Assistance lift and assistance method

Abstract

To provide an assistance lift preventing complication of a series of assistance work for carrying a user to a destination.SOLUTION: An assistance lift includes a support erected on a base travelable on a floor surface, a liftable arm pivotally attached to the support, and a hanger attached to a tip of the arm, where the arm is divided into a first arm and a second arm. When a front of the first arm is located upward, the second arm is linked therewith and rotationally turned upward, and when the front of the first arm is located downward, the second arm is unlinked therewith and vertically hangs down. Further, a remote controller for opening and closing opening / closing legs of the base and lifting / lowering the arm includes a setting button for limiting the lifting position of the opening / closing legs and the arm. Accordingly, the assistance lift can facilitate the positioning and prevent complication of the assistance work when lowering a user suspended by the hanger to a destination.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an assistance lift for transporting a physically disabled user from a current location to a destination, and to an assistance method using the assistance lift. [Background technology]

[0002] Traditionally, when transporting physically disabled users (hereafter referred to as users) from their beds to wheelchairs or other devices from their current location to their destination, nursing care equipment has been introduced to reduce the physical burden on caregivers, such as preventing back pain. Various types of nursing care equipment have been proposed, and the most suitable one can be selected according to the user's physical condition and usage environment. For example, in order to transport users who are unable to get up on their own or who cannot maintain a seated position, the present applicant has previously proposed a nursing lift device as shown in Patent Document 1. This care lift device is configured so that a user wrapped in a sheet (sling) can be suspended by the care lift device and transported (transferred) to a wheelchair, vehicle, bathtub, etc.

[0003] However, when using the nursing lift device shown in Patent Document 1 for bathing assistance, it is necessary to attach a fall prevention means to the bathtub and use it in a state where there is no risk of falling. In other words, the bathing assistance action increases and becomes complicated. There is also a risk of damaging the bathtub. In order to solve the problems of Patent Document 1, a floor-traveling bath lift as described in Non-Patent Document 1 has been proposed. This bathing lift can be opened and closed to position it according to the layout of the bathtub, allowing the user to take a bath while being suspended from the sling held by the hanger at the end of the arm. In other words, there is no need to connect and fix it to the bathtub, making the assistance operation very simple. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 09-108277 [Non-patent literature]

[0005] [Non-Patent Document 1] Abilities Care Net Co., Ltd. Bathing Floor Traveling Lift Multi Lift (https: / / www.abilities.jp / fukushi_kaigo_kiki / fukusiyougu / idouyoulift / 700050) Summary of the Invention

[0006] However, when the bathing floor running lift described in Non-Patent Document 1 is used to lower a user into the bathtub from a position higher than the bathtub edge, the rotational movement of the arm accompanying the lifting and lowering can cause the arm to shift position in the front-rear direction, which can cause interference between the bathtub edge and the user's buttocks or lower legs, making it impossible to lower the user safely into the bathtub. In other words, the caregiver must lower the user into the bathtub while checking that the user's body is not caught between the bathing floor running lift and the bathtub, making the caregiving action cumbersome. In addition, by ensuring the lifting height of the arm, the user can easily lower themselves into the bathtub. However, when used in relatively small bathrooms such as unit baths in small facilities or ordinary homes, there is a concern that the arm may come into contact with the bathroom ceiling when raised, causing damage to the ceiling or that the bath lift may be damaged. Although Patent Document 1 and Non-Patent Document 1 are related to bathing assistance for the purpose of transporting the patient to a bathtub, they are not limited to bathing assistance, and similar problems are of concern in various usage environments, such as from bed to bed or from bed to wheelchair. [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The problem that the present invention aims to solve is to provide an assistance lift that does not complicate the series of assistance procedures required to transport a person to a destination. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The assisting lift of the present invention is an assisting lift comprising a base capable of running on a floor surface, a support pillar erected above the base, an arm rotatably attached to the support pillar and capable of being raised and lowered by an arm driving means, and a hanger attached to the tip of the arm, and is characterized in that the arm is divided into a first arm having one end rotatably attached to the support pillar and a second arm rotatably attached to the other end of the first arm, and the arm is configured so that when the arm is raised, the first controlling piece of the first arm abuts and biases the second controlling piece of the second arm, causing the tip of the second arm to rotate upward and stand up, and when the arm is lowered, the first controlling piece of the first arm and the second controlling piece of the second arm separate, causing the tip of the second arm to rotate downward and hang down. The care lift is equipped with a base driving means capable of opening and closing the opening / closing legs of the base symmetrically at the front when viewed from the left and right, an electrical unit capable of driving the arm driving means, and a remote control capable of operating the electrical unit, the remote control having an up button and a down button for raising and lowering the arm, an open button and a close button for opening and closing the opening / closing legs, a first position button, a second position button and a memory button for restricting the operation of the base driving means and the arm driving means, and is characterized in that after the opening button or the close button is pressed to open or close the opening / closing legs to any position, the opening and closing of the opening / closing legs can be stopped at any position by simultaneously pressing the first position button or the second position button and the memory button, and the setting can be released by simultaneously pressing the first position button and the second position button. After the arm has been raised to a set height, the first position button, the close button, and the memory button are pressed simultaneously to set the arm to stop rising at that height, and the setting is released by pressing the second position button, the open button, and the memory button simultaneously. Furthermore, the electrical equipment section is provided with a first operation button and a second operation button, and while normally the first operation button is in an arm lifting mode in which the arm can be raised and the second operation button is in a lowering mode, by simultaneously pressing the first operation button and the second operation button, the setting can be changed to an open / close leg opening mode in which the first operation button opens the opening / closing legs and the second operation button closes the opening / closing legs, and if a certain period of time elapses without the first operation button or the second operation button being pressed, the setting automatically returns to the arm lifting mode. The method of assistance is characterized in that a first caregiver waiting behind the support pillar uses an assistance lift to press the first operation button and the second operation button on the electrical equipment section to open and close the opening and closing legs, while a second caregiver waiting on either the left or right side of the arm operates the remote control to enable the arm to be raised and lowered, thereby enabling the second caregiver to assist the user suspended from the hanger without leaving the hanger until the user is transported or transferred to the destination. Effect of the Invention

