Each of the edge portions 331 and 332 is formed concentrically on the plate surface of the substrate portion 32, and has a saw-tooth shape that repeats unevenness toward the shaft stop hole 34.

  In the fitting groove 33, a line a2 connecting the apexes of the convex part of the edge part 331, a line a3 connecting the corners of the concave part of the edge part 331, a line a4 connecting the apexes of the convex part of the edge part 332, an edge part All the lines a5 connecting the corners of the concave portion 332 are concentric arcs with the shaft stop hole 34 as the center. The shaft stop hole 34 is provided at the center of the arc of the lines a1 to a5, and penetrates the substrate portion 32 in the width direction W that coincides with the plate thickness direction.

  The angle adjusting plate 30 in FIG. 4 is combined with the connecting rod 31 as shown in FIGS. 3, 5 and 6. One end of the connecting rod 31 in the height direction H coinciding with the longitudinal direction is pivotally fixed to the angle adjusting plate 30 and the other end is detachably inserted into the support frame 120. More specifically, the connecting rod 31 has a housing 310, an elastic member 36, a lever portion 37, and a fitting convex piece 38 at one end in the height direction H, and one end in the height direction H is The shaft is fixed to the shaft stop hole 34 and is swingably connected on the fitting groove 33.

  The housing 310 has a half structure, the upper part is integrated by a stopper 71 composed of bolts and nuts, and the lower part is coupled to one end of the connecting rod 31 by a stopper 35. Further, the housing 310 includes a first storage space 311, a second storage space 312, an insertion hole 313 communicating with the storage spaces 311 and 312, and an insertion hole 314 parallel to the insertion hole 313. Yes. The housing 310 has a pair of recesses on the combination surface, and in the combined state, a first storage space 311 is defined between the opposing surfaces of the recesses.

  The angle adjusting plate 30 is sandwiched between the combination surfaces of the housings 310 at a height position where the fitting groove 33 overlaps the first storage space 311, and is a stopper inserted through the shaft retaining hole 34 in the sandwiched state. 71 is fixed to be swingable.

  The elastic member 36 is composed of ridges 361 and 362 that are a pair of upper and lower when viewed in the height direction H. The protrusions 361 and 362 are U-shaped (or clip-shaped) in cross-sectional view, and are arranged so that the U-shaped openings are vertically opposed to each other, and one side wall portion is in the other opening portion. By being guided, they are stored in the second storage space 312 in a state of being alternately stacked. Only one of the side walls of the ridges 361 and 362 is fixed to the inner wall that defines the second storage space 312 by screws 72. According to this configuration, when the other side wall portion is pulled up, the openings of the ridges 361 and 362 are expanded, and an urging force indicated by an arrow P is generated in a direction opposite to the pulling direction.

  The lever portion 37 is configured by a combination of a main shaft 371, a guide shaft 372, and a support shaft 373. The main shaft 371 is attached at a middle portion of the support shaft 373 viewed in the height direction H so as to intersect with the support shaft 373, and is further slidable in the width direction W corresponding to the axial direction of the main shaft 371. The first and second storage spaces 311 and 312 communicate with each other through the insertion hole 313. The guide shaft 372 is attached to the support shaft 373 at a lower portion in the height direction H of the support shaft 373 so as to be parallel to the main shaft 371 and is slidable in the width direction W that matches the axial direction of the guide shaft 372. In the state, it is inserted through the insertion hole 314.

  The fitting convex piece 38 has a structure that can be nested in the fitting concave groove 33, and is attached to a position where one end portion of the connecting rod 31 can be fitted in the fitting concave groove 33. More specifically, the fitting convex piece 38 has an outer shape that follows the shape of the opening edge of the fitting concave groove 33 (sawtooth shape), and is fixed on the first main shaft 371. The fitting convex piece 38 is put in and out of the fitting concave groove 33 by sliding the main shaft 371 in the width direction W in the storage space 311. The fitting convex piece 38 of FIG. 5 is fitted in the fitting concave groove 33, and the inclination angle θ of the handle portion 2 with respect to the chassis 1, in other words, the crossing angle of the connecting rod 31 with respect to the angle adjusting plate 30 is θ. It is fixed.

