An intelligent device for assisting the elderly in toileting and getting around

Abstract

The present invention provides an intelligent elderly assistance toilet and mobility device, aiming to solve the technical problems of the existing difficulties for the elderly in using the toilet and inconvenient walking. It includes four major parts: a lifting seat, a chassis, a chair back, and a controller. The lifting seat includes a lifting motor, a toilet assistance cushion, and toilet seat armrests. The lifting seat is located above the chassis. The chair back includes a folding seat cushion, a backrest, and a back support column. The chair back is connected to the chassis through a rear support column. A driving mechanism is installed under the chassis. The chassis and the lifting seat are connected through a lifting motor and a four-link structure. A rotatable pedal is installed in front of the chassis. The controller is installed on the toilet seat armrest. The lifting motor and the driving wheels are controlled by the controller through an intelligent module. There is an opening at the rear of the device for accommodating a toilet bowl. The present invention preferably solves the problems of the elderly with mobility difficulties and disabled people having difficulties in sitting down and getting up when using the toilet and has an outdoor mobility function.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the field of household care equipment, and particularly relates to an intelligent toilet assistance and mobility device for the elderly. Background Art

[0002] In modern society, the number of elderly people in our country is extremely large and the proportion of the population is increasing continuously. However, the physical functions of the elderly are no longer sufficient to support normal independent daily life. In particular, sitting down and getting up during toilet use are great challenges to the body. Due to the high cost of nursing by caregivers, it has become an urgent matter to design a device to solve the problem of toilet use difficulties for the elderly living alone. Currently, the most common products on the market are various toilet chairs placed on the toilet. They are not only inconvenient to move but also affect the use of the toilet by family and friends who do not need assistance. There are also bedpans that can be used in bed on the market. However, due to their independent setting, the odor will spread into the room when the user uses it in the bedroom, and it is not easy to clean and prone to bacteria growth. Regular cleaning also increases the workload of the user and their family. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In order to solve the problem of toilet use difficulties for the elderly and overcome the problems of difficult movement and inconvenient cleaning of existing toilet assistance products, the present invention provides an intelligent toilet assistance and mobility device for the elderly, which has both indoor toilet assistance and outdoor mobility functions.

[0004] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve its technical problems is: an intelligent toilet assistance and mobility device for the elderly, which includes four major parts: a lifting seat, a chassis, a backrest, and a controller. The lifting seat includes a toilet assistance cushion, a lifting motor, and a toilet seat armrest. The lifting seat is installed above the chassis. The backrest includes a folding seat cushion, a backrest, and a back support column. The backrest is connected to the chassis through the rear support column. A rotatable pedal is installed in front of the chassis, and a driving mechanism is installed under the chassis. The controller is installed on the toilet seat armrest of the lifting seat. The driving mechanism and the lifting motor are both controlled by the controller through an intelligent control module. The controller feeds back the operation behavior of the user to the intelligent control module. The intelligent control module includes a single-chip microcomputer, a brushless motor driver, and a motor drive module. After receiving the feedback information, the single-chip microcomputer in the intelligent control module controls the driving mechanism through the brushless motor driver and controls the lifting mechanism through the motor drive module. The intelligent control module is installed on one side of the power supply.

[0005] The lifting seat includes a T-shaped connecting rod. The T-shaped connecting rod, the upper connecting rod, the lower connecting rod, and the column connecting rod together form a four-bar linkage structure. The lifting seat is connected to one end of the chassis through the four-bar linkage structure. The other end of the chassis is hinged to one end of the lifting motor, and the other end of the lifting motor is hinged to the T-shaped connecting rod.

[0006] The controller can be connected to a smartphone via a Bluetooth module, and the adjustment of the two toilet use times and the traveling speeds of the indoor and outdoor devices can be performed on the smartphone APP.

[0007] A pressure sensor is installed on the lifting seat, and the pressure sensor is electrically connected to the intelligent control module. Whether the elderly person is on the lifting seat can be judged through the pressure sensor.

