Voice-activated stand-up and sitting support device

Abstract

To provide a self-supporting standing / sitting support device for a care receiver, comprising a voice recognition function.SOLUTION: A self-supporting standing / sitting support device is provided which comprises a sling 20 that is hung from above and is used for supporting a care receiver's body in such a way as to hold the body, an electrically-driven hoist 10 for lifting upward or lowering downward the sling 20 while holding the care receiver's body, and a manual electrically-driven switch 30 and / or electrically-driven switch having a voice recognition function for actuating the electrically-driven hoist 10 using a wired or wireless method. When the care receiver actuates the electrically-driven hoist 10 using the wired or wireless method via the electrically-driven switch having the voice recognition function by himself / herself, body position transformation from a sitting position to a standing position of the care receiver and body position transformation from the standing position to the sitting position can be supported while preventing the care receiver's body from falling.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3A

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an independent standing and sitting device that supports a care recipient to stand up from a seated position and to sit down on their own, and is a hanging type device that can be operated by commands from the care recipient using a voice recognition function, and prevents the care recipient from falling while moving, while allowing the care recipient to stand up and sit down on their own, and also provides walking support when walking from a standing position at the bedside to a destination. [Background technology]

[0002] With the increase in the number of people requiring care, such as the elderly, it has become common to use various types of nursing support equipment to assist in providing care to those in need of care in order to reduce the workload of caregivers. In recent years, with the increasing number of elderly people, there has been an increasing demand for nursing support equipment that enables advanced nursing support.

