JP2019111159A - Walking assist vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a walking assist vehicle configured to easily perform walking assist and brake operation and, when both hands are required for reception at hospital or shopping, being usable at ease by the elderly having difficulty in movement, when the hands are released therefrom.SOLUTION: A walking assist vehicle 1 is so configured that front wheels 11L and 11R and rear wheels 12L and 12R are supported by a frame 2. A central lower end of a handle 3a including a grip 31 is connected by a support 23U and a knuckle joint 35b, a front end is connected by a shaft 4U and a knuckle joint 35b, a weight balance is retained by a balance weight 38 attached to a rear end of the grip 31, shafts 4U and 4L are vertically movable by swing operation of the handle 3a, and a cap 41 can be alternately grounded/released. The cap 41 is grounded by dead weights of the shafts 4U and 4L and of the cap 41 to brake the walking assist vehicle 1, while the grip 31 is pushed down to hold a state where grounding of the cap 41 is released, and the walking assist vehicle 1 support a body and travels.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a walking auxiliary vehicle that supports the body used by elderly people and people who are unable to walk in place of a cane to assist walking.

  Traditionally, walking aids are mainly used by elderly people and people who are not good at walking, and canes are inconvenient when used with canes, and can be used with one hand as if there is something to assist more easily. A wheeled auxiliaries that use and support the body of the pedestrian and move forward together have been considered and proposed.

  For example, the cane described in Patent Document 1 has a plurality of front wheels and rear wheels set in the cane, holds the grip portion and advances the cane wheel, lowers the grip portion in an emergency and grounds the brake rubber to make the body The structure to stabilize is described.

  The wheeled cane described in Patent Document 2 is attached to a ground contact foot that controls movement when a load above a predetermined level is applied to the gripping portion in order to stabilize the body while walking by gripping the gripping portion The cap is described as a structure that assists the walking by self-propelled for a certain distance when the cap protrudes and contacts the ground, stops the cane and then lifts the body to move forward and removes the load applied to the grip. ing.

  The walker described in Patent Document 3 has a plurality of front wheels and rear wheels set in a frame, holds a grip provided on the upper portion of the frame, can walk while supporting the body with the walker, and can A structure is described in which a rod having a rubber and a lever having a lock mechanism are connected by a drive wire so that an operation of gripping the lever enables speed control and stop.

JP 2011-235051 A Patent No. 4098800 Patent No. 2722186 gazette

  Although the wheeled cane described in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 is a structure for assisting walking, when the weight is applied to the grip portion as a cane to support the body, the brake is applied, There was a problem that it was not able to walk while always supporting the body.

  The walker described in Patent Document 3 is a structure that can walk while always supporting the body, but in order to keep the open state of the brake shoe and the wheel and the open state of the grounding of the rod having a rubber at the lower part, Pressure is used, and in the case of braking, the user must hold a lever and brake against the pressure of the spring, requiring a corresponding grip, making it difficult for elderly people with weakened power to operate There was a problem that there was a case.

  The present invention is intended to solve the problems of such a conventional structure, and by operating the grip portion of the steering wheel of the auxiliary vehicle, it is possible to walk while always supporting the body on the auxiliary vehicle and stopping When you want, you can stop the auxiliary vehicle while holding the cane with a slight movement of the wrist instead of holding the brake lever. If you release the hand holding the grip, the shaft lowers by its own weight, and the lower part of the shaft It is an object of the present invention to provide a walking aid vehicle having a structure in which a cap fixed to the shaft is in contact with the ground to apply a brake, or a brake shoe press-contacts a wheel to apply a brake.

  An auxiliary vehicle for assisting human walking, comprising: an upper end portion of a support fixed to a frame supporting a plurality of front wheels and a rear wheel; and a substantially central lower end portion of a handle provided with a gripping portion operable with one hand Is rotatably connected, and one end in front of the handle is rotatably connected to the upper end of the shaft having a groundable cap at the lower end, and the balance weight is attached to the other end in the rear The shaft provided with the cap can be vertically moved by the swinging action of the handle with the connecting portion at the lower end of the substantially central portion of the handle as a fulcrum, and the shaft provided with the cap can be adjusted by adjusting the balance weight. The cap is grounded by its own weight, and the auxiliary car is braked, and the operation of the steering wheel (swinging) releases the cap from the ground, or the balance weight The weight may be increased, and the auxiliary vehicle may be run while the contact of the cap is always in the open state, and the auxiliary vehicle may be stopped by grounding the cap with the wand at the steering wheel operation. The gist of the present invention is a structure in which the auxiliary vehicle is made to travel with the wand always pushed by the operation of the steering wheel, and a brake can be applied.

