Transport Auxiliary Equipment

Abstract

To provide a transportation auxiliary device which can be connected to a bed with a comparatively simple configuration.SOLUTION: A transportation auxiliary device 1 is mounted on a bed 100 so as to assist a transportation operator 200 to transport the bed 100. The device includes: a device body 3; and an engagement member 10 to be attached to a frame of the bed 100. The device body 3 includes a drive source 5b. The device includes: travel means for moving the device body 3; and engagement means for connecting the device body 3 to the frame 101 by engagement with the engagement member 10.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a transport assist device that assists in transporting a bed. [Background technology]

[0002] In hospitals and other facilities, transporting medical beds is one of the tasks that places a heavy burden on medical staff, and in many cases, multiple medical staff work together to carry out the task. Therefore, devices that reduce the burden of transporting beds have been proposed. Patent Document 1 discloses a device that has drive wheels, is connected to the bed, and transports the bed by rolling the drive wheels. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-141160 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The device in Patent Document 1 connects the bed and the device by pressing the bed frame from below. While it can accommodate a variety of bed types, it requires a drive mechanism. It also requires a mechanism to absorb unevenness in the floor during transport and maintain a constant connection. This can lead to a complex and large device, which can increase costs and make it less convenient to use in small spaces such as hospital rooms and elevators.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a transport assist device that can be connected to a bed with a relatively simple configuration. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to the present invention, A transport assist device that is attached to a bed and assists a transport worker in transporting the bed, A device body, an engagement member attached to the frame of the bed; The device body includes: a travel means for moving the device body, the travel means including a drive source; and an engaging means for connecting the device body to the frame by engaging with the engaging member. picture, a slot is provided in the engaging means, and an insertion portion is provided in the engaging member that can be inserted into and removed from the slot; The traveling means has a driving wheel, an insertion / removal direction of the insertion portion intersects with a rolling direction of the drive wheel; The engagement member has an engagement hole, the engaging means includes an engaging shaft that can be inserted into and removed from the engaging hole, an insertion / removal direction of the engagement shaft intersects with a rolling direction of the drive wheel and an insertion / removal direction of the insertion portion; a displacement mechanism that displaces the engagement shaft in an insertion / removal direction relative to the engagement hole, the device body has a plurality of casters, The plurality of casters are movable up and down between an elevated position where the traveling means contacts the ground and a lowered position where the plurality of casters contact the ground, The plurality of casters are raised and lowered to the raised position and the lowered position in conjunction with the displacement of the engagement shaft, the device main body is attached to the bed at a side of the bed along a longitudinal direction of the bed, At least a portion of the device body is located below the bottom of the bed. A transport assist device is provided. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a transport auxiliary device that can be connected to a bed with a relatively simple configuration. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a carriage unit constituting a transport assist device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 1A is a side view of a bed to which an engaging member is attached, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the engaging member. [Figure 3] Rear view of the bogie unit. [Figure 4] FIG. [Figure 5] 4A and 4B are explanatory views showing an engagement state between the device main body and the engagement member. [Figure 6] 4A to 4C are explanatory views showing the engagement between the device main body and the engagement member. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of use of the transport assist device. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of use of the transport assist device. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of use of the transport assist device. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of use of the transport assist device. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of use of the transport assist device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the scope of the invention as claimed, and not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the invention. Two or more of the features described in the embodiments may be arbitrarily combined. Furthermore, the same reference numerals are used for the same or similar components, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0010] <Device Overview> Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a carriage unit 2 that constitutes a transport assistance device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2(A) is a side view showing an example of a bed 100 that is the object of transport assistance, and Fig. 2(B) is a perspective view of an engaging member 10 that constitutes the transport assistance device 1. In the figure, arrows X, Y, and Z indicate the depth direction, width direction, and up / down direction of the carriage unit 2, and arrows L and W indicate the length direction and width direction of the bed 100.

[0011] In this example, the bed 100 is assumed to be a medical bed installed in a hospital or the like. The bed 100 has a frame 101 below a bottom 103, and a plurality of casters 102 and the bottom 103 are supported on the frame 101. On all four sides of the bottom 103, there is a headboard 104 located on the patient's head side, a footboard 105 located on the foot side, and side panels 106 located on the sides.