[0003] As such a care support tool, a standing support device has been proposed in the past, for example, for elderly people and other care recipients who need assistance when moving from a seated position to a standing position. The standing support device uses an actuator to move a handrail attached to a wall, and supports the care recipient who holds onto the handrail to move smoothly into a standing position (see, for example, Patent Document 1). However, since the support device is fixed to a simple frame (frame body), the care recipient can only receive the benefit from the device at the location where the frame is installed. Furthermore, although assistance is needed to move from a seated position to a standing position and from a standing position to a walking position, such a support device is not suitable for care recipients. Therefore, in consideration of the above circumstances, we developed a robot that allows users to smoothly transition from a sitting position to a standing position and from a standing position to a walking position, even if they have weak muscles. A walking training method that can support the user and prevent the decline of the user's motor ability has been proposed (Patent Reference 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-195814 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-125296 DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] While the above-mentioned conventional assistance devices aim to support the independent movements of care recipients to a certain extent, they are not considered appropriate for supporting the basic human standing and sitting movements shown in Figure 1. Because care recipients are typically weak, standing and sitting on their own using their arms carries the risk of falling. In other words, standing and sitting for care recipients is not easy, as shown in Figure 2. Generally, as shown in Figure 2, the care recipient sits on the edge of the bed (1), and the caregiver lifts the patient's hips and stabilizes them with their own knees to prevent the patient's knees from bending (2). The caregiver leans against the patient and pulls down the patient's underwear, signaling the patient to sit down and gently helping them sit down (3). After toileting, the reverse steps (3, 2, 1) are performed. However, putting on and taking off clothes and underwear is difficult, and two caregivers may be required, one to support the patient's body and the other to pull down the patient's underwear. Robotic assistance devices have also been proposed, but they are expensive and difficult to operate. In order for a patient to stand up and sit down as much as possible on their own, it is first necessary to prevent the patient from falling when they try to stand up or sit down, and it is necessary to support their weight somewhere and assist them in their movements.The present invention aims to provide a device that can support a person requiring care by preventing them from falling, while enabling them to stand up from the toilet pad and sit down on the toilet seat from an upright position on their own. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] As a result of extensive research by the inventors to help care recipients stand up and sit down on their own while preventing the above-mentioned falls, they have once again looked at natural human standing up and sitting down movements from three perspectives: sitting, intermediate, and standing up. As shown in Figure 1, to stand up from a sitting position (1), first pull both feet back slightly, and at the same time push your head forward beyond your knees. The further your head pushes forward, the more your buttocks will rise (2). Once your buttocks are completely off the chair, gradually straighten your waist, and you will stand up. Then, by pulling your buttocks back while returning your head to its original position, you will achieve an upright posture (3). However, unless you are able-bodied, it is difficult for a person to perform such movements without assistance. Therefore, when we look at the actual situation of care support by a caregiver to a care recipient in Figure 2, the caregiver supports the body from the front with both hands behind the back to prevent the care recipient from falling and to help the care recipient stand up and sit down. Therefore, in order to support the movement of the care recipient, it is necessary to support the body from the front in place of the caregiver's hands. The present invention has been made in consideration of the actual situation of care, A sling (20) that is suspended from above and supports the care recipient by embracing the body of the care recipient, an electric hoist (10) that raises the sling (20) upward or lowers the sling (20) while embracing the body of the care recipient, and a manual and / or voice recognition system that operates the electric hoist (10). The electric switch 30 has a function, The sling 20 is roughly U-shaped, and is used by a caregiver to hold a care recipient from the front with both hands. In order to support the care recipient's body in place of the U-shaped support, the support is attached to the body of the care recipient from behind, passing under the armpits and around to the front, and supports the care recipient from above as if they were being held in a sling, preventing them from falling over when standing up or sitting down. The sling 20 is towed by an electric hoist 10 via a towing rope 11, and when the person being cared for operates the electric hoist 10 via a voice recognition electric switch 30, the sling 20 is towed upward and forward, thereby assisting the person being cared for to change their body position from a sitting position to a standing position while preventing the person being cared for from falling over, and the sling 20 can rotate in the standing position to change their body position from front to back while preventing the person being cared for from falling over, and further the sling 20 can be towed downward from the front and lowered, thereby assisting the person being cared for to change their body position from a standing position to a sitting position while preventing the person being cared for from falling over. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, the care recipient's body can be supported by a sling so that the caregiver can hold them with both hands, preventing them from falling when standing up or sitting down.As a result, the care recipient can safely stand up or sit down on their own by operating an electric switch to raise or lower the sling. In particular, the U-shaped sling 20 for supporting the body is positioned in the vicinity of the chest of the care recipient. When the support body 21, which is used to lift the patient forward through both sides of the body, is lifted forward, the support body 21 passes through both sides and extends to the front of the chest, and an inward component of the forward lifting force tries to squeeze the patient's sides. However, the support frame 22 easily resists this and does not squeeze the patient's sides. Furthermore, if the support frame is configured to be easily attached and detached from the support body 21 in front of the patient's chest, the sling 20 can be easily attached to the patient's body. Furthermore, if the sling is equipped with a support belt 30 that is wrapped around the patient's waist, the standing and sitting movements shown in Figure 1 can be made even easier. In particular, when the electric hoist is operated via a voice recognition switch, the care recipient can request the operation of the electric hoist while lying down, so if the care recipient wears the sling 20 on their pajamas or the like, they can easily move from lying down to sitting on the edge of the bed. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] (1), (2), and (3) are exploded views of the standing-up movement of a healthy person. [Figure 2] 1A, 1B, and 1C are exploded views of a caregiver assisting a care recipient to stand up and sit down, respectively. [Figure 3A] 1A is a schematic diagram of the first (A) of three embodiments of the standing and sitting assist device of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 3B] 2B is a schematic diagram of the second (B) of three embodiments of the standing and sitting assist device of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 3C] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of the third (C) of three embodiments of the standing and sitting assist device of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a generally U-shaped sling. [Figure 5] This is a first preferred variant of the sling. [Figure 6A] 1 is an explanatory diagram of a care-requiring person's sitting motion (2) and (3) from a standing state (1) to a wheelchair. [Figure 6B] 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams of the care-requiring person's movements from a standing state (1) to sitting on the toilet seat (4) and (5). [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an assistance state during walking. [Figure 8] 1 is a diagram showing an overview of a portable electric switch according to an embodiment; [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing functional blocks of a control unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] 3A is a schematic diagram of a specific example of the standing-sitting assist device of the present invention. The device includes a sling 20 that is suspended from above and supports the care recipient by embracing the body of the care recipient, an electric hoist 10 that raises or lowers the sling 20 while embracing the body of the care recipient, and a manual electric switch 30 and / or an electric switch 100 with a voice recognition function that operates the electric hoist 10 via a wired or wireless system. In Figure 3A, the ceiling frame F1 is supported by pillars F2 standing on all four sides (east, west, north, south). The electric hoist 10 is attached to the horizontal frame F3 so that it can move in the longitudinal direction. A sling 20 for suspending the body is attached to the electric hoist 10 via a towing rope 11, and the electric hoist 10 can be raised and lowered by operating a manual switch 30.

