JP7488787B2 - Brake structure of walking vehicle and walking vehicle - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a brake structure for a walking vehicle and a walking vehicle equipped with the brake structure.

Walkers that assist users who have difficulty walking on their own, such as the elderly or physically disabled, have been known for some time. Walkers have wheels at their lower ends and a handle on the upper end. Some walkers are provided with armrests on which the user can place their elbows in addition to the handle. In such walkers, the handle is provided in front and the armrest is provided behind the handle. When the user drives the walker, they grip the handle with their elbows resting on the armrest.

Some walking frames are equipped with a brake mechanism that applies a braking force to the wheels. Patent Document 1 discloses a walking frame with armrests that has a brake mechanism consisting of a front lever located below the handlebars and a rear lever located behind the front lever.

The brake mechanism of Patent Document 1 has a brake function that brakes the wheels when the walker is moving, and a lock function that brakes and locks the wheels when the walker is parked. Specifically, in the brake mechanism of Patent Document 1, the front lever and rear lever are each operable between a standby position, a brake position above the standby position, and a lock position below the standby position. When either the front lever or the rear lever is operated to the brake position, the brake state is established, and when either lever is operated to the lock position, the lock state is established. Therefore, in the brake mechanism of Patent Document 1, it is possible to switch between the standby state, the brake state, and the lock state by operating either the front lever or the rear lever.

The brake mechanism of Patent Document 1 is also provided with an interlocking mechanism that interlocks the front lever and the rear lever. With this interlocking mechanism, when either the front lever or the rear lever is operated to the brake position, the other is displaced to the brake position in conjunction with the operation. Also, when either the front lever or the rear lever is operated to the lock position, the other is displaced to the lock position. As a result, the brake mechanism of Patent Document 1 provides convenience, such as the ability to use either lever to release the locked state.

Japanese Patent No. 6254062

However, with a walker with armrests, the user holds the handlebars while resting their elbows on the armrests and drives the walker, so the brakes are applied using the front lever below the handlebars when the walker is moving. Therefore, it is considered unlikely that the rear lever will be used to brake the walker when it is moving.

In addition, in the brake mechanism of Patent Document 1, the front and rear levers are not only linked when the locking operation is performed when the walker is parked, but also when the brakes are operated while the walker is moving. This may result in a complex structure for the brake mechanism.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above circumstances, and its main objective is to provide a brake structure for a walking frame and a walking frame that can simplify the structure while maintaining the convenience of interlocking the front and rear levers.

In order to solve the above problems, the brake structure for a walker of the first invention is applied to a walker having wheels, armrests for a user to place their elbows on, and a handle that is disposed forward of the armrests and is gripped by the user, and is a brake structure for applying brakes to the wheels, comprising a front lever disposed below the handle, a rear lever disposed rearward of the front lever, and a main body supported so as to be movable up and down with the front lever protruding forward and the rear lever protruding rearward, the front lever having a first standby position, a brake position operated upward from the first standby position for applying the brakes to the wheels when the walker is moving, and a first standby position operated downward from the first standby position for applying the brakes to the wheels and locking the wheels when the walker is parked. The rear lever is movable between a second standby position and a second lock position, which is a position operated downward from the second standby position and in which the wheels are braked and locked when the walker is parked. The front lever and the rear lever are provided with a lever interlocking mechanism, which interlocks the front lever and the rear lever, and the lever interlocking mechanism displaces the rear lever from the second standby position to the second lock position in conjunction with the front lever being operated from the first standby position to the first lock position, displaces the front lever from the first standby position to the first lock position in conjunction with the rear lever being operated from the second standby position to the second lock position, but does not interlock the rear lever when the front lever is operated from the first standby position to the brake position.

According to the first invention, when one of the levers is operated to the locked position, the other lever, which is not operated, is also displaced to the locked position by the lever interlocking mechanism that interlocks the front lever and the rear lever. This provides convenience, such as the ability to release the locked state from either lever. On the other hand, when the front lever is operated to the brake position, the rear lever is not interlocked, which simplifies the configuration of the lever interlocking mechanism. Therefore, in this case, the configuration can be simplified while maintaining the convenience provided by interlocking the front lever and the rear lever.

The brake structure of the walking vehicle of the second invention is the same as that of the first invention, except that a brake wire is connected to the front lever of the front and rear levers, and when the front lever is operated to the brake position and the first lock position, the brake wire is pulled in response to the operation, thereby applying the brakes to the wheels.

According to the second invention, the brake wire is connected to the front lever instead of the rear lever. In this case, it is easier to realize a configuration in which the rear lever is not interlocked when the front lever is operated to the brake position.

The brake structure of a walking vehicle of the third invention is the first or second invention, wherein the lever interlocking mechanism has a connecting shaft that connects the front lever and the rear lever so that they can rotate with each other, a first rotating shaft that is provided on the front lever further toward the tip side than the connecting shaft and extends in the same direction as the connecting shaft, a second rotating shaft that is provided on the rear lever further toward the tip side than the connecting shaft and extends in the same direction as the connecting shaft, a first bearing portion that is provided on the main body and receives the connecting shaft from below, and a second bearing portion that is provided on the main body and receives the first rotating shaft from below, and the front lever is held in the standby position with the connecting shaft received from below by the first bearing portion and the first rotating shaft received from below by the second bearing portion, and the front lever is moved from the first standby position to the When displacing to the first lock position, the first pivot shaft is supported from below by the second bearing portion, and the front lever rotates about the first pivot shaft to the side where the connecting shaft moves upward away from the first bearing portion, and the rear lever rotates about the second pivot shaft as the connecting shaft moves away, displacing in conjunction from the second standby position to the second lock position. When the front lever displaces from the first standby position to the brake position, the connecting shaft is supported from below by the first bearing portion, and the front lever rotates about the connecting shaft to the side where the first pivot shaft moves upward away from the second bearing portion, so that the rear lever is not interlocked based on the displacement of the connecting shaft.

According to the third invention, the lever interlocking mechanism has a simple configuration having a connecting shaft that connects both levers, a rotating shaft provided on each of the levers, and two bearings that receive these rotating shafts. Furthermore, in this configuration, the front lever can be formed elongated in the direction in which the connecting shaft and the first rotating shaft are aligned, and the rear lever can be formed elongated in the direction in which the connecting shaft and the second rotating shaft are aligned. This allows the vertical dimensions of each lever to be reduced, and further allows the vertical dimensions of the main body to be reduced. This greatly simplifies the configuration.

The brake structure of the walker of the fourth invention is the third invention, characterized in that it has an engagement part that engages with the connecting shaft when the front lever is in the first lock position.

