JPH0511989B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] Industrial Application Field This invention relates to a wheelchair that is particularly lightweight, compact, and portable, and more specifically, the wheelchair itself can be folded forward and backward, left and right, and up and down with a single touch. The present invention relates to an extremely easy-to-use and convenient wheelchair that has a structure that allows the wheelchair to be opened, and has double-opening steps that can be stored inside.

Conventional Technology As is well known, wheelchairs are broadly divided into two types: self-propelled type with a motor and manual type with hand rims that manually rotate the rear wheels.Of these, manual type wheelchairs have a foldable structure. This is what has become the norm.

However, all conventional manual wheelchairs have a structure that allows them to be folded only in one direction, either the width direction or the front and rear directions. Also, in the case of a wheelchair that folds in the width direction, the front and rear widths cannot be reduced.

For this reason, even though conventional wheelchairs have a foldable structure, they are relatively bulky and heavy, making them inconvenient to carry.

Therefore, in order to improve these points, for example, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 61-25784, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 53-13384,
Japanese Patent Publication No. 61-107 and other publications propose a wheelchair that can be folded back and forth and left and right. All of these wheelchairs have a structure that allows them to be folded back and forth, left and right, using an X-shaped cross pipe, unlike previous wheelchairs that could only be folded in one direction, either widthwise or front and rear. Compared to the previous model, it is smaller when folded, making it more convenient to carry.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, conventionally developed wheelchairs that can be folded back and forth and left and right have the following drawbacks.

For example, in the folding wheelchair described in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 61-25784, the folding mechanism in the front-rear direction of the main body is achieved by lifting the seat pipe upwards, thereby allowing bendable tension members placed on the left and right sides to be folded. Since the seat is designed to be foldable, the backrest and seat cannot be folded unless the seat is separated. That is, in such a folding mechanism, there is a disadvantage that the backrest portion and the seat surface cannot be integrated into one piece. Also, the rear wheel is fixed to the rear pipe, but when folded it becomes taller.
It is inconvenient to put in and take out. Furthermore, since the front pipe is directly joined to the handlebar pipe, there is no handrail and it is impossible to get on and off from the side.

Also, JP-A-53-13384, JP-A-61-107
The wheelchair described in the publication adopts a method in which cross pipes installed on the left and right sides slide as the folding mechanism in the front-back direction of the main body, so the folding mechanism is relatively complex and requires a large number of parts. However, it also has the disadvantage of being heavy.
Furthermore, since the handrail is of a bending type, there is a risk of a hand getting caught in the bent part of the handrail when opening and closing the main body, which also poses a safety problem.

The present invention aims to solve these conventional problems and propose a folding wheelchair that is light in weight by simplifying the structure and is extremely convenient to carry.

Means for Solving the Problems This invention basically uses a handle pipe, a seat pipe, a front pipe, a rear pipe, and two sets of front and rear cross pipes as main constituent members, and uses these members and a plurality of connecting members. The main body has a mechanism that allows it to be folded in the front-rear direction, the width direction, and the up-down direction at the same time; the step is of a double-opening type and is attached so that it can be taken in and out in the front-rear direction, so that the step can be stored inside; Its major features include the fact that the step pipe to which the double-door step is attached is folded in conjunction with the main body, and that the armrests are folded in conjunction with the main body.

That is, in the wheelchair according to the present invention, a pair of seat pipes are vertically pivotably pivoted to a pair of parallel handle pipes separated by a predetermined interval to form a seat surface, and , a rotary connecting pipe in which a front pipe and a rear pipe are each pivotally connected to the seat pipe so as to be freely rotatable in the front and rear directions about the same axis as a fulcrum, and a rotary connecting pipe that is pivotally connected to the lower part of the handle pipe so as to be rotatable in the front and back direction, and the pipe pivot The handle pipe and the rear pipe are connected to each other so as to be rotatable in the front and rear directions through a connecting rod whose one end is pivoted coaxially with the seat pipe, and the rotary connecting pipe and the front pipe are connected by a connecting pipe parallel to the seat pipe. A cross pipe, in which two pipes are movably connected and crossed in an X shape, and the cross portion is rotatably pivoted, is pivotably pivoted in the width direction between the left and right handle pipes and the rotary connecting pipe. Connect the left and right handle pipes so that they can be opened and closed in the width direction.
Furthermore, a cross pipe similar to the above is pivotally connected between the left and right front pipes and the seat pipe so that the left and right front pipes and the seat pipe can be freely opened and closed in the width direction, and a rotatable front wheel is attached to the front pipe. The main body is constructed by attaching a rear wheel with a removable hand rim to the rear pipe, and the seat pipe is pivoted to the handle pipe by rotating the seat pipe upward about the pivot that connects the seat pipe of the main body and the handle pipe. The structure is such that the main body can be folded simultaneously in the front-rear direction, width direction, and vertical direction by the action of the rotary connecting pipe, the connecting pipe installed horizontally between the front pipe and the rotary connecting pipe, and the two sets of cross pipes in the front and rear. .

