WO2024070411A1 - Walker - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a walker provided with an upper structure allowing improved functionality and design and also enabling reduced weight. [Solution] This walker 1 is characterized by comprising a lower structure 2, a support body 3, and an upper structure 4, and characterized in that: the upper structure 4 is provided with an upper base 4A, a composite functional body 5 that has an armrest portion 5A and an armpit support portion 5B, and a rotation interlock body 6; the rotation interlock body 6 is provided with a rotating shaft 60 extending in the front-rear direction of the mobility walker 1, and a back support 7 provided to a rear end side of the rotating shaft 60; a first bearing hole 50 and a second bearing hole 51 are provided to the armrest portion 5A; a rear end side of the upper base 4A, serving as a rotational center axis of the armpit support portion 5B, is inserted into the first bearing hole 50 of the composite functional body 5, the composite functional body 5 thus being attached so as to be able to rotate about the rotational center axis; and the rotating shaft 60 of the rotation interlock body 6 is attached, so as to be able to rotate, into the second bearing hole 51 of the composite functional body 5.

Description

Walker

The present invention relates to a walker that has a composite functional body with armrests and armpit support as its upper structure.

A walking aid device (walker) is known that comprises a lower component, a support body extending upward from the lower component, and an upper component attached to the upper side of the support body, the lower component having a means of movement such as wheels, and the upper component having components such as elbow support members (armrests), armpit support means (armpit supports), and back contact means (back support) (see Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-216183

In the above-mentioned walker, the armrests, side supports, and back supports that make up the upper structure are each provided separately and unrelated to each other, which has created issues in terms of the functionality, design, weight reduction, etc. of the upper structure.
In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a walker having an upper structure that can improve functionality and design while also being lightweight by configuring the armrests, side supports, and back support in an associated manner.

The walking frame of the present invention comprises a lower component, a support body extending upward from the lower component, and an upper component body provided on the upper side of the support body, the lower component comprising a lower base and a moving means provided on the lower base, the upper component comprising an upper base, a composite functional body having an armrest portion and an armpit support portion, and a rotation interlocking body, the rotation interlocking body comprising a rotation shaft extending in the front-to-rear direction of the walker, and a back support provided on the rear end side of the rotation shaft, the composite functional body comprising a first bearing hole in the armrest portion into which the rear end side of the upper base which serves as the rotation central axis of the armpit support portion is inserted, and a second bearing hole into which the rotation shaft of the rotation interlocking body is rotatably inserted, the rotation central axis being inserted into the first bearing hole of the composite functional body so that the composite functional body is rotatably attached with the rotation central axis as the center of rotation, and the rotation shaft of the rotation interlocking body being rotatably attached to the second bearing hole of the composite functional body so that the back support and the rotation shaft rotate in conjunction with each other.
According to the present invention, a rotating interlocking body having a back support and a composite functional body having an armrest portion and an underarm support portion are configured in association with each other, thereby making it possible to provide a walker equipped with an upper component that has improved functionality and design and can also be made lighter.
The upper base includes an upper front portion extending in the left-right direction from the upper side of the support, an upper left portion extending rearward from the left end side of the upper front portion and functioning as the left side rotation central axis, and an upper right portion extending rearward from the right end side of the upper front portion and functioning as the right side rotation central axis. The composite function body includes a left composite function body having an armrest portion extending in the left-right and front-rear directions and an underarm support portion extending upward from the right end side of the armrest portion, and a right composite function body having an armrest portion extending in the left-right and front-rear directions and an underarm support portion extending upward from the left end side of the armrest portion. The rotation interlocking body includes a left rotation interlocking body and a right rotation interlocking body, and the left rotation central axis is inserted into a first bearing hole of the left composite function body. The left composite function body is rotatably attached around the left rotation central axis, and the rotation axis of the left rotating interlocking body is rotatably attached to the second bearing hole of the left composite function body so that the back support and the rotation axis rotate in conjunction with each other, the right rotation central axis is inserted into the first bearing hole of the right composite function body so that the right composite function body is rotatably attached around the right rotation central axis, and the rotation axis of the right rotating interlocking body is rotatably attached to the second bearing hole of the right composite function body so that the back support and the rotation axis rotate in conjunction with each other.Since the left and right components of the upper structure are configured in association with each other, a walker can be provided that has an upper structure that can improve functionality and design and can also be made lighter.
In addition, the rotation linkage body is characterized in that it is equipped with a hand grip on the front end side of the rotation axis, and is configured so that the handle grip, back support, and rotation axis rotate in conjunction with each other, thereby providing a walker with excellent functionality.
Furthermore, the first bearing hole is arranged to extend in the front-to-rear direction on the side of the armrest portion facing the armpit support portion, and the second bearing hole is arranged to extend in the front-to-rear direction on the side opposite the armrest portion facing the armpit support portion, thereby making it possible to realize a walker that can efficiently perform the rotational movement of the composite functional body and the rotational movement of the rotation interlocking body.

