JP2018192160A - Walking support machine - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a walking machine that supports a walking motion similar to that of a healthy person while exempting the weight of the user. A walking assist device includes a saddle for a user to sit on, a saddle frame that supports the saddle, a main wheel that is rotatably supported at the other end of the saddle frame, And a support frame portion 50 configured to be connected to and supported by a saddle frame in order to prevent the wheel from tilting to the side. The saddle 20 is connected to the rotation axis of the main wheel 40 in the vertical direction via the saddle frame 30. The support frame portion 50 includes casters 80 at four corners of the front, rear, left, and right with respect to the central main wheel 40. [Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a walking support device for supporting a user's walking.

  In recent years, support for the elderly has become indispensable with the arrival of the super-aging society and its seriousness. One of the three major factors that cause elderly people to fall asleep or need nursing care is the decline of their exercising organs. There are also statistics that the number of deaths caused by falls and falls among older people is greater than the number of deaths due to traffic accidents. In order to prevent these accidents, daily exercise is indispensable, and technology that supports walking is necessary.

  Various techniques have been proposed as techniques for supporting walking (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). The device disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a frame having a three-dimensional lifting function and a moving mechanism (front wheel, intermediate wheel, rear wheel) provided at the lower part of the frame, and loads so that the user covers the upper part of the frame. To move and deposit. In the technique disclosed in Patent Document 2, a seat portion that is provided so as to be movable up and down by a link mechanism is provided in a frame provided with four wheels at the lower portion, and both a wheelchair and a walking support machine are compatible.

JP-A-9-299420 JP 2004-8464 A

  By the way, there are a silver car, an electric wheelchair, and the like as devices that support the elderly and the like, and various techniques have been proposed as described above. However, with a mobility support device such as an electric wheelchair, there is an advantage that the movement range is widened, but since it is not movement using its own muscle, it is not always the case in terms of maintaining and improving the function of the exercise machine Not recommended for. Also, it cannot be easily used from the viewpoint of cost. On the other hand, there are inexpensive walking aids such as walking sticks, but there is a problem that the effect of reducing the load on the body is low. The technology of Patent Document 1 is basically the same structure as a silver car (handcart), and there is no seating part (supporting part from the bottom), and the load is deposited so that the user covers the upper part of the frame. Since it is a structure to move, the walking posture becomes unnatural, and there are problems that the degree of freedom of movement is low and the burden on the upper limb side of the user is large. Since the technology of Patent Document 2 is premised on the function of a wheelchair, the structure is complicated, and it is wasteful for a person who does not need such a function, and lacks mobility and cannot be used easily. There was a problem.

  The present invention has been made in view of the situation as described above, and even if the user has a weakness or a disorder in the exercise apparatus, the walking support and the walking motion can be performed in the same manner as a normal person. The purpose is to provide technology.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is a walking support machine for supporting a user's walking, and a saddle for a user to sit on, and a saddle frame that supports the saddle at one end thereof. A main wheel rotatably supported at the other end of the saddle frame, and a support frame portion connected to and supported by the saddle frame in order to prevent the main wheel from tilting to the side. And the saddle and the main wheel are connected vertically via the saddle frame so that the saddle is positioned above the rotation axis of the main wheel.

  In the walking support machine having the above-described configuration, it is preferable that the main wheel is a unicycle wheel, and the support frame portion includes casters at positions of front, rear, left, and right corners with respect to the main wheel.

  The walking support machine having the above-described configuration may be one in which the rear of the support frame portion is open so that the user can move forward. In addition, the walking support device having the above-described configuration may be one in which the front of the support frame portion is open so that the user can transfer rearward.

  The walking support machine having the above-described configuration can move by allowing the user to ride on the walking surface with two legs while exempting the weight of the user while sitting on the saddle. It is preferable that

  According to the walking assist device of the present invention, most of the body load of the user sitting on the saddle can be applied to the rotation shaft of the main wheel via the saddle frame. Therefore, it is possible to support a natural bipedal walking motion while exempting the user's weight.

