Assistance device

Abstract

This assistance device comprises: a base; an assistance execution unit that assists with the movement of a person to be assisted who has boarded the base; and feet placement members which are provided on the base and on which the person to be assisted places their feet, the feet placement members each having an inclination going lower from the center toward the periphery at least when the person to be assisted is not placing their feet thereon.

Description

Assistive devices

[0001] The present specification relates to an assistance device that assists the movement of a person being assisted.

[0002] As the aging society advances, the need for assistance devices is increasing. Many assistance devices assist the person being assisted with various movements by driving support members that support parts of the person's body. Some assistance devices are also equipped with casters for mobility, allowing the person being assisted to move around while riding on the assistance device. The introduction of assistance devices reduces the physical burden on both the person being assisted and the caregiver, and also alleviates the shortage of caregivers.

[0003] Care assistance devices used for washing the body of a care recipient, etc., are intended for use in a bathroom or shower room, and therefore must be designed with the constant presence of moisture in mind. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a care assistance device used in a bathroom for a caregiver to wash the body of a care recipient. This care assistance device includes a lower leg support section made of cushioning material entirely covered with a highly waterproof cover, and a foot rest surface that is treated to prevent the care recipient's feet from slipping, such as by forming an uneven surface or applying a coating agent. This is said to enable the construction of a waterproof care assistance device suitable for use in a bathroom.

[0004] International Publication No. 2020 / 115857

[0005] Incidentally, the assistance device of Patent Document 1 waterproofs the lower leg support and anti-slips the foot rest surface, but it cannot be said that sufficient consideration has been given to moisture. If moisture accumulates in the assistance device, it may lead to the proliferation of bacteria and become unsanitary, so it is necessary to adopt a shape that allows adhering water droplets to easily drain out of the device. Furthermore, if the anti-slip treatment is not properly applied, it will hinder drainage, which will have the opposite effect on the drainage of water droplets. Furthermore, there are other parts that require waterproofing besides the lower leg support. For example, moisture entering the sliding parts of the operating parts can cause malfunctions.

[0006] Therefore, the problem to be solved in this specification is to provide an assistance device that is suitable for use in bathrooms, shower rooms, and other places where moisture is constantly present.

[0007] This specification discloses an assistance device comprising a base, an assistance execution unit that assists the movements of a person being assisted who is placed on the base, and a foot rest member that is provided on the base and on which the person being assisted places their feet, the foot rest member having a slope that decreases from the center toward the periphery at least when the person being assisted does not place their feet on it.

[0008] This specification also discloses an assistance device comprising a base, an assistance execution unit that assists the movements of a person being assisted who is standing on the base, and a foot rest member that is provided on the base and on which the person being assisted places their feet, the foot rest member having a plurality of protrusions on its upper surface to prevent the feet of the person being assisted from slipping.

[0009] Furthermore, this specification discloses an assistance device comprising a base, an assistance execution unit having a fixed part and an extension / retraction operating part with a movable part that extends and retracts relative to the fixed part, and assisting the movements of a person being assisted who is standing on the base, and a cover member that prevents water from getting on the sliding parts where the fixed part and the movable part slide.

[0010] This specification discloses the technical idea of ​​changing "the assist device according to claim 1 or 2" in claim 4 of the original application to "the assist device according to any one of claims 1 to 3."

[0011] According to the disclosed assistance device, water droplets flow out of the device along the slope from the center to the periphery of the foot rest, preventing moisture accumulation and the proliferation of bacteria, thereby maintaining good hygiene. Furthermore, by providing multiple anti-slip protrusions on the upper surface of the foot rest, the feet of the person being assisted are prevented from slipping even if moisture accumulates. Furthermore, the provision of a cover member prevents the sliding parts of the extension / retraction unit from getting wet, preventing malfunctions of the extension / retraction unit caused by moisture. Therefore, the assistance device is suitable for use in bathrooms and shower rooms where moisture is commonly present.

