auxiliary device

Abstract

This invention provides an auxiliary device that is rotatably mounted relative to a fixed surface such as a wall, enabling easy one-handed operation to release the locked state of a handrail. The auxiliary device includes a locking mechanism that locks the handrail relative to the fixed surface at a predetermined angular position. The handrail is mounted on a mounting portion on the fixed surface and is rotatably supported. The locking mechanism comprises a locking portion fixed to the mounting portion and having multiple fixing recesses corresponding to the predetermined angular position; a latching portion extending along the length of the handrail and having its proximal end (the side end of the mounting portion) capable of engaging and disengaging with any of the fixing recesses in the locking portion; an operating portion supported on the opposite end of the mounting portion by an inclined rotation axis and capable of tilting and rotating about the inclined rotation axis; and a conversion portion connecting the operating portion and the latching portion at a distal end, converting the tilting rotational movement of the operating portion into a linear movement in the direction in which the latching portion moves away from the mounting portion (the distal direction).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an auxiliary device that is rotatable relative to a fixed surface such as a wall and lockable at a predetermined angular position. Background Technology

[0002] In facilities such as toilets or bathrooms, assistive devices such as handrails are sometimes installed on fixed surfaces like walls to help the elderly or disabled move around. These assistive devices are mostly fixed to the wall and occupy a certain space. Considering that the appropriate position of the assistive device varies depending on before, during, and after use of the facility, various movable assistive devices relative to the fixed surface are provided. As examples of such technology, the techniques disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 can be cited.

[0003] Existing technical documents

[0004] Patent documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2016-22058

[0006] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-102536 Summary of the Invention

[0007] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0008] In the prior art described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, a handrail installed on the wall of a toilet, capable of horizontal rotation and locking in a suitable position, is disclosed. The lever for releasing the lock is located near the rotation axis, and its release action is along the length of the handrail. Therefore, when elderly or disabled individuals use the toilet, they need to operate the handrail along its length, requiring one hand to operate the lever while the other hand rotates the handrail. However, hemiplegic users cannot perform this operation alone. Furthermore, users with conditions such as rheumatism sometimes find it difficult to grip the lever. Therefore, an assistive person is needed to operate the handrail. Additionally, sometimes even the assistive person finds it difficult to operate the lever while assisting the user.

[0009] The objective of this invention is to provide an auxiliary device in which the direction of the action required to release the lock of a handrail that is rotatably mounted relative to a fixed surface such as a wall and can be locked in a predetermined position can be operated with one hand even if the direction of the action is not consistent with the length direction of the handrail. This allows even users who previously had difficulty using handrails to use the device, and also allows assistants to easily operate it while assisting the user.

[0010] Methods for solving problems

[0011] The first aspect of this application is an auxiliary device comprising a mounting portion mounted on a fixed surface, a handrail portion fitted to the mounting portion and rotatably supported, and a locking mechanism for locking the handrail portion relative to the fixed surface at a predetermined angular position. The auxiliary device is characterized in that the locking mechanism comprises: a locking portion fixed to the mounting portion and having a plurality of fixing recesses corresponding to the predetermined angular position; a latching portion extending along the length direction of the handrail portion, wherein the end on the mounting portion side, i.e., the proximal end, is capable of engaging and disengaging with any of the plurality of fixing recesses in the locking portion; an operating portion supported in the handrail portion by an inclined rotation shaft at the opposite end of the mounting portion and capable of tilting and rotating about the inclined rotation shaft; and a conversion portion connecting the operating portion and the distal end of the latching portion, and converting the tilting rotational movement of the operating portion from a neutral position into a linear movement in the direction in which the latching portion moves away from the mounting portion, i.e., the distal direction.

[0012] In this application, "fixed surface" refers to the surface on which the mounting part is installed, serving as the rotation reference for the handrail. In most cases, it is a wall surface, but it can also be a floor or ceiling surface. In addition, in this application, the terms "near" and "far" are used to describe the positional relationship of the components in the auxiliary device. "Near" means a position that is close to the mounting part installed on the fixed surface, and "far" means a position that is far away.

[0013] In this configuration, with the armrest locked at a predetermined angle relative to the fixed surface, the operating part located at the front end of the armrest is in a neutral position, and the proximal end of the latch is engaged with any of the plurality of fixed recesses located in the locking part. Here, "neutral position" refers to the position taken by the operating part when no operation from the user is performed.

[0014] Furthermore, when the operating part is tilted and rotated from the neutral position, the latching part moves distally along the length of the armrest, thereby disengaging the latching part from the fixing recess of the locking part, releasing the engagement between the latching part and the locking part, and allowing the armrest to rotate. Since the tilting and rotating direction of the operating part is not the same as the length direction of the armrest, the tilting and rotating operation and the armrest rotation operation can be performed simultaneously with one hand.

[0015] In the second embodiment of this application, based on the structure of the first embodiment, the operating part can tilt and rotate in the same direction as the rotation direction of the armrest. According to this structure, it is easy to tilt and rotate the operating part with one hand and rotate the armrest in the same direction, further improving operability.

