Bathroom chair

Abstract

To provide a bathroom chair which can achieve both of "a small width dimension as a whole chair for coping with a bathroom which is a narrow space" and "a large width dimension between both arm rests for facilitating standing and sitting of a user".SOLUTION: A bathroom chair 10 comprises: front legs 12; rear legs 14; a seat part 16 on which a user is seated; and a pair of arm rests 24 arranged on both sides of the seat part 16. In top view, a maximum inner dimension L1 between the arm rests 24 is 320 mm or more, a minimum width dimension L5 of the arm rest 24 is 35 mm or less, and a whole width dimension of the bathroom chair is 460 mm or less.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a chair that is primarily used in a bathroom. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART A large number of bathroom chairs for use in caregiving and the like have been developed (for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] For example, the bathroom chair disclosed in Patent Document 1 has armrests with different width dimensions from the center line on the left and right sides, and by swapping the left and right armrests, the width between the two armrests can be changed. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-290606 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] There are various dimensional requirements for bathroom chairs. For example, "because bathrooms are small, the overall width of the chair needs to be small" and "the maximum inner dimension between the armrests needs to be large so that bathers can easily stand up and sit down."

[0006] To accommodate these various dimensional requirements, conventional bathroom chairs have been designed to fall into roughly three size categories: "compact," "medium," and "wide," in order of smallest to largest.

[0007] However, with conventional bathroom chairs, as the size classification becomes smaller, the overall width of the bathroom chair becomes smaller and the maximum internal dimension between the armrests also becomes smaller. For example, there was no bathroom chair whose overall width was in the "compact" classification but whose maximum internal dimension between the armrests was in the larger "middle" classification.

[0008] There are various possible reasons for this, but the biggest factor is thought to be that in conventional bathroom chairs, the armrests were only considered as a means for the bather (hereinafter referred to as the "user") to grasp when standing up or sitting down.

[0009] In response to this, the inventors focused on armrests as "means for maintaining the user's seated position" and developed, for example, a bathroom chair whose overall width dimension is classified as "compact" but whose maximum internal dimension between the armrests is classified as "medium," and a bathroom chair whose overall width dimension is classified as "medium" but whose maximum internal dimension between the armrests is classified as "wide." [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] According to one aspect of the present invention, A bathroom chair comprising front legs, rear legs, a seat on which a user sits, and a pair of armrests disposed on both sides of the seat, The maximum inner dimension between the armrests when viewed from above is 320 mm or more, and The minimum width of the armrest when viewed from above is 35 mm or less, The overall width of the bathroom chair is 460 mm or less, The armrest is rotatable in a vertical direction from a horizontal position toward the rear, and has a front end portion that is an end portion in a direction toward which the user faces when seated on the seat, and a minimum width portion that is formed toward the rear end side of the front end portion, The maximum inner dimension is the inner dimension of the minimum width portion between the armrests, When viewed from above, the seat portion has a front portion wider than a rear portion, and has a pair of protrusions extending outward from both side edges, The armrests have recesses on their inner edges facing each other, The maximum inner dimension is equal to or greater than the dimension between the outer ends of the pair of protrusions. A bathroom chair is provided. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, by specifying the maximum internal dimension between the armrests and the minimum width dimension of the armrests when viewed from above to be 320 mm or more and 35 mm or less, respectively, it is possible to provide, for example, a bathroom chair whose overall width dimension is classified as "compact" but whose maximum internal dimension between the armrests is classified as "medium", or a bathroom chair whose overall width dimension is classified as "medium" but whose maximum internal dimension between the armrests is classified as "wide". [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a bathroom chair 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a front view of a bathroom chair 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a rear view of a bathroom chair 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 1 is a plan view of a bathroom chair 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a bottom view of a bathroom chair 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a left side view of a bathroom chair 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] This is a partially exploded oblique view showing the armrest 24 of the bathroom chair 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8]This is a partially exploded left side view showing the armrest 24 of the bathroom chair 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] 1 is a plan view showing a cover member 126 that constitutes an armrest 24 of a bathroom chair 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] 1 is a schematic plan view showing the positional relationship between the armrests 24 and the seat 16 in a bathroom chair 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] This is a schematic plan view showing the positional relationship between the armrests 24, the seat 16, the leg rubbers 32 of the front legs 12, and the leg rubbers 48 of the rear legs 14 in a bathroom chair 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a flat plate portion 134 of a frame 120 of an armrest 24 according to a first modified example. FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a bottom view of a bathroom chair 10 according to a fourth modified example. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the bathroom chair 10 according to the fourth modification (with the cover 211 removed). [Figure 15] 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of the bathroom chair 10 (in an assembled state) according to the fourth modification, seen from the right side. FIG. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a front view of a bathroom chair 10 (assembled state) according to a fourth modified example. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a rear view of a bathroom chair 10 (in an assembled state) according to a fourth modified example. [Figure 18] FIG. 10 is a right side view of a bathroom chair 10 (assembled state) according to a fourth modified example. [Figure 19] FIG. 10 is a plan view of a bathroom chair 10 (assembled state) according to a fourth modified example. [Figure 20] FIG. 10 is a bottom view of a bathroom chair 10 (assembled state) according to a fourth modified example. [Figure 21] 10 is a BB cross-sectional view of the bathroom chair 10 (in the middle of folding) according to the fourth modification, seen from the right side. FIG. [Figure 22] FIG. 10 is a front view of a bathroom chair 10 (in the middle of folding) according to a fourth modified example. [Figure 23]FIG. 10 is a rear view of a bathroom chair 10 (in the middle of folding) according to Modification 4. [Figure 24] 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC of the bathroom chair 10 (in a fully folded state) according to the fourth modified example, seen from the right side. FIG. [Figure 25] FIG. 10 is a front view of a bathroom chair 10 (in a fully folded state) according to a fourth modified example. [Figure 26] FIG. 10 is a rear view of a bathroom chair 10 (in a fully folded state) according to a fourth modified example. [Figure 27] FIG. 10 is a front view of a bathroom chair 10 (assembled state with armrests 24 reclined) according to a fourth modified example. [Figure 28] FIG. 10 is a rear view of the bathroom chair 10 (assembled state with the armrests 24 reclined) according to the fourth modification. [Figure 29] FIG. 10 is a right side view of the bathroom chair 10 (assembled state with the armrests 24 reclined) according to the fourth modification. [Figure 30] FIG. 10 is a plan view of a bathroom chair 10 (assembled state with armrests 24 reclined) according to a fourth modified example. [Figure 31] FIG. 10 is a bottom view of a bathroom chair 10 (assembled state with armrests 24 reclined) according to a fourth modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] (Configuration of bathroom chair 10) The configuration of a bathroom chair 10 according to this embodiment (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "chair 10") will be described using Figures 1 to 6. Chair 10 according to this embodiment generally comprises a pair of front legs 12, a pair of rear legs 14, a seat 16, a link connection bar 18, a link bar 20, a backrest 22, and armrests 24. Note that the mechanism that enables chair 10 to be folded is not an essential component of the present invention, and a fixed chair 10 may be provided without a folding mechanism.

