Walking aid vehicle

Abstract

To provide a walking aid vehicle with improved safety.SOLUTION: A walking aid vehicle includes: an upper frame 21 having a handle part 32 that can be gripped with the arm placed in an armrest 31; a lower frame 20 with wheels 1 for supporting the upper frame 21 through a connection part extending up and down in front of an aid target person; a first body pad 30a capable of supporting the body of the aid target person from right and left sides; a second body pad 30b positioned above the first body pad 30a capable of supporting the body of the aid target person who almost falls backward from behind; a knee supporter 80 that comes in contact with the folded knee of the aid target person and prevents the knee from being further folded in an overturn movement in which the knee is folded forward and the body sinks downward; and an under-vehicle-body invasion prohibition guide 81 positioned below the knee supporter 80 having a cushion material including a support surface for receiving the foot or the lower leg when the aid target person almost falls backward, which prevents the foot or the lower leg from being caught between a road surface and the lower frame 20.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 21

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an ambulatory support vehicle for supporting the walking of a recipient who has difficulty walking on his / her own. [Background technology]

[0002] There have been known walking aids for assisting people who have weak legs and have difficulty walking on their own, such as sick people, physically disabled people, or elderly people, to walk. For example, the walking aid described in Patent Document 1 has wheels and a brake mechanism with a brake lever for applying the brakes to the wheels. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2016-68784 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Further improvements in safety are required for mobility aids.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide an ambulatory assistance vehicle with improved safety. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The walking aid vehicle of the present disclosure is: A body frame having wheels; A trunk support portion provided on the main body frame for supporting a trunk of the assistance recipient from the left and right sides; an electromagnetic locking mechanism configured to electromagnetically move a locking member for locking the wheel to either a locked position or an unlocked position, the trunk support part is configured to be switchable between a supporting posture for supporting the trunk of the person to be assisted and a separation allowing posture for allowing the person to be assisted to separate, Switching the posture of the trunk support part to the supporting posture and moving the locking member to the unlocking position in response to a first predetermined operation; The posture of the fuselage support part is switched to the detachment allowing posture and the locking member is moved to the locking position in response to a second predetermined operation.

[0007] According to this configuration, the wheels are automatically unlocked when walking starts and the attitude of the torso support part switches to the supporting attitude, and the wheels are automatically locked when walking ends and the attitude of the torso support part switches to the release-permitting attitude, so safety can be ensured. And yet, the wheels are locked or unlocked simply by performing an operation to change the attitude of the torso support part without the need for any operation to lock the wheels, so two operations can be achieved with one operation, improving convenience. Therefore, it is possible to improve both safety and convenience. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the manually propelled vehicle of the first embodiment (with the torso support part in a supporting position) viewed from above and in the front; [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the manually propelled vehicle of the first embodiment (with the torso support part in a supporting position) viewed from above and behind; [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a front view of the handicapped vehicle of the first embodiment (with the torso support part in a supporting position) [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a rear view of the handicapped vehicle of the first embodiment (with the torso support part in a supporting position) seen from the rear; [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a side view of the handicapped vehicle of the first embodiment (with the torso support part in a supporting position) viewed from the left side; [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a plan view of the handicapped vehicle of the first embodiment (with the torso support part in a supporting position) viewed from above; [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a bottom view of the handicapped vehicle of the first embodiment (with the trunk support part in a supporting position) viewed from below; [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a control system of an ambulatory support vehicle according to a first embodiment. [Figure 9] A diagram showing the state of the wheels, the position of the electromagnetic locking mechanism, and the relationship with the brake unit. [Figure 10] A diagram showing the relationship between the state of the wheels, the position of the electromagnetic locking mechanism, and the brake unit. [Figure 11] A rear view showing the fuselage support section in the release-permitting position. [Figure 12] A side view showing the fuselage support part in a separation-permitting position. [Figure 13] FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a state in which the fuselage support part is in a separation-permitting position. [Figure 14] 1 is a flowchart showing a processing routine executed by a processor. [Figure 15] A block diagram showing a control system of an ambulatory assist vehicle according to a second embodiment. [Figure 16] Block diagram showing the data acquisition system for welfare equipment [Figure 17] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the handicapped vehicle according to the fourth embodiment, seen from above and in front; [Figure 18] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the manually propelled vehicle of the fourth embodiment, seen from above and behind; [Figure 19] FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of a first upper limit position of a load receiving portion by a first positioning member and a second positioning member; [Figure 20] FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of a second upper limit position of the load receiving portion by the first positioning member and the second positioning member; [Figure 21] FIG. 13 is a left side view of the handicapped vehicle according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 22] Side view of the left middle and rear wheels from the inside [Figure 23] FIG. 13 is a side view showing the positional relationship between the first wheel, the second wheel, the wheel frame, and the main body frame in the fourth embodiment; [Figure 24] FIG. 24 corresponds to FIG. 23 and shows a modified example of the fourth embodiment. [Diagram 25] Side view showing the lower limb support [Figure 26] Left side view with some of the components that make up the lower frame hidden [Figure 27] A perspective view from below and behind of a walking aid with the lower leg support hidden [Figure 28] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the positional relationship between a facing member, a standing area, and a lower leg supporter. [Figure 29] FIG. 29 corresponds to FIG. 28 and shows a modified example of the fourth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] [First embodiment] Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0010] 1, the walking aid vehicle has a main body frame 2 having wheels 1, a trunk support part 30 provided on the main body frame 2, and an electromagnetic locking mechanism 4 for locking the wheels 1. The walking aid vehicle is used to assist the person to be assisted in walking by making the wheels 1 rotatable while supporting the person to be assisted with the support parts 3 (trunk support part 30, armrests 31 or handle parts 32, 33) provided on the main body frame 2.

[0011] <Wheel 1> As shown in Figs. 1 to 7, a plurality of pairs of wheels 1 are provided on the main body frame 2 so as to form left and right pairs. In this embodiment, three pairs of wheels 1 are provided, including a pair of front wheels 1F, a pair of middle wheels 1C, and a pair of rear wheels 1R, but this is not limited thereto. For example, the number of pairs of wheels 1 may be changed. In this embodiment, the wheels 1 are disk-shaped wheels, but this is not limited thereto, and ball-shaped wheels or the like may be adopted. In this embodiment, a running motor such as a three-phase brushless motor is connected to the middle wheel 1C, and running control such as speed control according to the walking speed of the person to be assisted and diagonal motion suppression control by adjusting the left and right speeds is executed by the processor 50 (see Fig. 8).

[0012] <Main frame 2> The main body frame 2 has a lower frame 20 having wheels 1, and an upper frame 21 having support parts 3. The upper frame 21 is supported by the lower frame 20 so that it can be raised and lowered freely. The upper frame 21 rises and falls when driven by a lifting motor unit 60 (see FIG. 8), such as an electric cylinder. With this configuration, the person to be assisted can easily stand up and sit down, supported by the support parts 3 provided on the upper frame 21. The main body frame 2 is equipped with a battery (not shown), which serves as the power source for each motorized unit and control unit.

[0013] Specifically, the lower frame 20 has a U-shaped portion 20a formed in a U-shape in a plan view and an upright portion 20b standing up from the center of the U-shaped portion 20a. The upper frame 21 has a U-shaped portion 21a formed in a U-shape in a plan view and a down-hanging portion 21b hanging down from the center of the U-shaped portion 21a.

