Walking shoes

Abstract

To reduce a burden on a user as much as possible with respect to selection of transition from a walking state to a driving state and from a driving state to walking in a walking shoe that is basically capable of walking and also capable of driving running. [Solution] The left shoe 1L and the right shoe 1R are equipped with rollers 12f, 12b provided at the bottom, an electric motor 13 that drives the rollers, a braking mechanism 20 that applies braking to the rollers 12f, 12b, a solenoid 23 that applies braking to the braking mechanism 20, and a control unit U that controls the electric motor 13 and the solenoid 23. A detection mechanism 27 is associated with the left shoe 1L and the right shoe 1R so as to detect when the shoe has reached the first or second positioning state. When the control unit U determines that the shoe is in the first positioning state based on detection information from the detection mechanism 27, it releases the braking mechanism 20 and starts driving the electric motor 13, and when it determines that the shoe is in the second positioning state, it starts to stop driving the electric motor 13 and applies braking to the braking mechanism 20.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a walking shoe that allows selectively powered running. [Background technology]

[0002] Recently, motorized roller skates are being developed for the purpose of driving the skates, as shown in Patent Document 1. These skates are made to run by driving the rollers at the bottom of the skates with a motor, and when the skates run, the skaters can start running and adjust the speed by operating a remote controller for the convenience of the user.

[0003] While walking is recognized as an effective means of maintaining and improving health, in areas where public transportation is underdeveloped, those with limited mobility are deprived of essential travel for going to the hospital, shopping, etc., and are forced to walk long distances.

[0004] Under these circumstances, the inventor has come up with a walking shoe that can be selectively powered for running. Unlike motorized roller skates, walking shoes are in principle used for walking, but legally allow people to immediately switch from walking to powered running on the sidewalk as long as they are traveling at speeds below the legal limit (6km / hr). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Non-Patent Document 1] CECS Co., Ltd., “Electric Roller Skate AIRTRICK”, [online], [searched on September 24, 2024], Internet, (URL: https: / / greenfunding.jp / lab / projects / 7135) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, when developing walking shoes that can be powered and used for running, while in principle a configuration that allows walking must be ensured, if, when changing from walking to powered running or from powered running to walking, which are completely different modes, a configuration in which operation is performed using a remote controller (wireless), as in the case of the electric roller skates mentioned above, not only does operating the remote controller (taking it out from where it is held, moving your eyes to operate the remote controller, operating the remote controller) itself become a burden, but managing (possessing) the remote controller, which is a separate part from the walking shoes, also becomes a burden.

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to reduce as much as possible the burden on the user regarding the selection of transitions from walking to powered running and from powered running to walking in a walking shoe that is designed to enable walking as well as powered running.

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has the following configurations (1) to (9).

[0009] (1) A walking shoe that includes a left shoe and a right shoe and is used for walking, Each of the left shoe and the right shoe is provided with a running roller provided at the bottom thereof, an electric motor for driving the running roller, a braking mechanism for applying a brake to the running roller, a braking adjustment device for adjusting the braking mechanism and causing the braking mechanism to normally apply a brake to each of the running rollers, and a control device for controlling the electric motor and the braking adjustment device, A detection mechanism is associated with the left shoe and the right shoe so as to detect when the left shoe and the right shoe are in a first positional state or in a second positional state other than the first positional state, When the control device determines that the left shoe and the right shoe are in the first positioning state based on the detection information from the detection mechanism, it controls the brake adjustment device to release the braking of the brake mechanism and outputs a drive start signal to start driving the electric motor, and when it determines that the left shoe and the right shoe are in the second positioning state, it outputs a drive stop start signal to start stopping the driving of the electric motor, and is configured to control the brake adjustment device so that the brake mechanism applies braking to each of the running rollers in response to the output of the drive stop start signal.

[0010] According to this configuration, since the braking mechanism always applies a brake to each running roller, the running roller does not rotate, and frictional force is generated between each running roller and the sidewalk surface. Therefore, at this time, the user can walk using the left shoe and the right shoe as usual. On the other hand, when the left shoe and the right shoe are in the first arrangement state, the braking mechanism for each running roller is released and the driving of the electric motor is started, and when the left shoe and the right shoe are in the second arrangement state, the driving of the electric motor is stopped and the braking mechanism for each running roller is applied. Therefore, by simply adjusting the position of the user's left and right feet, the user can easily select a transition from a walking state to a driving running state, and a transition from a driving running state to a walking state, and when transitioning to each mode, it is possible to eliminate the need to hold and operate the remote controller. Therefore, in walking shoes that are basically designed to enable walking while also enabling powered running, the burden on the user regarding the selection of transition from walking to powered running and from powered running to walking can be reduced as much as possible. In particular, when the user is an elderly person with poor eyesight or memory, there is no need to manage or operate a remote controller, which is an effective consideration.

[0011] (2) Under the configuration described in (1) above, As the first arrangement state, a state in which the left shoe and the right shoe are relatively shifted in a predetermined manner in the front-rear direction is set, The second positioning state is set to a specific state other than the first positioning state, and the specific state other than the first positioning state is set to a state in which the left shoe and the right shoe are parallel to each other in the left-right direction, or a state in which either the left shoe or the right shoe is raised above the road surface.

[0012] According to this configuration, the first position in which the running rollers are driven to run is set to a state in which the left shoe and the right shoe are relatively shifted in the front-rear direction, so that the user can take a posture that most effectively withstands external forces from the front-rear direction and external forces from the sideways direction by bracing the left and right feet during the driving run. Moreover, the user can easily sense this. Therefore, the user can easily and smoothly transition to the driving run, and is subjected to a certain amount of acceleration when starting the driving run, and is subjected to a reaction force according to the sidewalk surface condition during the driving run, which may cause the user's posture to become unstable depending on the user's posture, but this can be suppressed as much as possible. This is an effective consideration, especially when the user is an elderly person with reduced physical strength.

