JP5502952B2 - Trolley - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a carriage.

  As one of the instruments used by elderly people with weak legs, the four-wheeled walking car (silver car) has become widespread. A walker is used for walking rehabilitation. Furthermore, wheelchairs are used for people with weak legs. In addition, various appliances such as shopping carts that are manually driven or driven by an electric motor are used.

  Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-229254) is cited as a reference technology related to a wheelchair carriage.

JP 2008-229254 A

  Instruments such as a four-wheeled walking vehicle, a walker, and a wheelchair include a carriage as a mechanism for movement. A typical cart has a small diameter rotating wheel called a caster. FIG. 1 is a side view showing a reference example of a wheelchair equipped with such wheels. The wheelchair 101 includes a carriage 102. The carriage 102 includes a front wheel 104 that is a small-diameter caster and a rear wheel 103 that is a driving wheel.

  When the carriage 102 travels on the ground 105 such as a flat floor, the front wheel 104 may hit the step 106. As shown in FIG. 2, when the height of the step 106 is equal to or greater than the radius of the front wheel 104, the step 106 is overcome unless the wheelchair 101 is tilted and the front wheel 104 is lifted as shown by the arrow. I can't.

  Further, when the front wheel 104 tries to get over the step 106, even if the front step 104 is a low step 106, an impact or shaking uncomfortable for the user may occur. Furthermore, when the approach speed to the step 106 is high, when the front wheel 104 is lifted, the seat may be inclined backward and become unstable.

  Further, the following problem can be considered. The caster of the front wheel 104 rotates around the caster shaft 107. As shown in FIG. 3, when the front wheel 104 hits the step 106 in an oblique state with respect to the step 106, it becomes impossible for the front wheel 104 to turn sideways and get over the step 106.

  A technique for alleviating such a traveling problem due to the step 106 is desired.

  Hereinafter, means for solving the problem will be described using the numbers used in [DETAILED DESCRIPTION] in parentheses. These numbers are added to clarify the correspondence between the description of [Claims] and [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]. However, these numbers should not be used to interpret the technical scope of the invention described in [Claims].

  In one aspect of the present invention, the carriage (110) includes a chassis (111), and a front wheel portion and a rear wheel portion attached to the chassis. The front wheel portion includes a pair of casters (113) arranged side by side in the left-right direction, and a sled member (115) attached to the chassis and supporting each of the pair of casters. The sled-like member is a leaf spring that has a sliding surface that rides on the step prior to the caster and relieves an impact when contacting the step when the carriage advances toward the front step (106).

  In another aspect of the invention, the direction of the sliding surface of the carriage is fixed.

  In still another aspect of the present invention, the carriage further includes a front wheel coil spring (S1) that supports the front wheel portion so as to be elastically deformable in the vertical direction with respect to the chassis. The leaf spring is rotatably supported at the front movable end (116) and is rotatably supported at the rear movable end (124).

  In still another aspect of the present invention, the leaf spring is fixed at the front fixed end (116) and rotatably supported at the rear movable end (124).

  In still another aspect of the present invention, the sled member (115) includes a front wheel cover (114) that covers the caster so that the traveling direction of the caster (113) is movable. The leaf spring includes a front leaf spring (115F) that connects the front wheel cover and the fixed end, and a rear leaf spring (115R) that connects the front wheel cover and the movable end.

  In still another aspect of the present invention, the rear wheel (112) is supported by the chassis (111) via a rear wheel side leaf spring (127) that absorbs an impact in the vertical direction.

  In still another aspect of the present invention, the carriage further includes a link member (122) supported so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction around the fulcrum with respect to the chassis. The link member includes a link front portion (123) that supports the movable end of the leaf spring on the front side of the fulcrum, and a link rear portion (125) that supports the end portion on the front side of the rear wheel side leaf spring on the rear side of the fulcrum. With.

  In still another aspect of the present invention, the carriage further includes a motor (130) that is supported by the chassis via a leaf spring (127) and drives the rear wheels.

  In still another aspect of the present invention, the carriage further includes an upper member (134), a sensor (135) that detects the inclination of the carriage in the left-right direction, and the inclination of the upper member in the left-right direction based on the detected value of the inclination. A posture control unit (136) for controlling the posture of the upper member so that is smaller than the carriage.

  In one aspect of the present invention, the walking assist chair includes a vehicle part (2) that moves on the floor, a lift seat surface (18) that is supported by the vehicle part so as to be able to move up and down, and the wheelchair is positioned at a wheelchair position. A seat surface elevating device (24) for fixing the elevating seat surface to the vehicle portion, or fixing the elevating seat surface to the vehicle portion so as to be arranged at a walker position vertically above the wheelchair position; A retracting seat surface (19-1 to 19-2) and a seating surface retracting device (51) are provided. The seating surface retracting device is configured so that the lifting seat surface and the retracting seat surface form a wheelchair seating surface (14) when the lifting seat surface is fixed at the wheelchair position. The retracting seat surface is fixed at a predetermined position with respect to the surface. When the elevating seat surface is fixed at the walker position, the retracting seat surface is arranged at another position different from the predetermined position with respect to the elevating seat surface. The said vehicle part is equipped with the structure of the trolley | bogie in one side surface of this invention.

  According to the present invention, a technique for alleviating the problem of traveling due to steps is provided.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view of the problem of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram for the problem of the present invention. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram for the problem of the present invention. FIG. 4 shows a side view of the carriage. FIG. 5 shows a side view of the wheelchair. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the wheelchair as viewed obliquely from behind. FIG. 7 shows a step and a front wheel part. FIG. 8 is a side view when the front wheel portion of the wheelchair hits a step. FIG. 9 shows a side view of the wheelchair. FIG. 10 shows the front wheel cover with the inside cut off. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of posture control in the left-right direction. FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a walking assistance chair. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a walking assistance chair used as a walker. FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view showing the seat lifting device. FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view showing a seat lifting device in which the lifting seat surface is slightly raised. FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view showing the seating surface retracting device. FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view showing a seating surface retracting device in which the retracting seating surface is slightly lowered. FIG. 18 is a block diagram showing a walking assist chair. FIG. 19 is a block diagram illustrating the controller.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 4 shows a side view of the carriage 110 according to one embodiment of the present invention. By mounting a seat, an arm that supports the upper body of the user, a car, and the like on the carriage 110, a four-wheel walking vehicle, a walker, a wheelchair, a shopping cart, a trolley cart, and the like can be configured. FIG. 5 shows a side view of a wheelchair 133 in which a seat is installed on the carriage 110 as an example. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the wheelchair 133 as viewed obliquely from behind.

The cart 110 includes a chassis 111 having high rigidity. A front wheel 113 and a rear wheel 112 are attached to the carriage 110 with the x-axis positive direction in FIG. FIG. 4 is a view of the carriage 110 having two front wheels and two rear wheels as viewed from the left side, but the configuration of the wheels may be different from this.

  First, the front wheel portion will be described. The front wheel portion includes a front wheel 113 including a pair of casters arranged side by side in the left-right direction. The front wheel portion further includes a leaf spring 115 that is a sled member that supports the pair of casters. The leaf spring 115 is elastically deformed in a buffering direction 119 which is a direction for absorbing an impact when the carriage 110 moves in the front direction and rides on the step 106. The leaf spring 115 is desirably formed of a material such as a resin having a small surface friction coefficient and low wear. An example of such a material is carbon fiber reinforced plastic.

