Walker

Abstract

To provide a walker that can improve the degree of freedom in gripping position. [Solution] The walker 1 comprises a pair of left and right frame sections 10, 10, each having an upper frame end 11 extending in the front-rear direction, and a front leg section 12 and a rear leg section 15 extending downward from the front and rear ends of the frame, respectively, and a pair of left and right gripping sections 20, 20 provided to cover the upper frame end and the upper curved portion 16 of the rear leg section that curves downward from the rear end of the upper frame end of each of these left and right frame sections in a continuous manner.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a walker.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, walkers have been known for assisting the walking of people with difficulty walking such as the elderly, or for the rehabilitation of walking function disorders due to diseases, injuries, etc. For example, Patent Document 1 below discloses a walking assist device including a pair of left and right inverted U-shaped leg frames in which upper end portions of two front and rear legs extending in the vertical direction are connected by a handle extending in the horizontal direction. This walking assist device is configured such that a grip is fixed to the handle.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the walking assist device described in Patent Document 1 above, since the grip extends horizontally at the upper end side of the front and rear legs, it is easy to grip the grip from above, but there is a concern that it may be difficult to grip depending on the user's posture and gripping position.

[0005] This disclosure has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a walker that can improve the freedom of the gripping position.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To achieve the above objective, the walker according to the present disclosure is characterized by comprising: a pair of left and right frame sections, each having an upper frame end extending in the front-rear direction, and a front leg section and a rear leg section extending downward from the front and rear ends thereof, respectively; and a pair of left and right gripping sections provided to cover the upper frame end and the upper curved portion of the rear leg section that curves downward from the rear end of the upper frame end of each of these left and right frame sections in a continuous manner. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] The walker relating to this disclosure, with the configuration described above, can improve the degree of freedom in gripping position. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] (a) and (b) are schematic perspective views illustrating an example of a walker according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] This is a schematic side view of the walker. [Figure 3] This is a schematic rear view of the walker. [Figure 4] This is a schematic rear view of the walker. [Figure 5] (a) and (b) are schematic plan views of the walker. [Figure 6] (a) is a schematic rear view of the walker, and (b) is a schematic perspective view illustrating one modified version of the walker. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. In some of the figures, some of the detailed symbols used in other figures have been omitted. In the following embodiments, an example of a walker according to the embodiment will be described with the user walking while standing as the reference point, with the forward side in the direction of walking being referred to as the front side and the opposite side as the rear side. Furthermore, the direction perpendicular to the front-back and up-down (vertical) directions will be described as the left-right direction.

[0010] Figures 1 to 6 schematically show an example and modified example of a walker according to this embodiment. As shown in Figures 1(a), (b) and 2, the walker 1 according to this embodiment comprises a pair of left and right frame sections 10, 10, each having an upper frame end 11 extending in the front-rear direction, and a front leg section 12 and a rear leg section 15 extending downward from the front and rear ends, respectively. The walker 1 is equipped with a pair of left and right gripping sections 20, 20 provided on the upper ends of these left and right frame sections 10, 10. With this configuration, the user of the walker 1 can move while standing, gripping the gripping sections 20, 20 and putting their weight on the walker 1. This reduces the load on the user's lower limbs, etc.

[0011] The left and right pair of gripping parts 20, 20 are provided to cover the upper frame ends 11, 11 and the upper curved portions 16, 16 of the rear leg portions 15, 15 that curve downward from the rear ends of the left and right pair of frame portions 10, 10 in a continuous manner. With this configuration, the user can grip either the part of the gripping part 20 that extends in the front-rear direction (front-rear gripping part) 21 or the part connected to its rear end (upper curved gripping part) 22 according to their preference and posture, thereby improving the freedom of gripping position. This makes it easier to grip the gripping part 20 in a position that puts less strain on the user's wrist. For example, the upper curved gripping part 22 becomes easier to grip when standing up from a chair or bed or when walking in a forward-leaning posture. In addition, since the front-rear gripping part 21 and the upper curved gripping part 22 are provided in a continuous manner, the gripping position can be changed smoothly.

[0012] The upper end portion of the rear leg portion 15 is provided with a lower curved portion 17 that curves forward from the lower end of the upper curved portion 16. The gripping portion 20 is provided so as to cover the lower curved portion 17 in a continuous manner. With this configuration, when standing up from a relatively low chair or bed, etc., it becomes easier to grip the portion of the gripping portion 20 that is connected to the lower end of the upper curved gripping portion 22 (lower curved gripping portion) 23 from an oblique downward side, thereby further improving the degree of freedom of gripping position.

