Bathroom chair

Abstract

To provide a foldable bathroom chair equipped with a handle whose shape and attaching mode are safe and do not become an obstacle for a user such as a care-giver or the like, which does not impair compactness and space-saving property of the bathroom chair after being folded, and which allows the bathroom chair to be lifted or moved backward easily with one hand since the fingers of a user's hand are hooked in a stable and reliable manner.SOLUTION: A foldable bathroom chair includes: a leg frame having a leg part and a backrest support part; a seat part attached to the leg frame rotatably; a support frame extending in a horizontal direction above the seat part, which is disposed in the backrest support part; a backrest part attached to the support frame; and a fixed part having a tongue-shaped handle part extending just under the support frame or partially extending below the support frame at the back of the support frame, which is fixed to the support frame in a non-rotatable manner.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 12

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a foldable bathroom chair for use in a bathroom, and in particular to a bathroom chair which has a tongue-shaped handle portion that extends downward beyond the support frame directly below or partially behind the support frame extending horizontally above the seat, and which is equipped with a fixing portion that is fixed non-rotatably to the support frame. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, elderly people, people receiving care, people with physical disabilities, etc. (hereinafter referred to as "people receiving care, etc.") often have difficulty washing their bodies or taking a shower in a standing position when taking a bath, so bathroom chairs equipped with a seat on which the person receiving care, a backrest on which the person rests, and a leg frame and a support frame that support these parts are used. In addition, bathroom chairs require storage space in a small bathroom when not in use and can be a nuisance, so foldable bathroom chairs that can be folded to make them compact have also been developed, as described in, for example, JP 2011-067448 A (Patent Document 1) and JP 2020-142049 A (Patent Document 2).

[0003] Incidentally, the folding bathroom chair described in Patent Document 1 is provided with a lever piece of an unlocking operation device that protrudes rearward from the backrest attachment part of the backrest support pillar so that the bathroom chair can be easily unlocked from the open leg state and folded up. Also, the folding bathroom chair described in Patent Document 2 is provided with a handrail that is curved so that the center part of the backrest attachment part to which the backrest is attached protrudes rearward beyond the backrest to make it easier to lift and move the bathroom chair.

[0004] Furthermore, bathroom chairs such as those described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are often used by users such as a care recipient and a caregiver accompanying the care recipient. In such cases, the caregiver must support the care recipient's body with one hand while simultaneously operating the chair (opening and closing the legs, moving the chair, adjusting the armrest position, etc.) with the other hand, or washing the care recipient's body, etc. Therefore, it has been strongly desired that the caregiver's fingers can be stably and reliably caught on the levers and handrails of the bathroom chair, and that the bathroom chair can be easily lifted and moved with one hand. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2011-067448 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2020-142049 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, the lever piece of the bathroom chair described in Patent Document 1 protrudes further rearward than the frame of the backrest mounting part that supports the backrest, and the handrail of the bathroom chair described in Patent Document 2 (the central part of the protruding backrest mounting part) also protrudes further rearward than the backrest, creating the problem that it can be dangerous or get in the way when a caregiver assists the person being cared for from behind the bathroom chair.

[0007] Furthermore, the lever piece of the bathroom chair described in Patent Document 1 is suitable for pulling up to unlock the bathroom chair when the legs are spread apart, but because it rotates up and down, there is a problem that the fingers of the caregiver cannot be stably and securely placed on it to perform other operations. In particular, with the bathroom chair described in Patent Document 1, when an attempt is made to use the lever piece to move the bathroom chair when the legs are spread apart, the unintentional rotation of the lever piece causes the bathroom chair to be unlocked, creating a dangerous situation, and ultimately causing the bathroom chair to fold up on its own.

[0008] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a foldable bathroom chair with a handle whose shape and installation method are safe and do not get in the way of users such as caregivers, and which does not impair the compactness and space-saving nature of the bathroom chair after it is folded up, so that the user's fingers can stably and securely hook onto it, allowing the bathroom chair to be easily lifted down or moved backwards with one hand. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The inventors have thoroughly investigated the shape and attachment method of a handle for a foldable bathroom chair which is safe, does not impair the compactness and space-saving nature of the bathroom chair after folding, and allows the user's fingers to be hung stably and securely.As a result, they have discovered that the above problems can be solved by providing a tongue-shaped handle which is fixed non-rotatably to the support frame, directly below or partially behind the support frame of the backrest, and extends downward beyond the support frame, and is fixed directly below or partially behind the support frame, and thus completed the present invention.

[0010] That is, according to the present invention, a foldable bathroom chair is provided which comprises a leg frame having legs and a backrest support part, a seat part rotatably attached to the leg frame, a support frame extending horizontally above the seat part and arranged on the backrest support part, a backrest part attached to the support frame, and a fixing part which is non-rotatably fixed to the support frame and has a tongue-shaped handle part which is directly below or partially behind the support frame and extends downward beyond the support frame.

[0011] According to the present invention, the handle used in the bathroom chair of the present invention is fixed to the support frame of the backrest so as not to be rotatable, has a tongue shape that is easy to grip with one hand, and is formed so that it is directly below the support frame or a part of it extends downward from the support frame behind the support frame, so that it does not actually protrude further rearward than the backrest and the support frame that supports the backrest, and is safe and does not get in the way when a caregiver or the like assists a person being cared for from behind the bathroom chair. In addition, the compactness and space-saving properties of the bathroom chair are not lost when it is folded.

