JP2019146660A - Walking support tool - Google Patents

Abstract

To achieve bending of a knee according to a load support of a lower leg and a walking period, support walking by a relatively small and simple mechanism, and change an angle of a knee to be fixed in a taking one's ground on period, according to necessity for adjusting a load applied to a sole.SOLUTION: A walking support tool comprises: a first link part 15 supported to a thigh; a second link part 25 supported to a lower leg or a foot; a link connection part 60 for connecting the first and second link parts and allowing rotation; and a stopper member 100 interposed between the first and second link parts, and fixes a folding angle of a knee in a taking one's ground on period in a user to a prescribed angle. The second link part is formed of a second link lower leg part 81 positioned on a lower leg of a user and a link plate 95 fixed thereto, and there is provided an angle change part 80 for adjusting a fitting position of the second link lower leg part and the link plate. By the angle change part, a folding angle of the knee in a taking one's ground on period is changed in the walking support tool.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 13

Description

The present invention relates to a wearing device that supports walking while supporting the weight applied to a lower leg portion of a user's knee, and more specifically, a load applied to the knee while supporting a part of the weight applied to the user's knee. The present invention relates to a walking support tool that enables walking while bending a knee while reducing the above-mentioned.

  In general, in walking, the walking cycle is repeated from when one foot touches the ground until it leaves the ground and touches the ground. This walking cycle is divided into a stance period in which the foot is on the ground contact surface and a swing leg period in which the foot is away from the ground. In this stance phase, there are a right stance phase of the right foot and a left stance phase of the left foot, and there is a both-leg support phase in which the right stance phase and the left stance phase overlap with each other to stand on both legs. In addition, the stance phase of one leg is also said to be a single leg support phase. In addition, the two-leg support period and the single-leg support period occur twice or more in one walking cycle.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is known a support tool that supports walking by supporting a part of the weight applied to a knee when the knee has some trouble during walking or when the knee is weak. And when walking, it is not only to support and fix a part of the body weight, but the leg in the swing leg phase can bend and stretch the knee somewhat, that is, flex and extend depending on the stance phase of the other leg It is necessary to balance when walking.

For this reason, for example, Patent Document 1 shows a thigh frame R1 supported by the user's thigh and a thigh frame R2 having a grounding portion that is supported by the thigh and positioned so that the user's foot does not touch the ground. ing. The thigh frame R1 and the crus frame R2 have a turning support mechanism that has a turning point RK near the knee and that can turn.

As shown in FIG. 1 of the same document 1, the turning support mechanism includes a curved cartridge CT attached to the thigh frame R1 and a curved cartridge attached to the crus frame R2 and sliding in the cartridge CT. The track TR has a shape. The cartridge CT and the track TR in this turning support mechanism are not shown here, but as shown in FIG. 2 of the document 1, the weight is supported and fixed in the stance phase of the user's walking cycle (the document 1). 2 (A, F, G) in FIG. 2 and the state (B to E in FIG. 2 of FIG. 2) that enables flexion and extension of the knee in the swing leg phase are possible. The knee can be bent at the time of a leg, and the balance at the time of a walk can be taken.

Also, the one of Patent Document 2 is configured via a four-bar linkage mechanism including a link shaft RK between a thigh link R1 supported by the thigh and a crus link R2 supported by the crus. This device is designed to reduce the load on the knee joint when the knee is in a knee-prohibited state of 180 ° to 185 °. Furthermore, this device notifies that the knee fold transition state has been entered when the knee fold prohibition state transitions to the knee fold state. In order to prevent the knee from being bent unexpectedly, it is also provided with resistance generating means in which the pin engages with the cam of the four-bar linkage mechanism and acts as a resistance force. I try not to.

US Patent No. 9,375,377 JP 2013-135804 A

As described above, it is required that the load on the lower leg is supported when standing up according to the walking cycle, and the knee bends according to the walking cycle during swinging. In Patent Document 1, this is realized by a turning support mechanism including a hollow cartridge CT and a track TR sliding in the hollow cartridge CT. However, this turning support mechanism is a relatively large mechanism on the back side (rear knee) side of the knee. Therefore, it is not easy to install or remove this mechanism from the user. Also, for example, it is difficult to sit on a chair with this turning support mechanism installed.

Further, Patent Document 2 can also support the load during the stance phase and bend the knee during the swinging leg, but the transition from the standing leg to the swinging leg can be performed by using another driving means such as a driving motor. It is necessary to shift with a greater force, and a simple mechanism does not assist walking. In addition, the short leg mentioned in this application means both the leg and leg which are a part from a user's knee.

Furthermore, both Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 are fixed by receiving a load only in the stance phase (single leg support phase) on only one side of the stance phase, and the knees fixed in the stance phase are fixed. The load on the sole could not be adjusted by changing the angle.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and supports the load of the lower leg when standing in accordance with the walking cycle and enables the knee to be bent and bent according to the walking cycle during swinging. Thus, it is possible to provide a walking support tool that can support walking with a relatively simple and small mechanism, and that allows the support tool to be attached and detached and to walk smoothly. In addition, the load applied to the sole cannot be adjusted by changing the angle of the knee to be fixed during the stance phase.

The disclosure herein has the following means in order to solve the above problems.
That is, a walking support tool for supporting a user's walking, the first link part supported by the thigh, the second link part supported by the lower leg or the foot, the first link part and the second link part And a link member that allows rotation and a stopper member that is interposed between the first link portion and the second link portion, and fixes the knee bending angle during a stance phase of the user to a predetermined angle. And an angle changing portion that is fixed to either or both of the first link portion and the second link portion and that can change the predetermined angle.

According to the above configuration, it is possible to support the walking by supporting the load of the lower leg when standing in accordance with the walking cycle and allowing the knee to bend and flexing according to the walking cycle when swinging the leg. It is possible to provide a walking support device that can be realized with a simple and small mechanism and can be smoothly attached and detached and walked. Further, the load applied to the sole can be adjusted by changing the angle of the knee to be fixed during the stance phase.

