JP2014180415A - Chair cushion - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a chair cushion for holding a seated user in an appropriate posture and dispersing a pressure without giving discomfort to the user, and capable of suppressing the occurrence of pressure sore.SOLUTION: A chair cushion secures an appropriate seating posture by: arranging a base part 13 for supporting a pressure receiving part 10 together with the pressure receiving part 10 where many air cells expanding and contracting by supplying/exhausting air are arranged; arranging a supply/exhaust control part 14 in the front center of the base part 13; including a front support part 15 arranged above the base part 13 while covering the supply/exhaust control part 14 so as to support the hip of a seated user by the air cells of the pressure receiving part 10, sharing with each other; and on the other hand, supporting the thigh by the front side support part 15 so as to support the hip with good balance as the whole while the air cells change the shape by being pushed by the hip. Furthermore, in the front side support part 15, the thigh is supported on right and left two places respectively, out of a central part having the supply/exhaust control part 14 so as to bring no discomfort to the user, and disperse a body pressure by the whole cushion to cause no pressure sore brought by seating.

Description

  The present invention relates to a chair cushion that relaxes the concentration of body pressure in a seated state of a user by laying on the seat surface of the chair.

  Pressure ulcers (bed sores) tend to occur at the site of contact with a mattress in a so-called bedridden person who must take a long-term sleeping position, but in addition, contact with the chair side such as a person with reduced limbs Even in a person who has to stay sitting for a long time without moving the part, pressure is likely to occur at the sciatic nodule or the lower skin of the lower sacrum where weight is concentrated and pressure is applied for a long time. For pressure ulcers in bedridden people, air bags (air cells) that can be inflated and deflated by air supply / exhaust are placed on the mat that supports the body in the sleeping position, and the pressure is changed by changing the internal pressure. An air mat that can adjust the support state of the air cell is used as a countermeasure. Similarly, in the case of a chair, a cushion in which an air cell is arranged has recently been used. An example of such a conventional cushion is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-112462.

JP 2009-112462 A

  Conventional chair cushions are configured as described in the above-mentioned patent document, and are intended to prevent pressure ulcers. However, since the main means for supporting the body is limited to the air cells, the body is supported at the top of a plurality of air cells. In addition to reducing the number of contact areas, body pressure is concentrated and uncomfortable, and if the air cell does not have the specified strength, the air cell can easily fall over and the body cannot be properly supported. If it is too high, it is difficult to deform, and the user feels that the air cell is hard and causes a strong sense of incongruity.

  In addition, on the front end side, which is a part that mainly supports the thighs of the legs, devices such as a control device that performs air supply / discharge control of the air cell and a secondary battery are disposed over the entire lateral direction of the cushion. If a sufficient cushioning material is not provided on the upper side, there is a problem that a strange feeling is likely to occur when the thigh is placed. However, if the cushioning material is provided so as not to cause a sense of incongruity, there is a problem that the height of the entire cushion becomes too high and it is difficult to install and use it on a wheelchair or the like.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems. A cushion for a chair that can suppress the occurrence of pressure sores by holding the seated user in an appropriate posture and dispersing pressure without giving the user a sense of incongruity. The purpose is to provide.

  The chair cushion according to the present invention includes at least a pressure receiving portion in which a large number of air cells that can be expanded and contracted by supplying and discharging air are arranged, and is used by being placed on the seat surface of the chair, The elastic member is formed in a size corresponding to the chair seat surface, and is disposed at the center of the front portion of the pressure receiving portion on the upper side of the base portion and supporting the pressure receiving portion from below. A supply / discharge control unit that adjusts and controls the air supply / discharge state, and a central supply / discharge control unit that covers the central supply / discharge control unit at the front portion of the pressure-receiving unit on the upper side of the base unit. A front support portion made of a material, a side frame portion made of an elastic material adjacent to the pressure receiving portion on the side except the front of the pressure receiving portion, the pressure receiving portion, the base portion, the supply / discharge control portion, the front side Integral support and side frame A cover made of a flexible material that collectively covers the mated ones from the outside, so that each air cell of the pressure receiving portion is located in the center and the region corresponding to the rear portion from the center of the chair seat surface. The air supply / exhaust system is divided into a plurality of air cell groups, and the supply / exhaust control unit varies the air supply / discharge timing for each air cell group to adjust the pressure inside the air cell. To be adjusted.

  As described above, according to the present invention, a pressure receiving portion in which a large number of air cells that expand and contract by air supply / discharge are arranged, and a base portion that supports the pressure receiving portion is disposed, and a front portion of the pressure receiving portion on the base portion. A supply / discharge control unit is arranged in the center, and further includes a front support portion made of an elastic material that is disposed on the front side of the pressure receiving portion of the base while covering the supply / discharge control unit. While the user's buttocks sitting in each air cell with a change in internal pressure is shared and supported, the user's thigh is supported by the front support. As a result, a large number of air cells arranged as pressure receiving parts are supported by the user's buttocks as a whole while being pushed and deformed by the user's buttocks on the upper side of each air cell, and an appropriate seating posture is achieved. In addition, the front side support part supports the left and right thighs while elastically deforming the left and right two parts off the central part where the supply / discharge control part is located, and the user feels uncomfortable due to the supply / discharge control part. The body pressure is distributed as a whole cushion without causing excessive pressure, preventing excessive pressure and preventing blood circulation of the skin, preventing pressure sores even if sitting for a long time. Can greatly improve the quality of life.

  In addition, the chair cushion according to the present invention is formed in a predetermined shape in which the base portion and / or each air cell is arranged in a concave curved surface on the entire pressure receiving portion as necessary. .

  As described above, according to the present invention, the upper surface of each air cell that supports the collar is arranged in a concave curved shape as a whole, and each air cell corresponds to the collar shape having a convex curved surface. By being able to support each part of the buttock equally, the buttock can be efficiently supported and the sitting position can be reliably held, and the body pressure can be appropriately distributed to provide a comfortable sitting comfort.

  Further, in the chair cushion according to the present invention, if necessary, the base portion is formed as a concave curved surface at least at a portion supporting the pressure receiving portion, and each air cell has a substantially box whose upper surface and lower surface are substantially parallel. The same shape and the same size.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the base portion is formed with the lower portion of the pressure receiving portion as a concave curved surface, and each air cell of the pressure receiving portion has the same shape with the upper surface and the lower surface being substantially parallel. The curved surface shape of the base part is directly reflected on the upper surface arrangement of the air cell through each air cell, and the upper surface of each air cell forms a concave curved surface as a whole, so that the curved surface on the upper side of the pressure receiving part in accordance with the base part shape is a buttock shape. As a seating surface corresponding to each of the air cells, a natural feeling with less discomfort can be produced, and the deformation of each air cell that equally supports each part of the buttocks and the degree of internal pressure change associated therewith can be made substantially the same. Thus, the load can be evenly distributed to obtain an appropriate and stable support state without pressure bias. In addition, the durability of the air cell can be improved without causing abnormal deformation of some of the air cells due to pressure deviation.

  In addition, the chair cushion according to the present invention includes a substantially sheet-like upper mat portion made of an elastic material, which is disposed on the inner side of the cover and on the upper side of the pressure receiving portion and the front support portion. It is to be prepared.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the upper mat portion that uniformly covers each air cell of the pressure receiving portion and the front support portion is disposed, and the upper mat is also provided above the gap between the air cells and the gap between the air cell and the front support portion. By obtaining a state of supporting the lower surface of the user seated on the body, the body support area can be increased, the body pressure can be more reliably dispersed, the pressure on the body surface can be kept small, and the user can be placed on the cushion. In the seated state, the difference in feel between the part where the air cell exists and the part where the air cell does not exist in the pressure receiving part, and the difference in feel between the pressure receiving part and the front support part are reduced, the presence or absence of the air cell, and the pressure receiving part Discomfort caused by the difference from the front support part is eliminated, and a comfortable sitting comfort can be obtained. In addition, since the upper mat part together with the base part is interposed between the chair seat surface and the body, even if the air cell air accidentally escapes, the depressed body approaches the chair seat surface and the seat surface is hard. The risk of reaching the so-called bottomed state where the touch is transmitted to the body can be reduced.