[0014] Furthermore, throughout this specification, the direction that a user facing when seated on the seat 16 of the chair 10 is referred to as "forward," and the opposite direction is referred to as "rearward."

[0015] The front legs 12 are members formed by bending pipe material with a circular cross section. In this embodiment, when the chair 10 is unfolded (i.e., the state shown in Figures 1 to 6), the front legs 12 are integrally formed with a backrest support section 26 that extends slightly downward and forward from the rear to the front, a horizontal section 28 that extends horizontally from the backrest support section 26, and a front leg section 30 that extends downward and forward again from the horizontal section 28. In addition, a leg rubber 32 is attached to the lower tip of the front leg section 30.

[0016] The pair of front legs 12 are connected to each other at the backrest attachment parts 34, which extend horizontally at the upper ends of the backrest support parts 26 of the respective front legs 12. In other words, the pair of front legs 12 in this embodiment are formed by bending a single pipe material. Of course, the pair of front legs 12 may also be formed by combining multiple pipe materials.

[0017] In this embodiment, the lower end of the front legs 12 has a double pipe structure, with a plurality of height adjustment holes 38 formed at predetermined intervals on the surface of the outer pipe 36, and a height adjustment pin 42 that can freely protrude from and retract into the surface of the inner pipe 40 and fit into any of the height adjustment holes 38 is provided on the inner pipe 40. This makes it possible to adjust the length of the front leg portions 30 of the front legs 12 and thereby adjust the height from the floor to the seat 16.

[0018] Like the front legs 12, the rear legs 14 are members formed by bending a pipe material with a circular cross section. In this embodiment, the rear legs 14 are integrally formed with a seat support part 44 that extends slightly downward and rearward from the horizontal direction from the front to the rear when the chair 10 is unfolded, and a rear leg part 46 that extends downward and rearward from the seat support part 44. Rubber leg parts 48 are also attached to the lower tip of the rear leg part 46. In this embodiment, each rear leg 14 is formed from a different pipe material.

[0019] Like the front legs 12, the lower ends of the rear legs 14 also have a double pipe structure, with multiple height adjustment holes 52 formed at predetermined intervals on the surface of the outer pipe 50, and a height adjustment pin 56 that can freely protrude and retract from the surface of the inner pipe 54 and be fitted into one of the height adjustment holes 52 is provided on the inner pipe 54.