[0013] As shown in Figure 1(b), the walker 1 is equipped with a seat 30 that is held between a pair of left and right frame sections 10, 10 so that the user can sit on it. With this configuration, the user can sit on the seat 30 and use it as a chair at their destination. This eliminates the need to permanently place a chair in narrow spaces such as cooking areas, washrooms, and dressing areas, allowing for efficient use of space. In addition, the user can place their hands on the seat 30 to assist in standing up from a chair or bed. Furthermore, as in this example, when a lower curved portion 17 is provided at the upper end of the rear leg portion 15, it becomes easier to position the portion of the rear leg portion 15 near the seat portion 30 towards the front leg portion 12, compared to a configuration without the curved portion, thereby reducing interference between the rear leg portion 15 and the thigh when seated.

[0014] The walker 1 is held so as to span between the upper ends of the front legs 12, 12 of a pair of left and right frame sections 10, 10, and is equipped with a storage section 2 that opens upward. With this configuration, various items can be stored in the storage section 2 and carried around. Furthermore, since the storage section 2 is provided to open upward between the upper ends of the left and right front legs 12, 12, it becomes easy to put items in and take them out of the storage section 2 with one hand while holding one of the left or right gripping sections 20 with the other hand. Furthermore, in cases where a seat portion 30 is provided as in this example, the storage portion 2, which is held so as to span between the upper ends of the front leg portions 12, 12 of the left and right frame portions 10, 10, comes into contact with the lower back when the person sits on the seat portion 30, thereby improving seating comfort. As shown in FIGS. 5(a), 5(b) and FIGS. 6(a), the walker 1 is foldable such that a pair of left and right frame parts 10, 10 are overlapped. With such a configuration, the walker 1 can be folded when being carried or stored, improving the usability.

[0015] Specifically, the walker 1 may be used when walking indoors in a residence, various commercial facilities, welfare facilities, etc. The walker 1 may be a lift type or an alternating type. As shown in FIG. 5(a), the width dimension in the left - right direction of the walker 1 is larger than the depth dimension in the front - rear direction. The depth dimension of the walker 1 may be an appropriate dimension from the viewpoints of stability and compactness, etc., for example, about 400 mm to 500 mm. The width dimension of the walker 1 may also be an appropriate dimension from the same viewpoints, etc., for example, about 500 mm to 600 mm. The height of the walker 1, that is, the height of the gripping part 20 will be described later.

[0016] The pair of left and right frame parts 10, 10 are symmetric. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5(a), these frame parts 10, 10 are formed in an inclined shape so as to be separated from each other as they go from the upper end to the lower end. That is, these frame parts 10, 10 are formed so as to expand as they go toward the lower end. The respective inclination angles of these frame parts 10, 10 (the angles formed with a virtual vertical plane perpendicular to the left - right direction) may be appropriate angles from the viewpoints of the stability of the walker 1 and the compactness in the left - right direction on the lower - end side, etc., for example, about 2 degrees to 5 degrees. These left and right frame parts 10, 10 are composed of a left - hand frame part 10A on one side in the left - right direction and a right - hand frame part 10B on the other side in the left - right direction. Hereinafter, for the same configurations in these left - hand frame part 10A and right - hand frame part 10B, one of them will be taken as an example and described as the frame part 10.

[0017] The upper end portion 11 of the frame part 10 is a portion that extends in the front-rear direction at the upper end of the frame part 10. This upper end portion 11 of the frame is formed horizontally so that the front end and the rear end are at the same height, and has a columnar shape with the axial direction being the front-rear direction. This upper end portion 11 of the frame may be cylindrical or tubular. The length dimension (axial dimension) of this upper end portion 11 of the frame may be an appropriate dimension from the viewpoints of the gripping property and compactness of the gripping part 20 formed by covering it. For example, it may be about 80 mm to 200 mm, or about 100 mm to 150 mm. The outer diameter of this upper end portion 11 of the frame may be an appropriate dimension from the viewpoints of ensuring the gripping property and strength of the gripping part 20 formed by covering it. For example, it may be about 15 mm to 25 mm. The front leg portion 12 is provided so as to be continuous with the front end side of the upper end portion 11 of the frame, and the rear leg portion 15 is provided so as to be continuous with the rear end side of the upper end portion 11 of the frame.

[0018] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5(a), these front leg portions 12 and rear leg portions 15 are formed in an inclined shape so as to be separated from each other as they go from the upper end side to the lower end. That is, these front leg portions 12 and rear leg portions 15 are formed so as to expand as they go toward the lower end. The front leg portion 12 is formed in an inclined shape over its entire length so as to be on the front side and the outer side in the left-right direction as it goes from the upper end to the lower end. The rear leg portion 15 is formed in an inclined shape over its entire length so that the intermediate portion 18 continuous with the lower end side of the lower curved portion 17 is on the rear side and the outer side in the left-right direction as it goes from the upper end to the lower end. The inclination angle of each of these front leg portions 12 and rear leg portions 15 in the front-rear direction (the angle formed with a virtual vertical plane perpendicular to the front-rear direction) may be an appropriate angle from the viewpoints of the stability of the walker 1 and the compactness in the front-rear direction on the lower end side. For example, it may be about 5 degrees to 15 degrees.

