JP6055446B2 - Lock mechanism and wheelchair - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a lock mechanism for locking rotation of main wheels of a wheelchair and a wheelchair equipped with the lock mechanism. More specifically, the present invention relates to a wheelchair locking mechanism that locks the main wheel so that it does not move when a wheelchair user gets on and off the wheelchair and unlocks the main wheel when the user sits on the wheelchair. .

  When a wheelchair user with a physical disability tries to get on and off a wheelchair when there is no helper, the wheelchair user suddenly starts moving, and the wheelchair user trying to get on and off falls frequently and is injured. In order to prevent such accidents, various measures have been taken to prevent accidents such as the main wheels being braked in advance when the wheelchair is getting on and off to prevent the wheelchair from suddenly moving and falling down when the wheelchair gets on and off. ing.

  For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a wheelchair automatic locking mechanism. The locking mechanism (100) has a gear part (32) attached to an axle of a main wheel (14) of a wheelchair, and a movable part (33) that contacts the gear part (32) and prevents rotation. It comprises a part (35) and a sensing plate (20) which is placed under the cushion and senses the weight of the wheelchair user. In the locked state, the rotation of the main wheel (14) is restricted by the meshing portion (33) meshing with the gear portion (32). The sensing plate (20) includes a pressing plate (21) and a support plate (22) with a sliding member (23) interposed therebetween. When the wheelchair user sits on the seat (16), the weight plate of the wheelchair user lowers the pressing plate (21), and the sliding member (23) connected to the wire (25) slides. Then, the wire (25) is pulled by the sliding member (23), and the movable portion (35) connected to the wire (25) tilts to engage with the gear portion (32). Is disengaged from the gear portion (32). Thus, the meshing portion (33) and the gear portion (32) are disengaged, and the main wheel (14) of the wheelchair can be rotated.

JP 2010-187882 A

  However, a conventional automatic locking mechanism (hereinafter referred to as a locking mechanism) is a mechanism in which a sensing plate having a mechanically actuated structure is disposed on a seat portion of a wheelchair, and the following improvements are required. The sensing plate used in the lock mechanism of Patent Document 1 is one in which mechanical parts are assembled to operate mechanically, and has a certain size (thickness) and weight. Therefore, when the sensing plate is disposed in the cover of the seat, the thickness of the seat (cushion) becomes thicker than that of a general wheelchair, or the thickness of the cushion material (elastic member) is sacrificed. It is necessary to maintain the thickness. Moreover, it is conceivable that mounting the sensing plate on the wheelchair increases the weight of the entire wheelchair and makes it inconvenient to handle. That is, although the lock mechanism of patent document 1 improves the safety of a wheelchair user, it has been a problem that the comfort of a wheelchair user is impaired.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a lock mechanism and a wheelchair that improve the safety of the user of the wheelchair and consider the comfort of the user. is there.

The lock mechanism according to claim 1 is a lock mechanism that locks rotation of a main wheel of a wheelchair,
A sheet-like pressure sensor that detects that a wheelchair user has sat on the wheelchair;
A controller that is electrically connected to the pressure-sensitive sensor and determines whether a wheelchair user is seated based on the sensor information;
An actuator electrically connected to the control unit and controlled in operation by the control unit;
A lock portion configured to lock and unlock the rotation of the main wheel by driving the actuator, and
The pressure-sensitive sensor is arranged on the mounting surface of the footrest of the wheelchair, and is configured to be able to detect that the user's leg is in contact with the mounting surface.
If the pressure-sensitive sensor does not detect the wheelchair user sitting on the wheelchair, keep the main wheel locked in the lock part,
When the wheelchair user puts his / her leg on the mounting surface of the footrest, the pressure-sensitive sensor detects the wheelchair user sitting on the wheelchair, and the lock portion unlocks the main wheel.

The lock mechanism according to claim 2 is a lock mechanism that locks the rotation of the main wheel of the wheelchair,
A sheet-like pressure sensor that detects that a wheelchair user has sat on the wheelchair;
A controller that is electrically connected to the pressure-sensitive sensor and determines whether a wheelchair user is seated based on the sensor information;
An actuator electrically connected to the control unit and controlled in operation by the control unit;
A lock portion configured to lock and unlock the rotation of the main wheel by driving the actuator, and
A pressure-sensitive sensor is arranged on the seating surface of the wheelchair, and is arranged on the mounting surface of the footrest of the wheelchair and the seating sensor configured to be able to detect that the user's buttocks contacted the seating surface. Comprising a leg sensor configured to be able to detect that the leg part is in contact with the placement surface,
If the pressure-sensitive sensor does not detect the wheelchair user sitting on the wheelchair, keep the main wheel locked in the lock part,
When the wheelchair user sits on the seat and puts his / her leg on the footrest mounting surface, the pressure sensor detects the wheelchair user sitting on the wheelchair, and the lock unit unlocks the main wheel It is characterized by that .

The lock mechanism according to claim 3 is a lock mechanism that locks the rotation of the main wheel of the wheelchair,
A sheet-like pressure sensor that detects that a wheelchair user has sat on the wheelchair;
A controller that is electrically connected to the pressure-sensitive sensor and determines whether a wheelchair user is seated based on the sensor information;
An actuator electrically connected to the control unit and controlled in operation by the control unit;
A lock portion configured to lock and unlock the rotation of the main wheel by driving the actuator, and
A pressure-sensitive sensor is arranged on the seating surface of the wheelchair, and is arranged on the mounting surface of the footrest of the wheelchair and the seating sensor configured to be able to detect that the user's buttocks contacted the seating surface. Comprising a leg sensor configured to be able to detect that the leg part is in contact with the placement surface,
If the pressure sensor does not detect the wheelchair user sitting in the wheelchair, the lock will keep the main wheel locked, and if the pressure sensor detects the wheelchair user sitting in the wheelchair, The part is configured to unlock the main wheel,
One of the seat sensor and the leg sensor, or both the seat sensor and the leg sensor can be set via the control unit .