[0012] The transport assistance device 1 is attached to the bed 100 and assists the transport worker in transporting the bed 100. Broadly speaking, the transport assistance device 1 is composed of a cart unit 2 and an engaging member 10. The cart unit 2, which has a traveling function, is connected to the bed 100 via the engaging member 10, and the traveling function of the cart unit 2 is used to assist in transporting the bed 100. The engaging member 10 is fixed to the frame 101 of the bed 100. For example, by preparing an engaging member 10 for each type of bed 100, a common cart unit 2 can be connected to beds with different specifications, enabling transport assistance.

[0013] The transport assist device 1 of this embodiment is attached to the side of the bed 100. For this reason, the engaging member 10 is fixed to the frame 101 on the side of the bed 100. By attaching the transport assist device 1 to the side of the bed 100, it is possible to avoid increasing the overall length of the bed 100 to which the transport assist device 1 is attached, and to make it easier to get on and off elevators and the like.

[0014] <Engagement member> The engaging member 10 will be described with reference to Figures 2(A) and 2(B). The engaging member 10 is an adapter for connecting the cart unit 2 to the bed 100. The engaging member 10 has a base portion 11 fixed to the frame 101, and a plurality of engaging portions 12 and 15 provided on the base portion 11. The engaging portion 12 protrudes from the base portion 11 in the W direction and is an insertion portion that can be inserted into and removed from a slot 33 of the device main body 3, which will be described later, and has an engaging plate 13 and a plurality of ribs 14. The engaging plate 13 is a horizontal plate-shaped member, and the multiple ribs 14 are joined to the base portion 11 and the engaging plate 13 to reinforce the engaging plate 13.

[0015] Two engaging portions 15 are provided spaced apart in the L direction, and the engaging portion 12 is located between the two engaging portions 15. Each engaging portion 15 is made of a block-shaped member that forms an engaging hole 15a that penetrates in the vertical direction, and its lower end has a notch 15b that opens the engaging hole 15a in the W direction.

[0016] <Cart unit> The cart unit 2 will be described with reference to Figures 1, 3, and 4. Figures 3 and 4 are structural explanatory diagrams (rear view and plan view) that schematically show the main components of the device main body 3 equipped in the cart unit 2. The cart unit 2 comprises a flat device main body 3 and an inverted U-shaped handle 4 attached to the device main body 3, and has the overall form of a handcart. A plurality of casters 34 (four in this embodiment) are provided on the bottom of the device main body 3, and the transport worker can hold the handle 4 and move the cart unit 2 freely.

[0017] The device main body 3 has a base portion 30 and a cover portion 31 that covers each component mounted on the base portion 30. Figures 3 and 4 show the internal structure of the device main body 3 seen through the cover member 31. The cover portion 31 has an opening that communicates with a slot 33 into which the engaging portion 12 is inserted and removed. The base portion 30 is a horizontal plate-like member, and has openings 30a and 30b that expose the casters 34 and steering wheel 6a below the device main body 3, as well as an opening (not shown) that exposes the drive wheel 5a below the device main body 3.

[0018] A shelf 35 is provided above the base 30. The shelf 35 is a horizontal, plate-like member that is supported parallel to and spaced apart from the base 30 in the Z direction by a plurality of support columns 36 that are erected on the base 30 and extend in the Z direction. The shelf 35 is a member that forms the bottom of the slot 33. A pair of roller units 8 are mounted on the shelf 35 and spaced apart in the Y direction. The roller units 8 form the left and right sides of the slot 33. The roller unit 8 includes a support member 8a extending in the X direction, a pair of vertical rollers 8b, and a pair of horizontal rollers 8c. The vertical roller 8b is supported by the support member 8a so as to be rotatable about an axis in the Y direction, and the horizontal roller 8c is supported by the support member 8a within an opening of the support member 8a so as to be rotatable about an axis in the Z direction. The pair of vertical rollers 8b and the pair of horizontal rollers 8c are disposed with their positions offset in the X direction.

[0019] A traveling unit 5 is supported on the base 30. The traveling unit 5 is disposed below the shelf 35 and includes a drive source 5b such as an electric motor, drive wheels 5a that rotate by the driving force of the drive source 5b, and a suspension mechanism (not shown) that improves the contact of the drive wheels 5a with the floor surface. The drive wheels 5a are supported rotatably around an axis in the X direction, and roll in the Y direction. By driving the traveling unit 5, the device main body 3 can be moved in the Y direction.