  Moreover, the cushion for chairs which concerns on this invention is provided with the recessed part of the shape which the said side frame part notched from the upper side in the predetermined range of the pressure receiving part back part center as needed.

  As described above, according to the present invention, a notch-shaped recess is provided in the center of the rear portion of the pressure receiving portion in the side frame portion, and the user can easily prevent contact with the seated user's body by the amount of the recess. Even if the body surface below the sacrum behind the buttocks reaches the upper side of the side frame, the body surface below the sacrum and the body surface It is possible to prevent the side frame portion from hitting and pressing the body strongly.

  The chair cushion according to the present invention has at least a battery as a power source as needed, and the battery remains in an air supply / discharge state to the air cell based on power supply from the battery. Immediately before the capacity becomes insufficient, the air cells of the air cell group whose internal pressure is higher than the preset lower limit pressure are changed in the supply / exhaust state with respect to the air cell, and the internal pressure of the air cell is reduced to the lower limit pressure. The air cell is also controlled to have a lower limit pressure.

  As described above, according to the present invention, when the supply / discharge control unit executes the air supply / discharge control for the air cell by receiving power supply from the battery, the supply / discharge control unit predicts in advance that the remaining capacity of the battery is insufficient. In this case, just before the battery runs out of capacity, the supply / discharge control unit controls the air cell to reduce the internal pressure of the air cell in the air cell group having a higher internal pressure to the predetermined lower limit pressure, so that each air cell has a uniform lower limit pressure. After that, by disabling control that cannot receive power supply from the battery, the necessary minimum air cell internal pressure is secured to prevent so-called bottoming, and body pressure is distributed throughout the air cell. Maintains the state, suppresses the transition to pressure ulcers due to local concentration of pressure on the body, and maintains the air cell internal pressure at a low state, thereby controlling supply and discharge based on pressure It is possible to reduce the join mechanism loads can be ensured the durability of the mechanism.

  In addition, the cushion for the chair according to the present invention is disposed in a state in which a part is exposed to the outside through an opening provided in the cover on the front side of the supply / exhaust control unit, if necessary. An operation unit that receives a user's operation input, and the cover includes a waterproof seal portion made of a substantially annular water-resistant elastic material that is in close contact with the periphery of the exposed portion while partially exposing the operation unit. The entire surface is made waterproof by coating the same material as the waterproof seal part on the back side of the main material part, and the cover main material part back side coating part located around the opening part of the cover and the waterproof seal part are welded or bonded. It is integrated.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the operation unit that is partially exposed from the cover is disposed on the front side of the supply / discharge control unit, while the waterproof seal portion of the cover is in close contact with the exposed portion of the operation unit, There is no gap between the operation unit and the cover, so that moisture can be prevented from entering the cover from the periphery of the exposed part of the operation unit. Also, the waterproof coating part and the waterproof seal part on the back side of the main material part of the cover are made of the same material, and the back side coating part and the waterproof seal part around the exposed part of the operation part are welded and integrated, so that the cover body Unlike the case where the main material part and the waterproof seal part are integrated by general stitching, there is no through-hole like a seam that allows moisture to pass through, and there is no water around the waterproof seal part of the cover. It is possible to secure the waterproofness of the cover in detail without generating any holes or gaps that allow the penetration of the cover. The integration of the back side coating portion and the waterproof seal portion may be by adhesion.

  In addition, the chair cushion according to the present invention is insert-molded, if necessary, with the base portion being a synthetic resin molded body and a base portion having at least a substantially plate-shaped portion made of an inflexible material. And the supply / discharge control part is attached to and fixed to the base part of the base part.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the base portion is integrated in advance by insert molding in the lower portion of the base portion where the supply / discharge control portion is disposed, and the supply / discharge control portion is attached to the base portion to form the base. By fixing to the base, the supply / discharge control unit can be reliably integrated with the base, and even if external force is applied to the base or supply / discharge control, the supply / discharge control does not shift from the base. . In addition, while ensuring the integration of the supply / discharge control part and the base part, if necessary, the supply / exhaust control part is removed from the base part to eliminate the fixing of the supply / discharge control part to the base part. It is possible to facilitate the handling of the supply / exhaust control unit, such as once the exhaust control unit is removed from the base unit and replaced with another one.

  In addition, the chair cushion according to the present invention includes a pump unit in which the supply / exhaust control unit supplies air at a predetermined pressure when power is supplied, and a control circuit that performs drive control of the pump unit as necessary. And at least the control circuit unit of the supply / discharge control unit cannot perform control to stop the operation of the pump unit, and when the pump is continuously operated for a predetermined time or more, An emergency stop circuit for cutting off the power supply is provided.

  As described above, according to the present invention, when the continuous operation time of the pump unit in the supply / exhaust control unit reaches a predetermined time or more, the emergency stop is performed by forcibly cutting off the power supply to the pump unit and stopping the pump unit. When the control circuit unit that controls the pump unit is unable to stop the pump operation due to a malfunction and the pump unit continues to supply air to the air cell, an emergency stop circuit is connected to the control circuit unit. By independently stopping the pump unit, the pump unit that should be stopped due to abnormal control continues to operate, and the air cell that continues to receive air supply as it is may exceed the appropriate expansion / contraction range and be damaged or continuously Even if an abnormal situation such as overheating of the operating pump unit mechanism occurs, the pump unit can be forcibly stopped at an appropriate timing when the air cell stays in the expansion / contraction range. Control abnormality can be prevented from adversely affecting to the air cells and the pump portion is enhanced safety and reliability of the entire device.

It is a wheelchair seat surface mounting state explanatory drawing of the cushion for chairs concerning one Embodiment of this invention. It is a principal part disassembled perspective view of the cushion for chairs concerning one Embodiment of this invention. It is arrangement | positioning explanatory drawing of the pressure receiving part on the base part in the chair cushion which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention, and a supply / discharge control part. It is sectional drawing of each part except the supply / discharge control part in the horizontal direction center position of the cushion for chairs which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing of each part except the supply / discharge control part in the front side support part front-back direction center position of the cushion for chairs concerning one Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing in the center position of the front-back direction of the cushion for chairs concerning one Embodiment of this invention. It is supply / discharge system explanatory drawing of the air cell in the cushion for chairs concerning one Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram of the supply / discharge control part in the cushion for chairs concerning one Embodiment of this invention. It is a disassembled perspective view of the supply / exhaust control part in the cushion for chairs concerning one Embodiment of this invention. It is an internal pressure change state explanatory view of the air cell which receives supply and discharge control in the cushion for chairs concerning one embodiment of the present invention. It is a perspective view of the cushion for chairs concerning other embodiments of the present invention.

Hereinafter, a chair cushion according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In this embodiment, an example of what is placed and used on the seat surface of a wheelchair will be described.
In each of the drawings, the chair cushion 1 according to the present embodiment corresponds to the seat surface of the pressure receiving portion 10 in which a large number of air cells 11 and 12 that can be expanded and contracted by supplying and discharging air are arranged and an elastic material. A base portion 13 that is formed as a size and supports the pressure receiving portion 10 from below, and is arranged at the center of the front portion of the pressure receiving portion 10 on the upper side of the base portion 13, and adjusts the air supply / discharge state of each air cell of the pressure receiving portion 10 The supply / discharge control unit 14 to be controlled and the supply / discharge control unit 14 at the center in the horizontal direction are covered by the front portion of the pressure receiving unit 10 on the upper side of the base unit 13, and are arranged on the upper side of the base unit 13 except for the center in the horizontal direction. A front support portion 15 made of an elastic material, a side frame portion 13a made of an elastic material disposed adjacent to the pressure receiving portion 10 on the side except for the front of the pressure receiving portion 10, and the pressure receiving portion 10 and the front support portion 15 Arranged on top A combination of the upper mat portion 16 made of a natural material, the pressure receiving portion 10, the base portion 13, the supply / discharge control portion 14, the front support portion 15, the side frame portion 13a, and the upper mat portion 16 from the outside. A cover 17 made of a flexible material to be coated, and disposed in a state of passing through the cover 17 on the front side of the supply / discharge control unit 14 and exposing a part thereof to the outside, and a user operation input to the supply / discharge control unit 14 It is the structure provided with the operation part 18 which receives.

