Mobile support device

Abstract

To provide a mobility support device that enhances the stability of the user's body support while reducing the burden on the user's body. [Solution] A mobility support device comprising a trolley section equipped with multiple movable members, a main tower section connected to the trolley section, an upper body support section that supports the user's upper body, and a chest movable mechanism section provided between the main tower section and the upper body support section. The chest movable mechanism section comprises a floating arm section with one end connected to the upper body support section, a main swing arm section with one end pivotally supported by the main tower section and the other end pivotally supported on the other end side of the floating arm section, and a secondary swing arm section with one end pivotally supported by the main tower section and the other end pivotally supported at a position closer to the center than the connection point with the main swing arm section on the floating arm section.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a movement support device for supporting a care recipient's transfer, walking, etc.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a movement support device that supports a care recipient's trunk and assists with transfer, etc. has been known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The movement support device of Patent Document 1 supports a care recipient's self-standing and walking.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, a healthy person sitting on a chair or the like first leans forward the upper body and then extends the knees to perform a standing-up motion. Therefore, the trajectory of the chest when a healthy person stands up follows a characteristic L shape. The forward lean of a healthy person is a preparation for standing up while supporting the center of gravity with both feet (an operation of placing the center of gravity on the support base plane of both feet), and it is difficult for even a healthy person to stand up without leaning forward. Also, when a caregiver assists a care recipient to stand up by placing a hand on the care recipient's side, the caregiver devises a two-step movement of pulling the care recipient's center of gravity forward and then lifting it upward, so that even if the care recipient braces their feet, the horizontal force is suppressed and the force acts upward.

[0005] However, a conventional movement support device such as that of Patent Document 1 has a structure that causes the care recipient to stand up linearly, ignoring the center-of-gravity movement for the standing-up motion so to speak. Therefore, since a large torque is applied to the movement support device, it lacks stability in supporting the care recipient's body and burdens the care recipient's body with unnatural movements.

[0006] This invention was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a mobility support device that enhances the stability of the user's body support while reducing the burden on the user's body. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A mobility support device according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a trolley section equipped with a plurality of movable members, a main tower section connected to the trolley section, an upper body support section that supports the user's upper body, and a chest movable mechanism section provided between the main tower section and the upper body support section. The chest movable mechanism section comprises a floating arm section with one end connected to the upper body support section, a main swinging arm section with one end pivotally supported by the main tower section and the other end pivotally supported on the other end side of the floating arm section, and a secondary swinging arm section with one end pivotally supported by the main tower section and the other end pivotally supported at a position closer to the center than the connection point with the main swinging arm section on the floating arm section. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] In this invention, the chest movable mechanism provided between the main tower and the upper body support has a main swing arm, a secondary swing arm, and a floating arm, which allows the upper body support to move in a curved manner. This enhances the stability of the support for the user's body while reducing the burden on the user's body. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a schematic side view illustrating a principle model of a mobility support device according to each aspect of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a schematic side view showing an example of the configuration of a mobility support device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 3] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the operating function system in a mobility assistance device. [Figure 4] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating a seated user facing the mobility assistance device shown in Figure 2. [Figure 5] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the state in which the abdominal support part shown in Figure 2 is in contact with the abdomen of a seated user. [Figure 6] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating a situation where the upper body of a user who is sitting and leaning forward is in contact with the upper body support part shown in Figure 2. [Figure 7] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the state in which the weight of a seated user rests on the upper body support part shown in Figure 2. [Figure 8] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating a state where the weight of a seated user rests on the upper body support section of Figure 2, causing the space between the abdominal support section and the chest support section to stretch. [Figure 9] Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a user in a crouched position while riding in a mobility assistance device. [Figure 10] Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a user standing upright in a mobility assistance device. [Figure 11] This is a perspective view illustrating the configuration of the mobility support device according to Example 1, showing the state corresponding to Figures 4 and 5. [Figure 12] This is a perspective view illustrating the configuration of the mobility support device according to Example 1, showing the state corresponding to Figure 10. [Figure 13] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the trajectory of a user's chest when using the mobility support device according to Example 1. [Figure 14] This is a schematic side view showing a first configuration example of a mobility support device according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. [Figure 15] This is a schematic side view showing a second configuration example of a mobility support device according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. [Figure 16] This is a schematic side view showing a third configuration example of a mobility support device according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] [Basic structure and technical concepts] Referring to FIG. 1, the basic configuration of the mobility assistance device according to each aspect of the present invention will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the x-axis direction is the front-back direction, the y-axis direction is the left-right direction, and the z-axis direction is the up-down direction. That is, from the perspective of the user (such as a care recipient) of the mobility assistance device, the positive x-axis direction is the forward direction, and the positive y-axis direction is the right direction. The same applies to the following figures. In FIG. 1, in order to simplify each component member and make the connection relationship between the component members easier to see, the front-back relationship in the left-right direction is adjusted for convenience, so there are parts that are different from the actual arrangement and appearance.

[0011] The mobility assistance device 10 supports the transfer and walking of a care recipient. The mobility assistance device 10 includes a cart unit 20, a main tower unit 30, an upper body support unit 40, and a chest movable mechanism unit 50. The cart unit 20 includes a pedestal unit 21 and a plurality of movable members 22. The mobility assistance device 10 also includes joint portions 71, 72, 73, 74, and 75.