  Since the urging force P is applied to the main shaft 371 in the state of FIG. 5 and the sliding operation of the main shaft 371 is restricted, the problem of the fitting convex piece 38 falling off from the fitting concave groove 33 is avoided.

  In order to change the inclination angle θ from the state of FIG. 3 and FIG. 5, the lever portion 37 is operated to move the main shaft 371 in the width direction W, and the fitting convex piece 38 is once detached from the fitting concave groove 33. In the state of FIG. 6, the handle portion 2 is only pivotally pivoted by a stopper 71 interposed between the connecting rod 31 and the angle adjusting plate 30, so When the front end or the rear end is inclined in the height direction H with the arm or the arm placed, the entire handle portion 2 swings in a seesaw shape around the stopper 71. The user operates the lever portion 37 with the armrest 20 at an appropriate angle to move the main shaft 371 in the width direction W with the guide shaft 372 as a fulcrum, and the fitting convex piece 38 is fitted into the fitting concave groove 33. , The swing of the handle portion 2 is restricted, and the inclination angle θ is fixed. Since the urging force P is applied to the main shaft 371 by the elastic member 36, it is possible to quickly guide the fitting convex piece 38 to the fitting concave groove 33 by operating the lever portion 37.

  Next, a mechanism (left and right swing mechanism) for adjusting the left and right swing positions of the handle portion 2 constituting the walking aid of FIGS. 1 and 2 will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. 7 and 8 includes a support frame 120, a connecting rod 31, a threading rod 40, a coupling tool 41, and a stopper 43.

  The support frame 120 has a convex portion 121. The convex portions 121 shown in FIGS. 8A and 8C are arranged along the circumferential direction on the outer surface from the intermediate portion of the support frame 120 to the protruding end when viewed in the height direction H that coincides with the axial direction of the support frame 120. It has a serrated shape that repeats unevenness, and is formed in a band shape along the height direction H. For example, the convex portion 121 can be formed by cutting a serrated groove along the height direction H of the support frame 120.

  On the other hand, the connecting rod 31 has a convex portion 315, the other end is disposed in the height direction H of the support frame 120, and is connected to the protruding end of the support frame 120. The convex portion 315 has a sawtooth shape that repeats unevenness along the circumferential direction on the outer surface from the intermediate portion to the other end of the connecting rod 31 as viewed in the height direction H, and is formed in a band shape. The convex portion 121 and the convex portion 315 have the same concave-convex structure when viewed in cross section, and can overlap in the height direction H.

  The through rod 40 communicates the inside of the connecting rod 31 and the support frame 120, one end is rotatably coupled around the axis inside the connecting rod 31, and the other end rotates around the axis inside the support frame 120. It is combined as possible. In other words, the connecting rod 31 is connected to the support frame 120 so as to be axially rotatable by a through-rod 40 inserted therein.

  The coupling tool 41 is a so-called coupling tool, and has a recess 42 on the inner surface of the cylindrical base portion. The recess 42 shown in FIG. 8B has a sawtooth shape in cross section that repeats unevenness along the circumferential direction of the inner surface, and has the same uneven structure as the protrusion 315. For example, the recess 42 can be formed by cutting a serrated groove along the height direction H.

  The joint tool 41 is attached to be slidable along the height direction H in such a manner that it extends over the connection portion between the protruding end of the support frame 120 and the other end of the connecting rod 31 and covers the outer surface of the connection portion. ing. When the coupling tool 41 is attached, the concave portion 42 integrally fits with the convex portion 121 and the convex portion 315 to restrict the shaft rotation of the connecting rod 31. On the other hand, the joint tool 41 is slid along the height direction H and is detached from the connection portion between the support frame 120 and the connecting rod 31, whereby the shaft rotation of the connecting rod 31 is permitted.