[0009] In the care lift of the present invention, the arm is divided into a first arm and a second arm, and when the first arm is at the lowest position, the tip of the second arm is suspended, and as the first arm rises, the tip of the second arm gradually rotates upward, thereby reducing the forward and backward deviation when the arm is raised and lowered, and reducing the effort required to fine-tune the seating position of the user suspended from the hanger at the arm tip. Also, by attaching a first regulating piece to the first regulating boss, which is the rotation fulcrum of the first and second arms, and a second regulating piece to the second regulating boss to form a boss with a claw, the lift can be provided at low cost with fewer parts, while the second arm can rotate in the forward and backward directions when the arm is lowered, and can only rotate forward when the arm is raised, allowing safe fine adjustments when the user is suspended by the hanger. The base drive means for opening and closing the opening and closing legs of the care lift and the arm drive means for raising and lowering the arm can be operated by a remote control connected to the electrical equipment, and in addition to the open and close buttons for opening and closing the opening and closing legs, and the up and down buttons for raising and lowering the arm, the first and second position buttons and the memory button for specifying the operating range of the base drive means are provided, so that the opening and closing positions of the opening and closing legs can be appropriately set by simultaneously pressing the first or second button and the memory button to the opening and closing position that you want to set in advance. For example, for rectangular bathtubs arranged in a floating island type that does not abut the bathroom wall, a three-way open type with one side abutting the wall, or a two-way open type with two consecutive sides abutting the wall, the caregiver does not need to fine-tune the opening and closing positions of the opening and closing legs to suit each bathtub, improving workability. In addition, the target location is not only the bathtub, but also the wheelchair, bed, etc., and it is highly versatile. In addition, by combining with the reduction of the positional deviation of the arm forward and backward, it is easier to align it with the desired position of the destination, and the labor required for position adjustment is reduced, so that not only the physical burden but also the mental burden of the caregiver can be significantly reduced. The upper limit height of the arm can be set by pressing the close button, first position button, and memory button simultaneously. In other words, by setting the upper limit height beforehand when passing through a ceiling that is lower than the lifting range of the arm, the caregiver does not need to worry about interference with the ceiling each time, improving workability, and even if the caregiver forgets and causes the arm to interfere with the ceiling, there is no need to worry about damaging the ceiling or the care lift tipping over, and it can be used safely for both the user and the caregiver. The first and second operation buttons for operating the base driving means and the arm driving means are set in the electrical equipment, and the opening and closing of the opening and closing legs and the raising and lowering of the arm can be switched by pressing the first and second operation buttons simultaneously. In other words, the opening and closing of the opening and closing legs and the raising and lowering of the arm can be operated by the electrical equipment, allowing for efficient assistance work. Furthermore, when the care lift of the present invention is used by two caregivers, the first caregiver is placed behind the support pole and the second caregiver is placed beside the arm, and the first caregiver operates the first or second operation button on the electrical equipment to open and close the opening and closing legs, while the second caregiver operates the remote control to raise and lower the arm without leaving the side of the user suspended from the hanger, thereby making it possible to transfer the user to the destination more safely and improving workability. Note that the first caregiver alternates between opening and closing the opening and closing legs and raising and lowering the arm using the first and second operation buttons, allowing the second caregiver to focus more on assisting the user. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] Overall perspective front view of the care lift L [Diagram 2] Rear view of the entire care lift L [Diagram 3] Assembly diagram of arm 3 and hanger 5 [Figure 4] Side view showing arm 3 at lowest position [Diagram 5] Side view showing arm 3 at highest position [Figure 6] A side view showing a state in which a user M is suspended by an assistant lift L and enters a bathtub B. [Figure 7] A side view showing a conventional care lift L' [Figure 8] A perspective rear view showing the electrical equipment section 6 [Figure 9] Remote control 7 illustration [Figure 10] (a) Plan view showing the care lift L installed in a three-way open bathtub B (b) Plan view showing the care lift L installed in a two-way open bathtub B [Figure 11] A block diagram showing the relationship between the base driving means 1f, the arm driving means 4, the electrical equipment unit 6, and the remote control 7. [Figure 12] (a) Operational explanation diagram of the remote control 7 for setting the opening and closing positions of the opening and closing legs 1b, 1b (b) Operational flow diagram [Figure 13](a) Operational explanation diagram (b) Operational flow diagram of the remote control 7 for setting the upper limit position of the arm 3 [Figure 14] (a) An explanatory diagram of the operation of the first operation button 61a and the second operation button 61b for switching between the arm lifting mode and the leg opening / closing mode. (b) An operation flow diagram. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS EXAMPLES