[0012] It is preferable that the handle portion used in the bathroom chair of the present invention has a recess that is recessed from the front to the rear, and further, the handle portion comprises a first flat member extending vertically and a second flat member connected to the first flat member and formed approximately perpendicular to the first flat member, the second flat member having a surface that contacts the proximal phalanges of the user's fingers when the user places his or her hand on it, and a back surface that contacts the distal phalanges of the user's fingers, and it is preferable that the handle portion has a downward trapezoidal shape with the lower base as the short side when viewed from the front.

[0013] According to the present invention, when a user places his / her hand on the handle from behind the backrest, the distal phalanges of the fingers of the user rest on the rear surface of the second plate-like member, the middle phalanges of the fingers of the user rest on the end of the second plate-like member, and the proximal phalanges of the fingers of the user rest on the surface of the second plate-like member, so that the user's fingers are guided to a predetermined position on the handle and the gripping condition is stabilized. Also, the recess of the handle has approximately the same depth as the distal phalanges of the fingers of an average adult, and further, the downward trapezoidal first plate-like member supports the metacarpal region, called the palm, over a wide contact area, so that the user can stably grasp and operate the handle. Effect of the Invention

[0014] The handle used in the bathroom chair of the present invention is fixed to the support frame of the backrest so as not to be rotatable, has a tongue shape that is easy to grip with one hand, and is formed so that it is directly below the support frame or a part of it extends downward from the support frame behind the support frame, so it does not actually protrude further rearward than the backrest and the support frame that supports the backrest, and is safe and does not get in the way when a caregiver assists a person being cared for from behind the bathroom chair. In addition, the bathroom chair's compactness and space-saving properties are not lost when it is folded.

[0015] According to the present invention, when a user places his / her hand on the back of the backrest, the distal phalanges of the fingers of the user rest on the rear surface of the second plate-like member, the middle phalanges of the fingers of the user rest on the end of the second plate-like member, and the proximal phalanges of the fingers of the user rest on the surface of the second plate-like member, so that the user's fingers are guided to a predetermined position on the handle and the gripping condition is stabilized. The depression of the handle has a depth substantially equal to the distal phalanges of the fingers of an average adult, and the downward trapezoidal first plate-like member supports the metacarpal region, called the palm, over a wide contact area, so that the user can stably grasp and operate the handle. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] Perspective view of the bathroom chair according to an embodiment of the present invention, seen from the front. [Figure 2a] Side view of the bathroom chair shown in FIG. 1, showing the state where the legs of the bathroom chair are opened and the seat is deployed. [Figure 2b] Side view of the bathroom chair shown in FIG. 1, showing the state where the legs of the bathroom chair are closed and the seat is folded. [Diagram 3] Enlarged perspective view of the vicinity of the backrest when the bathroom chair shown in FIG. 1 is seen from the rear. [Figure 4a] Rear view of the bathroom chair shown in FIG. 1, showing the state where the backrest is at its highest. [Figure 4b] Rear view of the bathroom chair shown in FIG. 1, showing the state where the backrest is at its lowest. [Figure 5a] Cross-sectional view of the bathroom chair shown in FIG. 4a, seen from the side, which is the cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 4a. [Figure 5b] Cross-sectional view of the bathroom chair shown in FIG. 4b, seen from the side, which is the cross-sectional view taken along line B-B of FIG. 4b. [Figure 6] Perspective view of the backrest of the bathroom chair of this embodiment, partially disassembled, when seen from the front. [Figure 7] Partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the backrest of the cross-sectional view of the bathroom chair shown in FIG. 5a. [Figure 8] Perspective view of the backrest of the bathroom chair of this embodiment, partially disassembled, when seen from the rear. [Figure 9] Enlarged perspective view of the fixing part, block part and pair of sliders used in the bathroom chair of this embodiment. [Figure 10] Enlarged perspective view of the pair of rack parts, block part and biasing means used in the bathroom chair of this embodiment. [Figure 11] Front view of the fixing part used in the bathroom chair of this embodiment. [Figure 12] Perspective view of the fixing part shown in FIG. 11, seen from the opposite side. [Figure 13]1 is an enlarged perspective view of a shower head fixing hook used in the bathroom chair of this embodiment. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] A bathroom chair according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the following examples, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention.

[0018] <Overall structure of the bathroom chair> Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a bathroom chair 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention, as seen from the front. Fig. 2a and Fig. 2b are side views of the bathroom chair 1 shown in Fig. 1, with (a) showing the bathroom chair 1 with its legs spread and its seat 3 unfolded, and (b) showing the bathroom chair 1 with its legs closed and its seat 3 folded up. Fig. 3 shows an enlarged perspective view of the backrest 6 and its vicinity when the bathroom chair 1 of this embodiment is seen from behind.

[0019] In this specification, unless otherwise specified, the front side of the backrest 6 of the bathroom chair 1 is referred to as the "front" side, the back side of the backrest 6 is referred to as the "rear" side, the left-hand side when the user is seated on the bathroom chair 1 is referred to as the "left" side, and the right-hand side is referred to as the "right" side. In addition, in the X, Y, Z coordinate system, the direction approximately parallel to the Z axis is referred to as the "vertical direction", "vertical direction" or "longitudinal direction", and the direction approximately parallel to the X-Y axis plane is referred to as the "horizontal direction" or "transverse direction".

[0020] As shown in Figure 1, the bathroom chair 1 of this embodiment comprises a pair of left and right leg frames 2, a seat portion 3 and armrests 5 rotatably attached to the leg frames 2, and a backrest portion 6 attached to a support frame 20 extending horizontally between the pair of left and right leg frames 2.

