JP2012056537A - Handcart - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide handcarts 100 and 200 that enable easy folding and opening operations and are also suitable for elderly people with bent backs.SOLUTION: A handcart 100, including a main frame 10, a handle frame 20, a front wheel frame 30, and a rear wheel frame 40, includes: a handle height adjusting means wherein the handle frame 20 is provided with a sliding section 21 that is inserted into the main frame 10, and wherein the sliding section 21 and the main frame 10 are provided with a handle fixing section 26 that fixes the sliding section 21; and a folding and opening means constituted of a hook member 12 fixed to the main frame 10, an operating lever 50 disposed on the back surface of the main frame 10, a locking section 57 rotatably latching the operating lever 50 to the hook member 12, an operation link member 51 connected to the operating lever 50, a side-surface first link member 52 connecting the front wheel frame 30 and the rear wheel frame 40 in the front and back direction in a substantially horizontal manner, and a side-surface second link member 53.

Description

  The present invention relates to a wheelbarrow that is used, for example, by elderly people or disabled people for shopping or walking.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, wheelbarrows of various shapes have been provided as walking assist devices that are used by elderly and disabled people for shopping, walking, and the like. Some of these wheelbarrows are equipped with shopping bags so that they can be easily used for shopping, walking, etc., or with seats that allow users to sit and take breaks, and elderly people who are inferior in physical strength For them, it is one of the means that can expand the scope of action.

  However, the height or body shape of individuals with large variations, such as elderly people with bent hips, can be a problem in providing a safe and easy-to-handle wheelbarrow.

  In addition, since these handcarts require a large storage space in use and are difficult to load on a car or the like as they are, handcarts equipped with a folding mechanism are also provided. (See Patent Document 1).

  However, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, a handle frame member is connected to a lever member that is operated during folding or unfolding, and the lever member that is operated has a high center of gravity and a heavy load is applied. The power of is required. Furthermore, the front lower link member and the rear lower link member are connected by a coil spring, which acts as an auxiliary force when folded, but becomes a load when deployed. Therefore, there is a problem that folding and unfolding operations are burdensome for elderly people who are inferior in physical strength and cannot be easily performed.

JP 2004-90757 A

  In view of the above-described problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a handcart that can be easily folded and unfolded and that is also suitable for elderly people with bent hips.

  The present invention includes a pair of left and right main frames that extend substantially in the vertical direction, a handle frame that is connected to the upper end of the main frame and extends substantially upward, and a handle portion that is manually pushed by the user at the upper end. A pair of left and right front wheel frames that extend obliquely forward and downward, with a front wheel at the lower end, and left and right that have one end pivotally connected to the vicinity of the main frame of the front wheel frame and a rear wheel at the lower end that extends rearward and downward A wheelbarrow provided with a pair of rear wheel frames, wherein the handle frame is provided with a slide part that slides up and down through the main frame, and the slide part and the main frame slide up and down the slide part. A handle height adjusting means provided with a pair of left and right handle fixing portions for fixing the left and right, a pair of left and right hook members fixed to the main frame, and a rear surface of the main frame An operating lever having a pair of left and right lever portions that are pivotally connected to the hook member from both ends of the horizontal portion, a lock portion that rotatably rotates the operating lever on the hook member, and the operating lever. A pair of left and right actuating link members that are pivotally connected to the lever portion and extend substantially downward, and the front and rear directions of the front wheel frame and the rear wheel frame are connected substantially horizontally, and one end is pivotally connected to the front wheel frame and the other end. A pair of left and right side first link members pivotally connected to the lower end of the actuating link member, a pair of left and right side surfaces pivoting one end to the rear wheel frame and the other end pivotally connecting to the lower end of the actuating link member. Folding and unfolding means composed of two link members is provided.

  According to the present invention, folding and unfolding operations can be easily performed, and a handcart suitable for elderly people with bent hips can be obtained.

  Specifically, the handle frame slides up and down along the main frame, so that the height of the handle portion pushed by the user is adjusted to an arbitrary height according to the height and body shape of the user. Can do. Therefore, even for elderly people with bent hips, the wheelbarrow can be used safely and comfortably by adjusting the handle to a low position.

  When the unlocked operation lever is rotated rearward, the pivot connecting portion between the side first link member and the side second link member is pushed down via the operation link member pivotally connected to the vertical portion of the control lever. Thus, the front wheel and the rear wheel can be folded close to each other. Further, since the operation link member is pivotally connected to the lever portion of the operation lever, when the operation lever is rotated rearward, the lever principle is applied to the operation link member. The pivot connecting portion with the side surface second link member can be pushed down.