  The chair cushion 1 according to the present embodiment is generally the same size as the seating surface of the wheelchair 80 and is detachably mounted on the seating surface of the wheelchair 80 so as to take a sitting posture. The hips and thighs can be placed comfortably.

  The air cells 11 and 12 forming the pressure receiving portion 10 are formed as a substantially box-shaped hollow body made of a flexible material that can withstand expansion and contraction deformation caused by air injection and discharge, are substantially rectangular in a plan view, and have a seating surface. The base is arranged in a so-called matrix form in which a plurality of lines are arranged in parallel at predetermined equal intervals in the longitudinal and lateral directions parallel to the front and rear, left and right directions, and is located in the center of the wheelchair 80 seat surface and the region corresponding to the rear part. It is configured to be placed on the section 13.

  In detail, each air cell 11, 12 is a substantially box-like body in which a pair of upper and lower convex shells are combined, and both are formed with the same height dimension from the lower surface to the upper surface. The shape of the upper and lower convex shells is respectively a truncated quadrangular pyramid shape, that is, formed into a substantially trapezoidal shape when viewed from the front or side, and the upper and lower surfaces are combined with the upper and lower convex shells. Are almost parallel. The shape of each air cell 11 and 12 is the same except for the part located in a corner part in the arrangement | positioning state as the pressure receiving part 10, and the magnitude | size is also the same. Each of the air cells 11 and 12 is formed in the same substantially box-like body in which the upper surface and the lower surface are substantially parallel, so that the entire pressure receiving unit 10 has the air cells 11 and 12 based on the curved surface shape of the base unit 13 described later. The upper surface is arranged in a concave curved shape.

  Each of the air cells 11 and 12 has an air supply / exhaust system divided into a first air cell group 10a and a second air cell group 10b, and the air cells 11 and the second air cell group belonging to the first air cell group 10a. The air cells 12 belonging to 10b are alternately arranged so as to be adjacent in the vertical and horizontal directions (see FIG. 7). In other words, the air cells are set so that adjacent cells vertically and horizontally belong to different cell groups.

  Each air cell 11 belonging to the first air cell group 10a is brought into communication with each other and connected to the first supply / exhaust pipe 10c via a connecting pipe portion 11a serving as an air passage formed integrally with the air cell. Is done. Similarly, the air cells 12 belonging to the second air cell group 10b are connected to each other and connected to the second supply / exhaust pipe 10d through a connecting pipe portion 12a formed integrally with the air cells. The

  The first supply / discharge pipe 10c and the second supply / discharge pipe 10d are connected to the supply / discharge control unit 14 after the entire air cell is integrated into two supply / discharge systems. Thus, the air cells 11 and 12 are supplied and exhausted air independently for each of the first air cell group 10a and the second air cell group 10b. A group of air cells in which the supply and discharge of air is switched at different timings for each air cell group and the internal pressure is adjusted at the same time for each air cell 11 of the first air cell group 10a and each air cell 12 of the second air cell group 10b. Is in a staggered arrangement. Each air cell 11, 12 adjusts and maintains the internal pressure to a predetermined pressure higher than atmospheric pressure by supplying and discharging air by the supply / exhaust control unit 14, while maintaining a predetermined part of the body such as a user's buttocks contacting the cushion. Each is a supporting mechanism.

In the present embodiment, the pressure receiving part 10 is configured by a substantially rectangular sheet in which a total of 20 air cells 11, 12 are arranged in a row and arranged in a total of 20 pieces of 4 × 5 horizontally, and each air cell can be handled as the pressure receiving part 10 integrally. I am doing so.
In addition, the number of the air cells 11 and 12 which comprise the pressure receiving part 10 is not restricted to the said 20 pieces, It can set suitably according to a use aspect. Further, the pressure receiving unit 10 is not limited to a substantially rectangular shape having different numbers of vertical and horizontal air cells, but may be a substantially rectangular shape or the other shape having the same number of vertical and horizontal air cells. Furthermore, the arrangement of each air cell is not arranged in a matrix shape, and the air cells in a regular polygon shape other than a square in plan view are arranged in a high density with an arrangement according to the shape, or the air cell shape is not made the same, An arrangement pattern in which different polygons are mixed and arranged without gaps, an arrangement pattern in which circles and polygons are mixed, or the like may be used.

  The base portion 13 is made of a synthetic resin elastic material such as a durable urethane foam that does not break even when pressure due to the weight of the user's body is applied, and the air cells 11 and 12 and the supply / discharge control portion 14 that form the pressure receiving portion 10. This is a configuration that is formed as a substantially rectangular thick, substantially plate-like body that supports the lower side of the front support portion 15 and can be mounted on the seating surface of the wheelchair 80 with almost no displacement.

  And the area | region from this center part in the base part 13 to a rear part is formed as a concave curved surface which fell so that it approached the center part. The concave curved region is a portion that is located below the buttocks of the user sitting on the wheelchair 80 and supports them adjacent to the lower side of the air cells 11 and 12 that form the pressure receiving portion 10. Due to the shape of the curved surface and the structure of the air cells 11 and 12 formed so that the upper and lower surfaces are substantially parallel and at the same height, the upper surfaces of the air cells 11 and 12 supported by the base portion 13 are the entire pressure receiving portion 10. A concave curved surface is formed, and the heel portion is supported by the air cells 11 and 12 with such a concave curved surface.

  In this way, the curved surface shape of the base portion 13 is reflected in the upper surface arrangement of the air cells 11 and 12, and the upper surface of each air cell 11 and 12 that is inclined according to the inclination of each curved surface portion of the base portion 13 is a concave surface as a whole. By correspondingly to the shape of the buttocks having a convex curved surface, each of the air cells 11 and 12 can equally support each part of the buttocks, and can efficiently support the buttocks and hold the sitting position reliably. Pressure can be appropriately distributed, and the feeling of incongruity can be reduced corresponding to the shape of the buttocks, thereby providing a comfortable sitting comfort.

  Further, since the air cells 11 and 12 arranged along the curved surface shape of the base portion 13 are almost the same shape, the deformation of the air cells 11 and 12 that equally support each part of the buttock and the internal pressure change associated therewith. The air cells 11 and 12 can evenly distribute the load, and an appropriate and stable support state without pressure bias can be obtained. Thereby, the durability of the air cell can be enhanced without causing abnormal deformation of some of the air cells due to the pressure deviation.

  In the area of the base portion 13 that is in front of the curved surface portion that supports the air cells 11 and 12, the supply / discharge control portion 14 is disposed, and the front support portion 15 is placed. In particular, a substantially plate-like base portion 13d for mounting and fixing the supply / discharge control portion 14 is integrally embedded from the beginning by insert molding in a portion of the base portion 13 below the supply / discharge control portion 14 placement position. It is the structure fixed.

  Thus, the base portion 13d is integrally disposed on the base portion 13, and the supply / discharge control portion 14 is fixed to the base portion 13 by being attached to the base portion 13d, so that the supply / discharge control portion 14 can be securely attached to the base portion. 13, even if a force is applied to the base unit 13 and the supply / discharge control unit 14 from the outside, the supply / discharge control unit 14 does not deviate from the base unit 13.

  The portion of the base portion 13 on which the pressure receiving portion 10 is placed has a larger area than the portion on which the supply / discharge control portion 14 and the front support portion 15 are placed, and the pressure receiving portion 10 is based on the center of the entire base portion 13. Then, it is in a state in which it is not symmetrical in the front-rear direction but is biased to the rear side. This is because the range in which the upper body part of the body in the sitting position needs to be properly supported is mainly the buttocks. Therefore, even if the pressure receiving part 10 is set only slightly behind the center of the base part 13, there is no problem and efficient. Support is possible.