[0020] In this embodiment, the rear legs 14 are disposed more inward than the front legs 12. The pair of front legs 12 and the pair of rear legs 14 are pivotally supported at the center of the horizontal portion 28 of the front legs 12 and the tip of the seat support portion 44 of the rear legs 14, respectively. Specifically, a front-leg-side pivot hole 58 is formed in the center of the horizontal portion 28 of the front legs 12, and a rear-leg-side pivot hole 60 is formed in the tip of the seat support portion 44 of the rear legs 14. A pivot pin 62 is inserted through these holes, allowing the front legs 12 and the rear legs 14 to pivot relative to each other. As shown in FIG. 6 , the pivotal positions of the front legs 12 and the rear legs 14 in this embodiment (i.e., the positions where the front-leg-side pivot hole 58 and the like are formed) are located midway between the front ends of the front legs 12 and the rear ends of the rear legs 14. The position of the front leg side pivot support hole 58, which supports the rear leg 14 on the front leg 12, is not limited to the center of the horizontal section 28 of the front leg 12 as described above, and the front leg side pivot support hole 58 may be provided, for example, on the forward side of the horizontal section 28, that is, at a position closer to the front leg section 30.

[0021] In this embodiment, a seat pivot hole 66 into which a seat pivot pin 64 that pivotally supports the seat 16 on the rear legs 14 is inserted is formed slightly rearward of the rear-leg-side pivot hole 60 in the seat support portion 44 of the rear legs 14. In other words, the pair of rear legs 14 in this embodiment serve as "pivot legs" that pivotally support the seat 16 so that it can rotate. Furthermore, the position at which the rear legs 14 are pivotally supported relative to the front legs 12 (for example, the position of the rear-leg-side pivot hole 60) is forward of the position at which the seat 16 is pivotally supported relative to the pivot leg (i.e., the rear legs 14) (i.e., the seat pivot hole 66).

[0022] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a front leg support part 63 that supports the horizontal part 28 of the front leg 12 from below when the chair 10 is unfolded is provided protruding outward at the position of the seat pivot hole 66 in the seat support part 44 of the rear leg 14. This front leg support part 63 is configured by having a part of the seat pivot pin 64 protrude outward from the rear leg 14 and inserting this seat pivot pin 64 into the center of a pipe-shaped front leg support member 65.

[0023] The seat 16 is a member having a seating surface on which a user sits, and is rotatable relative to the front legs 12 and rear legs 14 between a horizontal position and a raised position. Specifically, as described above, the seat 16 is rotatably supported by seat pivot pins 64 between the pair of rear legs 14, which serve as pivot legs. For this reason, seat pivot pin holes 68 for receiving the seat pivot pins 64 are formed on both rear side surfaces of the seat 16 in this embodiment. In addition, in this embodiment, the seat surface of the seat 16 has a shape in which the front portion is relatively wide and the rear portion is relatively narrow (see FIGS. 1 and 4). In other words, the seat 16 has convex portions 108 extending outward from both end edges in a plan view.

[0024] 5, a stopper 70 is provided in the front center of the bottom surface of the seat 16, which engages with the link connection bar 18 when the chair 10 is unfolded and the seat 16 is in a horizontal position. In this embodiment, the stopper 70 has an engagement claw 72 formed at its lower end, which is attached so as to be able to swing relative to the bottom surface of the seat 16, and the engagement claw 72 engages with the link connection bar 18, thereby maintaining the seat 16 in a horizontal position.

[0025] Additionally, a pair of brackets 78 are provided on the bottom surface of the seat 16, slightly forward of the position where the seat pivot pin hole 68 is formed at the rear end. Each bracket 78 is made up of a pair of bracket plate members 80 that face each other in parallel, and the pair of bracket plate members 80 are arranged at a distance that allows the other end of the link bar 20 to fit therein.

[0026] The position where the pair of brackets 78 are provided is not limited to being forward of the position where the seat pivot pin hole 68 is formed at the rear end of the bottom surface of the seat 16 as described above, but may be rearward of the position where the seat pivot pin hole 68 is formed.

[0027] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the seat 16 is constructed by stacking a seat surface member made of a relatively soft material on a seat bottom member made of a relatively hard material, but of course the seat 16 may be constructed of one type of material, or may be constructed of three or more types of materials.

[0028] The link connection bar 18 is a member formed by bending a solid bar with a circular cross section, and one end is connected to the inner surface of the portion where the horizontal section 28 and front leg section 30 of one front leg 12 are connected to each other, and the other end is connected to the inner surface of the portion where the horizontal section 28 and front leg section 30 of the other front leg 12 are connected to each other. Furthermore, although the link connection bar 18 in this embodiment is formed in a substantially straight line, it is not limited to this shape.

[0029] The engagement claws 72 of the stopper 70 on the seat portion 16 described above are adapted to engage with the center portion of the link connection bar 18 .

[0030] In this manner, the pair of front legs 12 in this embodiment form "link legs" with the link connection bar 18 stretched between them.

[0031] The link bar 20 is a member having one end rotatably connected to the link connection bar 18 and the other end rotatably connected to the bottom surface of the seat portion 16 .

[0032] In this embodiment, a reinforcing bar 21 is installed between the pair of rear legs 14, which are "support legs," but this reinforcing bar 21 is not an essential component of the present invention.