[0013] On the other hand, since the second arrangement state in which the running rollers are stopped is set to a state in which the left shoe and the right shoe are parallel to each other in the left-right direction, or a state in which either the left shoe or the right shoe is raised above the road surface, the user can easily perceive these arrangement states as states (postures) in which driving running is not desired or states (postures) that are not favorable for driving running, and can easily stop the driving running of the running rollers. In other words, when the left shoe and the right shoe are parallel to each other in the left-right direction, when an external force is applied from the front-back direction, the left and right feet are not able to brace themselves as compared to when the left and right shoes are shifted in the front-back direction, and the user's posture becomes unstable. Therefore, the user can easily associate the arrangement of the left shoe and the right shoe selected by the user himself as a posture in which driving running is not desired or a posture that is not favorable for driving running. In addition, when either the left shoe or the right shoe is raised above the road surface, the driving force of the raised shoe is not transmitted to the road surface, and the user's sense of this state is easily associated with the user's desire not to drive. Therefore, when stopping the driving of the running rollers, the user's sense can be utilized, and the user can smoothly perform the operation of stopping the driving of the running rollers.

[0014] (3) Under the configuration of (1) above, The control device is configured to release the braking of the braking mechanism and output a drive start signal to start driving the electric motor when it determines, based on detection information from the detection mechanism, that the detection time in the first position state has continued for a predetermined period of time.

[0015] With this configuration, it is possible to reliably detect the user's desire to drive and run using the left shoe and the right shoe, and the user's wishes can be accurately reflected in the execution of driving and running using the left shoe and the right shoe.

[0016] (4) Under the configuration of (1) above, A lifting mechanism is provided for each of the left shoe and the right shoe, which lifts and lowers the running rollers to a storage state in which the running rollers are retracted inward from the bottoms of the left shoe and the right shoe, and a usable state in which the running rollers are protruded from the bottoms of the left shoe and the right shoe, The control device is configured so that when it determines, based on detection information from the detection mechanism, that the detection information is in the first positioning state, it controls the lifting mechanism to bring the running rollers into the usable state, and when it determines that the detection information is in the second positioning state, it controls the lifting mechanism to bring the running rollers into the stored state.

[0017] With this configuration, when driving, the running rollers of the left shoe and the right shoe are in a usable state, making it possible to drive and run using the running rollers, while when walking, the running rollers of the left shoe and the right shoe are in a stored state, making it possible to walk using the wide soles of the left shoe and the right shoe (in contact with the sidewalk surface) just as when walking in normal shoes.

[0018] (5) Under the configuration of (4) above, the control device is configured to release the braking of the braking mechanism and output a drive start signal to start driving the electric motor when it is determined that a time during which the first position state is detected has continued for a predetermined time based on the detection information from the detection mechanism, The predetermined time is set to be longer than the time it takes for the running roller to move from the stored state to the usable state.

[0019] With this configuration, not only can the user's desire for powered running be reliably detected and the user's desire accurately reflected in the execution, but the specified time used at that time can be utilized as the time until the running rollers are ready for use, so that when transitioning from a walking mode to powered running using the running rollers, powered running using the running rollers can be accurately started.

[0020] (6) Under the configuration of (2) above, the detection mechanism includes first and second detection mechanisms each including a pair of communication elements that exchange communication information, and which output the detection information when exchange of communication information is established between the pair of communication elements; The above First detection mechanism a pair of communication elements in the above-mentioned embodiment, one of which is provided at either the front or the rear of an inner side surface of at least one of the left shoe and the right shoe, and the other of which is provided at the other of the front or the rear of an inner side surface of the other of the left shoe and the right shoe; The above Second detection mechanism one of the pair of communication elements is provided on an inner side surface of at least one of the left shoe and the right shoe in a center portion in a front-to-rear direction, and the other communication element is provided on an inner side surface of the other of the left shoe and the right shoe in a center portion in a front-to-rear direction, The detection information output from the first and second detection mechanisms is configured to be input as common information to each control device in the left shoe and the right shoe.

[0021] According to this configuration, the control devices in the left shoe and the right shoe are: First detection mechanism Based on the detection information from the sensor, it can be determined that the left shoe and the right shoe are misaligned in the front-rear direction. Second detection mechanism Based on the detection information from the remote controller, it can be determined that the left shoe and the right shoe are parallel to each other. Therefore, based on the determination of each control device, the walking mode or the driving running mode by the running rollers can be executed in a synchronized state, and the user can specifically select either the walking mode or the driving running mode by simply adjusting the position of the left and right feet without using a remote controller.

[0022] (7) Under the configuration of (1) above, The control device is configured to control the electric motor so that the travel speed based on the travel rollers is set to be equal to or lower than an allowable upper limit speed on a sidewalk.

[0023] With this configuration, the running speed based on the running rollers is below the maximum speed allowable on sidewalks (6 km / hr), so that legally, running using the running rollers can be performed on sidewalks as well. Based on the user's judgment, they can appropriately choose between walking and running while on the sidewalk.

[0024] (8) Under the configuration of (1) above, As the second arrangement state, all states other than the first arrangement state are set, When the control device determines based on information from the detection mechanism that the first positioning state has been reached, it controls the braking adjustment device to release the braking of the braking mechanism and outputs a drive signal to drive the electric motor, and when it determines that the control device is in a state other than the first positioning state, it outputs a drive stop signal to stop the drive of the electric motor, and is configured to control the braking adjustment device so that the braking mechanism applies braking to each of the running rollers in response to the output of the drive stop signal.

[0025] According to this configuration, even without using a remote controller, the driving and running by the running rollers can be performed only when the position of the left shoe and the right shoe is set to the first position by adjusting the position of the user's left foot and right foot, and when the position is other than the first position, the driving and running by the running rollers can be stopped and the walking mode can be set. Therefore, the switching selection between the walking mode and the driving and running mode can be simplified, and the burden on the user regarding the transition selection can be further reduced. Moreover, as long as the detection mechanism can detect the first position, the detection mechanism can detect the second position by not detecting the first position (not outputting detection information), and the configuration of the detection mechanism (number of parts, etc.) can be simplified.

