Bathroom chair

Abstract

To provide a folding bathroom chair with an armrest part that can be flipped up, which does not become an obstacle when a user stands up or sits down, and which can be arranged in a suitable position when in use.SOLUTION: A folding bathroom chair is equipped with a leg frame, an armrest part, a backrest part, and a seat part, the armrest part includes a hinge part supported rotatably by the leg frame, an armrest body part formed from the hinge part to the front end of the armrest part, and a grip part formed at the front end of the armrest body part. When a surface parallel to the rotation surface of the hinge part and in contact with the inner side face of the hinge part is represented as an inner reference surface, the inner edge part of the armrest body part has an arch shape in which an amount of displacement toward the outside with respect to the inner reference surface is increased from the hinge part to the front end of the armrest body part, and then is decreased. The inner edge part at the front end of the armrest body part is arranged outside the inner reference surface.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a foldable bathroom chair with a spring-up armrest for use in a bathroom, and particularly to a foldable bathroom chair characterized in that the shape of the armrest portion has a displacement amount that increases and then decreases toward the outside from the hinge portion to the front end of the armrest portion, and the front end of the armrest portion is disposed outside the hinge portion.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, elderly people, care recipients, physically handicapped persons, etc. (hereinafter referred to as "care recipients, etc.") often have difficulty washing their bodies or taking a shower in a standing position when taking a bath. Therefore, a bathroom chair equipped with a seat portion for the care recipients, etc. to sit on, a backrest portion for supporting the back, and a leg frame for supporting an armrest portion for assisting the sitting and standing movements of the care recipients, etc. is used.

[0003] When not in use, a bathroom chair requires storage space in a narrow bathroom and becomes an obstacle. Therefore, as described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-67448 (Patent Document 1) and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-142049 (Patent Document 2), a foldable bathroom chair that can fold the seat portion and the armrest portion to be compact is known. In addition, the bathroom chairs described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are also spring-up type for the armrest portion so as to consider that the armrest portion does not interfere with the sitting and standing movements of care recipients, etc. with different physiques.

[0004] Furthermore, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-290606 (Patent Document 3) discloses a shower chair in which a pair of left and right armrest portions arranged offset to the outside of the support column of the leg frame are attached to the support column so as to be detachable, and by exchanging the left and right armrest portions with each other, the position of the armrest portion can be adjusted according to the physique of care recipients, etc. by changing the form in which the armrest portion is arranged offset to the inside of the support column of the leg frame.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Document

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] However, in the case of the bathroom chair described in Patent Document 1, the armrest is attached to the leg support so as to be able to bounce up. However, it is offset to the outside of the support and is detachably attached to the support, and extends with the same width from the rear end to the front end of the armrest. Therefore, for example, if the care recipient is small or slender, the armrest cannot be arranged at an appropriate position according to the physique of the care recipient, etc., and there is a problem that the care recipient cannot maintain a stable sitting posture.

[0007]

[0008] ​Furthermore, in the case of the shower chair described in Patent Document 3, by making a pair of left and right armrests arranged offset with respect to the columns of the leg frame mutually exchangeable, the position of the armrests can be adjusted according to the physique of the care recipient or the like. However, since the armrests cannot be flipped up, it becomes difficult for the care recipient or the like to change their posture, such as rotating their body on the shower chair (seat portion), and there is also a problem that the shower chair cannot be folded compactly.

[0009] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide the above-described bathroom chair in a foldable bathroom chair equipped with a flip-up armrest, in which the armrest portion does not get in the way when standing up or sitting down, and the seating posture of a care recipient or the like can be stably maintained when in use by arranging the armrest portion at an appropriate position.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0010] As a result of intensive studies on the shape and configuration of the armrest portion that is suitable for matching the physique of a care recipient or the like and does not get in the way when standing up or sitting down in a foldable bathroom chair, the inventors of the present invention have found that the above problems can be solved by increasing and then decreasing the amount of displacement directed outward from the hinge portion toward the front end of the armrest portion, and arranging the front end of the armrest portion outside the hinge portion, thus completing the present invention.

