JP7249756B2 - Waist assist device and biasing device for waist assist device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a waist support device and a biasing device for a waist support device.

Patent Literature 1 listed below discloses a waist assisting device that assists the wearer's work in a half-crouching posture by assisting the waist of the wearer. This waist support device has a casing that is arranged on the rear side of the wearer's waist, and a compression coil spring is arranged in this casing. Then, when the wearer assumes a crouching posture, the compression coil spring arranged in the casing is compressed, and the urging force of the compressed compression coil spring assists the work of the wearer in the crouching posture. It is designed to be

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-23828

By the way, it is desired that the waist assisting device and the biasing device for the waist assisting device, which are worn on the body of the wearer, obtain the assisting effect with a smaller device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a waist support device and a waist support device urging device that can be downsized.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a waist assisting device comprising a pair of left and right first members attached to the sides of the waist of a human body, and a pair of left and right second members attached to the sides of the waist of the human body and below the first member. a pair of left and right first mounting means for mounting the lower end side of the first member and the upper side of the second member so as to be rotatable following the rotational movement of the waist of the human body in the front-rear direction; and the upper end of the first member. a pair of left and right urging means attached to the side and the lower end side of the second member to resist forward rotation of the waist of the human body; a pair of left and right lower leg support portions attached to the lower end sides of the pair of left and right second members and supporting the lower legs of the human body from the front; the lower end side of the second member and the and a pair of left and right second mounting means for mounting the upper end side of the lower leg supporting portion so as to be rotatable in accordance with the leg opening movement of the lower leg of the human body to the outside in the width direction.

According to the waist assist device of claim 1, when the wearer's upper body is tilted forward, the first member and the second member rotate around the first mounting means in accordance with the rotation axis of the waist. do. Then, the biasing force by the biasing means acts on the lower leg support portion and the upper body support portion. This assists in the direction in which the wearer's upper body is raised. In addition, when the wearer further spreads his/her legs and bends down, the second attachment means opens the lower leg support section to the side of the human body. This prevents the lower leg support portion from digging into the lower leg of the wearer.

According to a second aspect of the waist assisting device, in the waist assisting device of the first aspect, the first attachment means comprises an attachment position between the first member and the biasing means, and an attachment position between the second member and the attachment. It is arranged on the rear side of the human body with respect to the straight line connecting the mounting position with the force means.

According to the waist assisting device of claim 2, when the wearer's upper body is tilted forward, the direction of the compressive force acting on the biasing means and the biasing force of the biasing means are likely to match. Therefore, the loss of the biasing force transmitted to the wearer by the biasing means is suppressed.

According to a third aspect of the lumbar support device, in the lumbar support device of claim 1, the upper body support section is arranged in front of the upper body of the human body and supports the upper body of the human body from the front.

According to the lumbar support device of claim 3, when the upper body of the wearer leans forward, the upper body is supported in a state in which the upper body support portion is in close contact with the wearer. As a result, the transmission efficiency of the biasing force from the upper body support portion to the wearer's upper body is improved compared to a structure in which the upper body support portion is positioned behind the upper body.

According to a fourth aspect of the waist assisting device, in the waist assisting device of the first aspect, the upper body support portion includes a pair of left and right support portions arranged in front of the human body from upper end portions of the pair of left and right first members. The lower support part is curved with a protrusion on the rear side of the human body so as not to interfere with the lower leg support part when the human body wearing it bends down.

According to the lower back support device of claim 4, when the wearer bends down, the lower support part and the lower leg support part do not interfere with each other. Thereby, the movable range of the waist of the wearer is increased.

According to claim 5, there is provided a lower back support device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the upper body support part extends over the upper pectoral muscles of the human body in the width direction. A pectoralis major muscle support part is provided for supporting the pectoral muscle support part, and the pectoral muscle support part is rotatably attached following the twisting motion of the upper body of the human body in the lateral direction.

According to the lumbar support device of claim 5, when the wearer leans forward, the upper part of the pectoralis major muscle of the human body is widely supported. In addition, when the upper body of the wearer is twisted (that is, the upper body is rotated sideways), the pectoralis major muscle is supported by the pectoralis major muscle support portion that rotates following the twist of the upper body. be.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a lower back assisting device according to the fifth aspect, wherein the pectoralis major muscle supporting section is attached so as to be vertically movable.

According to the lumbar support device of claim 6, the pectoralis major muscle supporting portion can be vertically moved according to the body shape of the wearer.

According to claim 7, there is provided a waist support device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the pair of left and right first members are disposed on the rear side of the human waist, and It has a first attachment member that detachably connects the pair of left and right first members.

According to the waist support device of claim 7, the waist of the wearer and the waist support device are brought into close contact by the first attachment member. As a result, the waist support device is worn at a desired position of the wearer.

According to claim 8, there is provided a waist support device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the pair of left and right first members are arranged behind and below the buttocks of the human body, It has a second mounting member that detachably connects the pair of left and right first members.

According to the waist support device of claim 8, the support device is brought into close contact with the lower side of the wearer's buttocks by the second attachment member. As a result, the waist support device is worn at a desired position of the wearer.

According to claim 9, there is provided a waist support device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein said first member is connected from said first mounting means to said first member and said biasing member. The distance to the point of attachment to the means is variable.

According to the lumbar support device of claim 9, by adjusting the distance from the first attachment means to the attachment point of the first member and the biasing means, the upper body of the wearer is raised. The characteristics of the biasing force applied can be adjusted.

According to claim 10, there is provided a waist support device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein said second member is attached to said second member from said first attachment means to said second member. The distance to the attachment point between the member and the leg support is variable.