According to the fourth invention, the connecting shaft engages with the engagement portion, so that the front lever is held in the first lock position and the rear lever is held in the second lock position. This allows the wheels to remain braked and locked. In addition, because the connecting shaft that connects both levers is configured to engage with the engagement portion, it is easy to engage both levers when either of them is operated to the lock position, and the locking operation can be performed conveniently.

The brake structure of the walking vehicle of the fifth invention is the fourth invention, characterized in that the connecting shaft has either a recess or a protrusion on its circumferential surface, the engagement portion is an engagement piece that is arranged on the circumferential surface side of the connecting shaft and operably attached to the main body, the engagement piece has the other of the recess and the protrusion formed thereon, and is equipped with a coil spring that biases the engagement piece toward the connecting shaft, and when the front lever is in the first lock position, the protrusion enters the recess and the connecting shaft engages with the engagement piece.

According to the fifth aspect of the invention, the fourth aspect of the invention can be specifically realized by using a movable engagement piece and a coil spring.

The sixth invention is a walking vehicle characterized by having a brake structure according to any one of the first to fifth inventions.

According to the sixth aspect of the invention, the effects of the first to fifth aspects of the invention can be achieved as a walking vehicle.

FIG. FIG. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the brake operating portion in an exploded state. FIG. FIG. 4 is a side view showing the brake operating section with the cover of the main body removed. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the front lever and the rear lever as viewed obliquely from below. 1A is a side view showing the case as viewed from the inside, and FIG. 1B is a side view showing the cover as viewed from the inside. FIG. 6 is a side view showing a state in which the front lever in FIG. 5 is operated to a brake position. FIG. 6 is a side view showing a state in which the front lever in FIG. 5 is operated to a lock position; 11A and 11B are diagrams showing another embodiment of the engagement portion, in which (a) shows the front lever and the rear lever in the standby position, and (b) shows the front lever and the rear lever in the lock position.

Below, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a walking frame 10 as seen from diagonally forward. In the following description, the direction in which the walking frame 10 moves is defined as the front-rear direction, and the direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction is defined as the left-right direction.

As shown in FIG. 1, the walker 10 comprises a pair of left and right frame sections 11 extending in the vertical direction, and front wheels 12 and rear wheels 13 attached to the lower end of each frame section 11. Each frame section 11 is formed from a light metal such as aluminum. Each frame section 11 has a lower frame 15 attached to its lower part and extending in the front-to-rear direction, and a vertical frame 16 extending upward from the middle of the lower frame 15. The front wheels 12 are attached to the front end of the lower frame 15, and the rear wheels 13 are attached to the rear end of the lower frame 15. The frame sections 11 are also connected to each other via connecting members 18.

A handle 21 and an armrest 22 are provided at the upper end of the vertical frame 16 of each frame section 11. The handle 21 is a part that the user grasps when moving the walker 10. The handle 21 is provided to protrude forward from the vertical frame 16, and more specifically, is provided to be inclined upward toward the front. The armrest 22 is a part on which the user places his/her elbow when moving the walker 10. The armrest 22 is provided to protrude rearward from the vertical frame 16.

A brake operating unit 30 is provided on the upper end side of each vertical frame 16. The brake operating unit 30 includes a main body 31 attached to the upper end side of the vertical frame 16, and a front lever 32 and a rear lever 33 attached to the main body 31. The front lever 32 and the rear lever 33 are levers for applying the brakes to the walker 10. The front lever 32 is provided below the handle 21, and the rear lever 33 is provided rearward of the front lever 32.

A brake wire 28 (see Figures 2, 5, etc.) is connected to the brake operating unit 30. The brake wire 28 is inserted into a soft tube 34. The brake wire 28 is connected to a brake operating unit 29 provided on the rear end side of the lower frame 15. The brake operating unit 29 is operated by operating the front lever 32 or rear lever 33 of the brake operating unit 30, and applies a braking force (braking force) to the rear wheel 13.

Between each vertical frame 16, a seat 25 is provided on which a person can sit. A storage basket 26 capable of storing items is provided on the underside of the seat 25, and a tray 27 on which items can be placed is provided below the handle 21.

Next, the brake structure of the walker 10 will be described. The brake structure is broadly divided into a brake operating unit 30 and a braking mechanism that applies a braking force to the rear wheel 13 based on the operation of the brake operating unit 30. Therefore, the brake operating unit 30 will be described below with reference to Figs. 2 and 3. Fig. 2 is a side view showing the brake operating unit 30. Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the brake operating unit 30 in an exploded state. Note that the left and right brake operating units 30 have a symmetrical configuration, and Figs. 2 and 3 show the right brake operating unit 30. Also, some components such as the armrest 22 are omitted from Figs. 2 and 3 (the same applies to Figs. 5, 8, and 9 described later).

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, in the brake operating unit 30, the main body 31 has a flat shape that extends in the front-rear direction as a whole. The main body 31 includes a box-shaped case 35 attached to the vertical frame 16, and a cover 36 that covers the opening of the case 35. Both the case 35 and the cover 36 are made of hard resin. The case 35 is attached to the vertical frame 16 with its opening facing outward in the left-right direction. The cover 36 is fixed to the case 35 using fasteners 37 such as screws. As a result, an internal space surrounded by the case 35 and the cover 36 is formed in the main body 31.

The case 35 and the cover 36 each have opposing plate portions 35a, 36a that face each other in the left-right direction with the internal space in between. The opposing plate portion 35a of the case 35 has a plurality of boss portions 38 that protrude inward (toward the internal space), and each of the boss portions 38 has a boss hole 38a formed therein. The opposing plate portion 36a of the cover 36 also has a plurality of screw holes 39 formed therein corresponding to each of the boss holes 38a (see also Figures 7(a) and (b)). Each fastener 37 is screwed into the screw hole 39 of the cover 36 through the boss hole 38a of the case 35. This fixes the cover 36 to the case 35.

The front lever 32 is formed as a rod extending in the front-rear direction as a whole. The front lever 32 is attached to the main body 31 with its tip side facing forward. The base end side of the front lever 32 enters the inside of the main body 31 through a notched insertion port 41 formed in the case 35 of the main body 31, and in this state, the base end side is attached to the main body 31.

The front lever 32 has a lever operating part 32a constituting the tip side and a lever base part 32b constituting the base side. The lever operating part 32a is the part that the user grips and is located below the handle 21. The lever operating part 32a is inclined upward in accordance with the inclination of the handle 21. The lever base part 32b extends approximately horizontally in the front-rear direction, and its tip side is inclined upward and connected to the lever operating part 32a (see also Figure 5).

