JP7049237B2 - Bathroom chair - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a foldable bathroom chair used in a bathroom, in particular, pulling up or downward the folding lever of the unlocking means provided so as to be substantially flush with the upper end of the backrest. It relates to a bathroom chair that can be pushed in to fold and unfold the chair with a single touch.

Traditionally, it has been difficult for elderly people, people requiring nursing care, and people with physical disabilities to wash their bodies or take a shower in a standing position when taking a bath. Bathroom chairs are used that have a backrest that holds the back and legs that support these parts. And since bathroom chairs occupy space and get in the way in a small bathroom when not in use, in recent years, bathroom chairs that can be made compact by folding the seat upward when closing the legs. Has been developed.

For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-2957 (Patent Document 1) describes an engaging means for holding a seat portion connected to a leg portion and a seat portion laid in a horizontal state by opening the leg portion. And disengagement means for disengaging the seat, the disengagement means disengages the seat, and the legs are closed to fold the seat upward. Folding chairs that can be disclosed.

However, in the folding chair described in Patent Document 1, the handle and the grip bar for disengaging the seat portion in the horizontal state are arranged at the rear end of the seat portion under the backrest portion. In order to disengage the seat “from the front” of the folding chair and fold the chair, the user must be in a deeply bent position and extend his hand to the rear end of the seat. There is a problem that the chair cannot be easily folded by disengaging the seat, especially for the physically handicapped elderly person, the person requiring nursing care, and the physically handicapped person.

Further, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-67448 (Patent Document 2), as in Patent Document 1, the leg portion and the seat portion are connected, and the seat portion is made horizontal by opening the leg portion. It is equipped with a locking device that holds the position and a unlocking tool for unlocking the seat. The unlocking tool unlocks the seat and closes the legs to fold the seat upward. The bathroom chairs that can be disclosed.

Further, in the bathroom chair described in Patent Document 2, the unlocking tool for unlocking the horizontal seat and the lever piece thereof are not provided on the backrest itself, but from the upper end of the backrest. Is provided on the front leg frame that supports the backrest portion from the back side at the lower position (paragraph 0045 of Patent Document 2, FIG. 9 (b)).

Therefore, in order to unlock the seat, for example, with the thumb of one hand resting on the overhanging portion provided at the upper end of the backrest, the index finger or middle finger of the same hand may be placed on the lever piece. It is necessary to unlock by hooking it on the lower side and strongly "grasping" one hand (paragraph 0045 of Patent Document 2), for elderly people without grip strength, people requiring nursing care, persons with physical disabilities, etc. There was a problem that the seat could not be unlocked and the bathroom chair could not be folded by itself. In addition, it is difficult for elderly people who have a narrow range of motion of joints such as wrists to reach from the front of the bathroom chair to the lower position on the back side of the backrest to operate the lever piece. Therefore, there was also a problem that it was not easy to fold it from the front of the chair.

Further, since the lever piece of the release tool described in Patent Document 2 is rotatably attached, it is suitable for an operation in which a thumb or the like is hung on the upper end of the backrest portion to grip the lever piece. , It is not suitable for the operation of pulling up the lever piece because the angle of the lever piece on which the finger is hooked changes. For this reason, when carrying a folded bathroom chair by operating the lever piece, the lever piece is located behind the backrest, and the hand that operated the lever piece is called the lever piece. There was a problem that it had to be replaced with a grip hole provided in the upper part of the backrest. Further, there is also a problem that it is difficult to lean the back surface of the backrest portion against the wall without a gap while holding the lever piece.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-250897 (Patent Document 3) describes the movement of the backrest with respect to the legs at the positions of the seat attached so as to rotate by lifting the backrest and the seat portion that is substantially horizontal. It is equipped with a locking mechanism to regulate and an unlock button to release the restriction on the movement of the backrest, and by grasping the unlock button from below and lifting it upward, the restriction on the movement of the backrest with respect to the legs is released. A folding chair is disclosed in which the seat portion rotates in conjunction with the movement of the backrest portion and can be folded in a substantially horizontal plane.

However, in the folding chair described in Patent Document 3, the unlock button for releasing the restriction on the movement of the backrest with respect to the legs at the position of the seat that is substantially horizontal is the lower end of the backrest at the rear end of the seat. In order to lift the restriction on the movement of the backrest part and fold the chair "from the front" of the folding chair, the user bends deeply like the folding chair described in Patent Document 1. There is a problem that you have to insert your hand to the lower end of the backrest located at the rear end of the seat in a posture, especially for the physically handicapped elderly, people requiring care, and people with physical disabilities. Has a problem that the chair cannot be easily folded by removing the restriction on the movement of the backrest.

Further, since the unlock button described in Patent Document 3 is arranged at the lower end of the backrest portion, the user can use the chair unless an opening for a handle, a handle, or the like is provided separately from the unlock button. There is a problem that the unlock button is erroneously operated when carrying the chair, and the folding chair is folded even if the user does not intend (paragraph 0056 of Patent Document 3).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2008-295735 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2011-67448 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2011-250897

Therefore, the present invention includes a locking means for holding the expanded seat portion in a substantially horizontal state and an unlocking means for unlocking the seat portion, in which the leg portion and the seat portion are connected to each other. To provide a bathroom chair in which the seat can be rotated between a substantially horizontal unfolded state and a substantially vertical folded state by one-touch operation of the folding lever of the unlocking means. With the goal.

In the present invention, the legs and the seat are connected to each other, and the seat is unlocked by the locking means for holding the position of the seat in a horizontal state by opening the legs and the unlocking means. However, in a bathroom chair where the legs can be closed by folding the seat upward, the shape, operating method, mounting position, etc. of the folding lever of the unlocking means have been thoroughly studied, and as a result, the folding lever is placed on the backrest. We have found that the above problems can be solved by arranging the portions so as to be incorporated in the upper end portion and further devising the shape and operating method thereof, and have completed the present invention.