According to the lumbar support device of claim 10, by adjusting the distance from the first attachment means in the second member to the attachment point between the second member and the lower leg support, the upper body of the wearer can be adjusted. It is possible to adjust the characteristics of the biasing force acting in the direction that causes the

According to claim 11, there is provided a waist support device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the mounting positions of the first member and the biasing means are movable in the longitudinal direction of the human body. It is possible.

According to the lumbar support device of claim 11, by adjusting the mounting location of the first member and the urging means in the longitudinal direction of the human body, characteristics of the urging force acting in the direction to lift the upper body of the wearer can be adjusted.

According to claim 12, there is provided a waist support device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the mounting positions of the second member and the biasing means are movable in the longitudinal direction of the human body. It is possible.

According to the lumbar support device of claim 12, by adjusting the attachment point of the second member and the biasing means in the longitudinal direction of the human body, the characteristics of the biasing force acting in the direction of raising the upper body of the wearer can be adjusted.

According to claim 13, there is provided a lower back support device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the lower leg support part is attached to the lower side of the second attachment means for the lower leg of the human body. third attachment means for attaching the lower side of the lower leg support to the upper side of the lower leg support so as to be rotatable in the forward direction of the human body following the forward movement; and a locking mechanism for locking.

According to the lumbar support device of the thirteenth aspect, it is possible to adjust whether or not the biasing force generated by the biasing means is transmitted to the lower leg support portion.

A biasing device for a waist assisting device according to claim 14, comprising: a first member attached to the side of the waist of a human body; a second member attached to the side of the waist of the human body and below the first member; first attachment means for attaching the lower end side of the first member and the upper side of the second member so as to be rotatable following the rotational movement of the waist of a human body in the front-rear direction; biasing means attached to the lower end side of the member to resist forward rotation of the waist of the human body; and a revolving shaft operably mounted thereon.

According to the urging device for a waist assisting device according to claim 14, the first member and the second member are rotated in accordance with the rotation of the waist caused by the forward inclination of the upper body of the wearer. Then, a biasing force is applied to the first member and the second member by the attached biasing means. As a result, it is possible to supply an urging force for acting on the waist assist device against the forward inclination of the wearer's upper body.

According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an urging device for a waist-assisting device according to the 14th aspect, wherein the first attachment means is positioned at the attachment position between the first member and the urging means. , on the rear side of the human body with respect to a straight line connecting the second member and the mounting position of the biasing means.

According to the urging device for a waist support device according to claim 15, when the wearer's upper body is tilted forward, the compression force acting on the urging means and the direction of the urging force by the urging means are matched. easier. Therefore, the loss of the urging force transmitted to the waist assist device is suppressed.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The waist assisting device and the biasing device for the waist assisting device according to the present invention have an excellent effect that the size of the device can be reduced.

Fig. 2 is a side view showing a wearer wearing the waist support device according to the first embodiment; FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing a pectoralis major muscle supporting portion and an attachment position in the waist assisting device according to the first embodiment; 1 is a perspective view showing a waist support device according to a first embodiment; FIG. FIG. 4 is a front view showing how the lateral length of the waist support device according to the first embodiment is adjusted; It is a front view which shows the waist assistance apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a side view which shows the detail of the waist assistance apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment. FIG. 4 is a side view showing how the vertical length of the waist support device according to the first embodiment is adjusted; FIG. 4 is a side view schematically showing a waist support portion of the waist support device according to the first embodiment; 5 is a graph showing characteristics of the repulsive force of the waist assist device according to the first embodiment; FIG. 5 is a side view schematically showing the repulsive force acting on the wearer by the waist assist device according to the first embodiment; FIG. 4 is a side view showing a state in which the wearer wearing the waist support device according to the first embodiment is bent; It is a side view which shows a motion of the lower-limb support part in the waist assistance apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is a side view which expands and shows the lock mechanism in the waist assistance apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is a side view which shows the lock mechanism in the waist assistance apparatus based on 2nd Embodiment expanded from an inside viewpoint. It is a side view which shows the detail of the waist assistance apparatus which concerns on 3rd Embodiment. It is a perspective view which expands and shows the lock mechanism in the waist assistance apparatus based on 4th Embodiment. FIG. 12 is an enlarged side view showing the lock mechanism in the unlocked state in the waist support device according to the fourth embodiment; FIG. 11 is an enlarged side view showing a lock mechanism in a locked state in a waist support device according to a fourth embodiment; FIG. 5 is an enlarged side view of a waist support portion of a waist support device according to a comparative example;

A waist support device according to each embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the following description, an arrow FR indicates the front side in the front-to-rear direction as viewed from the wearer wearing the waist support device and standing upright, and arrows RH and LH indicate the right side and the left side, respectively. , the upper side in the vertical direction is indicated by an arrow UP. Further, in the following description, when simply referring to front/rear, left/right, and up/down directions, it means front/rear, left/right, and up/down as seen from the wearer wearing the waist support device and standing upright. . Further, in this embodiment, since there is a pair of left and right parts in terms of structure, L is added to the end of the part number on the left side, and R is added to the end of the part number on the right side. In the following description, the left side component (L) will be described as appropriate, and redundant description of the right side component (R) will be omitted.

<First embodiment>
A waist support device 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 11. FIG.

[Lumbar support device 10]
As shown in FIG. 1, the waist support device 10 is worn on the wearer's P body. The waist support device 10 includes an upper body support portion 12 corresponding to the upper body of the wearer P, a waist support portion 14 corresponding to the waist, and a lower leg support portion 16 corresponding to the lower legs. A detailed configuration will be described below.