[0011] That is, according to the present invention, in a bathroom chair including a leg frame, an armrest portion, a backrest portion, and a seat portion rotatably attached to the leg frame between a horizontal deployed state and a vertical folded state, the armrest portion includes a hinge portion rotatably supported by the leg frame, an armrest main body portion formed from the hinge portion to the front end of the armrest portion for placing the user's arm, and a grip portion formed at the front end of the armrest main body portion for supporting the user's palm. And when a plane parallel to the rotation plane of the hinge portion and in contact with the inner side surface of the hinge portion is defined as the inner reference plane, the inner edge portion of the armrest main body portion has an arcuate shape in which the displacement amount outward with respect to the inner reference plane increases and then decreases from the hinge portion toward the front end of the armrest main body portion, and the inner edge portion at the front end of the armrest main body portion is disposed outside the inner reference plane. A bathroom chair is provided.

[0012] According to the present invention, since the shape of the inner edge portion of the armrest main body portion increases and then decreases the displacement amount outward from the hinge portion toward the grip portion, during use, regardless of the physique of the care recipient or the like, the armrest portion can be arranged at an appropriate position with respect to the care recipient or the like. Further, since the inner edge portion of the grip portion is disposed outside the inner edge portion of the hinge portion, the grip portion of the armrest portion does not get in the way when the care recipient or the like sits down or stands up.

[0013] Further, in the bathroom chair of the present invention, it is preferable that the armrest main body portion has a portion formed with the same width from the hinge portion to the front end of the armrest main body portion so that the arm of the care recipient or the like can be stably supported.

[0014] In the bathroom chair of the present invention, when a plane parallel to the rotation plane of the hinge portion and in contact with the outer side surface of the hinge portion is defined as the outer reference plane, it is preferable that the maximum displacement amount outward of the inner edge portion of the armrest main body portion with respect to the inner reference plane is larger than the maximum displacement amount outward of the outer edge portion of the armrest main body portion with respect to the outer reference plane.

[0015] By making the maximum displacement amount of the inner edge part of the elbow rest main body part larger than that of the outer edge part, it becomes possible to save space while ensuring the size of the surface of the elbow rest part necessary to support the care recipient or the like, and it is possible to prevent the elbow rest part from expanding outward unnecessarily. In particular, the above configuration is beneficial when all or part of the elbow rest main body part has the same width in order to stably support the arm of the care recipient or the like.

[0016] In the bathroom chair of the present invention, the grip part has an arc shape with the width of the elbow rest main body part as the diameter, and it is preferable that the arc shape is formed continuously with the inner edge part and the outer edge part of the elbow rest main body part.

[0017] When the grip part is configured as described above, the care recipient or the like will not get caught on the grip part when standing up or sitting down, and smooth standing up and sitting down are guaranteed. In addition, even if the grip strength is reduced and the care recipient or the like, they can firmly grip the grip part, so that the sitting posture of the care recipient or the like can be stably maintained.

[0018] In the bathroom chair of the present invention, the leg frame is composed of a front leg frame to which the backrest part and the elbow rest part are attached, and a rear leg frame that is foldably attached to the front leg frame, and the seat part can be rotatably attached to the rear leg frame.

[0019] By rotatably supporting the seat part on the rear leg frame, the bathroom chair can be folded with the seat surface of the seat part facing forward, so that the bathroom chair can be folded extremely compactly while saving space.

[0020] In the bathroom chair of the present invention, height adjustment means for adjusting the backrest part to an arbitrary height is provided, and the backrest part can be attached to the front leg frame so as to be able to move up and down. Further, when the backrest part of the bathroom chair can be adjusted in height as described above, the height adjustment means preferably includes a convex part fixed to the front leg frame and a plurality of concave parts that engage with the convex part, and a movable rack part attached to the backrest part.

[0021] According to the present invention, in a foldable bathroom chair, the height of the backrest can be adjusted in multiple stages, and the shape of the chair can be changed according to the physique of the care recipient or the like. Further, by configuring the height adjustment means from a rack portion having a convex portion and a plurality of concave portions, it becomes possible to easily adjust the height by operating the backrest portion and the rack portion with one hand.

[0022] In the bathroom chair of the present invention, a handle portion having a tongue shape extending downward from the upper horizontal portion of the front leg frame can be attached to the front leg frame directly below or partially behind the upper horizontal portion of the front leg frame.

[0023] According to the present invention, the handle portion has a tongue shape that is easy to grip with one hand, and is formed such that a part directly below or behind the upper horizontal portion of the front leg frame extends downward from the upper horizontal portion. Therefore, it does not protrude substantially behind the backrest portion and the upper horizontal portion of the front leg frame that supports the backrest portion, and does not interfere when a caregiver or the like assists a care recipient from behind the bathroom chair, ensuring the safety of the caregiver or the like.