[0016] In the third embodiment of this application, based on the structure of the first or second embodiment, the conversion part has a swing plate, a traction part, and a sliding groove. The swing plate is connected to the operating part and has a locking piece protruding laterally on the opposite side of the operating part that clamps the tilting rotation axis. The traction part is connected to the distal end of the latching part. The sliding groove is a groove provided in the traction part and locks the locking piece at its distal edge. Furthermore, by tilting and rotating the operating part, the locking piece pushes the distal edge of the sliding groove toward the distal direction, thereby causing the latching part to move linearly along the distal direction.

[0017] In the fourth embodiment of this application, based on the structure of the first or second embodiment, a pair of guide portions are provided on both sides of the operating part. The pair of guide portions guide the tilting rotation direction of the operating part using an inclined edge. The tilting rotation axis connects the operating part and the conversion part. When the distal end of the operating part is used as the force point and the contact edge of the operating part that contacts the guide portion during tilting rotation is used as the fulcrum, the contact edge, which serves as the fulcrum, moves in the distal direction. The connection portion between the operating part and the conversion part moves in the distal direction as the point of action. As a result, the conversion part moves in the distal direction, and the latching part moves linearly along the distal direction.

[0018] In the fifth embodiment of this application, based on the structure of any one of the first to fourth embodiments, the side edge of the fixing recess on the rotation direction side corresponding to the angular position closest to the fixing surface is inclined more than the side edges of the fixing recesses corresponding to other angular positions. According to this structure, when the armrest is located at the angular position closest to the fixing surface, when the armrest is rotated without tilting the operating part, the latch is easily disengaged along the inclination of the side edge of the fixing recess on the rotation direction side.

[0019] In the sixth embodiment of this application, based on the structure of any one of the first to fifth embodiments, a force-applying unit is provided between the switching part and the latching part, which always applies force to the operating part toward the neutral position. According to this structure, if the tilting rotation of the operating part is released after the tilting rotation, the tilting rotation part returns to the neutral position via the force-applying unit. Therefore, the operating part will not be accidentally tilted, preventing the latching part from disengaging from the fixing recess.

[0020] The effects of the invention

[0021] Because of its configuration as described above, the present invention provides an auxiliary device in which the direction of the action required to release the lock of the handrail, which is rotatably mounted relative to a fixed surface such as a wall and can be locked in a predetermined position, can be operated with one hand even if it is not in the direction of the handrail's length. Thus, even users who previously had difficulty using handrails can use it, and assistants can easily operate it while assisting the user. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a perspective view showing the installation state of the auxiliary device according to the first embodiment.

[0023] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A top view of the auxiliary device.

[0024] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 Side view of the auxiliary device.

[0025] Figure 4 Represented by a series of pictures Figure 1 The various parts of the auxiliary device.

[0026] Figure 5 yes Figure 2 V-V sectional view.

[0027] Figure 6 Is Figure 5 The enlarged view shows the side sectional view of the mounting section.

[0028] Figure 7 by Figure 3 Section VII-VII represents the mounting section, and the dashed line represents the top surface of the rotating section.

[0029] Figure 8 It means from Figure 7 A cross-sectional view of the position after rotation.

[0030] Figure 9 by Figure 3 The IX-IX section represents the front end of the armrest.

[0031] Figure 10 by Figure 9 The XX section represents the front end of the armrest.

[0032] Figure 11 by Figure 6 The XI-XI section indicates the engagement state of the latch and locking parts.

[0033] Figure 12 It means from Figure 9 The shown is a cross-sectional view of the state after the operating part has been tilted and rotated.

[0034] Figure 13 yes Figure 12 Sectional view XIII-XIII.

[0035] Figure 14 This is a top view showing the handrail rotating from 90° to 0° relative to a fixed surface.

[0036] Figure 15 This is a top sectional view showing the engagement state of the latch and locking parts when the handrail is at an angle of 0° relative to the fixed surface.

[0037] Figure 16 This is a top view showing the handrail rotating from 0° to 90° relative to a fixed surface.

[0038] Figure 17 The front end of the handrail in the auxiliary device of the second embodiment is shown in a side view.

[0039] Figure 18 by Figure 17 Section XVIII-XVIII represents the front end of the armrest.

[0040] Figure 19 yes Figure 18 XIX-XIX sectional view.

[0041] Figure 20 It means from Figure 18 The shown is a cross-sectional view of the state after the operating part has been tilted and rotated.

[0042] Figure 21 yes Figure 20 XXI-XXI sectional view.