[0021] The leg frame 2 is formed from a hollow metal pipe, and includes a pair of left and right front leg frames 21 and a pair of left and right rear leg frames 22. However, the material and form of the leg frame 2 are not limited to hollow metal pipes, and it may be made of pipe-shaped members, rod-shaped members, etc. made of general materials such as resin materials.

[0022] The front leg frame 21 includes a leg section 210 and a backrest support section 211 extending upward from the leg section 210. A portion of the leg section 210 can be extended or retracted by sliding an inserted pipe, and a resin cap 212 is attached to the tip of the inserted pipe to prevent slipping and damage to the floor.

[0023] The support frame 20 is arranged to connect the pair of left and right front leg frames 21 at the upper end of the backrest support portion 211. In this embodiment, the support frame 20 is formed integrally and continuously with the front leg frames 21 by bending a hollow pipe, but it may also be attached between the pair of left and right front leg frames 21 as a separate part.

[0024] The pair of left and right rear leg frames 22 are each rotatably attached to the legs 210 of the pair of left and right front leg frames 21, and part of the rear leg frames 22 can be extended and retracted by sliding an inserted pipe, just like the front leg frames 21, and a resin cap 212 is attached to the tip of the inserted pipe to prevent slipping and scratching the floor.

[0025] As shown in Fig. 1, the pair of left and right armrests 5 are rotatably attached to the backrest support parts 211 of the pair of left and right front leg frames 21, respectively, and are mainly made of a resin material. When using the chair 1, the armrests 5 can be laid down horizontally like the right armrest 5 in Fig. 1, and when folding the chair 1, they can be flipped up vertically like the left armrest 5 in Fig. 1 for storage, etc.

[0026] As shown in Fig. 3, the backrest 6 is attached to the support frame 20 provided at the upper end of the front leg frame 21 using bolts 81 and nuts so that it can be raised and lowered, and is provided with a height adjustment means 7, which will be described later, so that its height can be adjusted relative to the support frame 20. Also, as shown in Fig. 1, the backrest 6 is mainly made of a resin material, and a backrest cushion 600 made of foamed resin is removably attached to the front surface of the backrest 6.

[0027] 1 and 2a and 2b, the seat 3 is rotatably attached to the upper ends of the pair of left and right rear leg frames 22, and is connected via a link 31 to a reinforcing frame 23 that is attached so as to connect the pair of left and right front leg frames 21. The seat 3 is mainly made of a resin material, and a seat cushion 30 made of foamed resin is attached to the front surface of the seat 3.

[0028] The seat 3 is provided with a locking and unlocking means 4 that engages or disengages with a locking portion provided on the front leg frame 21 by moving a lever 40 provided on the rear end. Therefore, when folding the bathroom chair 1 in this embodiment, the lever 40 is lifted upward with one hand to release the engagement between the seat 3 and the front leg frame 21 by the locking and unlocking means 4, and the seat 3 rotates from the horizontally unfolded state to the vertically folded state, so that the bathroom chair 1 can be easily closed (Fig. 2b). On the other hand, when opening the bathroom chair 1, with only the leg 210 of the front leg frame 21 raised off the floor, the rear end or the upper end of the backrest 6 is pressed against the floor so that the seat 3 becomes horizontal, and the seat 3 rotates from the vertically folded state to the horizontally unfolded state, and the locking and unlocking means 4 engages with the front leg frame 21, so that the bathroom chair 1 can be easily and safely closed (Fig. 2a).

[0029] Although not shown, in the present invention, the seat 3 does not necessarily need to be rotatably attached to the rear leg frames 22, but may be rotatably attached to the front leg frames 21. In this case, by connecting the pair of rear leg frames 22 on the left and right sides via a link, the seat 3 can be easily folded and unfolded in the same way as the bathroom chair 1 of this embodiment.

[0030] <Means for adjusting the backrest height> Figures 4a and 4b are rear views of the bathroom chair 1 of this embodiment, where (a) shows the state in which the backrest 6 is adjusted to the highest position, and (b) shows the state in which the backrest 6 is adjusted to the lowest position. Figures 5a and 5b are cross-sectional views seen from the side of the bathroom chair 1 shown in Figures 4a and 4b, where (a) shows the AA cross-sectional view of Figure 4a, and (b) shows the BB cross-sectional view of Figure 4b.

[0031] As can be understood by referring to Figures 4a, b and 5a, b, the bathroom chair 1 of this embodiment is provided with a height adjustment means 7 for adjusting the height of the backrest portion 6, and by operating the height adjustment means 7, the backrest portion 6 can be raised and lowered, thereby adjusting the mounting position (height) of the backrest portion 6 relative to the bathroom chair 1 (support frame 20) to any desired height.

[0032] Fig. 6 shows a partially exploded perspective view of the backrest 6 of the bathroom chair 1 of this embodiment when viewed from the front, and Fig. 7 shows a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the backrest 6 of the cross-sectional view of the bathroom chair 1 shown in Fig. 5a. Also, Fig. 8 shows a partially exploded perspective view of the backrest 6 of the bathroom chair 1 when viewed from behind.

[0033] 3, 6 and 7, the backrest portion 6 comprises a backrest main body 60 for supporting the back and spine of the user, and fixing parts 8 and sliders 80 for attaching the backrest main body 60 to the support frame 20, and a backrest cushion 600 is attached to the front surface of the backrest main body 60. The backrest main body 60 has circular through-holes 61 near the left and right ends, and the backrest cushion 600 is detachably attached to the backrest main body 60 by fitting boss parts 601 of the backrest cushion 600 into the through-holes 61 while elastically deforming.

