JP2004209220A - Foldable wheelchair and lifting device therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a foldable wheelchair in which even a caretaker of scarce physical strength can easily assist a patient who is bedridden or has difficulty in walking, and its lifting device. <P>SOLUTION: A seat body (2) having a back receiver is foldable up and down, and a posterior leg (14) prolonged behind and downward is connected in a way able to rotate before and behind to the vertical intermediate of the posterior frame (6) of the seat body (2). An elastic actuator (15) is connected in a rotatable way before and behind to each posterior leg (14) and the upper end of each of the posterior frames (6), and a motor (16) which synchronizes each actuator (15) for flexible actuation is formed in the upper end of the actuator (15). A guide (24) is extendedly arranged before and behind in the right and left of the seat principal (2) to pin and support its front and back ends, while a rod (25) is engaged with the guide (24) in a slidable way before and behind, and the rear end of the rod (25) is connected in a rotatable way before and behind to the posterior leg (14), and a front wheel (26) and a rear wheel (27) are placed in the front lower part of the seat body (2) and the lower end part of the posterior leg (14), respectively. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

The present invention relates to a foldable wheelchair that can easily assist a bedridden or difficult-to-walk patient, even a caregiver with poor physical strength, such as the elderly, and a lifting device therefor.

As a conventional technology, a side frame of a parallel link type is rotatably connected to both left and right sides of a base frame, and a seat is formed by attaching a seat between both side frames, and a rear frame is formed on a rear frame of each side frame. The legs are rotatably connected rearward and downward, the side frame and the rear legs are connected to a screw shaft that can be moved forward and backward, and the screw shaft is moved forward and backward to make the chair main body planar. Or, there has been a folding wheelchair in a chair type (for example, see Patent Document 1).

A side frame of a parallel link type is rotatably connected to both left and right sides of the base frame, and a seat is attached between the side frames to form a chair main body. By connecting rotatably downward, connecting a vertically movable screw shaft to the upper and lower middle part of the rear frame and the upper and lower middle part of the rear leg, and operating the screw shaft to move forward and backward, 2. Description of the Related Art There has been a folding wheelchair in which a chair main body has a planar shape or a chair shape (for example, see Patent Document 2).

In addition, there has been an elevating device (stacker) in which a loading platform on which the above-mentioned folding wheelchair can be mounted is movably mounted on an upright mast, and the loading platform is vertically moved by an electric winch via a wire rope. For example, see Non-Patent Document 1).
JP-A-2002-177334 (page 1) JP 2001-145670 A (page 1) The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers, Mechanical Engineering Handbook Revised 6th Edition, published March 20, 1982, Volume 16, page 44, Figure 148

When the above-mentioned patent documents 1 and 2 are folded, the mounting surface thereof becomes planar and descends, so that the transfer between the bed (futon) and the wheelchair of a sleeping patient can be performed with relatively little labor. . In addition, if it is expanded in a chair shape in this state, it becomes a normal wheelchair, and the patient can be easily moved to a bathtub or a toilet. However, when the patient is placed in a bathtub while being placed on a wheelchair, the screw shaft and the entire cylinder to which the screw shaft is screwed are buried in hot water, so that a driving motor is directly connected to the screw shaft. When the screw shaft is rotated, it is necessary to engage a separate power jig, and the operation is complicated. Further, the screw shaft is easily rusted by hot water, and the operation of the screw shaft cannot be stabilized for a long time.

In the case of Non-Patent Document 1, since the loading platform and the folding wheelchair mounted on the loading platform are constantly moved up and down in a horizontal state, the transfer between the patient's bed (futon) and the wheelchair can be reduced. Had limitations. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a novel folding wheelchair which solves the above-mentioned problems and a lifting device therefor.

The present invention is configured as follows to achieve the above object. That is, the invention according to claim 1 enables a chair main body having a backrest to be vertically foldable, and a pair of right and left rear legs extending rearward and downward at lower and upper intermediate portions of left and right rear frames of the chair main body can be rotated back and forth. And an extendable operating body is connected to each rear leg and an upper end of the left and right rear frames so as to be able to rotate back and forth, and each operating body is synchronized with an upper end of the operating body to extend and retract. A guide motor is provided, and a guide is extended in the front and rear directions on the left and right sides of the main body of the chair, and the front and rear ends thereof are pin supported, and a rod is fitted to the guide so as to be slidable back and forth, and the rear end of the rod is It is connected to a rear leg so as to be able to rotate back and forth, and a front wheel is provided at a lower front portion of the chair main body, and a rear wheel is provided at a lower end portion of the rear leg.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, the outer periphery of the operating body is substantially entirely surrounded by a bellows-shaped cover, and upper and lower ends of the cover are watertightly fastened to upper and lower ends of the operating body by fasteners. In addition, a hard air breather is inserted into a tightening portion at the upper end of the cover, and the inside of the cover is communicated with the outside air by the air breather.
The invention according to claim 3 is provided with a receiving table for supporting the folding wheelchair, an up-down driving device for moving the receiving table up and down, and provided on an upper portion of the up-down driving device, And a tilting device that rotates around one of the right and left edges.

ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to the invention which concerns on Claim 1 of this invention, a wheelchair can be folded planarly, it becomes easy to transfer between a patient's bed (futon) and a wheelchair, and it was expanded into a chair type and housed in a bathtub. At this time, the upper part of the motor and the operating body driven by the motor is located above the hot water in the bathtub, and the durability is increased. Further, each rear leg of the wheelchair expanded in a chair shape is reinforced by a guide and a rod connecting the left and right side frames and the rear leg, so that the roll is prevented.
In the invention according to claim 2, since the hard air breather is inserted into the fastening portion at the upper end of the cover, the air breather is not deformed even if the upper end of the cover is firmly tightened by the fastener, so that the cover is not deformed. The inside can be stably communicated with the outside air. Further, when the wheelchair expanded into a chair shape is accommodated in the bathtub, the cover surrounds the outer peripheral portion of the operating body in a state where the air breather is located above the surface of the hot water, and Water does not enter the sliding part of the body. When the inner volume of the cover changes due to expansion and contraction of the cover accompanying expansion and contraction of the operating body when the wheelchair is expanded and folded, outside air flows into and out of the cover from the air breather, and Will smoothly expand and contract without adhering to the outer peripheral surface of the operating body.
The invention according to claim 3 stably lifts the wheelchair and inclines the wheelchair toward the bed, so that the patient can be transferred between the wheelchair and the bed with a small amount of labor. Even poor caregivers can easily assist bedridden or difficult-to-walk patients.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 is a side view showing an expanded state of a wheelchair according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a rear view of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional side view showing a mounted state of the expanded wheelchair on a lifting device. 4, FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional side view showing a folded state of the wheelchair on the elevating device, FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional side view showing the raised state of the elevating device, FIG. 6 is a rear view of FIG. A rear view showing a transfer state of a patient between a bed and a wheelchair, FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional side view showing a bathing state of a patient mounted on a wheelchair, FIG. 9 is a side view showing a defecation state of a patient mounted on a wheelchair, FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a part A of FIG. 1, and FIG. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line XI-XI of FIG.

1 and 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a foldable wheelchair, and 2 denotes a chair of the wheelchair. The chair main body 2 is provided with a fork-shaped base frame 3 having a rear portion bisected, and a pair of parallel link type side frames 4 and 4 are rotatably connected to left and right sides of the base frame 3. That is, the front frames 5 and 5 are connected to the front sides of the base frame 3 and the rear frames 6 and 6 are connected to the rear sides of the base frame 3 by fulcrum pins (fulcrum shafts) P1 and P2 so as to be rotatable in the front-rear direction. The armrest frames 7, 7 and the seat frames 8, 8 parallel to the base frame 3 are vertically separated between the front frames 5, 5 and the rear frames 6, 6, and are rotated back and forth by fulcrum pins P3 to P6. Connect movably.

The left and right rear frames 6, 6 are formed by bending a square pipe into an inverted U shape and integrally connected thereto, and are greatly protruded upward with respect to the front frame 5, and a seat back 10 is provided on the protruding portion. Attach it detachably. A handle 6a is attached to the upper rear side of the left and right rear frames 6,6. Then, plastic armrests 11, seats 12, and footrests 13 are attached to the front portions of the armrest frame 7, the seat frame 8, and the base frame 3, respectively. The seat 12 has a defecation hole (not shown) that can be opened and closed at the center.

The rear legs 14, 14 are connected to the upper and lower intermediate portions of the left and right rear frames 6, 6 via a fulcrum pin P7 so as to be able to rotate back and forth. Telescopically movable telescopic members 15, 15 are connected to the intermediate portion and the upper end portions of the left and right rear frames 6, 6 via fulcrum pins P8, P9 so as to be able to rotate back and forth. Motors 16, 16 for expanding and contracting the working bodies 15, 15 are attached to the respective upper ends of the 15. That is, the upper end of the case 16a accommodating the motor 16 is rotatably connected to the upper end of the rear frame 6 by a fulcrum pin P9, and the guide cylinder 15a of the operating body 15 is attached to the support cylinder 16b formed at the lower part of the case 16a. And the operating rod 15b is slidably fitted to the guide cylinder 16a, and the lower end of the operating rod 15b is rotatably connected to the upper and lower middle portion of the rear leg 14 by a fulcrum pin P8.