[0024] In the bathroom chair of the present invention, fixing means having a rotation stopper and fixed to the front leg frame, and a shower head fixing hook that engages with the rotation stopper and is detachably attached to the front leg frame can be provided.

[0025] According to the present invention, since the shower head fixing hook can be attached to the front leg frame in a non-rotatable and detachable manner using the fixing means previously fixed to the front leg frame, the shower head fixing hook can be easily removed when not needed, and it does not interfere when a caregiver or the like assists a care recipient from behind the bathroom chair.

Effects of the Invention

[0026] According to the present invention, in a bathroom chair including a leg frame, an armrest portion, a backrest portion, and a seat portion rotatably attached to the leg frame between a horizontal deployed state and a vertical folded state, the armrest portion includes a hinge portion rotatably supported by the leg frame, an armrest main body portion formed from the hinge portion to the front end of the armrest portion for placing the user's arm, and a grip portion formed at the front end of the armrest main body portion for supporting the user's palm. When an inner reference plane is a plane parallel to the rotation plane of the hinge portion and in contact with the inner side surface of the hinge portion, the inner edge portion of the armrest main body portion has an arcuate shape in which the displacement amount outward with respect to the inner reference plane increases and then decreases from the hinge portion toward the front end of the armrest main body portion, and the inner edge portion at the front end of the armrest main body portion is disposed outside the inner reference plane. A bathroom chair is provided.

[0027] According to the present invention, since the shape of the inner edge portion of the armrest main body portion increases and then decreases the displacement amount outward from the hinge portion toward the grip portion, during use, regardless of the physique of the care recipient or the like, the armrest portion can be arranged at an appropriate position with respect to the care recipient or the like. Further, since the inner edge portion of the grip portion is disposed outside the inner edge portion of the hinge portion, the grip portion of the armrest portion does not get in the way when the care recipient or the like sits down or stands up.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0028]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0029] Hereinafter, the bathroom chair 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the examples shown below, and various modifications are possible without departing from the technical idea of the present invention.

[0030] <Overall Configuration of Bathroom Chair> FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the bathroom chair 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention as seen from above, FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the bathroom chair 1 shown in FIG. 1 as seen from below, and FIG. 3 shows a perspective view illustrating the folded state of the bathroom chair 1 shown in FIG. 1.

[0031] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the bathroom chair 1 of the present embodiment includes a leg frame 2, an armrest portion 3, a backrest portion 4, and a seat portion 5 that is rotatably attached to the leg frame 2 between a horizontal unfolded state and a vertical folded state.

[0032] More specifically, the leg frame 2 has a front leg frame 20 to which the armrest portion 3 and the backrest portion 4 are attached, and a rear leg frame 21 foldably attached to the front leg frame 20. The seat portion 5 is rotatably supported at the upper end of the rear leg frame 21. Further, the backrest portion 4 is height-adjustably attached to an upper horizontal portion 200 formed on the upper part of the front leg frame 20.

[0033] Note that the materials and forms of the front leg frame 20 and the rear leg frame 21 are not particularly limited, and pipe-shaped members, rod-shaped members, etc. made of general materials such as metal and resin can be used. In this embodiment, since they are high in strength, easy to process, and lightweight, metal hollow pipes are used for the front leg frame 20 and the rear leg frame 21.

[0034] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view illustrating a mode in which one of the armrest portions 3 of the bathroom chair 1 shown in FIG. 1 is flipped up. As can be particularly understood with reference to FIGS. 1 and 4, the pair of left and right armrest portions 3 are rotatably attached to the left and right front leg frames 20, respectively, and are mainly formed of a resin material except for the core material. Further, the armrest portion 3 can be laid down horizontally for use as shown in FIG. 1 when using the bathroom chair 1, or can be flipped up vertically for storage or the like as shown in FIG. 3 when folding the bathroom chair 1.

[0035] FIG. 7 shows a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the backrest portion 4 of the bathroom chair 1 shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 7, the backrest portion 4 is vertically movably attached to an upper horizontal portion 200 formed on the upper part of the front leg frame 20, and is provided with a height adjustment means 6 to be described later, so that its height can be adjusted with respect to the upper horizontal portion 200. Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the backrest portion 4 is mainly formed of a resin material, and a backrest cushion 40 made of a foamed resin is detachably attached to the front surface thereof.

