Bathing assistance wheelchair

Abstract

To provide a bathing assistance wheelchair which gives a user warmth and a sense of security when bathing when the user undresses and sits down, while facilitating the work of pouring hot water into a hot water bottle and draining the water after use, and which can also be used as a wheelchair for heat stroke prevention, and in which the hot water (water) in the hot water bottle can be used as water for daily life in the event of a disaster, and the empty hot water bottle can also be used as a float for rescuing a drowning person in the event of a water accident. [Solution] First to third hot water bottle storage sections 24, 32, 33 are formed in the seat section 12 and backrest section 13 of a bathing assistance wheelchair 10, and first to third hot water bottles 25, 34, 35, into which hot water to warm the body is poured, are removably stored in each of the hot water bottle storage sections 24, 32, 33.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a bathing assistance wheelchair that moves a user who has undressed in a dressing room, bedroom, etc., to a bathroom when taking a bath. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, in elderly care facilities and the like, wheelchairs are known that allow users who have difficulty walking to take a bath to get undressed in a changing room or bedroom, and then be transported to the bathroom, such as wheelchair shower carriers, which allow users to sit down while bathing, as described in Patent Document 1.

[0003] A shower carrier consists of a wheelchair body with a plastic seat and backrest that are unaffected when wet, and four wheels for moving, all of which are arranged in designated positions.A footplate for placing the feet is provided at the front lower part of the body, and an opening is formed in the seat to make it easy to wash or use the toilet. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Publication No. 3060526 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in conventional shower carriers, the seat and backrest, which come into direct contact with the skin of the user after undressing in a changing room or bedroom, are made of cold plastic. This makes the user feel cold until the caregiver pushes the carrier into the bathroom to bathe. This makes the user feel uneasy about bathing, and in the worst case scenario, the coldness of the seat can cause the user's blood pressure to rise, leading to heat shock.

[0006] Therefore, after extensive research, the inventors focused on a hot water bottle that uses hot water, which is easily available in the bathroom, as its heat source, and discovered that if this was attached to at least the seat of a shower carry (a wheelchair for bathing assistance), all of the above-mentioned problems would be solved.

[0007] Furthermore, if this hot water bottle can be detachably stored in a hot water bottle storage compartment formed on a bathing assistance wheelchair, it becomes easy to fill the hot water bottle with hot water and drain it after use. In addition, if water is poured into the hot water bottle instead of hot water in a high temperature environment such as summer, the bathing assistance wheelchair can be used as a wheelchair to prevent heat stroke. Moreover, it was discovered that the hot water (water) contained in the hot water bottle can be used as water for daily use in the event of a disaster, and an empty hot water bottle can be used as a float (floating device) to rescue a drowning person, for example, in the event of a drowning accident, and this has led to the completion of the present invention.

[0008] The present invention has been developed in consideration of such conventional problems, and aims to provide a bathing assistance wheelchair that gives the user warmth and a sense of security when bathing when they undress and sit down, while also making it easy to fill the hot water bottle with hot water and drain it after use, and that can be used as a wheelchair to prevent heat stroke in high temperature environments such as summer by pouring water into the hot water bottle instead of hot water, and furthermore, the hot water (water) in the hot water bottle can be used as daily water in the event of a disaster, and the empty hot water bottle can also be used as a float to rescue a drowning person, for example, in the event of a water accident. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The invention described in claim 1 is a bathing assistance wheelchair having a seat, a backrest, and running wheels arranged on a body, wherein at least the seat of the seat and backrest has a hot water bottle storage section formed therein, and a hot water bottle into which hot water to warm the body is poured is removably stored in the hot water bottle storage section.

[0010] A bathing wheelchair is a wheelchair, like a shower carrier, that moves a user who has undressed in a dressing room or bedroom to the bathroom. It can be a hand-pushed type or an automatic type. The seat (including the hot water bottle) may have an opening (including a notch) that penetrates from the front to the back to make it easier to wash or use the toilet. Similarly, the backrest (including the hot water bottle) may have an opening that penetrates from the front to the back.

[0011] A pair of left and right armrests may be provided on the vehicle body or the backrest in a fixed or foldable state. The backrest may be provided with a reclining function or a handle for pushing a wheelchair.

