JP2021036963A - Cane, and foot part for cane - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cane and a foot for a cane, which have both stability to support weight and ease of walking. SOLUTION: A foot portion 30 of a main cane 1 includes a plurality of ground contact portions 31 to 33 that are in contact with the ground and support the cane. In the initial stage of poking the cane 1, one grounding portion 31 touches the ground, and in the middle stage when the weight of the user is applied, a plurality of grounding portions 31 to 33 arranged in two dimensions touch the ground to separate the cane from the ground. At the final stage, at least two ground contact portions 32, 33 arranged in the lateral direction perpendicular to the walking direction touch the ground. [Selection diagram] Fig. 4

Description

The present invention relates to a cane and a foot for a cane.

Conventionally, a cane has been widely used as a device for assisting walking. A general cane is composed of a rigid body such as wood or metal and a handle. In addition, many canes that come into contact with the ground at one point when walking are commercially available. On the other hand, in hospitals and rehabilitation facilities, canes that are in contact with the ground at four points and have a structure that is stable even when weight is applied are also used (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Registered Utility Model Gazette No. 3195836

When walking with a cane, hold the cane with one hand and put your weight on the cane. At this time, the cane is required to have stability that can stably support the weight. On the other hand, since the cane is used in the process of walking, it is also required to be easy to walk.

In view of the above points, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cane and a foot for a cane that have both stability to support weight and ease of walking.

According to one aspect of the present invention, (a1) a plurality of grounding portions that are in contact with the ground and support the cane are provided, (a2) one grounding portion is grounded at the initial stage of poking the cane, and (a3) the user In the middle stage when the weight is applied, a plurality of two-dimensionally arranged ground contact parts are in contact with the ground, and (a4) at the final stage when the cane is separated from the ground, at least two are arranged in the lateral direction perpendicular to the walking direction. A cane foot is provided on which one ground contact grounds.

According to one aspect of the present invention, (b1) a foot for the cane described above, (b2) a shaft connected to the foot for the cane, and (b3) a grip connected to the shaft are provided. A cane is provided.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a cane and a foot for a cane that have both stability to support weight and ease of walking.

It is a block diagram of the cane in this embodiment. It is a block diagram of the grip in this embodiment. It is a block diagram of the shaft in this embodiment. It is a block diagram of the foot part (grounding part) in this embodiment.

Hereinafter, the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
1. 1. Example of cane usage

First, before explaining the cane of the present embodiment and the foot portion for the cane, an example of the use form of the cane and a problem will be described.

The cane is used not only to assist the difficulty of walking due to old age, but also to rehabilitate and carry out daily life for a person who has hemiplegia due to illness or the like. People with hemiplegia often put on more weight when using a cane. Overuse of the cane in such a state of use may cause symptoms such as carpal tunnel syndrome. When such a symptom occurs, it affects daily life and work such as opening and closing buttons of clothes and typing work of a personal computer. Also, for a hemiplegic person, the hand using the cane is a healthy hand, and the unparalyzed hand will also develop the disease. Against this background, canes that can reduce the risk of secondary disability caused by routine use of the cane (eg, carpal tunnel syndrome, periarthritis of the shoulder, etc.) and grips for constructing such canes. , Shafts and feet are required. In other words, providing a cane and a cane component that absorbs the reaction force from the floor and suppresses the impact on the body is of great social significance as well as a technical point of view.

In addition, hemiplegic patients often perform so-called split walking. Divided walking refers to walking in which the legs are advanced in a semicircle rather than the legs are advanced from the knees in the forward direction. This is often seen even when a cane with multi-point support such as 4 points is used. This may be due to the fact that the cane supports the weight but does not consider the movement of human walking. Continued unnatural gait can come at a cost elsewhere in the body and cause secondary disability. Therefore, there is a need for a cane that is easy to operate, does not put a burden on the body, and can walk naturally, and a grip, a shaft, and a foot for forming such a cane.

The above-mentioned usage pattern is an example of using a cane, and the present embodiment is not limited to this.

2. Overall Configuration FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a cane according to the present embodiment. The cane 1 of the present embodiment includes a grip 10, a shaft 20, and a foot portion 30. The grip 10 is a portion where the user holds the cane by hand. The grip 10 may be referred to as, for example, a handle or a grip. The grip 10 is connected to the shaft 20. The shaft 20 is a portion connected between the grip 10 and the foot portion 30. The shaft 20 may be referred to as, for example, a handle or a strut. The foot portion 30 is a portion that comes into contact with the ground or the like. The foot portion 30 is connected to the shaft 20. The grip 10 and the shaft 20 may have a known shape or an appropriate shape, in addition to the configurations described later. The foot portion 30 may be referred to as, for example, a ground contact portion.

In the present embodiment, the grip 10, the shaft 20, and the foot 30 are configured as separate elements and are connected to each other to form the cane 1, but the grip 10, the shaft 20, and the foot 30 are integrally configured. Alternatively, two of the grip 10, the shaft 20, and the foot 30 may be integrally formed and connected to the other one. The detailed configuration of each part will be described later.

