JPH05168662A - Motor-operated walking machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a user from losing the support of the motor-operated walking machine and to improve the safety of walking training by detect the weight change of the user given to the motor-operated walking machine and stopping the body of the machine when the detected weight is decreased in the case of falling of the user out of the motor-operated walking machine. CONSTITUTION:Since the user puts the arm on an underarm supporter 5 to give one portion of the weight in a normal using state, a spring 7b of a suspension 7 is shortened more than a fixed amount and a detector 9 is turned on. As a result, a motor-operated driver 11 can be operated, and the user can move a body 1 by operating a driving lever 6. On the other hand, when the user nearly falls from the motor-operated walking machine by being delayed rather than the machine, the spring 7b is extended since the weight of the user given to the body 1 is decreased, and the detector 9 is turned off. As a result, a control circuit 1 is operated to stop the motor-operated driver 11 and to stop the advance of the body 1. Therefore, the user can be prevented from losing the support of the motor-operated walking machine, and the safety of walking training can be improved.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electric walker,
The present invention relates to an electric walker that reliably detects a user dropout and stops the vehicle body when the user drops out.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in rehabilitation of people with walking disabilities, an electric walker is sometimes used in order to enable walking training without a helper.

As shown in, for example, FIGS. 1 to 3, the electric walker has a pair of left and right drive wheels 2 at the front of a U-shaped vehicle body 1 and a pair of left and right wheels behind the vehicle body 1. And a pair of electric drive devices for driving the drive wheels 2 in the front part of the vehicle body 1.

A pair of left and right columns 4 are erected on the rear portion of the vehicle body 1, and the rear ends of the side supports 5 formed in a U shape are connected to the upper ends of both columns 4 so that the user can And, by entering the U-shape of the side support 5 and operating the driving lever 6 provided on the front part of the side support 5 to control the rotation of the drive wheels 2, the vehicle body 1 can be moved back and forth, The direction of travel is steered left and right.

Further, in order to prevent the user from falling off the electric walker after the movement of the electric walker, for example, as shown in FIG.
A dropout detecting device 107 including a light receiving unit 107b and a light receiving unit 107b is provided, and when the dropout detecting device 107 detects that the user is late in moving the electric walker, the vehicle body stopping device 108 is operated to stop the electric drive device. Then, the vehicle body 1 is stopped.

As a result, the user is prevented from losing the assistance of the electric walker, and the safety of the walking training is improved.

[0007]

However, the dropout detecting device 107 using this optical element has a user-operated walker when the light emitting part 107a and the light receiving part 107b are blocked by the user's body or clothes. Erroneously detecting that the vehicle body 1 has been delayed, the electric drive device is stopped, and the vehicle body 1 is suddenly stopped, which may hinder smooth walking training.

In order to prevent such erroneous detection, a plurality of dropout detection devices 107 are provided, for example, at appropriate intervals in the front and rear, and the front dropout detection device 107 detects the absence of the user and the rear dropout detection. It is conceivable that when detecting the device 107 and the user, the vehicle body 1 is determined to be stopped and the vehicle body 1 is stopped.

However, the dropout detecting device 107 using an optical element is expensive, and the provision of a plurality of dropout detecting devices complicates the configuration of the control device, which inevitably results in a considerable increase in cost.

The present invention provides an electric walker having a simple structure, capable of surely detecting a state in which a user is likely to fall out, and preventing malfunction due to the position of the user's body or clothing. To aim.

[0011]

A first electric walker according to the present invention is a detector for detecting a state in which the user is likely to drop out in response to a part of the weight of the user who is entrusted to the electric walker. A vehicle body stopping device for stopping the vehicle body when the detector detects that the weight of the user is released.

A second electric walker according to the present invention is the electric walker according to the first aspect, wherein the detector is provided between the vehicle body and the wheels supported by suspensions on the vehicle body. Characterize.

[0013]

When the user is likely to fall out of the electric walking device, the weight of the pedestrian is hardly deposited on the vehicle body. According to the first electric walker of the present invention, the detector detects a state in which the user is likely to drop out in response to the weight of the user's weight on the vehicle body. When the detector detects that the user is likely to drop out, the vehicle body stopping device operates to stop the vehicle body.

Further, according to the second electric walker of the present invention, the detector detects the expansion / contraction state or load state of the suspension, which changes according to the weight of the user who is entrusted to the vehicle body. It is possible to reliably detect the weight of the pedestrian by simply providing two detectors.