[0026] (9) Under the configuration of (8) above, The first arrangement state is set to be a state in which the left shoe and the right shoe are relatively misaligned in the front-rear direction by a predetermined amount.

[0027] With this configuration, the driving motion of the running rollers can be limited to when the user's posture is most stable with the user's left and right feet firmly planted, so that the user's posture can be always kept highly stable when the running motion is performed by the running rollers. Effect of the Invention

[0028] According to the present invention, in a walking shoe that is designed to enable walking as a basic function while also enabling powered running, the burden on the user regarding the selection of transitions from walking to powered running and from powered running to walking can be reduced as much as possible. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0029] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a walking shoe (right shoe) according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the internal configuration of the walking shoe according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a lifting mechanism according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a control system diagram illustrating a control system according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 5] 4 is a time chart illustrating control in the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the detection state by the RFID reader in the right shoe and the electronic tag in the left shoe (a state in which the right shoe and the left shoe are detected to be misaligned in the front-to-back direction). [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the detection state by the RFID reader in the left shoe and the electronic tag in the right shoe (a state in which the left shoe and the right shoe are detected to be misaligned in the front-to-back direction). [Figure 8]FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the detection state by the RFID reader in the right shoe and the electronic tag in the left shoe (a state in which the right shoe and the left shoe are detected to be in parallel). [Figure 9] 4 is a flowchart showing an example of control of the walking shoe according to the first embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a walking shoe according to a second embodiment. [Figure 11] 6 is a time chart illustrating a control in the second embodiment.

[0030] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the reference numeral 1 denotes a walking shoe according to the first embodiment, which is made up of a left shoe 1L and a right shoe 1R. Fig. 1 shows the inner side of the right shoe 1R, which is one of the walking shoes 1, and Fig. 2 shows the schematic internal structure of the left and right shoes 1L, 1R in plan view (partially omitted for the left shoe 1L). The left shoe 1L and the right shoe 1R are symmetrical and basically have the same structure. For this reason, the walking shoe 1 will be described using a common reference numeral without the suffixes L and R under the right shoe 1R, which is the other of the walking shoes 1, and the description of the same configuration of the left shoe 1R as that of the right shoe 1R will be omitted. In addition, in cases where it is necessary to distinguish between the left shoe 1L and the right shoe 1R and to describe them separately, the reference numerals in parentheses with the suffixes L and R will be added.

[0031] 1 to 3, the right shoe 1R comprises a sole 2 forming the sole portion and constituting the base of the shoe, and an upper 3 arranged on the upper side of the sole 2 to cover the user's foot when in use. The sole 2 comprises an outsole 2a forming the portion that comes into contact with the ground, an insole 2b having the same shape as the outsole 2a and arranged on the upper side of the outsole 2a at a predetermined distance and with which the sole of the user's foot comes into contact when in use, and a peripheral wall portion 2c that connects the entire peripheral edges of the outsole 2a and insole 2b to each other to maintain the predetermined distance.

[0032] The outsole 2a is stretched with its plate surface facing up and down as shown in FIG. 2. The outsole 2a has rectangular notches 4f, 4f, 4b, 4b formed on both sides of the width direction of the front part and both sides of the width direction of the rear part for moving the running rollers described below in the up and down direction, and each of the notches 4f, 4f, 4b, 4b is open outward in the width direction and outward in the up and down direction. The insole 2b also has notches (not shown) similar to the notches 4f, 4f, 4b, 4b of the outsole 2a in a corresponding state, and the peripheral edges of the notches 4f, 4f, 4b, 4b of the outsole 2a and the notches of the insole 2b are connected to each other by the peripheral wall 2c. Therefore, the sole 2 has recesses 6 formed on both sides of the width direction of the front part and both sides of the width direction of the rear part, which are open outward in the width direction and in the up and down direction of the sole 2.

[0033] As shown in Fig. 1, the upper 3 rises from the periphery of the sole 2 (insole 2b) to form the upper surface of the shoe that covers the foot. At this time, the upper 3 rises a predetermined length from the opening periphery of each recess 6 on the upper surface of the sole 2 to form an extended recess 7 that opens outward in the width direction of the sole 2, and the extended recess 7 of the upper 3 and the recess 6 of the sole 2 form a roller movement hole 8 on the side of the right shoe 1R. Of course, when the upper 3 rises a predetermined length from the periphery of each recess 6 to form the extended recess 7, the upper side forms a normal shoe side surface.

[0034] As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, a base plate 9 is disposed in the internal space 2d between the outsole 2a and the insole 2b with its plate surface facing up and down. The base plate 9 extends through the notches 4f, 4f, 4b, 4b on both sides of the width direction of the front and rear parts of the outsole 2a while maintaining a constant width. A rotating shaft 11f is rotatably attached to the front upper surface of the base plate 9 via a bearing 10, and both ends of the rotating shaft 11f extend through the peripheral wall part 2c or the upper 3 into the left and right roller movement holes 8, and rollers 12f are attached to each end of the rotating shaft 11f as running rollers in each roller movement hole 8. In this case, the through holes (not shown) in the peripheral wall part 2c or the upper 3 extend up and down to allow the rotating shaft 11b to move up and down when the rotating shaft 11f passes through.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 2, a rotating shaft 11b is rotatably attached to the rear upper surface of the base plate 9 via an electric motor (e.g., a BLDC motor) 13. The rotating shaft 11b extends to both left and right sides of the electric motor 13, and both ends of the rotating shaft 11b extend through the peripheral wall 2c or the upper 3 into the left and right roller movement holes 8. In each roller movement hole 8, a roller 12b is attached to each end of the rotating shaft 11b in the extending direction, as a running roller and a driving roller, and the roller 12b is driven by the electric motor 13. In this case, the through hole (not shown) in the peripheral wall 2c or the upper 3 extends in the vertical direction to allow the rotating shaft 11b to move in the vertical direction when the rotating shaft 11b passes through. A battery 14 is connected to the electric motor 13 as a power source, and the battery 14 supplies power to the electric motor 13 through a self-holding circuit 15. Of course, the battery 14 and the self-holding circuit 15 are also provided on the upper surface of the substrate 9.