In the following description, each direction is defined as follows. The direction in which the user holds the cane 1 and walks is the front-back direction, the walking direction is the forward direction, and the opposite is the rear direction. The vertical direction is the vertical direction with respect to the horizontal ground, the ground side is the downward direction, and the opposite is the upward direction. Although the cane 1 is tilted during use, it is not used upside down. Therefore, the upper side of the cane 1 corresponds to the grip side in the longitudinal direction of the cane 1, and the lower side of the cane 1 is defined as. Corresponds to the foot side in the longitudinal direction of the cane 1. Further, the direction orthogonal to the above-mentioned front-rear direction and vertical direction is defined as the lateral direction (horizontal direction). Since the direction may differ depending on whether the hand holding the cane 1 is the right hand or the left hand, assuming the hand holding the cane 1, the thumb side of the hand is the thumb direction (thumb side), and the little finger side of the hand is the little finger direction (pinkie side). Side). If the hand holding the cane 1 is turned upside down, the direction of the thumb and the direction of the little finger are reversed. That is, the cane 1 (particularly the grip 10) can be provided for the right hand and the left hand. If it is not related to the hand holding the cane 1, it may be simply lateral or horizontal.

In addition, the state transition during walking and the names of each phase will be outlined. When walking, it is mainly divided into a stance phase and a swing phase. The stance phase is the period from the attachment of the target leg to the attachment of the other leg, and the swing phase is the period from the attachment of the other leg to the attachment of the target leg. The stance phase transitions from the initial ground contact to the load response phase, the middle stance phase, and the final stance phase. The load reaction period is roughly the period from the initial contact to the release of the toe of the other leg. The mid-standing period is roughly the period after the load response period until the heel of the subject's leg rises. The late stance is roughly the period after the middle stance until the other leg is attached. The swing phase transitions in the order of the early swing leg, the early swing leg, the middle swing leg, and the final swing leg. The early swing leg is roughly the period from the initial contact of the other leg to the release of the toe of the target leg. The initial stage of the swing leg is roughly the period from the early stage of the swing leg until both feet come close to each other. The middle swing period is roughly the period after the early swing leg until the tibia of the target leg becomes vertical. The late swing leg is roughly the period after the middle swing leg until the target leg is attached. As for the cane, it is possible to refer to the same name as the above-mentioned leg.

3. 3. Foot composition and action (example of foot configuration)
FIG. 4 shows a configuration diagram of the foot portion 30 according to the present embodiment. 4 (a) is a perspective view, FIG. 4 (b) is a top view, FIG. 4 (c) is a front view, and FIG. 4 (d) is a side view. The foot portion 30 may be referred to as a leg portion, a base portion, or a cane tip portion.

The foot portion 30 includes a plurality of ground contact portions 31, 32, 33 that are in contact with the ground and support the cane. Here, the ground is not limited to the outdoors, but may be an indoor floor, and is a walking road surface in an environment where the cane 1 is used for walking. One grounding part touches the ground at the initial stage of poking the cane (for example, the above-mentioned initial grounding). In the middle stage (for example, the middle stage of stance) where the weight of the user is applied, a plurality of two-dimensionally arranged ground contact portions touch the ground. At the final stage of removing the cane from the ground (for example, the final stage of stance), at least two ground contact portions arranged in the lateral direction perpendicular to the walking direction touch the ground.

In the example of the foot portion 30 of the present embodiment, the plurality of ground contact portions are arranged in the lateral direction perpendicular to the walking direction with the first ground contact portion 31 located on the rear side in the walking direction, and are arranged on the front side in the walking direction. It has a second grounding portion 32 and a third grounding portion 33 located. In this way, the first grounding portions 31 to the third grounding portions 33 are arranged two-dimensionally. Here, the first grounding portion 31 is grounded at the initial stage. In the middle stage, the first to third grounding portions 31 to 33 are grounded. At the final stage, the second grounding portion 32 and the third grounding portion 33 are grounded.

The first ground contact portion 31 is located on the rear side of the foot portion 30 in the walking direction, and when the foot portion 30 is swung forward while the grip 10 of the cane 1 is held by the user's hand, the first contact portion 31 is the most of the cane. Come to the bottom. Therefore, when the foot portion 30 of the cane is swung forward and the cane touches the ground, the first ground contact portion 31 touches the ground.

The ground contact surface by the first ground contact portion 31 is one place, and the cane 1 can be tilted 360 degrees in any direction with respect to the ground contact surface while the cane 1 is pierced by the ground, and the operability of the cane 1 can be achieved. Is excellent. By being able to tilt 360 degrees in any direction, the cane 1 can be placed in parallel with respect to the next direction of travel in the transition to the middle stage of stance in the walking cycle. In addition, when the walking path is a curve, if there is only one ground contact surface, the cane (foot) can be rotated horizontally around the ground contact point as it bends, making the curve smooth. Easy to walk.