[Upper body support part 12]
As shown in FIG. 1, the upper body support part 12 is arranged in front of the wearer's upper body. As shown in FIG. 2, the upper body support section 12 includes a T-shaped pectoralis major muscle support section 18, a vertically extending columnar body support column 20, and a It includes a pair of left and right frames 28L and 28R arranged from the lower abdomen to the sides of the waist.

The pectoralis major muscle support part 18 includes an upper support part 22 that supports the upper parts (P1) of the left and right pectoralis major muscles from the front, and a lower support part 24 that supports the central parts of the left and right pectoralis major muscles from the front in the vertical direction. and The upper support part 22 is attached to the upper end of the lower support part 24 so as to be rotatable in the left-right direction according to the twist of the upper body of the wearer P in the left-right direction. In addition, the upper support portion 22 and the lower support portion 24 are each covered with cushions 26 for cushioning. The lower end of the pectoralis major muscle supporting portion 18 is connected to the upper end of the upper body supporting column 20 . The upper body support column 20 is arranged from the lower end of the pectoralis major muscle support portion 18 to a portion corresponding to the lower abdomen of the wearer.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the frame 28L includes a frame upper portion 32L curved along the outer circumference of the waist from the lower abdomen of the wearer P to a point corresponding to the side of the waist, and and a curved portion 34L curved with a convex portion on the side.

As shown in FIG. 4, the frame 28L and the frame 28R have a structure capable of expanding and contracting in the width direction of the wearer P. As shown in FIG. FIG. 4A shows a state in which the distance between the frames 28L and 28R is shortened to length L3, and FIG. Each is shown fully stretched.

A width adjustment portion 58L is provided at the end portion of the upper body support column 20 on the side of the frame 28L. The width adjusting portion 58L is formed with a cavity that matches the outer shape of the frame 28L. By inserting the frame 28L into this cavity, the frame 28L itself can move in the width direction. Further, the width adjusting portion 58L is provided with a pin 60L for positioning the width adjusting portion 58L and the inserted frame 28L. The pin 60L determines the relative positional relationship between the width adjusting portion 58L and the frame 28L, thereby making it possible to adjust the position of the frame 28L in the width direction.

[Waist support part 14]
As shown in FIG. 3, a pair of left and right waist support portions 14L and 14R are arranged below the upper body support portion 12. As shown in FIG. Lumbar support sections 14L and 14R (corresponding to urging devices for a lumbar support device) are arranged below frames 28L and 28R of upper body support section 12 .

As shown in FIG. 7, the upper body support column 20 has a structure that allows the wearer P to move (extend and contract) in the vertical direction. FIG. 7A shows a state in which the length of the body support column 20 is contracted to L1, and FIG. 7B shows a state in which the length of the body support column 20 is extended to L2. ing. An end portion of the upper body support column 20 on the side of the pectoralis major muscle support portion 18 is formed with a cavity that matches the outer shape of the lower end of the pectoralis major muscle support portion 18 . By inserting the lower end side of the pectoralis major muscle support part 18 into this cavity, the pectoralis major muscle support part 18 itself has a structure capable of moving in the vertical direction. Further, a pin 61 for positioning the upper body support column 20 and the lower end side of the pectoralis major muscle support portion 18 inserted therethrough is provided on the outer peripheral portion of this cavity. The pin 61 determines the relative positional relationship between the upper body support column 20 and the pectoralis major muscle support portion 18, thereby making it possible to adjust the position of the pectoralis major muscle support portion 18 in the height direction.

Here, as shown in FIG. 6, the waist support portion 14L includes a first member 36L attached to the lower end side of the frame 28L, a second member 38L attached to the lower end side of the first member 36L, and a second member 38L. It includes a gas spring 40L as a biasing means attached across the upper end side of the first member 36L and the lower end side of the second member 38L.

The first member 36L has a shape having a longitudinal direction on the side of the waist of the wearer P on the rear upper side and the front lower side. An upper mounting portion 42L is provided on the front side of the upper end portion of the first member 36L, to which the upper end portion of the gas spring 40L is rotatably mounted with the left-right direction as the axis. Also, the lower end of the frame 28L is fixed to the lower side of the upper mounting portion 42L in the first member 36L. Further, a first mounting portion 44L (corresponding to first mounting means) is provided on the front side of the lower end portion of the first member 36L. A second member 38L is attached to the first attachment portion 44L so as to be rotatable about the lateral direction of the wearer. The first attachment portion 44L is formed at a location corresponding to the center when the wearer P rotates the waist in the front-rear direction.

The upper end side of the second member 38L is rotatably supported with the first member 36L at the first mounting portion 44L. A second mounting portion 46L is provided on the lower front side of the second member 38L. A lower end portion of the gas spring 40L is attached to the second attachment portion 46L so as to be rotatable about the lateral direction of the wearer. The second mounting portion 46L is formed at a location corresponding to the rotation axis of the hip joint when the wearer P spreads his/her lower leg laterally.

As shown in FIG. 1, between the upper mounting portion 42L and the first mounting portion 44L of the first member 36L, there are a waist belt 54 (corresponding to a first mounting member) and a hip belt 56 (second mounting member). (equivalent to a member) is provided. The waist belt 54 is arranged rearward of the waist of the wearer P starting from the first member 36L, and further arranged to the paired first member 36R and detachably attached. In addition, the waist belt 54 is arranged from the first member 36R further to the front of the waist of the wearer P and then again to the first member 36L. Also, the waist belt 54 is adjustable in length. By adjusting the length of the waist belt 54, the waist support portions 14L and 14R can be securely attached to the wearer's waist.