[0012] The hot water bottle storage compartment may be located only in the seat, or both in the seat and backrest, or may be located in other parts of the bathing wheelchair (for example, in the foot plate for warming the feet) if necessary. The hot water bottle storage section may be formed as a depression in the surface of the corresponding seat or backrest, or may be formed on the reverse side thereof. Alternatively, the hot water bottle storage section may be formed on the side surface of the seat or backrest. The shape and size of the hot water bottle storage section may be changed as appropriate depending on the shape and size of the hot water bottle.

[0013] The hot water bottle may be made of any material, for example, various heat-resistant plastics, various metals, etc. The structure of the hot water bottle is arbitrary. For example, it may be a hard or soft container body with a pouring spout with a lid. Examples of soft container bodies include water pillow-shaped ones made of polyvinyl chloride or chloroprene rubber. If the surface of the hot water bottle comes into direct contact with the user's skin, the surface may be flocked with a certain amount of hair or various towels may be spread over it to improve the feel against the skin.

[0014] The shape of the hot water bottle is arbitrary, for example, it may be a rectangular container or an oval container. The size of the hot water bottle (the amount of hot water it can hold) is also optional. Furthermore, this bathing assistance wheelchair can also be used as a measure to prevent heatstroke in users in high temperature environments such as summer by pouring water (including cold water and iced water) into the hot water bottle (hot water bottle-shaped container) instead of hot water.

[0015] The invention described in claim 2 is the bathing assistance wheelchair described in claim 1, characterized in that the hot water bottle storage section is recessed into at least the surface of the seat section of the seat and backrest section, and the depth of the hot water bottle storage section is such that when the hot water bottle is stored, the height of the opening surface of the hot water bottle storage section coincides with the surface of the hot water bottle.

[0016] Furthermore, the invention described in claim 3 is a bathing assistance wheelchair as described in claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the part forming the hot water bottle storage section is a frame-shaped container with a lid into which hot water that is hotter than the hot water is poured.

[0017] The surface of the framed container may be at the same height as the hot water bottle, or lower. In the former case where the surface is at the same height as the hot water bottle, the surface plate of the framed container is made thicker, or a temperature regulating sheet such as a towel is laminated on the surface of the framed container to prevent the temperature of the surface of the framed container from rising above that of the hot water bottle, to prevent the risk of burns, etc. On the other hand, in the latter case, since the skin of the user seated in the bathing assistance wheelchair is unlikely to come into contact with the surface of the framed container, the surface temperature of the framed container may be higher than that of the hot water bottle. The temperature of the hot water can be any temperature as long as it is higher than the temperature of the hot water poured into the hot water bottle, for example, 70°C to 80°C, preferably around 75°C.

[0018] Furthermore, the invention described in claim 4 is the bath assistance wheelchair described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the hot water bottle has a capacity of 1 liter to 3 liters and is hand-held.

[0019] If the capacity of the hot water bottle is less than 1 liter, the maximum amount of hot water that can be poured into it is too small, and it cools down in a relatively short time. If the capacity exceeds 3 liters, the hot water bottle becomes too heavy when filled with hot water, making it difficult for female caregivers to handle. The preferable capacity of this hot water bottle is around 2 liters. This allows the hot water bottle to function for a long time, and makes it easy for women to handle. The size of a handheld hot water bottle is, for example, 20 cm to 40 cm in length, 20 cm to 50 cm in width, and 3 cm to 10 cm in thickness. Effect of the Invention

[0020] According to the bathing assistance wheelchair of the present invention, at least the seat of the seat and backrest, which come into direct contact with the user's skin, is warmed by a hot water bottle beforehand when the bathing assistance wheelchair is used, so that the user can feel warm and secure when he or she sits in the bathing assistance wheelchair after undressing in a dressing room, bedroom, etc. As a result, the risk of the user's blood pressure rising due to the coldness of the seating position and the user suffering from heat shock can be eliminated.

[0021] In addition, this hot water bottle can be removed from the hot water bottle storage compartment, making it easy to fill the hot water bottle with hot water and drain it after use. Furthermore, this bathing assistance wheelchair can also be used as a wheelchair for preventing heat stroke, for example, in high temperature environments such as outdoors in summer, by filling the hot water bottle with water (including cold water and ice water) instead of hot water. The hot water (water) in the hot water bottle can also be used as water for daily life in the event of a disaster, and an empty hot water bottle can also be used as a float (float) to rescue a drowning person in the event of a water accident.

