Handrail device

Abstract

To provide a technique related to a handrail device or the like being easy to use for a user.SOLUTION: A handrail device includes a first grip part and a second grip part. The first grip part has a curved first side surface, and a curved second side surface being a side surface opposite to the first side surface. The second grip part has a curved third side surface, and a curved fourth side surface being a side surface opposite to the third surface. The second side surface and the third side surface are arranged so as to face each other. The second side surface, the third side surface, and the fourth side surface have the same shape in cross-sectional view, and have a different shape from that of the first side surface.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to handrail devices and the like. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, as disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, handrail devices are known that assist a user when standing up. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-9922 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-223247 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The present disclosure aims to provide, for example, technology relating to handrail devices and the like that are easy for users to use. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The handrail gripping member of the present disclosure comprises a first gripping portion and a second gripping portion, the first gripping portion having a curved first side surface and a curved second side surface opposite the first side surface, the second gripping portion having a curved third side surface and a curved fourth side surface opposite the third side surface, the second side surface and the third side surface being arranged opposite each other, and the second side surface, the third side surface and the fourth side surface having the same shape in a cross-sectional view but a different shape from the first side surface. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide, for example, technology relating to a handrail device or the like that is easy for users to use. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating the appearance of a handrail device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 4A and 4B are diagrams illustrating a cross section of a grip portion in the present embodiment. [Figure 3] 4A and 4B are diagrams illustrating a cross section of a grip portion in the present embodiment. [Figure 4] 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating a covering member in the present embodiment. [Figure 5] 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating an identification shape (luminous member) in the present embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of operation in this embodiment. [Figure 7] 1 is a diagram illustrating an entire system including a handrail device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a functional configuration diagram of a control device according to the present embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a sensor detection table according to the present embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating a first process in the present embodiment. [Figure 11] 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen according to the present embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a second process in the present embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiment described below is one embodiment of the present disclosure, and the contents of the present disclosure should not be interpreted as being limited based on the following description.

[0009] Handrails are generally known to be used by elderly people, people with disabilities, and others to help them stand up and walk. Based on the idea that handrails are sufficient if they simply support the user's body, most handrails are generally made of simple round pipes, and there have been few that have been designed with ease of use in mind.

[0010] Furthermore, when it comes to handrails, some are designed with ease of use in mind when considering only the grip, but these are simply handrails placed horizontally, and no consideration has been given to users being able to access them from various directions or how they will be used.

[0011] Furthermore, in dimly lit areas, it can be difficult for users to determine where the handrail is, especially when they are holding a handrail and are unable to clearly see where the end of the handrail is.

[0012] A handrail device for solving one or more of the above-mentioned problems will be described below. In this embodiment, the handrail device will be described as a device in which a handrail unit is attached to a base portion placed on the floor surface. However, the handrail device only needs to function as a handrail unit for the user to grasp, and in addition to a handrail device placed on the floor portion, a handrail unit may also be provided on the bed frame of a bed apparatus.

[0013] [1. Overall structure] The handrail 1 has a base 9 and a handrail unit 3 that stands on the base 9. Here, the handrail unit 3 has a gripping portion 5 as a gripping member for the user to hold. The gripping portion 5 includes a first gripping portion 10 and a second gripping portion 20. The handrail unit 3 may have multiple second gripping portions 20, and in FIG. 1, there are two second gripping portions 22, 24 from the top. In addition, to support these gripping portions 5, a support portion 30 is provided.

[0014] The base portion 9 supports the support column 30 from below. The base portion 9 is placed so as to be in contact with the floor surface. The base portion 9 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view, but may have other shapes.

[0015] The upper surface of the base portion 9 has mounting portions 36 for mounting the lower ends of the support columns 30. The mounting portions 36 are arranged at intervals along the short side of the base portion 9, and are located closer to the ends of the base portion 9 in the short side direction.

[0016] The support pillars 30 are erected at intervals on the upper surface of the base 9. The support pillars 30 are formed, for example, of pipes with a circular cross section, and extend in a straight line in the vertical direction from the lower end to the upper end of the support pillars 30.

[0017] The support post 30 may also have an upper support portion 32 and a lower support portion 34. The upper support portion 32 is slidably inserted into the lower support portion 34 and extends vertically upward in a straight line from the upper end of the lower support portion 34. The upper support portion 32 and the lower support portion 34 can be slid to adjust their height and fixed in a predetermined position with a fixing member such as a screw. In this way, the upper support portion 32 and the lower support portion 34 may have an extendable structure, in which case the height of the handrail device 1 (handrail unit 3) can be adjusted. The support post 30 may also be partially or entirely covered with a covering member 310. In FIG. 1, the support post 30 is covered with the covering member 310, centering on the grip portion 5.

