Walking cart

Abstract

To provide a walking cart capable of reducing the longitudinal movement of a placed load while allowing the load to be placed thereon.SOLUTION: The rollator 1 includes the wheels 2 and 4 capable of traveling on the ground surface G, the left and right handles 2525 and, the flexible sheet-shaped luggage placement portion 36 on which the luggage 8 can be placed between the left and right handles, and the movement restriction portion 39 that protrudes from the upper surface of the luggage placement portion and comes into contact with the luggage when the luggage is placed on the luggage placement portion to restrict the longitudinal movement of the luggage.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to walkers. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there have been known walking frames that are pushed by users such as elderly people to assist them in walking. When using such a walking frame to purchase goods in a retail store such as a supermarket, or to move laundry or other items indoors, there has been a desire to be able to place items such as a shopping basket (store basket) or laundry basket on the walking frame. For example, Patent Document 1 below discloses a walker equipped with a luggage carrying section that is located between the left and right handles and can carry luggage. The luggage carrying section of this walker is provided with stoppers at the front and rear ends that protrude above the carrying surface of the luggage carrying section. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-165059 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, while the walker described in Patent Document 1 can prevent luggage placed on the luggage loading section from falling forward or backward, there is a concern that the luggage placed on the luggage loading section may move back and forth on the loading surface.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned situation, and aims to provide a walking frame that can carry luggage while reducing the forward and backward movement of the luggage. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the walking vehicle of the present disclosure is characterized by having wheels that can run on a ground surface, left and right handles, a flexible sheet-like luggage carrying section between the left and right handles that can carry luggage, and a movement control section that protrudes from the top surface of the luggage carrying section and abuts against the luggage when it is placed on the luggage carrying section, thereby controlling the forward and backward movement of the luggage. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] The walking vehicle according to the present disclosure has the above-described configuration, which allows luggage to be placed on it while reducing the forward and backward movement of the placed luggage. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B are schematic perspective views illustrating an example of a walking vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] 1(a) is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 1(a), and FIG. 1(b) is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 1(b). [Figure 3] FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. [Figure 5] 1(a) and 1(b) are partially cutaway schematic enlarged side views of the walking vehicle. [Figure 6] FIG. 1(a) is a partially cutaway, schematic enlarged perspective view of the same walking vehicle, and FIG. 1(b) is a partially cutaway, schematic enlarged perspective view that schematically shows a modified example of the same walking vehicle. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view showing a modified example of the walking vehicle. [Figure 8] 1(a) to 1(d) are schematic diagrams showing a modified example of the walking vehicle, with 1(a) and 1(c) being partially cutaway, schematic enlarged perspective views, and 1(b) and 1(d) being partially cutaway, schematic enlarged front views. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In some drawings, some of the detailed reference numerals used in other drawings are omitted. In the following embodiments, the direction ahead of the user walking while pushing the walking vehicle in an upright position will be referred to as the forward side, and the opposite side will be referred to as the rear side. Also, the direction perpendicular to the front-to-back and up-down (vertical) directions will be referred to as the left-to-right direction.

[0010] 1 to 8 are diagrams schematically showing an example and a modified example of a walking vehicle according to this embodiment. 1 and 2, the walking vehicle 1 according to this embodiment is equipped with wheels 2, 4 that can travel on a contact surface G such as the floor or the ground, and left and right handles 25, 25. With this configuration, the load on the legs can be reduced by gripping the left and right handles 25, 25 and applying part of the body weight to the walking vehicle 1. The walking frame 1 may be used for walking indoors in residences, various commercial facilities, welfare facilities, etc., or may be used for walking outdoors on sidewalks, etc.

[0011] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the walking frame 1 is provided with a luggage placement section 36 between the left and right handles 25, 25, on which luggage (8) can be placed. With this configuration, the space between the left and right handles 25, 25 can be used to place luggage (8) on the luggage placement section 36. In the illustration, a shopping basket (store basket) 8 is shown as an example of luggage, but it could also be a laundry basket or other luggage, and is not limited to such a basket. The luggage placement section 36 is sheet-shaped and flexible. With this configuration, it is lighter than, for example, a panel-shaped luggage placement section, and can bend appropriately to hold the shopping basket 8 when it is placed on it. The walking cart 1 is provided with a movement restricting portion 39 that protrudes from the upper surface of the luggage placement portion 36 and abuts against the shopping basket 8 when the shopping basket 8 is placed on the luggage placement portion 36, restricting the forward and backward movement of the shopping basket 8. With this configuration, when the shopping basket 8 is placed as described above, the luggage placement portion 36 bends due to the weight of the shopping basket 8, and the bending causes the movement restricting portion 39 provided on the luggage placement portion 36 to abut against the shopping basket 8. This makes it possible to reduce the forward and backward movement of the shopping basket 8 on the luggage placement portion 36 when the luggage placement portion 36 is bent. The movement restricting portion 39 can also prevent the shopping basket 8 from falling in the forward and backward directions.

[0012] The walker 1 is provided with left and right protrusions 27, 27 that protrude from positions adjacent to the left and right handles 25, 25 toward the left-right center (the left-right center of the walker 1, the same applies below). With this configuration, even when the shopping basket 8 placed on the luggage placement section 36 moves left and right or approaches the handle 25, the hand of the user gripping the handle 25 can come into contact with the protrusion 27 provided at the position adjacent to the handle 25, thereby reducing interference between the shopping basket 8 and the user's hand. This also makes it possible to reduce the left-right width of the entire walker 1 according to the width of the shopping basket 8, which serves as luggage that is preferably placed on the luggage placement section 36. In other words, even when the difference between the dimension W2 (see FIG. 3 ) between the left and right handles 25, 25 and the width of the shopping basket 8 is small, the left and right protrusions 27, 27 make it easy to form a gripping space (a space for inserting fingers) between the left and right handles 25, 25 and the shopping basket 8.

[0013] Instead of or in addition to the left and right protrusions 27 protruding toward the center in the left-right direction from positions adjacent to the left and right handles 25, 25, the left and right protrusions 27, 27 may be configured as follows: The left and right protrusions 27, 27 may protrude from both the left and right sides above the luggage placement section 36 so that a gripping space is formed between each of the left and right handles 25, 25 and the shopping basket 8 when the shopping basket 8 placed on the luggage placement section 36 abuts against them. This configuration achieves the same effect as above, and also ensures a gripping space between the shopping basket 8 and the handles 25, effectively reducing interference between the user's hand gripping the handle 25 and the shopping basket 8.

[0014] The walker 1 is provided with left and right handle posts 20, 20 that extend vertically on both the left and right sides of the luggage placement section 36 and have left and right handles 25, 25 respectively attached to the upper ends so as to protrude rearward. This configuration makes it easier to place bulky items such as a shopping basket 8, laundry basket, cardboard box, or pet cage on the luggage placement section 36 compared to a configuration in which a bar-shaped handle is provided across the luggage placement section 36. Furthermore, compared to a configuration in which a handle bar is provided on the rear side (user side) of the shopping basket 8 that constitutes the placed item, this configuration makes it easier to load and unload the shopping basket 8 from the rear side. In other words, the walker 1 does not have handle bars or the like on the front and rear sides of the luggage placement section 36, and the front and rear sides of the luggage placement section 36 are open, allowing the shopping basket 8 to be loaded and unloaded from either the front or rear side of the luggage placement section 36. Furthermore, the left and right handle supports 20, 20 can also prevent the shopping basket 8 placed on the luggage placement section 36 from falling in the left and right direction. As shown in Figures 1(b) and 2(b), the walking frame 1 is provided with a storage compartment 6 that is located below the luggage placement section 36 and that opens upward to allow items to be placed in and removed. With this configuration, various items can be stored in the storage compartment 6 located below the luggage placement section 36. Furthermore, even when a shopping basket 8 is placed on the luggage placement section 36, items can still be stored in the storage compartment 6, improving usability.

[0015] Specifically, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, the walking vehicle 1 is provided with front wheels 2 and rear wheels 4 that constitute the wheels. The walking vehicle 1 is provided with a pair of left and right front wheels 2, 2 and a pair of left and right rear wheels 4, 4. The front wheels 2, 2 and rear wheels 4, 4 are provided on a frame 10 of the walking vehicle 1. The left and right front wheels 2, 2 are provided at the lower ends of left and right front wheel frames 11, 11 that are paired and positioned on the left and right outside of the storage compartment 6 and make up the frame 10. These front wheel frames 11, 11 are provided to extend obliquely forward from the upper end to the lower end. These front wheel frames 11, 11 are connected by a horizontal frame 12 that is provided to span between them. The front wheels 2,2 are rotatable about axes that run substantially horizontally. These front wheels 2,2 are swivel casters that can follow the direction changes of the walker 1. The lower ends of the front wheel frames 11,11 are provided with holders that rotatably hold the support parts 3,3 that rotatably support the front wheels 2,2 about axes that run substantially vertically. These front wheels 2,2 are positioned forward of the handle supports 20,20 that hold the handles 25,25.