The leaf spring 115 is attached in such a direction that the elongated plate is bent into a substantially arc shape and the surface of the leaf spring 115 first hits the step when the carriage 110 moves forward. That is, it is attached so that the width direction of the elongated plate-like member is the width direction of the carriage 110 (left-right direction, y-axis direction in the figure). The zx cross section of the leaf spring 115 forms, for example, an arc having a radius R centered on the center 115-1. However, it may not be a circular arc as long as it is smooth and warped in front of the front wheel 113.

A pair of plate-like members are attached to the lower surface near the front end of the carriage 110 . The pair of plate members and the front end portion of the plate spring 115 are connected by the following support structure. That is, the opposed surfaces of the pair of plate-like members sandwich the front end portion of the leaf spring 115. A rod-like member extending in the width direction (y-axis direction) is attached to the connection portion 116 of the pair of plate-like members. The bar-shaped member is passed through a hole formed in the front end portion of the leaf spring 115 and extending in the y-axis direction, whereby the front end portion of the leaf spring 115 is supported. The connecting portion 116 is provided at a position higher than the front wheel shaft 113-1 which is the rotation shaft of the front wheel 113.

  The rear end portion of the leaf spring 115 is connected to a connection portion 124 provided at the link front portion 123 of the link 122. The leaf spring 115 and the link 122 are also connected at the connection portion 124 by the same support structure as the front end portion of the leaf spring 115. However, the rear end portion of the leaf spring 115 is a rotation support that is rotatably mounted around a rotation axis extending in the width direction (y-axis direction) at the connection portion 124, whereas the front end portion of the leaf spring 115 is It is a fixed support attached so that it cannot rotate in the connection part 116. FIG.

  The front wheel portion includes a front wheel cover 114 attached to the leaf spring 115. The front wheel cover 114 is a cage-shaped member having a vertically downward opening (a barrel shape whose cross section decreases toward the top along the shape of the front wheel 113). The front wheel cover 114 has a front portion connected to the connection portion 116 via a front portion 115F (front side leaf spring) of the front leaf spring 115, and a rear portion connected to a connection portion via a rear portion 115R (rear side leaf spring) of the front leaf spring 115. It is supported by being connected to 124.

  The front wheel cover 114 is connected to the front leaf spring 115 at its lower end (opening). The front wheel cover 114 and the front leaf spring 115 are preferably integrally formed members. A part of the lower end of the front wheel 113 is exposed from the lower opening of the front wheel cover 114. As a result, the front wheel 113 contacts the ground 132 on the flat ground 132.

  A caster for the front wheel 113 is attached to the upper surface of the front wheel cover 114. The front wheel 113 can freely change its traveling direction around the vertical caster shaft 118. Further, the front wheel 113 can travel on the ground 132 by rotating about the front wheel shaft 113-1.

  Next, the link 122 (link member) will be described. A connecting member 120 is attached to the lower surface side of the position between the front wheel 113 and the rear wheel 112 of the chassis 111. A link 122 is attached to the connection part 121 of the connection member 120. The link 122 is supported so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction around the fulcrum (connecting portion 121) with respect to the chassis.

  The link 122 has a link front part 123 and a link rear part 125. The front end portion of the link front portion 123 is attached to the leaf spring 115 of the front wheel portion at the connection portion 124. The rear end portion of the link rear portion 125 is attached to the leaf spring 127 of the rear wheel portion at the connection portion 126.

The link 122 is connected to the chassis 111 at the connecting portion 121 so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis extending in the width direction (y-axis direction) of the carriage 110. In a state where the carriage 110 is free (a state where the carriage 110 is placed on the horizontal ground 132 and no external force other than its own weight is applied), the angle around the connection portion 121 of the link 122 is supported by the leaf springs 115 and 127 . To be determined.

  The link 122 has a downward V-shape. That is, in a state where the carriage 110 is free, the link front portion 123 is lowered toward the front, and the link rear portion 125 is lowered toward the rear. With such a shape, the amount of change in the rotation angle around the connection portion 121 of the link 122 is improved.

  Next, the rear wheel portion will be described. The rear wheel portion includes a rear leaf spring 127 (rear wheel side leaf spring). The rear wheel 112 is supported by the chassis 111 via the rear leaf spring 127. The front end portion of the rear leaf spring 127 is connected to the connection portion 126 of the link rear portion 125. The connection portion 126 also has a support structure similar to that of the connection portion 116 (the front end portion of the leaf spring 115). The rear end portion of the leaf spring 127 is connected to a pair of plate-like members attached to the lower surface near the rear end portion of the chassis 111 by a support structure similar to the connection portion 116. The leaf spring 127 is, for example, an arc whose zx cross section is convex downward. The front end portion and the rear end portion of the leaf spring 127 are rotatably connected in the same manner as the connection portion 124 at the rear end of the front wheel portion.

  The axle of the rear wheel 112 is supported by the leaf spring 127 of the rear wheel portion. That is, when the leaf spring 127 is elastically deformed, the axle is displaced in the vertical direction with respect to the chassis 111 according to the elastic deformation. The rear wheel 112 travels on the ground 132 by rotating about the rear wheel shaft 129 defined by the axle.

  The rear wheel portion further includes an electric motor 130. The motor 130 is supported by a leaf spring 127. Therefore, the position in the vertical direction is displaced with the elastic deformation of the leaf spring 127. However, the position of the motor 130 in the horizontal plane (position in the xy plane) is held at a fixed position with respect to the chassis 111 independently of the elastic deformation of the leaf spring 127. Therefore, the motor 130 is supported by the motor support member 131 at a fixed position in the xy direction so as to be movable up and down with respect to the chassis 111.

  The operation of the wheelchair having such a configuration will be described below. FIG. 7 is a side view showing the front wheel portion when the wheelchair 133 approaches the step 106. When the wheelchair 133 travels and approaches the step 106, the front leaf spring 115 hits the step 106 prior to the front wheel 113. The lower surface of the front leaf spring 115 becomes a sliding surface with respect to the corner of the step 106 and the upper surface of the step 106, and the front wheel portion rides on the step 106.

  The virtual wheel diameter R of the front leaf spring 115 (the radius of curvature at the location where it hits the step 106) is larger than the radius r of the front wheel 113. Therefore, even if the step 106 is equal to or larger than the radius r, the front wheel spring 115 functions as a warp so that the front wheel portion can ride on the step 106.

  The direction of the sliding surface (lower surface) of the front leaf spring 115 is fixed. Therefore, as described with reference to FIG. 3, there is no problem that the front wheel 113 obliquely hitting the step 106 is turned sideways.

  A fixed end on the front side of the front leaf spring 115 is fixed so as not to rotate at the connection portion 116. Therefore, the front leaf spring 115 can be elastically deformed without sagging at the connection portion 116 when it hits the step 106. Furthermore, the movable end on the rear side of the front leaf spring 115 is connected to the link 122 by a rotatable fulcrum. Therefore, it can be elastically deformed with a smaller force than in the case where it cannot rotate, and the impact absorbing ability is improved.

  As described above, since the warped member of the front wheel portion for climbing the step 106 is formed by the leaf spring for absorbing the impact, the step 106 can be smoothly climbed with a simple structure. After riding on the step 106, the front wheel 113 touches the surface above the step 106 and travels.