In addition, in this embodiment, the fact that there is only one ground contact surface may mean that the ground contact surface has a physical area, or that the ground contact surface may be grounded at a small number of points. For example, when there is one ground contact surface, the cane 1 is likely to tilt in any direction when it is in contact with the ground, and when there are two ground contact surfaces, the cane 1 is in a specific direction (2) when it is in contact with the ground. It is difficult to incline in the direction connecting the points), and it is easy to incline in the direction perpendicular to the specific direction. It is in a state where it is difficult to tilt.

The second ground contact portion 32 and the third ground contact portion 33 are located side by side in the lateral direction on the front side in the walking direction of the foot portion 30. The second grounding portion 32 and the third grounding portion 33 may be divided into two parts from the first grounding portion 31. For example, in the middle stage of stance, the foot portion 30 is grounded by the first to third ground contact portions 31 to 33. There are three ground planes, which are excellent in stability. In walking, the contact area between the cane 1 and the ground can be increased in the phase in which the opposite lower limb is swung out while standing on one leg, and the stability can be enhanced.

For example, in the latter stage of stance, the foot portion 30 has the second ground contact portion 32 and the third ground contact portion 33 in contact with the ground. There are two ground planes here. The late stance phase is the preparatory phase for the swing phase, and during the swing phase, the legs are swung forward. The swing of the foot greatly affects the stride length of walking, and the larger the swing, the larger the stride length. However, in order to compensate for the stability of the opposite foot, it is necessary to supplement the stability with a cane 1 or the like. With one-point support by a cane, the contact area with the ground is small, and it is weak as a compensation for stability. In addition, support at three points (or support at four points or more) arranged in the two-dimensional direction with a cane leads to compensation of stability, but does not generate forward propulsion and leads to a large swing of the foot. Absent. As in the present embodiment, the support at two locations arranged in the lateral direction has a larger contact surface between the cane 1 and the ground than the one-point support, and is positioned perpendicular to the traveling direction. Therefore, strong stability can be compensated. Further, the cane 1 can be tilted in the front-rear direction by, for example, 0 to 45 degrees while the second ground contact portion 32 and the third ground contact portion 33 are in contact with the ground. The inclination of 0 to 45 degrees in the front-back direction is generated in conjunction with walking, which also leads to the generation of propulsive force in walking.

The foot portion 30 may further have toe portions 34, 35 curved upward in the forward direction on the front side of the second ground contact portion 32 and the third ground contact portion 33 in the walking direction. For example, the toe portions 34 and 35 may be configured to warp upward 5 degrees. The degree of warping is not limited to this, and may be an appropriate degree. Since the toes 34 and 35 are curved upward, the contact area with the ground can be secured and the stability can be maintained even when the above-mentioned inclination in the front-rear direction occurs.

Further, the foot portion 30 may have arch portions 36, 37 that are convex upward in the vertical direction between the second ground contact portion 32, the third ground contact portion 33, and the first ground contact portion 31. Further, depending on the shapes of the second ground contact portion 32 and the third ground contact portion 33, an arch extending in the lateral direction and having a convex shape in the upper part in the vertical direction may be formed. In order to form this arch portion, each of the second ground contact portion 32 and the third ground contact portion 33 is configured such that one plate is twisted 90 degrees inward toward the tip end. These arches provide a function that facilitates attitude control in the front-back direction, the left-right direction, and the horizontal rotation direction. This further increases the stability of the cane 1.

The foot portion 30 further includes a connecting portion 38 that connects to the cane shaft 20. The connecting portion 38 is located on the rear side of the foot portion 30 in the walking direction, in other words, on the first ground contact portion 31. When at least one direction of the grip 10 and the shaft 20 is predetermined with respect to the walking direction as in the present embodiment, the connecting portion 38 determines that the direction of the foot portion 30 corresponds to the walking direction. It may have a direction designation unit (not shown). That is, when the foot portion 30 is attached to the shaft 20, the direction designation portion allows the toes portions 34 and 35 to be attached to the shaft 20 so as to face the walking direction. The direction-designating portion may be, for example, a recess or a notch (or a protrusion) directed in one direction, so as to fit into a protrusion (or a recess or a notch) formed in the shaft 20 in one direction. It may be configured. As a result, the foot portion 30 can be correctly oriented with respect to the walking direction.