The lock mechanism according to claim 4 is the lock mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the lock portion is
A support member that is non-rotatably attached to a support frame that supports the main wheel ;
A lock plate that is pivotally supported by the support member on the base end side and includes an engagement portion formed in an arc shape at the front end side portion of the surface;
An elastic member disposed between the back surface of the lock plate and the support member and biasing the tip end portion of the lock plate to rotate to the surface side;
A hub of a main wheel disposed on the surface side of the lock plate, a part of which has an annular engaged portion facing the engaging portion;
A traction member connected to the actuator and configured to be tractable so as to rotate the tip side portion of the lock plate to the back surface side,
In the locked state, the elastic member rotates the front end side portion of the lock plate to the surface side, and the engagement portion meshes with a part of the engaged portion, thereby locking the rotation of the main wheel,
In the unlocked state, the traction member contracts the elastic member and the front end side portion of the lock plate is rotated to the back side, so that the main wheel is rotatable by the engagement portion being disengaged from the engaged portion. It is characterized by.

A lock mechanism according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is the lock mechanism according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the actuator is a keep solenoid.

A wheelchair according to claim 6 is equipped with the lock mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 5 .

According to an aspect of the present invention, the lock and unlock of the main wheel are controlled by the control unit using the sensor. That is, the lock mechanism of the present invention detects whether a wheelchair user is seated by a sensor, controls the lock portion using an electric signal, locks the main wheel when the wheelchair gets on and off, and gets on and off the wheelchair. Prevent accidents such as falling down occasionally. By adopting an electrical configuration including such a sensor, it is not necessary to incorporate a conventional mechanical sensing plate into the seat of the wheelchair. The lock mechanism can be introduced into the wheelchair without increasing the weight. Therefore, the locking mechanism of the present invention ensures safety without sacrificing the comfort of the wheelchair user.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the user in the sensor will detect reliably that it has Zajo the seat of the wheelchair by performing unlocking of the main wheels, and the main wheel lock when wheelchair passenger, wheelchairs Prevent accidents such as falling when getting on and off.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the user in the sensor is reliably detected that put legs on the mounting surface of the footrest of a wheelchair by performing unlocking of the main wheel, main wheels when the wheelchair boarding Lock to prevent accidents such as falling when getting on and off a wheelchair.

According to one aspect of the present invention , the seat sensor detects that the user has sat on the wheelchair seat, and the leg sensor places the leg on the mounting surface of the footrest of the wheelchair. By detecting that the main wheel has been put on and unlocking the main wheel, the main wheel is locked when the wheelchair gets on and off, and accidents such as falling over when the wheelchair gets on and off are more reliably prevented.

According to one aspect of the present invention, when the sensor is a sheet-like pressure sensor, when a part of the body of the wheelchair user contacts the sensor and a load (pressure) is applied, the pressure sensor An electrical change (for example, a decrease in resistance value) occurs. And when a control part reads this electrical change, a control part act | operates an actuator and controls a lock | rock part. That is, the lock mechanism can be easily configured by laying the pressure-sensitive sensor on a place where the wheelchair user touches when sitting (for example, a seating surface of the wheelchair or a mounting surface of the footrest). Furthermore, in the present invention, since the pressure-sensitive sensor has a sheet shape, the lock mechanism can be introduced into the wheelchair without changing the thickness of the seat or the footrest of the wheelchair.

According to one aspect of the present invention , the lock plate is supported by the support member so as to be rotatable (tilted) to the front surface side and the back surface side with one end thereof as a fulcrum. The elastic restoring force of the elastic member urges the front end portion of the lock plate to turn to the surface side. By this urging force, the arc-shaped engaging portion on the surface of the lock plate and the part of the engaged portion formed in an annular shape on the inner surface of the hub of the main wheel are firmly engaged with each other. Therefore, the lock mechanism can stably regulate the rotation of the main wheel. Further, in this lock mechanism, the distal end side portion rotates with the proximal end side of the lock plate as a fulcrum, so that the arc surface of the engaging portion located at the distal end side portion has priority over the annular surface of the engaged portion. In surface contact. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent the urging force of the elastic member from being distributed over the entire surface of the lock plate, and to strongly press the engaging portion of the lock plate against the engaged portion of the hub. On the other hand, in order to release the lock, the traction force (by the actuator) of the traction member rotates the front end portion of the lock plate to the back surface side. That is, by operating the traction member, the locked portion can be easily released by separating the engaging portion and the engaged portion. Therefore, the lock mechanism of the present invention can stably form the locked state and the unlocked state with a simple structure.

According to one aspect of the present invention , the actuator is a keep solenoid, so that the lock mechanism can be operated with power saving. That is, when the control unit operates the keep solenoid to shift from the locked state to the unlocked state or vice versa, the control unit temporarily supplies current or reverse current to the keep solenoid and the keep solenoid is in that state. To maintain. Thereby, it is not necessary to constantly supply power to the actuator in order to maintain the locked state or the unlocked state.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the effect of any one of the above inventions can be exhibited as a wheelchair. In other words, the wheelchair according to the present invention is secured by mounting a lock mechanism without sacrificing the comfort of the wheelchair user.