[0016] The left and right rear wheels 4, 4 are provided at the lower end portions of left and right rear wheel frames 13, 13 that are paired and positioned on the left and right outer sides of the storage section 6 and that make up the frame 10. These rear wheel frames 13, 13 are provided so as to extend obliquely rearward from the upper end toward the lower end. The frame 10 is provided with left and right connecting frames 14, 14 that connect the left and right rear wheel frames 13, 13 to the left and right front wheel frames 11, 11 in the front and rear directions. These connecting frames 14, 14 may be configured to bend when the rear wheel frames 13, 13 are folded relative to the front wheel frames 11, 11, and to extend when the rear wheel frames 13, 13 are unfolded relative to the front wheel frames 11, 11. The frame 10 is not limited to being configured so as to be foldable and unfoldable in the front-rear direction, but may also be foldable and unfoldable in the left-right direction, or may even be non-foldable.

[0017] The rear wheels 4, 4 are rotatable about axes extending in the left-right direction. These rear wheels 4, 4 are located rearward of the handle supports 20, 20 that support the handles 25, 25. The rear wheels 4, 4 are spaced apart from each other on the left and right so that a walking space for the user is provided between them. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the front wheels 2, 2 are located slightly toward the center in the left-right direction relative to the rear wheels 4, 4 on both sides. In the illustrated example, the rear wheels 4, 4 are located on the left-right outer sides of the lower ends of the rear wheel frames 13, 13 (the left-right outer sides of the walker 1, the same applies below). This configuration makes it less likely that the rear wheels 4, 4 will interfere with the user's legs.

[0018] The outer diameters of the front wheels 2, 2 and the rear wheels 4, 4 may be set to an appropriate diameter so as to smoothly ride over grooves, steps, unevenness, etc. of a predetermined degree formed on the ground contact surface G. In the illustrated example, the outer diameter of the front wheels 2, 2 is larger than the outer diameter of the rear wheels 4, 4, but this is not limiting. The walker 1 is provided with locking units 5, 5 that disable the rotation of the rear wheels 4, 4. These locking units 5, 5 may be located to the sides of the rear wheels 4, 4 and configured to disable the rotation of the rear wheels 4, 4 when stepped on. The walker 1 is provided with a braking mechanism that brakes the rotation of the rear wheels 4. The braking mechanism may be configured to include an operating unit that is operated by a wire connected to brake levers 26 provided on handles 25, which will be described later, to brake the rotation of the rear wheels 4. The number of wheels 2, 4 provided on the walking vehicle 1 is not limited to four as described above, but may be three wheels with only one front wheel 2, or five or more wheels.

[0019] The frame 10 is provided with left and right fixing portions 15, 15 to which the upper ends of the left and right front wheel frames 11, 11, the upper ends of the left and right rear wheel frames 13, 13, and the lower ends of the left and right handlebar supports 20, 20 are fixed, respectively. 1(b) and 4, the frame 10 is provided with a front-end horizontal frame 16 that spans between the fixed parts 15, 15 so as to connect their front end portions in the walking direction. The frame 10 is provided with a rear-end horizontal frame 31 that spans between the fixed parts 15, 15 so as to connect their rear end portions in the walking direction. The storage section 6 is held by these front-end horizontal frames 16 and rear-end horizontal frames 31. The upper opening 7 of the storage section 6 is substantially rectangular in plan view. The front edge of the periphery of the upper opening 7 of the storage section 6 in the walking direction is held by the front-end horizontal frame 16, and the rear edge in the walking direction is held by the rear-end horizontal frame 31. In the illustrated example, a belt-like member is provided at the front edge of the storage section 6 in the walking direction, which is wound around and held by the front-end horizontal frame 16, and a belt-like member is provided at the rear edge of the storage section 6 in the walking direction, which is wound around and held by the rear-end horizontal frame 31.

[0020] This storage section 6 is formed so that it becomes larger as it goes downward. With this configuration, it is possible to effectively increase the volume of the lower side of the storage section 6. As shown in FIG. 2, this storage section 6 is formed in a trapezoidal shape when viewed from the side (viewed in the left-right direction). In other words, the storage section 6 is formed so that the front-to-rear dimension becomes larger as it goes downward. When frame 10 is foldable as described above, storage section 6 may be formed in a bag shape from a relatively flexible sheet material such as a woven cloth in a mesh shape. Storage section 6 may be formed in a cooler bag shape containing a heat insulating material, or may be formed in a box shape from a hard material such as a synthetic resin material, a wood material, or a metal material and have a bottom plate, a front plate, a rear plate, and left and right side plates. Storage section 6 may also be detachable from frame 10.

[0021] The luggage placement section 36 is disposed so as to be located between the left and right handle support pillars 20, 20. As shown in FIG. 3, the luggage placement section 36 has a generally rectangular shape with its longer sides extending in the front-to-rear direction in a plan view. The luggage placement section 36 is disposed so that a first end 37 on the front end side and a second end 38 on the rear end side are held by front and rear holders, respectively, and are bridged across the front and rear. The luggage placement section 36 may be formed from various bendable and foldable sheet materials, cloth materials, etc., or may be formed from a mesh or net-like member. The dimension of luggage placement section 36 along the front-to-rear direction may correspond to the dimension of the long side of the bottom portion of a typical shopping basket 8 that constitutes luggage, and may be, for example, approximately 300 mm to 600 mm. The dimension of luggage placement section 36 along the left-to-right direction may correspond to the dimension of the short side of the bottom portion of a typical shopping basket 8, and may be, for example, approximately 200 mm to 400 mm. In Figure 3, the outline of shopping basket 8 cut at the height of protrusions 27, 27, which will be described later, is schematically shown by a two-dot chain line.

[0022] As shown in FIGS. 1(b) and 2(b), a first end 37, which is the front end of the luggage placement section 36, is located forward of the left and right handlebar supports 20, 20 and rearward of the front ends of the front wheels 2, 2. In the illustrated example, the first end 37 of the luggage placement section 36 is located approximately directly above the rotation axis of the front wheels 2, 2 when moving forward in the walking direction (forward). A second end 38, which is the rear end of the luggage placement section 36, is located rearward of the left and right handlebar supports 20, 20 and forward of the rear ends of the rear wheels 4, 4. In the illustrated example, the second end 38 of the luggage placement section 36 is located between the rotation axis of the rear wheels 4, 4 and the rear ends of the handlebars 25, 25 in the front-to-rear direction. In the illustrated example, the luggage placement section 36 is formed so that the second end 38 is positioned slightly lower than the first end 37, so that the placement surface slopes slightly downward toward the rear in the walking direction.

[0023] The height of the luggage placement section 36 from the ground surface G may be set to an appropriate height so as to make it easy to load and unload the shopping basket 8. The height of the luggage placement section 36 may be approximately 550 mm to 800 mm, and preferably approximately 600 mm to 750 mm. With this configuration, the height of the luggage placement section 36 becomes roughly the same as that of a typical checkout counter or a checkout stand, and the load on the body when loading and unloading the shopping basket 8 at the checkout counter or a checkout stand can be more effectively reduced. The height of the luggage placement section 36 may be the height from the ground surface G to the first end 37.

[0024] As shown in FIGS. 2(b) and 3, the movement restricting portion 39 is provided so as to protrude upward from the upper surface, which is the loading surface of the luggage loading portion . The movement restricting portion 39 includes a front-end restricting portion 39A provided on the front end side of the luggage placing portion 36 and a rear-end restricting portion 39B provided on the rear end side of the luggage placing portion 36. With this configuration, the front-end restricting portion 39A can abut against the front end side of the shopping basket 8 placed on the luggage placing portion 36, thereby restricting the movement of the shopping basket 8. In addition, the rear end side of the shopping basket 8 placed on the luggage placing portion 36 can abut against the rear-end restricting portion 39B, thereby restricting the movement of the shopping basket 8.