[0036] As shown in Fig. 2, the seat portion 5 is rotatably attached to the upper ends of the left and right rear leg frames 21, and is connected to a reinforcing frame 23 attached to connect the left and right front leg frames 20 via a link 22. Further, the seat portion 5 is mainly formed of a resin material, and a seat surface cushion 50 made of a foamed resin is detachably attached to the front surface thereof.

[0037] In this embodiment, by rotatably supporting the seat portion 5 on the rear leg frame 21, the seat surface of the seat portion 5 can be turned forward to fold the bathroom chair 1, so that the bathroom chair 1 can be folded in a space-saving and extremely compact manner.

[0038] Further, the seat portion 5 is provided with a lock & unlock means 9 that engages with or disengages from a locking portion provided on the front leg frame 20 by moving a lever 90 provided at the rear end thereof.

[0039] Therefore, when folding the bathroom chair 1 in this embodiment, by gripping the lever 90 with one hand and lifting it upward, the engagement between the seat portion 5 and the front leg frame 20 by the lock & unlock means 9 is released, and the seat portion 5 rotates from the horizontal unfolded state to the vertical folded state, so that the bathroom chair 1 can be easily set to the closed-leg state (Fig. 3). On the other hand, when opening the legs of the bathroom chair 1, with the tip of the front leg frame 20 lifted from the floor surface, by pressing the rear end or the upper end of the backrest portion 4 toward the floor surface so that the seat portion 5 becomes horizontal, the seat portion 5 rotates from the vertical folded state to the horizontal unfolded state and engages with the front leg frame 20 by the lock & unlock means 9, so that the bathroom chair 1 can be easily and safely set to the closed-leg state (Fig. 1).

[0040] <Armrest portion> FIG. 5 shows a plan view of the bathroom chair 1 shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 6 shows a plan view of the armrest portion 3 of the bathroom chair 1 shown in FIG. 5, partially enlarged. Among them, (a) shows the displacement amount α of the inner edge portion 310 of the armrest main body portion 31 with respect to the inner reference plane X of the hinge portion 30, and (b) shows the displacement amount β of the outer edge portion 311 of the armrest main body portion 31 with respect to the outer reference plane Y of the hinge portion 30.

[0041] A pair of left and right armrest portions 3 each have a hinge portion 30 rotatably supported by the front leg frame 20, an armrest main body portion 31 formed for placing the arms of a care recipient or the like, and a grip portion 32 formed at the front end of the armrest main body portion 31 for supporting the palm of the hand of a care recipient or the like, and are rotatably attached to the left and right front leg frames 20.

[0042] The hinge portion 30 has a hinge portion rotation axis O and refers to the root portion of the armrest portion 3 for rotatably attaching the armrest portion 3 to the front leg frame 20. In the present embodiment, the hinge portion 30 rotates while slidingly contacting a hinge receiving portion 300 fixed to the front leg frame 20, and is the root portion of the armrest portion 3 for supporting the armrest main body portion 31 continuously extending forward therefrom, and has a substantially U-shaped shape in plan view.

[0043] The armrest main body portion 31 refers to the main portion of the armrest portion 3 formed from the hinge portion 30 to the front end of the armrest portion 3 for placing the arms of a care recipient or the like. In the present embodiment, the armrest main body portion 31 has a portion formed with the same width and having a length of 50% or more with respect to the total length of the armrest portion 3 so as to stably support the arms of a care recipient or the like.

[0044] The grip portion 32 refers to the tip portion of the armrest portion 3 continuously formed at the front end of the armrest main body portion 31. In the present embodiment, the grip portion 32 has an arc shape with the width of the armrest main body portion 31 as the diameter, and the arc shape is continuously formed with the inner edge portion 310 and the outer edge portion 311 of the armrest main body portion 31.

[0045] Therefore, in this embodiment, when the care recipient or the like sits down or stands up, they will not get caught on the grip portion 32, ensuring smooth sitting down and standing up. Also, even if the care recipient or the like has reduced grip strength, they can firmly hold the grip portion 32, so that the sitting posture of the care recipient or the like can be stably maintained.