The schematic perspective view of the wheelchair provided with the locking mechanism of one embodiment of the present invention. The exploded view which shows the seat part of the wheelchair of FIG. Schematic which shows the sensor structure of the locking mechanism of FIG. The block diagram which shows the structure of the locking mechanism of the wheelchair of FIG. The schematic perspective view of the wheelchair provided with the locking mechanism of another embodiment of the present invention. The elements on larger scale of the footrest of the wheelchair of FIG. The partial exploded perspective view of the locking mechanism of one embodiment. The disassembled perspective view seen from one side of the lock | rock part of FIG. The disassembled perspective view seen from the other side of the lock | rock part of FIG. (A) top view, (b) front view, (c) side view, (d) rear view of the lock plate of the lock part of FIGS. (A) AA sectional drawing of the lock plate of FIG. 10, (b) BB sectional drawing. The hub of the lock part of FIG.7 and 8 is (a) rear view, (b) side view. The schematic perspective view which shows the (a) locked state of the locking part of the locking mechanism of one Embodiment, and the (b) unlocking state.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, the shape of each figure referred in the following description is a conceptual diagram or a schematic diagram for explaining a suitable shape dimension, and a dimension ratio etc. do not necessarily correspond with an actual dimension ratio. That is, the present invention is not limited to the dimensional ratio in the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a wheelchair 10 according to an embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the wheelchair 10 includes a pair of main wheels 11 for running the wheelchair 10, a seat portion 12 that receives the buttocks of the wheelchair user, a backrest portion 13 that receives the back of the wheelchair user, and the wheelchair. A footrest 14 that receives the leg of the user, a support frame 15 that extends vertically below the seat 11 and supports the pair of main wheels 11, and a seat sensor 16 that detects the seating (sitting) of the wheelchair user. The controller 18 is electrically connected to the seat sensor 16 and receives an electrical signal from the seat sensor 16, and is electrically connected to the controller 18, and the operation of the controller 18 is controlled based on the sensor information. Actuator 19 and a lock portion 100 that locks the rotation of the main wheel 11 by driving the actuator 19. The lock mechanism of the present embodiment is a concept including at least the sensor 16 (17), the control unit 18, the actuator 19, and the lock unit 100.

  In the present embodiment, a pair of seat sensors 16 are arranged on the seat surface of the seat 12. As shown in FIG. 2, the seat 12 where the seat sensor 16 is arranged is provided with a rectangular plate-shaped cushioning material 12a and a cover material 12b covering the cushioning material 12a. The cushioning material 12a may be selected from shock absorbing materials including urethane or the like. On the other hand, the cover material 12b may be selected from fiber materials including synthetic fibers. And a pair of seat part sensor 16 is arrange | positioned between the shock absorbing material 12a and the cover material 12b, and the detection surface has faced upwards. The seat sensor 16 functions to detect that the buttocks of the user of the wheelchair 10 are in contact with the seat surface of the seat 12.

  In the present embodiment, the seat sensor 16 is a thin sheet-like pressure sensor, and can measure the pressure applied to the detection surface. And since the seat part sensor 16 is a sheet form, it can be easily introduced into the inside of the seat part 12. Hereinafter, the structure and operating principle of the sensor will be described.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic exploded view showing the structure of the seat sensor 16. Here, the seat sensor 16 will be described, but a leg sensor 17 described later also has a similar structure. As shown in FIG. 3, the seat sensor 16 is disposed between an electrode sheet 16a having an electrode pattern 16a1 in a plane, a carbon sheet 16b covering the electrode pattern 16a1, and the carbon sheet 16b and the electrode sheet 16a. A frame-shaped spacer 16c and a transparent protective sheet 16d that protects the outer surface of the carbon sheet 16b are bonded together. The electrode sheet 16a includes two terminals 16a2 and 16a2 connected to the lead wires, and these terminals 16a2 and 16a2 are not conductive in the plane. In a state where no pressure is applied to the detection surface, the carbon sheet 16b and the electrode sheet 16a are separated from each other via the spacer 16c, and the state where the terminals 16a2 and 16a2 are not electrically connected is maintained. When a pressing force is applied to the detection surface, the carbon sheet 16b and the electrode sheet 16a (electrode pattern 16a1) are partially in contact via the spacer 16c, and a part of the electrode pattern 16a1 is electrically connected at the contact location. The two terminals 16a2 and 16a2 of the electrode sheet 16a are electrically connected. When a stronger pressing force is applied to the detection surface, the contact (conduction) area between the carbon sheet 16b and the electrode pattern 16a1 increases, and the resistance value decreases. That is, in the seat sensor 16, the resistance value between the terminals 16 a 2 and 16 a 2 varies according to the pressing force, and the resistance value (electrical information or signal) is measured by the control unit 18. The presence or absence of sitting can be determined.

  Since the pressure-sensitive sensor employed in the sensors 16 and 17 of this embodiment has a simple mechanism, it is more advantageous than other sensors in terms of durability and cost. However, the sensor of the present invention is limited to a pressure-sensitive sensor as long as it can detect sitting of a wheelchair user, and various sensors can be selected. For example, a piezoresistive strain sensor, a capacitance contact sensor, a limit switch, or the like may be employed as the sensor of the present invention. Or you may employ | adopt the infrared sensor which optically detects the presence or absence of a wheelchair user's sitting as a sensor of this invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the controller 18 is disposed in a pocket (not shown) behind the backrest 13 of the wheelchair 10. However, the control unit 18 may be installed in any place of the wheelchair 10. The controller 18 is electrically connected to the seat sensor 16 and the actuator 19, and is configured to determine whether or not the wheelchair user is seated based on the sensor information and to control the operation of the actuator 19. ing.

  In the present embodiment, the actuator 19 and the lock unit 100 are installed in pairs for one control unit 18 corresponding to the pair of main wheels 11 of the wheelchair. It is preferable from the viewpoint of safety that the control unit 18 controls the pair of actuators 19 at the same time so as to lock the pair of main wheels 11 simultaneously based on the sensor information. In addition, it is preferable from the viewpoint of safety that the control unit 18 controls the actuator 19 to release the lock when both of the pair of sensors 16 and 16 detect the sitting of the wheelchair user. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and the control unit 18 can be set so as to control only one actuator 19 based on information from one sensor 16.

