JP2019180615A - Walking vehicle brake structure - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a walking vehicle brake structure capable of improving operability of a brake lever.SOLUTION: A brake lever 27 can be operated to a standby position, a brake position above the standby position, and a lock position below the standby position. The brake lever 27 is provided with a projection part 66, a side surface cover part 36a is provided with a passage side surface 91a that engages with the projection part 66 to hold the brake lever 27 in the standby position when the brake lever 27 rotates from the brake position side to the standby position. When the brake lever 27 is operated downward from the standby position, release operation of releasing the engagement of the projection part 66 with respect to the passage side surface 91a can be performed. In order to allow displacement of the brake lever 27 from a rotation axis 27b to the side toward the projection part 66 while the projection part 66 is guided along the passage side surface 91a at the time of the release operation, each axis hole part 61 extends in the displacement direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 11

Description

  The present invention relates to a brake structure for a walking vehicle.

  2. Description of the Related Art Hitherto, a walking vehicle (walking assisting vehicle) that assists walking when an elderly person performs shopping or a walk is known. The walking vehicle has wheels at its lower end and a handle at its upper end. The user can safely walk while holding the handle and pushing the walking vehicle forward.

  Some walking vehicles are provided with a brake structure that applies braking force to wheels (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In such a walking vehicle, a brake lever is provided below the handle. The brake lever is rotatably attached to the main body at the base end side, and can be moved up and down by the rotation. When the brake lever is operated from the standby position (normal position) to the brake position above it, braking force is applied to the wheels.

  Further, the brake lever is always biased to a side that rotates downward by a biasing member such as a spring. Therefore, the brake lever automatically returns from the brake position to the standby position by the urging force of the urging member. The main body portion is provided with a holding portion that holds the brake lever at the standby position against the urging force.

  Incidentally, some walking vehicles have a lock function for prohibiting the rotation of the wheel in addition to a brake function for applying a braking force to the wheel. In such a walking vehicle, the brake lever is generally operable in three positions: a standby position, a brake position above the standby position, and a lock position below the standby position. In such a three-position switching type configuration, when the brake lever is moved from the standby position to the lock position, it is necessary to move the brake lever to the lock position after releasing the holding state of the brake lever by the holding portion.

  Here, as a configuration that makes it possible to release the brake lever, for example, it is conceivable that the brake lever is held at the standby position by engaging the holding portion with the base end portion of the brake lever. . In this case, when the brake lever is moved from the standby position to the lock position, it can be considered that the engagement of the base end portion with the holding portion is released by pushing the brake lever downward.

Japanese Patent No. 2576823

  In the above-described configuration, it is considered that when the engagement is released, the base end portion of the brake lever is released while sliding with the holding portion. Here, since the movement direction of the brake lever is defined in the rotation direction around the rotation axis, it is considered that the sliding resistance between the brake lever and the holding portion increases when the engagement is released. Therefore, there is a concern that the operability of the brake lever is reduced. In addition, the sliding resistance may be remarkably increased depending on variations in the dimensions of the brake lever and the holding portion, and in this case, the operability of the brake lever may be significantly reduced.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and a main object of the present invention is to provide a brake structure for a walking vehicle that can improve the operability of a brake lever.

  In order to solve the above problem, a brake structure for a walking vehicle according to a first aspect of the present invention is a brake structure for a walking vehicle including wheels and a handle that is gripped by a user, and a brake lever provided below the handle; A pivot shaft provided on the brake lever, and a main body portion to which the brake lever is attached via the pivot shaft, wherein the main body portion extends in the axial direction of the pivot shaft. A pair of side cover portions provided so as to sandwich the shaft, and each side cover portion is provided with a shaft hole portion into which the rotation shaft is inserted, and the rotation inserted into the shaft hole portion. The brake lever is pivotally supported on each of the side surface cover portions via a shaft, and the brake lever has a standby position where rotation of the wheel is permitted by the rotation, and a standby position. Also above The brake lever is displaceable in three positions: a brake position where the wheel is braked and a lock position which is lower than the standby position and prohibits the rotation of the wheel. A protruding portion that protrudes in the axial direction is provided on the rotation tip side of the rotation shaft, and the side cover portion has the protrusion when the brake lever rotates from the brake position side to the standby position. A holding portion that engages with the protrusion and holds the brake lever at the standby position is provided, and by operating the brake lever downward from the standby position, the protrusion is engaged with the holding portion. A release operation to release is possible, and when the engagement of the protrusion with the holding portion is released by the release operation, the brake lever is moved to the lock position. When the release operation is performed by the brake lever, the brake lever protrudes from the rotation shaft while the protrusion is guided along the holding portion. Each shaft hole portion extends in the displacing direction so as to allow displacement to the side toward the portion.

  According to the present invention, the brake lever is attached to the main body via the rotation shaft provided on the lever. In this case, the pivot shaft is inserted into a shaft hole provided in each side cover portion of the main body, and the brake lever is pivotally supported on each side cover portion via the pivot shaft. And by the rotation, the brake lever can be displaced to three positions of a standby position, a brake position, and a lock position.

  Further, when the brake lever is rotated from the brake position side to the standby position, the protrusion provided on the brake lever is engaged with the holding portion provided on the side cover, and the engagement causes the brake lever to move to the standby position. Are to be held. Further, by operating the brake lever downward from the standby position, a release operation for releasing the engagement of the protruding portion with respect to the holding portion is possible, and when the release operation is performed, the brake lever is moved to the lock position. It can be rotated.

  Here, in the above-described configuration, there is a concern that a sliding resistance is generated between the protruding portion and the holding portion during the release operation by the brake lever, and the operability is deteriorated. In that respect, in the present invention, in the release operation, in order to allow the brake lever to be displaced from the rotating shaft toward the protruding portion while the protruding portion is guided along the holding portion, the rotating shaft of the brake lever Each of the shaft hole portions into which is inserted extends in the displacement direction. In this case, the sliding resistance generated between the protruding portion and the holding portion can be reduced when the brake lever is displaced in the displacement direction during the release operation. Therefore, the operability of the brake lever can be improved.

  In the brake structure for a walking vehicle according to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, when the brake lever moves between the brake position and the lock position, the side cover portion is displaced along with the movement. A groove-shaped guide passage is provided for guiding the protruding portion, and the holding portion is formed by a part of a side surface of the guide passage.

  According to the present invention, since the side cover portion is provided with the guide passage for guiding the protrusion, the brake lever can be moved while guiding the protrusion in the guide passage. Thereby, in addition to the rotation about the rotation axis, the brake lever is allowed to be displaced in the direction in which each shaft hole extends (in other words, the radial direction of the rotation shaft). The brake lever can be reliably moved to the three positions of the standby position, the brake position, and the lock position.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a brake structure for a walking vehicle according to the second aspect, wherein the brake lever is formed on the main body portion so as to extend rearward in a state where the protruding portion is positioned below the rotation shaft. The guide passage is biased forward by a biasing means via a brake wire, and the guide passage extends obliquely backward from a predetermined position located at an intermediate portion of the guide passage. A first passage portion, a second passage portion extending downward from the predetermined position, and a third passage portion extending obliquely forward from the lower end portion of the second passage portion, The protrusion is positioned at the predetermined position when the brake lever is in the standby position, and is positioned at the upper end side of the first passage portion when the brake lever is at the brake position. Said The holding portion is formed by the passage side surface located on the front side among the respective passage side surfaces of the second passage portion. When the protrusion enters the third passage portion from the second passage portion side to disengage the protrusion from the side surface of the passage, the forward biasing force by the biasing means causes the The brake lever moves to the lock position while the protruding portion is guided by the third passage portion.