[0012] The pedestal unit 21 is provided with a plurality of movable members 22 at predetermined locations on the bottom. Thereby, the mobility assistance device 10 can move smoothly on the floor surface. The bottom of the pedestal unit 21 is the portion facing the floor when the mobility assistance device 10 is in use. The main tower unit 30 is connected to the opposite side of the pedestal unit 21 from the plurality of movable members 22. The movable member 22 is constituted by, for example, a caster including wheels. The mobility assistance device 10 in FIG. 1 has four movable members 22.

[0013] The main tower part 30 is connected to the pedestal part 21 and supports the upper body support part 40 via the chest movable mechanism part 50. The upper body support part 40 has a support body 40A that supports the user's torso, a pair of extension parts 45 connected to the support body 40A, and a pair of handle parts 46 connected to each of the pair of extension parts 45. The support body 40A has an upper body base 40a for supporting the user's upper body and an upper body member 40b for directly supporting the user's upper body. The upper body member 40b in FIG. 1 is composed of an abdominal member 41b that directly supports the user's abdomen and a chest member 43b that directly supports the user's chest. The extension part 45 is connected to the upper body base 40a and extends forward from the upper body base 40a. The handle part 46 is a member for the user to grip.

[0014] The chest movable mechanism part 50 is provided between the main tower part 30 and the upper body support part 40 and has a main swing arm part 51, a sub swing arm part 52, and a floating arm part 60. The floating arm part 60 is a rod-shaped member whose one end is connected to the upper body support part 40. The main swing arm part 51 and the sub swing arm part 52 are connected to the other end side of the floating arm part 60.

[0015] One end of the main swing arm part 51 is pivotally supported by the main tower part 30, and the other end is pivotally supported on the other end side of the floating arm part 60. One end of the sub swing arm part 52 is pivotally supported by the main tower part 30, and the other end is pivotally supported at a position closer to the center than the connection point of the main swing arm part 51 on the floating arm part 60. In the example of FIG. 1, one end of the sub swing arm part 52 is pivotally supported in front of the connection point of the main swing arm part 51 on the main tower part 30.

[0016] The joint 71 is composed of a main first shaft 7a, an engagement point between the main first shaft 7a and the main tower 30, and an engagement point between the main oscillating arm 51 and the main first shaft 7a. In other words, the main oscillating arm 51 is pivotally supported by the main tower 30 via the main first shaft 7a. The joint 72 is composed of a main second shaft 7b, an engagement point between the main second shaft 7b and the floating arm 60, and an engagement point between the main second shaft 7b and the main oscillating arm 51. In other words, the main oscillating arm 51 and the floating arm 60 are rotatably connected to each other via the main second shaft 7b.

[0017] The joint 73 is composed of a sub-first axis 7c, an engagement point between the sub-first axis 7c and the main tower section 30, and an engagement point between the sub-first axis 7c and the sub-oscillating arm section 52. In other words, the sub-oscillating arm section 52 is pivotally supported by the main tower section 30 via the sub-first axis 7c. The joint 74 is composed of a sub-second axis 7d, an engagement point between the sub-second axis 7d and the floating arm section 60, and an engagement point between the sub-second axis 7d and the sub-oscillating arm section 52. In other words, the sub-oscillating arm section 52 and the floating arm section 60 are rotatably connected to each other via the sub-second axis 7d. The joint 75 is composed of an upper body axis 7e, an engagement point between the upper body axis 7e and the floating arm section 60, and an engagement point between the upper body axis 7e and the upper body support section 40. In other words, the upper body support section 40 and the floating arm section 60 are rotatably connected to each other via the upper body axis 7e.

[0018] The chest movable mechanism 50, together with the main tower 30, constitutes a so-called four-bar mechanism (four-bar linkage mechanism). The distance between the support parts at both ends of the auxiliary oscillating arm 52 is longer than the distance between the support parts at both ends of the main oscillating arm 51. In other words, in the chest movable mechanism 50, the distance from the main first axis 7a to the main second axis 7b is longer than the distance from the auxiliary first axis 7c to the auxiliary second axis 7d. In this way, the movement of the chest movable mechanism 50 makes it possible to cause one end of the floating arm 60 (the connection point with the upper body support 40) to trace a characteristic curved trajectory that includes a convex portion diagonally downward and forward.

[0019] Embodiment 1. Referring to Figures 2 to 13, an example of the configuration of the mobility support device in Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described. In some drawings, some reference numerals are omitted as appropriate to avoid complexity. For configurations similar to those in Figure 1, the same reference numerals are used and the explanation is omitted or simplified. In particular, in Figures 2 and 4 to 10, each component has been simplified, and the front-to-back relationship in the left-to-right direction has been conveniently adjusted to make the connection relationships between components easier to see, so there may be differences from the actual arrangement and appearance.

[0020] The mobility support device 110 includes a trolley section 20, a main tower section 30, an upper body support section 140, and a chest movable mechanism section 50. The chest movable mechanism section 50 includes one or a pair of main swinging arms 51, one or a pair of secondary swinging arms 52, and one or a pair of floating arms 160. The mobility support device 110 also includes joint sections 77 and 78.