  FIG. 8 is a side view when the front wheel portion of the wheelchair 133 hits the step 106. When the wheelchair 133 hits the step 106, the front leaf spring 115 is elastically deformed and the front wheel portion is displaced upward with respect to the chassis 111. As a result, the link front portion 123 is pushed by the front leaf spring 115 and displaced upward. Since the connecting portion 124 between the front leaf spring 115 and the link 122 is rotatable, the upward force of the front leaf spring 115 is transmitted to the link 122 with high efficiency. As the link front part 123 goes up, the link rear part 125 goes down. As a result, the rear leaf spring 127 is lowered, and the rear wheel 112 is displaced downward with respect to the chassis 111.

  When the front wheel rides on the step 106, the wheelchair 133 tilts backward. However, when the front wheel 113 is raised and the rear wheel 112 is lowered with respect to the chassis 111, the inclination is relaxed, and the seat 134 can ride on the surface above the step 106 in a state of being more horizontal.

  According to the present embodiment, the ability to ride on the step 106 of the carriage 110 such as the wheelchair 133 can be improved by the relatively simple and easy-to-maintain mechanical parts such as the front and rear leaf springs and the link connecting them.

  Further, since the front wheel cover 114 is provided, the phenomenon that the front wheel 104 strikes the step 106 obliquely and faces sideways as shown in FIG. 3 can be avoided, and safety is improved.

  FIG. 9 shows a modification of the present embodiment. In this modification, coil springs S1 and S2 are added to the front wheel portion and the rear wheel portion, respectively. The coil springs S1 and S2 are fixed to the chassis 111, respectively. The direction of elastic deformation of the coil springs S1 and S2 is the vertical direction when the wheelchair 133 is placed on the horizontal ground 132. The coil spring S1 supports the front wheel 113 or the front wheel cover 114. The coil spring S2 supports the rear wheel 112 or the motor 130. In such a configuration, the connection portion 116 at the front end of the front leaf spring 115 and the connection portion 128 at the rear end of the rear leaf spring 127 may be rotation support that can be rotated about the width direction as a rotation axis instead of fixed support. .

  The following effects are obtained by the coil springs S1 and S2. The coil springs S1 and S2 can soften the impact during traveling by a damper function. Furthermore, the twist of each of the front leaf spring 115 and the rear leaf spring 127 can be suppressed.

  In general, it is effective to reduce the rigidity of the leaf springs in order to improve the ride comfort when using the leaf springs such as when the front leaf spring 115 rides on the step 106. However, if the wheels are supported only by the leaf springs, the undercarriage becomes messy and the ride comfort may be worsened. By adding the coil springs S1 and S2, the suspension can be maintained well even when a leaf spring with low rigidity is used. Further, by attaching a caster (front wheel 113) to the front leaf spring 115 and attaching a driving wheel (rear wheel 112 driven by the motor 130) to the rear leaf spring 127, these leaf springs are likely to be twisted. Conceivable. The coil springs S1 and S2 also function to prevent the twisting.

  In order for the front wheel cover 114 to play such a role, only the portion of the front wheel cover 114 facing the outside in the left-right direction is sufficient. FIG. 10 shows the front wheel cover 114 with the inside cut off. The front wheel cover 114 of the right front wheel portion as viewed from the user of the wheelchair 133 is shown. In the case of the left front wheel cover 114, the shape is symmetrical about the zx plane. In the front wheel cover 114, a portion of the cage member on the side of the user's seat 134 is cut off at a cut surface 140 parallel to the zx plane. Of course, as a manufacturing method, instead of cutting the cage member, the member having the shape shown in FIG. 10 may be integrally formed.

Such a front wheel cover 114 can sufficiently perform the function of preventing the front wheel 113 from hitting the step 106 obliquely. In addition, since the front wheel cover 114 does not protrude toward the user's seat 134, the space near the user's front legs can be widened.

The cart 110 in the present embodiment further has a function of controlling the posture in the left-right direction of an upper member (wheelchair seat, shopping cart basket, etc.) supported by the cart 110. FIG. 11 is a rear view showing the configuration. The wheelchair 133 includes a sensor 135 (gyro sensor) that detects the inclination of the carriage 110 in the width direction and outputs the detected value. The seat 134 is pivotally connected to the chassis 111 so as to be inclined in the width direction. The inclination angle is controlled by a worm gear wheel driven by the electric motor of the attitude control unit 136. The attitude control unit 136 controls the inclination angle of the seat 134 in the width direction to be smaller than that of the carriage 110 based on the detected value of the inclination angle obtained by the sensor 135. With such a configuration, even when the ground 132 is inclined, the seat 134 can be maintained almost horizontal. The sensor 135 may be provided on the seat 134. In that case, the posture control unit 136 determines the relative inclination of the seat 134 with respect to the carriage 110 so that the inclination in the width direction of the seat 134 becomes more horizontal based on the signal indicating the inclination of the seat 134 output from the sensor 135. To control.

  In addition to the wheelchair 133, the cart 110 in the embodiment described above can be used for a four-wheeled walking vehicle, a walker, a shopping cart, a trolley cart, and the like. Below, with reference to FIGS. 12-19, embodiment of a walking assistance chair is demonstrated as an example of the use of the trolley | bogie 110. FIG.

  The walking assistance chair in the present embodiment includes a walking assistance chair body and a controller. The walking assist chair body 1 includes a vehicle portion 2 as shown in FIG. The vehicle portion 2 corresponds to the carriage 110 in FIG. The vehicle portion 2 is configured to be movable on the floor, and includes a vehicle frame 5, a plurality of front wheels 6-1 to 6-2, and a plurality of rear wheels 7-1 to 7-2. The vehicle frame 5 corresponds to the chassis 111. The plurality of front wheels 6-1 to 6-2 and the plurality of rear wheels 7-1 to 7-2 support the vehicle frame 5 so that the vehicle frame 5 does not contact the floor. Each of the plurality of front wheels 6-1 to 6-2 is a so-called universal caster, is formed on a wheel, and is supported by the vehicle frame 5 so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis. The rotation axis is perpendicular to the vertical direction and is rotatable about another rotation axis that is parallel to the vertical direction. The plurality of rear wheels 7-1 to 7-2 are each formed on a wheel and supported by the vehicle frame 5 so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis. The rotation axis is perpendicular to the vertical direction and perpendicular to the traveling direction 10. At this time, the vehicle portion 2 can move on the floor as the wheels of the plurality of front wheels 6-1 to 6-2 and the plurality of rear wheels 7-1 to 7-2 rotate.

  By using the cart 110 described in FIGS. 4 to 11 in place of the plurality of front wheels 6-1 to 6-2 and the plurality of rear wheels 7-1 to 7-2 of the walking assist chair, a step 106 is obtained. The ability to ride on can be improved.

  The walking assist chair body 1 further includes a hand bar 8. The hand bar 8 is fixed to the vehicle frame 5. A user or a caregiver can move the walking assist chair body 1 freely on the floor by pressing the hand bar 8.

  The walking assist chair body 1 further includes an elevating frame 12, a seating surface 14, a backrest 15, a plurality of armrests 16-1 to 16-2, a grip bar 17, and a plurality of foot steps 11-1 to 11-2. Yes. The elevating frame 12 is supported by the vehicle frame 5 so as to be movable in the vertical direction. The seat surface 14 is formed in a plate shape, and is formed on a seat surface on which a user who uses the walking assistance chair according to the present embodiment as a wheelchair sits. The seat surface 14 is supported by the elevating frame 12.

