Bathing assistance chair device

Abstract

To provide a chair device for bathing helping with a footrest mechanism, capable of reducing discomfort and shyness in development operation of the footrest mechanism, and suppressing a height increase of a seat surface, for enhancing a bathing feeling.SOLUTION: Each of a pair of footrest mechanisms 30 is provided on one / the other of left and right both side parts of a bottom of a seat part 22 of a chair 21 of a chair device 20 for bathing helping, each of the pair of footrest mechanisms 30 has: a stretchable arm 31 stretched in an extension direction directed to a cross direction; and a footrest 40 provided on a front end. The footrest 40 is rotatable between a development position where a foot of a seated person is mounted, and a folded position. In the seat part 22, a storage space 27 is provided for storing the footrest at the folded position 40 when the stretchable arm 31 on each footrest mechanism 30 is in a shrunk state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a chair apparatus used for assisting a person requiring assistance in bathing, and more particularly to a chair apparatus for bathing assistance having a footrest. [Background technology]

[0002] A chair device used for bathing assistance for a seated person requiring assistance is well known (see Patent Document 1, etc.). This type of chair device for bathing assistance is provided with a footrest mechanism (foot support) that supports the feet of the person requiring assistance. For example, the bathing assistance chair device of Patent Document 1 has an extendable arm extending forward and backward in the center of the bottom of the seat, and a pair of rod-shaped footrests are provided on both left and right sides of the front end of the extendable arm. When the footrests are not in use, the extendable arms are retracted and the pair of footrests are stored under the seat, parallel to the extendable arms. When in use, the extendable arms are extended forward and the pair of footrests are deployed so that they are perpendicular to the extendable arms. The feet of the person requiring assistance are placed on these footrests. Since rod-shaped foot rests are unstable, cup-shaped or sandal-shaped foot rests, as well as flat-plate-shaped foot rests, are also known as alternatives. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-058054 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the footrest mechanism described in the above publication, the telescopic arm located in the center of the seat bottom must be pulled out to unfold the footrest, which requires the occupant to operate it from the seat's legs, which can be uncomfortable and embarrassing. Also, since the footrest storage area is located below the seat, the height from the bottom of the storage area to the seat surface increases, preventing the occupant from getting deep into the bathtub and reducing the bathing experience. In view of the above circumstances, the present invention aims to provide a bathing assistance chair device with a footrest mechanism that reduces discomfort and embarrassment when deploying the footrest mechanism, and prevents the seat surface from becoming too high, thereby improving the bathing experience. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a chair device for bathing assistance that can be carried by being supported on a carrier and can be used to enter a bathtub by being supported on a support rail on a bathtub frame, a chair including a seat and a backrest; A pair of footrest mechanisms provided on both the left and right sides of the bottom of the seat; Each of the pair of footrest mechanisms includes a telescopic arm that is telescopically extended in an extension direction facing forward and backward independently of the other footrest mechanism, and a footrest provided at a front end of the telescopic arm so as to be rotatable between an extended position where the feet of a seated person are placed and a folded position, The seat portion is characterized in that an accommodation space is provided inside the seat portion to accommodate the footrest in the folded position when the telescopic arm of each footrest mechanism is in the contracted state.

[0006] With this bathing assistance chair device, each footrest mechanism is independent of the other, allowing the attendant to deploy each footrest mechanism individually from the side of the chair. This eliminates the need to operate the footrests from the occupant's legs, reducing discomfort and embarrassment. Furthermore, by storing the footrests inside the seat, the height from the storage section to the upper surface of the seat (seating surface) can be reduced. This allows the occupant to enter the bath deeper, enhancing the bathing experience.

[0007] The seat portion includes a base frame that constitutes the bottom portion and a seat surface portion provided on the base frame, the base frame has a pair of side frame portions extending forward and backward apart from each other on the left and right, and a rear end frame portion connecting rear ends of the side frame portions together, It is preferable that the storage space be provided between the opposing side surfaces of the front end portions of the pair of side frame portions. This ensures that a space for accommodating the footrest is secured inside the base frame, and the height of the seating surface can be reliably lowered.

[0008] The chair is displaceable between a normal position and a tilted position in which the seat portion is tilted forward and upward, When in the normal position, the front surface of the seat blocks the front of the footrest in the folded position in the storage space, preventing the extension of the telescopic arms and the deployment of the footrest; In the tilted position, it is preferable that the front surface of the seat be positioned above the footrest mechanism, allowing the telescopic arms to be extended and the footrests to be deployed. This allows for a space inside the seat to accommodate the footrest.

