Assistive devices and wheelchairs

Abstract

To provide an assisting device and a wheelchair that can accurately grasp an assisted person's standing up intention in the process in which the assisted person is shifted from a seated state to a standing up state and can support appropriate standing up of the assisted person by reflecting the accurate grasp.SOLUTION: An assisting device 1 includes a seating unit 100 in which an assisted person can be seated, a state acquisition unit 110 provided in the seating unit 100 to acquire the seated state of the assisted person, and an estimation unit 120 for estimating a shift state in a standing up operation of the assisted person, on the basis of the seated state acquired by the state acquisition unit 110. Further, the assisting device 1 includes an elevating drive unit 60 for elevating and lowering the seating unit 100, and a control unit 30 capable of controlling the elevating drive unit 60. The control unit 30 can control the elevating drive unit 60 to elevate and lower the seated unit 100 on the basis of the shift state. As a result, the assisting device 1 supports standing up of the assisted person. Further, the assisting device 1 can be mounted on a wheelchair 1.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an assist device and a wheelchair, and more particularly to an assist device that assists a person requiring care to stand up and a wheelchair having the assist device. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there is known an assist system that assists a person being assisted who is seated on a chair to stand up (for example, Patent Document 1). The assist system according to the invention of Patent Document 1 detects the angle of the knee joint of the person being assisted who is seated on the seat of the auxiliary chair using a knee angle sensor, and controls the pushing up of the seat of the auxiliary chair based on the detected knee angle. The assist system according to the invention of Patent Document 1 also includes at least one load sensor, which is a seat load sensor, an armrest load sensor, and a footrest load sensor, and determines whether the person being assisted is trying to stand up based on the increase or decrease in load detected by the load sensor. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2013-56041 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Incidentally, in order to assist the assisted person to stand up from the seat as described above, it is necessary to grasp the intention of the assisted person to stand up more accurately in the process of the assisted person moving from the seated state to the standing up state. In addition, it is necessary to provide an appropriate support for the assisted person to stand up that reflects the assisted person's intention to stand up. However, the assist system according to the invention of the above-mentioned Patent Document 1 does not accurately determine the intention of the assisted person at each stage of moving from the seated state to the standing up state. In addition, the assist system according to the invention of Patent Document 1 determines the intention of the assisted person to stand up and assists the assisted person up to the stage before standing up (the stage where the assisted person is about to stand up), but does not assist the assisted person in the overall standing up action until standing up is completed. In addition, the assist system according to the invention of Patent Document 1 is provided as an auxiliary chair and is not applied to a movable wheelchair.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide an assistance device and wheelchair that can accurately grasp the assisted person's intention to stand up as they transition from a seated position to a standing position, and can provide appropriate assistance to the assisted person to stand up that reflects this. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] (1) The auxiliary device of the present invention provided to solve the above-mentioned problems is an auxiliary device that assists an assisted person in standing up, and comprises a seating section on which the assisted person can sit, a state acquisition section provided on the seating section and acquiring the seated state of the assisted person, an estimation section that estimates a transition state in the standing up motion of the assisted person based on the seated state acquired by the state acquisition section, a lifting / lowering drive section that raises and lowers the seating section, and a control section that can control the lifting / lowering drive section, and the control section controls the lifting / lowering drive section based on the transition state to raise and lower the seating section.

[0007] The above-mentioned assisting device of the present invention can estimate the transition state of the assisted person's standing up motion based on the seating state of the assisted person acquired by the state acquisition unit. Therefore, the posture change of the assisted person's standing up motion can be accurately estimated according to the transition state. In addition, the assisting device of the present invention can control the lifting and lowering motion of the seating part based on the transition state estimated by the estimation unit. This allows for appropriate standing up support that accurately reflects the assisted person's intention to stand up.

[0008] (2) In the above-mentioned auxiliary device of the present invention, the estimation unit is capable of estimating the transition state in the standing-up motion of the assisted person in a step-by-step manner, and the control unit is capable of controlling the lifting drive unit in a step-by-step manner based on each stage of the transition state to raise and lower the seating unit.

[0009] According to this configuration, it is possible to control the elevation of the seating section in a way that is appropriate for each transition state of each stage. This allows the control of the standing up support of the assisted person to be performed quickly, and therefore allows the control of the standing up support to be performed in a way that more accurately reflects the assisted person's intention to stand up.

[0010] When the person being assisted transitions from a seated position to a standing position, it is possible that the person being assisted may stop standing up midway or take too long to stand up. In such cases, it is considered desirable to stop or lower the lifting of the seating section.

[0011] (3) Based on this knowledge, the auxiliary device of the present invention may be configured so that, when the control unit has elapsed a predetermined time set for each stage of the transition state, the control unit controls the lifting drive unit to stop the lifting or lowering of the seating unit.

[0012] According to this configuration, it is possible to prevent the assisted person from performing an unintended standing up support action, thereby preventing the assisted person from losing his / her posture.

[0013] Here, when the person being assisted transitions from a seated state to a standing state, it is thought that the change in pressure (load) that the seating portion receives from the person being assisted changes sequentially for each row in the front-to-rear direction of the seating portion.

[0014] (4) Based on this knowledge, the auxiliary device of the present invention may have a plurality of state acquisition units provided at least along the width direction of the seating area, and the estimation unit may estimate the transition state by calculating and processing the acquired values ​​of each of the state acquisition units provided along the width direction among the plurality of state acquisition units.

[0015] The above-mentioned assisting device can acquire the respective acquired values ​​of the multiple state acquiring units provided along the width direction of the seating portion, and can perform arithmetic processing of the acquired values. Here, the arithmetic processing may be performed by adding the respective acquired values ​​obtained along the width direction in the row direction. This allows the change in pressure (load) received by the assisted person on the seating portion to be acquired with emphasis along the width direction of the seating portion. This allows the assisted person to appropriately grasp a slight change in posture during the standing up motion of the assisted person. In addition, an assisting device capable of providing a standing up support motion with high accuracy that reflects this can be provided. Here, the state acquiring unit may be, for example, various sensors such as a pressure sensor or a load sensor. In addition, the state acquiring unit may be provided so as to form a row along the width direction of the seating portion, and the row of the state acquiring unit may be formed in a plurality of rows in the depth direction (front-back direction) of the seating portion.

[0016] (5) The wheelchair of the present invention, provided to solve the above-mentioned problems, is characterized by having the above-mentioned assist device.

[0017] According to this configuration, it is possible to provide a wheelchair equipped with the above-mentioned assist device, which makes it possible to assist a person receiving assistance in standing up even in a wheelchair, which is a moving object.

[0018] (6) The wheelchair of the present invention described above has a footrest and a storage detection unit that detects when the footrest is stored, and when the storage detection unit detects when the footrest is stored, the control unit determines that the assisted person intends to start standing up and starts controlling the lifting drive unit.