  The relationship between the control unit 18, the sensors 16, 17 and the actuator 19 will be described in more detail with reference to the block diagram of the lock mechanism shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the control unit 18 includes a power supply unit 18a and a control circuit 18b. In the present embodiment, the power supply unit 18 a is a small battery such as a rechargeable dry battery, and can be easily mounted on the wheelchair 10.

  The control unit 18 is electrically connected to the seat sensor 16 via a lead wire. The control circuit 18b can receive a signal or electrical information (change in resistance value) from the seat sensor 16 and determine whether or not the wheelchair user is seated. That is, when the resistance value output from the seat sensor 16 to the control circuit 18b is equal to or less than a threshold value (predetermined by the control unit 18), the control unit 18 determines whether the wheelchair user is seated. Alternatively, when the resistance value output from the seat sensor 16 to the control circuit 18b exceeds the threshold, the control unit 18 determines the absence of the wheelchair user. More specifically, the control unit 18 performs an operation on a plurality of detected resistance values. That is, when a resistance value not less than a certain number of times is detected with respect to the resistance value measured a plurality of times, the control unit 18 determines whether the wheelchair user is seated. When less than this fixed number of times, the control unit 18 determines that the wheelchair user is not seated. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the wheelchair 10 from malfunctioning due to the influence of noise or the like.

  Furthermore, the control unit 18 is electrically connected to the actuator 19 via a lead wire. That is, as shown in FIG. 4, the control unit 18 drives the actuator 19 by outputting a current or an electrical signal to the actuator 19 according to the determination based on the sensor information, and as a result, operates the lock unit 100. Thus, the lock of the main wheel 11 is controlled.

  That is, in the wheelchair 10 (lock mechanism) of the present embodiment, when the seat sensor 16 does not detect the seating of the wheelchair user on the wheelchair 10 (that is, when the resistance value from the seat sensor 16 is greater than the threshold value). When the control unit 18 maintains the state in which the lock unit 100 locks the main wheel 11 and the seat sensor 16 detects the seating of the wheelchair user on the wheelchair 10 (that is, the resistance value from the seat sensor 16). ) Is less than or equal to the threshold value, the control unit 18 causes the lock unit 100 to release the lock of the main wheel 11.

  In the form of FIG. 1, the sensor 16 is disposed only on the seat 12 of the wheelchair 10, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the sensor can be introduced at various positions of the wheelchair 10.

  For example, in the wheelchair 10 according to another embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 5, a leg sensor 17 is arranged on the placement surface 14 a of the footrest 14 in addition to the seat sensor 16. The leg sensor 17 is affixed to the placement surface 14a with a tape or an adhesive, and its detection surface faces upward. The leg sensor 17 functions to detect that the leg of the user of the wheelchair 10 has come into contact with the placement surface 14 a of the footrest 14.

  The leg sensor 17 is connected to the control unit 18 similarly to the seat sensor 16, and can control the actuator 19 (operation of the lock unit 100) based on a signal from the leg sensor 17. And since the wheelchair 10 of FIG. 5 has both the seat part sensor 16 and the leg part sensor 17 as a sensor, the wheelchair 10 according to the needs of a wheelchair user is set by combining these sensors. Safe operation can be realized.

  For example, the wheelchair user can set through the control unit 18 to selectively activate either the seat sensor 16 or the leg sensor 17 according to the usability or the severity of the obstacle. Further, it can be set so that only one leg of the leg sensor 17 is operated. Furthermore, it is possible to set both the seat sensor 16 and the leg sensor 17 to operate. That is, when both the sensors 16 and 17 detect the seating of the wheelchair user (specifically, the wheelchair user sits on the seating surface of the seat 12 and puts his / her leg on the mounting surface 14a of the footrest 14). The control unit 18 may be set so that the lock unit 100 releases the lock of the main wheel 11 only when the vehicle is placed). Thereby, it can prevent that the wheelchair 10 moves unexpectedly in the case of a wheelchair user's seating, and can implement | achieve higher safety | security.

  In addition to the above description, it is possible to arrange sensors on the inner surface of the backrest 13 or on the armrest, and the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 7 thru | or FIG. 13, the locking part 100 of the wheelchair 10 of this embodiment is demonstrated.

  FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the axle 11a, the support frame 15 (the axle support portion 15a and the locking bracket 15b), the actuator 19, and the lock portion 100 of the main wheel 11 of the wheelchair 10 of the present embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the main wheel 11 is supported by the support frame 15 as the axle 11 a of the main wheel 11 passes through the through hole 15 a 1 of the axle support portion 15 a provided in the support frame 15. And the lock part 100 is arrange | positioned between the axle shaft 11a front-end | tip (or main wheel 11) and the axle shaft support part 15a. More specifically, the support plate (support member) 110 of the lock portion 100 is attached to the axle support portion 15a so as not to rotate with the locking metal fitting 15b. In the present embodiment, the lock unit 100 and the actuator 19 are installed on both the pair of main wheels 11.

  The locking metal fitting 15b has a hole 15b1 into which the axle 11a can be loosely inserted, and a pair of protrusions 15b2 that extend so as to come into contact with both side surfaces of the axle support 15a. The pair of protrusions 15b2 are fitted in fitting grooves 115 of the support plate 110 described later, and are engaged with both side surfaces of the axle support portion 15a to support the support plate 110 of the lock portion 100 so as to prevent rotation. Can do.

  An actuator 19 is attached to the support frame 15. The actuator 19 includes a drive shaft 19a that is driven back and forth in the axial direction, a housing 19b that holds the drive shaft 19a, and a lead wire 19c for supplying power to the actuator 19. A housing 19b of the actuator 19 is fixed to the outer surface of the axle support portion 15a by fixing means (not shown) such as screwing or welding. The drive shaft 19 a of the actuator 19 is connected to the pulling member 150 (connecting part 153) of the lock part 100. Further, the lead wire 19 c of the actuator 19 is connected to the control circuit 18 a of the control unit 18.