The whole side view of the walking assistance tool of the state with which the user's right leg was mounted | worn. The whole front view of the walking assistance tool of the state with which the user's right leg was mounted | worn. The whole side view of the walking assistance tool of the state which abbreviate | omitted the lower limb of FIG. The whole side view of the back surface of the walking assistance tool which shows the back surface side of FIG. The whole front view of the walking assistance tool of the state which abbreviate | omitted the leg of FIG. The perspective view which expanded the link connection part of the walking assistance tool of the state which abbreviate | omitted the right leg. It is a figure which shows the state of the link connection part (angle setting part) according to a user's walking state, and Fig.7 (a) is a figure which shows the stance phase initial stage of a user's walking cycle. FIG.7 (b) is explanatory drawing of the link connection part corresponding to the walking state of Fig.7 (a). FIG.7 (c) is explanatory drawing which shows the back surface of the link connection part of the state of FIG.7 (b). FIG. 8A is a diagram illustrating a state of the link connecting portion (angle fixing portion) according to the walking state of the user following FIG. 7, and FIG. 8A is a diagram in which the weight has moved to the right leg following the initial stage of the stance phase of the user. FIG.8 (b) is explanatory drawing of the link connection part corresponding to the walking state of Fig.8 (a). FIG.8 (c) is explanatory drawing which shows the back surface of the link connection part of the state of FIG.8 (b). It is a figure which shows the state of the link connection part (angle fixing | fixed part) according to the user's walking state following FIG. 8, (a) is a figure which shows the stance phase (single leg support phase) of a right leg. FIG.9 (b) is explanatory drawing of the link connection part corresponding to the walking state of Fig.9 (a). FIG.9 (c) is explanatory drawing which shows the back surface of the link connection part of the state of FIG.9 (b). FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a state of the link connecting portion (angle fixing portion) according to the user's walking state following FIG. 9, in which FIG. The figure which shows the transition from the two-leg support period. FIG.10 (b) is explanatory drawing of the link connection part corresponding to the walking state of Fig.10 (a). FIG.10 (c) is explanatory drawing which shows the back surface of the link connection part of the state of FIG.10 (b). FIG. 11A is a diagram illustrating a state of the link connecting portion (angle fixing portion) according to the user's walking state following FIG. 10, and FIG. 11A is the end of the stance phase of the user's walking cycle (both leg support phase / free leg) The figure which shows the transition to a period. FIG.11 (b) is explanatory drawing of the link connection part corresponding to the walking state of (a). (C) is explanatory drawing which shows the back surface of the link connection part of the state of (b). FIG. 12A is a diagram for explaining the walking cycle and the state of the walking support tool, because the operation of the walking support tool is simply described according to the walking cycle of the user. FIG. 12B is a diagram for explaining the basic configuration and operation of the walking support tool disclosed herein. FIG. 13A is a perspective view of the knee fixing angle adjusting mechanism, illustrating a knee fixing angle adjusting mechanism in which the user's lower limb is omitted in relation to FIG. 6. FIG. 13B is an explanatory diagram in which the perspective view is partially transmissive from the direction of arrow A. FIG. FIG. 13C is an exploded perspective view showing a part of the knee fixing angle adjusting mechanism in a transparent state. FIG. 14A is an explanatory diagram in which FIG. 14A is the smallest angle (a °) by comparing the walking support tools adjusted to each angle (three stages) of the angle adjustment mechanism shown in FIG. 13. FIG. 14 (b) is an explanatory diagram with an intermediate angle (b °). FIG. 14A is an explanatory diagram with the largest angle (c °). It is a figure explaining the insole set to the leg mounting base of a walking assistance tool, and a grounding part, and Fig.15 (a) is explanatory drawing of a three-layer insole. FIG. 15B is an external view in which an insole having the maximum thickness is inserted into the foot portion of the walking aid. FIG.15 (c) is sectional explanatory drawing of a foot tip from the heel of the said FIG.15 (b). FIG. 16A is a diagram for explaining a state in which the angle of the walking support tool is adjusted and the insole set on the footrest and the grounding portion is inserted step by step. FIG. The external view of the state of a big angle (af degrees) between. FIG. 16B is an external view of a state in which a two-layer insole having an intermediate thickness is inserted into the foot portion of the walking support tool and is in an intermediate angle (bf °) with the ground contact surface. FIG. 16C is an external view showing a state where the thinnest single-layer insole is inserted into the foot part of the walking support tool and inserted at a small angle (cf °) with the ground contact surface. FIG. 17A is a cross-sectional view of the foot from the heel of FIG. 16, and FIG. 17A is a cross-sectional explanatory view in a state where a three-layer insole corresponding to FIG. FIG. 17B is a cross-sectional explanatory diagram in a state where a two-layer insole corresponding to FIG. FIG. 17C is a cross-sectional explanatory diagram in a state where a single insole corresponding to FIG. 16C is inserted. It is explanatory drawing of the grounding part in the leg | foot part of a walking assistance tool, FIG. FIG. 18B is a perspective view from the bottom side of the grounding portion. FIG. 18C is a bottom view of the grounding portion. FIG. 19A is a diagram for explaining the correlation between the knee fixing angle adjustment and the sole load, and FIG. 19A is an explanatory diagram adjusted to the three-stage angles shown in FIG. FIG. 19B is a graph for explaining the correlation between the knee fixing angles and the cushioning property of the insole member. FIG. 19C is a graph for explaining the correlation between the knee fixing angles, the load that supports the thigh (first link) and the load applied to the footrest. Explanatory drawing of a prior art. It is a figure explaining the prior art different from FIG. 20, and Fig.21 (a) is explanatory drawing which equipped the user with the walk assistance tool. FIG.21 (b) is an enlarged view of the link part of Fig.21 (a). FIG.21 (c) is explanatory drawing of the latching state in FIG.21 (b).

The walking aid disclosed herein will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is an overall side view of the walking support device worn on the user's right leg, and FIG. 2 is an overall front view of the walking support device worn on the user's right leg. 3 is an overall side view of the walking aid with the lower limbs of FIG. 1 omitted, and FIG. 4 is an overall side view of the back of the walking aid showing the back side of FIG. FIG. 5 shows an overall front view of the walking aid with the lower limbs of FIG. 2 omitted.

  Here, the provision of the reference numerals of the walking aids in each figure will be described. The walking aid disclosed herein can be worn on both or one of the left and right feet. As shown in FIG. 2, the right leg is mounted on the outside and inside of the knee with the same mechanism. Therefore, one member may be located on the inside and outside of the knee. Here, the code | symbol (henceforth integrated code | symbol) which integrated these inside and the outside and these with respect to one member is provided.

As shown in FIG. 1, in the diagram on the outer side surface, the integrated code is given priority, and the outer code is written in parentheses or omitted. However, in the front view in which the outer side and the inner side appear as shown in FIG. 2, the outer side and inner side codes are given priority, and may be integrated or omitted in parentheses. Further, for example, FIG. 1 shows the front side that is outside the knee of the walking support tool and is away from the knee, and is referred to herein as the front side. On the other hand, FIG. 3 shows the back side on the side close to the knee, and here it will be described as the back side.

[Walking aid overall configuration]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the walking support tool 10 disclosed herein is an overall side view when worn on the right leg of the user. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the user's lower limb 1 attached, and FIG. 3 omits the user's lower limb 1. The walking support tool 10 is attached to and supported on the lower side of the user's thigh 3, and the first link portion 15 (outside the first link portion 17) is connected to the first link portion 15 by the link connecting portion 60 and extends along the lower leg. The second link portion 25 (outside the second link portion 27) has a grounding portion 75 that contacts the GP.

[Support for first link]
The first link portion 15 is securely held by the upper holding belt 45 near the hip joint portion 12 (see FIG. 19) of the thigh and the lower holding belt 50 near the knee 9, and is used as necessary. Can take the weight of the person.
Further, a thigh cover 20 made of a cushioning member is disposed between the upper holding belt 45 or the lower holding belt 50 and the thigh 3, and is provided in a so-called cuff shape so as to alleviate the tightening feeling caused by these belts. It has been.

  The first link portion 15 has a first link portion lower portion 85 (first link portion lower portion outer 87) extending to the side of the knee 9 and is connected to the second link portion 25 in the vicinity of the knee 9. Part of the unit 60 is configured.

[Support for second link part]
Next, the second link part 25 is connected to the first link part 15 via the link connecting part 60. The second link portion 25 extends along the lower leg 5 toward the ground contact surface GP and is pivotally supported by the heel connection portion 35 (outer heel connection portion 37) to connect the heel portion 30. The flange 30 is provided with a grounding portion 75 that is grounded to the grounding surface GP.

The second link portion 25 includes a link plate 95 connected to the first link portion 15 by the link connecting portion 60 on the side close to the knee 9, and a second link portion upper portion 90 (second link) that fixes the link plate 95. The upper part outer part 91) and the second link lower leg part 81 (the second link outer leg part 82) extending toward the heel connecting part 35 side.

Accordingly, the load that is a part of the weight of the first link portion 15 is applied to the link connecting portion 60, the link plate 95, the second link portion upper portion 90, the second link lower leg portion 81, the heel connecting portion 35, and the heel portion 30. After that, it is supported by the grounding portion 75 and received by the grounding surface GP.

[Support of buttocks]
The above-described heel part 30 is provided with a grounding part 75 for grounding to the grounding surface GP and a foot placing table 68 for placing the sole of the foot 7 of the user above it. The foot placing table 68 is composed of a cushioned insole 70. Further, the user's foot 7 is held between the foot mounting table 68 by a foot holding belt 55 provided on the heel portion 30. The holding here is relatively loose so that a feeling of wearing shoes normally can be obtained.