  Further, the side frame portion 13 a is configured by being integrally formed with the same material as that of the base portion 13 at the peripheral edge portion excluding the front side of the base portion 13. The side frame portion 13a is erected from the peripheral edge portion of the base portion 13, sandwiches the front support portion 15 from the left and right sides, and the air cells 11 and 12 forming the pressure receiving portion 10 in the surroundings except for the front. It is arranged so as to surround from the side. A concave portion 13b having a shape cut out from the upper side is provided in a predetermined central range of a portion of the side frame portion 13a that is behind the pressure receiving portion 10.

  The recess 13b avoids a situation in which the side frame portion 13a, which is an elastic material and is less deformable than the air cell, presses the seated user's body through the upper mat portion 16 and the cover 17. More specifically, the body surface below the sacrum protruding from the normal sitting posture in which the user positions the buttocks above the pressure-receiving part 10 and deviating from the back of the buttocks is on the back side of the pressure-receiving part 10. Even when reaching the upper side of the frame portion 13a, it is possible to prevent the side frame portion 13a from strongly pressing the body surface below the sacrum, and the occurrence of pressure ulcers accompanying such compression can be avoided.

  The base portion 13 includes a side frame portion 13a integrated with the base portion 13 and is composed of a slightly hard elastic material that has a higher density and is less likely to be deformed than the air cells of the pressure receiving portion 10 and other portions such as the upper mat portion 16. . For example, when the base portion 13 and the upper mat portion 16 are made of urethane foam, the base portion 13 and the side frame portion 13a are made of the same urethane foam but have a different density with respect to the upper mat portion 16 and are difficult to deform. Is preferred. The base part 13 and the side frame part 13a are made of a hard elastic material that substantially maintains the shape, so that the shape of the entire cushion can be used even when the place of use is a less stable seating surface such as a so-called sling seat in a folding wheelchair. Can be maintained properly.

In addition, since the side frame portions 13a are present on the left and right sides of the pressure receiving portion 10 and the front support portion 15, if the side frame portions are formed and arranged with the lateral dimensions adjusted appropriately, the pressure receiving portion Without changing the structure of the part 10 and the front support part 15, it can respond to the difference in the seating surface size for every kind of wheelchair.
The side frame portion is not limited to a structure integrally formed with the base portion, but may be formed as an independent member that is separate from the base portion, and placed and disposed on the base portion. Good.

  The supply / exhaust control unit 14 includes a pump unit 40 for supplying air at a predetermined pressure, a supply / exhaust valve unit 41 for switching communication / non-communication between the air cells 11 and 12 and the pump unit 40 or an external space, and a pump unit 40. And a control circuit unit 42 that controls the air supply and discharge of each air cell by controlling the driving and opening / closing operation of the air supply / exhaust valve unit 41, and a battery 43 as a power source for supplying power to the pump unit 40 and the like. is there. The supply / discharge control unit 14 starts or stops the operation based on a user's operation input through the operation unit 18, and adjusts and controls the air supply / discharge state of each air cell of the pressure receiving unit 10 in the operation state. Controls the air cells 11 of the first air cell group 10a and the air cells 12 of the second air cell group 10b to switch the air supply / discharge at a predetermined timing while changing the timing for each air cell group. The pressure is adjusted.

  The supply / discharge control unit 14 has a structure in which a pump unit 40, a supply / exhaust valve unit 41, a control circuit unit 42, and a battery 43 are built in a single housing as a unit. Reference numeral 43 denotes a mechanism in which the housing upper lids 14a and 14b of the supply / discharge control unit 14 can be detached and attached / removed. The supply / discharge control unit 14 is fixed to the base portion 13d of the base portion 13 by screws, and the supply / discharge control portion 14 and the base portion 13 are securely integrated, and if necessary, supply / discharge is performed. By removing the control unit 14 from the base unit 13d, the supply / discharge control unit 14 can be fixed to the base unit 13, and the supply / discharge control unit 14 is temporarily removed from the base unit 13 and replaced with another one. For example, it is possible to facilitate the handling of the supply / discharge control unit 14 during maintenance.

  Further, since the pump unit 40 and the battery 43 can be attached / detached / replaced by removing the upper lids 14a, 14b in the supply / discharge control unit 14, it is excellent in maintainability and the use stop time due to maintenance can be minimized. .

  Since this supply / discharge control unit 14 is located in front of the base unit 13 and at the center in the lateral direction, it is in a state of being removed from directly below the buttocks and thighs of the user in the sitting posture. By disposing the mechanism portion as far as possible from the vicinity of the body surface, the discomfort from the lower side is not given to the buttocks and thighs of the person sitting on the cushion.

  The pump unit 40 operates under the control of the control circuit unit 42 and supplies air toward the air cells 11 and 12 at a predetermined pressure. The pump unit 40 has a known configuration including an extremely small size that can be built in the supply / discharge control unit 14, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

  The air supply / exhaust valve unit 41 includes a first air supply valve 51 that switches communication / non-communication between the air cell 11 and the pump unit 40, and a second air supply valve 52 that switches communication / non-communication between the air cell 12 and the pump unit 40. A first exhaust valve 53 for switching communication / non-communication between the air cell 11 and the external space, a second exhaust valve 54 for switching communication / non-communication between the air cell 12 and the external space, and an air flow path leading to each air cell It is the structure provided with the pressure sensors 57 and 58 which detect a pressure.

  The first air supply valve 51 is disposed between the first supply / exhaust pipe 10c connected to the air cells 11 belonging to the first air cell group 10a and the pump unit 40, and communicates the pump unit 40 and the air cell 11. It switches between an air (open) state and a non-air supply (closed) state that does not allow communication. The second air supply valve 52 is disposed between the second air supply / discharge pipe 10d connected to the air cells 12 belonging to the second air cell group 10b and the pump unit 40, and allows the pump unit 40 and the air cell 12 to communicate with each other. The air supply state is switched to a non-air supply state that does not communicate with the air supply state.

  The first exhaust valve 53 is connected to the first supply / exhaust pipe 10c, and switches between an exhaust state in which the external space and the air cell 11 are communicated with each other and a non-exhaust state in which the external air cell 11 is not communicated via the first supply / exhaust pipe 10c. is there. The second exhaust valve 54 is connected to the second supply / exhaust pipe 10d, and switches between an exhaust state in which the external space and the air cell 12 are communicated with each other and a non-exhaust state in which the external space is not communicated via the second supply / exhaust pipe 10d. is there.

  When these exhaust valves are in an exhaust state, the inside of the air cell is opened to the atmosphere, and the internal pressure of the air cell is reduced. Note that the non-air supply state and the non-exhaust state of each valve can be maintained as they are even if the operation control by power supply to the valves cannot be performed in that state. The internal pressure of the air cell can be maintained by suppressing the outflow of air.

  With respect to each air cell 11, 12, the corresponding air supply valve is in the air supply state, and the pump unit 40 and the air cell are communicated, while the exhaust valve is in the non-exhaust state, whereby the air cell can be supplied with air. Further, the exhaust valve is set in an exhaust state, and the air cell and the external space are communicated with each other via the exhaust valve, while the intake valve is set in a non-air supply state so that the air cell can be exhausted. Pressure sensors 57 and 58 are disposed at intermediate positions closer to the air cell than the air supply valve and the exhaust valve in each supply / exhaust pipe, and the control circuit unit 42 determines the internal pressure of each air cell 11 and 12 from each detected value. It is a mechanism that can be acquired.

The air cells 11 and 12 are connected to the first air cell group 10a and the pump unit 40 via the first air supply valve 51 to supply air to the air cell 11, while the second air cell group 10b and the external space Is communicated via the second exhaust valve 54 and exhausted from the air cell 12, and the first air cell group 10a and the external space are communicated via the first exhaust valve 53 to exhaust from the air cell 11, while Only the air cells 11 of the first air cell group 10a are executed by shifting the timing of the two air cell groups 10b and the pump unit 40 through the second air supply valve 52 and supplying the air cells 12 at different timings. A state where the internal pressure becomes large and a state where only the air cell 12 of the second air cell group 10b has a high internal pressure can be obtained.
As each air supply valve and exhaust valve, a solenoid valve is mainly used, but it is not limited to this, and it is used for air pressure control and can reliably open and close the supply / exhaust pipe. Can be selected and used as appropriate.