[0022] In particular, according to the present invention as set forth in claim 2, when the hot water bottle is stored in the hot water bottle storage compartment, the height of the opening of the hot water bottle storage compartment matches the height of the hot water bottle's surface. This eliminates the discomfort and pain felt by the user when seated in the bathing assistance wheelchair due to the difference in height between the surface of the hot water bottle and the opening of the hot water bottle storage compartment.

[0023] According to the present invention as set forth in claim 3, the hot water in the hot water bottle stored in the hot water bottle storage section is heated from the surroundings by the hot water poured into the frame-shaped container. This improves the hot water bottle's heat retention.

[0024] Furthermore, according to the present invention described in claim 4, the capacity of the hot water bottle is set to 1 to 3 liters, which makes it easy to carry, so that it can maintain its function as a hot water bottle for a predetermined period of time, and its weight makes it easy for even women to carry, making it easy to handle, such as attaching and removing the hot water bottle from the hot water bottle storage section. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0025] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bathing assistance wheelchair according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a seat of a bath assistance wheelchair according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a bathing assistance wheelchair of another type according to the first embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0026] An embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail, taking as an example a wheelchair for bathing assistance provided in a nursing home for the elderly. EXAMPLES

[0027] As shown in Figure 1, a bathing assistance wheelchair 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention comprises a frame-shaped body 11, a seat 12 provided at approximately the middle of the height of the body 11, a backrest 13 provided on the upper part of the body 11, a pair of left and right handles 14 protruding rearward on both sides of the upper end of the backrest 13, a pair of left and right armrests 15 disposed at the middle of the height of the backrest 13, running wheels 16 disposed at the four corners of the lower part of the body 11, and a pair of left and right footplates 17 axially supported on the front lower end of the body 11 so as to be able to rise and fall.

[0028] These components will now be described in detail. As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle body 11 has a rectangular bottom frame 18 formed by bending and connecting a plurality of stainless steel pipes into a predetermined shape, with the wheels 16 journaled at the four corners, and a lower frame 21 consisting of a left side lower frame 19 which is long in the fore-and-aft direction and is hung in a gate-like shape on the front and rear corners of the left side of the bottom frame 18, and a right side lower frame 20 which is long in the fore-and-aft direction and is hung in a gate-like shape on the front and rear corners of the right side of the bottom frame 18, with the seat 12 fixed to its upper surface.

[0029] 1 and 2, the seat 12 has a stainless steel seat base plate 22 that is roughly rectangular in plan view and is suspended between the left and right lower frames 19, 20, and a thick seat plate 23 that is roughly rectangular in plan view and is made of heat-resistant plastic and is fixed to the upper surface of the seat base plate 22. The space inside the seat base plate 22 and seat plate 23 forms the first hot water bottle storage section (hot water bottle storage section) 24. An opening 12a that is long in the front-to-rear direction is formed in the center of the seat 12, penetrating the front and back sides to make it easy to wash or use the toilet. An inner edge 22a of this seat base plate 22 protrudes toward the inner space beyond the inner edge of the seat plate 23. The inner edge 22a of the seat base plate 22 becomes the hanging part for the first hot water bottle 25 when the first hot water bottle 25 is stored in the first hot water bottle storage section 24.

[0030] First hot water bottle 25 is a rectangular container made of insulating plastic, with a covered pouring spout 26 formed on the underside. The thickness of the wall panel forming first hot water bottle 25 is such that when hot water of the highest temperature (e.g. 60°C) generally available from a bathroom faucet is poured into first hot water bottle 25, the surface temperature will be 40°C to 45°C, which is comfortable for elderly people, and preferably 43°C (e.g. 5mm to 10mm). Furthermore, the thickness (height) of first hot water bottle 25 is the same as the thickness (height) of seat panel 23. As a result, when first hot water bottle 25 is stored in first hot water bottle storage section 24, the height of the opening surface of first hot water bottle storage section 24 and the height of the surface of first hot water bottle 25 match. As a result, the discomfort and pain felt by the user when sitting in the bathing assistance wheelchair 10 due to the difference in level between the surface of the first hot water bottle 25 and the opening surface of the first hot water bottle storage section 24 can be eliminated.