[0014] In the U-shaped portion 20a of the lower frame 20, a plurality of pairs of wheels 1 (three pairs of wheels: a front wheel 1F, a middle wheel 1C, and a rear wheel 1R in this embodiment) are arranged at intervals in the front-rear direction. The U-shaped portion 20a of the lower frame 20 also forms a foothold space for the assistance recipient to stand up. As a result, the wheels 1 are arranged on the front, rear, left and right sides of the assistance recipient who stands up in the foothold space, making it possible to properly support the assistance recipient. The standing portion 20b of the lower frame 20 supports the hanging portion 21b of the upper frame 21, and is configured so that the hanging portion 21b of the upper frame 21 is accommodated by the standing portion 20b of the lower frame 20 as the upper frame 21 rises and falls. As shown in FIG. 8, the lower frame 20 is provided with a lifting motor unit 60, an upper limit sensor 61 such as a switch that detects when the upper frame 21 has reached a predetermined upper limit height, and a lower limit sensor 62 such as a switch that detects when the upper frame 21 has reached a predetermined lower limit height. The upper limit sensor 61 and the lower limit sensor 62 function as sensors for detecting the height position of the upper frame 21 .

[0015] Returning to Figs. 1 to 7, the U-shaped portion 21a of the upper frame 21 is set to a size that allows the person to be supported to be surrounded from the front and the left and right sides. A torso support portion 30 and an armrest 31 are provided in the U-shaped portion 21a of the upper frame 21 at the left and right sides of the person to be supported. A second handle portion 33 is integrally formed with the armrest 31. The upper frame 21 is also provided with a first handle portion 32. The first handle portion 32 is located in front of the armrest 31, and is located at a position that allows it to be gripped with an arm placed on the armrest 31. The U-shaped portion 21a of the upper frame 21, the armrest 31, the first handle portion 32 and the trunk support portion 30 are each configured so that their positions can be adjusted, as will be described in detail later.

[0016] An operation unit 70 for operating the walking aid vehicle is provided in the center of the U-shaped portion 21a of the upper frame 21. As shown in Fig. 8, the operation unit 70 has an up command button 71 for raising the upper frame 21, a down command button 72 for lowering the upper frame 21, and a posture change command button 73 for changing the posture of the trunk support part 30. When these buttons 71 to 73 are operated, the processor 50 (control part) is configured to be able to detect this.

[0017] <Body support part 30> Returning to Figs. 1 to 7, the trunk support part 30 is provided on the upper frame 21 to support the trunk of the person to be assisted from the left and right sides. The trunk support part 30 is configured to be switchable between a support posture P1 (see Figs. 4 to 6) for supporting the trunk of the person to be assisted and a separation-permitting posture P2 (see Figs. 11 to 13) for allowing the person to be assisted to separate. In this embodiment, the trunk support part 30 has a first trunk pad 30a extending in the front-rear direction to support the trunk from the left and right sides, and a second trunk pad 30b for supporting the trunk from the rear. The second trunk pad 30b is rotated to change its position relative to the first trunk pad 30a, so that the posture of the trunk support part 30 can be switched between the support posture P1 and the separation-permitting posture P2. As shown in Figs. 4 and 6, the second trunk pad 30b in the support posture P1 is located in a position protruding inward in the left-right direction from at least a part of the support surface 30c of the first trunk pad 30a. 11 and 13, the second body pad 30b in the separation allowing position P2 is in a position retreated outward in the left-right direction from the support surface 30c of the first body pad 30a. As shown in Fig. 6, the front end of the first body pad 30a extends inward in the left-right direction, thereby preventing the person to be assisted from separating forward. That is, in this embodiment, the torso support unit 30 is configured to be able to support the torso of the person to be assisted not only from the left and right sides but also from the front and rear directions, and the departure allowing position P2 allows the person to be assisted to leave backwards. Note that if the front-to-back relationship is reversed, the torso support unit 30 in the departure allowing position P2 will allow the person to be assisted to leave forwards.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 4, the second trunk pad 30b in the support posture P1 is configured to be located higher than the support surface 30c of the first trunk pad 30a. With this configuration, when the person to be assisted is about to fall backward, the back of the person to be assisted can be supported at a higher position to reduce the load to be borne, and appropriate support can be achieved. Note that the second trunk pad 30b may be configured to support the person at the same height or lower than the first trunk pad 30a.

[0019] In general, both when walking and when stopping, the weight of the person to be assisted is likely to be exerted to the left and right sides and downward on the torso support part 30. If the position or posture of the torso support part 30 is changed by an electric part such as a motor, depending on the structure, the electric part may constantly bear the weight of the person to be assisted, which may result in high power consumption. Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figures 4 to 6, the first body pad 30a is directly or indirectly supported by the upper frame 21 (main body frame 2) without an electric motor. In this way, the weight of the person to be assisted that is directed to the left and right sides and downward, which occurs frequently, can be supported without an electric motor, making it possible to reduce power consumption. On the other hand, the second body pad 30b is supported by the first body pad 30a via a position-changing electric motor 63 such as a motor (see Figure 8).

[0020] In this specification, the support posture P1 does not only mean a posture in which the torso support part 30 contacts and restrains the torso, but also includes a posture in which a gap is provided between the torso and the supportable person, so that the supportable person can be supported at the initial stage of the movement leading to the toppling over. Also, although a particular part of the torso is not specified, the chest, or even the side of the chest, can be used as an effective part that can be supported at the initial stage of the movement.

[0021] <Electromagnetic lock mechanism 4> 9 and 10 are diagrams showing the relationship between the state of the wheel, the position of the electromagnetic locking mechanism 4, and the brake unit. FIG. 9(a) shows the state where the electromagnetic locking mechanism 4 is in the first position P3, the locking member 40 is in the unlocked position LP2, and the wheel 1 is in an unlocked state. FIG. 9(b) shows the state where the electromagnetic locking mechanism 4 is in the first position P3, the locking member 40 is in the locked position LP1, and the wheel 1 is in an unlocked state. FIG. 10 shows the state where the electromagnetic locking mechanism 4 is in the second position P4, the locking member 40 is in the locked position LP1, and the wheel 1 is in an unlocked state. Note that FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 are abstracted to easily explain the operation of the electromagnetic locking mechanism 4 and its peripheral configuration, and are not shown strictly.

[0022] As shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the electromagnetic locking mechanism 4 is configured to electromagnetically move the locking member 40 for locking the wheel 1 (the middle wheel 1C in this embodiment) to either the locked position LP1 or the unlocked position LP2. Specifically, the electromagnetic locking mechanism 4 has a locking motor unit 41 using a solenoid that moves the locking member 40 in response to excitation, and is configured so that the locking member 40 moves to the unlocked position LP2 in an excited state and the locking member 40 moves to the locked position LP1 in a non-excited state. The locking position LP1 and the unlocked position LP2 refer to the relative positions of the locking member 40 with respect to the locking motor unit 41. With this configuration, when the power supply of the handicapped vehicle is off and the locking motor unit 41 is non-excited, the wheel 1 is in a restrained state in principle. The driving of the electromagnetic locking mechanism 4 is controlled by a processor 50 (see Fig. 8).

[0023] 9(a) and 9(b), a brake unit 42 is provided that is configured to be switchable between an interference state [see FIG. 9(a)] in which it interferes with the wheel 1 and a non-interference state [see FIG. 9(b)] in which it does not interfere with the wheel 1. In this embodiment, the brake unit 42 is always biased to be in a non-interference state, and when the locking member 40 is in the locked position LP1, the locking member 40 presses the brake unit 42, causing the brake unit 42 to come into interference with the wheel 1, and when the locking member 40 is in the non-locked position LP2, the locking member 40 does not press the brake unit 42, causing the brake unit 42 to return to a non-interference state with the wheel 1.

[0024] <Manual wheel 1 restraint release configuration> As described above, the electromagnetic locking mechanism 4 is configured to position the locking member 40 in the lock position LP1 in a non-excited state, and as a result, the body of the physically challenged vehicle cannot be moved when the power to the physically challenged vehicle is off. Therefore, the following configuration is adopted to allow people other than the person being assisted (medical personnel, caregivers) to easily move around. This configuration is optional and can be omitted.

