Intelligent walking stick with automatic standing function

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of intelligent crutch with automatic standing function, including crutch support rod mechanism, main control module, posture monitoring module, rudder drive module, and the posture of crutch is monitored by posture monitoring module, whether crutch is judged to fall by main control module, and main control module will send rotating command to rudder drive module after falling, and rudder drive module controls crutch support rod mechanism opening and closing, so that crutch can be automatically stood after falling, without user bending down to pick up, and provide better use experience for the crutch user who is inconvenient to bend down.Combined with the functions of positioning acquisition, weather broadcast, fall alarm and night lighting, the crutch user is provided with more comprehensive help.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of cane technology, and in particular to an intelligent cane with an automatic standing function. Background Technology

[0002] Population aging is a reality, and the increasingly complex living environment in modern cities has brought many problems to elderly people with mobility issues. Intelligent canes will provide better services for users' travel. For cane users, especially those with difficulty bending over, falls and other accidents can cause the cane to slip from their hands and fall to the ground, making it difficult to retrieve and leaving them stranded and unable to help themselves. For cane users, especially those requiring care and supervision, the inability of caregivers to provide constant monitoring and attention due to busy schedules or other reasons is also a common phenomenon in modern life.

[0003] The following problems exist with the current use of crutches:

[0004] 1. Most traditional canes are simple in design and have limited functions, only meeting the needs of users with mobility issues. Smart canes may add functions such as positioning, weather forecast, voice broadcast, and lighting to the traditional cane, meeting more needs of users, but they do not have the function of automatically getting up after falling down, and cannot provide a good user experience for people who have difficulty bending over.

[0005] 2. Some canes are equipped with an automatic standing function, but its implementation is complex and unstable. For example, one type of cane that can automatically stand uses a grounding sensor to determine whether the cane has fallen. This grounding sensor may be a microswitch or a pressure sensor. This method of determination is not stable, and there is a possibility that the sensor may not be touched after the cane falls, or that it may be falsely triggered when the cane is not fallen. After the cane rotates to stand up, it needs to be lifted and held for a certain period of time. A ground sensor is used to determine that the cane has left the ground before it can be put away for normal use. This design requires the user to have the ability to lift the cane for a period of time, which is not suitable for users who have difficulty bending over or have mobility issues. It is also possible for it to be falsely triggered. The cane is equipped with a position detection device to detect the relative position of the cane and the support base and control the rotation and stopping of the cane. Such a device is unnecessary. The cane uses the support base at the bottom to touch the ground, and the support base is equipped with support rods on both sides to support the rotation of the cane. This structure is easy to scratch the user's legs and clothing during use, and it is also easy to cause injury in the event of an incident. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The main purpose of this invention is to solve the problem that people with difficulty bending over cannot help themselves when their canes slip from their hands and fall to the ground.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0008] A smart cane with an automatic standing function includes a cane support rod mechanism and a mounting box. The cane support rod mechanism includes a first support rod, a second support rod, a third support rod, a fourth support rod, a handle rod, and a connecting rod. The first and second support rods are connected via the handle rod, which is equipped with a retraction button. The third and fourth support rods are connected via the connecting rod. The mounting box includes a main control module, an attitude monitoring module, and a servo drive module. The cane is characterized in that...

[0009] The main control module includes a main control board; the attitude monitoring module includes a gyroscope; the servo drive module includes a first servo and a second servo, the first servo includes a first body and a first servo arm, the first servo arm is connected to the first support rod, and the second servo includes a second body and a second servo arm, the second servo arm is connected to the second support rod.

[0010] The attitude monitoring module monitors the attitude information of the smart cane. If the gyroscope tilts clockwise and the angle with the ground is between 0° and 30°, the attitude information is B; if the gyroscope tilts counterclockwise and the angle with the ground is between 0° and 30°, the attitude information is C; otherwise, the attitude information is A.

[0011] When the main control module receives attitude information B, it controls the servo drive module to rotate the first servo arm and the second servo arm counterclockwise until the angles between the first support rod and the third support rod, and between the second support rod and the fourth support rod are all 90°; when the main control module receives attitude information C, it controls the servo drive module to rotate the first servo arm and the second servo arm clockwise until the angles between the first support rod and the third support rod, and between the second support rod and the fourth support rod are all 90°.

[0012] When the retract button is pressed, the retract button sends a retract signal to the main control module; when the main control module receives the retract signal, the main control module controls the servo drive module to rotate the first servo arm and the second servo arm until the angle between the first support rod and the third support rod, and the angle between the second support rod and the fourth support rod are all 0°.

[0013] The above technical solution further includes:

[0014] The mounting box is located at the lower part of the third support rod and the fourth support rod.