  Conversely, since the lever principle acts on the operating link member even during deployment, the front wheel and the rear wheel are mutually connected by pulling up the pivot connecting portion between the side first link member and the side second link member with less force. It can be deployed to be spaced apart.

  Further, since a heavy object such as a handle frame is not connected to the operation lever, it is possible to reduce the weight burden on the user for the folding or unfolding operation. Furthermore, by disposing the operation lever on the back surface, the user can operate the operation lever while applying weight or the like.

  Therefore, it is possible to reduce the burden on elderly people and physically disabled people who are inferior in physical strength at the time of folding or unfolding the wheelbarrow.

  As an aspect of the present invention, the lock portion is disposed inside the operation lever, and includes a lock bar having a latch portion that latches on the hook member, a lock bar support portion that supports the lock bar, The hook member can be configured by a hook groove portion that hooks the hook portion formed in a notch groove shape and an elastic member that elastically connects the hook portion and the hook member.

  The elastic member may be a coil spring or the like that can maintain a state in which the hooking portion is hooked on the hook groove portion.

  As a result, the user can unlock the operation lever and rotate the operation lever without significantly changing the standing position or posture. In addition, the operation lever can be easily unlocked simply by pulling up the lock bar. Furthermore, since the lock portion is on the back surface, it is easy to visually recognize the locked state of the operation lever, and it is possible to avoid using it in a state where it is not locked.

  In addition, the lock bar is inside the control lever, and the lock of the control lever is released by pulling up the lock bar, so that the user can avoid accidentally touching the lock bar. Can be prevented from being released.

  Furthermore, since the hook member and the latching portion are connected by an elastic member, the locked state of the operation lever can be maintained. On the other hand, when unfolding from the folded state, the operation lever can be easily locked by the repulsive force of the elastic member by simply returning the operation lever to the unfolded position.

  As an aspect of the present invention, the handle fixing portion can be constituted by a screw hole portion provided in the slide portion and a screw portion provided in the main frame.

  Thereby, the handle frame can be firmly fixed to the main frame. In addition, by providing the screw hole portion, the height can be adjusted with the screw hole portion as a guide, and the left and right handle portions can always be kept horizontal even with a pair of left and right handle frames. Moreover, the handle frame can be more stably fixed by providing the pair of left and right handle fixing portions.

  Therefore, it is possible to prevent an accident in which the handle portion that is likely to be loaded with the user's weight suddenly slides downward during use and the user falls.

  Further, as an aspect of the present invention, a rear support member provided with a seat portion on which a user sits above the front wheel frame, extending downward from the bottom surface of the rear portion of the seat portion, and pivotally connected to the front wheel frame; A pair of left and right front support members extending downward from the bottom surface of the seat front portion, a pair of left and right seat first link members pivotally connected to the front support member, and one end pivoted to the front wheel frame A seat constituted by a pair of connected left and right seat part second link members, a support shaft part pivotally connecting the other pair of left and right pair of seat part first link members and the pair of left and right seat part second link members. Partial folding means can be provided.

  Thereby, in the process in which the handcart is folded by the operation lever, the seat portion can be folded at the same time.

  Specifically, when the unlocked operation lever is rotated rearward, as described above, the front wheel and the rear wheel are folded so as to be close to each other. As the front wheel moves backward, the front wheel frame below the seat rises, and then the support shaft portion falls away from the front wheel frame with which the support shaft is in contact, and the seat is separated from the front wheel frame via the seat first link member. It can be moved forward to be parallel.

  Therefore, elderly people can fold the wheelbarrow more easily, and the burden on the folding operation can be reduced.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a handcart that can be easily folded and unfolded and that is suitable for elderly people with bent hips.

The front view which shows the external appearance of the wheelbarrow of an unfolded state. The right view which shows the external appearance of the wheelbarrow of an unfolded state. The rear view which shows the external appearance of the wheelbarrow of an unfolded state. The rear enlarged view which shows the operation lever vicinity of an unfolded state. Sectional drawing which shows the AA cross section of FIG. The front view which shows the external appearance of the wheelbarrow after handle | steering-wheel height adjustment. The right view which shows the external appearance of the wheelbarrow in a folded state. The right view which shows the external appearance of the wheelbarrow of a folding process. The front view which shows the external appearance of the wheelbarrow of the unfolding state in Example 2. FIG. The right view which shows the external appearance of the wheelbarrow of the unfolding state in Example 2. FIG. The right view which shows the external appearance of the wheelbarrow of the folded state in Example 2. FIG.