[0043] In the picture,

[0044] 1—Auxiliary device, 2—Fixing surface, 10—Mounting part, 11—Mounting base, 11A—Fixing plate, 11A1—Vertical plate, 11A2—Horizontal plate, 11A3—Through hole, 11A4—Pin through hole, 11B—Pedestal support, 11B1—Vertical plate, 11B2—Horizontal plate, 11B3—Through hole, 11B4—Fixing screw, 12—Pedestal part, 12A—Through hole, 12B—Step, 12C—Locking Support component, 12D—screw hole, 12E—fixing screw, 13—rotating part, 13A—center hole, 13B—top surface, 13C—restricting groove, 13D—restricting pin, 13E—mounting port, 14—through rod, 14A—fixing screw, 14B—clamping plate, 15—annular spacer, 16A—upper cover, 16B—lower cover, 17—disc-shaped spacer, 17A—through hole, 17B—embedded part, 20—handrail part, 21 —Handrail body, 21A—Hip through hole, 22—Buffer part, 23—Distant cover, 23A—Upper half, 23B—Lower half, 23C—Rotating plate, 24—Proximal cover, 24A—Hip through hole, 30—Locking part, 31—Fixing recess, 31A—Side edge, 31B—Inclined side edge, 32—Through hole, 33—Screw hole, 34—Fixing screw, 40—Latch part, 41—Hip, 42—Matching rod, 43—Reinforcing joint 44—Spring, 50—Operating part, 51—Inclined rotating shaft, 51A—Square hole, 52—Distant part, 53—Proximal part, 54—Connecting part, 54A—Fixing screw, 60—Conversion part, 61—Swing plate, 62—Traction part, 62A—Clamping hole, 63—Sliding groove, 64—Clocking plate, 70—Guide part, 71—Inclined edge, 72—Contact edge, 80—Force application unit, α—Fulcrum, β—Force point, γ—Point of application. Detailed Implementation

[0045] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, the same reference numerals shown in the drawings refer to the same structures unless otherwise specified in the following description. Additionally, the materials used for each part are merely illustrative and are not limited to the materials described; each part may be formed from a different material.

[0046] (1) First implementation method

[0047] Figure 1 This is a perspective view showing the installation state of the auxiliary device 1 according to the first embodiment. Figure 2 This is its top view. Figure 3 This is its side view. The handrail device 1 has a handrail portion 20 mounted on a mounting portion 10 on a wall surface that serves as a fixed surface 2. The handrail portion 20 is rotatably supported by the mounting portion 10. An operating portion 50 is axially supported at the distal end of the handrail portion 20. Furthermore, Figures 1-3 This indicates that the armrest 20 is locked at a 90° angle relative to the fixed surface 2.

[0048] Figure 4 The auxiliary device 1 of this embodiment is illustrated in the diagram. The auxiliary device 1 is configured such that a handrail 20 is mounted on a rotating part 13, which is mounted on a fixed surface 2, of the mounting portion 10. Furthermore, a locking mechanism is constructed by a locking part 30 assembled in the mounting portion 10, a latching part 40 that penetrates the interior of the handrail 20 and engages with the locking part 30, an operating part 50 that releases the latching part 40 from the locking part 30, and a conversion part 60 that connects the operating part 50 and the latching part 40, thereby locking the rotation of the handrail 20 relative to the mounting portion 10 at a predetermined angular position. Referring to this… Figure 4 At the same time, refer to as Figure 2 VV sectional view Figure 5 and as in Figure 5 Medium magnified side sectional view of mounting part 10 Figure 6 The various parts of auxiliary device 1 will be described.

[0049] The mounting part 10 has a mounting base 11 fixed to the fixing surface 2, a pedestal part 12 fixed to the mounting base, and a rotating part 13 that rotatably covers the pedestal part 12 and is connected to the armrest part 20.

[0050] The mounting base 11 consists of a fixing plate 11A and a pedestal support 11B.

[0051] The fixing plate 11A is a steel L-shaped plate, consisting of a vertical plate 11A1 fixed to the fixing surface 2 by a full anchor (not shown) and a horizontal plate 11A2 extending horizontally relative to the vertical plate 11A1. A circular through hole 11A3 is provided approximately in the center of the horizontal plate 11A2. Furthermore, two pin through holes 11A4 are provided near the vertical plate 11A1, which will be described later.

[0052] The pedestal support 11B is a steel L-shaped plate directly fixed to the vertical plate 11A1 with screws. It consists of a vertical plate 11B1 that contacts the vertical plate 11A1 and a horizontal plate 11B2 that extends horizontally relative to the vertical plate 11B1. Approximately at the center of the horizontal plate 11B2, a through hole 11B3 of the same diameter is provided, at a position that coincides with the through hole 11A3 of the aforementioned fixing plate 11A when viewed from above. The pedestal support 11B is secured by fixing screws 11B4 (see reference). Figure 6 It is installed on the fixed plate 11A.

[0053] The base 12 is die-cast and is secured by fixing screws 12E (see reference). Figure 6It is mounted on the pedestal support 11B. The pedestal portion 12 is in the shape of two concentric single cylinders of different diameters overlapping each other with the smaller diameter cylinder on top. In the larger diameter cylinder, there is a step 12B around the smaller diameter cylinder. In this part, the rotating part 13, described later, slides and rotates. In order to reduce and buffer the friction during the sliding of the rotating part 13, the step 12B is covered by an annular spacer 15 made of synthetic resin. The annular spacer 15 is annular and extends downward from the side.