  An auxiliary vehicle for assisting human walking, comprising: an upper end portion of a support fixed to a frame supporting a plurality of front wheels and a rear wheel; and a substantially central lower end portion of a handle provided with a gripping portion operable with one hand Is rotatably connected, and one end of the front of the handle is rotatably connected to the upper end of a shaft provided with a plurality of brake shoes at its lower end that can be pressed against the rear wheel, and the other end of the rear A balance weight is attached to the shaft, and the shaft provided with the plurality of brake shafts can be vertically moved by the pivoting action of the handle with the connecting portion at the lower end of the substantially central portion of the handle as a fulcrum. By adjusting the weight, the plurality of brake shoes are brought into pressure contact with the outer peripheral upper portion of the rear wheel (fixed wheel) by the weight of the shaft provided with the plurality of brake shoes, and the auxiliary vehicle is braked. A method in which the pressure contact of the plurality of brake shoes is released by the operation (rocking) of the dollar, and the travel of the auxiliary vehicle becomes possible, or the weight of the balance weight is increased, and the rear wheels of the plurality of brake shoes In the state where the pressure contact to the (fixed wheel) is always released, traveling of the auxiliary vehicle becomes possible, and when it is desired to stop the auxiliary vehicle, the plurality of brakes are operated with the handle by operating the steering wheel. A method may be employed in which a shoe is brought into pressure contact with the upper outer periphery of the rear wheel, and in any case, the structure is such that the auxiliary vehicle can travel with the wand always sticking by the operation of the handle to apply a brake.

  A stopper is provided below the connecting portion at the substantially central lower end portion of the handle to stop the movement of the handle by the swinging action, and the grip portion is positioned to facilitate the operation of the handle. Do.

  The grip portion of the handle is provided with anti-slip wedges for stopping movement of the griped finger at the front and back, the wedge at the rear is formed a little larger, and a curved portion fitted to the palm is provided in front of the wedge The gist is a structure that enables stable traveling while holding the body by pressing down the grip portion.

  A structure in which a frame for holding a load such as a plastic bag is provided on an upper portion of a frame supporting the plurality of front wheels and rear wheels is a gist.

  By using the swinging action of the handle with a grip that can be held with one hand and used from either the left or right side, the walking assist vehicle can always support the body in the same way as when it leans on a cane while traveling. When you want to stop walking, you can put on the brake in an instant with the stick by simply moving the wrist a little, and the back of the grip part is curved in the heel direction according to the palm support of the body Became a stable and safe walking assist vehicle for the elderly.

It is the partially broken front view which shows the state which the cap of one Embodiment of this invention earth | grounded. It is the partially broken front view which shows the state by which the cap of one Embodiment of this invention was earth | grounded release. FIG. 5 is a partially broken front view showing a state in which a brake shoe is in pressure contact with a rear wheel according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a partially broken front view showing a state in which a brake shoe is released from pressure contact from a rear wheel according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a front view which shows the state which provided the frame for luggage | loads of one Embodiment of this invention. It is a left side view showing the state where the frame for luggage of one embodiment of the present invention was provided. It is AA expanded sectional view of FIG. FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line B-B of FIG.

  In the state shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, the walking assist vehicle 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention has the front wheels 11L and 11R (universal wheels) in front and the rear wheels 12L and 12R (fixed wheels) side as the rear. With the handles 3a, 3b at the top, two embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS.

  The walking auxiliary vehicle 1 is based on a single-handed operation that can be used on either the left or right side, and the fixtures 21a and 21b, the bearing fixture 22 and the mounting plate 25 are fixed to the frame 2 shown in FIGS. The front wheels 11U and 11L (universal wheels) are attached to the fixtures 21a and 21b, and the rear wheels 12U and 12L (fixed wheels) are attached to the bearing device 22 via the axle 13 to support the frame 2, and the attachment 21a or The upper end of the support 23U fixed to the fixture 24 fixed to the mounting plate 25 and the central lower end of the handles 3a and 3b provided with the grips 31 are rotated by the connecting shaft 34a of the knuckle joint 35a (connection member) The hand is connected movably, utilizing the pivoting action of the handles 3a and 3b with the connecting shaft 34a as a fulcrum, and in the first embodiment, operating the grip 31 shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. The second embodiment is configured such that grounding and releasing of the cap 41 fixed to the lower end of the shaft 4L can be alternately performed by raising and lowering the shafts 4U and 4L rotatably connected to the front end of the shaft 3a. 3 and 4 show that the shafts 5U and 5L pivotably connected to the front end of the handle 3b are moved up and down by the operation of the grip portion 31 and connected to the connector 54 below the shaft 5L. The brake shoe 51 fixed to the connecting arm 53 by the holding body 52 is brought into pressure contact with the rear wheels 12R and 12L, so that braking and braking can be alternately performed.

