JP2006325685A - Bathing assisting apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a bathing assisting apparatus in which a seat surface transfer property is improved while giving the feeling of security to a person to be assisted without making a seat surface shaky at an elevating/lowering upper limit position. <P>SOLUTION: The bathing assisting apparatus comprises a frame 10 composed of a base part 100 and arm parts 200 extended from both ends of it forming a certain angle, an elevating and lowering device 300 attached to it, and a seat part 50 suspended at both side edge parts in a width direction by a flexible member W delivered from the elevating/lowering device through the arm part. Each arm part is provided with a detection switch for detecting a seat surface elevating/lowering upper limit position. When one of the detection switches detects the seat surface elevating/lowering upper limit position of the seat part by the width direction side edge part of the seat part touching the arm part, it is defined that the seat part is at the seat surface elevating/lowering upper limit position and the drive of the elevating/lowering device is stopped. An adjusting means for performing adjustment so as to fix the seat part to the arm parts by allowing both side edge parts of the seat part to come in contact with the arm parts simultaneously when the seat part is at the seat surface elevating/lowering upper limit position, is included. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a bathing assistance device that assists in bathing of a person who needs assistance when taking a bath, for example, an elderly person or a physically handicapped person.

2. Description of the Related Art A bathing assistance device that is attached to an edge of a bathtub and assists bathing of a person who needs assistance at the time of bathing, such as an elderly person or a disabled person, has been conventionally known (for example, see Patent Document 1). Such a bathing assistance apparatus described in Patent Document 1 includes a frame composed of a U-shaped base portion and an arm portion placed on a rim of a bathtub having a rectangular shape in plan view, and an elevating mechanism provided in the frame. Four corners are hung by the apparatus and four flexible members that are drawn out and wound up from the elevating device, and are provided with seats that are moved up and down through the elevating device. Further, the arm portion is provided with a limit switch for stopping driving of the lifting device having a roller that is slidably brought into contact with the lower surface of the flexible member. Then, when the person being assisted gets on the seat surface at the seating surface upper limit / lower limit position, the flexible member is tensioned, the limit switch is turned on, the lifting device is driven to lower the seating surface, and the seating surface is in the bathtub. When the bottom surface is reached, the limit switch is turned off to stop the driving of the lifting device.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-201992 (page 2-3, FIG. 1)

  As described above, the bathing assistance device described in Patent Document 1 is configured to move up and down the seat surface by feeding or winding up the flexible member via the pulley in the arm. The lengths of the four flexible members are exactly the same due to manufacturing variations and assembly errors of the parts that make up the bathing assistance device, such as pulley position, frame dimensional error, and assembly error. Otherwise, an error may occur with respect to each length. As a result, one side edge of the seat is firmly fixed to the arm, but a gap may occur between the other side edge of the seat and the arm. As a result, the seating surface cannot be kept horizontal at the seating surface raising / lowering upper limit position, and remains wobbled without being firmly fixed to the arm portion. If either side of the seat surface in the width direction of the seat portion is not fixed to the arm portion in this way, the seat surface becomes unstable, causing inconvenience when getting on and off the seat surface, and giving anxiety to the person being assisted.

  Further, in the bathing assistance device in which the seat surface can move from the seat surface ascending / descending upper limit position to the seat surface transfer position located on one rim of the bathtub, when such inconvenience occurs, the seat surface remains wobbled. It will move toward the seating surface transfer position, and the seating surface may collide with the rim of the bathtub or the arm part of the bathing assistance device and damage them.

  The object of the present invention is to stabilize the seating surface in a horizontal state without bothering the seating part at both sides of the seating part firmly fixed to the arm part at the seating surface raising / lowering upper limit position, and giving a sense of security to the person being assisted It is in providing the bathing assistance apparatus which improved the seat surface transferability.

In order to solve the above-described problem, a bathing assistance apparatus according to the present invention includes:
A frame composed of a base portion and an arm portion extending at an angle from both ends of the base portion and placed on the rim of the bathtub;
A lifting device attached to the frame;
A flexible member that is drawn out from the lifting device through the arm portion is provided with a seat portion that is suspended on both side edges in the width direction and can be lifted and lowered in the bathtub by the lifting device,
Each arm part is provided with a detection switch for detecting the seat surface up / down upper limit position of the seat part, and either one of the detection switches is placed on the seat by the widthwise side edge part of the seat part contacting the arm part. When detecting the seat surface lifting upper limit position of the part, the seating unit is a bathing assistance device that stops the driving of the lifting device as the seat surface is at the seat lifting upper limit position and is fixed to the arm unit,
Adjusting means for adjusting the seat part so that both side edges of the seat part simultaneously contact the arm part and the seat part is fixed to the arm part when the seat part is at the seat surface elevation upper limit position. It is characterized by that.

  Even if there is variation in the length of the flexible member due to manufacturing errors or assembly errors of the parts constituting the bathing assistance device, the seat portion can be moved to the arm portion at the upper limit position of the seat surface elevation by having such an adjustment means. It can be adjusted so that it is fixed to the arm portion by contacting the left and right at the same time, and as a result, the seat surface is stabilized, giving a sense of security to the person being assisted and improving the seat surface transferability. In particular, when the seating surface of the bathing assistance device has a structure that moves between the seating surface elevation upper limit position and the seating surface transfer upper limit position, the seating surface moves stably from the seating surface elevation upper limit position. You won't hit the rim of the bathtub or the arm of the bathing assistance device.