  The stopper 43 restricts the sliding motion of the joint tool 41 and is detachably hooked on the outer surface of the connecting rod 31. The stopper 43 stops when it is arranged on the connecting rod 31 side, and stops when it is arranged on the support frame 120 side (not shown).

  7 and 8, for example, when the armrest 20 is swung left and right with the elbow or arm placed on the armrest 20, the entire handle portion 2 is moved in the circumferential direction of the connecting rod 31. Rotate left and right along The user fits the joint tool 41 into the connecting portion between the support frame 120 and the connecting rod 31 in a state where the left and right swing positions of the armrest 20 are in an appropriate position. The rotation is restricted, and the left and right swing positions of the handle portion 2 are fixed.

  1 and 2 has an operation lever 6 in the lower part of the armrest 20 in addition to the vertical swing mechanism of FIGS. 5 and 6 and the horizontal swing mechanism of FIGS. The height position of the handle portion 2 can be adjusted by operating the operation lever 6. Hereinafter, a mechanism for adjusting the height position of the handle portion 2 will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 to 12.

  First, the height position adjusting mechanism shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 includes a movable shaft 51, a casing 52, a pair of fixtures 53 and 54, a first elastic member 55 (pulling ridge), and a second elastic member. 56 (retraction line), an interlocking wire 57, a rotating drum 58, an operating drum 59, and an operating wire 60.

  The movable shaft 51 is a rectangular metal rod-like body in a cross-sectional view, and has a longitudinal dimension along the axial direction (height direction) H of the movable shaft 51. Engaging teeth 510 are provided. The engaging tooth 510 protrudes from the one surface, and the protruding end rises obliquely toward the lower side as viewed in the height direction H. The plurality of engagement teeth 510 are equally spaced apart in the height direction H, and a downward opening is formed between the protruding ends of the engagement teeth 510 adjacent in the height direction H. The engaging teeth 510 can be formed by corrugated notches or engravings.

  The movable shaft 51 is housed inside the side frame 12 constituting the chassis 1 so as to be slidable in the height direction H. One end of the movable shaft 51 is screwed to the connecting rod 31 so that the movable shaft 51 slides in the height direction H. The entire handle portion 2 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is moved up and down along the height direction H via the connecting rod 31.

  The casing 52 is provided in an intermediate portion of the side frame 12, and has fixing members 53, 54, first and second elastic members 55, 56, an interlocking wire 57, and a rotation in a storage space defined by the peripheral wall. The drum 58 is accommodated, and an operation drum 59 is installed on the outer side surface.

  Each of the fixtures 53 and 54 has engagement ends 531 and 541 on one side in the longitudinal direction, and the engagement ends 531 and 541 have a tapered shape whose thickness decreases toward one side in the longitudinal direction. . Each of the fixing tools 53 and 54 is disposed so as to form a pair of upper and lower portions with an interval in the height direction H. More specifically, each of the fixtures 53 and 54 has the engagement ends 531 and 541 arranged upward in a mating relationship toward the engagement teeth 510, and in a state where the engagement ends 531 and 541 are disposed, Engagement ends 531 and 541 are guided between the protruding ends. The fixing tool 53 assists the engaging function of the fixing tool 54, and is pivotally fixed to the inner side surface of the casing 52.

  The first and second elastic members 55 and 56 are attached to the fixtures 53 and 54, respectively. The first elastic member 55 is a so-called pulling spring, and one end thereof is attached to the engagement ends 531 and 541 and applies a biasing force in the direction M1 away from the movable shaft 51 with respect to the engagement ends 531 and 541. . On the other hand, the second elastic member 56 is a so-called pulling ridge, and one end of the second elastic member 56 is coupled to the engagement ends 531 and 541 via the shaft, and the direction M2 approaches the movable shaft 51 with respect to the engagement ends 531 and 541. A biasing force is added to

  The rotary drum 58 is rotatably fixed to the inner side surface of the casing 52 between the fixtures 53 and 54 viewed in the height direction H. Each end of the interlocking wire 57 is coupled to the end of the first elastic member 55 adjacent in the height direction H, and the intermediate portion is wound around or coupled to the rotary drum 58.