[Knee angle fixed]
The above-described walking support tool 10 is used by being mounted on the side of the knee 9 where the load is to be reduced. However, when the load is applied to the knee 9, the stance is in the gait cycle of walking, and only on one side. It is a single leg support period that supports weight. In the single leg support period of walking where the load is most applied to the knee 9, an angle fixing portion 80 is provided to fix the knee 9 so that the walking support tool 10 disclosed herein receives the weight of the user.

  The angle fixing portion 80 of the knee 9 is connected to the first link portion 15 that is rotatably connected by the link connecting portion 60 and supports the thigh 3 and the second link portion 25 that extends along the lower limb and includes the ground contact portion 75. Fix at an angle. The fixed angle is fixed toward the second link portion 25 so as to be rotatable by a stopper rotating portion 110 (outside the stopper rotating portion 111) provided in the middle of the first link portion 15 supporting the thigh 3. A stopper lever 100 which is a suspended stopper member is provided.

In the description of the disclosure, the knee fixed angle is the bending angle on the back side of the knee, and is formed by the rear thigh (thigh) and the back lower leg (calf) on the back knee side. Is an angle. More precisely, a straight line passing through the rotational position of the user's hip joint portion 12 and the knee side and a straight line passing through the rotational position of the user's heel and the knee side described in FIG. Say. Therefore, although some angle errors occur, all of the above are expressed as knee angles.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the stopper lever 100 is in contact with the receiving portion 115 (outside receiving portion 117) located in the second link portion 25 at its lower end. In this state, when the weight of the user is received as the load of the first link portion 15, the stopper lever 100 applies the load to the receiving portion 115, and is increased on the ground contact surface GP via the ground contact portion 75 at the lower end of the second link portion 25. Will receive the load. The bending angle of the knee 9 at this time is supported by the stopper lever 100 that abuts the receiving portion 115 at a predetermined opening angle between the first link portion 15 and the second link portion 25 that are rotatable by the link connecting portion 60. Yes. This state is a single leg support period of the user's walking cycle, and the load applied to the knee 9 is reduced. The stopper lever 100 in contact with the receiving portion 115 constitutes an angle fixing portion 80 that fixes the knee 9 at a predetermined angle.

  In this angle fixing portion 80, a release spring 120 (extraction spring 122) as a trigger member that moves the stopper lever 100 from the receiving portion 115 is stretched between the first link pin 61 of the link connecting portion 60. Has been. The first link portion 15 is provided with a stopper pin 130 (a stopper pin outer 131) that defines a position where the stopper lever 100 is returned by the release spring 120.

[Link connection / Link plate]
Here, the link plate 95 that constitutes a part of the link connecting portion 60 will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, the first link portion 15 and the second link portion 25 are rotatably connected by a link connecting portion 60. The link plate 95 is fixedly attached to the second link portion upper portion 90 of the second link portion 25 by a mounting screw 99 at a predetermined angle, thereby constituting the second link portion 25. The link plate 95 is provided with the stopper lever 100 and the angle setting lever 150 (outside the angle setting lever 151) for adjusting the angle at which the link plate 95 is attached to the second link portion upper portion 90.

The link plate 95 is fitted with a first link pin 61 (outside the first link pin 62) provided on the first link portion lower portion 85 (the first link portion lower portion outside 87) of the first link portion 15. The second link groove 64 (the second link groove outer 65) is provided. Therefore, when the first link pin 61 of the first link portion 15 is fitted (groove engagement) with the second link groove 64 of the second link portion 25, the link connecting portion 60 engaging portion is configured and rotated. The rotation fulcrum position can be changed. In other words, in the link connecting portion, the position where the first link portion 15 and the second link portion 25 are connected to each other and rotated can be changed.

Further, a release spring 120 for detaching the stopper lever 100 from the receiving portion 115 is positioned between the first link pin 61 and the stopper lever 100 on the link plate 95. The further configuration and operation of the link connecting portion 60 will be described in the description of FIG.

[Attaching to one leg]
From here, it demonstrates using the front view seen from the user of the walk assistance tool 10. FIG. The walking support device 10 may be worn on the left and right lower limbs, or may be worn only on the inner side of one of the lower limbs. The walking support tool 10 attached to the inside will be described. FIG. 2 is a front view when worn on the right leg 1 and FIG. 5 is a front view in which the leg 1 is omitted for convenience of explanation.

Although the description of the members already described with reference to the side views of FIGS. 1 and 3 is simplified, FIG.
The first link portion outer 17 and the first link portion inner 18 are attached to the thigh 3 while supporting the thigh 3 by the upper holding belt 45 and the lower holding belt 50. The first link portion outer portion 17 is provided with a first link pin outer portion (engagement portion) 62 constituting the link connecting portion 60 on the first link portion lower portion outer portion 87. Similarly, in the first link portion 18, a first link pin inside (engagement portion) 63 constituting the link connecting portion 60 is provided in the first link portion lower portion 88.

  On the lower leg 5 of the right leg, the second link part outer 27 is extended by the second link outer part 82 extending along the lower leg 5 from the second link part upper outer part 91 connected by the link connecting part 60 to the grounding part 75. It is composed. Similarly, the second link inner portion 28 is configured by a second link lower leg portion 83 extending along the lower leg 5 from the second link portion upper inner portion 92 to the ground contact portion 75. Each of them is provided with a stopper lever outer 102 and a stopper lever inner 103 which are stopper members, and a receiving portion outer 117 and a receiving portion 118 which receive these tips.

  Further, a heel connection portion outer 37 that supports the ground contact portion 75 is provided at an end portion of the second link crus outer portion 82 of the second link outer portion 27. In addition, a heel coupling portion inside 38 that supports the ground contact portion 75 is provided at an end of the second link crus inside 83 within the second link portion 28. Therefore, the ground contact portion 75 that holds the footrest 68 is sandwiched and supported by the second link crus outer 82 and the second link crus 83. Further, the right foot 7 is practically supported by the second link portion 25 by a lower holding belt 50 provided on the heel portion 30. In addition, the above-described foot mounting table 68 is configured such that the upper surface of the insole 70 is a grounding surface of the sole.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the lower end side of the second link portion 25 has a different structure so that it can be adjusted with respect to the thickness of the lower leg 5, although not shown in detail. Further, the second link portion upper outer 91 and the second link portion upper inner 92 are configured as separate structures, and a second link width adjusting screw 29 for adjusting the mutual distance is provided between them. A large notch is provided in the direction from the second link width adjusting screw 29 to the foot placing table 68 to form a second link cavity 32. In addition, the first link portion 15 also has a different configuration on the inner side and the outer side as shown by broken lines in the first link portion outer portion 17 and the first link portion inner portion 18. The first link portion outside 17 and the first link portion inside 18 are not particularly shown, but their widths can be adjusted.

With these configurations, the walking support tool 10 itself can be reduced in weight while being adjustable according to the body shape of the user. The walking aid 10 is made of any resin material such as ABS resin, polyacetal (POM) resin, and polyamide (PA) resin, for example, to further reduce weight. The second link portion 25 is formed in a cylindrical shape using the above resin as a sheet. Since the cylindrical shape of the resin sheet forms a circular arc in the cross section of the second link portion 25, a so-called waist is generated in the resin sheet, and the strength is relatively increased in the direction in which a load is applied. Therefore, the walking aid 10 disclosed herein is designed to maintain a certain strength while being lightweight and thin.

[Backside configuration of walking aid]
From here, with reference to FIG. 4, the back surface side (side near the knee 9) of the walking assistance tool 10 shown in FIG. 3 will be described. Here, the heel part 30 and the foot mounting table 68 that support the foot 7 are cross-sectional views from the toe side to the heel.

[Brake part]
As described above, the link plate 95 (outside of the link plate 96) constituting the link connecting portion 60 is fixed to the second link portion upper portion 90 of the second link portion 25 at a plurality of positions with the mounting screws 99. As described above, the link plate 95 is provided with the first link pin 61 provided on the first link portion lower portion 85 of the first link portion 15 on the front side, and the first link rotating portion 135 ( The first link rotating part outer 136) is provided in an arc shape as shown in the figure.

