JP3246492U - Leg supports and wheelchairs equipped with leg supports - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] The objective is to provide a leg support that can be attached to wheelchairs of various sizes and can properly hold the legs of the user. [Solution] The leg support comprises a sheet-like main body 1 and a holding part 2 for wrapping the main body 1 around the legs of the wheelchair to hold it, the holding part 2 having a fastening part 21 and a fastening receiving part 22 that can be fastened to the fastening part 21 at any position, the fastening part 21 and the fastening receiving part 22 being provided on the same surface of the main body 1. [Selected Figure] Figure 4

Description

This invention relates to a leg support that can be attached to a wheelchair.

When a user sits in a wheelchair, it is necessary to keep the legs off the ground and stable, and for this reason wheelchairs are equipped with a component called a leg support. The leg support supports the user's calves or thighs, preventing the user's legs from moving backwards in the wheelchair and causing an unstable posture.

JP 2022-049027 A

When a person's physical condition or living environment changes, the wheelchair they are using no longer fits, and they will need to switch to a new wheelchair. Leg supports are replaceable parts, but if the wheelchair size is different, a new one will need to be purchased, which poses financial challenges.

Patent Document 1 describes a foot support net that can be attached to a wheelchair of different sizes by providing a hook-and-loop fastener to a strip-shaped member extending from the side edge of the net. However, if the size does not match the wheelchair frame, there will be parts that protrude from the frame or parts that are not covered, which may mean that the user's feet cannot be properly supported.

In view of the above problems, the present invention aims to provide a leg support that can be attached to wheelchairs of various sizes and can properly hold the user's legs, or a wheelchair to which such a support is attached.

The present invention, which solves the above problems, comprises a sheet-like main body and a holding part for wrapping the main body around the legs of a wheelchair and holding it there, the holding part having a fastening part and a fastening receiving part that can be fastened to the fastening part at any position, the fastening receiving part and the fastening part being a leg support provided on the same side of the main body.
This makes it possible to provide a leg support that can be attached to wheelchairs of various sizes and can properly hold the user's legs.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the fastening portion and the fastened portion are spaced apart. The holding portion has a frictional holding portion that has a greater static frictional force with respect to the leg than at least the main body, and the frictional holding portion is provided between the fastening portion on the main body and the fastened portion. Furthermore, the width of the fastening portion and the fastened portion is longer than half the circumferential length of the leg frame. In addition, the fastening portion is spaced apart from the short end of the main body. In addition, the fastening portion is provided at the long end of the main body. These features provide further advantages, such as improved retention and fixing performance of the leg support to the wheelchair and easy installation and removal.

The present invention is a wheelchair comprising a flat, flexible main body and a holding part that wraps the main body around the legs of a wheelchair to hold it in place, the holding part having a fastening part and a fastening receiving part that can be fastened to the fastening part at any position, the fastening receiving part and the fastening part including a leg support provided on one surface of the main body.
This configuration makes it possible to provide a wheelchair equipped with leg supports that can properly hold the legs of a user regardless of size.

In consideration of the above problems, the present invention provides a leg support that can be attached to wheelchairs of various sizes and can properly hold the user's legs.

1 is a perspective view of a leg support for mounting on a wheelchair according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is an enlarged perspective view of a leg support attached to a wheelchair according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the rear surface of a leg support according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a leg support wrapped around a leg frame according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing the rear surface of a leg support according to a modified example of the present invention. FIG.

The leg support X according to each embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The description will be given in detail in the order of the configuration of the embodiment, the method of implementation, and other examples.
The following embodiments are merely examples of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments. In addition, the word "approximately" in the application documents is a concept that includes shapes that are followed by chamfering or rounding, and elements that make up the shape are deformed or changed in length within a range that does not impede the purpose of the configuration.
In addition, in this specification, front, back, left, right, up and down are defined based on the directions as seen by a user in wheelchair A.

<<Embodiment>>
This device comprises a sheet-like main body 1 and a holding portion 2 for wrapping the main body 1 around the legs of a wheelchair A to hold it in place, the holding portion 2 having an attachment portion 21 and a fastening portion 22 which can be attached to the attachment portion 21 at any position, the attachment portion 21 and the fastening portion 22 being a leg support X provided on the same surface of the main body 1.

Here, the structure of wheelchair A will be described using Figure 1. Wheelchair A is a typical wheelchair, and is equipped with a frame portion A1 that forms the frame of the chair portion, a surface covering portion A2 that is a sheet material that is covered at a predetermined position of the frame portion A1 and forms the seat surface and backrest, and wheels A3 that are provided on both side ends of the frame portion A1 and rotate around an axis.