  According to the present invention, by the release operation by the brake lever, the protrusion enters the third passage from the second passage portion side, and the engagement of the protrusion with the holding portion (the passage side surface on the front side of the second passage portion) is released. Then, the brake lever is naturally guided to the lock position while the protruding portion is guided to the third passage portion by the urging force of the urging means directed forward. Thereby, the operability can be improved with respect to the operation (lock operation) of the brake lever to the lock position.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the brake structure for a walking vehicle according to the third aspect, wherein the second passage portion extends obliquely backward from the predetermined position downward.

  When returning the brake lever from the lock position to the standby position, the projecting portion returns to the predetermined position through the third passage portion and the second passage portion. Therefore, in the present invention, the second passage portion is formed so as to extend obliquely backward from a predetermined position downward. In other words, the second passage portion is formed so as to extend obliquely forward from its lower end portion upward. In this case, when the projecting portion passes through the second passage portion when returning the brake lever from the lock position to the standby position, the brake lever is naturally guided to the standby position by the urging force of the urging means directed forward. Become. Therefore, it is possible to improve the operability for the operation of returning the brake lever from the lock position to the standby position.

  Further, in the above configuration, the first passage portion and the second passage portion are inclined to the upper side and the lower side, respectively, from the predetermined position toward the rear, so that each of the passage portions has a V-shape. Yes. And the predetermined position exists in the valley position of the V character. Therefore, the brake lever is urged forward by the urging means, and the protruding portion can be held in a stable state at a predetermined position. As a result, the brake lever can be stably held at the standby position.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a brake structure for a walking vehicle according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the brake lever is biased by a biasing means via a brake wire, and the brake lever includes the axis line. A shaft portion that extends in a direction and that constitutes the projecting portion is provided, and the brake wire is disposed so as to be folded back via the shaft portion or connected to the shaft portion, thereby The urging force by the means acts on the shaft portion via the brake wire.

  According to the present invention, the urging force of the urging means can be applied to the brake lever using the shaft portion that constitutes the protruding portion. As a result, the brake lever is urged by the urging means, and effects such as a reduction in the number of parts can be obtained.

  The brake structure for a walking vehicle according to a sixth aspect of the present invention is the brake structure according to the fifth aspect, wherein the brake lever is provided with a rotating body that is rotatable about the shaft portion as a rotation shaft and forms a pulley portion together with the shaft portion, The brake wire is disposed so as to be folded back via the pulley portion, and the urging force of the urging means acts on the pulley portion via the brake wire.

  According to the present invention, the pulley portion is formed using the shaft portion of the brake lever, and the brake wire is disposed so as to be folded back via the pulley portion. In this case, when the brake lever operates, the brake wire can be smoothly displaced using the pulley portion. Therefore, the urging force of the urging means can be suitably applied to the brake lever via the brake wire.

The perspective view which looked at the walking vehicle from diagonally forward. The side view which shows the operation part periphery. The perspective view which looked at the operation part periphery from diagonally backward. The side view which shows the periphery of a braking mechanism. The side view for demonstrating the effect | action of a braking mechanism. It is a side view which shows an operation part, and has shown in the state which removed one cover member of the main-body part. The side view which shows the state which removed the brake lever in FIG. The side view which looked at the other cover member of the main-body part from the inner side. (A) is a perspective view which shows a brake lever and the accessory provided integrally with the brake lever, (b) is an exploded perspective view which shows the state which decomposed | disassembled the brake lever and the accessory. It is explanatory drawing for demonstrating an effect | action when operating a brake lever from a standby position to a brake position, (a) shows the state in which a brake lever is in a standby position, (b) has a brake lever in a brake position. Indicates the state. It is explanatory drawing for demonstrating the effect | action when operating a brake lever from a standby position to a lock position, (a) shows the state in the middle of the movement in which a brake lever moves from a standby position to a lock position, (b) The brake lever is in the locked position.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the walking vehicle 10 as viewed obliquely from the front. In the following description, the moving direction when moving the walking vehicle 10 is the front-rear direction, and the direction orthogonal to the front-rear direction is the left-right direction.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the walking vehicle 10 includes a pair of leg portions 11 that are spaced apart in the left-right direction, a seat portion 12 that is provided between the leg portions 11, and each leg portion 11. And a backrest portion 13 which is connected to each other to form a backrest.

  Each leg 11 has a front leg frame 15 and a rear leg frame 16. Each of the leg frames 15 and 16 is formed of a light metal such as aluminum. A front wheel 17 is attached to the lower end portion of the front leg frame 15, and a rear wheel 18 is attached to the lower end portion of the rear leg frame 16.

  The front leg frame 15 and the rear leg frame 16 are connected to each other via a rotation shaft 22 at their upper ends. As a result, each of the leg frames 15 and 16 can be rotated back and forth around the rotation shaft 22. In this case, the leg frames 15 and 16 can be folded back and forth by rotating the front leg frame 15 and the rear leg frame 16 toward each other.

  The rear leg frame 16 has a cylindrical shape, and a support frame 23 is inserted into the rear leg frame 16 from above. The support frame 23 extends in the vertical direction, and a part of the support frame 23 is inserted in a state of protruding upward from the rear leg frame 16. The column frame 23 can be adjusted in the vertical direction in such an insertion state. The support frame 23 is fixed to the rear leg frame 16 by using a screw member 24 at the adjusted position.

  An operation unit 20 is provided on the upper end side of the support frame 23. The operation unit 20 includes a main body portion 25 attached to the upper end portion of the support frame 23, and a handle 26 and a brake lever 27 attached to the main body portion 25. The handle 26 is a portion that is gripped when the user moves the walking vehicle 10. The handle 26 can be adjusted in height (handle height) by adjusting the vertical position of the support frame 23.

  The brake lever 27 is a brake operation unit that is operated when a braking force is applied to the rear wheel 18. The brake lever 27 is connected to a brake wire 28 (see FIG. 6 and the like) inside the main body portion 25, and the brake wire 28 is connected to a brake operating portion 48 provided on the lower end side of the rear leg frame 16. The brake operation unit 48 is operated by a brake operation by the brake lever 27 and applies a braking force to the rear wheel 18. Note that most of the brake wire 28 is inserted into a tube 34 made of a soft resin.