[0021] The upper body support section 140 includes a support body 140A that supports the user's torso, a pair of extension sections 45 connected to the support body 140A, and a pair of handle sections 46 connected to each of the extension sections 45. The support body 140A includes an abdominal support section 41 that supports the user's abdomen and a chest support section 43 that supports the user's chest. The chest support section 43 includes a chest base 43a for supporting the user's chest and a chest member 43b that directly supports the user's chest. The chest base 43a is connected to the chest movable mechanism section 50, and the chest member 43b is positioned so that at least a portion of it is in direct contact with the user's chest. The abdominal support section 41 includes an abdominal base 41a for supporting the user's abdomen and an abdominal member 41b that directly supports the user's abdomen. The abdominal member 41b is positioned so that at least a portion of it is in direct contact with the user's abdomen.

[0022] The upper body support section 140 is configured so that the distance between the abdominal support section 41 and the chest support section 43 can be extended or retracted. More specifically, the support body 140A has an extension mechanism 42 that extends or retracts the distance between the abdominal base 41a and the chest base 43a. The extension mechanism 42 includes a cylindrical or rod-shaped extension member 4a, and in the examples of Figures 2 and 4 to 10, the extension member 4a is made visible or hidden when the extension mechanism 42 extends or retracts. When the extension member 4a is connected to the abdominal base 41a, the chest base 43a is provided with a columnar hole or a member having such a hole for sliding the extension member 4a. When the extension member 4a is connected to the chest base 43a, the abdominal base 41a is provided with a columnar hole or a member having such a hole for sliding the extension member 4a.

[0023] The floating arm 160 is arranged similarly to the floating arm 60 in Figure 1 and is configured to be extendable and retractable. The floating arm 160 has a base 61 to which the main swinging arm 51 and the sub-swinging arm 52 are connected, and an extendable part 62 that engages with the base 61 and extends or retracts the length of the floating arm 160. One end of the floating arm 160 is pivotally supported by the chest base 43a of the upper body support 140.

[0024] More specifically, the floating arm portion 160 is composed of a base portion 61 and an extendable portion 62, as well as an elastic member (not shown) that engages with the base portion 61 and the extendable portion 62. The elastic member should have an elastic force such that the floating arm portion 160 contracts when a person leans their upper body on the upper body support portion 140, and returns to its original position when the upper body is raised. The elastic member is, for example, composed of a spring with an appropriate spring constant. The extendable portion 62 of the floating arm portion 160 is biased by the elastic member, and when no external force is applied, it is in an extended state due to the elastic force of the elastic member. That is, the floating arm portion 160 is equipped with a sliding mechanism in which the extended elastic member contracts due to an external force, causing the entire arm to shrink. The floating arm portion 160 is composed of a slider or the like, including a linear motion mechanism. A damper can be suitably used as the floating arm portion 160.

[0025] The floating arm portion 160 illustrated in Figures 2, 4 to 10 employs a structure in which, when a force is applied in a direction that compresses the elastic member, the expandable portion 62 gradually retracts into the base portion 61, thereby shortening the overall length. The elastic member may be provided around the expandable portion 62 rather than inside the floating arm portion 160. The floating arm portion 60 is not limited to a structure in which at least a part of the expandable portion 62 is housed in the base portion 61, and can adopt various structures. For example, the floating arm portion 160 may have a structure in which the inner circumference of the expandable portion 62 is larger than the outer circumference of the base portion 61, and the expandable portion 62 overlaps the base portion 61.

[0026] The mobility support device 110 has a pair of abdominal swinging arms 80, one end of which is pivotally supported by the main tower section 30, and the other end of which is pivotally supported behind the connection point with the floating arm section 160 on the upper body support section 140. One end of the abdominal swinging arm section 80 is pivotally supported by the main tower section 30, and the other end of which is pivotally supported behind the connection point with the floating arm section 160 on the upper body support section 140. In the example in Figure 2, the other end of the abdominal swinging arm section 80 is pivotally supported by the abdominal base 41a.

[0027] The joint portion 77 is composed of the abdominal first axis 7f, an engagement point between the abdominal first axis 7f and the main tower portion 30, and an engagement point between the abdominal swing arm portion 80 and the abdominal first axis 7f. In other words, the abdominal swing arm portion 80 is pivotally supported by the main tower portion 30 via the abdominal first axis 7f. The joint portion 78 is composed of the abdominal second axis 7g, an engagement point between the abdominal second axis 7g and the upper body support portion 140, and an engagement point between the abdominal second axis 7g and the abdominal swing arm portion 80. In other words, the upper body support portion 140 and the abdominal swing arm portion 80 are rotatably connected to each other via the abdominal second axis 7g.

[0028] The abdominal swinging arm 80 is structured so that the height of the abdominal base 41a from the floor does not fall below a lower limit. In other words, the joint 77 is equipped with a limiting mechanism that restricts the lower limit of the rotation range of the abdominal swinging arm 80. The lower limit can be set arbitrarily in advance and changed as needed. The limiting mechanism is realized, for example, by providing a stopper on the main tower 30 that faces the abdominal swinging arm 80. With this structure, the upper body support 140, which has an extension mechanism 42, moves in accordance with the floating arm 160 while the height of the abdominal base 41a is above the lower limit, due to the weight of the abdominal base 41a, etc. For example, when the upper body support 140 descends and the height of the abdominal base 41a reaches the lower limit, the limiting mechanism prevents the abdominal base 41a from moving, and the chest base 43a moves in accordance with the movement of the floating arm 160, causing the upper body support 140 to extend and retract (see Figures 7 and 8 described later). From this state, when the chest base 43a rises and the telescopic mechanism 42 reaches its maximum length, the upper body support section 140 will no longer extend, and the height of the abdominal base 41a will rise above the lower limit (see Figures 9 and 10 described later).