[0025] That is, as shown in Fig. 9 and Fig. 10, the electromagnetic locking mechanism 4 including the locking member 40 is configured to be movable to either a first position P3 or a second position P4. As shown in Fig. 9, the first position P3 is a position where the locking member 40 at the locking position LP1 causes the wheel 1 to be restrained. The second position P4 is a position where the locking member 40 at the locking position LP1 does not cause the wheel 1 to be restrained. The electromagnetic locking mechanism 4 is connected to a predetermined operation unit 43 such as a lever, and is configured to be able to move the electromagnetic locking mechanism 4 to the first position P3 or the second position P4 by moving the predetermined operation unit 43. The second position P4 is a position where the electromagnetic locking mechanism 4 is further away from the brake unit 42 than the first position P3. A wheel restraint sensor 64 (see FIG. 8), such as a switch, is provided to detect whether the wheel is in a restrained state.

[0026] <Control by Processor 50> 8, the processor 50 is configured to receive signals from the up command button 71, the down command button 72, the position change command button 73, the electromagnetic lock release operation unit 74, the upper limit sensor 61, the lower limit sensor 62, and the wheel restraint sensor 64, and to control the driving of the lifting / lowering motor unit 60, the position change motor unit 63, and the electromagnetic lock mechanism 4 (lock motor unit 41). The electromagnetic lock release operation unit 74 is preferably located in an inconspicuous place (for example, on the back side of the upper frame 21) so that the person to be assisted will not operate it.

[0027] An example of a specific process will be described with reference to Fig. 14. First, when the power is turned on, in step ST100, the processor 50 changes the attitude of the fuselage support part 30 to the separation-permitting attitude P2. This process is based on the assumption that the power is turned off with the attitude of the fuselage support part 30 in the supporting attitude P1 and then turned back on. In the next step ST101, the processor 50 lowers the upper frame 21 to a predetermined lowered position. This process is based on the assumption that the power is turned off with the upper frame 21 raised and then turned back on.

[0028] In the next step ST102, the processor 50 judges whether the wheel 1 is in a restrained state based on the detection result of the wheel restraint sensor 64. If it is judged that the wheel 1 is not in a restrained state in step ST102 (ST102: NO), in step ST103, the processor 50 notifies the outside that the wheel is in an unrestrained state using the notification unit 65 such as a speaker, a light emitting device, or communication with a server via a communication network. This process is performed because it is assumed that the detection of the restrained state of the wheel 1 in the non-excited state of the electromagnetic locking mechanism 4 means that the electromagnetic locking mechanism 4 is in a state of moving to the second position P4. A guidance for moving the electromagnetic locking mechanism 4 to the first position P3 may be notified. The notification process in step ST103 continues until it is judged that the wheel 1 is in a restrained state based on the detection result of the wheel restraint sensor 64 in step ST104 (ST104: YES).

[0029] If the processor 50 determines in step ST102 or ST104 that the wheels are in a locked state, then in the next step ST105, the processor 50 determines whether or not the ascent command button 71 has been operated. If the processor 50 determines that the ascent command button 71 has not been operated (ST105: NO), the process returns to step ST102. If the processor 50 determines in step ST105 that the ascent command button 71 has been operated (ST105: YES), the processor 50 raises the upper frame 21 to a predetermined raised position in step ST106. In the next step ST107, the processor 50 determines whether or not the attitude change command button 73 has been operated. This operation corresponds to the predetermined first operation. If the processor 50 determines that the attitude change command button 73 has not been operated (ST107: NO), the process returns to step ST106. If it is determined in step ST107 that the attitude change command button 73 has been operated (ST107: YES), in the next step ST108, the processor 50 switches the attitude of the torso support part 30 to the support attitude P1 and excites the electromagnetic locking mechanism 4 to move the locking member 40 to the unlocked position LP2.

[0030] In the next step ST109, the processor 50 determines whether or not the attitude change command button 73 has been operated. This operation corresponds to a predetermined second operation. Processing ST109 is continued until it is determined in step ST109 that the attitude change command button 73 has been operated (ST109: YES). If it is determined in step ST109 that the attitude change command button 73 has been operated, the processor 50 switches the attitude of the fuselage support part 30 to the detachment allowing attitude P2 in the next step ST110, and changes the electromagnetic locking mechanism 4 from an excited state to a non-excited state to move the locking member 40 to the locked position LP1.

[0031] In the next step ST111, it is determined whether or not the electromagnetic lock release operation unit 74 has been operated. This operation corresponds to a predetermined third operation. Processing ST111 is continued until it is determined in step ST111 that the electromagnetic lock release operation unit 74 has been operated (ST111: YES). If it is determined in step ST111 that the electromagnetic lock release operation unit 74 has been operated, the processor 50, in the next step ST112, causes the electromagnetic lock mechanism 4 to be in an excited state and moves the lock member 40 to the unlocked position LP2. Note that in FIG. 14, the processing of steps ST111 and ST112 is described after step ST110, but is not limited thereto and may be determined constantly or at any timing.

[0032] <Adjusting the Position of Support Part 3> As shown in FIG. 4, the trunk support part 30 is fixed to the upper frame 21 by a fastener V1 such as a bolt, and is configured to be adjustable in height by changing the mounting position relative to the upper frame 21. Also, the trunk support part 30 is fixed to the upper frame 21 by a fastener V2 such as a bolt shown in FIG. 4, and is configured to be adjustable in spacing W1 between the trunk support parts 30 by changing the mounting position of the trunk support part 30 relative to the upper frame 21 in the left-right direction, as shown in FIG. 13. Also, the trunk support part 30 (first trunk pad 30a) is configured to be swingable in the up-down direction about the rotation axis C1 shown in FIG. 3. Also, the armrest 31 is configured to be able to change its forward-backward position relative to the upper frame 21 by changing its mounting position relative to the upper frame 21. Also, the armrest 31 is configured to be able to change the inclination angle α1 relative to the forward-backward direction by a fastener V3 such as a bolt shown in FIG. 5, and this allows the trunk support part 30 to be adjusted in the horizontal direction as shown in FIG. 13. In addition, the first handle portion 32 is configured so that its rotational position (angle of the gripping portion) about the horizontal direction can be adjusted by changing its mounting position relative to the upper frame 21 using the fastener V4 shown in FIG. 3, and furthermore, its position in the front-to-rear direction can be adjusted as shown in FIG. 5.

[0033] One effective way to improve safety and stability while walking is to provide a torso support part to support the torso of the person to be assisted. When the person to be assisted stands or sits down using the walking aid, it is necessary to simultaneously or in sequence move the body to the position supported by the torso support part and to operate the wheel lock. This may reduce convenience, and if the necessary operation is forgotten, it may cause a loss of stability, which is one of the issues. As described above, the manually propelled vehicle of the present embodiment has: A main body frame 2 having wheels 1; A trunk support portion 30 is provided on the main body frame 2 and is for supporting the trunk of the assistance recipient from the left and right sides; The vehicle is provided with an electromagnetic locking mechanism 4 configured to electromagnetically move a locking member 40 for locking the wheel 1 to either a locked position LP1 or an unlocked position LP2. The torso support section 30 is configured to be switchable between a supporting position P1 for supporting the torso of the person to be assisted and a withdrawal allowing position P2 for allowing the person to be assisted to withdraw. In response to a first predetermined operation (position change instruction button 73), the position of the trunk support part 30 is switched to the support position P1 and the lock member 40 is moved to the unlocked position LP2; It is configured such that, in response to a second predetermined operation (attitude change instruction button 73), the attitude of the fuselage support part 30 is switched to the separation permitting attitude P2 and the lock member 40 is moved to the lock position LP1.