[0015] The above technical solutions specifically include:

[0016] The installation box also includes a positioning module, which acquires the positioning information of the cane and sends it to a designated mobile APP.

[0017] The above technical solutions specifically include:

[0018] The installation box also includes a voice broadcast module, which comprises a communication module and a playback module. The communication module obtains the weather information of the current location based on the positioning information obtained by the positioning module, and sends the weather information to the playback module through the main control module. The playback module processes the information and plays it out in voice form. The playback module receives alarm information sent from the main control board. The alarm information is obtained by the main control module processing the signal from the attitude monitoring module and then sent to the playback module for playback.

[0019] The above technical solutions specifically include:

[0020] The mounting box also houses a lighting module, which includes a lighting switch and a light, and the lighting switch controls the light to turn on and off.

[0021] The present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0022] 1. The attitude monitoring module monitors the cane's attitude, and the main control module identifies whether the cane has fallen to the ground. Then, the main control module controls the servo drive module's servo arm to extend the cane lever and straighten the cane handle, allowing the user to grip the handle without bending over. Pressing a button on the handle retracts the cane, thus achieving the cane-standing function. This design provides a more comfortable user experience for cane users who have difficulty bending over, avoiding the predicament of being unable to pick up a fallen cane during daily outings.

[0023] 2. The structural design is simple and convenient. The plate-like shape and the design of the double landing points facilitate the realization of the cane's automatic standing function, and also make the cane more stable to use. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a smart cane with an automatic standing function proposed in this invention.

[0025] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram showing the structural details of an intelligent cane with an automatic standing function proposed in this invention.

[0026] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of another state of the intelligent cane with automatic standing function proposed in this invention.

[0027] Figure 4This is a schematic diagram of another structure of an intelligent cane with an automatic standing function proposed in this invention;

[0028] Figure 5 This is another structural schematic diagram of an intelligent cane with an automatic standing function proposed in this invention. Detailed Implementation

[0029] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0030] Example 1 Figure 1 As shown, the present invention proposes an intelligent cane with an automatic standing function, comprising a cane support rod mechanism and a mounting box 8. The cane support rod mechanism includes a first support rod 1, a second support rod 2, a third support rod 3, a fourth support rod 4, a handle rod 5, and a connecting rod 7. The first support rod 1 and the second support rod 2 are connected by the handle rod 5, and a retraction button 6 is installed on the handle rod 5. The third support rod 3 and the fourth support rod 4 are connected by the connecting rod 7. The mounting box 8 is disposed below the third support rod 3 and the fourth support rod 4. The mounting box 8 is characterized in that it includes a main control module 14, an attitude monitoring module 13, and a servo drive module 9. The servo drive module 9 includes a first servo and a second servo. The first servo includes a first body 15 and a first servo arm 16, which is connected to the first support rod 1. The second servo includes a second body 17 and a second servo arm 18, which is connected to the second support rod 2.

[0031] Example 2 Figure 4 As shown, the handle 5 is arc-shaped; a second connecting rod 19 is provided at the lower part of the first support rod 1 and the second support rod 2 to connect the two, and the second connecting rod 10 is located below and close to the mounting box 8; the first support rod 1 and the second support rod 2 are lengthened and spread outward in the part below the second connecting rod 19.

[0032] Example 3 Figure 5 As shown, the mounting box 8 is located on the upper part of the third support rod 3 and the fourth support rod 4, and the servo drive module 9 is located on the lower part of the third support rod 3 and the fourth support rod 4.

[0033] In embodiments 1-3, the attitude monitoring module 13 may be, but is not limited to, a gyroscope, which monitors the attitude information of the smart cane and sends the attitude information to the main control module 14. The main control module 14 includes a main control board, which may be, but is not limited to, a microcontroller or an Arduino, receives the attitude information and makes a judgment, and then sends a rotation command to the servo drive module 9. The first servo and the second servo in the servo drive module 9 may be, but is not limited to, digital servos. When the servo drive module 9 receives the rotation command, it controls the first servo arm 16 and the second servo arm 18 to rotate, that is, controls the opening and closing of the first support rod 1 and the second support rod 2 with the third support rod 3 and the fourth support rod 4.

[0034] When the smart cane falls to the ground, there are two possible directions. Taking the smart cane standing upright as an example, when facing the second support rod (i.e., facing the right side of the smart cane), if the smart cane tilts clockwise and the angle with the ground is between 0° and 30°, the posture information is B; if the smart cane tilts counterclockwise and the angle with the ground is between 0° and 30°, the posture information is C; otherwise, the posture information is A.