[0019] According to this configuration, it is possible to prevent the standing up assistance from being performed while the wheelchair is moving. This makes it possible to prevent the standing up assistance from being performed unintentionally by the assisted person, and to prevent the assisted person from losing their posture. Effect of the Invention

[0020] According to the present invention, an assist device and wheelchair can be provided that are capable of accurately grasping the assisted person's intention to stand up as they transition from a seated position to a standing position, and providing appropriate assistance to the assisted person to stand up that reflects this. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a wheelchair that employs an assist device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an explanatory perspective view of the wheelchair of FIG. 1. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the wheelchair in FIG. [Figure 4] 2 is a configuration diagram of a status acquisition unit constituting the auxiliary device of the present invention. FIG. [Diagram 5] 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of calculation of an acquired value in a state acquisition unit constituting the auxiliary device of the present invention; FIG. [Figure 6] (a1) is an explanatory diagram showing the detection state of the state acquisition unit for seating pattern 1 in MODE=0, and (a2) is an explanatory diagram showing the seating state of the assisted person in MODE=0. (b1) is an explanatory diagram showing the detection state of the state acquisition unit for seating pattern 1 in MODE=1, and (b2) is an explanatory diagram showing the seating state (2 patterns) of the assisted person in MODE=1. [Figure 7](c1) is an explanatory diagram showing the detection state of the state acquisition unit for seating pattern 2 in MODE=2, and (c2) is an explanatory diagram showing the seating state of the assisted person in MODE=2. (d1) is an explanatory diagram showing the detection state of the state acquisition unit for seating pattern 3 in MODE=3, and (d2) is an explanatory diagram showing the seating state of the assisted person in MODE=3. [Figure 8] (e1) is an explanatory diagram showing the detection state of the state acquisition unit for seating pattern 4 in MODE=4, and (e2) is an explanatory diagram showing the seating state of the assisted person in MODE=4. (f1) is an explanatory diagram showing the detection state of the state acquisition unit for seating pattern 5 in MODE=5, and (f2) is an explanatory diagram showing the seating state of the assisted person in MODE=5. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing criteria for the determination state in FIGS. 6 to 8. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a transition pattern (MODE=3 to 4) in the assist device of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 4 is a flow chart (main routine) showing an example of the operation of the auxiliary device of the present invention. [Figure 12] This is a continuation of the flow diagram of Figure 11. [Figure 13] This is a continuation of the flow diagram of Figure 11. [Figure 14] 4 is a flow chart of a subroutine for determining a seating pattern in a state acquisition unit constituting the assist device of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 15] This is a continuation of the flow diagram of Figure 14. [Figure 16] FIG. 11 is a flow chart (subroutine) regarding a counter check in the auxiliary device of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] An embodiment of an assist device 1 according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 1 to 9. In this embodiment, the assist device 1 will be described as being incorporated in an electric wheelchair 1 (also referred to as wheelchair 1).

[0023] <About the configuration of wheelchair 1> As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the wheelchair 1 has a body 2 which is the main body of the wheelchair 1. The body 2 is provided with a rear support member 2a erected on the rear side, a pair of wheels 3L, 3R (also referred to as drive wheels 3L, 3R) rotatably supported on the rear side of the body as drive wheels, and a pair of omnidirectional wheels 4, 4 rotatably supported on the front side of the body as driven wheels. Note that the wheel 3R is not shown in Figure 1 because it is hidden by the body 2.

[0024] The vehicle body 2 includes a seating section 100 on which a person receiving assistance such as a person requiring care can sit and board, a state acquiring section 110 provided in the seating section 100, and an estimating section 120 for estimating a transition state during a standing-up motion of the person receiving assistance. The vehicle body 2 also includes a pair of operating sections 10L, 10R operated by a caregiver or the like (also referred to as an operator), an operation amount acquiring section 20 for detecting an operating force applied by the operator, a footrest 70 provided below the front end side of the seating section 100 and rotatable around a fixed shaft (not shown) provided on the front end side of the vehicle body 2, and the like.

[0025] In addition to the above-mentioned configuration, the vehicle body 2 is equipped with wheel drive units 40L, 40R, a wheel rotation speed detection unit 50, a lift drive unit 60 that raises and lowers the seating portion 100, and a control unit 30 that performs various controls of the lift drive unit 60 and the wheelchair 1. Note that the wheel drive unit 40R is not shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

[0026] The operation units 10L, 10R are provided on both ends of the rear support member 2a in the vehicle width direction. The operation units 10L, 10R are formed of rod-shaped members. One end of the operation units 10L, 10R is supported by the vehicle body 2 so as to be swingable, and the other end is a free end. The operation units 10L, 10R are bent in the middle, and the part supported on the vehicle body 2 side is formed so as to extend along the side of the rear support member 2a. In addition, the operation unit 10 is formed so as to extend from the rear support member 2a toward the rear side of the vehicle body 2 and incline at a predetermined angle so that the operator can easily grip and operate it on the rear side of the vehicle body 2. The operation sides of the operation units 10L, 10R are arranged apart along the vehicle width direction so that the ends face each other. In addition, the support sides of the operation units 10L, 10R are supported by the rear support member 2a so as to be swingable. Therefore, the operation units 10L, 10R can be independently swung.

[0027] 3, an operation amount acquiring unit 20 is provided on the support side of each of the operation units 10L, 10R. The operation amount acquiring unit 20 has, for example, a pair of pressure sensors 22, 22 made of load cells, a signal amplifier 23 that amplifies a signal detected by the pressure sensors 22, 22, an A / D converter 24 that converts an analog signal from the signal amplifier 23 into a digital signal, and the like. The operation amount acquiring unit 20 can independently acquire the operation forces applied to the operation units 10L, 10R by the respective pressure sensors 22, 22.

[0028] The control unit 30 is connected to the wheel drive units 40L and 40R, the wheel rotation speed detection unit 50, the lift drive unit 60, the estimation unit 120 connected to the state acquisition unit 110, the storage detection unit 71 that detects the storage state of the footrest 70, and the like. The control unit 30 can raise and lower the seating unit 100 by controlling the lift drive unit 60. The control of the lift drive unit 60 will be described in detail later. The control unit 30 outputs a set value (e.g., the number of rotations) to the wheel drive units 40L and 40R, which will be described later, based on the difference between the operation amounts acquired by the operation units 10L and 10R. The control unit 30 can control the wheelchair 1 according to the storage state of the footrest 70 in the storage detection unit 71. The control unit 30 can also perform various controls on the wheelchair 1 in addition to the above. The control unit 30 may not only be configured as a single unit, but may be configured as a plurality of units according to the members that constitute it.