  The seat 12 is supported by two seat frames 31 and 32 that are provided apart from each other in the front-rear direction. Each seat frame 31, 32 is made of a metal pipe material extending in the left-right direction, the front seat frame 31 is fixed to the front leg frame 15 of each leg body 11, and the rear seat frame 32 is The leg body portion 11 is fixed to the rear leg frame 16. The seat 12 is made of a resin sheet material and is fixed to the seat frames 31 and 32, respectively.

  The backrest portion 13 is connected to the upper end portion of each leg portion 11 and is formed in an arch shape (substantially U-shape) that protrudes forward. As for the backrest part 13, the front-end part is used as a backrest.

  Next, the brake structure of the walking vehicle 10 will be described. The brake structure is roughly divided into an operation mechanism for performing a brake operation and a braking mechanism for applying a braking force to the rear wheel 18 based on the brake operation. Therefore, in the following, first, the configuration on the operation mechanism side will be described based on FIG. 2 and FIG. 2 is a side view showing the periphery of the operation unit 20, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the periphery of the operation unit 20 as viewed obliquely from the rear. 2 and 3, the left and right operation units 20 are shown around the left operation unit 20. In FIG. 2, the periphery of the operation unit 20 is viewed from the left side, in other words, the periphery of the operation unit 20 is viewed from the outside in the left-right direction. Incidentally, the inner side in the left-right direction refers to the side between the left and right operation units 20, and the outer side in the left-right direction refers to the opposite side.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, in the operation unit 20, the main body 25 is formed to have a flat shape that extends in the front-rear direction and the vertical direction as a whole, and has a predetermined thickness in the left-right direction. The main body portion 25 includes a pair of cover members 36 and 37 divided in the left-right direction (in other words, the thickness direction of the main body portion 25). The main body 25 is configured by combining these cover members 36 and 37.

  Each of the cover members 36 and 37 is formed of the same hard resin. Each cover member 36, 37 has side cover portions 36a, 37a that face each other in the left-right direction. Of these side cover parts 36a, 37a, the side cover part 36a is disposed on the inner side in the left-right direction, and the side cover part 37a is disposed on the outer side in the left-right direction. The side cover parts 36a and 37a are fixed at a plurality of locations by fasteners 38 such as screws, whereby the cover members 36 and 37 are combined with each other to form the main body part 25.

  Specifically, the cover member 36 includes an upper portion 36b above the side cover portion 36a in addition to the side cover portion 36a. The upper portion 36b extends over the side cover portion 37a, and the upper portion of the main body portion 25 is configured by the upper portion 36b. The upper portion 36b is formed with a cylindrical portion that opens rearward.

  In the present embodiment, the left and right main body portions 25 are configured to be symmetrical to each other in the left-right direction. In the present embodiment, the left and right operation units 20 are further symmetrical with each other in the left-right direction.

  The main body 25 is attached to the upper end of the support frame 23. The upper end portion of the support frame 23 is inserted into the main body portion 25 from below, and the main body portion 25 is fixed to the upper end portion of the support frame 23 with a fastener 43 such as a screw in the inserted state. In the present embodiment, the fastener 43 is screwed into the main body portion 25 from the inner side in the left-right direction.

  As described above, the handle 26 and the brake lever 27 are attached to the main body 25. The handle 26 is formed in a rod shape from a metal material or a resin material. The handle 26 has a proximal end inserted into a cylindrical portion of the upper portion 36b of the cover member 36, and is fixed to the cover member 36 with a fastener 39 such as a screw in the inserted state. Accordingly, the handle 26 is attached to the main body 25 so as to extend rearward from the main body 25. Further, a soft resin cover is attached to the handle 26 so that the user can easily grasp it.

  The brake lever 27 is provided below the handle 26. The brake lever 27 is formed in a rod shape with a hard resin. The base end side of the brake lever 27 is inserted between the cover members 36 and 37 from the rear, and the base end side of the brake lever 27 is inserted into the cover members 36 and 37 (specifically, the side cover portions 36a and 37a in detail). ) To be sandwiched between. Accordingly, the brake lever 27 is attached to the main body 25 so as to extend rearward from the main body 25, as with the handle 26. Further, the brake lever 27 is pivotable (swingable) up and down with respect to the cover members 36 and 37 (and thus the main body 25) in the attached state.

  Here, in addition to the brake function that applies braking force (braking force) to the rear wheel 18 by operating the brake lever 27, the walking vehicle 10 also prohibits rotation of the rear wheel 18 by operating the brake lever 27. A lock function is provided. As described above, the brake lever 27 is pivotable in the vertical direction with respect to the main body 25 and is normally held at a predetermined standby position (see the solid line in FIG. 2). Yes. When the brake lever 27 is moved upward from the standby position, the braking force is applied to the rear wheel 18, and when the brake lever 27 is moved downward from the standby position, the rotation of the rear wheel 18 is prohibited. It comes to be in a state. That is, the brake lever 27 is rotated by a standby position (see a solid line in FIG. 2) and a brake position at which the braking force is applied to the rear wheel 18 above the standby position (one point in FIG. 2). It is possible to displace between a chain position (refer to the chain line) and a lock position (refer to the two-dot chain line in FIG. 2) which is a position below the standby position and where the rotation of the rear wheel 18 is prohibited.

  Next, a configuration on the brake mechanism side that applies a braking force to the rear wheel 18 and prohibits (locks) the rotation of the rear wheel 18 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG. 4 is a side view showing the periphery of the braking mechanism. FIG. 5 is a side view for explaining the operation of the braking mechanism. 4 and 5, the periphery of the braking mechanism is viewed from the inner side in the left-right direction. In FIG. 4, the rear leg frame 16 is indicated by a virtual line for convenience of explanation.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the rear leg frame 16 is provided with a rotating shaft 18a of the rear wheel 18 at the lower end thereof. The rotating shaft 18a extends in the left-right direction, and the rear wheel 18 is attached to the rear leg frame 16 via the rotating shaft 18a. As a result, the rear wheel 18 is rotatable about the rotation shaft 18a.

  A brake actuating portion 48 is attached to the rear leg frame 16 above the rotating shaft 18 a of the rear wheel 18. The brake operating portion 48 is formed by bending a steel plate and has an attachment plate portion 48 a attached to the rear leg frame 16. The attachment plate portion 48a has a rectangular plate shape (rectangular plate shape), and is attached to the rear leg frame 16 via a rotation shaft 51 that extends to the left and right. Thereby, the brake operation part 48 can be rotated around the rotation shaft 51. Further, the mounting plate portion 48a is disposed so as to incline upward as it goes rearward, and is positioned between the rear wheel 18 and the rear leg frame 16 in the left-right direction.

  The brake operating portion 48 (mounting plate portion 48a) is provided with a protruding piece 48b that is bent so as to protrude outward in the left-right direction on one end side (front side) in the longitudinal direction. ) Is provided with a protruding piece 48c bent so as to protrude inward in the left-right direction. These projecting pieces 48 b and 48 c are arranged on both sides of the rotation axis 51 in the longitudinal direction of the brake operating portion 48.