[0025] As shown in Figure 5(a), the front end restricting portion 39A is configured to abut against the rear surface of a protrusion (front end protrusion) 8b provided at the front end of the bottom of the shopping basket 8, thereby restricting rearward movement of the shopping basket 8. With this configuration, rearward movement of the shopping basket 8 can be restricted by abutting the front end protrusion 8b of the bottom of the shopping basket 8 against the front end restricting portion 39A. In addition, the front end portion of the luggage placement portion 36, which bends when the shopping basket 8 is placed on it and slopes downward toward the rear, can restrict forward movement of the shopping basket 8. The front-end restricting portion 39A includes a base 39a that protrudes from the upper surface of the luggage placement portion 36 in the thickness direction of the luggage placement portion 36, and a locking piece 39c that protrudes forward from the tip of the base 39a in the protruding direction. For example, if the front-end restricting portion only has a portion that protrudes from the upper surface of the luggage placement portion 36 in the thickness direction of the luggage placement portion 36, that is, if the front-end restricting portion is configured without a locking piece, when the luggage placement portion 36 is bent when the shopping basket 8 is placed on it, the protruding portion will tilt rearward and will not easily get caught on the front-end protrusion 8b of the shopping basket 8. On the other hand, with the above configuration, the locking piece 39c can be locked to the front-end protrusion 8b of the shopping basket 8, effectively restricting rearward movement of the shopping basket 8.

[0026] As shown in Figure 5(b), the rear end restricting portion 39B is configured to restrict forward movement of the shopping basket 8 by abutting against the front surface of a protrusion (rear end protrusion) 8c provided at the rear end of the bottom of the shopping basket 8. With this configuration, the forward movement of the shopping basket 8 can be restricted by abutting the rear end protrusion 8c of the bottom of the shopping basket 8 against the rear end restricting portion 39B. In addition, the rear end portion of the luggage placement portion 36, which bends when the shopping basket 8 is placed on it and slopes downward toward the front, can restrict rearward movement of the shopping basket 8. The rear end restricting portion 39B includes a base 39a that protrudes from the upper surface of the luggage placing portion 36 in the thickness direction of the luggage placing portion 36, and a locking piece 39c that protrudes rearward from the tip of the protruding direction of the base 39a. With this configuration, like the front end restricting portion 39A described above, the locking piece 39c can be hooked onto the rear end protruding piece 8c of the shopping basket 8, effectively restricting the forward movement of the shopping basket 8.

[0027] The front-end restricting portion 39A and the rear-end restricting portion 39B are each columnar in shape and extend axially in the protruding direction, and are provided at multiple locations spaced apart in the left-right direction. This configuration makes it less likely that the shopping basket 8 placed on the luggage placement portion 36 will shift about its axis in the up-down direction, compared to a configuration in which the columnar front-end restricting portion and the rear-end restricting portion, both axially extending in the protruding direction, are provided at a single location on the front and rear ends. Here, the columnar shape extending axially in the protruding direction is not limited to a perfect cylinder or polygonal pillar, but may be generally columnar, and may have a step, protruding piece, flange-like portion, or the like formed at the axial base end, intermediate portion, or tip end, and may be provided with a locking piece 39c, a flange-like base end 39b, or the like, as described below. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 3, two front-end restriction portions 39A, 39A are provided at the front end of the luggage placement portion 36 with a gap between them in the left-right direction, and two rear-end restriction portions 39B, 39B are provided at the rear end of the luggage placement portion 36 with a gap between them in the left-right direction. Note that Figs. 1(b), 2(b), 3, and 4 show the luggage placement portion 36 in its natural state where it is not bent, while Figs. 5(a) and 5(b) show the luggage placement portion 36 in its bent state with a shopping basket 8 placed on it. Furthermore, the protrusions (front-end protrusion 8b and rear-end protrusion 8c) provided at the bottom of the shopping basket 8 may be provided in an annular shape around the entire periphery of the bottom surface of the shopping basket 8, or may be provided at both the front and rear (longitudinal) sides or the four corners of the bottom surface of the shopping basket 8.

[0028] The two front-end restricting portions 39A, 39A are provided at positions aligned in the front-rear direction. These front-end restricting portions 39A, 39A are provided at positions symmetrical with respect to the left-right center line of the luggage placement portion 36. As shown in FIG. 5(a), these front-end restricting portions 39A, 39A may be provided at appropriate positions so that the front-end protrusion 8b of the shopping basket 8 abuts against them, and the front end of the shopping basket 8 abuts against the front-end portion of the luggage placement portion 36 that bends and slopes downward toward the rear when the shopping basket 8 is placed thereon. These front-end restricting portions 39A, 39A may be provided, for example, at positions approximately 20 mm to 100 mm from the first end 37 of the luggage placement portion 36. When the protrusions at the bottom of the shopping basket 8 are annular, these front-end restricting portions 39A, 39A may be provided between the protrusions on both sides in the width direction.

[0029] The two rear end restriction portions 39B, 39B are provided at positions that coincide in the front-to-rear direction. These rear end restriction portions 39B, 39B are provided at positions that are symmetrical about the left-to-right center line of the luggage placement portion 36. Generally similar to the above, as shown in FIG. 5(b), these rear end restriction portions 39B, 39B may be provided at appropriate positions so that the rear end protrusion 8c of the shopping basket 8 abuts against them, and the rear end of the shopping basket 8 abuts against the rear end portion of the luggage placement portion 36 that bends when the shopping basket 8 is placed and slopes downward toward the front. These rear end restriction portions 39B, 39B may be provided at positions approximately 20 mm to 100 mm from the second end 38 of the luggage placement portion 36. The illustrated example shows an example in which the front-to-back dimension from the second end 38 of the luggage placing section 36 to the rear end regulating sections 39B, 39B is larger than the front-to-back dimension from the first end 37 of the luggage placing section 36 to the front end regulating sections 39A, 39A, but this is not limited to such an example. The front end regulating portion 39A on one side in the left-right direction and the rear end regulating portion 39B on one side in the left-right direction are arranged at positions that coincide in the left-right direction, and the front end regulating portion 39A on the other side in the left-right direction and the rear end regulating portion 39B on the other side in the left-right direction are arranged at positions that coincide in the left-right direction.

[0030] These front-end restricting portions 39A, 39A and rear-end restricting portions 39B, 39B may be configured to abut against the front-end projection 8b and rear-end projection 8c of the shopping basket 8, respectively, when the shopping basket 8 is placed on the luggage placement portion 36 and the luggage placement portion 36 is bent. In the illustrated example, when the shopping basket 8 is placed on the luggage placement portion 36 and the luggage placement portion 36 is bent, only one of the front-end restricting portions 39A, 39A and the rear-end restricting portions 39B, 39B is configured to abut against the corresponding one of the front-end projection 8b and rear-end projection 8c of the shopping basket 8. In other words, as shown in FIG. 5(a), when the front-end projection 8b of the shopping basket 8 abuts against the front-end restricting portions 39A, 39A, the rear-end restricting portions 39B, 39B and the rear-end projection 8c of the shopping basket 8 are not in contact with each other (see also FIG. 3). Also, as shown in Figure 5(b), when the rear end protrusion 8c of the shopping basket 8 is abutted against the rear end regulating portions 39B, 39B, the front end regulating portions 39A, 39A and the front end protrusion 8b of the shopping basket 8 are not in contact with each other.

[0031] More specifically, as shown in FIG. 3 , the front-end regulating portions 39A, 39A and the rear-end regulating portions 39B, 39B are circular in plan view (viewed in the thickness direction of the luggage placement portion 36). That is, the front-end regulating portions 39A, 39A and the rear-end regulating portions 39B, 39B are substantially cylindrical. Because the front-end regulating portions 39A, 39A and the rear-end regulating portions 39B, 39B have the same configuration, an example of a specific configuration will be described using one as an example and referring to the movement regulating portion 39. Furthermore, even when it is not necessary to distinguish between the front-end regulating portions 39A, 39A and the rear-end regulating portions 39B, 39B, they will be described as the movement regulating portion 39. 5(a) and 5(b), the movement restricting portion 39 has a cylindrical base 39a whose axial direction is the thickness direction of the luggage placing portion 36. A flange-like locking piece 39c that protrudes radially outward is provided around the entire periphery of the protruding tip of the base 39a. In other words, the movement restricting portion 39 has an umbrella (mushroom) shape. With this configuration, the movement restricting portion 39 can be attached to the luggage placing portion 36 as the front end restricting portion 39A and the rear end restricting portion 39B regardless of its orientation.