[0036] 3, a lifting mechanism 16 is provided between the outsole 2a and the insole 2b. The lifting mechanism 16 is composed of the substrate 9, a plurality of spring members 17 interposed between the outsole 2a and the substrate 9, and a plurality of solenoids 18 interposed between the insole 2b and the substrate 9. Each spring member 17 always biases the substrate 9 toward the insole 2b, while each solenoid 18 has a tip end of a plunger 18a connected to the substrate 9 in a state where it is fixed to the lower surface of the insole 2b. As a result, when the plunger 18a of the solenoid 18 is contracted, the rollers 12 enter the roller movement holes 8 based on the biasing force of the spring material 17, and the rollers do not protrude from the bottom surface of the outsole 2a (storage state of the rollers 12), and when the plunger 18a of the solenoid 18 is extended, the base plate 9 is pushed down against the biasing force of the spring material 17, and the rollers 12 protrude from the bottom surface of the outsole 2a (usable state of the rollers). At this time, the base plate 9 is pushed down until it abuts against the stopper 19 on the top surface of the outsole 2a, and the amount of protrusion of the rollers 12 protruding from the bottom surface of the outsole 2a is constant.

[0037] 2, a braking mechanism 20 is provided for each of the rotating shafts 11f, 11b on the substrate 9. Each braking mechanism 20 includes a disk 21 attached to the rotating shafts 11f, 11b, and a caliper 22 having brake pads that press and adjust the brake pads against the disk 21. To adjust the braking force of the braking mechanism 20, an operating force is applied to the caliper 22 by a solenoid 23 (plunger 23a) serving as a braking adjustment device.

[0038] 2, a control unit U is provided on the substrate 9 as a control device to control the lifting mechanism 16, the braking mechanism 20, and the electric motor 13. For this reason, as shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 4, the control unit U outputs control signals to the solenoid 18, the self-holding circuit 15, and the solenoid 23, and the control unit U receives ON / OFF signals from main switches 26 provided in the left and right shoes 1L, 1R for starting and stopping, detection information (detection signals) from a detection mechanism 27 for detecting the arrangement of the left shoe 1L and the right shoe 1R, and a rotation speed signal from a rotation speed sensor 28 for detecting the rotation speed of the electric motor 13.

[0039] A plunger extension signal or a plunger retraction signal is output as a control signal to the solenoid 18, and in response to this, the plunger 18a of the solenoid 18 expands and contracts, causing the substrate 9 to move up and down. A plunger extension signal (brake release signal) or a plunger retraction signal (brake signal) is output as a control signal to the solenoid 23, and the solenoid 23 sets the brake mechanism 20 to a brake release state or a brake state based on each of these signals. A drive start signal or a drive stop start signal is output as a control signal to the self-holding circuit 15, and the self-holding circuit 15 holds the electric motor 13 in a drive state or a drive stop state thereafter, based on a combination circuit of its a-contact (normally open contact) and b-contact (normally closed contact), on the condition that the drive start signal or the drive stop start signal is input (control of application of the battery 14 to the electric motor 13).

[0040] 2 and 6 to 8, the detection mechanism 27 is composed of first and second detection mechanisms 27A and 27B using a pair of communication elements that exchange communication information. In this embodiment, the first and second detection mechanisms 27A and 27B use an RFID reader (reading device) and an electronic tag (IC tag) as a pair of communication elements under RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), and electromagnetic waves or radio waves are transmitted and received between the electronic tag and the RFID reader. When the RFID reader reads the code information specific to the electronic tag, the RFID reader outputs detection information, assuming that it has detected the corresponding electronic tag.

[0041] The first detection mechanism 27A is equipped with two pairs of communication elements (RFID reader and electronic tag) to detect a predetermined relative displacement state (first arrangement state) between the left shoe 1L and the right shoe 1R in the front-rear direction. In one pair, as shown in Fig. 2, the RFID reader 31a is provided at the rear of the inner side of the right shoe 1R, and the electronic tag 31b in the same pair is provided at the front of the inner side of the left shoe 1L at the same height (height from the bottom surface) as the RFID reader 31a. When the RFID reader 31a detects the electronic tag 31b and reads the code information from it, it outputs the detection information and outputs the detection information as a drive running request signal to the control unit U (UR) mounted on the right shoe 1R. In this embodiment, the RFID reader 31a is equipped with a directional antenna and is set so that it can detect the electronic tag 31b within a predetermined range based on the time when it faces the electronic tag 31b. When the RFID reader 31a detects the electronic tag 31b and outputs the detection information, it detects that the right shoe 1R has shifted forward from the left shoe 1L, as shown in Fig. 6. On the other hand, in the other pair, as shown in Fig. 2, the RFID reader 32a is provided at the rear of the inner side of the left shoe 1L, and the electronic tag 32b in the same pair is provided at the front of the inner side of the right shoe 1R at the same height as the RFID reader 32a. Therefore, when the RFID reader 32a detects the electronic tag 32b and outputs the detection information, it detects that the left shoe 1L has shifted forward from the right shoe 1R, as shown in Fig. 7, and the RFID reader 32a outputs the detection information to the control unit U (UL) mounted on the left shoe 1L as a drive running request signal.

[0042] The second detection mechanism 27B is equipped with a pair of communication elements (RFID reader 34a and electronic tag 34b) to detect the parallel state (second arrangement state) of the left shoe 1L and the right shoe 1R as shown in Fig. 2. The RFID reader 34a is provided at approximately the center in the front-to-back direction on the inner side surface of the right shoe 1R, and the electronic tag 34b is provided at the same height as the RFID reader 34a at approximately the center in the front-to-back direction on the inner side surface of the left shoe 1L. Therefore, when the RFID reader 34a detects the electronic tag 34b and outputs the detection information, it is detected that the left shoe 1L and the right shoe 1R are in a parallel state as shown in Fig. 8, and the RFID reader 34a outputs the detection information as a drive stop request signal to the control unit U (UR) mounted on the right shoe 1R.

