Assistance device

Abstract

This assistance device for assisting a standing motion of a person receiving assistance comprises: a base; a support member that is provided to be movable relative to the base and supports a part of the body of the person receiving assistance; and a notification unit that executes a notification operation according to the time that has elapsed since a reference time after the person receiving assistance has started the standing motion by means of a movement of the support member.

Description

Assistive devices

[0001] The present invention relates to an assist device.

[0002] Patent Literature 1 discloses an assistance device that assists a person being assisted in standing up. The assistance device is positioned relative to the person being assisted, who is seated in, for example, a bed or a wheelchair, and moves the person being assisted from a sitting position to a standing position by raising a support member that supports the upper body of the person being assisted. Applications of the assistance device include, for example, assistance with transferring between a bed and a wheelchair, and assistance with changing clothes or bathing while maintaining an upright position.

[0003] International Publication No. 2018 / 116472

[0004] The burden on the person being assisted when in a standing position is greater than when in a sitting position, even if part of the body is supported by the assistance device. However, it is not easy for the caregiver operating the assistance device to grasp the burden on the person being assisted. In addition, the burden on the person being assisted may vary depending on the purpose of the assistance device and the level of assistance required by the person being assisted.

[0005] The present specification aims to provide an assistance device that allows a caregiver or the like to grasp the burden on a person being assisted, and enables safer operation.

[0006] This specification discloses an assistance device for assisting a person being assisted to stand up, comprising: a base; a support member that is movable relative to the base and supports a part of the body of the person being assisted; and an alarm unit that performs an alarm operation according to the elapsed time from a reference time after the person being assisted has started to stand up due to movement of the support member.

[0007] This specification also discloses the technical idea of ​​changing "the assistive device according to claim 4" in claim 6 at the time of filing to "the assistive device according to claim 4 or 5," and the technical idea of ​​changing "the assistive device according to any one of claims 1 to 3" to "the assistive device according to any one of claims 1 to 6" in claim 7 at the time of filing. This specification also discloses the technical idea of ​​changing "the assistive device according to any one of claims 1 to 3" to "the assistive device according to any one of claims 1 to 7" in claim 8 at the time of filing, the technical idea of ​​changing "the assistive device according to any one of claims 1 to 3" to "the assistive device according to any one of claims 1 to 8" in claim 9 at the time of filing, and the technical idea of ​​changing "the assistive device according to any one of claims 1 to 3" to "the assistive device according to any one of claims 1 to 9" in claim 10 at the time of filing.

[0008] With this configuration, a notification operation is performed according to the elapsed time from a reference time after the start of a standing movement, which correlates with the burden on the person being assisted. This allows, for example, a caregiver to understand the state of the burden on the person being assisted. Therefore, excessive burden on the person being assisted when transferring or bathing using the assistance device can be prevented, resulting in safer operation.

[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an assistance device according to an embodiment, seen from diagonally behind. FIG. 2 is a side view showing the assistance device in a state in which it is supporting a person being assisted in a sitting position. FIG. 3 is a side view showing the assistance device in a state in which it is supporting a person being assisted in a standing position. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a controller, a load measuring device, and a control device of the assistance device. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the transition of the drive amount and load of an actuator in assistance processing. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing notification processing in assistance processing. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a first mode of the controller. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a second mode of the controller. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing setting information related to notification processing, which shows notification times according to uses and levels of assistance required, and operation patterns of notification actions.

[0010] 1. Configuration of the assistance device 1 The configuration of the assistance device 1 of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. The assistance device 1 executes assistance processing to assist a person being assisted M (see FIG. 2, etc.) seated in a wheelchair or the like in standing up from a sitting position and in sitting down from a standing position. The assistance device 1 supports the upper body of the person being assisted M in a standing position, thereby assisting in the transfer of the person being assisted M, for example, between a wheelchair and a bed. The assistance device 1 is also used by one caregiver towing the assistance device 1 to assist the person being assisted M in moving to a destination (for example, a wheelchair, a bed, a toilet, a bathroom, etc.) while riding on the assistance device 1.