[0034] The backrest main body 60 has a pair of left and right slide holes 62 that are elongated vertically between a pair of left and right through holes 61, and a sliding wall 620 and a step portion 621 are formed on the inner peripheral surface of the slide hole 62. A track-shaped slider 80 is slidably housed in each slide hole 62 (FIG. 6). The backrest 6 is attached to the support frame 20 so that the backrest main body 60 and the fixed portion 8 are arranged to sandwich the support frame 20 from the front and rear directions, and the fixed portion 8 and the slider 80 are connected (with nuts) by inserting a bolt 81 through an insertion hole provided in the horizontal direction of the support frame 20, thereby allowing the backrest 6 to be raised and lowered.

[0035] FIG. 9 shows an enlarged perspective view of the fixing part 8, the block part 71, and the pair of left and right sliders 80 used in the bathroom chair 1 of this embodiment.

[0036] 9, the slider 80 has a sliding surface 800 extending in the sliding direction that comes into sliding contact with the sliding wall 620 of the slide hole 62, so that the backrest main body 60 can be raised and lowered smoothly without rattling relative to the slider 80. In addition, the slider 80 has a width size that is shorter than the length of the slide hole 62 in the sliding direction and wider than the opening width of the step portion 621, so that the backrest main body 60 (slide hole 62) does not fall off the slider 80 when the backrest main body 60 is raised or lowered.

[0037] The slider 80 is connected to the fixed part 8 by a bolt 81 inserted into the support frame 20, as well as two screws at the top and bottom. Therefore, the slider 80 can accurately and smoothly guide the backrest main body 60 to rise and fall through the slide hole 62 without rotating relative to the bolt 81. The slider 80 is connected to the fixed part 8 at two points, left and right, sandwiching the rack part 70 described below (FIG. 9). The bolts 81 and screws connecting the slider 80 and the fixed part 8 are inserted into each of the pair of left and right slide holes 62 of the backrest main body 60, so that the backrest main body 60 can accurately and smoothly rise and fall without rotating relative to the fixed part 8 and the support frame 20 by the slider 80 arranged at two points, left and right.

[0038] The backrest main body 60 can be adjusted in its attachment angle (lifting and lowering direction) to the support frame 20 to any angle (direction) by changing the penetration angle of the insertion hole provided in the support frame 20 and by changing the attachment angle of the fixed part 8 relative to the support frame 20 and the slider 80 connected to the fixed part 8.

[0039] In this embodiment, the mounting angle of the fixed part 8 and the slider 80 is adjusted by the height adjustment means 7 so that the backrest part 6 (backrest main body 60) can be raised and lowered in the vertical direction, so that even if the height of the backrest part 6 is changed, as shown in Figures 5a and 5b, the horizontal distance L between the backrest part 6 (e.g., the front side) and the seat part 3 (e.g., the rear end) in a plan view, in other words, the relative position of the backrest part 6 (e.g., the front side) with respect to the seat part 3 (e.g., the rear end) in a plan view does not change, so that the seating position of the care recipient, etc. can be stabilized. Note that the front side of the backrest part 6 is formed so as to be inclined from the rear side to the front side as it goes from the top to the bottom, so that the front side of the backrest part 6 can be kept in a moderate backward inclination regardless of the height of the backrest part 6, thereby providing a comfortable sitting experience for the user.

[0040] FIG. 10 is an enlarged perspective view of a pair of left and right rack portions 70, a block portion 71, and a biasing means 72 used in the bathroom chair 1 of this embodiment, viewed from the opposite direction to that of FIG.

[0041] As shown in Figs. 8 and 10, in this embodiment, the height adjustment means 7 includes a pair of left and right rack portions 70 (hereinafter, they may be referred to as the "first rack portion 70" and the "second rack portion 70") arranged on the back surface of the backrest main body 60, a block portion 71 that engages with the rack portions 70, and a biasing means 72 that biases the rack portions 70 to engage with the block portions 71. In this embodiment, the first rack portion 70 and the second rack portion 70 are arranged in mirror symmetry with respect to the biasing means 72, and have the same shape. Therefore, the components that make up the first rack portion 70 and the components that make up the second rack portion 70 will be described using the same reference numerals as in the first and second rack portions 70.

[0042] As shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the block portion 71 is made of a flattened block piece having a generally rectangular shape as a whole, and includes a pair of left and right first and second locking portions 710 arranged in a C-shape in a plan view. The block portion 71 is replaceably fixed to the inside of the fixed portion 8 by placing (positioning) a connection end 711 opposite to the end of the block portion 71 on which the first and second locking portions 710 are formed on a shelf portion 82 provided inside the fixed portion 8 and fastening it with a screw (Figs. 7 and 9). Furthermore, the fixed portion 8 is connected (with a nut) to the slider 80 with the support frame 20 in between (Figs. 3 and 7), and the block portion 71 is fixed to the support frame 20 via the fixed portion 8 so as not to be able to rotate. In the present invention, of the pair of left and right locking portions 710 formed on the block portion 71, the locking portion that engages with the first engagement portion 702 of the rack portion 70 described later is sometimes referred to as the "first locking portion 710," and the locking portion that engages with the second engagement portion 702 is sometimes referred to as the "second locking portion 710."