On the other hand, on the link plate 95, a brake receiving part 140 (outside of the brake receiving part 141) is provided so as to protrude at a position slightly away from the outer periphery of the first link rotating part 135. Further, the brake receiving portion 140 is provided with a brake shoe 145 (outside of the brake shoe 147) that gives a braking action when the first link rotating portion 135 is joined to the periphery thereof. Therefore, the brake part 134 is comprised by this 1st link rotation part 135, the brake receiving part 140, and the brake shoe 145 attached to this.

[Composition near knees]
From here, with reference to the perspective view of FIG. 6, it confirms about the link connection part 60 demonstrated so far, the (knee) angle fixing | fixed part 80, the knee fixing angle adjustment part 94, and the brake part 134. FIG. FIG. 6 shows the vicinity of the knee of the right lower limb 1 of FIGS. 1 to 5, omitting the knee 9 and showing the inside and outside, and the outside front side and the inside back side.

  So far, as described above, the first link portion 15 and the second link portion 25 are rotated by the link connecting portion 60, and the rotation fulcrum of each other is movable. The link connecting portion 60 is a link plate in which a first link pin 61 provided at a first link portion lower portion 85 of the first link portion 15 is fixedly attached to a second link portion upper portion 90 of the second link portion 25. A groove engaging portion is provided in the 95 second link groove 64 so that the first link pin 61 can change the rotation fulcrum in the rotation and the groove, thereby constituting the engagement portion. Although this engagement is not particularly illustrated, a link groove may be provided on the first link portion 15 side and a link pin may be provided on the second link portion 25 side to engage the groove.

The knee angle fixing part 80 in the single leg support period is a stopper lever 100 (stopper) that is pivotably attached from a stopper rotation part 110 (outside of the stopper rotation part 111) in the middle of the first link part 15. The outer lever 102) and the receiving portion 115 (outside receiving portion 117) abutting against the tip of the link plate 95 (outside link plate 96) fixed to the second link portion 25. The link plate 95 is provided with a release spring 120 (extraction spring 122) that pulls the stopper lever 100 from the receiving portion 115 toward the first link pin 61 side. When the load applied to the first link portion 15 is reduced, the release spring 120 pulls the stopper lever 100 and removes it from the receiving portion 115.

Further, the stopper lever 100, which has been unlocked from the receiving portion 115 by the release spring 120, has a stopper pin 130 (stopper pin outer 131) positioned between the stopper rotating portion 110 and the first link pin 61. ) Defines the return position. This angle fixing | fixed part 80 is provided in the inner side and the outer side of the leg 1 of one side, as FIG. 6 (front view of FIG. 2 and FIG. 5) shows. The operation and action of the angle fixing unit 80 will be described later with reference to FIGS.

The knee fixing angle adjusting unit 94 adjusts the bending angle for fixing the knee by the angle fixing unit 80 described above. In the walking assist tool 10 disclosed herein, the knee fixing angle adjusting unit 94 is set in three stages between 140 ° and 170 °. It is possible. The knee fixing angle adjusting unit 94 changes the attachment position of the second link part upper part 90 of the second link part 25 and the link plate 95 (outside of the link plate 96) with the angle setting lever 150 (outside of the angle setting lever 151). By doing.

By the way, after the angle is changed by the angle setting lever 150, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, when the second link portion upper part 902 and the link plate 95 are fixed by the mounting screws 99, the mutual positions can be fixed. 99 may be omitted. The knee fixing angle adjusting unit 94 may change the position and length of the stopper lever 100 and the receiving unit 115, but fine adjustment is required. Simplification can be achieved by changing the fixed angle.

Next, the brake part 134 is provided in the back surface side (side near the knee 9) of the walking support tool 10 of the outer side and the inner side. The brake portion 134 is configured so that the first link portion 15 is in a state before the stopper lever 100 of the angle fixing portion 80 is locked to the receiving portion 115 (at the time of starting the single leg support period) or in a state where the stopper lever 100 is released. A braking action is generated so as to reduce the knee-folded state when a load is applied to the arm. In FIG. 6, the back side of the first link portion 18 is shown, and the circular first link rotation portion 137 at the tip of the first link portion lower portion 85 of the first link portion 18 is located.

A brake receiving portion 142 fixed to the link plate 97 is located on the outer periphery of the first link rotating portion 137. In the brake receiving portion 142, a brake shoe inner portion 147 is provided to increase the braking force. Accordingly, when the first link rotating portion 137 moves in a direction in contact with the brake receiving portion 142, a braking force is generated between the first link rotating portion 137 and the brake receiving portion 142 to form a brake, and the outside of the first link portion. The rotation outside the second link portion of 17 is restricted. This braking operation will be described again in the description of FIG.

Note that the walking support tool 10 disclosed herein is provided with the (knee) angle fixing part 80 on the front side (side far from the knee) and the brake part 134 on the back side (side closer to the knee). Further, although not particularly illustrated, this walking support tool 10 may be provided only on both lower limbs or on the inner side of one lower limb, as already described.

[Operation of walking support]
From here, FIG. 7 to FIG. 12 will explain the action of the walking support tool 10 in accordance with the walking cycle of the user. First, the walking cycle of the user will be described with reference to FIG. 12A, the operation of the walking support tool 10 corresponding to this walking will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 11, and the summary will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 12A is a diagram showing the walking cycle of the user (person). Since the walking support tool 10 disclosed here is attached to the right leg, the right leg is shown by a slightly thick line. The walking cycle in this figure shifts from the right leg standing phase to the swinging leg. In this case, in the stance phase of the right leg, there are a two-leg support period in which the left leg is also grounded and a single leg support period in which only the right leg is grounded. The walking cycle has a right leg stance phase and a swing phase, and a left leg stance phase and a swing phase alternately. In addition, in the stance phase, a person's weight is moved and gains weight, and in the swing phase, the load is reduced and the weight is lost.

  In the walking support tool 10 shown in FIGS. 1 to 12, when receiving a load in the stance phase, braking is generated by the brake unit 134, and during the stance phase (right leg) single-leg support phase where the load is applied to the knee most. Supports the load by the angle fixing part 80 and reduces the load on the knee. Further, the walking support tool 10 disclosed herein kicks out (with the right toe) during the transition from the single leg support period, which transitions to the swing leg period, and the knee (of the right leg) during the swing leg period. Bending and stretching can be performed relatively freely, and the balance of walking can be balanced. Accordingly, the disclosed walking support tool 10 can support the walking so that the walking can be performed more smoothly. In addition, the number in () shown in Fig.12 (a) has shown the drawing number which shows each walking state demonstrated from now on.

Hereinafter, the state of the walking support tool 10 corresponding to the walking state of the user (person) is shown in FIG. 7 to FIG. 12, and (a) in these figures shows the walking state of the user (person). . Each figure (b) has shown especially the state of the link connection part 60 and the angle fixing | fixed part 80 by the front side of the outer side of the walking assistance tool 10 with which the right leg was mounted | worn. Moreover, each figure (c) has shown the state of the brake part especially in the back side of the outer side of the walking assistance tool 10 with which the right leg was mounted | worn. The circles in the two-dot chain diagram in each figure (b) are provided on the link plate 95 fixed to the first link pin 61 and the second link portion 25 of the first link portion 15 in the link connecting portion 60. The fitting state of the 2nd link groove | channel 64 which the 1st link pin 61 fits is shown.