[0043] As shown in Fig. 4, the control unit U is equipped with a communication section 36, a storage section 37, and an arithmetic control section 38. The communication section 36 is provided not only in the control unit U(UR) of the right shoe 1R but also in the control unit U(UL) of the left shoe 1R, and these two communication sections 36 communicate with each other and have the function of transmitting detection information captured in the control unit U to which each communication section 36 belongs to the other party and receiving it from the other party.

[0044] The storage unit 37 is composed of storage elements such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory). The storage unit 37 stores necessary information such as a predetermined time t1 required to detect and determine a user's desire to drive and travel, a predetermined time t2 (t1>t2) required to detect and determine a user's desire to stop driving, an upper limit rotation speed of the electric motor 13 for making the travel speed based on the rollers 12f, 12b 6km / hr or less, and an initial state when the main switch 26 is ON (storage state, braking state, and drive stop state of the rollers 12f, 12b), and stores necessary programs such as basic programs and programs for the calculation control unit 38 to perform various processes.

[0045] The calculation control unit 38 is composed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and based on a program read out from the memory unit 37, functions as an input information acquisition unit 38a, an input information discrimination unit 38b, a duration determination unit 38c, a comparison unit 38d, an output adjustment unit 38e, and the like, as shown in FIG. 4.

[0046] The input information acquisition unit 38a (right shoe 1R) has the function of directly acquiring the detection information when it is output from the RFID reader 31a, RFID reader 34a, and also has the function of acquiring the detection information via the communication units 36 (36L, 36R) of the left shoe 1L and right shoe 1R when it is output from the RFID reader 32a in the left shoe 1L. On the other hand, when detection information is output from the RFID reader 31a, RFID reader 34a in the right shoe 1R, the detection information is sent to the control unit U (UL) in the left shoe 1L via the communication units 36 (36R, 36L) in the right shoe 1R and left shoe 1L, and is acquired by the input information acquisition unit 38a. As a result, the same detection information is input to the control units U (UL, UR) of the right shoe 1R and the left shoe 1L at the same time, and the right shoe 1R and the left shoe 1L are synchronized with respect to driving and stopping (walking). The input information acquisition unit 38a also acquires the rotation speed of the electric motor 13 from the rotation speed sensor 28 so that driving is performed at or below the upper limit speed allowable on the sidewalk.

[0047] The input information discrimination unit 38b has the function of discriminating whether the input information taken in by the input information taking in unit 38a is information based on the content of the input information, the input device, etc., that the left shoe 1L and the right shoe 1R are in a predetermined misaligned state in the front-to-back direction, that the left shoe 1L and the right shoe 1R are in a parallel state, or information on the rotation speed of the electric motor 13.

[0048] The duration judgment unit 38c has the function of judging, based on information from the input information discrimination unit 38b, whether or not the detection state has continued for a predetermined time t1 from the time of detection when the input information detects a predetermined misaligned state between the left shoe 1L and the right shoe 1R, and whether or not the detection state has continued for a predetermined time t2 (t1>t2) from the time of detection when the input information detects a parallel state between the left shoe 1L and the right shoe 1R.

[0049] The comparison unit 38d has a function of determining, based on information from the input information determination unit 38b, whether or not the rotation speed of the electric motor 13 has exceeded the upper limit rotation speed when the input information is rotation speed information of the electric motor 13.

[0050] When the output adjustment unit 38e receives information based on the information from the input information discrimination unit 38b and the duration determination unit 38c that the input information is a detection of a predetermined misalignment state between the left shoe 1L and the right shoe 1R, and that the detection state has continued for a predetermined time t1 since the detection time, the output adjustment unit 38e performs the function of outputting a drive start signal to the self-holding circuit 15 (realizing the self-holding state) and outputting a brake release signal (plunger extension signal) to the solenoid 23. In addition, when the output adjustment unit 38e receives information that the input information is a detection of a parallel state between the left shoe 1L and the right shoe 1R, and that the detection state has continued for a predetermined time t2 (t1>t2) since the detection time, the output adjustment unit 38e performs the function of outputting a drive stop start signal to the self-holding circuit 15 (release of the self-holding state) and outputting a brake signal (plunger contraction signal) to the solenoid 23. Furthermore, when the output adjustment unit 38e obtains, based on the information from the comparison unit 38d, determination information that the rotation speed of the electric motor 13 has exceeded the upper limit rotation speed, it has the function of outputting a drive stop start signal to the self-holding circuit 15 (stopping the drive of the electric motor 13), and when it obtains determination information that the rotation speed of the electric motor 13 has dropped below the upper limit rotation speed, it has the function of outputting a drive start signal to the self-holding circuit 15 (returning the drive of the electric motor 13).

[0051] In addition, in this embodiment, when the output adjustment unit 38e determines based on information from the input information discrimination unit 38b that the input information has detected a predetermined misalignment state between the left shoe 1L and the right shoe 1R, it outputs a plunger extension signal to the solenoid 18 at that time to make the rollers 12f, 12b usable, and when the output adjustment unit 38e determines based on information from the input information discrimination unit 38b that the input information has detected a parallel state between the left shoe 1L and the right shoe 1R, it outputs a plunger retraction signal to the solenoid 18 at that time or with a slight delay to perform the function of putting the rollers 12f, 12b into a stored state.

[0052] The operation and control of the walking shoe 1 will be described with reference to Figs. (1) When the main switch 26 is turned on and the system is started, the plunger 23a of the solenoid 23 is contracted (braked), and other devices are not in operation (REID readers 31a, 32a, 34a are not detected, and the solenoid 18 (plunger 18a) is in a contracted state). Therefore, the rollers 12f, 12b are stopped with the brakes applied, and furthermore, the rollers 12f, 12b are in a stored state. Therefore, at this time, the sole of the walking shoe 1 comes into contact with the road surface, just like a normal shoe, and the user can walk while using the sole of the walking shoe 1.