[0008] The pressure sensor feeds back a signal to the controller. The controller internally has a clock module that can be used for timing, and timing starts when the elderly person sits on the lifting seat and is about to use the toilet.

[0009] An alarm is installed on the armrest of the toilet seat. The alarm is electrically connected to the intelligent control module. When the toilet use time of the user exceeds the first set value, the alarm emits a sound to remind the user. The alarm can be a buzzer or other alarms with a sound alarm function.

[0010] A communication module is installed inside the controller. The control module is electrically connected to the intelligent control module. When the toilet use time of the user exceeds the second set value, the device sends an alarm text message to the emergency contact person to prevent danger to the user.

[0011] A photosensitive sensor for detecting the ambient brightness is installed on each side of the lifting seat. When it detects that the surrounding environment is too dim, it feeds back information to the intelligent control module.

[0012] An LED lighting lamp is installed under the lifting seat. When the photosensitive sensor monitors that the environment is dim, the control module lights up the LED lighting lamp.

[0013] There are two vertical column connecting rods in front of the chassis. An optoelectronic sensor for detecting the toilet is provided on the column connecting rods. The optoelectronic sensor is electrically connected to the intelligent control module. When the optoelectronic sensor monitors the toilet, it feeds back a signal to the intelligent control module, and the control module issues an instruction to perform electromagnetic braking on the drive wheels installed under the chassis, so as to enhance the overall stability of the device when the user uses the toilet.

[0014] The backrest includes a folding seat cushion. When the user uses the toilet with the help of this product, the folding seat cushion folds behind the user and fits with the backrest. When the user uses the product for walking, the folding seat cushion can cover the toilet assistance cushion.

[0015] The backrest further includes a backrest and two back support columns. There are guide rails on the back support columns, and the backrest is fixed in the guide rails of the back support columns by wing nuts. When users of different heights use this product, they can adjust the pressure between the protrusion and the slide rail by adjusting the wing nuts on the cross bar, so that the height of the backrest is suitable for their own use.

[0016] Two foldable pedals for users to place their feet are installed in front of the chassis.

[0017] The intelligent control module controls the driving mechanism through the rocker on the controller and controls the lifting device through the buttons on the controller.

[0018] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: This product has a solid structure and ingenious design, combining the function of assisting the elderly to use the toilet and the transportation function of an electric wheelchair. It not only solves the problems of difficult toilet use and easy occurrence of danger for the elderly of advanced age, but also provides a transportation function when going out. The height of the backrest is adjustable and suitable for people of different body sizes. This product is easy to move, safe and hygienic, and also has functions such as monitoring the toilet use time of the elderly, night lighting, and emergency contact person alarm. It can identify the usage scenario through the intelligent control module, is easy to get started, and has simple operation. Description of the Drawings

[0019] The present invention will be further described below in conjunction with the drawings and embodiments.

[0020] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the structure when the present invention is used for outdoor transportation.

[0022] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the structure when the present invention assists in using the toilet.

[0023] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the four-bar linkage structure of the present invention connecting the toilet assistance cushion and the chassis.

[0024] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the chassis that supports the entire toilet transportation device of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention that can adjust the height of the backrest according to the height of different elderly people.

[0026] In the figure: 1. Mode selection button; 2. Lifting button; 3. Joystick; 4. Toilet seat armrest; 5. Lifting motor; 6. Toilet assistance cushion; 7. Folding seat cushion; 8. Backrest; 9. Seat cushion folding shaft; 10. Wing nut; 11. Rear support column; 12. LED lighting; 13. Rear support upright; 14. Drive fork shaft bracket; 15. Hub motor; 16. Chassis longitudinal rod; 17. T-shaped connecting rod; 18. Upper connecting rod; 19. Lower connecting rod; 20. Rib plate; 21. Universal wheel bracket; 22. Universal wheel; 23. Front wheel fixing upright; 24. Upright connecting rod; 25. Power supply; 26. Hinge body; 27. Pedal; 28. Pedal shaft; 29. Movable hinge; 30. Seat cushion support seat; 31. Chassis cross bar. Detailed implementation mode