The frame section A1 has two almost identical right and left frames AR and AL spaced apart at a predetermined distance. Each frame member has a seat frame A11 for forming the seat of the wheelchair A, a back frame A12 for forming the backrest, a handle frame A13 attached to the end of the back frame A12 for the caregiver to hold, an armrest frame A14 which is an L-shaped frame whose end is connected to the back frame A12 and whose middle is connected to the seat frame A11, an auxiliary frame A15 which connects the back frame A12 and the armrest frame A14 at the bottom, and a leg frame A16 which protrudes from the same height as the seat frame A11 to follow the user's feet. The seat frame A11 and the auxiliary frame A15 of the opposing frame member are connected by a connecting frame A18, so that the right frame AR and the left frame AL are held at a predetermined distance.

The wheel A3 has a drive wheel A31 that is operated by the user, and a caster A32 that is rotatable about an axis in the vertical direction in front of the drive wheel A31.

Here, one end of the leg frame A16 is connected to the armrest frame A14 at the same height as the seat frame A11 of the handle frame A13, and the other end is open. The leg frame A16 is also connected midway to the foot auxiliary frame A17 extending from near the auxiliary frame A15, forming a truss that holds and fixes the position of the leg frame A16.

The leg frame A16 has a foot support portion A161 that extends downward and forward in a curved line, and a foot rest portion A162 that bends away from the ground near the caster A32 and extends upward and forward.

The leg support X is attached to the foot support section A161 so as to bridge the right frame AR and the left frame AL, thereby preventing the user's feet from moving in the direction of the connecting frame A18, thereby enhancing safety.

The foot support A4 is provided on the foot rest A162 for the user to place the sole of the foot. The foot support A4 is provided so as to be rotatable around the foot rest A162, and is provided so that the rotation is restricted at a predetermined position.

The leg support X has a main body 1 for actually holding the user's foot, and a holding part 2 for holding and fixing the main body 1 to the leg frame A16.

The main body 1 is a sheet material that is flexible enough to be wrapped around the frame A1. Examples of materials that can be used include chemical fibers such as polyester or rayon, cloth materials using natural fibers such as cotton or wool, and other materials such as rubber.

In addition, in this embodiment, the main body 1 is rectangular, and its length is at least 40 cm or more, and preferably 50 cm or more, but is at least greater than the distance between the right frame AR and the left frame AL, and is attached by the holding part 2 in a state where it surrounds the diameter of the frame.

The width of the main body 1 is preferably longer than half the length of the foot support portion A161, for example, greater than 20 cm. This allows a wide surface to come into contact with the user's foot, dispersing pressure and improving comfort, while increasing the area of the support portion 2 to improve support performance.

The main body 1 has a front surface 11 that faces the side against which the user's calves come into contact when in use, and a back surface 12 that faces the connecting frame A18 of the wheelchair A when in use. It is preferable that at least the front surface 11 is made of a material that is smooth and pleasant to the touch. In the following, the longitudinal direction of the main body refers to the longitudinal direction of the main body 1, which is arranged in a strip shape, and the transverse direction of the main body refers to the transverse direction of the main body 1.

The retaining part 2 is equipped with a fastening part 21, a fastening receiving part 22 that can be fixed at any position of the fastening part 21, and a frictional retaining part 23 that has a large frictional force. All of these components are provided on the back surface 12 and are arranged symmetrically on both ends of the main body 1.

The fastening portion 21 is a substantially rectangular sheet-like member provided at each end of the main body in the longitudinal direction. The fastening portion 21 is located at the end, making it easy to adjust the length of the holding portion 2 by directly gripping the fastening portion 21, and tensing the main body 1 for easy installation. It also makes it difficult for the main body 1 to be turned up on the back side. In this embodiment, the fastening portion 21 is the hook surface of a hook-and-loop fastener.

The attachment parts 22 are substantially rectangular sheet-like members provided on the back surface 12 at a predetermined distance from the fastening parts 21 in the longitudinal direction of the body. The length of the attachment parts 22 in the longitudinal direction of the body is at least 20 mm, and by providing them at both ends of the body 1 together with the fastening parts 21, which have substantially the same length, the length can be changed up to four times this length. In the embodiment, the length of the attachment parts 22 in the longitudinal direction of the body is substantially the same as that of the fastening parts 21, and is formed so that when the leg support X is attached to a wheelchair with a representative length in the left-right direction (for example, a seat length of 40 cm), the entire surface of the attachment parts 22 comes into contact with the fastening parts 21. On the other hand, the length of the attachment parts 22 in the longitudinal direction of the body may be longer than that of the fastening parts 21, which allows the length that can be changed to be wider while maintaining the strength of the fastening. It is preferable that the length of the attachment parts 22 in the transverse direction of the body is equal to or greater than that of the fastening parts 21, and in the embodiment, it is substantially the same length.