  The backrest 15 is formed in a plate shape, and is arranged so that the user's back contacts when the user sits on the seating surface 14. The backrest 15 is supported by the elevating frame 12 so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis. The rotation axis is perpendicular to the vertical direction and perpendicular to the traveling direction 10. The backrest 15 further includes a lever and a reclining mechanism (not shown). The reclining mechanism supports the backrest 15 on the elevating frame 12 so that the backrest 15 can be rotated by a user operation when the lever is pulled by the user. The reclining mechanism fixes the backrest 15 to the elevating frame 12 so that the backrest 15 does not rotate about the rotation axis when the user's hand is away from the lever.

  The plurality of foot steps 11-1 to 11-2 are each formed in a plate shape, and a footrest surface is formed. The plurality of foot steps 11-1 to 11-2 are supported by the frame so as to be rotatable around the rotation axis so that they can be arranged in any of a plurality of postures. The plurality of postures include a wheelchair posture and a walker posture. When the plurality of foot steps 11-1 to 11-2 are arranged in the wheelchair posture, the footrest surface faces vertically upward, that is, the user's foot seated on the seating surface 14 It is arranged so that it can be placed on the footrest surface. When the plurality of foot steps 11-1 to 11-2 are arranged in the posture for the walker, the footrest surface faces the horizontal direction, that is, the plurality of feet of the user seated on the seating surface 14 are present. It is arranged so that it can be placed on the floor without hitting the foot steps 11-1 to 11-2.

  The plurality of armrests 16-1 to 16-2 are arranged and supported by the elevating frame 12 so that the user's elbow seated on the seat surface 14 can be put on.

  The grip bar 17 is formed in a bar shape. The grip bar 17 is disposed so as to cross the front of the user seated on the seating surface 14, and is removably supported by the plurality of armrests 16-1 to 16-2.

  The walking assist chair body 1 further includes a joystick 22 and an operation panel 23. The joystick 22 is fixed to the right armrest 16-2 so that the right hand of the user sitting on the seating surface 14 can reach. The joystick 22 creates one piece of information from a plurality of pieces of information when operated by the user. The plurality of information includes movement information, brake information, and brake release information. The movement information indicates the direction and speed. The operation panel 23 is fixed to the left armrest 16-1 so that the left hand of the user sitting on the seating surface 14 can reach. The operation panel 23 creates information indicating one of a plurality of pieces of information when operated by the user. The plurality of information includes start-up assistance and seating assistance. Note that the joystick 22 and the operation panel 23 can be attached to the plurality of armrests 16-1 to 16-2 by switching left and right.

  The seat surface 14 includes an elevating seat surface 18 and a plurality of retreat seat surfaces 19-1 to 19-2. The elevating seat surface 18 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape that is long in the traveling direction 10, and is formed in the center portion of the seat surface 14. The elevating seat surface 18 is fixed to the elevating frame 12. That is, the lift seat surface 18 can be arranged at a plurality of positions as the lift frame 12 moves up and down. The plurality of positions includes a wheelchair position and a walker position. The wheelchair position is the position on the lowest vertical side among the plurality of positions. The walker position is a position vertically above the wheelchair position among the plurality of positions, and is a position suitable for the user set based on the user's physique.

  The plurality of retracting seat surfaces 19-1 to 19-2 are each formed in a plate shape. Of the plurality of retreat seat surfaces 19-1 to 19-2, the left retreat seat surface 19-1 is formed on the left portion of the seat surface 14. Of the plurality of retracting seat surfaces 19-1 to 19-2, the right retracting seat surface 19-2 is formed on the right portion of the seating surface 14. That is, the seat surface 14 is formed by arranging the elevating seat surface 18 so as to be sandwiched between the plurality of retreat seat surfaces 19-1 to 19-2.

  The plurality of retreat seat surfaces 19-1 to 19-2 are further supported by the elevating frame 12 so as to be rotatable around a rotation shaft 21 fixed to the elevating frame 12. The rotation shaft 21 is perpendicular to the vertical direction, is perpendicular to the traveling direction 10, and is disposed on the opposite side of the traveling direction 10 of the seat surface 14.

  Since the plurality of retreat seat surfaces 19-1 to 19-2 are configured in this way, they can be arranged vertically below the elevating seat surface 18 as shown in FIG. 13.

  As illustrated in FIG. 13, the walking assist chair body 1 further includes a seat lifting device 24. The seat lifting device 24 includes an actuator 25 and a pantograph 26.

  FIG. 14 shows the pantograph 26. The pantograph 26 includes a plurality of members 31 to 39. The member 31 is fixed to the vehicle frame 5. The member 32 is supported by the member 31 so as to be rotatable about a rotation shaft 40 fixed to the member 31. The rotating shaft 40 is perpendicular to the vertical direction and perpendicular to the traveling direction 10. The member 33 is supported by the member 31 so as to be rotatable about a rotation shaft 41 fixed to the member 31. The rotating shaft 41 is parallel to the rotating shaft 40 and is disposed so as to be separated from the rotating shaft 40 in the traveling direction 10 by a predetermined distance.

  The member 34 is supported by the member 32 so as to be rotatable about a rotation shaft 42 fixed to the member 32. The rotating shaft 42 is parallel to the rotating shaft 40. The member 35 is supported by the member 33 so as to be rotatable about a rotation shaft 43 fixed to the member 33. The rotating shaft 43 is parallel to the rotating shaft 41. At this time, the member 33 is formed so that the distance from the rotating shaft 41 to the rotating shaft 43 is equal to the distance from the rotating shaft 40 to the rotating shaft 42. The member 36 is supported by the member 34 so as to be rotatable around a rotation shaft 44 fixed to the member 34, and is supported by the member 35 so as to be rotatable around a rotation shaft 45 fixed to the member 35. Yes. The rotating shaft 44 is parallel to the rotating shaft 42. The rotating shaft 45 is parallel to the rotating shaft 43. At this time, the member 35 is formed so that the distance from the rotating shaft 43 to the rotating shaft 45 is equal to the distance from the rotating shaft 42 to the rotating shaft 44.

  The member 37 is supported by the member 32 so as to be rotatable around a rotation shaft 46 fixed to the member 32. The rotation shaft 46 is parallel to the rotation shaft 40. At this time, the member 32 is formed so that the distance from the rotating shaft 40 to the rotating shaft 46 is longer than the distance from the rotating shaft 40 to the rotating shaft 42. The member 38 is supported by the member 33 so as to be rotatable around a rotation shaft 47 fixed to the member 33. The rotating shaft 47 is parallel to the rotating shaft 41. At this time, the member 33 is formed so that the distance from the rotating shaft 41 to the rotating shaft 47 is equal to the distance from the rotating shaft 40 to the rotating shaft 46.

  The member 39 is fixed to the lifting frame 12. Further, the member 39 is supported by the member 37 so as to be rotatable around a rotation shaft 48 fixed to the member 37, and is supported by the member 38 so as to be rotatable around a rotation shaft 49 fixed to the member 38. Has been. The rotation shaft 48 is parallel to the rotation shaft 46. The rotation shaft 49 is parallel to the rotation shaft 47. At this time, the member 38 is formed so that the distance from the rotating shaft 47 to the rotating shaft 49 is equal to the distance from the rotating shaft 46 to the rotating shaft 48.