[0031] The backrest portion 13 has an inverted U-shaped, elongated backrest frame 27 whose lower ends on both sides are connected to the upper rear ends of the left and right lower frames 19, 20, respectively, a elongated, approximately rectangular frame-shaped stainless steel backrest base plate 28 fixed to the backrest frame 27, and a elongated, approximately rectangular frame-shaped, thick backrest plate 29 made of heat-resistant plastic and fixed to the surface of the backrest base plate 28. A base plate side partition frame 30 that divides the inner space of the backrest base plate 28 into upper and lower parts is horizontally installed in the middle part in the height direction of the backrest base plate 28. Also, a backrest plate side partition frame 31 that divides the inner space of the backrest plate 29 into upper and lower parts is horizontally installed in the middle part in the height direction of the backrest plate 29.

[0032] These base plate side partition frame 30 and backrest plate side partition frame 31 define a second hot water bottle storage section (hot water bottle storage section) 32 arranged lower and a third hot water bottle storage section (hot water bottle storage section) 33 arranged upper in the inner space of the backrest plate 29. The inner edge 28a of the backrest base plate 28 and the upper and lower edge portions 30a of the base plate side partition frame 30 each protrude over their entire length toward the corresponding second and third hot water bottle storage sections 32, 33. These inner edge portions 28a, 30a become the hanging portions when the second and third hot water bottles (hot water bottles) 34, 35 are stored in the second and third hot water bottle storage sections 32, 33.

[0033] The second and third hot water bottles 34, 35 are rectangular containers made of heat-insulating plastic, and each has a pouring spout 26 with a lid formed on its bottom. The thickness of the second and third hot water bottles 34, 35 is the same as the thickness of the backrest panel 29. As a result, when the second and third hot water bottles 34, 35 are stored in the corresponding second and third hot water bottle storage sections 32, 33, the height of the opening faces of the second and third hot water bottle storage sections 32, 33 and the height of the surfaces of the second and third hot water bottles 34, 35 match, respectively. As a result, the discomfort and pain felt by the user when sitting in the bathing assistance wheelchair 10 due to the difference in height between the surfaces of the second and third hot water bottles 34, 35 and the opening faces of the corresponding second and third hot water bottle storage sections 32, 33 can be eliminated.

[0034] Each handle 14 is a short stainless steel pipe, and the base end of each handle 14 is connected to the left and right ends of the upper frame part of the backrest frame 27. Each armrest 15 is a long stainless steel pipe, and its base end is pivotally supported at the middle in the height direction of the left and right frame parts of the backrest frame 27 so as to be able to rise and fall. Each wheel 16 is a caster with a stopper.

[0035] Each foot plate 17 is a horizontally long stainless steel plate, and both ends in the longitudinal direction are pivotally supported by the front end of the bottom frame 18 via short links so that they can be raised and lowered. 1, a small fourth hot water bottle storage section (hot water bottle storage section) 36 and a fourth hot water bottle (hot water bottle) 37 may be provided on each foot plate 17. This prevents the user from feeling cold when placing their feet on the foot plate 17.

[0036] Next, a method of using the bath assistance wheelchair 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, in the bathroom of an elderly care facility, hot water from a tap is poured into the first to third hot water bottles 25, 34, 35 through each of the open hot water inlets 26. After pouring, the lids on each of the hot water inlets 26 are closed. At this time, the surface temperature of the first to third hot water bottles 25, 34, 35 is set to 43°C, which is comfortable for the elderly. After that, the first to third hot water bottles 25, 34, 35 are stored in the corresponding first to third hot water bottle storage compartments 24, 32, 33, respectively.

[0037] Next, in the changing room next to the bathroom, the user takes off his / her clothes and sits in the bathing assistance wheelchair 10. At this time, the seat 12 and backrest 13, which come into direct contact with the user's skin, are warmed by the first to third hot water bottles 25, 34, 35, providing the user with warmth and a sense of security. As a result, the risk of the user's blood pressure rising due to the coldness of the seating position and suffering from heat shock can be eliminated. Thereafter, the caregiver pushes the bathing assistance wheelchair 10 to move the user from the dressing room to the bathroom, where the user takes a bath or shower.