[0035] When the main control module 14 receives the attitude information as B, it controls the servo drive module 9 to rotate the first rudder arm 16 and the second rudder arm 18 counterclockwise until the included angles of the first support rod 1 and the third support rod 3, the second support rod 2 and the fourth support rod 4 are all 90°.

[0036] When the main control module 14 receives the attitude information as C, it controls the servo drive module 9 to rotate the first rudder arm 16 and the second rudder arm 18 clockwise until the included angles of the first support rod 1 and the third support rod 3, the second support rod 2 and the fourth support rod 4 are all 90°.

[0037] The retractable button 6 is electrically connected to the main control module 14. When the retractable button 6 is pressed, the main control module 14 controls the servo drive module 9 to rotate the first servo arm 16 and the second servo arm 18 until the included angle between the first support rod 1 and the third support rod 3, the second support rod 2 and the fourth support rod 4 is 0°.

[0038] The cane is also equipped with a lighting module 10, which includes a lighting switch and a light. The lighting switch controls the light to turn on and off, providing illumination for the cane user when traveling at night.

[0039] The cane is also equipped with a positioning module 11, which can obtain the cane's location information and send it to the recipient's mobile APP. This allows the cane user's guardian to obtain the cane user's location information for easier monitoring.

[0040] The cane is also equipped with a voice broadcast module 12, which includes a communication module and a playback module. The communication module can connect to the network and may be, but is not limited to, an ESP8266 serial port WIFI module. Based on the location information obtained by the positioning module 11, it obtains the weather information of the current location and sends the weather information to the playback module through the main control module 14. The playback module processes the information and plays it out in voice form, so that the cane user can know the current weather conditions and make travel plans.

[0041] The playback module receives alarm information sent from the main control board 14. When the cane falls to the ground, the main control module 14 receives posture information sent by the posture monitoring module 13. If it is determined that the cane has been in a fallen posture for a long time, it can be determined that the retract button 6 has not been pressed for a long time, that is, the cane user is in a fallen state. Then the main control board 14 sends an alarm signal to the playback module, and the cane sounds an alarm to help the cane user seek help from passersby.

[0042] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A smart cane with an automatic standing function, comprising a cane support rod mechanism and a mounting box, wherein the cane support rod mechanism includes a first support rod, a second support rod, a third support rod, a fourth support rod, a handle rod, and a connecting rod; the first support rod and the second support rod are connected via the handle rod; a retraction button is installed on the handle rod; the third support rod and the fourth support rod are connected via the connecting rod; the mounting box includes a main control module, an attitude monitoring module, and a servo drive module, characterized in that... The main control module includes a main control board; the attitude monitoring module includes a gyroscope; the servo drive module includes a first servo and a second servo, the first servo includes a first body and a first servo arm, the first servo arm is connected to the first support rod, and the second servo includes a second body and a second servo arm, the second servo arm is connected to the second support rod. The attitude monitoring module monitors the attitude information of the smart cane. If the gyroscope tilts clockwise and the angle with the ground is between 0° and 30°, the attitude information is B; if the gyroscope tilts counterclockwise and the angle with the ground is between 0° and 30°, the attitude information is C; otherwise, the attitude information is A. When the main control module receives attitude information B, it controls the servo drive module to rotate the first servo arm and the second servo arm counterclockwise until the angles between the first support rod and the third support rod, and between the second support rod and the fourth support rod are all 90°; when the main control module receives attitude information C, it controls the servo drive module to rotate the first servo arm and the second servo arm clockwise until the angles between the first support rod and the third support rod, and between the second support rod and the fourth support rod are all 90°. When the collapse button is pressed, the collapse button sends a collapse signal to the main control module; When the main control module receives the retraction signal, the main control module controls the servo drive module to rotate the first servo arm and the second servo arm until the angle between the first support rod and the third support rod, and the angle between the second support rod and the fourth support rod are all 0°.

2. The intelligent cane with automatic standing function as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The mounting box is located at the lower part of the third support rod and the fourth support rod.

3. The intelligent cane with automatic standing function as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The installation box also includes a positioning module, which acquires the positioning information of the cane and sends it to a designated mobile APP.

4. The intelligent cane with automatic standing function as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The installation box also includes a voice broadcast module, which comprises a communication module and a playback module. The communication module obtains the weather information of the current location based on the positioning information obtained by the positioning module, and sends the weather information to the playback module through the main control module. The playback module processes the information and plays it out in voice form. The playback module receives alarm information sent from the main control board. The alarm information is obtained by the main control module processing the signal from the attitude monitoring module and then sent to the playback module for playback.

5. The intelligent cane with automatic standing function as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The mounting box also houses a lighting module, which includes a lighting switch and a light, and the lighting switch controls the light to turn on and off.

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