FIG. FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the frame (skeleton) of the walker. FIG. FIG. FIG. 13 is a perspective view for explaining adjustment of the distance between the left and right composite functional bodies. FIG. 13 is a front view illustrating the open and closed positions of the left and right back supports. 11 is a perspective view illustrating the open and closed positions of the left and right back supports. FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, a walking aid 1 according to the embodiment is configured to include a lower component 2, a support body 3 extending upward from the lower component 2, and an upper component 4 provided on the upper side of the support body 3.
In this specification, the directions of up, down, left, right, front and rear are defined as those shown in FIGS.

The lower structure 2 comprises a lower base 2A, a moving means 2B, a knee support 2C, and a shin support 2D.

The lower base 2A is, for example, configured in a concave shape, with the upper open portion of the concave being positioned at the rear of the walker 1 and the lower closed portion of the concave being positioned at the front portion of the walker 1.
The lower base 2A may be composed, for example, of a lower base frame 2F (see Figure 3) made of a metal pipe or the like formed into a concave shape and a cover sponge tube 2T or the like as a covering material arranged to cover the outer surface of the lower base frame 2F, or it may be composed of the lower base frame 2F itself.
The lower base frame 2F is formed, for example, by connecting a plurality of pipes together or by bending a pipe.
In other words, the lower base 2A comprises a lower front portion 21 extending in the left-right direction from the lower side of the support body 3, a lower left portion 22 extending rearward from the left end side of the lower front portion 21, and a lower right portion 23 extending rearward from the right end side of the lower front portion 21.
The lower base frame 2F of the lower front portion 21 is arranged to extend in the left-right direction by penetrating left-right through a bearing hole 3C (see Figure 3) formed on the lower side of the support body 3, so that the support body 3 is configured to be rotatable rearward with the lower base frame 2F of the lower front portion 21 as a central axis.

The moving means 2B is configured, for example, to include a left front swivel wheel 24 provided on the left front side of the lower base frame 2F of the lower base 2A, a right front swivel wheel 25 provided on the right front side of the lower base frame 2F, a left rear swivel wheel 26 provided on the left rear side of the lower base frame 2F, a right rear swivel wheel 27 provided on the right rear side of the lower base frame 2F, a left central fixed wheel 28 provided on the left central side between the left front side and left rear side of the lower base frame 2F, and a right central fixed wheel 29 provided on the right central side between the right front side and right rear side of the lower base frame 2F.
In addition, a swivel wheel is a wheel that is configured so that it can rotate around a vertical axis perpendicular to the center line of rotation of the wheel on the surface to be moved, such as a floor surface, and is, for example, what is called a swivel caster.
A fixed wheel is a wheel that is configured so that the wheel cannot rotate around a vertical axis that is perpendicular to the center line of rotation of the wheel on the surface to be moved, and is, for example, what is called a fixed caster.
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the wheels 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, and 29 are attached to the lower base frame 2F via attachment members 2BF provided on the lower surface of the lower base frame 2F.

The relationship in diameter between the wheels constituting the means of transportation 2B is set as follows, for example: left front swivel wheel 24 = right front swivel wheel 25 < left central fixed wheel 28 = right central fixed wheel 29 < left rear swivel wheel 26 = right rear swivel wheel 27.
As a result, the lower left portion 22 and the lower right portion 23 of the lower base 2A are configured to extend at a downward incline from the front to the rear.

The knee support 2C is composed of, for example, a left knee support 2CL and a right knee support 2CR, and each of the left knee support 2CL and the right knee support 2CR is composed of a knee support member mounting portion 30 (see Figure 3) connected to the lower part of the support body 3 via a support pillar 35, and a knee support member 31 attached to the knee support member mounting portion 30.
The knee support member 31 is made of a cushioning material such as a cylindrical sponge member.
Knee support members 31 are attached to left and right knee support member attachment parts 30, 30 that are provided so as to extend in the left-right direction from the upper end of the support pillar 35, respectively, to form a left knee support 2CL and a right knee support 2CR.
The knee support 2C protects the user's knees and lower legs when the user's knees bend while using the walker 1, and also prevents the user from colliding with the lower base 2A or support body 3, and prevents the user from falling.

