WO2022049754A1

WO2022049754A1 - Assistance device

Info

Publication number: WO2022049754A1
Application number: PCT/JP2020/033732
Authority: WO
Inventors: 英明野村; 伸幸中根; 邦靖中根; 立 ▲高▼橋; 聡志清水
Original assignee: 株式会社Fuji
Priority date: 2020-09-07
Filing date: 2020-09-07
Publication date: 2022-03-10
Also published as: CN116133630A; TWI784552B; TW202210051A; JPWO2022049754A1; KR20220143095A

Abstract

This assistance device comprises: a base; a support member for supporting the upper half of the body of a person to be assisted, the support member being provided so as to be capable of moving in the vertical direction with respect to the base; a knee support part for supporting, from the front, a knee of a lower leg part of the person to be assisted who is supported by the support member, and restricting lateral movement of the knee; and a shin support part for supporting, from the front, the shin of the lower leg part, the shin support part having a smaller lateral-direction width than the knee support part.

Description

Caregiving device

The present invention relates to an assist device.

Patent Document 1 discloses an assisting device that assists the person being assisted in standing up. The care device shifts the care recipient from a sitting position to a standing position by, for example, being positioned with respect to the person being assisted sitting in a bed or wheelchair and raising a support member that supports the upper body of the person being assisted. Let me.

International Publication No. 2018/116472

There is a demand for improved practicality by making the caregiving device less likely to interfere with seat devices that have a seating surface such as wheelchairs. In addition, there is a demand for the caregiving device to improve its stability, such as preventing it from tipping over.

It is an object of the present specification to provide an assisting device capable of improving stability by suppressing the movement of the center of gravity of the person being assisted on board while suppressing interference with the seat device.

The present specification includes a base, a support member that is movable in the vertical direction with respect to the base and supports the upper body of the person being assisted, and the lower leg of the person being assisted that is supported by the support member. The knee support part that supports the knee from the front and restricts the lateral movement of the knee, and the shin of the lower leg part that supports the shin from the front, and the width in the left-right direction is wider than the knee support part. Disclosed is a caregiving device with a small shin support.

According to such a configuration, the movement of the knee of the person being assisted in the left-right direction is restricted, and the movement of the center of gravity of the person being assisted can be suppressed. In particular, by determining the position of the knee of the person being assisted in the standing position in the left-right direction, the balance can be improved and the stability can be improved. Further, the width of the shin support portion in the left-right direction is set smaller than the width of the knee support portion in the left-right direction. As a result, the shin support portion arranged below the knee support portion becomes compact, and interference with, for example, a seat device is suppressed. As a result, the seat device can be made closer to the seat device, so that the degree of freedom in positioning with respect to the person being assisted is improved, and the practicality of the assisting device can be improved.

It is a perspective view which looked at the caregiving apparatus in 1st Embodiment from the diagonally lower rear. It is a side view which shows the care device in the state which supports the care recipient in a sitting posture. It is a side view which shows the care device in the state which supports the care recipient in the standing posture. It is a perspective view which saw the lower leg support pad diagonally from the front. It is a perspective view which shows the 1st aspect of the lower leg support pad. It is a perspective view which looked at the state which the assist device was brought close to a wheelchair from the diagonally rear view, and is the figure which omitted a part of a wheelchair. It is a perspective view which shows the 2nd aspect of a crus support pad. It is a perspective view which shows the 3rd aspect of a crus support pad. It is a perspective view which shows the 4th aspect of a crus support pad. It is a perspective view which shows the 5th aspect of a crus support pad. It is a perspective view which shows the state which the left side pad part and the right side pad part were shifted in the front-rear direction. It is a perspective view which looked at the caregiving device in 2nd Embodiment diagonally from the rear. It is the cross-sectional view of XIII-XIII of FIG. 12, and is the figure which omitted the other member except a cover member and a lower leg support pad. It is a block diagram which shows the control device and the controller of a caregiving device. It is a schematic diagram of a controller. It is a flowchart which shows the standby process after power-on.

1. 1. First Embodiment 1-1. Configuration of Assistance Device 1 The configuration of the assistance device 1 of the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. The caregiving device 1 assists a person M (see FIG. 2 and the like) who is seated in a seating device having a seating surface (for example, a wheelchair 90) to stand up from a sitting posture to a standing posture. And assists the sitting motion from the standing posture to the sitting posture. In addition to the wheelchair 90, the above-mentioned seat device may include a general-purpose chair without wheels, a toilet, and a bed used for caregiving.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the assist 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 shown in the figure, for example. Further, the care device 1 is used to assist the care recipient M on board to move to a movement target (for example, a wheelchair 90, a bed, a toilet) by pulling the care device 1 or the like by one caregiver.

The "standing posture" means the posture in which the lower body of the care recipient M is standing. Therefore, in the present specification, as shown in FIG. 3, the standing posture includes the posture of the care recipient M in which the lower body stands with the buttocks raised from the sitting posture 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 assist for the sitting motion is an assist for the motion of lowering the position of the buttocks of the person being assisted M.