[0009] The front end of the telescopic arm is provided with a deployment receiving portion and a folding receiving portion, The footrest is preferably provided with an unfolding restricting portion that abuts against the unfolding receiving portion when in the unfolded position, and a folding restricting portion that abuts against the folding receiving portion when in the folded position. This allows the foot rest to be stably held in the deployed position when deployed, and the foot rest to be stably held in the folded position when stored.

[0010] It is preferable that the foot rest in the folded position is inverted with the toe portion facing rearward, and that the foot rest is placed in the unfolded position by pointing the toe portion upward and then forward. This allows the user to intuitively recognize the direction to unfold the chair from the folded position. When the toe of the footrest is hanging down in the folded position, it can be difficult to know whether to rotate the footrest forward or backward when unfolding. However, the present invention has a structure that eliminates this confusion. In addition, the space for accommodating the footrest at the bottom of the seat can be made compact. Furthermore, the telescopic arm and footrest work together to ensure the desired extension stroke. This eliminates the need for a telescopic arm with two or more stages of extension, for example, in order to ensure the desired stroke using only the telescopic arm, ensuring the strength of the telescopic arm.

[0011] It is preferable that the rear surface of the footrest is provided with an indication of the rotation direction when unfolded, so that the orientation of the unfolded position from the folded position can be easily understood. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, in a bathing assistance chair device with a footrest mechanism, discomfort and embarrassment caused when deploying the footrest mechanism can be reduced. Also, the height of the seating surface can be prevented from increasing, improving the bathing experience. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a side view of a bathing wheelchair including a bathing assistance chair device and a carrier according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a side view of the bathing assistance chair device in a tilted position. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a base frame and a footrest mechanism of the seat of the bathing assistance chair device. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the base frame and the footrest mechanism. [Figure 5] Fig. 5(a) is a perspective view of the footrest of the footrest mechanism, and Fig. 5(b) is a perspective view of the footrest in an upside-down state. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a side cross-sectional view of the left end portion of the seat, showing the footrest in a retracted state. [Figure 7] 7 is a plan cross-sectional view of the telescopic arm of the footrest mechanism in an extended state, taken along line VII-VII in FIG. [Figure 8]FIG. 8 is a plan view of a bathing assistance system including the bathing wheelchair and a rail unit set in a bathtub. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a side view of the chair device in a state where it is inserted into the tank. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a bathing wheelchair 1 used to assist people who require assistance in bathing. The bathing wheelchair 1 comprises a carrier 10 and a bathing assistance chair device 20. The carrier 10 includes a running platform 11 with wheels 13 and is capable of moving. A support pillar 12 is erected in the center of the running platform 11. A support rail 14 is provided at the upper end of the support pillar 12, extending left and right (in directions perpendicular to the plane of the paper in FIG. 1). A chair device 20 is supported on the support rail 14.

[0015] The chair device 20 can be carried while supported by the carrier 10 (FIG. 1), and can be placed in the bathtub while supported by the support rails 3a on the frame 2a of the bathtub 2 (FIG. 9). In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the chair device 20 is assumed to be mounted on the carrier 10.

[0016] As shown in Fig. 1, the chair device 20 has a chair 21 and a lift mechanism 24. The chair 21 includes a seat 22, a backrest 23, and a footrest mechanism 30. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a tilt mechanism 29 is incorporated into the chair 21, and the chair 21 is angle-variable (tiltable) between a normal position (Fig. 1) and a tilted position (Fig. 2). As shown in Fig. 2, in the tilted position, the seat surface 26 of the seat 22 is tilted forward and upward relative to the normal position.

[0017] A lift mechanism 24 is provided on the back of the backrest 23. The chair 21 can be raised and lowered by the lift mechanism 24. A drive unit 24a of the lift mechanism 24 is mounted on the support rail 14. As shown in Figure 8, during bathing assistance, the support rail 14 is aligned in a straight line with the support rail 3a of the rail unit 3 separately installed on the bathtub frame 2a. The drive unit 24a can slide back and forth between these support rails 14 and 3a. This allows the chair device 20 to be transferred between the carrier 10 and the rail unit 3.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 3, the seat 22 includes a base frame 25 and a seat surface 26. The base frame 25 forms the bottom of the seat 22. The base frame 25 has a pair of left and right side frame portions 25a and a rear end frame portion 25b. The pair of side frame portions 25a are arranged on both sides of the seat 22, separated from each other on the left and right, and extend in the front-to-rear direction. The rear end portions of these side frame portions 25a are connected to each other by the rear end frame portion 25b. The front end portions of the left and right side frame portions 25a are not connected to each other, but are open in a cantilevered manner. A footrest storage space 27 is provided between the opposing side surfaces of the front end portions of these side frame portions 25a.