[0029] The wheel drive unit 40 is formed of, for example, an in-wheel motor and a motor driver, etc., and is connected to each of the wheels 3L, 3R. The wheel drive units 40L, 40R can rotate the wheels 3L, 3R independently. The wheel drive units 40L, 40R are independently driven and controlled based on a set value (e.g., the number of rotations) output from the control unit 30. This allows the wheelchair 1 to move forward by driving the wheels 3L, 3R by the wheel drive units 40L, 40R, and to turn in each direction by the omnidirectional wheels 4, 4 (see FIG. 1).

[0030] The wheel rotation speed detection unit 50 is provided on the wheels 3L, 3R as driving wheels, and can detect the wheel rotation speed of each of the wheels 3L, 3R. For example, an encoder that detects an angle is used as the wheel rotation speed detection unit 50. In addition, the wheel rotation speed detection unit 50 can be provided in various locations, such as the wheel axle or the wheel drive unit 40, as long as the location allows the rotation speed of the wheel 3 to be detected.

[0031] The lifting / lowering drive unit 60 is provided below the seating unit 100 as shown in FIG. 2. The lifting / lowering drive unit 60 includes a motor for lifting / lowering the seating unit 100, a rail (not shown) provided along the vertical direction of the rear support member 2a, and a slider 61 provided on the seating unit 100 and slidable on the rail. The lifting / lowering drive unit 60 is connected to the control unit 30 and controlled according to a command from the control unit 30. The lifting / lowering drive unit 60 can lift / lower the seating unit 100 between position 1 (also referred to as P1) on the lower end side and position 4 (also referred to as P4) on the upper end side. In this embodiment, position 2 (also referred to as P2) and position 3 (also referred to as P3), which will be described later, are set between position 1 and position 4 (see FIG. 7).

[0032] Furthermore, the lifting drive unit 60 can lift and lower the armrest unit 103 integrally with the seating surface unit 101 in conjunction with the lifting and lowering of the seating unit 100. Therefore, when the person being assisted stands up, the load on the person being assisted can be distributed by the seating surface unit 101 and the armrest unit 103, making it easier for the person being assisted to stand up.

[0033] The footrest 70 is supported rotatably around a fixed shaft (not shown) provided on the front end side of the body 2. The footrest 70 can rotate between a flipped-up state in which the footrest 70 is stored and a flat state in which the assisted person places their feet on it. The footrest 70 can be swung by the assisted person or the caregiver. The footrest 70 is provided with a sensor that serves as a storage detection unit 71, which can detect that the footrest 70 has been stored (put into a flipped-up state). In this embodiment, when it is detected that the footrest 70 has been stored, the operation unit 10 of the wheelchair 1 does not perform drive assistance. In this embodiment, when the storage detection unit 71 detects that the footrest 70 has been stored, it is determined that the assisted person intends to start standing up, and control of the lifting and lowering drive unit 60 can be started.

[0034] Next, details of the seating section 100 on which the assisted person sits will be described with reference to Fig. 4. The seating section 100 has a seat surface section 101 on which the assisted person sits, a backrest section 102 that supports the back of the assisted person, and armrest sections 103R, 103L (armrest section 103) on which the assisted person rests his / her elbows. In addition, a plurality of state acquisition sections 110 are provided for each of the seat surface section 101, the backrest section 102, and the armrest section 103. Each state acquisition section 110 is connected to an estimation section 120.

[0035] The status acquisition unit 110 is composed of a sensor such as a pressure sensor. The status acquisition unit 110 also has a signal amplifier 111 that amplifies a signal detected by the sensor, and an A / D converter 112 that converts an analog signal from the signal amplifier 111 into a digital signal. The status acquisition unit 110 can detect the load (pressure) applied when the assisted person is seated. In the following description, the status acquisition unit 110 may be referred to as sensors a, b, s depending on the location where the sensor is located. The sensors a, b, s may be referred to by adding a number to an alphabetic symbol depending on the location where the sensor is located.

[0036] A plurality of sensors s are arranged on the seat 101. The seat 101 is provided with rows of sensors s11-s41, s12-s42, and s13-s43 along the width direction (vertical direction in the figure) of the wheelchair 1. The sensor rows of sensors s11-s41, s12-s42, and s13-s43 are aligned in sequence from the front end side to the rear end side of the seat 101 (also referred to as the front-rear direction or depth direction).

[0037] A plurality of sensors b are arranged on the backrest 102. On the backrest 102, sensors b11 and b21, and sensors b12 and b22 are arranged in a row along the width direction of the wheelchair 1, and are sequentially aligned from the lower end side to the upper end side of the backrest 102.

[0038] In the armrest portion 103R, sensors a11 and a12 are arranged along the front-rear direction of the wheelchair 1. In addition, in the armrest portion 103L, sensors a21 and a22 are arranged along the front-rear direction of the wheelchair 1. Here, the sensors a11 and a21, and the sensors a12 and a22 each form a row along the width direction of the wheelchair 1.

[0039] The estimation unit 120 is connected to each of the sensors a, b, and s described above. The estimation unit 120 can estimate the transition state of the assisted person's standing up motion in a stepwise manner from the values ​​acquired by each of the sensors a, b, and s. The estimation unit 120 is also connected to the control unit 30, and transmits the estimated transition state to the control unit 30. The estimated transition state may be continuous rather than stepwise. The estimation unit 120 may be a separate device, or may be performed by the control unit 30.

[0040] Next, the calculation process of the output values ​​(acquired values) of the sensors a, b, and s of the state acquisition unit 110 and the threshold values ​​used to determine the seating state of the assisted person will be described with reference to FIG.

[0041] <About the calculation process and thresholds of the output values ​​of each sensor> First, in estimating the transition state in the standing-up motion of the assisted person, the output values ​​of the sensors a, b, and s are acquired in the state acquisition unit 110. As a result of intensive studies by the present inventors, it has been found that the output values ​​change from the rear side to the front side in the traveling direction of the wheelchair 1 as the assisted person stands up.

[0042] Therefore, in the assist device 1 (wheelchair 1) of the present invention, the total S1 of the front row of sensors s11 to s41 formed along the width direction of the seat surface portion 101, the total S2 of the middle row of sensors s12 to s42, and the total S3 of the rear row of sensors s13 to s43 are calculated. In the backrest portion 102, the total B1 of the lower row of sensors b11 and b21 formed along the width direction and the total B2 of the upper row of sensors b12 and b22 are calculated. In the armrest portions 103R and 103L, the total A1 of the front row of sensors a11 and a21 formed along the width direction and the total A2 of the rear row of sensors a12 and a22 are calculated. The specific calculation processing method and the setting of the thresholds are described in detail below.

