JPH0829910B2 - Stair lift - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a stair climbing device for climbing stairs with a wheelchair.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For people who use wheelchairs, such as the elderly and the physically handicapped, it is very difficult to go up and down stairs of a general household without elevator facilities or stairs of facilities on the go. It is almost impossible to climb up and down by yourself. For this reason,
It is desired to develop a stair climbing device that can be easily and safely lifted by a wheelchair. By the way, what is important to consider when installing such a stair climbing device is that the structure is simple and the maintenance and inspection are easy, the operation is reliable and the safety is high, and the stair climbing device is configured. That is, each member to be provided must be arranged so as not to interfere with a healthy person who also uses the stairs.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The technical problem of the present invention is to provide a stair climbing device that meets the above-mentioned conditions, that is, a simple structure, easy maintenance and inspection, and reliable operation and high safety. Moreover, it is to provide a stair climbing device that does not interfere with a healthy person.

[0004]

In order to solve the above problems, a stair climbing device according to the present invention is provided with a self-propelled wheelchair that travels by wheels and a wheelchair that is installed along the slope of the staircase. And a guide mechanism for guiding up and down while supporting the wheel at the side; the wheelchair is provided with a base having front and rear wheels and a prime mover means for driving the wheels, and is rotatable in the front and rear direction on the base. And a gear mechanism having a smaller diameter than the drive wheel, which is attached to the axle of the drive wheel driven by the prime mover means on at least one of the left and right sides. A guide roller mounted on a side surface; the guide mechanism includes a rack on which the gears of the wheelchair mesh and travels, and a travel path on which driven wheels that are not driven by the prime mover travel.
It has a guide rail that regulates the inclination of the wheelchair to the left and right when climbing stairs by engaging with a guide roller,
These racks, running paths and guide rails are provided on at least one of the left and right sides of the stairs; According to a preferable configuration aspect of the present invention,
The chair mechanism is configured by attaching a chair and steps to a frame member that also serves as an armrest, and the frame member is rotatably supported on a base by a horizontal support shaft. Further, in the present invention, in order to prevent the gear from coming off from the rack when going up and down the stairs, a flange-like projection having a diameter larger than that of the gear and smaller than that of the driving wheel is provided on the outer surface of the gear, and the projection is provided outside the rack. It is desirable to engage the side surface. Further, in the present invention, the guide roller of the wheelchair is attached to the bracket on the side surface of the base so as to be rotatable about the vertical axis, and the guide rail of the guide mechanism has a vertical wall that engages with the guide roller. I have it.
Further, according to the present invention, in order to make the ascending / descending operation of the stairs smoother and more reliable, the rack, the traveling path, and the guide rails are extended to the flat floor portion at the upper end and the lower end of the stairs. . The drive wheels in a wheelchair are preferably rear wheels, and these drive wheels are preferably controllable left and right independently.

[0005]

When the stairs are raised and lowered by the wheelchair, the side of the wheelchair equipped with the gears and the guide rollers is moved to the side provided with the guide mechanism in front of the stairs, and the position is advanced as it is. Then, the gear meshes with the rack and travels along the rack, the driven wheels travel on the travel path, and the guide rollers engage the guide rails. The rail moves up and down along the slope of the stairs while the left-right inclination is restricted. At this time, the base of the wheelchair inclines upward or downward depending on the inclination of the stairs, but the chair mechanism rotatably attached to the base does not incline and always runs on a flat ground. Passengers are safe because they maintain the same posture as when they are doing.

[0006]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the stair climbing device of the present invention is a self-propelled wheelchair that travels by wheels. 1 and a guide mechanism 2 which is provided along the slope of the stairs and guides the wheelchair 1 ascending and descending the stairs.

