JP3705379B2 - Manual electric wheelchair - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a manual electric wheelchair in which auxiliary power corresponding to the magnitude of human power applied to left and right wheels via input members is applied to each wheel.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Such a manual electric wheelchair is located between the manual wheelchair and the electric wheelchair, and detects human power (torque) that is intermittently applied to an input member such as a hand rim, and the detected human power (torque) By adding auxiliary power according to the size of the left and right wheels respectively, the physical burden on the occupant is reduced.
[0003]
By the way, as a method for detecting the human force (torque) applied to the input member, the input member is supported by a wheel so as to be relatively rotatable via an elastic member such as a spring, and the relative rotation amount between the input member and the wheel is detected. Thus, a method for detecting the magnitude of human power (torque) proportional to the relative rotation amount is known.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, the applicant of the present invention is considering to support the center part of an input member such as a hand rim on a small-diameter boss part of a wheel hub in this type of manual electric wheelchair.
[0005]
However, normally, when applying manual force to the hand rim, not only the circumferential force but also the lateral force in the vehicle width direction acts, so the hand rim swings in the lateral direction and this lateral deflection causes the support to the small-diameter boss part. As a result, the frictional force increases and the operability is poor, and the human force (torque) applied to the input member in the circumferential direction cannot be accurately detected.
[0006]
The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and its objective is to suppress the lateral movement of the hand rim to improve its operability and accurately detect the human force applied to the hand rim. It is to provide a manual electric wheelchair that can.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 detects the human power input to the hand rim whose center is supported by the hub of each of the left and right wheels so as to be relatively rotatable, and detects the magnitude of the detected human power. A manually operated wheelchair that applies auxiliary power to each wheel and rotationally drives the wheel, and the hand rim is supported by a boss formed on a hub of the wheel so that the center thereof is rotatably supported. A disk-shaped disk is provided, and a plurality of circumferentially located portions in the vicinity of the outer peripheral portion of the disk are provided with a steadying member on the hub side facing the outer end surface of the disk, and a gap between the steadying member and the disk. Can be adjusted to 0 or slightly, and a seal ring made of an elastic body is interposed between the vicinity of the outer periphery of the disk and the hub of the wheel .
[0009]
The invention of claim 2, wherein the invention of claim 1 Symbol mounting includes a feature to adjust the gap between disk of the bracing member by the adjusting screw is screwed retractably on the hub side of the wheel To do.
[0010]
Therefore, according to the present invention, the anti-rest member is provided on the hub side so as to face a plurality of locations in the circumferential direction near the outer periphery of the disc, and the gap between the anti-rest member and the disc can be adjusted to 0 or minutely. The support portion at the center of the hand rim is not distorted , and the lateral movement of the hand rim is suppressed to improve its operability, and the circumferential human force (torque) applied to the hand rim is accurately detected. In addition, since a seal ring made of an elastic material is interposed between the vicinity of the outer periphery of the disk and the hub of the wheel, the sealing performance in the hub is enhanced and the function of the friction damper by the seal ring is accompanied by the inertia of the disk. Circumferential vibration is suppressed. Incidentally, bracing member since provided opposite to the circumferential direction a plurality of locations of the outer peripheral portion of the disc, be pressed against the stop member deflection disk, low surface pressure, the frictional force can be suppressed small. In particular, if the steadying member is made of a resin having a low friction coefficient, the frictional force can be further reduced even if the steadying member contacts the disk .
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0012]
1 is a side view of a manual electric wheelchair according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view of the wheelchair, FIG. 3 is a rear view of the wheelchair, and FIG. 4 is a state where a cover of a wheel hub portion of the wheelchair is removed. FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 4, FIG. 6 is an enlarged detailed view of a portion B in FIG. 4, FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line CC in FIG. FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line EE of FIG. 4, FIG. 10 is an inner side view of the right wheel of the manual wheelchair according to the present invention, and FIG. 11 is an inner side view of the left wheel of the wheelchair. It is.
[0013]
The manual electric wheelchair 1 according to the present embodiment applies auxiliary power to each wheel 2 according to the magnitude of human power applied to the left and right wheels 2 and rotationally drives them. The wheel 2 is detachably attached to the left and right sides of the body of the tatami-type manual wheelchair, and the front and rear portions of the pipe frame-like body frame 3 are movably supported by a pair of left and right casters 4 and wheels 2.