Moreover, the bathing assistance apparatus according to claim 2 of the present invention is the bathing assistance apparatus according to claim 1,
The adjusting means includes a feed amount adjusting means for adjusting the length of the flexible member that is fed from the arm portion at the seat surface elevation upper limit position of the seat portion.

  By providing such a feed amount adjustment means, the feed amount of the flexible member that is fed from the arm portion can be changed at the seat surface elevation upper limit position, so that the seat surface elevation upper limit position can be simplified while simplifying the structure of the adjustment mechanism. In both cases, both sides of the seat can be securely fixed to the arm.

Moreover, the bathing assistance apparatus of Claim 3 of this invention is the bathing assistance apparatus of Claim 2,
The feeding amount adjusting means includes path length adjusting means for changing the length of the path of the flexible member from the lifting device to the suspension member of the seat portion.

  By providing such a path length adjusting means, it is possible to change the extension amount of the flexible member that is extended from the arm portion at the seat surface elevating upper limit position, so that the seat surface elevating upper limit is simplified while simplifying the structure of the adjusting mechanism. In this position, both sides of the seat can be securely fixed to the arm.

Moreover, the bathing assistance apparatus according to claim 4 of the present invention is the bathing assistance apparatus according to claim 2,
As the feeding amount adjusting means, the suspension member is provided with a length adjusting portion that changes the length of the flexible member from the flexible member feeding portion of the arm portion to the suspension member.

  By providing such a length adjusting portion in the suspension member, the length of the flexible member from the arm portion to the suspension member can be changed at the seating surface elevation upper limit position, so the structure of the adjustment mechanism is simplified. Thus, both sides of the seat portion can be securely fixed to the arm portion at the upper limit position of the seat surface elevation.

Moreover, the bathing assistance apparatus according to claim 5 of the present invention is the bathing assistance apparatus according to claim 1,
As the adjusting means, a contact position where the seat and the arm contact each other can be moved along the ascending / descending direction of the seat.

  Also by making the contact position where the seat part and the arm part contact each other moveable in the raising / lowering direction of the seating surface, a gap is generated in either one of the arm part and both sides of the seating part at the upper limit position of the seating surface elevation. Can be prevented. As a result, both sides of the seat portion can be reliably fixed to the arm portion at the seat surface elevation upper limit position while simplifying the structure of the adjustment mechanism. Moreover, since it can adjust while confirming whether the seat surface is contacting the arm part, a seat part is fixed to an arm part reliably.

Moreover, the bathing assistance apparatus according to claim 6 of the present invention is the bathing assistance apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
It is characterized in that there is provided confirmation means for confirming that both of the detection switches are turned on when each side edge portion of the seat portion comes into contact with each arm portion.

  By having such a confirmation means, it is easy for the user of the bathing assistance device to bend in the bathtub and directly check whether the side portion of the seat and the arm portion are in contact with each other. I can confirm.

  According to the present invention, both sides of the seat portion are firmly fixed to the arm portion at the upper and lower positions of the seat surface to stabilize the seat surface in a horizontal state, and the seat surface does not sway and give a sense of security to the person being assisted. A bathing assistance apparatus with improved transferability can be provided.

  Hereinafter, a bathing assistance apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a bathing assistance apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a frame 10 having a U-shape when viewed from above, and a backrest that is attached to the frame 10 and can be moved up and down in a bathtub. The seat 50 includes a pinion gear 650 on the seat surface 600 and the pinion gear on the base 500 as shown in FIGS. 8 and 15. A rack gear 550 that meshes with 650 is provided. The rack 50 and the pinion gear 650 cooperate with each other so that only the seat surface 600 slides with respect to the base 500 while rotating between the seat surface up / down upper limit position and the seat surface transfer position. It has become. Here, the upper limit position of the seating surface raising / lowering is a state where the seating surface 600 of the seat 50 moves up and down in the bathtub in a state where the bathing assistance device 1 is attached to the bathtub (hereinafter referred to as “device attachment state”). The position at which the surface 600 reaches the upper limit (see FIGS. 1 and 8), and the seating surface transfer position means that the seating surface 600 is completely moved to the rim side of the bathtub and the person being assisted gets on and off the seating surface 600. A position is said (refer FIG. 15).

  Further, wing plates 520 and 530 and a wing plate 620 are provided on both sides of the base 500. The wing plates 520 and 530 and the wing plate 620 can be raised with respect to the base 500 and the seat surface 600, and the end portions of the wing plates 520 and 620 are located outside the bathtub inner wall surface than the inner wall surface of the bathtub at the seat surface elevation upper limit position. It has a protruding amount that protrudes in the direction.

  The frame 10 is made of, for example, stainless steel, and includes a base portion 100 including an elevating device 300 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) and an arm portion 200 that extends substantially vertically from both ends of the base portion 100. And the base part 100 is mounted on the rim | limb of the longitudinal direction one end part of a bathtub, and the arm part 200 is mounted on the rim | limb of the both sides of a bathtub. As shown in FIG. 1, the frame 10 is covered with a cover 101 made of a resin having both strength and ease of molding. Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, each arm part 200 is covered with a cover 201 made of a resin having both strength and ease of molding.

  FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a state where the covers 101 and 201 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) of the frame 10 are removed. As apparent from FIG. 3, the base unit 100 includes components constituting the lifting device 300, that is, a DC motor 310, a speed reduction gear box 320 incorporating a combination of a worm gear and a spur gear, and a wire feeding and winding drum 330. Is equipped. Note that the reduction gear box 320 and the wire take-up take-up drum 330 are firmly fixed to the base portion 100 with a support bracket (not shown). The base unit 100 includes a battery 370 that drives the DC motor 310 and a control box 360 that controls the driving of the DC motor 310.

  In the wire pay-out take-up drum 330, four wires W that form a flexible member for suspending the sheet 50, which are wires covered with resin with stainless steel strands, are provided for each arm part 200. Two pieces are wound toward each other. Further, a wire path length adjusting pulley 390 is provided adjacent to the wire feeding / winding drum 330 of the base portion 100. Base pulleys 110 are provided at both ends of the base portion 100. Moreover, the base part 100 is provided with an arm part interval adjusting mechanism (not shown) that can adjust the interval between the opposing arm parts, and the arm of the bathing assistance apparatus 1 according to the lateral width of the bathtub to which the bathing assistance apparatus 1 is attached. The interval between the parts is adjusted.

  On the other hand, each arm portion 200 is provided with a first pulley 210 and a second pulley 220 that change the extending direction of four wires W by two arm portions. In addition, an abutting portion 230 made of a leaf spring that fixes an abutting roller 575 of a base 500, which will be described later, to abut on a substantially central portion in the longitudinal direction of each arm portion 200 and fixes the base 500 to each arm portion 200, and this A limit switch 240 that detects contact of the butting roller 575 with the butting portion 230 is provided.

  With the above-described configuration, the wire W partially wound on the wire feeding / winding drum 330 of the base portion 100 has the remaining portion extending toward both ends of the base portion and the arm portion 200 via the base pulley 110. , And the forward portion extends to the opposite arm portion side of each arm portion 200 via the first pulley 210, and then proceeds to the descending direction of the seat 50 via the second pulley 220. The end of each wire W is detachably attached to the base 500 and is coupled to a suspension shaft 290 made of, for example, stainless steel.

  The wire path length adjustment pulley 390 is supported by a support bracket 391 joined to the base portion 100 by welding or the like, as shown in FIG. The shaft support hole 391a that engages with the rotation shaft 392 of the wire path adjustment pulley 390 is formed as a long hole that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction in the case of this embodiment, and the tension of the wire W due to the weight of the sheet 50 is the pulley. By acting on 390, the rotating shaft 392 is pressed against one end side (upper end side in the figure) of the shaft support hole 391a. In this case, it is preferable that the rotating shaft 392 is supplementarily urged toward one end of the shaft support hole 391a by an urging means such as a spring.

  Further, an adjustment screw 394 is screwed into an adjustment bracket 393 fixed to the support bracket 391 above the shaft support hole 391a. Then, the wire path length adjusting pulley itself is moved downward while pressing the rotating shaft 392 in contact with the tip of the adjusting screw 394 in the compression direction of the spring according to the screwing amount of the adjusting screw 394. In the wire path length adjusting pulley 390, two wires W (only one wire is representatively shown in FIG. 4) pass through the lower end of the pulley with a certain tension applied. In addition to adjusting the tension applied to the wire W by slightly shifting the position of the wire path adjusting pulley 390 with respect to the base portion 100 by changing the screwing amount of the adjusting screw 394, the wire path adjusting pulley with respect to the base portion is adjusted. The extension path of one wire W from the wire take-up take-up drum 330 to the suspension shaft 290 is changed by shifting the attachment position of 390 considerably downward, and the path length associated therewith is extended to the extension of the other wire W. It changes with respect to the path length of the path.

  On the other hand, the seat 50 shown in FIGS. 1, 8, and 15 includes a base 500 having a rectangular shape in a top view made of, for example, metal and a seat surface 600 having a substantially rectangular shape in a top view made of, for example, a resin having sufficient strength. A backrest 690 attached to the seating surface 600 via a metal pipe 680, and a handrail 685 provided on one side edge of the seating surface 600.

  Further, as described above, the rack gear 550 and the pinion gear 650 are engaged between the upper surface of the base and the bottom surface of the seat surface. That is, a rack gear 550 extends in the width direction on the upper surface of the base, and a pinion gear 650 that meshes with the rack gear 550 is provided on the lower surface of the seat surface. A rotation stopper 655 is provided at a predetermined position in the circumferential direction of the pinion gear 650 (see FIGS. 8 and 15). The rotation stopper 665 stops the relative movement between the rack gear 550 and the pinion gear 650 only at the seating surface raising / lowering upper limit position and the seating surface transfer position by the biasing force of a spring (not shown) combined therewith, and during that time The relative movement between the rack gear 550 and the pinion gear 650 is not hindered. By having such a structure, when the seat surface 600 is moved from the seat surface up / down upper limit position toward the seat surface transfer position, a part of the seat surface 600 protrudes toward the longitudinal center side of the bathtub. Is slid with respect to the base 500 simultaneously with the rotation.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the base 500 is made of a metal box such as stainless steel and has a constant thickness and has a rectangular box shape when viewed from above, and the width of the base can be adjusted. Part 570. Also, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 15, a rack gear 550 made of a resin having excellent strength and moldability such as polyacetal is attached to the upper surface of the base 500. The rack gear 550 is attached to the base 500 at an angle perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of each arm portion 200 so that both ends of the gear face each other at the upper limit position of the seat surface elevation. ing.