That is, according to the present invention, the leg frame having a pair of left and right legs, the backrest attached to the leg frame, and the leg frame rotatably between a substantially horizontal unfolded state and a substantially vertical folded state. In the bathroom chair consisting of the seat attached to the seat, the seat is provided with a locking means for engaging the seat with the leg frame to maintain a substantially horizontal unfolded state, and the backrest is provided with a locking means. Is provided with an unlocking means for disengaging the seat and the leg frame by the locking means, and the unlocking means has a folding lever for holding a hand, and the folding means. A bathroom chair is provided in which the lever is arranged so that its upper end is substantially flush with the upper end of the backrest. In addition, when the bathroom chair is folded and made to stand on a horizontal surface, the upper end of the backrest and the upper end of the folding lever are inclined so as to increase from the front surface side to the back surface side of the backrest portion. Is preferable.

Generally, in a folding chair, if a movable part such as a lever is provided at the upper end portion of the backrest portion, the movable part protrudes toward the back side at the upper end portion of the backrest portion, so that the folded chair is brought into close contact with a wall or the like to make it compact. It causes the inconvenience of not being able to be accommodated. In addition, if the unlocking means and its operating lever are directly attached to the backrest, the movement of the lever will be transferred to the locking means because it will be separated from the frame member such as the legs suitable for passing the operation transmitting means such as wires. There is a problem that it is difficult to dispose of it in a good-looking manner without impairing the function of the operation transmission means for transmission.

In the present invention, a concave portion is provided on the back surface of the backrest portion, and the folding lever of the unlocking means is slidably attached in the vertical direction along the back surface of the backrest portion in the concave portion to stretch the backrest portion to the back side. I found that I could prevent it from appearing and solved the above problem. That is, in the bathroom chair of the present invention, even if the seat portion is brought into contact with, for example, a vertical wall surface in a substantially horizontally unfolded open leg state, the folding lever does not project to the back side of the backrest portion and is in the vertical direction. Since it is slidable, it is possible to easily operate it by inserting the finger of the hand through the gap created between the folding lever and the wall surface.

As for the operation transmission means for transmitting the movement of the folding lever to the locking means, the folding lever is slidably attached in the vertical direction along the back surface of the backrest portion, and the backrest portion is further combined with the wire and the lever means. We found that the vertical linear motion of the folding lever in the recess on the back surface of the lever can be converted into a substantially horizontal rotary motion of the lever means, and solved the above problem.

In the present invention, "substantially flush" means a state in which there is almost no step between the surface of the upper end portion of the folding lever and the surface of the upper end portion of the backrest portion, and in a strict sense, a state in which there is no step. It doesn't mean anything. In the present invention, the upper end portion of the folding lever and / or the upper end portion of the backrest portion is an area used by the user for pushing downward, for example, by the palm to open the bathroom chair in the folded state. .. For this reason, "substantially flush" means the surface of the upper end of the folding lever to the extent that the user does not feel a step even if the upper end of the folding lever and the upper end of the backrest are simultaneously pushed by the palm. It suffices if the surface of the upper end portion of the backrest portion is continuously formed.

In the bathroom chair of the present invention, the folding lever is preferably attached so as to be slidable in the vertical direction along the back surface of the backrest portion, and the upper end portion of the folding lever is above the upper end portion of the backrest portion. More preferably, it is slidable only in the area.

Further, the unlocking means includes a slide restricting slot provided on the folding lever and a slide regulating protrusion provided on the cover to be inserted into the slide regulating slot in order to regulate the slide amount of the folding lever. It is preferable to provide a slide restricting means, and the slide restricting protrusion may be provided on the back surface of the backrest portion. Further, the slide restricting means may be provided with a slide restricting slot on the back surface of the cover or the backrest portion and a slide restricting protrusion on the folding lever. In the present invention, by providing the slide regulating means in the unlocking means, after the folding lever is pulled up to the slide limit, the bathroom chair can be continuously lifted and carried without releasing the puller.

Further, in the present invention, the leg frame includes a front leg frame and a rear leg frame, the front leg frame and the rear leg frame are rotatably attached to each other, and the front leg frame and the rear leg frame are attached to each other. The movement of opening and closing between the separated leg open state and the close leg closed state may be linked to the movement of rotating the seat between the substantially horizontal unfolded state and the substantially vertical folded state. preferable.

In the present invention, the folding lever is pulled upward to release the engagement between the seat portion and the leg frame by the locking means, and the bathroom chair in the open leg state in which the seat portion is expanded substantially horizontally is seated. It is also used to open the bathroom chair that is in the closed leg state by pushing it downward while making the part folded almost vertically. For this reason, the upper end of the folding lever slides above the upper end of the backrest, but by preventing it from sliding below the upper end of the backrest, the bathroom chair can be lifted by the above-mentioned pulling operation. The legs can be closed and the seat can be folded, and the bathroom chair can be opened and the seat can be unfolded easily and reliably by pushing the chair.

Therefore, it is preferable that the folding lever is non-rotatably attached to the back surface of the backrest portion.

The folding lever causes the bathroom chair in the open leg state to be folded almost vertically by the pulling operation, and the seat part in the bathroom chair in the closed leg state by the pushing operation. It is used to open the legs in the unfolded state. For this reason, if the folding lever is rotatable, the angle of the folding lever changes during the pulling operation and the pushing operation, which lowers the operability, and after pulling up the folding lever, the puller is not released. This is because the function peculiar to the present invention that the bathroom chair can be continuously lifted and carried is lost.

As described above, in the bathroom chair of the present invention, as the unlocking means for disengaging the seat portion and the leg frame by the locking means, the chair slides in the vertical direction only in the region above the upper end portion of the backrest portion. Since the folding lever is arranged so that its upper end is substantially flush with the upper end of the backrest, the seat and the leg frame can be engaged by the locking means only by one-touch operation of pulling the folding lever upward. It is released and the seat can be rotated from a substantially horizontal unfolded state to a substantially vertical folded state to bring the bathroom chair into a closed leg state. In addition, the bathroom chair can be lifted and carried as it is without having to change the hand with the folding lever pulled up.

