JP7453351B2 - Assistive device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an assistance device.

Patent Document 1 discloses an assistance device that assists a person being assisted in standing up. The assistance device disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a foot plate on which both feet of a person being assisted are placed, and a plurality of casters arranged below the foot plate. With such a configuration, the assistance device is configured to be movable and rotatable. An assistance device assists a person being assisted in standing up or sitting down, and is used, for example, to assist in transferring between a bed and a wheelchair.

International Publication No. 2018/116472

The shape of the foot plate and the position of the casters of the assisting device are set so as not to interfere with the bed or wheelchair. From the viewpoint of improving the usability of such assistance devices, there is a demand for miniaturization of parts of the assistance device that may interfere with a wheelchair or the like. On the other hand, from the viewpoint of improving stability such as preventing the assisting device from tipping over, it is preferable to arrange the casters so that the distance between them is longer.

The present specification aims to provide an assistance device that can improve its usability.

The present specification provides a base having a main body frame, a front caster, an intermediate caster, and a rear caster provided in pairs in the left and right direction at three different positions in the front and back direction of the main body frame, and provided on the base, a support member that supports the upper body of the person being assisted, and each of the pair of intermediate casters is arranged outside a minimum area surrounding the pair of front casters and the pair of rear casters when viewed from above. A first assistive device is disclosed.

The present specification provides a base having a main body frame, a pair of rear casters provided in the left-right direction at the rear of the main body frame, and a base that is provided on the main body frame and covers at least a portion of the pair of rear casters. The pair of rear casters includes a cover member and a support member that is provided on the base and supports the upper body of the person being assisted. a pivoting part that extends and supports the cover member so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis that does not intersect with the axle, and the rear end of the cover member has a contact point between the rear caster and the road surface that is on the rear side of the pivot axis. Disclosed is a second assisting device, which is located in front of the rear end of the wheel in a state where the contact point is located, and rearward of the rear end of the wheel in a state in which the contact point is located in front of the pivot axis.

According to the configuration of the first assisting device, the intermediate casters are arranged on the outside in the left-right direction, so the stability of the assisting device can be improved. In addition, by ensuring the stability provided by the intermediate casters, it is possible to reduce the distance between the pair of rear casters in the left-right direction, so that a shape that prevents interference with a bed or the like can be adopted. As a result, it is possible to improve the usability of the assistance device.

According to the configuration of the second assisting device, the size of the cover member in the front-rear direction can be reduced. As a result, the assisting device can prevent interference with the bed and the like and can come closer to the bed and the like than before. This makes it possible to get on and off the vehicle in a more appropriate positional relationship with respect to the person being assisted. As a result, the usability of the assistance device can be improved.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the assisting device of the embodiment as viewed obliquely from the rear. FIG. 2 is a side view showing the assistance device in a state of supporting a person being assisted in a sitting posture. FIG. 2 is a side view showing the assistance device in a state of supporting a person being assisted in a standing posture. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a base, a foot plate, and each caster of the assisting device. It is a side view which expands and shows the rear part of a base. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an enlarged rear part of the base; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a state in which the assistance device is brought close to the wheelchair, as seen diagonally from the rear, with parts of the wheelchair and the assistance device omitted.

1. Configuration of Assistance Device 1 The configuration of the assistance device 1 of the embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. The assistance device 1 assists a person M seated in a wheelchair 90 or the like (see FIG. 2, etc.) in getting up from a sitting position to a standing position, and in sitting down from a standing position to a sitting position. Provide assistance. The assistance device 1 supports the upper body of the person to be assisted M in a standing position, thereby assisting the transfer operation between the wheelchair 90 and a bed (not shown), for example. Further, the assistance device 1 is used to assist the person being assisted M on board the vehicle in moving to a movement target (for example, a wheelchair 90, a bed, or a toilet) by having one caregiver tow the assistance device 1 or the like.

Note that the "standing posture" means a posture in which the lower body of the person being assisted M is standing. Accordingly, in this specification, the standing posture includes a posture of the person being assisted M in which the buttocks are raised from the sitting posture, the lower body is standing, and the upper body is leaning forward. In other words, assistance in standing up is assistance in raising the buttocks of the person being assisted M, as well as inclining the upper body forward and placing the mass of the upper body on the assistance device 1. Further, the assistance of the sitting motion is the assistance of the motion of lowering the buttocks of the person being assisted M.

