Wheelchair with parking brake structure

Abstract

To provide a wheelchair having a parking brake structure that is easy for a caregiver to operate.SOLUTION: There is provided a wheelchair 1 having a parking brake structure 2, which includes: an attachment member for attaching a parking brake structure 2 to a predetermined mounting position of a wheelchair 1 equipped with a main wheel 5; a pressure contact lever part pivotally supported at a base end part and configured to be turnable in a direction crossing an extending direction of a main shaft 14 of a tire surface 13 of the main wheel 5; and pressure contact state maintaining means for maintaining a state in which the pressure contact lever part is in pressure contact with the tire surface 13, and which can assume an unlocked state in which the pressure contact lever part is at a position away from the tire surface 13, and a locked state where the pressure contact lever part is fixed at a turning position where the pressure contact lever part is in pressure contact with the tire surface 13, wherein the predetermined mounting position is set at an upper side mounting position of the wheelchair 1, where a caregiver who pushes the wheelchair 1 can operate the pressure contact lever part in a standing state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a wheelchair having a parking brake structure. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, as shown in Patent Document 1 below, a parking brake is provided to prevent a wheelchair from moving when a user gets on or off the wheelchair. Generally, such a parking brake is attached to the side frame of the wheelchair so that it is easy for the user to operate.

[0003] In addition, this type of parking brake is often configured by providing an attachment member to the side frame, and on the attachment member are provided an operating lever section operated by the user, a brake member having a pressure contact surface at the tip that presses against the main wheels of the wheelchair, and a link member that connects the operating lever section and the brake member.The user sitting on the wheelchair seat operates the operating lever section to prevent the main wheels of the wheelchair from rotating when the parking brake is required. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-136084 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The parking brake of a wheelchair is often operated not only by the user sitting in the wheelchair, but also by the caregiver pushing the wheelchair. In such cases, the caregiver must reach out to operate the parking brake lever fixed to the side frame, which requires the caregiver to bend forward considerably, making it difficult and burdensome to operate.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a wheelchair having a parking brake structure that is easy for a caregiver to operate. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A wheelchair having a parking brake structure according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises: a mounting member for mounting the parking brake mechanism at a predetermined mounting position on a wheelchair having main wheels; a pressure lever portion having a base end pivotally supported and configured to be rotatable in a direction intersecting with the direction in which the main axis of the tire surface of the main wheel extends; a pressure contact state maintaining means for maintaining a state in which the pressure contact lever portion is in pressure contact with the tire surface of the main wheel, an unlocked state in which the pressure contact lever portion is in a position away from the tire surface; a locked state in which the pressure contact lever portion is fixed at a rotational position in which the pressure contact lever portion is in pressure contact with the tire surface of the main wheel; It is a structure that can take the following. The predetermined mounting position is set to an upper mounting position of the wheelchair where a caregiver pushing the wheelchair can operate the pressure contact lever portion while standing. And, The pressure lever has an adjusting means for adjusting the mounting position of the base end portion of the pressure lever portion relative to the mounting member in the vertical direction at the predetermined mounting position. It is characterized by:

[0008] A second aspect of the present invention is a wheelchair having the parking brake structure described in the first aspect, characterized in that the upper mounting position is a rear position of a back column frame that supports the backrest of the wheelchair.

[0009] A third aspect of the present invention is a wheelchair having the parking brake structure described in the first aspect, characterized in that the angle at which the pressure-contact lever portion intersects with the direction in which the main axis of the tire surface extends is right angles.