[0011] The care lift L of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The assistance lift L in this embodiment is mainly composed of a base 1 capable of moving freely on the floor surface, a support pillar 2 erected on the top of the base 1, an arm 3 pivoted to the top of the support pillar, an arm drive means 4 for raising and lowering the arm 3, a hanger 5 pivoted to the tip of the arm 3, and an electrical unit 6 and a remote control 7 attached to the support pillar 2. In addition, directions are indicated by arrows in each drawing, and the directions (front / back, up / down, left / right) are set based on the state in which user M is suspended by sling S from assistant lift L.

[0012] First, base 1 will be described. As shown in Figure 1 etc., the base 1 is mainly composed of a base bracket 1a formed into a roughly rectangular shape by combining a number of frames, opening and closing legs 1b, 1b extending from the front of both ends of the base bracket 1a and having their base ends rotatably attached to the shafts, front wheels 1c, 1c attached to the tips of the opening and closing legs 1b, 1b, rear wheels 1d, 1d attached to the rear of the base bracket 1a, and a brake pedal 1e for locking the rear wheels 1d, 1d. The opening and closing legs 1b, 1b, whose rear wheels 1d, 1d are rotatably attached to both ends of the base bracket 1a, can be appropriately changed in position between a closed leg position shown by solid lines in Figure 1 and an open leg position shown by imaginary lines by driving a base driving means 1f arranged inside the base bracket 1a by operating a remote control 7 described later (not shown in the figures or in detailed explanation of the mechanism). In this embodiment, the base driving means 1f employs an electric actuator, and the actuator's extension and contraction motions enable the opening and closing legs 1b, 1b to change position, but this is not limited to an actuator, and any mechanism that can rotate the opening and closing legs 1b, 1b will suffice. Also, the caregiver A can step on the brake pedal 1e to lock the rear wheels 1d, 1d, and flip up the brake pedal 1e to unlock. The front wheels 1c, 1c are equipped with independent brakes, and are configured so that the caregiver A can step on them to lock them and flip them up to unlock them. Furthermore, bumpers 1h, 1h are provided between the tips of the opening and closing legs 1b, 1b and the front wheels 1c, 1c. The bumpers 1h, 1h are made of a resin disk-shaped plate having a circumference larger than the turning range of the front wheels 1c, 1c, and are used to prevent interference with the front wheels 1c, 1c when the front wheels 1c, 1c approach a bathtub B or a wall surface, which will be described later. In this embodiment, the front wheels 1c, 1c are locked individually, and the rear wheels 1d, 1d are locked simultaneously by the brake pedal 1e. However, the rear wheels 1d, 1d may be locked individually, as long as the front wheels 1c, 1c and the rear wheels 1d, 1d can be locked.

[0013] Next, the support pillar 2 will be described. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the base 1 is mainly composed of support legs 2a, 2a inserted into mounting pipes 1i, 1i protruding upward from the vicinity of the rear wheels 1d, 1d side of the base bracket 1a of the base 1, a support bracket 2b fixed to the upper part of the support legs 2a, 2a, and handles 2c, 2c attached to both sides of the support bracket 2b. The support legs 2a, 2a are bent in a triangular shape with the tips gradually approaching each other from the bottom to the top. This is to avoid interference between the lower limbs of the user M and the support legs 2a, 2a during transportation and to improve the workability of assistance. The support bracket 2b is composed of a rectangular plate when viewed from the rear, and a fulcrum plate 2d is fixed to the front of the support bracket 2, and an electrical component part 6, which will be described later, is attached to the rear. An arm fulcrum boss 2e, which serves as a rotation fulcrum for an arm 3, which will be described later, is fixed to the upper part of the support bracket 2b. The support 2 does not have to be limited to the content described in this embodiment. For example, the support legs 2a, 2a may be configured with one leg instead of two legs, and the handles 2c, 2c may be straight instead of curved.

[0014] Next, the arm 3 will be described. As shown in FIG. 3 and the like, in this embodiment, it is composed of a first arm 31 and a second arm 32. First, the first arm 31 will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, the first arm 31 has one end rotatably attached to the arm fulcrum boss 2 e of the support column 2 , and the other end rotatably attached to the second arm 32 . More specifically, a pair of first arm bodies 31a, 31a are arranged so that the left and right distance between them gradually narrows from the support 2 side toward the tip in a side view, and a first boss 31b, 31b is fixed to one end of the pair of first arm bodies 31a, 31a on the support 2 side, and a first restriction boss 31c, 31c is fixed to the other end. A connecting pipe 31d is installed and fixed near the bending point of the approximately L-shaped first arm body 31a, 31a. A fulcrum bracket 31e for pivotally mounting one end of an arm drive means 4 described later is fixed below the connecting pipe 31d. As described above, in this embodiment, the first arm bodies 31a, 31a are configured so that the left-right distance between them gradually narrows from the support pillar 2 side toward the tip of the first arm 31, but they may be arranged in parallel. Also, there may be one first arm body 31a instead of two in a pair.