  About the 1st example of this embodiment, the walking auxiliary vehicle 1 contacts the cap 41 by operation (rocking) of the steering wheel 3a, the walking auxiliary vehicle 1 is braked, and the traveling of the walking auxiliary vehicle 1 is possible by releasing the ground The configuration that will be described below will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 6, and FIG.

  The frame 2 shown in FIGS. 1 and 6 is a pipe (for example, preferably having a diameter of about 16 to 19), and the front of the rectangle is substantially semicircular and the two back corners are formed in small arcs, and attached to the front The bearing tool 22 is fixed to the rear of the tool 21a, and the front wheels 11L and 11R (screw-type swivel wheel casters) are fixed to the mounting tool 21a by nuts 62, and the rear bearing tool 22 is fixed to the rear wheels 12L and 12R ( An axle 13 supporting a single item caster) is fixed.

  The front wheels 11L and 11R disposed on the left and right of the frame 2 are basically universal wheels, and desirably have an outer diameter of 100 mm or more in consideration of riding on a step or the like, and the rear wheels 12L and 12R are fixed wheels, the front wheels 11L, As in the case of 11R, an outer diameter of 100 mm or more is desirable in consideration of run on the step. Although synthetic rubber is generally used as the material of the front wheels 11L and 11R and the rear wheels 12L and 12R, it may be a synthetic resin etc. and it is relatively lightweight, as long as sufficient strength for supporting the body is secured. Good.

  The mounting tool 21a shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is formed by bending a steel plate in accordance with the oblique arrangement of the shafts 4U and 4L and the columns 23U and 23L, thereby securing the fixing tool 24, the front wheels 11L and 11R, and the shaft guide 42. It is fixed.

  The pipe (for example, the diameter 16 to 19) of the frame 2 and the fixture 21a and the bearing 22 are made of metal, but the shape is changed including the fixture 21a, the bearing 22 and the fixture 24 and the synthetic resin is changed. Integral molding is also possible. In this case, it is necessary to have the same strength as the pipe of the frame 2 and parts and the like combined with the pipe.

  The columns 23U and 23L shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 6 are pipe-shaped, made of metal or synthetic resin, and the knuckle joint 35a (connection member) is fixed to the upper end portion. And the knuckle joint 35a is fixed to the fixture 24 with the lowermost end of the support column 23L in a state of being positioned above the approximate center (between the front and rear wheels) of the frame 2 . The columns 23U and 23L shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are fixed in a rearward inclined state from the positional relationship of the shafts 4U and 4L and the height and positional relationship of the gripping portion 31, but there is no particular limitation.

  The knuckle joint 35a is provided with a connecting shaft 34a for rotatably connecting the handle 3a. The connection with the handle 3a may be a connector formed specifically, without sticking to the knuckle joint 35a.

  A plurality of (for example, about 5 to 8) height adjustment holes 27a are provided in the column 23U shown in FIG. 1 in order to adjust the position of the height at which the user can easily support the body when holding the grip 31 The height adjustment pin 26a, which is thinner than the support 23U and has a spring pressure at its upper end, is loosely inserted on the inner diameter side of the support 23U, and the height adjustment pin 26a is loosely inserted in the height adjustment hole 27a. Thus, the height of the grip portion 31 is positioned by locking the upper and lower slides of the support 23U.

The handle 3a shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and FIG. 6 is formed in a substantially U-shape with a metal plate, and a grip portion 31 which can be gripped and operated by one hand is provided at the upper center. Below the shaft, an axial hole into which the connecting shaft 34a is inserted is provided at the position of the central lower end, and a stopper 36a, 36b is provided downward with reference to the axial hole, and the connecting shaft of the knuckle joint 35b is provided at the front end. A shaft hole into which 34 b is inserted is provided, a weight mounting portion 37 is provided at the rear of the grip portion 31, and one or more balance weights 38 are mounted by bolts 61.
The steering wheel 3a is formed of a metal plate, but it is possible to secure sufficient strength to endure the pressure contact force when the cap 41 is in contact with the ground and the force to push the walking auxiliary vehicle 1 when traveling (resistance when riding on the step) Integral molding of synthetic resin including the grip portion 31 and the stopper 36a 36b is also possible.

The gripping portion 31 shown in FIG. 1 is an elliptical shape close to a circular shape shown in a partial cross section in the center, and the front end portion and the finger of the hand holding the gripping portion 31 at the rear end portion travel and brake the walking assist vehicle 1 At the same time, a non-slip wedge 33 which can be prevented even when sliding back and forth is provided to ensure safety, and further, the size of the wedge 33 above the rear end of the grip portion 31 is slightly increased, and the grip portion A curved portion 32 is provided between the side of the grip portion 31 and the top of the ridge 33 at the rear end, for holding the rear of the palm in a traveling state in which the arm 31 is pushed down for stabilization.
A synthetic resin is generally used as the material of the grip portion 31. However, wood, metal or the like may be used, and it is desirable that the grip portion 31 be non-slippery and lightweight because the necessary strength is secured and used by the elderly.