The hip belt 56 provided on the lower side of the waist belt 54 is arranged from the first member 36L to the rear lower side of the buttocks of the wearer P, and further arranged to the paired first member 36R. and is detachably attached. In addition, the length of the hip belt 56 can be adjusted similarly to the waist belt 54. - 特許庁By adjusting the length of the hip belt 56, the vertical positions of the waist support portions 14L and 14R with respect to the waist of the wearer P are adjusted. Furthermore, by adjusting the hip belt 56, the position of the lumbar support device 10 is prevented from vertically shifting when the wearer assumes a stooped posture, which will be described later. As a result, for example, even when the wearer P repeats bending and stretching exercises, vertical displacement of the waist assist device 10 is suppressed.

[Lower leg support part 16]
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, a pair of left and right lower leg support portions 16L and 16R are arranged below the pair of left and right waist support portions 14L and 14R. Details of the left leg support portion 16L of the wearer P will be described below.

As shown in FIG. 6, the lower leg support section 16 includes a connecting portion 48L rotatably connected to the lower side of the second member 38L, a lower leg frame 50L provided on the lower side of 48L, and a lower leg frame 50L. 52 L of thigh support parts with which the lower end side was equipped are included. Here, the attachment point 49L between the leg support portion 16 and the second member 38L corresponds to the second attachment means. When the leg of the wearer P is spread outward from the hip joint, the attachment point 49L is rotated in a direction that allows the leg to be spread. That is, the attachment point 49L is arranged at a height corresponding to the hip joint of the wearer P in a side view.

As shown in FIG. 1, the leg frame 50L extends downward and forward from the side of the base of the wearer's thigh, which is the lower side of the waist support portion 14L. Furthermore, the leg frame 50L is curved such that the lower end side is arranged in front of the wearer's thigh. A lower end of the leg frame 50L is provided with a thigh support portion 52 that supports the front side of the wearer's thigh from the front.

[Wearing method]
The waist support device 10 is worn from the front of the wearer P in an upright state to the front of the wearer P. As shown in FIG. When worn, the widths of the frames 28L and 28R are appropriately adjusted to be suitable for the width of the wearer's P body. Thereby, the thigh support portions 52L and 52R are arranged on the front portions of the wearer's P thighs, respectively. Similarly, the position of the pectoralis major muscle supporting portion 18 is appropriately adjusted in the vertical direction, and is arranged above the pectoral muscles of the wearer P. As shown in FIG.

Before wearing the waist belt 54 and the hip belt 56, one end thereof is detached from the first member 36R. Then, when worn, the waist belt 54 is pulled around the first member 36R of the wearer in a state in which the waist support portion 14 is arranged at a desired position on the side of the waist of the wearer. Furthermore, a waist belt 54 is attached to the first member 36L from the front of the waist of the wearer. Here, the waist support device 10 is fixed to the wearer P by adjusting the length of the waist belt 54 .

It should be noted that the gas spring 40L is configured to be slightly compressed and biased when the wearer P stands upright. With such a configuration, the pectoralis major muscle supporting portion 18, the waist belt 54, and the thigh supporting portion 52 are pressed against the body of the wearer P, respectively. Therefore, the wearer P and the lumbar support device 10 are in close contact with each other and are difficult to come off.

In addition, during the wearing operation, it may be necessary to adjust the waist assist device 10 according to the body shape of the wearer P. At this time, a separately provided wearing belt (not shown) can be used. can be done. This attachment belt can be provided at a desired location (for example, the frame 28) of the waist support device 10. As shown in FIG. The attachment belt is hooked on the back side of the neck of the wearer P to assist the attachment or adjustment operation of the waist assist device 10 .

(Action and effect)
Next, the operation and effects of this embodiment will be described.

When the wearer P leans forward from an upright state as shown in FIG. Specifically, when the wearer P takes a forward leaning posture, the biasing force generated by the gas spring 40 is transmitted to the upper body support section 12 and the lower leg support section 16 via the waist support section 14 . The biasing force transmitted to the upper body support portion 12 acts in a direction to push the front side of the upper body of the wearer P rearward by the pectoralis major muscle support portion 18 . In addition, the biasing force transmitted to the leg support portion 16 acts in the direction of pushing the front side of the thigh of the wearer P rearward by the thigh support portion 52 . As a result, the body of the wearer P receives a force in the direction of returning from the forward leaning posture to the upright posture.

The upper support portion 22 of the pectoralis major muscle support portion 18 is rotatable according to the twist of the upper body of the wearer P in the left-right direction. Therefore, even when the upper body of the wearer P who leans forward is twisted in the left-right direction, the upper support portion 22 applies force equally to either the left or right upper body (pectoral muscle). Therefore, for example, even when the wearer P picks up an object from the ground with one hand, an appropriate force is applied to the upper body of the wearer P twisted in the left-right direction.

Here, the details of the operation of the waist support portion 14 when the wearer P takes a forward leaning posture will be described with reference to FIG. 8 . FIG. 8 shows a waist support portion 14S that is a schematic representation of the waist support portion 14. As shown in FIG. Also shown in the waist support portion 14S are a first member 36S, a second member 38S, an upper attachment portion 42S, a first attachment portion 44S, and a second attachment portion 46S, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 8, the first attachment portion 44S is provided on the rear side of a straight line connecting the upper attachment portion 42S and the second attachment portion 46S. Further, the gas spring 40 is arranged so as to be slightly forwardly inclined with respect to a straight line formed by the first member 36S, the first attachment portion 44S and the second member 38S. Here, when the wearer P leans forward, the first member 36S rotates in the direction of the arrow A with respect to the second member 38S with the first mounting portion 44S as a starting point. As a result, the distance between the upper attachment portion 42S and the second attachment portion 46S is shortened. As a result, the gas spring 40 is compressed.