  Moreover, the base width adjustment part 570 of the base 500 is provided with the two slide shafts 571 and the shaft guide 572 which can be expanded-contracted in the width direction of the base 500, as shown in FIG.5 and FIG.6. The tip of the slide shaft 571 is connected by a bracket 573, and is provided with a shaft support portion 574 that supports the suspension shaft 290 for suspending the wire, and the base 500 is pushed to the arm portion 200 at the seat surface elevation upper limit position. An abutting roller 575 that is fixed by being hit is provided.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the other end of the slide shaft 571 is provided with a slide stopper 571 a composed of an enlarged diameter step portion, and the shaft guide 572 is fixed to the base 500 so that the slide shaft 571 is fixed to the shaft guide 572. The slide shaft 571 is extended until the slide stopper 571a hits the shaft guide 572 so that the width of the base 500 can be adjusted to the width of the bathtub. . The base 500 is directly provided with a shaft support 574 and a butting roller 575 on the side of the base 500 opposite to the extending direction of the slide shaft.

  As shown in FIGS. 1, 8, and 15, the seating surface 600 has a substantially rectangular shape made of a resin having both strength such as polyacetal and ABS (acrylonitrile, butadiene, styrene) and ease of molding. A substantially rectangular backrest 690 made of resin is provided through a metal pipe 680 such as stainless steel. And the pinion gear 650 which meshes with the rack gear 550 mentioned above is being fixed to the lower surface of the seat surface 600 with fasteners, such as a screw which is not shown in figure (refer FIG.15 and FIG.18).

  The pinion gear 650 is a spur gear with a small diameter and a large diameter made of a resin having a low sliding resistance when sliding, such as polyacetal, and the seating surface 600 is connected to the base 500 in cooperation with the rack gear 550 described above. It plays the role of moving while rotating simultaneously with the slide.

  Further, rectangular side blades 520 and 530 made of a resin material such as PP (polypropylene) are provided on each side edge portion of the base 500 shown in FIG. Also, a rectangular blade 620 made of a resin material such as PP (polypropylene) is provided on one side edge of the seating surface 600. As can be seen from FIG. 1, the blades 520, 530 extend substantially horizontally from the inner wall surface of the bathtub rim to the outside of the bathtub in the state where the bathing assistance device 1 is attached to the bathtub at the seat surface ascending / descending upper limit position. It has a size. Further, the attachment portions of the wing plates 520 and 530 and the wing plate 620 to the base 500 and the seat surface 600 are each provided with a hinge portion made of an elastic material such as an elastomer, and the seat surface 600 is provided in the bathtub. When lowered, the blades 520, 530, and 620 rise through the hinge portion.

  The blades 520, 530, and 620 also serve to cover the gap between the seat surface 600 and the bathtub side wall as shown in FIG. 1 when the seat 50 is at the seat surface up / down upper limit position. Further, in the vicinity of the hinge portion, which is a connection portion between the blade plate 530 and the seat surface 600, a notch (not shown) that prevents interference between the blade plate 530 and the handrail 685 of the seat surface 600 when the blade plate 530 is raised. Is formed.

  Then, the actual usage method and the effect | action of the bathing assistance apparatus 1 mentioned above are demonstrated. In addition, although the bathing assistance apparatus 1 concerning this embodiment is a bathing assistance apparatus in which the seat surface 600 was provided with the backrest 690, this invention is applicable similarly to the bathing assistance apparatus in which the backrest 690 is not provided. .

  The bathing assistance apparatus 1 (refer FIG. 7) which has the structure mentioned above first is installed in the edge part of the longitudinal direction of a bathtub rim, as shown in FIG. In this state, the seat surface 600 is in the seat surface up / down upper limit position and is fixed to the base 500 at the seat surface up / down upper limit position. In addition, this seat surface raising / lowering upper limit position is a position which can raise / lower the sheet | seat 50 in the state which installed the bathing assistance apparatus 1 in the bathtub, as shown in FIG.1 and FIG.8. Here, for convenience of explanation, FIG. 8 shows a state in which the seating surface plate of the seating surface 600 is removed. In this state, as can be seen from FIG. 1, the blades 520 and 530 cover the gap between the seat surface 600 and the bathtub side wall.

  In this state, the attachment position of the wire path length adjusting pulley 390 so that the abutting rollers 575 against the arm part 200 of the base 500 both abut against the arm part 200 and the both sides of the base 500 are fixed to the arm part 200. Adjust. In the case of this embodiment, in the state where the bathing assistance device 1 is placed on the rim of the bathtub, the length of the wire W on the right side of the base 500 shown in FIGS. It is assumed that the length is slightly longer due to the dimensional error and assembly error of each part. As a result, the left side of the base 500, that is, the wire path length adjusting pulley side of the base 500 is firmly fixed by the abutting roller 575 abutting against the arm part 200, but the right side of the base 500, that is, the base On the side opposite to the wire path length adjustment pulley 390 of 500, a considerable gap is formed with the arm portion 200, and the seat 50 remains wobbled at the seat surface elevation upper limit position.