1-1-1. Base 10
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. The main body frame 11 is mainly composed of a metal pipe member formed in a ∪ shape when viewed upward, and a plurality of auxiliary pipes connecting portions extending in the front-rear direction on both the left and right sides of the pipe member. The base 10 has a support bracket 12 fixed to the main body frame 11. The support bracket 12 supports each caster 15-17 described later and the drive device 20.

The base 10 has a foot plate 13. The foot plate 13 is provided on the main body frame 11 so that the upper surface is horizontal. Both feet of the care recipient M are placed on the foot plate 13. The base 10 has a front caster 15, an intermediate caster 16, and a rear caster 17 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 11.

The pair of front casters 15, the pair of intermediate casters 16, and the pair of rear casters 17 are each fixed to the main body frame 11 via the support bracket 12. In the present embodiment, each caster 15-17 has a steering function for changing the direction of movement. 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 turning super-credit (in-situ turning).

1-1-2. Drive device 20 and cover member 25
As shown in FIG. 2, the caregiving device 1 includes a driving device 20 that drives the support member 30. The drive device 20 has an arm 21 that connects the base 10 and the support member 30. The drive device 20 drives the arm 21 by the actuator 22 to move the support member 30 in the vertical direction and the front-rear direction while tilting the support member 30. The drive device 20 drives the actuator 22 based on a command from the control device 71 described later.

A cover member 25 that covers at least the rear part of the arm 21 of the assistance device 1 and the drive device 20 is provided. In this embodiment, the cover member 25 covers a part of the rear portion, the side portion, and the front portion of the arm 21. The cover member 25 is manufactured by resin molding or the like.

1-1-3. Support member 30 and handle 35
The caregiving device 1 includes a support member 30 as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. The support member 30 supports the upper body of the person being assisted M. The support member 30 is rotatably supported with respect to the arm 21 of the drive device 20 about a rotation axis in the horizontal direction. The support member 30 is provided so as to be movable in the vertical direction with respect to the base 10 by the above-described configuration, and is provided so as to be movable in the front-rear direction in the present embodiment.

The support member 30 includes a body support portion 31 and a pair of side support portions 32. The body support portion 31 is formed in a planar shape close to the body shape of the person being assisted M. The fuselage support portion 31 is made of a material that can be flexibly deformed. The support surface of the body support portion 31 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 31 supports the range from the chest Mb to the abdomen of the person being assisted M.

The pair of armpit support portions 32 are supported by the body support portion 31 and support the armpits of the person being assisted M. Specifically, a pair of armpit support portions 32 are provided on the left and right sides of the body support portion 31. The armpit support portion 32 is swingably supported by the body support portion 31. The side support portion 32 is formed in an L shape by a rod-shaped member. The surface of the side support portion 32 is covered with a material capable of flexible deformation.

The caregiving device 1 includes a handle 35. The handle 35 is formed in a substantially quadrangular frame shape. The handle 35 is formed so as to extend forward and upward from the rear end portion of the drive device 20 arm. The lateral portion of the handle 35 is gripped by both hands of the person being assisted M. Further, the side and front parts of the handle 35 are gripped by the caregiver to move the care device 1.

1-1-4. Lower leg support device 40
As shown in FIG. 1, the caregiving device 1 includes a crus support device 40. The lower leg support device 40 is a member provided on the base 10 and to which the knee Mk and the shin Mh of the person being assisted M who assists the standing motion come into contact with each other. The lower leg support device 40 is provided to stabilize the standing motion and the sitting motion of the care recipient M by determining the positions of the knee Mk and the shin Mh of the care recipient M. As shown in FIG. 4, the lower leg support device 40 has a support rod 41, a position adjusting portion 42, and a lower leg support pad 43.

The support rod 41 is composed of a metal pipe member 411 formed in an L shape in a lateral view and a plate 412 fixed to the tip of a portion extending upward. The plate 412 is provided with a crus support pad 43. A plurality of pin holes 421 penetrating in the vertical direction at equal intervals in the front-rear direction are formed in the portion of the pipe member 411 extending forward.

The position adjusting unit 42 can adjust the position of the lower leg support pad 43 in the front-rear direction with respect to the base 10. In the present embodiment, the position adjusting portion 42 is composed of a plurality of pin holes 421 formed in the pipe member 411, a support pipe 422 provided in the base 10, and a fixing pin 423. The inner diameter of the support pipe 422 is formed to be slightly larger than the outer diameter of the pipe member 411. The support pipe 422 slidably supports the pipe member 411 in the front-rear direction. Further, the support pipe 422 is formed with a pin hole 422A penetrating in the vertical direction.