[0012] 1 is a side view showing the overall configuration of an assistance device of an embodiment; FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the assistance device; FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the base and foot rest member of the assistance device as viewed from below; FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the arrow IV in FIG. 1, showing the foot rest member when a person being assisted does not place their feet on it; FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the arrow IV in FIG. 1, showing the foot rest member when a person being assisted has their feet on it; FIG. 6 is a plan view showing an enlarged portion of the top surface of the foot rest member, showing the shape and arrangement of protrusions; FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a drive unit (linear actuator) and a bellows cover corresponding to the extension / contraction unit; FIG. 8 is a side view showing the drive unit (linear actuator) in a contracted state; FIG. 9 is a side view showing the drive unit (linear actuator) in an extended state; FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a linear absorber and a bellows cover corresponding to the extension / contraction unit;

[0013] 1. Overall Configuration of the Nursing Care Apparatus 1 of the Embodiment The overall configuration of the nursing care apparatus 1 of the embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. The arrows in the upper right corner of FIG. 1 define the front, rear, left, and right of the nursing care apparatus 1. The front of the nursing care apparatus 1 (the right side of FIG. 1) is the main traveling direction when the nursing care apparatus 1 is traveling, and the rear of the nursing care apparatus 1 (the left side of FIG. 1) is the rear of the direction in which the person being assisted boards the nursing care apparatus 1. The nursing care apparatus 1 is used for transferring a person being assisted between two locations in a room, such as between a bed and a wheelchair, or between a wheelchair and a toilet seat. The nursing care apparatus 1 can also be used for transferring a person being assisted when the two transfer locations are far apart. For example, the nursing care apparatus 1 is used for transferring a person being assisted from a room to a bathroom, dining room, toilet, etc.

[0014] The assistance device 1 supports the upper body of the person being assisted and assists them in standing up from a sitting position and in sitting down from a standing position. Here, the standing position refers to a position in which the buttocks are raised above the seat and the legs are extended, and includes both a standing position and a semi-crouching position. In other words, the standing position includes a standing position in which the upper body is generally upright and a semi-crouching, forward-leaning position in which the upper body is leaning forward. Furthermore, the assistance device 1 is configured to be suitable for use in bathrooms, shower rooms, and other places where moisture is constantly present. As shown in Figures 1 and 2 , the assistance device 1 is composed of a base 2, a footrest member 3, arm members 5, support members 6, a drive unit 7, and a control unit (not shown).

[0015] The base 2 is the portion on which the person being assisted sits. The footrest member 3, the arm member 5, and the drive unit 7 are attached to the base 2. The base 2 is formed of a pair of left and right pipe frames 21, a pair of left and right assembly frames 22, a pair of left and right front plate frames 23, and a rear plate frame 24. The pipe frames 21 are formed by bending metal pipes. The middle portions 212 of the pair of left and right pipe frames 21 extend horizontally in the front-to-rear direction at a position slightly higher than the floor surface S, and are arranged parallel to and spaced apart from each other. The front portions 211 of the pipe frames 21 are bent upward. A pair of left and right assembly frames 22 in the shape of upright plates are provided in front of the front portions 211 of the pair of pipe frames 21.

[0016] A swinging support seat 29 is provided on the upper part of each of the pair of assembly frames 22. A pair of left and right front casters 25 is provided below the pair of assembly frames 22. That is, the front casters 25 are provided at the front part of the base 2. A pair of left and right position adjustment units 281 is provided at the upper ends of the front parts 211 of the pair of pipe frames 21. The position adjustment units 281 are manual adjustment mechanisms that allow a caregiver or the like to adjust the front-to-rear position of the knee rest member 28 to suit the physique of the person being assisted, etc.

