Waist assist supporter

Abstract

To reduce force when a wearer pulls ends of shoulder belts to connect the shoulder belts and a waist belt.SOLUTION: A waist assist supporter 1 is to reduce burden on a waist and back muscles of a human body. The supporter includes: a waist belt which is attached to the waist; and a pair of shoulder belts 3 which straddle both shoulders and support the waist belt. Ends of the shoulder belts 3 are fixed to rings 31. A traction assist belt 32 whose one end 36 is fixed to the waist belt and the other end 37 is a free end for traction is attached so as to fold back via the ring. A position of the ring can be changed according to mutual pulling of the waist belt and the traction assist belt.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a lower back assist supporter (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "supporter") that is worn by workers who frequently shift between a bent-over position and an upright position, with the aim of reducing the strain on the lower back and spine.

[0002] Typical examples of such work include agriculture and forestry, factory production and processing, construction, nursing care, cleaning, loading and unloading, etc. However, to varying degrees, everyone performs such work on a daily basis, so this does not exclude its use in the general household or for light everyday work. [Background technology]

[0003] A surprising number of people suffer from lower back pain due to frequent repetition of tasks such as those mentioned above, or even the decline in muscle strength that comes with aging. According to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare's 2015 National Living Standards Survey, as many as 28 million people (about a quarter of the population of Japan) suffer from lower back pain.

[0004] Electric power assist devices are becoming popular to prevent or alleviate back pain while working, but they are very expensive, heavy, and bulky, making them inconvenient to store. Furthermore, they are not suitable for long periods of outdoor use due to power supply and weather conditions.

[0005] Therefore, waist assist supports, which achieve a similar effect by using the stretching and tension of a belt without relying on external power, are becoming more widely used. They are sometimes called "assist suits."

[0006] Examples of such supports include the inventions listed in the following patent documents: The supports of these inventions integrate shoulder belts, waist belts, and lap belts, with the waist belt and lap belt connected by an elastic belt. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2005-192764 [Patent Document 2] Patent Publication No. 2009-284942 [Patent Document 3] Patent Publication No. 2012-143372 [Patent Document 4] Patent Publication No. 2015-163180 [Patent Document 5] Patent Publication No. 2016-67774 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] The present invention is primarily an improvement over the invention of JP 2012-143372. JP 2012-143372 appears to have room for improvement in the following respects.

[0009] First, in the prior invention, a single shoulder belt is connected to the waist belt while changing direction using a square ring fixed to the center of the waist belt, so when the wearer tries to connect the shoulder belt and the waist belt, they need to pull the end of the shoulder belt with a great deal of force, which places a heavy burden on people with weak arm strength.

[0010] Secondly, since the wearer's back is only supported by two shoulder straps, one on each side, the back is not adequately supported and is unstable.

[0011] The present invention aims to improve these points. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] The present invention is a lumbar assist supporter for reducing the burden on the lumbar region and spine of a human body, comprising a lumbar belt worn on the lumbar region and a pair of shoulder belts that straddle both shoulders and support the lumbar belt, wherein ends of the shoulder belts are fixed to hooks, a traction auxiliary belt, one end of which is fixed to the lumbar belt and the other end of which is a free end for traction, is attached so as to fold back via the hooks, the hooks are movable in position in response to the tension between the shoulder belt and the traction auxiliary belt, an attachment surface for a hook-and-loop fastener is provided on the reverse side of the folded-back portion of the traction auxiliary belt, and the free end of the traction auxiliary belt can be temporarily fixed, a pair of lap belts worn on both knees, and connecting belts that connect the lumbar belt and each lap belt along the buttocks to the back of the thighs, and the connecting belt and the lap belts are connected to the lumbar belt by connectors. to It is characterized by being more easily attached and detachable.

[0013] Here, "ring" is not limited to round rings (O-rings), but is used as a general term for rings such as square rings, D-rings, eight-rings, length-adjustable rings, and snap hooks.

[0014] Preferably, the seat belt further includes a back cover that houses at least a portion of the shoulder belt and the waist belt. More preferably, the back cover contains a rigid plate that bends in response to the movement of the wearer's back. This provides stable support for the wearer's spine.