[0011] Note that "standing posture" refers to a posture in which the lower half of the assisted person M is standing. Therefore, in this specification, the standing posture includes a posture of the assisted person M in which, from a sitting posture, the buttocks are raised to stand the lower half and the upper half of the body is leaning forward, as shown in Fig. 5. In other words, assistance with the standing-up movement is assistance with the movement of raising the buttocks of the assisted person M and leaning the upper half of the body forward to place the mass of the upper half of the body on the assistance device 1. Furthermore, assistance with the sitting-down movement is assistance with the movement of lowering the position of the buttocks of the assisted person M.

[0012] 1-1. Base 10 As shown in Figure 1, the assistance device 1 includes a base 10. More specifically, the base 10 has a main body frame 11 that forms the main body. The main body frame 11 is composed of a metal pipe member that is U-shaped when viewed from above, and a plurality of auxiliary pipes that connect portions of the pipe member that extend in the front-to-rear direction on both the left and right sides. The base 10 has a support bracket 12 that is fixed to the main body frame 11. The support bracket 12 supports the casters 15-17 and the drive unit 20.

[0013] The base 10 includes a footplate 13. The feet of the person being assisted M are placed on the footplate 13. A plurality of protrusions are arranged regularly on the upper surface of the footplate 13 to prevent the feet of the person being assisted M from slipping when the person being assisted M is standing on the footplate. The footplate 13 may be sloped downward from the center toward the left and right periphery, at least when the person being assisted M does not have their feet placed on it. This allows water droplets that fall on the upper surface of the footplate 13 to flow out of the device along the slope.

[0014] The footplate 13 may be elastically deformed so that the inclination becomes gentler when the person being assisted M places their feet on it. This allows water droplets on the footplate 13 to flow out of the device even when the person being assisted M is on it. The assistance device 1 may be configured without the footplate 13 depending on the level of assistance required by the person being assisted M.

[0015] The base 10 has front casters 15, intermediate casters 16, and rear casters 17, which are provided in pairs on the left and right sides at three different positions in the front-to-rear direction of the main frame 11. The pair of front casters 15, the pair of intermediate casters 16, and the pair of rear casters 17 are each fixed to the main frame 11 via support brackets 12. In this embodiment, each of the casters 15-17 has a steering function for changing the direction of movement. This allows the assistance device 1 to not only move forward and backward and change direction, but also move sideways (move directly to the side) and make pivot turns (turn on the spot).

[0016] 1-2. Drive unit 20 and cover member 25 As shown in Fig. 2, the assistance device 1 includes a drive unit 20 that drives the support member 30. The drive unit 20 has an arm 21 that connects the base 10 and the support member 30. The drive unit 20 drives the arm 21 using an actuator 22 to move the support member 30 in the up-down and back-and-forth directions while tilting it. The drive unit 20 drives the actuator 22 based on commands from a control device 50, which will be described later.

[0017] The care assistance device 1 includes a cover member 25 that covers at least the rear portion of the arm 21 of the drive unit 20. In this embodiment, the cover member 25 covers the rear portion, the side portion, and part of the front portion of the arm 21. The cover member 25 is manufactured by resin molding or the like.

[0018] 1-3. Support member 30 and handle 35 As shown in Fig. 1-3, the assistance device 1 includes a support member 30. The support member 30 supports the upper body as part of the body of the person being assisted M. The support member 30 is supported by the arm 21 of the drive device 20 so as to be rotatable about a horizontal rotation axis. With the above-described configuration, the support member 30 is provided so as to be movable relative to the base 10 in the up-down direction, and in this embodiment, is provided so as to be movable relative to the base 10 in the front-rear direction.

[0019] The support member 30 includes a torso support section 31 and a pair of side support sections 32. The torso support section 31 is formed in a planar shape similar to the torso shape of the person being assisted M. The torso support section 31 is formed from a material that is flexible and deformable. The support surface of the torso support section 31 comes into surface contact with the front of the torso of the upper half of the person being assisted M, supporting the torso from the front. More specifically, the support surface of the torso support section 31 supports the area of ​​the person being assisted M from the chest Mb to the abdomen.