[0029] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the operating function system in the mobility support device 110. Although omitted in Figures 2 and 4 to 10, the mobility support device 110 includes an operating unit 48 that receives user input and a drive mechanism unit 90 that drives the chest movable mechanism unit 50, as illustrated in Figure 3. The drive mechanism unit 90 includes a motor 9m that operates the chest movable mechanism unit 50 and a drive processing unit 9s that drives the motor 9m in response to an operation signal from the operating unit 48. The drive processing unit 9s is configured, for example, to include an inverter and a processor that controls the inverter.

[0030] The control unit 48 is composed of, for example, a switch that accepts switching between an ON state that drives the motor 9m and an OFF state that stops the motor 9m. The rotation shaft of the motor 9m is connected to, for example, the main first shaft 7a, the main second shaft 7b, the sub-first shaft 7c, or the sub-second shaft 7d, and the motor 9m transmits power to the connected shaft. When the rotation shaft of the motor 9m is connected to the main first shaft 7a, when the user turns the control unit 48 to the ON state, the power of the motor 9m is transmitted to the main oscillating arm 51 via the main first shaft 7a, and the main oscillating arm 51 rotates as shown in Figures 7 to 10, and the sub-oscillating arm 52, the floating arm 160, the abdominal oscillating arm 80, and the upper body support 140 move in conjunction with this movement. The same applies when the rotation shaft of the motor 9m is connected to the main second shaft 7b, the sub-first shaft 7c, or the sub-second shaft 7d.

[0031] The lengths of each component of the mobility support device 110 should be designed, for example, to satisfy the requirements (1) to (8) below. (1) The stroke for the movement that pulls the user's center of gravity forward shall be 100mm to 150mm. (2) The angle of the movement that pulls the user's center of gravity forward shall be within the range of an elevation angle of 30° to 35°. (3) The vertical movement of the abdominal base 41a between the time the user is at their lowest point (see Figure 7) and the time the user is at their highest point (see Figure 10) shall be 300 mm to 400 mm (for example, 350 mm). (4) When the user is at their lowest position (see Figure 7), the angle of the support body 140A shall be an elevation angle of 32° to 35°. (5) When the user is at their highest point (see Figure 10), the angle of the support body 140A shall be within the range of elevation angle 34° to 37°. (6) The mechanism consisting of the main tower section 30, the chest movable mechanism section 50, the upper body support section 140, and the abdominal swinging arm section 80 avoids dead points where large loads occur (such as when the rotation axes are aligned in a straight line). (7) The front-to-back length of the trolley section 20 shall be 670 mm or less so that it can be moved even in a narrow toilet. (8) The width of the trolley section 20 shall be 550 mm or less so that it can move around in the narrow toilet area.

[0032] One example is a progressive approach in which initial conditions are randomly assigned, and the 11 design parameters are gradually increased or decreased in sequence to approach a structure that satisfies the following 8 requirements. However, the number of requirements to be satisfied is not limited to 8; it could be 7 or fewer, or 9 or more. In other words, the requirements (1) to (8) above may be selected or omitted as appropriate, and other requirements may be added to them. Also, the number of design parameters is not limited to 11; it could be 10 or fewer, or 12 or more.

[0033] Here, referring to Figures 4 to 10, the flow of actions when user U stands up using the mobility support device 110 will be explained. Figure 4 illustrates a state in which user U, who is sitting on a seating member C such as a chair or toilet, is facing the mobility support device 110. Figure 4 corresponds to the state before user U boards the mobility support device 110, or the state in which user U has reached the destination.

[0034] (Equipment holding process) When boarding the mobility support device 110, user U first grasps the handle 46 as shown in Figure 5 and pulls the mobility support device 110 towards them.

[0035] (Boarding process begins) Next, as shown in Figure 6, user U presses their upper body against the upper body support 140 while gripping the handle portion 46. As a result, user U's upper body and the upper body support 140 are mechanically coupled through the force holding the handle portion 46 and the frictional force due to contact with the upper body support 140. At this time, although the movable member 22 is not being braked, user U is mechanically coupled to the mobility support device 110, so the movement of the mobility support device 110 in the forward and backward directions is suppressed and its position is fixed.

[0036] (Upper body support section pushing down process) Next, as shown in Figure 7, user U leans their upper body against the upper body support 140 and tilts their upper body forward together with the upper body support 140. In this way, user U tilts their upper body forward together with the upper body support 140, transferring their weight from the seating member C to the mobility support device 110, and eventually getting into a position where they are on the mobility support device 110. The floating arm 160 is moderately biased and includes a sliding mechanism that contracts in response to external force, so user U can put their weight on the upper body support 140, contract the floating arm 160 as shown in Figure 6, and push down the upper body support 140 as shown in Figure 7.

[0037] Generally, if a user attempts to board a lift (mobility support device) whose wheels are not braked, the lift may move forward, potentially causing the user to fall. Therefore, wheel braking is essential in conventional lifts. In this respect, the mobility support device 110 can mechanically connect the upper body support unit 140, which is in an upright position when the floating arm unit 160 is extended, to the upper body of the user U (see boarding initiation process), thereby preventing the mobility support device 110 from moving forward and ensuring the safety of the user U.