[0043] In the block portion 71, the locking portion 710 may wear due to repeated engagement and disengagement with the engaging portion 710 of the rack portion 70. Therefore, by removably attaching the block portion 71 to the fixed portion 8, it can be easily replaced, improving maintainability.

[0044] Each of the pair of left and right rack parts 70 has a vertically extending support part 700 and a plurality of claw parts 701 protruding horizontally from the support part 700, and a plurality of concave engagement parts 702 that engage with the locking part 710 of the block part 71 (FIG. 10) are formed between the upper claw part 701 and the lower claw part 701. Furthermore, a knob part 704 is provided on the upper part of the first and second rack parts 70, so that the first and second rack parts 70 can be easily operated with one hand, for example, using the thumb and index finger. In this embodiment, five claw parts 701 define four engagement parts 702, but the number of claw parts 701 and the number of engagement parts 702 are not particularly limited and may be determined according to the desired height adjustment range and height adjustment pitch of the backrest part 6. In the present invention, of the pair of left and right rack portions 70, the engagement portion formed on the first rack portion 70 may be referred to as the "first engagement portion 702," and the engagement portion formed on the second rack portion 70 may be referred to as the "second rack portion 70."

[0045] The shape of each of the claw portions 701 and the shape of each of the engagement portions 702 are not particularly limited and may be any shape as long as they are capable of engaging with the locking portion 710 of the block portion 71. In this embodiment, of the five claw portions 701, the three central claw portions 701 other than the topmost claw portion 701 and the bottommost claw portion 701 all have the same shape, and of the four concave engagement portions 702, the three upper engagement portions 702 other than the bottommost engagement portion 702 all have the same shape.

[0046] In order to guide the horizontal sliding of the first rack portion 70 and the second rack portion 70, the backrest portion 6 is provided with three-stage guide ribs 63 (FIG. 8) extending horizontally on the back surface of the backrest portion 6, and the first and second rack portions 70 are provided with three-stage slide grooves 703 (FIG. 10) that slidably hold the guide ribs 63 between the topmost claw portion 701 and the bottommost claw portion 701 and the second and third claw portions 701 from the top. The topmost claw portion 701 and the bottommost claw portion 701 are extended horizontally longer than the claw portions 701 of the other stages, and the length of the slide grooves 703 is extended, so that the sliding movement of the first and second rack portions 70 is guided by the slide grooves 703 and the guide ribs 63, making it even more accurate and smooth.

[0047] Furthermore, of the four first engagement portions 702 formed on the first rack portion 70, the upper three concave first engagement portions 702 are defined by at least a first downward surface 705 parallel to the sliding direction of the first rack portion 70, a first upward surface 706 that is shorter than the first downward surface 705 and parallel to the sliding direction of the first rack portion 70, and a first inclined surface 707 that is connected to the first upward surface 706 and extends diagonally downward further than the sliding direction of the first rack portion 70 (Figure 10). Furthermore, of the four second engagement portions 702 formed on the second rack portion 70, the upper three concave second engagement portions 702 are defined by at least a second downward surface 705 parallel to the sliding direction of the second rack portion 70, a second upward surface 706 that is shorter than the second downward surface 705 and parallel to the sliding direction of the second rack portion 70, and a second inclined surface 707 that is connected to the second upward surface 706 and extends diagonally downward further than the sliding direction of the second rack portion 70 (Figure 10).

[0048] When the rack portion 70 is engaged with the block portion 71, the first and second downward surfaces 705 engage with the upper surfaces of the first and second locking portions 710 of the block portion 71 with a contact area larger than that of the first and second upward surfaces 706, so that the load-bearing capacity of the backrest portion 6 from top to bottom is improved and it is possible to reliably prevent the backrest portion 6 from descending due to its own weight. On the other hand, since the first and second engaging portions 702 have the first and second inclined surfaces 707, when the engagement between the rack portion 70 and the block portion 71 is released and the knob portion 704 (backrest main body 60) is lifted, the first and second rack portions 70 are guided away from each other by the first and second inclined surfaces 707 sliding against the lower surfaces of the first and second locking portions 710 of the block portion 71 halfway through the complete release of the engagement, so that the lifting of the backrest portion 6 against its own weight is smooth.

[0049] 8 and 10, the first rack portion 70 and the second rack portion 70 each have two protrusions, and the protrusions are arranged to face each other between the first rack portion 70 and the second rack portion 70. A biasing means 72 made of a helical metal spring is supported on both sides by the protrusions of the first and second rack portions 70 and biases the first rack portion 70 and the second rack portion 70 so that the first engagement portion 702 engages with the first locking portion 710 of the block portion 71 and the second engagement portion 702 engages with the second locking portion 710 of the block portion 71.

[0050] As described above, the bathroom chair 1 of this embodiment is equipped with height adjustment means 7 for the backrest portion 6 having the configuration described above, so that when not in operation, the first and second rack portions 70 are biased by the biasing means 72 to open to the left and right, and the first and second engagement portions 702 of the rack portion 70 accommodate and engage the first and second locking portions 710 of the block portion 71, so that the raising and lowering of the backrest portion 6 is securely locked.