The outer circumference of the operating body (15) is surrounded by a bellows-shaped cover 17. The cover has a length substantially corresponding to the entire length of the operating body 15, and upper and lower ends thereof are water-tightly fastened to upper and lower ends of the operating body 15 by fasteners 19. In this case, the upper end of the cover 17 is fastened and fixed as shown in FIGS. That is, vertical grooves 17a are formed at four locations on the inner periphery of the upper end 17a of the cover 17, and an air breather 18 made of a stainless steel pipe is fitted into the grooves 17a. In this state, the upper end 17a of the cover 17 is guided. The outer circumference of the upper part of the cylinder 16a, that is, the outer circumference of the support cylinder 16b of the case 16a is fitted, and the upper end 17a is fastened and fixed to the outer circumference of the support cylinder 16b by the fastener 19. The fastener 19 includes a band 19a wound around the outer periphery of the upper end portion 17a of the cover 17, and a buckle portion 19b for adjusting the overlapping amount of both ends of the band 19a. In FIG. 11, reference numeral 15c denotes a screw shaft which is rotated forward and reverse by the motor 16, and is screwed to the operating rod 15b to move it vertically (extend and contract operation). The air breather 18 may be formed in a corrugated plate shape or a gutter shape from a steel plate material or a hard plastic plate material.

A control box 20 (FIG. 2) containing a battery and a control device is attached to the upper end between the rear frames 6 and 6, and the motors 16 and 16 are connected to the control box 20. Also, by pulling out the lead wires 21a, 22a from the control box 20, connecting the remote control switch 21 and the charging plug 22 to the ends of the lead wires 21a, 22a, respectively, and operating the remote control switch 21, the left and right The operating bodies 15 and 15 are extended and retracted in synchronization with each other, and the battery in the control box 20 is charged by inserting the plug 22 into an outlet of a 100 volt power supply.

A cylindrical guide 24 is attached to each of the left and right side frames 4 and 4. That is, the guide 24 is disposed in the upper and lower intermediate portions of the base frame 3 and the seat frame 8 in parallel with each other, and the front and rear ends thereof are pivoted to the front frame 5 and the rear frame 6 via the fulcrum pins P10 and P11. Connect as possible. Then, the rod 25 is fitted to the guide 24 so as to be slidable back and forth, and the rear end of the rod 25 is rotatably connected to the lower portions of the rear legs 14, 14 via the fulcrum pin P12. This prevents the rear legs 14, 14 from rolling.

Front wheels 26, 26 made of casters are attached to the front end of the base frame 3, and rear wheels 27, 27 are attached to the lower ends of the rear legs 14, 14, and the small-diameter auxiliary wheel 28 is attached to the rear end of the base frame 3. , 28 are attached to form the folding wheelchair 1 according to the present invention. The left and right intervals between the front wheels 26, 26 are smaller than the rear wheels 27, 27 as shown in FIG. 2, and the vertical positions of the auxiliary wheels 28, 28 are as shown in FIG. , 27 slightly higher.

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 7, the folding wheelchair 1 is vertically and horizontally inclined at a predetermined angle by a lifting device 30. As shown in FIG. 5, the lifting device 30 vertically supports a lifting table 33 via an X-shaped parallel link mechanism 32 on a support table 31 and tilts a receiving table 35 on the lifting table 33 in a horizontal direction. Be supported as possible.

That is, the support base 31 is framed in a rectangular shape that is long in the front-rear direction by the bar members, and the left and right cross bars are formed as channel steels facing each other to form the lower guide groove 31a in the front-rear direction. The parallel link mechanism 32 connects the front and rear link rods 32a and 32b with each other by crossing the pins in an X-shape, and the lower end of the front link rod 32a is located on the front (left side in FIG. 5) side of the support base 31. The rear link rod 32b is pin-coupled to the rear guide groove 31a via a roller 32c, and is slidably engaged with the rear (right side in FIG. 5) side of the lower guide groove 31a.

The elevating table 33 is formed of a steel plate into a rectangular shallow cover shape so that it can be fitted to and removed from the support table 31 from the upper side. An upper guide groove 33a is formed, and the front and rear upper ends of the parallel link mechanism 32 are engaged with the upper guide groove 33a via rollers (symbols omitted) so as to be slidable back and forth.