  In the present embodiment, the actuator 19 is preferably a keep solenoid. Thereby, the lock mechanism can be operated with power saving. That is, when the control unit 18 operates the keep solenoid to shift from the locked state to the unlocked state or vice versa, the control unit 18 temporarily supplies current to the keep solenoid and the keep solenoid changes the state. maintain. Thereby, it is not necessary to constantly supply power to the actuator 19 in order to maintain the locked state or the unlocked state. However, the actuator of the present invention is not limited to the keep solenoid, and various actuators can be employed. For example, a stepping motor, an air cylinder, an electric cylinder, a voice coil actuator, or the like may be employed as the actuator.

  As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the lock portion 100 is pivotally supported by the support plate 110 so that the lock plate 100 is non-rotatably attached to the support frame 15 and the support plate 110 on the base end side. An elastic member (spring) is disposed between the lock plate 120 and the back surface 120b of the lock plate 120 and the front surface 110a of the support plate 110 and biases the front end portion of the lock plate 120 to rotate toward the front surface 120a. ) 140, connected to the hub 130 of the main wheel 11 disposed on the front surface 120 a side of the lock plate 120, and the drive shaft 19 a of the actuator 19, so that the front end side portion of the lock plate 120 is rotated to the back surface 120 b side. A pulling member 150 configured to be pullable. Hereinafter, each component will be described in more detail.

  As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the support plate 110 is a flat plate-like support member having a front surface 110a and a back surface 110b. The support plate 110 is provided with a rotating shaft holding part 111 protruding from the surface 110a near the upper end. The rotation shaft holding portion 111 holds a bolt-shaped rotation shaft 116 along the plate plane, and the rotation shaft 116 pivotally supports the base end (upper end) of the lock plate 120. In addition, the support plate 110 is provided with an axle through hole 112 that is drilled at substantially the center thereof and into which the axle 11a can be loosely inserted. The support plate 110 is provided with two traction shaft through holes 113 for penetrating the traction rods 151 formed on both sides of the axle through hole 112. A fitting portion 113a is formed on the periphery of the back surface 110b of the one pulling shaft through hole 113 (see FIG. 9). The fitting portion 113a is configured to be fitted to the tip of the release lever 152 and hold the release lever 152. Further, the support plate 110 is provided with a cylindrically protruding first spring holding portion 114 so as to hold an elastic member (spring) 140 and a projection 15b2 of the locking metal fitting 15b so as to be fitted. A fitting groove 115 is provided.

  The lock plate 120 has a front surface 120a and a back surface 120b, and has a shape like a scallop shell having a substantially fan shape when viewed from the front. At the base end (upper end) of the lock plate 120, a rotation shaft penetrating portion 121 penetrating sideways is provided. The lock plate 120 is pivotally supported on the support plate 110 by the rotation shaft 116 passing through the rotation shaft penetrating portion 121. That is, the lock plate 120 is suspended from the support plate 110 by the rotation shaft 116 so that the support plate surface 110a and the lock plate back surface 120b face each other. That is, with the base end side of the lock plate 120 as an axis, the tip side portion of the lock plate back surface 120b is separated or approached from the support plate surface 110a (in other words, the lock plate surface 120a is approached or separated from the hub inner surface 130a). ) Can be tilted or rotated.

  On the surface 120a of the lock plate 120, as shown in FIG. 10 (b), an engaging portion 122 extending in an arc shape is formed along the edge of the tip (lower end). The engaging portion 122 protrudes from the lock plate surface 120a, and includes a plurality of engaging teeth 122a (unevenness) arranged in parallel along a belt-like arc region centered on the axle 11a (or the axle through hole 123). (Refer FIG.11 (b)). Each engagement tooth 122a extends radially around the axle 11a in the vicinity of the outer periphery of the lock plate 120. That is, the long width portions of the engagement teeth 122a are aligned in the radial direction, and the short width portions are aligned in the radial direction. Then, an arcuate engagement portion 122 provided at the distal end portion of the lock plate 120 is moved back and forth with the base end of the lock plate 120 as an axis. In the present embodiment, the center angle of the arc region of the engaging portion 122 is about 90 degrees. In addition, the “front end side portion” of the present embodiment indicates a lower half region from the center of the axle through hole of the lock plate in a front view.

  In addition, an axle through hole 123 is formed in the approximate center of the lock plate 120 so that the axle 11a can be freely inserted. The axle through hole 123 is disposed so as to communicate with the axle through hole 112 of the support plate 110. The axle through hole 123 has a diameter that allows the cylindrical axle fixing portion 133 of the hub 130 to be inserted therein. A to-be-towed portion 124 that is towed to the back surface 120b side by the tow rod 151 is provided on both sides of the axle through hole 123. The towed portion 124 has a hole 124a through which the tow rod 151 can pass, and an engagement edge portion 124b that can be engaged with the flange 151a at the tip of the tow rod 151 at the periphery of the hole 124a (FIG. 11B). )reference). The engaging edge portion 124b is recessed from the lock plate surface 120a so as to accommodate the flange portion 151a of the pulling rod 151.

  Furthermore, a second spring holding portion 125 that protrudes in a cylindrical shape so as to hold the elastic member (spring) 140 is provided on the back surface 120b of the lock plate 120 (see FIGS. 9 and 10D). The second spring holding portion 125 of the lock plate 120 is disposed at a position corresponding to the first spring holding portion 114 of the support plate 110, and holds both ends of the elastic member 140 in cooperation. The elastic member 140 is held between the first and second spring holding portions 114 and 125 while being pressed and shortened (elastically deformed). Accordingly, the elastic member 140 acts to elastically connect the support plate 110 and the lock plate 120 and urge the lock plate 120 in a direction away from the support plate 110 by the elastic return force.