1 is a side view of a forward transfer type walking assist device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a perspective view of the walking assistance machine of FIG. It is a figure for demonstrating the bipedal walk operation | movement by the walk assistance machine of FIG. It is a side view of the backward transfer type walking assistance machine by 2nd embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view of the walking assistance machine of FIG. It is a figure for demonstrating the bipedal walk operation | movement by the walk assistance machine of FIG.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of a walking assist device according to the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a side view of a forward transfer type walking assist device 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the walking assist device 10. The walking assistance machine 10 includes a saddle 20 on which a user U is seated, a saddle frame 30 that supports a lower portion of the saddle 20, a main wheel 40 that is rotatably supported at the other end of the saddle frame 30, In order to prevent the main wheel 40 from tilting to the side or toppling over, a support frame portion 50 projecting outward is provided. The overall size of the walking support device 10 including the support frame unit 50 is, for example, about 100 cm in height × about 80 cm in width × about 100 cm in length.

  The saddle frame 30 is a frame member in which a post 31 whose one end is joined to the saddle 20 and a fork 32 extending bifurcated from the lower portion of the post 31 are integrally formed of a pipe material. A pivot shaft (hub) of the main wheel 40 is pivotally supported at the tip of the fork 32 of the saddle frame 30. As a material of the saddle frame 30, for example, a metal such as an aluminum alloy or steel, or a resin such as carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) can be used.

  The main wheel 40 is an element that can smoothly move on the walking surface by rotating with the outer periphery in contact with the walking surface. Moreover, it is preferable that the main wheel 40 is a unicycle wheel (unicycle) in view of making the turning on the spot easy and smooth.

  In the walking assist device 10, the saddle 20 and the main wheel 40 are connected in the vertical direction via the saddle frame 30 so that the saddle 20 is positioned above the rotation axis of the main wheel 40. Further, the saddle 20 is attached to the upper portion of the post 31 so that its height can be adjusted within a range of, for example, 50 cm to 80 cm. With this configuration, most of the body load of the user seated on the saddle 20 can be applied to the rotating shaft of the main wheel 40 via the saddle frame 30, and the user's weight can be waived. I have to.

  In addition, since the main wheel 40 is a unicycle wheel, the foot of the user U sitting on the saddle 20 and straddling does not interfere with the main wheel 40. Further, since the main wheel 40 and the walking surface are in contact with each other at one point, turning can be smoothly performed around the main wheel 40 and the walking surface. Therefore, the main wheel 40 is not limited to the unicycle wheel as long as the configuration can ensure the viewpoint of interference between the main wheel 40 and the foot of the user U and the desired turning performance.

  The support frame portion 50 is configured to be connected to and support the saddle frame 30 in order to prevent the main wheel 40 from being tilted to the side and thus toppling over. The support frame part 50 is formed as a substantially cubic frame having a plurality of pipe members as elements. As a material of the pipe material constituting the support frame part 50, for example, a metal such as an aluminum alloy or steel, carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP), or the like can be used. Further, the support frame portion 50 includes four casters 80 at the positions of the front, rear, left and right corners of the main wheel 40 at the center. The caster 80 is rotatable by its small rolling frictional resistance, and is steered so that each axle turns around a vertical axis and faces a traveling direction.

  The structure of the support frame unit 50 will be described in more detail. The support frame portion 50 has a substantially U-shape that is symmetric when viewed from above. In the case of the forward transfer type walking support device 10, the user can transfer from behind the walking support device 10. The back of the support frame 50 is open.

  The support frame unit 50 includes a front frame 51, a rear frame 52, an upper connection frame 53, an upper side frame 54, a lower frame 55, and stay frames 56 and 57.

  The front frame 51 has front frame vertical portions 511 and 511 made of two vertical pipe members that are separated from each other by a predetermined distance on the left and right sides, and a front frame horizontal portion made of a pipe member that connects the front frame vertical portions 511 and 511 horizontally. It has connection part 513a, 513b.

