WO2021210077A1

WO2021210077A1 - Caregiving device

Info

Publication number: WO2021210077A1
Application number: PCT/JP2020/016471
Authority: WO
Inventors: 英明野村; 剛裕野口
Original assignee: 株式会社Ｆｕｊｉ
Priority date: 2020-04-14
Filing date: 2020-04-14
Publication date: 2021-10-21
Also published as: CN113520741A; TWI783436B; TW202139951A; CN216222065U; JPWO2021210077A1; JP7453351B2

Abstract

This caregiving device comprises: a base having a body frame; front casters, middle casters, and back casters, which are each provided in pairs in the left and right directions at three different positions in the front-back direction of the body frame; and a support member that is disposed on the base and that supports the upper body of a care receiver. When viewed from above, each of the pair of middle casters is disposed outside of a minimum region which surrounds the pair of front casters and the pair of back casters.

Description

Caregiving device

The present invention relates to an assistance device.

Patent Document 1 discloses an assisting device that assists the person being assisted in standing up. The caregiving device of Patent Document 1 includes a foot plate on which both feet of the person being assisted are placed, and a plurality of casters arranged below the foot plate. With such a configuration, the caregiving device is configured to be movable and rotatable. The caregiving device assists the person being assisted in standing up and sitting, and is used, for example, to assist in transfer between a bed and a wheelchair.

International Publication No. 2018/116472

For the caregiving device, the shape of the foot plate and the position of the casters are set so as not to interfere with the bed or wheelchair. From the viewpoint of improving the usability of such an assistance device, there is a demand for the assistance device to be miniaturized in a portion that may interfere with a wheelchair or the like. On the other hand, from the viewpoint of improving stability such as preventing the assist device from tipping over, it is preferable to arrange the casters so that the distance between the casters is long.

The purpose of this specification is to provide an assistance device capable of improving usability.

The present specification includes a base having a main body frame, front casters, intermediate casters, and rear casters provided in pairs in the left-right direction at three positions different from each other in the front-rear direction of the main body frame, and the base is provided. A support member that supports the upper body of the person being assisted, and each of the pair of intermediate casters is arranged outside the smallest area surrounding the pair of front casters and the pair of rear casters in upward view. Disclose one caregiving device.

The present specification covers at least a part of a base having a main body frame, a pair of rear casters provided in the rear portion of the main body frame in the left-right direction, and a pair of rear casters provided on the main body frame. The rear casters include a cover member and a support member provided on the base and supporting the upper body of the person being assisted, and the pair of rear casters includes wheels that can rotate around a horizontal axle and wheels that are vertically rotated. It has a swivel portion that extends and supports swivel around a swivel axis that does not intersect the axle, and the rear end of the cover member has a contact point between the rear caster and the road surface on the rear side of the swivel shaft. A second assisting device is disclosed, which is located on the front side of the rear end of the wheel in the positioned state and on the rear side of the rear end of the wheel in the state where the contact portion is located on the front side of the turning shaft.

According to the configuration of the first caregiving device, the intermediate casters are arranged on the outside in the left-right direction, so that the stability of the caregiving device can be improved. Further, by ensuring the stability of the intermediate casters, the distance between the pair of rear casters in the left-right direction can be shortened, so that a shape that prevents interference with the bed or the like can be adopted. As a result, the usability of the care device can be improved.

According to the configuration of the second caregiving device, the dimensions of the cover member in the front-rear direction can be reduced. As a result, the caregiving device can prevent interference with the bed or the like and can approach the bed or the like more than before. This makes it possible to get on and off the person being assisted in a more appropriate positional relationship. As a result, the usability of the caregiving device can be improved.