[0020] A steering unit 6 is supported on the shelf 35. The steering unit 6 includes a drive source (not shown) such as an electric motor, a steering wheel 6a that is freely rotatable about a horizontal axis and steers about an axis in the Z direction by the driving force of the drive source, and a suspension mechanism (not shown) that improves the contact of the steering wheel 6a with the floor surface. The steering wheel 6a is steered about the axis in the Z direction within a range of ±30 degrees with respect to the X direction, for example, in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 4. Steering the steering wheel 6a can assist in adjusting the traveling direction of the device main body 3.

[0021] The base unit 30 is further equipped with a battery 23 that serves as a power source for the traveling unit 5 and the steering unit 6, and a control unit 22 that has electric circuits such as drive circuits for these units.

[0022] Each caster 34 includes a wheel 34a and a bracket 34b that supports the wheel 34a so that it can rotate freely around a horizontal axis. The bracket 34b is supported by a support member 32 so that it can rotate freely around an axis in the Z direction. The support members 32 are plate-shaped members extending in the X direction, and two are provided spaced apart in the Y direction. Each support member 32 supports two casters 34 spaced apart in the X direction. A plurality of guide shafts 37 that are erected on the base portion 30 and extend in the Z direction are inserted into the support member 32, and the support member 32 can be raised and lowered in the Z direction by the guidance of the guide shafts 37. An engagement shaft 9 that can be inserted into and removed from the engagement hole 15a of the engagement member 10 is erected on the support member 32. The engagement shaft 9 is positioned between the two casters 34 in the X direction and protrudes from the support member 32 in the Z direction.

[0023] The support members 32 are raised and lowered by a displacement mechanism 7. One displacement mechanism 7 is provided for each support member 32, for a total of two. The displacement mechanism 7 is an operating mechanism that raises and lowers the support members 32 relative to the base unit 30 by manual operation of a lever 70 by a transport worker. By raising and lowering the support members 32 relative to the base unit 30, the support members 32 can be switched between a state in which the multiple casters 34 are placed on the floor surface and a state in which the drive wheels 5a and steering wheels 6a are placed on the floor surface. In this embodiment, the displacement mechanism 7 is a toggle mechanism that is mechanically stable in either of these two states. Figure 3 shows the state in which the multiple casters 34 are placed on the floor surface (lowered position). In this state, the drive wheels 5a and steering wheels 6a are slightly raised above the floor surface.

[0024] An indicator light 20 is attached to the upper horizontal member 4a of the handle 4 to notify those around it of the presence of the transportation auxiliary device 1. A controller 21, which the transportation worker controls the traveling unit 5 and the steering unit 6, is detachably attached to the middle horizontal member 4b of the handle 4. The controller 21 includes a main body 21a and a hook-shaped locking piece 21b attached to the main body 21a, and the controller 21 can be hooked onto the horizontal member 4a by sandwiching the horizontal member 4a between the main body 21a and the locking piece 21b. Operators 21c and 21d that can be operated by the transportation worker are provided on the left and right sides of the main body 21a.

[0025] The main body 21a has an electric circuit built into a box-shaped housing and is capable of wired or wireless communication with the control unit 22. The operator 21d is a throttle lever with which the transport worker adjusts the driving force of the traveling unit 5, and the operator 21c is a swing switch with which the transport worker adjusts the steering angle of the steering wheels 6a of the steering unit 6.

[0026] <Engagement operation> The device body 3 is provided with two types of engaging elements, namely, a slot 33 and an engaging shaft 9, as engaging elements that engage with the two types of engaging portions 12, 15 of the engaging member 10. Each engaging element will be described below.

[0027] Referring to Figures 5(A) and 5(B), the insertion and engagement of the engaging portion 12 of the engaging member 10 with the slot 33 will be described. As shown in Figure 5(A), the device main body 3 is advanced relative to the engaging member 10 at a position where the slot 33 faces the engaging portion 12. The casters 34 are in their lowered positions, and the drive wheels 5a and steering wheels 6a are slightly above the floor, as shown in Figure 3. The advancement of the device main body 3 is a manual operation by a transport worker. The engaging portion 12 is positioned at a predetermined height relative to the shelf portion 35, and when the device main body 3 is advanced, it is inserted into the slot 33 as shown in Figure 5(B). In this way, the insertion and removal direction of the engaging portion 12 with respect to the slot 33 is the X direction.