  Each of the left and right front frame vertical portions 511 includes a front frame upper horizontal portion 512 that is bent substantially rearward (more specifically, in a direction toward the rear and slightly inward) at the top. A caster 80 is attached to the lower end portion of the front frame vertical portion 511. The front caster 80 preferably has a stopper function.

  The rear end portion of the front frame upper horizontal portion 512 is attached to the end portion of the upper connection frame 53 and the end portion of the upper side frame 54 with a predetermined connection structure (for example, a joint member). That is, the left and right front frames 51 and 51 are connected to each other by the upper connecting frame 53 so as to be separated by a width that allows both arms of the user U to reach. In addition, by making it separable with a joint member, the decomposition | disassembly and accommodation of the walk assistance machine 10 become easy, and repair of components etc. become easy.

  The front frame horizontal connecting portions 513a and 513b are made of a pipe member formed to be the same as or slightly longer than the upper connecting frame 53, and the left and right front frame vertical portions 511 and 511 are welded at substantially the center and the lower position in the vertical direction. Etc. are linked. Further, the front frame horizontal connecting portion 513a and the saddle frame 30 are connected to each other by stay frames 56 and 57 formed of two pipe members in the horizontal direction.

  As with the front frame 51, the rear frame 52 is composed of two pipe members that are spaced from each other by a predetermined distance. Specifically, each of the left and right rear frames 52 includes a rear frame inclined portion 521, a rear frame upper horizontal portion 522 that horizontally bends at an upper portion of the rear frame inclined portion 521 and extends forward by a predetermined length, and a rear frame inclined portion 521. And a rear frame lower vertical portion 523 which is bent vertically and extends downward. On the rear frame upper horizontal portion 522 and the upper side frame 54, an armrest 90 described later is attached.

  A caster 80 is provided at the lower end of the rear frame lower vertical portion 523. The rear caster 80 does not necessarily have a stopper function.

  The lower frame 55 is composed of two pipe members provided horizontally at a predetermined distance from each other on the left and right. Each frame has a lower frame side portion 551 that extends in the front-rear direction, a lower frame front bent portion 552 that bends inward and diagonal at the front portion of the lower frame side portion 551, and an inner oblique portion at the rear portion of the lower frame side portion 551. A lower frame rear bent portion 553 that bends in the direction.

  The front end portion of the lower frame front bent portion 552 is joined to the vicinity of the lower end of the front frame vertical portion 511 (here, a position slightly above the attachment position of the casters 80) by a predetermined coupling mechanism (for example, a joint member). The rear end portion of the lower frame rear bent portion 553 is joined to the vicinity of the lower end of the rear frame lower vertical portion 523 (here, a position slightly above the mounting position of the caster 80) by a predetermined coupling mechanism (for example, a joint member). Yes.

  Further, an armrest 90 is provided on the upper portion of the support frame portion 50. The armrest 90 includes an armrest main body 91 and an operation knob 92. The armrest main body 91 is a part where the user's U arm or the like (upper limb) is placed, and has a rectangular table shape with rounded corners. As described above, the rear frame upper horizontal portion 522 and the upper side frame 54 are fixed to the lower surface of the armrest main body 91 with screws or the like. Here, when the armrest main body 91 is viewed from above, the rear frame upper horizontal portion 522 and the upper side frame 54 are hidden.

  The operation knob 92 is a part gripped by the user U. The user U can obtain a stable feeling of boarding the walking assisting device 10 by grasping the operation knob 92. In addition, operations such as advance, stop, and turn can be performed easily and reliably. The operation knob 92 is fixed to a fixing hole 93 provided in the armrest main body 91. In order to make it possible to adjust the fixing position of the operation knob 92, a structure in which fixing holes 93 are provided at a number of positions may be employed. Thereby, the position of the operation knob 92 can be optimized to the size of the user U's body.