Further, the bathroom chair can be opened in the open leg state by rotating the seat portion from a substantially vertical folded state to a substantially horizontal unfolded state only by a one-touch operation of pushing the folding lever downward. In particular, in the case of the bathroom chair of the present invention, when the bathroom chair is folded and made to stand on a horizontal surface, the upper end portion of the backrest portion and the upper end portion of the folding lever become higher from the front surface side to the back surface side of the backrest portion. As a result of this inclination, the force is easily transmitted to the hind legs and the hind leg frame by pressing the upper end of the backrest and the upper end of the folding lever, and as a result, the bathroom chair can be deployed. It will be easier.

In the bathroom chair of the present invention, the unlocking means has a first arm and a second arm, and is equipped with a lever means rotatably mounted around a rotation axis, and a folding lever. Is preferably connected to the first arm.

In the present invention, when the folding lever is connected to one of the arms of the lever means provided with the first arm and the second arm, the folding lever causes a linear motion in the vertical direction along the back surface of the backrest portion. At any position on the backrest, the other arm of the lever means can be taken out as a reciprocating motion on an arc in any direction along the back of the backrest. Therefore, if a wire for transmitting the operation by the folding lever to the locking means is connected to the other arm of the lever means, the wire will not be hindered by extreme bending or the like, and the movement of the wire will not be hindered, and the backrest portion will be aesthetically pleasing. It will be possible to arrange it freely inside or outside.

Also, the length of the first arm of the lever means (more accurately, the distance from the connection point with the folding lever in the first arm to the rotation axis) and the length of the second arm (more accurately). , The distance from the connection point (mounting point) with the wire in the second arm to the rotation axis) can be arbitrarily set and adjusted, and each attachment angle of the lever means to the rotation axis can be arbitrarily set. It can also be set and adjusted. In other words, the first arm and the second arm can have the same length (distance from the connection point to the axis of rotation) or different lengths. Further, the first arm and the second arm can be aligned linearly with each other with respect to the rotation axis of the lever means, or they can be attached at different angles and arranged so as not to be aligned linearly.

As a result, the vertical stroke by the folding lever and its operating force can be freely increased or decreased as the stroke on the arc by the other arm of the lever means and its operating force via the lever means. can.

In the bathroom chair of the present invention, the leg frame preferably includes a reinforcing frame that connects a pair of left and right legs, and by engaging the seat portion with the reinforcing frame by a locking means, the seat portion can be provided. It can be locked to easily and reliably hold the horizontal position.

According to the present invention, as an unlocking means for releasing the engagement between the seat portion and the leg frame by the locking means, a folding lever that slides in the vertical direction only in the region above the upper end portion of the backrest portion is provided at the upper end thereof. Since the part is arranged so as to be substantially flush with the upper end part of the backrest part, the engagement between the seat part and the leg frame by the locking means is released by only one-touch operation of pulling up the folding lever upward, and the seat part. Can be rotated from a substantially horizontal unfolded state to a substantially vertical folded state to close the bathroom chair. In addition, the bathroom chair can be lifted and carried as it is without having to change the hand with the folding lever pulled up.

Further, the bathroom chair can be opened in the open leg state by rotating the seat portion from a substantially vertical folded state to a substantially horizontal unfolded state only by a one-touch operation of pushing the folding lever downward.

According to the present invention, by connecting the folding lever to one of the arms of the lever means provided with the first arm and the second arm in a connecting manner, the folding lever is connected in the vertical direction along the back surface of the backrest portion by the folding lever. The linear motion of the backrest can be taken out as a reciprocating motion on an arc in any direction along the back surface of the backrest by the other arm of the lever means at any position of the backrest.

Further, according to the present invention, the lengths of the first arm and the second arm of the lever means are arbitrarily set and adjusted, and the mounting angles of the lever means with respect to the rotation axis are arbitrarily set and adjusted. By doing so, the vertical stroke by the folding lever and its operating force can be freely increased or decreased as the stroke on the arc by the other arm of the lever means and its operating force via the lever means. You will also be able to do it.

It is a perspective view which looked at the bathroom chair which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention from above. It is a perspective view which looked at the bathroom chair shown in FIG. 1 from the bottom. It is a front view of the bathroom chair shown in FIG. It is a rear view of the bathroom chair shown in FIG. It is a top view of the bathroom chair shown in FIG. It is a left side view which shows the state which opened the leg of the bathroom chair shown in FIG. 1, and expanded the seat part substantially horizontally. FIG. 3 is a left side view showing a state in which the bathroom chair shown in FIG. 1 is closed and the seat portion is folded substantially vertically. FIG. 1 is a partially enlarged schematic view of the locking means for showing the operation of the locking means of the bathroom chair shown in FIG. 1, where (a) shows the position where the engaging claw is in the locked state, and (b) is. Indicates the position where the engaging claw is in the unlocked state. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line BB of the locking means showing the operation of the locking means of the bathroom chair shown in FIG. 8, where (a) shows a position where the engaging claw is in the locked state, and (b) shows the engaging claw. It shows the position in the unlocked state, and (c) shows a partially enlarged view of the engaging claw. It is a perspective view which shows the disassembled state of the backrest part of the bathroom chair shown in FIG. FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a backrest portion showing the operation of the unlocking means of the bathroom chair shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 1A shows a position where the folding lever is in the locked state, and FIG. 1B shows the folding lever in the unlocked state. It shows a certain position. FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line AA of the backrest portion showing the operation of the unlocking means of the bathroom chair shown in FIG. 4, the solid line indicates the position where the folding lever is in the locked state, and the broken line indicates the position where the folding lever is in the unlocked state. It shows the position. FIG. 1 is a perspective view and a partially enlarged view of the bathroom chair in a folded state as viewed from the back side in order to show the seat urging means of the bathroom chair shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 13 is a schematic view showing the operation of the seat urging means of the bathroom chair shown in FIG. 13, in which (a) shows a state in which the bathroom chair is opened, and (b) shows a state in which the bathroom chair is closed. Shows.

Hereinafter, the bathroom chair according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the examples shown below, and various modifications can be made without departing from the technical idea of the present invention.