[0015] Next, the second arm 32 will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, the second arm 32 has a second regulating boss 32b fixed to one end of a second arm body 32a made of a pipe, and a U-shaped fulcrum plate 32c fixed to the other end for axially mounting a hanger 5 described later.

[0016] Next, the relationship between the first arm 31 and the second arm 32 will be described. The first regulating boss 31c, 31c of the first arm 31 and the second regulating boss 32b, 32b of the second arm 32 are coaxially attached, and collars 32d, 32d are extrapolated to the outer periphery of the first regulating pieces 311c, 311c and second regulating pieces 321b, 321b described below at the joint between the first regulating boss 31c, 31c and the second regulating boss 32b, 32b to prevent the body from becoming pinched in the gap between the parts. When the arm 3 is raised and lowered by the arm driving means 4 described later, that is, when the first arm 31 and the second arm 32 are raised and lowered up and down, the first regulating pieces 311c, 311c of the first regulating boss 31c and the second regulating pieces 321b, 321b of the second regulating boss 32b abut and move away from each other, causing the second arm 32 to rise and fall while changing its posture relative to the first arm 31. The following description will be given with reference to FIG. 4 and FIG. 4 shows the arm 3 in the lowest position. At this time, the second arm 32 hangs down vertically from the tip of the first arm 31. At this time, the ends of the first restriction pieces 311c, 311c of the first restriction boss 31c and the second restriction pieces 321b, 321b of the second restriction boss 32 do not abut against each other. When the arm 3 is raised from this state, the first restriction pieces 311c, 311c of the first restriction boss 31c come into contact with the ends of the second restriction pieces 321b, 321b of the second restriction boss 32b. Then, the second arm 32 is biased by the first arm 31, so that the first arm 31 and the second arm 32 can be raised together. Although not shown in the figure, in this embodiment, when the arm 3 rises, the ends of the first regulating pieces 311c, 311c and the second regulating pieces 321b, 321b are configured to abut at a timing when the line connecting the axis attaching the arm drive means 4 to the fulcrum plate 2d of the support 2 and the axis attaching the first regulating boss 31c and the second regulating boss 32b becomes approximately parallel to the floor surface. When the arm 3 is further raised from this state, the tip of the second arm 32, which was facing vertically at the lowest position, rises to the highest position while standing up (rotating upward) in front of the assistant lift L as shown in Figure 5. Therefore, as shown in Figure 6, details will be described later, when a user M is bathed in a bathtub B using an assistant lift L, even if the arm 3 is raised and lowered from a low position to a high position where it can clear the bathtub B, there is little deviation in the forward and backward directions, making it easy to align the user M suspended by the assistant lift L when lowering him or her into the bathtub B. Here, Fig. 7 shows a general care lift L'. In the symbols 1' to 6' of the care lift L', the prime ' (') is added to the components that play the same roles as the components 1 to 6 of the care lift L in this embodiment. Although details are omitted, when the arm 3' of the care lift L' is raised or lowered, the arm 3' moves in an arc about the center of rotation, resulting in a large positional deviation in the front-rear direction. In contrast, the arm 3 of the present invention has a first arm 31 that moves in an arc around the center of rotation, while the other end of the second arm 32 pivotally attached to the first arm 31 rotates up and down in accordance with the rise and fall of the first arm 31, thereby reducing positional deviation in the forward and backward directions. Furthermore, when the arm 3 is in a low position, as shown in Figure 4, the second arm 32 can rotate back and forth until the second regulating pieces 321b, 321b of the second regulating boss 32b abut against the first regulating pieces 311c, 311c of the first regulating boss 31c of the first arm 31. With this configuration, when suspending the user M from the bathtub B or a wheelchair (not shown), the caregiver A can grasp the second arm 32 or the hanger 5 described below and intentionally move it back and forth, making fine adjustments easy. In other words, it becomes easier to hang the strap S1 of the sling S on the hanger 5, improving operability. On the other hand, when the arm 3 rises above a certain level, as shown in Fig. 5, the second arm 32 is in a state in which the second regulating pieces 321b, 321b of the second regulating boss 32b are in contact with the first regulating pieces 311c, 311c of the first regulating boss 31c of the first arm 31, so the hanger 5 can only move in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 5 (forward). In other words, the rearward swing of the second arm 32 during lifting and lowering is suppressed, which has the advantage of making it easier to lower the user M into the bathtub B. As mentioned above, the timing at which the ends of the first control pieces 311c, 311c and the second control pieces 321b, 321b abut does not have to be limited to the timing at which the axis connecting the arm drive means 4 to the fulcrum plate 2d of the support 2 and the line connecting the axis connecting the first control bosses 31c, 31c and the second control boss 32b becomes approximately parallel to the floor surface, and may be set anywhere within the rotation range of the arm 3. In addition, since the first arm bodies 31a, 31a are configured as a pair of two, the first regulating bosses 31c, 31 are configured as two members so that the first regulating pieces 311c, 311c face each other, and are configured to abut against the second regulating pieces 321b, 321b formed on both ends of the second regulating boss 32b so as to be sandwiched between the two members, but this is not limited to this embodiment. For example, the first regulating boss 31c and the second regulating boss 32b may be arranged in parallel, and the first regulating piece 311c and the second regulating piece 311b may each be configured as one piece.