  The hub 130 is disposed in front of the support plate 110 and the lock plate 120 and includes the lock plate 120 so as not to be exposed to the outside. The hub 130 is formed integrally with the center of the main wheel 11 and rotates together with the main wheel 11 about the axle 11a. That is, the support plate 110 and the lock plate 120 are non-rotatably attached to the support frame 14, whereas the hub 130 is rotatable with respect to the support plate 110 and the lock plate 120. A plurality of spoke holes 134 are formed in the outer surface 130b of the hub 130, and the spokes extend radially from the spoke holes 134 to attach a wheel (tire) (see FIG. 1). For convenience of description, the description of the spokes is omitted in the description of the lock unit 100.

  The hub 130 has a cup-shaped accommodation part 131 configured to hold the lock plate 120 therein. The hub 130 has an inner surface 130 a facing the lock plate surface 120 a inside the housing portion 131 and an outer surface 130 b exposed to the outside of the housing portion 131. An annular engaged portion 132 is provided on the inner surface 130 a of the hub 130 so as to face the engaging portion 122 of the lock plate 120. Further, in the housing part 131 of the hub 130, an axle fixing part 133 for screwing (fixing) the tip of the axle 11 a is provided at the center of the hub 130.

  As shown in FIG. 12A, the engaged portion 132 extends in the belt-like annular region so that a part thereof is opposed to the arc region of the engaging portion 122 in the vicinity of the outer periphery of the inner surface 130 a. . The engaged portion 132 includes a plurality of engaged teeth 132a (unevenness) that protrude from the hub inner surface 130a and are arranged in parallel along an annular region centered on the axle 11a (or the axle fixing portion 133). The shapes and intervals of the plurality of engaged teeth 132a are substantially the same as the shapes and intervals of the plurality of engaging teeth 122a of the lock plate 120, and are arranged so as to be concavo-convexly fitted to each other. That is, each engaged tooth 132a extends radially around the axle 11a in the vicinity of the outer periphery of the hub inner surface 130a. That is, the long width portions of the engaged teeth 132a are aligned in the radial direction, and the short width portions are aligned in the radial direction. Even if the hub 130 and the lock plate 120 rotate relative to each other, the engaged portion 132 can always engage with the engaging portion 122 in the locked state. That is, in the lock portion 100 of the present embodiment, the arc region of the engaging portion 122 and the annular region of the engaged portion 132 have a common center (axle 11a), and from the center of each region to the teeth. Are configured to correspond to each other. Therefore, regardless of the rotation of the main wheel 11 (hub 130), the arc region of the engaging portion 122 faces (faces) part of the annular region of the engaged portion 132, and the engaging portion 122 and the engaged portion are engaged. The joining part 132 is always arranged so as to be able to come into surface contact.

  The pulling member 150 is connected to the actuator 19 and is configured to be pullable so as to rotate the front end portion of the lock plate 120 toward the back surface 120b. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the traction member 150 includes a traction rod 151 having a circular flange 151 a at one end, a release lever 152 that is manually connected to the traction rod 151, and the other of the traction rod 151. And a connecting portion 153 for connecting the drive shaft 19a of the actuator 19 provided at the end.

  The pulling rod 151 of the pulling member 150 is disposed so as to pass through both the pulling shaft through hole 113 of the support plate 110 and the pulled portion 124 (hole 124a) of the lock plate 120. Then, the flange portion 151a at one end of the pulling rod 151 is disposed so as to engage with the engagement edge portion 124b of the pulled portion 124 from the lock plate surface 120a. On the other hand, a release lever 152 is connected to the other end side of the pulling rod 151 protruding to the back surface 110b side of the support plate 110. The release lever 152 is held by the support plate 110 by fitting the base end of the release lever 152 to the fitting portion 113 a of the support plate 110. The lock plate 120 can be pulled by pulling the release lever 152. A connecting portion 153 is attached to the other end of the pulling rod 151. The connecting portion 153 is configured to connect the drive shaft 19 a of the actuator 19 to the other end of the pulling rod 151. That is, in conjunction with the retraction of the drive shaft 19a of the actuator 19, the traction rod 151 is retracted and the lock plate 120 can be pulled.

  Next, with reference to the schematic perspective view of FIG. 13, the lock operation and unlock operation of the lock unit 100 in the present lock mechanism will be described. In FIG. 13, elements unnecessary for the description are omitted for convenience of description.

  FIG. 13A is a schematic perspective view of the lock portion 100 showing a locked state in which the rotation of the main wheel 11 is restricted. In this locked state, the sensors 16 and 17 do not detect the sitting of the wheelchair user. In a state where the sitting of the wheelchair user is not detected, the control unit 18 does not supply current to the actuator 19 (keep solenoid) based on the sensor signal. Alternatively, when the wheelchair user gets off the wheelchair 10 and switches from the detection state to the non-detection state, the control unit 18 temporarily supplies a reverse current to the actuator 19 to stop the operation of the actuator 19. At this time, the actuator 19 does not operate and the drive shaft 19a is in a free state. Then, when the elastic restoring force of the elastic member 140 acts on the lock plate 120, the surface of the lock plate 120 (engagement portion 122) is pressed against the inner surface of the hub 130 (engaged portion 132). As a result, in the locked state, the elastic member 140 rotates the front end portion of the lock plate 120 toward the surface 120a, and the entire engaging portion 122 meshes with a part of the engaged portion 132 of the hub 130. The rotation of the main wheel 110 is restricted. In particular, the arc region of the front end portion of the lock plate surface 120a preferentially abuts on the annular region of the hub inner surface 130a, so that the elastic force of the elastic member 140 is transmitted intensively or locally to be engaged. It is possible to strongly press the portion 122 against the engaged portion 132. That is, in the locked state, the arcuate engaging portion 122 and the annular engaged portion 132 are in strong surface contact, and a stable locked state is maintained.