[0054] A short cylindrical locking support member 12C protrudes from the upper surface of the small-diameter cylinder of the pedestal portion 12. This locking support member 12C has multiple protruding portions facing outwards. A through hole 12A, with the same diameter as the through hole 11B3 of the pedestal support member 11B, is provided at the center of the locking support member 12C, penetrating the entire pedestal portion 12. Screw holes 12D are provided on the protruding portions on both sides of the through hole 12C. A locking portion 30 is provided on this locking support member 12C.

[0055] The locking part 30 is formed by overlapping multiple roughly circular steel plates, and has multiple cutouts, i.e., fixing recesses 31, on the side opposite to the fixing surface 2. Furthermore, a through hole 32 with the same diameter as the through hole 12A of the pedestal part 12 is provided at the center of the locking part 30, and screw holes 33, which, when viewed from above, correspond to the screw holes 12D of the pedestal part 12, are provided on its left and right sides. The locking part 30 is mounted on the pedestal support 11B with the two screw holes 33 respectively aligning with the screw holes 12D of the pedestal part 12, and is secured by fixing screws 34 (see reference). Figure 6 ) is fixed to the base part 12.

[0056] The rotating part 13 is die-cast and generally cylindrical in shape, with a mounting opening 13E of approximately cylindrical shape and an elongated oval cross-section protruding from the side. The armrest part 20, described later, is fitted into this mounting opening 13E. The wall thickness of the upper bottom portion of the rotating part 13 in the vertical direction is thicker than that of the side portion (see reference). Figure 6 The upper bottom portion has multiple groove-shaped through-holes for uniformizing the wall thickness. Among them, two arc-shaped grooves 13C with a central angle of approximately 110° serve as limiting grooves 13C to restrict the rotation range of the armrest portion 20, as detailed later. A central hole 13A, larger in diameter than the through hole 32 of the locking portion 30, is provided at the center of the rotating portion 13. The central hole 13A is a hole that passes through the rotating portion 13.

[0057] A disc-shaped spacer 17, which appears circular when viewed from above, is fitted to the center of the upper surface of the rotating part 13. An insert 17B, made of synthetic resin and roughly in the shape of a short cylinder, is provided protruding from the lower surface of the disc-shaped spacer 17 (see reference). Figure 6A through hole 17A of the same diameter as the through hole 32 of the locking part 30 is provided at the center of the disc-shaped spacer 17. By inserting the insert part 17B into the center hole 13A, the disc-shaped spacer 17 is fixed to the rotating part 13 (see reference). Figure 6 The rotating part 13, to which the disc-shaped spacer 17 is fixed, is sandwiched between the horizontal plate 11B2 of the pedestal support 11B and the horizontal plate 11A2 of the fixed plate 11A when it is assembled to cover the side and upper surfaces of the pedestal part 12 (see reference). Figure 6 ).

[0058] In this state, the through holes 11A3 of the fixing plate 11A, 17A of the disc-shaped spacer 17, 32 of the locking part 30, 12A of the pedestal part 12, and 11B3 of the pedestal support member 11B are aligned in plan view. A cylindrical steel rod 14 is inserted into each of these aligned through holes. The upper side is fixed to the horizontal plate 11A2 of the fixing plate 11A via the clamping plate 14B and fixing screws 14A, and the lower side is also fixed to the horizontal plate 11B2 of the pedestal support member 11B via the clamping plate 14B and fixing screws 14A (see reference). Figure 6 The head of the fixing screw 14A of the horizontal plate 11A2, which is fixed to the fixing plate 11A, is covered by a short cylindrical cover 16A that is closed on the upper surface (see reference). Figure 3 and Figure 6 Additionally, the lower cover 16B, formed by injection molding of polypropylene resin, is assembled in such a way that it covers the space between the lower surface of the horizontal plate 11B2 of the base support 11B and the vertical plate 11A1 of the fixing plate 11A (see reference). Figure 3 and Figure 6 The lower cover 16B is also provided for decorative purposes, to conceal screws, etc.

[0059] The handrail section 20 is composed of a long strip of steel plate with an oblong cross-section, namely the handrail body 21; a polyurethane cushioning section 22 covering the upper surface of the handrail body 21; a synthetic resin distal cover 23 assembled at the distal end of the handrail body 21; and a synthetic resin proximal cover 24 assembled at the proximal end of the handrail body 21. The distal cover 23 is composed of two parts: an upper half 23A and a lower half 23B. The upper surface of the upper half 23A is recessed into a circle, and a circular, synthetic resin rotating plate 23C (see reference) is fitted into this gap. Figure 4 and Figure 5 The distal edge of the distal cover 23 is formed into an arc shape protruding in the distal direction. A shaft passage hole 21A is provided on the lower surface side of the distal end of the armrest body 21 (see reference). Figure 4 ).