[0019] As shown in Fig. 1, seat portion 26 is placed on base frame 25. Seat portion 26 has seating surface 26a (upper surface), left and right side surfaces 26b, and front surface 26f. As shown in Fig. 6, front surface 26f defines the front of footrest storage space 27.

[0020] A pair of footrest mechanisms 30 are provided on the pair of side frame portions 25a of the base frame 25, i.e., on both the left and right sides of the bottom of the seat portion 22. Each of the left and right footrest mechanisms 30 includes an extendable arm 31 and a footrest 40. The extendable arm 31 can be extended and contracted in the forward and backward directions independently of the other footrest mechanism 30.

[0021] More specifically, as shown in Fig. 4, each of the left and right telescopic arms 31 includes a fixed arm portion 32 and a sliding arm portion 33. The fixed arm portion 32 is formed, for example, in a cylindrical shape with a rectangular cross section, and is disposed with its longitudinal direction facing forward and backward. The fixed arm portion 32 is integrally formed with the side frame portion 25a. Alternatively, the fixed arm portion 32 is fixed to the side frame portion 25a.

[0022] 3 and 4, a slide arm portion 33 having a rectangular cross section is inserted into the fixed arm portion 32. The front end of the slide arm portion 33 protrudes forward from the fixed arm portion 32. The slide arm portion 33 is slidable in the extension direction of the fixed arm portion 32. The cross-sectional shapes of the fixed arm portion 32 and the sliding arm portion 33 are not limited to a square, but may be circular or other shapes. In the case of a circular shape, it is preferable that a rotation stopper be provided for the sliding arm portion 33. For example, a rotation stopper protrusion may be provided on one of the outer circumferential surface of the sliding arm portion having a circular cross section and the inner circumferential surface of the fixed arm portion 32 having a circular cross section, and a groove into which the rotation stopper protrusion slidably fits may be provided on the other.

[0023] By sliding the slide arm portion 33, the extendable arm 31 can be extended and retracted back and forth between an extended state (FIG. 2) in which it protrudes forward and a contracted state (FIG. 1) in which it retracts backward.

[0024] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, a plate-shaped stopper member 34 is provided on the inner surface of the front end of the fixed arm portion 32. A circular, protruding stopper receiving portion 35 is provided on the side surface of the rear end of the sliding arm portion 33. The stopper receiving portion 35 is not limited to a circular shape and may be formed in a polygonal or L-shape, etc. As shown in Figure 7, when in the extended state, the stopper receiving portion 35 abuts against the stopper member 34 from behind, thereby restricting further extension of the telescopic arm 31 and preventing the sliding arm portion 33 from coming off. As shown in Figure 4, the plate-shaped stopper member 34 is inserted into the gap between the inner surface of the front end of the fixed arm portion 32 and the slide arm portion 33 after the rear end of the slide arm portion 33 is inserted into the fixed arm portion 32, and is attached to the fixed arm portion 32 with screws 36.

[0025] 3 and 4, a rotation shaft 37 is provided at the front end of the slide arm portion 33. The rotation shaft 37 is formed in a cylindrical shape and protrudes horizontally to the left and right from the slide arm portion 33 toward the other footrest mechanism 30. A footrest 40 is supported on the rotation shaft 37. Therefore, the footrest 40 is disposed laterally inward of the extendable arm 31 and the side frame portion 25a.

[0026] As shown in Fig. 5(a), the footrest 40 is formed in a sandal shape. A cylindrical bearing 45 is formed in the heel portion 44 of the footrest 40. The bearing 45 is fitted onto the rotation shaft 37. The footrest 40 can rotate about the rotation shaft 37 within a rotation range of approximately 180° between the unfolded position and the folded position so that the toe portion 43 passes above the rotation shaft 37.

[0027] 2, in the unfolded position, the footrest 40 extends further forward than the telescopic arm 31, with the footrest surface 41 facing upward and the toe portion 43 facing forward. A seated person can place their feet on the footrest surface 41 of the footrest 40 in the unfolded position.