The fixing pin 423 regulates the relative movement of the support rod 41 in the front-rear direction with respect to the support pipe 422 by inserting the pin hole 422A of the support pipe 422 and the pin hole 421 of the support rod 41. With such a configuration, the position adjusting portion 42 can adjust the position of the lower leg support pad 43 provided on the support rod 41 in the front-rear direction over several steps by pulling out the fixing pin 423. Further, the position adjusting portion 42 positions the lower leg support pad 43 in the front-rear direction by setting the fixing pin 423.

The lower leg support pad 43 is a cushioning material extending in the left-right direction. The lower leg support pad 43 is covered with a protective cover made of cloth or leather, for example. The lower leg support pad 43 supports at least one of the knee Mk and the shin Mh of the lower leg Mg of the person being assisted M supported by the support member 30. In this embodiment, the lower leg support pad 43 is replaceably attached to the base 10. Specifically, one selected from a plurality of types of lower leg support pads 43 having different shapes corresponding to at least one of the physique of the person being assisted M and the level requiring assistance is attached to the base 10. Details of the replacement of the lower leg support pad 43 will be described later.

Here, as an example, the lower leg support pad 43 shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 supports both the knee Mk and the shin Mh of the lower leg Mg. The lower leg support pad 43 is composed of a knee support portion 50 and a shin support portion 60. The knee support portion 50 supports the knee Mk from the front of the lower leg portion Mg of the person being assisted M supported by the support member 30. Here, the assistance device 1 used to assist the standing motion has a high center of gravity as a whole when the person to be assisted M is in the standing posture, so that there is a particular demand for improvement in stability.

Therefore, the assist device 1 of the present embodiment includes a knee support portion 50 that regulates the lateral movement of the knee Mk among the lower leg portion Mg of the person being assisted M supported by the support member 30 as in a standing posture. adopt. According to such a configuration, the movement of the knee Mk of the person being assisted M on the assisting device 1 in the left-right direction is restricted, and the movement of the center of gravity of the person being assisted M can be suppressed. In particular, by determining the position of the knee Mk of the person being assisted M in the standing posture in the left-right direction, the entire center of gravity is maintained near the center of the care device 1 in the left-right direction. As a result, the overall balance is improved and the stability can be improved.

Specifically, the knee support portion 50 has a main body member 51 and a regulation member 52. The main body member 51 is formed in a planar shape and is fixed to the plate 412 of the support rod 41. The regulating member 52 is formed into ridges that project in the normal direction from the support surface of the main body member 51 that comes into contact with the knee Mk of the person being assisted and extend in the vertical direction at both ends of the main body member 51 in the left-right direction. To. The regulating member 52 contacts the support surface of the main body member 51 when the knee Mk of the person being assisted M who is in contact with or separated from the support surface moves outward in the left-right direction, and restricts the movement of the knee Mk.

The shin support portion 60 supports the shin Mh of the lower leg portion Mg of the person being assisted M supported by the support member 30 from the front. As shown in FIG. 5, the shin support portion 60 is integrally formed with the main body member 51 of the knee support portion 50 in the present embodiment, and has a support surface obtained by extending the support surface of the main body member 51 downward. As a result, the person being assisted M is supported by the lower leg support pad 43 in addition to the support member 30 when the knee Mk and the shin Mh are supported when the standing motion and the sitting motion are assisted and when the standing posture is maintained. Therefore, the load can be dispersed and the load on each part can be reduced. Further, the shin support portion 60 guides the posture of the portion below the knee Mk, and can guide the posture to a stable posture in the standing motion.

On the other hand, since the shin support portion 60 is located below the knee support portion 50, there is a concern that it may interfere with a seat device such as a wheelchair 90. That is, if the support surface of the shin support portion 60 that contacts the shin Mh of the person being assisted M is increased in the left-right direction, the degree of freedom in the position where the shin Mh is applied increases, but it interferes with other members such as seat equipment. It will be easier. Then, the assist device 1 may not be sufficiently close to the seat device, or the access may not be easy.

Therefore, the shin support portion 60 of the assistance device 1 in the present embodiment is formed to have a width in the left-right direction smaller than that of the knee support portion 50. Specifically, the width Wh in the left-right direction of the shin support portion 60 is smaller than the width Wk in the left-right direction of the knee support portion 50 (Wh <Wk). Further, in the present embodiment, the lateral outer edge of the shin support portion 60 in the left-right direction is located on the central side of the regulation member 52 of the knee support portion 50. That is, the shin support portion 60 is configured as described above in order to support the shin Mh inside the regulating member 52 on the premise that the knee Mk is restricted from moving outward in the left-right direction by the regulating member 52. adopt.

The knee support portion 50 and the shin support portion 60 constituting the lower leg support pad 43 do not interfere with the seat device when the assist device 1 is positioned with respect to the person being assisted M seated on the seat device when assisting the standing motion. Each is formed to fit within the range. Here, the wheelchair 90, which is a kind of seat device, has a pair of footrests 92 on which both legs of the person being assisted M can be placed. Each of the pair of footrests 92 is rotatably provided around an axis extending in the front-rear direction, and is in a folded state of being flipped up when not in use (see FIG. 6).