[0033] The backrest 22 is a member for supporting the back of the user from behind when seated on the seat portion 16, and as described above, is attached to the backrest attachment portion 34 that connects the upper ends of the pair of front legs 12. Of course, the backrest 22 may be attached to, for example, the backrest support portion 26 of the pair of front legs 12, or to another member.

[0034] In this embodiment, the backrest attachment portion 34 to which the backrest 22 is attached is curved so that its central portion 35 protrudes rearward. This forms a gap 37 between the central portion 35 and the rear surface of the backrest 22 (see FIG. 4), making it easier to insert fingers into the gap 37 and grip the central portion 35 when lifting and moving the chair 10, for example.

[0035] The armrests 24 are members on which a user can rest their elbows while seated on the seat 16. In this embodiment, the pair of armrests 24 are attached to the pair of front legs 12 so as to protrude forward from approximately the center in the height direction of the backrest support parts 26. Furthermore, the armrest attachment parts 98, which are the attachment parts of each armrest 24 to the front legs 12, are configured so that the tip of the armrest 24 can rotate relative to the front legs 12, and the rotation stops when the armrest 24 is positioned approximately horizontally when the chair 10 is unfolded. Of course, the armrests 24 may also be attached to other members.

[0036] The armrest 24 will now be described in detail. As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the armrest 24 is generally composed of a frame 120, a pair of side covers 122, a pivot support member 124, and a cover member 126. An armrest mounting bracket 130 protrudes forward from the center of the backrest support portion 26 of the front leg 12 to which the armrest 24 is attached. Furthermore, a bracket cover 132 is placed over the armrest mounting bracket 130.

[0037] The frame 120 is a component that corresponds to the "bones" of the armrest 24, and is formed of a flat plate that extends mostly in the front-to-rear direction and is thin in the horizontal width direction. The frame 120 is integrally formed of this flat plate portion 134 and a clamping plate portion 136 that is disposed substantially parallel to the flat plate portion 134 at the rear end (the end on the armrest mounting bracket 130 side). The flat plate portion 134 and the clamping plate portion 136 are configured to be spaced apart from each other, so that the armrest mounting bracket 130, covered with the bracket cover 132, is inserted into the gap between the flat plate portion 134 and the clamping plate portion 136.

[0038] Furthermore, the flat plate portion 134 and the clamping plate portion 136 are each formed with a shaft support member insertion hole 138 into which the shaft support member 124 is inserted.

[0039] The pair of side covers 122 are covers placed on both sides of the cover member 126 placed over the frame 120, and one of the side covers 122 has a second support member insertion hole 140 formed therein through which the support member 124 is inserted, and the other side cover 122 has a support member insertion protrusion 142 protruding from its inner surface into which the tip of the support member 124 is inserted.

[0040] The pivot support member 124 is a member for rotatably mounting the armrest 24 to an armrest mounting bracket 130 that protrudes from the center of the backrest support portion 26 of the front leg 12, and in this embodiment, a pin with a male thread formed at its tip is used. Of course, a member other than a pin may be used as long as it can rotatably mount the armrest 24 to the armrest mounting bracket 130.

[0041] As described above, in this embodiment, the armrest attachment portion 98 is made up of the flat plate portion 134 and the clamping plate portion 136 of the frame 120, the pair of side covers 122, and the pivot support member 124.

[0042] The cover member 126 is a member made of a relatively soft material (e.g., elastomer) that is used by covering the frame 120. As shown in Fig. 9, the cover member 126 according to this embodiment has a recess 146 formed so as to curve inward at an inner edge 144 that faces the opposite armrest 24 when attached to the front leg 12. As a result, the cover member 126 has, in a plan view, a relatively wide front end 148 and a minimum width portion 150 formed on the rear end side of the front end 148.

[0043] Furthermore, the rear end 152 of the cover member 126 is designed to cover the portion of the frame 120 where the clamping plate portion 136 is provided, and therefore its width dimension is larger than the minimum width portion 150 .

[0044] Throughout this specification, the distance between the inner surfaces of the narrowest portions 150 of both armrests 24 in a top view (plan view) is referred to as the "maximum inner dimension L1" between the armrests 24 (see FIG. 4), and this maximum inner dimension L1 is preferably 320 mm or greater. This is because setting the maximum inner dimension L1 to 320 mm or greater allows most users to sit down on the seat 16 without hitting the armrests 24 more than necessary.

[0045] Furthermore, throughout this specification, the width dimension of the narrowest part 150 of each armrest 24 when viewed from above (planar view) is referred to as the "minimum width dimension L5" of the armrest 24 (see Figure 4), and it is preferable that this minimum width dimension L5 be 35 mm or less.