[0032] The movement restricting portion 39 is configured such that a flange-shaped base end 39b that protrudes radially outward is provided around the entire circumference of the base portion 39a at the base end portion that faces the luggage placement portion 36. In other words, the movement restricting portion 39 is configured such that flange-shaped portions (flange-shaped base end 39b and locking piece 39c) are provided at both axial ends of the base portion 39a. With this configuration, the movement restricting portion 39 including the base portion 39a is less likely to tilt relative to the upper surface of the luggage placement portion 36, and the locking piece 39c can be stably locked to the protrusion portion (front end protrusion 8b or rear end protrusion 8c) of the shopping basket 8. The flange-shaped base end 39b is a thin, disk-like shape with both thicknesswise surfaces parallel to the upper surface of the luggage placement section 36 (the upper surface of the portion where the movement restricting section 39 is attached). The thickness of the flange-shaped base end 39b may be approximately 0.5 mm to 2 mm. In the illustrated example, the outer diameter of the flange-shaped base end 39b and the outer diameter of the locking piece section 39c are the same, but this is not limiting. Base 39a is cylindrical. The protruding dimension of base 39a may be an appropriate dimension so that a protruding piece (front end protruding piece 8b or rear end protruding piece 8c) of shopping basket 8, which is inclined relative to base 39a, can be received between locking piece 39c and flange-shaped base end 39b. The protruding dimension of base 39a may be, for example, 2 mm or more and 5 mm or less.

[0033] The locking piece 39c is generally disk-shaped and thicker than the flange-shaped base end 39b. The lower surface of the locking piece 39c (the surface facing the flange-shaped base end 39b) is parallel to both thickness directions of the flange-shaped base end 39b. A corner between the lower surface and the outer periphery of the locking piece 39c abuts against a protruding piece (front end protruding piece 8b or rear end protruding piece 8c) of the shopping basket 8. A chamfer is provided on the periphery of the upper surface of the locking piece 39c. With this configuration, even when the locking piece 39c abuts against the bottom surface of the shopping basket 8, the corner of the locking piece 39c can abut against the bottom side of the protruding piece (front end protruding piece 8b or rear end protruding piece 8c) of the shopping basket 8, ensuring stable locking. The radially outward protrusion of the locking piece 39c from the base 39a may be such that when the locking piece 39c abuts against the protrusion (front end protrusion 8b or rear end protrusion 8c) of the shopping basket 8, the protrusion (front end protrusion 8b or rear end protrusion 8c) does not come into contact with the base 39a. In the illustrated example, the outer diameter of the locking piece 39c is approximately twice the outer diameter of the base 39a, but this is not limited to this example. The protrusion of the locking piece 39c from the base 39a may be approximately 2 mm to 5 mm. The protrusion of the movement restricting portion 39 from the top surface of the luggage placement portion 36 may be approximately 5 mm to 20 mm, or may be 15 mm or less.

[0034] The movement restricting portion 39 may be made of metal or synthetic resin. The movement restricting portion 39 may be fixed to the luggage placing portion 36 by an appropriate fastener, or may be fixed by crimping or the like. In the above example, the flange-shaped base end 39b and the locking piece 39c are each generally disk-shaped, but one or both of them may be generally polygonal plate-shaped or the like. In the above example, the base 39a is cylindrical, but it may be generally polygonal prism-shaped or the like. In the above example, the movement restricting portion 39 is provided with the flange-shaped base end 39b, but such a flange-shaped base end 39b may not be provided. In addition, in the above example, the base 39a is provided with the flange-shaped locking piece 39c around the entire periphery, but the locking piece may protrude only on both sides in the front-rear direction, or may protrude only outward in the front-rear direction. In other words, the front-end restricting portion 39A may be provided with only a locking piece protruding forward, and the rear-end restricting portion 39B may be provided with only a locking piece protruding rearward. Furthermore, such a locking piece may not be provided on the movement restricting portion 39. Also, for example, the movement restricting portion 39 may have an inverted truncated cone shape that increases in diameter toward the tip end in the protruding direction. In the above example, two pillar-shaped movement restricting portions 39 are provided at each of the front and rear ends of the luggage placement section 36. However, three or more movement restricting portions 39 may be provided at each of the front and rear ends, or only one movement restricting portion 39 may be provided at each of the front and rear ends. Furthermore, a plurality of movement restricting portions 39 may be provided at intervals in the front and rear directions at each of the front and rear ends of the luggage placement section 36 or throughout the entire luggage placement section 36. For example, three to ten or four to six movement restricting portions 39 may be provided at equal intervals in the front and rear directions, such as in the center of the luggage placement section 36. This configuration effectively restricts movement even when shopping baskets 8 of different sizes are placed thereon. It also makes it possible to restrict movement of the shopping baskets 8 by placing them in a desired position, for example.

[0035] 1 and 2, in this embodiment, the luggage placement section 36 is held so as to be freely movable between a use position where the shopping basket 8 can be placed thereon and a non-use position where the luggage placement section 36 is retracted forward in the walking direction from the left and right handles 25, 25. With this configuration, the shopping basket 8 can be placed on the luggage placement section 36 by placing the luggage placement section 36 in the use position. On the other hand, by placing the luggage placement section 36 in the non-use position, the luggage placement section 36 is retracted from between the left and right handles 25, 25, making it less likely for the luggage placement section 36 to interfere with the body. When the luggage placement section 36 is thus freely movable between the use position and the non-use position, the above-described dimensions, height, and positional relationship of the luggage placement section 36 with each other are based on the use position. A first end 37 of the luggage placement section 36, which is the front end in the walking direction when in the use position, is held by a holding section (front frame section 19) provided forward of the left and right handles 25, 25. Meanwhile, a second end 38 of the luggage placement section 36, which is the rear end in the walking direction when in the use position, is held by a rotating body 30 constituting a holding section that rotates around an axis (rear end horizontal frame 31) along the left-right direction when the luggage placement section 36 is moved between the use position and the non-use position.

[0036] The rotating body 30 is rotatably connected to the rear end of the opening periphery of the storage section 6 in the walking direction, and the luggage placement section 36 is configured to cover the upper opening 7 of the storage section 6 when in the non-use position. 1(a) and 2(a), the rotating body 30 is provided with a lid body 35 that opens and closes the upper opening 7 of the storage section 6 while being disposed so as to cover the upper opening 7 of the storage section 6. With this configuration, even when the luggage placement section 36 is in the unused position and the rotating body 30 is in the position covering the upper opening 7 of the storage section 6, it is possible to easily put items into and take them out of the storage section 6 by opening the lid body 35, as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. The lid 35 forms a seat when the upper opening 7 of the storage section 6 is closed. With this configuration, a person can sit on the lid 35 and take a rest while walking. In other words, when the luggage placement section 36 of the walking frame 1 is in the unused position, the person can sit on the lid 35. When the rotating body 30 is positioned to cover the upper opening 7 of the storage section 6, the first end 35a of the cover body 35, which is the front end side in the walking direction, is rotatably connected to the rotating body 30.

[0037] Specifically, a first end 37 of the luggage placement section 36 is held by a front frame section 19 of a frame-shaped body 17 that constitutes the holding section. The frame-shaped body 17 has left and right side frame sections 18, 18 that extend forward in the walking direction from the left and right handle supports 20, 20, and a front frame section 19 that is provided to connect the front ends of these left and right side frame sections 18, 18 in the walking direction to each other. The frame-shaped body 17 is provided so as to surround the front side and the left and right outer sides of the lid body 35 in the closed state in a plan view, and is positioned above the lid body 35 in the closed state. In addition to the function of holding the first end 37 of the luggage mounting section 36, the frame-shaped body 17 also functions to connect the left and right handle supports 20, 20 and as a backrest for a user seated on the lid body 35. Furthermore, as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 2(a), the front frame portion 19 of the frame-shaped body 17 also functions as a stopper that prevents the lid body 35, which is in the open position in the upright state, from moving further toward the open side.

[0038] The base ends of the left and right side frame portions 18, 18 of this frame-shaped body 17, which are the rear ends in the walking direction, are fixed to midpoints in the height direction of the left and right handle support columns 20, 20 (upper ends of frame-side support columns 21, 21, which will be described later). These side frame portions 18, 18 are provided at the same height position and extend substantially horizontally toward the front. The front frame portion 19 of the frame-shaped body 17 is provided so as to extend in the left-right direction. The front frame portion 19 of the frame-shaped body 17 is provided at an appropriate height position so that the height of the luggage placement section 36 becomes the height described above. A first end 37 of the luggage placing section 36 is held so as to be wound around the front frame section 19. This first end 37 may be rotatably wound around the front frame section 19. The first end 37 of the luggage placing section 36 may be detachable from the front frame section 19. The upper approximate half of the front frame section 19 and the first end 37 of the luggage placing section 36 wound therearound may form a front end stopper that protrudes above the placing surface.