[0053] (2) As shown in Fig. 6 or 7, when the left shoe 1L and the right shoe 1R are relatively misaligned in the front-rear direction, either the RFID reader 32a in the left shoe 1L or the RFID reader 31a in the right shoe 1R detects the corresponding electronic tag 31b or 32b (reads code information) and outputs detection information, which is input as common information to the control unit U of the left shoe 1L and the control unit U of the right shoe 1R. More specifically, as shown in Fig. 6, when the right shoe 1R is positioned forward of the left shoe 1L and the RFID reader 31a in the right shoe 1R detects the electronic tag 31b in the left shoe 1L, the detection information is directly taken into the control unit U (UR) in the right shoe 1R and sent to the control unit U (UL) in the left shoe 1L via the communication unit 36 ​​(36R, 36L). On the other hand, as shown in Figure 7, when the left shoe 1L is positioned in front of the right shoe 1R and the RFID reader 32a in the left shoe 1L detects the electronic tag 32b in the right shoe 1R, the detection information is directly input into the control unit U (UL) in the left shoe 1L and sent to the control unit U (UR) in the right shoe 1R via the communication unit 36 ​​(36L, 36R).

[0054] (3) When the detection information is output by the RFID reader 31a or 32a, the plunger 18a of the solenoid 18 is immediately extended in the left shoe 1L and the right shoe 1R, causing the rollers 12f, 12b to protrude from the bottom surface of the left shoe 1L and the right shoe 1R (usable state of the rollers 12f, 12b). Then, after the detection state continues for a predetermined time t1 from the output (detection), the plunger 23a of the solenoid 23 is extended, releasing the braking by the braking mechanism 20, and the electric motor 13 is turned ON to start the driving and running by the rollers 12f, 12b. In this case, even if the RFID reader 31a or 32a stops outputting the detection information, the driving and running by the rollers 12f, 12b continues based on the self-holding circuit 15, and the user can take any posture at that time. However, if the rotation speed of the electric motor 13 exceeds the upper limit rotation speed while the electric motor 13 is being driven by the rollers 12f, 12b, the electric motor 13 is turned OFF, and the OFF state does not change to ON unless the rotation speed of the electric motor 13 falls below the upper limit rotation speed.

[0055] (4) As shown in Fig. 8, when the left shoe 1L and the right shoe 1R are in parallel, the RFID reader 34a in the right shoe 1R detects the electronic tag 34b in the left shoe 1L, and the detection information is directly input to the control unit U (UR) in the right shoe 1R, and is sent to the control unit U (UL) in the left shoe 1L via the communication unit 36 ​​(36R, 36L). After the output (detection) from the RFID reader 34a and the detection state continues for a predetermined time t2, the electric motor 13 is turned off to stop the driving and traveling by the rollers 12f, 12b, and the plunger 23a of the solenoid 23 is contracted to apply the brake by the brake mechanism 20. Moreover, at this time, the plunger 18a of the solenoid 18 is contracted, and the rollers 12f, 12b are moved to the stored state by the spring material 17. This allows the user to walk while using the bottom surfaces of the left shoe 1L and the right shoe 1R.

[0056] Fig. 9 is a flow chart specifically showing an example of control of the walking shoe 1. In Fig. 9, S indicates a step.

[0057] When the main switch 26 is turned on, various information is read in S1. The various information includes the initial state when the main switch 26 is turned on (the storage state of the rollers 12f, 12b (the plunger 18a of the solenoid 18 is in a contracted state), the braking state (the plunger 23a of the solenoid 23 is in a contracted state), the drive stop state (the electric motor 13 is OFF)), the predetermined time t1 for determining the drive run, the predetermined time t2 for determining the drive stop, the upper limit rotation speed of the electric motor 13 for making the running speed based on the rollers 12f, 12b 6km / hr or less, etc. When the various information is read in S1, it is judged in S2 based on the detection information from the RFID reader 31a or 32a in the first detection mechanism 27A whether or not it is detected that the left shoe 1L and the right shoe 1R have become in a predetermined misalignment state. This is to determine the drive run. At this time, to the control unit U to which the RFID reader has not output the detection information, the detection information is transmitted from the control unit to which the RFID reader has output the detection information.

[0058] When S2 is YES, in S3, it is determined whether or not the vehicle is already in driving. Since the vehicle is not in driving at first, S3 is determined to be NO, and in S4, the plunger 18a of the solenoid 18 is extended to make the rollers 12f, 12b available for use. Next, a timer is operated (S5), and while determining that the detection of the above-mentioned misalignment state continues (S6), it is determined whether or not a predetermined time t1 has elapsed (S7). This is to reliably detect the user's desire for driving. Therefore, when S6 is NO, the plunger 18a of the solenoid 18 is contracted to put the rollers 12f, 12b in a storage state (S8), and the process returns to S2, and when S7 is NO, the process returns to S6.

[0059] If S7 is YES, it is determined that the user desires to drive and the timer is cancelled in S9. Then, in the next step S10, the plunger 23a of the solenoid 23 is extended to release the brake mechanism 20, and in S11 the electric motor 13 is driven. This allows the walking shoe 1 to drive and run.

[0060] In the next step S12, it is determined whether the rotation speed of the electric motor 13 exceeds the allowable upper limit rotation speed during driving. This is to maintain the driving speed at 6 km / hr or less, which is the allowable speed on the sidewalk. Therefore, when S12 is NO, it is determined in S13 whether the driving of the electric motor 13 is stopped or not, and the process returns to S2, and driving continues. On the other hand, when S12 is YES, the driving of the electric motor 13 is stopped in S14, and the process returns to S12, and the driving speed is reduced until it becomes the allowable speed on the sidewalk. As a result, when the determination in S12 becomes NO, S13 becomes YES, and in S15, the driving of the electric motor 13 is started. As a result, coupled with the fact that the braking mechanism 20 is not braking at this time, the driving speed of the walking shoe 1 is maintained at the allowable speed on the sidewalk.