[0017] The knee pad member 28 is located above the middle section 212 of the pipe frame 21 and is the portion against which the knees of the person being assisted come into contact. By determining the knee position, the knee pad member 28 stabilizes the standing and sitting movements of the person being assisted. The knee pad member 28 is formed of a base plate 282, a knee pad main body 283, two connecting rods 284, and the like. The base plate 282 is formed from a metal plate material so as to extend in the left-right direction and is positioned at a slight forward tilt from the vertical direction. The knee pad main body 283 is formed from an elastically deformable urethane foam or the like and is attached to the rear side of the base plate 282. The two connecting rods 284 are formed from metal bars and connect the base plate 282 to the left and right position adjustment parts 281.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 3 , the intermediate portions 212 of the pipe frames 21 are connected by auxiliary pipes 214 extending in the left-right direction. The auxiliary pipes 214 are made of the same material and have the same diameter as the pipe frames 21. A drive unit mounting seat 216 is provided between the left and right intermediate portions 212, forward of the auxiliary pipe 214. A lower portion of the drive unit 7 is attached to the drive unit mounting seat 216. The rear portions 213 of the pair of left and right pipe frames 21 are formed by bending inward. The bent ends of the left and right rear portions 213 are joined together to form a single unit. The joints between the intermediate portions 212 and auxiliary pipes 214, and the joints between the rear portions 213, are joined by, for example, welding.

[0019] The rear plate frame 24 is formed of a metal plate-shaped member that is long in the left-right direction. The rear plate frame 24 is fixed to the upper side of the rear portion 213 of the pipe frame 21 by welding. A pair of left and right rear casters 27 is provided on the underside of the rear portion of the rear plate frame 24. In other words, the rear casters 27 are provided at the rear of the base 2 in the boarding direction.

[0020] The pair of left and right front frame plates 23 are each formed using a metal plate-shaped member. The front frame plates 23 are fixed by welding to positions near the front of the middle section 212 of the pipe frame 21 and are positioned so as to protrude outward. Caster mounting holes 231 are formed near the outside of the left and right front frame plates 23. A pair of left and right intermediate casters 26 are provided below the left and right caster mounting holes 231. In other words, the intermediate casters 26 are provided between the rear casters 27 and front casters 25 of the base 2.

[0021] The foot rest member 3 is a portion on which the person being assisted places his or her feet. The foot rest member 3 is formed thin so as to extend horizontally in two directions, and is attached to the upper side of the pipe frame 21. The foot rest member 3 will be described in detail later.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 1 , the arm member 5 is formed in a shape that is bent midway when viewed from the side. The exterior cover of the arm member 5 is not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 . A swing shaft 51 is provided near the lower portion of the arm member 5. The swing shaft 51 is swingably supported by the swing support seats 29 of the left and right assembly frames 22. A stopper mechanism (not shown) is provided near the swing support seats 29 to restrict the swing angle range of the arm member 5. This allows the arm member 5 to swing upward and forward and downward and backward around the swing support seats 29 of the base 2 as the swing center. The arm member 5 swings upward and forward when the person being assisted stands up (swinging clockwise in FIG. 1 ). The arm member 5 also swings downward and backward when the person being assisted sits down.

[0023] A battery and link mechanism (not shown) are housed inside the arm member 5. The battery serves as the power source for the drive unit 7 and the control unit. A swinging member 52 is provided on the rear side of the upper part of the arm member 5. The swinging member 52 swings relative to the arm member 5. However, in the initial state before the person being assisted comes into contact with the support member 6, the swinging member 52 is restricted by the link mechanism and does not swing. The applicant of the present application has disclosed a detailed configuration example of the link mechanism in International Publication No. 2018 / 167856.

[0024] The swinging member 52 has a base plate 53 on the rear side. The base plate 53 is formed into a roughly rectangular shape using a highly rigid plate material made of metal or resin. The base plate 53 has a handle 54 on the front side. The handle 54 is formed into a roughly square frame shape and extends above the arm member 5. The handle 54 is a part that is held by the person being assisted and also by the caregiver to move the care assistance device 1.

[0025] The support member 6 is provided on the rear side of the base plate 53. The support member 6 moves relative to the base 2 while supporting a part of the body of the person being assisted. The support member 6 is composed of an upper body support section 61 and a pair of left and right side support sections 62. The upper body support section 61 is attached to the rear surface of the base plate 53. The upper body support section 61 is formed by stacking hard and soft cushioning members (not shown). The upper body support section 61 supports the upper body of the person being assisted, mainly from the chest to the abdomen area.