[0010] In Figure 3B, a pair of support frames F2 are assembled in an isosceles triangle instead of the ceiling frame F1. A horizontal frame F3 is erected between a pair of vertices of the triangle, and an electric hoist 10 is attached so as to be able to travel in the longitudinal direction along the horizontal frame F3.

[0011] In FIG. 3C, a pair of support frames F2 are erected in an inverted T-shape instead of the ceiling frame F1. A horizontal frame F3 is erected at the top, and an electric hoist 10 is attached so as to be able to travel in the longitudinal direction along the horizontal frame F3.

[0012] Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the structure of a sling having a roughly U-shape. The sling 20 is designed to hold the body of the care recipient in place of the caregiver's hands when embracing the care recipient from the front, and is roughly U-shaped so that the care recipient's body can be wrapped around the front of the care recipient by passing it under the armpits from behind. The U-shaped sling is attached to the body and supports the care recipient from above, as if embracing the body of the care recipient with a sling, preventing the body from falling over when standing up or sitting down. The sling 20 is pulled by the electric hoist 10, and when the person being cared for operates the electric hoist 10 by wired or wireless means via the manual electric switch 30 and / or the electric switch 100 having a voice recognition function, the sling 20 is pulled upward and forward, preventing the person being cared for from falling over and assisting the person being cared for to change their body position from a seated position to a standing position. The sling 20 can rotate to change the body position from front to back while preventing the person being cared for from falling over in the standing position. Furthermore, the sling 20 can be pulled downward and lowered from the front, preventing the person being cared for from falling over and assisting the person being cared for to change their body position from a standing position to a sitting position.

[0013] 5 shows a first modification of the sling 20. The roughly U-shaped sling 20 has a long It consists of a flexible belt-shaped support that extends in the hand direction, and can be folded back at the center and bent into a roughly U-shape. The U-shaped part is placed behind the back, and then wrapped around the armpits and worn to support the back of the body. The sling 20 comprises a support body 21, which is used to lift the care recipient forward by passing through both sides of the body; connecting means 21a for connecting the towing rope 11 of the hoist to both ends of the support body 21; and a support frame 22 extending horizontally in front of the chest, which resists the inward component of the forward lifting force of the support body 21 extending forward through both sides of the chest when the support body 21 is pulled forward by the hoist 10 to lift the care recipient. The support frame 22 has a diameter of approximately 50 cm. The support frame 22 is detachably attached to the support body 21 in front of the care recipient's chest, making it easy to attach the sling 20 to the body. Furthermore, a support belt wrapped around the waist, connected to both sides of the support belt and the sling 20, and connected to the towing rope 11 of the hoist 10 with an auxiliary belt, allows the care recipient to be pulled simultaneously from the back and buttocks, making it easier to stand up from a seated position.

[0014] FIG. 6A shows the movement from a standing position (1) to sitting down on a wheelchair (2) when using the assist device of the present invention. Fig. 6B shows the motion assistance state from (1) to (3). The movement support for steps (4) and (5) is shown. In both cases, the person requiring care is prevented from falling by the hanging sling 20 when standing. When the person requiring care grasps the upper part of the sling 20 with one or both hands from this position, the caregiver places both hands behind the back of the person requiring care, supporting them as they sit down, allowing them to sit down smoothly.