The shin support 2D is composed of, for example, a left shin support 2DL and a right shin support 2DR, and the left shin support 2DL and right shin support 2DR are each composed of a shin support member mounting portion 32 connected to the lower base frame 2F of the lower base 2A, and a shin support member 33 attached to the shin support member mounting portion 32 in a removable manner.
As shown in Figure 3, the shin support member mounting portion 32 is positioned rearward of the lower base frame 2F of the lower front portion 21 and is formed by a vertical plate having a plate surface that is parallel to the lower base frame 2F of the lower front portion 21 and extends in the left-right and up-down directions.
The left shin support member mounting portion 32 is configured such that one end is connected by welding or the like to the lower base frame 2F of the lower left portion 21, and the other end is connected via a support piece 36 to the lower base frame 2F of the lower front portion 21 (at a position near the left side of the lower inner pillar 3A).
In addition, the right shin support member mounting portion 32 is configured such that one end is connected to the lower base frame 2F of the lower right portion 21 by welding or the like, and the other end is connected to the lower base frame 2F of the lower front portion 21 (at a position near the right side of the lower inner pillar 3A) via a support piece 36.
The shin support member 33 is made of a shock-absorbing material such as a cylindrical sponge, and has attachment/detachment slits 37 formed in the shin support member 33, which extend from the circumferential surface of the cylindrical sponge member toward the center of the cylinder and reach both end faces of the cylinder (see Figs. 1 and 2).
Shin support members 33 are detachably attached to the left and right shin support member attachment parts 32, 32, respectively, to form the left shin support 2DL and the right shin support 2DR.
In other words, the shin support member 33 is attached to the shin support member attachment part 32 so that the shin support member attachment part 32 is inserted into the attachment/detachment slit 37 of the shin support member 33 .
The shin support 2D is provided to prevent the user's shins from colliding with the lower base 2A or the support body 3 if, for example, the user loses balance while using the walker 1.

The support body 3 is rotatably supported by the lower base frame 2F of the lower front portion 21 via a bearing hole 3C so as to be able to collapse rearward with the lower base frame 2F serving as a central axis of rotation.
The walker 1 is configured to be changeable between a form in which the walker 1 is used (an in-use form) as shown in Figures 1 and 2, and a form in which the walker 1 is folded (a folded form) (not shown).
Furthermore, when the walker 1 is in use, the support body 3 is locked by a locking mechanism (not shown) so that it is maintained in an upwardly raised position, for example, at a slight rearward incline from the lower base frame 2F of the lower front portion 21.
The support 3 is configured to be folded backward when the locking mechanism (not shown) is released. In this case, the support 3 may be provided with a locking mechanism for maintaining the support 3 in the folded state after being set in the folded state, or the support 3 may not be provided with the locking mechanism.
The support 3 is configured to be adjustable in height. For example, the support 3 is configured to include a lower inner column 3A and an upper outer column 3B, and the upper outer column 3B is configured to be movable in the vertical direction and to be locked at a predetermined height by a locking mechanism (not shown).
For example, the support body 3 is configured to have a gas spring installed therein that functions as a lifting mechanism for the upper outer column 3B.
A gas spring with a locking mechanism is used as the gas spring, and the support body 3 is configured so that the locking mechanism of the gas spring is released by operating a lever switch 3S (see Figure 2) provided on the upper side of the upper outer column 3B, allowing the upper outer column 3B to be raised and lowered.

The upper structure 4 comprises an upper base 4A, a chest support 4B, a composite function body 5, and a rotation linkage body 6.

The upper base 4A is, for example, configured concavely, similar to the lower base 2A, so that the concave upper open portion is positioned at the rear of the walker 1 and the concave lower closed portion is positioned in the front portion of the walker 1.
The upper base 4A may be composed of, for example, an upper base frame 4F (see Figure 3) made of a metal pipe or the like formed into a concave shape and a cover sponge tube 4T or the like as a covering material arranged to cover the outer surface of the upper base frame 4F, or it may be composed of the lower base frame 4F itself.
The upper base frame 4F is formed, for example, by connecting a plurality of pipes together or by bending a pipe.
In other words, the upper base 4A comprises an upper front portion 41 extending in the left-right direction from the upper side of the support body 3, an upper left portion 42 extending rearward from the left end side of the upper front portion 41, and an upper right portion 43 extending rearward from the right end side of the upper front portion 41.
The upper base frame 4F of the upper front portion 41 is arranged to extend in the left-right direction by penetrating left-right through a bearing hole 3D (see Figure 3) formed on the upper side of the support body 3, so that the upper base 4A is rotatably supported in the bearing hole 3D formed on the upper side of the support body 3.
Furthermore, the upper structure 4 is configured to be movable to the left and right lateral positions of the support body 3 by rotating around an upper base frame 4F of the upper front part 41 of the upper base 4A, which is rotatably supported in a bearing hole 3D formed at the upper end part of the support body 3, as a rotation axis.
For example, the upper base 4A is fixed in a horizontal or nearly horizontal position when in use by a locking mechanism not shown in the figure, and is configured so that by releasing the locking mechanism, the upper base frame 4F of the upper front portion 41 can rotate around the rotation axis (rotation center), allowing the upper left portion 42 and upper right portion 43 to move to a lateral position of the support body 3.