[0019] These front legs 12 and rear legs 15 are adjustable in length. In other words, the walker 1 is height-adjustable. With this configuration, the height of the walker 1, that is, the height of the gripping section 20, can be adjusted according to the user's height and posture. The front legs 12 and rear legs 15 may be height-adjustable so that the height of the gripping section 20 (height from the contact surface such as the floor to the gripping section 20) is within the range of 600 mm to 900 mm. Furthermore, if the walker 1 is available in multiple sizes of different sizes, the height adjustment range may be set according to each size. For example, the height adjustment range of the gripping section 20 may be approximately 600 mm to 750 mm for a small walker 1, and approximately 750 mm to 900 mm for a large walker 1. In this case, the depth dimension in the front-to-back direction and the width dimension in the left-to-right direction of the walker 1 may also be different depending on the size.

[0020] The front leg portion 12 is provided so as to connect to the front end of the upper end portion 11 of the frame via an upper curved portion that curves downward from the front end of the upper end portion 11 of the frame. This front leg portion 12 comprises an upper portion 13 integrally formed with the upper end portion 11 of the frame, and a lower end portion 14 that is extendable and retractable relative to the upper portion 13. The upper portion 13 may be cylindrical or cylindrical in shape with the same diameter as the upper end portion 11 of the frame. The lower end portion 14 is cylindrical in shape into which the upper portion 13 is inserted. The lower end of this lower end portion 14 is provided with a base made of resin or the like that has appropriate anti-slip properties and is in contact with a surface such as the floor. As shown in Figures 1(a) and (b), the lower end portion 14 is provided with a plurality of insertion holes spaced apart in the longitudinal direction into which fixing parts that fix the lower end portion 14 when extended and retracted relative to the upper portion 13 are inserted. The number and pitch of the insertion holes provided in the lower end portion 14 may be any number and pitch as appropriate. For example, there may be 5 to 10 insertion holes, or they may be spaced at a pitch of 10 mm to 50 mm. The fixing part inserted into the insertion holes of the lower end portion 14 may be a locking projection provided at the lower end of the upper portion 13 so as to be able to extend and retract radially, and biased by a biasing member such as a spring in a direction that protrudes radially outward. The fixing part is not limited to such a locking projection, and may be a knob bolt screwed into a female threaded portion provided at the lower end of the upper portion 13, or various other configurations may be used.

[0021] As shown in Figure 2, the rear leg portion 15 is provided so as to be connected to the rear end of the upper end portion 11 of the frame. This rear leg portion 15 has an upper portion that includes an upper curved portion 16 connected to the rear end of the upper end portion 11 of the frame, a lower curved portion 17 connected to the lower end of the upper curved portion 16, and an intermediate portion 18 connected to the lower end of the lower curved portion 17. This upper portion may be cylindrical or cylindrical in shape with the same diameter as the upper end portion 11 of the frame. The rear leg portion 15 has a lower end portion 19 that is extendable and retractable relative to this upper portion. The lower end portion 19 is cylindrical in shape into which the intermediate portion 18 that constitutes the upper portion of the rear leg portion 15 is inserted. A base is provided at the lower end of this lower end portion 19, similar to the lower end portion 14 of the front leg portion 12 described above. The lower end portion 19 is provided with multiple insertion holes spaced longitudinally, similar to the lower end portion 14 of the front leg portion 12 described above, into which fixing parts are inserted to secure the lower end portion 19 when it is extended or retracted relative to the intermediate portion 18. The lower end of the intermediate portion 18 is provided with appropriate fixing parts, similar to the upper portion 13 of the front leg portion 12 described above. The front leg portion 12 and the rear leg portion 15 may be configured to be infinitely adjustable in length instead of being configured to be adjustable in multiple stages as described above.

[0022] The upper end curved portion 16 of the rear leg portion 15 is formed in a quarter-circle shape when viewed from the left-right direction (side view) from the rear end of the upper frame portion 11 which extends in the front-rear direction as described above. The radius of curvature of this upper end curved portion 16 is set to be larger than the radius of curvature of the upper end curved portion of the front leg portion 12 as described above. The radius of curvature of this upper end curved portion 16 depends on the thickness of the covering gripping portion 20, as will be described later, but it may be set to an appropriate radius of curvature from the viewpoint of the gripping ability of the upper end curved gripping portion 22 which is covered by the upper end curved portion 16. The radius of curvature of the upper end curved portion 16 may be, for example, about 60 mm to 150 mm, or it may be 70 mm or more.