It is a perspective view which looked at the caregiving apparatus of an embodiment from an oblique rear view. It is a side view which shows the care device in the state which supports the person to be assisted in a sitting posture. It is a side view which shows the care device in the state which supports the person to be assisted in the standing posture. It is a top view which shows the base of the care device, the foot plate, and each caster. It is a side view which shows the rear part of a base in an enlarged manner. It is a top view which shows the rear part of the base enlarged. It is a perspective view which looked at the state which brought the assisting device close to a wheelchair from an oblique rear view, and is the figure which omitted a part of a wheelchair and an assisting device.

1. 1. Configuration of Assistance Device 1 The configuration of the assistance device 1 of the embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. The caregiving device 1 assists the person being assisted M (see FIG. 2 and the like) who is seated in a wheelchair 90 or the like in a standing posture from a sitting posture to a standing posture, and a sitting motion from a standing posture to a sitting posture. Assist. The caregiving device 1 supports the upper body of the person being assisted M in the standing posture, thereby assisting the transfer operation between the wheelchair 90 and the bed (not shown), for example. Further, the assistance device 1 is used to assist the person being assisted M on board to move to a movement target (for example, a wheelchair 90, a bed, a toilet) by pulling the assistance device 1 or the like by one caregiver.

The "standing posture" means the posture in which the lower body of the person being assisted M is standing. Therefore, in the present specification, as shown in FIG. 3, the standing posture includes the posture of the person being assisted M in which the buttocks are raised from the sitting posture, the lower body stands, and the upper body leans forward. That is, the assist for the standing motion is an assist for the motion in which the buttocks of the person being assisted M are raised and the upper body is tilted forward to deposit the mass of the upper body in the assist device 1. Further, the assisting the sitting motion is an assisting the motion of lowering the position of the buttocks of the person being assisted M.

As shown in FIG. 1, the caregiving device 1 includes a base 10. More specifically, the base 10 has a main body frame 11 forming a main body. As shown in FIG. 4, the main body frame 11 mainly includes a metal pipe member formed in a ∪ shape when viewed upward, and a plurality of auxiliary pipes connecting a portion of the pipe member extending in the front-rear direction on both the left and right sides. It is composed of. The base 10 has a support bracket 12 fixed to the main body frame 11. The support bracket 12 supports the casters 31-33 and the drive device 50, which will be described later.

The caregiving device 1 includes a foot plate 20. The foot plate 20 is provided on the main body frame 11 so that the upper surface is horizontal. On the foot plate 20, both feet Mg of the person being assisted M are placed. In this embodiment, the foot plate 20 functions as a cover member that covers at least a part of the pair of rear casters 33. The detailed configuration of the foot plate 20 will be described later.

The caregiving device 1 includes a front caster 31, an intermediate caster 32, and a rear caster 33 provided in pairs in the left-right direction at three different positions in the front-rear direction of the main body frame 11. The pair of front casters 31, the pair of intermediate casters 32, and the pair of rear casters 33 are fixed to the main body frame 11 via the support bracket 12, respectively. In the present embodiment, each caster 31-33 has a steering function for changing the moving direction. As a result, the caregiving device 1 is configured to be capable of not only moving in the front-rear direction and changing direction, but also laterally moving (moving to the side) and super-credit turning (turning on the spot). The detailed configuration of each caster 31-33 will be described later.

The caregiving device 1 includes a support member 60 provided on the base 10 via a drive device 50. The support member 60 supports the upper body of the person being assisted M. The drive device 50 drives the arm by an actuator (not shown) to move the support member 60 in the vertical direction and the front-rear direction while tilting the support member 60. The drive device 50 drives the actuator based on a command from the control device (not shown).

The support member 60 is provided on the drive device 50 arm. In the present embodiment, the support member 60 includes a body support portion 61 and a pair of side support portions 62. The body support portion 61 is formed in a planar shape close to the body shape of the person being assisted M. The fuselage support portion 61 is made of a material that can be flexibly deformed. The support surface of the body support portion 61 comes into surface contact with the front surface of the body of the upper body of the person being assisted M and supports the body from the front. More specifically, the support surface of the torso support portion 61 supports the range from the chest Mb to the abdomen of the person being assisted M.