G1 in the graph of FIG. 9 shows the relationship between the inclination of either the left or right gas spring 40 and the biasing force generated by the gas spring 40 in the waist assist device 10 . For example, when the inclination of the gas spring 40 in FIG. 8 ranges from 0° to 60°, the biasing force generated by the gas spring 40 gradually increases. However, in the region where the inclination is from 60° to 108°, the rate of increase (rate of change) of the biasing force gradually becomes dull. G2 similarly shows the relationship of the sum of the urging forces generated by the left and right gas springs 40 when the inclinations of the left and right first members 36 in the waist assist device 10 are the same.

FIG. 10 shows the relationship between the biasing force received when the wearer P wears the waist support device 10 and leans forward and the angle of forward lean. When the upper body of the wearer P is tilted in the direction of the arrow A, the biasing force (the force causing the state) applied to the wearer P gradually increases within the tilt angle range of 0° to 60° (the range of N1 in the figure). Become. Further, the biasing force applied to the wearer P does not change much when the tilt angle is from 60° to 125° (the range of N2 in the drawing).

The ranges of N1 and N2 are the vertical length of the first member 36, the vertical length of the second member 38, and the distance between the upper attachment portion 42, the first attachment portion 44, and the second attachment portion 46. By changing the arrangement relationship and the inclination state of the gas spring 40, it is possible to freely design. Further, by changing the spring constant of the gas spring 40, the magnitude of the biasing force itself can be changed.

As a result, it is possible to obtain the waist assisting device 10 that generates an optimum biasing force according to the assumed movement and load of the wearer P.

FIG. 11 shows a state in which the wearer P wearing the waist support device 10 is bent with the thighs closed. When the wearer P assumes such a posture, the distance between the thighs and the lower abdomen is reduced. As a result, when the distance between the thigh support portion 52L and the frame 28L in the lower leg support portion 16L becomes closer, they may interfere with each other. However, since the frame 28L has a convex portion on the rear side of the human body and is curved, the distance between the thigh support portion 52L and the frame 28L does not become too short. Therefore, it is possible to suppress limitation of the range of movement of the thigh due to contact between the thigh support portion 52L and the frame 28L.

Further, when the wearer P bends down with their thighs opened to the sides (legs are spread), the lower leg support portion 16L opens laterally outward of the wearer starting from the attachment point 49L. is rotated to Thereby, the leg of the wearer P is opened sideways without being restricted by the leg support portion 16L. That is, even when the wearer P bends while spreading his/her legs, the movement of the thigh is less likely to be restricted by the lower leg support portion 16L.

FIG. 19 shows an enlarged side view of the waist support portion 114L of the waist support device 110, which is a comparison target of the waist support device 10 according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 19, the waist support portion 114L includes a first member 136L attached to the lower end side of a frame 128L that supports the upper body, a second member 138L attached to the lower end side of the first member 136L, and an attachment. and a gas spring 140L for obtaining a force means.

Here, the gas spring 140L is provided inside the first member 136L. The gas spring 140L has its upper end fixed to the first member 136L. A roller 141L is rotatably attached to the lower end side.

The upper end side of the second member 138L is rotatably attached to an attachment portion 144L provided on the lower end side of the first member 136. As shown in FIG. Further, the upper end portion 139L of the second member 138L is in contact with the roller 141L. With such a structure, the second member 138L rotates in the direction of the arrow B in accordance with the forward tilting motion of the upper body of the wearer. As a result, the upper end of the second member 138L pushes the roller 141L in the contraction direction of the gas spring 140L.

As shown in FIG. 19, when the wearer leans forward, the force F1 transmitted from the upper end portion 139L to the roller 141L acts in a direction perpendicular to the tangent line of the upper end portion 139L. However, the direction of this force F1 is different from the compression direction of the gas spring 140 . Here, the force F1 is resolved into a force F2 acting in the direction of compressing the gas spring 140 and a force F3 acting perpendicular thereto. That is, of the force F1, only the force F2 component acting in the compression direction acts as a force for compressing the gas spring 140, while the force F3 component does not act as a force for compressing the gas spring 140. becomes. Furthermore, gas spring 140 is made difficult to move in the direction of compression by being pushed in the direction of force F3. As a result, the gas spring 140 to which the force F1 is applied is not compressed as compared with the case where the force F2 is simply applied.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 8, in the waist support device 10 according to the present embodiment, the first member 36S is configured to rotate with respect to the second member 38S about the first attachment means 44S as a rotation axis. It's becoming Also, the gas spring 40 is rotatably attached to the first member 36S and the second member 38S. As a result, the expansion and contraction axis of the gas spring 40 attached to the first member 36S and the second member 38S moves (tilts) in the front-rear direction (horizontal direction in FIG. 8). According to such a structure, it is possible to reduce the proportion of the force acting in directions other than the expansion and contraction direction of the gas spring 40, among the forces transmitted to the gas spring 40 by the first member 36S and the second member 38S. .

<Second embodiment>
A second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 12 to 14. FIG. In addition, since the waist support device according to the second embodiment is a modification of the first embodiment, the same numbers are appropriately assigned to overlapping contents, and the description thereof is omitted.

As shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B, the lower leg support portion 16L of the present embodiment is such that the connection portion 48L and the lower leg frame 50L are rotatable about the left-right direction at the third mounting portion 68L. installed. The third mounting portion 68L allows the lower leg frame 50L to rotate forward and upward.

Further, as shown in FIG. 12(A), the leg support portion 16L includes a stopper 72L that locks forward rotation of the leg frame 50L. At the time of locking, forward rotation of the lower leg frame 50L is locked by this stopper 72L. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 12(B), when the lock is released, the forward rotation of the leg frame 50L is unlocked by the stopper 70L, and the forward rotation of the leg frame 50L is permitted.

As shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B, the stopper 70L is rotatably attached to the connecting portion 48L. As shown in FIG. 13A, when locked, the rectangular tip 72L of the stopper 70L is positioned to interfere with the lock portion 74L provided on the leg frame 50L. As a result, the distal end 72L and the lock portion 74L interfere with each other, and the forward rotation of the leg frame 50L is locked. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 13B, when the lock is released, the tip 72L of the stopper 70L is arranged at a position where it does not interfere with the lock portion 74L. Thereby, the locked state is released, and the forward rotation of the lower leg frame 50L is allowed. 14A and 14B show the structure of the connecting portion 48L when locked and unlocked, respectively, from the thigh side of the wearer P. As shown in FIG.

(Action and effect)
Next, the operation and effects of this embodiment will be described.

When the wearer P takes a forward leaning posture, the waist assist device 10 generates a force in the direction to raise the upper body of the wearer P. Here, when the wearer P wears or removes the waist assist device 10, due to the characteristics of the gas spring 40, the upper body support portion 12 and the lower leg support portion 16L may push the wearer P excessively backward. It may become operational. In such a case, by releasing the lock by the stopper 70L, it is possible to temporarily prevent the repulsive force applied by the gas spring 40L from being transmitted to the leg support portion 16L. This makes it easy to attach and detach the waist support device 10 .

Further, for example, when the user wants to sit on a chair while wearing the waist assist device 10, the repulsive force acting on the wearer P can be released by releasing the locked state of the stopper 70L.

<Third Embodiment>
A third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. Since the waist support device according to the third embodiment is a modified example of the first embodiment or the second embodiment, the same numbers are appropriately assigned to overlapping contents and the description thereof is omitted.

As shown in FIG. 15, a rear waist belt 54b and a front waist belt 55b are provided between the upper attachment portion 42L and the first attachment portion 44L of the first member 36L. Here, the front waist belt 55b is provided on the inner side surface of the first member 36L in the wearer's width direction. In addition, the rear waist belt 54b is provided outside the first member 36L in the wearer's width direction. The rear waist belt 54b and the front waist belt 55b each correspond to an example of a first attachment member.

The rear waist belt 54b is arranged rearward of the waist of the wearer, starting from the attachment location on the first member 36L, and further to the attachment location on the first member 36R. In addition, the length of the rear waist belt 54b is adjustable. By adjusting the length of the back waist belt 54b, the back waist belt 54b is pressed against the wearer from behind.

The rear waist belt 54b includes a cushion 78. As shown in FIG. The cushion 78 is arranged at the rear end of the rear waist belt 54b (that is, the back of the wearer's waist). In the waist assist device 10b, the rear waist belt 54b arranged on the rear side of the wearer is pressed against the wearer with a greater force than the front waist belt 55b. Therefore, this cushion 78 is provided for the purpose of dispersing the load applied to the wearer.

The back waist belt 54b has a separating portion 76 that can be separated at any point in the longitudinal direction. By separating the rear waist belt 54b at the separating portion 76, it is possible to prevent the rear waist belt 54b from becoming an obstacle when the wearer wears the waist assistance device 10 from the front.

The front waist belt 55b is arranged in front of the wearer's waist (abdomen) starting from the attachment location on the first member 36L, and further to the attachment location on the first member 36R. Also, the length of the front waist belt 55b is adjustable. By adjusting the length of the front waist belt 55b, the front waist belt 55b is pressed against the wearer from the front.

A hip belt 56b is provided below the rear waist belt 54b and the front waist belt 55b between the upper attachment portion 42L and the first attachment portion 44L of the first member 36L. The hip belt 56b is provided outside the first member 36L in the width direction of the wearer. The hip belt 56b corresponds to an example of a second attachment member.

The hip belt 56b provided on the lower side of the waist belt 54 is arranged toward the rear and lower side of the wearer's buttocks starting from the attachment point on the first member 36L, and further to the attachment point on the paired first member 36R. are placed to. The length of the buttocks belt 56b can also be adjusted in the same manner as the rear waist belt 54b. By adjusting the length of the hip belt 56b, the hip belt 56b is pressed against the wearer from the rear obliquely lower side.

The hip belt 56b includes a cushion 82. As shown in FIG. The cushion 82 is arranged at the rear end of the hip belt 56b (that is, the wearer's buttocks). In the waist assisting device 10b, the hip belt 56b arranged on the rear side of the wearer is pressed against the wearer with greater force than the front waist belt 55b. Therefore, the cushion 82 is provided for the purpose of dispersing the load applied to the wearer.

The hip belt 56b has a separation portion 80 that can be separated at any point in the longitudinal direction. By separating one portion of the hip belt 56b at the separating portion 80, it is possible to prevent the hip belt 56b from becoming an obstacle when the wearer wears the waist assisting device 10 from the front.

(Action and effect)
Next, the operation and effects of this embodiment will be described.