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  1 shows a front view of the wheelbarrow 100 in the unfolded state, FIG. 2 shows a right side view of the wheelbarrow 100 in the unfolded state, and FIG. 3 shows a rear view of the wheelbarrow 100 in the unfolded state. 4 shows a rear enlarged view of the handcart 100 in the unfolded state, FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of the AA cross section of FIG. 1 (the backrest 70 and the shopping bag 71 are not shown), and FIG. FIG. 7 shows a right side view of the handcart 100 in the folded state, and FIG. 8 shows a right side view of the handcart 100 in the folding process.

  In addition, in this specification, a vehicle body shows the handcarts 100 and 200, a front part shows a vehicle body front side, and a rear part shows a vehicle body rear side.

  As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the handcart 100 includes a pair of left and right main frames 10 disposed substantially at the center in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, and a pair of left and right handle frames extending substantially upward from the upper end of the main frame 10. 20, a pair of left and right front wheel frames 30 extending forward from the middle of the front of the main frame 10, a pair of left and right rear wheel frames 40 connected to the vicinity of the main frame 10 of the front wheel frame 30, and a rear surface of the main frame 10. A pair of left and right operation link members 51 connected to the operation lever 50, and a pair of left and right side first link members 52 connecting the lower portions of the front wheel frame 30 and the rear wheel frame 40 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. And a pair of left and right side surface second link members 53, a back frame 13 disposed between the main frames 10, and a rod disposed inside the vehicle body from the operation lever 50. And Kuba 54, a seat 60 which is disposed above the pair of left and right front wheels frame 30, a backrest 70 which is fixed to the back frame 13, is composed of a shopping bag 71 which is arranged below the operating lever 50.

  The main frame 10 is formed of a cylindrical member that extends in a substantially vertical direction and is disposed substantially at the center in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. Further, a screw portion 11 for fixing the handle frame 20 is provided at the upper end of the main frame 10. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, a hook member 12 is provided on the inner side surface of the main frame 10.

  The hook member 12 has a front end fixed to the inner side surface of the main frame 10, a flat surface portion 12 a having a substantially vertical plane formed at the rear of the vehicle body from the main frame 10, and an upper end of the flat surface portion 12 a bent at a substantially right angle toward the vehicle body inside. The backrest frame fixing portion 12b is provided with a semicircular cutout. Further, the flat surface portion 12a is provided with a hook groove portion 12c formed in a notch groove shape.

  The handle frame 20 includes a slide portion 21 in which a cylindrical member is formed in an inverted U shape, a handle portion 22 that is disposed substantially horizontally on the upper portion of the slide portion 21 and is manually pushed by the user, and an upper portion of the slide portion 21 and the handle portion 22. It is comprised with the design cover 23 which covers the center of. A plurality of screw hole portions 21 a arranged at equal intervals in the vertical direction are provided on the outer side surface of the slide portion 21. The handle frame 20 is fixed to the main frame 10 by inserting the slide portion 21 into the main frame 10 and locking the screw hole portion 21 a with the screw portion 11.

  Further, the handle portion 22 is provided with a brake lever 24 that is fixed to the right side of the vehicle body of the handle portion 22 and performs a brake operation, and a brake cable 25 that is connected to the brake lever 24 and is exposed from the left side surface of the design cover 23. The brake cable 25 is routed downward so as to wrap around the left side of the vehicle body.

  The front wheel frame 30 has one end fixed in the middle of the front of the main frame 10 and a pair of left and right front frames 31 each having a substantially L-shaped cylindrical member extending obliquely downward in front of the vehicle body, and a lower portion of the pair of left and right front frames 31. And a pair of left and right front wheels 33 provided at the lower end of the front frame 31.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2, a first pivot connecting portion 1 to be described later is provided in the vicinity of the main frame 10 of the front frame 31, and a second pivot connecting portion 2 to be described later is provided below the front frame 31, thereby providing a first pivot connecting. A seventh pivot connecting portion 7 described later is provided between the portion 1 and the second pivot connecting portion 2 and at a position from the second pivot connecting portion 2.

  The rear wheel frame 40 has an upper end pivotally connected to the first pivot connecting portion 1 and a pair of left and right rear frames 41 each having a cylindrical member extending obliquely downward at the rear of the vehicle body and formed in a gentle crank shape outward of the vehicle body. The rear frame 41 includes a cylindrical rear coupling member 42 that couples the lower side of the rear frame 41 in the left-right direction of the vehicle body, and a pair of left and right wheels 43 that are configured on one side and provided at the lower end of the rear frame 41.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the rear frame 41 is provided with a third pivot connecting portion 3 located at the same height as the second pivot connecting portion 2. Further, a pair of left and right brakes 44 each having a substantially L-shaped flat plate member are pivotally connected to the lower end of the rear frame 41, and the vehicle body left and right direction is connected by a brake bar 45 at the rear end of the brake 44. Further, the front end of the brake 44 and the third pivot connecting portion 3 are connected by a coil spring 46.