[0043] The sums S1, S2, and S3 of the sensor output values ​​in the seating surface portion 101 are calculated by the following (Equation 1), (Equation 2), and (Equation 3), respectively.

[0044] S1=s11+s21+s31+s41...(Formula 1) S2=s12+s22+s32+s42...(Formula 2) S3=s13+s23+s33+s43...(Formula 3)

[0045] A seating state determination threshold S1thr and a high pressure determination threshold S1Hthr are set for the total S1, a seating state determination threshold S2thr is set for the total S2, and a seating state determination threshold S3thr is set for the total S3.

[0046] Moreover, the sums A1 and A2 of the sensor output values ​​in both armrest portions 103R and 103L are calculated by the following (Equation 4) and (Equation 5), respectively.

[0047] A1=a21+a11...(Formula 4) A2=a22+a12...(Formula 5)

[0048] A seating state determination threshold A1thr and a high pressure determination threshold A1Hthr are set for the total A1, and a seating state determination threshold A2thr is set for the total A2.

[0049] Moreover, the sums B1 and B2 of the sensor output values ​​in the backrest portion 102 are calculated by the following (Equation 6) and (Equation 7), respectively.

[0050] B1=b21+b11...(Formula 6) B2=b22+b12...(Formula 7)

[0051] A seated state determination threshold B1thr is set for the total B1, and a seated state determination threshold B2thr is set for the total B2. Here, the seated state determination threshold is a threshold for determining that the assisted person is seated, and when the assisted person is seated, the sum of the sensor output values ​​of each row is sufficiently greater than or equal to the threshold. In addition, the high pressure determination threshold is a threshold for detecting that a stronger pressure is applied to each sensor when the assisted person stands up than when the assisted person is seated.

[0052] Therefore, in the front row of the seat 101, the relationship between the seating state determination threshold S1thr and the high pressure determination threshold S1Hthr is seating state determination threshold S1thr<high ​​pressure determination threshold S1Hthr. Also, in the front row of the armrest 103, the relationship between the seating state determination threshold A1thr and the high pressure determination threshold A1Hthr is seating state determination threshold A1thr<high ​​pressure determination threshold A1Hthr.

[0053] As described above, the assisting device 1 of the present invention can obtain the respective values ​​obtained from the multiple sensors s, a, and b provided along the width direction of the seating portion 100 by adding them up for each sensor row along the width direction of the seating portion 100. Therefore, the change in pressure (load) received by the assisted person on the seating portion 100 can be obtained by emphasizing it along the width direction of the seating portion 100. This makes it possible to properly grasp even a slight change in posture during the standing up motion of the assisted person. In addition, since the change in pressure received from the assisted person along the front-to-back direction (depth direction) of the seating portion 100 can be sequentially grasped for each of the multiple sensor rows, the change in posture during the standing up motion of the assisted person can be properly grasped.

[0054] Next, the estimation of the transition state during the standing up motion of the assisted person will be described in detail with reference to Figs. 6 to 8. In each of Figs. 6 to 8, (a1) to (f1) shown on the upper side are explanatory diagrams showing the states of the sensors s, a, and b in each of the seating patterns 1 to 4. Also, in each of Figs. 6 to 8, (a2) to (f2) shown on the lower side are explanatory diagrams showing each stage (MODE=0 to 5) of the transition state during the standing up motion of the assisted person.

[0055] FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing the reference output states of the sensors s, a, and b in each of FIGS. 6 to 8 and the threshold values ​​used to determine the seating pressure. In the figure, the output states of the sensors s, a, and b are represented by the density of hatching, and the higher the density of hatching, the higher the sensor output. The output values ​​of the sensors surrounded by dashed lines are not involved in the determination (not involved). This is because they do not affect the estimation of the transition state. The output values ​​of the sensors s, a, and b are added up for each row as described above and output. The seating pressure is determined by comparing the sums of the sensor output values ​​for each row S1 to S3, A1 to A2, and B1 to B2 with the threshold values.

[0056] FIG. 6(a2) shows a transition state in which the person being assisted is seated on the seating section 100 of the wheelchair 1, and this transition state is set as MODE=0 (also referred to as MODE0). In MODE0, each sensor s in the seating section 101 outputs the seating pressure (see FIG. 9) of the seating pattern shown in FIG. 6(a1). The seating pressure pattern in MODE0 is set as seating pattern 1. In seating pattern 1, all sensor output values ​​in the seating section 101 are output as the seating pressure state (see FIG. 9). Note that the seating state of the seating section 100 in seating patterns 1 to 4 is determined based on the seating state determination thresholds S1thr to S3thr, A1thr, A2thr, B1thr, and B2thr, and the high pressure determination thresholds S1Hthr and A1Hthr. A specific determination will be described in the operation flow described later.

[0057] The transition state on the left side of FIG. 6(b2) represents the state in which the footrest 70 of the wheelchair 1 is stored, and the transition state on the right side represents the transition state in which the assisted person starts to stand up (the state in which the assisted person's back is separated from the backrest portion 102). Both of these transition states are set as MODE=1 (also referred to as MODE1). In MODE1, each sensor s in the seat portion 101 outputs the seating pressure (see FIG. 9) of the seating pattern as shown in FIG. 6(b1). The seating pattern output in MODE1 is set as seating pattern 1. The determination of the seating pressure state is the same as described above, and therefore will not be described.

[0058] FIG. 7(c2) shows a transition state in which the assisted person starts to stand up and pressure is applied to the sensors a11 and a21 in the front row of the armrest section 103. Also, it shows a transition state in which the seating section 100 is raised and lowered from position 1 (P1) to position 2 (P2). This transition state is set as MODE=2 (also referred to as MODE2). In MODE2, each sensor s in the seating section 101 outputs the seating pressure (see FIG. 9) of the seating pattern shown in FIG. 7(c1). Also, the sensors a11 and a22 in the armrest section 103 output the seating pressure of the seating pattern shown in FIG. 7(c1). The seating pattern output in MODE2 is set as seating pattern 2. In seating pattern 2, the output values ​​of all the sensors in the seating section 101 are output as the seating pressure state (see FIG. 9), and the output values ​​of the sensors a11 and a21 in the front row of the armrest section 103 are output as the seating pressure state.

[0059] FIG. 7(d2) shows a transition state in which the assisted person is in the middle of standing up and strong pressure is applied to the sensors a11 and a21 in the front row of the armrest section 103. Also, it shows a transition state in which the seating section 100 is raised and lowered from position 2 (P2) to position 3 (P3). This transition state is set as MODE=3 (also called MODE3). In MODE3, each sensor s in the seating section 101 outputs a seating pressure of the seating pattern shown in FIG. 7(d1). Also, the sensors a11 and a22 in the armrest section 103 output a seating pressure of the seating pattern shown in FIG. 7(d1). The seating pattern output in MODE3 is set as seating pattern 3. In seating pattern 3, the sensor output values ​​of the front row of the seating section 101 and the armrest section 103 are output as a high pressure state (see FIG. 9), and the sensor output values ​​of the sensor in the center row in the front-rear direction of the seating section 101 are output as a seating pressure state.

