JP3698476B2 - Wheelchair footrest - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a movable wheelchair footrest (hereinafter abbreviated as a footrest) attached to a wheelchair frame.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In general, a wheelchair is provided with a footrest, and in many cases, it is made movable so that the user can easily get on and off, and can be retracted from the front of the wheelchair if necessary. For example, in Japanese Patent Publication No. 5-46739 “Footrest member in a wheelchair”, the pivotal axis of the footrest plate that had only been opened in the left-right direction can be retracted further in the front-rear direction. A footrest that can secure a wider space around the front foot has been proposed.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The movable and retractable footrest not only secures the space around the foot when the user gets on and off as described above, but also shortens the total length of the wheelchair as necessary to make it easier to turn around, that is, Required to improve mobility. However, if the footrest is retracted in order to improve the mobility of the wheelchair, there is no place where the foot is naturally placed, which often imposes a burden on the user.
[0004]
For example, in a wheelchair used around water, the footrest is retracted and moved in the toilet room etc. with the entire length shortened. However, when it comes to adding emergency use, there is no place for the user to put his foot on. There was a problem that the foot was forced on the floor or floated in the air, which imposed a considerable burden. Therefore, we decided to continue to develop a footrest that can be used to help the user get on and off and improve the mobility of the wheelchair while allowing it to be retracted, while still allowing the user to rest his / her foot.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
What was developed as a result of the study was a movable footrest attached to the frame of a wheelchair, with the mounting portion provided on the footrest plate pivotally attached to the rotating base fixed to the frame. A normal state in which the wheelchair user can place his / her foot on the front and substantially horizontally from the mounting portion, and a retracted state in which the wheelchair user can rest his / her foot on the rear and in a substantially horizontal position from the mounting portion. It is a footrest for wheelchairs characterized by making it possible to rotate between. The footrest plate rotates in the front-rear direction of the wheelchair.In the case of the left and right separation type, the notch (or A shape having a narrow front and rear width) is preferable. This notch serves as a positioning member that secures a platform for the user to get on and off in the normal state and determines the entry position of the wheelchair by contacting the toilet in the retracted state.
[0006]
The attachment of the attachment portion to the rotation base is realized by inserting a substantially polygonal rotation shaft provided on one side into a bearing hole provided on the other side, and the bearing hole fits the rotation shaft. Then, a substantially polygonal position fixing portion that restricts the rotation of the rotation shaft and a free rotation portion having a size that does not hinder the rotation of the rotation shaft are provided in a cross-sectional shape. For example, when a pivot shaft protruding left and right from the mounting portion of the footrest plate is inserted into a bearing hole provided in the pivot base, the pivot shaft has a substantially rectangular cross section with corners formed into arc shapes. In the hole, a position fixing portion having a substantially square cross section having the same size as the rotation shaft is disposed downward, and a free rotation portion having a substantially circular cross section having a size not to be inscribed in the substantially square shape is disposed upward. It is better to have a combined shape.
[0007]
In the normal state, the footrest of the present invention projects the footrest plate forward from the wheelchair frame and puts the foot on the surface, and in the retracted state, the footrest plate is turned 180 degrees and turned over. The position can be fixed and the foot can be put on the back. In this way, it is intended to be used for passengers getting on and off, and responds to the demand for shortening the overall length to improve the mobility of the wheelchair, while the original purpose is `` putting feet '' in either the normal state or the retracted state It performs a function. In addition, if the attachment part pivotally attached to the rotation base part is provided at a position slightly shifted forward from the rear edge in the footrest board in the normal state, the rear edge of the footrest board located in the front in the footrest board in the retracted state Can protrude slightly forward from the mounting portion, and the foot can be easily placed on the footrest plate in the retracted state.
[0008]
In the case of a configuration in which the rotation shaft provided at the mounting portion of the footrest plate is inserted into the bearing hole of the rotation base, the rotation shaft having a substantially polygonal shape is displaced downward in the normal state or the retracted state. The rotation is regulated by fitting into a position fixing portion of a bearing hole provided in the base portion. Then, the entire footrest plate is lifted upward from the state of the rotation restriction, and the rotation shaft is displaced from the position fixing portion of the bearing hole to the free rotation portion, thereby changing from the normal state to the retracted state (or Vice versa, it can be rotated easily.