The assistance device 1 includes a base 10, as shown in FIG. More specifically, the base 10 has a main body frame 11 forming a main body. As shown in FIG. 4, the main body frame 11 mainly includes a metal pipe member formed in a ∪ shape when viewed from above, and a plurality of auxiliary pipes that connect portions of the pipe member extending in the front-rear direction on both left and right sides. It is composed of The base 10 has a support bracket 12 fixed to the main body frame 11. The support bracket 12 supports each caster 31-33 and a drive device 50, which will be described later.

The assistance device 1 includes a foot plate 20. The foot plate 20 is provided on the main body frame 11 so that its upper surface is horizontal. Both feet Mg of the person being assisted M are placed on the foot plate 20 . In this embodiment, the foot plate 20 functions as a cover member that covers at least a portion of the pair of rear casters 33. The detailed configuration of the foot plate 20 will be described later.

The assisting device 1 includes a front caster 31, an intermediate caster 32, and a rear caster 33, which are provided in pairs in the left-right direction at three different positions in the front-rear direction of the main body frame 11. The pair of front casters 31, the pair of intermediate casters 32, and the pair of rear casters 33 are each fixed to the main body frame 11 via the support bracket 12. In this embodiment, each caster 31-33 has a steering function to change the direction of movement. As a result, the assistance device 1 is configured to be capable of not only moving in the front-back direction and changing direction, but also lateral movement (movement directly to the side) and super turning (turning on the spot). The detailed configuration of each caster 31-33 will be described later.

The assistance device 1 includes a support member 60 provided on the base 10 via a drive device 50. The support member 60 supports the upper body of the person being assisted. The drive device 50 drives the arm using an actuator (not shown), and moves the support member 60 in the vertical direction and the front-back direction while tilting it. The drive device 50 drives the above-mentioned actuator based on a command from a control device (not shown).

The support member 60 is provided on the drive device 50 arm. In this embodiment, the support member 60 includes a torso support section 61 and a pair of side support sections 62 . The torso support portion 61 is formed in a planar shape similar to the shape of the torso of the person being assisted. The body support portion 61 is made of a material that can be flexibly deformed. The support surface of the torso support part 61 makes surface contact with the front surface of the torso of the upper body of the person being assisted M, and supports the torso from the front. More specifically, the support surface of the torso support section 61 supports the range of the person being assisted M from the chest Mb to the abdomen.

The pair of armpit support sections 62 are supported by the torso support section 61 and support the armpits of the person being assisted. Specifically, the pair of side support parts 62 are provided on the left and right sides of the torso support part 61. The armpit support section 62 is swingably supported by the torso support section 61. The side support portion 62 is formed into an L-shape by a rod-shaped member. The surface of the side support portion 62 is covered with a material that can be flexibly deformed.

The assistance device 1 includes a handle 71. The handle 71 is formed into a generally rectangular frame shape. The handle 71 is formed to extend forward and upward from the rear end of the arm of the drive device 50. The side portions of the handle 71 are held by both hands of the person being assisted. Furthermore, the side and front parts of the handle 71 are grasped by the caregiver to move the assistance device 1.

The assistance device 1 includes a lower leg support device 72. The lower leg support device 72 is a member that is provided on the base 10 and comes into contact with the knees and shins of the person being assisted M who is assisted in standing up. The lower leg support device 72 is provided to stabilize the standing and sitting movements of the person M by determining the positions of the knees and shins of the person M. The lower leg support device 72 has a buffer member that is a cushioning material that extends in the left-right direction. The position of the buffer member in the front-rear direction is adjusted to suit the physique and sitting posture of the person being assisted.

The assistance device 1 includes a controller (not shown) that receives operations from the person being assisted M or the assistant. The assistance device 1 receives, for example, a request for assistance in standing up or sitting down, or a request for adjusting the vertical position of the support member 60, via the controller. The assistance device 1 controls the operation of the drive device 50 according to the received assistance request and adjustment request.

2. Detailed configuration of each caster 31-33 The detailed configuration of each caster 31-33 will be explained with reference to FIGS. 2-5. As shown in FIG. 4, the assisting device 1 includes a front caster 31, an intermediate caster 32, and a rear caster 33, which are provided in pairs symmetrically in the left-right direction at three different positions in the front-back direction of the main body frame 11. Specifically, a pair of front casters 31, a pair of intermediate casters 32, and a pair of rear casters 33 are arranged in order from the front of the assistance device 1. A pair of rear casters 33 are provided in the left-right direction at the rear of the main body frame 11.