[0060] FIG. 8(e2) shows a transition state in which the person being assisted is in the final stage of standing up, sitting on the front end of the seat 101 and placing his / her hands firmly on the front end of the armrest 103. That is, it shows a transition state in which strong pressure is applied to the front ends of the seat 101 and the armrest 103. At this time, strong pressure is applied to the sensor rows s11 to s41 in the seat 101 and the sensors a11 and a21 in the armrest 103. It also shows a transition state in which the seat 100 is raised and lowered from position 3 to position 4. This transition state is set as MODE=4 (also referred to as MODE4). In MODE4, each sensor s in the seat 101 outputs a seating pressure in a seating pattern as shown in FIG. 8(e1). Also, the sensors a11 and a22 in the armrest 103 output a seating pressure in a seating pattern as shown in FIG. 8(e1). The seating pattern output in MODE 4 is set as seating pattern 4. In seating pattern 4, the output values ​​of the sensor rows s11 to s41 on the front end side of the seat surface portion 101 and the sensors a11 and a21 in the front rows of the armrest portion 103 are output as a high pressure state (see FIG. 9).

[0061] FIG. 8(f2) shows a transition state in which the assisted person is about to complete the standing up motion and lightly places his / her hand on the front end side of the armrest portion 103. That is, it shows a transition state in which light pressure is applied to the front end side of the armrest portion 103. At this time, light pressure is applied to the sensors a11 and a21 in the armrest portion 103. It also shows a transition state in which the seating portion 100 is located at position 4. This transition state is set as MODE=5 (also called MODE5). In MODE5, the sensors a11 and a22 in the armrest portion 103 output the seating pressure of the seating pattern shown in FIG. 8(f1). The seating pattern output in MODE5 is set as seating pattern 5. In seating pattern 5, the output values ​​of the front row sensors a11 and a21 in the armrest portion 103 are output as the seating pressure state (see FIG. 9).

[0062] As described above, the assist device 1 of the present invention can estimate the transition state of the assisted person's standing up motion based on the seated state of the assisted person acquired by the state acquisition unit 110. Therefore, the posture change of the assisted person's standing up motion can be accurately estimated according to the transition state. In addition, the assist device 1 of the present invention can control the lifting and lowering motion of the seating unit 100 based on the transition state estimated by the estimation unit 120. This makes it possible to provide appropriate standing up support that accurately reflects the assisted person's intention to stand up.

[0063] <Example of transition from MODE3 to MODE4> Next, a specific example of a mode transition will be described with reference to FIG. 10, taking the transition from MODE 3 to MODE 4 as an example. The top three rows in the figure show three patterns for transitioning from MODE 3 to MODE 4. The middle row in the figure shows the change in the counter value over time. The bottom row in the figure shows the change in the position of the seat portion 101 (also called the seat 101) over time.

[0064] <MODE transition while the seat is raised> First, a case where the seat 101 transitions from MODE 3 to MODE 4 while it is rising (P2 to P3) will be described. When MODE 3 starts, the seat 101 rises proportionally from P2 to P3 as time passes. The counter value increases from 0 to 3. Here, the counter value 3 is a time-over value when a predetermined time has elapsed in MODE 4. As the seat 101 rises from P2 to P3, the seating pattern 3 transitions to seating pattern 4. As the seating pattern 3 transitions to seating pattern 4, MODE 3 is switched to MODE 4. The MODE switching is performed by the estimation unit 120. The MODE switching may also be performed by the control unit 30.

[0065] <When the mode transition occurs after the seat has been raised> Next, a case where the seat 101 moves from MODE3 to MODE4 after it has risen to P3 will be described. When MODE3 starts, the seat 101 moves proportionally from P2 to P3 over time. The counter value increases from 0 to 3. After the seat 101 has completed moving up to P3, MODE3 is switched to MODE4 as seating pattern 3 moves to seating pattern 4. The MODE switching is performed by the estimation unit 120. The MODE switching may also be performed by the control unit 30.

[0066] <When the mode changes after the time is up> Next, a description will be given of a transition of the MODE when a predetermined time has elapsed (time-up) after the seat 101 has risen to P3. When MODE3 starts, the seat 101 rises proportionally from P2 to P3 as time passes. When a predetermined time has elapsed after the seat 101 reaches P3, the counter value 3 is set. When the counter value is set to 3, MODE3 is returned to the initial state (MODE0). That is, the seat 101 descends from P3 to P1, and the counter value is returned to 0. Note that the seat 101 may be stopped without descending. The MODE switching is performed by the estimation unit 120. The MODE switching may be performed by the control unit 30. In this way, when the seat 101 reaches a predetermined position and a predetermined time has elapsed, the seat 101 is lowered or stopped, thereby preventing the assisted person from losing his / her posture.

[0067] The above is an example of switching from MODE 3 to MODE 4, but the same method is used for switching between other modes. Next, the operation of the assist device 1 (wheelchair 1) of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the flow charts of Figs. 11 to 16.

[0068] <<About the operation flow>> 11, when the control of the auxiliary device 1 is started, first, in step S100, a seating pattern is discriminated (subroutine S100). Hereinafter, the process of the subroutine S100 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0069] <Seating pattern determination (subroutine S100)> When the determination of the seating pattern is started, the sensor value is acquired in the state acquisition unit 110 (step S101). Then, the seating pattern flag is initialized (reset) (step S102). Here, for example, the seating pattern is set to 0.

[0070] Subsequently, the sensor outputs of the sensors s11 to s41 in the front row of the seat surface portion 101 are added based on (Equation 1), and the total S1 is obtained (step S103). Also, the sensor outputs of the sensors s12 to s42 in the middle row of the seat surface portion 101 are added based on (Equation 2), and the total S2 is obtained (step S104). Also, the sensor outputs of the sensors s13 to s43 in the rear row of the seat surface portion 101 are added based on (Equation 3), and the total S3 is obtained (step S105).

[0071] Also, the sensor outputs of the sensors a11 and a21 in the front row of the armrest portion 103 are added based on (Equation 4), and the total A1 is obtained (step S106). Also, the sensor outputs of the sensors a12 and a22 in the rear row of the armrest portion 103 are added based on (Equation 5), and the total A2 is obtained (step S107).

[0072] Also, the sensor outputs of the sensors b11 and b21 in the lower row of the backrest portion 102 are added based on (Equation 6), and the total B1 is obtained (step S108). Also, the sensor outputs of the sensors b12 and b22 in the upper row of the backrest portion 102 are added based on (Equation 7), and the total B2 is obtained (step S109). When the process of step S109 is executed, the process proceeds to step S120 shown in FIG. 15.