[0046] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the armrest main body portion 31 of this embodiment has an inner edge portion 310 that forms the contour of the inner side (the seat portion 5 side) of the armrest main body portion 31 in a plan view, and an outer edge portion 311 that forms the contour of the outer side (the side opposite to the seat portion 5). And as shown in FIG. 6(a), when the inner edge portion 310 of the armrest main body portion 31 is a plane parallel to the rotation plane of the hinge portion 30 and in contact with the inner side surface of the hinge portion 30, and the inner reference plane X is set, it has an arcuate shape in which the displacement amount α outward with respect to the inner reference plane X increases and then decreases as it goes from the hinge portion 30 to the front end (grip portion 32) of the armrest main body portion 31, and the inner edge portion 310 at the front end of the armrest main body portion 31 is disposed outside the inner reference plane X.

[0047] Also, as shown in FIG. 6(b), when the outer edge portion 311 of the armrest main body portion 31 is a plane parallel to the rotation plane of the hinge portion 30 and in contact with the outer side surface of the hinge portion 30, and the outer reference plane Y is set, it has an arcuate shape in which the displacement amount β outward with respect to the outer reference plane Y increases and then decreases as it goes from the hinge portion 30 to the front end (grip portion 32) of the armrest main body portion 31.

[0048] Thus, in the bathroom chair 1 of this embodiment, since at least the shape of the inner edge portion 310 of the armrest main body portion 31 increases and then decreases the displacement amount α outward as it goes from the hinge portion 30 to the grip portion 32, during use, regardless of the physique of the care recipient or the like, the armrest portion 3 can be arranged at an appropriate position with respect to the care recipient or the like. Also, since the inner edge portion 310 of the front end (grip portion 32) of the armrest main body portion 31 is disposed outside the inner edge portion 310 of the hinge portion 30, the grip portion 32 of the armrest portion 3 will not get in the way when the care recipient or the like sits down or stands up.

[0049] Further, in the present embodiment, the displacement amount β of the outer edge portion 311 in the longitudinal direction of the armrest portion 3 is changed in the same manner as the displacement amount α of the inner edge portion 310, and the shape of the outer edge portion 311 is formed to be the same as the arcuate shape of the inner edge portion 310, so that a partial region of the armrest main body portion 31 is configured to have the same width. Therefore, a care recipient or the like can stably place their arm on the armrest main body portion 31, and the posture of the care recipient or the like in the bathroom chair 1 can be stabilized.

[0050] Furthermore, in the bathroom chair 1 of the present embodiment, the maximum displacement amount α, which is the maximum among the displacement amounts α directed outward with respect to the inner reference plane X of the inner edge portion 310 of the armrest main body portion 31 max is made larger than the maximum displacement amount β, which is the maximum among the displacement amounts β directed outward with respect to the outer reference plane Y of the outer edge portion 311 of the armrest main body portion 31 max of the armrest main body portion 31.

[0051] In the present embodiment, by making the maximum displacement amount α of the inner edge portion 310 of the armrest main body portion 31 max larger than the maximum displacement amount β of the outer edge portion 311 max of the armrest main body portion 31, it is possible to achieve space saving while ensuring the size of the surface of the armrest portion 3 necessary to support a care recipient or the like, and it is possible to prevent the armrest portion 3 from expanding outward unnecessarily. In particular, the above configuration is beneficial when all or part of the armrest main body portion 31 is made to have the same width in order to stably support the arm of a care recipient or the like.

[0052] <Backrest height adjustment means> FIG. 8 shows a perspective view illustrating a state in which the backrest portion 4 shown in FIG. 7 is partially disassembled. FIG. 9 shows a perspective view illustrating the convex portion 60 of the height adjustment means 6 of the bathroom chair 1 shown in FIG. 7, and FIG. 10 shows a perspective view illustrating the rack portion 62 having the concave portion 61 of the height adjustment means 6 of the bathroom chair 1 shown in FIG. 7.

[0053] As shown in Fig. 7, in the bathroom chair 1 of the present embodiment, height adjustment means 6 for adjusting the backrest portion 4 to an arbitrary height is provided, and the backrest portion 4 is attached to the front leg frame 20 so as to be able to move up and down. Further, as shown in Figs. 8 to 10, the height adjustment means 6 includes a convex portion 60 fixed to the upper horizontal portion 200 of the front leg frame 20 via a fixing means 7, and a plurality of concave portions 61 engaged with the convex portion 60, and is composed of a pair of movable left and right rack portions 62 attached to the backrest portion 4.