[0014]
A cloth seat 5 on which a passenger should sit is installed at the center of the vehicle body frame 3. In FIG. 1, the sheet 5 is shown in a state where a detachable cushion body is placed on the cloth sheet. The vehicle body frame 3 has a pair of front and rear cross members 3 a as shown in FIG. 3, and the two cross members 3 a forming an X shape are pivotally attached to each other by a shaft 6. The vehicle body can be folded.
[0015]
Further, a pair of left and right back pipes 3b are erected at the rear part of the body frame 3, and the upper end of each back pipe 3b is bent rearward, and a grip 7 for an assistant is attached to the bent part. It has been. In addition, a wheelie bar 8 for preventing overturning that extends obliquely downward toward the rear of the vehicle body (to the right in FIG. 1) is attached to the inside of each wheel 2.
[0016]
The pair of left and right elbow pipes 3c extending horizontally from the intermediate height position of the back pipe 3b of the vehicle body frame 3 to the front of the vehicle body is bent at a substantially right angle to extend vertically downward, A caster 4 is rotatably supported. The front portions of the pair of left and right seat pipes 3d arranged below the elbow pipe 3c extend obliquely downward toward the front of the vehicle body, and a pair of left and right steps 9 are provided at the extended ends (front end portions). Is attached.
[0017]
By the way, each of the pair of left and right wheels 2 is rotatably supported via a ball bearing 12 on an axle 11 supported by an axle mounting boss 10 welded to the vehicle body frame 3 as shown in FIG. On the outside of each wheel 2, a ring-shaped hand rim 13 to be turned by a passenger by hand is provided. As shown in FIG. 7, the hand rim 13 is provided on a disc-like disk 14 that is rotatably supported by a boss 2 b formed integrally with the hub 2 a of the wheel 2 via a bush 50 and a thrust washer 51. It is attached by means of bolts 16 via the spokes 15, so that the hand rim 13 can rotate independently of the wheel 2. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, a seal ring 17 made of an elastic material is interposed between the hub 2a of the wheel 2 and the disk 14, and the disk 14 is bound to this. The cover 18 is covered. The seal ring 17 also functions as a friction damper that suppresses vibration in the circumferential direction due to the inertia of the disk 14 as well as a sealing function.
[0018]
Thus, the hand rim 13 is elastically supported at three locations on the entire circumference so as to be rotatable relative to the wheel 2 in both directions by the structure shown in FIGS.
[0019]
That is, as shown in FIG. 4, rectangular holes 14a are formed in three places on the entire circumference of the disk 14, and are formed in three places on each of the rectangular holes 14a and the end face of the hub 2a of the wheel 2. As shown in FIG. 5, large and small diameter springs 19 and 20 are fitted in the recess 2 a-1, and both ends of these springs 19 and 20 are received by spring receivers 21 and 22. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 9, the springs 19 and 20 are held by a retainer 24 attached to the hub 2 a of the wheel 2 by two bolts 23, so that no manual force is applied to the hand rim 13. In the neutral state, as shown in FIG. 5A, both spring receivers 21 and 22 are in contact with the rectangular hole 14 a of the disk 14, the hub 2 a and the retainer 24.
[0020]
Further, as shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, a resin slider 25 having a U-shaped cross section is slidably fitted and held at the tip of each retainer 24, and each slider 25 is attached to the tip of the retainer 24. It is pressed by an adjusting screw 26 that is screwed forward and backward to the portion, and is brought into light contact with the outer end surface of the disk 14, and the gap between them is adjusted to 0 or a minute value. Accordingly, the disk 14 and the hand rim 13 held by the disk 14 are held by the slider 25 that makes light contact with the three positions on the outer end surface of the disk 14, and the lateral shake (backlash) is suppressed to a small level by the slider 25. Here, the slider 25 is made of polyacetal resin (Duracon), polyamide resin (nylon), fluororesin (Teflon) or the like having a small friction coefficient.
[0021]
As shown in detail in FIG. 6, a guide groove 25a having a semicircular cross section is formed laterally on the inner surface in the width direction of each slider 25, and the width of the tip of the retainer 24 is formed in the guide groove 25a. Protrusions 24a having a semicircular cross section projecting long in the lateral direction are engaged with both end surfaces in the direction, and the slider 25 slides along the protrusions 24a and is engaged by the engagement of the protrusions 24a with the guide grooves 25a. The dropout is prevented.
[0022]
On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 9, the outer end surface of the hub 2a has a human force applied to the hand rim 13 depending on the relative rotation amount and the relative rotation direction between the wheel 2 (hub 2a) and the hand rim 13 (disk 14). A potentiometer 27 for detecting the size and direction is attached so that the position can be adjusted. One end of a lever 28 is attached to the end of the input shaft of the potentiometer 27, and the other end of the lever 28 is a disk. A long hole is engaged with a pin 29 projecting from the pin 14.