[0039] As shown in Figures 2(a) and (b), the rotating body 30 is arranged so that the luggage carrying section 36 is arranged approximately horizontally in the non-use position, and is arranged obliquely so that the luggage carrying section 36 is positioned rearward as it moves upward from the point where it is rotatably connected in the use position. A rear-end horizontal frame 31 is provided at the rear end in the walking direction of the rotating body 30 when the rotating body 30 covers the upper opening 7 of the storage compartment 6 (the lower end when the luggage placement section 36 is in the use position). The rear-end horizontal frame 31 is rotatably supported between the left and right fixed sections 15 and forms an axis along the left-right direction. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 , the rotating body 30 is frame-shaped. When the rotating body 30 covers the upper opening 7 of the storage compartment 6, the rotating body 30 includes left and right side frame sections 32 that extend in the front-rear direction at positions adjacent to the center of the left and right handle supports 20. The connecting ends of the side frame sections 32, which are the rear ends in the walking direction when the rotating body 30 covers the upper opening 7 of the storage compartment 6, are connected to the rear-end horizontal frame 31.

[0040] The rotating body 30 has a tip frame portion 33 provided to connect the tip portions of these side frame portions 32, 32 on the side different from the connection side. The tip frame portion 33 is provided to extend in the left-right direction. This tip frame portion 33 holds a second end portion 38 which is the rear end side of the above-mentioned luggage placing portion 36. The second end portion 38 of the luggage placing portion 36 may be held by being wound around the tip frame portion 33. This second end portion 38 may be rotatably wound around the tip frame portion 33, or may be detachable from the tip frame portion 33. The upper approximately half of the tip frame portion 33 and the second end portion 38 of the luggage placing portion 36 wound therearound may form a rear end stopper that protrudes upward from the loading surface.

[0041] As shown in Fig. 2(b), when the luggage placement section 36 is in the use position, it is arranged to bridge between the front frame section 19 and the tip frame section 33, which is the upper end portion of the rotating body 30. When the luggage placement section 36 is in the use position, the rotating body 30 is prevented from further rotating rearward and is maintained in an upright, oblique position. An appropriate stopper may be provided to prevent the rotating body 30, which is in the upright, oblique position, from further rotating rearward. As shown in FIG. 2( a), the luggage placement section 36 is placed in the unused position by rotating the rotating body 30, which has been placed in the upright position as described above, so that it lies flat. In the unused position, the luggage placement section 36 is arranged to hang down from the front frame 19, with its lower end portion bent. With the luggage placement section 36 in the unused position, a shopping basket 8 may be placed on the lid 35. In this case, if the vertical dimension from the lid 35 to the front frame 19 is greater than the height of the shopping basket 8, the shopping basket 8 can be placed between the lid 35 and the front frame 19, and forward movement of the shopping basket 8 can be prevented by the luggage placement section 36 in the unused position.

[0042] The cover 35 has a substantially rectangular flat plate shape, and a first end 35a thereof is held by being wrapped around a holding frame 34 that is provided so as to span the side frames 32, 32 of the rotating body 30. In the closed state (seating state), both left and right end portions of the cover 35 are placed on the left and right side frames 32, 32 that constitute the frame-shaped body of the rotating body 30, and the second end 35b is placed on the rear end horizontal frame 31. In this sitting state, the height from the ground surface G to the seat surface (upper surface) of the cover 35 may be an appropriate height so that the entire soles of the feet of a seated user can stably contact the ground, and may be, for example, approximately 300 mm to 500 mm. A joining portion that can be detachably joined to a joining portion provided on the rear end horizontal frame 31 or the side frame portions 32, 32 may be provided on the back surface (underside in the seatable state) of the second end portion 35b or both left and right end portions of the lid body 35. Such joining portion and joining portion may be a hook-and-loop fastener, a snap button, or the like.

[0043] The lid 35 is rotated around the first end 35a as a fulcrum to the open position. In this state, the second end 35b of the lid 35 abuts against and rests against the front frame 19 of the frame-shaped body 17 (the first end 37 of the luggage placement section 36), so that the lid 35 is held in the upright open position. The lid 35 may be formed of an appropriate substrate, cushioning material, cover, or the like. The lid 35 is not limited to the above-described configuration in which the first end 35a side is connected to the rotating body 30, but may be configured to be detachable from the frame-shaped body of the rotating body 30 to open and close the upper opening 7 of the storage section 6. Furthermore, instead of such an openable and closable lid 35, a configuration in which the lid is fixed to the rotating body 30 may be used. Even in this case, the upper opening 7 of the storage section 6 can be opened by placing the luggage placement section 36 in the use position. Note that a configuration may be used in which a lid that can open and close the upper opening 7 of the storage section 6 is provided when the luggage placement section 36 is in the use position. With such a configuration, the upper opening 7 of the storage section 6 can be closed even when the luggage placement section 36 is in the use position and a shopping basket 8 is placed thereon while shopping, etc.

[0044] In the above example, the rotating body 30 is illustrated as holding the second end 38 of the bendable and foldable sheet-like luggage placement section 36, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, the luggage placement section 36 may be detached and placed in the unused position. Various other configurations may be used as the holding section that holds the luggage placement section 36 so that it can be moved between the used position and the unused position. Furthermore, instead of the luggage placement section 36 being movable between the used position and the unused position, the luggage placement section 36 may be fixedly provided in the used position. In the above example, the storage section 6 is provided below the luggage placement section 36 (in the used position), but the storage section 6 may not be provided.

[0045] The left and right handle supports 20, 20 are configured to hold the left and right handles 25, 25 in a height-adjustable manner. With this configuration, the left and right handles 25, 25 can be adjusted to a height that is easy for the user to operate. The left and right handlebar supports 20, 20 are provided so as to be positioned approximately in the center between the front wheels 2, 2 and the rear wheels 4, 4 in the front-rear direction, and to rise from both the left and right sides of the storage section 6. As shown in FIG. 4, these handle supports 20 extend vertically. In other words, the distance W2 (see FIG. 3) between the left and right handles 25 is constant regardless of the height adjustment using the handle supports 20. The handle distance W2 may be set to any suitable value, such as approximately 300 mm to 450 mm, or 400 mm or less, depending on the ease of use of the walker 1 and the compactness of the walker 1. In this case, the width of the walker 1 may be set to approximately 450 mm to 500 mm, or even approximately 480 mm. This configuration allows for a slimmer walker 1, making it easier to use on public transportation such as trains. The handle distance W2 may be the distance between the front ends of the left and right handles 25, which are tapered so that they are slightly spaced apart toward their rear ends.

[0046] These handle supports 20 may be configured to hold the handles 25 so that their height (handle height) from the ground surface G is adjustable within a range of 650 mm to 900 mm. The height adjustable range of the handles 25 may be approximately 700 mm to 900 mm, or even approximately 700 mm to 850 mm. As shown in FIGS. 2(b) and 4, the height adjustable range of the handles 25 may be such that the handles 25 at their upper limit are below the upper end of the shopping basket 8 placed on the luggage carrier 36, and the handles 25 at their lower limit are above the upper surface of the luggage carrier 36. The handle height may be the height from the ground surface G to the upper end of the handles 25, or the height to the vertical center of the handles 25,25. These handlebar supports 20, 20 include frame-side supports 21, 21 fixed to the frame 10, and handlebar-side supports 23, 23 that are provided so as to be able to freely extend and retract relative to the frame-side supports 21, 21 and have handles 25, 25 at their upper ends. The handlebar supports 20, 20 and handles 25, 25 on both the left and right sides have the same configuration, so the following description will be given taking one of the left and right sides as an example.

[0047] The frame-side support 21 has a cylindrical shape into which the handle-side support 23 is inserted. As shown in Figures 1 and 4, the frame-side support 21 is provided with a fixture 22 that fixes the handle-side support 23, which is extended and retracted relative to the frame-side support 21. In the illustrated example, a knob bolt with a head that serves as a manual operation part is shown as the fixture 22, but the present invention is not limited to this example. The handle-side support 23 has a plurality of insertion holes 24 spaced apart in the longitudinal direction, into which the shanks (male threaded portions) of the fixing devices 22 are inserted. The handle-side support 23 can be fixed to the frame-side support 21 by inserting the shanks of the fixing devices 22 into any of the insertion holes 24 in the handle-side support 23 and tightening the insertion holes 24. As a mode for fastening the fixing devices 22, the insertion holes 24 may be female threaded holes, or a female threaded member may be provided into which the male threaded portions of the fixing devices 22 protruding toward the center of the frame-side support 21 in the left-right direction are screwed.