[0015] Figure 7 shows the assistance provided when walking. A running rail 40 is installed on the ceiling above the walkway for the care recipient, extending in several walking directions from a first point to a destination, and the electric hoist 10 is attached to the running rail, which can be operated by a manual electric switch 30 or an electric switch 100 with a voice recognition function. A sling connected to the electric hoist 10 suspends and supports the standing care recipient, preventing them from falling while walking. The electric hoist can then be operated by an electric switch to run along with the care recipient's walking to the destination, providing walking assistance.

[0016] If the electric switch 100 has a voice recognition function, it can operate the electric hoist 10 in response to a voice command from the care recipient, and can make the care recipient wearing the sling 20 stand up, sit down, move forward or move backward. Fig. 8 shows an outline of a portable wireless communication electric switch according to an embodiment of the present invention. The electric switch 100 has a housing 102, and the housing 10 2, a wired driving unit 103, a control unit 110, an information output unit 111, a microphone 112, a wireless communication unit 113, a sensor 114, a memory 117, and a battery 18 are arranged. 8 is provided on the lower end side of the housing 2 and supplies power to each component of the electric switch 100. Supply power.

[0017] The information output unit 111 is an output interface that outputs information to the user, and may include a speaker that outputs information audibly and / or a display that outputs information on a screen. The microphone 112 is an input interface that inputs a sound signal generated by collecting surrounding sounds. The information output unit 111 and a part of the microphone 112 are externally mounted to the housing 102. The wireless communication unit 113 is a module that communicates wirelessly with external devices.

[0018] The sensor 114 includes a hoist sensor 115 and a touch sensor 116. The hoist sensor 115 includes a forward / backward movement sensor and a vertical movement instruction sensor. The sensor value is used to detect the forward / backward movement of the electric hoist and the up / down movement of the hoist. The touch sensor 116 is a resistive or capacitive sensor. The touch sensor 116 detects a touch by the user. The touch sensor 116 may be provided in a grip portion of the housing 102, and the sensor value of the touch sensor 116 may be used to detect whether the user is gripping the electric switch 101. The touch sensor 116 may also be provided on an upper portion of the housing 102, and the sensor value of the touch sensor 116 may be used to detect an instruction by the user.

[0019] The drive signal unit 103 receives a signal from the manual switch 109 at the control unit 110 and includes a transmitter 104, a connecting unit 105 connected thereto, and a transmitter 106, and a signal 108 is transmitted from an antenna 107 and transmitted wirelessly to the electric hoist 10. It is also connected to the electric hoist 10 via a wire 101.

[0020] The control unit 110 is realized by a microcomputer mounted on a control board, etc. The control unit 110 has a function of controlling the electric switch 100 in an integrated manner, and executes various processes related to the electric switch 100. An operation switch 109-1 or 109-2 that can be operated by a user is provided on the front side of the grip part of the housing 102. The operation switches 109-1 and 109-2 may be trigger-type switches that can be pulled. The control unit 110 controls the forward and backward movement of the electric hoist by operating the operation switch 109-1, and controls the hoisting motor of the electric hoist in response to the operation of the operation switch 109-2, thereby controlling the motor. Adjust whether to wind up the sling connected to the tank to lift it up or rewind it for processing.

[0021] In the electric switch 100 of the embodiment, the microphone 112 inputs a sound signal to the control unit 110. The microphone 112 functions as an information input interface for inputting information to the electric switch 100, and the control unit 110 can execute processing related to the electric switch 100 based on the sound input to the microphone 112. Since the electric switch 100 is equipped with the microphone 112, the user can control the operation of the electric switch 100 by uttering operation information instead of operating the operation buttons 109-1 and 109-2.

[0022] Before starting work, the user sets parameter values ​​for controlling the operation of the hoist motor in the electric switch 100. The user can vocalize the parameter setting values, and the control unit 110 can register the parameter values ​​in the memory 117 based on the user's voice input to the microphone 112.