2-1. Positional relationship in the longitudinal direction of each caster 31-33 In this embodiment, the pair of intermediate casters 32 are arranged a predetermined distance ahead of the center of the main body frame 11 in the longitudinal direction. As a result, as shown in FIG. 3, in the assistance device 1, in a state where the support member 60 supports the person being assisted M in the standing posture, the chest Mb of the person being assisted M is moved between the pair of front casters 31 and the pair of intermediate casters. 32 in the front-rear direction.

Further, the pair of rear casters 33 are arranged on the rear side of the heels Mh of both legs Mg placed at prescribed positions on the foot plate 20, as shown in FIG. As a result, the assistance device 1 is configured such that the legs Mg of the person being assisted M are positioned between the pair of intermediate casters 32 and the pair of rear casters 33 in the front-rear direction when assisting the person to stand up or sit down. There is. Further, the assistance device 1 is arranged in a longitudinal direction so that the load is distributed as evenly as possible to each of the casters 31-33 when assisting in standing up or sitting down.

The assistance device 1 configured as described above is designed to improve the stability in the front and rear direction during use, including when the person being assisted M rides on the vehicle. On the other hand, the assistance device 1 is required to have improved stability in the left and right direction. The stability of the assisting device 1 in the lateral direction increases as the distance between the casters 31-33 in the lateral direction increases, but there is a risk that the assisting device 1 becomes larger in the lateral direction, leading to a decrease in usability. Therefore, the assistance device 1 is required to ensure stability in the lateral direction while suppressing enlargement in the lateral direction.

Here, in a configuration in which the base 10 is supported by four wheels excluding a pair of intermediate casters 32, if the assistance device 1 falls down, the first straight line N1 passing through the front casters 31 and the rear casters 33 on either the left or right side is The assistance device 1 will be tilted about the axis. On the other hand, the assistance device 1 includes a pair of intermediate casters 32. Each of the pair of intermediate casters 32 is arranged outside the minimum region Rm surrounding the pair of front casters 31 and the pair of rear casters 33 when viewed from above.

Here, the above-mentioned "minimum area" is a virtual area that includes at least a portion of the pair of front casters 31 and the pair of rear casters 33 that come into contact with the running path (floor surface F) in a predetermined state. In this embodiment, the above-mentioned minimum region Rm has a generally trapezoidal shape, as shown in FIG. The above-mentioned predetermined state may include any state in which the pair of front casters 31 and the pair of rear casters 33 are turned within their respective turning ranges.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the center of gravity Gr of the assistance device 1 including the person being assisted M is displaced in the front-rear direction depending on the physique of the person assisted M and the movement of the support member 60; It is located near the center (the thick line in FIG. 4 indicates the movement range of the center of gravity Gr). The pair of intermediate casters 32 are located close to the center of gravity Gr in the front-rear direction, and are disposed on the front side of the center of gravity Gr.

According to such a configuration, when an external force in the left and right direction that causes the assistance device 1 to fall is applied, the assistance device 1 moves around the second straight line N2 passing through the intermediate casters 32 and the rear casters 33 on either the left or right side. It will tilt. This second straight line N2 is further away from the center of gravity Gr than the first straight line N1 described above. In this way, by arranging the pair of intermediate casters 32 outside the minimum region Rm, the stability of the assisting device 1 in the left-right direction can be improved.

2-2. Relationship between the left-right distances of the casters 31-33 In the present embodiment, the left-right distance Lm between the pair of intermediate casters 32 is equal to the left-right distance Lf between the pair of front casters 31 and the left-right distance Lf between the pair of front casters 31 and the left-right distance Lm between the pair of intermediate casters 32. It is longer than the horizontal separation distance Lr of No. 33 (Lf<Lm, Lr<Lm). In this way, by setting the separation distance Lm between the pair of intermediate casters 32 closest to the center of gravity Gr in the front-rear direction of the assisting device 1 to be the maximum, the stability in the left-right direction can be further improved.

Further, the distance Lr between the pair of rear casters 33 in the left-right direction is shorter than the distance Lf between the pair of front casters 31 in the left-right direction (Lr<Lf). According to such a configuration, it is possible to prevent interference between the pair of rear casters 33 and other equipment (such as a bed or wheelchair 90), thereby improving the usability of the assistance device 1.