[0018] Here, the gripping portions 5 of the handrail unit 3 in Fig. 1 are provided so as to bridge between the support portions 30. The gripping portions 5 are made up of a first gripping portion 10 and a second gripping portion 20 from the top.

[0019] The first grip portion 10 is formed by bending and deforming the upper portion of a member (for example, a metal pipe member) that constitutes the support portion 30. That is, the support portion 30 is formed in an inverted U-shape (cap shape) when viewed from the front, but may be in another shape.

[0020] For example, the support columns 30 may be extended vertically upward, and the first gripping section 10 may be fixed to the support columns 30 in the same manner as the second gripping section 20, and may be provided so as to bridge between the support columns 30.

[0021] The handrail device 1 may have one or more second gripping portions 20. For example, the handrail device 1 in Fig. 1 has two second gripping portions 20: a second gripping portion 22 on the upper side and a second gripping portion 24 on the lower side. In this embodiment, the second gripping portions 20 have the same configuration, and therefore will be described below as the second gripping portion 20.

[0022] The second gripping portion 20 is fixed to the support portion 30 by a fixing member such as a screw. That is, the second gripping portion 20 may be provided detachably. The second gripping portion 20 may also be molded integrally with the support portion 30. For example, the support portion 30, the first gripping portion 10, and the second gripping portion 20 may be formed integrally.

[0023] The support part 30 and the grip part 5 preferably have a size of 20 mm to 50 mm, and more preferably 30 to 40 mm, when viewed in cross section.

[0024] [2. Shape of grip] Next, a description will be given of the shapes of the first gripping portion 10 and the second gripping portion 20. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing a cross-sectional view of the first gripping portion 10 and the second gripping portion 20.

[0025] Here, the first side surface 102 is located on the upper side of the first gripping part 10, and the second side surface 104 is located on the lower side of the first gripping part 10. Here, the first side surface 102 has a curved shape, and the second side surface 104 has a curved shape different from the first side surface 102. Here, the curved shape is a shape that appears as a curve in a cross-sectional view.

[0026] Additionally, a third side surface 202 is located on the upper side (first gripping portion 10 side) of the second gripping portion 20, and a fourth side surface 204 is located on the lower side of the second gripping portion 20. Here, the third side surface 202 and the fourth side surface 204 have the same curved shape.

[0027] That is, the second side surface 104 of the first gripping portion 10 and the third side surface 202 of the second gripping portion 20 are positioned opposite each other. The second side surface 104 and the third side surface 202 have the same shape.

[0028] That is, the second side surface 104 and the third side surface 202 (fourth side surface 204) have the same radius of curvature when viewed in cross section. In addition, the first side surface 102 and the second side surface 104 have a different radius of curvature.

[0029] The first grip portion 10 and the second grip portion 20 will be described in more detail with reference to Figure 3. Here, it is assumed that the first grip portion 10 will be held or touched mainly when the user is standing or walking. Therefore, the upper surface (first side surface 102) of the first grip portion 10 has a gently curved shape. Therefore, when the user holds the first side surface 102 from above with the palm of the hand, the shape is easy to grip.

[0030] In addition, because the first side surface 102 is gently curved, the surface that comes into contact with the hand is wide. This allows the user to easily grasp the device while walking by lightly contacting it with the palm of the hand, which gives the user a sense of security.

[0031] Second grip portion 20 is intended to be gripped mainly when the user leans in or raises the body, for example, when the user reaches out from under the bed or futon and hooks their fingers on second grip portion 20.

[0032] The second gripping portion 20 is designed to have a shape that provides a handhold for the user when they first grab onto a handrail while lying on a futon or in a wheelchair. For example, when looking at the cross-sectional shape of the second gripping portion 20, there are four gently sloping surfaces (curved shapes) and four linear shapes that serve as handholds, each arranged in four directions. The combination of curved and linear shapes makes the second gripping portion 20 easy for the user to grasp.

[0033] Additionally, both the third side surface 202 on the upper side and the fourth side surface 204 on the lower side of the second grip portion 20 are curved. This curved shape is convex, making it easy for the user's fingers to catch on.

[0034] Furthermore, since a user often uses the second gripping portion 20 when accessing the handrail device 1 using a wheelchair, the second gripping portion 20 has a shape that is evenly curved in all four directions so that it is easy to grip even when gripping from the side. In other words, the user can easily grip the handrail by sliding it over the handrail without changing the orientation or position of their hand or fingers, making it easy for the user to grasp and achieve the purpose of gripping. Note that although the second gripping portion 20 is curved evenly in all four directions in FIG. 3, other shapes are also possible. For example, the second gripping portion 20 may have multiple shapes, such as six or eight directions. Furthermore, as long as it has a third side surface 202 and a fourth side surface 204, it can also have an asymmetrical shape.