  The operation drum 59 is attached to a shaft 580 that fixes the rotating drum 58 on the outer side surface of the casing 52. That is, the shaft 580 penetrates the side wall portion of the casing 52 from the inner surface to the outer surface, the rotating drum 58 is fixed on the inner surface, and the operation drum 59 is fixed on the outer surface. According to this structure, for example, the rotary drum 58 can be rotated to the right and left by rotating the operation drum 59 with a finger.

  One end of the operation wire 60 is connected to the operation lever 6 (FIGS. 1 and 2), and the other end is guided into the casing 52 and coupled to the fixture 54. In the fixture 54 of FIG. 10, one end of the operation wire 60 is coupled to the upper side as viewed in the height direction H, and one end of the third elastic member 61 is coupled to the lower side as viewed in the height direction H. The third elastic member 61 is coupled to the inner bottom surface of the casing 52 whose other end faces the height direction H. That is, the fixture 54 is suspended in the height direction H by the operation wire 60, and in the suspended state, the opposite side (lower side) viewed in the height direction H is pulled down by the third elastic member 61. Thus, the casing 52 is arranged in a suspended state that can move up and down in the height direction H.

  The operation lever 6 is for operating a winding mechanism (not shown) housed in the main body, and by operating the lifting lever in the height direction H, the operating wire 60 is wound on the winding mechanism or the operating wire 60 is operated. Is fed out from the winding mechanism.

  9 and 10 include a case where the handle portion 2 is moved up and down in the height direction H (FIG. 11) and a case where the handle portion 2 is pulled up only in the height direction H. (FIG. 12). Hereinafter, it demonstrates concretely.

  When the handle portion 2 is moved up and down in the height direction H, the user first rotates the rotating drum 58 (for example, right rotation R1) as shown in FIG. The rotating operation of the rotating drum 58 can be performed by directly pinching the operating drum 59 connected via the shaft 580 with a finger. When the rotating drum 58 is rotated to the right R1, the interlocking wire 57 is wound up by the rotating drum 58, so that the engagement ends 531 and 541 are separated from the movable shaft 51 in the direction M1 via the first elastic member 55. It is pulled up and disengages from the engaging tooth 510 (see FIG. 11).

  As shown in FIG. 11, in the state where the engagement ends 531 and 541 are disengaged from the engagement teeth 510, the restriction on the sliding operation of the movable shaft 51 is lost, so that the user holds the grip portion 21, for example. By pulling up or pushing down in the height direction H, the entire handle portion 2 can be moved up and down and adjusted to an appropriate height position.

  Thereafter, in order to fix the handle portion 2 at an appropriate height position, it can be performed by a procedure reverse to the above-described release operation. Briefly, by operating the operation drum 59 and rotating the rotating drum 58 in the reverse direction (for example, left rotation R2), the interlocking wire 57 is drawn out from the rotating drum 58, and the engagement ends 531 and 541 are movable shafts. 51, it moves down in the direction M2 approaching 51, and engages with the engaging tooth 510. When the engagement ends 531 and 541 are engaged with the engagement teeth 510, the sliding operation of the movable shaft 51 is again restricted. Since the other end of the second elastic member 56 is coupled to the engagement ends 531 and 541 and a biasing force is applied in the direction M2 approaching the movable shaft 51, the engagement ends 531 and 541 with respect to the engagement teeth 510 are applied. The descent operation is performed smoothly.

  Next, when pulling up the handle portion 2 only upward in the height direction H, the user first operates the operation lever 6 for one stroke to wind up the operation wire 60 as shown in FIG. The fixture 54 is pulled up from the height position H1 to the position H2 by one stroke. As a result of the lifting operation of the fixture 54, the engaging teeth 510 that come into contact with the engaging end 541 are pulled up to the height position H2. As a result, the entire handle portion 2 is moved in the height direction H via the movable shaft 51. It is raised upward by one stroke.