  In addition, a cable fixing portion 41 a for fixing the brake cable 25 at a position below the third pivot connecting portion 3 and above the brake 44 is provided on the back side of the rear frame 41 on the left side of the vehicle body. A brake cable 25 that is routed around the left side of the vehicle body is fixed to the cable fixing portion 41a. Further, the end of the wire portion 25a exposed from the brake cable 25 is fixed to the rear end of the brake 44 on the left side of the vehicle body.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the back frame 13 is disposed between the main frames 10 at a position slightly higher than the screw portion 11 and is formed with a horizontal portion 13 a formed of a cylindrical member extending in the left-right direction of the vehicle body. A pair of left and right vertical portions 13b bent vertically downward from both ends of the portion 13a and a connecting portion 13c formed by bending the lower end of the vertical portion 13b forward and forming a planar shape. Further, the lower end of the connecting portion 13 c is pivotally connected to the first pivot connecting portion 1.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the operation lever 50 includes a horizontal portion 50 b formed by a cylindrical member disposed on the back side of the main frame 10 at the same height as the screw portion 11 and extending in the left-right direction of the vehicle body. It is formed by a pair of left and right lever portions 50a bent downward at substantially right angles from both ends of 50b.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the operation lever 50 is provided with an opening 50 c that opens in the shape of a long hole below the inner side surface of the lever portion 50 a, and the lower end of the lever portion 50 a is located near the lower end of the hook member 12. It is pivotally connected to a sixth pivot connecting portion 6 provided below.

  Further, the operation lever 50 is provided with a fifth pivot connecting portion 5 for connecting the operation link member 51 and a slide guide 56 for supporting the lock lever 54 on the inner side surface in the middle in the vertical direction of the lever portion 50a.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the operation link member 51 is a cylindrical member and is formed in a substantially square shape. The operation link member 51 is pivotally connected to the fifth pivot connecting portion 5 at the upper end, and the fourth pivot connecting portion 4 is provided at the lower end.

  The side first link member 52 is formed of a flat plate member having a substantially vertical plane. Further, the front end of the side first link member 52 is pivotally connected to the second pivot connecting portion 2, and the rear end is pivotally connected to the fourth pivot connecting portion 4.

  The side surface second link member 53 is a flat plate member having a substantially vertical plane and is formed in a shape bent in a gentle crank shape from the vicinity of the front end toward the outside. Further, the front end of the side surface second link member 53 is pivotally connected to the fourth pivot connecting portion 4, and the rear end of the side face second link member 53 is pivotally connected to the third pivot connecting portion 3.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the lock bar 54 is located on the inner side of the operation lever 50 and at a position slightly higher than the slide guide 56, a bar portion 54 c formed of a round bar member extending in the left-right direction of the vehicle body A pair of left and right vertical portions 54b bent downward at substantially right angles from both ends of the bar portion 54c, and a latching portion 54a bent at substantially right angles from the lower ends of the left and right vertical portions 54b to the outside of the vehicle body, respectively.

  The lock bar 54 supports the upper portion of the vertical portion 54 b with a slide guide 56, and supports the latching portion 54 a by inserting it through the opening 50 c of the operation lever 50. Further, the hooking portion 54a is hooked on the hook groove portion 12c of the hook member 12, and is connected to the sixth pivot connecting portion 6 by the coil spring 55, and the operation lever 50 is rotated by the hook groove portion 12c and the coil spring 55. It is hanging so as not to.

  The seat portion 60 includes a seat surface portion 61 disposed substantially horizontally above the front frame 31 and a seat portion frame 62 that supports the bottom surface of the seat surface portion 61.

  The seat surface portion 61 is formed in a shape having a width equivalent to that between the left and right rear frames 41, a depth equivalent to that between the first pivot connecting portion 1 and the second pivot connecting portion 2, and a constant thickness.

  The seat frame 62 is formed of a cylindrical member in a substantially square shape having a size slightly smaller than the seat surface portion 61. Further, on the inner side of the seat frame 62, reinforcing members 62 a that reinforce the seat frame 62 by connecting the inner side of the seat frame 62 in the lateral direction of the vehicle body are provided on the vehicle body front side and the vehicle body rear side of the seat frame 62. It is fixed.

  The seat 60 is supported by a pair of left and right seat support members 63 that connect the rear end to the front frame 31 and a seat link member 64 that connects to the front frame 31.