Further, the foot portion 30 (for example, the connecting portion 38) may have a mechanism (tilt adjusting portion) capable of adjusting the inclination of the shaft 20 with respect to the ground contact surface. The inclination here does not refer to the inclination of the cane 1 (shaft 20) that changes with time in the walking motion, but to the inclination of the cane 1 in a predetermined ground contact state. The predetermined ground contact state may be, for example, a state in which each ground contact surface of the foot portion 30 is in contact with the ground, or a state in which the cane 1 is hard to fall and is stable, or a predetermined state other than these. In other words, the mechanism may be such that the inclination of the shaft 20 can be changed when the foot portion 30 is in the same ground contact state. As an example of such a mechanism, a mechanism capable of adjusting the inclination of the shaft 20 by adjusting the insertion depth of the shaft 20 into the connecting portion 38 of the foot portion 30 may be provided. For example, the inclination of the insertion portion of the shaft 20 may be changed so that the inclination of the connecting portion 38 with respect to the ground contact surface of the shaft 20 changes depending on the insertion depth of the shaft 20. The second connecting portion 24 of the shaft 20 may be inserted into the connecting portion 38 so that it can be fixed at an appropriate depth. Contrary to this example, the connecting portion 38 of the foot portion 30 may be inserted into the second connecting portion 24 of the shaft 20. The mechanism (tilt adjusting unit) capable of adjusting the inclination of the shaft 20 with respect to the ground plane is not limited to this example, and may have an appropriate form.

In the present embodiment, the shaft 20 has a rectangular cross section and the connecting portion 38 has a notch having a corresponding shape in the horizontal direction (rotation around the vertical axis) of the foot portion 30. However, other appropriate configurations may be used.

The size of the foot portion 30 can be exemplified as follows, but is not limited to this. For example, the foot portion 30 has a lateral width of 90 mm, a height (from the ground plane to the tip of the connecting portion 38) of 117 mm, a width of the connecting portion 38 of 20 mm, and a length in the front-rear direction (38 from the front end of the toe portion). It is 151 mm to the rear end. Further, the foot portion 30 can be formed mainly of carbon, but the bottom surface (or the ground contact portions 31 to 33) may be formed of, for example, a rubber material. For example, the bottom surface made of a rubber material may be adhered to the foot part made of carbon, or the foot part 30 may be formed by insert molding.

(effect)
As described above, according to the foot portion of the present embodiment, it is possible to provide a cane that has both stability to support weight and ease of walking. In addition, the stability and ease of walking can be changed according to the walking process to provide desired stability and operability according to the walking process. In addition, it can generate propulsion in walking.

4. Grip configuration and action effect (grip configuration example)
FIG. 2 shows a configuration diagram of the grip 10 according to the present embodiment. 2 (a) is a perspective view, FIG. 2 (b) is a top view, FIG. 2 (c) is a front view, and FIG. 2 (d) is a side view.

The grip 10 includes an upper surface (upper part) 11, a lower surface (lower part) 12, a curved portion 13, and a connecting portion 14. The grip 10 is a grip for a cane that the user grips by hand. Each part of the grip 10 may be integrally formed. Further, the upper surface 11, the lower surface 12, and the curved portion 13 may be formed of an elastic body such as rubber, a highly repulsive material, or the like.

The upper surface 11 is a portion on which the user of the cane 1 rests his / her palm. In FIG. 2 (b), the user's thumb folds downward from the position of reference numeral 111 (in FIG. 2 (b), the back side of the paper surface) to grip the grip 10, and the other four fingers of the user hold the grip 10. The grip 10 is gripped by folding downward from the position of the code 112. The upper surface 11 has a width wider than the width of a plurality of fingers. For example, the upper surface 11 has a width wider than the width of four fingers other than the assumed user's thumb. The grip 10 can provide various sizes such as S, M, and L according to the assumed size of the user's hand. The example of FIG. 2 shows the grip 10 for the left hand, but the grip for the right hand may be flipped left and right.

The lower surface 12 is provided with a space (cavity) 15 from the upper surface 11. The end of the lower surface 12 is connected to the end of the upper surface 11 by a curved portion 13. The curved portion 13 curves downward from the front side of the upper surface 11 in the walking direction.

The upper surface 11 has a proximal lateral arch portion 113. The proximal lateral arch portion 113 is located at a position corresponding to the carpal tunnel row of the user's hand when a plurality of fingers (for example, four fingers) of the user engage with the curved portion 13 to grip the grip 10. It is provided in. The proximal lateral arch portion 113 extends in the lateral direction perpendicular to the walking direction and is curved upwardly. Further, the upper surface 11 has a distal lateral arch portion 114. The distal lateral arch portion 114 is located at a position corresponding to the distal portion of the user's hand when a plurality of fingers (for example, four fingers) of the user grip the grip 10 with respect to the curved portion 13. Provided. The distal lateral arch 114 extends laterally perpendicular to the walking direction and curves upwardly. The grip 10 of the present embodiment positions the user's hand with respect to the proximal lateral arch portion 113 and the distal lateral arch portion 114 by hooking the finger of the hand on the curved portion 13 (particularly, the hook portion described later). It is configured so that it can be done. The proximal lateral arch portion 113 and the distal lateral arch portion 114 may include only one of them.