[0020] The pair of side support sections 32 are supported by the torso support section 31 and support the sides of the person being assisted M. More specifically, the pair of side support sections 32 are provided on the left and right sides of the torso support section 31. The side support sections 32 are supported by the torso support section 31 so as to be able to swing. The side support sections 32 are formed into an L-shape using rod-shaped members. The surface of the side support sections 32 is covered with a flexibly deformable material.

[0021] The assistance device 1 includes a handle 35. The handle 35 is formed in a generally rectangular frame shape. The handle 35 is formed so as to extend in a front-upward direction from the rear end of the arm of the drive unit 20. The side portions of the handle 35 are grasped with both hands of the person being assisted M. Furthermore, the side portions and the front portion of the handle 35 are grasped by the caregiver to move the assistance device 1.

[0022] 1-4. Lower Leg Support Device 40 As shown in Fig. 1, the assistance device 1 is equipped with a lower leg support device 40. The lower leg support device 40 is attached to the base 10 and is a member against which the knees and shins of the person being assisted M, whose standing-up movement is assisted, come into contact. The lower leg support device 40 is provided to stabilize the standing-up and sitting-down movements of the person being assisted M by determining the positions of the knees and shins of the person being assisted M. The lower leg support device 40 has lower leg support pads 43 as shock-absorbing members that are cushioning materials extending in the left-right direction. The position of the lower leg support pads 43 in the front-to-back direction is adjusted to suit the physique and sitting posture of the person being assisted M.

[0023] 1-5. Control device 50 and controller 60 As shown in Fig. 4, the assistance device 1 is equipped with a control device 50 that executes assistance processing. The control device 50 controls the operations of the drive device 20 and the like. The control device 50 is equipped with a storage unit 51, an operation control unit 52, and a notification unit 53. The storage unit 51 is configured with a flash memory or the like. The storage unit 51 stores a control program used when the assistance device 1 executes assistance processing, operation history data in which operation history is recorded, setting information related to notification processing (see Fig. 9), and the like.

[0024] The operation control section 52 controls the operation of the drive device 20 and moves the support member 30 that supports the person being assisted M. The notification section 53 performs a notification operation according to the elapsed time from a reference time after the person being assisted M has started to stand up due to the movement of the support member 30. The notification operation by the notification section 53 will be described in detail later. When the control device 50 is powered on by operating a power switch (not shown), it performs a standby process that makes the drive device 20 operable. When the standby process is performed, the assistance device 1 is in a state where it can accept operations to the controller 60.

[0025] The controller 60 is operated by the person being assisted M or the caregiver. The controller 60 has, for example, a stand-up button 61 and a sit-down button 62, as shown in Fig. 7 . The stand-up button 61 is a button for receiving a request for upward movement of the support member 30, i.e., assistance with standing up. The sit-down button 62 is a button for receiving a request for downward movement of the support member 30, i.e., assistance with sitting down.

[0026] For example, while the stand-up button 61 of the controller 60 is pressed, the movement control unit 52 assumes that there is a request for assistance with the stand-up movement and executes assistance processing for the stand-up movement. Also, while the sit-down button 62 is pressed, the movement control unit 52 assumes that there is a request for assistance with the sit-down movement and executes assistance processing for the sit-down movement. The assistance device 1 may receive an assistance request via a pedal that receives foot operation by the caregiver or a microphone that inputs the voice of the caregiver, etc.

[0027] 2. Assistance of Motion by the Care Assistance Device 1 Assistance of standing-up and sitting-down motions by the care assistance device 1 will be described with reference to Figures 2, 3, and 5. First, the care assistance device 1 is angled so that the torso support part 31 of the support member 30 faces the chest Mb of the person being assisted M, and is moved backward to approach the person being assisted M, who is seated on a bed or wheelchair. Next, the person being assisted M places both feet on the foot plates 13 and brings their lower legs into contact with the lower leg support pads 43 of the lower leg support device 40.