  The protruding piece 48b is disposed above the rear wheel 18. The protruding piece 48 b can be displaced between a position away from the outer peripheral portion of the rear wheel 18 and a position in contact with the outer peripheral portion of the rear wheel 18 by the rotation of the brake operating portion 48. When the protruding piece 48b comes into contact with the outer peripheral portion of the rear wheel 18, a braking force (frictional force) is applied to the rear wheel 18 by the protruding piece 48b (see the one-dot chain line in FIG. 5). Then, the rotation of the rear wheel 18 is restricted by the applied braking force.

  The rear leg frame 16 is provided with a holding plate portion 52 above the brake operation portion 48. The holding plate portion 52 is provided so as to protrude forward from the rear leg frame 16, and is disposed to face the protruding piece 48 c of the brake operating portion 48 in the vertical direction.

  A lower end portion of the tube 34 into which the brake wire 28 is inserted is fixed to the holding plate portion 52 via a fixture 54. The fixing tool 54 has a cylindrical shape and is fixed to the upper surface side of the holding plate portion 52. The lower end portion of the tube 34 is inserted and fixed to the fixture 54 from above.

  The lower end side of the brake wire 28 is led downward from the lower end of the tube 34, and below the holding plate portion 52 through the inside of the fixture 54 and a hole (not shown) formed in the holding plate portion 52. Led. The lower end portion of the brake wire 28 is fixed to the protruding piece 48 c of the brake operation portion 48. As a result, when the brake wire 28 is pulled by the operation of the brake lever 27, the brake operating portion 48 is rotated in conjunction therewith.

  A biasing member 56 is provided between the holding plate portion 52 and the protruding piece 48c. The urging member 56 is formed of a coil spring (spring), one end of which is fixed to the holding plate 52, and the other end is fixed to the protruding piece 48c. In this case, the urging member 56 is disposed in a compressed state as compared with the natural state. As a result, the protruding piece 48c (and hence the brake actuating portion 48) is always urged downward by the urging member 56, and the brake wire 28 fixed to the protruding piece 48c is always urged downward. It has become a state.

  A locking member 58 that can be locked to the rear wheel 18 is fixed to the brake operating portion 48. The locking member 58 is made of a metal bar, and one end (upper end) of the locking member 58 is fixed to the protruding piece 48 c of the brake operating unit 48. The locking member 58 extends downward from the protruding piece 48c.

  The rear wheel 18 is provided with a locked portion 59 to which the locking member 58 is locked. The locked portion 59 has a plurality of locked pieces 59 a provided so as to protrude from the inner surface of the rear wheel 18. A plurality of pieces to be locked 59a are arranged at predetermined intervals (specifically, at equal intervals) around the axis of the rotation shaft 18a, and extend in the radial direction of the rotation shaft 18a. Therefore, each of the locked pieces 59a is arranged radially with the rotation shaft 18a as the center.

  The front end side (lower end side) of the locking member 58 extends toward the locked portion 59. The locking member 58 can be displaced between a position where the locking member 58 is not locked to the locked portion 59 and a position where the locking member 58 is locked to the locked portion 59 by the rotation of the brake operating portion 48. When the locking member 58 is locked to the locked portion 59, the rotation of the rear wheel 18 is restricted (locked) (see the two-dot chain line in FIG. 5).

  In the above configuration, the rear wheel braking unit 45 is configured to include the brake operation unit 48 and the locking member 58. The rear wheel braking unit 45 is rotatable about the rotation shaft 51.

  Next, the operation of the braking mechanism described above will be described with reference to FIG.

  As described above, the brake lever 27 is operable among the standby position, the brake position, and the lock position. In the braking mechanism, the rear wheel braking unit 45 is rotated in conjunction with the operation of the brake lever 27, and the rear wheel braking unit 45 applies a braking force to the rear wheel 18 by the rotation. The rotation of the rear wheel 18 is locked.

  First, the case where the brake lever 27 is in the locked position (see the two-dot chain line in FIG. 2) will be described. In this case, as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. Is locked to the locked portion 59 of the rear wheel 18. Therefore, in this case, the rear wheel braking unit 45 is in a locked state in which the rotation of the rear wheel 18 is prohibited (locked) by the engagement. In this locked state, the walking vehicle 10 cannot travel.

  Next, when the brake lever 27 is moved to the standby position (see the solid line in FIG. 2), the brake wire 28 is pulled upward accordingly, and the rear wheel braking unit 45 rotates. At this time, the rear wheel braking portion 45 rotates while resisting the urging force of the urging member 56. Thereby, as shown by a solid line in FIG. 5, the locking of the locking member 58 with respect to the locked portion 59 is released. Further, in this case, the protruding piece 48 b of the brake operating portion 48 is in a state of being separated from the rear wheel 18. Therefore, in this case, the rear wheel braking unit 45 is in an allowable state that allows the rear wheel 18 to rotate. In this permissible state, the walking vehicle 10 can travel.

  Next, when the brake lever 27 is operated to the brake position (see the one-dot chain line in FIG. 2), the brake wire 28 is further pulled upward accordingly, whereby the rear wheel braking portion 45 further rotates. Also at this time, the rear wheel braking portion 45 rotates while resisting the urging force of the urging member 56. As a result, as shown by an alternate long and short dash line in FIG. 5, the protruding piece 48 b of the brake operating portion 48 of the rear wheel braking portion 45 comes into contact with the outer peripheral portion of the rear wheel 18. Therefore, in this case, the rear wheel braking unit 45 enters a braking state in which a braking force is applied to the rear wheel 18.

  As described above, the rear wheel braking unit 45 is in the permitted state when the brake lever 27 is in the standby position, is in the brake state when the brake lever 27 is in the brake position, and the brake lever 27 is in the locked position. If it is, the lock state is set. It should be noted that the urging member 56 is more compressed than the natural state when the rear wheel braking unit 45 is in the locked state, the allowed state, or the brake state.

  Next, a structure for attaching the brake lever 27 to the main body 25 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 6 is a side view showing the operation unit 20 with one cover member 36 of the main body 25 removed. FIG. 7 is a side view showing a state where the brake lever 27 is removed in FIG. FIG. 8 is a side view of the other cover member 37 of the main body 25 as viewed from the inside. 7 and 8, the brake lever 27 is indicated by a virtual line (two-dot chain line) for convenience. 9A is a perspective view showing the brake lever 27 and an accessory provided integrally with the brake lever 27, and FIG. 9B is an exploded view showing the brake lever 27 and the accessory in an exploded state. It is a perspective view.

  First, the configuration of the brake lever 27 will be described with reference to FIG.

  As shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the brake lever 27 includes a rod-shaped lever main body 27a and a rotating shaft 27b provided at a base end portion (rotating base end portion) of the lever main body 27a. And have. The rotating shaft 27b is provided so as to protrude from the lever body 27a on both sides in the left-right direction. Each rotating shaft 27b has a columnar shape extending in the left-right direction, and is arranged such that the axis lines thereof are located on the same straight line.