[0038] After using the bathing assistance wheelchair 10, the first to third hot water bottles 25, 34, 35 are removed from the corresponding first to third hot water bottle storage compartments 24, 32, 33, and the covers of the pouring spouts 26 are opened to drain the water. In this way, the first to third hot water bottles 25, 34, 35 are detachably provided in the corresponding first to third hot water bottle storage sections 24, 32, 33, which makes it easy to pour hot water into the first to third hot water bottles 25, 34, 35 and to drain the water after use.

[0039] Furthermore, this bathing assistance wheelchair 10 can also be used as a wheelchair for preventing heat stroke, for example, in a high temperature environment such as outdoors in summer, by pouring water (including cold water and iced water) into the first to third hot water bottles 25, 34, 35 instead of hot water. In addition, the hot water (water) filled in the first to third hot water bottles 25, 34, 35 can be used as water for daily life in the event of a disaster, and the first to third hot water bottles 25, 34, 35 when empty with the lids sealed can be used as floats (floating devices) to rescue drowning persons in the event of a water accident, for example.

[0040] In addition, the first to third hot water bottles 25, 34, 35 have a capacity of 2 liters, which makes them easy to carry, and they can maintain their function as hot water bottles for a long time.They are also light enough for women to carry easily, making them easy to attach and detach from the first to third hot water bottles 25, 34, 35 in the first to third hot water bottle storage sections 24, 32, 33.

[0041] Furthermore, as in the bathing assistance wheelchair 10A shown in Figure 3, the seat panel 23, backrest panel 29 and backrest panel side partition frame 31, which are the forming parts of the first to third hot water bottle storage sections 24, 32, 33, may be first to third frame-shaped containers (frame-shaped containers) 23A, 29A, 31A each provided with a lidded inlet 26A and drain outlet 26B through which hot water that is hotter than hot water (for example, 75°C) can be poured. As a result, the hot water in the first to third hot water bottles 25, 34, 35 stored in the first to third hot water bottle storage sections 24, 32, 33 is warmed from the surroundings by the hot water in the first to third frame-shaped containers 23A, 29A, 31A. As a result, the heat retention of the first to third hot water bottles 25, 34, 35 is improved.

[0042] In order to prevent burns and other injuries caused by the user's skin coming into direct contact with the first to third framed containers 23A, 29A, 31A containing hot water, the outer panels of the first to third framed containers 23A, 29A, 31A may be made thick, or a temperature-regulating sheet such as a towel or heat-resistant sheet of an appropriate thickness may be layered on the surface of each outer panel (not shown). [Industrial Applicability]

[0043] INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is useful as a bathing assistance wheelchair technology for moving a user who has undressed in a dressing room, bedroom, or the like, to a bathroom when taking a bath. [Explanation of symbols]

[0044] 10. Bathing assistance wheelchair 10A Bathing wheelchair 11 Body 12 Seat 13 Backrest 16 wheels 23A First frame-shaped container (frame-shaped container) 24 First hot water bottle storage section (hot water bottle storage section) 32 Second hot water bottle storage section (hot water bottle storage section) 33 Third hot water bottle storage section (hot water bottle storage section) 25 The first hot water bottle (hot water bottle) 29A Second frame-shaped container (frame-shaped container) 31A Third framed container (framed container) 32 The second hot water bottle (hot water bottle) 33 The third hot water bottle (hot water bottle) 36 4th hot water bottle storage section (hot water bottle storage section) 37 The Fourth Hot Water Bottle (Hot Water Bottle)

Claims

1. A bathing assistance wheelchair having a seat, a backrest, and running wheels arranged on a body, Of the seat portion and the backrest portion, at least the seat portion is formed with a hot water bottle storage section, and a hot water bottle into which hot water for warming the body is poured is detachably stored in the hot water bottle storage section, A wheelchair for bathing assistance, characterized in that the portion forming the hot water bottle storage section is a frame-shaped container with a lid into which hot water having a temperature higher than that of the hot water is poured.

2. The hot water bottle storage section is formed by recessing at least the surface of the seat section out of the seat section and the backrest section, A bath assistance wheelchair as described in claim 1, characterized in that the depth of the hot water bottle storage section is such that when the hot water bottle is stored, the height of the opening face of the hot water bottle storage section and the surface of the hot water bottle are the same.

3. 3. The bath assistance wheelchair according to claim 1, wherein the hot water bottle is hand-held and has a capacity of 1 to 3 liters.

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