[0051] On the other hand, when changing the height of the backrest 6, for example, by pinching the pair of left and right knobs 704 of the first and second rack portions 70 with the thumb and index finger, the first and second rack portions 70 slide horizontally so as to approach each other, and the first and second locking portions 710 are disengaged from the first and second engaging portions 702, so that the engagement between the first and second engaging portions 702 and the first and second locking portions 710 can be easily released with one hand. Since the knobs 704 are formed near the upper ends of the first and second rack portions 70, respectively, by releasing the engagement and raising or lowering the knobs 704 at the same time, the backrest 6 can be easily raised or lowered with one hand via the knobs 704. Finally, when the hands are released from the pair of left and right knobs 704 of the first and second rack portions 70, the first and second rack portions 70 slide horizontally away from each other, and the first and second locking portions 710 again receive and engage the first and second engagement portions 702 therein, thereby locking the raising and lowering of the backrest portion 6 and completing the height adjustment of the backrest portion 6.

[0052] Thus, even though the bathroom chair 1 of this embodiment is foldable, the height of the backrest 6 can be adjusted in multiple stages within the range of the height of the backrest main body 60, and the shape of the chair can be changed to suit the shape of the spine and the physique of the person being cared for. In particular, when the person being cared for using the bathroom chair 1 has a round kyphosis, the bathroom chair 1 of this embodiment can adjust the height of the backrest 6 to a position that does not press on the convex part of the spine of the person being cared for (specifically, a position where the height of the upper end of the backrest main body 60 relative to the seat surface of the seat portion 3 is about 250 mm), and can deal with the person being cared for who has a round kyphosis of about 80% or more without causing pain.

[0053] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the height adjustment means 7 is configured so as not to protrude beyond the upper or lower part of the backrest main body 60. Therefore, for example, when washing the back of a person being cared for, a caregiver can support the body of the person being cared for with one hand while using the other hand to raise and lower the backrest portion 6 to a position (height) that does not get in the way, and can easily wash the back of the person being cared for from the upper or lower space of the backrest main body 60.

[0054] In this embodiment, as the height adjustment means 7 for the backrest portion 6, a manual engagement pin or the like that can be moved forward and backward is provided on the support frame 20 of the bathroom chair 1, and instead of fixing a rack portion or the like to the backrest main body 60, a rack portion 70 that can slide horizontally is provided on the rear side of the backrest main body 60 and an engagement portion 710 is fixed to the support frame 20. This makes it possible to operate the backrest main body 60 and the rack portion 70 together, and the height of the backrest portion 6 can be easily adjusted with one hand.

[0055] In this embodiment, the knob 704 is provided near the upper end of the first and second rack parts 70, but it is not necessary to provide the knob 704. For example, the rack part 70 may be configured to be directly pinched from the side and slid (not shown). In addition, the position where the knob 704 is provided is not necessarily near the upper end of the rack part 70. For example, the knob 704 may be provided at the lower end of the first and second rack parts 70 or near the center of the rack part 70 in the vertical direction (not shown). When the knob 704 is provided near the lower end of the rack part 70, water is less likely to splash on the knob 704 or water is less likely to accumulate on the knob 704, which improves the durability of the height adjustment means 7 and the operability due to the prevention of slipping. In addition, the knob 704 is not necessary to be formed integrally with the first and second rack parts 70 as in this embodiment, and may be configured as a separate part so as to be replaceable (not shown).

[0056] <Handle part> FIG. 11 shows a front view of a fixing part 8 used in the bathroom chair 1 of this embodiment, and FIG. 12 shows a perspective view of the fixing part 8 shown in FIG. 11 as seen from the opposite side.

[0057] As clearly shown in Figures 11 and 12, the bathroom chair 1 of this embodiment has a handle portion 9 formed integrally and continuously with the lower part of the above-mentioned fixed portion 8, and the handle portion 9 is attached to the support frame 20 of the bathroom chair 1 by fixing the fixed portion 8 to the support frame 20 (Figures 3 and 7).

[0058] In this embodiment, the handle portion 9 mainly means a portion on which the user of the bathroom chair 1 places his / her hand, and the fixed portion 8 mainly means a portion for attaching the handle portion 9 to the support frame 20, and the handle portion 9 itself may also function as the fixed portion 8 and be directly attached to the support frame 20. The fixed portion 8 may also have the function of fixing the backrest portion 6 to the support frame 20 as in this embodiment, or may be a dedicated part only for fixing the handle portion 9 to the support frame 20. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the handle portion 9 and the fixed portion 8 are integrally formed, but they are not necessarily integrally formed and may be configured as separate parts. It is preferable that the handle portion 9 is mainly formed from a resin material in consideration of water resistance, moldability, light weight, etc., but is not limited thereto.

[0059] In this embodiment, the support frame 20 is provided with two insertion holes penetrating the support frame 20 in the horizontal direction (FIG. 7). The handle portion 9 is attached to the support frame 20 by aligning the insertion hole of the fixed portion 8, the insertion hole of the slider 80, and the insertion hole of the support frame 20, and by inserting a bolt 81 into the insertion holes of the components 8, 20, and 80 to connect (fasten with a nut) the fixed portion 8 and the slider 80. However, the fixed portion 8 does not need to be fixed to the support frame 20 using the bolt 81, nut, and slider 80 as in this embodiment, and may be directly attached to the support frame 20 by, for example, screwing.

[0060] The handle portion 9 of this embodiment has a downward trapezoidal shape with the lower base as the short side in a front view, as shown in Fig. 11. Also, as shown in Figs. 7 and 12, the handle portion 9 includes a first flat plate member 91 extending vertically, and a second flat plate member 92 connected to the first flat plate member 91 and formed so as to be substantially perpendicular to the first flat plate member 91, the second flat plate member 92 having a surface 920 against which the proximal phalanges of the fingers of the user come into contact when the user places his / her hand on the second flat plate member 92, and a back surface 921 against which the distal phalanges of the fingers of the user come into contact, and the handle portion 9 as a whole has a tongue shape having a depression 90 recessed from the front to the rear.