[0028] More specifically, the knees and shins are in contact with the support surfaces of the lower leg support pads 43. Furthermore, the person being assisted M leans his / her upper body forward so that his / her chest Mb is pressed against the trunk support parts 31. The person being assisted M also stretches both arms toward the handlebars 35, with both sides supported by the pair of armpit support parts 32. As a result, the person being assisted M is able to get on the assistance device 1 while remaining in a seated position, as shown in FIG.

[0029] Subsequently, when the stand-up button 61 is pressed, the drive device 20 starts driving at time T10, as shown in Fig. 5. At this time, the drive amount of the actuator 22 increases, and the support member 30 moves upward and forward while tilting. When the operation of the stand-up button 61 ends at time T20, the person being assisted M moves to a standing position with both legs extended, as shown in Fig. 3.

[0030] The assistance device 1 moves and turns while supporting the person being assisted M in a standing position depending on the application. Possible applications include, for example, transferring between a bed and a wheelchair, moving to a toilet or bathroom, and changing clothes. The assistance device 1 assists the sitting motion at a position and angle depending on the application. The assistance for the sitting motion is performed in the reverse order of the assistance for the standing motion, and therefore a detailed explanation will be omitted. Figure 5 shows the change in the drive amount of the actuator 22 from when the sitting motion is started by pressing the sit button 62 at time T30 until the sitting motion is completed at time T40.

[0031] 3. Notification Processing During Assistance Processing In assistance processing using the assistance device 1 configured as described above, the person being assisted M, who is in a standing position, has part of his or her upper body supported by the support member 30 and his or her lower legs supported in contact with the lower leg support devices 40. In this way, even though part of his or her body is supported by the assistance device 1, the burden on the person being assisted M in a standing position is greater than when he or she is in a sitting position. However, for example, a caregiver operating the assistance device 1 needs to be mindful of the posture of the person being assisted M and the surrounding environment, and it is not easy to always grasp the burden on the person being assisted M.

[0032] The burden on the person being assisted M may also vary depending on the use of the assistance device 1 and the level of assistance required by the person being assisted M. In detail, the burden differs when the assistance device 1 is used for a transfer that takes a relatively short time and when it is used for moving to another room while maintaining an upright posture. Furthermore, the level of assistance required, which indicates how much of one's own weight can be supported by the feet, also varies the load that the upper body and lower legs place on the support members 30 and lower leg support devices 40, and the burden on the person being assisted M also varies accordingly.

[0033] For example, if the level of assistance required is high and the person being assisted M is barely able to support his or her own weight with his or her feet, the burden on the person being assisted M will be greater even if the required time is the same. Furthermore, even if the level of assistance required is about the same and the required time for the assistance process is about the same, the likelihood of slippage between the person being assisted M and the support member 30 may differ depending on whether the person being assisted M is dressed or undressed, or whether the person being assisted M is wet from bathing, etc., and the burden on the person being assisted M may vary.

[0034] Therefore, the assistance device 1 of this embodiment is provided with a notification unit 53 that performs a predetermined notification operation during the execution of the assistance process, and is configured to prevent excessive strain on the person being assisted M. In this embodiment, the notification unit 53 performs a notification operation according to the elapsed time Lp from the reference time Ts after the person being assisted M starts the standing-up movement due to the movement of the support member 30. In detail, the notification unit 53 performs the notification process shown in FIG.

[0035] The notification unit 53 executes the notification process when the standing-up movement is started in the assistance process. The notification unit 53 first starts measuring the elapsed time Lp from a reference time Ts after the standing-up movement is started (S11). Here, the time when the standing-up movement is started is, for example, when the stand-up button 61 is pressed, which corresponds to time T10 in FIG. 5. The "reference time Ts" can be set arbitrarily, and in this embodiment, it is set when the movement amount of the support member 30 reaches a predetermined value.

[0036] Whether the movement amount of the support member 30 has reached the predetermined amount can be determined based on the detection value of a displacement sensor that directly measures the movement amount of the support member 30. Alternatively, the movement amount of the support member 30 may be considered to have reached the predetermined amount when the drive amount of the actuator 22 reaches a threshold value N based on the detection value of a hall sensor built into the actuator 22 (see FIG. 5). Furthermore, the reference time Ts may be set when the load applied to the support member 30 by the person being assisted M reaches a predetermined value, or may be set to the same time (T10) as when the standing-up movement is started.