  The control circuit unit 42 is electrically connected to the supply and exhaust valves of the pump unit 40 and the supply / exhaust valve unit 41 and the pressure sensors 57 and 58, and is based on pressure detection signals from the pressure sensors 57 and 58. Then, driving / stopping of the pump unit 40 and control of opening / closing operation of each air supply valve and exhaust valve are executed to adjust supply / exhaust of air to / from each air cell. The control circuit unit 42 is connected to a battery 43 as a power source, and receives power supply from the battery 43 connected to a commercial power source and charged via an external AC adapter (not shown) or the like as necessary. Then, the pump unit 40 and the like are operated.

  When the control circuit unit 42 is instructed to start operation through the operation unit 18, the control circuit unit 42 normally performs air supply / discharge control on the air cells 11 and 12 at different timings shifted in time. That is, the control circuit unit 42 raises and maintains the internal pressure of each air cell 11 of the first air cell group 10a up to a predetermined pressure by the operation control of the pump unit 40 and the supply / exhaust valve unit 41, while the second air cell group 10b A state in which the internal pressure of each air cell 12 is a predetermined lower limit pressure (for example, 5.5 kPa), mainly supporting a user's buttocks seated by each air cell 11 of the first air cell group 10a, While maintaining the internal pressure of each air cell 12 of the air cell group 10b up to a predetermined pressure, the internal pressure of each air cell 11 of the first air cell group 10a is set to a predetermined lower limit pressure (for example, 5.5 kPa), The state in which the air cell 12 of the second air cell group 10b mainly supports the user's buttocks is generated sequentially at a predetermined timing, and the pressure change of the air cell is repeated. By return, not the pressure applied to the user's body to be supported is concentrated and immobilized in a fixed site in the air cell, it is possible to prevent pressure ulcers by maintaining the blood circulation.

  In addition, the air cells 11 of the first air cell group 10a and the air cells 12 of the second air cell group 10b are arranged so as to be adjacent to each other in the front, rear, left, and right directions, and are close to each other when the part that mainly supports the user's body is switched. Since the air cell groups are switched, the user does not need to be aware of changes in the support state, and the comfort is not impaired.

  Even when the internal pressure of each of the air cells 11 and 12 is adjusted to a predetermined lower limit pressure, the state higher than the atmospheric pressure is still maintained, and all the air is not exhausted, and the air cells 11 and 12 Thus, a state where air remains moderately and does not cause bottoming to the user who supports the air cell is secured.

  However, when none of the air cells has reached the lower limit pressure, such as at the first use, the control circuit unit 42 performs air supply / exhaust control on the air cells 11 and 12 in the same manner. At the same time, the internal pressure of the air cells 11 and 12 is adjusted by supplying and discharging air simultaneously to at least the lower limit pressure, and this lower limit pressure is maintained so that the user can safely support the air cell. .

  The supply / discharge control unit 14 acquires the remaining capacity related to the power supply of the built-in battery 43 by the control circuit unit 42, and when an AC adapter (not shown) is connected through the operation unit 18, the battery 43 It is also possible to perform known charging control such as charging until the battery is fully charged.

  In addition, the supply / discharge control unit 14 acquires the remaining capacity of the battery 43 as control information in the air supply / discharge state to the air cells 11 and 12 based on the power supply from the built-in battery 43. Then, in such an air supply / exhaust state to the air cells 11 and 12, when a short time elapses from the time point based on the information acquired by the supply / discharge control unit 14, the battery 43 is short of remaining capacity and supplies power. If it is predicted in advance that the battery 43 cannot be operated, the supply / discharge control unit 14 changes the supply / discharge state for the air cells 11 and 12 immediately before the battery 43 becomes short of the remaining capacity. Control for reducing the internal pressure of the air cell to the lower limit pressure for the air cells of the air cell group whose internal pressure is higher than the lower limit pressure, and stopping the operation while maintaining this pressure when any of the air cells in the pressure receiving unit 10 reaches the lower limit pressure It is a mechanism to execute.

  Thus, when it is predicted that the remaining capacity of the battery 43 is insufficient, the supply / discharge control unit 14 performs control to reduce the internal pressure of the air cell having an internal pressure higher than a predetermined lower limit pressure before the remaining capacity of the battery 43 becomes insufficient. After each air cell can be maintained at a uniform lower limit pressure, an uncontrollable state in which power cannot be supplied from the battery 43 is reached. This avoids unintentional air outflow from the air cell, which occurs when the air supply or exhaust to the air cell stops halfway due to the interruption of the power supply from the battery, and ensures the necessary minimum air cell internal pressure, so-called While preventing bottoming, the body pressure can be dispersed throughout the air cell, and the occurrence of pressure ulcers due to local concentration of pressure on the body can be suppressed. In addition, by maintaining the air cell internal pressure in a low state, the load applied to each mechanism of the supply / discharge control unit 14 based on this pressure can be reduced, and the durability of the mechanism can be ensured.

  Further, the supply / exhaust control unit 14 forcibly cuts off the power supply from the control circuit unit 42 to the pump unit 40 when the continuous operation state of the pump unit 40 continues for a predetermined time or longer. An emergency stop circuit 45 is inserted and disposed.

  This emergency stop circuit 45 has a simple and reliable switch using a timer circuit, and is switched off after a predetermined time from the start of operation of the pump unit 40 regardless of the state of the control circuit unit 42. This is a mechanism in which the power supply to the pump unit 40 is cut off and the pump unit 40 is stopped.

  The control circuit unit 42 that controls the pump unit 40 cannot stop the operation of the pump unit 40 due to some trouble, and the pump unit 40 cannot be changed to the non-air supply state by the supply / exhaust valve unit 41. In the event of an abnormal situation where air continues to be supplied, the pump unit 40, which should be stopped, continues to operate, causing the air cell that continues to receive air to expand beyond the appropriate expansion / contraction range, leading to damage, There is a risk of abnormalities such as overheating of the pump mechanism that operates continuously.

  In the event of such an abnormal situation, by providing the emergency stop circuit 45, without being affected by the control circuit unit 42, the air cell is shifted to the switch OFF state at an appropriate timing when it remains in its expandable / contractable range, The pump unit 40 can be forcibly stopped, and it is possible to prevent the control abnormality from adversely affecting the air cell and the pump unit, thereby improving the safety and reliability of the entire apparatus.

  The front support portion 15 is formed as a thick substantially plate-like body made of a synthetic resin elastic material such as a durable urethane foam that is not damaged even when pressure due to the weight of the user's body is applied, similar to the base portion 13. In this configuration, the front portion of the pressure receiving unit 10 is placed and disposed on the base unit 13.

  The front support portion 15 has a length that extends over substantially the entire intermediate region sandwiched between the side frame portions 13a in the lateral direction of the base portion 13, and is formed by notching a recess 15a on the lower side in the lateral central portion. In front of the part 10, the supply / discharge control part 14 provided on the base part 13 is covered so as to be accommodated in the recessed part 15 a, and is arranged on the upper side of the base part 13 except in the center.

  The front support portion 15 is set so that the upper surface is positioned at the same height as or higher than the upper surfaces of the air cells 11 and 12 in the initial state where the user is not placed on the front support portion 15. The buttocks are positioned above the air cell and the thighs are positioned above the front side support part without being inadvertently displaced and reliably supported.

  Further, the corner portion on the front end side of the front support portion 15 is formed to be a round shape that is smoothly continuous from the upper mat portion 16 in a combined state in which the upper mat portion 16 is overlaid. The feeling of pressure on the back of the knee can be reduced.