[0034] According to this configuration, the wheels 1 are automatically unlocked when walking starts and the attitude of the trunk support part 30 switches to the support attitude P1, and the wheels 1 are automatically locked when walking ends and the attitude of the trunk support part 30 switches to the separation-permitting attitude P2, so safety can be ensured. Nevertheless, the wheels are locked or unlocked simply by performing an operation to change the attitude of the trunk support part 30 without the need for an operation to lock the wheels 1, so two actions can be achieved with one operation, improving convenience. Therefore, it is possible to improve both safety and convenience.

[0035] As in the embodiment of Figures 1 to 14, the main body frame 2 has a lower frame 20 having wheels 1, and an upper frame 21 having a torso support section 30, and the upper frame 21 is supported on the lower frame 20 so as to be freely raised and lowered, and it is preferable that the switching of the torso support section 30 to the support position P1 and the movement of the locking member 40 to the unlocked position LP2 by a predetermined first operation (position change instruction button 73) are configured to be effective only when the upper frame 21 is in a predetermined raised position.

[0036] According to this configuration, even if the specified first operation (attitude change command button 73) is performed in an incomplete state, such as when the upper frame 21 has not fully risen, the attitude change of the torso support part 30 and the wheel lock release are not enabled in response to the specified first operation (attitude change command button 73), thereby making it possible to further improve safety.

[0037] As in the embodiment of Figures 1 to 14, the torso support section 30 is configured to be able to support the torso of the person being assisted from both the front and rear directions, and it is preferable that the departure-permitting position P2 is a position that permits departure in either the front or rear direction of the person being assisted (rearward in this embodiment).

[0038] According to this configuration, the torso support part 30 can support the torso of the person to be assisted not only from the left and right sides but also from the front and rear directions, which further reduces the possibility of falling. And yet, if the torso support part 30 is in a detachment-permitting position, it can be detached in either the front or rear direction, so there is no loss of convenience.

[0039] As in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 14, the electromagnetic locking mechanism 4 is preferably configured to move the locking member 40 to the unlocked position LP2 based on a predetermined third operation (electromagnetic lock release operation portion 74).

[0040] According to this configuration, the lock of the wheels 1 is released by performing a predetermined third operation (electromagnetic lock release operation unit 74), so that people other than the person being assisted, such as caregivers or hospital staff, can move the walking aid vehicle, thereby improving convenience.

[0041] As in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 14, the electromagnetic locking mechanism 4 is preferably configured such that the locking member 40 moves to the unlocked position LP2 in an excited state, and the locking member 40 moves to the locked position LP1 in a non-excited state.

[0042] According to this configuration, the locking member 40 can only move electromagnetically when the power is on, and when the manually propelled vehicle is not powered on, the locking member 40 moves to the locked position LP1, so that the vehicle is essentially in a locked state. This makes it possible to prevent a situation in which the wheel 1 continues to move without being locked due to a loss of power, thereby improving safety.

[0043] As in the embodiment of Figures 1 to 14, the electromagnetic locking mechanism 4 including the locking member 40 is configured to be movable between a first position P3 where the locking member 40 in the locking position LP1 causes the wheel 1 to be restrained, and a second position P4 where the locking member 40 in the locking position LP1 does not cause the wheel 1 to be restrained, and it is preferable that the position of the electromagnetic locking mechanism 4 is movable to the first position P3 or the second position P4 by moving a predetermined fourth operating unit 75 connected to the electromagnetic locking mechanism 4.

[0044] According to this configuration, a predetermined fourth operation unit 75 such as a manual lever is connected to the electromagnetic locking mechanism 4, and by moving the predetermined fourth operation unit 75, the position of the electromagnetic locking mechanism 4 can be moved to the second position P4, making it possible to move the physically challenged vehicle. For example, the vehicle body can be moved arbitrarily even in the event of a power loss, which improves convenience.

[0045] As in the embodiment of Figure 14, it is preferable to be configured so that when power is turned on, it is determined whether or not the wheel 1 is in a locked state (ST102), and if it is determined that the wheel 1 is in a locked state, an external notification is given via the notification unit 65 (ST103).

[0046] This configuration makes it possible to prevent the electromagnetic locking mechanism 4 from being used in a state other than the first position P3.

[0047] 1 to 14, the locked state can be manually released by operating the electromagnetic lock release operation unit 74, but no means for manually locking the wheel is provided. This is because the basic concept is, in principle, to have a locked state that restricts the wheel 1, and therefore there is no need to manually lock the wheel, which reduces the number of operations in the entire system, prevents user confusion, and conversely improves convenience.

[0048] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above based on the drawings, the specific configurations should not be considered to be limited to these embodiments. The scope of the present disclosure is indicated not only by the description of the above-mentioned embodiments but also by the claims, and further includes all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims.

[0049] For example, the order of execution of each process, such as operations, procedures, steps, and stages, in the devices, systems, programs, and methods shown in the claims, specifications, and drawings, can be arbitrary, as long as the output of a previous process is not used in a subsequent process. Even if the flow in the claims, specifications, and drawings is described using "first," "next," and the like for convenience, this does not mean that it is essential to execute the processes in this order.

[0050] <Modification> 1 to 14, the upper frame 21 is supported by the lower frame 20 so as to be freely raised and lowered, and the upper frame 21 is configured to be raised and lowered by the power of the lifting and lowering motor unit, but is not limited thereto. For example, in the case of a walking aid dedicated to walking rehabilitation, the upper frame 21 may be fixed to the lower frame 20. Of course, the upper frame 21 and the lower frame 20 may be configured so as to be freely raised and lowered, and the height may be adjusted by fasteners such as screws and bolts.

[0051] 1 to 14, the support part 3 includes a body support part 30, an armrest 31, and grip parts 32 and 33, but is not limited thereto and can be modified as appropriate as long as the body support part 30 is provided. Also, the armrest 31 is integrally formed with the second grip part 33, but only the armrest 31 may be provided without the second grip part 33.

[0052] In this embodiment, the operation unit 70 is configured with buttons, but is not limited to this. For example, the operation unit is not limited to a mechanical operation such as a button, knob, lever, etc., and operation by voice recognition can be adopted.

[0053] 1 to 14, the posture of the torso support part 30 is changed by the rotational movement of the second torso pad 30b, but is not limited thereto. For example, the torso support part 30 may be structured such that the positional relationship between the first torso pad 30a and the second torso pad 30b is fixed, and the posture may be changed by swinging the torso support part 30 around the rotation axis of the front part of the torso support part 30.

[0054] The torso support part 30 is configured so that the first torso pad 30a extends inward in the left-right direction as it moves forward, and the second torso pad 30b is present, so that the torso support part 30 can support the underarm torso of the person to be assisted from the left-right lateral sides and the front-rear direction, but is not limited thereto. For example, the torso support part 30 can be configured so that it only includes the first torso pad 30a, the first torso pad 30a has a linear shape in a plan view, and the torso support part 30 supports the underarm torso of the person to be assisted only from the left-right lateral sides.

[0055] In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 14, the predetermined first operation, the predetermined second operation, and the predetermined third operation are described, but are not limited thereto. Although the first to third operations are described, it is not limited that they are all different operation parts. The operation part can be configured in various ways other than a mechanical switch mechanism such as a button or a knob. For example, a contact sensor (electrostatic sensor, etc.) may be provided on the first handle part 32, and the detection of the contact sensor may be the predetermined first operation. Also, a posture sensor (infrared sensor, etc.) may be provided to detect standing up in the foothold space of the walking aid vehicle, and the upper frame 21 may be raised based on the detection result of the posture sensor. In addition, when a predetermined keyword is recognized by voice recognition, it may be determined that an operation has been performed.