[0054] As shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the convex portion 60 is formed of a generally rectangular flat block piece as a whole, and a pair of left and right angular convex portions 60 arranged in a C shape in plan view are formed therein. The convex portion 60 is fixed to the front leg frame 20 by screwing the block piece on which the convex portion 60 is formed into the fixing means 7 (Fig. 9) and attaching the fixing means 7 to the upper horizontal portion 200 of the front leg frame 20 using bolts or the like (Fig. 7).

[0055] Since the convex portion 60 may wear by repeatedly engaging and disengaging with the concave portion 61 of the rack portion 62, it can be easily replaced by detachably fixing the block piece of the convex portion 60 in the fixing means 7, and its maintainability is improved.

[0056] As shown in Figs. 8 and 10, the concave portions 61 are formed in four stages in the vertical direction of a pair of left and right rack portions 62 arranged on the back surface of the backrest portion 4. However, the number (number of stages) of the concave portions 61 is not particularly limited, and any desired number (number of stages) may be provided within the range that can be accommodated on the back surface of the backrest portion 4. Further, between the pair of left and right rack portions 62, two biasing means 63 for biasing the concave portions 61 of the rack portions 62 so as to engage with the convex portions 60 of the block pieces are arranged.

[0057] As described above, the bathroom chair 1 of this embodiment is provided with the height adjustment means 6 of the backrest portion 4 having the above-described configuration. Therefore, when the height adjustment means 6 is not being operated, the pair of left and right rack portions 62 are biased by the biasing means 63 so as to open in the lateral direction, and the concave portion 61 of the rack portion 62 engages with the convex portion 60 of the fixing means 7 fixed to the front leg frame 20. Thus, the elevation of the backrest portion 6 is reliably locked.

[0058] On the other hand, when changing the height of the backrest portion 4, for example, if the gripping portions 620 of the pair of left and right rack portions 62 are gripped using the thumb and index finger, the rack portions 62 slide in the lateral direction so as to approach each other, and the concave portion 61 of the rack portion 62 disengages from the convex portion 60 fixed to the front leg frame 20. Therefore, the engagement between the concave portion 61 and the convex portion 60 can be easily released with one hand.

[0059] Also, since the gripping portions 620 are formed at the upper portions of the pair of left and right rack portions 62 respectively, if the gripping portions 620 are moved up and down while releasing the engagement between the concave portion 61 and the convex portion 60, the height of the backrest portion 4 can be easily adjusted with one hand via the gripping portions 620. Finally, if the hands are released from the pair of left and right gripping portions 620, the rack portions 62 slide in the lateral direction so as to move away from each other, and the concave portion 61 of the rack portion 62 engages with the convex portion 60 fixed to the front leg frame 20 again. Thus, the elevation of the backrest portion 4 is reliably locked. Therefore, in the bathroom chair 1 of this embodiment, the height of the backrest portion 4 can be adjusted in multiple stages, and the shape of the bathroom chair 1 can be changed according to the physique of the care recipient or the like.

[0060] <Handle portion> FIG. 11 shows a perspective view illustrating the fixing means 7 having the handle portion 70 of the bathroom chair 1 shown in FIG. 7.

[0061] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 7, the bathroom chair 1 of the present embodiment has a handle portion 70 continuously and integrally formed at the lower part of the fixing means 7. The handle portion 70 is fixed to the front leg frame 20 by attaching the fixing means 7 to the upper horizontal portion 200 of the front leg frame 20. Note that the handle portion 70 and the fixing means 7 are preferably mainly formed of a resin material in consideration of water resistance, moldability, light weight, etc., but are not limited thereto.

[0062] The handle portion 70 extends downward from the upper horizontal portion 200 of the front leg frame 20 either directly below or with a part being behind and below the upper horizontal portion 200, and has an overall tongue shape that is concave from front to back. In other words, as shown in FIG. 7, the handle portion 70 is arranged to overlap with the area directly below the upper horizontal portion 200 of the front leg frame 20.