[0015] Preferably, a pair of lap belts are attached to both knees, and a connecting belt is provided to connect the waist belt and each lap belt along the buttocks and the back of the thighs. This reduces the strain on the lower back when transitioning between a bending posture and a standing posture.

[0016] Preferably, the connecting belt and the lap belt are detachably attached to the waist belt, so that the supporter can be used flexibly for the upper body or the whole body.

[0017] Preferably, the waist belt is made up of two wide belts, one curved upward and the other horizontal, with the upper end of the waist belt as a whole having a curved, protruding central portion at the top and a horizontal lower end, allowing the waist belt to cover part of the wearer's back.

[0018] Preferably, a hook-and-loop fastener attachment surface is provided on the back surface of the traction auxiliary belt, which will be on the inside when folded back. By doing so, the free end of the traction auxiliary belt can be temporarily fixed to this part, preventing the free end from sagging or slipping off the eight-ring before the traction auxiliary belt is attached to the waist belt. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] In this invention, the end of the shoulder belt is fixed to a loop, and a separate traction auxiliary belt is attached by folding back through the loop. One end of the traction auxiliary belt is fixed to the waist belt, and the other end is a free end for traction. The loop itself is movable, and is pulled in opposite directions between the shoulder belt, which has a limited range of movement, and the traction auxiliary belt, which can be pulled freely. Therefore, this loop can be called a movable pulley. Based on the principle of pulleys (described below), using a movable pulley can accomplish the same work with half the force compared to using a fixed pulley. Therefore, even people with weak arm strength can easily pull the traction auxiliary belt and the shoulder belt beyond it. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] 1 is a front view of a state in which a user wears the lower back assist supporter according to the present embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. [Figure 4] 1A is a plan view, FIG. 1B is a left side view, FIG. 1C is a front view, FIG. 1D is a right side view, and FIG. 1E is a bottom view of the lower back assist supporter according to the present embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a rear view of the lower back assist supporter according to the present embodiment. [Figure 6] This is a front view showing the inside with one side of the rear cover removed. [Figure 7] (a) is an enlarged front view of the vicinity of the traction auxiliary belt, and (b) is a plan view thereof. [Figure 8] 10(a) and 10(b) are side views showing how to use the lower back assist supporter. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Example]

[0022] As shown in all the drawings, the waist assist supporter 1 of this embodiment is centered around a back cover 2 and comprises a pair of shoulder belts 3, a waist belt 4, and a pair of lap belts 5. A connecting belt 6 connects the waist belts 4 and the lap belts 5.

[0023] 1. Back cover As shown in Figures 2 to 6 (particularly Figure 2), the back cover 2 is approximately 50 cm high, approximately 30 cm wide at its widest point, and approximately 15 cm wide at its narrowest point, providing ample coverage for the wearer's back. It is made of two pieces of breathable, strong power net or power mesh fabric sewn together to form a hollow interior. The fabric is edge-sewn, but has openings that allow the shoulder straps 3 to slide in and out of the back cover (see Figure 6).

[0024] As shown in Figure 6, two bones 21, each about 20 cm long and 2.5 cm wide, are set vertically inside the back cover 2 and inserted into a bag 22. The bones 21 are made of a hard plate material that bends in response to the movement of the back of the wearer, providing strength to the back cover 2 and also supporting the wearer's spine. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, two belt loops 23 are set vertically on the back of the back cover 2 to hold and stabilize the position of the waist belt 4 (details in 2 below).

[0025] 2 and 4, a connector to which a connecting belt 6 for suspending a lap belt 5 (details of which are described below in 4) can be detachably attached is provided at the bottom of the back cover 2. In this embodiment, the connector is two loops.

[0026] 2. Shoulder straps As shown in Figures 1 to 6 (particularly Figure 6), one shoulder belt 3 is worn across the left shoulder and one shoulder belt is worn across the right shoulder, and these shoulder belts are inserted in an X-shape through the back cover 2. The ends of the left and right shoulder belts 3 are fixed to one insertion opening of an eight-ring 31 (a ring having an "8"-shaped insertion opening) by a sewn-on portion 39, and the extreme ends 38 are also fixed to the back cover 2 as shown in Figure 7.