In addition, the upper end is pivotally connected to the left and right rear pipes so as to be rotatable in the front and back direction, and the lower part is connected to the left and right front pipes via a connecting rod so that the step pipes are connected to the main body. It has a double-opening step that is attached so that it can be taken in and out in the front and rear directions via a bracket that is pivotally attached so as to be rotatable in both directions.

The double-opening step may be attached to step pipes protruding from the lower portions of the left and right front pipes so as to be able to be taken in and out in the front and rear directions via a bracket that is pivotally connected to the step pipes so as to be rotatable in the front and back directions.

In addition, there is a removable support pipe whose one end is pivotally attached to the left and right handle pipes so as to be freely rotatable in the vertical direction, and which is fitted in a concave-convex manner to a convex receiver fixed to the left and right seat pipes, and has a rotatable L-shaped stopper. It has a pair of left and right armrests that are supported almost horizontally through the armrest.

Function When the legs are spread, the seat surface formed by the seat pipe pivoted vertically to the handle pipe is held horizontally by the front pipe and rear pipe pivoted to the seat pipe, and the seat surface is held horizontally by the front pipe and rear pipe pivoted to the seat pipe. The distance between the pipes and the front pipe is maintained by cross pipes arranged in front and behind.

When folding the main body, rotate the seat pipe upward using the pivot that connects the handle pipe and seat pipe as a fulcrum, and the front cross pipe will close in the width direction at the same time.
As the rotary connecting pipe is pushed and rotated to the rear via the connecting pipe installed horizontally between the front pipe and the rotating connecting pipe, the cross pipe on the rear side is also closed in the width direction, and this rotating connecting pipe Due to the rotation of the rear pipe and the front pipe, the rear pipe and the front pipe are gradually folded around the pivot for connecting with the seat pipe, and as the seat pipe rotates,
The step pipe is also folded in the same way as the front pipe, and the armrest also pivots upward using its base as a fulcrum.

If you further rotate the seat pipe upward,
The left and right handle pipes, seat pipe, front pipe, rear pipe, and step pipe are further closed in the width direction, and when the seat pipe is rotated to a position where it almost overlaps with the handle pipe, the main body is folded in the width direction and front and back directions. , it also shrinks in the vertical direction due to the action of the rotating connecting pipe.

When fully folded, the rotating front wheel attached to the front pipe fits inside the large rear wheel with hand rims, and by raising the double-door step vertically and pushing it toward the rear, Like the rotating front wheel, it can be stored inside the rear wheel. Note that the armrest is held in an upwardly inclined state via the support pipe.

When opening the legs from the folded state,
When the seat pipe is rotated downward, which is the opposite action when folding, the front cross pipe opens in the width direction, and at the same time, the front pipe and the rotating connecting pipe are connected via the connecting pipe. As the pipe rotates forward, the cross pipe on the back side also opens in the width direction, and the front pipe, rear pipe, and step pipe also open in the front and rear directions, and when the seat pipe is in a horizontal position, the legs are completely opened. be done.

As the seat pipe rotates, the armrest falls forward via the detachable support pipe and is maintained in a substantially horizontal state. The removable support pipe is usually fitted into a convex-shaped receiver integrally fixed to the seat pipe, and is fitted with an L-shaped stopper rotatably pivoted to the support pipe to prevent it from coming off. By rotating the L-shaped stopper outward and separating it from the convex bracket, the removable support pipe can be removed from the convex bracket, and in this state, the armrest can be rotated upward. This allows you to get on and off from the left or right. Note that the convex receiver of the armrest support pipe may be directly pivoted to the seat pipe that constitutes the seat surface.

The double-door step is opened by pushing the main body forward, then folding it inward.

The large rear wheel with hand rims can be mounted directly on the rear pipe or with a bearing fixed to the rear pipe.

Note that as the braking device, for example, a rotary lever type brake with a mechanism that presses the rear wheel using a link mechanism can be used.