[0026] A pair of left and right side support sections 62 are attached to the base plate 53 and are arranged on both the left and right sides of the upper body support section 61. The side support sections 62 are formed in an L-shape that is bent at an obtuse angle. The side support sections 62 are formed by a core member and an outer peripheral member (not shown). The side support sections 62 insert into the sides of the person being assisted and support the upper body. The upper body support sections 61 and the side support sections 62 may be covered with protective covers made of cloth or leather.

[0027] The drive unit 7 drives the arm member 5 and the support member 6. A linear actuator having a fixed part 71 and a movable part 72 is used as the drive unit 7. The linear actuator is a form of an extension / retraction unit having a fixed part 71 and a movable part 72 that extends and retracts relative to the fixed part 71. The fixed part 71 is a stepped cylindrical member that is long in the vertical direction and has an opening at the top. The lower end of the fixed part 71 is attached to the drive unit mounting seat 216 of the base 2. The movable part 72 is a thin-diameter round rod-shaped member that is long in the vertical direction. The upper end of the movable part 72 is connected to the link member 57 of the link mechanism (see Figure 10). The lower part of the movable part 72 is engaged in the opening of the fixed part 71.

[0028] A motor 711 is provided in front of the large-diameter portion at the bottom of the fixed part 71. The motor 711 has a control unit that switches the direction of current flow, driving the movable part 72 to extend and retract. This causes the movable part 72 to extend and retract relative to the fixed part 71. The drive unit 71 performs a first extension operation in which the movable part 72 extends from the minimum length to a predetermined intermediate length, and a second extension operation in which the movable part 72 extends from the intermediate length to the maximum length.

[0029] The first extending operation of the drive unit 7 drives the support member 6 via the link mechanism to swing upward and forward. The second extending operation of the drive unit 7 drives the arm member 5 via the link mechanism to swing upward and forward. In this way, the support member 6 moves upward relative to the base 2 while also moving forward. This allows the assistance device 1 to assist the person being assisted in standing up. Furthermore, the retracting operation of the drive unit 7 causes the arm member 5 to swing downward and backward, and the support member 6 moves downward while also moving backward. This allows the assistance device 1 to assist the person being assisted in sitting down.

[0030] The control unit (not shown) is composed of an operating device and a control main unit. The operating device has an up button and a down button that operate the drive unit 7. The operating device is operated by the caregiver. The control main unit is a computer device that has a CPU and runs on software. The control main unit controls the current flowing to the motor of the drive unit 7 according to the operation information of the up button and down button. This controls the operation and stopping of the drive unit 7, as well as the switching between extension and retraction. As can be seen from the explanation so far, the arm member 5, support member 6, and drive unit 7 constitute an assistance execution unit that assists the person being assisted in standing up and sitting down.

[0031] In many bathrooms and shower rooms, steps are provided at the entrances and exits to prevent water leakage, and drainage channels, drain outlets, and gentle slopes are provided on the floor surface S. In other words, the floor surface S of a bathroom or shower room is not an ideal flat surface due to steps, unevenness, and slopes. Furthermore, since the floor surface S is wet with water, casters and the like are prone to slipping. Even so, as shown in FIG. 1 , the wheel diameter of the front caster 25 is larger than that of the middle caster 26 and the rear caster 27, so the mobility assistance device 1 has good forward mobility. In particular, the mobility assistance device 1 has good mobility (running performance) for running over steps and unevenness on the non-ideal floor surface S in the bathroom and for stably running on the slippery floor surface S that is wet with water.