  By forming the pantograph 26 in this way, when the member 36 is moved by a predetermined distance parallel to the vertical direction, the member 39 can be moved in the vertical direction by a distance longer than the predetermined distance. .

  The actuator 25 moves the member 36 parallel to the vertical direction with respect to the vehicle frame 5 by being controlled by the controller.

  By forming the pantograph 26 in this way, when the member 36 is moved vertically upward by the actuator 25 by a predetermined distance, as shown in FIG. 15, the pantograph 26 is longer than the predetermined distance. Only the member 39 moves vertically upward. At this time, the distance that the member 39 has moved corresponds to the distance that the member 36 has moved one to one, and is, for example, directly proportional to the distance that the member 36 has moved. Therefore, the actuator 25 can indirectly measure the position of the lift seat surface 18 by measuring the amount by which the member 36 is moved. The actuator 25 is controlled by the controller to measure the position of the lift seat surface 18 and outputs the position to the controller.

  The walking auxiliary chair body 1 further includes a seat surface retracting device 51 as shown in FIG. The seat surface retracting device 51 includes a car 52 and a chair seat base 53. The chair seat base 53 is fixed to the left retreat seat surface 19-1. The chair seat base 53 is formed with guide rails 55. The vehicle 52 is disposed so as to contact the guide rail 55. The vehicle 52 is supported by the vehicle frame 5 so as to be rotatable about a rotation shaft 54 fixed to the vehicle frame 5. The rotating shaft 54 is parallel to the rotating shaft 21.

  As shown in FIG. 17, the vehicle 52 moves along the guide rail 55 when the elevating frame 12 moves vertically upward with respect to the vehicle frame 5. The chair seat base 53 rotates around the rotation shaft 21 so that the left retreat seat surface 19-1 is arranged vertically below the lift seat surface 18 as the vehicle 52 moves along the guide rail 55. To do.

  The walking assist chair body 1 further includes another seating surface retracting device (not shown). In the same manner as the seating surface retracting device 51, the seating surface retracting device is linked to the movement of the elevating frame 12 in the vertical direction with respect to the vehicle frame 5, and the right retracting seating surface 19-around the rotating shaft 21. Rotate 2

  As shown in FIG. 18, the walking assist chair body 1 further includes a battery 61, a plurality of motors 62-1 to 62-2, a receiver 63, a footstep sensor 64, an obstacle sensor 65, and a grip bar sensor 66. And a user motion sensor 67. The plurality of motors 62-1 to 62-2, the receiver 63, the foot step sensor 64, the obstacle sensor 65, the grip bar sensor 66, and the user motion sensor 67 are each connected to the controller 60 so as to be able to transmit information. .

  The battery 61 is formed of a secondary battery and is supported by the vehicle frame 5 or the lifting frame 12. The battery 61 is connected to the lifting device 24, the plurality of motors 62-1 to 62-2, and the controller 60 so as to be able to supply power. At this time, the actuator 25 of the elevating device 24 moves the member 36 using the electric power supplied from the battery 61. The battery 61 is charged by being electrically connected to the charger 71.

  The plurality of motors 62-1 to 62-2 are fixed to the vehicle frame 5, respectively. The left motor 62-1 of the plurality of motors 62-1 to 62-2 is controlled by the controller 60, and uses the power supplied from the battery 61, thereby using the plurality of rear wheels 7-1 to 7-. The left rear wheel 7-1 of 2 is rotated at a predetermined rotational speed, or the rotation of the left rear wheel 7-1 is stopped. The right motor 62-2 of the plurality of motors 62-1 to 62-2 is controlled by the controller 60, and uses the power supplied from the battery 61, thereby using the plurality of rear wheels 7-1 to 7-. The right rear wheel 7-2 of 2 is rotated at a predetermined rotational speed, or the rotation of the right rear wheel 7-2 is stopped.

  At this time, the walking auxiliary chair main body 1 has a plurality of motors 62-1 to 62-2 that rotate the left rear wheel 7-1 and the right rear wheel 7-2 in the same direction at the same speed, thereby moving in the traveling direction. 10 can be moved in parallel. The walking auxiliary chair body 1 further rotates or curves by rotating the left rear wheel 7-1 and the right rear wheel 7-2 at different rotational speeds by the plurality of motors 62-1 to 62-2. You can draw and move.

  The receiver 63 is supported by the vehicle frame 5 or the lifting frame 12. The receiver 63 is controlled by the controller 60 to receive a radio wave transmitted from the transmitter 72 and outputs information indicated by the radio wave to the controller 60. The transmitter 72 transmits a radio wave indicating one piece of information among a plurality of pieces of information when operated by the user. The plurality of information includes movement information and charging information. The movement information indicates the direction and speed. The radio wave can be replaced with another information transmission medium capable of transmitting the information. Infrared rays are exemplified as the information transmission medium.

  The foot step sensor 64 is supported by the vehicle frame 5. The foot step sensor 64 is controlled by the controller 60 to measure the postures of the plurality of foot steps 11-1 to 11-2 and outputs the postures to the controller 60.

  The obstacle sensor 65 is supported by the vehicle frame 5. The obstacle sensor 65 is controlled by the controller 60 to measure the presence / absence of an obstacle that inhibits the movement of the walking assist chair body 1 by transmitting infrared rays and receiving reflected waves of the infrared rays. Is output to the controller 60. The infrared ray can be replaced with another medium that can detect the presence or absence of the obstacle. As the medium, an ultrasonic wave is exemplified.

  The grip bar sensor 66 is supported by a plurality of armrests 16-1 to 16-2. The grip bar sensor 66 is controlled by the controller 60 to measure the open / close state of the grip bar 17 and outputs the open / close state to the controller 60. The open / close state indicates whether the grip bar 17 is fixed to the plurality of armrests 16-1 to 16-2.

  The user motion sensor 67 is supported by the vehicle frame 5. The user motion sensor 67 is controlled by the controller 60 to irradiate infrared rays to the feet of the user who uses the walking assist chair body 1 as a walker, and receives the reflected waves of the infrared rays. The movement is measured and the movement is output to the controller 60. Based on this, the movement of the walking assist chair body 1 is caused to follow. Note that the user motion sensor 67 can be replaced with another user motion sensor that measures the motion of another part different from the user's foot. As the part, the upper body of the user is exemplified. At this time, the user movement sensor can also measure the movement of the upper body based on the movement of the seat belt that restrains the user to the lift seat surface 18 or the backrest 15.

  FIG. 19 shows the controller 60. The controller 60 is a computer, and includes a CPU, a storage device, and an interface (not shown), and operates using electric power supplied from the battery 61. The CPU controls the storage device and the interface by executing a computer program installed in the computer. The storage device records the computer program and temporarily records information created by the CPU.

  The interface outputs information generated by an external device connected to the computer to the CPU, and outputs information generated by the CPU to the external device. Examples of the external device include an input device, an output device, a communication device, and a removable memory drive. The input device creates information by being operated by the user, and outputs the information to the CPU. Examples of the input device include a keyboard, a pointing device, and a touch panel. The output device outputs information generated by the CPU so that the user can recognize the information. Examples of the output device include a display and a touch panel. The communication device transmits information created by the CPU via a communication network to another computer, and outputs information received from the other computer via the communication network to the CPU. The communication device is further used to download a computer program installed in the computer from another computer. The removable memory drive is used to read data recorded on the recording medium when the recording medium is inserted. The removable memory drive is further used when the computer program is installed in the computer when a recording medium in which the computer program is recorded is inserted. Examples of the recording medium include a magnetic disk (flexible disk, hard disk), an optical disk (CD, DVD), and a flash memory.