[0056] <Walking balance adjustment function> In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 8, a running motor such as a three-phase brushless motor is connected to the middle wheel 1C, and running control such as speed control according to the walking speed of the person to be assisted and diagonal suppression control by adjusting the left and right speeds is executed by the processor 50 (see Fig. 8). The left and right middle wheels 1C have independent running motors (motors, etc.) and can be controlled with different drive amounts. A walking balance adjustment function may be implemented in the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 8. The assist force of the middle wheel 1C, which is a driving wheel for assisting the pedestrian, is a set value set by a pre-operation. An operation panel (not shown) is provided with an operation unit (operation button, etc.) that can input operations corresponding to "can go straight", "easy to turn left", and "easy to turn right". When "can go straight" is set, the assist force of the middle wheel 1C, which is the left and right driving wheels, is a set value. When "easy to turn right" is set, the assist force of the middle wheel 1C, which is the left driving wheel, is a set value, and the assist force of the middle wheel 1C, which is the right driving wheel, is (set value + 1). When "easy to turn left" is set, the assist force of the middle wheel 1C, which is the right driving wheel, becomes the set value, and the assist force of the middle wheel 1C, which is the left driving wheel, becomes (set value + 1).

[0057] <Emergency stop switch> An emergency stop switch may be provided. When the emergency stop switch is pressed, it stops the electric drive unit (motor, etc.) that drives the middle wheel 1C, which is the drive wheel. For example, if the power supply to the entire manually propelled vehicle is cut off when the emergency stop switch is pressed, the second body pad 30b will not move and will remain in the support posture P1, causing a malfunction. By stopping the electric drive unit, this malfunction can be avoided.

[0058] <Second embodiment> The manually propelled vehicle according to the second embodiment will be described below. The same components as those in the first embodiment will be given the same reference numerals and detailed description will be omitted.

[0059] 15, the manually propelled vehicle of the second embodiment is configured to collect data on the assistance recipient, store it in a storage unit 66, and transmit it at a predetermined timing to an external server via a communication unit 67. The communication unit 67 is optional.

[0060] For example, an example of data related to the assistance recipient is the position parameter of the support part 3. A support part position parameter acquisition unit 68a is provided to acquire the position parameter of the support part 3 (at least one of the trunk support part 30, the armrest 31, and the first grip part 32), and the position parameter of the support part 3 is stored in the storage unit 66. The position parameters include at least one of the height position of the trunk support part 30, the interval W1 between the trunk support parts 30, the attachment position of the armrest 31 in the front-rear direction, the inclination angle α1 of the armrest 31, the attachment position of the first grip part 32 in the front-rear direction, and the rotation position of the first grip part 32. At least one of these parameters is set as one set, and multiple sets can be stored, and the position of each support part 3 can be electrically changed, and the position of each support part 3 can be electrically changed to the corresponding position parameter according to the selection operation.

[0061] Examples of data related to the assistance recipient include the walking posture measured by the posture sensor 68b, the walking distance of the assistance recipient measured by the walking distance measuring unit 68c, the measurement value of a load sensor 68d provided on the support unit 3 such as the armrest 31, the measurement value of a center of gravity sensor 68e using a gyro sensor or the like, and biological information detected by a vital sensor 68f [heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, respiration, skin moisture (sweating)], etc., which are acquired and stored together with time in the storage unit 66. In addition, the data related to the assistance recipient stored in the storage unit 66 may be configured to be transmitted to an external server via the communication unit 67 at a predetermined timing.

[0062] <Third embodiment> In the second embodiment, the walking aid vehicle has a data logger, but the subject for which the data logger is provided is not limited to the walking aid vehicle, and any welfare equipment can be adopted. Examples of welfare equipment include an electric walking aid vehicle, a walking frame, a silver cart, a lateral push cart, a shopping cart, a walking stick, a handrail, and a chair. FIG. 16 shows a data acquisition system for welfare equipment. The system shown in FIG. 16 shows a data logger applied to an electric walking aid vehicle. The data logger acquires data such as measurement values ​​and control information from various sensors (acceleration sensor, gyro sensor, tachometer, load sensor, etc.) or a microcomputer of the welfare equipment (microcomputer of the electric walking aid vehicle). The data logger saves the data in a storage such as a cloud via a network. The data logger is configured to be able to acquire at least one of the following data, for example: (1) Device model number or ID: This can be obtained from the information written at the time of manufacture. It can be used to provide valuable services to the user. (2) MAC address: This can be obtained from microcomputer information. This allows identification of the equipment and can be used to detect changes in walking ability, for example, which can promote early intervention. (3) Time: This can be obtained from the network. It can be used to detect changes in health status, which can facilitate early intervention. (4) Acceleration: This can be acquired from an acceleration sensor. By linking with other devices, facilities, and systems, it is possible to propose improvements to lifestyles and health. (5) Angular velocity: This can be obtained from a gyro sensor. This enables collaboration with wearable robots. (6) GPS: This can be obtained by installing a smartphone GPS or a GPS unit. This can be used to provide information and services to users from the device. (7) Load (weight of the user placed on the device): This can be obtained from load sensors, load cells, force sensors, etc. This can be used to provide valuable services to family members and caregivers. (8) Vital information such as blood pressure and pulse rate: These can be obtained from the vital sensor or camera built into the grip. Location information can also be provided, which makes it possible to link with services such as monitoring. (9) Assistance information: This can be obtained from the microcomputer of the electric walking vehicle. It can also obtain route information, which can be linked to monitoring and other services. It can also be used to confirm the safety of the user. (10) Number of steps, speed, stride length: These can be obtained from a tachometer attached to the drive wheel, the number of rotations of the drive wheel (electric assist control information), a ToF sensor, a distance sensor, etc. These can be used to provide value-added services to care providers. (11) Tilt information: This can be obtained from an acceleration sensor or gyro sensor. Activity information can be obtained, making it possible to provide intervention and guidance. It is possible to improve the level of care by increasing the amount of activity outside of the day care center. (12) Fall information: This can be obtained from an acceleration sensor or a gyro sensor. This can provide valuable services to equipment manufacturers or rental companies. (13) Braking or deceleration: This can be obtained from the electric assist control information. This can be used for equipment maintenance. (14) Stop time: This can be obtained from a tachometer attached to the drive wheel. This will enable us to provide a valuable service to local governments. (15) Vibration caused by collisions or bumps: This can be obtained by calculation using an acceleration sensor or gyro sensor. It is possible to detect deterioration of sidewalks. For example, it is possible to detect sidewalks that are dangerous for elderly people and share this information with local governments. (16) Human body or obstacle detection: Can be obtained from a camera or ToF sensor. (17) Detection of abnormalities and malfunctions in devices and equipment: This can be obtained from the electric assist control information or the control information of the logger unit. (18) Temperature: Temperature and humidity can be obtained from the weather information API using temperature and humidity sensors and GPS information. (19) Communication terminal: Can be obtained from microcomputer information. (20) Movement path: This can be obtained by calculation using an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, or a rotation counter. (21) Image recognition (people, objects, actions): Can be obtained from a camera. (22) Spatial awareness (geography, destination): Destination information can be obtained from a smartphone app or camera. (23) Information provided by navigation: Destination information from a smartphone app (24) Personal authentication: This can be obtained through various authentication methods such as ID and password, face recognition using a camera, or fingerprint recognition using a fingerprint sensor. The following data is obtained by analyzing the above information. (25) Time of use (per day, per week, per month, per year) (26) Distance traveled (per day, week, month, year) (27) Frequency of use (per day, per week, per month, per year) (28) Health (changes, trends, comparisons) (29) Walking (ability, speed, frequency, change, comparison) (30) Activity (degree, trend, change, comparison) (31) Location information (32) Travel routes and walking routes (33) Safety Confirmation (34) Equipment information (malfunctions, wear, maintenance suggestions)

[0063] <Fourth embodiment> In the first embodiment, the upper limit sensor 61 detects the height position of the upper frame 21, and the upper frame 21 is stopped at an upper limit position set according to the user. In the fourth embodiment, the upper limit position of the upper frame 21 is configured to be changeable by a mechanical element.