[0010] A fourth aspect of the present invention is a wheelchair having the parking brake structure described in the first aspect, characterized in that in addition to providing the predetermined mounting position at the upper mounting position of the wheelchair, the predetermined mounting position is also provided at the front side of the wheelchair at the lower half position in the vertical direction of the main wheels. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] The present invention can provide a wheelchair with a parking brake structure that is easy for a caregiver to operate. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the wheelchair as seen from the side, illustrating the location where the parking brake structure is attached in this embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the wheelchair from behind, illustrating the location where the parking brake structure is attached in this embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the vicinity of the main wheel at the right rear, showing the state before the first parking brake structure is fixed. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the vicinity of the main wheel at the right rear, showing the state after the first parking brake structure has been fixed. [Figure 5] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the structure for adjusting the degree of fixation of the parking brake structure, as viewed from the rear. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a partial view of the first parking brake structure as seen from the rear. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a first parking brake structure, illustrating an unlocked state. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a first parking brake structure, illustrating a locked state. [Figure 9] This is a perspective view of a wheelchair in which parking brake structures are provided in two locations: at the rear of the spine frame and near the front of the main wheels. [Figure 10]FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the vicinity of the main wheel at the rear right side, showing the state of the first parking brake structure modification before it is fixed. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the vicinity of the main wheel at the rear right side, showing the state during rotation operation of the first parking brake structure modification. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the vicinity of the main wheel at the rear right side, showing the state after the first parking brake structure modification has been fixed. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a state in which the first parking brake structure modification is fixed to a side frame or the like so that it can be fixed at a position closer to the front and lower side of the main wheels. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] [First embodiment] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A wheelchair having a parking brake structure (hereinafter simply referred to as a wheelchair as appropriate) according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the exterior of the wheelchair as seen from approximately the side, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the exterior of the wheelchair as seen from behind.

[0015] In the description of the wheelchair 1 and parking brake structure 2 according to this specification, the forward / backward direction refers to the direction in which the wheelchair 1 moves, and the opposite direction is referred to as the backward direction, and is the direction indicated by the arrow X in Figures 1 and 2. The lateral direction is the direction perpendicular to the forward / backward direction, and is the width direction of the wheelchair, and is the direction indicated by the arrow Y in Figures 1 and 2. As shown in Figure 2, the right and left directions in the lateral direction are the directions seen from the perspective of a caregiver pushing the wheelchair. The up / down direction (height direction) is the direction perpendicular to the forward / backward direction and the lateral direction, and is the direction indicated by the arrow Z in Figures 1 and 2.

[0016] (Overall wheelchair configuration) As shown in Figure 1, this wheelchair 1 has a pair of main wheels 5, 5 that serve as rear wheels near the rear bending position of a pair of approximately L-shaped main frames 4, 4, and a pair of front wheels 6, 6 at the tip end of the main frames 4, 4. The frame portions of the main frames 4, 4 that are approximately parallel to the ground are configured as side frames 7, 7, and a seat section 8 is provided to span the side frames 7, 7.

[0017] The rear sides of the main frames 4, 4 extend diagonally upward and rearward from the bent position to form a pair of spine frames 9, 9 that support the backrest portion 12. The tips of the spine frames 9, 9 are bent rearward to form a pair of grip handles 10, 10. Although not shown, brake levers are provided below the grip handles 10, 10. In addition, a pair of armrests 11, 11 are provided on the spine frames 9, 9 so as to extend forward at a position slightly higher than the height position of the main wheels 5, 5.

[0018] In Figure 1, the position at which the spine frames 9,9 appear to protrude upward from the tire surfaces 13,13 of the main wheels 5,5 is aligned approximately with the center position in the fore-and-aft direction of the main wheels 5,5 (the center of rotation of the main wheels 5,5). Therefore, when parking brake structures 2a,2b (described later) are attached to the rear side of the spine frames 9,9, a lower pressure contact lever 22 (see Figures 7 and 8) (described later) will come into contact with an upper high position region that includes the highest position of the main wheels 5,5.

[0019] The lower pressure contact lever 22 is configured to be rotatable in a direction intersecting the direction in which the main shaft 14 of the tire surface 13 of the main wheel 5 extends. Here, the "main axis 14 of the tire surface 13 of the main wheel 5" refers to the fact that when the tire surface 13 of the wheelchair 1 is viewed from above as shown in Figure 3, the tire surface 13 is recognized as a strip-shaped surface extending in the front-to-rear direction, and the direction in which this strip-shaped surface extends is the main axis 14 mentioned above.