[0046] Next, we will explain the positional relationship between the armrests 24, seat 16, front legs 12, and rear legs 14 in chair 10. Figure 10 shows a schematic plan view of the case where front legs 12, rear legs 14, and leg rubbers 32, 48 attached thereto are all located inside armrests 24 (towards the center of chair 10 in a plan view), so only one pair of armrests 24 and seat 16 are depicted.

[0047] In this case, when considering the relationship between the maximum internal dimension L1 between the armrests 24 and the dimension between the outer ends of the two convex portions 108 in the seat portion 16 (hereinafter referred to as the "both end dimension L2" of the seat portion 16), there are cases where the "maximum internal dimension L1" and the "both end dimension L2" are the same (see Figure 10(a)), cases where the "both end dimension L2" is larger than the "maximum internal dimension L1" (see Figure 10(b)), and further cases where the "both end dimension L2" is smaller than the "maximum internal dimension L1" (see Figure 10(c)).

[0048] In addition, in the case where the "both end dimension L2" is larger than the "maximum internal dimension L1" (see FIG. 10(b)), it is difficult to imagine a case where the "both end dimension L2" is larger than the dimension between the outer ends of both armrests 24 (hereinafter referred to as the "outer end dimension L3" of the armrests 24). This is because in such a case, both armrests 24 would get in the way, preventing effective use of both outer ends of the seat portion 16 and resulting in a lot of wasted space.

[0049] Throughout this specification, the maximum dimension in the width direction of the entire chair 10 in a plan view is referred to as the "maximum width dimension." In other words, in each case shown in Figure 10, the outer end dimension L3 of the armrest 24 is the "overall width dimension" of the chair 10.

[0050] 11 shows a schematic plan view of the case where, of the leg rubbers 32 attached to the front legs 12 and the leg rubbers 48 attached to the rear legs 14, the leg rubbers 32 are positioned outboard (away from the center of the chair 10 in a plan view) of the armrests 24. Of course, the same concept applies when the leg rubbers 48 are positioned outboard.

[0051] In this case, when considering the relationship between the maximum internal dimension L1 between the armrests 24 and the dimension L2 of both ends of the seat portion 16, as in the case shown in Figure 10, there are possible cases where the ``maximum internal dimension L1'' and the ``dimension L2 of both ends'' are the same (see Figure 11(a)), where the ``dimension L2 of both ends'' is larger than the ``maximum internal dimension L1'' (see Figure 11(b)), and even where the ``dimension L2 of both ends'' is smaller than the ``maximum internal dimension L1'' (see Figure 11(c)).

[0052] In this case, too, for the same reasons as described above, it is unlikely that the "dimension L2 of both ends" will be greater than the dimension L3 of the outer ends of both armrests 24.

[0053] 11, the dimension L4 between the outer ends of the leg rubbers 32 attached to the front legs 12 is the "maximum width dimension" of the chair 10. Of course, if the leg rubbers 32 are not present, the dimension between the outer ends of the front legs 12 is the "maximum width dimension," and if the rear legs 14 are spaced farther apart than the front legs 12, the dimension between the outer ends of the rear legs 14 or the dimension between the outer ends of the leg rubbers 48 attached to the rear legs 14 is the "overall width dimension."

[0054] (10 Features of Bathroom Chairs) According to the chair 10 of this embodiment, by specifying the maximum internal dimension L1 between the armrests 24 and the minimum width dimension L5 of the armrests 24 to be 320 mm or more and 35 mm or less, respectively, it is possible to provide, for example, a bathroom chair whose overall width dimension is classified as "compact" but whose maximum internal dimension between the armrests is classified as "medium", or a bathroom chair whose overall width dimension is classified as "medium" but whose maximum internal dimension between the armrests is classified as "wide".

[0055] For example, in the case of a chair 10 classified as "compact" and having an overall width dimension of 400 mm to 410 mm, the minimum width dimension L5 of the armrests 24 may be set to 35 mm or less, and the maximum internal dimension L1 between the armrests 24 may be set to 320 mm to 375 mm.

[0056] In addition, in the case of a chair 10 classified as "middle" and having an overall width dimension of 450 mm to 460 mm, it is conceivable to set the minimum width dimension L5 of the armrests 24 to 35 mm or less and set the maximum internal dimension L1 between the armrests 24 to 370 mm to 425 mm.

[0057] By adopting such armrest dimensions, it is possible to ensure the maximum inner dimension L1 between the armrests 24 while ensuring a sufficient overall width, thereby increasing the degree of freedom in design.

[0058] Furthermore, by providing the armrest 24 with a relatively wide front end 148 and a minimum width portion 150 formed further rearward than the front end 148, the torso of the user sitting on the seat 16 is less likely to interfere with the minimum width portion 150 of the armrest 24, and the front end 148 of the armrest 24 can more easily be used as a "handhold" when the user stands up, thereby providing a user-friendly bathroom chair 10.