[0035] Furthermore, it is preferable that the curved shape has a gentle radius of curvature so that it does not cause pain when the user grips it. For example, the curved portions of the first gripping portion 10 and the second gripping portion 20 should be shaped so that the user can easily grip them with their fingers, and so that the fingers do not slip off.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 3(a), in the first gripping portion 10, the first side surface 102 forms a curved portion C11. The second side surface 104, which is opposite the first side surface 102, forms a curved portion C12. Here, since the first side surface 102 is the portion that the user's palm contacts, it is preferable that the curved shape be more gently curved than the second side surface 104. Furthermore, it is preferable that the second side surface 104 be curved so that it is easy for the user to grip and hold with their fingers. That is, it is preferable that the radius of curvature of the curved portion C11 is greater than the radius of curvature of the curved portion C12. For example, when the radius of curvature R of the curved portion C11 is 10 to 40 mm, the radius of curvature R of the curved portion C12 is 5 to 20 mm. For example, it is preferable that the radius of curvature of the curved portion C11 is approximately twice or more the radius of curvature of the curved portion C12. Furthermore, the difference between the radius of curvature of the curved portion C11 and the radius of curvature of the curved portion C12 may be a predetermined value or more, and may be, for example, about 1.5 times or 3 times or more. In other words, it is preferable that the radius of curvature of the curved portion C11 and the curved portion C12 are different.

[0037] Furthermore, it is preferable that the first grip portion 10 has a straight portion so that the first grip portion 10 has a shape that is easy for the user to grip. For example, in Fig. 3(a), the first grip portion 10 has straight portions L11 and L12. By having a straight portion on the lower side of the first grip portion 10, the user's fingers can more easily engage with the curved portion C12, and the entire first grip portion 10 has a shape that is easy to grip.

[0038] Here, the straight line sections L11 and L12 are linear, but they do not necessarily have to be straight. For example, each curved section may be curved to form a gentle, large curve. That is, the straight line sections L11 and L12 may be linear or substantially linear (a curved shape close to a straight line). It is also preferable that the straight line sections L11 and L12 have symmetrical shapes.

[0039] As described above, since the palm of the user comes into contact with the first side surface 102 of the first gripping portion 10, it is preferable that the first side surface 102 has a gently curved shape. Furthermore, by providing the first gripping portion 10 with a straight portion, the shape is made easy to grip and apply force to.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 3(b), in the second gripping portion 20, the third side surface 202 forms a curved portion C21. Furthermore, the fourth side surface 204 opposite to the third side surface 202 forms a curved portion C22. Here, the curved portion C21 of the third side surface 202 and the curved portion C22 of the fourth side surface 204 are shaped to have the same radius of curvature. Furthermore, the curved portion C21 of the third side surface 202 and the curved portion C22 of the fourth side surface 204 are shaped to have the same radius of curvature as the curved portion C12 of the second side surface 104. In other words, the third side surface 202 arranged at a position opposite the second side surface 104 has curved portions with the same curved shape.

[0041] Furthermore, second grip portion 20 preferably has straight portions so that it is easy for the user to grip. For example, in Fig. 3(b) it has straight portions L21, L22, L23, and L24. In other words, second grip portion 20 preferably has a curved shape that is easy to grip while leaving straight portions that allow fingers to rest.

[0042] Here, the straight line sections L21, L22, L23, and L24 are linear, but they do not necessarily have to be straight. For example, each curved section may have a curved shape that forms a gentle, large curve. That is, the straight line sections L21, L22, L23, and L24 may have a linear or approximately linear shape (a curved shape close to a straight line). Furthermore, they do not all have to have the same shape, and the straight line sections L21 and L22 (L23 and L24) may have symmetrical shapes.

[0043] Furthermore, when there are multiple second gripping portions 20, they preferably have the same shape. For example, the handrail unit 3 in Fig. 1 has second gripping portions 22 and 24, both of which preferably have the same shape.

[0044] Furthermore, the second gripping portion 22 and the second gripping portion 24 may have different shapes. For example, the third side surface 202 of the second gripping portion 22 may have a shape that is gentler than the fourth side surface 204. In this case, the lower side surface of the first gripping portion 10 and the upper side surface of the second gripping portion 22 may have the same shape, and the lower side surface of the second gripping portion 22 and the upper side surface of the second gripping portion 24 may also have the same shape.

[0045] Furthermore, the first side surface 102 may be gently curved, and may have, for example, a straight portion. In the above description, the radius of curvature of the first side surface 102 is described as R=10 to 40 mm, but it may be larger. For example, both ends of the first side surface 102 may be curved (forming corners), and the portion between these ends may be linear. In this case, the first side surface 102 may be substantially linear. For example, a gently curved shape can be achieved by setting the radius of curvature of the first side surface to R=300 to 350 mm.