  The brake lever 27 (specifically, the lever main body 27a) is formed with a through hole 64 penetrating the brake lever 27 in the left-right direction on the tip side (turning tip side) of the turning shaft 27b. The through hole 64 has a circular cross section, and a metal or resin pin member 65 is inserted into the through hole 64. The pin member 65 has a circular cross section and is attached to the brake lever 27 in a state of being fitted into the through hole 64. The pin member 65 protrudes from the brake lever 27 at both ends in the longitudinal direction (axial direction) in the attached state, and the protruding portions 66 serve as protruding portions 66.

  Further, the brake lever 27 has a vertical direction (in other words, a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the brake lever 27 and the axial direction of the pin member 65) on the tip side (turning tip side) of the turning shaft 27b. A slit hole 68 penetrating through is formed. The slit hole 68 has a slit shape along the longitudinal direction of the brake lever 27, and is formed at the center of the brake lever 27 in the left-right direction (width direction). The slit hole 68 communicates with the through hole 64.

  The slit hole portion 68 is provided with a metal rotating body 69 formed in a disk shape. A shaft hole 69a is formed at the center of the rotating body 69, and a pin member 65 is inserted through the shaft hole 69a. In this case, the rotating body 69 is rotatable about the pin member 65 as a rotation axis, and the pulley body 71 is configured by the rotating body 69 and the pin member 65. Further, a groove portion 72 is formed on the outer peripheral portion of the rotating body 69 over the entire region. The pin member 65 corresponds to the “shaft portion”.

  As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, the base end side of the brake lever 27 is disposed between the side cover portions 36 a and 37 a of the cover members 36 and 37. Each side cover 36a, 37a is provided with a shaft hole 61 into which the pivot shaft 27b of the brake lever 27 is inserted. These shaft hole portions 61 are bottomed hole portions opened toward the inner side in the side surface cover portions 36a and 37a. Specifically, an annular wall portion 62 surrounding the shaft hole portion 61 is provided on the inner side surface of each side surface cover portion 36a, 37a (that is, the opposing surface of each side surface cover portion 37a, 36a). The inner side surrounded by is a shaft hole 61.

  The shaft hole portions 61 (wall portions 62) of the side cover portions 36a and 37a are configured to be symmetrical to each other in the left-right direction. Further, these shaft hole portions 61 are elongated holes extending in the front-rear direction, and more specifically, extend in an arc shape that protrudes obliquely upward rearward.

  The brake lever 27 is attached to the cover members 36 and 37 in a state in which the rotating shafts 27 b are inserted into the shaft hole portions 61 of the cover members 36 and 37. Thereby, the brake lever 27 is pivotally supported by the cover members 36 and 37 around the rotation shaft 27b. Moreover, the brake lever 27 is arrange | positioned so that the pin member 65 (projection part 66) may be located below the rotating shaft 27b in this attachment state. Specifically, the brake lever 27 is arranged such that the pin member 65 is positioned below the rotation shaft 27b in any of the movement ranges of the brake lever 27 including the standby position, the brake position, and the lock position. Yes.

  The urging force of the urging member 56 acts on the brake lever 27 via the brake wire 28. The brake wire 28 is attached with a cylindrical tyco 73 at one end thereof (specifically, the end opposite to the brake operating portion 48 side). The Tyco 73 is inserted into a cylindrical portion 75 provided on the inner surface of the cover member 37 (side cover portion 37a), and is attached to the cover member 37 in the inserted state. Further, the cylindrical portion 75 is disposed in front of the pulley portion 71 of the brake lever 27 in the cover member 37. In FIG. 8, for convenience, the brake wire 28, the Tyco 73, and the tube 34 are indicated by a two-dot chain line.

  The brake wire 28 extends rearward from one end portion to which the Tyco 73 is attached, and is folded forward via the pulley portion 71 on the rear end side. In this case, the folded portion of the brake wire 28 is disposed in the groove portion 72 of the pulley portion 71 (rotating body 69). Further, the portion of the brake wire 28 that is folded forward via the pulley portion 71 is inserted into an insertion hole (not shown) of the wire support portion 74 provided on the inner surface of the cover member 37 (side cover portion 37a). (See FIG. 8). One end portion of the tube 34 is attached to the wire support portion 74, and the brake wire 28 enters the tube 34 from the insertion hole of the wire support portion 74. The brake wire 28 is led out of the main body 25 through the lead hole 41 together with the tube 34. In FIG. 6, for convenience, the wire support portion 74 is indicated by a virtual line (two-dot chain line).

  The leading end of the brake wire 28 led out of the main body 25 is connected to the brake actuating part 48 (see FIGS. 4 and 5). As described above, the brake wire 28 is always urged by the urging member 56 together with the brake operating portion 48 (projecting piece 48c). In this case, the urging force of the urging member 56 acts on the pulley portion 71 via the brake wire 28. And the pulley part 71 and the brake lever 27 are always urged | biased by the energizing force toward the front. Specifically, the urging member 56 urges the brake lever 27 forward when the brake lever 27 is in any position from the brake position to the lock position.

  Guide passages 80 for guiding the protruding portions 66 of the pin members 65 attached to the brake lever 27 are provided in the side cover portions 36 a and 37 a of the cover members 36 and 37. In the brake structure of the walking vehicle 10, when the brake lever 27 moves to the standby position, the brake position, and the lock position, the protrusion 66 is guided along the guide passage 80 as the movement occurs. . Therefore, in the following, a configuration related to the guide passage 80 will be described.

  As shown in FIGS. 6-8, the guide channel | path 80 is formed so that it may extend in the up-down direction substantially inside each side surface cover part 36a, 37a. The guide passage 80 is a groove-like passage opened toward the inside. Specifically, a passage wall portion 81 projects from the inner side surface of each of the side cover portions 36 a and 37 a so as to surround the guide passage 80, and the inner space surrounded by the passage wall portion 81 serves as the guide passage 80. Yes.

  The guide passages 80 of the side cover portions 36a and 37a are configured to be symmetrical to each other in the left-right direction. Therefore, in the following description, the same reference numerals (ie, 80) are assigned to the guide passages 80 of the side cover portions 36a and 37a, and the same applies to the side cover portions 36a and 37a for the portions of the guide passage 80 described below. A reference numeral is attached.

  The guide passage 80 is bent back and forth in the middle of the up-down direction, and extends from the predetermined position K located in the middle of the up-down direction to the upper side and extends backward inclining backward from the predetermined position K. It has the 2nd channel | path part 83 extended inclining back toward the downward direction, and the 3rd channel | path part 84 which inclines forward from the lower end part of the 2nd channel | path part 83 toward the downward direction.

  The first passage portion 82 and the second passage portion 83 have the same or substantially the same inclination angle with respect to the front-rear direction (horizontal direction). The angle formed by the first passage portion 82 and the second passage portion 83 is an obtuse angle. The third passage portion 84 has an inclination angle with respect to the front-rear direction smaller than that of the first passage portion 82 and the second passage portion 83. The angle formed between the second passage portion 83 and the third passage portion 84 is substantially a right angle. In addition, all said inclination angles say the angle of an acute angle side.