  In the present embodiment, the center angle of the arc region of the engaging portion 122 is about 90 degrees. In the engaging portion 122, it is preferable that the center of the arc is located at the tip of the lock plate 120 and the center angle is about 60 to 120 degrees. Within this range, a sufficient contact area between the engaging portion 122 and the engaged portion 132 is secured, and the urging force by the elastic member 140 is concentrated, so that the engaging portion 122 of the lock plate 120 is connected to the hub 130. It is possible to press more strongly by the engaged portion 132.

  FIG. 13B is a schematic perspective view of the lock portion 100 showing an unlocked state in which the main wheel 11 can rotate. In this unlocked state, the sensors 16 and 17 detect the seating of the wheelchair user. To shift from the locked state to the unlocked state, when the sensors 16 and 17 detect the seating of the wheelchair user, the control unit 18 temporarily supplies current to the actuator 19 (keep solenoid) based on the sensor information. Then, the actuator 19 is driven. Then, the drive shaft 19a of the actuator 19 moves backward in the axial direction, and the actuator 19 pulls the pulling rod 151. At this time, the flange 151a of the traction rod 151 engages with the lock plate surface 120a, so that the lock plate 120 rotates toward the back surface 120b with its base end as an axis as the traction rod 151 moves backward. As a result, the pulling member 150 contracts the elastic member 140 and rotates the front end side portion of the lock plate 120 toward the back surface 120b, so that the engaging portion 122 is disengaged from the engaged portion 132. It becomes free to rotate. In addition, by operating the release lever 152 instead of operating the actuator 19, the lock plate 120 can be maintained in a state of being rotated toward the back surface 120b, and the lock can be released.

  That is, when the drive shaft 19a of the actuator (keep solenoid) 19 is in a free state, the drive shaft 19a is extended to the biased position by the biasing force of the elastic member 140 to form a locked state. On the other hand, when the control shaft 18 retracts (shortens) the drive shaft 19a of the actuator 19 to the traction position and maintains the traction position, the lock plate 120 is pulled by the traction member 150 to form the unlocked state.

  Hereinafter, the effect of the lock mechanism and wheelchair 10 of this embodiment is demonstrated.

  The lock mechanism of the present embodiment controls the locking and unlocking of the main wheel 11 by the control unit 18 using the sensors 16 and 17. That is, the lock mechanism of the present embodiment detects whether or not a wheelchair user is seated by the sensors 16 and 17, controls the lock unit 100 using an electric signal, and moves the main wheel 11 when the wheelchair 10 gets on and off. Accidents such as locking and falling when the wheelchair 10 gets on and off are prevented. By adopting an electrical configuration using such sensors 16 and 17, it is possible to reduce the volume of the wheelchair seat without requiring the incorporation of a conventional mechanical sensing plate in the wheelchair seat. This is advantageous in terms of weight. In particular, since the sensors 16 and 17 are sheet-shaped pressure sensors, when a part of the body of a wheelchair user contacts the sensors 16 and 17 and a load (pressure) is applied thereto, An electrical change (for example, a decrease in resistance value) occurs. Then, when the control unit 18 reads this electrical change, the control unit 18 operates the actuator 19 to control the lock unit 100. That is, the lock mechanism can be easily introduced into the wheelchair 10 by laying the sensors 16 and 17 on the seat portion 11, the backrest portion 12, the footrest 14 and the like that the wheelchair user touches when sitting. Moreover, since the sensors 16 and 17 are sheet-like pressure-sensitive sensors, the lock mechanism can be introduced into the wheelchair 10 with almost no change in the thickness or appearance of the seat or footrest of the wheelchair. Therefore, the locking mechanism of the present embodiment ensures safety without sacrificing the comfort of wheelchair users.

  According to the lock mechanism of this embodiment, the lock plate 120 is supported by the support plate 110 so as to be rotatable (tilted) toward the front surface 120a side and the back surface 120b side with one end thereof as a fulcrum. The elastic restoring force of the elastic member 140 urges the front end portion of the lock plate 120 to rotate toward the surface 120a. Due to this urging force, the entire arc-shaped engaging portion 122 located at the tip side portion of the lock plate surface 120a and a part of the engaged portion 132 formed in an annular shape on the inner surface 130a of the hub 130 of the main wheel 11 Mesh firmly on the surface. Therefore, this lock mechanism can stably regulate the rotation of the main wheel 11. Further, in this lock mechanism, the distal end portion rotates with the proximal end side of the lock plate 120 as a fulcrum, so that the arc surface of the engagement portion 122 of the distal end portion has priority over the annular surface of the engaged portion 132. Surface contact. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent the urging force from the elastic member 140 from being distributed over the entire surface of the lock plate 120, and to strongly press the engaging portion 122 of the lock plate 120 against the engaged portion 132 of the hub 130. . On the other hand, in order to release the lock, the pulling force by the actuator 19 of the pulling member 150 rotates the front end portion of the lock plate 120 toward the back surface 120b. That is, by pulling the lock plate 120 with the pulling member 150, the locked portion can be easily released by separating the engaging portion 122 and the engaged portion 132. Therefore, the lock mechanism can stably form the locked state and the unlocked state with a simple structure.

(Modification)
The lock mechanism and wheelchair of the present invention are not limited to the above embodiment, and can be modified as follows, for example.

(1) The lock part of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and can take various forms. For example, as long as it can be electrically controlled by an actuator, it may have a lock structure as in Patent Document 1. In this case, the subject of the present invention can be solved by pulling the wire by the actuator based on the sensor signal.