[0017] Next, the arm driving means 4 will be described. As shown in Figure 4 etc., the arm driving means 4 in this embodiment employs an actuator, one end of which is rotatably attached to the fulcrum plate 2d of the support 2, and the other end of which is rotatably attached to the fulcrum bracket 31e of the first arm 31 of the arm 3. By operating the remote control 7 described later to drive the arm driving means 4 to extend and retract, the arm 3 is biased and retracted, and moves up and down while rotating about the fulcrum plate 2d.

[0018] Next, the hanger 5 will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, the hanger 5 in this embodiment has one end of arch-shaped side plates 5b, 5b fixed symmetrically to both ends of a hollow hanger boss 5a, and the other ends of the side plates 5b, 5b are fixed to approximately U-shaped hooks 5c, 5c, ... with their openings facing upward. Anti-slip mechanisms 5d are attached near both ends of the side plates 5b and on the opening sides of the hooks 5c. A detailed description of the anti-slip mechanisms 5d will be omitted, but the mechanisms are carabiner-type components that open and close the openings of the hooks 5c to prevent the strap S1 of a sling S, which will be described later, from falling off the hooks 5c when the strap S1 is hung on the hooks 5c. Additionally, cushion-type mats 5e, 5e are attached to the front and rear of the side plates 5b, 5b. The mats 5e, 5e are used to protect the user M from injury in the event that the head of the user M comes into contact with the hanger 5. In this embodiment, the mats 5e, 5e are made of polyethylene, which is easy to dry off, because it is assumed that the device will be used in a bathroom, but this is not limited to this. For example, a cover-type mat that wraps around the outer periphery of the side plates 5b, 5b may be used as long as it can protect the area around the user's head. (The use of the mats 5e, 5e is optional.) Then, a pin 5f is inserted from below the hanger boss 5a, and a mounting boss 5g having a hollow portion coaxial with the hollow portion of the hanger boss 5a is inserted into the upper part of the hanger boss 5a, and is axially attached to the fulcrum plate 32c of the second arm 32 of the arm 3. The hanger 5 thus constructed is swingable back and forth relative to the second arm 32 and is axially attached so as to be rotatable in the horizontal direction.

[0019] Next, the electrical equipment section 6 will be described. As shown in Figure 8 etc., the electrical equipment section 6 is composed of a control box 61 attached to the support bracket 2b of the support 2, a battery 62 detachably attached to the control box 61, and plugs and cables which connect to the base driving means 1f, the arm driving means 4, and a remote control 7 (described later) although the description is omitted. The control box 61 is formed in a substantially L-shape in a side view, and has a left-right width substantially equal to that of the support bracket 2b. The control box 61 incorporates a controller for controlling the base driving means 1f and the arm driving means 4, a speaker for emitting a sound when various settings described later are completed, and the like. A first operation button 61a and a second operation button 61b are provided on the left and right sides slightly below the center when viewed from the rear. The roles of the first operation button 61a and the second operation button 61b will be described later. An emergency stop button 63 is attached to the top of the battery 62, and when the caregiver A presses the emergency stop button 63, it becomes impossible to open and close the opening and closing legs 1b, 1b and to raise and lower the arm 3. If the emergency stop button 63 is activated, it can be released by removing the battery 62 from the control box 61. (After removal, it is attached to the control box 61 again for use.)

[0020] Next, the remote control 7 will be described. The remote control 7 is connected to the control box 61 of the electrical equipment section 6, and by operating eight buttons provided on the remote control body 7a as shown in Figure 9 according to the purpose, it is possible to open and close the opening and closing legs 1b, 1b of the base 1 and raise and lower the arm 3. As described above, the remote control 7 shown in this embodiment is connected to the electrical equipment section 6 by a cable, but may be connected wirelessly. FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing the relationship between the electrical equipment section 6, the base driving means 1f, the arm driving means 4 and the remote control 7. The roles of each are explained below. First, as shown in Figure 4, the remote control body 7a has a hook portion 71a formed on the upper part, and the hook portion 71a is hooked onto a remote control hook 2f formed by bending a round bar attached to the support bracket 2b of the support 2, or onto the handles 2c, 2c, and stored in the assistant lift L. An open button 7b and a close button 7c disposed below the remote control body 7a are buttons for driving the base driving means 1f. In this embodiment, pressing the open button 7b causes the base driving means 1f to extend and the link mechanism 1g to pivot, changing the position of the opening and closing legs 1b, 1b from the closed position shown by the solid lines in Figure 1 to the open position shown by the imaginary lines. When the close button 7c is pressed, the base drive means 1f is shortened and the link mechanism 1g is driven, thereby changing the position of the opening and closing legs 1b, 1b from the open position shown by the imaginary lines in FIG. 1 to the closed position shown by the solid lines.

[0021] Next, an up button 7d and a down button 7e disposed on the upper part of the remote control body 7a are buttons for driving the arm driving means 4. In this embodiment, by pressing the up button 7d, the arm driving means 4 is extended, and the tip of the arm 3 rises, and the hanger 5 attached to the tip of the arm 3 also rises. By pressing the down button 7e, the arm driving means 4 is contracted, and the arm 3 descends, and the hanger 5 attached to the tip of the arm 3 also descends.