[0023] The lower curved portion 17 of the rear leg portion 15 is formed in the same circular arc shape as the upper curved portion 16. The arc length of this lower curved portion 17 may be about 1 / 24 to 1 / 4 of the circumference, and the illustrated example shows an example where it is about 1 / 12. In other words, the rear end of the upper end portion 11 of the frame is provided with a curved portion (upper curved portion 16 and lower curved portion 17) in the shape of an arc about 1 / 3 of the circumference. Furthermore, the illustrated example shows an example in which a straight section 17a is provided extending linearly from the lower end of the lower curved portion 17 in the direction tangential to the lower end. In the illustrated example, the length (axial length) of this straight section 17a is shown to be approximately the same as the arc length of the lower curved portion 17, which is about 1 / 12 of the circumference. This straight section 17a may also be included in the lower curved portion 17. In other words, the lower curved portion 17 may include a portion that curves from the rear end of the upper curved portion 16 and a portion that extends linearly diagonally forward from the lower end of the curved portion. The intermediate portion 18 is provided so as to extend diagonally backward from the lower end of the straight portion 17a via the bent portion 18a, on the opposite side from the straight portion 17a. The intermediate portion 18 and the lower end portion 19 of the rear leg portion 15 and the front leg portion 12 are formed inclined so as to form a roughly V-shape when viewed from the side. As a result, at the upper end of the rear leg portion 15, the gripping portion 20 is formed to protrude further towards the rear of the walker 1 than the bent portion 18a, thereby improving grip. The upper end portion 11 of the frame, the upper portion 13 of the front leg portion 12 and the upper portion of the rear leg portion 15 may be integrally formed from an appropriate metal pipe such as an aluminum pipe, or they may be joined and integrated by welding or other means as appropriate, or connected and integrated by appropriate connecting members.

[0024] The gripping portion 20 is provided to cover the upper end portion 11 of the frame, the upper curved portion 16, and the lower curved portion 17. The gripping portion 20 is also provided to cover the straight portion 17a that is connected to the lower curved portion 17. With this configuration, it becomes easier to grip the gripping portion 20 when gripping it from a diagonally downward side, and the degree of freedom of gripping position can be further improved. The gripping portion 20 includes front and rear gripping portions 21 formed by covering the upper end portion 11 of the frame, an upper end curved gripping portion 22 formed by covering the upper end curved portion 16, and a lower side curved gripping portion 23 formed by covering the lower side curved portion 17 which includes a straight portion 17a. The front and rear gripping portions 21, the upper curved gripping portion 22, and the lower curved gripping portion 23 that constitute the gripping portion 20 may be formed to cover the entire circumference of the lower curved portion 17, which includes the upper end portion 11 of the frame, the upper curved portion 16, and the straight portion 17a, and a part of these in the circumferential direction may be exposed.

[0025] The diameter (outer diameter) of the gripping portion 20 may be set to an appropriate diameter from the viewpoint of gripping performance, for example, it may be about 30 mm to 40 mm. Also, the diameter of the gripping portion 20 may be set to an appropriate diameter so that the difference from the frame exposed on both sides in the longitudinal direction of the gripping portion 20 (the upper end of the upper part 13 of the front leg portion 12 and the upper end of the intermediate part 18 of the rear leg portion 15 (bent portion 18a)) is clearly defined. The diameter of the gripping portion 20 may be set to about 1.2 to 2 times the diameter of the upper end portion 11 of the frame portion 10. The gripping portion 20 has a uniform diameter along its entire length. The illustrated example shows a flange-like portion that protrudes radially outward along its entire circumference at the front end of the front and rear gripping portions 21. With this configuration, the flange-like portion serves as a guide when gripping the front and rear gripping portions 21, reducing the likelihood of gripping a portion further forward than the flange.

[0026] The gripping portion 20 may be provided with markings such as lines or colors to indicate a preferred gripping position when used in an upright position. The covering member that covers the upper end portion 11 of the frame, the upper curved portion 16, and the lower curved portion 17 including the straight portion 17a, which constitute the gripping portion 20, may be made of a suitable resin or foamed resin, depending on the viewpoint of gripping performance, etc. The front and rear gripping portions 21 may be formed to cover the entire length of the upper end portion 11 of the frame in the axial direction, or they may be formed to cover 4 / 5 or more of the upper end portion 11 of the frame in the axial direction. The lower curved gripping portion 23 may be formed to cover the lower curved portion 17, including the straight portion 17a, over its entire axial length; it may be formed to cover 4 / 5 or more of the lower curved portion 17, including the straight portion 17a, in the axial direction; or it may be formed to cover only the lower curved portion 17.

