JPH0525501B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a gait training device, and more particularly to a gait training device that applies a force in the direction of returning the pedestrian to the walking path when the pedestrian deviates from the walking path.

[Conventional technology]

A conventional gait training device suspends a walker using a vertical arm, and this vertical arm is supported by two first and second horizontal arms, with the first horizontal arm suspending the walker while maintaining the horizontal position. The second horizontal arm is guided to move horizontally and the second horizontal arm is guided to move vertically while remaining horizontal. The second horizontal arm is subjected to a vertically acting force by the piston rod and is adapted to bear the weight of the pedestrian by this force. The vertical arm supports the pedestrian as the pedestrian walks along a circumference of a predetermined radius. On the other hand, when a pedestrian deviates from the walking path, the first and second horizontal arms move in the horizontal and vertical directions using the horizontal and vertical guides described above, and the vertical arm follows the pedestrian. to support pedestrians.
Therefore, even a pedestrian whose walking ability has decreased or a pedestrian whose ability to control the walking direction has decreased can perform walking training.

However, this gait training device requires guide mechanisms in both horizontal and vertical directions, resulting in a complicated configuration.

Therefore, the pedestrian is suspended from the tip of one horizontal arm, and the other end is supported by one end of two parallel arms that can take vertical and inclined positions, and the other end of this parallel arm is connected to the piston rod. death,
A walking training device has been proposed in which the entire piston mechanism can be guided horizontally so that the piston rod can move horizontally.

According to this walking training device, as the horizontal arm moves in the horizontal direction, the two parallel arms tilt from a vertical position while maintaining parallelism, and the piston mechanism is guided in the horizontal direction according to the tilt. ing. Therefore, one guide mechanism can follow the movement of the pedestrian. This makes it possible to solve the above-mentioned problems.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, with conventional gait training devices, the arm that supports the pedestrian follows the pedestrian's movement, which can cause the pedestrian to deviate from the walking path, and also cause pedestrians with reduced directional control ability to walk. There is an inconvenience that when the user deviates from the walking path, he or she cannot return to the designated walking path. Furthermore, although the latter type of gait training device described above has similar problems, it also has a guide mechanism that guides the piston mechanism in the horizontal direction, so the movement of the guide mechanism in the horizontal direction is Mechanisms aimed at lowering resistance will become more sophisticated and costs will increase.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a walking training device that generates a force to return a pedestrian to the walking path when the pedestrian deviates from the walking path.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a walking training device that does not require the above-mentioned vertical or horizontal guide mechanism, thereby reducing costs.

[Means to solve the problem]

The present invention has been made in view of the above, and provides a walking training device in which the vector direction of a suspension force for suspending a pedestrian is inclined in accordance with the horizontal displacement of a suspension means for suspending the pedestrian. That's true.

The walking training device of the present invention generates a suspension force for suspending a pedestrian using a piston mechanism, a motor, etc.
This suspension force suspends the pedestrian suspended from the suspension means. A pedestrian walks along a predetermined walking path while being suspended by a suspension means, but when the pedestrian leaves the walking path, the direction in which the suspension force is generated is inclined.
This inclination may be realized by inclining the piston mechanism, motor, etc., but it can also be realized by inclining the wire that transmits the suspension force to the suspension means. This slope divides the suspension force into vertical and horizontal components. The vertical component is used as a force to suspend the pedestrian, while the horizontal component acts as a force to return the pedestrian to the walking path. As a result, even if a pedestrian deviates from the walking path, he or she can return to the walking path.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, the walking training device of the present invention will be explained in detail.

FIG. 1 shows a walking training device, in which a support 10 is provided on a trolley 11, and the main body 8 is configured to be able to rotate around the support 10. Main body 8
A ring-shaped handrail 9 surrounds the trolley 11.
It is fixed to the handrail 9 so that walking training can be performed along the handrail 9. Two parallel arms 2, 3 extend from the main body 8, the parallel arm 2 being fixed at a pivot point C and connected to the horizontal arm 1 at an articulation point _B1 . Another parallel arm 3 is connected to the connecting arm 1a at an articulation point D, and the connecting arm 1a is connected to the horizontal arm 1 at an articulation point _B1 . horizontal arm 1
A joint point _A1 is provided at the tip of the suspension means 6, and an adjustment arm 4 for adjusting the height of the suspension means 6 is provided there. A side pad 7 that is applied to the side of the pedestrian is provided at the end of the suspension means 6, and a load sensor 5 that detects the suspension load of the pedestrian is provided between it and the adjustment arm 4. There is.

FIG. 2a shows a first embodiment of the invention, in which two parallel arms 2, 3 are connected to articulation points B ₂ and A ₂ by a further connecting arm 1b in addition to the aforementioned connecting arm 1a. are connected via. joint points
A ₂ is connected to the piston rod 22 of the piston 21, and one end of the cylinder 20 housing the piston 21 is fixed to a fixed system via the pivot point E.
The cylinder 20 is connected to a fluid pressure source such as air via a valve 23, and the suspension force generated at the joint point A1 of the horizontal arm ₁ can be adjusted by the pressure inside the cylinder 20. joint points
Although not shown in _B2 , a counterweight is provided to maintain balance when no load is applied. Here, the pivot fixing point C is provided at a position where ΔA ₁ B ₁ C and ΔA ₂ B ₂ C are similar. The other configurations are the same as those in FIG. 1, so the explanation will be omitted.