[Early stance phase]
First, FIG. 7 will be described. Fig.7 (a) is a figure which shows the stance phase initial stage of a user's walk cycle. This stance period is a period in which both legs are supported with the left leg, and a little load is applied to the first link portion 15. In FIG. 7B corresponding to this, the link connecting portion 60 in this state starts rotating while the first link pin 61 is separated from the upper portion of the second link groove 64. The stopper lever 100 starts to rotate while being in contact with the stopper pin 130 by the outer spring 122. In this state, the tip of the stopper lever 100 is not in contact with the receiving portion 115. In the brake part 134 on the back surface shown in FIG. 7C, the brake shoe 145 provided on the link plate 95 that the first link rotating part 135 of the first link part 15 is slightly lowered and fixed to the second link part 25. Although it is not touching, it has shown the state where the space | interval has shrunk | reduced.

[Weight shift during stance phase]
Next, FIG. 8 is a diagram of the user's walking state following FIG. FIG. 8A shows that the weight has shifted to the right leg following the initial stage of the stance of the user. As a result, a load is being applied to the first link portion 15. In FIG. 8B corresponding to this, in the link connecting portion 60, the first link pin 61 moves to the lower portion of the second link groove 64 and rotates as shown in the two-dot chain line in the drawing. The tip of the stopper lever 100 is in contact with the receiving portion 115 and is rotated. Due to this contact rotation, the spring is extended against the elastic force of the release spring 120. In the brake part 134 on the back surface shown in FIG. 8C, the first link rotating part 135 of the first link part 15 is lowered and the brake shoe provided on the link plate 95 fixed to the second link part 25. 145 is in contact with braking. Therefore, the knee 9 is fixed by the angle fixing unit 80 while being braked by the brake unit 134. In this case, the brake portion applies braking before the stopper lever 100 comes into contact with the receiving portion 115 portion. This prevents sudden locking.

[Single leg support period]
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a walking state of the user following FIG. FIG. 9A is a diagram showing the right leg stance phase (single leg support phase), and the weight almost shifts to the right leg. Corresponding to this, the stopper lever 100 of the link connecting portion 60 in this state in FIG. 9B is moved more in weight with its tip abutting against the receiving portion 115 (indicated by the load W in the same figure). . In this state, since the stopper lever 100 is in contact with the receiving portion 115, it cannot move beyond this figure. When a load is applied, the first link portion 15 now moves in the counterclockwise direction in the figure. . Therefore, in the link connecting part 60, the first link pin 61 moves to the upper part of the second link groove 64 as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG.

The knee 9 is fixed at a predetermined angle by an angle fixing portion 80 including the stopper lever 100, the receiving portion 115, and the link connecting portion 60, and receives a large load of weight by the walking support tool 10. Here, since the load is supported while the knee 9 is bent to some extent, the thigh 3 is put on the first link portion 15, so that the pain due to the attachment of the thigh 3 of the first link portion 15 is vertical. It is reduced than the support.

On the other hand, in the brake part 134 on the reverse side as shown in FIG. 9C, the link plate in which the first link rotating part 135 (first rotating part) of the first link part 15 is fixed to the second link part 25. The brake receiving portion 140 (second rotating portion) provided at 95 is separated from the brake shoe 145. This is because the first link rotating portion 135 forming the brake portion 134 is separated from the brake shoe 145 and the braking action is not generated because the second link groove 64 of the first link pin 61 is raised. . It should be noted that the knee angle fixed in the single leg support period by the knee angle fixing unit 80 can be changed in the range of 140 ° to 170 ° in the walking support tool 10 disclosed herein. The fixed angle adjustment unit will be described later.

[Transition from the stance phase / From the monopod support phase to the both-leg support phase]
FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a walking state of the user following FIG. (A) is a figure which shows the transition start from the stance phase of a user's right leg (transition from a single leg support period to a both leg support period). If it transfers here, as shown in FIG.10 (b), the extending | stretching operation | movement of a user's leg 1 will start, a weight will lose | omit and the load of the 1st link part 15 will reduce. Then, the stopper lever 100 elastically pulled by the release spring 120 rotates to the right side in the same figure as indicated by the arrow in the figure, and comes off from the receiving portion 115. Here, in the link connecting portion 60, as shown by the two-dot chain line in the figure, the first link pin 61 remains moving above the second link groove 64, and only the load is reduced from the first link portion 15. It is in a state.

On the other hand, the back side brake part 134 shown in FIG. 10C is also the brake shoe provided on the link plate 95 in which the first link rotating part 135 of the first link part 15 is fixed to the second link part 25. The state apart from 145 is maintained. Also here, since the second link groove 64 of the first link pin 61 is raised, the first link rotating portion 135 forming the brake portion 134 is separated from the brake shoe 145 and no braking action occurs. . Therefore, bending and stretching of the knee 9 can be performed with little resistance, and the movement of weight in walking can be balanced, and walking can be performed smoothly.

[End of stance phase / transition to swing phase]
FIG. 11 is a diagram corresponding to the walking state of the user following FIG. FIG. 10A is a diagram showing the end of the stance phase of the user's walking cycle (transition from the both-leg support phase to the swing phase), and the user is further kicking the knee 9 backward. FIG. 10B shows a link connecting portion 60 corresponding to this, and the stopper lever 100 is completely removed from the receiving portion 115 by the spring 120 and is restricted by the stopper pin 130. In this state, the knee 9 can be bent almost freely, and the right foot tip in FIG. 10A can be kicked out by the walking support tool 10 as shown. This kicking will be described later with reference to FIG.

Further, the back surface of the brake portion 134 shown in FIG. 11C is also a link in which the first link rotating portion 135 of the first link portion 15 is fixed to the second link portion 25 as in FIG. 10C. The state where the brake shoe 145 provided on the plate 95 is separated is maintained. By raising the second link groove 64 of the first link pin 61 described above, the first link rotating portion 135 forming the brake portion 134 is separated from the brake shoe 145 and no braking action is generated. Accordingly, the knee 9 can be further bent and stretched with less resistance, and the weight can be moved and the right toe kicked out during walking, so that walking can be performed smoothly.

10 and FIG. 11, the release spring 120 is used in the present disclosure to move the stopper lever 100 away from the receiving portion 115, but the user can extend the knee 9 so that, for example, a weight is used. The contact release may be performed by attaching the Even in this case, the first link pin 61 of the link connecting portion 60 is rotated by the rotation position of the second link groove 64, and the engagement position of the first link pin 61 after the load is moved is different from that of the load. Accordingly, the stopper lever 100 can be detached from the receiving portion 115. Further, the toes of the walking support tool 10 are configured to be able to kick out. After the operation of FIG. 11 described above, as shown in FIG. 12 (a), this time passes through the stance phase of the left foot and then shifts to the initial stance phase of the right leg shown in FIG.

[Summary of walking support]
As described above, the walking support tool 10 disclosed herein supports the load on the thigh 3 by fixing the knee 9 in accordance with the walking cycle of the user shown in FIGS. The weight 9) is used to release the fixation of the knee 9 and realize the bending of the knee and the kicking out at the contact portion.

  Moreover, FIG.12 (b) attaches | subjects the code | symbol common to the member demonstrated so far, and shows the load support which receives the weight of the walking assistance tool 10 demonstrated so far. The walking support tool 10 supports the thigh 3 and includes a first link portion 15 that supports the thigh, a first link portion lower portion 85 provided at the lower end, and a lower leg 5 provided on the ground surface GP. A grounding portion 75 for grounding, a second link portion 25 including a second link lower leg portion 81 for supporting the grounding portion 75, and the first link portion 15 and the second link portion 25 are linked to each other. A link connecting portion 60 that is rotatably supported, and a stopper lever that is interposed between the first link portion 15 and the second link portion 25 connected by the link connecting portion 60 and fixes the knee 9 at a predetermined angle. 100.