The chest support 4B is composed of, for example, a left chest support 4BL and a right chest support 4BR, and each of the left chest support 4BL and the right chest support 4BR is composed of an upper base frame 4F of the upper front portion 41 that functions as a chest support member mounting portion, and a chest support member 40 attached to the upper base frame 4F of the upper front portion 41.
The chest support member 40 is made of a cushioning material such as a cylindrical sponge member.
Chest support members 40 are attached to the left and right upper base frames 4F, which are provided so as to extend in the left-right direction from the upper ends of the upper outer columns 3B, to form the left chest support 4BL and the right chest support 4BR.
The chest support 4B is provided to prevent the user's chest from colliding with the upper front part 41 of the upper base 4A if, for example, the user loses balance while using the walker 1.

The composite functional body 5 has an armrest portion 5A and an armpit support portion 5B, and is configured to function as both an armrest and an armpit support.

The armrest portion 5A is, for example, composed of a plate-like portion extending in the left-right and front-rear directions, and is provided with a first bearing hole 50 into which the rear end side of the upper base frame 4F of the upper left portion 42 and the rear end side of the upper base frame 4F of the upper right portion 43, which serve as the central axis of rotation of the armpit support portion 5B, are inserted, and a second bearing hole 51 into which the rotation shaft 60 of the rotation interlocking body 6 is rotatably inserted.

The armpit support portion 5B is, for example, configured to include a plate-shaped portion extending upward from the right or left edge of the armrest portion 5A, and an armpit support member 53 (see Figure 5) installed on an armpit support member installation portion 52 (see Figure 3) provided at the upper end of the plate-shaped member.
The armpit support member 53 is made of a cushioning material such as a sponge member having an elliptical cross section extending in the front-rear direction, for example.

The composite function body 5 includes a left composite function body 5L and a right composite function body 5R.
The left composite functional unit 5L has an armrest portion 5A extending in the left-right and front-rear directions and an armpit support portion 5B extending upward from the right end side of the armrest portion 5A.
The right-side composite functional unit 5R has an armrest portion 5A extending in the left-right and front-rear directions and an armpit support portion 5B extending upward from the left end side of the armrest portion 5A.

The left composite functional body 5L and the right composite functional body 5R are each configured to include a main component 5F having a lightweight and highly rigid plate-shaped portion of the armrest portion 5A and a plate-shaped portion of the underarm support portion 5B, which are formed, for example, from a metal such as aluminum, or from a resin, etc. The main component 5F having the lightweight and highly rigid plate-shaped portion of the armrest portion 5A and the plate-shaped portion of the underarm support portion 5B is configured, for example, from an integrally molded product having a hollow portion, or an assembly having a hollow portion formed therein.
The left-side composite functional body 5L or the right-side composite functional body 5R is configured such that, as shown in FIG. 5, an armpit support member 53 is installed in an armpit support member installation section 52 provided at the upper end of the main component 5F, and the peripheral surfaces of the main component 5F and the armpit support member 53, except for the front and rear end faces, are covered with a cushioning material such as a covering sponge 5t.
Furthermore, the front end surfaces of these main components 5F and the side support members 53 are covered with cushioning material such as a cover sponge 5f serving as a front end surface cover, and the rear end surfaces of these main components 5F and the side support members 53 are covered with cushioning material such as a cover sponge 5r serving as a rear end surface cover.
In addition, the cover sponge 5f has a communication hole 5i communicating with the first bearing hole 50 and a communication hole 5h communicating with the second bearing hole 51 formed therein, and the cover sponge 5r has a communication hole 5h communicating with the second bearing hole 51 formed therein.
The composite functional body 5 constructed as described above is configured to include a main component 5F that is lightweight and has high rigidity, and therefore can contribute to making the walker 1 lighter.
In addition, the portion that comes into contact with the user's armpits is made of cushioning material (cover sponge 5t and armpit support member 53), so that the impact on the user's armpits can be mitigated when the user is about to fall.
In addition, since the main component 5F is covered with cushioning material (cover sponges 5t, 5f, 5r), a composite functional body 5 can be obtained that has excellent feel on the skin of the forearms and upper arms and on the torso when the user walks, and also has a highly aesthetic design.

The rear end side of the upper base frame 4F of the upper left portion 42 is inserted into the first bearing hole 50 of the left-side composite function body 5L, and the left-side composite function body 5L is configured to be rotatable around the rear end side of the upper base frame 4F of the upper left portion 42 inserted into the first bearing hole 50 as the rotation center axis.
Similarly, the rear end side of the upper base frame 4F of the upper right portion 43 is inserted into the first bearing hole 50 of the right-side composite function body 5R, and the right-side composite function body 5R is configured to be rotatable around the rear end side of the upper base frame 4F of the upper right portion 43 inserted into the first bearing hole 50 as the rotation center axis.
In other words, the left-side composite function body 5L is rotatably supported on the rear end side of the upper base frame 4F of the upper left section 42 via the first bearing hole 50, and similarly, the right-side composite function body 5R is rotatably supported on the rear end side of the upper base frame 4F of the upper right section 43 via the first bearing hole 50.

