JP7740798B2 - Nursing chair device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a nursing chair device suitable for use by people requiring assistance, and in particular to a nursing chair device with a tilt function.

Nursing chair devices used for assisting people requiring care to bathe, etc., are well known (see Patent Document 1, etc.). Nursing chair devices incorporating a tilt mechanism are also well known. For example, in the nursing chair device of Patent Document 1, the tilt mechanism tilts the front end of the chair seat upward and also tilts the backrest slightly toward the back or lowers it.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-029617

In this type of nursing chair device, when tilting, the back of the occupant and the backrest of the chair shift up and down relative to each other, causing the skin on the occupant's back to be pulled by the backrest, resulting in a so-called "back slippage," which causes discomfort to the occupant. Depending on the physical condition of the occupant, their skin may be sensitive and may be injured. In nursing care settings, this problem is solved by, for example, removing the backrest, but this places a heavy burden on the caregiver.
In view of the above circumstances, the present invention aims to provide a nursing chair with a tilt function with a structure that can prevent the back of a seated person from shifting when the chair is tilted and does not require the work of removing the back.

In order to solve the above problems, the nursing chair device according to the present invention comprises:
a chair having a seat and a backrest;
a tilt mechanism incorporated in the chair;
The backrest includes a back frame that is raised and lowered or raised and lowered by the tilt mechanism, a backrest cover that covers the front of the back frame, and a connecting mechanism that connects the backrest cover to the back frame so that the backrest cover can slide up and down.

In this care chair device, when the back frame of the backrest is raised or lowered using the tilt mechanism while the seated person is leaning against the backrest, static friction occurs between the back of the seated person and the backrest cover, causing the backrest cover to slide relative to the back frame. This prevents the seated person's back from slipping, minimizing discomfort and pain to the seated person. This also reduces the burden on the caregiver, as there is no need to unseat the back when tilting.

It is preferable that the backrest cover includes a sheet material facing the back frame and a mat material superimposed on the front surface of the sheet material.
The sheet material is preferably made of a low-friction material that has low friction resistance against the back frame. The surface of the sheet material facing the back frame is preferably smooth. This allows the backrest cover to slide reliably against the back frame when tilted.
The mat material is preferably made of a cushioning material such as foam resin, which ensures comfort when leaning against the backrest.
As a result, the backrest cover can be made to slide smoothly and comfortably at the same time.

It is preferable that the connecting mechanism includes a slide engagement receiving portion provided on the back frame, and an engagement member provided on the backrest cover and engaged with the slide engagement receiving portion so as to be vertically slidable.
This allows the backrest cover to be connected to the back frame so as to be slidable up and down.

It is preferable that the slide engagement receiving portion has an elongated hole extending vertically, and the engagement member is slidably engaged with the elongated hole.
This allows the backrest cover to be connected to the back frame so as to be slidable up and down.
An engagement receiving member may be slidably engaged with the elongated hole, and the engagement member may be engaged with the engagement receiving member.
Preferably, the engaging member can be disengaged from the slide engaging receiving portion, thereby allowing the backrest cover to be removed from the back frame for cleaning or replacement.

In accordance with the present invention, in a nursing care chair device with a tilt function, the backrest cover slides relative to the back frame when the chair is tilted, preventing the occupant's back from shifting, minimizing discomfort and pain for the occupant. This eliminates the need for uncovering the back, reducing the burden on the caregiver.

FIG. 1 is a side view of a wheelchair for bathing including a nursing chair and a carrier according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the bath wheelchair. FIG. 3 is a side view of the bath wheelchair, showing a state in which a person requiring assistance is seated on the nursing chair and the chair is tilted. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the wheelchair for bathing in the state shown in FIG. 3, with the person requiring assistance omitted. FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing the manner in which the slide receiving seat of the connecting mechanism is attached to the back frame of the nursing chair, as viewed from the back of the nursing chair. FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing the backrest cover being attached to the back frame via the connecting mechanism, as viewed from the back. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the intermediate stage of the attachment as seen from the rear. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the nursing chair as seen from the back. FIG. 9 is a plan cross-sectional view taken along line IX-IX of FIG. Fig. 10(a) is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along line Xa-Xa in Fig. 2. Fig. 10(b) is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along line Xb-Xb in Fig. 4. FIG. 11 is a plan view of a bathing assistance system including the bathing wheelchair and a rail unit set in a bathtub. FIG. 12 is a side view of the nursing chair placed in a bathtub.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
Figure 1 shows a bathing wheelchair 1 used to assist bathing for people requiring assistance. The bathing wheelchair 1 comprises a carrier 10 and a care chair device 20. The carrier 10 includes a running platform 11 with wheels 13. A support post 12 is erected in the center of the running platform 11, and a support rail 14 is provided at the top end of the support post 12, extending left and right (in directions perpendicular to the plane of the paper in Figure 1). A chair device 20 is supported on the support rail 14.