[0060] The operating part 50 consists of a distal part 52, which is generally rectangular in shape when viewed from above, protruding from the distal end side of the distal cover 23; a proximal part 53 located on the lower surface side of the distal cover 23; and a square hole 51A protruding upward from approximately the center of the proximal part 53 and having a square hole 51A at the center (see reference). Figure 9 It is roughly cylindrical in shape and consists of an inclined rotating shaft 51 that passes through the aforementioned shaft through hole 21A and a four-cornered prism-shaped connecting part 54 into which the square hole 51A of the inclined rotating shaft 51 is inserted (see reference). Figure 5 The proximal edge of the distal portion 52 is formed in an arc shape that corresponds to the arc-shaped distal edge of the distal cover 23. The connecting portion 54 is a component that connects the operating portion 50 to the swing plate 61 of the conversion portion 60 described later (see reference). Figure 5 The upper end of the connecting part 54 is fixed to the rotating plate 23C of the distal cover 23 by fixing screws 54A, and the lower end is fixed to the proximal part 53 of the operating part 50 by fixing screws 54A. The rotating plate 23C rotates on the upper surface of the upper half 23A on which the rotating plate 23C is loosely fitted, as the operating part 50 tilts and rotates.

[0061] The latching part 40 is provided by a axial through hole 24A extending inside the armrest body 21 and penetrating the distal end face of the proximal cover 24 (see reference). Figure 4 The structure consists of a steel shaft 41, a steel fitting rod 42 with a square bar-shaped cross-section connected to the proximal end of the shaft 41, a synthetic resin reinforcing joint 43 that strengthens the connection between the shaft 41 and the fitting rod 42, and a spring 44 inserted into the proximal end of the shaft 41 and clamped between the fitting rod 42 and the proximal cover 24. The distal end of the shaft 41 is connected to the proximal end of the traction part 62, a part of the conversion part 60, in the following state: it is pulled in the distal direction but is free in the proximal direction (see reference). Figure 5 ).

[0062] When the operating part 50, the latch part 40, and the conversion part 60 (described in detail later) connecting the latch part 40 and the operating part 50 are assembled, the armrest part 20 is connected to the mounting port 13E of the rotating part 13. In this state, when the rotating part 13 rotates relative to the pedestal part 12 while sliding on the annular spacer 15 mounted on the step 12B of the pedestal part 12, the armrest part 20 also rotates in conjunction with the rotation.

[0063] Regarding the limitation on the direction of rotation, use Figure 3 Section VII-VII, i.e. Figure 7 and Figure 8 Please provide an explanation. Additionally, in Figure 7 and Figure 8 In the middle, the dashed line represents the groove-shaped through part that is formed on the top surface 13B of the rotating part 13 and includes the limiting groove 13C, which is formed by the horizontal plate 11A2 that passes through the fixed plate 11A. Figure 7This indicates that the armrest 20 is at a 90° angle relative to the fixed surface 2. The armrest 20 can rotate freely to the left or right without restriction on the direction of rotation. However, with the rotating part 13 rotatably covering the base part 12, if the limiting pin 13D (see reference...) is... Figure 6 The pin inserted into the fixing plate 11A passes through hole 11A4 (refer to...). Figure 4 If any one of the following is true, then the rotating part 13 can only rotate within the range from the end of the limiting groove 13C on the side where the limiting pin 13D is inserted to the end.

[0064] Therefore, when the pin facing the left side of the fixed surface 2 (hereinafter, unless otherwise specified, the left and right directions refer to the left and right directions from the viewpoint facing the fixed surface 2) is inserted into the limiting pin 13D through the hole 11A4, as... Figure 7 As shown, the limiting pin 13D enters the limiting groove 13C on the left. In this state, the rotation of the rotating part 13 to the right is prevented by the limiting groove 13C, and it can only rotate as shown. Figure 8 It rotates to the left as shown. Of course, when the limiting pin 13D is inserted into the right-side pin through hole 11A4, it can only rotate to the right from a 90° angle position. In this state, the limiting pin 13D and the limiting groove 13C... Figure 7 With the distal end in contact in this state, further rotation towards the fixed surface 2 is restricted. Hereinafter, Figure 8 The state is set to a 0° angle relative to fixed surface 2. This allows it to handle any arbitrary changes in the left or right direction.

[0065] Here, the rotating part 13 rotates around the side of the pedestal part 12 while covering the pedestal part 12, which has a diameter larger than that of the through rod 14. The through rod 14 is provided to stabilize the positional relationship between the pedestal part 12 and the rotating part 13, and does not act as an axis for the rotation of the armrest part 20. Therefore, even if there is a gap between the through rod 14 and the center hole 13A, it will not affect the wobbling of the armrest part 20 during rotation. Instead, the pedestal part 12 as a whole acts as the rotation axis of the armrest part 20. Therefore, compared to the case where the through rod 14 is assumed to be the rotation axis, even if the machining accuracy of the part where the pedestal part 12 contacts the rotating part 13 is not very strict, the wobbling of the armrest part 20 caused by the clearance around the rotation axis can be suppressed. In addition, since the rotating part 13 covers not only the side of the pedestal part 12 but also the top surface, the rotating part 13 is stably assembled to the pedestal part 12.

[0066] Figure 9 Therefore Figure 3 The diagram shows the front end portion of the armrest section 20 in section IX-IX. Figure 10 yes Figure 9 The XX section. Additionally... Figure 9 and Figure 10 This indicates that the operating unit 50 is in a neutral position where it is not being operated.