[0059] Furthermore, by forming convex portions 108 extending outward from both side edges of the seat 16 and by forming concave portions 146 on the inner edges 144 of both armrests 24 that face each other, it becomes possible to position the seat 16 up to near the minimum width portion 150 of the armrest 24 in a plan view of the chair 10, thereby further reducing areas where the user feels uneasy because the armrests 24 and seat 16 are not positioned.

[0060] (Variation 1) In the above-described embodiment, the flat plate portion 134 of the frame 120 that constitutes the armrest 24 is configured as a flat plate that extends in the front-to-rear direction and is thin in the horizontal width direction. However, if greater strength is required for the frame 120, it is preferable to form the flat plate portion 134 in a shape that increases the second moment of area, for example, by providing a predetermined bent portion 160, as shown in FIG. 12.

[0061] (Variation 2) In the above-described embodiment, the armrest 24 is formed by covering the frame 120 with a separate cover member 126, but the frame 120 and cover member 126 may be integrally formed. Also, a single member may serve as both the frame 120 and the cover member 126, using a material with appropriate strength and surface softness.

[0062] (Variation 3) Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, a clamping plate portion 136 is disposed at the rear end of the frame 120, and the armrest 24 is attached to the front leg 12 by sandwiching the armrest mounting bracket 130 protruding from the front leg 12 between this clamping plate portion 136 and the flat plate portion 134. However, conversely, the frame 120 may be constructed only from the flat plate portion 134, and the armrest mounting bracket 130 protruding from the front leg 12 may be doubled, with the flat plate portion 134 inserted between them, thereby attaching the armrest 24 to the front leg 12.

[0063] (Variation 4) In the above-described embodiment, a stopper 70 is provided in the front center portion of the bottom surface of the seat 16, and when the seat 16 is in a horizontal position, the engagement claws 72 of the stopper 70 engage with the link connection bar 18, thereby maintaining the horizontal position of the seat 16. However, instead of this, a stopper mechanism 200 such as that shown in Figures 13 and 14 may be provided on the bathroom chair 10.

[0064] In addition to the presence of this stopper mechanism 200, the chair 10 of this variant 1 differs from the above-mentioned embodiment in that the pair of seat pivot pins 64 that were inserted into both rear side surfaces of the seat 16 are replaced with a seat support bar 202 that is installed so as to extend from the seat pivot hole 66 in one rear leg 14 to the seat pivot hole 66 in the other rear leg 14, and the seat 16 is made rotatable by inserting the seat support bar 202 into a seat support bar insertion hole 203 formed slightly rearward of the center of the bottom surface of the seat 16, and in that a double-leg biasing mechanism 250 is provided that biases both the front leg 12 and the rear leg 14 in the direction of closing.

[0065] The stopper mechanism 200 is generally composed of a lever 204 , a stopper 206 , a link 208 , a biasing member 210 , and a cover 211 .

[0066] Lever 204 is a member disposed at the rear end of seat 16, and in a cross-sectional view (FIG. 15), a lower, front end of lever 204 is rotatably attached to the bottom surface of seat 16. Specifically, a lever pivot shaft insertion hole 214, through which a lever pivot shaft 212 is inserted, is formed at the lower, front end of lever 204. The lever pivot shaft 212 is disposed parallel to the bottom surface of seat 16 and extends in the width direction of seat 16. When the lever pivot shaft 212 is inserted into the lever pivot shaft insertion hole 214 formed in lever 204, lever 204 is rotated up and down toward the rear of seat 16.

[0067] The stopper 206 is a member disposed on the front side of the bottom surface of the seat 16, and an upper end side of the stopper 206, which is an end portion on the front side of the seat 16, is attached to the bottom surface of the seat 16 so as to be rotatable relative to the bottom surface of the seat 16. Specifically, a stopper rotation shaft insertion hole 218, through which a stopper rotation shaft 216 is inserted, is formed on the upper end side of the stopper 206, at the end portion on the front side of the seat 16. The stopper rotation shaft 216 is disposed parallel to the bottom surface of the seat 16 and extends in the width direction of the seat 16. When the stopper rotation shaft 216 is inserted into the stopper rotation shaft insertion hole 218 formed in the stopper 206, the stopper 206 rotates up and down below the seat 16.

[0068] Further, a stopper engaging portion 220 that engages with the link connection bar 18 is formed on the front side of the stopper 206 .

[0069] Link 208 is a straight rod, one end of which is rotatably attached to approximately the center in the up-down direction on the front side of lever 204, and the other end of which is rotatably attached to the upper end of stopper 206 on the rear side. As a result, lever 204 and stopper 206 are linked (rotated) via link 208, and the length of link 208 is set so that when lever 204 is raised upward, stopper 206 rotates downward, and conversely, when lever 204 is tilted downward, stopper 206 rotates upward.

[0070] Furthermore, the attachment position of one end of link 208 relative to lever 204 is set so that when lever 204 is tilted downward, lever 204, which was located above lever pivot shaft 212, is positioned below it. As a result, even if stopper 206 is biased by biasing member 210 to rotate downward, if lever 204 is tilted downward against the biasing force and lever 204 is moved below lever pivot shaft 212, lever 204 can be prevented from rotating back upward by the biasing force even if released.