[0028] As shown in Fig. 3, in the folded position, the footrest 40 extends rearward beyond the front end of the telescopic arm 31, with the back surface 42 facing upward, the footrest surface 41 facing downward, and the toe portion 43 facing rearward. As shown in Fig. 5(b), the back surface 42 is provided with an unfolding direction indicator 47 that indicates the rotation direction when unfolding the footrest 40. The unfolding direction indicator 47 includes a symbol 47a such as an arrow, a written explanation 47b, etc.

[0029] As shown in Figure 5(a), the bearing portion 45 has a roughly semicircular bearing protrusion 46. The bearing protrusion 46 protrudes from the side surfaces facing outward on the left and right sides of the heel portion 44 of the footrest 40. One circumferential end surface of the bearing protrusion 46 constitutes an unfolding restricting portion 48. The other circumferential end surface of the bearing protrusion 46 constitutes a folding restricting portion 49.

[0030] 2 and 3, when in the deployed position, the deployment restricting portion 48 abuts against the underside of the front end portion of the slide arm portion 33. The underside of the front end portion of the slide arm portion 33 constitutes the deployment receiving portion 38.

[0031] 6, when in the folded position, the folding restriction portion 49 abuts against the upper surface of the front end portion of the slide arm portion 33. The upper surface of the front end portion of the slide arm portion 33 forms the folding receiving portion 39.

[0032] 1 and 6, when the chair 21 is in a normal position (not tilted) and the telescopic arm 31 is retracted, the footrest 40 is placed in a folded position and stored in the storage space 27. The front surface 26f of the seat 22 in the normal position blocks the front of the footrest 40 in the folded position within the storage space 27. This prevents the telescopic arm 31 from extending and the footrest 40 from unfolding.

[0033] 2, when the chair 21 is in the tilt position, the front surface 26f is tilted upward, opening the front portion of the footrest mechanism 30. This allows the extension of the telescopic arm 31 and the unfolding of the footrest 40.

[0034] In the chair device 20, after the chair 21 is placed in a tilted position, the caregiver can extend the telescopic arms 31 and unfold the footrests 40 for each of the footrest mechanisms 30 on either the left or right side from the side of the chair 21. Therefore, there is no need to operate the footrest mechanism near the occupant's legs, which reduces discomfort and embarrassment. By disposing the telescopic arm 31 on the side of the seat 22, the telescopic arm 31 can be easily extended on the side of the chair 21.

[0035] In the folded position, the footrest 40 is inverted with the toe section 43 facing backward, so the rotation direction when unfolding can be intuitively recognized. In addition, the rear surface 42 is provided with an unfolding direction indicator 44, so the rotation direction when unfolding can be easily grasped. Furthermore, the extension stroke can be ensured by cooperation between the telescopic arm 31 and the footrest 40. To ensure the stroke, for example, it is not necessary to give the telescopic arm 31 a telescopic structure with two or more stages, and the strength of the telescopic arm 31 can be ensured.

[0036] By providing a space 27 for storing the footrest 40 inside the seat 22, the height from the bottom of the footrest storage section to the seating surface 26a is reduced, allowing the occupant to sit deeper in the bath, enhancing the bathing experience.

[0037] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, a pin may be provided on the inner surface of the bearing portion 45 of the footrest 40 as the unfolding and folding restricting portion of the footrest 40, and a long groove having a length of about half the circumference may be provided on the outer surface of the rotating shaft 37 as the unfolding and folding receiving portion of the telescopic arm 31, with the pin fitted into the long groove. Alternatively, a long groove of about half the length of the circumference may be provided on the inner surface of the bearing portion 45 of the footrest 40 as the unfolding and folding restricting portion of the footrest 40, and a pin may be provided on the outer surface of the rotating shaft 37 as the unfolding receiving portion and folding receiving portion of the telescopic arm 31, with the pin fitting into the long groove. The pin may abut one end of the long groove to determine the deployed position of the footrest 40, and the pin may abut the other end of the long groove to determine the folded position of the footrest 40.

[0038] A ratchet mechanism that limits the rotation direction of the footrest 40 may be provided between the inner periphery of the bearing portion 45 of the footrest 40 and the outer periphery of the rotation shaft 37 of the telescopic arm 31. The ratchet mechanism may be formed by a leaf spring, a protrusion, a notch, or the like. A rotary shaft may be provided to protrude from the footrest 40, and a bearing portion for receiving the rotary shaft may be provided at the front end of the extendable arm 31.