[0027] The frame section 10 includes an intermediate frame 24 that spans between the longitudinal portion of the upper part 13 of the front leg section 12 and the longitudinal portion of the intermediate part 18 of the rear leg section 15. The seat section 30, which will be described later, is held by this intermediate frame 24. This intermediate frame 24 is formed to extend generally in the front-to-back direction. In this example, the intermediate frame 24 includes a front portion 24a that extends perpendicularly to the upper portion 13 of the front leg portion 12, which has an inclined shape as described above, and a rear portion 24b that extends horizontally from the rear end of the front portion 24a. In other words, the front portion 24a is shaped to bend downwards towards the rear end. The rear portion 24b is formed to bend relative to the front portion 24a and is joined at an angle to the intermediate portion 18 of the rear leg portion 15. In the illustrated example, the length of the front portion 24a and the length of the rear portion 24b are shown to be approximately the same.

[0028] As shown in Figures 2 to 5, the walker 1 is equipped with connecting parts (25, 27) that connect the left and right frame parts 10, 10 in a foldable manner. In this example, the connecting parts (25, 27) include a front connecting frame 25 that connects the left and right front leg parts 12, 12, and an intermediate connecting frame 27 that connects the left and right intermediate frames 24, 24. The front connecting frame 25 is provided above the intermediate frames 24, 24, spanning the upper portions 13, 13 of the left and right front legs 12, 12, and extending in the left-right direction. The front connecting frame 25 includes a straight section that extends linearly in the left-right direction forward of the upper portions 13, 13 at the height position where the front connecting frame 25 is provided, and inclined sections that slope towards the rear as they extend outward in the left-right direction from both ends in the longitudinal direction of the straight section. With this configuration, the space on the rear side of the front connecting frame 25 can be increased.

[0029] At both ends in the longitudinal direction of this front connecting frame 25, there are leg holding parts 26, 26 through which the upper parts 13, 13 of the left and right front legs 12, 12 are respectively inserted. The left and right leg support sections 26, 26 are cylindrical in shape and coaxial with the respective upper sections 13, 13 on the left and right. These leg support sections 26, 26 are provided so as to extend from both ends in the longitudinal direction of the front connecting frame 25 along the axial direction of the upper sections 13, 13 on both the upper and lower sides. In other words, the longitudinal ends of the front connecting frame 25 are joined to the longitudinal sections of these leg support sections 26, 26. The left and right frame sections 10,10 rotate relative to the front connecting frame 25, using the upper parts 13,13 of the left and right front legs 12,12 as the axis of rotation, and are folded and unfolded. In other words, the left and right leg holding sections 26,26 function as bearing sections that rotatably hold the upper parts 13,13 of the left and right front legs 12,12, which are the axis of rotation for the left and right frame sections 10,10. The lower ends of these leg support parts 26, 26 may abut against the left and right intermediate frames 24, 24 to restrict their downward movement, and appropriate stoppers may be provided to suppress vertical movement of the upper parts 13, 13 of these leg support parts 26, 26.

[0030] The intermediate connecting frame 27 is positioned below the front connecting frame 25, spans the left and right intermediate frames 24, 24, and extends in the left-right direction. The left and right ends of this intermediate connecting frame 27 are connected to the left and right intermediate frames 24, 24, and the left and right frame sections 10, 10 are configured to be able to be kept in an unfolded state. Furthermore, the left and right ends of this intermediate connecting frame 27 are rotatably connected to the left and right intermediate frames 24, 24, and are extendable and retractable in the left and right directions, so that the left and right frame sections 10, 10 can be folded. As shown in Figures 1(a), 3 and 5(a), (b), this intermediate connecting frame 27 includes a left-side connecting frame 28 connected to the intermediate frame 24 of the left-side frame section 10A, and a right-side connecting frame 29 connected to the intermediate frame 24 of the right-side frame section 10B.

[0031] These left-side connecting frame 28 and right-side connecting frame 29 are equipped with front and rear extensions that extend from the longitudinal middle portion of the front portions 24a, 24a of each intermediate frame 24, 24 toward the front legs 12, 12, along the upper side of the front portions 24a, 24a. The rear ends of these front and rear extensions of the left-side connecting frame 28 and right-side connecting frame 29 are rotatably connected to the front portions 24a, 24a by connecting shafts 28a, 29a which are parallel to the front legs 12, 12. With this configuration, when folding and unfolding the left and right frame portions 10, 10, the connecting shafts 28a, 29a are displaced parallel to the upper portions 13, 13 of the left and right front legs 12, 12 which act as the axis of rotation. As a result, the load on the connecting shafts 28a, 29a can be reduced when folding and unfolding the left and right frame portions 10, 10, allowing for smooth folding and unfolding. The left-side connecting frame 28 and the right-side connecting frame 29 are each provided with left and right extensions that extend from the front ends of their respective front and rear extensions. These left and right extensions of the left-side connecting frame 28 and the right-side connecting frame 29 are designed to be expandable and contractible in the longitudinal direction. In the illustrated example, the left and right extensions of the right-side connecting frame 29 are received within the left and right extensions of the left-side connecting frame 28, which is cylindrical on one side, in a configuration that allows them to be expanded and contractible.