[0046] Furthermore, the radius of curvature of the curved shape described above varies depending on the cross-sectional size of the grip portion 5. For example, the above-described radius of curvature is described assuming that the cross-sectional size of the grip portion 5 is approximately 30 to 40 mm.

[0047] [3. Covering materials] The handrail unit 3 may be made of, for example, a metal pipe member, a resin member, wood, or the like. The handrail unit 3 may also be produced by cutting metal. Part or all of the handrail unit 3 may be covered with a covering member. For example, a covering member made of urethane may be used to cover the first grip portion 10, the second grip portion 20, and the support portion 30. The first grip portion 10 and the second grip portion 20 may be made of a member that makes it easier for the user to grip. Only the grip portion 5 on the support portion 30 may be covered with a covering member.

[0048] The covering member may also have a varying thickness at the curved upper portion of the support post 30 (the upper corner of the handrail unit 3). For example, Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the curved upper portion of the handrail unit 3. The frame 302 that constitutes the handrail unit 3 is covered with a covering member 310 made of urethane.

[0049] Here, the covering member 310 at the curved portion of the frame has a shape that gradually becomes thicker. For example, FIG. 4(b) is a cross section taken at D1 in FIG. 4(a). As shown in FIG. 4(b), the covering member 310 at the corners of the frame 310 becomes thicker toward the outside of the frame 302 (the outside of the curved portion) relative to the frame 302. For example, at the thickest portion at the cross section taken at D1, the thickness of the covering member 310 may be approximately the same as the diameter of the frame 302. Because there is an excess of covering member 310 at the curved portion of the frame 302, this portion has a softer configuration than the portion where the frame 302 is located. In other words, when a user touches the portion corresponding to the curved portion of the frame 302, the sensation is different from other portions, and the user can recognize that it is the upper corner of the handrail unit 3.

[0050] Furthermore, the corners of the covering member 310, i.e., the upper corners of the handrail unit 3, may have an identification shape. For example, FIG. 5(a) is a front view showing a first identification shape, and FIG. 5(b) is a perspective view showing a first identification shape 320. The first identification shape 320 is formed as a convex shape (protrusion shape) or a concave shape (depression shape) on the surface of the covering member 310. Furthermore, the first identification shape 320 has a continuous shape along the outside of the covering member from the front to the back. This allows the user to recognize the upper corners of the handrail unit 3 by touching the identification shape 320.

[0051] Furthermore, a luminous material may be provided in the identification shape 320. For example, in Figures 5(a) and (b), the first identification shape 320 has a luminous material. The luminous material emits light when the surroundings become dark, allowing users to recognize the upper corners of the handrail unit 3 even at night. Furthermore, instead of a luminous material, other light-emitting means such as an LED may be provided.

[0052] 5(c) and (d) have a second identification shape 325. The second identification shape 325 is formed, for example, by a convex shape (protrusion shape) or a concave shape (depression shape) on the surface of the covering member 310 near the upper corner of the handrail unit 3. The second identification shape 325 may be provided on both the front and back sides, or on only one side. The second identification shape 325 may also be provided with a luminous material.

[0053] The use of a luminous material makes it easy for the user to recognize the presence of the handrail device 1 even in dimly lit places. It also identifies the position of the upper grip part (first grip part) of the handrail device 1. It also allows the user to recognize the end of the grip part (rail) of the handrail device 1.

[0054] [4. Specific operation examples] 6A and 6B are other diagrams illustrating specific operation examples, for example, Fig. 6A shows an operation example when a user stands up while grasping the first grip portion 10 with both hands.

[0055] At this time, the user stands up by relying on the first gripping portion 10. Therefore, the user needs to firmly grasp the first gripping portion 10. If a user (for example, an elderly person) stands up by grasping the first gripping portion 10 and changes the direction of their body from a standing position to a walking position, they can change the direction of their grasping while touching the first gripping portion 10 (first side surface 102) with their palm, which can assist the user in standing up.

[0056] 6(b) shows an example of an operation when the user is holding the first grip portion 10 with one hand. For example, when the user moves, he or she holds the first grip portion 10 when sending his or her hand. When the user moves by walking, the user continuously sends the action of releasing the gripped hand from the first grip portion 10 and then gripping the first grip portion 10 again in the moving direction. Therefore, the user moves using the first grip portion 10 as a handhold without gripping the first grip portion 10 tightly (without the user applying force).