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the wheelchair 1 has a base 10 provided with wheels 12 and 13 on the front and back, and a chair mounted on the base 10 so as to be rotatable in the front-rear direction. A mechanism 11 including a mechanism 11, a prime mover means 14 such as an electric motor is mounted on the base 10, and the prime mover means 14 is connected to a wheel 12 behind the base 10 so that the wheel 12 is self-propelled. Gear wheels having a diameter smaller than that of the drive wheel 12 are fixed to both ends of the axle of the drive wheel 12 at positions on the outer surface side of the drive wheel 12, respectively. A flange-shaped projection 17 having a diameter larger than that of the gear 16 and smaller than that of the drive wheel 12 is provided on the outer surface of the gear 16.

On the other hand, the wheel 13 in front of the base 10 is a driven wheel which is not driven by the prime mover means 14, and the bearing member 19 for rotatably holding the wheel 13 is the base 10.
Is attached to a bracket 20 projecting outward from the side surface of the so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis,
By rotating the bearing member 19 around the vertical axis, the direction of the wheelchair 1 can be smoothly changed. Further, the tread distance A between the left and right driven wheels 13, 13 is
It is wider than the tread distance B between the left and right gears 16, 16 so that the driven wheel 13 and the gear 16 do not run on the same line. Is the rack 40 in the guide mechanism 2.
The driven wheels 13 travel on a flat traveling path 41 formed on the outer side of the rack.

Control of driving, stopping, locking and shifting of the drive wheels 12 can be performed by a control means such as an operating lever 22 provided on the chair mechanism 11 or a switch (not shown). In this case, it is desirable to be able to control the left and right drive wheels 12, 12 separately, and thereby, for example, when the wheelchair 1 is turned, by tilting the operation lever 22 to the direction in which it is desired to bend, One of the drive wheels 12 is decelerated or stopped according to the inclination angle and the inclination direction, and the other drive wheel 12 rotates at a required speed so that the wheelchair 1 changes its direction. Can be configured to. Of course, it is also possible to configure the driven wheels 13 and 13 as steerable wheels capable of changing direction, and to change the direction of the driven wheels 13 and 13 by the operation lever 22 or other steering means.

Brackets 24 are fixed to the outer surfaces of the side walls 10a, 10a which are erected obliquely forward on the left and right sides of the base 10, and a support shaft 25 is provided on the upper surface of the brackets 24. The shaft 25 is erected upright.
A guide roller 26 is rotatably attached to the upper end of the wheelchair 1, and the guide roller 26 is engaged with the guide rail 42 of the guide mechanism 2 when the stairs are moved up and down.
The inclination of the right and left of the is regulated.

The bracket 24 can be tilted up and down in the direction shown by the arrow in FIG. 5, so that the bracket 24 is tilted to a position along the side wall portion 10a when the stairs are not raised or lowered. As a result, the bracket 24 and the guide roller 26 can be stored so as not to get in the way. In this case, the bracket 24 is attached to the side wall portion 10a.
It is desirable to provide a notch 23 that can accommodate the guide roller 26.

In the chair mechanism 11, the chair 28 is attached to the frame member 27 which is composed of a base portion 27a which is curved in a U shape in a plan view, and left and right side piece portions 27b and 27b which extend obliquely downward from the tip of the base portion 27a. And the steps 29 and 29 are attached to the side wall portion 10 of the base 10 at a position slightly closer to the tip of the base portion 27a.
The upper end of a is supported by a support shaft 30 so as to be rotatable around a horizontal axis line, so that even when the base 10 is tilted in the front-back direction due to the inclination of the stairs when the stairs are raised and lowered, The chair mechanism 11 can hold substantially the same posture as when traveling on a flat ground. In this case, when the chair mechanism 11 freely rotates about the support shaft 30, it may be possible to support the ride on and off the wheelchair 1. Therefore, by installing an appropriate damper mechanism, the chair mechanism 11 It is desirable to give some resistance to the rotational movement of the vehicle and to be able to fix it at a desired angle when getting on and off. An armrest portion is formed on the base portion 27a of the frame member 27, and the operation lever 2 is provided on the armrest portion.
Control means such as 2 is attached.