[0064] [Lifting operation upper limit position change configuration] Specifically, as shown in Fig. 17 and Fig. 18, the welfare equipment (walking aid vehicle) of the fourth embodiment has a load receiving part 21X (upper frame 21) that receives the load of the user, and a base 20X (lower frame 20) that supports the load receiving part 21X so that it can rise and fall, and the load receiving part 21X is supported by the base 20X so that it can rise and fall. In the example shown in Fig. 17 and Fig. 18, there is a gas spring 22 that connects the base 20X and the load receiving part 21X to each other so that they can rise and fall, and a lifting / lowering operation part 23 (lever) that is operated to allow the load receiving part 21X (upper frame 21) to rise and lower. When the lifting / lowering operation part 23 is operated, the gas spring 22 is unlocked and the gas spring 22 becomes expandable and contractible, and rises and lowers according to the load applied to the load receiving part 21X.

[0065] As shown in FIG. 19 and FIG. 20, the welfare equipment (walking aid vehicle) has a first positioning member 24 and a second positioning member 25. The first positioning member 24 and the second positioning member 25 are configured to be movable toward or away from each other in response to the lifting and lowering operations of the base 20X and the load receiving portion 21X, and restrict further lifting of the load receiving portion 21X from the contact state by contacting each other. The first positioning member 24 is fixed to one of the base 20X and the load receiving portion 21X, and the second positioning member 25 is attached to the other of the base 20X and the load receiving portion 21X so that the position can be changed. By changing the attachment position of the second positioning member 25, the contact portion between the second positioning member 25 and the first positioning member 24 is changed, and the upper limit position of the load receiving portion 21X is changed. In the example shown in FIG. 19, the load receiving portion 21X is set to a first upper limit position. In the example shown in FIG. 20, the upper limit position of the load receiving portion 21X is set to a second upper limit position lower than the first upper limit position. With this configuration, if the mounting position of the second positioning member 25 is initially set to suit the user, it is possible to stop the lift at the same height even if the lifting and lowering operation is repeated, eliminating the need for the user to adjust the height each time.

[0066] In the embodiment shown in Figs. 19 and 20, the first positioning member 24 is provided on the load receiving portion 21X, and the second positioning member 25 is provided on the base 20X, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The first positioning member 24 may be provided on the base 20X, and the second positioning member 25 may be provided on the load receiving portion 21X. Specifically, the first positioning member 24 and the second positioning member 25 are disposed between the hanging portion 21b constituting the load receiving portion 21X and the standing portion 20b constituting the base 20X, and are disposed rearward of the standing portion 20b on the vehicle body. The first positioning member 24 is inclined with respect to the far-near direction KD1 and the direction DK2 perpendicular to the far-near direction KD1. The first positioning member 24 has a first surface 24a facing the second positioning member 25. The first positioning member 24 may be an elongated member such as a rod, and the first surface 24a may be linear in side view. In this embodiment, however, the first surface 24a facing the second positioning member 25 is formed in a stepped shape in side view in order to determine the contact portion with the second positioning member 25. This configuration can stabilize the engagement between the first positioning member 24 and the second positioning member 25. The second positioning member 25 is configured so that the mounting position can be changed by rotating around the rotation shaft 25a. Specifically, the second positioning member 25 is formed in a rod shape and is attached to the base 20X (the standing portion 20b of the lower frame 20) so as to be rotatable around the rotation shaft 25a. The standing portion 20b has a long hole 20c. A fastener 25b passing through the long hole 20c fastens a portion of the second positioning member 25 eccentric to the rotation shaft 25a to the standing portion 20b.

[0067] The configuration of the second positioning member 25 is not limited to the configuration shown in Fig. 19 and Fig. 20. For example, a configuration may be made in which a plurality of holes are provided in a member (base 20X) to which the second positioning member 25 is attached, and the attachment position of the second positioning member 25 is changeable by changing the holes to which the second positioning member 25 is attached.

[0068] As shown in the embodiment of Fig. 1, the configuration in which the weight of the user is supported by the motorized part while the device moves up and down has a large energy loss, and the battery may run out early, making it difficult to secure power. However, if a gas spring 22 is used to suppress the power consumption of the battery, the movable stroke of the gas spring 22 becomes the upper limit position of the load receiving part 21X as it is, and adjustment is required each time according to the height of the user, making it difficult or troublesome for the care recipient to use. Therefore, as shown in Figs. 17 and 18, if the gas spring 22 is used without using a motorized part such as a motor, and the first positioning member 24 and the second positioning member 25 are used, the upper limit position of the lifting and lowering operation according to the user can be mechanically set even with the gas spring 22.

[0069] In addition, it is possible to apply an upper limit position changing configuration using the first positioning member 24 and the second positioning member 25 to a configuration in which the gas spring 22 and the lifting operation unit 23 are not provided and the load receiving unit 21X is lifted and lowered by the lifting motor unit 60 as in the embodiment shown in Figure 1.

[0070] 19 and 20, the upper limit position changing configuration of the ascending / descending motion is not limited to a walking aid vehicle, but may be used for any welfare equipment. Examples of welfare equipment include an electric walking aid vehicle, a walking frame, a silver cart, a lateral push cart, a shopping cart, a walking stick, a handrail (installed at an entrance or on stairs), a chair, etc.

[0071] [Wheels: Seesaw support structure] FIG. 21 is a left side view of the handicapped vehicle of the fourth embodiment. FIG. 22 is a side view of the left middle wheel 1C and rear wheel 1R as viewed from the inside. The handicapped vehicle has a main body frame 2 that receives the weight of the user, and three or more wheels 1 (three in the figure) arranged on each of the left and right sides of the main body frame 2. The three or more wheels 1 on each of the left and right sides include a first wheel 1C (middle wheel 1C) which is a driving wheel, and a second wheel 1R (rear wheel 1R) which is a driven wheel that does not have driving force. The first wheel 1C (middle wheel 1C) and the second wheel 1R (rear wheel 1R) are provided on a wheel frame 10, and the wheel frame 10 is supported by the main body frame 2 so as to be swingable about a frame rotation axis 10a located between a portion 10b (rotation axis 10b of the first wheel 1C) where the first wheel 1C is provided and a portion 10c where the second wheel 1R is provided.

[0072] In this way, the first wheel 1C and the second wheel 1R are supported swingably on the main body frame 2 through the wheel frame 10 like a seesaw, so that both the first wheel 1C and the second wheel 1R can be grounded on the road surface Ro even when the vehicle goes over a step, and the vehicle body can be properly supported. Furthermore, the first wheel 1C, which is the drive wheel, can always be grounded on the road surface Ro.

[0073] The seesaw support structure for the wheels shown in Figs. 21 and 22 is not limited to the walking aid vehicle, but may be adopted in any welfare cart used by the user when walking.

[0074] [Easy-to-climb step-over configuration] FIG. 23 is a side view showing the positional relationship between the first wheel 1C, the second wheel 1R, the wheel frame 10, and the main body frame 2 of the fourth embodiment. As shown in FIG. 22 and FIG. 23, the load acts on the rotation axis 10b of the first wheel 1C, the rotation axis 10d of the second wheel 1R, and the frame rotation axis 10a. As shown in FIG. 23, the frame rotation axis 10a is preferably located below the imaginary line L1 connecting the rotation axis 10b of the first wheel 1C and the rotation axis 10d of the second wheel 1R in a cross section passing through the front-rear direction and the vertical direction. If the frame rotation axis 10a is located below the imaginary line L1, a force F1 that tends to move upward acts on the first wheel 1C when the first wheel 1C moving forward collides with a step. The direction of this force F1 coincides with the direction (upward) in which the first wheel 1C moves to get over the step, so the first wheel 1C can get over the step more easily than the configuration shown in FIG. 24.

