KR102634831B1 - A walking aid using a gyro sensor - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a walking aid configured to automatically adjust leg length and achieve levelness on uneven road surfaces using a gyro sensor.
In order to solve the above-described problem, the present invention is a walking aid configured to facilitate the user's walking, which includes a plurality of leg parts arranged longitudinally on the ground and a connection part connecting the leg parts, wherein the leg part has an internal An upper pipe with a hollow hole formed in the upper pipe, a lower rod engaged with the lower end of the upper pipe so as to be able to enter and exit the hollow hole of the upper pipe, and a vertical rod provided in the upper pipe and moving the lower rod in a vertical direction by power applied from the outside. A motor rotating on an axis, the connection part is provided in a handle frame connecting the upper ends of the plurality of upper pipes, a reinforcing frame connecting the lower parts of the plurality of upper pipes, a control box provided in the handle frame, and the control box, It includes a gyro sensor that measures the slope of the road surface, and the control box controls the internal insertion length of the plurality of lower rods into and out of the plurality of upper pipes based on the data received from the gyro sensor, so that the connection part is horizontal. Provided is a “walking aid using a gyro sensor, which is configured to do so.”

Description

A walking aid using a gyro sensor}

The present invention relates to a walking aid configured to automatically adjust leg length and achieve levelness on uneven road surfaces using a gyro sensor.

A walking aid (walker) is a device that is useful for patients who have difficulty walking due to reduced physical ability due to disease or surgery, or for elderly people whose range of activities is limited due to aging or decreased muscle strength. In addition to walking aids, walking aids include canes, wheelchairs, and strollers, but users mainly use walking aids to practice walking easily.

Existing walkers generally have wheels installed at the bottom so that they can be used by pushing the walker when moving. However, since it was manufactured at a standardized height, it was somewhat inconvenient for users of various body types to use it.

Existing designs related to this include Registered Utility/Model No. 20-0484810 “Passive gait rehabilitation training device for hemiplegic patients.” In this design, a passive walking rehabilitation device for hemiplegic patients was added to a walker configured to move on wheels, so that users could also use it for rehabilitation training. However, since the movement method of the walker is limited to the wheels, it is vulnerable to slippery operation, and it is difficult to separately adjust each frame, so it cannot help the user walk easily on stairs or unpaved roads that are not flat.

Additionally, there is registered patent 10-2155312 “Walking aid device”. The invention consists of a wheel at the front and a support rather than a wheel at the rear. While making it easier for the user to walk, it also takes into account when the user sits on a chair or toilet, and is configured to lower the height according to the sitting height, thereby increasing the individual's activity. There are various ways to change the height, starting with the basic manual adjustment method and adding wires, motors, etc. to increase user convenience. However, this invention also cannot adjust the support frames supported by the user, so it would be easy to operate on a flat surface. It cannot help users walk easily on non-flat surfaces such as stairs or unpaved roads.

Therefore, there is a need for a walker whose legs are adjusted in length to suit the ground conditions so that the user can walk using the walker with minimal help from others not only on flat ground but also on stairs, unpaved roads, and slopes. It is becoming.

1. Registered Patent 10-1671683 “Walker for mobility assistance and walking training for people with hemiplegia” 2. Registered utility/model 20-0484810 “Passive gait rehabilitation training device for hemiplegia patients” 3. Registered Patent 10-2155312 “Walking aid device” 4. Registered Patent 10-1148503 “Electric walking aid driven by willpower to walk”

The main purpose of the present invention is that a walking aid using a gyro sensor automatically detects the slope and automatically adjusts the leg length to level the user's walking when walking on an uneven road surface (unpaved road, stairs, ramp, etc.). The purpose is to provide a walking aid configured to facilitate.

In order to solve the above-described problem, the present invention is a walking aid configured to facilitate the user's walking, which includes a plurality of leg parts arranged longitudinally on the ground and a connection part connecting the leg parts, wherein the leg part has an internal An upper pipe with a hollow hole formed in the upper pipe, a lower rod engaged with the lower end of the upper pipe so as to be able to enter and exit the hollow hole of the upper pipe, and a vertical rod provided in the upper pipe and moving the lower rod in a vertical direction by power applied from the outside. A motor rotating on an axis, the connection part is provided in a handle frame connecting the upper ends of the plurality of upper pipes, a reinforcing frame connecting the lower parts of the plurality of upper pipes, a control box provided in the handle frame, and the control box, It includes a gyro sensor that measures the slope of the road surface, and the control box controls the internal insertion length of the plurality of lower rods into and out of the plurality of upper pipes based on the data received from the gyro sensor, so that the connection part is horizontal. Provided is a “walking aid using a gyro sensor, which is configured to do so.”