Embodiment Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the structure of the wheelchair according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a side view of the same wheelchair with its legs spread, and Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the main parts on the back side of the same wheelchair. FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the step part of the wheelchair, FIG. 5 is a side view of the wheelchair in the middle of folding, and FIG.
Figure 7 is a side view showing the wheelchair in a completely folded state; Figure 7 is a perspective view showing the wheelchair in use with a seat attached; Figure 8 is a perspective view showing another means of attaching the double-door step; Figure 9 is the 8th
Figure 3 is a side view of the wheelchair with the steps shown in the fully folded state;

The basic structure of the wheelchair according to the present invention includes a pair of parallel handle pipes 1, a seat pipe 2 pivotally connected to the handle pipes via a bracket b1 about a pivot shaft s1, and a seat pipe 2 that is rotatable in the vertical direction. A front pipe 3, a rear pipe 4, and a handle pipe 1 are pivotally connected to the seat pipe via a bracket b2 about a pivot shaft s2 so as to be rotatable in the front and rear directions.
A rotary connecting pipe 5 is pivotally attached to the lower part of the rotary connecting pipe so as to be rotatable in the front and back direction about a pivot s3, and the lower end is connected to the rear pipe 4 by a pivot s4, and the handle pipe 1 and the rear pipe 4 are connected to the handle pipe 1 and the rear pipe 4 on the same axis as the rotating connecting pipe. The pivoted connecting rod 6a is made up of two pipes crossed in an X shape, the cross portion of which is rotatably connected with a connecting pin p1, and the upper end is connected to the seat pipe 2 via a bracket b5 with a pivot shaft s5. The lower end is connected to the front pipe 3 via the bracket b6, and the pivot s
A front cross pipe 7 which can be freely opened and closed in the width direction is connected at 6, and the upper end is also connected to the handle pipe 1 by a pivot s7 via a bracket b7.
A rear side cross pipe 8 whose lower end is connected to the rotary connecting pipe 5 via a bracket b8 at a pivot shaft s8 and can be opened and closed in the width direction; one end is rotatably connected to the front pipe 3 at a pivot shaft s9; It consists of a connecting pipe 9 whose other end is pivotally connected to the rotating connecting pipe 5 about a pivot shaft s10.

The front wheels 10 are rotatably attached to the left and right front pipes 3 via casters 11, and the large rear wheels 12 with hand rims are rotatably mounted on bearings 13 fixed to the rear pipes 4.

The step pipe 21 has an upper end connected to the rear pipe 4.
is rotatably connected in the front and rear direction with a pivot s11,
Furthermore, the lower part is connected to the front pipe 3 via the connecting rod 6b.
It is pivoted coaxially with the connecting pipe 9 and is movable in the front and rear directions in conjunction with the main body.

The double-opening step 20 has a bracket 24 with a step receiver 23 attached to the lower end of the step pipe 21 with a shaft pin 22 so as to be rotatable in the front and back direction.
A step member 26 is pivotally connected to the step member 26 by a shaft pin 25 so that it can be opened and closed left and right, and a step plate 27 made of wood or plastic is secured to the step member 26 with screws.When in use, the step member 26 is is horizontally fitted and supported by the step receiver 23 of the bracket 24, and is attached so that the bracket can be rotated back and forth about the shaft pin 22 with the step plate raised vertically.

The armrest 30 has a rear end attached to the handle pipe 1 so as to be able to rotate vertically about a pivot 31, and a convex fixed to a bracket b2 attached to the seat pipe 2 coaxially with the pivot s2 of the front pipe 3 and rear pipe 4. The distal end is supported so as to be held almost horizontally by a removable holding pipe 32 that fits in the shape of the support pipe 33, and is rotatably pivoted at the bottom of the support pipe 32 at s12. The support pipe 32 and the convex receiver 33 can be attached and detached by an L-shaped stopper 34.

The brake device can be attached to the left and right rear pipes 4, and its structure is, for example, as shown in FIG. A link 4 connects the lever 41 with a handle 42 rotatably screwed below the lever.
3, and by tilting the handle 42 forward, the lever 41 rotates downward about the screw, and the brake shoe 40 presses the rear wheel 12. When the handle 42 is tilted backward, the lever 41 The brake shoe 40 rotates upward about the screw, and the brake shoe 40
The system is designed to move further away from each other. Of course, the brake device is not limited to the one illustrated here, and it goes without saying that a suitable one can be selected and used in consideration of braking performance, operability, and the like.

The seat 50 has a structure in which a seat surface and a backrest are connected, and is detachable from the seat pipe 2 and handle pipe 1. The material is not particularly limited, but in consideration of strength, durability, comfort, etc., cloth is preferred.