[0020] The intersecting direction can be various intersecting angles such as 30°, 60°, and 90°. Generally speaking, however, the closer the angle is to 90°, i.e., a right angle, the more easily the pressure contact force is transmitted directly to the tire surface. Note that even if the intersecting angle is smaller than 90°, it is possible to increase the contact area with the tire surface and achieve the function of a parking brake. The term "right angle" in the above-mentioned claims is used to include an angle range of approximately 90°, which allows the pressure force to be easily transmitted directly to the tire surface and ensures the effectiveness of the parking brake.

[0021] (Parking brake structure) The parking brake structure 2 is a parking brake that is attached to at least one predetermined attachment position. The predetermined attachment position is provided on a component of the wheelchair 1, such as the frame. The wheelchair 1 according to this embodiment has at least one upper mounting position, which is provided at a predetermined position on the wheelchair 1 where a caregiver can operate the pressure contact lever of the parking brake structure while standing.

[0022] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, in the configuration according to the first embodiment, the upper attachment position is shown to be a rear position of the back column frames 9, 9 that support the backrest portion 12. Typically, a pair of parking brake structures 2 are provided on the left and right sides and are configured to fix the left and right main wheels 5,5.

[0023] (Example of the first parking brake structure) Hereinafter, the first parking brake structure according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in Figures 3 to 5, the "mounting member" is constituted by a mounting bracket 25 or the like, and has a mounting surface that can be mounted in a good condition to various mounting targets of wheelchair components. For example, if the predetermined mounting position is the spine frame 9 that supports the backrest of the wheelchair, the mounting member may have a cylindrical shape that corresponds to the outer cylindrical surface of the spine frame 9. Examples of means for mounting to the mounting target include various means such as mounting screws and adhesives. The mounting target is selected from components within the range that the pressure contact portion of the pressure contact lever portion can reach.

[0024] The configuration in which the pressure contact lever portion is pivotally supported on the mounting member may be such that the pivot axis for the rotational movement is erected on the mounting member itself, or such that the pivot axis is erected on another member attached to the mounting member.

[0025] 5(a) and 5(b) are diagrams showing examples of the configuration in which the slide base is attached to the attachment member. 5(a) and 5(b), a mounting bracket 25 is attached to the spine frame 9, and the installation position of the link mechanism 37 (see FIGS. 7 and 8) is configured to be slidable in the vertical direction by the mounting bracket 25. Specifically, an upper elongated hole 27a and a lower elongated hole 27b are provided in the vertical direction at predetermined locations on the slide base 26, and the fixing positions of the upper elongated hole 27a and the lower elongated hole 27b are adjusted and attached using screw members 28a and 28b, respectively.

[0026] When the slide base 26 is shifted upward as shown in Figure 5(a), the fixing positions of the upper elongated hole 27a and the lower elongated hole 27b to the screw members 28a, 28b, the position of the pressure contact surface of the pressure contact lever portion shifts upward, so the degree of pressure contact with the tire surface decreases and the braking effect becomes weaker.In contrast, when the slide base 26 is shifted downward as shown in Figure 5(b), the position of the pressure contact surface of the pressure contact lever portion shifts downward, so the degree of pressure contact with the tire surface increases and the braking effect becomes stronger. The slide base 26 is an example of the adjustment means.