  When using the walking support device 10 having such a configuration, the user U can transfer from the open portion at the rear of the support frame portion 50 toward the front. The user U that has entered the support frame 50 can sit on the saddle 20 across the central main wheel 40.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the user U seated on the saddle 20 can move in the front-rear direction by a motion of stroking the walking surface S (floor surface, ground surface) with his / her foot. That is, it is possible to perform a bipedal walking operation, which is “an operation in which a weight is applied to a forward leg and a ground is kicked by a hind leg and the ground is lowered”. Further, the user U can turn (change direction) around the main wheel 40 using his / her foot. Therefore, even a user U who has a weakness or a disorder in an exercise device such as a foot can support the same walking posture and walking movement as a healthy person, and can effectively improve the function of the exercise device. In addition, since the weight-unloading function at the same time by sitting, the user U can be less tired even if used for a long time, and further functional improvement can be expected.

  Moreover, when the height of the saddle 20 can be adjusted, it becomes adjustable by the user's U walking ability at that time, and the degree of weight relief can be adjusted. As a result, for example, the load during rehabilitation can be adjusted.

(Second embodiment)
FIG. 4 is a side view of the rearward transfer type walking assist device 11 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the walking assist device 11. The walking assist device 11 includes a saddle 20 on which a user U is seated, a saddle frame 30 that supports a lower portion of the saddle 20, a main wheel 40 that is rotatably supported at the other end of the saddle frame 30, In order to prevent the main wheel 40 from tilting to the side or toppling over, a support frame portion 60 projecting outward is provided.

  For example, in Europe and America, the custom of “sitting in a chair” has taken root, and for users with such a custom or culture, a backward transfer operation may be rather natural. Therefore, the walking support device 11 according to the second embodiment employs a structure in which the front of the support frame portion 60 is opened so that the user can transfer to the walking support device 11 from the front to the rear.

  In addition, the saddle 20, the saddle frame 30, the main wheel 40, and other structures of the walking assistance machine 11 according to the second embodiment are the same as those of the walking assistance machine 10 according to the first embodiment. Therefore, in FIGS. 4-6, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the component which is common or respond | corresponds with 1st embodiment, The description in 1st embodiment is referred for the detail of these structures.

  Hereinafter, the structure of the support frame unit 60 in the backward transfer type walking assist device 11 will be described in more detail. The support frame portion 60 has a substantially U-symmetric shape when viewed from above, and the front of the support frame portion 60 is open so that the user can transfer from the front of the walking support device 11. The support frame 60 is formed as a substantially cubic frame having a plurality of pipe members as elements, and includes four casters 80 at the four front and rear, right and left corners with the main wheel 40 in the center. The caster 80 is rotatable by its small rolling frictional resistance, and is steered so that each axle turns around a vertical axis and faces a traveling direction.

  The support frame unit 60 includes a front frame 61, a rear frame 62, an upper connection frame 63, an upper side frame 64, a lower frame 65, and stay frames 66 and 67. An armrest 90 is attached on the upper side frame 64.

  The front frame 61 is composed of two pipe members that are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance. Specifically, the front frame inclined portion 611, the front frame upper horizontal portion 612 that is horizontally bent at the upper portion of the front frame inclined portion 611 and extends backward by a predetermined length, and the lower portion of the front frame inclined portion 611 is bent vertically. And a front frame lower vertical portion 613 extending in the vertical direction. A caster 80 is provided at the lower end of the front frame lower vertical portion 613. The front caster 80 preferably has a stopper function.

  The rear frame 62 includes rear frame vertical portions 621 and 621 made of two vertical pipe members separated from each other by the same distance as the front frame 61, and a tube that connects the rear frame vertical portions 621 and 621 in the horizontal direction. It has rear frame lateral connecting portions 623a and 623b made of members.

  Each of the left and right rear frame vertical portions 621 includes a rear frame upper horizontal portion 622 that is bent substantially forward at the upper portion (more specifically, a direction toward the front and slightly inward) and horizontally. A caster 80 is attached to the lower end portion of the rear frame vertical portion 621.

  The front end portion of the rear frame upper horizontal portion 622 is attached to the end portion of the upper connection frame 63 and the end portion of the upper side frame 64 with a predetermined connection structure (for example, a joint member). That is, the left and right rear frames 62 and 62 are connected to each other by the upper connecting frame 63 so as to be separated by a width that allows both arms of the user U to reach. In addition, by making it separable with a joint member, the decomposition | disassembly and accommodation of the walk assistance machine 11 become easy, and repair of components etc. become easy.