[Distributed support of load]
In the grounding portion 75, a foot placing table 68 on which a user's foot is placed is supported by the grounding portion 75 via an elastic member (spring) 69. Therefore, most of the weight (F1) of the stance phase of the user is received by the support portion of the thigh 3 of the first link portion 15 and is also received by the foot mounting table 68 on which the foot 7 is placed, and the foot support ( F3). In other words, the ground contact portion 75 receives the weight (F1) of all body weights in the stance phase, and this load (F1) is the thigh support (first link portion 15) with the knee 9 bent. F2) and sole support (F3) will distribute and support the load, reducing the load on the thigh 3, giving the foot a sense of load, and stimulating the sole Compared to those without, you can feel more walking. Note that the walking support tool 10 disclosed herein changes the dispersion ratio supported by the thigh support (F2) and the sole support (F3) by changing the fixed angle of the knee 9, but below this point. State.

Next, it has already been described that the knee is fixed at a predetermined angle during the single leg support period of the knee 9. Although described somewhat in the description of FIG. 6, the knee fixing angle adjustment unit 94 will be described with reference to FIGS. 13 and 14. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating the knee fixing angle adjusting unit 94, and FIG. 13 (a) is a perspective view of the knee fixing angle adjusting mechanism. In this figure, the link connection part 60 of FIG. 6 is represented from the front side. That is, the first link rotating part 135 having the first link pin 61 located at the lower end of the first link part 15 is fitted into the second link groove 64 of the link plate 95 fixed to the second link part upper part 90. doing. The lower end of the stopper lever 100 is in contact with the receiving portion 115 to fix the knee at an angle.

[Knee fixed angle adjustment]
The walking assist tool 10 disclosed herein has a knee fixing angle adjusting unit 94 near the knee. That is, for adjusting the fixed angle of the knee, the attachment angle (position) of the second link portion upper portion 90 and the link plate 95 is adjusted by the angle setting lever 150, and the link plate 95 and the second link portion upper portion 90 are pressed and released. With this configuration, the knee fixed angle can be easily adjusted in the vicinity of the knee 9.

[Link plate configuration for angle change]
The knee fixing angle adjusting unit 94 will be further described. FIG. 13B is an explanatory diagram in which the perspective view is partially transmissive from the direction of arrow A. FIG. FIG. 13C is an exploded perspective view in which a part of the knee fixing angle adjusting mechanism is in a transmissive state. According to these, the link plate 95 is located next to the brake shoe 145, with the link plate 95 and the second link portion upper portion 90 being in a separated state, the plate separating portion 165 allowing the angle change, the link plate 95 and the second The link plate 95 in which the plate crimping part 167 for fixing the upper part 90 of the link part and the plate inclined part 166 provided between the plate separating part 165 and the plate crimping part 167 is disposed is linked to change the angle. A plate protrusion 163 is provided.

[Upper configuration of second link part for angle change]
On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 13B and FIG. 13C, the second link first upper concave portion 90 is fitted with the link plate convex portion 163 of the link plate 95 in a crimped state. 171, a second link second recess 172, and a second link third recess 173 are provided. In the present disclosure, when the link plate convex portion 163 is fitted into the second link third concave portion 173, the knee fixing angle is set to about 140 °. Further, when the link plate convex portion 163 is fitted to the second link second concave portion 172, the knee fixing angle is about 150 °, and when the link plate convex portion 163 is fitted to the second link third concave portion 173, the knee is fixed. The angle is set to about 170 °.

[Angle setting lever]
The knee fixing angle adjusting unit 94 is provided on the link plate 95 and rotates the angle setting lever 150 to a position where it can be operated near the knee 9. When adjusting the knee fixed angle, the angle setting lever 150 is moved from the plate crimping portion 167 to the plate separating portion 165 via the plate inclined portion 166. In the plate separating portion 165, the pressure bonding between the link plate 95 and the second link portion upper portion 90 is released. For example, the link plate convex portion 163 releases the pressure bonding with the second link first concave portion 171, and the link plate convex portion 163 is released. Is fitted into the second link second recess 172. Thereafter, when the angle setting lever 150 is transferred from the plate separating portion 165 to the plate crimping portion 167 via the plate inclined portion 166, the link plate 95 and the second link portion upper portion 90 are crimped by the lever locking portion 153.

By this change, the bending angle for fixing the knee can be changed from 140 ° to 150 °. The angle setting lever 150 is fixed by the angle fixing screw 155 through the through-hole 160 provided in the link plate 95 and the second link moving part 175 provided in the second link part upper part 90. The second link moving part 175 is inserted between the recesses so that the lever of the angle setting lever 150 can move to the second link first recess 171, the second link second recess 172, and the second link third recess 173. It can be done.

In these drawings, the link plate 95 and the second link portion upper portion 90 are fixed only by the angle setting lever 150. However, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. Needless to say, it may be fixed with.

[Three levels of knee fixation angles]
Next, as shown in FIG. 14, the knee support angle adjusting unit 94 described above allows the disclosed walking support tool 10 to set the angle of the knee fixed in the single leg support period in three stages. In other words, the angle setting lever 150 of the knee fixing angle adjustment unit 94 is shown in FIG. 14 (a) where the angle of bending is the deepest (a ° / angle value is small). The two-link third recess 173 is selected and crimped, and the disclosed one is set at about 140 °. FIG. 14B shows an example in which the knee angle is an intermediate angle (b ° / angle setting value is intermediate), and the second link second concave portion 172 is selected with respect to the link plate convex portion 163. The disclosed one is set at about 150 °. Further, FIG. 14C shows the angle at which the bending angle is the shallowest (the value of c ° / angle is large). The second link third recess 173 is selected and crimped to the link plate protrusion 163. And what is disclosed here sets 170 degrees.

  As described above, in the walking aid 10, the knee angle can be changed in three stages: a ° in FIG. 13 (a), b ° in FIG. 13 (b), and c ° in FIG. 13 (c). When it is desired to greatly reduce the load, a ° is selected. When the load is intermediate, b ° is selected. When the load is slightly reduced, c ° is selected. By being able to select in this way, it becomes closer to the normal single leg support period, and the level of support for walking can be changed at the level of the knee. In addition, since the angle setting lever 150 for adjusting the knee fixing angle is provided near the side of the knee 9, the adjustment becomes easy.

[Ankle angle]
In FIG. 14, the ankle angle is shown as an °. However, even if the knee angle is changed by a °, b °, and c °, the heel connecting portion can be maintained at a substantially 90 ° state. 35 is rotatable. This is to prevent an ankle angle during walking. As a result, the angle between the inclination angle of the surface of the footrest table 68 and the ground plane GP is af ° in the case of FIG. 14A, and the disclosed angle is about 15 °. Further, in the case of FIG. 14B, the angle is bf °, and the disclosed angle is about 10 °. In the case of FIG. 14C, the angle is cf °, and the disclosed angle is about 5 °.

By changing these angles, the gap between the ground contact portion 75 and the user's sole also becomes different. In this gap, an insole 70 having a different cushioning property is inserted, and the sole is also described with reference to FIG. A load is generated so that the actual feeling of walking also occurs on the sole on the side where the walking support tool 10 is worn. This point will be touched on later.

  In FIG. 14, the knee angles are a ° (the knee is deeply bent, angle 140 °), b ° (the knee is bent in the middle, the angle is intermediate 150 °), and c ° (the knee is bent in the shallow). The angle is 170 degrees), but the angle at which the knee is fixed may be set by a stepless linear. Furthermore, since the maximum bending angle of the walking support tool 10 is 90 ° to 180 °, it may be a fixed angle exceeding the above angle.

[Insole insertion]
First, it has been described that the insole 70 having different cushioning properties is inserted between the grounding portion 75 and the sole of the user. The insole 70 will be described with reference to FIG. First, FIG. 15 (a) is a single insole 70, and the material is made of thermoplastic plastic having elasticity (cushioning properties) such as polyurethane, polyester, and polypropylene. And it consists of three layers with different elasticity, and the upper layer 71 is configured to be relatively hard and have a low cushioning property, and supports it in direct contact with the sole. The intermediate layer 72 is softer than the upper layer portion and has a cushioning property. The lower layer 73 is softer than the intermediate layer and is configured to have the most cushioning property.