[0027] The present invention will be specifically described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative efforts belong to the scope of protection of the present invention. The following embodiments are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and cannot be used to limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0028] It should be noted that in the description of the present invention, the orientation or positional relationship indicated by the terms "front", "rear", "left", "right", "up", "down", "inner", "outer", etc. is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and is only for the convenience of describing the present invention rather than requiring the present invention to be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, it cannot be understood as a limitation to the present invention. The terms "front", "rear", "left", "right", "up", "down" used in the description of the present invention refer to the directions in the accompanying drawings, and the terms "inner" and "outer" respectively refer to the directions towards or away from the geometric center of a specific component.

[0029] Figure 1 This is the overall structure diagram of the present invention, as Figures 1 to 6 shown, the intelligent elderly assistance toilet and mobility device provided by the present invention includes four major parts: a lifting seat, a chassis, a backrest, and a controller. The lifting seat is located above the chassis, the backrest is located behind the lifting seat, the controller is located on the toilet seat armrest 1 on one side of the lifting seat, and a driving mechanism is installed under the chassis.

[0030] The lift seat includes a toilet assistance cushion 6, a lift motor 5, a T-shaped connecting rod 17, and toilet seat armrests 4. The lift seat realizes the up and down movement of the toilet assistance cushion 6 through the lift motor 5. The lift motor 5 is hinged to the toilet assistance cushion 6 and is controlled by a control button on the controller through an intelligent control module. The toilet assistance cushion 6 is the part that directly contacts the user when using the toilet and plays a role in gravity support. The toilet seat armrests 4 are installed on both sides of the toilet assistance cushion 6 to provide auxiliary support for the user. When in use, the toilet seat armrests 4 and the toilet assistance cushion 6 lift and lower together. The T-shaped connecting rod 17 is hinged to the auxiliary toilet cushion and plays a supporting role for the auxiliary toilet cushion 6. An LED lighting lamp 12 is installed on the reverse side of the toilet assistance cushion 6 for night lighting. When the photosensitive sensor detects that the surrounding environment is dim, the LED lighting lamp 12 automatically turns on. The controller is installed on the toilet seat armrest 4.

[0031] The backrest includes a folding seat cushion 7, a backrest 8, and two back support columns 11. When the user uses the product to go to the toilet, the folding seat cushion 7 folds behind the user and fits with the backrest 8. When the user uses the product for transportation, the folding seat cushion 7 can cover the toilet assistance cushion 6. There are guide rails on the back support columns 11, and the backrest 8 is fixed in the guide rails of the back support columns 11 through wing nuts. When users of different heights use the product, they can adjust the pressure between the protrusion and the slide rail by adjusting the wing nuts on the cross bar to make the height of the backrest suitable for their own use.

[0032] The controller is provided with a direction rocker 3, a lift button 2, and a mode selection button 1. The user realizes the control effect of the present invention through the above control mechanism.

[0033] The chassis is composed of two longitudinal chassis rods 16, two column connecting rods 24, and a column cross bar 32. A rib plate 20 is installed between the longitudinal chassis rod 16 and the column connecting rod 24. There is a space at the rear of the chassis to accommodate a toilet. A driving mechanism is installed under the chassis.

[0034] A driving fork shaft bracket 14 is installed below the rear end of the longitudinal chassis rod 16. The driving fork shaft bracket 14 is used to fix the hub motor 15. A front wheel fixing column 23 is installed on the side of the front end of the longitudinal chassis rod 16. The front wheel fixing column 23 is a hollow cylinder, and the universal wheel bracket 21 can freely rotate in the front wheel fixing column 23. The universal wheel bracket 21 is used to fix the universal wheel 22. The hub motor 15 and the universal wheel 22 constitute the main body of the driving mechanism.