[0038] (First stage of ascent: The first stage of the ascent trajectory) Next, when user U operates the control unit 48, the motor 9m is activated via the drive processing unit 9s, and the chest movable mechanism 50 is activated. As shown in Figures 7 and 8, one end of the floating arm 160 moves forward, and the chest support 43 moves forward accordingly. At this time, the telescopic mechanism 42 of the upper body support 140 follows the movement of the chest support 43, but the abdominal support 41 remains stationary due to its own weight until the upper body support 140 extends to the set length. The movement support device 110 pulls the user forward through the chest support 43, so a backward reaction force acts on the trolley 20, but the position of the trolley 20 is maintained because the abdominal support 41 is in contact with the user's abdomen. The set length is set to, for example, 80 mm and can be changed as appropriate in accordance with the adjustment of various parameters. As the chest support 43 moves forward, the upper body of user U is pulled forward, allowing user U's weight to be transferred from the seating member C to the mobility support device 110.

[0039] (Second stage of ascent: The second stage of the ascent trajectory / first half) Furthermore, as user U continues to operate the motor 9m by operating the control unit 48 and continues to operate the chest movable mechanism 50, one end of the floating arm 160 moves diagonally upward and forward, as shown in Figures 8 and 9, and the chest support 43 also moves diagonally upward and forward. Since the telescopic mechanism 42 of the upper body support 140 is fully extended, when the chest support 43 starts to move, the abdominal support 41 also starts to move. Because the abdominal support 41 is constrained in its direction of movement by the abdominal swinging arm 80, the upper body support 140 moves with the telescopic mechanism 42 extended in response to the drive of the motor 9m. In other words, the abdominal support 41 moves diagonally upward and forward together with the chest support 43, and user U's upper body moves diagonally upward and forward.

[0040] As shown in Figure 8, user U's weight has already shifted from the seating member C to the upper body support 140. Therefore, user U stands up by following the movement of the upper body support 140, as shown in Figures 8 and 9. In the second ascent, user U's center of gravity moves within the vertical region of the support base based on the contact of both feet. The trajectory of user U's center of gravity in the second ascent is the same as in the case of a natural standing motion performed by the user themselves. In the second ascent, only vertical pressure is generated on the contact surfaces of user U's feet, and no horizontal shear force is generated, so user U can stand up in a stable state. The center of gravity of the human body is generally located near the navel in the abdomen.

[0041] The upper body support section 140 will be subjected to a resultant force from the user U's own weight and the reaction force from the contact surfaces of both feet. This resultant force can be minimized by the chest movable mechanism section 50 achieving a movement trajectory similar to that of a natural standing-up motion performed by the user U. The mobility support device 110 can minimize the shear force generated between the user U and the upper body support section 140 if the upper body support section 140 is configured to operate at a shallow angle. The shear force acting on the user U's skin causes pain and discomfort to the user U, but this pain and discomfort can be reduced by adjusting the inclination of the upper body support section 140.

[0042] (Second stage of ascent: The second stage of the ascent trajectory / second half) In the state shown in Figure 9, if user U continues to operate motor 9m, the chest support 43 moves almost vertically upward, as shown from Figure 9 to Figure 10. At this time, the abdominal support 41 moves in the same way as the chest support 43, so the distance between the abdominal support 41 and the chest support 43 on the upper body support 140 is maintained. With this configuration, user U can raise and stop the upper body support 140 to the desired posture. By operating the control unit 48, user U can stand up to a near-upright position.

[0043] The user's sitting motion is roughly the reverse of the standing motion described above. That is, through user U's actions, the user goes from the state shown in Figure 10, through the state shown in Figure 9, to the state shown in Figure 8. Then, when user U raises their upper body, the user goes through the state shown in Figure 6, to the stable seated state shown in Figure 4.

[0044] Figures 2 and 4-10 illustrate an example of an arc-shaped abdominal swing arm 80 in side view, but the abdominal swing arm 80 is not limited to this and can take various shapes, including a straight line in side view. For convenience, Figures 2 and 4-10 show an example in which the mobility support device 110 has a pair of abdominal swing arms 80, but the mobility support device 110 is not limited to this and may be configured to have only one abdominal swing arm 80.

[0045] <Examples> The figures above show a schematic representation of the configuration of the mobility support device 110, but Figures 11 and 12 show specific configuration examples of the mobility support device 110. However, the mobility support device 110 according to this embodiment has a power mechanism that manually operates the chest movable mechanism 50 instead of the operating unit 48 and the drive mechanism 90. The power mechanism consists of, for example, a rotating mechanism 95 equipped with a gripping unit 9a that is grasped by a caregiver, and a transmission mechanism that transmits the power generated by the rotating mechanism 95 to at least one axis of the chest movable mechanism 50. The rotating mechanism 95 transmits the rotational force to the transmission mechanism when the caregiver rotates the gripping unit 9a, and is configured, for example, by a hand winch. The transmission mechanism is configured, for example, by combining a pulley or roller with a wire. Note that, for illustrative purposes, some of the components shown in Figure 2, etc., are not visible in Figures 11 and 12.

[0046] The telescopic mechanism 42 in Figures 11 and 12 consists of a rod-shaped telescopic member 4a connected to the abdominal base 41a, and a cylindrical guide portion 4b connected to the chest base 43a that can cover a part of the telescopic member 4a. The telescopic member 4a has a restraining portion 4s whose outer circumference is larger than that of the guide portion 4b. Figure 11 shows the state in which the distance between the abdominal base 41a and the chest base 43a is reduced and the floating arm portion 160 is extended due to the action of the telescopic mechanism 42. Figure 12 shows the state in which the distance between the abdominal base 41a and the chest base 43a is increased and the floating arm portion 160 is retracted due to the action of the telescopic mechanism 42. Note that the mobility support device 110 in Figures 11 and 12 is equipped with only one abdominal swinging arm portion 80.