The receiving table 35 is framed in a rectangular shape long in the front-rear direction by the bar member and mounted on the elevating table 33. The crosspiece 35a on the left and right sides of the cradle 35 has a groove shape upward in cross section to form a front-rear direction wheel guide groove 35b on which the rear wheel 27 and the auxiliary wheel 28 of the folding wheelchair 1 roll. 6, is pivotally connected to the right side of the elevating platform 33 via a fulcrum shaft 35c via a fulcrum shaft 35c, and as shown in FIG. ).

The parallel link mechanism 32 is vertically operated by a telescopic drive device 37. That is, as shown in FIG. 5, the right end (rear end) of the guide cylinder 37a is connected to the rear side of the support base 31 by a pin so as to be vertically rotatable, and the operation rod 37b is slidably fitted to the guide cylinder 37a. Then, the left end (front end) of the operating rod 37b is pin-connected to the intersection of the parallel link mechanism 32 so as to be vertically rotatable, and a motor 38 is attached to the base of the guide cylinder 37a. Is moved in the retracting direction with respect to the guide cylinder 37a, whereby the parallel link mechanism 32 is operated in the up and down direction, and therefore, the lifting table 33 is moved in the up and down direction. Reference numeral 38a is a remote control switch for controlling the driving of the motor 38.

The receiving table 35 is rotated sideways by the tilting device 40. That is, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, of the fulcrum shafts 35c connecting the pedestal 35 to the elevating platform 33, the rear fulcrum shaft 35c is fixed to the pedestal 35, and the fulcrum shaft 35c is connected to the arm 41. To the right and upward. Also, a guide cylinder 42a is pin-connected to the right end of the lifting platform 33 in FIG. 6, and an operating rod 42b is slidably fitted to the guide cylinder 42a, and the tip (upper end) of the operating rod 42b is connected to the arm. A motor 43 for operating an operation rod 42b is attached to the base of the guide cylinder 42a by pin connection to the distal end of the guide cylinder 41a.

Then, the motor 43 causes the operating rod 42b to protrude from the guide cylinder 42a, thereby rotating the arm 41 in the counterclockwise direction as shown in FIG. , I.e., incline sideways with respect to the lift 33. In FIG. 6, when the patient 46 is moved to the wheelchair 1 on the left side of the bed 45, the lateral rotation direction of the pedestal 35 is opposite to that in FIG. 6, that is, the pedestal 35 is pivoted to the fulcrum shaft 35c and tilted. The cradle 35 is rotated in the clockwise direction (rightward) in FIG. 43a is a remote control switch for controlling the driving of the motor 43. In FIG. 5, reference numeral 44 denotes a slope detachably attached to the front portion of the support table 31 for guiding the rear wheel 27 and the auxiliary wheel 28 when the wheelchair 1 is mounted on the elevating device 30. .

Next, the usage of the above embodiment will be described. First, when the patient 46 on the bed 45 shown in FIG. 6 is transferred to the wheelchair 1, the wheelchair 1 is expanded into a chair shape as shown in FIG. 1, and the elevating device 30 is moved as shown in FIG. In this state, the wheelchair 1 is placed on the elevating device 30 with the wheelchair 1 facing backward as shown by phantom lines in FIGS. 3 and 4.

Next, the remote control switch 21 on the wheelchair 1 side is operated to shorten the left and right operating bodies 15 via the motor 16 so that the wheelchair 1 is planarized on the elevating device 30 as shown by a solid line in FIG. Fold. In this state, the operating rod 37b of the driving device 37 on the lifting device 30 side is extended, and the lifting table 33 is raised via the parallel link mechanism 32 as shown in FIGS. The height is raised to a position slightly lower than the bed 45. In this state, the patient 46 on the bed 45 is moved laterally and placed on the wheelchair 1. At this time, a commercially available moving sheet (not shown) in which the sheet is annular and the inner surface is coated with a slip agent may be used.

Next, the wheelchair 1 is lowered by operating the driving device 37 in a shortened manner, and then the operating body 15 on the wheelchair 1 side is operated to extend to expand the wheelchair 1 into a chair shape as shown in FIG. The wheelchair 1 is detached from the lifting device 30. At this time, the rear legs 14, 14 of the wheelchair 1 expanded into a chair shape are reinforced by guides 24 and rods 25 connecting the left and right side frames 4, 4 and the rear legs 14, 14, and roll. Will be prevented.