[0073] In step S120, based on the outputs of each sensor row obtained in steps S103 to S109, a specific determination of the sitting pattern is made. That is, in step S120, first, the state of the sensor output in the front row of the seat surface portion 101 is determined. Also, in step S120, a comparison is made between the total S1 and each threshold value. Specifically, a case-by-case analysis is performed according to three conditions: S1thr < S1 < S1Hthr, S1Hthr < S1, and S1 < S1thr. In the condition of S1thr < S1 < S1Hthr, the sitting pattern 1 or 2 is set. Also, in the condition of S1thr < S1, the sitting pattern 3 or 4 is set. Also, in the condition of S1 < S1thr, the sitting pattern 5 is set. Hereinafter, the above three conditions will be described while making a case-by-case analysis.

[0074] ≪S1thr < S1 < S1Hthr (Seating pattern 1 or 2 setting)≫ In step S120, when it is determined that S1thr < S1 < S1Hthr, it is determined whether S2thr < S2 and S3thr < S3 (step S130). That is, it is determined whether S2 and S3 exceed the seating state determination threshold (see FIG. 9). Here, when S2 and S3 exceed the seating state determination threshold, as step S131, the seating pattern flag 1 is set (also referred to as setting) (see FIG. 6(a1)). In step S130, when S2 and S3 do not exceed the seating state determination threshold, the process returns to the main routine shown in FIG. 11.

[0075] Subsequently, it is determined whether the sensor outputs in the armrest part 103 satisfy the conditions of A1thr < A1 < A1Hthr and A2 < A2thr (step S132). Here, when A1 and A2 do not satisfy the above conditions, the process returns to the main routine shown in FIG. 11. When A1 and A2 satisfy the above conditions, it is determined whether the sensor outputs in the backrest part 102 satisfy the conditions of B1 < B1thr and B2 < B2thr (step S133). Here, when B1 and B2 satisfy the above conditions, as step S134, the seating pattern flag 2 is set (see FIG. 7(c1)) and the process returns to the main routine (step S100) shown in FIG. 11. Also in step S133, when the above conditions are not satisfied, the process returns to the main routine (step S100) shown in FIG. 11.

[0076] ≪S1Hthr < S1 (Seating pattern 3 or 4 setting)≫ In step S120, when it is determined that S1Hthr < S1 (S1 exceeds the high-pressure determination threshold), it is determined whether the sensor output of the armrest portion 103 satisfies the conditions of A1Hthr < A1 and A2 < A2thr (step S140). Here, when A1 and A2 satisfy the above conditions, it is determined whether the sensor output in the backrest portion 102 satisfies the conditions of B1thr < B1 and B2 < B2thr (step S141). In step S140, if the above conditions are not satisfied, the process returns to the main routine shown in FIG. 11 (step S100).

[0077] In step S141, when B1 and B2 satisfy the above conditions, it is determined whether the sensor output of the middle row of the seat surface portion 101 satisfies the condition of S2thr < S2 (step S142). That is, in step S141, it is determined whether the total S2 exceeds the seating state determination threshold. In step S142, when the above conditions are satisfied, it is determined whether the sensor output of the rear row of the seat surface portion 101 satisfies the condition of S3 < S3thr (step S143). That is, it is determined whether the total S3 does not exceed the seating state determination threshold.

[0078] In step S143, when the above conditions are satisfied, the seating pattern flag 3 is set as step S144 (see FIG. 7(d1)), and the process returns to the main routine shown in FIG. 11 (step S100). In step S143, if the above conditions are not satisfied, the process returns to the main routine shown in FIG. 11 (step S100).

[0079] In step S142, if the above conditions are not satisfied, it is determined whether the sensor output of the rear row of the seat surface portion 101 satisfies the condition of S3 < S3thr (step S145). That is, it is determined whether the total S3 does not exceed the seating state determination threshold.

[0080] In step S145, if the condition is satisfied, as step S146, the seating pattern flag 4 is set (see Fig. 8(e1)), and the process returns to the main routine (step S100) shown in Fig. 11. In step S145, if the condition is not satisfied, the process returns to the main routine (step S100) shown in Fig. 11.

[0081] ≪S1 < S1thr (Setting of seating pattern 5)≫ In step S120, if it is determined that S1 < S1thr, it is determined whether S2 < S2thr and S3 < S3thr (step S150). That is, it is determined whether S2 and S3 exceed the seating state determination threshold. Here, if S2 and S3 do not exceed the seating state determination threshold, it is determined whether the sensor outputs in the armrest portion 103 satisfy the conditions A1thr < A1 < A1Hthr and A2 < A2thr (step S151). Here, if A1 and A2 do not satisfy the conditions, the process returns to the main routine (step S100) shown in Fig. 11.

[0082] In step S151, if A1 and A2 satisfy the conditions, it is determined whether the sensor outputs in the backrest portion 102 satisfy the conditions B1 < B1thr and B2 < B2thr (step S152). Here, if B1 and B2 satisfy the conditions, as step S153, the seating pattern flag 5 is set (see Fig. 8(f1)), and the process returns to the main routine (step S100) shown in Fig. 11. In step S152, if the conditions are not satisfied, the process returns to the main routine (step S100) shown in Fig. 11.

[0083] The above is the detail of the determination of the seating pattern in step S100 as a subroutine. Next, the flow following step S100 in the main routine will be described with reference to Fig. 11.

[0084] When the processing in the subroutine in step S100 is completed, it is determined whether or not the seating pattern is 1 (step S1). If the seating pattern is not 1 in step S1, the seating pattern determination in step S100 is executed. If the seating pattern is determined to be 1 in step S1, MODE0 (see FIG. 6(a2)) is set (step S2).

[0085] Next, the MODE is judged (step S3). In step S3, it is judged whether the MODE is any one of 0 to 4, and whether the counter is 5. The judgment of each of the above conditions will be described in detail below, categorizing the cases.

[0086] <If the result is MODE0> In step S3, if the mode is MODE0 (see FIG. 6(a2)), the storage detector 71 (see FIG. 1) determines whether the footrest 70 (see FIG. 1) is stored (step S10). If it is determined in step S10 that the footrest 70 is stored, MODE1 (see FIG. 6(b2)) is set (step S11).

[0087] Next, the travel assist prohibition flag is set (step S12). Here, the travel assist prohibition flag is a condition variable for not providing operational assistance (driving assistance) for the operation unit 10 in the wheelchair 1. By setting the travel assist prohibition flag, it can be determined that the assisted person intends to start standing up, and operational assistance for the travel of the wheelchair 1 is stopped. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the travel assistance of the wheelchair 1 from being provided while the assisted person is receiving standing up assistance. This makes it possible to prevent the travel assistance of the wheelchair 1 from being provided unintended by the assisted person, and to prevent the assisted person from losing his / her posture.

