JPH0638974U - Walking stick - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] To enhance the safety of visually impaired people when walking, enable walking sticks to search for obstacles above the road surface. In a usage state in which a user grips a grip portion and puts a lower end portion of the walking stick main body 1 forward of the grip portion in a walking direction, it corresponds to the chest and head of the user near the front side of the user. An ultrasonic sensor having a transmitter that emits a detection wave to a range including a position, and a receiver that detects a reflected wave when an obstacle is located in the range, as well as being connected to this ultrasonic sensor, A buzzer 8 is provided to emit a warning sound to the user when the receiving section detects the reflected wave.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a walking stick used by a visually handicapped person while walking.

[0002]

[Prior art]

 Generally, visually impaired people use a walking stick to grasp the surrounding conditions such as the presence of a step in front of the road surface and the change in angle when walking, and avoid the danger by exploring the road surface with its tip. .

However, when a visually handicapped person using a conventional walking stick walks from behind a large truck parked on the road, the person may hit the truck without noticing it. was there. This may be because there is a space under the loading platform at the rear end of the truck, in which case the tip of the stick that is used to search the road surface gets under the loading platform, Because it cannot recognize its existence.

[0004]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 In this way, the conventional walking sticks used by the visually impaired cannot be searched for when there is an obstacle such as a truck bed at a position higher than the road surface. There was a problem that the safety of the person walking was not sufficiently ensured. Therefore, the technical problem to be solved by the present invention is that a person with an inconvenient walking eye can search for obstacles above the road surface, thereby improving safety while walking. It is to provide a can.

[0005]

[Means, actions and effects for solving the problems]

 In order to solve the above-mentioned technical problem, the walking stick for a visually handicapped person according to the present invention is configured as follows. That is, this stick is a stick provided with a stick main body and a grip portion located at one end side thereof, and the user grips the grip portion and the lower end portion of the stick main body is more than the grip portion. When an obstacle is located within this range and a transmitter that emits a detection wave to a range including the position corresponding to the chest and head of the user in the vicinity of the front side of the user when used in the forward direction of walking. Obstacle detection means such as ultrasonic sensors and infrared sensors that have a receiving section that detects the reflected wave of the device, and the user is alerted when the receiving section detects the reflected wave while being connected to this detecting means. It is characterized by having a warning means for issuing.

As the warning means, a warning sound generator can be used, or a vibration generator can be built in the grip part. When the vibration generator is used, an obstacle is present. Only the user can be notified of the warning. In addition, since the tip of the stick is usually located about 1 m ahead of the user's feet when in use, the obstacle detection means should be within a height range equivalent to the user's chest or head from the user. It is preferable that the arrival distance of the detection wave is set so that the detection wave can be detected up to about 1 m away.

[0007] If this walking stick is used, ultrasonic waves are emitted to a portion above and in front of a hand of a visually handicapped person, so that an obstacle such as a truck bed is disturbed while walking. When an obstacle approaches the object and enters the detection range, the reflected wave reflected by the obstacle is detected. When a reflected wave is detected, a warning is issued by the warning means, so a visually handicapped person can recognize that there is an obstacle above it even if there is no obstacle on the road surface. . Therefore, if this walking stick is used, a visually handicapped person can walk more safely than before.

Further, in the above configuration, it is preferable to provide an angle detecting means connected to the detecting means so as to detect that the walking stick is in use and activate the obstacle detecting means at the time of detection. . According to this structure, the obstacle detecting means automatically operates in the use state, and thus the operation by the user can be eliminated.

Further, in the above configuration, it is preferable to provide grip detection means connected to the obstacle detection means so as to detect the grip of the grip portion by the user and activate the obstacle detection means at the time of detection. . If the angle detection means is provided as described above, the obstacle detection means will operate even when the stick is leaned against a wall, but if the grip detection means is provided in this way, The obstacle detecting means can be automatically operated only when the user holds the grip portion.

[0010]

【Example】

 Hereinafter, a stick for a visually handicapped person according to an embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 will be described in detail.

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a stick main body 1 and a grip portion 2 provided at one end of the stick main body 1 with an intermediate portion of the stick main body 1 omitted, and FIG. 3 is an enlarged end view of the grip portion 2, and FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing the internal structure of the grip portion 2.

The stick main body 1 is composed of a main body portion 3 formed of a light weight material such as hard synthetic resin or aluminum in the shape of an elongated cylinder, and a protective cap 4 attached to the tip thereof. The grip portion 2 has an end portion 2a on the side of the walking stick body 1 formed thicker than the remaining portion 2b, and an inclined surface 2c is formed between the thickened end portion 2a and the remaining thin portion 2b. ing. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the grip portion 2 is vertically long when viewed from the rear end surface, and has a shape that fits in the hand when the user holds the thumb on the inclined surface 2c.