[0023]
Incidentally, as shown in FIGS. 9 to 11, a disk-shaped fixing plate 30 is provided on the inner side in the vehicle width direction of each hub 2a of the pair of left and right wheels 2 and is attached to the axle 11. A controller 31 constituting a control means and an electric motor 32 as a drive source are attached to the plate 30.
[0024]
In addition, a space surrounded by the fixed plate 30 is formed inside each wheel 2, and the space is partitioned into a chamber S1 and a chamber S2 by a ring-shaped partition wall 33, and the chamber S1 includes the controller. 31 and a rotary transformer 34 as signal transmission means are accommodated. The rotary transformer 34 performs signal transmission between the controller 31 and the potentiometer 27.
[0025]
Thus, auxiliary power generated by each electric motor 32 is transmitted to each wheel 2 through power transmission means, and this power transmission means includes the belt transmission mechanism G1 and gears G2 and G3. Yes.
[0026]
The human power detection means constituted by the springs 19 and 20 and the potentiometer 27 described above, the signal transmission means constituted by the rotary transformer 34, the control means constituted by the controller 31, the electric motor 32, the belt transmission mechanism G1, the gear G2, and the like. The power transmission means including G3 and the like constitutes an auxiliary power unit, and this auxiliary power unit extends in the radial direction and the axial direction around the hub 2a of each wheel 2 and the axle 11 of the fixed plate 30. The pair of left and right wheels 2 which are arranged in a concentrated manner and thus incorporate the auxiliary power unit in the hub 2a are detachably attached to the vehicle body as described above. Each wheel 2 can be easily pulled out and removed together with the axle 11 by raising the lever 100 shown in FIG.
[0027]
By the way, in the manual electric wheelchair 1 according to the present embodiment, a main switch (not shown) is built in the hub 2a of the right wheel 2, and this main switch is used to rotate the lever 35 shown in FIG. Is turned ON / OFF. That is, the lever 35 is pivotally attached to the axle 11, and a gear 35a is partially formed at the base end of the lever 35. The gear 35a is a sector for turning on / off the main switch. The gear 36 is engaged. Further, an LED (light emitting diode) (not shown) for display is embedded at the tip of the lever 35, and a lead wire 37 led out from the LED is electrically connected to a battery 38 to be described later.
[0028]
Further, in the manual electric wheelchair 1 according to the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 10, a battery 38 is detachably provided on the right wheel 2 side. That is, as shown in detail in FIG. 9, a bracket 39 is attached to the fixing plate 30 of the right wheel 2 by a bolt 40, and a battery holder 41 is attached to the upper portion of the bracket 39 by a screw 42. The battery 38 is attached to and detached from the holder 41 upward.
[0029]
Thus, when the main switch is turned on by rotating the lever 35 in a state where the battery 38 is mounted on the battery holder 41, the battery 38 is provided on each of the left and right wheels 2 via the wire harnesses 52 and 43, respectively. Each auxiliary power unit is driven by supplying power to each auxiliary power unit.
[0030]
By the way, as shown in FIG. 10, the wire harnesses 43 and 52 are electrically connected to each other by couplers 44a and 44b, and one end of the wire harness 43 passes through the grommet 101 and becomes an auxiliary power unit of the right wheel 2. The other end of the wire harness 43 is electrically connected to the auxiliary power unit of the left wheel 2 as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 11, a coupler 45 is attached to the fixed plate 30 of the left wheel 2, and the wire harness 43 connects a coupler 46 bonded to the end of the coupler 45 to the coupler 45. Thus, the electrical connection of the left wheel 2 to the auxiliary power unit can be easily performed with one touch.
[0031]
Next, the operation of the manual electric wheelchair 1 according to the present embodiment will be described.
[0032]
When the occupant applies a force to the left and right hand rims 13 independently, for example, in the forward direction, the springs 19 and 20 are compressed and deformed by the disk 14 as shown in FIG. Is transmitted to the hub 2a, so that each human power is transmitted to the left and right wheels 2.
[0033]
In the above process, each hand rim 13 rotates relative to each wheel 2 by an angle commensurate with the amount of compression deformation of the springs 19 and 20, and the relative rotation amount of the hand rim 13 is expanded by the lever 28 and transmitted to the potentiometer 27. Each potentiometer 27 transmits a detection signal proportional to the relative rotation amount of each hand rim 13 to the control unit of each controller 31 via each rotary transformer 34.