The curved portion 13 curves downward from the front side of the upper surface 11 in the walking direction and then toward the rear side in the walking direction (C1 in FIG. 2D). Further, the curved portion 13 may have a hook portion C2 that is further curved in the upward direction. For example, a fingertip is attached to the hook portion C2. The hook portion C2 may be omitted, and after the curvature C1 of the bending portion 13, the lower surface 12 may extend backward in the walking direction and further bend downward. Further, the curved portion 13 is bent by the pressing force between the user's hand and the floor.

The connecting portion 14 is connected to the shaft 20 of the cane 1. The connecting portion 14 is provided on the lower surface 12 on the side facing the curved portion 13. For example, the connecting portion 14 is provided at the lower part of the position corresponding to the carpal portion of the user's hand when the user's finger engages with the curved portion 13 to grip the grip 10. When at least one direction of the shaft 20 and the foot portion 30 is predetermined with respect to the walking direction as in the present embodiment, the connecting portion 14 determines that the orientation of the grip 10 corresponds to the walking direction. It may have a direction designation unit (not shown). That is, when the grip 10 is attached to the shaft 20, the direction designating portion can attach the grip 10 to the shaft 20 so that the curved portion 13 is fixed in a predetermined direction, for example, the curved portion 13 is on the walking direction side. The direction-designating portion may be, for example, a recess or a notch (or a protrusion) directed in one direction, so as to fit into a protrusion (or a recess or a notch) formed in the shaft 20 in one direction. It may be configured. As a result, the grip 10 can be correctly oriented with respect to the walking direction.

Further, the grip 10 (for example, the connecting portion 14) may have a mechanism (tilt adjusting portion) capable of adjusting the inclination of the shaft 20 with respect to the ground contact surface. The inclination here does not refer to the inclination of the cane 1 (shaft 20) that changes with time in the walking motion, but to the inclination of the cane 1 in a predetermined ground contact state. The predetermined ground contact state may be, for example, a state in which each ground contact surface of the foot portion 30 is in contact with the ground, or a state in which the cane 1 is hard to fall and is stable, or a predetermined state other than these. In other words, the mechanism may be such that the inclination of the shaft 20 can be changed when the foot portion 30 is in the same ground contact state. As an example of such a mechanism, a mechanism capable of adjusting the inclination of the shaft 20 by adjusting the insertion depth of the shaft 20 into the connecting portion 14 of the grip 10 may be provided. For example, the inclination of the insertion portion of the shaft 20 is changed so that the inclination of the connecting portion 14 with respect to the ground plane of the shaft 20 changes depending on the insertion depth of the shaft 20, and the first connecting portion 23 of the shaft 20 is connected. It may be inserted into the portion 14 and fixed at an appropriate depth. Contrary to this example, the connecting portion 14 of the grip 10 may be inserted into the first connecting portion 23 of the shaft 20. The mechanism (tilt adjusting unit) capable of adjusting the inclination of the shaft 20 with respect to the ground plane is not limited to this example, and may have an appropriate form.

In the present embodiment, the grip 10 is oriented in the left-right direction (rotation around the axis in the up-down direction) by having the shaft 20 having a rectangular cross section and the connecting portion 14 having a notch having a corresponding shape. Although it is oriented, other appropriate configurations may be used. Further, in the illustrated example, a configuration in which the shaft 20 fitted into the connecting portion 14 and the connecting portion 14 are fastened with screws is illustrated, but the fixing method is not limited to this, and fixing means can be appropriately used.

The size of the grip 10 can be exemplified as follows, but is not limited to this. For example, the width of the grip 10 (for example, the width of the upper surface 11) is 96 mm, the length of the grip in the front-rear direction (from the front end of the curved portion 13 to the rear end of the upper surface 11) is 84 mm, and the upper end of the upper surface 11 to the lower end of the lower surface 12. Is 41 mm, from the upper end of the upper surface 11 to the lower end of the connecting portion 14 is 174 mm, and the width of the connecting portion 14 is 20 mm.

(Effect of each part of the grip)
The proximal lateral arch portion 113 maintains the arch shape of the hand even when a load is applied to the grip 10 on the palm surface, whereby the occurrence of carpal tunnel syndrome or the like can be prevented. The grip 10 of the present embodiment has a proximal lateral arch portion 113 on the upper surface 11, and the user's finger so that the proximal lateral arch portion of the user's hand is located on the proximal lateral arch portion 113. Is configured to relate to the curved portion 13 and the hook portion C2.

The curvature of the distal lateral arch 114 reduces the bias of the load divider on the palm and the upper surface 11 of the grip 10. The distal lateral arch portion 114 of the grip 10 of the present embodiment is, for example, a wrist joint dorsiflexion of 15 to 30 degrees, which is a functional limb position of the hand (a limb position that is relatively convenient for daily life), and flexion. From 5 to 15 degrees of flexion, the fingers can form an arch to match the curvature of the distal lateral arch when holding a slight flexion (a limb position that grips the ball).