  The upper mat portion 16 is formed of a rectangular sheet-like body made of a flexible elastic material such as urethane foam, and the entire pressure receiving portion 10 placed on the base portion 13 and most of the front support portion 15. The pressure receiving portion 10 and the front support portion 15 are disposed so as to overlap with each other. The upper mat portion 16 is made of a softer material than the base portion 13, and is particularly preferably made of a low repulsion material in order to reliably support the user's body and disperse the body pressure well. When it is made of a low repulsion material, it is easy to adapt to the contact portion with the cushion, such as the user's buttocks, and the function of dispersing the body pressure of the air cell can be maximized.

  The upper mat portion 16 uniformly covers the air cells 11 and 12 and the front support portion 15 of the pressure receiving portion 10, and the gap between the air cells 11 and 12 and between the air cells 11 and 12 and the front support portion 15. Even on the upper side of the gap, the upper mat portion 16 is in a state of supporting the lower surface of the seated user, so that the body support area can be increased and the body pressure can be more reliably dispersed, and the pressure on the body surface can be kept small. At the same time, when the user is sitting on the cushion, the difference in feel between the air receiving portion and the non-existing portion of the pressure receiving portion 10 and the difference in feeling between the pressure receiving portion 10 and the front support portion 15 are reduced. Thus, it is possible to eliminate the uncomfortable feeling caused by the presence or absence of the air cell and the difference between the pressure receiving unit 10 and the front support unit 15.

  In addition, since the upper mat portion 16 is disposed on the upper side of the pressure receiving portion 10, the seat of the wheelchair 80 can be used even when the air cells 11 and 12 are accidentally escaped and the user's buttocks cannot be supported by these air cells. The base portion 13 and the upper mat portion 16 are interposed as a sufficient cushioning material between the surface and the heel portion, so that the depressed heel portion approaches the seat surface of the wheelchair 80 and the hard feel of the seat surface is transmitted to the heel portion. The so-called bottomed state can be prevented.

  The cover 17 is formed of a sheet-like body made of a strong flexible material that does not break even when the weight of the user's body or the pressure from the air cells 11 and 12 is applied, and the pressure receiving unit 10, the base unit 13, and the upper side A mat unit 16, a supply / discharge control unit 14, a front support unit 15, and a side frame unit 13 a are combined from the outside to protect them from moisture and dirt.

  The cover 17 is provided with an opening 17a that exposes a part of the operation unit 18 located on the front side of the supply / discharge control unit 14 to the outside, and a waterproof seal portion made of an elastic material such as urethane rubber at the periphery of the opening 17a. 17b is arranged. Further, the cover 17 has a waterproof structure by coating (backing) from the back side of the same material (for example, urethane rubber) as the waterproof seal portion 17b on the cloth or the like which is the main material of the cover. Then, the coating portion on the back side of the cover 17 and the waterproof seal portion 17b are integrated by welding with, for example, high frequency. By such welding integration, the waterproof seal portion 17b and the cover main material portion are integrated by general stitching, so that there is no through-hole like a seam that allows moisture to pass through. It is possible to secure waterproofness to the details of the cover 17 without generating any holes or gaps that allow water to enter the periphery of the waterproof seal portion 17b. In addition, the coating part on the back side of the cover 17 and the waterproof seal part 17b can be integrated by bonding using a water-resistant adhesive in addition to welding.

The cover 17 exposes a part of the operation part 18 to the outside in the opening 17a. When the cover is mounted, if a convex part that is an exposed part of the operation part 18 is inserted into the opening 17a, the edge of the opening 17a The waterproof seal portion 17b is in close contact with the periphery of the exposed portion of the operation portion 18, so that no gap is formed between the operation portion 18 and the cover 17. Thus, the exposed portion of the operation portion 18 is obtained. Intrusion of moisture from the inside to the inside of the cover 17 can be suppressed.
On the upper surface of the cover 17, a pattern that can be used as a guide for the position of the buttock portion may be added so that the buttock portion can be properly positioned on the upper side of the pressure receiving portion 10 (see FIG. 11).

  The operation unit 18 includes switch units 18a and 18b for operation and a terminal unit 18c for connecting an AC adapter, and a side surface portion that is a front side when the cushion is mounted on a wheelchair seat surface, that is, supply / discharge control. This is configured to be integrally attached to the supply / discharge control unit 14 on the front side of the unit 14 and electrically connected to the supply / discharge control unit 14. Further, the operation unit 18 is configured to penetrate the cover 17 and expose a part of the switch unit 18a and the like to the outside. Specifically, a partial region including the switch portion 18a and the like of the operation portion 18 is formed as a convex portion, and this portion is inserted into the opening 17a of the cover 17 from the inside and exposed to the outside. The waterproof seal portion 17b of the cover 17 is in close contact with the periphery of the exposed portion, and a waterproof structure that prevents moisture from entering is obtained.

  The operation unit 18 receives an operation input such as activation or stop of the user with respect to the supply / discharge control unit 14 and transmits input information to the supply / discharge control unit 14. The supply / discharge control unit 14 identifies the operation instruction content input by the operation unit 18 and starts or stops the operation in accordance with this.

  Note that the operation unit 18 receives various detailed operation inputs related to expansion and contraction of each air cell in addition to basic operations such as starting and stopping, and the input information input by the operation unit 18 is supplied to the supply / discharge control unit 14. The air cells 11 and 12 may be used for controlling air supply / discharge.

  Next, the pressure adjustment operation of the chair cushion according to the present embodiment will be described. As a premise, the power supply from the battery 43 is normally performed in advance, and the supply / discharge control unit 14 is in an appropriately operable state, and the initial state immediately after the start of operation based on the start operation to the operation unit 18 Thus, the supply / exhaust control unit 14 closes the first supply valve 51 and the second supply valve 52, the first exhaust valve 53 and the second exhaust valve 54 in the supply / exhaust valve unit 41, and the air cell 11, It is assumed that the internal pressure of 12 is maintained at the lower limit pressure.

  First, in a state where the user is seated and sits correctly with the buttocks and thighs on the surface of the cushion, the supply / exhaust control unit 14 is pumped in response to the input operation of the operation start to the operation unit 18 of the user. The operation of the unit 40 and the supply / exhaust valve unit 41 is started.

  The supply / exhaust control unit 14 maintains the closed state of the second air supply valve 52 and the second exhaust valve 54 in the air supply / exhaust valve unit 41 and maintains the internal pressure of the air cell 12 at the lower limit pressure. 51 is in an open state, and the pump unit 40 is in a state of supplying air to the air cell 11. At this time, the first exhaust valve 53 remains closed.

  When the supply / exhaust control unit 14 increases the internal pressure of the air cell 11 of the first air cell group 10a (indicated by hatching among the air cells shown in FIG. 7) by supplying air, the air cell 12 maintained at the lower limit pressure state. As a result of the increase in pressure of the air cell 11, the body of the sitting user is mainly supported from the air cells 11 in a staggered arrangement where the pressure is increased.

  When the pressure sensor 57 detects that each of the air cells 11 has reached a predetermined upper limit pressure (for example, 9 kPa) set in advance, the supply / discharge control unit 14 opens the first supply valve 51 in the supply / exhaust valve unit 41. Is closed, and the injection of air into the air cell 11 is stopped.

  Here, the supply / exhaust control unit 14 closes all the supply valves and the exhaust valves for a predetermined time, and maintains the internal pressure of the air cell 11. Thereafter, the supply / exhaust control unit 14 maintains the closed state of the first supply valve 51 and the second exhaust valve 54 in the supply / exhaust valve unit 41, while opening the second supply valve 52 and the first exhaust valve 53. The pump unit 40 supplies air to the air cell 12 and the air is discharged from the air cell 11. A period from when air is supplied to the air cell 11 to increase the internal pressure and then exhaust is started is defined as a first air cell group high pressure period (see FIG. 10). In this first air cell group high-pressure period, that is, after the first air supply valve 51 is opened and in the air supply state, the first air supply valve 51 is closed to shift to the pressure maintaining state, and further the first exhaust valve 53 is About 1 minute is preferable as the time from the opening to the start of exhaustion.