The front lever 32 is attached to the main body 31 so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction. The front lever 32 can be displaced between a standby position (see solid line in FIG. 2), a brake position (see dashed line in FIG. 2) which is a position where the front lever 32 is rotated upward from the standby position, and a lock position (see dashed line in FIG. 2) which is a position where the front lever 32 is rotated downward from the standby position. The front lever 32 is normally held in the standby position. The standby position of the front lever 32 corresponds to the first standby position, and the lock position of the front lever 32 corresponds to the first lock position.

When the front lever 32 is operated from the standby position to the brake position (hereinafter referred to as the brake operation), a braking force is applied to the rear wheels 13. Therefore, when the front lever 32 is braked while the walker 10 is moving, the rear wheels 13 are braked. Also, when the front lever 32 is operated from the standby position to the lock position (hereinafter referred to as the lock operation), a braking force is applied to the rear wheels 13, similar to the case of the brake operation. Also, when the front lever 32 is locked, the front lever 32 is held in the locked position. Therefore, when the front lever 32 is locked while the walker 10 is parked, the rear wheels 13 remain braked and the rear wheels 13 are locked.

The rear lever 33 is formed as a rod extending in the front-rear direction as a whole. The rear lever 33 is attached to the main body 31 with its tip side facing rearward. The base end side of the rear lever 33 enters the inside of the main body 31 through a notched insertion opening 42 formed in the case 35 of the main body 31, and in this state, the base end side is attached to the main body 31.

The rear lever 33 is attached to the main body 31 so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction. The rear lever 33 is displaceable between a standby position (see solid line in FIG. 2) and a locked position (see two-dot chain line in FIG. 2) which is a position where the rear lever 33 is rotated downward from the standby position. The rear lever 33 is normally held in the standby position. The standby position of the rear lever 33 corresponds to the second standby position, and the locked position of the rear lever 33 corresponds to the second locked position.

When the rear lever 33 is operated from the standby position to the locked position (hereinafter referred to as the locking operation), a braking force is applied to the rear wheels 13. Furthermore, when the rear lever 33 is locked, the rear lever 33 is held in the locked position. Therefore, when the rear lever 33 is locked while parking the walker 10, the rear wheels 13 remain braked and are locked.

In this way, with this brake structure, it is possible to perform the locking operation using either the front lever 32 or the rear lever 33. On the other hand, the brake operation is only possible using the front lever 32 out of the levers 32 and 33.

Next, the braking mechanism that applies a braking force to the rear wheel 13 will be described with reference to Figure 4. Figure 4 is a side view showing the braking mechanism.

As shown in FIG. 4, the brake operating unit 29 is attached to the lower frame 15 so as to be rotatable via a pivot shaft 44 extending in the left-right direction. The brake operating unit 29 is formed in a strip shape, has an abutment portion 29a at one end that abuts against the rear wheel 13, and has a connection portion 29b to which the brake wire 28 is connected at the other end. The brake operating unit 29 can be displaced between a position where the abutment portion 29a is separated from the rear wheel 13 (see the solid line in FIG. 4) and a position where the abutment portion 29a abuts against the rear wheel 13 (see the two-dot chain line in FIG. 4) by rotating around the pivot shaft 44. When the abutment portion 29a is separated from the rear wheel 13, the rear wheel 13 is allowed to rotate. On the other hand, when the abutment portion 29a abuts against the rear wheel 13, a braking force is applied to the rear wheel 13.

The lower frame 15 is provided with a protruding plate portion 15a that protrudes above the connection portion 29b of the brake operating portion 29. The protruding plate portion 15a is arranged facing the connection portion 29b vertically. A connector 45 that is connected to the lower end of the tube 34 is attached to the protruding plate portion 15a. The brake wire 28 is led downward from the lower end of the tube 34 through the inside of the connector 45, and its lower end is fixed to the connection portion 29b. In this case, when the brake wire 28 is pulled upward by operating the front lever 32 or the rear lever 33, the brake operating portion 29 rotates in conjunction with the pulling.

A coil spring 46 is disposed between the connection portion 29b of the brake operating portion 29 and the protruding plate portion 15a of the lower frame 15. The coil spring 46 is disposed between the connection portion 29b and the protruding plate portion 15a in a state compressed from its natural length. Therefore, the elastic force (biasing force) of the coil spring 46 constantly biases the connection portion 29b (and thus the brake operating portion 29) in the opposite direction to the protruding plate portion 15a, that is, downward. As a result, the brake operating portion 29 is normally positioned in a position where the abutment portion 29a is spaced apart from the rear wheel 13.

The connection part 29b is biased downward by the coil spring 46, so that the brake wire 28 connected to the connection part 29b is also constantly biased downward. When the front lever 32 is operated from the standby position to the brake position or the lock position, the brake wire 28 is pulled upward accordingly (details will be described later). When the rear lever 33 is operated from the standby position to the lock position, the brake wire 28 is pulled upward accordingly (details will be described later). When the brake wire 28 is pulled upward due to the brake operation or the lock operation, the brake operating part 29 rotates to a position where the abutment part 29a abuts against the rear wheel 13. At this time, the brake operating part 29 rotates against the biasing force of the coil spring 46. As a result, when the front lever 32 is operated to the brake position or the lock position, or when the rear lever 33 is operated to the lock position, a braking force is applied to the rear wheel 13, and the rear wheel 13 is braked.

Next, the internal structure of the brake operating unit 30 will be described in detail with reference to Figs. 5 and 6 in addition to Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a side view showing the brake operating unit 30, with the cover 36 of the main body 31 removed. Fig. 5 shows the front lever 32 and the rear lever 33 in the standby position. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the front lever 32 and the rear lever 33 as seen obliquely from below. Fig. 6 also shows the pulley unit 62 attached to the front lever 32.

As shown in Figures 3, 5, and 6, the front lever 32 and the rear lever 33 are rotatably connected via a connecting shaft 51. The connecting shaft 51 is a cylindrical shaft extending in the left-right direction, and connects the rear end of the front lever 32 and the front end of the rear lever 33 to each other. In other words, the connecting shaft 51 connects the base ends of the levers 32 and 33 to each other.