The curved portion 13 can have a shape similar to the curvature of the fingers when the fingers are lightly gripped. Further, when the hook portion C2 is provided, the hook portion C2 is further rounded. The fingertip can be fixed so as to be hooked on the hook portion C2. During normal use, hold the limb position as if you were lightly grasping your fingers, and attach the cane 1 without applying extra force. On the other hand, when the user is about to fall, the user's hand exerts a strong force on the hook portion C2, and the intrinsic muscles in the fingers work strongly to strengthen the gripping force on the cane 1. As a result, the cane 1 can be gripped with a light force, and even if the cane 1 is about to fall, walking can be continued without releasing the cane 1.

Further, the shape in which the fingertip can be hooked on the hook portion C2 assists the swinging of the cane 1 by rotating the grip 10 about the lateral direction when the cane 1 is swung out. For example, in the latter stage of stance, the cane 1 is gripped in a state where the cane 1 is tilted forward and the back of the hand is oriented toward the walking direction rather than the vertically upward direction. Simply lifting the cane 1 from this state has the effect of rotating the back of the hand and swinging the cane 1.

Further, the shaft 20 is connected to the shaft 20 at the position of the carpal portion extended from the position of the hook portion C2. As a result, the distance of the moment of axial rotation becomes long, and the cane 1 can be swung out with a lighter force.

When a load is applied to the upper surface 11, the curved portion 13 causes the upper surface 11 to descend about 1 mm to 10 mm with respect to the curved portion 13. Due to this bending, the structure of the proximal lateral arch portion 113 can be protected. Further, due to this bending, when the cane 1 is attached to the shaft 20 of the cane 1 and the cane 1 is used, the floor half force received by the user's hand can be dispersed. Further, the curved portion (second curved portion) between the lower surface 12 and the connecting portion 14 also has the lower surface 12 lowered by about 1 mm to 10 mm about the curved portion in the middle to late stages of stance. As a result, the floor reaction force against the dorsiflexion of the wrist joint can be further alleviated.

(effect)
As described above, according to the grip of the present embodiment, it is possible to absorb the reaction force from the floor and suppress the impact on the body. Further, according to the grip of the present embodiment, the cane is easy to swing out and easy to walk.

(Other configuration examples)
The above configuration can also be expressed as follows.

[Configuration Example 1]
A grip for a cane that the user holds by hand,
On the top and
The lower surface provided with a space from the upper surface and the lower surface
The upper surface and the lower surface are connected to each other, provided on the front side in the walking direction, and provided with a curved portion having a width wider than a plurality of fingers of the user.
The upper surface, the curved portion, and the lower surface may form a U-shape.

[Configuration Example 2]
In the grip for the cane of the above configuration example 1,
A connecting portion connected to the shaft of the cane, which is provided on the lower surface on the side facing the curved portion, may be further provided.

[Configuration Example 3]
A grip for a cane that the user holds by hand,
It is provided on the front side in the walking direction, has a width wider than a plurality of fingers of the user, and has a curved portion that curves from the front side in the walking direction on the upper surface of the grip toward the downward direction and the rear direction in the walking direction. May be good.

[Configuration Example 4]
In the grips for canes of the above-mentioned configuration examples 1 to 3,
The upper surface may be an upper surface on which the user's palm is placed with the wrist on the back side in the walking direction.

5. Shaft configuration and action effect (shaft configuration example)
FIG. 3 shows a configuration diagram of the shaft 20 according to the present embodiment. 3 (a) is a perspective view, FIG. 3 (b) is a top view, FIG. 3 (c) is a front view, and FIG. 3 (d) is a side view.

The shaft 20 is a shaft for the cane 1, and has a first curved portion 21 curved so as to be convex in the walking direction of the user and a second curved portion curved so as to be convex in the direction opposite to the walking direction. 22 and. In other words, the first curved portion 21 and the second curved portion 22 are curved in opposite directions. The first curved portion 21 is configured on the grip 10 side for holding the cane 1, for example, and the second curved portion 22 is configured on the foot portion 30 side on which the cane 1 touches the ground. That is, the first curved portion 21 is arranged above the second curved portion 22. The curve of the first curved portion 21 is gentler than the curve of the second curved portion 22. In other words, the curvature of the first curved portion 21 is smaller than the curvature of the second curved portion 22 (the radius of curvature of the first curved portion 21 is larger than the radius of curvature of the second curved portion 22). As an example, the radius of curvature R1 of the first curved portion 21 and the radius of curvature R2 of the second curved portion 22 can be R1 = 500 mm and R2 = 90 mm, respectively, but are not limited thereto. As an example, the dimensions of the shaft 20 can be 20 mm in the horizontal direction and 720 mm in the longitudinal direction, but are not limited thereto. The length in the longitudinal direction may be provided in a plurality of sizes such as S, M, and L depending on the height of the user. Further, a mechanism (length adjusting portion) capable of freely adjusting the length of the shaft 20 in the longitudinal direction may be provided. Further, in the present embodiment, the shaft 20 has a rectangular cross section as shown in FIG. 2, but other shapes may be used. The shaft 20 can be made of, for example, a material such as carbon fiber, resin, metal, or other material having a strength capable of supporting a part of the weight of the user.