[0027] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the state of the link mechanism in an unlocked state, and FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the state of the link mechanism in a locked state. The link mechanism 37 of the first parking brake structure 2a will be described below. The rotating lever member 23 shown in Figures 1 to 4 is a simplified representation of the upper operating lever 21 and the lower pressure contact lever 22 shown in Figures 7 and 8. Therefore, the rotating lever member 23 shown in Figures 1 to 4 is configured to include the upper operating lever 21 and the lower pressure contact lever 22 as shown in Figures 7 and 8. A first support shaft 16 is erected on the slide base 26 at an upper position on the inner side in the lateral direction when viewed from both the left and right main wheels, and a second support shaft 17 is erected at a lower position on the outer side in the lateral direction. The base end of a first link 18, which is a short link rod, is rotatably supported on the first support shaft 16. The other end of the first link 18 is rotatably connected to an upper operating lever 21 by a first rotational connection part 19.

[0028] On the other hand, the base end side of a lower pressure contact lever 22 is supported on the second support shaft 17 so as to be freely rotatable. In the state shown in Figure 8, the upper operating lever 21 is a rod-shaped member with an upward portion 31 that is inclined diagonally upward inward at an angle of approximately 45° on the base end side, and has an operating rod portion 41 that extends outward from the upward portion 31.

[0029] Similarly, in the state shown in Figure 8, the lower pressure contact lever 22 is a rod-shaped member with a downward portion 32 that is inclined downward and inward at an angle of approximately 30° on the base end side, and has a pressure contact rod portion 42 that extends outward from the downward portion 32. The lower pressure contact lever 22 is an example of the pressure contact lever portion.

[0030] A second pivotable connection portion 20 is provided in the connection area between the downward portion 32 and the pressure-contact rod portion 42 . The second rotational connection portion 20 is provided closer to the base end side than the center portion so that the rotational movement between the upper operating lever 21 and the lower pressure contact lever 22 can be performed smoothly. The length from the second support shaft 17 to the second rotational connection part 20 is formed to be substantially equal to the length of the first link 18 . 7 and 8, the upper operating lever 21 and the lower pressure contact lever 22 are shown in a state in which the operating rod portion 41 and the pressure contact rod portion 42 are substantially parallel to each other. The upper operating lever 21 and the lower pressure contact lever 22 are configured to be independently rotatable at the second rotational connection portion 20. In this configuration, the first pivotal connection part 19 and the second pivotal connection part 20 are movable in a linked manner with the first support shaft 16 and the second support shaft 17 as fixed shafts. In other words, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, the first pivotal connection portion 19 and the second pivotal connection portion 20 can function as pivotal connection portions that can move between the first link 18, the upper operating lever 21, and the lower pressure contact lever 22.

[0031] In addition, a torsion coil spring 33 is provided on the outer periphery of the second support shaft 17 so as to urge the pivoting lever member 23 upward in the direction indicated by arrow 44 in Figure 8. Therefore, when the pivoting lever member 23 is pivoted downward as indicated by arrow 45 in Figure 7 against the urging force of the torsion coil spring 33, the first pivoting connection portion 19 that pivotally connects the first link 18 and the upward portion 31 is located at the apex of the inclined mountain shape, as shown in Figure 8, and becomes a fixed point, so that the link mechanism 37 is set in a state in which rotation is locked.

[0032] In this fixed point state, as shown in Figure 4, the lower surface of the rotating lever member 23 can be set to a state in which it strongly presses against the tire surface 13, allowing it to function as a parking brake structure. In addition, since it has the slide base 26 that sets the strength of this pressing state, it can perform the parking brake function appropriately and in a good state. In this embodiment, the "pressure contact state maintaining means" is configured by the link mechanism 37 including the biasing means 34 such as the torsion coil spring 33. In Figures 4 and 5, reference numeral 24 denotes a cover member that covers the base end region of the rotating lever member 23.

[0033] 7 and 8 is merely one example of the configuration of the link mechanism 37. Various parking brake structures can be proposed that employ configurations including other means for maintaining the pressure contact state, and that can be in an unlocked state in which the pressure contact lever portion is in a position away from the tire surface, and in a locked state in which the pressure contact lever portion is fixed in a rotated position in which it is in pressure contact with the tire surface.