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An electric walker according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 3 show the overall structure of an electric walker according to the present invention. FIG. 1 is a plan view, FIG. 2 is a front view, and FIG. 3 is a side view. This electric walker is U
A pair of left and right drive wheels 2 are provided at the front of the vehicle body 1 formed in a letter shape, and a pair of left and right free wheels 3 are provided at the rear of the vehicle body 1 to drive each drive wheel 2 in the front portion of the vehicle body 1. It is provided with a pair of electric drive devices.

A pair of left and right columns 4 are erected on the rear portion of the vehicle body 1, and the rear ends of the side supports 5 formed in a U shape are connected to the upper ends of both columns 4 so that the user can And, by entering the U-shape of the side support 5 and operating the driving lever 6 provided on the front part of the side support 5 to control the rotation of the drive wheels 2, the vehicle body 1 can be moved back and forth, The direction of travel is steered left and right.

As shown in the side views of FIGS. 1 to 3, 4 and the enlarged side view of FIG. 5, the free wheel 3 is supported by a suspension 7 which is supported so as to be horizontally rotatable with respect to the vehicle body 1.
The bracket 8 is rotatably supported around a horizontal axis.

The suspension 7 is, as shown in FIG. 4 or FIG. 5, a shaft portion 7 which is rotatably supported by the vehicle body 1.
a, a spring 7b, and a bracket mounting seat 7c, and the spring 7b is inserted between the shaft portion 7a and a bracket mounting seat 7c that is connected to the lower side of the shaft portion 7a so as to be vertically swingable. The weight of 4 and the armpit support 5 and the weight of the user's deposit on the electric walker are shared to expand and contract.

As shown in the side view of FIG. 4 and the enlarged side view of the essential parts of FIG. 5, a detector 9 comprising a micro switch is provided on the shaft portion 7a, and the detector is provided at the free end of the bracket mounting seat 7c. 9 is configured to be turned on and off.

That is, when the weight of the user who has been entrusted to the electric walker exceeds a certain level, the spring 7b is shortened by more than a certain amount, and as shown in the usage state diagram of FIG. The end portion rises and the operating tool 9a of the detector 9 is pushed in to turn on the detector 9.

Further, when the weight of the user who is entrusted to the electric walker becomes less than a certain amount, the shortening amount of the spring 7b becomes less than a certain amount, and as shown in the non-use state diagram of FIG. 6 (b),
The free end of the bracket mounting seat 7c is lowered to release the operating tool 9a of the detector 9 and turn off the detector 9.

As shown in the side view of FIG. 4 and the circuit diagram of FIG. 7, the output of the detector 9 is input to the control circuit 10 housed in the vehicle body 1, and the control circuit 10 causes the detector 9 to operate.
When the electric power is turned off, the electric drive devices 11 are stopped,
It is configured to stop the vehicle body 1.

In this electric walker, the weight of the user who is entrusted to the vehicle body 1 appears in the expansion and contraction state of the suspension 7, and the detector 9 detects the state in which the user is likely to fall out of the suspension state, Stop 1

That is, in a normal use state, the user places his / her arm on the armpit support 5 and deposits a part of his / her weight. Therefore, the spring 7b of the suspension 7 is shortened by a certain amount or more, the detector 9 is turned on, and each electric motor is turned on. It becomes possible to operate the drive device 11, and in this state, the user operates the driving lever 6 to move the vehicle body 1 at almost the same speed as the user.

When the user tends to fall out of the electric walker during use, the weight of the user stored in the electric walker decreases, and the spring 7b of the suspension 7 expands.
The detector 9 is turned off. As a result, the control device 10 operates to stop each electric drive device 11 and stop the progress of the vehicle body 1, so that the user is prevented from losing the assistance of the electric walker, and the safety of the walking training is improved. Will be

Therefore, there is no possibility that the user will be erroneously detected as being late in the movement of the electric walker depending on the position of the user's body or clothing, and the body 1 is stopped abruptly for smooth walking training. It can prevent being disturbed.

Further, since the state in which the user is about to drop is detected based on the state of the suspension 7 that changes according to the weight of the user, the state in which the user is likely to drop is detected. Therefore, the vehicle body 1 can be stopped, and the user can surely be prevented from losing the assistance of the electric walker, and the safety of the walking training can be secured.

Moreover, by providing only one inexpensive detector 9 having a simple structure such as a micro switch, it is possible to reliably detect the state in which the user is trying to drop it, and the structure as a whole is simple and Can be cheaper.