[0027] An auxiliary traction belt 32, separate and independent from the left and right shoulder belts 3, is connected to the other insertion opening of this eight-ring can 31. One end 36 of the auxiliary traction belt 32 is fixed to the waist belt 4, but the other end 37 is folded back through the insertion opening of the eight-ring can 31, becoming a free end for traction. The ends of the left and right auxiliary traction belts 32 have hook-and-loop fasteners 33, and the auxiliary traction belt 32 and further the left and right shoulder belts 3 are supported by the waist belt 4 by this hook-and-loop fastener 33.

[0028] The eight-ring 31 used here can be called a movable pulley because it is not fixed but is simply pulled in opposite directions by the shoulder belt 3 and the auxiliary traction belt 32. According to the principle of pulleys (see the table below), using a movable pulley can accomplish the same work with half the force compared to using a fixed pulley. Therefore, even people with weak arm strength can easily pull the auxiliary traction belt and the shoulder belt connected to it.

[0029] [Table 1]

[0030] Furthermore, since the attachment surface 32a of the hook-and-loop fastener 33 is provided on the reverse side of the folded back portion of the traction auxiliary belt 32, the free end 37 of the traction auxiliary belt 32 can be temporarily fixed to this portion. By doing so, it is possible to prevent the free end 37 of the traction auxiliary belt 32 from sagging or slipping off the eight-ring 31 before the traction auxiliary belt 32 is attached to the waist belt 4.

[0031] It is preferable that the shoulder belt 3 is made of a high-density, flexible, and inelastic material, and the traction assist belt 32 is made of a high-density, non-elastic or very slightly inelastic material. A "high-density" material refers to, for example, a densely woven fabric with an air permeability of 1 cc / cm²·sec or less as measured by JIS L-1096 Method A.

[0032] When working with the shoulder belts 3 attached, it is undesirable for the shoulder belts 3 to shift position around the wearer's chest. To prevent this, chest belts 34 for positioning extend from the left and right shoulder belts 3, and each end is provided with a separable male or female buckle 35. When the male and female buckles 35 are connected, the position of the shoulder belts 3 is stable.

[0033] The chest belt 34 is preferably made from a high density material with little or no stretch.

[0034] 3. Waist belt The waist belt 4 is fixed to the back cover 2 in such a way that it passes through two belt loops 23 (FIG. 5) in the back cover 2.

[0035] The waist belt 4 is formed by combining two wide belts, each approximately 95 cm long and 5 cm wide. One is a curved belt 41 that curves upward, and the other is a horizontal belt 42. These two waist belts 41, 42 are fixed at both left and right ends, so the entire waist belt has an upward curved upper end and a horizontal lower end. This shape is designed to cover not only the waist but also part of the wearer's back. Velcro fasteners 43 are provided at both left and right ends of the waist belt 4, allowing them to be attached to each other and to the end 37 of the traction assist belt 32.

[0036] The waist belt 4 is made of a strong, flexible, high-density material, and preferably has some degree of stretchability.

[0037] 4. Knee belt The lap belts 5 are relatively small belts, approximately 35 cm long and 5-10 cm wide, secured to each knee. Hook-and-loop fasteners 51 are attached to both ends of the lap belt 5, and joining the ends creates a cylindrical shape that can be tightened around the knees. The lap belt 5 is connected to the waist belt 4 by a connecting belt 6 (see 5 for details below).

[0038] The lap belt 5 is preferably made of a stretchable mesh fabric.

[0039] 5. Connecting belt Two connecting belts 6 are provided, each approximately 5 cm wide, that connect the waist belt 4 and the left and right knee belts 5. The length can be adjusted using length adjustment rings 61 so that it can be adjusted according to the length between the wearer's waist and knees.

[0040] A connector 24 is provided at the upper end of the connecting belt 6, which can be attached to and detached from the connector on the waist belt 4. Therefore, it is possible to remove the connecting belt 6 and the lap belt 5 and use it as a support for the upper body. In this way, it can be used mainly as a support for correcting back muscles.

[0041] The lower end of the connecting belt 6 is fixed to the center of the lap belt 5. When worn, the connecting belt 6 is positioned so as to run along the wearer's buttocks and the back of the thighs (see Figs. 2 and 3).