Weight attaching part 37 shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 is a hexagonal long nut or a part having a cylindrical shape and a female screwed central part is fixed to handle 3a, and a cylindrical or disc-like balance weight 38 is It is attached by a bolt 61. By mounting a plurality of balance weights 38, the swinging action of the handle 3a can be freely controlled.
For example, if the balance weight 38 is lighter than the weight of the shafts 4U and 4L, the horizontal position of the grip portion 31 is maintained and the braking state is maintained in the grounded state of the cap 41 shown in FIG. If the balance weight 38 is heavier than the weight, the grip 31 shown in FIG. The shape of the balance weight 38 is not particularly required to be in the form of a disc, and it is sufficient if the weight can be adjusted by a plurality of mountings.

  The stoppers 36a and 36b of the handle 3a shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are provided to define the vertically movable range of the shafts 4U and 4L by the swinging action of the handle 3a, and the connecting holes of the handle 3a into which the connecting shaft 34a is inserted. The contact surfaces to be locked to the front and back of the outer periphery of the knuckle joint 35a are formed in a substantially C shape downward and are disposed before and after the knuckle joint 35a of the support 23U.

  The knuckle joint 35a fixed to the column 23U is pivotally connected by the connecting shaft 34a so that the handle 3a can swing about the connecting shaft 34a, and the knuckle joint at the front end can be pivoted. The balance weight 38 at the rear end portion is alternately moved vertically up and down, and by operation of the handle 3a, the stopper 36a is engaged at the outer peripheral rear portion of the knuckle joint 35a by the operation of the handle 3a to lower the balance weight 38 at the rear end portion. The movement of the cap 41 is stopped, and the cap 41 is grounded just before the stopper 36b is locked to the front of the outer periphery of the knuckle joint 35a by the operation of the handle 3a or the opening of the grip 31 as shown in FIG.

  In the handle 3a shown in FIG. 1, the grip portion 31 becomes substantially horizontal in a state where the cap 41 fixed to the lower end of the shaft 4L is grounded, and between the front portion of the outer periphery of the knuckle joint 35a and the locking portion of the stopper 36b. A clearance of about 2 to 3 mm is set to allow for sufficient downward movement of the front end portion of the handle 3a and to allow sufficient grounding and braking even on a concave contact surface. Furthermore, when the stopper 36b holds the grip portion 31 and lifts the walking auxiliary vehicle 1, it stops in a state where the shafts 4U and 4L do not go down too much, lifts the holding portion 31 and walks the walking auxiliary vehicle 1 (approximately 5 to 7 kg ) Can be easily transported.

  The stopper 36a shown in FIG. 2 has the rear end of the grip portion 31 pushed down, and when the cap 41 is released from the ground state and travels upward, when the front wheels 11L and 11R run over the step, the tip of the cap 41 contacts the step and suddenly The stopper 36a is set to be engaged with the outer peripheral rear portion of the knuckle joint 35a while being pulled up to the inside of the outer periphery of the front wheels 11L and 11R without stopping.

The positional relationship of the rear end portion of the grip portion 31 when the stopper 36a is locked at the outer peripheral rear portion of the knuckle joint 35a shown in FIG. 2 is about the rear about the connecting shaft 34a with respect to the horizontal state. The inclined state of 15 ° to 20 ° makes it easy to hold the curved portion 32 of the grip portion 31 at the rear of the palm of the hand and easy to operate, and it is easy to maintain the depressed state of the grip portion 31 and to easily support the body.

  Shafts 4U and 4L shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are pipe-like light metal or synthetic resin and generally have weight and strength similar to those of canes used by the elderly, and the lowermost end of shaft 4L A cap 41 (made of rubber or synthetic resin having a high coefficient of friction) is fixed. The lower side of the shaft 4L is slightly bent so that the ground contact surface of the bottom of the cap 41 can be uniformly grounded.

  A knuckle joint 35b fixed to the upper end of the shaft 4U and a shaft hole at the lower front end of the handle 3a are rotatably connected by the connecting shaft 34b, and the connecting shaft 34a is used as a fulcrum to connect the handle 3a. The shafts 4U and 4L move up and down via the shaft 34b, so that the cap 41 can be alternately grounded and released from the ground.

  The shafts 4U and 4L and the columns 23U and 23L are preferably in a substantially parallel state shown in FIG. 1, and the cap 41 is located behind the front wheels 11L and 11R and is disposed at the center of the width of the frame 2 shown in FIG. It is positioned by the shaft guide 42 and can be used under the same conditions on either side.