[0071] As described above, the biasing member 210 is a member that biases the stopper 206 in a direction that rotates the stopper 206 downward. In this embodiment, a "coil spring" is used as the biasing member 210, and the upper end of the coil spring is fixed to the bottom surface of the seat portion 16, and the lower end biases the stopper 206. Note that the biasing member 210 is not limited to a coil spring, and other types of members such as a torsion spring can be used as long as they can bias the stopper 206 in a direction that rotates the stopper 206 downward.

[0072] The cover 211 is a member that covers the center of the bottom surface of the seat 16, and in this embodiment, it covers part of the stopper 206, the biasing member 210, and the lever 204. In this embodiment, the lever rotation shaft 212 is attached to the rear end surface of the cover 211.

[0073] The leg biasing mechanism 250 includes a leg biasing member 252, a leg biasing member locking member 254, and a leg biasing member inserting member 256.

[0074] The leg biasing member 252 is a member that generates a biasing force on the front leg 12 and the rear leg 14 in a direction that closes the legs 12, 14, and in this embodiment, a torsion spring is used. Note that the leg biasing member 252 is not limited to a torsion spring, and other types of members can be used as long as they can generate a biasing force in a direction that closes the legs 12, 14.

[0075] The leg biasing member locking members 254 are a pair of members for locking one end of the leg biasing members (torsion springs) 252, and in this embodiment, are provided forward of the leg biasing members 252 and protrude inward and horizontally from the horizontal portions 28 of each front leg 12.

[0076] The leg-biasing member insert member 256 is a member for fixing and attaching the leg-biasing member 252 by inserting it into the central hole of the torsion spring serving as the leg-biasing member 252, and in this embodiment, it is formed so that the pivot pin 62 that rotatably supports the front leg 12 and the rear leg 14 extends inward toward the center of the seat portion 16.

[0077] In this embodiment, the other end of the torsion spring that constitutes the leg biasing member 252 is attached to the seat support bar 202.

[0078] Next, a procedure for folding the chair 10 according to this embodiment will be described. As shown in FIGS. 15 to 20, in the "assembled state" in which the seat 16 is in a substantially horizontal position, the lever 204 of the stopper mechanism 200 is rotated downward against the biasing force of the biasing member 210. Then, as shown in FIGS. 21 to 23, the stopper 206 also rotates upward and rearward via the lever 204 that has been pulled rearward. This disengages the stopper engagement portion 220 of the stopper 206 from the link connection bar 18. In this state, if the chair 10 is lifted upward by holding, for example, the backrest 22, the front legs 12 and rear legs 14 close due to the biasing force from the leg biasing members 252 of the leg biasing mechanism 250, causing the seat 16 to rotate upward around the seat support bar 202 (see FIG. 21).

[0079] As the seat 16 rotates upward around the seat support bar 202, the rear end of the lever 204 comes into contact with the reinforcing bar 21 as shown in the figure (it may, of course, also abut against any other component of the chair 10). As the front legs 12 and rear legs 14 are further closed and the seat 16 continues to rotate upward, the lever 204 is pushed by the reinforcing bar 21 and rotates upward relative to the seat 16, returning the seat 16 to its horizontal position, and when the link 208 returns to a position above the lever rotation shaft 212, the biasing force of the biasing member 210 presses the stopper 206 to rotate downward, and the lever 204 also rotates upward via the link 208, returning to the position it was in when the seat 16 was horizontal.

[0080] When the lever 204 returns to its original position, the folding of the chair 10 is completed (see FIGS. 24 to 26).

[0081] To return the chair 10 from the folded state to the "assembled state" again, the user opens the front legs 12 and rear legs 14 against the biasing force from the leg biasing mechanism 250. This causes the front end of the seat 16 to move downward, and when the front legs 12 and rear legs 14 are fully opened, the stopper engaging portion 220 of the stopper 206 provided on the bottom surface of the seat 16 engages with the link connection bar 18, and the chair 10 returns to the "assembled state" (see Figures 27 to 31).

[0082] Thus, according to the embodiment of variant example 4, the seat portion 16 can be made rotatable simply by rotating downward the lever 204 protruding from the rear end of the seat portion 16, without having to reach around the bottom surface of the seat portion 16.

[0083] Furthermore, even if the lever 204 is released when the seat 16 is made rotatable, the lever 204 will not return to its original position (upward) undesirably, so there is no need to use both hands to rotate the front end of the seat 16 upward while operating the lever 204, and even elderly people, for example, can easily assemble and fold the chair 10.

[0084] Furthermore, while the front end of the seat portion 16 is being rotated upward, the lever 204 comes into contact with the reinforcing bar 21 and automatically returns to its original position, so there is no need to worry about forgetting to return the lever 204 to its original position.