[0035] As Figure 2As shown, both ends of the lifting motor 5 are respectively hinged to the toilet assistance cushion 6 and the longitudinal rod 16 of the chassis through the hinge body 26. From mechanical knowledge, it is not difficult for us to conclude that the lifting motor 5 is equivalent to a two-force member. The direction of its supporting force is obliquely forward and upward and the same as the direction of the rod. The length of the lifting motor is 355 mm, and the height of the rear support column is 306 mm. By secsin(306 / 355), the included angle between the lifting motor 5 and the longitudinal rod 16 of the chassis at the initial position can be obtained as 59.5°. The thrust of the lifting motor 5 is 1000 N. By analyzing its force, it can be obtained that the force of the lifting motor 5 on the toilet assistance cushion 6 in the vertical direction is 1000*cos30.5° = 861 N. Therefore, the two lifting motors 5 on the left and right can provide a total of 1722 N of supporting force in the vertical direction, and the maximum load is 1722 N / 9.8 = 175.7 kg. So this product meets the normal use requirements of users with a weight not exceeding 175.7 kg.

[0036] This product can be connected to a smartphone through a Bluetooth module, and the setting of two toilet times can be realized on the mobile phone APP. When the pressure sensor detects the user and the photoelectric sensor detects the toilet, the intelligent control module starts timing. When the toilet time exceeds the first set value, the alarm sounds to remind the user. When the toilet time exceeds the second set value, the intelligent control module sends a message to the bound mobile phone for warning. This dual alarm mechanism ensures the safety of the user and avoids accidents.

[0037] When the photoelectric sensor detects the toilet, the intelligent control module issues an instruction to lock the hub motor 7 to keep the vehicle body stable and avoid accidents for the user. When the pressure sensor detects that the user leaves the lifting seat and the user toggles the joystick 3 forward of this device, the self-locking of the hub motor 15 is released. The sudden movement problem of the device caused by the user's accidental touch is avoided through these two trigger conditions.

[0038] The present invention combines the functions of assisting with toileting indoors and providing mobility outdoors. The user can manually adjust the two modes through the mode selection 1 button on the controller, and can set the indoor and outdoor traveling speeds of the device on the mobile phone APP. The independent setting of indoor and outdoor speeds improves the applicability of the present invention in different scenarios. Considering that the area of most family bathrooms is limited and it is inconvenient to turn, and the physical functions of the applicable population of the present invention are weak, combined with the requirements of the present invention for the relative spatial position of the toilet, in the indoor mode, this product does not have the mobility function. It is pushed forward by the user, and the drive wheels only provide low-speed assistance. In the indoor mode, the folding seat cushion 7 is in the retracted state, and the pedal 27 is in the retracted state. The user pushes the device to move above the toilet to assist with toileting. In the outdoor mode, the folding seat cushion 7 of this product is in the open state and covers the toilet assistance cushion 6. The pedal 27 is in the open state. The user sits on the folding seat cushion 6, and places both feet on the pedals 27 on both sides. The user controls the movement of the device through the joystick 3.

[0039] The power part of this product uses hub motors as the drive wheels, and realizes the turning effect through left and right speed regulation. The power supply part selects a 10AH 24v lithium battery as the power supply, which is light in volume and has strong battery life. A charging control module is provided at the battery to obtain the current battery power, which is convenient to use.