[0075] In the configuration shown in FIG. 23, it is preferable that the angle θ1 between the line connecting the rotation axis 10b of the first wheel 1C and the frame rotation axis 10a and the line connecting the frame rotation axis 10a and the rotation axis 10d of the second wheel 1R is less than 180 degrees.

[0076] Fig. 24 is a diagram corresponding to Fig. 23 and showing a modified example of the fourth embodiment. If the frame rotation axis 10a is above the virtual straight line L1 as shown in Fig. 24, a downward force F2 acts on the first wheel 1C when the first wheel 1C moving forward hits a step. The direction of this force F2 is opposite to the direction (upward) in which the first wheel 1C moves to overcome the step, so it becomes more difficult for the first wheel 1C to overcome the step compared to the configuration shown in Fig. 23. Of course, the configuration shown in Fig. 24 may be adopted for the configuration in which two wheels are supported in a seesaw manner. A configuration in which the frame rotation axis 10a is on the virtual straight line L1 may also be adopted.

[0077] [Structure for improving drive wheel grip and braking force] As shown in FIG. 22, in a state where the first wheel 1C and the second wheel 1R are in contact with a flat road surface Ro parallel to the horizontal direction, it is preferable that the horizontal distance W1 from the rotation axis 10b of the first wheel 1C to the frame rotation axis 10a is smaller than the horizontal distance W2 from the frame rotation axis 10a to the rotation axis 10d of the second wheel 1R. This is because if W1 > W2, the load is more likely to be applied to the second wheel 1R than to the first wheel 1C, and the grip force and braking force of the first wheel 1C may decrease. If W1 < W2, the load is more likely to be applied to the first wheel 1C than to the second wheel 1R, and it becomes possible to improve the grip force and braking force of the first wheel 1C. If W1 = W2, the load is likely to be applied equally to both the first wheel 1C and the second wheel 1R. In the fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 22, W1:W2 = 1:2, but it is not limited to this ratio.

[0078] As shown in FIG. 21, in order to appropriately support the user even when the user is about to fall backward in a state where the second body pad 30b is in the support posture P1, it is preferable that the rotation axis 10d of the rearmost wheel 1R is behind the most forward support surface 30c of the second body pad 30b in the support posture P1 in the horizontal direction.

[0079] [Lower limb supporter 8] At least two ways of falling for an assisted person with weak legs and waist can be considered. The first falling mode is a fall in which, with the feet on the ground, the person loses strength and only the knees bend forward, and the body sinks downward. In order to prevent or suppress this mode of falling, as shown in FIGS. 17, 18, and 21, it is preferable to provide a knee supporter 80 that contacts the bending knees in front of the standing area Ar1 where the assisted person is supposed to stand as defined by the walking assist vehicle to prevent further bending of the knees.

[0080] The second type of fall is when the person falls backward. In this case, the torso of the person to be assisted is supported by the second torso pad 30b. However, if the person tries to fall further backward without moving the feet on the ground, the assisting vehicle may move backward and the feet or lower legs may get caught between the road surface and the vehicle body. To prevent this situation, it is preferable to provide an underbody intrusion prevention guide 81.

[0081] The knee supporter 80 and the vehicle under intrusion prevention guide 81 may be separate members, but in the fourth embodiment, a lower leg supporter 8 is provided that functions as both the knee supporter 80 and the vehicle under intrusion prevention guide 81. The lower leg supporter 8 has a cushioning material, and the rear surface of the lower leg supporter 8 is set as a support surface for receiving the support recipient. As shown in FIG. 21, the lower leg supporter 8 is disposed in a position in front of the position where the support recipient stands and covers the upper frame 21 from the rear. As shown in FIG. 25, the lower leg supporter 8 has an upper end 8a, a lower end 8b, and an intermediate portion 8c in a side view. The intermediate portion 8c is formed in a curved shape that protrudes rearward from the upper end 8a and the lower end 8b. The first support surface 82, which is above the apex 8d, which is the rearmost of the support surfaces of the lower leg supporter 8, extends from the upper front to the lower rear. This makes it possible to properly support the knee that bends from the upper rear to the lower front. The second support surface 83, which is below the apex 8d, which is the rearmost of the support surfaces of the lower leg supporter 8, extends from the upper rear to the lower front. As a result, even if the support wheel moves rearward, the apex 8d comes into contact with the lower leg (shin) first, restricting further rearward movement of the support wheel, and since the second support surface 83 comes into contact with the lower leg (shin) or foot, it comes into contact with the person to be supported at multiple points, making it possible to reduce the sensation given to the person to be supported compared to contact at only one point.

[0082] As shown in FIG. 21, the lower end of the vehicle body under-entry prevention guide 81 (lower leg supporter 8) is located below the U-shaped portion 20a.

[0083] The support surface formed by the lower leg support 8 has a first curved surface 84 in a side view, and a second curved surface 85 disposed below the first curved surface 84. The radius of curvature R1 of the first curved surface 84 is larger than the radius of curvature R2 of the second curved surface 85. With such a relationship between the radii of curvature, the knee can be properly supported, and the foot is less likely to hit the lower leg support 8 when walking, so that it is less likely to become an obstacle when walking. Of course, if this effect is not pursued, the radii of curvature of the first curved surface 84 and the second curved surface 85 may be equal, or R1 may be larger. <R2でもよい。

[0084] [Changing the posture of the lower limb supporter 8] FIG. 26 is a left side view in which some of the members (a resin cover and a part of the metal frame) constituting the lower frame 20 are hidden. As shown in FIG. 26, the lower leg supporter 8 is supported by the lower frame 20 so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis 8e parallel to the horizontal direction, so that the position of the upper end 8a of the lower leg supporter 8 can be changed in the front-rear direction. This configuration allows appropriate settings according to the support recipient. An arm 86 is provided that is supported by the lower frame 20 so as to be rotatable about a fulcrum 86a. The lower leg supporter 8 is provided with a pair of plate members 87 having wavy elongated holes 87a. A pin provided at the tip of the arm 86 is inserted into the wavy elongated hole 87a, and is fastened or released by operating a fastener 87b. The wavy elongated hole 87a has multiple inflections and ends, and can be positioned at a desired position among multiple candidate positions by placing a pin at a position related to any of the multiple inflections and ends.

[0085] FIG. 27 is a perspective view of the walking aid vehicle with the lower leg supporter 8 hidden, seen from below and behind. FIG. 28 is a plan view showing the positional relationship between the facing member, the standing area, and the lower leg supporter 8. As shown in FIG. 17 and FIG. 18, the walking aid vehicle of the fourth embodiment includes a main body frame 2. The main body frame 2 has a first U-shaped portion 21a and a second U-shaped portion 20a. The first U-shaped portion 21a has a load-receiving member (armrest 31, trunk support portion 30) that receives the load of the person to be assisted. The second U-shaped portion 20a has a plurality of wheels 1. As shown in FIG. 28, the load-receiving member (armrest 31 or trunk support portion 30, etc.) defines a standing area Ar1 where the person to be assisted should stand up. As shown in FIG. 28, the main body frame 2 has a facing member 26 that is in front of the standing area Ar1 and faces the road surface Ro. The facing member 26 is a member that is one of the members that constitute the main body frame 2 and is located at a height from the road surface Ro equal to or less than a predetermined height H1 (see FIG. 21). The predetermined height H1 can be, for example, 30 cm. In the example shown in FIG. 27 and FIG. 28, the facing member 26 is a pipe and a resin cover that constitute the second U-shaped portion 20a, but this is an example. The facing member 26 is located in front of the standing area Ar1 and is located at a height equal to or less than the predetermined height H1, so there is a space between the facing member 26 and the road surface Ro into which the foot can enter. As shown in FIG. 21 and FIG. 28, a lower leg supporter 8 is provided in a position that covers the facing member 26 from behind.