  In this case, when the adjustment screw 394 shown in FIG. 4 is loosened and the wire path length adjustment pulley 390 is shifted upward so as to be separated from the base portion side, the wire feed and take-up drum on the side where the wire path length adjustment pulley 390 is provided. The path length of the wire W from 330 to the wire feed portion of the arm unit 200 is shortened, and the wire W is fed from the wire feed portion of the arm unit 200 to the suspension shaft 290 accordingly. And the gap between the side part of the base suspended by the one wire W and the arm part 200 is the same as the gap between the side part of the base suspended by the other wire W and the arm part 200. There is a gap. After this, the lifting device 300 is driven to wind up the wire W, and the sheet 50 is slightly raised, so that the abutting rollers 575 on both sides of the base can be simultaneously abutted against the arm part 200, and the base side Both gaps between the arm portion 200 and the arm portion 200 can be eliminated simultaneously (see FIGS. 13 and 14).

  In this case, when the lifting device 300 as shown in FIG. 11 is provided with a bath assistance device operating remote controller 400, and the limit switch 240 of each arm unit as shown in FIG. It is preferable to provide a confirmation lamp 401 that only lights up. Accordingly, it is possible to easily confirm whether or not the abutting roller 575 of the base 500 and the arm part 200 are in contact with each other without the user of the bathing assistance apparatus bending up and directly observing.

  On the other hand, contrary to FIGS. 9 and 10, the length of the wire W on the left side of the base 500, that is, on the pulley side for adjusting the wire path length, is slightly longer due to the dimensional tolerance and assembly error of each component. The abutting roller 575 of the base 500 abuts on the arm part 200 on the right side of the base 500, that is, on the side opposite to the wire path length adjusting pulley 390 of the base 500, and one side of the base 500 is the arm part 200. However, a considerable gap is formed between the arm portion 200 on the left side of the base 500, that is, the pulley side for adjusting the wire path length of the base 500 and the abutting roller 575, so that the seat 50 is seated. If the wobbling is at the upper / lower position, the attachment position of the wire path length adjusting pulley 390 is adjusted so as to be shifted to the base side. As a result, the length of the wire path from the wire pay-out take-up drum 330 to the wire pay-out part of the arm part 200 is increased, and the wire W is drawn into the arm part from the wire pay-out part of the arm part and the arm part 200 and the base The gap generated between the 500 abutting rollers 575 can be eliminated, and as a result, the sheet 50 can be fixed to the arm in a horizontal state.

  Next, for example, by operating the operation lever of the remote controller 400 shown in FIG. 11, the unlocking wire is pulled, the rack gear 550 and the pinion gear 650 are unlocked by the rotation stopper 655, and the seat surface 600 at the seat surface elevation upper limit position is unlocked. Release the movement stop state. As a result, the pinion gear provided on the seating surface 600 engages with the rack gear 550 provided on the base 500 and the seating surface 600 slides and moves with respect to the base 500 at the same time. Swivel to the waiting rim side.

  At this time, the seat surface 600 turns while one side portion (handrail side portion) protrudes toward the longitudinal center of the bathtub, and eventually the tip portion of the seat surface 600 rides on the one vane plate 520. Then, the seat surface 600 changes its direction by 90 ° and stops at a position completely deviated to one side with respect to the base 500 (see FIG. 15).

  Next, the person being assisted is seated on the seat surface 600 at the seat surface transfer position. In addition, since the blades 520 and 530 block the gap between the seating surface 600 and the base 500, a finger or a hand is not put into the gap when the person being assisted is seated.

  Next, a person who is seated on the seating surface 600 (hereinafter referred to as “sitting person”) is moved to the seating surface raising / lowering upper limit position by the movement opposite to the movement of the seating surface 600 described above (see FIGS. 1 and 8). . At this time, by holding the operation lever and pulling the unlocking wire, the movement stop state of the seating surface 600 by the rotation stopper 655 is released again, and the seating surface 600 is held down while holding the upper body and backrest 690 of the seated person. It is moved to the position of the center of the base, that is, the seat surface elevation upper limit position.

  When the seat surface 600 reaches the seat surface up / down upper limit position, the pinion gear 650 cannot rotate with respect to the rack gear 550 due to the lock of the rotation stopper 655, and the seat surface 600 stops at this position. At this time, the wire length from the wire feeding / winding drum 330 to the wire feeding portion of the arm unit 200 has been adjusted. For this reason, the abutting rollers 575 on both sides of the base 500 are firmly fixed to each arm part 200, and no gap is generated between the abutting roller 575 of the base 500 and the arm part 200. (Refer to FIG. 13) The seat surface 600 does not fluctuate at the seat surface ascending / descending upper limit position immediately before the seat occupant lowers the seat surface 600.