  The controller 60 is connected to the joystick 22, the operation panel 23, and the receiver 63 through the interface. The controller 60 is further connected to a foot step sensor 64, an obstacle sensor 65, a grip bar sensor 66, and a user motion sensor 67 via the interface. The controller 60 is further connected to the lifting device 24 and the plurality of motors 62-1 to 62-2 via the interface.

  The computer program installed in the controller 60 is formed of a plurality of computer programs that cause the controller 60 to realize a plurality of functions. The plurality of functions include a wheelchair control unit 81, a rising assistance unit 82, a walking assistance unit 83, a seating assistance unit 84, and a remote control unit 85.

  The wheelchair control part 81 controls the actuator 25 so that the position where the raising / lowering seating surface 18 is arrange | positioned is measured. The wheelchair control unit 81 controls the joystick 22 so as to collect information input by the user via the joystick 22 when the elevating seat surface 18 is disposed at the wheelchair position. The wheelchair control unit 81 controls the obstacle sensor 65 so that the presence or absence of an obstacle disposed around the walking assist chair body 1 is measured when the information indicates movement information. The wheelchair control unit 81 includes a plurality of motors so that when there is no obstacle around the walking assistance chair body 1, the walking assistance chair body 1 moves in the direction indicated by the movement information at the speed indicated by the movement information. Control 62-1 to 62-2. The wheelchair control unit 81 controls the plurality of motors 62-1 to 62-2 so that the walking assistance chair body 1 does not move when there is an obstacle around the walking assistance chair body 1.

  When the information indicates brake information, the wheelchair control unit 81 prevents the plurality of rear wheels 7-1 to 7-2 from rotating, that is, prevents the walking assist chair body 1 from moving. -1 to 62-2 are controlled. When the information indicates brake release information, the wheelchair control unit 81 is configured so that the plurality of rear wheels 7-1 to 7-2 rotate freely, that is, by pushing the hand push bar 8, The plurality of motors 62-1 to 62-2 are controlled so that the motor can move.

  The rising assistance unit 82 is configured to measure the posture of the left foot step 11-1 and the posture of the right foot step 11-2 when the information input via the operation panel 23 indicates the assistance of rising. The step sensor 64 is controlled. The rising assist part 82 controls the grip bar sensor 66 so that the open / close state of the grip bar 17 is measured. When the plurality of foot steps 11-1 to 11-2 are arranged in the posture for a walker, respectively, the rising assist part 82 is fixed to the plurality of armrests 16-1 to 16-2. The actuator 25 is controlled so that the lifting / lowering seating surface 18 rises when the vehicle is on. The stand-up assisting unit 82 controls the actuator 25 so that the position where the elevating seat surface 18 is arranged is measured. The stand-up assisting unit 82 controls the actuator 25 so that the elevating seat surface 18 is fixed at the walker position when the elevating seat surface 18 is disposed at the walker position.

  The walking assistance part 83 controls the actuator 25 so that the position where the raising / lowering seating surface 18 is arrange | positioned is measured. The walking assist unit 83 controls the grip bar sensor 66 so that it is measured whether the grip bar 17 is fixed to the plurality of armrests 16-1 to 16-2. The walking assistance unit 83 controls the obstacle sensor 65 so that the presence or absence of an obstacle arranged around the walking assistance chair body 1 is measured. The walking assistance unit 83 controls the user movement sensor 67 so that the movement of the user's foot is measured. The walking assistant 83 calculates the direction and speed based on the movement.

  The walking assist unit 83 is configured to walk when the lifting / lowering seating surface 18 is disposed at the position of the walker and when the gripping bar 17 is fixed to the plurality of armrests 16-1 to 16-2. When there is no obstacle around the auxiliary chair main body 1, the plurality of motors 62-1 to 62-2 are controlled so that the walking auxiliary chair main body 1 moves in that direction at that speed.

  The seating assistance unit 84 is configured to measure whether or not the grip bar 17 is fixed to the plurality of armrests 16-1 to 16-2 when the information input via the operation panel 23 indicates seating assistance. The grab bar sensor 66 is controlled. The seating assisting part 84 uses a plurality of motors 62-1 to 62-2 to prevent the walking assisting chair body 1 from moving when the grip bar 17 is fixed to the plurality of armrests 16-1 to 16-2. Control. The seating assistance part 84 controls the actuator 25 so that the elevating seat surface 18 is further lowered when the gripping bar 17 is fixed to the plurality of armrests 16-1 to 16-2.

  The remote control unit 85 controls the receiver 63 so as to receive a signal transmitted from the transmitter 72. When the signal transmitted from the transmitter 72 indicates movement information, the remote control unit 85 includes a plurality of motors such that the walking assist chair body 1 moves in the direction indicated by the movement information at the speed indicated by the movement information. Control 62-1 to 62-2. The remote control unit 85 controls the obstacle sensor 65 so that the position where the charger 71 is disposed is measured when the signal transmitted from the transmitter 72 indicates the charging information. The remote control unit 85 is configured so that the battery 61 is electrically connected to the charger 71 by the movement of the walking assistance chair body 1 when the charger 71 is disposed around the walking assistance chair body 1. That is, the plurality of motors 62-1 to 62-2 are controlled so that the battery 61 is charged.

  The operations executed by the walking assist chair according to the present embodiment include a wheelchair operation, a standing assist operation, a walking assist operation, a seating assist operation, and a remote control operation.

  The wheelchair operation is executed when the joystick 22 is operated by the user. When the joystick 22 is operated by the user, the controller 60 controls the actuator 25 to measure the position where the lift seat surface 18 is disposed. The controller 60 collects information input by the user via the joystick 22 when the lifting / lowering seat surface 18 is located at the wheelchair position. When the information indicates movement information, the controller 60 controls the obstacle sensor 65 to measure the presence or absence of obstacles arranged around the walking assist chair body 1. The controller 60 controls the plurality of motors 62-1 to 62-2 at a speed indicated by the movement information in the direction indicated by the movement information when there is no obstacle around the walking assist chair body 1. The walking assist chair body 1 is moved. The controller 60 controls the plurality of motors 62-1 to 62-2 when there are obstacles around the walking assist chair body 1 so that the walking assist chair body 1 does not move. Stop.

  Further, the controller 60 controls the plurality of motors 62-1 to 62-2 so that the walking assist chair body 1 does not move when the information input via the joystick 22 indicates brake information. The rotation of the plurality of rear wheels 7-1 to 7-2 is stopped. When the information input via the joystick 22 indicates brake release information, the controller 60 controls the plurality of motors 62-1 to 62-2, thereby pushing the hand push bar 8 so as to control the walking assist chair body 1. The plurality of rear wheels 7-1 to 7-2 are allowed to rotate freely so that can move.

  According to such a wheelchair control operation, when the user uses the walking assist chair body 1 as a wheelchair, the user is relatively formed by the lift seat surface 18 and the plurality of retreat seat surfaces 19-1 to 19-2. You can sit comfortably on a large seat and sit longer. According to such a wheelchair control operation, the user can move more comfortably by further operating the joystick 22. According to such a wheelchair control operation, even when the user operates the joystick 22 by mistake, the user is prevented from hitting an obstacle and can move more comfortably. According to such a wheelchair control operation, when the brake release information is input via the joystick 22, the caregiver who cares for the user (caregiver) sitting on the seat 14 presses the hand bar 8. The walking auxiliary chair main body 1 can be freely moved on the floor, and the walking auxiliary chair main body 1 can be used as a so-called wheelchair.