[0034]
Here, since the amount of compressive deformation of the springs 19 and 20 is proportional to the amount of human power applied to the hand rim 13, the controller of each controller 31 applies the detection signal proportional to the relative rotation amount of the hand rim 13 to the hand rim 13. The magnitude of human power to be applied is obtained, a control signal corresponding to the magnitude of the human power is transmitted to the power unit, and electric power (current) having a value corresponding to the magnitude of the detected human power (torque) is transmitted to each electric motor 32. And the electric motor 32 is rotationally driven to generate required auxiliary power.
[0035]
Thus, when each electric motor 32 is driven as described above, the rotation is transmitted to the left and right wheels 2 via the power transmission means including the belt transmission mechanism G1 and the gears G2 and G3. Then, the left and right wheels 2 are rotationally driven by a driving force having a size that is obtained by adding auxiliary power to human power, thereby causing the wheelchair 1 to move forward, and the occupant can easily operate with a small human power of about 1/2 of the total driving power. The wheelchair can be operated.
[0036]
In addition, although the above demonstrated the effect | action at the time of the forward drive of the manual electric wheelchair 1, the effect | action at the time of reverse drive is the same as that at the time of advance.
[0037]
As described above, in the present embodiment, the disk 14 and the hand rim 13 held by the disk 14 are held by the slider 25 that is lightly in contact with three locations on the outer end surface of the disk 14, thereby causing lateral vibration (backlash). ) Is suppressed to be small, the operability of the hand rim 13 is improved, and the human power (torque) in the circumferential direction applied to the hand rim 13 is accurately detected by the potentiometer 27, and the appropriateness according to the magnitude of the detected human power Auxiliary power is applied to each wheel 2. Since the slider 25 is lightly contacted with the disk 14 to such an extent that no frictional force is generated between them, the operating force of the hand rim 13 is kept small, and the human force (torque) applied to the hand rim 13 is reduced by the potentiometer 27. It is detected with high accuracy.
[0038]
【The invention's effect】
As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, the human power input to the hand rim whose center is supported by the hub of each of the left and right wheels so as to be relatively rotatable is detected, and the detected human power is large. In a manual electric wheelchair that applies auxiliary power to each wheel and drives it to rotate,
The hand rim is configured to include a disk-shaped disk whose center is rotatably supported by a boss formed on the hub of the wheel, and the disk is installed at a plurality of circumferential positions near the outer periphery of the disk. An anti-rest member is provided on the hub side facing the outer end surface side, and the gap between the anti-rest member and the disk can be adjusted to 0 or minute, and the vicinity of the outer periphery of the disk and the hub of the wheel Since the seal ring made of an elastic body is interposed between the rims , it is possible to improve the operability of the hand rim by suppressing the lateral touch of the hand rim and to accurately detect the human force applied to the hand rim. Is obtained.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a side view of a manual electric wheelchair according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of a manual electric wheelchair according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a rear view of a manual electric wheelchair according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a front view showing a state in which a cover of a hub portion of a wheel of a manual electric wheelchair according to the present invention is removed.
5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line AA in FIG.
6 is an enlarged detail view of part B in FIG. 4. FIG.
7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line CC in FIG. 4;
8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line DD of FIG.
9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line EE of FIG.
FIG. 10 is an inner side view of a right wheel of a manual wheelchair according to the present invention.
FIG. 11 is an inner side view of a left wheel of a manual wheelchair according to the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Manual type electric wheelchair 2 Wheel 2a Hub 13 Hand rim (input member)
14 disc (input member)
25 Slider (rest member)
26 Adjustment screw 27 Potentiometer

Claims (2)

Detects the human power input to the hand rim whose center is supported by the hubs of the left and right wheels, and applies auxiliary power corresponding to the detected human power to each wheel to rotate it. In a manual electric wheelchair that drives,
The hand rim is configured to include a disk-shaped disk whose center is rotatably supported by a boss formed on the hub of the wheel, and the disk is installed at a plurality of circumferential positions near the outer periphery of the disk. An anti-rest member is provided on the hub side facing the outer end surface side, and the gap between the anti-rest member and the disk can be adjusted to 0 or minute, and the vicinity of the outer periphery of the disk and the hub of the wheel A manual electric wheelchair characterized in that a seal ring made of an elastic body is interposed between the two . Manual electric wheelchair according to claim 1 Symbol mounting and adjusting the gap between the disk of the bracing member by the adjusting screw is screwed retractably on the hub side of the wheel.

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