[0086] Fig. 29 corresponds to Fig. 28 and shows a modified example of the fourth embodiment. In the fourth embodiment, a trunk support section 30 is provided, but this can be omitted when the lower limb supporter 8 is a feature. In a configuration in which the trunk support section 30 is omitted, as shown in Fig. 29, the load-receiving member (armrest 31) defines a standing area Ar1 in which the recipient of assistance should stand up.

[0087] [Summary of the fourth embodiment] As described above, in the fourth embodiment, the walking aid vehicle has a main frame 2 which has a lower frame 20 having wheels 1 and an upper frame 21 which receives the weight of the person to be assisted, and the upper frame 21 is supported on the lower frame 20 so as to be able to rise and fall freely, and the walking aid vehicle has a first positioning member 24 and a second positioning member 25 which are configured to be able to move towards and away from each other in response to the raising and lowering movements of the lower frame 20 and the upper frame 21 and which restrict further lifting of the upper frame 21 by coming into contact with each other, and the first positioning member 24 is fixed to one of the lower frame 20 and the upper frame 21, and the second positioning member 25 is attached to the other of the lower frame 20 and the upper frame 21 so that its position can be changed, and it is preferable that the walking aid vehicle is configured so that by changing the attachment position of the second positioning member 25, the contact point between the second positioning member 25 and the first positioning member 24 is changed, thereby changing the upper limit position of the upper frame.

[0088] According to this configuration, if the mounting position of the second positioning member 25 is initially set to suit the user, it becomes possible to stop the lift at the same height even if the lifting and lowering operation is repeated, eliminating the need for the user to adjust the height each time.

[0089] As in the fourth embodiment, it is preferable that the second positioning member 25 is configured so that the attachment position can be changed by rotation about a rotation shaft 25a.

[0090] According to this configuration, the attachment position can be changed simply by changing the attitude of the second positioning member 25 by rotating it, which makes the operation easy.

[0091] As in the fourth embodiment, the first positioning member 24 has a first surface 24a facing the second positioning member 25, and the first surface 24a is preferably formed in a stepped shape.

[0092] According to this configuration, the engagement between the first positioning member 24 and the second positioning member 25 can be stabilized.

[0093] As in the fourth embodiment, the vehicle has three or more wheels 1 arranged on each of the left and right sides of the main body frame 2, and the three or more wheels 1 on each side include a first wheel 1C which is a driving wheel and a second wheel 1R which is a driven wheel having no driving force, and the first wheel 1C and the second wheel 1R are provided on a wheel frame 10, and it is preferable that the wheel frame 10 is supported on the main body frame 2 so as to be swingable around a frame rotation axis 10a located between a portion 10b where the first wheel 1C is provided and a portion 10c where the second wheel 1R is provided.

[0094] In this way, the first wheel 1C and the second wheel 1R are supported swingably on the main body frame 2 through the wheel frame 10 like a seesaw, so that both the first wheel 1C and the second wheel 1R can be grounded on the road surface Ro even when the vehicle goes over a step, and the vehicle body can be properly supported. Furthermore, the first wheel 1C, which is the drive wheel, can always be grounded on the road surface Ro.

[0095] As in the fourth embodiment, the frame rotation axis 10a is preferably located below the imaginary straight line L1 that connects the rotation axis 10b of the first wheel 1C and the rotation axis 10d of the second wheel 1R.

[0096] In this way, if the frame rotation axis 10a is below the virtual line L1, when the first wheel 1C moving forward hits a step, an upward force F1 acts on the first wheel 1C. The direction of this force F1 coincides with the direction (upward) in which the first wheel 1C moves to get over the step, so the first wheel 1C can easily get over the step.

[0097] As in the fourth embodiment, when the first wheel 1C and the second wheel 1R are in contact with a flat road surface Ro that is parallel to the horizontal direction, it is preferable that the horizontal distance W1 from the rotation axis 10b of the first wheel 1C to the frame rotation axis 10a is smaller than the horizontal distance W2 from the frame rotation axis 10a to the rotation axis 10d of the second wheel 1R.

[0098] As in the fourth embodiment, the main frame 2 has a lower leg supporter 8 that is positioned in front of the position where the person to be assisted stands, and the lower leg supporter 8 has an upper end 8a, a lower end 8b and an intermediate portion 8c when viewed from the side, and it is preferable that the intermediate portion 8c is formed in a curved shape that protrudes further rearward than the upper end 8a and the lower end 8b.

[0099] This configuration makes it possible to adequately support the knee as it bends from the upper rear to the lower front. Furthermore, even if the support wheel moves backward, the apex 8d first comes into contact with the lower leg (shin) and can restrict the support wheel from moving further backward, and the second support surface 83 comes into contact with the lower leg (shin) or foot, so that contact is made at multiple points with the person being supported, thereby making it possible to reduce the sensation given to the person being supported compared to contact at only one point.

[0100] As in the fourth embodiment, the support surface formed by the lower limb supporter 8 has a first curved surface 84 in a side view and a second curved surface 85 positioned below the first curved surface 84, and it is preferable that the radius of curvature R1 of the first curved surface 84 is larger than the radius of curvature R2 of the second curved surface 85.

[0101] Such a relationship between the radii of curvature makes it possible to adequately support the knee, and also makes it difficult for the foot to hit the lower leg supporter 8 when walking, so that the lower leg supporter 8 is unlikely to become an obstacle when walking.

[0102] As in the fourth embodiment, the lower leg supporter 8 is preferably supported by the lower frame 20 so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis 8e and so that the position of the upper end portion 8a of the lower leg supporter 8 can be changed in the front-rear direction.

[0103] This configuration enables appropriate settings to be made depending on the recipient of assistance.

[0104] As in the fourth embodiment, the main frame 2 comprises a first U-shaped portion 21a having a load-receiving member for receiving the load of the person to be assisted, and a second U-shaped portion 20a having a plurality of wheels 1, the load-receiving member defining a standing area Ar1 in which the person to be assisted should stand up, the main frame 2 has a facing member 26 in front of the standing area Ar1 and facing the road surface Ro, and it is preferable that a lower leg supporter 8 is provided in a position covering the facing member 26 from behind.

[0105] This configuration makes it possible to adequately support the knee as it bends from the upper rear to the lower front. Furthermore, even if the support wheel moves backward, the apex 8d first comes into contact with the lower leg (shin) and can restrict the support wheel from moving further backward, and the second support surface 83 comes into contact with the lower leg (shin) or foot, so that contact is made at multiple points with the person being supported, thereby making it possible to reduce the sensation given to the person being supported compared to contact at only one point.

[0106] The structures employed in each of the above embodiments can be employed in any of the other embodiments.

[0107] The specific configuration of each part is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0108] 1 wheel 2 Main frame 20 Lower Frame 21 Upper frame 30 Body support part 4. Electromagnetic locking mechanism 40 Locking member 65 Notification Department 73 Posture change instruction button (predetermined 1st operation, predetermined 2nd operation) 74 Electromagnetic lock release operation unit (predetermined third operation) P1 Support posture P2 Allowable departure position LP1 Lock position LP2 Unlocked position P3 1st position P4 2nd position

Claims

[Claim 1] The invention described in the specification.

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