[0037] Next, the notification unit 53 executes a process for setting the operation pattern of the notification operation (S12). When the elapsed time Lp reaches a preset notification time Cm (S13: Yes), the notification unit 53 executes the notification operation according to the set operation pattern (S14). Here, the notification time Cm and operation pattern may be fixed to a predetermined time and pattern, which is expected to reduce manufacturing costs and processing load. On the other hand, switching the notification time Cm and operation pattern before the notification operation starts in consideration of fluctuations in the burden on the person being assisted M is useful from the perspective of performing a more appropriate notification operation.

[0038] Therefore, the notification unit 53 of this embodiment switches the operation pattern of the notification operation according to the elapsed time Lp based on the purpose of the assistance apparatus 1 for causing the person being assisted M to stand up. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 9 , the notification unit 53 sets three types of notification times Cm1-Cm3 in stages, and sets operation patterns Pt1-Pt3 with different notification intensities when the elapsed time Lp reaches each of the notification times Cm1-Cm3. Note that in FIG. 9 , candidate times A1-A6, which are setting candidates for the notification times Cm1-Cm3, are set so that they increase in length from the first candidate time A1 to the sixth candidate time A6. The notification unit 53 extracts three consecutive candidate times (e.g., candidate times A2-A4) based on the purpose of the assistance apparatus 1 and the level of assistance required by the person being assisted M, and sets these as the notification times Cm1-Cm3.

[0039] The first movement pattern Pt1 has a low level of warning intensity, indicating, for example, that the burden on the person being assisted M is currently small and that there is room to maintain the current situation. The second movement pattern Pt2 has a medium level of warning intensity, indicating, for example, that the burden on the person being assisted M is increasing and that the time to transition to a seated position is approaching. The third movement pattern Pt3 has a high level of warning intensity, indicating, for example, that the person being assisted M is in a state where they should immediately transition to a seated position.

[0040] As described above, the burden on the person being assisted M may vary depending on the use of the assistance apparatus 1, particularly the degree of wetness and the level of assistance required by the person being assisted M. Therefore, the notification unit 53 amplifies the notification intensity of the notification operation as the degree of wetness, which is set according to the use of the assistance apparatus 1, increases. For example, when the use of the assistance apparatus 1 is for the person being assisted M to bathe, the notification unit 53 amplifies the notification intensity of the notification operation compared to other uses. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 9 , when the use is "transfer" and the level of assistance required is "high," the notification times Cm1-Cm3 are set to candidate settings A2-A4, whereas when the use is "bathing" and the level of assistance required is "high," the notification times Cm1-Cm3 are set to candidate settings A1-A3. In this way, when the use is "bathing," the notification times Cm1-Cm3 are set shorter than those for other uses, so that the operation pattern Pt3 with high notification intensity is applied earlier.

[0041] Furthermore, the notification unit 53 switches the operation pattern of the notification operation according to the elapsed time Lp based on the level of assistance required by the person being assisted M. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 9, even for the same purpose, the allowable notification times Cm1-Cm3 are set to be different for each level of assistance required (in this embodiment, three levels: high, medium, and low). Note that the purposes of the assistance device 1 may be classified in more detail if the burden on the person being assisted M can vary even for each purpose. For example, if there are simple bathing methods and methods requiring a long time, the purposes may be classified based on these.

[0042] Various methods can be adopted for acquiring the purpose of the assistance device 1. For example, the purpose of the assistance device 1 can be acquired by an assistant or the like inputting the purpose into the controller 60 of the assistance device 1 or an external device that can communicate with the assistance device 1. The purpose of the assistance device 1 may also be acquired based on the current position of the assistance device 1. For example, the assistance device 1 may be provided with a position detection device that detects its own position within a facility, and the purpose may be acquired based on the detection result of the position detection device.