[0028] At this time, the engagement plate 13 moves on the shelf portion 35, and the upper surface of the edge portion 13a (see FIG. 2(B)) of the engagement plate 13 abuts against the vertical roller 8b, and the left and right side surfaces abut against the horizontal rollers 8c. The engagement plate 13 is smoothly inserted into the slot 33 by the rotation and guidance of the vertical rollers 8b and horizontal rollers 8c, and the engagement portion 12 is in an engaged state in which it abuts against the shelf portion 35, the vertical roller 8b, and the horizontal roller 8c in the up-down direction and the Y direction.

[0029] This connects the device body 3 to the frame 101 in the Y and Z directions, and also completes the positioning of the device body 3 and the engaging member 10. In other words, the engaging portion 12 and the slot 33 also function as a guide structure that guides the device body 3 and the engaging member 10 to a predetermined positional relationship.

[0030] 6(A) to 6(C), the operation of the displacement mechanism 7 and the insertion of the engagement shaft 9 into the engagement hole 15a of the engagement member 10 will be described. The insertion of the engagement shaft 9 into the engagement hole 15a follows the insertion of the engagement portion 12 of the engagement member 10 into the slot 33, which prevents the engagement portion 12 from coming off and locks the device main body 3 and the engagement member 10 together.

[0031] 6(A), like FIG. 5(A), shows the device body 3 positioned so that the slot 33 faces the engagement portion 12. The casters 34 are in their lowered positions, and the drive wheels 5a and steering wheels 6a are slightly above the floor, as shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 6(B), like FIG. 5(B), shows the device body 3 moved forward relative to the engagement member 10, with the engagement portion 12 inserted into the slot 33. In this state, the engagement shaft 9 enters the lower end of the engagement hole 15a through the notch 15b at the bottom of the engagement portion 15.

[0032] FIG. 6(C) shows a state in which the transport worker rotates the lever 70 of each displacement mechanism 7, displacing the support member 32 upward. The displacement of the support member 32 displaces each caster 34 to a raised position. As each caster 34 is displaced to the raised position, the drive wheels 5a and steering wheels 6a are placed on the floor surface. The engagement shaft 9 also displaces upward and is inserted into the engagement hole 15a. In this way, the insertion and removal direction of the engagement shaft 9 relative to the engagement hole 15a is the Z direction.

[0033] The displacement mechanism 7 has a cam member 71 in which a cam groove 71a is formed, and the cam member 71 is fixed to the support member 32. A pin 72, which is a component on the side of the base portion 30, is engaged with the cam groove 71a. The pin 72 moves horizontally in the X direction when a lever 70 supported on the side of the base portion 30 is rotated. As the pin 72 moves horizontally, the pin 72 slides in the cam groove 71a, displacing the support member 32 in the insertion / removal direction of the engagement shaft 9 relative to the engagement hole 15a (in the up-and-down direction in this embodiment).

[0034] The displacement mechanism 7 is mechanically stable when the pin 72 is positioned at one end and the other end of the cam groove 72a in the X direction, and the position of the support member 32 is maintained. As shown in Figures 6(A) and 6(B), when the lever 70 is lowered downward, each caster 34 is in a lowered position, and the engagement shaft 9 is also in a lowered position. As shown in Figure 6(C), when the lever 70 is raised upward, each caster 34 is in a raised position, and the engagement shaft 9 is also in a raised position.

[0035] By linking the raising and lowering of each caster 34 with the insertion and removal of the engagement shaft 9 into the engagement hole 15a, it is possible to simultaneously lock the device main body 3 and the engagement member 10 and switch the contact from the caster 34 to the drive wheel 5a and the steering wheel 6.