  The supply / exhaust control unit 14 switches the second supply valve 52 and the first exhaust valve 53 in the supply / exhaust valve unit 41 to the open state, and then changes the internal pressure of the air cell 12 of the second air cell group 10b by the pump unit 40. While the air pressure is increased by the supply of air, the internal pressure of the air cell 11 of the first air cell group 10a is decreased by discharging the air, and the increase of the internal pressure of the air cell 12 and the decrease of the internal pressure of the other air cell 11 The body is in a state of being mainly supported from the air cells 12 in a staggered arrangement where the pressure is newly increased.

  Then, when the pressure sensor 58 detects that the air cell 11 has reached the lower limit pressure and the air cell 12 has reached a predetermined upper limit pressure (for example, 9 kPa), the supply / exhaust control unit 14 is in the open state of the supply / exhaust valve unit 41. 2. The air supply valve 52 and the first exhaust valve 53 are closed, and the air injection and discharge are stopped.

  Then, the supply / discharge control unit 14 closes all the supply valves and the exhaust valves for a predetermined time to maintain the internal pressure of the air cell 12. Thereafter, the supply / exhaust control unit 14 maintains the closed state of the first supply valve 51 and the first exhaust valve 53 in the supply / exhaust valve unit 41 and maintains the internal pressure of the air cell 11 at the lower limit pressure, while The valve 54 is opened and the second air supply valve 52 is closed so that air is discharged from the air cell 12. The period from when the air is supplied to the air cell 12 to increase the internal pressure and then the exhaust is started is defined as the second air cell group high pressure period (see FIG. 10). During this second air cell group high-pressure period, that is, after the second air supply valve 52 opens and enters the air supply state, the second air supply valve 52 closes and shifts to the pressure maintaining state, and further the second exhaust valve 54 The time from the opening to the start of exhaust is preferably about 1 minute, as in the first air cell group high pressure period.

  After the supply / discharge control unit 14 opens the second exhaust valve 54 and closes the second supply valve 52, the internal pressure of the air cells 12 in the second air cell group 10b is discharged by discharging the air. Decreases. On the other hand, the closed state of the first air supply valve 51 and the first exhaust valve 53 in the air supply / exhaust valve portion 41 is maintained, and the internal pressure of the air cell 11 is maintained at the lower limit pressure.

  When the pressure sensor 59 detects that the air cell 12 has reached the lower limit pressure, the supply / discharge control unit 14 closes the opened second exhaust valve 54 and stops the air discharge. In this way, all the air supply valves and exhaust valves in the air supply / exhaust valve section 41 are maintained in the closed state, the supply / exhaust of air to the air cells 11 and 12 is stopped, and the internal pressure of any of the air cells 11 and 12 is the lower limit. The state of pressure is maintained for a predetermined time. In this case, the sitting user's body is supported by the entire air cells 11 and 12 having the lower limit pressure.

  Thus, the exhaust of the air cell 12 is started, and both the air cells 11 and 12 become the lower limit pressure, and the period during which this state continues is defined as the all air cell group low pressure period (see FIG. 10). In this all air cell group low pressure period, that is, after the second exhaust valve 54 is opened and the air is discharged, the second exhaust valve 54 is closed and the pressure is maintained, and then the first air supply valve 51 is opened. The time until the supply of air is resumed is preferably about 1 minute, as in the first air cell group high pressure period.

  Thereafter, each adjustment process of the internal pressure of each air cell is repeated by the supply / discharge control unit 14 so that the first air cell group high pressure period, the second air cell group high pressure period, and the all air cell group low pressure period are sequentially switched in the same manner as described above. .

  When each air cell 11 and 12 is supplied with air, it has a higher internal pressure and becomes a main part that supports the user's buttocks, while no air is supplied and the exhaust valve is open. Is pushed by the load of the sitting user and discharges the internal air to the outside and becomes the lower limit pressure, thereby reducing the ratio of the pressure supporting the user to the entire pressure receiving portion.

  Since the air cells 11 and 12 have a sufficient air capacity in the air cell even in the state of the lower limit pressure, the air cells 11 and 12 can be held without causing bottoming that gives the feel of the original seating surface of the wheelchair to the user's buttocks. . Further, since the pressure adjustment operation of the air cells 11 and 12 does not involve extreme expansion and contraction that causes the movement of the user's body, the degree of influence on the support state of the user is small, and the expansion of the air cells 11 and 12 is suppressed. The user's proper posture can be maintained even during contraction.

  In this way, the air cells 11 and 12 of the two air cell groups maintain the state in which the pressure of the user's buttocks is dispersed and supported without being concentrated in part, and the supply / discharge control unit 14 supplies air to the air cells 11 and 12. By giving the supply / discharge state change, the part that mainly supports the user's buttocks changes at a predetermined timing, preventing the contact between the user's buttocks and the cushion surface to be fixed, and to the specific part of the body In addition to preventing pressure from concentrating for a long time and making it difficult for local blood flow damage to the body due to compression, the user voluntarily changes posture by giving stimulation to the body surface due to pressure change The blood flow that tends to stagnate can be improved, and the occurrence of pressure ulcers due to the stagnation of blood flow on the surface of the body can be suppressed.

  On the other hand, the user's thigh does not change in the supported state with respect to the buttocks supported by the air cells 11 and 12 with a pressure change, but the thigh has a thick muscle and the front support portion. Even if there is no change in the state supported by the 15 and the upper mat portion 16, the blood pressure does not stagnate due to the pressure on the body surface, so pressure ulcer does not occur.

  The air supply / discharge operation for the air cells 11 and 12 that is repeated while switching the supply / discharge target is stopped by the supply / discharge control unit 14 after the user performs a stop operation on the operation unit 18 or after an appropriate time has elapsed. Transition to the state. In this case as well, the internal pressure of the air cells 11 and 12 is maintained at the lower limit pressure by closing each valve, and it is possible to maintain a proper posture without so-called bottoming by preventing a drop of the buttocks due to the weight of the user. .

  It should be noted that even when the air cell 11 and 12 is supplied with power from the battery 43 and the air cells 11 and 12 are in an air supply / discharge state, the operation is stopped due to the battery being exhausted. Immediately before the power supply cannot be performed due to a shortage, the supply / discharge control unit 14 changes the supply / discharge state for the air cells 11 and 12 based on the prediction of such a situation based on the remaining capacity grasp, and the lower limit pressure is reached. For air cells in the air cell group with high internal pressure, the internal pressure of the air cells is reduced to the lower limit pressure, and adjustment control is performed to maintain the state of the lower limit pressure of each air cell. Will not stop in the middle due to running out of battery, avoiding unintentional outflow of air from the air cell, and reducing the internal pressure of the air cell to the lower limit pressure. Held in while preventing bottoming, maintaining the dispersed state of the body pressure throughout the air cell, it is possible to suppress occurrence of pressure sores.

  Thus, the chair cushion according to the present embodiment is provided with the base portion 13 that supports the pressure receiving portion 10 together with the pressure receiving portion 10 in which a large number of air cells 11 and 12 that are expanded and contracted by supply and discharge of air are arranged. In addition, a supply / discharge control unit 14 is disposed in the center of the front portion of the pressure receiving unit 10 on the base unit 13, and is further disposed on the upper side of the front portion of the pressure receiving unit 10 of the base unit 13 while covering the supply / discharge control unit 14. While having a front support portion 15 made of an elastic material and supporting each of the sitting user's buttocks with the air cells 11 and 12 accompanied by a change in internal pressure due to air supply and discharge, the user's thigh Is supported by the front support portion 15, so that a large number of air cells 11, 12 arranged as the pressure receiving portion 10 are pushed and deformed by the user's buttocks on the upper side of each air cell as a whole. In a balanced manner In addition to ensuring an appropriate sitting posture, the front support portion 15 supports the left and right thighs while elastically deforming the two left and right portions outside the central portion where the supply / discharge control portion 14 is located to supply the user to the user. The discomfort caused by the presence of the exhaust control unit 14 does not occur, the body pressure is dispersed as a whole cushion, the excessive blood pressure is eliminated and the blood circulation of the skin is prevented, and the sitting continues for a long time. However, it does not cause pressure ulcers and greatly improves the quality of life of the user.