[0032] On the other hand, the wheel diameter of the rear casters 27 is smaller than that of the intermediate casters 26 and the front casters 25. This allows the foot rest 3 to be positioned lower, facilitating the assistee's boarding motion. Furthermore, the pair of front casters 25, the pair of intermediate casters 26, and the pair of rear casters 27 each have a steering function. Therefore, the assistance device 1 can move not only linearly and swivel, but also laterally and pivotally, enabling free direction changes and movement even on narrow floor surfaces S, such as those in a bathroom. Furthermore, it is preferable that at least four of the six casters be equipped with a locking mechanism (brake) that restricts caster rotation. This allows the assistance device 1 to remain stable in a stationary state even on uneven and slippery floor surfaces S.

[0033] 2. Detailed Structure of Footrest Member 3 and Attachment / Detachment Operation Next, the detailed structure of the footrest member 3 and the attachment / detachment operation to / from the base 2 will be described with reference to Figures 3 to 6. The footrest member 3 is formed in a plate shape that covers the rear of the base 2. The material and manufacturing method of the footrest member 3 can be, but are not limited to, a mold injection manufacturing method using ABS resin. The width dimension in the left-right direction of the footrest member 3 is large at the front and gradually decreases toward the rear.

[0034] The left and right sides of the front part of the foot rest member 3 have a protruding shape that protrudes upward. The front edge of the protruding shape of the foot rest member 3 is bent downward. A U-shaped attachment / detachment groove 30 (see FIG. 3) that opens downward is formed in each of the left and right front edges. The groove width of the attachment / detachment groove 30 is slightly larger than the diameter of the pipe frame 21. The pair of left and right attachment / detachment grooves 30 are attached and detached at positions near the front of the middle part 212 of the pipe frame 21. The left edge, right edge, and part of the rear edge of the foot rest member 3 are rounded and bent downward.

[0035] The foot rest 3 is elastically deformable as shown in Figures 4 and 5. More specifically, when the care recipient does not place their feet on the foot rest 3, the foot rest 3 assumes the shape shown in Figure 4. That is, the foot rest 3 has a slope that decreases from the left-right central portion 31 toward the left peripheral portion 32 and the right peripheral portion 33. The slope angle A1 is preferably approximately 10° or greater. By optimizing the slope angle A1 when the care recipient does not place their feet on the foot rest 3, even if water droplets fall on the top surface of the foot rest 3, the water droplets flow out of the device along the slope. Therefore, after use of the assistance device 1, moisture does not remain on the top surface of the foot rest 3, suppressing the growth of bacteria.

[0036] Furthermore, when the person being assisted places their foot F on the foot rest 3, the foot rest 3 assumes the shape shown in FIG. 5 . That is, the load acting from the placed foot F causes the central portion 31 of the foot rest 3 to descend, deforming the foot rest 3 so that the inclination becomes gentler. The inclination angle A2 is not necessary, but is preferably 3° or greater. With an inclination angle A2 of 3° or greater, water droplets on the foot rest 3 automatically flow out of the device even when the person being assisted is on the device. This prevents the foot F from slipping. On the other hand, an excessively large inclination angle A2 is undesirable because it can cause discomfort in the soles of the person being assisted. The upper surface of the foot rest 3 does not need to be two strictly inclined planes; it may be a curved surface with slight local variations in the inclination angles (A1, A2).

[0037] 3, the underside of the foot rest member 3 is provided with ridges 34 that intersect in a grid pattern. By appropriately designing the material and thickness of the foot rest member 3, as well as the height, width, and arrangement pitch of the ridges 34, it is possible to achieve sufficient mechanical strength, appropriate elastic strength, and inclination angles (A1, A2) for the foot rest member 3. Note that the ridges 34 do not have to be in a grid pattern and may instead be, for example, a plurality of nested rectangles or a plurality of parallel straight lines.

[0038] 3 to 5, a pair of left and right detachable portions 35 are provided at two locations on the underside of the foot rest member 3. The pair of detachable portions 35 are attached and detached at rearward positions of the middle portion 212 of the pipe frame 21. More specifically, each of the detachable portions 35 comprises a pair of left and right gripping claws 36 that are elastically deformable while extending downward. The distance between the left and right gripping claws 36 is slightly smaller than the diameter of the pipe frame 21 at the bottom end and larger than the diameter of the pipe frame 21 at the middle height.