[0047] As described above, the mobility support device 110 operates as a four-bar mechanism (four-bar linkage mechanism) in which the chest movable mechanism 50, which has a main swing arm 51, a secondary swing arm 52, and a floating arm 160, treats the main tower 30 as a fixed link. Therefore, the upper body support unit 140 connected to the floating arm 160 can be moved along a curved trajectory. In other words, since the upper body support unit 140 can be moved along a curved trajectory that curves forward, the user's center of gravity can be positioned on the support base of both feet and raised, thereby increasing the stability related to the support of the user's body while reducing the burden on the user's body.

[0048] Furthermore, the upper body support section 140 of this embodiment 1, together with the abdominal support section 41 and the chest support section 43, has an extendable mechanism 42 that extends or retracts the distance between the abdominal support section 41 and the chest support section 43. Therefore, as shown in Figure 7, the chest support section 43, which is connected to one end of the floating arm section 160, can be moved forward by the user's actions after getting on, without changing the position of the abdominal support section 41. As a result, the user's upper body is pulled forward, and the user's weight is transferred from the seating member C to the mobility support device 110, thereby increasing the stability of the user's standing motion. In other words, the upper body support section 140 with the extendable mechanism 42 separates the user's pelvis and sternum before the user begins the standing motion, allowing the user to straighten their back. If a user gets on the mobility support device 110 without being conscious of standing up, they may unconsciously round their back to prevent their center of gravity from moving too much, but the extendable mechanism 42 helps straighten the user's back and pull their center of gravity onto the mobility support device 110.

[0049] The floating arm 160 has a base 61 to which the main swinging arm 51 and the sub-swinging arm 52 are connected, and an extendable part 62 that engages with the base 61 and extends or retracts the length of the floating arm 160. As a result, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, the user can tilt their upper body forward together with the upper body support part 140, smoothly and stably rest their upper body on the upper body support part 140, and get into the mobility support device 110.

[0050] The mobility support device 110 has an abdominal swing arm 80, one end of which is pivotally supported by the main tower section 30, and the other end of which is pivotally supported behind the connection point with the floating arm section 160 on the upper body support section 140. This allows the user's abdomen to be stably supported via the abdominal support section 41. Furthermore, by restricting the movement of the abdominal support section 41 and allowing the upper body support section 140 to be raised integrally, the user's upper body can be stably supported when standing.

[0051] The mobility support device 110 may have a motor 9m that drives the chest movable mechanism 50. In this way, the user can operate the chest movable mechanism 50 with a simple operation, and the resulting curved rise of the upper body support 140 will allow the person to stand up stably. Similarly, when a caregiver operates the control unit 48, the person being cared for can be made to stand up stably with a simple operation.

[0052] The distance between the support parts at both ends of the secondary oscillating arm 52 should be longer than the distance between the support parts at both ends of the main oscillating arm 51. In this way, the trajectory of one end of the floating arm 160 and the upper body support part 140 during movement associated with the movement of the chest movable mechanism 50 can be made closer to the trajectory of the upper body when a seated healthy person stands up, thereby further improving the stability related to the support of the user's body and further reducing the burden on the user's body.

[0053] Now, referring to Figure 13, we will consider the trajectory of the user U's chest when using the mobility support device 110 according to the embodiment. In Figure 13, the dashed trajectory H is the trajectory of the user's chest during the process of getting onto the mobility support device 110, and the solid trajectory K is the trajectory of the chest guided by the mobility support device 110.

[0054] Figure 13 shows that when the user U stands up using the mobility support device 110, the trajectory of the user U's chest becomes the same as the trajectory of a healthy person's chest when standing. With conventional lifts, when the user's upper body is lifted diagonally upward to stand up, shear force is applied to the part where the lift and the body come into contact, giving the user a feeling of being rubbed and pulled. However, the mobility support device 110 eliminates this problem. Furthermore, with the mobility support device 110, by controlling the position of the center of gravity, it is not necessary to lift the upper body in an excessively inclined direction, so the user can be stably stood up without providing a braking mechanism on the movable member 22. In other words, complex operation and braking control are unnecessary, thus avoiding the risk of movement in cases where the person being cared for forgets to apply the brakes or the braking control is unsuccessful.

[0055] The mobility support device 110 may have a non-extendable floating arm 60 instead of the floating arm 160. However, in this configuration, the user must be more careful when getting into the mobility support device 110 because there is no sliding mechanism (see Figure 7). In this configuration, the mobility support device 110 may be provided with a braking mechanism to brake at least one movable member 22. The braking mechanism may be configured to function in response to switching operations by the user, or it may be configured to function in response to detection signals from a sensing device.

[0056] The mobility support device 110 does not necessarily have an abdominal swinging arm 80. However, having an abdominal swinging arm 80 allows for more stable support of the user's upper body. When the mobility support device 110 is configured without an abdominal swinging arm 80, it is preferable to connect a power source such as an electric motor to the upper body axis 7e. The power source may be driven by a user's switching operation, or it may be manually driven. If the mobility support device 110 has a floating arm 60 instead of a floating arm 160 and does not have an abdominal swinging arm 80, the mobility support device 110 will have the same configuration as the mobility support device 10 in Figure 1.