[0048] The handle height when the handle side support 23 is most shortened relative to the frame side support 21 becomes the lower limit height of the handle 25, and the handle height when the handle side support 23 is most extended relative to the frame side support 21 becomes the upper limit height of the handle 25. The number and pitch of the insertion holes 24 provided in the handle side support column 23 may be any appropriate number and pitch, for example, about 5 to 15 insertion holes 24 may be provided, and they may be provided at a pitch of about 10 mm to 50 mm. Instead of an embodiment in which the frame side support column 21 is extendable and retractable in multiple steps relative to the handle side support column 23, an embodiment in which it is extendable and retractable in a stepless manner may be adopted. Various other modifications are possible for the handle side support columns 20, 20 that hold the left and right handles 25, 25 so that their heights are adjustable.

[0049] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the handle 25 is provided to extend rearward from the upper end of the handle-side support column 23. The handle 25 is generally cylindrical and long in the front-to-rear direction. The handle 25 may have an appropriate diameter or shape to make it easy to grip. In the illustrated example, the handles 25, 25 on both the left and right sides are provided so as to be slightly spaced apart from each other in the left-to-right direction as they move rearward in a plan view, but this is not limited to this example. The brake lever 26 is provided so as to be located below the handlebar 25. The front end of the brake lever 26 is held by a holding portion provided between the upper end of the handlebar-side support 23 and the handlebar 25 so as to be adjacent to the front end of the handlebar 25 so as to be rotatable about an axis along the left-right direction. The brake lever 26 may be configured so that an operating portion that brakes the rotation of the rear wheel 4 is activated by operating the brake lever 26 so as to displace the rear end side upward. In the illustrated example, an insertion hole into which a finger is inserted is formed in the brake lever 26, but the present invention is not limited to this example.

[0050] 2 and 4, the left and right protrusions 27, 27 are provided so as to be positioned at the same height as the left and right handles 25, 25. With this configuration, compared to a configuration in which the protrusions 27 are provided at a position lower than the handles 25, even when the shopping basket 8 placed on the luggage placement section 36 moves in a swinging manner from side to side, the shopping basket 8 comes into contact with the protrusions 27, which are at the same height as the handles 25, making it easier to ensure a gripping space between the shopping basket 8 and the handles 25. The left and right protrusions 27, 27 are provided adjacent to the front ends of the left and right handles 25, 25. With this configuration, compared to a configuration in which the protrusions 27 are provided at a position away from the handles 25, even when the shopping basket 8 placed on the luggage placement section 36 moves in a swinging manner from side to side, the front ends of the handles 25 come into contact with the protrusions 27 adjacent thereto, making it easier to more stably secure a gripping space between the handles 25.

[0051] The left-right distance W1 (protrusion distance) between the left and right protrusions 27, 27 (see also FIG. 3 ) is determined according to the width of the upper end portion of the shopping basket 8 so that the left and right protrusions 27, 27 abut against the left and right outer surfaces 8a, 8a of the shopping basket 8 placed on the luggage rest 36, respectively, when the left and right handles 25, 25 are at least at their upper limit height position. This configuration effectively reduces interference between the shopping basket 8 placed on the luggage rest 36 and the user's hand gripping the handle 25, while still achieving a compact width of the walker 1. In other words, since the width of the shopping basket 8 generally increases from the bottom to the top, the gap between the handle 25 and the shopping basket 8 placed on the luggage rest 36 tends to decrease as the height positions of the left and right handles 25, 25 increase. According to the above configuration, when the left and right handles 25 are at least at their upper limit height position, the left and right protrusions 27 can be brought into contact with the left and right outer surfaces 8a of the shopping basket 8 placed on the luggage placement section 36, respectively, thereby ensuring a stable gripping space between the left and right handles 25 and the shopping basket 8. Furthermore, the shopping basket 8 placed on the luggage placement section 36 can be held between the left and right protrusions 27, which can also prevent the shopping basket 8 from moving.

[0052] The protrusion spacing W1 may be formed to be the same as the width of the upper end portion of a typical shopping basket 8, or may be an appropriate dimension so that the shopping basket 8 can be pressed from both the left and right sides by the left and right protrusions 27, 27. With this configuration, the shopping basket 8 placed on the luggage placement section 36 can be held by being pressed from both the left and right sides by the left and right protrusions 27, 27. The protrusion spacing W1 may be set to correspond to the width of the upper end portion of the shopping basket 8, which is the lower portion of a flange-shaped portion formed to protrude outward around the entire periphery of the upper end of the shopping basket 8, or may be set to be the same as the width of the vertical center or lower portion of the shopping basket 8. In other words, the protrusion spacing W1 may be smaller than the width of the upper end portion of the shopping basket 8. Even with this configuration, the left and right protrusions 27, 27 can hold the shopping basket 8 by elastic deformation of the shopping basket 8. For example, the protrusion spacing W1 may be approximately 280 mm to 340 mm. The protruding dimension of the left and right protruding portions 27, 27 in the left-right direction from each handle 25, 25 corresponds to the value obtained by subtracting the protruding portion spacing W1 from the handle-to-handle dimension W2 described above and then multiplying the result by 1 / 2. The protruding dimension of the left and right protruding portions 27, 27 may be approximately the same as the thickness of a finger (thumb) so that a gripping space is formed between the left and right handles 25, 25 and the left and right outer surfaces 8a, 8a of the shopping basket 8 while still achieving a compact width of the walker 1. The protruding dimension of the left and right protruding portions 27, 27 may be, for example, approximately 20 mm to 40 mm.

[0053] As shown in Fig. 3, the left and right protrusions 27, 27 have protruding tip surfaces (tip surfaces) 27a formed in a convex curved shape. With this configuration, when placing the shopping basket 8 on the luggage placement section 36 or moving the shopping basket 8 from the luggage placement section 36, the shopping basket 8 is less likely to get caught on the protrusions 27, allowing the shopping basket 8 to be placed and moved smoothly. The left and right protrusions 27, 27 are configured to be able to hook and hold the handle 9a of the container 9 that stores items (see FIG. 6(a)). With this configuration, the handle 9a of the container 9, such as a plastic bag or an eco-bag, can be hooked and held by the protrusions 27. In other words, the protrusions 27 function as spacers that form a gripping space between the handle 25 and the shopping basket 8 placed on the luggage placement section 36, and also function as hooks that hook and hold the handle 9a of the container 9. The container 9 is not limited to the above examples, and any type of bag, bag, etc. may be used.

[0054] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the left and right protrusions 27, 27 each include a base 28 that is the base end in the protruding direction, and extensions 29, 29 that extend from the tip of the base 28 to both the front and rear and serve to prevent the handle 9a (see Figure 6(a)) from slipping out. This configuration can reduce the risk of the handle 9a getting caught on the retention parts, compared to a configuration in which a retention part protruding upward is provided at the tip of the base. As described above, even when the width of the walker 1 is made relatively small and the walker 1 is provided with a lid 35 that forms a seat on which the user can sit, this can reduce the risk of the handle 9a getting caught when sitting down.

[0055] The left and right protrusions 27, 27 are provided so as to be at the same position in the front-rear direction as shown in Fig. 3. In other words, the left and right protrusions 27, 27 are provided so as to protrude in directions facing each other. The left and right protrusions 27, 27 are provided so as to be located in a central portion of the luggage placement section 36 in the front-to-rear direction. With this configuration, the left and right protrusions 27, 27 are located on both the left and right sides of the central portion of the shopping basket 8 in the front-to-rear direction, making it possible to stably hold the shopping basket 8. In the illustrated example, the left and right protrusions 27, 27 are provided so as to be located slightly rearward of the center of the luggage placement section 36 in the front-to-rear direction. The left and right protrusions 27, 27 may also be provided so as to be located in a central portion of the luggage placement section 36 which is virtually divided into three equal parts in the front-to-rear direction. The left and right protrusions 27, 27 have the same configuration, so the following description will be given taking one of the left and right protrusions 27 as an example.

[0056] As shown in Figure 6(a), the protrusion 27 is provided so as to be located above a holding portion that holds the front end of the brake lever 26. This protrusion 27 is provided so as to protrude toward the center in the left-right direction from the outer peripheral surface of a pillar-shaped portion that is provided between the upper end of the handle-side support pillar 23 and the handle 25. In other words, the protrusion 27 is provided so as to be located between the upper end of the handle-side support pillar 23 and the handle 25. In this example, the protrusion 27 is formed so as not to protrude to both the top and bottom from both the top and bottom surfaces of the handle 25 (see also Figures 2 and 4). In other words, the vertical dimension of the protrusion 27 is equal to or smaller than the diameter of the handle 25. This protrusion 27 may be formed integrally with the holding portion or pillar portion of the brake lever 26, or may be fixed to the pillar portion by a suitable fastener such as a screw.