  On the other hand, the fixture 53 swings at a predetermined position, so that the engaging end 531 sequentially gets over the protruding end of the engaging tooth 510 pulled up in the height direction H. Thereafter, at a position where the lifting operation of the fixing tool 54 is stopped (height position H2), the engaging end 531 is guided between the protruding ends of the engaging teeth 510 facing each other, whereby the sliding operation of the movable shaft 51 is performed. Temporarily regulated.

  On the other hand, the fixing tool 54 is pulled back to the original height position H <b> 1 by the urging force of the third elastic member 61 in a state where the fixing tool 53 temporarily restricts the movable shaft 51. When the fixing tool 54 is pulled back, the engaging end 541 is guided between the protruding ends of the opposing engaging teeth 510 at the original height position H1, and the sliding operation of the movable shaft 51 is performed by the fixing tool 53. , 54.

  By repeating the lifting operation for one stroke by the operation lever 6 described above a predetermined number of times (for several strokes), the entire handle portion 2 can be lifted little by little and adjusted to an appropriate height position.

  According to the structure of the walking aid described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 12, the following effects can be obtained. First, the handle portion 2 constituting the walking aid is provided with a pair of armrests 20 behind the grip portion 21, and each of the pair of armrests 20 has a concave surface 201 recessed upward. Therefore, the user can sink the arm and elbow into the concave surface 201 to grip the grip portion 21, and can prevent the user's elbow and arm from falling off the armrest 20 during walking movement. . Therefore, it is possible to perform walking movement stably even when weight is applied via the elbow or arm, and it is possible to perform walking movement while maintaining a posture while suppressing a load on the lower body.

  By the way, since many users of this kind of walking assistance device are elderly people, disabled people, and physically handicapped people (disabled people, etc.), the walking assistance device walks in a comfortable posture that the user can not overdo. In order to be able to do so, it is required that the position of the handle portion can be freely adjusted. For example, in the conventional walking assist device, the handle portion (2) is fixed in a horizontal state or in a state parallel to each other, thereby realizing the arrangement of the armrest (20) that matches the bending or posture of the user's arm. The elbow or arm slips off from the armrest and the armrest is forced to walk with the armrest held aside. When walking in such an unreasonable posture, the user's body is burdened and easily fatigued, and unexpected falls and worsening of injuries are caused. In addition, with conventional walking aids, the user tends to rely on the grip portion (21), and the body naturally leans forward, and there is a risk that the front wheel (15) will be rolled, jumped and fallen, and worsened in sickness. It was.

  Furthermore, since the user of the walking aid is a handicapped person or the like, it is required that the operation for adjusting the position of the handle portion can be easily performed with one hand.

  The walking aid of FIGS. 1 to 12 responds to the above-described two requests by moving the vertical swing mechanism of the handle portion 2 (see FIGS. 3 to 6) and the left and right swing mechanism of the handle portion 2 (see FIGS. 7 and 7). One feature is that it can swing up and down and left and right.

  First, as described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 6, the vertical swing mechanism of the handle portion 2 is provided with the angle adjustment plate 30 at the lower portion of the handle portion 2. One end of the connecting rod 31 is pivotably fixed. According to this configuration, the handle part 2 is swung up and down by swinging the handle part 2 around the shaft stop of the connecting rod 31 and changing the inclination angle θ of the handle part 2 with respect to the chassis 1. Can do. Accordingly, it is possible to provide a walking assist device that can freely adjust the inclination angle θ of the handle portion 2 following the posture of the walking assist device user.

  Further, the vertical swing mechanism of the handle portion 2 includes a fitting groove 33 and a fitting convex piece 38 as a mechanism for fixing the inclination angle θ. The angle adjusting plate 30 has an arcuate fitting groove 33 on the plate surface, and the connecting rod 31 is connected to the fitting groove 33 so as to be swingable. The fitting convex piece 38 is attached to the connecting rod 31 at a position where it can be fitted into the fitting groove 33, and regulates the swinging of the connecting rod 31 while being fitted in the fitting groove 33. The angle θ is fixed. According to this configuration, the handle portion 2 can be swung up and down and disposed at a desired inclination angle θ, and then fixed at the swung position. Therefore, it is possible to provide a walking aid that allows the user to walk in a comfortable posture.