  The seat support member 63 is a flat plate member that is formed in a substantially L shape having a substantially vertical plane, and is provided with a guide groove 63a that is opened in a long hole shape in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. Further, the rear end of the seat support member 63 is pivotally connected to the first pivot connecting portion 1.

  The seat link member 64 is a round bar member that is inserted into the guide groove 63a of the left and right seat support members 63, and has a horizontal portion 64a having a width equivalent to that between the left and right front frames 31, and from both ends of the horizontal portion 64a. The vertical portion 64b is bent substantially vertically downward. Further, the lower end of the vertical portion 64 b is pivotally connected to the seventh pivot connecting portion 7.

  The backrest 70 is formed in a shape having a width equivalent to that between the main frames 10, a top end slightly higher than the backrest frame 13, a bottom end having a height comparable to that of the fifth pivot connecting portion 5, and a constant thickness. is doing. The backrest 70 is disposed in front of the vehicle body with respect to the backrest frame 13 and is fixed to the backrest frame 13.

  Moreover, the seat part 60 and the backrest 70 are set to a height at which elderly people using the wheelbarrow 100 can sat down comfortably.

  The shopping bag 71 has a slightly smaller width than between the vertical portions 13b of the back frame 13 and a height similar to that between the fifth pivot connecting portion 3 and the third pivot connecting portion 3, and the side cross-sectional shape is substantially trapezoidal. It is formed in the shape of The shopping bag 71 is rotatably disposed at a position slightly lower than the lower end of the backrest 70 on the back surface of the main frame 10.

  The screw hole portion 21a and the screw portion 11 constitute the handle fixing portion 26, and the hook member 12, the hook groove portion 12c, the lock bar 54, the slide guide 56, and the coil spring 55 constitute the lock portion 57. is doing.

  Moreover, although the cylindrical member, the flat plate member, and the round bar member described above can be made of a metal material or a resin material, it is preferable that the user is a lightweight material because the users are elderly people.

  In the wheelbarrow 100 having such a configuration, a procedure for adjusting the handle height will be described.

  The handcart 100 shown in FIG. 1 fixes the handle | steering-wheel part 22 to the highest position of the adjustable range. Here, in order to adjust the handle portion 22 to a height at which the user of the wheelbarrow 100 such as an elderly person or a disabled person can handle the handle portion 22 most easily, the user first supports the handle portion 22 with his / her left and right screw portions. 11 is released to release the fixed state of the handle frame 20. Note that when the handle frame 20 is released from the fixed state, the wheelbarrow 100 may be laid down.

  When the fixed state of the handle frame 20 is released, the handle frame 20 can be slid up and down relative to the main frame 10 within the range of the slide portion 21. Therefore, the user slides the handle frame 20 up and down so that the handle portion 22 has a desired height.

  Next, the user locks the screw hole portion 21a closest to the desired height of the handle portion 22 with the left and right screw portions 11 to complete the adjustment of the handle height.

  Note that the screw hole portion 21a close to the desired height of the handle portion 22 may be hidden by the main frame 10 and difficult to align with the screw portion 11. Therefore, a mark indicating the upper end of the main frame 10 when the screw portion 11 and the screw hole portion 21a are locked is provided in advance between the screw hole portions 21a of the slide portion 21 with a paint or a press. However, the positions of the screw part 11 and the screw hole part 21a may be adjusted more easily.

  In FIG. 1, the screw hole portions 21a are provided at equal intervals, but the intervals between the screw hole portions 21a are not necessarily equal.

  Thereby, the height of the handle | steering-wheel part 22 can be adjusted to the height according to a user's height and body shape.

  For example, when the user is an elderly person whose waist is bent, the handle frame 20 is slid and the screw hole portion 21 a at the top of the slide portion 21 is locked by the screw portion 11. At this time, as shown in FIG. 6, since the screw portion 11 is in the middle of the backrest 70, the handle portion 22 can be set to a height slightly above the backrest 70, and the elderly with a bent waist Even if it is a person, the handle | steering-wheel part 22 can be adjusted to the height which is easy to handle.

  Therefore, even if the height or body shape of the user varies, the wheelbarrow 100 can be used safely and comfortably by the user by adjusting the height of the handle portion 22 suitable for the user.

  Further, the handle frame 20 can be firmly fixed to the main frame 10 by configuring the handle fixing portion 26 that fixes the handle frame 20 to the main frame 10 with the screw hole portion 21 a and the screw portion 11. Further, by providing the screw hole portion 21a, the height of the pair of left and right handle frames 20 can be adjusted using the screw hole portion 21a as a guide, and the left and right handle portions 22 are always kept horizontal. Can do. Moreover, the handle frame 20 can be more stably fixed by providing the pair of left and right handle fixing portions 26.