The grip portion 2 emits ultrasonic waves forward and upward from a position near the user's hand when a visually handicapped person is walking using this walking stick, and can be located near the front of the user. An ultrasonic sensor (obstacle detection procedure) that has an integrated transmitter and receiver (not shown) to detect reflected waves when obstacles are present in the area corresponding to the head and chest. It is equipped with 5. Here, the usage angle of the walking stick differs depending on the surrounding conditions at the time of use, and there are individual differences depending on the person who uses it, so the ultrasonic wave irradiation range is from about 40 ° with the walking stick to the ground. When used at an angle of about 70 ° (see Fig. 5), the height range corresponding to the user's chest and head is defined to cover a little further forward than the tip of the walking stick. . In addition, the ultrasonic irradiation range in the width direction is set to cover a range slightly wider than the shoulder width of the user. Note that this ultrasonic irradiation range is an example, and even if the angle of the stick with respect to the ground is outside the range of 40 ° to 70 °, it is equivalent to the head and chest near the front of the user, if necessary. Ultrasonic waves can be applied to the range.

On the other hand, a rotary operation switch 6 for switching on / off of the ultrasonic sensor 5 is provided at the tip of the grip portion 2, and the sensor 5 is arranged in the grip portion 2. It is connected to the operation switch 6 via the printed wiring board 7. In addition, a buzzer 8 that emits a warning sound is provided in the central portion of the grip portion 2 as a warning means for notifying the user of the presence of an obstacle when a reflected wave from the obstacle is detected. Further, on the rear end side of the grip portion 2, a battery 9 is housed for operating the ultrasonic sensor 5 and the buzzer 8.

If this walking stick is used, as shown in the usage diagram of FIG. 5, ultrasonic waves are emitted in the area above the front of the walking person and above the front of the walking person. When approaching and approaching the loading platform 10, a reflected wave from the loading platform is detected. When a reflected wave is detected, the buzzer 8 emits a warning sound, so a visually handicapped person using this stick can use the stick even if there is no step or obstacle on the road surface in front of him. , You can recognize that there is some obstacle above it. Therefore, with this stick, a visually handicapped person can walk more safely than before. Note that the direction of gripping the walking stick is specified, and the irradiation angle is set so that ultrasonic waves are not irradiated to an unnecessarily wide range in both vertical and horizontal directions in that state, so a warning is issued unnecessarily. There is no problem that pedestrians are confused by being emitted.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but can be implemented in various modes. For example, an ultrasonic sensor may be used in which the transmitting unit and the receiving unit are separately configured, and as the obstacle detecting means, an infrared sensor or the like may be used instead of the ultrasonic sensor. Further, although the buzzer is used as a warning means in the above-mentioned embodiment, a vibration generator that gives vibration to the user's hand may be used instead, and if there is an obstacle to the user, it may be used. Can only inform.

Further, in the above embodiment, the ultrasonic sensor 5 is activated by operating the switch 6, but instead, an angle sensor is built in the stick and the stick is in use. The ultrasonic sensor 5 may be operated only when is detected from the tilted state. In order to prevent the power from turning on when the walking stick is simply leaning against a wall, a touch sensor (grasping detection means) is built into the part of the grip part 2 that the user grips, and the grip grip The power may be turned on only when it is detected that it is being activated.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a walking stick according to an embodiment of the present invention with a middle portion of a walking stick body omitted.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the walking stick of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged end view of a grip portion.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing an internal structure of a grip portion.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing a usage state of this walking stick.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Walking Stick Body 2 Grip 2a End 2b Detail 2c Inclined Surface 3 Body 4 Protective Cap 5 Ultrasonic Sensor (Obstacle Detection Means) 6 Operation Switch 7 Wiring Board 8 Buzzer (Warning Means) 9 Battery 10 Truck Bed

Claims (5)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A stick comprising a stick main body (1) and a grip portion (2) located at one end side of the stick main body (1), wherein a user holds the grip portion (2) and A range including a position corresponding to the chest and head of the user in the vicinity of the front side of the user in a use state in which the lower end of the walking stick main body (1) is extended forward of the grip portion (2) in the walking direction. Obstacle detecting means having a transmitting portion for emitting a detection wave to and a receiving portion for detecting a reflected wave when an obstacle is located in the range
(5), and a warning means (8) which is connected to the obstacle detection means (5) and which gives a warning to the user by detecting the reflected wave by the receiving section of the detection means (5). A walking stick characterized by having it. 2. An angle detecting means which is connected to the obstacle detecting means (5) and which detects that the walking stick is in the use state and operates the obstacle detecting means (5) at the time of detection. The walking stick according to claim 1, wherein 3. A grip detection which is connected to the obstacle detection means (5) and detects the grip of the grip part (2) by a user and operates the obstacle detection means (5) at the time of the detection. The walking stick according to claim 1, further comprising means. 4. A stick according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the warning means (8) is a warning sound generator. 5. The grip means (2) comprises the warning means (8).
The stick according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the stick is a vibration generator incorporated in the stick.