  In the following description, a boundary portion between the first passage portion 82 and the second passage portion 83 in the guide passage 80 is referred to as a boundary position 86, and a boundary portion between the second passage portion 83 and the third passage portion 84 is a boundary. It is called position 87. The guide passage 80 is bent at each of the boundary positions 86 and 87. The boundary position 86 corresponds to the predetermined position K.

  The protrusions 66 of the brake lever 27 enter the guide passages 80 of the side cover portions 36a and 37a, respectively. These protrusions 66 are displaced along the guide passage 80 as the brake lever 27 moves up and down. The protrusion 66 is positioned at the boundary position 86 in the guide passage 80 when the brake lever 27 is in the standby position (see FIG. 7 and FIG. 10A), and is guided when the brake lever 27 is in the brake position. It is located at the upper end of the passage 80 (ie, the upper end of the first passage portion 82) (see FIG. 10B), and when the brake lever 27 is in the locked position, the lower end of the guide passage 80 (ie, the third passage). It is located at the lower end portion of the portion 84 (see FIG. 11B).

  The brake lever 27 is held at the standby position. 6 and 7 show a state in which the brake lever 27 is held at the standby position. When the brake lever 27 is in the standby position, the protrusion 66 is positioned at the boundary position 86 as described above. From this boundary position 86, the 1st channel | path part 82 and the 2nd channel | path part 83 are each inclined and extended in the upward and downward direction toward the back. In this case, each of these passage portions 82 and 83 has a substantially V shape, and a boundary position 86 is located at a valley position of the V shape.

  The brake lever 27 (specifically, the pulley portion 71) is urged forward via the brake wire 28 by the urging member 56 as described above. In this case, since the protruding portion 66 is located in the valley portion (boundary position 86) of the first passage portion 82 and the second passage portion 83, the brake lever 27 is biased forward and the protruding portion. 66 can be stably held at the boundary position 86. Thereby, the brake lever 27 can be stably held at the standby position.

  Next, an operation when the brake lever 27 is operated from the standby position to the brake position and the lock position will be described. First, an operation when the brake lever 27 is operated from the standby position to the brake position will be described with reference to FIG. FIGS. 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams for explaining such an action. FIG. 10A shows a state where the brake lever 27 is in the standby position, and FIG. 10B shows a state where the brake lever 27 is in the brake position. In FIGS. 10A and 10B, for the sake of convenience, the brake lever 27 is indicated by a virtual line (two-dot chain line). Further, the rotating shaft 27b and the protruding portion 66 of the brake lever 27 are shown with dot hatches for easy understanding of their movements (these points are shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B described later). ) Is the same).

  As shown in FIG. 10A, when the brake lever 27 is in the standby position, the rotation shaft 27 b of the brake lever 27 is located at the front end portion in the shaft hole portion 61. When operating the brake lever 27 from the standby position to the brake position, the brake lever 27 is moved upward. In this case, the brake lever 27 rotates upward about the rotation shaft 27b while the rotation shaft 27b is positioned at the front end of the shaft hole 61. As the brake lever 27 rotates upward, the projecting portion 66 is displaced from the boundary position 86 with the first passage portion 82 facing upward. And as shown in FIG.10 (b), when the protrusion part 66 reaches | attains the upper end part of the 1st channel | path part 82, the brake lever 27 will be arrange | positioned in a brake position.

  More specifically, since the first passage portion 82 is inclined rearwardly upward from the boundary position 86, the protrusion portion 66 is rearward when the protrusion portion 66 is displaced upwardly from the first passage portion 82. It will be displaced upward while being displaced. Therefore, in this case, the brake lever 27 is moved to the brake position while resisting forward biasing force by the biasing member 56 acting on the pulley portion 71 via the brake wire 28.

  Next, a case where the brake lever 27 is returned from the brake position to the standby position will be described. In this case, the protrusion 66 displaces the first passage portion 82 downward from the upper end portion thereof toward the boundary position 86 as the brake lever 27 moves. Specifically, at this time, the protrusion 66 is displaced downward while being displaced forward. Therefore, in this case, the brake lever 27 naturally moves (returns) to the standby position by the forward biasing force by the biasing member 56 that acts on the pulley portion 71.

  When the brake lever 27 returns to the standby position, the projecting portion 66 returns to the boundary position 86 and is engaged (contacted) with the passage side surface 91a located on the front side among the passage side surfaces 91a and 91b of the second passage portion 83. The And the brake lever 27 is hold | maintained in a standby position by the engagement.

  Each of the passage side surfaces 91a and 91b is opposed to the front and rear with the second passage portion 83 interposed therebetween, and is formed by the passage wall portion 81. The passage side surface 91a corresponds to a “holding portion”.

  Next, the operation when the brake lever 27 is operated from the standby position to the lock position will be described with reference to FIG. FIGS. 11A and 11B are explanatory diagrams for explaining such an action. FIG. 11A shows a state in which the brake lever 27 is moving from the standby position to the lock position, and FIG. 11B shows the brake lever 27 in the lock position. It shows a certain state.

  When operating the brake lever 27 from the standby position to the lock position, the brake lever 27 is moved downward. In this case, with the movement of the brake lever 27, the protruding portion 66 is displaced downward from the boundary position 86 through the second passage portion 83 and the third passage portion 84. And as shown in FIG.11 (b), when the protrusion part 66 reaches | attains the lower end part of the 3rd channel | path part 84, the brake lever 27 will be arrange | positioned in a locked position.

  When the brake lever 27 is moved from the standby position to the lock position, the projecting portion 66 is first displaced from the boundary position 86 through the second passage portion 83 to the boundary position 87 (see FIG. 11A), and then the boundary. It is displaced from the position 87 through the third passage portion 84 to its lower end portion (see FIG. 11B). Therefore, in the following, when the protruding portion 66 is displaced from the boundary position 86 to the boundary position 87 (hereinafter also referred to as the first stage), the protruding portion 66 extends from the boundary position 87 to the lower end of the third passage portion 84. The action in the case of displacement (hereinafter also referred to as the second stage) will be described in order.

  First, the operation of the first stage will be described. In the first stage, the protrusion 66 is displaced from the boundary position 86 toward the second passage 83 downward. At this time, since the second passage portion 83 is inclined rearwardly downward from the boundary position 86, the protrusion 66 is displaced downward while being displaced rearward from the boundary position 86. Accordingly, in the first stage, the brake lever 27 is moved while resisting the urging force of the urging member 56 directed forward acting on the pulley portion 71.

  When the protrusion 66 reaches the boundary position 87, as shown in FIG. 11A, the engagement of the protrusion 66 with the passage side surface 91a is released. The position of the brake lever 27 at this time is hereinafter referred to as a release position. In the first stage, by operating the brake lever 27 from the standby position to the release position, a release operation for releasing the engagement of the protrusion 66 with respect to the passage side surface 91a is performed.