1. 1. Overall Configuration of Bathroom Chair FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the bathroom chair 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention as viewed from above, and FIG. 2 shows the bathroom chair 1 shown in FIG. 1. Is shown from below. Further, FIGS. 3, 4, and 5 show a front view, a rear view, and a plan view of the bathroom chair 1 shown in FIG. Further, FIG. 6 shows a left side view showing a state in which the bathroom chair 1 shown in FIG. 1 is opened and the seat portion 6 is expanded substantially horizontally, and FIG. 7 shows FIG. 1 A left side view showing a state in which the bathroom chair shown in the above is closed and the seat is folded substantially vertically is shown. In the specification of the present application, unless otherwise specified, the front side of the backrest portion 5 of the bathroom chair 1 is "front", the back side of the backrest portion 5 is "rear", and the bathroom chair 1 is seated. The side with the left hand is called "left" and the side with the right hand is called "right".

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the leg frame 2 of the bathroom chair 1 of the present embodiment extends upward from the front leg portion 30 and the front leg portion 30, and has a support portion 31 for attaching the backrest portion 5. A pair of left and right front leg frames 3 are included. In the front leg frame 3, the pair of left and right support portions 31 have horizontal portions at the upper portions thereof, and are connected to each other so as to form a downward U-shape in front view. Further, the leg frame 2 of the bathroom chair 1 of the present embodiment includes a rear leg frame 4 provided with a rear leg portion 40, and is rotatably attached to the front leg frame 3. The front leg frame 3 and the rear leg frame 4 are both formed of hollow metal pipes, but the material is not limited thereto.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the front leg frame 3 also serves as reinforcement, and the first reinforcing frame 32 connecting the pair of left and right front leg portions 30 and the front side of the first reinforcing frame 32. It has a second reinforcing frame 33 arranged in. The first reinforcing frame 32 can rotatably fix the seat portion 6 to the first reinforcing frame 32 by engaging with the engaging claw 80 of the locking means 8 described later. Further, in the second reinforcing frame 33, the movement of the seat portion 6 rotating between the substantially horizontal unfolded state and the substantially vertical folded state is set between the open leg state separated from each other and the closed leg state close to each other. A pair of links 63 connected to a pair of second brackets 62 provided on the back surface of the seat 6 are rotatably attached in order to interlock with the movements of the front leg frame 3 and the rear leg frame 4 that open and close between them. Has been done.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the rear leg frame 3 has a seat support frame 41 for connecting a pair of left and right rear leg portions 40 (rear leg frame 4) and a seat support frame for reinforcement. It has a reinforcing frame 42 arranged on the rear side of 41. The seat support frame 41 is non-rotatably attached to a pair of left and right rear leg portions 40, and the seat portion 6 is attached via a pair of first brackets 61 provided on the back surface of the seat portion 6. It is rotatably attached to the seat support frame 41.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a sleeve-shaped front leg movable portion 300 and a rear leg movable portion 400 are slidably attached to the outer periphery of the front leg portion 30 and the rear leg portion 40, and the front leg is movable. By adjusting the insertion length of the portion 300 and the rear leg movable portion 400, the lengths of the front leg portion 30 and the rear leg portion 40 (height of the seat portion 6) with respect to the front leg portion 30 and the rear leg portion 40 can be adjusted. It has become. Further, the front leg movable portion 300 and the rear leg movable portion 400 are provided with a plurality of engaging holes 301, 401 along the longitudinal direction, and the engaging holes 301, 401 are provided in the front leg portion 30 and the rear leg portion. By aligning and fitting with a pin (not shown) provided on the 40, the insertion length of the front leg movable portion 300 and the rear leg movable portion 400 with respect to the front leg portion 30 and the rear leg portion 40 can be adjusted. ..

Further, a resin cap 402 is attached to the tip of the rear leg movable portion 400 to prevent the floor from being scratched or slipped, and the front leg movable portion 300 is provided with the front leg movable portion 300 to prevent the floor from being scratched or slipped. In addition, a resin cap 302 having a ground plane and a roller is attached to facilitate opening and closing of the bathroom chair 1 in the closed leg state (see FIG. 2).

The backrest portion 5 is made of a resin material, and a backrest cushion 50 made of foamed resin is attached to the front surface thereof. Further, the backrest portion 5 is screwed to a horizontal portion connecting a pair of left and right support portions 31 at the upper part of the front leg frame 3 via a mounting bracket (see FIG. 4).

The pair of left and right armrests 7 are made of a resin material, and are rotatably attached to the pair of left and right support portions 31 at the upper part of the front leg frame 3 (see FIG. 1).

The seat portion 6 is made of a resin material, and a seat cushion 60 made of foamed resin is attached to the surface thereof. As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 6 and 7, a pair of first brackets 61 are provided on the back surface of the seat portion 6, and a sleeve (FIG. 2) is provided through the through hole of the first bracket 61. By inserting the seat support frame 41 through (not shown), the seat support frame 41 is rotatably attached to the pair of left and right rear leg portions 40 (rear leg frame 4).

Further, on the back surface of the seat portion 6, a pair of second brackets 62 are provided on the front side of the pair of first brackets 61, and one end of the pair of links 63 is the second bracket 61. It is rotatably attached to the through hole of. Further, the other ends of the pair of links 63 are rotatably attached so as to clamp the second reinforcing frame 33 connecting the pair of left and right front leg portions 30. Therefore, in the bathroom chair 1 of the present embodiment, when the seat portion 6 is rotated between a substantially horizontal unfolded state (FIG. 6) and a substantially vertical folded state (FIG. 7), the seat portion 6 In conjunction with the movement, the front leg frame 3 and the rear leg frame 4 open and close between the open leg state (FIG. 6) separated from each other and the closed leg state (FIG. 7) close to each other.

Although not shown, the seat portion 6 does not necessarily have to be rotatably attached to the rear leg frame 4, and may be rotatably attached to the front leg frame 3. In this case, for example, by providing a seat support frame on the pair of left and right front leg portions 30 (front leg frame 3), the seat portion 6 can be easily and rotatably attached to the front leg frame 3 in the same manner as the rear leg frame 4 described above. be able to.