  The cap 41 shown in FIG. 1 is made of rubber or synthetic resin having a high coefficient of friction, and the ground contact surface at the bottom which is the lowermost end is flat and an attachment portion is formed at the top. The cap 41 is preferably circular, but there is no particular restriction on the shape, and it is possible to improve the braking effect at the time of grounding by providing a groove or the like on the ground contact surface.

  A plurality of (for example, 5 to 8) height adjustment holes 27b are provided in the shafts 4U and 4L, and the shaft 4L is thinner than the shaft 4U, and a height adjustment pin 26b is provided at the upper end with spring pressure. The height adjustment pin 26b is loosely inserted into the height adjustment hole 27b and jumps out to the outer periphery of the shaft 4U to lock the upper and lower slides of the shaft 4U.

  The height adjustment holes 27a and 27b shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 are provided with 27a on the support 23U side and 27b on the shaft 4U side, and when the walk auxiliary vehicle 1 is in a braking state, the arrangement is substantially horizontal. By adjusting the heights of the grips 31 by moving the height adjustment pins 26a and 26b up and down in the same manner, the grips 31 always maintain a substantially horizontal state by forming the same distance between the adjustment holes 27a and 27b. be able to.

  The shaft guide 42 shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 7 is a member for positioning the shaft 4L, moving up and down, and receiving and supporting the pressure applied in the lateral direction of the walking auxiliary vehicle 1 at the time of braking. The shaft 4L is inserted in the guide hole 43 and fixed to the fixture 21a fixed to the frame 2 by the bolt 61 and the nut 62. . The guide hole 43 preferably has a gap between the outer diameter of the shaft 4L and the guide hole 43 that is large but not 0.2 mm to 0.3 mm so that the shaft 4L can slide smoothly.

  The punched hole 28 of the fixture 21a shown in FIG. 7 is larger than the outer diameter of the shaft 4L by 2 mm to 3 mm, and is formed in a size that the shaft 4L does not contact.

  The relationship between the weight of the shafts 4U and 4L and the cap 41 and the balance weight 38 is such that when the weight of the shafts 4U and 4L and the cap 41 is heavier than that of the balance weight 38, the cap 41 shown in FIG. If the weight of the shafts 4U and 4L and the cap 41 is light and the balance weight 38 is heavy, the cap 41 is released from the ground as shown in FIG. It can be selected by increasing or decreasing the balance weight 38. Therefore, the operation of the steering wheel 3a during traveling and braking of the walking assist vehicle 1 can be freely changed according to the preference of the user.

In the luggage storage 14 (frame for holding luggage) and the hooks 15 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the frame is formed of a wire material in the size of the width (left and right) of the frame 2, and hooking a plastic bag, shopping bag, tote bag It is formed in the size which etc. enter, it is located in the back of support 23U and 23L, and is fixed to the upper part of frame 2.
The package case 14 and the hook 15 are preferably made of wire, and the shape can be changed as long as a shopping bag, a tote bag, etc. can be inserted and held. Furthermore, if the strength as the luggage storage 14 is secured, molding by synthetic resin is also possible.

  In the usage example of the first embodiment of the walking auxiliary vehicle 1, the cap 41 is automatically grounded by the weight of the cap 41 and the shafts 4U and 4L when the grip portion 31 of the handle 3a is substantially horizontal as shown in FIGS. Then, from the braking state of the walking auxiliary vehicle 1, place the back of the palm against the curved part 32 of the grip part 31 and push down until the stopper 36a of the handle 3a stops at the outer peripheral back of the knuckle joint 35a shown in FIG. A state in which the cap 41 is released from the ground is maintained to support the body, and the walking auxiliary vehicle 1 is pushed forward and started. The same condition as when the balance weight 38 side of the steering wheel 3a always pushes down the stick is maintained, and it walks with the walking auxiliary vehicle 1 as a support. In this case, if the hand is released from the gripping portion 31, the cap 41 is grounded by the weight of the cap 41 and the shafts 4U and 4L, and the walking assist vehicle 1 is automatically braked.

  The pressing force of the gripping portion 31 is adjusted by the balance weight 38, and if the shafts 4U and 4L are set to be about 100 to 150 grams heavier, the weight can be pushed down with the hand lightly placed on the gripping portion 31. Very little. Also in this case, braking can be performed by the frictional force due to the contact of the cap 41.

  When you want to stop the walking auxiliary vehicle 1 or when you are not walking, with the grip 31 held, return the grip 31 horizontally and push down the front of the grip 31 to prick the cane The cap 41 can be grounded and braked in the same manner as before. Furthermore, in a state where the front is pushed downward, if weight is applied to the hand holding the grip portion 31, the brake is applied more strongly. This motion is similar to hitting a familiar wand and can be operated without discomfort, and it is a motion that only moves the wrist a little, compared with the case of holding the brake lever and stopping the walking aid 1, with a quick and slight force You can stop it surely.