The handle frame may further include a power switch.

In addition, the lower rod further includes a protector installed at the bottom of the lower rod and a floor switch provided inside the protector and disposed at a predetermined distance from the bottom surface, according to the control of the control box. When the internal insertion length of the lower rod is adjusted, the lower end of the lower rod can be configured to press the floor switch to check the grounding state of the leg based on the floor switch touching the bottom surface of the protector.

In addition, the leg portion can be composed of four parts: Forward-Left (FL), Forward-Right (FR), Rear-Left (RL), and Rear-Right (RR). there is.

According to the present invention, the following effects are achieved.

1. The leg length is automatically adjusted in places other than flat surfaces (stairs, unpaved surfaces, ramps, etc.), allowing the walker to walk with balance without tilting.

2. The leg length is automatically adjusted according to the slope, so patients can not only rehabilitate on flat ground but also perform rehabilitation activities such as climbing and descending stairs.

3. The leg height can be adjusted automatically by operating the switch, so there is no need to manually adjust the leg height every time you take a step.

4. Because the leg length to be adjusted is automatically determined using a gyro sensor, easy movement is possible without a guardian even though the body cannot walk freely.

[Figure 1] is a perspective view of a walking aid using a gyro sensor according to the present invention.
[Figure 2] is a perspective view showing in detail the configuration of the protector and floor switch according to the present invention.
[Figure 3] shows a plan view of a walking aid using a gyro sensor according to the present invention.
[Figure 4] shows the plane of a walking aid using a gyro sensor according to the present invention and the x and y axes of the gyro sensor.
[Figure 5] is a flowchart of a conditional expression by which the control box according to the present invention adjusts the internal insertion length of the lower rod.
[Figure 6] is a flowchart showing an embodiment of walking on a slope with a walking aid using a gyro sensor according to the present invention.

In order to solve the above-described problem, the present invention is a walking aid configured to facilitate the user's walking, which includes a plurality of leg parts arranged longitudinally on the ground and a connection part connecting the leg parts, wherein the leg part has an internal An upper pipe with a hollow hole formed in the upper pipe, a lower rod engaged with the lower end of the upper pipe so as to be able to enter and exit the hollow hole of the upper pipe, and a vertical rod provided in the upper pipe and moving the lower rod in a vertical direction by power applied from the outside. A motor rotating on an axis, the connection part is provided in a handle frame connecting the upper ends of the plurality of upper pipes, a reinforcing frame connecting the lower parts of the plurality of upper pipes, a control box provided in the handle frame, and the control box, It includes a gyro sensor that measures the slope of the road surface, and the control box controls the internal insertion length of the plurality of lower rods into and out of the plurality of upper pipes based on the data received from the gyro sensor, so that the connection part is horizontal. Provided is a “walking aid using a gyro sensor, which is configured to do so.”

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail through examples. Since these examples are merely for illustrating the present invention, the scope of the present invention is not to be construed as limited by these examples.

[Figure 1] is a perspective view of the present invention.

The leg portion may be formed by combining a plurality of upper pipes and lower rods arranged longitudinally on the ground. For the user's stable walking, it may be composed of a plurality of legs, and is generally preferably composed of four leg parts.

The upper pipe is disposed on the upper part of the leg portion, and a hollow hole may be formed therein.

The lower rod may be installed in engagement with the lower part of the leg portion and the lower end of the upper pipe. Additionally, the lower rod can slide up and down inside the hollow hole of the upper pipe. In order for the lower rod to easily slide into the hollow hole of the upper pipe, the diameter of the lower rod is preferably formed to be smaller than the diameter of the hollow hole of the upper pipe.

The motor is provided in the upper pipe, and can rotate the lower rod on a vertical axis through power applied from the outside to provide power to slide up and down into the hollow hole of the upper pipe.

The connection portion may connect the plurality of leg portions to maintain a combined shape without the leg portions being separated.

The handle frame may connect the upper ends of the plurality of upper pipes. By binding the upper ends of the plurality of upper pipes to the handle frame, the leg portions can be stably coupled without being separated. In addition, the handle frame may be proposed in various ways to connect the upper end of the upper pipe, but in order for the user to easily use the walking aid according to the present invention, it is formed in the shape of '∩' as shown in [Figure 1] It is desirable to have a minimum connection type that is easy to enter and exit.