2. 2. Locking means FIG. 8 shows a partially enlarged schematic view of the locking means 8 in order to show the operation of the locking means 8 of the bathroom chair 1 of the present embodiment, and FIG. 8A shows an engaging claw. 80 indicates a position where the engaging claw 80 is engaged with the first reinforcing frame of the front leg frame 3 and is in the 32 locked state, and in (b), the engaging claw 80 is separated from the first reinforcing frame of the front leg frame 3. Indicates the position in the unlocked state. Further, FIG. 9 shows a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB of the locking means 8 showing the operation of the locking means 8 of the bathroom chair 1 shown in FIG. The position where the engaging claw 80 is engaged with the first reinforcing frame 32 of the frame 3 and is in the locked state is shown, and in (b), the engaging claw 80 is separated from the first reinforcing frame of the front leg frame 3 and is in the unlocked state. (C) shows a partially enlarged view of the engaging claw 80.

In the bathroom chair 1 of the present embodiment, the locking means 8 is a string-wound spring-shaped claw that urges the engaging claw 80 and the engaging claw 80 in a direction in which the engaging claw 80 is engaged with the first reinforcing frame 32 of the front leg frame 3. The urging means 81 is provided with an engaging claw 80 and a housing 82 accommodating the claw urging means 81, and is screwed to the back surface of the seat 6 via the housing 82.

The engaging claw 80 is housed in the housing 82 so as to be slidable diagonally downward with respect to the back surface of the seat 6 so that the engaging claw 80 can be engaged with and disengaged from the first reinforcing frame 32 of the front leg frame 3. A wire 92 for transmitting an operation by the folding lever 90 of the unlocking means 9, which will be described later, is connected to the rear end of the engaging claw 80.

The housing 82 is for fixing an opening 820 for slidingly advancing and retracting the engaging claw 80 to its tip, and a tip of a sheath 920 for slidably accommodating the wire 92 and a claw urging means 81. Has a fixed wall 821. Then, a string-wound spring-shaped claw urging means 81 is arranged between the rear end of the engaging claw 80 connected to the wire 92 and the fixed wall 821, and the engaging claw 80 is first reinforced by the front leg frame 3. Bounce in the direction of engagement with the frame.

The engaging claw 80 has a sliding contact surface 800 that engages with the first reinforcing frame 32 of the front leg frame 3, and the sliding contact surface 800 is from the slide direction and from the first reinforcing frame 32. It includes an inclined surface 801 inclined to the separated side (see FIG. 9 (c)).

As shown in FIGS. 8 (a) and 9 (a), the engaging claw 80 engages with the first reinforcing frame 32 by crossing over the first reinforcing frame 32, and the seat portion 6 Is fixed to the first reinforcing frame 32 and held in a substantially horizontal unfolded state. Further, as shown in FIGS. 8 (b) and 9 (b), the engaging claw 80 is completely retracted from the first reinforcing frame 32 to engage with the first reinforcing frame 32. Is released, and the seat portion 6 is separated from the first reinforcing frame 32 to allow a substantially vertical folded state.

In the present embodiment, since the sliding contact surface 800 of the engaging claw 80 has the inclined surface 801 as described above (FIG. 9 (c)), when the engaging claw 80 is disengaged from the first reinforcing frame 32. The first reinforcing frame 32 is before the engaging claw 80 is completely retracted to a position where the engaging claw 80 does not interfere with the first reinforcing frame 32 (non-transverse position shown in FIGS. 8 (b) and 9 (b)). Allows movement relative to the central axis of the engaging claw 80 (eg, wire 92). Further, in the present embodiment, the locking means 8 provided with the engaging claw 80 is attached to the seat portion 6, and the first reinforcing frame 32 is attached to the front leg frame 3, so that the first reinforcing frame 32 is attached. The movement of the seat portion 6 toward the central axis of the engaging claw 80 allows the seat portion 6 to move away from the front leg frame 3.

That is, in the bathroom chair 1 of the present embodiment, when the seat portion 6 and the front leg frame 3 are unlocked, the engagement of the seat portion 6 with the first reinforcing frame 32 by the engaging claw 80 is completely released. From the stage immediately before the seat 6 is formed, the seat portion 6 can be smoothly transitioned from a substantially horizontal unfolded state to a substantially vertical folded state, and accordingly, the front leg frame 3 and the rear leg frame 4 are separated from each other in the open leg state. It is also possible to smoothly shift from the closed legs to the closed legs close to each other.

In particular, in the present embodiment, since the first reinforcing frame 32 of the front leg frame 3 that engages with the engaging claw 80 is made of a round bar having a circular cross section, the engaging claw 80 is the first reinforcing frame 32. When the engagement with the engagement claw 80 is released, the engagement claw 80 is moved along the outer peripheral surface of the first reinforcement frame 32 so that the first reinforcement frame 32 moves relatively close to the central axis of the engagement claw 80. The movement of the seat portion 6 away from the front leg frame 3 is also increased. As a result, it becomes smoother to shift the seat portion 6 from the substantially horizontal unfolded state to the substantially vertical folded state, and accordingly, the front leg frame 3 and the rear leg frame 4 are close to each other from the open leg state in which they are separated from each other. The transition to the closed leg state becomes even smoother.

Therefore, it is preferable that the sliding contact surface 800 is formed of a curved surface, and the radius of curvature of the sliding contact surface 800 is smaller in the radius of curvature r2 near the tip than in the radius of curvature r1 near the root end of the engaging claw. It is preferable (see FIG. 9 (c)). Further, the sliding contact surface 800 may be composed of not only a curved surface but also a combination of a flat surface and a curved surface.

Further, in the present embodiment, in order to assist the opening of the bathroom chair 1, a torsion coil spring-shaped seat that urges the seat portion 6 in a direction of rotating from a substantially horizontal unfolded state to a substantially vertical folded state. Since the portion urging means 43 is attached between the seat portion 6 and the seat portion support frame 41 to which the seat portion 6 is rotatably attached (see FIG. 13), the seat portion urging means 43 Moves smoothly so that the first reinforcing frame 32 approaches the central axis (for example, the wire 92) of the engaging claw 80 when the engaging claw 80 is disengaged from the first reinforcing frame 32. To assist. As a result, the force for shifting the seat portion 6 from the substantially horizontal unfolded state to the substantially vertical folded state is reduced, and accordingly, the front leg frame 3 and the rear leg frame 4 are close to each other from the open leg state in which they are separated from each other. The force for shifting to the closed leg state is also reduced, and the movements of the leg frames 3 and 4 become smoother.