The rotating linkage body 6 has a rotating shaft 60 that extends in the front-rear direction of the walker 1, a back support 7 provided at the rear end of the rotating shaft 60, and a handle grip 8 provided at the front end of the rotating shaft 60. The rotating shaft 60 is rotatably attached to the second bearing hole 51 of the composite function body 5, so that the back support 7, handle grip 8, and rotating shaft 60 rotate in conjunction with each other.

In addition, the rotation linkage body 6 is configured to include a base frame 6F made of a metal pipe or the like that forms the rotation shaft 60, a support portion 70 of the back support 7 provided on the rear end side of the rotation shaft 60, and a handle grip 8 provided on the front end side of the rotation shaft 60, and a back support member 71 provided on the rear end side of the base frame 6F.
The base frame 6F is formed, for example, by connecting a plurality of pipes together or by bending a pipe.
Furthermore, the exposed portion of the base frame 6F may be covered with a cushioning material such as a cover sponge tube 6T, or may be left exposed.
At least the portion of the rotating shaft 60 that is inserted into the second bearing hole 51 is made of a metal pipe or the like.
The back support 7 is configured to include, for example, a back support member 71 that is arranged to face the back of the user, and a support portion 70 that supports the back support member 71.
The back support member 71 is composed of a cushioning material such as a cylindrical sponge member attached to the rear end side of the support part 71, and the support part 70, which is provided to extend from the rear end of the rotating shaft 60, is composed of a metal pipe or the like, at least on the rear end side where the back support member 71 is attached.
In addition, the handle grip 8 is preferably configured to include a grip main body 80 made of a metal pipe or the like, and a cushioning material such as a cover sponge tube 6T that covers the periphery of the grip main body 80.

The rotation interlocking body 6 includes a left rotation interlocking body 6L and a right rotation interlocking body 6R.
That is, the left-side rotating interlocking body 6L has a rotating shaft 60, a left-side back support 7L provided on the rear end side of the rotating shaft 60, and a left-side handle grip 8L provided on the front end side of the rotating shaft 60, and the rotating shaft 60 is configured to rotate in conjunction with the left-side back support 7L, the left-side handle grip 8L, and the rotating shaft 60 by being rotatably inserted into the second bearing hole 51 of the left-side composite function body 5L.
Similarly, the right-side rotation interlocking body 6R has a rotation shaft 60, a right-side back support 7R provided on the rear end side of the rotation shaft 60, and a right-side handle grip 8R provided on the front end side of the rotation shaft 60, and is configured so that the right-side back support 7R, the right-side handle grip 8R, and the rotation shaft 60 rotate in conjunction with each other by rotatably inserting the rotation shaft 60 into the second bearing hole 51 of the right-side composite function body 5R.

The relationship between the upper base 4A, the composite function body 5 and the rotation interlocking body 6 is as follows.
In other words, the rear end side of the upper base frame 4F of the upper left part 42 and the rear end side of the upper base frame 4F of the upper right part 43, which function as the rotation center axis of the composite function body 5, are inserted into the first bearing hole 50 of the composite function body 5, so that the composite function body 5 is rotatably attached around the rotation center axis, and the rotation axis 60 of the rotation interlocking body 6 is rotatably attached to the second bearing hole 51 of the composite function body 5.

Specifically, in order to allow the rear end side of the upper base frame 4F of the upper left portion 42 of the upper base 4A to function as the rotation center axis of the left-side composite function body 5L, the rear end side of the upper base frame 4F of the upper left portion 42 is inserted into the first bearing hole 50 of the left-side composite function body 5L, so that the left-side composite function body 5L is rotatably mounted around the rotation center axis formed by the rear end side of the upper base frame 4F of the upper left portion 42, and the rotation axis 60 of the left-side rotation interlocking body 6L is rotatably mounted in the second bearing hole 51 of the left-side composite function body 5L.
Similarly, in order to allow the rear end side of the upper base frame 4F of the upper right portion 43 of the upper base 4A to function as the rotation center axis of the right-side composite function body 5R, the rear end side of the upper base frame 4F of the upper right portion 43 is inserted into the first bearing hole 50 of the right-side composite function body 5R, so that the right-side composite function body 5R is rotatably mounted around the rotation center axis formed by the rear end side of the upper base frame 4F of the upper right portion 43, and the rotation axis 60 of the right-side rotation interlocking body 6R is rotatably mounted in the second bearing hole 51 of the right-side composite function body 5R.
That is, even if the rotation interlocking bodies 6L, 6R rotate, the composite function bodies 5L, 5R do not rotate, but when the composite function bodies 5L, 5R are rotated, the rotation interlocking bodies 6L, 6R also rotate in conjunction with each other.
In this way, the rotating interlocking body 6 having the back support 7 and the composite functional body 5 having the armrest portion 5A and the side support portion 5B are configured in association with each other, so that it is possible to provide a walker 1 equipped with an upper component 4 that can improve functionality and design and also enable weight reduction.
Furthermore, by rotating the back support 7R of the rotating interlocking body 6R and the back support 7L of the rotating interlocking body 6L, the back supports 7L, 7R can be opened and closed, and by rotating the composite function bodies 5L, 5R, the body width between the composite function bodies 5L, 5R can be easily adjusted to suit the user.
In other words, it is now possible to obtain a walker 1 that is lightweight, compact, and has excellent functionality and design, and is equipped with a configuration that allows easy opening and closing adjustment of the back supports 7L, 7R, which serve as the opening and closing entrance to the walker operating position H, and that allows easy adjustment of the body width between the composite functional bodies 5L, 5R to suit the user's physique.