The pair of armpit support portions 62 are supported by the body support portion 61 and support the armpits of the person being assisted M. Specifically, a pair of armpit support portions 62 are provided on the left and right sides of the fuselage support portion 61. The armpit support portion 62 is swingably supported by the body support portion 61. The armpit support portion 62 is formed in an L shape by a rod-shaped member. The surface of the armpit support 62 is covered with a material that can be flexibly deformed.

The caregiving device 1 includes a handle 71. The handle 71 is formed in a substantially quadrangular frame shape. The handle 71 is formed so as to extend forward and upward from the rear end portion of the drive device 50 arm. The lateral portion of the handle 71 is gripped by both hands of the person being assisted M. Further, the side and front parts of the handle 71 are gripped by the caregiver to move the caregiving device 1.

The caregiving device 1 includes a lower leg support device 72. The lower leg support device 72 is a member provided on the base 10 and in contact with the knees and shins of the person being assisted M who is assisted in the standing motion. The lower leg support device 72 is provided to stabilize the standing motion and the sitting motion of the assisted person M by determining the positions of the knees and shins of the assisted person M. The lower leg support device 72 has a cushioning member which is a cushioning material extending in the left-right direction. The position of the cushioning member is adjusted in the front-rear direction so as to match the physique and sitting posture of the person being assisted M.

The care device 1 includes a controller (not shown) that accepts the operation of the person being assisted M or the caregiver. The assistance device 1 receives, for example, an assistance request for a standing operation or a sitting operation, and a request for adjusting the vertical position of the support member 60 via the controller. The assistance device 1 controls the operation of the drive device 50 in response to the received assistance request and adjustment request.

2. Detailed configuration of each caster 31-33 A detailed configuration of each caster 31-33 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2-FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the caregiving device 1 includes a front caster 31, an intermediate caster 32, and a rear caster 33, which are symmetrically provided in pairs in the left-right direction at three different positions in the front-rear direction of the main body frame 11. Specifically, a pair of front casters 31, a pair of intermediate casters 32, and a pair of rear casters 33 are arranged in order from the front of the caregiving device 1. The pair of rear casters 33 are provided in the left-right direction at the rear portion of the main body frame 11.

2-1. Positional relationship of each caster 31-33 in the front-rear direction In the present embodiment, the pair of intermediate casters 32 are arranged in front of the center of the main body frame 11 in the front-rear direction by a predetermined distance. As a result, in the assist device 1, as shown in FIG. 3, in a state where the support member 60 supports the assisted person M in the standing posture, the chest Mb of the assisted person M is a pair of front casters 31 and a pair of intermediate casters. It is configured to be located between the front and rear direction with 32.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the pair of rear casters 33 are arranged behind the heel Mh of both legs Mg placed at the specified positions of the foot plate 20. As a result, the caregiving device 1 is configured such that the leg Mg of the person being assisted M is located between the pair of intermediate casters 32 and the pair of rear casters 33 in the front-rear direction in assisting the standing and sitting movements. There is. Further, the caregiving device 1 is set to a position in the front-rear direction so that the load is distributed to the casters 31-33 as evenly as possible in assisting the standing motion and the sitting motion.

The assistance device 1 having the above configuration is designed to improve the stability in the front-rear direction in the usage state including the time when the person being assisted M is on board. On the other hand, the caregiving device 1 is required to improve stability in the left-right direction. The stability of the assistance device 1 in the left-right direction becomes higher as the distance between the casters 31-33 in the left-right direction increases, but the assistance device 1 may become larger in the left-right direction, resulting in a decrease in usability. Therefore, the caregiving device 1 is required to secure stability in the left-right direction while suppressing an increase in size in the left-right direction.

Here, in a configuration in which the base 10 is supported by four wheels excluding a pair of intermediate casters 32, if the caregiving device 1 falls, the first straight line N1 passing through one of the left and right front casters 31 and the rear casters 33 is passed. The caregiving device 1 will tilt to the shaft. On the other hand, the caregiving device 1 includes a pair of intermediate casters 32. Each of the pair of intermediate casters 32 is arranged outside the minimum region Rm surrounding the pair of front casters 31 and the pair of rear casters 33 in upward view.