  If you do not like traveling with the handle 3a depressed, it is also possible to increase the weight of the balance weight 38 and raise the cap 41 to automatically maintain the grounding release state for traveling. When the hand is released from the grip portion 31, the cap 41 does not automatically come into contact with the ground, and the walking auxiliary vehicle 1 can not be braked. Therefore, it is necessary to brake by operating the steering wheel 3a. Thus, the operation of the steering wheel 3a can be freely changed by increasing or decreasing the balance weight 38.

  The characteristic of the walking auxiliary vehicle 1 is that the elderly person can hold the holding portion 31 and support the body in the same way as when he leans on a cane, and can keep traveling while maintaining the body, and when you want to stop it, the body is supported The cap 41 can be made to contact the ground in the same system as when the cane is instantly hit by only slightly moving the wrist holding the grip portion 31 and stopping is possible, so traveling and stopping can be performed without changing the direction of the body When bending at a curve, the direction of the front wheels 11L and 11R can be freely changed by moving the wrist left and right while maintaining the state in which the grip portion 31 is pressed down, so traveling can be performed in any direction. Furthermore, the luggage compartment 14 and the hook 15 can also serve as a shopping cart.

In the second embodiment of the present embodiment, the brake shoe 51 is brought into pressure contact with the rear wheels 12L and 12R of the walking assist vehicle 1 and brakes them, and it becomes possible to travel by releasing the pressure contact. This will be described in detail with reference to FIG.
The configuration of the frame 2, which is a basic part, the columns 23U and 23L, and the handle 3b is similar to that of the first embodiment, and a part where the brake shoe 51 is in pressure contact with the rear wheels 12L and 12R which are different parts. Explain with emphasis on

  The arrangement of the frame 2 and the front wheels 11L and 11R and the rear wheels 12L and 12R of the walking assist vehicle 1 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is the same as in paragraphs 0020, 0021 and 0023 of the first embodiment, and is therefore omitted. .

  The fixture 21b shown in FIG. 3 is formed of a steel plate and is fixed to the front of the frame 2, and the mounting plate 25 is bent and formed of a steel plate to be fixed to the rear of the frame 2 and the bearing 22 and the front wheel 11L to the fixture 21b. , And 11R, and the fixture 24 is fixed to the mounting plate 25 in a state in which the fixtures 24 are aligned with the inclination angles of the columns 23U and 23L.

  The columns 23U and 23L shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 are pipe-shaped and made of metal or synthetic resin, and sufficient strength for operating the steering wheel 3b and traveling the walking auxiliary vehicle 1 is secured. 35a (connecting member) is fixed, and the knuckle joint 35a is placed in a state of being positioned forward from the rear of the frame 2 and the knuckle joint 35a is positioned above the approximate center of the frame 2; It is fixed to the rear fixing 24.

  The knuckle joint 35a is provided with a connecting shaft 34a for rotatably connecting with the handle 3b. The connection with the handle 3b may be a specially formed connector without being stuck to the knuckle joint 35a as long as it is rotatable and strength is ensured.

  The height adjustment holes 27a and 27b and the height adjustment pins 26a and 26b provided in the column 23U and the shaft 5U are omitted because they are the same as in the paragraphs 0026, 0039 and 0040 of the first embodiment.

The handle 3b shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 is formed of a metal plate substantially rectangular and arc-shaped at the four corners and open at the center in the center portion, and the grip 31 which can be operated by gripping with one hand is at the upper center There is provided an axial hole into which the connecting shaft 34a is inserted at a position of a central lower end below the substantially central portion of the grip portion 31, and stoppers 36a and 36b are provided downward from the axial hole. , 34b and the shaft support portions 57a, 57b are formed in a state where the shaft hole portion of the connecting shaft 34b of the knuckle joint 35b of the shafts 4U, 4L extends slightly downward.
The steering wheel 3b is formed of a metal plate, but it is sufficient for the pressing force of the brake shoe 51 to the rear wheels 12L, 12R and the force for pushing the walking assist vehicle 1 during traveling (resistance when riding on a step) and operation If the strength to endure can be secured, integral molding of synthetic resin including the grip portion 31 and the stopper 36a 36b is also possible.

  The grip portion 31 of the handle 3b is the same as the paragraph 0030 of the first embodiment, and the stoppers 36a and 36b for stopping the handle 3b are omitted because they are the same as the paragraph 0030 of the first embodiment.