[0067] The conversion unit 60 consists of a traction unit 62 connecting the operating unit 50 and the distal end of the shaft 41, and a swing plate 61 connected to the operating unit 50 via a connecting unit 54. The traction unit 62 is shaped to fold back the two side edges and proximal edge of a generally rectangular steel plate towards the downward surface, such as... Figure 10 As shown, the distal end of shaft 41 is connected by a fold through the proximal edge. Additionally, the fold through the proximal edge of the traction portion 62 and the distal edge of the lower half 23B of the distal cover 23 (see reference) Figure 5 Between the latching part 40 and the operating part 50, a force-applying unit 80 made of a spring is clamped. In addition, groove-shaped sliding grooves 63 are formed along the length direction at the folds on both sides of the traction part 62. The force-applying unit 80 always applies force to the latching part 40 and the operating part 50, so that they are separated from each other.

[0068] The swing plate 61, viewed from above, has a connecting portion 54 running through the center of a circular section, and one side of this circular section bulges out in a roughly crescent shape. Within this crescent-shaped bulge, the portions protruding to both sides are locking plates 64. These locking plates 64 abut against the distal edges of the sliding groove 63 in their neutral positions (see reference). Figure 10 In this state, the neutral position is maintained when the operating part 50 is not operated by the force applied by the force unit 80.

[0069] Figure 11 Therefore Figure 6 The XI-XI section shows the engagement state of the latch 40 and the locking part 30 when the armrest part 20 is in a 90° angle position. As described above, the locking part 30 is approximately circular in plan view, with a through hole 32 in the center through which a through rod 14 passes. Furthermore, by screwing in fixing screws 34 into a pair of screw holes 33 located on either side of the locking rod 42, the locking part 30 is engaged relative to the base part 12 (see reference XI-XI). Figure 6 It is fixed and does not move.

[0070] In the approximately half-circumference of the locking part 30 on the distal side, five rectangular retaining recesses 31 are formed at various locations. Of these five retaining recesses 31, the one furthest from the fixing surface 2 corresponds to an angular position of 90°, the one closest corresponds to an angular position of 0°, and the one in between corresponds to an angular position of 50°. Thus, by inserting the locking bar 42 of the latching part 40 into each retaining recess 31, the armrest part 20 can be locked relative to the fixing surface 2 at angular positions of 0°, 50°, and 90°. Furthermore, since the locking bar 42 is always forced in the proximal direction by the force of the spring 44, the operating part 50 is located at... Figure 9 When in the neutral position shown, it remains embedded in the fixed recess 31 and remains locked.

[0071] In three of the five fixed recesses 31, corresponding to angular positions of 50° and 90°, the side edge 31A is approximately perpendicular to the circumference, precisely at an angle that is slightly open in the circumferential direction. On the other hand, in the two locations corresponding to the 0° angular position, the side edge 31A in the direction of rotation (i.e., the direction of rotation from the 0° angular position) becomes an inclined side edge 31B that is more inclined than the other side edges 31A. The significance of this inclined side edge 31B will be described later.

[0072] As with Figure 9 corresponding Figure 12 and with Figure 10 corresponding Figure 13 ( Figure 12 As shown in the XIII-XIII sectional view, the operating part 50 is moved from... Figure 9 In the neutral position after tilting and rotating as shown, if the distal part 52 of the operating part 50 is tilted and rotated clockwise as shown in the figure, the swing plate 61 also rotates clockwise. At this time, the locking plate 64 on the right side pushes the distal edge of the right slide groove 63 in the distal direction, thereby pulling the entire traction part 62 in the distal direction. Accompanyingly, the shaft 41 is also pulled in the distal direction. At this time, because the distal cover 23 does not move during the tilting and rotation of the operating part 50, the spring 44 is compressed between the traction part 62 and the distal cover 23.

[0073] Furthermore, in Figure 11 In this process, the engaging rod 42, which is embedded in the fixing recess 31 at a 90° angle, moves in a direction toward disengagement in the distal direction, and the engagement between the engaging rod 42 and the fixing recess 31 is released. Thus, as... Figure 14 As shown, the armrest 20 can rotate towards a 0° angle position. That is, the conversion unit 60 converts the tilting rotation of the operating unit 50 from the neutral position to a linear movement in the distal direction, i.e., the direction in which the latch 40 moves away from the mounting part 10. Here, the tilting rotation of the operating unit 50 can be in either the direction of rotation or the opposite direction. By tilting and rotating in the direction consistent with the desired rotation, rotation can be performed in a single action. In addition, depending on the user's physical condition, sometimes it may be possible to tilt and rotate the operating unit 50 in the direction opposite to the direction in which the armrest 20 is to be rotated. However, even in this case, as long as the operating unit 50 can be tilted and rotated, the armrest 20 can be rotated even without assistance. Furthermore, it is also easy for an assistant to operate the armrest while assisting the user.