  Thus, after moving the seat surface 600 to the seat surface raising / lowering upper limit position, as shown in FIG. 16, the seat surface 600 is lowered toward the bathtub bottom. At the time of this lowering, the DC motor 310 (see FIG. 3) is rotated in a predetermined direction by pressing the seating surface lowering button of the lifting device driving switch of the remote controller 400, and the wire W wound by the wire feeding / winding drum 330 is rotated. Is paid out. The wire W is fed out while changing the extending direction by the first pulley 210 and the second pulley 220 according to the operation amount of the lifting device driving switch, and the wire tip and the suspension shaft 290 to which the wire tip is connected are attached to the bottom of the bathtub. Go down. As a result, the seat 50 attached to the suspension shaft 290 is also lowered while placing the seated person, so that the seated person is immersed in the hot water of the bathtub.

  When the seat is lowered, the blades 520, 530, and 620 connected to the base 500 and the seating surface 600 via hinges are used to lower the seat 50 into the bathtub as shown in FIG. It is pushed by the wire W and rises upward, thereby covering a part of the wire W while the seat surface is lowered so that the seated person's hand and buttocks do not touch the lower part of the wire W.

  In this way, when the sheet 50 reaches the bottom of the bathtub, the movement of the tip of the wire also stops, so that the wire W that is fed is bent at the wire feeding portion. The limit switch 240 is actuated by the bending of the wire W to detect that the sheet 50 has reached the bottom of the bathtub. Thus, the driving of the lifting device 300 is stopped and the seated person is immersed in hot water for a while.

  After the seated person enjoys bathing, the seat 50 is lifted by performing the reverse operation to that described above, and the seated person is moved to the seat surface transfer position via the seat surface lifting upper limit position. Specifically, for example, by operating an operation switch of the remote controller 400 shown in FIG. 11, the DC motor 310 of the elevating device 300 is driven in the seat surface raising direction, the wire W is wound up, and the seat 50 is raised. As a result, the seat 50 moves up in the bathtub. Note that the blades 520, 530, and 620 of the base 500 are raised and are interposed between the seat W and the wire W while covering a part of the wire W, so that the seat W Since the user does not touch the lower part of the seat, hands and fingers are not sandwiched between the wire W and the side wall of the bathtub or the arm part 200 of the bathing assistance device while the seat is being lifted, and the seat 50 can be lifted with a sense of security. it can.

  When the sheet 50 is completely raised, the abutment roller 575 (see FIG. 5) of the base 500 abuts against the abutment 230 of the arm 200 and the base 500 abuts against the limit switch 240 of the arm 200 to operate it. Then, the raising operation of the seating surface of the lifting device 300 is stopped.

  At this time, the wire length from the wire feeding / winding drum 330 to the wire feeding portion of the arm unit 200 has been adjusted (see FIG. 13). For this reason, the abutment roller 575 of the base 500 simultaneously abuts against the arm part 200 at the seat surface elevation upper limit position, and the limit switches 240 of the arm parts 200 are simultaneously turned on. That is, the abutting rollers 575 on both sides of the base 500 are simultaneously abutted against the arm portion 200 so that no gap is generated in either one, so that the seat surface 600 does not wobble at the seat surface ascending / descending upper limit position. In addition, it is possible to give a sense of security to the seated person at the seat surface elevation upper limit position. When the seat 50 reaches the upper limit position, the blades 520, 530, and 620 do not come into contact with the wire W. Therefore, part of the blades 520, 530, and 620 rides on the cover 201 of the arm unit 200 and reaches a horizontal state. Fall down. In addition, since the blades 520 and 530 again cover the gap between the seat surface 600 and the bathtub side wall at the seat surface raising / lowering upper limit position, a gap is generated in this portion, and the seated person 600 is seated between the seat surface 600 and the bathtub side wall. Never put your hands or fingers.

  Subsequently, by holding the operation lever of the remote controller 400 and pulling the wire W, the rotation stop state of the rack gear 550 and the pinion gear 650 via the rotation stopper 655 due to the biasing force of the compression spring is released. Then, while holding the upper body of the seated person and the backrest 690, the seat surface 600 is moved to one arm portion side of the base 500, that is, the seat surface transfer position, as shown in FIGS. Also in this case, since both side portions of the base 500 are firmly fixed to the arm portion 200 at the seat surface ascending / descending upper limit position, the seat surface 600 and the base 500 can be rotated even if the seat surface 600 is rotated and moved simultaneously with the slide. There will be no collision between the seat 50 and the side wall of the bathtub or the arm part 200 due to the wobble. In addition, since the blades 520, 530, and 620 cover the gap between the seat surface 600 and the bathtub side wall at the seat surface elevation upper limit position, the seated person's hands and fingers do not enter the gap.

  When the seat surface 600 reaches the seat surface transfer position shown in FIG. 15 in this way, the seat surface 600 stops at a position that is completely deviated to one side with respect to the base 500 by changing the direction by 90 °. Thereby, the seated person can get off the seat surface 600 with peace of mind.

  On the other hand, when the caregiver has finished bathing as described above, for example, when a family other than the caregiver takes a bath, the base 500 is removed from the suspension shaft 290 connected to the wire tip, and only the frame 10 is in the bathtub. A person other than the person being assisted takes a bath. This makes it possible for these people to fully enjoy the bath using the bathtub.