Here, the above-mentioned "minimum area" is a virtual area including at least a portion that comes into contact with the traveling path (floor surface F) in a predetermined state of the pair of front casters 31 and the pair of rear casters 33. In the present embodiment, the minimum region Rm is substantially trapezoidal as shown in FIG. The predetermined state may include any state in which the pair of front casters 31 and the pair of rear casters 33 are swiveled in their respective swivel ranges.

Further, in the present embodiment, the center of gravity Gr of the care device 1 including the person being assisted M is displaced in the front-rear direction according to the physique of the person being assisted M and the movement of the support member 60, but is generally in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction. It is located near the center (the thick line in FIG. 4 indicates the range of movement of the center of gravity Gr). The pair of intermediate casters 32 are located close to the center of gravity Gr in the front-rear direction and are arranged in front of the center of gravity Gr.

According to such a configuration, when an external force in the left-right direction that causes the caregiving device 1 to tip over is applied, the caregiving device 1 is centered on a second straight line N2 passing through one of the left and right intermediate casters 32 and the rear caster 33. It will tilt. The second straight line N2 is farther from the center of gravity Gr than the first straight line N1 described above. In this way, the stability of the assistance device 1 in the left-right direction can be improved by arranging the pair of intermediate casters 32 outside the minimum region Rm.

2-2. Relationship of separation distance in the left-right direction of each caster 31-33 In the present embodiment, the separation distance Lm in the left-right direction of the pair of intermediate casters 32 is the separation distance Lf in the left-right direction of the pair of front casters 31 and the pair of rear casters. It is longer than the left-right separation distance Lr of 33 (Lf <Lm, Lr <Lm). As described above, the maximum separation distance Lm of the pair of intermediate casters 32 closest to the center of gravity Gr in the front-rear direction of the assistance device 1 makes it possible to further improve the stability in the left-right direction.

Further, the lateral separation distance Lr of the pair of rear casters 33 is shorter than the lateral separation distance Lf of the pair of front casters 31 (Lr <Lf). According to such a configuration, interference between the pair of rear casters 33 and other equipment (bed, wheelchair 90, etc.) can be prevented, so that the usability of the assistance device 1 can be improved.

Further, the caregiving device 1 adopts a configuration in consideration of the relationship with the wheelchair 90, assuming that the target person M is seated in the wheelchair 90 or is seated in the wheelchair 90. Specifically, the left-right distance Lr of the pair of rear casters 33 is set shorter than the left-right distance Lw of the pair of front wheels 91 of the wheelchair 90. According to such a configuration, when the caregiving device 1 is positioned close to the wheelchair 90, the pair of rear casters 33 can pass inside the pair of front wheels 91 of the wheelchair 90.

Then, in assisting the standing motion and the sitting motion by the caregiving device 1, the base 10 has a rear end portion (rear end portion of the foot plate 20 in the present embodiment) of the base 10 from a pair of front wheels 91 of the wheelchair 90. Is also positioned to be located posterior (see FIGS. 2 and 7). According to such a configuration, the support member 60 can be brought closer to the chest Mb of the person being assisted M who is seated in the wheelchair 90. The left-right distance Lm of the pair of intermediate casters 32 is longer than the left-right distance Lw of the pair of front wheels of the wheelchair 90. As a result, the caregiving device 1 can be sufficiently stabilized, particularly when the person being assisted M gets on and off between the caregiving device 1 and the wheelchair 90.

2-3. Structure of each caster 31-33 In this embodiment, each caster 31-33 is an eccentric rotation type. Since each caster 31-33 has a common structure, the structure of the pair of rear casters 33 will be described here. As shown in FIG. 5, the pair of rear casters 33 include a caster body 41, wheels 42, a swivel portion 43, and a mounting portion 44.