[0063] Therefore, the handle portion 70 of the present embodiment can significantly reduce the protrusion to the rear from the backrest portion 4 and the upper horizontal portion 200 compared to the case where the upper horizontal portion 200 of the front leg frame 20 is curved backward to separate from the back surface of the backrest portion 4 to form a handrail, or a dedicated handrail is further attached to protrude backward from the upper horizontal portion 200. Also, the handle portion 70 of the present embodiment does not become an obstacle when an assistant or the like assists the care recipient from behind the bathroom chair 1, contributes to ensuring the safety of the assistant or the like, and does not impair the compactness and space-saving property of the bathroom chair 1 after folding.

[0064] Also, as shown in FIG. 11, the handle portion 70 of the present embodiment includes a horizontal plane forming the lower bottom in a front view and inclined surfaces rising obliquely from both ends thereof, and has a downward trapezoidal shape with the lower bottom as the short side. At the lower part of the handle portion 70, when the user places a hand, a surface area where the proximal phalanx of the user's finger abuts and a back surface area where the distal phalanx of the user's finger abuts are formed.

[0065] Therefore, when the user places a hand on the handle portion 70 from behind the backrest portion 4, the handle portion 70 of the present embodiment guides the four fingers from the index finger to the little finger of the user to the lower base of the trapezoidal shape, and arranges the joints of the fingers of the user's hand at a predetermined position. Thus, the way the user's hand is placed can be made reliable and stabilized.

[0066] <Hook for fixing shower head> FIG. 12 is an enlarged perspective view of the hook 8 for fixing the shower head of the bathroom chair 1 shown in FIG. 1.

[0067] As shown in FIGS. 5, 11, and 12, the bathroom chair 1 of the present embodiment includes fixing means 7 having a rotation stopper 71, and a hook 8 for fixing a shower head that is non-rotatably fixed to the upper horizontal portion 200 of the front leg frame 20 by engaging with the rotation stopper 71.

[0068] The fixing means 7 has a tongue-shaped or rod-shaped rotation stopper 71 extending laterally near both ends thereof (FIGS. 9 and 12). In the present embodiment, the rotation stopper 71 has a tongue shape or a rod shape, but there is no particular limitation on the shape of the fixing means 7 as long as it can engage with the rotation stopper 71 provided on the hook 8 for fixing the shower head.

[0069] As shown in FIG. 12, the hook 8 for fixing the shower head includes a gripping portion 80 formed by a pair of gutter-shaped members arranged to face each other, with the inner peripheral surface formed along the outer peripheral surface of the upper horizontal portion 200 of the front leg frame 20; a slit-shaped clamping portion 81 formed continuously with the inner peripheral surface of the gripping portion 80 and above it, which engages with the rotation stopper 71 of the fixing means 7; and a holder portion 82 provided on the side portion of the gripping portion 80 for holding the handle (not shown) of the shower head in the vertical direction. Further, the gripping portion 80 and the holder portion 82 are arranged such that the central axis a of the horizontally extending gripping portion 80 and the central axis b of the vertically extending holder portion 82 are perpendicular to each other.

[0070] Therefore, for the shower head fixing hook 8 of the present embodiment, if the gripping portion 80 is pushed downward from above along the outer periphery of the upper horizontal portion 200 and at the same time the clamping portion 81 is inserted into the anti-rotation portion 71 of the fixing means 7, it can be rotatably attached to the upper horizontal portion 200, and the holder portion 82 is arranged vertically so as to hold the handle (not shown) of the shower head in the vertical direction (Figs. 1 and 2). Further, when removing the shower head fixing hook 8 from the upper horizontal portion 200, conversely to the attachment, the shower head fixing hook 8 may be pulled upward from below along the outer periphery of the upper horizontal portion 200.

[0071] In the present embodiment, the shower head fixing hook 8 is mainly formed of a resin material in consideration of water resistance, moldability, light weight, etc., but is not limited thereto. Since the gripping portion 80 of the shower head fixing hook 8 of the present embodiment is elastically deformed, it can be smoothly and surely fixed to the upper horizontal portion 200. Further, since the holder portion 82 is also elastically deformed so as to expand the C-shaped shape, shower heads having various outer diameters can be held.

[0072] Thus, the shower head fixing hook 8 of the present embodiment can be rotatably and detachably attached to the front leg frame 20 by using the fixing means 7 fixed to the front leg frame 20 in advance. Therefore, when not necessary, the shower head fixing hook 8 can be easily removed, and it does not get in the way when an assistant etc. assist a care recipient etc. from behind the bathroom chair 1, and also does not impair the compactness and space-saving property of the bathroom chair 1 after folding.