[0043] Specifically, the position detection device receives communication radio waves transmitted within the facility and beacon signals transmitted by multiple beacon devices to determine its own location within the facility. For example, by receiving radio waves transmitted in the bathroom, it can be determined that the purpose of the assistance device 1 is bathing. Alternatively, the purpose may be determined by reading wireless tags installed in various locations or wireless tags carried by the caregiver. Similarly, the level of assistance required for the person being assisted M can be determined by identifying the person being assisted M based on input from the caregiver or location information including the room where the person being assisted M lives, thereby obtaining a predetermined level of assistance required for the person being assisted M.

[0044] When the elapsed time Lp reaches one of the notification times Cm1 to Cm3 (S13: Yes), the notification unit 53 performs a notification action according to the action pattern Pt1 to Pt3 set for each of the notification times Cm1 to Cm3 (S14). In this embodiment, the notification unit 53 performs the notification action using at least one of sound, light, vibration, and text display. Various modes can be adopted for the notification action by the notification unit 53. In this embodiment, the assistance apparatus 1 includes a notification device 70.

[0045] 7, the notification device 70 may be configured with, for example, a plurality of notification lamps 71 and a speaker 72 provided on the controller 60. The notification device 70 notifies the caregiver of the elapsed time Lp by varying the lighting pattern of the plurality of notification lamps 71 or by emitting a predetermined sound from the speaker 72 in accordance with the set operation patterns Pt1-Pt3. When notifying the caregiver by sound, the notification unit 53 notifies the caregiver by varying the volume, tone, etc. in accordance with the operation patterns Pt1-Pt3 corresponding to the notification intensity.

[0046] 8, the notification device 70 may be configured with, for example, a monitor 73 and a vibrator 74 provided on the controller 60. The notification device 70 notifies the caregiver of the elapsed time Lp by displaying a predetermined text on the monitor 73 or by using the vibrator 74 to vibrate a part operated by the caregiver, such as the controller 60, and by the vibration pattern (such as the operating time or amplitude of the vibration).

[0047] The notification device 70 may also be a display device provided on the base 10 at a position visible from behind the person being assisted M when the person being assisted M is maintained in an upright position. Examples of positions visible from behind include the upper part of the handle 35, the end of the side support part 32, and the rear part of the foot plate 13 of the base 10, or the upper surface of the support bracket 12 connecting the main frame 11 and the front caster 15. The notification unit 53 visually performs the notification operation using the notification device 70 as a display device.

[0048] The notification operation using the notification device 70 as described above allows the caregiver to grasp the elapsed time Lp from the reference time Ts. When the notification operation is performed visually using the notification lamp 71 or the monitor 73, the elapsed time Lp can be easily grasped from the color, lighting pattern, and text display. When the notification operation is performed using vibration or sound, the caregiver can grasp the elapsed time Lp without taking their eyes off the person being assisted M, for example.

[0049] In particular, when bathing, where it is difficult to hear due to the sound of water from the shower, etc., a visual or tactile method is useful. The notification device 70 may be configured to be able to perform the notification operation in various ways. The notification unit 53 may switch the mode of the notification operation by the notification device 70 depending on the purpose of the assistance device 1, etc. Furthermore, when bathing or changing clothes, the caregiver may move from a position where he or she can operate the handle 35 to behind the person being assisted M to provide assistance, and it is particularly useful to notify the elapsed time Lp using a display device (e.g., notification lamp 71) provided in a position visible from behind the person being assisted M.

[0050] The notification unit 53 repeats the above process (S13-S14) if the elapsed time Lp has not reached the next notification time Cm (S13: No) and the person being assisted M is on the assistance apparatus 1 (S15: Yes).The notification unit 53 resets the elapsed time Lp (S16) if the person being assisted M gets off the assistance apparatus 1 (S15: No), that is, when the assistance apparatus 1 performs a seating operation and the support member 30 moves downward to seat the person being assisted M.