  The rear frame horizontal connecting portions 623a and 623b are formed of a pipe member formed to be the same as or slightly longer than the upper connecting frame 63, and the left and right rear frame vertical portions 621 and 621 are welded at substantially the center and the lower position in the vertical direction. Etc. are linked. Further, the rear frame horizontal connecting portion 623a and the saddle frame 30 are connected to each other by stay frames 66 and 67 made of two pipe members in the horizontal direction.

  The lower frame 65 is composed of two pipe members provided horizontally at a predetermined distance from the left and right. Each frame has a lower frame side portion 651 extending in the front-rear direction, a lower frame front bent portion 652 that bends inward and diagonal at the front portion of the lower frame side portion 651, and an inner diagonal at the rear portion of the lower frame side portion 651. A lower frame rear bent portion 653 which is bent in the direction.

  The front end portion of the lower frame front bent portion 652 is joined to the vicinity of the lower end of the front frame lower vertical portion 613 (here, a position slightly above the mounting position of the caster 80) by a predetermined joining mechanism (for example, a joint member). . The rear end portion of the lower frame rear bent portion 653 is joined to the vicinity of the lower end of the rear frame vertical portion 621 (here, a position slightly above the mounting position of the caster 80) by a predetermined joining mechanism (for example, a joint member). .

  When using the walking support device 11 having such a configuration, the user U can transfer rearward from an open portion in front of the support frame portion 60. As shown in FIG. 6, the user U seated on the saddle 20 can move in the front-rear direction by a motion of stroking the walking surface S (floor surface, ground) with his / her foot. Further, the user U can turn (change direction) around the main wheel 40 using his / her foot. Therefore, even a user U who has a weakness or a disorder in an exercise device such as a foot can support the same walking posture and walking movement as a healthy person, and can effectively improve the function of the exercise device.

  As described above, the walking assist devices 10 and 11 described as the embodiment have a merit such that the mobility is high and the user can easily use it while having a simpler configuration than the conventional one. Further, the forward transfer type walking support machine 10 in FIG. 1 and the backward transfer type walking support machine 11 in FIG. 4 are structurally reversed by reversing the direction of the saddle 20 and changing the mounting position of the operation knob 92. It can be said that. That is, the saddle 20 is rotatably attached to the post 31, and the attachment position of the operation knob 92 can be changed at the position of the fixing hole 93, so that it is suitable for both the forward transfer type and the rear transfer type. A walking assist device can be provided.

10, 11 Walking support machine 20 Saddle 30 Saddle frame 31 Post 32 Fork 40 Main wheel 50 Support frame portion 51 Front frame 52 Rear frame 53 Upper connection frame 54 Upper side frame 55 Lower frame 56, 57 Stay frame 60 Support frame portion 61 Front Frame 62 Rear frame 63 Upper connection frame 64 Upper side frame 65 Lower frame 66, 67 Stay frame 80 Casters 90 Armrest 91 Armrest main body 92 Operation knob 93 Fixing hole S Walking surface U User

Claims (5)

A walking support machine for supporting a user's walking,
A saddle for the user to sit on;
A saddle frame that supports the saddle at one end thereof;
A main wheel rotatably supported at the other end of the saddle frame;
A support frame portion configured to connect and support the saddle frame to prevent the main wheel from tilting to the side,
A walking support machine in which the saddle and the main wheel are connected in a vertical direction via the saddle frame so that the saddle is positioned above the rotation axis of the main wheel.   The walking support machine according to claim 1, wherein the main wheel is a unicycle wheel, and the support frame portion includes casters at four corners of front, rear, left, and right with respect to the main wheel.   The walking support machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a rear side of the support frame part is opened so that a user can move forward.   The walking support machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a front of the support frame portion is open so that the user can move rearward. The user is allowed to move by performing an operation of rowing on the walking surface with two legs while releasing the weight of the user while sitting on the saddle. The walking support machine according to any one of 4.

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