Then, when the seat device is a wheelchair 90, the knee support portion 50 is located above the upper end of the pair of footrests 92 in the folded state. Further, the width Wh in the left-right direction of the shin support portion 60 is smaller than the width in the left-right direction of the pair of footrests 92 in the folded state. As a result, the caregiving device 1 can prevent interference between the shin support portion 60 and the footrest 92. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, the caregiving device 1 can sufficiently approach the person being assisted M seated in the wheelchair 90, can easily get on and off the caregiving device 1, and has stability of operation assistance. It can be improved.

By the way, in the assist device 1 that assists the standing motion by supporting the upper body with the support member 30, it is preferable that the person being assisted M maintains the posture by his / her own leg strength to some extent from the viewpoint of increasing the leg strength due to rehabilitation. When the lower leg Mg is supported by the lower leg support pad 43 in the standing posture, the posture of the portion below the knee Mk is guided, so that the proper positional relationship of the sole with respect to the knee Mk maintains the posture. Affects the stability of. Further, the movable range of the ankle may be narrower than usual due to the physical limitation of the person being assisted M, and it is desired to support the lower leg Mg in consideration of reducing the burden on the person being assisted M.

Therefore, the lower leg support pad 43 is set so that the angle θg with respect to the horizontal plane of the portion of the lower leg Mg that supports at least one of the knee Mk and the shin Mh from the front over a predetermined vertical range is in the range of 65 degrees to 75 degrees. Will be done. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the lower leg support pad 43 has an angle θg of a portion that supports both the knee Mk and the shin Mh set to about 70 degrees. For example, if the lower leg support pad 43 is larger than 75 degrees, there is a concern that the distance in the anteroposterior direction from the sole of the foot that supports its own mass to the center of gravity of the body (around the waist) becomes long. Further, if the lower leg support pad 43 is smaller than 65 degrees, the load applied to the support member 30 by the upper body becomes large, and there is a concern that the ankle needs to be greatly bent.

On the other hand, by setting the lower leg support pad 43 in the range of 65 degrees to 75 degrees, it is possible to stabilize the posture in the transition from the sitting posture to the standing posture. Further, since the range in which the ankle bends in such a posture transition can be set within the movable range, the burden on the person being assisted M can be reduced. As a result, it is possible to increase leg strength by rehabilitation.

1-1-5. Controller 71 and controller 80
As shown in FIG. 14, the care device 1 includes a control device 71. The control device 71 controls the operation of the drive device 20. When the power is turned on by operating the power switch 72, the control device 71 executes a standby process that enables the drive device 20 to operate. When the standby process is executed, the caregiving device 1 is in a state where it can accept an operation on the controller 80.

The above controller 80 accepts the operation of the person being assisted M or the caregiver. As shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, the controller 80 is composed of, for example, an upright button 81, a seating button 82, and a battery fuel gauge 83. The upright button 81 is a button that receives a request for upward movement of the support member 30, that is, an assist in the upright operation. The seating button 82 is a button that receives a request for downward movement of the support member 30, that is, assistance for the seating operation. The control device 71 controls the operation of the drive device 20 in response to an operation on the controller 80.

The battery fuel gauge 83 is a display device that displays the remaining battery level, which is a power source for supplying power to the actuator 22 of the drive device 20. The control device 71 periodically detects the remaining battery level while the power is turned on. The battery fuel gauge 83 displays the detected remaining battery level in, for example, a plurality of stages. As an example, the battery fuel gauge 83 indicates the remaining battery level in four stages as shown in FIG. Further, the battery fuel gauge 83 may indicate the state of the battery by a display color or a lighting pattern, or may indicate a specific numerical value (for example, “80%”).

1-2. 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 and 3. 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 31 of the support member 30 is angled so as to face the chest Mb of the assisted person M. To. At this time, the footrest 92 of the wheelchair 90 is in a state of being flipped up in advance. At this time, the knee support portion 50 is located above the upper ends of the pair of footrests 92 in the folded state, and interference with the pair of footrests 92 is avoided (see FIG. 6).

Here, the width of the foot plate 13 in the left-right direction is set shorter than the distance between the pair of front wheels 91 of the wheelchair 90 in the left-right direction. As a result, the rear end portion of the foot plate 13 is configured to be movable rearward through the inside of the pair of front wheels 91 of the wheelchair 90. As shown in FIG. 2, 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. Next, the person being assisted M places both feet on the foot plate 13 and brings the lower leg Mg into contact with the lower leg support pad 43.