  Accordingly, it is possible to prevent an accident in which the handle portion 22, which is likely to be subjected to the weight of the user, suddenly slides downward during use and the user falls.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 7, a folding and unfolding procedure that can fold the handcart 100 in the front-rear direction will be described.

  First, according to the height adjustment sequence of the handle portion 22 as described above, the screw hole portion 21a where the height of the handle portion 22 is at the lowest position is hooked by the screw portion 11, and as shown in FIG. Storing.

  Next, while supporting the seat portion 60 with one hand, the seat portion link member 64 is rotated rearwardly around the seventh pivot connecting portion 7. Then, since the horizontal portion 64a of the seat portion link member 64 is inserted through the guide groove portion 63a, as the seat portion link member 64 rotates rearward of the vehicle body, the front portion of the seat portion 60 is the first pivot. It is folded so as to rotate forward of the vehicle body around the connecting portion 1. Then, the seat link member 64 comes into contact with the rear end of the guide groove 63a, and the folding of the seat 60 is completed.

  Next, the operation lever 50 is unlocked. First, holding the bar portion 54a of the lock bar 54 disposed on the back surface of the handcart 100, the lock bar 54 is pulled up to a position where the latching portion 54a of the lock bar 54 is exposed from the hook groove portion 12c. unlock.

  Next, the operation lever 50 is operated to start folding the handcart 100. First, the operation lever 50 is rotated rearward of the vehicle body by holding the horizontal portion 50b of the operation lever 50 that has been unlocked. At this time, the handle portion 22 may be supported with one hand. Further, the lock lever 54 may be released as long as the latching portion 54a is completely removed from the hook groove portion 12c.

  Further, when the operation lever 50 is rotated rearward of the vehicle body, as shown in FIG. 8, the fourth pivot connecting portion 4 is pushed substantially downward via the operation link member 51 connected to the fifth pivot connecting portion 5. When the fourth pivot connecting portion 4 is pushed downward, the side first link member 52 and the side second link member 53 pivotally connected to the fourth pivot connecting portion 4 try to rotate and deform into a V shape.

  Here, the side first link member 52 is pivotally connected to the front wheel frame 30 via the second pivot connecting portion 2, and the side second link member 53 is pivotally connected to the rear wheel frame 40 via the third pivot connecting portion 3. The front wheel frame 30 and the rear wheel frame 40 are pivotally connected by the first pivot connecting portion 1.

  Therefore, as the fourth pivot connecting portion 4 is pushed substantially downward, the front wheel frame 30, the main frame 10 and the handle frame 20 are centered on the first pivot connecting member 1 and the front wheel 33 via the side first link member 52. And the rear wheel frame 40 is rotated via the second side link member 53 so that the rear wheel 43 is directed toward the front of the vehicle body.

  Therefore, as the operation lever 50 is rotated rearward of the vehicle body, the handcart 100 is folded so that the front wheel 33 and the rear wheel 43 are close to each other, and the operation lever 50 is rotated approximately 180 degrees toward the rear of the vehicle body. It is fully folded as shown in FIG.

  In addition, when unfolding the handcart 100 that is folded, the handle portion 22 is supported by hand, but when the operation lever 50 is rotated backward, the front wheel is connected via the operation link member 51 in the reverse direction to the folding. 33 and the rear wheel 43 can be deployed so as to be separated from each other.

  When the operation lever 50 is rotated to the locked position, the latching portion 54a of the lock bar 54 is latched by the hook groove portion 12c by the coil spring 55, and the operation lever 50 is locked.

  Thereby, folding and unfolding operation of the handcart 100 can be performed easily. Further, when the unlocked operation lever 50 is rotated backward, the fourth pivot connecting portion 4 is pushed down via the operation link member 51 pivotally connected to the fifth pivot connecting portion 5 of the operation lever 50. The front wheel 33 and the rear wheel 43 can be folded so as to be close to each other. Further, since the operation link member 51 is pivotally connected to the fifth pivot connecting portion 5 of the operation lever 50, when the operation lever 50 is rotated rearward, the lever principle acts on the operation link member 51. The fourth pivot connecting portion 4 can be pushed down by force.

  On the other hand, since the lever principle acts on the operating link member 51 during deployment, the fourth pivot connecting portion 4 is pulled up with less force so that the front wheel 33 and the rear wheel 43 are separated from each other. Can do.

  In addition, since a heavy object such as the handle frame 20 is not connected to the operation lever 50, it is possible to reduce the weight burden on the user for the folding or unfolding operation. Furthermore, by arranging the operation lever 50 on the back surface, the user can operate the operation lever 50 while applying weight or the like.