The connecting shaft 51 is formed at the base end of the rear lever 33. The connecting shafts 51 are provided to protrude from both the left and right sides of the rear lever 33, and their axes are located on the same axis. On the other hand, an insertion groove 52 into which the base end of the rear lever 33 is inserted is formed at the base end of the front lever 32 (specifically, the lever base 32b). The insertion groove 52 is a groove portion that opens to the rear, and the rear lever 33 is inserted into this insertion groove 52 from the rear. Insertion portions 53 into which the connecting shaft 51 is inserted are formed on each of the left and right sides of the insertion groove 52 in the front lever 32. Each insertion portion 53 is formed as a notch that is open to the rear. By inserting each connecting shaft 51 into these insertion portions 53, both levers 32, 33 are rotatably connected via each connecting shaft 51.

The connecting shaft 51 does not necessarily have to be formed on the rear lever 33. For example, the connecting shaft 51 may be formed on the front lever 32, or the connecting shaft 51 may be formed separately from each of the levers 33, 33. In short, as long as each of the levers 33, 33 is rotatably connected via the connecting shaft 51, the configuration may be arbitrary.

The front lever 32 (specifically, the lever base 32b) has a pivot shaft 55 located on the tip side of the connecting shaft 51. The pivot shaft 55 is a cylindrical shaft extending in the left-right direction. The pivot shafts 55 are provided protruding from both the left and right sides of the front lever 32, and their axes are aligned in the same straight line. The pivot shaft 55 corresponds to the first pivot shaft.

A slit groove portion 56 is formed in the front lever 32, closer to the tip side than the insertion groove 52. The slit groove portion 56 is a slit-shaped groove portion that extends in the longitudinal direction of the front lever 32 and is open downward. A disk-shaped rotating body 58 is disposed in the slit groove portion 56. A shaft hole (not shown) is formed in the center of the rotating body 58, and a shaft portion 59 extending to the left and right is inserted into the shaft hole.

On the left and right sides of the slit groove portion 56 in the front lever 32, holes 61 are formed, through which the shaft portion 59 is inserted. The shaft portion 59 is inserted in a fitted state into these holes 61, and the shaft portion 59 is thereby fixed to the front lever 32. The rotating body 58 is capable of rotating around the shaft portion 59 as a rotation axis. As a result, the rotating body 58 and the shaft portion 59 form a pulley portion 62. In addition, both ends of the shaft portion 59 protrude from the left and right side surfaces of the front lever 32, respectively.

The rear lever 33 has an axial hole 64 at the tip side (rear) of the connecting shaft 51. The axial hole 64 is a circular hole that penetrates the rear lever 33 in the left-right direction. As described below, the boss portion 38 of the case 35 is inserted into the axial hole 64.

Next, the configuration of the main body 31 will be described with reference to Fig. 5 and Fig. 7. Fig. 7 (a) is a side view showing the case 35 as viewed from the inside, and (b) is a side view showing the cover 36 as viewed from the inside. Note that Fig. 7 (a) also shows the engagement piece 68 and coil spring 72 provided on the case 35, and Fig. 7 (b) also shows the engagement piece 68 and coil spring 72 provided on the cover 36.

As shown in Fig. 5 and Figs. 7(a) and (b), the main body 31 is provided with a first guide passage 65 that guides the connecting shafts 51 of the levers 32 and 33, and a second guide passage 66 that guides the pivot shaft 55 of the front lever 32. The first guide passages 65 are provided in the case 35 and the cover 36 of the main body 31 in correspondence with the connecting shafts 51. Similarly, the second guide passages 66 are provided in the case 35 and the cover 36 in correspondence with the pivot shafts 55.

The first guide passages 65 of the case 35 and the cover 36 are symmetrical in the left-right direction. Therefore, in the following, the same reference numeral (i.e., 65) will be used for each first guide passage 65, and the same reference numeral will be used for each component that constitutes the first guide passage 65. In addition, the second guide passages 66 of the case 35 and the cover 36 are symmetrical in the left-right direction, and therefore, in the following, the same reference numeral (i.e., 66) will be used for each second guide passage 66, and the same reference numeral will be used for each component that constitutes the second guide passage 66.

First, the first guide passage 65 will be described. The first guide passage 65 is formed inside the opposing plate portions 35a, 36a of the case 35 and the cover 36. Each opposing plate portion 35a, 36a is provided with a passage wall portion 67 for forming the first guide passage 65. The passage wall portion 67 is formed to protrude inside the opposing plate portions 35a, 36a and extends in the vertical direction.

The passage wall 67 has an intermediate wall 67a that extends in a generally straight line in the vertical direction, an upper wall 67b that extends forward from the upper end of the intermediate wall 67a, and a lower wall 67c that extends forward from the lower end of the intermediate wall 67a. The upper wall 67b is arc-shaped and displaces upward as it moves forward, and the lower wall 67c is arc-shaped and displaces downward as it moves forward. The upper wall 67b is arc-shaped and convex upward, and the lower wall 67c is arc-shaped and convex downward.

The case 35 and the cover 36 each have an engagement piece 68 facing the passage wall portion 67. The engagement piece 68 is a member that engages with the connecting shaft 51, as described below. The engagement piece 68 extends in the vertical direction and is disposed forward of the passage wall portion 67. The engagement piece 68 is disposed so as to straddle both ends of the passage wall portion 67, i.e., the upper end of the upper wall portion 67b and the lower end of the lower wall portion 67c, and faces the middle wall portion 67a of the passage wall portion 67 in the front-rear direction. In this case, an inner space extending in the vertical direction is formed inside the area surrounded by the engagement piece 68 and the passage wall portion 67, and this inner space is the first guide passage 65.

In the first guide passage 65, the upper passage end surface 81 (hereinafter referred to as the upper passage end surface 81) is formed by the upper wall portion 67b, and the lower passage end surface 82 (hereinafter referred to as the lower passage end surface 82) is formed by the lower wall portion 67c. The lower passage end surface 82 corresponds to the first bearing portion.

Before explaining the second guide passage 66, we will continue to explain the engagement piece 68.

The engagement piece 68 is supported by a shaft 71 that protrudes inward from each of the opposing plate portions 35a, 36a of the case 35 and the cover 36. The shaft 71 is an axis that extends in the left-right direction. One end of the engagement piece 68, more specifically the upper end, is formed with a hole 68a through which the shaft 71 is inserted. The shaft 71 is inserted into the hole 68a. This allows the engagement piece 68 to rotate in the front-rear direction around the shaft 71.

The engaging piece 68 is provided with a protrusion 68b that engages with the connecting shaft 51. The protrusion 68b is provided on the engaging piece 68 closer to the tip side than the hole 68a, and protrudes in a mountain shape toward the first guide passage 65. The top of the protrusion 68b is also mountain-shaped and extends in the axial direction of the connecting shaft 51. Meanwhile, the connecting shaft 51 is provided with a recess 51a on its circumferential surface that engages with the protrusion 68b. The engaging piece 68 corresponds to the engaging portion.