[0057] FIG. 6(c) shows an example of an action in which the user grips the second gripping unit 20 to move the body closer. FIG. 6(d) shows an example of an action in which the user grips the second gripping unit 20 to move the body up. The user grips the second gripping unit 20 with either the underhand or overhand hand. At this time, by firmly engaging the fingers on the second gripping unit 20, even if the direction of the force changes, the force of the user pulling or the force of the user applying weight is not lost, and the body can be stably supported. In other words, without significantly changing the orientation of the wrist or fingers from the state in which the user's first fingers grip the second gripping unit 20 are engaged with the second gripping unit 20, the force of the user pulling or the force of the user applying weight is not lost, and the body can be stably supported.

[0058] 6(e) shows an example of the action when the user grips the support part 30. For example, the user puts his / her finger on the support part 30 and pulls it in, thereby connecting it to the first grip part 10.

[0059] [5. Control] [5.1 System Configuration] Furthermore, the handrail device 1 described above may be used to provide a system for determining the user's actions and state.

[0060] 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a system 1000 according to this embodiment. The system 1000 includes a handrail device 1 and a terminal device 70 connectable to the handrail device 1.

[0061] The handrail device 1 is equipped with one or more sensor devices compared to the handrail device 1 in Fig. 1. In Fig. 7, for example, the first gripping portion 10 has a sensor 110 on the first side surface 102, a sensor 115 on the second side surface 104, a sensor 210 on the third side surface 202 of the second gripping portion 20, and a sensor 215 on the fourth side surface 204. In addition, sensors 910 are provided over the entire base portion 9.

[0062] Each sensor device can detect the user's movement or operation. For example, the sensor 910 is a pressure sensor or a vibration sensor, and can detect that the user is positioned on the base unit 9.

[0063] Furthermore, sensors 110, 115, 210, and 215 provided in grip portion 5 detect the state of the user's gripping hand. These sensors provided in grip portion 5 may be, for example, capacitance type sensors or pressure sensors.

[0064] Here, the handrail device 1 has a built-in control device 50. An example of the configuration of the control device 50 is shown in FIG.

[0065] The control device 50 includes a control unit 500, a storage 510, a ROM 520, a RAM 530, a display unit 540, an operation unit 550, and a communication unit 570 as necessary.

[0066] The control unit 500 is a functional unit for controlling the entire handrail device 1. The control unit 500 realizes various functions by reading and executing various programs stored in the storage 510 and the ROM 520, and may be realized by one or more control devices / arithmetic units (CPU (Central Processing Unit), SoC (System on a Chip)).

[0067] The storage 510 is a non-volatile storage device capable of storing programs and data. For example, it is preferably configured with a semiconductor memory, but may also be configured with a storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or an SSD (Solid State Drive). The storage may also be an external HDD or USB memory, or may be a storage area secured in excess of the cloud.

[0068] Here, the storage 510 stores a sensor detection table 512. The sensor detection table 512 is a table that stores the detected state of the sensor.

[0069] FIG. 9 is an example of the sensor detection table 512. The sensor detection table 512 stores the detection state of the sensor at every predetermined time. For example, FIG. 9 stores the detection state of the sensor at every 5 seconds. The sensor state may be, for example: The state of the sensor 110 provided on the first side surface 102 as the sensor 1 The state of the sensor 115 provided on the second side surface 104 as the sensor 2 The state of the sensor 210 provided on the third side surface 202 as the sensor 3 The state of the sensor 215 provided on the fourth side surface 204 as the sensor 4 The state of the sensor 910 provided on the base portion 9 as the sensor 5 9 stores the sensor states "ON" when the presence of a user is detected and "-" (OFF) when the presence of a user is not detected, but other states may also be stored.

[0070] For example, when the sensor unit 560 can detect a load, the sensor detection table 512 may store the load value.

[0071] The ROM 520 is a non-volatile memory that can retain programs and data even when the power to the device is turned off.

[0072] The RAM 530 is a main memory used mainly by the control unit of each device when executing processing. The RAM is a rewritable memory that temporarily stores programs read from storage or ROM, and data including execution results.

[0073] Display unit 540 is a device that displays various types of information or an interface that connects to a display device. For example, display unit 540 may be a display device such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display. Display unit 540 may also be an interface that can connect a display device via USB (Universal Serial Bus), HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) (registered trademark), or the like.

[0074] The operation unit 550 is a device through which a user performs operation input, or an interface to which a device that performs operation input can be connected. For example, the operation unit 550 may be a touch panel formed integrally with the display unit 540. In this case, the user operates software keys displayed on the display unit 540 via the operation unit 550. The operation unit 550 may also be realized by hardware keys such as a keyboard or operation switches.

[0075] The sensor unit 560 is a sensor device that can detect the user's movements, the position of a touch, etc. The sensor unit 560 uses any of sensors such as a pressure sensor, a vibration sensor, a capacitance sensor, etc. Note that the sensor unit 560 may detect the user's movements by analyzing video captured by a camera device, for example.