[0039] The caregiver performs an attachment operation by lowering the footrest member 3 toward the pipe frame 21 of the base 2. At this time, the pipe frame 21 engages without resistance into the attachment / detachment grooves 30 on the front edge of the footrest member 3. Meanwhile, the caregiver must apply a downward attachment load to the two attachment / detachment sections 35. This attachment load causes the pair of gripping claws 36 to elastically deform, widening the distance between their lower ends. As a result, the pipe frame 21 engages to the midpoint of the pair of gripping claws 36. Finally, the footrest member 3 is placed on and attached to the pipe frame 21, the pair of front frame plates 23, and the rear frame plate 24.

[0040] During use of the assistance device 1, the pair of gripping claws 36 return to their original shape, narrowing the distance between their lower ends and preventing the pipe frame 21 from slipping off. Therefore, the footrest 3 does not easily float up during use. Furthermore, the caregiver performs a removal operation by lifting the footrest 3 from the pipe frame 21. To do this, the caregiver must apply an upward removal load to the two attachment / detachment sections 35 in addition to an upward load equivalent to the weight of the footrest 3. Even so, the total load is not excessive, and does not impose an excessive burden on the caregiver. This removal load elastically deforms the pair of gripping claws 36, widening their lower ends, allowing the pipe frame 21 to slip out from between the pair of gripping claws 36 and removing the footrest 3. In this way, the footrest 3 can be attached to and detached from the base 2 without the use of tools. This facilitates various maintenance tasks, including cleaning of the assistance device 1.

[0041] Furthermore, when the foot rest 3 is attached, a gap is created between the central gripping claws 36 and the pipe frame 21. Therefore, when the person being assisted places their foot F on the foot rest 3, the central gripping claws 36 can approach the pipe frame 21, allowing the left peripheral portion 32 and the right peripheral portion 33 to be displaced outward. This makes it easy for the central portion 31 to descend, and the foot rest 3 can easily elastically deform from the shape shown in Figure 4 to the shape shown in Figure 5.

[0042] 3. Multiple Protrusions 37 Next, the multiple protrusions 37 provided on the upper surface of the foot rest member 3 will be described with reference to Figure 6. The multiple protrusions 37 are provided to prevent the feet F of the person being assisted from slipping. The protrusions 37 preferably have a horizontally elongated shape that is long in the left-right direction. The first reason for this is that the person being assisted often staggers in the front-to-back direction when using the assistance device 1, and it is therefore more important to prevent the feet F from slipping in the front-to-back direction than in the left-to-right direction. The second reason is that the shape needs to be such that it does not obstruct water droplets flowing in the left-to-right direction from the upper surface of the foot rest member 3.

[0043] Specific shapes of the protrusions 37 may be horizontally elongated ovals or rounded rectangles in a plan view. A rounded rectangle refers to a shape in which the four corners of a rectangle are replaced with quadrants. The protrusions 37 illustrated in FIG. 6 have a shape in which the quadrants of a rounded rectangle are maximized, in other words, a shape similar to an athletics track. The dimensions of the protrusions 37 may be, but are not limited to, a height of 2 mm, a horizontal dimension L1 of 15 mm, and a vertical dimension L2 of 5 mm.

[0044] The protrusions 37 are arranged regularly, and a staggered arrangement is shown in FIG. 6 . The arrangement is not limited to this, and the protrusions 37 may be arranged in a grid pattern. The pitch P1 of the protrusions 37 in the left-right direction is preferably greater than the pitch P2 of the protrusions 37 in the front-rear direction. In other words, by reducing the pitch P2 of the protrusions 37 in the front-rear direction and narrowing the separation distance, the effect of preventing the foot F from slipping in the front-rear direction can be improved.