[0057] The base 28 of the protrusion 27 is formed into a convex curved surface with the upper surface portion being convex upward. The base 28 may be cylindrical with the protruding direction being the axial direction, or may be semi-cylindrical or the like. The front and rear extensions 29, 29 extend from the base 28 by the same distance. The front and rear extensions 29, 29 are curved outward in the left-right direction as they extend away from the base 28. In other words, the front and rear extensions 29, 29 are formed so as to approach the outer circumferential surface of the columnar portion adjacent to the front end of the handle 25 as they extend toward the tip. The gap between the front and rear extensions 29, 29 and the columnar portion may be an appropriate gap to allow the handle 9a of the container 9 to be hooked thereon. The extension dimension of the front and rear extensions 29, 29 may also be an appropriate dimension to prevent the handle 9a from slipping out, to make the protrusion 27 compact, and so on.

[0058] The extending ends of the front and rear extending portions 29, 29 have a curved surface shape that is convex outward in the front-rear direction when viewed from the side (viewed from the center in the left-right direction to the outside in the left-right direction). Appropriate chamfers are formed on both upper and lower side edges and both front and rear edges of the front and rear extending portions 29, 29. The tip surface 27a of the protrusion 27 is formed into a convex curved surface including the surfaces facing the left-right center of the front and rear extensions 29, 29. The tip surface 27a of the protrusion 27 is formed into a convex curved surface that slopes outward in the left-right direction from the front-to-rear center of the protrusion 27 toward the outside in the front-to-rear direction. In other words, the front-to-rear center of the protrusion 27 is the part that protrudes the most from the handle 25. The tip surface 27a of the protrusion 27 may be formed in a convex curved surface that slopes outward in the left-right direction from the vertical center of the protrusion 27 toward the outside in the vertical direction. The protruding portion 27 may have a retaining portion that protrudes slightly upward from the tip of the base portion 28. The protruding portion 27 may have a flange-like portion that protrudes radially outward around the entire circumference on the tip side of the base 28, instead of having the extending portions 29, 29 extending to both the front and rear sides on the tip side of the base 28. In other words, the protruding portion 27 may be umbrella-shaped, mushroom-shaped, or the like.

[0059] Next, a modified example of the walking vehicle will be described with reference to FIG. 6(b), FIG. 7, and FIGS. 8(a) to (d). In each of the following modified examples, differences from the previously described example will be mainly described, and similar configurations will be omitted or briefly described. Also, in each of the following modified examples, explanations of the same functions and effects as those of the previously described example will be omitted or briefly described. Also, while Fig. 6(b) and Figs. 8(a) to (d) only show the handle 25 on one side in the left-right direction, the handle 25 on the other side in the left-right direction has the same configuration. Also, Figs. 8(b) and (d) are shown as front views seen in the handle axis direction.

[0060] FIG. 6(b) shows a walking vehicle 1A according to a first modified example. In this modification, the configuration of the protrusion 27A is different from that of the above example. In this modification, protrusion 27A has a retaining portion 29A that protrudes upward from the tip of base portion 28A. That is, in this modification, protrusion 27A has retaining portion 29A instead of the extending portions 29, 29 on both the front and rear sides as described above. With this configuration, it is possible to hook and hold handle 9a while compacting the dimension of protrusion 27A in the front-to-rear direction. The protruding dimension of retaining portion 29A may be an appropriate dimension so as to prevent the handle 9a from coming off and from the viewpoint of compacting protrusion 27A. The upper end portion of the retaining portion 29A, which is the tip of the protruding direction, has a curved surface that is convex upward in side view (viewed from the center in the left-right direction to the outside in the left-right direction). Appropriate chamfers are formed on the upper edge and both front and rear edges of the retaining portion 29A. The tip end surface of this protrusion 27A may be formed into a convex curved surface, similar to the above.

[0061] FIG. 7 shows a walking vehicle 1B according to a second modification. In this modification, the configurations of the front end side restricting portion 39D and the rear end side restricting portion 39E that constitute the movement restricting portion 39C are different from those in the above-described example. In this modification, the front end restricting portion 39D and the rear end restricting portion 39E are each elongated in the left-right direction. With this configuration, similar to the above-described example, the shopping basket 8 placed on the luggage placement portion 36 is less likely to shift position around an axis extending in the up-down direction. These front end restricting portion 39D and rear end restricting portion 39E are provided at the same positions in the front-rear direction as the above-described front end restricting portion 39A and rear end restricting portion 39B. Furthermore, these front end restricting portion 39D and rear end restricting portion 39E have the same length dimension and are provided so as to be located in the widthwise center of the luggage placing portion 36. The length dimension of these front end restricting portion 39D and rear end restricting portion 39E may be at least one-third or at least one-half of the width dimension of the luggage placing portion 36, and further, if the protruding portion at the bottom of the shopping basket 8 is provided in an annular shape, it may be smaller than the distance between the protruding portions on both sides in the width direction.

[0062] Although not shown, the front-end restricting portion 39D and the rear-end restricting portion 39E may each include a base portion that is long in the left-right direction and a locking piece portion that protrudes outward in the front-rear direction or toward both sides from the upper end of the base. Alternatively, the front-end restricting portion 39D and the rear-end restricting portion 39E may each include a plurality of base portions that are provided at intervals in the left-right direction on the baggage placement portion 36 side of the locking piece portion that is long in the left-right direction. In the above examples, the front end restricting portions 39A and 39D restrict the rearward movement of the shopping basket 8, and the rear end restricting portions 39B and 39E restrict the forward movement of the shopping basket 8, but the reverse is also possible. In other words, the front end restricting portions 39A and 39D may restrict the forward movement of the shopping basket 8, and the rear end restricting portions 39B and 39E may restrict the rearward movement of the shopping basket 8. In the above-described examples, movement restricting portions 39, 39C are provided with front-end restricting portions 39A, 39D and rear-end restricting portions 39B, 39E, but a configuration may be adopted in which only one of front-end restricting portions 39A, 39D and rear-end restricting portions 39B, 39E is provided. Movement restricting portions 39, 39C that restrict the forward and rearward movement of luggage (shopping basket 8) are not limited to the above-described examples, and may have various other configurations.

[0063] 8(a) and (b) show a walking vehicle 1C according to a third modified example. In this modification, the configuration of the protrusion 27B is different from the above example. In this modification, the protrusion 27B includes a substantially semi-cylindrical main body 29B and a connecting portion 28B that connects the main body 29B to a columnar portion adjacent to the front end side of the handle 25. Main body 29B is generally semicircular in plan view, and is formed so that its vertical dimension decreases toward the left-right center, which is the tip of the protruding direction. That is, main body 29B has an upper surface that slopes downward toward the left-right center, and a lower surface that slopes upward toward the left-right center. The side surface of the columnar portion of main body 29B is formed to fit along the outer peripheral surface of the columnar portion. Connecting portion 28B is smaller than the front-to-rear and top-to-bottom dimensions of main body 29B, and is provided so as to form a gap between the side surface of the columnar portion of main body 29B and the outer peripheral surface of the columnar portion, allowing insertion of handle 9a of container 9. This gap may be relatively small so as to prevent clothing or the like from getting caught, and may be, for example, about 2 mm to 5 mm, or about 3 mm.

[0064] The protrusions 27, 27A, 27B are not limited to the configuration that allows the handle 9a of the container 9 to be hooked and held as described above, and may be configured without the extension 29, the retaining portion 29A, or a gap. Furthermore, in the above-described examples, the protrusions 27, 27A, 27B are provided at positions adjacent to the front end of the handle 25, but the present invention is not limited to such examples. For example, the protrusions 27, 27A, 27B may be provided at the upper end of the handle-side support 23 or at a position extending forward from this upper end. Furthermore, instead of being provided at the same height as the handle 25, the protrusions 27, 27A, 27B may be provided at positions above or below the handle 25. The position adjacent to the handle 25 where the protrusions 27, 27A, 27B are provided may be within a range of approximately 150 mm from the handle 25. In addition, the protrusions 27, 27A, 27B may be configured to be expandable and contractible in the left-right direction to accommodate differences in the dimensions of the shopping basket 8, and may also have a spring property that biases them toward the center in the left-right direction. Furthermore, instead of the embodiment in which the left and right protrusions are dimensioned so that they abut against the left and right outer surfaces 8a, 8a of the shopping basket 8 placed on the luggage placement section 36 when the left and right handles 25, 25 are at least at their upper limit height position, the protrusion spacing W1 may be greater than the width dimension of the upper end portion of the shopping basket 8. Even with this configuration, the shopping basket 8 abuts against one of the left and right protrusions when moved left or right, thereby creating a gripping space and reducing interference between the shopping basket 8 and the hands.