  Therefore, when folding or unfolding the wheelbarrow 100, it is possible to reduce the burden on the elderly or the handicapped who are physically inferior.

  Further, by disposing the lock portion 57 behind the main frame 10, the user unlocks the operation lever 50 and rotates the operation lever 50 without greatly changing the standing position or posture. be able to. Further, the operation lever 50 can be unlocked simply by pulling up the lock bar 54. Further, since the lock portion 57 is on the back surface, it is easy to visually recognize the locked state of the operation lever 50, and it is possible to avoid using it in the unlocked state.

  Further, the lock bar 54 is inside the operation lever 50, and the lock of the operation lever 50 is released by pulling up the lock bar 54, so that the user is prevented from touching the lock bar 54 unexpectedly. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the operation lever 50 from being unlocked.

  Further, since the hook member 12 and the hooking portion 54a are connected by the coil spring 55, the locked state of the operation lever 50 can be maintained. On the contrary, when unfolding from the folded state, the operation lever 50 can be easily locked by the repulsive force of the coil spring 55 simply by returning the operation lever 50 to the position at the time of unfolding.

  Next, in the second embodiment, a wheelbarrow 200 that can simultaneously fold the seat portion 60 in the folding process will be described. The wheelbarrow 200 differs in the structure which mainly supports the seat part 60 with respect to the wheelbarrow 100 of Example 1. FIG. Members having substantially the same functions as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals.

  9 shows a front view of the handcart 200 in the unfolded state in the second embodiment, FIG. 10 shows a right side view of the handcart 200 in the unfolded state in the second embodiment, and FIG. 11 shows the folding in the second embodiment. The right view of the handcart 200 in a state is shown.

  As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, a pair of left and right front support members 62 b in which the seat portion 60 of the handcart 200 according to the second embodiment is fixed to the vehicle body front side of the seat frame 62, and the vehicle body of the seat frame 62. A pair of left and right rear support members 62c fixed to the rear side, a pair of left and right seat first link members 65 and a pair of left and right seat second link members 66 that connect and support the front support member 62b and the front frame 31; The seat portion first link member 65 and the seat portion second link member 66 are supported by a support shaft portion 67 that pivotally connects.

  The front support member 62b is formed by bending substantially vertically downward from both ends of the reinforcing member 62a fixed to the front side of the vehicle body of the seat frame 62, and the ninth pivot connecting portion 9 is provided at the lower end.

  The rear support member 62 c is formed by bending substantially vertically downward from both ends of the reinforcing member 62 b fixed to the vehicle body rear side of the seat frame 62, and the lower end is connected to the first pivot connecting portion 1.

  The seat portion first link member 65 is formed of a flat plate member and is disposed substantially vertically. Further, the upper end is pivotally connected to the ninth pivot connecting portion 9, and the eighth pivot connecting portion 8 is provided at the lower end.

  The seat portion second link member 66 is formed of a flat plate member and is disposed substantially parallel to the front frame 31. One end is pivotally connected to the seventh pivot connecting portion 7, and the other end is pivotally connected to the eighth pivot connecting portion 8.

  The support shaft portion 67 includes a shaft portion 67a that pivotally connects the pair of left and right seat portion first link members 65 and the pair of left and right seat portion second link members 66 by the eighth pivot connecting portion 8, and the left end of the vehicle body of the shaft portion 67a. And a nut 67c for fixing the shaft portion 67a, the seat portion first link member 65, and the seat portion second link member 66 to the right end of the vehicle body of the shaft portion 67a. It is composed.

  The shaft portion 67a is a round bar member and is formed in a shape having a width for inserting the left and right eighth pivot connecting portions 8 in the left-right direction of the vehicle body. The shaft portion 67 a abuts against the front frame 31 and supports the seat portion 60 via the seat portion first link member 65.

  In the handcart 200 having such a configuration, folding of the seat portion 60 during the folding operation will be described.

  First, similarly to the first embodiment, the unlocked operation lever 50 is rotated backward. As the operation lever 50 is rotated, the front wheel 33 and the rear wheel 43 are folded so as to be close to each other as described above. At this time, the front wheel frame 30 and the rear wheel frame 40 come close to each other so as to rotate about the first pivot connecting portion 1, so that the handcart 200 rises so that the front frame 31 below the seat portion 60 rises. Is deformed.