[0022] Here, bathing assistance using the assistance lift L in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. First, FIG. 10(a) shows a care lift L installed in a rectangular bathtub B in a plan view that is open on three sides and has one side abutting against the bathroom wall. In this case, first, the caregiver A presses the up button 7d to raise the arm 3 to a height that allows the lower limbs of the user M to climb over the top surface of the bathtub B as shown in Fig. 6. Then, the open button 7b is pressed to open the opening and closing legs 1b, 1b, and the arm 3 is inserted so as to sandwich one side of the open side of the bathtub B in a plan view, so that the tip of the arm 3, that is, the user M suspended from the hanger 5, is positioned as close as possible to the center of the bathtub B. From there, the down button 7e is pressed to lower the arm 3, allowing the user M to take a bath. FIG. 10(b) shows a care lift L installed in a rectangular bathtub B in a plan view, with two sides open and installed with the bathtub in contact with the bathroom wall. In this case, first, caregiver A presses the up button 7d to raise the arm 3 to a height that allows the lower limbs of user M to climb over the top surface of bathtub B as shown in Fig. 6. Then, caregiver A presses the open button 7b to open the opening and closing legs 1b, 1b, and causes the arm 3 to enter the corner of the open side of bathtub B diagonally in a plan view, so that the tip of the arm 3, that is, user M suspended from the hanger 5, is positioned as close as possible to the center of bathtub B. From there, caregiver A presses the down button 7e to lower the arm 3 and allow user M to take a bath. By configuring it in this manner, the assistance lift L can be installed without being fixed to suit the bathtub B installed in various layouts, and the user M can be assisted in bathing. Although FIG. 10(a) shows a bathtub B that is open on three sides, similar bathing assistance can be provided for a floating island type bathtub B that is not abutted on any of the four sides. Also, although not shown in the illustration, when used in a floating island type bathtub with height-adjustable adjusters attached to the four corners, or in a bathtub with a space formed into which the opening and closing legs 1b, 1b can enter, the opening and closing legs 1b, 1b can be simply inserted without being spread apart.

[0023] In this embodiment, as described above, in addition to the open button 7b and the close button 7c for opening and closing the opening and closing legs 1b, 1b, and the up button 7d and the down button 7e for raising and lowering the arm 3, the buttons described below are used, thereby making it possible to further improve operability. First, the acceleration button 7f is disposed slightly to the right of the midpoint between the up button 7d and the down button 7e. The position of the acceleration button 7f does not need to be limited to the position shown in the figure, and it may be, for example, on the left side. The acceleration button 7f is a button that is pressed in conjunction with the up button 7d and the down button 7e, and by assistant A simultaneously pressing the up button 7d or the down button 7e and the acceleration button 7f, the extension or retraction speed of the arm driving means 4 can be increased. The control box 61 is set to detect when the arm driving means 4 receives a certain load. In other words, when the user M is suspended and the arm 3 is raised, the user M can be raised safely. Furthermore, when the user M is not suspended, the up and down speed of the arm 3 can be increased by simultaneously pressing the up and down button 7d or the down and acceleration button 7f, thereby shortening the time required for bathing assistance.

[0024] In addition, a memory button 7g is disposed on the opposite side of the acceleration button 7f via the up button 7d and the down button 7e, and a first position button 7h and a second position button 7i are disposed below the open button 7b and the close button 7c. The memory button 7g, the first position button 7h, and the second position button 7i can set the open / close positions of the opening / closing legs 1b, 1b by simultaneously pressing the memory button 7g and the first position button 7h or the second position button 7i. The procedure is as follows: as shown in FIG. 12, the caregiver A presses the open button 7b or the close button 7c of the remote control 7 at the optimum position for the bathtub B to be used, thereby opening and closing the opening and closing legs 1b, 1b. In this state, if the memory button 7g and the first position button 7h or the second position button 7i are pressed simultaneously, a beep will sound from the control box 61 after three seconds and the memory will be set to stop at the set leg spread position. Therefore, when the previously set leg open position is set to memory by the first position button 7h, the opening and closing legs 1b, 1b can be automatically moved from the closed leg position to the memory set leg open position by continuing to press the first position button 7h, and then stopped. Note that even after memory setting, the opening and closing legs 1b, 1b can be opened and closed steplessly by pressing the open button 7b or the close button 7c instead of the first position button 7h. To cancel the memory setting, press and hold the three buttons, memory button 7g, open button 7b, and close button 7c, simultaneously. After five seconds, a beep will sound from the control box 61 and the memory setting will be canceled. In this way, by determining the opening and closing positions of the opening and closing legs 1b, 1b in advance, for example, when assisting a bather A with bathing, it is no longer necessary for the caregiver A to fine-tune each time how far the opening and closing legs 1b, 1b should be opened relative to the bathtub B, thereby improving cumbersome work.