Further, the assistance device 1 adopts a configuration that takes into consideration the relationship with the wheelchair 90, assuming that the target person being assisted M is seated on the wheelchair 90 or will be seated on the wheelchair 90. Specifically, the distance Lr between the pair of rear casters 33 in the left-right direction is set shorter than the distance Lw between the pair of front wheels 91 of the wheelchair 90 in the left-right direction. According to such a configuration, when the assistance device 1 is positioned close to the wheelchair 90, the pair of rear casters 33 can pass inside the pair of front wheels 91 of the wheelchair 90.

When the assistance device 1 assists in standing up and sitting down, the rear end of the base 10 (in this embodiment, the rear end of the foot plate 20) is closer to the pair of front wheels 91 of the wheelchair 90. is also positioned on the rear side (see FIGS. 2 and 7). According to such a configuration, it becomes possible to bring the support member 60 closer to the chest Mb of the person being assisted M who is seated on the wheelchair 90. Note that the distance Lm between the pair of intermediate casters 32 in the left-right direction is longer than the distance Lw between the pair of front wheels of the wheelchair 90 in the left-right direction. Thereby, the assistance device 1 can be sufficiently stabilized, particularly when the person being assisted M gets on and off the assistance device 1 and the wheelchair 90.

2-3. Structure of each caster 31-33 In this embodiment, each caster 31-33 is of an eccentric rotation type. Since each of the casters 31-33 has a common structure, the structure of the pair of rear casters 33 will be described here. As shown in FIG. 5, the pair of rear casters 33 includes a caster main body 41, wheels 42, a turning part 43, and a mounting part 44.

The caster body 41 is provided with wheels 42 that are rotatable around a horizontal axle 42A. In this embodiment, the caster main body 41 independently rotatably supports a pair of wheels 42 in the extending direction of the axle 42 . That is, the pair of wheels 42 are configured to be rotatable in mutually opposite directions. The turning portion 43 supports the wheel 42 so as to be able to turn around the turning axis 43A. This pivot shaft 43A extends in the vertical direction (vertical direction in this embodiment) and does not intersect with the axle 42A. The mounting portion 44 is fixed to the support bracket 12 of the base 10.

The rear caster 33 configured as described above travels as the pair of wheels 42 rotate in the same direction. Further, when an external force is applied to the rear caster 33 in a direction different from the running direction, a moment is generated around the pivot shaft 43A, and the caster body 41 and the pair of wheels 42 pivot around the pivot shaft 43A. Thereby, the running direction of the rear casters 33 is changed to a direction parallel to the external force.

Note that the pair of wheels 42 rotate in different directions when the rear casters 33 turn, thereby improving the turning performance of the rear casters 33. Furthermore, the pair of wheels 42 rotate in the same direction at different rotational speeds when the assistive device 1 turns, and absorb the difference between the inner wheels according to the distances to the respective turning centers. With such a configuration, the rear casters 33 improve the turning performance of the assistance device 1.

In this embodiment, the pair of intermediate casters 32 and the pair of rear casters 33 are of the same type. Further, the pair of front casters 31 are eccentrically rotating and have a similar structure, but larger casters are used to improve load capacity. Furthermore, the pair of front casters 31 has a locking function to restrict movement of the assistance device 1. As described above, the wheels 42 of the pair of intermediate casters 32 and the pair of rear casters 33 have the same diameter, and are smaller in diameter than the wheels 42 of the pair of front casters 31.

According to such a configuration, the pair of front casters 31 are set to have a large diameter, and when the assistance device 1 moves forward, it becomes easier to overcome steps, etc., and the running performance of the assistance device 1 can be improved. On the other hand, by setting the pair of intermediate casters 32 and rear casters 33 to have small diameters, it is possible to lower the upper surface of the foot plate 20, and it is possible to suppress interference with other equipment.

3. Detailed configuration of foot plate 20 and cover member 80 The detailed configuration of foot plate 20 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. As described above, the assistance device 1 includes the foot plate 20 that functions as a cover member for the pair of rear casters 33. Hereinafter, the "foot plate 20" will also be referred to as the "cover member 80." Here, the assistance device 1 is positioned so as to approach a movable target (for example, a wheelchair 90, a bed, or a toilet) by moving backward. Therefore, if the cover member 80 interferes with the moving target, the backward movement of the assisting device 1 may be restricted.