[0042] The connecting belt 6 is made of a strong elastic material so that it can flexibly follow the wearer's bending posture and standing posture.

[0043] 5. Hook and loop fasteners The hook-and-loop fasteners used in the shoulder belts, waist belts, and lap belts are generally known as "Magic Tape" (registered trademark), which is a combination of a male member with many small hooks and a female member with many small loops. Other types are also known, each with a male and female member on each side. Either of these types may be used in this embodiment.

[0044] 6. Wearing 1 to 3 are schematic diagrams illustrating the state in which the above-described lower back assist supporter 1 is worn on the human body.

[0045] As shown in these figures, the pair of shoulder belts 3 are passed over the wearer's arms and then attached to both shoulders with the shoulder belts 3 crossing over the back. The waist belt 4 is wrapped around the waist from the back to the front and secured at the front with a hook-and-loop fastener 43. After this temporary fastening, the left and right traction auxiliary belts 32 are pulled and attached to the waist belts 4. The lap belts 5 are wrapped around the left and right knees and secured with hook-and-loop fasteners 51.

[0046] Once the device is put on, the length between the lap belt 5 and the waist belt 4 is adjusted using the length adjustment ring 61. Similarly, the length between the shoulder belt 3 and the waist belt 4 is adjusted by pulling the traction auxiliary belt 32 via the eight-ring 31.

[0047] 7. Effects As shown in Figures 8(a) and 8(b), when a user leans forward while lifting a load, tension is applied between the waist belt 4 and the pair of shoulder belts 3, and the resulting reaction force assists the muscle tension applied to the back muscles. Even when a user leans forward with a twist, the muscle tension applied to the back muscles is effectively assisted because the upper shoulder belts 3 are connected so as to cross over at the back.

[0048] Similarly, the connecting belt 6 connecting the waist belt 4 and the lap belt 5 stretches, and the reaction force assists the muscle tension applied from the buttocks to the back of the thighs, thereby reducing the load on the waist. [Explanation of symbols]

[0049] 1. Waist assist supporter 2 Rear cover 21 Born 22 bags 23 Belt loop 24 Connectors 3 Shoulder straps 31 Eight Cans 32 Traction support belt 33 hook and loop fastener 34 Chest belt 35 Buckle 36 Fixed end of traction auxiliary belt 37 Free end of traction auxiliary belt 4. Waist belt 41 Curved Belt 42 horizontal belt 43 hook and loop fastener 5. Knee belt 51 hook and loop fastener 6 Connecting belt 61 Length adjustment ring

Claims

1. A lower back assist supporter (1) for reducing the burden on the lower back and spine of a human body, a waist belt (4) attached to the waist; A pair of shoulder belts (3) that straddle both shoulders and support the waist belt; In those having The end of the shoulder belt (3) is fixed to a can (31); A traction auxiliary belt (32) having one end (36) fixed to the waist belt (4) and the other end as a free end (37) for traction is attached so as to fold back via the can (31). The can (31) can be moved in position in response to the tension between the shoulder belt (3) and the traction assist belt (32). An attachment surface (32a) of a hook-and-loop fastener (33) is provided on the back surface of the folded-back portion of the traction assist belt (32), so that the free end (37) of the traction assist belt (32) can be temporarily fixed. A pair of lap belts (5) are attached to both knees, and a connecting belt (6) is provided to connect the waist belt (4) and each of the lap belts (5) along the buttocks and the back of the thighs. The connecting belt (6) and the lap belt (5) are detachably attached to the waist belt (4) by a connecting device (24). A waist assist supporter characterized by the following.

2. 2. The lumbar assist supporter according to claim 1, further comprising a back cover (2) for accommodating at least a portion of the shoulder belt (3) and the waist belt (4).

3. 3. The lumbar assist supporter according to claim 2, wherein the back cover (2) has built-in bones (21) that are hard enough to bend in response to the movement of the wearer's back.

4. The waist belt (4) is made up of two wide belts combined together, one of which is a belt (41) curved upward and the other is a horizontal belt (42), and the entire waist belt has an upper end with a curved, protruding central portion at the top and a horizontal lower end. This is a waist assist supporter as described in any one of claims 1 to 3.

Images