As shown in FIG. 15, in this embodiment, the front waist belt 55b, the rear waist belt 54b, and the hip belt 56b are configured independently.

With such construction, the length of each belt can be adjusted independently. That is, each belt presses the waist support device 10b against the wearer's body from three directions, i.e., the front, rear, and rear lower sides of the wearer. Thereby, the wearer can obtain more stable wearability.

By appropriately adjusting the lengths of the front waist belt 55b, the rear waist belt 54b, and the hip belt 56b, the waist support portion 14L and the waist support portion 14R of the waist support device 10b can be adjusted as desired. Easy to put in place.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the rear waist belt 54b and the hip belt 56b are attached to different positions on the first member. Specifically, the rear waist belt 54b is attached near the center of the first member in the longitudinal direction, and the hip belt 56b is attached near the lower end of the first member, independently of each other. With such a structure, the positions of the belts are separated from each other, so that the wearing positions on the wearer can be separated from each other. As a result, the waist support device 10b is worn more stably on the wearer.

In addition, since the front waist belt 55b, the rear waist belt 54b, and the hip belt 56b are configured independently, even if the length of one of the belts is adjusted to be extremely short, the It is possible to prevent other belts from being pulled by the belt. As a result, the waist support device 10b is worn by the wearer at a more appropriate location.

Furthermore, when wearing the waist support device 10b, the rear waist belt 54b and the hip belt 56b are separated at their respective separating portions, so that the wearer can wear the waist support device 10b from the front.

At this time, the wearer wears the pectoralis major muscle support portion 18, the front waist belt 55b, the thigh support portion 52L, and the thigh support portion 52R at desired locations as references, respectively, and then the back waist belt 54b and the hip belt 56b. can be installed from the rear. By performing such a mounting procedure, the waist support device 10b can be easily mounted.

<Fourth Embodiment>
A fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 16 to 18. FIG. Incidentally, since the waist support device according to the fourth embodiment is a modified example of the first to third embodiments, overlapping contents are given the same numbers as appropriate and descriptions thereof are omitted.

As shown in FIG. 16, in the lower leg support portion 216L of the present embodiment, the connecting portion 248L and the lower leg frame 250L rotate about the horizontal axis at the third attachment portion 268L (corresponding to third attachment means). installed as possible. The base portion 251L provided on the upper end side of the leg frame is rotatably attached to the connection portion 248L by the third attachment portion 268L.

A lock portion 274L in the shape of a key claw is provided on the rear side of the third mounting portion 268L in the base portion 251L.

As shown in FIG. 17, the leg support portion 216L includes a stopper 270L (corresponding to a lock mechanism). The stopper 270L is rotatably attached to the connection portion 248L at a fourth attachment portion 269L provided on the rear upper side of the third attachment portion 268L.

Further, the stopper 270L is provided with a hook-like locking portion 272L corresponding to the locking portion 274L. Here, according to the rotation of each of the base portion 251L and the stopper 270L, the lock portion 274L and the lock portion 272L are engaged with each other (locked state, see FIG. 18) or disengaged (released state). , FIG. 17).

Further, the stopper 270L is biased by a spring (not shown) so as to rotate clockwise in FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, the rear end side of the stopper 270L is provided with a projection 271L projecting rearward. The stopper 270L serves as a handle for rotating the stopper 270L to release the locked state of the base portion 251L and the stopper 270L.

(Action and effect)
Next, the operation and effects of this embodiment will be described.

As shown in FIG. 18 , in the present embodiment, the locking portion 274L and the locking portion 272L are engaged with each other, so that the leg support portion 216 is fixed to the connection portion 248L. Therefore, the biasing force generated by the gas spring 40 is transmitted to the leg support portion 216L.

Here, when the wearer releases the biasing force of the waist assisting device 10, the stopper 270L is rotated counterclockwise in FIG. 18 by placing a finger on the projection 271L. After that, the wearer moves the lower leg forward while rotating the stopper 270L, and releases the finger from the stopper 270L, thereby rotating the stopper 270L clockwise. As a result, the unlocked state of the lock portion 274L and the lock portion 272L is maintained. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 17, the locking portion 272L of the stopper 270L interferes with the outer periphery of the locking portion 274L to prevent the root portion 251L from rotating counterclockwise.

Also, by pushing the lower leg support portion 216L rearward of the wearer, the waist assist device 10 can be returned from the unlocked state shown in FIG. 17 to the locked state shown in FIG. At this time, the locking portion 274L pushes the locking portion 272L rearward, thereby rotating the stopper 270L counterclockwise in FIG. When the stopper 270L is rotated to a predetermined position, the locking portion 274L and the locking portion 272L are engaged with each other to enter a locked state.

With such a structure, the wearer can easily adjust whether or not the biasing force of the gas spring 40 is transmitted. Note that when performing the unlocking operation, the wearer may move the lower limbs one by one forward while rotating the stopper 270L or the stopper 270R, or by taking a forward leaning posture, the left and right locked states may be released once. can be released.

<Other aspects>
Although the waist support device 10 according to each embodiment has been described above, it is needless to say that various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. For example, the upper body support part 12 may be arranged on the rear side of the wearer P. In this case, it is possible to adopt a structure that supports the front side of the upper body of the wearer P by means of a separately provided belt or the like. Further, the leg support part 16 may also be arranged on the rear side of the wearer P. As shown in FIG. In this case, a structure that supports the front side of the thighs of the wearer P can be provided using a separately provided belt or the like.