Here, the fact that the user is convex in the walking direction means that the convex direction of the curve of the first curved portion 21 is not limited to the case where the convex direction of the curve of the first curved portion 21 is parallel to the walking direction. It may form a predetermined angle of less than 90 degrees with respect to the walking direction. In other words, the convex direction of the curve of the first curved portion 21 may have at least a component in the walking direction. As an example, the convex direction of the curve of the second curved portion 22 may have a component in the direction opposite to the walking direction at least in the convex direction opposite to the walking direction. The above-mentioned predetermined angle can be, for example, within plus or minus 15 degrees, within plus or minus 30 degrees, or within plus or minus 45 degrees, but is not limited thereto.

When walking with the cane 1, the first curved portion 21 and the second curved portion 22 are bent by the pressing force between the grip 10 for holding the cane 1 and the ground contact surface. Looking at the time series during walking, the ratio of the degree to which the first curved portion 21 bends and the degree to which the second curved portion 22 bends when walking with the cane 1 changes. More specifically, the inclination of the cane 1 in the longitudinal direction and the contact surface of the cane 1 during walking changes from the time the cane 1 touches the ground until it separates from the ground. The ratio of the degree of bending of the first curved portion 21 and the degree of bending of the second curved portion 22 due to the pressing force between the ground contact surface changes.

Further, the shaft 20 has a first connecting portion 23 connected to a grip 10 whose walking direction is determined by how to hold the cane 1 by hand. The first connecting portion 23 may have a direction designating portion (not shown) that determines the direction of the shaft 20 so that the curvature of the first curved portion 21 and the second curved portion 22 corresponds to the walking direction. That is, when the shaft 20 is attached to the grip 10 and the foot 30 by the direction designating portion, the shaft 20 can be attached to the grip 10 and the foot 30 so that the convex direction of the first curved portion 21 faces the walking direction. The direction-designating portion may be, for example, a protrusion directed in one direction, or may be configured to fit into a recess or notch formed in the grip 10 in one direction. As a result, the curvature of the shaft 20 can be correctly oriented with respect to the walking direction.

The shaft 20 has a second connecting portion 24 that connects to the foot portion 30 in which the walking direction is determined. The second connecting portion 24 may have a direction designating portion (not shown) that determines the direction of the shaft 20 so that the curvature of the first curved portion 21 and the second curved portion 22 corresponds to the walking direction. The direction-designating portion may be, for example, a protrusion directed in one direction, or may be configured to fit into a recess or notch formed in the foot 30 in one direction. As a result, the curvature of the shaft 20 can be correctly oriented with respect to the walking direction. The direction designating portion of the first connecting portion 23 and the direction designating portion of the second connecting portion 24 may be provided in at least one of them. Further, the protrusion may be located on the grip 10 and / or the foot 30 side, and the first connection 23 and / or the second connection 24 may be provided with a recess or a notch.

Further, the shaft 20 (for example, the second connecting portion 24 and the first connecting portion 23) may have a mechanism (tilt adjusting portion) capable of adjusting the inclination of the shaft 20 with respect to the ground plane. The inclination here does not refer to the inclination of the cane 1 (shaft 20) that changes with time in the walking motion, but to the inclination of the cane 1 in a predetermined ground contact state. The predetermined ground contact state may be, for example, a state in which each ground contact surface of the foot portion 30 is in contact with the ground, or a state in which the cane 1 is hard to fall and is stable, or a predetermined state other than these. In other words, the mechanism may be such that the inclination of the shaft 20 can be changed when the foot portion 30 is in the same ground contact state. As an example of such a mechanism, a mechanism capable of adjusting the inclination of the shaft 20 by adjusting the insertion depth of the shaft 20 into the foot portion 30 (or the grip 10) may be provided. For example, the insertion portion of the shaft 20 so that the connection portion 38 provided on the foot portion 30 connected to the second connection portion 24 changes the inclination of the shaft 20 with respect to the ground contact surface depending on the insertion depth of the shaft 20. The slope may change. The second connecting portion 24 of the shaft 20 may be inserted into the connecting portion 38 so that it can be fixed at an appropriate depth. Contrary to this example, the connecting portion 38 of the foot portion 30 may be inserted into the second connecting portion 24 of the shaft 20. The same configuration can be applied to the grip 10. The mechanism (tilt adjusting unit) capable of adjusting the inclination of the shaft 20 with respect to the ground plane is not limited to this example, and may have an appropriate form.