When the knee angle a shown in FIG. 14A and the heel angle (angle between the surface of the footrest table 68 and the ground contact surface GP) are af °, the upper layer 71, A three-layer insole 70 of an intermediate layer 72 and a lower layer 73 is inserted. When the knee angle b ° shown in FIG. 14B and the buttock angle bf ° are shown, a two-layer insole 70 of an upper layer 71 and an intermediate layer 72 is inserted. When the knee angle c ° shown in FIG. 14C and the heel angle is cf °, the insole 70 having only the upper layer 71 is inserted. From here, the surface of the insole 70 in contact with the sole of the user will be described as the foot placing table 68.

In this manner, the load applied to the sole of the user is changed at any knee angle, and the load on the sole of the knee is the softest and lessened when the knee angle is a. When the knee angle is b °, the load applied to the sole is slightly increased due to the softness in the middle. When the knee angle is c °, the softness is small and the load on the sole is increased. As a result, the load on the sole increases as the normal direction is reached, so that the actual feeling of walking is obtained. This point will be further described in FIG.

[Insole implementation]
FIG. 15B is an external view in which the insole having the maximum thickness is inserted into the foot part of the walking support tool. Here, the three-layer insole 70 is inserted with the knee angle set to a °. Here, as described above, the surface of the upper layer 71 of the insole 70 is the footrest 68. FIG. 15C is a cross-sectional explanatory view from the distal end side 77 to the heel side 78 of FIG. 15B, and shows a three-layer insole 70 as described above.

  FIG. 16 shows a state in which the insole that is set by adjusting the angle of the knee to be fixed in the single leg support period of the walking support device is mounted step by step. According to this, in FIG. 16 (a) corresponding to FIG. 14 (a), the thickest three-layer insole (71, 72, 73) is inserted and the state is a large angle (af °) with the ground contact surface. The appearance is shown. FIG. 16B shows the appearance of the intermediate angle (bf °) state in which the two-layer insole (71, 72) having the intermediate thickness is mounted, corresponding to FIG. 14B. . FIG. 16C shows the appearance of a small angle (cf °) state in which a thin single-layer insole (71) is mounted, corresponding to FIG. 14C.

Next, FIG. 17 is a view showing a state in which the distal end side 77 of FIG. 16 is a partial sectional view with the user's foot 7 removed, and FIG. 17 (a) corresponds to FIG. 16 (a). It is sectional drawing in the state which inserted the three-layer insole (71, 72, 73). In this case, since there is no load on the sole, the foot placing table 68 forming the surface of the insole 70 becomes af ° + α in a slightly swollen state. FIG. 17B is a cross-sectional view in a state where the two-layer insoles 71 and 72 corresponding to FIG. Also in this case, since there is no load on the sole, the foot placing table 68 forming the surface of the insole 70 becomes bf ° + α in a slightly swollen state. Moreover, FIG.17 (c) is sectional drawing in the state which inserted one insole (71) corresponding to FIG.16 (c). Also in this case, since there is no load on the sole, the foot placing table 68 forming the surface of the insole 70 becomes cf ° + α in a slightly swollen state. In other words, the insole 70 disclosed herein is supported by the ground contact portion 75 and expands and contracts due to a foot load. For example, when the foot 7 is not placed, the bulge is about 10 mm larger than when the foot 7 is placed. However, it is also considered that the degree of bulging differs depending on how the sole is loaded.

Needless to say, α is slightly different depending on the insole material and elasticity (cushioning property) of each layer. In the description so far, the surface of the insole 70 member is shown as the upper stage 71 and the foot placement table 68 in contact with the sole. However, instead of the insole 70, the surface between the foot placement table 68 and the grounding portion 75 is shown. An elastic member such as a spring may be interposed. In the above disclosure, the insole 70 is composed of the three layers of the upper layer 71, the intermediate layer 72, and the lower layer 73. However, the thickness and cushioning properties for each heel angle (af °, bf °, cf °) are described above. Different members may be used as the insole member. In short, it is only necessary to position a member that gives elastic force to the sole of the user.

[Configuration of grounding section]
From here, FIG. 18 demonstrates the grounding part 75 which is located in the 2nd link leg part 81 of the walking assistance tool 10, and receives a user's load. FIG. 18A is a view in which only the front end side 77 of the grounding portion 75 is a cross-section, and the others are side surfaces. The ground contact portion 75 receives the weight of the user during the single leg support period with respect to the ground contact surface GP described so far, and is shown in FIGS. 11A and 12A at the final stage of the stance phase. It is configured to kick out.

Here, the grounding part 75 is a heel grounding part 181 that is a first grounding part grounded on the lower side of the heel part 30, and a toe that is a third grounding part that is grounded near the base of the user's toes. The sole is supported at three points: the outer base contact portion 183 and the inner toe base contact portion 185, which is the second ground contact portion that contacts the inside of the toe. Moreover, the front-end | tip grounding part 187 which is a 4th grounding part is provided in the position corresponding to a toe.

[Spring structure of bottom support part]
As shown in FIG. 18B, a perspective view from the bottom surface side of the grounding portion is provided with a central spring mounting portion 193 on the toe side of the bottom surface support portion 180 integral with the flange portion 30. A central spring 192 is provided at the end of the central spring mounting portion 193, and the above-described saddle grounding portion 181 is mounted. An outer spring attachment portion 191 and an inner spring attachment portion 195 are attached to the bottom surface support portion 180 across the flange grounding portion 181 on the heel side of the bottom surface support portion 180. The outer spring attaching portion 191 is provided with an outer leaf spring 190, and the toe root grounding portion outer portion 183 is provided at the tip thereof.

The inner spring mounting portion 195 is provided with an inner leaf spring 194, and a toe root grounding portion inner portion 185 is provided at the tip thereof. The outer leaf spring 190, the center spring 192, and the inner leaf spring 194 are provided so as to be inclined from the mounting position toward the ground plane GP. Thus, the grounding surface GP is grounded at three points, and an arch-shaped elastic force is substantially applied to the grounding portion 75 as shown by a curved broken line in FIG. This arch-shaped three-point support functions in the same manner as a human foot so that walking with the walking aid 10 can be performed more naturally.

[Configuration of tip grounding section]
Furthermore, the grounding portion 75 of the walking assistance tool 10 disclosed herein includes a tip grounding portion 187 corresponding to the fingertip of the foot 7. The tip grounding portion 187 is spring-supported by the central spring mounting portion 193 so as to be rotatable. This spring is a coil spring, and this coil spring is arranged in the longitudinal direction with a seat from a position corresponding to the vicinity of the toe base to a position corresponding to the toe side. As shown in the figure, the coil spring is composed of two coils, an outer coil spring 196 and an inner coil spring 198 attached to the central spring mounting portion 193. A tip grounding portion 187 is attached to the tips of the outside 196 of the coil spring and the inside 198 of the coil spring.

The tip grounding portion 187 is supported by a coil spring outer 196 and a coil spring inner 198 with a clearance from the bottom surface support portion 180. Therefore, in the case of the end of the stance phase of the user's gait cycle already described with reference to FIGS. 11 and 12A (transition from the both-leg support phase to the swing phase), the grounding unit 75 to which the walking support tool 10 is attached. Acts to kick out the ground plane GP. By performing such a kicking action, it is possible to obtain the same function as kicking a person's foot, and to walk more naturally even when a walking aid is worn.

In addition, although the coil spring was used as an elastic body which supports the front-end | tip grounding part 187, a leaf | plate spring can also be used. On the other hand, by using the longitudinal direction of the coil spring as disclosed herein and applying an elastic force in a direction intersecting with the longitudinal direction, a more durable elastic action is obtained for a smaller size than when a leaf spring is used. Therefore, the kicking action during walking can be effectively obtained.