Although not shown, the engaging claw 80 does not necessarily have to engage with the front leg frame 3 or the reinforcing frame of the front leg frame 3, and by engaging with the reinforcing frame of the rear leg frame 4 or the rear leg frame 4, the seat is seated. The portion 6 may be fixed to the rear leg frame 4 or the reinforcing frame of the rear leg frame 4 to be held in a substantially horizontal unfolded state.

3. 3. The unlocking means FIG. 10 shows a perspective view showing a disassembled state of the backrest portion 5 of the bathroom chair 1 in order to show an outline of the unlocking means 9 of the bathroom chair 1 of the present embodiment. Further, FIG. 11 shows a schematic view of the backrest portion for showing the operation of the unlocking means 9 of the bathroom chair 1 of the present embodiment, and FIG. 11A shows the position where the folding lever 90 is in the locked state. (B) indicates the position where the folding lever 90 is in the unlocked state. Further, FIG. 12 shows a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of the backrest portion 5 showing the operation of the unlocking means 9 of the bathroom chair 1 shown in FIG. 4, and the solid line shows the folding lever 90 in the locked state. The position is shown, and the broken line indicates the position where the folding lever 90 is in the unlocked state.

In the bathroom chair 1 of the present embodiment, the unlocking means 9 includes a folding lever 90 for hanging a hand, a lever means 91 rotatably connected to the folding lever 90, and a wire connected to the lever means 91. It comprises 92 and is screwed to the back of the backrest 5 via a cover 93 that covers the folding lever 90 and the lever means 91.

As is well shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 12, in the present embodiment, the folding lever 90 is arranged so that the upper end portion thereof is substantially flush with the upper end portion 51 of the backrest portion 5. Further, in the present embodiment, in a state where the bathroom chair 1 is folded and made to stand on a horizontal plane, the upper end portion 51 of the backrest portion 5 and the upper end portion of the folding lever 90 gradually move from the front surface side to the back surface side of the backrest portion 5. It is tilted so that it is high (Fig. 7).

When the upper end portion of the folding lever 90 is arranged so as to be substantially flush with the upper end portion 51 of the backrest portion 5, the folding lever 90 projects toward the back side at the upper end portion 51 of the backrest portion 5. The folding lever 90 is provided with a recess 52 on the back surface of the backrest portion 5 so that the folding lever 90 can slide up and down along the back surface of the backrest portion 5 in the recess 52. It is attached so that it does not overhang to the back side. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the folding lever 90 can be easily operated by inserting the finger of the hand through the gap formed between the folding lever 90 and the wall surface.

Further, the unlocking means 9 is provided in the slide restricting slot 913 provided in the folding lever 90 and the cover 93 inserted through the slide regulating slot 914 in order to regulate the slide amount of the folding lever 90. A slide restricting means 913 including a slide restricting protrusion 930 is provided, and the slide restricting projection 930 may be provided on the back surface of the backrest portion 5. Further, although not shown, the slide restricting means 913 may be provided with a slide restricting slot on the back surface of the cover 93 or the backrest portion 5, and a slide restricting protrusion may be provided on the folding lever 90. In the present embodiment, by providing the slide regulating means 913 in the unlocking means 9, after the folding lever 90 is pulled up to the slide limit, the bathroom chair 1 can be continuously lifted and carried without releasing the puller. become able to.

In addition, "substantially flush" means a state in which there is almost no step between the surface of the upper end portion of the folding lever 90 and the surface of the upper end portion 51 of the backrest portion 5, and in a strict sense, a state in which there is no step. It doesn't mean anything. In the present embodiment, the upper end portion of the folding lever 90 and / or the upper end portion 51 of the backrest portion 5 is pushed downward by the user, for example, by the palm to open the bathroom chair 1 in the folded state. This is the area to use. Therefore, "substantially flush" means that the folding lever 90 does not feel a step even if the user pushes the upper end portion of the folding lever 90 and the upper end portion 51 of the backrest portion 5 at the same time with the palm. It suffices that the surface of the upper end portion and the surface of the upper end portion 51 of the backrest portion 5 are continuously formed.

In the present embodiment, the unlocking means 9 has a first arm 910 and a second arm 911, and is rotatably attached around a rotation shaft 912 provided in the recess 52 of the backrest portion 5. It is equipped with a lever means 91. Then, the first arm 910 of the lever means 91 fits the elongated hole provided in the first arm 910 into the cylindrical protrusion 900 provided near the lower end portion of the folding lever 90, thereby fitting the folding lever 90. Is rotatably connected to. Further, a wire 92 for transmitting the operation by the folding lever 90 (rotation of the lever means 91) to the lock means 8 is attached to the second arm 911 of the lever means 91.

Further, since the bathroom chair 1 of the present embodiment is provided with the link 63 connecting the front leg frame 3 and the seat portion 6 as described above, the front leg frame 3 and the rear leg frame 4 are separated from each other. The movement of opening and closing between the states and the closed legs close to each other is configured to be interlocked with the movement of rotating the seat 6 between a substantially horizontal unfolded state and a substantially vertical folded state.

Therefore, in the bathroom chair 1 of the present embodiment, when the folding lever 90 is pulled upward (the broken line portion in FIG. 11B and FIG. 12), the locking means 8 engages the seat portion 6 with the front leg frame 3. When the mating is released and the seat portion 6 shifts from the open leg state in which the seat portion 6 is expanded substantially horizontally to the closed leg state in which the seat portion 6 is folded substantially vertically, when the folding lever 90 is pushed downward (FIG. 11 (a)). ), The solid line portion in FIG. 12, the bathroom chair 1 in the closed leg state shifts to the open leg state. As described above, in the present embodiment, the upper end portion of the folding lever 90 is slid above the upper end portion 51 of the backrest portion 5, but is not slid below the upper end portion 51 of the backrest portion 5. (FIGS. 11 (a), (b) and 12), the closing leg of the bathroom chair 1 and the folding of the seat 6 by the above-mentioned pulling operation, and the opening of the bathroom chair 1 and the unfolding of the seat 6 by the pushing operation. Can be done easily and surely.