[0045] Setting the arrangement pitch (P1, P2) too small is undesirable because water droplets will not flow out and will instead form clumps due to surface tension and remain there, whereas setting the arrangement pitch (P1, P2) too large is undesirable because it reduces the anti-slip effect. As a preferred example, when the shape and dimensions of the protrusions 37 shown as examples are adopted, the arrangement pitch P1 in the left-right direction can be set in the range of 50 to 80 mm, and the arrangement pitch P2 in the front-rear direction can be set in the range of 25 to 50 mm.

[0046] The plurality of protrusions 37 may be arranged only on a portion of the upper surface of the foot rest member 3, rather than on the entire upper surface. For example, by arranging the protrusions 37 in an area on the upper surface of the foot rest member 3 that is slightly larger than the foot F of the person being assisted, it is possible to guide the position on which the foot F is placed. The plurality of protrusions 37 may also have different shapes. For example, the protrusions 37 near the central portion 31 may be formed low, and the protrusions 37 near the left peripheral portion 32 and the right peripheral portion 33 may be formed high, thereby making the upper envelope of the foot rest member 3 closer to flat. Furthermore, the arrangement pitches (P1, P2) may be locally different.

[0047] 4. Cover Member 81 of Drive Unit 7 Next, the cover member 81 provided on the drive unit 7 will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 9. As described above, a linear actuator having a fixed portion 71 and a movable portion 72 is used as the drive unit 7. Generally, a synthetic rubber seal is incorporated into the sliding portion 73 where the fixed portion 71 and the movable portion 72 slide, providing a predetermined level of sealing performance. However, this seal alone is not sufficient to ensure sufficient sealing performance for repeated or continuous use in a bathroom where moisture is constantly present and liquid soap and other contaminants may splash. If water were to enter the sliding portion 73, this could cause problems such as malfunction or accelerated deterioration of the drive unit 7. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, a cover member 81 is provided on the drive unit 7 to prevent the sliding portion 73 from getting wet.

[0048] The cover member 81 may be a cylindrical bellows cover as shown in the figure. The lower end of the cover member 81 is connected to the upper part of the fixed part 71. Specifically, the lower end of the cover member 81 is fastened around the fixed part 71 using a resin fastening belt 82 (e.g., Insulock (registered trademark)) or the like. Similarly, the upper end of the cover member 81 is fastened around the upper part of the movable part 72 using the fastening belt 82. In this way, when the movable part 72 extends upward during the first and second extension operations of the drive unit 7, the cover member 81, which is a bellows cover, extends by the same stroke amount, preventing moisture from entering the cover interior. For reference, the operating stroke of the movable part 72 between the contracted state shown in FIG. 8 and the extended state shown in FIG. 9 is approximately 90 mm.

[0049] This allows the cover member 81 to prevent water from getting on the sliding portion 73. The cover member 81 also prevents foreign matter such as liquid soap and dust from entering the sliding portion 73. The cover member 81 may be a member other than a bellows cover, for example, a cylindrical member made of highly elastic synthetic rubber.

[0050] 5. Linear Motion Absorber 84 and Its Cover Member 88 FIG. 10 is a view of the arm member 5 with the exterior cover removed. As shown, a linear motion absorber 84 is provided inside the exterior cover of the arm member 5. The lower end of a fixed portion 85 of the linear motion absorber 84 is supported by a pipe that constitutes the arm member 5. The tip of a movable portion 86 of the linear motion absorber 84 is connected to a link member 57 of the link mechanism. In other words, the movable portion 86 is connected to the support member 6 via the link mechanism. The linear motion absorber 84 is normally maintained in a contracted state. The linear motion absorber 84 operates when the support member 6 is driven by a means other than the drive unit 7, and limits the movement speed of the support member 6. The linear motion absorber 84 is a form of an extension / contraction unit having a fixed portion 85 and a movable portion 86 that expands and contracts relative to the fixed portion 85.