In this embodiment, the fastening portion 22 is a loop surface of a hook-and-loop fastener, and can be fastened to the fastening portion 21 at any position.

The distance between the fastening part 21 and the fastened part 22 in the longitudinal direction of the main body is at least longer than half the circumferential length of the leg frame A16, and the frictional retaining part 23 is disposed in this region. As a result, as shown in the cross-sectional view of Fig. 4, the frictional retaining part 23 comes into contact with the leg frame A16 at least when the leg support X is in a specific state of use, and further, when the main body 1 is in a tensed state, the frictional retaining part 23 is disposed so that a certain area is pressed against the leg frame A16, thereby improving the retaining performance.
It is more preferable that the distance be equal to or greater than the circumferential length of the leg frame A16 so that the frictional holding portion 23 abuts against the leg frame A16 even if the length of the leg support X is changed. Note that if the fastening portion 21 and the fastened portion 22 are flexible, they do not need to be spaced apart.

The friction retaining portion 23 is a sheet-like material made of a material such as a rubber material such as natural rubber or silicone rubber, leather, or a synthetic resin such as polyurethane, and is made of a material that provides a static friction force between it and the leg frame A16, which is a metal frame, that is at least greater than that of the back surface 12.
In the embodiment, the frictional retaining portion 23 is a mesh-like material, and the surface is roughened to increase the frictional force, and gaps are provided to facilitate sewing to the main body 1, etc. This also increases the flexibility and improves adhesion when wrapped around.

The frictional holding portion 23 is arranged so as to overlap the fastening portion 21 and the fastened portion 22. More specifically, on the upper surface of the frictional holding portion 23 (the direction of the back surface 12 when viewed from the main body 1), the fastening portion 21 is sewn in an overlapping state at one end in the longitudinal direction of the main body, and the fastened portion 22 is sewn in an overlapping state at the other end. This prevents the frictional holding portion 23 from shifting out of position and makes manufacturing easier. Furthermore, by providing the fastening portion 21 and the fastened portion 22 on the upper surface of the frictional holding portion 23, the formation of a step in the actual fastening portion is prevented, improving the holding performance.

Here, the holding part 2 is provided so that both ends are spaced apart from the short-side end of the main body. This part becomes the starting point when the user pulls the fastening part 21 and the fastened part 22 apart when removing the leg support X, and in particular, when the fastening part 21 is provided at the long-side end of the main body, usability during removal is improved. In addition, because the holding part 2 is approximately the same distance away from both ends in the short-side direction of the main body, it can be attached even if the short-side direction is rotated.

"Production method"
The manufacturing method of the present invention will be described in detail below. The present invention is manufactured by a manufacturer of leg supports X.

First, the manufacturer spreads out the main body 1 so that the back surface 12 is exposed, positions the fastening part 21 so that one end overlaps with the longitudinal edge of the main body, and lines up the frictional holding part 23 and the fastened part 22 adjacent to it in the longitudinal direction of the main body. At this time, the frictional holding part 23 is positioned so that its end overlaps with the back surface side of the fastening part 21 and the fastened part 22.

Next, the user sews the fastening portion 21, the attached portion 22, and the frictional holding portion 23 to the main body 1 at their respective edges in this state, thereby manufacturing the leg support X. At this time, the overlapping portions of the fastening portion 21, the attached portion 22, and the frictional holding portion 23 are sewn simultaneously, thereby reducing the number of steps and lowering the manufacturing costs.

"how to use"
The method of carrying out the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. The present invention is carried out by a user who removes the leg support X from a wheelchair and attaches it to another wheelchair. The method of carrying out the present invention shown below is an example, and the method of carrying out the present invention is not limited to this, and the order of carrying out the present invention may be changed.

When the user removes the leg support X from the wheelchair A, the following operations are carried out.
The user removes the holding part 2 by applying force in a direction that pulls the fastening part 21 and the fastened part 22 apart. By repeating this for the holding part 2 on the opposite side, the leg support X can be removed from the wheelchair A. At this time, the user can easily remove the holding part 2 by grasping the short end of the main body 1.

When a user attaches the leg support X to the wheelchair A, the following operations are carried out.
First, the user aligns one side of the holding portion 2 of the leg support X with a predetermined position of the leg frame A16 on the left frame AL side, then wraps the frictional holding portion 23 around the leg frame A16, and in this state fastens the fastening portion 21 and the fastened portion 22 together.