The case 35 and the cover 36 are provided with a coil spring 72 that biases the engagement piece 68. The coil spring 72 is disposed in front of the engagement piece 68, in other words, disposed on the opposite side of the engagement piece 68 from the first guide passage 65. The coil spring 72 is accommodated in a housing portion 73 provided in each of the case 35 and the cover 36. The housing portion 73 is formed by a U-shaped wall portion that protrudes inward from each of the opposing plate portions 35a, 36a of the case 35 and the cover 36, and the open portion of the wall portion faces the engagement piece 68 side. When accommodated in the housing portion 73, the coil spring 72 is compressed and disposed between the tip side (rotation tip side) of the engagement piece 68 and the bottom of the housing portion 73. As a result, the engagement piece 68 is constantly biased toward the first guide passage 65 side by the biasing force of the coil spring 72, and is constantly biased toward the connecting shaft 51 guided in the first guide passage 65.

Next, we will explain the second guide passage 66.

The second guide passage 66 is formed inside the opposing plate portions 35a, 36a of the case 35 and the cover 36. Each opposing plate portion 35a, 36a is provided with a passage wall portion 75 that forms the second guide passage 66. The passage wall portion 75 is formed to protrude inward from each opposing plate portion 35a, 36a. The passage wall portion 75 is formed in an annular shape and extends in the vertical direction as a whole. In this case, an inner space extending in the vertical direction is formed inside the portion surrounded by the passage wall portion 75, and this inner space is used as the second guide passage 66.

In detail, the passage wall portion 75 has a pair of intermediate wall portions 75a that extend in a substantially straight line in the vertical direction and face each other in the front-rear direction, an upper wall portion 75b that extends across the upper ends of the intermediate wall portions 75a, and a lower wall portion 75c that extends across the lower ends of the intermediate wall portions 75a. The upper wall portion 75b has an arc shape that is convex upward, and the lower wall portion 75c has an arc shape that is convex downward. The upper wall portion 75b forms an upper passage end surface 83 (hereinafter referred to as the upper passage end surface 83) of the second guide passage 66, and the lower wall portion 75c forms a lower passage end surface 84 (hereinafter referred to as the lower passage end surface 84) of the second guide passage 66. The lower passage end surface 84 corresponds to the second bearing portion.

In addition to the guide passages 65, 66 described above, the case 35 and the cover 36 are provided with a guide passage 74 that guides the shaft portion 59 of the pulley portion 62. The guide passage 74 is formed by a passage wall portion 76 that protrudes inward from each of the opposing plate portions 35a, 36a of the case 35 and the cover 36. The passage wall portion 76 is formed in an annular shape and extends in the vertical direction as a whole. In this case, an inner space extending in the vertical direction is formed inside the area surrounded by the passage wall portion 76, and this inner space serves as the guide passage 74.

Next, we will explain the mounting configuration of the front lever 32 and rear lever 33 that are attached to the main body 31.

As shown in FIG. 5, the front lever 32 and the rear lever 33 are connected to each other via a connecting shaft 51, and their respective base ends are disposed inside the main body 31, i.e., between the case 35 and the cover 36. In this state, the connecting shaft 51 is inserted into each of the first guide passages 65 of the case 35 and the cover 36, and the pivot shaft 55 of the front lever 32 is inserted into each of the second guide passages 66 of the case 35 and the cover 36. As a result, the front lever 32 is attached to the main body 31 via the connecting shaft 51 and the pivot shaft 55.

The rear lever 33 is disposed with the boss 38 of the case 35 inserted into the shaft hole 64. In this case, the boss 38 functions as a rotation shaft of the rear lever 33. Therefore, hereinafter, this boss 38 is referred to as a rotation shaft 38A. As a result, the rear lever 33 is attached to the main body 31 via the connecting shaft 51 and the rotation shaft 38A. Furthermore, the rotation shaft 38A is disposed on the tip side (rearward) of the connecting shaft 51 on the rear lever 33. The rotation shaft 38A corresponds to the second rotation shaft.

In this manner, in the present brake operating unit 30, the front lever 32 and the rear lever 33 are rotatably connected via the connecting shaft 51, the front lever 32 is attached to the main body 31 via the pivot shaft 55, and the rear lever 33 is attached to the main body 31 via the pivot shaft 38A. Therefore, in the present brake operating unit 30, the front lever 32 and the rear lever 33 operate in conjunction with each other. In addition, in the present brake operating unit 30, a lever interlocking mechanism 85 is configured that includes the connecting shaft 51, the pivot shafts 55, 38A, and the lower passage end faces 82, 84 to interlock both levers 32, 33.

Of the front lever 32 and the rear lever 33, the brake wire 28 is connected to the front lever 32. The brake wire 28 is arranged so as to be folded back downward via a pulley portion 62 provided on the front lever 32. At this time, the brake wire 28 is folded back downward through the slit groove portion 56 of the front lever 32. As a result, the brake wire 28 is connected to the front lever 32 via the pulley portion 62. The brake wire 28 is also connected to the intermediate portion between the connecting shaft 51 and the rotating shaft 55 of the front lever 32.

A drum 77 is attached to one end of the brake wire 28. The drum 77 is housed in a housing portion 78 formed on the underside of the case 35, and is attached to the case 35 in this housed state. As a result, one end of the brake wire 28 is fixed to the case 35 via the drum 77.

The other end of the brake wire 28 is led downward from inside the main body 31 through a hole 79 provided on the underside of the case 35. The other end of the brake wire 28 is connected to the brake actuator 29. As described above, the brake wire 28 (more specifically, the other end of the brake wire 28) is constantly biased downward together with the brake actuator 29 by the biasing force of the coil spring 46. Therefore, the pulley part 62 to which the brake wire 28 is connected, and thus the front lever 32, are also constantly biased downward via the brake wire 28.

As described above, because the front lever 32 is biased downward, the connecting shaft 51 is normally in contact with the lower passage end surface 82 of the first guide passage 65 and is supported from below by the lower passage end surface 82. The rotating shaft 55 is in contact with the lower passage end surface 84 of the second guide passage 66 and is supported from below by the lower passage end surface 84. In this way, the connecting shaft 51 is supported by the lower passage end surface 82 and the rotating shaft 55 is supported by the lower passage end surface 84, so that the front lever 32 is held in the standby position.

The rear lever 33 is in the standby position when the connecting shaft 51 is in the lower position E1 where it is received from below by the lower passage end surface 82. Therefore, the rear lever 33 is in the standby position when the front lever 32 is in the standby position.