[0051] To add, this embodiment employs a configuration in which one drive unit 7 drives two parts (the arm member 5 and the support member 6) via a link mechanism, leaving some freedom in the movement of the support member 6. When the drive unit 7 contracts to assist the person being assisted in sitting down, the person being assisted or the caregiver may apply force to the support member 6 in the sitting direction (when driven by something other than the drive unit 7). In this case, the movement speed of the support member 6 becomes faster than when it is normally driven by the drive unit 7. At this time, the linear motion absorber 84 operates, i.e., the movable part 86 extends at a speed slower than the specified speed, limiting the movement speed of the support member 6 in the sitting direction so that it does not become excessive. If the linear motion absorber 84 were not provided, the movement speed of the support member 6 would become too fast, which could cause the person being assisted to feel uneasy or slip off the support member 6.

[0052] In the linear absorber 84, as in the drive unit 7, it is difficult to ensure sufficient sealing performance using only the sealing components incorporated in the sliding parts of the fixed part 85 and the movable part 86. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 10 , a cover member 88 is provided on the linear absorber 84 to prevent the sliding parts from getting wet. The shape, attachment method, and function of the cover member 88 are similar to those of the cover member 81 of the drive unit 7, so a detailed description will be omitted. For reference, the operating stroke of the linear absorber 84 is smaller than that of the drive unit 7. Therefore, the cover member 88 may be shorter than the cover member 81 of the drive unit 7.

[0053] According to the embodiment of the assistance device 1, water droplets flow out of the device along the slope from the center 31 of the foot rest 3 toward the left peripheral portion 32 and the right peripheral portion 33, preventing moisture accumulation and the proliferation of bacteria, thereby maintaining good hygiene. Furthermore, the provision of multiple anti-slip protrusions 37 on the upper surface of the foot rest 3 prevents the feet F of the person being assisted from slipping even if moisture accumulates. Furthermore, the provision of cover members (81, 88) prevents the sliding portions 73 of the drive unit 7 and the linear absorber 84 from getting wet, preventing malfunctions of the drive unit 7 or the linear absorber 84 due to moisture. Therefore, the assistance device 1 is suitable for use in bathrooms and shower rooms where moisture is commonly present.

[0054] 6. Modifications and Applications of the Embodiments The assistance device 1 of the embodiment is not limited to use in a bathroom or shower room. For example, when used in a dining room, toilet, living room, etc., it is effective against water spilled from a sink or drinks spilled by a care recipient. Furthermore, the foot rest member 3 of the embodiment elastically deforms and changes its inclination angle (A1, A2) depending on whether or not a foot F is placed on it. However, it may be an indeformable foot rest member that always maintains a constant inclination angle. Furthermore, the foot rest member 3 is inclined from the center 31 in the left-right direction toward the left and right, but may also be inclined from the center in the front-to-back direction toward the front and rear. Furthermore, one of the cover members 81 and 88 may be omitted. Various other modifications and applications of the embodiment are possible.

[0055] 1: Assist device 2: Base 21: Pipe frame 25: Front caster 26: Middle caster 27: Rear caster 3: Foot rest member 30: Detachable groove 31: Central portion 32: Left peripheral portion 33: Right peripheral portion 35: Detachable portion 37: Projection portion 5: Arm member 6: Support member 7: Drive portion 71: Fixed portion 72: Movable portion 73: Sliding portion 81: Cover member 84: Linear motion absorber 85: Fixed portion 86: Movable portion A1, A2: Tilt angle P1, P2: Arrangement pitch F: Foot

Claims

1. An assistance device comprising: a base; an assistance execution unit that assists the movements of a person being assisted who is placed on the base; and a foot rest member that is provided on the base and on which the person being assisted places their feet, the foot rest member having a slope that decreases from the center toward the periphery, at least when the person being assisted does not place their feet on the foot rest member.

2. The assistance device according to claim 1, wherein the foot rest member is deformed so that the inclination becomes gentler due to a load applied from the placed foot.

3. The assistance device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the inclination angle of the foot rest member when the person being assisted does not place his / her feet on the foot rest member is 3° or more.

4. An assistance device as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the foot rest member has an inclination that decreases from the central portion in the left-right direction of the person being assisted when seated toward the left and right peripheral portions.

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