Weight attaching part 37 shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 is a hexagonal long nut or a part having a cylindrical shape and a female screwed central part is fixed to the handle 3 b, and a cylindrical, disk-like balance weight 38 is a bolt 61 It is attached by. By mounting a plurality of balance weights 38, the swinging action of the handle 3b can be controlled.
For example, if the balance weight 38 is lighter than the weight of the shafts 5U and 5L, the brake shoe 51 shown in FIG. 3 is in pressure contact with the rear wheels 12L and 12R, and the grip 31 is kept horizontal and the braking state is maintained. If the balance weight 38 is heavier than the weight of the shafts 5U and 5L, the grip 31 shown in FIG. The shape of the balance weight 38 is not particularly required to be in the form of a disc, and it is sufficient if the weight can be adjusted by a plurality of mountings. It is also possible to make it the same shape as the handle 3a of the first embodiment.

  Shafts 5U and 5L shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 are made of pipe-like light metal or synthetic resin, and are generally comparable to canes used by the elderly, and brake shoes 51 to rear wheels 12L and 12R The central portion of the shaft 5L and the central portion of the support 23L are vertically inclined with the shafts 5U and 5L and the support 23U and 23L positioned substantially parallel to each other by the link piece 56. It is movably connected by the bearing portions 57a and 57b.

  The knuckle joint 35b is fixed to the upper end portion of the shaft 5U, the shaft hole at the lower front end portion of the handle 3b is rotatably connected by the connecting shaft 34b, and the handle 3b is pivoted up and down around the connecting shaft 34a. The shafts 5U and 5L move up and down, and the pressure contact and the pressure release to the upper part of the outer periphery of the rear wheels 12L and 12R can be alternately performed.

  The brake shoe 51 shown in FIGS. 3 and 8 is fixed to a holder 52 fixed to both sides of the connecting arm 53, and the connecting arm 53 has a central portion fixed to the lower end of the shaft 5L. And a pivot 55 connected pivotably.

  A gap 58 shown in FIG. 8 is set between the upper surface of the connecting arm 53 swingably connected by the support shaft 55 and the lower surface of the connecting member 54 in contact with the connecting arm 53. Is set to pivot freely around 2 ° to 4 ° vertically based on the horizontal state with the support shaft 55 as a fulcrum, and press the brake shoe 51 to the upper part of the outer periphery of the rear wheels 12L, 12R with equal left and right pressure Can.

  The brake shoe 51 is formed of rubber or synthetic resin having a large coefficient of friction, and the holding tool 52, the connecting arm 53, the connecting tool 54, and the link piece 56 are formed of metal, but the brake shoe 51 is the rear wheel 12L. 12R can be made of synthetic resin if the strength can be secured when pressed against the outer peripheral upper portion.

The relationship between the weights of the shafts 5U and 5L and the brake shoes 51 and the balance weights 38 is shown in FIG. 3 by the weights of the shafts 5U and 5L and the related parts of the brake shoes 51 from the balance weights 38. Shown in FIG. 4 when the brake shoe 51 is automatically brought into pressure contact with the outer peripheral upper portion of the rear wheels 12L, 12R and the walking assist vehicle 1 is braked and the weights of the shafts 5U, 5L and related parts of the brake shoe 51 are light. In this state, the pressure release state of the brake shoe 51 is released, and either can be selected by increasing or decreasing the balance weight 38. Therefore, the operation of the steering wheel 3b can be freely changed in accordance with the preference of the user when the walking assist vehicle 1 travels and brakes.
The relationship between the weight of the shafts 5U and 5L and the related parts of the brake shoe 51 and the weight balance of the balance weight 38 is the same as the weight balance of the shafts 4U and 4L and cap 41 of the first embodiment and the weight of the balance weight 38.

  In the luggage compartment (frame for luggage retention) in the second embodiment, the frames similar to the luggage compartment 14 and the hook 15 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 of the first embodiment are reversed in the front and back direction, and the shaft 5U of FIG. , 5L is fixed to the top of the frame 2 in front. In addition, the shape and the like may be the same as in the first embodiment, or the shape may be changed.

  The usage example of the second embodiment of the walking assist vehicle 1 is different from the operation of the second embodiment only by the difference between the contact of the cap 41 of the first embodiment and the pressing of the brake shoe 51 to the rear wheels 12R and 12L of the second embodiment Is the same as in paragraphs 0045 to 0048 of the first embodiment, and is therefore omitted.

  A feature of the second embodiment of the walking auxiliary vehicle 1 is that the elderly person can walk by keeping running with the body held by pushing a cane that is normally used, and when it is desired to stop it, the body is supported as it is The brake shoe 51 can be brought into pressure contact with the rear wheels 12L and 12R instantaneously only by slightly moving the wrist of the hand holding the grip portion 31 and stopping is possible, so traveling and stopping can be performed without changing the direction of the body, It is possible to control the braking force while sliding the brake shoe 51 on the rear wheels 12L and 12R by operating the handle 3b by adjusting the force of the hand holding the grip portion 31.