More specifically, the knee Mk is in contact with the support surface of the main body member 51 of the knee support portion 50 and is located inside the pair of regulatory members 52. Further, the shin Mh is in contact with the support surface of the shin support portion 60. Further, the person being assisted M leans forward so as to press the chest Mb against the body support portion 31. Further, the person being assisted M is supported by a pair of armpit support portions 32 with both arms extended toward the handle 35. As a result, the person being assisted M is in a state of being able to board the assisting device 1 while in the sitting posture.

Subsequently, the drive device 20 is driven, and the support member 30 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 legs are extended as shown in FIG. The assisting device 1 moves and turns while supporting the assisted person M in a standing posture, and assists the sitting motion at a position and an angle according to a 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, since the lower leg support pad 43 has the regulating member 52, it is possible to prevent the knee Mk of the person being assisted M from moving to the outside in the left-right direction of the lower leg support pad 43. As a result, fluctuations in the position of the center of gravity during each posture and transition between postures can be suppressed, so that operational stability can be improved.

Further, since the lower leg support pad 43 has the shin support portion 60, the care recipient M is guided by the shin support portion 60 to the posture of the portion below the knee Mk, and is in a stable posture in the standing motion and the sitting motion. Can be guided. Further, the width Wh in the left-right direction of the shin support portion 60 is smaller than the width in the left-right direction of the pair of footrests 92 in the folded state. As a result, the caregiving device 1 can be sufficiently approached to the wheelchair 90, and it is possible to easily get on and off the caregiving device 1 and improve the stability of the operation assistance.

Further, by setting the angle of the support surface of the lower leg support pad 43 with respect to the horizontal plane to about 70 degrees, it is possible to stabilize the standing motion and the sitting motion. Further, since the range in which the ankle bends in the transition of the posture of the care recipient M in such an operation can be set within the movable range, the burden on the care recipient M can be reduced. As a result, it is possible to increase leg strength by rehabilitation.

1-3. Replacement structure of the lower leg support pad 43 As described above, the lower leg support pad 43 of the lower leg support device 40 may have a different optimum angle and shape of the support surface depending on the physical restrictions of the person being assisted M and the like. In particular, if the care device 1 is used for a plurality of people M in a care facility having various physiques and levels of care required, it is desirable that an appropriate lower leg support pad 43 is applied.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, the care device 1 is based on one selected from a plurality of types of lower leg support pads 43 having different shapes corresponding to at least one of the physique and the level of care required of the person being assisted M. Attached to 10. The level of assistance required by the person being assisted M is determined by using the leg strength of the person being assisted M, the range of motion of joints such as ankles and knees Mk, and the like as indicators.

In the present embodiment, the lower leg support device 40 adopts an exchange structure using the structure of the position adjusting portion 42 with the support rod 41 and the lower leg support pad 43 as a unit. That is, the replacement structure makes it possible to remove the support rod 41 from the support pipe 422 with the fixing pin 423 of the position adjusting portion 42 removed. Hereinafter, aspects of the lower leg support pad 43 that can be attached to the caregiving device 1 will be described.

The lower leg support pad 43A of the first aspect has a knee support portion 50A and a shin support portion 60A, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The knee support portion 50A is composed of a main body member 51A and a pair of regulatory members 52A. The shin support portion 60A is integrally formed with the main body member 51A and has the same support surface as the main body member 51. The details of the lower leg support pad 43A have already been described and will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 7, the lower leg support pad 43B of the second aspect has the knee support portion 50B and does not have the shin support portion 60. The lower leg support pad 43B of the second aspect is suitable for the care recipient M who has, for example, a certain degree of leg strength and can maintain a standing posture without supporting the shin Mh. A space can be secured below the knee support portion 50B.

Here, there are differences in the leg strength of the left and right legs and the range of motion of the joints depending on the level of assistance required by the person being assisted M. Therefore, the lower leg support pad 43 may be required to have an asymmetrical shape in order to cope with the above circumstances. Therefore, the lower leg support pad 43C of the third aspect and the lower leg support pad 43D of the fourth aspect are arranged in pairs in the left-right direction of the base 10, and the left side pad whose position in the front-rear direction with respect to the base 10 can be adjusted independently. It has a portion 45 and a right pad portion 46.

As shown in FIG. 8, the left pad portion 45C of the lower leg support pad 43C of the third aspect is composed of one main body member 51C divided at the center in the left-right direction and one regulation member 52C. The right pad portion 46C is composed of the other main body member 51C divided at the center in the left-right direction and the other regulating member 52C. The left pad portion 45C and the right pad portion 46C are adjusted to different positions in the front-rear direction by the support rods 41 being supported by the support pipe 422 and positioned by the fixing pin 423 (see FIG. 11). ).

As shown in FIG. 9, the left pad portion 45D and the right pad portion 46D of the lower leg support pad 43D of the fourth aspect each have a knee support portion 50D and no shin support portion 60. The lower leg support pad 43D of the fourth aspect is suitable for the care recipient M who has a certain degree of leg strength and can maintain a standing posture without supporting the shin Mh, as in the second aspect. A space can be secured below the knee support portion 50D.