The reinforcement frame may connect lower parts of the plurality of upper pipes. By binding the lower portions of the plurality of upper pipes to the reinforcing frame, the leg portions can be stably coupled without being separated. In addition, the reinforcing frame may be proposed in various ways to connect the lower part of the upper pipe, but in order for the user to easily use the walking aid according to the present invention, it is formed in the shape of '∩' as shown in [Figure 1], so that the user's It is desirable to have a minimum connection type that is easy to enter and exit.

The control box may be provided on the handle frame. Additionally, the control box can adjust the internal insertion length of the lower rod.

The gyro sensor may be provided in the control box. The inclination of the walking aid according to the present invention can be determined using the inclination of the gyro sensor and transmitted to the control box.

Accordingly, the control box sets an internal insertion length value for inserting the lower rod into the upper pipe, which is necessary for the walking aid according to the present invention to be level with the ground, based on the data received from the gyro sensor, and sets the corresponding setting. The lower rod can be inserted into or exit the hollow hole of the upper pipe by the value.

The handle frame may further include a power switch.

The power switch is provided on the handle frame and can overall control the operation of the walking aid according to the present invention.

The operation of the walking aid according to the present invention means that the data of the gyro sensor is transmitted to the control box, and based on this, the internal insertion length is set in the control box, and the lower rod is inserted into the hollow hole of the upper pipe by the corresponding setting value. It is a process that allows something to be brought in or taken out of the inside. In an environment where the floor slope changes every time you take a step on an uneven floor, the leg is automatically activated with each step by operating the power switch without the user having to press the operation button to activate the gyro sensor each time. Wealth can be adjusted.

The lower rod further includes a protector installed at the bottom of the lower rod and a floor switch provided inside the protector and disposed at a predetermined distance from the bottom surface, and the lower rod is controlled by the control box. When the internal insertion length of the rod is adjusted, the bottom of the lower rod can be configured to press the floor switch to check the grounding state of the leg based on the floor switch touching the bottom surface of the protector.

This is explained with reference to [Figure 2].

The protector is installed by being inserted into the lower end of the lower bar, and can prevent the lower end of the lower bar from being damaged or damaged from the external environment. Additionally, the protectors may not be in close contact with the bottom surface of the lower bar, but may be installed spaced apart by a predetermined distance.

The floor switch may be provided inside the guard and disposed at a predetermined distance from the floor. This state is referred to as the 'off' state, and represents a state in which the leg portion formed by the combination of the upper pipe and the lower rod is not stably grounded to the floor. The 'off' signal from the floor switch may be transmitted to the control box.

In addition, when the lower bar receives an appropriate internal insertion length setting value from the control box and is adjusted to a length that satisfies the level of the walking aid, when the walking aid is placed on the ground, the floor switch is activated by the lower bar. It can be pressed to reach the inner bottom surface of the protector. When the bottom switch is pressed and touches the inner bottom surface of the protector, it can be confirmed that the leg part is stably grounded to the bottom surface, and this state can be referred to as an 'on' state. The 'on' signal from the floor switch may be transmitted to the control box.

In addition, since the walking aid according to the present invention can be confirmed to be stably grounded to the floor through the fact that each floor switch provided with the plurality of leg parts is all in the 'on' state, each of the signals transmitted to the control box If the signals from the floor switches are all 'on', the walking aid can be used without further adjustment of the internal insertion length. However, if one or more 'off' signals among the plurality of floor switches are confirmed, one or more leg parts may become unstable on the floor. Since it is grounded, the control box can readjust the internal insertion length of the lower bar of the corresponding leg.

In addition, the leg portion can be composed of four parts: Forward-Left (FL), Forward-Right (FR), Rear-Left (RL), and Rear-Right (RR). there is.

The walking aid according to the present invention is preferably composed of four leg parts for stable walking and simple assembly.

[Figure 3] shows the plane of the walking aid according to the present invention, and the top, bottom, left, and right sides of the drawing are explained by applying them to the claims of the present invention, but based on the direction visible in the drawing, Forward-Left (FL), It can be referred to as Forward-Right (FR), Rear-Left (RL), and Rear-Right (RR).

In addition, [FIG. 4] shows the x-axis and y-axis standards of data received from the gyro sensor in [FIG. 3] where FL·FR·RL·RR is indicated.

In one embodiment, the control box can adjust the length of the lower rod according to the following [conditional expression].

[conditional expression]

In the x-axis and y-axis values input from the gyro sensor,

x is not 0

When x<0,

FL, FR = +x

RL, RR = -x

When x>0,

FL, FR = -x

RL, RR = +x

y is not 0

When y<0,

FL, RL = +y

FR, RR = -y

When y>0,

FL, RL = -y

FR, RR = +y

Can be applied to.