[0074] Figure 14After the rotation begins from the 90° angular position shown, if the tilting rotation operation on the operating part 50 is immediately released, the operating part 50 returns to the neutral position by the force of the force application unit 80. At this time, even if the traction part 62 is forced in the proximal direction by the force application unit 80, the distal end of the shaft 41 is free at the connection point. In addition, the locking rod 42 slides along the circumference of the locking part 30 during rotation, so the shaft 41 maintains the position in which the operating part 50 is subjected to the tilting rotation operation. Then, when the fixed recess 31 corresponding to the next angular position, i.e., the 50° angular position, is reached, the locking rod 42 is inserted into the fixed recess 31 by the force of the spring 44 and locked at that angular position.

[0075] On the other hand, if from Figure 14 Starting from the 90° angle position shown, if the operation part 50 continues to be tilted and rotated, the latch part 40 will continue to be pulled in the distal direction, so it will not be locked even at its next angle position, and can be tilted and rotated to the 0° angle position in one go.

[0076] Next, the rotation of the armrest 20 from the 0° angle position will be explained. Figure 15 With Figure 11 The same cross-sectional view shows the engagement state of the latch 40 and the locking part 30 when the armrest is at an angle of 0° relative to the fixed surface. At the 0° angle position, the locking bar 42 of the latch 40 is engaged with the fixing recess 31 located at the far end. At this time, the side edge 31A on the rotation direction side (i.e., the right side) of the fixing recess 31 at the 0° angle becomes an inclined side edge 31B that is more inclined than the side edges 31A at other angle positions. Therefore, the locking bar 42 can more easily pass over this inclined side edge 31B compared to the side edges 31A at other angle positions.

[0077] That is, when the armrest 20 is at a 0° angle, even without tilting or rotating the operating part 50, simply pushing the armrest 20 counterclockwise will allow the locking rod 42 to pass over the inclined side edge 31B and disengage from the fixing recess 31. Thus, as Figure 16 As shown, the armrest 20 can rotate from a 0° angle position to a 90° angle position. However, if it rotates in this way, at the 50° angle position, the locking rod 42 is temporarily inserted into the fixing recess 31, and the armrest 20 is locked. Therefore, if it is to rotate further from this position to the 90° angle position, the operating part 50 needs to be tilted and rotated.

[0078] Here, the fixed recess 31 at the 0° angle position can also be formed with the same shape as the fixed recess 31 at other angle positions. In this case, when the armrest 20 is rotated from the 0° angle position, it is also necessary to tilt and rotate the operating part 50 in the same way as in other angle positions.

[0079] In this embodiment, locking parts 30 of various shapes can be fitted onto the base portion 12 of a general shape. Furthermore, by changing the position of the fixing recess 31 in the locking part 30, the armrest portion 20 can be fixed at angles other than 0°, 50°, and 90°. Additionally, the locking part 30 can also be integrally formed with the base portion 12.

[0080] (2) Second Implementation

[0081] The operation section 50 and conversion section 60 of the auxiliary device 1 in the second embodiment have different structures from those in the first embodiment, as do the distal cover 23 in the armrest section 20, but other structures are largely the same as those in the first embodiment. Therefore, only the differences from the first embodiment will be described below.

[0082] Figure 17 The distal end of the armrest portion 20 in the auxiliary device 1 of the second embodiment is shown in a side view. Similar to the first embodiment, the armrest portion 20 has an armrest body 21 made of a long strip material and a buffer portion 22 covering the upper surface of the armrest body 21. A distal cover 23 is fitted to the distal end of the armrest body 21, and an operating portion 50 protrudes distally from its front end. Additionally, although not shown, a proximal cover 24 is fitted to the proximal end of the armrest body 21, similar to the first embodiment.

[0083] Figure 18 Therefore Figure 17 The XVIII-XVIII section is a diagram showing the front end portion of the armrest 20. Figure 19 yes Figure 18 The XIX-XIX section. Figure 18 and Figure 19 This indicates that the operating unit 50 is in a neutral position where it is not being operated.

[0084] The conversion unit 60 consists of a generally flat traction unit 62 that connects the operating unit 50 to the distal end of the shaft 41. The operating unit 50 and the traction unit 62 are connected by an inclined rotating shaft 51. The distal end of the shaft 41 is bent downwards, and the bent portion engages with a hole formed near the proximal end of the traction unit 62 in a state where it is pulled in the distal direction and free in the proximal direction. The shaft 41 is connected to the traction unit 62.

[0085] The distal end of the traction part 62 is inserted into the middle portion of the distal cover 23 in the thickness direction. The distal cover 23 is in the... Figure 17 The XVIII-XVIII section represents Figure 20In the top view, the distal ends of the inclined edges 71 located on both sides of the traction part 62 gradually increase in distance as they move toward the distal direction. The inclined edges 71 on both sides function as a pair of guide parts 70 guiding the rotation direction of the operation part 50. The distal ends of the guide parts 70 form arcs and laterally curved contact edges 72.