Next, the action of the front lever 32 when it is operated from the standby position to the brake position will be described with reference to FIG. 8. FIG. 8 is a side view showing the state in which the front lever 32 is operated to the brake position in FIG. 5.

As shown in FIG. 8, when the front lever 32 is operated from the standby position (see FIG. 5) to the brake position, the front lever 32 is rotated upward about the connecting shaft 51 with the connecting shaft 51 supported from below by the lower passage end surface 82 of the first guide passage 65. That is, in this case, the front lever 32 is rotated about the connecting shaft 51 so that the rotating shaft 55 moves upward away from the lower passage end surface 84 of the second guide passage 66. As a result, the brake wire 28 connected to the front lever 32 is pulled upward, and the brake operating part 29 rotates to a position where it abuts against the rear wheel 13 (see the two-dot chain line in FIG. 4), and the rear wheel 13 is braked.

When the front lever 32 moves from the standby position to the braking position, the pivot shaft 55 displaces upward along the second guide passage 66. When the front lever 32 reaches the braking position, the pivot shaft 55 abuts against the upper passage end surface 83 of the second guide passage 66 from below. In addition, when the front lever 32 moves from the standby position to the braking position, the shaft portion 59 of the pulley portion 62 displaces upward along the guide passage 74.

As described above, the front lever 32 is constantly biased downward via the brake wire 28, so when the hand gripping the front lever 32 is released in the braking position, the biasing force causes the front lever 32 to automatically return from the braking position to the standby position. This causes the brake operating part 29 to rotate to a position away from the rear wheel 13 (see solid line in Figure 4), and the brake state for the rear wheel 13 is released. In addition, when the front lever 32 returns to the standby position, it also returns by rotating around the connecting shaft 51.

When the front lever 32 is operated from the standby position to the brake position, the connecting shaft 51 remains in the lower position E1 in the first guide passage 65, where it is received from below by the lower passage end surface 82. Therefore, when the front lever 32 is operated from the standby position to the brake position, the rear lever 33, which is connected to the front lever 32 via the connecting shaft 51, does not move in conjunction with the operation. Therefore, when the front lever 32 is braked, the rear lever 33 remains held in the standby position.

Next, the action of the front lever 32 when it is operated from the standby position to the lock position will be described with reference to FIG. 9. FIG. 9 is a side view showing the state in which the front lever 32 is operated to the lock position in FIG. 5.

As shown in FIG. 9, when the front lever 32 is operated from the standby position (see FIG. 5) to the locked position, the front lever 32 is rotated downward about the rotation shaft 55 with the rotation shaft 55 supported from below by the lower passage end surface 84 of the second guide passage 66. That is, in this case, the front lever 32 is rotated about the rotation shaft 55 to the side where the connecting shaft 51 moves upward away from the lower passage end surface 82 of the first guide passage 65. As a result, the brake wire 28 connected to the front lever 32 is pulled upward, and the brake operating portion 29 rotates to a position where it abuts against the rear wheel 13, and the rear wheel 13 is braked.

When the front lever 32 moves from the standby position to the locked position, the connecting shaft 51 is displaced upward along the first guide passage 65. When the front lever 32 reaches the locked position, the connecting shaft 51 is located at the upper position E2 where it abuts against the upper passage end surface 81 of the first guide passage 65 from below. In addition, when the front lever 32 moves from the standby position to the locked position, the shaft portion 59 of the pulley portion 62 is displaced upward along the guide passage 74.

When the front lever 32 moves to the locked position and the connecting shaft 51 is in the upper position E2, the convex portion 68b of the engagement piece 68 fits into the concave portion 51a of the connecting shaft 51. This causes the connecting shaft 51 to engage with the engagement piece 68, and this engagement holds the front lever 32 in the locked position. In this case, the rear wheel 13 remains braked by the brake actuator 29, and the rear wheel 13 is locked.

To explain in detail the flow when the connecting shaft 51 engages with the engaging piece 68, when the connecting shaft 51 is displaced to the upper position E2, the ridge (more specifically, the upper ridge 51b) at the boundary between the peripheral surface of the connecting shaft 51 and the recess 51a first climbs over the convex portion 68b of the engaging piece 68. At this time, the engaging piece 68 is pushed toward the coil spring 72 by the ridge 51b of the connecting shaft 51 and displaced, so that the ridge 51b climbs over the convex portion 68b. When the ridge 51b climbs over the convex portion 68b, the convex portion 68b enters the recess 51a of the connecting shaft 51. At this time, the engaging piece 68 is biased toward the connecting shaft 51 by the coil spring 72, so that the convex portion 68b enters the recess 51a. As a result, the connecting shaft 51 engages with the engaging piece 68.

When the front lever 32 is operated to the locked position and the connecting shaft 51 is displaced to the upper position E2, the rear lever 33 rotates downward about the pivot shaft 38A in response to the displacement and displaces to the locked position. Therefore, in this lever interlocking mechanism 85, when the front lever 32 is operated from the standby position to the locked position, the rear lever 33 displaces from the standby position to the locked position in conjunction with the displacement.

When the front lever 32 is returned from the locked position to the standby position, the brake operating unit 29 rotates to a position away from the rear wheel 13 (see solid line in FIG. 4), and the locked state of the rear wheel 13 is released. When the front lever 32 is returned to the standby position, it is also returned by rotating about the pivot shaft 55. When the front lever 32 is returned from the locked position to the standby position, the connecting shaft 51 is displaced from the upper position E2 to the lower position E1. Then, in accordance with the displacement of the connecting shaft 51, the rear lever 33 rotates upward about the pivot shaft 38A and displaces to the standby position. Therefore, in this lever interlocking mechanism 85, when the front lever 32 is operated from the locked position to the standby position, the rear lever 33 is displaced from the locked position to the standby position in conjunction with it.

Next, we will explain the action of the rear lever 33 when it is operated from the standby position to the lock position.

As shown in FIG. 9, when the rear lever 33 is operated from the standby position (see FIG. 5) to the lock position, the rear lever 33 is rotated downward about the pivot shaft 38A. That is, in this case, the rear lever 33 is rotated about the pivot shaft 38A in such a direction that the connecting shaft 51 moves upward away from the lower passage end surface 82. At this time, the front lever 32 rotates about the pivot shaft 55 as the connecting shaft 51 moves upward away from the lower passage end surface 82. In this case, the front lever 32 rotates with the pivot shaft 55 supported from below by the lower passage end surface 84. This rotation causes the front lever 32 to move from the standby position to the lock position. Therefore, in this case as well, the brake wire 28 connected to the front lever 32 is pulled upward, and the rear wheel 13 is braked.