The caster body 41 is provided with wheels 42 that can rotate around the horizontal axle 42A. In the present embodiment, the caster main body 41 independently and rotatably supports a pair of wheels 42 in the extending direction of the axle 42. That is, the pair of wheels 42 are configured to be rotatable in opposite directions. The swivel portion 43 supports the wheel 42 so as to be swivel around the swivel shaft 43A. The swivel shaft 43A extends in the vertical direction (vertical direction in the present embodiment) and does not intersect the axle 42A. The mounting portion 44 is fixed to the support bracket 12 of the base 10.

The rear caster 33 having the above configuration travels by rotating a pair of wheels 42 in the same direction. Further, when an external force is applied to the rear caster 33 in a direction different from the traveling direction, a moment centered on the turning shaft 43A is generated, and the caster main body 41 and the pair of wheels 42 turn around the turning shaft 43A. As a result, the traveling direction of the rear caster 33 is changed to a direction parallel to the external force.

The pair of wheels 42 rotate in different directions when the rear caster 33 turns, improving the turning performance of the rear caster 33. Further, the pair of wheels 42 rotate in the same direction at different rotation speeds when the assist device 1 is turned, and absorb the inner ring difference according to the distance to each turning center. With such a configuration, the rear caster 33 improves the turning performance of the assistance device 1.

In the present embodiment, the pair of intermediate casters 32 is the same type as the pair of rear casters 33. Further, the pair of front casters 31 are eccentric swivel type and have the same structure, but a large one is adopted in order to improve the load capacity. Further, the pair of front casters 31 have a lock function for restricting the movement of the assist device 1. As described above, the wheels 42 of the pair of intermediate casters 32 and the pair of rear casters 33 have the same diameter and are smaller in diameter than the wheels 42 of the pair of front casters 31.

According to such a configuration, the pair of front casters 31 are set to have a large diameter, and when the assist device 1 moves forward, it becomes easy to get over a step or the like, and the runnability of the assist device 1 can be improved. On the other hand, by setting the pair of intermediate casters 32 and the rear casters 33 to have a small diameter, it is possible to lower the upper surface of the foot plate 20 and suppress interference with other equipment.

3. 3. Detailed Configuration of Foot Plate 20 and Cover Member 80 The detailed configuration of the foot plate 20 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. As described above, the caregiving device 1 includes a foot plate 20 that functions as a cover member for the pair of rear casters 33. Hereinafter, the "foot plate 20" is also referred to as a "cover member 80". Here, the assistance device 1 is positioned closer to the movement target (for example, a wheelchair 90, a bed, a toilet) by moving backward in the movement assistance. Therefore, if the cover member 80 interferes with the movement target, the rearward movement of the assistance device 1 may be restricted.

For example, if the degree of freedom of movement is improved only by the radius of the wheels 42 of the rear caster 33, the person being assisted M can be guided to a more suitable position, and the burden on the person being assisted M and the caregiver can be reduced. In some cases. Improving the degree of freedom of movement of the assisting device 1 is particularly effective in assisting the operation of seating the person being assisted M on the toilet seat by appropriately adjusting the position and angle of the assisting device 1 in a narrow space such as a toilet room. Therefore, the assistance device 1 of the present embodiment adopts a configuration capable of suppressing interference with other equipment while protecting the pair of rear casters 33.

Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the rear end 80E of the cover member 80 has a swivel shaft at a contact point (hatched portion in FIGS. 5 and 6) between the rear caster 33 and the road surface (floor surface F). It is located on the front side of the rear end 42E1 of the wheel 42 in the state of being located on the rear side of the 43A. That is, for example, when the assisting device 1 moves forward as a whole, a part of the caster main body 41 and the wheels 42 that have swiveled around the swivel shaft 43A is exposed from the cover member 80 when viewed upward.