[0009]
As for the arrangement relationship between the rotation shaft and the bearing hole, contrary to the above, a bearing hole may be provided in the mounting portion of the footrest plate, and a rotation shaft may be provided in the rotation base portion. In this case, in the normal state or the retracted state, the footrest plate must be displaced downward to be restricted from rotation, so the cross-sectional shape of the bearing hole provided in the footrest plate is opposite to that described above. That is, it has a position fixing part above and a free rotation part below. However, in order to rotate the footrest plate from the normal state to the retracted state (or vice versa), the relative position of the rotation shaft that is fitted to the position fixing portion by lifting the footrest plate upward is freely rotated. The procedure is the same as described above.
[0010]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a wheelchair 2 for water use provided with a footrest 1 of the present invention. The wheelchair 2 has a structure in which left and right frames 3 and 4 made of steel pipes are connected by a front edge frame 5 and a reinforcing frame 6 which are attachment bases of the footrest 1 below the front edge, and by a push handle 7 above the rear edge. It is. A seat portion 9 having an opening 8 in the center is installed on a horizontal portion provided in the middle of the left and right frames 3 and 4 and has a space below. Thereby, the wheelchair 2 can be advanced until the seat 9 reaches the toilet bowl (especially a Western-style toilet, not shown), and the user can use the opening 8 while sitting on the seat 9. Can do it. In the wheelchair 2 of this example, in consideration of the use around the water, in order to improve the mobility as the wheelchair 2, it is necessary to attach the turning control mechanism and the caster 10 with the braking mechanism to the four corners of the front edge frame 5 and the base frame 20. Accordingly, an armrest 11 is provided that can be rotated upward and retracted.
[0011]
2 to 6 are side views or plan views showing a procedure for shifting the footrest 1 of the present invention from the normal state to the retracted state, and FIG. 2 is a side view of the normal state (partially broken), FIG. Is a plan view of the normal state, FIG. 4 is a side view corresponding to FIG. 2 showing the transition from the normal state to the retracted state, FIG. 5 is a side view corresponding to FIG. 2 in the retracted state, and FIG. The top view of is represented.
[0012]
With reference to FIG.2 and FIG.3, the structure of the footrest 1 of this example is demonstrated. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the footrest 1 of this example includes a footrest plate 12 that pivots in the front-rear direction of the wheelchair and a pivot base 13 that serves as the pivot center. It is a left and right integrated horizontal section with a notch 14 at the center of the front edge. It has a substantially square pillar-shaped rotation shaft 15 that penetrates the mounting portion 16 and protrudes at both ends. Is fitted to the front edge frame 5 and fixed with screws, and the footrest plate 12 is rotatable with respect to the rotation base 13 by inserting both ends of the rotation shaft 15 into the bearing holes 18 respectively. Is assembled. The notch portion 14 of the footrest plate 12 allows the user to stand on a position closer to the wheelchair 2 and to place the foot on the footrest plate 12 as much as possible when getting on and off. In addition, when the footrest plate is retracted, it also functions as a positioning member when the wheelchair enters the toilet.
[0013]
In the normal state, as shown in FIG. 2 or FIG. 3, the footrest plate 12 is in a front and substantially horizontal state from the rotating shaft 15, and the rotating shaft 15 projecting at both ends from the mounting portion 16 has a bearing hole 17. Of these, the footrest plate 12 is in a state of restricting rotation in both the upper and lower directions because it is fitted to the position fixing portion 18 located below. However, since the structural strength against the force applied when the foot is placed on the footrest plate 12 is insufficient only by the rotation shaft 15 being fitted to the position fixing portion 18, in this example, the footrest plate The rear end surface of 12 is brought into contact with and supported by the front surface of the rotation base 13. The contact of the rear end surface of the footrest plate 12 with the front surface of the rotation base 13 has a function of restricting the downward rotation of the footrest plate 12.