In this embodiment, the detector 9 is composed of a micro switch, but instead of this detector 9, the detector 9 is composed of a pressure sensitive switch which is turned on / off in response to the load of the spring. It is also possible.

FIG. 8 is a side view of an electric walking machine according to another embodiment of the present invention. In this electric walking machine, the armpit support 5 is supported at the upper end of the supporting column 4 so as to be vertically swingable, and the supporting column 4 is supported. A spring 12 is inserted between the upper end of the and the side support 5. Further, a detector 19 composed of a micro switch is supported on the upper end of the column 4, and the detector 19 can be turned on / off by the side support 5.

That is, during use, the spring 12 is shortened by a part of the weight of the user who is entrusted to the armpit support 5 and the detector 19 is turned on as shown in the use state diagram of FIG. Sometimes the spring 12 expands, and as shown in the non-use state diagram of FIG.
9 turns off.

According to this embodiment, abrupt lowering of the free wheel 3 such as when the free wheel 3 gets into the recess is absorbed by the extension of the spring 7b of the suspension 7 and is not transmitted to the detector 19. It is possible to prevent the vehicle body 1 from being abruptly stopped due to the false detection such that the user falls out of the free wheel 3 getting into the recess and the like, and the smooth walking training is prevented from being hindered.

Since the other construction, operation and effect of this embodiment are the same as those of the above-mentioned one embodiment, detailed description thereof will be omitted to avoid duplication. Further, in FIGS. 8 and 9, each part corresponding to each part shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 is denoted by the same reference numeral and name as in FIGS. 1 to 5.

In this embodiment, the detector 1
Instead of 9, the detector 19 may include a pressure-sensitive switch that is turned on / off in response to the load of the spring 12.

FIG. 10 is a side view of an electric walking machine according to another embodiment of the present invention. In this electric walking machine, a detector 29 is attached to the upper surface of the armpit 5 and is a tape-shaped pressure sensitive device. It consists of a switch (tape switch). Here, the detector 29 is attached over the entire length of the armpit 5, but the detector 29 may be provided only on the part of the armpit 5 where the user's hand is frequently placed.

According to this embodiment, since the detector 29 does not have a mechanical mechanism, there is no risk of mechanical failure of the detector 29, and the detector 29 operates reliably for a long period of time to ensure safety. Can be secured.

Since the other construction, operation and effect of this embodiment are the same as those of the above-mentioned one embodiment, detailed description thereof will be omitted to avoid duplication. Further, in FIG. 10, the same reference numerals and names as those in FIGS. 1 to 7 are given to the respective portions corresponding to the respective portions shown in FIGS. 1 to 7.

[0038]

As described above, according to the present invention, the state in which the user is likely to drop out is detected depending on the weight of the user who is entrusted to the vehicle body. It is possible to prevent erroneous detection due to the erroneous detection and prevent the erroneous detection from hindering the smooth walking training of the vehicle body.

Further, since the state in which the user is likely to drop out is detected depending on the weight of the user who is entrusted to the vehicle body, the state in which the user is likely to drop out can be reliably detected, and the safety of walking training can be secured. ..

Moreover, since it is possible to surely detect the state in which the user is likely to drop out by providing only one inexpensive detector having a simple structure such as a micro switch and a sensitive chamber switch, the entire structure can be simplified and Can be cheap.

In the present invention, particularly when the detector is provided between the vehicle body and the wheels supported by suspensions on the vehicle body, a dimensional change or a load change corresponding to the weight of the user is applied. Since the detector can be activated in response to the state of the suspension that appears reliably, it is possible to prevent erroneous detection due to the position of the user's body or clothing and to perform smooth walking training, and it is likely that the user will fall out. The safety of walking training can be ensured by surely detecting the state by simply using an inexpensive detector having a simple structure.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged side view of a main part of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged side view of a main part of an embodiment of the present invention in a used state and a non-used state.

FIG. 7 is a block circuit diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a side view of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged side view of a main part of another embodiment of the present invention in a used state and a non-used state.

FIG. 10 is a side view of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a plan view of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Car Body 3 Free Wheel 7 Suspension 9 Detector 10 Control Circuit 19 Detector 29 Detector

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A detector for detecting a state in which the user is likely to drop out in response to a part of the weight of the user who is entrusted to an electric walker, and when the detector detects a state in which the user is likely to drop out. An electric walker comprising a vehicle body stopping device for stopping a vehicle body. 2. The electric walker according to claim 1, wherein the detector is provided between a vehicle body and a wheel supported by the vehicle body via a suspension.