[0061] Therefore, when a user places his / her hand on the rear of the backrest portion 6, the distal phalange region of the fingers rests on the back surface 921 of the second flat plate member 92, the middle phalange region of the fingers abuts the end of the second flat plate member 92, and the proximal phalange region of the fingers abuts the surface 920 of the second flat plate member 92, so that the user's fingers are guided to a predetermined position on the handle portion 9 and the grip is stabilized.

[0062] In particular, the second flat-plate member 92 has a horizontal surface forming the bottom of a downward trapezoid and slopes rising obliquely from both ends thereof, so that the user's four fingers from the index finger to the little finger are guided to the bottom of the trapezoid, ensuring a secure grip between the user's fingers and the handle 9. In addition, the depression 90 of the handle 9 has approximately the same depth as the distal phalanges of the fingers of an average adult, and furthermore, the downward trapezoid first flat-plate member 91 supports the metacarpal region, known as the palm, over a wide contact area, allowing the user to stably grasp and operate the handle 9.

[0063] Further, the handle portion 9 of this embodiment has a feature that the first flat plate member 91 connected to the second flat plate member 92 extends downward behind the support frame 20 and is fixed to the support frame 20 so that all or a part of the second flat plate member 92 is disposed directly below the support frame 20. In other words, the handle portion 9 of this embodiment is disposed so that a part of its recess 90 and / or a part of the second flat plate member 92 overlaps with the vertical region of the support frame 20, as shown in FIG.

[0064] Therefore, the handle portion 9 of this embodiment can substantially eliminate protrusion behind the backrest portion 6 and the support frame 20, compared to a case in which the handle portion is provided behind the support frame 20 by curving the support frame 20 further backward so as to move it away from the backrest portion 6, or by attaching a dedicated handrail (frame, etc.) to the rear of the support frame 20. Therefore, the handle portion 9 of this embodiment is highly safe, and does not impair the compactness and space-saving properties of the chair especially after folding, making it extremely useful for a foldable bathroom chair 1 such as this embodiment.

[0065] In addition, the handle portion 9 of this embodiment is fixed to the support frame 20 so that it cannot rotate, and is tongue-shaped with a recess 90 defined by the first flat plate-shaped member 91 and the second flat plate-shaped member 92, etc., so that the user's fingers can be securely gripped. Use of the handle portion 9 of this embodiment not only facilitates the upward pulling operation (folding operation) required for the foldable bathroom chair 1, but also makes it easy to move the bathroom chair 1 backwards with its legs spread.

[0066] <Shower head fixing hook> FIG. 13 shows an enlarged perspective view of the shower head fixing hook 10 used in the bathroom chair 1 of this embodiment.

[0067] 3, 11 and 13, bathroom chair 1 of this embodiment is equipped with fixing part 8 having anti-rotation stopper 83 as anti-rotation means, and shower head fixing hook 10 which is fixed non-rotatably to support frame 20 by engaging with anti-rotation stopper 83. Shower head fixing hook 10 has holder part 100 which detachably holds a shower head (not shown) vertically, and is directly and detachably attached to support frame 20 by fixing fixing part 8 having anti-rotation stopper 83 to support frame 20 of bathroom chair 1 non-rotatably (FIG. 3).

[0068] In this embodiment, the shower head fixing hook 10 is directly attached to the support frame 20 while engaging with the anti-rotation stopper 83, but the meaning of "directly" in this invention also includes an embodiment in which the support frame 20 is covered with a protective cover or the like (not shown) and the shower head fixing hook 10 is attached to the support frame 20 from above the protective cover. Furthermore, the fixing part 8 may also have the function of fixing the backrest part 6 to the support frame 20 as in this embodiment, or it may be a dedicated part solely for fixing the shower head fixing hook 10 to the support frame 20.

[0069] In the shower head fixing hook 10 of this embodiment, the fixing part 8 has tongue-shaped or rod-shaped anti-rotation devices 83 extending laterally near both ends (FIGS. 11 and 12). In this embodiment, the anti-rotation devices 83 are tongue-shaped or rod-shaped, but are not limited thereto as long as they can engage with the anti-rotation device provided on the shower head fixing hook 10 as the other rotation prevention means described below. For example, a male part of a male-female structure may be provided on either the fixing part 8 or the shower head fixing hook 10, and a female part may be provided on the other. There are also no particular limitations on the number or arrangement of the anti-rotation devices 83 provided on the fixing part 8, and these may be determined appropriately within the range in which the fixing part 8 can be attached to the support frame 20.

[0070] 13, the shower head fixing hook 10 has a gripping portion 101 made of a pair of gutter-shaped members arranged facing each other and whose inner circumferential surface is formed to conform to the outer circumferential surface of the semi-cylindrical support frame 20, a slit-shaped clamping portion 102 formed in the upper part of the inner circumferential surface of the gripping portion 11 and which engages with the rotation stopper 83 of the fixing portion 8, and a holder portion 100 provided on the side of the gripping portion 101 and which holds a handle (not shown) of the shower head in the vertical direction. Note that in this embodiment, the inner circumferential surfaces of the gripping portion 101 and the clamping portion 102 are formed continuously so that the clamping portion 102 of the gripping portion 101 and the rotation stopper 83 of the fixing portion 8 can be smoothly engaged and disengaged.