[0085] According to the embodiment of variant example 4, the hand that has operated the lever 204 protruding from the rear end of the seat 16 is then moved vertically upward to grasp the backrest 22 of the chair 10 or the central portion 35 of the backrest mounting portion 34, and then the chair 10 can be easily folded simply by lifting the chair 10 upward, that is, by simply moving the hand vertically upward.

[0086] In addition, the front legs 12 and rear legs 14 are always biased in the closing direction by the leg biasing mechanism 250, so the distance between the legs 12, 14 will not undesirably widen.

[0087] Furthermore, when returning the chair 10 to the "assembled state," simply by spreading the legs 12, 14 against the biasing force of the leg biasing mechanism 250, the front end of the seat 16 will rotate downward under its own weight, and the stopper engagement portion 220 of the stopper 206 provided on the bottom surface of the seat 16 will engage with the link connection bar 18, so there is no need to rotate the front end of the seat 16 downward by hand.

[0088] Furthermore, unlike chairs with a lever on the top of the backrest, there is no need to grip the lever while folding the chair, and there is no need to provide a through-hole in the backrest to make it easier to grip the lever.

[0089] In the above-described fourth embodiment, the stopper 206 can be released from engagement with the link connection bar 18 by rotating the lever 204 from above to below. Alternatively, the link 208 may be set so that the stopper 206 is released by rotating the lever 204 from below to above.

[0090] Furthermore, in the above-described fourth embodiment, the seat 16 is rotatably attached to the rear legs 14 so that the front end of the seat 16 springs up when the chair 10 is folded, but instead, the seat 16 may be rotatably attached to the front legs 12 so that the rear end of the seat 16 springs up when the chair 10 is folded.

[0091] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered to be illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, not by the above description, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0092] 10...Bathroom chair (chair), 12...Front legs, 14...Rear legs, 16...Seat, 18...Link connection bar, 20...Link bar, 21...Reinforcement bar, 22...Backrest, 24...Armrest, 26...Backrest support portion, 28...Horizontal portion, 30...Front legs, 32...(Front leg 12) Leg rubber, 34...Backrest mounting portion, 35...(Backrest mounting portion 34) Center portion, 36...(Front leg 12) Outer pipe, 37...Gap, 38...(Front leg 12) Height adjustment hole, 40...(Front leg 12) Inner pipe, 42...(Front leg 12) Height adjustment pin, 44...Seat support portion , 46... rear leg portion, 48... (rear leg 14) leg rubber, 50... (rear leg 14) outer pipe, 52... (rear leg 14) height adjustment hole, 54... (rear leg 14) inner pipe, 56... (rear leg 14) height adjustment pin, 58... front leg side pivot support hole, 60... rear leg side pivot support hole, 62... pivot support pin, 63... front leg support portion, 64... seat pivot support pin, 65... front leg support member, 66... ​​seat pivot support hole, 68... seat pivot support pin hole, 70... stopper, 72... engaging claw, 78... bracket, 80... bracket plate material, 98... armrest mounting portion, 108... (seat 16) protrusion 120...frame, 122...side cover, 124...axial support member, 126...cover member 130...armrest mounting bracket, 132...bracket cover, 134...flat plate portion, 136...clamping plate portion, 138...axial support member insertion hole, 140...axial support member second insertion hole, 142...axial support member fitting insertion protrusion portion, 144...(of cover member 126) inner edge, 146...recess, 148...front end portion, 150...minimum width portion, 152...rear end portion, 160...bent portion 200...Stopper mechanism, 202...Seat support bar, 203...Seat support bar insertion hole, 204...Lever, 206...Stopper, 208...Link, 210...Biasing member, 211...Cover, 212...Lever rotation shaft, 214...Lever rotation shaft insertion hole, 216...Stopper rotation shaft, 218...Stopper rotation shaft insertion hole, 220...Stopper engagement portion 250... Both leg biasing mechanism, 252... Both leg biasing member, 254... Both leg biasing member locking member, 256... Both leg biasing member inserting member

Claims

[Claim 1] A bathroom chair comprising front legs, rear legs, a seat on which a user sits, and a pair of armrests disposed on both sides of the seat, The maximum inner dimension between the armrests when viewed from above is 320 mm or more, and The minimum width dimension of the armrest when viewed from above is 35 mm or less, The overall width of the bathroom chair is 460 mm or less, The armrest is rotatable in a vertical direction from a horizontal position toward the rear, and has a front end portion that is an end portion in a direction toward which the user faces when seated on the seat, and a minimum width portion that is formed on the rear end side of the front end portion, The maximum inner dimension is the inner dimension of the minimum width portion between the armrests, When viewed from above, the seat portion has a front portion wider than a rear portion, and has a pair of protrusions extending outward from both side edges, The armrests have recesses on their inner edges facing each other, The maximum inner dimension is equal to or greater than the dimension between the outer ends of the pair of protrusions. Bathroom chair.

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