Further, in addition to the above configuration, the rear end 80E of the cover member 80 is located behind the rear end 42E2 of the wheel 42 in a state where the contact portion is located on the front side of the swivel shaft 43A. That is, for example, when the assist device 1 moves backward to approach the movement target, all of the caster body 41 and the wheels 42 that have turned around the turning shaft 43A are housed in the cover member 80 in upward view. Become.

According to such a configuration, the dimension of the cover member 80 in the front-rear direction is reduced as compared with a configuration formed so that the rear caster 33 is always accommodated regardless of the turning angle of the rear caster 33, for example. be able to. As a result, interference between the cover member 80 and other equipment can be suppressed, and the degree of freedom of movement of the assistance device 1 can be improved. As a result, the support member 60 can be brought closer to the person being assisted M who sits on the wheelchair 90 or the toilet seat. Therefore, it is possible to get on and off the person to be assisted M in a more appropriate positional relationship, and the usability of the assisting device 1 can be improved.

On the other hand, a part of the rear caster 33 may be exposed from the cover member 80 when viewed upward. However, when the assist device 1 is moving forward, interference with other equipment fixed to the floor surface F does not occur, so that it is less necessary to cover the rear caster 33. As described above, the cover member 80 is premised on the fact that the rear caster 33 is an eccentric swivel type, and suppresses interference with other equipment by utilizing the displacement of the rear caster 33 with respect to the swivel shaft 43A according to the swivel angle. And the protection of the rear caster 33 at the time of rearward movement is compatible.

Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the cover member 80 has a recess 81 recessed forward in the center in the left-right direction in an upward view. In the present embodiment, the recess 81 is formed in a shape curved forward. Further, the recess 81 is located between the legs Mg in a state where the legs Mg are placed at the specified positions of the foot plate 20, and is configured in a position and shape that does not interfere with the function of the foot plate 20. Further, the recess 81 can suppress interference between the cover member 80 (foot plate 20) and the moving target whose central portion in the left-right direction is fixed to the floor surface F, such as a toilet bowl.

4. Operation assistance by the assistance device 1 The assistance of the standing operation and the sitting operation by the assistance device 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2, 3, and 7. First, the assist device 1 is approached by the assisted person M seated in the wheelchair 90 by moving backward in a state where the body support portion 61 of the support member 60 is angled so as to face the chest Mb of the assisted person M. NS. At this time, the footrest 92 of the wheelchair 90 is in a state of being flipped up in advance.

Here, the left-right distance Lr of the pair of rear casters 33 and the left-right width of the cover member 80 are set shorter than the left-right distance Lw of the pair of front wheels 91 of the wheelchair 90. As a result, the rear end portion of the foot plate 20 (cover member 80) and the pair of rear casters 33 are configured to be movable rearward through the inside of the pair of front wheels 91 of the wheelchair 90. At this time, the pair of rear casters 33 are in a state where the contact points with the road surface are located on the front side of the swivel shaft 43A and are entirely covered by the cover member 80.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 7, the base 10 is positioned so that the rear end portion of the base 10 is located behind the front wheel 91 of the wheelchair 90. At this time, the pair of front wheels 91 of the wheelchair 90 are located outside the foot plate 20 in the left-right direction and are in a state of approaching the pair of intermediate casters 32 in the front-rear direction. Next, the person being assisted M places both leg Mgs on the foot plate 20 and brings the knees and shins into contact with the rear surface of the lower leg support device 72.

Further, the person being assisted M tilts his upper body forward so as to press the chest Mb against the body support portion 61. Further, the person being assisted M is supported by a pair of armpit support portions 62 on both sides so as to extend both arms toward the handle 71 side. As a result, the person being assisted M can board the assisting device 1 in the sitting posture. Subsequently, the drive device 50 is driven, and the support member 60 is moved upward and forward while tilting. As a result, the person being assisted M shifts from the sitting posture shown in FIG. 2 to the standing posture in which both leg Mgs shown in FIG. 3 are extended.