  Moreover, according to the vertical swing mechanism of the handle portion 2 of FIGS. 3 to 6, the fitting convex piece 38 is fitted into the fitting concave groove 33 by a simple operation of the lever portion 37, and the inclination angle θ is fixed. The Therefore, it is possible to provide a walking aid that can easily adjust the position of the handle portion 2.

  Next, as described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, the left and right swing mechanism of the handle portion 2 is configured such that the projecting end of the support frame 120 constituting the chassis 1 and the other end of the connecting rod 31 rotate on the axis. Connected as possible. According to this configuration, for example, the user can swing the entire handle portion 2 left and right by swinging the armrest base 20 left and right with the elbow and arm placed on the armrest base 20. Therefore, the position of the handle portion 2 can be freely adjusted following the posture of the walking assistance user.

  Further, the left and right swing mechanism of the handle portion 2 includes a joint 41 as a mechanism for restricting the shaft rotation of the connecting rod 31, and a convex portion 121 is provided on the outer surface of the support frame 120. A convex portion 315 is provided on the outer surface of the portion. The coupling tool 41 has a concave surface 201 and is detachably attached to a connection portion between the support frame 120 and the connecting rod 31, and in the attached state, the concave surface 201 is integrated with the convex portion 121 and the convex portion 315. The concavity and convexity are fitted to each other to restrict the shaft rotation of the connecting rod 31. According to this structure, the left and right swing positions of the handle portion 2 can be adjusted and then fixed at the desired position.

  In addition, since the attachment / detachment operation of the joint tool 41 can be performed by sliding in the height direction H, the operation for adjusting the position of the handle portion 2 is simple, and it is easy even for a disabled person or the like. Can be operated.

  Furthermore, the walking aid of FIG.1 and FIG.2 is provided with the mechanism which adjusts the height position of the handle | steering-wheel part 2 with respect to the chassis 1, as demonstrated with reference to FIG. 9 thru | or FIG. 9 to 12 includes a movable shaft 51 and fixtures 53 and 54. One end of the movable shaft 51 is connected to the connecting rod 31, and the handle portion 2 is raised. The fixtures 53 and 54 are detachably coupled to the intermediate portion of the movable shaft 51 and the vertical movement of the movable shaft 51 is restricted in the coupled state. According to this structure, the height position of the handle part 2 can be freely adjusted following the height of the user of the walking aid. Even in this configuration, since the handle portion 2 can swing up and down and left and right, the user can safely walk in a comfortable and comfortable posture.

  The up / down and left / right swing mechanism of the handle portion 2 is realized by a structural mechanism such as a vertical movement of a lever, with each operation not using an electronic mechanism such as a battery or a sensor. Therefore, unlike a conventional walker using a tightening type thumbscrew, it is easy for a disabled person or the like to operate.

  As described above, the pair of armrests 20 constituting the walking aid of FIGS. 1 to 12 can be swung in the front-rear direction F and the width direction W, and the position can also be adjusted in the height direction H. Therefore, it is possible to realize the placement of the armrest 20 that matches the bending, posture, and height of the user's arm, and to prevent the arm and elbow from protruding from the armrest 20 or from leaning forward. Can do. Therefore, in combination with the above-described action of the concave surface 201 of the armrest 20, the stability of walking movement with the weight applied could be further improved.

  The grip portion 21 is slidable with respect to the pair of armrests 20 along the front-rear direction F of the concave surface 201 of the armrests 20, so that it matches the user's physical characteristics such as arm length and elbow position. The optimum distance between the grip portion 21 and the pair of armrests 20 can be realized. Also by this, in combination with the presence of the concave surface 201 and the swing mechanism of the armrest 20, it is possible to further improve the stability of walking movement with weight applied.