As a result, the patient 46 placed on the wheelchair 1 can be accommodated in the bathtub 50 together with the wheelchair 1 as shown in FIG. 8, and hot water 51 can be supplied into the bathtub 50 to bathe the patient 46. In this case, the motor 16 for driving the operating body 15 of the wheelchair 1, the control box 20, and the air breather 18 provided at the upper end 17 a of the cover 17 surrounding the operating body 15 are located at the upper end of the rear frame 6. Therefore, they are not immersed in the hot water 51, and the performance and operation are stabilized for a long time. In addition, as shown in FIG. 9, the rear side of the wheelchair 1 can be fitted to the toilet 52, and the patient 46 can defecate while placed on the wheelchair 1.

In this manner, the assistance of the patient 46, such as bathing and defecation, is completed, and when the patient 46 is returned to the bed 45, the operation reverse to the above is performed, and as shown in FIG. After raising the height of the bed 46 to the height of the bed 45, as shown in FIG. 7, the operating rod 42b of the tilting device 40 is extended, and the receiving base 35 is rotated counterclockwise around the fulcrum shaft 35c. Then, the folded wheelchair 1 together with the patient 46 is inclined downward to the bed 45 sideways. In this state, the patient 46 on the wheelchair 1 is moved to the bed 46. In this way, the patient 46 on the wheelchair 1 can be moved to the bed 45 with less labor. At this time, the same moving sheet (not shown) as described above may be used.

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a standing state of a wheelchair according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a rear view of FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional side view showing a state where the upright wheelchair is mounted on a lifting device. It is a partial cross-sectional side view showing a folded state on a lifting device of a wheelchair. FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional side view showing an up-and-down state of the lifting device. FIG. 6 is a rear view of FIG. 5. It is a rear view which shows the transfer state of a patient between a bed and a wheelchair. It is a partial cross-sectional side view showing a bathing state of a patient mounted on a wheelchair. It is a side view which shows the defecation state of the patient mounted in the wheelchair. FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a part A of FIG. 1. It is an expanded sectional view by XI-XI of FIG.

Explanation of reference numerals

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Foldable wheelchair 2 Chair main body 3 Base frame 4 Side frame 5 Front frame 6 Rear frame 6a Handle 7 Armrest frame 8 Seat frame 10 Back support 11 Armrest cover 12 Seat 13 Footrest 14 Rear leg 15 Working body 15a Guide cylinder 15b Operation Rod 15c Screw shaft 16 Motor 16a Motor case 16b Support cylinder 17 Cover 17a Upper end 17b Groove 18 Air breather 19 Fastener 19a Band 19b Buckle 20 Control box 21 Remote control switches 21a, 22a Lead wire 22 Plug 24 Guide 25 Rod 26 Front wheel 27 Rear wheel 28 Auxiliary wheel 30 Lifting device 31 Support stand 31a Guide groove 32 Parallel link mechanism 32a, 32b Link rod 32c Roller 33 Lifting stand 33a Guide groove 35 Receiving stand 35a Beam member 35b Wheel guide groove 35c Bearing 37 Drive device 37a Guide cylinder 37b Operating rod 38 Motor 40 Tilting device 41 Arm 42a Guide cylinder 42b Operating rod 43 Motor 43a Remote control switch 44 Slope 45 Bed 46 Patient P1 to P12 Support pin (fulcrum shaft)

Claims (3)

A chair main body (2) having a backrest can be folded up and down, and a pair of left and right rear legs (14) extending rearward and downward at lower and upper intermediate portions of left and right rear frames (6) of the chair main body (2) can be turned back and forth. A movable body (15) is movably connected to each of the rear legs (14) and the upper ends of the left and right rear frames (6). ), A motor (16) is provided at the upper end for synchronizing each of the operating bodies (15) to extend and retract, and guides (24) are extended to the left and right of the chair main body (2), and the front and rear ends are pinned. The guide (24) is fitted with a rod (25) so as to be slidable back and forth, and the rear end of the rod (25) is connected to the rear leg (14) so as to be able to rotate back and forth. A front wheel (26) is provided at a lower front portion of the chair main body (2), and the rear leg (14) is provided. Folding wheelchair to the lower end portion to the rear wheel (27), characterized in that provided respectively. A bellows-shaped cover (17) surrounds the outer periphery of the operating body (15) over substantially the entire length, and upper and lower ends of the cover (17) are fastened by fasteners (19). And a hard air breather (18) is inserted into the tightening portion at the upper end of the cover (17), and the inside of the cover (17) is communicated with the outside air by the air breather (18). The foldable wheelchair according to claim 1, characterized in that: An up / down drive device (32, 37) for providing a receiving stand (35) for supporting the folding wheelchair (1) according to claim 1, and for moving the receiving stand (35) in the vertical direction; 32, 37), and a tilting device (40) for rotating the cradle (35) about one of the left and right edges thereof. .

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