The left pad portion 45 and the right pad portion 46 exemplified in the third aspect and the fourth aspect are completely separated and have a configuration in which their facing surfaces come into contact with each other. On the other hand, the left side pad portion 45 and the right side pad portion 46 may be configured to be provided with sliders that regulate the relative movement in the vertical direction and allow the relative movement in the front-rear direction on the facing surfaces thereof.

As shown in FIG. 10, the lower leg support pad 43E of the fifth aspect has a knee support portion 50E extending in the vertical direction and forming two grooves parallel to each other. Specifically, the above two grooves are formed by the two regulating members 52E forming the groove bottom portion 521 and the pair of groove side portions 522, respectively. By bringing the knee Mk into contact with the groove bottom portion 521, the person being assisted M is restricted from moving in the left-right direction of the knee Mk, and the posture of the lower leg Mg is maintained.

As described above, the lower leg support device 40 can replace the support rod 41 and the lower leg support pad 43 as a unit. In addition, the lower leg support device 40 may have, for example, a support rod 41 and a position adjusting portion 42 as a common member, and the lower leg support pad 43 may be replaceably removed from the plate 412 of the support rod 41.

2. 2. Second Embodiment 2-1. Configuration of the Second Aspect of the Assistance Device 101 The configuration of the assistance device 101 of the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 12 and 13. Here, the caregiving device 101 of the second embodiment is different from the caregiving device 1 of the first embodiment in the configuration of the arm 21 and the actuator 22 of the drive device 120 mainly for the purpose of increasing the functionality. Along with this, the caregiving device 101 has a different shape of the cover member 125 as shown in FIG.

The cover member 125 is larger in size rearward than the cover member 25 of the first embodiment. Therefore, in order to prevent the lower leg support device 140 from interfering with the cover member 125, there is a possibility that the movable range that can be adjusted in the front-rear direction is restricted. On the other hand, the caregiving device 101 of the present embodiment adopts a configuration that can sufficiently secure a movable range that can be adjusted in the front-rear direction of the lower leg support pad 143 while preventing interference with the cover member 125. .. Further, since the other configurations of the care device 101 are substantially the same as those of the care device 1 of the first embodiment, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The lower leg support pad 143 (the fifth aspect of the lower leg support pad 43F) has at least a knee support portion 150. The knee support portion 150 has a pair of restricting members 152 and a connecting member 153. As shown in FIG. 13, each of the pair of restricting members 152 is formed in a groove shape that opens rearward in upward view, and restricts the lateral movement of the knee Mk at the groove side portion 522. The connecting member 153 is arranged on the rear side of the cover member 125. The connecting member 153 connects the pair of regulating members 152 in a state where the groove bottom portion 521 of the pair of regulating members 152 is arranged so as to be on the front side of the rear end 251 of the cover member 125.

According to such a configuration, the cover member 125 and the lower leg support pad 143 can be in an overlapping positional relationship in the front-rear direction. As a result, the position in the front-rear direction can be adjusted so as to move the lower leg support pad 143 further forward, so that an adjustable movable range can be sufficiently secured. Further, the lower leg support pad 143 restricts the movement of the knee Mk of the care recipient M in the left-right direction, and the movement of the center of gravity of the care recipient M can be suppressed. As a result, the position of the knee Mk of the person being assisted M in the left-right direction is determined, and the overall stability can be improved.

2-2. About the lower leg support device 140 In the present embodiment, the lower leg support device 140 has been described by way of exemplifying a configuration having only the knee support portion 150. On the other hand, the lower leg support device 140 may be further provided with a shin support portion 60 that supports the shin Mh from the front of the lower leg Mg, as in the first embodiment.

In this configuration, it is preferable that the width Wk in the left-right direction of the shin support portion 60 is set smaller than the width Wk in the left-right direction of the knee support portion 50. Further, the left-right outer edge of the shin support 60 is preferably located on the left-right center side of the base 10 rather than the inner surface of the two groove side portions 522 located on the left-right outer side of the knee support 150. .. With such a configuration, it is possible to reduce the size of the lower leg support device 140 and prevent interference with other devices such as a seat device.

3. 3. Third Embodiment 3-1. Outline of the Assistance Device 1 The assistance device 1 has a function of notifying the user that the power is on when the power is turned on by operating the power switch 72. Specifically, the notification is given by turning on the lamp built in the power switch 72. In addition to this, the caregiving device 1 notifies the user that the power is on by displaying the remaining amount of the battery, for example, on the battery remaining amount meter 83 of the controller 80.

By the way, when the power is turned on by operating the power switch 72, the care device 1 executes a standby process that enables the drive device 20 to operate. In this standby process, for example, the detection of the remaining battery level, the operating state of the actuator 22, the reading of the operating program, and the like are executed, and it may take a predetermined time from turning on the power. From the viewpoint of ensuring safety, the caregiving device 1 controls so that even if there is an operation on the controller 80 before the end of the standby process, the corresponding operation is not performed.