As shown in FIG. 5, the composite functional body 5 has a main component 5F formed on an L-shaped plate material that forms the skeleton of the composite functional body 5, and the main component 5F has an armrest portion 5A formed by the horizontal plate portion of the L shape, and an armpit support portion 5B formed by the vertical plate portion of the L shape.
By inserting a pipe or the like constituting the upper base frame 4F of the upper left portion 42 or the upper right portion 43 into the first bearing hole 50 provided on the side of the armrest portion 5A on the side of the armrest support portion 5B, the upper base frame 4F is utilized as the central axis of rotation of the composite functional body 5 which functions as an armrest and armpit support.
Furthermore, the second bearing hole 51 provided at the tip side of the armrest portion 5A (the extension end side in the left-right direction of the armrest portion 5A, in other words, the opposite side of the armrest portion 5A from the side support portion 5B) is utilized as a bearing that rotatably supports the rotation shaft 60 of the rotation interlocking body 6.
In other words, the composite functional body 5 is configured such that the first bearing hole 50 is provided so as to extend in the front-to-rear direction on the side of the armrest portion 5A facing the armpit support portion 5B, and the second bearing hole 51 is provided so as to extend in the front-to-rear direction on the side opposite the armrest portion 5A facing the armpit support portion 5B.
Therefore, with the composite functional body 5 of this configuration, the armpit support portion 5B is positioned on the side of the user who operates the walker 1 at the walker operating position H (see Figures 2 and 4), and the armrest portion 5A is positioned outside the armpit support portion 5B when viewed from the walker operating position H. As a result, the rotational interlocking body 6 also rotates in conjunction with the rotational movement of the composite functional body 5. Therefore, by simply adjusting the composite functional body 5, which is the source of the interlocking, to match the user's torso width, it is possible to realize a walker 1 in which the left and right width of the rotational interlocking body 6 can be automatically adjusted to an appropriate size.
For example, in the case of a user with a small torso width, the distance between the left and right composite functional bodies 5L, 5R can be set to a distance a corresponding to a user with a small torso width, as shown in FIG. 6(a).
In addition, in the case of a user with an average torso width, the distance between the left and right composite functional bodies 5L, 5R can be set to a distance b corresponding to a user with an average torso width, as shown in FIG. 6(b).
In addition, in the case of a user with a large torso width, as shown in FIG. 6C, the distance between the left and right composite functional bodies 5L, 5R can be set to a distance c that corresponds to a user with a large torso width.

That is, in this embodiment, a first bearing hole 50 is formed inside (hollow portion) of the armrest portion 5A in the main component 5F so as to extend rearward from the front end of the armrest portion 5A and in which the rotation center axis (upper base frame 4F of the upper left portion 42 or the upper base frame 4F of the upper right portion 43) is installed, and a second bearing hole 51 is formed inside (hollow portion) of the armrest portion 5A in the main component 5F so as to penetrate through the front and rear ends of the armrest portion 5A and rotatably support the rotation axis 60, is provided in the armrest portion 5A of the composite function body 5.
Therefore, compared to a configuration in which the bearing component supporting the central axis of rotation of the composite functional body 5, which functions as an armrest and an underarm support, and the bearing component rotatably supporting the rotation axis 60 of the rotation interlocking body 6 are each provided in separate locations, it is possible to reduce the number of parts, simplify the configuration, and realize a walker 1 that is lightweight, compact, and has excellent functionality and design.

According to the walking aid 1 of the embodiment, the rotating interlocking body 6 having the back support 7 and the composite functional body 5 having the armrest portion 5A and the side support portion 5B are configured in association with each other, so that it is possible to improve the functionality and design of the upper component 4 and to reduce its weight.
In other words, it has become possible to provide a walking aid 1 having an upper structure 4 that can improve functionality and design and also allows for weight reduction.

The base frame 6F of the rotation linkage body 6 is attached to the composite function body 5 so that the support part 70 of the back support 7 and the grip main body 80 of the handle grip 8 are positioned above the position of the rotation axis 60 when the walker 1 is in use.