For example, if the degree of freedom of movement is improved by just the radius of the wheels 42 of the rear casters 33, the person being assisted M can be guided to a more suitable position, and the burden on the person being assisted M and the caregiver can be reduced. There are cases. Improving the degree of freedom of movement of the assistance device 1 is particularly effective in assisting the person M to sit on the toilet seat by appropriately adjusting the position and angle of the assistance device 1 in a narrow space such as a toilet room. Therefore, the assistance device 1 of this embodiment adopts a configuration that can protect the pair of rear casters 33 and suppress interference with other equipment.

Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the rear end 80E of the cover member 80 has a pivot point where the rear casters 33 contact the road surface (floor surface F) (the shaded area in FIGS. 5 and 6). 43A, it is located in front of the rear end 42E1 of the wheel 42. That is, for example, when the assistance device 1 moves forward as a whole, a portion of the caster body 41 and the wheels 42 that have turned around the pivot shaft 43A are exposed from the cover member 80 when viewed from above.

Furthermore, in addition to the above configuration, the rear end 80E of the cover member 80 is located at the rear side of the rear end 42E2 of the wheel 42 in a state where the contact point is located at the front side of the pivot shaft 43A. That is, for example, when the assistance device 1 moves backward to approach a moving target, the caster body 41 and the wheels 42, which have turned around the pivot axis 43A, are all housed in the cover member 80 when viewed from above. Become.

According to such a configuration, the longitudinal dimension of the cover member 80 is reduced, for example, compared to a configuration in which the rear casters 33 are always housed regardless of the turning angle of the rear casters 33. be able to. Thereby, interference between the cover member 80 and other equipment is suppressed, and the degree of freedom of movement of the assistance device 1 can be improved. As a result, it becomes possible to bring the support member 60 closer to the person being assisted M sitting on the wheelchair 90 or the toilet seat. Therefore, it becomes possible to get on and off the vehicle in a more appropriate positional relationship with respect to the person to be assisted M, and the usability of the assistance device 1 can be improved.

On the other hand, a portion of the rear caster 33 may be exposed from the cover member 80 when viewed from above. However, when the assistance device 1 is moving forward, there is no interference with other equipment fixed to the floor F, so there is little need to cover the rear casters 33. In this way, the cover member 80 assumes that the rear casters 33 are of the eccentric rotation type, and utilizes the displacement with respect to the rotation axis 43A according to the rotation angle of the rear casters 33 to suppress interference with other equipment. and protection of the rear casters 33 during rearward movement.

Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the cover member 80 has a recessed portion 81 in the center in the left-right direction that is recessed forward when viewed from above. In this embodiment, the recess 81 is formed in a shape curved forward. Further, the recess 81 is located between the legs Mg when the legs Mg are placed in the prescribed positions of the foot plate 20, and is configured in a position and shape that does not interfere with the function of the foot plate 20. Further, the recessed portion 81 can suppress interference between the cover member 80 (foot plate 20) and a moving target such as a toilet bowl whose center portion in the left and right direction is fixed to the floor surface F.

4. Movement Assistance by Assistive Device 1 The assistance of standing up motion and sitting motion by the assisting device 1 will be explained with reference to FIGS. 2, 3, and 7. First, the assistance device 1 is moved backward to approach the person M seated in the wheelchair 90, with the torso support portion 61 of the support member 60 oriented at an angle so as to face the chest Mb of the person Mb. Ru. At this time, the footrest 92 of the wheelchair 90 is in a raised state in advance.

Here, the distance Lr between the pair of rear casters 33 in the left-right direction and the width of the cover member 80 in the left-right direction are set shorter than the distance Lw between the pair of front wheels 91 of the wheelchair 90 in the left-right direction. Thereby, the rear end portion of the foot plate 20 (cover member 80) and the pair of rear casters 33 are configured to be able to move rearward through the inside of the pair of front wheels 91 of the wheelchair 90. At this time, the pair of rear casters 33 have contact points with the road surface located on the front side of the pivot shaft 43A, and are completely covered by the cover member 80.

The base 10 is positioned such that the rear end of the base 10 is located on the rear side of the front wheels 91 of the wheelchair 90, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 7. At this time, the pair of front wheels 91 of the wheelchair 90 are located on the outer side of the foot plate 20 in the left-right direction, and are close to the pair of intermediate casters 32 in the front-rear direction. Next, the person being assisted M places both legs Mg on the foot plate 20 and brings the knees and shins into contact with the rear surface of the lower leg support device 72 .