When the rear lever 33 (and the front lever 32) reach the locked position, the connecting shaft 51 is positioned at the upper position E2 and engages with the engaging piece 68. This causes the rear lever 33 to be held in the locked position, and the front lever 32 to be held in the locked position. Therefore, even in this case, the rear wheel 13 remains braked, and the rear wheel 13 is locked.

When the rear lever 33 is returned from the locked position to the standby position, the connecting shaft 51 is displaced from the upper position E2 to the lower position E1. Then, with the displacement of the connecting shaft 51, the front lever 32 rotates upward about the pivot shaft 55 and is displaced to the standby position. This releases the locked state of the rear wheel 13.

In this way, according to the lever interlocking mechanism 85, when the rear lever 33 is operated from the standby position to the locked position, the front lever 32 is displaced from the standby position to the locked position in conjunction with this, and when the rear lever 33 is operated from the locked position to the standby position, the front lever 32 is displaced from the locked position to the standby position in conjunction with this.

The configuration of this embodiment described above provides the following excellent effects:

The lever interlocking mechanism 85, which links the front lever 32 and the rear lever 33, allows the other lever 32, 33 to move to the locked position in conjunction with the operation when one of the levers 32, 33 is operated to the locked position. In this case, convenience can be obtained, such as being able to release the locked state from either lever. On the other hand, when the front lever 32 is operated to the brake position, the rear lever 33 is not interlocked. In this case, the configuration of the lever interlocking mechanism 85 can be simplified by the amount that they are not interlocked by the brake operation. Therefore, the configuration can be simplified while maintaining the convenience provided by interlocking the front lever 32 and the rear lever 33.

The brake wire 28 is connected to the front lever 32 instead of the rear lever 33. In this case, it is easier to realize a configuration in which the rear lever 33 is not interlocked when the front lever 32 is operated to the brake position.

The lever interlocking mechanism 85 has a simple configuration including a connecting shaft 51 connecting both levers 32, 33, rotating shafts 55, 38A provided on both levers 32, 33, and two bearings (specifically, lower passage end faces 82, 84) that receive the rotating shafts 55, 38A. In this configuration, the front lever 32 can be formed elongated in the direction in which the connecting shaft 51 and the rotating shaft 55 are aligned, and the rear lever 33 can be formed elongated in the direction in which the connecting shaft 51 and the rotating shaft 38A are aligned. Therefore, the vertical dimensions of each lever 32, 33 can be reduced, and further the vertical dimensions of the main body 31 can be reduced. This greatly simplifies the configuration.

The main body 31 is provided with an engagement piece 68 that engages with the connecting shaft 51 when the front lever 32 is in the locked position. Specifically, the engagement piece 68 is provided with a convex portion 68b, while the connecting shaft 51 is provided with a concave portion 51a, and the main body 31 is provided with a coil spring 72 that biases the engagement piece 68 toward the connecting shaft 51. When the front lever 32 is in the locked position, the convex portion 68b of the engagement piece 68 enters the concave portion 51a of the connecting shaft 51, so that the connecting shaft 51 is engaged with the engagement piece 68. With this configuration, the connecting shaft 51 is engaged with the engagement piece 68, so that the front lever 32 is held in the locked position and the rear lever 33 is held in the locked position. Therefore, the locked state of the rear wheel 13 can be maintained when the front lever 32 or the rear lever 33 is operated to lock. In addition, the connecting shaft 51 that connects the two levers 32, 33 is configured to engage with the engagement piece 68, so that when either of the levers 32, 33 is operated to the lock position, the levers can be easily engaged, and the locking operation can be performed conveniently.

The passage wall 67 and the engagement piece 68 provided on the main body 31 form a first guide passage 65 that guides the connecting shaft 51. In this case, the engagement piece 68 can be used not only as an engagement part for the connecting shaft 51, but also to form the first guide passage 65.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and may be implemented, for example, as follows.

(1) In the above embodiment, the engaging piece 68 is provided with a convex portion 68b, and the connecting shaft 51 is provided with a concave portion 51a into which the convex portion 68b fits. However, this may be reversed, with a convex portion provided on the connecting shaft 51 and a concave portion provided on the engaging piece 68 into which the convex portion fits. In this case as well, when the front lever 32 and the rear lever 33 are in the locked position, the convex portion of the connecting shaft 51 fits into the concave portion of the engaging piece 68, thereby allowing the connecting shaft 51 to engage with the engaging piece 68.

(2) In the above embodiment, the engagement piece 68 is provided as an engagement portion that engages with the connecting shaft 51 when the front lever 32 and the rear lever 33 are in the locked position, but the configuration of the engagement portion is not necessarily limited to this. Another form of the engagement portion will be described below with reference to FIG. 10. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another form of the engagement portion, where (a) shows the front lever 32 and the rear lever 33 in the standby position, and (b) shows the front lever 32 and the rear lever 33 in the locked position.

In the example shown in FIG. 10, the main body 31 is provided with an engagement member 91 as an engagement portion instead of the passage wall portion 67 and the engagement piece 68. The engagement member 91 is formed in a substantially U-shape from an elastically deformable spring plate material. The engagement member 91 is provided on the case 35 and the cover 36 (opposing plate portions 35a, 36a) of the main body 31. The inside of the engagement member 91 is a passage space 93 through which the connecting shaft 51 passes when displaced. The engagement member 91 is arranged so that the passage direction of the passage space 93 faces the same direction as the displacement direction of the connecting shaft 51. The engagement member 91 is arranged so that the open portion of the passage space 93 faces upward, and is accommodated in the accommodation portion 95 formed in the case 35 and the cover 36 in this arrangement. In this example, the connecting shaft 51 does not have a recess 51a.

The engagement member 91 has a pair of opposing plate portions 94 that face each other across the passage space 93. The opposing plate portions 94 are bent so as to protrude toward each other in the middle of the passage space 93 in the passage direction. As a result, a narrow width portion 96 is formed between the protruding portions 94a of the opposing plate portions 94, where the width of the passage space 93 is narrowed. In the narrow width portion 96, the width of the passage space 93 is smaller than the diameter (outer diameter) of the connecting shaft 51.

Next, the function of the engaging member 91 will be described. As shown in FIG. 10(a), when the front lever 32 and the rear lever 33 are in the standby position, the connecting shaft 51 is located in the lower space 93a below the narrow portion 96 in the passage space 93. At this time, the connecting shaft 51 is supported from below by the lower passage end surface (corresponding to the first bearing portion) of the passage space 93.