  As described above, the bathing assistance apparatus according to this embodiment includes the wire path length adjustment pulley 390 that changes the path length of the wire W from the lifting device 300 to the suspension shaft 290. The wire path length adjustment pulley 390 adjusts the length of the wire W that is fed out from the wire feeding portion of the arm portion 200 at the seating surface raising / lowering upper limit position of the seating surface 600. When 600 is at the seating surface elevation upper limit position, the abutting rollers 575 on both side edges of the base 500 are simultaneously brought into contact with the arm part 200 to fix the seat 50 to the arm part 200.

  As a result, even if the path length of the wire W varies due to manufacturing errors or assembly errors of the parts constituting the bathing assistance device 1, the sheet 50 can be moved to the arm part 200 simultaneously on the left and right sides by having such adjustment means. It can be adjusted to contact and be fixed to the arm part 200, and the seat surface 600 can be stabilized, and the seat surface transferability is improved while giving a sense of security to the person being assisted. In particular, when the seating surface of the bathing assistance device has a structure that moves between the seating surface elevation upper limit position and the seating surface transfer upper limit position, the seating surface moves from the seating surface elevation upper limit position while maintaining a stable horizontal state. Therefore, the seating surface does not hit the rim of the bathtub or the arm part of the bathing assistance device and damage them.

  As a modification of the above-described embodiment, instead of adjusting the length of the wire W by changing the attachment position of the path length adjustment pulley provided in the base portion 100, both the base portions 100 as shown in FIG. The base pulley 110 provided on the shoulder portion can be slidably fixed in the longitudinal direction of the base portion 100 as shown in the X direction and the Y direction in FIG. It is also possible to adjust the lengths of the left and right wires W by fine adjustment in the longitudinal direction so that both sides of the base are simultaneously fixed to the arm portion at the seat surface ascending / descending upper limit position.

  In addition, the structure shown in FIG.18 and FIG.19 is also considered as a further modification of the bathing assistance apparatus 1 mentioned above. In this further modification, a length adjusting portion that changes the length from the wire feeding portion of the arm portion 200 to the suspension shaft 290 is provided at the connection portion of the suspension shaft 290 with the wire W. Specifically, a large-diameter female screw portion 291 and a small-diameter through-hole 292 are formed concentrically with the two wire connecting portions of the suspension shaft 290. The end portion of the wire W is provided with a male screw portion 295 for length adjustment that is screwed into the female screw portion 291 and a large-diameter stopper portion 296 that is loosely fitted in the male screw portion. Then, the wire W is inserted into the through hole 292 and the male screw portion 295 is screwed into the female screw portion 291. By adjusting the screwing amount of the screw portion (see arrow Z in FIG. 18B). ), The length of the wire W from the arm part 200 to the suspension shaft 290 is changed. Then, when the bathing assistance device 1 is attached to the rim of the bathtub and the lifting device 300 is driven to position the seating surface 600 at the seating surface lifting upper limit position, the screwing degree of the screw portion is adjusted to adjust the protrusion of the base 500. The abutting roller 575 abuts against the abutting portion 230 of the arm portion 200 so that the abutting roller 575 is firmly fixed without any gap. If the above-described remote controller 400 is provided with a confirmation lamp 401 (see FIG. 12) that is turned on only when both of the limit switches of the arm unit 200 are turned on, the adjustment work can be facilitated.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 20, the contact position of the abutting portion 230 made of a leaf spring provided at the portion where the abutting roller 575 of the base 500 and the arm portion 200 are in contact with each other along the ascending / descending direction of the base 500. The adjusting means may be configured by making it movable. Specifically, the arm portion 200 that abuts against the abutting roller 575 (the abutting roller 575 on the left side in FIG. 20) that has a gap between the arm portion 200 and the abutting roller 575 of the base 500. The abutting portion 230 may be lowered for adjustment. That is, the bathing assistance device 1 is placed on the rim of the bathtub, the lifting device 300 is driven to position the seat 50 at the seating surface lifting upper limit position, and the opposite side of the limit switch 240 that has been pressed against the butting roller 575 and operated. The limit switch 240, that is, the abutment portion 230 that operates the limit switch 240 that has a gap between the abutment roller 575 and the arm portion 200 is bent and moved downward, and the abutment portion 230 has a certain degree of rigidity. May be used to limit the free movement of the butting roller 575 of the base 500, thereby preventing the seat surface from wobbling at the seat surface up / down upper limit position.

  In addition, it cannot be overemphasized that the specific material name described by the above-mentioned embodiment and its modification is a mere illustration, Comprising: It is not limited to those materials.