When the walker 1 is in use, the person rotates the left rotating interlocking body 6L to the left and rotates the right rotating interlocking body 6R to the right, so that the back supports 7L, 7R and the handle grips 8L, 8R are set to the open position, which is a position rotated in a direction away from each other, as shown in Figures 7(a) and 8(a). In other words, the walker is set to a state in which the user can enter and exit the walker operation position H.
Similarly, when the walker 1 is in use, the person rotates the left rotation interlocking body 6L to the right and rotates the right rotation interlocking body 6R to the left, so that the back supports 7L, 7R and the handle grips 8L, 8R are set to the closed position, which is a position where they are rotated in a direction approaching each other, as shown in Figures 7(b) and 8(b). In other words, the walker is set in a state where the user cannot enter or exit the walker operation position H.
Here, the closed position of the back supports 7L, 7R is a position that closes the rear entrance to the walker operating position H and is set to a support position in which the user's back can be supported, and the open position of the back supports 7L, 7R is a position that opens the rear entrance to the walker operating position H and is set to a non-support position in which it is not possible to support the user's back.
In addition, the closed position of the handle grips 8L, 8R is set to a position when the user is operating the walker 1, and the open position of the handle grips 8L, 8R is set to a position when the user is not operating the walker 1.

In other words, when a person operates the back supports 7L, 7R or handle grips 8L, 8R of the rotating interlocking bodies 6L, 6R to rotate the rotating shafts 60, 60, the back supports 7L, 7R7 are configured to be set at least to a closed position that closes the rear entrance to the walker operating position H, and an open position that opens the rear entrance to the walker operating position H.
In other words, when a person operates the back support 7L, 7R or the handle grip 8L, 8R of the rotating interlocking body 6L, 6R to rotate the rotating shaft 60, 60, the back support 7L, 7R7 is configured to be set to at least a support position, which is a position capable of supporting the user's back, or a non-support position, which is a position unable to support the user's back.
In other words, it is possible to provide a walker 1 having excellent functionality, in which the handle grip 8, back support 7, and rotating shaft 60 are configured to rotate in unison, and which has rotating interlocking bodies 6L, 6R that facilitate adjustment of the opening and closing of the back supports 7L, 7R, which serve as the opening and closing entrances to the walker operating position H.

It is preferable to provide a friction resistance member, such as a plunger and a notch (not shown), between the rotating shaft 60 and the bearing hole 51 to provide resistance to the rotational movement of the rotating shaft 60 and to configure the handle grip 8 and back support 7 so that they are unlikely to rotate from the open or closed position when set in that position.

By providing the rotation interlocking body 6 having the above-described configuration, the following effects can be obtained.
By operating the handle grip 8 or back support 7 of the rotation interlocking body 6 to rotate the rotation interlocking body 6, it becomes possible to open and close the rear entrance to the walker operation position H.
For example, when a user operates the back support 7 to rotate the rotating interlocking body 6, the back support 7 is set to the open position and the rear entrance to the walker operating position H is opened, so that the user can move from the rear entrance to the walker operating position H of the walker 1.
Furthermore, when the user reaches the walker operation position H, he or she grips the handle grip 8 at the walker operation position H and rotates the rotation interlocking body 6, which sets the back support 7 to the closed position, so that the back support 7 is set to the support position and the rear entrance to the walker operation position H is closed. In this state, the user can operate the walker 1 by gripping the handle grip 8 which is set to the operation position, which is the closed position.
If the user loses balance and is likely to fall backwards while operating the vehicle, the back support 7 set at the support position supports the user's back, thereby preventing the user from falling.

Further, the composite function body 5 (the left composite function body 5L and the right composite function body 5R) is configured to be rotatable within a predetermined rotation range in the left-right direction.
In this case, the rotational support part of the composite functional body 5 is configured with a biasing means such as a spring that biases the composite functional body 5 in a rotational direction so that they approach each other, so that the distance between the left composite functional body 5L and the right composite functional body 5R can be adjusted steplessly so that the left composite functional body 5L and the right composite functional body 5R naturally approach each other in accordance with the user's body shape.
In this case, for example, one end of the torsion coil spring can be fixed to the inner surface of the second bearing hole 50, and the rotational axis of the composite function body 5 can be passed through the first bearing hole 50 and the coil hole of the torsion coil spring, with the other end of the torsion coil spring being fixed to the rotational axis.
In addition, the positions of the composite functional body 5L and the right-side composite functional body 5R can be fixed in multiple stages using a fixing means such as a lock pin, so that the distance between the left-side composite functional body 5L and the right-side composite functional body 5R can be adjusted.
In this way, since the distance between the left composite functional body 5L and the right composite functional body 5R can be adjusted, it is possible to provide a walker 1 that can accommodate users of various body shapes.