In the wheelchair with the above structure, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the widthwise spacing is maintained by the action of the cross pipes 7 and 8 arranged in the front and rear and the rotary connecting pipe 5, and is fixed by the action of the connecting pipe 9 and the rotating connecting pipe 5.

When folding the main body, grasp the ends of the handle pipe 1 and the seat pipe 2, and rotate the seat pipe 2 upward about the pivot s1, so that the main body can be folded in the front-rear direction, width direction, and up-down direction at the same time. Folded.

That is, as shown in FIG. 5, as the seat pipe rotates, the upper and lower ends of the front cross pipe 7 are rotated in the width direction about the pivots s5 and s6, respectively, and closed, and at the same time, the front cross pipe 7 is closed. The rotary connecting pipe 5 rotates rearward via the connecting pipe 9, and the upper and lower ends of the back side cross pipe 8 are rotated in the width direction about pivots s7 and s8, respectively, and are closed, and at the same time, the connecting pipe 9 rotates upward about the pivot s10, and the front pipe 3 and rear pipe 4 are folded about the pivot s2, and the step pipe 21 is also folded so as to overlap the front pipe 3 about the pivot S11. Further, the armrest 30 can also be rotated upward about the pivot 31 as a fulcrum.

Then, when the seat pipe 2 is rotated to a position where it almost overlaps with the handle pipe 1, the front pipe 3, rear pipe 4, front cross pipe 7, and step pipe 21 come close to the handle pipe 1 side, and the armrest 30 is also tilted upward (see Figure 5).

In the double-door step 20, after the main body is folded, the step member 26 is rotated outward around the shaft pin 25 and raised vertically.
The bracket 24 can be stored by rotating the bracket 24 backwards using the bracket 24 as a fulcrum.

When using a wheelchair in the folded state, do the opposite of the folding operation, that is, grasp the handle pipe 1 and the seat pipe 2, and rotate the seat pipe 2 downward to open it. Spread your legs simultaneously in both directions and up and down.

That is, when the seat pipe 2 is opened, the front cross pipe 7 is opened in the width direction in conjunction with this, and at the same time, the rotary connecting pipe 5 is raised via the connecting pipe 9, so that the rear cross pipe 8 is also opened. It is opened in the width direction, and the front pipe 3, rear pipe 4, and step pipe 21 are also opened in the front-back direction at the same time.

Further, due to the opening operation of the seat pipe 2, the armrest 30 is also connected to the pivot shaft 31 via the armrest support pipe 32.
It rotates downward using the fulcrum and is held almost horizontally. When using this wheelchair, if the armrest 30 is removed from the convex support 33 and rotated upward to release the side of the seat (see Figure 7), rotate the L-shaped stopper 34 outward. Then, the support pipe 32 is separated from the bottom of the convex receiver 33, and in this state, the support pipe 32 is rotated upward to be separated from the convex receiver 33. Then, when using the armrest 30 again, the armrest 32
After tilting the support pipe 32 forward and fitting the lower end of the support pipe 32 into the convex receiver 33, the L-shaped stopper 3
4 inward to position its bottom directly under the convex receiver 33. As a result, the support pipe 32
will be prevented from leaving.

The double-door step 20 is held horizontally by first pulling it forward and then folding it inward so that the step member 26 fits into the step receiver 23 of the bracket 24.

It goes without saying that a handbrake used for bicycles and the like can also be attached to the grip part of the handle pipe 1 as a braking device.

In addition, a cover is attached to the rear wheel 12 with a hand rim in consideration of safety to prevent fingers from getting caught in the spokes.
It is preferable to install 2-1.

The wheelchair shown in Figs. 1 to 7 has a structure in which the step pipe is also folded at the same time as the main body, but as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the step pipe 21-1 is attached to the front pipe 3. It may be protruded (welded) to have a non-folding structure.

Effects of the Invention Since the present invention is constructed as described above, it produces the following effects.

The structure allows the body to be folded back and forth, left and right, and up and down with a single touch, resulting in a compact wheelchair.The folding mechanism is also relatively simple, so lightweight, high-strength materials such as aluminum or titanium are used. By using it, the weight can be further reduced, and it is extremely convenient to carry around, just like a baby carriage or the like.

Although the car body has a simple structure, in addition to the main components of the handle pipe, seat pipe, front pipe, and rear pipe, it effectively uses parts such as two sets of cross pipes, front and rear, connecting pipes, and rotating pipes. Because it is assembled with
Since a rotational connection mechanism using a shaft and bolt type is adopted as a connection means for each member, opening and folding operations can be performed smoothly.