  The protruding end of the support frame 120 that is the position of the grip portion 21 and the center of swinging of the armrest base 20 is located between the front and rear wheels 15 as can be seen from FIG. For this reason, the weight from the user is distributed to the front and rear wheels 15, and it is possible to prevent rolling and jumping and falling. Such a prevention effect is further enhanced by combining with the above-described relative distance adjustment mechanism of the armrest 20 and the grip portion 21 and the swing mechanism of the armrest 20.

  FIG. 13 is a side view of a walking assistance device according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 14 is a side view of an assisting wheelchair obtained by modifying the walking assistance device of FIG. Until now, the walking aid was limited to the original use mode and was not assumed to be used for other purposes. However, in the walking aid shown in FIGS. 1 to 12, the wheelchair for assistance shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 can be modified. In addition, as described above, the walking aid that can perform stable walking movement can be transformed into a walking aid and an assisting wheelchair.

  The walking aid shown in FIG. 13 is deformed in the following procedure. 1 and 2, the adjustment screw 70 is loosened, the connecting rod 31 is removed from the support frame 120, and the slide rod 23 is removed from the tubular portion 33. Then, as shown in FIG. 13, the slide rod 23 is inserted into the support frame 120 so that the grip portion 21 is directed rearward. The walking aid of FIG. 13 has the height adjustment mechanism described with reference to FIGS. The deformation to the walking aid of FIG. 14 is realized by changing the position of the backrest 161 in the seating chair portion 16 from the front end side to the rear end side of the seating surface 160.

  In the embodiment of FIGS. 13 and 14, since the support frame 120, which is a connection portion between the handle portion 2 and the chassis 1, is located between the front and rear wheels 15, the load from the user is increased in the front and rear directions. Disperses and has the effect of preventing rolling or jumping and falling.

  Although the contents of the present invention have been specifically described with reference to the preferred embodiments, various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art based on the basic technical idea and teachings of the present invention. It is self-explanatory.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Chassis 120 Support frame 121 Convex part 2 Handle part 30 Angle adjustment plate 31 Connecting rod 33 Fitting groove 38 Fitting convex piece 41 Joint tool H Height direction (theta) Inclination angle of a handle part

Claims (3)

A mechanism including a chassis and a handle part attached to the upper part thereof; a mechanism for swinging the handle part up and down by changing an inclination angle of the handle part relative to the chassis; and a mechanism for swinging the handle part from side to side with respect to the chassis A walking aid comprising:
The vertical swing mechanism of the handle part has an angle adjusting plate, a connecting rod, and a fitting convex piece,
The angle adjusting plate has a fitting groove, and is provided at a lower portion of the handle portion.
The fitting groove is provided in an arc shape on the plate surface of the angle adjusting plate,
The connecting rod has a longitudinal end fixed to the angle adjusting plate so as to be swingable,
The fitting convex piece is attached to the connecting rod at a position where it can be fitted into the fitting groove, and restricts the rocking of the connecting rod in a state of being fitted into the fitting groove, Fixing the inclination angle of the handle part with respect to the chassis,
Walking aid. The walking assist device according to claim 1, wherein the left and right swing mechanism of the handle portion has a joint tool,
The chassis has a support frame, and the support frame has a protruding end that protrudes from the top of the chassis.
The connecting rod has the other end in the longitudinal direction connected to the projecting end of the support frame so that the shaft can rotate.
The coupling tool is detachably attached to a connecting portion between the other end of the support frame and the protruding end of the connecting rod, and regulates the shaft rotation of the connecting rod in the attached state.
Walking aid. The walking assist device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a mechanism for adjusting a height position of the handle portion with respect to the chassis.
The height adjustment mechanism of the handle part includes a movable shaft and a fixing tool,
The movable shaft has one end in the longitudinal direction connected to the connecting rod, and moves the handle portion up and down along the height direction.
The fixing device is detachably coupled to an intermediate portion of the movable shaft, and restricts the vertical movement of the movable shaft in the coupled state.
Walking aid.

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