[0061] When the determination in S2 is NO, the left shoe 1L and the right shoe 1R are not misaligned in the front-rear direction. In this case, in S16, it is determined whether the left shoe 1L and the right shoe 1R are parallel based on the detection information from the RFID reader 34a in the second detection mechanism 27B. This is to determine whether the walking shoe 1 is stopped. When this S16 is NO, the process is returned, whereas when S16 is YES, it is determined in S17 whether the walking shoe 1 is already stopped. This is to determine whether the processes in S17 to S19 described later need to be performed. In this case, the detection information that the left shoe 1L and the right shoe 1R are parallel is sent from the communication unit 36 ​​(36R) of the control unit U (UR) in the right shoe 1R to the communication unit 36 ​​(36L) of the left shoe 1L, and based on the common detection information, the left shoe 1L and the right shoe 1R perform the same process while synchronizing with each other.

[0062] If S17 is YES, no new process for stopping the drive is required, and the process is returned, whereas if S17 is NO, a timer is operated (S18), and while determining that the detection of the parallel state is continuing (S19), it is determined whether or not a predetermined time t2 has elapsed (S20). This is to reliably detect the user's desire to stop the drive. Therefore, if S19 is NO, the process is returned to S2, and if S20 is NO, the process is returned to S19.

[0063] If S20 is YES, it is determined that the user wishes to stop driving, and the timer is released in S21, and the electric motor 13 is stopped in S22. Next, in S23, the plunger 23a of the solenoid 23 is contracted to apply the brakes to the braking mechanism 20, and in the next S24, the plunger 18a of the solenoid 18 is contracted to place the rollers 12f, 12b in the retracted state, and then the process returns. This allows the user to walk with the sole of the walking shoe 1 in contact with the road surface.

[0064] 10 and 11 show a second embodiment. In this second embodiment, the same components as those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0065] The second embodiment shown in Fig. 10 and Fig. 11 shows a modified example of the first embodiment. In this second embodiment, the first arrangement state of the left shoe 1L and the right shoe 1R is set to a state where the left shoe 1L and the right shoe 1R are relatively shifted in the front-rear direction, and the second arrangement state is set to all arrangement states other than the predetermined shift state. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 10, the condition for the driving and running by the rollers 12f, 12b is that the detection information continues to be output by the RFID reader 31a or 32a (the first arrangement state is maintained), and as long as this is maintained, the braking mechanism 20 is released and the electric motor 13 is driven (driving and running by the rollers 12f, 12b) as shown in Fig. 11.

[0066] On the other hand, when no detection information is output from either the RFID readers 31a or 32a, the driving of the electric motor 13 is stopped and the braking mechanism 20 is braked. As a result, in this embodiment, the plunger 18a of the solenoid 18 is extended on condition that the main switch 26 is ON, and the rollers 12f, 12b are in a usable state, so the robot walks with the rollers 12f, 12b, which are made unrotatable by the braking mechanism 20, as the bottom (bottom surface). When driving and stopping the electric motor 13, the second detection mechanism 27B (RFID reader 34a, electronic tag 34b) in the first embodiment is not necessary, and the number of parts can be reduced.

[0067] 9 showing the control example of the first embodiment, S4, S8, S16, and S24 are deleted, and S19 is replaced with a step of determining whether or not a state other than the predetermined deviation state continues to be detected. Of course, in this case, as in the first embodiment, the rollers 12f, 12b may be put into a usable state by using the lifting mechanism 18 depending on when the electric motor 13 is driven, and the rollers 12f, 12b may be put into a stored state when the electric motor 13 is not driven.

[0068] In addition, in the first embodiment, the driving condition for the electric motor 13 was that the detected state continued for a predetermined time t1 from the time of detection of a predetermined misalignment state, taking into consideration the need to reliably detect the user's desire to drive and the completion time of the lifting mechanism 18 (the time until rollers 12f, 12b are ready for use). However, in this embodiment, considering that rollers 12f, 12b are ready for use when the main switch is turned ON, it is possible not to set the predetermined time t1 before driving the electric motor 13.

[0069] Although the embodiments have been described above, the present invention includes the following embodiments. (1) As the first and second arrangement states, the arrangement relationship between the left shoe 1L and the right shoe 1R is appropriately set. (2) As the second positioning state, not only the case where the left shoe 1L and the right shoe 1R are parallel to each other in the left-right direction, but also the case where either the left shoe 1L or the right shoe 1R is lifted off the road surface is set. To detect this state, the load fluctuation is detected by detecting the current consumption, terminal voltage, rotation speed, torque, etc. of the electric motor 13, and based on the load fluctuation, it can be determined that either the left shoe 1L or the right shoe 1R is lifted off the road surface. (3) Two pairs of second communication elements are provided, one pair being provided as in the first embodiment, while the RFID reader in the other pair is provided in approximately the center in the fore-to-aft direction on the inner side of the left shoe 1L, and the electronic tag in the same pair is provided at the same height as the RFID reader in approximately the center in the fore-to-aft direction on the inner side of the right shoe 1R.

[0070] (4) Properly set the direction and range of the directional antennas of the RFID readers 31a, 32a, 34a (detection direction and detectable range of the predetermined misalignment state and parallel state). Specifically, in the configuration according to the first embodiment, the more the direction of the radio waves from the RFID readers 31a, 32a is directed diagonally backward, the wider the predetermined misalignment state to be detected. In addition, in a configuration in which the RFID reader 31a is provided at the front of the right shoe 1R and the electronic tag 32b is provided at the rear of the right shoe 1R, while the RFID reader 32a is provided at the front of the left shoe 1L and the electronic tag 31b is provided at the rear of the left shoe 1L, the more the direction of the radio waves from the RFID readers 31a, 32a is directed diagonally forward, the wider the predetermined misalignment state to be detected. Therefore, by appropriately setting the direction of the radio waves from the RFID readers 31a, 32a, the degree of misalignment of the predetermined misalignment state can be made preferable. Of course, in this case, it is preferable that the directivity range of the radio waves from the RFID readers 31a and 32a is as narrow as possible without causing any problems. (5) An optical sensor is used as the detection mechanism (first and second detection mechanisms 27A, 27B) 27. For example, a detection mechanism including a light emitting / receiving element and a reflector that reflects light from the light emitting / receiving element when facing the light emitting / receiving element can be used. (6) In the first embodiment, the rollers 12f, 12b are placed in a usable state when the main switch 26 is turned ON, and the rollers 12f, 12b are placed in a stored state when the main switch 26 is turned OFF.