The chair device 20 can be carried while supported by the carrier 10 (Figure 1), and can be placed in the bath while supported by the support rails 3a on the bathtub frame 2a (Figure 12). In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the chair device 20 is assumed to be mounted on the carrier 10.

1, the chair device 20 includes a chair 21 including a seat 22 and a backrest 23, and a lift mechanism 24. The lift mechanism 24 is provided on the back of the backrest 23. The chair 21 is supported on the carrier 10 via the lift mechanism 24 so as to be able to rise and fall. A drive unit 24a of the lift mechanism 24 is mounted on the support rail 14.
As shown in Figure 11, during bathing assistance, the support rail 14 is aligned in a straight line with the support rail 3a of the rail unit 3 separately installed on the bathtub frame 2a. The drive unit 24a can slide back and forth between these support rails 14 and 3a. This allows the chair device 20 to be transferred between the carrier 10 and the rail unit 3.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the chair 21 includes a frame body 30 and a cover body 40 .
As shown in Figure 1, the frame body 30 includes a base frame 31 at the bottom of the seat 22, a seat frame 32 that covers the base frame 31, a back frame 33 for the backrest 23, and a waist frame 34. The lifting support 24b of the lift mechanism 24 is provided on the back of the back frame 33. The lifting support 24b is raised and lowered by a drive unit 24a, thereby raising and lowering the chair 21. The back frame 33 can be raised and lowered relative to the lifting support 24b. A rotation fulcrum 35 is provided at the middle of the back frame 33 in the height direction.

The waist frame 34 is formed into a V-shaped bend in side view. The upper end of the waist frame 34 is rotatably connected to the back frame 33 via a pivot point 35. The middle section of the waist frame 34 near the bend is engaged with the base frame 31 so that it can slide back and forth. The seat frame 32 is fixed above the waist frame 34 forward of the bend.

As shown in Figures 1 to 4, a tilt mechanism 29 is incorporated into the frame body 30 of the chair 21. The tilt mechanism 29 allows the chair 21 to tilt between a normal position (Figures 1 and 2) and a tilted position (Figures 3 and 4) inclined from the normal position. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, in the tilted position, the seat frame 32 slides forward and its front end is tilted upward relative to the normal position, the waist frame 34 is rotated about the pivot fulcrum 35, and the back frame 33 and the pivot fulcrum 35 are lowered relative to the lift support 24b.

As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the cover body 40 includes a seat cover 42 and a backrest cover 43. The seat cover 42 has cushioning properties and covers the seat frame 32. The rear end of the seat cover 42 rises along the waist frame 34 to form a waist cover 44 that covers the waist frame 34.

As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the backrest cover 43 covers the front surface of the back frame 33. As shown in Figure 6, the backrest cover 43 includes a sheet material 45 and a mat material 46. The sheet material 45 is made of a low-friction resin film such as polytetrafluoroethylene or other fluorine-based resin, polypropylene (PP) or other polyolefin-based resin. The sheet material 45 faces the back frame 33. At least the back surface of the sheet material 45 (the surface facing the back frame 33) is smooth.
The material of the sheet material 45 is not limited to resin, and may be metal, as long as it has a coefficient of friction with the back frame 33 as small as possible.

A mat material 46 is superimposed on the front surface of the sheet material 45. The sheet material 45 is made of foamed resin or the like and has cushioning properties.

As shown in Figure 8, the backrest 23 is further provided with a connecting mechanism 50. As shown in Figure 6, the connecting mechanism 50 includes multiple sets of slide engagement receiving portions 51 and engagement members 70. The slide engagement receiving portions 51 are distributed at multiple locations (four locations in this example) on the left and right, top and bottom of the back frame 33. As shown in Figure 5, each slide engagement receiving portion 51 has a receiving base 52 that is integral with the back frame 33 and a slide receiving seat 60 that is a separate member from the back frame 33.

As shown in Figure 5, the receiving base 52 is formed in the shape of an L-shaped plate, with a base plate portion 52a facing forward and a side plate portion 52b that curves from the side of the base plate portion 52a and faces laterally. A long hole 53 extending vertically is formed in the base plate portion 52a. A T-shaped insertion hole 54 is formed in the side plate portion 52b. A communication hole 54c in the middle of the insertion hole 54 connects to the middle of the long hole 53 via the corner between the side plate portion 52b and the base plate portion 52a.