[0036] In this way, the device main body 3 is also connected to the frame 101 in the X direction, and the device main body 3 and the engaging member 10 are locked together. This completes the attachment of the transport auxiliary device 1 to the bed 100. By fixing the engaging member 10 to the bed 100 as an adapter and configuring the device main body 3 to be detachable from the engaging member 10, the attachment mechanism between the transport auxiliary device 1 and the bed 100 can be configured relatively simply. By individually preparing the engaging member 10 according to the specifications of the bed 100, the transport auxiliary device 1 can be attached to a variety of beds 100. Even when designing the engaging member 10 according to the type of bed 100, the only difference in specifications is the height position, and simple design or manufacturing changes are sufficient.

[0037] <Usage example> An example of how to use the transport assistance device 1, particularly from attachment to the bed 100 to transport assistance, will be described with reference to Figures 7 to 11. Figure 7 shows the state before attachment. The engagement member 10 is attached to the bed 100 in advance. A transport worker 200, such as a medical professional typified by a nurse, manually pushes the cart unit 2 to the side of the bed 100. At this time, the multiple casters 34 are in the lowered position, and the transport worker 200 can move the cart unit 2 relatively freely by rolling the casters 34.

[0038] The transport worker 200 visually aligns the engagement portion 12 of the engagement member 10 with the slot 33, and moves the cart unit 2 forward to the side of the bed 100, as shown in Figure 8. This causes the engagement portion 12 to be inserted into the slot 33, as described with reference to Figures 5(A) and 5(B). The engagement plate 13 of the engagement portion 12 is smoothly inserted between the two roller units 8 (the state shown in Figures 5(A) and 5(B)).

[0039] Next, the delivery worker 200 operates the lever 70 to displace the support member 32 upward as described with reference to Fig. 6(C). As a result, the engagement shaft 9 is inserted into the engagement hole 15a as shown in Fig. 9, and each caster 34 is displaced to the raised position, with the drive wheel 5a and the steering wheel 6a touching the ground.

[0040] Next, the delivery worker 200 turns on the indicator light 20, removes the controller 21 from the handle 4, and attaches it to the headboard 104 as shown in FIG. 10. The controller 21 can be hung from above on the headboard 104 with the headboard 104 sandwiched between the main body 21a and the locking piece 21b. During the delivery work, the delivery worker 200 can operate the controller 21 at hand.

[0041] The transport worker 200 moves on to transporting the bed 100. As shown in FIG. 11, the bed 100 is moved while gripping the headboard 104. By operating the operator 21d, the traveling unit 5 is driven and the drive wheel 5a rotates. In this embodiment, the insertion / removal direction of the engagement shaft 9 (Z direction), the rolling direction of the drive wheel 5a (Y direction), and the insertion / removal direction of the engagement portion 12 (X direction) intersect with each other (orthogonal in this embodiment). When the drive wheel 5a rolls in the L direction, a moving force is transmitted to the bed 100 via the roller unit 8, the engagement shaft 9, and the engagement member 10, assisting the movement of the bed 100 in the L direction. Transporting the bed 100 generally requires multiple workers, but with the assistance of the transport assistance device 1, it is also possible for a single transport worker to transport the bed 100.

[0042] In this embodiment, the position of the slot 33 is offset forward in the traveling direction from the center C of the device body 3 in the rolling direction (Y direction) of the drive wheel 5a, as shown in Fig. 2. Therefore, during the transport assist operation shown in Fig. 11, the moving force in the L direction transmitted from the device body 3 to the bed 100 via the engaging portion 12 is transmitted further forward in the traveling direction of the bed 100 (towards the footboard 105). By increasing the distance between the position where the transport worker 200 presses (near the headboard 104) and the position where the moving force is transmitted, the moving force is transmitted so that the bed 100 is pulled from the front, thereby improving the straight-line movement stability of the bed 100.

[0043] The position of the drive wheels 5a relative to the bed 100 is biased to one side in the width direction W of the bed 100. Depending on the degree of assistance from the drive wheels 5a, a turning force may be applied to the left side of the bed 100, but the delivery worker 200 can maintain the straightness of the bed 100 by increasing the pressure on the left side of the bed 100 or by operating the operator 21c to steer the steering wheels 6. Furthermore, when turning the bed 100, the delivery worker 200 can turn the bed 100 by increasing the pressure on either the left or right side of the bed 100 or by operating the operator 21c to steer the steering wheels 6.