The above [conditional expression] will be explained in more detail with reference to the flow chart in [FIG. 5].

When the power switch is turned on, the control box declares variables as FL=A, FR=B, RL=C, and RR=D, and the gyro sensor determines the sensor's tilted direction based on the x-axis and y-axis. . When the values of x and y are 0, there is no tilt, that is, it is on flat ground, so the separate floor switch is pressed to turn on, and the walker can operate stably without compensating the internal insertion length of the lower bar. there is.

On the other hand, when the values of x and y are not 0, the lengths of A, B, C, and D can be adjusted by the average of the difference values.

When the value of x is less than 0, the value of the front legs (A, B) is increased and the value of the rear legs (C, D) is decreased. When the value of x is greater than 0, the value of the front legs (A, B) is decreased and the value of the rear legs (C, D) is increased.

After correcting the x value, the y value correction is also repeated.

When the value of y is less than 0, the value of the left leg portions (A, C) is increased and the value of the right leg portions (B, D) is decreased. When the value of y is greater than 0, the value of the left leg portions (A, C) is decreased, and the value of the right leg portions (B, D) is increased.

After going through the above-described process, the walker can operate stably when the floor switches of the four legs are pressed by the lower rods and are in the 'on' state, and when one or more floor switches are not pressed and are in the 'off' state. If this condition is confirmed, the lower bar is not properly calibrated to the ground, and the control box can extract the correct setting value by repeating the same process from the beginning.

[FIG. 6] is a flowchart showing step by step how the walking aid according to the present invention moves from flat ground to a slope and changes the length of the leg portion. Depending on the direction of walking, the front legs are marked as A and B, and the rear legs are marked as C and D.

In (a), the user is using the walking aid on flat ground, so A, B, C, and D are set to the same length.

(b) shows the user walking on a ramp using a walking aid, and the control box determines the internal insertion length setting value of the plurality of lower bars of A, B, C, and D based on the data received from the gyro sensor. .

(c) shows a state in which the values of A and B are adjusted to decrease and the values of C and D to increase according to the internal insertion length setting value transmitted from the control box, so that the walker remains parallel even on a ramp.

In the above, the present invention was examined in detail along with specific examples. However, the present invention is not limited to the above examples and may be modified and modified without departing from the gist of the present invention. Accordingly, the scope of the claims of the present invention includes such modifications and variations.

100: Leg part
110: upper pipe
111: hollow hole
120: lower bar
121: Protector 122: Floor switch
130: motor
200: connection part
210: Handle frame
211: power switch
220: reinforcement frame
230: control box
231: Gyro sensor

Claims (4)

A walking aid designed to facilitate the user's walking,
A plurality of leg parts 100 arranged longitudinally on the ground; and
It is configured to include a connection part 200 connecting the leg part 100,
The leg portion 100,
An upper pipe (110) with a hollow hole (111) formed therein;
A lower rod 120 provided in engagement with the lower end of the upper pipe 110 to enable entry and exit into the hollow hole 111 of the upper pipe; and
A motor 130 provided in the upper pipe 110 and rotating the lower rod 120 on a vertical axis by power applied from the outside,
It consists of four legs: Forward-Left (FL), Forward-Right (FR), Rear-Left (RL), and Rear-Right (RR).
The connection portion 200 is,
A handle frame 210 connecting the upper ends of a plurality of upper pipes 110;
A reinforcing frame 220 connecting lower parts of the plurality of upper pipes 110;
A control box 230 provided on the handle frame 210; and
A gyro sensor 231 provided in the control box 230 and measuring the slope of the road surface,
The control box 230 controls the internal insertion length of the plurality of lower rods 120 into and out of the plurality of upper pipes 110 based on the data received from the gyro sensor 231, respectively, to control the connection portion 200. ) A walking aid using a gyro sensor, characterized in that it is configured to be horizontal.
In paragraph 1:
A walking aid using a gyro sensor, characterized in that the handle frame (210) further includes a power switch (211).
In claim 1, the lower rod 120 is,
A protector 121 fitted and installed at the bottom of the lower rod 120; and
a floor switch 122 provided inside the guard 121 and disposed at a predetermined distance from the floor surface; It is composed further including,
When the internal insertion length of the lower rod 120 is adjusted according to the control of the control box 230, the lower end of the lower rod 120 presses the floor switch 122 so that the floor switch 122 is activated. A walking aid using a gyro sensor, characterized in that the grounding state of the leg portion 100 is confirmed based on contact with the bottom surface of the protector 121.
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