[0088] After step S12 is executed, the process returns to step S3 to determine the MODE. At this time, the MODE determination in step S3 has already set MODE1, so that the control of the lifting drive unit 60 is started in the subsequent operations. On the other hand, if it is detected in step S10 that the footrest 70 is not stored, the process returns to step S3 to determine the MODE. In other words, while the footrest 70 is not stored, the operational assistance for the travel of the wheelchair 1 continues.

[0089] <If the result is MODE1> In step S3, if the mode is MODE1 (see FIG. 6(b2)), the process proceeds to step S100 (seating pattern determination) as a subroutine. The process of step S100 is as described above, and therefore will not be described.

[0090] When the process in step S100 is completed, it is determined whether or not the seating pattern is 2 (see FIG. 7(c1)) (step S20). If it is determined in step S20 that the seating pattern is 2, MODE2 (see FIG. 7(c2)) is set (step S21).

[0091] Next, the seat 101 starts to rise (step S22). Also, counter 2 (see FIG. 10) starts (step S23). After step S23 is executed, the process returns to step S3 again to determine the MODE. At this time, since MODE2 has already been set in the MODE determination in step S3, the process of MODE2 is consequently started in the subsequent operations.

[0092] <If the result is MODE2> In step S3, if the mode is MODE2 (see FIG. 7(c2)), as shown in FIG. 12, it is determined whether the position of the seat 101 has reached position 2 (P2) (step S30). If the position of the seat 101 has reached P2, the seat 101 is stopped (step S31). When step S31 is executed, the process proceeds to step S100 (seating pattern determination) as a subroutine. The process of step S100 is as described above, and therefore will not be described here. On the other hand, if the position of the seat 101 has not reached P2 in step S30, the process also proceeds to step S100 as a subroutine.

[0093] When the process in step S100 is completed, it is determined whether or not the seating pattern is 3 (see FIG. 7(d1)) (step S32). If it is determined in step S32 that the seating pattern is 3, MODE3 (see FIG. 7(d2)) is set (step S33).

[0094] Next, the seat 101 starts to rise (step S34). Also, counter 3 (see FIG. 10) starts (step S35). When step S35 is executed, a check is made as a subroutine to see if it is counter 2 (step S200). The processing in step S200 as a subroutine will be described later. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S32 that the seating pattern is not 3, the processing in step S200 as a subroutine is also performed. When the processing in step S200 is completed, the process returns to step S3 (see FIG. 11) again to determine the MODE.

[0095] <If the result is MODE3> In step S3, if the mode is MODE3 (see FIG. 7(d2)), as shown in FIG. 12, it is determined whether the position of the seat 101 has reached position 3 (P3) (step S40). If the position of the seat 101 has reached P3, the seat 101 is stopped (step S41). When step S41 is executed, the process proceeds to step S100 (seating pattern determination) as a subroutine. The process of step S100 is as described above, so its explanation is omitted. On the other hand, if the position of the seat 101 has not reached P3 in step S40, the process also proceeds to step S100 as a subroutine.

[0096] When the process in step S100 is completed, it is determined whether or not the seating pattern is 4 (see FIG. 8(e1)) (step S42). If it is determined in step S42 that the seating pattern is 4, MODE4 (see FIG. 8(e2)) is set (step S43).

[0097] Next, the seat 101 starts to rise (step S44). Also, counter 4 starts (step S45). When step S45 is executed, a check is made as a subroutine to see if it is counter 3 (see FIG. 10) (step S200). The process of step S200 as a subroutine will be described later. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S42 that it is not seating pattern 4, the process of step S200 as a subroutine is also performed. When the process of step S200 is completed, the process returns to step S3 (see FIG. 11) again to determine the MODE.

[0098] <If the result is MODE4> In step S3, if the mode is MODE4 (see FIG. 8(e2)), as shown in FIG. 13, it is determined whether the position of the seat 101 has reached position 4 (P4) (step S50). If the position of the seat 101 has reached P4, the seat 101 is stopped (step S51). When step S51 is executed, the process proceeds to step S100 (seating pattern determination) as a subroutine. The process of step S100 is as described above, and therefore will not be described. On the other hand, if the position of the seat 101 has not reached P4 in step S50, the process also proceeds to step S100 as a subroutine.

[0099] When the process in step S100 is completed, it is determined whether or not the seating pattern is 5 (see FIG. 8(f1)) (step S52). If it is determined in step S52 that the seating pattern is 5, MODE5 (see FIG. 8(f2)) is set (step S53).

[0100] Next, the seat 101 starts to rise (step S54). Also, counter 5 starts (step S55). When step S55 is executed, a check is made as a subroutine to see if it is counter 4 (step S200). The processing in step S200 as a subroutine will be described later. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S52 that it is not seating pattern 5, the processing in step S200 as a subroutine is also performed. When the processing in step S200 is completed, the process returns to step S3 (see FIG. 11) and the MODE is determined again.

[0101] <If the result is MODE5> In step S3, if the MODE is 5 (see FIG. 8(f2)), as shown in FIG. 13, a check is made as a subroutine to see if the counter is 5 (step S200). The process in step S200 as a subroutine will be described later. When the process in step S200 is completed, the process returns to step S3 (see FIG. 11) again to determine the MODE.

[0102] The above is the content of the processing in MODES 0 to 5. Next, the flow of step S200 (subroutine) relating to the counter check in MODES 0 to 5 will be described below with reference to FIG.

[0103] <<Processing of Step S200 (Subroutine)>> When step S200 starts, it is determined whether the counter has reached the time-over value (step S201). If the counter has not reached the time-over value, it is counted up (step S202). When step S202 is executed, the process returns to step S200 of the main routine in each MODE, and the process subsequent to step S200 is carried out.

[0104] In step S201, if the counter reaches the time-up value, a warning sound is issued, for example, "The seat will be lowered" (step S203). That is, if the person being assisted stops standing up for a certain period of time, a warning sound is issued. This makes it possible to prevent the person being assisted from standing up unintentionally.

[0105] Next, the seat 101 starts to descend (step S204). When step S204 is executed, it is determined whether the position of the seat 101 has reached position 1 (P1) (step S205). When the position of the seat 101 has reached P1 in step S205, the seat 101 is stopped (step S206). When step S206 is executed, the process returns to the start shown in FIG. 11 and the process is repeated. On the other hand, when the position of the seat 101 has not reached P1 in step S205, step S205 is repeatedly executed. That is, the seat 101 is descended until the position of the seat 101 reaches P1.