When the front lever 32 or the rear lever 33 is operated from the standby position to the lock position, as shown in FIG. 10(b), the connecting shaft 51 is displaced upward in the passage space 93 and moves to the upper space 93b above the narrow portion 96. At this time, the connecting shaft 51 passes through the narrow portion 96 and moves to the upper space 93b. When the connecting shaft 51 passes through the narrow portion 96, the protruding portion 94a of each opposing plate portion 94 is pushed outward by the connecting shaft 51, and the narrow portion 96 is expanded. This allows the connecting shaft 51 to pass through the narrow portion 96.

When the connecting shaft 51 moves into the upper space 93b, each protruding portion 94a is restored, and the width of the narrow portion 96 returns to its original width. As a result, the connecting shaft 51 is engaged with each protruding portion 94a in the upper space 93b, and is held in the upper space 93b by this engaged state. As a result, the front lever 32 and the rear lever 33 are held in the locked position.

(3) In the above embodiment, the front lever 32 and the rear lever 33 are held in the locked position by engaging the connecting shaft 51 with the engaging piece 68 (and thus the engaging portion), but both levers 32, 33 may be held in the locked position by engaging a member other than the connecting shaft 51. For example, an engaged portion is provided around the connecting shaft 51 on the front lever 32 or the rear lever 33, and an engaging member with which the engaged portion engages is provided on the main body 31. Then, when both levers 32, 33 are in the locked position, the engaged portion engages with the engaging member, and this engagement holds both levers 32, 33 in the locked position.

(4) In the above embodiment, the main body 31 is provided with a first guide passage 65 for guiding the connecting shaft 51, but the main body 31 may not necessarily be provided with the first guide passage 65. In other words, the main body 31 may be provided with no passage wall 67 and no engagement piece 68. In this case, however, it is necessary to provide a separate bearing portion (corresponding to the first bearing portion) in the main body 31 that receives the connecting shaft 51 from below. In addition, since the engagement piece 68 is not provided, it is necessary to provide a separate structure for holding both levers 32, 33 in the lock position.

Similarly, the second guide passage 66 for guiding the rotating shaft 55 may not be provided in the main body 31. In this case, it is necessary to provide a separate bearing portion (corresponding to the second bearing portion) in the main body 31 that receives the rotating shaft 55 from below.

(5) In the above embodiment, the brake wire 28 is connected to the front lever 32 via the pulley portion 62, but the brake wire 28 may be directly connected to the front lever 32 by fixing one end of the brake wire 28 to the front lever 32.

(6) In the above embodiment, the brake structure of the present invention is applied to the rear wheel 13, but the brake structure of the present invention may also be applied to the front wheel 12.

10...walker, 13...rear wheel as wheel, 21...handle, 22...armrest, 28...brake wire, 31...main body, 32...front lever, 33...rear lever, 38A...rotation shaft as second rotation shaft, 51...connecting shaft, 51a...recess, 55...rotation shaft as first rotation shaft, 68...engagement piece as engagement part, 68b...projection, 82...lower passage end surface as first bearing part, 84...lower passage end surface as second bearing part, 85...lever interlocking mechanism.

Claims (6)

Wheels and
an armrest for a user to rest their elbows;
A handle provided forward of the armrest and held by a user;
This applies to a walking vehicle equipped with
A braking structure for applying brakes to the wheels,
A front lever provided below the handle;
a rear lever provided rearward of the front lever;
a main body portion on which the front lever is supported so as to be movable up and down in a direction protruding forward, and the rear lever is supported so as to be movable up and down in a direction protruding rearward,
The front lever is displaceable between a first standby position, a brake position operated upward from the first standby position to brake the wheels when the walker is moving, and a first lock position operated downward from the first standby position to brake the wheels and lock the wheels when the walker is parked,
The rear lever is displaceable between a second standby position and a second locking position, which is a position operated downward from the second standby position and brakes the wheels to lock the wheels when the walker is parked,
a lever interlocking mechanism for interlocking the front lever and the rear lever,
The lever interlocking mechanism includes:
The rear lever is displaced from the second standby position to the second lock position in conjunction with the front lever being operated from the first standby position to the first lock position, and the front lever is displaced from the first standby position to the first lock position in conjunction with the rear lever being operated from the second standby position to the second lock position.
A brake structure for a walking vehicle, which has a mechanism that does not interlock the rear lever when the front lever is operated from the first standby position to the brake position. A brake wire is connected to the front lever of the front lever and the rear lever,
2. The brake structure of claim 1, wherein when the front lever is operated to the brake position and to the first lock position, the brake wire is pulled and the wheel is braked. The lever interlocking mechanism includes:
a connecting shaft that rotatably connects the front lever and the rear lever to each other;
a first rotation shaft that is provided on the front lever closer to the tip end than the connecting shaft and extends in the same direction as the connecting shaft;
a second rotation shaft provided on the rear lever closer to a tip end than the connecting shaft and extending in the same direction as the connecting shaft;
a first bearing portion provided in the main body portion and receiving the connecting shaft from below;
a second bearing portion provided in the main body portion and configured to receive the first rotation shaft from below,
the front lever is held at the first standby position in a state in which the connecting shaft is received from below by the first bearing portion and the first rotating shaft is received from below by the second bearing portion,
When the front lever is displaced from the first standby position to the first lock position, with the first pivot shaft being received from below by the second bearing portion, the front lever rotates about the first pivot shaft to a side where the connecting shaft moves away upward from the first bearing portion, and with the moving away of the connecting shaft, the rear lever rotates about the second pivot shaft, thereby displacing in conjunction with the first standby position to the second lock position,
3. The brake structure of a walker as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein when the front lever is displaced from the first standby position to the brake position, with the connecting shaft supported from below by the first bearing portion, the front lever rotates about the connecting shaft to a side where the first pivot shaft moves upward away from the second bearing portion, thereby preventing the rear lever from being moved in conjunction with the connecting shaft. The brake structure of claim 3, comprising an engagement portion that engages with the connecting shaft when the front lever is in the first lock position. The connecting shaft has a circumferential surface formed with either a recess or a protrusion,
the engaging portion is an engaging piece that is disposed on a circumferential surface side of the connecting shaft and movably attached to the main body portion,
The other of the recess and the protrusion is formed on the engagement piece,
a coil spring that biases the engagement piece toward the connecting shaft,
5. The brake structure of claim 4, wherein when the front lever is in the first lock position, the protrusion enters the recess and the connecting shaft engages with the engagement piece. A walking vehicle comprising a brake structure according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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