Further, the person being assisted M leans his or her upper body forward so as to press the chest Mb against the torso support section 61 . Further, the person being assisted M extends both arms toward the handle 71 and is supported by the pair of armpit support portions 62 at both sides. As a result, the person being assisted M is able to board the assistance device 1 while remaining in a sitting position. Subsequently, the drive device 50 is driven, and the support member 60 is moved upward and forward while tilting. As a result, the person being assisted M is transferred from the sitting posture shown in FIG. 2 to the standing posture with both legs Mg extended as shown in FIG.

The assistance device 1 is moved and rotated while supporting the person being assisted M in a standing posture, and assists the person M in sitting at a position and angle according to the purpose. The assistance for the sitting motion is the reverse order of the assistance for the standing motion described above, so a detailed explanation will be omitted. In such a series of operations, the pair of intermediate casters 32 are provided outside the minimum area Rm and spaced apart by a distance Lm in the left-right direction, thereby ensuring the stability of the assistance device 1 in the left-right direction. be done.

Furthermore, when the assistance device 1 approaches the moving target by moving backward, the pair of rear casters 33 are entirely covered by the cover member 80, and interference with the moving target is prevented. Furthermore, when the assistance device 1 approaches a movable target fixed to the floor surface F, a portion of the movable target enters the recess 81 of the cover member 80, thereby suppressing interference and increasing the freedom of movement of the assistance device 1. is improved.

5. Variations of the embodiment 5-1. Regarding the configuration of the assistance device 1 In the embodiment, the assistance device 1 has a configuration (A) in which each of the pair of rear casters 33 is arranged outside the minimum area Rm, and a wheel in which the rear end 80E of the cover member 80 moves. The configuration includes configuration (B) located within the range of rear ends 42E1 and 42E2 of 42. On the other hand, the assistance device 1 may be configured to include only one of the configurations (A) and (B) described above.

In other words, the assisting device 1 may include the configuration (A) and a cover member that always accommodates the rear casters 33 regardless of the turning angle of the rear casters 33. According to such a configuration, it is possible to improve the stability of the assisting device 1 in the left-right direction. In addition, in such an aspect, the pair of rear casters 33 do not have to be of the eccentric rotation type. However, from the viewpoint of improving the turning performance of the assistance device 1, the mode exemplified in the embodiment is preferable.

Further, the assisting device 1 may have a configuration including the configuration (B) and a pair of intermediate casters 32 arranged inside the minimum area Rm, or a configuration including the configuration (B) but not including the pair of intermediate casters 32. Good too. According to such a configuration, the size of the cover member 80 in the front-rear direction can be reduced, and the degree of freedom of movement of the assisting device 1 can be improved.

5-2. Regarding the foot plate 20 and the cover member 80 In the embodiment, the foot plate 20 and the cover member 80 are described as being the same member. On the other hand, the foot plate 20 and the cover member 80 may be separate members. For example, depending on the level of assistance required by the person being assisted M, the assistance device 1 may be configured to omit the foot plate 20 and assist the person being assisted M in walking. In such an embodiment, the cover member 80 is formed to protect at least a portion of the pair of rear casters 33.

5-3. Types of Assistance Device 1 As described above, the configuration of the assistance device 1 differs depending on the level of assistance required by the person being assisted. For example, in the embodiment, the assistance device 1 is configured to include a drive device 50 that moves the support member 60 in the up-down direction and in the front-back direction while tilting it. On the other hand, the assisting device 1 may adopt a configuration including a drive device that simply tilts the support member 60 or raises and lowers the support member 60.

Furthermore, the assistance device 1 employs a configuration in which the driving device as described above is omitted and the support member 60 is manually moved or reshaped by the caregiver, or a configuration in which the support member 60 is fixed to the base 10. It is possible. By applying at least one of the above configurations (A) and (B) to any type of assistance device 1, effects corresponding to each type can be achieved.