[0034] For example, instead of the torsion coil spring 33, there may be adopted biasing means 34 constituted by elastic means such as various springs, leaf springs, etc. Also, various configurations can be adopted, such as a configuration in which the pressure contact state is maintained by providing various engaging means to maintain the pressure contact state when the pressure contact lever portion is moved against the biasing means. Another possible configuration is to use a mechanism such as a stopper that maintains the fixed state.

[0035] The advantages of the configuration of this embodiment will be described below. When pushing a wheelchair, a caregiver usually holds the grip handles 10 with both hands and pushes the wheelchair. In this case, there are cases where the caregiver wants to turn on the parking brake while the brakes on the grip handles 10 are activated, but in conventional wheelchairs, the parking brake is provided on the side frame and is often assumed to be activated by the user, so it can be difficult for the caregiver to turn the parking brake on or off at their own discretion.

[0036] In contrast, with the configuration of this embodiment, the parking brake can be operated near the grip handles 10, 10, which has the advantage that the parking brake can be turned on and off accurately based on the judgment of the caregiver alone.

[0037] In addition, in a conventional configuration in which a parking brake is provided on the side frame 7 of the wheelchair 1, the caregiver must move from a standing position to the right or left side of the wheelchair 1 and bend down to operate the parking brake operating lever, which places a heavy burden on the caregiver. However, in this embodiment, the burden on the caregiver can be reduced.

[0038] By providing the predetermined mounting position at the rear of the spine frame 9 that supports the backrest 12 of the wheelchair 1, there is no need to provide a mounting frame for attaching the parking brake structure, and it can be implemented at low cost. In addition, the spine frame 9 that supports the backrest 12 is a frame that supports the weight of the user's upper body, so it is strong enough.

[0039] Furthermore, in a typical wheelchair, the spine frame and the tire surface at the topmost region of the main wheel are often close to each other, so there is also the advantage that the length of the rotating portion of the pressure contact lever can be shortened. The first parking brake structure 2a and the first parking brake structure variant 2b shown in the embodiment have the advantage of being miniaturized compared to configurations that use conventional brake members, operating lever parts, link members, etc., as described above.

[0040] Furthermore, in the first parking brake structure 2a shown in Figures 1 to 8, the operating lever section and pressure contact lever section operated by the assistant are arranged in close proximity to each other in the vertical direction, so that the assistant can automatically operate the lower pressure contact lever 22, which is the pressure contact lever section, simply by operating the upper operating lever 21, which is the operating lever section, which has the advantage that even an assistant operating a wheelchair related to this embodiment for the first time can intuitively understand how to operate it.

[0041] [Second embodiment] This embodiment is characterized in that the wheelchair 1 is provided with two predetermined attachment positions. 9, the first predetermined mounting position is provided at an upper mounting position of the wheelchair 1, and the second predetermined mounting position is selected at the front of the main wheels 5 on the front side of the wheelchair 1, with the parking brake structure 36 being provided at this front position. Note that the front position can also be provided in the lower half in the vertical direction or in the surrounding area.

[0042] This embodiment can have two patterns. In the first case, as shown in Fig. 9, the parking brake structure 36 provided at the second predetermined mounting position is configured to have a vertical operating lever 48 for easy operation by a user sitting on the seat. In this case, the parking brake structure provided at the first predetermined mounting position and the parking brake structure provided at the second predetermined mounting position have different configurations.

[0043] The second is a configuration in which a parking brake structure having the same configuration as the parking brake structures 2a, 2b provided at the first predetermined mounting position is also provided at the second predetermined mounting position, from the viewpoint of uniformity of operation when operated by an assistant and the advantage of compactness, as shown as an example in the configurations of Figures 10 to 12 and the configuration of Figure 13.

[0044] The difference between the two above configurations is not that one is more preferable than the other, but rather that they are provided as options that can be selected by the purchaser or user when purchasing or renting a wheelchair, depending on the purpose for which the wheelchair will be used, the user's preferences, and the wheelchair's intended use.