The steps are structured so that they can be folded at the same time as the main body, and can be folded not only left and right but also backwards and stored inside the vehicle, making them non-foldable (protruding type).
It is easier and more convenient to use than .

When the vehicle body is folded, not only the folding mechanism, but also the front wheels and steps fit between the left and right rear wheels with hand rims, and the armrests are also slanted upwards, making it compact and freestanding. It does not take up much space and is convenient for storage and transportation by train or car.

Since the armrests are flip-up type, it is possible to get on and off not only from the front but also from the side, which is very convenient.

By using a removable seat with an integrated seat surface and backrest, it can be easily replaced, and by using a cloth seat, it is comfortable to sit on.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the structure of the wheelchair according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a side view of the same wheelchair with its legs spread, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing an enlarged main part of the back side of the same wheelchair. Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the step part of the wheelchair, Figure 5 is a side view of the wheelchair in the middle of folding, and Figure 6 is a side view of the wheelchair in the middle of folding.
Figure 7 is a side view showing the wheelchair in a completely folded state; Figure 7 is a perspective view showing the wheelchair in use with a seat attached; Figure 8 is a perspective view showing another means of attaching the double-door step; FIG. 9 is a side view showing the step portion of the wheelchair in a folded state. 1...Handle pipe, 2...Seat pipe,
3...Front pipe, 4...Rear pipe, 5
...Rotating connection pipe, 6...Connection rod, 7...Front side cross pipe, 8...Rear side cross pipe, 9...
Connecting pipe, 10...front wheel, 12...rear wheel with hand rim, 20...double door step, 21...
Step pipe, 30...armrest.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1 A pair of seat pipes are rotatably pivoted in the vertical direction to a pair of parallel handle pipes separated by a predetermined interval to form a seat surface, and below the seat surface, A rotary connecting pipe in which a front pipe and a rear pipe are each pivotally connected to the seat pipe so as to be freely rotatable in the front and rear directions about the same axis as a fulcrum, and a rotary connecting pipe that is pivotally connected to the lower part of the handle pipe so as to be freely rotatable in the front and back direction, and coaxial with the pipe axis. The handle pipe and the rear pipe are rotatably connected to each other in the front-rear direction through a connecting rod having one end pivotally connected to the seat pipe, and the rotary connecting pipe and the front pipe are movable by a connecting pipe parallel to the seat pipe. A cross pipe in which the two pipes are connected and crossed in an X shape and the cross portion is rotatably pivoted is pivotably pivoted in the width direction between the left and right handle pipes and the rotary connecting pipe. The left and right handle pipes are connected so that they can be opened and closed in the width direction, and the same cross pipe as described above is pivoted between the left and right front pipes and the seat pipe so as to be rotatable in the width direction, thereby connecting the left and right front pipes and the seat pipe. are connected so that they can be opened and closed in the width direction, a rotary front wheel is attached to the lower part of the front pipe, and a rear wheel with a removable hand rim is attached to the lower part of the rear pipe to form the main body, and a pivot that connects the handle pipe and seat pipe of the main body is attached. By rotating the seat pipe upward at the fulcrum, the main body is rotated by the action of the rotating connecting pipe pivoted to the handle pipe, the connecting pipe installed horizontally between the front pipe and the rotating connecting pipe, and the two sets of front and rear cross pipes. A wheelchair characterized by having a structure that can be folded in the front-rear direction, the width direction, and the up-down direction at the same time. 2 The upper end is pivotally connected to the left and right rear pipes so that it can rotate in the front-rear direction, and the lower part is connected to the left and right front pipes via a connecting rod so that the step pipes move with the main body. 2. The wheelchair according to claim 1, further comprising a double-opening step attached to the step so as to be able to be put in and taken out in the front and rear directions via a rotatably pivoted bracket. 3. The wheelchair according to claim 1, further comprising a double-opening step that is attached to the step pipes protruding from the left and right handle pipes so as to be able to be taken in and out in the front and back direction via a bracket that is pivotally connected so as to be rotatable in the back and forth direction. 4 Through a removable support pipe that is attached to the left and right handle pipes so that it can rotate freely in the vertical direction, that fits into the convex receiver fixed to the left and right seat pipes, and that has a rotatable L-shaped stopper. 3. The wheelchair according to claim 2, further comprising a pair of foldable armrests provided on the left and right sides so as to be supported substantially horizontally.