[0025] In addition, the care lift L of the present invention is provided with a function for setting an upper limit position of the arm 3 when it is raised, as shown in FIG. Generally, the higher the lift height of the arm 3, the more securely it can clear the bathtub B. However, the following disadvantages must be taken into consideration. When using a care lift L with a high lift height for the arm 3 in a small facility with a low bathroom ceiling or in an ordinary home, if the caregiver A continues to press the up button 7d, the arm 3 will rise to the highest position, which may cause interference between the ceiling and the arm 3, resulting in damage to the ceiling or the care lift L, or the care lift L losing balance and tipping over. To solve this problem, the device is equipped with an upper limit position setting function for the arm 3, which will be explained next. First, confirm the lowest ceiling location of the place where the care lift L will be used and determine the limit height. (In this embodiment, a bathroom is assumed as shown in FIG. 13, but a living room or a dressing room may also be used.) Then, in an unloaded state, the arm 3 is raised and stopped. In this state, if the close button 7c, the memory button 7g, and the second position button 7i on the remote control 7 are pressed simultaneously, a beep will sound from the control box 61 after 7 seconds and the memory will be set so that the arm 3 will not rise beyond the set height. After setting, the arm 3 can be raised steplessly up to the limit height by pressing the up button 7d. To release the height restriction, press and hold down the open button 7b, the memory button 7g, and the first position button 7h on the remote control 7 simultaneously, and after seven seconds, the control box 61 will emit a beeping sound and the memory setting will be released.

[0026] In this way, the remote control 7 in the present invention can combine a plurality of buttons to set in advance the open / close positions of the opening / closing legs 1b, 1b of the base 1 and the upper limit position of the arm 3. This setting is possible because the base driving means 1f and the arm driving means 4 detect position information, the electrical equipment unit 6 determines the next operation based on the position information of the base driving means 1f and the arm driving means 4, and the base driving means 1f and the arm driving means 4 operate. By using these functions, it is possible to adopt a safe and efficient assistance method in which caregiver A suspends and assists user M, instead of the previous method in which caregiver A visually checks the user M each time depending on the usage environment, which is very convenient. Furthermore, by combining this with a structure for reducing the forward and backward slippage of the arm 3, the transfer can be performed reliably, which not only reduces the physical burden on the caregiver A, but also eliminates the need to take various precautions, such as preventing interference between the user M and the bathtub B or tipping over due to incorrect operation of the care lift L, thereby reducing the mental burden.

[0027] Furthermore, the care lift L of the present invention is provided with a pinching detection function when the arm 3 is lowered. The entrapment detection function will now be described. The arm 3 in this embodiment can be raised and lowered from the lowest position shown in Fig. 4 to the highest position shown in Fig. 5, that is, from a height where the tip of the arm 3 is close to the base 1 to a height where it is close to the ceiling of the bathroom. In other words, although not shown in the figure, the arm 3 can be raised and lowered to a height where it can suspend the user M waiting in a supine position directly on the floor and can fully straddle the side edge of the bathtub B. At this time, as shown in Figures 6 and 10, when user M suspended from the care lift L steps over the side edge of the bathtub B and descends into the bathtub B, there is a possibility that the side edge of the bathtub B may interfere with the lower legs of user M or the arm 3. In other words, like the disadvantages of the upper limit position setting function described above, there is a possibility that the bathtub B or the care lift L may be damaged during descent, or that the care lift L may lose balance and tip over. Therefore, a pinch detection function is set in the control box 61 so that the lifting and lowering action of the arm 3 is automatically stopped if interference with the side edge of the bathtub B occurs.

[0028] Further, the first operation button 61a and the second operation button 61b of the control box 61 described above in the present invention can also be used to open and close the opening and closing legs 1b, 1b and raise and lower the arm 3. In detail, when the control box 61 is in the arm lifting mode as shown in FIG. 14, the first operation button 61a and the second operation button 61b can be used to lift and lower the arm 3. Pressing the first operation button 61a lifts the arm 3 in the same manner as the up button 7d, and pressing the second operation button 61b lowers the arm 3 in the same manner as the down button 7e. From this state, when the first operation button 61a and the second operation button 61b are pressed simultaneously, a beep will sound from the control box 61 and the mode will change from a state in which the arm 3 is raised and lowered to a leg opening and closing mode in which the opening and closing legs 1b, 1b are opened and closed. In this state, pressing the first operating button 61a opens the opening and closing legs 1b, 1b in the same manner as the open button 7b, and pressing the second operating button 61b closes the opening and closing legs 1b, 1b in the same manner as the close button 7c. In addition, after the mode is changed to the opening / closing leg opening / closing mode, which allows opening and closing operations, if a certain amount of time passes without pressing the first operation button 61a or the second operation button 61b, the mode is set to automatically return to the arm lifting mode, which allows the arm 3 to be raised and lowered.