[0023] The motor operation control for the operation management of the electric hoist is based on the type of electric switch 100. For example, a single switch operation can set the hoist's forward or backward movement distance to 50 cm or 100 cm, and the hoist's winding and rewinding distance to 30 cm or 50 cm, with automatic shutoff control.

[0024] The motion control can be set according to the user's physical strength. One of the options (L1 to L9) is set. It is preferable that the level is set according to the action target, such as L1) standing up from a sleeping position, L2) moving from standing up to the edge of the bed, L3) sitting down on the edge of the bed, L4) standing up, L5) sitting down, L6) turning right, L7) turning left, L8) walking forward, and L9) walking backward, and that the speed level for each action is set.

[0025] The set number of stages is a parameter for automatically stopping the motor of the electric hoist 10. For example, the user can set one of 100 options (N00 to N99). Each set number of steps can be associated with an operation speed that is easy for the user to use, for example, N00 can be associated with 10 cm / min, N01 with 12 cm / min, N02 with 14 cm / min, and N03 with 16 cm / min.

[0026] The parameter values ​​of the physical strength level and the number of operation settings are stored in the memory 117 as master data. The parameter values ​​are stored in a table. Before starting work, the user sets each parameter value in the electric switch 100 by uttering the "operation level" and "operation speed setting step number" for obtaining the target operation optimum value. Also, if the work object is changed during work, the user sets each parameter value in the electric switch 100 by uttering the "operation level" and "operation speed setting step number" for obtaining the target parameter value corresponding to the changed work object. The set parameter values ​​are The data is stored in the memory 117 and is used by the control unit 110 to control the driving of the motor of the electric hoist.

[0027] 9 shows functional blocks of the control unit 110. The control unit 110 includes, for example, an operation reception unit 130, a drive control unit 131, an execution function determination unit 132, and a sound processing unit 133, and executes various processes related to the electric switch 100. The sound processing unit 133 The voice recognition unit 135 may be configured to have a function of processing input sounds, a sound analysis unit 134 that performs frequency analysis of input sounds, and a voice recognition unit 135 that recognizes voices spoken by the user.

[0028] The operation receiving unit 130 receives the operation of the operation switch 109 by the user and performs the drive control. The drive control section 31 provides the electric wheel control signal in response to the operation of the operation switch 9. As described above, in the electric switch 100 of the embodiment, the user can set parameters for torque management before starting work. The drive control unit 131 sets the parameter values ​​stored in the memory 117. The rotation of the motor of the electric hoist is controlled based on the above.

[0029] When the power supply of the electric switch 100 is in an on state, the microphone 112 picks up the sound of the user speaking. Various sounds are input, such as the voice of the operator and the operating sound of the electric switch 100 during operation. The control unit 110 controls the electric switch 1 based on the sound input to the microphone 112. In the embodiment, the voice recognition unit 135 has a function of performing voice recognition processing of the user's speech, and each function in the control unit 110 can perform processing related to the electric switch 100 based on the result of the voice recognition processing performed by the voice recognition unit 135 on the sound input to the microphone 112. In other words, the user speaks into the microphone 112. This allows the control unit 100 to execute various processes.