[0039] Instead of the stopper member 34 and stopper receiving portion 35, a stopper that restricts the extension range of the extendable arm 31 may be formed by forming a long hole extending forward and backward in the side wall of the fixed arm portion 32, and a pin that protrudes laterally may be provided in the slide arm portion 33, and the pin may be slidably fitted into the long hole. Alternatively, a long hole extending forward and backward may be formed in the side wall of the slide arm portion 33, and a pin that protrudes inward may be provided in the fixed arm portion 32, and the pin may be slidably fitted into the long hole. [Industrial Applicability]

[0040] The present invention can be applied to, for example, a wheelchair for assisting a person requiring assistance in bathing. [Explanation of symbols]

[0041] 1. Bath wheelchair 10 Carrie 20 Bathing assistance chair device 21 Chair 22 Seat area 23 Backrest 25 base frame 25a Side frame part 25b Rear end frame section 26 Seat part 26a seating surface 26b Side part 26f front part 27 Foot storage space 29 Tilt mechanism 30 Footrest mechanism 31 Telescopic arm 32 Fixed arm part 33 Slide arm section 38 Deployment receiving part 39 Tatami receiving part 40 Footrest 41 Footrest 42 Back side 43 Toe 44 Heel 45 Bearing section 46 Bearing protrusion 47 displays 48 Deployment control section 49 Folding control section

Claims

1. A chair device for bathing assistance that can be carried by being supported on a carrier and can be used to enter a bathtub by being supported on a support rail on a bathtub frame, a chair including a seat and a backrest; A pair of footrest mechanisms provided on both the left and right sides of the bottom of the seat; Each of the pair of footrest mechanisms includes a telescopic arm that is telescopically extended in an extension direction facing forward and backward independently of the other footrest mechanism, and a footrest provided at a front end of the telescopic arm so as to be rotatable between an extended position where the feet of a seated person are placed and a folded position, An accommodation space is provided inside the seat portion to accommodate the footrest in the folded position when the telescopic arm of each footrest mechanism is in a contracted state, The seat portion includes a base frame that constitutes the bottom portion and a seat surface portion provided on the base frame, the base frame has a pair of side frame portions extending forward and backward apart from each other on the left and right, and a rear end frame portion connecting rear ends of the side frame portions together, A bath assistance chair device characterized in that the storage space is provided between the opposing side surfaces of the front ends of the pair of side frame portions.

2. A chair device for bathing assistance that can be carried by being supported on a carrier and can be used to enter a bathtub by being supported on a support rail on a bathtub frame, a chair including a seat and a backrest; A pair of footrest mechanisms provided on both the left and right sides of the bottom of the seat; Each of the pair of footrest mechanisms includes a telescopic arm that is telescopically extended in an extension direction facing forward and backward independently of the other footrest mechanism, and a footrest provided at a front end of the telescopic arm so as to be rotatable between an extended position where the feet of a seated person are placed and a folded position, An accommodation space is provided inside the seat portion to accommodate the footrest in the folded position when the telescopic arm of each footrest mechanism is in a contracted state, The chair is displaceable between a normal position and a tilted position in which the seat portion is tilted forward and upward, When in the normal position, the front surface of the seat blocks the front of the footrest in the folded position in the storage space, preventing the extension of the telescopic arms and the deployment of the footrest; A bath assistance chair device characterized in that, when in the tilted position, the front portion of the seat is positioned above the footrest mechanism, allowing the telescopic arm to be extended and the footrest to be unfolded.

3. A chair device for bathing assistance that can be carried by being supported on a carrier and can be used to enter a bathtub by being supported on a support rail on a bathtub frame, a chair including a seat and a backrest; A pair of footrest mechanisms provided on both the left and right sides of the bottom of the seat; Each of the pair of footrest mechanisms includes a telescopic arm that is telescopically extended in an extension direction facing forward and backward independently of the other footrest mechanism, and a footrest provided at a front end of the telescopic arm so as to be rotatable between an extended position where the feet of a seated person are placed and a folded position, An accommodation space is provided inside the seat portion to accommodate the footrest in the folded position when the telescopic arm of each footrest mechanism is in a contracted state, The front end of the telescopic arm is provided with a deployment receiving portion and a folding receiving portion, The bathing assistance chair device is characterized in that the footrest is provided with an unfolding restricting portion that abuts against the unfolding receiving portion when in the unfolded position, and a folding restricting portion that abuts against the folding receiving portion when in the folded position.

4. A bathing assistance chair device as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the footrest in the folded position is inverted with the toe portion facing backward, and is placed in the unfolded position by pointing the toe portion upward and forward.

5. 5. The bath assistance chair device according to claim 4, wherein an extension direction indicator is provided on the underside of the footrest to indicate the direction of rotation when the device is extended.

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