The assistance device 1 moves and turns while supporting the person being assisted M in a standing posture, and assists the sitting operation at a position and an angle according to the purpose. Since the assist for the sitting motion is in the reverse order of the assist for the standing motion, detailed description thereof will be omitted. In such a series of operations, the pair of intermediate casters 32 are provided outside the minimum region Rm and separated by a separation distance Lm in the left-right direction, so that the stability of the assistance device 1 in the left-right direction is ensured. Will be done.

Further, when the assisting device 1 approaches the moving target by moving backward, the pair of rear casters 33 are put in a state of being entirely covered by the cover member 80, and interference with the moving target or the like is prevented. Further, when the assistance device 1 approaches the movement target fixed to the floor surface F, interference is suppressed by a part of the movement target entering the recess 81 of the cover member 80, and the degree of freedom of movement of the assistance device 1 is suppressed. Is improved.

5. Deformation mode of the embodiment 5-1. About the configuration of the assistance device 1 In the embodiment, the assistance device 1 has a configuration (A) in which each of the pair of rear casters 33 is arranged outside the minimum region Rm, and a wheel in which the rear end 80E of the cover member 80 fluctuates. The configuration includes a configuration (B) located within the range of the rear ends 42E1 and 42E2 of 42. On the other hand, the caregiving device 1 may be configured to include only one of the above configurations (A) and (B).

That is, the assistance device 1 may be configured to include the configuration (A) and a cover member that always accommodates the rear casters 33 regardless of the turning angle of the rear casters 33. With such a configuration, it is possible to improve the stability of the assistance device 1 in the left-right direction. In such an embodiment, the pair of rear casters 33 do not have to be eccentric swivel type. However, from the viewpoint of improving the turning performance of the assistance device 1, the embodiment illustrated in the embodiment is preferable.

Further, the caregiving device 1 has a configuration (B) and a pair of intermediate casters 32 arranged inside the minimum region Rm, or has a configuration (B) and does not have a pair of intermediate casters 32. May be good. According to such a configuration, the dimension of the cover member 80 in the front-rear direction can be reduced, and the degree of freedom of movement of the assistance device 1 can be improved.

5-2. About the foot plate 20 and the cover member 80 In the embodiment, the aspect in which the foot plate 20 and the cover member 80 are the same member has been illustrated and described. On the other hand, the foot plate 20 and the cover member 80 may be separate members. For example, depending on the level of assistance required by the person being assisted M, the assistance device 1 may omit the foot plate 20 and adopt a configuration that assists the person being assisted M in walking. In such an embodiment, the cover member 80 is formed so as to protect at least a part of the pair of rear casters 33.

5-3. About the type of the caregiving device 1 As described above, the caregiving device 1 has a different configuration depending on the level of care required by the person being assisted M. For example, in the embodiment, the assistance device 1 is configured to include a drive device 50 that moves the support member 60 in the vertical direction and the front-rear direction while tilting the support member 60. On the other hand, the caregiving device 1 may adopt a configuration including a driving device that simply tilts or raises or lowers the support member 60.

Further, the assist device 1 adopts a configuration in which the drive device as described above is omitted and the support member 60 is manually moved or shaped by an assistant, or a configuration in which the support member 60 is fixed to the base 10. Can be done. In any type of the caregiving device 1, by applying at least one of the above configurations (A) and (B), the effect corresponding to each is achieved.

1: Assistance device, 10: Base, 11: Body frame, 12: Support bracket, 20: Foot plate, 31: (Pair) front casters, 32: (Pair) intermediate casters, 33: (Pair) rear Caster, 41: Caster body, 42: Wheel, 42A: Axle, 43: Swivel part, 43A: Swivel shaft, 44: Mounting part, 60: Support member, 80: Cover member, 81: Recess, 90: Wheelchair (Movement target) ), 91: (Pair) front wheels, Rm: Minimum area, F: Floor surface (road surface), Lf: Separation distance (in the left-right direction of the pair of front casters), Lm: (in the left-right direction of the pair of intermediate casters) Separation distance, Lr: Separation distance (in the left-right direction of the pair of rear casters), Lw: Separation distance (in the left-right direction of the pair of front wheels of the wheelchair), M: Assisted person, Mb: Chest, Mg: Both legs, Mh: heel