  Here, as described above, the second passage portion 83 extends obliquely backward from the boundary position 86 downward. That is, the second passage portion 83 extends while being inclined to the opposite side to the rotation shaft 27b side with respect to the direction in which the first passage portion 82 extends. Therefore, when the projecting portion 66 is displaced downward through the second passage portion 83 during the release operation, the projecting portion 66 is guided along the passage side surface 91a (in a state engaged with the passage side surface 91a). Thus, the brake lever 27 is displaced to the side from the rotating shaft 27b toward the projecting portion 66 (pin member 65) (in other words, radially outward of the rotating shaft 27b). In this displacement, the rotation shaft 27b of the brake lever 27 displaces the shaft hole portion 61 in the displacement direction (specifically, rearward). Accordingly, the shaft hole portion 61 extends in the displacement direction of the brake lever 27 (rotating shaft 27b) so as to allow the displacement of the brake lever 27.

  Subsequently, the operation of the second stage will be described.

  In the second stage, the protrusion 66 is displaced from the boundary position 87 toward the third passage portion 84 downward. At this time, since the third passage portion 84 is inclined forward from the boundary position 87 downward, the protrusion 66 is displaced downward while being displaced forward from the boundary position 87. Accordingly, in the second stage, the brake lever 27 naturally moves to the lock position by the urging force of the urging member 56 directed forward acting on the pulley portion 71 (see FIG. 11B).

  Further, in the lock position, the protrusion 66 abuts against the passage end surface of the third passage portion 84, and the brake lever 27 is held in the lock position by the abutment. The passage end surface of the third passage portion 84 is formed by the passage wall portion 81.

  As described above, when the brake lever 27 is operated from the standby position to the lock position, the release operation for moving the brake lever 27 from the standby position to the release position is performed (first stage). The brake lever 27 naturally moves to the locked position (second stage).

  Next, an operation when the brake lever 27 is returned from the lock position to the standby position will be described.

  First, when the brake lever 27 returns from the lock position to the release position, the projecting portion 66 displaces the third passage portion 84 upward from the lower end portion toward the boundary position 87. Specifically, at this time, the protrusion 66 is displaced upward while being displaced rearward. Therefore, in this case, the brake lever 27 is moved from the lock position to the release position while resisting the forward biasing force by the biasing member 56 acting on the pulley portion 71 (see FIG. 11A). .

  Next, when the brake lever 27 returns from the release position to the standby position, the projecting portion 66 is displaced upward from the boundary position 87 toward the second passage portion 83 toward the boundary position 86. Specifically, at this time, the protrusion 66 is displaced upward while being displaced forward. Therefore, in this case, the brake lever 27 naturally moves (returns) from the release position to the standby position by the urging force directed forward by the urging member 56 acting on the pulley portion 71 (see FIG. 10A).

  At this time, the brake lever 27 is displaced from the protrusion 66 (pin member 65) toward the rotation shaft 27b, and the rotation shaft 27b moves the shaft hole 61 in the displacement direction in the displacement. Displaces (specifically forward). When the protruding portion 66 reaches the boundary position 86 and the brake lever 27 returns to the standby position, the rotation shaft 27b is positioned at the front end portion in the shaft hole portion 61 (see FIG. 10A).

  Thus, when returning the brake lever 27 from the lock position to the standby position, the brake lever 27 is moved from the lock position to the release position, and thereafter the brake lever 27 is automatically moved (returned) to the standby position. It has become.

  As mentioned above, according to the structure of this embodiment explained in full detail, the following outstanding effects are acquired.

  When the brake lever 27 is operated from the brake position side to the standby position, the protrusion 66 of the brake lever 27 engages with the passage side surface 91a of the second passage portion 83, and the brake lever 27 is held in the standby position by the engagement. The configuration. And it was set as the structure which can cancel | release engagement of the protrusion part 66 with respect to the channel | path side surface 91a by moving the brake lever 27 below from a standby position. In such a configuration, when the release operation for releasing the engagement of the protrusion 66 is performed, the brake lever 27 is guided from the rotary shaft 27b to the protrusion 66 (while the protrusion 66 is guided along the passage side surface 91a. In order to allow displacement to the side toward the pin member 65), each shaft hole portion 61 into which the rotation shaft 27b of the brake lever 27 is inserted has a long hole shape extending in the displacement direction. In this case, since the sliding resistance generated between the protrusion 66 and the passage side surface 91a can be reduced by the displacement of the brake lever 27 in the displacement direction during the release operation, the operability of the brake lever 27 is reduced. Improvements can be made.

  Since the guide passage 80 for guiding the protrusion 66 is provided in the side cover portions 36a and 37a of the cover members 36 and 37, the brake lever 27 can be moved while guiding the protrusion 66 in the guide passage 80. As a result, the brake lever 27 is allowed to displace in the direction in which each shaft hole 61 extends (in other words, the radial direction of the rotation shaft 27b) in addition to the rotation about the rotation shaft 27b. Therefore, the brake lever 27 can be reliably moved to the three positions of the standby position, the brake position, and the lock position.

  When the protrusion 66 enters the third passage 84 from the second passage 83 side by the release operation by the brake lever 27 and the engagement of the protrusion 66 with respect to the passage side surface 91a is released, the forward bias is applied. The brake lever 27 naturally moves to the lock position while the protrusion 66 is guided to the third passage portion 84 by the biasing force of the member 56. Thereby, the operability can be improved with respect to the operation (lock operation) of the brake lever 27 to the lock position.

  The 2nd channel | path part 83 was formed so that it might incline and extend toward the upper direction from the lower end part. In this case, when returning the brake lever 27 from the lock position to the standby position, when the protruding portion 66 passes through the second passage portion 83, the brake lever 27 is moved to the standby position by the urging force of the urging member 56 directed forward. It will be guided by itself. Therefore, the operability can be improved with respect to the operation of returning the brake lever 27 from the lock position to the standby position.

  Since the angle formed by the second passage portion 83 and the third passage portion 84 is a substantially right angle, the protrusion 66 is moved from the second passage portion 83 to the third passage portion 84 when the brake lever 27 is returned from the lock position to the standby position. It can guide smoothly. Thereby, the operability can be further improved with respect to the operation of returning the brake lever 27 from the lock position to the standby position. The angle formed by the second passage portion 83 and the third passage portion 84 may be an obtuse angle. In that case, the protruding portion 66 can be smoothly guided from the second passage portion 83 to the third passage portion 84.

  By arranging the brake wire 28 so as to be folded back via the pin member 65 (with the pin member 65 sandwiched), the urging force by the urging member 56 is applied to the pin member 65 via the brake wire 28. . In this case, the urging force of the urging member 56 can be applied to the brake lever 27 using the pin member 65 constituting the protruding portion 66. Accordingly, the brake lever 27 is urged by the urging member 56, and effects such as a reduction in the number of parts can be obtained.

  Specifically, the pulley portion 71 is formed by assembling the rotating body 69 to the pin member 65 in a rotatable manner. The brake wire 28 is disposed so as to be folded back via the pulley portion 71 (with the pulley portion 71 interposed), and the urging force of the urging member 56 is applied to the pulley portion 71 via the brake wire 28. I did it. In this case, the brake wire 28 can be smoothly displaced using the pulley unit 71 when the brake lever 27 is operated. Therefore, the urging force of the urging member 56 can be suitably applied to the brake lever 27 via the brake wire 28.