As shown in FIGS. 11 (a), 11 (b) and 12, in the present embodiment, the folding lever 90 is such that the upper end portion thereof can slide only in the area above the upper end portion 51 of the backrest portion 5. Further, the folding lever 90 is attached so as not to be rotatable with respect to the back surface of the backrest portion 5.

The folding lever 90 makes the bathroom chair 1 in the open leg state substantially vertically folded by the pulling operation, and the bathroom chair 1 in the closed leg state by the pushing operation. 6 is used to open the legs in a substantially horizontally deployed state. Therefore, if the folding lever 90 is rotatable, the angle of the folding lever 90 changes during the pulling operation and the pushing operation, which deteriorates the operability, and after the folding lever 90 is pulled up, the puller is released. This is because the function peculiar to the present embodiment that the bathroom chair 1 can be continuously lifted and carried without any problem is lost.

As described above, in the bathroom chair 1 of the present embodiment, the unlocking means 9 for disengaging the seat portion 6 and the front leg frame 3 by the locking means 8 is above the upper end portion 51 of the backrest portion 5. Since the folding lever 90 that slides in the vertical direction only in the area is arranged so that the upper end portion thereof is substantially flush with the upper end portion 51 of the backrest portion 5, the folding lever 90 can be locked only by a one-touch operation of pulling up the folding lever 90 upward. The engagement between the seat portion 6 and the front leg frame 3 by the means 8 is disengaged, and the seat portion 6 is rotated from a substantially horizontal unfolded state to a substantially vertical folded state to close the bathroom chair 1. Can be done (Fig. 7). Further, the bathroom chair 1 can be lifted and carried as it is without changing the hand with the folding lever 90 pulled up.

Further, the bathroom chair 1 can be opened in the open leg state by rotating the seat portion 6 from a substantially vertical folded state to a substantially horizontal unfolded state only by a one-touch operation of pushing the folding lever 90 downward. FIG. 6). In particular, in the case of the present embodiment, in a state where the bathroom chair 1 is folded and made to stand on a horizontal surface, the upper end portion 51 of the backrest portion 5 and the upper end portion of the folding lever 90 are directed from the front surface side to the back surface side of the backrest portion 5. As the inclination increases, the force is easily transmitted to the rear leg portion 30 and the rear leg frame 5 by pressing the upper end portion 51 of the backrest portion 5 and the upper end portion of the folding lever 90. , The bathroom chair 1 can be easily deployed.

In the present embodiment, when the folding lever 90 is connected to one of the arms of the lever means 91 provided with the first arm 910 and the second arm 911, the folding lever 90 is connected along the back surface of the backrest portion 5 by the folding lever 90. The vertical linear motion can be taken out as a reciprocating motion on an arc along the back surface of the backrest portion 5 by the other arm of the lever means 91 at an arbitrary position of the backrest portion 5. become. Therefore, if the wire 92 for transmitting the operation by the folding lever 90 to the locking means 8 is connected to the other arm of the lever means 91, the movement of the wire 92 is not hindered by extreme bending or the like. It will be possible to arrange it freely inside and outside the backrest in a good-looking manner.

Further, the length of the first arm 910 of the lever means 91 (more accurately, the distance from the connection point with the folding lever 90 in the first arm 910 to the rotation shaft 912) and the length of the second arm 911. (The distance from the connection point (mounting point) with the wire 92 in the second arm 911 to the rotation shaft 912) can be arbitrarily set and adjusted, and the rotation shaft (projection 900) of the lever means 91 can be arbitrarily set and adjusted. ) Can be set and adjusted as desired. In other words, the first arm 910 and the second arm 911 can have the same length (distance from the connection point to the rotation axis) or different lengths. Further, the first arm 910 and the second arm 911 can be aligned linearly with each other with respect to the rotation axis (projection 900) of the lever means 91, or are attached at different angles so as not to be aligned linearly. It can also be placed in.

As a result, the vertical stroke by the folding lever 90 and its operating force can be freely increased or decreased as the stroke on the arc by the other arm of the lever means 91 and its operating force via the lever means 91. You can also let it.

4. The closed leg assist mechanism FIG. 13 is a perspective view and a portion thereof of the bathroom chair 1 in a folded state in order to show the twist coil spring-shaped seat urging means 43 of the bathroom chair 1 of the present embodiment as viewed from the back side. An enlarged view is shown. Further, FIG. 14 shows a schematic view showing the operation of the seat urging means 43 of the bathroom chair 1 shown in FIG. 13, and FIG. 14A shows a state in which the bathroom chair 1 is opened. (B) shows a state in which the bathroom chair 1 is closed.

In the present embodiment, as described above, the seat portion 6 is provided with a pair of first brackets 61 on the back surface thereof, and the seat portion is supported through a through hole of the first bracket 61 via a sleeve (not shown). By inserting the frame 41, it is rotatably attached to the pair of left and right rear leg portions 40 (rear leg frame 4) (see FIGS. 2, 3, 6 and 7). Further, a pair of left and right eccentric cams 44 are fixed to the seat support frame 41 so as not to rotate with respect to the seat support frame 41, and a torsion coil spring-shaped seat urging means 43 is attached to the seat portion 6. It is attached between the eccentric cam 44 and the eccentric cam 44 (FIG. 13). In the present embodiment, the seat urging means 43 is not limited to the torsion coil spring, and general urging means such as a leaf spring can also be used if the shape and the like are suitable.

Specifically, the seat urging means 43 is a torsion coil spring having a first arm 430 and a second arm 431, and the seat support frame 41 is inserted into the central opening of the torsion coil spring 43. Therefore, the center of the torsion coil spring 43 and the center of the seat support frame 41 are arranged so as to be coaxial with each other. Therefore, the torsion coil spring-shaped seat urging means 43 is securely fixed to the seat support frame 41 so as not to displace its center without providing a dedicated bracket for fixing the urging means or the like. Will be done.