The chair 28 has a seat portion 28a and a backrest portion 28.
b is integrally connected by a connecting member 28c, a recess 28d is formed at the tip of the seat portion 28a, and the lower surface of the seat portion 28a has a low center of gravity to enhance stability when riding. A weight 31 for mounting is attached. Also,
The steps 29, 29 are separate right and left, and each is rotatable about a base end portion 29a attached to the side piece portion 27b.

The guide mechanism 2 formed on the side of the stairs.
As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 6, the wheelchair 1 is supported on one of the left and right sides in a cantilevered state while guiding its up and down movement. Of the rack 40, a flat running path 41 having a lower road surface than that of the rack 40, the running path being provided in parallel on the outer side of the rack 40, that is, on the side of the wall surface of the stairs, on which the driven wheels 13 run, and the guide roller 26. A guide rail 42 for restricting the inclination of the wheelchair 1 to the left and right when the stairs are raised and lowered by engagement is provided, and the rack 40, the traveling path 41, and the guide rail 42 are respectively arranged on the left and right sides of the stairs. ing.

The rack 40 is formed at a height such that the drive wheels 12 are separated from the stairs and the floor when the gears 16 mesh with each other, and the guide rails 42 are provided on the side walls of the stairs. Fixed and guide roller 2
6 is provided with a downward facing vertical wall 42a. Both ends of the rack 40, the guide rail 42, and the runway 41 are preferably extended to the flat floor surface portions of the upper end and the lower end of the stairs. In the part, the gear 16 and the driven wheel 13 are provided.
In order to make the riding of the vehicle smooth, it is desirable to form the inclined portions 40a and 41a whose height becomes lower toward the ends. Further, both ends of the guide rail 42 may be provided with a slightly wider space between the vertical walls in order to facilitate the engagement of the guide roller 26.

In the stair climbing device having the above structure,
When climbing the stairs with the wheelchair 1, the wheelchair 1 is moved to one of the left and right sides in front of the stairs and the position is moved forward. Then, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the driven wheels 13 are
While riding on the traveling path 41, the gear 16 moves to the rack 4
The wheelchair 1 is supported by the guide rail 42 on one side in a cantilever manner by engaging with 0 and riding, and further, the guide roller 26 is engaged with the vertical wall 42a of the guide rail 42 in the left-right direction. Driven by the gear 16, the ascends along the stairs of the stairs while being controlled. At this time, the drive wheels 12 and the driven wheels 13 on the opposite side of the wheelchair 1 are separated from the floor surface.

Further, when the base 10 is tilted to the front rising state due to the inclination of the stairs, the chair mechanism 11 rotatably attached to the base 10 is not tilted and is always traveling on a flat ground. It is safe because the passenger does not lean forward or backward because it keeps almost the same fixed posture.

When the stairs are climbed up, the driven wheel 13 and the gear 16 are disengaged from the running path 41 and the rack 40, respectively, and the guide roller 26 is moved to the vertical wall 4 of the guide rail 42.
By being disengaged from 2a, the wheelchair 1 becomes
Then, the normal running state of the driven wheels 13 is achieved. Even when going down the stairs, the wheelchair 1 can be moved to one side of the stairs and moved forward as in the case of going up, so that the guide mechanism 2 can guide the wheelchair smoothly and safely.

As described above, in the stair climbing device, the self-propelled wheelchair 1 is provided with the gear 16 and the guide roller 26, and the side wall of the stairway is provided with the rack 40, the traveling path 41 and the guide rail 42 as the equipment for raising and lowering. Since it does not require a lifter or the like for lifting and lowering, the structure is simple, maintenance and inspection are easy, and operation is reliable and safety is high. Moreover, since the same configuration can be applied to stairs with different inclination angles, the versatility is high, and the rack 40 and the traveling path 41 are provided on the side of the stairs.
It is sufficient to provide the guide rail 42 and the guide rail 42, and since these do not greatly protrude like a lifter, they do not hinder the passage of healthy persons, and on the contrary, the guide rail 42 is used as a handrail used by healthy persons. Can be combined.