[0044] During transport of the bed 100, most of the device body 3 fits under the bottom 103 of the bed 100, and only the handle 4 of the transport assistance device 1 protrudes from the outer shape of the bed 100 in a plan view. This prevents the transport assistance device 1 from getting in the way when entering or exiting a hospital room, getting on or off an elevator, or in narrow passageways. During transport of the bed 100, the indicator light 20 lights up, thereby notifying those around that the bed 100 is being transported.

[0045] <Other embodiments> In the above embodiment, the slot 33 is formed on the device main body 3 side, and the engaging portion (insertion portion) 12 is provided on the engaging member 10 side, but the arrangement may be reversed, with the engaging portion (insertion portion) 12 formed on the device main body 3 side, and the slot 33 formed on the engaging member 10 side. Two types of engaging portions are used, but one type may also be used.

[0046] In the above embodiment, the transport assist device 1 is configured to be attached to the side of the bed 100, but it may also be configured to be attached to an end of the bed 100 in the longitudinal direction, such as the headboard 104 side or the footboard 105 side. The rolling direction of the drive wheels 5a and the like may be designed according to the location where the device is attached to the bed 100.

[0047] In the above embodiment, the steering unit 6 is provided to assist in turning the bed 100, but the steering unit 6 may not be provided and turning of the bed 100 may be left solely to the transport worker 200. In the above embodiment, the driving wheel 5a is one wheel, but it may be multiple wheels.

[0048] Although the embodiments of the invention have been described above, the invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the gist of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0049] 1 transport auxiliary device, 2 cart unit, 3 device body, 10 engagement member

Claims

1. A transport assist device that is attached to a bed and assists a transport worker in transporting the bed, A device body, an engagement member attached to the frame of the bed; The device body includes: a travel means for moving the device body, the travel means including a drive source; an engaging means for connecting the device body to the frame by engaging with the engaging member; a slot is provided in the engaging means, and an insertion portion is provided in the engaging member that can be inserted into and removed from the slot; The traveling means has a driving wheel, an insertion / removal direction of the insertion portion intersects with a rolling direction of the drive wheel; The engagement member has an engagement hole, the engaging means includes an engaging shaft that can be inserted into and removed from the engaging hole, an insertion / removal direction of the engagement shaft intersects with a rolling direction of the drive wheel and an insertion / removal direction of the insertion portion; a displacement mechanism that displaces the engagement shaft in an insertion / removal direction relative to the engagement hole, the device body has a plurality of casters, The plurality of casters are movable up and down between an elevated position where the traveling means contacts the ground and a lowered position where the plurality of casters contact the ground, The plurality of casters are raised and lowered to the raised position and the lowered position in conjunction with the displacement of the engagement shaft, the device main body is attached to the bed at a side of the bed along a longitudinal direction of the bed, At least a portion of the device body is located below the bottom of the bed. A transport auxiliary device characterized by:

2. A transport assist device that is attached to a bed and assists a transport worker in transporting the bed, A device body, an engagement member attached to the frame of the bed; The device body includes: a travel means for moving the device body, the travel means including a drive source; an engaging means for connecting the device body to the frame by engaging with the engaging member; Multiple casters and a displacement mechanism that, by manual operation of a lever by an operator, raises and lowers the plurality of casters to a raised position where the traveling means contacts the ground and a lowered position where the plurality of casters contact the ground; a slot is provided in one of the engaging member and the engaging means, and an insertion portion is provided in the other of the engaging member and the engaging means that can be inserted into and removed from the slot in a horizontal direction; A transport auxiliary device characterized by:

3. 2. The transport assist device according to claim 1, the rolling direction is the longitudinal direction, the insertion / removal direction of the insertion part is the width direction of the bed, The insertion / removal direction of the engagement shaft is an up-down direction. The position of the slot is offset forward in the direction of travel from the center of the device body in the rolling direction of the drive wheel. A transport auxiliary device characterized by:

4. 4. The transport assist device according to claim 1, a handle attached to the device body and capable of being held by the transport operator; a controller for controlling the traveling means, The controller is detachably attached to the handle and the headboard of the bed. A transport auxiliary device characterized by:

5. A transport auxiliary device as described in claim 2, The traveling means has a driving wheel, The insertion and removal direction of the insertion portion intersects with the rolling direction of the drive wheel. A transport auxiliary device characterized by:

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