As shown in Figure 5, the sliding support base 60 includes a cylindrical ring 61 and a pair of annular flanges 63. The flanges 63 are provided on one end and the middle of the outer periphery of the ring 61. The sliding support base 60 is inserted into the elongated hole 53 through the insertion hole 54. The ring 61 is passed through the elongated hole 53. The pair of flanges 63 sandwich the base plate portion 52a from both the front and rear. This allows the sliding support base 60 to be engaged with the support base 52 so that it can slide up and down along the elongated holes 53.

As shown in Figures 9 and 10(a), the engagement member 70 is fixed to the backrest cover 43 and is engaged with the slide engagement receiving portion 51 so as to be able to slide up and down. More specifically, the engagement member 70 includes a connecting pin 71 and a locking lever 72. The connecting pin 71 has a head portion 73 and a shaft portion 74. The locking lever 72 is rotatably and slidably connected to the tip of the shaft portion 74.

As shown in Figure 6, locking holes 47 that penetrate the sheet material 45 and mat material 46 are formed at multiple locations on the left, right, top, and bottom of the backrest cover 43. These locking holes 47 correspond one-to-one with the slide engagement receiving portions 51. As shown in Figures 9 and 10(a), a shaft portion 74 is inserted into the locking hole 47, and the head portion 73 is locked to the mat material 46. By having the shaft portion 74 penetrate the sheet material 45 and the mat material 46, the sheet material 45 and the mat material 46 are bound together so that they cannot shift position relative to each other.

8 and 9, the shaft 74 protrudes rearward from the backrest cover 43 and is inserted into the ring 61 of the sliding support seat 60. The locking lever 72 at the tip of the shaft 74 is positioned rearward of the sliding support seat 60 and is perpendicular to the shaft 74. This prevents the engaging member 70 from coming off the sliding support seat 60 and allows it to slide up and down along the elongated hole 53 together with the sliding support seat 60. In other words, the engaging member 70 is slidably engaged with the elongated hole 53.
As a result, the backrest cover 43 is connected to and supported by the back frame 33 via the connecting mechanism 50 so as to be slidable up and down.
Preferably, when the chair 21 is in the normal position, the engaging member 70 is disposed at the lower end of the elongated hole 53 .

6 and 7, when fitting the engaging member 70 into the slide engaging receiving portion 51, the locking lever 72 is oriented so as to be in a straight line with the shaft portion 74, and the locking lever 72 and the shaft portion 74 are passed through the ring 61. As shown in Fig. 7, the locking lever 72 is inserted until it passes through the rear of the slide receiving seat 60, and then, as shown in Fig. 8, the locking lever 72 is rotated 90° so as to be perpendicular to the shaft portion 74.
By performing the reverse operation, the engaging member 70 can be separated from the slide engaging receiving portion 51. In other words, the engaging member 70 is engaged with the slide engaging receiving portion 51 in a manner that allows it to be disengaged.

The bathing wheelchair 1 is used as follows when helping a person requiring assistance to take a bath.
As shown in Figure 11, the person requiring assistance (hereinafter also referred to as "occupant A") is seated in the chair 21, and the bathing wheelchair 1 is carried to the bathroom. The support rail 3a of the rail unit 3 is installed horizontally on the frame 2a of the bathtub 2. The support rail 14 of the carrier 10 and the support rail 3a of the rail unit 3 are aligned in a straight line. The chair device 20 is then slid from the support rail 14 to the support rail 3a and placed onto the bathtub 2. Next, as shown in Figure 12, the lift mechanism 24 lowers the chair 21 into the bathtub 2, and the person is placed in the bathtub. This allows the person requiring assistance to take a bath while seated in the chair 21.

Preferably, when the chair 21 is moved onto or entered into the bathtub 2, the tilt mechanism 29 moves the chair 21 from its normal position to a tilted position. The tilting action lowers the back frame 33 relative to the lifting support 24b. At this time, the seated person A is typically leaning against the backrest 23, with their back pressed against the backrest cover 43, creating static friction between the backrest cover 43 and the back of the seated person A. Therefore, as shown in Figures 10(a) and 10(b), the backrest cover 43 follows the back of the seated person A and displaces upward relative to the back frame 33, remaining at the normal position height. At this time, as shown in Figure 10(b), the engaging member 70 and the sliding support seat 60 of the connecting mechanism 50 slide upward within the elongated hole 53, allowing the relative displacement of the backrest cover 43 with respect to the back frame 33. Additionally, the sheet material 45 of the backrest cover 43 slides upward relative to the back frame 33. By making the sheet material 45 out of a low-friction material, even if the backrest cover 43 and back frame 33 come into contact, the frictional resistance can be reduced, allowing the backrest cover 43 to slide smoothly relative to the back frame 33.