[0065] 8(c) and (d) show a walking vehicle 1D according to a fourth modified example. In this modified example, a hook portion 27C capable of hooking and holding the handle 9a of the container 9 is provided in place of the above-described protrusions 27, 27A, and 27B at a location adjacent to the handle 25. With this configuration, the handle 9a of the container 9 can be hooked and held on the hook portion 27C, as in the above case. The hook portion 27C includes a base portion 28C that protrudes upward from the upper end of the columnar portion adjacent to the front end of the handle 25, and an extension piece portion 29C that extends outward in the left-right direction from the tip of the protruding direction of the base portion 28C along the outer circumferential surface of the columnar portion. In other words, the hook portion 27C is configured to hook and hold the container 9 at the center of the handle support pillar 20 in the left-right direction, similar to the above-described protrusions 27, 27A, and 27B.

[0066] Between the extending piece 29C and the outer peripheral surface of the columnar portion, there is formed a gap into which the handle 9a of the container 9 can be inserted. As described above, this gap may be relatively small so that clothing or the like is less likely to get caught, and may be, for example, about 2 mm to 5 mm, or about 3 mm. The hook portion 27C may be provided on each of the pillar portions adjacent to the front ends of the left and right handles 25, 25, or may be provided on only one of the left and right handles 25. Furthermore, the hook portion 27C is not limited to the above-described shape and the above-described position, but may have various shapes and be provided in various positions. Also, the hook portion 27C and the protrusions 27, 27A, and 27B may not be provided. The above-described configurations of the members and parts of the walking frames 1, 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D according to the present embodiment are merely examples, and various other modifications are possible.

[0067] <Additional Notes> The above description of the embodiments discloses the following techniques. <Technology 1> A walking vehicle having wheels that can run on a ground surface, left and right handles, a flexible sheet-like luggage carrying section between the left and right handles on which luggage can be placed, and a movement restricting section that protrudes from the top surface of the luggage carrying section and abuts against the luggage when it is placed on the luggage carrying section to restrict the forward and backward movement of the luggage. <Technology 2> The walker described in Technology 1, wherein the movement regulating section includes a front end regulating section provided at the front end side of the luggage placing section and a rear end regulating section provided at the rear end side of the luggage placing section. <Technology 3> The walker described in Technology 2 is configured such that the front end regulating portion abuts against the rear surface of a protrusion provided at the front end of the bottom of the shopping basket that constitutes the luggage, thereby regulating the movement of the shopping basket toward the rear, and the rear end regulating portion abuts against the front surface of a protrusion provided at the rear end of the bottom of the shopping basket, thereby regulating the movement of the shopping basket toward the front. <Technology 4> The front-end regulating portion has a base portion that protrudes from the upper surface of the luggage placing portion in the thickness direction of the luggage placing portion, and a locking piece portion that protrudes forward from the tip of the protruding direction of the base, and the rear-end regulating portion has a base portion that protrudes from the upper surface of the luggage placing portion in the thickness direction of the luggage placing portion, and a locking piece portion that protrudes rearward from the tip of the protruding direction of the base. <Technology 5> A walker described in any one of Technology 2 to Technology 4, wherein the front end regulating portion and the rear end regulating portion are each columnar with an axial direction aligned in the protruding direction, and are provided at multiple locations spaced apart in the left-right direction. <Technology 6> The walking aid according to any one of the second to fourth aspects, wherein the front end restricting portion and the rear end restricting portion are each elongated in the left-right direction. <Technology 7> The walking frame according to any one of Techniques 1 to 6, further comprising left and right protrusions that protrude from adjacent portions of the left and right handles toward the center in the left-right direction. <Technology 8> A walker as described in any one of Technology 1 to Technology 6, which is provided with left and right protrusions protruding from both the left and right sides above the luggage carrying section so that when luggage placed on the luggage carrying section comes into contact with the left and right handles, a gripping space is formed between the luggage and each of the left and right handles. <Technology 9> A walker according to Technology 7 or Technology 8, wherein the left and right protrusions are positioned at the same height as the left and right handles, respectively. <Technology 10> A walker as described in Art 9, which is provided with left and right handle posts extending in the vertical direction on both the left and right sides of the luggage storage section, with the left and right handles respectively attached to the upper ends so as to protrude rearward, and the left and right protrusions being attached adjacent to the front ends of the left and right handles. <Technology 11> The left and right handle supports are configured to hold the left and right handles in a height-adjustable manner, and the left-right distance between the left and right protrusions is dimensioned to correspond to the width dimension of the upper end portion of the shopping basket so that the left and right protrusions abut against the left and right outer surfaces of the shopping basket that constitutes the luggage placed on the luggage loading section when the left and right handles are at least at their upper limit height position. <Technology 12> A walking frame as described in any one of Technology 1 to Technology 11, in which a hook portion is provided adjacent to one of the left and right handles, which can be used to hook and hold the handle of a container for storing items. [Explanation of symbols]

[0068] 1, 1A~1D Walking frame 2 Front wheels 4 Rear wheel (wheel) 20 Handle support 25 Handle 27,27A,27B Projection part (hanging part) 27C Hook 36 Luggage storage area 39,39C Movement control section 39A, 39D Front end regulation part 39B, 39E Rear end side regulation part 39a base 39c Locking piece 8 Shopping basket (luggage) 8a External surface 8b Front end protruding piece (protruding piece) 8c Rear end protruding piece (protruding piece) 9 Containment Unit 9a Handle G ground plane W1 Protrusion spacing (lateral spacing between protrusions)

Claims

1. A walking vehicle characterized by having wheels that can run on a ground surface, left and right handles, a flexible sheet-like luggage loading section between the left and right handles on which luggage can be placed, and a movement restriction section that protrudes from the top surface of the luggage loading section and abuts against the luggage when it is placed on the luggage loading section, restricting the forward and backward movement of the luggage.

2. In claim 1, A walker characterized in that the movement regulating section includes a front end regulating section provided at the front end side of the luggage placing section and a rear end regulating section provided at the rear end side of the luggage placing section.

3. In claim 2, A walker characterized in that the front end regulating portion is configured to abut against the rear surface of a protrusion provided at the front end of the bottom of the shopping basket that constitutes the luggage, thereby regulating the rearward movement of the shopping basket, and the rear end regulating portion is configured to abut against the front surface of a protrusion provided at the rear end of the bottom of the shopping basket, thereby regulating the forward movement of the shopping basket.

4. In claim 3, The walker is characterized in that the front end regulating portion comprises a base portion protruding from the upper surface of the luggage placing portion in the thickness direction of the luggage placing portion, and a locking piece portion protruding forward from the tip of the base in the protruding direction, and the rear end regulating portion comprises a base portion protruding from the upper surface of the luggage placing portion in the thickness direction of the luggage placing portion, and a locking piece portion protruding rearward from the tip of the base in the protruding direction.

5. In any one of claims 2 to 4, A walker characterized in that the front end regulating portion and the rear end regulating portion are each columnar with their axial direction aligned in the protruding direction, and are provided at multiple locations spaced apart in the left-right direction.

6. In any one of claims 2 to 4, The walking vehicle is characterized in that the front end regulating portion and the rear end regulating portion are each elongated in the left-right direction.

7. In claim 1, A walking frame characterized in that it has left and right protrusions that protrude toward the center in the left-right direction from areas adjacent to the left and right handles.

8. In claim 1, A walking frame characterized by having left and right protrusions protruding from both the left and right sides above the luggage loading section so that when luggage placed on the luggage loading section comes into contact with the left and right handles, a gripping space is formed between the luggage and each of the left and right handles.

9. In claim 7 or 8, A walking frame characterized in that the left and right protrusions are provided so as to be positioned at the same height as the left and right handles, respectively.

10. In claim 9, The vehicle is provided with left and right handle posts extending in the vertical direction on both the left and right sides of the luggage storage section, and the left and right handles are respectively provided at upper ends thereof so as to protrude rearward, A walking frame, characterized in that the left and right protrusions are provided adjacent to the front ends of the left and right handles, respectively.

11. In claim 10, The left and right handlebar supports are configured to hold the left and right handlebars in a height-adjustable manner, A walker characterized in that the left-right distance between the left and right protrusions is dimensioned to correspond to the width dimension of the upper end portion of the shopping basket so that the left and right protrusions respectively abut against the left and right outer surfaces of the shopping basket that constitutes the luggage placed on the luggage loading section when the left and right handles are at least at their upper limit height position.

12. In any one of claims 1 to 4, A walking frame characterized in that a hook portion is provided adjacent to one of the left and right handles, on which a handle of a container for storing items can be hooked and held.

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