[0071] (7) The lifting mechanism 20 is omitted, and the rollers 12f, 12b are always protruding from the bottom surfaces of the left shoe 1L and the right shoe 1R so that they are ready for use. (8) The lifting mechanism 18 must be capable of functionally raising and lowering the rollers 12f, 12b to move in the vertical direction, and may be configured in any suitable manner, such as a mechanical type utilizing a link mechanism. (9) The predetermined times t1 and t2 may be set or omitted as appropriate depending on the situation. [Industrial Applicability]

[0072] The present invention can be used in a walking shoe that is designed to enable walking as a basic function while also allowing powered running, to minimize the burden on the user regarding the selection of transitions from walking to powered running and from powered running to walking. [Explanation of symbols]

[0073] 1. Walking shoes 1L Left shoe 1R Right foot shoes 12f Front roller 12b Rear roller 16 Lifting mechanism 20 Braking mechanism 27 Detection mechanism 27A First detection mechanism 27B Second detection mechanism 31a RFID reader (one communication element) 31b Electronic tags (other communication elements) 32a RFID reader (one communication element) 32b Electronic tags (other communication elements) 34a RFID reader (one communication element) 34b Electronic tags (other communication elements) U Control unit (control device)

Claims

1. A walking shoe that includes a left shoe and a right shoe and is used for walking, Each of the left shoe and the right shoe is provided with a running roller provided at the bottom thereof, an electric motor for driving the running roller, a braking mechanism for applying a brake to the running roller, a braking adjustment device for adjusting the braking mechanism and causing the braking mechanism to normally apply a brake to each of the running rollers, and a control device for controlling the electric motor and the braking adjustment device, a detection mechanism is associated with the left shoe and the right shoe so as to detect when the left shoe and the right shoe are in a first positional state or in a second positional state other than the first positional state; When the control device determines that the left shoe and the right shoe are in the first positioning state based on the detection information from the detection mechanism, the control device controls the brake adjustment device to release the brake of the brake mechanism and outputs a drive start signal to start driving the electric motor, and when the control device determines that the left shoe and the right shoe are in the second positioning state, the control device outputs a drive stop start signal to start stopping the drive of the electric motor, and in response to the output of the drive stop start signal, the control device controls the brake adjustment device so that the brake mechanism applies the brakes to each of the running rollers. A walking shoe characterized by:

2. In claim 1, As the first arrangement state, a state in which the left shoe and the right shoe are relatively shifted from each other in a front-rear direction is set, A specific state other than the first arrangement state is set as the second arrangement state, and a specific state other than the first arrangement state is set as a state in which the left shoe and the right shoe are parallel to each other in the left-right direction, or a state in which either the left shoe or the right shoe is raised above a road surface. A walking shoe characterized by:

3. In claim 1, the control device is configured to release the braking of the braking mechanism and output a drive start signal for starting the drive of the electric motor when it is determined that the detection time in the first position state has continued for a predetermined period of time based on the detection information from the detection mechanism. A walking shoe characterized by:

4. In claim 1, A lifting mechanism is provided for each of the left shoe and the right shoe, which lifts and lowers the running rollers to a storage state in which the running rollers are retracted inward from the bottoms of the left shoe and the right shoe, and a usable state in which the running rollers are protruded from the bottoms of the left shoe and the right shoe, The control device is configured to control the lifting mechanism to bring the running rollers into the usable state when it determines based on detection information from the detection mechanism that the detection information is in the first arrangement state, and to control the lifting mechanism to bring the running rollers into the stored state when it determines that the detection information is in the second arrangement state. A walking shoe characterized by:

5. In claim 4, the control device is configured to release the braking of the braking mechanism and output a drive start signal to start driving the electric motor when it is determined that a time during which the first position state is detected has continued for a predetermined time based on detection information from the detection mechanism, The predetermined time is set to be longer than the time it takes for the running roller to move from the stored state to the usable state. A walking shoe characterized by:

6. In claim 2, the detection mechanism includes first and second detection mechanisms each including a pair of communication elements that exchange communication information, and which output the detection information when the exchange of communication information is established between the pair of communication elements; The pair of communication elements in the first detection mechanism is such that one communication element is provided at either the front or the rear of an inner side surface of at least one of the left shoe and the right shoe, while the other communication element is provided at the other of the front and the rear of an inner side surface of the other of the left shoe and the right shoe, The pair of communication elements in the second detection mechanism is such that one communication element is provided on an inner side surface of at least one of the left shoe and the right shoe in a center portion in the front-rear direction, while the other communication element is provided on an inner side surface of the other of the left shoe and the right shoe in a center portion in the front-rear direction, The control devices in the left shoe and the right shoe are configured to receive the detection information output from the first and second detection mechanisms as common information. A walking shoe characterized by:

7. In claim 1, The control device controls the electric motor so that the running speed based on the running rollers is set to be equal to or lower than an allowable upper limit speed on a sidewalk. Walking shoes characterized by

8. In claim 1, all states other than the first arrangement state are set as the second arrangement state; When the control device determines based on information from the detection mechanism that the first positioning state has been reached, the control device controls the braking adjustment device to release the braking of the braking mechanism and outputs a drive signal to drive the electric motor, and when the control device determines that the device is in a state other than the first positioning state, the control device outputs a drive stop signal to stop the drive of the electric motor, and in response to the output of the drive stop signal, the control device controls the braking adjustment device so that the braking mechanism applies the brakes to each of the running rollers. A walking shoe characterized by:

9. In claim 8, As the first arrangement state, a state in which the left shoe and the right shoe are relatively shifted from each other in a front-rear direction is set. A walking shoe characterized by:

Images