[0076] The communication unit 570 is an interface or a communication module for communicating with other devices. For example, the communication unit 570 may be a network interface such as a LAN or a wireless LAN, or may be a short-range wireless communication interface such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) or NFC (Near Field Communication). The communication unit may also be a communication module capable of communication such as LTE / 4G / 5G. The communication unit 570 provides an interface that can use a communication means appropriate for connecting to each device.

[0077] The terminal device 70 is a device that can be connected to the handrail device 1. For example, the terminal device 70 may be an information processing device such as a smartphone or tablet used by a user. The terminal device 70 may also be a computer located in a nurse's center or a staff room, for example.

[0078] The terminal device 70, like a general information processing device, has a control unit, storage, ROM, RAM, display unit, operation unit, and communication unit. The terminal device 70 can acquire necessary information from the handrail device 1 via the communication unit.

[0079] Therefore, the processing described below may be implemented by the handrail device 1 or by the terminal device 70. For example, if the handrail device 1 does not have a display unit, various information and settings may be displayed on the display unit of the terminal device 70.

[0080] [5.2 Processing flow] [5.2.1 First Processing] As the first processing, processing for determining the user's state will be described. Fig. 10 shows an example of a flow showing the operation of the processing for determining the user's state.

[0081] First, the control unit 500 determines or estimates the user's state from the sensor acquisition status (step S102). Here, the control unit 100 determines the user's state by referring to the sensor detection table 512 or according to the sensor state acquired from the sensor unit 560. Furthermore, even when the user's state cannot be determined from the sensor state acquired by the sensor unit 560, the control unit 100 estimates the most likely user state.

[0082] Specifically, a method by which the control unit 500 determines the state of the user will be described using the sensor states in Fig. 9. For example, Fig. 9 shows that the change in the sensor state when the user gets out of bed while in bed is stored.

[0083] At "23:02:15", the control unit 500 determines that the user has placed his / her hand on the first grip portion 10 because only the sensor 1 is "ON".

[0084] Furthermore, at "23:02:20", the control unit 500 determines that the user is gripping the first grip portion 10 because the sensors 1 and 2 are "ON".

[0085] Furthermore, at "23:02:30", the control unit 500 determines that the sensor 5 is "ON". Based on the sensor status, the control unit 500 determines that the user's state is either sitting on the edge of the chair or standing. At "23:02:40", the control unit 500 estimates that the user is supporting their body on the upper surface of the first grip unit 10 and is in a standing state. When the sensor 5 can acquire a load value, the control unit 500 can determine that the user's state is standing based on a change in the load.

[0086] At "23:02:45", because only sensor 5 is "ON", the control unit 500 determines that the user has removed their hands from the handrail device 1. Then, at "23:02:50", because all sensors are "OFF", the control unit 500 determines or estimates that the user has left the handrail device 1.

[0087] The control unit 500 may display the current status of the user (step S104). For example, the user status may be displayed on an application of the terminal device 70.

[0088] 11(a) is an example of a display screen displaying the user's status on the terminal device 70. On the display screen, W100 displays the detection status of the sensors of the handrail device 1. For example, the positions of the first gripping portion 10 and the base portion 9 displayed on W100 are black, indicating that the user is being detected by the two sensors.

[0089] The first gripping unit 10 and the second gripping unit 20 may further display the status of the sensors on the upper and lower surfaces. The status of the two sensors may also display the user's status (for example, touching only the upper surface, holding with normal hands, etc.).

[0090] Moreover, a message is displayed on the display screen W102. The message may be based on the user's state that the control unit 500 currently determines or estimates.

[0091] Next, the control unit 500 determines whether or not a notification is necessary based on the user's state. If a notification is necessary, the control unit 500 executes a notification process (step S106; Yes→step S108).

[0092] Here, the conditions under which a report is required can be changed by changing the settings. For example, the conditions under which a report is required are as follows:

[0093] The timing when the sensor 910 on the base unit 9 is turned ON while the user is in bed. This is the timing when the user is about to get out of bed and is in a sitting position or standing position.

[0094] The timing when the sensor of the first gripping portion 10 or the second gripping portion 20 is turned ON while the user is in bed. This is the timing when the user is trying to get out of bed and is using the handrail device 1 to support their body.

[0095] The timing when the sensor of the first gripping portion 10 or the second gripping portion 20 is turned ON and the sensor 910 is also turned ON while the user is in bed. This is when the user is about to get out of bed, and there is a higher possibility that the user will be in a standing position than when the sensor 910 is simply turned ON.

[0096] When the sensor 910 is ON while the user is getting out of bed, but the sensor of the first gripping unit 10 or the second gripping unit 20 is OFF. This is the timing when the user returns to bed and is in a standing position but is not using the handrail device 1.