It is the perspective view shown in the state which attached the bathing assistance apparatus concerning one Embodiment of this invention to the bathtub. It is the perspective view which showed only the frame part of the bathing assistance apparatus shown in FIG. 1 in the state which removed the cover of the base part. It is the top view which showed the part of the flame | frame of the bathing assistance apparatus shown in FIG. 1 in the state which removed the cover of the base part and an arm part. It is the perspective view which expanded and showed only the wire path | route length adjustment pulley concerning one Embodiment of this invention. It is the perspective view which expanded and showed only the base of the bathing assistance apparatus shown in FIG. It is the cross-sectional perspective view which cut and showed the base shown in FIG. 5 along the width direction in the center part. It is the perspective view which showed the state just before attaching the bathing assistance apparatus shown in FIG. 1 to a bathtub. It is the perspective view which showed the state which attached the bathing assistance apparatus shown in FIG. 7 to the bathtub except the seat surface board of the seat surface. It is the bathing assistance apparatus shown in FIG. 8, and is the front view which showed the state which the clearance gap produced between the one side part of a base, and an arm part with the cross section of the bathtub. FIG. 10 is an enlarged front view illustrating a portion where a gap is generated between the arm portion and the abutting roller in FIG. 9. It is the perspective view which showed the bathing assistance apparatus relevant to this embodiment, and the thing equipped with the raising / lowering apparatus with the remote control for bathing assistance apparatus operation. It is the perspective view which expands and shows the remote control of FIG. 11, Comprising: The figure (FIG. 12 (a)) which showed the state which both the limit switches with which each arm part was turned on, and the limit with which each arm part was equipped It is the figure (FIG.12 (b)) which showed the state which both the switches turned on and the confirmation lamp | ramp turned on. FIG. 10 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 9, and is a front view showing a state after adjustment is made so that the abutment roller of the base is firmly fixed to the arm portion at the seating surface elevation upper limit position. It is the front view which expanded and showed the state which abutted the contact roller of the base to the arm part of the bathing assistance apparatus in the seat surface raising / lowering upper limit position, and fixed the seat surface to the arm part firmly. It is the perspective view which showed the state which moved the seat surface to the seat surface transfer position after adjusting so that a base might be firmly fixed to an arm part in a seat surface raising / lowering upper limit position, without the seat surface board. It is a front view which shows the state which moved the seat surface of the bathing assistance apparatus shown in FIG. 15 again to the seat surface raising / lowering upper limit position, and the sheet | seat was dropped to some extent in a bathtub with the cross section of a bathtub. It is a schematic perspective view which shows the modification of one Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the further modification of one Embodiment of this invention, and is sectional drawing (18 (a)) which shows the state immediately before performing the length adjustment of the wire in a suspension shaft, and the length of the wire being adjusted. It is sectional drawing (FIG.18 (b)) which shows a state. It is the perspective view of the suspension shaft which showed the state which adjusted the length of the wire shown in FIG. It is a front view which shows another modification of one Embodiment of this invention with the cross section of a bathtub.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Bathing assistance apparatus 10 Frame 50 Seat 100 Base part 101 Cover 110 Base pulley 200 Arm part 201 Cover 210 1st pulley 220 2nd pulley 230 Butting part 240 Limit switch 290 Suspension shaft 291 Female thread part 292 Through-hole 295 Male thread 296 Stopper 393 Adjustment bracket 300 Lifting device 310 DC motor 320 Deceleration gear box 330 Wire feed take-up drum 360 Control box 370 Battery 390 Wire path length adjustment pulley 391 Support bracket 391a Shaft support hole 392 Rotating shaft 394 Adjustment screw 400 Remote control 401 Confirmation lamp 500 Base 520, 530 Blade plate 550 Rack gear 570 Base width adjustment part 571 Slide shaft 571a Slide stopper 5 2 shaft guides 573 bracket 574 shaft support 575 abutting the roller 600 seating surface 620 blade 650 pinion gear 655 rotates the stopper 680 metal pipes 685 handrail 690 backrest W wire

Claims (6)

A frame composed of a base portion and an arm portion extending at an angle from both ends of the base portion and placed on the rim of the bathtub;
A lifting device attached to the frame;
A flexible member that is drawn out from the lifting device via the arm portion is hung on both side edges in the width direction, and includes a seat portion that can be lifted and lowered in the bathtub by the lifting device.
Each arm part is provided with a detection switch for detecting a seat surface up / down upper limit position of the seat part, and either one of the detection switches is connected to the seat part by contacting a width side edge of the seat part with the arm part. When detecting the seat surface lifting upper limit position of the part, the seating unit is a bathing assistance device that stops the driving of the lifting device as the seat surface is at the seat lifting upper limit position and is fixed to the arm unit,
Adjusting means for adjusting the seat portion so that both side edges of the seat portion simultaneously contact the arm portion and the seat portion is fixed to the arm portion when the seat portion is in the seat surface elevation upper limit position. Bathing assistance device characterized by that.   2. The adjustment unit according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment unit includes a feed amount adjustment unit that adjusts a length of the flexible member that is fed from the arm unit at a seating surface elevation upper limit position of the seat unit. Bathing assistance device.   The path length adjusting means for changing the length of the path of the flexible member from the lifting device to the suspension member of the seat portion is provided as the feeding amount adjusting means. The bathing assistance apparatus as described.   The suspension member is provided with a length adjustment portion that changes the length of the flexible member from the flexible member supply portion of the arm portion to the suspension member as the supply amount adjustment means. The bathing assistance apparatus according to claim 2.   The bathing assistance device according to claim 1, wherein a contact position where the seat portion and the arm portion come into contact with each other as the adjusting means can be moved along an ascending / descending direction of the seat portion. The confirmation means for confirming that each of the detection switches is turned on when each side edge portion of the seat portion comes into contact with the arm portion is provided. Item 6. A bathing assistance apparatus according to any one of Items 5.

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