In the present embodiment, in the horizontal direction (rotation around the vertical axis), the shaft 20 has a rectangular cross section, and the grip 10 or the foot 30 has a notch having a shape corresponding to the shaft 20. Although it is oriented by having a connecting portion including it, an appropriate configuration other than this may be used.

(Shaft action effect)
In kinematics, the knee extension-flexion-extension-flexion movement during normal walking (double knee action) helps reduce the impact from the ground when the heel touches the ground.

The first curved portion 21 has an angle of 1 to 5 degrees at the apex (inflection point) of the first curved portion 21 when the heel touches the ground during walking. Due to this bending, the floor reaction force can be released in a direction different from the grip direction (for example, the extension direction of the first bending portion 21 from the lower part of the inflection point: the F2 direction in FIG. 3D).

Further, in the middle stage of stance during walking, subduction occurs due to bending of several mm to 20 mm in total at the first curved portion 21 and the second curved portion 22. In a conventional general cane, the floor reaction force is transmitted upward (here, in the grip direction), and the pressure on the hand, elbow, and shoulder increases, but in the shaft 20 of the present embodiment, the first curved portion 21 and the first curved portion 21 and the first 2 The subduction of the curved portion 22 reduces the pressure on the hand, elbow and shoulder as compared with a conventional general cane.

Further, due to the sinking of the shaft 20 in the middle stage of stance, the upper limbs on the cane gripping side are less lifted, and the grip 10 can be smoothly moved in the traveling direction. On the other hand, with a normal single cane, the cane may be tilted in order to prevent the upper limbs from being lifted, and the posture during walking tends to collapse.

In addition, in the latter stage of stance during walking, while maintaining the subduction in the middle stage of stance, the bending repulsion of the first curved portion 21 and the second curved portion 22 occurs at the timing of kicking out the ground of the foot, and moves forward. Produces the driving force of.

(Modification example)
The shaft 20 of the present embodiment is not limited to the above-described configuration, and can be configured as follows, for example. The shaft 20 may include a telescopic portion that sinks at least in the vertical direction due to a pressing force between the grip 10 for holding the cane 1 and the ground contact surface when walking with the cane 1. The telescopic portion corresponds to the first curved portion 21 and the second curved portion 22 described above. The expansion / contraction portion may have a plurality of expansion / contraction portions having different degrees of expansion and contraction. The telescopic portion generates at least a propulsive force in the walking direction by generating a restoring force when the cane tilts in the walking direction and separates from the ground contact surface.

(effect)
As described above, according to the shaft of the present embodiment, the impact from the ground when the cane is used can be reduced. Further, according to the shaft of the present embodiment, when the cane sinks in the vertical direction when the cane is used and the cane rotates and moves in the walking direction around the ground contact point, the grip for holding the cane does not move in the vertical direction. Therefore, the user of the cane can easily walk even if the cane is grounded near the body. Therefore, it is possible to avoid posture collapse and unnatural walking movements that may occur when the cane is grounded at a distance from the body and the cane is tilted to the left or right, and secondary obstacles due to the use of the cane can be avoided. obtain. Further, when the cane is separated from the ground contact surface, a restoring force from the sinking is generated, and at least a propulsive force in the walking direction can be generated.

The present invention can be used for the manufacture and sale of canes and the manufacture and sale of components for canes.

1 Cane 10 Grip 20 Shaft 30 Foot 31 First grounding part 32 Second grounding part 33 Third grounding part 34, 35 Toe part 36, 37 Arch part 38 Connection part

Claims (7)

Equipped with multiple grounding parts that support the cane in contact with the ground
In the initial stage of poking the cane, one grounding part touches the ground,
In the mid-term stage when the user's weight is applied, multiple grounding parts arranged in two dimensions touch the ground.
At the final stage of removing the cane from the ground, at least two grounding parts arranged in the lateral direction perpendicular to the walking direction touch the ground. The plurality of grounding portions are
The first ground contact part located behind in the walking direction,
It has a second ground contact portion and a third ground contact portion located on the front side in the walking direction, arranged in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the walking direction.
In the initial stage, the first grounding part is grounded,
In the middle stage, the first to third grounding parts are grounded.
The foot portion for a cane according to claim 1, wherein the second ground contact portion and the third ground contact portion are grounded at the final stage. The foot portion for a cane according to claim 1 or 2, which has a toe portion curved upward in the forward direction on the front side of the second ground contact portion and the third ground contact portion in the walking direction. The foot portion for a cane according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the second ground contact portion and the third ground contact portion are formed by being divided into two forks from the first ground contact portion. The foot portion for a cane according to any one of claims 1 to 4, which has a convex arch portion at an upper portion in the vertical direction between the second ground contact portion, the third ground contact portion, and the first ground contact portion. The foot portion for a cane according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein each of the second ground contact portion and the third ground contact portion is formed by twisting a plate-shaped member toward the inside of the foot portion. The foot for a cane according to any one of claims 1 to 6.
The shaft connected to the foot for the cane and
With the grip connected to the shaft
Cane with.

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