[0073] Further, the shower head fixing hook 8 of the present embodiment can be rotatably attached even if the front leg frame 20 has a cylindrical pipe shape by the anti-rotation portion 71 of the fixing means 7. Therefore, the shower head does not move violently due to the reaction force of the flowing water during shower use, and it becomes possible for an assistant etc. to wash the body of a care recipient etc. with one hand while the care recipient etc. are sitting on the bathroom chair 1.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0074] 1 ····· Bathroom chair 2 ····· Leg frame 20 ····· Front leg frame 200 ···· Upper horizontal part 21 ····· Rear leg frame 22 ····· Link 23 ····· Reinforcing frame 3 ····· Armrest part 30 ····· Hinge part 300 ··· Holder part for hinge 31 ····· Armrest main body part 310 ··· Inner edge part 311 ··· Outer edge part 32 ····· Grip part 4 ····· Backrest part 40 ····· Backrest cushion 5 ····· Seat part 50 ····· Seat surface cushion 6 ····· Height adjustment means 60 ····· Protrusion 61 ····· Recess 62 ····· Rack part 620 ··· Gripping part 63 ····· Biasing means 7 ····· Fixing means 70 ····· Handle part 71 ····· Anti-rotation 8 ····· Hook for fixing shower head 80 ····· Gripping part 81 ····· Clamping part 82 ····· Holder part 9 ····· Lock & unlock means 90 ····· Lever X ····· Inner reference plane Y ····· Outer reference plane O ····· Hinge part rotation axis α, β · Displacement amount a ····· Central axis of gripping part b ····· Central axis of holder part

Claims

1. A foot frame, an armrest portion, a backrest portion, and a seat portion rotatably attached to the foot frame between a horizontal deployed state and a vertical folded state, in a bathroom chair, wherein the armrest portion has a hinge portion rotatably supported by the foot frame, an armrest main body portion formed from the hinge portion to the front end of the armrest portion for placing a user's arm, and a grip portion formed at the front end of the armrest main body portion for supporting a user's palm, and when a plane parallel to the rotation plane of the hinge portion and in contact with the inner side surface of the hinge portion is defined as an inner reference plane, the inner edge portion of the armrest main body portion has an arcuate shape in which the displacement amount outward with respect to the inner reference plane increases and then decreases from the hinge portion toward the front end of the armrest main body portion, and the inner edge portion at the front end of the armrest main body portion is disposed outside the inner reference plane. A bathroom chair characterized by this.

2. The bathroom chair according to claim 1, wherein the armrest main body portion has a portion formed with the same width from the hinge portion to the front end of the armrest main body portion.

3. When a plane parallel to the rotation plane of the hinge portion and in contact with the outer side surface of the hinge portion is defined as an outer reference plane, the maximum displacement amount outward of the inner edge portion of the armrest main body portion with respect to the inner reference plane is larger than the maximum displacement amount outward of the outer edge portion of the armrest main body portion with respect to the outer reference plane. The bathroom chair according to claim 2, characterized by this.

4. The grip portion has an arc shape with the width of the armrest main body portion as the diameter, and the arc shape is formed continuously with the inner edge portion and the outer edge portion of the armrest main body portion. The bathroom chair according to claim 3, characterized by this.

5. The foot frame has a front leg frame to which the backrest portion and the armrest portion are attached, and a rear leg frame foldably attached to the front leg frame, and the seat portion is rotatably supported by the rear leg frame. The bathroom chair according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by this.

6. Height adjustment means for adjusting the backrest portion to an arbitrary height is provided, and the backrest portion is attached to the front leg frame so as to be able to move up and down. The bathroom chair according to claim 5, characterized by this.

7. The height adjusting means includes a convex portion fixed to the front leg frame, a plurality of concave portions engaging with the convex portion, and a rack portion attached to the backrest portion. The bathroom chair according to claim 6, characterized in that it has the above structure.

8. The bathroom chair according to claim 5, characterized in that a lower part or a part directly below the upper horizontal part of the front leg frame has a tongue shape extending downward below the upper horizontal part at the rear of the upper horizontal part, and is provided with a handle part attached to the front leg frame.

9. It has a rotation prevention, a fixing means fixed to the front leg frame, and The bathroom chair according to claim 5, characterized in that it includes a shower head fixing hook that engages with the rotation prevention and is detachably attached to the front leg frame.

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