[0030] The present invention has been described above based on the embodiments. These embodiments are merely examples, and various modifications are possible in the combination of each component or each treatment process. Those skilled in the art will understand that modified examples are also within the scope of the present invention. The microphone 112 may be provided in another terminal device having a communication function, and the terminal device may transmit a sound signal collected by the microphone 112 to the electric switch 1. In addition, the terminal device may further perform the function of the sound processing unit 133. The control unit 110 may have a microphone 112 and transmit the processed sound signal collected by the microphone 12 to the electric switch 100. This allows the control unit 110 in the electric switch 100 to execute processing related to the electric switch 100 based on the sound input to the microphone 112 provided in another terminal device. The terminal device may be a portable terminal device such as a smartphone or tablet equipped with a microphone and a wireless communication module. The control unit 110 may execute processing related to the electric switch (1) based on the result of voice recognition processing of the input sound. In other words, the control unit 110 may not execute voice recognition processing when the operation switch (9) is in the on state, but may execute voice recognition processing when the operation switch (9) is in the off state. The control unit 110 may not perform voice recognition processing when the electric switch 100 is not being held by a user, and may perform voice recognition processing when the electric switch 100 is being held by a user. The control unit 110 may perform voice recognition processing when the electric switch 100 is being held by a user and is in a predetermined position or is being made to perform a predetermined movement. The control unit 100 may perform voice recognition processing based on the result of voice recognition processing of the input sound. The control unit 110 may set a parameter value for controlling the operation of the driving unit 103 based on the information about the work. The control unit 110 may not set a parameter value when the operation switch 109 is in the on state, and may set a parameter value when the operation switch 109 is in the off state. When the electric switch 100 is not being held by a user, the parameter value When the setting is not performed and the electric switch 100 is held by the user The control unit 110 may instruct the user to set parameter values. After notifying the user that the parameter value will be set, the user may proceed with setting the parameter value. [Explanation of symbols]

[0031] 10...electric hoist, 20...sling, 30...electric switch, 40...ceiling rail, 100...electric switch, 103...drive unit, 104...transmitter, 107... Antenna, 109... operation switch, 110... control unit, 111... information output unit , 112... Microphone, 117... Memory, 118... Battery, 132... Actual Function determination unit, 133, sound processing unit, 134, sound analysis unit, 135, speech recognition unit Department

Claims

1. The device comprises a sling (20) that is suspended from above and supports the care recipient by embracing the body of the care recipient, an electric hoist (10) that raises the sling (20) upward or lowers the sling (20) while embracing the body of the care recipient, and an electric switch (100) that has a voice recognition function and operates the electric hoist (10) by a wired or wireless method. The sling (20) comprises a U-shaped support body (21) attached to the body of the care recipient so as to pass under the armpits of the care recipient from behind and wrap around the front of the body in order to hold the body of the care recipient in place of both hands of a caregiver embracing the care recipient from the front, a connecting means (21a) for connecting the towing rope (11) of the electric hoist (10) to both ends of the support body (21), and a connecting means (21b) for connecting the support body (21) to the front of the electric hoist (10). When the care recipient is pulled and lifted up, the support body (21) extends in front of the chest through both sides, and as shown in Figure 5, a support frame (22) extends horizontally in front of the chest to resist the component force acting inward of the forward lifting force so as not to pinch the sides with the component force. The support body (21) supports the care recipient's body by suspending it from above as if it were being held in a sling, and the support frame (22) prevents the body from falling forward when standing up or sitting down. The sling (20) is pulled by the electric hoist (10) via a towing rope (11), and when the care recipient himself / herself operates the electric hoist (10) via the electric switch (100) in a wired or wireless manner, first, the sling (20) is pulled forward and upward by the electric hoist (10), and the support frame (22) can prevent the care recipient from falling over, while assisting the care recipient in changing their body position from a sitting position to a standing position. Secondly, the sling (20) can be rotated to change the body position from front to back while preventing the body from falling over in the standing position by the support frame (22), and thirdly, when the sling (20) is lowered downward from the front by the electric hoist (10), it can assist the care recipient in changing the body position from a standing position to a sitting position while preventing the body from falling over by the support frame (22).

2. 2. The device for supporting independence of a care recipient according to claim 1, wherein the support frame (22) is detachably attached to the support body (21) in front of the chest of the care recipient, facilitating the attachment of the sling (20) to the body.

3. 2. The device for supporting independence of a care recipient as described in claim 1, wherein the electric switch (100) has a voice recognition function and operates the electric hoist (10) in response to a voice command from the care recipient, thereby causing the body of the care recipient wearing the sling (20) to stand up, sit down, move forward or backward.

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