[0029] In this way, by equipping the control box 61 with the first operation button 61a and the second operation button 61b and setting them to have the same functions as the various buttons on the remote control 7, it is possible to improve operability when assisting with bathing, as described below. For example, a floor-traveling lift such as the assistant lift L employed in the present invention is capable of assisting not only one person but also two people. When two caregivers are involved, a first caregiver A waits on either side of the care lift L, and a second caregiver A waits behind the care lift L, as shown in FIG. The first caregiver A approaches the bathtub B while keeping an eye on the user M, and is responsible for changing the direction of the user M from the carrying position to the bathing position, as well as for operating the remote control 7 (pressing each button) to raise and lower the arm 3. On the other hand, the second caregiver A is responsible for supporting the care lift L by grasping the handles 2c, 2c from the rear of the care lift L, and for opening and closing the opening legs 1b, 1b by operating the control box 61 (pressing the first operation button 61a and the second operation button 61b). Having two people assist in this way has the following advantages: With a first caregiver A waiting behind the support pillar 2 and a second caregiver A waiting to the side of the arm 3, the first caregiver A operates the first operation button 61a or the second operation button 61b of the electrical equipment unit 6 to open and close the opening and closing legs 1b, 1b, and the second caregiver A operates the remote control 7 to keep the user M suspended from the hanger 5 in sync with the elevation and lowering of the arm 3, thereby making it possible to transfer the user M to the destination more safely and improving workability. Note that the first caregiver A alternately opens and closes the opening and closing legs 1b, 1b and raises and lowers the arm 3 using the first operation button 61a and the second operation button 61b, allowing the second caregiver A to focus more on the user while providing care. By adopting the two-person assistance method shown in this embodiment, not only is the workload per caregiver reduced and workability improved compared to one-person assistance, but benefits in terms of safety can also be expected.

[0030] Although the present embodiment has been described assuming a bathroom, it is not necessary to limit the use to bathing. For example, it may be assumed to be used in a living room, and it may also be used for transferring to a bed. In addition, the opening and closing legs 1b, 1b may be opened and closed as appropriate to suit the shape of the destination. For example, in this embodiment, the installation is assumed for a floating island type, three-way open type, or two-way open type rectangular bathtub B, but the bathtub may be round or polygonal in plan view as long as the care lift L can be used. The environment in which it can be used is not limited to a bathtub, but may also be a bed or bathtub with legs arranged at the four corners. In that case, the opening and closing legs 1b, 1b may be inserted under the bed with the opening and closing legs 1b, 1b closed. Furthermore, the time required to switch modes when operating each button on the remote control 7 does not need to be limited to that of this embodiment; the mode may be switched when each button is pressed, or may be set to require more time than that described in this embodiment. Furthermore, the beep sound when switching between modes does not need to be limited to that in this embodiment, and may be set to silent. Also, instead of a beep sound, a light may be set to flash so that the caregiver can visually be informed that the mode has been switched. In this way, we were able to set up the L care lift in various ways to suit the location and environment of use, and it was a success. [Explanation of symbols]

[0031] 1 Base 1b Opening and closing legs 1f Base drive means 2 pillars 3 Arm 31 First Arm 32 Second Arm 4. Arm drive means 5 Hanger 6 Electrical Equipment Department 61 Control Box 61a First operation button 61b Second operation button 62 Battery 63 Emergency stop button 7. Remote Control 7b Open button 7c Close button 7d Up button 7e Down button 7f Acceleration button 7g memory button 7h First position button 7i Second position button L Assisted Lift A. Caregiver B. Bathtub S Sling M User

Claims

1. An assistant lift comprising a base capable of running on a floor surface, a support pillar erected above the base, an arm rotatably attached to the support pillar and capable of being raised and lowered by an arm driving means, and a hanger attached to the tip of the arm, wherein the arm is divided into a first arm having one end rotatably attached to the support pillar and a second arm rotatably attached to the other end of the first arm, and wherein when the arm is raised, a first control piece of the first arm abuts against and biases the second control piece of the second arm, causing the tip of the second arm to rotate upward and stand up, and when the arm is lowered, the first control piece of the first arm and the second control piece of the second arm separate, causing the tip of the second arm to rotate downward and hang down.

2. 2. A care lift comprising: a base driving means capable of opening and closing the opening / closing legs of the base symmetrically at the front when viewed from the left and right; an electrical unit capable of driving the arm driving means; and a remote control capable of operating the electrical unit, wherein the remote control comprises an up button and a down button for raising and lowering the arm, an open button and a close button for opening and closing the opening / closing legs, a first position button, a second position button, and a memory button for limiting the operation of the base driving means and the arm driving means, and wherein the opening button or the close button is pressed to open or close the opening / closing legs to any position, and then the first position button or the second position button and the memory button can be pressed simultaneously to set the opening and closing of the opening / closing legs to be stopped at any position, and the setting can be released by pressing the first position button and the second position button simultaneously.

3. The care lift of claim 2, characterized in that after the arm is raised to a set height, the first position button, the close button, and the memory button are pressed simultaneously to set the arm to stop rising at that height, and the setting is released by pressing the second position button, the open button, and the memory button simultaneously.

4. The assisted lift of claim 3, characterized in that the electrical equipment section is equipped with a first operation button and a second operation button, and while normally the first operation button is in an arm lifting mode in which the arm can be raised and the second operation button is in an arm lowering mode, by simultaneously pressing the first operation button and the second operation button the setting can be changed to an open / close leg opening mode in which the first operation button opens the opening / closing legs and the second operation button closes the opening / closing legs, and if a certain period of time elapses without the first operation button or the second operation button being pressed, the setting automatically returns to the arm lifting mode.

5. A method of assistance using the assistance lift described in claim 4, characterized in that a first assistant waiting behind the support pillar presses the first operation button and the second operation button on the electrical equipment unit to open and close the opening and closing legs, and a second assistant waiting on either the left or right side of the arm operates the remote control to enable raising and lowering of the arm, thereby enabling the second assistant to assist the user suspended from the hanger without leaving the hanger until the user is transported or transferred to the destination.

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