1: Assistance device, 10: Base, 11: Main body frame, 12: Support bracket, 20: Foot plate, 31: (pair of) front casters, 32: (pair of) intermediate casters, 33: (pair of) rear Caster, 41: Caster body, 42: Wheel, 42A: Axle, 43: Swivel part, 43A: Swivel axis, 44: Mounting part, 60: Support member, 80: Cover member, 81: Recess, 90: Wheelchair (moving target ), 91: (pair of) front wheels, Rm: minimum area, F: floor surface (road surface), Lf: separation distance (in the left-right direction of the pair of front casters), Lm: (in the left-right direction of the pair of intermediate casters) Separation distance, Lr: Separation distance (in the left-right direction of the pair of rear casters), Lw: Separation distance (in the left-right direction of the pair of front wheels of the wheelchair), M: Assisted person, Mb: Chest, Mg: Both legs, Mh: heel

Claims (11)

a base having a main body frame;
a support member provided on the base and supporting the upper body of the person being assisted;
A front caster, an intermediate caster, and a rear caster are provided in pairs in the left-right direction at three different positions in the front-back direction of the main body frame with reference to the direction of the person being assisted supported by the support member ,
The distance between the pair of rear casters in the left-right direction is shorter than the distance between the pair of front casters in the left-right direction,
Each of the pair of intermediate casters is arranged outside a minimum area surrounding the pair of front casters and the pair of rear casters when viewed from above. a base having a main body frame;
a support member provided on the base and supporting the upper body of the person being assisted;
A pair of wheels rotatable around an axle are provided in pairs in the left and right directions at three different positions in the front and back direction of the main frame with reference to the orientation of the person being assisted supported by the support member, and the wheels are rotatable around an axle; A front caster, an intermediate caster, and a rear caster , each having a pivoting part that supports the caster so as to be pivotable,
The distance between the pair of rear casters in the left-right direction is shorter than the distance between the pair of front casters in the left-right direction,
The assisting device, wherein the pivot axis of each of the pair of intermediate casters is arranged outside a minimum area surrounding the pivot axis of the pair of front casters and the pivot axis of the pair of rear casters when viewed from above. The assistance according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the distance between the pair of intermediate casters in the left-right direction is longer than the distance between the pair of front casters in the left-right direction and the distance between the pair of rear casters in the left-right direction. Device. The assistance device assists a standing action that brings the person being assisted seated in a wheelchair into a standing position, and a sitting action that brings the person being assisted who has stood up to a sitting position seated in the wheelchair;
The distance between the pair of rear casters in the left-right direction is shorter than the distance between the pair of front wheels of the wheelchair in the left-right direction,
The base according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the base is positioned such that the rear end of the base is located on the rear side of the front wheels of the wheelchair when assisting the standing up motion and the sitting motion. Assistive devices as described in section . The assistance device according to claim 4 , wherein the distance between the pair of intermediate casters in the left-right direction is longer than the distance between the pair of front wheels of the wheelchair in the left-right direction. The assistance device further includes a foot plate provided on the main body frame, on which both legs of the person to be assisted are placed,
The assisting device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein the pair of rear casters are arranged on the rear side of the heels of both legs placed at prescribed positions on the foot plate. The pair of rear casters are
A wheel that can rotate around a horizontal axle,
The assisting device according to any one of claims 1 to 6 , which is an eccentric turning type, comprising a turning part that extends in the vertical direction and supports the wheel so as to be able to turn around a turning axis that does not intersect with the axle. . The pair of front casters and the pair of intermediate casters are of the eccentric rotation type,
The assistance device according to claim 7 , wherein the wheels of the pair of intermediate casters and the pair of rear casters have the same diameter and have a smaller diameter than the wheels of the pair of front casters. a base having a main body frame;
a support member provided on the base and supporting the upper body of the person being assisted;
a pair of rear casters provided in the left-right direction at the rear of the main body frame with reference to the direction of the person being assisted supported by the support member ;
a cover member provided on the main body frame and covering at least a portion of the pair of rear casters;
The pair of rear casters are
A wheel that can rotate around a horizontal axle,
a turning part that extends in the vertical direction and supports the wheel so as to be able to turn around a turning axis that does not intersect with the axle;
The rear end of the cover member is located in front of the rear end of the wheel in a state where the contact point between the rear caster and the road surface is located in the rear side of the pivot axis, and the contact point is located in front of the pivot axis. The assisting device is located on the rear side of the rear end of the wheel in a state where the assisting device is located on the rear side of the rear end of the wheel. 10. The assistance device according to claim 9, wherein the cover member is a foot plate on which both legs of the person to be assisted are placed, and has a recessed portion recessed forward when viewed from above at the center in the left-right direction. The support member supports the upper body of the person being assisted from the front,
Any one of claims 9 to 10, wherein the assistance device is used to assist the person being assisted to move to a moving target, and is positioned close to the moving target by moving backward in the movement assisting process. The assistance device according to item 1.

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