[0057] Embodiment 2. Referring to Figures 14 to 16, an example of the configuration of the mobility support device in Embodiment 2 of the present invention will be described. Components equivalent to those of the mobility support devices 10 and 110 described above are given the same reference numerals, and their descriptions are omitted or simplified. In Figures 14 to 16, each component has been simplified, and the front-to-back relationships in the left-to-right direction have been conveniently adjusted to make the connection relationships between components easier to see, so there may be differences from the actual arrangement and appearance.

[0058] The mobility support device 210 in Figure 14 has a pair of abdominal swinging arms 180, one end of which is pivotally supported by the main tower section 30, and the other end of which is pivotally supported at a position rearward of the connection point with the floating arm section 60 on the upper body support section 40. The abdominal swinging arms 180 have an abdominal main arm section 81, an abdominal sub-arm section 82, and an abdominal floating arm section 83. One end of the abdominal floating arm section 83 is connected to the upper body support section 40. One end of the abdominal main arm section 81 is pivotally supported by the main tower section 30, and the other end is pivotally supported on the other end side of the floating arm section 60. One end of the abdominal sub-arm section 82 is pivotally supported by the main tower section 30, and the other end is pivotally supported at a position closer to the center than the connection point with the abdominal main arm section 81 on the floating arm section 60.

[0059] The mobility support device 210 has joints 84, 85, 86, 87, and 88. Joint 84 is composed of a main first axis 8a, an engagement point between the main first axis 8a and the main tower section 30, and an engagement point between the main first axis 8a and the abdominal main arm section 81. In other words, the abdominal main arm section 81 is pivotally supported by the main tower section 30 via the main first axis 8a. Joint 85 is composed of a main second axis 8b, an engagement point between the main second axis 8b and the abdominal floating arm section 83, and an engagement point between the main second axis 8b and the abdominal main arm section 81. In other words, the abdominal main arm section 81 and the abdominal floating arm section 83 are rotatably connected to each other via the main second axis 8b.

[0060] Joint 86 is composed of a secondary first axis 8c, an engagement point between the secondary first axis 8c and the main tower section 30, and an engagement point between the secondary first axis 8c and the abdominal auxiliary arm section 82. In other words, the abdominal auxiliary arm section 82 is pivotally supported by the main tower section 30 via the secondary first axis 8c. Joint 87 is composed of a secondary second axis 8d, an engagement point between the secondary second axis 8d and the abdominal floating arm section 83, and an engagement point between the secondary second axis 8d and the abdominal auxiliary arm section 82. In other words, the abdominal auxiliary arm section 82 and the abdominal floating arm section 83 are rotatably connected to each other via the secondary second axis 8d. Joint 88 is composed of an upper body axis 8e, an engagement point between the upper body axis 8e and the abdominal floating arm section 83, and an engagement point between the upper body axis 8e and the upper body support section 40. In other words, the upper body support section 40 and the abdominal floating arm section 83 are rotatably connected to each other via the upper body axis 8e.

[0061] In the mobility support device 210 shown in Figure 14, the abdominal swinging arm 180 has the same structure as the chest movable mechanism 50. The abdominal main arm 81, abdominal sub-arm 82, and abdominal floating arm 83 of the abdominal swinging arm 180 correspond to the main swinging arm 51, sub-swinging arm 52, and floating arm 160 of the chest movable mechanism 50, respectively. When each component of the abdominal swinging arm 180 is the same size as each component of the chest movable mechanism 50, the trajectory of the movement of the upper body axis 8e becomes a parallel translation of the trajectory of the movement of the upper body axis 7e, so that the upper body support 40 can move up and down parallel while keeping its inclination angle fixed, resulting in a movement with excellent stability for the user's body.

[0062] At least one of the multiple components of the abdominal swinging arm 180 may be a different size from that of the chest movable mechanism 50, and the positional relationship between the main first axis 8a, sub-first axis 8c, and upper body axis 8e, which are the connection points of the abdominal swinging arm 180, and the main first axis 7a, sub-first axis 7c, and upper body axis 7e, which are the connection points of the chest movable mechanism 50, may be shifted, or these may be combined. In this way, for example, the inclination angle (elevation angle) of the upper body support 40 can be made relatively small at the beginning of the ascent, and the inclination angle (elevation angle) can be made relatively large just before the end of the ascent, thereby flexibly changing the inclination angle (elevation angle) of the upper body support 40 during the ascent and descent process, and improving the usability and user experience of the mobility support device 210.

[0063] Unlike the mobility support device 210 in Figure 14, the mobility support device 210A in Figure 15 has a support body 140A instead of a support body 40A. The abdominal floating arm 83 of the abdominal swinging arm 180 is connected to the abdominal base 41a. The other components of the mobility support device 210A are the same as those of the mobility support device 210. That is, the mobility support device 210A has an extension / retraction mechanism 42 that extends or retracts the distance between the abdominal support 41 and the chest support 43. Therefore, as in the sequence from Figure 7 to Figure 8, the chest support 43 connected to one end of the floating arm 160 can be moved forward by the user's operation while riding in the mobility support device 210A without changing the position of the abdominal support 41. As a result, the user's upper body is pulled forward, and the user's weight is transferred from the seating member C to the mobility support device 110, thereby increasing the stability of the user's standing motion.