[0086] Additionally, a rectangular clamping hole 62A is formed approximately in the center of the traction section 62, where a force-applying unit 80, made of a spring, is inserted. The force-applying unit 80 is clamped between the proximal edge of the clamping hole 62A and the proximal end of the distal cover 23 (see reference). Figure 19 The force-applying unit 80 always applies force to the latch portion 40 and the operating portion 50 to keep them apart, thus maintaining a neutral position when the operating portion 50 is not operated. In this state, for example, as... Figure 11 As shown, the locking bar 42 of the latch 40 remains embedded in the fixing recess 31 of the locking part, and the armrest 20 is locked.

[0087] If from Figure 18 The state shown is as follows: Figure 20 As shown, pushing the operating part 50 clockwise causes it to tilt and rotate to the left along the inclined edge 71. Furthermore, if the pressure continues, the operating part 50 jumps onto the contact edge 72, the contact point becoming the fulcrum α, and the side of the operating part 50 being pushed becoming the force point β. This causes the inclined rotation shaft 51, which serves as the point of application γ, to move in a distal direction. Simultaneously, the traction part 62 also moves in a distal direction while compressing the force application unit 80, and the connection between the traction part 62 and the shaft 41 also moves in a distal direction. Thus, as... Figure 20 XXI-XXI sectional view Figure 21 As shown, axis 41 moves in the distal direction. Thus, for example... Figure 9 The engagement between the locking rod 42 and the fixing recess 31 is released, the locking state is released, and the armrest 20 can rotate.

[0088] Furthermore, the rotation direction of the armrest 20 is not limited to the horizontal direction as described in the above embodiment. Depending on the mounting angle of the mounting part 10 toward the fixing surface 2, the armrest 20 can be rotated in any direction, either vertical or from the horizontal to the vertical.

[0089] Industrial availability

[0090] In facilities such as toilets or bathrooms, the present invention can be used as an assistive device, such as a handrail, that is easy for the elderly or disabled to use, or for their assistants, to perform actions that are easy for healthy people to do.

Claims

1. An assist device provided with a mounting portion mounted on a fixed surface, a handrail portion fitted in the mounting portion and rotatably supported, and a locking mechanism that locks the handrail portion at a predetermined angular position with respect to the fixed surface, the assist device being characterized in that the locking mechanism has: a locking portion fixed to the mounting portion and provided with a plurality of fixed recesses corresponding to the predetermined angular position; a latch portion provided extending in the length direction of the handrail portion, and a proximal end of the mounting portion side is capable of engaging with and disengaging from any one of the plurality of fixed recesses in the locking portion; an operation portion supported in the handrail portion by an inclined pivot axis at the opposite end of the mounting portion, and capable of inclined pivoting with the inclined pivot axis as the center; and a conversion portion linking the operation portion and a distal end of the latch portion, and converting the inclined pivoting movement of the operation portion from a neutral position to a linear movement in a distal direction in which the latch portion is away from the mounting portion, and the operation portion is capable of inclined pivoting in the same direction as the rotation direction of the handrail portion.

2. An assist device provided with a mounting portion mounted on a fixed surface, a handrail portion fitted in the mounting portion and rotatably supported, and a locking mechanism that locks the handrail portion at a predetermined angular position with respect to the fixed surface, the assist device being characterized in that the locking mechanism has: a locking portion fixed to the mounting portion and provided with a plurality of fixed recesses corresponding to the predetermined angular position; a latch portion provided extending in the length direction of the handrail portion, and a proximal end of the mounting portion side is capable of engaging with and disengaging from any one of the plurality of fixed recesses in the locking portion; an operation portion supported in the handrail portion by an inclined pivot axis at the opposite end of the mounting portion, and capable of inclined pivoting with the inclined pivot axis as the center; and a conversion portion linking the operation portion and a distal end of the latch portion, and converting the inclined pivoting movement of the operation portion from a neutral position to a linear movement in a distal direction in which the latch portion is away from the mounting portion, and the inclined pivoting direction of the operation portion is not consistent with the length direction of the handrail portion.

3. The assist device according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the conversion portion has a swing plate linked with the operation portion and protruding a locking piece to the side opposite to the operation portion on the opposite side of the inclined pivot axis, a traction portion linked with the distal end of the latch portion, and a sliding groove provided in the traction portion and locking the locking piece at a distal edge, and by the inclined pivoting of the operation portion, the locking piece pushes the distal edge of the sliding groove in the distal direction, so that the latch portion performs linear movement in the distal direction.

4. The assist device according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that a pair of guide portions are provided on both sides of the operation portion, and the pair of guide portions guide the inclined pivoting direction of the operation portion by an inclined edge, and ​ ​ The tilt rotation axis links the operation part and the conversion part, and when the distal end of the operation part is the force point, the contact edge of the operation part in contact with the guide part is the fulcrum, as the fulcrum, the contact edge moves to the distal direction, the linking part of the operation part and the conversion part moves to the distal direction as the action point, thereby the conversion part moves to the distal direction, and the latch part moves linearly along the distal direction.

5. The assistive device of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein, The side edge of the fixed recess on the rotation direction side corresponding to the angle position closest to the fixed surface is inclined more than the side edge of the fixed recess corresponding to the other angle positions.

6. The assistive device of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein, A force applying unit that always applies a force to the operation part to the neutral position is provided between the conversion part and the latch part.

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