[0032] As shown in Figures 3 and 5(a), when the left and right frame sections 10, 10 are unfolded, that is, when the walker 1 is ready for use, the intermediate connecting frame 27 is extended. When folding the walker 1 from this state, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 5(a), one of the left and right frame sections 10, 10 (the left frame section 10A in the example) is rotated around the upper part 13 of the front leg section 12 relative to the front connecting frame 25. As a result, the intermediate connecting frame 27 rotates relative to the left and right intermediate frames 24, 24 around their respective connecting axes 28a, 29a, and shortens as the connecting axis 28a of the left connecting frame 28 is displaced in an arc with the upper part 13 of the left frame section 10A as its center. Similarly, the other frame section (the right frame section 10B in the example) is rotated around the upper part 13 of the front leg section 12 relative to the front connecting frame 25. As a result, the intermediate connecting frame 27 rotates relative to the left and right intermediate frames 24, 24 around their respective connecting axes 28a, 29a, and the connecting axis 29a of the right connecting frame 29 is displaced in an arc with the upper part 13 of the right frame section 10B as its center, further shortening the frame. This causes the walker 1 (left and right frame sections 10, 10) to be folded (see also Figure 6(a)).

[0033] As shown in Figures 5(b) and 6(a), when unfolding the walker 1 from its folded state, the right frame section 10B, which is the front of the two folded left and right frame sections 10, 10 that partially overlap, is rotated. In other words, the right frame section 10B is rotated around the upper part 13 of its front leg section 12 relative to the front connecting frame 25. As a result, although the details are omitted, the intermediate connecting frame 27 extends while being displaced in the opposite direction to the above. Furthermore, if the left frame section 10A is rotated around the upper part 13 of its front leg section 12, the intermediate connecting frame 27 extends further while being displaced. This brings the walker 1 (left and right frame sections 10, 10) to an unfolded state. Furthermore, the left and right frame sections 10, 10 may be provided with a suitable locking mechanism to maintain them in a releaseable state, both in the unfolded and folded states.

[0034] As shown in Figures 1(b), 2, and 4, the storage section 2 is positioned above the front connecting frame 25. This storage section 2 comprises a storage body 3 that partitions a storage space 4 that opens upward, and fixing parts 6 that fix the storage body 3 to the left and right front legs 12, 12. The storage body 3 is elongated in the left-right direction and thin with a relatively small dimension in the front-to-back direction. The size and load capacity of the storage body 3 may be set appropriately according to the purpose and location of use of the walker 1, for example, to the extent that it can store several PET bottles. The storage body 3 may have at least the back portion made of a mesh material or a translucent material so that the stored items can be seen. If the entire storage body 3 is made of such a material, a front cover 5 may be provided on the front side of the storage body 3. With such a configuration, a logo or the like can be attached to the front cover 5.

[0035] Furthermore, the lower end portion of the storage body 3 and the front connecting frame 25 may be connected by an appropriate belt or the like. With this configuration, even if the storage body 3 is made of a mesh-like material or other fabric material, its shape retention can be improved. The fixing portion 6 is belt-shaped and extends from both the left and right sides of the storage body 3 toward the left and right front legs 12, 12, and is provided to wrap around the upper end portion of each front leg 12, 12. This fixing portion 6 may also be provided in a ring shape around the entire circumference so as to surround the upper end of the storage body 3. With this configuration, by wrapping the fixing portion 6 around each front leg 12, 12 under relatively high tension, the support for the user's waist and back when seated on the seat 30 described later can be improved. The fixing portion 6 may be in contact with the upper ends of the leg holding portions 26, 26 described above to prevent downward movement, or appropriate stoppers may be provided to prevent vertical movement of the fixing portion 6 relative to each front leg 12, 12. This storage compartment 2 may be detachable from the left and right frame sections 10, 10. The storage compartment 2 provided in the walker 1 is not limited to the configuration described above, and may have various other configurations, or it may even be a configuration without such a storage compartment 2.

[0036] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the seat portion 30 is configured such that its front end in the seating position is rotatable around an axis along the left-right direction and is held by a pair of left and right frame portions 10, 10, and that it is held by a pair of left and right frame portions 10, 10 in the upright position with the seat surface facing forward. With this configuration, when the seat portion 30 is in the upright position, the space between the pair of left and right frame portions 10, 10 is increased, making it less likely for the seat portion 30 to get in the way when walking. In addition, the seat portion 30 can be easily put into the upright position by grasping its rear end in the seating position and flipping it up. When folding the walker 1 as described above, the seat portion 30 is folded in the upright position, as shown in Figures 5(b) and 6(a).