Claims

A base with a main body frame and
A pair of front casters, intermediate casters, and rear casters provided in the left-right direction at three positions different from each other in the front-rear direction of the main body frame.
A support member provided on the base and supporting the upper body of the person being assisted is provided.
Each of the pair of intermediate casters is a caregiving device arranged outside the smallest area surrounding the pair of front casters and the pair of rear casters in upward view.
The assistance device according to claim 1, wherein the left-right separation distance of the pair of the rear casters is shorter than the left-right separation distance of the pair of front casters.
The caregiving according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the distance between the pair of intermediate casters in the left-right direction is longer than the distance between the pair of front casters in the left-right direction and the distance between the pair of rear casters in the left-right direction. Device.
The assisting device assists a standing motion in which the person being assisted in a wheelchair is in a standing posture and a sitting motion in which the person being assisted is in a sitting posture in a wheelchair.
The lateral separation distance of the pair of rear casters is shorter than the lateral separation distance of the pair of front wheels of the wheelchair.
Any one of claims 1-3, wherein the base is positioned so that the rear end portion of the base is located behind the front wheel of the wheelchair in assisting the standing operation and the sitting operation. The caregiving device described in the section.
The assistance device according to claim 4, wherein the distance between the pair of intermediate casters in the left-right direction is longer than the distance between the pair of wheelchairs in the left-right direction.
The caregiving device is further provided with a foot plate provided on the main body frame and on which both legs of the person being assisted are placed.
The caregiving device according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein the pair of rear casters is arranged behind the heels of both legs placed at a predetermined position of the foot plate.
The pair of the rear casters
Wheels that can rotate around a horizontal axle,
The assist device according to any one of claims 1-6, which is an eccentric turning type having a turning portion that extends the wheel in the vertical direction and supports the wheel so as to be able to turn around a turning axis that does not intersect with the axle. ..
The pair of front casters and the pair of intermediate casters are of the eccentric swivel type.
The caregiving device according to claim 7, wherein the wheels of the pair of intermediate casters and the pair of rear casters have the same diameter and are smaller in diameter than the wheels of the pair of front casters.
The caregiving device is further provided with a cover member provided on the main body frame and covering at least a part of the pair of rear casters.
The rear end of the cover member is located on the front side of the rear end of the wheel and the contact point is located on the front side of the swivel shaft in a state where the contact point between the rear caster and the road surface is located on the rear side of the swivel shaft. The assistance device according to claim 7 or 8, which is located rearward from the rear end of the wheel in the state.
A base with a main body frame and
A pair of rear casters provided in the left-right direction at the rear of the main body frame,
A cover member provided on the main body frame and covering at least a part of the pair of rear casters.
A support member provided on the base and supporting the upper body of the person being assisted is provided.
The pair of the rear casters
Wheels that can rotate around a horizontal axle,
It has a turning portion that extends the wheel in the vertical direction and supports the wheel so as to be able to turn around a turning axis that does not intersect with the axle.
The rear end of the cover member is located on the front side of the rear end of the wheel and the contact point is located on the front side of the swivel shaft in a state where the contact point between the rear caster and the road surface is located on the rear side of the swivel shaft. An assistance device located rearward of the rear end of the wheel in the state.
The assistance device according to claim 10, wherein the cover member is a foot plate on which both legs of the person being assisted are placed, and has a recess recessed forward in the center in the left-right direction when viewed upward.
The support member supports the upper body of the person being assisted from the front.
The assist device is used for assisting the movement of the person being assisted on board to the movement target, and is positioned closer to the movement target by moving backward in the movement assistance, according to any one of claims 9-11. The assistance device according to paragraph 1.