[0071] In this embodiment, in order to ensure a more reliable engagement between the anti-rotation stop 83 and the clamping portion 102 and prevent the shower head fixing hook 10 from accidentally falling off, at least one of the front and back surfaces of the anti-rotation stop 83 is provided with a recess 830 (FIGS. 11 and 12), and the inner peripheral surface of the clamping portion 102 is provided with a dome-shaped protrusion (not shown) that engages with the recess 830. In this embodiment, the recess 830 of the anti-rotation stop 83 is a circular through-hole (FIGS. 11 and 12).

[0072] In this embodiment, the gripping portion 101 and the holder portion 100 are arranged so that the central axis a of the gripping portion 101 extending horizontally and the central axis b of the holder portion 100 extending vertically are perpendicular to each other (FIG. 13). Therefore, by pushing the gripping portion 101 of the shower head fixing hook 10 from above downward along the outer periphery of the support frame 20 and simultaneously inserting the clamping portion 102 of the shower head fixing hook 10 into the rotation stopper 83 of the fixing portion 8, the shower head fixing hook 10 can be easily attached to the support frame 20 so as not to rotate, and the holder portion 100 is arranged vertically so as to hold the shower head vertically (FIG. 3). When removing the shower head fixing hook 10 from the support frame 20, the shower head fixing hook 10 can be pulled up from below along the outer periphery of the support frame 20 in the opposite manner to when it was attached.

[0073] In this embodiment, the shower head fixing hook 10 is preferably formed mainly from a resin material in consideration of water resistance, moldability, light weight, etc., but is not limited to this. For example, in this embodiment, the gripping part 101 is made of a resin material, and the gripping part 101 can be smoothly and securely attached to the support frame 20 by elastically deforming. In addition, the holder part 100 is formed in a C-shape, and in combination with the elastic deformation of the holder part 100, it can accommodate shower heads with various outer diameters and can securely hold the shower head.

[0074] In this way, the shower head fixing hook 10 of this embodiment is detachable from the support frame 20, so when folding up the bathroom chair 1 for storage, the shower head fixing hook 10 can be easily removed from the bathroom chair 1 if not needed, and this does not impair the compactness and space-saving properties after folding, which is extremely beneficial for a foldable bathroom chair 1 such as this embodiment. Furthermore, the shower head fixing hook 10 of this embodiment can be non-rotatably attached to the support frame 20 by the rotation stopper 83 of the fixing part 8, even if the support frame 20 is a cylindrical pipe shape, so the shower head will not move due to the reaction force of the water flow when using a shower, and a caregiver or the like can wash the body of the care recipient or the like with one hand while the care recipient or the like is sitting on the bathroom chair 1.

[0075] Furthermore, as described above, the shower head fixing hook 10 of this embodiment has a simple structure comprising gripping portion 101, slit-shaped clamping portion 102 formed on the inner surface of gripping portion 101, and holder portion 100 that holds a shower head (not shown), and is therefore compact and can be manufactured inexpensively. [Explanation of symbols]

[0076] 1...bathroom chair 2. Leg frame 20 Support frame 21....Near landing gear frame 210...legs 211 Backrest support 212 Cap 22 Rear leg frame 23 Reinforcement frame 3... Seat part 30····Seat cushion 31. Link 4. Locking and unlocking methods 40 Lever 5. Armrest 6 Backrest 60 Backrest body 600···Backrest cushion 601 Boss part 61...Through hole 62····Slide hole 620...Sliding wall 621...Double section 63 Guide rib 7. Height adjustment means 70... Rack section (first and second rack sections) 700...Strut section 701 Claw part 702 Engagement portion (first and second engagement portions) 703···Slide groove 704...Knob 705... 1st and 2nd downward facing surfaces 706... 1st and 2nd upward facing surfaces 707 First and second inclined surfaces 71 Block section 710 Locking portion (first and second locking portions) 711 Connection end 72.... Actuating means 8... Fixed part 80···Slider 800···Sliding surface 81... Volts 82...Shelf section 83... Anti-rotation means (stop) 830....Recess (through hole) 9...Handle part 90... recess 91... First flat plate member 92... Second flat plate member 920...Surface 921...Back side 10····Shower head fixing hook 100···Holder part 101 Grip part 102...Holding part L...Horizontal distance a: Central axis of gripping part b Central axis of holder

Claims

1. a leg frame having a leg portion and a backrest support portion; A seat portion rotatably attached to the leg frame; A support frame extending horizontally above the seat portion and disposed on the backrest support portion; a backrest portion attached to the support frame; and a fixed portion that is fixed to the support frame so as not to be rotatable, the fixed portion having a tongue-shaped handle portion that extends downward from the support frame directly below or partially behind the support frame; A foldable bathroom chair equipped with:

2. 2. The bathroom chair according to claim 1, wherein the handle portion has a recess extending from the front to the rear.

3. The handle is a first planar member extending in a vertical direction; a second flat-plate member connected to the first flat-plate member and formed so as to be substantially perpendicular to the first flat-plate member, the second flat-plate member having a surface against which the proximal phalanges of the fingers of the user come into contact when the user places his / her hand on the second flat-plate member, and a back surface against which the distal phalanges of the fingers of the user come into contact when the user places his / her hand on the second flat-plate member; The bathroom chair according to claim 2, characterized in that, when viewed from the front, it has a downward trapezoidal shape with the lower base as the short side.

Images