[0037] The seat portion 30 may be a roughly rectangular plate-like body made of resin or the like to have appropriate rigidity. When seated, the seat portion 30 is positioned above the intermediate frames 24, 24 of the left and right frame portions 10, 10. The height from the contact surface such as the floor to the seat surface (top surface) of the seat portion 30 when seated may be an appropriate height so that the entire soles of the seated user's feet can make stable contact, for example, it may be around 300 mm to 500 mm. The dimensions of the seat portion 30 along the left-right direction are smaller than the dimensions between the intermediate frames 24, 24 so that a gap is formed between the seat portion 30 and the intermediate frames 24, 24 on both sides when seated. The dimensions of the seat portion 30 along the front-rear direction are approximately the same as the dimensions of the frame portion 10 along the front-rear direction at the height position where the seat portion 30 is positioned when seated. In other words, the seat portion 30 is formed such that, when seated, its front end coincides in the front-rear direction with the portion of the front legs 12, 12 at the height position of the seat portion 30, and its rear end coincides in the front-rear direction with the portion of the rear legs 15, 15 at the height position of the seat portion 30.

[0038] As shown in Figures 1(b) and 3, a bearing portion 31 is provided on the underside (bottom surface in the seating position) of the front end of the seat portion 30, which is in a seating position, to rotatably hold the intermediate connecting frame 27, which is an axis along the left-right direction. In the illustrated example, an example is shown in which multiple bearing portions 31, 31 (two in the illustrated example) are provided on the underside of the front end of the seat portion 30, spaced apart in the left-right direction. On the underside of the rear end of the seat portion 30 in the seating position, a holding portion 32 is provided to hold the rear end support frame 33 that supports the rear end of the seat portion 30. In the illustrated example, an example is shown in which multiple (two in the illustrated example) holding portions 32, 32 are provided on the underside of the rear end of the seat portion 30, spaced apart in the left-right direction.

[0039] The rear end support frame 33 is provided so as to span across the rear portions 24b, 24b of the intermediate frames 24, 24 of the left and right frame portions 10, 10, and so as to extend in the left-right direction, when the seat portion 30 is in a seatable position. As shown in Figure 4, the rear end support frame 33 is formed to bend at both longitudinal ends such that both longitudinal ends are lower than the longitudinal central portion, corresponding to the rear portion 24b which is formed to bend relative to the front portion 24a as described above. As shown in Figure 1, the longitudinal ends of the rear end support frame 33 are provided with first engaging portions 34, 34 that engage with the left and right intermediate frames 24, 24 respectively when seated, and second engaging portions 35, 35 that engage with the left and right leg holding portions 26, 26 respectively when standing.

[0040] The first engaging parts 34, 34 may be clip-shaped, holding each of the left and right intermediate frames 24, 24 by elastic deformation. Similarly, the second engaging parts 35, 35 may also be clip-shaped, holding each of the left and right leg holding parts 26, 26 by elastic deformation. With such a configuration, the seat 30 can be held in an upright position. As an alternative to this configuration, the seat 30 may be held by magnetic force, hook-and-loop fasteners, or various other methods. Furthermore, the seat 30 is not limited to a configuration in which it is rotatably held in a seated position and an upright position, but may be detachably attached to the left and right frame parts 10, 10 and held in each respective position.

[0041] Next, a modified version of the walker will be explained with reference to Figure 6(b). In the following modifications, we will mainly explain the differences from the previously described example, and will omit or briefly explain similar configurations. Also, in the following modifications, the left and right frame sections have the same configuration, so we will explain using one as an example. Furthermore, in the following modifications, we will omit or briefly explain the effects and benefits that are achieved in the same way as in the previously described example.

[0042] Figure 6(b) shows a walker 1A according to the first modified example. This modified example shows a case in which wheels (front wheel 7 and rear wheel 8) are provided at the lower ends of the lower end portions 14A and 19A of the front leg portion 12A and the rear leg portion 15A, respectively. With this configuration, the walker 1A can be walked while being pushed by hand. This modified example also shows a case in which the walker 1A does not have a seat portion 30. The front wheel 7, located at the lower end of the front leg portion 12A, is rotatable around an axis that is substantially horizontal. The front wheel 7 is a swivel caster that can follow the direction changes of the walker 1A. The front wheel 7 is supported by a support portion that is rotatable in the vertical direction or around an axis that is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the front leg portion 12A, relative to the lower end portion 14A of the front leg portion 12A.

[0043] The rear wheel 8, located at the lower end of the rear leg portion 15A, is rotatable around an axis along the left-right direction. This rear wheel 8 is positioned behind the base provided at the lower end of the lower end portion 19A, as described above, and is displaceable along the longitudinal direction of the lower end portion 19A so as to be able to roll and not roll. The lower end portion 19A is provided with a biasing portion 9 that holds the support portion that rotatably supports the rear wheel 8 so as to be displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the lower end portion 19A and biased downward. If a load greater than a predetermined amount is applied to the rear leg portion 15A against the biasing force of the biasing portion 9, the base of the lower end portion 19A will touch the ground, and the rear wheel 8 will be unable to roll. On the other hand, if the load applied to the rear leg portion 15A is small, the biasing force of the biasing portion 9 will cause the base of the lower end portion 19A to float, and the rear wheel 8 will be able to roll.