The operation of the first embodiment will be explained below.

When the pedestrian is not suspended on the suspension means 6 (W=0), that is, when there is no load, the horizontal arm 1
The weight of , etc. is balanced with the weight Wc of the counterweight provided at the joint point _B2 . Here, when the pedestrian suspends on the suspension means 6, the joint point
Suspended load W occurs on _A1 . When this is detected by the load cell 5, the internal pressure of the cylinder 20 is increased through the valve 23, and a suspension force is output from the piston 21 to the joint point A via the piston rod 22. Since this balances with the suspension load W, the pedestrian can walk along the handrail 9.

Next, as shown in FIG. 2b, a case where a pedestrian deviates from the walking path toward the left side of the drawing will be described. At this time, the joint points B ₁ and D move to the left side together with the horizontal arm 1, and the joint points A ₂ and B ₂ move to the right side,
The parallel arm 2 is tilted by rotating counterclockwise on the pivot point C, and the parallel arm 3 is also tilted accordingly.

Since the piston rod 22 is connected to the articulation point _A2 , the cylinder 20 rotates clockwise about the pivot point E. Therefore, the suspension force F transmitted from the piston 21 to the joint point _A2 via the piston rod 22 inclines in accordance with the displacement of the pedestrian.
This inclined suspension force F has a vertical component Fy and a horizontal component
Divided into FX. The vertical component Fy balances the suspension load W, and the horizontal component Fx serves as a force that returns the pedestrian to the walking path. When Fy and W are not balanced, the internal pressure of the cylinder 20 is controlled to achieve balance.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2c, when the pedestrian leaves the walking path toward the right side of the figure, the cylinder 20 rotates counterclockwise about the pivot point E and tilts. Therefore, the horizontal component in the opposite direction to that in Figure 2b
Since Fx is generated, the pedestrian can be returned to the walking path in the same way as in Figure 2b.

3a and 3b show an example of the structure of the pivot point E of the cylinder 20, in which a bearing 35 is provided on the pivot member 32 fixed to the fixing system 34, and the bearing 35 allows the flange 31 of the cylinder 20 to be attached to the pivot member 32. It supports a fixed pin 33. Therefore, the cylinder 20 can be tilted in any direction with almost zero resistance.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the present invention, in which common reference numerals are given to members common to those in the first embodiment, so redundant explanation will be omitted.
b is omitted, the end of the parallel arm 2 is connected to the pivot fixed point C, and the parallel arm 3 is directly connected to the piston 21.
connected to the piston rod. The action is the first
This embodiment is the same as the embodiment, but the configuration is simplified.

FIG. 5 shows a third embodiment of the present invention, in which a substantially inverted L
Reels 52 and 53 are provided inside the character-shaped structural member 51, and a wire 54 is stretched between the reels 52 and 53. The tip of the wire 54 is fixed to the load cell 5 (suspension means is not shown), and the other end is fixed to the piston 21. The piston 21 is housed inside a cylinder 20 which is arranged at the base of the structural member 51 and is connected via a valve 23 to a source of fluid pressure.

The operation of the third embodiment will be explained below.

When a pedestrian is walking on a walking path, the suspension load W acting in the vertical direction and the suspension force F acting in the opposite direction are balanced, so the pedestrian can perform walking training while being suspended by the suspension force F. can. At this time, when the pedestrian deviates from the walking path toward the left side of the drawing, the wire 54 as shown by the dotted line load cell 5
The suspension force F received from is inclined. The inclined suspension force F is divided into a vertical component Fy and a horizontal component Fx. Fy is balanced with the suspension load W, but
Fx acts as a force to return pedestrians to the walking path.

In the above embodiments, the suspension force generating means for the cylinder 20 and piston 21 can be replaced with a motor or the like.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the walking training device of the present invention, the vector direction of the suspension force for suspending the pedestrian is inclined in accordance with the horizontal displacement of the suspension means for suspending the pedestrian. It is possible to generate a force to return a pedestrian to the walking path when he or she has deviated from the road, and since a vertical or horizontal guide mechanism is not required, costs can be reduced.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a walking training device; FIGS. 2 a, b, and c are explanatory diagrams showing a first embodiment of the present invention; FIGS. 3 a, b are explanatory diagrams showing a cylinder pivot structure; FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a second embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a third embodiment of the invention. Explanation of symbols, 1... Horizontal arm, 2, 3... Parallel arm, 4... Level adjustment arm, 5... Load cell, 6... Suspension means, 7... Side pad, 8...
...Main body, 9... Handrail, 10... Post, 11...
Dolly, 20...Cylinder, 21...Piston, 2
2...Piston rod, 23...Valve.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A walking training device that guides a pedestrian undergoing walking training to a predetermined walking path while suspending the pedestrian with a predetermined suspension force, comprising: a suspension means for suspending the pedestrian; and a suspension device that generates the suspension force. a suspension force generating means; and a tilting means for inclining the vector direction of the suspension force applied to the suspension means when the pedestrian deviates from the predetermined walking path to give the pedestrian a force to return to the walking path. The suspension force generating means is one means selected from a piston mechanism and a motor, and the tilting means is constituted by a support structure that pivotally supports the one means at an arbitrary point. is,
A walking training device characterized in that the one means is configured to tilt the one means at an angle corresponding to the degree to which the pedestrian deviates from the predetermined walking path.