  The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and may be implemented as follows, for example.

  In the above embodiment, the brake wire 28 is disposed so as to be folded forward via the pulley portion 71, so that the urging force of the urging member 56 is applied to the pulley portion 71 (specifically, the pin member 65 via the brake wire 28). However, for example, without providing the rotating body 69, the brake wire 28 is disposed so as to be folded forward via the pin member 65, and thereby the biasing force of the biasing member 56 is provided. May directly act on the pin member 65.

  When the rotating body 69 is not provided, one end portion of the brake wire 28 may be fixed (connected) to the pin member 65. Further, one end of the brake wire 28 may be fixed to a portion other than the pin member 65 in the brake lever 27. Also in these cases, the urging force directed forward by the urging member 56 can be applied to the brake lever 27 via the brake wire 28.

  -In above-mentioned embodiment, although the pin member 65 was inserted in the through-hole 64 of the brake lever 27 in the fitting state, this may be changed and the pin member 65 may be inserted in the through-hole 64 in the rotatable state. . In this case, since the pin member 65 can be rotated during the release operation, the sliding resistance between the protrusion 66 and the passage side surface 91b can be further reduced. Thereby, the operativity of the brake lever 27 can be improved more.

  In the above embodiment, the protrusion 66 guided by the guide passage 80 is formed by a part of the pin member 65, but the protrusion may be formed by a part of the brake lever 27.

  In the above embodiment, the guide passages 80 are provided in the side cover portions 36a and 37a of the cover members 36 and 37, respectively, but the guide passage 80 may be provided only in one of the side cover portions 36a and 37a. Good.

  In the above embodiment, the second passage portion 83 of the guide passage 80 is formed so as to incline backward from the boundary position 86 downward, but the second passage portion 83 extends vertically downward from the boundary position 86. It may be formed. However, in order to improve the operability of the return operation of the brake lever 27, it is desirable that the brake lever 27 is formed to be inclined as in the above embodiment.

  In the above embodiment, since the guide passage 80 has a groove shape surrounded by the passage wall portion 81, side wall portions that are part of the passage wall portion 81 are provided on both side surfaces of the guide passage 80. However, among these side wall portions, the side wall portion located on the rear side may not be provided, and only the side wall portion located on the front side may be provided. Also in this case, since the urging force directed forward by the urging member 56 acts on the brake lever 27, the protruding portion 66 can be guided along the front side wall portion. In this case, the passage along the front side wall portion becomes the guide passage.

  In the above-described embodiment, the brake structure of the present invention is adopted for each of the left and right operation parts 20, but the brake structure of the present invention may be adopted only for one of the operation parts 20.

  In the above embodiment, the brake structure of the present invention is applied to the rear wheel 18, but the brake structure of the present invention may be applied to the front wheel 17.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Walking car, 18 ... Rear wheel as wheel, 25 ... Main body part, 26 ... Handle, 27 ... Brake lever, 27b ... Rotating shaft, 28 ... Brake wire, 36a ... Side cover part, 37a ... Side cover part, 56 ... Biasing member as biasing means, 61 ... shaft hole, 65 ... pin member as shaft, 66 ... projection, 69 ... rotating body, 71 ... pulley section, 80 ... guide passage, 82 ... first A passage part, 83 ... a second passage part, 84 ... a third passage part, 86 ... a boundary position as a predetermined position, 91a ... a passage side surface as a holding part.

Claims (6)

A brake structure for a walking vehicle comprising wheels and a handle that is gripped by a user,
A brake lever provided below the handle;
A pivot provided on the brake lever;
A main body portion to which the brake lever is attached via the rotation shaft,
The main body has a pair of side cover portions provided so as to sandwich the brake lever in the axial direction of the rotating shaft,
Each side cover portion is provided with a shaft hole portion into which the rotation shaft is inserted, and the brake lever rotates to each side surface cover portion through the rotation shaft inserted into the shaft hole portion. Is pivotally supported,
The brake lever has a standby position in which rotation of the wheel is permitted by rotation thereof, a brake position that is higher than the standby position and brakes the wheel, and a lower position than the standby position. The position is displaceable in three positions with a lock position that prohibits rotation of the wheel,
The brake lever is provided with a protruding portion that protrudes in the axial direction on the rotating tip side of the rotating shaft,
The side cover portion is provided with a holding portion that engages with the protrusion and holds the brake lever at the standby position when the brake lever rotates from the brake position side to the standby position. ,
By operating the brake lever downward from the standby position, a release operation for releasing the engagement of the protruding portion with respect to the holding portion is possible.
When the engagement of the protruding portion with respect to the holding portion is released by the release operation, the brake lever can be rotated to the lock position.
When the release operation is performed by the brake lever, the brake lever is allowed to be displaced from the rotating shaft toward the protrusion while the protrusion is guided along the holding portion. Preferably, the brake structure for a walking vehicle is characterized in that the shaft hole portions extend in the displacement direction. The side cover portion is provided with a groove-shaped guide passage that guides the protruding portion that is displaced as the brake lever moves from the brake position to the lock position.
The brake structure for a walking vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the holding portion is formed by a part of a side surface of the guide passage. The brake lever is attached to the main body so as to extend rearward in a state where the protrusion is positioned below the rotation shaft, and is attached to the front by a biasing means via a brake wire. And
The guide passage includes a first passage portion extending obliquely rearward and upward from a predetermined position located at an intermediate portion of the guide passage, a second passage portion extending downward from the predetermined position, and a first passage portion thereof. A third passage portion extending obliquely forward from the lower end portion of the two passage portions downward,
The protrusion is positioned at the predetermined position when the brake lever is at the standby position, and is positioned at the upper end side of the first passage portion when the brake lever is at the brake position. When the lever is in the locked position, it is located on the lower end side of the third passage portion,
Of the passage side surfaces of the second passage portion, the holding portion is formed by a passage side surface located on the front side,
When the protrusion enters the third passage portion from the second passage portion side by the release operation, the engagement of the protrusion portion with respect to the side surface of the passage is released. The brake structure for a walking vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the brake lever moves to the lock position while the protruding portion is guided to the third passage portion by an urging force.   The brake structure for a walking vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the second passage portion extends obliquely backward from the predetermined position downward. The brake lever is biased by biasing means via a brake wire,
The brake lever is provided with a shaft portion that extends in the axial direction and constitutes the protruding portion,
The brake wire is disposed so as to be folded back via the shaft portion or connected to the shaft portion, so that the biasing force by the biasing means is applied to the shaft portion via the brake wire. The brake structure for a walking vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the brake structure is configured to act. The brake lever is provided with a rotating body that is rotatable about the shaft portion as a rotation shaft and that constitutes a pulley portion together with the shaft portion,
The brake wire is disposed so as to be folded back via the pulley portion, and an urging force by the urging means is applied to the pulley portion via the brake wire. Item 6. The brake structure for a walking vehicle according to Item 5.

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