In the above embodiment, the gear 16 and the guide rollers 26 are provided on both left and right sides of the wheelchair 1, and the guide mechanism 2 is provided on both left and right sides of the stairs. However, only one of the left and right sides of the wheelchair 1 is provided. Gear 16 and guide roller 26
Alternatively, the guide mechanism 2 may be provided on both the left and right sides of the stairs, or the gear 16 and the guide rollers 26 may be provided on both the left and right sides of the wheelchair 1, and the guide mechanism 2 may be provided on only one of the left and right sides of the stairs. Alternatively, the gear 16 and the guide roller 26 may be provided on only one of the right and left sides of the wheelchair 1, and the guide mechanism 2 may be provided on only one of the left and right sides of the stairs. Is arranged on the side of climbing the stairs in a forward posture, when descending the stairs, it is necessary to descend the stairs in the same direction as when climbing the wheelchair 1, that is, backward, and to the side of climbing the stairs in the backward posture. With this arrangement, when going down the stairs, the wheelchair 1 must face forward to go down the stairs. It is also possible to reverse the front-rear relationship between the drive wheel 12 and the driven wheel 13 so that the front wheel is the drive wheel and the rear wheel is the driven wheel.

[0021]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, the stairs have a simple structure and are easy to maintain and inspect, and the operation is reliable and the safety is high. A lifting device can be obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of essential parts showing an embodiment of a stair climbing device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the main parts of FIG. 1 as viewed from the back of the wheelchair.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the wheelchair.

FIG. 4 is a front view of a wheelchair.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the wheelchair.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the guide mechanism.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Wheelchair 2 Guide mechanism 10 Base 11 Chair mechanism 12 Drive wheel 13 Driven wheel 14 Motor means 16 Gear 17 Flange-like protrusion 26 Guide roller 27 Frame member 28 Chair 29 Step 30 Spindle 40 Rack 41 Travel path 42 Guide rail 42a Vertical wall

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A self-propelled wheelchair that is driven by wheels,
And a guide mechanism that is provided along the slope of the stairs and that guides the wheelchair up and down while supporting the wheelchair on either one of the left and right sides; the wheelchair drives the front and rear wheels and the motor unit. And a chair mechanism attached to the base so as to be rotatable in the front-rear direction, and at least one of the left and right sides of the drive wheel driven by the prime mover means. Mounted on an axle,
A gear having a diameter smaller than that of the drive wheel and a guide roller attached to a side surface of the base are provided; the guide mechanism includes a rack in which the gear of the wheelchair meshes and travels, and a driven wheel which is not driven by the prime mover means. It is provided with a traveling path for traveling and a guide rail for controlling the inclination of the wheelchair to the left and right when the stairs are raised and lowered by engaging with guide rollers, and the rack, the traveling path and the guide rail are at least on either side of the stairs. A stair climbing device, characterized in that it is provided on one side; 2. A chair mechanism is configured by attaching a chair and steps to a frame member that also functions as an armrest, and the frame member is rotatably supported by a base by a horizontal support shaft. The stair climbing device according to claim 1. 3. A flange-shaped projection having a diameter larger than that of the gear and smaller than that of the drive wheel is provided on an outer surface of the gear, the flange-like projection engaging with the outer surface of the rack to prevent the gear from coming off the rack. The stair climbing device according to claim 1 or 2. 4. A wheelchair guide roller is attached to a bracket on a side surface of a base so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis, and a guide rail of a guide mechanism includes a vertical wall engaging with the guide roller. The stair climbing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: 5. The rack, the traveling path, and the guide rail are extended to a flat floor surface portion at an upper end portion and a lower end portion of a staircase, according to any one of claims 1 to 4. Stair lift device. 6. The stair climbing device according to claim 1, wherein the driving wheels of the wheelchair can be controlled independently of left and right. 7. The stair climbing device according to claim 1, wherein the drive wheels of the wheelchair are rear wheels.