On the other hand, when the user operates the power switch 72 to turn on the power, the lamp of the power switch 72 lights up, and the remaining battery level is displayed on the battery fuel gauge 83 in the process of executing the standby process. It is assumed that the controller 80 is operated by recognizing that it can be used. However, the standby process is actually being executed, and the operation corresponding to the above operation is not executed.

Then, since the support member 30 does not operate even though the button of the controller 80 is pressed, there is a possibility that the user may mistakenly recognize that some abnormality has occurred in the care device 1. The caregiving device 1 displays to the user that the standby process has been completed and the controller 80 has entered a state in which operations can be accepted after the power is turned on, and the user is informed that preparations are being made before the display. It is desirable to make them aware. Therefore, the caregiving device 1 of the present embodiment adopts a configuration for displaying the transition to the standby state as follows.

3-2. Configuration of Assistance Device 1 As shown in FIGS. 1 and 14, the assistance device 1 includes a base 10, a drive device 20, a support member 30, and a display device. The display device indicates that the drive device 20 has entered a standby state in which the support member 30 can be driven after the power is turned on to the drive device 20. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 15, the display device is the battery fuel gauge 83 of the controller 80. The battery fuel gauge 83 as a display device can display the standby state in various modes.

In the present embodiment, the battery fuel gauge 83 displays the remaining battery level after the standby process is completed and the controller 80 is in a state where operations can be accepted (that is, the drive device 20 is in the standby state). At this time, the battery fuel gauge 83 may indicate that it is not in the standby state by turning off or blinking while the standby process is being executed, or by displaying a color different from the normal display.

3-3. Standby processing after power-on The standby processing after power-on by the caregiving device 1 will be described with reference to FIG. The standby process is executed by the control device 71 when the power is turned on by operating the power switch 72. First, the power switch 72 turns on the built-in lamp to notify the user that the power has been turned on by the operation (S11).

Next, the control device 71 executes the initialization process (S12). Specifically, the control device 71 appropriately performs initialization processing such as detection of the remaining battery level, the operating state of the actuator 22, reading of the operating program, and initialization of the memory. At this time, even if the control device 71 detects the remaining battery level, it does not display it on the battery level gauge 83 of the controller 80. The battery fuel gauge 83 is maintained in the off state.

The control device 71 determines whether or not the initialization process is completed and the drive device 20 has entered the standby state (S13). If the control device 71 has not transitioned to the standby state (S13: No), the control device 71 continuously repeats the above determination. Even if the stand-up button 81 of the controller 80 is pressed in this standby state, the control device 71 does not accept the support request for the stand-up operation.

When the drive device 20 shifts to the standby state (S13: Yes), the control device 71 causes the battery remaining amount meter 83 of the controller 80 to display the detected remaining battery level (S14). As a result, the battery remaining amount meter 83 displays according to the remaining amount, and at the same time notifies the user that the operation by the controller 80 can be accepted. The control device 71 ends the standby process.

According to the above configuration, when the power switch 72 is first turned on, the built-in lamp lights up, so that the user can recognize that the power has been turned on. Further, since the battery fuel gauge 83 is turned off until the standby process is completed, the user can recognize that the drive device 20 does not operate even if the controller 80 is operated. Further, since the battery fuel gauge 83 lights up after the standby process is completed, the user can recognize that the operation of the controller 80 has shifted to the standby state in which the drive device 20 operates.

3-4. Various aspects of the display device In the present embodiment, the display device is configured to be a battery fuel gauge 83. On the other hand, the caregiving device 1 may be configured to include, for example, a dedicated display device for displaying whether or not it is in the standby state. In addition to being provided on the controller 80, this display device may be provided on a portion of the main body of the care device 1 that is visible to the user. Further, the display device is, for example, a lamp built in the power switch 72, for example, blinks when the power is turned on and is not in the standby state, and lights up when the power is turned on and the standby state is entered. It may be configured to turn off when the power is turned off.

1,101: Assistance device, 10: Base, 20,120: Drive device, 21: Arm, 22: Actuator, 25,125: Cover member, 251: Rear end (of cover member), 30: Support member, 40 , 140: Lower leg support device, 42: Position adjustment part, 43, 43A-43F, 143: Lower leg support pad, 45, 45C, 45D: Left pad part, 46, 46C, 46D: Right pad part, 50, 50A-50E , 150: Knee support, 51, 51A-51E: Main body member, 52, 52A-52E, 152: Regulatory member, 521: Groove bottom, 522: Groove side, 153: Connecting member, 60, 60A, 60C: Shin Support part, 61: outer edge, 71: control device, 72: power switch, 80: controller, 83: battery fuel gauge (display device), 90: wheelchair (seat device), 91: (pair) front wheels, 92: Footrest, M: Assisted person, Mb: Chest, Mg: Lower leg, Mk: Knee, Mh: Shin, Wk: Width (of knee support), Wh: Width (of shin support), θg: (Support) Angle of the part to be