(2) In the above description, the relationship between the hand brake and the lock portion is omitted, but the lock portion may be wire-operated by the hand brake. For example, by connecting the hand brake and the release lever with a wire, the lock portion can be controlled also by the hand brake.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and modifications, and can be implemented in various modes as long as they belong to the technical scope of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Wheelchair 11 Main wheel 11a Axle 12 Seat part 12a Cushioning material 12b Cover 13 Backrest part 14 Footrest 14a Mounting surface 15 Support frame 15a Axle support part 15b Locking metal fitting 15b1 Hole 15b2 Protrusion part 16 Seat part sensor (sensor)
17 Leg sensor (sensor)
18 Control unit (control circuit, power supply)
19 Actuator (Keep Solenoid)
19a Drive shaft 19b Case 19c Lead wire 100 Lock part 110 Support member (support plate)
111 Rotating shaft holding portion 112 Axle through hole 113 Traction shaft through hole 113a Fitting portion 114 First spring holding portion 115 Fitting groove 116 Rotating shaft (bolt)
120 Lock plate 120a Front surface 120b Back surface 121 Rotating shaft through portion 122 Engaging portion 122a Engaging tooth 123 Axle through hole 124 Towed portion 124a Hole 124b Engaging edge 125 Second spring holding portion 130 Hub 130a Inner surface 131 Housing portion 132 Engaged portion 132a engaged tooth 133 axle fixed portion 134 spoke hole 140 elastic member (spring)
150 Traction member 151 Traction rod 151a Ridge part 152 Release lever 153 Connection part

Claims (6)

A lock mechanism that locks the rotation of the main wheel of the wheelchair,
A sheet-like pressure sensor that detects that a wheelchair user has sat on the wheelchair;
A controller that is electrically connected to the pressure-sensitive sensor and determines whether a wheelchair user is seated based on sensor information;
An actuator electrically connected to the control unit and controlled in operation by the control unit;
A lock portion configured to lock and unlock the rotation of the main wheel by driving the actuator, and
The pressure sensor is arranged on the mounting surface of the footrest of the wheelchair, and is configured to detect that the user's leg is in contact with the mounting surface,
If the pressure sensor does not detect the seating of the wheelchair user in the wheelchair, maintaining the state where the main wheel is locked in the lock portion,
Characterized in that said pressure sensor when the wheelchair user has placed his leg on the mounting surface of the footrest detects the Zajo to wheelchair wheelchair user, said locking unit unlocks the main wheel A lock mechanism. A lock mechanism that locks the rotation of the main wheel of the wheelchair,
A sheet-like pressure sensor that detects that a wheelchair user has sat on the wheelchair;
A controller that is electrically connected to the pressure-sensitive sensor and determines whether a wheelchair user is seated based on sensor information;
An actuator electrically connected to the control unit and controlled in operation by the control unit;
A lock portion configured to lock and unlock the rotation of the main wheel by driving the actuator, and
The pressure sensor is disposed on a seating surface of the wheelchair, and a seating sensor configured to detect that a user's buttocks abuts against the seating surface, and a seating surface of the wheelchair footrest. A leg sensor configured to be able to detect that the user's leg is in contact with the placement surface,
If the pressure sensor does not detect the seating of the wheelchair user in the wheelchair, maintaining the state where the main wheel is locked in the lock portion,
When the wheelchair user sits on a seating surface and puts his / her leg on the mounting surface of the footrest, the pressure-sensitive sensor detects the wheelchair user sitting on the wheelchair, and the lock portion of the main wheel A locking mechanism characterized by releasing the lock. A lock mechanism that locks the rotation of the main wheel of the wheelchair,
A sheet-like pressure sensor that detects that a wheelchair user has sat on the wheelchair;
A controller that is electrically connected to the pressure-sensitive sensor and determines whether a wheelchair user is seated based on sensor information;
An actuator electrically connected to the control unit and controlled in operation by the control unit;
A lock portion configured to lock and unlock the rotation of the main wheel by driving the actuator, and
The pressure sensor is disposed on a seating surface of the wheelchair, and a seating sensor configured to detect that a user's buttocks abuts against the seating surface, and a seating surface of the wheelchair footrest. A leg sensor configured to be able to detect that the user's leg is in contact with the placement surface,
When the pressure sensor does not detect the seating of the wheelchair user in the wheelchair, the lock unit maintains the state where the main wheel is locked, and the pressure sensor detects the seating of the wheelchair user on the wheelchair. The lock portion is configured to unlock the main wheel,
The lock mechanism can be set via the control unit so as to operate either one of the seat part sensor and the leg part sensor or both of the seat part sensor and the leg part sensor. The lock part is
A support member that is non-rotatably attached to a support frame that supports the main wheel ;
A lock plate that is pivotally supported by the support member on the base end side and includes an engaging portion formed in an arc shape at the front end side portion of the surface;
An elastic member that is disposed between the back surface of the lock plate and the support member, and biases the tip side portion of the lock plate to rotate to the surface side;
A hub of the main wheel disposed on the surface side of the lock plate, a part of which has an annular engaged part facing the engaging part;
A traction member coupled to the actuator and configured to be tractable so as to rotate the front end side portion of the lock plate to the back surface side; and
In the locked state, the elastic member rotates the front end portion of the lock plate to the surface side, and the engagement portion meshes with a part of the engaged portion, thereby locking the rotation of the main wheel,
In the unlocked state, the pulling member contracts the elastic member and rotates the front end side portion of the lock plate to the back side, so that the engaging portion is disengaged from the engaged portion. lock mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 3, but characterized in that it is a freely rotating. The actuator lock mechanism as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the keep solenoid. A wheelchair comprising the lock mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 5 .

Images