[0097] Furthermore, the control unit 500 may send the notification to, for example, the terminal device 70. For example, Fig. 11(b) is an example of a display screen on the terminal device 70 when the notification is received. On the display screen of Fig. 11(b), an alert is displayed in a pop-up display W110. This allows, for example, family members or staff to quickly understand that the user is about to get out of bed.

[0098] [5.2.2 Secondary Processing] The second process acquires one or more behavioral situations of the user as parameters according to the sensor values ​​acquired from the sensor unit 560, and performs recommendation processing according to the acquired parameters. Fig. 12 is an example of a flow showing the operation of the second process.

[0099] First, the control unit 500 acquires one or more parameters based on the sensor value acquired by the sensor unit 560. For example, in step S202, the following parameters can be acquired:

[0100] (1) First parameter As the first parameter, the control unit 500 acquires the time period in which the user is active. For example, parameters such as the time when the user got out of bed and the time period can be acquired from the time when the user got out of bed and the time when the user stayed in bed.

[0101] (2) Second parameter As the second parameter, the control unit 500 acquires the load applied to the gripping unit 5 of the handrail device 1. At this time, the first gripping unit 10 and the second gripping unit 20 are equipped with load sensors. Then, the load when the user grips the gripping unit 5 is acquired as a parameter.

[0102] (3) Third parameter As the third parameter, the control unit 500 acquires the user's motion time. For example, the control unit 500 acquires the time it takes for the user to stand up from a sitting position as one motion time. The control unit 500 also acquires the time from the time the user stands up to the time the user starts moving from a load sensor provided on the base unit 9.

[0103] (4) Fourth parameter As the fourth parameter, the control unit 500 acquires the movement of the user's center of gravity. For example, the control unit 500 acquires the movement of the user's center of gravity by acquiring a change in load after the user grips the grip unit 5. The control unit 500 also acquires the movement of the user's center of gravity from a load sensor provided on the base unit 9.

[0104] (5) Fifth parameter As the fifth parameter, the control unit 500 acquires biometric information of the user. For example, by providing a temperature sensor in the grip unit 5, the control unit 500 can acquire the user's body temperature. Furthermore, by providing an electrocardiogram sensor or a vibration sensor in the grip unit 5, the control unit 500 can acquire the user's heart rate.

[0105] Next, the control unit 500 analyzes the user's behavior by using one or more of these parameters (step S204), and then the control unit 500 executes a recommendation process based on the user's behavior (step S206).

[0106] Here, the following methods can be considered as a method for analyzing user behavior and making recommendations.

[0107] (1) First Method The control unit 500 uses the first parameter to determine the user's behavior pattern of getting out of bed at night. For example, if the time when the user periodically gets out of bed is known, the control unit 500 determines that the level of care required is increasing, predicts the user's nighttime behavior (for example, the time of night when the user will defecate, the time of night when the user will wander around), and makes recommendations to, for example, medical professionals, facility staff, family members, etc. (hereinafter, these persons are referred to as staff, etc.). The staff, etc. can watch over the user at night based on the recommendations.

[0108] (2) Second Method The control unit 500 continuously acquires the second parameter and the third parameter and compares the past information with the latest information (current information), thereby making it possible to visualize the user's ADL (Activities of Daily Living). For example, if the control unit 500 determines that the ADL has deteriorated, it determines that the level of care required has increased, and reminds the user to review the care plan.

[0109] (3) Third Method The control unit 500 may continuously acquire the second parameter and the third parameter to determine the durability of the handrail device 1. For example, when the load applied based on the second parameter and the usage time of the handrail device 1, including the operating time, exceed a predetermined time, the control unit 500 may issue a reminder that it is time to replace the handrail device 1. Furthermore, the second parameter and the third parameter may be used as a guide for use (durability) in product development.

[0110] (4) The fourth method The control unit 500 may continuously acquire the third parameter and average it together with past parameter values ​​to recommend a guideline for the minimum time required for staff or the like to rush to watch over the user. For example, the control unit 500 acquires the average time from when the user grips the first grip unit 10 to when the user assumes a standing position. Then, the control unit 500 may recommend (notify) to staff or the like that "the user may get out of bed in X seconds" at the timing when the user grips the first grip unit 10.

[0111] (5) Fifth Method The control unit 500 may use a trained model that has been trained using the first to fifth parameters as input elements and the state of the user as training data.

[0112] When the first to fifth parameters described above are given to the learning model as input data, a learning process is performed so that the data is classified into the user's state and output. When the learning process is performed, the output data is compared with the training data, and the weights in the learning model are adjusted. This generates a trained model.