Claims

Base and
A support member that is provided so as to be movable in the vertical direction with respect to the base and supports the upper body of the person being assisted, and a support member.
Of the lower leg of the person being assisted supported by the support member, the knee support portion that supports the knee from the front and restricts the lateral movement of the knee, and the knee support portion.
A shin support portion that supports the shin from the front of the lower leg and has a width smaller than that of the knee support portion in the left-right direction.
A caregiving device equipped with.
The assist device according to claim 1, wherein the knee support portion is formed in a groove shape that opens rearward in an upward view, and has a pair of regulating members that regulate the lateral movement of the knee at the groove side portion.
The caregiving device
An arm connecting the base and the support member,
A cover member that covers at least the rear part of the arm is further provided.
The knee support portion is arranged on the rear side of the cover member, and connects the pair of regulatory members arranged so that the groove bottom portion of the pair of regulatory members is on the front side of the rear end of the cover member. The assistance device according to claim 2, further comprising a connecting member.
Base and
A support member that is provided so as to be movable in the vertical direction with respect to the base and supports the upper body of the person being assisted, and a support member.
An arm connecting the base and the support member,
A cover member that covers at least the rear part of the arm, and
Among the lower legs of the person being assisted supported by the support member, the knee is provided with a knee support portion that supports the knee from the front and regulates the lateral movement of the knee.
The knee support is
A pair of regulatory members that are formed in the shape of a groove that opens rearward in upward view and that regulate the lateral movement of the knee on the side of the groove.
It has a connecting member arranged on the rear side of the cover member and connecting the pair of restricting members arranged so that the groove bottom portion of the pair of restricting members is on the front side of the rear end of the cover member. Caregiving device.
The caregiving device according to claim 4, wherein the caregiving device further supports the shin of the lower leg from the front and further includes a shin support portion whose width in the left-right direction is smaller than that of the knee support portion.
The left-right outer edge of the shin support portion is located on the left-right central side of the base with respect to the inner surface of the groove side portion of the knee support portion, according to any one of claims 2-3. Described caregiving device.
The care device is used to assist the person being assisted in standing up by sitting on a seat device having a seating surface.
The knee support portion and the shin support portion are within a range that does not interfere with the seat device when the assist device is positioned with respect to the person to be assisted sitting on the seat device when assisting the standing motion. The assist device according to any one of claims 1-3, 5 and 6, respectively, which is formed.
The care device is used to assist the person being assisted in standing up while sitting in a wheelchair.
The wheelchair has a pair of footrests on which both legs of the person being assisted can be placed.
Each of the pair of footrests is rotatably provided around an axis extending in the front-rear direction, and is in a folded state in which it is flipped up when not in use.
The knee support is located above the upper ends of the pair of footrests in the folded state.
The caregiving device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, 5-7, wherein the width of the shin support portion in the left-right direction is smaller than the width of the pair of footrests in the folded state in the left-right direction.
The knee support portion and the shin support portion constitute a lower leg support pad, and the knee support portion and the shin support portion form a lower leg support pad.
The lower leg support pad is replaceably attached to the base and is attached to the base.
Claims 1-3, 5 in which one selected from a plurality of types of lower leg support pads having different shapes corresponding to at least one of the physique of the person being assisted and the level of assistance required is attached to the base. -8. The assistance device according to any one of the following items.
Base and
A support member that is provided so as to be movable in the vertical direction with respect to the base and supports the upper body of the person being assisted, and a support member.
A lower leg support pad that supports at least one of the knee and the shin of the lower leg of the person being assisted supported by the support member is provided.
An assistance device in which one selected from a plurality of types of lower leg support pads having different shapes corresponding to at least one of the physique of the person being assisted and the level of assistance required is attached to the base.
The caregiving device according to claim 9 or 10, further comprising a position adjusting unit capable of adjusting the position of the lower leg support pad in the front-rear direction with respect to the base.
The caregiving according to claim 11, wherein the lower leg support pads are arranged in pairs in the left-right direction of the base and have a left pad portion and a right pad portion whose positions in the front-rear direction with respect to the base can be independently adjusted. Device.
The lower leg support pad is any of claims 9-12, wherein the angle of the lower leg portion that supports the shin from the front over a predetermined vertical range is set in the range of 65 degrees to 75 degrees with respect to the horizontal plane. The assistance device according to item 1.
Base and
A support member that is provided so as to be movable in the vertical direction with respect to the base and supports the upper body of the person being assisted, and a support member.
The lower leg support pad whose angle with respect to the horizontal plane of the part of the lower leg of the person being assisted supported by the support member that supports the shin from the front over a predetermined vertical range is set in the range of 65 degrees to 75 degrees. When,
A caregiving device equipped with.