[0014]
From the normal state to the retracted state, as shown in FIG. 4, the footrest plate 12 is lifted slightly upward in the horizontal state, and the rotation shaft 15 is released from the position fixing portion 18 to freely rotate. Transition can be made by rotating the unit 19 in a displaced state. In this way, the bearing hole 17 provided in the rotation base portion 13 has the position fixing portion 18 into which the rotation shaft 15 is fitted downward, and the free rotation portion 19 having a size that does not hinder the rotation of the rotation shaft 15. Since it is a composite shape having the upper side, it is possible to realize an assembly configuration that can freely rotate as necessary while restricting the rotation of the footrest plate 12 in a normal state (and a retracted state described later). It is. In this example, the cross-sectional shape of the free rotation part is a circular shape having a size that does not allow the rotation of the substantially quadrangular prism-shaped rotation axis, but it may be a shape that does not hinder the rotation of the rotation axis. For example, a substantially polygonal shape may be used.
[0015]
As shown in FIG. 5 or FIG. 6, the footrest plate 12 that has finished the rotation to the retracted state is fitted again with the rotation shaft 15 to the position fixing portion 18 of the bearing hole 17 and the rotation is restricted. In the conventional footrest, the footrest plate in the retracted state normally stands up and could not place the foot, but in the footrest 1 of the present invention, as seen in the phantom line (two-dot chain line) in FIG. Even in the retracted state, the footrest plate 12 can be placed on the foot sufficiently by being maintained in a substantially horizontal state behind the pivot shaft 15. In this retracted state, the lower surface of the footrest plate 12 turned upside down is supported mainly from below by the reinforcing frame 6 to ensure the necessary structural strength against the force applied when the foot is placed on the footrest plate 12. Like to do. In this retracted state, the notch portion 14 formed in the footrest plate 12 also functions as a positioning member in the approach by coming into contact with a constricted portion (not shown) of a toilet that allows the wheelchair 2 to approach.
[0016]
【The invention's effect】
With the footrest of the present invention, for example, even when the footrest plate is retracted to shorten the overall length to enter the toilet and ensure the mobility of the wheelchair, it is possible to secure a place for the user to put his feet on. Become. In particular, when considering a footrest that rotates independently on the left and right sides, the user can pay attention to getting on and off by rotating one side at a time. Therefore, it is possible to realize safer boarding / exiting for the user.
[0017]
In addition, in both the normal state and the retracted state, sufficient rotation is restricted, so there is no risk of the footrest plate rotating unexpectedly due to the collision of an obstacle, etc. There is no worry about giving anxiety. Moreover, if necessary, the footrest plate can be easily rotated. Of course, when the caregiver rotates the footrest plate, the wheelchair user himself can easily operate the footrest plate. The present invention has the feature that it can be handled and is extremely easy to handle.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a wheelchair equipped with a footrest according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side view of the footrest in a normal state.
FIG. 3 is a plan view of the footrest in the normal state.
FIG. 4 is a side view of the footrest showing the transition from the normal state to the retracted state.
FIG. 5 is a side view of the footrest in the retracted state.
FIG. 6 is a plan view of the footrest in the retracted state.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Footrest 2 Wheelchair for water circumference 5 Front edge frame 6 Reinforcement frame
12 Footboard
13 Rotating base
14 Notch
15 Rotating axis
16 Mounting part
17 Bearing hole
18 Position fixing part
19 Free rotation part

Claims (3)

In a movable footrest attached to a frame of a wheelchair, an attachment portion provided on the footrest plate is pivotally attached to a rotation base portion fixed to the frame, and the footrest plate is forward and substantially horizontal from the attachment portion. It is possible to rotate between a normal state in which the wheelchair user can place his / her foot and a retracted state in which the wheelchair user can place his / her foot in a position that is fixed in the rear and substantially horizontal from the mounting portion. A footrest for wheelchairs characterized by The footrest for a wheelchair according to claim 1, wherein the footrest has a notch at the center of the front edge. The attachment of the mounting portion to the rotation base according to claim 1 is realized by inserting a substantially polygonal rotation shaft provided on one side into a bearing hole provided on the other side, and the bearing hole is the rotation A cross-sectional shape in which a substantially polygonal position fixing portion that fits the shaft and restricts the rotation of the rotation shaft and a free rotation portion of a size that does not hinder the rotation of the rotation shaft are arranged vertically. There is a footrest for wheelchairs.

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