[0045] [Third embodiment] The third embodiment shown in Figs. 10 to 13 is an embodiment for simply explaining the first parking brake structure modification example 2b. In this first parking brake structure modification 2b as well, the lock state shown in FIG. 12 is reached through the rotation operation state shown in FIG. 11 from the unlocked position shown in FIG. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing the first parking brake structural variation 2b attached to the side frame 7 (see FIG. 1) itself or to a fixed frame 38 attached to the side frame 7 or the like. In this configuration, the first parking brake structural modification 2b is also provided on the front side of the wheelchair 1 in the lower half in the vertical direction of the main wheels 5 or in the peripheral area above the lower half in the vertical direction.

[0046] The difference in configuration between the first parking brake structure 2a and the first parking brake structure variation 2b is that the first support shaft 16 and the second support shaft 17 are erected directly on a mounting member such as a mounting bracket, and that the upper operating lever 21 is provided with a finger locking portion 47 that allows a finger to easily lock onto it. The lower pressure contact lever 22 rotates so as to be pushed by the upper operating lever 21, and is fixed in a locked state as shown in Figure 12. Such a link mechanism 39 can be implemented with substantially the same configuration as the link mechanism 37 described in Figures 7 and 8. Furthermore, as described above, in each embodiment, it is not intended to exclude the adoption of a link mechanism with a different configuration.

[0047] In addition, the term "wheelchair" in the present invention may also include various types of moving vehicles that assist the user in walking. This is because some types of vehicles have a seat on which the user can sit and are configured to be pushed from behind by a caregiver.

[0048] Although the present invention has been described above by way of example of an embodiment, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the configurations described in the above embodiment. The technical scope of the present invention should be determined based on the claims, and it goes without saying that various modifications, additions to the configuration, and improvements can be made within that scope. [Explanation of symbols]

[0049] 1: Wheelchair 2: Parking brake structure 2a: First parking brake structure 2b: First parking brake structure modification 5: Main wheels 9: Back column frame 12: Backrest 13: Tire surface 14: Main axis of tire surface 21: Upper operating lever (an example of an operating lever part) 22: Lower pressure contact lever (an example of a pressure contact lever part) 25: Mounting bracket (an example of a mounting part) 26: Slide base (an example of an adjustment means) 27a: Upper long hole 27b: Lower long hole 28a,b: Fixing screws 33: Torsion coil spring (an example of a biasing means)

Claims

1. a mounting member for mounting the parking brake mechanism at a predetermined mounting position on a wheelchair having main wheels; a pressure lever portion having a base end pivotally supported and configured to be rotatable in a direction intersecting with the direction in which the main axis of the tire surface of the main wheel extends; a pressure contact state maintaining means for maintaining a state in which the pressure contact lever portion is in pressure contact with the tire surface of the main wheel, an unlocked state in which the pressure contact lever portion is in a position away from the tire surface; a locked state in which the pressure contact lever portion is fixed at a rotational position in which the pressure contact lever portion is in pressure contact with the tire surface of the main wheel; It is a structure that can take the following. the predetermined mounting position is set to an upper mounting position of the wheelchair where a caregiver pushing the wheelchair can operate the pressure contact lever portion while standing, A wheelchair having a parking brake structure, characterized in that it is provided with an adjustment means for adjusting the mounting position of the base end of the pressure lever portion relative to the mounting member in the vertical direction at the predetermined mounting position.

2. 2. The wheelchair with a parking brake structure according to claim 1, wherein the upper mounting position is a rear position of a back column frame that supports a backrest portion of the wheelchair.

3. 2. The wheelchair with a parking brake structure according to claim 1, wherein the angle at which the pressure contact lever portion intersects with the direction in which the main axis of the tire surface extends is a right angle.

4. 2. The wheelchair with a parking brake structure according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined mounting position is provided at the upper mounting position of the wheelchair, and the predetermined mounting position is also provided at the front side of the wheelchair at the lower half position in the up-down direction of the main wheels.

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