[0044] The manner in which the rear wheel 8 is held in a state where it can roll and a state where it cannot roll is not limited to the manner described above, and various other manners may be used, and appropriate stoppers, brakes, etc. may be provided. In addition, instead of the manner in which the rear wheel 8 is in a state where it cannot roll, it may be configured to be able to roll at all times. Furthermore, the modified walker 1A may be understood as a configuration in which lower end portions 14A and 19A having wheels (front wheels 7 and rear wheels 8) are optionally attached to the lower end portions 14 and 19 of the front leg portion 12 and rear leg portion 15 of the walker 1 described above. In other words, the walker 1 and 1A may be made interchangeable between lower end portions 14 and 19 without wheels and lower end portions 14A and 19A having wheels (front wheels 7 and rear wheels 8). Alternatively, one or both of the front and rear lower end portions 14A and 19A may be provided with a sled-like member that has less frictional resistance than a base that moves easily by rubbing against the ground, instead of wheels.

[0045] Furthermore, if the walker 1A is provided with wheels or the like to allow for horizontal movement as described above, a tray-like member capable of holding various items may be attached to the left and right frame sections 10, 10 instead of the seat section 30. Furthermore, the gripping portion 20 may be made detachable from the front legs 12, 12A and the rear legs 15, 15A, and optional accessories such as cushions for forearm support may be attached. Furthermore, the upper ends of the front legs 12, 12A may also be provided with upper curved portions (and in addition, lower curved portions) similar to those of the rear legs 15, 15A, and the gripping portion 20 may be provided to cover these portions. In other words, the gripping portion 20 may be provided symmetrically in the front and rear so that it can be gripped on both the front and rear sides. The configuration of each member and part of the walker 1,1A according to this embodiment is merely an example, and various other modifications are possible.

[0046] <Note> The following technologies are disclosed based on the above description of embodiments. <Technology 1> A walker comprising: a pair of left and right frame sections, each having an upper frame end extending in the front-rear direction, and a front leg section and a rear leg section extending downward from the front and rear ends of the frame, respectively; and a pair of left and right gripping sections provided to cover the upper frame end and the upper curved portion of the rear leg section that curves downward from the rear end of the upper frame end of each of these left and right frame sections in a continuous manner. <Technology 2> The walker according to Technology 1, wherein the upper end portion of the rear leg is provided with a lower curved portion that curves forward from the lower end of the upper curved portion, and the gripping portion is provided so as to cover the lower curved portion in a continuous manner. <Technology 3> A walker according to Technology 1 or Technology 2, comprising a seat portion that is held in a seatable position between the pair of left and right frame portions. <Technology 4> The walker according to Technology 3, wherein the seat portion is held by the pair of left and right frame portions so that its front end in the seating position can rotate around an axis along the left-right direction, and is held by the pair of left and right frame portions in an upright position so that the seat surface faces forward. <Technology 5> A walker according to any one of the following technologies 1 to 4, which is held so as to span between the upper end portions of the front legs of the pair of left and right frame sections and has a storage section that opens upward. [Explanation of symbols]

[0047] 1.1A Walker 2 Storage compartment 10 Frame section 10A Left side frame section (frame section) 10B Right side frame section (frame section) 11 Upper edge of frame 12,12A Front leg 15,15A Rear leg 16 Upper curved section 17 Lower curved section 20 Gripping part 30 Seat area

Claims

1. A walker characterized by comprising: a pair of left and right frame sections, each having an upper frame end extending in the front-rear direction, and a front leg section and a rear leg section extending downward from the front and rear ends of the frame, respectively; and a pair of left and right gripping sections provided to cover the upper frame end and the upper curved portion of the rear leg section that curves downward from the rear end of the upper frame end of each of these left and right frame sections in a continuous manner.

2. In claim 1, A walker characterized in that the upper end portion of the rear leg is provided with a lower curved portion that curves forward from the lower end of the upper curved portion, and the gripping portion is provided so as to cover the lower curved portion in a continuous manner.

3. In claim 1 or 2, A walker characterized by having a seat portion that is held in a seatable position between the pair of left and right frame portions.

4. In claim 3, The walker is characterized in that the seat portion is held by the pair of left and right frame portions so that its front end in the seating position can rotate around an axis along the left-right direction, and is held by the pair of left and right frame portions in the upright position so that the seat surface faces forward.

5. In claim 1 or 2, A walker characterized by having a storage compartment that is held so as to span between the upper end portions of the front legs of the pair of left and right frame sections and opens upward.

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