Claims

1. An intelligent toileting and mobility assistance device for the elderly, characterized in that: The invention comprises four parts: a lifting seat, a chassis, a chair back and a controller. The lifting seat comprises a toilet auxiliary cushion (6), a lifting motor (5), a T-shaped connecting rod (17) and a toilet seat armrest (4). The lifting seat is installed above the chassis. The chair back comprises a folding seat cushion (7), a backrest (8) and a back support column (11). The chair back is connected to the chassis through a rear support column (13). A driving mechanism is installed under the chassis. The controller comprises a mode selection button (1), a lifting button (2) and a joystick (3). The controller is installed on the upper side of the chassis. On the toilet seat armrest (4) of the liftable seat, the controller feeds back the user's operation behavior to the intelligent control module, the intelligent control module includes a single-chip microcomputer, a brushless motor driver, and a motor drive module. After receiving the feedback information, the single-chip microcomputer in the intelligent control module controls the drive mechanism through the brushless motor driver, and controls the lifting mechanism through the motor drive module. The intelligent control module is installed on one side of the power supply (25). The lifting motor is 355 mm long and the rear support column is 306 mm high. The thrust of the lifting motor 5 is 1000 N. A hub motor is used as a driving wheel. The chair back comprises a foldable seat cushion (7), which can cover the toilet auxiliary cushion (6). When using the toilet, the foldable seat cushion (7) is folded up to fit the backrest (8), and when walking, the foldable seat cushion (7) is unfolded. Two foldable pedals (27) for users to place their feet are installed in front of the chassis. The pedals (27) are foldably arranged at the bottom of the pedal support rod. The user can manually adjust the two modes through the mode selection 1 button on the controller, and the indoor and outdoor travel speeds of the device can be set on the mobile phone APP. The indoor and outdoor speeds are set independently. In the indoor mode, this product does not have the function of replacing transportation, and is pushed by the user. The drive wheel only provides low-speed assistance. In the indoor mode, the folding seat cushion 7 is in a folded state, and the pedal 27 is in a folded state. The user pushes the device to move above the toilet to assist in toileting. In the outdoor mode, the folding seat cushion 7 is in an open state and covers the toilet auxiliary cushion 6. The pedal 27 is in an open state. The user sits on the folding seat cushion 6 with his feet placed on the pedals 27 on both sides. The user controls the movement of the device through the joystick 3.

2. The intelligent toilet assistance and mobility device according to claim 1, wherein: The T-shaped connecting rod (17), the upper connecting rod (18), the lower connecting rod (19) and the column connecting rod (24) together form a four-link structure. The lifting seat is connected to one end of the chassis through the four-link structure, and the other end of the chassis is hinged to one end of the lifting motor (5). The other end of the lifting motor (5) is hinged to the T-shaped connecting rod (17).

3. The intelligent toileting and mobility assistance device according to claim 1, characterized in that: A pressure sensor is installed on the lifting seat, and the pressure sensor is electrically connected to the intelligent control module. The pressure sensor is used to determine whether the elderly is on the lifting seat.

4. The intelligent toileting and mobility assistance device according to claim 3, wherein: The pressure sensor feeds back a signal to the intelligent control module, and the intelligent control module has a clock module for timing, which starts timing when the elderly sits on the lifting seat and prepares to go to the toilet.

5. The intelligent elderly assistance toilet and mobility device according to claim 1, wherein: An alarm is installed on the toilet seat armrest (4), and the alarm is electrically connected to the intelligent control module. When the user's toilet use time exceeds the first set value, the alarm emits a sound to remind the user. When the user's toilet use time exceeds the second set value, the device sends an alarm text message to the emergency contact to prevent danger to the user.

6. The intelligent toilet assistance and mobility device according to claim 4, wherein: A photosensitive sensor for detecting the ambient brightness is installed on each side of the lift seat. When it detects that the surrounding environment is too dim, it feeds back information to the intelligent control module. A circle of LED lighting lamps is installed under the lift seat. When the photosensitive sensor monitors that the environment is dim, the control module lights up the LED lighting lamps (12).

7. An intelligent toilet-assisting and mobility-aiding device according to claim 2, characterized in that: There are two vertical column connecting rods (24) in front of the chassis. An optoelectronic sensor for detecting the toilet is provided on the column connecting rods (24). The optoelectronic sensor is electrically connected to the intelligent control module. When the optoelectronic sensor monitors the toilet, it feeds back a signal to the intelligent control module, and the control module issues an instruction to perform electromagnetic braking on the driving wheels installed under the chassis to enhance the overall stability of the device when the user is using the toilet.

8. An intelligent toilet assistance and mobility device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The chair back further includes a backrest (8) and two back support columns (11). There are guide rails on the back support columns (11). The backrest (8) is fixed in the guide rails of the back support columns (11) by wing nuts. Users of different heights adjust the pressure between the backrest (8) and the guide rails by adjusting the wing nuts on the cross bar to make the height of the chair back suitable for their own use.

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