Therefore, the skin on the back of the seated person A is prevented from being pulled downward during the tilting operation. In other words, the back is prevented from slipping. As a result, the chair 21 can be tilted without causing discomfort or pain to the seated person A. There is no need to provide a backrest when tilting.
The front part of the backrest 23 is made of a soft mat material 46, so that comfort can be ensured.

After bathing, the chair device 20 is taken out of the bath and transferred to the carrier 10 by following the reverse procedure of the bath entry procedure.
Simultaneously with the discharging and transition operations, the tilt release operation returns the chair 21 from the tilted position to the normal position. At this time, the back frame 33 is raised relative to the lifting support 24b. Meanwhile, the backrest cover 43 is displaced downward relative to the back frame 33 due to static friction with the back of the seated person A. At this time, the engaging member 70 and the sliding support seat 60 of the connecting mechanism 50 slide downward relative to the elongated hole 53, allowing the backrest cover 43 to be displaced relative to the back frame 33. In addition, the low-friction sheet material 45 of the backrest cover 43 slides downward relative to the back frame 33.
Therefore, even when the tilt is released, it is possible to prevent the back of the seated person A from shifting. There is no need to provide a back relief when releasing the tilt.

When the backrest cover 43 of the chair device 20 becomes soiled or damaged, it can be removed and cleaned or replaced. Specifically, the locking lever 72 is rotated 90 degrees so that it is aligned with the shaft 74. The engaging member 70 is then pulled out toward you. This removes the engaging member 70 from the sliding support base 60, and the backrest cover 43 is separated from the back frame 33. This allows the backrest cover 33 to be cleaned or replaced.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.
For example, the nursing chair device of the present invention is not limited to bathing assistance, but can be applied to various nursing chairs for seating people who require assistance.
The tilt mechanism 29 may be configured to rotate the back frame 23 so that it can be tilted or raised.
The backrest cover 43 may be formed from a laminated sheet in which the sheet material 45 and the mat material 46 are integrally molded into two layers.
The slide receiving base 60 of the connecting mechanism 50 may be divided into two parts, a spigot ring and a socket ring, with each ring having a flange. The spigot ring and socket ring may be inserted into the slots 53 from either side of the base plate 52a of the receiving base 52, and the spigot ring may be fitted into the socket ring to form an integrated unit, with the flanges of these rings holding the base plate 52a in place. In this case, the insertion hole 54 may be omitted.
The engaging member of the connecting mechanism 50 may be slidably engaged directly with the elongated hole 53 without the intermediary of the slide receiving seat 60. Therefore, the slide receiving seat 60 may be omitted. In this case, for example, instead of the locking lever 72 of the engaging member 70, a claw-, spherical, or knob-shaped elastic locking portion integral with the shaft portion 74 may be provided at the tip of the shaft portion 74 of the connecting pin 71. The elastic locking portion elastically passes through the elongated hole 53 and is directly locked to the elongated hole 53.
The engaging members of the connecting mechanism 50 may be fixed to the mat material 46 by adhesive or the like, or may be integrally formed with the mat material 46 .

The present invention can be applied, for example, to wheelchairs used to assist people requiring assistance with bathing.

1 Bath wheelchair 10 Carrier 20 Nursing care chair device 23 Backrest 29 Tilt mechanism 30 Frame body 31 Base frame 32 Seat frame 33 Back frame 35 Rotation fulcrum 40 Cover body 43 Backrest cover 45 Seat material 46 Mat material 50 Connecting mechanism 51 Slide engagement receiving portion 52 Receiving base 53 Elongated hole 60 Slide receiving seat 70 Engagement member 71 Connecting pin 72 Locking lever

Claims (4)

a chair having a seat and a backrest disposed on a base frame ;
a tilt mechanism incorporated in the chair;
The backrest includes a back frame that is raised and lowered by the tilt mechanism, a backrest cover that covers the front surface of the back frame, and a connecting mechanism that connects the backrest cover to the back frame so that the backrest cover can slide up and down ,
The tilt mechanism changes the chair between a normal position and a tilted position, and in the tilted position, the front end of the seat is tilted upward compared to the normal position, and the back frame is lowered compared to the normal position while maintaining a constant angle with respect to the base frame,
The connecting mechanism allows the backrest cover to slide relative to the back frame and maintain the same height as the normal position relative to the base frame when the back frame is raised or lowered by the tilt mechanism . The nursing chair device according to claim 1, characterized in that the backrest cover includes a sheet material facing the back frame and a mat material superimposed on the front surface of the sheet material. A nursing chair device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the connecting mechanism includes a slide engagement receiving portion provided on the back frame and an engagement member provided on the backrest cover and engaged with the slide engagement receiving portion so as to be able to slide up and down. The slide engagement receiving portion has a long hole extending vertically,
4. The nursing chair apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the engaging member is slidably engaged with the elongated hole.