[Correlation between knee fixed angle and sole load]
Here, the correlation between the knee angle fixed to the single leg support period and the soles by the knee fixing angle adjusting unit 94 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 19A is a drawing having the same contents as FIG. 14A, FIG. 14B, and FIG. 14C. FIG. 19A1 shows the knee angle a by the knee fixing angle adjustment unit 94. It is the figure made into ° (about 140 degrees). FIG. 19A2 is a diagram in which the knee angle is set to b ° (about 150 °) by the knee fixing angle adjusting unit 94. FIG. 19A3 is a diagram in which the knee angle is set to c ° (about 170 °) by the knee fixing angle adjustment unit 94. Here, the knee angle shown in the figure is a straight line passing through the hip position of the user 12 and the knee side rotation position during the single leg support period, and a straight line passing through the rotation position of the user's heel and knee side. The angle between Therefore, although some angle errors occur, they are expressed as “knee angles”.

Further, on the grounding portion 75, a foot placement table 68 on which the upper layer 71 or the sole of the insole 70 described so far is placed is shown. Here, the insole 70 having a cushioning property is inserted in the inclined line of the foot placing table 68, and this is explained. Here, the cushioning property of the insole 70 can be changed according to the knee angle as described with reference to FIGS. 14 to 17, and this point is shown by a graph in FIG. 19B. In this graph, the vertical axis represents the cushioning property of the insole 70, and the horizontal axis represents the knee angle (knee fixed angle). As shown in this graph, at a ° (about 140), which reduces the burden on the knee during the single leg support period, there is considerable cushioning, while when it is close to the normal single leg support period, By selecting an item with a small amount, moderate stimulation or sensation is generated on the sole of the foot, making walking easier than ever.

[Load distribution support for thighs and soles]
In addition, as already described with reference to FIG. 12B, the upper layer 71 (foot placing table 68) of the insole 70 on which the user's feet are placed is supported by the grounding portion 75 via the insole 70. become. Again, most of the weight (F1) of the stance phase of the user is received by the support portion of the thigh 3 of the first link portion 15 and also by the footrest table 68 on which the foot 7 is placed, and is supported by the soles ( F3). That is, as in FIG. 12 (b), the grounding portion 75 receives the load (F1) of all body weights in the stance phase, and this load (F1) is the first link portion with the knee 9 bent. As described above, the 15 thigh supports (F2) and the sole support (F3) support the load in a distributed manner.

This point is shown in the graph of FIG. 19C, which is applied to the knee angle, the load supporting the thigh (first link), and the footrest 68 (the ground contact surface of the upper layer 71 of the insole 70). The correlation of load dispersion is shown. In this graph, the vertical axis represents the load support ratio of the thigh support and the sole support, and the horizontal axis represents the knee fixing angle. As shown in this graph, in this walking aid 10, a considerable percentage (about 70%) of the thigh (first link portion 15) is obtained at an angle a ° (about 140 °) that does not place a heavy burden on the knee. ), And the rest is received by the sole (foot placing table 68). On the other hand, when the knee angle is fixed at c ° (about 170 °) when a considerable burden may be imposed on the knee angle, a considerable proportion (about 80%) is received by the sole and the rest is received by the thigh. be able to.

  Thus, in the walking assist tool 10 disclosed herein, the knee fixing angle adjusting unit 94 can adjust the angle for fixing the knee in the single leg support period in accordance with a state where a burden may be applied to the knee. Since the load on the soles is also changed by the adjustment, it is possible to walk with a feeling close to that of normal walking without wearing the walking support tool 10. Further, even when the walking support tool 10 is worn, the knee can be bent during the swing leg period in accordance with the walking cycle, so that it becomes easier to balance the walking.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed herein, and various modifications can be made without departing from the present invention, and all of the technical matters included in the technical idea described in the scope of claims are described below. The subject of the invention. The embodiments described so far show preferred examples, but those skilled in the art will realize various alternatives, modifications, variations, and improvements from the contents disclosed in this specification. These are included in the technical scope described in the appended claims.

10 walking support tool 15 1st link part 25 2nd link part 35 heel connection part 60 link connection part 61 1st link pin 61 (engagement part)
64 Second link groove 64 (engagement portion)
68 Foot mounting base 69 Spring (elastic member)
70 Insole (Insole member)
75 Grounding part 80 Angle fixing part 81 Second link lower leg part 85 First link part lower part 90 Second link part upper part 94 Knee fixing angle adjusting part 95 Link plate 100 Stopper lever (stopper member)
110 Stopper rotating portion 115 Receiving portion (stopper receiving)
120 Release spring (trigger member)
130 Stopper pin 134 Brake part 135 First link turning part (first turning part / turning part)
140 Brake receiving part (second rotating part / rotating receiving part)
145 Brake shoe 150 Angle setting lever 163 Link plate convex portion 170 Second link concave portion 171 Second link first concave portion 172 Second link second concave portion 173 Second link third concave portion 180 Bottom support portion 181 踵 Grounding portion (first grounding portion) Part)
183 Outside the toes ground contact part (third contact part)
185 In the toe ground contact area (second ground area)
187 Tip grounding part (4th grounding part)
190 Outer leaf spring 192 Central spring 194 Inner leaf spring 196 Outside coil spring 198 Inside coil spring GP Grounding surface

Claims (10)

A walking support tool for supporting a user's walking,
A first link portion supported by the thigh;
A second link part supported by the lower leg or foot;
A link connecting part for connecting the first link part and the second link part and allowing rotation;
A stopper member interposed between the first link portion and the second link portion, and fixing a knee bending angle in a stance phase of the user to a predetermined angle;
A walking support tool provided with an angle changing unit that is fixed to either or both of the first link unit and the second link unit and that allows the predetermined angle to be changed. One end of the stopper member is rotatably supported by the first link portion, and the other end abuts on a receiving portion provided on the second link portion and is fixed at a knee bending angle. The walking support tool according to claim 2, wherein a trigger member that releases the stopper portion and releases the fixation at the predetermined angle is provided. The second link part is composed of a second link leg part positioned on the user's leg and a link plate fixed to the second link part, and the link part is rotatably engaged with the first link part. The walking support tool according to claim 2, wherein an engagement portion that forms part of the link connection portion, the receiving portion, and the trigger member are provided. The walking support tool according to claim 3, wherein the angle changing unit is capable of changing an attachment angle of the link plate with respect to the second link crus. The angle changing unit includes an angle setting lever that changes an attachment angle between the second link lower leg part and the link plate under the knee, and the angle setting lever includes the second link lower leg part and the link plate. The walking support tool according to claim 4, wherein the fixing and crimping are loosened and the crimping is released. A walking support tool for supporting a user's walking,
A first link portion supported by the thigh;
A second link part supported by the lower leg or foot;
A link connecting part for connecting the first link part and the second link part and allowing rotation;
A stopper member that is interposed between the first link portion and the second link portion and fixes a bending angle of the knee in the stance phase of the user to a predetermined angle;
The second link part includes a second link leg part positioned on the user's leg and a link plate fixed to the second link leg, and an angle for adjusting an attachment position between the second link leg part and the link plate. A walking support tool, characterized in that a changing portion is provided, and the angle changing portion changes a knee bending angle in the stance phase. The link plate is an engaging portion that forms a part of the link connecting portion by rotatably engaging the first link portion, and a receiving portion of a stopper member that is swingably provided on the first link portion. And a trigger member that moves the stopper member from the receiving portion and the receiving portion. The angle changing unit is provided with an angle setting lever for changing an attachment angle between the second link lower leg part and the link plate under a user's knee, and the angle setting lever includes the second link lower leg part and the link. The walking support tool according to claim 4, wherein the fixing and pressure-bonding fixing are loosened and the pressure-bonding is released by pressing the plate. The said 1st link part and the said 2nd link part connected with this 1st link part by the said link connection part so that rotation was possible were provided only inside the user's one side leg. The walking support tool according to 8. The first link part and the second link part rotatably connected to the first link part by the link connecting part are respectively provided on the inner side and the outer side of the user's lower leg. The walking support tool according to claim 9.

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