  As the handcart 200 is deformed so that the front frame 31 rises, the seat portion second link member 66 is moved forward of the vehicle body around the seventh pivot connecting portion 7 due to the weight of the support shaft portion 67 and the inclination of the front frame 31. Try to rotate to. When the seat portion second link member 66 tries to rotate forward of the vehicle body, the support shaft portion 67 is separated from the front frame 31, so that the front portion of the seat portion 60 has the seat portion first link member 65 and the seat portion second link member. 66 and the support shaft portion 67 are not supported. The seat portion 60 is folded so that the front portion of the seat portion 60 rotates substantially downward with the first pivot connecting portion 1 as the center.

  Further, when the front wheel 33 and the rear wheel 43 of the handcart 200 are close to each other, the seat second link member 66 rotates about 180 degrees forward of the vehicle body, and the support shaft portion 67 comes into contact with the front frame 31 again. The folding of the seat 60 is completed.

  Thereby, in the process in which the handcart 200 is folded by the operation lever 50, the seat portion 60 can be folded at the same time.

  Therefore, elderly people can fold the handcart 200 more easily, and the burden on the folding operation can be reduced.

In correspondence between the configuration of the present invention and the above-described embodiment,
The elastic member of the present invention corresponds to the coil spring 55 of the embodiment,
Similarly,
The lock bar support corresponds to the slide guide 56,
The present invention is not limited only to the configuration of the above-described embodiment, and many embodiments can be obtained.

  The present invention can be applied to a wheelbarrow that is used by elderly and disabled people for shopping, walking, and the like.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Main frame 11 ... Screw part 12 ... Hook member 12c ... Hook groove part 20 ... Handle frame 21 ... Slide part 21a ... Screw hole part 22 ... Handle part 26 ... Handle fixing part 30 ... Front wheel frame 40 ... Rear wheel frame 50 ... Operation Lever 50a ... Lever portion 50b ... Horizontal portion 51 ... Operating link member 52 ... Side first link member 53 ... Side second link member 54 ... Lock bar 54a ... Hook portion 55 ... Coil spring 56 ... Slide guide 57 ... Lock portion 60 ... seat part 62b ... front support member 62c ... rear support member 66 ... seat part second link member 65 ... seat part first link member 67 ... support shaft part 100, 200 ... handcart

Claims (4)

A pair of left and right main frames extending substantially vertically;
A handle frame that is connected to the upper end of the main frame and extends substantially upward, and is provided with a handle portion that is manually pushed by the user at the upper end;
A pair of left and right front wheel frames extending diagonally forward and downward from the main frame and having a front wheel at the lower end;
A wheelbarrow comprising a pair of left and right rear wheel frames pivotally connected at one end to the vicinity of the main frame of the front wheel frame and provided with rear wheels at the lower end extending obliquely downward and rearward;
In the handle frame,
Provide a slide part that slides up and down through the main frame;
On the slide part and the main frame,
A handle height adjusting means provided with a pair of left and right handle fixing portions for fixing the upper and lower slides of the slide portion;
A pair of left and right hook members fixed to the main frame;
An operation lever having a pair of left and right lever portions formed substantially vertically that are pivotally connected to the hook member from both ends of a horizontal portion disposed on the back surface of the main frame;
A lock portion for rotatingly locking the operation lever on the hook member;
A pair of left and right actuating link members pivotally connected to the lever portion of the operating lever and extending substantially downward;
A pair of left and right side first link members that connect the front and rear directions of the front wheel frame and the rear wheel frame substantially horizontally, one end pivotally connected to the front wheel frame, and the other end pivotally connected to the lower end of the operating link member. When,
A handcart comprising a folding and unfolding means comprising a pair of left and right side second link members having one end pivotally connected to the rear wheel frame and the other end pivotally connected to the lower end of the actuating link member. The locking part,
A lock bar disposed on the inner side of the operation lever and having a hooking portion for hooking on the hook member;
A lock bar support for supporting the lock bar;
A hook groove portion for hooking the hook portion formed in a notch groove shape on the hook member;
The handcart of Claim 1 comprised with the elastic member which connects the said latching | locking part and the said hook member elastically. The handle fixing portion,
A screw hole provided in the slide portion;
The handcart of Claim 1 or Claim 2 comprised with the screw part provided in the main frame. A seat for a user to sit above the front wheel frame;
A rear support member extending downward from the bottom surface of the rear portion of the seat and pivotally connected to the front wheel frame;
A pair of left and right front support members extending downward from the bottom surface of the front portion of the seat;
A pair of left and right seat first link members pivotally connected at one end to the front support member;
A pair of left and right seat portion second link members pivotally connected at one end to the front wheel frame;
Any of Claims 1-3 provided with the seat part folding means comprised by the support shaft part which pivotally connected the other ends of the said left-right paired seat part 1st link member and the other ends of the said left-right paired seat part 2nd link member. Wheelbarrow as described in one.

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