  The chair cushion according to the embodiment is not limited to the one applied to the wheelchair, but can be applied to a general chair. Similarly to the case of the wheelchair, the air cells 11 and 12 of the pressure receiving unit 10 are used by the user. While supporting the buttocks and supporting the thighs of the legs with the front support 15, the user's body pressure can be dispersed and cushioned even in situations where the user cannot change his / her sitting posture and is prone to pressure ulcers This prevents the blood circulation on the body surface in contact with the body from being obstructed and suppresses the occurrence of pressure ulcers.

  Further, in the chair cushion according to the embodiment, the curved surface shape provided on the base portion 13 is directly arranged on the upper surface of the air cells 11 and 12 based on the substantially box-shaped air cell shape whose upper surface and lower surface are substantially parallel. Reflecting this, the entire pressure receiving unit 10 is arranged so that the upper surface of the air cell forms a curved surface. In addition to this, the upper surface of the base unit is made flat, while the height of each air cell is changed stepwise. Only by setting the shape of the air cell, the upper surface of the air cell can also be arranged in a curved shape. Like the embodiment, each air cell corresponds to the ridge shape having a convex curved surface, and each part of the heel portion Can be supported equally, so that the buttocks can be efficiently supported and the sitting position can be reliably held, and the body pressure can be appropriately dispersed. Further, as in the case of the above-described embodiment, the upper surface of each air cell is tilted so that the upper surface arrangement of the air cell is closer to the actual curved surface, specifically, a predetermined amount corresponding to the arrangement position from the beginning on the upper surface of the air cell. An air cell can be formed as an inclined shape, and the upper surface of each air cell forms a concave curved surface in the entire pressure receiving portion, so that the curved surface on the upper side of the pressure receiving portion is less uncomfortable as a seating surface corresponding to the collar shape. A natural feel is produced.

  Further, in the chair cushion according to the embodiment, the supply and discharge control unit 14 starts and stops air supply and discharge with respect to the air cells 11 and 12 based on an operation input using the operation unit 18 of the user. However, in addition to this, a sensor is provided to detect the state where the user is away from the wheelchair, and when the user leaves the wheelchair, the operation related to air supply / discharge in the supply / exhaust control unit is stopped. If the user is seated on the vehicle, the air supply / exhaust control structure can be used, and the operation of the user can be saved and the device can be used more easily. In this case, when the user is away from the wheelchair, the presence or absence of proximity is identified by the strength of electromagnetic waves or light other than the type that touches the user so that the user does not feel uncomfortable in the state of use. It is preferable to use a sensor that can be disposed on the front surface portion that is less affected by the weight of the user when used as a cushion. Furthermore, to detect the user's seating, the pressure sensor for air supply / exhaust control of the air cell is used to identify the seating from the difference in the pressure load of the air cell in the seating state and the non-sitting state of the user. In addition, it may be possible to control whether or not air supply / discharge can be performed, and it is not necessary to provide a separate seating detection sensor, and the structure can be simplified.

  Further, in the chair cushion according to the embodiment, the cover 17 is configured to have a simple shape only having a function as an outer covering covering the base portion 13 and the like. In order to improve the handling of the wheelchair, there is a predetermined portion that does not interfere with the placement on the wheelchair or the user's seating operation, preferably, as shown in FIG. A handle 19 can also be provided at the bottom side corner of the surface, and it is not necessary to hold the entire cushion when carrying it.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Chair cushion 10 Pressure receiving part 10a 1st air cell group 10b 2nd air cell group 10c 1st supply / exhaust pipe 10d 2nd supply / exhaust pipe 11, 12 Air cell 11a, 12a Connecting pipe part 13 Base part 13a Side frame part 13b Recessed part 13d Base Base part 14 Supply / discharge control part 14a, 14b Upper lid 15 Front support part 15a Recess 16 Upper mat part 17 Cover 17a Opening part 17b Waterproof seal part 18 Operation part 18a, 18b Switch part 18c Terminal part 40 Pump part 41 Supply / exhaust valve part 42 Control circuit unit 43 Battery 45 Emergency stop circuit 51 First supply valve 52 Second supply valve 53 First exhaust valve 54 Second exhaust valve 57, 58 Pressure sensor 80 Wheelchair

Claims (9)

In the chair cushion used at least including a pressure receiving portion in which a large number of air cells that can be expanded and contracted by supplying and discharging air are arranged and placed on the seat surface of the chair,
A base portion formed of an elastic material corresponding to the chair seat surface, and supporting the pressure receiving portion from below;
A supply / discharge control unit that is disposed in the center of the front portion of the pressure receiving part on the upper side of the base part and adjusts and controls the supply / discharge state of air to each air cell of the pressure receiving part;
A front support portion made of an elastic material that covers the central supply / exhaust control portion at the front portion of the pressure receiving portion on the upper side of the base portion, and is disposed on the upper side of the base portion except for the center,
A side frame portion made of an elastic material disposed adjacent to the pressure receiving portion on the side except the front of the pressure receiving portion;
A cover made of a flexible material that collectively covers the pressure receiving unit, the base unit, the supply / discharge control unit, the front support unit, and the side frame unit from the outside;
Each air cell of the pressure receiving part is placed on the base part so as to be located in the center and the region corresponding to the rear part from the center of the chair seat surface, and the air supply / discharge system is set for each of the plurality of air cell groups. Divided,
The chair cushion, wherein the supply / discharge control unit adjusts the pressure inside the air cell by changing the air supply / discharge timing for each air cell group. The chair cushion according to claim 1,
The cushion for a chair, wherein the base portion and / or each air cell is formed in a predetermined shape in which the upper surface of each air cell is arranged in a concave curved shape in the entire pressure receiving portion. In the chair cushion according to claim 2,
The base portion is formed as a concave curved surface at least at a portion supporting the pressure receiving portion,
Each of the air cells has the same shape and the same size in a substantially box shape in which an upper surface and a lower surface are substantially parallel to each other. In the chair cushion according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A chair cushion, comprising: a substantially sheet-like upper mat portion made of an elastic material and disposed on the inner side of the cover and overlying the pressure receiving portion and the front support portion. The chair cushion according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
A cushion for a chair, characterized in that the side frame portion is provided with a concave portion cut out from above in a predetermined range in the center of the rear portion of the pressure receiving portion. In the chair cushion according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The supply / exhaust control unit has at least a battery as a power source, and is in an air supply / exhaust state to the air cell based on power supply from the battery. For the air cells in the high-pressure air cell group, control is performed to change the supply / exhaust state with respect to the air cells to reduce the internal pressure of the air cells to the lower limit pressure, and to set any air cell of the pressure receiving unit to the lower limit pressure. Cushions for chairs. In the chair cushion according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
An operation unit that is disposed in a state in which a part is exposed to the outside through an opening provided in the cover on the front side of the supply / discharge control unit, and receives an operation input of a user with respect to the supply / discharge control unit;
The cover has a waterproof seal portion made of a substantially annular water-resistant elastic material that is in close contact with the periphery of the exposed portion while partially exposing the operation portion, and the same material as the waterproof seal portion on the back side of the cover main material portion Due to the coating, the entire structure is waterproof,
A cushion for a chair, wherein a cover main material portion back side coating portion located around the opening portion of the cover and a waterproof seal portion are integrated by welding or adhesion. The chair cushion according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
The base portion is a synthetic resin molded body, and a base portion having at least a substantially plate-like portion made of an inflexible material is formed and fixed and integrated by insert molding,
The chair cushion, wherein the supply / discharge control unit is fixed to a base portion of the base portion. The chair cushion according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
The supply / discharge control unit includes at least a pump unit that receives supply of electric power and supplies air at a predetermined pressure, and a control circuit unit that performs drive control of the pump unit,
Emergency stop circuit that cuts off the power supply to the pump when at least the control circuit part of the supply / discharge control part cannot perform the control to stop the operation of the pump part and the continuous operation state of the pump continues for a predetermined time or more A chair cushion characterized by comprising:

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