Moreover, although the waist support part 14 and the leg support part 16 are described as a pair of left and right, they may be provided on either the left or the right depending on the application. Further, the upper body support part 12 has been described as a structure provided in the central part in the left-right direction of the body of the wearer P, but for example, it may be provided as a pair on the left and right according to the positions of the left and right pectoral muscles.

The leg support 16 may be provided with an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the position of the thigh support 52 in the vertical direction. Thereby, according to the body shape of the wearer P, the position of the thigh support part 52, which is the position where force is applied to the thigh, can be changed.

Although the structure using the gas spring 40 has been described as the biasing means in each embodiment, other biasing means can be provided. In order to obtain the desired spring constant, for example, biasing means such as a coil spring may be used.

In the second embodiment, the structure in which the rotation mechanism and the locking mechanism are provided on the upper end side of the lower leg support portion 16 has been described, but a similar mechanism may be provided on the lower end side of the upper body support portion 12 . As a result, effects similar to those obtained when these mechanisms are provided on the upper end side of the leg support portion 16 can be obtained.

10 Lumbar assisting device 12 Upper body support 14, 14L, 14R, 14S Lumbar support 16, 16L, 16R Lower leg support 18 Pectoralis major muscle support 20 Upper body support column 22 Upper support 24 Lower support 28, 28L , 28R Frame 32L Frame upper portion 34L Curved portions 36, 36L, 36R, 36S First members 38, 38L, 38S Second members 40, 40L Biasing means (gas spring)
42, 42L, 42S Upper mounting portion 44, 44L, 44S First mounting means (first mounting portion)
46, 46L, 46S Second attachment portion 48L Connection portion 49L Second attachment means (attachment location)
50L lower leg frames 52, 52L, 52R thigh support 54 first attachment member (waist belt)
56 Second mounting member (hip belt)
58L Width adjustment portion 268L Third attachment means (third attachment portion)
270L lock mechanism (stopper)

Claims (14)

a pair of left and right first members attached to the sides of the waist of the human body;
a pair of left and right second members attached to the sides of the waist of the human body and below the first member;
a pair of left and right first attachment means for attaching the lower end side of the first member and the upper side of the second member so as to be rotatable following the rotational movement of the waist of the human body in the front-rear direction;
a pair of left and right biasing means attached to the upper end side of the first member and the lower end side of the second member and repulsive to the forward rotation of the waist of the human body;
an upper body support part attached to the upper end side of the pair of left and right first members and supporting the upper body of a human body;
a pair of left and right lower leg support parts attached to the lower end sides of the pair of left and right second members and supporting the lower legs of the human body from the front;
a pair of left and right second mounting means for rotatably mounting the lower end side of the second member and the upper end side of the lower leg support portion in accordance with the leg opening movement of the lower leg of the human body to the outside in the width direction;
A lumbar assistive device comprising: The first attachment means includes:
is arranged on the rear side of the human body from a straight line connecting the mounting position of the first member and the biasing means and the mounting position of the second member and the biasing means,
A waist support device according to claim 1. The upper body support section is arranged in front of the upper body of the human body and supports the upper body of the human body from the front.
A waist support device according to claim 1. The upper body support part has a pair of left and right frames arranged from the upper end of the pair of left and right first members to the front of the human body,
The frame is curved with a convex portion on the rear side of the human body so as not to interfere with the lower leg support portion when the human body wearing it bends down.
A waist support device according to claim 1. The upper body support part includes a pectoral muscle support part that supports the upper part of the pectoral muscle of the human body in the width direction,
The pectoralis major muscle supporting part is rotatably attached following the twisting motion of the upper body of the human body in the left-right direction.
The waist support device according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The pectoralis major muscle supporting part is attached so as to be vertically movable,
A waist support device according to claim 5. The pair of left and right first members has a first attachment member that is disposed on the rear side of the waist of the human body and detachably connects the pair of left and right first members,
A waist support device according to any one of claims 1 to 6. The pair of left and right first members has a second mounting member that is disposed on the rear lower side of the buttocks of the human body and detachably connects the pair of left and right first members,
A waist support device according to any one of claims 1 to 7. The distance from the attachment point of the first member and the biasing means to the attachment point of the second member and the lower leg support is variable.
A waist support device according to any one of claims 1 to 8. The waist support device according to any one of claims 1 to 9 , wherein the mounting positions of said first member and said biasing means are movable in the longitudinal direction of the human body. The waist support device according to any one of claims 1 to 10 , wherein the attachment positions of said second member and said urging means are movable in the longitudinal direction of the human body. The lower leg support part is arranged on the lower side of the second attachment means, following the forward movement of the lower leg of the human body, so that the lower side of the lower leg support part is positioned forwardly of the human body with respect to the upper side of the lower leg support part. a third mounting means for rotatably mounting;
a locking mechanism for locking rotation of the third mounting means;
The waist support device according to any one of claims 1 to 11 , comprising: a first member attached to the side of the waist of a human body;
a second member attached to the side of the waist of the human body and below the first member;
first attachment means for attaching the lower end side of the first member and the upper side of the second member so as to be rotatable following the rotational movement of the waist of the human body in the front-rear direction;
an urging means attached to the upper end side of the first member and the lower end side of the second member and repulsive to the forward rotation of the waist of the human body;
a rotating shaft provided below the first attachment means in the second member and attached rotatably to the side of the human body;
A biasing device for a waist assist device, comprising: The first attachment means is arranged on the rear side of the human body with respect to a straight line connecting the attachment position of the first member and the biasing means and the attachment position of the second member and the biasing means. ,
A biasing device for a waist support device according to claim 13 .

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