Next, the user aligns the retaining part 2 on the other side of the leg support X with a predetermined position on the leg frame A16 on the right frame AR side. Then, with the frictional retaining part 23 wrapped around and in contact with the leg support X, the user grasps the fastening part 21 and pulls the main body 1 to tension the leg support X. In this state, the user wraps the frictional retaining part 23 around the leg frame A16 to temporarily fix it, and fastens the fastening part 21 and the fastened part 22 to attach the leg support X. At this time, since the fastening part 21 and the fastened part 22 can be fastened at any position, the leg support X can be easily attached even if the frame width of the wheelchair is slightly different.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE In view of the above, the present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and makes it possible to attach and detach a leg support X that can be attached to wheelchairs of various sizes and can properly hold the user's legs.

<Example of change>
As a modified example, as shown in FIG. 5, a length-adjustable holding portion 2 may be provided on one end of the leg support X, and the other end may be fixed as a fixing portion 3 that is fixed so as to be wrapped around the leg support by a predetermined length.

In the embodiment, a snap button is used as the fixing part 3, but a pin may also be used. Also, the fixing part 3 may be configured such that the end is sewn or glued to form a loop, and the leg frame A16 may be inserted into the loop.
Similar to the holding portion 2, a frictional holding portion 23 may be provided between the fixed portions 3 so as to abut against the leg frame A16 when wrapped around.

In this case, the method of use is to fix the fixing part 3 to one leg frame A16 and then hold the holding part 2 to the other leg frame A16, so that the tension of the main body 1 can be easily adjusted.
In this case, it is preferable to make the length of the fastening portion 22 in the longitudinal direction of the main body longer than the length of the fastening portion 21, thereby widening the range of length adjustment in the holding portion 2.

Preferably, the fastening portion 21 and the fastened portion 22 are spaced apart. This allows the holding portion 2 to function properly even if the fastening portion 21 and the fastened portion 22 are made of a material that is less flexible and difficult to wrap around the leg frame A16 (e.g., a hook-and-loop fastener).

Preferably, the holding part 2 has a friction holding part 23 that has a greater static friction force with the leg frame A16 than at least the main body 1, and the friction holding part 23 is provided between the fastening part 21 and the fastened part 22. The friction holding part 23 adheres closely to the leg frame A16 and is pressed in this state, thereby preventing the leg support X from sliding against the leg frame A16 during use. In addition, by abutting against the leg frame A16 when worn, it is possible to temporarily hold the leg support X in any position before wrapping it around, and it is easy to hold the leg support in a desired state with a certain degree of tension.

Preferably, the width of the fastening portion 21 and the fastened portion 22 is longer than half the circumferential length of the leg frame A16. This increases the area where the frictional retaining portion 23 contacts the leg frame A16, further suppressing sliding of the leg support X.

Preferably, the fastening part 21 is spaced apart from the short end of the main body 1. This allows the user to easily remove the fastening part 21 from the fastened part 22 by grasping the short end of the main body 1.

Preferably, the fastening part 21 is provided at the end in the longitudinal direction of the main body 1. This allows the user to easily perceive the position of the end of the fastening part 21, making it easier to fine-tune the fastening position.

X Leg support 1 Main body 11 Surface 12 Back surface 2 Holding portion 21 Fastening portion 22 Attached portion 23 Frictional holding portion 3 Fixed portion A Wheelchair A1 Frame A11 Seat frame A12 Back frame A13 Handle frame A14 Armrest frame A15 Auxiliary frame A16 Leg frame A17 Leg auxiliary frame A18 Connection frame A2 Surface covering portion A3 Wheel A31 Drive wheel A32 Caster A4 Foot support

Claims (7)

The wheelchair has a sheet-like main body and a holding part for holding the main body by wrapping it around the legs of the wheelchair.
The holding portion has a fastening portion and a fastening receiving portion that can be fastened to the fastening portion at an arbitrary position,
A leg support in which the fastening portion and the fastening portion are provided on the same surface of the main body. The leg support according to claim 1, wherein the fastening portion and the fastened portion are spaced apart. The holding portion has a friction holding portion that has a static friction force with respect to the leg that is greater than that of the main body,
The leg support according to claim 2 , wherein the frictional retaining portion is provided between the fastening portion and the fastened portion. The leg support according to claim 3, wherein the width of the fastening part and the fastened part is longer than half the circumferential length of the leg frame of the wheelchair. The leg support according to claim 1, wherein the fastening portion is spaced from the short end of the main body. The leg support according to claim 5, wherein the fastening portion is provided at an end portion in the longitudinal direction of the main body. The wheelchair has a flat and flexible main body and a holding part that holds the main body by wrapping it around the legs of the wheelchair.
The holding portion has a fastening portion and a fastening receiving portion that can be fastened to the fastening portion at an arbitrary position,
A wheelchair in which the fastening portion and the fastening portion include a leg support provided on one surface of the main body.