[0064] Unlike the mobility support device 210A in Figure 15, the mobility support device 210B in Figure 16 has an extendable floating arm 160 instead of a floating arm 60. The other configurations of the mobility support device 210B are the same as those of the mobility support device 210A. That is, the mobility support device 210B has a base 61 to which the main swing arm 51 and the sub-swing arm 52 are connected, and an extendable part 62 that engages with the base 61 and extends or retracts the length of the floating arm 160. Therefore, the user can lean their upper body forward together with the upper body support part 140, as in the flow from Figure 6 to Figure 7, and smoothly and stably rest their upper body on the upper body support part 140 to get into the mobility support device 210B. Other effects and advantages of the mobility support devices 210, 210A, and 210B are the same as those of the mobility support devices 10 and 110.

[0065] Herein, the embodiments described above are merely examples of mobility support devices, and the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. For example, the mobility support device 110 shown in Figures 11 and 12 is merely one example of a concrete implementation of the configuration in Figure 2, and the shape and arrangement of each component can be changed as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Similarly, the configurations in Figures 1, 14 to 16 are not limited to the shapes exemplified in Figures 11 and 12, but can be implemented by combining component members of various shapes.

[0066] The chest movable mechanism 50 may be configured in pairs or as a single unit. The abdominal swinging arm 80 may be configured in pairs or as a single unit. The abdominal swinging arm 180 may be configured in pairs or as a single unit. In the above description, examples were shown in which the mobility support devices 10, 110, 210, 210A, and 210B (hereinafter, the reference numerals are omitted) have four movable members 22, but the mobility support devices are not limited to this and may have three or five or more movable members 22. At least one of the multiple movable members 22 of the mobility support device may be an omni wheel, a ball caster, or the like. At least one of the multiple movable members 22 of the mobility support device may have a built-in brake mechanism. [Explanation of symbols]

[0067] 4a Telescopic member, 4b Guide part, 4s Restraint part, 7a, 8a Main first axis, 7b, 8b Main second axis, 7c, 8c Sub-first axis, 7d, 8d Sub-second axis, 7e, 8e Upper body axis, 7f Abdominal first axis, 7g Abdominal second axis, 9a Gripping part, 9m Motor, 9s Drive processing unit, 10, 110, 210, 210A, 210B Movable support device, 16 Braking mechanism, 20 Trolley, 21 Base, 22 Movable member, 30 Main tower, 40, 140 Upper body support part, 40A, 140A Support body, 40a Upper body base, 40b Upper body member, 41 Abdominal support part, 41a Abdominal base, 41b Abdominal member, 42 Telescopic mechanism, 43 Chest support part, 43a Chest base, 43b Chest member, 45 Extension part, 46 Handle part, 48 Operating part, 50 Chest movable mechanism part, 51 Main swinging arm part, 52 Sub-swinging arm part, 60, 160 Floating arm part, 61 Base part, 62 Telescopic part, 71-78, 84-88 Joint parts, 80, 180 Abdominal swinging arm part, 81 Abdominal main arm part, 82 Abdominal sub-arm part, 83 Abdominal floating arm part, 90 Drive mechanism part, 95 Rotation mechanism part.

Claims

1. A trolley section equipped with multiple movable members, The main tower section connected to the aforementioned bogie section, An upper body support section that supports the user's upper body, It has a chest movable mechanism provided between the main tower section and the upper body support section, The aforementioned chest movable mechanism is A floating arm portion, one end of which is connected to the upper body support portion, A main swing arm, one end of which is pivotally supported by the main tower section and the other end of which is pivotally supported on the other end side of the floating arm section, A mobile support device having a sub-oscillating arm, one end of which is pivotally supported by the main tower section, and the other end of which is pivotally supported at a position closer to the center than the connection point between the floating arm section and the main oscillating arm section.

2. The aforementioned upper body support part is Abdominal support section that supports the user's abdomen, A chest support section that supports the user's chest, The mobility support device according to claim 1, further comprising an extension / retraction mechanism for extending or retracting the distance between the abdominal support portion and the chest support portion.

3. The floating arm portion is, The base to which the main swing arm and the auxiliary swing arm are connected, The mobility support device according to claim 1, further comprising an extendable portion that engages with the base and extends or retracts the length of the floating arm portion.

4. The mobility support device according to claim 1, having an abdominal swinging arm whose one end is pivotally supported by the main tower and whose other end is pivotally supported behind the connection point with the floating arm on the upper body support.

5. It has a ventral swing arm, one end of which is pivotally supported by the main tower section and the other end of which is pivotally supported by the ventral support section, The floating arm portion is, The mobility support device according to claim 2, wherein one end is pivotally supported by the chest support portion.

6. The aforementioned abdominal swinging arm portion is, An abdominal floating arm portion, with one end connected to the upper body support portion, The abdominal main arm portion, one end of which is pivotally supported by the main tower portion and the other end of which is pivotally supported on the other end side of the floating arm portion, The mobility support device according to claim 4 or 5, further comprising: an abdominal sub-arm, one end of which is pivotally supported by the main tower section, and the other end of which is pivotally supported at a position closer to the center than the connection point between the floating arm section and the main swinging arm section.

7. The mobility support device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the distance between the support parts at both ends of the secondary swing arm is longer than the distance between the support parts at both ends of the main swing arm.

8. A mobility support device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising a drive mechanism for driving the aforementioned chest movable mechanism.

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