[0106] The above is an embodiment of the assist device 1 of the present invention, but the assist device 1 of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and can be modified in various ways.

[0107] In this embodiment, the auxiliary device 1 is a wheelchair, but the auxiliary device 1 can be used not only for wheelchairs, but also for various other devices such as chairs and beds. The auxiliary device 1 can also be used for various vehicles such as wheelchairs, electric vehicles, and self-driving vehicles.

[0108] In this embodiment, the wheelchair 1 has the footrest 70 and the storage detection unit 71 that detects the storage of the footrest 70, but the wheelchair 1 may not have the footrest 70 or the storage detection unit 71. In this embodiment, when the storage detection unit 71 detects the storage of the footrest 70, the control unit 30 determines that the assisted person intends to start standing up and starts controlling the lifting drive unit 60, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the intention to start can be determined by various mechanisms and devices other than the detection of the storage of the footrest 70. For example, the intention to start standing up of the assisted person may be determined by operating a switch provided in the seating unit 100.

[0109] The seating section 100 can be of various shapes and sizes depending on the body shape of the person being assisted. In this embodiment, the seating section 100 has a seat surface section 101, a backrest section 102, and an armrest section 103, but these may be integrally configured depending on the body shape of the person being assisted.

[0110] The status acquisition unit 110 is not limited to the above-mentioned sensor, and various types of sensors can be used as long as they can detect changes in the posture of the person being assisted. In this embodiment, multiple status acquisition units 110 are provided for each of the seat portion 101, the backrest portion 102, and the armrest portion 103, but a single status acquisition unit 110 may be provided for each portion. The sensors in the status acquisition unit 110 can be provided in various positions as long as they can detect changes in the posture of the person being assisted. For example, the sensors do not have to be provided in a row.

[0111] In this embodiment, the estimation unit 120 estimates the transition state of the assisted person's standing up motion stepwise by dividing it into MODE0 to 5, but the number of MODE steps is not limited to the above. For example, the MODE may have 6 or more steps, or MODE may have 5 or less steps. In this embodiment, the estimation unit 120 estimates the transition state of the assisted person's standing up motion stepwise, but the transition state may not be estimated stepwise but may be estimated continuously. In such a case, the control unit 30 may continuously control the lifting and lowering drive unit 60 based on the continuous transition state to lift and lower the seating unit 100. In this embodiment, the transition state is estimated by calculating and processing the acquired values ​​of each of the state acquisition units 110 provided along the width direction among the multiple state acquisition units 110, but the calculation method is not limited to the above and can be performed by various methods.

[0112] The lifting / lowering drive unit 60 in this embodiment is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and various lifting / lowering mechanisms can be adopted. In this embodiment, when a predetermined time set for each stage of the transition state has elapsed, the control unit 30 controls the lifting / lowering drive unit 60 to stop or lower the lifting / lowering of the seating unit 100, but the lifting / lowering of the seating unit 100 may not be stopped or lowered. The above are the embodiments and modifications of the auxiliary device 1 of the present invention.

[0113] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and modifications, and it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that other embodiments are possible within the scope of the teachings and spirit of the present invention without departing from the scope of the claims. [Industrial Applicability]

[0114] The assisting device of the present invention can be used for various objects and devices such as chairs that require assistance in standing up for the assisted person. The assisting device of the present invention can also be used for various vehicles such as wheelchairs. [Explanation of symbols]

[0115] 1: Auxiliary equipment (wheelchair) 2: Body 2a: Rear support member 3: Wheels (drive wheels) 3L: Wheels (drive wheels) 3R: Wheels (drive wheels) 4: Omnidirectional wheel (driven wheel) 10:Operation section 10L: Operation unit 10R: Operation unit 20: Operation amount acquisition section 30: Control section 40: Wheel drive unit 40L: Wheel drive unit 40R: Wheel drive section 50: Wheel rotation speed detector 60: Lifting drive unit 70: Footrest 71: Storage detection unit 100: Seating area 101: Seat 102: Backrest 103: Armrest section 103L: Armrest section 103R: Armrest section 110: Status acquisition unit (sensor) 120: Estimation part

Claims

1. An assisting device for assisting a person to stand up, A seating area on which the assisted person can sit; A state acquisition unit provided in the seating area and acquiring the seating state of the assisted person; An estimation unit that estimates a transition state in a standing-up motion of the assisted person based on the seating state acquired by the state acquisition unit; A lifting drive unit that lifts and lowers the seating portion; A control unit capable of controlling the lift drive unit, The state acquisition unit is provided in plurality along at least a width direction of the seating area, The estimation unit is capable of estimating a transition state in a standing-up motion of the assisted person in a stepwise manner by calculating and processing the acquired values ​​of each of the state acquisition units provided along the width direction among the plurality of state acquisition units, The control unit controls the lifting and lowering drive unit in a stepwise manner based on each stage of the transition state to lift and lower the seating unit, The seating portion has a pair of armrests for the assisted person to rest his / her elbows, Each of the pair of armrest portions is further provided with a plurality of the state acquisition units along a front-rear direction, The plurality of state acquisition units of one of the pair of armrest units and the plurality of state acquisition units of the other of the pair of armrest units are arranged in a plurality of pairs, with the state acquisition units arranged along the width direction being a pair, The auxiliary device is characterized in that the estimation unit calculates and processes the acquired values ​​of each of the pair of state acquisition units among the multiple state acquisition units of the pair of armrest units, and estimates the transition state by taking into account the results of the calculation.

2. The auxiliary device according to claim 1, characterized in that the control unit controls the lifting drive unit to stop or lower the lifting of the seating unit when a predetermined time set for each stage of the transition state has elapsed.

3. An assisting device for assisting an assisted person to stand up, A seating area on which the assisted person can sit; A state acquisition unit provided in the seating area and acquiring the seating state of the assisted person; An estimation unit that estimates a transition state in a standing-up motion of the assisted person based on the seating state acquired by the state acquisition unit; A lifting drive unit that lifts and lowers the seating portion; A control unit capable of controlling the lift drive unit, The state acquisition unit is provided in plurality along at least a width direction of the seating area, The estimation unit is capable of estimating a transition state in a standing-up motion of the assisted person in a stepwise manner by calculating and processing the acquired values ​​of each of the state acquisition units provided along the width direction among the plurality of state acquisition units, The control unit controls the lifting and lowering drive unit in a stepwise manner based on each stage of the transition state to lift and lower the seating unit, The control unit controls the lifting / lowering drive unit to stop or lower the lifting / lowering of the seat unit when a predetermined time set for each stage of the transition state has elapsed, A footrest and A storage detection unit that detects storage of the footrest, This assist device is characterized in that when the storage detection unit detects that the footrest has been stored, the control unit determines that the assisted person intends to start standing up and begins control of the lifting and lowering drive unit.

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