  The startup assistance operation is executed when startup assistance is input through the operation panel 23 by the user. The controller 60 controls the foot step sensor 64 when the information input via the operation panel 23 indicates the assistance for rising, thereby controlling the posture of the left foot step 11-1 and the posture of the right foot step 11-2. Measure. The controller 60 further measures the open / close state of the grip bar 17 by controlling the grip bar sensor 66. When the plurality of foot steps 11-1 to 11-2 are arranged in the walker posture, and the grip bar 17 is fixed to the plurality of armrests 16-1 to 16-2 Further, the lift seat surface 18 is raised by controlling the actuator 25. At this time, the plurality of evacuation seat surfaces 19-1 to 19-2 are moved by the seat surface evacuation device 51 so as to be arranged vertically below the elevating seat surface 18. The controller 60 controls the actuator 25 to measure the position where the elevating seat surface 18 is disposed. The controller 60 fixes the lifting / lowering seat surface 18 to the walker position by controlling the actuator 25 when the lifting / lowering seat surface 18 is disposed at the walker position.

  According to such a stand-up assisting operation, when the user stands up from the state of sitting on the lifting / lowering seat surface 18 arranged at the position of the wheelchair, the user's buttocks are pushed up to the lifting / lowering seating surface 18 with a smaller force. You can stand up and stand up more easily. That is, the walking assistance chair according to the present embodiment can assist the user in standing up so that the user can stand up with a smaller force. According to such a stand-up assisting operation, the walking assist chair according to the present embodiment further moves the user's buttocks up and down the seat 18 while the user puts his / her feet on the plurality of foot steps 11-1 to 11-2. It is possible to prevent the user from being pushed up, to guide the user to stand up with their feet on the floor, and to assist the user in rising more appropriately. According to such a standing assistance operation, the walking assistance chair according to the present embodiment further prevents the walking assistance chair body 1 from moving when the user stands up, and can assist the user to rise more appropriately. it can.

  The walking assist operation is executed when the elevating seat surface 18 is disposed at the walker position. That is, the controller 60 controls the actuator 25 to measure the position where the lifting / lowering seat surface 18 is disposed. The controller 60 further controls whether or not the grip bar 17 is fixed to the plurality of armrests 16-1 to 16-2 by controlling the grip bar sensor 66. The controller 60 controls the obstacle sensor 65 to measure the presence or absence of an obstacle arranged around the walking assist chair body 1. The controller 60 controls the user movement sensor 67 to measure the movement of the foot of the user who uses the walking assist chair body 1 as a walker.

  The controller 60 calculates the direction and speed based on the movement. The controller 60 is used when the lifting / lowering seat surface 18 is disposed at the position of the walker and when the grip bar 17 is fixed to the plurality of armrests 16-1 to 16-2. When there is no obstacle around the main body 1, the walking assist chair main body 1 is moved in that direction at the speed by controlling the plurality of motors 62-1 to 62-2.

  According to such a walking assist operation, when the user uses the walking assist chair body 1 as a walker, the user can sit on the lifting seat surface by dropping his / her waist a little, or the lifting seat surface 18. You can walk with your weight on. For this reason, such a walking assistance chair can also be utilized for assisting a user's standing work. When such a walking assistance chair is used as a walker, it can further form its lifting seat surface to be smaller than the wheelchair seat surface formed when used as a wheelchair, The part which inhibits a user's walk can be reduced. For this reason, such a walking assistance chair can assist a user to walk more appropriately. According to such a walking assist operation, the walking assist chair according to the present embodiment can prevent the user from colliding with an obstacle even when the user walks in the wrong direction, and can assist the user's walking more appropriately. it can.

The seating assistance operation is executed when seating assistance is input via the operation panel 23. When the information input via the operation panel 23 indicates seating assistance, the controller 60 controls the grip bar sensor 66 to determine whether the grip bar 17 is fixed to the plurality of armrests 16-1 to 16-2. Measure how. The controller 60 controls the plurality of motors 62-1 to 62-2 when the gripping bar 17 is fixed to the plurality of armrests 16-1 to 16-2, so that the plurality of rear wheels 7-1 to 7-1 are controlled. 7-2 is stopped so as not to rotate, and the walking auxiliary chair body 1 is prevented from moving. The controller 60 controls the actuator 25 to lower the elevating seat surface 18 when the gripping bar 17 is fixed to the plurality of armrests 16-1 to 16-2. At this time, when the elevating seat surface 18 is lowered, the seat surface retracting device 51 rotates the plurality of retracting seat surfaces 19-1 to 19-2, and the elevating seat surface 18 is disposed at the wheelchair position. , as multiple lay seat 19-1 ～19-2 are arranged so as to sandwich the lifting seat 18, i.e., as the seat surface 14 is formed, a plurality of evacuation seat 19-1 ~ Fix 19-2.

  According to such a seating assisting operation, when the user further sits down from the state of sitting on the lifting / lowering seating surface 18 arranged at the position of the walker, the user's buttocks are slowly lowered by the lifting / lowering seating surface 18. You can sit with less force and sit more easily. That is, the walking assist chair according to the present embodiment can assist the user in sitting so that the user can sit with a smaller force. According to such a stand-up assisting operation, the walking assist chair according to the present embodiment further prevents the walking assist chair body 1 from moving when the user sits, and can assist the user in sitting more appropriately. it can.

  The remote control operation is executed when a signal transmitted from the transmitter 72 is received. When the signal transmitted from the transmitter 72 indicates movement information, the controller 60 controls the motors 62-1 to 62-2 at a speed indicated by the movement information in the direction indicated by the movement information. The walking assist chair body 1 is moved. The controller 60 measures the position where the charger 71 is disposed by controlling the obstacle sensor 65 when the signal transmitted from the transmitter 72 indicates the charging information. The controller 60 controls the plurality of motors 62-1 to 62-2 when the charger 71 is disposed around the walking assist chair body 1 so that the walking assist chair body 1 moves to move the battery. The walking assist chair body 1 is moved so that 61 is electrically connected to the charger 71, that is, the battery 61 is charged.

  According to such a remote control operation, the user can freely move the walking assistance chair body 1 by operating the transmitter 72 even when the user gets off the walking assistance chair body 1.

  The seating surface retracting device 51 can be replaced with another seating surface retracting device that rotates the plurality of retracting seating surfaces 19-1 to 19-2 without linking to the movement of the elevating frame 12. The seating surface retracting device is controlled by the controller 60 to move the plurality of retracting seating surfaces 19-1 to 19-2 in the same manner as the seating surface retracting device 51. The walking assistance chair according to the present embodiment can assist the user's walking more appropriately in the same manner as the walking assistance chair in the above-described embodiment even when such a seating surface retracting device is applied. .