[0113] The trained model is constructed through analysis using machine learning such as a neural network, a decision tree, or a support vector machine. Furthermore, the control unit 500 may train (update) the trained model using machine learning at a predetermined timing, using information on the first to fifth parameters and user behavior input by staff or the like (for example, user behavior that leads to getting out of bed, watching television, assuming a sitting position, etc.) as training data.

[0114] [6. Modifications] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible. In other words, embodiments obtained by combining technical means that are appropriately modified within the scope of the gist of the present disclosure are also included in the technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0115] In the above-described embodiment, the first gripping unit 10 is assumed to have a larger radius of curvature of the first side surface 102 than the second side surface 104, but may have other shapes. For example, the first gripping unit 10 may have a shape in which the radius of curvature of the first side surface 102 is smaller than the radius of curvature of the second side surface 104. Furthermore, the radius of curvature of the first side surface 102 and the radius of curvature of the second side surface 104 may be the same.

[0116] Although the above-mentioned embodiments are described separately for convenience of explanation, they can be combined to the extent possible. Furthermore, the present invention intends to obtain rights to any of the technologies described in the specification through amendments or divisional applications, etc.

[0117] In addition, the programs that run on each device in each embodiment are programs that control the CPU, etc. (programs that make a computer function) so as to realize the functions of the above-described embodiments. Information handled by these devices is temporarily stored in a temporary storage device (e.g., RAM) during processing, and then stored in various ROMs and HDDs, and is read, modified, and written by the CPU as needed.

[0118] Here, the recording medium for storing the program may be any of semiconductor media (e.g., ROM, non-volatile memory card, etc.), optical recording media / magneto-optical recording media (e.g., DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), CD (Compact Disc), BD, etc.), magnetic recording media (e.g., magnetic tape, flexible disk, etc.), etc.

[0119] Furthermore, when distributing the program in the market, the program can be stored in a portable recording medium and distributed, or transferred to a server computer connected via a network such as the Internet. In this case, the storage device of the server device is also included in the present disclosure.

[0120] Furthermore, the above-mentioned data may not be stored within the device, but may be stored in an external device and called up as needed. For example, the data may be stored in a network attached storage (NAS) or on the cloud.

[0121] The scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the configurations explicitly described in the specification, but also includes combinations of the technologies disclosed in the specification. The configurations of the present disclosure for which a patent is sought are set forth in the appended claims, but it is not intended to exclude them from the technical scope on the grounds that they are not set forth in the claims.

[0122] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned specification, the statements "in the case of" and "when" are given as examples and are not intended to limit the configuration to the described contents. The disclosure also includes configurations that are not in these cases or situations, even if they would be obvious to a person skilled in the art, and the applicant intends to obtain rights to them.

[0123] Furthermore, the processes and data flows described in the specification are not limited to the order in which they are described. For example, the patent also discloses configurations in which some processes are deleted or the order is changed, and the patent holder intends to obtain the rights to such configurations. [Explanation of symbols]

[0124] 1 Handrail device 3 Handrail unit 5 Gripping part 10 First grip part 102 1st side, 104 2nd side 20, 22, 24 2nd grip part 202 3rd aspect, 204 4th aspect 30 pillars 32 Upper support part 34 Lower support part 36 Mounting part

Claims

1. a handrail gripping member having a first gripping portion equipped with a plurality of sensors that detect the state of a user's gripped hand; a base portion that contacts the floor surface; A support portion erected on the base portion for supporting the handrail gripping member; a storage unit that stores a sensor detection table that stores detection states of the plurality of sensors; A control unit; Equipped with The control unit determines the state of the user based on the detection states of the sensors stored in the sensor detection table.

2. the sensors are contact sensors that detect contact with a user's hand, and are installed on a first side surface on an upper side of the first gripping portion and a second side surface on a lower side of the first gripping portion, respectively; 2. The handrail device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit determines, based on the detection states of the sensors stored in the sensor detection table, whether the user is in a first state in which the user places his / her hand on the first gripping portion, a second state in which the user grips the first gripping portion, or a third state in which the user has released the first gripping portion, as a user state determination result.

3. The first gripping portion further includes a load sensor, The handrail device according to claim 2 , wherein the device determines whether the user is standing based on a change in the load detection value of the load sensor and a result of the user state determination by the control unit.

4. The handrail device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit determines a frequency of handrail use by the user in a predetermined time period as a behavior pattern and notifies the user of the behavior pattern.

5. The handrail device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the control unit refers to the sensor detection table, acquires the user's movement time based on the user state determination result, and determines and notifies the user of changes in ADL (Activities of Daily Living) based on the results of comparing the latest movement time with the movement time before a predetermined observation period.

6. The handrail device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the control unit refers to the sensor detection table, acquires the user's movement time based on the user state determination result, calculates an average value of the movement time together with past movement times, and notifies the user of the average movement time together when the user starts using the handrail.

Images