[0051] 5, the notification unit 53 may determine that the support member 30 has sufficiently descended and the person being assisted M has assumed a seated position when the drive amount of the actuator 22 falls below a threshold value N during the sitting action (times T30-T40). The notification unit 53 may also recognize that the person being assisted M has sat when the load that the support member 30 receives from the person being assisted M falls below a predetermined value. Furthermore, even if the elapsed time Lp has reached the notification time Cm, if the seat button 62 is pressed and the person being assisted M is in the sitting action, the notification unit 53 may omit the execution of some or all of the notification actions, since there is little need to notify the caregiver.

[0052] 4. Effects of the Configuration of the Embodiment With the configuration of the assistance device 1 as described above, a notification action is executed according to the elapsed time Lp from the reference time Ts after the start of the standing-up action, which is correlated with the burden on the person being assisted M. This allows, for example, a caregiver to understand the state of the burden on the person being assisted M. Therefore, the caregiver can recognize the timing to start the sitting-down action based on the notified elapsed time Lp. As a result, it is possible to prevent excessive burden on the person being assisted M when transferring or bathing using the assistance device 1, and it is possible to operate the assistance device 1 more safely.

[0053] 5. Modifications of the Embodiment In the embodiment, the notification device 70 is provided in the controller 60 or in each part of the assistance apparatus 1. However, the notification device 70 may be an external device of the assistance apparatus 1, and may be provided in, for example, a terminal device carried by the caregiver or in a bathroom. The notification unit 53 executes notification processing based on setting information (see FIG. 9 ) related to notification processing stored in the storage unit 51. However, the notification unit 53 may communicate with an external device of the assistance apparatus 1 to acquire various information.

[0054] Furthermore, the assistance device 1 may record in the action history data the actually performed notification action in association with the elapsed time Lp from the reference time Ts after the start of the standing-up action acquired by the notification unit 53. This makes it possible to determine a statistically effective notification action based on the purpose of the assistance device 1, the level of assistance required by the person being assisted M, and the action pattern of the performed notification action. This makes it possible to further optimize the setting information related to the notification process, which contributes to safer operation of the assistance device 1.

[0055] 1: Assist device, 10: Base, 20: Drive device, 21: Arm, 22: Actuator, 30: Support member, 31: Torso support section, 32: Armpit support section, 35: Handle, 40: Lower leg support device, 50: Control device, 51: Memory section, 52: Operation control section, 53: Notification section, 60: Controller, 70: Notification device (display device), M: Person being assisted, Mb: Chest, Ts: Reference time, Lp: Elapsed time, Cm: Notification time

Claims

1. An assistance device for assisting a person being assisted to stand up, comprising: a base; a support member that is movable relative to the base and supports a part of the body of the person being assisted; and an alarm unit that performs an alarm operation in accordance with the elapsed time from a reference time after the person being assisted starts the standing up movement by movement of the support member.

2. The care assistance device according to claim 1, wherein the notification unit executes the notification action using at least one of sound, light, vibration, and text display.

3. An assistance device as described in claim 2, further comprising a display device provided on the base at a position visible from behind the person being assisted when the person being assisted is maintained in an upright position, and the notification unit visually performs the notification action using the display device.

4. An assistance device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the notification unit switches the operation pattern of the notification action according to the elapsed time based on the purpose of the assistance device, which is to make the person being assisted stand up.

5. The care assistance device according to claim 4, wherein the notification unit amplifies the notification intensity in the notification operation as the degree of wetness set according to the application of the care assistance device increases.

6. The care assistance device according to claim 4, wherein the notification unit amplifies the notification intensity in the notification operation when the care assistance device is used for bathing the person being assisted, compared to other uses.

7. An assistance device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the notification unit switches the operation pattern of the notification action according to the elapsed time based on the level of assistance required by the person being assisted.

8. An assistance device as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the reference time is when the amount of movement of the support member reaches a predetermined value, or when the load received by the support member from the person being assisted reaches a predetermined value.

9. An assistance device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the elapsed time is reset when the person being assisted sits down due to movement of the support member.

10. An assistance device as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the support member has: a torso support portion that supports the torso by making surface contact with the front of the torso of the upper body of the person being assisted; and a pair of armpit support portions provided on the left and right of the torso support portion and supporting the sides of the person being assisted.

Images