Further, the tip of the first arm 430 of the torsion coil spring 43 has a hook shape and is fixed to the eccentric cam 44 fixed to the seat support frame 41, while the second arm of the torsion coil spring 43 has a second arm. The tip of the arm 431 has a chord-wound shape, and is always placed in contact with the back surface of the seat portion 6 so as to be pressed against it. That is, the torsion coil spring-shaped seat urging means 43 is between the seat 6 and the rear leg frame 4 or the seat support frame 41 of the rear leg frame 4 to which the seat 6 is rotatably attached. Since the seat support frame 41 and the eccentric cam 44 do not rotate with respect to the rear leg 40 (rear leg frame 4), the torsion coil spring 43 always deploys the seat 6 in a substantially horizontal unfolded state (FIG. FIG. It is urged in the direction of rotating from 14 (a)) to a substantially vertical folded state (FIG. 14 (b)).

Although not shown, the seat urging means 43 is not necessarily between the seat 6 and the rear leg frame 4 or the seat support frame 41 of the rear leg frame 4 to which the seat 6 is rotatably attached. It does not have to be attached, for example, when the seat portion 6 is rotatably attached to the front leg frame 2, it may be attached between the front leg frame 2 or the seat portion support frame of the front leg frame 2. ..

In the bathroom chair 1 of the present embodiment, as described above, by providing the link 63 connecting the front leg frame 3 and the seat portion 6, the front leg frame 3 and the rear leg frame 4 are separated from each other in an open leg state. The movement of opening and closing between the close legs is configured to be interlocked with the movement of rotating the seat 6 between a substantially horizontal unfolded state and a substantially vertical folded state.

Therefore, in the bathroom chair 1 of the present embodiment, if the locking means 9 disengages the seat portion 6 from the front leg frame 3 by the locking means 8, the seat portion 6 is automatically or almost from the outside. The bathroom chair 1 is in the closed leg state by rotating from the substantially horizontal unfolded state to the substantially vertical folded state without applying force (FIG. 7). Further, when the folding lever 90 is pushed downward against the urging force of the torsion coil spring-shaped seat urging means 43, the seat 6 rotates from a substantially vertical folded state to a substantially horizontal unfolded state. Then, the bathroom chair 1 is in the open leg state (FIG. 6).

1 ... Bathroom chair 2 ... Leg frame 3 ... Front leg frame 30 ... Front leg (leg)
300 ... Front leg movable part 301 ... Engagement hole 302 ... Cap 31 ... Support part 32 ... First reinforcement frame 33 ... Second reinforcement frame 4 ...・ ・ Hind leg frame 40 ・ ・ ・ ・ Hind leg (leg)
400 ... Rear leg movable part 401 ... Engagement hole 402 ... Cap 41 ... Seat support frame (Rotating shaft of seat and rear leg frame)
42 ... Reinforcing frame 43 ... Seat urging means (twist coil spring)
430 ... 1st arm 431 ... 2nd arm 44 ... Eccentric cam 5 ... Backrest 50 ... Backrest cushion 51 ... Upper end 52 ... Recess 6 ... Seat 60 ... Seat cushion 61 ... First bracket 62 ... Second bracket 63 ... Link 7 ... Armrest 8 ... ·····································································································································································································・ ・ ・ Claw urging means (string winding spring)
82 ... Housing 820 ... Opening 821 ... Fixed wall 9 ... Unlocking means 90 ... Folding lever 900 ... Protrusion 91 ... Lever means 910 ... 1st arm 911 ... 2nd arm 912 ... Rotating shaft 913 ... Slide regulation means 914 ... Slide regulation slot 92 ... Wire 920 ... Sheath 93 ... Cover 930 ... Slide regulation protrusion

Claims (11)

A leg frame with a pair of left and right legs,
The backrest attached to the leg frame and
In a bathroom chair consisting of a seat that is rotatably attached to a leg frame between a substantially horizontal unfolded state and a substantially vertical folded state.
The seat is provided with a locking means for engaging the seat with the leg frame to maintain a substantially horizontal unfolded state.
The backrest is provided with an unlocking means for disengaging the seat and the leg frame by the locking means, and the unlocking means has a folding lever for holding a hand. Moreover, the folding lever is a bathroom chair characterized in that the upper end portion thereof is arranged so as to be substantially flush with the upper end portion of the backrest portion. When the bathroom chair is folded and made to stand on a horizontal surface, the upper end of the backrest and the upper end of the folding lever are characterized by being inclined so as to increase from the front side to the back side of the backrest. The bathroom chair according to claim 1. The leg frame includes a front leg frame and a rear leg frame.
The front leg frame and the rear leg frame are rotatably attached to each other, and the movement of opening and closing the front leg frame and the rear leg frame between the open leg state separated from each other and the closed leg state close to each other is a seat. The bathroom chair according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the chair is interlocked with a movement of rotating the chair between a substantially horizontal unfolded state and a substantially vertical folded state. The leg frame comprises a reinforcing frame connecting a pair of left and right legs, and the seat is engaged with the reinforcing frame by a locking means according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The listed bathroom chair. The bathroom chair according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the folding lever is slidably attached in the vertical direction along the back surface of the backrest portion. The bathroom chair according to claim 5, wherein the upper end portion of the folding lever is slidable only in the area above the upper end portion of the backrest portion. The bathroom chair according to claim 5, wherein the folding lever is non-rotatably attached to the back surface of the backrest portion. Only by one-touch operation of pulling up the folding lever, the engagement between the seat and the leg frame by the locking means is released, and the seat rotates from the substantially horizontal unfolded state to the substantially vertical folded state. The bathroom chair according to any one of claims 1 to 7, which is characterized. The bathroom according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the seat portion rotates from a substantially vertical folded state to a substantially horizontal unfolded state only by a one-touch operation of pushing the folding lever downward. Chair. The unlocking means has a first arm and a second arm, and is equipped with a lever means rotatably mounted around a rotation axis, and a folding lever is connected to the first arm. The bathroom chair according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the chair is made of a living chair. The bathroom chair according to claim 10, wherein a wire for transmitting an operation by the unlocking means to the locking means is connected to the second arm.

Images