As mentioned above, although the embodiment of the present invention was explained in full detail, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and various modification is possible in the range which does not deviate from the meaning of the present invention.
For example, in the present embodiment, the front wheels 11L and 11R are free wheels, and the rear wheels 12L and 12R are four fixed wheels, but the front wheels or rear wheels are modified by modifying the fixtures 21a and 21b and the bearing tool 22. It is also possible that there are three wheels, one of which is a single wheel, and that the front wheels are four wheels, and the rear wheels are many wheels such as four wheels.

  In the embodiment of the present invention, the shaft 4U, 4L of the first embodiment has been described as being positioned and supported by the guide hole 43 of the shaft guide 42 so that the cap 41 can be grounded. , 4L eliminates the shaft guide 42 and utilizes the link piece 56 described in the second embodiment, and shown in FIG. 2 in the central portion of the support 23L and the shaft 4L shown in FIG. It is also possible to connect by 57a and 57b, and to fix the cap 41 to the lower end part of the shaft 4L and to ground it.

  In the brake shoe 51 provided at the lower end of the shafts 5U and 5L of the second embodiment, the central portion of the support 23U and the central portion of the shaft 5L are linked by the link pieces 56 by the bearing portions 57a and 57b, Although an example in which the rear wheels 12L and 12R can be press-contacted has been described, the shafts 5U and 5L described in the first embodiment may be positioned and supported by the guide holes 43 of the shaft guide 42.

  Also, although the columns 23U and 23L and the shafts 4U and 4L are in the backward tilt configuration, and the columns 23U and 23L and the shafts 5U and 5L are in the forward tilt configuration, the grip portion 31 is the shaft of the front wheels 11L and 11R and the rear wheels 12L and 12R. If it is disposed on the middle (wheel base), it is also possible to make it a vertical posture.

1 · · · · · · · · · · · walking assistant
11L, 11R ・ ・ ・ Front wheel (free wheel)
12L, 12R ・ ・ ・ Rear wheel (fixed wheel)
13 ........ axle 14 ........ luggage purse (frame for the luggage hold)
15 ........ hook 2 ......... frame 21a, 21b · · · fitting 22 ........ bearing member 23U, 23L · · · struts
24 ················································································································································································································· − · Holes 3a, 3b · · · · · · · · Handle
31 · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · •
33 · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · connection shaft
35a, 35b ・ ・ ・ Knuckle joint (connection member)
36a, 36b ・ ・ ・ Stopper
37 ·············· Weight attachment
38 ......... Balance weight
4U, 4L ········· Shaft 41 ········ Cap
42 ........ shaft guide 43 ........ guide hole 5U, 5L · · · · · shaft 51 ........ brake Shi Yu 52 ....... · retainer 53 ........ connecting arm 54 ........ connector 55 ........ shaft 56 ........ link piece 57a, 57 b・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ Nut

Claims (5)

  In an auxiliary vehicle for assisting the walking of a person, the upper end of a column fixed to a frame supporting a plurality of wheels and the substantially central lower end of a handle provided with a grip grasped by one hand are rotatably connected An end portion of the handle is rotatably connected to an upper end portion of the shaft provided with a groundable cap at a lower end portion, and a balance weight is attached to the other end portion. The pivoting action of the handle enables the shaft provided with the cap to move up and down with the connecting portion as a fulcrum, and the cap can be alternately grounded and released by operating the handle. Walking aid.   In an auxiliary vehicle for assisting the walking of a person, the upper end of a column fixed to a frame supporting a plurality of wheels and the substantially central lower end of a handle provided with a grip grasped by one hand are rotatably connected The one end of the handle is rotatably connected to the upper end of a shaft provided at the lower end with a plurality of brake shoes that can be in pressure contact with a plurality of fixed wheels, and the balance weight is attached to the other end The shaft provided with the plurality of brake shoes is movable up and down by the swinging action of the handle with the connecting portion of the substantially central lower end portion of the handle as a fulcrum, and the operation of the handle enables the plurality of brake shoes to be moved. The walking auxiliary vehicle is characterized in that pressure contact with the outer periphery of the plurality of fixed wheels and pressure contact cancellation can be alternately performed.   The walking assistance according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a stopper that restricts the movement of the shaft by the swinging action of the handle is provided below the connecting portion at the substantially central lower end of the handle. car.   A non-slip weir that can stop the movement of a finger gripping the grip of the handle is provided at the front and back of the grip, and a curved part fitted to the palm is provided at the front of the weir on the rear side The walking auxiliary vehicle according to claim 1 or 2 characterized by the above.   The walking auxiliary vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a frame for holding luggage such as a plastic bag and a tote bag is provided on an upper portion of a frame supporting the plurality of wheels.

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