  The plurality of retracting seat surfaces 19-1 to 19-2 can be supported so as to be rotatable around another rotating shaft different from the rotating shaft 21. As the rotation axis, a rotation axis that is parallel to the traveling direction 10 and that is disposed on both sides of the lift seat surface 18 is exemplified. When the walking assist chair body 1 is used as a walker by movement other than rotational movement, the plurality of retreat seat surfaces 19-1 to 19-2 move to other positions that do not hinder the user's walking. Can be replaced with a retractable seating surface. Examples of the movement include parallel movement and a combination of parallel movement and rotational movement. As the position, the side opposite to the traveling direction 10 of the lift seat surface 18 is exemplified. The walking assistance chair according to the present embodiment can assist the user's walking more appropriately in the same manner as the walking assistance chair in the above-described embodiment even when such a plurality of retreat seats are applied. it can.

  Note that the seat lifting device 24 can be replaced with a chair damper. The chair damper includes a lever, and when the lever is pulled, the user places the weight on the lifting / lowering seat surface 18 to lower the lifting / lowering seating surface 18 and the user lifts his / her waist from the lifting / lowering seating surface 18. As a result, the elevating seat surface 18 is raised. Even when such a chair damper is applied, the walking assistance chair according to the present embodiment can assist the user's walking more appropriately in the same manner as the walking assistance chair in the embodiment described above.

  The walking assist chair body 1 includes any one of a controller 60, a plurality of motors 62-1 to 62-2, a receiver 63, a foot step sensor 64, an obstacle sensor 65, a grip bar sensor 66, and a user motion sensor 67. These parts can be omitted. The walking assist chair according to the present embodiment cannot operate using the component when the component is omitted. However, the walking assist chair according to the present embodiment is more appropriate for the user to walk in the same manner as the walking assist chair in the above-described embodiment. Can assist.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Walk auxiliary chair main body 2 Vehicle part 5 Vehicle frames 6-1 to 6-2 Multiple front wheels 7-1 to 7-2 Multiple rear wheels 8 Hand bar 10 Traveling direction 11-1 to 11-2 Multiple foot steps 12 Lifting frame 14 Seat surface 15 Backrest 16-1 to 16-2 Multiple armrests 17 Grasping bar 18 Lifting seat surfaces 19-1 to 19-2 Multiple retracting seat surfaces 21 Rotating shaft 22 Joystick 23 Operation panel 24 Lifting device 25 Actuator 26 Pantographs 31 to 39 Plural members 40 to 49 Rotating shaft 51 Seat surface retracting device 52 Car 53 Chair seat base 54 Rotating shaft 55 Guide rail 60 Controller 61 Battery 62-1 to 62-2 Multiple motor 63 Receiver 64 Foot step sensor 65 Obstacle sensor 66 Grasping bar sensor 67 User motion sensor 71 Charger 72 Transmission 81 Wheelchair Control Unit 82 Standing Auxiliary Unit 83 Walking Auxiliary Unit 84 Seating Auxiliary Unit 85 Remote Control Unit 101 Wheelchair 102 Bogie 103 Rear Wheel 104 Front Wheel 105 Ground 106 Step 107 Caster Shaft 110 Bogie 111 Chassis 112 Rear Wheel 113 Front Wheel 113-1 Front Wheel Shaft 114 Front wheel cover 115 Front leaf spring 115-1 Center 115F Front portion 115R Rear portion 116 Connection portion 118 Caster shaft 119 Buffer direction 120 Connection member 121 Connection portion 122 Link 123 Link front portion 124 Connection portion 125 Link rear portion 126 Connection portion 127 Rear leaf spring 128 connection portion 129 rear wheel shaft 130 motor 131 motor support member 132 ground 133 wheelchair 134 seat 135 sensor 136 posture control unit 140 cut surface

Claims (9)

A carriage comprising a chassis and a front wheel portion and a rear wheel portion attached to the chassis,
The front wheel portion includes a pair of casters arranged side by side in the left-right direction;
A sled member attached to the chassis and supporting each of the pair of casters;
The sled-like member is a leaf spring that includes a sliding surface that rides on the step prior to the caster when the carriage travels toward a front step, and that mitigates impact when contacting the step. The
Furthermore, it comprises a front wheel coil spring that supports the front wheel portion so as to be elastically deformable in the vertical direction with respect to the chassis,
The leaf spring is rotatably supported at the front movable end and rotatably supported at the rear movable end .   A cart according to claim 1,
  The rear wheel portion is supported by the chassis via a rear wheel side leaf spring that absorbs an impact in the vertical direction.
  Trolley.   A cart according to claim 2,
  Furthermore, it comprises a link member supported so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction around the fulcrum with respect to the chassis,
  The link member is
  A link front portion that supports the movable end of the leaf spring on the front side of the fulcrum;
  A link rear portion supporting a front end portion of the rear wheel side leaf spring on the rear side of the fulcrum;
  A trolley equipped with   A cart according to claim 2 or 3,
  Further, a motor that is supported by the chassis via the rear wheel side leaf spring and drives the rear wheel portion.
  A trolley equipped with   A carriage comprising a chassis and a front wheel portion and a rear wheel portion attached to the chassis,
  The front wheel portion includes a pair of casters arranged side by side in the left-right direction;
  A sled member attached to the chassis and supporting each of the pair of casters;
  The sled-like member is a leaf spring that includes a sliding surface that rides on the step prior to the caster when the carriage travels toward the front step, and relieves an impact when contacting the step. ,
  The direction of the sliding surface is fixed,
  The leaf spring is fixed at the fixed end on the front side and is rotatably supported at the movable end on the rear side.
  Trolley.   A cart according to claim 5,
  The sled member comprises a front wheel cover that covers the casters so that the traveling direction of the casters is movable,
  The leaf spring includes a front leaf spring that connects the front wheel cover and the fixed end, and a rear leaf spring that connects the front wheel cover and the movable end.
  Trolley.   A carriage according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
  Furthermore, the upper member,
  A sensor for detecting a left-right inclination of the carriage;
  An attitude control unit that controls the attitude of the upper member so that the horizontal inclination of the upper member is smaller than that of the carriage based on the detected value of the inclination.
  A trolley equipped with   A carriage comprising a chassis and a front wheel portion and a rear wheel portion attached to the chassis,
  The front wheel portion includes a pair of casters arranged side by side in the left-right direction;
  A sled member attached to the chassis and supporting each of the pair of casters;
  The sled-like member is a leaf spring that includes a sliding surface that rides on the step prior to the caster when the carriage travels toward the front step, and relieves an impact when contacting the step. ,
  The direction of the sliding surface is fixed,
  The caster can change its traveling direction by freely rotating around a vertical caster axis.
  Trolley.   A vehicle part moving on the floor;
  An elevating seat surface supported by the vehicle portion so as to be capable of ascending and descending;
  The lifting / lowering seating surface is fixed to the vehicle portion so as to be disposed at a wheelchair position, or the lifting / lowering seating surface is fixed to the vehicle portion so as to be disposed at a walker position vertically above the wheelchair position. A seat lifting device;
  A retraction seat;
  A seating surface retracting device,
  The seating surface retracting device is:
  When the lifting / lowering seat surface is fixed at the wheelchair position, the retracting seat is in a predetermined position with respect to the lifting / lowering seat surface so that the lifting / lowering seat surface and the retracting seat surface form a wheelchair seating surface. Fixing the seating surface,
  When the lifting seat surface is fixed at the walker position, the retracting seat surface is disposed at another position different from the predetermined position with respect to the lifting seat surface,
  The vehicle portion has a cart configuration according to any one of claims 1 to 8.
  Walking aid chair.

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