In the embodiment, the rotational linkage body 6 is exemplified as comprising a rotational shaft 60 extending in the forward/backward direction of the walker 1, a handle grip 8 provided on the front end side of the rotational shaft 60, and a back support 7 provided on the rear end side of the rotational shaft 60, and is configured so that the rotational shaft 60, the handle grip 8, and the back support 7 rotate in conjunction with each other around the center line of the rotational shaft 60 as the center of rotation, however, the rotational linkage body may be configured without comprising a handle grip 8.
In other words, the rotating linkage body may include a rotating shaft 60 extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the walker 1, and a back support 7 provided on the rear end side of the rotating shaft 60, and is configured so that the rotating shaft 60 and the back support 7 rotate in conjunction with each other with the center line of the rotating shaft 60 as the center of rotation.
In this case, the handle grip may be provided in a fixed state on the upper base 4A, for example. That is, in the present invention, it is not essential to provide the handle grip on the rotation interlocking body.
Even with this configuration, the back support 7 can be opened and closed by a person rotating the back support 7, and a user-friendly walker can be provided that is configured to be moved from the rear side of the walker 1 to the walker operation position H.
In this case, for example, if an attendant is present, the attendant can close the back support 7 after confirming that the user has moved to the walker operation position H, allowing the user to use the walker more safely.
Furthermore, even if the handle grip is fixed to the upper base 4A, if the walker is configured to have, for example, an opening/closing lever or an electric device (not shown) for opening and closing the back support 7 on the front side thereof, it will be possible for the user to close the back support 7 after moving to the walker control position H.

1 Walker, 2 Lower structure, 2A Lower base, 2B Moving means, 3 Support,
4 Upper structure, 4A Upper base, 5 Composite function body, 5A Armrest portion,
5B side support part, 6 rotation interlocking body, 7 back support, 8 handle grip,
41 upper front part, 42 upper left part (left rotation axis),
43 upper right portion (right rotation central axis), 50 first bearing hole, 51 second bearing hole,
60 Rotation axis of the rotating linkage body.

Claims (4)

The device includes a lower structure, a support provided so as to extend upward from the lower structure, and an upper structure provided on an upper side of the support,
The lower structure includes a lower base and a moving means provided on the lower base,
The upper structure includes an upper base, a composite functional body having an armrest portion and an underarm support portion, and a rotation interlocking body.
The rotation linkage body includes a rotation shaft extending in the front-rear direction of the walker and a back support provided on the rear end side of the rotation shaft,
The composite functional body includes a first bearing hole in the armrest portion into which a rear end side of the upper base serving as a rotation center axis of the armpit support portion is inserted, and a second bearing hole into which a rotation axis of the rotation interlocking body is rotatably inserted,
A walker characterized in that a rotation center shaft is inserted into a first bearing hole of a composite function body, such that the composite function body is rotatably attached with the rotation center shaft as the center of rotation, and a rotation shaft of a rotation interlocking body is rotatably attached to a second bearing hole of the composite function body, such that the back support and the rotation shaft rotate in conjunction with each other. the upper base includes an upper front portion extending in the left-right direction from an upper portion of the support, an upper left portion extending rearward from the left end side of the upper front portion and functioning as a left-side rotation central axis, and an upper right portion extending rearward from the right end side of the upper front portion and functioning as a right-side rotation central axis;
The seat cushion is provided with a left-hand composite functional body having an armrest portion extending in the left-right and front-rear directions and an underarm support portion provided so as to extend upward from the right end side of the armrest portion, and a right-hand composite functional body having an armrest portion extending in the left-right and front-rear directions and an underarm support portion provided so as to extend upward from the left end side of the armrest portion,
The rotation interlocking body includes a left rotation interlocking body and a right rotation interlocking body,
The left side rotation central shaft is inserted into a first bearing hole of the left side composite function body, and the left side composite function body is rotatably attached with the left side rotation central shaft as a rotation center, and the rotation shaft of the left side rotation interlocking body is rotatably attached to a second bearing hole of the left side composite function body, so that the back support and the rotation shaft rotate in conjunction with each other,
The walker described in claim 1, characterized in that the right-side rotation center axis is inserted into a first bearing hole of the right-side composite function body, so that the right-side composite function body is rotatably attached with the right-side rotation center axis as a rotation center, and the rotation axis of the right-side rotation interlocking body is rotatably attached to a second bearing hole of the right-side composite function body, so that the back support and the rotation axis rotate in conjunction with each other. The walker according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the rotating linkage is provided with a hand grip on the front end side of the rotating shaft, and is configured so that the handle grip, back support, and rotating shaft rotate in conjunction with each other. The first bearing hole is provided on the armrest portion on the side of the armpit support portion so as to extend in the front-rear direction,
3. The walking aid according to claim 1, wherein the second bearing hole is provided so as to extend in the front-rear direction on a side of the armrest opposite to the side of the armpit support portion.

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